Volume II Part 8 (2/2)
Of this young artist, together with my manner of finding him out, I acquainted the King, and begged that he would give me leave to bring him and his work to Whitehall, for that I would adventure my reputation with his Majesty that he had never seen anything approach it, and that he would be exceedingly pleased, and employ him. The King said he would himself go see him. This was the first notice his Majesty ever had of Mr. Gibbon.
20th January, 1671. The King came to me in the Queen's withdrawing-room from the circle of ladies, to talk with me as to what advance I had made in the Dutch History. I dined with the Treasurer, and afterward we went to the Secretary's Office, where we conferred about divers particulars.
21st January, 1671. I was directed to go to Sir George Downing, who having been a public minister in Holland, at the beginning of the war, was to give me light in some material pa.s.sages.
This year the weather was so wet, stormy, and unseasonable, as had not been known in many years.
9th February, 1671. I saw the great ball danced by the Queen and distinguished ladies at Whitehall Theater. Next day; was acted there the famous play, called, ”The Siege of Granada,” two days acted successively; there were indeed very glorious scenes and perspectives, the work of Mr. Streeter, who well understands it.[23]
[Footnote 23: Evelyn here refers to Dryden's ”Conquest of Granada”.]
19th February, 1671. This day dined with me Mr. Surveyor, Dr.
Christopher Wren, and Mr. Pepys, Clerk of the Acts, two extraordinary, ingenious, and knowing persons, and other friends. I carried them to see the piece of carving which I had recommended to the King.
25th February, 1671. Came to visit me one of the Lords Commissioners of Scotland for the Union.
28th February, 1671. The Treasurer acquainted me that his Majesty was graciously pleased to nominate me one of the Council of Foreign Plantations, and give me a salary of 500 per annum, to encourage me.
29th February, 1671. I went to thank the Treasurer, who was my great friend and loved me; I dined with him and much company, and went thence to my Lord Arlington, Secretary of State, in whose favor I likewise was upon many occasions, though I cultivated neither of their friends.h.i.+ps by any mean submissions. I kissed his Majesty's hand, on his making me one of the new-established Council.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
1st March, 1671. I caused Mr. Gibbon to bring to Whitehall his excellent piece of carving, where being come, I advertised his Majesty, who asked me where it was; I told him in Sir Richard Browne's (my father-in-law) chamber, and that if it pleased his Majesty to appoint whither it should be brought, being large and though of wood, heavy, I would take care for it. ”No,” says the King, ”show me the way, I'll go to Sir Richard's chamber,” which he immediately did, walking along the entries after me; as far as the ewry, till he came up into the room, where I also lay. No sooner was he entered and cast his eyes on the work, but he was astonished at the curiosity of it; and having considered it a long time, and discoursed with Mr. Gibbon, whom I brought to kiss his hand, he commanded it should be immediately carried to the Queen's side to show her. It was carried up into her bedchamber, where she and the King looked on and admired it again; the King, being called away, left us with the Queen, believing she would have bought it, it being a crucifix; but, when his Majesty was gone, a French peddling woman, one Madame de Boord, who used to bring petticoats and fans, and baubles, out of France to the ladies, began to find fault with several things in the work, which she understood no more than an a.s.s, or a monkey, so as in a kind of indignation, I caused the person who brought it to carry it back to the chamber, finding the Queen so much governed by an ignorant Frenchwoman, and this incomparable artist had his labor only for his pains, which not a little displeased me; and he was fain to send it down to his cottage again; he not long after sold it for 80, though well worth 100, without the frame, to Sir George Viner.
His Majesty's Surveyor, Mr. Wren, faithfully promised me to employ him.[24] I having also bespoke his Majesty for his work at Windsor, which my friend, Mr. May, the architect there, was going to alter, and repair universally; for, on the next day, I had a fair opportunity of talking to his Majesty about it, in the lobby next the Queen's side, where I presented him with some sheets of my history. I thence walked with him through St. James's Park to the garden, where I both saw and heard a very familiar discourse between ... and Mrs. Nelly,[25] as they called an impudent comedian, she looking out of her garden on a terrace at the top of the wall, and ... standing on the green walk under it. I was heartily sorry at this scene. Thence the King walked to the d.u.c.h.ess of Cleveland, another lady of pleasure, and curse of our nation.
[Footnote 24: The carving in the choir, etc., of St. Paul's Cathedral was executed by Gibbon.]
[Footnote 25: Nell Gwynne: there can be no doubt as to the name with which we are to fill up these blanks. This familiar interview of Nelly and the King has afforded a subject for painters.]
5th March, 1671. I dined at Greenwich, to take leave of Sir Thomas Linch, going Governor of Jamaica.
10th March, 1671. To London, about pa.s.sing my patent as one of the standing Council for Plantations, a considerable honor, the others in the Council being chiefly n.o.blemen and officers of state.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _NELL GWYNNE_
_Photogravure after Sir Peter Lely_]
2d April, 1671. To Sir Thomas Clifford, the Treasurer, to condole with him on the loss of his eldest son, who died at Florence.
2d May, 1671. The French King, being now with a great army of 28,000 men about Dunkirk, divers of the grandees of that Court, and a vast number of gentlemen and cadets, in fantastical habits, came flocking over to see our Court and compliment his Majesty. I was present, when they first were conducted into the Queen's withdrawing-room, where saluted their Majesties the Dukes of Guise, Longueville, and many others of the first rank.
10th May, 1671. Dined at Mr. Treasurer's,[26] in company with Monsieur De Grammont and several French n.o.blemen, and one Blood, that impudent, bold fellow who had not long before attempted to steal the imperial crown itself out of the Tower, pretending only curiosity of seeing the regalia there, when, stabbing the keeper, though not mortally, he boldly went away with it through all the guards, taken only by the accident of his horse falling down. How he came to be pardoned, and even received into favor, not only after this, but several other exploits almost as daring both in Ireland and here, I could never come to understand. Some believed he became a spy of several parties, being well with the sectaries and enthusiasts, and did his Majesty services that way, which none alive could do so well as he; but it was certainly the boldest attempt, so the only treason of this sort that was ever pardoned. This man had not only a daring but a villanous, unmerciful look, a false countenance, but very well-spoken and dangerously insinuating.
[Footnote 26: This entry of 10th May, 1671, so far as it relates to Blood, and the stealing of the crown, etc., is a mistake. Blood stole the crown on the 9th of May, 1671--the very day before; and the ”not long before” of Evelyn, and the circ.u.mstance of his being ”pardoned,” which Evelyn also mentions, can hardly be said to relate to only the day before.]
11th May, 1671. I went to Eltham, to sit as one of the commissioners about the subsidy now given by Parliament to his Majesty.
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