21st November, 1653. I went to London, to speak with Sir John Evelyn, my kinsman, about the purchase of an estate of Mr. Lambard's at Westeram, which afterward Sir John himself bought for his son-in-law, Leech.
4th December, 1653. Going this day to our church, I was surprised to see a tradesman, a mechanic, step up; I was resolved yet to stay and see what he would make of it. His text was from 2 Sam. xxiii. 20: "And Benaiah went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow"; the purport was, that no danger was to be thought difficult when God called for shedding of blood, inferring that now the saints were called to destroy temporal governments; with such feculent stuff; so dangerous a crisis were things grown to.
25th December, 1653. Christmas day. No churches, or public assembly. I was fain to pass the devotions of that Blessed day with my family at home.
20th January, 1653-54. Come to see my old acquaintance and the most incomparable player on the Irish harp, Mr. Clark,[48] after his travels. He was an excellent musician, a discreet gentleman, born in Devonshire (as I remember). Such music before or since did I never hear, that instrument being neglected for its extraordinary difficulty; but, in my judgment, far superior to the lute itself, or whatever speaks with strings.
25th January, 1654. Died my son, J. Stansfield, of convulsion fits; buried at Deptford on
the east corner of the church, near his mother's great-grandfather, and other relatives.
8th February, 1654. Ash Wednesday. In contradiction to all custom and decency, the usurper, Cromwell, feasted at the Lord Mayor's, riding in triumph through the city.
14th February, 1654. I saw a tame lion play familiarly with a lamb; he was a huge beast, and I thrust my hand into his mouth and found his tongue rough like a cat's; a sheep also with six legs, which made use of five of them to walk; a goose that had four legs, two crops, and as many vents.
29th March, 1654. That excellent man, Mr. Owen, preached in my library on Matt. xxviii. 6, a resurrection sermon, and after it we all received the Holy Communion.
6th April, 1654. Came my Lord Herbert, Sir Kenelm Digby, Mr. Denham, and other friends to see me.