the pillory to-day for beating of their masters or such like thing, in Chcapside, a company of ’prentices come and rescued them, and pulled down the pillory, and they being set up again, did the like again.

28th The great matter to-day in the House hath been that Mr Vaughan,²⁷ the great speaker, is this day come to town, and hath declared himself in a speech of an hour and a half, with great reason and eloquence, against the repealing of the Bill for Triennial Parliaments, but with no successe but the House have carried it that there shall be such Parliaments, but without any coercive power upon the King, if he will bring this Act, But, Lord was to see how the best things are not done without some design, for I perceive all these gentlemen that I was with to-day were against it, (though there was reason enough on their side), yet purely I could perceive, because it was the King’s mind to have it, and should he demand any thing else, I believe they would give it him.

April 1st To White Hall, and in the Gallery met the Duke of York, (I also saw the Queene going to the Park, and her Maids of Honour she herself looks ill, and methinks Mrs Stewart is grown fatter, and not so fair as she was) and he called me to him, and discoursed a good while with me, and after he was gone twice or thrice staid and called me again to him, the whole length of the house and at last talked of the Dutch, and I perceive do much wish that the Parliament will find reason to fall out with them.

3rd Called up by W Joyce,²⁸ he being summonsed to the House of Lords to-morrow, for endeavouring to arrest my Lady Peters²⁹ for a debt.

4th Up, and walked to my Lord Sandwich’s, and there spoke with him about W Joyce, who tells me he would do what was fit in so tender a point I to the Lords’ House before they sat, and stood within it, while the Duke of York come to me and spoke to me a good while about the new ship at Woolwich Afterwards I spoke with my Lord Barkeley and my Lord Peterborough about it And so staid without a good while, and saw my Lady Peters, an impudent jade, soliciting all the Lords on her behalf And at last W Joyce was called in, and by the consequences, and what my Lord Peterborough told me, I find that he did speak all he said to his disadvantage, and so was committed to the Black Rod which is very hard, he doing what he did by the advice of my Lord Peter’s own steward But the Serjeant of the Black Rod did direct one of his messengers to take him in custody, and peaceably conducted him to the Swan with two Necks, in Tuttle-street, to a handsome dining-room, and there was most civilly used It was a sad sight, methought to-day to see my Lord Peters coming out of the House, fall out with his lady (from whom he is parted) about this business, saying that she disgraced him But she hath been a handsome woman, and is, it seems, not only a lewd woman, but very high-spirited.

5th Lord Peterborough presented a petition to the House from W Joyce and a great dispute, we hear, there was in the House for and against it At last it was carried that he should be bayled till the House meets again after Easter, he giving bond for his appearance Anon comes the King and passed the Bill for repealing the Triennial Act, and another about Writs of Errour I crowded in and heard the King’s speech to them, but he speaks the worst that ever I heard man in my life worse than if he read it all, and he had it in writing in his hand I went to W Joyce, where I found the order come, and bayle (his father and brother) given, and he paying his fees, which come to above £12, besides £5 he is to give one man, and his charges of eating and drinking here, and 10s a-day as many days as he stands under bayle which, I hope, will teach him hereafter to hold his tongue better than he used to do.

8th Home to the only Lenten supper I have had of wiggs³⁰ and ale.

15th To the Duke’s house, and there saw The German Princesse³¹ acted by the woman herself but never was any thing so well done in earnest, worse performed in jest upon the stage.

18th Up and by coach to Westminster, and there solicited W Joyce’s business again, and did speak to the Duke of York about it, who did understand it very well I afterwards did without the House fall in company with my Lady Peters, and endeavoured to mollify her but she told me she would not, to redeem her from hell, do any thing to release him, but would be revenged while she lived, if she lived the age of Methusalem I made many friends, and so did others At last it was ordered by the Lords that it should