The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

DIARY OF LONDON

fill, "but especially a large cabinet, looking-glass frame
and stands, all of amber, much of it white, with his- ,
torical bas-reliefs and statues, with medals carved in
them, esteemed worth ^4,000, sent by the Duke of Bran-
denburgh, whose country, Prussia, abounds with amber,
cast up by the sea; divers other China and Indian cab-
inets, screens, and hangings. In her library were many
books in English, French, and Dutch, of all sorts; a cup-
board of gold plate; a cabinet of silver filagree, which I
think was our Queen Mary's, and which, in my opinion,
should have been generously sent to her.

18th July, 1693. I dined with Lord Mulgrave, with
the Earl of Devonshire, Mr. Hampden (a scholar and
fine gentleman), Dr. Davenant, Sir Henry Vane, and
others, and saw and admired the Venus of Correggio,
which Lord Mulgrave had newly bought of Mr. Daun
for ^250; one of the best paintings I ever saw.

ist August, 1693. Lord Capel, Sir Cyril Wyche, and
Mr. Duncomb, made Lord Justices in Ireland; Lord
Sydney recalled, and made Master of the Ordnance.

6th August, 1693. Very lovely harvest weather, and a
wholesome season, but no garden fruit.

3ist October, 1693. A very wet and uncomfortable
season.

lath November, 1693. Lord Nottingham resigned as
Secretary of State; the Commissioners of the Admiralty
ousted, and Russell restored to his office. The- season
continued very wet, as it had nearly all the summer, if
one might call it summer, in which there was no fruit,
but corn was very plentiful.

14th November, 1693. In the lottery set up after the
Venetian manner by Mr. Neale, Sir R. Haddock, one of
the Commissioners of the Navy, had the greatest lot,
^3,000; my coachman ^40.

17th November, 1693. Was the funeral of Captain
Young, who died of the stone and great age. I think he
was the first who in the first war with Cromwell against
Spain, took the Governor of Havanna, and another rich
prize, and struck the first stroke against the Dutch fleet
in the first war with Holland in the time of the Rebellion;
a sober man and an excellent seaman.

3oth November, 1693. Much importuned to take the
office of President of the Royal Society, but I againrich and plenti-me of the accused were