The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

64 DIARY OF LONDON

2d April, 1671. To Sir Thomas Clifford, the Treasurer,
to condole with him on the loss of his eldest son, who
died at Florence.

2d May, 1671. The French King, being now with a
great army of 28,000 men about Dunkirk, divers of the
grandees of that Court, and a vast number of gentlemen
and cadets, in fantastical habits, came flocking over to
see our Court and compliment his Majesty. I was
present, when they first were ^conducted into the Queen's
withdrawing-room, where saluted their Majesties the
Dukes of Guise, Longueville, and many others of the first
rank:

ioth May, 1671. Dined at Mr. Treasurer's,* in com-
pany with Monsieur De Grammont and several French
noblemen, and one Blood, that impudent, bold fellow who
had not long before attempted to steal the imperial crown
itself out of the Tower, pretending only curiosity of see-
ing the regalia there, when, stabbing the keeper, though
not mortally, he boldly went away with it through all
the guards, taken only by the accident of his horse fall-
ing down. How he came to be pardoned, and even
received into favor, not only after this, but several other
exploits almost as daring both in Ireland and here, I
could never come to understand. Some believed he
became a spy of several parties, being well with the
sectaries and enthusiasts, and did his Majesty services
that way, which none alive could do so well as he; but
it was certainly the boldest attempt, so the only treason
of this sort that was ever pardoned. This man had
not only a daring but a villanous, unmerciful look, a false
countenance, but very well-spoken and dangerously insin-
uating.

nth May, 1671. I went to Eltham, to sit as one of
the commissioners about the subsidy now given by Par-
liament to his Majesty.

17th May, 1671. Dined at Mr. Treasurer's [Sir

are to fill up these blanks. This familiar interview of Nelly and the
King has afforded a subject for painters.

*This entry of xoth May, 1671, so far as it relates to Blood, and the
stealing of the crown, etc., is a mistake. Blood stole the crown on the
9th of May, 1671—the very day beforehand the «not long before»
of Evelyn, and the circumstance of his being «pardoned,» which
Evelyn also mentions, can hardly foe said to relate to only the day
before.December 29, 1680, on Tower Hill.se, only two voted for the bill, of which