Early to my Lord, where infinity of business to do, which makes my head full; and indeed, for these two or three days, I have not been without a great many cares and thoughts concerning them. After that to the Admiralty, where a good while with Mr. Blackburne, who told me that it was much to be feared that the King would come in, for all good men and good things were now discouraged. Thence to Wilkinson’s, where Mr. Sheply and I dined; and while we were at dinner, my Lord Monk’s lifeguard come by with the Serjeant at Arms before them, with two Proclamations, that all Cavaliers do depart the town; but the other that all officers that were lately disbanded should do the same. The last of which Mr. R. Creed, I remember, said, that he looked upon it as if they had said, that all God’s people should depart the town. Thence with some sea officers to the Swan, where we drank wine till one comes to me to pay me some money from Worcester, viz., 25l. His name is Wilday. I sat in another room and took my money and drank with him till the rest of my company were gone and so we parted. Going home the water was high, and so I got Crockford to carry me over it. So home, and left my money there.
All the discourse now-a-day is, that the King will come again; and for all I see, it is the wishes of all; and all do believe that it will be so.
My mind is still much troubled for my poor wife, but I hope that this undertaking will be worth my pains.
To Whitehall and staid about business at the Admiralty late, then to Tony Robins’s, where Capt. Stokes, Mr. Luddington and others were, and I did solicit the Captain for Laud Crisp, who gave me a promise that he would entertain him.
After that to Mrs. Crisp’s where Dr. Clodius and his wife were. He very merry with drink. We played at cards late and so to bed. This day my Lord dined at my Lord Mayor’s, and Jasper was made drunk, which my Lord was very angry at.
I have a great lack
I fear and rage at it
as if god’s own swan
wild and rank
were gone
into wishes
and I will be still
under my clod
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Monday 19 March 1659/60.