s about some business, we talked together of the interest
of this kingdom to have a peace with Spain and a war with France
and Holland; where Sir R. Ford talked like a man of great reason and
experience. And afterwards I did send for a cup of tee'
[That excellent and by all Physicians, approved, China drink, called
by the Chineans Tcha, by other nations Tay alias Tee, is sold at the
Sultaness Head Coffee-House, in Sweetings Rents, by the "Royal
Exchange, London." "Coffee, chocolate, and a kind of drink called
tee, sold in almost every street in 1659."--Rugge's Diurnal. It is
stated in "Boyne's Trade Tokens," ed. Williamson, vol. i., 1889,
p. 593 "that the word tea occurs on no other tokens than those
issued from 'the Great Turk' (Morat ye Great) coffeehouse in
Exchange Alley. The Dutch East India Company introduced tea into
Europe in 1610, and it is said to have been first imported into
England from Holland about 1650. The English "East India Company"
purchased and presented 2 lbs. of tea to Charles II. in 1660, and 23
lbs. in 1666. The first order for its importation by the company
was in 1668, and the first consignment of it, amounting to 143 lbs.,
was received from Bantam in 1669 (see Sir George Birdwood's "Report
on the Old Records at the India Office," 1890, p. 26). By act 12
Car. II., capp. 23, 24, a duty of 8d. per gallon was imposed upon
the infusion of tea, as well as on chocolate and sherbet.]
(a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away. Then
came Col. Birch and Sir R. Browne by a former appointment, and with
them from Tower wharf in the barge belonging to our office we went to
Deptford to pay off the ship Success, which (Sir G. Carteret and Sir W.
Pen coming afterwards to us) we did, Col. Birch being a mighty busy man
and one that is the most indefatigable and forward to make himself work
of any man that ever I knew in my life. At the Globe we had a very
good dinner, and after that to the pay again, which being finished we
returned by water again, and I from our office with Col. Slingsby by
coach to Westminster (I setting him down at his lodgings by the way) to
inquire for my Lord's coming thither (the King and the Princess
["The Princess Royall came from Gravesend to Whitehall by water,
attended by a noble retinue of about one hundred persons, gentry,
and servants, and tra
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