dictate together in Latin, upon different subjects of their proposing, faster than they were able to write, till they were tired, and that the best way of beginning a sentence, if a man should be out and forget his last sentence, (which he never was,) that then his last refuge is to begin with an Utcunque.

27th (Lord’s day) Before I rose, letters come to me from Portsmouth, telling me that the Princesse is now well, and my Lord Sandwich set sail with the Queen and her yesterday from thence to France This day the parson read a proclamation at church, for the keeping of Wednesday next, the 30th of January, a fast for the murther of the late King.

30th (Fast day) The first time that this day hath been yet observed and Mr Mills made a most excellent sermon, upon ‘Lord forgive us our former iniquities’, speaking excellently of the justice of God in punishing men for the sins of their ancestors To my Lady Batten’s,⁵ where my wife and she are lately come back again from being abroad, and seeing of Cromwell. Ireton⁶ and Bradshaw hanged and buried at Tyburne!

31st To the Theatre, and there sat in the pitt among the company of fine ladys. &c and the house was exceeding full to see Argalus and Parthenia,⁷ the first time that it hath been acted and indeed it is good, though wronged by my over great expectations, as all things else are.

February 2nd Home, where I found the parson and his wife gone And by and by the rest of the company very well pleased, and I too, it being the last dinner I intend to make a great while.

3rd (Lord’s-day) This day I first begun to go forth in my coate and sword, as the manner now among gentlemen is To White Hall, where I staid to hear the trumpets and kettle drums, and then the other drums, which are much cried up, though I think it dull, vulgar musick So to Mr Fox’s, unbidd, where I had a good dinner and special company Among other discourse, I observed one story, how my Lord of Northwich,⁸ at a public audience before the King of France, made the Duke of Anjou cry, by making ugly faces as he was stepping to the King, but undiscovered And how Sir Phillip Warwick’s⁹ lady did wonder to have Mr Daray send for several dozen bottles of Rhenish wine to her house, not knowing that the wine was his Thence to my Lord’s, where I am told how Sir Thomas Crew’s¹⁰ Pedro, with two of his countrymen more, did last night kill one soldier of four that quarrelled with them in the street, about ten o’clock The other two are taken but he is now hid at my Lord’s till night, that he do intend to make his escape away.

5th Into the Hall, and there saw my Lord Treasurer¹¹ (who was sworn today at the Exchequer, with a great company of Lords and persons of honour to attend him) go up to the Treasury Offices, and take possession thereof, and also saw the heads of Cromwell, Bradshaw, and Ireton, set up at the further end of the Hall.

7th To Westminster Hall And after a walk to my Lord’s, where, while I and my Lady were in her chamber in talk, in comes my Lord from sea, to our great wonder He had dined at Havre de Grace on Monday last, and come to the Downes the next day, and lay at Canterbury that night, and so to Dartford, and thence this morning to White Hall Among others, Mr Creed and Captn Ferrers tell me the stories of my Lord Duke of Buckingham’s and my Lord’s falling out at Havre de Grace, at cards, they two and my Lord St Alban’s playing The Duke did, to my Lord’s dishonour, often say that he did in his conscience know the contrary to what he then said, about the difference at cards and so did take up the money that he should have lost to my Lord Which my Lord resenting, said nothing then, but that he doubted not but there were ways enough to get his money of him So they parted that night, and my Lord sent Sir R Stayner the next morning to the Duke, to know whether he did remember what he said last night, and whether he would owne it with his sword and a second, which he said he would, and so both sides agreed But my Lord St Alban’s, and the Queen, and Ambassador Montagu, did way-lay them at their lodgings till the difference was made up, to my Lord’s honour, who hath got great reputation thereby.

8th Captn Cuttle, and Curtis, and Mootham, and I, went to the Fleece Taverne to drink, and there we spent till four o’clock, telling stories of Algiers, and the manner of life of slaves there And truly Captn Mootham and Mr Dawes (who have been both slaves there) did make me fully acquainted with their