istmas last, to charm the
country people's mouths; but did give them nothing but beef, porridge,
pudding, and pork, and nothing said all dinner, but only his mother would
say, "It's good broth, son." He would answer, "Yes, it is good broth."
Then, says his lady, Confirm all, and say, "Yes, very good broth." By and
by she would begin and say, "Good pork:"--"Yes," says the mother, "good
pork." Then he cries, "Yes, very good pork." And so they said of all
things; to which nobody made any answer, they going there not out of love
or esteem of them, but to eat his victuals, knowing him to be a niggardly
fellow; and with this he is jeered now all over the country. This day just
before dinner comes Captain Story, of Cambridge, to me to the office,
about a bill for prest money,

[Money paid to men who enlist into the public service; press money.
So called because those who receive it are to be prest or ready when
called on ("Encyclopaedic Dictionary ").]

for men sent out of the country and the countries about him to the fleete
the last year; but, Lord! to see the natures of men; how this man, hearing
of my name, did ask me of my country, and told me of my cozen Roger, that
he was not so wise a man as his father; for that he do not agree in
Parliament with his fellow burgesses and knights of the shire, whereas I
know very well the reason; for he is not so high a flyer as Mr. Chichley
and others, but loves the King better than any of them, and to better
purpose. But yet, he says that he is a very honest gentleman, and thence
runs into a hundred stories of his own services to the King, and how he at
this day brings in the taxes before anybody here thinks they are
collected: discourse very absurd to entertain a stranger with. He being
gone, and I glad of it, I home then to dinner. After dinner with my wife
by coach abroad, andset Mr. Hunt down at the Temple and her at her
brother's, and I to White Hall to meet [Sir] W. Coventry, but found him
not, but met Mr. Cooling, who tells me of my Lord Duke of Buckingham's
being sent for last night, by a Serjeant at Armes, to the Tower, for
treasonable practices, and that the King is infinitely angry with him, and
declared him no longer one of his Council. I know not the reason of it,
or occasion. To Westminster Hall, and there paid what I owed for books,
and so by coach, took up my wife to the Exchange, and there bought things
for Mrs. Pierces little daughter, my Vale