(physician to the Duke and Duchess) play excellently on the lute.
7th March, 1684. Dr. Meggot, Dean of Winchester, preached an
incomparable sermon (the King being now gone to Newmarket), on Heb. xii.
15, showing and pathetically pressing the care we ought to have lest we
come short of the grace of God. Afterward, I went to visit Dr. Tenison
at Kensington, whither he was retired to refresh, after he had been sick
of the smallpox.
15th March, 1684. At Whitehall preached Mr. Henry Godolphin, a prebend
of St. Paul's, and brother to my dear friend Sydney, on Isaiah 1v. 7. I
dined at the Lord Keeper's, and brought him to Sir John Chardin, who
showed him his accurate drafts of his travels in Persia.
28th March, 1684. There was so great a concourse of people with their
children to be touched for the Evil, that six or seven were crushed to
death by pressing at the chirurgeon's door for tickets. The weather
began to be more mild and tolerable; but there was not the least
appearance of any spring.
30th March, 1684. Easter day. The Bishop of Rochester preached before
the King; after which his Majesty, accompanied with three of his natural
sons, the Dukes of Northumberland, Richmond, and St. Alban (sons of
Portsmouth, Cleveland, and Nelly), went up to the altar; the three boys
entering before the King within the rails, at the right hand, and three
bishops on the left: London (who officiated), Durham, and Rochester,
with the subdean, Dr. Holder. The King, kneeling before the altar,
making his offering, the Bishops first received, and then his Majesty;
after which he retired to a canopied seat on the right hand. Note, there
was perfume burned before the office began. I had received the Sacrament
at Whitehall early with the Lords and household, the Bishop of London
officiating. Then went to St. Martin's, where Dr. Tenison preached
(recovered from the smallpox); then went again to Whitehall as above. In
the afternoon, went to St. Martin's again.
4th April, 1684. I returned home with my family to my house at Sayes
Court, after five months' residence in London; hardly the least
appearance of any spring.
30th April, 1684. A letter of mine to the Royal Society concerning the
terrible effects of the past winter being read, they desired it might be
printed in the next part of their "Transactions."
[Sidenote: SURREY]
10th May, 1684. I went to visit my brother in Surrey. Called by the way
at Ashted, where Sir Robert Howard (Auditor of the Exchequer)
entertained me very civilly at his newly-built house, which stands in a
park on the Down, the avenue south; though down hill to the house, which
is not great, but with the outhouses very convenient. The staircase is
painted by Verrio with the story of Astrea; among other figures is the
picture of the painter himself, and not unlike him; the rest is well
done, only the columns did not at all please me; there is also Sir
Robert's own picture in an oval; the whole in _fresco_. The place has
this great defect, that there is no water but what is drawn up by horses
from a very deep well.
11th May, 1684. Visited Mr. Higham, who was ill, and died three days
after. His grandfather and father (who christened me), with himself, had
now been rectors of this parish 101 years, viz, from May, 1583.
12th May, 1684. I returned to London, where I found the Commissioners of
the Admiralty abolished, and the office of Admiral restored to the Duke,
as to the disposing and ordering all sea business; but his Majesty
signed all petitions, papers, warrants, and commissions, that the Duke,
not acting as admiral by commission or office, might not incur the
penalty of the late Act against Papists and Dissenters holding offices,
and refusing the oath and test. Every one was glad of this change, those
in the late Commission being utterly ignorant in their duty, to the
great damage of the Navy.
The utter ruin of the Low Country was threatened by the siege of
Luxemburg, if not timely relieved, and by the obstinacy of the
Hollanders, who refused to assist the Prince of Orange, being corrupted
by the French.
16th May, 1684. I received £600 of Sir Charles Bickerstaff for the fee
farm of Pilton, in Devon.
26th May, 1684. Lord Dartmouth was chosen Master of the Trinity Company,
newly returned with the fleet from blowing up and demolishing Tangier.
In the sermon preached on this occasion, Dr. Can observed that, in the
27th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the casting anchor out of the
fore ship had been caviled at as betraying total ignorance: that it is
very true our seamen do not do so; but in the Mediterranean their ships
were built differently from ours, and to this day it was the practice to
do so there.
