Volume II Part 21 (1/2)
This evening I was at the entertainment of the Morocco Amba.s.sador at the d.u.c.h.ess of Portsmouth's glorious apartments at Whitehall, where was a great banquet of sweetmeats and music; but at which both the Amba.s.sador and his retinue behaved themselves with extraordinary moderation and modesty, though placed about a long table, a lady between two Moors, and among these were the King's natural children, namely, Lady Lichfield and Suss.e.x, the d.u.c.h.ess of Portsmouth, Nelly, etc., concubines, and cattle of that sort, as splendid as jewels and excess of bravery could make them; the Moors neither admiring nor seeming to regard anything, furniture or the like, with any earnestness, and but decently tasting of the banquet. They drank a little milk and water, but not a drop of wine; they also drank of a sorbet and jacolatt;[45] did not look about, or stare on the ladies, or express the least surprise, but with a courtly negligence in pace, countenance, and whole behavior, answering only to such questions as were asked with a great deal of wit and gallantry, and so gravely took leave with this compliment, that G.o.d would bless the d.u.c.h.ess of Portsmouth and the Prince, her son meaning the little Duke of Richmond. The King came in at the latter end, just as the Amba.s.sador was going away. In this manner was this slave (for he was no more at home) entertained by most of the n.o.bility in town, and went often to Hyde Park on horseback, where he and his retinue showed their extraordinary activity in horsemans.h.i.+p, and flinging and catching their lances at full speed; they rode very short, and could stand upright at full speed, managing their spears with incredible agility. He went sometimes to the theaters, where, upon any foolish or fantastical action, he could not forbear laughing, but he endeavored to hide it with extraordinary modesty and gravity. In a word, the Russian Amba.s.sador, still at Court behaved himself like a clown compared to this civil heathen.
[Footnote 45: Sherbet and chocolate.]
27th January, 1682. This evening, Sir Stephen Fox acquainted me again with his Majesty's resolution of proceeding in the erection of a Royal Hospital for emerited soldiers on that spot of ground which the Royal Society had sold to his Majesty for 1,300, and that he would settle 5,000 per annum on it, and build to the value of 20,000 for the relief and reception of four companies, namely, 400 men, to be as in a college, or monastery. I was therefore desired by Sir Stephen (who had not only the whole managing of this, but was, as I perceived, himself to be a grand benefactor, as well it became him who had gotten so vast an estate by the soldiers) to a.s.sist him, and consult what method to cast it in, as to the government. So, in his study we arranged the governor, chaplain, steward, housekeeper, chirurgeon, cook, butler, gardener, porter, and other officers, with their several salaries and entertainments. I would needs have a library, and mentioned several books, since some soldiers might possibly be studious, when they were at leisure to recollect. Thus we made the first calculations, and set down our thoughts to be considered and digested better, to show his Majesty and the Archbishop. He also engaged me to consider of what laws and orders were fit for the government, which was to be in every respect as strict as in any religious convent.
After supper, came in the famous treble, Mr. Abel, newly returned from Italy; I never heard a more excellent voice; one would have sworn it had been a woman's, it was so high, and so well and skillfully managed, being accompanied by Signor Francesco on the harpsichord.
28th January, 1682. Mr. Pepys, late Secretary to the Admiralty, showed me a large folio containing the whole mechanic part and art of building royal s.h.i.+ps and men-of-war, made by Sir Anthony Dean, being so accurate a piece from the very keel to the lead block, rigging, guns, victualing, manning, and even to every individual pin and nail, in a method so astonis.h.i.+ng and curious, with a draught, both geometrical and in perspective, and several sections, that I do not think the world can show the like. I esteem this book as an extraordinary jewel.
7th February, 1682. My daughter, Mary, began to learn music of Signor Bartholomeo, and dancing of Monsieur Isaac, reputed the best masters.
Having had several violent fits of an ague, recourse was had to bathing my legs in milk up to the knees, made as hot as I could endure it: and sitting so in it in a deep churn, or vessel, covered with blankets, and drinking _carduus_ posset, then going to bed and sweating, I not only missed that expected fit, but had no more, only continued weak, that I could not go to church till Ash Wednesday, which I had not missed, I think, so long in twenty years, so gracious had G.o.d been to me.
After this warning and admonition, I now began to look over and methodize all my writings, accounts, letters, papers; inventoried the goods, and other articles of the house, and put things into the best order I could, and made my will; that now, growing in years, I might have none of these secular things and concerns to distract me, when it should please Almighty G.o.d to call me from this transitory life. With this, I prepared some special meditations and devotions for the time of sickness. The Lord Jesus grant them to be salutary for my poor soul in that day, that I may obtain mercy and acceptance!
1st March, 1682. My second grandchild was born, and christened the next day by our vicar at Sayes Court, by the name of John.[46] I beseech G.o.d to bless him!
[Footnote 46: Who became his successor, and was created a baronet in 1713.]
2d March, 1682. ASH WEDNESDAY. I went to church: our vicar preached on Proverbs, showing what care and vigilance was required for the keeping of the heart upright. The Holy Communion followed, on which I gave G.o.d thanks for his gracious dealing with me in my late sickness, and affording me this blessed opportunity of praising him in the congregation, and receiving the cup of salvation with new and serious resolutions.
