and where we supposed we should see something special in the
buildings, but in this we were mistaken. There are better places in
London; the best house there was the banqueting house, which does not
surpass some merchants' houses in Amsterdam. We strolled into St.
James's Park, which is nothing but a large inclosed meadow, with some
canals and ditches dug through it, in one portion of which are ducks
swimming, and willow trees planted. The guard on horseback coming
ahead, we heard the king[459] was in the park. We went in, but did not
see him; but walking through we saw his curiosities of birds which he
kept there in cages slightly enough closed, such as eagles, cranes, a
very large owl, a toucan, birds which we call _hoontjen_ in Friesland,
_virviteaus_, doves, starlings, and others of little importance. He
had received from the Indies, by the last ships, two ostriches or
cassowaries which were shut up and much prized, though they are very
common in Holland. We came to his horse stable; there was only one
horse in it, and that was so lean it shamed every one, as also did the
small size of the stable, which stood near that of the Duke of
Monmouth, where there were six tolerable good Frisic horses, with a
saddle horse or two. Our stables[460] look more kingly than these. We
were about leaving the place when we heard them cry out, "To arms! to
arms!" to a troop of soldiers standing there, and looking around, we
saw at a distance the king coming, accompanied by six or eight
noblemen, from whom you could distinguish him only from his having his
hat on his head, while they had theirs off. He saluted all who saluted
him, as he passed along, which he also did to us. I will not speak of
his person as he has been sufficiently described by pen and burin. Nor
will I speak of the condition of London. The long and short of it is,
that city is larger than Amsterdam, but does not approach it, or any
other city in Holland, either in neatness or in the regularity of the
buildings, even those erected since the great fire. What are worthy of
mention is a certain column, very high and well constructed, erected
on the spot where the great fire broke out in 1666, and the Tower, not
prettily built, but very old, constructed by the Romans in the time of
Julius Caesar.[461] Whitehall and Westminster, and all within them, are
not worth going to see.
[Footnote 459: Charles II.]
[Footnote 460: At Wieuwert.]
[Footnote 461: The Tower of London has no such antiquity. The oldest
part dates from William the Conqueror. The monument commemorating the
Great Fire, erected by Sir Christopher Wren, still stands in Fish
Street Hill, near London Bridge.]
_21st, Saturday._ Our ship having arrived before the city yesterday,
we went on board to bring away our goods, as also did the surgeon. We
took leave of the captain, mate, and carpenter, who was a young man
and a Norwegian, stupid, but not the most evilly disposed. He had our
love, and I had occasionally conversed with him when we were on the
watch together at night, and sometimes made an impression upon him. He
lived at Flushing, and wished, he said, that he could go and live with
me even for nothing. He desired me not to forget him. I must also say
this of the captain, that he was well known in London, and in all
Boston, as a pious, good, and discreet man; but I was astonished when
I saw and heard the following circumstance. A poor servant, who had
served his time out in New England, came to him in Boston and asked if
he could go over with him; he would do his best in working like any
other sailor for his passage, as he well understood shipwork. The
captain told him he might go with him. When we were at sea, this
person was sick several days, and when he recovered did as well as he
could, but, it is true, he did not do all that an experienced sailor
could have done. When we arrived in the North Sea the captain made a
memorandum by which this poor fellow promised to pay half the passage
money, that is, thirty guilders, when he arrived in London. He called
him, and read it to him, and told him, because he could not work like
a good sailor, he must sign that writing, and if he did not do so, he
would sell him again when he reached London, which he assured him
would be done. The man began to complain and cry, saying he had not so
promised, but he would work like any other, and do as well as he
could. But notwithstanding his crying and objecting he had to sign the
paper, or be sold. In this appeared the piety and sense of justice of
our captain, though perhaps the other was not entirely without blame,
though he had had blows enough. It seems he had some friends in London
who paid the amount.
I must here mention another word about Boston, which is, that I have
never been in a place where more was said about witchcraft and
witches. From time to time persons had been put in prison, and
executed; and a woman was in prison and condemned to die, when we left
there.[462] Very strange things were told of her, but I will not
repeat them here.
[Footnote 462: On May 20, 1680, Elizabeth Morse, wife of William
Morse, of Newbury, was indicted and tried in Boston, for practising
witchcraft upon her own husband. She was convicted and sentenced to be
hanged; and was in prison at Boston, at the time our journalist was
there, awaiting her execution. It is, undoubtedly, her case to which
he refers. She was, however, released in 1681.]
