father-in-law, Sir Richard Browne, Knt. and Bart., who died at my house
at Sayes Court this day at ten in the morning, after he had labored
under the gout and dropsy for nearly six months, in the 78th year of his
age. The funeral was solemnized on the 19th at Deptford, with as much
decency as the dignity of the person, and our relation to him, required;
there being invited the Bishop of Rochester, several noblemen, knights,
and all the fraternity of the Trinity Company, of which he had been
Master, and others of the country. The vicar preached a short but proper
discourse on Psalm xxxix. 10, on the frailty of our mortal condition,
concluding with an ample and well-deserved eulogy on the defunct,
relating to his honorable birth and ancestors, education, learning in
Greek and Latin, modern languages, travels, public employments, signal
loyalty, character abroad, and particularly the honor of supporting the
Church of England in its public worship during its persecution by the
late rebels' usurpation and regicide, by the suffrages of divers
Bishops, Doctors of the Church, and others, who found such an asylum in
his house and family at Paris, that in their disputes with the Papists
(then triumphing over it as utterly lost) they used to argue for its
visibility and existence from Sir R. Browne's chapel and assembly there.
Then he spoke of his great and loyal sufferings during thirteen years'
exile with his present Majesty, his return with him in the signal year
1660; his honorable employment at home, his timely recess to recollect
himself, his great age, infirmities, and death.
He gave to the Trinity Corporation that land in Deptford on which are
built those almshouses for twenty-four widows of emerited seamen. He was
born the famous year of the Gunpowder Treason, in 1605, and being the
last [male] of his family, left my wife, his only daughter, heir. His
grandfather, Sir Richard Browne, was the great instrument under the
great Earl of Leicester (favorite to Queen Elizabeth) in his government
of the Netherland. He was Master of the Household to King James, and
Cofferer; I think was the first who regulated the compositions through
England for the King's household, provisions, progresses,[49] etc.,
which was so high a service, and so grateful to the whole nation, that
he had acknowledgments and public thanks sent him from all the counties;
he died by the rupture of a vein in a vehement speech he made about the
compositions in a Parliament of King James. By his mother's side he was
a Gunson, Treasurer of the Navy in the reigns of Henry VIII., Queen
Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, and, as by his large pedigree appears,
related to divers of the English nobility. Thus ended this honorable
person, after so many changes and tossings to and fro, in the same house
where he was born. "Lord teach us so to number our days, that we may
apply our hearts unto wisdom!"
[Footnote 49: Notice was taken of this in a previous passage of the
"Diary." The different counties were bound to supply provisions of
various kinds, and these were collected by officers called
purveyors, whose extortions often excited the attention of
Parliament.]
By a special clause in his will, he ordered that his body should be
buried in the churchyard under the southeast window of the chancel,
adjoining to the burying places of his ancestors, since they came out of
Essex into Sayes Court, he being much offended at the novel custom of
burying everyone within the body of the church and chancel; that being a
favor heretofore granted to martyrs and great persons; this excess of
making churches charnel houses being of ill and irreverend example, and
prejudicial to the health of the living, besides the continual
disturbance of the pavement and seats, and several other indecencies.
Dr. Hall, the pious Bishop of Norwich, would also be so interred, as may
be read in his testament.
16th March, 1683. I went to see Sir Josiah Child's prodigious cost in
planting walnut trees about his seat, and making fish ponds, many miles
in circuit, in Epping Forest, in a barren spot, as oftentimes these
suddenly monied men for the most part seat themselves. He from a
merchant's apprentice, and management of the East India Company's stock,
being arrived to an estate (it is said) of £200,000; and lately married
his daughter to the eldest son of the Duke of Beaufort, late Marquis of
Worcester, with £50,000 portional present, and various expectations.
I dined at Mr. Houblon's, a rich and gentle French merchant, who was
building a house in the Forest, near Sir J. Child's, in a place where
the late Earl of Norwich dwelt some time, and which came from his lady,
the widow of Mr. Baker. It will be a pretty villa, about five miles from
Whitechapel.
18th March, 1683. I went to hear Dr. Horneck preach at the Savoy Church,
on Phil. ii. 5. He was a German born, a most pathetic preacher, a person
of a saint-like life, and hath written an excellent treatise on
Consideration.
