The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

DIARY OF LONDON

tian recitative, as masterly as could be, and with an ex-
cellent voice both treble and bass; Dr. Walgrave
accompanied it with his THEORBO LUTE, on which he per-
formed beyond imagination, and is doubtless one of the
greatest masters in Europe on that charming instrument.
Pordage is a priest, as Mr. Bernard Howard told me in,
private.

There was in the room where we dined, and in his
bedchamber, those incomparable pieces of Columbus, a
Flagellation, the Grammar school, the Venus and' Adonis
of Titian; and of Vandyke's that picture of the late Earl
of Digby (father of the Countess of Sunderland), and
Earl of Bedford, Sir Kenelm Digby, and two ladies of
incomparable performance; besides that of Moses and the
burning bush of Bassano, and several other pieces 'of the
best masters. _ A marble head of M. Brutus, etc.

28th January, 1685. I was invited to my Lord Arundel's,
of Wardour (now newly released of his six years' con-
finement in the Tower on suspicion of the plot called
Oates's Plot), where after dinner the same Mr. Pordage
entertained us with his voice, that excellent and stupen-
dous artist, Signor John Baptist, playing to it on the
harpsichord. My daughter Mary being with us, she also
sang to the great satisfaction of both the masters, and a
world of people of quality present.

She did so also at my Lord Rochester's the evening
following, where we had the French boy so famed for
his singing, and indeed he had a delicate voice, and had
been well taught. I also heard Mrs. Packer (daughter
to my old friend) sing before his Majesty and the Duke,
privately, that stupendous bass, Gosling, accompanying
her, but hers was so loud as took away much of the
sweetness. Certainly neVer woman had a stronger ot
better ear, could she possibly have governed it. She
would do rarely in a large church among the nuns.

4th February, 1685. I went to London, hearing his
Majesty had been the Monday before (26. February) sur-
prised in his bedchamber with an apoplectic fit, so that
if, by God's providence, Dr. King (that excellent chirur-
geon as well as physician) had not been accidentally
present to let him bleed (having his lancet in his pocket),
his Majesty had certainly died that moment; which might
have been of direful consequence, there being nobody else-ET, ii. 989.cules, fight with the Centaurs,