The Diary of Samuel Pepys [195]
in much trouble as to the pains I have taken, and the rubs I expect to meet with, about the business of Tangier. The fleet, with about 106 ships upon the coast of Holland, in sight of the Dutch, within the Texel. Great fears of the sicknesse here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are already shut up. God preserve us all!
MAY 1, 1665. I met my Lord Brouncker, Sir Robert Murrey, Dean Wilkins, and Mr. Hooke, going by coach to Colonel Blunt's to dinner. [Wricklesmarsh, in the parish of Charlton, which belonged, in 1617, to Edward Blount, Esq., whose family alienated it towards the end of the seventeenth century. The old mansion was pulled down by Sir Gregory Page, Bart., who erected a magnificent stone structure on the site; which, devolving to his great nephew, Sir Gregory Page Turner, shared the same fate as the former house, having been sold in lots in 1784.] So they stopped and took me with them. Landed at the Tower-wharf, and thence by water to Greenwich; and there coaches met us; and to his house, a very stately sight for situation and brave plantations; and among others, a vine-yard, the first that ever I did see. No extraordinary dinner, nor any other entertainment good; but afterwards to the tryal of some experiments about making of coaches easy. And several we tried; but one did prove mighty easy, (not here for me to describe, but the whole body of the coach lies upon one long spring,) and we all, one after another, rid in it; and it is very fine and likely to take. Thence to Deptford, and in to Mr. Evelyn's, which is a most beautiful place; [Says-Court, the well-known residence of John Evelyn, Esq.] but it being dark and late, I staid not; but Dean Wilkins and Mr. Hooke and I, walked to Redriffe; and noble discourse all day long did please me.
3rd. My Lord Chief-Justice Hide did die suddenly this week, a day or two ago, of an apoplexy.
5th. After dinner, to Mr. Evelyn's; he being abroad, we walked in his garden, and a lovely noble ground he hath indeed. And among other rarities, a hive of bees, so as being hived in glass, you may see the bees making their honey and combs mighty pleasantly.
10th. To the Cocke-pitt, where the Duke did give Sir W. Batten and me an account of the late taking of eight ships, and of his intent to come back to the Gunfleete with the fleet presently; which creates us much work and haste therein, against the fleet comes. And thence to the Guard in Southwarke, there to get some soldiers, by the Duke's order, to go keep pressmen on board our ships.
14th. To church, it being Whit-sunday; my wife very fine in a new yellow bird's-eye hood, as the fashion is now. I took a coach, and to Wemstead, the house where Sir H. Mildmay died, and now Sir Robert Brookes lives, having bought it of the Duke of York, it being forfeited to him. [Sir Robert Brookes, Lord of the Manor of Wanstead, from 1662 to 1687. M.P. for Aldborough in Suffolk. He afterwards retired to France, and died there in bad circumstances. From a letter among the PEPYS MSS., Sir Robert Brookes appears to have been drowned in the river at Lyons.] A fine seat, but an old-fashioned house; and being not full of people looks flatly.
17th. The Duchesse of York went down yesterday to meet the Duke.
18th. To the Duke of Albemarle, where we did examine Nixon and Stanesby, about their late running from two Dutchmen; for which they were committed to a vessel to carry them to the fleet to be tried. A most fowle unhandsome thing as ever was heard, for plain cowardice on Nixon's part.
23rd. Late comes Sir Arthur Ingram [Sir Arthur Ingram, Knight, of Knottingley, Surveyor of the Customs at Hull.] to my office, to tell me, that, by letters from Amsterdam of the 18th of this month, the Dutch fleet, being about 100 men-of-war, besides fire- ships, &c., did set out upon the 13th and 14th inst. Being divided into seven squadrons, viz.--1. General Opdam. 2. Cottenar of Rotterdam. [Died of his wounds after the sea-fight in 1665.] 3. Trump. 4. Schram, of Horne. 5. Stillingworth, of Freezland.
MAY 1, 1665. I met my Lord Brouncker, Sir Robert Murrey, Dean Wilkins, and Mr. Hooke, going by coach to Colonel Blunt's to dinner. [Wricklesmarsh, in the parish of Charlton, which belonged, in 1617, to Edward Blount, Esq., whose family alienated it towards the end of the seventeenth century. The old mansion was pulled down by Sir Gregory Page, Bart., who erected a magnificent stone structure on the site; which, devolving to his great nephew, Sir Gregory Page Turner, shared the same fate as the former house, having been sold in lots in 1784.] So they stopped and took me with them. Landed at the Tower-wharf, and thence by water to Greenwich; and there coaches met us; and to his house, a very stately sight for situation and brave plantations; and among others, a vine-yard, the first that ever I did see. No extraordinary dinner, nor any other entertainment good; but afterwards to the tryal of some experiments about making of coaches easy. And several we tried; but one did prove mighty easy, (not here for me to describe, but the whole body of the coach lies upon one long spring,) and we all, one after another, rid in it; and it is very fine and likely to take. Thence to Deptford, and in to Mr. Evelyn's, which is a most beautiful place; [Says-Court, the well-known residence of John Evelyn, Esq.] but it being dark and late, I staid not; but Dean Wilkins and Mr. Hooke and I, walked to Redriffe; and noble discourse all day long did please me.
3rd. My Lord Chief-Justice Hide did die suddenly this week, a day or two ago, of an apoplexy.
5th. After dinner, to Mr. Evelyn's; he being abroad, we walked in his garden, and a lovely noble ground he hath indeed. And among other rarities, a hive of bees, so as being hived in glass, you may see the bees making their honey and combs mighty pleasantly.
10th. To the Cocke-pitt, where the Duke did give Sir W. Batten and me an account of the late taking of eight ships, and of his intent to come back to the Gunfleete with the fleet presently; which creates us much work and haste therein, against the fleet comes. And thence to the Guard in Southwarke, there to get some soldiers, by the Duke's order, to go keep pressmen on board our ships.
14th. To church, it being Whit-sunday; my wife very fine in a new yellow bird's-eye hood, as the fashion is now. I took a coach, and to Wemstead, the house where Sir H. Mildmay died, and now Sir Robert Brookes lives, having bought it of the Duke of York, it being forfeited to him. [Sir Robert Brookes, Lord of the Manor of Wanstead, from 1662 to 1687. M.P. for Aldborough in Suffolk. He afterwards retired to France, and died there in bad circumstances. From a letter among the PEPYS MSS., Sir Robert Brookes appears to have been drowned in the river at Lyons.] A fine seat, but an old-fashioned house; and being not full of people looks flatly.
17th. The Duchesse of York went down yesterday to meet the Duke.
18th. To the Duke of Albemarle, where we did examine Nixon and Stanesby, about their late running from two Dutchmen; for which they were committed to a vessel to carry them to the fleet to be tried. A most fowle unhandsome thing as ever was heard, for plain cowardice on Nixon's part.
23rd. Late comes Sir Arthur Ingram [Sir Arthur Ingram, Knight, of Knottingley, Surveyor of the Customs at Hull.] to my office, to tell me, that, by letters from Amsterdam of the 18th of this month, the Dutch fleet, being about 100 men-of-war, besides fire- ships, &c., did set out upon the 13th and 14th inst. Being divided into seven squadrons, viz.--1. General Opdam. 2. Cottenar of Rotterdam. [Died of his wounds after the sea-fight in 1665.] 3. Trump. 4. Schram, of Horne. 5. Stillingworth, of Freezland.