He did not encumber him selfe with his wife, but here enjoyed himselfe thus in this paradise till the war brake out, and then retired to Lundy isle.
He had donne something (I have forgott what) that made him obnoxious to the Parliament or Oliver Cromwell, about 1650; would have been hangd if taken; printed severall letters to the Parliament, etc., dated from beyond sea, and all that time lay privately in his howse in Lambeth marsh where the[507] pointed pyramis is. In the garret there, is a long gallery, which he hung all with[508] black, and had some death's heads and bones painted. At the end where his couch was, was in an old Gothique nich (like an old monument) painted a skeleton incumbent[509] on a matt. At the other end where was his pallet-bed was an emaciated dead man stretched out. Here he had severall mortifying and divine motto's (he imitated his lord[510] as much as he could), and out of his windowes a very pleasant prospect. At night he walkt in the garden and orchard. Only Mr. Sydenham, and an old trusty woman, was privy to his being in England.
He dyed about 1676 or 1677—quaere where—he was 80 yeares of age. [He[511] dyed in Scotland yard neer Whitehall about 1675 or 1677; Mr. Beach the quaker can tell me exactly.]
His entertainment to Queen Henrietta Marie at Enston was in anno 163<6, 23 August>. Insert, i.e. sowe[512] my book (which J. S.[513] gave my grandfather Isaac Lyte) in this place ... Goodall[BN], of Ch. Ch. Oxon, composed[514] the musique; I remember the student of Ch. Ch. which sang the songs (<I> now forgett his name).
[515]Mr. Bushell had a daughter maried to a merchant ... in Bristowe.
He was a handsome proper gentleman when I sawe him at his house aforesayd at Lambith. He was about 70 but I should have not guessed him hardly 60. He had a perfect healthy constitution; fresh, ruddy face; hawke-nosed, and was temperate.
As he had the art of running in dept, so sometimes he was attacqued and throwen into prison; but he would extricate him selfe again straingely.
He[516] died about 3 yeares since (<from> Sir William Dugdale), i.e. about 1677; and was buried at....
Memorandum:—in the time of the civill warres his[517] hermitage over the rocks at Enston were hung with black-bayes; his bed had black curtaines, etc., but it had no bed-postes but hung by 4 cordes (covered with black-bayes) instead of bed postes. When the queen-mother came to Oxon to the king, she either brought (as I thinke) or somebody gave her an entire mummie from Egypt, a great raritie, which her majestie gave to Mr. Bushell, but I beleeve long ere this time the dampnesse of the place haz spoyled it with mouldinesse.
Memorandum:—the grotto[518] belowe lookes just south; so that when it artificially raineth, upon the turning of a cock, you are enterteined with a rainebowe. In a very little pond (no bigger then a basin) opposite to the rock, and hard by, stood (1643, Aug. 8) a Neptune, neatly cutt in wood, holding his trident in his hand, and ayming with it at a duck which perpetually turned round with him, and a spanniel swimming after her—which was very pretty, but long since spoyled. I heare that ... earl of Rochester, in whose possession it now is, doeth keepe it very well in order.