Sir W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, and myself to the Swan
in Leadenhall Street to dinner, where an exceedingly
good dinner and good discourse. Sir W. Batten
come this morning from the House, where the King hath
prorogued this Parliament to October next. I
am glad they are up. The Bill for Accounts was
not offered, the party being willing to let it fall;
but the King did tell them he expected it. They
are parted with great heartburnings, one party against
the other. Pray God bring them hereafter together
in better temper! It is said that the King do
intend himself in this interval to take away Lord
Mordaunt’s government, so as to do something
to appease the House against they come together, and
let them see he will do that of his own accord which
is fit, without their forcing him; and that he will
have his Commission for Accounts go on which will be
good things. At dinner we talked much of Cromwell;
all saying he was a brave fellow, and did owe his
crowne he got to himself as much as any man that ever
got one. Thence to the office, and there begun
the account which Sir W. Pen by his late employment
hath examined, but begun to examine it in the old
manner, a clerk to read the Petty warrants, my Lord
Bruncker upon very good ground did except against it,
and would not suffer him to go on. This being
Sir W. Pen’s clerk he took it in snuff, and so
hot they grew upon it that my Lord Bruncker left the
office. He gone (Sir) W. Pen ranted like a devil,
saying that nothing but ignorance could do this.
I was pleased at heart all this while. At last
moved to have Lord Bruncker desired to return, which
he did, and I read the petty warrants all the day
till late at night, that I was very weary, and troubled
to have my private business of my office stopped to
attend this, but mightily pleased at this falling
out, and the truth is [Sir] W. Pen do make so much
noise in this business of his, and do it so little
and so ill, that I think the King will be little the
better by changing the hand. So up and to my
office a little, but being at it all day I could not
do much there. So home and to supper, to teach
Barker to sing another piece of my song, and then
to bed.
9th. To the office, where we sat all the morning busy. At noon home to dinner, and then to my office again, where also busy, very busy late, and then went home and read a piece of a play, “Every Man in his Humour,”—[Ben Jonson’s well-known play.]—wherein is the greatest propriety of speech that ever I read in my life: and so to bed. This noon come my wife’s watchmaker, and received L12 of me for her watch; but Captain Rolt coming to speak with me about a little business, he did judge of the work to be very good work, and so I am well contented, and he hath made very good, that I knew, to Sir W. Pen and Lady Batten.