11th. By barge to St. Mary's Creeke; where Commissioner Pett,

(doubtful of the growing greatnesse of Portsmouth by the finding

of those creekes there,) do design a wett docke at no great

charge, and yet no little one; he thinks towards 10,000l. And

the place, indeed, is likely to be a very fit place, when the

King hath money to do it with.

13th. I walked to the Temple; and there, from my cousin Roger,

hear that the Judges have this day brought in their answer to the

Lords, That the articles against my Lord Chancellor are not

Treason; and to-morrow they are to bring in their arguments to

the House for the same. This day also the King did send by my

Lord Chamberlain to the Lords; to tell them from him, that the

most of the articles against my Lord Chancellor he himself knows

to be false. I met the Queene-Mother walking in the Pell Mell,

led by my Lord St. Alban's. And finding many coaches at the

Gate, I found upon enquiry that the Duchesse is brought to bed of

a boy; and hearing that the King and Queene are rode abroad with

the Ladies of Honour to the Parke, and seeing a great crowd of

gallants staying here to see their return, I also staid walking

up and down. By and by the King and Queene, who looked in this

dress (a white laced waistcoate and a crimson short pettycoate,

and her hair dressed A LA NEGLIGENCE) mighty pretty; and the King

rode hand in hand with her. Here was also my Lady Castlemaine

rode among the rest of the ladies; but the King took, methought,

no notice of her; nor when she light, did any body press (as she

seemed to expect, and staid for it,) to take her down, but was

taken down by her own gentlemen. She looked mighty out of

humour, and had a yellow plume in her hat, (which all took notice

of,) and yet is very handsome, but very melancholy: nor did any

body speak to her, or she so much as smile or speak to any body.

I followed them up into White Hall, and into the Queene's

presence, where all the ladies walked, talking and fiddling with

their hats and feathers, and changing and trying one another's by

one another's heads, and laughing. But it was the finest sight

to me, considering their great beautys, and dress, that ever I

did see in all my life. But, above all, Mrs. Stewart in this

dresse, with her hat cocked and a red plume, with her sweet eye,

little Roman nose, and excellent taille, is now the greatest

beauty I ever saw, I think, in my life; and, if ever woman can,

do exceed my Lady Castlemaine, at least in this dress: nor do I

wonder if the King changes, which I verily believe is the reason

of his coldness to my Lady Castlemaine.

14th. This day I hear the Judges, according to order yesterday,

did bring into the Lords' House their reasons of their judgments

in the business between my Lord Bristoll and the Chancellor; and

the Lords do concur with the Judges that the articles are not

Treason, nor regularly brought into the House, and so voted that

a Committee should be chosen to examine them; but nothing to be

done therein till the next sitting of this Parliament, (which is

likely to be adjourned in a day or two,) and in the mean time the

two Lords to remain without prejudice done to either of them.

15th. Captain Grove come and dined with me. He told me of

discourse very much to my honour, both as to my care and ability,

happening at the Duke of Albemarle's table the other day, both

from the Duke and the Duchesse themselves; and how I paid so much

a year to him whose place it was of right, and that Mr. Coventry

did report this of me.

21st. This day the Parliament kept a fast for the present

unseasonable weather.

22nd. To my Lord Crewe's. My Lord not being come home, I met

and staid below with Captn. Ferrers, who was come to wait upon my

Lady Jemimah to St. James's, she being one of the four ladies

that hold up the mantle at the christening this afternoon of the

Duke's child (a boy). In discourse of the ladies at Court,

Captn. Ferrers tells me that my Lady Castlemaine is now as great

again as ever she was; and that her going away was only a fit of

her own upon some slighting words of the King, so that she called

for her coach at a quarter an hour's warning, and went to

Richmond; and the King the next morning, under pretence of going

a-hunting, went to see her and make friends, and never was a-

hunting at all. After which she came back to Court, and commands

the King as much as ever, and hath and doth what she will. No

longer ago than last night, there was a private entertainment

made for the King and Queene at the Duke of Buckingham's, and she

was not invited: but being at my Lady Suffolk's, [Barbara,

second wife of James Earl of Suffolk, eldest daughter of Sir

Edward Villiers, and widow of Sir Richard Wentworth. She died

Dec. 1681, leaving one daughter, Elizabeth, who married Sir

Thomas Felton, Bart.] her aunt's (where my Lady Jemimah and Lord

Sandwich dined,) yesterday, she was heard to say, "Well, much

good may it do them, and for all that I will be as merry as

they:" and so she went home and caused a great supper to be

prepared. And after the King had been with the Queene at

Wallingford House, [Wallingford House stood on the site of the

present Admiralty: it originally belonged to the Knollys family,

and during the Protectorate the office for granting passes to

persons going abroad was kept there.] he come to my Lady

Castlemaine's, and was there all night, and my Lord Sandwich with

him. He tells me he believes that, as soon as the King can get a

husband for Mrs. Stewart, however, my Lady Castlemaine's nose

will be out of joynt; for that she comes to be in great esteem,

and is more handsome than she. Wotten tells me the reason of

Harris's [Joseph Harris, a celebrated actor, who first appeared

at the Theatre in Lincoln's inn Fields, 1662. He probably died

or left the stage about 1679.] going from Sir Wm. Davenant's

house is, that he grew very proud and demanded 20l. for himself

extraordinary, more than Betterton or any body else, upon every

new play, and 10l. upon every revive which with other things Sir

W. Davenant would not give him, and so he swore he would never

act there more, in expectation of being received in the other

House; but the King will not suffer it, upon Sir W. Davenant's

desire that he would not, for then he might shut up house, and

that is true. We tells me that his going is at present a great

loss to the House, and that he fears he hath a stipend from the

other House privately. He tells me that the fellow grew very

proud of late, the King and every body else crying him up so

high, and that above Betterton he being a more ayery man, as he

is indeed. But yet Betterton, he says, they all say do act some

parts that none but himself can do. I hear that the Moores have

made some attaques upon the outworks of Tangier; but my Lord

Teviott, with the loss of about; 200 men, did beat them of and

killed many of them. To-morrow the King and Queene for certain

go down to Tunbridge. But the King comes back again against

Monday to raise the Parliament.

25th. Having intended this day to go to Banstead Downes to see a

famous race, I sent Will. to get himself ready to go with me:

but I hear it is put off, because the Lords do sit in Parliament

to-day. After some debate, Creed and I resolved to go to

Clapham, to Mr. Gauden's. [Dennis Gauden, Victualler to the

Navy; subsequently knighted when Sheriff of London.] When I come

there, the first thing was to show me his house, which is almost

built. I find it very regular and finely contrived, and the

gardens and offices about it as convenient and as full of good

variety as ever I saw in my life. It is true he hath been

censured for laying out so much money; but he tells me that he

built it for his brother, who is since dead, (the Bishop [Of

Exeter.]) who when he should come to be Bishop of Winchester,

which he was promised, (to which bishopricke at present there is

no house), he did intend to dwell here. By and by to dinner, and

in comes Mr. Creed; I saluted his lady and the young ladies, and

his sister, the Bishop's widow; who was, it seems, Sir W.

Russel's daughter, the Treasurer of the Navy; who I find to be

very well-bred, and a woman of excellent discourse. Towards the

evening we bade them adieu! and took horse; being resolved that,

instead of the race which fails us, we would go to Epsom. When

we come there we could hear of no lodging the town so full; but

which was better, I went toward Ashsted, and there we got a

lodging in a little hole we could not stand upright in. While

supper was getting I walked up and down behind my cosen Pepys's

house that was, which I find comes little short of what I took it

to be when I was a little boy.

26th (Lord's day). Up and to the Wells, where a great store of

citizens, which was the greatest part of the company, though

there were some others of better quality. Thence I walked to Mr.

Minnes's house, and thence to Durdan's and walked within the

Court Yard and to the Bowling-green, where I have seen so much

mirth in my time; but now no family in it, (my Lord Barkeley,

whose it is, being with his family at London.) Then rode through

Epsom, the whole town over, seeing the various companys that were

there walking; which was very pleasant to see how they are there

without knowing what to do, but only in the morning to drink

waters. But Lord! to see how many I met there of citizens, that

I could not have thought to have seen there; that they had ever

had it in their heads or purses to go down thither. We went

through Nonesuch Parke to the house, and there viewed as much as

we could of the outside, and looked through the great gates, and

found a noble court; and altogether believe it to have been a

very noble house, and a delicate parke about it, where just now

there was a doe killed for the King to carry up to Court.

27th. We rode hard home, and see up our horses at Fox Hall, and

I by water (observing the King's barge attending his going to the

House this day) home, it being about one o'clock. By water to

Westminster, and there come most luckily to the Lords' House, as

the House of Commons were going into the Lords' House, and there

I crowded in along with the Speaker, and got to stand close

behind him, where he made his speech to the King (who sat with

his crown on and robes, and so all the Lords in their robes, a

fine sight); wherein he told his Majesty what they have done this

Parliament, and now offered for his royall consent. The greatest

matters were a bill for the Lord's day, (which it seems the Lords

have lost, and so cannot be passed, at which the Commons are

displeased.) The bills against Conventicles and Papists (but it

seems the Lords have not passed them), and giving his Majesty

four entire subsidys; which last, with about twenty smaller Acts,

were passed with this form: The Clerk of the House reads the

title of the bill, and then looks at the end and there finds

(writ by the King I suppose) "Le Roy le veult," and that he

reads. And to others he reads, "Soit fait comme vous desirez."

