25th. Up betimes and by water to White Hall, and there with Sir G.
Carteret to Sir W. Coventry, who is come to his winter lodgings at White
Hall, and there agreed upon a method of paying of tickets; and so I back
again home and to the office, where we sate all the morning, but to little
purpose but to receive clamours for money. At noon home to dinner, where
the two Mrs. Daniels come to see us, and dined with us. After dinner I out
with my wife to Mrs. Pierces, where she hath not been a great while, from
some little unkindness of my wife's to her when she was last here, but she
received us with mighty respect and discretion, and was making herself
mighty fine to go to a great ball to-night at Court, being the Queene's
birthday; so the ladies for this one day do wear laces, but to put them
off again to-morrow. Thence I to my Lord Bruncker's, and with him to Mrs.
Williams's where we met Knipp. I was glad to see the jade. Made her
sing; and she told us they begin at both houses to act on Monday next.
But I fear, after all this sorrow, their gains will be but little. Mrs.
Williams says, the Duke's house will now be much the better of the two,
because of their women; which I am glad to hear. Thence with Lord
Bruncker to White Hall and there spoke with Sir W. Coventry about some
office business, and then I away to Mrs. Pierces, and there saw her new
closet, which is mighty rich and fine. Her daughter Betty grows mighty
pretty. Thence with my wife home and to do business at the office. Then
to Sir W. Batten's, who tells me that the House of Parliament makes mighty
little haste in settling the money, and that he knows not when it will be
done; but they fall into faction, and libells have been found in the
House. Among others, one yesterday, wherein they reckon up divers great
sums to be given away by the King, among others, L10,000 to Sir W.
Coventry, for weare and teare (the point he stood upon to advance that sum
by, for them to give the King); Sir G. Carteret L50,000 for something
else, I think supernumerarys; and so to Matt. Wren L5000 for passing the