第 182 节
作者:
敏儿不觉 更新:2022-11-28 19:17 字数:9322
rman) body; 'Knight and Bart。 alderman of London; ob。 1667。 He founded an Arabic Professorship at Cambridge。' which is very large indeed; bigger I think than my fist; and weighs above twenty…five ounces: and which is very miraculous; he never in all his life had any fit of it; but lived to a great age without pain; and died at last of something else; without any sense of this in all his life。 This day Creed at White Hall in discourse told me what information he hath had from very good hands; of the cowardize and ill…government of Sir Jer。 Smith and Sir Thomas Allen; and the repute they have both of them abroad in the Streights; from their deportment when they did at several times command there; and that; above all Englishmen that ever were there; there never was any man that behaved himself like poor Charles Wager; whom the very Moores do mention with tears sometimes。
29th。 To church; and there did first find a strange reader; who could not find in the Service…book the place for churching women; but was fain to change books with the clerke: and then a stranger preached; a seeming able man; but said in his pulpit that God did a greater work in raising of an oake…tree from an acorn; than a man's body raising it at the last day from his dust (showing the Possibility of the Resurrection): which was; methought; a strange saying。 Harris do so commend my wife's picture of Mr。 Hales's; that I shall have him draw Harris's head; and he hath also persuaded me to have Cooper draw my wife's; which though it cost 30l。 yet I will have done。 I do hear by several that Sir W。 Pen's going to sea do dislike the Parliament mightily; and that they have revived the Committee of Miscarriages to find something to prevent it; and that he being the other day with the Duke of Albemarle to ask his opinion touching his going to sea; the Duchesse overheard and came in to him; and asked W。 Pen how he durst have the confidence to offer to go to sea again to the endangering the nation; when he knew himself such a coward as he was; which; if true; is very severe。
30th。 By coach to Common…garden Coffee…house; where by appointment I was to meet Harris; which I did; and also Mr。 Cooper the great painter; and Mr。 Hales。 And thence presently to Mr。 Cooper's house to see some of his work; which is all in little; but so excellent as; though I must confess I do think the colouring of the flesh to be a little forced; yet the painting is so extraordinary as I do never expect to see the like again。 Here I did see Mrs。 Stewart's picture as when a young maid; and now just done before her having the small…pox: and it would make a man weep to see what she was then; and what she is like to be by people's discourse now。 Here I saw my Lord Generall's picture; and my Lord Arlington and Ashly's; and several others: but among the rest one Swinfen that was Secretary to my Lord Manchester; Lord Chamberlain (with Cooling); done so admirably as I never saw any thing: but the misery was; this fellow died in debt and never paid Cooper for his picture; but it being seized on by his creditors among his other goods after his death; Cooper himself says that he did buy it and give 25l。 out of his purse for it; for what he was to have had but 30l。 To White Hall and Westminster; where I find the Parliament still bogling about the raising of this money。 And every body's mouth full now; and Mr。 Wren himself tells me that the Duke of York declares to go to sea himself this year; and I perceive it is only on this occasion of distaste of the Parliament against W。 Pen's going; and to prevent the Prince's: but I think it is mighty hot counsel for the Duke of York at this time to go out of the way; but; Lord! what pass are all our matters come to! At noon by appointment to Cursitor's…alley in Chancery…lane; to meet Captain Cocke and some other creditors the Navy; and their Counsel (Pemberton; North; Offly; and Charles Porter); and there dined and talked of the business of the assignments on the Exchequer of the 1;250;000l。 on behalf of our creditors; and there I do perceive that the Counsel had heard of my performance in the Parliament…house lately; and did value me and what I said accordingly。 At dinner we had a great deal of good discourse about Parliament; their number being uncertain; and always at the will of the King to encrease as he saw reason to erect a new borough。 But all concluded that the bane of the Parliament hath been the leaving off the old custom of the places allowing wages to those that served them in Parliament; by which they chose men that understood their business and would attend it; and they could expect an account from; which now they cannot: and so the Parliament is become a company of men unable to give account for the interest of the place they serve for。 