[Of Bonnington and Sandwich, Gentleman of the Privy-Chamber to
Charles I. He defended Donnington Castle, Berkshire, for the King
against Jeremiah Horton, 1644, and received an augmentation to his
arms in consequence.]
and some other gentlemen formerly great Cavaliers, and among the rest
one Mr. Norwood, for whom my Lord give a convoy to carry him to the
Brill,--[Brielle, or Den Briel, a seaport town in the province of South
Holland.]--but he is certainly going to the King. For my Lord commanded
me that I should not enter his name in my book. My Lord do show them and
that sort of people great civility. All their discourse and others are
of the King’s coming, and we begin to speak of it very freely. And heard
how in many churches in London, and upon many signs there, and upon
merchants’ ships in the river, they had set up the King’s arms. In the
afternoon the Captain would by all means have me up to his cabin, and
there treated me huge nobly, giving me a barrel of pickled oysters,
and opened another for me, and a bottle of wine, which was a very great
favour. At night late singing with W. Howe, and under the barber’s hands
in the coach. This night there came one with a letter from Mr. Edw.
Montagu to my Lord, with command to deliver it to his own hands. I do
believe that he do carry some close business on for the King.
[Pepys’s guess at E. Montagu’s business is confirmed by Clarendon’s
account of his employment of him to negotiate with Lord Sandwich on
behalf of the King. (“History of the Rebellion,” book xvi.)--Notes
and Queries, vol. x. p. 3--M. B.]
This day I had a large letter from Mr. Moore, giving me an account of
the present dispute at London that is like to be at the beginning of
the Parliament, about the House of Lords, who do resolve to sit with the
Commons, as not thinking themselves dissolved yet. Which, whether it
be granted or no, or whether they will sit or no, it will bring a great
many inconveniences. His letter I keep, it being a very well writ one.
22d (Easter Sunday). Several Londoners, strangers, friends of the
Captains, dined here, who, among other things told us, how the King’s
Arms are every day set up in houses and churches, particularly in
Allhallows Church in Thames-street, John Simpson’s church, which being
privately done was, a great eye-sore to his people when they came to
church and saw it. Also they told us for certain, that the King’s statue
is making by the Mercers’ Company (who are bound to do it) to set up in
the Exchange. After sermon in the afternoon I fell to writing letters
against to-morrow to send to London. After supper to bed.
23rd. All the morning very busy getting my packet ready for London, only
for an hour or two had the Captain and Mr. Sheply in my cabin at the
barrel of pickled oysters that the Captain did give me on Saturday last.
After dinner I sent Mr. Dunn to London with the packet. This afternoon
I had 40s. given me by Captain Cowes of the Paradox.’ In the evening the
first time that we had any sport among the seamen, and indeed there was
extraordinary good sport after my Lord had done playing at ninepins.
After that W. Howe and I went to play two trebles in the great
cabin below, which my Lord hearing, after supper he called for our
instruments, and played a set of Lock’s, two trebles, and a base, and
that being done, he fell to singing of a song made upon the Rump, with
which he played himself well, to the tune of “The Blacksmith.” After all
that done, then to bed.
[“The Blacksmith” was the same tune as “Green Sleeves.” The
earliest known copy of “The Praise of the Blacksmith” is in “An
Antidote against Melancholy,” 1661. See “Roxburghe Ballads,” ed.
