FEBRUARY 1659-60

FEBRUARY 1, 1659-60. Took Gammer East, and James the porter, a
soldier, to my Lord's lodgings, who told me how they were drawn
into the field to-day, and that they were ordered to march away
to-morrow to make room for General Monk; but they did shout their
Colonel Fitch, [Thomas Fitch, Colonel of a regiment of foot in
1658, M.P. for Inverness.] and the rest of the officers out of
the field, and swore they would not go without their money, and
if they would not give it them, they would go where they might
have it, and that was the City. So the Colonel went to the
Parliament, and commanded what money could be got, to be got
against to-morrow for them, and all the rest of the soldiers in
town, who in all places made a mutiny this day, and do agree
together.

2nd. To my office, where I found all the officers of the
regiments in town, waiting to receive money that their soldiers
might go out of town, and what was in the Exchequer they had.
Harper, Luellin, and I went to the Temple to Mr. Calthrop's
chamber, and from thence had his man by water to London Bridge to
Mr. Calthrop a grocer, and received 60l. for my Lord. In our way
we talked with our waterman, White, who told us how the watermen
had lately been abused by some that had a desire to get in to be
watermen to the State, and had lately presented an address of
nine or ten thousand hands to stand by this Parliament, when it
was only told them that it was a petition against hackney
coaches; and that to-day they had put out another to undeceive
the world and to clear themselves. After I had received the
money we went homewards, but over against Somerset House, hearing
the noise of guns, we landed and found the Strand full of
soldiers. So I took my money and went to Mrs. Johnson, my Lord's
sempstress, and giving her my money to lay up, Doling and I went
up stairs to a window, and looked out and saw the foot face the
horse and beat them back, and stood bawling and calling in the
street for a free Parliament and money. By and by a drum was
heard to beat a march coming towards them, and they got all ready
again and faced them, and they proved to be of the same mind with
them; and so they made a great deal of joy to see one another.
After all this I went home on foot to lay up my money, and change
my stockings and shoes. I this day left off my great skirt suit,
and put on my white suit with silver lace coat, and went over to
Harper's, where I met with W. Simons, Doling, Luellin and three
merchants, one of which had occasion to use a porter, so they
sent for one, and James the soldier came, who told us how they
had been all day and night upon their guard at St. James's, and
that through the whole town they did resolve to stand to what
they had began, and that to-morrow he did believe they would go
into the City, and be received there. After this we went to a
sport called, selling of a horse for a dish of eggs and herrings,
and sat talking there till almost twelve at night.

3rd. Drank my morning draft at Harper's, and was told there that
the soldiers were all quiet upon promise of pay. Thence to St.
James's Park, back to Whitehall, where in a guard-chamber I saw
about thirty or forty 'prentices of the City, who were taken at
twelve o'clock last night and brought prisoners hither. Thence
to my office, where I paid a little more money to some of the
soldiers under Lieut.-Col. Miller (who held out the Tower against
the Parliament after it was taken away from Fitch by the
Committee of Safety, and yet he continued in his office). About
noon Mrs. Turner came to speak with me and Joyce, and I took them
and shewed them the manner of the Houses sitting, the door-keeper
very civilly opening the door for us. We went walking all over
White Hall, whither General Monk was newly come, and we saw all
his forces march by in very good plight and stout officers.
After dinner I went to hear news, but only found that the
Parliament House was most of them with Monk at White Hall, and
that in his passing through the town he had many calls to him for
a free Parliament, but little other welcome. I saw in the Palace
Yard how unwilling some of the old soldiers were yet to go out of
town without their money, and swore if they had it not in three
days, as they were promised, they would do them more mischief in
the country than if they had staid here; and that is very likely,
the country being all discontented. The town and guards are
already full of Monk's soldiers.

4th. All the news to-day is, that the Parliament this morning
voted the House to be made up four hundred forthwith.

6th. To Westminster, where we found the soldiers all set in the
Palace Yard, to make way for General Monk to come to the House.
I stood upon the steps and saw Monk go by, he making observance
to the judges as he went along.

7th. To the Hall, where in the Palace I saw Monk's soldiers
abuse Billing and all the Quakers, that were at a meeting-place
there, and indeed the soldiers did use them very roughly and were
to blame. This day Mr. Crew told me that my Lord St. John is for
a free Parliament, and that he is very great with Monk, who hath
now the absolute command and power to do any thing that he hath a
mind to do.

