, Sir John Jacob, Sir Nicholas Crisp, Sir John
Harrison, and Sir John Shaw: very good company. And among other pretty
discourse, some was of Sir Jerom Bowes, Embassador from Queene Elizabeth
to the Emperor of Russia;

[In 1583; the object of his mission being to persuade the Muscovite
(Ivan IV. the Terrible) to a peace with John, King of Sweden. He
was also employed to confirm the trade of the English with Russia,
and having incurred some personal danger, was received with favour
on his return by the Queen. He died in 1616.]

who, because some of the noblemen there would go up the stairs to the
Emperor before him, he would not go up till the Emperor had ordered
those two men to be dragged down stairs, with their heads knocking
upon every stair till they were killed. And when he was come up, they
demanded his sword of him before he entered the room. He told them, if
they would have his sword, they should have his boots too. And so
caused his boots to be pulled off, and his night-gown and night-cap and
slippers to be sent for; and made the Emperor stay till he could go in
his night-dress, since he might not go as a soldier. And lastly, when
the Emperor in contempt, to show his command of his subjects, did
command one to leap from the window down and broke his neck in the sight
of our Embassador, he replied that his mistress did set more by, and did
make better use of the necks of her subjects but said that, to show
what her subjects would do for her, he would, and did, fling down his
gantlett before the Emperor; and challenged all the nobility there to
take it up, in defence of the Emperor against his Queen: for which, at
this very day, the name of Sir Jerom Bowes is famous and honoured there.
After dinner I came home and found Sir John Minnes come this day, and I
went to him to Sir W. Batten's, where it pleased me to see how jealous
Sir Williams both are of my going down to Woolwich, &c., and doing
my duty as I nowadays do, and of my dining with the Commission of
the Customs. So to my office, and there till 9 at night, and so to my
lodgings to bed. I this day heard that Mr. Martin Noell is knighted by
the King, which I much wonder at; but yet he is certainly a very useful
man.

6th. Lay long, that is, till 6 and past before I rose, in order to sweat
a little away the cold which I was afraid I might have got yesterday,
but I bless God I am well. So up and to my office, and then we met and
sat