Great is the talk of a single person, and that it would now be Charles, George, or Richard again.—­[Charles ii., or George Monk, or Richard Cromwell.]—­For the last of which, my Lord St. John is said to speak high.  Great also is the dispute now in the House, in whose name the writs shall run for the next Parliament; and it is said that Mr. Prin, in open House, said, “In King Charles’s.”  From Westminster Hall home.  Spent the evening in my study, and so after some talk with my wife, then to bed.

3d.  To Westminster Hall, where I found that my Lord was last night voted one of the Generals at Sea, and Monk the other.  I met my Lord in the Hall, who bid me come to him at noon.  I met with Mr. Pierce the purser, Lieut.  Lambert, Mr. Creed, and Will.  Howe, and went with them to the Swan tavern.  Up to my office, but did nothing.  At noon home to dinner to a sheep’s head.  My brother Tom came and dined with me, and told me that my mother was not very well, and that my Aunt Fenner was very ill too.  After dinner I to Warwick House, in Holborn, to my Lord, where he dined with my Lord of Manchester, Sir Dudley North, my Lord Fiennes, and my Lord Barkly.  I staid in the great hall, talking with some gentlemen there, till they all come out.  Then I, by coach with my Lord, to Mr. Crew’s, in our way talking of publick things, and how I should look after getting of his Commissioner’s despatch.  He told me he feared there was new design hatching, as if Monk had a mind to get into the saddle.  Here I left him, and went by appointment to Hering, the merchant, but missed of my money, at which I was much troubled, but could not help myself.  Returning, met Mr. Gifford, who took me and gave me half a pint of wine, and told me, as I hear this day from many, that things are in a very doubtful posture, some of the Parliament being willing to keep the power in their hands.  After I had left him, I met with Tom Harper, who took me into a place in Drury Lane, where we drank a great deal of strong water, more than ever I did in my life at onetime before.  He talked huge high that my Lord Protector would come in place again, which indeed is much discoursed of again, though I do not see it possible.  Hence home and wrote to my father at Brampton by the post.  So to bed.  This day I was told that my Lord General Fleetwood told my lord that he feared the King of Sweden is dead of a fever at Gottenburg.

4th.  Lord’s day.  Before I went to church I sang Orpheus’ Hymn to my viall.  After that to Mr. Gunning’s, an excellent sermon upon charity.  Then to my mother to dinner, where my wife and the maid were come.  After dinner we three to Mr. Messum’s where we met Mons. L’Impertinent, who got us a seat and told me a ridiculous story how that last week he had caused a simple citizen to spend; L80 in entertainments of him and some friends of his upon pretence of some service that he would do him in his suit after a widow.  Then to my mother again, and after supper she and I talked very high about religion, I in defence of the religion I was born in.  Then home.