15th. To the Opera, which begins again to-day with "The Witts," [A Comedy by Sir W. Davenant.] never acted yet with scenes; and the King and Duke and Duchesse were there (who dined to-day with Sir H. Finch, reader at the Temple, in great state); and indeed it is a most excellent play, and admirable scenes.
16th. At the office all the morning, though little to do; because all our clerkes are gone to the buriall of Tom Whitten, one of the Controller's clerkes, a very ingenious, and a likely young man to live, as any in the Office. But it is such a sickly time both in the City and country every where (of a sort of fever), that never was heard of almost, unless it was in a plague-time. Among others, the famous Tom Fuller is dead of it; [D.D., Author of the "Worthies of England," Chaplain to the King, and Prebendary of Salisbury.] and Dr. Nichols, Dean of Paul's; [Matthew Nicholas, D.D., installed Dean of St. Paul's, July, 1660. Ob. August 14, 1661. He was brother to Sir Edward Nicholas, Secretary of State.] and my Lord General Monk is very dangerously ill.
17th. At the Privy Seale, where we had a seale this morning. Then met with Ned Pickering, and walked with him into St. James's Park (where I had not been a great while), and there found great and very noble alterations. And, in our discourse, he was very forward to complain and to speak loud of the lewdnesse and beggary of the Court, which I am sorry to hear, and which I am afraid will bring all to ruin again. I to the Opera, and saw "The Witts" again, which I like exceedingly. The Queen of Bohemia was here, brought by my Lord Craven. [William, First Earl of Craven, a Privy Councillor, and Colonel of the Coldstream Guards; supposed to be married to the Queen of Bohemia, Ob. 1697 aged 88.]
18th. To White Hall, and there hear that my Lord General Monk continues very ill; and then to walk in St. James's Park, and saw a great variety of fowle which I never saw before. At night fell to read In "Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity," which Mr. Moore did give me last Wednesday very handsomely bound; and which I shall read with great pains and love for his sake.
19th. I am sent for to the Privy Seale, and there I found a thing of my Lord Chancellor's to be sealed this afternoon, and so I am forced to go to Worcester House, where severall Lords are met in Council this afternoon. And while I am waiting there, in comes the King in a plain common riding-suit and velvet cap, in which he seemed a very ordinary man to one that had not known him.
27th. My wife and I to the theatre, and there saw "The Joviall Crew," [Or the "Merry Beggars," a Comedy, by Richard Brome.] where the King, Duke and Duchesse, and Madame Palmer, were; and my wife, to her great content, had a full sight of them all the while.
31st. At Court things are in very ill condition, there being so much emulacion, poverty, and the vices of drinking, swearing, and loose amours, that I know not what will be the end of it, but confusion. And the Clergy so high, that all people that I meet with do protest against their practice. In short, I see no content or satisfaction any where, in any one sort of people. The Benevolence [A voluntary contribution made by the subjects to their Sovereign.] proves so little and an occasion of so much discontent every where, that it had better it had sever been set up. I think to subscribe 20l. We are at our Office quiet, only for lack of money all things go to rack. Our very bills offered to be sold upon the Exchange at 10 per cent. loss. We are upon getting Sir B. Ford's house added to our Office. But I see so many difficulties will follow in pleasing of one another in the dividing of it, and in becoming bound personally to pay the rent of 200l. per annum, that I do believe it will yet scarce come to pass. The season very sickly every where of strange and fatal fevers.
SEPTEMBER 1, 1661. Captn. Holmes and I by coach to White Hall; in our way, I found him by discourse, to be a great friend of my Lord's, and he told me there was a many did seek to remove him; but they were old seamen, such as Sir J. Minnes, [A Vice-Admiral, and afterwards Comptroller of the Navy.] (but he would name no more, though he do believe Sir W. Batten is one of them that do envy him,) but he says he knows that the King do so love him, and the Duke of York too, that there is no fear of him. He seems to be very well acquainted with the King's mind, and with all the several factions at Court, and spoke all with so much franknesse, that I do take him to be my Lord's good friend, and one able to do him great service, being a cunning fellow, and one (by his own confession to me) that can put on two several faces, and look his enemies in the face with as much love as his friends. But, good God! what an age is this, and what a world is this! that a man cannot live without playing the knave and dissimulation.
2nd. I find that there are endeavours to get my Lord out of play at sea, which I believe Mr. Coventry and the Duke do think will make them more absolute; but I hope, for all this, they will not be able to do it.
3rd. Dined at home, and then with my wife to the Wardrobe, where my Lady's child was christened, (my Lord Crewe and his Lady, and my Lady Montagu, my Lord's mother-in-law, were the witnesses), and named Katherine (the Queen elect's name); but to my and all our trouble, the Parson of the parish christened her, and did not sign the child with the sign of the cross. After that was done, we had a very fine banquet.