on Heb. iv. 13, anatomically describing the texture of the eye; and
that, as it received such innumerable sorts of spies through so very
small a passage to the brain, and that without the least confusion or
trouble, and accordingly judged and reflected on them; so God who made
this sensory, did with the greatest ease and at once see all that was
done through the vast universe, even to the very thought as well as
action. This similitude he continued with much perspicuity and aptness;
and applied it accordingly, for the admonishing us how uprightly we
ought to live and behave ourselves before such an all-seeing Deity; and
how we were to conceive of other his attributes, which we could have no
idea of than by comparing them by what we were able to conceive of the
nature and power of things, which were the objects of our senses; and
therefore it was that in Scripture we attribute those actions and
affections of God by the same of man, not as adequately or in any
proportion like them, but as the only expedient to make some resemblance
of his divine perfections; as when the Scripture says, "God will
remember the sins of the penitent no more:" not as if God could forget
anything, but as intimating he would pass by such penitents and receive
them to mercy.
I dined at the Bishop of St. Asaph's, Almoner to the new Queen, with
the famous lawyer Sir George Mackenzie (late Lord Advocate of Scotland),
against whom both the Bishop and myself had written and published books,
but now most friendly reconciled.[73] He related to us many particulars
of Scotland, the present sad condition of it, the inveterate hatred
which the Presbyterians show to the family of the Stuarts, and the
exceeding tyranny of those bigots who acknowledge no superior on earth,
in civil or divine matters, maintaining that the people only have the
right of government; their implacable hatred to the Episcopal Order and
Church of England. He observed that the first Presbyterian dissents from
our discipline were introduced by the Jesuits' order, about the 20 of
Queen Elizabeth, a famous Jesuit among them feigning himself a
Protestant, and who was the first who began to pray extempore, and
brought in that which they since called, and are still so fond of,
praying by the Spirit. This Jesuit remained many years before he was
discovered, afterward died in Scotland, where he was buried at ...
having yet on his monument, "_Rosa inter spinas_."
[Footnote 73: Sir George, as we have seen, had written in praise of
a Private Life, which Mr. Evelyn answered by a book in praise of
Public Life and Active Employment.]
11th March, 1690. I went again to see Mr. Charlton's curiosities, both
of art and nature, and his full and rare collection of medals, which
taken altogether, in all kinds, is doubtless one of the most perfect
assemblages of rarities that can be any where seen. I much admired the
contortions of the Thea root, which was so perplexed, large, and
intricate, and withal hard as box, that it was wonderful to consider.
The French have landed in Ireland.
16th March, 1690. A public fast.
24th May, 1690. City charter restored. Divers exempted from pardon.
4th June, 1690. King William set forth on his Irish expedition, leaving
the Queen Regent.
10th June, 1690. Mr. Pepys read to me his Remonstrance, showing with
what malice and injustice he was suspected with Sir Anthony Deane about
the timber, of which the thirty ships were built by a late Act of
Parliament, with the exceeding danger which the fleet would shortly be
in, by reason of the tyranny and incompetency of those who now managed
the Admiralty and affairs of the Navy, of which he gave an accurate
state, and showed his great ability.
18th June, 1690. Fast day. Visited the Bishop of St. Asaph; his
conversation was on the Vaudois in Savoy, who had been thought so near
destruction and final extirpation by the French, being totally given up
to slaughter, so that there were no hopes for them; but now it pleased
God that the Duke of Savoy, who had hitherto joined with the French in
their persecution, being now pressed by them to deliver up Saluzzo and
Turin as cautionary towns, on suspicion that he might at last come into
the Confederacy of the German Princes, did secretly concert measures
with, and afterward declared for, them. He then invited these poor
people from their dispersion among the mountains whither they had fled,
and restored them to their country, their dwellings, and the exercise of
their religion, and begged pardon for the ill usage they had received,
charging it on the cruelty of the French who forced him to it. These
being the remainder of those persecuted Christians which the Bishop of
St. Asaph had so long affirmed to be the two witnesses spoken of in the
Revelation, who should be killed and brought to life again, it was
looked on as an extraordinary thing that this prophesying Bishop should
persuade two fugitive ministers of the Vaudois to return to their
country, and furnish them with £20 toward their journey, at that very
time when nothing but universal destruction was to be expected, assuring
them and showing them from the Apocalypse, that their countrymen should
be returned safely to their country before they arrived. This happening
contrary to all expectation and appearance, did exceedingly credit the
Bishop's confidence how that prophecy of the witnesses should come to
pass, just at the time, and the very month, he had spoken of some years
before.
