y again, and would have me, by the
help of my uncle Wight or others, to look him out a widow between thirty
and forty years old, without children, and with a fortune, which he will
answer in any degree with a joynture fit for her fortune. A woman sober,
and no high-flyer, as he calls it. I demanded his estate. He tells me,
which he says also he hath not done to any, that his estate is not full
L800 per annum, but it is L780 per annum, of which L200 is by the death
of his last wife, which he will allot for a joynture for a wife, but the
rest, which lies in Cambridgeshire, he is resolved to leave entire for
his eldest son. I undertook to do what I can in it, and so I shall. He
tells me that the King hath sent to them to hasten to make an end by
midsummer, because of his going into the country; so they have set upon
four bills to dispatch: the first of which is, he says, too devilish a
severe act against conventicles; so beyond all moderation, that he is
afeard it will ruin all: telling me that it is matter of the greatest
grief to him in the world, that he should be put upon this trust of
being a Parliament-man, because he says nothing is done, that he can
see, out of any truth and sincerity, but mere envy and design. Thence
by water to Chelsey, all the way reading a little book I bought of
"Improvement of Trade," a pretty book and many things useful in it. So
walked to Little Chelsey, where I found my Lord Sandwich with Mr. Becke,
the master of the house, and Mr. Creed at dinner, and I sat down with
them, and very merry. After dinner (Mr. Gibbons being come in also
before dinner done) to musique, they played a good Fancy, to which my
Lord is fallen again, and says he cannot endure a merry tune, which is
a strange turn of his humour, after he has for two or three years flung
off the practice of Fancies and played only fidlers' tunes. Then into
the Great Garden up to the Banqueting House; and there by his glass we
drew in the species very pretty. Afterwards to ninepins, where I won a
shilling, Creed and I playing against my Lord and Cooke. This day there
was great thronging to Banstead Downs, upon a great horse-race and
foot-race. I am sorry I could not go thither. So home back as I came, to
London Bridge, and so home, where I find my wife in a musty humour, and
tells me before Ashwell that Pembleton had been there, and she would
not have him come in unless I was there, which I was ashamed of; but
however, I had rather it sh