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diff --git a/3331.txt b/3331.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc1b8f2 --- /dev/null +++ b/3331.txt @@ -0,0 +1,34468 @@ +***The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys*** + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.12.12.00*END* + + + + + +This etext was produced by John Hill. + + + + + +THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS, ESQ., F.R.S. + +FROM 1659 TO 1669 + +WITH MEMOIR + + + + +Edited by LORD BRAYBROOKE + + + + +Notes about the etext: + +There are over a thousand footnotes in the printed text that were +added by the editor. Most of these are very short biographical +and similar notes, and have been inserted into the etext in square +brackets close to the point where they were originally referred +to by a suffix. A few of the longer notes have been given a +separate paragraph which has also been placed in square brackets. + +Text that was in italics in the printed book has been written in +capitals in the etext. Accents etc. have been omitted. + +Where sums of money are referred to, the abreviations 'l.', 's.' +and 'd.' are used to designate 'Pounds', 'Shillings', and +'Pence'. + +In the printed text, the year was printed at the top of each page. +As this was not possible in the etext, years have been added to +the first entry for each month to make it easier for readers to +keep track of the year. Because the old-style calendar +was in use at the time the diary was written, in which the New +Year began on March 25th, the year has been given a dual number +in January, February and March, as has been done elsewhere in the +diary, (eg. 1662-63 during the first months of 1663). + +Pepys' spelling and punctuation have been left as they were in +the printed text. + +The copy from which this etext was taken was published in 1879 +by Frederick Warne and Co. (London and New York), in a series +called "Chandos Classics." + + + + +PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION. + +The Celebrated work here presented to the public under peculiar +advantages may require a few introductory remarks. + +By the publication, during the last half century, of +autobiographies, Diaries, and Records of Personal Character; this +class of literature has been largely enriched, not only with +works calculated for the benefit of the student, but for that +larger class of readers--the people, who in the byeways of +History and Biography which these works present, gather much of +the national life at many periods, and pictures of manners and +customs, habits and amusements, such as are not so readily to be +found in more elaborate works. + +The Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn, published in the +year 1817, is the first of the class of books to which special +reference is here made. This was followed by the publication, in +1825, of the Diary and Correspondence of Samuel Pepys, a work of +a more entertaining character than that of Evelyn. There is, +moreover, another distinction between the two: the Diary of +Pepys was written "at the end of each succeeding day;" whereas +the Diary of Evelyn is more the result of leisure and after- +thought, and partakes more of the character of history. + +Pepys's account of the Great Fire of London in 1666 is full as +minute as that of Evelyn, but it is mingled with a greater number +of personal and official circumstances, of popular interest: the +scene of dismay and confusion which it exhibits is almost beyond +parallel. "It is observed and is true in the late Fire of +London," says Pepys, "that the fire burned just as many parish +churches as there were hours from the beginning to the end of the +fire; and next, that there were just as many churches left +standing in the rest of the city that was not burned, being, I +think, thirteen in all of each; which is pretty to observe." +Again, Pepys was at this time clerk of the Acts of the Navy; his +house and office were in Seething-lane, Crutched Friars; he was +called up at three in the morning, Sept. 2, by his maid Jane, and +so rose and slipped on his nightgown, and went to her window; but +thought the fire far enough off, and so went to bed again, and to +sleep. Next morning, Jane told him that she heard above 300 +houses had been burnt down by the fire they saw, and that it was +then burning down all Fish-street, by London Bridge. "So," Pepys +writes, "I made myself ready presently, and walked to the Tower, +and there got upon one of the high places, and saw the houses at +that end of the bridge all on fire, and an infinite great fire at +the other end of the bridge." On Sept. 5, he notes, "About two +in the morning my wife calls me up, and tells me of new cries of +fire, it being come to Barking Church, which is at the bottom of +our lane." The fire was, however, stopped, "as well at Mark-lane +end as ours; it having only burned the dyall of Barking Church, +and part of the porch, and there was quenched." This narrative +has all the advantage of being written at the time of the event, +which kind of record has been pronounced preferable to "a cart- +load of pencillings." Of this very attractive particularity is +the Diary of Pepys, which is here submitted to the reader in the +most elegant and economical as well as complete form. + +Of the origin of this work, details are given the accompanying +Preface, by the noble Editor--Lord Braybrooke. The diarist--Mr. +Secretary Pepys--was a great virtuoso in collections of English +history, both by land and sea, much relating to the admiralty and +maritime affairs. He gathered very much from records in the +Tower, had many fine models, and new inventions of ships, and +historical paintings of them; had many books of mathematics and +other sciences; many very costly curiosities relating to the City +of London, as views, maps, palaces, churches, coronations, +funerals, mayoralties, habits, heads of all our famous men, drawn +as well as painted, the most complete collection of anything of +its kind. He was a man whose free and generous spirit appeared +in his pen, and his ingenious fancy at his finger's end. + +The original MS. of the Diary, which gives so vivid a picture of +manners in the reign of Charles II., is preserved in Magdalene +College, Cambridge; it is in six volumes, containing upwards of +3000 pages, closely written in Rich's system of shorthand, which +Pepys doubtless adopted from the possibility of his journal +falling into unfriendly hands during his life, or being rashly +communicated to the public after his death. The original +spelling of every word in the Diary, it is believed, has been +carefully preserved by the gentleman who deciphered it; and +although Pepys's grammar has been objected to, it is thought that +the entries derive additional interest from the quaint terms in +which they are expressed. + +The period of the Diary was one of the most interesting and +eventful decades in our history. We have here the joyous +pictures of the Restoration, as well as much about "the merry +monarch," his gaieties and his intrigues. The Plague of 1665, +with the appalling episodes of this national calamity, is +followed by the life-like record of the Great Fire, and the +rebuilding of London. Then, what an attractive period is that of +the history of the London theatres, dating from the Restoration, +with piquant sketches of the actors and actresses of that day. +Pepys, in his love of wit and admiration of beauty, finds room to +love and admire Nell Gwyn, whose name still carries an odd +fascination with it after so many generations. In those busy +times coffee-houses were new, and we find Pepys dropping in at +Will's, where he never was before, and where he saw Dryden and +all the wits of the town. The Diarist records sending for "a cup +of tea, a China drink he had not before tasted." Here we find +the earliest account of a Lord Mayor's dinner in the Guildhall; +and Wood's, Pepys's "old house for clubbing, in Pell Mell,"--all +pictures in little of social life, with innumerable traits of +statesmen, politicians, wits and poets, authors, artists, and +actors, and men, and women of wit and pleasure, such as the town, +court, and city have scarcely presented at any other period. + +Shortly after the publication of the Diary, there appeared in the +Quarterly Review, No. 66, a charming paper from the accomplished +pen of Sir Walter Scott, upon this very curious contribution to +our reminiscent literature. Sir Walter's parallel of Pepys and +Evelyn is very nicely drawn. "Early necessity made Pepys +laborious, studious, and careful. But his natural propensities +were those of a man of pleasure. He appears to have been ardent +in quest of amusement, especially where anything odd or uncommon +was to be witnessed. To this thirst after novelty, the +consequence of which has given great and varied interest to his +Diary, Pepys added a love of public amusements, which he himself +seems to have considered as excessive." "Our diarist must not be +too severely judged. He lived in a time when the worst examples +abounded, a time of court intrigue and state revolution, when +nothing was certain for a moment, and when all who were possessed +of any opportunity to make profit, used it with the most +shameless avidity, lest the golden minutes should pass away +unimproved. + +"In quitting the broad path of history," says Sir Walter, "we +seek for minute information concerning ancient manners and +customs, the progress of arts and sciences, and the various +branches of antiquity. We have never seen a mine so rich as the +volumes before us. The variety of Pepys's tastes and pursuits +led him into almost every department of life. He was a man of +business, a man of information if not of learning; a man of +taste; a man of whim; and to a certain degree a man of pleasure. +He was a statesman, a BEL ESPRIT, a virtuoso, and a connoisseur. +His curiosity made him an unwearied as well as an universal +learner, and whatever he saw found its way into his tables. +Thus, his Diary absolutely resembles the genial cauldrons at the +wedding of Camacho, a souse into which was sure to bring forth at +once abundance and variety of whatever could gratify the most +eccentric appetite. + +"If the curious, affect dramatic antiquities--a line which has +special charms for the present age--no book published in our time +has thrown so much light upon plays, playwrights, and play- +actors. + +"Then those who desire to be aware of the earliest discoveries, +as well in sciences, as in the useful arts, may read in Pepys's +Memoirs, how a slice of roast mutton was converted into pure +blood; and of those philosophical glass crackers, which explode +when the tail is broken off (Rupert's Drops) of AURUM FULMINANS, +applied to the purpose of blowing ships out of the water; and of +a newly contrived gun, which was to change the whole system of +the art of war; but which has left it pretty much upon the old +footing. A lover of antique scandal which taketh away the +character, and committeth SCANDALUM MAGNATUM against the nobility +of the seventeenth century, will find in this work an untouched +treasure of curious anecdote for the accomplishment of his +purpose." + + + + +PREFACE TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION. + +In submitting the following pages to the Public, I feel that it +is incumbent upon me to explain by what circumstances the +materials from which the Work has been compiled were placed at my +disposal. The original Diary, comprehending six volumes, closely +written in short-hand by Mr. Pepys himself, belonged to the +valuable collection of books and prints, bequeathed by him to +Magdalene College, Cambridge, and had remained there unexamined, +till the appointment of my Brother, the present Master, under +whose auspices the MS. was deciphered by Mr. John Smith, with a +view to its publication. + +My Brother's time, however, being too much engrossed by more +important duties to admit of his editing the work, the task of +preparing it for the press was undertaken by me at his request. + +The Diary commences January 1st, 1659-60 and after being +regularly kept for ten years, it is brought to a sudden +conclusion, owing to the weak state of Mr. Pepys's eyes, which +precluded him from continuing or resuming the occupation. As he +was in the habit of recording the most trifling occurrences of +his life, it became absolutely necessary to curtail the MS. +materially, and in many instances to condense the matter; but the +greatest care has been taken to preserve the original meaning, +without making a single addition, excepting where, from the +short-hand being defective, some alteration appeared absolutely +necessary. It may be objected by those who are not aware how +little is known from authentic sources of the History of the +Stage about the period of the Restoration, that the notices of +theatrical performances occur too frequently; but as many of the +incidents recorded, connected with this subject, are not to be +met with elsewhere, I thought myself justified in retaining them, +at the risk of fatiguing those readers who have no taste for the +concerns of the Drama. The general details may also, in some +instances, even in their abridged form, be considered as too +minute; nor is it an easy task, in an undertaking of this sort, +to please everybody's taste: my principal study in making the +selection, however, has been to omit nothing of public interest; +and to introduce at the same time a great variety of other +topics, less important, perhaps, put tending in some degree to +illustrate the manners and habits of the age. + +In justice to Mr. Pepys's literary reputation, the reader is +forewarned that he is not to expect to find in the Diary accuracy +of style or finished composition. We should rather consider the +Work as a collection of reminiscences hastily thrown together at +the end of each succeeding day, for the exclusive perusal of the +Author. + +The Journal contains the most unquestionable evidences of +veracity; and, as the writer made no scruple of committing his +most secret thoughts to paper, encouraged no doubt by the +confidence which he derived from the use of short-hand, perhaps +there never was a publication more implicitly to be relied upon +for the authenticity of its statements and the exactness with +which every fact is detailed. Upon this point, I can venture to +speak with the less hesitation, having, in preparing the sheets +for the press, had occasion to compare many parts of the Diary +with different accounts of the same transactions recorded +elsewhere; and in no instance could I detect any material error +or wilful misrepresentation. + +The Notes at the bottom of the pages were introduced to elucidate +obscure passages; and I have been tempted occasionally to insert +short Biographical Sketches of the principal persons who are +named, accompanied by such references as will enable the curious +reader to inform himself more fully respecting them. In some +instances I experienced considerable difficulty in identifying +the individuals; but I trust that the notices will be found, on +the whole, sufficiently correct to answer the object intended. + +In justice to the Reverend John Smith, (with whom I am not +personally acquainted,) it may be added, that he appears to have +performed the task allotted to him, of deciphering the short-hand +Diary, with diligence and fidelity, and to have spared neither +time nor trouble in the undertaking. + +The best account of Mr. Pepys occurs in the Supplement to +Collier's Historical Dictionary, published soon after his death, +and written, as I have reason to believe, by his relative Roger +Gale. Some particulars may also be obtained from Knight's Life +of Dean Colet; Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary; Cole's MSS. in +the British Museum: the MSS in the Bodleian and Pepysian +Libraries, and the Cockerell Papers. + +BRAYBROOKE. Audley End, May 14th, 1825 + + + + +MEMOIR OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + +Samuel Pepys, the author of the Diary here presented to the +reader was descended from the family of Pepys originally seated +at Diss, in Norfolk, and who settled at Cottenham, in +Cambridgeshire, early in the sixteenth century. His father, John +Pepys, followed for some time the trade of a tailor; and the +reader may hereafter notice the influence which this genealogy +seems to have exercised over the style and sentiments of his +son's Diary. The father retired to Brampton, in Huntingdonshire, +where he ended his days in 1680. His wife, Margaret, died in +1666-7, having had a family of six sons and five daughters. +Samuel was born February 23, 1632, most probably in London, but +by some it is thought at Brampton; he certainly passed his boyish +days in the Metropolis, and was educated regularly at St. Paul's +School; and afterwards at the University of Cambridge, and +probably went through his studies with success. But little is +known of him as an undergraduate. One record, however, remains +which proves that in his early life, as in later years, he was a +BON VIVANT. The following appears in the register book of the +college respecting his pranks when there:--"October 21, 1653. +Mem. That Peapys and Hind were solemnly admonished by myself and +Mr. Hill for having been scandalously over-served with drink ye +night before. This was done in the presence of all the fellows +then resident, in Mr. Hill's chamber (Signed) John Wood, +Registrar." Early in life, Pepys took one of those decided steps +which tend, according to circumstances, to a man's marring or +making. He appears to have married Elizabeth St. Michel, a +beautiful girl of fifteen, when he himself was only about twenty- +three. She was of good family her mother being descended from +the Cliffords of Cumberland, and her daughter had only just +quitted the convent in which she was educated. She brought her +husband no fortune; but the patronage of Pepys's relation, Sir +Edward Montagu, afterwards first Earl of Sandwich, prevented the +ill consequences with such a step might naturally have been +attended, and young Pepys's aptitude for business soon came to +render him useful. The distresses of the young couple at this +period were subjects of pleasant reflexion during their +prosperity--as recorded in the Diary, 25th February, 1667. + +But better times were approaching Mr. Pepys: he accompanied Sir +Edward Montagu upon his Expedition to the Sound, in March, 1658, +and upon his return obtained a clerkship in the Exchequer. +Through the interest of the Earl of Sandwich, Mr. Pepys was +nominated Clerk of the Acts: this was the commencement of his +connexion with a great national establishment, to which in the +sequel his diligence and acuteness were of the highest service. +From his Papers, still extant (says Lord Braybrooke), we gather +that he never lost sight of the public good; that he spared no +pains to check the rapacity of contractors, by whom the naval +stores were then supplied; that he studied order and economy in +the dockyards, advocated the promotion of old-established +officers in the Navy; and resisted to the utmost the infamous +system of selling places, then most unblushingly practised. His +zeal and industry acquired for him the esteem of the Duke of +York, with whom, as Lord High Admiral, he had almost daily +intercourse. At the time of his entering upon this employment, +he resided in Seething-lane, Crutched Friars. He continued in +this office till 1673; and during those great events, the Plague, +the Fire of London, and the Dutch War, the care of the Navy in a +great measure rested upon Pepys alone. He behaved with calm and +deliberate courage and integrity. Nevertheless, he had the +misfortune to experience some part of the calumnies of the time +of "the Popish Plot." The Earl of Shaftesbury, the foster-father +of this most wicked delusion, showed a great desire to implicate +Pepys in a charge of Catholicism, and went so far as to spread a +report that the Clerk of the Acts had in his house an altar and a +crucifix. The absence not only of evidence, but even of ground +of suspicion, did not prevent Pepys being committed to the Tower +on the charge of being an aider and abettor of the plot, and he +was, for a time, removed from the Navy Board. He was afterwards +allowed, with Sir Anthony Deane, who had been committed with him, +to find security in 30,000l.; and upon the withdrawal of the +deposition against him, he was discharged. He was soon, by the +special command of Charles II., replaced in a situation where his +skill and experience could not be well dispensed with; and rose +afterwards to be Secretary of the Admiralty, which office he +retained till the Revolution. It is remarkable that James II. +was sitting to Sir Godfrey Kneller for a portrait designed as a +present to Pepys, when the news of the landing of the Prince of +Orange was brought to that unhappy monarch. The King commanded +the painter to proceed, and finish the portrait, that his good +friend might not be disappointed. + +Pepys had been too much personally connected with the King, (who +had been so long at the Admiralty,) to retain his situation upon +the accession of William and Mary; and he retired into private +life' accordingly, but without being followed thither, either by +persecution or ill will. + +The Diary, as already explained, comprehends ten years of Mr. +Pepys official life, extending from January, 1659-60, to May, +1669. It is highly necessary to keep in mind that Mr. Pepys was +only thirty-seven years of age when he closed his Diary in 1669, +and that of the remainder of his life we have no regular account; +although the materials for it which exist have encouraged the +hope that this portion of the Life may yet be written. After the +death of Cromwell, Pepys seems to have consorted much with +Harrington, Hazelrigge, and other leading Republicans; but when +the Restoration took place, he became--as, perhaps was natural--a +courtier; still, it is said of him that "were the eulogy of +Cromwell now to be written, abounding particulars and material +for the purpose might be found in and drawn from Pepys' Diary." + +Mr. Pepys sat in Parliament for Castle Rising, and subsequently +he represented the borough of Harwich, eventually rising to +wealth and eminence as clerk of the treasurer to the +Commissioners of the affairs of Tangier, and Surveyor-general of +the Victualling Department, "proving himself to be," it is +stated, "a very useful and energetic public servant." + +In the year 1700, Mr. Pepys, whose constitution had been long +impaired by the stone, was persuaded by his physicians to quit +York Buildings, now Buckingham-street, (the last house on the +west side, looking on the Thames,) and retire, for change of air, +to the house of his old friend and servant, William Hewer, at +Clapham. Soon after, he was visited here by John Evelyn, who, in +his Diary, Sept. 22, 1700, records, "I went to visit Mr. Pepys, +at Clapham, where he has a very noble and wonderfully well- +furnished house, especially with India and Chinese curiosities. +The offices and gardens well accommodated for pleasure and +retirement." In this retreat, however, his health continued to +decline, and he died in May, 1703, a victim in part, to the +stone, which was hereditary in his constitution, and to the +increase of that malady in the course of a laborious and +sedentary life. In the LONDON JOURNAL of the above year is this +entry: "London, June 5. Yesterday in the evening were performed +the obsequies of Samuel Pepys, Esq., in Crutched Friars Church, +whither his corpse was brought in a very honourable and solemn +manner from Clapham, where he departed this life, the 26th day of +the last month.--POST BOY, June 5, 1703." The burial-service at +his funeral was read at 9 at night, by Dr. Hickes, author of the +THESAURUS which bears his name. There is no memorial to mark the +site of his interment in the church; but there is a monument in +the chancel to Mrs. Pepys, and Mr. Pepys is interred in a vault +of his own making, by the side of his wife and brother. + +Pepys had an extensive knowledge of naval affairs. He thoroughly +understood and practised music; and he was a judge of painting, +sculpture, and architecture. In 1684, he was elected President +of the Royal Society, and held that honourable office two years. +He contributed no less than 60 plates to Willoughby's HISTORIA +PISCIUM. + +To Magdalene College, Cambridge, he left an invaluable collection +of manuscript naval memoirs, of prints, and ancient English +poetry, which has often been consulted by critics and +commentators, and is, indeed, unrivalled of its kind. One of its +most singular curiosities is a collection of English ballads in +five large folio volumes, begun by Selden and carried down to the +year 1700. Percy's "Reliques" are for the most part, taken from +this collection. Pepys published "Memoirs relating to the State +of the Royal Navy in England for ten years, determined December, +1688," 8vo. London, 1690; and there is a small book in the +Pepysian Library, entitled "A Relation of the Troubles in the +Court of Portugal in 1667 and 1668," by S. P., 12mo., Lond., +1677, which Watt ascribes to Pepys. + +In the Supplement to Collier's Dictionary, published +contemporaneously, is this tribute to the character of Samuel +Pepys:--"It may be affirmed of this Gentleman, that he was, +without exception, the greatest and most useful Minister that +ever filled the same situations in England; the Acts and +Registers of the Admiralty proving this fact beyond +contradiction. The principal rules and establishments in present +use in those offices are well known to have been of his +introducing and most of the officers serving therein, since the +Restoration, of his bringing up. He was a most studious promoter +and strenuous assertor of order and discipline through all their +dependencies. Sobriety, diligence, capacity, loyalty, and +subjection to command, were essentials required in all whom he +advanced. Where any of these were found wanting, no interest or +authority were capable of moving him in favour of the highest +pretender; the Royal command only excepted, of which he was also +very watchful, to prevent any undue procurements. Discharging +his duty to his Prince and Country with a religious application +and perfect integrity, he feared no one, courted no one, +neglected his own fortune. Besides this, he was a person of +universal worth, and in great estimation among the Literati, for +his unbounded reading, his sound judgment, his great elocution, +his mastery in method, his singular curiosity, and his uncommon +munificence towards the advancement of learning, arts, and +industry, in all degrees: to which were joined the severest +morality of a philosopher, and all the polite accomplishments of +a gentleman, particularly those of music, languages, +conversation, and address. He assisted, as one of the Barons of +the Cinque Ports, at the Coronation of James II., and was a +standing Governor of all the principal houses of charity in and +about London, and sat at the head of many other honourable +bodies, in divers of which, as he deemed their constitution and +methods deserving, he left lasting monuments of his bounty and +patronage." + + +* + + + +PEPYS'S DIARY. + +1659-60. Blessed be God, at the end of the last year I was in +very good health, without any sense of my old pain, but upon +taking of cold. I lived in Axe Yard, having my wife, and servant +Jane, and no other in family than us three. + +The condition of the State was thus; viz. the Rump, after being +disturbed by my Lord Lambert, [Sufficiently known by his services +as a Major-General in the Parliament forces during the Civil War, +and condemned as a traitor after the Restoration; but reprieved +and banished to Guernsey, where he lived in confinement thirty +years.] was lately returned to sit again. The officers of the +Army all forced to yield. Lawson [Sir John Lawson, the son of a +poor man at Hull, rose to the rank of Admiral, and distinguished +himself during the Protectorate; and, though a republican in his +heart, readily closed with the design of restoring the King. He +was mortally wounded in the sea fight in 1665.] lies still in +the river, and Monk is with his army in Scotland. [George Monk, +afterwards Duke of Albemarle.] Only my Lord Lambert is not yet +come into the Parliament, nor is it expected that he will without +being forced to it. The new Common Council of the City do speak +very high; and had sent to Monk their sword-bearer, to acquaint +him with their desires for a free and full Parliament, which is +at present the desires, and the hopes, and the expectations of +all. Twenty-two of the old secluded members having been at the +House-door the last week to demand entrance, but it was denied +them; and it is believed that neither they nor the people will be +satisfied till the House be filled. My own private condition +very handsome, and esteemed rich, but indeed very poor; besides +my goods of my house, and my office, which at present is somewhat +certain. Mr. Downing master of my office. [George Downing, son +of Calibute Downing, D.D. and Rector of Hackney. Wood calls him +a sider with all times and changes; skilled in the common cant, +and a preacher occasionally. He was sent by Cromwell to Holland +as resident there. About the Restoration he espoused the King's +cause, and was knighted and elected M.P. for Morpeth in 1661. +afterwards, becoming Secretary to the Treasury and Commissioner +of Customs, he was in 1663 created a Baronet of East Hatley, in +Cambridgeshire.] [The office appears to have been in the +Exchequer, and connected with the pay of the army.] + +JAN. 1, 1659-60 (Lord's day). This morning (we living lately in +the garret,) I rose, put on my suit with great skirts, having not +lately worn any other clothes but them. Went to Mr. Gunning's +chapel [Peter Gunning, afterwards Master of St. John's College, +Cambridge, and successively Bishop of Chichester and Ely: ob. +1684. He had continued to read the liturgy at the chapel at +Exeter House when the Parliament was most predominant, for which +Cromwell often rebuked him.--WOOD'S ATHENAE.] at Exeter House, +[Essex-street in the Strand was built on the site of Exeter +House.] where he made a very good sermon upon these words:-- +"That in the fulness of time God sent his Son, made of a woman," +&c.; showing, that, by "made under the law," is meant the +circumcision, which is solemnized this day. Dined at home in the +garret, where my wife dressed the remains of a turkey, and in the +doing of it she burned her hand. I staid at home the whole +afternoon, looking over my accounts; then went with my wife to my +father's, and in going observed the great posts which the City +workmen set up at the Conduit in Fleet-street. + +2nd. Walked a great while in Westminster Hall, where I heard +that Lambert was coming up to London: that my Lord Fairfax was +in the head of the Irish brigade, but it was not certain what he +would declare for. The House was to-day upon finishing the act +for the Council of State, which they did; and for the indemnity +to the soldiers; and were to sit again thereupon in the +afternoon. Great talk that many places had declared for a free +Parliament; and it is believed that they will be forced to fill +up the House with the old members. From the Hall I called at +home, and so went to Mr. Crewe's [John Crewe, Esq., created Baron +Crewe of Stene at the coronation of Charles II. He married +Jemima, daughter and co-heir to Edward Walgrave, Esq., of +Lawford, co. Essex.] (my wife she was to go to her father's), +and Mr. Moore and I and another gentleman went out and drank a +cup of ale together in the new market, and there I eat some bread +and cheese for my dinner. + +3rd. To White Hall, where I understood that the Parliament had +passed the act for indemnity for the soldiers and officers that +would come in, in so many days, and that my Lord Lambert should +have benefit of the said act. They had also voted that all +vacancies in the House, by the death of any of the old members, +should be filled up; but those that are living shall not be +called in. + +4th. Strange the difference of men's talk! Some say that +Lambert must of necessity yield up; others, that he is very +strong, and that the Fifth-monarchy-men will stick to him, if he +declares for a free Parliament. Chillington was sent yesterday +to him with the vote of pardon and indemnity from the Parliament. +Went and walked in the Hall, where I heard that the Parliament +spent this day in fasting and prayer; and in the afternoon came +letters from the North, that brought certain news that my Lord +Lambert his forces were all forsaking him, and that he was left +with only fifty horse, and that he did now declare for the +Parliament himself; and that my Lord Fairfax did also rest +satisfied, and had laid down his arms, and that what he had done +was only to secure the country against my Lord Lambert his +raising of money, and free quarter. [Thomas Lord Fairfax, +Generalissimo of the Parliament forces. After the Restoration he +retired to his country seat, where he lived in private till his +death in 1671.] + +5th. I dined with Mr. Shepley, at my Lord's lodgings, [Admiral +Sir Edward Montagu, afterwards Earl of Sandwich, uniformly styled +"My Lord" throughout the Diary.] upon his turkey pie. And so to +my office again where the Excise money was brought, and some of +it told to soldiers till it was dark. Then I went home, after +writing to my Lord the news that the Parliament had this night +voted that the members that were discharged from sitting in the +years 1648 and 49, were duly discharged; and that there should be +writs issued presently for the calling of others in their places, +and that Monk and Fairfax were commanded up to town, and that the +Prince's lodgings were to be provided for Monk at Whitehall. Mr. +Fage and I did discourse concerning public business; and he told +me it is true the City had not time enough to do much, but they +had resolved to shake off the soldiers; and that unless there be +a free Parliament chosen, he did believe there are half the +Common Council will not levy any money by order of this +Parliament. + +6th. This morning Mr. Shepley and I did eat our breakfast at +Mrs. Harper's, (my brother John being with me,) upon a cold +turkey-pie and a goose. + +9th. I rose early this morning, and looked over and corrected my +brother John's speech, which he is to make the next opposition. +[Declamations at St. Paul's school, in which there were, +opponents and respondents.] I met with W. Simons, Muddiman, and +Jack Price, and went with them to Harper's and staid till two of +the clock in the afternoon. I found Muddiman a good scholar, an +arch rogue; and owns that though he writes new books for the +Parliament, yet he did declare that he did it only to get money; +and did talk very basely of many of them. Among other things, W. +Simons told me how his uncle Scobell [H. Scobell, clerk to the +House of Commons.] was on Saturday last called to the bar, for +entering in the journal of the House, for the year 1653, these +words: "This day his Excellence the Lord G. Cromwell dissolved +this House;" which words the Parliament voted a forgery, and +demanded of him how they same to be entered. He said that they +were his own hand-writing, and that he did it by rights of his +office, and the practice of his predecessor; and that the intent +of the practice was to let posterity know how such and such a +Parliament was dissolved, whether by the command of the King, or +by their own neglect, as the last House of Lords was; and that to +this end, he had said and writ that it was dissolved by his +Excellence the Lord G.; and that for the word dissolved, he never +at the time did hear of any other term; and desired pardon if he +would not dare to make a word himself what it was six years +after, before they came themselves to call it an interruption; +that they were so little satisfied with this answer, that they +did chuse a committee to report to the House, whether this crime +of Mr. Scobell's did come within the act of indemnity or no. +Thence into the Hall, where I heard for certain that Monk was +coming to London, and that Bradshaw's lodgings were preparing for +him. [John Bradshaw, Serjeant-at-Law, President of the High +Court of Justice.] I heard Sir H. Vane was this day voted out of +the House, and to sit no more there; and that he would retire +himself to his house at Raby, [Son of a statesman of both his +names, and one, of the most turbulent enthusiasts produced by the +Rebellion, and an inflexible republican. His execution, in 1662, +for conspiring the death of Charles I. was much called in +question as a measure of great severity.] as also all the rest +of the nine officers that had their commissions formerly taken +away from them, were commanded to their farthest houses from +London during the pleasure of the Parliament. + +1Oth. To the Coffee-house, where were a great confluence of +gentlemen; viz. Mr. Harrington, Poultny, chairman, Gold, Dr. +Petty, &c., where admirable discourse till 9 at night. Thence +with Doling to Mother Lam's, who told me how this day Scott was +made Intelligencer, and that the rest of the members that were +objected against last night were to be heard this day se'nnight. + +[James Harrington, the political writer, author of "Oceana," and +founder of a club called The Rota, in 1659, which met at Miles's +coffee-house in Old Palace Yard, and lasted only a few months. +In 1661 he was sent to the Tower, on suspicion of treasonable +designs. His intellects appear to have failed afterwards, and he +died 1677. Sir William Poultny, subsequently M.P. for +Westminster, and a Commissioner of the Privy Seal under King +William. Ob. 1691. Sir William Petty, an eminent physician, and +celebrated for his proficiency in every branch of science. Ob. +1687. Thomas Scott, M.P., made Secretary of State to the +Commonwealth Jan. 17th following.] + +13th. Coming in the morning to my office, I met with Mr. Fage +and took him to the Swan. He told me how he, Haselrigge, [Sir +Arthur Haselrigge, Bart. of Nosely, co. Leicester, Colonel of a +regiment in the Parliament army, and much esteemed by Cromwell. +Ob. 1660.] and Morley, [Probably Colonel Morley Lieutenant of +the Tower.] the last night began at my Lord Mayor's to exclaim +against the City of London, saying that they had forfeited their +charter. And how the Chamberlain of the City did take them down, +letting them know how much they were formerly beholding to the +City, &c. He also told me that Monk's letter that came by the +sword-bearer was a cunning piece, and that which they did not +much trust to: but they were resolved to make no more +applications to the Parliament, nor to pay any money, unless the +secluded members be brought in, or a free Parliament chosen. + +16th. In the morning I went up to Mr. Crewe's, who did talk to +me concerning things of state; and expressed his mind how just it +was that the secluded members should come to sit again. From +thence to my office, where nothing to do; but Mr. Downing came +and found me all alone; and did mention to me his going back into +Holland, and did ask me whether I would go or no, but gave me +little encouragement, but bid me consider of it; and asked me +whether I did not think that Mr. Hawley could perform the work of +my office alone. I confess I was at a great loss, all the day +after, to bethink myself how to carry this business. I staid up +till the bell-man came by with his bell just under my window as I +was writing of this very line, and cried, "Past one of the clock, +and a cold, frosty, windy morning." + +17th. In our way to Kensington, we understood how that my Lord +Chesterfield [Philip, second Earl of Chesterfield, born. 1634, +ob. 1713.] had killed another gentleman about half an hour +before, and was fled. I went to the Coffee Club and heard very +good discourse; it was in answer to Mr. Harrington's answer, who +said that the state of the Roman government was not a settled +government, and so it was no wonder that the balance of +prosperity was in one hand, and the command in another, it being +therefore always in a posture of war; but it was carried by +ballot, that it was a steady government, though it is true by the +voices it had been carried before that it was an unsteady +government; so to-morrow it is to be proved by the opponents that +the balance lay in one hand, and the government in another. +Thence I went to Westminster, and met Shaw and Washington, who +told me how this day Sydenham [Colonel Sydenham had been an +active officer during the Civil Wars, on the Parliament side. +M.P. for Dorsetshire, and governor of Melcombe, and one of the +Committee of Safety.] was voted out of the House for sitting any +more this Parliament, and that Salloway was voted out likewise +and sent to the Tower, [In the Journals of that date Major +Salwey.] during the pleasure of the House. At Harper's Jack +Price told me, among other things, how much the Protector is +altered, though he would seem to bear out his trouble very well, +yet he is scarce able to talk sense with a man; and how he will +say that "Who should a man trust, if he may not trust to a +brother and an uncle;" and "how much those men have to answer +before God Almighty, for their playing the knave with him as they +did." He told me also, that there was 100,000l. offered, and +would have been taken for his restitution, had not the Parliament +come in as they did again; and that he do believe that the +Protector will live to give a testimony of his valour and revenge +yet before he dies, and that the Protector will say so himself +sometimes. + +18th. All the world is at a loss to think what Monk will do: +the City saying that he will be for them, and the Parliament +saying he will be for them. + +19th. This morning I was sent for to Mr. Downing, and at his bed +side he told me, that he had a kindness for me, and that he +thought that he had done me one; and that was, that he had got me +to be one of the Clerks of the Council; at which I was a little +stumbled, and could not tell what to do, whether to thank him or +no; but by and by I did; but not very heartily, for I feared that +his doing of it was only to ease himself of the salary which he +gives me. Mr. Moore and I went to the French Ordinary, where Mr. +Downing this day feasted Sir Arth. Haselrigge, and a great many +more of the Parliament, and did stay to put him in mind of me. +Here he gave me a note to go and invite some other members to +dinner to-morrow. So I went to White Hall, and did stay at +Marsh's with Simons, Luellin, and all the rest of the Clerks of +the Council, who I hear are all turned out, only the two Leighs, +and they do all tell me that my name was mentioned last night, +but that nothing was done in it. + +20th. In the morning I met Lord Widdrington in the street, [Sir +Thomas Widdrington, Knight, Serjeant-at-Law. one of Cromwell's +Commissioners of the Treasury, appointed Speaker 1656, and first +Commissioner for the Great Seal, January, 1659; he was M.P. for +York.] going to seal the patents for the Judges to-day, and so +could not come to dinner. This day three citizens of London went +to meet Monk from the Common Council. Received my 25l. due by +bill for my trooper's pay. At the Mitre, in Fleet-street, in our +way calling on Mr. Fage, who told me how the City have some hopes +of Monk. This day Lenthall took his chair again, [William +Lenthall, Speaker of the Long or Rump Parliament, and made Keeper +of the Great Seal to the Commonwealth, ob, 1662.] and the House +resolved a declaration to be brought in on Monday to satisfy the +world what they intend to do. + +22nd. To church in the afternoon to Mr. Herring, where a lazy +poor sermon. This day I began to put on buckles to my shoes. + +23rd. This day the Parliament sat late, and revolved of the +declaration to be printed for the people's satisfaction, +promising them a great many good things. + +24th. Came Mr. Southerne, clerk to Mr. Blackburne, and with him +Lambert, lieutenant of my Lord's ship, and brought with them the +declaration that came out to-day from the Parliament, wherein +they declare for law and gospel, and for tythes; but I do not +find people apt to believe them. This day the Parliament gave +orders that the late Committee of Safety should come before them +this day se'nnight, and all their papers, and their model of +Government that they had made, to be brought in with them. + +25th. Coming home heard that in Cheapside there had been but a +little before a gibbet set up, and the picture of Huson hung upon +it in the middle of the street. [John Hewson, who had been a +shoemaker, became a Colonel in the Parliament Army, and sat in +judgement on the King: he escaped hanging by flight, and died in +1662 at Amsterdam.] I called at Paul's Churchyard, where I +bought Buxtorf's Hebrew Grammar; and read a declaration of the +gentlemen of Northampton which came out this afternoon. + +26th. Called for some papers at Whitehall for Mr. Downing, one +of which was an order of the Council for 1800l. per annum, to be +paid monthly; and the other two, Orders to the Commissioners of +Customs, to let his goods pass free. Home from my office to my +Lord's lodgings where my wife had got ready a very fine dinner-- +viz. a dish of marrow bones; a leg of mutton; a loin of veal; a +dish of fowl, three pullets, and a dozen of larks all in a dish; +a great tart, a neat's tongue, a dish of anchovies; a dish of +prawns and cheese. My company was my father, my uncle Fenner, +his two sons, Mr. Pierce, and all their wives, and my brother Tom +[Ob.1663]. The news this day is a letter that speaks absolutely +Monk's concurrence with this Parliament, and nothing else, which +yet I hardly believe. + +28th, I went to Mr. Downing, who told me that he was resolved to +be gone for Holland this morning. So I to my office again, and +dispatch my business there, and came with Mr. Hawley to Mr. +Downing's lodgings, and took Mr. Squib from White Hall in a coach +thither with me, and there we waited in his chamber a great +while, till he came in; and in the mean time, sent all his things +to the barge that lays at Charing-Cross stairs. Then came he in, +and took a very civil leave of me, beyond my expectations, for I +was afraid that he would have told me something of removing me +from my office; but he did not, but that he would do me any +service that lay in his power. So I went down and sent a porter +to my house for my best fur cap, but he coming too late with it I +did not present it to him: and so I returned and went to Heaven, +[A place of entertainment, in Old Palace Yard, on the site of +which the Committee-Rooms of the House of Commons now stand it is +called in Hudibras, "False Heaven, at the end of the Hall."] +where Luellin and I dined. + +29th. In the morning I went to Mr. Gunning's, where he made an +excellent sermon upon the 2nd of the Galatians, about the +difference that fell between St. Paul and St. Peter, whereby he +did prove, that, contrary to the doctrine of the Roman Church, +St. Paul did never own any dependance, or that he was inferior to +St Peter, but that they were equal, only one a particular charge +of preaching to the Jews, and the other to the Gentiles. + +30th. This morning, before I was up, I fell a-singing of my +song, "Great, good and just," &c. and put myself thereby in mind +that this was the fatal day, now ten years since, his Majesty +died. [This is the beginning of Montrose's verses on the +execution of Charles the First, which Pepys had probably set to +music:-- + Great, good, and just, could I but rate + My grief and thy too rigid fate, + I'd weep the world to such a strain + That it should deluge once again. + But since thy loud-tongued blood demands supplies + More from Briareus' hands, than Argus' eyes, + I'll sing thy obsequies with trumpet sounds, + And write thy epitaph with blood and wounds.] +There seems now to be a general cease of talk, it being taken for +granted that Monk do resolve to stand to the Parliament, and +nothing else. + +31st. After dinner to Westminster Hall, where all we clerks had +orders to wait upon the Committee, at the Star-chamber that is to +try Colonel Jones, and to give an account what money we had paid +him; but the Committee did not sit to-day. [Colonel John Jones, +impeached, with General Ludlow and Miles Corbet, for treasonable +practices in Ireland.] Called in at Harper's with Mr. Pulford, +servant to Mr. Waterhouse, who tells me, that whereas my Lord +Fleetwood should have answered to the Parliament to-day, he wrote +a letter and desired a little more time, he being a great way out +of town. [Charles Fleetwood, Lord Deputy of Ireland during the +Usurpation, became Cromwell's son-in-law by his marriage with +Ireton's widow, and a member of the Council of State. He seems +disposed to have espoused Charles the Second's interests; but had +not resolution enough to execute his design. At the Restoration +he was excepted out of the Act of Indemnity, and spent the +remainder of his life in obscurity, dying soon after the +Revolution.] And how that he is quite ashamed of himself, and +confesses how he had deserved this, for his baseness to his +brother. And that he is like to pay part of the money, paid out +of the Exchequer during the Committee of Safety, out of his own +purse again, which I am glad on. I could find nothing in Mr. +Downing's letter, which Hawley brought me concerning my office; +but I could discern that Hawley had a mind that I would get to be +Clerk of the Council, I suppose that he might have the greater +salary; but I think it not safe yet to change this for a public +employment. + +FEBRUARY 1, 1659-60. Took Gammer East, and James the porter, a +soldier, to my Lord's lodgings, who told me how they were drawn +into the field to-day, and that they were ordered to march away +to-morrow to make room for General Monk; but they did shout their +Colonel Fitch, [Thomas Fitch, Colonel of a regiment of foot in +1658, M.P. for Inverness.] and the rest of the officers out of +the field, and swore they would not go without their money, and +if they would not give it them, they would go where they might +have it, and that was the City. So the Colonel went to the +Parliament, and commanded what money could be got, to be got +against to-morrow for them, and all the rest of the soldiers in +town, who in all places made a mutiny this day, and do agree +together. + +2nd. To my office, where I found all the officers of the +regiments in town, waiting to receive money that their soldiers +might go out of town, and what was in the Exchequer they had. +Harper, Luellin, and I went to the Temple to Mr. Calthrop's +chamber, and from thence had his man by water to London Bridge to +Mr. Calthrop a grocer, and received 60l. for my Lord. In our way +we talked with our waterman, White, who told us how the watermen +had lately been abused by some that had a desire to get in to be +watermen to the State, and had lately presented an address of +nine or ten thousand hands to stand by this Parliament, when it +was only told them that it was a petition against hackney +coaches; and that to-day they had put out another to undeceive +the world and to clear themselves. After I had received the +money we went homewards, but over against Somerset House, hearing +the noise of guns, we landed and found the Strand full of +soldiers. So I took my money and went to Mrs. Johnson, my Lord's +sempstress, and giving her my money to lay up, Doling and I went +up stairs to a window, and looked out and saw the foot face the +horse and beat them back, and stood bawling and calling in the +street for a free Parliament and money. By and by a drum was +heard to beat a march coming towards them, and they got all ready +again and faced them, and they proved to be of the same mind with +them; and so they made a great deal of joy to see one another. +After all this I went home on foot to lay up my money, and change +my stockings and shoes. I this day left off my great skirt suit, +and put on my white suit with silver lace coat, and went over to +Harper's, where I met with W. Simons, Doling, Luellin and three +merchants, one of which had occasion to use a porter, so they +sent for one, and James the soldier came, who told us how they +had been all day and night upon their guard at St. James's, and +that through the whole town they did resolve to stand to what +they had began, and that to-morrow he did believe they would go +into the City, and be received there. After this we went to a +sport called, selling of a horse for a dish of eggs and herrings, +and sat talking there till almost twelve at night. + +3rd. Drank my morning draft at Harper's, and was told there that +the soldiers were all quiet upon promise of pay. Thence to St. +James's Park, back to Whitehall, where in a guard-chamber I saw +about thirty or forty 'prentices of the City, who were taken at +twelve o'clock last night and brought prisoners hither. Thence +to my office, where I paid a little more money to some of the +soldiers under Lieut.-Col. Miller (who held out the Tower against +the Parliament after it was taken away from Fitch by the +Committee of Safety, and yet he continued in his office). About +noon Mrs. Turner came to speak with me and Joyce, and I took them +and shewed them the manner of the Houses sitting, the door-keeper +very civilly opening the door for us. We went walking all over +White Hall, whither General Monk was newly come, and we saw all +his forces march by in very good plight and stout officers. +After dinner I went to hear news, but only found that the +Parliament House was most of them with Monk at White Hall, and +that in his passing through the town he had many calls to him for +a free Parliament, but little other welcome. I saw in the Palace +Yard how unwilling some of the old soldiers were yet to go out of +town without their money, and swore if they had it not in three +days, as they were promised, they would do them more mischief in +the country than if they had staid here; and that is very likely, +the country being all discontented. The town and guards are +already full of Monk's soldiers. + +4th. All the news to-day is, that the Parliament this morning +voted the House to be made up four hundred forthwith. + +6th. To Westminster, where we found the soldiers all set in the +Palace Yard, to make way for General Monk to come to the House. +I stood upon the steps and saw Monk go by, he making observance +to the judges as he went along. + +7th. To the Hall, where in the Palace I saw Monk's soldiers +abuse Billing and all the Quakers, that were at a meeting-place +there, and indeed the soldiers did use them very roughly and were +to blame. This day Mr. Crew told me that my Lord St. John is for +a free Parliament, and that he is very great with Monk, who hath +now the absolute command and power to do any thing that he hath a +mind to do. + +9th. Before I was out of my bed, I heard the soldiers very busy +in the morning, getting their horses ready when they lay at +Hilton's, but I knew not then their meaning in so doing. In the +Hall I understand how Monk is this morning gone into London with +his army; and Mr. Fage told me that he do believe that Monk is +gone to secure some of the Common-council of the City, who were +very high yesterday there, and did vote that they would not pay +any taxes till the House was filled up. I went to my office, +where I wrote to my Lord after I had been at the Upper Bench, +where Sir Robert Pye this morning came to desire his discharge +from the Tower; but it could not be granted. I called at Mr. +Harper's, who told me how Monk had this day clapt up many of the +Common-council, and that the Parliament had voted that he should +pull down their gates and portcullisses, their posts and their +chains, which he do intend to do, and do lie in the City all +night. + +To Westminster Hall, where I heard an action very finely pleaded +between my Lord Dorset [Richard, 5th Earl of Dorset, ob. 1677.] +and some other noble persons, his lady and other ladies of +quality being there, and it was about 330l. PER ANNUM, that was +to be paid to a poor Spittal which was given by some of his +predecessors; and given on his side. + +10th. Mr. Fage told me what Monk had done in the City, how he +had pulled down the most part of the gates and chains that they +could break down, and that he was now gone back to White Hall. +The City look mighty blank, and cannot tell what in the world to +do; the Parliament having this day ordered that the Common- +council sit no more, but that new ones be chosen according to +what qualifications they shall give them. + +11th. I heard the news of a letter from Monk, who was now gone +into the City again, and did resolve to stand for the sudden +filling up of the House, and it was very strange how the +countenance of men in the Hall was all changed with joy in half +an hour's time. So I went up to the lobby, where I saw the +Speaker reading of the letter; and after it was read, Sir A. +Haselrigge came out very angry, and Billing standing at the door, +took him by the arm, and cried, "Thou man, will thy beast carry +thee no longer? thou must fall!" We took coach for the City to +Guildhall, where the Hall was full of people expecting Monk and +Lord Mayor to come thither, and all very joyfull. Met Monk +coming out of the chamber where he had been with the Mayor and +Aldermen, but such a shout I never heard in all my life, crying +out, "God bless your Excellence." Here I met with Mr. Lock, and +took him to an ale-house: when we were come together, he told us +the substance of the letter that went from Monk to the +Parliament; wherein after complaints that he and his officers +were put upon such offices against the City as they could not do +with any content or honour, it states, that there are many +members now in the House that were of the late tyrannical +Committee of Safety. That Lambert and Vane are now in town, +contrary to the vote of Parliament. That many in the House do +press for new oaths to be put upon men; whereas we have more +cause to be sorry for the many oaths that we have already taken +and broken. That the late petition of the fanatique people +prevented by Barebone, for the imposing of an oath upon all sorts +of people, was received by the House with thanks. That therefore +he [Monk] did desire that all writs for filling up of the House +be issued by Friday next, and that in the mean time, he would +retire into the City and only leave them guards for the security +of the House and Council. The occasion of this was the order +that he had last night, to go into the City and disarm them, and +take away their charter; whereby he and his officers said, that +the House had a mind to put them upon, things that should make +them odious; and so it would be in their power to do what they +would with them. We were told that the Parliament had sent Scott +and Robinson to Monk this afternoon, but he would not hear them. +And that the Mayor and Aldermen had offered their own houses for +himself and his officers; and that his soldiers would lack for +nothing. And indeed I saw many people give the soldiers drink +and money, and all along the streets cried, "God bless them!" +and extraordinary good words. Hence we went to a merchant's +house hard by, where I saw Sir Nich. Crisp, [An eminent merchant +and one of the Farmers of the Customs. He had advanced large +sums to assist Charles I., who created him a Baronet. He died +1667, aged 67.] and so we went to the star Tavern, (Monk being +then at Benson's.) In Cheapside there was a great many bonfires, +and Bow bells and all the bells in all the churches as we went +home were a-ringing. Hence we went homewards, it being about ten +at night. But the common joy that was every where to be seen! +The number of bonfires, there being fourteen between St. +Dunstan's and Temple Bar, and at Strand Bridge I could at one +time tell thirty-one fires. In King-street seven or eight; and +all along burning, and roasting, and drinking for rumps. There +being rumps tied upon sticks and carried up and down. The +butchers at the May Pole in the Strand rang a peal with their +knives when they were going to sacrifice their rump. On Ludgate +Hill there was one turning of the spit that had a rump tied upon +it, and another basting of it. Indeed it was past imagination, +both the greatness and the suddenness of it. At one end of the +street you would think there was a whole lane on fire, and so +hot that we were fain to keep on the further side. + +12th. In the morning, it being Lord's day, to White Hall, where +Dr. Hones preached; but I staid not to hear, but walking in the +court, I heard that Sir Arth. Haselrigge was newly gone into the +City to Monk, and that Monk's wife removed from White Hall last +night. After dinner I heard that Monk had been at Paul's in the +morning, and the people had shouted much at his coming out of the +church. In the afternoon he was at a church in Broad-street, +whereabout he do lodge. To my father's, where Charles Glascocke +was overjoyed to see how things are now; who told me the boys had +last night broke Barebone's windows. [Praise God Barebones, an +active member of the Parliament called by his name. About this +period he had appeared at the head of a band of fanatics, and +alarmed Monk, who well knew his influence.] + +13th. This day Monk was invited to White Hall to dinner by my +Lords; not seeming willing, he would not come. I went to Mr. +Fage from my father's, who had been this afternoon with Monk, who +did promise to live and die with the City, and for the honour of +the City; and indeed the City is very open-handed to the +soldiers, that they are most of them drunk all day, and had money +given them. + +14th. To Westminster Hall, there being many new remonstrances +and declarations from many counties to Monk and the City, and one +coming from the North from Sir Thomas Fairfax. [Thomas Lord +Fairfax, mentioned before.] I heard that the Parliament had now +changed the oath so much talked of to a promise; and that among +other qualifications for the members that are to be chosen, one +is, that no man, nor the son of any man that hath been in arms +during the life of the father, shall be capable of being chosen +to sit in Parliament. This day by an order of the House, Sir H. +Vane was sent out of town to his house in Lincolnshire. + +15th. No news to-day but all quiet to see what the Parliament +will do about the issuing of the writs to-morrow for the filling +up of the House, according to Monk's desire. + +17th. To Westminster Hall, where I heard that some of the +members of the House was gone to meet with some of the secluded +members and General Monk in the City. Hence to White Hall, +thinking to hear more news, where I met with Mr. Hunt, who told +me how Monk had sent for all his goods that he had here, into the +City; and yet again he told me, that some of the members of the +House had this day laid in firing into their lodgings at +Whitehall for a good while, so that we are at a great stand to +think what will become of things, whether Monk will stand to the +Parliament or no. + +18th. This day two soldiers were hanged in the Strand for their +late mutiny at Somerset-house. + +19th (Lord's day). To Mr. Gunning's, and heard an excellent +sermon. Here I met with Mr. Moore, and went home with him to +dinner, where he told me the discourse that happened between the +secluded members and the members of the House, before Monk last +Friday. How the secluded said, that they did not intend by +coming in to express revenge upon these men, but only to meet and +dissolve themselves, and only to issue writs for a free +Parliament. He told me how Hasselrigge was afraid to have the +candle carried before him, for fear that the people seeing him, +would do him hurt; and that he was afraid to appear In the City. +That there is great likelihood that the secluded members will +come in, and so Mr. Crewe and my Lord are likely to be great men, +at which I was very glad. After dinner there was many secluded +members come in to Mr. Crewe, which, it being the Lord's day, did +make Mr. Moore believe that there was something extraordinary in +the business. + +20th. I went forth to Westminster Hall, where I met with +Chetwind, Simons, and Gregory. [Mr. Gregory was, in 1672, Clerk +of the Cheque at Chatham.] They told me how the Speaker Lenthall +do refuse to sign the writs for choice of new members in the +place of the excluded; and by that means the writs could not go +out to-day. In the evening Simons and I to the Coffee House, +where I heard Mr. Harrington, and my Lord of Dorset and another +Lord, talking of getting another place at the Cockpit, and they +did believe it would come to something. + +21st. In the morning I saw many soldiers going towards +Westminster Hall, to admit the secluded members again. So I to +Westminster Hall, and in Chancery I saw about twenty of them who +had been at White Hall with General Monk, who came thither this +morning, and made a speech to them, and recommended to them a +Commonwealth, and against Charles Stuart. They came to the House +and went in one after another, and at last the Speaker came, But +it is very strange that this could be carried so private, that +the other members of the House heard nothing of all this, till +they found them in the House, insomuch that the soldiers that +stood there to let in the secluded members they took for such as +they had ordered to stand there to hinder their coming in. Mr. +Prin came with an old basket-hilt sword on, and a great many +shouts upon his going into the Hall. [William Prynne, the +lawyer, well known by his voluminous publications, and the +persecution which he endured. He was M.P. for Bath, 1660, and +died 1669.] They sat till noon, and at their coming out Mr. +Crewe saw me, and bid me come to his house and dine with him, +which I did; and he very joyful told me that; the House had made +General Monk, General of all the Forces in England, Scotland, and +Ireland; and that upon Monk's desire, for the service that Lawson +had lately done in pulling down the Committee of Safety, he had +the command of the Sea for the time being. He advised me to send +for my Lord forthwith, and told me that there is no question +that, if he will, he may now be employed again; and that the +House do intend to do nothing more than to issue writs, and to +settle a foundation for a free Parliament. After dinner I back +to Westminster Hall with him in his coach. Here I met with Mr. +Lock and Pursell, Master of Musique, [Matthew Locke and Henry +Purcell, both celebrated Composers.] and went with them to the +Coffee House, into a room next the water, by ourselves, where we +spent an hour or two till Captain Taylor come and told us, that +the House had voted the gates of the City to be made up again, +and the members of the City that are in prison to be set at +liberty; and that Sir G. Booth's case be brought into the House +to-morrow. [Sir George Booth of Dunham Massey, Bart., created +Baron Delamer; 1661, for his services in behalf of the King.] +Here we had variety of brave Italian; and Spanish songs, and a +canon for eight voices, which Mr. Lock had lately made on these +words: "Domine salvum fac Regem" Here out of the window it was a +most pleasant sight to see the City from one end to the other +with a glory about it, so high was the light of the bonfires, and +so thick round the City, and the bells rang every where. + +22nd. Walking in the Hall, I saw Major General Brown, [Richard +Brown, a Major-General of the Parliament forces, Governor of +Abingdon, and Member for London in the Long Parliament. He had +been imprisoned by the Rump Faction.] who had a long time been +banished by the Rump, but now with his beard overgrown, he comes +abroad and sat in the House. To White Hall, where I met with +Will. Simons and Mr. Mabbot at Marsh's, who told me how the House +had this day voted that the gates of the City should be set up at +the cost of the State. And that Major-General Brown's being +proclaimed a traitor be made void, and several other things of +that nature. I observed this day how abominably Barebone's +windows are broke again last night. + +23rd. Thursday, my birth-day, now twenty-seven years. To +Westminster Hall, where, after the House rose, I met with Mr. +Crewe, who told me that my Lord was chosen by 73 voices, to be +one of the Council of State, Mr. Pierpoint had the most, 101, +[William Pierrepont, M.P. of Thoresby, second son to Robert, +First Earl of Kingston, ob. 1677, aged 71.] and himself the +next, 100. + +24th. I rose very early, and taking horse at Scotland Yard, at +Mr. Garthwayt's stable, I rode to Mr. Pierce's: we both mounted, +and so set forth about seven of the clock; at Puckridge we +baited, the way exceeding bad from Ware thither. Then up again +and as far as Foulmer, within six miles of Cambridge, my mare +being almost tired: here we lay at the Chequer. I lay with Mr. +Pierce, who we left here the next morning upon his going to +Hinchingbroke to speak with my Lord before his going to London, +and we two come to Cambridge by eight o'clock in the morning. I +went to Magdalene College to Mr. Hill, with whom I found Mr. +Zanchy, Burton and Hollins, and took leave on promise to sup with +them. To the Three Tuns, where we drank pretty hard and many +healths to the King, &c.: then we broke up and I and Mr. Zanchy +went to Magdalene College, where a very handsome supper at Mr. +Hill's chambers, I suppose upon a club among them, where I could +find that there was nothing at all left of the old preciseness in +their discourse, specially on Saturday nights. And Mr. Zanchy +told me that there was no such thing now-a-days among them at any +time. + +26th. Found Mr. Pierce at our Inn, who told us he had lost his +journey, for my Lord was gone from Hinchingbroke to London on +Thursday last, at which I was a little put to a stand. + +27th. Up by four o'clock: Mr. Blayton and I took horse and +straight to Saffron Walden, where at the White Hart, we set up +our horses, and took the master of the house to shew us Audly End +House, who took us on foot through the park, and so to the house, +where the housekeeper shewed us all the house, in which the +stateliness of the ceilings, chimney-pieces, and form of the +whole was exceedingly worth seeing. He took us into the cellar, +where we drank most admirable drink, a health to the King. Here +I played on my flageolette, there being an excellent echo. He +shewed us excellent pictures; two especially, those of the four +Evangelists and Henry VIII. In our going, my landlord carried us +through a very old hospital or almshouse, where forty poor people +was maintained; a very old foundation; and over the chimney-piece +was an inscription in brass: "Orate pro anima, Thomae Bird," &c. +[The inscription and the bowl are still to be seen in the +almshouse.] They brought me a draft of their drink in a brown +bowl, tipt with silver, which I drank off, and at the bottom was +a picture of the Virgin with the child in her arms, done in +silver. So we took leave, the road pretty good, but the weather +rainy to Eping. + +28th. Up in the morning. Then to London through the forest, +here we found the way good, but only in one path, which we kept +as if we had rode through a kennel all the way. We found the +shops all shut, and the militia of the red regiment in arms at +the old Exchange, among whom I found and spoke to Nich. Osborne, +who told me that it was a thanksgiving-day through the City for +the return of the Parliament. At Paul's I light, Mr. Blayton +holding my horse, where I found Dr. Reynolds in the pulpit, and +General Monk there, who was to have a great entertainment at +Grocers' Hall. + +29th. To my office. Mr. Moore told me how my Lord is chosen +General at Sea by the Council, and that it is thought that Monk +will be joined with him therein. This day my Lord came to the +House, the first time since he come to town; but he had been at +the Council before. + +MARCH 1, 1659-60. I went to Mr. Crewe's, whither Mr. Thomas was +newly come to town, being sent with Sir H. Yelverton, my old +school-fellow at Paul's School, to bring the thanks of the county +to General Monk for the return of the Parliament. + +2nd. I went early to my Lord at Mr. Crewe's where I spoke to +him. Here were a great many come to see him, as Secretary +Thurloe, [John Thurloe, who had been Secretary of State to the +two Protectors, but was never employed after the Restoration, +though the King solicited his services. Ob. 1668.] who is now by +the Parliament chosen again Secretary of State. To Westminster +Hall, where I saw Sir G. Booth at liberty. This day I hear the +City militia is put into good posture, and it is thought that +Monk will not be able to do any great matter against them now, if +he had a mind. I understand that my Lord Lambert did yesterday +send a letter to the Council, and that to-night he is to come and +appear to the Council in person. Sir Arthur Haselrigge do not +yet appear in the House. Great is the talk of a single person, +and that it would now be Charles, George, or Richard again. For +the last of which my Lord St. John is said to speak high. Great +also is the dispute now in the House, in whose name the writs +shall run for the next Parliament; and it is said that Mr. Prin, +in open House, said, "In King Charles's." + +3rd. To Westminster Hall, where I found that my Lord was last +night voted one of the Generals at Sea, and Monk the other. I +met my Lord in the Hall, who bid me come to him at noon. After +dinner I to Warwick House, in Holborne, to my Lord, where he +dined with my Lord of Manchester, Sir Dudley North, my Lord +Fiennes, and my Lord Barkley. [Lord Manchester, the +Parliamentary General, afterwards particularly instrumental in +the King's Restoration, became Chamberlain of the Household, +K.G., a Privy Counsellor, and Chancellor of the University of +Cambridge. He died in 1671, having been five times married. Sir +Dudley North, K.B., became the 4th Lord North, on the death of +his father in 1666. Ob. 1677. John Fiennes, third son of +William, 1st Viscount Say and Sele, and one of Oliver's Lords. +George, 13th Lord Berkeley, created Earl Berkeley 1679. He was a +Privy Counsellor, and had afterwards the management, of the Duke +of York's family. Ob. 1698] I staid in the great hall, talking +with some gentlemen there, till they all come out. Then I, by +coach with my Lord, to Mr. Crewe's, in our way talking of publick +things. He told me he feared there was new design hatching, as +if Monk had a mind to get into the saddle. Returning, met with +Mr. Gifford who told me, as I hear from many, that things are in +a very doubtful posture, some of the Parliament being willing to +keep the power in their hands. After I had left him, I met with +Tom Harper; he talked huge high that my Lord Protector would come +in place again, which indeed is much discoursed of again, though +I do not see it possible. + +4th. Lord's day. To Mr. Gunning's, an excellent sermon upon +charity. + +5th. To Westminster by water, only seeing Mr. Pinky at his own +house, where he shewed me how he had alway kept the Lion and +Unicorne, in the back of his chimney, bright, in expectation of +the King's coming again. At home I found Mr. Hunt, who told me +how the Parliament had voted that the Covenant be printed and +hung in churches again. Great hopes of the King's coming again. + +6th. Shrove Tuesday. I called Mr. Shepley and we both went up +to my Lord's lodgings, at Mr. Crewe's, where he bid us to go home +again and get a fire against an hour after. Which we did at +White Hall, whither he came, and after talking with him about our +going to sea, he called me by myself into the garden, Where he +asked me how things were with me; he bid me look out now at this +turn some good place, and he would use all his own, and all the +interest of his friends that he had in England, to do me good. +And asked me whether I could, without too much inconvenience, go +to sea as his secretary, and bid me think of it. He also began +to talk of things of State, and told me that he should want one +in that capacity at sea, that he might trust in, and therefore he +would have me to go. He told me also, that he did believe the +King would come in, and did discourse with me about it, and about +the affection of the people and City, at which I was full glad. +Wrote by the post, by my Lord's command, for I. Goods to come up +presently. For my Lord intends to go forth with Goods to the +Swiftsure till the Nazeby be ready. This day I hear that the +Lords do intend to sit, a great store of them are now in town, +and I see in the Hall to-day. Overton at Hull do stand out, but +can it is thought do nothing; and Lawson, it is said, is gone +with some ships thither, but all that is nothing. My Lord told +me, that there was great endeavours to bring in the protector +again; but he told me, too, that he did believe it would not last +long if he were brought in; no, nor the King neither, (though he +seems to think that he will come in), unless he carry himself +very soberly and well. Every body now drink the King's health +without any fear, whereas before it was very private that a man +dare do it. Monk this day is feasted at Mercers' Hall, and is +invited one after another to all the twelve Halls in London. +Many think that he is honest yet, and some or more think him to +be a fool that would raise himself, but think that he will undo +himself by endeavouring it. + +7th. Ash Wednesday. Going homeward, my Lord overtook me in his +coach, and called me in, and so I went with him to St. James's, +and G. Montagu [George Montagu, afterwards M.P. for Dover, second +son of Edward, second Earl of Manchester, and father of the first +Earl of Halifax.] being gone to White Hall, we walked over the +Park thither, all the way he discoursing of the times, and of the +change of things since the last year, and wondering how he could +bear with so great disappointment as he did. He did give me the +best advice that he could what was best for me, whether to stay +or go with him, and offered all the ways that could be, how he +might do me good, with the greatest liberty and love. This day +according to order, Sir Arthur [Haselrigge.] appeared at the +House; what was done I know not, but there was all the Rumpers +almost come to the House to-day. My Lord did seem to wonder much +why Lambert was so willing to be put into the Tower, and thinks +he had some design in it; but I think that he is so poor that he +cannot use his liberty for debts, if he were at liberty; and so +it is as good and better for him to be there, than any where +else. + +8th. To Westminster Hall, where there was a general damp over +men's minds and faces upon some of the Officers of the Army being +about making a remonstrance upon Charles Stuart or any single +person; but at noon it was told, that the General had put a stop +to it, so all was well again. Here I met with Jasper who was to +bring me to my Lord at the lobby; whither sending a note to my +Lord, he comes out to me and gives me directions to look after +getting some money for him from the Admiralty, seeing that things +are so unsafe, that he would not lay out a farthing for the +State, till he had received some money of theirs. This +afternoon, some of the officers of the Army, and some of the +Parliament, had a conference at White Hall to make all right +again, but I know not what is done. At the Dog tavern, in comes +Mr. Wade and Mr. Sterry, secretary to the plenipotentiary in +Denmark, who brought the news of the death of the King of Sweden +[Charles Gustavus.] at Gottenburgh the 3rd of last month. + +9th. To my Lord at his lodging, and came to Westminster with him +in the coach; and Mr. Dudley and he in the Painted Chamber walked +a good while; and I telling him that I was willing and ready to +go with him to sea, he agreed that I should, and advised me what +to write to Mr. Downing about it. This day it was resolved that +the writs do go out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberty, +and I hear that it is resolved privately that a treaty be offered +with the King. And that Monk did check his soldiers highly for +what they did yesterday. + +13th. At my Lord's lodgings, who told me that I was to be +secretary, and Crewe deputy treasurer to the Fleet. This day the +Parliament voted all that had been done by the former Rump +against the House of Lords be void, and to-night that the writs +go out without any qualification. Things seem very doubtful what +will be the end of all; for the Parliament seems to be strong for +the King, while the soldiers do all talk against. + +14th. To my Lord's, where infinity of applications to him and to +me. To my great trouble, my Lord gives me all the papers that +was given to him, to put in order and to give him an account of +them. I went hence to St. James's to speake with Mr. Clerke, +Monk's secretary, about getting some soldiers removed out of +Huntingdon to Oundle, which my Lord told me he did to do a +courtesy to the town, that he might have the greater interest in +them, in the choice of the next Parliament; not that he intends +to be chosen himself, but that he might have Mr. Montagu and my +Lord Mandevill chose there in spite of the Bernards. I did +promise to give my wife all that I have in the world, but my +books, in case I should die at sea. After supper I went to +Westminster Hall, and the Parliament sat till ten at night, +thinking and being expected to dissolve themselves to-day, but +they did not. Great talk to-night that the discontented officers +did think this night to make a stir, but prevented. + +16th. To Westminster Hall, where I heard how the Parliament had +this day dissolved themselves, and did pass very cheerfully +through the Hall, and the Speaker without his mace. The whole +Hall, was joyfull thereat, as well as themselves, and now they +begin to talk loud of the King. To-night I am told, that +yesterday, about five o'clock in the afternoon, one came with a +ladder to the Great Exchange, and wiped with a brush the +inscription that was on King Charles, and that there was a great +bonfire made in the Exchange, and people called out "God bless +King Charles the Second!" + +19th. Early to my Lord, where infinity of business to do, which +makes my head full; and indeed, for these two or three days, I +have not been without a great many cares. After that to the +Admiralty, where a good while with Mr. Blackburne, who told me +that it was much to be feared that the King would come in, for +all good men and good things were now discouraged. Thence to +Wilkinson's, where Mr. Shepley and I dined; and while we were at +dinner, my Lord Monk's life-guard come by with the Serjeant at +Armes before them, with two Proclamations, that all Cavaliers do +depart the town: but the other that all officers that were +lately disbanded should do the same. The last of which Mr. R. +Creed, I remember, said, that he looked upon it as if they had +said, that all God's people should depart the town. All the +discourse now-a-day is, that the King will come again; and for +all I see, it is the wishes of all; and all do believe that it +will be so. + +21st. To my Lord's, but the wind very high against us; here I +did very much business, and then to my Lord Widdrington's from my +Lord, with his desire that he might have the disposal of the +writs of the Cinque Ports. My Lord was very civil to me, and +called for wine, and writ a long letter in answer. + +22nd. To Westminster, and received my warrant of Mr. Blackburne, +to be Secretary to the two Generals of the Fleet. + +23rd. My Lord, Captain Isham, Mr. Thomas, John Crewe, W. Howe, +and I to the Tower, where the barges staid for us; my Lord and +the Captain in one, and W. Howe and I, &c., in the other, to the +Long Beach, where the Swiftsure lay at anchor; (in our way we saw +the great breach which the late high water had made, to the loss +of many 1000l. to the people about Limehouse.) Soon as my Lord +on board, the guns went off bravely from the ships. And a little +while after comes the Vice-Admiral Lawson, and seemed very +respectful to my Lord, and so did the rest of the Commanders of +the frigates that were thereabouts. We were late writing of +orders for the getting of ships ready, &c.; and also making of +others to all the sea-ports between Hastings and Yarmouth, to +stop all dangerous persons that are going or coming between +Flanders and there. + +24th. At work hard all the day writing letters to the Council, +&c. + +25th. About two o'clock in the morning, letters came from London +by our Coxon, so they waked me, but I bid him stay till morning, +which he did, and then I rose and carried them into my Lord, who +read them a-bed. Among the rest, there was the writ and mandate +for him to dispose to the Cinque Ports for choice of Parliament- +men. There was also one for me from Mr. Blackburne, who with his +own hand superscribes it to S. P. Esq., of which God knows I was +not a little proud. I wrote a letter to the Clerk of Dover +Castle to come to my Lord about issuing of those writs. + +26th. This day it is two years since it pleased God that I was +cut for the stone at Mrs. Turner's in Salisbury Court. [Mrs. +Turner was the sister of Edward Pepys.] And did resolve while I +live to keep it a festival, as I did the last year at my house, +and for ever to have Mrs. Turner and her company with me. But +now it pleased God that I am prevented to do it openly; only +within my soul I can and do rejoice, and bless God, being at this +time, blessed be his holy name, in as good health as ever I was +in my life. This morning I rose early, and went about making of +an establishment of the whole Fleet, and a list of all the ships, +with the number of men and guns. About an hour after that, we +had a meeting of the principal commanders and seamen, to +proportion out the number of these things. All the afternoon +very many orders were made, till I was very weary. + +27th. This morning the wind came about, and we fell into the +Hope. I sat the first time with my Lord at table since my coming +to sea. All the afternoon exceeding busy in writing of letters +and orders. In the afternoon, Sir Harry Wright come on board us, +[M.P. for Harwich. He married Anne, daughter of Lord Crewe, and +sister to Lady Sandwich, and resided in Dagenham, Essex; he was +created a Baronet by Cromwell, 1658, and by Charles II., 1660.] +about his business of being chosen a Parliament-man. My Lord +brought him to see my cabbin, when I was hard a-writing. At +night supped with my Lord too, with the Captain. + +28th. This morning and the whole day busy. At night there was a +gentleman very well bred, his name was Banes, going for Flushing, +who spoke French and Latin very well, brought by direction from +Captain Clerke hither, as a prisoner, because he called out of +the vessel that he went in, "Where is your King, we have done our +business, Vive le Roi." He confessed himself a Cavalier in his +heart, and that he and his whole family, had fought for the King; +but that he was then drunk, having been taking his leave at +Gravesend the night before, and so could not; remember what it +was that he said; but his words and carriage showed much of a +gentleman. My Lord had a great kindness for him, but did not +think it safe to release him. But a while after, he sent a +letter down to my Lord, which my Lord did like very well, and did +advise with me that the gentleman was to be released. So I went +up and sat and talked with him in Latin and French; and about +eleven at night he took boat again, and so God bless him. This +day we had news of the election at Huntingdon for Bernard and +Pedley, [John Bernard and Nicholas Pedley, re-elected in the next +Parliament.] at which my Lord was much troubled for his friends' +missing of it. + +29th. We lie still a little below Gravesend. At night Mr. +Shepley returned from London, and told us of several elections +for the next Parliament. That the King's effigies was new making +to be set up in the Exchange again. This evening was a great +whispering that some of the Vice-Admiral's captains were +dissatisfied, and did intend to fight themselves, to oppose the +General. But it was soon hushed, and the Vice-Admiral did wholly +deny any such thing, and protested to stand by the General. + +30th. This day, while my Lord and we were at dinner, the Nazeby +came in sight towards us, and at last came to anchor close by us. +My Lord and many others went on board her, where every thing was +out of order, and a new chimney made for my Lord in his bed- +chamber, which he was much pleased with. My Lord in his +discourse, discovered a great deal of love to this ship. [Lord +Sandwich's flag was on board the Nazeby, when he went to the +Sound.] + +APRIL 1st, 1660. (Lord's day). Mr. Ibbot [Minister of Deal, +1676.--PEPYS'S MS. LETTERS.] preached very well. After dinner +my lord did give me a private list of all the ships that were to +be set out this summer, wherein I do discover that he hath made +it his care to put by as much of the Anabaptists as he can. By +reason of my Lord and my being busy to send away the packet by +Mr. Cooke, of the Naseby, it was four o'clock before we could +begin sermon again. This day Captain Guy come on board from +Dunkirk, who tells me that the King will come in, and that the +soldiers at Dunkirk do drink the King's health in the streets. + +2nd. Up very early, and to get all my things and my boy's packed +up. Great concourse of commanders here this morning to take +leave of my Lord upon his going into the Nazeby. This morning +comes Mr. Ed. Pickering, [Brother to Sir Gilbert Pickering, +Bart.] he tells me that the King will come in, but that Monk did +resolve to have the doing of it himself or else to hinder it. + +3rd. There come many merchants to get convoy to the Baltique, +which a course was taken for. They dined with my Lord, and one +of them by name Alderman Wood talked much to my Lord of the hopes +that he had now to be settled, (under the King he meant); but my +Lord took no notice of it. This day come the Lieutenant of the +Swiftsure (who was sent by my Lord to Hastings, one of the Cinque +Ports, to have got Mr. Edward Montagu to have been one of their +burgesses, but could not, for they were all promised before.) + +4th. This morning come Colonel Thomson with the wooden leg, and +G. Pen, and dined with my lord and Mr. Blackburne, who told me +that it was certain now that the King must of necessity come in, +and that one of the Council told him there is something doing in +order to a treaty already among them. And it was strange to hear +how Mr. Blackburne did already begin to commend him for a sober +man, and how quiet he would be under his government, &c. The +Commissioners come to-day, only to consult about a further +reducement of the Fleet, and to pay them as fast as they can. At +night, my Lord resolved to send the Captain of our ship to +Waymouth and promote his being chosen there, which he did put +himself into readiness to do the next morning. + +9th. This afternoon I first saw France and Calais, with which I +was much pleased, though it was at a distance. + +11th. A Gentleman came from my Lord of Manchester to my Lord for +a pass for Mr. Boyle, [The celebrated Robert Boyle, youngest son +of Richard first Earl of Cork.] which was made him. All the news +from London is that things go on further towards a King. That +the Skinners' Company the other day at their entertaining General +Monk had took down the Parliament arms in their Hall, and set up +the King's. My Lord and I had a great deal of discourse about +the several Captains of the Fleet and his interest among them, +and had his mind clear to bring in the King. He confessed to me +that he was not sure of his own Captain, to be true to him, and +that he did not like Capt. Stokes. + +14th. This day I was informed that my Lord Lambert is got out of +the Tower, and that there is 1001. proffered to whoever shall +bring him forth to the Council of State. My Lord is chosen at +Weymouth this morning; my Lord had his freedom brought him by +Capt. Tiddiman of the port of Dover, by which he is capable of +being elected for them. This day I heard that the Army had in +general declared to stand by what the next Parliament shall do. + +15th (Lord's day). To sermon, and then to dinner, where my Lord +told us that the University of Cambridge had a mind to choose him +for their burgess, which he pleased himself with, to think that +they do look upon him as a thriving man, and said so openly at +table. At dinner-time Mr. Cooke came hack from London with a +packet which caused my Lord to be full of thoughts all day, and +at night he bid me privately to get two commissions ready, one +for Capt. Robert Blake to be captain of the Worcester, in the +room of Capt. Dekings, an anabaptist, and one that had witnessed +a great deal of discontent with the present proceedings. The +other for Capt. Coppin to come out of that into the Newbury in +the room of Blake, whereby I perceive that General Monk do +resolve to make a thorough change, to make way for the King. +From London I hear that since Lambert got out of the Tower, the +Fanatiques had held up their heads high, but I hope all that will +come to nothing. + +17th. All the morning getting ready commissions for the Vice- +Admiral and the R. Admiral, wherein my Lord was very careful to +express the utmost of his own power, commanding them to obey what +orders they should receive from the Parliament, &c., of both or +either of the Generals. My Lord told me clearly his thoughts +that the King would carry it, and that he did not think himself +very happy that he was now at sea, as well for his own sake, as +that he thought he might do his country some service in keeping +things quiet. + +18th. Mr. Cooke returned from London, bringing me this news, +that the Cavaliers are something unwise to talk so high on the +other side as they do. That the Lords do meet every day at my +Lord of Manchester's, and resolve to sit the first day of the +Parliament. That it is evident now that the General and the +Council do resolve to make way for the King's coming. And it is +clear that either the Fanatiques must now be undone, or the +gentry and citizens throughout England, and clergy must fall, in +spite of their militia and army, which is not at all possible I +think. + +19th. At dinner news brought us that my Lord was chosen at +Dover. + +20th. This evening come Mr. Boyle on board, for whom I writ an +order for a ship to transport him to Flushing. He supped with my +Lord, my Lord using him as a person of honour. Mr. Shepley told +me that he heard for certain at Dover that Mr. Edw. Montagu +[Eldest son of Edward, second Lord Montagu, of Boughton, killed +at Berghen, 1685.] did go beyond sea when he was here first the +other day, and I am apt to believe that he went to speak with the +King. This day one told me how that at the election at Cambridge +for knights of the shire, Wendby and Thornton by declaring to +stand for the Parliament and a King and the settlement of the +Church, did carry it against all expectation against Sir Dudley +North and Sir Thomas Willis. [Willis had represented +Cambridgeshire in the preceding Parliament.] + +21st. This day dined Sir John Boys [Gentleman of the Privy- +Chamber.] and some other gentlemen formerly great Cavaliers, and +among the rest one Mr. Norwood, [A Major Norwood had been +Governor of Dunkirk; and a person of the same name occurs, as one +of the Esquires of the body at the Coronation of Charles the +Second.] for whom my Lord give a convoy to carry him to the +Brill, but he is certainly going to the King. For my Lord +commanded me that I should not enter his name in my book. My +Lord do show them and that sort of people great civility. All +their discourse and others are of the King's coming, and we begin +to speak of it very freely. And heard how in many churches in +London, and upon many signs there, and upon merchants' ships in +the river, they had set up the King's arms. This night there +came one with a letter from Mr. Edw. Montagu to my Lord, with +command to deliver it to his own hands. I do believe that he do +carry some close business on for the King. This day I had a +large letter from Mr. Moore, giving me an account of the present +dispute at London that is like to be at the beginning of the +Parliament, about the House of Lords, who do resolve to sit with +the Commons, as not thinking themselves dissolved yet. Which, +whether it be granted or no, or whether they will sit or no, it +will bring a great many inconveniences. His letter I keep, it +being a very well writ one. + +22nd. Several Londoners, strangers, friends of the captains, +dined here, who, among other things told us, how the King's Arms +are every day set up in houses and churches, particularly in +Allhallows Church in Thames-street, John Simpson's church, which +being privately done was a great eye-sore to his people when they +came to church and saw it. Also they told us for certain that +the King's statue is making by the Mercers' Company (who are +bound to do it) to set up in the Exchange. + +23rd. In the evening for the first time, extraordinary good +sport among the seamen, after my Lord had done playing at nine- +pins. + +24th. We were on board the London, which hath a state-room much +bigger than the Nazeby, but not so rich. After that, with the +Captain on board our own ship, where we were saluted with the +news of Lambert's being taken, which news was brought to London +on Sunday last. He was taken in Northamptonshire by Colonel +Ingoldsby, in the head of a party, by which means their whole +design is broke, and things now very open and safe. And every +man begins to be merry and full of hopes. [Colonel Richard +Ingoldsby had been Governor of Oxford under his kinsman Cromwell, +and one of Charles the First's Judges; but was pardoned for the +service here mentioned, and made K.B. at the Coronation of +Charles II. He afterwards retired to his seat at Lethenborough, +Bucks, and died 1685.] + +25th. Dined to-day wth Captain Clerke on board the Speaker (a +very brave ship) where was the Vice-Admiral, R. Admiral, and many +other commanders. After dinner home, not a little contented to +see how I am treated, and with what respect made a fellow to the +best commander in the Fleet. + +26th. This day come Mr. Donne back from London, who brought +letters with him that signify the meeting of the Parliament +yesterday. And in the afternoon by other letters I hear, that +about twelve of the Lords met and had chosen my Lord of +Manchester Speaker of the House of Lords (the young Lords that +never sat yet, do forbear to sit for the present); and Sir +Harbottle Grimstone, Speaker for the House of Commons, [He was +made Master of the Rolls, November following, and died 1683.] +which, after a little debate, was granted. Dr. Reynolds preached +before the Commons before they sat. My Lord told me how Sir H. +Yelverton (formerly my schoolfellow) [Of Easton Mauduit, Bart., +grandson to the Attorney General of both his names. Ob. 1679.] +was chosen in the first place for Northamptonshire and Mr. Crewe +in the second, And told me how he did believe that the Cavaliers +have now the upper hand clear of the Presbyterians. + +27th. After dinner came on board Sir Thomas Hatton [Of Long +Stanton, co. Cambridge, Bart.] and Sir R. Maleverer [Of Allerton +Maleverer, Yorkshire, Bart.] going for Flushing; but, all the +world know that they go where the rest of the many gentlemen go +that every day flock to the King at Breda. They supped here, and +my Lord treated them as he do the rest, that go thither, with a +great deal of civility. While we were at supper a packet came, +wherein much news from several friends. The chief is that, that +I had from Mr. Moore, viz. that he fears the Cavaliers in the +House will be so high, that the other will be forced to leave the +House and fall in with General Monk, and so offer things to the +King so high on the Presbyterian account that he may refuse, and +so they will endeavour some more mischief; but when I told my +Lord it, he shook his head and told me, that the Presbyterians +are deceived, for the General is certainly for the King's +interest, and so they will not be able to prevail that way with +him. After supper the two knights went on board the Grantham, +that is to convey them to Flushing, I am informed that the +Exchequer is now so low, that there is not 20l. there, to give +the messenger that brought the news of Lambert's being taken; +which story is very strange that he should lose his reputation of +being a man of courage now at one blow for that he was not able +to fight one stroke, but desired of Colonel Igoldsby several +times to let him escape. Late reading my letters, my mind being +much troubled to think that, after all our hopes, we should have +any cause to fear any more disappointments therein. + +29th. After sermon in the morning Mr. Cooke came from London +with a packet, bringing news how all the young lords that were +not in arms against the Parliament do now sit. That a letter is +come from the King to the House, which is locked up by the +Council 'till next Thursday that it may be read in the open House +when they meet again, they having adjourned till then to keep a +fast to-morrow. And so the contents is not yet known. 