17th. This being the last Sunday that the Presbyterians are to preach, unless they read the new Common Prayer and renounce the Covenant, I had a mind to hear Dr Bates’s farewell sermon; and walked to St Dunstan’s, where, it not being seven o’clock yet, the doors were not open; and so I walked an hour in the Temple-garden. At eight o’clock I went, and crowded in at a back door among others, the church being half-full almost before any doors were open publicly; and so got into the gallery, beside the pulpit, and heard very well. His text was, ‘Now the God of Peace ...’; the last Hebrews, and the 20th verse: he making a very good sermon, and very little reflections in it to any thing of the times. To Madam Turner’s, and dined with her. She had heard Parson Herring take his leave; tho’he, by reading so much of the Common Prayer as he did, hath cast himself out of the good opinion of both sides. After dinner to St Dunstan’s again; and the church quite crowded before I come, which was just at one o’clock; but I got into the gallery again, but stood in a crowd. He⁴⁴ pursued his text again very well; and only at the conclusion told us, after this manner: ‘I do believe that many of you do expect that I should say something to you in reference to the time, this being the last time that possibly I may appear here. You know not it is not my manner to speak anything in the pulpit that is extraneous to my text and business; yet this I shall say, that it is not my opinion, fashion, or humour that keeps me from complying with what is required of us; but something after much prayer, discourse, and study yet remains unsatisfied, and commands me herein. Wherefore, if it is my unhappinesse not to receive such an illumination as should direct me to do otherwise, I know no reason why men should not pardon me in this world, as I am confident God will pardon me for it in the next.’ And so he concluded. Parson Herring read a psalme and chapters before sermon; and one was the chapter in the Acts, where the story of Ananias and Sapphira is. And after he had done, says he, ‘This is just the case of England at present. God he bids us to preach, and men bid us not to preach; and if we do, we are to be imprisoned and further punished. All that I can say to it is, that I beg your prayers, and the prayers of all good Christians, for us.’ This was all the exposition he made of the chapter in these very words, and no more. I was much pleased with Bates’s manner of bringing in the Lord’s Prayer after his owne; thus, ‘In whose comprehensive words we sum up all our imperfect desires; saying, ‘‘Our Father’’ &c.’ I hear most of the Presbyters took their leaves today, and that the City is much dissatisfied with it. I pray God keep peace among men in their rooms, or else all will fly a-pieces; for bad ones will not go down with the City.

18th. Mr Deane⁴⁵ of Woolwich and I rid into Waltham Forest, and there we saw many trees of the King’s a-hewing; and he showed me the whole mystery of off square, wherein the King is abused in the timber that he buys, which I shall with much pleasure be able to correct. We rode to Illford, and there, while dinner was getting ready, he and I practised measuring of the tables and other things till I did understand measure of timber and board very well.

19th. At the office; and Mr Coventry did tell us of the duell between Mr Jermyn,⁴⁶ nephew to my Lord St Alban’s, and Colonel Giles Rawlins, the latter of whom is killed, and the first mortally wounded, as it is thought. They fought against Captain Thomas Howard,⁴⁷ my Lord Carlisle’s brother, and another unknown; who, they say, had armor on that they could not be hurt, so that one of their swords went up to the hilt against it. They had horses ready, and are fled. But what is most strange, Howard sent one challenge before, but they could not meet till yesterday at the old Pall Mall at St James’s, and he would not to the last tell Jermyn what the quarrel was; nor do any body know. The Court is much concerned in this fray, and I am glad of it; hoping that it will cause some good laws against it. After sitting, Sir G. Carteret did tell me how he had spoke of me to my Lord Chancellor, and that if my Lord Sandwich would ask my Lord Chancellor, he should know what he had said of me to him to my advantage.

20th. To my Lord Sandwich, whom I found in bed. Among other talk, he do tell me that he hath put me into commission with a great many great persons in the business of Tangier, which is a very great honour to me, and may be of good concernment to me. By and by comes in Mr Coventry to us, whom my Lord tells that he is also put into the commission, and that I am there, of which he said he was glad; and did tell my Lord that I was indeed the life of this office, and much more to my commendation beyond measure. And that, whereas before he did bear me respect for his sake, so he do it now much more for my own; which is a great blessing to me. Sir G. Carteret having told me what he did yesterday concerning his speaking to my Lord Chancellor about me. So that on all hands, by God’s blessing, I find myself a