Pepy's Diary. 21 Dec 1667. At the office all the morning, and at noon home to dinner with my Clerks and Creed, who among other things all alone, after dinner, talking of the times, he tells me that the Nonconformists are mighty high, and their meetings frequented and connived at; and they do expect to have their day now soon; for my Lord of Buckingham (age 39) is a declared friend to them, and even to the Quakers, who had very good words the other day from the King (age 37) himself: and, what is more, the Archbishop of Canterbury (age 69) is called no more to the Cabal, nor, by the way, Sir W. Coventry (age 39); which I am sorry for, the Cabal at present being, as he says, the King (age 37), and Duke of Buckingham (age 39), and Lord Keeper (age 61), the Duke of Albemarle (age 59), and Privy Seale (age 61). The Bishops, differing from the King (age 37) in the late business in the House of Lords, having caused this and what is like to follow, for every body is encouraged nowadays to speak, and even to preach, as I have heard one of them, as bad things against them as ever in the year 1640; which is a strange change. He gone, I to the office, where busy till late at night, and then home to sit with my wife, who is a little better, and her cheek asswaged. I read to her out of "The History of Algiers", which is mighty pretty reading, and did discourse alone about my sister [his future wife] Pall's (age 27) match, which is now on foot with one Jackson (age 27), another nephew of Mr. Phillips's, to whom he hath left his estate.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Feb 1668. Up, and to the office, to the getting of my books in order, to carry to the Commissioners of Accounts this morning. This being done, I away first to Westminster Hall [Map], and there met my cozen, Roger Pepys (age 50), by his desire, the first time I have seen him since his coming to town, the Parliament meeting yesterday and adjourned to Monday next; and here he tells me that Mr. Jackson (age 28), my sister's servant, is come to town, and hath this day suffered a recovery on his estate, in order to the making her a settlement. The young man is gone out of the Hall, so I could not now see him, but here I walked a good while with my cozen, and among other things do hear that there is a great triall between my Lord Gerard (age 50) and Carr (age 31) to-day, who is indicted for his life at the King's Bench, for running from his colours; but all do say that my Lord Gerard (age 50), though he designs the ruining of this man, will not get any thing by it.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Feb 1668. Thence I, about two o'clock, to Westminster Hall [Map], by appointment, and there met my cozen Roger (age 50) again, and Mr. Jackson (age 28), who is a plain young man, handsome enough for [his future wife] Pall (age 27), one of no education nor discourse, but of few words, and one altogether that, I think, will please me well enough. My cozen had got me to give the odd sixth £100 presently, which I intended to keep to the birth of the first child: and let it go-I shall be eased of the care, and so, after little talk, we parted, resolving to dine together at my house tomorrow.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Feb 1668. Up, and to the office, where sat all day, and at noon home, and there find cozen Roger (age 50) and Jackson (age 28) by appointment come to dine with me, and Creed, and very merry, only Jackson (age 28) hath few words, and I like him never the worse for it. The great talk is of Carr's (age 31) coming off in all his trials, to the disgrace of my Lord Gerard (age 50), to that degree, and the ripping up of so many notorious rogueries and cheats of my Lord's, that my Lord, it is thought, will be ruined; and, above all things, do skew the madness of the House of Commons, who rejected the petition of this poor man by a combination of a few in the House; and, much more, the base proceedings (just the epitome of all our publick managements in this age), of the House of Lords, that ordered him to stand in the pillory for those very things, without hearing and examining what he hath now, by the seeking of my Lord Gerard (age 50) himself, cleared himself of, in open Court, to the gaining himself the pity of all the world, and shame for ever to my Lord Gerard (age 50). We had a great deal of good discourse at table, and after dinner we four men took coach, and they set me down at the Old Exchange [Map], and they home, having discoursed nothing today with cozen or Jackson (age 28) about our business. I to Captain Cocke's (age 51), and there discoursed over our business of prizes, and I think I shall go near to state the matter so as to secure myself without wrong to him, doing nor saying anything but the very truth.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Feb 1668. Thence with Creed home to my house to dinner, where I met with Mr. Jackson (age 28), and find my wife angry with Deb., which vexes me.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Feb 1668. After dinner by coach away to Westminster; taking up a friend of Mr. Jackson's (age 28), a young lawyer, and parting with Creed at White Hall. They and I to Westminster Hall [Map], and there met Roger Pepys (age 50), and with him to his chamber, and there read over and agreed upon the Deed of Settlement to our minds: my sister to have £600 presently, and she to be joyntured in £60 per annum; wherein I am very well satisfied.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Feb 1668. At noon home to dinner, where Mr. Jackson (age 28) dined with me, and after dinner I (calling at the Excise Office, and setting my wife and Deb. at her tailor's) did with Mr. Jackson (age 28) go to find my cozen Roger Pepys (age 50), which I did in the Parliament House, where I met him and Sir Thomas Crew (age 44) and Mr. George Montagu (age 45), who are mighty busy how to save my Lord's name from being in the Report for anything which the Committee is commanded to report to the House of the miscarriages of the late war. I find they drive furiously still in the business of tickets, which is nonsense in itself and cannot come to any thing.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Feb 1668. Thence with cozen Roger (age 50) to his lodgings, and there sealed the writings with Jackson (age 28), about my [his future wife] sister's (age 27) marriage: and here my cozen Roger  (age 50) told me the pleasant passage of a fellow's bringing a bag of letters to-day, into the lobby of the House, and left them, and withdrew himself without observation. The bag being opened, the letters were found all of one size, and directed with one hand: a letter to most of the Members of the House. The House was acquainted with it, and voted they should be brought in, and one opened by the Speaker; wherein if he found any thing unfit to communicate, to propose a Committee to be chosen for it. The Speaker opening one, found it only a case with a libell in it, printed: a satire most sober and bitter as ever I read; and every letter was the same. So the House fell a-scrambling for them like boys: and my cozen Roger  (age 50) had one directed to him, which he lent me to read. So away, and took up my wife, and setting Jackson (age 28) down at Fetter Lane end, I to the Old Exchange [Map] to look Mr. Houblon, but, not finding him, did go home, and there late writing a letter to my Lord Sandwich (age 42), and to give passage to a letter of great moment from Mr. Godolphin (age 33) to him, which I did get speedy passage for by the help of Mr. Houblon, who come late to me, and there directed the letter to Lisbon under cover of his, and here we talked of the times, which look very sad and distracted, and made good mirth at this day's passage in the House, and so parted; and going to the gate with him, I found his lady and another fine lady sitting an hour together, late at night, in their coach, while he was with me, which is so like my wife, that I was mighty taken with it, though troubled for it.

