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to see how things are likely to go, but cannot help it, and yet seems to
think himself mighty safe. I also visited my Lord Hinchingbroke, at his
chamber at White Hall, where I found Mr. Turner, Moore, and Creed,
talking of my Lord Sandwich, whose case I doubt is but bad, and, I fear,
will not escape being worse, though some of the company did say
otherwise. But I am mightily pleased with my Lord Hinchingbroke's
sobriety and few words. After chapel I with Creed to the Exchange, and
after much talk he and I there about securing of some money either by
land or goods to be always at our command, which we think a thing
advisable in this critical time, we parted, and I to the Sun Taverne with
Sir W. Warren (with whom I have not drank many a day, having for some
time been strange to him), and there did put it to him to advise me how
to dispose of my prize, which he will think of and do to my best
advantage. We talked of several other things relating to his service,
wherein I promise assistance, but coldly, thinking it policy to do so,
and so, after eating a short dinner, I away home, and there took out my
wife, and she and I alone to the King's playhouse, and there saw a silly
play and an old one, "The Taming of a Shrew," and so home and I to my
office a little, and then home to supper and to bed.
2nd. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning; at noon home,
and after dinner my wife and Willett and I to the King's playhouse, and
there saw "Henry the Fourth:" and contrary to expectation, was pleased in
nothing more than in Cartwright's speaking of Falstaffe's speech about
"What is Honour?" The house full of Parliament-men, it being holyday
with them: and it was observable how a gentleman of good habit, sitting
just before us, eating of some fruit in the midst of the play, did drop
down as dead, being choked; but with much ado Orange Moll did thrust her
finger down his throat, and brought him to life again. After the play,
we home, and I busy at the office late, and then home to supper and to
bed.
3rd (Lord's day). Up, and with my wife to church, and thither comes
Roger Pepys to our pew, and thence home to dinner, whither comes by
invitation Mr. Turner, the minister, and my cozen Roger brought with him
Jeffrys, the apothecary at Westminster, who is our kinsman, and we had
much discourse of Cottenhamshire, and other things with great pleasure.
My cozen Roger did tell me of a bargain which I may now have in Norfolke,
that my she-cozen, Nan Pepys, is going to sell, the title whereof is very
good, and the pennyworth is also good enough; but it is out of the way so
of my life, that I shall never enjoy it, nor, it may be, see it, and so I
shall have nothing to do with it. After dinner to talk, and I find by
discourse Mr. Turner to be a man mighty well read in the Roman history,
which is very pleasant. By and by Roger went, and Mr. Turner spent an
hour talking over my Lord Sandwich's condition as to this Parliament,
which we fear may be bad, and the condition of his family, which can be
no better, and then having little to comfort ourselves but that this
humour will not last always in the Parliament, and that [it] may well
have a great many more as great men as he enquired into, and so we
parted, and I to my chamber, and there busy all the evening, and then my
wife and I to supper, and so to bed, with much discourse and pleasure one
with another.
4th. Up betimes, and by water with Sir R. Ford (who is going to
Parliament) to Westminster; and there landing at the New Exchange stairs,
I to Sir W. Coventry: and there he read over to me the Prince's and the
Duke of Albemarle's Narratives; wherein they are very severe against him
and our Office. But [Sir] W. Coventry do contemn them; only that their
persons and qualities are great, and so I do perceive [he] is afeard of
them, though he will not confess it. But he do say that, if he can get
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