第 76 节
作者:
敏儿不觉 更新:2022-11-28 19:16 字数:9321
een tried for bigamy and acquitted。 The rest of her life was one continued course of robbery and fraud; and in 1678 she suffered at Tyburn; for stealing a piece of plate from a tavern in Chancery…lane。'
18th。 Up and by coach to Westminster; and there solicited W。 Joyce's business again; and did speak to the Duke of York about it; who did understand it very well。 I afterwards did without the House fall in company with my Lady Peters; and endeavoured to mollify her: but she told me she would not; to redeem her from hell; do any thing to release him; but would be revenged while she lived; if she lived the age of Methusalem。 I made many friends; and so did others。 At last it was ordered by the Lords that it should be referred to the Committee of Priviledges to consider。 So I away by coach to the 'Change; and there do hear that a Jew hath put in a policy of four per cent。 to any man; to insure him against a Dutch warr for four months: I could find in my heart to take him at this offer。 To Hide Park; where I have not been since last year: where I saw the King with his periwigg; but not altered at all; and my Lady Castlemaine in a coach by herself; in yellow satin and a pinner on; and many brave persons。 And myself being in a hackney and full of people; was ashamed to be seen by the world; many of them knowing me。
19th。 To the Physique Garden in St; James's Parke; where I first saw orange…trees; and other fine trees。
20th。 Mr。 Coventry told me how the Committee for Trade have received now all the complaints of the merchants against the Dutch; and were resolved to report very highly the wrongs they have done us; (when God knows! it is only our own negligence and laziness that hath done us the wrong): and this to be made to the House to…morrow。
21st。 At the Lords' House heard that it is ordered; that; upon submission upon the knee both to the House and my Lady Peters; W。 Joyce shall be released。 I forthwith made him submit; and ask pardon upon his knees; which he did before several Lords。 But my Lady would not hear it; but swore she would post the Lords; that the world might know what pitifull Lords the King hath: and that revenge was sweeter to her than milk; and that she would never be satisfied unless he stood in a pillory; and demand pardon there。 But I perceive the Lords are ashamed of her。 I find that the House this day have voted that the King be desired to demand right for the wrong done us by the Dutch; and that they will stand by him with their lives and fortunes: which is a very high vote; and more than I expected。 What the issue will be; God knows!
23rd。 I met with Mr。 Coventry; who himself is now full of talk of a Dutch war: for it seems the Lords have concurred in the Commons' vote about it; and so the next week it will be presented to the King。
26th。 Saw W。 Joyce: and the late business hath cost the poor man above 40l。; besides; he is likely to lose his debt。 Lady Peters; Creed says; is a drunken jade; he himself having seen her drunk in the lobby of their House。 My wife gone this afternoon to the buriall of my she…cosen Scott; a good woman: and it is a sad consideration how the Pepys's decay; and nobody almost that I know in a present way of encreasing them。
27th。 This day the Houses attended the King; and delivered their votes to him upon the business of the Dutch; and he thanks them; and promises an answer in writing。
MAY 3; 1664。 To Westminster Hall; and there; in the Lords' house; did in a great crowd; from ten o'clock till almost three; hear the cause of Mr。 Roberts; 'VIDE 〃Lords' Journals of the day。〃' my Lord Privy Seale's son; against Win; who by false ways did get the father of Mr。 Roberts's wife (Mr。 Bodvill) to give him the estate and disinherit; his daughter。 The cause was managed for my Lord Privy Seale by Finch the solicitor; but I do really think that he is a man of as great eloquence as ever I heard; or ever hope to hear in all my life。 Mr。 Cutler told me how for certain Lawson hath proclaimed war again with Argier; though they had at his first coming given back the ships which they had taken; and all their men; though they refused afterwards to make him restitution for the goods which they had taken。
5th。 My eyes beginning every day to grow less and less able to bear with long reading or writing; though it be by daylight; which I never observed till now。