W. Chappell, 1872, vol. ii. p. 126. (Ballad Society:)]
24th. This morning I had Mr. Luellin and Mr. Sheply to the remainder
of my oysters that were left yesterday. After that very busy all
the morning. While I was at dinner with my Lord, the Coxon of the
Vice-Admiral came for me to the Vice-Admiral to dinner. So I told my
Lord and he gave me leave to go. I rose therefore from table and went,
where there was very many commanders, and very pleasant we were on board
the London, which hath a state-room much bigger than the Nazeby, but not
so rich. After that, with the Captain on board our own ship, where we
were saluted with the news of Lambert’s being taken, which news was
brought to London on Sunday last. He was taken in Northamptonshire by
Colonel Ingoldsby, at the head of a party, by which means their whole
design is broke, and things now very open and safe. And every man begins
to be merry and full of hopes. In the afternoon my Lord gave a great
large character to write out, so I spent all the day about it, and after
supper my Lord and we had some more very good musique and singing of
“Turne Amaryllis,” as it is printed in the song book, with which my Lord
was very much pleased. After that to bed.
25th. All the morning about my Lord’s character. Dined to-day with
Captain Clerke on board the Speaker (a very brave ship) where was the
Vice-Admiral, Rear-Admiral, and many other commanders. After dinner
home, not a little contented to see how I am treated, and with what
respect made a fellow to the best commanders in the Fleet. All the
afternoon finishing of the character, which I did and gave it my Lord,
it being very handsomely done and a very good one in itself, but that
not truly Alphabetical. Supped with Mr. Sheply, W. Howe, &c. in Mr.
Pierce, the Purser’s cabin, where very merry, and so to bed. Captain
Isham came hither to-day.
26th. This day came Mr. Donne back from London, who brought letters with
him that signify the meeting of the Parliament yesterday. And in the
afternoon by other letters I hear, that about twelve of the Lords met
and had chosen my Lord of Manchester’ Speaker of the House of Lords (the
young Lords that never sat yet, do forbear to sit for the present); and
Sir Harbottle Grimstone, Speaker for the House of Commons. The House of
Lords sent to have a conference with the House of Commons, which, after
a little debate, was granted. Dr. Reynolds’ preached before the Commons
before they sat. My Lord told me how Sir H. Yelverton (formerly my
school-fellow) was chosen in the first place for Northamptonshire
and Mr. Crew in the second. And told me how he did believe that the
Cavaliers have now the upper hand clear of the Presbyterians. All the
afternoon I was writing of letters, among the rest one to W. Simons,
Peter Luellin and Tom Doling, which because it is somewhat merry I keep
a copy of. After that done Mr. Sheply, W. Howe and I down with J. Goods
into my Lord’s storeroom of wine and other drink, where it was very
pleasant to observe the massy timbers that the ship is made of. We in
the room were wholly under water and yet a deck below that. After that
to supper, where Tom Guy supped with us, and we had very good laughing,
and after that some musique, where Mr. Pickering beginning to play a
bass part upon the viall did it so like a fool that I was ashamed of
him. After that to bed.
27th. This morning Burr was absent again from on board, which I was
troubled at, and spoke to Mr. Pierce, Purser, to speak to him of it, and
it is my mind. This morning Pim [the tailor] spent in my cabin, putting
a great many ribbons to a suit. After dinner in the afternoon came on
board Sir Thomas Hatton and Sir R. Maleverer going for Flushing; but all
the world know that they go where the rest of the many gentlemen go that
every day flock to the King at Breda.
[The King arrived at Breda on the 14th April. Sir W. Lower writes
(“Voiage and Residence of Charles II. in Holland,” p. 5): “Many
considerations obliged him to depart the territories under the
obedience of the King of Spain in this conjuncture of affairs.”]
They supped here, and my Lord treated them as he do the rest that go
thither, with a great deal of civility. While we were at supper a packet
came, wherein much news from several friends. The chief is that, that I
had from Mr. Moore, viz. that he fears the Cavaliers in the House will
be so high, that the others will be forced to leave the House and fall
in with General Monk, and so offer things to the King so high on the
Presbyterian account that he may refuse, and so they will endeavour some
more mischief; but when I told my Lord it, he shook his head and told
me, that the Presbyterians are deceived, for the General is certainly
for the King’s interest, and so they will not be able to prevail that
way with him. After supper the two knights went on board the Grantham,
that is to convey them to Flushing. I am informed that the Exchequer
is now so low, that there is not L20 there, to give the messenger that
brought the news of Lambert’s being taken; which story is very strange
that he should lose his reputation of being a man of courage now at
one blow, for that he was not able to fight one stroke, but desired of
Colonel Ingoldsby several times for God’s sake to let him escape. Late
reading my letters, my mind being much troubled to think that, after
all our hopes, we should have any cause to fear any more disappointments
therein. To bed. This day I made even with Mr. Creed, by sending him my
bill and he me my money by Burr whom I sent for it.
