ay our
Soveraigne Lord King Charles the Second, King of England, Scotland,
France and Ireland, defender of the faith, Sonne and next heire to
our Soveraigne Lord Charles the First, the last King deceased, to be
right heire to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme of England, or
that bee ought not to enjoy the same; here is his champion, who
sayth that he lyeth and is a false Traytor, being ready in person to
combate with him, and in this quarrell will venture his life against
him, on what day soever hee shall be appointed."]

and with these words, the Champion flings down his gauntlet, and all
this he do three times in his going up towards the King's table. At
last when he is come, the King drinks to him, and then sends him the cup
which is of gold, and he drinks it off, and then rides back again with
the cup in his hand. I went from table to table to see the Bishops and
all others at their dinner, and was infinitely pleased with it. And at
the Lords' table, I met with William Howe, and he spoke to my Lord for
me, and he did give me four rabbits and a pullet, and so I got it and
Mr. Creed and I got Mr. Michell to give us some bread, and so we at a
stall eat it, as every body else did what they could get. I took a great
deal of pleasure to go up and down, and look upon the ladies, and to
hear the musique of all sorts, but above all, the 24 violins: About six
at night they had dined, and I went up to my wife, and there met with a
pretty lady (Mrs. Frankleyn, a Doctor's wife, a friend of Mr. Bowyer's),
and kissed them both, and by and by took them down to Mr. Bowyer's. And
strange it is to think, that these two days have held up fair till now
that all is done, and the King gone out of the Hall; and then it fell
a-raining and thundering and lightening as I have not seen it do for
some years: which people did take great notice of; God's blessing of the
work of these two days, which is a foolery to take too much notice of
such things. I observed little disorder in all this, but only the King's
footmen had got hold of the canopy, and would keep it from the Barons of
the Cinque Ports,

[Bishop Kennett gives a somewhat fuller account of this unseemly
broil: "No sooner had the aforesaid Barons brought up the King to
the foot of the stairs in Westminster Hall, ascending to his throne,
and turned on the left hand (towards their own table) out of the
way, but the King's