17th In our way to Kensington we understood how that my Lord Chesterfield²¹ had killed another gentleman about half an hour before, and was fled I went to the Coffee Club and heard very good discourse, it was in answer to Mr Harrington’s answer, who said that the state of the Roman government was not a settled government, and so it was no wonder that the balance of prosperity was in one hand, and the command in another, it being therefore always in a posture of war, but it was carried by ballot, that it was a steady government, though it is true by the voices it had been carried before that it was an unsteady government, so to-morrow it is to be proved by the opponents that the balance lay in one hand, and the government in another Thence I went to Westminster, and met Shaw and Washington, who told me how this day Sydenham²² was voted out of the House for sitting any more this Parliament, and that Salloway²³ was voted out likewise and sent to the Tower, during the pleasure of the House At Harper’s Jack Price told me, among other things, how much the Protector is altered, though he would seem to bear out his trouble very well, yet he is scarce able to talk sense with a man, and how he will say that ‘Who should a man trust, if he may not trust to a brother and an uncle’, and ‘how much those men have to answer before God Almighty, for their playing the knave with him as they did’. He told me also, that there was £100,000 offered, and would have been taken for his restitution, had not the Parliament come in as they did again, and that he do believe that the Protector will live to give testimony of his valour and revenge yet before he dies, and that the Protector will say so himself sometimes.

18th All the world is at a loss to think what Monk will do the City saying that he will be for them, and the Parliament saying he will be for them.

19th This morning I was sent for to Mr Downing, and at his bed side he told me, that he had a kindness for me, and that he thought that he had done me one, and that was, that he had got me to be one of the Clerks of the Council, at which I was a little stumbled, and could not tell what to do, whether to thank him or no, but by and by I did, but not very heartily, for I feared that his doing of it was only to ease himself of the salary which he gives me Mr Moore and I went to the French Ordinary, where Mr Downing this day feasted Sir Arth Haselrigge, and a great many more of the Parliament, and did stay to put him in mind of me Here he gave me a note to go and invite some other members to dinner tomorrow So I went to White Hall, and did stay at Marsh’s with Simons, Luellin, and all the rest of the Clerks of the Council, who I hear are all turned out, only the two Leighs, and they do all tell me that my name was mentioned last night, but that nothing was done in it.

20th In the morning I met Lord Widdrington²⁴ in the street, going to seal the patents for the Judges to- day, and so could not come to dinner. This day three citizens of London went to meet Monk from the Common Council Received my £25 due by bill for my trooper’s pay At the Mitre, in Fleet-street, in our way calling on Mr Fage, who told me how the City have some hopes of Monk. This day Lenthall²⁵ took his chair again, and the House resolved a declaration to be brought in on Monday to satisfy the world what they intend to do.

22nd To church in the afternoon to Mr Herring, where a lazy poor sermon This day I began to put on buckles to my shoes.

23rd This day the Parliament sat late, and resolved of the declaration to be printed for the people’s satisfaction, promising them a great many good things.

24th Came Mr Southerne, clerk to Mr Blackburne, and with him Lambert, lieutenant of my Lord’s ship, and brought with them the declaration that came out to-day from the Parliament, wherein they declare for law and gospel, and for tythes, but I do not find people apt to believe them. This day the Parliament gave orders that the late Committee of Safety should come before them this day se’nnight, and all their papers, and their model of Government that they had made, to be brought in with them.

25th Coming home heard that in Cheapside there had been but a little before a gibbet set up, and the picture of Huson²⁶ hung upon it in the middle of the street I called at Paul’s Churchyard, where I bought