to Durham Yard, to the Commissioners for Accounts; the first time I ever
was there; and staid awhile before I was admitted to them. I did observe
a great many people attending about complaints of seamen concerning
tickets, and, among others, Mr. Carcasse, and Mr. Martin, my purser. And I
observe a fellow, one Collins, is there, who is employed by these
Commissioners particularly to hold an office in Bishopsgate Street, or
somewhere thereabouts, to receive complaints of all people about tickets:
and I believe he will have work enough. Presently I was called in, where
I found the whole number of Commissioners, and was there received with
great respect and kindness; and did give them great satisfaction, making
it my endeavour to inform them what it was they were to expect from me,
and what was the duty of other people; this being my only way to preserve
myself, after all my pains and trouble. They did ask many questions, and
demanded other books of me, which I did give them very ready and
acceptable answers to; and, upon the whole, I observe they do go about
their business like men resolved to go through with it, and in a very good
method; like men of understanding. They have Mr. Jessop, their secretary:
and it is pretty to see that they are fain to find out an old-fashioned
man of Cromwell's to do their business for them, as well as the Parliament
to pitch upon such, for the most part, in the list of people that were
brought into the House, for Commissioners. I went away, with giving and
receiving great satisfaction; and so away to White Hall to the
Commissioners of the Treasury; where, waiting some time, I there met with
Colonel Birch; and he and I fell into discourse; and I did give him thanks
for his kindness to me in the Parliament-house, both before my face and
behind my back. He told me that he knew me to be a man of the old way for
taking pains, and did always endeavour to do me right, and prevent any
thing that was moved that might tend to my injury; which I was obliged to
him for, and thanked him. Thence to talk of other things, and the want of
money and he told me of the general want of money in the country; that
land sold for nothing, and the many pennyworths he knows of lands and
houses upon them, with good titles in his country, at 16 years' purchase:
"and," says he, "though I am in debt, yet I have a mind to one thing, and
that is a Bishop's lease;" but said, "I will yet choose such a lease
before any other, yes," says he, plainly, "because I know they cannot
stand, and then it will fall into the King's hands, and I in possession
shall have an advantage by it." "And," says he, "I know they must fall,
and they are now near it, taking all the ways they can to undo themselves,
and showing us the way;" and thereupon told the a story of the present
quarrel between the Bishop and Deane of Coventry and Lichfield; the former
of which did excommunicate the latter, and caused his excommunication to
be read in the Church while he was there; and, after it was read, the
Deane made the service be gone through with, though himself, an
excommunicate, was present, which is contrary to the Canon, and said he
would justify the quire therein against the Bishop; and so they are at law
in the Arches about it; which is a very pretty story. He tells me that
the King is for Toleration, though the Bishops be against it: and that he
do not doubt but it will be carried in Parliament; but that he fears some
will stand for the tolerating of Papists with the rest; and that he knows
not what to say, but rather thinks that the sober party will be without
it, rather than have it upon those terms; and I do believe so. Here we
broke off, and I home to dinner, and after dinner set down my wife and
Deb. at the 'Change, and I to make a visit to Mr. Godolphin
[William Godolphin, descended from a younger branch of that family,
which was afterwards ennobled in the person of Sidney, Earl
Godolphin, Lord Treasurer. William Godolphin was of Christ Church,
Oxford, and graduated M.A., January 14th, 1660-61. He was
afterwards secretary to Sir H. Bennet (Lord Arlington), and M.P. for
Camelford. He was a great favourite at Court, and was knighted on
August 28th, 1668. In the spring of 1669 he returned to Spain as
Envoy Extraordinary, and in 1671 he became Ambassador. On July
11th, 1696, he died at Madrid, having been for some years a Roman
Catholic.]
at his lodgings, who is lately come from Spain from my Lord Sandwich, and
did, the other day, meeting me in White Hall, compliment me mightily, and
so I did offer him this visit, but missed him, and so back and took up my
wife and set her at Mrs. Turner's, and I to my bookbinder's, and there,
till late at night, binding up my second part of my Tangier accounts, and
I all the while observing his working, and his manner of gilding of books
with great pleasure, and so home, and there busy late, and then to bed.
This day Griffin did, in discourse in the coach, put me in the head of the
little house by our garden, where old goodman Taylor puts his brooms and
dirt, to make me a stable of, which I shall improve, so as, I think, to be
able to get me a stable without much charge, which do please me mightily.
He did also in discourse tell me that it is observed, and is true, in the
late fire of London, that the fire burned just as many Parish-Churches as
there were hours from the beginning to the end of the fire; and, next,
that there were just as many Churches left standing as there were taverns
left standing in the rest of the City that was not burned, being, I think
he told me, thirteen in all of each: which is pretty to observe.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
And they did lay pigeons to his feet
As all other women, cry, and yet talk of other things
Carry them to a box, which did cost me 20s., besides oranges
Declared, if he come, she would not live with me
Fear that the goods and estate would be seized (after suicide)
Fears some will stand for the tolerating of Papists
Greater number of Counsellors is, the more confused the issue
He that will not stoop for a pin, will never be worth a pound
In my nature am mighty unready to answer no to anything
It may be, be able to pay for it, or have health
Lady Castlemayne do rule all at this time as much as ever
No man was ever known to lose the first time
She loves to be taken dressing herself, as I always find her
The devil being too cunning to discourage a gamester
The manner of the gaming
This kind of prophane, mad entertainment they give themselves
Turn out every man that will be drunk, they must turn out all
Where I expect most I find least satisfaction