MY LORD

I was this morning removing the cedar into the back-entry when your Lordship’s commands came to me, and I find it just of a length to receive it. The cup (I have formerly mentioned in a letter) I have in my hands, and expect your directions therein. The children’s halts and ratteene for my Lady I sent the last week, and hope you have received it. I shall this week send your Honour some bottles of Rhenish wine from Captain Holland, who had attended on you himself had not his wife’s lying-in prevented him. As for my cousin Mark if any unjust complaint of mine hath occasioned your Honour’s displeasure against him, I heartily beg the same ill to my self, and shall observe your directions at his coming hither. The maid from Mrs Ann Crew I expect tomorrow or next day. In the interim I shall venture to acquaint your Honour that I am too evidently convinced that Sarah’s and this maid’s miscarriage hath risen from want of employment at home, and especially from their victualling abroad, under pretence of which four hours at least in a day was excused for their being abroad, and from thence at cook’s shops comes their acquaint­ance with these fellows. To prevent this (from the time I perceived it) I have allowed this maid very plentifully for my diet for twenty weeks, and I am sure have thereby hindered many ill consequences, which in so short a time her liberty had in part occasioned, and your Honour lately sensible of. Your directions to give the next maid convenient allowance, encou­raged me to this liberty of proposing it to your Honour that (if you think it fit) she shall diet as well as myself and my wife for four shillings a week, and by that means the disrepute of a maid’s going to a victualling house, and neglect of your Honour’s own doors will be prevented. I humbly mention this to your Honour upon confidence that it will be received as I intend it, viz. free from any other ends than your Honour’s commodity. As for mourning, it will be next week before it will be done.¹ I shall wait upon my Lady Strickland tomorrow concerning the coat and follow her directions therein.

As for news, he that sees the strictness used for stopping that free passage of strangers through Whitehall, and the Ceremony used in passing the presence-Chamber, will say Sir Gilbert Pickering is a perfect Lord Chamberlain and who meets Colonel Jones with a white staff in his hand will acknowledge him as perfect a Controller. Mr Maidstone is Cofferer, and Mr Waterhouse Master of the Green Cloth. My Lord Laurence’s eldest son is dead of the smallpox lately at his father’s lodgings, which occasions my Lady Claypoole a circuit to Whitehall. There is an ambassador (rather drove than) come from Florida, forced by the Spaniard’s rigour to an address to his Highness, but more by the calamity of shipwreck to the miserable condition of his coming, his Highness being necessitated to give him clothes. He is a Moor, and (by the perishing of his interpreter) cannot be understood. He was yesterday at Whitehall, and was received courteously there.