Sir W. Batten, Sir J.
Minnes, my Lady Batten, and I by coach to Bednall Green, to Sir
W. Rider's to dinner. A fine merry walk with the ladies alone
after dinner in the garden: the greatest quantity of strawberrys
I ever saw, and good. This very house was built by the blind
beggar of Bednall Green, so much talked of and sang in ballads;
but they say it was only some of the outhouses of it. [Called
Kirby Castle, the property of Sir William Ryder, Knight, who died
herein 1669.--LYSONS' ENVIRONS.] At table, discoursing of
thunder and lightning, Sir W. Rider did tell a story of his own
knowledge, that a Genoese gally in Legorne Roads was struck by
thunder, so as the mast was broke a-pieces, and the shackle upon
one of the slaves was melted clear off his leg without hurting
his leg. Sir William went on board the vessel, and would have
contributed toward the release of the slave whom Heaven had thus
set free, but he could not compass it, and so he was brought to
his fetters again.
29th. Up and down the streets is cried mightily the great
victory got by the Portugalls against the Spaniards, where 10,000
slain, 3 or 4000 taken prisoners, with all the artillery,
baggage, money, &c.
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