The Diary of Samuel Pepys [278]
place in the House of Lords, and put in an answer to the articles of impeachment, for hearing which a day was absolutely fixed; but the Parliament being shortly afterwards prorogued, the enquiry seems to have been entirely abandoned, notwithstanding the vehemence with which the House of Commons had taken the matter up. Perhaps the King interfered in Lord Mordaunt's behalf, because Andrew Marvel in his "Instructions to a Painter," after saying, in allusion to this business,
"Now Mordaunt may within his castle tower Imprison parents and the child deflower,"
proceeds to observe,
"Each does the other blame, and all distrust, But Mordaunt NEW OBLIGED would sure be just."]
Here was Mr. Sawyer, [Afterwards Sir Robert Sawyer, Attorney General from 1681 to 1687. Ob. 1692.] my old chamber-fellow, [At Magdalene College, where he was admitted a Pensioner, June 1648.] a counsel against my Lord; and I was glad to see him in so good play. No news from the North at all to-day; and the news-book; makes the business nothing, but that they are all dispersed.
27th. To my Lord Crewe, and had some good discourse with him, he doubting that all will break in pieces in the Kingdom; and that the taxes now coming out, which will tax the same man in three or four several capacities as for land, office, profession, and money at interest, will be the hardest that ever came out; and do think that we owe it, and the lateness of its being given, wholly to the unpreparedness of the King's own party, to make their demand and choice; for they have obstructed the giving it by land-tax, which had been done long since.
28th. To White Hall; where, though it blows hard and rains hard, yet the Duke of York is gone a-hunting. We therefore lost our labour, and so to get things ready against dinner at home, and at noon comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, Sir Thomas Crewe, Mr. John Crewe, Mr. Carteret, and Brisband. I had six noble dishes for them, dressed by a man-cook, and commended, as indeed they deserved, for exceeding well done. We eat with great pleasure, and I enjoyed myself in it; eating in silver plates, and all things mighty rich and handsome about me. Till dark at dinner, and then broke up with great pleasure, especially to myself; and they away, only Mr. Carteret and I to Gresham College. Here was Mr. Henry Howard, that will hereafter be Duke of Norfolke, who is admitted this day into the Society, and being a very proud man, and one that values himself upon his family, writes his name, as he do every where, Henry Howard of Norfolke. [Henry Howard, second son of Henry Earl of Arundel, became, on the death of his brother Thomas in 1677, sixth Duke of Norfolk, having been previously created Baron Howard of Castle Rising, in 1669, and advanced to the Earldom of Norwich, 1672; He was a great benefactor to the Royal Society, and presented the Arundel Marbles to the University of Oxford. Ob. 1683-4.]
29th. I late at the office, and all the news I hear I put into a letter this night to my Lord Brouncker at Chatham, thus: "I doubt not of your Lordship's hearing of Sir Thomas Clifford's succeeding Sir H. Pollard [M.P. for Devonshire. Ob. Nov. 27, 1666.] in the Controllership of the King's house; but perhaps our ill (but confirmed) tidings from the Barbadoes may not have reached you yet, it coming but yesterday; viz. that about eleven ships (whereof two of the King's, the Hope and Coventry) going thence with men to attack St. Christopher were seized by a violent hurricana, and all sunk. Two only of thirteen escaping, and those with loss of masts, &c. My Lord Willoughby himself is involved in the disaster, [Francis fifth Lord Willoughby of Parnham, drowned at Barbadoes, 1666.] and I think two ships thrown upon an island of the French, and so all the men (to 500) become their prisoners. 'Tis said too, that eighteen Dutch men- of-war are passed the Channell, in order to meet with our Smyrna ships; and some I hear do fright us with the King of Sweden's seizing our mast-ships at Gottenburgh. But we have too much ill news
"Now Mordaunt may within his castle tower Imprison parents and the child deflower,"
proceeds to observe,
"Each does the other blame, and all distrust, But Mordaunt NEW OBLIGED would sure be just."]
Here was Mr. Sawyer, [Afterwards Sir Robert Sawyer, Attorney General from 1681 to 1687. Ob. 1692.] my old chamber-fellow, [At Magdalene College, where he was admitted a Pensioner, June 1648.] a counsel against my Lord; and I was glad to see him in so good play. No news from the North at all to-day; and the news-book; makes the business nothing, but that they are all dispersed.
27th. To my Lord Crewe, and had some good discourse with him, he doubting that all will break in pieces in the Kingdom; and that the taxes now coming out, which will tax the same man in three or four several capacities as for land, office, profession, and money at interest, will be the hardest that ever came out; and do think that we owe it, and the lateness of its being given, wholly to the unpreparedness of the King's own party, to make their demand and choice; for they have obstructed the giving it by land-tax, which had been done long since.
28th. To White Hall; where, though it blows hard and rains hard, yet the Duke of York is gone a-hunting. We therefore lost our labour, and so to get things ready against dinner at home, and at noon comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, Sir Thomas Crewe, Mr. John Crewe, Mr. Carteret, and Brisband. I had six noble dishes for them, dressed by a man-cook, and commended, as indeed they deserved, for exceeding well done. We eat with great pleasure, and I enjoyed myself in it; eating in silver plates, and all things mighty rich and handsome about me. Till dark at dinner, and then broke up with great pleasure, especially to myself; and they away, only Mr. Carteret and I to Gresham College. Here was Mr. Henry Howard, that will hereafter be Duke of Norfolke, who is admitted this day into the Society, and being a very proud man, and one that values himself upon his family, writes his name, as he do every where, Henry Howard of Norfolke. [Henry Howard, second son of Henry Earl of Arundel, became, on the death of his brother Thomas in 1677, sixth Duke of Norfolk, having been previously created Baron Howard of Castle Rising, in 1669, and advanced to the Earldom of Norwich, 1672; He was a great benefactor to the Royal Society, and presented the Arundel Marbles to the University of Oxford. Ob. 1683-4.]
29th. I late at the office, and all the news I hear I put into a letter this night to my Lord Brouncker at Chatham, thus: "I doubt not of your Lordship's hearing of Sir Thomas Clifford's succeeding Sir H. Pollard [M.P. for Devonshire. Ob. Nov. 27, 1666.] in the Controllership of the King's house; but perhaps our ill (but confirmed) tidings from the Barbadoes may not have reached you yet, it coming but yesterday; viz. that about eleven ships (whereof two of the King's, the Hope and Coventry) going thence with men to attack St. Christopher were seized by a violent hurricana, and all sunk. Two only of thirteen escaping, and those with loss of masts, &c. My Lord Willoughby himself is involved in the disaster, [Francis fifth Lord Willoughby of Parnham, drowned at Barbadoes, 1666.] and I think two ships thrown upon an island of the French, and so all the men (to 500) become their prisoners. 'Tis said too, that eighteen Dutch men- of-war are passed the Channell, in order to meet with our Smyrna ships; and some I hear do fright us with the King of Sweden's seizing our mast-ships at Gottenburgh. But we have too much ill news