In 1620 Cornelius Johnson (age 26). Portrait of Jemima Waldegrave Baroness Crew (age 18).

Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. I must now come to speak a little largely of a particular business that concerns my first love; which, because it broke off abruptly and abortively, before the end of the ensuing summer, I will a little anticipate the after passages of it, and finish it here at once. This match was propounded first unto me upon Saturday, the 20th day of October, in the year 1620; to which being of itself very worthy of entertainment, 1 was the rather induced to hearken by reason of my small stipend and inconvinient lodging at the Six Clerks' Office in Chancery Lane, whereby my precious time was misspent for want of a private chamber and study wherein to reside. From that day, for above half a year after, I had many discourses with one Mr. Boldero a gentleman that first proposed it, how to effect it, and misspent many an hour in the care and thought of it, till the 8th day of the instant May, being Tuesday, when [her father] Mr. Waldegrave (age 54), of Lawford Hall, in the county of Essex, father of the gentlewoman named Jemima (age 18), being his younger daughter and co-heir apparent, come to London purposely to treat with my father about it; with whom after thrice meeting and some difierences composed, he made a full agreement, so as there seemed nothing to be wanting to make up a full and due consummation but our mutual likings, who were to have matched; so now, had I not feared my father's inconstancy, I should have assured myself of a seasonable accomplishing my present expectation.

Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 03 May 1621. The gentlewoman (age 19), after the decease of her father, was at last married to [her future husband] John Crew (age 23), Esq., son and heir of [her future father-in-law] Sir Thomas Crew (age 57), Knt., for whom, to say truly she was a much fitter match than for myself, who, being younger than herself, (although I knew it not at first,) it would doubtless in process of time have bred much nauseating and inconvenience. Yet I cannot deny that in respect of her fair extraction, comeliness, and good education; of my own wants, loss of time, and discontent; of my fear of my father's match with a young widow with whom he was now in treaty, and to get an estate settled upon me, I did omit no care, pains, or endeavour to have accomplished this match, which God of his infinite goodness did frustrate, not only for my temporal, but for my spiritual good. For he afterwards provided for me not only a much younger gentlewoman (age 9), but more nobly extracted, and the heir of her family. My cousin Crew herself, (for my wife was her near kinswoman,) whom I went to visit awhile after I had been married, told me I had gotten a far greater fortune than she would have been; and the old [her mother] Lady Bingham (age 61) her mother, being then a widow, upon my coming to Lawford Hall, to her in her sickness to comfort her, told me, I dealt with her as Joseph had done with his brethren; for she only had been the cause of the breaking off my intended match with her daughter (age 19), and yet I would vouchsafe to visit her. "Why, Madam," answered I, "should enmity between Christians be perpetual - especially seeing what you intended against me is turned by God's Providence, to greater good?"

Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 12 Feb 1622. The latter part of this January I spent reasonably well in the study of the common law, which had like to have been interrupted again the ensuing February with the renovation of my old cares, which had hindered it in my former wooing-time; for [her father] Mr. Waldegrave (age 56), of Lawford in Essex, between whose younger daughter (age 20) and coheir and myself there had been a treaty of marriage, as is before set down, deceasing on Tuesday, tbe 12th day of this February, and leaving the [her mother] Lady Bingham (age 62), his second wife, a widow, on Monday the 18th day of the same month next ensuing my father (age 55) sent for me early in the morning, to give me notice of it, and told me that he should not only be willing that the treaty for myself might again be renewed with the daughter (age 20), but that he should be willing himself also to match with the mother (age 56). This new overture took up my thoughts and time for some few days, but it proving abortive soon afterj I had free liberty again to settle to my studies.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Feb 1660. Saturday. In the morning at my lute an hour, and so to my office, where I staid expecting to have Mr. Squib come to me, but he did not. At noon walking in the Hall I found Mr. Swan and got him and Captain Stone together, and there advised about Mr Downing's (age 35) business. So to Will's, and sat there till three o'clock and then to Mr. Swan's, where I found his wife in very genteel mourning for her father, and took him out by water to the Counsellor at the Temple [Map], Mr. Stephens, and from thence to Gray's Inn, thinking to speak with Sotherton Ellis [Note. Probably Solicitor Ellis], but found him not, so we met with an acquaintance of his in the walks, and went and drank, where I ate some bread and butter, having ate nothing all day, while they were by chance discoursing of Marriot, the great eater, so that I was, I remember, ashamed to eat what I would have done. Here Swan shewed us a ballad to the tune of Mardike which was most incomparably wrote in a printed hand, which I borrowed of him, but the song proved but silly, and so I did not write it out. Thence we went and leaving Swan at his master's, my Lord Widdrington (age 60), I met with Spicer, Washington, and D. Vines in Lincoln's Inn Court, and they were buying of a hanging jack to roast birds on of a fellow that was there selling of some. I was fain to slip from there and went to Mrs. Crew's (age 58) to her and advised about a maid to come and be with Mrs. Jem while her maid is sick, but she could spare none. Thence to [her son-in-law] Sir Harry Wright's (age 23), but my lady not being within I spoke to Mrs. Carter about it, who will get one against Monday. So with a link boy [Note. Links were torches of tow or pitch to light the way. Ed.] to Scott's, where Mrs. Ann was in a heat, but I spoke not to her, but told Mrs. Jem what I had done, and after that went home and wrote letters into the country by the post, and then played awhile on my lute, and so done, to supper and then to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 15 Feb 1660. Wednesday. Called up in the morning by Captain Holland and Captain Cuttance, and with them to Harper's, thence to my office, thence with Mr. Hill of Worcestershire to Will's, where I gave him a letter to Nan Pepys, and some merry pamphlets against the Rump to carry to her into the country. So to [her husband] Mr. Crew's (age 62), where the dining room being full, Mr. Walgrave [Note. Believed to be a son of John Crew 1st Baron Crew (age 62) and Jemima Waldegrave Baroness Crew (age 58) although there is no record of such person] and I dined below in the buttery by ourselves upon a good dish of buttered Salmon. Thence to Hering' the merchant about my [her son-in-law] Lord's (age 34) Worcester money and back to Paul's Churchyard, where I staid reading in Fuller's (age 51) History of the Church of England an hour or two, and so to my father's (age 59), where Mr. Hill came to me and I gave him direction what to do at Worcester about the money. Thence to my [her daughter] Lady Wright's and gave her a letter from my Lord privily. So to Mrs. Jem and sat with her, who dined at Mr. Crew's (age 62) to-day, and told me that there was at her coming away at least forty gentlemen (I suppose members that were secluded, for Mr. Walgrave told me that there were about thirty met there the last night) came dropping in one after another thither. Thence home and wrote into the country against to-morrow by the carrier and so to bed. At my father's (age 59) I heard how my cousin Kate Joyce had a fall yesterday from her horse and had some hurt thereby. No news to-day, but all quiet to see what the Parliament will do about the issuing of the writs to-morrow for filling up of the House, according to Monk's (age 51) desire.

Pepy's Diary. 17 Jan 1666. By and by to supper, my [her daughter] Lady Wright very kind. After supper up to wait on my Baroness Crew (age 64), who is the same weake silly lady as ever, asking such saintly questions. Down to my Lord again and sat talking an houre or two, and anon to prayers the whole family, and then all to bed, I handsomely used, lying in the chamber Mr. Carteret formerly did, but sat up an houre talking sillily with Mr. Carteret and Mr. Marre, and so to bed.