13,000l. +of the 20,000l. given to General Monk is paid out of the +Exchequer, he giving 12l. among the teller's clerks of Exchequer. +My Lord called me into the great cabbin below, where he told me +that the Presbyterians are quite mastered by the Cavaliers, and +that he fears Mr. Crewe did go a little too far the other day in +keeping out the young lords from a sitting. That he do expect +that the King should be brought over suddenly, without staying to +make any terms at all, saying that the Presbyterians did intend +to have brought him in with such conditions as if he had been in +chains. But he shook his shoulders when he told me how Monk had +betrayed him, for it was he that did put them upon standing to +put out the lords and other members that come not within the +qualifications, which he did not like, but however he had done +his business, though it be with some kind of baseness. After +dinner I walked a great while upon the deck with the chyrurgeon +and purser, and other officers of the ship, and they all pray for +the King's coming, which I pray God send. + +MAY 1, 1660. To-day I hear they were very merry at Deale, +setting up the King's flags upon one of their Maypoles, and +drinking his health upon their knees is the streets, and firing +the guns, which the soldiers of the Castle threatened, but durst +not oppose. + +2nd. Mr. Dunne from London, with letters that tell us the +welcome news of the Parliament's votes yesterday, which will be +remembered for the happiest May-day that hath been many a year to +England. The King's letter was read in the House, wherein he +submits himself and all things to them, as to an Act of Oblivion +to all, unless they shall please to except any, as to the +confirming of the sales of the King's and Church lands, if they +see good. The House upon reading the letter, ordered 50,000l. to +be forthwith provided to send to His Majesty for his present +supply; and a committee chosen to return an answer of thanks to +His Majesty for his gracious letter; and that the letter be kept +among the records of the Parliament; and in all this not so much +as one No. So that Luke Robinson himself stood up and made a +recantation of what he had done, and promises to be a loyal +subject to his Prince for the time to come. [Of Pickering Lyth, +in Yorkshire, M.P. for Scarborough discharged from sitting in +the House of Commons, July 21, 1660.] The City of London have +put out a Declaration, wherein they do disclaim their owning any +other government but that of a King, Lords, and Commons. Thanks +was given by the House to Sir John Greenville, one of the +bedchamber to the King, [Created Earl of Bath, 1661, son of Sir +Bevill Greenville, killed at the battle of Newbury, and said to +have been the only person entrusted by Charles II. and Monk in +bringing about the Restoration.] who brought the letter, and they +continued bare all the time it was reading. Upon notice from the +Lords to the Commons, of their desire that the Commons would join +with them in their vote for King, Lords, and Commons; the Commons +did concur and voted that all books whatever that are out against +the Government of King, Lords, and Commons, should be brought +into the House and burned. Great joy all yesterday at London, +and at night more bonfires than ever, and ringing of bells, and +drinking of the King's health upon their knees in the streets, +which methinks is a little too much. But every body seems to be +very joyfull in the business, insomuch that our sea-commanders +now begin to say so too, which a week ago they would not do. And +our seamen, as many as had money or credit for drink, did do +nothing else this evening. This day come Mr. North (Sir Dudley +North's son) [Charles, eldest son of Dudley, afterwards fourth +Lord North.] on board, to spend a little time here, which my +Lord was a little troubled at, but he seems to be a fine +gentleman, and at night did play his part exceeding well at +first sight. + +3rd. This morning my Lord showed me the King's declaration and +his letter to the two Generals to be communicated to the fleet. +The contents of the latter are his offer of grace to all that +will come in within forty days, only excepting them that the +Parliament shall hereafter except. That the sales of lands +during these troubles, and all other things, shall be left to the +Parliament, by which he will stand. The letter dated at Breda, +April 4/14 1660, in the 12th year of his reign. Upon the receipt +of it this morning by an express, Mr. Phillips, one of the +messengers of the Council from General Monk, my Lord summoned a +council of war, and in the meantime did dictate to me how he +would have the vote ordered which he would have pass this +council. Which done, the Commanders all came on board, and the +council sat in the coach [Coach, on board a man-of-war, "The +Council Chamber."] (the first council of war that had been in my +time), where I read the letter and declaration; and while they +were discoursing upon it, I seemed to draw up a vote, which being +offered, they passed. Not one man seemed to say no to it, though +I am confident many in their hearts were against it. After this +was done, I went up to the quarter-deck with my Lord and the +Commanders, and there read both the papers and the vote; which +done, and demanding their opinion, the seamen did all of them cry +out, "God bless King Charles!" with the greatest joy imaginable. +That being done, Sir R. Stayner, [Knighted and made a Vice- +Admiral by Cromwell, 1657, and sent by Charles II. to command +Tangier till the Governor arrived.] who had invited us +yesterday, took all the Commanders and myself on board him to +dinner, which not being ready, I went with Captain Hayward 'to +the Plymouth and Essex, and did what I had to do and returned, +where very merry at dinner. After dinner, to the rest of the +ships quite through the fleet. Which was a very brave sight to +visit all the ships, and to be received with the respect and +honour that I was on board them all; and much more to see the +great joy that I brought to all men; not one through the whole +fleet showing the least dislike of the business. In the evening +as I was going on board the Vice-Admiral, the General began to +fire his guns, which he did all that he had in the ship, and so +did all the rest of the Commanders, which was very gallant, and +to hear the bullets go hissing over our heads as we were in the +boat. This done and finished my Proclamation, I returned to the +Nazeby, where my Lord was much pleased to hear how all the fleet +took it in a transport of joy, showed me a private letter of the +King's to him, and another from the Duke of York in such familiar +style as their common friend, with all kindness imaginable. And +I found by the letters, and so my Lord told me too, that there +had been many letters passed between them for a great while, and +I perceive unknown to Monk. Among the rest that had carried +these letters Sir John Boys is one, and Mr. Norwood, which had a +ship to carry him over the other day, when my Lord would not have +me put down his name in the book. The King speaks of him being +courted to come to the Hague, but to desire my Lord's advice +where to come to take ship. And the Duke offers to learn the +seaman's trade of him, in such familiar words as if Jack Cole and +I had writ them. This was very strange to me, that my Lord +should carry all things so wisely and prudently as he do, and I +was over joyful to see him in so good condition, and he did not a +little please himself to tell me how he had provided for himself +so great a hold on the King. + +After this to supper, and then to writing of letters till twelve +at night, and so up again at three in the morning. My Lord +seemed to put great confidence in me, and would take my advice in +many things. I perceive his being willing to do all the honour +in the world to Monk, and to let him have all the honour of doing +the business, though he will many times express his thoughts of +him to be but a thick-skulled fool. So that I do believe there +is some agreement more than ordinary between the King and my Lord +to let Monk carry on the business, for it is he that can do the +business, or at least that can hinder it, if he be not flattered +and observed. This, my Lord will hint himself sometimes. My +Lord, I perceive by the King's letter, had writ to him about his +father, Crewe, [He had married Jemima, daughter of John Crewe, +Esq., created afterwards Baron Crewe of Stene.] and the King did +speak well of him; but my Lord tells me, that he is afraid that +he hath too much concerned himself with the Presbyterians against +the House of Lords, which will do him a great discourtesy. + +4th. I wrote this morning many letters, and to all the copies of +the vote of the council of war I put my name, that if it should +come in print my name may be to it. I sent a copy of the vote to +Doling, inclosed in this letter:-- + +"SIR, +"He that can fancy a fleet (like ours) in her pride, with +pendants loose, guns roaring, caps flying, and the loud "Vive le +Roy's," echoed from one ship's company to another, he, and he +only, can apprehend the joy this inclosed vote was received with, +or the blessing he thought himself possessed of that bore it, and +is + "Your humble servant." + +About nine o'clock I got all my letters done, and sent them by +the messenger that come yesterday. This morning come Captain +Isham on board with a gentleman going to the King, by whom very +cunningly my Lord tells me, he intends to send an account of this +day's and yesterday's actions here, notwithstanding he had writ +to the Parliament to have leave of them to send the King the +answer of the fleete. Since my writing of the last paragraph, my +Lord called me to him to read his letter to the King, to see +whether I could find any slips in it or no. And as much of the +letter as I can remember, is thus:- + +"May it please your Most Excellent Majesty," and so begins. + +That he yesterday received from General Monk his Majesty's letter +and direction; and that General Monk had desired him to write to +the Parliament to have leave to send the vote of the seamen +before he did send it to him, which he had done by writing to +both Speakers; but for his private satisfaction he had sent it +thus privately, (and so the copy of the proceedings yesterday was +sent him) and that this come by a gentleman that come this day on +board, intending to wait upon his Majesty, that he is my Lord's +countryman, and one whose friends have suffered much on his +Majesty's behalf. That my Lords Pembroke and Salisbury are put +out of the House of Lords. [Philip, fifth Earl of Pembroke, and +second Earl of Montgomery, Ob. 1669. Clarendon says, "This young +Earl's affections were entire for his Majesty." Williams, second +Earl of Salisbury. After Cromwell had put down the House Of +Peers, he was chosen a Member of the House of Commons, and sat +with them, ob. 1660.] That my Lord is very joyful that other +countries do pay him the civility and respect due to him; and +that he do much rejoice to see that the King do receive none of +their assistance (or some such words,) from them, he having +strength enough in the love and loyalty of his own subjects to +support him. That his Majesty had chosen the best place, +Scheveling, for his embarking, and that there is nothing in the +world of which he is more ambitions, than to have the honour of +attending his Majesty, which he hoped would be speedy. That he +had commanded the vessel to attend at Helversluce till this +gentleman returns, that so if his Majesty do not think it fit to +command the fleete himself, yet that he may be there to receive +his commands and bring them to his Lordship. He ends his letter, +that he is confounded with the thoughts of the high expressions +of love to him in the King's letter, and concludes, + +"Your most loyall, dutifull, faithfull and obedient subject and +servant, "E.M." + +After supper at the table in the coach, my Lord talking +concerning the uncertainty of the places of the Exchequer to them +that had them now; he did at last think of an office which do +belong to him in case the King do restore every man to his places +that ever had been patent, which is to be one of the clerks of +the signet, which will be a fine employment for one of his sons. + +In the afternoon come a minister on board, one Mr. Sharpe, who is +going to the King; who tells me that Commissioners are chosen +both of the Lords and Commons to go to the King; and that Dr. +Clarges [Thomas Clarges, physician to the Army, created a +Baronet, 1674, ob. 1695, He had been previously knighted; his +sister Anne married General Monk.] is going to him from the +Army, and that he will be here to-morrow. My letters at night +tell me, that the House did deliver their letter to Sir John +Greenville, in answer to the King's sending, and that they give +him 500l. for his pains, to buy him a jewel, and that besides the +50,000l. ordered to be borrowed of the City for the present use +of the King, the twelve companies of the City do give every one +of them to his Majesty, as a present, 1000l. + +5th. All the morning very busy writing letters to London, and a +packet to Mr. Downing, to acquaint him with what has been done +lately in the fleet. And this I did by my Lord's command, who, I +thank him, did of himself think of doing it, to do me a kindness, +for he writ a letter himself to him, thanking him for his +kindness to me. This evening come Dr. Clarges, to Deal, going to +the King; where the towns-people strewed the streets with herbes +against his coming, for joy of his going. Never was there so +general a content as there is now. I cannot but remember that +our parson did, in his prayer to-night, pray for the long life +and happiness of our King and dread Soveraigne, that may last as +long as the sun and moon endureth. + +6th. It fell very well to-day, a stranger preached here for Mr. +Ibbot, one Mr. Stanley, who prayed for King Charles, by the Grace +of God, &c., which gave great contentment to the gentlemen that +were on board here, and they said they would talk of it, when +they come to Breda, as not having it done yet in London so +publickly. After they were gone from on board, my Lord writ a +letter to the King and give it me to carry privately to Sir +William Compton, on board the Assistance, [Sir William Compton, +third son of Spencer, Earl of Northampton, a Privy Counsellor and +Master of the ordnance, ob. 1663, aged 39.] which I did, and +after a health to his Majesty on board there, I left them under +sail for Breda. + +7th. My Lord went this morning about the flag-ships in a boat, +to see what alterations there must be, as to the armes and flags. +He did give me orders also to write for silk flags and scarlett +waistcloathes. [Clothes hung about the cage-work of a ship's +hull to protect the men in action.] For a rich barge; for a +noise of trumpets, and a set of fidlers. Very great deal of +company come to-day, among others Mr. Bellasses, [Henry, eldest +son of Lord Bellasis, made K.B. at Charles the Second's +Coronation.] Sir Thomas Lenthropp, Sir Henry Chichley, Colonel +Philip Honiwood, and Captain Titus, [Colonel Silas Titus, +Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles II., author of "Killing +no Murder."] the last of whom my Lord showed all our cabbins, +and I suppose he is to take notice what room there will be for +the King's entertainment. + +8th. My letters to-day tell me how it was intended that the King +should be Proclaimed to-day in London, with a great deal of pomp. +I had also news who they are that are chosen of the Lords and +Commons to attend the King. And also the whole story of what we +did the other day in the fleet, at reading of the King's +declaration, and my name at the bottom of it. + +9th. Up very early, writing a letter to the King, as from the +two Generals of the fleet, in answer to his letter to them, +wherein my Lord do give most humble thanks for his gracious +letter and declaration; and promises all duty and obedience to +him. This letter was carried this morning to Sir Peter +Killigrew, [Knight, of Arwenach, Cornwall, M.P. for Camelford, +1660.] who come hither this morning early to bring an order from +the Lords House to my Lord, giving him power to write an answer +to the King. This morning my Lord St. John and other persons of +honour were here to see my Lord, and so away to Flushing. As we +were sitting down to dinner, in comes Noble with a letter from +the House of Lords to my Lord, to desire him to provide ships to +transport the Commissioners to the King, which are expected here +this week. He brought us certain news that the King was +proclaimed yesterday with great pomp, and brought down one of the +Proclamations, with great jog to us all; for which God be +praised. This morning come Mr. Saunderson, that writ the story +of the King, hither, who is going over to the King. + +10th. At night, while my Lord was at supper, in comes my Lord +Lauderdale [John, second Earl and afterwards created Duke of +Lauderdale, Earl of Guilford (in England,) and K.G. He became +sole Secretary of State for Scotland in 1661, and was a Gentleman +of His Majesty's Bedchamber and died in 1682, s. p.] and Sir John +Greenville, who supped here, and so went away. After they were +gone, my Lord called me into his cabbin, and told me how he was +commanded to set sail presently for the King, and was very glad +thereof. I got him afterwards to sign things in bed. + +11th This morning we began to pull down all the State's arms in +the fleet, having first sent to Dover for painters and others to +come to set up, the King's. There dined here my Lord Crafford +[John, fourteenth Earl of Crauford, restored in 1661 to the +office of High Treasurer of Scotland, which he had held eight +years under Charles the First.] and my Lord Cavendish, +[Afterwards fourth Earl and first Duke of Devonshire.] and other +Scotchmen whom I afterwards ordered to be received on board the +Plymouth, and to go along with us. After dinner we set sail from +the Downes. In the afternoon overtook us three or four +gentlemen: two of the Berties, and one Mr. Dormerhay, [Probably +Dalmahoy.] a Scotch gentleman, who, telling my Lord that they +heard the Commissioners were come out of London to-day, my Lord +dropt anchor over against Dover Castle (which give us about +thirty guns in passing), and upon a high debate with the Vice and +Rear-Admiral whether it were safe to go and not stay for the +Commissioners, he did resolve to send Sir R. Stayner to Dover, to +enquire of my Lord Winchelsea, [Heneage, second Earl of +Winchelsea, constituted by General Monk, Governor of Dover +Castle, July, 1660: made Lord Lieutenant of Kent, and afterwards +ambassador to Turkey. Ob. 1689.] whether or no they are come out +of London, and then to resolve to-morrow morning of going or not. +Which was done. + +12th. My Lord give me many orders to make for direction for the +ships that are left in the Downes, giving them the greatest +charge in the world to bring no passengers with them, when they +come after us to Scheveling Bay, excepting Mr. Edward Montagu, +Mr. Thomas Crewe, and Sir H. Wright. Sir R. Stayner told my +Lord, that my Lord Winchelsea understands by letters, that the +Commissioners are only to come to Dover to attend the coming over +of the King. So my Lord did give order for weighing anchor, +which me did, and sailed all day. + +13th. To the quarter-deck, at which the taylors and painters +were at work, cutting out some pieces of yellow cloth in the +fashion of a crown and C. R. and put it upon a fine sheet, and +that into the flag instead of the State's arms, which after +dinner was finished and set up. This morn Sir J. Boys and Capt. +Isham met us in the Nonsuch the first of whom, after a word or +two with my Lord, went forward, the other staid. I heard by them +how Mr. Downing had never made any address to the King, and for +that was hated exceedingly by the Court, and that he was in a +Dutch ship, which sailed by us, then going to England with +disgrace. Also how Mr. Morland was knighted by the King this +week, and that the King did give the reason of it openly, that it +was for his giving him intelligence all the time he was clerk to +Secretary Thurloe. [Samuel Morland, successively scholar and +fellow of Magdalene College, and Mr. Pepys's tutor there, became +afterwards one of Thurloe's Under Secretaries, and was employed +in several embassies, by Cromwell, whose interests he betrayed, +by secretly communicating with Charles the Second. In +consideration of these services he was created a baronet of +Sulhamstead Banister, Berks, after the Restoration. He was an +ingenious mechanic, supposed by some persons to have invented the +Steam Engine, and lived to an advanced age.] In the afternoon a +council of war, only to acquaint them that the Harp must be taken +out of all their flags, it being very offensive to the King. +Late at night we writ letters to the King of the news of our +coming, and Mr. Edward Pickering carried them. [Sir Gilbert +Pickering's eldest son.] Capt. Isham went on shore, nobody +showing of him any respect; so the old man very fairly took leave +of my Lord, and my Lord very coldly bid him "God be with you," +which was very strange, but that I hear that he keeps a great +deal of prating and talking on shore, on board, at the King's +Courts, what command he had with my Lord, &c. + +14th. In the morning the Hague was clearly to be seen by us. My +Lord went up, in his nightgown into the cuddy, to see how to +dispose thereof for himself and us that belong to him, to give +order for our removal to-day. Some nasty Dutchmen came on board +to proffer their boats to carry things from us on shore, &c. to +get money by us. Before noon some gentlemen came on board from +the shore to kiss my Lord's hands. And by and by Mr. North and +Dr. Clerke went to kiss the Queen of Bohemia's hands, [Daughter +of James the First.] from my Lord, with twelve attendants from +on board to wait on them, among which I sent my boy, who, like +myself, is with child to see any strange thing. After noon they +came back again after having kissed the Queen of Bohemia's hand, +and were sent again by my Lord to do the same to the Prince of +Orange. [Afterwards William the Third.] So I got the Captain to +ask leave for me to go, which my Lord did give, and taking my boy +and Judge-Advocate with me, went in company with them. The +weather was bad; we were sadly washed when we come near the +shore, it being very hard to land there. The shore is so, all +the country between that and the Hague, all sand. 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 to-day. But going to see the +Prince, [Henry Duke of Gloucester, Charles the Second's youngest +brother.] 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, ten 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. + +15th. Coming on board we found all the Commissioners of the +House of Lords at dinner with my Lord, who after dinner went away +for shore. Mr. Morland, now Sir Samuel, was here on board, but I +do not find that my Lord or any body did give him any respect, he +being looked upon by him and all men as a knave. Among others he +betrayed Sir Rich. Willis that married Dr. F. Jones's daughter, +who had paid him 1000l. at one time by the Protector's and +Secretary Thurloe's order, for intelligence that he sent +concerning the King. In the afternoon my Lord called me on +purpose to show me his fine cloathes which are now come hither, +and indeed are very rich as gold and silver can make them, only +his sword he and I do not like. In the afternoon my Lord and I +walked together in the coach two hours, talking together upon all +sorts of discourse: as religion, wherein he is, I perceive, +wholly sceptical, saying, that indeed the Protestants as to the +Church of Rome are wholly fanatiques: he likes uniformity and +form of prayer: about state-business, among other things he told +me that his conversion to the King's cause (for I was saying that +I wondered from what time the King could look upon him to become +his friend,) commenced from his being in the Sound, when he found +what usage he was likely to have from a Commonwealth. My Lord, +the Captain, and I supped in my Lord's chamber, where I did +perceive that he did begin to show me much more respect than ever +he did yet. After supper, my Lord sent for me, intending to have +me play at cards with him, but I not knowing cribbage, we fell +into discourse of many things, and the ship rolled so much that I +was not able to stand, and he bid me go to bed. + +May 16. Come in some with visits, among the rest one from +Admiral Opdam, [The celebrated Dutch Admiral.] who spoke Latin +well, but not French nor English, whom my Lord made me to +entertain. Commissioner Pett [Naval Commissioner at Chatham.] +was now come to take care to get all things ready for the King on +board. My Lord in his best suit, this the first day, in +expectation to wait upon the King. But Mr. Edw. Pickering coming +from the King brought word that the King would not put my Lord to +the trouble of coming to him, but that; he would come to the +shore to look upon the fleet to-day, which we expected, and had +our guns ready to fire, and our scarlet waist-cloathes out and +silk pendants, but he did not come. This evening came Mr. John +Pickering on board, like an asse, with his feathers and new suit +that he had made at the Hague. My Lord very angry for him +staying on shore, bidding me a little before to send for him, +telling me that he was afraid that for his father's sake he might +have some mischief done him, unless he used the General's name. +This afternoon Mr. Edw. Pickering told me in what a sad, poor +condition for clothes and money the King was, and all his +attendants, when he came to him first from my Lord, their clothes +not being worth forty shillings the best of them. And how +overjoyed the King was when Sir J. Greenville brought him some +money; so joyful, that he called the Princess Royal [Mary, eldest +daughter of Charles I., and widow of the Prince of Orange who +died 1646-7. She was carried off by the small-pox, December +1680, leaving a son, afterwards King William III.] and Duke of +York to look upon it as it lay in the portmanteau before it was +taken out. My Lord told me, too, that the Duke of York is made +High Admiral of England. + +17th. Dr. Clerke came to me to tell me that he heard this +morning, by some Dutch that are come on board already to see the +ships, that there was a Portuguese taken yesterday at the Hague, +that had a design to kill the King. But this I heard afterwards +was only the mistake upon one being observed to walk with his +sword naked, he having lost his scabbard. Before dinner Mr. Edw. +Pickering and I, W. Howe, Pim, and my boy, to Scheveling, where +we took coach, and so to the Hague, where walking, intending to +find one that might show us the King incognito, I met with Captn. +Whittington (that had formerly brought a letter to my Lord from +the Mayor of London) and he did promise me to do it, but first we +went and dined. At dinner in came Dr. Cade, a merry mad parson +of the King's. And they two got the child and me (the others not +being able to crowd in) to see the King, who kissed the child +very affectionately. Then we kissed his, and the Duke of York's, +and the Princess Royal's hands. The King seems to be a very +sober man; and a very splendid Court he hath in the number of +persons of quality that are about him; English very rich in +habit. From the King to the Lord Chancellor, who did lie bed-rid +of the gout: he spoke very merrily to the child and me. After +that, going to see the Queen of Bohemia, I met Dr. Fuller, whom I +sent to a tavern with Mr. Edw. Pickering, while I and the rest +went to see the Queen, who used us very respectfully: her hand +we all kissed. She seems a very debonaire, but a plain lady. In +a coach we went to see a house of the Princess Dowager's [Mary, +daughter of Charles I.] in a park about a mile from the Hague, +where there is one of the most beautiful rooms for pictures in +the whole world. She had here one picture upon the top, with +these words, dedicating it to the memory of her husband:-- +"Incomparabili marito, inconsolabilis vidua." + +18th. Very early up, and, hearing that the Duke of York, our +Lord High admiral, would go on board to-day, Mr. Pickering and I +took waggon for Scheveling. But the wind being so very high that +no boats could get off from shore, we returned to the Hague +(having breakfasted with a gentleman of the Duke's and +Commissioner Pett, sent on purpose to give notice to my Lord of +his coming); we got a boy of the town to go along with us, and he +showed us the church where Van Trump lies entombed with a very +fine monument. His epitaph, is concluded thus:--"Tandem Bello +Anglico tantum non victor, certe invictus, vivere et vincere +desiit." There is a sea-fight cut in marble, with the smoake, +the best expressed that ever I saw in my life. From thence to +the great church, that stands in a fine great market-place, over +against the Stadt-House, and there I saw a stately tombe of the +old Prince of Orange, of marble and brass; wherein among other +rarities there are the angels with their trumpets expressed as it +were crying. There were very fine organs in both the churches. +It is a most sweet town, with bridges, and a river in every +street. We met with Commissioner Pett going down to the water- +side with Major Harly, who is going upon a dispatch into England. + +19th. Up early and went to Scheveling, where I found no getting +on board, though the Duke of York sent every day to see whether +he could do it or no. By waggon to Lausdune, where the 365 +children were born, We saw the hill where they say the house +stood wherein the children were born. The basins wherein the +male and female children were baptised do stand over a large +table that hangs upon a wall, with the whole story of the thing +in Dutch and Latin, beginning, "Margarita Herman Comitissa," &c. +The thing was done about 200 years ago. + +20th. Commissioner Pett at last came to our lodging and caused +the boats to go off; so some in one boat and some in another we +all bid adieu to the shore. But through the badness of weather +we were in great danger, and a great while before we could get to +the ship. This hath not been known four days together such +weather this time of year, a great while. Indeed our fleet was +thought to be in great danger, but we found all well. + +21st. The weather foul all this day also. After dinner, about +writing one thing or other all day, and setting my papers in +order, hearing by letters that came hither in my absence, that +the Parliament had ordered all persons to be secured, in order to +a trial, that did sit as judges in the late King's death, and all +the officers attending the Court. Sir John Lenthall moving in +the House, that all that had borne arms against the King should +be exempted from pardon, he was called to the bar of the House, +and after a severe reproof he was degraded his knighthood. At +Court I find that all things grow high. The old clergy talk as +being sure of their lands again, and laugh at the Presbytery; and +it is believed that the sales of the King's and Bishops' lands +will never be confirmed by Parliament, there being nothing now in +any man's power to hinder them and the King from doing what they +had a mind, but everybody willing to submit to any thing. We +expect every day to have the King and Duke on board as soon as it +is fair. My Lord does nothing now, but offers all things to the +pleasure of the Duke as Lord High Admiral. So that I am at a +loss what to do. + +22nd. News brought that the two Dukes are coming on board, +which, by and by, they did, in a Dutch boat, the Duke of York in +yellow trimmings, the Duke of Gloucester in grey and red. My +Lord went in a boat to meet them, the Captain, myself, and +others, standing at the entering port. So soon as they were +entered we shot the guns off round the fleet. After that they +went to view the ship all over, and were most exceedingly pleased +with it. They seem to be very fine gentlemen. After that done, +upon the quarter-deck table, under the awning, the Duke of York +and my Lord, Mr. Coventry and I, spent an hour at allotting to +every ship their service, in their return to England; [Sir +William Coventry, to whom Mr. Pepys became so warmly attached +afterwards, was the youngest son of Thomas first Lord Coventry, +and Lord Keeper. He entered at Queen's College, Oxford, in 1642: +and on his return from his travels was made Secretary to the Duke +of York, and elected M.P. for Yarmouth. In 1662 he was appointed +a Commissioner of the Admiralty; in 1665 knighted and sworn a +privy Counsellor; and in 1667 constituted a Commissioner of the +Treasury, but having been forbid the Court, on account of his +challenging the Duke of Buckingham, he retired into the country, +nor could he subsequently be prevailed upon to accept of any +official employment. Burnet calls Sir W. C. the best speaker in +the House of Commons, and a man of great notions and eminent +virtues: and Mr. Pepys never omits an opportunity of paying a +tribute to his public and private worth. Ob. 1686, aged 60.] +which being done, they went to dinner, where the table was very +full: the two Dukes at the upper end, my Lord Opdam next on one +side, and my Lord on the other. Two guns given to every man +while he was drinking the King's health, and so likewise to the +Duke's health. I took down Monsieur d'Esquier to the great +cabbin below, and dined with him in state along with only one or +two friends of his. All dinner the harper belonging to Captain +Sparling played to the Dukes. After dinner, the Dukes and my +Lord to sea, the Vice and Rear-Admirals and I in a boat after +them. After that done, they made to the shore in the Dutch boat +that brought them, and I got into the boat with them; but the +shore was full of people to expect their coming. When we came +near the shore, my Lord left them and come into his own boat, and +Pen and I with him; my Lord being very well pleased with this +day's work. By the time we came on board again, news is sent us +that the King is on shore; so my Lord fired all his guns round +twice, and all the fleet after him. The gun over against my +cabbin I fired myself to the King, which was the first time that +he had been saluted by his own ships since this change; but +holding my head too much over the gun, I had almost spoiled my +right eye. Nothing in the world but giving of guns almost all +this day. In the evening we began to remove cabbins; I to the +carpenter's cabbin, and Dr. Clerke with me. Many of the King's +servants come on board to-night; and so many Dutch of all sorts +come to see the ship till it was quite dark, that we could not +pass by one another, which was a great trouble to us all. This +afternoon Mr. Downing (who was knighted yesterday by the King) +was here on board, and had a ship for his passage into England, +with his lady and servants. By the same token he called me to +him when I was going to write the order, to tell me that I must +write him Sir G. Downing. My Lord lay in the roundhouse to- +night. This evening I was late writing a French letter by my +Lord's order to Monsieur Wragh, Embassador de Denmarke a la Haye, +which my Lord signed in bed. + +23rd. In the morning come infinity of people on board from the +King to go along with him. My Lord, Mr. Crewe, and others, go on +shore to meet the King as he comes off from shore, where Sir R. +Stayner, bringing His Majesty into the boat, I hear that His +Majesty did with a great deal of affection kiss my Lord upon his +first meeting. The King, with the two Dukes and Queen of +Bohemia, Princesse Royalle, and Prince of Orange, come on board, +where I in their coming in kissed the King's, Queen's and +Princesse's hands, having done the other before. Infinite +shooting off of the guns, and that in a disorder on purpose, +which was better than if it had been otherwise. All day nothing +but Lords and persons of honour on board, that we were exceeding +full. Dined in a great deal of state, the Royalle company by +themselves in the coach, which was a blessed sight to see. After +dinner the King and Duke altered the name of some of the ships, +viz. the Nazeby into Charles; the Richard, James; the Speaker, +Mary; the Dunbar (which was not in company with us), the Henry; +Winsly, Happy Return; Wakefield, Richmond; Lambert, the +Henrietta; Cheriton, the Speedwell; Bradford, the Successe. + + [The Naseby now no longer England's shame, + But better to be lost in Charles his name. + DRYDEN'S ASTRAEA REDUX.] + +That done, the Queen, Princesse Royalle, and Prince of Orange, +took leave of the King, and the Duke of York went on board the +London, and the Duke of Gloucester, the Swiftsure. Which done, +we weighed anchor, and with a fresh gale and most happy weather +we set sail for England. All the afternoon the King walked here +and there, up and down (quite contrary to what I thought him to +have been) very active and stirring. Upon the quarter-deck he +fell into discourse of his escape from Worcester, where it made +me ready to weep to hear the stories that he told of his +difficulties that he had passed through, as his travelling four +days and three nights on foot, every step up to his knees in +dirt, with nothing but a green coat and a pair of country +breeches on, and a pair of country shoes that made him so sore +all over his feet, that he could scarce stir. Yet he was forced +to run away from a miller and other company, that took them for +rogues. His sitting at table at one place, where the master of +the house, that had not seen him in eight years, did know him, +but kept it private; when at the same table there was one that +had been of his own regiment at Worcester, could not know him, +but made him drink the King's health, and said that the King was +at least four fingers higher than he. At another place he was by +some servants of the house made to drink, that they might know +that he was not a Roundhead, which they swore he was. In another +place at his inn, the master of the house, as the King was +standing with his hands upon the back of a chair by the fire- +side, kneeled down and kissed his hand, privately, saying, that +he would not ask him who he was, but bid God bless him whither he +was going. Then the difficulties in getting a boat to get into +France, where he was fain to plot with the master thereof to keep +his design from the foreman and a boy (which was all the ship's +company), and so get to Fecamp in France. At Rouen he looked so +poorly, that the people went into the rooms before he went away +to see whether he had not stole something or other. In the +evening I went up to my Lord to write letters for England, which +we sent away with word of our coming, by Mr. Edw. Pickering. The +King supped alone in the coach; after that I got a dish, and we +four supped in my cabbin, as at noon. About bed-time my Lord +Bartlett [A mistake, for Lord Berkeley, who had been deputed with +Lord Middlesex and four other Peers by the House of Lords, to +present an address of congratulation to the King.] (who I had +offered my service to before) sent for me to get him a bed, who +with much ado I did get to bed to my Lord Middlesex [Lionel, +third and last Earl of Middlesex. Ob. 1674.] in the great cabbin +below, but I was cruelly troubled before I could dispose of him, +and quit myself of him. So to my cabbin again, where the company +still was, and were talking more of the King's difficulties; as +how he was fain to eat a piece of bread and cheese out of a poor +body's pocket; how, at a Catholique house, he was fain to lie in +the priest's hole a good while in the house for his privacy. +After that our company broke up. We have all the Lords +Commissioners on board us, and many others. Under sail all +night, and most glorious weather. + +24th. Up, and made myself as fine as I could, with the linning +stockings on and wide canons that I bought the other day at +Hague. Extraordinary press of noble company, and great mirth all +the day. There dined with me in my cabbin (that is, the +carpenter's) Dr. Earle [John Earle, Dean of Westminster, +successively Bishop of Worcester and Salisbury. Ob. 1665.] and +Mr. Hollis, the King's Chaplins, Dr. Scarborough, [Charles +Scarborough, M.D., principal Physician to Charles II., (by whom +he was knighted in 1669,) James II., and William III., a learned +and incomparable anatomist.] Dr. Quarterman, [William +Quarterman, M.D., of Pembroke College, Oxford.] and Dr.Clerke, +Physicians, Mr. Darsy, and Mr.Fox,[Afterwards Sir Stephen Fox, +Knight, Paymaster to the Forces.] (both very fine gentlemen) the +King's servants, where we had brave discourse. Walking upon the +decks, where persons of honour all the afternoon, among others, +Thomas Killigrew, [Thomas Killigrew, younger son of Robert +Killigrew, of Hanworth, Middlesex, Page of Honour to Charles I., +and Groom of the Bedchamber to Charles II. whose fortunes he had +followed. He was resident at Venice, 1651; a great favourite +with the King on account of his uncommon vein of humour; the +author of several plays. Ob. 1682] (a merry droll, but a +gentleman of great esteem with the King,) who told us many merry +stories. At supper the three Drs. of Physique again at my +cabbin; where I put Dr. Scarborough in mind of what I heard him +say, that children do, in every day's experience, look several +ways with both their eyes, till custom teaches them otherwise. +And that we do now see but with one eye, Our eyes looking in +parallel lynes. After this discourse I was called to write a +pass for my Lord Mandeville [Eldest son of the Earl of +Manchester.] to take up horses to London, which I wrote in the +King's name, and carried it to him to sign, which was the first +and only one that ever he signed in the ship Charles. To bed, +coming in sight of land a little before night. + +25th. By the morning we were come close to the land, and +everybody made ready to get on shore. The King and the two Dukes +did eat their breakfast before they went, and there being set +some ship's diet, they eat nothing else but pease and pork, and +boiled beef. Dr. Clerke, who eat with me, told me how the King +had given 50l. to Mr. Shepley for my Lord's servants, and 500l. +among the officers and common men of the ship. I spoke to the +Duke of York about business, who called me Pepys by name, and +upon my desire did promise me his future favour. Great +expectation of the King's making some Knights, but there was +none. About noon (though the brigantine that Beale made was +there ready to carry him) yet he would go in my Lord's barge with +the two Dukes. Our Captn. steered, and my Lord went along bare +with him. I went, and Mr. Mansell, and one of the King's +footmen, and a dog that the King loved, in a boat by ourselves, +and so got on shore when the King did, who was received by +General Monk with all imaginable love and respect at his entrance +upon the land of Dover. Infinite the crowd of people and the +horsemen, citizens, and noblemen of all sorts. The Mayor of the +town come and gave him his white staffe, the badge of his place, +which the King did give him again. The Mayor also presented him +from the town a very rich Bible, which he took and said it was +the thing that he loved above all things in the world, a canopy +was provided for him to stand under, which he did, and talked +awhile with General Monk and others, and so into a stately coach +there set for him, and so away through the towne towards +Canterbury, without making any stay at Dover. The shouting and +joy expressed by all is past imagination seeing that my Lord did +not stir out of his barge, I got into a boat and so into his +barge. My Lord almost transported with joy that he had done all +this without any the least blur or obstruction in the world, that +could give offence to any, and with the great honour he thought +it would be to him. Being overtook by the brigantine, my Lord +and we went out of our barge into it;, and so were on board with +Sir W. Batten [A Commissioner of the Navy, and in 1661 M.P. for +Rochester.] and the Vice and Rear-Admirals. At night I supped +with the Captn., who told me what the King had given us. My Lord +returned late, and at his coming did give me order to cause the +marke to be gilded, and a Crowne and C. R. to be made at the head +of the coach table, where the King today with his own hand did +marke his height, which accordingly I caused the painter to do, +and is now done as is to be seen. + +28th. My Lord dined with the Vice-Admiral to-day, (who is as +officious, poor man! as any spaniel can be; but I believe all to +no purpose, for I believe he will not hold his place;) so I dined +commander at the coach table to-day, and all the officers of the +ship with me, and Mr. White of Dover. After a game or two at +nine-pins, to work all the afternoon, making above twenty orders. +In the evening my Lord having been a-shore, the first time that +he hath been a-shore since he come out of the Hope, (having +resolved not to go till he had brought his Majesty into England, +I returned on board with a great deal of pleasure. The Captain +told me that my Lord had appointed me 30l. out of the 1000 ducats +which the King had given to the ship. + +27th (Lord's day). Called up by John Goods to see the Garter and +Heralds coate, which lay in the coach, brought by Sir Edward +Walker, King at Armes, this morning, for my Lord. My Lord had +summoned all the Commanders on board him, to see the ceremony, +which was thus: Sir Edward putting on his coate, and having laid +the George and Garter, and the King's letter to my Lord, upon a +crimson cushion, (in the coach, all the Commanders standing by,) +makes three congees to him, holding the cushion in his arms. +Then laying it down with the things upon it upon a chair, he +takes the letter, and delivers it to my Lord, which my Lord +breaks open and gives him to read. It was directed to our trusty +and well beloved Sir Edward Montagu, Knight, one of our Generals +at sea, and our Companion elect of our Noble Order of the Garter. +The contents of the letter is to show that the Kings of England +have for many years made use of this honour, as a special mark of +favour, to persons of good extraction and valour, (and that many +Emperors, Kings and Princes of other countries have borne this +honour), and that whereas my Lord is of a noble family, and hath +now done the King such service by sea, at this time, as he hath +done; he do send him this George and Garter to wear as Knight of +the Order, with a dispensation for the other ceremonies of the +habit of the Order, and other things, till hereafter, when it can +be done. So the herald putting the ribbon about his neck, and +the Garter on his left leg, he saluted him with joy as Knight of +the Garter. And after that was done he took his leave of my +Lord, and so to shore again to the King at Canterbury, where he +yesterday gave the like honour to General Monk, who are the only +two for many years that have had the Garter given them, before +they had honours of Earldome, or the like, excepting only the +Duke of Buckingham, who was only Sir George Villiers when he was +made Knight of the Garter. [A.D. 1616.] + +29th. Abroad to shore with my Lord, (which he offered me of +himself, saying that I had a great deal of work to do this month, +which was very true.) On shore we took horses, my Lord and +Mr.Edward, Mr. Hetly and I, and three or four servants, and had a +great deal of pleasure in riding. At last we came upon a very +high cliffe by the sea-side and rode under it, we having laid +great wagers, I and Dr. Mathews, that it was not so high as +Paul's; my Lord and Mr. Hetly, that it was. But we riding under +it, my Lord made a pretty good measure of it with two sticks, and +found it to be not thirty-five yards high, and Paul's is reckoned +to be about ninety. From thence toward the barge again, and in +our way found the people of Deale going to make a bonfire for joy +of the day, it being the King's birthday, and had some guns which +they did fire at my Lord's coming by. For which I did give +twenty shillings among them to drink. While we were on the top +of the cliffe, we saw and heard our guns in the fleet go off for +the same joy. And it being a pretty fair day we could see above +twenty miles into France. Being returned on board, my Lord +called for Mr. Shepley's book of Paul's, by which we were +confirmed in our wager. This day, it is thought, the King do +enter the City of London. + +30th. All this morning making up my accounts, in which I counted +that I had made myself now worth about 80l., at which my heart +was glad, and blessed God. + +JUNE 1, 1660. At night Mr. Cook comes from London with letters, +leaving all things there very gallant and joyful. And brought us +word that the Parliament had ordered the 29th of May, the King's +birth-day, to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our +redemption from tyranny, and the King's return to his Government, +he entering London that day. + +2nd. Being with my Lord in the morning about business in his +cabbin, I took occasion to give him thanks for his love to me in +the share that he had given me of his Majesty's money, and the +Duke's. He told me he hoped to do me a more lasting kindness, if +all things stand as they are now between him and the King, but, +says he, "We must have a little patience and we will rise +together; in the mean time I will do yet all the good jobs I +can." Which was great content for me to hear from my Lord. All +the morning with the Captain, computing how much the thirty ships +that come with the King from Scheveling their pay comes to for a +month (because the King promised to give them all a month's pay), +and it comes to 6,538l., and the Charles particularly 777l. I +wish we had the money. + +3rd. Captaine Holland is come to get an order for the setting +out of his ship, and to renew his commission. He tells me how +every man goes to the Lord Mayor to set down their names, as such +as do accept of his Majesty's pardon, and showed me a certificate +under the Lord Mayor's hand, that he had done so. + +At sermon in the morning; after dinner into my cabbin, to cast my +accounts up, and find myself to be worth near 100l. for which I +bless Almighty God, it being more than I hoped for so soon, being +I believe not clearly worth 25l. when I come to sea besides my +house and goods. + +4th. This morning the King's Proclamation against drinking, +swearing, and debauchery, was read to our ships companies in the +fleet, and indeed it gives great satisfaction to all. + +6th. In the morning I had letters come, that told me among other +things, that my Lord's place of Clerke of the Signet was fallen +to him, which he did most lovingly tell me that I should execute, +in case he could not get a better employment for me at the end of +the year. Because he thought that the Duke of York would command +all, but he hoped that the Duke would not remove me but to my +advantage. + +My letters tell me, that Mr. Calamy [Edward Calamy, the +celebrated Nonconformist Divine, born 1616, appointed Chaplain to +Charles the Second 1660. Ob. 1666.] had preached before the King +in a surplice (this I heard afterwards to be false); that my +Lord, Gen. Monk, and three more Lords, are made Commissioners for +the Treasury; that my Lord had some great place conferred on him, +and they say Master of the Wardrobe; and the two Dukes do haunt +the Park much, and that they were at a play, Madam Epicene, +[Epicene, or the Silent Woman, a Comedy by Ben Jonson.] the +other day; that Sir Ant. Cooper, [Afterwards Chancellor, and +created Earl of Shaftesbury.] Mr. Hollis, and Mr. Annesly, late +Presidents of the Council of State, are made Privy Councillors to +the King. + +7th. After dinner come Mr. John Wright and Mr. Moore, with the +sight of whom my heart was very glad. They brought an order for +my Lord's coming up to London, which my Lord resolved to do to- +morrow. All the afternoon getting my things in order to set +forth to-morrow. At night walked up and down with Mr. Moore, who +did give me an account of all things at London. Among others, +how the Presbyterians would be angry if they durst, but they will +not be able to do any thing. + +8th. Out early, took horses at Deale. + +9th. To White Hall with my Lord and Mr. Edwd. Montagu. Found +the King in the Park. There walked. Gallantly great. + +11th. With my Lord to Dorset House to the Chancellor. [Dorset- +House, in Salisbury Court, at this time occupied by the +Chancellor, once the residence of the Bishops of Salisbury, one +of whom (Jewel) alienated it to the Sackville-family. The house +being afterwards pulled down, a theatre was built on its site, in +which the Duke of York's troop performed.] + +13th. By water with my Lord in a boat to Westminster, and to the +Admiralty, now in a new place. + +15th. My Lord told me how the King has given him the place of +the great Wardrobe. + +16th. To my Lord, and so to White Hall with him about the Clerk +of the Privy Seale's place, which he is to have. Then to the +Admiralty, where I wrote some letters. Here Coll. Thompson told +me, as a great secret, that the Nazeby was on fire when the King +was there, but that is not known; when God knows it is quite +false. + +17th (Lord's day). To Mr. Messinn's; a good sermon. This day +the organs did begin to play at White Hall before the King. +After dinner to Mr. Messinn's again, and so in the garden, and +heard Chippell's father preach, that was Page to the Protector. + +18th. To my Lord's, where much business. With him to the +Parliament House, where he did intend to have made his appearance +to-day, but he met Mr. Crewe upon the stairs, and would not go +in. He went to Mrs. Brown's, and staid till word was brought him +what was done in the House. This day they made an end of the +twenty men to be excepted from pardon to their estates. By barge +to Stepney with my Lord, where at Trinity House we had great +entertainment. With my Lord there went Sir W. Pen, Sir H. +Wright, Hetly, Pierce, Creed, Hill, I and other servants. Back +again to the Admiralty, and so to my Lord's lodgings, where he +told me that he did look after the place of the Clerk of the Acts +for me. + +19th. Much business at my Lord's. This morning my Lord went into +the House of Commons, and there had the thanks of the House, in +the name of the Parliament and Commons of England, for his late +service to his King and Country. A motion was made for a reward +for him, but it was quashed by Mr. Annesly, who, above most men, +is engaged to my Lord's and Mr. Crewe's favours. My Lord went at +night with the King to Baynard's Castle to supper, and I home. + +20th. With my Lord (who lay long in bed this day, because he +came home late from supper with the King) to the Parliament +House, and, after that, with him to General Monk's, where he +dined at the Cock-pit. Thence to the Admiralty, and despatched +away Mr. Cooke to sea; whose business was a letter from my Lord +about Mr. G. Montagu to be chosen as a Parliament-man in my +Lord's room at Dover; and another to the Vice-Admiral to give my +Lord a constant account of all things in the fleet, merely that +he may thereby keep up his power there; another letter to Captn. +Cuttance to send the barge that brought the King on shore, to +Hinchingbroke by Lynne. + +21st. To my Lord, much business. With him to the Council +Chamber, where he was sworne; and the charge of his being +admitted Privy Counsellor is 56l. To White Hall, where the King +being gone abroad, my Lord and I talked a great while discoursing +of the simplicity of the Protector, in his losing all that his +father had left him. My Lord told me, that the last words that +he parted with the Protector with, (when he went to the Sound), +were, that he should rejoice more to see him in his grave at his +return home, than that he should give way to such things as were +then in hatching, and afterwards did ruine him: and that the +Protector said, that whatever G. Montagu, my Lord Broghill [Roger +Boyle, Lord Broghill, created Earl of Orrery, 1660. Ob. 1679.], +Jones, and the Secretary, would have him to do, he would do it, +be it what it would. + +22nd. To my Lord, where much business. With him to White Hall, +where the Duke of York not being up, we walked a good while in +the Shield Gallery. Mr. Hill (who for these two or three days +hath constantly attended my Lord) told me of an offer of 500l. +for a Baronet's dignity, which I told my Lord of in the balcone +of this gallery, and he said he would think of it. My dear +friend Mr. Fuller of Twickenham and I dined alone at the Sun +Tavern, where he told me how he had the grant of being Dean of +St. Patrick's, in Ireland; and I told him my condition, and both +rejoiced one for another. Thence to my Lord's and had the great +coach to Brigham's, who told me how my Lady Monk deals with him +and others for their places, asking him 500l. though he was +formerly the King's coach-maker, and sworn to it. + +23rd. To my Lord's lodgings, where Tom Guy come to me, and there +staid to see the King touch people for the King's evil. But he +did not come at all, it rayned so; and the poor people were +forced to stand all the morning in the rain in the garden. +Afterward he touched them in the banquetting-house. With my +Lord, to my Lord Frezendorfe's [John Frederic de Friesendorff, +Embassador from Sweden to Charles the Second, who created him a +Baronet, 1661.] where he dined to-day. He told me that he had +obtained a promise of the Clerke of the Acts place for me, at +which I was glad. + +25th. With my Lord at White Hall all the morning. I spoke with +Mr. Coventry about my business, who promised me all the +assistance I could expect. Dined with young Mr. Powell, lately +come from the Sound, being amused at our great charges here, and +Mr. Southerne, now Clerke to Mr. Coventry, at the Leg in King- +street. Thence to the Admiralty, where I met Mr. Turner, of the +Navy-office, who did look after the place of Clerke of the Acts. +He was very civil to me, and I to him, and shall be so. There +come a letter from my Lady Monk to my Lord about it this evening, +but he refused to come to her, but meeting in White Hall, with +Sir Thomas Clarges, her brother, my Lord returned answer, that he +could not desist in my business; and that he believed that +General Monk would take it ill if my Lord should name the +officers in his army; and therefore he desired to have the naming +of one officer in the fleete. With my Lord by coach to Mr. +Crewe's, and very merry by the way, discoursing of the late +changes and his good fortune. Thence home, and then with my wife +to Dorset House, to deliver a list of the names of the justices +of peace for Huntingdonshire. + +26th. My Lord dined at his lodgings all alone to-day. I went to +Secretary Nicholas to carry him my Lord's resolutions about his +title, which he had chosen, and that is Portsmouth. + +To Backewell the goldsmith's, and there we chose a 100l. worth +of plate for my Lord to give Secretary Nicholas. [Edward +Bakewell, an alderman of London, and opulent banker, ruined by +the shutting up of the Exchequer in 1672, when he retired to +Holland, where he died.] + +27th. With my Lord to the Duke, where he spoke to Mr. Coventry +to despatch my business of the Acts, in which place every body +gives me joy, as if I were in it, which God send. + +28th. To Sir G. Downing, the first visit I have made him since +he come. He is so stingy a fellow I care not to see him; I quite +cleared myself of his office, and did give him liberty to take +any body in. After all this to my Lord, who lay a-bed till +eleven o'clock, it being almost five before he went to-bed, they +supped so late last night with the King. This morning I saw poor +Bishop Wren going to Chappel, it being a thanksgiving day for the +King's returne. [Matthew Wren, Bishop of Ely. Ob. 1667, aged +82.] + +29th. Up and to White Hall, where I got my warrant from the Duke +to be Clerke of the Acts. Also I got my Lord's warrant from the +Secretary for his honour of Earl of Portsmouth, and Viscount +Montagu of Hinchingbroke. So to my Lord, to give him an account +of what I had done. Then to Sir Geffery Palmer, [Sir Geoffrey +Palmer, Attorney General, and Chief Justice of Chester, 1660; +created a Baronet, 1661. Ob 1670.] who told me that my Lord +must have some good Latinist to make the preamble to his Patent, +which must express his rate service in the best terms that he +can, and he told me in what high flaunting terms Sir J. +Greenville had caused his to be done, which he do not like; but +that Sir Richard Fanshawe [Sir Richard Fanshawe, Knight and +Baronet, Secretary to Charles the Second in Scotland, and after +the Restoration employed on several embassies. He was a good +linguist, and translated the Lusiad and Pastor Fido.] had done +General Monk's very well. Then to White Hall, where I was told +by Mr. Hutchinson at the Admiralty, that Mr. Barlow, my +predecessor, Clerke of the Acts, is yet alive, and coming up, to +town to look after his place, which made my heart sad a little. +At night told my Lord thereof, and he bad me get possession of my +Patent; and he would do all that could be done to keep him out. +This night my Lord and I looked over the list of the Captains, +and marked some that my Lord had a mind to put out. + +30th. By times to Sir R. Fanshawe to draw up the preamble to my +Lord's patent. So to my Lord, and with him to White Hall, where +saw a great many fine antique heads of marble, that my Lord +Northumberland [Algernon Percy, tenth Earl of Northumberland.] +had given the King. To White Hall with Mr. Moore, where I met +with a letter from Mr. Turner, offering me 150l. to be joined +with me in my patent, and to advise me how to improve the +advantage of my place, and to keep off Barlow. This day come +Will, my boy, to me: the maid continuing lame. [William Hewer, +respecting whose origin I can only make out, that he was a nephew +to Mr. Blackburne, so often mentioned in these pages, where his +father's death, of the plague, also occurs. He became afterwards +a Commissioner of the Navy and Treasurer for Tangier; and was the +constant companion of Mr. Pepys, who died in his house at +Clapham, previously the residence of Sir Dennis Gauden. Mr. +Hewer was buried in the old Church at Clapham, where there is a +large monument of marble in alto relievo erected to his memory.] + +JULY 1, 1660. This morning come home my fine Camlett cloak, with +gold Buttons, and a silk suit, which cost me much money, and I +pray God to make me able to pay for it. In the afternoon to +the Abbey, where a good sermon by a stranger, but no Common +Prayer yet. + +2nd. All the afternoon with my Lord, going up and down the town; +at seven at night he went home, and there the principal Officers +of the Navy, among the rest myself was reckoned one. We had +order to meet to-morrow, to draw up such an order of the Council +as would put us into action before our patents were passed. At +which my heart was glad. + +[A list of the Officers of the Admiralty, 31st May, 1660. +FROM A MS. IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY. +His Royal Highness James, Duke of York, Lord High Admiral. +Sir George Carteret, Treasurer. +Sir Robert Slingsby, (soon after) Comptroller. +Sir William Batten, Surveyor. +Samuel Pepys, Esq. Clerk of the Acts. +John, Lord Berkeley, ) +Sir William Penn, ) Commissioners. +Peter Pett, Esq. ) +] + +At night supped with my Lord, he and I together, in a great +dining-room alone by ourselves. + +3rd. The Officers and Commissioners of the Navy met at Sir G. +Carteret's chamber, and agreed upon orders for the Council to +supersede the old ones, and empower us to act. [Sir George +Carteret, Knight, had originally been bred to the sea service, +and became Comptroller of the Navy to Charles the First, and +Governor of Jersey where he obtained considerable reputation by +his gallant defence of that Island against the Parliament forces. +At the Restoration he was made Vice Chamberlain to the King, +Treasurer of the Navy, and A Privy Councillor, and in 1661 M.P. +for Portsmouth. He continued in favour with his sovereign till +1679, when he died in his 80th year. He married his cousin +Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Philip Carteret, Knight, of St. Ouen, +and had issue three sons and five daughters.] Dined with Mr. +Stephens, the Treasurer of the Navy, and Mr. Turner, to whom I +offered 50l. out of my own purse for one year, and the benefit +of a Clerke's allowance beside, which he thanked me for; but I +find he hath some design yet in his head, which I could not think +of. In the afternoon my heart was quite pulled down, by being +told that Mr. Barlow was to enquire to-day for Mr. Coventry; but +at night I met with my Lord, who told me that I need not fear, +for he would get me the place against the world. And when I come +to W. Howe, he told me that Dr. Petty had been with my Lord, and +did tell him that Barlow was a sickly man, and did not intend to +execute the place himself, which put me in great comfort again. + +4th. To Mr. Backewell's, the goldsmith, where I took my Lord's +100l. in plate for Mr. Secretary Nicholas, and my own piece of +plate, being a state dish and cup in chased work for Mr. +Coventry, cost me above 19l. Carried these and the money by +coach to my Lord's at White Hall, and from thence carried +Nicholas's plate to his house and left it there, intending to +speak with him anon. So to my Lord's, and walking all the +afternoon in White Hall Court, in expectation of what shall be +done in the Council as to our business. It was strange to see +how all the people flocked together bare, to see the King looking +out of the Council window. At night my Lord told me how my +orders that I drew last night about giving us power to act, are +granted by the Council. At which I was very glad. + +5th. This morning my brother Tom brought me my jackanapes coat +with silver buttons. It rained this morning, which, makes us +fear that the glory of this day will be lost; the King and +Parliament being to be entertained by the City to-day with great +pomp. Mr. Hater was with me to-day, and I agreed with him to be +my clerke. Being at White Hall, I saw the King, the Dukes, and +all their attendants go forth in the rain to the City, and it +spoiled many a fine suit of clothes. I was forced to walk all +the morning in White Hall, not knowing how to get out because of +the rain. Met with Mr. Cooling, [Richard Cooling or Coling, +A.M., of All-Souls College, Secretary to the Earls of Manchester +and Arlington, when they filled the office of Lord Chamberlain, +and a Clerk of the Privy Council in ordinary. There is a +mezzotinto print of him in the Pepysian Collection.] my Lord +Chamberlain's secretary, who took me to dinner among the +gentlemen waiters, and after dinner into the wine-cellar. He +told me how he had a project for all us Secretaries to join +together, and get money by bringing all business into our hands. +Thence to the Admiralty, where Mr. Blackburne and I (it beginning +to hold up) went and walked an hour or two in the Park, he +giving of me light in many things in my way in this office that I +go about. And in the evening I got my presents of plate carried +to Mr. Coventry's. At my Lord's at night comes Dr. Petty to me, +to tell me that Barlow was come to town, and other things, which +put me into a despair, and I went to bed very sad. + +6th. In the afternoon my Lord and I, and Mr. Coventry and Sir G. +Carteret, went and took possession of the Navy-Office, whereby my +mind was a little cheered, but my hopes not great. From thence +Sir G. Carteret and I to the Treasurer's Office, where he set +some things in order. + +8th (Lord's day). To White Hall chapel, where I got in with ease +by going before the Lord Chancellor with Mr. Kipps. Here I heard +very good musique, the first time that ever I remember to have +heard the organs and singing-men in surplices in my life. The +Bishop of Chichester [Henry King, Dean of Rochester, advanced to +the See of Chichester, 1641. Ob. 1669.] preached before the +King, and made a great flattering sermon, which I did not like +that the Clergy should meddle with matters of state. Dined with +Mr. Luellin and Salisbury at a cook's shop. Home, and staid all +the afternoon with my wife till after sermon. There till Mr. +Fairebrother [William Fairbrother, in 1661 made D.D. at Cambridge +per regias litteras.] come to call us out to my father's to +supper. He told me how he had perfectly procured me to be made +Master in Arts by proxy, which did somewhat please me, though I +remember my cousin Roger Pepys [Roger Pepys, a Barrister, M.P. +for Cambridge, 1661, And afterwards Recorder of that town.] was +the other day persuading me from it. + +[The Grace which passed the University, on this occasion, is +preserved in Kennett's Chronicle, and commenced as follows:--Cum +Sam Pepys, Coll. Magd. Inceptor in Artibus in Regia Classe +existat e Secretis. exindeq. apud mare adec occupatissimus ut +Comitiis proxime futuris interesse non possit; placet vobis ut +dictus S. P. admissionem suam necnon creationem recipiat ad +gradum Magistri in Artibus sub pepsona Timothei Wellfit, +Inceptoris, &c. &c.--June 26, 1660.] + +9th. To the Navy-office, where in the afternoon we met and sat, +and there I begun to sign bills in the Office the first time. +[The Navy Office was erected on the site of Lumley House, +formerly belonging to the Fratres Sanctae Crucis (or Crutched +Friars), and all business connected with Naval concerns was +transacted there, till its removal to Somerset House. The ground +is now occupied by the East India Company's warehouses.] + +10th. This day I put on my new silk suit, the first that ever I +wore in my life. Home, and called my wife, and took her to +Clodins's to a great wedding of Nan Hartlib to Mynheer Roder, +which was kept at Goring House [Goring House was burnt in 1674, +at which time Lord Arlington resided in it.] with very great +state, cost, and noble company. But among all the beauties +there, my wife was thought the greatest. And finding my Lord in +White Hall garden, I got him to go to the Secretary's, which he +did, and desired the dispatch of his and my bills to be signed by +the King. His bill is to be Earle of Sandwich, Viscount +Hinchingbroke, and Baron of St. Neot's. Home, with my mind +pretty quiet: not returning, as I said I would, to see the bride +put to bed. + +11th. With Sir W. Pen by water to the Navy-office, where we met, +and dispatched business. And that being done, we went all to +dinner to the Dolphin, upon Major Brown's invitation. After that +to the office again, where I was vexed, and so was Commissioner +Pett, to see a busy fellow come to look out the best lodgings for +my Lord Barkley, and the combining between him and Sir W. Pen; +and, indeed, was troubled much at it. + +[Sir William Pen was born at Bristol in 1621, of the ancient +family of the Pens of Pen Lodge, Wilts. He was Captain at the +age of 21; Rear-Admiral of Ireland at 23; Vice-Admiral of +England, and General in the first Dutch war at 32. He was +subsequently M.P, for Weymonth, Governor of Kinsale, and Vice- +Admiral of Munster, After the Dutch fight in 1665, where he +distinguished himself as second in command under the Duke of +York, he took leave of the sea, but continued to act as a +Commissioner for the Navy till 1669, when he retired on account +of his bodily infirmities to Wanstead, and died there September +16, 1670, aged 49.] + +12th. Up early and by coach to White Hall with Commissioner +Pett, where, after we had talked with my Lord, I went to the +Privy Seale and got my bill perfected there, and at the Signet: +and then to the House of Lords, and met with Mr. Kipps, who +directed me to Mr. Beale to get my patent engrossed; but he not +having time to get it done in Chancery-hand, I was forced to run +all up and down Chancery-lane, and the Six Clerks' Office, but +could find none that could write the hand, that were at leisure. +And so in despair went to the Admiralty, where we met the first +time there, my Lord Montagu, my Lord Barkley, Mr. Coventry, and +all the rest of the principal Officers and Commissioners, except +only the Controller, who is not yet chosen. + +13th. Up early, the first day that I put on my black camlett +coat with silver buttons. To Mr. Spong, whom I found in his +night-gown writing of my patent. It being done, we carried it to +Worcester House, [The Earls of Worcester had a large house +between Durham Place and the Savoy, which Lord Clarendon rented +at 5l. per annum, while his own was building.] to the +Chancellor, where Mr. Kipps got me the Chancellor's recepi to my +bill; and so carried it to Mr. Beale for a dockett; but he was +very angry, and unwilling to do it, because he said it was ill +writ, (because I had got it writ by another hand, and not by +him); but by much importunity I got Mr. Spong to go to his office +and make an end of my patent; and in the mean time Mr. Beale to +be preparing my dockett, which being done, I did give him two +pieces, after which it was strange how civil and tractable he +was to me. Met with Mr. Spong, who still would be giving me +council of getting my patent out, for fear of another change and +my Lord Montagu's fall. After that to Worcester House, where by +Mr. Kipps's means, and my pressing in General Montagu's name to +the Chancellor, I did, beyond all expectation, get my seal +passed; and while it was doing in one room, I was forced to keep +Sir G. Carteret (who by chance met me there, ignorant of my +business) in talk. I to my Lord's, where I dispatched an order +for a ship to fetch Sir R. Honywood home. Late writing letters; +and great doings of musique at the next house, which was +Whally's; the King and Dukes there with Madame Palmer, a pretty +woman that they had a fancy to. [Barbara Villiers, daughter of +William Viscount Grandison, wife of Roger Palmer, Esq., created +Earl of Castlemaine, 1661. She became the King's mistress soon +after the Restoration, and was in 1670 made Duchess of Cleveland. +She died 1709, aged 69.] Here at the old door that did go into +his lodgings, my Lord, I, and W. Howe, did stand listening a +great while to the musique. + +14th. Comes in Mr. Pagan Fisher, the poet, and promises me that +he had long ago done, a book in praise of the King of France, +with my armes, and a dedication to me very handsome. + +[Payne Fisher, who styled himself Paganus Piscator, was born in +1616, in Dorsetshire, and removed from Hart Hall, Oxford, of +which he had been a commoner, to Magdalene College, Cambridge, in +1634; and there took a degree of B.A., and first discovered a +turn for poetry. He was afterwards a Captain in the King's +service at Marston Moor fight; but leaving his command, employed +his pen against the cause which he had supported with his sword, +and became a favourite of Cromwell's. After the King's return, +he, obtained a scanty subsistence by flattering men in power, and +was frequently imprisoned for debt. He died in 1693. He +published several poems, chiefly in Latin; and, in 1682, printed +a book of Heraldry, with the arms of each of the gentry as he had +waited upon with presentation copies. He was a man of talents, +but vain, unsteady, and conceited, and a great time-server.] + +15th. My wife and I mightily pleased with our new house that we +hope to have. My patent has cost me a great deal of money; about +40l. In the afternoon to Henry the Seventh's Chapel, where I +heard a Sermon. + +17th. This morning (as indeed all the mornings now-a-days) much +business at my Lord's. There come to my house before I went out +Mr. Barlow, an old consumptive man, and fair conditioned. After +much talk, I did grant, him what he asked, viz. 50l. per annum, +if my salary be not increased, and 100l. per annum, in case it be +350l. at which he was very well pleased to be paid as I received +my money, and not otherwise, so I brought him to my Lord's and he +and I did agree together. + +18th. This morning we met at the office: I dined at my house in +Seething Lane. + +19th. We did talk of our old discourse when we did use to talk +of the King, in the time of the Rump, privately; after that to +the Admiralty Office, in White Hall, where I staid and writ my +late observations for these four days last past. Great talk of +the difference between the Episcopal and Presbyterian Clergy, +but I believe it will come to nothing. + +22nd. After dinner to White Hall, where I find my Lord at home, +and walked in the garden with him, he showing me all respect. I +left him, and went to walk in the inward park, but could not get +in; one man was basted by the keeper, for carrying some people +over on his back, through the water. Home, and at night had a +chapter read; and I read prayers out of the Common Prayer Book, +the first time that ever I read prayers in this house. So to +bed. + +23rd. After dinner to my Lord, who took me to Secretary +Nicholas; [Sir Edward Nicholas, many years principal Secretary of +State to Charles the First and Second; dismissed from his office +through the intrigues of Lady Castlemaine in 1668 and ob. 1669, +aged 77.] and before him and Secretary Morris, [Sir William +Morris, Secretary of State from 1660 to 1668. Ob. 1676. He was +kinsman to General Monk.] my Lord and I upon our knees together +took our oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; and the Oath of the +Privy Seale, of which I was much glad, though I am not likely to +get anything by it at present; but I do desire it, for fear of a +turn-out of our office. + +24th. To White Hall, where I did acquaint Mr. Watkins with my +being sworn into the Privy Seale, at which he was much troubled, +but did offer me a kinsman of his to be my clerk. In the +afternoon I spent much time in walking in White Hall Court with +Mr. Bickerstaffe, who was very glad of my Lord's being sworn, +because of his business with his brother Baron, which is referred +to my Lord Chancellor, and to be ended to-morrow. [They were +both clerks of the Privy Seal.] Baron had got a grant beyond +sea, to come in before the reversionary of the Privy Seale. + +25th. I got my certificate of my Lord's and I being sworn. This +morning my Lord took leave of the House of Commons, and had the +thanks of the House for his great service to his country. [In +the Journals this is stated to have taken place July 24th.] + +26th. Early to White Hall, thinking to have a meeting of my Lord +and the principal officers, but my Lord could not, it being the +day that he was to go and be admitted in the House of Lords, his +patent being done, which he presented upon his knees to the +Speaker; and so it was read in the House, and he took his place, +T. Doling carried me to St. James's Fair, and there meeting with +W. Symons and his wife, and Luellin, and D. Scobell's wife and +cousin, we went to Wood's at the Pell Mell (our old house for +clubbing), and there we spent till ten at night. + +28th. A boy brought me a letter from Poet Fisher, who tells me +that he is upon a panegyrique of the King, and desired to borrow +a piece of me; and I sent him half a piece. To Westminster, and +there met Mr. Henson, who had formerly had the brave clock that +went with bullets (which is now taken away from him by the King, +it being his goods). + +29th. With my Lord to White Hall Chapel, where I heard a cold +sermon of the Bishop of Salisbury's, Duppa's, [Brian Duppa, +successively bishop of Chichester, Salisbury, and Winchester. +Ob. 1662.] and the ceremonies did not please me, they do so +overdo them. My Lord went to dinner at Kensington with my Lord +Camden. [Baptist, second Viscount Campden, Lord Lieutenant of +Rutlandshire. Ob. 1683.] + +30th, This afternoon I got my 50l., due to me for my first +quarter's salary as Secretary to my Lord, paid to Tho. Hater for +me, which he received and brought home to me, of which I felt +glad. The sword-bearer of London (Mr. Man) came to ask for us, +with whom we sat late, discoursing about the worth of my office +of Clerke of the Acts, which he hath a mind to buy, and I asked +four years' purchase. + +31st. To White Hall, where my Lord and the principal officers +met, and had a great discourse about raising of money for the +Navy, which is in very sad condition, and money must be raised +for it. I back to the Admiralty, and there was doing things in +order to the calculating of the debts of the Navy and other +business, all the afternoon. At night I went to the Privy Seale, +where I found Mr. Crofts and Mathews making up all their things +to leave the office to-morrow, to those that come to wait the +next month. + +AUGUST 1, 1660. In the afternoon at the office, where we had many +things to sign and I went to the Council Chamber, and there got +my Lord to sign the first bill, and the rest all myself; but +received no money to-day. + +2nd. To Westminster by water with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen, +(our servants in another boat) to the Admiralty; and from thence +I went to my Lord's to fetch him thither, where we stayed in the +morning about ordering of money for the victuallers, and advising +how to get a sum of money to carry on the business of the Navy. +From thence W. Hewer and I to the office of Privy Seale, where I +stayed all the afternoon, and received about 40l. for yesterday +and to-day, at which my heart rejoiced for God's blessing to me, +to give me this advantage by chance, there being of this 40l. +about 10l. due to me for this day's work. So great is the +present profit of this office, above what it was in the King's +time; there being the last month about 300 bills, whereas in the +late King's time it was much to have 40. I went and cast up the +expense that I laid out upon my former house, (because there are +so many that are desirous of it, and I am, in my mind, loth to +let it go out of my hands, for fear of a turn.) I find my +layings-out to come to about 20l. which with my fine will come to +about 22l. to him that shall hire my house of me. + +4th. To White Hall, where I found my Lord gone with the King by +water to dine at the Tower with Sir J. Robinson, Lieutenant. +[Sir John Robinson, created a Baronet for his services to Charles +II., 1660, and had an augmentation to his arms. He was Lord +Mayor of London, 1663.] I found my Lady Jemimah [Lady Jemimah +Montagu.] at my Lord's, with whom I staid and dined, all alone; +after dinner to the Privy Seale Office, where I did business. So +to a Committee of Parliament, (Sir Hen. Finch, [Solicitor- +General, 1660; Lord Keeper, 1673; Chancellor, 1675; created Earl +of Nottingham, 1681. Ob. 1682,] Chairman), to give them an +answer to an order of theirs, "that we could not give them any +account of the Accounts of the Navy in the years 36, 37, 38, 39, +40, as they desire." + +6th. This night Mr. Man offered me 1000l. for my office of +Clerke of the Acts, which made my mouth water; but yet I dare not +take it till I speak with my Lord to have his consent. + +7th. Mr. Moore and myself dined at my Lord's with Mr. Shepley. +While I was at dinner in come Sam. Hartlibb and his brother-in- +law, now knighted by the King, to request my promise of a ship +for them to Holland, which I had promised to get for them. After +dinner to the Privy Seale all the afternoon. At night, meeting +Sam. Hartlibb, he took me by coach to Kensington, to my Lord of +Holland's; I staid in the coach while he went in about his +business. [Samuel Hartlib, son of a Polish merchant, and author +of several ingenious Works on Agriculture, for which he had a +pension from Cromwell.--VIDE CHALMERS'S BIOG. DICT.] + +9th. With Judge Advocate Fowler, Mr. Creed, and Mr. Shepley to +the Rhenish Wine-house, and Captain Hayward of the Plymouth, who +is now ordered to carry my Lord Winchelsea, Embassador to +Constantinople. We were very merry, and Judge Advocate did give +Captain Hayward his Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy. + +10th. With Mr. Moore and Creed to Hide-parke by coach, and saw a +fine foot-race three times round the Park, between an Irishman +and Crow, that was once my Lord Claypoole's footman. [John Lord +Claypoole married, in 1645, Mary, second daughter of Oliver +Cromwell, to whom he became Master of the Horse, and a Lord of +the Bedchamber; he was also placed in his Father-in-Law's Upper +House. During Richard Cromwell's time he retained all his places +at Court; and at the Restoration, never having made an enemy +whilst his relations were in power, he was not molested, and +lived till 1688. His father had been proceeded against in the +Star Chamber, for resisting the payment of Ship Money, and was by +Cromwell constituted Clerk of the Hanaper, and created a +Baronet.] By the way I cannot forget that my Lord Claypoole did +the other day make enquiry of Mrs. Hunt, concerning my house in +Axe yard, and did set her on work to get it of me for him, which +methinks is a very great change. But blessed be God for my good +chance of the Privy Seale, where I get every day I believe about +3l. This place my Lord did give me by chance, neither he nor I +thinking it to be of the worth that he and I find it to be. + +12th (Lord's day). To my Lord, and with him to White Hall +Chapel, where Mr. Calamy preached, and made a good sermon upon +these words "To whom much is given, of him much is required." He +was very officious with his three reverences to the King, as +others do. After sermon a brave anthem of Captain Cooke's, +[Henry Cooke, Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal, and an +excellent musician. Ob. 1672.] which he himself sung, and the +King was well pleased with it. My Lord dined at my Lord +Chamberlin's. [The Earl of Manchester.] + +14th. To the Privy Seale, and thence to my Lord's, where Mr. Pin +the taylor, and I agreed upon making me a velvet coat. From +thence to the Privy Seale again, where Sir Samuel Morland come +with a Baronet's grant to pass, which the King had given him to +make money of. Here we staid with him a great while; and he told +me the whole manner of his serving the King in the time of the +Protector; and how Thurloe's bad usage made him to do it; how he +discovered Sir R. Willis, and how he had sunk his fortune for the +King; and that now the King had given him a pension of 500l. per +annum out of the Post Office for life, and the benefit of two +Baronets; all which do make me begin to think that he is not so +much a fool as I took him to be. I did make even with Mr. +Fairebrother for my degree of Master of Arts, which cost me about +9l. 16s. + +15th. To the office, and after dinner by water to White Hall, +where I found the King gone this morning by five of the clock to +see a Dutch pleasure-boat below bridge, where he dines and my +Lord with him, The King do tire all his people that are about him +with early rising since he come. + +18th. Captain Ferrers took me and Creed to the Cockpitt play, +the first that I have had time to see since my coming from sea, +"The Loyall Subject," [A Tragi-comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher.] +where one Kinaston, a boy, acted the Duke's sister, but made the +loveliest lady that ever I saw in my life. [Edward Kynaston, +engaged by Sir W. Davenant in 1660, to perform the principal +female characters: he afterwards assumed the male ones in the +first parts of tragedy, and continued on the stage till the end +of King William's reign, The period of his death is not known.] + +20th. This afternoon at the Privy Seale, where reckoning with +Mr. Moore, he had got 100l. for me together, which I was glad of, +guessing that the profit of this month would come to 100l. With +W. Hewer by coach to Worcester House, where I light, sending him +home with the 100l. that I received to-day. Here I staid, and +saw my Lord Chancellor come into his Great Hall, where wonderful +how much company there was to expect him. Before he would begin +any business, he took my papers of the state of the debts of the +fleet, and there viewed them before all the people, and did give +me his advice privately how to order things, to get as much money +as we can of the Parliament. + +21st. I met Mr. Crewe and dined with him, where there dined one +Mr. Hickeman, an Oxford man, who spoke very much against the +height of the now old clergy, for putting out many of the +religious fellows of Colleges, and inveighing against them for +their being drunk. It being post-night, I wrote to my Lord to +give him notice that all things are well; that General Monk is +made Lieutenant of Ireland, which my Lord Roberts (made Deputy) +do not like of, to be Deputy to any man but the king himself. +[John, second Lord Robartes, advanced to the dignity of Earl of +Radnor, 1679. Ob. 1685.] + +22nd. In the House, after the Committee was up, I met with Mr. +G. Montagu, and joyed him in his entrance (this being his 3rd +day) for Dover. Here he made me sit all alone in the House, none +but he and I, half an hour, discoursing how there was like to be +many factions at Court between Marquis Ormond, [James, afterwards +created Duke of Ormond, and K.G. and twice Lord Lieutenant of +Ireland.] General Monk, and the Lord Roberts, about the business +of Ireland; as there is already between the two Houses about the +Act of Indemnity; and in the House of Commons, between the +Episcopalian and Presbyterian men. + +23rd. By water to Doctors' Commons to Dr. Walker, [One of the +Judges of the Admiralty.] to give him my Lord's papers to view +over, concerning his being empowered to be Vice-Admiral under the +Duke of York. Thence by water to White Hall, to the Parliament +House, where I spoke with Colonel Birch, [Colonel John Birch +represented Leominster at that time, and afterwards Penryn. He +was an active Member of Parliament.] and so to the Admiralty +chamber, where we and Mr. Coventry had a meeting about several +businesses. Amongst others, it was moved that Phineas Pett, +(kinsman to the commissioner,) of Chatham, should be suspended +his employment till he had answered some articles put in against +him, as that he should formerly say that the King was a bastard +and his mother a strumpet. [Phineas Pett, an eminent ship- +builder employed by the Admiralty.] + +25th. This night W. Hewer brought me home from Mr. Pim's my +velvet coat and cap, the first that ever I had. + +28th. Colonel Scroope is this day excepted out of the Act of +Indemnity, which has been now long in coming out, but it is +expected tomorrow. [Colonel Adrian Scroope, one of the persons +who sat in judgment upon Charles I.] I carried home 80l. from +Privy Seale, by coach. + +30th. To White Hall, where I met with the Act of Indemnity, (so +long talked-of and hoped for,) with the Act of Rate for Pole- +money, and for judicial proceedings. This the first day that +ever I saw my wife wear black patches since we were married. + +SEPTEMBER 1, 1660. All this afternoon sending express to the +fleet, to order things against my Lord's coming; and taking +direction of my Lord about some rich furniture to take along with +him for the Princesse. [The Princess of Orange.] And talking +after this, I hear by Mr. Townsend, that there is the greatest +preparation against the Prince de Ligne's coming over from the +King of Spain, that ever was in England for their Embassador. + +3rd. Up and to Mr. --, the goldsmith, and there, with much ado, +got him to put a gold ring to the jewell, which the King of +Sweden did give my Lord: out of which my Lord had now taken the +King's picture, and intends to make a George of it. About noon +my Lord, having taken leave of the King in the Shield Gallery, +(where I saw with what kindnesse the King did hugg my Lord at his +parting,) I went over with him and saw him in his coach at +Lambeth and there took leave of him, he going to the Downes. + +5th. Great newes now-a-day of the Duke d'Anjou's desire to marry +the Princesse Henrietta. [Only brother to Louis XIV.; became +Duke of Orleans on the death of his uncle.] Hugh Peters is said +to be taken. The Duke of Gloucester is ill, and it is said it +will prove the small-pox. + +13th. This day the Duke of Gloucester died of the small-pox by +the great negligence of the doctors. + +15th. To Westminster, where I met with Dr. Castles, who chidd me +for some error in our Privy-Seale business; among the rest, for +letting the fees of the six judges pass unpaid, which I know not +what to say to, till I speak to Mr. Moore. I was much troubled, +for fear of being forced to pay the money myself. Called at my +father's going home, and bespoke mourning for myself, for the +death of the Duke of Gloucester. + +16th. My Lord of Oxford is also dead of the small-pox; in whom +his family dyes, after 600 years having that honour in their +family and name. [This must be a mistake for some other person. +Robert, nineteenth earl of Oxford having died in 1632, and +Aubrey de Vere, his successor, the twentieth Earl, living till +1703.] To the Park, where I saw how far they had proceeded in +the Pell-mell, and in making a river through the Park, which I +had never seen before since it was begun. Thence to White Hall +garden, where I saw the King in purple mourning for his brother. + +18th. This day I heard that the Duke of York, upon the news of +the death of his brother yesterday, came hither by post last +night. + +To the Miter taverne in Wood-streete (a house of the greatest +note in London,) where I met W. Symons, and D. Scobell, and their +wives, Mr. Samford Luellin, Chetwind, one Mr. Vivion, and Mr. +White, formerly chaplain to the Lady Protectresse, (and still so, +and one they say that is likely to get my Lady Francesse for his +wife). [According to Noble, Jeremiah White married Lady Frances +Cromwell's waiting-woman, in Oliver's lifetime, and they lived +together fifty years. Lady Frances had two husbands, Mr. Robert +Rich, and Sir John Russell, the last of whom she survived fifty- +two years, dying 1721-2.] Here some of us fell to handycapp, a +sport that I never knew before. + +20th. To Major Hart's lodgings in Cannon-streete, who used me +very kindly with wine and good discourse, particularly upon the +ill method which Col. Birch and the Committee use in defending of +the army and the navy; promising the Parliament to save them a +great, deal of money, when we judge that it will cost the King +more than if they had nothing to do with it, by reason of their +delayes and scrupulous enquirys into the account of both. + +21st. Upon the water saw the corpse of the Duke of Gloucester +brought down to Somerset House stairs, to go by water to +Westminster, to be buried. + +22nd. I bought a pair of short black stockings, to wear over a +pair of silk ones for mourning; and I met with The. Turner and +Joyce, buying of things to go into mourning too for the Duke, +which is now the mode of all the ladies in towne. This day Mr. +Edw. Pickering is come from my Lord, and says that he left him +well in Holland, and that he will be here within three or four +days. + +23rd. This afternoon, the King having news of the Princesse +being come to Margatte, he and the Duke of York went down thither +in barges to her. + +24th. I arose from table and went to the Temple church, where I +had appointed Sir W. Batten to meet him; and there at Sir Heneage +Finch Solliciter General's chambers, before him and Sir W. Wilde, +Recorder of London (whom we sent for from his chamber) we were +sworn justices of peace for Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and +Southampton; with which honour I did find myself mightily +pleased, though I am wholly ignorant in the duties of a justice +of peace. + +28th. I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink) of which I +never had drank before, and went away (the King and the Princesse +coming up the river this afternoon as we were at our pay). My +Lord told me how the ship that brought the Princesse and him (The +Tredagh) did knock six times upon the Kentish Knock, which put +them in great fear for the ship; but got off well. He told me +also how the King had knighted Vice-admiral Lawson and Sir +Richard Stayner. + +29th. This day or yesterday, I hear, Prince Rupert is come to +Court; but welcome to nobody. [Son of Frederic, Prince Palatine +of the Rhine, afterwards styled King of Bohemia, by Elizabeth, +only sister to Charles I. Ob. 1682.] + +OCTOBER 2, 1660. At Will's I met with Mr. Spicer, and with him +to the Abbey to see them at vespers. There I found but a thin +congregation. + +3rd. To my Lord's, who sent a great iron chest to White Hall; +and I saw it carried, into the King's closet, where I saw most +incomparable pictures. Among the rest a book open upon a desk, +which I durst have sworn was a reall book. Back again to my +Lord, and dined all alone with him, who did treat me with a great +deal of respect; and after dinner did discourse an hour with me, +saying that he believed that he might have any thing that he +would ask of the King. This day I heard the Duke speak of a +great design that he and my Lord of Pembroke have, and a great +many others, of sending a venture to some parts of Africa to dig +for gold ore there. They intend to admit as many as will venture +their money, and so make themselves a company. 