I afterward went with him to Mr. Boyle and Lady Ranelagh his sister, to
whom he explained the necessity of it so fully, and so learnedly made
out, with what events were immediately to follow, viz, the French King's
ruin, the calling of the Jews to be near at hand, but that the Kingdom
of Antichrist would not yet be utterly destroyed till thirty years, when
Christ should begin the Millenium, not as personally and visibly
reigning on earth, but that the true religion and universal peace should
obtain through all the world. He showed how Mr. Brightman, Mr. Mede, and
other interpreters of these events failed, by mistaking and reckoning
the year as the Latins and others did, to consist of the present
calculation, so many days to the year, whereas the Apocalypse reckons
after the Persian account, as Daniel did, whose visions St. John all
along explains as meaning only the Christian Church.
24th June, 1690. Dined with Mr. Pepys, who the next day was sent to the
Gatehouse,[74] and several great persons to the Tower, on suspicion of
being affected to King James; among them was the Earl of Clarendon, the
Queen's uncle. King William having vanquished King James in Ireland,
there was much public rejoicing. It seems the Irish in King James's army
would not stand, but the English-Irish and French made great resistance.
Schomberg was slain, and Dr. Walker, who so bravely defended
Londonderry. King William received a slight wound by the grazing of a
cannon bullet on his shoulder, which he endured with very little
interruption of his pursuit. Hamilton, who broke his word about
Tyrconnel, was taken. It is reported that King James is gone back to
France. Drogheda and Dublin surrendered, and if King William be
returning, we may say of him as Cæsar said, "_Veni, vidi, vici_." But to
alloy much of this, the French fleet rides in our channel, ours not
daring to interpose, and the enemy threatening to land.
[Footnote 74: Poor Pepys, as the reader knows, had already undergone
an imprisonment, with perhaps just as much reason as the present, on
the absurd accusation of having sent information to the French Court
of the state of the English Navy.]
[Sidenote: LONDON]
27th June, 1690. I went to visit some friends in the Tower, when asking
for Lord Clarendon, they by mistake directed me to the Earl of
Torrington, who about three days before had been sent for from the
fleet, and put into the Tower for cowardice and not fighting the French
fleet, which having beaten a squadron of the Hollanders, while
Torrington did nothing, did now ride masters of the sea, threatening a
descent.
20th July, 1690. This afternoon a camp of about 4,000 men was begun to
be formed on Blackheath.
30th July, 1690. I dined with Mr. Pepys, now suffered to return to his
house, on account of indisposition.
1st August, 1690. The Duke of Grafton came to visit me, going to his
ship at the mouth of the river, in his way to Ireland (where he was
slain).
3d August, 1690. The French landed some soldiers at Teignmouth, in
Devon, and burned some poor houses. The French fleet still hovering
about the western coast, and we having 300 sail of rich merchant-ships
in the bay of Plymouth, our fleet began to move toward them, under three
admirals. The country in the west all on their guard. A very
extraordinary fine season; but on the 12th was a very great storm of
thunder and lightning, and on the 15th the season much changed to wet
and cold. The militia and trained bands, horse and foot, which were up
through England, were dismissed. The French King having news that King
William was slain, and his army defeated in Ireland, caused such a
triumph at Paris, and all over France, as was never heard of; when, in
the midst of it, the unhappy King James being vanquished, by a speedy
flight and escape, himself brought the news of his own defeat.
15th August, 1690. I was desired to be one of the bail of the Earl of
Clarendon, for his release from the Tower, with divers noblemen. The
Bishop of St. Asaph expounds his prophecies to me and Mr. Pepys, etc.
The troops from Blackheath march to Portsmouth. That sweet and hopeful
youth, Sir Charles Tuke, died of the wounds he received in the fight of
the Boyne, to the great sorrow of all his friends, being (I think) the
last male of that family, to which my wife is related. A more virtuous
young gentleman I never knew; he was learned for his age, having had the
advantage of the choicest breeding abroad, both as to arts and arms; he
had traveled much, but was so unhappy as to fall in the side of his
unfortunate King.
