Diary, Mar/Apr 1664/65 | Page 5

that Captain
Minnes, a favourite of Prince Rupert's, do shew my Lord little respect;
but that every body else esteems my Lord as they ought. I am sorry for
the folly of the latter, and vexed at the dissimulation of the former. At
night home to supper and to bed. This day was proclaimed at the
'Change the war with Holland.

5th (Lord's day). Up, and Mr. Burston bringing me by order my Lord's
plates, which he has been making this week. I did take coach and to my
Lord Sandwich's and dined with my Lord; it being the first time he hath
dined at home since his coming from sea: and a pretty odd demand it
was of my Lord to my Lady before me: "How do you, sweetheart? How
have you done all this week?" himself taking notice of it to me, that he
had hardly seen her the week before. At dinner he did use me with the
greatest solemnity in the world, in carving for me, and nobody else, and
calling often to my Lady to cut for me; and all the respect possible.
After dinner looked over the plates, liked them mightily, and indeed I
think he is the most exact man in what he do in the world of that kind.
So home again, and there after a song or two in the evening with Mr.
Hill, I to my office, and then home to supper and to bed.

6th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes by coach, being a most lamentable cold
day as any this year, to St. James's, and there did our business with the
Duke. Great preparations for his speedy return to sea. I saw him try on
his buff coat and hatpiece covered with black velvet. It troubles me
more to think of his venture, than of anything else in the whole warr.
Thence home to dinner, where I saw Besse go away; she having of all
wenches that ever lived with us received the greatest love and
kindnesse and good clothes, besides wages, and gone away with the
greatest ingratitude. I then abroad to look after my Hamaccoes, and so
home, and there find our new chamber-mayde, Mary, come, which
instead of handsome, as my wife spoke and still seems to reckon, is a
very ordinary wench, I think, and therein was mightily disappointed.
To my office, where busy late, and then home to supper and to bed, and
was troubled all this night with a pain in my left testicle, that run up
presently into my left kidney and there kept akeing all night. In great
pain.

7th. Up, and was pretty well, but going to the office, and I think it was
sitting with my back to the fire, it set me in a great rage again, that I
could not continue till past noon at the office, but was forced to go
home, nor could sit down to dinner, but betook myself to my bed, and
being there a while my pain begun to abate and grow less and less.
Anon I went to make water, not dreaming of any thing but my testicle
that by some accident I might have bruised as I used to do, but in
pissing there come from me two stones, I could feel them, and caused
my water to be looked into; but without any pain to me in going out,
which makes me think that it was not a fit of the stone at all; for my
pain was asswaged upon my lying down a great while before I went to
make water. Anon I made water again very freely and plentifully. I kept
my bed in good ease all the evening, then rose and sat up an hour or
two, and then to bed and lay till 8 o'clock, and then,

8th. Though a bitter cold day, yet I rose, and though my pain and

tenderness in my testicle remains a little, yet I do verily think that my
pain yesterday was nothing else, and therefore I hope my disease of the
stone may not return to me, but void itself in pissing, which God grant,
but I will consult my physitian. This morning is brought me to the
office the sad newes of "The London," in which Sir J. Lawson's men
were all bringing her from Chatham to the Hope, and thence he was to
go to sea in her; but a little a'this side the buoy of the Nower, she
suddenly blew up. About 24 [men] and a woman that were in the
round-house and coach saved; the rest, being above 300, drowned: the
ship breaking all in pieces, with 80 pieces of brass ordnance. She lies
sunk, with her round- house above water.