13th。 In the Painted Chamber I heard a fine conference between some of the two Houses upon the Bill for Conventicles。 The Lords would be freed from having their houses searched by any but the Lord Lieutenant of the County: and upon being found guilty; to be tried only by their peers; and thirdly; would have it added; that whereas the Bill says; 〃That that; among other things; shall be a conventicle wherein any such meeting is found doing any thing contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England;〃 they would have it added; 〃or practice。〃 The Commons to the Lords said; that they knew not what might hereafter be found out which might he called the practice of the Church of England: for there are many things may be said to be the practice of the Church; which were never established by any law either common; statute; or canon; as singing of psalms; binding up; prayers at the end of the Bible; and praying extempore before and after sermon: and though these are things indifferent; yet things for aught they at present know may be started; which may be said to be the practice of the Church which would not be fit to allow。 For the Lords' priviledges; Mr。 Waller told them how tender their predecessors had been of the priviledges of the Lords; but; however; where the peace of the kingdom stands in competition with them; they apprehend those priviledges must give place。 He told them that he thought; if they should own all to be the priviledges of the Lords which might be demanded; they should be led like the man (who granted leave to his neighbour to pull off his horse's tail; meaning that he could not do it at once;) that hair by hair had his horse's tail pulled off indeed: so the Commons; by granting one thing after another; might be served by the Lords。 Mr。 Vaughan; whom I could not to my grief perfectly hear; did say; if that they should be obliged in this manner to exempt the Lords from every thing; it would in time come to pass that whatever (be it ever so great) should be voted by the Commons as a thing penall for a commoner; the contrary should be thought a priviledge to the Lords: that also in this business; the work of a conventicle being but the work of an hour; the cause of a search would be over before a Lord Lieutenant; who may be many miles off; can be sent for; and that all this dispute is but about 100l。: for it is said in the Act; that it shall be banishment or payment of 100l。 I thereupon heard the Duke of Lennox say; that there might be Lords who could not always be ready to lose 100l。; or some such thing。 They broke up without coming to any end in it。 There was also in the Commons' House a great quarrel about Mr。 Prin; and it was believed that he should have been sent to the Tower; for adding something to a Bill (after it was ordered to be engrossed) of his own heada Bill for measures for wine and other things of that sort; and a Bill of his own bringing in; but it appeared he could not mean any hurt in it。 But; however; the King was fain to write in his behalf and all was passed over。 But it is worth my remembrance; that I saw old Ryly the Herald; and his son; and spoke to his son; who told me in very bad words concerning Mr。 Prin; that the King had given him an office of keeping the Records; but that he never comes thither; nor had been there these six months: so that I perceive they expect to get his employment from him。
19th; To a Committee of Tangier; where God forgive how our Report of my Lord Peterborough's accounts was read over and agreed to by the Lords; without one of them understanding it! And had it been what it would; it had gone: and; besides; not one thing touching the King's profit in it minded or hit upon。
20th。 Mr。 Edward Montagu is turned out of the Court; not to return again。 His fault; I perceive; was his pride; and most of all his affecting to be great with the Queene: and it seems indeed he had more of her eare than every body else; and would be with her talking alone two or three hours together; insomuch that the Lords about the King; when he would be jesting with them about their wives; would tell the King that he must have a care of his wife too; for she hath now the gallant: and they say the King himself did once ask Montagu how his mistress (meaning the Queene) did。 He grew so proud and despised every body; besides suffering nobody he or she to get or do any thing about the Queene; that they all laboured to do him a good turn。 They all say that he did give some affront to the Duke of Monmouth; which the King himself did speak to him of。 So he is gone;nobody pitying; but laughing at him: and he pretends only that he is gone to his father that is sick in the country。
23rd。 The King is gone down with the Duke and a great crew this morning by break of day to Chatham。
29th。 Mr。 Coventry and I did a long discourse together of the