Pepy's Diary. 02 Mar 1668. Thence with my wife to the 'Change [Map], and so, calling at the Cocke ale house, we home, and there I settle to business, and with my people preparing my great answer to the Parliament for the office about tickets till past 1 a o'clock at night, and then home to supper and to bed, keeping Mr. Gibson all night with me. This day I have the news that my [his wife] sister (age 27) was married on Thursday last to Mr. Jackson (age 28); so that work is, I hope, well over.

Pepy's Diary. 25 May 1668. Waked betimes, and lay long.... [Note. Missing text "hazendo doz con mi moher con grande pleasure to me and ella;"] and there fell to talking, and by and by rose, it being the first fair day, and yet not quite fair, that we have had some time, and so up, and to walk with my father again in the garden, consulting what to do with him and this house when [his wife] Pall (age 27) and her husband (age 28) go away; and I think it will be to let it, and he go live with her, though I am against letting the house for any long time, because of having it to retire to, ourselves. So I do intend to think more of it before I resolve.

Pepy's Diary. 27 May 1668. Thence after dinner to the office, and there did a little business, and so to see Sir W. Pen (age 47), who I find still very ill of the goute, sitting in his great chair, made on purpose for persons sick of that disease, for their ease; and this very chair, he tells me, was made for my Lady Lambert! Thence I by coach to my tailor's, there to direct about the making of me another suit, and so to White Hall, and through St. James's Park to St. James's, thinking to have met with Mr. Wren (age 39), but could not, and so homeward toward the New Exchange, and meeting Mr. Creed he and I to drink some whey at the whey-house, and so into the 'Change [Map] and took a walk or two, and so home, and there vexed at my boy's being out of doors till ten at night, but it was upon my brother Jackson's (age 28) business, and so I was the less displeased, and then made the boy to read to me out of Dr. Wilkins (age 54) his "Real Character", and particularly about Noah's arke, where he do give a very good account thereof, shewing how few the number of the several species of beasts and fowls were that were to be in the arke, and that there was room enough for them and their food and dung, which do please me mightily and is much beyond what ever I heard of the subject, and so to bed.