search his heart, and see whether this fault or a greater sin was not the
occasion of this so great tryall. And he tells me, that what Pen gives
out about Cromwell's sending and entreating him to go to Jamaica, is very
false; he knows the contrary: besides, the Protector never was a man that
needed to send for any man, specially such a one as he, twice. He tells
me that the business of Jamaica did miscarry absolutely by his pride, and
that when he was in the Tower he would cry like a child. This he says of
his own personal knowledge, and lastly tells me that just upon the turne,
when Monk was come from the North to the City, and did begin to think of
bringing in the King, Pen was then turned Quaker. This he is most certain
of. He tells me that Lawson was never counted any thing but only a
seaman, and a stout man, but a false man, and that now he appears the
greatest hypocrite in the world. And Pen the same. He tells me that it
is much talked of, that the King intends to legitimate the Duke of
Monmouth; and that he has not, nor his friends of his persuasion, have any
hopes of getting their consciences at liberty but by God Almighty's
turning of the King's heart, which they expect, and are resolved to live
and die in quiett hopes of it; but never to repine, or act any thing more
than by prayers towards it. And that not only himself but all of them
have, and are willing at any time to take the oaths of Allegiance and
Supremacy. Thus far, and upon many more things, we had discoursed when
some persons in a room hard by began to sing in three parts very finely
and to play upon a flagilette so pleasantly that my discourse afterwards
was but troublesome, and I could not attend it, and so, anon, considering
of a sudden the time of night, we found it 11 o'clock, which I thought it
had not been by two hours, but we were close in talk, and so we rose, he
having drunk some wine and I some beer and sugar, and so by a fair
moonshine home and to bed, my wife troubled with tooth ache. Mr.
Blackburne observed further to me, some certain notice that he had of the
present plot so much talked of; that he was told by Mr. Rushworth, how