And to the Subsidys as well that for the Commons, I mean the

layety, as for the Clergy, the King writes, "Le Roy remerciant

les Seigneurs et Prelats et accepte leur benevolences." The

Speaker's speech was far from any oratory, but was as plain

(though good matter) as any thing could be, and void of

elocution. After the bills passed, the King, sitting on his

throne, with his speech writ in a paper which he held in his lap,

and scarce looked off of it all the time he made his speech to

them, giving them thanks for their subsidys, of which, had he not

need, he would not have asked or received them; and that need,

not from any extravagancys of his, he was sure, in any thing, but

the disorders of the times compelling him to be at greater charge

than he hoped for the future, by their care in their country, he

should be: and that for his family expenses and others, he would

labour however to retrench in many things convenient, and would

have all others to do so too. He desired that nothing of old

faults should be remembered, or severity for the same used to any

in the country, it being his desire to have all forgot as well as

forgiven. But, however, to use all care in suppressing any

tumults, &c.; assuring them that the restless spirits of his and

their adversaries have great expectations of something to be done

this summer. And promised that though the Acts about

Conventicles and Papists, were not ripe for passing this

Sessions, yet he would take care himself that neither of them

should in this intervall be encouraged to the endangering of the

peace; and that at their next meeting he would himself prepare

two bills for them concerning them. So he concluded, that for

the better proceeding of justice he did think fit to make this a

Sessions, and to prorogue them to the 16th of March next. His

speech was very plain, nothing at all of spirit in it, nor spoke

with any; but rather on the contrary imperfectly, repeating many

times his words though he read all: which I am sorry to see, it

having not been hard for him to have got all the speech without

booke. So they all went away, the King out of the House at the

upper end, he being by and by to go to Tunbridge to the Queene;

and I in the Painted Chamber spoke with my Lord Sandwich while he

was putting off his robes, who tells me he will now hasten down

into the country. By water to White Hall, and walked over the

Parke to St. James's, but missed Mr. Coventry; and so out again,

and there the Duke was coming along the Pell-Mell. It being a

little darkish, I staid not to take notice of him, but went

directly back again. And in our walk over the Parke, one of the

Duke's footmen come running behind us, and come looking just in

our faces to see who we were, and went back again. What his

meaning is I know not, but was fearful that I might not go far

enough with my hat off.

29th. To Deptford, reading by the way a most ridiculous play, a

new one, called "The Politician cheated." [A comedy by Alexander

Green.]

30th. To Woolwich, and there come Sir G. Carteret, and then by

water back to Deptford, where we dined with him at his house. I

find his little daughter Betty, [Her name was Caroline.

Elizabeth died unmarried.] that was in hanging sleeves but a

month or two ago, and is a very little young child, married, and

to whom, but to young Scott, [Thomas, eldest son of Sir Thomas

Scott, of Scott's Hall, in the parish of Smeeth, Kent.] son to

Madam Catharine Scott, [Prince Rupert was supposed to have

intrigued with Mrs. Scott, and was probably the father of the

child.] that was so long in law, and at whose trial I was with

her husband; he pleading that it was unlawfully got and would not

own it, but it seems a little before his death he did owne the

child, and hath left him his estate, not long since. So Sir G.

Carteret hath struck up of a sudden a match with him for his

little daughter. He hath about 2000l. per annum; and it seems

Sir G. C. hath by this means over-reached Sir H. Bennet, who did

endeavour to get this gentleman for a sister of his. By this

means Sir G. Carteret hath married two daughters this year both

very well. [The other daughter was Anne, wife of Sir Nicholas

Slaning, K.B.] The towne talk this day is of nothing but the

great foot-race run this day on Banstead Downes, between Lee, the

Duke of Richmond's footman, and a tyler, a famous runner. And

Lee hath beat him; though the King and Duke of York and all men

almost did bet three or four to one upon the tyler's head.

31st. To the Exchange, where I met Dr. Pierce, who tells me of

his good luck to get to be groom of the Privy-Chamber to the

Queene, and without my Lord Sandwich's help, but only by his good

fortune, meeting a man that hath let him have his right for a

small matter, about 60l. for which he can every day have 400l.

But he tells me my Lord bath lost much honour in standing so long

and so much for that coxcomb Pickering, and at last not carrying

it for him; but hath his name struck out by the King and Queene

themselves after he had been in ever since the Queene's coming.

But he tells me he believes that either Sir H. Bennet, my Lady

Castlemaine, or Sir Charles Barkeley had received some money for

the place, and so the King could not disappoint them, but was

forced to put out this fool rather than a better man. And I am

sorry to hear what he tells me that Sir Charles Barkeley hath

still such power over the King, as to be able to fetch him from

the Council-table to my Lady Castlemaine when he pleases. He

tells me also, as a friend, the great injury that he thinks I do

myself by being so severe in the Yards, and contracting the ill-

will of the whole Navy for those offices, singly upon myself.

Now I discharge a good conscience therein, and I tell him that no

man can (nor do he say any say it,) charge me with doing wrong;

but rather do as many good offices as any man. They think, he

says, that I have a mind to get a good name with the King and

Duke, who he tells me do not consider any such thing; but I shall

have as good thanks to let all alone, and do as the rest. But I

believe the contrary; and yet I told him I never go to the Duke

alone, as others do, to talk of my own services. However, I will

make use of his council, and take some course to prevent having

the single ill-will of the office. Mr. Grant showed me letters

of Sir William Petty's, wherein he says, that his vessel which he

hath built upon two keeles, (a modell whereof, built for the

King, he showed me) hath this month won a wager of 50l. in

sailing between Dublin and Holyhead with the pacquett-boat, the

best ship or vessel the King hath there; and he offers to lay

with any vessel in the world. It is about thirty ton in burden,

and carries thirty men, with good accommodation, (as much more as

any ship of her burden,) and so any vessel of this figure shall

carry more men, with better accommodation by half, than any other

ship. This carries also ten guns, of about five tons weight. In

their coming back from Holyhead they started together, and this

vessel come to Dublin by five at night, and the pacquett-boat not

before eight the next morning; and when they come they did

believe that this vessel had been drowned, or at least behind,

not thinking she could have lived in that sea. Strange things

are told of this vessel, and he concludes his letter with this

position, "I only affirm that the perfection of sayling lies in

my principle, finde it out who can."

AUGUST 8, 1663. I with Mr. Coventry down to the water-side,

talking, wherein I see so much goodness and endeavours of doing

the King service, that I do more and more admire him.

9th. To church, and heard Mr. Mills (who is lately returned out

of the country, and it seems was fetched in by many of the

parishioners, with great state,) preach upon the authority of the

ministers, upon these words, "We are therefore embassadors of

Christ." Wherein, among other high expressions, he said, that

such a learned man used to say, that if a minister of the word

and an angell should meet him together, he would salute the

minister first; which methought was a little too high. This day

I begun to make use of the silver pen (Mr. Coventry did give me,)

in writing of this sermon, taking only the heads of it in Latin,

which I shall, I think, continue to do.

10th. To the Committee of Tangier, where my Lord Sandwich, my

Lord Peterborough, (whom I have not seen before since his coming

back,) Sir W. Compton, and Mr. Povy. Our discourse about

supplying my Lord Teviott with money, wherein I am sorry to see,

though they do not care for him, yet they are willing to let him

for civility and compliment only have money also without

expecting any account of it; and he being such a cunning fellow

as he is, the King is like to pay dear for our courtier's

ceremony. Thence by coach with my Lords Peterborough and

Sandwich to my Lord Peterborough's house; and there, after an

hour's looking over some fine books of the Italian buildings,

with fine cuts, and also my Lord Peterborough's bowes and arrows,

of which he is a great lover, we sat down to dinner, my Lady

[Penelope, daughter of Barnabas, Earl of Thomond, Countess of

Peterborough.] coming down to dinner also, and there being Mr.

Williamson, [Joseph Williamson, Keeper of the Paper Office at

White Hall, and in 1665 made Under Secretary of State, and soon

afterwards knighted: and in 1674 he became Secretary of State,

which situation he retained four years. He represented Thetford

and Rochester in several Parliaments, and was in 1678 President

of the Royal Society. Ob. 1701.] that belongs to Sir H. Bennet,

whom I find a pretty understanding and accomplished man, but a

little conceited. Yesterday, I am told, that Sir J. Lenthall,

[Son to the Speaker, and Governor of Windsor Castle under

Cromwell. Ob. 1681.] in Southwarke did apprehend about one

hundred Quakers, and other such people, and hath sent some of

them to the gaole at Kingston, it being now the time of the

Assizes. Dr. Pierce tells me the Queene is grown a very

debonnaire lady; but my Lady Castlemaine, who rules the King in

matters of state, and do what she list with him, he believes is

now falling quite out of favour. After the Queene is come back

she goes to the Bath, and so to Oxford, where great

entertainments are making for her. This day I am told that my

Lord Bristoll hath warrants issued out against him, to have

carried him to the Tower, but he is fled away or hid himself. So

much the Chancellor hath got the better of him.

13th. Met with Mr. Hoole [William, son of Robert Hoole of

Walkeringham, admitted of Magdalene College June 1648.] my old

acquaintance of Magdalene, and walked with him an hour in the

Parke, discoursing chiefly of Sir Samuel Morland, whose lady

[Susanne de Milleville, daughter of Daniel de Milleville, Baron

of Boessen in France, naturalized 1662. When she died I cannot

learn, but Sir Samuel Morland survived a second and a third wife,

both buried in Westminster Abbey.] is gone into France. It

seems he buys ground and a farm in that country, and lays out

money upon building, and God knows what! so that most of the

money he sold his pension of 500l. per annum for to Sir Arthur

Slingsby, [A younger son of Sir Guildford Slingsby, Comptroller

of the Navy, knighted by Charles II., and afterwards created a

Baronet at Brussels 1657, which title has long been extinct.] is

believed is gone. It seems he hath very great promises from the

King, and Boole hath seen some of the King's letters, under his

own hand, to Morland, promising him great things; (and among

others, the order of the Garter, as Sir Samuel says,) but his

lady thought it below her to ask any thing at the King's first

coming, believing the King would do it of himself, when as Hoole

do really think if he had asked to be Secretary of State at the

King's first coming, he might have had it. And the other day at

her going into France, she did speak largely to the King herself,

how her husband hath failed of what his Majesty had promised, and

she was sure intended him; and the King did promise still, as he

is a King and a gentleman, to be as good as his word in a little

time, to a tittle: but I never believe it.

21st. Meeting with Mr. Creed he told me how my Lord Teviott hath

received another attacque from Guyland at Tangier with 10,000

men, and at last, as is said, is come, after a personal treaty

with him, to a good understanding and peace with him.

23rd. To church, and so home to my wife; and with her read "Iter

Boreale," [Robert Wild, a Nonconformist Divine, published a poem

in 1660, upon Monk's march from Scotland to London, called "Iter

Boreale," and Wood mentions three others of the same name by

Eades, Corbett, and Marten, it having been a favourite subject at

that time.] a poem, made first at the King's coming home; but I

never read it before, and now like it pretty well, but not so as

it was cried up.

24th. At my Lord Sandwich's, where I was a good while alone with

my Lord; and I perceive he confides in me and loves me as he uses

to do, and tells me his condition, which is now very well; all I

fear is that he will not live within compass. There come to him

this morning his prints of the river Tagus and the City of

Lisbon, which he measured with his own hand, and printed by

command of the King. My Lord pleases himself with it, but

methinks it ought to have been better done than by Jobing.

