into my vowes for the year coming on.  Here I met with the good newes of Hogg’s bringing in two prizes more to Plymouth, which if they prove but any part of them, I hope, at least, we shall be no losers by them.  So home from the office, to write over fair my vowes for this year, and then to supper, and to bed.  In great peace of mind having now done it, and brought myself into order again and a resolution of keeping it, and having entered my journall to this night, so to bed, my eyes failing me with writing.

8th.  Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning.  At noon home to dinner, where my uncle Thomas with me to receive his quarterage.  He tells me his son Thomas is set up in Smithfield, where he hath a shop—­I suppose, a booth.  Presently after dinner to the office, and there set close to my business and did a great deal before night, and am resolved to stand to it, having been a truant too long.  At night to Sir W. Batten’s to consider some things about our prizes, and then to other talk, and among other things he tells me that he hears for certain that Sir W. Coventry hath resigned to the King his place of Commissioner of the Navy, the thing he bath often told me that he had a mind to do, but I am surprised to think that he hath done it, and am full of thoughts all this evening after I heard it what may be the consequences of it to me.  So home and to supper, and then saw the catalogue of my books, which my brother had wrote out, now perfectly alphabeticall, and so to bed.  Sir Richard Ford did this evening at Sir W. Batten’s tell us that upon opening the body of my Lady Denham it is said that they found a vessel about her matrix which had never been broke by her husband, that caused all pains in her body.  Which if true is excellent invention to clear both the Duchesse from poison or the Duke from lying with her.

9th.  Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen in a hackney-coach to White Hall, the way being most horribly bad upon the breaking up of the frost, so as not to be passed almost.  There did our usual [business] with the Duke of York, and here I do hear, by my Lord Bruncker, that for certain Sir W. Coventry hath resigned his place of Commissioner; which I believe he hath done upon good grounds of security to himself, from all the blame which must attend our office this next year; but I fear the King will suffer by it.  Thence to Westminster Hall, and there to the conference of the Houses about the word “Nuisance,”

[In the “Bill against importing Cattle from Ireland and other parts beyond the Seas,” the Lords proposed to insert “Detriment and Mischief” in place of “Nuisance,” but the Commons stood to their word, and gained their way.  The Lords finally consented that “Nuisance” should stand in the Bill.]

which the Commons would have, and the Lords will not, in the Irish Bill.  The Commons do it professedly to prevent the King’s dispensing with it; which