hear that the Queen’s going to France is stopt which do like me well, because then the King will be in town the next month, which is my month again at the Privy Seale!

30th Sir G Carteret did give us an account how Mr Holland do intend to prevail with the Parliament to try his project of discharging the seamen all at present by ticket, and so promise interest to all men that will lend money upon them at eight per cent, for so long as they are unpaid whereby he do think to take away the growing debt, which do now he upon the kingdom for lack of present money to discharge the seamen.

December 4th This day the Parliament voted that the bodies of Oliver, Ireton, Bradshaw, &c, should be taken up out of their graves in the Abbey, and drawn to the gallows, and there hanged and buried under it which (methinks) do trouble me that a man of so great courage as he was, should have that dishonour, though otherwise he might deserve it enough.

9th I went to the Duke And first calling upon Mr Coventry at his chamber, I went to the Duke’s bed-side who had sat up late last night, and lay long this morning This being done, I went to chapel, and sat in Mr Blagrave’s pew, and there did sing my part along with another before the King, and with much ease.

10th It is expected that the Duke will marry the Lord Chancellor’s daughter at last, which is likely to be the ruine of Mr Davis and my Lord Barkley, who have carried themselves so high against the Chancellor, Sir Chas Barkley swearing that he and others had intrigued with her often, which all believe to be a lie.

16th In the afternoon I went to White Hall, where I was surprised with the news of a plot against the King’s person and my Lord Monk’s, and that since last night there were about forty taken up on suspicion, and, amongst others, it was my lot to meet with Simon Beale, the Trumpeter, who took me and Tom Doling into the Guard in Scotland Yard, and showed us Major-General Overton¹⁸⁹ Here I heard him deny that he is guilty of any such things but that whereas it is said that he is found to have brought many armes to towne, he says it is only to sell them, as he will prove by oath.

21st They told me that this is St Thomas’s, and that by an old custome, this day the Exchequer men had formerly, and do intend this night to have a supper, which if I could I promised to come to, but did not To my Lady’s, and dined with her, she told me how dangerously ill the Princesse Royal is and that this morning she was said to be dead But she hears that she hath married herself to young Jermyn,¹⁹⁰ which is worse than the Duke of York’s marrying the Chancellor’s daughter, which is now publicly owned.

26th To White Hall by water, and dined with my Lady Sandwich, who at table did tell me how much fault was laid upon Dr Frazer and the rest of the Doctors, for the death of the Princesse My Lord did dine this day with Sir Henry Wright, in order to his going to sea with the Queen.

31st In Paul’s Church-yard I bought the play of Henry IV, and so went to the new Theatre and saw it acted, but my expectation being too great, it did not please me, as otherwise I believe it would and my having a book, I believe did spoil it a little That being done I went to my Lord’s, where I found him private at cards with my Lord Lauderdale and some persons of honour.