November 1st. This morning Sir W. Pen and I were mounted early, and had
very merry discourse all the way, he being very good company. We came
to Sir W. Batten's, where he lives like a prince, and we were made very
welcome. Among other things he showed us my Lady's closet, where was
great store of rarities; as also a chair, which he calls King Harry's
chair, where he that sits down is catched with two irons, that come
round about him, which makes good sport. Here dined with us two or
three more country gentle men; among the rest Mr. Christmas, my old
school-fellow, with whom I had much talk. He did remember that I was a
great Roundhead when I was a boy, and I was much afraid that he would
have remembered the words that I said the day the King was beheaded
(that, were I to preach upon him, my text should be "The memory of the
wicked shall rot"); but I found afterwards that he did go away from
school before that time.
[Pepys might well be anxious on this point, for in October of this
year Phieas Pett, assistant master shipwright at Chatham, was
dismissed from his post for having when a Child spoken
disrespectfully of the King. See ante, August 23rd.]
He did make us good sport in imitating Mr. Case, Ash, and Nye, the
ministers, which he did very well, but a deadly drinker he is, and grown
exceeding fat. From his house to an ale-house near the church, where we
sat and drank and were merry, and so we mounted for London again, Sir W.
Batten with us. We called at Bow and drank there, and took leave of Mr.
Johnson of Blackwall, who dined with us and rode with us thus far. So
home by moonlight, it being about 9 o'clock before we got home.