SEPTEMBER 1660

SEPTEMBER 1, 1660. All this afternoon sending express to the
fleet, to order things against my Lord's coming; and taking
direction of my Lord about some rich furniture to take along with
him for the Princesse. [The Princess of Orange.] And talking
after this, I hear by Mr. Townsend, that there is the greatest
preparation against the Prince de Ligne's coming over from the
King of Spain, that ever was in England for their Embassador.

3rd. Up and to Mr. --, the goldsmith, and there, with much ado,
got him to put a gold ring to the jewell, which the King of
Sweden did give my Lord: out of which my Lord had now taken the
King's picture, and intends to make a George of it. About noon
my Lord, having taken leave of the King in the Shield Gallery,
(where I saw with what kindnesse the King did hugg my Lord at his
parting,) I went over with him and saw him in his coach at
Lambeth and there took leave of him, he going to the Downes.

5th. Great newes now-a-day of the Duke d'Anjou's desire to marry
the Princesse Henrietta. [Only brother to Louis XIV.; became
Duke of Orleans on the death of his uncle.] Hugh Peters is said
to be taken. The Duke of Gloucester is ill, and it is said it
will prove the small-pox.

13th. This day the Duke of Gloucester died of the small-pox by
the great negligence of the doctors.

15th. To Westminster, where I met with Dr. Castles, who chidd me
for some error in our Privy-Seale business; among the rest, for
letting the fees of the six judges pass unpaid, which I know not
what to say to, till I speak to Mr. Moore. I was much troubled,
for fear of being forced to pay the money myself. Called at my
father's going home, and bespoke mourning for myself, for the
death of the Duke of Gloucester.

16th. My Lord of Oxford is also dead of the small-pox; in whom
his family dyes, after 600 years having that honour in their
family and name. [This must be a mistake for some other person.
Robert, nineteenth earl of Oxford having died in 1632, and
Aubrey de Vere, his successor, the twentieth Earl, living till
1703.] To the Park, where I saw how far they had proceeded in
the Pell-mell, and in making a river through the Park, which I
had never seen before since it was begun. Thence to White Hall
garden, where I saw the King in purple mourning for his brother.

18th. This day I heard that the Duke of York, upon the news of
the death of his brother yesterday, came hither by post last
night.

To the Miter taverne in Wood-streete (a house of the greatest
note in London,) where I met W. Symons, and D. Scobell, and their
wives, Mr. Samford Luellin, Chetwind, one Mr. Vivion, and Mr.
White, formerly chaplain to the Lady Protectresse, (and still so,
and one they say that is likely to get my Lady Francesse for his
wife). [According to Noble, Jeremiah White married Lady Frances
Cromwell's waiting-woman, in Oliver's lifetime, and they lived
together fifty years. Lady Frances had two husbands, Mr. Robert
Rich, and Sir John Russell, the last of whom she survived fifty-
two years, dying 1721-2.] Here some of us fell to handycapp, a
sport that I never knew before.

20th. To Major Hart's lodgings in Cannon-streete, who used me
very kindly with wine and good discourse, particularly upon the
ill method which Col. Birch and the Committee use in defending of
the army and the navy; promising the Parliament to save them a
great, deal of money, when we judge that it will cost the King
more than if they had nothing to do with it, by reason of their
delayes and scrupulous enquirys into the account of both.

21st. Upon the water saw the corpse of the Duke of Gloucester
brought down to Somerset House stairs, to go by water to
Westminster, to be buried.

22nd. I bought a pair of short black stockings, to wear over a
pair of silk ones for mourning; and I met with The. Turner and
Joyce, buying of things to go into mourning too for the Duke,
which is now the mode of all the ladies in towne. This day Mr.
Edw. Pickering is come from my Lord, and says that he left him
well in Holland, and that he will be here within three or four
days.

23rd. This afternoon, the King having news of the Princesse
being come to Margatte, he and the Duke of York went down thither
in barges to her.

24th. I arose from table and went to the Temple church, where I
had appointed Sir W. Batten to meet him; and there at Sir Heneage
Finch Solliciter General's chambers, before him and Sir W. Wilde,
Recorder of London (whom we sent for from his chamber) we were
sworn justices of peace for Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and
Southampton; with which honour I did find myself mightily
pleased, though I am wholly ignorant in the duties of a justice
of peace.

28th. I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink) of which I
never had drank before, and went away (the King and the Princesse
coming up the river this afternoon as we were at our pay). My
Lord told me how the ship that brought the Princesse and him (The
Tredagh) did knock six times upon the Kentish Knock, which put
them in great fear for the ship; but got off well. He told me
also how the King had knighted Vice-admiral Lawson and Sir
Richard Stayner.

29th. This day or yesterday, I hear, Prince Rupert is come to
Court; but welcome to nobody. [Son of Frederic, Prince Palatine
of the Rhine, afterwards styled King of Bohemia, by Elizabeth,
only sister to Charles I. Ob. 1682.]