_22d, Sunday._ I went into the Dutch church, where a young man who was
a Cocceian preached.[463] In the afternoon we went to the French
church, and in going there passed by a large gate, through which many
people were entering into a great hall. We looked in, and when we saw
they were Quakers, walked quickly away, and went into the French
church, whose congregation is much larger, and its church much smaller
than the Dutch church--so small indeed, that they could not all get
in. When therefore the Lord's Supper was administered, they used the
Dutch church, and the Dutch preached then in the French church, as
they are not far apart. But as the French church was especially for
the French, we went out, my comrade for the purpose of inquiring after
Mr. Owins, and I to go to the Dutch church again, where another
Cocceian preached well enough. I saw there the envoy from Holland, a
Zeelander, whom I knew, with his family;[464] but he did not know me.
[Footnote 463: In 1550 Edward VI. gave the church of the Augustinians
(Austin Friars) to the Dutch Protestants in London, and the
neighboring church of St. Anthony's Hospital in Threadneedle Street to
the Walloons. Both were destroyed in the Great Fire, but had now been
rebuilt. The Dutch church had two ministers. The habit of interchange
between the two churches, mentioned below, prevailed in Pepys's time,
and was still maintained as late as 1775.]
[Footnote 464: Dirk van Leiden van Leeuwen (1618-1682), burgomaster of
Leyden, but born at Briel, in Zeeland.]
_23d, Monday._ It was said we were to leave to-day, but we saw it
would not be the case. The captain, with whom we were to go, was one
Douwe Hobbes of Makkum, who brings birds over from Friesland every
year for the king. There was a boat lying there ready to leave for
Rotterdam, but it seems they intended to go in company.
_24th, Tuesday._ No departure to-day either. While we were at the
Exchange, there was a great crowd of people in the street. We saw and
heard two trumpeters, followed by a company of cavalry dressed in red,
then a chariot drawn by six horses, in which was the Duke of York.
Then came some chariots of the nobility, and the Prince Palatine,[465]
with several chariots, and two trumpeters in the rear.
[Footnote 465: This was the electoral prince Karl (1651-1685),
afterward (August, 1680-1685) the elector Karl II., son of Karl
Ludwig, grandson of Frederick V. and Elizabeth, and great-grandson of
James I. of England. He had been sent to England by his father in a
vain endeavor to persuade the latter's cousin, Charles II., to relieve
the Palatinate by taking action against Louis XIV. An entertaining
account, by his tutor, of their visit in 1670 to his aunt at Herford
and to the Labadists, may be found in Miss Una Birch's _Anna Maria van
Schurman_ (London, 1909), pp. 168 _et seq._]
_25th, Wednesday._ Could not sail yet, but the Rotterdammer sailed
with thirty passengers, with little or no freight. In going down she
broke the bowsprit of our ship. Mr. Ouwen left us in her, after we had
taken leave of him.
_26th, Thursday._ Heard early this morning our ship was going down the
river, for she lay opposite our room; we immediately hurried
ourselves. It was very uncivil in the mate, for the captain was still
in the city, and would go to Gravesend. We took a wherry and went
after her, as she had not gone far in consequence of the mist and
lightness of the wind. We drifted to-day scarcely outside of the
ships.
_27th, Friday._ It was misty and calm. We therefore did not go as far
as the current would have carried us. We had to come to anchor in
consequence of the mist, in order not to drift against the ships, or
upon the shoal.
_28th, Saturday._ We drifted and clawed along until we came to anchor
before Gravesend, as the Rotterdammer did an hour or two afterwards.
Owins, who was not very well accommodated, called out to us as we
passed, and asked if we would not go ashore with him. We declined, for
we could not have wished to have been better accommodated, as we two
had a large, fine cabin to ourselves.
_29th, Sunday._ When we took our goods out of the ship at London, we
let our trunks be examined, but there was nothing inspected. We gave
the inspectors a penny and they were satisfied. Our skipper arrived
now at Gravesend in the night, and had everything made ready for the
inspectors. We had ourselves ready for their arrival. They came on
board about eight o'clock, but they looked once only in the hatches
without asking anything, and went away again. We went ashore in the
forenoon and dined there. We had been to London, and the captain said
we should eat the ship's ordinary fare, which seemed now to us
princely fare. However, as he was most of the time drunk when on
shore, he had given it no consideration. We went through Gravesend to
look at it, but it does not signify much--it is more foul and dirty in
name than in fact. We also went out into the country a little, which
pleased us best. I have never seen anywhere so many blackberries,
which were now ripe. The ebb tide having come, we got under sail yet
before evening, the wind being good, but it did not continue so long.
