denied the jurisdiction of the Court. The verdict went for the plaintiff.1 30th April. Came his Majesty to honour my poor villa with his presence, viewing the gardens and even every room of the house, and was pleased to take a small refreshment. There were with him the Duke of Richmond, Earl of St. Albans, Lord Lauderdale,' and several persons of quality. 14th May. Dined with my Lord Mordaunt, and thence went to Barnes, to visit my excellent and ingenious friend, Abraham Cowley. 6 17th. I saluted the old Bishop of Durham, Dr Cosin, to whom I had been kind, and assisted in his exile; but which he little remembered in his greatness. 29th. Dr. Creighton preached his extravagant sermon at St. Margaret's, before the House of Commons.s 30th. This morning was passed my lease of Sayes Court from the Crown, for the finishing of which I had been obliged to make such frequent journeys to London. I returned this evening, having seen the Russian Ambassador take leave of their Majesties with great solemnity. 2nd July. I saw the great Masque at Court, and lay that night at Arundel-house." 4th. I saw his Majesty's Guards, being of horse and foot 4000, led by the General, the Duke of Albemarle, in extraordinary equipage and gallantry, 1 That is, against the King. 2 [Charles Stuart, third Duke of Richmond, 1640-72, afterwards imprisoned in the Tower.] 3 [See ante, p. 149.] 4 John Maitland, first Duke of Lauderdale, 1616-82.] 5 See ante, p. 119.] 6 [Abraham Cowley, 1618-67. He retired to Barn Elms in 1663 for solitude, but left it in 1665 for Porch-house, Chertsey (see post, p. 207). He had lived at Deptford.] 7 [See ante, p. 25.] 9 [See ante, p. 182.] 8 [See ante, p. 17.] consisting of gentlemen of quality and veteran soldiers, excellently clad, mounted, and ordered, drawn up in battalia before their Majesties in Hyde Park, where the old Earl of Cleveland trailed a pike,' and led the right-hand file in a foot company, commanded by the Lord Wentworth, his son; a worthy spectacle and example, being both of them old and valiant soldiers. This was to show the French Ambassador, Monsieur Cominges; 3 there being a great assembly of coaches, etc., in the park. 2 4 7th July. Dined at the Comptroller's; after dinner, we met at the Commission about the streets, and to regulate hackney-coaches, also to make up our accounts to pass the Exchequer. 16th. A most extraordinary wet and cold season. Sir George Carteret, Treasurer of the Navy," had now married his daughter, Caroline, to Sir Thomas Scott, of Scott's Hall, in Kent. This gentleman was thought to be the son of Prince Rupert. 6 2nd August. This evening, I accompanied Mr. Treasurer and Vice-Chamberlain Carteret to his lately married son-in-law's, Sir Thomas Scott, to Scott's-hall. We took barge as far as Gravesend, and thence by post to Rochester, whence in coach and six horses to Scott's Hall; a right noble seat, uniformly built, with a handsome gallery. It stands in a park well stored, the land fat and good. 1 [Thomas Wentworth, first Earl of Cleveland, 1591-1667.] 2 Thomas Wentworth, fifth Baron Wentworth, 1613-65.] 3 [Gaston-Jean-Baptiste de Cominges, Seigneur of St. Fort, Fléac, and La Réole, 1613-70; Ambassador to England, 1662-65. He had come to this country 23rd December, 1662 (see post, under 29th October, 1664, and 20th June, 1665).] 4 [Sir Hugh Pollard (see ante, p. 197).] See ante, p. 15.] Whose ancestor led the Kentish forces at the Armada.] 7 [Scott's Hall, near Smeeth, has now disappeared, and the site belongs to Lord Brabourne.] We were exceedingly feasted by the young knight, and in his pretty chapel heard an excellent sermon by his chaplain. In the afternoon, preached the learned Sir Norton Knatchbull (who has a noble seat hard by, and a plantation of stately fir trees).1 In the church-yard of the parish church I measured an over-grown yew tree, that was eighteen of my paces in compass, out of some branches of which, torn off by the winds, were sawed divers goodly planks.2 10th August. We returned by Sir Norton's, whose house is likewise in a park. This gentleman is a worthy person, and learned critic, especially in Greek and Hebrew. Passing by Chatham, we saw his Majesty's Royal Navy, and dined at Commissioner Pett's, master-builder there, who showed me his study and models, with other curiosities belonging to his art. He is esteemed for the most skilful ship-builder in the world. He hath a pretty garden and banqueting-house, pots, statues, cypresses, resembling some villas about Rome. After a great feast we rode post to Gravesend, and, sending the coach to London, came by barge home that night. 