with us, and we spent the evening mighty well in good musique, to my great
content to see myself in condition to have these and entertain them for my
own pleasure only. So they gone, we to bed.

2nd. Up, and then abroad to Alderman Backewell's (who was sick of a cold
in bed), and then to the Excise Office, where I find Mr. Ball out of
humour in expectation of being put out of his office by the change of the
farm of the excise. There comes Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to
Westminster, and there walked up and down till noon, where all the
business is that the Lords' answer is come down to the Commons, that they
are not satisfied in the Commons' Reasons: and so the Commons are hot, and
like to sit all day upon the business what to do herein, most thinking
that they will remonstrate against the Lords. Thence to Lord Crew's, and
there dined with him; where, after dinner, he took me aside, and bewailed
the condition of the nation, how the King and his brother are at a
distance about this business of the Chancellor, and the two Houses
differing. And he do believe that there are so many about the King like
to be concerned and troubled by the Parliament, that they will get him to
dissolve or prorogue the Parliament; and the rather, for that the King is
likely, by this good husbandry of the Treasury, to get out of debt, and
the Parliament is likely to give no money. Among other things, my Lord
Crew did tell me, with grief, that he hears that the King of late hath not
dined nor supped with the Queen, as he used of late to do. After a little
discourse, Mr. Caesar, he dining there, did give us some musique on his
lute (Mr. John Crew being there) to my great content, and then away I, and
Mr. Caesar followed me and told me that my boy Tom hath this day declared
to him that he cared not for the French lute and would learn no more,
which Caesar out of faithfulness tells me that I might not spend any more
money on him in vain. I shall take the boy to task about it, though I am
contented to save my money if the boy knows not what is good for himself.