Besides I put him upon having some took off upon white sattin,

which he ordered presently. I offered my lord my accounts, and

did give him up his old bond for 500l. and took a new one of him

for 700l., which I am by lending him more money to make up: and

am glad of it.

25th. This noon going to the Exchange, I met a fine fellow with

trumpets before him in Leadenhall-street, and upon enquiry I find

that he is the clerke of the City Market; and three or four men

carried each of them an arrow of a pound weight in their hands.

It seems this Lord Mayor [Sir John Frederic.] begins again an old

custome, that upon the three first days of Bartholomew Fayre, the

first, there is a match of wrestling, which was done, and the

Lord Mayor there and the Aldermen in Moorefields yesterday:

second day, shooting: and to-morrow hunting, And this officer of

course is to perform this ceremony of riding through the city, I

think to proclaim or challenge any to shoot. It seems the people

of the faire cry out upon it as a great hindrance to them.

26th. To White Hall, where the Court full of waggons and horses,

the King and Court going this day out towards the Bath. Pleased

to see Captn. Hickes come to me with a list of all the officers

of Deptford Yard, wherein he, being a high old Cavalier, do give

me an account of every one of them to their reproach in all

respects, and discovers many of their knaverys; and tells me, and

so I thank God I hear every where, that my name is up for a good

husband to the King, and a good man, for which I bless God; and

that he did this by particular direction of Mr. Coventry.

28th. Cold all night and this morning, and a very great frost

they say abroad, which is much, having had no summer at all

almost.

SEPTEMBER 2, 1663. To dinner with my Lord Mayor and the

Aldermen, and a very great dinner and most excellent venison, but

it almost made me sick by not daring to drink wine. After dinner

into a withdrawing room; and there we talked, among other things,

of the Lord Mayor's sword. They tell me this sword is at least a

hundred or two hundred years old; and another that he hath, which

is called the Black Sword, which the Lord Mayor wears when he

mournes, but properly is their Lenten sword to wear upon Good

Friday and other Lent days, is older than that. Mr. Lewellin,

lately come from Ireland, tells me how the English interest falls

mightily there, the Irish party being too great, so that most of

the old rebells are found innocent, and their lands, which were

forfeited and bought or given to the English, are restored to

them; which gives great discontent there among the English.

Going through the City, my Lord Mayor told me how the piller set

up by Exeter House is only to show where the pipes of water run

to the City; and observed that this City is as well watered as

any city in the world, and that the bringing of water to the City

hath cost it first and last above 300,000l.; but by the new

building, and the building of St. James's by my Lord St. Albans,

which is now about (and which the City stomach I perceive highly,

but dare not oppose it,) were it now to be done, it would not be

done for a million of money.

4th. To Westminster Hall, and there bought the first news books

of L'Estrange's writing, he beginning this week; and makes,

methinks, but a simple beginning. [Roger L'Estrange, author of

numerous pamphlets and periodical papers. He was Licenser of the

Press to Charles II. and his successor; and M.P. for Winchester

in James II.'s Parliament. Ob. 1704 aged 88.] This day I read a

Proclamation for calling in and commanding every body to

apprehend my Lord Bristoll.

5th. I did inform myself well in things relating to the East

Indys; both of the country, and the disappointment the King met

with the last voyage, by the knavery of the Portugall Viceroy,

and the inconsiderableness of the place of Bombaim, [Bombay.] if

we had had it. But, above all things, it seems strange to me

that matters should not be understood before they went out; and

also that such a thing as this, which was expected to be one of

the best parts of the Queene's portion, should not be better

understood; it being, if we had it, but a poor place, and not

really so as was described to our King in the draught of it, but

a poor little island; whereas they made the King and Lord

Chancellor, and other learned men about the King, believe that

that, and other islands which are near it, were all one piece;

and so the draught was drawn and presented to the King, and

believed by the King, and expected to prove so when our men come

thither; but it is quite otherwise.

12th. Up betimes, and by water to White Hall: and thence to Sir

Philip Warwick, and there had half an hour's private discourse

with him: and did give him some good satisfaction in our Navy

matters, and he also me, as to the money paid and due to the

Navy; so as he makes me assured by particulars, that Sir G.

Carteret is paid within 80,000l. every farthing that we owe to

this day, nay to Michaelmas day next have demanded; and that, I

am sure is above 50,000l. more than truly our expences have been,

whatever is become of the money. Home with great content that I

have thus begun an acquaintance with him, who is a great man, and

a man of as much business as any man in England; which I will

endeavour to deserve and keep.

22nd. This day the King and Queene are to come to Oxford. I

hear my Lady Castlemaine is for certain gone to Oxford to meet

him, having lain within here at home this week or two, supposed

to have miscarried; but for certain is as great in favour as

heretofore; at least Mrs. Sarah at my Lord's, who hears all from

their own family, do say so. Every day brings news of the

Turke's advance into Germany, to the awakening of all the

Christian Princes thereabouts, and possessing himself of Hungary.

24th. I went forth by water to Sir Philip Warwick's, where I was

with him a pretty while; and in discourse he tells me, and made

it appear to me that the King cannot be in debt to the Navy at

this time 5000l.; and it is my opinion that Sir G. Carteret do

owe the King money, and yet the whole Navy debt paid. Hence I

parted, being doubtful of myself that I have not spoke with the

gravity and weight that I ought to do in so, great a business.

But I rather hope it is my doubtfulness of myself, and the haste

which he was in, some very great personages waiting for him

without, while he was with me, that made him willing to be gone.

28th. To White Hall, where Sir J. Minnes and I did spend an hour

in the Gallery, looking upon the pictures, in which he hath some

judgement. And by and by the Commissioners for Tangier met: and

there my Lord Teviott, together with Captain Cuttance, Captain

Evans, and Jonas Moore, sent to that purpose, did bring us a

brave draught of the Mole to be built there; and report that it

is likely to be the most considerable place the King of England

hath in the world; and so I am apt to think it will. After

discourse of this, and of supplying the garrison with some more

horse, we rose; and Sir J. Minnes and I home again, finding the

street about our house full, Sir R. Ford beginning his shrievalty

to-day: and, what with his and our houses being new painted, the

street begins to look a great deal better than it did, and more

gracefull. News that the King comes to town for certain on

Thursday next from his great progress.

30th. In the afternoon by water to White Hall, to the Tangier

Committee; where my Lord Teviott; which grieves me to see that

his accounts being to be examined by us, there are none of the

great men at the Board that in compliment will except against any

thing in them, and so none of the little persons dare do it: so

the King is abused.

OCTOBER 5, 1663. My Lord Sandwich sent a messenger to know

whether the King intends to come to Newmarket, as is talked, that

he may be ready to entertain him at Hinchingbroke.

12th. At St. James's we attended the Duke all of us. And there,

after my discourse, Mr. Coventry of his own accord begun to tell

the Duke how he found that discourse abroad did run to his

prejudice about the fees that he took, and how he sold places and

other things; wherein he desired to appeal to his Highness,

whether he did any thing more than what his predecessors did, and

appealed to us all. So Sir G. Carteret did answer that some fees

were heretofore taken, but what he knows not; only that selling

of places never was nor ought to be countenanced. So Mr.

Coventry very hotly answered to Sir G. Carteret, and appealed to

himself whether he was not one of the first that put him upon

looking after this business of fees, and that he told him that

Mr. Smith should say that he made 50001. the first year, and he

believed he made 7000l. This Sir G. Carteret denied, and said,

that if he did say so he told a lie, for he could not, nor did

know, that ever he did make that profit of his place; but that he

believes he might say, 2500l. the first year. Mr. Coventry

instanced in another thing, particularly wherein Sir G. Carteret

did advise with him about the selling of the auditor's place of

the stores, when in the beginning there was an intention of

creating such an office. This he confessed, but with some

lessening of the tale Mr. Coventry told, it being only for a

respect to my Lord FitzHarding. [Sir Charles Berkeley, mentioned

before, created Lord Berkeley of Rathdown and Viscount

Fitzharding in Ireland, second son to Sir Charles Berkeley of

Bruton, co. Somerset; afterwards made an English peer by the

titles of Lord Botetourt and Earl of Falmouth, and killed in the

great sea-fight, June 1685.] In fine, Mr. Coventry did put into

the Duke's hand a list of above 250 places that he did give

without receiving one farthing, so much as his ordinary fees for

them, upon his life and oath; and that since the Duke's

establishment of fees he had never received one token more of any

man; and that in his whole life he never conditioned or

discoursed of any consideration from any commanders since he come

to the Navy. And afterwards, my Lord Barkeley merrily

discoursing that he wished his profit greater than it was, and

that he did believe that he had got 50,000l. since he come in,

Mr. Coventry did openly declare that his Lordship, or any of us,

should have not only all he had got, but all that he had in the

world, (and yet he did not come a beggar into the Navy, nor would

yet he thought to speak in any contempt of his Royall Highness's

bounty,) and should have a year to consider of it too, for

25,000l. The Duke's answer was, that he wished we all had made

more profit than we had of our places, and that we had all of us

got as much as one man below stayres in the Court, which he

presently named, and it was Sir George Lane. [One of the Clerks

of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Marquis of Ormond.]

13th. I find at Court, that either the King is doubtful of some

disturbance, or else would seem so, (and I have reason to hope it

is no worse,) by his commanding little commanders of castles, &c.

to repair to their charges; and mustering the Guards the other

day himself, where he found reason to dislike their condition to

my Lord Gerard, finding so many absent men, or dead pays. My

Lady Castlemaine, I hear, is in as great favour as ever, and the

King supped with her the very first night he come from Bath: and

last night and the night before supped with her; when there being

a chine of beef to roast, and the tide rising into their kitchen

that it could not be roasted there, and the cook telling her of

it, she answered "Zounds! she must set the house on fire but it

should be roasted!" So it was carried to Mrs. Sarah's husband's,

and there it was roasted.

