h against suffering any
unnecessary delay." There appear to have been considerable delays
in the arrangements for the following declaration of Charles II.
was dated June 22nd, 1661: "Charles R. Whereas his Maj. is resolved
to declare, under his Royall hand and seale, the most illustrious
Lady Infanta of Portugall to be his lawfull wife, before the Treaty
shall be signed by the King of Portugall; which is to be done only
for the better expediting the marriage, without sending to Rome for
a dispensation, which the laws of Portugall would require if the
said most Illustrious Infanta were to be betrothed in that
Kingdome," &c.]

and that the Queen do not intend to embarque sooner than tomorrow come
fortnight. So having sent for my wife, she and I to my Lady Sandwich,
and after a short visit away home. She home, and I to Sir G. Carteret's
about business, and so home too, and Sarah having her fit we went to
bed.

24th. Early Sir G. Carteret, both Sir Williams and I on board the
Experiment, to dispatch her away, she being to carry things to the
Madeiras with the East Indy fleet. Here (Sir W. Pen going to Deptford to
send more hands) we staid till noon talking, and eating and drinking
a good ham of English bacon, and having put things in very good order
home, where I found Jane, my old maid, come out of the country, and I
have a mind to have her again. By and by comes La Belle Pierce to see my
wife, and to bring her a pair of peruques of hair, as the fashion now is
for ladies to wear; which are pretty, and are of my wife's own hair, or
else I should not endure them. After a good whiles stay, I went to see
if any play was acted, and I found none upon the post, it being Passion
week. So home again, and took water with them towards Westminster; but
as we put off with the boat Griffin came after me to tell me that Sir
G. Carteret and the rest were at the office, so I intended to see them
through the bridge and come back again, but the tide being against us,
when we were almost through we were carried back again with much danger,
and Mrs. Pierce was much afeard and frightened. So I carried them to
the other side and walked to the Beare, and sent them away, and so back
again myself to the office, but finding nobody there I went again to the
Old Swan, and thence by water to the New Exchange, and there found them,
and thence by coach carried my wife to Bowes to buy something, and whi