250l. is the +lowest share for every man. But I do not find that my Lord do +much like it. + +4th. I and Lieut. Lambert to Westminster Abbey, where we saw Dr. +Frewen translated to the Archbishoprick of York. [Dr. Accepted +Frewen, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry.] Here I saw the +Bishops of Winchester, [Brian Duppa, translated from Salisbury.] +Bangor, [William Roberts.] Rochester, [John Warner, Ob. 1666, +aged 86.] Bath and Wells, [William Pierce, translated from +Peterborough, 1632.] and Salisbury, [Humphrey Henchman, +afterwards Bishop of London.] all in their habits, in King Henry +Seventh's chapel. But, Lord! at their going out, how people did +most of them look upon them as strange creatures, and few with +any kind of love or respect. + +6th. Col. Slingsby and I at the office getting a catch ready for +the Prince de Ligne to carry his things away to-day, who is now +going home again. I was to give my Lord an account of the +stacions and victualls of the fleet, in order to the choosing of +a fleet fit for him to take to sea, to bring over the Queen. + +7th (Lord's day). To White Hall on foot, calling at my father's +to change my long black cloake for a short one (long cloakes +being now quite out); but he being gone to church, I could not +get one. I heard Dr. Spurstow preach before the King a poor dry +sermon; [William Spurstow D.D. Vicar of Hackney and Master of +Katherine Hall, Cambridge, both which pieces of preferment he +lost for nonconformity, 1662.] but a very good anthem of Captn. +Cooke's afterwards. To my Lord's and dined with him; he all +dinner-time talking French to me, and telling me the story how +the Duke of York hath got my Lord Chancellor's daughter with +child, and that she do lay it to him, and that for certain he did +promise her marriage, and had signed it with his blood, but that +he by stealth had got the paper out of her cabinett. And that +the King would have him to marry her, but that he will not. So +that the thing is very bad for the Duke, and them all; but my +Lord do make light of it, as a thing that he believes is not a +new thing for the Duke to do abroad. After dinner to the Abbey, +where I heard them read the church-service, but very +ridiculously. A poor cold sermon of Dr. Lamb's, one of the +prebends, in his habitt, come afterwards, and so all ended. + +9th. This morning Sir W. Batten with Coll. Birch to Deptford to +pay off two ships. Sir W. Pen and I staid to do business, and +afterward together to White Hall, where I went to my Lord, and +saw in his chamber his picture, very well done; and am with +child till I get it copied out, which I hope to do when he is +gone to sea. + +10th. At night comes Mr. Moore and tells me how Sir Hards. +Waller (who only pleads guilty), [Sir Hardress Waller, Knt., one +of Charles 1st's Judges. His sentence was commuted to +imprisonment for life.] Scott, Coke, [Coke was Solicitor to the +people of England.] Peters, [Hugh Peters, the fanatical +preacher.] Harrison, &c. were this day arraigned at the bar of +the Sessions House, there being upon the bench the Lord Mayor, +General Monk, my Lord of Sandwich, &c.; such a bench of noblemen +as had not been ever seen In England! They all seem to be +dismayed, and will all be condemned without question. In Sir +Orlando Bridgman's charge, [Eldest son of John Bridgeman, Bishop +of Chester, became, after the Restoration, successively Chief +Baron of the Exchequer, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and +Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and was created a Baronet.] he +did wholly rip up the unjustnesse of the war against the King +from the beginning, and so it much reflects upon all the Long +Parliament, though the King had pardoned them, yet they must +hereby confess that the King do look upon them as traytors. +To-morrow they are to plead what they have to say. + +11th. To walk in St. James's Park, where we observed the several +engines at work to draw up water, with which sight I was very +much pleased. Above all the rest, I liked that which Mr. +Greatorex [A mathematical instrument maker.] brought, which do +carry up the water with a great deal of ease. Here, in the Park, +me met with Mr. Salisbury, who took Mr. Creed and me to the +Cockpitt to see "The Moore of Venice," which was well done. Burt +acted the Moore; [Burt ranked in the list of good actors after +the Restoration, though he resigned the part of Othello to Hart. +DAVIS'S DRAMATIC MISC.] by the same token, a very pretty lady +that sat by me, called out, to see Desdemona smothered. + +13th I went out to Charing Cross, to see Major-general Harrison +hanged, drawn, and quartered; which was done there, he looking as +cheerful as any man could do in that condition. [Thomas +Harrison, son of a butcher at Newcastle-under-Line, appointed by +Cromwell to convey Charles I. from Windsor to White Hall, in +order to his trial, and afterwards sat as one of his judges.] He +was presently cut down, and his head and heart shown to the +people, at which there was great shouts of joy. It is said that +he said that he was sure to come shortly at the right hand of +Christ to judge them that now had judged him; and that his wife +do expect his coming again. Thus it was my chance to see the +King beheaded at White Hall, and to see the first blood shed in +revenge for the King at Charing Cross. + +14th. To White Hall chappell, where one Dr. Crofts made an +indifferent sermon, and after it an anthem, ill sung, which made +the King laugh. Here I first did see the Princesse Royall since +she came into England. Here I also observed, how the Duke of +York and Mrs. Palmer did talk to one another very wantonly +through the hangings that parts the King's closet and the closet +where the ladies sit. + +15th. This morning Mr. Carew was hanged and quartered at Charing +Cross; but his quarters, by a great favour, are not to be hanged +up. [John Carew, one of the regicides.] + +16th. Being come home, Will. told me that my Lord had a mind to +speak with me to-night; so I returned by water, and, coming +there, it was only to enquire how the ships were provided with +victuals that are to go with him to fetch over the Queen, which I +gave him a good account of. He seemed to be in a melancholy +humour, which, I was told by W. Howe, was for that he had lately +lost a great deal of money at cards, which he fears he do too +much addict himself to now-a-days. + +18th. This morning, it being expected that Colonel Hacker and +Axtell should die, I went to Newgate, but found they were +reprieved till to-morrow. [Col. Francis Hacker commanded the +guards at the King's execution. Axtell had guarded the High +Court of Justice.] + +19th. This morning my dining-room was finished with greene serge +hanging and gilt leather, which is very handsome. This morning +Hacker and Axtell were hanged and quartered, as the rest are. +This night I sat up late to make up my accounts ready against to- +morrow for my Lord. + +20th. I dined with my Lord and Lady; he was very merry, and did +talk very high how he would have a French cooke, and a master of +his horse, and his lady and child to wear black patches; which +methought was strange, but he is become a perfect courtier; and, +among other things, my Lady saying that she could get a good +merchant for her daughter Jem., he answered, that he would rather +see her with a pedlar's pack at her back, so she married a +gentleman, than she should marry a citizen. This afternoon, +going through London, and calling at Crowe's the upholsterer's in +Saint Bartholomew's, I saw limbs of some of our new traytors set +upon Aldersgate, which was a sad sight to see; and a bloody week +this and the last have been, there being ten hanged, drawn, and +quartered. + +21st. George Vines carried me up to the top of his turret, where +there is Cooke's head set up for a traytor, and Harrison's set up +on the other side of Westminster Hall. Here I could see them +plainly, as also a very fair prospect about London. + +22nd. All preparing for my Lord's going to sea to fetch the +Queen to-morrow. At night my Lord come home, with whom I staid +long, and talked of many things. He told me there hath been a +meeting before the King and my Lord Chancellor, of some +Episcopalian and Presbyterian Divines; but what had passed he +could not tell me. + +23rd. About eight o'clock my Lord went; and going through the +garden, Mr. William Montagu told him of an estate of land lately +come into the King's hands, that he had a mind my Lord should +beg. To which end my Lord writ a letter presently to my Lord +Chancellor to do it for him, which (after leave taken of my Lord +at White Hall bridge) I did carry to Warwick House to him; and +had a fair promise of him, that he would do it this day for my +Lord. In my way thither I met the Lord Chancellor and all the +Judges riding on horseback and going to Westminster Hall, it +being the first day of the terme. + +24th. Mr. Moore tells me, among other things, that the Duke of +York is now sorry for his amour with my Lord Chancellor's +daughter, who is now brought to bed of a boy. To Mr. Lilly's, +[William Lilly, the astrologer and almanack-maker.] where, not +finding Mr. Spong, I went to Mr. Greatorex, where I met him, and +where I bought of him a drawing pen; and he did show me the +manner of the lamp-glasses, which carry the light a great way, +good to read in bed by, and I intend to have one of them. So to +Mr. Lilly's with Mr. Spong, where well received, there being a +club to-night among his friends. Among the rest Esquire Ashmole, +[Elias Ashmole, the antiquarian.] who I found was a very +ingenious gentleman. With him we two sang afterwards in Mr. +Lilly's study. That done, we all parted; and I home by coach, +taking Mr. Rooker with me, who did tell me a great many +fooleries, which may be done by nativities, and blaming Mr. Lilly +for writing to please his friends and to keep in with the times +(as he did formerly to his own dishonour,) and not according to +the rules of art, by which he could not well erre, as he had +done. + +26th. By Westminster to White Hall, where I saw the Duke de +Soissons go from his audience with a very great deal of state; +his own coach all red velvet covered with gold lace, and drawn by +six barbes, and attended by twenty pages very rich in clothes. +To Westminster Hall, and bought, among other books, one of the +Life of our Queen, which I read at home to my wife; but it was so +sillily writ, that we did nothing but laugh at it: among other +things it is dedicated to that paragon of virtue and beauty the +Duchess of Albemarle. Great talk as if the Duke of York do now +own the marriage between him and the Chancellor's daughter. To +Westminster Abbey, where with much difficulty, going round to the +cloysters, I got in; this day being a great day for the +consecrating of five Bishopps, which was done after sermon; but I +could not get into Henry the Seventh's chappel. After dinner to +White Hall chappel; my Lady and my Lady Jemimah and I up to the +King's closet, (who is now gone to meet the Queen). So meeting +with one Mr. Hill, that did know my lady, he did take us into the +King's closet, and there we did stay all service-time. + +29th. I up early, it being my Lord Mayor's day (Sir Richd. +Browne,) and neglecting my office, I went to the Wardrobe, where +I met my Lady Sandwich, and all the children; and after drinking +of some strange and incomparable good clarett of Mr. Remball's, +he and Mr. Townsend [Officers of the Wardrobe.] did take us, and +set the young Lords at one Mr. Neville's, a draper in Paul's +church-yard; and my Lady and my Lady Pickering [Elizabeth +Montagu, sister to the Earl of Sandwich, who had married Sir +Gilbert Pickering, Bart. of Nova Scotia, and of Tichmersh, co. +Northampton.] and I to one Mr. Isaacson's, a linen-draper at the +Key in Cheapside; where there was a company of fine ladies, and +we were very civilly treated, and had a very good place to see +the pageants, which were many, and I believe good, for such kind +of things, but in themselves but poor and absurd. + +30th. I went to the Cockpit all alone, and there saw a very fine +play called "The Tamer tamed:" very well acted. ["The Woman's +Prize, or Tamer Tamed," A comedy by John Fletcher.] I hear +nothing yet of my Lord, whether he be gone for the Queen from the +Downes or no; but I believe he is, and that he is now upon coming +back again. + +NOVEMBER 1, 1660. This morning Sir W. Pen and I were mounted +early, and had very merry discourse all the way, he being very +good company. We come to Sir W. Batten's, where he lives like a +prince, and we were made very welcome. Among other things he +showed me my Lady's closet, wherein was great store of rarities; +as also a chair, which he calls King Harry's chaire, where he +that sits down is catched with two irons, that come round about +him, which makes good sport. Here dined with us two or three +more country gentlemen; among the rest Mr. Christmas, my old +school-fellow, with whom I had much talk. He did remember that I +was a great Roundhead when I was a boy, and I was much afraid +that he would have remembered the words that I said the day the +King was beheaded (that, were I to preach upon him, my text +should be--"The memory of the wicked shall rot"); But I found +afterwards that he did go away from school before that time. + +2nd. To White Hall, where I saw the boats coming very thick to +Lambeth, and all the stairs to be full of people. I was told the +Queen was a-coming; so I got a sculler for sixpence to carry me +thither and back again, but I could not get to see the Queen; so +come back, and to my Lord's, where he was come: and I supt with +him, he being very merry, telling me stories of the country +mayors, how they entertained the King all the way as he come +along; and how the country gentlewomen did hold up their heads to +be kissed by the King, not taking his hand to kiss as they should +do. I took leave of my Lord and Lady, and so took coach at White +Hall and carried Mr. Childe as far as the Strand, and myself got +as far as Ludgate by all the bonfires, but with a great deal of +trouble; and there the coachman desired that I would release him, +for he durst not go further for the fires. In Paul's churchyard +I called at Kirton's, and there they had got a masse book for me, +which I bought and cost me twelve shillings; and, when I come +home, sat up late and read in it with great pleasure to my wife, +to hear that she was long ago acquainted with it. I observed +this night very few bonfires in the City, not above three in all +London, for the Queen's coming; whereby I guess that (as I +believed before) her coming do please but very few. + +3rd. Saturday. In the afternoon to White Hall, where my Lord +and Lady were gone to kiss the Queen's hand. + +4th (Lord's day). In the morn to our own church, where Mr. Mills +did begin to nibble at the Common Prayer, by saying "Glory be to +the Father, &c." after he had read the two psalms: but the +people had been so little used to it, that they could not tell +what to answer. [Daniel Milles, D.D., thirty-two years rector of +St. Olave's, Hart-Street, and buried there October 1689, aged +sixty-three. In 1667 Sir Robert Brooks presented him to the +rectory of Wanstead, which he also held till his death.] This +declaration of the King's do give the Presbyterians some +satisfaction, and a pretence to read the Common Prayer, which +they would not do before because of their former preaching +against it. After dinner to Westminster, where I went to my +Lord's, and, having spoken with him, I went to the Abbey, where +the first time that ever I heard the organs in a cathedral. My +wife seemed very pretty to-day, it being the first time I had +given her leave to weare a black patch. + +5th. At the office at night, to make up an account of what the +debts of nineteen of the twenty-five ships that should have been +paid off, is increased since the adjournment of the Parliament, +they being to sit again to-morrow. This 5th day of November is +observed exceeding well in the City; and at night great bonfires +and fireworks. + +6th. Mr. Chetwind told me that he did fear that this late +business of the Duke of York's would prove fatal to my Lord +Chancellor. To our office, where we met all, for the sale of two +ships by an inch of candle (the first time that ever I saw any of +this kind), where I observed how they do invite one another, and +at last how they all do cry, and we have much to do to tell who +did cry last. The ships were the Indian, sold for 1300l. and the +Half-moone, sold for 830l. + +7th. Went by water to my Lord, where I dined with him, and he in +a very merry humour (present Mr. Borfett and Childe) at dinner: +he, in discourse of the great opinion of the virtue--gratitude, +(which he did account the greatest thing in the world to him, and +had, therefore, in his mind been often troubled in the late times +how to answer his gratitude to the King, who raised his father,) +did say it was that did bring him to his obedience to the King; +and did also bless himself with his good fortune, in comparison +to what it was when I was with him in the Sound, when he durst +not own his correspondence with the King; which is a thing that I +never did hear of to this day before; and I do from this raise an +opinion of him, to be one of the most secret men in the world, +which I was not so convinced of before. After dinner he bid all +go out of the room, and did tell me how the King had promised him +4000l. per annum for ever, and had already given him a bill under +his hand (which he showed me) for 4000l. that Mr. Fox is to pay +him. My Lord did advise with me how to get this received, and to +put out 3000l. into safe hands at use, and the other he will make +use for his present occasion. This he did advise with me about +with great secresy. After this he called for the fiddles and +books, and we two and W. Howe, and Mr. Childe, did sing and play +some psalmes of Will. Lawes's, and some songs; and so I went +away. [Brother to Henry Lawes the celebrated composer, and +himself a chamber musician to Charles I., in whose service he +took up arms, and was killed at the siege of Chester, 1645. The +King regretted his loss severely, and used to call him the father +of music.] Notwithstanding this was the first day of the King's +proclamation against hackney coaches coming into the streets to +stand to be hired, yet I got one to carry me home. + +10th. The Comtroller [Sir R. Slingsby.] and I to the coffee- +house, where he showed me the state of his case; how the King did +owe him above 6000l. But I do not see great likelihood for them +to be paid, since they begin already in Parliament to dispute the +paying off the just sea-debts, which were already promised to be +paid, and will be the undoing of thousands if they be not paid. + +15th. My Lord did this day show me the King's picture which was +done in Flanders, that the King did promise my Lord before he +ever saw him, and that we did expect to have had at sea before +the King come to us; but it come but to-day, and indeed it is the +most pleasant and the most like him that ever I saw picture in my +life. To Sir W. Batten's to dinner, he having a couple of +servants married to-day; and so there was a great number of +merchants, and others of good quality on purpose after dinner to +make an offering, which, when dinner was done, we did, and I did +give ten shillings and no more, though I believe most of the rest +did give more, and did believe that I did so too. + +19th. I went with the Treasurer in his coach to White Hall, and +in our way, in discourse, do find him a very good-natured man; +and, talking of those men who now stand condemned for murdering +the King, he says that he believes, that, if the law would give +leave, the King is a man of so great compassion that he would +wholly acquit them. + +20th. Mr. Shepley and I to the new play-house near Lincoln's- +Inn-Fields (which was formerly Gibbon's tennis-court), where the +play of "Beggar's Bush" [The "Beggar's Bush," a comedy by +Beaumont and Fletcher.] was newly begun; and so we went in and +saw it well acted: and here I saw the first time one Moone, who +is said to be the best actor in the world, lately come over with +the King, and indeed it is the finest play-house, I believe, that +ever was in England. [Mohun, or Moone, the celebrated actor who +had borne a Major's commission in the King's Army. The period of +his death is uncertain.] This morning I found my Lord in bed +late, he having been with the King, Queen, and Princesse, at the +Cockpit all night, where General Monk treated them; and after +supper a play, where the King did put a great affront upon +Singleton's musique, he bidding them stop and made the French +musique play, which, my Lord says, do much outdo all ours. + +22nd. This morning come the carpenters, to make me a door at the +other side of my house, going into the entry. To Mr. Fox's, +where we found Mrs. Fox within and an alderman of London paying +1000l. or 1400l. in gold upon the table for the King. [Elizabeth +daughter of William Whittle, Esq., of Lancashire, wife of Stephen +Fox, Esq., who was knighted in 1665.] Mr. Fox come in presently +and did receive us with a great deal of respect; and then did +take my wife and I to the Queen's presence-chamber, where he got +my wife placed behind the Queen's chaire, and the two Princesses +come to dinner. The Queen a very little plain old woman, and +nothing more in her presence in any respect nor garbe than any +ordinary woman. The Princesse of Orange I had often seen before. +The Princesse Henrietta is very pretty, but much below my +expectation; and her dressing of herself with her haire frized +short up to her eares, did make her seem so much the less to me. +But my wife standing near her with two or three black patches on, +and well dressed, did seem to me much handsomer than she. + +To White Hall at about nine at night, and there, with Laud the +page that went with me, we could not get out of Henry the +Eighth's gallery into the further part of the boarded gallery, +where my Lord was walking with my Lord Ormond; and we had a key +of Sir S. Morland's, but all would not do; till at last, by +knocking, Mr. Harrison the door-keeper did open us the door, and, +after some talk with my Lord about getting a catch to carry my +Lord St. Alban's goods to France, I parted and went home on foot. +[Henry Jermyn, created Lord Jermyn 1614, advanced to the Earldom +of St. Alban's 1660 K.G. Ob. 1683, s.p. He was supposed to be +married to the Queen Dowager.] + +25th. I had a letter brought me from my Lord to get a ship ready +to carry the Queen's things over to France, she being to go +within five or six days. + +27th. To Westminster Hall, and in King Street there being a +great stop of coaches, there was a falling out between a drayman +and my Lord Chesterfield's coachman, and one of his footmen +killed. Mr. Moore told me how the House had this day voted the +King to have all the Excise for ever. This day I do also hear +that the Queen's going to France is stopt, which do like me well, +because then the King will be in town the next month, which is my +month again at the Privy Seale. + +30th. Sir G. Carteret did give us an account how Mr. Holland do +intend to prevail with the Parliament to try his project of +discharging the seamen all at present by ticket, and so promise +interest to all men that will lend money upon them at eight per +cent., for so long as they are unpaid; whereby he do think to +take away the growing debt, which do now lie upon the kingdom for +lack of present money to discharge the seamen. + +DECEMBER 4, 1660. This day the Parliament voted that the bodies +of Oliver, Ireton, Bradshaw, &c., should be taken up out of their +graves in the Abbey, and drawn to the gallows, and there hanged +and buried under it: which (methinks) do trouble me that a man +of so great courage as he was, should have that dishonour, though +otherwise he might deserve it enough. + +9th. I went to the Duke. And first calling upon Mr. Coventry at +his chamber, I went to the Duke's bed-side, who had sat up late +last night, and lay long this morning. This being done, I went +to chapel, and sat in Mr. Blagrave's pew, and there did sing my +part along with another before the King, and with much ease. + +10th. It is expected that the Duke will marry the Lord +Chancellor's daughter at last; which is likely to be the ruine of +Mr. Davis and my Lord Barkley, who have carried themselves so +high against the Chancellor; Sir Chas. Barkley swearing that he +and others had intrigued with her often, which all believe to be +a lie. + +16th. In the afternoon I went to White Hall, where I was +surprised with the news of a plot against the King's person and +my Lord Monk's; and that since last night there were about forty +taken up on suspicion; and, amongst others, it was my lot to meet +with Simon Beale, the Trumpeter, who took me and Tom Doling into +the Guard in Scotland Yard, and showed us Major-General Overton. +[One of Oliver Cromwell's Major-Generals: a high Republican.] +Here I heard him deny that he is guilty of any such things: but +that whereas it is said that he is found to have brought many +armes to towne, he says it is only to sell them, as he will prove +by oath. + +21st. They told me that this is St. Thomas's, and that by an old +custome, this day the Exchequer men had formerly, and do intend +this night to have a supper; which if I could I promised, to come +to, but did not. To my Lady's, and dined with her: she told me +how dangerously ill the Princesse Royal is: and that this +morning she was said to be dead. But she hears that she hath +married herself to young Jermyn, [Henry Jermyn, Master of the +Horse to the Duke of York.] which is worse than the Duke of +York's marrying the Chancellor's daughter, which is now publicly +owned. + +26th. To White Hall by water, and dined with my Lady Sandwich, +who at table did tell me how much fault was laid upon Dr. Frazer +and the rest of the Doctors, for the death of the Princesse. My +Lord, did dine this day with Sir Henry Wright, in order to his +going to sea with the Queen. + +31st. In Paul's Church-yard I bought the play of Henry the +Fourth, and so went to the new Theatre and saw it acted; but my +expectation being too great, it did not please me, as otherwise I +believe it would: and my having a book, I believe did spoil it a +little. That being done I went to my Lord's, where I found him +private at cards with my Lord Lauderdale and some persons of +honour. + +1660-61. At the end of the last and the beginning of this year, +I do live in one of the houses belonging to the Navy Office, as +one of the principal officers, and have done now about half-a- +year: my family being, myself, my wife, Jane, Will. Hewer, and +Wayneman, my girl's brother. Myself in constant good health, and +in a most handsome and thriving condition. Blessed be Almighty +God for it. As to things of State.--The King settled, and loved +of all. The Duke of York matched to my Lord Chancellor's +daughter, which do not please many. The Queen upon her returne +to France with the Princesse Henrietta. [Youngest daughter of +Charles I., married soon after to Philip Duke of Orleans, only +brother of Louis XIV. She died suddenly in 1670, not without +suspicion of having been poisoned.] The Princesse of Orange +lately dead, and we into new mourning for her. We have been +lately frighted with a great plot, and many taken up on it, and +the fright not quite over. The Parliament, which had done all +this great good to the King, beginning to grow factious, the King +did dissolve it December 29th last, and another likely to be +chosen speedily. + +1660-61. JANUARY 1. Moore and I went to Mr. Pierce's; in our +way seeing the Duke of York bring his Lady to-day to wait upon +the Queen, the first time that ever she did since that business; +and the Queen is said to receive her now with much respect and +love. + +2nd. My Lord did give me many commands in his business. As to +write to my uncle that Mr. Barnewell's papers should be locked +up, in case he should die, he being now suspected to be very ill. +Also about consulting with Mr. W. Montagu [William third son to +Lord Montagu of Boughton; afterwards Attorney-General to the +Queen; and made Chief Baron to the Exchequer, 1676.] for the +settling of the 4000l. a-year that the King had promised my Lord. +As also about getting Mr. George Montagu to be chosen at +Huntingdon this next Parliament, &c. That done, he to White Hall +stairs with much company, and I with him; where we took water for +Lambeth, and there coach for Portsmouth. The Queen's things were +all in White Hall Court ready to be sent away, and her Majesty +ready to be gone an hour after to Hampton Court to night, and so +to be at Portsmouth on Saturday next. This day I left Sir W. +Batten and Captn. Rider my chine of beefe for to serve to-morrow +at Trinity House, the Duke of Albemarle being to be there, and +all the rest of the Brethren, it being a great day for the +reading over of their new Charter, which the King hath newly +given them. + +3rd. To the Theatre, where was acted "Beggars' Bush," it being +very well done; and here the first time that ever I saw women +come upon the stage. + +4th. I had been early this morning at White Hall, at the Jewell +Office, to choose a piece of gilt plate for my Lord, in returne +of his offering to the King (which it seems is usual at this time +of year, and an Earle gives twenty pieces in gold in a purse to +the King). I chose a gilt tankard, weighing 31 ounces and a +half, and he is allowed 30; so I paid 12s. for the ounce and half +over what he is to have: but strange it was for me to see what a +company of small fees I was called upon by a great many to pay +there, which, I perceive, is the manner that courtiers do get +their estates. + +7th. This morning, news was brought to me to my bed-side, that +there had been a great stir in the City this night by the +Fanatiques, who had been up and killed six or seven men, but all +are fled. My Lord Mayor and the whole City had been in armes, +above 40,000. Tom and I and my wife to the Theatre, and there +saw "The Silent Woman." Among other things here, Kinaston the boy +had the good turn to appear in three shapes: first, as a poor +woman in ordinary clothes, to please Morose; then in fine +clothes, as a gallant; and in them was clearly the prettiest +woman in the whole house: and lastly, as a man; and then +likewise did appear the handsomest man in the house. In our way +home we were in many places strictly examined, more than in the +worst of times, there being great fears of the Fanatiques rising +again: for the present I do not hear that any of them are taken. + +8th. Some talk to-day of a head of Fanatiques that do appear +about, but I do not believe it. However, my Lord Mayor, Sir +Richd. Browne, hath carried himself honourably, and hath caused +one of their meeting-houses in London to be pulled down. + +9th. Waked in the morning about six o'clock, by people running +up and down in Mr. Davis's house, talking that the Fanatiques +were up in armes in the City. And so I rose and went forth; +where in the street I found every body in armes at the doors. So +I returned and got my sword and pistol, which, however, I had no +powder to charge; and went to the door, where I found Sir R. +Ford, [Lord Mayor of London, 1671.] and with him I walked up and +down as far as the Exchange, and there I left him. In our way, +the streets full of train-bands, and great stir. What mischief +these rogues have done! and I think near a dozen had been killed +this morning on both sides. The shops shut, and all things in +trouble. + +10th. After dinner Will. comes to tell me that he had presented +my piece of plate to Mr. Coventry, who takes it very kindly, and +sends me a very kind letter, and the plate back again; of which +my heart is very glad. Mr. Davis told us the particular +examinations of these Fanatiques that are taken: and in short it +is this, these Fanatiques that have routed all the train-bands +that they met with, put the King's life-guards to the run, killed +about twenty men, broke through the City gates twice; and all +this in the day-time, when all the City was in armes are not in +all above 31. Whereas we did believe them (because they were +seen up and down in every place almost in the City, and had been +in Highgate two or three days, and in several other places) to be +at least 500. A thing that never was heard of, that so few men +should dare and do so much mischief. Their word was, "The King +Jesus, and their heads upon the gates." Few of them would +receive any quarter, but such as were taken by force and kept +alive; expecting Jesus to come here and reign in the world +presently, and will not believe yet. The King this day come to +towne. + +11th (Office day). This day comes news, by letters from +Portsmouth, that the Princesse Henrietta is fallen sick of the +measles on board the London, after the Queen and she was under +sail. And so was forced to come back again into Portsmouth +harbour; and in their way, by negligence of the pilot, run upon +the Horse sand. The Queen and she continue aboard, and do not +intend to come on shore till she sees what will become of the +young Princesse. This newes do make people think something +indeed, that three of the Royal Family should fall sick of the +same disease, one after another. This morning likewise, we had +order to see guards set in all the King's yards; and so Sir Wm. +Batten goes to Chatham, Colonel Slingsby and I to Deptford and +Woolwich. Portsmouth being a garrison, needs none. + +12th. We fell to choosing four captains to command the guards, +and choosing the place where to keep them, and other things in +order thereunto. Never till now did I see the great authority of +my place, all the captains of the fleete coming cap in hand to +us. + +13th. After sermon to Deptford again; where, at the +Commissioner's and the Globe, we staid long. But no sooner in +bed, but we had an alarme, and so we rose: and the Comptroller +comes into the Yard to us; and seamen of all the ships present +repair to us, and there are armed with every one a handspike, +with which they were as fierce as could be. At last we hear that +it was five or six men that did ride through the guard in the +towne, without stopping to the guard that was there; and, some +say, shot at them. But all being quiet there, we caused the +seamen to go on board again. + +15th. This day I hear the Princesse is recovered again. The +King hath been this afternoon at Deptford, to see the yacht that +Commissioner Pett is building, which will be very pretty; as also +that his brother at Woolwich is making. + +19th. To the Comptroller's, and with him by coach to White Hall; +In our way meeting Venner and Pritchard upon a sledge, who with +two more Fifth Monarchy men were hanged to-day, and the two first +drawn and quartered. [Thomas Venner, a cooper, and preacher to a +conventicle in Coleman-street. He was a violent enthusiast and +leader in the Insurrection on the 7th of January before +mentioned. He was much wounded before he could be taken, and +fought with courage amounting to desperation.] + +21th. It is strange what weather we have had all this winter; no +cold at all; but the ways are dusty, and the flyes fly up and +down, and the rose-bushes are full of leaves, such a time of the +year as was never known is this world before here. This day many +more of the Fifth Monarchy men were hanged. + +22nd. I met with Dr. Thos. Fuller. He tells me of his last and +great book that is coming out: that is, the History of all the +Families in England; and could tell me more of my owne, than I +knew myself. And also to what perfection he hath now brought the +art of memory; that he did lately to four eminently great +scholars dictate together is Latin, upon different subjects of +their proposing, faster than they were able to write, till they +were tired; and that the best way of beginning a sentence, if a +man should be out and forget his last sentence, (which he never +was,) that then his last refuge is to begin with an Utcunque. + +27th (Lord's day) Before I rose, letters come to me from +Portsmouth, telling me that the Princesse is now well, and my +Lord Sandwich set sail with the Queen and her yesterday from +thence to France. This day the parson read a proclamation at +church, for the keeping of Wednesday next, the 30th of January, a +fast for the murther of the late King. + +30th (Fast day). The first time that this day hath been yet +observed: and Mr. Mills made a most excellent sermon, upon "Lord +forgive us our former iniquities;" speaking excellently of the +justice of God in punishing men for the sins of their ancestors. +To my Lady Batten's; [Elizabeth Woodcock, married Feb. 3, 1658-9, +to Sir W. Batten; and subsequently became in 1671, the wife of a +foreigner called in the register of Battersea Parish, Lord +Leyenburgh. Lady Leighenburg was buried at Walthamstowe Sept. +16, 1681.--LYSONS' ENVIRONS.] where my wife and she are lately +come back again from being abroad, and seeing of Cromwell, +Ireton, and Bradshaw hanged and buried at Tyburne. [Henry +Ireton, married Bridget, daughter to Oliver Cromwell, and was +afterwards one of Charles the First's Judges, and of the +Committee who superintended his execution. He died at the siege +of Limerick, 1651.] + +31st. To the Theatre, and there sat in the pitt among the +company of fine ladys, &c.; and the house was exceeding full, to +see Argalus and Parthenia, [Argalus and Parthenia, a pastoral, by +Henry Glapthorn, taken from Sydney's Arcadia.] the first time +that it hath been acted: and indeed it is good, though wronged +by my over great expectations, as all things else are. + +FEB. 2, 1660-61. Home; where I found the parson and his wife +gone. And by and by the rest of the company very well pleased, +and I too; it being the last dinner I intend to make a great +while. + +3rd (Lord's day). This day I first begun to go forth in my coate +and sword, as the manner now among gentlemen is. To White Hall; +where I staid to hear the trumpets and kettle drums, and then the +other drums, which are much cried up, though I think it dull, +vulgar musick. So to Mr. Fox's, unbidd; where I had a good +dinner and special company. Among other discourse, I observed +one story, how my Lord of Northwich, [George Lord Goring, created +Earl of Norwich 1644; died 1682.] at a public audience before +the King of France, made the Duke of Anjou cry, by making ugly +faces as he was stepping to the King, but undiscovered. And how +Sir Phillip Warwick's lady did wonder to have Mr. Daray send for +several dozen bottles of Rhenish wine to her house, not knowing +that the wine was his. [Sir Philip Warwick, Secretary to Charles +I. when in the Isle of Wight, and Clerk of the Signet, to which +place he was restored in 1660; knighted, and elected M.P. for +Westminster. He was also Secretary to the Treasury under Lord +Southampton till 1667. Ob. 1682-3. His second wife here +mentioned was Joan, daughter to Sir Henry Fanshawe, and widow of +Sir William Botteler, Bart.] Thence to my Lord's; where I am +told how Sir Thomas Crew's Pedro, with two of his countrymen +more, did last night kill one soldier of four that quarrelled +with them in the street, about ten o'clock. [Eldest son of Mr. +afterwards Lord Crewe, whom he succeeded in that title.] The +other two are taken; but he is now hid at my Lord's till night, +that he do intend to make his escape away. + +5th. Into the Hall; and there saw my Lord Treasurer [Earl of +Southampton.] (who was sworn to-day at the Exchequer, with a +great company of Lords and persons of honour to attend him) go up +to the Treasury Offices, and take possession thereof; and also +saw the heads of Cromwell, Bradshaw, and Ireton, set up at the +further end of the Hall. + +7th. To Westminster Hall. And after a walk to my Lord's; where, +while I and my Lady were in her chamber in talk, in comes my Lord +from sea, to our great wonder. He had dined at Havre de Grace on +Monday last, and come to the Downes the next day, and lay at +Canterbury that night; and so to Dartford, and thence this +morning to White Hall. Among others, Mr. Creed and Captn. +Ferrers tell me the stories of my Lord Duke of Buckingham's and +my Lord's falling out at Havre de Grace, at cards; they two and +my Lord St. Alban's playing. The Duke did, to my Lord's +dishonour, often say that he did in his conscience know the +contrary to what he then said, about the difference at cards; and +so did take up the money that he should have lost to my Lord. +Which my Lord resenting, said nothing then, but that he doubted +not but; there were ways enough to get his money of him. So they +parted that night; and my Lord sent Sir R. Stayner the next +morning to the Duke, to know whether he did remember what he said +last night, and whether he would owne it with his sword and a +second; which he said he would, and so both sides agreed. But my +Lord St. Alban's, and the Queen, and Ambassador Montagu, did way- +lay them at their lodgings till the difference was made up, to my +Lord's honour, who hath got great reputation thereby. + +8th. Captn. Cuttle, and Curtis, and Mootham, and I, went to the +Fleece Taverne to drink; and there we spent till four o'clock, +telling stories of Algiers, and the manner of life of slaves +there. And truly Captn. Mootham and Mr. Dawes (who have been +both slaves there) did make me fully acquainted with their +condition there: as, how they eat nothing but bread and water. +At their redemption they pay so much for the water they drink at +the public fountaynes, during their being slaves. How they are +beat upon the soles of their feet and bellies at the liberty of +their padron. How they are all, at night, called into their +master a Bagnard; and there they lie. How the poorest men do +love their slaves best. How some rogues do live well, if they do +invent to bring their masters in so much a week by their industry +or theft; and then they are put to no other work at all. And +theft there is counted no great crime at all. + +12th. By coach to the Theatre, and there saw "The Scornfull +Lady," [A Comedy, by Beaumont and Fletcher.] now done by a +woman, which makes the play appear much better than ever it did +to me. + +14th. The talk of the towne now is, who the King is like to have +for his Queene: and whether Lent shall be kept with the +strictnesse of the King's proclamation; which is thought cannot +be, because of the poor, who cannot buy fish. And also the great +preparation for the King's crowning is now much thought upon and +talked of. + +18th, It is much talked that the King is already married to the +niece of the Prince de Ligne, and that he hath two sons already +by her: which I am sorry to hear; but yet am gladder that it +should be so, than that the Duke of York and his family should +come to the crowne, he being a professed friend to the +Catholiques. Met with Sir G. Carteret: who afterwards, with the +Duke of York, my Lord Sandwich, and others, went into a private +room to consult: and we were a little troubled that we were not +called in with the rest. But I do believe it was upon something +very private. We staid walking in the gallery; where we met with +Mr. Slingsby, who showed me the stamps of the King's new coyne; +which is strange to see, how good they are in the stamp and bad +in the money, for lack of skill to make them. But he says +Blondeau will shortly come over, and then we shall have it +better, and the best in the world. He tells me, he is sure that +the King is not yet married, as it is said; nor that it is known +who he will have. + +22nd. My wife to Sir W. Batten's, and there sat a while; he +having yesterday sent my wife half-a-dozen pair of gloves, and a +pair of silk stockings and garters, for her Valentines. + +23rd. This my birthday, 28 years. Mr. Hartlett told me how my +Lord Chancellor had lately got the Duke of York and Duchesse, and +her woman, my Lord Ossory, [Thomas, Earl of Ossory, son of the +Duke of Ormond. Ob. 1680, aged 46.] and a Doctor, to make oath +before most of the Judges of the kingdom, concerning all the +circumstances of their marriage. And in fine, it is confessed +that they were not fully married till about a month or two before +she was brought to bed; but that they were contracted long +before, and time enough for the child to be legitimate. But I do +not hear that it was put to the Judges to determine whether it +was so or no. To the Play-house, and there saw "The Changeling," +["The Changeling," a Tragedy, by Thomas Middleton. The plot is +taken from a story in "God's Revenge against Murder."] the first +time it hath been acted these twenty years, and it takes +exceedingly. Besides, I see the gallants do begin to be tyred +with the vanity and pride of the theatre actors, who are indeed +grown very proud and rich. I also met with the Comptroller, who +told me how it was easy for us all, the principal officers, and +proper for us, to labour to get into the next Parliament; and +would have me to ask the Duke's letter, but I shall not endeavour +it. This Is now 28 years that I am born. And blessed be God, in +a state of full content, and a great hope to be a happy man in +all respects, both to myself and friends. + +27th. I called for a dish of fish, which we had for dinner, this +being the first day of Lent; and I do intend to try whether I can +keep it or no. + +28th. Notwithstanding my resolution, yea for want of other +victualls, I did eat flesh this Lent, but am resolved to eat as +little as I can. This month ends with two great secrets under +dispute but yet known to very few: first, Who the King will +marry; and What the meaning of this fleet is which we are now +sheathing to set out for the southward. Most think against +Algier against the Turke, or to the East Indys against the Dutch +who, we hear, are setting out a great fleet thither. + +MARCH 1, 1660-61. After dinner Mr. Shepley and I in private +talking about my Lord's intentions to go speedily into the +country, but to what end we know not. We fear he is to go to +sea, with his fleet now preparing. But we wish that he could +get his 4000l. per annum settled before he do go. To White- +fryars, and saw "The Bondman" acted; [By Massinger.] an +excellent play and well done. But above all that ever I saw, +Beterton do the Bondman the best. + +2nd. After dinner I went to the theatre, where I found so few +people (which is strange, and the reason I do not know) that I +went out again, and so to Salsbury Court, where the house as full +as could be; and it seems it was a new play, "The Queen's Maske," +["Love's Mistress, or The Queen's Masque," by T Heywood.] +wherein there are some good humours: among others, a good jeer +to the old story of the Siege of Troy, making it to be a common +country tale. But above all it was strange to see so little a +boy as that was to act Cupid, which is one of the greatest parts +in it. + +4th. My Lord went this morning on his journey to Hinchingbroke, +Mr. Parker with him; the chief business being to look over and +determine how, and in what manner, his great work of building +shall be done. Before his going he did give me some jewells to +keep for him, viz. that that the King of Sweden did give him, +with the King's own picture in it, most excellently done; and a +brave George, all of diamonds. + +8th. All the morning at the office. At noon Sir W. Batten, Col. +Slingsby and I by coach to the Tower, to Sir John Robinson's, to +dinner; where great good cheer. High company; among others the +Duchesse of Albemarle, [Ann Clarges, daughter of a blacksmith, +and bred a milliner; mistress and afterwards wife of General +Monk, over whom she possessed the greatest influence.] who is +ever a plain homely dowdy. After dinner, to drink all the +afternoon. Towards night the Duchesse and ladies went away. +Then we set to it again till it was very late. And at last come +in Sir William Wale, almost fuddled; and because I was set +between him and another, only to keep them from talking and +spoiling the company (as we did to others,) he fell out with the +Lieutenant of the Tower; but with much ado we made him understand +his error, and then all quiet. + +9th. To my Lord's, where we found him lately come from +Hinchingbroke. I staid and dined with him. He took me aside, +and asked me what the world spoke of the King's marriage. Which +I answering as one that knew nothing, he enquired no further of +me. But I do perceive by it that there is something in it that +is ready to come out that the world knows not of yet. + +11th. After dinner I went to the theatre, and there saw "Love's +Mistress" done by them, which I do not like in some things as +well as their acting in Salsbury Court. + +15th. This day my wife and Pall went to see my Lady Kingston, +her brother's lady. [Balthazar St. Michel is the only brother of +Mrs. Pepys, mentioned in the Diary.] + +18th. This day an ambassador from Florence was brought into the +towne in state. Yesterday was said to be the day that the +Princesse Henrietta was to marry the Duke d'Anjou in France. +This day I found in the newes-book that Roger Pepys is chosen at +Cambridge for the towne, the first place that we hear of to have +made their choice yet. + +20th. To White Hall to Mr. Coventry, where I did some business +with him, and so with Sir W. Pen (who I found with Mr. Coventry +teaching of him the map to understand Jamaica). The great talk +of the towne is the strange election that the City of London made +yesterday for Parliament-men; viz. Fowle, Love, Jones, and . . . +[Sir W. Thompson was the fourth member.] men that, so far from +being episcopall, are thought to be Anabaptists; and chosen with +a great deal of zeale, in spite of the other party that thought +themselves so strong, calling out in the Hall, "No Bishops! no +Lord Bishops!" It do make people to fear it may come to worse, +by being an example to the country to do the same. And indeed +the Bishops are so high, that very few do love them. + +23rd. To the Red Bull (where I had not been since plays come up +again) up to the tireing room, where strange the confusion and +disorder that there is among them in fitting themselves, +especially here, where the clothes are very poore, and the actors +but common fellows. At last into the pitt, where I think there +was not above ten more than myself, and not one hundred in the +whole house. And the play, which is called "All's lost by Lust," +[A Tragedy, by W.Rowley.] poorly done; and with so much +disorder, among others, in the musique-room the boy that was to +sing a song, not singing it right, his master fell about his +eares and beat him so, that it put the whole house in an uprore. +Met my uncle Wight, and with him Lieut.-Col. Baron, who told us +how Crofton, the great Presbyterian minister that had preached +so highly against Bishops, is clapped up this day in the Tower. +Which do please some, and displease others exceedingly. + +APRIL 2, 1661. To St. James's Park, where I saw the Duke of York +playing at Pelemele, the first time that ever I saw the sport. +Then to the Dolphin to Sir W. Batten, and Pen, and other company; +among others Mr. Delabar; where strange how these men, who at +other times are all wise men, do now, in their drink, betwitt and +reproach one another with their former conditions, and their +actions as in public concerns, till I was ashamed to see it. + +3rd. I hear that the Dutch have sent the King a great present of +money, which we think will stop the match with Portugal; and +judge this to be the reason that our so great haste in sending +the two ships to the East Indys is also stayed. + +7th. To White Hall, and there I met with Dr. Fuller of +Twickenham, newly come from Ireland; and took him to my Lord's, +where he and I dined; and he did give my Lord and me a good +account of the condition of Ireland, and how it come to pass, +through the joyning of the Fanatiques and the Presbyterians, that +the latter and the former are in their declaration put together +under the names of Fanatiques. [William Fuller of Magdalene Wall +Oxford, was a schoolmaster at Twickenham during the Rebellion; +and at the Restoration became Dean of St. Patrick's; and in 1663, +Bishop of Limerick; and in 1667 was translated to Lincoln. Ob. +1676.] + +9th. at the sale of old stores at Chatham; and among other +things sold there was all the State's armes, which Sir W. Batten +bought; intending to set up some of the images in his garden, and +the rest to burn on the Coronacion night. + +10th. Then to Rochester, and there saw the Cathedrall, which is +now fitting for use, and the organ then a-tuning. Then away +thence, observing the great doors of the church, as they say, +covered with the skins of the Danes. + +13th. Met my Lord with the Duke; and after a little talk with +him, I went to the Banquet-house, and there saw the King heale, +the first time that ever I saw him do it; which he did with great +gravity, and it seemed to me to be an ugly office and a simple +one. + +20th. Comes my boy to tell me that the Duke of York had sent for +all the principall officers, &c. to come to him to-day. So I +went by water to Mr. Coventry's, and there staid and talked a +good while with him till all the rest come. We went up and saw +the Duke dress himself, and in his night habitt he is a very +plain man. Then he sent us to his closett, where we saw among +other things two very fine chests, covered with gold and Indian +varnish, given him by the East India Company of Holland. The +Duke comes; and after he had told us that the fleet was designed +for Algier (which was kept from us till now,) we did advise about +many things as to the fitting of the fleet, and so went away to +White Hall; and in the Banqueting-house saw the King create my +Lord Chancellor and several others, Earles, and Mr. Crewe and +several others, Barons: the first being led up by Heralds and +five old Earles to the King, and there the patent is read, and +the King puts on his vest, and sword, and coronett, and gives him +the patent. And then he kisseth the King's hand, and rises and +stands covered before the King. And the same for each Baron, +only he is led up by three of the old Barons, And they are girt +with swords before they go to the King. To the Cockpitt; and +there, by the favour of one Mr. Bowman, he and I got in, and +there saw the King and Duke of York and his Duchesse, (which is a +plain woman, and like her mother, my Lady Chancellor). And so +saw "The Humersome Lieutenant" acted before the King, but not +very well done. ["The Humorous Lieutenant," a tragi-comedy, by +Beaumont and Fletcher.] But my pleasure was great to see the +manner of it, and so many great beauties, but above all Mrs. +Palmer, with whom the King do discover a great deal of +familiarity. + +21st. Dined with Doctor Thos. Pepys [Doctor in Civil Law.] and +Dr. Fayrebrother; and all our talk about to-morrow's showe, and +our trouble that it is like to be a wet day. All the way is so +thronged with people to see the triumphall arches, that I could +hardly pass for them. + +22nd. The King's going from the Tower to White Hall. Up early +and made myself as fine as I could, and put on my velvet coat, +the first day that I put it on, though made half a year ago. And +being ready, Sir W. Batten, my Lady, and his two daughters and +his son and wife, and Sir W. Pen and his son and I, went to Mr. +Young's, the flag maker, in Corne-hill; and there we had a good +room to ourselves, with wine and good cake, and saw the show very +well. In which it is impossible to relate the glory of this day, +expressed in the clothes of them that rid, and their horses and +horse-clothes. Among others, my Lord Sandwich's embroidery and +diamonds were not ordinary among them. The Knights of the Bath +was a brave sight of itself; and their Esquires, among which Mr. +Armiger was an Esquire to one of the Knights. Remarquable were +the two men that represent the two Dukes of Normandy and +Aquitane. The Bishops come next after Barons, which is the +higher place; which makes me think that the next Parliament they +will be called to the House of Lords. My Lord Monk rode bare +after the King, and led in his hand a spare horse, as being +Master of the Horse. The King, in a most rich embroidered suit +and cloak, looked most noble. Wadlow the vintner, at the Devil, +in Fleet-street, did lead a fine company of soldiers, all young +comely men, in white doublets. There followed the Vice- +Chamberlain, Sir G. Carteret, a Company of men all like Turkes; +but I know not yet what they are for. The streets all gravelled, +and the houses hung with carpets before them, made brave show, +and the ladies out of the windows. So glorious was the show with +gold and silver, that we were not able to look at it, our eyes at +last being so much overcome. Both the King and the Duke of York +took notice of us, as they saw us at the window. In the evening, +by water to White Hall to my Lord's, and there I spoke with my +Lord, He talked with me about his suit, which was made in France, +and cost him 200l., and very rich it is with embroidery. + +CORONACON DAY. +23rd. About four I rose and got to the Abbey, where I followed +Sir J. Denham, the Surveyor, with some company that he was +leading in. [Created at the Restoration K.B., and Surveyor- +General of all the King's buildings; better know as the author of +"Cooper's Hill." Ob. 1668.] And with much ado, by the favour of +Mr. Cooper, his man, did get up into a great scaffold across the +North end of the Abbey, where with a great deal of patience I sat +from past four till eleven before the King come in. And a great +pleasure it was to see the Abbey raised in the middle, all +covered with red, and a throne (that is a chaire) and foot-stoole +on the top of it; and all the officers of all kinds, so much as +the very fidlers, in red vests. At last comes in the Dean and +Prebends of Westminster, with the Bishops, (many of them in cloth +of gold copes,) and after them the Nobility, all in their +Parliament robes, which was a most magnificent sight. Then the +Duke and the King with a scepter (carried by my Lord Sandwich) +and sword and wand before him, and the crowne too. The King in +his robes, bare-headed, which was very fine. And after all had +placed themselves, there was a sermon and the service; and then +in the Quire at the high altar, the King passed through all the +ceremonies of the Coronation, which to my great grief I and most +in the Abbey could not see. The crowne being put upon his head, +a great shout begun, and he come forth to the throne, and there +passed through more ceremonies: as taking the oath, and having +things read to him by the Bishopp; and his lords (who put on +their caps as soon as the King put on his crowne) and bishops +come, and kneeled before him. But three times the King at Armes +went to the three open places on the scaffold, and proclaimed, +that if any one could show any reason why Charles Stewart should +not be King of England, that now he should come and speak. And a +Generall Pardon also was read by the Lord Chancellor, and +meddalls flung up and down by my Lord Cornwallis, [Sir Frederick +Cornwallis, Bart., had been created a Baron three days before the +Coronation. He was Treasurer of His Majesty's Household, and a +Privy Counsellor. Ob. Jan. 21, 1661-2.] of silver, but I could +not come by any. But so great a noise that I could make but +little of the musique; and indeed, it was lost to every body. I +went out a little while before the King had done all his +ceremonies, and went round the Abbey to Westminster Hall, all the +way within rayles, and 10,000 people with the ground covered with +blue cloth; and scaffolds all the way. Into the Hall I got, +where it was very fine with hangings and scaffolds one upon +another full of brave ladies; and my wife in one little one, on +the right hand. Here I staid walking up and down, and at last +upon one of the side stalls I stood and saw the King come in with +all the persons (but the soldiers) that were yesterday in the +cavalcade; and a most pleasant sight it was to see them in their +several robes. And the King come in with his crowne on, and his +sceptre in his hand, under a canopy borne up by six silver +staves, carried by Barons of the Cinque Ports, and little bells +at; every end. And after a long time, he got up to the farther +end, and all set themselves down at their several tables; and +that was also a brave sight: and the King's first course carried +up by the Knights of the Bath. And many fine ceremonies there +was of the Heralds leading up people before him, and bowing; and +my Lord of Albemarle's going to the kitchin and eating a bit of +the first dish that was to go to the King's table. But, above +all, was these three Lords, Northumberland, and Suffolke, [James +Howard, third Earl of Suffolk.] and the Duke of Ormond, coming +before the courses on horseback, and staying so all dinner-time, +and at last bringing up (Dymock) the King's Champion, all in +armour on horseback, with his speare and targett carried before +him. And a herald proclaims "That if any dare deny Charles +Stewart to be lawful King of England, here was a Champion that +would fight with him;" and with these words, the Champion flings +down his gauntlet, and all this he do three times in his going up +towards the King's table. To which when he is come, the King +drinks to him, and then sends him the cup which is of gold, and +he drinks it off, and then rides back again with the cup in his +hand. I went from table to table to see the Bishops and all +others at their dinner, and was infinitely pleased with it. And +at the Lords' table, I met with William Howe, and he spoke to my +Lord for me, and he did give him four rabbits and a pullet, and +so Mr. Creed and I got Mr. Minshell to give us some bread, and so +we at a stall eat it, as every body else did what they could get. +I took a great deal of pleasure to go up and down, and look upon +the ladies, and to hear the musique of all sorts, but above all, +the 24 violins. About six at night they had dined, and I went up +to my wife. And strange it is to think, that these two days have +held up fair till now that all is done, and the King gone out of +the Hall; and then it fell a-raining and thundering and +lightening as I have not seen it do for some years: which people +did take great notice of; God's blessing of the work of these two +days, which is a foolery to take too much notice of such things. +I observed little disorder in all this, only the King's footmen +had got hold of the canopy and would keep it from the Barons of +the Cinque Ports, which they endeavoured to force from them +again, but could not do it till my Lord Duke of Albemarle caused +it to be put into Sir R. Pye's hand till to-morrow to be decided. +[Sir Robert Pye, Bart., of Faringdon House, Berks; married Ann, +daughter of the celebrated John Hampden. They lived together 60 +years, and died in 1701, within a few weeks of each other.] At +Mr. Bowyer's; a great deal of company, some I knew, others I did +not. Here we staid upon the leads and below till it was late, +expecting to see the fire-works, but they were not performed to- +night: only the City had a light like a glory round about it +with bonfires. At last I went to King-streete, and there sent +Crockford to my father's and my house, to tell them I could not +come home to-night, because of the dirt, and a coach could not be +had. And so I took my wife and Mrs. Frankleyn (who I profered +the civility of lying with my wife at Mrs. Hunt's to-night) to +Axe-yard, in which at the further end there were three great +bonfires, and a great many great gallants, men and women; and +they laid hold of us, and would have us drink the King's health +upon our knees, kneeling upon a faggot, which we all did, they +drinking to us one after another. Which we thought a strange +frolique; but these gallants continued there a great while, and I +wondered to see how the ladies did tipple. At last I sent my +wife and her bedfellow to bed, and Mr. Hunt and I went in with +Mr. Thornbury (who did give the company all their wine, he being +yeoman of the wine-cellar to the King); and there, with his wife +and two of his sisters, and some gallant sparks that were there, +we drank the King's health, and nothing else, till one of the +gentlemen fell down stark drunk, and there lay; and I went to my +Lord's pretty well. Thus did the day end with joy every where; +and blessed be God, I have not heard of any mischance to any body +through it all, but only to Serjt. Glynne, whose horse fell upon +him yesterday, and is like to kill him, which people do please +themselves to see how just God is to punish the rogue at such a +time as this: he being now one of the king's Serjeants, [He had +been Recorder of London; and during the Protectorate was made +Chief Justice of the Upper Bench: nevertheless he did Charles +II. great service, and was in consequence knighted and appointed +King's Serjeant, and his son created a Baronet. Ob. 1666.] and +rode in the cavalcade with Maynard, to whom people wish the same +fortune. [John Maynard, an eminent lawyer; made Serjeant to +Cromwell in 1653, and afterwards King's Serjeant by Charles II., +who knighted him. In 1661 he was chosen Member for Berealston, +and sat in every Parliament till the Revolution. Ob. 1690, aged +88.] There was also this night in King-streete, a woman had her +eye put out by a boy's flinging a firebrand into the coach. Now, +after all this, I can say, that, besides the pleasure of the +sight of these glorious things, I may now shut my eyes against +any other objects, nor for the future trouble myself to see +things of state and showe, as being sure never to see the like +again in this world. + +24th. At night, set myself to write down these three days' +diary, and while I am about it, I hear the noise of the chambers +[Chamber, a species of great gun.] and other things of the fire- +works, which are now playing upon the Thames before the King; and +I wish myself with them, being sorry not; to see them. + +30th. This morning my wife and I and Mr. Creed, took coach, and +in Fish-street took up Mr. Hater and his wife, who through her +maske seemed at first to be an old woman, but afterwards I found +her to be a very pretty modest black woman. We got a small bait +at Leatherhead, and so to Godlyman, [Godalming.] where we lay +all night. I am sorry that I am not at London, to be at Hide- +parke to-morrow, among the great gallants and ladies, which will +be very fine. + +MAY 1, 1661. Up early, and bated at Petersfield, in the room +which the King lay in lately at his being there. Here very +merry, and played with our wives at bowles. Then we set forth +again, and so to Portsmouth, seeming to me to be a very pleasant +and strong place; and we lay at the Red Lyon, where Haselrigge +and Scott and Walton did hold their councill, when they were +here, against Lambert and the Committee of Safety. + +2nd. To see the room where the Duke of Buckingham was killed by +Felton. + +6th. I hear to-night that the Duke of York's son is this day +dead, which I believe will please every body; and I hear that the +Duke and his Lady themselves are not much troubled at it. + +12th. At the Savoy heard Dr. Fuller preach upon David's words, +"I will wait with patience all the days of my appointed time +until my change comes;" but methought it was a poor dry sermon. +and I am afraid my former high esteem of his preaching was more +out of opinion than judgment. Met with Mr. Creed, with whom I +went and walked in Grayes-Inn-walks, and from thence to +Islington, and there eate and drank at the house my father and we +were wont of old to go to; and after that walked homeward, and +parted in Smithfield: and so I home, much wondering to see how +things are altered with Mr. Creed, who, twelve months ago, might +have been got to hang himself almost as soon as go to a drinking- +house on a Sunday. + +18th. I went to Westminster; where it was very pleasant to see +the Hall in the condition it is now, with the Judges on the +benches at the further end of it, which I had not seen all this +terme till now. + +19th (Lord's day). I walked in the morning towards Westminster, +and, seeing many people at York House, I went down and found them +at masse, it being the Spanish Ambassador's; and so I got into +one of the gallerys, and there heard two masses done, I think, +not in so much state as I have seen them heretofore. After that +into the garden, and walked an hour or two, but found it not so +fine a place as I always took it for by the outside. Capt. +Ferrers and Mr. Howe and myself to Mr. Wilkinson's at the Crowne: +then to my Lord's, where we went and sat talking and laughing in +the drawing-room a great while. All our talk upon their going to +sea this voyage, which Capt. Ferrers is in some doubt whether he +shall do or no, but swears that he would go, if he were sure +never to come back again; and I, giving him some hopes, he grew +so mad with joy that he fell a-dancing and leaping like a madman. +Now it fell out that the balcone windows were open, and he went +to the rayle and made an offer to leap over, and asked what if he +should leap over there. I told him I would give him 40l. if he +did not go to sea. With that thought I shut the doors, and W. +Howe hindered him all we could; yet he opened them again, and, +with a vault, leaps down into the garden:--the greatest and most +desperate frolic that ever I saw in my life. I run to see what +was become of him, and we found him crawled upon his knees, but +could not rise; so we went down into the garden and dragged him +to a bench, where he looked like a dead man, but could not stir; +and, though he had broke nothing, yet his pain in his back was +such as he could not endure. With this, my Lord (who was in the +little new room) come to us in amaze, and bid us carry him up, +which, by our strength, we did, and so laid him in East's bed- +room, by the doore; where he lay in great pain. We sent for a +doctor and chyrurgeon, but none to be found, till by-and-by by +chance comes in Dr. Clerke, who is afraid of him. So we went for +a lodging for him. [He recovered.] + +21st. Up early, and, with Sir R. Slingsby, (and Major Waters the +deafe gentleman, his friend for company's sake) to the +Victualling-office (the first time that I ever knew where it +was), and there staid while he read a commission for enquiry into +some of the King's lands and houses thereabouts, that are given +his brother. And then we took boat to Woolwich, where we staid +and gave order for the fitting out of some more ships presently. +And then to Deptford, where we did the same; and so took barge +again, and were overtaken by the King in his barge, he having +been down the river with his yacht this day for pleasure to try +it; and, as I hear, Commissioner Pett's do prove better than the +Dutch one, and that that his brother built. While we were upon +the water, one of the greatest showers of rain fell that ever I +saw. The Comptroller and I landed with our barge at the Temple, +and from thence I went to my father's, and there did give order +about some clothes to be made. + +23rd. In my black silk suit (the first day I have put it on this +year) to my Lord Mayor's by coach, with a great deal of +honourable company, and great entertainment. At table I had very +good discourse with Mr. Ashmole, wherein he did assure me that +frogs and many insects do often fall from the sky, ready formed. +Dr. Bates's singularity in not rising up nor drinking the King's +nor other healths at the table was very much observed. From +thence we all took coach, and to our office, and there sat till +it was late; and so home and to bed by day-light. This day was +kept a holy-day through the towne; and it pleased me to see the +little boys walk up and down in procession with their broom- +staffs in their hands, as I had myself long ago done. + +26th. Sir W. Batten told me how Mr. Prin (among the two or three +that did refuse to-day to receive the sacrament upon their knees) +was offered by a mistake the drinke afterwards, which he did +receive, being denied the drinke by Dr. Gunning, unless he would +take it on his knees; and after that by another the bread was +brought him, and he did take it sitting, which is thought very +preposterous. + +28th. With Mr. Shepley to the Exchange about business, and +there, by Mr. Rawlinson's favour, got into a balcone over against +the Exchange; and there saw the hangman burn, by vote of +Parliament, two old acts, the one for constituting us a +Commonwealth, and the other I have forgot. [It was an Act for +subscribing the Engagement.] + +29th (King's birth-day). Rose early, and put six spoons and a +porringer of silver in my pocket to give away to-day. Sir W. Pen +and I took coach, and (the weather and way being foule) went to +Walthamstow; and being come there heard Mr. Radcliffe, my former +school fellow at Paul's, (who is yet a merry boy,) preach upon +"Nay, let him take all, since my Lord the King is returned," &c. +He read all, and his sermon very simple. Back to dinner at Sir +William Batten's; and then, after a walk in the fine gardens, we +went to Mrs. Browne's, where Sir W. Pen and I were godfathers, +and Mrs. Jordan and Shipman godmothers to her boy. And there, +before and after the christening, we were with the woman above in +her chamber; but whether we carried ourselves well or ill, I know +not; but I was directed by young Mrs. Batten. One passage of a +lady that eats wafers with her dog did a little displease me. I +did give the midwife 10s. and the nurse 5s. and the maid of the +house 2s. But for as much I expected to give the name to the +childe, but did not, (it being called John,) I forbore then to +give my plate. + +30th. This day, I hear, the Parliament have ordered a bill to be +brought in for restoring the Bishops to the House of Lords; which +they had not done so soon but to spite Mr. Prin, who is every day +so bitter against them in his discourse in the House. + +31st. Great talk now how the Parliament intend to make a +collection of free gifts to the King through the Kingdom; but I +think it will not come to much. + +JUNE 4, 1661. To my Lord Crewe's to dinner, and had very good +discourse about having of young noblemen and gentlemen to think +of going to sea, as being as honourable service as the land war. +And among other things he told us how, in Queen Elizabeth's time, +one young nobleman would wait with a trencher at the back of +another till he come to age himself. And witnessed in my young +Lord of Kent, that then was, who waited upon my Lord Bedford at +table, when a letter come to my Lord Bedford that the Earldome of +Kent was fallen to his servant the young Lord; and so he rose +from table, and made him sit down in his place, and took a lower +for himself, for so he was by place to sit. + +9th. To White Hall, and there met with Dean Fuller, and walked a +great while with him; among other things discoursed of the +liberty the Bishop (by name he of Galloway) takes to admit into +orders any body that will; among others Roundtree, a simple +mechanique that was a person formerly of the fleet. He told me +he would complain of it. + +10th. Early to my Lord's, who privately told me how the King had +made him Embassador in the bringing over the Queen. That he is +to go to Algier, &c., to settle the business, and to put the +fleet in order there; and so to come back to Lisbone with three +ships, and there to meet the fleet that is to follow him. He +sent for me, to tell me that he do intrust me with the seeing of +all things done in his absence as to this great preparation, as I +shall receive orders from my Lord Chancellor and Mr. Edward +Montagu. At all which my heart is above measure glad; for my +Lord's honour, and some profit to myself, I hope. By and by, out +with Mr. Shepley, Walden, [Lionel.] Parliament-man for +Huntingdon, Rolt, Mackworth, and Alderman Backwell, to a house +hard by, to drink Lambeth ale. So I back to the Wardrobe, and +there found my Lord going to Trinity House, this being the solemn +day of choosing Master, and my Lord is chosen. + +11th. At the office this morning, Sir G. Carteret with us; and +we agreed upon a letter to the Duke of York, to tell him the sad +condition of this office for want of money; how men are not able +to serve us more without some money; and that now the credit of +the office is brought so low, that none will sell us any thing +without our personal security given for the same. + +12th. Wednesday, a day kept between a fast and a feast, the +Bishops not being ready enough to keep the fast for foule weather +before fair weather come; and so they were forced to keep it +between both. Then to White Hall, where I met my Lord, who told +me he must have 300l. laid out in cloth, to give in Barbary, as +presents among the Turkes. + +27th. This day Mr. Holden sent me a bever, which cost me 4l. 5s. + +28th. Went to Moorefields, and there walked, and stood and saw +the wrestling, which I never saw so much of before, between the +north and west countrymen. + +29th. Mr. Chetwind fell commending of "Hooker's Ecclesiastical +Polity," as the best book, and the only one that made him a +Christian, which puts me upon the buying of it, which I will do +shortly + +30th (Lord's day). To church, where we observe the trade of +briefs is come now up to so constant a course every Sunday, that +we resolve to give no more to them. This day the Portuguese +Embassador come to White Hall to take leave of the King; he being +now going to end all with the Queen, and to send her over. + +JULY 2, 1661. Went to Sir William Davenant's Opera; this being +the fourth day that it hath begun, and the first that I have seen +it. [Sir William Davenant, the celebrated dramatic writer, and +patentee of the Duke's Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Ob. +1668, aged 64.] To-day was acted the second part of "The Siege +of Rhodes." [Of which Sir W. Davenant was the author.] We staid +a very great while for the King and Queen of Bohemia. And by the +breaking of a board over our heads, we had a great deal of dust +fell into the ladies' necks and the men's haire, which made good +sport. The King being come, the scene opened; which indeed is +very fine and magnificent, and well acted, all but the Eunuche, +who was so much out that he was hissed off the stage. + +3rd. Dined with my Lady, who is in some [Probably meant for +handsome in the MS.] mourning for her brother Mr. Saml. Crewe, +who died yesterday of the spotted fever. + +4th. I went to the theatre, and there I saw "Claracilla" [A +tragi-comedy by Thomas Killigrew.] (the first time I ever saw +it,) well acted. But strange to see this house, that used to be +so thronged, now empty since the Opera begun; and so will +continue for a while, I believe. + +6th. Waked this morning with news, brought me by a messenger on +purpose, that my uncle Robert [Of Brampton, in Huntingdonshire.] +is dead; so I set out on horseback, and got well by nine o'clock +to Brampton, where I found my father well. My uncle's corps in a +coffin standing upon joynt-stooles in the chimney in the hall; +but it begun to smell, and so I caused it to be set forth in the +yard all night, and watched by my aunt. + +7th (Lord's day). ln the morning my father and I read the will; +where, though he gives me nothing at present till my father's +death, or at least very little, yet I am glad to see that he hath +done so well for us all, and well to the rest of his kindred. +After that done, we went about getting things, as ribbands and +gloves, ready for the burial. Which in the afternoon was done; +where, it being Sunday, all people far and near come in; and in +the greatest disorder that ever I saw we made shift to serve them +with what we had of mine and other things; and then to carry him +to the church, where Mr. Taylor buried him, and Mr. Turner +preached a funerall sermon. + +14th. To Hinchingbroke, which is now all in dirt, because of my +Lord's building, which will make it very magnificent. Back to +Brampton. + +15th. Up by three o'clock this morning, and rode to Cambridge to +King's College chappel, where I found the scholars in their +surplices at the service with the organs, which is a strange +sight to what it used in my time to be here. I rode to +Impington, where I found my old uncle [Talbot Pepys.] sitting +all alone, like a man out of the world: he can hardly see; but +all things else he do pretty livelyly. + +22nd. I come to Hatfield before twelve o'clock, and walked all +alone to the Vineyard, which is now a very beautiful place again; +and coming back I met with Mr. Looker, my Lord's gardener, (a +friend of Mr. Eglin's) who showed me the house, the chappel with +brave pictures, and, above all, the gardens, such as I never saw +in all my life; nor so good flowers, nor so great gooseburys, as +big as nutmegs. To horse again, and with much ado got to London. + +26th. Mr. Hill of Cambridge tells me, that yesterday put a +change to the whole state of England as to the Church; for the +King now would be forced to favour Presbytery, or that the City +would leave him: but I heed not what he says, though upon +enquiry I do find that things in the Parliament are in a great +disorder. + +27th. To Westminster Hall, where it was expected that the +Parliament was to have been adjourned for two or three months, +but something hinders it for a day or two. In the lobby I spoke +with Mr. George Montagu, and advised about a ship to carry my +Lord Hinchingbroke and the rest of the young gentlemen to France, +and they have resolved of going in a hired vessell from Rye, and +not in a man of war. He told me in discourse, that my Lord +Chancellor is much envied, and that many great men, such as the +Duke of Buckingham and my Lord of Bristoll, [George, second Earl +of Bristol.] do endeavour to undermine him, and that he believes +it will not be done; for that the King (though he loves him not +in the way of a companion, as he do these young gallants that can +answer him in his pleasures,) yet cannot be without him, for his +policy and service. + +30th. After my singing-master had done with me this morning, I +went to White Hall and Westminster Hall, where I found the King +expected to come and adjourne the Parliament. I found the two +Houses at a great difference, about the Lords challenging their +privileges not to have their houses searched, which makes them +deny to pass the House of Commons' Bill for searching for +pamphlets and seditious books. Thence by water to the Wardrobe +(meeting the King upon the water going in his barge to adjourne +the House) where I dined with my Lady. + +AUGUST 2, 1661. I made myself ready to get a-horseback for +Cambridge. + +3rd. At Cambridge. Mr. Pechell, [John Pechell, made Master of +Magdalene College, Cambridge, 1679.] Sanchy, and others tell me +how high the old doctors are in the University over those they +found there, though a great deal better scholars than themselves; +for which I am very sorry, and, above all, Dr. Gunning. At night +I took horse, and rode with Roger Pepys and his two brothers to +Impington. + +4th. To church, and had a good plain sermon. At our coming in +the country-people all rose with so much reverence; and when the +parson begins, he begins, "Right worshipfull and dearly beloved" +to us. To church again, and, after supper, to talk about +publique matters, wherein Roger Pepys told me how basely things +had been carried in Parliament by the young men, that did labour +to oppose all things that were moved by serious men. That they +are the most prophane swearing fellows that ever he heard in his +life, which makes him think that they will spoil all, and bring +things into a warr again if they can. + +6th. Took horse for London, and with much ado, the ways being +very bad, got to Baldwick. [Baldock.] I find that both here, +and every where else that I come, the Quakers do still continue, +and rather grow than lessen. + +9th. I to White Hall, where, after four o'clock, comes my Lord +Privy Seale, [William, first Viscount, and second Baron Say and +Sele, made Lord Privy Seal at the Restoration. Ob. April, 1662.] +and so we went up to his chamber over the gate at White Hall, +where he asked me what deputacon I had from my Lord, I told him +none; but that I am sworn my Lord's deputy by both of the +Secretarys, which did satisfye him. So he caused Mr. Moore to +read over all the bills, and all ended very well. + +11th. To Grayes-lnn walks, and there staid a good while; where I +met with Ned Pickering, who told me what a great match of hunting +of a stagg the King had yesterday; and how the King tired all +their horses, and come home with not above two or three able to +keep pace with him. + +14th. This morning Sir W. Batten, and Sir W. Penn and I, waited +upon the Duke of York in his chamber, to give him an account of +the condition of the Navy for lack of money, and how our own very +bills are offered upon the Exchange, to be sold at 20 in the 100 +loss. He is much troubled at it, and will speak to the King and +Council of it this morning. + +15th. To the Opera, which begins again to-day with "The Witts," +[A Comedy by Sir W. Davenant.] never acted yet with scenes; and +the King and Duke and Duchesse were there (who dined to-day with +Sir H. Finch, reader at the Temple, in great state); and indeed +it is a most excellent play, and admirable scenes. + +16th. At the office all the morning, though little to do; +because all our clerkes are gone to the buriall of Tom Whitten, +one of the Controller's clerkes, a very ingenious, and a likely +young man to live, as any in the Office. But it is such a sickly +time both in the City and country every where (of a sort of +fever), that never was heard of almost, unless it was in a +plague-time. Among others, the famous Tom Fuller is dead of it; +[D.D., Author of the "Worthies of England," Chaplain to the King, +and Prebendary of Salisbury.] and Dr. Nichols, Dean of Paul's; +[Matthew Nicholas, D.D., installed Dean of St. Paul's, July, +1660. Ob. August 14, 1661. He was brother to Sir Edward +Nicholas, Secretary of State.] and my Lord General Monk is very +dangerously ill. + +17th. At the Privy Seale, where we had a seale this morning. +Then met with Ned Pickering, and walked with him into St. James's +Park (where I had not been a great while), and there found great +and very noble alterations. And, in our discourse, he was very +forward to complain and to speak loud of the lewdnesse and +beggary of the Court, which I am sorry to hear, and which I am +afraid will bring all to ruin again. I to the Opera, and saw +"The Witts" again, which I like exceedingly. The Queen of +Bohemia was here, brought by my Lord Craven. [William, First +Earl of Craven, a Privy Councillor, and Colonel of the Coldstream +Guards; supposed to be married to the Queen of Bohemia, Ob. 1697 +aged 88.] + +18th. To White Hall, and there hear that my Lord General Monk +continues very ill; and then to walk in St. James's Park, and saw +a great variety of fowle which I never saw before. At night fell +to read In "Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity," which Mr. Moore did +give me last Wednesday very handsomely bound; and which I shall +read with great pains and love for his sake. + +19th. I am sent for to the Privy Seale, and there I found a +thing of my Lord Chancellor's to be sealed this afternoon, and so +I am forced to go to Worcester House, where severall Lords are +met in Council this afternoon. And while I am waiting there, in +comes the King in a plain common riding-suit and velvet cap, in +which he seemed a very ordinary man to one that had not known +him. + +27th. My wife and I to the theatre, and there saw "The Joviall +Crew," [Or the "Merry Beggars," a Comedy, by Richard Brome.] +where the King, Duke and Duchesse, and Madame Palmer, were; and +my wife, to her great content, had a full sight of them all the +while. + +31st. At Court things are in very ill condition, there being so +much emulacion, poverty, and the vices of drinking, swearing, and +loose amours, that I know not what will be the end of it, but +confusion. And the Clergy so high, that all people that I meet +with do protest against their practice. In short, I see no +content or satisfaction any where, in any one sort of people. +The Benevolence [A voluntary contribution made by the subjects to +their Sovereign.] proves so little and an occasion of so much +discontent every where, that it had better it had sever been set +up. I think to subscribe 20l. We are at our Office quiet, only +for lack of money all things go to rack. Our very bills offered +to be sold upon the Exchange at 10 per cent. loss. We are upon +getting Sir B. Ford's house added to our Office. But I see so +many difficulties will follow in pleasing of one another in the +dividing of it, and in becoming bound personally to pay the rent +of 200l. per annum, that I do believe it will yet scarce come to +pass. The season very sickly every where of strange and fatal +fevers. + +SEPTEMBER 1, 1661. Captn. Holmes and I by coach to White Hall; +in our way, I found him by discourse, to be a great friend of my +Lord's, and he told me there was a many did seek to remove him; +but they were old seamen, such as Sir J. Minnes, [A Vice-Admiral, +and afterwards Comptroller of the Navy.] (but he would name no +more, though he do believe Sir W. Batten is one of them that do +envy him,) but he says he knows that the King do so love him, and +the Duke of York too, that there is no fear of him. He seems to +be very well acquainted with the King's mind, and with all the +several factions at Court, and spoke all with so much franknesse, +that I do take him to be my Lord's good friend, and one able to +do him great service, being a cunning fellow, and one (by his own +confession to me) that can put on two several faces, and look his +enemies in the face with as much love as his friends. But, good +God! what an age is this, and what a world is this! that a man +cannot live without playing the knave and dissimulation. + +2nd. I find that there are endeavours to get my Lord out of play +at sea, which I believe Mr. Coventry and the Duke do think will +make them more absolute; but I hope, for all this, they will not +be able to do it. + +3rd. Dined at home, and then with my wife to the Wardrobe, where +my Lady's child was christened, (my Lord Crewe and his Lady, and +my Lady Montagu, my Lord's mother-in-law, were the witnesses), +and named Katherine (the Queen elect's name); but to my and all +our trouble, the Parson of the parish christened her, and did not +sign the child with the sign of the cross. After that was done, +we had a very fine banquet. + +7th. Having appointed the young ladies at the Wardrobe to go +with them to the play to-day, my wife and I took them to the +theatre, where we seated ourselves close by the King, and Duke of +York, and Madame Palmer, which was great content; and, indeed, I +can never enough admire her beauty. And here was "Bartholomew +Fayre," [A Comedy, by Ben Jonson; first acted in 1614.] with the +puppet-showe, acted to day, which had not been these forty years, +(it being so satyricall against puritanism, they durst not till +now, which is strange they should already dare to do it, and the +King do countenance it,) but I do never a whit like it the better +for the puppets, but rather the worse. Thence home with the +ladies, it being by reason of our staying a great while for the +King's coming, and the length of the play! near nine o'clock +before it was done. + +11th. To Dr. Williams, who did carry me into his garden, where +he hath abundance of grapes: and he did show me how a dog that +he hath do kill all the cats that come thither to kill his +pigeons, and do afterwards bury them; and do it with so much care +that they shall be quite covered; that if the tip of the tail +hangs out he will take up the cat again, and dig the hole deeper. +Which is very strange; and he tells me, that he do believe that +he hath killed above 100 cats. + +12th. To my Lady's to dinner at the Wardrobe; and in my way upon +the Thames, I saw the King's new pleasure-boat that is come now +for the King to take pleasure in above bridge; and also two +Gundaloes that are lately brought, which are very rich and fine. +[Gondolas. Davenant uses the expression, "Step into one of your +peascod boats, whose tilts are not so sumptuous as the roofs of +Gundaloes."] + +24th. Letters from sea, that speak of my Lord's being well; and +his action, though not considerable of any side, at Argier. + +25th. Sir W. Pen told me that I need not fear any reflection +upon my Lord for their ill successe at Argier, for more could not +be done. To my Lord Crewe's, and dined with him, where I was +used with all imaginable kindness both from him and her. And I +see that he is afraid my Lord's reputacon will a little suffer in +common talk by this late successe; but there is no help for it +now. The Queen of England (as she is now owned and called) I +hear doth keep open Court, and distinct at Lisbone. + +27th. At noon, met my wife at the Wardrobe; and there dined +where we found Captn. Country, (my little Captain that I loved, +who carried me to the Sound,) with some grapes and millons from +my Lord at Lisbone. The first that ever I saw; but the grapes +are rare things. In the afternoon comes Mr. Edwd. Montagu (by +appointment this morning) to talk with my Lady and me about the +provisions fit to be bought, and sent to my Lord along with him. +And told us, that we need not trouble ourselves how to buy them, +for the King would pay for all, and that he would take care to +get them: which put my Lady and me into a great deal of ease of +mind. Here we staid and supped too, and, after my wife had put +up some of the grapes in a basket for to be sent to the King we +took coach and home, were we found a hampire of millons sent to +me also. + +30th. This morning up by moone-shine, at 5 o'clock, to White +Hall, to meet Mr. Moore at the Privy Seale, and there I heard of +a fray between the two Embassadors of Spaine [The Baron de +Vatteville.] and France; [Godfrey, Count D'Estrades, Marshal of +France, and Viceroy of America. He proved himself upon many +occasions, an able diplomatist, and particularly at the +conferences of Nimeguen when acting as ambassador in 1673. Ob. +1686, aet. suae 79,--VIDE HIS LETTERS TO LOUIS XIV. IN THE +APPEND.] and that, this day, being the day of the entrance of an +Embassador from Sweden, they intended to fight for the +precedence. Our King, I heard, ordered that no Englishman should +meddle in the business, but let them do what they would. And to +that end all the soldiers in the town were in arms all the day +long, and some of the train-bands in the City; and a great bustle +through the City all the day. Then we took coach (which was the +business I come for) to Chelsey, to my Lord Privy Seale, and +there got him to seal the business. Here I saw by day-light two +very fine pictures in the gallery, that a little while ago I saw +by night; and did also go all over the house, and found it to be +the prettiest contrived house that I ever saw in my life. So +back again; and at White Hall light, and saw the soldiers and +people running up and down the streets. So I went to the +Spanish, Embassador's and the French, and there saw great +preparations on both sides; but the French made the most noise +and ranted most, but the other made no stir almost at all; so +that I was afraid the other would have too great a conquest over +them. Then to the Wardrobe, and dined there, and then abroad and +in Cheapside hear that the Spanish hath got the best of it, and +killed three of the French coach-horses and severall men, and is +gone through the City next to our King's coach; at which, it is +strange, to see how all the City did rejoice. And indeed we do +naturally all love the Spanish, and hate the French. But I, as I +am in all things curious, presently got to the water-side, and +there took oares to Westminster Palace, and run after them +through all the dirt and the streets full of people: till at +last, at the Mewes, I saw the Spanish coach go, with fifty drawn +swords at least to guard it, and our soldiers shouting for joy. +And so I followed the coach, and then met it at York House, where +the embassador lies; and there it went in with great state. +[York House belonged to the See of York till James 1st's time, +when Toby Matthews exchanged it with the Crown. Chancellors +Egerton and Bacon resided there, after which it was granted to +Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. Subsequently to the Restoration +his son occupied the house some years, and disposing of the +premises, they were converted into the streets still bearing his +names, and the general appellation of York Buildings.] So then I +went to the French house, where I observe still, that there is no +men in the world of a more insolent spirit where they do well, +nor before they begin a matter, and more abject if they do +miscarry, than these people are; for they all look like dead men, +and not a word among them, but shake their heads. The truth is, +the Spaniards were not only observed to fight most desperately, +but also they did outwitt them; first in lining their own +harnesse with chains of iron that they could not be cut, then in +setting their coach in the most advantageous place, and to +appoint men to guard every one of their horses, and others for to +guard the coach, and others the coachmen. And above all in +setting upon the French horses and killing them, for by that +means the French were not able to stir. There were several men +slain of the French, and one or two of the Spaniards and one +Englishman, by a bullet. Which is very observable, the French +were at least four to one in number, and had near 100 case of +pistols among them, and the Spaniards had not one gun among them; +which is for their honour for ever, and the others' disgrace. +So, having been very much daubed with dirt, I got a coach, and +home; where I vexed my wife in telling of her this story, and +pleading for the Spaniards against the French. So ends this +month; myself and family in good condition of health, but my head +full of my Lord's and my own and the office business: where we +are now very busy about sending forces to Tangier, and the fleet +of my Lord of Sandwich, who is now at Lisbone to bring over the +Queene. The business of Argier hath of late troubled me, because +my Lord hath not done what he went for, though he did as much as +any man in the world could have done. The want of money puts all +things, and above all, the Navy, out of order; and yet I do not +see that the King takes care to bring in any money, but thinks of +new designs to lay out money. + +OCTOBER 4, 1661. By coach to White Hall with Sir W. Pen. So to +Mr. Montagu, where his man, Mons. Eschar, makes a great complaint +against the English, that they did help the Spaniards against the +French the other day; and that their Embassador do demand justice +of our King, and that he do resolve to be gone for France the +next week; which I, and all that I met with, are glad of. + +17th. Captn. Cock, a man of great observation and repute, did +tell me, that he was confident that the Parliament, when it comes +the next month to sit again, would bring trouble with it, and +enquire how the King had disposed of offices and money, before +they will raise more; which, I fear, will bring all things to +ruin again. Dined with Captain Lambert and his father-in-law, +and had much talk of Portugall; from whence he is lately come, +and he tells me it is a very poor dirty place; I mean the City +and Court of Lisbone; that the King is a very rude and simple +fellow; and, for reviling of somebody a little while ago, had +been killed, had he not told them that he was their king. That +there are no glass windows, nor will they have any; which makes +sport among our merchants there to talk of an English factor +that, being newly come thither, writ into England that glasse +would be a good commodity to send thither, &c. That the King has +his meat sent up by a dozen of lazy guards and in pipkins, +sometimes, to his own table; and sometimes nothing but fruits, +and, now-and-then, half a hen. And that now the Infanta is +become our Queen, she is come to have a whole hen or goose to her +table. + +18th. To White Hall, to Mr. Montagu's, where I met with Mr. +Pierce the purser, to advise about the things to be sent to my +Lord for the Queene's provision; now there is all haste made, for +the fleete's going. + +20th. To Sir W. Batten, who is to go to Portsmouth to-morrow to +wait upon the Duke of York, who goes to take possession and to +set in order the garrison there. + +26th. This morning Sir J. Pen and I should have gone out of town +with my Lady Batten, to have met Sir William coming back from +Portsmouth, at Kingston, but could not, by reason that my Lord of +Peterborough (who is to go Governor of Tangier) come this +morning, [Henry, second Earl of Peterborough, a Privy Councillor, +and in 1685 made Groom of the Stole. He was also K.G., and died +1697.] with Sir G. Carteret, to advise with us about completing +of the affairs and preparacions for that place. [This place, so +often mentioned by Mr. Pepys, was first given up to the English +Fleet under Lord Sandwich, by the Portuguese, Jan. 30, 1662; and +Lord Peterborough left Governor, with a garrison. The greatest +pains were afterwards taken to preserve the fortress, and a fine +Mole was constructed, at a vast expense, to improve the harbour. +At length, after immense sums of money had been wasted there, the +House of Commons expressed a dislike to the management of the +garrison, (which they suspected to be a nursery for a Popish +army,) and seemed disinclined to maintain it any longer. The +King consequently, in 1683, sent Lord Dartmouth to bring home the +troops, and destroy the works; which he performed most +effectually, and Tangier fell into the hands of the Moors, its +importance having ceased with the demolition of the Mole.] News +was brought that Sir R. Slingsby, our Comptroller (who hath this +day been sick a week), is dead; which put me into so great a +trouble of mind, that all the night I could not sleep, he being a +man that loved me, and had many qualitys that made me to love him +above all the officers and commissioners in the Navy. + +27th. (Lord's day.) At church in the morning; where in pew both +Sir Williams and I had much talk about the death of Sir Robert, +which troubles me much; and them in appearance, though I do not +believe it; because I know that he was a cheque to their +engrossing the whole trade of the Navy-office. + +29th. This day I put on my half cloth black stockings and my new +coate of the fashion, which pleases me well, and with my beaver I +was (after office was done) ready to go to my Lord Mayor's feast, +as we are all invited; but the Sir Williams were both loth to go, +because of the crowd, and so none of us went. This Lord Mayor, +it seems, brings up again the custom of Lord Mayors going the day +of their instalment to Paul's, and walking round about the +Crosse, and offering something, at the altar. + +30th. Sir Henry Vane, Lambert, and others, are lately sent +suddenly away from the Tower, prisoners to Scilly; but I do not +think there is any plot as is said, but only a pretence; as there +was once pretended often against the Cavaliers. + +NOVEMBER 1, 1661. Sir Wm. sent for his son Mr. Wm. Pen lately +come from Oxford. [The celebrated Quaker, and founder of +Pennsylvania.] + +2nd. At the office all the morning; where Sir John Minnes, our +new comptroller, was fetched by Sir Wm. Pen and myself from Sir +Wm. Batten's, and led to his place in the office. The first time +that he had come thither, and he seems in a good fair condition, +and one that I am glad hath the office. + +4th. With my wife to the Opera, where we saw "The Bondman," +which of old we both did so doate on, and do still; though to +both our thinking not so well acted here, (having too great +expectations) as formally at Salisbury-court. But for Beterton, +he is called by us both the best actor in the world. [Thomas +Betterton, the celebrated actor, born in 1635, was the son of an +under cook to Charles I., and first appeared on the stage at the +Cockpit in Drury Lane, in 1659. After the Restoration, two +distinct theatres were established by Royal Authority; one in +Drury Lane, called the King's Company, under a patent granted to +Killigrew: the other in Lincoln's Inn Fields, styled the Duke's +Troop, the patentee of which was Sir W. Davenant, who engaged Mr. +Betterton in 1662, Mr. B. died in 1710, and was buried in the +cloisters of Westminster Abbey.] + +8th. This morning up early, and to my Lord Chancellor's with a +letter to him from my Lord, and did speak with him; and he did +ask me whether I was was son to Mr. Talbot Pepys or no, [Of +Impington, great uncle to our Author.] (with whom he was once +acquainted in the Court of Requests), and spoke to me with great +respect. + +10th. At St. Gregory's, where I hear our Queene Katherine, the +first time by name publickly prayed for. + +12th. This day Holmes come to town; and we do expect hourly to +hear what usage he hath from the Duke and the King about his late +business of letting the Swedish Embassador go by him without +striking his flag. + +13th. By appointment, we all went this morning to wait upon the +Duke of York, which we did in his chamber, as he was dressing +himself in his riding suit to go this day by sea to the Downes. +He is in mourning for his wife's grandmother, which is thought a +great piece of fondness. After we had given him our letter +relating the bad condition of the Navy for want of money, he +referred it to his coming back and so parted. Thence on foot to +my Lord Crewe's; here I was well received by my Lord and Sir +Thomas; with whom I had great talk: and he tells me in good +earnest that he do believe the Parliament, (which comes to sit +again the next week,) will be troublesome to the Court and +Clergy, which God forbid! But they see things carried so by my +Lord Chancellor and some others, that get money themselves, that +they will not endure it. + +17th. To church; and heard a simple fellow upon the praise of +Church musique, and exclaiming against men's wearing their hats +on in the church. + +20th. To Westminster Hall by water in the morning, where I saw +the King going in his barge to the Parliament House; this being +the first day of their meeting again. And the Bishops, I hear, +do take their places is the Lords' House this day. I walked +longe in the Hall, but hear nothing of newes, but what Ned +Pickering tells me, which I am troubled at, that Sir J. Minnes +should send word to the King, that if he did not remove all my +Lord Sandwich's captains out of this fleet, he believed the King +would not be master of the fleet at its coming again: and so do +endeavour to bring disgrace upon my Lord. But I hope all that +will not do, for the King loves him. + +21st. At the office all the afternoon; it being the first +afternoon that we have sat, which we are now to do always, so +long as the Parliament sits, who this day have voted the King +120,000l. to be raised to pay his debts. [According to the +Journals 1,200,000l.] + +28th. Letters from my Lord Sandwich, from Tangier; where he +continues still, and hath done some execution upon the Turks, and +retaken an Englishman from them, one Mr. Parker, a merchant in +Marke-lane. + +29th. I lay long in bed, till Sir Williams both sent me word +that we were to wait upon the Duke of York to-day; and that they +would have me to meet them at Westminster Hall, at noon: so I +rose and went thither; and there I understand that they are gone +to Mr. Coventry's lodgings, in the Old Palace Yard, to dinner +(the first time that I knew he had any); and there I met them, +and Sir G. Carteret, and had a very fine dinner, and good +welcome, and discourse: and so, by water, after dinner to White +Hall to the Duke, who met us in his closet; and there did +discourse upon the business of Holmes, and did desire of us to +know what hath been the common practice about making of forrayne +ships to strike sail to us, which they did all do as much as they +could; but I could say nothing to it, which I was sorry for. +After we were gone from the Duke, I told Mr. Coventry that I had +heard Mr. Selden often say, that he could prove that in Henry the +7th's time, he did give commission to his captains to make the +King of Denmark's ships to strike to him in the Baltique. + +30th. This is the last day for the old State's coyne to pass in +common payments, but they say it is to pass in publique payments +to the King three months still. + +DECEMBER 1, 1661. There hath lately been great clapping up of +some old statesmen, such as Ireton, Moyer, [Samuel Moyer, one of +the Council of State, 1653.] and others, and they say, upon a +great plot, but I believe no such thing; but it is but justice +that they should be served as they served the poor Cavaliers; and +I believe it will oftentimes be so as long as they live, whether +there be cause or no. + +6th. To White Hall, where, at Sir G. Carteret's, Sir Williams +both and I dined very pleasantly; and after dinner, by +appointment, came the Governors of the East India Company, to +sign and seal the contract between us (in the King's name) and +them. And, that done, we all went to the King's closet, and +there spoke with the King and the Duke of York, who promise to be +very careful of the India trade to the utmost. + +7th. To the Privy Seale, and sealed there; and, among other +things that passed, there was a patent for Roger Palmer (Madam +Palmer's husband [Ob. July, 1705.]) to be Earle of Castlemaine +and Baron of Limbricke in Ireland; but the honor is tied up to +the males got of the body of this wife, the Lady Barbary: the +reason whereof every body knows. That done, by water to the +office, where I found Sir W. Pen, and with him Captn. Holmes, who +had wrote his case, and gives me a copy, as he hath many among +his friends, and presented the same to the King and Council. +Which I have made use of in my attempt of writing something +concerning the business of striking sail, which I am now about. +But he do cry out against Sir John Minnes, as the veriest knave +and rogue and coward in the world. + +9th. At noon to dinner at the Wardrobe; where my Lady Wright +was, who did talk much upon the worth and the desert of +gallantry; and that there was none fit to be courtiers, but such +as have been abroad and know fashions. [See note on Sir Harry +Wright, 27th March 1660.] Which I endeavoured to oppose; and was +troubled to hear her talk so, though she be a very wise and +discreet lady in other things. + +15th. I am now full of study about writing something about our +making of strangers strike to us at sea; and so am altogether +reading Selden and Grotius, and such other authors to that +purpose. + +18th. After dinner to the Opera, where there was a new play, +(Cutter of Coleman Street) made in the year 1658, with +reflections much upon the late times; and it being the first time +the pay was doubled, and so to save money, my wife and I went +into the gallery, and there sat and saw very well; and a very +good play it is. It seems of Cowly's making. + +21st. To White Hall to the Privy Seale, as my Lord Privy Seale +did tell me he could seale no more this month, for he goes thirty +miles out of towne to keep his Christmas. At which I was glad, +but only afraid lest any thing of the King's should force as to +go after him to get a seale in the country. I spoke to Mr. +Falconberge to look whether he could out of Domesday Book, give +me any thing concerning the sea, and the dominion thereof; which +he says he will look after. + +27th. In the morning to my Bookseller's to bespeak a Stephens' +Thesaurus, for which I offer 4l., to give to Paul's School, and +from thence to Paul's Church; and there I did hear Dr. Gunning +preach a good sermon upon the day, (being St. John's day,) and +did hear him tell a story, which he did persuade us to believe to +be true, that St. John and the Virgin Mary did appear to Gregory, +a Bishopp, at his prayer to be confirmed in the faith, which I +did wonder to hear from him. + +28th. At home all the morning; and in the afternoon all of us at +the office, upon a letter from the Duke for the making up of a +speedy estimate of all the debts of the Navy, which is put into +good forwardness. + +31st. To the office; and there late finishing our estimate of +the debts of the Navy to this day; and it come to near 374,000l. +I suppose myself to be worth about 500l. clear in the world, and +my goods of my house my owne, and what is coming to me from +Brampton, when my father dies, which God defer. But, by my +uncle's death, the whole care and trouble, and settling of all +lies upon me, which is very great, because of law-suits, +especially that with T. Frice, about the interest of 200l. I am +upon writing a little treatise to present to the Duke, about our +privilege in the seas, as to other nations striking their flags +to us. + +JANUARY 2, 1661-62. I went forth, by appointment, to meet with +Mr. Grant, who promised to bring me acquainted with Cooper, the +great limner in little. [ Samuel Cooper, the celebrated +miniature painter, Ob. 1672.] Sir Richd. Fanshaw is come +suddenly from Portugal, and nobody knows what his business is +about. + +To Faithorne's, [William Faithorne, the well known engraver Ob. +1691.] and there bought some pictures of him; and while I was +there, comes by the King's life-guard, he being gone to Lincoln's +Inne this afternoon to see the Revells there; there being, +according to an old custome, a prince and all his nobles, and +other matters of sport and charge. + +11th. To the Exchange, and there all the news is of the French +and Dutch joyning against us; but I do not think it yet true. In +the afternoon, to Sir W. Batten's, where in discourse I heard the +custome of the election of the Duke of Genoa, who for two years +is every day attended in the greatest state, and four or five +hundred men always waiting upon him as a king; and when the two +years are out, and another is chose, a messenger is sent to him, +who stands at the bottom of the stairs, and he at, the top, and +says, "Va. Illustrissima Serenita sta finita, et puede andar en +casa."