After dinner my wife and I, by Mr. Rawlinson's conduct, to the

Jewish Synagogue: where the men and boys In their vayles, and

the women behind a lettice out of sight; and some things stand

up, which I believe is their law, in a press to which all coming

in do bow; and at the putting on their vayles do say something,

to which others that hear the Priest do cry Amen, and the party

do kiss his vayle. Their service all in a singing way, and in

Hebrew. And anon their Laws that they take out of the press are

carried by several men, four or five several burthens in all, and

they do relieve one another; and whether it is that every one

desires to have the carrying of it, thus they carried it round

about the room while such a service is singing. And in the end

they had a prayer for the King, in which they pronounced his name

in Portugall; but the prayer, like the rest, in Hebrew. But,

Lord! to see the disorder, laughing, sporting, and no attention,

but confusion in all their service, more like brutes than people

knowing the true God, would make a man forswear ever seeing them

more: and indeed I never did see so much, or could have imagined

there had been any religion in the whole world so absurdly

performed as this.

17th. Some discourse of the Queene's being very sick, if not

dead, the Duke and Duchesse of York being sent for betimes this

morning to come to White Hall to her.

18th. The parson, Mr. Mills, I perceive, did not know whether to

pray for the Queene or no, and so said nothing about her; which

makes me fear she is dead. But enquiring of Sir J. Minnes, he

told me that he heard she was better last night.

19th. Waked with a very high wind, and said to my wife, "I pray

God I hear not of the death of any great person, this wind is so

high! fearing that the Queene might be dead. So up; and going

by coach with Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes to St. James's,

they tell me that Sir W. Compton, who it is true had been a

little sickly for a week or fortnight, but was very well upon

Friday at night last at the Tangier Committee with us, was

dead,--died yesterday: at which I was most exceedingly

surprised, he being, and so all the world saying that he was, one

of the worthyest men and best officers of State now in England;

and so in my conscience he was: of the best temper, valour,

ability of mind, integrity, worth, fine person, and diligence of

any one man he hath left behind him in the three kingdoms; and

yet not forty years old, or if so, that is all. I find the sober

men of the Court troubled for him; and yet not so as to hinder or

lessen their mirth, talking, laughing, and eating, drinking, and

doing every thing else, just as if there was no such thing.

Coming to St. James's, I hear that the Queene did sleep five

hours pretty well to-night, and that she waked and gargled her

mouth, and to sleep again; but that her pulse beats fast, beating

twenty to the King's or my Lady Suffolk's eleven; but not so

strong as it was. It seems she was so ill as to be shaved and

pidgeons put to her feet, and to have the extreme unction given

her by the priests, who were so long about it that the doctors

were angry. The King they all say is most fondly disconsolate

for her, and weeps by her, which makes her weep; which one this

day told me he reckons a good sign, for that it carries away some

rheume from the head. To the Coffee-house in Cornhill; where

much talk about the Turke's proceedings, and that the plague is

got to Amsterdam, brought by a ship from Argier; and it is also

carried to Hambrough. The Duke says the King purposes to forbid

any of their ships coming into the river. The Duke also told us

of several Christian commanders (French) gone over to the Turkes

to serve them; and upon enquiry I find that the King of France do

by this aspire to the Empire, and so to get the Crowne of Spayne

also upon the death of the King, which is very probable, it

seems.

20th. This evening at my Lord's lodgings Mrs. Sarah talking with

my wife and I how the Queene do, and how the King tends her being

so ill. She tells that the Queene's sickness is the spotted

fever; that she was as full of the spots as a leopard: which is

very strange that it should be no more known; but perhaps it is

not so. And that the King do seem to take it much to heart, for

that he hath wept before her; but, for all that, that he hath not

missed one night since she was sick, of supping with my Lady

Castlemaine; which I believe is true, for she says that her

husband hath dressed the suppers every night; and I confess I saw

him myself coming through the street dressing up a great supper

to-night, which Sarah says is also for the King and her; which is

a very strange thing.

22nd. This morning, hearing that the Queene grows worse again, I

sent to stop the making of my velvet cloak, till I see whether

she lives or dies.

23rd. The Queene slept pretty well last night, but her fever

continues upon her still. It seems she hath never a Portuguese

doctor here.

24th. The Queene is in a good way of recovery; and Sir Francis

Pridgeon, [Vertue (according to Walpole) had seen a portrait of

Dr. Prujeon painted by Streater, and a print of "Opinion sitting

on a tree," thus inscribed: "Viro clariss, Dno. Francisco

Prujeano Medico, omnium bonarum artium et elegantiarum fautori et

admiratori summo; D.D. D.H. Peacham." He was President of the

College of Physicians, 1653.] hath got great honour by it, it

being all imputed to his cordiall, which in her dispaire did give

her rest, and brought her to some hopes of recovery. It seems

that, after much talk of troubles and a plot, something is found

in the North that a party was to rise, and some persons that were

to command it, as I find in a letter that Mr. Coventry read to-

day about it from those parts.

26th. Dr. Pierce tells me that the Queene is in a way to be

pretty well again, but that her delirium in her head continues

still; that she talks idle not by fits, but always, which in some

lasts a week after so high a fever, in some more, and in some for

ever; that this morning she talked mightily that she was brought

to bed, and that she wondered that she should be delivered

without pin and without being sick, and that she was troubled

that her boy was but an ugly boy. But the King being by, said

"No, it is a very pretty boy."--" Nay," says she, "if it be like

you it is a fine boy indeed, and I would be very well pleased

with it." They say that the Turkes go on apace, and that my Lord

Castlehaven [The eldest son of the infamous Earl of Castlehaven,

had a new creation to his father's forfeited titles, in 1634, and

died c.p. 1684. He had served with distinction under the Duke of

Ormond, and afterwards joined Charles II. at Paris.] is going to

raise 10,000 men here for to go against him; that the King of

France do offer to assist the Empire upon condition that he may

be their Generalissimo, and the Dolphin chosen King of the

Romans: and it is said that the King of France do occasion this

difference among the Christian Princes of the Empire, which gives

the Turke such advantages. They say also that the King of Spayne

is making all imaginable force against Portugall again.

27th. Mr. Coventry tells me to-day that the Queene had a very

good night last night; but yet it is strange that still she raves

and talks of little more than of her having of children, and

fancys now that she hath three children, and that the girle is

very like the King. And this morning about five o'clock, the

physician feeling her pulse, thinking to be better able to judge,

she being still and asleep, waked her, and the first word she

said was, "How do the children?"

29th. To Guild Hall; and meeting with Mr. Proby, (Sir R. Ford's

son,) and Lieutenant-Colonel Baron, a City commander, we went up

and down to see the tables; where under every salt there was a

bill of fare, and at the end of the table the persons proper for

the table. Many were the tables, but none in the Hall but the

Mayor's and the Lords of the Privy Council that had napkins or

knives, which was very strange. We went into the Buttry, and

there stayed and talked, and then into the Hall again: and there

wine was offered and they drunk, I only drinking some hypocras,

which do not break my vowe, it being to the best of my present

judgement, only a mixed compound drink, and not any wine. If I

am mistaken, God forgive me! but I hope and do think I am not.

By and by met with Creed; and we, with the others, went within

the several Courts, and there saw the tables prepared for the

Ladies and Judges and Bishops: all great sign of a great dinner

to come. By and by about one o'clock, before the Lord Mayor

come, come into the Hall, from the room where they were first led

into, the Lord Chancellor (Archbishop before him,) with the Lords

of the Council, and other Bishopps, and they to dinner. Anon

comes the Lord Mayor, who went up to the lords, and then to the

other tables to bid wellcome; and so all to dinner. I set near

Proby, Baron, and Creed at the Merchant Strangers' table; where

ten good dishes to a messe, with plenty of wine of all sorts, of

which I drunk none; but it was very unpleasing that we had no

napkins nor change of trenchers, and drunk out of earthen

pitchers and wooden dishes. It happened that after the lords had

half dined, come the French Embassador up to the lords' table,

where he was to have sat; he would not sit down nor dine with the

Lord Mayor, who was not yet come, nor have a table to himself,

which was offered; but in a discontent went away again. After I

had dined, I and Creed rose and went up and down the house, and

up to the ladys' room, and there stayed gazing upon them. But

though there were many and fine, both young and old, yet I could

not discern one handsome face there; which was very strange. I

expected musique, but there was none but only trumpets and drums,

which displeased me. The dinner, it seems, is made by the Mayor

and two Sheriffs for the time being, the Lord Mayor paying one

half, and they the other. And the whole, Proby says, is reckoned

to come to about 7 or 800l. at most. The Queene mends apace,

they say; but yet talks idle still.

30th. To my great sorrow find myself 43l. worse than I was the

last month, which was then 760l. and now it is but 717l. But it

hath chiefly arisen from my layings-out in clothes for myself and

wife; viz. for her about 12l. and for myself 55l., or

thereabouts: having made myself a velvet cloak, two new cloth

skirts, black, plain both; a new shag gown, trimmed with gold

buttons and twist, with a new hat, and silk tops for my legs, and

many other things, being resolved, henceforward to go like

myself. And also two perriwiggs, one whereof costs me 3l. and

the other 40s. I have worn neither yet, but will begin next

week, God willing. The Queene continues light-headed, but in

hopes to recover. The plague is much in Amsterdam, and we in

fear of it here, which God defend. The Turke goes on mighty in

the Emperor's dominions, and the Princes cannot agree among

themselves how to go against him.

NOVEMBER 2, 1663. Up, and by coach to White Hall, and there in

the long matted Gallery I find Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes,

and Sir W. Batten; and by and by comes the King to walk there

with three or four with him; and soon as he saw us, says he,

"Here is the Navy Office," and there walked twenty turns the

length of the gallery, talking, methought, but ordinary talk. By

and by come the Duke, and he walked, and at last they went into

the Duke's lodgings. The King staid so long that we could not;

discourse with the Duke, and so we parted. I heard the Duke say

that he was going to wear a perriwigg; and they say the King also

will. I never till this day observed that the King is mighty

gray,

6th. Lord Sandwich tells me how Mr. Edward Montagu begins to

show respect to him again after his endeavouring to bespatter him

all was possible; but he is resolved never to admit him into his

friendship again. He tells me how he and Sir H. Bennet, the Duke

of Buckingham and his Duchesse, was of a committee with somebody

else for the getting of Mrs. Stewart for the King; but that she

proves a cunning slut, and is advised at Somerset House by the

Queene-Mother, and by her mother, and so all the plot is spoiled

and the whole committee broke, Mr. Montagu and the Duke of

Buckingham fallen a-pieces, the Duchesse going to a nunnery; and

so Montagu begins to enter friendship with my Lord, and to attend

the Chancellor whom he had deserted. My Lord tells me that Mr.

