Volume II Part 20 (2/2)
14th August, 1681. No sermon this afternoon, which I think did not happen twice in this parish these thirty years; so gracious has G.o.d been to it, and indeed to the whole nation: G.o.d grant that we abuse not this great privilege either by our wantonness, schism, or unfaithfulness, under such means as he has not favored any other nation under Heaven besides!
[Sidenote: WOTTON]
23d August, 1681. I went to Wotton, and, on the following day, was invited to Mr. Denzil Onslow's at his seat at Purford, where was much company, and such an extraordinary feast, as I had hardly seen at any country gentleman's table. What made it more remarkable was, that there was not anything save what his estate about it did afford; as venison, rabbits, hares, pheasants, partridges, pigeons, quails, poultry, all sorts of fowl in season from his own decoy near his house, and all sorts of fresh fish. After dinner we went to see sport at the decoy, where I never saw so many herons.
The seat stands on a flat, the ground pasture, rarely watered, and exceedingly improved since Mr. Onslow bought it of Sir Robert Parkhurst, who spent a fair estate. The house is timber, but commodious, and with one ample dining-room, the hall adorned with paintings of fowl and huntings, etc., the work of Mr. Barlow, who is excellent in this kind from the life.
30th August, 1681. From Wotton I went to see Mr. Hussey (at Sutton in Shere), who has a very pretty seat well watered, near my brother's. He is the neatest husband for curious ordering his domestic and field accommodations, and what pertains to husbandry, that I have ever seen, as to his granaries, tacklings, tools, and utensils, plows, carts, stables, wood piles, wood houses, even to hen roosts and hog troughs.
Methought, I saw old Cato, or Varro, in him; all substantial, all in exact order. The sole inconvenience he lies under, is the great quant.i.ty of sand which the stream brings along with it, and fills his ca.n.a.ls and receptacles for fish too soon. The rest of my time of stay at Wotton was spent in walking about the grounds and goodly woods, where I have in my youth so often entertained my solitude; and so, on the 2d of September, I once more returned to my home.
6th September, 1681. Died my pretty grandchild, and was interred on the 8th [at Deptford].
14th September, 1681. Dined with Sir Stephen Fox, who proposed to me the purchasing of Chelsea College, which his Majesty had sometime since given to our Society, and would now purchase it again to build a hospital; or infirmary for soldiers there, in which he desired my a.s.sistance as one of the Council of the Royal Society.
15th September, 1681. I had another opportunity of visiting his Majesty's private library at Whitehall.
To Sir Samuel Morland's, to see his house and mechanics.
17th September, 1681. I went with Monsieur Faubert about taking the Countess of Bristol's house for an academy, he being lately come from Paris for his religion, and resolving to settle here.
23d September, 1681. I went to see Sir Thomas Bond's fine house and garden at Peckham.
2d October, 1681. I went to Camberwell, where that good man Dr. Parr (late chaplain to Archbishop Usher) preached on Acts xvi. 30.
11th October, 1681. To Fulham, to visit the Bishop of London, in whose garden I first saw the _Sedum arborescens_ in flower, which was exceedingly beautiful.
5th November, 1681. Dr. Hooper preached on Mark xii. 16, 17, before the King, of the usurpation of the Church of Rome. This is one of the first rank of pulpit men in the nation.
15th November, 1681. I dined with the Earl of Ess.e.x who, after dinner in his study, where we were alone, related to me how much he had been scandalized and injured in the report of his being privy to the marriage of his Lady's niece, the rich young widow of the late Lord Ogle, sole daughter of the Earl of Northumberland; showing me a letter of Mr.