--"Your serenity is now ended; and now you may be going +home;" and so claps on his hat. And the old Duke (having by +custom sent his goods home before,) walks away, it may be but +with one man at his heels; and the new one brought immediately in +his room, in the greatest state in the world. Another account +was told us, how in the Dukedom of Ragusa, in the Adriatique, (a +State that is little, but more ancient, they say, than Venice, +and is called the mother of Venice, and the Turkes lie round +about it,) that they change all the officers of their guard, for +fear of conspiracy, every twenty-four hours, so that nobody knows +who shall be captain of the guard to-night; but two men come to a +man, and lay hold of him as a prisoner, and carry him to the +place; and there he hath the keys of the garrison given him, and +he presently issues his orders for that night's watch: and so +always from night to night. Sir Wm. Rider told the first of his +own knowledge; and both he and Sir W. Batten confirm the last. + +13th. Before twelve o'clock comes, by appointment, Mr. Peter and +the Dean, [Michael Honywood, installed Dean of Lincoln, 1660, Ob. +1681, aged 85.] and Colonel Honiwood, brothers, to dine with me; +but so soon that I was troubled at it. Mr. Peter did show us the +experiment (which I had heard talke of) of the chymicall glasses, +which break all to dust by breaking off a little small end; which +is a great mystery to me. + +15th. Mr. Berkenshaw [Mr. Pepys's music master.] asked me +whether we had not committed a fault in eating to-day; telling me +that it is a fast day ordered by the Parliament, to pray for more +seasonable weather; it having hitherto been summer weather, that +it is, both as to warmth and every other thing, just as if it +were the middle of May or June, which do threaten a plague (as +all men think) to follow, for so it was almost the last winter; +and the whole year after hath been a very sickly time to this +day. + +16th. Towards Cheapside; and in Paul's Church-yard saw the +funeral of my Lord Cornwallis, late Steward of the King's House, +go by. Stoakes told us, that notwithstanding the country of +Gambo is so unhealthy, yet the people of the place live very +long, so as the present King there is 150 years old, which they +count by rains: because every year it rains continually four +months together. He also told us, that the Kings there have +above 100 wives a-piece. + +18th. Comes Mr. Moore to give me an account how Mr. Montagu +[Edward Montagu.] was gone away of a sudden with the fleet, in +such haste that he hath left behind some servants, and many +things of consequence; and among others, my Lord's commission for +Embassador. Whereupon he and I took coach, and to Whitehall to +my Lord's lodgings, to have spoke with Mr. Ralph Montagu [Ralph, +eldest son of Edward, second Baron Montagu, of Boughton; created +Duke of Montagu, and died 1709. His sister Elizabeth had married +Sir D. Harvey, Knt., Ambassador to Constantinople.] his brother; +(and here we staid talking with Sarah and the old man,) but by +and by hearing that he was in Covent Garden, we went thither: +and at my Lady Harvy's, his sister, I spoke with him, and he +tells me that the Commission is not left behind. + +22nd. After musique-practice, to White Hall, and thence to +Westminster, in my way calling at Mr. George Montagu's, to +condole on the loss of his son, who was a fine gentleman. after +this discourse he told me, among other news, the great jealousys +that are now in the Parliament House. The Lord Chancellor, it +seems, taking occasion from this late plot to raise fears in the +people, did project the raising of an army forthwith, besides the +constant militia, thinking to make the Duke of York General +thereof. But the House did, in very open termes, say, they were +grown too wise to be fooled again into another army; and said +they had found how that man that hath the command of an army is +not beholden to any body to make him King. There are factions +(private ones at Court) about Madam Palmer; but what it is about +I know not. But it is something about the King's favour to her +now that the Queene is coming. He told me, too, what sport the +King and Court do make at Mr. Edwd. Montagu's leaving his things +behind him. But the Chancellor (taking it a little more +seriously) did openly say to my Lord Chamberlaine, that had it +been such a gallant as my Lord Mandeville his son, [Lord +Mandeville was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles II. He +became Earl of Manchester on his father's death, and died at +Paris in 1682.] it might have been taken as a frolique: but for +him that would be thought a grave coxcombe, it was very strange. +Thence to the Hall, where I heard the House had ordered all the +King's murderers, that remain, to be executed, but Fleetwood +[Charles, son of Sir Wm. Fleetwood, Knt., General and Commander +in Chief to the Protector Richard, whose sister, Bridget, widow +of Ireton, he had married. After the King's return he lived in +contemptible obscurity, and died circa 1689.] and Downes. + +25th. At home and the office all the morning. Walking in the +garden to give the gardener directions what to do this year (for +I intend to have the garden handsome), Sir W. Pen come to me, and +did break a business to me about removing his son from Oxford to +Cambridge to some private college. I proposed Magdalene, but +cannot name a tutor at present; but I shall think and write about +it. Thence with him to the Trinity-house to dinner; where Sir +Richd. Brown, one of the clerkes of the Council, and who is much +concerned against Sir N. Crisp's project of making a great sasse +["Sasse, a sluice, or lock, used in water-works."--BAILEY'S +DICTIONARY. This project is mentioned by Evelyn, and Lysons, +ENVIRONS, VOL. iv. p. 392.] in the King's lands about Deptford, +to be a wett-dock to hold 200 sail of ships. But the ground, it +seems, was long since given by the King to Sir Richard. After +the Trinity-house men had done their business, the master, Sir +Wm. Rider, come to bid us welcome; and so to dinner. Comes +Mr.Moore with letters from my Lord Sandwich, speaking of his +lying still at Tangier, looking for the fleet; which, we hope, is +now in a good way thither. + +27th. This morning, both Sir Williams and I by barge to +Deptford-yard to give orders in business there; and called on +several ships, also to give orders. Going to take water upon +Tower-hill, we met with three sleddes standing there to carry my +Lord Monson [William, second son of Sir Thomas Monson, Bart.; +created by Charles I. Viscount Castlemaine of the kingdom of +Ireland; notwithstanding which, he was instrumental in his +Majesty's death: and in 1661, being degraded of his honours, was +sentenced, with Sir Henry Mildmay and Mr. Robert Wallop, to be +drawn on sledges, with ropes round their necks, to Tyburn, and +back to the Tower, there to remain prisoners for life. None of +their names were subscribed to the King's sentence.] and Sir H. +Mildmay [Sir H. Mildmay had enjoyed the confidence of Charles I., +who made him Master of the Jewels; but he sat a few days as one +of the King's Judges. He died at Antwerp.] and another, to the +gallows and back again, with ropes about their necks; which is to +be repeated every year, this being the day of their sentencing +the King. + +FEBRUARY 1, 1661-62 This morning with Commissioner Pett to the +office; and he staid there writing, while I and Sir W. Pen walked +in the garden talking about his business of putting his son to +Cambridge; and to that end I intend to write to-night to Dr. +Fairebrother, to give me an account of Mr. Burton [Hezekiah +Burton, S. T. B. 1661.] of Magdalene. Thence with Mr. Pett to +the Paynter's; and he likes our pictures very well, and so do I. +Thence he and I to the Countesse of Sandwich, to lead him to her +to kiss her hands: and dined with her, and told her the news +(which Sir W. Pen told me to do) that expresse is come from my +Lord with letters, that by a great storm and tempest the mole of +Argier is broken down, and many of their ships sunk into the +mole. So that God Almighty hath now ended that unlucky business +for us; which is very good news. + +4th. To Westminster Hall, where it was full terme. Here all the +morning, and at noon to my Lord Crewe's, where one Mr. Templer +(an ingenious man and a person of honour he seems to be) dined; +and, discoursing of the nature of serpents, he told us some in +the waste places of Lancashire do grow to a great bigness, and do +feed upon larkes, which they take thus:--They observe when the +lark is soared to the highest, and do crawl till they come to be +just underneath them; and there they place themselves with their +mouth uppermost, and there, as is conceived, they do eject poyson +upon the bird; for the bird do suddenly come down again in its +course of a circle, and falls directly into the mouth of the +serpent; which is very strange. He is a great traveller; and, +speaking of the tarantula, he says that all the harvest long +(about which times they are most busy) there are fidlers go up +and down the fields every where, in expectation of being hired by +those that are stung. This afternoon, going into the office, one +met me and did serve a subpoena upon me for one Field, whom we +did commit to prison the other day for some ill words he did give +the office. The like he had for others, but we shall scoure him +for it. + +5th. To the Playhouse, and there saw "Rule a wife and have a +Wife;" [A comedy by J. Fletcher.] very well done. And here also +I did look long upon my Lady Castlemaine, who, notwithstanding +her sickness, continues a great beauty. + +7th. I hear the prisoners in the Tower that are to die are come +to the Parliament-house this morning. To the Wardrobe to dinner +with my Lady; where a civitt cat, parrot, apes, and many other +things, are come from my Lord by Captain Hill, who dined with my +Lady with us to-day. Thence to the Paynter's, and am well +pleased with our pictures. + +10th. To Paul's Church-yard, and there I met with Dr. Fuller's +"England's Worthys," the first time that I ever saw it; and so I +sat down reading in it; being much troubled that (though he had +some discourse with me about my family and armes) he says nothing +at all, nor mentions us either in Cambridgeshire or Norfolke. +But I believe, indeed, our family were never considerable. + +13th. Mr. Blackburne do tell me plain of the corruption of all +our Treasurer's officers, and that they hardly pay any money +under ten per cent.; and that the other day for a mere +assignation of 200l. to some counties, they took 15l. which is +very strange. Last night died the Queene of Bohemia. + +15th. With the two Sir Williams to the Trinity-house; and there +in their society had the business debated of Sir Nicholas Crisp's +sasse at Deptford. After dinner I was sworn a Younger Brother; +Sir W. Rider being Deputy-Master for my Lord of Sandwich; and +after I was sworn, all the Elder Brothers shake me by the hand: +it is their custom, it seems. No news yet of our fleet gone to +Tangier, which we now begin to think long. + +17th. This morning, both Sir Williams, myself, and Captn. Cock, +and Captn. Tinker of the Covertine, which we are going to look +upon, (being intended with these ships fitting for the East +Indys) down to Deptford; and thence, after being on ship-board, +to Woolwich, and there eat something. The Sir Williams being +unwilling to eat flesh, Captn. Cock and I had a breast of veale +roasted. + +18th. Having agreed with Sir Wm. Pen to meet him at the Opera, +and finding by my walking in the streets, which were every where +full of brick-bates and tyles flung down by the extraordinary +winde the last night (such as hath not been in memory before, +unless at the death of the late Protector,) that it was dangerous +to go out of doors; and hearing how several persons had been +killed to-day by the fall of things in the streets, and that the +pageant in Fleet-streete is most of it blown down, and hath broke +down part of several houses, among others Dick Brigden's; and +that one Lady Sanderson, a person of quality in Covent-Garden, +was killed by the fall of the house, in her bed, last night; I +sent my boy to forbid him to go forth, But he bringing me word +that he is gone, I went thither and saw "The Law against Lovers," +[A tragi-comedy by Sir William Davenant; taken from "Measure for +Measure," and "Much Ado about Nothing."] a good play and well +performed, especially the little girl's (whom I never saw act +before) dancing and singing; and were it not for her, the losse +of Roxalana would spoil the house. + +20th. Letters from Tangier from my Lord, telling me how, upon a +Great defete given to the Portuguese there by the Moors, he had +put in 300 men into the towne, and so he is in possession, of +which we are very glad, because now the Spaniards' designs of +hindering our getting the place are frustrated. I went with the +letter inclosed to my Lord Chancellor to the House of Lords, and +did give it him in the House. Went by promise to Mr. Savill's, +and there sat the first time for my picture in little, which +pleaseth me well. + +22nd. This evening I wrote letters to my father; among other +things acquainted him with the unhappy accident which hath +happened lately to my Lord of Dorset's two oldest sons, who, with +two Belasses and one Squire Wentworth, were lately apprehended +for killing and robbing of a tanner about Newington on Wednesday +last, and are all now in Newgate. I am much troubled for it, and +for the grief and disgrace it brings to their familys and +friends. [The following account of this transaction is abridged +from the MERCURIUS PUBLICUS of the day:--"Charles Lord +Brockhurst, Edward Sackville, Esq., his brother; Sir Henry +Belasyse, K.B., eldest son of Lord Belasyse; John Belasyse, +brother to Lord Faulconberg; and Thomas Wentworth, Esq., only son +of Sir G. Wentworth, whilst in pursuit of thieves near Waltham +Cross, mortally wounded an innocent tanner named Hoppy, whom they +had endeavoured to secure, suspecting him to have been one of the +robbers; and as they took away the money found on his person, +under the idea that it was stolen property they were soon after +apprehended on the charges of robbery and murder; but the Grand +Jury found a bill for manslaughter only." By a subsequent +allusion in the Diary to their trial, it seems probable that a +verdict of acquittal was pronounced.] + +23rd. This day by God's mercy I am 29 years of age, and in very +good health, and like to live and get an estate; and if I have a +heart to be contented, I think I may reckon myself as happy a man +as any in the world, for which God be praised. So to prayers and +to bed. + +25th. Great talk of the effects of this late great wind; and I +heard one say that he had five great trees standing together +blown down; and, beginning to lop them, one of them, as soon as +the lops were cut off, did, by the weight of the root, rise again +and fasten. We have letters from the forest of Deane, that above +1000 oakes and as many beeches are blown down in one walke there. +And letters from my father tell me of 20l. hurt done to us at +Brampton. This day in the news-booke I find that my Lord +Buckhurst [Charles Lord Buckhurst, eldest son of Richard, fifth +Earl of Dorset; created Earl of Middlesex soon after his uncle's +death, in 1675, and succeeded his father in 1677. Ob. 1705-6.] +and his fellows have printed their case as they did give it in +upon examination to a Justice of Peace, wherein they make +themselves a very good tale that they were in pursuit of thieves, +and that they took this man for one of them, and so killed him; +and that he himself confessed it was the first time of his +robbing; and that he did pay dearly for it, for he was a dead +man. But I doubt things will be proved otherwise than they say. + +MARCH 1, 1661-62. To the Opera, and there saw "Romeo and +Juliet," the first time it was ever acted. I am resolved to go +no more to see the first time of acting, for they were all of +them out more or less. + +3rd. I am told that this day the Parliament hath voted 2s. per +annum for every chimney in England, as a constant revenue for +ever to the Crowne. + +7th. Early to White Hall to the chapel, where by Mr. Blagrave's +means I got into his pew, and heard Mr. Creeton, the great +Scotchman, and chaplain in ordinary to the King, preach before +the King, and Duke and Duchesse, upon the words of Micah:--"Roule +yourselves in dust." He made a most learned sermon upon the +words; but in his application, the most comical man that ever I +heard in my life. Just such a man as Hugh Peters; saying that it +had been better for the poor Cavalier never to have come with the +King into England again; for he that hath the impudence to deny +obedience to the lawful magistrate, and to swear to the oath of +allegiance, &c., was better treated now-a-days in Newgate, than a +poor Royalist that hath suffered all his life for the King, is at +White Hall among his friends. + +8th. By coach with both Sir Williams to Westminster; this being +a great day there in the House to pass the business for chimney- +money, which was done. In the Hall I met with Surgeon Pierce: +and he told me how my Lady Monk hath disposed of all the places +which Mr. Edwd. Montagu hoped to have had as he was Master of the +Horse to the Queene; which I am afraid will undo him, because he +depended much upon the profit of what he should make by these +places. He told me, also, many more scurvy stories of him and +his brother Ralph, which troubles me to hear of persons of honour +as they are. Sir W. Pen and I to the office, whither afterward +come Sir G. Carteret; and we sent for Sir Thos. Allen, one of the +Aldermen of the City, [Probably Sheriff of London, 1654.] about +the business of one Colonel Appesly, whom we had taken +counterfeiting of bills with all our hands and the officers of +the yards, so well that I should never have mistrusted them. We +staid about this business at the office till ten at night, and at +last did send him with a constable to the Counter; and did give +warrants for the seizing of a complice of his, one Blenkinsopp. + +12th. This morning we had news from Mr. Coventry, that Sir G. +Downing (like a perfidious rogue, though the action is good and +of service to the King, yet he cannot with a good conscience do +it) hath taken Okey, Corbet, and Barkestead at Delfe, in Holland, +and sent them home in the Blackmore. [According to Hume, Downing +had once been chaplain to Okey's regiment. John Okey, Miles +Corbet, and John Barkstead, three of the regicides; executed +April 19th following.] Sir W. Pen, talking to me this afternoon +of what a strange thing it is for Downing to do this, he told me +of a speech he made to the Lords States of Holland, telling them +to their faces that he observed that he was not received with the +respect and observance now that he was when he came from the +traitor and rebell Cromwell: by whom, I am sure, he hath got all +he hath in the world,--and they know it too. + +14th. Home to dinner. In the afternoon come the German Dr. +Knuffler, to discourse with us about his engine to blow up ships. +We doubted not the matter of fact, it being tried in Cromwell's +time, but the safety of carrying them in ships; but he do tell +us, that when he comes to tell the King his secret, (for none but +the Kings, successively, and their heirs must know it,) it will +appear to be of no danger at all. We concluded nothing: but +shall discourse with the Duke of York to-morrow about it. + +16th. Walked to White Hall; and an houre or two in the Parke, +which is now very pleasant. Here the King and Duke come to see +their fowle play. The Duke took very civil notice of me. + +17th. Last night the Blackmore pinke brought the three prisoners +Barkestead, Okey, and Corbet, to the Tower, being taken at Delfe +in Holland; where, the Captain tells me, the Dutch were a good +while before they could be persuaded to let them go, they being +taken prisoners in their land. But Sir G. Downing would not be +answered so: though all the world takes notice of him for a most +ungrateful villaine for his pains. + +21st. To Westminster Hall; and there walked up and down and +heard the great difference that hath been between my Lord +Chancellor and my Lord of Bristol, about a proviso that my Lord +Chancellor would have brought into the Bill for Conformity, that +it shall be in the power of the King, when he sees fit to +dispense with the Act of Conformity; and though it be carried in +the House of Lords, yet it is believed it will hardly pass in the +Commons. + +23rd. To White Hall, and there met with Captn. Isham, this day +come from Lisbone, with letters from the Queene to the King and +he did give me letters which speak that our fleet is all at +Lisbone; and that the Queene do not intend to embarque sooner +than to-morrow come fortnight. + +24th. By and by comes La Belle Pierce to see my wife, and to +bring her a pair of peruques of hair, as the fashion now is for +ladies to wear; which are pretty, and are of my wife's own hair, +or else I should not endure them. + +APRIL 6, 1662. (Lord's day). By water to White Hall, to Sir G. +Carteret, to give him an account of the backwardnesse of the +ships we have hired to Portugall: at which he is much troubled. +Thence to the Chapel, and there, though crowded, heard a very +honest sermon before the King by a Canon of Christ Church, upon +these words, "Having a form of godlinesse, but denying," &c. +Among other things he did much insist upon the sin of adultery: +which methought might touch the King, and the more because he +forced it into his sermon, besides his text. So up and saw the +King at dinner; and thence with Sir G. Carteret to his lodgings +to dinner, with him and his lady. All their discount, which was +very much, was upon their sufferings and services for the King. +Yet not without some trouble, to see that some that had been much +bound to them, do now neglect them; and others again most civil +that have received least from them: and I do believe that he +hath been a, good servant to the King. Thence to the Parke, +where the King and Duke did walk. + +7th. To the Lords' House, and stood within the House, while the +Bishops and Lords did stay till the Chancellor's coming and then +we were put out. I sent in a note to my Lord Privy Seale and he +come out to me; and I desired he would make another deputy for +me, because of my great business of the Navy this month; but he +told me he could not do it without the King's consent, which +vexed me. The great talk is, that the Spaniards and the +Hollanders do intend to set upon the Portugais by sea, at +Lisbone, as soon as our fleet is come away; and by that means our +fleet is not likely to come yet these two months or three; which +I hope is not true. + +9th. Sir George [Carteret.] showed me an account in French of +the great famine, which is to the greatest extremity in some part +of France at this day; which is very strange. + +10th. Yesterday come Col. Talbot with letters from Portugall, +that the Queene is resolved to embarque for England this week. +Thence to the office all the afternoon. My Lord Windsor come to +us to discourse of his affaire, and to take his leave of us; he +being to go Governor of Jamaica with this fleet that is now +going. [Thomas Baron Windsor, Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire; +advanced to the Earldom of Plymouth, 1682. Ob. 1687.] + +11th. With Sir W. Pen by water to Deptford; and among the ships +now going to Portugall with men and horse, to see them +dispatched. So to Greenwich; and had a fine pleasant walk to +Woolwich, having in our company Captn. Minnes, whom I was much +pleased to hear talk. Among other things, he and the Captains +that were with us told me that negroes drowned looked white and +lose their blackness, which I never heard before. At Woolwich up +and down to do the same business; and so back to Greenwich by +water. Sir William and I walked into the Parke, where the King +hath planted trees and made steps in the hill up to the Castle, +which is very magnificent. So up and down the house, which is +now repayring in the Queens's lodgings. + +13th. To Grayes Inn walkes; and there met Mr. Pickering. His +discourse most about the pride of the Duchesse of York; and how +all the ladies envy my Lady Castlemaine. He intends to go to +Portsmouth to meet the Queene this week; which is now the +discourse and expectation of the towne. + +15th. With my wife, by coach, to the New Exchange, to buy her +some things; where we saw some new-fashion pettycoats of +sarcenett, with a black broad lace printed round the bottom and +before, very handsome, and my wife had a mind to one of them. + +19th. This morning, before we sat, I went to Aldgate; and at the +corner shop, a draper's, I stood, and, did see Barkestead, Okey, +and Corbet, drawne towards the gallows at Tyburne; and there they +were hanged and quartered. They all looked very cheerful; but I +hear they all die defending what they did to the King to be just; +which is very strange. + +20th. (Lord's-day). My intention being to go this morning to +White Hall to hear Louth, my Lord Chancellor's chaplain, the +famous preacher and oratour of Oxford, (who the last Lord's-day +did sink down in the pulpit before the King, and could not +proceed,) it did rain, and the wind against me, that I could by +no means get a boat or coach to carry me; and so I staid at +Paul's, where the Judges did all meet, and heard a sermon, it +being the first Sunday of the terme; but they had a very poor +sermon. + +21st. At noon dined with my Lord Crewe; and after dinner went up +to Sir Thos. Crewe's chamber, who is still ill. He tells me how +my Lady Duchesse of Richmond [Mary, daughter to George Duke of +Buckingham wife of James, fourth Duke of Lennox and third Duke of +Richmond.] and Castlemaine had a falling out the other day; and +she calls the latter Jane Shore, and did hope to see her come to +the same end. Coming down again to my Lord, he told me that news +was come that the Queene is landed; at which I took leave, and by +coach hurried to White Hall, the bells ringing in several places; +but I found there no such matter, nor anything like it. + +22nd. We come to Gilford. + +23rd. Up early, and to Petersfield; and thence got a countryman +to guide us by Havant, to avoid going through the Forest; but he +carried us much out of the way. I lay at Wiard's, the +chyrurgeon's, in Portsmouth. + +24th. All of us to the Pay-house; but the books not being ready, +we went to church to the lecture, where there was my Lord Ormond +and Manchester, and much London company, though not so much as I +expected. Here we had a very good sermon upon this text: "In +love serving one another;" which pleased me very well. No news +of the Queene at all. So to dinner; and then to the Pay all the +afternoon. Then W. Pen and I walked to the King's Yard. + +26th. Sir George and I, and his clerk Mr. Stephens, and Mr. Holt +our guide, over to Gosport; and so rode to Southampton. In our +way, besides my Lord Southampton's parks and lands, which in one +viewe we could see 6000l. per annum, [Tichfield House, erected by +Sir Thomas Wriothesley, on the site of an Abbey of +Premonstratenses, granted to him with their estates, 29th Henry +VIII. Upon the death of his descendant, Thomas, Earl of +Southampton, and Lord Treasurer, without issue male, the house +and manor were allotted to his eldest daughter Elizabeth, wife of +Edmund, 1st Earl of Gainsborough; and their only son dying +S.P.M., the property devolved to his sister Elizabeth, married to +Henry, Duke of Portland whose grandson, the 3rd Duke, alienated +it to Mr. Delme.] we observed a little church-yard, where the +graves are accustomed to be all sowed with sage. At Southampton. +The towne is one most gallant street, and is walled round with +stone, &c., and Bevis's picture upon one of the gates; many old +walls of religious houses, and the keye, well worth seeing. + +27th. I rode to church, and met my Lord Chamberlaine upon the +walls of the garrison, who owned and spoke to me. I followed him +in the crowde of gallants through the Queene's lodgings to +chapel; the rooms being all rarely furnished, and escaped hardly +being set on fire yesterday. At chapel we had a most excellent +and eloquent sermon. By coach to the Yard, and then on board the +Swallow in the dock, where our navy chaplain preached a sad +sermon, full of nonsense and false Latin; but prayed for the +Right Honourable the principall officers. Visited the Mayor, Mr. +Timbrell, our anchor-smith, who showed us the present they have +for the Queene; which is a salt-sellar of silver, the walls +christall, with four eagles and four greyhounds standing up at +the top to bear up a dish; which indeed is one of the neatest +pieces of plate that ever I saw, and the case is very pretty +also. [A salt-sellar answering this description is preserved at +the Tower.] This evening come a merchantman in the harbour, +which we hired at London to carry horses to Portugall; but Lord! +what running, here was to the seaside to hear what news, thinking +it had come from the Queene. + +MAY 1, 1662. Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Pen, and myself, with our +clerks, set out this morning from Portsmouth very early, and got +by noon to Petersfield; several officers of the Yard accompanying +us so far. At dinner comes my Lord Carlingford [Theobald second +Viscount Taafe, created Earl of Carlingford, co. Louth, 1661-2.] +from London, going to Portsmouth: tells us that the Duchesse of +York is brought to bed of a girle, at which I find nobody +pleased; and that Prince Rupert and the Duke of Buckingham are +sworne of the Privy Councell. + +7th. Walked to Westminster; where I understand the news that Mr. +Montagu is last night come to the King with news, that he left +the Queene and fleete in the Bay of Biscay, coming this wayward; +and that he believes she is now at the Isle of Scilly. Thence to +Paul's Church Yard; where seeing my Ladys Sandwich and Carteret, +and my wife (who this day made a visit the first time to my Lady +Carteret) come by coach, and going to Hide Parke, I was resolved +to follow them; and so went to Mrs. Turner's: and thence at the +Theatre, where I saw the last act of the "Knight of the Burning +Pestle," [A Comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher.] (which pleased me +not at all), and so after the play done, she and The. Turner and +Mrs. Lucin and I, in her coach to the Parke; and there found them +out, and spoke to them; and observed many fine ladies, and staid +till all were gone almost. + +8th. Sir G. Carteret told me, that the Queene and the fleet were +in Mount's Bay on Monday last; and that the Queene endures her +sickness pretty well. He also told me how Sir John Lawson hath +done some execution upon the Turkes in the Straight, of which I +was glad, and told the news the first on the Exchange, and was +much followed by merchants to tell it. Sir G. Carteret, among +other discourse, tells me that it is Mr. Coventry that is to come +to us as a Commissioner of the Navy; at which he is much vexed, +and cries out upon Sir W. Pen, and threatens him highly. And +looking upon his lodgings, which are now enlarging, he in a +passion cried, "Guarda mi spada; for, by God, I may chance to +keep him in Ireland, when he is there:" for Sir W. Pen is going +thither with my Lord Lieutenant. But it is my design to keep +much in with Sir George; and I think I have begun very well +towards it. + +9th. The Duke of York went last night to Portsmouth; so that I +believe the Queene is near. + +10th. At noon to the Wardrobe; there dined. My Lady told me how +my Lady Castlemaine do speak of going to lie at Hampton Court; +which she and all our ladies are much troubled at, because of the +King's being forced to show her countenance in the sight of the +Queene when she comes. In the evening Sir G. Carteret and I did +hire a ship for Tangier, and other things together; and I find +that he do single me out to join with me apart from the rest, +which I am much glad of. + +11th. In the afternoon to White Hall; and there walked an houre +or two in the Parke, where I saw the King now out of mourning, in +a suit laced with gold and silver, which it is said was out of +fashion. Thence to the Wardrobe; and there consulted with the +ladies about going to Hampton Court to-morrow. + +12th. Mr. Townsend called us up by four o'clock; and by five the +three ladies, my wife and I, and Mr. Townsend, his son and +daughter, were got to the barge and set out. We walked from +Mortlake to Richmond, and so to boat again. And from Teddington +to Hampton Court Mr. Townsend and I walked again. And then met +the ladies, and were showed the whole house by Mr. Marriott; +which is indeed nobly furnished, particularly the Queene's bed, +given her by the States of Holland; a looking-glasse sent by the +Queene-mother from France, hanging in the Queene's chamber, and +many brave pictures. And so to barge again; and got home about +eight at night very well. + +14th. Dined at the Wardrobe; and after dinner, sat talking an +hour or two alone with my Lady. She is afraid that my Lady +Castlemaine will keep still with the King. + +15th. To Westminster; and at the Privy Seale I saw Mr. +Coventry's seal for his being Commissioner with us. At night, +all the bells of the towne rung, and bonfires made for the joy of +the Queene's arrival, who landed at Portsmouth last night. But I +do not see much true joy, but only an indifferent one, in the +hearts of the people, who are much discontented at the pride and +luxury of the Court, and running in debt. + +18th. (Whitsunday.) By water to White Hall, and there to chapel +in my pew belonging to me as Clerke of the Privy Seale; and there +I heard a most excellent sermon of Dr. Hacket, Bishop of +Lichfield and Coventry, [John Hacket, elected Bishop of that see +1661, Ob. 1670.] upon these words: "He that drinketh this water +shall never thirst." We had an excellent anthem, sung by Captn. +Cooke and another, and brave musique. And then the King come +down and offered, and took the sacrament upon his knees; a sight +very well worth seeing. After dinner to chapel again; and there +had another good anthem of Captn. Cooke's. Thence to the +Councell-chamber; where the King and Councell sat till almost +eleven o'clock at night, and I forced to walk up and down the +gallerys till that time of night. They were reading all the +bills over that are to pass to-morrow at the House, before the +King's going out of towne and proroguing the House. At last the +Councell risen, Sir G. Carteret told me what the Councell hath +ordered about the ships designed to carry horse from Ireland to +Portugall, which is now altered. + +19th. I hear that the House of Commons do think much that they +should be forced to huddle over business this morning against +afternoon, for the King to pass their Acts, that he may go out of +towne. But he, I hear since, was forced to stay till almost nine +o'clock at night before he could have done, and then prorogued +them; and so to Gilford, and lay there. + +20th. Sir W. Pen and I did a little business at the office, and +so home again. Then comes Dean Fuller; [Dean of St. Patrick's] +and I am most pleased with his company and goodness. + +21st. My wife and I to my Lord's lodging; where she and I staid +walking in White Hall garden. And in the Privy-garden saw the +finest smocks and linnen petticoats of my Lady Castlemaine's, +laced with rich lace at the bottom, that ever I saw: and did me +good to look at them. Sarah told me how the King dined at my +Lady Castlemaine's, and supped, every day and night the last +week; and that the night that the bonfires were made for joy of +the Queene's arrivall, the King was there; but there was no fire +at her door, though at all the rest of the doors almost in the +street; which was much observed: and that the King and she did +send for a pair of scales and weighed one another; and she, being +with child, was said to be heaviest. But she is now a most +disconsolate creature, and comes not out of doors, since the +King's going. + +22nd. This morning comes an order from the Secretary of State, +Nicholas, for me to let one Mr. Lee, a Councellor, view what +papers I have relating to passages of the late times, wherein Sir +H. Vane's hand is employed, in order to the drawing up his +charge; which I did. + +23rd. To the Wardrobe, reading of the King's and Chancellor's +late speeches at the proroguing of the Houses of Parliament. And +while I was reading, news was brought me that my Lord Sandwich is +come and gone up to my Lady's chamber; which by and by he did, +and looks very well. He very merry, and hath left the King and +Queene at Portsmouth, and is come up to stay here till next +Wednesday, and then to meet the King and Queene at Hampton Court. +So to dinner; and my Lord mighty merry; among other things, +saying that the Queene is a very agreeable lady, and paints well. +After dinner I showed him my letter from Teddiman about the news +from Argier, which pleases him exceedingly; and he writ one to +the Duke of York about it, and sent it express. + +24th. Abroad with Mr. Creed, of whom I informed myself of all I +had a mind to know. Among other things, the great difficulty my +Lord hath been in all this summer for lack of good and full +orders from the King: and I doubt our Lords of the Councell do +not mind things as the late powers did, but their pleasure or +profit more. That the Bull Feasts are a simple sport, yet the +greatest in Spaine. That the Queene hath given no rewards to any +of the captains or officers, but only to my Lord Sandwich; and +that was a bag of gold, which was no honorable present, of about; +1400l. sterling. How recluse the Queene hath ever been, and all +the voyage never come upon the deck, nor put her head out of her +cabin; but did love my Lord's musique, and would send for it down +to the state-room, and she sit in her cabin within hearing of it. +But my Lord was forced to have some clashing with the Council of +Portugall about payment of the portion, before he could get it; +which was, besides Tangier and free trade in the Indys, two +millions of crownes, half now, and the other half in twelve +months. But they have brought but little money; but the rest in +sugars and other commoditys, and bills of exchange. That the +King of Portugall is a very foole almost, and his mother do all, +and he is a very poor Prince. + +25th. To church, and heard a good sermon of Mr. Woodcocke's at +our church: only in his latter prayer for a woman in childbed, +he prayed that; God would deliver her from the hereditary curse +of childe-bearing, which seemed a pretty strange expression. Out +with Captn. Ferrers to Charing Cross; and there at the Triumph +taverne he showed me some Portugall ladys, which are come to +towne before the Queene. They are not handsome, and their +farthingales a strange dress. Many ladies and persons of quality +come to see them. I find nothing in them that is pleasing; and I +see they have learnt to kiss and look freely up and down already, +and I do believe will soon forget the recluse practice of their +own country. They complain much for lack of good water to drink. +The King's guards and some City companies do walk up and downe +the towne these five or six days; which makes me think, and they +do say, there are some plots in laying. + +26th. To the Trinity House; where the Brethren have been at +Deptford choosing a new Master; which is Sir J. Minnes, +notwithstanding Sir W. Batten did contend highly for it; at which +I am not a little pleased, because of his proud lady. + +29th. This day, being the King's birth-day, was very solemnly +observed; and the more, for that the Queene this day comes to +Hampton Court. In the evening bonfires were made, but nothing to +the great number that was heretofore at the burning of the Rump. + +31st. The Queene is brought a few days since to Hampton Court: +and all people say of her to be a very fine and handsome lady, +and very discreet; and that the King is pleased enough with her: +which, I fear, will put Madam Castlemaine's nose out of joynt. +The Court is wholly now at Hampton. A peace with Argier is +lately made; which is also good news. My Lord Sandwich is lately +come with the Queene from sea, very well and in good repute. The +Act for Uniformity is lately printed, which, it is thought, will +make mad work among the Presbyterian ministers. People of all +sides are very much discontented; some thinking themselves used, +contrary to promise, too hardly; and the other, that they are not +rewarded so much as they expected by the King. + +JUNE 3, 1662. At the office, and Mr. Coventry brought his patent and +took his place with us this morning. To the Wardrobe, where I +found my lady come from Hampton Court, where the Queene hath used +her very civilly; and my lady tells me is a most pretty woman. +Yesterday (Sir R. Ford told me) the aldermen of the City did +attend her in their habits, and did present her with a gold cupp +and 1000l. in gold therein. But, he told me, that they are so +poor in their Chamber, that they were fain to call two or three +aldermen to raise fines to make up this sum. + +4th. Povy [Thomas Povy, M.P. for Bosiney, 1658 and Treasurer for +Tangier. Evelyn mentions his house in Lincoln's Inn-fields; and +he appears, from an ancient plan of Whitehall Palace, to have had +apartments there.] and Sir W. Batten and I by water to Woolwich; +and there saw an experiment made of Sir R. Ford's Holland's +yarne, (about which we have lately had so much stir; and I have +much concerned myself for our rope-maker, Mr. Hughes, who +represented it so bad,) and we found it to be very bad, and broke +sooner than, upon a fair triall, five threads of that against +four of Riga yarne; and also that some of it had old stuffe that +had been tarred, covered over with new hempe, which is such a +cheat as hath not been heard of. + +7th. To the office. I find Mr. Coventry is resolved to do much +good, and to enquire into all the miscarriages of the office. At +noon with him and Sir W. Batten to dinner at Trinity House; +where, among others, Sir J. Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, +was, who says that yesterday Sir H. Vane had a full hearing at +the King's Bench, and is found guilty; and that he did never hear +any man argue more simply than he in all his life, and so others +say. Sent for to Sir G. Carteret's. I perceive, as; he told me, +were it not that Mr. Coventry had already feathered his nest in +selling of places, he do like him very well, and hopes great good +from him. But he complains so of lack of money, that my heart is +very sad, under the apprehension of the fall of the office. + +10th. All the morning much business; and great hopes of bringing +things, by Mr. Coventry's means, to a good condition in the +office. + +12th. I tried on my riding cloth suit with close knees, the +first that ever I had; and I think they will be very convenient. +At the office all the morning. Among other businesses, I did get +a vote signed by all, concerning my issuing of warrants, which +they did not smell the use I intend to make of it; but it is to +plead for my clerks to have their right of giving out all the +warrants. A great difference happened between Sir G. Carteret +and Mr. Coventry, about passing the Victualler's account, and +whether Sir George is to pay the Victualler his money, or the +Exchequer; Sir George claiming it to be his place to save his +three-pences. It ended in anger, and I believe will come to be a +question before the King and Council. + +13th. Up by 4 o'clock in the morning, and read Cicero's Second +Oration against Cataline, which pleased me exceedingly: and more +I discern therein than ever I thought was to be found in him; but +I perceive it was my ignorance, and that he is as good a writer +as ever I read in my life. By and by to Sir G. Carteret's, to +talk with him about yesterday's difference at the office; and +offered my service to look into my old books or papers that I +have, that may make for him. He was well pleased therewith, and +did much inveigh against Mr. Coventry; telling me how he had done +him service in the Parliament, when Prin had drawn up things +against him for taking of money for places; that he did at his +desire, and upon his letters, keep him off from doing it. And +many other things he told me, as how the King was beholden to +him, and in what a miserable condition his family would be, if he +should die before he hath cleared his accounts. Upon the whole, +I do find that he do much esteem of me, and is my friend. + +14th. About 11 o'clock, having a room got ready for us, we all +went out to the Tower-hill; and there, over against the scaffold, +made on purpose this day, saw Sis Henry Vane brought. A very +great press of people. He made a long speech, many times +interrupted by the Sheriffe and others there; and they would have +taken his paper out of his hand, but he would not let it go. But +they caused all the books of those that writ after him to be +given the Sheriffe; and the trumpets were brought under the +scaffold that he might not be heard. Then he prayed, and so +fitted himself, and received the blow; but the scaffold was so +crowded that we could not see it done. But Boreman, who had been +upon the scaffold, told us, that first he began to speak of the +irregular proceeding against him; that he was, against Magna +Charta, denied to have his exceptions against the indictment +allowed; and that there he was stopped by the Sheriffe. Then he +drew out his paper of notes, and begun to tell them first his +life; that he was born a gentleman; he had been, till he was +seventeen years old, a good fellow, but then it pleased God to +lay a foundation of grace in his heart, by which he was +persuaded, against his worldly interest, to leave all preferment +and go abroad, where he might serve God with more freedom. Then +he was called home; and made a member of the Long Parliament; +where he never did, to this day, any thing against his +conscience, but all for the glory of God. Here he would have +given them an account of the proceedings of the Long Parliament, +but they so often interrupted him, that at last he was forced to +give over: and so fell into prayer for England in generall, then +for the churches in England, and then for the City of London: +and so fitted himself for the block, and received the blow. He +had a blister, or issue, upon his neck, which he desired them not +to hurt: he changed not his colour or speech to the last, but +died justifying himself and the cause he had stood for; and spoke +very confidently of his being presently at the right hand of +Christ; and in all things appeared the most resolved man that +ever died in that manner, and showed more of heate than +cowardize, but yet with all humility and gravity. One asked him +why he did not pray for the King. He answered, "You shall see I +can pray for the King: I pray God bless him!" The King had +given his body to his friends; and, therefore, he told them that +he hoped they would be civil to his body when dead; and desired +they would let him die like a gentleman and a Christian, and not +crowded and pressed as he was. So to the office a little, and to +the Trinity-house, and there all of us to dinner; and to the +office again all the afternoon till night. This day, I hear, my +Lord Peterborough is come unexpected from Tangier, to give the +King an account of the place, which, we fear, is in none of the +best condition. We had also certain news to-day that the +Spaniard is before Lisbone with thirteen sayle; six Dutch, and +the rest his own ships; which will, I fear, be ill for Portugall. +I writ a letter of all this day's proceedings to my Lord, at +Hinchingbroke. + +18th. Up early; and after reading a little in Cicero, to my +office. To my Lord Crewe's and dined with him; where I hear the +courage of Sir H. Vane at his death is talked on every where as a +miracle. I walked to Lilly's, the painter's, [Peter Lely, the +celebrated painter, afterwards knighted. Ob. 1680.] where I saw +among other rare things, the Duchesse of York, her whole body, +sitting in state in a chair, in white sattin, and another of the +King's, that is not finished; most rare things. I did give the +fellow something that showed them us, and promised to come some +other time, and he would show me Lady Castlemaine's, which I +could not then see, it being locked up! Thence to Wright's, the +painter's: [Michael Wright, a native of Scotland, and portrait- +painter of some note, settled in London.] but, Lord! the +difference that is between their two works. + +20th. Drew up the agreement between the King and Sir John Winter +[Secretary and Chancellor to the Queen Dowager.] about the +Forrest of Deane; and having done it, he come himself, (I did not +know him to be the Queene's Secretary before, but observed him to +be a man of fine parts); and we read it, and both liked it well, +That done, I turned to the Forrest of Deane, in Speede's Mapps, +and there he showed me how it lies; and the Sea-bayly, with the +great charge of carrying it to Lydny, and many other things worth +my knowing; and I do perceive that I am very short in my business +by not knowing many times the geographical part of my business. + +I went to the Exchange, and I hear that the merchants have a +great fear of a breach with the Spaniard; for they think he will +not brook our having Tangier, Dunkirke, and Jamaica; and our +merchants begin to draw home their estates as fast as they can. + +21st. At noon, Sir W. Pen and I to the Trinity House; where was +a feast made by the Wardens. Great good cheer, and much but +ordinary company. The Lieutenant of the Tower, upon my demanding +how Sir H. Vane died, told me that he died in a passion; but all +confess with so much courage as never man did. + +22nd. This day I am told of a Portugall lady, at Hampton Court, +that hath dropped a child already since the Queene's coming, and +the King would not have them searched whose it is; and so it is +not commonly known yet. Coming home to-night, I met with Will. +Swan, who do talk as high for the Fanatiques as ever he did in +his life; and do pity my Lord Sandwich and me that we should be +given up to the wickedness of the world; and that a fall is +coming upon us all; for he finds that he and his company are the +true spirit of the nation, and the greater part of the nation +too, who will have liberty of conscience in spite of this "Act of +Uniformity," or they will die; and if they may not preach abroad, +they will preach in their own houses. He told me that certainly +Sir H. Vane must be gone to Heaven, for he died as much a martyr +and saint as ever man did; and that the King hath lost more by +that man's death, than he will get again a good while. At all +which I know not what to think; but, I confess, I do think that +the Bishops will never be able to carry it so high as they do. +Meeting with Frank Moore, my Lord Lambeth's man formerly, we, and +two or three friends of his did go to a taverne; but one of our +company, a talking fellow, did in discourse say much of this Act +against Seamen, for their being brought to account; and that it +was made on purpose for my Lord Sandwich, who was in debt +100,000l. and hath been forced to have pardon oftentimes from +Oliver for the same: at, which I was vexed. + +24th. At night news is brought me that Field the rogue hath this +day cast me at Guildhall in 30l. for his imprisonment, to which I +signed his commitment with the rest of the officers; but they +having been parliament-men, he do begin the law with me; but +threatens more. + +26th. Mr. Nicholson, [Thomas Nicholson, A.M., 1672.] my old +fellow-student at Magdalene, come, and we played three or four +things upon the violin and basse. + +27th. To my Lord, who rose as soon as be heard I was there; and +in his night-gowne and shirt stood talking with me alone two +hours, I believe, concerning his greatest matters of state and +interest,--among other things, that his greatest design is, +first, to get clear of all debts to the King for the Embassy +money, and then a pardon. Then, to get his land settled; and +then to discourse and advise what is best for him, whether to +keep his sea employment longer or no. For he do discern that the +Duke would be willing to have him out, and that by Coventry's +means. And here he told me, how the terms at Argier were wholly +his; and that be did plainly tell Lawson and agree with him, that +he would have the honour of them, if they should ever be agreed +to; and that accordingly they did come over hither entitled, +"Articles concluded on by Sir J. Lawson, according to +instructions received from His Royal Highness James Duke of York, +&c. and from His Excellency the Earle of Sandwich." (Which +however was more than needed; but Lawson tells my Lord in his +letter, that it was not he, but the Council of Warr that would +have "His Royal Highness" put into the title, though he did not +contribute one word to it.) But the Duke of York did yesterday +propose them to the Council, to be printed with this title: +"Concluded on by Sir J. Lawson, Knt." and my Lord quite left out. +Here I find my Lord very politique; for he tells me, that he +discerns they design to set up Lawson as much, as they can: and +that he do counterplot them by setting him up higher still; by +which they will find themselves spoiled of their design, and at +last grow jealous of Lawson. This he told me with much pleasure; +and that several of the Duke's servants, by name my Lord +Barkeley, Mr. Talbot, and others, had complained to my Lord, of +Coventry, and would have him out. My Lord do acknowledge that +his greatest obstacle is Coventry. He did seem to hint such a +question as this: "Hitherto I have been supported by the King +and Chancellor against the Duke; but what if it should come +about, that it should be the Duke and Chancellor against the +King:" which, though he said it in several plain words, yet I +could not fully understand it; but may more hereafter. My Lord +did also tell me, that the Duke himself at Portsmouth did thank +my Lord for all his pains and care; and that he perceived it must +be the old Captains that must do the business; and that the new +ones would spoil all. And that my Lord did very discreetly tell +the Duke, (though quite against his judgement and inclination) +that, however, the King's new captaines ought to be borne with a +little and encouraged. By which he will oblige that party, and +prevent, as much as may be, their entry; but he says certainly +things will go to rack if ever the old captains should be wholly +out, and the new ones only command. + +I met Sir W. Pen; he told me the day now was fixed for his going +into Ireland; and that whereas I had mentioned some service he +could do a friend of mine there, Saml. Pepys, [Mentioned +elsewhere as "My cousin in Ireland."] he told me he would most +readily do what I would command him. + +28th. Great talk there is of a fear of a war with the Dutch; and +we have order to pitch upon twenty ships to be forthwith set out; +but I hope it is but; a scare-crow to the world, to let them see +that we can be ready for them; though, God knows! the King is +not able to set out five ships at this present without great +difficulty, we neither having money, credit, nor stores. + +30th. Told my Lady (Carteret) how my Lady Fanshaw [Anne, +daughter of Sir John Harrison, wife of Sir Richard Fanshawe. She +wrote Memoirs of her life,--VIDE SEWARDS ANECDOTES.] is fallen +out with her only for speaking in behalf of the French, which my +Lady wonders at, they having been formerly like sisters. Thence +to my house, where I took great pride to lead her through the +Court by the hand, she being very fine, and her page carrying up +her train. + +OBSERVATIONS. + +This I take to be as bad a juncture as ever I observed. The King +and his new Queene minding their pleasures at Hampton Court. All +people discontented; some that the King do not gratify them +enough; and the others, Fanatiques of all sorts, that the King do +take away their liberty of conscience; and the height of the +Bishops, who I fear will ruin all again. They do much cry up the +manner of Sir H. Vane's death, and he deserves it. Much clamour +against the chimney-money; and the people say, they will not pay +it without force. And in the meantime, like to have war abroad; +and Portugall to assist, when we have not money to pay for any +ordinary layings-out at home. + +JULY 2, 1662. Up while the chimes went four, and so put down my +journal. So to my office, to read over such instructions as +concern the officers of the Yard; for I am much upon seeing into +the miscarriages there. By and by, by appointment, comes +Commissioner Pett; and then a messenger from Mr. Coventry, who +sits in his boat expecting us. So we down to him at the Tower, +and there took water all, and to Deptford, (he in our passage +taking notice how much difference there is between the old +Captains for obedience and order, and the King's new Captains, +which I am very glad to hear him confess); and there we went into +the Store-house, and viewed first the provisions there, and then +his books, (but Mr. Davis himself was not there); and I do not +perceive that there is one-third of their duties performed; but +I perceive, to my great content, Mr. Coventry will have things +performed. In the evening come Mr. Lewis to me, and very +ingeniously did enquire whether I ever did look into the business +of the Chest at Chatham; and after my readiness to be informed +did appear to him, he did produce a paper, wherein he stated the +government of the Chest to me; and upon the whole did tell me how +it hath ever been abused, and to this day is; and what a +meritorious act it would be to look after it; which I am resolved +to do, if God bless me: and do thank him very much for it. + +3rd. Dined with the Officers of the Ordnance; where Sir W. +Compton, Mr. O'Neale, and other great persons, were. After +dinner, was brought to Sir W. Compton a gun to discharge seven +times; the best of all devices that ever I saw, and very +serviceable, and not a bawble; for it is much approved of, and +many thereof made. + +6th. To supper with my Lady (Sandwich); who tells me, with much +trouble, that my Lady Castlemaine is still as great with the +King, and that the King comes as often to her as ever he did. +Jack Cole, my old friend, found me out at the Wardrobe; and, +among other things, he told me that certainly most; of the chief +ministers of London would fling up their livings; and that, soon +or late, the issue thereof would be sad to the King and Court. + +8th. To the Wardrobe; where, all alone with my Lord above an +hour; and he do seem still to have his old confidence in me; and +tells me to boot, that Mr. Coventry hath spoke of me to him to +great advantage; wherein I am much pleased. By and by comes in +Mr. Coventry to visit my Lord; and so my Lord and he and I walked +together in the great chamber a good while; and I found him a +most ingenuous man and good company. + +16th. This day I was told that my Lady Castlemaine (being quite +fallen out with her husband) did yesterday go away from him, with +all her plate, jewels, and other best things; and is gone to +Richmond to a brother of hers; which, I am apt to think, was a +design to get out of town, that the King might come at her the +better. + +17th. To my office, and by and by to our sitting; where much +business. Mr. Coventry took his leave, being to go with the Duke +over for the Queene-Mother. + +19th. In the afternoon I went upon the river: it raining hard +upon the water, I put ashore and sheltered myself, while the King +come by in his barge, going down towards the Downes to meet the +Queene: the Duke being gone yesterday. But methought it +lessened my esteem of a king, that he should not be able to +command the rain. + +21st. To Woolwich to the Rope-yard; and there looked over +several sorts of hemp, and did fall upon my great survey of +seeing the working and experiments of the strength and the charge +in the dressing of every sort; and I do think have brought it to +so great a certainty, as I have done the King some service in it; +and do purpose to get it ready against the Duke's coming to towne +to present to him. I see it is impossible for the King to have +things done as cheap as other men. + +22nd. I had letters from the Downes from Mr. Coventry; who tells +me of the foul weather they had last Sunday, that drove them back +from near Bologne, whither they were going for the Queene, back +again to the Downes, with the loss of their cables, sayles, and +masts; but are all safe, only my Lord Sandwich, who went before +with the yacht: they know not what is become of him, which do +trouble me much; but I hope he got ashore before the storm begun; +which God grant! + +23rd. Much disturbed, by reason of the talk up and downe the +towne, that my Lord Sandwich is lost: but I trust in God the +contrary. + +24th. I hear, to my great content, that my Lord Sandwich is safe +landed in France. + +26th. I had a letter from Mr. Creed, who hath escaped narrowly +in the King's yacht, and got safe to the Downes after the late +storm; and he says that there the King do tell him, that he is +sure my Lord is landed in Callis safe. This afternoon I went to +Westminster: and there hear that the King and Queene intend to +come to White Hall from Hampton Court next week, for all winter. +Thence to Mrs. Sarah, [Lord Sandwich's Housekeeper.] and there +looked over my Lord's lodgings, which are very pretty; and White +Hall garden and the Bowling-ally (where lords and ladies are now +at bowles), in brave condition. Mrs. Sarah told me how the +falling out between my Lady Castlemaine and her Lord was about +christening of the child lately, which he would have, and had +done by a priest: and some days after, she had it again +christened by a minister; the King, and Lord of Oxford, [Aubrey +de Vere, twentieth and last Earl of Oxford. Ob. 1702-3. s. p.] +and Duchesse of Suffolk [Perhaps a mistake for Countess, as there +was no Duchess of Suffolk at that period.] being witnesses: and +christened with a proviso, that it had not already been +christened. Since that she left her Lord, carrying away every +thing in the house; so much as every dish, and cloth, and servant +but the porter. He is gone discontented into France, they say, +to enter a monastery; and now she is coming back again to her +house in King-streete. But I hear that the Queene did prick her +out of the list presented her by the King; desiring that she +might have that favour done her, or that he would send her from +whence she come: and that the King was angry and the Queene +discontented a whole day and night upon it; but that the King +hath promised to have nothing to do with her hereafter. But I +cannot believe that the King can fling her off so, he loving her +too well: and so I writ this night to my Lady to be my opinion; +she calling her my lady, and the lady I admire. Here I find that +my Lord hath lost the garden to his lodgings, and that it is +turning into a tennis-court. + +27th. I to walk in the Parke, which is now every day more and +more pleasant, by the new works upon it. + +28th. Walked to the water-side, and there took boat for the +Tower; hearing that the Queene-Mother is come this morning +already as high as Woolwich: and that my Lord Sandwich was with +her; at which my heart was glad. + +30th. By water to White Hall, and there waited upon my Lord +Sandwich; and joyed him, at his lodgings, of his safe coming home +after all his danger, which he confesses to be very great. And +his people do tell me how bravely my Lord did carry himself, +while my Lord Crofts [William Crofts, created Baron Crofts of +Saxham in Suffolk 1658 and died s.p. 1677.] did cry; and I +perceive all the town talk how poorly he carried himself. But +the best was one of Mr. Rawlins, a courtier, that was with my +Lord; and in the greatest danger cried, "My Lord I won't give you +three-pence for your place now." But all ends in the honour of +the pleasure-boats; which, had they not been very good boats, +they could never have endured the sea as they did. + +31st. At noon Mr. Coventry and I by his coach to the Exchange +together; and in Lombard-Streete met Captn. Browne of the +Rosebush: at which he was cruel angry; and did threaten to go +to-day to the Duke at Hampton Court, and get him turned out +because he was not sailed. + +AUGUST 3, 1662. This day Commissioner Pett told me how +despicable a thing it is to be a hangman in Poland, although it +be a place of credit. And that, in his time, there was some +repairs to be made of the gallows there, which was very fine of +stone; but nobody could be got to mend it till the Burgo-master, +or Mayor of the towne, with all the companies of those trades +which were necessary to be used about those repairs, did go in +their habits with flags, in solemn procession to the place, and +there the Burgo-master did give the first blow with the hammer +upon the wooden work; and the rest of the Masters of the Companys +upon the works belonging to their trades; that so workmen might +not be ashamed to be employed upon doing of the gallows works. + +6th. By water to White Hall; and so to St. James's; but there +found Mr. Coventry gone to Hampton Court. So to my Lord's; and +he is also gone: this being a great day at the Council about +some business before the King. Here Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon, +told me how Mr. Edward Montagu hath lately had a duell with Mr. +Cholmely, that is first gentleman-usher to the Queene, and was a +messenger to her from the King of Portugall, and is a fine +gentleman; but had received many affronts from Mr. Montagu, and +some unkindness from my Lord, upon his score, (for which I am +sorry.) He proved too hard for Montagu, and drove him so far +backward that he fell into a ditch, and dropt his sword, but with +honour would take no advantage over him; but did give him his +life: and the world says Mr. Montagu did carry himself very +poorly in the business, and hath lost his honour for ever with +all people in it. This afternoon Mr. Waith was with me, and did +tell me much concerning the Chest, which I am resolved to look +into; and I perceive he is sensible of Sir W. Batten's carriage; +and is pleased to see any thing work against him. + +8th. Dined with Mr. Falconer; thence we walked talking all the +way to Greenwich, and I do find excellent discourse from him. +Among other things, his rule of suspecting every man that +proposes any thing to him to be a knave; or, at least, to have +some ends of his own in it. Being led thereto by the story of +Sir John Millicent, that would have had a patent from King James +for every man to have had leave to have gives him a shilling; and +that he might take it of every man that had a mind to give it; +and what he would do to them that would not give him. He +answered, he would not force them; but that they should come to +the Council of State, to give a reason why they would not. +Another rule is a proverb that he hath been taught, which is that +a man that cannot sit still in his chamber, (the reason of which +I did not understand,) and he that cannot say no, (that is, that +is of so good a nature that he cannot deny any thing, or cross +another in doing any thing) is not fit for business. The last of +which is a very great fault of mine, which I must amend in. + +9th. Mr. Coventry and I alone eat at the office all the morning +upon business. And so to dinner to Trinity House, and thence by +his coach towards White Hall; but there being a stop at the +Savoy, we light and took water, and my Lord Sandwich being out of +towne, we parted there. + +10th. I walked to St. Dunstan's, the church being now finished; +and here I heard Dr. Bates, [Dr. Bates, a celebrated +Nonconformist divine.] who made a most eloquent sermon; and I am +sorry I have hitherto had so low an opinion of the man, for I +have not heard a neater sermon a great while, and more to my +content. My uncle Fenner told me the new service-booke (which is +now lately come forth) was laid upon their deske at St. +Sepulchre's for Mr. George to read; but he laid it aside, and +would not meddle with it: and I perceive the Presbyters do all +prepare to give over all against Bartholomewtide. Mr. Herring, +being lately turned out at St. Bride's, did read the psalme to +the people while they sung at Dr. Bates's, which methought is a +strange turn. After dinner to St, Bride's, and there heard one +Carpenter, an old man, who, they say, hath been a Jesuite priest, +and is come over to us; but he preached very well. Mr. Calamy +hath taken his farewell this day of his people, and others will +do so the next Sunday. Mr. Turner, [Sir William Turner, Lord +Mayor of London, 1669.] the draper, I hear, is knighted, made +Alderman, and pricked for Sheriffe, with Sir Thomas Bluddel, [A +mistake for Bludworth.] for the next year, by the King, and so +are called with great honour the King's Sheriffes. + +13th. Up early, and to my office. By and by we met on purpose +to enquire into the business of flag-makers, where I am the +person that do chiefly manage the business against them on the +King's part; and I do find it the greatest cheat that I have yet +found; they having eightpence per yard allowed them by pretence +of a contract, where no such thing appears; and it is threepence +more than was formerly paid, and than I now offer the board to +have them done. To Lambeth; and there saw the little pleasure- +boat in building by the King, my Lord Brunkard, [William, second +Lord Brouncker, Viscount of castle Lyons; created M.D. in 1642 at +Oxford: Keeper of the Great Seal to the Queen; a Commissioner of +the Admiralty; and Master of St. Catherine's Hospital. He was a +man of considerable talents, and some years President of the +Royal Society. Ob. 1684, aged 64.] and the virtuosoes of the +towne, according to new lines, which Mr. Pett cries up mightily, +but how it will prove we shall soon see. + +14th. Commissioner Pett and I being invited, went by Sir John +Winter's coach sent for us, to the Miter, in Fanchurch-street, to +a venison-pasty; where I found him a very worthy man; and good +discourse. Most of which was concerning the Forest of Deane, and +the timber there, and iron-workes with their great antiquity, and +the vast heaps of cinders, which they find, and are now of great +value, being necessary for the making of Iron at this day ; and +without which they cannot work: with the age of many trees there +left at a great fall in Edward the Third's time, by the name of +forbid-trees, which at this day, are called vorbid trees. + +15th. I went to Paul's Church Yard to my bookseller's; and there +I hear that next Sunday will be the last of a great many +Presbyterian ministers in towne, who, I hear, will give up all. +I pray God the issue may be good, for the discontent is great. +My mind well pleased with a letter that I found at home from Mr. +Coventry, expressing his satisfaction in a letter I writ last +night, and sent him this morning, to be corrected by him in order +to its sending down to all the Yards as a charge to them. + +17th. This being the last Sunday that the Presbyterians are to +preach, unless they read the new Common Prayer and renounce the +Covenant, I had a mind to hear Dr. Bates's farewell sermon; and +walked to St Dunstan's, where, it not being seven o'clock yet, +the doors were not open; and so I walked an hour in the Temple- +garden. At eight o'clock I went, and crowded in at a back door +among others, the church being half-full almost before any doors +were open publicly; and so got into the gallery, beside the +pulpit, and heard very well. His text was, "Now the God of +Peace--;" the last Hebrews, and the 20th verse: he making a very +good sermon, and very little reflections in it to any thing of +the times. To Madam Turner's, and dined with her. She had heard +Parson Herring take his leave; tho' he, by reading so much of the +Common Prayer as he did, hath cast himself out of the good +opinion of both sides. After dinner to St. Dunstan's again; and +the church quite crowded before I come, which was just at one +o'clock; but I got into the gallery again, but stood in a crowd. +He [Dr. Bates.] pursued his text again very well; and only at +the conclusion told us, after this manner: "I do believe that +many of you do expect that I should say something to you in +reference to the time, this being the last time that possibly I +may appear here. You know not it is not my manner to speak +anything in the pulpit that is extraneous to my text and +business; yet this I shall say, that it is not my opinion, +fashion, or humour that keeps me from complying with what is +required of us; but something after much prayer, discourse, and +study yet remains unsatisfied, and commands me herein. +Wherefore, if it is my unhappinesse not to receive such an +illuminacion as should direct me to do otherwise, I know no +reason why men should not pardon me in this world, as I am +confident God will pardon me for it in the next." And so he +concluded. Parson Herring read a psalme and chapters before +sermon; and one was the chapter in the Acts, where the story of +Ananias and Sapphira is. And after he had done, says he, "This +is just the case of England at present. God he bids us to +preach, and men bid us not to preach; and if we do, we are to be +imprisoned and further punished. All that I can say to it is, +that I beg your prayers, and the prayers of all good Christians, +for us." This was all the exposition be made of the chapter in +these very words, and no more. I was much pleased with Bates's +manner of bringing in the Lord's Prayer after his owne; thus, "In +whose comprehensive words we sum up all our imperfect desires; +saying, 'Our Father,'" &c. I hear most of the Presbyters took +their leaves to-day, and that the City is much dissatisfied with +it. I pray God keep peace among men in their rooms, or else all +will fly a-pieces; for bad ones will not go down with the City. + +18th. Mr. Deane [Anthony Deane, afterwards knighted and M.P. for +Harwich; a commissioner of the Navy, 1672.] of Woolwich and I +rid into Waltham Forest, and there we saw many trees of the +King's a-hewing; and he showed me the whole mystery of off +square, wherein the King is abused in the timber that he buys, +which I shall with much pleasure be able to correct. We rode to +Illford, and there, while dinner was getting ready, he and I +practised measuring of the tables and other things till I did +understand measure of timber and board very well. + +19th. At the office; and Mr. Coventry did tell us of the duell +between Mr. Jermyn, [He became Baron Jermyn on the death of his +uncle, the Earl of St. Alban's, 1683; and died unmarried, 1703.] +nephew to my Lord St. Alban's, and Colonel Giles Rawlins, the +latter of whom is killed, and the first mortally wounded, as it +is thought. They fought against Captain Thomas Howard, +[According to Collins, Lord Carlisle's brother's name was +Charles.] my Lord Carlisle's brother, and another unknown; who, +they say, had armor on that they could not be hurt, so that one +of their swords went up to the hilt against it. They had horses +ready, and are fled. But what is most strange, Howard sent one +challenge before, but they could not meet till yesterday at the +old Pall Mall at St. James's, and he would not to the last tell +Jermyn what the quarrel was; nor do any body know. The Court is +much concerned in this fray, and I am glad of it; hoping that it +will cause some good laws against it. After sitting, Sir G. +Carteret did tell me how he had spoke of me to my Lord +Chancellor, and that if my Lord Sandwich would ask my Lord +Chancellor, he should know what he had said of me to him to my +advantage. + +20th. To my Lord Sandwich, whom I found in bed. Among other +talk, he do tell me that he hath put me into commission with a +great many great persons in the business of Tangier, which is a +very great honour to me, and may be of good concernment to me. +By and by comes in Mr. Coventry to us, whom my Lord tells that he +is also put into the commission, and that I am there, of which he +said he was glad; and did tell my Lord that I was indeed the life +of this office, and much more to my commendation beyond measure. +And that, whereas before he did bear me respect for his sake, so +he do it now much more for my own; which is a great blessing to +me. Sir G. Carteret having told me what he did yesterday +concerning his speaking to my Lord Chancellor about me. So that +on all hands, by God's blessing, I find myself a very rising man. +By and by comes my Lord Peterborough in, with whom we talked a +good while, and he is going to-morrow toward Tangier again. I +perceive there is yet good hopes of peace with Guyland [A Moorish +usurper, who had put himself at the head of an army for the +purpose of attacking Tangier.] which is of great concernment to +Tangier. + +23rd. Mr. Coventry and I did walk together a great while in the +Garden, where he did tell me his mind about Sir G. Carteret's +having so much the command of the money, which must be removed. +And indeed it is the bane of all our business. He observed to +me also how Sir W. Batten begins to struggle and to look after +his business. I also put him upon getting an order from the Duke +for our inquiries into the Chest, which he will see done. + +Mr. Creed and I walked down to the Tylt Yard, and so all along +Thames-street, but could not get a boat: I offered eight +shillings for a boat to attend me this afternoon, and they would +not, it being the day of the Queene's coming to town from Hampton +Court. So we fairly walked in to White Hall, and through my +Lord's lodgings we got into White Hall garden, and so to the +Bowling-greene, and up to the top of the new Banqueting House +there, over the Thames, which was a most pleasant place as any I +could have got; and all the show consisted chiefly in the number +of boats and barges; and two pageants, one of a King, and another +of a Queene, with her Maydes of Honour sitting at her feet very +prettily; and they tell me the Queene is Sir Richard Ford's +daughter. Anon come the King and Queene in a barge under a +canopy with 1000 barges and boats I know, for we could see no +water for them, nor discern the King nor Queene. And so they +landed at White Hall Bridge, and the great guns on the other side +went off. But that which pleased me best was, that my Lady +Castlemaine stood over against us upon a piece of White Hall. +But methought it was strange to see her Lord and her upon the +same place walking up and down without taking notice one of +another, only at first entry he put off his hat, and she made him +a very civil salute, but afterwards took no notice one of +another; but both of them now and then would take their child, +which the nurse held in her armes, and dandle it. One thing +more; there happened a scaffold below to fall, and we feared some +hurt, but there was none, but she of all the great ladies only +run down among the common rabble to see what hurt was done, and +did take care of a child that received some little hurt, which +methought was so noble. Anon there come one there booted and +spurred that she talked along with. And by and by, she being in +her haire, she put on his hat, which was but an ordinary one, to +keep the wind off. But it become her mightily, as every thing +else do. + +24th. Walked to my uncle Wight's: here I staid supper, and much +company there was; among others, Dr. Burnett, Mr. Cole the +lawyer, Mr. Rawlinson, and Mr. Sutton. Among other things they +tell me that there hath been a disturbance in a church in Friday- +street; a great many young people knotting together and crying +out "Porridge" often and seditiously in the Church, and they took +the Common Prayer Book, they say, away; and, some say, did tear +it; but it is a thing which appears to me very ominous. I pray +God avert it. + +31st. To Mr. Rawlinson's, and there supped with him. Our +discourse of the discontents that are abroad, among, and by +reason of the Presbyters. Some were clapped up to-day, and +strict watch is kept in the City by the train-bands, and abettors +of a plot are taken. God preserve us, for all these things bode +very ill. + +SEPTEMBER 1, 1662. With Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen by coach +to St. James's, this being the first day of our meeting there by +the Duke's order; but when we come, we found him going out by +coach with his Duchesse, and he told us he was to go abroad with +the Queene to-day, (to Durdan's, it seems, to dine with my Lord +Barkeley, [Lord Berkeley's seat near Epsom.] where I have been +very merry when I was a little boy;) so we went and staid a +little at Mr. Coventry's chamber, and I to my Lord Sandwich's, +who is gone to wait upon the King and Queene to-day. + +Sept. 3. Mr. Coventry told us how the Fanatiques and Presbyters, +that did intend to rise about this time, did choose this day as +the most auspicious to them in their endeavours against monarchy: +it being fatal twice to the King, and the day of Oliver's death. +But, blessed be God! all is likely to be quiet, I hope. Dr. +Fairbrother tells me, what I heard confirmed since, that it was +fully resolved by the King's new Council that an indulgence +should be granted the Presbyters; but upon the Bishop of London's +[Gilbert Sheldon.] speech, (who is now one of the most powerful +men in England with the King,) their minds were wholly turned. +And it is said that my Lord Albemarle did oppose him most; but +that I do believe is only an appearance. He told me also that +most of the Presbyters now begin to wish they had complied, now +they see that no indulgence will be granted them, which they +hoped for; and that the Bishop of London hath taken good care +that places are supplied with very good and able men, which is +the only thing that will keep all quiet. + +4th. At noon to the Trinity House, where we treated, very dearly +I believe, the officers of the Ordnance; where was Sir W. Compton +and the Lieutenant of the Tower. We had much and good musique. +Sir Wm. Compton I heard talk with great pleasure of the +difference between the fleet now and in Queene Elizabeth's days; +where, in 88, she had but 36 sail great and small, in the world; +and ten rounds of powder was their allowance at that time against +the Spaniard. + +5th. By water to Woolwich: in my way saw the yacht lately built +by our virtuosoes (my Lord Brunkard and others, with the help of +Commissioner Pett also,) set out from Greenwich with the little +Dutch bezan, to try for mastery; and before they got to Woolwich +the Dutch beat them half-a-mile; (and I hear this afternoon, +that, in coming home, it got above three miles;) which all our +people are glad of. To Mr. Bland's, the merchant, by invitation; +where I found all the officers of the Customs, very grave fine +gentlemen, and I am very glad to know them; viz.--Sir Job Harvy, +Sir John Wolstenholme [Sir John Wolstenholme; created a Baronet, +1664. An intimate friend of Lord Clarendon's; and collector +outward for the Port of London. Ob. 1679.], Sir John Jacob, [Sir +John Jacob of Bromley, Middlesex; created a Baronet, 1664, for +his loyalty and zeal for the Royal Family. Ob. 1665-6.] Sir +Nicholas Crisp, Sir John Harrison, and Sir John Shaw: [Sir John +Shaw was created a Baronet in 1665, for his services in lending +the King large sums of money during his exile. Ob. 1679-80.] +very good company. And among other discourse, some was of Sir +Jerom Bowes, Embassador from Queene Elizabeth to the Emperor of +Russia; [In 1583: the object of his mission being to persuade +the Muscovite to a peace with John, King of Sweden. He was also +employed to confirm the trade of the English with Russia; and, +having incurred some personal danger, was received with favour on +his return by the Queen. He died in 1616. There is a portrait +of him in Lord Suffolk's collection at Charlton.] who, because +some of the noblemen there would go up-stairs to the Emperor +before him, he would not go up till the Emperor had ordered those +two men to be dragged down-stairs, with their heads knocking upon +every stair till they were killed. And when he was come up, they +demanded his sword of him before he entered the room. He told +them, if they would have his sword, they should have his boots +too. And so caused his boots to be pulled off, and his night- +gown and night-cap and slippers to be sent for; and made the +Emperor stay till he could go in his night-dress, since he might +not go as a soldier. And lastly when the Emperor in contempt, to +show his command of his subjects did command one to leap from the +window down and broke his neck in the sight of our Embassador, he +replied that his mistress did set more by, and did make better +use of the necks of her subjects: but said, that, to show what +her subjects would do for her, he would, and did, fling down his +gantlett before the Emperor; and challenged all the nobility +there to take it up, in defence of the Emperor against his +Queene; for which, at this very day, the name of Sir Jerom Bowes +is famous and honoured there. I this day heard that Mr. Martin +Noell is knighted by the King, which I much wonder at; but yet he +is certainly a very useful man. + +7th. Home with Mr. Fox and his lady; and there dined with them. +Most of our discourse was what ministers are flung out that will +not conform: and the care of the Bishop of London that we are +here supplied with very good men. Meeting Mr. Pierce, the +chyrurgeon, he took me into Somersett House; and there carried me +into the Queene-Mother's presence-chamber, where she was with our +own Queene sitting on her left hand (whom I did never see +before); and though she be not very charming, yet she hath a +good, modest, and innocent look, which is pleasing. Here I also +saw Madam Castlemaine, and, which pleased me most, Mr. Crofts, +[James, son of Charles II. by Mrs. Lucy Waters; who bore the name +of Crofts till he was created Duke of Monmouth in 1662, +previously to his marriage with Lady Anne Scot, daughter to +Francis, Earl of Buccleuch.] the King's bastard, a most pretty +sparke of about 15 years old, who, I perceive, do hang much upon +my Lady Castlemaine, and is always with her; and, I hear, the +Queenes both are mighty kind to him. By and by in comes the +King, and anon the Duke and his Duchesse; so that, they being all +together, was such a sight as I never could almost have happened +to see with so much ease and leisure. They staid till it was +dark, and then went away; the King and his Queene, and my Lady +Castlemaine and young Crofts, in one coach and the rest in other +coaches. Here were great stores of great ladies, but very few +handsome. The King and Queene were very merry; and he would have +made the Queene-Mother believe that his Queene was with child, +and said that she said so. And the young Queene answered, "You +lye;" which was the first English word that I ever heard her say: +which made the King good sport; and he would have made her say in +English, "Confess and be hanged." + +8th. With Mr. Coventry to the Duke; who, after he was out of his +bed, did send for us in; and, when he was quite ready, took us +into his closet, and there told us that he do intend to renew the +old custom for the Admirals to have their principal officers to +meet them once a-week, to give them an account what they have +done that week; which I am glad of: and so the rest did tell His +Royal Highness that I could do it best for the time past. And so +I produced my short notes, and did give him an account of all +that we have of late done; and proposed to him several things for +his commands, which he did give us, and so dismissed us. + +12th. This day, by letters from my father, I hear that Captn. +Ferrers, who is with my Lord in the country, was at Brampton +(with Mr. Creed) to see him; and that a day or two ago being +provoked to strike one of my Lord's footmen, the footman drew his +sword, and hath almost cut the fingers of one of his hands off; +which I am very sorry for: but this is the vanity of being apt +to command and strike. + +14th. To White Hall chapel, where sermon almost done, and I +heard Captn. Cooke's new musique. This the first day of having +vialls and other instruments to play a symphony between every +verse of the anthems; but the musique more full than it was the +last Sunday, and very fine it is. But yet I could discern Captn. +Cooke to overdo his part at singing, which I never did before. +Thence up into the Queene's presence, and there saw the Queene +again as I did last Sunday, and some fine ladies with her; but, +my troth, not many. Thence to Sir G. Carteret's. + +15th. By water with Sir Wm. Pen to White Hall; and, with much +ado, was fain to walk over the piles through the bridge, while +Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes were aground against the bridge, +and could not in a great while get through. At White Hall we +hear that the Duke of York is gone a-hunting to-day; and so we +returned: they going to the Duke of Albemarle's, where I left +them (after I had observed a very good picture or two there). + +18th. At noon Sir G. Carteret, Mr Coventry, and I by invitation +to dinner to Sheriff Maynell's, the great money-man; he, Alderman +Backewell, and much noble and brave company, with the privilege +of their rare discourse, which is great content to me above all +other things in the world. And after a great dinner and much +discourse, we took leave. Among other discourses, speaking +concerning the great charity used in Catholique countrys, Mr. +Ashburnham did tell us, that this last yeare, there being great +want of corne in Paris, and so a collection made for the poor, +there was two pearles brought in, nobody knew from whom (till the +Queene, seeing them, knew whose they were, but did not, discover +it), which were sold for 200,000 crownes. + +21st (Lord's-day). To the Parke. The Queene coming by in her +coach, going to her chapel at St. James's (the first time it hath +been ready for her), I crowded after her, and I got up to the +room where her closet is; and there stood and saw the fine altar, +ornaments, and the fryers in their habits, and the priests come +in with their fine crosses and many other fine things. I heard +their musique too; which may be good but it did not appear so to +me, neither as to their manner of singing, nor was it good +concord to my ears, whatever the matter was. The Queene very +devout: but what pleased me best was to see my dear Lady +Castlemaine, who, tho' a Protestant, did wait upon the Queene to +chapel. By and by, after masse was done, a fryer with his cowl +did rise up and preach a sermon in Portuguese; which I not +understanding, did go away, and to the King's chapel, but that +was done; and so up to the Queene's presence-chamber, where she +and the King was expected to dine: but she staying at St. +James's, they were forced to remove the things to the King's +presence; and there he dined alone. + +23rd. Sir G. Carteret told me how in most cabaretts in France +they have writ upon the walls in fair letters to be read "Dieu te +regarde." as a good lesson to be in every man's mind, and have +also in Holland their poor's box; in both which places at the +making all contracts and bargains they give so much, which they +call God's penny. + +24th. To my Lord Crewe's, and there dined alone with him, and +among other things, he do advise me by all means to keep my Lord +Sandwich from proceeding too far in the business of Tangier. +First, for that he is confident the King will not be able to find +money for the building the Mole; and next, for that it is to be +done as we propose it by the reducing of the garrison; and then +either my Lord must oppose the Duke of York, who will have the +Irish regiment under the command of Fitzgerald continued, or else +my Lord Peterborough, who is concerned to have the English +continued, but he, it seems, is gone back again merely upon my +Lord Sandwich's encouragement. + +28th (Lord's-day.) To the French Church at the Savoy, and there +they have the Common Prayer Book read in French, and, which I +never saw before, the minister do preach with his hat off, I +suppose in further conformity with our Church. + +29th. To Mr. Coventry's, and so with him and Sir W. Pen up to +the Duke, where the King come also and staid till the Duke was +ready. It being Collar-day, we had no time to talk with him +about any business. To the King's Theatre, where we saw +"Midsummer's Night's dream," which I had never seen before, nor +shall ever again, for it is the most insipid ridiculous play that +ever I saw in my life. + +30th. My condition at present is this, I have long been +building, and my house to my great content is now almost done. +My Lord Sandwich has lately been in the country, and very civil +to my wife, and hath himself spent some pains in drawing a plot +of some alterations in our house there, which I shall follow as I +get money. As for the office, my late industry hath been such, +as I am become as high in reputation as any man there, and good +hold I have of Mr. Coventry and Sir G. Carteret, which I am +resolved, and it is necessary for me, to maintain by all fair +means. Things are all quiet. The late outing of the +Presbyterian clergy by their not renouncing the Covenant as the +Act of Parliament commands, is the greatest piece of state now in +discourse. But for ought I see they are gone out very peaceably, +and the people not so much concerned therein as was expected. + +OCTOBER 2, 1662. At night hearing that there was a play at the +Cockpit, (and my Lord Sandwich, who come to town last night, at +it,) I do go thither, and by very great fortune did follow four +or five gentlemen who were carried to a little private door in a +wall, and so crept through a narrow place and come into one of +the boxes next the King's, but so as I could not see the King or +Queene, but many of the fine ladies, who yet are not really so +handsome generally as I used to take them to be, but that they +are finely dressed. Then we saw "The Cardinall," [A tragi-comedy +by James Shirley.] a tragedy I had never seen before, nor is +there any great matter in it. The company that come in with me +into the box, were all Frenchmen that could speak no English, but +Lord! what sport they made to ask a pretty lady that they got +among them that understood both French and English to make her +tell them what the actors said. + +5th. I to church; and this day the parson has got one to read +with a surplice on. I suppose himself will take it up hereafter, +for a cunning fellow he is as any of his coate. + +6th. To White Hall with Mr. Coventry, and so to my Lord +Sandwich's lodgings, but my Lord not within, being at a ball this +night with the King at my Lady Castlemaine's at next door. + +8th. To my Lord Sandwich's, and among other things to my +extraordinary joy, he did tell me how much I was beholding to the +Duke of York, who did yesterday of his own accord tell him that +he did thank him for one person brought into the Navy, naming +myself, and much more to my commendation, which is the greatest +comfort and encouragement that ever I had in my life, and do owe +it all to Mr. Coventry's goodness and ingenuity. At night by +coach to my Lord's again, but he is at White Hall with the King, +before whom the puppet plays I saw this summer in Covent-garden +are acted this night. + +9th. To the office; and I bid them adieu for a week, having the +Duke's leave got me by Mr. Coventry. To whom I did give thanks +for my news yesterday of the Duke's words to my Lord Sandwich +concerning me, which he took well; and do tell me so freely his +love and value of me, that my mind is now in as great a state +quiet as to my interest in the office, as I could ever wish to +be. Between one and two o'clock got on horseback at our back +gate, with my man Will. with me, both well-mounted on two grey +horses. We got to Ware before night; and so I resolved to ride +on to Puckeridge, which we did, though the way was bad, and the +evening dark before we got thither, by help of company riding +before us; among others, a gentleman that took up at the same +inn, his name Mr. Brian, with whom I supped, and was very good +company, and a scholar. He tells me that it is believed the +Queene is with child, for that the coaches are ordered to ride +very easily through the streets. + +10th. Up, and between eight and nine mounted again, and so rid +to Cambridge; the way so good that I got very well thither, and +set up at the Beare: and there my cosen Angier come to me, and I +must needs to his house; and there found Dr. Fairbrother, with a +good dinner. But, above all, he telling me that this day there +is a Congregation for the choice of some officers in the +University, he after dinner gets me a gowne, cap, and hoode, and +carries me to the Schooles, where Mr. Pepper, my brother's tutor, +and this day chosen Proctor, did appoint a M.A. to lead me into +the Regent House, where I sat with them, and did vote by +subscribing papers thus: "Ego Samuel Pepys eligo Magistrum +Bernardum Skelton, (and which was more strange, my old +schoolfellow and acquaintance, and who afterwards did take notice +of me, and we spoke together,) alterum e taxatoribus hujus +academiae in annum sequentem." The like I did for one Briggs, for +the other Taxor, and for other officers, as the Vice-Proctor, +(Mr. Covell) for Mr. Pepper, and which was the gentleman that did +carry me into the Regent House. + +11th. To Brampton; where I found my father and two brothers, my +mother and sister. + +12th. To church; where I saw, among others, Mrs. Hanbury, a +proper lady, and Mr. Bernard and his Lady, with her father, my +late Lord St. John, who looks now like a very plain grave man. +[Oliver St. John, one of Cromwell's Lords, and Chief Justice; and +therefore, after the Restoration, properly called "My LATE Lord." +His third daughter, Elizabeth, by his second wife, daughter of +Henry Cromwell of Upwood, Esq., uncle to the Protector, married +Mr. John Bernard, who became a Baronet on the death of his +father, Sir Robert, in 1666 and was M.P. for Huntingdon. Ob. +1689.] + +13th. To the Court, and did sue out a recovery, and cut off the +entayle; and my brothers there, to join therein. And my father +and I admitted to all the lands; he for life, and I for myself +and my heirs in reversion. I did with most compleat joy of mind +go from the Court with my father home, and away, calling in at +Hinchingbroke, and taking leave in three words of my lady, and +the young ladies; and so by moonlight to Cambridge, whither we +come at about nine o'clock, and took up at the Beare. + +15th. Showed Mr. Cooke King's College Chapel, Trinity College, +and St. John's College Library; and that being done, to our inn +again; where I met Dr. Fairbrother. He told us how the room we +were in, was the room where Cromwell and his associated officers +did begin to plot and act their mischiefs in these counties. +Took leave of all, and begun our journey about nine o'clock, the +roads being every where but bad; but finding our horses in good +case, we even made shift to reach London, though both of us very +weary. Found all things well, there happening nothing since our +going to my discontent in the least degree; which do also please +me, that I cannot but bless God for my journey, observing a whole +course of successe from the beginning to the end of it. + +16th. I hear Sir H. Bennet [Created Baron of Arlington 1663, and +Viscount Thetford and Earl of Arlington, 1672; he was also K.G., +and Chamberlain to the King. Ob. 1685.] is made Secretary of +State in Sir Edward Nicholas's stead; not known whether by +consent or not. + +17th. To Creed's chamber, and there sat a good while and drank +chocolate. Here I am told how things go at Court; that the young +men get uppermost, and the old serious lords are out of favour; +that Sir H. Bennet, being brought into Sir Edward Nicholas's +place, Sir Charles Barkeley is made Privy Purse; a most vicious +person, and one whom Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, did tell me that he +offered his wife 300l. per annum to be his mistress. He also +told me, that none in Court hath more the King's eare now than +Sir Charles Barkeley, and Sir R. Bennet, and my Lady Castlemaine, +whose interest now is as great as ever: and that Mrs. +Haslerigge, the great beauty, is now brought to bed, and lays it +to the King or the Duke of York. He tells me also, that my Lord +St. Albans is like to be Lord Treasurer: all which things do +trouble me much. + +19th (Lord's-day). Put on my first new lace-band; and so neat it +is, that I am resolved my great expence shall be lace-bands, and +it will set off any thing else the more. I am sorry to hear that +the news of the selling of Dunkirke is taken so generally ill, as +I find it is among the merchants; and other things, as removal of +officers at Court, good for worse; and all things else made much +worse in their report among people than they are. And this +night, I know not upon what ground, the gates of the City ordered +to be all shut, and double guards every where. Indeed I do find +every body's spirit very full of trouble: and the things of the +Court and Council very ill taken; so as to be apt to appear in +bad colours, if there should ever be a beginning of trouble, +which God forbid! + +20th. In Sir J. Minnes's coach with him and Sir W. Batten to +White Hall, where now the Duke is come again to lodge: and to +Mr. Coventry's little new chamber there. And by and by up to the +Duke, who was making himself ready; and there young Killigrew did +so commend "The Villaine," a new play made by Tom Porter, and +acted only on Saturday at the Duke's house, as if there never +had been any such play come upon the stage. The same yesterday +was told me by Captn. Ferrers; and this morning afterwards by Dr. +Clarke, who saw it. After I had done with the Duke, with +Commissioner Pett to Mr. Lilly's, the great painter, who come +forth to us; but believing that I come to bespeak a picture, he +prevented it; by telling us, that he should, not be at leisure +these three weeks; which methinks is a rare thing. And then to +see in what pomp his table was laid for himself to go to dinner; +and here, among other pictures, saw the so much desired by me +picture of my Lady Castlemaine, which is a most blessed picture; +and one that I must have a copy of. From thence I took my wife +by coach to the Duke's house, there was the house full of +company: but whether it was in overexpecting or what, I know +not, but I was never less pleased with a play in my life. Though +there was good singing and dancing, yet no fancy in the play. + +21st. By water with Mr. Smith, to Mr. Lechmore, the Councellor +at the Temple, [Nicholas Lechmere, knighted and made a Baron of +the Exchequer, 1689. Ob. 1701.] about Field's business; and he +tells me plainly that there being a verdict against me, there is +no help for it, but it must proceed to judgement. It is 30l. +damage to me for my joining with others in committing Field to +prison, as being not Justices of the Peace in the City, though in +Middlesex; which troubled me, and I hope the King will make it +good to us. + +24th. Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon, tells me how ill things go at +Court: that the King do show no countenance to any that belong +to the Queene; nor, above all, to such English as she brought +over with her, or hath here since, for fear they should tell her +how he carries himself to Mrs. Palmer; insomuch that though he +has a promise, and is sure of being made her chyrurgeon, he is at +a loss what to do in it, whether to take it or no, since the +King's mind is so altered and favor to all her dependents, whom +she is fain to let go back into Portugall, (though she brought +them from their friends against their wills with promise of +preferment,) without doing anything for them. That her owne +physician did tell him within these three days that the Queene do +know how the King orders things, and how be carries himself to my +Lady Castlemaine and others, as well as any body; but though she +hath spirit enough, yet seeing that she do no good by taking +notice of it, for the present she forbears it in policy; of which +I am very glad. But I do pray God keep us in peace; for this, +with other things, do give great discontent to all people. + +26th (Lord's-day). Put on my new Scallop, which is very fine. +To church, and there saw the first time Mr. Mills in a surplice; +but it seemed absurd for him to pull it over his eares in the +reading-pew, after he had done, before all the church, to go up +to the pulpitt, to preach without it. All this day soldiers +going up and down the towne, there being an alarme, and many +Quakers and other clapped up; but I believe without any reason: +only they say in Dorsetshire there hath been some rising +discovered. + +27th. To my Lord Sandwich, who now-a-days calls me into his +chamber, and alone did discourse with me about the jealousy that +the Court have of people's rising; wherein he do much dislike my +Lord Monk's being so eager against a company of poor wretches, +dragging them up and down the street; but would have him rather +take some of the greatest ringleaders of them, and punish them; +whereas this do but tell the world the King's fears and doubts. +For Dunkirke, he wonders any wise people should be so troubled +thereat, and scorns all their talk against it, for that he sees +it was not Dunkirke, but the other places, that did and would +annoy us, though we had that, as much as if we had it not. He +also took notice of the new Ministers of State, Sir H. Bennet and +Sir Charles Barkeley, their bringing in, and the high game that +my Lady Castlemaine plays at Court. Afterwards he told me of +poor Mr. Spong, that being with other people examined before the +King and Council, (they being laid up as suspected persons; and +it seems Spong is so far thought guilty as that they intend to +pitch upon him to put to the wracke or some other torture,) he do +take knowledge of my Lord Sandwich, and said that he was well +known to Mr. Pepys. But my Lord knows, and I told him, that it +was only in matter of musique and pipes, but that I thought him +to be a very innocent fellow; and indeed I am very sorry for him. +After my Lord and I had done in private, we went out, and with +Captain Cuttance and Bunn did look over their draught of a bridge +for Tangier, which will be brought by my desire to our office by +them to-morrow. To Westminster Hall, and there walked long with +Creed. He showed me our commission, wherein the Duke of York, +Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, Lord Peterborough, Lord +Sandwich, Sir G. Carteret, Sir William Compton, Mr. Coventry, Sir +R. Ford, Sir William Rider, Mr. Cholmley, Mr. Povy, myself, and +Captain Cuttance, in this order are joyned for the carrying on +the service of Tangier. He told me what great faction there is +at Court; and above all, what is whispered, that young Crofts is +lawful son to the King, the King being married to his mother. +How true this is, God knows; but I believe the Duke of York will +not be fooled in this of three crowns. Thence to White Hall, and +walked long in the gardens, till (as they are commanded to all +strange persons,) one come to tell us, we not being known, and +being observed to walk there four or five houres, (which was not +true, unless they count my walking there in the morning,) he was +commanded to ask who we were; which being told, he excused his +question, and was satisfied. These things speake great fear and +jealousys. + +29th. Sir G. Carteret, who had been at the examining most of the +late people that are clapped up, do say that he do not think that +there hath been any great plotting among them, though they have a +good will to it; and their condition is so poor, and silly, and +low, that they do not fear them at all. + +30th. To my Lord Sandwich, who was up in his chamber and all +alone, and did acquaint me with his business; which was, that our +old acquaintance Mr. Wade, (in Axe Yard) hath discovered to him +7000l. hid in the Tower, of which he was to have two for +discovery; my Lord himself two, and the King the other three, +when it was found: and that the King's warrant runs for me on my +Lord's part, and one Mr. Lee for Sir Harry Bennet, to demand +leave of the Lieutenant of the Tower for to make search. After +he had told me the whole business, I took leave: and at noon, +comes Mr. Wade with my Lord's letter. So we consulted for me to +go first to Sir H. Bennet, who is now with many of the Privy +Counsellors at the Tower, examining of their late prisoners, to +advise with him when to begin. So I went; and the guard at the +Tower Gate, making me leave my sword at the gate, I was forced to +stay so long in the ale-house close by, till my boy run home for +my cloak, that my Lord Mayor that now is, Sir John Robinson, +Lieutenant of the Tower, with all his company, was gone with +their coaches to his house in Minchen Lane. So my cloak being +come, I walked thither: and there, by Sir G. Carteret's means, +did presently speak with Sir H. Bennet, who did give me the +King's warrant, for the paying of 2000l. to my Lord, and other +two to the discoverers. After a little discourse, dinner come +in; and I dined with them. There was my Lord Mayor, my Lord +Lauderdale, Mr. Secretary Morris, to whom Sir H. Bennet would +give the upper hand; Sir Wm. Compton, Sir G. Carteret, and +myself, and some other company, and a brave dinner. After +dinner, Sir H. Bennet did call aside the Lord Mayor and me, and +did break the business to him, who did not, nor durst appear the +least averse to it, but did promise all assistance forthwith to +set upon it. So Mr. Lee and I to our office, and there walked +till Mr. Wade and one Evett his guide did come, and W. Griffin, +and a porter with his pick-axes, &c.: and so they walked along +with us to the Tower, and Sir H. Bennet and my Lord Mayor did +give us full power to fall to work. So our guide demands a +candle, and down into the cellars he goes, enquiring whether they +were the same that Baxter alway had. He went into several little +cellars, and then went out a-doors to view, and to the Cole +Harbour; but none did answer so well to the marks which was given +him to find it by, as one arched vault. Where, after a great +deal of council whether to set upon it now, or delay for better +and more full advice, to digging we went till almost eight +o'clock at night, but could find nothing. But, however, our +guides did not at all seem discouraged; for that they being +confident that the money is there they look for, but having +never been in the cellars, they could not be positive to the +place, and therefore will inform themselves more fully now they +have been there, of the party that do advise them. So locking +the door after us, we left here to-night, and up to the Deputy +Governor, (my Lord Mayor, and Sir H. Bennet, with the rest of +the company being gone an hour before;) and he do undertake to +keep the key of the cellars, that none shall go down without his +privity. But, Lord! to see what a young simple fantastick +coxcombe is made Deputy Governor, would make me mad; and how he +called out for his night-gowne of silk, only to make a show to +us: and yet for half an hour I did not think he was the Deputy +Governor, and so spoke not to him about the business, but waited +for another man; but at last I broke our business to him; and he +promising his care, we parted. And Mr. Lee and I by coach to +White Hall, where I did give my Lord Sandwich a full account; of +our proceedings, and some encouragement to hope for something +hereafter. This morning, walking with Mr. Coventry in the +garden, he did tell me how Sir G. Carteret had carried the +business of the Victuallers' money to be paid by himself, +contrary to old practice; at which he is angry I perceive, but I +believe means no hurt, but that things may be done as they ought. +He expects Sir George should not bespatter him privately, in +revenge, not openly. Against which he prepares to bedaube him, +and swears he will do it from the beginning, from Jersey to this +day. But as to his own taking of too large fees or rewards for +places that he had sold, he will prove that he was directed to it +by Sir George himself among others. And yet he did not deny Sir +G. Carteret his due, in saying that he is a man that do take the +most pains, and gives himself the most to do business of any +about the Court, without any desire of pleasure or +divertisements: which is very true. But which pleased me +mightily, he said in these words, that he was resolved, whatever +it cost him, to make an experiment, and see whether it was +possible for a man to keep himself up in Court by dealing plainly +and walking uprightly. In the doing whereof if his ground do +slip from under him, he will be contented: but he is resolved to +try, and never to baulke taking notice of anything that is to the +King's prejudice, let it fall where it will; which is a most +brave resolution. He was very free with me: and by my troth, I +do see more reall worth in him than in most men that I do know. +I would not forget two passages of Sir J. Minnes's at yesterday's +dinner. The one, that to the question how it comes to pass that +there are no boars seen in London, but many sowes and pigs; it +was answered, that the constable gets them a-nights. The other, +Thos. Killigrew's way of getting to see plays when he was a boy. +He would go to the Red Bull, and when the man cried to the boys, +"Who will go and be a devil, and he shall see the play for +nothing?" then would he go in, and be a devil upon the stage, +and so get to see plays. + +31st. I thank God I have no crosses, but only much business to +trouble my mind with. In all other things as happy a man as any +in the world, for the whole world seems to smile upon me, and if +my house were done that I could diligently follow my business, I +would not doubt to do God, and the King, and myself good service. +And all I do impute almost wholly to my late temperance, since my +making of my vowes against wine and plays, which keeps me most +happily and contentfully to my business; which God continue! +Public matters are full of discontent, what with the sale of +Dunkirke, and my Lady Castlemaine, and her faction at Court; +though I know not what they would have more than to debauch the +King, whom God preserve from it! And then great plots are talked +to be discovered, and all the prisons in towne full of ordinary +people, taken from their meeting-places last Sunday. But for +certain some plots there hath been, though not brought to a head. + +NOVEMBER 1, 1662. To my office, to meet Mr. Lee again, from Sir +H. Bennet. And he and I, with Wade, and his intelligencer and +labourers, to the Tower cellars, to make one triall more; where +we staid two or three hours, and dug a great deal all under the +arches, as it was now most confidently directed, and so +seriously, and upon pretended good grounds, that I myself did +truly expect to speed; but we missed of all: and so we went away +the second time like fools. And to our office; and I by +appointment to the Dolphin Taverne, to meet Wade and the other, +Capt. Evett, who now do tell me plainly, that he that do put him +upon this is one that had it from Barkestead's own mouth, and was +advised with by him, just before the King's coming in, how to get +it out, and had all the signs told him how and where it lay, and +had always been the great confident of Barkestead even to the +trusting him with his life and all he had. So that he did much +convince me that there is good ground for what he goes about. +But I fear it may be that he did find some conveyance of it away, +without the help of this man, before he died. But he is resolved +to go to the party once more, and then to determine what we shall +do further. + +3rd. To White Hall, to the Duke's; but found him gone a-hunting. +Thence to my Lord Sandwich, from whom I receive every day more +and more signs of his confidence and esteem of me. Here I met +with Pierce the chyrurgeon, who tells me that my Lady Castlemaine +is with child; but though it be the King's, yet her Lord being +still in towne, and sometimes seeing of her, it will be laid to +him. He tells me also how the Duke of York is smitten in love +with my Lady Chesterfield, [Lady Elizabeth Butler, daughter of +James, Duke of Ormond, married Philip, second Earl of +Chesterfield. Ob. 1665. Vide "MEMOIRES DE GRAMMONT."] (a +virtuous lady, daughter to my Lord of Ormond); and so much, that +the Duchesse of York hath complained to the King and her father +about it, and my Lady Chesterfield is gone into the country for +it. At all which I am sorry; but it is the effect of idlenesse, +and having nothing else to employ their great spirits upon. At +night to my office, and did business; and there come to me Mr. +Wade and Evett, who have been again with their prime +intelligencer, a woman, I perceive: and though we have missed +twice, yet they bring such an account of the probability of the +truth of the thing, though we are not certain of the place, that +we shall set upon it once more; and I am willing and hopefull in +it. So we resolved to set upon it again on Wednesday morning and +the woman herself will be there in a disguise, and confirm us in +the place. + +4th. This morning we had news by letters that Sir Richard +Stayner is dead at sea in the Mary, which is now come into +Portsmouth from Lisbon; which we are sorry for, he being a very +stout seaman. + +7th. Being by appointment called upon by Mr. Lee, he and I to +the Tower, to make our third attempt upon the cellar. And now +privately the woman, Barkestead's great confident, is brought, +who do positively say that this is the place which he did say the +money was hid in, and where he and she did put up the 7000l. in +butter firkins; and the very day that he went out of England did +say that neither he nor his would be the better for that money, +and therefore wishing that she and hers might. And so left us, +and we full of hope did resolve to dig all over the cellar, which +by seven o'clock at night we performed. At noon we sent for a +dinner, and upon the head of a barrel dined very merrily, and to +work again. But at last we saw we were mistaken; and after +digging the cellar quite through, and removing the barrels from +one side to the other, we were forced to pay our porters, and +give over our expectations, though I do believe there must be +money hid somewhere by him, or else he did delude this woman in +hopes to oblige her to further serving him, which I am apt to +believe. + +9th. (Lord's-day.) Walked to my brother's, where my wife is, +calling at many churches, and then to the Temple, hearing a bit +there too, and observing that in the streets and churches the +Sunday is kept in appearance as well as I have known it at any +time. + +10th. A little to the office, and so with Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. +Batten, and myself by coach to White Hall, to the Duke, who, +after he was ready, did take us into his closett. Thither come +my Lord General Monk, and did privately talk with the Duke about +having the life-guards pass through the City to-day only for show +and to fright people, for perceive there are great fears abroad; +for all which I am troubled and full of doubt that things will +not go well. He being gone, we fell to business of the Navy. +Among other things, how to pay off this fleet that is now come +from Portugall; the King of Portugall sending them home, he +having no more use for them, which we wonder at, that his +condition should be so soon altered. And our landmen also are +coming back, being almost starved in that poor country. To my +Lord Crewe's, and dined with him and his brother, I know not his +name. Where very good discourse. Among others, of France's +intention to make a patriarch of his own, independent from the +Pope, by which he will be able to cope with the Spaniard in all +councils, which hitherto he has never done. My Lord Crewe told +us how he heard my Lord of Holland [Henry Rich, Earl of Holland.] +say, that being Embassador about the match with the Queene-Mother +that now is, the King of France insisted upon a dispensation +from the Pope, which my Lord Holland making a question of, as he +was commanded to yield to nothing to the prejudice of our +religion, says the King of France, "You need not fear that, for +if the Pope will not dispense with the match, my Bishop of Paris +shall." By and by come in the great Mr. Swinfen, [John Swinfen, +M.P. for Tamworth.] the Parliament-man, who, among other +discourse of the rise and fall of familys, told us of Bishop +Bridgeman [John Bridgeman, Bishop of Chester.] (father of Sir +Orlando) who lately hath bought a seat anciently of the Levers, +and then the Ashtons; and so he hath in his great hall window +(having repaired and beautified the house) caused four great +places to be left for coates of armes. In one he hath put the +Levers, with this motto, "Olim." In another the Ashtons, with +this, "Heri." In the next his own, with this, "Hodie." In the +fourth nothing but this motto, "Cras nescio cujus." The towne I +hear is full of discontents, and all know of the King's new +bastard by Mrs. Haslerigge, and as far as I can hear will never +be contented with Episcopacy, they are so cruelly set for +Presbytery, and the Bishops carry themselves so high, that they +are never likely to gain anything upon them. To the Dolphin +Tavern near home, by appointment, and there met with Wade and +Evett, and have resolved to make a new attempt upon another +discovery, in which God give us better fortune than in the other, +but I have great confidence that there is no cheat in these +people, but that they go upon good grounds, though they have been +mistaken in the place of the first. + +13th. To my office, and there this afternoon me had our first +meeting upon our commission of inspecting the Chest. Sir Francis +Clerke, [M.P. for Rochester.] Mr. Heath, Atturney of the Dutchy, +Mr. Prinn, Sir W. Rider, Captn. Cooke, and myself. Our first +work was to read over the Institution, which is a decree in +Chancery in the year 1617, upon an inquisition made at Rochester +about that time into the revenues of the Chest, which had then, +from the year 1588 or 1590, by the advice of the Lord High +Admiral and principal officers then being, by consent of the +seamen, been settled, paying sixpence per month, according to +their wages then, which was then but 10s. which is now 24s. + +17th. To the Duke's to-day, but he is gone a-hunting. At White +Hall by appointment, Mr. Creed carried my wife and I to the +Cockpitt, and we had excellent places, and saw the King, Queene, +Duke of Monmouth, his son, and my Lady Castlemaine, and all the +fine ladies; and "The Scornfull Lady," well performed. They had +done by eleven o'clock, and it being fine moonshine, we took +coach and home. + +18th. Late at my office, drawing up a letter to my Lord +Treasurer, which we have been long about. + +20th. After dinner to the Temple, to Mr. Thurland; [Edward +Thurland, M.P. for Ryegate, afterwards knighted.] and thence to +my Lord Chief Baron, Sir Edward Hale's, [Sir Matthew Hale +succeeded Sir Orlando Bridgeman as Chief Baron of the Exchequer +(according to Beatson,) in 1666; there is consequently some +mistake.] and take Mr. Thurland to his chamber, where he told us +that Field will have the better of us; and that we must study to +make up the business as well as we can, which do much vex and +trouble us: but I am glad the Duke is concerned in it. + +21st. This day come the King's pleasure-boats from Calais, with +the Dunkirke money, being 400,000 pistolles. + +22nd. This day Mr. Moore told me, that for certain the Queene- +Mother is married to my Lord St. Albans, and he is like to be +made Lord Treasurer. News that Sir J. Lawson hath made up a +peace now with Tunis and Tripoli, as well as Argiers, by which +he will come home very highly honoured. + +23rd. I hear to-day old rich Audley [There is an old Tract +called, "The Way to be Rich, according to the Practice of the +great Audley, who began with 200l. in 1605, and dyed worth +400,000l. November, 1662." London, printed for E. Davis. +1662.] is lately dead, and left a very great estate, and made a +great many poor familys rich, not all to one. Among others, one +Davis, my old schoolfellow at Paul's, and since a bookseller in +Paul's Church Yard: and it seems do forgive one man 6000l. which +he had wronged him of, but names not his name; but it is well +known to be the scrivener in Fleete-streete, at whose house he +lodged. There is also this week dead a poulterer, in Gracious- +street, which was thought rich, but not so rich, that hath, left +800l. per annum, taken in other men's names, and 40,000 Jacobs in +gold. + +24th. Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and I, going forth toward +White Hall, we hear that the King and Duke are come this morning +to the Tower to see the Dunkirke money. So we by coach to them, +and there went up and down all the magazines with them; but +methought it was but poor discourse and frothy that the King's +companions (young Killigrew among the rest,) had with him. We +saw none of the money, but Mr. Slingslby did show the King, and I +did see, the stamps of the new money that is now to be made by +Blondeau's fashion, which are very neat, and like the King. +Thence the King to Woolwich, though a very cold day; and the Duke +to White Hall, commanding us to come after him; and in his +closet, my Lord Sandwich being there, did discourse with us about +getting some of this money to pay off the Fleets, and other +matters. + +25th. Great talk among people how some of the Fanatiques do say +that the end of the world is at hand, and that next Tuesday is to +be the day. Against which, whenever it shall be, good God fit us +all. + +27th. At my waking, I found the tops of the houses covered with +snow, which is a rare sight, which I have not seen these three +years. To the office, where we sat till noon; when we all went +to the next house upon Tower Hill, to see the coming by of the +Russian Embassador; for whose reception all the City trained +bands do attend in the streets, and the King's life-guards, and +most of the wealthy citizens in their black velvet coats, and +gold chains, (which remain of their gallantry at the King's +coming in,) but they staid so long that we went down again to +dinner. And after I had dined I walked to the Conduit in the +Quarrefowr, at the end of Gracious-street and Cornhill; and there +(the spouts thereof running very near me upon all the people that +were under it) I saw them pretty well go by. I could not see the +Embassador in his coach; but his attendants in their habits and +fur caps very handsome, comely men, and most of them with hawkes +upon their fists to present to the King. But Lord! to see the +absurd nature of Englishmen, that cannot forbear laughing and +jeering at every thing that looks strange. + +28th. A very hard frost; which is news to us after having none +almost these three years. By ten o'clock to Ironmongers' Hall, +to the funeral of Sir Richard Stayner. Here we were, all the +officers of the navy, and my Lord Sandwich, who did discourse +with us about the fishery, telling us of his Majesty's resolution +to give 200l. to every man that will set out a Brisse; [A small +sea-vessel used by the Hollanders for the herring-fishery.] and +advising about the effects of this encouragement, which will be a +very great matter certainly. Here we had good rings. + +29th. To the office; and this morning come Sir G. Carteret to us +(being the first time since his coming from France): he tells +us, that the silver which is received for Dunkirke did weigh +120,000 weight. To my Lord's, where my Lord and Mr. Coventry, +Sir Wm. Darcy, [Third son of Sir Conyers Darcy, summoned to +Parliament as Lord Darcy 1642.] one Mr. Parham, (a very knowing +and well-spoken man in this business), with several others, did +meet about stating the business of the fishery, and the manner of +the King's giving of this 200l. to every man that shall set out a +new-made English Brisse by the middle of June next. In which +business we had many fine pretty discourses; and I did here see +the great pleasure to be had in discoursing of publick matters +with men that are particularly acquainted with this or that +business. Having come to some issue, wherein a motion of mine +was well received, about sending these invitations from the King +to all the fishing-ports in general, with limiting so many +Brisses to this, and that port, before we know the readiness of +subscribers, we parted. + +30th. Publick matters in an ill condition of discontent against +the height and vanity of the Court, and their bad payments: but +that which troubles most, is the Clergy, which will never content +the City, which is not to be reconciled to Bishopps: but more +the pity that differences must still be. Dunkirke newly sold, +and the money brought over; of which we hope to get some to pay +the Navy: which by Sir J. Lawson's having dispatched the +business in the Straights, by making peace with Argier, Tunis, +and Tripoli, (and so his fleet will also shortly come home,) will +now every day grow less, and so the King's charge be abated; +which God send! + +DECEMBER 1, 1662. To my Lord Sandwich's, to Mr. Moore; and then +over the Parke, (where I first in my life, it being a great +frost, did see people sliding with their skeates, which is a very +pretty art,) to Mr. Coventry s chamber to St. James's, where we +all met to a venison pasty, Major Norwood being with us, whom +they did play upon for his surrendering of Dunkirke. Here we +staid till three or four o'clock: and so to the Council Chamber, +where there met the Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Duke of +Albermarle, my Lord Sandwich, Sir Wm. Compton, Mr. Coventry, Sir +J. Minnes, Sir R. Ford, Sir W. Rider, myself, and Captain +Cuttance, as Commissioners for Tangier. And after our Commission +was read by Mr. Creed, who I perceive is to be our Secretary, we +did fall to discourse of matters: as, first, the supplying them +forthwith with victualls; then the reducing it; to make way for +the money, which upon their reduction is to go to the building of +the Molle; and so to other matters, ordered as against next +meeting. + +3rd. To Deptford; and so by water with Mr. Pett home again, all +the way reading his Chest accounts, in which I did see things +which did not please me; as his allowing himself 300l. for one +year's looking to the business of the Chest, and 150l. per annum +for the rest of the years. But I found no fault to him himself, +but shall when they come to be read at the Board. We walked to +the Temple, in our way seeing one of the Russian Embassador's +coaches go along, with his footmen not in liverys, but their +country habits; one of one colour and another of another, which +was very strange. + +5th. I walked towards Guildhall, being summoned by the +Commissioners for the Lieutenancy; but they sat not this morning. +So meeting in my way W. Swan, I took him to a house thereabouts, +he telling me much of his Fanatique stories, as if he were a +great zealot, when I know him to be a very rogue. But I do it +for discourse, and to see how things stand with him and his +party; who I perceive have great expectation that God will not +bless the Court nor Church, as it is now settled, but they must +be purified. The worst news he tells me, is that Mr. Chetwind is +dead, my old and most ingenious acquaintance. To the Duke's, +where the Committee for Tangier met: and here we sat down all +with him at a table, and had much discourse about the business. + +13th. We sat, Mr. Coventry and I, (Sir G. Carteret being gone,) +and among other things, Field and Strip did come, and received +the 41l. given him by the judgement against me and Harry Kem; and +we did also sign bonds in 500l. to stand to the award of Mr. +Porter and Smith for the rest: which, however, I did not sign to +till I got Mr. Coventry to go up with me to Sir W. Pen; and he +did promise me before him to bear his share in what should be +awarded, and both concluded that Sir W. Batten would do no less. + +15th. To the Duke, and followed him into the Parke, where, +though the ice-was broken and dangerous, yet he would go slide +upon his scates, which I did not like, but he slides very well. +So back to his closet, whither my Lord Sandwich comes, and there +Mr. Coventry, and we three had long discourse together about the +matters of the Navy; and, indeed, I find myself more and more +obliged to Mr. Coventry, who studies to do me all the right he +can in every thing to the Duke. Thence walked a good while up +and down the gallerys; and among others, met with Dr. Clarke, who +in discourse tells me, that Sir Charles Barkeley's greatness is +only his being pimp to the King, and to my Lady Castlemaine. And +yet for all this, that the King is very kind to the Queene; who, +he says, is one of the best women in the world. Strange how the +King is bewitched to this pretty Castlemaine. I walked up and +down the gallerys, spending my time upon the pictures, till the +Duke and the Committee for Tangier met, (the Duke not staying +with us,) where the only matter was to discourse with my Lord +Rutherford, [Andrew, created Baron of Rutherford and Earl of +Teviot, 1660; successively Governor of Dunkirk and Tangier, where +he was killed by the Moors in 1663.] who is this day made +Governor of Tangier, for I know not what reasons; and my Lord of +Peterborough to be called home: which, though it is said it is +done with kindness, I am sorry to see a Catholicke Governor sent +to command there, where all the rest of the officers almost are +such already. But God knows what the reason is! and all may see +how slippery places all courtiers stand in. Thence home, in my +way calling upon Sir John Berkenheade, [Sir John Berkenhead, +F.R.S., a political author, held in some esteem, M.P. for Wilton, +1661, and knighted the following year. Master of the Faculty +Office, and Court of Requests. Ob. 1679.] to speak about my +assessment of 42l. to the Loyal Sufferers; which, I perceive, I +cannot help; but he tells me I have been abused by Sir R. Ford. +Thence called at the Major-General's, Sir R. Browne, about my +being assessed armes to the militia; but he was abroad. + +16th. To dinner, thinking to have had Mr. Coventry, but he could +not go with me; and so I took Captn. Murford. Of whom I do hear +what the world says of me; that all do conclude Mr. Coventry, and +Pett, and me, to be of a knot; and that we do now carry all +things before us: and much more in particular of me, and my +studiousnesse, &c. to my great content. To White Hall to +Secretary Bennet's, and agreed with Mr. Lee to set upon our new +adventure at the Tower to-morrow. + +17th. This morning come Mr. Lee, Wade, and Evett, intending to +have gone upon our new design to the Tower; but it raining, and +the work being to be done in the open garden, we put it off to +Friday next. + +19th. Up and by appointment with Mr. Lee, Wade, Evett, and +workmen to the Tower, and with the Lieutenant's leave set them to +work in the garden, in the corner against the mayne-guard, a most +unlikely place. It being cold, Mr. Lee and I did sit all the day +till three o'clock by the fire in the Governor's house; I reading +a play of Fletcher's, being "A Wife for a Month," wherein no +great wit or language. We went to them at work, and having +wrought below the bottom of the foundation of the wall, I bid +them give over, and so all our hopes ended. + +20th. To the office, and thence with Mr. Coventry in his coach +to St. James's, with great content and pride to see him treat me +so friendly; and dined with him, and so to White Hall together; +where we met upon the Tangier Commission, and discoursed many +things thereon: but little will be done before my Lord +Rutherford comes there, as to the fortification and Mole. That +done, my Lord Sandwich and I walked together a good while in the +matted gallery, he acquainting me with his late enquiries into +the Wardrobe business to his content; and tells me how things +stand. And that the first year was worth about 3000l. to him, and +the next about as much: so that at this day, if he were paid, it +will be worth about 7000l. to him. + +21st. To White Hall, and there to chapel, and from thence up +stairs, and up and down the house and gallerys on the King's and +Queen's side, and so through the garden to my Lord's lodgings, +where there was Mr. Gibbons, Madge, Mallard, and Pagett; and by +and by comes in my Lord Sandwich, and so we had great store of +good musique. By and by comes in my simple Lord Chandois, +[William, seventh Lord Chandos. Ob.1676.] who (my Lord Sandwich +being gone-out to Court) began to sing psalms, but so dully that +I was weary of it. + +22nd. I walked to Mr. Coventry's chamber, where I found him gone +out into the Parke with the Duke, so I shifted myself into a +riding-habitt, and followed him through White Hall, and in the +Parke Mr. Coventry's people having a horse ready for me (so fine +a one that I was almost afraid to get upon him, but I did, and +found myself more feared than hurt) and followed the Duke, who, +with some of his people (among others Mr. Coventry) was riding +out. And with them to Hide Parke. Where Mr. Coventry asking +leave of the Duke, he bids us go to Woolwich. So he and I to the +water-side, and our horses coming by the ferry, we by oars over +to Lambeth, and from thence, with brave discourse by the way, +rode to Woolwich, where we put in practice my new way of the +Call-booke, which will be of great use. + +23rd. Dr. Pierce tells me that my Lady Castlemaine's interest at +Court increases, and is more and greater than the Queene's; that +she hath brought in, Sir H. Bennet, and Sir Charles Barkeley; but +that the Queene is a most good lady, and takes all with the +greatest meekness that may be. He tells me, also, that Mr. +Edward Montagu is quite broke at Court with his repute and purse; +and that he lately was engaged in a quarrell against my Lord +Chesterfield: but that the King did cause it to be taken up. He +tells me, too, that the King is much concerned in the +Chancellor's sickness, and that the Chancellor is as great, he +thinks, as ever with the King. He also tells me what the world +says of me, "that Mr. Coventry and I do all the business of the +office almost:" at which I am highly proud. + +24th. To my bookseller's, and paid at another shop 4l. 10s. for +Stephens's Thesaurus Graecae Linguae, given to Paul's Schoole. +To my Lord Crewe's, and dined alone with him. I understand there +are great factions at Court, and something he said that did imply +a difference like to be between the King and the Duke, in case +the Queene should not be with child. I understand, about this +bastard. He says, also, that some great man will be aimed at +when Parliament comes to sit again; I understand, the Chancellor: +and that there is a bill will be brought in, that none that have +been in armes for the Parliament shall be capable of office. And +that the Court are weary of my Lord Albemarle and Chamberlin. +[Edward Earl of Manchester.] He wishes that my Lord Sandwich had +some good occasion to be abroad this summer which is coming on, +and that my Lord Hinchingbroke were well married, and Sydney +[Lord Sandwich's second son.] had some place at Court. He pities +the poor ministers that are put out, to whom, he says, the King +is beholden for his coming in, and that if any such thing had +been foreseen he had never come in. Met Mr. Creed at my +bookseller's in Paul's Church-yard, who takes it ill my letter +last night to Mr. Povy, wherein I accuse him of the neglect; of +the Tangier boats, in which I must confess I did not do +altogether like a friend; but however it was truth, and I must +owne it to be so though I fall wholly out with him for it. + +25th. (Christmas-day.) Had a pleasant walk to White Hall, where +I Intended to have received the communion with the family, but I +come a little too late. So I walked up into the house and spent +my time looking over pictures, particularly the ships in King +Henry the VIIIth's Voyage to Bullaen [Boulogne] marking the great +difference between those built then and now. By and by down to +the chapel again, where Bishop Morley [George Morley, Bishop of +Winchester, to which See he was translated from Worcester, in +1662. Ob. 1684.] preached upon the song of the angels, "Glory +to God on high, on earth peace, and good will towards men." +Methought he made but a poor sermon, but long, and reprehending +the common jollity of the Court for the true joy that shall and +ought to be on these days. Particularized concerning their +excess in playes and gaming, saying that he whose office it is to +keep the gamesters in order and within bounds, serves but for a +second rather in a duell, meaning the groome-porter. Upon which +it was worth observing how far they are come from taking the +reprehensions of a bishop seriously, that they all laugh in the +chapel when he reflected on their ill actions and courses. He +did much press us to joy in these publick days of joy, and to +hospitality. But one that stood by whispered in my eare that the +Bishop do not spend one groate to the poor himself. The sermon +done, a good anthem followed with vialls, and the King come down +to receive the Sacrament. + +26th. To the Wardrobe. Hither come Mr. Battersby; and we +falling into discourse of a new book of drollery in use, called +Hudebras, I would needs go find it out, and met with it at the +Temple: cost me 2s. 6d. But when I come to read it, it is so +silly an abuse of the Presbyter Knight going to the warrs, that I +am ashamed of it; and by and by meeting at Mr. Townsend's at +dinner, I sold it to him for 18d. + +27th. With my wife to the Duke's Theatre, and saw the second +part of "Rhodes," ["The Siege of Rhodes," a tragi-comedy, in two +parts, by Sir Wm. Davenant.] done with the new Roxalana; [An +actress whose name is unknown, but she had been seduced by the +Earl of Oxford, and had recently quitted the stage. For her +history, VIDE "MEMOIRES DE GRAMMONT."] which do it rather +better in all respects for person, voice, and judgment, than the +first Roxalana. + +29th. To Westminster Hall, where I staid reading at Mrs. +Mitchell's shop. She told me what I heard not of before, the +strange burning of Mr. De Laun, a merchant's house in Lothbury, +and his lady (Sir Thomas Allen's daughter [Sir Thomas Alleyne, +Lord Mayor of London. 1660.]) and her whole family; not one +thing; dog nor cat, escaping; nor any of the neighbours almost +hearing of it till the house was quite down and burnt. How this +should come to passe, God knows, but a most strange thing it is! +Hither come Jack Spicer, and talked of Exchequer matters, and how +the Lord Treasurer hath now ordered all monies to be brought into +the Exchequer, and hath settled the King's revenues, and given to +every general expence proper assignments; to the Navy 200,000l. +and odde. He also told me of the great vast trade of the +goldsmiths in supplying the King with money at dear rates. +Thence to White Hall, and got up to the top gallerys in the +Banquetting House, to see the audience of the Russia Embassador; +which took place after our long waiting and fear of the falling +of the gallery (it being so full and part of it being parted from +the rest, for nobody to come up merely from the weaknesse +thereof:) and very handsome it was. After they had come in, I +went down and got through the croude almost as high as the King +and the Embassadors, where I saw all the presents, being rich +furs, hawkes, carpets, cloths of tissue, and sea-horse teeth. +The King took two or three hawkes upon his fist, having a glove +on wrought with gold, given him for the purpose. The son of one +of the Embassadors was in the richest suit for pearl and tissue, +that ever I did see, or shall, I believe. After they and all the +company had kissed the King's hand, then the three Embassadors +and the son, and no more, did kiss the Queene's. One thing more +I did observe, that the chief Embassador did carry up his +master's letters in state before him on high; and as soon as he +had delivered them, he did fall down to the ground and lay there +a great while. After all was done, the company broke up; and I +spent a little while walking up and down the gallery seeing the +ladies, the two Queenes, and the Duke of Monmouth with his little +mistress, [Lady Anne Scot.] which is very little, and like my +brother-in-law's wife. + +30th. Visited Mrs. Ferrer, and staid talking with her a good +while, there being a little, proud, ugly, talking lady there, +that was much crying up the Queene-Mother's Court at Somerset +House above our own Queene's; there being before her no allowance +of laughing and the mirth that is at the other's; and indeed it +is observed that the greatest Court now-a-days is there. Thence +to White Hall, where I carried my wife to see the Queene in her +presence-chamber; and the maydes of honour and the young Duke of +Monmouth playing at cards. Some of them, and but a few, were +very pretty; though all well dressed in velvet gowns. + +31st. Mr. Povy and I to White Hall; he taking me thither on +purpose to carry me into the ball this night before the King. He +brought me first to the Duke's chamber, where I saw him and the +Duchesse at supper; and thence into the room where the ball was +to be, crammed with fine ladies, the greatest of the Court. By +and by comes the King and Queene, the Duke and Duchesse, and all +the great ones: and after seating themselves, the King takes out +the Duchesse of York; and the Duke, the Duchesse of Buckingham; +the Duke of Monmouth, my Lady Castlemaine; and so other lords +other ladies: and they danced the Brantle. [Branle. Espece de +danse de plusieurs personnes qui se tiennent par la main, et qui +se menent tour-a-tour.--DICTIONNAIRE DE L'ACADEMIE.] After that, +the King led a lady a single Coranto; and then the rest of the +lords, one after another, other ladies: very noble it was, and +great pleasure to see. Then to country dances; the King leading +the first, which he called for; which was, says he, "Cuckolds all +awry," the old dance of England. Of the ladies that danced, the +Duke of Monmouth's mistress, and my Lady Castlemaine, and a +daughter of Sir Harry de Vicke's, were the best. [Sir Henry de +Vic of Guernsey, Bart., had been twenty years Resident for +Charles II. at Brussels, and was Chancellor of the Order of the +Garter. He died 1672, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. His +only daughter, Anne Charlotte, married John Lord Fresheville, +Baron of Stavely.] The manner was, when the King dances, all the +ladies in the room, and the Queene herself, stand up: and indeed +he dances rarely, and much better than the Duke of York. Having +staid here as long as I thought fit, to my infinite content, it +being the greatest pleasure I could wish now to see at Court, I +went home, leaving them dancing. + +Thus ends this year with great mirth to me and my wife. Our +condition being thus:--we are at present spending a night or two +at my Lord's lodgings at White Hall. Our home at the Navy- +office, which is and hath a pretty while been in good condition, +finished and made very convenient. By my last year's diligence +in my office, blessed be God! I am come to a good degree of +knowledge therein; and am acknowledged so by all the world, even +the Duke himself to whom I have a good accesse: and by that, and +by my being Commissioner for Tangier, he takes much notice of me; +and I doubt not but, by the continuance of the same endeavours, I +shall in a little time come to be a man much taken notice of in +the world, specially being come to so great an esteem with Mr. +Coventry. Publick matters stand thus: The King is bringing, as +is said, his family, and Navy, and all other his charges, to a +less expence. In the mean time, himself following his pleasures +more than with good advice he would do; at least, to be seen to +all the world to do so. His dalliance with my Lady Castlemaine +being publick, every day, to his great reproach; and his +favouring of none at Court so much as those that are the +confidants of his pleasure, as Sir H. Bennet and Sir Charles +Barkeley; which, good God! put it into his heart to mend, before +he makes himself too much contemned by his people for it! The +Duke of Monmouth is in so great splendour at Court, and so +dandled by the King, that some doubt, that, if the King should +have no child by the Queene (which there is yet no appearance +of), whether he would not be acknowledged for a lawful son; and +that there will be a difference follow between the Duke of York +and him; which God prevent! My Lord Chancellor is threatened by +people to be questioned, the next sitting of the Parliament, by +some spirits that do not love to see him so great: but certainly +he is a good servant to the King. The Queene-Mother is said to +keep too great a Court now; and her being married to my Lord St. +Alban's is commonly talked of; and that they had a daughter +between them in France, how true, God knows. The Bishops are +high, and go on without any diffidence in pressing uniformity; +and the Presbyters seem silent in it, and either conform or lay +down, though without doubt they expect a turn, and would be glad +these endeavours of the other Fanatiques would take effect; there +having been a plot lately found for which four have been +publickly tried at the Old Bayley and hanged. My Lord Sandwich +is still in good esteem, and now keeping his Christmas in the +country; and I in good esteem, I think, as any man can be, with +him. In fine, for the good condition of myself, wife, family, +and estate, in the great degree that it is, and for the public +state of the nation, so quiet as it is, the Lord God be praised! + +1662-63, JANUARY 1. Among other discourse, Mrs. Sarah tells us +how the King sups at least four times every week with my Lady +Castlemaine; and most often stays till the morning with her, and +goes home through the garden all alone privately, and that so as +the very centrys take notice of it and speak of it. She tells +me, that about a month ago she quickened at my Lord Gerard's +[Charles Lord Gerard of Brandon, Gentleman of the Bedchamber to +Charles II and Captain of his Guards; created Earl of +Macclesfield 1679, and died about 1693. His wife, mentioned +afterwards, was a French lady, whose name has not been +preserved.] at dinner, and cried out that she was undone; and +all the lords and men were fain to quit the room, and women +called to help her. + +5th. To the Duke, who himself told me that Sir J. Lawson was +come home to Portsmouth from the Streights with great renowne +among all men, and, I perceive, mightily esteemed at Court by +all. The Duke did not stay long in his chamber; but to the +King's chamber, whither by and by the Russia Embassadors come; +who, it seems, have a custom that they will not come to have any +treaty with our or any King's Commissioners, but they will +themselves see at the time the face of the King himself, be it +forty days one after another; and so they did to-day only go in +and see the King; and so out again to the Council-chamber. To +the Duke's closet, where Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. +Batten, Mr. Coventry, and myself attended him about the business +of the Navy; and after much discourse and pleasant talk he went +away. To the Cockpitt, where we saw "Claracilla," [A Tragi- +comedy by Thomas Killigrew.] a poor play, done by the King's +house; but neither the King nor Queene were there, but only the +Duke and Duchesse. Elborough (my old school-fellow at Paul's) do +tell me, and so do others, that Dr. Calamy is this day sent to +Newgate for preaching, Sunday was se'nnight without leave, though +he did it only to supply the place; otherwise the people must +have gone away without ever a sermon, they being disappointed of +a minister: but the Bishop of London will not take that as an +excuse. Dined at home; and there being the famous new play acted +the first time to-day, which is called "The Adventures of Five +Hours," at the Duke's house, being, they say, made or translated +by Colonel Tuke, [Sir George Tuke of Crossing Temple in Essex, +Mr. Evelyn's cousin. The play was taken from the original of the +Spanish poet Calderon.] I did long to see it; and so we went; +and though early, were forced to sit, almost out of sight, at the +end of one of the lower formes, so full was the house. And the +play, in one word, is the best, for the variety and the most +excellent continuance of the plot to the very end, that ever I +saw, or think ever shall. + +12th. I found my Lord within, and he and I went out through the +garden towards the Duke's chamber, to sit upon the Tangier +matters; but a lady called to my Lord out of my Lady +Castlemaine's lodgings, telling him that the King was there and +would speak with him. My Lord could not tell me what to say at +the Committee to excuse his absence, but that he was with the +King; nor would suffer me to go into the Privy Garden, (which is +now a through-passage and common,) but bid me to go through some +other way, which I did; so that I see that he is a servant of the +King's pleasures too, as well as business. + +19th. Singled out Mr. Coventry into the matted gallery, and +there I told him the complaints I meet every day about our +Treasurer's or his people's paying no money, but at the +goldsmith's shops, where they are forced to pay fifteen or twenty +sometimes per cent, for their money, which is a most horrid +shame, and that which must not be suffered. Nor is it likely +that the Treasurer (at least his people) will suffer Maynell the +Goldsmith to go away with 10,000l. per annum, as he do now get, +by making people pay after this manner for their money. + +To my Lord Chancellor's, where the King was to meet my Lord +Treasurer and many great men, to settle the revenue of Tangier. +I staid talking awhile there, but the King not coming I walked to +my brother's. This day by Dr. Clarke I was told the occasion of +my Lord Chesterfield's going and taking his lady (my Lord +Ormond's daughter) from Court. It seems he not only hath been +long jealous of the Duke of York, but did find them two talking +together, though there were others in the room, and the lady by +all opinions a most good, virtuous woman. He the next day (of +which the Duke was warned by somebody that saw the passion my +Lord Chesterfield was in the night before,) went and told the +Duke how much he did apprehend himself wronged, in his picking +out his lady of the whole Court to be the subject of his +dishonor; which the Duke did answer with great calmnesse, not +seeming to understand the reason of complaint, and that was all +that passed: but my Lord did presently pack his lady into the +country in Derbyshire, near the Peake; which is become a proverb +at Court, to send a man's wife to the Peake when she vexes him. + +23rd. Mr. Grant and I to a coffee-house, where Sir J. Cutler +was; [Citizen and Grocer, stigmatized by Pope for his avarice.] +and he did fully make out that the trade of England is as great +as ever it was, only in more hands; and that of all trades there +is a greater number than ever there was, by reason of men's +taking more 'prentices. His discourse was well worth hearing. I +bought "Audley's Way to be Rich," a serious pamphlett, and some +good things worth my minding. + +25th. I understand the King of France is upon consulting his +divines upon the old question, what the power of the Pope is? +and do intend to make war against him, unless he do right him for +the wrong his Embassador received; and banish the Cardinall +Imperiall, by which I understand is not meant the Cardinall +belonging or chosen by the Emperor, but the name of his family is +Imperiali. To my Lord, and I staid talking with him an hour +alone in his chamber, about sundry publick and private matters. +Among others, he wonders what the project should be of the Duke's +going down to Portsmouth again now with his Lady, at this time of +the year: it being no way, we think, to increase his popularity, +which is not great; nor yet safe to do it, for that reason, if it +would have any such effect. Captn. Ferrers tells me of my Lady +Caslemaine's and Sir Charles Barkeley being the great favourites +at Court, and growing every day more and more so; and that upon a +late dispute between my Lord Chesterfield, that is the Queene's +Lord Chamberlain, and Mr. Edward Montagu her Master of the Horse, +who should have the precedence in taking the Queene's upperhand +abroad out of the house, which Mr. Montagu challenges, it was +given to my Lord Chesterfield. So that I perceive he goes down +the wind in honor as well as every thing else, every day. + +26th. I met with Monsieur Raby, who is lately come from France. +I had a great deal of very good discourse with him, concerning +the difference between the French and the Pope, and the occasion, +which he told me very particularly, and to my great content; and +of most of the chief affairs of France, which I did enquire: and +that the King is a most excellent Prince, doing all business +himself; and that it is true he hath a mistresse, Mademoiselle La +Valiere, one of the Princess Henriette's women, that he courts +for his pleasure every other day, but not so as to make him +neglect his publick affairs. He tells me how the King do carry +himself nobly to the relations of the dead Cardinall, [Cardinal +Mazarine.] and will not suffer one pasquill to come forth +against him; and that he acts by what directions he received from +him before his death. + +30th. My manuscript is brought home handsomely bound, to my full +content; and now I think I have a better collection in reference +to the Navy, and shall have by the time I have filled it, than +any of my predecessors. + +FEBRUARY 1, 1662-63. This day Creed and I walking in White Hall, +did see the King coming privately from my Lady Castlemaine's; +which is a poor thing for a Prince to do; and so I expressed my +sense of it to Creed in terms which I should not have done, but +that I believe he is trusty in that point. + +2nd. With Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten to the Duke; and after +discourse as usual with him in his closet, I went to my Lord's: +the King and the Duke being gone to chapel, it being a collar +day, Candlemas-day; where I staid with him until towards noon, +there being Jonas Moore [Jonas Moore, a most celebrated +mathematician, knighted by Charles II., and made Surveyor of the +Ordnance. Ob. 1679.] talking about some mathematical +businesses. With Mr. Coventry down to his chamber, where he did +tell me how he do make himself an interest by doing business +truly and justly, though he thwarts others greater than himself, +not striving to make himself friends by addresses; and by this he +thinks and observes he do live as contentedly, (now he finds +himself secured from fear of want,) and, take one time with +another, as void of fear or cares, or more, than they that (as +his own termes were) have quicker pleasures and sharper agonies +than he. + +4th. To Paul's Schoole, it being opposition-day there. I heard +some of their speeches, and they were just as schoolboys' used to +be, of the seven liberal sciences; but I think not so good as +ours were in our time. Thence to Bow Church, to the Court; of +Arches, where a judge sits, and his proctors about him in their +habits, and their pleadings all in Latin. Here I was sworn to +give a true answer to my uncle's libells. And back again to +Paul's Schoole, and went up to see the head forms posed in Latin, +Greek, and Hebrew. Dr. Wilkins and Outram were examiners. [John +Wilkins, D.D., afterwards Bishop of Chester. William Outram, +D.D., Prebendary of Westminster. Ob. 1679; one of the ablest and +best of the Conformists, and eminent for his piety and charity, +and an excellent preacher.] + +6th. To Lincoln's Inn Fields; and it being too soon to go to +dinner, I walked up and down, and looked upon the outside of the +new theatre building in Covent Garden, which will be very fine. +And so to a bookseller's in the Strand, and there bought Hudibras +again, it being certainly some ill humour to be so against that +which all the world cries up to be the example of wit; for which +I am resolved once more to read him, and see whether I can find +it or no. + +7th, To White Hall to chapel, where there preached little Dr. +Duport, [James Duport, D.D., Dean of Peterborough 1664, and +Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, 1668. Ob. 1679.] of +Cambridge, upon Josiah's words,--"But I and my house, we will +serve the Lord." Thence with Mr. Creed to the King's Head +ordinary. After dinner Sir Thomas Willis [Sir Thomas Willis, +Bart., Ob. Nov. 1705, aged 90, and was buried at Ditton, in +Cambridgeshire, where he possessed some property. In 1679, he +had been put out of the Commission of the Peace for that County, +for concurring with the Fanatic party in opposing the Court. +COLE'S MSS.] and another stranger, and Creed and I fell a- +talking; they of the errours and corruption of the Navy, and +great expence thereof, not knowing who I was, which at last I did +undertake to confute, and disabuse them: and they took it very +well, and I hope it was to good purpose, they being Parliament- +men. Creed and I and Captn. Ferrers to the Parke, and there +walked finely, seeing people slide, we talking all the while; and +Captn. Ferrers telling me, among other Court passages, how about +a month ago, at a ball at Court, a child was dropped by one of +the ladies in dancing, but nobody knew who, it being taken up by +somebody in their handkercher. The next morning all the Ladies +of Honour appeared early at Court for their vindication, so that +nobody could tell whose this mischance should be. But it seems +Mrs. Wells [Maid of Honour to the Queen, and one of Charles II.'s +numerous mistresses. Vide "MEMOIRES DE GRAMMONT."] fell sick +that afternoon, and hath disappeared ever since, so that it is +concluded it was her. The little Duke of Monmouth, it seems, is +ordered to take place of all Dukes, and so do follow Prince +Rupert now, before the Duke of Buckingham, or any else. + +13th. To my office, where late upon business; Mr. Bland sitting +with me, talking of my Lord Windsor's being come home from +Jamaica, unlooked for; which makes us think that these young +Lords are not fit to do any service abroad, though it is said +that he could not have his health there, but hath raced a fort of +the King of Spain upon Cuba, which is considerable, or said to be +so, for his honour. + +16th. To Westminster Hall, and there find great expectation what +the Parliament will do, when they come two days hence to sit +again, in matters of religion. The great question is, whether +the Presbyters will be contented to let the Papists have the same +liberty of conscience with them, or no, or rather be denied it +themselves: and the Papists, I hear, are very busy in designing +how to make the Presbyters consent to take their liberty, and to +let them have the same with them, which some are apt to think +they will. It seems a priest was taken in his vests officiating +somewhere in Holborne the other day, and was committed by +Secretary Morris according to law; and they say the Bishop of +London did give him thanks for it. + +17th. To my Lord Sandwich, whom I found at cards with Pickering; +but he made an end soon: and so all alone, he told me he had a +great secret to tell me, such as no flesh knew but himself, nor +ought; which was this:--that yesterday morning Eschar, Mr. Edward +Montagu's man, did come to him from his master with some of the +Clerkes of the Exchequer, for my Lord to sign to their books for +the Embassy money; which my Lord very civilly desired not to do +till he had spoke with his master himself. In the afternoon, my +Lord and my Lady Wright being at cards in his chamber, in comes +Mr. Montagu; and desiring to speak with my Lord at the window in +his chamber, he began to charge my Lord with the greatest +ingratitude in the world: that he that had received his earldom, +garter, 4000l. per annum, and whatever he has in the world, from +him, should now study him all the dishonour that he could: and +so fell to tell my Lord, that if he should speak all that he knew +of him, he could do so and so. In a word, he did rip up all +that, could be said they was unworthy, and in the basest terms +they could be spoken in. To which my Lord answered with great +temper, justifying himself, but endeavouring to lessen his heat, +which was a strange temper in him, knowing that he did owe all he +hath in the world to my Lord, and that he is now all that he is +by his means and favour. But my Lord did forbear to increase the +quarrel, knowing that it would be to no good purpose for the +world to see a difference in the family; but did allay them so as +that he fell to weeping. And after much talk (among other things +Mr. Montagu telling him that there was a fellow in the towne, +naming me, that had done ill offices, and that if he knew it to +be so, he would have him cudgelled) my Lord did promise him, +that, if upon account he saw that there was not many tradesmen +unpaid, he would sign the books; but if there was, he could not +bear with taking too great a debt upon him. So this day he sent +him an account, and a letter assuring him there was not above +200l. unpaid; and so my Lord did sign to the Exchequer books. +Upon the whole, I understand fully what a rogue he is, and how my +Lord do think and will think of him for the future; telling me +that thus he has served his father my Lord Manchester, and his +whole family, and now himself: and, which is worst, that he hath +abused, and in speeches every day do abuse my Lord Chancellor, +whose favour he hath lost; and hath no friend but Sir H. Bennet, +and that (I knowing the rise of his friendship) only from the +likeness of their pleasures, and acquaintance, and concealments, +they have in the same matters of lust and baseness; for which, +God forgive them! But he do flatter himself, from promises of +Sir H. Bennet, that he shall have a pension of 2000l. per annum, +and be made an Earl. My Lord told me he expected a challenge +from him, but told me there was no great fear of him, for there +was no man lies under such an imputation as he do in the business +of Mr. Cholmly, who, though a simple sorry fellow, do brave him +and struts before him with the Queene, to the sport and +observation of the whole Court. Mr. Pickering tells me the story +is very true of a child being dropped at the ball at Court; and +that the King had it in his closet a week after, and did dissect +it; and making great sport of it, said that in his opinion it +must have been a month and three houres old; and that, whatever +others think, he hath the greatest loss, (it being a boy, as he +says,) that hath lost a subject by the business. He tells me +too, that Sir H. Bennet is a Catholique, and how all the Court +almost is changed to the worse since his coming in, they being +affraid of him. And that the Queene-Mother's Court is now the +greatest of all; and that our own Queene hath little or no +company come to her, which I know also to be very true, and am +sorry to see it. + +18th. Mr. Hater and I alone at the office, finishing our account +of the extra charge of the Navy, not properly belonging to the +Navy, since the King's coming in to Christmas last; and all extra +things being abated, I find that the true charge of the Navy to +that time hath been after the rate of 374,743l. a year. I made +an end by eleven o'clock at night. This day the Parliament met +again, after their long prorogation; but I know not any thing +what they have done, being within doors all day. + +19th. This day I read the King's speech to the Parliament +yesterday; which is very short, and not very obliging; but only +telling them his desire to have a power of indulging tender +consciences, and that he will yield to have any mixture in the +uniformity of the Church's discipline; and says the same for the +Papists, but declares against their ever being admitted to have +any offices or places of trust in the kingdom; but, God knows, +too many have. + +21st. To the office, where Sir J. Minnes (most of the rest being +at the Parliament-house,) all the morning answering petitions and +other business. Towards noon there comes a man as if upon +ordinary business, and shows me a writ from the Exchequer, called +a Commission of Rebellion, and tells me that I am his prisoner in +Field's business; which methought did strike me to the heart, to +think that we could not sit in the middle of the King's business. +I told him how and where we were employed, and bid him have a +care; and perceiving that we were busy, he said he would, and did +withdraw for an houre: in which time Sir J. Minnes took coach +and to Court, to see what he could do from thence; and our +solicitor against Field come by chance and told me that he would +go and satisfy the fees of the Court, and would end the business. +So he went away about that, and I staid in my closet, till by and +by the man and four more of his fellows come to know what I would +do; and I told them to stay till I heard from the King or my Lord +Chief Baron, to both whom I had now sent. With that they +consulted, and told me that if I would promise to stay in the +house, they would go and refresh themselves, and come again, and +know what answer I had: so they away, and I home to dinner. +Before I had dined, the bayleys come back again with the +constable, and at the office knock for me, but found me not +there: and I hearing in what manner they were come, did forbear +letting them know where I was; so they stood knocking and +enquiring for me. By and by at my parler-window comes Sir W. +Batten's Mungo, to tell me that his master and lady would have me +come to their house through Sir J. Minnes's lodgings, which I +could not do; but, however, by ladders, did get over the pale +between our yards and their house, where I found them (as they +have reason) to be much concerned for me, my lady, especially. +The fellows staid in the yard swearing with one or two +constables, and some time we locked them into the yard, and by +and by let them out again, and so kept them all the afternoon, +not letting them see me, or know where I was. One time I went up +to the top of Sir W. Batten's house, and out of one of their +windows spoke to my wife out of one of ours; which methought, +though I did it in mirth, yet I was sad to think what a sad thing +it would be for me to be really in that condition. By and by +comes Sir J. Minnes, who (like himself and all that he do) tells +us that he can do no good, but that my Lord Chancellor wonders +that; we did not cause the seamen to fall about their eares: +which we wished we could have done without our being seen in it; +and Captain Grove being there, he did give them some affront, and +would have got some seamen to have drubbed them, but he had not +time, nor did we think it fit to have done it, they having +executed their commission; but there was occasion given that he +did draw upon one of them who did complain that Grove had pricked +him in the breast, but no hurt done; but I see that Grove would +have done our business to them if we had bid him. By and by +comes Mr. Clerke, our sollicitor, who brings us a release from +our adverse atturney, we paying the fees of the commission, which +comes to five markes, and the charges of these fellows, which are +called the commissioners, but are the most rake-shamed rogues +that ever I saw in my life; so he showed them this release, and +they seemed satisfied, and went away with him to their atturney +to be paid by him. But before they went, Sir W. Batten and my +lady did begin to taunt them, but the rogues answered them as +high as themselves, and swore they would come again, and called +me rogue and rebel, and they would bring the sheriffe and untile +his house, before he should harbour a rebel in his house, and +that they would be here again shortly. Well, at last they went +away, and I by advice took occasion to go abroad, and walked +through the street to show myself among the neighbours, that they +might not think worse than the business is. I home to Sir W. +Batten's again, where Sir J. Lawson, Captain Allen, Spragge, +[Afterwards Sir Edward Spragg, a distinguished naval commander, +who perished in a boat, which was sunk during an action with Van +Tromp, in 1673, whilst he was preparing to hoist his flag on +board a third ship, having previously lost two in the +engagement.] and several others, and all our discourse about the +disgrace done to our office to be liable to this trouble, which +we must get removed. Hither comes Mr. Clerke by and by, and +tells me that he hath paid the fees of the Court for the +commission; but the men are not contented with under 5l. for +their charges, which he will not give them, and therefore advises +me not to stir abroad till Monday that he comes or sends to me +again, whereby I shall not be able to go to White Hall to the +Duke of York, as I ought. Here I staid vexing, and yet pleased +to see every body for me; and so home, where my people are +mightily surprised to see this business, but it troubles me not +very much, it being nothing touching my particular person or +estate. Sir W. Batten tells me that little is done yet in the +Parliament-house, but only this day it was moved and ordered that +all the members of the House do subscribe to the renouncing of +the Covenant, which it is thought will try some of them. There +is also a bill brought in for the wearing of nothing but cloth or +stuffs of our own manufacture, and is likely to be passed. Among +other talk this morning, my lady did speak concerning +Commissioner Pett's calling the present King bastard, and other +high words heretofore: and Sir W. Batten did tell us, that he +did give the Duke and Mr. Coventry an account of that and other +like matters in writing under oath, of which I was ashamed, and +for which I was sorry. + +22nd (Lord's-day). Went not out all the morning; but after +dinner to Sir W. Batten's and Sir W. Pen's, where discoursing +much of yesterday's trouble and scandal; but that which troubled +me most was Sir J. Minnes coming from Court at night, and instead +of bringing great comfort from thence, (but I expected no better +from him,) he tells me that the Duke and Mr. Coventry make no +great matter of it. + +23rd. Up by times; and not daring to go by land, did (Griffin +going along with me for fear,) slip to White Hall by water; where +to Mr. Coventry, and, as we used to do, to the Duke; the other of +my fellows being come. But we did nothing of our business, the +Duke being sent for to the King, that he could not stay to speak +with us. This morning come my Lord Windsor [Created Earl of +Plymouth, 6th December, 1682.] to kiss the Duke's hand, being +returned from Jamaica. He tells the Duke that from such a degree +of latitude going thither he began to be sick, and was never well +till his coming so far back again, and then presently begun to be +well. He told the Duke of their taking the fort of St. Jago, +upon Cuba, with his men; but upon the whole, I believe, that he +did matters like a young lord, and was weary of being upon +service out of his own country, where he might have pleasure. +For methought it was a shame to see him this very afternoon, +being the first day of his coming to town, to be at a playhouse. +To my Lord Sandwich: it was a great trouble to me (and I had +great apprehensions of it) that my Lord desired me to go to +Westminster Hall, to the Parliament-house door, about business; +and to Sir Wm. Wheeler, [M.P. for Queensborough.] which I told +him I would, but durst not go for fear of being taken by these +rogues; but was forced to go to White Hall and take boat, and so +land below the Tower at the Iron-gate, and so the back way over +Little Tower Hill; and with my cloak over my face, took one of +the watermen along with me, and staid behind our garden-wall, +while he went to see whether any body stood within the Merchants' +Gate. But there was nobody, and so I got safe into the garden, +and coming to open my office door, something behind it fell in +the opening, which made me start. So that God knows in what a +sad condition I should be if I were truly in debt: and therefore +ought to bless God that I have no such real reason, and to +endeavour to keep myself, by my good deportment and good +husbandry, out of any such condition. At home I find, by a note +that Mr. Clerke in my absence hath left here, that I am free; and +that he hath stopped all matters in Court; and I was very glad of +it. We took coach and to Court, and there saw "The Wilde +Gallant," [A Comedy by Dryden.] performed by the King's house, +but it was ill acted. The King did not seem pleased at all, the +whole play, nor any body else. My Lady Castlemaine was all worth +seeing to-night, and little Steward. [Frances, daughter of +Walter Stewart, son of Lord Blantyre, married Charles, fifth Duke +of Richmond, and died 1702.] Mrs. Wells do appear at Court +again, and looks well; so that, it may be, the late report of +laying the dropped child to her was not true. This day I was +told that my Lady Castlemaine hath all the King's Christmas +presents, made him by the peers, given to her, which is a most +abominable thing; and that at the great ball she was much richer +in jewells than the Queene and Duchesse put both together. + +24th. Among other things, my Lord Sandwich tells me, that he +hears the Commons will not agree to the King's late declaration, +nor will yield that the Papists have any ground given them to +raise themselves up again in England, which I perceive by my Lord +was expected at Court. + +25th. The Commons in Parliament, I hear, are very high to stand +to the Act of Uniformity, and will not indulge the Papists (which +is endeavoured by the Court Party,) nor the Presbyters. + +26th. Sir W. Batten and I by water to the Parliament-house: he +went in, and I walked up and down the Hall. All the newes is the +great oddes yesterday in the votes between them that are for the +Indulgence to the Papists and Presbyters, and those that are +against it, which did carry it by 200 against 30. And pretty it +is to consider how the King would appear to be a stiff Protestant +and son of the Church; and yet willing to give a liberty to these +people, because of his promise at Breda. And yet all the world +do believe that the King would not have the liberty given them at +all. + +27th. About 11 o'clock, Commissioner Pett and I walked to +Chyrurgeon's Hall, (we being all invited thither, and promised to +dine there;) where we were led into the Theatre: and by and by +comes the reader, Dr. Tearne, [Christopher Terne, of Leyden, +M.D., originally of Cambridge, and Fellow of the College of +Physicians. Ob. 1673.] with the Master and Company, In a very +handsome manner: and all being settled, he begun his lecture; +and his discourse being ended, we had a fine dinner and good +learned company, many Doctors of Phisique, and we used with +extraordinary great respect. Among other observables we drunk +the King's health out of a gilt cup given by King Henry VIII. to +this Company, with bells hanging at it, which every man is to +ring by shaking after he hath drunk up the whole cup. There is +also a very excellent piece of the King, done by Holbein, stands +up in the Hall, with the officers of the Company kneeling to him +to receive their Charter. Dr. Scarborough took some of his +friends, and I went with them, to see the body of a lusty fellow, +a seaman, that was hanged for a robbery. It seems one Dillon, of +a great family, was, after much endeavours to have saved him, +hanged with a silken halter this Sessions, (of his own +preparing,) not for honour only, but it being soft and sleek it +do slip close and kills, that is, strangles presently: whereas, +a stiff one do not come so close together, and so the party may +live the longer before killed. But all the Doctors at table +conclude, that there is no pain at all in hanging, for that it do +stop the circulation of the blood; and so stops all sense and +motion in an instant. To Sir W. Batten's to speak upon some +business, where I found Sir J. Minnes pretty well fuddled I +thought: he took me aside to tell me how being at my Lord +Chancellor's to-day, my Lord told him that there was a Great Seal +passing for Sir W. Pen, through the impossibility of the +Comptroller's duty to be performed by one man; to be as it were +joynt-comptroller with him, at which he is stark mad; and swears +he will give up his place. For my part, I do hope, when all is +done that my following my business will keep me secure against +all their envys. But to see how the old man do strut, and swear +that he understands all his duty as easily as crack a nut, and +easier, he told my Lord Chancellor, for his teeth are gone; and +that he understands it as well as any man in England; and that he +will never leave to record that he should be said to be unable to +do his duty alone; though, God knows, he cannot do it more than a +child. + +28th. The House have this noon been with the King to give him +their reasons for refusing to grant any indulgence to Presbyters +or Papists; which he, with great content and seeming pleasure, +took, saying, that he doubted not but he and they should agree in +all things, though there may seem a difference in judgements, he +having writ and declared for an indulgence: and that he did +believe never prince was happier in a House of Commons, than he +was in them. At the Privy Seale I did see the docquet by which +Sir W. Pen is made the Comptroller's assistant, as Sir J. Minnes +told me last night. + +MARCH 3, 1662-63. This afternoon Roger Pepys tells me, that for +certain the King is for all this very highly incensed at the +Parliament's late opposing the Indulgence; which I am sorry for, +and fear it will breed great discontent. + +5th. To the Lobby, and spoke with my cousin Roger, who is going +to Cambridge to-morrow. In the Hall I do hear that the +Catholiques are in great hopes for all this, and do set hard upon +the King to get Indulgence. Matters, I hear, are all naught in +Ireland, and the people, that is the Papists, do cry out against +the Commissioners sent by the King; so that they say the English +interest will be lost there. + +6th. This day it seems the House of Commons have been very high +against the Papists, being incensed by the stir which they make +for their having an Indulgence; which, without doubt, is a great +folly in them to be so hot upon at this time, when they see how +averse already the House have showed themselves from it. This +evening Mr. Povy tells me that my Lord Sandwich is this day so +ill that he is much afraid of him, which puts me to great pain, +not more for my own sake than for his poor family's. + +7th. Creed told me how for some words of my Lady Gerard's, +against my Lady Castlemaine to the Queene, the King did the other +day apprehend her in going out to dance with her at a ball, when +she desired it as the ladies do, and is since forbid attending +the Queene by the King; which is much talked of, my Lord her +husband being a great favourite. + +8th (Lord's day). To White Hall to-day; I heard Dr. King, Bishop +of Chichester, make a good and eloquent sermon upon these words, +"They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy." Whence (the chapel +in Lent being hung with black, and no anthem after sermon, as at +other times,) to my Lord Sandwich at Sir W. Wheeler's. I found +him out of order, thinking himself to be in a fit of ague. After +dinner up to my Lord, there being Mr. Rumball. My Lord, among +other discourse, did tell me of his great difficultys passed in +the business of the Sound, and of his receiving letters from the +King there, but his sending them by Whetstone was a great folly; +and the story how my Lord being at dinner with Sydney, [The +famous Algernon Sydney, one of the Ambassadors sent to Sweden and +Denmark by Richard Cromwell.] one of his fellow plenipotentiarys +and his mortal enemy, did see Whetstone, and put off his hat +three times to him, and the fellow would not be known, which my +Lord imputed to his coxcombly humour, (of which he was full) and +bid Sydney take notice of him too, when at the very time he had +letters [These letters are, in Thurloe's State Papers, vol. vii. +One was from the King the other from Chancellor Hyde.] in his +pocket from the King, as it proved afterwards. And Sydney +afterwards did find it out at Copenhagen, the Dutch Commissioners +telling him how my Lord Sandwich had desired one of their ships +to carry back Whetstone to Lubeck, he being come from Flanders +from the King. But I cannot but remember my Lord's equanimity in +all these affairs with admiration. + +9th. About noon Sir J. Robinson, Lord Mayor, desiring way +through the garden from the Tower, called in at the office and +there invited me (and Sir W. Pen, who happened to be in the way) +to dinner, and we did go, and there had a great Lent dinner of +fish, little flesh. There dined with us to-day Mr. Slingsby of +the Mint, [Master of the Mint, frequently mentioned by Evelyn.] +who showed us all the new pieces both gold and silver (examples +of them all) that were made for the King, by Blondeau's way; and +compared them with those made for Oliver. The pictures of the +latter made by Symons, [Thomas Simon, an engraver of coins and +medals.] and of the King by one Rotyr, [There were three +brothers named Rotier, all Medallists; Philip intoduced the +likeness of Mrs. Stewart in the figure of Britannia.] a German; +I think, that dined with us also. He extolls those of Rotyr +above the others; and, indeed, I think they are the better, +because the sweeter of the two; but, upon my word, those of the +Protector are more like in my mind, than the King's, but both +very well worth seeing. The crownes of Cromwell are now sold, +it seems, for 25s. and 30s. a-piece. + +16th. To the Duke where we met of course, and talked of our Navy +matters. Then to the Commission of Tangier, and there had my +Lord Peterborough's Commission read over; and Mr. Secretary +Bennet did make his querys upon it, in order to the drawing one +for my Lord Rutherford more regularly, that being a very +extravagant thing. Here long discoursing upon my Lord +Rutherford's despatch, and so broke up. Mr. Coventry and I +discoursed how the Treasurer doth intend to come to pay in +course, which is the thing of the world that will do the King the +greatest service in the Navy, and which joys my heart to hear of. +He tells me of the business of Sir J. Minnes, and Sir W. Pen; +which, he said, was chiefly to make Mr. Pett's being joyned with +Sir W. Batten to go down the better. And how he well sees that +neither one nor the other can do their duties without help. + +17th. To St. Margaret's Hill in Southwark, where the Judge of +the Admiralty come, and the rest of the Doctors of the Civill +law, and some other Commissioners, whose Commission of Oyer and +Terminer was read, and then the charge, given by Dr. Exton, [Sir +Thomas Exton, Dean of the Arches and Judge of the Admiralty +Court.] which methought was somewhat dull, though he would seem +to intend it to be very rhetoricall, saying that Justice had two +wings, one of which spread itself over the land, and the other +over the water, which was this Admiralty Court. I perceive that +this Court is yet but in its infancy, (as to its rising again) +and their design and consultation was, I could overhear them, how +to proceed with the most solemnity, and spend time, there being +only two businesses to do, which of themselves could not spend +much time. Sir W. Batten and I to my Lord Mayor's, where we +found my Lord with Colonel Strangways [Giles Strangways, M.P. for +Dorsetshire.] and Sir Richard Floyd, [Probably Sir Richard +Lloyd., M.P. for Radnorshire.] Parliament-men, in the cellar +drinking, were we sat with them, and then up; and by and by come +in Sir Richard Ford. We had many discourses, but from all of +them I do find Sir R. Ford a very able man of his brains and +tongue, and a scholler. But my Lord Mayor a talking, bragging, +buffleheaded fellow, that would be thought to have led all the +City in the great business of bringing in the King, and that +nobody understood his plot, and the dark lanthorn he walked by; +but led them and plowed with them as oxen and asses (his own +words) to do what he had a mind: when in every discourse I +observe him to be as very a coxcombe as I could have thought had +been in the City. But he is resolved to do great matters in +pulling down the shops quite through the City, as he hath done in +many places, and will make a thorough passage quite through the +City, through Canning-street, which indeed will be very fine. +And then his precept, which he, in vain-glory, said he had drawn +up himself, and hath printed it, against coachmen and carmen +affronting of the gentry in the street; it is drawn so like a +fool, and some faults were openly found in it, that I believe he +will have so much wit as not to proceed upon it though it be +printed. Here we staid talking till eleven at night, Sir R. Ford +breaking to my Lord our business of our patent to be Justices of +the Peace in the City, which he stuck at mightily; but, however, +Sir R. Ford knows him to be a fool, and so in his discourse he +made him appear, and cajoled him into a consent to it: but so as +I believe when he comes to his right mind to-morrow he will be of +another opinion; and though Sir R. Ford moved it very weightily +and neatly, yet I had rather it had been spared now. But to see +how he rants, and pretends to sway all the City in the Court of +Aldermen, and says plainly that they cannot do, nor will he +suffer them to do, any thing but what he pleases; nor is there +any officer of the City but of his putting in; nor any man that +could have kept the City for the King thus well and long but him. +And if the country can be preserved, he will undertake that the +City shall not dare to stir again. When I am confident there is +no man almost in the City cares for him, nor hath he brains to +outwit any ordinary tradesman. + +20th. Meeting with Mr. Kirton's kinsman in Paul's Church Yard, +he and I to a coffee-house; where I hear how there had like to +have been a surprizall of Dublin by some discontented +protestants, and other things of like nature; and it seems the +Commissioners have carried themselves so high for the Papists +that the others will not endure it. Hewlett and some others are +taken and clapped up; and they say the King hath sent over to +dissolve the Parliament there, who went very high against the +Commissioners. Pray God send all well! + +21st. By appointment our full board met, and Sir Philip Warwick +and Sir Robert Long come from my Lord Treasurer to speak with us +about the state of the debts of the Navy; and how to settle it, +so as to begin upon the new foundation of 200,000l. per annum, +which the King is now resolved not to exceed. + +22nd (Lord's day). Wrote out our bill for the Parliament about +our being made Justices of Peace in the City. So to church, +where a dull formall fellow that prayed for the right Hon. John +Lord Barkeley, Lord President of Connaught, &c. To my Lord +Sandwich, and with him talking a good while; I find the Court +would have this Indulgence go on, but the Parliament are against +it. Matters in Ireland are full of discontent. + +29th. After dinner in comes Mr. Moore, and sat and talked with +us a good while; among other things, telling me that neither my +Lord nor he are under apprehensions of the late discourse in the +House of Commons, concerning resumption of Crowne lands. + +APRIL 1st, 1663. I went to the Temple to my Cozen Roger Pepys, +to see and talk with him a little; who tells me that, with much +ado, the Parliament do agree to throw down Popery: but he says +it is with so much spite and passion, and an endeavour of +bringing all Non-conformists into the same condition, that he is +afraid matters will not yet go so well as he could wish. + +2nd. Sir W. Pen told me, that this day the King hath sent to the +House his concurrence wholly with them against the Popish +priests, Jesuits, &c. which gives great content and I am glad of +it. + +3rd. To the Tangier Committee, where we find ourselves at a +great stand; the establishment being but 7000l. per annum, and +the forces to be kept in the town at the least estimate that my +Lord Rutherford can be got to bring is 5300l. The charge of this +year's work of the Mole will be 13,000l.; besides 1000l. a-year +to my Lord Peterborough as a pension, and the fortifications and +contingencys, which puts us to a great stand. I find at Court +that there is some bad news from Ireland of an insurrection of +the Catholiques there, which puts them into an alarme. I hear +also in the City that for certain there is an embargo upon all +our ships in Spayne, upon this action of my Lord Windsor's at +Cuba, which signifies little or nothing, but only he hath a mind +to say that he hath done something before he comes back again. + +4th. After dinner to Hide Parke; at the Parke was the King, and +in another coach my Lady Castlemaine, they greeting one another +at every turn. + +8th. By water to White Hall, to chapel; where preached Dr. +Pierce, the famous man that preached the sermon so much cried up, +before the King against the Papists. His matter was the Devil +tempting our Saviour, being carried into the Wilderness by the +spirit. And he hath as much of natural eloquence as most men +that ever I heard in my life, mixed with so much learning. After +sermon I went up and saw the ceremony of the Bishop of +Peterborough's paying homage upon the knee to the King, while Sir +H. Bennet, Secretary, read the King's grant of the Bishopric of +Lincolne, to which he is translated. His name is Dr. Lany. +[Benjamin Lany, S. T. P., made Bishop of Peterborough 1660, +translated to Lincoln 1662-3, and to Ely 1667.] Here I also saw +the Duke of Monmouth, with his Order of the Garter, the first +time I ever saw it. I hear that the University of Cambridge did +treat him a little while since with all the honour possible, with +a comedy at Trinity College, and banquet; and made him Master of +Arts there. All which, they say, the King took very well. Dr. +Raynbow, Master of Magdalene, being now Vice-Chancellor. [Edward +Rainbow, chaplain to the King, and Dean of Peterborough, and in +1664 Bishop of Carlisle. Ob. 1684.] + +12th. (Lord's day). Coming home to-night, a drunken boy was +carrying by our constable to our new pair of stocks to handsel +them. + +14th. Sir G. Carteret tells me to-night that he perceives the +Parliament is likely to make a great bustle before they will give +the King any money; will call all things in question; and, above +all, the expences of the Navy; and do enquire into the King's +expences everywhere, and into the truth of the report of people +being forced to sell their bills at 15 per cent. losse in the +Navy; and, lastly, that they are in a very angry pettish mood at +present, and not likely to be better. + +17th. It being Good Friday, our dinner was only sugar-sopps and +fish; the only time that we have had a Lenten dinner all this +Lent. To Paul's Church Yard, to cause the title of my English +"Mare Clausum" to be changed, and the new title dedicated to the +King, to be put to it, because I am ashamed to have the other +seen dedicated to the Commonwealth. + +20th. With Sir G. Carteret and Sir John Minnes to my Lord +Treasurer's, thinking to have spoken about getting money for +paying the Yards; but we found him with some ladies at cards: +and so, it being a bad time to speak, we parted. This day the +little Duke of Monmouth was marryed at White Hall, in the King's +chamber; and to-night is a great supper and dancing at his +lodgings, near Charing-Cross. I observed his coate at the tail +of his coach: he gives the arms of England, Scotland, and +France, quartered upon some other fields, but what it is that +speaks his being a bastard I know not. + +23th. I did hear that the Queene is much grieved of late at the +King's neglecting her, he having not supped once with her this +quarter of a year, and almost every night with my Lady +Castlemaine: who hath been with him this St. George's feast at +Windsor, and come home with him last night; and, which is more, +they say is removed as to her bed from her own home to a chamber +in White Hall, next to the King's owne; which I am sorry to hear, +though I love her much. + +27th. By water to White Hall; but found the Duke of York gone to +St. James's for this summer; and thence with Mr. Coventry and Sir +W. Pen up to the Duke's closet. And a good while with him about +Navy business; and so I to White Hall, and there a long while +with my Lord Sandwich discoursing about his debt to the Navy, +wherein he hath given me some things to resolve him in. + +The Queene (which I did not know,) it seems was at Windsor, at +the late St. George's feast there: and the Duke of Monmouth +dancing with her with his hat in his hand, the King came in and +kissed him, and made him put on his hat, which every body took +notice of. + +28th. To Chelsey, where we found my Lord all alone with one +joynt of meat at dinner, and mightily extolling the manner of his +retirement, and the goodness of his diet: the mistress of the +house hath all things most excellently dressed; among others her +cakes admirable, and so good that my Lord's words were, they were +fit to present to my Lady Castlemaine. From ordinary discourse +my Lord fell to talk of other matters to me, of which chiefly the +second part of the fray, which he told me a little while since +of, between Mr. Edward Montagu and himself; that he hath forborn +coming to him almost two months, and do speak not only slightly +of my Lord every where, but hath complained to my Lord Chancellor +of him, and arrogated all that ever my Lord hath done to be only +by his direction and persuasion. Whether he hath done the like +to the King or no, my Lord knows not; but my Lord hath been with +the King since, and finds all things fair; and my Lord Chancellor +hath told him of it, but he so much contemns Mr. Montagu, as my +Lord knows himself very secure against any thing the fool can do; +and notwithstanding all this, so noble is his nature, that he +professes himself ready to show kindness and pity to Mr. Montagu +on any occasion. My Lord told me of his presenting Sir H. Bennet +with a, gold cup of 100l., which he refuses, with a compliment; +but my Lord would have been glad he had taken it, that be might +have had some obligations upon him which he thinks possible the +other may refuse to prevent it; not that he hath any reason to +doubt his kindness. But I perceive great differences there are +at Court: and Sir H. Bennet, and my Lord Bristol, and their +faction, are likely to carry all things before them, (which my +Lord's judgement is, will not be for the best,) and particularly +against the Chancellor, who, he tells me, is irrecoverably lost: +but, however, that he do so not actually joyne in any thing +against the Chancellor, whom he do own to be a most sure friend, +and to have been his greatest; and therefore will not; openly act +in either, but passively carry himself even. The Queene, my Lord +tells me, he thinks he hath incurred some displeasure with, for +his kindness to his neighbour my Lady Castlemaine. My Lord tells +me he hath no reason to fall for her sake, whose wit, management, +nor interest, is not likely to hold up any man, and therefore he +thinks it not his obligation to stand for her against his own +interest. The Duke and Mr. Coventry my Lord sees he is very well +with, and fears not but they will show themselves his very good +friends, specially at this time, he being able to serve them, and +they needing him, which he did not tell me wherein. Talking of +the business of Tangier, he tells me that my Lord Teviott is gone +away without the least respect paid to him, nor indeed to any +man, but