20th. (Lord's-day). My intention being to go this morning to White Hall to hear Louth, my Lord Chancellor's chaplain, the famous preacher and oratour of Oxford, (who the last Lord's-day did sink down in the pulpit before the King, and could not proceed,) it did rain, and the wind against me, that I could by no means get a boat or coach to carry me; and so I staid at Paul's, where the Judges did all meet, and heard a sermon, it being the first Sunday of the terme; but they had a very poor sermon.
21st. At noon dined with my Lord Crewe; and after dinner went up to Sir Thos. Crewe's chamber, who is still ill. He tells me how my Lady Duchesse of Richmond [Mary, daughter to George Duke of Buckingham wife of James, fourth Duke of Lennox and third Duke of Richmond.] and Castlemaine had a falling out the other day; and she calls the latter Jane Shore, and did hope to see her come to the same end. Coming down again to my Lord, he told me that news was come that the Queene is landed; at which I took leave, and by coach hurried to White Hall, the bells ringing in several places; but I found there no such matter, nor anything like it.
22nd. We come to Gilford.
23rd. Up early, and to Petersfield; and thence got a countryman to guide us by Havant, to avoid going through the Forest; but he carried us much out of the way. I lay at Wiard's, the chyrurgeon's, in Portsmouth.
24th. All of us to the Pay-house; but the books not being ready, we went to church to the lecture, where there was my Lord Ormond and Manchester, and much London company, though not so much as I expected. Here we had a very good sermon upon this text: "In love serving one another;" which pleased me very well. No news of the Queene at all. So to dinner; and then to the Pay all the afternoon. Then W. Pen and I walked to the King's Yard.
26th. Sir George and I, and his clerk Mr. Stephens, and Mr. Holt our guide, over to Gosport; and so rode to Southampton. In our way, besides my Lord Southampton's parks and lands, which in one viewe we could see 6000l. per annum, [Tichfield House, erected by Sir Thomas Wriothesley, on the site of an Abbey of Premonstratenses, granted to him with their estates, 29th Henry VIII. Upon the death of his descendant, Thomas, Earl of Southampton, and Lord Treasurer, without issue male, the house and manor were allotted to his eldest daughter Elizabeth, wife of Edmund, 1st Earl of Gainsborough; and their only son dying S.P.M., the property devolved to his sister Elizabeth, married to Henry, Duke of Portland whose grandson, the 3rd Duke, alienated it to Mr. Delme.] we observed a little church-yard, where the graves are accustomed to be all sowed with sage. At Southampton. The towne is one most gallant street, and is walled round with stone, &c., and Bevis's picture upon one of the gates; many old walls of religious houses, and the keye, well worth seeing.
27th. I rode to church, and met my Lord Chamberlaine upon the walls of the garrison, who owned and spoke to me. I followed him in the crowde of gallants through the Queene's lodgings to chapel; the rooms being all rarely furnished, and escaped hardly being set on fire yesterday. At chapel we had a most excellent and eloquent sermon. By coach to the Yard, and then on board the Swallow in the dock, where our navy chaplain preached a sad sermon, full of nonsense and false Latin; but prayed for the Right Honourable the principall officers. Visited the Mayor, Mr. Timbrell, our anchor-smith, who showed us the present they have for the Queene; which is a salt-sellar of silver, the walls christall, with four eagles and four greyhounds standing up at the top to bear up a dish; which indeed is one of the neatest pieces of plate that ever I saw, and the case is very pretty also. [A salt-sellar answering this description is preserved at the Tower.] This evening come a merchantman in the harbour, which we hired at London to carry horses to Portugall; but Lord! what running, here was to the seaside to hear what news, thinking it had come from the Queene.
MAY 1, 1662. Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Pen, and myself, with our clerks, set out this morning from Portsmouth very early, and got by noon to Petersfield; several officers of the Yard accompanying us so far. At dinner comes my Lord Carlingford [Theobald second Viscount Taafe, created Earl of Carlingford, co. Louth, 1661-2.] from London, going to Portsmouth: tells us that the Duchesse of York is brought to bed of a girle, at which I find nobody pleased; and that Prince Rupert and the Duke of Buckingham are sworne of the Privy Councell.
7th. Walked to Westminster; where I understand the news that Mr. Montagu is last night come to the King with news, that he left the Queene and fleete in the Bay of Biscay, coming this wayward; and that he believes she is now at the Isle of Scilly. Thence to Paul's Church Yard; where seeing my Ladys Sandwich and Carteret, and my wife (who this day made a visit the first time to my Lady Carteret) come by coach, and going to Hide Parke, I was resolved to follow them; and so went to Mrs. Turner's: and thence at the Theatre, where I saw the last act of the "Knight of the Burning Pestle," [A Comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher.] (which pleased me not at all), and so after the play done, she and The. Turner and Mrs. Lucin and I, in her coach to the Parke; and there found them out, and spoke to them; and observed many fine ladies, and staid till all were gone almost.
8th. Sir G. Carteret told me, that the Queene and the fleet were in Mount's Bay on Monday last; and that the Queene endures her sickness pretty well. He also told me how Sir John Lawson hath done some execution upon the Turkes in the Straight, of which I was glad, and told the news the first on the Exchange, and was much followed by merchants to tell it. Sir G. Carteret, among other discourse, tells me that it is Mr. Coventry that is to come to us as a Commissioner of the Navy; at which he is much vexed, and cries out upon Sir W. Pen, and threatens him highly. And looking upon his lodgings, which are now enlarging, he in a passion cried, "Guarda mi spada; for, by God, I may chance to keep him in Ireland, when he is there:" for Sir W. Pen is going thither with my Lord Lieutenant. But it is my design to keep much in with Sir George; and I think I have begun very well towards it.