Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 02: January 1659-1660

Produced by David Widger
(Unabridged)
JANUARY 1659-60
Blessed be God, at the end of the last year I was in very good health, without any sense of my old pain, but upon taking of cold.
I lived in Axe Yard,
The condition of the State was thus; viz. the Rump, after being disturbed by my Lord Lambert,
was lately returned to sit again. The officers of the Army all forced to yield. Lawson
Jan. 1st (Lord's day). This morning (we living lately in the garret,) I rose, put on my suit with great skirts, having not lately worn any other, clothes but them. Went to Mr. Gunning's
but missed of him, he being abroad. Then I went to Mr. Crew's
and borrowed L10 of Mr. Andrewes for my own use, and so went to my office, where there was nothing to do. Then I walked a great while in Westminster Hall, where I heard that Lambert was coming up to London; that my Lord Fairfax
O let that day from time be bloted quitt, And beleef of 't in next age be waved, In depest silence that act concealed might, That so the creadet of our nation might be saved; But if the powre devine hath ordered this, His will's the law, and our must aquiess.
These wretched verses have obviously no merit; but they are curious as showing that Fairfax, who had refused to act as one of Charles I's judges; continued long afterwards to entertain a proper horror for that unfortunate monarch's fate. It has recently been pointed out to me, that the lines were not originally composed by Fairfax, being only a poor translation of the spirited lines of Statius (Sylvarum lib. v. cap. ii. l. 88)