[John Lambert, major-general in the Parliamentary army. The title
Lord was not his by right, but it was frequently given to the
republican officers. He was born in 1619, at Calton Hall, in the
parish of Kirkby-in-Malham-Dale, in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
In 1642 he was appointed captain of horse under Fairfax, and acted
as major-general to Cromwell in 1650 during the war in Scotland.
After this Parliament conferred on him a grant of lands in Scotland
worth L1000 per annum. He refused to take the oath of allegiance to
Cromwell, for which the Protector deprived him of his commission.
After Cromwell's death he tried to set up a military government.
The Commons cashiered Lambert, Desborough, and other officers,
October 12th, 1659, but Lambert retaliated by thrusting out the
Commons, and set out to meet Monk. His men fell away from him, and
he was sent to the Tower, March 3rd, 1660, but escaped. In 1662 he
was tried on a charge of high treason and condemned, but his life
was spared. It is generally stated that he passed the remainder of
his life in the island of Guernsey, but this is proved to be
incorrect by a MS. in the Plymouth Athenaeum, entitled "Plimmouth
Memoirs collected by James Yonge, 1684" This will be seen from the
following extracts quoted by Mr. R. J. King, in "Notes and Queries,"
"1667 Lambert the arch-rebel brought to this island [St. Nicholas,
at the entrance of Plymouth harbour]." "1683 Easter day Lambert
that olde rebell dyed this winter on Plimmouth Island where he had
been prisoner 15 years and more.">[
was lately returned to sit again. The officers of the Army all forced to yield. Lawson
[Sir John Lawson, the son of a poor man at Hull, entered the navy as
a common sailor, rose to the rank of admiral, and distinguished
himself during the Protectorate. Though a republican, he readily
closed with the design of restoring the King. He was vice-admiral
under the Earl of Sandwich, and commanded the "London" in the
squadron which conveyed Charles II. to England. He was mortally
wounded in the action with the Dutch off Harwich, June, 1665. He
must not be confounded with another John Lawson, the Royalist, of
Brough Hall, in Yorkshire, who was created a Baronet by Charles II,
July 6th, 1665.]
lies still in the river, and Monk—[George Monk, born 1608, created Duke of Albemarle, 1660, married Ann Clarges, March, 1654, died January 3rd, 1676.]—is with his army in Scotland. Only my Lord Lambert is not yet come into the Parliament, nor is it expected that he will without being forced to it. The new Common Council of the City do speak very high; and had sent to Monk their sword-bearer, to acquaint him with their desires for a free and full Parliament, which is at present the desires, and the hopes, and expectation of all. Twenty-two of the old secluded members
["The City sent and invited him [Monk] to dine the next day at
Guildhall, and there he declared for the members whom the army had
forced away in year forty-seven and forty-eight, who were known by
the names of secluded members."—Burnet's Hist. of his Own Time,
book i.]
having been at the House-door the last week to demand entrance, but it was denied them; and it is believed that [neither] they nor the people will be satisfied till the House be filled. My own private condition very handsome, and esteemed rich, but indeed very poor; besides my goods of my house, and my office, which at present is somewhat uncertain. Mr. Downing master of my office.
[George Downing was one of the Four Tellers of the Receipt of the
Exchequer, and in his office Pepys was a clerk. He was the son of
Emmanuel Downing of the Inner Temple, afterwards of Salem,
Massachusetts, and of Lucy, sister of Governor John Winthrop. He is
supposed to have been born in August, 1623. He and his parents went
to New England in 1638, and he was the second graduate of Harvard
College. He returned to England about 1645, and acted as Colonel
Okey's chaplain before he entered into political life. Anthony a
Wood (who incorrectly describes him as the son of Dr. Calybute
Downing, vicar of Hackney) calls Downing a sider with all times and
changes: skilled in the common cant, and a preacher occasionally.
He was sent by Cromwell to Holland in 1657, as resident there. At
the Restoration, he espoused the King's cause, and was knighted and
elected M.P. for Morpeth, in 1661. Afterwards, becoming
Secretary to the Treasury and Commissioner of the Customs, he was in
1663 created a Baronet of East Hatley, in Cambridgeshire, and was
again sent Ambassador to Holland. His grandson of the same name,
who died in 1749, was the founder of Downing College, Cambridge.
The title became extinct in 1764, upon the decease of Sir John
Gerrard Downing, the last heir-male of the family. Sir George
Downing's character will be found in Lord Clarendon's "Life," vol.
iii. p. 4. Pepys's opinion seems to be somewhat of a mixed kind.
He died in July, 1684.]
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
[Peter Gunning, afterwards Master of St. John's College, Cambridge,
and successively Bishop of Chichester and Ely. He had continued to
read the Liturgy at the chapel at Exeter House when the Parliament
was most predominant, for which Cromwell often rebuked him. Evelyn
relates that on Christmas Day, 1657, the chapel was surrounded with
soldiers, and the congregation taken prisoners, he and his wife
being among them. There are several notices of Dr. Gunning in
Evelyn's Diary. When he obtained the mastership of St. John's
College upon the ejection of Dr. Tuckney, he allowed that
Nonconformist divine a handsome annuity during his life. He was a
great controversialist, and a man of great reading. Burnet says he
"was a very honest sincere man, but of no sound judgment, and of no
prudence in affairs" ("Hist. of his Own. Time"). He died July 6th,
1684, aged seventy-one.]
chapel at Exeter House, where he made a very good sermon upon these words:—"That in the fulness of time God sent his Son, made of a woman," &c.; showing, that, by "made under the law," is meant his circumcision, which is solemnized this day. Dined at home in the garret, where my wife dressed the remains of a turkey, and in the doing of it she burned her hand. I staid at home all the afternoon, looking over my accounts; then went with my wife to my father's, and in going observed the great posts which the City have set up at the Conduit in Fleet-street. Supt at my father's, where in came Mrs. The. Turner—[Theophila Turner, daughter of Sergeant John and Jane Turner, who married Sir Arthur Harris, Bart. She died 1686.]—and Madam Morrice, and supt with us. After that my wife and I went home with them, and so to our own home.