William Penn

But anyway, it was a big hanging day.

There was a watchmaker's servant, James Allen, who had been convicted of stealing some of his employer's watches and chains, a lacemaker's assistant, John Hughes, who'd also been caught stealing from his employer, and two highway robbers, Richard Thompson and William Penn.

No, not the Pennsylvania Quaker William Penn, a different William Penn.

But all five of these citizens, note, were hanged on this dreadful day.

And except for the highway robbers, who actually did stick pistols in people's faces and offer to murder them, but the rest of them were absolutely non-violent offenders.

There coming to us Captain Ferrers, this being the first day of his going abroad since his leap a week ago, which I was greatly glad to see.

By water to the office, and there sat late, Sir George Carteret coming in, who among other things did inquire into the naming of the Maesters for this fleet, and was very angry that they were named as they are, and above all to see the Maester of the Adventure, for whom there is some kind of difference between Sir W. Penn and me turned out, who has been in her list.

The office done, I went with the Comptroller to the coffee house, and there we discourse of this, and I seem to be fond of him, and indeed I find I must carry fair with all as far as I see it safe.

But I have got of him leave to have a little room from his lodgings to my house, of which I am very glad.

So to the Star in Cheapside, where I left Mr. Moore telling five pounds out for me, who I found in a great strait for my coming back again, and so he went his way at my coming.

Then home, where Mr. Cook and I met, and he paid me thirty shillings, an old debt of his to me.

So to Sir W. Penn's, and there sat alone with him till ten at night in talk with great content, he telling me things and persons that I did not understand in the late times, and so I home to bed.

My cousin John Holcroft, whom I have not seen many years, this morning came to see me.

Then we went to a mercer's at the end of Lombard Street, and there she bought a suit of lutestring for herself, and so home.

And at night I got the whole company and Sir William Penn home to my house, and there I did give them Rhenish wine and sugar, and continued together till it was late, and so to bed.

It is much talked that the King is already married to the niece of the Prince d'Olne, and that he hath two sons already by her, which I am sorry to hear, but yet am gladder that it should be so, than that the Duke of York and his family should come to the crown, he being a professed friend to the Catholics.

Nineteenth.

Then home, I to read, then to supper, and to bed.

Twenty-fifth.

Sir William Penn and I to my Lord Sandwich's by coach in the morning to see him, but he takes physic today, and so we could not see him.

So he went away, and I with Llewellyn to Mr. Mount's chamber at the Cockpit, where he did lie a-world.

He gone, I down by water, to Woolwich and Deptford to look after the dispatch of the ships, all the way reading Mr Spencer's book of prodigies, which is most ingeniously writ, both for matter and style.

Home at noon, and my little girl got me my dinner, and I presently out by water, and landed at Somerset Stairs, and thence through Covent Garden, where I met with Mr Southwell, Sir William Penn's friend, who tells me the very sad news of my Lord Tiviot's and nineteen more commissioned officers being killed at Tangier by the Moors, by an ambush of the enemies upon them while they were surveying their lines, which is very sad, and he says afflicts the king much.

Thence to William Joyce's, where by appointment I met my wife, but neither of them at home, and she and I to the king's house, and saw the silent woman, but me thought not so well done, or so good a play, as I formerly thought it to be, or else I am nowadays out of humour.

before the play was done it fell such a storm of hail that we in the middle of the pit were fain to rise there's a footnote there was a glazed cup-coupler immediately overhead and all the house in disorder and so my wife and I out and got into a little alehouse and stayed there an hour after the play was done before we could get a coach, which at last we did, and by chance took up Joyce Norton and Mrs Bowles and set them at home, and so home ourselves and I a little to my office, and so home to supper and to bed.