20th March, 1683. Dined at Dr. Whistler's, at the Physicians' College,
with Sir Thomas Millington, both learned men; Dr. W. the most facetious
man in nature, and now Censor of the college. I was here consulted where
they should build their library; it is a pity this college is built so
near Newgate Prison, and in so obscure a hole, a fault in placing most
of our public buildings and churches in the city, through the avarice of
some few men, and his Majesty not overruling it, when it was in his
power after the dreadful conflagration.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
21st March, 1683. Dr. Tenison preached at Whitehall on 1 Cor. vi. 12; I
esteem him to be one of the most profitable preachers in the Church of
England, being also of a most holy conversation, very learned and
ingenious. The pains he takes and care of his parish will, I fear, wear
him out, which would be an inexpressible loss.
24th March, 1683. I went to hear Dr. Charleton's lecture on the heart in
the Anatomy Theater at the Physicians' College.
30th March, 1683. To London, in order to my passing the following week,
for the celebration of the Easter now approaching, there being in the
Holy Week so many eminent preachers officiating at the Court and other
places.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
6th April, 1683. GOOD FRIDAY. There was in the afternoon, according to
custom, a sermon before the King, at Whitehall; Dr. Sprat preached for
the Bishop of Rochester.
17th April, 1683. I was at the launching of the last of the thirty ships
ordered to be newly built by Act of Parliament, named the "Neptune," a
second rate, one of the goodliest vessels of the whole navy, built by my
kind neighbor, young Mr. Shish, his Majesty's master shipwright of this
dock.
1st May, 1683. I went to Blackheath, to see the new fair, being the
first procured by the Lord Dartmouth. This was the first day, pretended
for the sale of cattle, but I think in truth to enrich the new tavern at
the bowling-green, erected by Snape, his Majesty's farrier, a man full
of projects. There appeared nothing but an innumerable assembly of
drinking people from London, peddlars, etc., and I suppose it too near
London to be of any great use to the country.
March was unusually hot and dry, and all April excessively wet.
I planted all the out limits of the garden and long walks with
holly.[50]
[Footnote 50: Evelyn adds a note: "400 feet in length, 9 feet high,
5 in diameter, in my now ruined garden, thanks to the Czar of
Muscovy."--"_Sylva_," book ii. chap. vi.]
9th May, 1683. Dined at Sir Gabriel Sylvius's and thence to visit the
Duke of Norfolk, to ask whether he would part with any of his cartoons
and other drawings of Raphael, and the great masters; he told me if he
might sell them all together he would, but that the late Sir Peter Lely
(our famous painter) had gotten some of his best. The person who desired
me to treat for them was Vander Douse, grandson to that great scholar,
contemporary and friend of Joseph Scaliger.
16th May, 1683. Came to dinner and visited me Sir Richard Anderson, of
Pendley, and his lady, with whom I went to London.
8th June, 1683. On my return home from the Royal Society, I found Mr.
Wilbraham, a young gentleman of Cheshire.
11th June, 1683. The Lord Dartmouth was elected Master of the Trinity
House; son to George Legge, late Master of the Ordnance, and one of the
grooms of the bedchamber; a great favorite of the Duke's, an active and
understanding gentleman in sea affairs.
13th June, 1683. To our Society, where we received the Count de
Zinzendorp, Ambassador from the Duke of Saxony, a fine young man; we
showed him divers experiments on the magnet, on which subject the
Society were upon.
16th June, 1683. I went to Windsor, dining by the way at Chiswick, at
Sir Stephen Fox's, where I found Sir Robert Howard (that universal
pretender), and Signor Verrio, who brought his draught and designs for
the painting of the staircase of Sir Stephen's new house.
That which was new at Windsor since I was last there, and was surprising
to me, was the incomparable fresco painting in St. George's Hall,
representing the legend of St. George, and triumph of the Black Prince,
and his reception by Edward III.; the volto, or roof, not totally
finished; then the Resurrection in the Chapel, where the figure of the
Ascension is, in my opinion, comparable to any paintings of the most
famous Roman masters; the Last Supper, also over the altar. I liked the
contrivance of the unseen organ behind the altar, nor less the
stupendous and beyond all description the incomparable carving of our
Gibbons, who is, without controversy, the greatest master both for
invention and rareness of work, that the world ever had in any age; nor
doubt I at all that he will prove as great a master in the statuary art.
Verrio's invention is admirable, his ordnance full and flowing, antique
and heroical; his figures move; and, if the walls hold (which is the
only doubt by reason of the salts which in time and in this moist
climate prejudice), the work will preserve his name to ages.