Montagu, among other things, did endeavour to represent him to

the Chancellor's sons as one that did desert their father in the

business of my Lord of Bristoll; which is most false, being the

only man that hath several times dined with him when no soul hath

come to him, and went with him that very day home when the Earl

impeached him in the Parliament House, and hath refused ever to

pay a visit to my Lord of Bristoll, not so much as in return to a

visit of his. So that the Chancellor and my Lord are well known

and trusted one by another. But yet my Lord blames the

Chancellor for desiring to have it put off to the next Sessions

of Parliament, contrary to my Lord Treasurer's advice, to whom he

swore he would not do it: and, perhaps, my Lord ChanceIlor, for

ought I see by my Lord's discourse, may suffer by it when the

Parliament comes to sit. My Lord tells me that he observes the

Duke of York do follow and understand business very well, and is

mightily improved thereby.

8th. To church, where I found that my coming in a perriwigg did

not prove so strange as I was afraid it would, for I thought that

all the church would presently have cast their eyes all upon me.

9th. To the Duke, where, when we come into his closet, he told

us that; Mr. Pepys was so altered with his new perriwigg that he

did not know him. So to our discourse, and among and above other

things we were taken up in talkings upon Sir J. Lawson's coming

home, he being come to Portsmouth; and Captain Berkely is come to

town with a letter from the Duana of Algier to the King, wherein

they do demand again the searching of our ships and taking out of

strangers, and their goods; and that what English ships are taken

without the Duke's pass they will detain (though it be flat

contrary to the words of the peace,) as prizes, till they do hear

from our King, which they advise him may be speedy. And this

they did the very next day after they had received with great joy

the Grand Seignor's confirmation of the Peace from Constantinople

by Captain Berkely; so that there is no command nor certainty to

be had of these people. The King is resolved to send his will by

a fleet of ships; and it is thought best and speediest to send

these very ships that are now come home, five sail of good ships,

back again after cleaning, victualling, and paying them. But it

is a pleasant thing to think how their Basha, Shavan Aga, did

tear his hair to see the soldiers order things thus; for (just

like his late predecessors,) when they see the evil of war with

England, then for certain they complain to the Grand Seignor of

him, and cut his head off: this he is sure of, and knows as

certain. Thence to Westminster Hall, where I met with Mr.

Pierce, surgeon: and among other things he asked me seriously

whether I knew any thing of my Lord's being out of favour with

the King; and told me, that for certain the King do take mighty

notice of my Lord's living obscurely in a corner not like

himself, and becoming the honour that he is come to. I was sorry

to hear, and the truth is, from my Lord's discourse among his

people (which I am told) of the uncertainty of princes' favour,

and his melancholy keeping from Court, I am doubtful of some such

thing; but I seemed wholly strange to him in it, but will make my

use of it. We told me also how loose the Court is, nobody

looking after business, but every man his lust and gain; and how

the King is now become besotted upon Mrs Stewart, that he gets

into corners, and will be with her half an hour together kissing

her to the observation of all the world; and she now stays by

herself and expects it, as my Lady Castlemaine did used to do; to

whom the King, he says, is still kind, so as now and then he goes

to her as he believes; but with no such fondness as he used to

do. But yet it is thought that this new wench is so subtle, that

it is verily thought if the Queene had died, he would have

married her. Mr. Blackburne and I fell to talk of many things,

wherein he was very open to me: first, in that of religion, he

makes it greater matter of prudence for the King and Council to

suffer liberty of conscience; and imputes the loss of Hungary to

the Turke from the Emperor's denying them this liberty of their

religion. He says that many pious ministers of the word of God,

some thousands of them, do now beg their bread: and told me how

highly the present clergy carry themselves every where so as that

they are hated and laughed at by every body; among other things,

for their excommunications, which they send upon the least

occasions almost that can be. And I am convinced in my

judgement, not only from his discourse, but my thoughts in

general, that the present clergy will never heartily go down with

the generality of the commons of England; they have been so used

to liberty and freedom, and they are so acquainted with the pride

and debauchery of the present clergy. He did give me many

stories of the affronts which the clergy receive in all places of

England from the gentry and ordinary persons of the parish. He

do tell me what the City thinks of General Monk, as of a most

perfidious man that hath betrayed every body, and the King also;

who, as he thinks, and his party, and so I have heard other good

friends of the King say, it might have been better for the King

to have had his hands a little bound for the present, than be

forced to bring such a crew of poor people about him, and be

liable to satisfy the demands of every one of them. He told me

that to his knowledge, (being present at every meeting at the

Treaty at the Isle of Wight,) that the old King did confess

himself over-ruled and convinced in his judgement against the

Bishopps, and would have suffered and did agree to exclude the

service out of the churches, nay his own chapell; and that he did

always say, that this he did not by force, for that he would

never abate one inch by any violence; but what he did was out of

his reason and judgement. He tells me that the King by name,

with all his dignities, is prayed for by them that they call

Fanatiques, as heartily and powerfully as in any of the other

churches that are thought better: and that, let the King think

what he will, it is them that must help him in the day of warr.

For so generally they are the most substantiall sort of people,

and the soberest; and did desire me to observe it to my Lord

Sandwich, among other things, that of all the old army now you

cannot see a man begging about the streets; but what? You shall

have this captain turned a shoemaker; the lieutenant, a baker;

this a brewer; that a haberdasher; this common soldier, a porter;

and every man in his apron and frock, &c., as if they had never

done anything else: whereas the other go with their belts and

swords, swearing and cursing, and stealing; running into people's

houses, by force oftentimes, to carry away something; and this is

the difference between the temper of one and the other; and

concludes (and I think: with some reason,) that the spirits of

the old parliament soldiers are so quiet and contented with God's

providences, that the King is safer from any evil meant him by

them one thousand times more than from his own discontented

Cavalier. And then to the publick management of business: it is

done, as he observes, so loosely and so carelessly, that the

kingdom can never be happy with it, every man looking after

himself, and his own lust and luxury; and that half of what money

the Parliament gives the King is not so much as gathered. And to

the purpose he told me how the Bellamys (who had some of the

northern counties assigned them for their debt for the petty

warrant victnalling) have often complained to him that they

cannot get it collected, for that nobody minds, or if they do,

they won't pay it in. Whereas (which is a very remarkable

thing,) he hath been told by some of the Treasurers at Warr here

of late, to whom the most of the 120,000l. monthly was paid, that

for most months the payments were gathered so duly, that they

seldom had so much or more than 40s. or the like short in the

whole collection; whereas now the very Commissioners for

Assessments and other publick payments are such persons, and

those that they choose in the country so like themselves, that

from top to bottom there is not a man carefull of any thing, or

if he be, is not solvent; that what between the beggar and the

knave, the King is abused the best part of all his revenue. We

then talked of the Navy, and of Sir W. Pen's rise to be a

general. We told me he was always a conceited man, and one that

would put the best side outward, but that it was his pretence of

sanctity that brought him into play. Lawson, and Portman, and

the fifth-monarchy men, among whom he was a great brother,

importuned that he might be general; and it was pleasant to see

how Blackburne himself did act it, how when the Commissioners of

the Admiralty would enquire of the captains and admirals of such

and such men, how they would with a sigh and casting up the eyes

say, "such a man fears the Lord," or, "I hope such a man hath the

Spirit of God." But he tells me that there was a cruel articling

against Pen after one fight, for cowardice, in putting himself

within a coyle of cables, of which he had much ado to acquit

himself: and by great friends did it, not without remains of

guilt, but that his brethren had a mind to pass it by, and Sir H.

Vane did advise him to search his heart, and see whether this

fault or a greater sin was not the occasion of this so great

tryall. And he tells me, that what Pen gives out about

Cromwell's sending and entreating him to go to Jamaica, is very

false; he knows the contrary; besides, the Protector never was a

man that needed to send for any man, specially such a one as he,

twice. He tells me that the business of Jamaica did miscarry

absolutely by his pride, and that when he was in the Tower he

would cry like a child. And that just upon the turne, when Monk

was come from the North to the City, and did begin to think of

bringing in the King, Pen was then turned Quaker. That Lawson

was never counted any thing but only a seaman, and a stout man,

but a false man, and that now he appears the greatest hypocrite

in the world. And Pen the same. He tells me that it is much

talked of, that the King intends to legitimate the Duke of

Monmouth; and that neither he, nor his friends of his persuasion,

have any hopes of getting their consciences at Liberty but by God

Almighty's turning of the King's heart, which they expect, and

are resolved to live and die in quiet hopes of it; but never to

repine, or act any thing more than by prayers towards it. And

that not only himself but; all of them have, and are willing at

any time to take the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. Mr.

Blackburne observed further to me, some certain notice that he

had of the present plot; so much talked of; that he was told by

Mr. Rushworth, [John Rushworth, Clerk assistant to the House of

Commons, and author of the Historical Collections. Ob. 1690.]

how one Captain Oates, a great discoverer, did employ several to

bring and seduce others into a plot, and that one of his agents

met with one that would not listen to him, nor conceal what he

had offered him, but so detected the trapan. He also did much

insist upon the cowardice and corruption of the King's guards and

militia.

11th. At noon to the Coffee-house, were with Dr. Allen some good

discourse about physick and chymistry. And among other things, I

telling him what Dribble the German Doctor do offer of an

instrument to sink ships; he tells me that which is more strange,

that something made of gold, which they call in chymistry AURUM

FULMINANS, a grain, I think he said, of it put into a silver

spoon and fired, will give a blow like a musquett, and strike a

hole through the silver spoon downward, without the least force

upward; and this he can make a cheaper experiment of, he says,

with iron prepared.

15th. This day being our Queene's birthday, the guns of the

Tower went all off; and in the evening the Lord Mayor sent from

church to church to order the constables to cause bonfires to be

made in every street, which methinks is a poor thing to be forced

to be commanded.

19th. With Sir G. Carteret to my Lord Treasurer, to discourse

with him about Mr. Gauden's having of money, and to offer to him

whether it would not be necessary, Mr. Gauden's credit being so

low as it is, to take security of him if he demands any great

sum, such as 20,000l. which now ought to be paid him upon his

next year's declaration. Which is a sad thing, that being

reduced to this by us, we should be the first to doubt his

credit; but so it is. However, it will be managed with great

tenderness to him. My Lord Treasurer we found in his bed-

chamber, being laid up of the goute. I find him a very ready

man, and certainly a brave servant to the King: he spoke so

quick and sensible of the King's charge. Nothing displeased me

in him but his long nails, which he lets grow upon a pretty thick

white short hand, that it troubled me to see them. In our way

Sir G. Carteret told me there is no such thing likely yet as a

Dutch war, neither they nor we being in condition for it, though

it will come certainly to that in some time, our interests lying

the same way, that is to say, in trade. But not yet.

