left within the power of your Lordship to obtaine upon them in reference to the landing-port, and that consequently their men of warr will now be at an entire liberty to receive or attack you as they shall see fitt.

[H.M.C.R., xi. App. v. Dartmouth MSS. iii., 185, 5 November.] Intelligence received from the Officer of the Customs at Brixham. About three hundred saile of Dutch came just now into Torbay, severall of them landing souldiers there, and the Prince himself going on shore. The rest of the souldiers and horse will, if they can, be landed this night, There being about 5 or 600 ashore already and are still landing.

BOOK V. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HISTORY.

A. LONDON LIFE.

1.

[The Court of Charles II. (a) "Memoirs of the Baronne d'Aulnoy " (1675), ed. G. D. Gilbert.]

The King had decided to honour the Prince of Neuburg by an excursion to Hampton Court, and at the ball the party had been arranged. The following evening everything was in readiness for them to proceed hither by water. Barges were in waiting, dressed with flags both striped and embroidered and hung with brocaded tapestries of rose colour and silver, their decks spread with Persian carpets, with a gold ground. When all the Court had taken its place an advance was made up the grand River Thames which is perhaps unique and is also the most beautiful in the world. The air resounded with agreeable Symphonies, Trumpets, Cymbals, Flutes, Violins, the Voice, Theorbos, Violas, and Harpsichords. . . . The foreign Prince much admired the beauty of the town and the great houses on the river banks with their balconies,-at this hour crowded with beautiful ladies, who delighted in seeing his Majesty in all his pomp, and in listening to the warlike clashing of the Cymbals and the gentler music of the violins.

[(b) "Memoirs of the Court of Charles II, by Count Grammont,” written by Anthony Hamilton, 1704; ed. 1903, p. 173.]

The Court was an entire scene of gallantry and amusements, with all the politeness and magnificence,

which the inclinations of a prince, naturally addicted to tenderness and pleasure, could suggest; the beauties were desirous of charming and the men endeavoured to please; all studied to set themselves off to the best advantage; some distinguished themselves by dancing. . . some by their wit, many by their amours, but few by their constancy. There was a certain Italian at Court, famous for the guitar; he had a genius for music and he was the only man who could make anything of the guitar, The King's relish for his compositions had brought the instrument so much into vogue that every person played upon it, well or ill, and you were as sure to see a guitar on a lady's toilette as rouge or patches.

2.

[The Theatre. Play Bill of the New Theatre in Drury Lane. MS. at British Museum. Pressmark, Bks. 3, i.]

New Theatre Built. Thos. Killigrew got patent for it and called the King's Compy (10) wh opened 8 April 1663 on Thursday in Easter week.

The Bill

By His Majesty's Company of Comedians at the new Theatre Drury Lane.

This day being Thursday April 8 1663 will be acted a Comedy called

3.

[Illustrations of London Life from the Diary of Samuel Pepys. Pepys' Diary," iv. 109.]

April 14, 1664.

Up betimes, and after my father's eating something, I walked out with him as far as Milk Streete, he turning down Cripplegate to take Coach; and at the end of the Streete I took leave, being much afeard I shall not see him here any more, he do decay so much every day, and so I walked on, there being never a coach to be had till I came to Charing Cross, and there Col. Froud took me up and carried me to St. James's, where with Mr. Coventry and Povy, etc., about my Lord Peterborough's accounts.

Thence walked with Creed to the Coffee House in Covent Garden, where no company, but he told me many fine experiments at Gresham College.

April 18, 1664.

[Ibid., p. 113.]

Up and by coach to Westminster. . . . Thence .. to Hide Park where I have not been since last year; where I saw the King with his periwigg, but not altered at all; and my Lady Castlemaine in a coach by herself, in yellow satin and a pinner on, and many brave persons. And myself, being in a hackney and full of people, was ashamed to be seen by the world, many of them knowing me.

[Ibid., vi. 185.]

February 17th, 1666-7 (Lord's Day).

This evening going to the Queen's side, to see the ladies, I did finde the Queene, the Duchesse of York and another or two at cards, with the room full of great ladies and men; which I was amazed at to see on a Sunday. . . I did this day going by water read the answer to "The Apology for Papists," which did like me mightily.

March 7, 1666-7.

["Pepys' Diary," vi. 214.]

Thence to the Duke's playhouse,

and I in, and find my wife and Mrs. Hewer, and sat by them, and saw "The English Princesse or Richard the Third," a most sad, melancholy play, and pretty good, but nothing eminent in it.

only little Mis. Davis did dance a jig after the end of the play . . . in boy's clothes; and the truth is there is no comparison between Nell's dancing the other day at the King's house . . . and this, this being infinitely beyond the other.

24th January, 1667-8.

[Ibid., vii. 292.]

Up before day to my Tangier accounts, and then out and to a Committee of Tangier, and thence to Westminster . . . and at the Swan I drank, and there met with a pretty ingenious young Doctor of physick by chance and talked with him and so home to dinner, and after dinner I carried my wife to the Temple, and thence she to a play, and I to St Andrew's in Holborne. . where the company meets to the burial of my cozen Joyce, . . where there is to be a sermon of Dr Stillingfleet, . It being late . . . I away and to the King's playhouse, to fetch my wife, and there saw the best part of the "Mayden Queene," which, the more I see, the more I love, and think one of the best plays I ever saw, and is certainly the best acted of any the house ever did and particularly Becke Marshall to admiration. Found my wife... and many fine ladies, and sat by Colonell Reames, who understands and loves a play as well as I, and I love him for it. And so thence home; and, after

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1 By Dryden.