Pepys Diary.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 64, 17 March 1931, Page 6

Pepys Diary.

May 23, 1661. To the Rhenish wine house, and there came Jonas Moore; the mathematician, to us; and there he did by discourse make us fully believe that England and France were once the same continent, by very good arguments, and spoke very many things, not so much to prove the Scripture false as that the time therein is not well computed nor understood. At table I had very good discourse with Mr Ashmole, wherein he did assure me that frogs and many insects do often fall from the sky, ready formed. Dr Bates’s singularity in not rising up nor drinking the King’s nor other healths at the table was very much observed. May 29, 1661 (King’s birth-day). Rose early and having made myself fine, and put six spoons and a porringer of silver in my pocket to give away to-day, Sir \Y. Pen and I took coach, and (the weather and ways being foul) went to Walthamstowe. to dinner to Sir William Batten’s; and then, after a walk in the fine gardens, we went to Mrs Browne’s, where Sir W. Pen and I were godfathers to her boy. And there, before and after the christening, we wer£ with the woman above in her chamber; but whether we carried ourselves well or ill, I know not; but I was directed by young Mrs Batten. One passage of a lady that eat wafers with her dog did a little displease me. I did give the- widwife 10s and the nurse 5s and the maid of the house 2s. But for as much I expected to give the name to the child, but did not (it being called John), I forebore then to give my plate till another time, after a little more advice.