Opposite Gravesend there is a strong castle well fortified, and
another one of less importance on the lower side. Whenever ships pass
up or down, they must strike [the flag] here in going between the two
fortifications.[466] We arrived at evening before the river of
Chatham, where we anchored.
[Footnote 466: Tilbury Fort on the north side of the Thames, opposite
Gravesend, and probably Shorne Battery on the south side. The "river
of Chatham" is of course the Medway, where Admiral de Ruyter in 1660
had burned King Charles's ships.]
_30th, Monday._ The wind was easterly and light. We scratched along as
far as to get in the King's Channel, as also did the Rotterdammer,
which sailed down with us.
OCTOBER _1st, Tuesday._ The wind as before; we therefore tacked with
the tide before the Naze,[467] intending to run into Harwich, both for
the purpose of waiting for a good wind, and to buy a store of
provision which the skipper through his drunkenness had forgotten. The
Rotterdammer, which had not kept along the shore with us, but had
continued through the King's Channel, finding no good harbor there,
returned again to Chatham, in order, as the wind continued south
southeast, to go out along the south shore, and thus we separated.
[Footnote 467: The easternmost point of the Essex coast, just south of
Harwich.]
_2d, Wednesday._ The wind still easterly. We therefore made several
tacks, and ran into Harwich; a miserably poor little fort stands on
the east point of the bay, yet you must strike your flag as you sail
by it. The bay is large and suitable to harbor a great number of
ships. The town is on the west side, passing which, a small river runs
up into the land. We anchored about ten o'clock in the morning. We
went ashore and dined, and I then, in company with some others, walked
out of town; but my comrade returned, having concluded to cross over
in the packet boat, and went to inquire about it. When I returned he
told me it would leave that evening, and would save much time. He
spoke to our skipper, who was not willing to release us without our
paying him the whole passage money, namely two ducatoons apiece. Many
words passed and hard enough they were on both sides, in which the
skipper was very impertinent, yet not altogether in the wrong. We went
aboard, and his passion having subsided, we satisfied him with two
ducats,[468] and took our goods to the packet boat. We went ashore to
enter our names, according to the custom; my comrade giving his
acknowledged name, I was compelled to do the same. We paid twelve
shillings and sixpence each. We went into another room to take fresh
leave of our captain and mate, when there came a scoundrel to take
down our names and examine our goods, as he said, and we were
compelled to give the same names again, in order that they might agree
with those given before; but he was a swindler and obtained from each
of us another shilling, for he did not go on board to examine,
although he could perhaps do so; we went quickly on board to look
after our property. It was about nine o'clock at night when we
started; but as it was so calm we came outside without casting anchor,
having a full moon and delightful weather. A sand reef stretches out
into the sea from the before-mentioned little fort, inside of which
the water is the deepest, being three and four fathoms at low water.
It is shallowest in the middle, and level towards the west shore,
having two fathoms of water or less. There are two lights in the town,
which you bring in range, in order to sail in or out. The highest
light stands most inside, and when that comes west of the lowest you
are west of the gate or channel; and when it is east, you are east of
the channel, and are on, or east of the reef.
[Footnote 468: Say four dollars instead of five.]
_3d, Thursday._ The wind east-southeast, and we therefore sailed along
the shore past Orfordness[469] into the sea. The course thence to the
Maes is east by south, but we sailed for the most part east, and
sometimes east by north. I thought our Friesland smack was at sea
before evening, for the wind was better for her than for us, as the
course from Orfordness to the Texel is east-northeast, which was a due
side wind. It was also better for the Rotterdammer.
[Footnote 469: A point on the Suffolk coast, some dozen miles
northeast of Harwich.]
_4th, Friday._ The wind east-southeast and east by south, but still.
We continued our course easterly, and sometimes a little more
northerly. We threw the deep lead and had 18 fathoms of water. The
latitude at noon was 52 deg. 25'. I warned them that we were too low, and
would come before Schevelingh.[470] This packet was so full of fleas
that it was impossible for me to sleep. Every passenger who desired a
berth had to pay five shillings for it, but we did not. There was such
a hard rain in the night, accompanied by thunder and lightning, that
we could not keep dry in the vessel below, for it leaked there as if
it were open, or not much better. We had an English minister on board,
who had been called to the English church at Rotterdam. He lay and
prayed, and groaned, as hard and loud as if he would die of fear.[471]
The wind shifting to the southwest we held it close.