The unseasonable and most tempestuous weather happening, the naval
expedition is hindered, and the extremity of wet causes the siege of
Limerick to be raised, King William returned to England. Lord Sidney
left Governor of what is conquered in Ireland, which is near three parts
[in four].
17th August, 1690. A public feast. An extraordinary sharp, cold, east
wind.
12th October, 1690. The French General, with Tyrconnel and their
forces, gone back to France, beaten out by King William. Cork delivered
on discretion. The Duke of Grafton was there mortally wounded and dies.
Very great storms of wind. The 8th of this month Lord Spencer wrote me
word from Althorpe, that there happened an earthquake the day before in
the morning, which, though short, sensibly shook the house. The
"Gazette" acquainted us that the like happened at the same time,
half-past seven, at Barnstaple, Holyhead, and Dublin. We were not
sensible of it here.
26th October, 1690. Kinsale at last surrendered, meantime King James's
party burn all the houses they have in their power, and among them that
stately palace of Lord Ossory's, which lately cost, as reported,
£40,000. By a disastrous accident, a third-rate ship, the Breda, blew up
and destroyed all on board; in it were twenty-five prisoners of war. She
was to have sailed for England the next day.
3d November, 1690. Went to the Countess of Clancarty, to condole with
her concerning her debauched and dissolute son, who had done so much
mischief in Ireland, now taken and brought prisoner to the Tower.
16th November, 1690. Exceeding great storms, yet a warm season.
23d November, 1690. Carried Mr. Pepys's memorials to Lord Godolphin, now
resuming the commission of the Treasury, to the wonder of all his
friends.
1st December, 1690. Having been chosen President of the Royal Society, I
desired to decline it, and with great difficulty devolved the election
on Sir Robert Southwell, Secretary of State to King William in Ireland.
20th December, 1690. Dr. Hough, President of Magdalen College, Oxford,
who was displaced with several of the Fellows for not taking the oath
imposed by King James, now made a Bishop. Most of this month cold and
frost. One Johnson, a Knight, was executed at Tyburn for being an
accomplice with Campbell, brother to Lord Argyle, in stealing a young
heiress.
4th January, 1690-91. This week a PLOT was discovered for a general
rising against the new Government, for which (Henry) Lord Clarendon and
others were sent to the Tower. The next day, I went to see Lord
Clarendon. The Bishop of Ely searched for. Trial of Lord Preston, as not
being an English Peer, hastened at the Old Bailey.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
18th January, 1691. Lord Preston condemned about a design to bring in
King James by the French. Ashton executed. The Bishop of Ely, Mr.
Graham, etc., absconded.
13th March, 1691. I went to visit Monsieur Justell and the Library at
St. James's, in which that learned man had put the MSS. (which were in
good number) into excellent order, they having lain neglected for many
years. Divers medals had been stolen and embezzled.
21st March, 1691. Dined at Sir William Fermor's, who showed me many good
pictures. After dinner, a French servant played rarely on the lute. Sir
William had now bought all the remaining statues collected with so much
expense by the famous Thomas, Earl of Arundel, and sent them to his seat
at Easton, near Towcester.[75]
[Footnote 75: They are now at Oxford, having been presented to the
University in 1755 by Henrietta, Countess Dowager of Pomfret, widow
of Thomas, the first Earl.]
25th March, 1691. Lord Sidney, principal Secretary of State, gave me a
letter to Lord Lucas, Lieutenant of the Tower, to permit me to visit
Lord Clarendon; which this day I did, and dined with him.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
10th April, 1691. This night, a sudden and terrible fire burned down all
the buildings over the stone gallery at Whitehall to the water side,
beginning at the apartment of the late Duchess of Portsmouth (which had
been pulled down and rebuilt no less than three times to please her),
and consuming other lodgings of such lewd creatures, who debauched both
King Charles II. and others, and were his destruction.
The King returned out of Holland just as this accident
happened--Proclamation against the Papists, etc.
16th April, 1691. I went to see Dr. Sloane's curiosities, being an
universal collection of the natural productions of Jamaica, consisting
of plants, fruits, corals, minerals, stones, earth, shells, animals, and
insects, collected with great judgment; several folios of dried plants,
and one which had about 80 several sorts of ferns, and another of
grasses; the Jamaica pepper, in branch, leaves, flower, fruit, etc. This
collection,[76] with his Journal and other philosophical and natural
discourses and observations, indeed very copious and extraordinary,
sufficient to furnish a history of that island, to which I encouraged
him.
