where my wife not very well, but is to go to Mr. Mills's child's
christening, where she is godmother, Sir J. Minnes and Sir R. Brookes her
companions. I left her after dinner (my clerks dining with me) to go with
Sir J. Minnes, and I to the office, where did much business till after
candlelight, and then my eyes beginning to fail me, I out and took coach
to Arundell House, where the meeting of Gresham College was broke up; but
there meeting Creed, I with him to the taverne in St. Clement's
Churchyard, where was Deane Wilkins, Dr. Whistler, Dr. Floyd, a divine
admitted, I perceive, this day, and other brave men; and there, among
other things of news, I do hear, that upon the reading of the House of
Commons's Reasons of the manner of their proceedings in the business of my
Lord Chancellor, the Reasons were so bad, that my Lord Bristoll himself
did declare that he would not stand to what he had, and did still, advise
the Lords to concur to, upon any of the Reasons of the House of Commons;
but if it was put to the question whether it should be done on their
Reasons, he would be against them; and indeed it seems the
Reasons--however they come to escape the House of Commons, which shews how
slightly the greatest matters are done in this world, and even in
Parliaments were none of them of strength, but the principle of them
untrue; they saying, that where any man is brought before a judge, accused
of Treason in general, without specifying the particular, the judge do
there constantly and is obliged to commit him. Whereas the question being
put by the Lords to my Lord Keeper, he said that quite the contrary was
true: and then, in the Sixth Article (I will get a copy of them if I can)
there are two or three things strangely asserted to the diminishing of the
King's power, as is said, at least things that heretofore would not have
been heard of. But then the question being put among the Lords, as my
Lord Bristoll advised, whether, upon the whole matter and Reasons that had
been laid before them, they would commit my Lord Clarendon, it was carried
five to one against it; there being but three Bishops against him, of whom
Cosens and Dr. Reynolds were two, and I know not the third. This made the
opposite Lords, as Bristoll and Buckingham, so mad, that they declared and
protested against it, speaking very broad that there was mutiny and
rebellion in the hearts of the Lords, and that they desired they might
enter their dissents, which they did do, in great fury. So that upon the
Lords sending to the Commons, as I am told, to have a conference for them
to give their answer to the Commons's Reasons, the Commons did desire a
free conference: but the Lords do deny it; and the reason is, that they
hold not the Commons any Court, but that themselves only are a Court, and
the Chief Court of judicature, and therefore are not to dispute the laws
and method of their own Court with them that are none, and so will not
submit so much as to have their power disputed. And it is conceived that
much of this eagerness among the Lords do arise from the fear some of them
have, that they may be dealt with in the same manner themselves, and
therefore do stand upon it now. It seems my Lord Clarendon hath, as is
said and believed, had his horses several times in his coach, ready to
carry him to the Tower, expecting a message to that purpose; but by this
means his case is like to be laid by. From this we fell to other
discourse, and very good; among the rest they discourse of a man that is a
little frantic, that hath been a kind of minister, Dr. Wilkins saying that
he hath read for him in his church, that is poor and a debauched man, that
the College' have hired for 20s. to have some of the blood of a sheep let
into his body; and it is to be done on Saturday next.
[This was Arthur Coga, who had studied at Cambridge, and was said to
be a bachelor of divinity. He was indigent, and "looked upon as a
very freakish and extravagant man." Dr. King, in a letter to the
Hon. Robert Boyle, remarks "that Mr. Coga was about thirty-two
years of age; that he spoke Latin well, when he was in company,
which he liked, but that his brain was sometimes a little too warm."
The experiment was performed on November 23rd, 1667, by Dr. King, at
Arundel House, in the presence of many spectators of quality, and
four or five physicians. Coga wrote a description of his own case
in Latin, and when asked why he had not the blood of some other
creature, instead of that of a sheep, transfused into him, answered,
"Sanguis ovis symbolicam quandam facultatem habet cum sanguine
Christi, quia Christus est agnus Dei" (Birch's "History of the Royal
Society," vol. ii., pp. 214-16). Coga was the first person in
England to be experimented upon; previous experiments were made by
the transfusion of the blood of one dog into another. See November
14th, 1666 (vol. vi., p. 64).]