28th. This morning sending a packet by Mr. Dunne to London. In the
afternoon I played at ninepins with Mr. Pickering, I and Mr. Pett
against him and Ted Osgood, and won a crown apiece of him. He had not
money enough to pay me. After supper my Lord exceeding merry, and he and
I and W. Howe to sing, and so to bed.
29th (Sunday). This day I put on first my fine cloth suit made of a
cloak that had like to have been [dirted] a year ago, the very day that
I put it on. After sermon in the morning Mr. Cook came from London with
a packet, bringing news how all the young lords that were not in arms
against the Parliament do now sit. That a letter is come from the King
to the House, which is locked up by the Council ‘till next Tuesday
that it may be read in the open House when they meet again, they having
adjourned till then to keep a fast tomorrow. And so the contents is not
yet known. L13,000 of the L20,000 given to General Monk is paid out of
the Exchequer, he giving L12 among the teller clerks of Exchequer. My
Lord called me into the great cabin below, where I opened my letters and
he told me that the Presbyterians are quite mastered by the Cavaliers,
and that he fears Mr. Crew did go a little too far the other day in
keeping out the young lords from sitting. That he do expect that the
King should be brought over suddenly, without staying to make any terms
at all, saying that the Presbyterians did intend to have brought him
in with such conditions as if he had been in chains. But he shook his
shoulders when he told me how Monk had betrayed him, for it was he that
did put them upon standing to put out the lords and other members that
came not within the qualifications, which he [Montagu] did not like, but
however he [Monk] had done his business, though it be with some kind
of baseness. After dinner I walked a great while upon the deck with the
chyrurgeon and purser, and other officers of the ship, and they all pray
for the King’s coming, which I pray God send.
30th. All the morning getting instructions ready for the Squadron of
ships that are going to-day to the Streights, among others Captain
Teddiman, Curtis, and Captain Robert Blake to be commander of the whole
Squadron. After dinner to ninepins, W. Howe and I against Mr. Creed and
the Captain. We lost 5s. apiece to them. After that W. Howe, Mr. Sheply
and I got my Lord’s leave to go to see Captain Sparling. So we took boat
and first went on shore, it being very pleasant in the fields; but a
very pitiful town Deal is. We went to Fuller’s (the famous place for
ale), but they have none but what was in the vat. After that to Poole’s,
a tavern in the town, where we drank, and so to boat again, and went to
the Assistance, where we were treated very civilly by the Captain, and
he did give us such music upon the harp by a fellow that he keeps on
board that I never expect to hear the like again, yet he is a drunken
simple fellow to look on as any I ever saw. After that on board the
Nazeby, where we found my Lord at supper, so I sat down and very
pleasant my Lord was with Mr. Creed and Sheply, who he puzzled about
finding out the meaning of the three notes which my Lord had cut over
the chrystal of his watch. After supper some musique. Then Mr. Sheply,
W. Howe and I up to the Lieutenant’s cabin, where we drank, and I and W.
Howe were very merry, and among other frolics he pulls out the spigot of
the little vessel of ale that was there in the cabin and drew some into
his mounteere, and after he had drank, I endeavouring to dash it in his
face, he got my velvet studying cap and drew some into mine too, that
we made ourselves a great deal of mirth, but spoiled my clothes with the
ale that we dashed up and down. After that to bed very late with drink
enough in my head.