22d (Easter Sunday).  Several Londoners, strangers, friends of the Captains, dined here, who, among other things told us, how the King’s Arms are every day set up in houses and churches, particularly in Allhallows Church in Thames-street, John Simpson’s church, which being privately done was, a great eye-sore to his people when they came to church and saw it.  Also they told us for certain, that the King’s statue is making by the Mercers’ Company (who are bound to do it) to set up in the Exchange.  After sermon in the afternoon I fell to writing letters against to-morrow to send to London.  After supper to bed.

23rd.  All the morning very busy getting my packet ready for London, only for an hour or two had the Captain and Mr. Sheply in my cabin at the barrel of pickled oysters that the Captain did give me on Saturday last.  After dinner I sent Mr. Dunn to London with the packet.  This afternoon I had 40s. given me by Captain Cowes of the Paradox.’  In the evening the first time that we had any sport among the seamen, and indeed there was extraordinary good sport after my Lord had done playing at ninepins.  After that W. Howe and I went to play two trebles in the great cabin below, which my Lord hearing, after supper he called for our instruments, and played a set of Lock’s, two trebles, and a base, and that being done, he fell to singing of a song made upon the Rump, with which he played himself well, to the tune of “The Blacksmith.”  After all that done, then to bed.

["The Blacksmith” was the same tune as “Green Sleeves.”  The earliest known copy of “The Praise of the Blacksmith” is in “An Antidote against Melancholy,” 1661.  See “Roxburghe Ballads,” ed.  W. Chappell, 1872, vol. ii. p. 126. (Ballad Society:)]

24th.  This morning I had Mr. Luellin and Mr. Sheply to the remainder of my oysters that were left yesterday.  After that very busy all the morning.  While I was at dinner with my Lord, the Coxon of the Vice-Admiral came for me to the Vice-Admiral to dinner.  So I told my Lord and he gave me leave to go.  I rose therefore from table and went, where there was very many commanders, and very pleasant we were on board the London, which hath a state-room much bigger than the Nazeby, but not so rich.  After that, with the Captain on board our own ship, where we were saluted with the news of Lambert’s being taken, which news was brought to London on Sunday last.  He was taken in Northamptonshire by Colonel Ingoldsby, at the head of a party, by which means their whole design is broke, and things now very open and safe.  And every man begins to be merry and full of hopes.  In the afternoon my Lord gave a great large character to write out, so I spent all the day about it, and after supper my Lord and we had some more very good musique and singing of “Turne Amaryllis,” as it is printed in the song book, with which my Lord was very much pleased.  After that to bed.