[Footnote 76: It now forms part of the collection in the British
Museum.]
19th April, 1691. The Archbishop of Canterbury, and Bishops of Ely, Bath
and Wells, Peterborough, Gloucester, and the rest who would not take the
oaths to King William, were now displaced; and in their rooms, Dr.
Tillotson, Dean of St. Paul's, was made Archbishop: Patrick removed from
Chichester to Ely; Cumberland to Gloucester.
22d April, 1691. I dined with Lord Clarendon in the Tower.
24th April, 1691. I visited the Earl and Countess of Sunderland, now
come to kiss the King's hand after his return from Holland. This is a
mystery. The King preparing to return to the army.
7th May, 1691. I went to visit the Archbishop of Canterbury [Sancroft]
yet at Lambeth. I found him alone, and discoursing of the times,
especially of the newly designed Bishops; he told me that by no canon or
divine law they could justify the removing of the present incumbents;
that Dr. Beveridge, designed Bishop of Bath and Wells, came to ask his
advice; that the Archbishop told him, though he should give it, he
believed he would not take it; the Doctor said he would; why then, says
the Archbishop, when they come to ask, say "_Nolo_," and say it from the
heart; there is nothing easier than to resolve yourself what is to be
done in the case: the Doctor seemed to deliberate. What he will do I
know not, but Bishop Ken, who is to be put out, is exceedingly beloved
in his diocese; and, if he and the rest should insist on it, and plead
their interest as freeholders, it is believed there would be difficulty
in their case, and it may endanger a schism and much disturbance, so as
wise men think it had been better to have let them alone, than to have
proceeded with this rigor to turn them out for refusing to swear against
their consciences. I asked at parting, when his Grace removed; he said
that he had not yet received any summons, but I found the house
altogether disfurnished and his books packed up.
1st June, 1691. I went with my son, and brother-in-law, Glanville, and
his son, to Wotton, to solemnize the funeral of my nephew, which was
performed the next day very decently and orderly by the herald in the
afternoon, a very great appearance of the country being there. I was the
chief mourner; the pall was held by Sir Francis Vincent, Sir Richard
Onslow, Mr. Thomas Howard (son to Sir Robert, and Captain of the King's
Guard), Mr. Hyldiard, Mr. James, Mr. Herbert, nephew to Lord Herbert of
Cherbury, and cousin-german to my deceased nephew. He was laid in the
vault at Wotton Church, in the burying place of the family. A great
concourse of coaches and people accompanied the solemnity.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
10th June, 1691. I went to visit Lord Clarendon, still prisoner in the
Tower, though Lord Preston being pardoned was released.
17th June, 1691. A fast.
11th July, 1691. I dined with Mr. Pepys, where was Dr. Cumberland, the
new Bishop of Norwich,[77] Dr. Lloyd having been put out for not
acknowledging the Government. Cumberland is a very learned, excellent
man. Possession was now given to Dr. Tillotson, at Lambeth, by the
Sheriff; Archbishop Sancroft was gone, but had left his nephew to keep
possession; and he refusing to deliver it up on the Queen's message, was
dispossessed by the Sheriff, and imprisoned. This stout demeanor of the
few Bishops who refused to take the oaths to King William, animated a
great party to forsake the churches, so as to threaten a schism; though
those who looked further into the ancient practice, found that when (as
formerly) there were Bishops displaced on secular accounts, the people
never refused to acknowledge the new Bishops, provided they were not
heretics. The truth is, the whole clergy had till now stretched the duty
of passive obedience, so that the proceedings against these Bishops gave
no little occasion of exceptions; but this not amounting to heresy,
there was a necessity of receiving the new Bishops, to prevent a failure
of that order in the Church. I went to visit Lord Clarendon in the
Tower, but he was gone into the country for air by the Queen's
permission, under the care of his warden.
[Footnote 77: A mistake. Dr. Cumberland was made Bishop of
Peterborough and Dr. John Moore succeeded Dr. Lloyd in the see of
Norwich.]
