The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

1696 JOHN EVELYN

bankers and goldsmiths, who having" gotten immense
riches by extortion, keep up their treasure in expecta^
tion of enhancing its value. Duncombe, not long since
a mean goldsmith, having made a purchase of the latd
Duke of Buckingham's estate at nearly ^90,000, and re-
puted to have nearly as much in cash. Banks and lotteries
every day set up.

18th June, 1696. The famous trial between my Lord
Bath and Lord Montague for an estate of ^"11,000 a
year, left by the Duke of Albemarle, wherein on several
trials had been spent ^20,000 between them. The Earl
of Bath was cast on evident forgery.

2oth June, 1696. I made my Lord Cheney a visit at
Chelsea, and saw those ingenious waterworks invented
by Mr. Winstanley, wherein were some things very sur-
prising and extraordinary.

2ist June, 1696. An exceedingly rainy, cold, unseason-
able summer, yet the city was very healthy.

25th June, 1696. A trial in the Common Pleas between
the Lady Purbeck Temple and Mr. Temple, a nephew of
Sir Purbeck, concerning a deed set up to take place of
several wills. This deed was proved to be forged. The
cause went on my lady's side. This concerning my son-
in-law, Draper, I stayed almost all day at Court. A great
supper was given to the jury, being persons of the best
condition in Buckinghamshire.

3oth June, 1696. I went with a select committee of
the Commissioners for Greenwich Hospital, and with Sir
Christopher Wren, where with him I laid the first stone
of the intended foundation, precisely at five o'clock in
the evening, after we had dined together. Mr. Flam-
stead, the King's Astronomical Professor, observing the
punctual time by instruments.

4th July, 1696. Note that my Lord Godolphin was the
first of the subscribers who paid any money to this noble
fabric.

7th July, 1696. A northern wind altering the weather
with a continual and impetuous rain of three days and
nights changed it into perfect winter.

12th July, 1696. Very unseasonable and uncertain
weather.

26th July, 1696. So little money in the nation that
Exchequer Tallies, of which I had for ^2,000 on the