that it was that, that did set up and keep up Oliver, though he was the
greatest rogue in the world, and that it is so fixed in the nature of the
common Englishman that it will not out of him. He tells me that while all
should be labouring to settle the kingdom, they are at Court all in
factions, some for and others against my Lord Chancellor, and another for
and against another man, and the King adheres to no man, but this day
delivers himself up to this, and the next to that, to the ruin of himself
and business; that he is at the command of any woman like a slave, though
he be the best man to the Queene in the world, with so much respect, and
never lies a night from her: but yet cannot command himself in the
presence of a woman he likes. Having had this discourse, I parted, and
home to dinner, and thence to the, office all the afternoon to my great
content very busy. It raining this day all day to our great joy, it
having not rained, I think, this month before, so as the ground was
everywhere so burned and dry as could be; and no travelling in the road or
streets in London, for dust. At night late home to supper and to bed.

28th (Lord's day). Up and to my chamber, where all the morning close, to
draw up a letter to Sir W. Coventry upon the tidings of peace, taking
occasion, before I am forced to it, to resign up to his Royall Highness my
place of the Victualling, and to recommend myself to him by promise of
doing my utmost to improve this peace in the best manner we may, to save
the kingdom from ruin. By noon I had done this to my good content, and
then with my wife all alone to dinner, and so to my chamber all the
afternoon to write my letter fair, and sent it away, and then to talk with
my wife, and read, and so by daylight (the only time I think I have done
it this year) to supper, and then to my chamber to read and so to bed, my
mind very much eased after what I have done to-day.

29th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to St. James's, to Sir W. Coventry's