that being done, in the book upon the statute of charitable uses, mightily
to my satisfaction. At Woolwich; I there up to the King and Duke, and
they liked the plate well. Here I staid above with them while the ship
was launched, which was done with great success, and the King did very
much like the ship, saying, she had the best bow that ever he saw. But,
Lord! the sorry talke and discourse among the great courtiers round about
him, without any reverence in the world, but with so much disorder. By
and by the Queene comes and her Mayds of Honour; one whereof, Mrs.
Boynton, and the Duchesse of Buckingham, had been very siclee coming by
water in the barge (the water being very rough); but what silly sport they
made with them in very common terms, methought, was very poor, and below
what people think these great people say and do. The launching being done,
the King and company went down to take barge; and I sent for Mr. Pett, and
put the flaggon into the Duke's hand, and he, in the presence of the King,
did give it, Mr. Pett taking it upon his knee. This Mr. Pett is wholly
beholding to me for, and he do know and I believe will acknowledge it.
Thence I to Mr. Ackworth, and there eat and drank with Commissioner Pett
and his wife, and thence to Shelden's, where Sir W. Batten and his Lady
were. By and by I took coach after I had enquired for my wife or her
boat, but found none. Going out of the gate, an ordinary woman prayed me
to give her room to London, which I did, but spoke not to her all the way,
but read, as long as I could see, my book again. Dark when we came to
London, and a stop of coaches in Southwarke. I staid above half an houre
and then 'light, and finding Sir W. Batten's coach, heard they were gone
into the Beare at the Bridge foot, and thither I to them. Presently the
stop is removed, and then going out to find my coach, I could not find it,
for it was gone with the rest; so I fair to go through the darke and dirt
over the bridge, and my leg fell in a hole broke on the bridge, but, the
constable standing there to keep people from it, I was catched up,
otherwise I had broke my leg; for which mercy the Lord be praised! So at