18th July, 1691. To London to hear Mr. Stringfellow preach his first
sermon in the newly erected Church of Trinity, in Conduit Street; to
which I did recommend him to Dr. Tenison for the constant preacher and
lecturer. This Church, formerly built of timber on Hounslow-Heath by
King James for the mass priests, being begged by Dr. Tenison, rector of
St. Martin's, was set up by that public-minded, charitable, and pious
man near my son's dwelling in Dover Street, chiefly at the charge of the
Doctor. I know him to be an excellent preacher and a fit person. This
Church, though erected in St. Martin's, which is the Doctor's parish, he
was not only content, but was the sole industrious mover, that it should
be made a separate parish, in regard of the neighborhood having become
so populous. Wherefore to countenance and introduce the new minister,
and take possession of a gallery designed for my son's family, I went to
London, where,
19th July, 1691. In the morning Dr. Tenison preached the first sermon,
taking his text from Psalm xxvi. 8. "Lord, I have loved the habitation
of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth." In concluding,
he gave that this should be made a parish church so soon as the
Parliament sat, and was to be dedicated to the Holy Trinity, in honor of
the three undivided persons in the Deity; and he minded them to attend
to that faith of the church, now especially that Arianism, Socinianism,
and atheism began to spread among us. In the afternoon, Mr. Stringfellow
preached on Luke vii. 5. "The centurion who had built a synagogue." He
proceeded to the due praise of persons of such public spirit, and thence
to such a character of pious benefactors in the person of the generous
centurion, as was comprehensive of all the virtues of an accomplished
Christian, in a style so full, eloquent, and moving, that I never heard
a sermon more apposite to the occasion. He modestly insinuated the
obligation they had to that person who should be the author and promoter
of such public works for the benefit of mankind, especially to the
advantage of religion, such as building and endowing churches,
hospitals, libraries, schools, procuring the best editions of useful
books, by which he handsomely intimated who it was that had been so
exemplary for his benefaction to that place. Indeed, that excellent
person, Dr. Tenison, had also erected and furnished a public library [in
St. Martin's]; and set up two or three free schools at his own charges.
Besides this, he was of an exemplary, holy life, took great pains in
constantly preaching, and incessantly employing himself to promote the
service of God both in public and private. I never knew a man of a more
universal and generous spirit, with so much modesty, prudence, and
piety.
The great victory of King William's army in Ireland was looked on as
decisive of that war. The French General, St. Ruth, who had been so
cruel to the poor Protestants in France, was slain, with divers of the
best commanders; nor was it cheap to us, having 1,000 killed, but of the
enemy 4,000 or 5,000.
26th July, 1691. An extraordinary hot season, yet refreshed by some
thundershowers.
28th July, 1691. I went to Wotton.
2d August, 1691. No sermon in the church in the afternoon, and the
curacy ill-served.
16th August, 1691. A sermon by the curate; an honest discourse, but read
without any spirit, or seeming concern; a great fault in the education
of young preachers. Great thunder and lightning on Thursday, but the
rain and wind very violent. Our fleet come in to lay up the great ships;
nothing done at sea, pretending that we cannot meet the French.
13th September, 1691. A great storm at sea; we lost the "Coronation" and
"Harwich," above 600 men perishing.
14th October, 1691. A most pleasing autumn. Our navy come in without
having performed anything, yet there has been great loss of ships by
negligence, and unskillful men governing the fleet and Navy board.
7th November, 1691. I visited the Earl of Dover, who having made his
peace with the King, was now come home. The relation he gave of the
strength of the French King, and the difficulty of our forcing him to
fight, and any way making impression into France, was very wide from
what we fancied.
8th to 30th November, 1691. An extraordinary dry and warm season,
without frost, and like a new spring; such as had not been known for
many years. Part of the King's house at Kensington was burned.
6th December, 1691. Discourse of another PLOT, in which several great
persons were named, but believed to be a sham.--A proposal in the House
of Commons that every officer in the whole nation who received a salary
above £500 or otherwise by virtue of his office, should contribute it
wholly to the support of the war with France, and this upon their oath.
25th December, 1691. My daughter-in-law was brought to bed of a
daughter.
26th December, 1691. An exceedingly dry and calm winter; no rain for
many past months.
28th December, 1691. Dined at Lambeth with the new Archbishop. Saw the
effect of my greenhouse furnace, set up by the Archbishop's son-in-law.
30th December, 1691. I again saw Mr. Charlton's collection of spiders,
birds, scorpions, and other serpents, etc.
1st January, 1691-92. This last week died that pious, admirable
Christian, excellent philosopher, and my worthy friend, Mr. Boyle, aged
about 65,--a great loss to all that knew him, and to the public.
[Sidenote: LONDON]