poor man had forgot that he carried me the other day to the
painter's to see some pictures which he has since bought and are brought
home) to his Jodgings to see some base things he calls them of great
masters of painting. So I said nothing that he had shown me them
already, but commended them, and I think they are indeed good enough.
Thence to see Sir W. Pen, who continues ill of the gout still. Here we
staid a good while, and then I to my office, and read my vows seriously
and with content, and so home to supper, to prayers, and to bed.

22nd. Up betimes and to my office, reading over all our letters of the
office that we have wrote since I came into the Navy, whereby to
bring the whole series of matters into my memory, and to enter in my
manuscript some of them that are needful and of great influence. By and
by with Sir W. Batten by coach to Westminster, where all along I find
the shops evening with the sides of the houses, even in the broadest
streets; which will make the City very much better than it was. I
walked in the Hall from one man to another. Hear that the House is still
divided about the manner of levying the subsidys which they intend to
give the King, both as to the manner, the time, and the number. It seems
the House do consent to send to the King to desire that he would be
graciously pleased to let them know who it was that did inform him of
what words Sir Richard Temple should say, which were to this purpose:
"That if the King would side with him, or be guided by him and his
party, that he should not lack money:" but without knowing who told it,
they do not think fit to call him to any account for it. Thence with
Creed and bought a lobster, and then to an alehouse, where the maid of
the house is a confident merry lass, and if modest is very pleasant to
the customers that come thither. Here we eat it, and thence to walk in
the Park a good while. The Duke being gone a-hunting, and by and by came
in and shifted himself; he having in his hunting, rather than go about,
'light and led his horse through a river up to his breast, and came so
home: and when we were come, which was by and by, we went on to him, and
being ready he retired with us, and we had a long discourse with him.
But Mr. Creed's accounts stick still through the perverse ignorance of
Sir G. Carteret, which I cannot safely control as I would. Thence to the
Park again, and there walked up and down an hour or two till night with
Creed, talking,