The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

JOHN EVELYN

Had it not pleased God to dissipate this attempt in the
beginning, there would in all appearance have gathered
an irresistible force which would have desperately pro
ceeded to the ruin of the Church and Government; so
general was the discontent and expectation of the oppor-
tunity. For my own part, I looked upon this deliver-
ance as most signal. Such an inundation of fanatics
and men of impious principles must needs have caused
universal disorder, cruelty, injustice, rapine, sacrilege,
and confusion, an unavoidable civil war, and misery with-
out end Blessed be God, the knot was happily broken,
and a fair prospect of tranquillity for the future, if
we reform, be thankful, and make a right use of this
mercy!

i8th July, 1685. I went to see the muster of the six
Scotch and English regiments whom the Prince of
Orange had lately sent to his Majesty out of Holland
upon this rebellion, but which were now returning,
there having been no occasion for their use. They
were all excellently clad and well disciplined, and were
encamped on Blackheath with their tents: the King and
Queen came to see them exercise, and the manner
of their encampment, which was very neat and magnificent.

By a gross mistake of the Secretary of his Majesty's
Forces, it liad been ordered that they should be quar-
tered in private houses, contrary to an Act of Parliament,
but, on my informing his Majesty timely of it, it was
prevented.

certificate of the King's marriage to Mrs. Barlow, though her own name
was Walters: but this the Bishop refused. She was born of a gentle-
man's family in Wales, but having little means and less grace, came to
London to make her fortune. Algernon Sydney, then a Colonel in
Cromwell's army, had agreed to give her fifty broad pieces (as he told
the Duke of York); but being ordered hastily away with his regiment,
he missed his bargain. She went into Holland, where she fell into the
hands of his brother, Colonel Robert Sydney, who kept her for some
time, till the King hearing of her, got her from him. On which the
Colonel was heard to say, Let who will have her, she is already sped;
and, after being with the King, she was so soon with child, that the
world had no cause to doubt whose child it was, and the rather that
when he grew to be a man, he very much resembled the Colonel both in
stature and countenance, even to a wart on his face. However, the King
owned the child. In the King's absence she behaved so loosely, that on
his return from his escape at Worcester he would have no further com-
merce with her, and she became a common prostitute at Paris.t he would