old me, that
this day the King hath sent to the House his concurrence wholly with
them against the Popish priests, Jesuits, &c., which gives great
content, and I am glad of it. So home, whither my father comes and dines
with us, and being willing to be merry with him I made myself so as much
as I could, and so to the office, where we sat all the afternoon, and at
night having done all my business I went home to my wife and father, and
supped, and so to bed, my father lying with me in Ashwell's bed in the
red chamber.
3rd. Waked betimes and talked half an hour with my father, and so I
rose and to my office, and about 9 o'clock by water from the Old Swan to
White Hall and to chappell, which being most monstrous full, I could
not go into my pew, but sat among the quire. Dr. Creeton, the Scotchman,
preached a most admirable, good, learned, honest and most severe
sermon, yet comicall, upon the words of the woman concerning the Virgin,
"Blessed is the womb that bare thee (meaning Christ) and the paps that
gave thee suck; and he answered, Nay; rather is he blessed that heareth
the word of God, and keepeth it." He railed bitterly ever and anon
against John Calvin, and his brood, the Presbyterians, and against the
present term, now in use, of "tender consciences." He ripped up Hugh
Peters (calling him the execrable skellum--[A villain or scoundrel; the
cant term for a thief.]--), his preaching and stirring up the maids of
the city to bring in their bodkins and thimbles. Thence going out of
White Hall, I met Captain Grove, who did give me a letter directed
to myself from himself. I discerned money to be in it, and took it,
knowing, as I found it to be, the proceed of the place I have got him to
be, the taking up of vessels for Tangier. But I did not open it till I
came home to my office, and there I broke it open, not looking into
it till all the money was out, that I might say I saw no money in the
paper, if ever I should be questioned about it. There was a piece in
gold and L4 in silver. So home to dinner with my father and wife, and
after dinner up to my tryangle, where I found that above my expectation
Ashwell has very good principles of musique and can take out a lesson
herself with very little pains, at which I am very glad. Thence away
back again by water to Whitehall, and there to the Tangier Committee,
where we find ourselves at a great stand; the establishment being but
L70,000 per annum, and the forces to be kept in t
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