Luxemburg was surrendered to the French, which makes them master of all
the Netherlands, gives them entrance into Germany, and a fair game for
universal monarchy; which that we should suffer, who only and easily
might have hindered, astonished all the world. Thus is the poor Prince
of Orange ruined, and this nation and all the Protestant interest in
Europe following, unless God in his infinite mercy, as by a miracle,
interpose, and our great ones alter their counsels. The French fleet
were now besieging Genoa, but after burning much of that beautiful city
with their bombs, went off with disgrace.
11th June, 1684. My cousin, Verney, to whom a very great fortune was
fallen, came to take leave of us, going into the country; a very worthy
and virtuous young gentleman.
12th June, 1684. I went to advise and give directions about the building
of two streets in Berkeley Garden, reserving the house and as much of
the garden as the breadth of the house. In the meantime, I could not but
deplore that sweet place (by far the most noble gardens, courts, and
accommodations, stately porticos, etc., anywhere about the town) should
be so much straitened and turned into tenements. But that magnificent
pile and gardens contiguous to it, built by the late Lord Chancellor
Clarendon, being all demolished, and designed for piazzas and buildings,
was some excuse for my Lady Berkeley's resolution of letting out her
ground also for so excessive a price as was offered, advancing near
£1,000 per annum in mere ground rents; to such a mad intemperance was
the age come of building about a city, by far too disproportionate
already to the nation:[53] I having in my time seen it almost as large
again as it was within my memory.
[Footnote 53: What would Evelyn think if he could see what is now
called London?]
22d June, 1684. Last Friday, Sir Thomas Armstrong was executed at Tyburn
for treason, without trial, having been outlawed and apprehended in
Holland, on the conspiracy of the Duke of Monmouth, Lord Russell, etc.,
which gave occasion of discourse to people and lawyers, in regard it was
on an outlawry that judgment was given and execution.[54]
[Footnote 54: When brought up for judgment, Armstrong insisted on
his right to a trial, the act giving that right to those who came in
within a year, and the year not having expired. Jefferies refused
it; and when Armstrong insisted that he asked nothing but law,
Jefferies told him he should have it to the full, and ordered his
execution in six days. When Jefferies went to the King at Windsor
soon after, the King took a ring from his finger and gave it to
Jefferies. BURNET, ii. 989.]
[Sidenote: GREENWICH]
2d July, 1684. I went to the Observatory at Greenwich, where Mr.
Flamsted took his observations of the eclipse of the sun, now almost
three parts obscured.
There had been an excessively hot and dry spring, and such a drought
still continued as never was in my memory.
13th July, 1684. Some small sprinkling of rain; the leaves dropping
from the trees as in autumn.
25th July, 1684. I dined at Lord Falkland's, Treasurer of the Navy,
where after dinner we had rare music, there being among others, Signor
Pietro Reggio, and Signor John Baptist, both famous, one for his voice,
the other for playing on the harpsichord, few if any in Europe exceeding
him. There was also a Frenchman who sung an admirable bass.
26th July, 1684. I returned home, where I found my Lord Chief Justice
[Jefferies], the Countess of Clarendon, and Lady Catherine Fitzgerald,
who dined with me.
10th August, 1684. We had now rain after such a drought as no man in
England had known.
24th August, 1684. Excessively hot. We had not had above one or two
considerable showers, and those storms, these eight or nine months. Many
trees died for the want of refreshment.
31st August, 1684. Mr. Sidney Godolphin was made Baron Godolphin.
26th September, 1684. The King being returned from Winchester, there was
a numerous Court at Whitehall.
At this time the Earl of Rochester was removed from the Treasury to the
Presidentship of the Council; Lord Godolphin was made first Commissioner
of the Treasury in his place, Lord Middleton (a Scot) made Secretary of
State, in the room of Lord Godolphin. These alterations being very
unexpected and mysterious, gave great occasion of discourse.
There was now an Ambassador from the King of Siam, in the East Indies,
to his Majesty.
22d October, 1684. I went with Sir William Godolphin to see the
rhinoceros, or unicorn, being the first that I suppose was ever brought
into England. She belonged to some East India merchants, and was sold
(as I remember) for above £2,000. At the same time, I went to see a
crocodile, brought from some of the West India Islands, resembling the
Egyptian crocodile.
