Diary, Jul/Aug 1663 | Page 8

not likely. Thence with
Creed to hire a coach to carry us to Hide Park, to-day there being a
general muster of the King's Guards, horse and foot: but they demand
so high, that I, spying Mr. Cutler the merchant, did take notice of him,
and he going into his coach, and telling me that he was going to shew a
couple of Swedish strangers the muster, I asked and went along with
him; where a goodly sight to see so many fine horses and officers, and
the King, Duke, and others come by a-horseback, and the two Queens
in the Queen-Mother's coach, my Lady Castlemaine not being there.
And after long being there, I 'light, and walked to the place where the

King, Duke, &c., did stand to see the horse and foot march by and
discharge their guns, to show a French Marquisse (for whom this
muster was caused) the goodness of our firemen; which indeed was
very good, though not without a slip now and then; and one broadside
close to our coach we had going out of the Park, even to the nearness as
to be ready to burn our hairs. Yet methought all these gay men are not
the soldiers that must do the King's business, it being such as these that
lost the old King all he had, and were beat by the most ordinary fellows
that could be. Thence with much ado out of the Park, and I 'lighted and
through St. James's down the waterside over, to Lambeth, to see the
Archbishop's corps (who is to be carried away to Oxford on Monday),
but came too late, and so walked over the fields and bridge home
(calling by the way at old George's), but find that he is dead, and there
wrote several letters, and so home to supper and to bed. This day in the
Duke's chamber there being a Roman story in the hangings, and upon
the standards written these four letters--S. P. Q. R., Sir G. Carteret
came to me to know what the meaning of those four letters were; which
ignorance is not to be borne in a Privy Counsellor, methinks, that a
schoolboy should be whipt for not knowing.

5th (Lord's day). Lady Batten had sent twice to invite me to go with
them to Walthamstow to-day, Mrs. Martha' being married already this
morning to Mr. Castle, at this parish church. I could not rise soon
enough to go with them, but got myself ready, and so to Games's,
where I got a horse and rode thither very pleasantly, only coming to
make water I found a stopping, which makes me fearful of my old pain.
Being come thither, I was well received, and had two pair of gloves, as
the rest, and walked up and down with my Lady in the garden, she
mighty kind to me, and I have the way to please her. A good dinner and
merry, but methinks none of the kindness nor bridall respect between
the bridegroom and bride, that was between my wife and I, but as
persons that marry purely for convenience. After dinner to church by
coach, and there my Lady, Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Lemon, and I only, we, in
spite to one another, kept one another awake; and sometimes I read in
my book of Latin plays, which I took in my pocket, thinking to have
walked it. An old doting parson preached. So home again, and by and
by up and homewards, calling in our way (Sir J. Minnes and I only) at

Mr. Batten's (who with his lady and child went in another coach by us),
which is a very pretty house, and himself in all things within and
without very ingenious, and I find a very fine study and good books. So
set out, Sir J. Minnes and I in his coach together, talking all the way of
chymistry, wherein he do know something, at least, seems so to me,
that cannot correct him, Mr. Batten's man riding my horse, and so home
and to my office a while to read my vows, then home to prayers and to
bed.

6th. Up pretty early and to my office all the morning, writing out a list
of the King's ships in my Navy collections with great pleasure. At noon
Creed comes to me, who tells me how well he has sped with Sir G.
Carteret after all our trouble, that he had his tallys up and all the kind
words possible from him, which I believe is out of an apprehension
what a fool he has made of himself hitherto in making so great a stop
therein. But I find, and so my Lord Sandwich may, that Sir G. Carteret
had a design to do