18th. To London, to see my Lord Chancellor, where I had discourse with my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Winchester, who enjoined me to write to Dr. Pierce, President 4 1 [Sir Norton Knatchbull, 1602-85, of Mersham Hatch. He wrote Animadversiones in Libros Novi Testamenti, 1659.] 2 [It has long disappeared from Brabourne churchyard. It was fifty-nine feet in circumference, and De Candolle thought it 3000 years old. Evelyn mentions it in his Sylva (Hunter's ed. 1812, ii. 205).] 3 [Peter Pett, 1610-70, son of Phineas Pett, 1570-1647 (see ante, vol. i. p. 26). He was resident Commissioner of the Navy at Chatham from 1648 to 1667, succeeding his father. See post, under 18th June, 1667.] 4 [See ante, p. 165.] 5 See ante, p. 19.] of Magdalen College, Oxford, about a letter sent him by Dr. Goffe, a Romish Oratorian,' concerning an answer to Dean Cressy's late book.2 3 20th August. I dined at the Comptroller's [of the Household] with the Earl of Oxford and Mr. Ashburnham; it was said it should be the last of the public diets, or tables, at Court, it being determined to put down the old hospitality, at which was great murmuring, considering his Majesty's vast revenue and the plenty of the nation. Hence, I went to sit in a Committee, to consider about the regulation of the Mint at the Tower; in which some small progress was made. 27th. Dined at Sir Philip Warwick's," Secretary to my Lord Treasurer, who showed me the accounts and other private matters relating to the revenue. Thence, to the Commissioners of the Mint, particularly about coinage, and bringing his Majesty's rate from fifteen to ten shillings for every pound weight of gold. 6 31st. I was invited to the translation of Dr. Sheldon, Bishop of London, from that see to Canterbury, the ceremony performed at Lambeth. First went his Grace's mace - bearer, steward, treasurer, comptroller, all in their gowns, and with white staves; next, the Bishops in their habits, eight in number; Dr. Sweate, Dean of the Arches, Dr. Exton, Judge of the Admiralty, Sir William 1 [See ante, vol. i. p. 30.] 2 [Of Dr. Pierce (see ante, p. 116) Wood speaks very unfavourably in his Fasti. He was engaged in many disputes both in his College and at Salisbury. Dean Cressy was bred in the Church of England, and appointed Canon of Windsor and Dean of Leighlin in Ireland, in the time of King Charles I., but the troubles of that time interposed to prevent his receiving benefit from either; he afterwards became a Roman Catholic. The book here referred to is Exomologetis or the motives of his conversion.] 3 [See ante, p. 21.] 4 [See post, under 28th August, 1667.] 6 [See ante, p. 204.] Merick, Judge of the Prerogative Court, with divers advocates in scarlet. After divine service in the chapel, performed with music extraordinary, Dr. French and Dr. Stradling (his Grace's chaplains) said prayers. The Archbishop in a private room looking into the chapel, the Bishops who were Commissioners went up to a table placed before the altar, and sat round it in chairs. Then, Dr. Chaworth presented the commission under the broad seal to the Bishop of Winchester, and it was read by Dr. Sweate. After which, the VicarGeneral went to the vestry, and brought his Grace into the chapel, his other officers marching before. He being presented to the Commissioners, was seated in a great arm-chair at one end of the table, when the definitive sentence was read by the Bishop of Winchester, and subscribed by all the Bishops, and proclamation was three times made at the chapel door, which was then set open for any to enter, and give their exceptions; if any they had. This done, we all went to dinner in the great hall to a mighty feast. There were present all the nobility in town, the Lord Mayor of London, Sheriffs, Duke of Albemarle, etc. My Lord Archbishop did in particular most civilly welcome me. So going to visit my Lady Needham, who lived at Lambeth,' I went over to London. 10th September. I dined with Mr. Treasurer of the Navy, where, sitting by Mr. Secretary Morice, we had much discourse about books and authors, he being a learned man, and had a good collection. 24th October. Mr. Edward Phillips' came to be 1 [See ante, p. 124.] 2 [Sir George Carteret.] 3 [Edward Phillips, of Magdalen Hall, Oxford, 1630-96, son of Milton's only sister, Ann. He was afterwards tutor to Philip Herbert, later seventh Earl of Pembroke. From a letter of Evelyn to Wren in 1665, it appears that the salary of such a preceptor was £20 p. a. "and such other accommodations as shall be in no ways disagreeble to an ingenuous spirit." For this |