Thynn's, excusing himself for not communicating his marriage to his Lords.h.i.+p. He acquainted me also with the whole story of that unfortunate lady being betrayed by her grandmother, the Countess of Northumberland, and Colonel Bret, for money; and that though, upon the importunity of the Duke of Monmouth, he had delivered to the grandmother a particular of the jointure which Mr. Thynn pretended he would settle on the lady, yet he totally discouraged the proceeding as by no means a competent match for one that both by birth and fortune might have pretended to the greatest prince in Christendom; that he also proposed the Earl of Kingston, or the Lord Cranburn, but was by no means for Mr. Thynn.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
19th November, 1681. I dined with my worthy friend, Mr. Erskine, Master of the Charter House, uncle to the d.u.c.h.ess of Monmouth; a wise and learned gentleman, fitter to have been a privy councillor and minister of state than to have been laid aside.
24th November, 1681. I was at the audience of the Russian Amba.s.sador before both their Majesties in the Banqueting House. The presents were carried before him, held up by his followers in two ranks before the King's State, and consisted of tapestry (one suite of which was doubtlessly brought from France as being of that fabric, the Amba.s.sador having pa.s.sed through that kingdom as he came out of Spain), a large Persian carpet, furs of sable and ermine, etc.; but nothing was so splendid and exotic as the Amba.s.sador who came soon after the King's restoration. This present Amba.s.sador was exceedingly offended that his coach was not permitted to come into the Court, till, being told that no King's Amba.s.sador did, he was pacified, yet requiring an attestation of it under the hand of Sir Charles Cotterell, the Master of the Ceremonies; being, it seems, afraid he should offend his Master, if he omitted the least punctilio. It was reported he condemned his son to lose his head for shaving off his beard, and putting himself in the French mode at Paris, and that he would have executed it, had not the French King interceded--but qy. of this.
30th November, 1681. Sir Christopher Wren chosen President [of the Royal Society], Mr. Austine, Secretary, with Dr. Plot, the ingenious author of the ”History of Oxfords.h.i.+re.” There was a most ill.u.s.trious appearance.
11th January, 1681-82. I saw the audience of the Morocco Amba.s.sador, his retinue not numerous. He was received in the Banqueting House, both their Majesties being present. He came up to the throne without making any sort of reverence, not bowing his head, or body. He spoke by a renegado Englishman, for whose safe return there was a promise. They were all clad in the Moorish habit, ca.s.socks of colored cloth, or silk, with b.u.t.tons and loops, over this an _alhaga_, or white woolen mantle, so large as to wrap both head and body, a sash, or small turban, naked-legged and armed, but with leather socks like the Turks, rich scymetar, and large calico sleeved s.h.i.+rts. The Amba.s.sador had a string of pearls oddly woven in his turban. I fancy the old Roman habit was little different as to the mantle and naked limbs. He was a handsome person, well featured, of a wise look, subtle, and extremely civil.
Their presents were lions and ostriches; their errand about a peace at Tangier. But the concourse and tumult of the people was intolerable, so as the officers could keep no order, which these strangers were astonished at first, there being nothing so regular, exact, and performed with such silence, as is on all these public occasions of their country, and indeed over all the Turkish dominions.
14th January, 1682. Dined at the Bishop of Rochester's, at the Abbey, it being his marriage day, after twenty-four years. He related to me how he had been treated by Sir William Temple, foreseeing that he might be a delegate in the concern of my Lady Ogle now likely come in controversy upon her marriage with Mr. Thynn; also how earnestly the late Earl of Danby, Lord Treasurer, sought his friends.h.i.+p, and what plain and sincere advice he gave him from time to time about his miscarriages and partialities; particularly his outing Sir John Duncomb from being Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sir Stephen Fox, above all, from being Paymaster of the Army. The Treasurer's excuse and reason was, that Fox's credit was so over great with the bankers and monied men, that he could procure none but by his means, ”for that reason,” replied the Bishop, ”I would have made him my friend, Sir Stephen being a person both honest and of credit.” He told him likewise of his stateliness and difficulty of access, and several other miscarriages, and which indeed made him hated.
24th January, 1682. To the Royal Society, where at the Council we pa.s.sed a new law for the more accurate consideration of candidates, as whether they would really be useful; also concerning the honorary members, that none should be admitted but by diploma.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
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