1659-60

The Diary

JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
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MAY
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
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DECEMBER

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, having my wife, and servant Jane, and no other in family than us three.

The condition of the State was thus, viz the Rump, after being disturbed by my Lord Lambert,¹ was lately returned to sit again. The officers of the Army all forced to yield Lawson² lies still in the river, and Monk³ 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 the expectations of all Twenty-two of the old secluded members 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 certain Mr Downing⁴ master of my office.⁵

January 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’s⁶ chapel at Exeter House,⁷ 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 the 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 the whole afternoon, looking over my accounts, then went with my wife to my father’s, and in going observed the great posts which the City workmen set up at the Conduit in Fleet-street.

2nd Walked a great while in Westminster Hall, where I heard that Lambert was coming up to London that my Lord Fairfax was in the head of the Irish brigade, but it was not certain what he would declare for The House was to-day upon finishing the act for the Council of State, which they did, and for the indemnity to the soldiers, and were to sit again thereupon in the afternoon Great talk that many places had declared for a free Parliament, and it is believed that they will be forced to fill up the House with the old members. From the Hall I called at home, and so went to Mr Crewe’s⁸ (my wife she was to go to her father’s), and Mr Moore and I and another gentleman went out and drank a cup of ale together in the new market, and there I eat some bread and cheese for my dinner.

3rd To White Hall, where I understood that the Parliament had passed the act for indemnity for the soldiers and officers that would come in, in so many days, and that my Lord Lambert should have benefit of the said act. They had also voted that all vacancies in the House, by the death of any of the old members, should be filled up, but those that are living shall not be called in.

4th Strange the difference of men’s talk. Some say that Lambert must of necessity yield up, others, that he is very strong, and that the Fifth-monarchy-men will stick to him, if he declares for a free Parliament Chillington was sent yesterday to him with the vote of pardon and indemnity from the Parliament Went and walked in the Hall, where I heard that the Parliment spent this day in fasting and prayer, and in the afternoon came letters from the North, that brought certain news that my Lord Lambert his forces were all forsaking him, and that he was left with only fifty horse, and that he did now declare for the Parliament himself, and that my Lord Fairfax⁹ did also rest satisfied, and had laid down his arms, and that what he had done was only to secure the country against my Lord Lambert his raising of money, and free quarter.

5th I dined with Mr Shepley, at my Lord’s¹⁰ lodgings, upon his turkey-pie And so to my office again, where the Excise money was brought, and some of it told to soldiers till it was dark. Then I went home, after writing to my Lord the news that the Parliament had this night voted that the members that were