9th. Before I was out of my bed, I heard the soldiers very busy
in the morning, getting their horses ready when they lay at
Hilton's, but I knew not then their meaning in so doing. In the
Hall I understand how Monk is this morning gone into London with
his army; and Mr. Fage told me that he do believe that Monk is
gone to secure some of the Common-council of the City, who were
very high yesterday there, and did vote that they would not pay
any taxes till the House was filled up. I went to my office,
where I wrote to my Lord after I had been at the Upper Bench,
where Sir Robert Pye this morning came to desire his discharge
from the Tower; but it could not be granted. I called at Mr.
Harper's, who told me how Monk had this day clapt up many of the
Common-council, and that the Parliament had voted that he should
pull down their gates and portcullisses, their posts and their
chains, which he do intend to do, and do lie in the City all
night.

To Westminster Hall, where I heard an action very finely pleaded
between my Lord Dorset [Richard, 5th Earl of Dorset, ob. 1677.]
and some other noble persons, his lady and other ladies of
quality being there, and it was about 330l. PER ANNUM, that was
to be paid to a poor Spittal which was given by some of his
predecessors; and given on his side.

10th. Mr. Fage told me what Monk had done in the City, how he
had pulled down the most part of the gates and chains that they
could break down, and that he was now gone back to White Hall.
The City look mighty blank, and cannot tell what in the world to
do; the Parliament having this day ordered that the Common-
council sit no more, but that new ones be chosen according to
what qualifications they shall give them.

11th. I heard the news of a letter from Monk, who was now gone
into the City again, and did resolve to stand for the sudden
filling up of the House, and it was very strange how the
countenance of men in the Hall was all changed with joy in half
an hour's time. So I went up to the lobby, where I saw the
Speaker reading of the letter; and after it was read, Sir A.
Haselrigge came out very angry, and Billing standing at the door,
took him by the arm, and cried, "Thou man, will thy beast carry
thee no longer? thou must fall!" We took coach for the City to
Guildhall, where the Hall was full of people expecting Monk and
Lord Mayor to come thither, and all very joyfull. Met Monk
coming out of the chamber where he had been with the Mayor and
Aldermen, but such a shout I never heard in all my life, crying
out, "God bless your Excellence." Here I met with Mr. Lock, and
took him to an ale-house: when we were come together, he told us
the substance of the letter that went from Monk to the
Parliament; wherein after complaints that he and his officers
were put upon such offices against the City as they could not do
with any content or honour, it states, that there are many
members now in the House that were of the late tyrannical
Committee of Safety. That Lambert and Vane are now in town,
contrary to the vote of Parliament. That many in the House do
press for new oaths to be put upon men; whereas we have more
cause to be sorry for the many oaths that we have already taken
and broken. That the late petition of the fanatique people
prevented by Barebone, for the imposing of an oath upon all sorts
of people, was received by the House with thanks. That therefore
he [Monk] did desire that all writs for filling up of the House
be issued by Friday next, and that in the mean time, he would
retire into the City and only leave them guards for the security
of the House and Council. The occasion of this was the order
that he had last night, to go into the City and disarm them, and
take away their charter; whereby he and his officers said, that
the House had a mind to put them upon, things that should make
them odious; and so it would be in their power to do what they
would with them. We were told that the Parliament had sent Scott
and Robinson to Monk this afternoon, but he would not hear them.
And that the Mayor and Aldermen had offered their own houses for
himself and his officers; and that his soldiers would lack for
nothing. And indeed I saw many people give the soldiers drink
and money, and all along the streets cried, "God bless them!"
and extraordinary good words. Hence we went to a merchant's
house hard by, where I saw Sir Nich. Crisp, [An eminent merchant
and one of the Farmers of the Customs. He had advanced large
sums to assist Charles I., who created him a Baronet. He died
1667, aged 67.] and so we went to the star Tavern, (Monk being
then at Benson's.) In Cheapside there was a great many bonfires,
and Bow bells and all the bells in all the churches as we went
home were a-ringing. Hence we went homewards, it being about ten
at night. But the common joy that was every where to be seen!
The number of bonfires, there being fourteen between St.
Dunstan's and Temple Bar, and at Strand Bridge I could at one
time tell thirty-one fires. In King-street seven or eight; and
all along burning, and roasting, and drinking for rumps. There
being rumps tied upon sticks and carried up and down. The
butchers at the May Pole in the Strand rang a peal with their
knives when they were going to sacrifice their rump. On Ludgate
Hill there was one turning of the spit that had a rump tied upon
it, and another basting of it. Indeed it was past imagination,
both the greatness and the suddenness of it. At one end of the
street you would think there was a whole lane on fire, and so
hot that we were fain to keep on the further side.

12th. In the morning, it being Lord's day, to White Hall, where
Dr. Hones preached; but I staid not to hear, but walking in the
court, I heard that Sir Arth. Haselrigge was newly gone into the
City to Monk, and that Monk's wife removed from White Hall last
night. After dinner I heard that Monk had been at Paul's in the
morning, and the people had shouted much at his coming out of the
church. In the afternoon he was at a church in Broad-street,
whereabout he do lodge. To my father's, where Charles Glascocke
was overjoyed to see how things are now; who told me the boys had
last night broke Barebone's windows. [Praise God Barebones, an
active member of the Parliament called by his name. About this
period he had appeared at the head of a band of fanatics, and
alarmed Monk, who well knew his influence.]