[Footnote 470: Now Scheveningen, a famous watering-place near the
Hague.]
[Footnote 471: The Rev. John Spademan, of Swayton, in Lincolnshire,
was called to the English Presbyterian church at Rotterdam, as
successor to Mr. Maden, who died in June, 1680.]
_5th, Saturday._ When day came, and it had cleared up somewhat, we saw
at nine o'clock the tower of Schevelingh directly east, or in front of
us, and half an hour afterwards that of Gravesend[472] to the leeward,
whereupon we were compelled to beat, in order to bring into the Maes,
which we continued to do the whole day till midnight, before we
reached Briel. Coming to the pier there, most of the passengers left
for Maassluis, so as not to wait, but we could not do so on account of
our goods.
[Footnote 472: Gravesande lay some distance to the north of the mouth
of the Maas, Briel at the south side of its main mouth, Maasluis a few
miles up the river, on its northern bank.]
_6th, Sunday._ As soon as it was day we put our goods on board the
Rotterdam ferry-boat, which was to leave about nine o'clock. In the
meanwhile we went to look about the place, and in the church, where a
Cocceian preaches. After breakfast we went on board, but it was ten
o'clock before we got off. We had to beat as far as Schiedam, where
some royal yachts were lying, which had sailed with us from Gravesend,
and had brought over the Prince Palatine, who had gone on to the
Hague.[473] We were delayed somewhat here, in consequence of
transferring some persons into another boat. We reached Rotterdam
about two o'clock, and were informed that no boat carrying goods left
for Amsterdam on Sundays; but that one left Delft at six o'clock, and
we had time enough to go there. We left our goods on board the
canal-boat for Delft, and started at three o'clock for that city,
where we arrived at five, and learned that we had been misinformed,
and that the boat from Delft to Amsterdam left daily at four o'clock.
We had to go and lodge in a tavern for twenty-four hours. We went to
church.
[Footnote 473: See p. 291, note 2.]
_7th, Monday._ In order not to be all day at Delft, we walked on to
the Hague, and passed by the house of Sister d'Owerk.[474] I asked my
comrade whether I should not inquire after our friends, and if
perchance any of them were at the Hague; but he would not consent. We
returned to Delft at two o'clock, and after dinner left at four for
Amsterdam.
[Footnote 474: Mr. Murphy says, "my sister d'Owerk." But the French
phrase here used, "ma seur d'Owerk," means sister in the religious
sense. The lady designated is one of whom Penn speaks in his account
of his tour in Germany and Holland in 1677. Reaching the Hague, "The
first thing we did there, was to enquire out the Lady Overkirk, a
Person of a Retired and Religious Character, separated from the
publick worship of that Country" ... "Sister of the Somerdykes."
_Works_ (ed. 1726), I. 108, 107. By birth she was Isabella van
Sommelsdyk. Her husband, Hendrik van Nassau, lord of Ouwerkerk, was
captain of the body-guard of William III., later in England his master
of the horse, and for thirty years his faithful follower and
intimate.]
_8th, Tuesday._ Having passed through the night as best we could, we
arrived at five o'clock in the morning before the gate of Amsterdam,
which was opened at six, and we were admitted. We went close by the
house of M. Bardewits,[475] where I was again inclined to go in, but
my comrade not approving of it at the Hague, I abandoned the idea. We
put up at the inn where we lodged before our departure, and had our
goods brought there, paying five shillings freight for our goods
alone. We separated in order to do our business as speedily as
possible. I went to deliver all the letters, and my comrade to sell
the amber. We met on the Exchange at noon. When I had delivered my
letters, I went to the boat for Sneek,[476] to inquire how it was at
the House,[477] and when she would sail. They would leave on Thursday
evening; and all went well at the House as far as they knew. My
comrade, who had also made inquiries, brought the same word. He told
me also how he had succeeded with the amber; that it was all spurious,
and was worth nothing. He therefore had determined to send it back
again just as we had received it. We went in the afternoon to perform
some errands for the woman with whom we had lodged at New York,
delivering two beaver skins to her husband's daughter.[478] And with
this we consumed the day.
[Footnote 475: See p. 7, note 3.]
[Footnote 476: In Friesland, near Wieuwerd.]
