o I got the Captain to ask leave for me to go, which my Lord did give,
and I taking my boy and judge Advocate with me, went in company with
them. The weather bad; we were sadly washed when we came near the shore,
it being very hard to land there. The shore is, as all the country
between that and the Hague, all sand. The rest of the company got a
coach by themselves; Mr. Creed and I went in the fore part of a coach
wherein were two very pretty ladies, very fashionable and with black
patches, who very merrily sang all the way and that very well, and were
very free to kiss the two blades that were with them. I took out my
flageolette and piped, but in piping I dropped my rapier-stick, but when
I came to the Hague, I sent my boy back again for it and he found it,
for which I did give him 6d., but some horses had gone over it and broke
the scabbard. The Hague is a most neat place in all respects. The houses
so neat in all places and things as is possible. Here we walked up and
down a great while, the town being now very full of Englishmen, for
that the Londoners were come on shore today. But going to see the
Prince,--[Prince of Orange, afterwards William III.]--he was gone forth
with his governor, and so we walked up and down the town and court to
see the place; and by the help of a stranger, an Englishman, we saw
a great many places, and were made to understand many things, as the
intention of may-poles, which we saw there standing at every great man's
door, of different greatness according to the quality of the person.
About 10 at night the Prince comes home, and we found an easy admission.
His attendance very inconsiderable as for a prince; but yet handsome,
and his tutor a fine man, and himself a very pretty boy. It was bright
moonshine to-night. This done we went to a place we had taken to sup
in, where a sallet and two or three bones of mutton were provided for a
matter of ten of us which was very strange. After supper the Judge and I
to another house, leaving them there, and he and I lay in one press bed,
there being two more in the same room, but all very neat and handsome,
my boy sleeping upon a bench by me.

15th. We lay till past three o'clock, then up and down the town, to see
it by daylight, where we saw the soldiers of the Prince's guard, all
very fine, and the burghers of the town with their arms and muskets as
bright as silver. And meeting this morning a schoolmaster that spoke
good English and French, he went