The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

i66s-66 JOHN EVELYN

prizes, to break bulk, and to take to themselves jewels,
silks, etc.: though I believe some whom I could name filled
their pockets, my Lord Sandwich himself had the least
share. However, he underwent the blame, and it created
him enemies, and prepossessed the Lord General, for
he spoke to me of it with much zeal and concern, and I
believe laid load enough on Lord Sandwich at Ox-
ford.

8th December, 1665. To my Lord of Albemarle (now
returned from Oxford), who was declared General at Sea,
to the no small mortification of that excellent person, the
Earl of Sandwich, whom the Duke of Albemarle not
only suspected faulty about the prizes, but less valiant;
himself imagining how easy a thing it were to confound
the Hollanders, as well now as heretofore he fought
against them upon a more disloyal interest.

25th December, 1665, Kept Christmas with my hospit-
able brother, at Wotton.

3oth December, 1665. To Woodcot, where I supped at
my Lady Mordaunt's at Ashsted, where was a room hung
with pintado^ full of figures great and small, prettily
representing sundry trades and occupations of the Indians,
with their habits; here supped also Dr. Duke, a learned
and facetious gentleman.

3ist December, 1665. Now blessed be God for his
extraordinary mercies and preservation of me this year,
when thousands, and ten thousands, perished, and were
swept away on each side of me, there, dying in our parish
this year 406 of the pestilence 1

3d January, 1665-66. I supped'in Nonesuch House,*
whither the' office of the Exchequer was transferred
during the plague, at my good friend Mr. Packer's, and
took an exact view of the plaster statues and bass-relievos
inserted between the timbers and puncheons of the out-
side walls of the Court; which must needs have been the
work of some celebrated Italian. I much admired how
they had lasted so well and entire since the time of Henry
VIII., exposed as they are to the air; and pity it is they
are not taken out and preserved in some dry place; a
gallery would become them. There are some mezzo-
relievos as big as the life; the story is of the Heathen

*0f this famous summer residence of Queen Elizabeth not a ves-
tige remains.