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DIARY O^ LONDON

about putting into my hands the disposal of fifty pounds,
which the charitable people of Oxford had sent to be
distributed among* the sick and wounded seamen since the
battle. Hence, I went to the Lord Chancellor's to joy
him of his Royal Highness*s second son, now born at St.
James's; and to desire the use of the Star-chamber for
our Commissioners to meet in, Painters' Hall not being
so convenient.

12th July, 1666. We sat the first time in the Star-
chamber. There was now added to our commission Sir
George Downing (one that had been a great .
against his Majesty, but now insinuated into his favor;
and, from a pedagogue and fanatic preacher, not worth a
groat, had become excessively rich), to inspect the hospi-
tals and treat about prisons.

14th July, 1666. Sat at the Tower with Sir J. Duncomb
and Lord Berkeley, to sign deputations for undertakers to
furnish their proportions of saltpetre.

17th July, 1666. To London, to prepare for the next
engagement of the fleets, now gotten to sea again.

22d July, 1666. Our parish still infected with the
contagion.

25th July, 1666. The fleets engaged, I dined at Lord
Berkeley's, at St. James's, where dined my Lady Harri-
etta Hyde, Lord Arlington, and Sir John Duncomb.

2 pth July, 1666. The pestilence now fresh increasing in
our parish, I forbore going to church. In the afternoon
came tidings of our victory over the Dutch, sinking some,
and driving others aground, and into their ports.

ist August, 1666. I went to Dr. Kefflec, who married
the daughter of the famous chemist, Drebbell,* inventor
of the bodied scarlet. I went to see his iron ovens, made
portable (formerly) for the Prince of Orange's army: sup-
ped at the Rhenish Wine-House with divers Scots gen-
tlemen.

6th August, 1666. Dined with Mr. Povey, and then went

* Cornelius Van Drebbell, born at Alkmaar, in Holland, in 1572;
but in the reign of Charles I. settled in London, where he died in 1634.
He was famous for other discoveries in science besides that mentioned
by Evelyn — the most important of which was the thermometer. He
also made improvements in microscopes and telescopes; and though,
like many of his scientific contemporaries, something of an empiric,
possessed a considerable knowledge of chemistry and of different
branches of natural philosophy.



	DIARY O^ LONDON about putting into my hands the disposal of fifty pounds, which the charitable people of Oxford had sent to be distributed among* the sick and wounded seamen since the battle. Hence, I went to the Lord Chancellor's to joy him of his Royal Highnesss second son, now born at St. James's; and to desire the use of the Star-chamber for our Commissioners to meet in, Painters' Hall not being so convenient. 12th July, 1666. We sat the first time in the Star- chamber. There was now added to our commission Sir George Downing (one that had been a great . against his Majesty, but now insinuated into his favor; and, from a pedagogue and fanatic preacher, not worth a groat, had become excessively rich), to inspect the hospi- tals and treat about prisons. 14th July, 1666. Sat at the Tower with Sir J. Duncomb and Lord Berkeley, to sign deputations for undertakers to furnish their proportions of saltpetre. 17th July, 1666. To London, to prepare for the next engagement of the fleets, now gotten to sea again. 22d July, 1666. Our parish still infected with the contagion. 25th July, 1666. The fleets engaged, I dined at Lord Berkeley's, at St. James's, where dined my Lady Harri- etta Hyde, Lord Arlington, and Sir John Duncomb. 2 pth July, 1666. The pestilence now fresh increasing in our parish, I forbore going to church. In the afternoon came tidings of our victory over the Dutch, sinking some, and driving others aground, and into their ports. ist August, 1666. I went to Dr. Kefflec, who married the daughter of the famous chemist, Drebbell, inventor of the bodied scarlet. I went to see his iron ovens, made portable (formerly) for the Prince of Orange's army: sup- ped at the Rhenish Wine-House with divers Scots gen- tlemen. 6th August, 1666. Dined with Mr. Povey, and then went * Cornelius Van Drebbell, born at Alkmaar, in Holland, in 1572; but in the reign of Charles I. settled in London, where he died in 1634. He was famous for other discoveries in science besides that mentioned by Evelyn — the most important of which was the thermometer. He also made improvements in microscopes and telescopes; and though, like many of his scientific contemporaries, something of an empiric, possessed a considerable knowledge of chemistry and of different branches of natural philosophy.