24th October, 1684. I dined at Sir Stephen Fox's with the Duke of
Northumberland. He seemed to be a young gentleman of good capacity, well
bred, civil and modest: newly come from travel, and had made his
campaign at the siege of Luxemburg. Of all his Majesty's children (of
which he had now six Dukes) this seemed the most accomplished and worth
the owning. He is extraordinarily handsome and well shaped. What the
Dukes of Richmond and St. Alban's will prove, their youth does not yet
discover; they are very pretty boys.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
26th October, 1684. Dr. Goodman preached before the King on James ii.
12, concerning the law of liberty: an excellent discourse and in good
method. He is author of "The Prodigal Son," a treatise worth reading,
and another of the old religion.
27th October, 1684. I visited the Lord Chamberlain, where dined the
BLACK BARON and Monsieur Flamerin, who had so long been banished from
France for a duel.
28th October, 1684. I carried Lord Clarendon through the city amid all
the squibs and bacchanalia of the Lord Mayor's show, to the Royal
Society, where he was proposed a member; and then treated him at dinner.
I went to St. Clement's, that prettily built and contrived church where
a young divine gave us an eloquent sermon on 1 Cor. vi. 20, inciting to
gratitude and glorifying God for the fabric of our bodies and the
dignity of our nature.
2d November, 1684. A sudden change from temperate warm weather to an
excessive cold rain, frost, snow, and storm, such as had seldom been
known. This winter weather began as early and fierce as the past did
late; till about Christmas there then had been hardly any winter.
4th November, 1684. Dr. Turner, now translated from Rochester to Ely
upon the death of Dr. Peter Gunning, preached before the King at
Whitehall on Romans iii. 8, a very excellent sermon, vindicating the
Church of England against the pernicious doctrines of the Church of
Rome. He challenged the producing but of five clergymen who forsook our
Church and went over to that of Rome, during all the troubles and
rebellion in England, which lasted near twenty years; and this was to my
certain observation a great truth.
15th November, 1684. Being the Queen's birthday, there were fireworks
on the Thames before Whitehall, with pageants of castles, forts, and
other devices of girandolas, serpents, the King and Queen's arms and
mottoes, all represented in fire, such as had not been seen here. But
the most remarkable was the several fires and skirmishes in the very
water, which actually moved a long way, burning under the water, now and
then appearing above it, giving reports like muskets and cannon, with
grenades and innumerable other devices. It is said it cost £1,500. It
was concluded with a ball, where all the young ladies and gallants
danced in the great hall. The court had not been seen so brave and rich
in apparel since his Majesty's Restoration.
30th November, 1684. In the morning, Dr. Fiennes, son of the Lord Say
and Seale, preached before the King on Joshua xxi. 11.
3d December, 1684. I carried Mr. Justell and Mr. Slingsby (Master of the
Mint), to see Mr. Sheldon's collection of medals. The series of Popes
was rare, and so were several among the moderns, especially that of John
Huss's martyrdom at Constance; of the Roman Emperors, Consulars some
Greek, etc., in copper, gold, and silver; not many truly antique; a
medallion of Otho Paulus Æmilius, etc., ancient. They were held at a
price of £1,000; but not worth, I judge, above £200.
7th December, 1684. I went to see the new church at St. James's,
elegantly built; the altar was especially adorned, the white marble
inclosure curiously and richly carved, the flowers and garlands about
the walls by Mr. Gibbons, in wood: a pelican with her young at her
breast; just over the altar in the carved compartment and border
environing the purple velvet fringed with I. H. S. richly embroidered,
and most noble plate, were given by Sir R. Geere, to the value (as was
said) of £200. There was no altar anywhere in England, nor has there
been any abroad, more handsomely adorned.
17th December, 1684. Early in the morning I went into St. James's Park
to see three Turkish, or Asian horses, newly brought over, and now first
shown to his Majesty. There were four, but one of them died at sea,
being three weeks coming from Hamburg. They were taken from a Bashaw at
the siege of Vienna, at the late famous raising that leaguer. I never
beheld so delicate a creature as one of them was, of somewhat a bright
bay, two white feet, a blaze; such a head, eyes, ears, neck, breast,
belly, haunches, legs, pasterns, and feet, in all regards, beautiful,
and proportioned to admiration; spirited, proud, nimble, making halt,
turning with that swiftness, and in so small a compass, as was
admirable. With all this so gentle and tractable as called to mind what
I remember Busbequius, speaks of them, to the reproach of our grooms in
Europe, who bring up their horses so churlishly, as makes most of them
retain their ill habits. They trotted like does, as if they did not feel
the ground. Five hundred guineas was demanded for the first; 300 for the
second; and 200 for the third, which was brown. All of them were
choicely shaped, but the two last not altogether so perfect as the
first.