20th. A great talk there is to-day of a crush between some of

the Fanatiques up in arms and the King's men in the North; but

whether true I know not yet.

22nd. At chapel I had room in the Privy Seale pew with other

gentlemen, and there heard Dr. Killigrew preach. [Henry,

youngest son of Sir Robert Killigrew, D.D., Prebendary of

Westminster, and Master of the Savoy, and author of some plays

and sermons. His daughter Anne was the celebrated poetess.] The

anthem was good after sermon, being the fifty-first psalme, made

for five voices by one of Captn. Cooke's boys, a pretty boy. And

they say there are four or five of them that can do as much. And

here I first perceived that the King is a little musicall, and

kept good time with his hand all along the anthem.

23rd. With Alderman Backewell talking of the new money, which he

says will never be counterfeited, he believes; but it is so

deadly inconvenient for telling, it is so thick, and the edges

are made to turn up.

26th. The plague, it seems, grows more and more at Amsterdam;

and we are going upon making of all ships coming from thence and

Hambrough, or any other infected places, to perform their

Quarantine (for thirty days as Sir Rd. Browne expressed it in the

order of the Council, contrary to the import of the word, though

in the general acceptation it signifies now the thing, not the

time spent in doing it) in Holehaven, a thing never done by us

before.

28th. To Paul's Church Yard, and there looked upon the second

part of Hudibras, which I buy not, but borrow to read, to see if

it be as good as the first, which the world cried so mightily up,

though it hath not a good liking in me, though I had tried but

twice or three times reading to bring myself to think it witty.

To-day for certain I am told how in Holland publickly they have

pictured our King with reproach. One way is with his pockets

turned the wrong side outward, hanging out empty; another with

two courtiers picking of his pockets; and a third, leading of two

ladies, while other abuse him; which amounts to great contempt.

29th (Lord's day). This morning I put on my best black cloth

suit, trimmed with scarlett ribbon, very neat, with my cloak

lined with velvett, and a new beaver, which altogether is very

noble, with my black silk knit canons I bought a month ago.

30th. At White Hall Sir W. Pen and I met the Duke in the matted

Gallery, and there he discoursed with us; and by and by my Lord

Sandwich come and stood by, and talked; but it being St.

Andrew's, and a collar-day, he went to the Chapel, and we parted.

DECEMBER 1, 1663. After dinner I to Guild Hall to hear a trial

at King's Bench, before Lord Chief Justice Hide, [Sir Robert

Hyde. Ob. 1665.] about the insurance of a ship; and it was

pleasant to see what mad sort of testimonys the seamen did give,

and could not be got to speak in order: and then their terms

such as the Judge could not understand; and to hear how sillily

the Counsel and Judge would speak as to the terms necessary in

the matter, would make one laugh: and above all, a Frenchman

that was forced to speak in French, and took an English oath he

did not; understand, and had an interpreter sworn to tell us what

he said, which was the best testimony of all.

3rd. This day Sir G. Carteret did tell us at the table, that the

Navy (excepting what is due to the Yards upon the quarter now

going on, and what few bills he hath not heard of,) is quite out

of debt; which is extraordinary good news, and upon the 'Change

to hear how our credit goes as good as any merchant's upon the

'Change is a joyfull thing to consider, which God continue! I am

sure the King will have the benefit of it, as well as we some

peace and creditt.

7th. I hear there was the last night the greatest tide that ever

was remembered in England to have been in this river: all White

Hall having been drowned. At White Hall; and anon the King and

Duke and Duchesse come to dinner in the vane-roome, where I never

saw them before; but it seems since the tables are done, he dines

there all-together. The Queene is pretty well, and goes out of

her chamber to her little chapel in the house. The King of

France, they say is hiring of sixty sail of ships of the Dutch,

but it is not said for what design.

8th. To White Hall, where a great while walked with my Lord

Teviott, whom I find a most carefull, thoughtfull, and cunning

man, as I also ever took him to be. He is this day bringing in

an account where he makes the King debtor to him 10,000l. already

on the garrison of Tangier account; but yet demands not ready

money to pay it, but offers such ways of paying it out of the

sale of old decayed provisions as will enrich him finely.

10th. To St. Paul's Church Yard, to my bookseller's, and could

not tell whether to lay out my money for books of pleasure, as

plays, which my nature was most earnest in; but at last, after

seeing Chaucer, Dugdale's History of Paul's, Stow's London,

Gesner, History of Trent, besides Shakespeare, Jonson, and

Beaumont's plays, I at last chose Dr. Fuller's Worthys, the

Cabbala or Collections of Letters of State, and a little book,

Delices de Hollande, with another little book or two, all of good

use or serious pleasure; and Hudibras, both parts, the book now

in greatest fashion for drollery, though I cannot, I confess, see

enough where the wit lies. My mind being thus settled, I went by

link home, and so to my office, and to read in Rushworth; and so

home to supper and to-bed. Calling at Wotton's, my shoemaker's,

to-day, he tells me that Sir H. Wright is dying and that Harris

is come to the Duke's house again; and of a rare play to be acted

this week of Sir William Davenant's. The story of Henry the

Eighth with all his wives.

11th. At the Coffee-house I went and sat by Mr. Harrington, and

some East country merchants, and talking of the country above

Quinsborough, [Perhaps Mr. Harrington invented the name of this

place, and the account of the country.] and thereabouts, he told

us himself that for fish, none there the poorest body will buy a

dead fish, but must be alive, unless it be in the winter; and

then they told us the manner of putting their nets into the

water. Through holes made in the thick ice, they will spread a

net of half a mile long; and he hath known a hundred and thirty

and a hundred and seventy barrels of fish taken at one draught.

And then the people come with sledges upon the ice, with snow at

the bottome, and lay the fish in and cover them with snow, and so

carry them to market. And he hath seen when the said fish have

been frozen in the sledge, so as he hath taken a fish and broke

a-pieces, so hard it hath been; and yet the same fishes taken out

of the snow, and brought into a hot room, still be alive and leap

up and down. Swallows are often brought up in their nets out of

the mudd from under water, hanging together to some twigg or

other, dead in ropes, and brought to the fire will come to life.

Fowl killed in December (Alderman Barker said) he did buy, and

putting into the box under his sledge, did forget to take them

out to eate till Aprill next, and they then were found there, and

were through the frost as sweet and fresh and eat as well as at

first killed. Young beares appear there; their flesh sold in

market as ordinarily as beef here, and is excellent sweet meat.

They tell us that beares there do never hurt any body, but fly

away from you, unless you pursue and set upon them; but wolves do

much mischief. Mr. Harrington told us how they do to get so much

honey as they send abroad. They make hollow a great fir-tree,

leaving only a small slitt down straight in one place, and this

they close up again, only leave a little hole, and there the bees

go in and fill the bodys of those trees as full of wax and honey

as they can hold; and the inhabitants at times go and open the

slit, and take what they please without killing the bees, and so

let them live there still and make more. Fir trees are always

planted close together, because of keeping one another from the

violence of the windes, and when a fellit is made, they leave

here and there a grown tree to preserve the young ones coming up.

The great entertainment and sport of the Duke of Corland, and the

princes thereabouts, is hunting; which is not with dogs as we,

but he appoints such a day, and summonses all the country people

as to a campagnia; and by several companies gives every one their

circuit, and they agree upon a place where the toyle is to be

set; and so making fires every company as they go, they drive all

the wild beasts, whether bears, wolves, foxes, swine, and stags,

and roes, into the toyle; and there the great men have their

stands in such and such places, and shoot at what they have a

mind to, and that is their hunting. They are not very populous

there, by reason that people marry women seldom till they are

towards or above thirty; and men thirty or forty, or more

oftentimes, years old. Against a public hunting the Duke sends

that no wolves be killed by the people; and whatever harm they

do, the Duke makes it good to the person that suffers it: as Mr.

Harrington instanced in a house were he lodged, where a wolfe

broke into a hog-stye, and bit three or four great pieces off of

the back of the hog, before the house could come to help it; and

the man of the house told him that there were three or four

wolves thereabouts that did them great hurt; but it was no

matter, for the Duke was to make it good to him, otherwise he

would kill them.

12th. We had this morning a great dispute between Mr. Gauden,

Victualler of the Navy, and Sir J. Lawson, and the rest of the

Commanders going against Argier, about their fish and keeping of

Lent; which Mr. Gauden so much insists upon to have it observed,

as being the only thing that makes up the loss of his dear

bargain all the rest of the year. This day I heard my Lord

Barkeley tell Sir G. Carteret that he hath letters from France

that the King hath emduked twelve Dukes, only to show his power,

and to crush his nobility, who he said he did see had heretofore

laboured to cross him. And this my Lord Barkeley did mightily

magnify, as a sign of a brave and vigorous mind that what he saw

fit to be done he dares do.

14th. To the Duke, where I heard a large discourse between one

that goes over an agent from the King to Legorne and thereabouts,

to remove the inconveniences his ships are put to by denial of

pratique; which is a thing that is now-a-days made use of only as

a cheat, for a man may buy a bill of health for a piece of eight,

and my enemy may agree with the Intendent of the Sante for ten

pieces of eight or so, that he shall not give me a bill of

health, and so spoil me in my design, whatever it be. This the

King will not endure, and so resolves either to have it removed,

or to keep all ships from coming in, or going out there, so long

as his ships are stayed for want hereof. But among other things,

Lord! what an account did Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten make

of the pulling down and burning of the head of the Charles, where

Cromwell was placed with people under his horse, and Peter, as

the Duke called him, is praying to him; and Sir J. Minnes would

needs infer the temper of the people from their joy at the doing

of this and their building a gibbet for the hanging of his head

up, when, God knows, it is even the flinging away of 100l. out of

the King's purse, to the building of another, which it seems must

be a Neptune. To the King's Head ordinary, and there dined among

a company of fine gentlemen; some of them discoursed of the King

of France's greatness, and how he is come to make the Princes of

the Blood to take place of all foreign Embassadors, which it

seems is granted by them of Venice and other States, and expected

from my Lord Hollis, [Denzil Hollis, second son of John, first

Earl of Clare, created in 1661 Baron Hollis of Ifield, afterwards

Plenipotentiary for the Treaty of Breda. Ob. 1679-80, aged 82.]

our King's Embassador there; and that either upon that score or

something else he hath not had his entry yet in Paris, but hath

received several affronts, and among others his harnesse cut, and

his gentlemen of his horse killed, which will breed bad blood if

true. They say also that the King of France hath hired

threescore ships of Holland, and forty of the Swede, but nobody

knows what to do: but some great designs he hath on foot;

against the next year.

