the most honour that any could have had opportunity of getting; and
so with our hearts mightily overjoyed at this success, we all to dinner
to Lord Brouncker's--that is to say, myself, T. Harvey, and W. Pen, and
there dined; and thence with Sir Anthony Morgan, who is an acquaintance
of Brouncker's, a very wise man, we after dinner to the King's house,
and there saw part of "The Discontented Colonel," but could take no
great pleasure in it, because of our coming in in the middle of it.
After the play, home with W. Pen, and there to my wife, whom W.
Hewer had told of my success, and she overjoyed, and I also as to my
particular; and, after talking awhile, I betimes to bed, having had no
quiet rest a good while.

6th. Up betimes, and with Sir D. Gawden to Sir W, Coventry's chamber:
where the first word he said to me was, "Good-morrow, Mr. Pepys, that
must be Speaker of the Parliament-house:" and did protest I had got
honour for ever in Parliament. He said that his brother, that sat by
him, admires me; and another gentleman said that I could not get
less than L1000 a-year if I would put on a gown and plead at the
Chancery-bar; but, what pleases me most, he tells me that the
Sollicitor-Generall did protest that he thought I spoke the best of any
man in England. After several talks with him alone, touching his own
businesses, he carried me to White Hall, and there parted; and I to the
Duke of York's lodgings, and find him going to the Park, it being a very
fine morning, and I after him; and, as soon as he saw me, he told me,
with great satisfaction, that I had converted a great many yesterday,
and did, with great praise of me, go on with the discourse with me. And,
by and by, overtaking the King, the King and Duke of York come to me
both; and he--[The King]--said, "Mr. Pepys, I am very glad of your
success yesterday;" and fell to talk of my well speaking; and many of
the Lords there. My Lord Barkeley did cry the up for what they had heard
of it; and others, Parliament-men there, about the King, did say that
they never heard such a speech in their lives delivered in that manner.
Progers, of the Bedchamber, swore to me afterwards before Brouncker, in
the afternoon, that he did tell the King that he thought I might teach
the Sollicitor-Generall. Every body that saw me almost come to me, as
Joseph Williamson and others, with such eulogys as cannot be expressed.
From thence I went to Westminster Hall, where I met Mr. G. Montagu,
w