May 1st.  Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Pen, and myself, with our clerks, set out this morning from Portsmouth very early, and got by noon to Petersfield; several officers of the Yard accompanying us so far.  Here we dined and were merry.  At dinner comes my Lord Carlingford from London, going to Portsmouth:  tells us that the Duchess of York is brought to bed of a girl,—­[Mary, afterwards Queen of England.]—­at which I find nobody pleased; and that Prince Rupert and the Duke of Buckingham are sworn of the Privy Councell.  He himself made a dish with eggs of the butter of the Sparagus, which is very fine meat, which I will practise hereafter.  To horse again after dinner, and got to Gilford, where after supper I to bed, having this day been offended by Sir W. Pen’s foolish talk, and I offending him with my answers.  Among others he in discourse complaining of want of confidence, did ask me to lend him a grain or two, which I told him I thought he was better stored with than myself, before Sir George.  So that I see I must keep a greater distance than I have done, and I hope I may do it because of the interest which I am making with Sir George.  To bed all alone, and my Will in the truckle bed.

     [According to the original Statutes of Corpus Christi Coll.  Oxon,
     a Scholar slept in a truckle bed below each Fellow.  Called also
     “a trindle bed.”  Compare Hall’s description of an obsequious tutor: 

                              “He lieth in a truckle bed
                    While his young master lieth o’er his head.”

Satires, ii. 6, 5.

     The bed was drawn in the daytime under the high bed of the tutor. 
     See Wordsworth’s “University Life in the Eighteenth Century.”—­M.  B.]

2nd.  Early to coach again and to Kingston, where we baited a little, and presently to coach again and got early to London, and I found all well at home, and Mr. Hunt and his wife had dined with my wife to-day, and been very kind to my wife in my absence.  After I had washed myself, it having been the hottest day that has been this year, I took them all by coach to Mrs. Hunt’s, and I to Dr. Clerke’s lady, and gave her her letter and token.  She is a very fine woman, and what with her person and the number of fine ladies that were with her, I was much out of countenance, and could hardly carry myself like a man among them; but however, I staid till my courage was up again, and talked to them, and viewed her house, which is most pleasant, and so drank and good-night.  And so to my Lord’s lodgings, where by chance I spied my Lady’s coach, and found her and my Lady Wright there, and so I spoke to them, and they being gone went to Mr. Hunt’s for my wife, and so home and to bed.

3rd.  Sir W. Pen and I by coach to St. James’s, and there to the Duke’s Chamber, who had been a-hunting this morning and is come back again.  Thence to Westminster, where I met Mr. Moore, and hear that Mr. Watkins’ is suddenly dead since my going.  To dinner to my Lady Sandwich, and Sir Thomas Crew’s children coming thither, I took them and all my Ladys to the Tower and showed them the lions