without his commission; and (if it be true what he says) +having laid out seven or eight thousand pounds in commodities for +the place: and besides having not only disobliged all the +Commissioners for Tangier, but also Sir Charles Barkeley the +other day, who spoke in behalf of Colonel Fitz-Gerald, that +having been deputy-governor there already, he ought to have +expected and had the governorship upon the death or removal of +the former Governor and whereas it is said that he and his men +are Irish, which is indeed the main thing that hath moved the +King and Council to put in Teviott to prevent the Irish having +too great and the whole command there under Fitz-Gerald; he +further said that there was never an Englishman fit to command +Tangier; my Lord Teviott answered yes, there were many more fit +than himself or Fitz-Gerald either. So that Fitz-Gerald being so +great with the Duke of York, and being already made deputy- +governor, independent of my Lord Teviott, and he being also left +here behind him for a while, my Lord Sandwich do think, that, +putting all these things together, the few friends he hath left, +and the ill posture of his affairs, my Lord Teviott is not a man +of the conduct and management that either people take him to be, +or is fit for the command of the place. And here, speaking of +the Duke of York and Sir Charles Barkeley, my Lord tells me that +he do very much admire the good management, and discretion, and +nobleness of the Duke, that however he may be led by him or Mr. +Coventry singly in private, yet he did not observe that in public +matters but he did give as ready hearing, and as good acceptance +to any reasons offered by any other man against the opinions of +them, as he did to them, and would concur in the prosecution of +it. Then we come to discourse upon his own sea-accompts, and +come to a resolution how to proceed in them: wherein, though I +offered him a way of evading the greatest part of his debt +honestly, by making himself debtor to the Parliament before the +King's time, which he might justly do, yet he resolved to go +openly and nakedly in it, and put himself to the kindness of the +King and Duke, which humour, I must confess, and so did tell him +(with which he was not a little pleased) had thriven very well +with him, being known to be a man of candid and open dealing, +without any private tricks or hidden designs as other men +commonly have in what they do. From that we had discourse of Sir +G. Carteret, and of many others; and upon the whole I do find +that it is a troublesome thing for a man of any condition at +Court to carry himself even, and without contracting envy or +envyers; and that much discretion and dissimulation is necessary +to do it. + +MAY 4, 1663. To St. James's; where Mr. Coventry, Sir W. Pen and +I staid for the Duke's coming in, but not coming, we walked to +White Hall; and meeting the King, we followed him into the Parke, +where Mr. Coventry and he talking of building a new yacht out of +his private purse, he having some contrivance of his own. The +talk being done, we fell off to White Hall, leaving the King in +the Park; and going back, met the Duke going towards St. James's +to meet us. So he turned back again, and to his closet at White +Hall; and there, my Lord Sandwich present, we did our weekly +errand, and so broke up; and I to the garden with my Lord +Sandwich, (after we had sat an hour at the Tangier Committee;) +and after talking largely of his own businesses, we began to talk +how matters are at Court: and though he did not flatly tell me +any such thing, yet I do suspect that all is not kind between the +King and the Duke, and that the King's fondness to the little +Duke do occasion it; and it may be that there is some fear of his +being made heire to the Crown. But this my Lord did not tell me, +but is my guess only; and that my Lord Chancellor is without +doubt falling past hopes. + +5th. With Sir J. Minnes, he telling many old stories of the +Navy, and of the state of the Navy at the beginning of the late +troubles, and I am troubled at my heart to think, and shall +hereafter cease to wonder, at the bad success of the King's +cause, when such a knave as he (if it be true what he says) had +the whole management of the fleet, and the design of putting out +of my Lord Warwicke, [Henry Rich, Earl of Warwick and Holland; +beheaded for putting himself in arms to aid Charles I.] and +carrying the fleet to the King, wherein he failed most fatally to +the King's ruine. + +6th. To the Exchange with Creed, where we met Sir J. Minnes, who +tells us, in great heat, that the Parliament will make mad work; +that they will render all men incapable of any military or civil +employment that have borne arms in the late troubles against the +King, excepting some persons; which, if it be so, as I hope it is +not, will give great cause of discontent, and I doubt will have +but bad effects. + +Sir Thomas Crewe this day tells me that the Queene, hearing that +there was 40,000l. per annum brought into her account among the +other expences of the Crown before the Committee of Parliament, +she took order to let them know that she hath yet for the payment +of her whole family received but 4000l., which is a notable act +of spirit, and I believe is true. + +7th. To my Lord Crewe's, and there dined with him. He tells me +of the order the House of Commons have made for the drawing an +Act for the rendering none capable of preferment or employment in +the State, but who have been loyall and constant to the King and +Church; which will be fatal to a great many, and makes me doubt +lest I myself, with all my innocence during the late times, +should be brought in, being employed in the Exchequer; but, I +hope, God will provide for me. + +10th. Put on a black cloth suit, with white lynings under all, +as the fashion is to wear, to appear under the breeches. I +walked to St. James's, and was there at masse, and was forced in +the croud to kneel down: and masse being done, to the King's +Head ordinary, where many Parliament-men; and most of their talk +was about the news from Scotland, that the Bishop of Galloway was +besieged in his house by some women, and had like to have been +outraged, but I know not how he was secured; which is bad news, +and looks as it did in the beginning of the late troubles. From +thence they talked of rebellion; and I perceive they make it +their great maxime to be sure to master the City of London, +whatever comes of it or from it. + +11th. With Sir W. Pen to St. James's, where we attended the Duke +of York: and, among other things, Sir G. Carteret and I had a +great dispute about the different value of the pieces of eight +rated by Mr. Creed at 4s. and 5d., and by Pitts at 4s. and 9d., +which was the greatest husbandry to the King? he proposing that +the greatest sum was; which is as ridiculous a piece of ignorance +as could be imagined. However, it is to be argued at the Board, +and reported to the Duke next week; which I shall do with +advantage, I hope. I went homeward, after a little discourse +with Mr. Pierce the surgeon, who tells me that my Lady +Castlemaine hath now got lodgings near the King's chamber at +Court; and that the other day Dr. Clarke and he did dissect two +bodies, a man and a woman, before the King, with which the King +was highly pleased. + +14th. Met Mr. Moore; and with him to an ale-house in Holborne; +where in discourse he told me that he fears the King will be +tempted to endeavour the setting the Crown upon the little Duke, +which may cause troubles; which God forbid, unless it be his due! +He told me my Lord do begin to settle to business again; and that +the King did send for him the other day to my Lady Castlemaine's, +to play at cards, where he lost 50l.; for which I am sorry, +though he says my Lord was pleased at it, and said he would be +glad at any time to lose 50l. for the King to send for him to +play, which I do not so well like. + +15th. I walked in the Parke, discoursing with the keeper of the +Pell Mell, who was sweeping of it; who told me of what the earth +is mixed that do floor the Mall, and that over all there is +cockle-shells powdered, and spread to keep it fast; which, +however, in dry weather, turns to dust and deads the ball. +Thence to Mr. Coventry; and sitting by his bedside, he did tell +me that he did send for me to discourse upon my Lord Sandwich's +allowances for his several pays, and what his thoughts are +concerning his demands; which he could not take the freedom to do +face to face, it being not so proper as by me: and did give me a +most friendly and ingenuous account of all; telling me how +unsafe, at this juncture, while every man's, and his actions +particularly, are descanted upon, it is either for him to put the +Duke upon doing, or my Lord himself to desire anything +extraordinary, 'specially the King having been so bountifull +already; which the world takes notice of even to some repinings. +All which he did desire me to discourse to my Lord of; which I +have undertaken to do. At noon by coach to my Lord Crewe's, +hearing that my Lord Sandwich dined there; where I told him what +had passed between Mr. Coventry and myself; with which he was +contented, though I could perceive not very well pleased. And I +do believe that my Lord do find some other things go against his +mind in the House; for in the motion made the other day in the +House by my Lord Bruce, that none be capable of employment but +such as have been loyal and constant to the King and Church, that +the General and my Lord were mentioned to be excepted; and my +Lord Bruce did come since to my Lord, to clear himself that he +meant nothing to his prejudice, nor could it have any such effect +if he did mean it. After discourse with my Lord, to dinner with +him; there dining there my Lord Montagu of Boughton, [Edward, +second Lord Montagu of Boughton, in 1664 succeeded his father, +who had been created a Baron by James I., and died 1684, leaving +a son afterwards Duke of Montagu.] Mr. William Montagu his +brother, the Queene's Sollicitor, &c., and a fine dinner. Their +talk about a ridiculous falling-out two days ago at my Lord of +Oxford's house, at an entertainment of his, there being there my +Lord of Albemarle, Lynsey, two of the Porters, my Lord Bellasses, +and others, where there were high words and some blows, and +pulling off of perriwiggs; till my Lord Monk took away some of +their swords, and sent for some soldiers to guard the house till +the fray was ended. To such a degree of madness the nobility of +this age is come! After dinner, I went up to Sir Thomas Crewe, +who lies there not very well in his head, being troubled with +vapours and fits of dizzinesse: and there I sat talking with him +all the afternoon upon the unhappy posture of things at this +time; that the King do mind nothing but pleasures, and hates the +very sight or thoughts of business. If any of the sober +counsellors give him good advice, and move him in any way that is +to his good and honour, the other part, which are his counsellors +of pleasure, take him when he is with my Lady Castlemaine, and in +a humour of delight, and then persuade him that he ought not to +hear or listen to the advice of those old dotards or counsellors +that were heretofore his enemies when, God knows! it is they +that now-a-days do most study his honour. It seems the present +favourites now are my Lord Bristol, Duke of Buckingham, Sir H. +Bennet, my Lord Ashley, and Sir Charles Barkeley; who, among +them, have cast my Lord Chancellor upon his back, past ever +getting up again: there being now little for him to do, and he +waits at Court; attending to speak to the King as others do: +which I pray God may prove of good effects, for it is feared it +will be the same with my Lord Treasurer shortly. But strange to +hear how my Lord Ashley, by my Lord Bristol's means, (he being +brought over to the Catholique party against the Bishops, whom he +hates to the death, and publicly rails against them; not that he +is become a Catholique, but merely opposes the Bishops; and yet, +for aught I hear, the Bishop of London keeps as great with the +King as ever,) is got into favour, so much that, being a man of +great business and yet of pleasure, and drolling too, he, it is +thought, will be made Lord Treasurer upon the death or removal of +the good old man. [The Earl of Southampton.] My Lord Albemarle, +I hear, do bear through and bustle among them, and will not be +removed from the King's good opinion and favour, though none of +the Cabinet; but yet he is envied enough. It is made very +doubtful whether the King do not intend the making of the Duke of +Monmouth legitimate; but surely the Commons of England will never +do it, nor the Duke of York suffer it, whose Lady I am told is +very troublesome to him by her jealousy. No care is observed to +be taken of the main chance, either for maintaining of trade or +opposing of factions, which, God knows, are ready to break out, +if any of them (which God forbid!) should dare to begin; the +King and every man about him minding so much their pleasures or +profits. My Lord Hinchingbroke, I am told, hath had a mischance +to kill his boy by his birding-piece going off as he was a +fowling. The gun was charged with small shot, and hit the boy in +the face and about the temples, and he lived four days. In +Scotland, it seems, for all the newsbooks tell us every week that +they are all so quiet, and every thing in the Church settled, the +old woman had liked to have killed, the other day, the Bishop of +Galloway, and not half the Churches of the whole kingdom conform. +Strange were the effects of the late thunder and lightning about +a week since at Northampton, coming with great rain, which caused +extraordinary floods in a few houres, bearing away bridges, +drowning horses, men, and cattle. Two men passing over a bridge +on horseback, the arches before and behind them were borne away, +and that left which they were upon: but, however, one of the +horses fell over, and was drowned. Stacks of faggots carried as +high as a steeple, and other dreadful things; which Sir Thomas +Crewe showed me letters to him about from Mr. Freemantle and +others, that it is very true. The Portugalls have choused us, it +seems, in the Island of Bombay, in the East Indys; for after a +great charge of our fleets being sent thither with full +commission from the King of Portugall to receive it, the +Governour by some pretence or other will not deliver it to Sir +Abraham Shipman, sent from the King, nor to my Lord of +Marlborough; [James Ley, third Earl of Marlborough, killed in the +great sea-fight with the Dutch, 1665.] which the King takes +highly ill, and I fear our Queene will fare the worse for it. +The Dutch decay there exceedingly, it being believed that their +people will revolt from them there, and they forced to give up +their trade. Sir Thomas showed me his picture and Sir Anthony +Vandyke's in crayon in little, done exceedingly well. + +18th. I walked to White Hall, and into the Parke, seeing the +Queene and Maids of Honour passing through the house going to the +Parke. But above all, Mrs. Stuart is a fine woman, and they say +now a common mistress to the King, as my Lady Castlemaine is; +which is a great pity. + +19th. With Sir John Minnes to the Tower; and by Mr. Slingsby, +and Mr. Howard, Controller of the Mint we were shown the method +of making this new money. That being done, the Controller would +have us dine with him and his company, the King giving them a +dinner every day. And very merry and good discourse upon the +business we have been upon. They now coyne between 16 and 24,000 +pounds in a week. At dinner they did discourse very finely to us +of the probability that there is a vast deal of money hid in the +land, from this:--that in King Charles's time there was near ten +millions of money coyned, besides what was then in being of King +James's and Queene Elizabeth's, of which there is a good deal at +this day in being. Next, that there was but 750,000l. coyned of +the Harp and Crosse money, and of this there was 500,000l. +brought in upon its being called in. And from very good +arguments they find that there cannot be less of it in Ireland +and Scotland than 100,000l.; so that there is but 150,000l. +missing; and of that, suppose that there should be not above +50,000l. still remaining, either melted down, hid, or lost, or +hoarded up in England, there will then be but 100,000l. left to +be thought to have been transported. Now, if 750,000l. in twelve +years' time lost but a 100,000l. in danger of being transported, +then 10,000,000l. in thirty-five years' time will have lost but +3,888,880l. and odd pounds; and as there is 650,000l. remaining +after twelve years time in England, so after thirty-five years' +time, which was within this two years, there ought in proportion +to have resting 6,111,120l. or thereabouts, besides King James +and Queene Elizabeth's money. Now, that most of this must be hid +is evident, as they reckon, because of the dearth of money +immediately upon the calling in of the State's money, which was +500,000l. that come in; and then there was not any money to be +had in this City, which they say to their own observation and +knowledge was so. And therefore, though I can say nothing in it +myself, I do not dispute it. + +23rd. To White Hall; where, in the Matted Gallery, Mr. Coventry +was, who told us how the Parliament have required of Sir G. +Carteret and him an account what money shall be necessary to be +settled upon the Navy for the ordinary charge, which they intend +to report 200,000l. per annum. And how to allott this we met; +this afternoon, and took their papers for our perusal, and so +parted. + +24th. Meeting Mr. Lewis Phillips of Brampton, he and afterwards +others tell me that news come last night to Court, that the King +of France is sick of the spotted fever, and that they are struck +in again; and this afternoon my Lord Mandeville is gone from the +King to make him a visit which will be great news, and of great +import through Europe. By and by, in comes my Lord Sandwich: he +told me this day a vote hath passed that the King's grants of +land to my Lord Monk and him should be made good; which pleases +him very much. He also tells me that things do not go right in +the House with Mr. Coventry; I suppose he means in the business +of selling places; but I am sorry for it. + +27th. With Pett to my Lord Ashley, Chancellor of the Exchequer; +where we met the auditors about settling the business of the +accounts of persons to whom money is due before the King's time +in the Navy, and the clearing of their imprests for what little +of their debts they have received. I find my Lord, as he is +reported, a very ready, quiet, and diligent person. Roger Pepys +tells me that the King hath sent to the Parliament to hasten to +make an end by midsummer, because of his going into the country; +so they have set upon four bills to dispatch: the first of which +is, he says, too devilish a severe act against conventicles; so +beyond all moderation, that he is afraid it will ruin all: +telling me that it is matter of the greatest grief to him in the +world, that he should be put upon this trust of being a +Parliament-man, because he says nothing is done, that he can see, +out of any truth and sincerity, but mere envy and design. Then +into the Great Garden up to the Banqueting House; and there by my +Lord's glass we drew in the species very pretty. [This word is +here used as an optical term, and signifies the image painted on +the retina of the eye, and the rays of light reflected from the +several points of the surface of objects.] Afterwards to nine- +pins, Creed and I playing against my Lord and Cooke. + +28th. By water to the Royal Theatre; but that was so full they +told us we could have no room. And so to the Duke's house; and +there saw "Hamlett" done, giving us fresh reason never to think +enough of Betterton. Who should we see come upon the stage but +Gosnell, my wife's maid? but neither spoke, danced, nor sung; +which I was sorry for. + +29th. This day is kept strictly as a holy-day, being the King's +Coronation. Creed and I abroad, and called at several churches; +and it is a wonder to see, and by that to guess the ill temper of +the City, at this time, either to religion in general, or to the +King, that in some churches there was hardly ten people, and +those poor people. To the Duke's house, and there saw "The +Slighted Mayde," [A comedy, by Sir Robert Stapylton.] wherein +Gosnell acted AEromena, a great part, and did it very well. Then +with Creed to see the German Princesse, [Mary Carleton, of whom +see more June 7 following; and April 15, 1664.] at the Gate- +house, at Westminster. + +31st. This month the greatest news is, the height and heat that +the Parliament is in, in enquiring into the revenue, which +displeases the Court, and their backwardness to give the King any +money. Their enquiring into the selling of places do trouble a +great many; among the chief, my Lord Chancellor (against whom +particularly it is carried), and Mr. Coventry; for which I am +sorry. The King of France was given out to be poisoned and dead; +but it proves to be the meazles: and he is well, or likely to be +soon well again. I find myself growing in the esteem and credit +that I have in the office, and I hope falling to my business +again will confirm me in it. + +JUNE 1, 1663. The Duke having been a-hunting to-day, and so +lately come home and gone to bed, we could not see him, and we +walked away. And I with Sir J. Minnes to the Strand May-pole; +and there light out of his coach, and walked to the New Theatre, +which, since the King's players are gone to the Royal one, is +this day begun to be employed by the fencers to play prizes at. +And here I come and saw the first prize I ever saw in my life: +and it was between one Mathews, who did beat at all weapons, and +one Westwicke, who was soundly cut several times both in the head +and legs, that he was all over blood: and other deadly blows +they did give and take in very good earnest, till Westwicke was +in a sad pickle. They fought at eight weapons, three boutes at +each weapon. This being upon a private quarrel, they did it in +good earnest; and I felt one of the swords, and found it to be +very little, if at all blunter on the edge, than the common +swords are. Strange to see what a deal of money is flung to them +both upon the stage between every boute. This day I hear at +Court of the great plot which was lately discovered in Ireland, +made among the Presbyters and others, designing to cry up the +Covenant, and to secure Dublin Castle and other places; and they +have debauched a good part of the army there, promising them +ready money. Some of the Parliament there, they say, are guilty, +and some withdrawn upon it; several persons taken, and among +others a son of Scott's, that was executed here for the King's +murder. What reason the King hath, I know not; but it seems he +is doubtfull of Scotland: and this afternoon, when I was there, +the Council was called extraordinary; and they were opening the +letter this last post's coming and going between Scotland and us +and other places. The King of France is well again. + +2nd. To St. James's, to Mr. Coventry; where I had an hour's +private talk with him concerning his own condition, at present +being under the censure of the House, being concerned with others +in the Bill for selling of offices. He tells me, that though he +thinks himself to suffer much in his fame hereby, yet he values +nothing more of evil to hang over him; for that it is against no +statute, as is pretended, nor more than what his predecessors +time out of mind have taken; and that so soon as he found himself +to be in an errour, he did desire to have his fees set, which was +done; and since that time he hath not taken a token more. He +undertakes to prove, that he did never take a token of any +captain to get him employed in his life beforehand, or demanded +any thing: and for the other accusation, that the Cavaliers are +not employed, he looked over the list of them now in the service, +and of the twenty-seven that are employed, thirteen have been +heretofore always under the King; two neutralls, and the other +twelve men of great courage, and such as had either the King's +particular command or great recommendation to put them in, and +none by himself. Besides that, he sees it is not the King's nor +Duke's opinion that the whole party of the late officers should +be rendered desperate. And lastly, he confesses that the more of +the Cavaliers are put in, the less of discipline hath followed in +the fleet; and that, whenever there comes occasion, it must be +the old ones that must do any good. He tells me, that he cannot +guess whom all this should come from; but he suspects Sir G. +Carteret, as I also do, at least that he is pleased with it. But +he tells me that he will bring Sir G. Carteret to be the first +adviser and instructor of him what is to make his place of +benefit to him; telling him that Smith did make his place worth +5000l. and he believed 7000l. to him the first year; besides +something else greater than all this, which he forbore to tell +me. It seems one Sir Thomas Tomkins [M.P. for Weobly, and one of +the proposed Knights of the Royal Oak, for Herefordshire.] of +the House, that makes many mad motions, did bring it into the +House, saying that a letter was left at his lodgings, subscribed +by one Benson, (which is a feigned name, for there is no such in +the Navy,) telling how many places in the Navy have been sold. +And by another letter, left in the same manner since, nobody +appearing, he writes him that there is one Hughes and another +Butler (both rogues, that have for their roguery been turned out +of their places,) that will swear that Mr. Coventry did sell +their places and other things. I offered him my service, and +will with all my heart serve him; but he tells me he do not think +it convenient to meddle, or to any purpose. To Westminster Hall, +where I hear more of the plot from Ireland; which it seems hath +been hatching, and known to the Lord Lieutenant a great while, +and kept close till within three days that it should have taken +effect. + +4th. In the Hall a good while; where I heard that this day the +Archbishop of Canterbury, Juxon, [William Juxon, made Bishop of +London 1633, translated to Canterbury, 1660.] a man well spoken +of by all for a good man, is dead; and the Bishop of London +[Gilbert Sheldon, who did succeed him.] is to have his seat. +The match between Sir J. Cutts [Of Childerley near Cambridge.] +and my Lady Jemimah, [Lady Jemimah Montagu, daughter to the Earl +of Sandwich.] he says, is likely to go on; for which I am glad. +In the Hall to-day Dr. Pierce tells me that the Queene begins to +be briske, and play like other ladies, and is quite another woman +from what she was. It may be, it may make the King like her the +better, and forsake his two mistresses my Lady Castlemaine and +Stewart. [Spelt indiscriminately in the MS Stuart, Steward, and +Stewart.] + +6th. To York House, where the Russia Embassador do lie; and +there I saw his people go up and down louseing themselves: they +are all in a great hurry, being to be gone the beginning of next +week. But that that pleased me best, was the remains of the +noble soul of the late Duke of Buckingham appearing in his house, +in every place, in the door-cases and the windows. Sir John +Hebden, the Russia Resident, did tell me how he is vexed to see +things at Court ordered as they are by nobody that attends to +business, but every man himself or his pleasures. He cries up my +Lord Ashley to be almost the only man that he sees to look after +business; and with the ease and mastery, that he wonders at him. +He cries out against the King's dealing so much with goldsmiths, +and suffering himself to have his purse kept and commanded by +them. He tells me also with what exact care and order the States +of Holland's stores are kept in their Yards, and every thing +managed there by their builders with such husbandry as is not +imaginable; which I will endeavour to understand further. + +7th. Mrs. Turner, who is often at Court, do tell me to-day that +for certain the Queene hath much changed her humour, and is +become very pleasant and sociable as any; and they say is with +child, or believed to be so. After church to Sir W. Batten's; +where my Lady Batten enveighed mightily against the German +Princesse, and I as high in the defence of her wit and spirit, +and glad that she is cleared at the sessions. + +12th. To the Royal Theatre; and there saw "The Committee," ["The +Committee," a comedy, by Sir Robert Howard.] a merry but +indifferent play, only Lacey's part, an Irish footman, is beyond +imagination. Here I saw my Lord Falconbridge, [Thos. Bellasses +Viscount Falconberg, frequently called Falconbridge, married +Mary, third daughter of Oliver Cromwell. She died 1712.] and +his Lady, my Lady Mary Cromwell, who looks as well as I have +known her, and well clad: but when the House began to fill she +put on her vizard, and so kept it on all the play; which of late +is become a great fashion among the ladies, which hides their +whole face. So to the Exchange, to buy things with my wife; +among others, a vizard for herself. + +13th. To the Royal Theatre; and in our way saw my Lady +Castlemaine, who, I fear, is not so handsome as I have taken her +for, and now she begins to decay something. This is my wife's +opinion also. Yesterday, upon conference with the King in the +Banqueting House, the Parliament did agree with much ado, it +being carried but by forty-two voices, that they would supply him +with a sum of money; but what and how is not yet known, but +expected to be done with great disputes the next week, But if +done at all, it is well. + +15th. To the Trinity House; where, among others, I found my +Lords Sandwich and Craven, and my cousin Roger Pepys, and Sir Wm. +Wheeler. Both at and after dinner we had great discourses of the +nature and power-of spirits, and whether they can animate dead +bodies; in all which, as of the general appearance of spirits, my +Lord Sandwich is very scepticall. He says the greatest warrants +that ever he had to believe any, is the present appearing of the +Devil in Wiltshire, much of late talked of, who beats a drum up +and down. There are books of it, and, they say, very true; but +my Lord observes, that though he do answer to any tune that you +will play to him upon another drum, yet one time he tried to play +and could not; which makes him suspect the whole; and I think it +is a good argument. [Joseph Glanville published a Relation of +the famed disturbance at the house of Mr. Mompesson, at Tedworth, +Wilts, occasioned by the beating of an invisible drum every night +for a year. This story, which was believed at the time, +furnished the plot for Addison's play of "The Drummer, or the +Haunted House," In the "Mercurius Publicus," April 16-23, 1663 +there is a curious examination on this subject, by which it +appears that one William Drury, of Uscut, Wilts, was the +invisible drummer.] + +16th. Dined with Sir W. Batten; who tells me that the House have +voted the supply, intended for the King, shall be by subsidy. + +17th. This day I met with Pierce the surgeon; who tells me that +the King has made peace between Mr. Edward Montagu and his father +Lord Montagu, and that all is well again; at which, for the +family's sake, I am glad, but do not think it will hold long. + +19th. To Lambeth, expecting to have seen the archbishop lie in +state; but it seems he is not laid out yet. At the Privy Seale +Office examined the books, and found the grant of increase of +salary to the principall officers in the year 1639, 300l. among +the Controller, Surveyor, and Clerk to the Shippes. Met Captain +Ferrers; who tells us that the King of France is well again, and +that he saw him train his Guards, all brave men, at Paris; and +that when he goes to his mistress, Madame La Valiere, a pretty +little woman, now with child by him, he goes publicly, and his +trumpets and kettle-drums with him; and yet he says that, for all +this, the Queene do not know of it, for that nobody dares to tell +her; but that I dare not believe. + +22nd. To Westminster, where all along I find the shops evening +with the sides of the houses, even in the broadest streets; which +will make the City very much better than it was. It seems the +House do consent to send to the King to desire that he would be +graciously pleased to let them know who it was that did inform +him of what words Sir Richard Temple [Sir Richard Temple, of +Stowe. Bart, M.P. for Buckingham and K.B. Ob. 1694.] should +say, which were to this purpose: "That if the King would side +with him, or be guided by him and his party, that he should not +lack money:" but without knowing who told it, they do not think +fit to call him to any account for it. The Duke being gone +a-hunting, by and by come in and shifted himself; he having in +his hunting led his horse through a river up to his breast, and +came so home: and being ready, we had a long discourse with him. + +23rd. To the office; and after an hour or two, by water to the +Temple, to my cousen Roger; who, I perceive, is a deadly high man +in the Parliament business, and against the Court, showing me how +they have computed that the King hath spent, at least hath +received, above four millions of money since he come in: and in +Sir J. Winter's case, in which I spoke to him, he is so high that +he says he deserves to be hanged. To the 'Change; and by and by +comes the King and the Queene by in great state, and the streets +full of people. I stood in Mr. --'s balcone. They dine all at +my Lord Mayor's; but what he do for victualls, or room for them, +I know not. + +24th. To St.James's,and there an hour's private discourse with +Mr. Coventry; he speaking of Sir G. Carteret slightly, and +diminishing of his services for the King in Jersey; that he was +well rewarded, and had good lands and rents, and other profits +from the King, all the time he was there; and that it was always +his humour to have things done his way. He brought an example +how he would not let the Castle there be victualled for more than +a month, that so he might keep it at his beck, though the people +of the town did offer to supply it more often themselves. +Another thing he told me, how the Duke of York did give Sir G. +Carteret and the Island his profit as Admirall and other things, +toward the building of of a pier there. But it was never laid +out, nor like to be. So it falling out that a lady being brought +to bed, the Duke was to be desired to be one of the godfathers; +and it being objected that that would not be proper, there being +no peer of the land to be joyned with him, the lady replied, +"Why, let him choose; and if he will not be a godfather without a +peer, then let him even stay till he hath made a pier of his +own." He tells me, too, that he hath lately been observed to +tack about at Court, and to endeavour to strike in with the +persons that are against the Chancellor; but this he says of him, +that he do not say nor do anything to the prejudice of the +Chancellor. But he told me that the Chancellor was rising again, +and that of late Sir G. Carteret's business and employment hath +not been so full as it used to be while the Chancellor stood up. +From that we discoursed of the evil of putting out men of +experience in business as the Chancellor, and of the condition of +the King's party at present, who, as the Papists, though +otherwise fine persons, yet being by law kept for these fourscore +years out of employment, they are now wholly uncapable of +business; and so the Cavaliers for twenty years, who, says he, +for the most part have either given themselves over to look after +country and family business, and those the best of them, and the +rest to debauchery, &c.; and that was it that hath made him high +against the late Bill brought into the House for the making all +men incapable of employment that had served against the King. +People, says he, in the sea-service, it is impossible to do any +thing without them, there being not more than three men of the +whole King's side that are fit to command almost; and these were +Captn. Allen, Smith, and Beech; [Probably Richard Beach, +afterwards knighted, and in 1668 Commissioner at Portsmouth.] +and it may be Holmes, and Utber, and Batts might do something. + +25th. Sir C. Carteret did tell us that upon Tuesday last, being +with my Lord Treasurer, he showed him a letter from Portugall +speaking of the advance of the Spaniards into their country, and +yet that the Portuguese were never more courageous than now: for +by an old prophecy sent thither some years though not many since +from the French King, it is foretold that the Spaniards should +come into their country, and in such a valley they should be all +killed, and then their country should be wholly delivered from +the Spaniards. This was on Tuesday last, and yesterday come the +very first news that in this valley they had thus routed and +killed the Spaniards. + +26th. The House is upon the King's answer to their message about +Temple, which is, that my Lord of Bristoll did tell him that +Temple did say those words; so the House are resolved upon +sending some of their members to him to know the truth, and to +demand satisfaction if it be not true. 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., and Don John [He was a natural son of Philip +IV. King of Spain, who after his father's death in 1666 exerted +his whole influence to overthrow the Regency appointed during the +young King's minority.] of Austria forced to flee with a man or +two with him. + +30th. Public matters are in an ill condition: Parliament +sitting and raising four subsidys for the King, which is but a +little, considering his wants; and yet that parted withal with +great hardness. They being offended to see so much money go, and +no debts of the public's paid, but all swallowed by a luxurious +Court; which the King it is believed and hoped will retrench in a +little time, when he comes to see the utmost of the revenue which +shall be settled on him; he expecting to have his 1,200,000l. +made good to him, which is not yet done by above 150,000l. as he +himself reports to the House. The charge the Navy intended to be +limited to 200,000l. per annum, the ordinary charge of it, and +that to be settled upon the Customes. The King gets greatly +taken up with Madam Castlemaine and Mrs. Stewart, which Heaven +put an end to! + +JULY 1, 1663. Being in the Parliament lobby, I there saw my Lord +of Bristoll come to the Commons House to give his answer to their +question, about some words he should tell the King that were +spoke by Sir Richard Temple. A chair was set at the bar of the +House for him, which he used but little, but made an harangue of +half an hour bareheaded, the House covered. His speech being +done, he come out into a little room till the House had concluded +of an answer to his speech; which they staying long upon, I went +away. And by and by out comes Sis W. Batten; and he told me that +his Lordship had made a long and a comedian-like speech, and +delivered with such action as was not becoming his Lordship. He +confesses he did tell the King such a thing of Sir Richard +Temple, but that upon his honour the words were not spoke by Sir +Richard, he having taken a liberty of enlarging to the King upon +the discourse which had been between Sir Richard and himself +lately; and so took upon himself the whole blame, and desired +their pardon, it being not to do any wrong to their fellow- +member, but out of zeal to the King. He told them, among many +other things, that as to religion he was a Roman Catholick, but +such a one as thought no man to have right to the Crown of +England but the Prince that hath it; and such a one as, if the +King should desire counsel as to his own, he would not advise him +to another religion than the old true reformed religion of this +kingdom as it now stands; and concluded with a submission to what +the House shall do with, him, saying, that whatever they shall +do,--"thanks be to God, this head, this heart, and this sword; +(pointing to them all) will find me a being in any place in +Europe." The House hath hereupon voted clearly Sir Richard +Temple to be free from the imputation of saying those words; but +when Sir William Batten come out, had not concluded what to say +to my Lord, it being argued that to own any satisfaction as to my +Lord from his speech, would be to lay some fault upon the King +for the message he should upon no better accounts send to the +impeaching of one of their members. Walking out, I hear that the +House of Lords are offended that my Lord Digby [Digby, Earl of +Bristol.] should come to this House and make a speech there +without leave first asked of the House of Lords. I hear also of +another difficulty now upon him; that my Lord of Sunderland +[Henry, fourth Lord Spence, and second Earl of Sunderland, +Ambassador to Spain 1671. Ob. 1702.] (whom I do not know) was so +near to the marriage of his daughter, as that the wedding-clothes +were made, and portion and every thing agreed on and ready; and +the other day he goes away nobody yet knows whither, sending her +the next morning a release of his right or claim to her, and +advice to his friends not to enquire into the reason of this +doing, for he hath enough for it; and that he gives them liberty +to say and think what they will of him, so they do not demand the +reason of his leaving her, being resolved never to have her. To +Sir W. Batten, to the Trinity House; and after dinner we fell +a-talking, Mr. Batten telling us of a late triall of Sir Charles +Sedley [Sir Charles Sedley, Bart., celebrated for his wit and +profligacy, and author of several plays. He is said to have been +fined 500l. for this outrage. He was father to James II.'s +mistress, created Countess of Dorchester, and died 1701.] the +other day, before my Lord Chief Justice Foster [Sir Robert +Foster, Knt. Chief Justice of the King's Bench. Ob. 1663.] and +the whole bench, for his debauchery a little while since at +Oxford Kate's. [The details in the original are too gross to +print.] It seems my Lord and the rest of the Judges did all of +them round give him a most high reproofe; my Lord Chief Justice +saying, that it was for him, and such wicked wretches as he was, +that God's anger and judgments hung over us, calling him sirrah +many times. It seems they have bound him to his good behaviour +(there being no law against him for it) in 5000l. It being told +that my Lord Buckhurst was there, my Lord asked whether it was +that Buckhurst that was lately tried for robbery; [See an account +of this, February 22nd, 1661-2.] and when answered yes, he asked +whether he had so soon forgot his deliverance at that time, and +that it would have more become him to have been at his prayers +begging God's forgiveness, than now running into such courses +again. This day I hear at dinner that Don John of Austria, since +his flight out of Portugall, is dead of his wounds: so there is +a great man gone, and a great dispute like to be indeed for the +crown of Spayne, if the King should, have died before him. My +cousin Roger told us the whole passage of my Lord Digby to-day, +much as I have said here above; only that he did say that he +would draw his sword against the Pope himself, if he should offer +any thing against his Majesty, and the good of these nations; and +that he never was the man that did either look for a Cardinal's +cap for himself, or any body else, meaning Abbot Montagu: +[Walter, second son to the first Earl of Manchester, embracing +the Catholic religion while on his travels, was made abbot of +Ponthoise through the influence of Mary de' Medici: he +afterwards became Almoner to the Queen-Dowager of England: and +died 1670.] and the House upon the whole did vote Sir Richard +Temple innocent; and that my Lord Digby hath cleared the honour +of His Majesty, and Sir Richard Temple's, and given perfect +satisfaction of his own respects to the House. + +2nd. Walking in the garden this evening with Sir G. Carteret and +Sir J. Minnes, Sir G. Carteret told us with great content how +like a stage-player my Lord Digby spoke yesterday, pointing to +his head as my Lord did, and saying, "First, for his head," says +Sir G. Carteret, "I know when a calfe's head would have done +better by half: for his heart and his sword, I have nothing to +say to them." He told us that for certain his head cost the late +King his, for it was he that broke off the treaty at Uxbridge. +He told us also how great a man he was raised from a private +gentleman in France by Monsieur Grandmont, and afterwards by the +Cardinal, who raised him to be a Lieutenant-generall, and then +higher; and entrusted by the Cardinal when he was banished out of +France with great matters, and recommended by him to the Queene +as a man to be trusted and ruled by: yet when he come to have +some power over the Queene, he begun to dissuade her from her +opinion of the Cardinal; which she said nothing to till the +Cardinal [Cardinal Mazarin.] was returned, and then she told him +of it; who told my Lord Digby, "Et bien, Monsieur, vous estes un +fort bon amy donc:" but presently put him out of all; and then, +from a certainty of coming in two or three years' time to be +Mareschall of France, (to which all strangers, even Protestants, +and those as often as French themselves, are capable of coming, +though it be one of the greatest places in France,) he was driven +to go out of France into Flanders; but there was not trusted, nor +received any kindness from the Prince of Conde, as one to whom +also he had been false, as he had been to the Cardinal and +Grandmont. In fine, he told us that he is a man of excellent +parts, but of no great faith nor judgment, and one very easy to +get up to great height of preferment, but never able to hold it. + +3rd. Mr. Moore tells me great news that my Lady Castlemaine is +fallen from Court, and this morning retired. He gives me no +account of the reason, but that it is so: for which I am sorry; +and yet if the King do it to leave off not only her but all other +mistresses, I should be heartily glad of it, that he may fall to +look after business. I hear my Lord Digby is condemned at Court +for his speech, and that my Lord Chancellor grows great again. +With Mr. Creed over the water to Lambeth; but could not see the +Archbishop's hearse: so over the fields to Southwarke. I spent +half an hour in St. Mary Overy's Church, where are fine monuments +of great antiquity. + +4th. Sir Allen Apsley [Sir Allen Apsley, a faithful adherent to +Charles I., after the Restoration was made Falconer to the King, +and Almoner to the Duke of York in whose regiment he bore a +commission. He was in 1661 M.P. for Thetford, and died 1683.] +showed the Duke the Lisbon Gazette in Spanish, where the late +victory is set down particularly, and to the great honour of the +English beyond measure. They have since taken back Evora, which +was lost to the Spaniards, the English making the assault, and +lost not more than three men. Here I learnt that the English +foot are highly esteemed all over the world, but the horse not so +much, which yet we count among ourselves the best: but they +abroad have had no great knowledge of our horse, it seems. To +the King's Head ordinary; and a pretty gentleman in our company, +who confirms my Lady Castlemaine's being gone from Court, but +knows not the reason; he told us of one wipe the Queene a little +while ago did give her, when she come in and found the Queene +under the dresser's hands, and had been so long: "I wonder your +Majesty," says she, "can have the patience to sit so long a- +dressing?"--"I have so much reason to use patience," says the +Queene, "that I can very well bear with it." He thinks it may be +the Queene hath commanded her to retire, though that is not +likely. Thence with Creed to hire a coach to carry us to Hide +Parke, to-day there being a general muster of the King's Guards, +horse and foot but they demand so high, that I, spying Mr. Cutler +the merchant, did take notice of him, and he going into his +coach, and telling me that he was going to the muster, I asked +and went along with him; where a goodly sight to see so many fine +horses and officers, and the King, Duke, and others come by a- +horseback, and the two Queenes in the Queene-Mother's coach, (my +Lady Castlemaine not being there). And after long being there, I +light, and walked to the place where the King, Duke, &c. did +stand to see the horse and foot march by and discharge their +guns, to show a French Marquisse (for whom this muster was +caused) the goodness of our firemen; which indeed was very good, +though not without a slip now and then: and one broadside close +to our coach we had going out of the Park, even to the nearnesse +as to be ready to burn our hairs. Yet methought all these gay +men are not the soldiers that must do the King's business, it +being such as these that lost the old King all he had, and were +beat by the most ordinary fellows that could be. Thence with +much ado out of the Park, and through St. James's down the +waterside over to Lambeth, to see the Archhishop's corps, (who is +to be carried away to Oxford on Monday,) but come too late. This +day in the Duke's chamber there being a Roman story in the +hangings, and upon the standard written these four letters-- +S. P. Q. R., Sir G. Carteret came to me to know what the meaning +of those four letters were; which ignorance is not to be borne in +a Privy Counsellor, methinks, what a schoolboy should be whipt +for not knowing. + +6th. At my office all the morning, writing of a list of the +King's ships in my Navy collections with great pleasure. + +7th. In Mr. Pett's garden I eat some of the first cherries I +have eat this year, off the tree where the King himself had been +gathering some this morning. Deane tells me that Mr. Pett did +to-day, that my Lord Bristoll told the King that he will impeach +the Chancellor of High Treason: but I find that my Lord Bristoll +hath undone himself already in everybody's opinion, and now he +endeavours to raise dust to put out other men's eyes, as well as +his own; but I hope it will not take, in consideration merely +that it is hard for a Prince to spare an experienced old officer, +be he never so corrupt; though I hope this man is not so, as some +report him to be. He tells me that Don John is yet alive, and +not killed, as was said, in the great victory against the +Spaniards in Portugall of late. + +9th. Sir W. Pen tells me, my Lady Castlemaine was at Court, for +all this talk this week; but it seems the King is stranger than +ordinary to her. + +10th. I met Pierce the chirurgeon, who tells me that for certain +the King is grown colder to my Lady Castlemaine than ordinary, +and that he believes he begins to love the Queene, and do make +much of her, more than he used to do. Mr. Coventry tells me that +my Lord Bristoll hath this day impeached my Lord Chancellor in +the House of Lords of High Treason. The chief of the articles +are these: 1st. That he should be the occasion of the peace +made with Holland lately upon such disadvantageous terms, and +that he was bribed to it. 2nd. That Dunkirke was also sold by +his advice chiefly, so much to the damage of England. 3rd. That +he had 6000l. given him for the drawing-up or promoting of the +Irish declaration lately, concerning the division of the lands +there. 4th. He did carry on the design of the Portugall match, +so much to the prejudice of the Crown of England, notwithstanding +that he knew the Queene is not capable of bearing children. 5th. +That the Duke's marrying of his daughter was a practice of his, +thereby to raise his family; and that it was done by indiscreet +courses. 6th. As to the breaking-off of the match with Parma, +in which he was employed at the very time when the match with +Portugall was made up here, which he took as a great slur to him, +and so it was; and that, indeed, is the chief occasion of all +this fewde. 7th. That he hath endeavoured to bring in Popery, +and wrote to the Pope for a cap for a subject of the King of +England's (my Lord Aubigny [Brother to the Duke of Lennox, and +Almoner to the King.]); and some say that he lays it to the +Chancellor, that a good Protestant Secretary, (Sir Edward +Nicholas) was laid aside, and a Papist, Sir H. Bennet, put in his +room: which is very strange, when the last of these two is his +own creature, and such an enemy accounted to the Chancellor, that +they never did nor do agree; and all the world did judge the +Chancellor to be falling from the time that Sir H. Bennet was +brought in, Besides my Lord Bristoll being a Catholique himself, +all this is very strange. These are the main of the Articles. +Upon which my Lord Chancellor desired the noble Lord that brought +in these Articles, would sign to them with his hand; which my +Lord Bristoll did presently. Then the House did order that the +Judges should, against Monday next, bring in their opinion, +Whether these articles are treason, or no? and next, they would +know, Whether they were brought in regularly or no, without leave +of the Lords' House? + +11th. By barge to St. Mary's Creeke; where Commissioner Pett, +(doubtful of the growing greatnesse of Portsmouth by the finding +of those creekes there,) do design a wett docke at no great +charge, and yet no little one; he thinks towards 10,000l. And +the place, indeed, is likely to be a very fit place, when the +King hath money to do it with. + +13th. I walked to the Temple; and there, from my cousin Roger, +hear that the Judges have this day brought in their answer to the +Lords, That the articles against my Lord Chancellor are not +Treason; and to-morrow they are to bring in their arguments to +the House for the same. This day also the King did send by my +Lord Chamberlain to the Lords; to tell them from him, that the +most of the articles against my Lord Chancellor he himself knows +to be false. I met the Queene-Mother walking in the Pell Mell, +led by my Lord St. Alban's. And finding many coaches at the +Gate, I found upon enquiry that the Duchesse is brought to bed of +a boy; and hearing that the King and Queene are rode abroad with +the Ladies of Honour to the Parke, and seeing a great crowd of +gallants staying here to see their return, I also staid walking +up and down. By and by the King and Queene, who looked in this +dress (a white laced waistcoate and a crimson short pettycoate, +and her hair dressed A LA NEGLIGENCE) mighty pretty; and the King +rode hand in hand with her. Here was also my Lady Castlemaine +rode among the rest of the ladies; but the King took, methought, +no notice of her; nor when she light, did any body press (as she +seemed to expect, and staid for it,) to take her down, but was +taken down by her own gentlemen. She looked mighty out of +humour, and had a yellow plume in her hat, (which all took notice +of,) and yet is very handsome, but very melancholy: nor did any +body speak to her, or she so much as smile or speak to any body. +I followed them up into White Hall, and into the Queene's +presence, where all the ladies walked, talking and fiddling with +their hats and feathers, and changing and trying one another's by +one another's heads, and laughing. But it was the finest sight +to me, considering their great beautys, and dress, that ever I +did see in all my life. But, above all, Mrs. Stewart in this +dresse, with her hat cocked and a red plume, with her sweet eye, +little Roman nose, and excellent taille, is now the greatest +beauty I ever saw, I think, in my life; and, if ever woman can, +do exceed my Lady Castlemaine, at least in this dress: nor do I +wonder if the King changes, which I verily believe is the reason +of his coldness to my Lady Castlemaine. + +14th. This day I hear the Judges, according to order yesterday, +did bring into the Lords' House their reasons of their judgments +in the business between my Lord Bristoll and the Chancellor; and +the Lords do concur with the Judges that the articles are not +Treason, nor regularly brought into the House, and so voted that +a Committee should be chosen to examine them; but nothing to be +done therein till the next sitting of this Parliament, (which is +likely to be adjourned in a day or two,) and in the mean time the +two Lords to remain without prejudice done to either of them. + +15th. Captain Grove come and dined with me. He told me of +discourse very much to my honour, both as to my care and ability, +happening at the Duke of Albemarle's table the other day, both +from the Duke and the Duchesse themselves; and how I paid so much +a year to him whose place it was of right, and that Mr. Coventry +did report this of me. + +21st. This day the Parliament kept a fast for the present +unseasonable weather. + +22nd. To my Lord Crewe's. My Lord not being come home, I met +and staid below with Captn. Ferrers, who was come to wait upon my +Lady Jemimah to St. James's, she being one of the four ladies +that hold up the mantle at the christening this afternoon of the +Duke's child (a boy). In discourse of the ladies at Court, +Captn. Ferrers tells me that my Lady Castlemaine is now as great +again as ever she was; and that her going away was only a fit of +her own upon some slighting words of the King, so that she called +for her coach at a quarter an hour's warning, and went to +Richmond; and the King the next morning, under pretence of going +a-hunting, went to see her and make friends, and never was a- +hunting at all. After which she came back to Court, and commands +the King as much as ever, and hath and doth what she will. No +longer ago than last night, there was a private entertainment +made for the King and Queene at the Duke of Buckingham's, and she +was not invited: but being at my Lady Suffolk's, [Barbara, +second wife of James Earl of Suffolk, eldest daughter of Sir +Edward Villiers, and widow of Sir Richard Wentworth. She died +Dec. 1681, leaving one daughter, Elizabeth, who married Sir +Thomas Felton, Bart.] her aunt's (where my Lady Jemimah and Lord +Sandwich dined,) yesterday, she was heard to say, "Well, much +good may it do them, and for all that I will be as merry as +they:" and so she went home and caused a great supper to be +prepared. And after the King had been with the Queene at +Wallingford House, [Wallingford House stood on the site of the +present Admiralty: it originally belonged to the Knollys family, +and during the Protectorate the office for granting passes to +persons going abroad was kept there.] he come to my Lady +Castlemaine's, and was there all night, and my Lord Sandwich with +him. He tells me he believes that, as soon as the King can get a +husband for Mrs. Stewart, however, my Lady Castlemaine's nose +will be out of joynt; for that she comes to be in great esteem, +and is more handsome than she. Wotten tells me the reason of +Harris's [Joseph Harris, a celebrated actor, who first appeared +at the Theatre in Lincoln's inn Fields, 1662. He probably died +or left the stage about 1679.] going from Sir Wm. Davenant's +house is, that he grew very proud and demanded 20l. for himself +extraordinary, more than Betterton or any body else, upon every +new play, and 10l. upon every revive which with other things Sir +W. Davenant would not give him, and so he swore he would never +act there more, in expectation of being received in the other +House; but the King will not suffer it, upon Sir W. Davenant's +desire that he would not, for then he might shut up house, and +that is true. We tells me that his going is at present a great +loss to the House, and that he fears he hath a stipend from the +other House privately. He tells me that the fellow grew very +proud of late, the King and every body else crying him up so +high, and that above Betterton he being a more ayery man, as he +is indeed. But yet Betterton, he says, they all say do act some +parts that none but himself can do. I hear that the Moores have +made some attaques upon the outworks of Tangier; but my Lord +Teviott, with the loss of about; 200 men, did beat them of and +killed many of them. To-morrow the King and Queene for certain +go down to Tunbridge. But the King comes back again against +Monday to raise the Parliament. + +25th. Having intended this day to go to Banstead Downes to see a +famous race, I sent Will. to get himself ready to go with me: +but I hear it is put off, because the Lords do sit in Parliament +to-day. After some debate, Creed and I resolved to go to +Clapham, to Mr. Gauden's. [Dennis Gauden, Victualler to the +Navy; subsequently knighted when Sheriff of London.] When I come +there, the first thing was to show me his house, which is almost +built. I find it very regular and finely contrived, and the +gardens and offices about it as convenient and as full of good +variety as ever I saw in my life. It is true he hath been +censured for laying out so much money; but he tells me that he +built it for his brother, who is since dead, (the Bishop [Of +Exeter.]) who when he should come to be Bishop of Winchester, +which he was promised, (to which bishopricke at present there is +no house), he did intend to dwell here. By and by to dinner, and +in comes Mr. Creed; I saluted his lady and the young ladies, and +his sister, the Bishop's widow; who was, it seems, Sir W. +Russel's daughter, the Treasurer of the Navy; who I find to be +very well-bred, and a woman of excellent discourse. Towards the +evening we bade them adieu! and took horse; being resolved that, +instead of the race which fails us, we would go to Epsom. When +we come there we could hear of no lodging the town so full; but +which was better, I went toward Ashsted, and there we got a +lodging in a little hole we could not stand upright in. While +supper was getting I walked up and down behind my cosen Pepys's +house that was, which I find comes little short of what I took it +to be when I was a little boy. + +26th (Lord's day). Up and to the Wells, where a great store of +citizens, which was the greatest part of the company, though +there were some others of better quality. Thence I walked to Mr. +Minnes's house, and thence to Durdan's and walked within the +Court Yard and to the Bowling-green, where I have seen so much +mirth in my time; but now no family in it, (my Lord Barkeley, +whose it is, being with his family at London.) Then rode through +Epsom, the whole town over, seeing the various companys that were +there walking; which was very pleasant to see how they are there +without knowing what to do, but only in the morning to drink +waters. But Lord! to see how many I met there of citizens, that +I could not have thought to have seen there; that they had ever +had it in their heads or purses to go down thither. We went +through Nonesuch Parke to the house, and there viewed as much as +we could of the outside, and looked through the great gates, and +found a noble court; and altogether believe it to have been a +very noble house, and a delicate parke about it, where just now +there was a doe killed for the King to carry up to Court. + +27th. We rode hard home, and see up our horses at Fox Hall, and +I by water (observing the King's barge attending his going to the +House this day) home, it being about one o'clock. By water to +Westminster, and there come most luckily to the Lords' House, as +the House of Commons were going into the Lords' House, and there +I crowded in along with the Speaker, and got to stand close +behind him, where he made his speech to the King (who sat with +his crown on and robes, and so all the Lords in their robes, a +fine sight); wherein he told his Majesty what they have done this +Parliament, and now offered for his royall consent. The greatest +matters were a bill for the Lord's day, (which it seems the Lords +have lost, and so cannot be passed, at which the Commons are +displeased.) The bills against Conventicles and Papists (but it +seems the Lords have not passed them), and giving his Majesty +four entire subsidys; which last, with about twenty smaller Acts, +were passed with this form: The Clerk of the House reads the +title of the bill, and then looks at the end and there finds +(writ by the King I suppose) "Le Roy le veult," and that he +reads. And to others he reads, "Soit fait comme vous desirez." +And to the Subsidys as well that for the Commons, I mean the +layety, as for the Clergy, the King writes, "Le Roy remerciant +les Seigneurs et Prelats et accepte leur benevolences." The +Speaker's speech was far from any oratory, but was as plain +(though good matter) as any thing could be, and void of +elocution. After the bills passed, the King, sitting on his +throne, with his speech writ in a paper which he held in his lap, +and scarce looked off of it all the time he made his speech to +them, giving them thanks for their subsidys, of which, had he not +need, he would not have asked or received them; and that need, +not from any extravagancys of his, he was sure, in any thing, but +the disorders of the times compelling him to be at greater charge +than he hoped for the future, by their care in their country, he +should be: and that for his family expenses and others, he would +labour however to retrench in many things convenient, and would +have all others to do so too. He desired that nothing of old +faults should be remembered, or severity for the same used to any +in the country, it being his desire to have all forgot as well as +forgiven. But, however, to use all care in suppressing any +tumults, &c.; assuring them that the restless spirits of his and +their adversaries have great expectations of something to be done +this summer. And promised that though the Acts about +Conventicles and Papists, were not ripe for passing this +Sessions, yet he would take care himself that neither of them +should in this intervall be encouraged to the endangering of the +peace; and that at their next meeting he would himself prepare +two bills for them concerning them. So he concluded, that for +the better proceeding of justice he did think fit to make this a +Sessions, and to prorogue them to the 16th of March next. His +speech was very plain, nothing at all of spirit in it, nor spoke +with any; but rather on the contrary imperfectly, repeating many +times his words though he read all: which I am sorry to see, it +having not been hard for him to have got all the speech without +booke. So they all went away, the King out of the House at the +upper end, he being by and by to go to Tunbridge to the Queene; +and I in the Painted Chamber spoke with my Lord Sandwich while he +was putting off his robes, who tells me he will now hasten down +into the country. By water to White Hall, and walked over the +Parke to St. James's, but missed Mr. Coventry; and so out again, +and there the Duke was coming along the Pell-Mell. It being a +little darkish, I staid not to take notice of him, but went +directly back again. And in our walk over the Parke, one of the +Duke's footmen come running behind us, and come looking just in +our faces to see who we were, and went back again. What his +meaning is I know not, but was fearful that I might not go far +enough with my hat off. + +29th. To Deptford, reading by the way a most ridiculous play, a +new one, called "The Politician cheated." [A comedy by Alexander +Green.] + +30th. To Woolwich, and there come Sir G. Carteret, and then by +water back to Deptford, where we dined with him at his house. I +find his little daughter Betty, [Her name was Caroline. +Elizabeth died unmarried.] that was in hanging sleeves but a +month or two ago, and is a very little young child, married, and +to whom, but to young Scott, [Thomas, eldest son of Sir Thomas +Scott, of Scott's Hall, in the parish of Smeeth, Kent.] son to +Madam Catharine Scott, [Prince Rupert was supposed to have +intrigued with Mrs. Scott, and was probably the father of the +child.] that was so long in law, and at whose trial I was with +her husband; he pleading that it was unlawfully got and would not +own it, but it seems a little before his death he did owne the +child, and hath left him his estate, not long since. So Sir G. +Carteret hath struck up of a sudden a match with him for his +little daughter. He hath about 2000l. per annum; and it seems +Sir G. C. hath by this means over-reached Sir H. Bennet, who did +endeavour to get this gentleman for a sister of his. By this +means Sir G. Carteret hath married two daughters this year both +very well. [The other daughter was Anne, wife of Sir Nicholas +Slaning, K.B.] The towne talk this day is of nothing but the +great foot-race run this day on Banstead Downes, between Lee, the +Duke of Richmond's footman, and a tyler, a famous runner. And +Lee hath beat him; though the King and Duke of York and all men +almost did bet three or four to one upon the tyler's head. + +31st. To the Exchange, where I met Dr. Pierce, who tells me of +his good luck to get to be groom of the Privy-Chamber to the +Queene, and without my Lord Sandwich's help, but only by his good +fortune, meeting a man that hath let him have his right for a +small matter, about 60l. for which he can every day have 400l. +But he tells me my Lord bath lost much honour in standing so long +and so much for that coxcomb Pickering, and at last not carrying +it for him; but hath his name struck out by the King and Queene +themselves after he had been in ever since the Queene's coming. +But he tells me he believes that either Sir H. Bennet, my Lady +Castlemaine, or Sir Charles Barkeley had received some money for +the place, and so the King could not disappoint them, but was +forced to put out this fool rather than a better man. And I am +sorry to hear what he tells me that Sir Charles Barkeley hath +still such power over the King, as to be able to fetch him from +the Council-table to my Lady Castlemaine when he pleases. He +tells me also, as a friend, the great injury that he thinks I do +myself by being so severe in the Yards, and contracting the ill- +will of the whole Navy for those offices, singly upon myself. +Now I discharge a good conscience therein, and I tell him that no +man can (nor do he say any say it,) charge me with doing wrong; +but rather do as many good offices as any man. They think, he +says, that I have a mind to get a good name with the King and +Duke, who he tells me do not consider any such thing; but I shall +have as good thanks to let all alone, and do as the rest. But I +believe the contrary; and yet I told him I never go to the Duke +alone, as others do, to talk of my own services. However, I will +make use of his council, and take some course to prevent having +the single ill-will of the office. Mr. Grant showed me letters +of Sir William Petty's, wherein he says, that his vessel which he +hath built upon two keeles, (a modell whereof, built for the +King, he showed me) hath this month won a wager of 50l. in +sailing between Dublin and Holyhead with the pacquett-boat, the +best ship or vessel the King hath there; and he offers to lay +with any vessel in the world. It is about thirty ton in burden, +and carries thirty men, with good accommodation, (as much more as +any ship of her burden,) and so any vessel of this figure shall +carry more men, with better accommodation by half, than any other +ship. This carries also ten guns, of about five tons weight. In +their coming back from Holyhead they started together, and this +vessel come to Dublin by five at night, and the pacquett-boat not +before eight the next morning; and when they come they did +believe that this vessel had been drowned, or at least behind, +not thinking she could have lived in that sea. Strange things +are told of this vessel, and he concludes his letter with this +position, "I only affirm that the perfection of sayling lies in +my principle, finde it out who can." + +AUGUST 8, 1663. I with Mr. Coventry down to the water-side, +talking, wherein I see so much goodness and endeavours of doing +the King service, that I do more and more admire him. + +9th. To church, and heard Mr. Mills (who is lately returned out +of the country, and it seems was fetched in by many of the +parishioners, with great state,) preach upon the authority of the +ministers, upon these words, "We are therefore embassadors of +Christ." Wherein, among other high expressions, he said, that +such a learned man used to say, that if a minister of the word +and an angell should meet him together, he would salute the +minister first; which methought was a little too high. This day +I begun to make use of the silver pen (Mr. Coventry did give me,) +in writing of this sermon, taking only the heads of it in Latin, +which I shall, I think, continue to do. + +10th. To the Committee of Tangier, where my Lord Sandwich, my +Lord Peterborough, (whom I have not seen before since his coming +back,) Sir W. Compton, and Mr. Povy. Our discourse about +supplying my Lord Teviott with money, wherein I am sorry to see, +though they do not care for him, yet they are willing to let him +for civility and compliment only have money also without +expecting any account of it; and he being such a cunning fellow +as he is, the King is like to pay dear for our courtier's +ceremony. Thence by coach with my Lords Peterborough and +Sandwich to my Lord Peterborough's house; and there, after an +hour's looking over some fine books of the Italian buildings, +with fine cuts, and also my Lord Peterborough's bowes and arrows, +of which he is a great lover, we sat down to dinner, my Lady +[Penelope, daughter of Barnabas, Earl of Thomond, Countess of +Peterborough.] coming down to dinner also, and there being Mr. +Williamson, [Joseph Williamson, Keeper of the Paper Office at +White Hall, and in 1665 made Under Secretary of State, and soon +afterwards knighted: and in 1674 he became Secretary of State, +which situation he retained four years. He represented Thetford +and Rochester in several Parliaments, and was in 1678 President +of the Royal Society. Ob. 1701.] that belongs to Sir H. Bennet, +whom I find a pretty understanding and accomplished man, but a +little conceited. Yesterday, I am told, that Sir J. Lenthall, +[Son to the Speaker, and Governor of Windsor Castle under +Cromwell. Ob. 1681.] in Southwarke did apprehend about one +hundred Quakers, and other such people, and hath sent some of +them to the gaole at Kingston, it being now the time of the +Assizes. Dr. Pierce tells me the Queene is grown a very +debonnaire lady; but my Lady Castlemaine, who rules the King in +matters of state, and do what she list with him, he believes is +now falling quite out of favour. After the Queene is come back +she goes to the Bath, and so to Oxford, where great +entertainments are making for her. This day I am told that my +Lord Bristoll hath warrants issued out against him, to have +carried him to the Tower, but he is fled away or hid himself. So +much the Chancellor hath got the better of him. + +13th. Met with Mr. Hoole [William, son of Robert Hoole of +Walkeringham, admitted of Magdalene College June 1648.] my old +acquaintance of Magdalene, and walked with him an hour in the +Parke, discoursing chiefly of Sir Samuel Morland, whose lady +[Susanne de Milleville, daughter of Daniel de Milleville, Baron +of Boessen in France, naturalized 1662. When she died I cannot +learn, but Sir Samuel Morland survived a second and a third wife, +both buried in Westminster Abbey.] is gone into France. It +seems he buys ground and a farm in that country, and lays out +money upon building, and God knows what! so that most of the +money he sold his pension of 500l. per annum for to Sir Arthur +Slingsby, [A younger son of Sir Guildford Slingsby, Comptroller +of the Navy, knighted by Charles II., and afterwards created a +Baronet at Brussels 1657, which title has long been extinct.] is +believed is gone. It seems he hath very great promises from the +King, and Boole hath seen some of the King's letters, under his +own hand, to Morland, promising him great things; (and among +others, the order of the Garter, as Sir Samuel says,) but his +lady thought it below her to ask any thing at the King's first +coming, believing the King would do it of himself, when as Hoole +do really think if he had asked to be Secretary of State at the +King's first coming, he might have had it. And the other day at +her going into France, she did speak largely to the King herself, +how her husband hath failed of what his Majesty had promised, and +she was sure intended him; and the King did promise still, as he +is a King and a gentleman, to be as good as his word in a little +time, to a tittle: but I never believe it. + +21st. Meeting with Mr. Creed he told me how my Lord Teviott hath +received another attacque from Guyland at Tangier with 10,000 +men, and at last, as is said, is come, after a personal treaty +with him, to a good understanding and peace with him. + +23rd. To church, and so home to my wife; and with her read "Iter +Boreale," [Robert Wild, a Nonconformist Divine, published a poem +in 1660, upon Monk's march from Scotland to London, called "Iter +Boreale," and Wood mentions three others of the same name by +Eades, Corbett, and Marten, it having been a favourite subject at +that time.] a poem, made first at the King's coming home; but I +never read it before, and now like it pretty well, but not so as +it was cried up. + +24th. At my Lord Sandwich's, where I was a good while alone with +my Lord; and I perceive he confides in me and loves me as he uses +to do, and tells me his condition, which is now very well; all I +fear is that he will not live within compass. There come to him +this morning his prints of the river Tagus and the City of +Lisbon, which he measured with his own hand, and printed by +command of the King. My Lord pleases himself with it, but +methinks it ought to have been better done than by Jobing. +Besides I put him upon having some took off upon white sattin, +which he ordered presently. I offered my lord my accounts, and +did give him up his old bond for 500l. and took a new one of him +for 700l., which I am by lending him more money to make up: and +am glad of it. + +25th. This noon going to the Exchange, I met a fine fellow with +trumpets before him in Leadenhall-street, and upon enquiry I find +that he is the clerke of the City Market; and three or four men +carried each of them an arrow of a pound weight in their hands. +It seems this Lord Mayor [Sir John Frederic.] begins again an old +custome, that upon the three first days of Bartholomew Fayre, the +first, there is a match of wrestling, which was done, and the +Lord Mayor there and the Aldermen in Moorefields yesterday: +second day, shooting: and to-morrow hunting, And this officer of +course is to perform this ceremony of riding through the city, I +think to proclaim or challenge any to shoot. It seems the people +of the faire cry out upon it as a great hindrance to them. + +26th. To White Hall, where the Court full of waggons and horses, +the King and Court going this day out towards the Bath. Pleased +to see Captn. Hickes come to me with a list of all the officers +of Deptford Yard, wherein he, being a high old Cavalier, do give +me an account of every one of them to their reproach in all +respects, and discovers many of their knaverys; and tells me, and +so I thank God I hear every where, that my name is up for a good +husband to the King, and a good man, for which I bless God; and +that he did this by particular direction of Mr. Coventry. + +28th. Cold all night and this morning, and a very great frost +they say abroad, which is much, having had no summer at all +almost. + +SEPTEMBER 2, 1663. To dinner with my Lord Mayor and the +Aldermen, and a very great dinner and most excellent venison, but +it almost made me sick by not daring to drink wine. After dinner +into a withdrawing room; and there we talked, among other things, +of the Lord Mayor's sword. They tell me this sword is at least a +hundred or two hundred years old; and another that he hath, which +is called the Black Sword, which the Lord Mayor wears when he +mournes, but properly is their Lenten sword to wear upon Good +Friday and other Lent days, is older than that. Mr. Lewellin, +lately come from Ireland, tells me how the English interest falls +mightily there, the Irish party being too great, so that most of +the old rebells are found innocent, and their lands, which were +forfeited and bought or given to the English, are restored to +them; which gives great discontent there among the English. +Going through the City, my Lord Mayor told me how the piller set +up by Exeter House is only to show where the pipes of water run +to the City; and observed that this City is as well watered as +any city in the world, and that the bringing of water to the City +hath cost it first and last above 300,000l.; but by the new +building, and the building of St. James's by my Lord St. Albans, +which is now about (and which the City stomach I perceive highly, +but dare not oppose it,) were it now to be done, it would not be +done for a million of money. + +4th. To Westminster Hall, and there bought the first news books +of L'Estrange's writing, he beginning this week; and makes, +methinks, but a simple beginning. [Roger L'Estrange, author of +numerous pamphlets and periodical papers. He was Licenser of the +Press to Charles II. and his successor; and M.P. for Winchester +in James II.'s Parliament. Ob. 1704 aged 88.] This day I read a +Proclamation for calling in and commanding every body to +apprehend my Lord Bristoll. + +5th. I did inform myself well in things relating to the East +Indys; both of the country, and the disappointment the King met +with the last voyage, by the knavery of the Portugall Viceroy, +and the inconsiderableness of the place of Bombaim, [Bombay.] if +we had had it. But, above all things, it seems strange to me +that matters should not be understood before they went out; and +also that such a thing as this, which was expected to be one of +the best parts of the Queene's portion, should not be better +understood; it being, if we had it, but a poor place, and not +really so as was described to our King in the draught of it, but +a poor little island; whereas they made the King and Lord +Chancellor, and other learned men about the King, believe that +that, and other islands which are near it, were all one piece; +and so the draught was drawn and presented to the King, and +believed by the King, and expected to prove so when our men come +thither; but it is quite otherwise. + +12th. Up betimes, and by water to White Hall: and thence to Sir +Philip Warwick, and there had half an hour's private discourse +with him: and did give him some good satisfaction in our Navy +matters, and he also me, as to the money paid and due to the +Navy; so as he makes me assured by particulars, that Sir G. +Carteret is paid within 80,000l. every farthing that we owe to +this day, nay to Michaelmas day next have demanded; and that, I +am sure is above 50,000l. more than truly our expences have been, +whatever is become of the money. Home with great content that I +have thus begun an acquaintance with him, who is a great man, and +a man of as much business as any man in England; which I will +endeavour to deserve and keep. + +22nd. This day the King and Queene are to come to Oxford. I +hear my Lady Castlemaine is for certain gone to Oxford to meet +him, having lain within here at home this week or two, supposed +to have miscarried; but for certain is as great in favour as +heretofore; at least Mrs. Sarah at my Lord's, who hears all from +their own family, do say so. Every day brings news of the +Turke's advance into Germany, to the awakening of all the +Christian Princes thereabouts, and possessing himself of Hungary. + +24th. I went forth by water to Sir Philip Warwick's, where I was +with him a pretty while; and in discourse he tells me, and made +it appear to me that the King cannot be in debt to the Navy at +this time 5000l.; and it is my opinion that Sir G. Carteret do +owe the King money, and yet the whole Navy debt paid. Hence I +parted, being doubtful of myself that I have not spoke with the +gravity and weight that I ought to do in so, great a business. +But I rather hope it is my doubtfulness of myself, and the haste +which he was in, some very great personages waiting for him +without, while he was with me, that made him willing to be gone. + +28th. To White Hall, where Sir J. Minnes and I did spend an hour +in the Gallery, looking upon the pictures, in which he hath some +judgement. And by and by the Commissioners for Tangier met: and +there my Lord Teviott, together with Captain Cuttance, Captain +Evans, and Jonas Moore, sent to that purpose, did bring us a +brave draught of the Mole to be built there; and report that it +is likely to be the most considerable place the King of England +hath in the world; and so I am apt to think it will. After +discourse of this, and of supplying the garrison with some more +horse, we rose; and Sir J. Minnes and I home again, finding the +street about our house full, Sir R. Ford beginning his shrievalty +to-day: and, what with his and our houses being new painted, the +street begins to look a great deal better than it did, and more +gracefull. News that the King comes to town for certain on +Thursday next from his great progress. + +30th. In the afternoon by water to White Hall, to the Tangier +Committee; where my Lord Teviott; which grieves me to see that +his accounts being to be examined by us, there are none of the +great men at the Board that in compliment will except against any +thing in them, and so none of the little persons dare do it: so +the King is abused. + +OCTOBER 5, 1663. My Lord Sandwich sent a messenger to know +whether the King intends to come to Newmarket, as is talked, that +he may be ready to entertain him at Hinchingbroke. + +12th. At St. James's we attended the Duke all of us. And there, +after my discourse, Mr. Coventry of his own accord begun to tell +the Duke how he found that discourse abroad did run to his +prejudice about the fees that he took, and how he sold places and +other things; wherein he desired to appeal to his Highness, +whether he did any thing more than what his predecessors did, and +appealed to us all. So Sir G. Carteret did answer that some fees +were heretofore taken, but what he knows not; only that selling +of places never was nor ought to be countenanced. So Mr. +Coventry very hotly answered to Sir G. Carteret, and appealed to +himself whether he was not one of the first that put him upon +looking after this business of fees, and that he told him that +Mr. Smith should say that he made 50001. the first year, and he +believed he made 7000l. This Sir G. Carteret denied, and said, +that if he did say so he told a lie, for he could not, nor did +know, that ever he did make that profit of his place; but that he +believes he might say, 2500l. the first year. Mr. Coventry +instanced in another thing, particularly wherein Sir G. Carteret +did advise with him about the selling of the auditor's place of +the stores, when in the beginning there was an intention of +creating such an office. This he confessed, but with some +lessening of the tale Mr. Coventry told, it being only for a +respect to my Lord FitzHarding. [Sir Charles Berkeley, mentioned +before, created Lord Berkeley of Rathdown and Viscount +Fitzharding in Ireland, second son to Sir Charles Berkeley of +Bruton, co. Somerset; afterwards made an English peer by the +titles of Lord Botetourt and Earl of Falmouth, and killed in the +great sea-fight, June 1685.] In fine, Mr. Coventry did put into +the Duke's hand a list of above 250 places that he did give +without receiving one farthing, so much as his ordinary fees for +them, upon his life and oath; and that since the Duke's +establishment of fees he had never received one token more of any +man; and that in his whole life he never conditioned or +discoursed of any consideration from any commanders since he come +to the Navy. And afterwards, my Lord Barkeley merrily +discoursing that he wished his profit greater than it was, and +that he did believe that he had got 50,000l. since he come in, +Mr. Coventry did openly declare that his Lordship, or any of us, +should have not only all he had got, but all that he had in the +world, (and yet he did not come a beggar into the Navy, nor would +yet he thought to speak in any contempt of his Royall Highness's +bounty,) and should have a year to consider of it too, for +25,000l. The Duke's answer was, that he wished we all had made +more profit than we had of our places, and that we had all of us +got as much as one man below stayres in the Court, which he +presently named, and it was Sir George Lane. [One of the Clerks +of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Marquis of Ormond.] + +13th. I find at Court, that either the King is doubtful of some +disturbance, or else would seem so, (and I have reason to hope it +is no worse,) by his commanding little commanders of castles, &c. +to repair to their charges; and mustering the Guards the other +day himself, where he found reason to dislike their condition to +my Lord Gerard, finding so many absent men, or dead pays. My +Lady Castlemaine, I hear, is in as great favour as ever, and the +King supped with her the very first night he come from Bath: and +last night and the night before supped with her; when there being +a chine of beef to roast, and the tide rising into their kitchen +that it could not be roasted there, and the cook telling her of +it, she answered "Zounds! she must set the house on fire but it +should be roasted!" So it was carried to Mrs. Sarah's husband's, +and there it was roasted. + +After dinner my wife and I, by Mr. Rawlinson's conduct, to the +Jewish Synagogue: where the men and boys In their vayles, and +the women behind a lettice out of sight; and some things stand +up, which I believe is their law, in a press to which all coming +in do bow; and at the putting on their vayles do say something, +to which others that hear the Priest do cry Amen, and the party +do kiss his vayle. Their service all in a singing way, and in +Hebrew. And anon their Laws that they take out of the press are +carried by several men, four or five several burthens in all, and +they do relieve one another; and whether it is that every one +desires to have the carrying of it, thus they carried it round +about the room while such a service is singing. And in the end +they had a prayer for the King, in which they pronounced his name +in Portugall; but the prayer, like the rest, in Hebrew. But, +Lord! to see the disorder, laughing, sporting, and no attention, +but confusion in all their service, more like brutes than people +knowing the true God, would make a man forswear ever seeing them +more: and indeed I never did see so much, or could have imagined +there had been any religion in the whole world so absurdly +performed as this. + +17th. Some discourse of the Queene's being very sick, if not +dead, the Duke and Duchesse of York being sent for betimes this +morning to come to White Hall to her. + +18th. The parson, Mr. Mills, I perceive, did not know whether to +pray for the Queene or no, and so said nothing about her; which +makes me fear she is dead. But enquiring of Sir J. Minnes, he +told me that he heard she was better last night. + +19th. Waked with a very high wind, and said to my wife, "I pray +God I hear not of the death of any great person, this wind is so +high! fearing that the Queene might be dead. So up; and going +by coach with Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes to St. James's, +they tell me that Sir W. Compton, who it is true had been a +little sickly for a week or fortnight, but was very well upon +Friday at night last at the Tangier Committee with us, was +dead,--died yesterday: at which I was most exceedingly +surprised, he being, and so all the world saying that he was, one +of the worthyest men and best officers of State now in England; +and so in my conscience he was: of the best temper, valour, +ability of mind, integrity, worth, fine person, and diligence of +any one man he hath left behind him in the three kingdoms; and +yet not forty years old, or if so, that is all. I find the sober +men of the Court troubled for him; and yet not so as to hinder or +lessen their mirth, talking, laughing, and eating, drinking, and +doing every thing else, just as if there was no such thing. + +Coming to St. James's, I hear that the Queene did sleep five +hours pretty well to-night, and that she waked and gargled her +mouth, and to sleep again; but that her pulse beats fast, beating +twenty to the King's or my Lady Suffolk's eleven; but not so +strong as it was. It seems she was so ill as to be shaved and +pidgeons put to her feet, and to have the extreme unction given +her by the priests, who were so long about it that the doctors +were angry. The King they all say is most fondly disconsolate +for her, and weeps by her, which makes her weep; which one this +day told me he reckons a good sign, for that it carries away some +rheume from the head. To the Coffee-house in Cornhill; where +much talk about the Turke's proceedings, and that the plague is +got to Amsterdam, brought by a ship from Argier; and it is also +carried to Hambrough. The Duke says the King purposes to forbid +any of their ships coming into the river. The Duke also told us +of several Christian commanders (French) gone over to the Turkes +to serve them; and upon enquiry I find that the King of France do +by this aspire to the Empire, and so to get the Crowne of Spayne +also upon the death of the King, which is very probable, it +seems. + +20th. This evening at my Lord's lodgings Mrs. Sarah talking with +my wife and I how the Queene do, and how the King tends her being +so ill. She tells that the Queene's sickness is the spotted +fever; that she was as full of the spots as a leopard: which is +very strange that it should be no more known; but perhaps it is +not so. And that the King do seem to take it much to heart, for +that he hath wept before her; but, for all that, that he hath not +missed one night since she was sick, of supping with my Lady +Castlemaine; which I believe is true, for she says that her +husband hath dressed the suppers every night; and I confess I saw +him myself coming through the street dressing up a great supper +to-night, which Sarah says is also for the King and her; which is +a very strange thing. + +22nd. This morning, hearing that the Queene grows worse again, I +sent to stop the making of my velvet cloak, till I see whether +she lives or dies. + +23rd. The Queene slept pretty well last night, but her fever +continues upon her still. It seems she hath never a Portuguese +doctor here. + +24th. The Queene is in a good way of recovery; and Sir Francis +Pridgeon, [Vertue (according to Walpole) had seen a portrait of +Dr. Prujeon painted by Streater, and a print of "Opinion sitting +on a tree," thus inscribed: "Viro clariss, Dno. Francisco +Prujeano Medico, omnium bonarum artium et elegantiarum fautori et +admiratori summo; D.D. D.H. Peacham." He was President of the +College of Physicians, 1653.] hath got great honour by it, it +being all imputed to his cordiall, which in her dispaire did give +her rest, and brought her to some hopes of recovery. It seems +that, after much talk of troubles and a plot, something is found +in the North that a party was to rise, and some persons that were +to command it, as I find in a letter that Mr. Coventry read to- +day about it from those parts. + +26th. Dr. Pierce tells me that the Queene is in a way to be +pretty well again, but that her delirium in her head continues +still; that she talks idle not by fits, but always, which in some +lasts a week after so high a fever, in some more, and in some for +ever; that this morning she talked mightily that she was brought +to bed, and that she wondered that she should be delivered +without pin and without being sick, and that she was troubled +that her boy was but an ugly boy. But the King being by, said +"No, it is a very pretty boy."