They purpose to let in about twelve ounces; which, they compute, is what
will be let in in a minute's time by a watch. They differ in the opinion
they have of the effects of it; some think it may have a good effect upon
him as a frantic man by cooling his blood, others that it will not have
any effect at all. But the man is a healthy man, and by this means will
be able to give an account what alteration, if any, he do find in himself,
and so may be usefull. On this occasion, Dr. Whistler told a pretty story
related by Muffet, a good author, of Dr. Caius, that built Keys College;
that, being very old, and living only at that time upon woman's milk, he,
while he fed upon the milk of an angry, fretful woman, was so himself; and
then, being advised to take it of a good-natured, patient woman, he did
become so, beyond the common temper of his age. Thus much nutriment, they
observed, might do. Their discourse was very fine; and if I should be put
out of my office, I do take great content in the liberty I shall be at of
frequenting these gentlemen's company. Broke up thence and home, and there
to my wife in her chamber, who is not well (of those), and there she tells
me great stories of the gossiping women of the parish--what this, and what
that woman was; and, among the rest, how Mrs. Hollworthy is the veriest
confident bragging gossip of them all, which I should not have believed;
but that Sir R. Brookes, her partner, was mighty civil to her, and taken
with her, and what not. My eyes being bad I spent the evening with her in
her chamber talking and inventing a cypher to put on a piece of plate,
which I must give, better than ordinary, to the Parson's child, and so to
bed, and through my wife's illness had a bad night of it, and she a worse,
poor wretch!
22nd. Up betimes, and drinking my morning draught of strong water with
Betty Michell, I had not opportunity para baiser la, I by water to White
Hall, and there met Creed, and thence with him to Westminster Hall, where
we talked long together of news, and there met with Cooling, my Lord
Chamberlain's Secretary, and from him learn the truth of all I heard last
night; and understand further, that this stiffness of the Lords is in no
manner of kindness to my Lord Chancellor, for he neither hath, nor do, nor
for the future likely can oblige any of them, but rather the contrary; but
that they do fear what the consequence may be to themselves, should they
yield in his case, as many of them have reason. And more, he shewed me how
this is rather to the wrong and prejudice of my Lord Chancellor; for that
it is better for him to come to be tried before the Lords, where he can
have right and make interest, than, when the Parliament is up, be
committed by the King, and tried by a Court on purpose made by the King,
of what Lords the King pleases, who have a mind to have his head. So that
my Lord [Cornbury] himself, his son, he tells me, hath moved, that if they
have Treason against my Lord of Clarendon, that they would specify it and
send it up to the Lords, that he might come to his trial; so full of
intrigues this business is! Having now a mind to go on and to be rid of
Creed, I could not, but was forced to carry him with me to the Excise
Office, and thence to the Temple, and there walked a good while in the
Temple church, observing the plainness of Selden's tomb, and how much
better one of his executors hath, who is buried by him, and there I parted
with him and took coach and home, where to dinner.
23rd. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home to
dinner, and all the afternoon also busy till late preparing things to
fortify myself and fellows against the Parliament; and particularly myself
against what I fear is thought, that I have suppressed the Order of the
Board by which the discharging the great ships off at Chatham by tickets
was directed; whereas, indeed, there was no such Order. So home at night
to supper and to bed.
24th (Lord's day). In my chamber all the morning (having lain long in
bed) till Mr. Shepley come to dine with me, and there being to return to
Hinchinbroke speedily, I did give him as good account how matters go here
as I could. After dinner, he being gone, I to the office, and there for
want of other of my clerks, sent to Mr. Gibbs, whom I never used till now,
for the writing over of my little pocket Contract-book; and there I
laboured till nine at night with him, in drawing up the history of all
that hath passed concerning tickets, in order to the laying the whole, and
clearing myself and Office, before Sir R. Brookes; and in this I took
great pains, and then sent him away, and proceeded, and had W. Hewer come
to me, and he and I till past twelve at night in the Office, and he, which
was a good service, did so inform me in the consequences of my writing
this report, and that what I said would not hold water, in denying this
Board to have ever ordered the discharging out of the service whole ships
by ticket, that I did alter my whole counsel, and fall to arme myself with
good reasons to justify the Office in so doing, which hath been but rare,
and having done this, I went, with great quiet in my mind, home, though
vexed that so honest a business should bring me so much trouble; but
mightily was pleased to find myself put out of my former design; and so,
after supper, to bed.