13th. This day Monk was invited to White Hall to dinner by my
Lords; not seeming willing, he would not come. I went to Mr.
Fage from my father's, who had been this afternoon with Monk, who
did promise to live and die with the City, and for the honour of
the City; and indeed the City is very open-handed to the
soldiers, that they are most of them drunk all day, and had money
given them.

14th. To Westminster Hall, there being many new remonstrances
and declarations from many counties to Monk and the City, and one
coming from the North from Sir Thomas Fairfax. [Thomas Lord
Fairfax, mentioned before.] I heard that the Parliament had now
changed the oath so much talked of to a promise; and that among
other qualifications for the members that are to be chosen, one
is, that no man, nor the son of any man that hath been in arms
during the life of the father, shall be capable of being chosen
to sit in Parliament. This day by an order of the House, Sir H.
Vane was sent out of town to his house in Lincolnshire.

15th. No news to-day but all quiet to see what the Parliament
will do about the issuing of the writs to-morrow for the filling
up of the House, according to Monk's desire.

17th. To Westminster Hall, where I heard that some of the
members of the House was gone to meet with some of the secluded
members and General Monk in the City. Hence to White Hall,
thinking to hear more news, where I met with Mr. Hunt, who told
me how Monk had sent for all his goods that he had here, into the
City; and yet again he told me, that some of the members of the
House had this day laid in firing into their lodgings at
Whitehall for a good while, so that we are at a great stand to
think what will become of things, whether Monk will stand to the
Parliament or no.

18th. This day two soldiers were hanged in the Strand for their
late mutiny at Somerset-house.

19th (Lord's day). To Mr. Gunning's, and heard an excellent
sermon. Here I met with Mr. Moore, and went home with him to
dinner, where he told me the discourse that happened between the
secluded members and the members of the House, before Monk last
Friday. How the secluded said, that they did not intend by
coming in to express revenge upon these men, but only to meet and
dissolve themselves, and only to issue writs for a free
Parliament. He told me how Hasselrigge was afraid to have the
candle carried before him, for fear that the people seeing him,
would do him hurt; and that he was afraid to appear In the City.
That there is great likelihood that the secluded members will
come in, and so Mr. Crewe and my Lord are likely to be great men,
at which I was very glad. After dinner there was many secluded
members come in to Mr. Crewe, which, it being the Lord's day, did
make Mr. Moore believe that there was something extraordinary in
the business.

20th. I went forth to Westminster Hall, where I met with
Chetwind, Simons, and Gregory. [Mr. Gregory was, in 1672, Clerk
of the Cheque at Chatham.] They told me how the Speaker Lenthall
do refuse to sign the writs for choice of new members in the
place of the excluded; and by that means the writs could not go
out to-day. In the evening Simons and I to the Coffee House,
where I heard Mr. Harrington, and my Lord of Dorset and another
Lord, talking of getting another place at the Cockpit, and they
did believe it would come to something.

21st. In the morning I saw many soldiers going towards
Westminster Hall, to admit the secluded members again. So I to
Westminster Hall, and in Chancery I saw about twenty of them who
had been at White Hall with General Monk, who came thither this
morning, and made a speech to them, and recommended to them a
Commonwealth, and against Charles Stuart. They came to the House
and went in one after another, and at last the Speaker came, But
it is very strange that this could be carried so private, that
the other members of the House heard nothing of all this, till
they found them in the House, insomuch that the soldiers that
stood there to let in the secluded members they took for such as
they had ordered to stand there to hinder their coming in. Mr.
Prin came with an old basket-hilt sword on, and a great many
shouts upon his going into the Hall. [William Prynne, the
lawyer, well known by his voluminous publications, and the
persecution which he endured. He was M.P. for Bath, 1660, and
died 1669.] They sat till noon, and at their coming out Mr.
Crewe saw me, and bid me come to his house and dine with him,
which I did; and he very joyful told me that; the House had made
General Monk, General of all the Forces in England, Scotland, and
Ireland; and that upon Monk's desire, for the service that Lawson
had lately done in pulling down the Committee of Safety, he had
the command of the Sea for the time being. He advised me to send
for my Lord forthwith, and told me that there is no question
that, if he will, he may now be employed again; and that the
House do intend to do nothing more than to issue writs, and to
settle a foundation for a free Parliament. After dinner I back
to Westminster Hall with him in his coach. Here I met with Mr.
Lock and Pursell, Master of Musique, [Matthew Locke and Henry
Purcell, both celebrated Composers.] and went with them to the
Coffee House, into a room next the water, by ourselves, where we
spent an hour or two till Captain Taylor come and told us, that
the House had voted the gates of the City to be made up again,
and the members of the City that are in prison to be set at
liberty; and that Sir G. Booth's case be brought into the House
to-morrow. [Sir George Booth of Dunham Massey, Bart., created
Baron Delamer; 1661, for his services in behalf of the King.]
Here we had variety of brave Italian; and Spanish songs, and a
canon for eight voices, which Mr. Lock had lately made on these
words: "Domine salvum fac Regem" Here out of the window it was a
most pleasant sight to see the City from one end to the other
with a glory about it, so high was the light of the bonfires, and
so thick round the City, and the bells rang every where.