2lst. To Shoe Lane to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there, a

spot I was never at in my life: but Lord! to see the strange

variety of people, from Parliament-man (by name Wildes, that was

Deputy Governor of the Tower when Robinson was Lord Mayor) to the

poorest 'prentices, bakers, brewers, butchers, draymen, and what

not; and all these fellows one with, another cursing and betting.

I soon had enough of it. It is strange to see how people of this

poor rank, that look as if they had not bread to put in their

mouths, shall bet three or four pounds at a time, and lose it,

and yet bet as much the next battle, so that one of them will

lose 10 or 20l. at a meeting. Thence to my Lord Sandwich's,

where I find him within with Captain Cooke and his boys, Dr.

Childe, Mr. Madge, and Mallard, playing and singing over my

Lord's anthem which he hath made to sing in the King's Chapel:

my Lord took me into the withdrawing room to hear it, and indeed

it sounds very pretty, and is a good thing, I believe to be made

by him, and they all commend it.

22nd. I hear for certain that my Lady Castlemaine is turned

Papist, which the Queene for all do not much like, thinking that

she do it not for conscience sake. ["Le marriage du Chevalier de

Grammont," (says the Count d'Estrades in a letter written to his

Royal Master, Louis XIV. about this time.) "et la conversion de

Madame de Castlemaine se sont publiez le meme jour: et le Roy

d'Angleterre estant tant prie par les parents de la Dame

d'aporter quelque obstacle a cette action, repondit galamment que

pour l'ame des Dames, il ne s'en meloit point."] I heard to-day

of a great fray lately between Sir H. Finch's coachman, who

struck with his whip a coachman of the King's, to the loss of one

of his eyes; at which the people of the Exchange seeming to laugh

and make sport with some words of contempt to him, my Lord

Chamberlin did come from the King to shut up the 'Change, and by

the help of a justice, did it; but upon petition to the King it

was opened again. At noon I to Sir R. Ford's, where Sir Richard

Browne and I met upon the freight of a barge sent to France to

the Duchesse of Orleans; and here by discourse I find they

greatly cry out against the choice of Sir John Cutler to be

treasurer of Paul's, upon condition that he gives 1500l. towards

it; and it seems he did give it upon condition that he might be

Treasurer for the work, which, they say will be worth three times

as much money: and talk as if his being chosen to the office

will make people backward to give, but I think him as likely a

man as either of them, and better.

28th. Walking through White Hall I heard the King was gone to

play at Tennis, so I down to the New Tennis Court, and saw him

and Sir Arthur Slingsby play against my Lord of Suffolke and my

Lord Chesterfield. The King beat three, and lost two sets, they

all, and he particularly playing well, I thought. Thence went

and spoke with the Duke of Albemarle about his wound at Newhall,

but I find him a heavy dull man, methinks, by his answers to me.

3lst. The Queene after a long and sore sickness is become well

again; and the King minds his mistress a little too much, if it

pleased God! but I hope all things will go well, and in the Navy

particularly, wherein I shall do my duty whatever comes of it.

The great talk is the design of the King of France, whether

against the Pope or King of Spain nobody knows; but a great and a

most promising Prince he is, and all the Princes of Europe have

their eye upon him. The Turke very far entered into Germany, and

all that part of the world at a loss what to expect from his

proceedings. Myself, blessed be God! in a good way, and design

and resolution of sticking to my business to get a little money

with, doing the best service I can to the King also; which God

continue! So ends the old year.

JANUARY 1, 1663-4. At the Coffee-house, where much talking about

a very rich widow, young and handsome, of one Sir Nicholas

Gold's, a merchant, lately fallen, and of great courtiers that;

already look after her: her husband not dead a week yet. She is

reckoned worth 80,000l. Went to the Duke's house, the first play

I have been at these six months, according to my last vowe, and

here saw the so much cried-up play of "Henry the Eighth;" which,

though I went with resolution to like it, is so simple a thing

made up of a great many patches, that, besides the shows and

processions in it, there is nothing in the world good or well

done.

4th. I to my Lord Sandwich's lodgings, but he not being up, I to

the Duke's chamber, and there by and by to his closet, where

since his lady was ill, a little red bed of velvet is brought for

him to lie alone, which is a very pretty one. After doing

business here, I to my Lord's again, and there spoke with him,

and he seems now almost friends again as he used to be. Here

meeting Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, he told me among other Court

news, how the Queene is very well again; and that she speaks now

very pretty English, and makes her sense out now and then with

pretty phrazes: as among others this is mightily cried up; that,

meaning to say that she did not like such a horse so well as the

rest, he being too prancing and full of tricks, she said he did

make too much vanity. To the Tennis Court, and there saw the

King play at Tennis and others: but to see how the King's play

was extolled without any cause at all, was a loathsome sight,

though sometimes, indeed, he did play very well and deserved to

be commended; but such open flattery is beastly. Afterwards to

St. James's Park, seeing people play at Pell Mell; where it

pleased me mightily to hear a gallant, lately come from France,

swear at one of his companions for suffering his man (a spruce

blade) to be so saucy as to strike a ball while his master was

playing on the Mall.

6th. This morning I began a practice which I find by the ease I

do it with that I shall continue, it saving me money and time;

that is, to trimme myself with a razer; which pleases me

mightily.

8th. We had great pleasure this afternoon; among other things,

to talk of our old passages together in Cromwell's time; and how

W. Symons did make me laugh and wonder to-day when he told me how

he had made shift to keep in, in good esteem and employment,

through eight governments in one year, (the year 1659, which were

indeed, and he did name them all) and then failed unhappy in the

ninth, viz. that, of the King's coming in. He made good to me

the story which Luellin did tell me the other day, of his wife

upon her death-bed; how she dreamt of her uncle Scobell, and did

foretell, from some discourse she had with him, that she should

die four days thence, and not sooner, and did all along say so,

and did so. Upon the 'Change a great talk there was of one Mr.

Tryan, an old man, a merchant in Lyme-Streete, robbed lest night,

(his man and maid being gone out after he was a-bed) and gagged

and robbed of 1050l. in money and about 4000l. in jewells, which

he had in his house as security for money. It is believed that

his man is guilty of confederacy, by their ready going to his

secret till in the desk, wherein the key of his cash-chest lay.

9th. By discourse with my wife thought upon inviting my Lord

Sandwich to a dinner shortly. It will cost me at least ten or

twelve pounds; but, however, some arguments of prudence I have,

which I shall think again upon before I proceed to that expence.

10th. All our discourse to-night was about Mr. Tryan's late

being robbed and that Colonel Turner, (a mad, swearing, confident

fellow, well known by all, and by me,) one much indebted to this

man for his very livelihood, was the man that either did or

plotted it; and, the money and things are found in his hand, and

he and his wife now in Newgate for it: of which we are all glad,

so very a known rogue he was.

11th. By invitation to St. James's; where, at Mr. Coventry's

chamber, I dined with my Lord Barkeley, Sir G. Carteret, Sir

Edward Turner, [Speaker of the House of Commons, and afterwards

Solicitor-general, and Lord Chief Baron. Ob. 1675.] Sir Ellis

Layton, [D. C. L., brother to R. Leighton, Bishop of Dumblane,

and had been Secretary to the Duke of York.] and one Mr.

Seymour, a fine gentleman: where admirable good discourse of all

sorts, pleasant and serious. This morning I stood by the King

arguing with a pretty Quaker woman, that delivered to him a

desire of hers in writing. The King showed her Sir J. Minnes, as

a man the fittest for her quaking religion; she modestly saying

nothing till he begun seriously to discourse with her, arguing

the truth of his spirit against hers; she replying still with

these words, "O King!" and thou'd all along. The general talk of

the towne still is of Colonel Turner, about the robbery; who it

is thought, will be hanged. I heard the Duke of York tell

to-night, how letters are come that fifteen are condemned for the

late plot by the Judges at York; and, among others, Captain

Oates, against whom it was proved that he drew his sword at his

going out, and flinging away the scabbard, said that he would

either return victor or be hanged.

18th. By coach to the 'Change, after having been at the Coffee

house, where I hear Turner [Vide State Trials.] is found guilty

of felony and burglary: and strange stories of his confidence at

the barr, but yet great indignation in his arguing. All desirous

of his being hanged.

20th. My Lord Sandwich did seal a lease for the house he is now

taking in Lincoln's Inn Fields, which stands him in 250l. per

annum rent. Sir Richard Ford told me that Turner is to be hanged

to-morrow, and with what impudence he hath carried, out his

trial; but that last night, when he brought him news of his

death, he began to be sober and shed some tears, and he hopes

will die a penitent; he having already confessed all the thing,

but says it was partly done for a joke, and partly to get an

occasion of obliging the old man by his care in getting him his

things again, he having some hopes of being the better by him in

his estate at his death. Mr. Pierce tells me that, my Lady

Castlemaine is not at all set by by the King, but that he do doat

upon Mrs. Stewart only; and that to the leaving out all business

in the world, and to the open slighting of the Queene: that he

values not who sees him or stands by him while he dailies with

her openly; and then privately in her chamber below, where the

very sentrys observe his going in and out; and that so commonly,

that the Duke or any of the nobles, when they would ask where the

King is, they will ordinarily say, "Is the King above, or below?"

meaning with Mrs Stewart: that the King do not openly disown my

Lady Castlemaine but that she comes to Court; but that my Lord

FitzHarding and the Hambletons, [Geoge Hamilton, and the Count

Antoine Hamilton, author of the Memoires de Grammont.] and

sometimes my Lord Sandwich, they say, intrigue with her. But he

says my Lord Sandwich will lead her from her lodgings in the

darkest and obscurest manner, and leave her at the entrance into

the Queene's lodgings, that he might be the least observed: that

the Duke of Monmouth the King do still doat on beyond measure,

insomuch that the King only, the Duke of York, and Prince Rupert,

and the Duke of Monmouth, do now wear deep mourning, that is,

long cloaks, for the Duchesse of Savoy: so that he mourns as a

Prince of the Blood, while the Duke of York do no more, and all

the nobles of the land not so much; which gives great offence,

and he sees the Duke of York do consider. But that the Duke of

York do give himself up to business, and is like to prove a noble

prince; and so indeed I do from my heart think he will. He says

that it is believed, as well as hoped, that care is taken to lay

up a hidden treasure of money by the King against a bad day. I

pray God it be so!

