22nd.  Office day; after that to dinner at home upon some ribs of roast beef from the Cook’s (which of late we have been forced to do because of our house being always under the painters’ and other people’s hands, that we could not dress it ourselves).  After dinner to my Lord’s, where I found all preparing for my Lord’s going to sea to fetch the Queen tomorrow.  At night my Lord came home, with whom I staid long, and talked of many things.  Among others I got leave to have his picture, that was done by Lilly,

     [Peter Lely, afterwards knighted.  He lived in the Piazza, Covent
     Garden.  This portrait was bought by Lord Braybrooke at Mr. Pepys
     Cockerell’s sale in 1848, and is now at Audley End.]

copied, and talking of religion, I found him to be a perfect Sceptic, and said that all things would not be well while there was so much preaching, and that it would be better if nothing but Homilies were to be read in Churches.  This afternoon (he told me) there hath been a meeting before the King and my Lord Chancellor, of some Episcopalian and Presbyterian Divines; but what had passed he could not tell me.  After I had done talk with him, I went to bed with Mr. Sheply in his chamber, but could hardly get any sleep all night, the bed being ill made and he a bad bedfellow.

23rd.  We rose early in the morning to get things ready for My Lord, and Mr. Sheply going to put up his pistols (which were charged with bullets) into the holsters, one of them flew off, and it pleased God that, the mouth of the gun being downwards, it did us no hurt, but I think I never was in more danger in my life, which put me into a great fright.  About eight o’clock my Lord went; and going through the garden my Lord met with Mr. William Montagu, who told him of an estate of land lately come into the King’s hands, that he had a mind my Lord should beg.  To which end my Lord writ a letter presently to my Lord Chancellor to do it for him, which (after leave taken of my Lord at White Hall bridge) I did carry to Warwick House to him; and had a fair promise of him, that he would do it this day for my Lord.  In my way thither I met the Lord Chancellor and all the judges riding on horseback and going to Westminster Hall, it being the first day of the term, which was the first time I ever saw any such solemnity.  Having done there I returned to Whitehall, where meeting with my brother Ashwell and his cozen Sam.  Ashwell and Mr. Mallard, I took them to the Leg in King Street and gave them a dish of meat for dinner and paid for it.  From thence going to Whitehall I met with Catan Stirpin in mourning, who told me that her mistress was lately dead of the small pox, and that herself was now married to Monsieur Petit, as also what her mistress had left her, which was very well.  She also took me to her lodging at an Ironmonger’s in King Street, which was but very poor, and I found by a letter that she shewed me of her husband’s