: I like not their hearing of Fighting and Crueltie more than can be helped. I have heard little of publick Affaires since the Battle at Naseby, whereat our Army was victorious, and Colonel Cromwell's part much noised abroad. Dr. Sampson says the King's Cause hath suffered more by the Letters found in his Cabinet, the same being now made publick, than by his Defeate many of his Friends greatly grieved thereby his Double-dealing and Arrogance herein proved, during his Treaty with the Parliament at Uxbridge, as likewise in the Irish Affaire. He has now left Ragland Castle, it is supposed making towards the North. Prince Rupert delivering up the City of Bristol in foure Dayes, after that he had boasted he could keepe it foure Months, hath greatly incensed the King against him. Whilst at Ragland the King did give into Hunting and other Sports, and this the while his people were suffering, and many giving up their Property and Time in his Cause, his very Crowne too in peril. Reading in the Arcadia the Prayer of Pamela: so well pleased therewith that I know not that I can spend June 25, my Time more profitably this morning than in Wednesday. copying the same, that I may have it nigh at hand. O all-seeing Light, and eternal Life of all things: to whom nothing is either so great that it may resist, or so small that it is contemned: looke upon my Misery with thine Eye of Mercy, and let thine infinite Power vouchsafe to limit out some portion of Deliverance unto mee, as to thee shall seeme most convenient. Let not Injury, O Lord, triumph over mee, and let my Faults by thy Hand be corrected, and make not mine unjust Enemy the Minister of thy Justice. But yet, my God, if in thy Wisdom this bee the aptest Chastisement for my inexcusable Folly, if this low Bondage bee fittest for my over-high Desires, if the Pride of my not enough humble Heart bee thus to bee broken, O Lord, I yield unto thy will and joyfully embrace what Sorrow thou wilt have mee suffer. Onely thus much let me crave of thee (let my craving, O Lord, bee accepted of thee, since even that proceeds from thee), let mee crave even by the noblest Title, which in my greatest Affliction I may give myselfe, that I am thy Creature, and by thy Goodnesse (which is thyselfe) that thou wilt suffer some beame of thy Majestie so to shine into my Minde that it may still depend confidently on thee. Let Calamitie bee the exercise, but not the overthrow of my Virtue: let this Power prevail, but prevail not to their destruction: let my Greatnesse be their Prey: let my pain bee the Sweetnesse of their Revenge: let them, if so it seemeth good unto thee, vex me with more and more Punishment. But, O Lord, let never their Wickednesse have such a Hand, but that I may carry a pure Minde in a pure Body. My Lord telleth mee he met with Colonel Hammond, who was at the taking of Basing-house, and made Prisoner Oct. 20, there: he and another Officer were taken, before Monday. the House was attacked, by a Party stealing out therefrom on a foggy night. Lieutenant General Cromwell wrote a Letter acquainting the Governour that if any violence were offered these Men, the best in the House should not expect Quarter. The Countesse of Winchester's Gentlewoman and Waiting-woman were killed by a Cannon-shot. Sir Marmaduke Rawdon declared to the Marquesse who proposed to surrender, he would not, so long as a dog, or a cat or rat did remaine: yet it would seeme there was not much Danger of such Extremity, there being found in the Castle vast store of Wheat and 300 Flitches of Bacon, and forty-thousand pounds weight of Cheese, besides Beef. They took off the Lead from the Turrets, to use for Bullets: and the Marchionesse with her Ladies did helpe to cast them. There were within the Castle 600 common Soldiers, most whereof Papists, and fought desperately. Inigo Jones, the great Builder, is one of the Prisoners. So likewise was Winceslaus Hollar who did make his escape. He is one well skilled in the Arte of engraving on Copper. My Lord Arundell did once show mee some small Figures by him, of Women of divers Condition and mode of Apparell, accurately designed from the Life, Merchants' Wives, Country Women, and the like. Hollar had Losse of his Patron when the Earle, who brought him to England, accompanied the Queene Mother and did remaine in Foreign Parts; the King having look'd coldly on him since the Affaire of Strafford he did not incline to returne. Also it is sayd his Majestie was offended by his boldnesse of Speech on some occasion, maintaining