25th. Up, and all the morning finishing my letter to Sir Robert Brookes,
which I did with great content, and yet at noon when I come home to dinner
I read it over again after it was sealed and delivered to the messenger,
and read it to my clerks who dined with me, and there I did resolve upon
some alteration, and caused it to be new writ, and so to the office after
dinner, and there all the afternoon mighty busy, and at night did take
coach thinking to have gone to Westminster, but it was mighty dark and
foul, and my business not great, only to keep my eyes from reading by
candle, being weary, but being gone part of my way I turned back, and so
home, and there to read, and my wife to read to me out of Sir Robert
Cotton's book about warr, which is very fine, showing how the Kings of
England have raised money by the people heretofore upon the people, and
how they have played upon the kings also. So after supper I to bed. This
morning Sir W. Pen tells me that the House was very hot on Saturday last
upon the business of liberty of speech in the House, and damned the vote
in the beginning of the Long Parliament against it; I so that he fears
that there may be some bad thing which they have a mind to broach, which
they dare not do without more security than they now have. God keep us,
for things look mighty ill!
26th. Up, all the morning at the office, and then home to dinner, where
dined Mr. Clerke, solicitor, with me, to discourse about my Tangier
accounts, which I would fain make up, but I have not time. After dinner,
by coach as far as the Temple, and there saw a new book, in folio, of all
that suffered for the King in the late times, which I will buy, it seems
well writ, and then back to the Old Exchange, and there at my goldsmith's
bought a basin for my wife to give the Parson's child, to which the other
day she was godmother. It cost me; L10 14s. besides graving, which I do
with the cypher of the name, Daniel Mills, and so home to the office, and
then home to supper and hear my wife read, and then to bed. This
afternoon, after dinner, come to me Mr. Warren, and there did tell me that
he come to pay his debt to me for the kindness I did him in getting his
last ship out, which I must also remember was a service to the King,
though I did not tell him so, as appeared by my advising with the board,
and there writing to Sir W. Coventry to get the pass for the ship to go
for it to Genoa. Now that which he had promised me for the courtesy was I
take it 100 pieces or more, I think more, and also for the former courtesy
I had done for the getting of his first ship out for this hemp he did
promise me a consideration upon the return of the goods, but I never did
to this day demand any thing of him, only about a month ago he told me
that now his ship was come, and he would come out of my debt, but told me
that whereas he did expect to have had some profit by the voyage, it had
proved of loss to him, by the loss of some ships, or some accidents, I
know not what, and so that he was not able to do what he intended, but
told me that he would present me with sixty pieces in gold. I told him I
would demand nothing of his promises, though they were much greater, nor
would have thus much, but if he could afford to give me but fifty pieces,
it should suffice me. So now he brought something in a paper, which since
proves to be fifty pieces. But before I would take them I told him that I
did not insist on anything, and therefore prayed him to consult his
ability before he did part with them: and so I refused them once or twice
till he did the third time offer them, and then I took them, he saying
that he would present me with as many more if I would undertake to get him
L500 paid on his bills. I told him I would by no means have any promise
of the kind, nor would have any kindness from him for any such service,
but that I should do my utmost for nothing to do him that justice, and
would endeavour to do what I could for him, and so we parted, he owning
himself mightily engaged to me for my kind usage of him in accepting of so
small a matter in satisfaction of all that he owed me; which I enter at
large for my justification if anything of this should be hereafter
enquired after. This evening also comes to me to my closet at the Office
Sir John Chichly, of his own accord, to tell me what he shall answer to
the Committee, when, as he expects, he shall be examined about my Lord
Sandwich; which is so little as will not hurt my Lord at all, I know. He
do profess great generousness towards my Lord, and that this jealousy of
my Lord's of him is without ground, but do mightily inveigh against Sir
Roger Cuttance, and would never have my Lord to carry him to sea again, as
being a man that hath done my Lord more hurt than ever he can repair by
his ill advice, and disobliging every body. He will by no means seem to
crouch to my Lord, but says that he hath as good blood in his veins as any
man, though not so good a title, but that he will do nothing to wrong or
prejudice my Lord, and I hope he will not, nor I believe can; but he tells
me that Sir E. Spragg and Utber are the men that have done my Lord the
most wrong, and did bespatter him the most at Oxford, and that my Lord was
misled to believe that all that was there said was his, which indeed it
was not, and says that he did at that time complain to his father of this
his misfortune. This I confess is strange to me touching these two men,
but yet it may well enough as the world goes, though I wonder I confess at
the latter of the two, who always professes great love to my Lord. Sir
Roger Cuttance was with me in the morning, and there gives me an account
so clear about Bergen and the other business against my Lord, as I do not
see what can be laid to my Lord in either, and tells me that Pen, however
he now dissembles it, did on the quarter deck of my Lord's ship, after he
come on board, when my Lord did fire a gun for the ships to leave pursuing
the enemy, Pen did say, before a great many, several times, that his heart
did leap in his belly for joy when he heard the gun, and that it was the
best thing that could be done for securing the fleet. He tells me also
that Pen was the first that did move and persuade my Lord to the breaking
bulke, as a thing that was now the time to do right to the commanders of
the great ships, who had no opportunity of getting anything by prizes, now
his Lordship might distribute to everyone something, and he himself did
write down before my Lord the proportions for each man. This I am glad
of, though it may be this dissembling fellow may, twenty to one, deny it.