There was now the terrace brought almost round the old castle; the
grass made clean, even, and curiously turfed; the avenues to the new
park, and other walks, planted with elms and limes, and a pretty canal,
and receptacle for fowl; nor less observable and famous is the throwing
so huge a quantity of excellent water to the enormous height of the
castle, for the use of the whole house, by an extraordinary invention of
Sir Samuel Morland.
17th June, 1683. I dined at the Earl of Sunderland's with the Earls of
Bath, Castlehaven, Lords Viscounts Falconberg, Falkland, Bishop of
London, the Grand Master of Malta, brother to the Duke de Vendôme (a
young wild spark), and Mr. Dryden, the poet. After evening prayer, I
walked in the park with my Lord Clarendon, where we fell into discourse
of the Bishop of Salisbury (Dr. Seth Ward), his subtlety, etc. Dr.
Durell, late Dean of Windsor, being dead, Dr. Turner, one of the Duke's
chaplains was made dean.
I visited my Lady Arlington, groom of the stole to her Majesty, who
being hardly set down to supper, word was brought her that the Queen was
going into the park to walk, it being now near eleven at night; the
alarm caused the Countess to rise in all haste, and leave her supper to
us.
By this one may take an estimate of the extreme slavery and subjection
that courtiers live in, who had not time to eat and drink at their
pleasure. It put me in mind of Horace's "Mouse," and to bless God for my
own private condition.
Here was Monsieur de l'Angle, the famous minister of Charenton, lately
fled from the persecution in France, concerning the deplorable condition
of the Protestants there.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
18th June, 1683. I was present, and saw and heard the humble submission
and petition of the Lord Mayor, sheriffs, and aldermen, on behalf of the
city of London, on the _quo warranto_ against their charter which they
delivered to his Majesty in the presence chamber. It was delivered
kneeling, and then the King and Council went into the council chamber,
the mayor and his brethren attending still in the presence chamber.
After a short space they were called in, and my Lord Keeper made a
speech to them, exaggerating the disorderly and riotous behavior in the
late election, and polling for Papillon and Du Bois after the Common
hall had been formally dissolved: with other misdemeanors, libels on the
government, etc., by which they had incurred his Majesty's high
displeasure: and that but for this submission, and under such articles
as the King should require their obedience to, he would certainly enter
judgment against them, which hitherto he had suspended. The things
required were as follows: that they should neither elect mayor,
sheriffs, aldermen, recorder, common Serjeant town clerk, coroner, nor
steward of Southwark, without his Majesty's approbation; and that if
they presented any his Majesty did not like, they should proceed in
wonted manner to a second choice; if that was disapproved, his Majesty
to nominate them; and if within five days they thought good to assent to
this, all former miscarriages should be forgotten. And so they tamely
parted with their so ancient privileges after they had dined and been
treated by the King. This was a signal and most remarkable period. What
the consequences will prove, time will show. Divers of the old and most
learned lawyers and judges were of opinion that they could not forfeit
their charter, but might be personally punished for their misdemeanors;
but the plurality of the younger judges and rising men judged it
otherwise.
The Popish Plot also, which had hitherto made such a noise, began now
sensibly to dwindle, through the folly, knavery, impudence, and
giddiness of Oates, so as the Papists began to hold up their heads
higher than ever, and those who had fled, flocked to London from abroad.
Such sudden changes and eager doings there had been without anything
steady or prudent, for these last seven years.
19th June, 1683. I returned to town in a coach with the Earl of
Clarendon, when passing by the glorious palace of his father, built but
a few years before, which they were now demolishing, being sold to
certain undertakers, I turned my head the contrary way till the coach
had gone past it, lest I might minister occasion of speaking of it;
which must needs have grieved him, that in so short a time their pomp
was fallen.
28th June, 1683. After the Popish Plot, there was now a new and (as
they called it) a Protestant Plot discovered, that certain Lords and
others should design the assassination of the King and the Duke as they
were to come from Newmarket, with a general rising of the nation, and
especially of the city of London, disaffected to the present Government.
Upon which were committed to the Tower, the Lord Russell, eldest son of
the Earl of Bedford, the Earl of Essex, Mr. Algernon Sidney, son to the
old Earl of Leicester, Mr. Trenchard, Hampden, Lord Howard of Escrick,
and others. A proclamation was issued against my Lord Grey, the Duke of
Monmouth, Sir Thomas Armstrong, and one Ferguson, who had escaped beyond
sea; of these some were said to be for killing the King, others for only
seizing on him, and persuading him to new counsels, on the pretense of
the danger of Popery, should the Duke live to succeed, who was now again
admitted to the councils and cabinet secrets. The Lords Essex and
Russell were much deplored, for believing they had any evil intention
against the King, or the Church; some thought they were cunningly drawn
in by their enemies for not approving some late counsels and management
relating to France, to Popery, to the persecution of the Dissenters,
etc. They were discovered by the Lord Howard of Escrick and some false
brethren of the club, and the design happily broken; had it taken
effect, it would, to all appearance, have exposed the Government to
unknown and dangerous events; which God avert!
