Reymes writes for £700. Sir, here have been an host of women, making moan for their loss in the unfortunate London:* I have with much artifice appeased them for the present, but they are really objects of much pity; and I have counselled them to make choice of some discreet person to represent to us their respective losses. and expectations, that we may consider their cases without clamour and disturbance. Sir, I am ravished to hear our fleet is in so flourishing a condition; I pray God continue it and give you all success. I would beg the presentment of my most humble duty to his Royal Highness, and that you will grace with your more particular commands, Sir, your, &c. John Evelyn to Dr. (afterwards Sir) Christopher Wren. Sayes-Court, 4 Apr. 1665. SIR, You may please to remember that some time since I begged a favour of you in behalf of my little boy: he is now susceptible of instruction, a pleasant, and (though I speak it) a most ingenious and pregnant child. My design is to give him good education; he is past many initial difficulties, and conquers all things with incredible industry: do me that eternal obligation, as to inquire out and recommend me some young man for a preceptor. I will give him £20 per ann. salary, and such other accommodations as shall be no ways disagreeable to an ingenuous spirit; and possibly I may do him other advantages in all cases he will find his condition with us easy, his scholar a delight, and the conversation not to be despised: this obliges me to wish he may not be a morose, or severe person, but of an agreeable temper. The qualities I require are, that he may be a perfect Grecian, and if more than vulgarly mathematical, so much the more accomplished for my design: mine own defects in the Greek tongue and knowledge of its usefulness, obliges me to mention that particular with an extraordinary note: * The "London" frigate, blown up by accident, with above 200 men. See Diary, vol. ii., pp. 391, 393. in sum I would have him as well furnished as might be for the laying of a permanent and solid foundation; the boy is capable beyond his years: and if you encounter one thus qualified, I shall receive it amongst the great good fortunes of my life that I obtained it by the benefit of your friendship, for which I have ever had so perfect an esteem. There is no more to be said, but that when you have found the person, you direct him immediately to me, that I may receive, and value him. Sir, I am told by Sir John Denman that you look towards France this summer: be assured I will charge you with some addresses to friends of mine there, that shall exceedingly cherish you; and though you will stand in no need of my recommendations, yet I am confident you will not refuse the offer of those civilities which I shall bespeak you. There has lain at Dr. Needham's a copy of the Parallel* bound up for you, and long since designed you, which I shall entreat you to accept; not as a recompence of your many favours to me, much less a thing in the least assistant to you (who are yourself a master), but as a token of my respect, as the book itself is of the affection I bear to an art which you so happily cultivate. Dear Sir, I am Your, &c. Sir Thomas Clifford to John Evelyn. ' SIR, Swiftsure, May 11, 1665. I received yesterday your letters of the 20th and 27th of April. I am obliged to you for the large account you give of young Everson; his actions are agreeable to the idea I had of him, but I rather think it dulness and want of breeding than sullenness, and that he will notwithstanding carry a grateful sense of His Majesty's bounty and kindness to him. By what I see of our Plymouth affair, I think the surgeon much in blame; you may please to discharge him, for though it be my district, I leave that matter wholly to you; and as to "A Parallel of the Ancient Architecture with the Modern," written by Roland Freart, sieur de Cambray, and translated by Mr. Evelyn. the Marshal, if you think fit, you may write to him and hear what he says concerning his negligence, and if he do not give you a satisfactory account, pray make no scruple of discarding him, but let him first have notice that he may make up his accounts. I hope Sir William Doyley is not yet returned to you, but that we may find him at Harwich, or Ipswich, for the whole of the fleet is now returning thitherward, and I assure you here are a great many sick that will be set on shore there, and I believe so many that it will require the constant attendance of one of us upon the place at least. I intend to be ashore about it, but cannot stay long. If Sir W. Doyley cannot so well travel, I shall be extremely glad to meet you there. We were at anchor last night about 18 leagues West North West from the Texell; but now under sail toward the Gunfleet before Harwich, the seamen full of courage and cheerfulness, for they are not only satisfied of the good conduct of the Fleet, but also of our good fortune in this expedition, for we have broken the Dutch merchant fleet that was returning, and of 44 there are not above 16 got safe home; 14 or 15 of them we have taken, and the rest run ashore and broken to pieces; so that we have had success in this, and honour in braving their fleet in their ports. I present my respects to Sir Richard Browne, and am with truth and affection, your faithful friend, THOMAS CLifford. We are now this 14th of May, Whitsunday, in sight of land in Norfolk, about Crammer Church: the Duke would have some one of us at Harwich and Ipswich while the fleet lies at the Gunfleet. John Evelyn to the Duke of Albemarle. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE, Dover, 30 May, 1665. Being here at Dover for the examining and auditing my accounts, as one of his Majesty's Commissioners in this Kentish district; and finding that our prisoners at the Castle here, since their late attempt to escape through the Magazine (over which till then they had a very spacious and convenient room to lodge in), are now for want of accommodation necessitated to be kept in a very strait place, by means whereof they grow miserably sick, and are indeed reduced to a sad condition, which cannot be remedied without extraordinary inconvenience to the Lieutenant: My most humble suit to your Grace is, that you will be pleased to give order that they be conveyed to Chelsea College; and the rather, that there being no great number of them, it will be hardly worth the while and charge to maintain officers for them here and particular guards: the condition of the poor men (who suffer for the attempt of their more daring fellows) is very deplorable, nor can it be prevented without enlargement of their quarters, which the Governor cannot spare them without danger. I have already informed your Grace how much we suffer by the scruples of those vessels, who refuse to transport our recovered men to the fleet, which makes me again to supplicate your Grace's fresh orders; it would infinitely conduce to his Majesty's service. But of this, as of several other particulars I shall render your Grace a more ample account at my return to London; where I shall not fail to do my duty as becomes, May it please your Grace, SIR, Your Grace's, &c. John Evelyn to Sir Thomas Clifford. Paynters Hall, Lond. 16 June, 1665. I was in precinct for my journey when your letter arrived, which imparted to us that most glorious victory, in which you have had the honour to be a signal achiever. I pray God we may improve as it becomes us: his Royal Highness being safe, becomes a double instance of rejoicing to us; and I do not know that ever I beheld a greater and more solemn expression of it, unless it were that on his Majesty's Restoration, than this whole City testified. the last night, and which I cannot figure to you without hyperboles. I am heartily sorry for those heroes that are fallen, though it could not have been on a more transcendant occasion. Sir, I communicated your letter to my Lord Arlington, and to his Majesty, who read it greedily. My greatest solicitude is now how to dispose of the prisoners in case you should be necessitated to put them in at the Downs, in order to which my Lord Duke of Albemarle has furnished me with 400 foot and a troop of horse, to be commanded by me for guards if need require; and I am just going to put all things in order. His Grace concludes with me, that Dover Castle would be the most convenient place for their custody, but would by no means invade his Royal Highness's particular province there without his Highness's consent, and therefore advises me to write his Highness for positive commands to the Lieutenant. It is therefore my humble request that you will move him therein, it being of so great importance at this time, and not only for his Castle of Dover, but for the forts likewise near it; and that (besides my own guards) he would be pleased that a competent number of land soldiers might be sent with them from on board, to prevent all accidents, till they come safe to me; for it was so likewise suggested by his Grace, who dismissed me with this expedient: "Mr. Evelyn," says he, "when we have filled all the gaols in the country with our prisoners, if they be not sufficient to contain them, as they sent our men to the East Indies last year, we will send them to the West this year by a just retaliation." Sir, I think fit to let you understand, that I have 3 days since obtained of the Council a Privy Seal, which I moved might be £20,000, in regard of the occasion; together with the use and disposal of the Savoy-Hospital (which I am now repairing and fitting up, having given order for 50 beds to be new made, and other utensils), all which was granted. I also obtained an Order of Council for power both to add to our servants, and to reward them as we should see cause. His Majesty has sent me 3 chests of linen, which he was pleased to tell me of himself before I knew they were gone; so mindful and obliging he is, that nothing may be wanting. Sir, I have no more to add but the addresses of my most humble duty to his Royal Highness, and my services to Mr. Coventry from, Sir, your, &c. |