22nd. Walking in the Hall, I saw Major General Brown, [Richard
Brown, a Major-General of the Parliament forces, Governor of
Abingdon, and Member for London in the Long Parliament. He had
been imprisoned by the Rump Faction.] who had a long time been
banished by the Rump, but now with his beard overgrown, he comes
abroad and sat in the House. To White Hall, where I met with
Will. Simons and Mr. Mabbot at Marsh's, who told me how the House
had this day voted that the gates of the City should be set up at
the cost of the State. And that Major-General Brown's being
proclaimed a traitor be made void, and several other things of
that nature. I observed this day how abominably Barebone's
windows are broke again last night.

23rd. Thursday, my birth-day, now twenty-seven years. To
Westminster Hall, where, after the House rose, I met with Mr.
Crewe, who told me that my Lord was chosen by 73 voices, to be
one of the Council of State, Mr. Pierpoint had the most, 101,
[William Pierrepont, M.P. of Thoresby, second son to Robert,
First Earl of Kingston, ob. 1677, aged 71.] and himself the
next, 100.

24th. I rose very early, and taking horse at Scotland Yard, at
Mr. Garthwayt's stable, I rode to Mr. Pierce's: we both mounted,
and so set forth about seven of the clock; at Puckridge we
baited, the way exceeding bad from Ware thither. Then up again
and as far as Foulmer, within six miles of Cambridge, my mare
being almost tired: here we lay at the Chequer. I lay with Mr.
Pierce, who we left here the next morning upon his going to
Hinchingbroke to speak with my Lord before his going to London,
and we two come to Cambridge by eight o'clock in the morning. I
went to Magdalene College to Mr. Hill, with whom I found Mr.
Zanchy, Burton and Hollins, and took leave on promise to sup with
them. To the Three Tuns, where we drank pretty hard and many
healths to the King, &c.: then we broke up and I and Mr. Zanchy
went to Magdalene College, where a very handsome supper at Mr.
Hill's chambers, I suppose upon a club among them, where I could
find that there was nothing at all left of the old preciseness in
their discourse, specially on Saturday nights. And Mr. Zanchy
told me that there was no such thing now-a-days among them at any
time.

26th. Found Mr. Pierce at our Inn, who told us he had lost his
journey, for my Lord was gone from Hinchingbroke to London on
Thursday last, at which I was a little put to a stand.

27th. Up by four o'clock: Mr. Blayton and I took horse and
straight to Saffron Walden, where at the White Hart, we set up
our horses, and took the master of the house to shew us Audly End
House, who took us on foot through the park, and so to the house,
where the housekeeper shewed us all the house, in which the
stateliness of the ceilings, chimney-pieces, and form of the
whole was exceedingly worth seeing. He took us into the cellar,
where we drank most admirable drink, a health to the King. Here
I played on my flageolette, there being an excellent echo. He
shewed us excellent pictures; two especially, those of the four
Evangelists and Henry VIII. In our going, my landlord carried us
through a very old hospital or almshouse, where forty poor people
was maintained; a very old foundation; and over the chimney-piece
was an inscription in brass: "Orate pro anima, Thomae Bird," &c.
[The inscription and the bowl are still to be seen in the
almshouse.] They brought me a draft of their drink in a brown
bowl, tipt with silver, which I drank off, and at the bottom was
a picture of the Virgin with the child in her arms, done in
silver. So we took leave, the road pretty good, but the weather
rainy to Eping.

28th. Up in the morning. Then to London through the forest,
here we found the way good, but only in one path, which we kept
as if we had rode through a kennel all the way. We found the
shops all shut, and the militia of the red regiment in arms at
the old Exchange, among whom I found and spoke to Nich. Osborne,
who told me that it was a thanksgiving-day through the City for
the return of the Parliament. At Paul's I light, Mr. Blayton
holding my horse, where I found Dr. Reynolds in the pulpit, and
General Monk there, who was to have a great entertainment at
Grocers' Hall.

29th. To my office. Mr. Moore told me how my Lord is chosen
General at Sea by the Council, and that it is thought that Monk
will be joined with him therein. This day my Lord came to the
House, the first time since he come to town; but he had been at
the Council before.