yself there about the King's business, and then
walked to Redriffe, and so home about noon; there find Mr. Hunt, newly
come out of the country, who tells me the country is much impoverished
by the greatness of taxes: the farmers do break every day almost, and
L1000 a-year become not worth L500. He dined with us, and we had good
discourse of the general ill state of things, and, by the way, he told
me some ridiculous pieces of thrift of Sir G. Downing's, who is his
countryman, in inviting some poor people, at Christmas 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