Thence; the meeting of the Counsel with the King's Counsel this afternoon being put off by reason of the death of Serjeant Maynard's lady; 'John Maynard; an eminent lawyer; made Serjeant to Cromwell in 1653; and afterwards King's Serjeant by Charles II。; who knighted him; In 1663 he was chosen Member for Berealston; and sat in every Parliament till the Revolution。 Ob。 1690; aged 88。' I to White Hall; where the Parliament was to wait on the King; and they did: and he did think fit to tell them that they might expect to be adjourned at Whitsuntide; and that they might make haste to raise their money; but this; I fear; will displease them; who did expect to sit as long as they pleased。
APRIL 2; 1668。 With Lord Brouncker to the Royall Society; where they had just done; but there I was forced to subscribe to the building of a college; and did give 40l。; and several others did subscribe; some greater and some less sums; but several I saw hang off: and I doubt it will spoil the Society; for it breeds faction and ill…will; and becomes burdensome to some that cannot or would not do it。
3rd。 As soon as we had done with the Duke of York we did attend the Council; and were there called in; and did hear Mr。 Sollicitor make his report to the Council in the business of a complaint against us; for having prepared certificates on the Exchequer for the further sum of 50;000l。; which he did in a most excellent manner of words; but most cruelly severe against us; and so were some of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury; as men guilty of a practice with the tradesmen; to the King's prejudice。 I was unwilling to enter into a contest with them; but took advantage of two or three words last spoke; and brought it to a short issue in good words; that if we had the King's order to hold our hands; we would; which did end the matter: and they all resolved we should have it; and so it ended。 And so we away; I vexed that I did not speak more in a cause so fit to be spoke in; and wherein we had so much advantage; but perhaps I might have provoked the Sollicitor and the Commissioners of the Treasury; and therefore since I am not sorry that I forebore。 This day I hear that Prince Rupert and Holmes do go to sea: and by this there is a seeming friendship and peace among our great seamen; but the devil a bit there is any love among them; or can be。
4th; I did attend the Duke of York; and he did carry us to the King's lodgings: but he was asleep in his closet; so we stayed in the green…roome; where the Duke of York did tell us what rules he had of knowing the weather; and did now tell us we should have rain before to…morrow (it having been a dry season for some time); and so it did rain all night almost; and pretty rules he hath; and told Brouncker and me some of them; which were such as no reason can readily be given for them。 By and by the King comes out: and then to talk of other things; about the Quakers not swearing; and how they do swear in the business of a late election of a Knight of the Shire of Hartfordshire in behalf of one they have a mind to have; and how my Lord of Pembroke says he hath heard the Quaker at the tennis…court swear to himself when he loses; and told us what pretty notions my Lord Pembroke hath of the first chapter of Genesis; and a great deal of such fooleries; which the King made mighty mockery at。
5th。 I hear that eight of the ringleaders in the late tumults of the prentices at Easter are condemned to die。
6th。 The King and Duke of York themselves in my absence did call for some of the Commissioners of the Treasury and give them directions about the business of the certificates; which I; despairing to do any thing on a Sunday; and not thinking that they would think of it themselves; did rest satisfied with; and stayed at home all yesterday; leaving it to do something in this day: but I find that the King and Duke of York had been so pressing in it; that my Lord Ashly was more forward with the doing of it this day than I could have been。 And so I to White Hall with Alderman Backewell in his coach; with Mr。 Blany; my Lord's Secretary; and there did draw up a rough draught of what order I would have; and did carry it in; and had it read twice and approved of before my Lord Ashly and three more of the Commissioners of the Treasury; and then went up to the Council… chamber; where the Duke of York and Prince Rupert; and the rest of the Committee of the Navy; were sitting: and I did get