18th Mr Cooke returned from London, bringing me this news, that the Cavaliers are something unwise to talk so high on the other side as they do That the Lords do meet every day at my Lord of Manchester’s, and resolve to sit the first day of the Parliament. That it is evident now that the General and the Council do resolve to make way for the King’s coming And it is clear that either the Fanatiques must now be undone, or the gentry and citizens throughout England, and clergy must fall, in spite of their militia and army, which is not at all possible I think.

19th At dinner news brought us that my Lord was chosen at Dover.

20th This evening come Mr Boyle on board, for whom I writ an order for a ship to transport him to Flushing. He supped with my Lord, my Lord using him as a person of honour Mr Shepley told me that he heard for certain at Dover that Mr Edw Montagu⁶⁰ did go beyond sea when he was here first the other day, and I am apt to believe that he went to speak with the King This day one told me how that at the election at Cambridge for knights of the shire, Wendby and Thornton by declaring to stand for the Parliament and a King and the settlement of the Church, did carry it against all expectation against Sir Dudley North and Sir Thomas Willis⁶¹.

21st This day dined Sir John Boys⁶² and some other gentlemen formerly great Cavaliers and among the rest one Mr Norwood,⁶³ for whom my Lord give a convoy to carry him to the Brill, but he is certainly going to the King For my Lord commanded me that I should not enter his name in my book My Lord do show them and that sort of people great civility All their discourse and others are of the King’s coming, and we begin to speak of it very freely And heard how in many churches in London, and upon many signs there, and upon merchants’ ships in the river, they had set up the King’s arms. This night there came one with a letter from Mr Edw Montagu to my Lord, with command to deliver it to his own hands I do believe that he do carry some close business on for the King. This day I had a large letter from Mr Moore, giving me an account of the present dispute at London that is like to be at the beginning of the Parliament, about the House of Lords, who do resolve to sit with the Commons, as not thinking themselves dissolved yet Which, whether it be granted or no, or whether they will sit or no, it will bring a great many inconveniences His letter I keep, it being a very well writ one.

22nd Several Londoners, strangers, friends of the Captains, dined here, who, among other things told us, how the King’s Arms are every day set up in houses and churches, particularly in Allhallows Church in Thames-street, John Simpson’s church, which being privately done was a great eye-sore to his people when they came to church and saw it. Also they told us for certain, that the King’s statue is making by the Mercers’ Company (who are bound to do it) to set up in the Exchange.

23rd In the evening for the first time, extraordinary good sport among the seamen, after my Lord had done playing at nine-pins.

24th We were on board the London, which hath a stateroom much bigger than the Nazeby, but not so rich After that, with the Captain on board our own ship, where we were saluted with the news of Lambert’s being taken, which news was brought to London on Sunday last. He was taken in Northamptonshire by Colonel Ingoldsby,⁶⁴ in the head of a party, by which means their whole design is broke, and things now very open and safe And every man begins to be merry and full of hopes.

25th Dined to-day with Captain Clerke on board the Speaker (a very brave ship) where was the Vice- Admiral, R Admiral, and many other commanders After dinner home, not a little contented to see how I am treated, and with what respect made a fellow to the best commander in the Fleet.

26th This day come Mr Donne back from London, who brought letters with him that signify the meeting of the Parliament yesterday And in the afternoon by other letters I hear, that about twelve of the Lords met and had chosen my Lord of Manchester Speaker of the House of Lords (the young Lords that never sat yet, do forbear to sit for the present), and Sir Harbottle Grimstone,⁶⁵ Speaker for the House of Commons, which, after a little debate, was granted Dr Reynolds preached before the Commons before they sat My Lord told me how Sir H Yelverton⁶⁶ (formerly my schoolfellow) was chosen in the first place for Northamptonshire