I repaired with my brother to the term, to go into our new lodgings (that were formerly in Essex-court), being a very handsome apartment just over against the Hall-court, but four pair of stairs high, which gave us the advantage of the fairer prospect; but did not much contribute to the love of that impolished study, to which (I suppose) my father had designed me, when he paid £145 to purchase our present lives, and assignments afterward.

London, and especially the Court, were at this period in frequent disorders, and great insolences were committed by the abused and too happy City: in particular, the Bishop of Canterbury’s Palace at Lambeth was assaulted by a rude rabble ((“At Lambeth mye house was beset at midnight, Maij ii, with 500 people that came thither with a drumme beatinge before them. I had some little notice of it about 2 howres before, and went to Whit-Hall, leavinge mye house as well ordred as I could with such armes and men as I could gett readye. And I thanke God, bye his goodnes, kept all safe. Some wear taken and to be tryed for their lives.”  Archbishop Laud to Lord Conway, May 25, 1640. (Gentleman’s Magazine, April, 1850, p. 349.) One man was executed, 23rd May.  – Footnote by Austin Dobson)) from Southwark, my Lord Chamberlain imprisoned and many scandalous libels and invectives scattered about the streets, to the reproach of Government, and the fermentation of our since distractions: so that, upon the 25th of June, I was sent for to Wotton, and the 27th after, my father’s indisposition augmenting, by advice of the physicians he repaired to the Bath.