27th. Up, and all the morning at my Lord Bruncker's lodgings with Sir J.
Minnes and [Sir] W. Pen about Sir W. Warren's accounts, wherein I do not
see that they are ever very likely to come to an understanding of them, as
Sir J. Minnes hath not yet handled them. Here till noon, and then home to
dinner, where Mr. Pierce comes to me, and there, in general, tells me how
the King is now fallen in and become a slave to the Duke of Buckingham,
led by none but him, whom he, Mr. Pierce, swears he knows do hate the very
person of the King, and would, as well as will, certainly ruin him. He do
say, and I think with right, that the King do in this do the most
ungrateful part of a master to a servant that ever was done, in this
carriage of his to my Lord Chancellor: that, it may be, the Chancellor may
have faults, but none such as these they speak of; that he do now really
fear that all is going to ruin, for he says he hears that Sir W. Coventry
hath been, just before his sickness, with the Duke of York, to ask his
forgiveness and peace for what he had done; for that he never could
foresee that what he meant so well, in the councilling to lay by the
Chancellor, should come to this. As soon as dined, I with my boy Tom to
my bookbinder's, where all the afternoon long till 8 or 9 at night seeing
him binding up two or three collections of letters and papers that I had
of him, but above all things my little abstract pocket book of contracts,
which he will do very neatly. Then home to read, sup, and to bed.
28th. Up, and at the office all this morning, and then home to dinner,
and then by coach sent my wife to the King's playhouse, and I to White
Hall, there intending, with Lord Bruncker, Sir J. Minnes, and Sir T. Harvy
to have seen the Duke of York, whom it seems the King and Queen have
visited, and so we may now well go to see him. But there was nobody could
speak with him, and so we parted, leaving a note in Mr. Wren's chamber
that we had been there, he being at the free conference of the two Houses
about this great business of my Lord Chancellor's, at which they were at
this hour, three in the afternoon, and there they say my Lord Anglesey do
his part admirablyably, and each of us taking a copy of the Guinny
Company's defence to a petition against them to the Parliament the other
day. So I away to the King's playhouse, and there sat by my wife, and saw
"The Mistaken Beauty," which I never, I think, saw before, though an old
play; and there is much in it that I like, though the name is but improper
to it--at least, that name, it being also called "The Lyer," which is
proper enough. Here I met with Sir. Richard Browne, who wondered to find
me there, telling the that I am a man of so much business, which
character, I thank God, I have ever got, and have for a long time had and
deserved, and yet am now come to be censured in common with the office for
a man of negligence. Thence home and to the office to my letters, and
then home to supper and to bed.
29th. Waked about seven o'clock this morning with a noise I supposed I
heard, near our chamber, of knocking, which, by and by, increased: and I,
more awake, could, distinguish it better. I then waked my wife, and both
of us wondered at it, and lay so a great while, while that increased, and
at last heard it plainer, knocking, as if it were breaking down a window
for people to get out; and then removing of stools and chairs; and
plainly, by and by, going up and down our stairs. We lay, both of us,
afeard; yet I would have rose, but my wife would not let me. Besides, I
could not do it without making noise; and we did both conclude that
thieves were in the house, but wondered what our people did, whom we
thought either killed, or afeard, as we were. Thus we lay till the clock
struck eight, and high day. At last, I removed my gown and slippers
safely to the other side of the bed over my wife: and there safely rose,
and put on my gown and breeches, and then, with a firebrand in my hand,
safely opened the door, and saw nor heard any thing. Then (with fear, I
confess) went to the maid's chamber-door, and all quiet and safe. Called
Jane up, and went down safely, and opened my chamber door, where all well.
Then more freely about, and to the kitchen, where the cook-maid up, and
all safe. So up again, and when Jane come, and we demanded whether she
heard no noise, she said, "yes, and was afeard," but rose with the other
maid, and found nothing; but heard a noise in the great stack of chimnies
that goes from Sir J. Minnes through our house; and so we sent, and their
chimnies have been swept this morning, and the noise was that, and nothing
else. It is one of the most extraordinary accidents in my life, and gives
ground to think of Don Quixote's adventures how people may be surprised,
and the more from an accident last night, that our young gibb-cat
[A male cat. "Gib" is a contraction of the Christian name Gilbert
(Old French), "Tibert".