It was judged by the spectators, among whom was the King, Prince of
Denmark, Duke of York, and several of the Court, noble persons skilled
in horses, especially Monsieur Faubert and his son (provost masters of
the Academy, and esteemed of the best in Europe), that there were never
seen any horses in these parts to be compared with them. Add to all
this, the furniture consisting of embroidery on the saddle, housings,
quiver, bow, arrows, scymitar, sword, mace, or battle-ax, _à la
Turcisq_; the Bashaw's velvet mantle furred with the most perfect ermine
I ever beheld; all which, ironwork in common furniture being here of
silver, curiously wrought and double gilt to an incredible value. Such
and so extraordinary was the embroidery, that I never saw anything
approaching it. The reins and headstall were of crimson silk, covered
with chains of silver gilt. There was also a Turkish royal standard of a
horse's tail, together with all sorts of other caparisons belonging to a
general's horse, by which one may estimate how gallantly and
magnificently those infidels appear in the field; for nothing could be
seen more glorious. The gentleman (a German) who rode the horse, was in
all this garb. They were shod with iron made round and closed at the
heel, with a hole in the middle about as wide as a shilling. The hoofs
most entire.
18th December, 1684. I went with Lord Cornwallis to see the young
gallants do their exercise. Mr. Faubert having newly railed in a manage,
and fitted it for the academy. There were the Dukes of Norfolk and
Northumberland, Lord Newburgh, and a nephew of (Duras) Earl of
Feversham. The exercises were, 1, running at the ring; 2, flinging a
javelin at a Moor's head; 3, discharging a pistol at a mark; lastly
taking up a gauntlet with the point of a sword; all these performed in
full speed. The Duke of Northumberland hardly missed of succeeding in
every one, a dozen times, as I think. The Duke of Norfolk did exceeding
bravely. Lords Newburgh and Duras seemed nothing so dexterous. Here I
saw the difference of what the French call "_bel homme à cheval_," and
"_bon homme à cheval_"; the Duke of Norfolk being the first, that is
rather a fine person on a horse, the Duke of Northumberland being both
in perfection, namely, a graceful person and an excellent rider. But the
Duke of Norfolk told me he had not been at this exercise these twelve
years before. There were in the field the Prince of Denmark, and the
Lord Lansdowne, son of the Earl of Bath, who had been made a Count of
the Empire last summer for his service before Vienna.
20th December, 1684. A villainous murder was perpetrated by Mr. St.
John, eldest son to Sir Walter St. John, a worthy gentleman, on a knight
of quality, in a tavern. The offender was sentenced and reprieved. So
many horrid murders and duels were committed about this time as were
never before heard of in England; which gave much cause of complaint and
murmurings.
1st January, 1684-85. It proved so sharp weather, and so long and cruel
a frost, that the Thames was frozen across, but the frost was often
dissolved, and then froze again.
11th January, 1685. A young man preached upon St. Luke xiii. 5, after
the Presbyterian tedious method and repetition.
24th January, 1685. I dined at Lord Newport's, who had some excellent
pictures, especially that of Sir Thomas Hanmer, by Vandyke, one of the
best he ever painted; another of our English Dobson's painting; but,
above all, Christ in the Virgin's lap, by Poussin, an admirable piece;
with something of most other famous hands.
25th January, 1685. Dr. Dove preached before the King. I saw this
evening such a scene of profuse gaming, and the King in the midst of his
three concubines, as I have never before seen--luxurious dallying and
profaneness.
27th January, 1685. I dined at Lord Sunderland's, being invited to hear
that celebrated voice of Mr. Pordage, newly come from Rome; his singing
was after the Venetian recitative, as masterly as could be, and with an
excellent voice both treble and bass; Dr. Walgrave accompanied it with
his THEORBO LUTE, on which he performed beyond imagination, and is
doubtless one of the greatest masters in Europe on that charming
instrument. Pordage is a priest, as Mr. Bernard Howard told me in
private.