Was born my granddaughter at Sayes Court, and christened by the name of
Martha Maria, our Vicar officiating. I pray God bless her, and may she
choose the better part!
[Sidenote: LONDON]
13th July, 1683. As I was visiting Sir Thomas Yarborough and his Lady,
in Covent Garden, the astonishing news was brought to us of the Earl of
Essex having cut his throat, having been but three days a prisoner in
the Tower, and this happened on the very day and instant that Lord
Russell was on his trial, and had sentence of death. This accident
exceedingly amazed me, my Lord Essex being so well known by me to be a
person of such sober and religious deportment, so well at his ease, and
so much obliged to the King. It is certain the King and Duke were at the
Tower, and passed by his window about the same time this morning, when
my Lord asking for a razor, shut himself into a closet, and perpetrated
the horrid act. Yet it was wondered by some how it was possible he
should do it in the manner he was found, for the wound was so deep and
wide, that being cut through the gullet, windpipe, and both the
jugulars, it reached to the very vertebræ of the neck, so that the head
held to it by a very little skin as it were; the gapping too of the
razor, and cutting his own fingers, was a little strange; but more, that
having passed the jugulars he should have strength to proceed so far,
that an executioner could hardly have done more with an ax. There were
odd reflections upon it.
The fatal news coming to Hicks's Hall upon the article of my Lord
Russell's trial, was said to have had no little influence on the Jury
and all the Bench to his prejudice. Others said that he had himself on
some occasions hinted that in case he should be in danger of having his
life taken from him by any public misfortune, those who thirsted for his
estate should miss of their aim; and that he should speak favorably of
that Earl of Northumberland,[51] and some others, who made away with
themselves; but these are discourses so unlike his sober and prudent
conversation that I have no inclination to credit them. What might
instigate him to this devilish act, I am not able to conjecture. My Lord
Clarendon, his brother-in-law, who was with him but the day before,
assured me he was then very cheerful, and declared it to be the effect
of his innocence and loyalty; and most believe that his Majesty had no
severe intentions against him, though he was altogether inexorable as to
Lord Russell and some of the rest. For my part, I believe the crafty and
ambitious Earl of Shaftesbury had brought them into some dislike of the
present carriage of matters at Court, not with any design of destroying
the monarchy (which Shaftesbury had in confidence and for unanswerable
reasons told me he would support to his last breath, as having seen and
felt the misery of being under mechanic tyranny), but perhaps of setting
up some other whom he might govern, and frame to his own platonic fancy,
without much regard to the religion established under the hierarchy, for
which he had no esteem; but when he perceived those whom he had engaged
to rise, fail of his expectations, and the day past, reproaching his
accomplices that a second day for an exploit of this nature was never
successful, he gave them the slip, and got into Holland, where the fox
died, three months before these unhappy Lords and others were discovered
or suspected. Every one deplored Essex and Russell, especially the last,
as being thought to have been drawn in on pretense only of endeavoring
to rescue the King from his present councilors, and secure religion from
Popery, and the nation from arbitrary government, now so much
apprehended; while the rest of those who were fled, especially Ferguson
and his gang, had doubtless some bloody design to get up a Commonwealth,
and turn all things topsy-turvy. Of the same tragical principles is
Sydney.
[Footnote 51: Henry Percy, eighth Earl of Northumberland, shot
himself in the Tower, to which he had been committed on a charge of
high treason in June, 1585.]
I had this day much discourse with Monsieur Pontaq, son to the famous
and wise prime President of Bordeaux. This gentleman was owner of that
excellent _vignoble_ of Pontaq and O'Brien, from whence come the
choicest of our Bordeaux wines; and I think I may truly say of him, what
was not so truly said of St. Paul, that much learning had made him mad.
He had studied well in philosophy, but chiefly the Rabbins, and was
exceedingly addicted to cabalistical fancies, an eternal hablador
[romancer], and half distracted by reading abundance of the extravagant
Eastern Jews. He spoke all languages, was very rich, had a handsome
person, and was well bred, about forty-five years of age.
