13th.  To my office till noon, thence home to dinner, my mouth being very bad of the cancer and my left leg beginning to be sore again.  After dinner to see Mrs. Jem, and in the way met with Catan on foot in the street and talked with her a little, so home and took my wife to my father’s.  In my way I went to Playford’s, and for two books that I had and 6s. 6d. to boot I had my great book of songs which he sells always for r 4s.  At my father’s I staid a while, while my mother sent her maid Bess to Cheapside for some herbs to make a water for my mouth.  Then I went to see Mr. Cumberland, and after a little stay with him I returned, and took my wife home, where after supper to bed.  This day Monk was invited to White Hall to dinner by my Lords; not seeming willing, he would not come.  I went to Mr. Fage from my father’s, who had been this afternoon with Monk, who do promise to live and die with the City, and for the honour of the City; and indeed the City is very open-handed to the soldiers, that they are most of them drunk all day, and have money given them.  He did give me something for my mouth which I did use this night.

14th.  Called out in the morning by Mr. Moore, whose voice my wife hearing in my dressing-chamber with me, got herself ready, and came down and challenged him for her valentine, this being the day.

     [The practice of choosing valentines was very general at this time,
     but some of the best examples of the custom are found in this
     Diary.]

To Westminster Hall, there being many new remonstrances and declarations from many counties to Monk and the City, and one coming from the North from Sir Thomas Fairfax.  Hence I took him to the Swan and gave him his morning draft.  So to my office, where Mr. Hill of Worcestershire came to see me and my partner in our office, with whom we went to Will’s to drink.  At noon I went home and so to Mr. Crew’s, but they had dined, and so I went to see Mrs. Jem where I stayed a while, and home again where I stayed an hour or two at my lute, and so forth to Westminster Hall, where I heard that the Parliament hath now changed the oath so much talked of to a promise; and that among other qualifications for the members that are to be chosen, one is, that no man, nor the son of any man that hath been in arms during the life of the father, shall be capable of being chosen to sit in Parliament.  To Will’s, where like a fool I staid and lost 6d. at cards.  So home, and wrote a letter to my Lord by the post.  So after supper to bed.  This day, by an order of the House, Sir H. Vane was sent out of town to his house in Lincolnshire.