[Footnote 477: The house of the Labadists at Wieuwerd.]
[Footnote 478: See p. 190, for this daughter of Jacob Hellekers by his
first wife.]
_9th, Wednesday._ This was a day of public prayer. We had nothing more
to do except to buy a large Bible for Mr. Ephraim Hermans, according
to our promise, with his spermaceti, which we did. It cost us
twenty-eight guilders, because it was the last one of Ravesteyn's
edition.[479] There was a new edition in press at the Fish Market, at
the place where we bought this one, upon the point of the gate as you
go to the Post Office. We put it on board of the ship of which Jan
Gorter was captain and which would leave in a month's time, and
addressed it to Mr. Arnout de la Grange, to whom we also sent the
amber with directions what to do with them. My comrade wrote to
Ephraim, and also to Annetie Versluis.
[Footnote 479: The heirs of Paulus van Ravesteyn of Amsterdam had
published in 1670 an octavo edition of the States-General
("authorized") Dutch version of the Bible. In 1680 another,
Remonstrant, version was published in the same city.]
_10th, Thursday._ We had our goods in good time in the boat. My
comrade had also a basket with distilling glasses (retorts) in it,
which he had bought. I went to Joannis van Ceulen, mathematician, who
had made a new sea-atlas, a copy of which he had sent to the king of
England, and also to the king of France.[480] It is a beautiful work;
but he was surprised, after having corrected it so much as he had,
that I should point out to him several errors. I endeavored to obtain
a chart of Maryland, from Augustine Herman's draught, but could not
find it here; nor could I in England.[481] At four o'clock we went on
board of the boat. The wind was light and contrary, so we only drifted
along. It was good weather. Our hearts gave thanks to God when we
reflected through what ways He had conducted us, and how fatherly He
had preserved us, and brought us here. There sprang up a breeze in the
night, so that,
_11th, Friday_, in the morning, we passed by Urck,[482] and arrived at
the Lemmer, where our goods were examined; but we had nothing to pay,
and went on. It was so calm, with the wind contrary, that it was
midnight before we arrived at Sneek. It was very dark and rainy, and
we were fearful we could not find the way, else we should have gone to
the House in the night.
[Footnote 480: _Grand Nouvel Atlas de la Mer_ (Amsterdam, 1680), by
Johannes van Keulen.]
[Footnote 481: See p. 114, note 2.]
[Footnote 482: A small island in the Zuyder Zee. Lemmer is a village
on the Friesland shore, from which one would go up by canal to Sneek,
and so on to Wieuwerd.]
_12th, Saturday._ Having given directions to our skipper, how he
should send our goods after us, and having paid him, we went to speak
to the boatman, who was to take the goods. It was about seven or
half-past seven o'clock when we left Sneek on foot. After going some
distance on our way, we passed through Bosum; and about ten o'clock
reached our house, where all arms and hearts were open to receive us,
which they did with affection and tenderness, in the love of the Lord,
who had been with those who had remained at home, and us who had
travelled, all now brought together, and united by His mercy. To Him
be the power, and wisdom, and honor, and glory to all eternity.
Amen.
INDEX
Aarsen, Francis, lord of Sommelsdyk, _see_ Sommelsdyk, Cornelis van.
Abram, boatswain, 39.
Achter Kol, 91 n., 92, 93, 149, 160, 172, 178;
proclamation against, 182;
discharge of, 224;
Gov. Carteret escorted to, 239, 243;
authority over, 241.
Adams, Richard, 117, 117 n., 122;
visit with, 123.
Africa, corsairs from, 38 n.
Albany, 169, 171;
proposed visit to, 185, 188;
arrival at, 198, 212;
described, 216-217;
beer of, 221;
river navigable to, 225.
_See also_ Fort Orange.
_Album Studiosorum Academiae Lugduno-Batavae_, 168 n.
Aldborough, 287.
Alkmaar, 17, 17 n.
Alrichs, Peter, 104, 110, 144;
information concerning, 104 n., 146-147;
passport given by, 116;
inquiry made by, 142;
plantation of, 148, 148 n., 150.
Altona, in Holstein, 7, 97;
Labadists at, xxiii, 7 n., 97 n.
Amazon River, 37.
Amboy, 162.
Amsterdam, packet, 4;
arrival at, 5, 296;
rule concerning pilots of ships of, 16, 295;
ships from, 21.
Andersson, Mans, 116, 116 n.