21st. Up, and after sending my wife to my aunt Wright's to get a

place to see Turner hanged, I to the 'Change; and seeing people

flock in the City, I enquired, and found that Turner was not yet

hanged. And so I went among them to Leadenhall Street, at the

end of Lyme Street, near where the robbery was done; and to St.

Mary Axe, where he lived. And there I got for a shilling to

stand upon the wheel of a cart, in great pain, above an hour

before the execution was done; he delaying the time by long

discourses and prayers one after another, in hopes of a reprieve;

but none come, and at last was flung off the ladder in his cloak.

A comely-looked man he was, and kept his countenance to the end:

I was sorry to see him. It was believed there were at least 12

or 14,000 people in the street.

22nd. To Deptford, and there viewed Sir W. Petty's vessel; which

hath an odd appearance, but not such as people do make of it.

26th. Tom Killigrew told us of a fire last night in my Lady

Castlemaine's lodging, where she bid 40l. for one to adventure

the fetching of a cabinet out, which at last was got to be done;

and the fire at last quenched without doing much wrong.

27th. At the Coffee-house, where I sat with Sir G. Ascue [A

distinguished naval officer before and after the Restoration; but

he never went to sea subsequently to the action in 1666, when he

was taken prisoner.] and Sir William Petty, who in discourse is,

methinks, one of the most rational men that ever I heard speak

with a tongue, having all his notions the most distinct and

clear. To Covent Garden, to buy a maske at the French House,

Madam Charett's, for my wife; in the way observing the street

full of coaches at the new play, at "The Indian Queene;" ["The

Indian Queen," a tragedy in heroic verse, by Sir Robert Howard

and Mr Dryden.] which for show, they say, exceeds Henry the

Eighth. Called to see my brother Tom, who was not at home,

though they say he is in a deep consumption, and will not live

two months.

30th. This evening I tore some old papers; among others, a

romance which (under the title of "Love a Cheate") I begun ten

years ago at Cambridge: and reading it over to-night, I liked it

very well, and wondered a little at myself at my vein at that

time when I wrote it, doubting that I cannot do so well now if I

would try.

FEBRUARY 1, 1663-64. I hear how two men last night, justling for

the wall about the new Exchange, did kill one another, each

thrusting the other through; one of them of the King's Chapel,

one Cave, and the other a retayner of my Lord Generall

Middleton's. Thence to White Hall; where, in the Duke's chamber,

the King come and stayed an hour or two laughing at Sir W. Petty,

who was there about his boat; and at Gresham College in general:

at which poor Petty was, I perceive, at some loss; but did argue

discreetly, and bear the unreasonable follies of the King's

objections and other bystanders with great discretion; and

offered to take oddes against the King's best boates: but the

King would not lay, but cried him down with words only. Gresham

College he mightily laughed at, for spending time only in

weighing of ayre, and doing nothing else since they sat. Mr.

Pierce tells me how the King, coming the other day to his Theatre

to see "The Indian Queene," (which he commends for a very fine

thing,) my Lady Castlemaine was in the next box before he come;

and leaning over other ladies awhile to whisper with the King,

she rose out of the box and went into the King's, and set herself

on the King's right hand, between the King and the Duke of York:

which, he swears, put the King himself, as well as every body

else, out of countenance; and believes that she did it only to

show the world that she is not out of favour yet, as was

believed. To the King's Theatre, and there saw "The Indian

Queen" acted; which indeed is a most pleasant show, and beyond my

expectation; the play good, but spoiled with the ryme, which

breaks the sense. But above my expectation most, the eldest

Marshall [Anne Marshall, a celebrated actress, and her youngest

sister Becke, so frequently mentioned in the Diary, were, I

believe, the daughters of a Presbyterian Minister; but very

little seems to be known about their history. One of them is

erroneously stated, in the notes to the Memoires de Grammont, and

Davies' Dramatic Miscellanies, to have become Lord Oxford's

mistress; for Mr. Pepys uniformly calls the Marshalls by their

proper name, and only speaks of the other lady as "the first or

old Roxalana, who had quitted the stage."--VIDE Feb. 18, 1661-2,

and Dec. 27, in the same year.] did do her part most excellently

well as I ever heard woman in my life; but her voice is not so

sweet as Ianthe's: [Malone says, in his HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH

STAGE, that Mrs. Mary Saunderson performed Ianthe in Davenant's

play of the Siege of Rhodes, at the first opening of his theatre,

April 1662. She married Betterton the following year, and lived

till 1712, having filled almost all the female characters in

Shakespeare with great success. It is probable, therefore, that

she was the person alluded to here, and frequently mentioned

afterwards, without any more particular designation.] but,

however, we come home mightily contented. Here we met Mr.

Pickering; and he tells me that the business runs high between

the Chancellor and my Lord Bristoll against the Parliament; and

that my Lord Lauderdale and Cooper open high against the

Chancellor; which I am sorry for.

3rd. In Covent Garden to-night, going to fetch my wife, I

stopped at the great Coffee-house there, where I never was

before: where Dryden the poet (I knew at Cambridge), and all the

wits of the town, and Harris the player, and Mr. Hoole of our

College. And had I had time then, or could at other times, it

will be good coming thither, for there, I perceive, is very witty

and pleasant discourse. But I could not tarry, and as it was

late, they were all ready to go away.

4th. To St. Paul's School, and up to hear the upper form

examined; and there was kept by very many of the Mercers,

Clutterbucke, [Probably Alderman Clutterbuck, one of the proposed

Knights of the Royal Oak for Middlesex. There was a Sir Thomas

Clutterbuck of London, CIRCITER 1670.] Barker, Harrington, and

others; and with great respect used by them all, and had a noble

dinner. Here they tell me, that in Dr. Colett's [Dean of St.

Paul's, and founder of the School.] will he says that he would

have a Master found for the School that hath good skill in Latin,

and (if it could be) one that had some knowledge of the Greeke;

so little was Greeke known here at that time. Dr. Wilkins [John

Wilkins, warden of Wadham College, and afterwards Dean of Rippon,

consecrated Bishop of Chester 1668; Ob. 1672. He was a learned

theologian, and well versed in Mathematics and Natural,

Philosophy.] and one Mr. Smallwood, Posers.

8th. Mr. Pierce told me how the King still do doat upon his

women, even beyond all shame: and that the good Queene will of

herself stop before she goes sometimes into her dressing-room,

till she knows whether the King be there, for fear he should be,

as she hath sometimes taken him, with Mrs. Stewart; and that some

of the best parts of the Queene's joynture are, contrary to

faith, and against the opinion of my Lord Treasurer and his

Council, bestowed or rented, I know not how, to my Lord

Fitzhardinge and Mrs. Stewart, and others of that crew; that the

King do doat infinitely upon the Duke of Monmouth, apparently as

one that he intends to have succeed him. God knows what will be

the end of it!

9th. Great talk of the Dutch proclaiming themselves in India,

Lords of the Southern Seas, and denying traffick to all ships but

their own, upon pain of confiscation: which makes our merchants

mad. Great doubt of two ships of ours, the Greyhound and

another, very rich, coming from the Streights, for fear of the

Turkes. Matters are made up between the Pope and the King of

France; so that now all the doubt is, what the French will do

with their armies.

10th. I did give my wife's brother 10s. and a coat that I had by

me, a close-bodied, light-coloured cloth coat, with a gold

edgeing in each seam, that was the lace of my wife's best

pettycoat that she had when I married her. He is going into

Holland to seek his fortune.

15th. To White Hall, to the Duke: where he first put on a

periwigg to-day: but methought his hair cut short in order

thereto did look very prettily of itself, before he put on his

periwigg. Great news of the arrivall of two rich ships, the

Greyhound and another, which they were mightily afraid of, and

great insurance given. This afternoon Sir Thomas Chamberlin [Son

of William Chamberlayne, an English Judge, and created a Baronet

1642.] come to the office to me, and showed me several letters

from the East Indys, showing the height that the Dutch are come

to there, showing scorn to all the English, even in our only

Factory there at Surat, beating several men, and hanging the

English standard St. George under the Dutch flag in scorn:

saying, that whatever their masters do or say at home, they will

do what they list, and be masters of all the world there; and

have so proclaimed themselves Soveraine of all the South Seas;

which certainly our King cannot endure, if the Parliament will

give him money. But I doubt and yet do hope they will not yet,

till we are more ready for it.

17th. Mr. Pierce tells me of the King's giving of my Lord

FitzHarding two leases which belong indeed to the Queene, worth

20,000l. to him; and how people do talk of it.

19th. Mr. Cutler come, and walked and talked with me a great

while; and then to the 'Change together; and it being early, did

tell me several excellent examples of men raised upon the 'Change

by their great diligence and saving; as also his own fortune, and

how credit grew upon him; that when he was not really worth

1,100l., he had credit for 100,000l.; of Sir W. Rider how he

rose; and others. By and by joyned with us Sir John Bankes; [An

opulent merchant, residing in Lincoln's Inn Fields.] who told us

several passages of the East India Company; and how in every

case, when there was due to him and Alderman Mico 64,000l. from

the Dutch for injury done to them in the East Indys, Oliver

presently after the peace, they delaying to pay them the money,

sent them word, that if they did not pay them by such a day, he

would grant letters of mark to those merchants against them; by

which they were so fearful of him, they did presently pay the

money every farthing. Took my wife; and taking a coach, went to

visit; my Ladys Jemimah and Paulina Montagu, and Mrs. Elizabeth

Pickering, [Lord Sandwich's niece.] whom we found at their

father's new house in Lincolne's Fields; but the house all in

dirt. They received us well enough; but I did not endeavour to

carry myself over familiarly with them: and so after a little

stay, there coming in presently after us my Lady Aberguenny

[Probably Mary, daughter of Thomas Clifford, Esq., of Dunton

Walet, Essex, wife to George, ninth Lord Abergavenny.] and other

ladies, we back again by coach.