14th July, 1683. I visited Mr. Fraser, a learned Scotch gentleman, whom
I had formerly recommended to Lord Berkeley for the instruction and
government of his son, since dead at sea. He had now been in Holland at
the sale of the learned Heinsius's library, and showed me some very rare
and curious books, and some MSS., which he had purchased to good value.
There were three or four Herbals in miniature, accurately done, divers
Roman antiquities of Verona, and very many books of Aldus's impression.
15th July, 1683. A stranger, an old man, preached on Jerem. vi. 8, the
not hearkening to instruction, portentous of desolation to a people;
much after Bishop Andrew's method, full of logical divisions, in short
and broken periods, and Latin sentences, now quite out of fashion in the
pulpit, which is grown into a far more profitable way, of plain and
practical discourses, of which sort this nation, or any other, never had
greater plenty or more profitable (I am confident); so much has it to
answer for thriving no better on it.
The public was now in great consternation on the late plot and
conspiracy; his Majesty very melancholy, and not stirring without double
guards; all the avenues and private doors about Whitehall and the Park
shut up, few admitted to walk in it. The Papists, in the meantime, very
jocund; and indeed with reason, seeing their own plot brought to
nothing, and turned to ridicule, and now a conspiracy of Protestants, as
they called them.
The Turks were likewise in hostility against the German Emperor, almost
masters of the Upper Hungary, and drawing toward Vienna. On the other
side, the French King (who it is believed brought in the infidels)
disturbing his Spanish and Dutch neighbors, having swallowed up almost
all Flanders, pursuing his ambition of a fifth universal monarchy; and
all this blood and disorder in Christendom had evidently its rise from
our defections at home, in a wanton peace, minding nothing but luxury,
ambition, and to procure money for our vices. To this add our irreligion
and atheism, great ingratitude, and self-interest; the apostacy of some,
and the suffering the French to grow so great, and the Hollanders so
weak. In a word, we were wanton, mad, and surfeiting with prosperity;
every moment unsettling the old foundations, and never constant to
anything. The Lord in mercy avert the sad omen, and that we do not
provoke him till he bear it no longer!
This summer did we suffer twenty French men-of-war to pass our Channel
toward the Sound, to help the Danes against the Swedes, who had
abandoned the French interest, we not having ready sufficient to guard
our coasts, or take cognizance of what they did; though the nation never
had more, or a better navy, yet the sea had never so slender a fleet.
19th July, 1683. George, Prince of Denmark, who had landed this day,
came to marry the Lady Anne, daughter to the Duke; so I returned home,
having seen the young gallant at dinner at Whitehall.
20th July, 1683. Several of the conspirators of the lower form were
executed at Tyburn; and the next day,
[Sidenote: LONDON]
21st July, 1683. Lord Russell was beheaded in Lincoln's Inn Fields, the
executioner giving him three butcherly strokes. The speech he made, and
the paper which he gave the Sheriff declaring his innocence, the
nobleness of the family, the piety and worthiness of the unhappy
gentleman, wrought much pity, and occasioned various discourses on the
plot.
25th July, 1683. I again saw Prince George of Denmark: he had the Danish
countenance, blonde, of few words, spoke French but ill, seemed somewhat
heavy, but reported to be valiant, and indeed he had bravely rescued and
brought off his brother, the King of Denmark, in a battle against the
Swedes, when both these Kings were engaged very smartly.
28th July, 1683. He was married to the Lady Anne at Whitehall. Her Court
and household to be modeled as the Duke's, her father, had been, and
they to continue in England.
1st August, 1683. Came to see me Mr. Flamsted, the famous astronomer,
from his Observatory at Greenwich, to draw the meridian from my pendule,
etc.
2d August, 1683. The Countesses of Bristol and Sunderland, aunt and
cousin-german of the late Lord Russell, came to visit me, and condole
his sad fate. The next day, came Colonel Russell, uncle to the late Lord
Russell, and brother to the Earl of Bedford, and with him Mrs.
Middleton, that famous and indeed incomparable beauty, daughter to my
relation, Sir Robert Needham.
19th August, 1683. I went to Bromley to visit our Bishop, and excellent
neighbor, and to congratulate his now being made Archbishop of York. On
the 28th, he came to take his leave of us, now preparing for his journey
and residence in his province.
28th August, 1683. My sweet little grandchild, Martha Maria, died, and
on the 29th was buried in the parish church.
2d September, 1683. This morning, was read in the church, after the
office was done, the Declaration setting forth the late conspiracy
against the King's person.