Came to see and congratulate my recovery, Sir John Lowther, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Pepys, Sir Anthony Deane, and Mr. Hill.
10th March, 1682. This day was executed Colonel Vrats, and some of his accomplices, for the execrable murder of Mr. Thynn, set on by the princ.i.p.al Koningsmark. He went to execution like an undaunted hero, as one that had done a friendly office for that base coward, Count Koningsmark, who had hopes to marry his widow, the rich Lady Ogle, and was acquitted by a corrupt jury, and so got away. Vrats told a friend of mine who accompanied him to the gallows, and gave him some advice that he did not value dying of a rush, and hoped and believed G.o.d would deal with him like a gentleman. Never man went, so unconcerned for his sad fate.
24th March, 1682. I went to see the corpse of that obstinate creature, Colonel Vrats, the King permitting that his body should be transported to his own country, he being of a good family, and one of the first embalmed by a particular art, invented by one William Russell, a coffin-maker, which preserved the body without disboweling, or to appearance using any bituminous matter. The flesh was florid, soft, and full, as if the person were only sleeping. He had now been dead near fifteen days, and lay exposed in a very rich coffin lined with lead, too magnificent for so daring and horrid a murderer.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
At the meeting of the Royal Society were exhibited some pieces of amber sent by the Duke of Brandenburg, in one of which was a spider, in another a gnat, both very entire. There was a discourse of the tingeing of gla.s.s, especially with red, and the difficulty of finding any red color effectual to penetrate gla.s.s, among the gla.s.s-painters; that the most diaporous, as blue, yellow, etc., did not enter into the substance of what was ordinarily painted, more than very shallow, unless incorporated in the metal itself, other reds and whites not at all beyond the superfices.
5th April, 1682. To the Royal Society, where at a Council was regulated what collections should be published monthly, as formerly the transactions, which had of late been discontinued, but were now much called for by the curious abroad and at home.
12th April, 1682. I went this afternoon with several of the Royal Society to a supper which was all dressed, both fish and flesh, in Monsieur Papin's digestors, by which the hardest bones of beef itself, and mutton, were made as soft as cheese, without water or other liquor, and with less than eight ounces of coals, producing an incredible quant.i.ty of gravy; and for close of all, a jelly made of the bones of beef, the best for clearness and good relish, and the most delicious that I had ever seen, or tasted. We ate pike and other fish, bones and all, without impediment; but nothing exceeded the pigeons, which tasted just as if baked in a pie, all these being stewed in their own juice, without any addition of water save what swam about the digestor, as _in balneo_; the natural juice of all these provisions acting on the grosser substances, reduced the hardest bones to tenderness; but it is best descanted with more particulars for extracting tinctures, preserving and stewing fruit, and saving fuel, in Dr. Papin's book, published and dedicated to our Society of which he is a member. He is since gone to Venice with the late Resident here (and also a member of our Society), who carried this excellent mechanic, philosopher, and physician, to set up a philosophical meeting in that city. This philosophical supper caused much mirth among us, and exceedingly pleased all the company. I sent a gla.s.s of the jelly to my wife, to the reproach of all that the ladies ever made of their best hartshorn.[47]
[Footnote 47: Denys Papin, a French physician and mathematician, who possessed so remarkable a knowledge of mathematics, that he very nearly brought the invention of the steam engine into working order.
He a.s.sisted Mr. Boyle in his pneumatic experiments, and was afterward mathematical professor at Marburg. He died in 1710.]
The season was unusually wet, with rain and thunder.
25th May, 1682. I was desired by Sir Stephen Fox and Sir Christopher Wren to accompany them to Lambeth, with the plot and design of the college to be built at Chelsea, to have the Archbishop's approbation. It was a quadrangle of 200 feet square, after the dimensions of the larger quadrangle at Christ church, Oxford, for the accommodation of 440 persons, with governor and officers. This was agreed on.
The Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of York were just now come to London, after his escape and s.h.i.+pwreck, as he went by sea for Scotland.
28th May, 1682. At the Rolls' chapel preached the famous Dr. Burnet on 2 Peter, i. 10, describing excellently well what was meant by election; viz, not the effect of any irreversible decree, but so called because they embraced the Gospel readily, by which they became elect, or precious to G.o.d. It would be very needless to make our calling and election sure, were they irreversible and what the rigid Presbyterians pretend. In the afternoon, to St. Lawrence's church, a new and cheerful pile.
29th May, 1682. I gave notice to the Bishop of Rochester of what Maimburg had published about the motives of the late d.u.c.h.ess of York's perversion, in his ”History of Calvinism;” and did myself write to the Bishop of Winchester about it, who being concerned in it, I urged him to set forth his vindication.
31st May, 1682. The Morocco Amba.s.sador being admitted an honorary member of the Royal Society, and subscribing his name and t.i.tles in Arabic, I was deputed by the Council to go and compliment him.
19th June, 1682. The Bantam, or East India Amba.s.sadors (at this time we had in London the Russian, Moroccan, and Indian Amba.s.sadors), being invited to dine at Lord George Berkeley's (now Earl), I went to the entertainment to contemplate the exotic guests. They were both very hard-favored, and much resembling in countenance some sort of monkeys.