"I am melancholy as a gib-cat"
Shakespeare, I Henry IV, act i., sc. 3.
Gib alone is also used, and a verb made from it--"to gib," or act
like a cat.]
did leap down our stairs from top to bottom, at two leaps, and frighted
us, that we could not tell well whether it was the cat or a spirit, and do
sometimes think this morning that the house might be haunted. Glad to
have this so well over, and indeed really glad in my mind, for I was much
afeard, I dressed myself and to the office both forenoon and afternoon,
mighty hard putting papers and things in order to my extraordinary
satisfaction, and consulting my clerks in many things, who are infinite
helps to my memory and reasons of things, and so being weary, and my eyes
akeing, having overwrought them to-day reading so much shorthand, I home
and there to supper, it being late, and to bed. This morning Sir W. Pen
and I did walk together a good while, and he tells me that the Houses are
not likely to agree after their free conference yesterday, and he fears
what may follow.
30th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and then by coach to
Arundel House, to the election of Officers for the next year; where I was
near being chosen of the Council, but am glad I was not, for I could not
have attended, though, above all things, I could wish it; and do take it
as a mighty respect to have been named there. The company great, and the
elections long, and then to Cary House, a house now of entertainment, next
my Lord Ashly's; and there, where I have heretofore heard Common Prayer in
the time of Dr. Mossum, we after two hours' stay, sitting at the table
with our napkins open, had our dinners brought, but badly done. But here
was good company. I choosing to sit next Dr. Wilkins, Sir George Ent, and
others whom I value, there talked of several things. Among others Dr.
Wilkins, talking of the universal speech, of which he hath a book coming
out, did first inform me how man was certainly made for society, he being
of all creatures the least armed for defence, and of all creatures in the
world the young ones are not able to do anything to help themselves, nor
can find the dug without being put to it, but would die if the mother did
not help it; and, he says, were it not for speech man would be a very mean
creature. Much of this good discourse we had. But here, above all, I was
pleased to see the person who had his blood taken out. He speaks well,
and did this day give the Society a relation thereof in Latin, saying that
he finds himself much better since, and as a new man, but he is cracked a
little in his head, though he speaks very reasonably, and very well. He
had but 20s. for his suffering it, and is to have the same again tried
upon him: the first sound man that ever had it tried on him in England,
and but one that we hear of in France, which was a porter hired by the
virtuosos. Here all the afternoon till within night. Then I took coach
and to the Exchange, where I was to meet my wife, but she was gone home,
and so I to Westminster Hall, and there took a turn or two, but meeting
with nobody to discourse with, returned to Cary House, and there stayed
and saw a pretty deception of the sight by a glass with water poured into
it, with a stick standing up with three balls of wax upon it, one distant
from the other. How these balls did seem double and disappear one after
another, mighty pretty! Here Mr. Carcasse did come to me, and brought
first Mr. Colwall, our Treasurer, and then Dr. Wilkins to engage me to be
his friend, and himself asking forgiveness and desiring my friendship,
saying that the Council have now ordered him to be free to return to the
Office to be employed. I promised him my friendship, and am glad of this
occasion, having desired it; for there is nobody's ill tongue that I fear
like his, being a malicious and cunning bold fellow. Thence, paying our
shot, 6s. apiece, I home, and there to the office and wrote my letters,
and then home, my eyes very sore with yesterday's work, and so home and
tried to make a piece by my eare and viall to "I wonder what the grave,"
&c., and so to supper and to bed, where frighted a good while and my wife
again with noises, and my wife did rise twice, but I think it was Sir John
Minnes's people again late cleaning their house, for it was past I o'clock
in the morning before we could fall to sleep, and so slept. But I
perceive well what the care of money and treasure in a man's house is to a
man that fears to lose it. My Lord Anglesey told me this day that he did
believe the House of Commons would, the next week, yield to the Lords;
but, speaking with others this day, they conclude they will not, but that
rather the King will accommodate it by committing my Lord Clarendon
himself. I remember what Mr. Evelyn said, that he did believe we should
soon see ourselves fall into a Commonwealth again. Joseph Williamson I
find mighty kind still, but close, not daring to say anything almost that
touches upon news or state of affairs.
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