his own Right, albeit opposed to the King's Wishes. Colonel Hammond sayth, the Marquesse, on some Quarrel with Sir Marmaduke, he being of the English Church, and the Marquesse a Roman Catholick, became suspicious of him being the Governour, and had him removed; and shortly thereafter the House was taken, the Storme not lasting more than an houre. The Silver plate, Cabinets, Jewells, and other Treasure did afford rich Plunder: the House is burned down to the Ground. Greatly surprised to read in the Perfect Diurnall, that the House has moved that the Lord Willoughby be made an Earle, and the same of other Lords, and that the Earles of Essex, Pembroke, &c., be made Dukes: in all likelihood the matter will end here. They whose Titles are of long Descent, methinks, would not consider newe ranke, given under the circumstances, as any addition to their Dignitie. We heare an English Barony is to bee conferr'd on Lieutenant General Cromwell, with an Estate of 2500 Pound yearly. A Neighbour of the blind Widow came up at Noone to say the poore infirme Creature did appeare neare her last Houre: went straightway to her Cottage, she was still sensible, and did expresse great Satisfaction at my coming: sate some time by her bedside, she spoke of her Sonne, whom she yet beleeves. living, and strong were her Supplications that Divine Mercy might be extended to him, that he might turne from the Evill of his Wayes, even at the Eleventh Houre: My poore prodigal Sonne, thus she spake, hath he in that distant Land, away from his poore old Mother, call'd to minde her Words, her Prayers, and return'd to his Heavenly Father, saying, I have sinned in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne. If the Lord in his Mercy would give mee this hope, then would his unworthy Servant depart in peace. She seemed comforted: and repeated at intervals, With God all things are possible. I left her, in her awful Passage from Life unto Death, a passage to her deprived of Terrour, for her Faithe forsooke her not, but rather burned brighter and brighter, even to the End: she did not live through the night. Her Gaine is my Losse: though poore and meane, I have failed not to find in her Company Edification and ofttimes Comfort. The King hath fled by night from Newark to Oxford: the two Houses have againe resolved to submit to certain Propositions. My Lord hath heard that the young Earle of Carlisle hath established his Claime to the Barbadoes Property, and is inclin'd to enter into Negotiation concerning the same. Present Perill in fighting or strife, or Perill of the deepe waters and pestilence, whichsoever way I turne Trouble on every side. An order hath pass'd that the Summe of 3300 pounds be paid to Lord Willoughby, which I am sure the sayd Lord much needeth. Having been told that Peggy Lydgate was in trouble, I sett forth early as it was farre to walke. Tooke with mee the young Greyhound. Rested awhile at the Bridge, saw many Fish, and a Water hen with her young ones paddling about at the Water's edge by the tall Reeds. The King-fishers did use to frequent hereabout, but they came not in sight to-day feare mee they have beene killed or frighted away; the People deem it lucky to possess them, and hang them up in their Houses. Further downe where the streame narrows stayed againe to hearken to the pleasant Sound made by the Water running with little splashes amid the stones, and keeping up a cheerfull rippling noise as it went on its way through the Meadow below. The Doore of the Cottage was open, Peggy was seated on a low stool, her Face covered with her Apron, the 2 Lads standing by her. The poor Creature hath cause enow for trouble, both her Sons would be Souldiers, the elder in the King's Army, whilst the younger would join the Parliament Forces, some of his Kinsfolk having a yeare agone followed Mr. Oliver Cromwell; so in all likelihood would the Brothers meet in fight against each other. They did appeare moved by their Mother's griefe, the youngest methought shewed some tokens of yielding. I bade him follow mee good part of the way home and have hope that a few words I then spake would prove of some availment. August 16, Armstrong mett Robert Lydgate, he sayd his Saturday. Mother tooke on so, hee had not the heart to leave her: his Brother was gone. The Children greatly pleased with a tame squirrell sent them by the old Man at the Mill. Three Turkeys Oct. 23, and a Basket of Fish came up this day from Thursday. Martins'. Latham House in Lancashire is taken: the Lady Derby hav |