There was in the room where we dined, and in his bedchamber, those
incomparable pieces of Columbus, a Flagellation, the Grammar school, the
Venus and Adonis of Titian; and of Vandyke's that picture of the late
Earl of Digby (father of the Countess of Sunderland), and Earl of
Bedford, Sir Kenelm Digby, and two ladies of incomparable performance;
besides that of Moses and the burning bush of Bassano, and several other
pieces of the best masters. A marble head of M. Brutus, etc.
28th January, 1685. I was invited to my Lord Arundel's, of Wardour (now
newly released of his six years' confinement in the Tower on suspicion
of the plot called Oates's Plot), where after dinner the same Mr.
Pordage entertained us with his voice, that excellent and stupendous
artist, Signor John Baptist, playing to it on the harpsichord. My
daughter Mary being with us, she also sang to the great satisfaction of
both the masters, and a world of people of quality present.
She did so also at my Lord Rochester's the evening following, where we
had the French boy so famed for his singing, and indeed he had a
delicate voice, and had been well taught. I also heard Mrs. Packer
(daughter to my old friend) sing before his Majesty and the Duke,
privately, that stupendous bass, Gosling, accompanying her, but hers was
so loud as took away much of the sweetness. Certainly never woman had a
stronger or better ear, could she possibly have governed it. She would
do rarely in a large church among the nuns.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
4th February, 1685. I went to London, hearing his Majesty had been the
Monday before (2d February) surprised in his bedchamber with an
apoplectic fit, so that if, by God's providence, Dr. King (that
excellent chirurgeon as well as physician) had not been accidentally
present to let him bleed (having his lancet in his pocket), his Majesty
had certainly died that moment; which might have been of direful
consequence, there being nobody else present with the King save this
Doctor and one more, as I am assured. It was a mark of the extraordinary
dexterity, resolution, and presence of mind in the Doctor, to let him
bleed in the very paroxysm, without staying the coming of other
physicians, which regularly should have been done, and for want of which
he must have a regular pardon, as they tell me. This rescued his Majesty
for the instant, but it was only a short reprieve. He still complained,
and was relapsing, often fainting, with sometimes epileptic symptoms,
till Wednesday, for which he was cupped, let bleed in both jugulars, and
both vomit and purges, which so relieved him, that on Thursday hopes of
recovery were signified in the public "Gazette," but that day about
noon, the physicians thought him feverish. This they seemed glad of, as
being more easily allayed and methodically dealt with than his former
fits; so as they prescribed the famous Jesuit's powder; but it made him
worse, and some very able doctors who were present did not think it a
fever, but the effect of his frequent bleeding and other sharp
operations used by them about his head, so that probably the powder
might stop the circulation, and renew his former fits, which now made
him very weak. Thus he passed Thursday night with great difficulty, when
complaining of a pain in his side, they drew twelve ounces more of blood
from him; this was by six in the morning on Friday, and it gave him
relief, but it did not continue, for being now in much pain, and
struggling for breath, he lay dozing, and, after some conflicts, the
physicians despairing of him, he gave up the ghost at half an hour after
eleven in the morning, being the sixth of February, 1685, in the 36th
year of his reign, and 54th of his age.
Prayers were solemnly made in all the churches, especially in both the
Court Chapels, where the chaplains relieved one another every half
quarter of an hour from the time he began to be in danger till he
expired, according to the form prescribed in the Church offices. Those
who assisted his Majesty's devotions were, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Bishops of London, Durham, and Ely, but more especially Dr. Ken, the
Bishop of Bath and Wells.[55] It is said they exceedingly urged the
receiving Holy Sacrament, but his Majesty told them he would consider of
it, which he did so long till it was too late. Others whispered that the
Bishops and Lords, except the Earls of Bath and Feversham, being ordered
to withdraw the night before, Huddleston, the priest, had presumed to
administer the Popish offices. He gave his breeches and keys to the Duke
who was almost continually kneeling by his bedside, and in tears. He
also recommended to him the care of his natural children, all except the
Duke of Monmouth, now in Holland, and in his displeasure. He entreated
the Queen to pardon him (not without cause); who a little before had
sent a Bishop to excuse her not more frequently visiting him, in regard
of her excessive grief, and withal that his Majesty would forgive it if
at any time she had offended him. He spoke to the Duke to be kind to the
Duchess of Cleveland, and especially Portsmouth, and that Nelly might
not starve.