--" Nay," says she, "if it be like +you it is a fine boy indeed, and I would be very well pleased +with it." They say that the Turkes go on apace, and that my Lord +Castlehaven [The eldest son of the infamous Earl of Castlehaven, +had a new creation to his father's forfeited titles, in 1634, and +died c.p. 1684. He had served with distinction under the Duke of +Ormond, and afterwards joined Charles II. at Paris.] is going to +raise 10,000 men here for to go against him; that the King of +France do offer to assist the Empire upon condition that he may +be their Generalissimo, and the Dolphin chosen King of the +Romans: and it is said that the King of France do occasion this +difference among the Christian Princes of the Empire, which gives +the Turke such advantages. They say also that the King of Spayne +is making all imaginable force against Portugall again. + +27th. Mr. Coventry tells me to-day that the Queene had a very +good night last night; but yet it is strange that still she raves +and talks of little more than of her having of children, and +fancys now that she hath three children, and that the girle is +very like the King. And this morning about five o'clock, the +physician feeling her pulse, thinking to be better able to judge, +she being still and asleep, waked her, and the first word she +said was, "How do the children?" + +29th. To Guild Hall; and meeting with Mr. Proby, (Sir R. Ford's +son,) and Lieutenant-Colonel Baron, a City commander, we went up +and down to see the tables; where under every salt there was a +bill of fare, and at the end of the table the persons proper for +the table. Many were the tables, but none in the Hall but the +Mayor's and the Lords of the Privy Council that had napkins or +knives, which was very strange. We went into the Buttry, and +there stayed and talked, and then into the Hall again: and there +wine was offered and they drunk, I only drinking some hypocras, +which do not break my vowe, it being to the best of my present +judgement, only a mixed compound drink, and not any wine. If I +am mistaken, God forgive me! but I hope and do think I am not. +By and by met with Creed; and we, with the others, went within +the several Courts, and there saw the tables prepared for the +Ladies and Judges and Bishops: all great sign of a great dinner +to come. By and by about one o'clock, before the Lord Mayor +come, come into the Hall, from the room where they were first led +into, the Lord Chancellor (Archbishop before him,) with the Lords +of the Council, and other Bishopps, and they to dinner. Anon +comes the Lord Mayor, who went up to the lords, and then to the +other tables to bid wellcome; and so all to dinner. I set near +Proby, Baron, and Creed at the Merchant Strangers' table; where +ten good dishes to a messe, with plenty of wine of all sorts, of +which I drunk none; but it was very unpleasing that we had no +napkins nor change of trenchers, and drunk out of earthen +pitchers and wooden dishes. It happened that after the lords had +half dined, come the French Embassador up to the lords' table, +where he was to have sat; he would not sit down nor dine with the +Lord Mayor, who was not yet come, nor have a table to himself, +which was offered; but in a discontent went away again. After I +had dined, I and Creed rose and went up and down the house, and +up to the ladys' room, and there stayed gazing upon them. But +though there were many and fine, both young and old, yet I could +not discern one handsome face there; which was very strange. I +expected musique, but there was none but only trumpets and drums, +which displeased me. The dinner, it seems, is made by the Mayor +and two Sheriffs for the time being, the Lord Mayor paying one +half, and they the other. And the whole, Proby says, is reckoned +to come to about 7 or 800l. at most. The Queene mends apace, +they say; but yet talks idle still. + +30th. To my great sorrow find myself 43l. worse than I was the +last month, which was then 760l. and now it is but 717l. But it +hath chiefly arisen from my layings-out in clothes for myself and +wife; viz. for her about 12l. and for myself 55l., or +thereabouts: having made myself a velvet cloak, two new cloth +skirts, black, plain both; a new shag gown, trimmed with gold +buttons and twist, with a new hat, and silk tops for my legs, and +many other things, being resolved, henceforward to go like +myself. And also two perriwiggs, one whereof costs me 3l. and +the other 40s. I have worn neither yet, but will begin next +week, God willing. The Queene continues light-headed, but in +hopes to recover. The plague is much in Amsterdam, and we in +fear of it here, which God defend. The Turke goes on mighty in +the Emperor's dominions, and the Princes cannot agree among +themselves how to go against him. + +NOVEMBER 2, 1663. Up, and by coach to White Hall, and there in +the long matted Gallery I find Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, +and Sir W. Batten; and by and by comes the King to walk there +with three or four with him; and soon as he saw us, says he, +"Here is the Navy Office," and there walked twenty turns the +length of the gallery, talking, methought, but ordinary talk. By +and by come the Duke, and he walked, and at last they went into +the Duke's lodgings. The King staid so long that we could not; +discourse with the Duke, and so we parted. I heard the Duke say +that he was going to wear a perriwigg; and they say the King also +will. I never till this day observed that the King is mighty +gray, + +6th. Lord Sandwich tells me how Mr. Edward Montagu begins to +show respect to him again after his endeavouring to bespatter him +all was possible; but he is resolved never to admit him into his +friendship again. He tells me how he and Sir H. Bennet, the Duke +of Buckingham and his Duchesse, was of a committee with somebody +else for the getting of Mrs. Stewart for the King; but that she +proves a cunning slut, and is advised at Somerset House by the +Queene-Mother, and by her mother, and so all the plot is spoiled +and the whole committee broke, Mr. Montagu and the Duke of +Buckingham fallen a-pieces, the Duchesse going to a nunnery; and +so Montagu begins to enter friendship with my Lord, and to attend +the Chancellor whom he had deserted. My Lord tells me that Mr. +Montagu, among other things, did endeavour to represent him to +the Chancellor's sons as one that did desert their father in the +business of my Lord of Bristoll; which is most false, being the +only man that hath several times dined with him when no soul hath +come to him, and went with him that very day home when the Earl +impeached him in the Parliament House, and hath refused ever to +pay a visit to my Lord of Bristoll, not so much as in return to a +visit of his. So that the Chancellor and my Lord are well known +and trusted one by another. But yet my Lord blames the +Chancellor for desiring to have it put off to the next Sessions +of Parliament, contrary to my Lord Treasurer's advice, to whom he +swore he would not do it: and, perhaps, my Lord ChanceIlor, for +ought I see by my Lord's discourse, may suffer by it when the +Parliament comes to sit. My Lord tells me that he observes the +Duke of York do follow and understand business very well, and is +mightily improved thereby. + +8th. To church, where I found that my coming in a perriwigg did +not prove so strange as I was afraid it would, for I thought that +all the church would presently have cast their eyes all upon me. + +9th. To the Duke, where, when we come into his closet, he told +us that; Mr. Pepys was so altered with his new perriwigg that he +did not know him. So to our discourse, and among and above other +things we were taken up in talkings upon Sir J. Lawson's coming +home, he being come to Portsmouth; and Captain Berkely is come to +town with a letter from the Duana of Algier to the King, wherein +they do demand again the searching of our ships and taking out of +strangers, and their goods; and that what English ships are taken +without the Duke's pass they will detain (though it be flat +contrary to the words of the peace,) as prizes, till they do hear +from our King, which they advise him may be speedy. And this +they did the very next day after they had received with great joy +the Grand Seignor's confirmation of the Peace from Constantinople +by Captain Berkely; so that there is no command nor certainty to +be had of these people. The King is resolved to send his will by +a fleet of ships; and it is thought best and speediest to send +these very ships that are now come home, five sail of good ships, +back again after cleaning, victualling, and paying them. But it +is a pleasant thing to think how their Basha, Shavan Aga, did +tear his hair to see the soldiers order things thus; for (just +like his late predecessors,) when they see the evil of war with +England, then for certain they complain to the Grand Seignor of +him, and cut his head off: this he is sure of, and knows as +certain. Thence to Westminster Hall, where I met with Mr. +Pierce, surgeon: and among other things he asked me seriously +whether I knew any thing of my Lord's being out of favour with +the King; and told me, that for certain the King do take mighty +notice of my Lord's living obscurely in a corner not like +himself, and becoming the honour that he is come to. I was sorry +to hear, and the truth is, from my Lord's discourse among his +people (which I am told) of the uncertainty of princes' favour, +and his melancholy keeping from Court, I am doubtful of some such +thing; but I seemed wholly strange to him in it, but will make my +use of it. We told me also how loose the Court is, nobody +looking after business, but every man his lust and gain; and how +the King is now become besotted upon Mrs Stewart, that he gets +into corners, and will be with her half an hour together kissing +her to the observation of all the world; and she now stays by +herself and expects it, as my Lady Castlemaine did used to do; to +whom the King, he says, is still kind, so as now and then he goes +to her as he believes; but with no such fondness as he used to +do. But yet it is thought that this new wench is so subtle, that +it is verily thought if the Queene had died, he would have +married her. Mr. Blackburne and I fell to talk of many things, +wherein he was very open to me: first, in that of religion, he +makes it greater matter of prudence for the King and Council to +suffer liberty of conscience; and imputes the loss of Hungary to +the Turke from the Emperor's denying them this liberty of their +religion. He says that many pious ministers of the word of God, +some thousands of them, do now beg their bread: and told me how +highly the present clergy carry themselves every where so as that +they are hated and laughed at by every body; among other things, +for their excommunications, which they send upon the least +occasions almost that can be. And I am convinced in my +judgement, not only from his discourse, but my thoughts in +general, that the present clergy will never heartily go down with +the generality of the commons of England; they have been so used +to liberty and freedom, and they are so acquainted with the pride +and debauchery of the present clergy. He did give me many +stories of the affronts which the clergy receive in all places of +England from the gentry and ordinary persons of the parish. He +do tell me what the City thinks of General Monk, as of a most +perfidious man that hath betrayed every body, and the King also; +who, as he thinks, and his party, and so I have heard other good +friends of the King say, it might have been better for the King +to have had his hands a little bound for the present, than be +forced to bring such a crew of poor people about him, and be +liable to satisfy the demands of every one of them. He told me +that to his knowledge, (being present at every meeting at the +Treaty at the Isle of Wight,) that the old King did confess +himself over-ruled and convinced in his judgement against the +Bishopps, and would have suffered and did agree to exclude the +service out of the churches, nay his own chapell; and that he did +always say, that this he did not by force, for that he would +never abate one inch by any violence; but what he did was out of +his reason and judgement. He tells me that the King by name, +with all his dignities, is prayed for by them that they call +Fanatiques, as heartily and powerfully as in any of the other +churches that are thought better: and that, let the King think +what he will, it is them that must help him in the day of warr. +For so generally they are the most substantiall sort of people, +and the soberest; and did desire me to observe it to my Lord +Sandwich, among other things, that of all the old army now you +cannot see a man begging about the streets; but what? You shall +have this captain turned a shoemaker; the lieutenant, a baker; +this a brewer; that a haberdasher; this common soldier, a porter; +and every man in his apron and frock, &c., as if they had never +done anything else: whereas the other go with their belts and +swords, swearing and cursing, and stealing; running into people's +houses, by force oftentimes, to carry away something; and this is +the difference between the temper of one and the other; and +concludes (and I think: with some reason,) that the spirits of +the old parliament soldiers are so quiet and contented with God's +providences, that the King is safer from any evil meant him by +them one thousand times more than from his own discontented +Cavalier. And then to the publick management of business: it is +done, as he observes, so loosely and so carelessly, that the +kingdom can never be happy with it, every man looking after +himself, and his own lust and luxury; and that half of what money +the Parliament gives the King is not so much as gathered. And to +the purpose he told me how the Bellamys (who had some of the +northern counties assigned them for their debt for the petty +warrant victnalling) have often complained to him that they +cannot get it collected, for that nobody minds, or if they do, +they won't pay it in. Whereas (which is a very remarkable +thing,) he hath been told by some of the Treasurers at Warr here +of late, to whom the most of the 120,000l. monthly was paid, that +for most months the payments were gathered so duly, that they +seldom had so much or more than 40s. or the like short in the +whole collection; whereas now the very Commissioners for +Assessments and other publick payments are such persons, and +those that they choose in the country so like themselves, that +from top to bottom there is not a man carefull of any thing, or +if he be, is not solvent; that what between the beggar and the +knave, the King is abused the best part of all his revenue. We +then talked of the Navy, and of Sir W. Pen's rise to be a +general. We told me he was always a conceited man, and one that +would put the best side outward, but that it was his pretence of +sanctity that brought him into play. Lawson, and Portman, and +the fifth-monarchy men, among whom he was a great brother, +importuned that he might be general; and it was pleasant to see +how Blackburne himself did act it, how when the Commissioners of +the Admiralty would enquire of the captains and admirals of such +and such men, how they would with a sigh and casting up the eyes +say, "such a man fears the Lord," or, "I hope such a man hath the +Spirit of God." But he tells me that there was a cruel articling +against Pen after one fight, for cowardice, in putting himself +within a coyle of cables, of which he had much ado to acquit +himself: and by great friends did it, not without remains of +guilt, but that his brethren had a mind to pass it by, and Sir H. +Vane did advise him to search his heart, and see whether this +fault or a greater sin was not the occasion of this so great +tryall. And he tells me, that what Pen gives out about +Cromwell's sending and entreating him to go to Jamaica, is very +false; he knows the contrary; besides, the Protector never was a +man that needed to send for any man, specially such a one as he, +twice. He tells me that the business of Jamaica did miscarry +absolutely by his pride, and that when he was in the Tower he +would cry like a child. And that just upon the turne, when Monk +was come from the North to the City, and did begin to think of +bringing in the King, Pen was then turned Quaker. That Lawson +was never counted any thing but only a seaman, and a stout man, +but a false man, and that now he appears the greatest hypocrite +in the world. And Pen the same. He tells me that it is much +talked of, that the King intends to legitimate the Duke of +Monmouth; and that neither he, nor his friends of his persuasion, +have any hopes of getting their consciences at Liberty but by God +Almighty's turning of the King's heart, which they expect, and +are resolved to live and die in quiet hopes of it; but never to +repine, or act any thing more than by prayers towards it. And +that not only himself but; all of them have, and are willing at +any time to take the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. Mr. +Blackburne observed further to me, some certain notice that he +had of the present plot; so much talked of; that he was told by +Mr. Rushworth, [John Rushworth, Clerk assistant to the House of +Commons, and author of the Historical Collections. Ob. 1690.] +how one Captain Oates, a great discoverer, did employ several to +bring and seduce others into a plot, and that one of his agents +met with one that would not listen to him, nor conceal what he +had offered him, but so detected the trapan. He also did much +insist upon the cowardice and corruption of the King's guards and +militia. + +11th. At noon to the Coffee-house, were with Dr. Allen some good +discourse about physick and chymistry. And among other things, I +telling him what Dribble the German Doctor do offer of an +instrument to sink ships; he tells me that which is more strange, +that something made of gold, which they call in chymistry AURUM +FULMINANS, a grain, I think he said, of it put into a silver +spoon and fired, will give a blow like a musquett, and strike a +hole through the silver spoon downward, without the least force +upward; and this he can make a cheaper experiment of, he says, +with iron prepared. + +15th. This day being our Queene's birthday, the guns of the +Tower went all off; and in the evening the Lord Mayor sent from +church to church to order the constables to cause bonfires to be +made in every street, which methinks is a poor thing to be forced +to be commanded. + +19th. With Sir G. Carteret to my Lord Treasurer, to discourse +with him about Mr. Gauden's having of money, and to offer to him +whether it would not be necessary, Mr. Gauden's credit being so +low as it is, to take security of him if he demands any great +sum, such as 20,000l. which now ought to be paid him upon his +next year's declaration. Which is a sad thing, that being +reduced to this by us, we should be the first to doubt his +credit; but so it is. However, it will be managed with great +tenderness to him. My Lord Treasurer we found in his bed- +chamber, being laid up of the goute. I find him a very ready +man, and certainly a brave servant to the King: he spoke so +quick and sensible of the King's charge. Nothing displeased me +in him but his long nails, which he lets grow upon a pretty thick +white short hand, that it troubled me to see them. In our way +Sir G. Carteret told me there is no such thing likely yet as a +Dutch war, neither they nor we being in condition for it, though +it will come certainly to that in some time, our interests lying +the same way, that is to say, in trade. But not yet. + +20th. A great talk there is to-day of a crush between some of +the Fanatiques up in arms and the King's men in the North; but +whether true I know not yet. + +22nd. At chapel I had room in the Privy Seale pew with other +gentlemen, and there heard Dr. Killigrew preach. [Henry, +youngest son of Sir Robert Killigrew, D.D., Prebendary of +Westminster, and Master of the Savoy, and author of some plays +and sermons. His daughter Anne was the celebrated poetess.] The +anthem was good after sermon, being the fifty-first psalme, made +for five voices by one of Captn. Cooke's boys, a pretty boy. And +they say there are four or five of them that can do as much. And +here I first perceived that the King is a little musicall, and +kept good time with his hand all along the anthem. + +23rd. With Alderman Backewell talking of the new money, which he +says will never be counterfeited, he believes; but it is so +deadly inconvenient for telling, it is so thick, and the edges +are made to turn up. + +26th. The plague, it seems, grows more and more at Amsterdam; +and we are going upon making of all ships coming from thence and +Hambrough, or any other infected places, to perform their +Quarantine (for thirty days as Sir Rd. Browne expressed it in the +order of the Council, contrary to the import of the word, though +in the general acceptation it signifies now the thing, not the +time spent in doing it) in Holehaven, a thing never done by us +before. + +28th. To Paul's Church Yard, and there looked upon the second +part of Hudibras, which I buy not, but borrow to read, to see if +it be as good as the first, which the world cried so mightily up, +though it hath not a good liking in me, though I had tried but +twice or three times reading to bring myself to think it witty. +To-day for certain I am told how in Holland publickly they have +pictured our King with reproach. One way is with his pockets +turned the wrong side outward, hanging out empty; another with +two courtiers picking of his pockets; and a third, leading of two +ladies, while other abuse him; which amounts to great contempt. + +29th (Lord's day). This morning I put on my best black cloth +suit, trimmed with scarlett ribbon, very neat, with my cloak +lined with velvett, and a new beaver, which altogether is very +noble, with my black silk knit canons I bought a month ago. + +30th. At White Hall Sir W. Pen and I met the Duke in the matted +Gallery, and there he discoursed with us; and by and by my Lord +Sandwich come and stood by, and talked; but it being St. +Andrew's, and a collar-day, he went to the Chapel, and we parted. + +DECEMBER 1, 1663. After dinner I to Guild Hall to hear a trial +at King's Bench, before Lord Chief Justice Hide, [Sir Robert +Hyde. Ob. 1665.] about the insurance of a ship; and it was +pleasant to see what mad sort of testimonys the seamen did give, +and could not be got to speak in order: and then their terms +such as the Judge could not understand; and to hear how sillily +the Counsel and Judge would speak as to the terms necessary in +the matter, would make one laugh: and above all, a Frenchman +that was forced to speak in French, and took an English oath he +did not; understand, and had an interpreter sworn to tell us what +he said, which was the best testimony of all. + +3rd. This day Sir G. Carteret did tell us at the table, that the +Navy (excepting what is due to the Yards upon the quarter now +going on, and what few bills he hath not heard of,) is quite out +of debt; which is extraordinary good news, and upon the 'Change +to hear how our credit goes as good as any merchant's upon the +'Change is a joyfull thing to consider, which God continue! I am +sure the King will have the benefit of it, as well as we some +peace and creditt. + +7th. I hear there was the last night the greatest tide that ever +was remembered in England to have been in this river: all White +Hall having been drowned. At White Hall; and anon the King and +Duke and Duchesse come to dinner in the vane-roome, where I never +saw them before; but it seems since the tables are done, he dines +there all-together. The Queene is pretty well, and goes out of +her chamber to her little chapel in the house. The King of +France, they say is hiring of sixty sail of ships of the Dutch, +but it is not said for what design. + +8th. To White Hall, where a great while walked with my Lord +Teviott, whom I find a most carefull, thoughtfull, and cunning +man, as I also ever took him to be. He is this day bringing in +an account where he makes the King debtor to him 10,000l. already +on the garrison of Tangier account; but yet demands not ready +money to pay it, but offers such ways of paying it out of the +sale of old decayed provisions as will enrich him finely. + +10th. To St. Paul's Church Yard, to my bookseller's, and could +not tell whether to lay out my money for books of pleasure, as +plays, which my nature was most earnest in; but at last, after +seeing Chaucer, Dugdale's History of Paul's, Stow's London, +Gesner, History of Trent, besides Shakespeare, Jonson, and +Beaumont's plays, I at last chose Dr. Fuller's Worthys, the +Cabbala or Collections of Letters of State, and a little book, +Delices de Hollande, with another little book or two, all of good +use or serious pleasure; and Hudibras, both parts, the book now +in greatest fashion for drollery, though I cannot, I confess, see +enough where the wit lies. My mind being thus settled, I went by +link home, and so to my office, and to read in Rushworth; and so +home to supper and to-bed. Calling at Wotton's, my shoemaker's, +to-day, he tells me that Sir H. Wright is dying and that Harris +is come to the Duke's house again; and of a rare play to be acted +this week of Sir William Davenant's. The story of Henry the +Eighth with all his wives. + +11th. At the Coffee-house I went and sat by Mr. Harrington, and +some East country merchants, and talking of the country above +Quinsborough, [Perhaps Mr. Harrington invented the name of this +place, and the account of the country.] and thereabouts, he told +us himself that for fish, none there the poorest body will buy a +dead fish, but must be alive, unless it be in the winter; and +then they told us the manner of putting their nets into the +water. Through holes made in the thick ice, they will spread a +net of half a mile long; and he hath known a hundred and thirty +and a hundred and seventy barrels of fish taken at one draught. +And then the people come with sledges upon the ice, with snow at +the bottome, and lay the fish in and cover them with snow, and so +carry them to market. And he hath seen when the said fish have +been frozen in the sledge, so as he hath taken a fish and broke +a-pieces, so hard it hath been; and yet the same fishes taken out +of the snow, and brought into a hot room, still be alive and leap +up and down. Swallows are often brought up in their nets out of +the mudd from under water, hanging together to some twigg or +other, dead in ropes, and brought to the fire will come to life. +Fowl killed in December (Alderman Barker said) he did buy, and +putting into the box under his sledge, did forget to take them +out to eate till Aprill next, and they then were found there, and +were through the frost as sweet and fresh and eat as well as at +first killed. Young beares appear there; their flesh sold in +market as ordinarily as beef here, and is excellent sweet meat. +They tell us that beares there do never hurt any body, but fly +away from you, unless you pursue and set upon them; but wolves do +much mischief. Mr. Harrington told us how they do to get so much +honey as they send abroad. They make hollow a great fir-tree, +leaving only a small slitt down straight in one place, and this +they close up again, only leave a little hole, and there the bees +go in and fill the bodys of those trees as full of wax and honey +as they can hold; and the inhabitants at times go and open the +slit, and take what they please without killing the bees, and so +let them live there still and make more. Fir trees are always +planted close together, because of keeping one another from the +violence of the windes, and when a fellit is made, they leave +here and there a grown tree to preserve the young ones coming up. +The great entertainment and sport of the Duke of Corland, and the +princes thereabouts, is hunting; which is not with dogs as we, +but he appoints such a day, and summonses all the country people +as to a campagnia; and by several companies gives every one their +circuit, and they agree upon a place where the toyle is to be +set; and so making fires every company as they go, they drive all +the wild beasts, whether bears, wolves, foxes, swine, and stags, +and roes, into the toyle; and there the great men have their +stands in such and such places, and shoot at what they have a +mind to, and that is their hunting. They are not very populous +there, by reason that people marry women seldom till they are +towards or above thirty; and men thirty or forty, or more +oftentimes, years old. Against a public hunting the Duke sends +that no wolves be killed by the people; and whatever harm they +do, the Duke makes it good to the person that suffers it: as Mr. +Harrington instanced in a house were he lodged, where a wolfe +broke into a hog-stye, and bit three or four great pieces off of +the back of the hog, before the house could come to help it; and +the man of the house told him that there were three or four +wolves thereabouts that did them great hurt; but it was no +matter, for the Duke was to make it good to him, otherwise he +would kill them. + +12th. We had this morning a great dispute between Mr. Gauden, +Victualler of the Navy, and Sir J. Lawson, and the rest of the +Commanders going against Argier, about their fish and keeping of +Lent; which Mr. Gauden so much insists upon to have it observed, +as being the only thing that makes up the loss of his dear +bargain all the rest of the year. This day I heard my Lord +Barkeley tell Sir G. Carteret that he hath letters from France +that the King hath emduked twelve Dukes, only to show his power, +and to crush his nobility, who he said he did see had heretofore +laboured to cross him. And this my Lord Barkeley did mightily +magnify, as a sign of a brave and vigorous mind that what he saw +fit to be done he dares do. + +14th. To the Duke, where I heard a large discourse between one +that goes over an agent from the King to Legorne and thereabouts, +to remove the inconveniences his ships are put to by denial of +pratique; which is a thing that is now-a-days made use of only as +a cheat, for a man may buy a bill of health for a piece of eight, +and my enemy may agree with the Intendent of the Sante for ten +pieces of eight or so, that he shall not give me a bill of +health, and so spoil me in my design, whatever it be. This the +King will not endure, and so resolves either to have it removed, +or to keep all ships from coming in, or going out there, so long +as his ships are stayed for want hereof. But among other things, +Lord! what an account did Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten make +of the pulling down and burning of the head of the Charles, where +Cromwell was placed with people under his horse, and Peter, as +the Duke called him, is praying to him; and Sir J. Minnes would +needs infer the temper of the people from their joy at the doing +of this and their building a gibbet for the hanging of his head +up, when, God knows, it is even the flinging away of 100l. out of +the King's purse, to the building of another, which it seems must +be a Neptune. To the King's Head ordinary, and there dined among +a company of fine gentlemen; some of them discoursed of the King +of France's greatness, and how he is come to make the Princes of +the Blood to take place of all foreign Embassadors, which it +seems is granted by them of Venice and other States, and expected +from my Lord Hollis, [Denzil Hollis, second son of John, first +Earl of Clare, created in 1661 Baron Hollis of Ifield, afterwards +Plenipotentiary for the Treaty of Breda. Ob. 1679-80, aged 82.] +our King's Embassador there; and that either upon that score or +something else he hath not had his entry yet in Paris, but hath +received several affronts, and among others his harnesse cut, and +his gentlemen of his horse killed, which will breed bad blood if +true. They say also that the King of France hath hired +threescore ships of Holland, and forty of the Swede, but nobody +knows what to do: but some great designs he hath on foot; +against the next year. + +2lst. To Shoe Lane to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there, a +spot I was never at in my life: but Lord! to see the strange +variety of people, from Parliament-man (by name Wildes, that was +Deputy Governor of the Tower when Robinson was Lord Mayor) to the +poorest 'prentices, bakers, brewers, butchers, draymen, and what +not; and all these fellows one with, another cursing and betting. +I soon had enough of it. It is strange to see how people of this +poor rank, that look as if they had not bread to put in their +mouths, shall bet three or four pounds at a time, and lose it, +and yet bet as much the next battle, so that one of them will +lose 10 or 20l. at a meeting. Thence to my Lord Sandwich's, +where I find him within with Captain Cooke and his boys, Dr. +Childe, Mr. Madge, and Mallard, playing and singing over my +Lord's anthem which he hath made to sing in the King's Chapel: +my Lord took me into the withdrawing room to hear it, and indeed +it sounds very pretty, and is a good thing, I believe to be made +by him, and they all commend it. + +22nd. I hear for certain that my Lady Castlemaine is turned +Papist, which the Queene for all do not much like, thinking that +she do it not for conscience sake. ["Le marriage du Chevalier de +Grammont," (says the Count d'Estrades in a letter written to his +Royal Master, Louis XIV. about this time.) "et la conversion de +Madame de Castlemaine se sont publiez le meme jour: et le Roy +d'Angleterre estant tant prie par les parents de la Dame +d'aporter quelque obstacle a cette action, repondit galamment que +pour l'ame des Dames, il ne s'en meloit point."] I heard to-day +of a great fray lately between Sir H. Finch's coachman, who +struck with his whip a coachman of the King's, to the loss of one +of his eyes; at which the people of the Exchange seeming to laugh +and make sport with some words of contempt to him, my Lord +Chamberlin did come from the King to shut up the 'Change, and by +the help of a justice, did it; but upon petition to the King it +was opened again. At noon I to Sir R. Ford's, where Sir Richard +Browne and I met upon the freight of a barge sent to France to +the Duchesse of Orleans; and here by discourse I find they +greatly cry out against the choice of Sir John Cutler to be +treasurer of Paul's, upon condition that he gives 1500l. towards +it; and it seems he did give it upon condition that he might be +Treasurer for the work, which, they say will be worth three times +as much money: and talk as if his being chosen to the office +will make people backward to give, but I think him as likely a +man as either of them, and better. + +28th. Walking through White Hall I heard the King was gone to +play at Tennis, so I down to the New Tennis Court, and saw him +and Sir Arthur Slingsby play against my Lord of Suffolke and my +Lord Chesterfield. The King beat three, and lost two sets, they +all, and he particularly playing well, I thought. Thence went +and spoke with the Duke of Albemarle about his wound at Newhall, +but I find him a heavy dull man, methinks, by his answers to me. + +3lst. The Queene after a long and sore sickness is become well +again; and the King minds his mistress a little too much, if it +pleased God! but I hope all things will go well, and in the Navy +particularly, wherein I shall do my duty whatever comes of it. +The great talk is the design of the King of France, whether +against the Pope or King of Spain nobody knows; but a great and a +most promising Prince he is, and all the Princes of Europe have +their eye upon him. The Turke very far entered into Germany, and +all that part of the world at a loss what to expect from his +proceedings. Myself, blessed be God! in a good way, and design +and resolution of sticking to my business to get a little money +with, doing the best service I can to the King also; which God +continue! So ends the old year. + +JANUARY 1, 1663-4. At the Coffee-house, where much talking about +a very rich widow, young and handsome, of one Sir Nicholas +Gold's, a merchant, lately fallen, and of great courtiers that; +already look after her: her husband not dead a week yet. She is +reckoned worth 80,000l. Went to the Duke's house, the first play +I have been at these six months, according to my last vowe, and +here saw the so much cried-up play of "Henry the Eighth;" which, +though I went with resolution to like it, is so simple a thing +made up of a great many patches, that, besides the shows and +processions in it, there is nothing in the world good or well +done. + +4th. I to my Lord Sandwich's lodgings, but he not being up, I to +the Duke's chamber, and there by and by to his closet, where +since his lady was ill, a little red bed of velvet is brought for +him to lie alone, which is a very pretty one. After doing +business here, I to my Lord's again, and there spoke with him, +and he seems now almost friends again as he used to be. Here +meeting Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, he told me among other Court +news, how the Queene is very well again; and that she speaks now +very pretty English, and makes her sense out now and then with +pretty phrazes: as among others this is mightily cried up; that, +meaning to say that she did not like such a horse so well as the +rest, he being too prancing and full of tricks, she said he did +make too much vanity. To the Tennis Court, and there saw the +King play at Tennis and others: but to see how the King's play +was extolled without any cause at all, was a loathsome sight, +though sometimes, indeed, he did play very well and deserved to +be commended; but such open flattery is beastly. Afterwards to +St. James's Park, seeing people play at Pell Mell; where it +pleased me mightily to hear a gallant, lately come from France, +swear at one of his companions for suffering his man (a spruce +blade) to be so saucy as to strike a ball while his master was +playing on the Mall. + +6th. This morning I began a practice which I find by the ease I +do it with that I shall continue, it saving me money and time; +that is, to trimme myself with a razer; which pleases me +mightily. + +8th. We had great pleasure this afternoon; among other things, +to talk of our old passages together in Cromwell's time; and how +W. Symons did make me laugh and wonder to-day when he told me how +he had made shift to keep in, in good esteem and employment, +through eight governments in one year, (the year 1659, which were +indeed, and he did name them all) and then failed unhappy in the +ninth, viz. that, of the King's coming in. He made good to me +the story which Luellin did tell me the other day, of his wife +upon her death-bed; how she dreamt of her uncle Scobell, and did +foretell, from some discourse she had with him, that she should +die four days thence, and not sooner, and did all along say so, +and did so. Upon the 'Change a great talk there was of one Mr. +Tryan, an old man, a merchant in Lyme-Streete, robbed lest night, +(his man and maid being gone out after he was a-bed) and gagged +and robbed of 1050l. in money and about 4000l. in jewells, which +he had in his house as security for money. It is believed that +his man is guilty of confederacy, by their ready going to his +secret till in the desk, wherein the key of his cash-chest lay. + +9th. By discourse with my wife thought upon inviting my Lord +Sandwich to a dinner shortly. It will cost me at least ten or +twelve pounds; but, however, some arguments of prudence I have, +which I shall think again upon before I proceed to that expence. + +10th. All our discourse to-night was about Mr. Tryan's late +being robbed and that Colonel Turner, (a mad, swearing, confident +fellow, well known by all, and by me,) one much indebted to this +man for his very livelihood, was the man that either did or +plotted it; and, the money and things are found in his hand, and +he and his wife now in Newgate for it: of which we are all glad, +so very a known rogue he was. + +11th. By invitation to St. James's; where, at Mr. Coventry's +chamber, I dined with my Lord Barkeley, Sir G. Carteret, Sir +Edward Turner, [Speaker of the House of Commons, and afterwards +Solicitor-general, and Lord Chief Baron. Ob. 1675.] Sir Ellis +Layton, [D. C. L., brother to R. Leighton, Bishop of Dumblane, +and had been Secretary to the Duke of York.] and one Mr. +Seymour, a fine gentleman: where admirable good discourse of all +sorts, pleasant and serious. This morning I stood by the King +arguing with a pretty Quaker woman, that delivered to him a +desire of hers in writing. The King showed her Sir J. Minnes, as +a man the fittest for her quaking religion; she modestly saying +nothing till he begun seriously to discourse with her, arguing +the truth of his spirit against hers; she replying still with +these words, "O King!" and thou'd all along. The general talk of +the towne still is of Colonel Turner, about the robbery; who it +is thought, will be hanged. I heard the Duke of York tell +to-night, how letters are come that fifteen are condemned for the +late plot by the Judges at York; and, among others, Captain +Oates, against whom it was proved that he drew his sword at his +going out, and flinging away the scabbard, said that he would +either return victor or be hanged. + +18th. By coach to the 'Change, after having been at the Coffee +house, where I hear Turner [Vide State Trials.] is found guilty +of felony and burglary: and strange stories of his confidence at +the barr, but yet great indignation in his arguing. All desirous +of his being hanged. + +20th. My Lord Sandwich did seal a lease for the house he is now +taking in Lincoln's Inn Fields, which stands him in 250l. per +annum rent. Sir Richard Ford told me that Turner is to be hanged +to-morrow, and with what impudence he hath carried, out his +trial; but that last night, when he brought him news of his +death, he began to be sober and shed some tears, and he hopes +will die a penitent; he having already confessed all the thing, +but says it was partly done for a joke, and partly to get an +occasion of obliging the old man by his care in getting him his +things again, he having some hopes of being the better by him in +his estate at his death. Mr. Pierce tells me that, my Lady +Castlemaine is not at all set by by the King, but that he do doat +upon Mrs. Stewart only; and that to the leaving out all business +in the world, and to the open slighting of the Queene: that he +values not who sees him or stands by him while he dailies with +her openly; and then privately in her chamber below, where the +very sentrys observe his going in and out; and that so commonly, +that the Duke or any of the nobles, when they would ask where the +King is, they will ordinarily say, "Is the King above, or below?" +meaning with Mrs Stewart: that the King do not openly disown my +Lady Castlemaine but that she comes to Court; but that my Lord +FitzHarding and the Hambletons, [Geoge Hamilton, and the Count +Antoine Hamilton, author of the Memoires de Grammont.] and +sometimes my Lord Sandwich, they say, intrigue with her. But he +says my Lord Sandwich will lead her from her lodgings in the +darkest and obscurest manner, and leave her at the entrance into +the Queene's lodgings, that he might be the least observed: that +the Duke of Monmouth the King do still doat on beyond measure, +insomuch that the King only, the Duke of York, and Prince Rupert, +and the Duke of Monmouth, do now wear deep mourning, that is, +long cloaks, for the Duchesse of Savoy: so that he mourns as a +Prince of the Blood, while the Duke of York do no more, and all +the nobles of the land not so much; which gives great offence, +and he sees the Duke of York do consider. But that the Duke of +York do give himself up to business, and is like to prove a noble +prince; and so indeed I do from my heart think he will. He says +that it is believed, as well as hoped, that care is taken to lay +up a hidden treasure of money by the King against a bad day. I +pray God it be so! + +21st. Up, and after sending my wife to my aunt Wright's to get a +place to see Turner hanged, I to the 'Change; and seeing people +flock in the City, I enquired, and found that Turner was not yet +hanged. And so I went among them to Leadenhall Street, at the +end of Lyme Street, near where the robbery was done; and to St. +Mary Axe, where he lived. And there I got for a shilling to +stand upon the wheel of a cart, in great pain, above an hour +before the execution was done; he delaying the time by long +discourses and prayers one after another, in hopes of a reprieve; +but none come, and at last was flung off the ladder in his cloak. +A comely-looked man he was, and kept his countenance to the end: +I was sorry to see him. It was believed there were at least 12 +or 14,000 people in the street. + +22nd. To Deptford, and there viewed Sir W. Petty's vessel; which +hath an odd appearance, but not such as people do make of it. + +26th. Tom Killigrew told us of a fire last night in my Lady +Castlemaine's lodging, where she bid 40l. for one to adventure +the fetching of a cabinet out, which at last was got to be done; +and the fire at last quenched without doing much wrong. + +27th. At the Coffee-house, where I sat with Sir G. Ascue [A +distinguished naval officer before and after the Restoration; but +he never went to sea subsequently to the action in 1666, when he +was taken prisoner.] and Sir William Petty, who in discourse is, +methinks, one of the most rational men that ever I heard speak +with a tongue, having all his notions the most distinct and +clear. To Covent Garden, to buy a maske at the French House, +Madam Charett's, for my wife; in the way observing the street +full of coaches at the new play, at "The Indian Queene;" ["The +Indian Queen," a tragedy in heroic verse, by Sir Robert Howard +and Mr Dryden.] which for show, they say, exceeds Henry the +Eighth. Called to see my brother Tom, who was not at home, +though they say he is in a deep consumption, and will not live +two months. + +30th. This evening I tore some old papers; among others, a +romance which (under the title of "Love a Cheate") I begun ten +years ago at Cambridge: and reading it over to-night, I liked it +very well, and wondered a little at myself at my vein at that +time when I wrote it, doubting that I cannot do so well now if I +would try. + +FEBRUARY 1, 1663-64. I hear how two men last night, justling for +the wall about the new Exchange, did kill one another, each +thrusting the other through; one of them of the King's Chapel, +one Cave, and the other a retayner of my Lord Generall +Middleton's. Thence to White Hall; where, in the Duke's chamber, +the King come and stayed an hour or two laughing at Sir W. Petty, +who was there about his boat; and at Gresham College in general: +at which poor Petty was, I perceive, at some loss; but did argue +discreetly, and bear the unreasonable follies of the King's +objections and other bystanders with great discretion; and +offered to take oddes against the King's best boates: but the +King would not lay, but cried him down with words only. Gresham +College he mightily laughed at, for spending time only in +weighing of ayre, and doing nothing else since they sat. Mr. +Pierce tells me how the King, coming the other day to his Theatre +to see "The Indian Queene," (which he commends for a very fine +thing,) my Lady Castlemaine was in the next box before he come; +and leaning over other ladies awhile to whisper with the King, +she rose out of the box and went into the King's, and set herself +on the King's right hand, between the King and the Duke of York: +which, he swears, put the King himself, as well as every body +else, out of countenance; and believes that she did it only to +show the world that she is not out of favour yet, as was +believed. To the King's Theatre, and there saw "The Indian +Queen" acted; which indeed is a most pleasant show, and beyond my +expectation; the play good, but spoiled with the ryme, which +breaks the sense. But above my expectation most, the eldest +Marshall [Anne Marshall, a celebrated actress, and her youngest +sister Becke, so frequently mentioned in the Diary, were, I +believe, the daughters of a Presbyterian Minister; but very +little seems to be known about their history. One of them is +erroneously stated, in the notes to the Memoires de Grammont, and +Davies' Dramatic Miscellanies, to have become Lord Oxford's +mistress; for Mr. Pepys uniformly calls the Marshalls by their +proper name, and only speaks of the other lady as "the first or +old Roxalana, who had quitted the stage."--VIDE Feb. 18, 1661-2, +and Dec. 27, in the same year.] did do her part most excellently +well as I ever heard woman in my life; but her voice is not so +sweet as Ianthe's: [Malone says, in his HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH +STAGE, that Mrs. Mary Saunderson performed Ianthe in Davenant's +play of the Siege of Rhodes, at the first opening of his theatre, +April 1662. She married Betterton the following year, and lived +till 1712, having filled almost all the female characters in +Shakespeare with great success. It is probable, therefore, that +she was the person alluded to here, and frequently mentioned +afterwards, without any more particular designation.] but, +however, we come home mightily contented. Here we met Mr. +Pickering; and he tells me that the business runs high between +the Chancellor and my Lord Bristoll against the Parliament; and +that my Lord Lauderdale and Cooper open high against the +Chancellor; which I am sorry for. + +3rd. In Covent Garden to-night, going to fetch my wife, I +stopped at the great Coffee-house there, where I never was +before: where Dryden the poet (I knew at Cambridge), and all the +wits of the town, and Harris the player, and Mr. Hoole of our +College. And had I had time then, or could at other times, it +will be good coming thither, for there, I perceive, is very witty +and pleasant discourse. But I could not tarry, and as it was +late, they were all ready to go away. + +4th. To St. Paul's School, and up to hear the upper form +examined; and there was kept by very many of the Mercers, +Clutterbucke, [Probably Alderman Clutterbuck, one of the proposed +Knights of the Royal Oak for Middlesex. There was a Sir Thomas +Clutterbuck of London, CIRCITER 1670.] Barker, Harrington, and +others; and with great respect used by them all, and had a noble +dinner. Here they tell me, that in Dr. Colett's [Dean of St. +Paul's, and founder of the School.] will he says that he would +have a Master found for the School that hath good skill in Latin, +and (if it could be) one that had some knowledge of the Greeke; +so little was Greeke known here at that time. Dr. Wilkins [John +Wilkins, warden of Wadham College, and afterwards Dean of Rippon, +consecrated Bishop of Chester 1668; Ob. 1672. He was a learned +theologian, and well versed in Mathematics and Natural, +Philosophy.] and one Mr. Smallwood, Posers. + +8th. Mr. Pierce told me how the King still do doat upon his +women, even beyond all shame: and that the good Queene will of +herself stop before she goes sometimes into her dressing-room, +till she knows whether the King be there, for fear he should be, +as she hath sometimes taken him, with Mrs. Stewart; and that some +of the best parts of the Queene's joynture are, contrary to +faith, and against the opinion of my Lord Treasurer and his +Council, bestowed or rented, I know not how, to my Lord +Fitzhardinge and Mrs. Stewart, and others of that crew; that the +King do doat infinitely upon the Duke of Monmouth, apparently as +one that he intends to have succeed him. God knows what will be +the end of it! + +9th. Great talk of the Dutch proclaiming themselves in India, +Lords of the Southern Seas, and denying traffick to all ships but +their own, upon pain of confiscation: which makes our merchants +mad. Great doubt of two ships of ours, the Greyhound and +another, very rich, coming from the Streights, for fear of the +Turkes. Matters are made up between the Pope and the King of +France; so that now all the doubt is, what the French will do +with their armies. + +10th. I did give my wife's brother 10s. and a coat that I had by +me, a close-bodied, light-coloured cloth coat, with a gold +edgeing in each seam, that was the lace of my wife's best +pettycoat that she had when I married her. He is going into +Holland to seek his fortune. + +15th. To White Hall, to the Duke: where he first put on a +periwigg to-day: but methought his hair cut short in order +thereto did look very prettily of itself, before he put on his +periwigg. Great news of the arrivall of two rich ships, the +Greyhound and another, which they were mightily afraid of, and +great insurance given. This afternoon Sir Thomas Chamberlin [Son +of William Chamberlayne, an English Judge, and created a Baronet +1642.] come to the office to me, and showed me several letters +from the East Indys, showing the height that the Dutch are come +to there, showing scorn to all the English, even in our only +Factory there at Surat, beating several men, and hanging the +English standard St. George under the Dutch flag in scorn: +saying, that whatever their masters do or say at home, they will +do what they list, and be masters of all the world there; and +have so proclaimed themselves Soveraine of all the South Seas; +which certainly our King cannot endure, if the Parliament will +give him money. But I doubt and yet do hope they will not yet, +till we are more ready for it. + +17th. Mr. Pierce tells me of the King's giving of my Lord +FitzHarding two leases which belong indeed to the Queene, worth +20,000l. to him; and how people do talk of it. + +19th. Mr. Cutler come, and walked and talked with me a great +while; and then to the 'Change together; and it being early, did +tell me several excellent examples of men raised upon the 'Change +by their great diligence and saving; as also his own fortune, and +how credit grew upon him; that when he was not really worth +1,100l., he had credit for 100,000l.; of Sir W. Rider how he +rose; and others. By and by joyned with us Sir John Bankes; [An +opulent merchant, residing in Lincoln's Inn Fields.] who told us +several passages of the East India Company; and how in every +case, when there was due to him and Alderman Mico 64,000l. from +the Dutch for injury done to them in the East Indys, Oliver +presently after the peace, they delaying to pay them the money, +sent them word, that if they did not pay them by such a day, he +would grant letters of mark to those merchants against them; by +which they were so fearful of him, they did presently pay the +money every farthing. Took my wife; and taking a coach, went to +visit; my Ladys Jemimah and Paulina Montagu, and Mrs. Elizabeth +Pickering, [Lord Sandwich's niece.] whom we found at their +father's new house in Lincolne's Fields; but the house all in +dirt. They received us well enough; but I did not endeavour to +carry myself over familiarly with them: and so after a little +stay, there coming in presently after us my Lady Aberguenny +[Probably Mary, daughter of Thomas Clifford, Esq., of Dunton +Walet, Essex, wife to George, ninth Lord Abergavenny.] and other +ladies, we back again by coach. + +22nd. This evening come Mr. Alsopp the King's brewer, with whom +I spent an hour talking and bewailing the posture of things at +present; the King led away by half-a-dozen men, that none of his +serious servants and friends can come at him. These are +Lauderdale, Buckingham, Hamilton, FitzHarding, (to whom he hath, +it seems, given 12,000l. per annum in the best part of the King's +estate); and that the old Duke of Buckingham could never get of +the King. Projers is another, [Edward Progers, Esq., the King's +Valet-de-Chambre, and the confidant of his amours. Ob. 1713, +aged ninety-six.] and Sir H. Bennett. He loves not the Queene +at all, but is rather sullen to her; and she, by all reports, +incapable of children. He is so fond of the Duke of Monmouth, +that every body admires it; and he says that the Duke hath said, +that he would be the death of any man that says the King was not +married to his mother: though Alsopp says, it is well known that +she was a common strumpet before the King was acquainted with +her. But it seems, he says, that the King is mighty kind to +these his bastard children; and at this day will go at midnight +to my Lady Castlemaine's nurses, and take the child and dance it +in his arms: that he is not likely to have his tables up again +in his house, for the crew that are about him will not have him +come to common view again, but keep him obscurely among +themselves. He hath this night, it seems, ordered that the Hall +(which there is a ball to be in to-night before the King) be +guarded, as the Queene-Mother's is, by his Horse Guards; whereas +heretofore they were by the Lord Chamberlain or Steward, and +their people. But it is feared they will reduce all to the +soldiery, and all other places be taken away; and what is worst +of all, will alter the present militia, and bring all to a flying +army. That my Lord Lauderdale, being Middleton's enemy, [John +Earl of Middleton, General of the Forces in Scotland.] and one +that scorns the Chancellor even to open affronts before the King, +hath got the whole power of Scotland into his hand; whereas the +other day he was in a fair way to have had his whole estate, and +honour, and life, voted away from him. That the King hath done +himself all imaginable wrong in the business of my Lord Antrim, +[Randall, second Earl, and first Marquis of Antrim. Ob. 1673.] +in Ireland; who, though he was the head of rebels, yet he by his +letter owns to have acted by his father's and mother's and his +commissions: but it seems the truth is, he hath obliged himself +upon the clearing of his estate, to settle it upon a daughter of +the Queene-Mother's (by my Lord Germin, [Earl of St. Albans.] I +suppose,) in marriage be it to whom the Queene pleases: which is +a sad story. It seems a daughter of the Duke of Lenox's was, by +force, going to be married the other day at Somerset House, to +Harry Germin; but she got away and run to the King, and he says +he will protect her. She is, it seems, very near akin to the +King. Such mad doings there are every day among them! There was +a French book in verse, the other day, translated and presented +to the Duke of Monmouth in such a high stile, that the Duke of +York, he tells me, was mightily offended at it. The Duke of +Monmouth's mother's brother hath a place at Court; and being a +Welchman, (I think he told me,) will talk very broad of the +King's being married to his sister. The King did the other day, +at the Council, commit my Lord Digby's [George, Lord Digby, 2nd +Earl of Bristol, who had been Secretary of State in 1643; but by +changing his religion while abroad, at the instigation of Don +John of Austria, incapacitated himself from being restored to +that office; and in consequence of the disappointment, which he +imputed to the interference of the Lord Chancellor, conspired and +effected his ruin. He was installed K.G. in 1661, and died +1676.] chaplin, and steward, and another servant, who went upon +the process begun there against their lord, to swear that they +saw him at church, and receive the Sacrament as a Protestant, +(which, the Judges said, was sufficient to prove him such in the +eye of the law); the King, I say, did commit them all to the +Gate-house, notwithstanding their pleading their dependance upon +him, and the faith they owed him as their lord, whose bread they +eat. And that the King should say, that he would soon see +whether he was King, or Digby. That the Queene-mother had outrun +herself in her expences, and is now come to pay very ill, or run +in debt the money being spent that she received for leases. He +believes there is not any money laid up in bank, as I told him +some did hope; but he says, from the best informers he can assure +me there is no such thing, nor any body that should look after +such a thing; and that there is not now above 80,000l. of the +Dunkirke money left in stock. That Oliver the year when he spent +1,400,000l. in the Navy did spend in the whole expence of the +kingdom 2,600,000l. That all the Court are mad for a Dutch war; +but both he and I did concur, that it was a thing rather to be +dreaded than hoped for; unless by the French King's falling upon +Flanders, they and the Dutch should be divided. That our +Embassador had, it is true, an audience; but in the most +dishonourable way that could be; for the Princes of the Blood +(though invited by our Embassador, which was the greatest +absurdity that ever Embassador committed these 400 years) were +not there; and so were not said to give place to our King's +Embassador. And that our King did openly say, the other day in +the Privy Chamber, that he would not be hectored out of his right +and pre-eminences by the King of France, as great as he was. +That the Pope is glad to yield to a peace with the French (as the +news-book says,) upon the basest terms that ever was. That the +talk which these people about our King, that I named before, +have, is to tell him how neither priviledge of Parliament nor +City is any thing; but that his will is all, and ought to be so: +and their discourse, it seems, when they are alone, is so base +and sordid, that it makes the eares of the very gentlemen of the +back stairs (I think he called them) to tingle to hear it spoke +in the King's hearing; and that must be very bad indeed. That my +Lord Digby did send to Lisbon a couple of priests, to search out +what they could against the Chancellor concerning the match, as +to the point of his knowing before-hand that the Queene was not +capable of bearing children; and that something was given her to +make her so. But as private as they were, when they come thither +they were clapped up prisoners. That my Lord Digby endeavours +what he can to bring the business into the House of Commons, +hoping there to master the Chancellor, there being many enemies +of his there: but I hope the contrary. That whereas the late +King did mortgage Clarendon [Clarendon Park near Salisbury.] to +somebody for 20,000l., and this to have given it to the Duke of +Albemarle, and he sold it to my Lord Chancellor, whose title of +Earldome is fetched from thence; the King hath this day sent his +order to the Privy Seale for the payment of this 20,000l. to my +Lord Chancellor, to clear the mortgage. Ireland in a very +distracted condition about the hard usage which the Protestants +meet with, and the too good which the Catholiques. And from all +together, God knows my heart, I expect nothing but ruin can +follow, unless things are better ordered in a little time. + +23rd. This day, by the blessing of God, I have lived thirty-one +years in the world: and, by the grace of God, I find myself not +only in good health in every thing, and particularly as to the +stone, but only pain upon taking cold, and also in a fair way of +coming to a better esteem and estate in the world, than ever I +expected. But I pray God give me a heart to fear a fall, and to +prepare for it. + +24th (Ash Wednesday). To the Queene's chapel, where I staid and +saw their masse, till a man come and bid me go out or kneel down: +so I did go out. And thence to Somerset House; and there into +the chapel, where Monsieur d'Espagne [Probably author of a small +volume called "Shibboleth, ou, Reformation de quelques Passages +de la Bible, per Jean d'Espagne; Ministre du St. Evangile," in +the Pepysian Collection, printed 1653, and dedicated to +Cromwell.] used to preach. But now it is made very fine, and +was ten times more crouded than the Queene's chapel at St. +James's: which I wonder at. Thence down to the garden of +Somerset House, and up and down the new building, which in every +respect will be mighty magnificent and costly. + +27th. Sir Martin Noell told us the dispute between him, as +farmer of the Additional Duty, and the East India Company, +whether callico be linnen or no: which he says it is, having +been ever esteemed so: they say it is made of cotton woole, and +grows upon trees, not like flax or hemp. But it was carried +against the Company, though they stand out against the verdict. + +28th (Lord's day). Up and walked to Paul's; and by chance it was +an extraordinary day for the Readers of the Inns of Court and all +the Students to come to church, it being an old ceremony not used +these twenty-five years, upon the first Sunday in Lent. +Abundance there was of Students, more than there was room to seat +but upon forms, and the Church mighty full. One Hawkins +preached, an Oxford man. A good sermon upon these words: "But +the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable." Both +before and after sermon I was most impatiently troubled at the +Quire, the worst that; ever I heard. But what was extraordinary, +the Bishop of London, [Humphrey Henchman translated from +Salisbury, September 1663. Ob. 1675.] who sat there in a pew, +made a' purpose for him by the pulpitt, do give the last blessing +to the congregation; which was, he being a comely old man, a very +decent thing, methought. The Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir J. +Robinson, would needs have me by coach home with him, where the +officers of his regiment dined with him. After dinner to chapel +in the Tower with the Lieutenant, with the keyes carried before +us, and the Warders and Gentleman-porter going before us. And I +sat with the Lieutenant in his pew, in great state. None, it +seems, of the prisoners in the Tower that are there now, though +they may, will come to prayers there. + +29th. To Sir Philip Warwick, who showed me many excellent +collections of the state of the Revenue in former Kings' and the +late times, and the present. He showed me how the very +assessments between 1643 and 1659, which were taxes, (besides +Excise, Customes, Sequestrations, Decimations, King and Queene's +and Church Lands, or any thing else but just the Assessments,) +come to above fifteen millions. He showed me a discourse of his +concerning the Revenues of this and foreign States. How that of +Spayne was great but divided with his kingdoms, and so come to +little. How that of France did, and do much exceed ours before +for quantity; and that it is at the will of the Prince to tax +what he will upon his people; which is not here. That the +Hollanders have the best manner of tax, which is only upon the +expence of provisions, by an excise; and do conclude that no +other tax is proper for England but a pound-rate, or excise upon +the expence of provisions. He showed me every particular sort of +payment away of money, since the King's coming in, to this day; +and told me, from one to one, how little he hath received of +profit from most of them: and I believe him truly. That the +1,200,000l. which the Parliament with so much ado did first vote +to give the King, and since hath been re-examined by several +committees of the present Parliament, is yet above 300,000l. +short of making up really to the King the 1,200,000l. as by +particulars he showed me. And in my Lord Treasurer's excellent +letter to the King upon this subject, he tells the King how it +was the spending more than the revenue that did give the first +occasion of his fathers ruine, and did since to the rebels; who, +he says, just like Henry the Eighth, had great and sudden +increase of wealth, but yet by overspending both died poor: and +further tells the King how much of this 1,200,000l. depends upon +the life of the Prince, and so must be renewed by Parliament +again to his successor; which is seldom done without parting with +some of the prerogatives of the Crowne; or if denied and he +persists to take it of the people, it gives occasion to a civill +war, which did in the late business of tonnage and poundage prove +fatal to the Crowne. He showed me how many ways the Lord +Treasurer did take before he moved the King to farme the Customes +in the manner he do, and the reasons that moved him to do it. He +showed me a very excellent argument to prove, that our importing +lesse than we export, do not impoverish the kingdom, according to +the received opinion: which, though it be a paradox, and that I +do not remember the argument, yet methought there was a great +deal in what he said. And upon the whole I find him a most exact +and methodicall man, and of great industry: and very glad that +he thought fit to show me all this; though I cannot easily guess +the reason why he should do it to me, unless from the plainness +that he sees I use to him in telling him how much the King may +suffer for our want of understanding the case of our Treasury. + +MARCH 2, 1663-64. This morning Mr. Burgby, one of the writing +clerks belonging to the Council, a knowing man, complains to me +how most of the Lords of the Council do look after themselves and +their own ends, and none the public, unless Sir Edward Nicholas. +Sir G. Carteret is diligent, but for all his own ends and profit. +My Lord Privy Seale, a destroyer of every body's business, and do +no good at all to the public. The Archbishop of Canterbury +[Gilbert Sheldon.] speaks very little, nor do much, being now +come to the highest pitch that he can expect. He tells me, that +he believes that things will go very high against the Chancellor +by Digby, and that bad things will be proved. Talks much of his +neglecting the King; and making the King to trot every day to +him, when he is well enough to go to visit his cosen Chief- +Justice Hide, but not to the Council or King. He commends my +Lord of Ormond mightily in Ireland; but cries out cruelly of Sir +G. Lane for his corruption; and that he hath done my Lord great +dishonour by selling of places here, which are now all taken +away, and the poor wretches ready to starve. But nobody almost +understands or judges of business better than the King, if he +would not be guilty of his father's fault to be doubtfull of +himself and easily be removed from his own opinion. That my Lord +Lauderdale is never from the King's care nor council, and that he +is a most cunning fellow. Upon the whole, that he finds things +go very bad every where; and even in the Council nobody minds the +public. + +4th. There were several people trying a new-fashion gun brought +my Lord Peterborough this morning, to shoot off often, one after +another, without trouble or danger. At Greenwich I observed the +foundation laying of a very great house for the King, which will +cost a great deal of money. + +10th. At the Privy Seale I enquired, and found the Bill come for +the Corporation of the Royall Fishery: whereof the Duke of York +is made present Governor, and severall other very great persons, +to the number of thirty-two, made his assistants for their lives: +whereof, by my Lord Sandwich's favour, I am one: and take it not +only as a matter of honour, but that, that may come to be of +profit to me. + +14th. To White Hall; and in the Duke's chamber, while he was +dressing, two persons of quality that were there did tell his +Regal Highness how the other night, in Holborne, about midnight, +being at cards, a link-boy come by and run into the house, and +told the people the house was a-falling. Upon this the whole +family was frighted, concluding that the boy had said that; the +house was a-fire: so they left their cards above, and one would +have got out of the balcony, but it was not open; the other went +up to fetch down his children, that were in bed: so all got +clear out of the house. And no sooner so, but the house fell +down indeed, from top to bottom. It seems my Lord Southampton's +canaille did come too near their foundation, and so weakened the +house, and down it come: which, in every respect, is a most +extraordinary passage. The business between my Lords Chancellor +and Bristoll, they say, is hushed up: and the latter gone or +going, by the King's licence, to France. + +15th. My poor brother Tom died. + +16th. To the office, where we sat this afternoon, having changed +this day our sittings from morning to afternoon, because of the +Parliament which returned yesterday; but was adjourned till +Monday next, upon pretence that many of the members were said to +be upon the road; and also the King had other affairs, and so +desired them to adjourn till then. But the truth is, the King is +offended at my Lord of Bristoll, as they say, whom he hath found +to have been all this while (pretending a desire of leave to go +into France, and to have all the differences between him and the +Chancellor made up,) endeavouring to make: factions in both +Houses to the Chancellor. So the King did this to keep the +Houses from meeting; and in the meanwhile sent a guard and a +herald last night to have taken him at Wimbleton, where he was in +the morning, but could not find him: at which the King was and +is still mightily concerned, and runs up and down to and from the +Chancellor's like a boy: and it seems would make Digby's +articles against the Chancellor to be treasonable reflections +against his Majesty. So that the King is very high, as they say; +and God knows what will follow upon it! + +18th. To church, and with the grave-maker chose a place for my +brother to lie in, just under my mother's pew. But to see how a +man's tombes [QUERY Bones?] are at the mercy of such a fellow, +that for sixpence he would, (as his own words were,) "I will +justle them together but I will make room for him;" speaking of +the fulness of the middle isle, where he was to lie. I dressed +myself, and so did my servant Besse; and so to my brother's +again: whither, though invited, as the custom is, at one or two +o'clock, they come not till four or five. But at last one after +another they come, many more than I bid: and my reckoning that I +bid was one hundred and twenty; but I believe there was nearer +one hundred and fifty. Their service was six biscuits a-piece, +and what they pleased of burnt claret. My cosen Joyce Norton +kept the wine and cakes above; and did give out to them that +served, who had white gloves given them. But above all, I am +beholden to Mrs. Holding, who was most kind, and did take mighty +pains not only in getting the house and every thing else ready, +but this day in going up and down to see the house filled and +served, in order to mine and their great content, I think; the +men sitting by themselves in some rooms, and the women by +themselves in others, very close, but yet room enough. Anon to +church, walking out into the street to the Conduit, and so across +the street; and had a very good company along with the corps and +being come to the grave as above, Dr. Pierson, the minister of +the parish, did read the service for buriall: and so I saw my +poor brother laid into the grave. + +21st. This day the Houses of Parliament met; and the King met +them, with the Queene with him. And he made a speech to them: +among other things, discoursing largely of the plots abroad +against him and the peace of the kingdom; and that the +dissatisfied party had great hopes upon the effect of the Act for +a Triennial Parliament granted by his father, which he desired +them to peruse, and, I think, repeal. So the Houses did retire +to their own House, and did order the Act to be read to-morrow +before them; and I suppose it will be repealed, though I believe +much against the will of a good many that sit there. + +23rd. To the Trinity House, and there dined very well: and good +discourse among the old men. Among other things, they observed, +that there are but two seamen in the Parliament, viz. Sir W. +Batten and Sir W. Pen, and not above twenty or thirty merchants; +which is a strange thing in an island. + +25th. To White Hall, and there to chapel; where it was most +infinite full to hear Dr. Critton. [Creighton.] The Doctor +preached upon the thirty-first of Jeremy, and the twenty-first +and twenty-second verses, about a woman compassing a man; meaning +the Virgin conceiving and bearing our Saviour. It was the worst +sermon I ever heard him make, I must confess; and yet it was +good, and in two places very bitter, advising the King to do as +the Emperor Severus did, to hang up a Presbyter John (a short +coat and a long gowne interchangeably) in all the Courts of +England. But the story of Severus was pretty, that he hanged up +forty senators before the Senate-house, and then made a speech +presently to the Senate in praise of his own lenity; and then +decreed that never any senator after that time should suffer in +the same manner without consent of the Senate: which he compared +to the proceeding of the Long Parliament against my Lord +Strafford. He said the greatest part of the lay magistrates in +England were Puritans, and would not do justice; and the Bishops' +powers were so taken away and lessened, that they could not +exercise the power they ought. He told the King and the ladies, +plainly speaking of death and of the skulls and bones of dead men +and women, how there is no difference; that nobody could tell +that of the great Marius or Alexander from a pyoneer; nor, for +all the pains the ladies take with their faces, he that should +look in a charnel-house could not distinguish which was +Cleopatra's, or fair Rosamond's, or Jane Shore's. + +26th. Sir W. Batten told me how Sir Richard Temple hath spoke +very discontentful words in the house about the Triennial Bill; +but it hath been read the second time to-day, and committed; and, +he believes, will go on without more ado, though there are many +in the house are displeased at it, though they dare not say much. +But above all expectation, Mr. Prin is the man against it, +comparing it to the idoll whose head was of gold, and his body +and legs and feet of different metal. So this Bill had several +degrees of calling of Parliaments, in case the King, and then the +Council, and then the Lord Chancellor, and then the Sheriffes, +should fail to do it. He tells me also, how, upon occasion of +some 'prentices being put in the pillory to-day for beating of +their masters or such like thing, in Cheapside, a company of +'prentices come and rescued them, and pulled down the pillory; +and they being set up again, did the like again. + +28th. The great matter to-day in the House hath been, that Mr. +Vaughan, [John Vaughan, afterwards knighted, and made Chief +Justice of the Common Pleas.] the great speaker, is this day +come to town, and hath declared himself in a speech of an hour +and a half with great reason and eloquence, against the repealing +of the Bill for Triennial Parliaments, but with no successe: but +the House have carried it that there shall be such Parliaments, +but without any coercive power upon the King, if he will bring +this Act. But, Lord! to see how the best things are not done +without some design; for I perceive all these gentlemen that I +was with to-day, are against it (though there was reason enough +on their side); yet purely I could perceive, because it was the +King's mind to have it; and should he demand any thing else, I +believe they would give it him. + +APRIL 1, 1664. To White Hall; and in the Gallery met the Duke of +York; (I also saw the Queene going to the Park, and her Maids of +Honour: she herself looks ill, and methinks Mrs. Stewart is +grown fatter, and not so fair as she was:) and he called me to +him, and discoursed a good while with me; and after he was gone, +twice or thrice staid and called me again to him, the whole +length of the house: and at last talked of the Dutch; and I +perceive do much wish that the Parliament will find reason to +fall out with them. + +3rd. Called up by W. Joyce, [William Joyce had married Mr. +Pepys' first cousin, Kate Fenner.] he being summonsed to the +House of Lords to-morrow, for endeavouring to arrest my Lady +Peters for a debt. [Elizabeth, daughter of John Earl Rivers, and +first wife to William fourth Lord Petre, who was, in 1678, +impeached by the Commons of High Treason, and died under +confinement in the Tower, January 5th, 1683, S.P.] + +4th. Up, and walked to my Lord Sandwich's; and there spoke with +him about W. Joyce, who tells me he would do what was fit; in so +tender a point. I to the Lords' House before they sat; and stood +within it, while the Duke of York come to me and spoke to me a +good while about the new ship at Woolwich. Afterwards I spoke +with my Lord Barkeley and my Lord Peterborough about it. And so +staid without a good while, and saw my Lady Peters, an impudent +jade, soliciting all the Lords on her behalf. And at last W. +Joyce was called in; and by the consequences, and what my Lord +Peterborough told me, I find that he did speak all he said to his +disadvantage, and so was committed to the Black Rod: which is +very hard, he doing what he did by the advice of my Lord Peter's +own steward. But the Serjeant of the Black Rod did direct one of +his messengers to take him in custody, and peaceably conducted +him to the Swan with two Necks, in Tuttle-street, to a handsome +dining-room; and there was most civilly used. It was a sad +sight, methought, to-day to see my Lord Peters coming out of the +House, fall out with his lady (from whom he is parted) about this +business, saying that she disgraced him. But she hath been a +handsome woman, and is, it seems, not only a lewd woman, but very +high-spirited. + +5th. Lord Peterborough presented a petition to the House from W. +Joyce: and a great dispute, we hear, there was in the House for +and against it. At last it was carried that he should be bayled +till the House meets again after Easter, he giving bond for his +appearance. Anon comes the King and passed the Bill for +repealing the Triennial Act, and another about Writs of Errour. +I crowded in and heard the King's Speech to them; but he speaks +the worst that ever I heard man in my life: worse than if he +read it all, and he had it in writing in his hand. I went to W. +Joyce, where I found the order come, and bayle (his father and +brother) given; and he paying his fees, which come to above 12l., +besides 5l. he is to give one man, and his charges of eating and +drinking here, and 10s. a-day as many days as he stands under +bayle: which, I hope, will teach him hereafter to hold his +tongue better than he used to do. + +8th. Home to the only Lenten supper I have had of wiggs [Buns, +still called wiggs in the West of England.] and ale. + +15th. To the Duke's house, and there saw "The German Princesse" +acted, by the woman herself; but never was any thing so well done +in earnest, worse performed in jest upon the stage. [Mary +Moders, alias Stedman, alias Carleton, a celebrated impostor, who +had induced the son of a London citizen to marry her under the +pretence that she was a German Princess. She next became an +actress, after having been tried for bigamy and acquitted. The +rest of her life was one continued course of robbery and fraud; +and in 1678 she suffered at Tyburn, for stealing a piece of plate +from a tavern in Chancery-lane.] + +18th. Up and by coach to Westminster, and there solicited W. +Joyce's business again; and did speak to the Duke of York about +it, who did understand it very well. I afterwards did without +the House fall in company with my Lady Peters, and endeavoured to +mollify her: but she told me she would not, to redeem her from +hell, do any thing to release him; but would be revenged while +she lived, if she lived the age of Methusalem. I made many +friends, and so did others. At last it was ordered by the Lords +that it should be referred to the Committee of Priviledges to +consider. So I away by coach to the 'Change; and there do hear +that a Jew hath put in a policy of four per cent. to any man, to +insure him against a Dutch warr for four months: I could find in +my heart to take him at this offer. To Hide Park, where I have +not been since last year: where I saw the King with his +periwigg, but not altered at all; and my Lady Castlemaine in a +coach by herself, in yellow satin and a pinner on; and many brave +persons. And myself being in a hackney and full of people, was +ashamed to be seen by the world, many of them knowing me. + +19th. To the Physique Garden in St, James's Parke; where I first +saw orange-trees, and other fine trees. + +20th. Mr. Coventry told me how the Committee for Trade have +received now all the complaints of the merchants against the +Dutch, and were resolved to report very highly the wrongs they +have done us, (when God knows! it is only our own negligence and +laziness that hath done us the wrong): and this to be made to +the House to-morrow. + +21st. At the Lords' House heard that it is ordered, that, upon +submission upon the knee both to the House and my Lady Peters, W. +Joyce shall be released. I forthwith made him submit, and ask +pardon upon his knees; which he did before several Lords. But my +Lady would not hear it; but swore she would post the Lords, that +the world might know what pitifull Lords the King hath: and that +revenge was sweeter to her than milk; and that she would never be +satisfied unless he stood in a pillory, and demand pardon there. +But I perceive the Lords are ashamed of her. I find that the +House this day have voted that the King be desired to demand +right for the wrong done us by the Dutch, and that they will +stand by him with their lives and fortunes: which is a very high +vote, and more than I expected. What the issue will be, God +knows! + +23rd. I met with Mr. Coventry, who himself is now full of talk +of a Dutch war: for it seems the Lords have concurred in the +Commons' vote about it; and so the next week it will be presented +to the King. + +26th. Saw W. Joyce: and the late business hath cost the poor +man above 40l., besides, he is likely to lose his debt. Lady +Peters, Creed says, is a drunken jade, he himself having seen her +drunk in the lobby of their House. My wife gone this afternoon +to the buriall of my she-cosen Scott, a good woman: and it is a +sad consideration how the Pepys's decay, and nobody almost that I +know in a present way of encreasing them. + +27th. This day the Houses attended the King, and delivered their +votes to him upon the business of the Dutch; and he thanks them, +and promises an answer in writing. + +MAY 3, 1664. To Westminster Hall; and there, in the Lords' +house, did in a great crowd, from ten o'clock till almost three, +hear the cause of Mr. Roberts, [VIDE "Lords' Journals of the +day."] my Lord Privy Seale's son, against Win, who by false ways +did get the father of Mr. Roberts's wife (Mr. Bodvill) to give +him the estate and disinherit, his daughter. The cause was +managed for my Lord Privy Seale by Finch the solicitor; but I do +really think that he is a man of as great eloquence as ever I +heard, or ever hope to hear in all my life. Mr. Cutler told me +how for certain Lawson hath proclaimed war again with Argier, +though they had at his first coming given back the ships which +they had taken, and all their men; though they refused afterwards +to make him restitution for the goods which they had taken. + +5th. My eyes beginning every day to grow less and less able to +bear with long reading or writing, though it be by daylight; +which I never observed till now. + +13th. In the Painted Chamber I heard a fine conference between +some of the two Houses upon the Bill for Conventicles. The Lords +would be freed from having their houses searched by any but the +Lord Lieutenant of the County: and upon being found guilty, to +be tried only by their peers; and thirdly, would have it added, +that whereas the Bill says, "That that, among other things, shall +be a conventicle wherein any such meeting is found doing any +thing contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England," they +would have it added, "or practice." The Commons to the Lords +said, that they knew not what might hereafter be found out which +might he called the practice of the Church of England: for there +are many things may be said to be the practice of the Church, +which were never established by any law either common, statute, +or canon; as singing of psalms, binding up; prayers at the end of +the Bible, and praying extempore before and after sermon: and +though these are things indifferent, yet things for aught they at +present know may be started, which may be said to be the practice +of the Church which would not be fit to allow. For the Lords' +priviledges, Mr. Waller told them how tender their predecessors +had been of the priviledges of the Lords; but, however, where the +peace of the kingdom stands in competition with them, they +apprehend those priviledges must give place. He told them that +he thought, if they should own all to be the priviledges of the +Lords which might be demanded, they should be led like the man +(who granted leave to his neighbour to pull off his horse's tail, +meaning that he could not do it at once,) that hair by hair had +his horse's tail pulled off indeed: so the Commons, by granting +one thing after another, might be served by the Lords. Mr. +Vaughan, whom I could not to my grief perfectly hear, did say, if +that they should be obliged in this manner to exempt the Lords +from every thing, it would in time come to pass that whatever (be +it ever so great) should be voted by the Commons as a thing +penall for a commoner, the contrary should be thought a +priviledge to the Lords: that also in this business, the work of +a conventicle being but the work of an hour, the cause of a +search would be over before a Lord Lieutenant, who may be many +miles off, can be sent for; and that all this dispute is but +about 100l.: for it is said in the Act, that it shall be +banishment or payment of 100l. I thereupon heard the Duke of +Lennox say, that there might be Lords who could not always be +ready to lose 100l., or some such thing. They broke up without +coming to any end in it. There was also in the Commons' House a +great quarrel about Mr. Prin, and it was believed that he should +have been sent to the Tower, for adding something to a Bill +(after it was ordered to be engrossed) of his own head--a Bill +for measures for wine and other things of that sort, and a Bill +of his own bringing in; but it appeared he could not mean any +hurt in it. But, however, the King was fain to write in his +behalf and all was passed over. But it is worth my remembrance, +that I saw old Ryly the Herald, and his son; and spoke to his +son, who told me in very bad words concerning Mr. Prin, that the +King had given him an office of keeping the Records; but that he +never comes thither, nor had been there these six months: so +that I perceive they expect to get his employment from him. + +19th, To a Committee of Tangier; where God forgive how our Report +of my Lord Peterborough's accounts was read over and agreed to by +the Lords, without one of them understanding it! And had it been +what it would, it had gone: and, besides, not one thing touching +the King's profit in it minded or hit upon. + +20th. Mr. Edward Montagu is turned out of the Court, not to +return again. His fault, I perceive, was his pride, and most of +all his affecting to be great with the Queene: and it seems +indeed he had more of her eare than every body else, and would be +with her talking alone two or three hours together; insomuch that +the Lords about the King, when he would be jesting with them +about their wives, would tell the King that he must have a care +of his wife too, for she hath now the gallant: and they say the +King himself did once ask Montagu how his mistress (meaning the +Queene) did. He grew so proud and despised every body, besides +suffering nobody he or she to get or do any thing about the +Queene, that they all laboured to do him a good turn. They all +say that he did give some affront to the Duke of Monmouth, which +the King himself did speak to him of. So he is gone,nobody +pitying, but laughing at him: and he pretends only that he is +gone to his father that is sick in the country. + +23rd. The King is gone down with the Duke and a great crew this +morning by break of day to Chatham. + +29th. Mr. Coventry and I did a long discourse together of the +business of the office, and the war with the Dutch; and he seemed +to argue mightily with the little reason that there is for all +this. For first, as to the wrong we pretend they have done us; +that of the East Indys, for their not delivering of Poleron, it +is not yet known whether they have failed or no; that of their +hindering the Leopard cannot amount to above 3000l. if true; that +of the Guinny Company, all they had done us did not amount to +above 2 or 300l. he told me truly; and that now, from what +Holmes, without any commission, hath done in taking an island and +two forts, hath set us much in debt to them; and he believes that +Holmes will have been so puffed up with this, that he by this +time hath been enforced with more strength than he had then, +hath, I say, done a great deal more wrong to them. He do, as to +the effect of the war, tell me clearly that it is not any skill +of the Dutch that can hinder our trade if we will, we having so +many advantages over them, of winds, good ports, and men; but it +is our pride, and the laziness of the merchant. The main thing +he desired to speak with me about was, to understand my Lord +Sandwich's intentions as to going to sea with this fleet; saying, +that the Duke, if he desires it, is most willing to do it; but +thinking that twelve ships is not a fleet fit for my Lord to be +troubled to go out with, he is not willing to offer it to him +till he hath some intimations of his mind to go, or not. To the +King's closet; whither by and by the King come, my Lord Sandwich +carrying the sword. A Bishop preached, but he speaking too low +for me to hear. By and by my Lord Sandwich come forth, and +called me to him: and we fell into discourse a great while about +his business, wherein he seems to be very open with me, and to +receive my opinion as he used to do: and I hope I shall become +necessary to him again. He desired me to think of the fitness, +or not, for him to offer himself to go to sea; and to give him my +thoughts in a day or two. Thence after sermon among the ladies +in the Queene's side; where I saw Mrs. Stewart, very fine and +pretty, but far beneath my Lady Castlemaine. Thence with Mr. +Povy home to dinner; where extraordinary cheer. [Evelyn mentions +Mr. Povy's house in Lincoln's Inn.] And after dinner up and down +to see his house, and in a word, methinks, for his perspective in +the little closet; his room floored above with woods of several +colours, like but above the best cabinet-work I ever saw; his +grotto and vault, with his bottles of wine, and a well therein to +keep them cool; his furniture of all sorts; his bath at the top +of the house, good pictures, and his manner of eating and +drinking; do surpass all that ever I did see of one man in all my +life. + +31st. I was told to-day, that upon Sunday night last, being the +King's birth-day, the King was at my Lady Castlemaine's lodgings +over the hither-gate at Lambert's lodgings, dancing with fiddlers +all night almost; and all the world coming by taking notice of +it. + +JUNE 1, 1664. Southwell (Sir W. Pen's friend) tells me the very +sad newes of my Lord Teviott's and nineteen more commission +officers being killed at Tangier by the Moores, by an ambush of +the enemy upon them, while they were surveying their lines: +which is very sad and he says, afflicts the King much. To the +Kings house and saw "The Silent Woman;" but methought not so well +done or so good a play as I formerly thought it to be. Before +the play was done, it fell such a storm of hayle, that we in the +middle of the pit were fain to rise; and all the house in a +disorder. + +2nd. It seems my Lord Teviott's design was to go a mile and half +out of the town to cut down a wood in which the enemy did use to +lie in ambush. He had sent several spyes: but all brought word +that the way was clear, and so might be for any body's discovery +of an enemy before you are upon them. There they were all snapt, +he and all his officers, and about two hundred men, as they say; +there being left now in the garrison but four captains. This +happened the 3rd of May last, being not before that day +twelvemonth of his entering into his government there: but at +his going out in the morning he said to some of his officers, +"Gentlemen let us look to ourselves, for it was this day three +years that so many brave Englishmen were knocked on the head by +the Moores, when Fines made his sally out." + +4th. Mr. Coventry discoursing this noon about Sir W. Batten, +(what a sad fellow he is!) told me how the King told him the +other day how Sir W. Batten, being in the ship with him and +Prince Rupert when they expected to fight with Warwicke, did walk +up and down sweating with a napkin under his throat to dry up his +sweat: and that Prince Rupert being a most jealous man, and +particularly of Batten, do walk up and down swearing bloodily to +the King, that Batten had a mind to betray them to-day, and that +the napkin was a signal; "but, by God," says he, "if things go +ill, the first thing I will do is to shoot him." He discoursed +largely and bravely to me concerning the different sorts of +valours, the active and passive valour. For the latter, he +brought as an instance General Blake, who, in the defending of +Taunton and Lime for the Parliament, did through his sober sort +of valour defend it the most opiniastrement that ever any man did +any thing; and yet never was the man that ever made an attaque by +land or sea, but rather avoyded it on all, even fair occasions. +On the other side, Prince Rupert, the boldest attaquer in the +world for personal courage; and yet in the defending of Bristol +no man did any thing worse, he wanting the patience and seasoned +head to consult and advise for defence, and to bear with the +evils of a siege. The like he says of my Lord Teviott, who was +the boldest adventurer of his person in the world, and from a +mean man in few years was come to this greatness of command and +repute only by the death of all his officers, he many times +having the luck of being the only survivor of them all, by +venturing upon services for the King of France that nobody else +would; and yet no man upon a defence, he being all fury and no +judgment in a fight. He tells me above all of the Duke of York, +that he is more himself and more of judgment is at hand in him in +the middle of a desperate service, than at other times, as +appeared in the business of Dunkirke, wherein no man ever did +braver things, or was in hotter service in the close of that day, +being surrounded with enemies; and then, contrary to the advice +of all about him, his counsel carried himself and the rest +through them safe, by advising that he might make his passage +with but a dozen with him; "For," says he, "the enemy cannot move +after me so fast with a great body, and with a small one we shall +be enough to deal with them:" and though he is a man naturally +martiall to the hottest degree, yet a man that never in his life +talks one word of himself or service of his own, but only that he +saw such or such a thing, and lays it down for a maxime that a +Hector can have no courage. He told me also, as a great instance +of some men, that the Prince of Conde's excellence is, that there +not being a more furious man in the world, danger in fight never +disturbs him more than just to make him civill, and to command in +words of great obligation to his officers and men; but without +any the least disturbance in his judgment or spirit. + +6th. By barge with Sir W. Batten to Trinity House. Here were my +Lord Sandwich, Mr. Coventry, my Lord Craven, and others. A great +dinner, and good company. Mr. Prin also, who would not drink any +health, no, not the King's, but sat down with his hat on all the +while; but nobody took notice of it to him at all. + +11th. With my wife only to take the ayre, it being very warm and +pleasant, to Bowe and Old Ford: and thence to Hackney. There +light, and played at shuffle-board, eat cream and good cherries: +and so with good refreshment home. + +13th. Spent the whole morning reading of some old Navy books; +wherein the order that was observed in the Navy then, above what +it is now, is very observable. + +15th. At home, to look after things for dinner. And anon at +noon comes Mr. Creed by chance, and by and by the three young +ladies: [Lord Sandwich's daughters.] and very merry we were +with our pasty, very well baked; and a good dish of roasted +chickens; pease, lobsters, strawberries. But after dinner to +cards: and about five o'clock, by water down to Greenwich; and +up to the top of the hill, and there played upon the ground at +cards. And so to the Cherry Garden, and then by water singing +finely to the Bridge, and there landed; and so took boat again, +and to Somerset House. And by this time, the tide being against +us, it was past ten of the clock; and such a troublesome passage, +in regard of my Lady Paulina's fearfullness, that in all my life +I never did see any poor wretch in that, condition. Being come +hither, there waited for them their coach; but it being so late, +I doubted what to do how to get them home. After half an hour's +stay in the street, I sent my wife home by coach with Mr. Creed's +boy; and myself and Creed in the coach home with them. But, +Lord! the fear that my Lady Paulina was in every step of the +way: and indeed at this time of the night it was no safe thing +to go that road; so that I was even afraid myself, though I +appeared otherwise. We come safe, however, to their house; where +we knocked them up, my Lady and all the family being in bed. So +put them into doors and leaving them with the maids, bade them +good night. + +16th. The talk upon the 'Change is, that De Ruyter is dead, with +fifty men of his own ship, of the plague, at Cales: that the +Holland Embassador here do endeavour to sweeten us with fair +words; and things like to be peaceable. + +20th. I to the Duke, where we did our usual business. And among +other discourse of the Dutch, he was merrily saying how they +print that Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, and my Lord +Sandwich, are to be Generalls; and soon after is to follow them +"Vieux Pen:" and so the Duke called him in mirth Old Pen. They +have, it seems, lately wrote to the King, to assure him that +their setting-out ships was only to defend their fishing-trade, +and to stay near home, not to annoy the King's subjects; and to +desire that he would do the like with his ships: which the King +laughs at, but yet is troubled they should think him such a +child, to suffer them to bring home their fish and East India +Company's ships, and then they will not care for us. To my +Lord's lodgings; and were merry with the young ladies, who made +a great story of their appearing before their mother the morning +after we carried them, the last week, home so late; and that +their mother took it very well, at least without any anger. Here +I heard how the rich widow, my Lady Gold, is married to one +Neale, after he had received a box on the eare by her brother +(who was there a sentinel, in behalf of some courtier,) at the +door; but made him draw, and wounded him. She called Neale up to +her, and sent for a priest, married presently, and went to bed. +The brother sent to the Court, and had a serjeant sent for Neale; +but Neale sent for him up to be seen in bed, and she owned him +for her husband: and so all is past. + +23rd. W. How was with me this afternoon, to desire some things +to be got ready for my Lord against his going down to his ship, +which will be soon; for it seems the King and both the Queenes +intend to visit him. The Lord knows how my Lord will get out of +this charge; for Mr. Moore tells me to-day that he is 10,000l. in +debt: and this will, with many other things that daily will grow +upon him, (while he minds his pleasure as he do,) set him further +backward. + +24th. To White Hall; and Mr. Pierce showed me the Queene's bed. +chamber, and her closet, where she had nothing but some pretty +pious pictures, and books of devotion; and her holy water at her +head as she sleeps, with a clock by her bed-side, wherein a lamp +burns that tells her the time of the night at any time. Thence +with him to the Park, and there met the Queene coming from +Chapell, with her Maids of Honour, all in silver-lace gowns +again; which is new to me, and that which I did not think would +have been brought up again. Thence he carried me to the King's +closet: where such variety of pictures, and other things of +value and rarity, that I was properly confounded and enjoyed no +pleasure in the sight of them; which is the only time in my life +that ever I was so at a loss for pleasure, in the greatest plenty +of objects to give it me. + +26th. At my Lord Sandwich's; where his little daughter, my Lady +Catharine was brought, who is lately come from my father's at +Brampton, to have her cheeke looked after, which is and hath long +been sore. But my Lord will rather have it be as it is, with a +scarr in her face, than endanger it being worse with tampering. +[She married, first, Nicholas, son and heir of Sir N. Bacon, +K.B.; and secondly the Rev. Mr. Gardeman; and lived to be 96, +dying 1757.] + +JULY 4, 1664. This day the King and the Queenes went to visit my +Lord Sandwich and the fleet, going forth in the Hope. + +7th. The King is pretty well to-day, though let blood the night +before yesterday. + +10th. My Lady Sandwich showed us my Lady Castlemaine's picture, +finely done: given my Lord; and a most beautiful picture it is. +[There is a beautiful portrait of Lady Castlemaine in the dining- +room at Hinchingbroke.] + +14th. To my Lord's. He did begin with a most solemn profession +of the same confidence in and love for me that he ever had, and +then told me what a misfortune was fallen upon me and him: in +me, by a displeasure which my Lord Chancellor did show to him +last night against me, in the highest and most passionate manner +that ever any man did speak, even to the not hearing of anything +to be said to him: but he told me, that he did say all that +could be said for a man as to my faithfullnesse and duty to his +Lordship, and did me the greatest right imaginable. And what +should the business be, but that I should be forward to have the +trees in Clarendon Park marked and cut down, [Near Salisbury, +granted by Edward VI. to Sir W. Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, for +two lives, which term ended in 1601, when it reverted to the +Crown, and was conferred on the Duke of Albemarle, whose family, +as I imagine, got back the estate after Lord Clarendon's fall; +for, according to Britton, Clarendon Park was alienated by +Christopher, second Duke of Albemarle, to the Earl of Bath, from +whom it passed, by purchase, to Mr. Bathurst, the ancestor of the +present possessor.] which he, it seems, hath bought of my Lord +Albemarle; when, God knows! I am the most innocent man in the +world in it, and did nothing of myself, nor knew of his +concernment therein, but barely obeyed my Lord Treasurer's +warrant for the doing thereof. And said that I did most +ungentlemanly-like with him, and had justified the rogues in +cutting down a tree of his; and that I had sent the veriest +Fanatique that is in England to mark them, on purpose to nose +him. All which, I did assure my Lord, was most properly false, +and nothing like it true; and told my Lord the whole passage. My +Lord do seem most nearly affected with him; partly, I believe, +for me, and partly for himself. So he advised me to wait +presently upon my Lord, and clear myself in the most perfect +manner I could, with all submission and assurance that I am his +creature both in this and all other things: and that I do own +that all I have, is derived through my Lord Sandwich from his +Lordship. So, full of horror I went, and found him busy in +trials of law in his great room; and it being Sitting-day, durst +not stay, but went to my Lord and told him so: whereupon he +directed me to take him after dinner: and so away I home, +leaving my Lord mightily concerned for me. So I to my Lord +Chancellor's; and there coming out after dinner I accosted him, +telling him that I was the unhappy Pepys that had fallen into his +high displeasure, and come to desire him to give me leave to make +myself better understood to his Lordship, assuring him of my duty +and service. He answered me very pleasingly, that he was +confident upon the score of my Lord Sandwich's character of me, +but that he had reason to think what he did, and desired me to +call upon him some evening: I named to-night, and he accepted of +it. To my Lord Chancellor's, and there heard several trials, +wherein I perceive my Lord is a most able and ready man. After +all done, he himself called, "Come, Mr. Pepys, you and I will +take a turn in the garden." So he was led down stairs, having +the goute, and there walked with me, I think, above an hour, +talking most friendly, yet cunningly. I told him clearly how +things were; how ignorant I was of his Lordship's concernment in +it; how I did not do nor say one word singly, but what was done +was the act of the whole Board. He told me by name that he was +more angry with Sir G. Carteret than with me, and also with the +whole body of the Board. But thinking who it was of the Board +that did know him least, he did place his fear upon me: but he +finds that he is indebted to none of his friends there. I think +I did thoroughly appease him, till he thanked me for my desire +and pains to satisfy him; and upon my desiring to be directed who +I should of his servants advise with about this business, he told +me nobody, but would be glad to hear from me himself. He told me +he would not direct me in anything, that it might not be said +that the Lord Chancellor did labour to abuse the King; or (as I +offered) direct the suspending the Report of the Purveyors: but +I see what he means, and will make it my work to do him service +in it. But, Lord! to see how he is incensed against poor Deane, +as a fanatick rogue, and I know not what: and what he did was +done in spite to his Lordship, among an his friends and tenants, +He did plainly say that he would not direct me in any thing, for +he would not put himself into the power of any man to say that he +did so and so; but plainly told me as if he would be glad I did +something. Lord! to see how we poor wretches dare not do the +King good service for fear of the greatness of these men. He +named Sir G. Carteret, and Sir J. Minnes, and the rest; and that +he was as angry with them all as me. But it was pleasant to +think that, while he was talking to me, comes into the garden Sir +G. Carteret; and my Lord avoided speaking with him, and made him +and many others stay expecting him; while I walked up and down +above an hour, I think and would have me walk with my hat on. +And yet, after all, there has been so little ground for his +jealousy of me, that I am sometimes afraid that he do this only +in policy to bring me to his side by scaring me; or else, which +is worse, to try how faithfull I would be to the King; but I +rather think the former of the two. I parted with great +assurance how I acknowledged all I had to come from his Lordship; +which he did not seem to refuse, but with great kindness and +respect parted. + +15th. Up, and to my Lord Sandwich's; where he sent for me up, +and I did give my Lord an account of what had passed with my Lord +Chancellor yesterday; with which he was pleased, and advised me +by all means to study in the best manner I could to serve him in +this business. After this discourse ended, he began to tell me +that he had now pitched upon his day of going to sea upon Monday +next, and that he would now give me an account how matters are +with him. He told me that his work now in the world is only to +keep up his interest at Court, having little hopes to get more +considerably, he saying that he hath now about 8000l. per annum. +It is true, be says, he oweth about 10,000l.; but he hath been at +great charges in getting things to this pass in his estate; +besides his building and good goods that he hath bought. He says +that he hath now evened his reckonings at the Wardrobe till +Michaelmas last, and hopes to finish it to Lady-day before he +goes. He says now there is due, too, 7000l. to him there, if he +knew how to get it paid, besides 2000l. that Mr. Montagu do owe +him. As to his interest, he says that he hath had all the injury +done him that ever man could have by another bosom friend that +knows all his secrets, by Mr. Montagu: but he says that the +worst of it all is past, and he gone out and hated, his very +person by the King, and he believes the more upon the score of +his carriage to him; nay, that the Duke of York did say a little +while since in his closet, that he did hate him because of his +ungrateful carriage to my Lord of Sandwich. He says that he is +as great with the Chancellor, or greater, than ever in his life. +That with the King he is the like; and told me an instance, that +whereas he formerly was of the private council to the King before +he was last sick, and that by the sickness an interruption was +made in his attendance upon him; the King did not constantly call +him as he used to do to his private council, only in businesses +of the sea and the like; but of late the King did send a message +to him by Sir Harry Bennet, to excuse the King to my Lord that he +had not of late sent for him as he used to do to his private +council, for it was not out of any distaste, but to avoid giving +offence to some others whom he did not name; but my Lord supposes +it might be Prince Rupert, or it may be only that the King would +rather pass it by an excuse, than be thought unkind; but that now +he did desire him to attend him constantly, which of late he hath +done, and the King never more kind to him in his life than now. +The Duke of York, as much as is possible; and in the business of +late, when I was to speak to my Lord about his going to sea, he +says that he finds the Duke did it with the greatest ingenuity +and love in the world: "and whereas," says my Lord, "here is a +wise man hard by that thinks himself so, and it may be is in a +degree so, (naming by and by my Lord Crewe,) would have had me +condition with him that neither Prince Rupert nor any body should +come over his head, and I know not what." The Duke himself hath +caused in his commission, that he be made Admirall of this and +what other ships or fleets shall hereafter be put out after +these; which is very noble. He tells me in these cases, and that +of Mr. Montagu's, and all others, he finds that bearing of them +patiently is the best way, without noise or trouble, and things +wear out of themselves and come fair again. But says he takes it +from me, never to trust too much to any man in the world, for you +put yourself into his power; and the best seeming friend and real +friend as to the present may have or take occasion to fall out +with you, and then out comes all. Then he told me of Sir Harry +Bennet, though they were always kind, yet now it is become to an +acquaintance and familiarity above ordinary, that for these +months he hath done no business but with my Lord's advice in his +chamber, and promises all faithfull love to him and service upon +all occasions. My Lord says, that he hath the advantage of being +able by his experience to help out and advise him; and he +believes that that chiefly do invite Sir Harry to this manner of +treating him. "Now," says my Lord, "the only and the greatest +embarras that I have in the world is, how to behave myself to Sir +H. Bennet and my Lord Chancellor, in case that there do lie any +thing under the embers about my Lord Bristoll, which nobody can +tell; for then," says he, "I must appear for one or other, and I +will lose all I have in the world rather than desert my Lord +Chancellor: so that," says he, "I know not for my life what to +do in that case." For Sir H. Bennet's love is come to the +height, and his confidence, that he hath given my lord a +character, [A cypher.] and will oblige my Lord to correspond +with him. "This," says he, "is the whole condition of my estate +and interest; which I tell you, because I know not whether I +shall see you again or no." Then as to the voyage, he thinks it +will be of charge to him, and no profit; but that he must not now +look after nor think to encrease, but study to make good what he +hath, that what is due to him from the Wardrobe or elsewhere may +be paid, which otherwise would fail, and all a man hath be but +small content to him. So we seemed to take leave one of another; +my Lord of me, desiring me that I would write to him and give him +information upon all occasions in matters that concern him; +which, put together with what he preambled with yesterday, makes +me think that my Lord do truly esteem me still, and desires to +preserve my service to him; which I do bless God for. In the +middle of our discourse my Lady Crewe come in to bring my Lord +word that he hath another son, my Lady being brought to bed just +now, for which God be praised! and send my Lord to study the +laying up of something the more! Thence with Creed to St. +James's, and missing Mr. Coventry, to White Hall; where, staying +for him in one of the galleries, there comes out of the +chayre-roome Mrs. Stewart in a most lovely form, with her hair +all about her eares, having her picture taken there. There was +the King and twenty more I think, standing by all the while, and +a lovely creature she in the dress seemed to be. + +18th. Sir G. Cateret and I did talk together in the Parke about +my Lord Chancellor's business of the timber; he telling me freely +that my Lord Chancellor was never so angry with him in all his +life, as he was for this business, and in a great passion; and +that when he saw me there, he knew what it was about. And plots +now with me how we may serve my Lord, which I am mightily glad +of; and I hope together we may do it. Thence I to my Lord +Chancellor, and discoursed his business with him. I perceive, +and he says plainly,that he will not have any man to have it in +his power to say that my Lord Chancellor did contrive the +wronging the King of his timber; but yet I perceive, he would be +glad to have service done him therein; and told me Sir G. +Carteret hath told him that he and I would look after his +business to see it done in the best manner for him. + +20th. With Mr. Deane, discoursing upon the business of my Lord +Chancellor's timber, in Clarendon Park, and how to make a report +therein without offending him; which at last I drew up, and hope +it will please him. But I would to God neither I nor he ever had +any thing to have done with it! To White Hall, to the Committee +for Fishing; but nothing done, it being a great day to-day there +upon drawing at the Lottery of Sir Arthur Slingsby. [Evelyn says +this Lottery was a shameful imposition.] I got in and stood by +the two Queenes and the Duchesse of York, and just behind my Lady +Castlemaine, whom I do heartily admire; and good sport to see how +most that did give their ten pounds did go away with a pair of +globes only for their lot, and one gentlewoman, one Mrs. Fish, +with the only blanke. And one I staid to see draw a suit of +hangings valued at 430l. and they say are well worth the money, +or near it. One other suit there is better than that; but very +many lots of three and four-score pounds. I observed the King +and Queene did get but as poor lots as any else. But the wisest +man I met with was Mr. Cholmley, who insured as many as would, +from drawing of the one blank for 12d.; in which case there was +the whole number of persons to one, which I think was three or +four hundred. And so he insured about 200 for 200 shillings, so +that he could not have lost if one of them had drawn it for there +was enough to pay the 10l. but it happened another drew it, and +so he got all the money he took. + +25th. Met with a printed copy of the King's commission for the +repairs of Paul's, which is very large, and large power for +collecting money, and recovering of all people that had bought or +sold formerly any thing belonging to the Church. No news, only +the plague is very hot still, and encreases among the Dutch. + +26th. Great discourse of the fray yesterday in Moorefields, how +the butchers at first did beat the weavers, (between whom there +hath been ever an old competition for mastery,) but at last the +weavers rallied and beat them. At first the butchers knocked +down all for weavers that had green or blue aprons, till they +were fain to pull them off and put them in their breeches. At +last the butchers were fain to pull off their sleeves, that they +might not be known, and were roundly beaten out of the field, and +some deeply wounded and bruised; till at last the weavers went +out tryumphing, calling 100l. for a butcher. + +28th. I am overjoyed in hopes that upon this month's account I +shall find myself worth 1000l. besides the rich present of two +silver and gilt flaggons, which Mr. Gauden did give me the other +day. My Lord Sandwich newly gone to sea, and he did before his +going, and by his letter since, show me all manner of respect and +confidence. + +30th. To the 'Change, where great talk of a rich present brought +by an East India ship from some of the Princes of India, worth to +the King 70,000l. in two precious stones. + +AUGUST 1, 1664. To the Coffee-house, and there all the house +full of the victory Generall Soushe (who is a Frenchman, a +soldier of fortune, commanding part of the German army) hath had +against the Turke; killing 4000 men, and taking most +extraordinary spoil. + +2nd. To the King's play-house, and there saw "Bartholomew +Fayre;" which do still please me; and is, as it is acted, the +best comedy in the world, I believe. I chanced to sit by Tom +Killigrew, who tells me that he is setting up a nursery; that is, +is going to build a house in Moorefields, wherein he will have +common plays acted. But four operas it shall have in the year, +to act six weeks at a time: where we shall have the best scenes +and machines, the best musique, and everything as magnificent as +is in Christendome; and to that end hath sent for voices and +painters and other persons from Italy. Thence homeward called +upon my Lord Marlborough. + +4th. To a play at the King's house, "The Rivall Ladys," [A +Tragedy by Dryden.] a very innocent and meet pretty witty play. +I was much pleased with it, and it being given me, [His companion +paid for him.] I look upon it as no breach of my oath. Here we +hear that Clun, one of their best actors, was, the last night, +going out of towne (after he had acted the Alchymist, wherein was +one of his best parts that he acts) to his country-house, set +upon and murdered; one of the rogues taken, an Irish fellow. It +seems most cruelly butchered and bound. The house will have a +great miss of him. Thence visited my Lady Sandwich, who tells me +my Lord FitzHarding is to be made a Marquis. + +5th. About ten o'clock I dressed myself, and so mounted upon a +very pretty mare, sent me by Sir W. Warren, according to his +promise yesterday. And so through the City, not a little proud, +God knows, to be seen upon so pretty a beast, and to my cosen W. +Joyce's, who presently mounted too, and he and I out of towne +toward Highgate; in the way, at Kentish-towne, he showing me the +place and manner of Clun's being killed and laid in a ditch, and +yet was not killed by any wounds, having only one in his arm, but +bled to death through his struggling. He told me, also, the +manner of it, of his going home so late drinking with his +mistress, and manner of having it found out. + +7th. I saw several poor creatures carried by, by constables, for +being at a conventicle. They go like lambs, without any +resistance. I would to God they would either conform, or be more +wise, and not be catched,' + +9th. This day come the news that the Emperour hath beat, the +Turke: killed the Grand Vizier and several great Bassas, with an +army of 80,000 men killed and routed; with some considerable loss +of his own side, having lost three generals, and the French +forces all cut off almost. Which is thought as good a service to +the Emperour as beating the Turke almost. + +10th. Abroad to find out one to engrave my tables upon my new +sliding rule with silver plates, it being so small that Browne +that made it cannot get one to do it. So I got Cocker, [Edward +Cocker, the well known writing-master and arithmetician. Ob. +circ. 1679.] the famous writing-master, to do it, and I set an +hour by him to see him design it all: and strange it is to see +him with his natural eyes to cut so small at his first designing +it, and read it all over, without any missing, when for my life I +could not, with my best skill, read one word, or letter of it; +but it is use. He says that the best light for his life to do a +very small thing by, (contrary to Chaucer's words to the Sun, +"that he should lend his light to them that small seals grave,") +it should be by an artificial light of a candle, set to +advantage, as he could do it. I find the fellow, by his +discourse, very ingenious: and among other things, a great +admirer and well read in the English poets, and undertakes to +judge of them all, and that not impertinently. + +11th. Comes Cocker with my rule, which he hath engraved to +admiration, for goodness and smallness of work: it cost me 14s. +the doing. This day, for a wager before the King, my Lords of +Castlehaven and Arran, (a son of my Lord of Ormond's) they two +alone did run down and kill a stoute bucke in St. James's parke. + +13th. To the new play, at the Duke's house, of "Henry the +Fifth;" a most noble play, writ by my Lord Orrery; wherein +Betterton, Harris, and Ianthe's parts most incomparably wrote and +done, and the whole play the most full of height and raptures of +wit and sense, that ever I heard; having but one incongruity, +that King Harry promises to plead for Tudor to their mistress, +Princesse Katherine of France, more than when it comes to it he +seems to do; and Tudor refused by her with some kind of +indignity, not with a difficulty and honour that it ought to have +been done in to him. + +15th. With Sir J. Minnes, he talking of his cures abroad, while +he was with the King as a doctor. And among others, Sir J. +Benham he told me he had cured to a miracle. At Charing Cross, +and there saw the great Dutchman that is come over, under whose +arm I went with my hat on, and could not reach higher than his +eyebrowes with, the tip of my fingers. He is a comely and well- +made man, and his wife a very little but pretty comely Dutch +woman. + +16th. Wakened about two o'clock this morning with a noise of +thunder, which lasted for an hour, with such continued +lightnings, not flashes, but flames, that all the sky and ayre +was light; and that for a great while, not a minute's space +between new flames all the time: such a thing as I never did +see, nor could have believed had even been in nature. And being +put into a great sweat with it, could not sleep till all was +over. And that accompanied with such a storm of rain as I never +heard in my life. I expected to find my house in the morning +overflowed; but I find not one drop of rain in my house, nor any +news of hurt done. Mr. Pierce tells me the King do still sup +every night with my Lady Castlemaine. + +19th. The news of the Emperour's victory over the Turkes is by +some doubted, but by most confessed to be very small (though +great,) of what was talked, which was 80,000 men to be killed and +taken of the Turke's side. + +20th. I walked to Cheapside to see the effect of a fire there +this morning, since four o'clock: which I find in the house of +Mr. Bois, that married Doctor Fuller's niece, who are both out of +town, leaving only a maid and man in town. It begun in their +house, and hath burned much and many houses backward, though none +forward; and that in the great uniform pile of buildings in the +middle of Cheapside. I am very sorry for them, for the Doctor's +sake. Thence to the 'Change, and so home to dinner. And thence +to Sir W. Batten's, whither Sir Richard Ford come, the Sheriffe, +who hath been at this fire all the while; and he tells me, upon +my question, that he and the Mayor [Sir John Robinson.] were +there, as it is their dutys to be, not only to keep the peace, +but they have power of commanding the pulling down of any house +or houses, to defend the City. By and by comes in the Common +Cryer of the City to speak with him; and when he was gone, says +he, "You may see by this man the constitution of the Magistracy +of this City; that this fellow's place, I dare give him (if he +will be true to me,) 1000l. for his profits every year, and +expect to get 500l. more to myself thereby. When," says he, "I +in myself am forced to spend many times as much." + +26th. To see some pictures at one Hiseman's, [Huysman.] a +picture-drawer, a Dutchman, which is said to exceed Lilly, and +indeed there is both of the Queenes and Maids or honour +(particularly Mrs. Stewart's in a buff doublet like a soldier) +[Still to be seen at Kensington Palace.] as good pictures I +think as ever I saw. The Queene is drawn in one like a +shepherdess, in the other like St. Katharin, most like and most +admirably. I was mightily pleased with this sight indeed. Mr. +Pen, Sir William's son, is come back from France, and come to +visit my wife. A most modish person grown, she says a fine +gentleman. + +27th. All the news this day is, that the Dutch are, with twenty- +two sail of ships of warr, crewsing up and down about Ostend: at +which we are alarmed. My Lord Sandwich is come back into the +Downes with only eight sail, which is or may be a prey to the +Dutch, if they knew our weakness and inability to set out any +more speedily. + +31st. Prince Rupert I hear this day is to go to command this +fleet going to Guinny against the Dutch. I doubt few will be +pleased with his going, being accounted an unhappy man. + +SEPTEMBER 5, 1664. With the Duke; where all our discourse of war +in the highest measure. Prince Rupert was with us; who is +fitting himself to go to sea in the Heneretta. And afterwards I +met him and Mr. Gray, and says he, "I can answer but for one +ship, and in that I will do my part; for it is not in that as in +the army, where a man can command every thing." + +6th. This day Mr. Coventry did tell us how the Duke did receive +the Dutch Embassador the other day: by telling him that, whereas +they think us in jest, he believes that the Prince (Rupert) which +goes in this fleet to Guinny will soon tell them that we are in +earnest, and that he himself will do the like here, in the head +of the fleet here at home; and that he did not doubt to live to +see the Dutch as fearfull of provoking the English, under the +government of a King, as he remembers there to have been under +that of a Coquin. + +11th. With Mr. Blagrave walking in the Abbey, he telling me the +whole government and discipline of White Hall Chapel, and the +caution now used against admitting any debauched persons. + +12th. Up, and to my cosen Anthony Joyce's, and there took leave +of my aunt James, and both cosens, their wives, who are this day +going down to my father's by coach. I did give my aunt 20s., to +carry as a token to my mother, and 10s. to Poll. [His sister +Paulina.] With the Duke; and saw him with great pleasure play +with his little girle, like an ordinary private father of a +child. + +19th. Dr. Pierce tells me (when I was wondering that Fraizer +should order things with the Prince in that confident manner,) +that Fraizer is so great with my Lady Castlemaine, and Stewart, +and all the ladies at Court, in helping to slip their calfes when +there is occasion, and with the great men in curing of them, that +he can do what he please with the King in spite of any man, and +upon the same score with the Prince; they all having more or less +occasion to make use of him. + +22nd. Home to-bed; having got a strange cold in my head, by +flinging off my hat at dinner, and sitting with the wind in my +neck. [In Lord Clarendon's Essay on the decay of respect paid to +Age, he says, that in his younger days he never kept his hat on +before those older than himself, except at dinner.] + +23rd. We were told to-day of a Dutch ship of 3 or 400 tons, +where all the men were dead of the plague, and the ship cast +ashore at Gottenburgh. + +29th. Fresh newes come of our beating the Dutch at Guinny quite +out of all their castles almost, which will make them quite mad +here at home sure. and Sir G. Carteret did tell me, that the +King do joy mightily at it; but asked him laughing, "But," says +he, "how shall I do to answer this to the Embassador when he +comes?" Nay they say that we have beat them out of the New +Netherlands too; so that we have been doing them mischief for a +great while in several parts of the world, without publick +knowledge or reason. Their fleete for Guinny is now, they say, +ready, and abroad, and will be going this week. + +OCTOBER 1, 1664. We go now on with vigour in preparing against +the Dutch; who, they say, will now fall upon us without doubt +upon this high news come of our beating them so wholly in Guinny. + +2nd. After church I walked to my Lady Sandwich's, through my +Lord Southampton's new buildings in the fields behind Gray's Inn, +and, indeed, they are a very great and a noble work. + +3rd. With Sir J. Minnes, by coach, to St. James's; and there all +the news now of very hot preparations for the Dutch: and being +with the Duke, he told us he was resolved to take a tripp +himself, and that Sir W. Pen should go in the same ship with him. +Which honour, God forgive me! I could grudge him, for his +knavery and dissimulation, though I do not envy much the having +the same place myself. Talk also of great haste in the getting +out another fleet, and building some ships; and now it is likely +we have put one another's dalliance past a retreate. + +4th. After dinner to a play, to see "The Generall;" which is so +dull and so ill-acted, that I think it is the worst I ever saw or +heard in all my days. I happened to sit near to Sir Charles +Sedley: who I find a very witty man, and he did at every line +take notice of the dullness of the poet and badness of the +action, that most pertinently; which I was mightily taken with. + +5th. To the Musique-meeting at the Post-office, where I was once +before. And thither anon come all the Gresham College, and a +great deal of noble company: and the new instrument was brought +called the Arched Viall, where being tuned with lute-strings, and +played on with kees like an organ, a piece of parchment is always +kept moving; and the strings, which by the kees are pressed down +upon it, are grated in imitation of a bow, by the parchment; and +so it is intended to resemble several vyalls played on with one +bow, but so basely and so harshly, that it will never do. But +after three hours' stay it could not be fixed in tune: and so +they were fain to go to some other musique of instruments. This +morning, by three o'clock, the Prince [Rupert.] and King, and +Duke with him, went down the River, and the Prince under sail +the next tide after, and so is gone from the Hope. God give him +better success than he used to have! + +10th. This day, by the blessing of God, my wife and I have been +married nine years: but my head being full of business, I did +not think of it to keep it in any extraordinary manner. But +bless God for our long lives and loves and health together, which +the same God long continue, I wish, from my very heart! + +11th. Luellin tells me what an obscene loose play this "Parson's +Wedding" [A comedy, by Thomas Killigrew.] is, that is acted by +nothing but women at the King's house. My wife tells me the sad +news of my Lady Castlemaine's being now become so decayed, that +one would not know her; at least far from a beauty, which I am +sorry for. This day with great joy Captain Titus told us the +particulars of the French's expedition against Gigery upon the +Barbary Coast, in the Straights, with 6000 chosen men. They have +taken the Fort of Gigery, wherein were five men and three guns, +which makes the whole story of the King of France's policy and +power to be laughed at. + +12th. For news, all say De Ruyter is gone to Guinny before us. +Sir J. Lawson is come to Portsmouth; and our fleet is hastening +all speed: I mean this new fleet. Prince Rupert with his is got +into the Downes. + +13th. In my way to Brampton in this day's journey I met with Mr. +White, Cromwell's chaplin that was, and had a great deal of +discourse with him. Among others, he tells me that Richard is, +and hath long been, in France, and is now going into Italy. He +owns publickly that he do correspond, and return him all his +money. That Richard hath been in some straits in the beginning; +but relieved by his friends. That he goes by another name, but +do not disguise himself, nor deny himself to any man that +challenges him. He tells me, for certain, that offers had been +made to the old man, of marriage between the King and his +daughter, to have obliged him, but he would not. He thinks (with +me) that it never was in his power to bring in the King with the +consent of any of his officers about him; and that he scorned to +bring him in as Monk did, to secure himself and deliver every +body else. When I told him of what; I found writ in a French +book of one Monsieur Sorbiere, [Samuel Sorbiere, who, after +studying divinity and medicine at Paris, travelled in different +parts of Europe, and published his Voyage into England, described +by Voltaire as a dull, scurrilous satyr upon a nation of which +the author knew nothing.] that gives an account of his +observations here in England; among other things he says, that it +is reported that Cromwell did, in his life-time, transpose many +of the bodies of the Kings of England from one grave to another, +and that by that means it is not known certainly whether the head +that is now set up upon a post be that of Cromwell, or of one of +the Kings; Mr. White tells me that be believes he never had so +poor a low thought in him to trouble himself about it. He says +the hand of God is much to be seen; that all his children are in +good condition enough as to estate, and that their relations that +betrayed their family are all now either hanged or very +miserable. + +15th. My father and I up and walked alone to Hinchingbroke; and +among the late chargeable works that my Lord hath done there, we +saw his water-works, which are very fine; and so is the house all +over, but I am sorry to think of the money at this time spent +therein. + +16th (Lord's day). It raining, we set out betimes, and about +nine o'clock got to Hatfield in church-time; and I light and saw +my simple Lord Salsbury sit there in the gallery. + +18th. At Somerset-House I saw the Queene's new rooms, which are +most stately and nobly furnished; and there I saw her and the +Duke of York and Duchesse. The Duke espied me, and come to me, +and talked with me a very great while. + +24th. Into the galleries at White Hall to talk with my Lord +Sandwich; among other things, about the Prince's writing up to +tell us of the danger he and his fleet lie in at Portsmouth, of +receiving affronts from the Dutch; which, my Lord said, he would +never have done, had he lain there with one ship alone: nor is +there any great reason for it, because of the sands. However, +the fleet will be ordered to go and lay themselves up at the +Cowes. Much beneath the prowesse of the Prince, I think, and the +honour of the nation, at the first to be found to secure +themselves. My Lord is well pleased to think, that, if the Duke +and the Prince go, all the blame of any miscarriage will not +light on him: and that if any thing goes well, he hopes he shall +have the share of the glory, for the Prince is by no means well +esteemed of by any body. This day the great O'Neale died; I +believe, to the content of all the Protestant pretenders in +Ireland. + +26th. At Woolwich; I there up to the King and Duke. Here I +staid above with them while the ship was launched, which was done +with great success, and the King did very much like the ship, +saying, she had the best bow that ever he saw. But Lord! the +sorry talk and discourse among the great courtiers round about +him, without any reverence in the world, but with so much +disorder. By and by the Queene comes and her Maids of Honour; +one whereof, Mrs. Boynton, [Daughter of Matthew, second son to +Sir Matthew Boynton, Bart., of Barnston, Yorkshire. She became +the first wife of Richard Talbot, afterwards Duke of Tyrconnel.] +and the Duchesse of Buckingham had been very sick coming by water +in the barge, (the water being very rough); but what silly sport +they made with them in very common terms, methought, was very +poor, and below what people think these great people say and do. +The launching being done, the King and company went down to take +barge; and I sent for Mr. Pett, [He had built the ship.] and put +the flaggon into the Duke's hand, and he, in the presence of the +King, did give it Mr. Pett, taking it upon his knee. The City +did last night very freely lend the King 100,000l. without any +security but the King's word, which was very noble. + +29th. All the talk is that De Ruyter is come over-land home with +six or eight of his captaines to command here at home, and their +ships kept abroad in the Straights: which sounds as if they had +a mind to do something with us. + +31st. This day I hear young Mr. Stanly, a brave young gentleman, +that went out with young Jermin, with Prince Rupert, is already +dead of the small-pox, at Portsmouth. All preparations against +the Dutch; and the Duke of York fitting himself with all speed to +go to the fleet which is hastening for him; being now resolved to +go in the Charles. + +NOVEMBER 5, 1664. To the Duke's house to see "Macbeth," a pretty +good play, but admirably acted. Thence home; the coach being +forced to go round by London Wall home, because of the bonfires; +the day being mightily observed in the City. + +8th. At noon, I and Sir J. Minnes and Lord Barkeley (who with +Sir J. Duncum, [M.P. for Bury St. Edmunds.] and Mr. Chichly, are +made Masters of the Ordnance), to the office of the Ordnance, to +discourse about wadding for guns. Thence to dinner, all of us to +the Lieutenant's of the Tower; where a good dinner, but disturbed +in the middle of it by the King's coming into the Tower: and so +we broke up, and to him, and went up and down the store-houses +and magazines; which are, with the addition of the new great +storehouse, a noble sight. + +9th. To White Hall, and there the King being in his Cabinet +Council (I desiring to speak with Sir G. Carteret,) I was called +in, and demanded by the King himself many questions, to which I +did give him full answers. There were at this Council my Lord +Chancellor, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, the two +Secretarys, and Sir G. Carteret. Not a little contented at this +chance of being made known to these persons, and called often by +my name by the King. The Duke of York is this day gone away to +Portsmouth. + +11th. A gentleman told us he saw the other day, (and did bring +the draught of it to Sir Francis Prigeon,) a monster born of an +hostler's wife at Salsbury, two women children perfectly made, +joyned at the lower part of their bellies, and every part perfect +as two bodies, and only one payre of legs coming forth on one +side from the middle where they were joined. It was alive 24 +hours, and cried and did as all hopefull children do; but, being +showed too much to people, was killed. To the Council at White +Hall, where a great many lords: Annesly in the chair. But, +Lord! to see what work they will make us, and what trouble we +shall have to inform men in a business they are to begin to know, +when the greatest of our hurry is, is a thing to be lamented; and +I fear the consequence will be bad to us. Put on my new shaggy +purple gown with gold buttons and loop lace. + +14th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, to the Lords of +the Admiralty, and there did our business betimes. Thence to Sir +Philip Warwick about Navy business: and my Lord Ashly; and +afterwards to my Lord Chancellor, who is very well pleased with +me, and my carrying of his business. And so to the 'Change, +where mighty busy; and so home to dinner, where Mr. Creed and +Moore: and after dinner I to my Lord Treasurer's, to Sir Philip +Warwick there, and then to White Hall, to the Duke of Albemarle, +about Tangier; and then homeward to the Coffee-house to hear +news. And it seems the Dutch, as I afterwards found by Mr. +Coventry's letters, have stopped a ship of masts of Sir W. +Warren's, coming for us in a Swede's ship, which they will not +release upon Sir G. Downing's claiming her: which appears as the +first act of hostility; and is looked upon as so by Mr. Coventry. +The Elias, coming from New England (Captain Hill, commander,) is +sunk; only the captain and a few men saved. She foundered in the +sea. + +21st. This day for certain news is come that Teddiman hath +brought in eighteen or twenty Dutchmen, merchants, their +Bourdeaux fleet and two men of warr to Portsmouth. And I had +letters this afternoon, that three are brought into the Downes +and Dover: so that the warr is begun: God give a good end to +it! + +22nd. To my Lord Treasurer's; where with Sir Philip Warwick, +studying all we could to make the last year swell as high as we +could. And it is much to see how he do study for the King, to do +it to get all the money from the Parliament he can: and I shall +be serviceable to him therein, to help him to heads upon which to +enlarge the report of the expence. He did observe to me how +obedient this Parliament was for a while, and the last Session +how they began to differ, and to carp at the King's officers; and +what they will do now, he says, is to make agreement for the +money, for there is no guess to be made of it. He told me he was +prepared to convince the Parliament that the Subsidys are a most +ridiculous tax (the four last not rising to 40,000l.) and +unequall. He talks of a tax of assessment of 70,000l. for five +years; the people to be secured that it shall continue no longer +than there is really a warr; and the charges thereof to be paid. +He told me, that one year of the late Dutch war, cost 1,623,000l. +Thence to my Lord Chancellor's and there staid long with Sir W. +Batten, and Sir J. Minnes, to speak with my lord about our Prize +Office business; but, being sick and full of visitants, we could +not speak with him, and so away home. Where Sir Richard Ford did +meet us with letters from Holland this day, that it is likely the +Dutch fleet will not come out this year; they have not victuals +to keep them out, and it is likely they will be frozen before +they can get back. Captain Cocke is made Steward for sick and +wounded seamen. + +23rd. Sir G. Carteret was here this afternoon; and strange to +see how we plot to make the charge of this war to appear greater +than it is, because of getting money. + +25th. At my office all the morning, to prepare an account of the +charge we have been put to extraordinary by the Dutch already; +and I have brought it to appear 852,700l.: but God knows this is +only a scare to the Parliament, to make them give the more money. +Thence to the Parliament House, and there did give it to Sir +Philip Warwick; the House being hot upon giving the King a supply +of money. Mr. Jenings tells me the mean manner that Sir Samuel +Morland lives near him, in a house he hath bought and laid out +money upon, in all to the value of 1200l.; but is believed to be +a beggar. At Sir W. Batten's I hear that the House have given +the King 2,500,000l. to be paid for this war, only for the Navy, +in three years' time: which is a joyful thing to all the King's +party I see, but was much opposed by Mr. Vaughan and others, that +it should be so much. + +28th. Certain news of our peace made by Captain Allen with +Argier; and that the Dutch have sent part of their fleet round by +Scotland; and resolve to pay off the rest half-pay, promising the +rest in the spring, hereby keeping their men. But how true this, +I know not. + +DECEMBER 3, 1664. The Duke of York is expected to-night with +great joy from Portsmouth, after his having been abroad at sea, +three or four days with the fleet; and the Dutch are all drawn +into their harbours. But it seems like a victory: and a matter +of some reputation to us it is, and blemish to them; but in no +degree like what it is esteemed at, the weather requiring them to +do so. + +5th. Up, and to White Hall with Sir J. Minnes; and there, among +an infinite crowd of great persons, did kiss the Duke's hand; but +had no time to discourse. + +6th. To the Old Exchange, and there hear that the Dutch are +fitting their ships out again, which puts us to new discourse, +and to alter our thoughts of the Dutch, as to their want of +courage or force. + +15th. It seems, of all mankind there is no man so led by another +as the Duke is by Lord Muskerry [Eldest son of the Earl of +Cloncarty. He had served with distinction in Flanders, as +colonel of an infantry regiment, and was killed on board the Duke +of York's ship, in the sea fight, 1665.] and this FitzHarding. +Insomuch, as when, the King would have him to be Privy-Purse, the +Duke wept, and said, "But, Sir, I must have your promise, if you +will have my dear Charles from me, that if ever you have an +occasion for an army again, I may have him with me; believing him +to be the best commander of an army in the world." But Mr. +Cholmly thinks, as all other men I meet with do, that he is a +very ordinary fellow. It is strange how the Duke also do love +naturally, and affect the Irish above the English. He, of the +company he carried with him to sea, took above two thirds Irish +and French. He tells me the King do hate my Lord Chancellor; and +that they, that is the King and Lord FitzHarding, do laugh at him +for a dull fellow; and in all this business of the Dutch war do +nothing by his advice, hardly consulting him. Only he is a good +minister in other respects, and the King cannot be without him; +but, above all, being the Duke's father-in-law, he is kept in; +otherwise FitzHarding were able to fling down two of him. This, +all the wise and grave lords see, and cannot help it; but yield +to it. But he bemoans what the end of it may be, the King being +ruled by these men, as he hath been all along since his coming to +the rasing all the strong-holds in Scotland, and giving liberty +to the Irish in Ireland, whom Cromwell had settled all in one +corner; who are now able, and it is feared every day a massacre +beginning among them. + +17th. Mighty talk there is of this Comet that is seen a'nights; +and the King and Queene did sit up last night to see it, and did, +it seems. And to-night I thought to have done so too; but it is +cloudy, and so no stars appear. But I will endeavour it. Mr. +Gray did tell me to-night, for certain, that the Dutch, as high +as they seem, do begin to buckle; and that one man in this +kingdom did tell the King that he is offered 40,000l. to make a +peace, and others have been offered money also. It seems the +taking of their Bourdeaux fleet thus, arose from a printed +Gazette of the Dutch's boasting of fighting, and having beaten +the English: in confidence whereof, (it coming to Bourdeaux,) +all the fleet comes out, and so falls into our hands. + +19th. With Sir J. Minnes to White Hall, and there we waited on +the Duke. And among other things Mr. Coventry took occasion to +vindicate himself before the Duke and us, being ill there, about +the choosing of Taylor for Harwich. [Silas Taylor, Storekeeper +at Harwich.] Upon which the Duke did clear him, and did tell us +that he did expect, that, after he had named a man, none of us +shall then oppose or find fault with the man; but if we had any +thing to say, we ought to say it before he had chose him. Sir G. +Carteret thought himself concerned, and endeavoured to clear +himself: and by and by Sir W. Batten did speak, knowing himself +guilty, and did confess, that being pressed by the Council he did +say what he did, that he was accounted a fanatique; but did not +know that at that time he had been appointed by his Royal +Highness. To which the Duke: that it was impossible but he must +know that he had appointed him; and so it did appear that the +Duke did mean all this while Sir W. Batten. + +21st. My Lord Sandwich this day writes me word that he hath seen +(at Portsmouth) the Comet, and says it is the most extraordinary +thing he ever saw. + +22nd. Met with a copy of verses, mightily commended by some +gentlemen there, of my Lord Mordaunt's, [Vide Note, Nov. 26, +1666.] in excuse of his going to sea this late expedition, with +the Duke of York. But Lord! they are sorry things; only a Lord +made them. Thence to the 'Change; and there, among the +merchants, I hear fully the news of our being beaten to dirt at +Guinny, by De Ruyter with his fleet. The particulars, as much as +by Sir G. Carteret afterwards I heard, I have said in a letter to +my Lord Sandwich this day at Portsmouth; it being meet wholly to +the utter ruine of our Royall Company, and reproach and shame to +the whole nation, as well as justification to them in their doing +wrong to no man as to his private property, only taking whatever +is found to belong to the Company, and nothing else. To +Redriffe; and just in time within two minutes, and saw the new +vessel of Sir William Petty's launched, the King and Duke being +there. It swims and looks finely, and I believe will do well. + +24th. At noon to the 'Change, to the Coffee-house; and there +heard Sir Richard Ford tell the whole story of our defeat at +Guinny. Wherein our men are guilty of the most horrid cowardice +and perfidiousness, as he says and tells it, that ever Englishmen +were. Captain Reynolds, that was the only commander of any of +the King's ships there, was shot at by De Ruyter, with a bloody +flag flying. He, instead of opposing (which, indeed, had been to +no purpose, but only to maintain honour) did poorly go on board +himself, to ask what De Ruyter would have; and so yield to +whatever Ruyter would desire. The King and Duke are highly vexed +at it, it seems, and the business deserves it. I saw the Comet, +which is now, whether worn away or no I know not, but appears not +with a tail, but only is larger and duller than any other star, +and is come to rise betimes, and to make a great arch, and is +gone quite to a new place in the heavens than it was before: but +I hope in a clearer night something more will be seen. + +28th. To Sir W. Pen's to his Lady, [Margaret, daughter of John +Jasper, a merchant at Rotterdam.] who is a well-looked, fat, +short, old Dutch woman; but one that hath been heretofore pretty +handsome, and is I believe very discreet, and hath more wit than +her husband. + +31st. Public matters are all in a hurry about a Dutch warr. Our +preparations great; our provocations against them great; and +after all our presumption, we are now afraid as much of them, as +we lately contemned them. Every thing else in the State quiet, +blessed be God! My Lord Sandwich at sea with the fleet at +Portsmouth; sending some about to cruise for taking of ships, +which we have done to a great number. This Christmas I judged it +fit to look over all my papers and books; and to tear all that I +found either boyish or not to be worth keeping, or fit to be +seen, if it should please God to take me away suddenly among +others, I found these two or three notes, which I thought fit to +keep. + +AGE OF MY GRANDFATHER'S CHILDREN + +Thomas, 1595. +Mary, March 16, 1597. +Edith, October 11, 1599. +John, (my Father,) January 14, 1601. +My father and mother marryed at Newington, in Surry, Oct, 15, +1626 + +THEYR CHILDREN'S AGES. +Mary, July 24, 1627. mort. +[The word "mort" must have been in some instances added long +after the entry was first made.] +Paulina, Sept. 18, 1628. mort. +Esther, March 27, 1630. mort. +John, January 16, 1631. mort. +Samuel, Feb. 23, 1632. +[To this name is affixed the following note:--Went to reside in +Magd. Coll. Camb, and did put on my gown first, March 5 1650-1.] +Thomas, June 18, 1634. mort. +Sarah, August 25, 1635. mort. +Jacob, May 1, 1637. mort. +Robert, Nov. 18, 1638. mort. +Paulina, Oct. 18, 1640. +John, Nov. 26, 1641. mort. +December 31, 1664. + +CHARMES. + +FOR STENCHING OF BLOOD. + +Sanguis mane in te, +Sicut Christus fuit in se; +Sanguis mane in tua vena +Sicut Christus in sua poena; +Sanguis mane fixus, +Sicut Christus quando fuit crucifixus, + +2. A THORNE. + +Jesus, that was of a Virgin born, +Was pricked both with nail and thorn; +It neither wealed nor belled, rankled nor boned +In the name of Jesus no more shall this. + +Or, thus:-- + +Christ was of a Virgin born; +And he was pricked with a thorn; +And it did neither bell, nor swell, +And I trust in Jesus this never will. + +3. A CRAMP. + +Cramp be thou faintless, +As our Lady was sinless, +When she bare Jesus. + +4. A BURNING. + +There came three Angells out of the East; +The one brought fire, the other brought frost-- +Out fire; in frost. +In the name of the Father and Son, and Holy Ghost. +AMEN. + +1664-5. (JANUARY 2.) To my Lord Brouncker's, by appointment, in +the Piazza, in Covent-Garden; where I occasioned much mirth with +a ballet [The Earl of Dorset's song, "To all ye ladies now at +land," &c.] I brought with me, made from the seamen at sea to +their ladies in town; saying Sir W. Pen, Sir G. Ascue, and Sir J. +Lawson made them. Here a most noble French dinner and banquet. +The street full of footballs, it being a great frost. + +4th. To my Lord of Oxford's, but his Lordship was in bed at past +ten o'clock: and, Lord help us! so rude a dirty family I never +saw in my life. + +9th. I saw the Royal Society bring their new book, wherein is +nobly writ their charter and laws, and comes to be signed by the +Duke as a Fellow; and all the Fellows' hands are to be entered +there, and lie as a monument; and the King hath put his with the +word Founder. Holmes was this day sent to the Tower, but I +perceive it is made matter of jest only; but if the Dutch should +be our masters, it may come to be of earnest to him, to be given +over to them for a sacrifice, as Sir W. Rawly was. To a Tangier +committee, where I was accosted and most highly complimented by +my Lord Bellasses, our new governor, beyond my expectation; and I +may make good use of it. Our patent is renewed, and he and my +Lord Barkeley, and Sir Thomas Ingram [Chancellor of the Duchy of +Lancaster, and a Privy Counsellor. Ob. 1671.] put in as +commissioners. + +11th. This evening, by a letter from Plymouth, I hear that two +of our ships, the Leopard and another, in the Straights, are lost +by running aground; and that three more had like to have been so, +but got off, whereof Captain Allen one: and that a Dutch fleet +are gone thither; and if they should meet with our lame ships, +God knows what would become of them. This I reckon most sad +news; God make us sensible of it! + +12th. Spoke with a Frenchman who was taken, but released, by a +Dutch man-of-war of thirty-six guns, (with seven more of the +King's or greater ships), off the North Foreland, by Margett. +Which is a strange attempt, that they should come to our teeth; +but the wind being easterly, the wind that should bring our force +from Portsmouth, will carry them away home. + +13th. Yesterday's news confirmed, though a little different; but +a couple of ships in the Straights we have lost, and the Dutch +have been in Margret Road. [QUERY Margate.] + +14th. To the King's house, there to see Vulpone, [A Comedy by +Ben Jonson.] a most excellent play: the best I think I ever +saw, and well acted. + +15th. With Sir W. Pen in his coach to my Lord Chancellor's, +where by and by Mr. Coventry, Sir W. Pen, Sir J. Lawson, Sir G. +Ascue, and myself were called in to the King, there being several +of the Privy Council, and my Lord Chancellor lying at length upon +a couch (of the goute I suppose); and there Sir W. Pen spoke +pretty well to dissuade the King from letting the Turkey ships go +out: saying (in short) the King having resolved to have 130 +ships out by the spring, he must have above 20 of them +merchantmen. Towards which, he in the whole River could find but +12 or 14, and of them the five ships taken up by these merchants +were a part, and so could not be spared. That we should need +30,000 sailors to man these 130 ships, and of them in service we +have not above 16,000: so that we shall need 14,000 more. That +these ships will with their convoys carry about 2000 men, and +those the best men that could be got; it being the men used to +the Southward that are the best men of warr, though those bred in +the North among the colliers are good for labour. That it will +not be safe for the merchants, nor honourable for the King, to +expose these rich ships with his convoy of six ships to go, it +not being enough to secure them against the Dutch, who, without +doubt, will have a great fleet in the Straights. This, Sir +J.Lawson enlarged upon. Sir G. Ascue chiefly spoke that the warr +and trade could not be supported together. Mr. Coventry showed +how the medium of the men the King hath one year with another +employed in his Navy since his coming, hath not been above 3000 +men, or at most 4000 men; and now having occasion of 30,000, the +remaining 26,000 must be found out of the trade of the nation. +He showed how the cloaths, sending by these merchants to Turkey, +are already bought and paid for to the workmen, and are as many +as they would send these twelve months or more; so the poor do +not suffer by their not going, but only the merchant, upon whose +hands they lie dead; and so the inconvenience is the less. And +yet for them he propounded, either the King should, if his +Treasurer would suffer it, buy them, and showed the loss would +not be so great to him: or, dispense with the Act of Navigation, +and let them be carried out by strangers; and ending that he +doubted not but when the merchants saw there was no remedy, they +would and could find ways of sending them abroad to their profit. +All ended with a conviction (unless future discourse with the +merchants should alter it,) that it was not fit for them to go +out, though the ships be loaded. So we withdrew, and the +merchants were called in. Staying without, my Lord FitzHarding +come thither, and fell to discourse of Prince Rupert's disease, +[Morbus, scil, Gallicus.] telling the horrible degree of its +breaking out on his head. He observed also from the Prince, that +courage is not what men take it to be, a contempt of death; for, +says he, how chagrined the Prince was the other day when he +thought he should die. + +16th. To a Tangier committee, where my Lord Ashly, I observe, is +a most clear man in matters of accounts, and most ingeniously did +discourse and explain all matters. + +19th, This day was buried; (but I could not be there) my cosen +Percivall Angler: and yesterday I received the news that Dr. Tom +Pepys is dead, at Impington. + +21st. Mr. Povy carried me to Somerset House, and there showed me +the Queene-Mother's chamber and closet, most beautiful places for +furniture and pictures; and so down the great stone stairs to the +garden, and tried the brave echo upon the stairs; which continues +a voice so long as the singing three notes, concords, one after +another, they all three shall sound in consort together a good +while most pleasantly. + +23rd. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to White Hall; +but there finding the Duke gone to his lodgings in St, James's +for alltogether, his Duchesse being ready to lie in, we to him, +and there did our usual business. and here I met the great news +confirmed by the Duke's own relation, by a letter from Captain +Allen. First, of our own loss of two ships, the Phoenix and +Nonsuch, in the Bay of Gibraltar: then of his and his seven +ships with him, in the Bay of Cales, or thereabouts, fighting +with the 34 Dutch Smyrna fleet; sinking the King Salamon, a ship +worth a 150,000l. or more, some say 200,000l. and another; and +taking of three merchant-ships. Two of our ships were disabled, +by the Dutch unfortunately falling against their will against +them; the Advice, Captain W. Poole, and Antelope, Captain Clerke. +The Dutch men of war did little service. Captain Allen, before +he would fire one gun, come within pistol-shot of the enemy. The +Spaniards, at Cales, did stand laughing at the Dutch, to see them +run away and flee to the shore, 34 or thereabouts, against eight +Englishmen at most. I do purpose to get the whole relation, if I +live, of Captain Allen himself. In our loss of the two ships in +the Bay of Gibraltar, the world do comment upon the misfortune of +Captain Moone of the Nonsuch, (who did lose, in the same manner, +the Satisfaction,) as a person that hath ill-luck attending him; +without-considering that the whole fleet was ashore. Captain +Allen led the way, and himself writes that all the masters of the +fleet, old and young, were mistaken, and did carry their ships +aground. But I think I heard the Duke say that Moone, being put +into Oxford, had in this conflict regained his credit, by sinking +one and taking another. Captain Seale of the Milford hath done +his part very well, in boarding the King Salamon, which held out +half an hour after she was boarded; and his men kept her an hour +after they did master her, and then she sunk, and drowned about +17 of her men. + +24th. The Dutch have, by consent of all the Provinces, voted no +trade to be suffered for eighteen months, but that they apply +themselves wholly to the war. [This statement of a total +prohibition of all trade, and for so long a period as eighteen +months, by a government so essentially commercial as that of the +United Provinces seems extraordinary. The fact, as I am +informed, was, that when in the beginning of the year 1665 the +States General saw that the war with England was become +inevitable, they took several vigorous measures, and determined +to equip a formidable fleet, and with a view to obtain a +sufficient number of men to man it, prohibited all navigation, +especially in the great and small fisheries as they were then +called, and in the Whale fishery. This measure appears to have +resembled the embargoes so commonly resorted to in this country +on similar occasions, rather than a total prohibition of trade.] + +27th. Mr. Slingsby, a very ingenious person about the Mint, +tells me that the money passing up and down in business is +700,000l. He also made me fully understand that the old law of +prohibiting bullion to be exported, is, and ever was a folly and +an injury, rather than good. + +FEBRUARY 3, 1664-65. To visit my Lady Sandwich, and she +discoursed largely to me her opinion of a match, if it could be +thought fit by my Lord, for my Lady Jemimah, with Sir G. +Carteret's eldest son; but I doubt he hath yet no settled estate +in land. But I will inform myself, and give her my opinion. +Then Mrs. Pickering (after private discourse ended, we going into +the other room) did, at my Lady's command, tell me the manner of +a masquerade before the King and the Court the other day. Where +six women (my Lady Castlermaine and Duchesse of Monmouth being +two of them,) and six men, (the Duke of Monmouth and Lord Avon +and Monsieur Blanfort, [Lewis Duras, Marquis de Blanquefort, +naturalized 17th Charles II., and created Baron Duras 1672 and +K.G. by James II., whom he had attended in the sea-fight 1665, as +Captain of the guard.] being three of them) in vizards, but most +rich and antique dresses, did dance admirably and most +gloriously. God give us cause to continue the mirth! + +4th. I to the Sun behind the 'Change, to dinner to my Lord +Belasses, He told us a very handsome passage of the King's +sending him his message about holding out the town of Newarke, of +which he was then governor for the King. This message he sent in +a slugg-bullet, being writ in cipher, and wrapped up in lead and +sealed. So the messenger come to my Lord and told him he had a +message from the King, but it was yet in his belly; so they did +give him some physick, and out it come. This was a month before +the King's flying to the Scots; and therein he told him that at +such a day, the 3rd or 6th of May, he should hear of his being +come to the Scots, being assured by the King of France that in +coming to them he should be used with all the liberty, honour, +and safety, that could be desired. And at the just day he did +come to the Scots. He told us another odd passage: how the King +having newly put out Prince Rupert of his generalship, upon some +miscarriage at Bristol, and Sir Richard Willis of his +governorship of Newarke, at the entreaty of the gentry of the +County, and put in my Lord Bellasses; the great officers of the +King's army mutinyed, and come in that manner with swords drawn, +into the market-place of the town where the King was; which the +King hearing says, "I must horse." And there himself personally, +when everybody expected they should have been opposed, the King +come, and cried to the head of the mutineers, which was Prince +Rupert, "Nephew I command you to be gone." So the Prince, in all +his fury and discontent, withdrew, and his company scattered. + +6th. One of the coldest days, all say, they ever felt in +England. + +9th. Sir William Petty tells me that Mr. Barlow [Mr. Pepys' +predecessor as Clerk of the acts, to whom he paid part of the +salary.] is dead; for which, God knows my heart, I could be as +sorry as is possible for one to be for a stranger, by whose death +he gets 100l. per annum. + +12th. To Church to St. Lawrence to hear Dr. Wilkins, the great +scholar, for curiosity, I having never heard him: but was not +satisfied with him at all. + +15th. At noon, with Creed to the Trinity-house, where a very +good dinner among the old jokers, and an extraordinary discourse +of the manner of the loss of the Royall Oake coming home from +Bantam, upon the rocks of Scilly. Thence with Creed to Gresham +College, where I had been by Mr. Povy the last week proposed to +be admitted a member; and was this day admitted, by signing a +book and being taken by the hand by the President, my Lord +Brouncker, and some words of admittance said to me. But it is a +most acceptable thing to hear their discourse, and see their +experiments; which were this day on fire, and how it goes out in +a place where the ayre is not free, and sooner out where the ayre +is exhausted, which they showed by an engine on purpose. After +this being done, they to the Crown Tavern, behind the 'Change, +and there my Lord and most of the company to a club supper; Sir +P. Neale, [Sir Paul Neile, of White Waltham, Berks, eldest son to +Neile, Archbishop of York.] Sir R. Murrey, [One of the Founders +of the Royal Society, made a Privy Counsellor for Scotland after +the Restoration.] Dr. Clerke, Dr. Whistler, [Daniel Whistler, +Fellow of Merton College, took the degree of M.D. at Leyden, +1645; and after practising in London, went as Physician to the +Embassy, with Bulstrode Whitlock, into Sweden. On his return he +became Fellow, and at length President, of the College of +Physicians. Ob. 1684.] Dr. Goddard, [Jonathan Goddard, M.D., +F.R.S. He had been Physician to Cromwell.] and others, of the +most eminent worth. Above all, Mr. Boyle was at the meeting, and +above him Mr. Hooke, who is the most, and promises the least, of +any man in the world that ever I saw. Here excellent discourse +till ten at night, and then home. + +17th. Povy tells me how my Lord Barkeley will say openly, that +he hath fought more set fields than any man in England hath done. + +18th. At noon, to the Royall Oak taverne in Lombard Street; +where Sir William Petty and the owners of the double-bottomed +boat (the Experiment) did entertain my Lord Brouncker, Sir A. +Murrey, myself, and others, with marrow bones, and a chine of +beef of the victuals they have made for this ship; and excellent +company and good discourse: but, above all, I do value Sir +William Petty. Thence home; and took my Lord Sandwich's draught +of the harbour of Portsmouth down to Ratcliffe, to one Burston, +to make a plate for the King, and another for the Duke, and +another for himself; which will be very neat. + +20th. Rode into the beginning of my Lord Chancellor's new house, +near St. James's; which common people have already called +Dunkirke-house, from their opinion of having a good bribe for the +selling of that towne. And very noble I believe it will be. +Near that is my Lord Barkeley beginning another one side, and Sir +J. Denham on the other. + +21st. My Lady Sandwich tells me how my Lord Castlemaine is +coming over from France, and is believed will soon be made +friends with his Lady again. What mad freaks the Mayds of Honour +at Court have: that Mrs. Jenings, one of the Dutchesse's maids, +the other day dressed herself like an orange wench, and went up +and down and cried oranges; till falling down, or by some +accident her fine shoes were discerned, and she put to a great +deal of shame; that such as these tricks being ordinary, and +worse among them, thereby few will venture upon them for wives: +my Lady Castlemaine will in merriment say, that her daughter (not +above a year old or two) will be the first mayd in the Court that +will be married. [Frances, daughter of Richard Jennings, Esq., +of Sandridge, near St. Alban's, and eldest sister of Sarah, +Duchess of Marlborough, married 1st, George Hamilton, afterwards +knighted, and in the French service; and 2ndly, Richard Talbot, +Created Duke of Tyrconnel. She died in Ireland, 1730. The +anecdote here related will be found in the "Memoires de +Grammont."] This day my Lord Sandwich writ me word from the +Downes, that he is like to be in town this week. + +22nd. At noon to the 'Change, busy; where great talk of a Dutch +ship in the North put on shore, and taken by a troop of horse. + +25th. At noon to the 'Change; where just before I come, the +Swede that had told the King and the Duke so boldly a great lie +of the Dutch flinging our men back to back into the sea at +Guinny, so particularly, and readily, and confidently, was whipt; +round the 'Change: he confessing it a lie, and that he did it in +hopes to get something. + +27th. We to a Committee of the Council to discourse concerning +pressing of men; but Lord! how they meet; never sit down: one +comes, now another goes, then comes another; one complaining that +nothing is done, another swearing that he hath been there these +two hours and nobody come. At last my Lord Annesly [Created Earl +of Anglesea.] says, "I think we must be forced to get the King +to come to every committee; for I do not see that we do any thing +at any time but when he is here." And I believe he said the +truth: and very constant he is on council-days; which his +predecessors, it seems, very rarely were. To Sir Philip +Warwick's; and there he did contract with me a kind of friendship +and freedom of communication, wherein he assures me to make me +understand the whole business of the Treasurer of the Navy, that +I shall know as well as Sir G. Carteret what money he hath; and +will needs have me come to him sometimes, or he meet me, to +discourse of things tending to the serving the King: and I am +mighty proud and happy in becoming so known to such a man. And I +hope shall pursue it. + +MARCH 1, 1664-65. To Gresham College, where Mr. Hooke read a +second very curious lecture about the late Comet; among other +things proving very probably that this is the very same Comet +that appeared before in the year 1618, and that in such a time +probably it will appear again, which is a very new opinion; but +all will be in print. Then to the meeting, where Sir G. +Carteret's two sons, his own, and Sir N. Slaning, [Sir Nicholas +Slaning K.B., married a daughter of Sir George Carteret.] were +admitted of the society: and this day I did pay my admission +money, 40s. to the society. + +4th. William Howe come to see me, being come up with my Lord +from sea: he is grown a discreet, but very conceited fellow. He +tells me how little respectfully Sir W. Pen did carry it to my +Lord on board the Duke's ship at sea; and that Captain Minnes, a +favourite of Prince Rupert's, do show my Lord little respect; but +that every body else esteems my Lord as they ought. This day was +proclaimed at the 'Change the war with Holland. + +5th. To my Lord Sandwich's and dined with my Lord; it being the +first time he hath dined at home since his coming from sea: and +a pretty odd demand it was of my Lord to my Lady before me: "How +do you, sweetheart? How have you done all this week?" himself +taking notice of it to me, that he had hardly seen her the week +before. At dinner he did use me with the greatest solemnity in +the world, in carving for me, and nobody else, and calling often +to my Lady to cut for me; and all the respect possible. + +6th. With Sir J. Minnes to St. James's, and there did our +business with the Duke. Great preparations for his speedy return +to sea. I saw him try on his buff coat and hat-piece covered +with black velvet. It troubles me more to think of his venture, +than of any thing else in the whole warr. + +8th. This morning is brought me to the office the sad news of +The London, in which Sir J. Lawson's men were all bringing her +from Chatham to the Hope, and thence he was to go to sea in her; +but a little on this side the buoy of the Nower, she suddenly +blew up. About 21 men and a woman that were in the round-house +and coach saved; the rest, being about 300, drowned: the ship +breaking all in pieces, with 80 pieces of brass ordnance. She +lies sunk, with her round-house above water. Sir J. Lawson hath +a great loss in this of so many good chosen men, and many +relations among them. I went to the 'Change, where the news +taken very much to heart. + +10th. At noon to the 'Change, where very hot, people's proposal +of the City giving the King another ship for The London, that is +lately blown up. It would be very handsome, and if well managed, +might be done; but I fear if it be put into ill hands, or that +the courtiers do solicit it, it will never be done. + +13th. This day my wife begun to wear light-coloured locks, quite +white almost, which, though it makes her look very pretty, yet +not being natural, vexes me, that I will not have her wear them. +This day I saw my Lord Castlemaine at St. James's, lately come +from France. + +17th. The Duke did give us some commands, and so broke up, not +taking leave of him. But the best piece of newes is, that +instead of a great many troublesome Lords, the whole business is +to be left, with the Duke of Albemarle to act as Admirall in his +stead; which is a thing that do cheer my heart. For the other +would have vexed us with attendance, and never done the business. + +19th. Mr. Povy and I in his coach to Hyde Parke, being the first +day of the tour there. Where many brave ladies; among others, +Castlemaine lay impudently upon her back in her coach asleep, +with her mouth open. There was also my Lady Kerneguy, [Daughter +of William Duke of Hamilton, wife of Lord Carnegy, who became +Earl of Southesk on his father's death. She is frequently +mentioned in the "Memoires de Grammont."] once my Lady Anne +Hambleton. + +20th. Creed and I had Mr. Povy's coach sent for us, and we to +his house; where we did some business in order to the work of +this day. Povy and I to my Lord Sandwich, who tells me that the +Duke is not only a friend to the business, but to me, in terms of +the greatest love and respect. The Duke did direct Secretary +Bennet to declare his mind to the Tangier committee, that he +approves of me for treasurer; and with a character of me to be a +man whose industry and discretion he would trust soon as any +man's in England: and did, the like to my Lord Sandwich. So to +White Hall to the Committee of Tangier where there were present, +my Lord of Albemarle, my Lord Peterborough, Sandwich, Barkeley, +FitzHarding, Secretary Bennet, Sir Thomas Ingram, Sir John +Lawson, Povy and I. Where, after other business, Povy did +declare his business very handsomely; that he was sorry he had +been so unhappy in his accounts, as not to give their Lordships +the satisfaction he intended, and that he was sure his accounts +were right, and continues to submit them to examination, and is +ready to lay down in ready money the fault of his account; and +that for the future, that the work might be better done and with +more quiet to him, he desired, by approbation of the Duke, he +might resign his place to Mr. Pepys. Whereupon, Secretary Bennet +did deliver the Duke's command, which was received with great +content and allowance beyond expectation; the Secretary repeating +also the Duke's character of me. And I could discern my Lord +FitzHarding was well pleased with me, and signified full +satisfaction, and whispered something seriously of me to the +Secretary. And there I received their constitution under all +their hands presently; so that I am already confirmed their +treasurer, and put into a condition of striking of tallys; and +all without; one harsh word of dislike, but quite the contrary; +which is a good fortune beyond all imagination. + +22nd. Sir William Petty did tell me that in good earnest he hath +in his will left some parts of his estate to him that could +invent such and such things. As among others, that could +discover truly the way of milk coming into the breasts of a +woman; and he that could invent proper characters to express to +another the mixture of relishes and tastes. And says, that to +him that invents gold, he gives nothing for the philosopher's +stone; for (says he) they that find out that, will be able to pay +themselves. But, says he, by this means it is better than to go +to a lecture; for here my executors, that must part with this, +will be sure to be well convinced of the invention before they do +part with their money. I saw the Duke, kissed his hand, and had +his most kind expressions of his value and opinion of me, which +comforted me above all things in the world the like from Mr. +Coventry most heartily and affectionately. Saw, among other fine +ladies, Mrs. Middleton, [Jane, daughter to Sir Robert Needham, +frequently mentioned in the "Memoires de Grammont." Her portrait +is at Windsor Castle amongst the beauties of Charles II.'s +court.] a very great beauty; and I saw Waller [Edmund Waller.] +the poet, whom I never saw before. + +23rd. To my Lord Sandwich, who follows the Duke this day by +water down to the Hope, where the Prince lies. He received me, +busy as he was, with mighty kindness and joy at my promotions; +telling me most largely how the Duke hath expressed on all +occasions his good opinion of my service and love for me. I paid +my thanks and acknowledgement to him; and so back home, where at +the office all the morning. + +27th. Up betimes to Mr. Povy's, and there did sign and seal my +agreement with him about my place of being treasurer for Tangier. +Thence to the Duke of Albemarle, the first time that we officers +of the Navy have waited upon him since the Duke of York's going, +who hath deputed him to be Admiral in his absence. And I find +him a quiet heavy man, that will help business when he can, and +hinder nothing. I did afterwards alone give him thanks for his +favour to me about my Tangier business, which he received kindly, +and did speak much of his esteem of me. Thence, and did the same +to Sir H. Bennet, who did the like to me very fully. + +APRIL 1, 1665. With Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Batten, and Sir J. +Minnes to my Lord Treasurer, and there did lay open the expence +for the six months past, and an estimate of the seven months to +come, to November next: the first arising to above 500,000l., +and the latter will, as we judge, come to above 1,000,000l. But +to see how my Lord Treasurer did bless himself, crying he would +do no more than he could, nor give more money than he had, if the +occasion and expence were never so great, which is but a bad +story. + +3rd. To a play at the Duke's, of my Lord Orrery's, called +"Mustapha," [There was another tragedy of this name, by Fulk, +Lord Brook.] which being not good, made Beterton's part and +Ianthe's but ordinary too. All the pleasure of the play was, the +King and my Lady Castlemaine were there; and pretty witty Nell, +[Nel Gwynne.] at the King's house, and the younger Marshall sat +next us; which pleased me mightily. + +6th. Great talk of a new Comet; and it is certain do appear as +bright as the late one at the best; but I have not seen it +myself. + +7th. Sir Philip Warwick did show me nakedly the King's condition +for money for the Navy; and he do assure me, unless the King can +get some noblemen or rich money-gentlemen to lend him money, or +to get the City to do it, it is impossible to find money: we +having already, as he says, spent one year's share of the three- +years tax, which comes to 2,500,000l. + +10th. My Lord Brouncker took me and Sir Thomas Harvy in his +coach to the Park, which is very troublesome with the dust; and +ne'er a great beauty there to day but Mrs. Middleton. + +12th. Sir G. Carteret, my Lord Brouncker, Sir Thomas Harvy, and +myself, down to my Lord Treasurer's chamber to him and the +Chancellor, and the Duke of Albemarle; and there I did give them +a large account of the charge of the Navy, and want of money. +But strange to see how they hold up their hands, crying, " What +shall we do?" says my Lord Treasurer, "Why what means all this, +Mr. Pepys? This is true, you say; but what would you have me to +do. I have given all I can for my life? Why will not people +lend their money? Why will they not trust the King as well as +Oliver? Why do our prizes come to nothing, that yielded so much +heretofore?" And this was all we could get, and went away +without other answer. + +16th, Captain Taylor can, as he says, show the very originall +Charter to Worcester, of King Edgar's, wherein he stiles himself, +Rex Marium Britanniae, &c.; which is the great text that Mr. +Selden and others do quote, but imperfectly and upon trust. But +he hath the very originall, which he says he will show me. + +17th. To the Duke of Albemarle's, where he showed me Mr. +Coventry's letters, how three Dutch privateers are taken, in one +whereof Everson's son is captaine. But they have killed poor +Captaine Golding in The Diamond. Two of them, one of 32 and the +other of 20 odd guns, did stand stoutly up against her, which +hath 46, and the Yarmouth that hath 52 guns, and as many more men +as they. So that they did more than we could expect, not +yielding till many of their men were killed. And Everson, when +he was brought before the Duke of York, and was observed to be +shot through the hat, answered, that he wished it had gone +through his head, rather than been taken. One thing more is +written; that two of our ships the other day appearing upon the +coast of Holland, they presently fired their beacons round the +country to give them notice. And news is brought the King, that +the Dutch Smyrna fleet is seen upon the back of Scotland; and +thereupon the King hath wrote to the Duke, that he do appoint a +fleet to go to the Northward to try to meet them coming home +round: which God send! Thence to White Hall; where the King +seeing me, did come to me, and calling me by name, did discourse +with me about the ships in the River: and this is the first time +that ever I knew the King did know me personally; so that +hereafter I must not go thither, but with expectation to be +questioned, and to be ready to give good answers. + +19th. Up by five o'clock, and by water to White Hall; and there +took coach, and with Mr. Moore to Chelsy; where, after all my +fears what doubts and difficulties my Lord Privy Seale [John Lord +Roberts.] would make at my Tangier Privy Seale, he did pass it +at first reading, without my speaking with him. And then called +me in, and was very civil to me. I passed my time in +contemplating (before I was called in) the picture of my Lord's +son's lady, a most beautiful woman, and most like to Mrs. Butler. +Thence very much joyed to London back again, and found out Mr. +Povy; told him this; and then went and left my Privy Seale at my +Lord Treasurer's; and so to the 'Change, and thence to Trinity- +house; where a great dinner of Captain Crisp, who is made an +Elder Brother. And so, being very pleasant at dinner, away home, +Creed with me; and there met Povy; and we to Gresham College. + +20th. This night I am told the first play is played in White +Hall noon-hall, which is now turned to a house of playing. + +23rd. To White Hall chapel, and heard the famous young +Stillingfleete, [Edward Stillingfleet, a most learned Divine, +consecrated Bishop of Worcester, 1689, Ob. 1699.] whom I knew at +Cambridge, and he is now newly admitted one of the King's +chaplains. And was presented, they say, to my Lord Treasurer for +St. Andrew's Holborn, where he is now minister, with these words: +that they (the Bishops of Canterbury, London, and another) +believed he is the ablest young man to preach the Gospel of any +since the Apostles. He did make a most plain, honest, good, +grave sermon, in the most unconcerned and easy yet substantial +manner, that ever I heard in my life, upon the words of Samuel to +the people, "Fear the Lord in truth with all your heart, and +remember the great things that he hath done for you." It being +proper to this day, the day of the King's Coronation. Thence to +the Cocke-pitt, and there walked an hour with my Lord Duke of +Albemarle alone in his garden, where he expressed in great words +his opinion of me; that I was the right hand of the Navy here, +nobody but I taking any care of any thing therein; so that he +should not know what could be done without me. At which I was +(from him) not a little proud. + +28th. Down the River to visit the victualling-ships, where I +find all out of order. And come home to dinner, and then to +write a letter to the; Duke of Albemarle about them, and carried +it myself to the Council-chamber; and when they rose, my Lord +Chancellor passing by stroked me on the head, and told me that +the Board had read my letter, and taken order for the punishing +of the watermen for not appearing on board the ships. And so did +the King afterwards, who do now know me so well, that he never +sees me but he speaks to me about our Navy business. + +30th. Thus I end this month in great content as to my estate and +gettings: in much trouble as to the pains I have taken, and the +rubs I expect to meet with, about the business of Tangier. The +fleet, with about 106 ships upon the coast of Holland, in sight +of the Dutch, within the Texel. Great fears of the sicknesse +here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are +already shut up. God preserve us all! + +MAY 1, 1665. I met my Lord Brouncker, Sir Robert Murrey, Dean +Wilkins, and Mr. Hooke, going by coach to Colonel Blunt's to +dinner. [Wricklesmarsh, in the parish of Charlton, which +belonged, in 1617, to Edward Blount, Esq., whose family alienated +it towards the end of the seventeenth century. The old mansion +was pulled down by Sir Gregory Page, Bart., who erected a +magnificent stone structure on the site; which, devolving to his +great nephew, Sir Gregory Page Turner, shared the same fate as +the former house, having been sold in lots in 1784.] So they +stopped and took me with them. Landed at the Tower-wharf, and +thence by water to Greenwich; and there coaches met us; and to +his house, a very stately sight for situation and brave +plantations; and among others, a vine-yard, the first that ever I +did see. No extraordinary dinner, nor any other entertainment +good; but afterwards to the tryal of some experiments about +making of coaches easy. And several we tried; but one did prove +mighty easy, (not here for me to describe, but the whole body of +the coach lies upon one long spring,) and we all, one after +another, rid in it; and it is very fine and likely to take. +Thence to Deptford, and in to Mr. Evelyn's, which is a most +beautiful place; [Says-Court, the well-known residence of John +Evelyn, Esq.] but it being dark and late, I staid not; but Dean +Wilkins and Mr. Hooke and I, walked to Redriffe; and noble +discourse all day long did please me. + +3rd. My Lord Chief-Justice Hide did die suddenly this week, a +day or two ago, of an apoplexy. + +5th. After dinner, to Mr. Evelyn's; he being abroad, we walked +in his garden, and a lovely noble ground he hath indeed. And +among other rarities, a hive of bees, so as being hived in glass, +you may see the bees making their honey and combs mighty +pleasantly. + +10th. To the Cocke-pitt, where the Duke did give Sir W. Batten +and me an account of the late taking of eight ships, and of his +intent to come back to the Gunfleete with the fleet presently; +which creates us much work and haste therein, against the fleet +comes. And thence to the Guard in Southwarke, there to get some +soldiers, by the Duke's order, to go keep pressmen on board our +ships. + +14th. To church, it being Whit-sunday; my wife very fine in a +new yellow bird's-eye hood, as the fashion is now. I took a +coach, and to Wemstead, the house where Sir H. Mildmay died, and +now Sir Robert Brookes lives, having bought it of the Duke of +York, it being forfeited to him. [Sir Robert Brookes, Lord of +the Manor of Wanstead, from 1662 to 1687. M.P. for Aldborough in +Suffolk. He afterwards retired to France, and died there in bad +circumstances. From a letter among the PEPYS MSS., Sir Robert +Brookes appears to have been drowned in the river at Lyons.] A +fine seat, but an old-fashioned house; and being not full of +people looks flatly. + +17th. The Duchesse of York went down yesterday to meet the Duke. + +18th. To the Duke of Albemarle, where we did examine Nixon and +Stanesby, about their late running from two Dutchmen; for which +they were committed to a vessel to carry them to the fleet to be +tried. A most fowle unhandsome thing as ever was heard, for +plain cowardice on Nixon's part. + +23rd. Late comes Sir Arthur Ingram [Sir Arthur Ingram, Knight, +of Knottingley, Surveyor of the Customs at Hull.] to my office, +to tell me, that, by letters from Amsterdam of the 18th of this +month, the Dutch fleet, being about 100 men-of-war, besides fire- +ships, &c., did set out upon the 13th and 14th inst. Being +divided into seven squadrons, viz.--1. General Opdam. 2. +Cottenar of Rotterdam. [Died of his wounds after the sea-fight +in 1665.] 3. Trump. 4. Schram, of Horne. 5. Stillingworth, of +Freezland. 6. Everson. 7. One other, not named, of Zealand. + +27th. To the Coffee-house, where all the news is of the Dutch be +gone out, and of the plague growing upon us in this town; and of +remedies against it: some saying one thing, and some another. + +26th. In the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I +found mightily off the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of +the River; which vexed me to see. + +28th. I hear that Nixon is condemned to be shot to death, for +his cowardice, by a Council of War. To my Lady Sandwich's, +where, to my shame, I had not been a great while. Here, upon my +telling her a story of my Lord Rochester's [John second Earl of +Rochester, celebrated for his wit and profligacy. Ob. 1680.] +running away on Friday night last with Mrs. Mallett, [Elizabeth, +daughter of John Mallett, Esq., of Enmere, co. Somerset; married +soon afterwards to the Earl of Rochester.] the great beauty and +fortune of the North, who had supped at White Hall with Mrs. +Stewart, and was going home to her lodgings with her grand- +father, my Lord Haly, [Sir Francis Hawley of Buckland House, co. +Somerset, created a Baronet 1662, in 1646 an Irish Peer; by the +title of Baron Hawley of Donamore; in 1671 he was chosen M.P. for +St. Michael's, and in 1673 became a Gentleman of the Bed-chamber +to the Duke of York. Ob. 1684, aged 76.] by coach: and was at +Charing Cross seized on by both horse and foot-men, and forcibly +taken from him, and put into a coach with six horses, and two +women provided to receive her, and carried away. Upon immediate +pursuit, my Lord of Rochester (for whom the King had spoke to the +lady often, but with no success,) was taken at Uxbridge: but the +lady is not yet heard of, and the King mighty angry, and the Lord +sent to the Tower. Hereupon my Lady did confess to me, as a +great secret, her being concerned in this story. For if this +match breaks between my Lord Rochester and her, then, by the +consent of all her friends, my Lord Hinchingbroke stands fair, +and is invited for her. She is worth, and will be at her +mother's death, (who keeps but a little from her,) 2500l. per +annum. Pray God give a good success to it! But my poor Lady who +is afraid of the sickness, and resolved to be gone into the +country, is forced to stay in town a day or two, or three about +it, to see the event of it. Thence to see my Lady Pen, where my +wife and I were shown a fine rarity: of fishes kept in a glass +of water, that will live so for ever; and finely marked they are, +being foreign. + +29th. We have every where taken some prizes. Our merchants had +good luck to come home safe; Colliers from the North, and some +Streights men, just now. And our Hambrough ships, of whom we +were so much afraid, are safe in Hambrough. Our fleete resolve +to sail out again from Harwich in a day or two. + +31st. To the 'Change, where great the noise and trouble of +having our Hambrough ships lost; and that very much placed upon +Mr. Coventry's forgetting to give notice to them of the going +away of our fleet from the coast of Holland. But all without +reason, for he did; but the merchants not being ready, staid +longer than the time ordered for the convoy to stay, which was +ten days. + +June 1, 1665. After dinner I put on new camelott suit; the best +that ever I wore in my life, the suit costing me above 24l. In +this I went with Creed to Goldsmiths' Hall, to the burial of Sir +Thomas Viner; [Sheriff of London 1648, Lord Mayor 1654.] which +Hall, and Haberdashers' also, was so full of people, that we were +fain for ease and coolness to go forth to Pater Noster Row, to +choose silk to make me a plain ordinary suit. That done, we +walked to Corne hill, and there at Mr. Cade's stood in the balcon +and saw all the funeral, which was with the blue-coat boys and +old men, all the Aldermen, and Lord Mayor, &c. and the number of +the company very great: the greatest I ever did see for a +taverne. + +3rd. All this day by all people upon the River, and almost every +where else hereabout were heard the guns, our two fleets for +certain being engaged; which was confirmed by letters from +Harwich, but nothing particular: and all our hearts full of +concernment for the Duke, and I particularly for my Lord Sandwich +and Mr. Coventry after his Royall Highness. + +6th. To my Lady Sandwich's; who, poor lady, expects every hour +to hear of my Lord; but in the best temper, neither confident nor +troubled with fear, that I ever did see in my life. She tells me +my Lord Rochester is now declaredly out of hopes of Mrs. Mallett, +and now she in to receive notice in a day or two how the King +stands inclined to the giving leave for my Lord Hinchingbroke to +look after her, and that being done, to bring it to an end +shortly. + +7th. The hottest day that ever I felt in my life, This day, much +against my will, I did in Drury Lane see two or three houses +marked with a red cross upon the doors, and "Lord have mercy upon +us," writ there; which was a sad sight to me, being the first of +the kind that to my remembrance I ever saw. + +8th. I to my Lord Treasurer's by appointment of Sir Thomas +Ingram's, to meet the Goldsmiths; where I met with the great news +at last newly come, brought by Bab. May [Baptist May, keeper of +the Privy Purse to Charles II.; there is an original portrait of +him by Lely, at Audley End.] from the Duke of York, that we have +totally routed the Dutch; that the Duke himself, the Prince, my +Lord Sandwich, and Mr. Coventry are all well: which did put me +into such joy, that I forgot almost all other thoughts. With +great Joy to the Cocke-pitt: where the Duke of Albemarle, like a +man out of himself, with content new-told me all: and by and by +comes a letter from Mr. Coventry's own hand to him, which he +never opened, (which was a strange thing,) but did give it me to +open and read, and consider what was fit for our office to do in +it, and leave the letter with Sir W. Clerke; which upon such a +time and occasion was a strange piece of indifference, hardly +possible. I copied out the letter, and did also take minutes out +of Sir W. Clerke's other letters; and the sum of the news is:- + +Victory over the Dutch, June 3, 1665. + +This day they engaged: the Dutch neglecting greatly the +opportunity of the wind they had of us; by which they lost the +benefit of their fire-ships. The Earl of Falmouth, Muskerry, and +Mr. Richard Boyle [Second son to the Earl of Burlington.] killed +on board the Duke's ship, the Royall Charles, with one shot: +their blood and brains flying in the Duke's face; and the head of +Mr. Boyle striking down the Duke, as some say. Earle of +Marlborough, Portland, Rear-Admirall Sansum (to Prince Rupert) +killed, and Capt. Kerby and Ableson. Sir John Lawson wounded on +the knee: hath had some bones taken out, and is likely to be +well again. Upon receiving the hurt, he sent to the Duke for +another to command the Royal Oake. The Duke sent Jordan out of +the St. George, who did brave things in her. Capt. Jer. Smith of +the Mary was second to the Duke, and stepped between him and +Captain Seaton of the Urania, (76 guns and 400 men) who had sworn +to board the Duke; killed him 200 men, and took the ship; himself +losing 99 men, and never an officer saved but himself and +lieutenant. His master indeed is saved, with his leg cut off. +Admirall Opdam blown up, Trump killed, and said by Holmes; all +the rest of their admiralls, as they say, but Everson, (whom they +dare not trust for his affection to the Prince of Orange,) are +killed; we having taken and sunk, as is believed, about 24 of +their best ships; killed and taken near 8 or 10,000 men, and +lost, we think, not above 700. A greater victory never known in +the world. They are all fled, some 43 got into the Texell, and +others elsewhere, and we in pursuit of the rest. + +9th. To White Hall, and in my way met with Mr. Moore, who eases +me in one point wherein I was troubled; which was, that I heard +of nothing said or done by my Lord Sandwich: but he tells me +that Mr. Cowling, my Lord Chamberlain's secretary, did hear the +King say that my Lord Sandwich bad done nobly and worthily. The +King, it seems, is much troubled at the fall of my Lord Falmouth; +but I do not meet with any man else that so much as wishes him +alive again, the world conceiving him a man of too much pleasure +to do the King any good, or offer any good office to him. But I +hear of all hands he is confessed to have been a man of great +honour, that did show it in this his going with the Duke, the +most that ever any man did. + +10th. In the evening home to supper; and there, to my great +trouble, hear that the plague is come into the City (though it +hath these three or four weeks since its beginning been wholly +out of the City); but where should it begin but in my good friend +and neighbour's, Dr. Burnett; [He was a physician.] in Fanchurch +Street: which in both points troubles me mightily. + +11th. I saw poor Dr. Burnett's door shut; but he hath, I hear, +gained great good-will among his neighbours; for he discovered it +himself first, and caused himself to be shut up of his own +accord: which was very handsome. + +13th. At noon with Sir G. Carteret to my Lord Mayor's to dinner, +where much company in a little room. His name, Sir John +Lawrence. There were at table three Sir Richard Brownes, viz.: +he of the Councill, a clerk, and the Alderman, and his son; and +there was a little grandson also Richard, who will hereafter be +Sir Richard Browne. My Lord Mayor very respectfull to me. + +14th. I met with Mr. Cowling; who observed to me how he finds +every body silent in the praise of my Lord Sandwich, to set up +the Duke and the Prince; but that the Duke did both to the King +and my Lord Chancellor write abundantly of my Lord's courage and +service and I this day met with a letter of Captain Ferrers, +wherein he tells how my Lord was with his ship in all the heat of +the day, and did most worthily. To Westminster; and there saw my +Lord Marlborough brought to be buried, several Lords of the +Council carrying him, and, with the herald in some state. This +day the News-book (upon Mr. Moore's showing L'Estrange Captain +Ferrers letter) did do my Lord Sandwich great right as to the +late victory. The Duke of York not yet come to town. The town +grows very sickly, and people to be afraid of it; there dying +this last week of the plague 112, from 43 the week before, +whereof but one in Fanchurch-streete, and one in Broad-streete, +by the Treasurer's office. + +16th. After dinner, and doing some business at the office, I to +White Hall, where the Court is full of the Duke and his courtiers +returned from sea. All fat and lusty, and ruddy by being in the +sun. I kissed his hands, and we waited all the afternoon. By +and by saw Mr. Coventry, which rejoiced my very heart. Anon he +and I, from all the rest of the company, walked into the Matted +Gallery; where after many expressions of love, we fell to talk of +business. Among other things, how my Lord Sandwich, both in his +councils and personal service, hath done most honourably and +serviceably. Sir J. Lawson is come to Greenwich; but his wound +in his knee yet very bad. Jonas Poole, in the Vantguard, did +basely, so as to be, or will be, turned out of his ship. Captain +Holmes expecting upon Sansum's death to be made Rear-admirall to +the Prince, (but Harman is put in) hath delivered up to the Duke +his commission, which the Duke took and tore. He it seems, had +bid the Prince, who first told him of Holmes's intention, that he +should dissuade him from it; for that he was resolved to take it +if he offered it. Yet Holmes would do it, like a rash, proud +coxcombe. But he is rich, and hath, it seems, sought an occasion +of leaving the service. Several of our Captains have done ill. +The great ships are the ships do the business, they quite, +deadening the enemy. They run away upon sight of the Prince. It +is strange to see how people do already slight Sir William +Barkeley, [Killed in the sea-fight the following year. Vide June +16, 1666.] my Lord FitzHarding's brother, who, three months +since, was the delight of the Court. Captain Smith of the Mary +the Duke talks mightily of; and some great thing will be done for +him. Strange to hear how the Dutch do relate, as the Duke says, +that they are the conquerors; and bonfires are made in Dunkirke +in their behalf; though a clearer victory can never be expected. +Mr. Coventry thinks they cannot have lost less than 6000 men, and +we not dead above 200, and wounded about 400; in all about 600. +Captain Grove, the Duke told us this day, hath done the basest +thing at Lowestoffe, in hearing of the guns, and could not (as +others) be got out, but staid there; for which he will be tried; +and is reckoned a prating coxcombe, and of no courage. + +17th. It struck me very deep this afternoon going with a hackney +coach from Lord Treasurer's down Holborne, the coachman I found +to drive easily and easily, at last stood still, and come down +hardly able to stand, and told me that he was suddenly struck +very sick, and almost blind, he could not see; so I light and +went into another coach, with a sad heart for the poor man and +for myself also, lest he should have been struck with the plague. +Sir John Lawson, I hear, is worse than yesterday: the King went +to see him to-day most, kindly. It seems his wound is not very +bad; but he hath a fever, a thrush and a hick-up, all three +together, which are, it seems, very bad symptoms. + +20th. Thankes-giving-day for victory over the Dutch. To the +Dolphin Taverne, where all we officers of the Navy met with the +Commissioners of the Ordnance by agreement, and dined: where +good musique at my direction. Our club come to 34s. a man, nine +of us. By water to Fox-hall, and there walked an hour alone, +observing the several humours of the citizens that were there +this holy-day, pulling off cherries, and God knows what. This +day I informed myself that there died four of five at Westminster +of the plague, in several houses upon Sunday last, in Bell-Alley, +over against the Palace-gate: yet people do think that the +number will be fewer in the town than it was the last week. The +Dutch are come out again with 20 sail under Banker; supposed gone +to the Northward to meet their East India fleet. + +21st. I find our tallys will not be money in less than sixteen +months, which is a sad thing for the King to pay all that +interest for every penny he spends; and, which is strange, the +goldsmiths with whom I spoke, do declare that they will not be +moved to part with money upon the increase of their consideration +of ten per cent, which they have. I find all the town almost +going out of town, the coaches and waggons being all full of +people going into the country. + +23rd. To a Committee for Tangier, where unknown to me comes my +Lord of Sandwich, who, it seems, come to town last night. After +the Committee was up, my Lord Sandwich did take me aside in the +robe-chamber, telling me how much the Duke and Mr. Coventry did, +both in the fleet and here, make of him, and that in some +opposition to the Prince; and as a more private message, he told +me that he hath been with them both when they have made sport of +the Prince and laughed at him: yet that all the discourse of the +town, and the printed relation, should not give him one word of +honour my Lord thinks very strange; he assuring me, that though +by accident the Prince was in the van in the beginning of the +fight for the first pass, yet all the rest of the day my Lord was +in the van, and continued so. That notwithstanding all this +noise of the Prince, he had hardly a shot in his side or a man +killed, whereas he above 30 in her hull, and not one mast whole +nor yard: but the most battered ship of the fleet, and lost most +men, saving Captain Smith of the Mary. That the most the Duke +did was almost out of gun-shot: but that, indeed, the Duke did +come up to my Lord's rescue after he had a great while fought +with four of them. How poorly Sir John Lawson performed, +notwithstanding all that was said of him; and how his ship turned +out of the way while Sir J. Lawson himself was upon the deck, to +the endangering of the whole fleet. From that discourse my Lord +did begin to tell me how much he was concerned to dispose of his +children, and would have my advice and help; and propounded to +match my Lady Jemimah to Sir G. Carteret's eldest son, [Philip +Carteret, afterwards knighted. He perished on board Lord +Sandwich's flag ship at the battle of Solebay.] which I approved +of, and did undertake the speaking with him about it as from +myself, which my Lord liked. Home by hackney-coach, which is +become a very dangerous passage now-a-days, the sickness +encreasing mightily. + +24th. To Dr. Clerke's, and there I in the best manner I could, +broke my errand about a match between Sir G. Carteret's eldest +son and my Lord Sandwich's eldest daughter, which he (as I knew +he would) took with great content: and he did undertake to find +out Sir George this morning, and put the business in execution, +So I to White Hall, where I with Creed and Povy attended my Lord +Treasurer, and did prevail with him to let us have an assignment +for 15 or 20,000l. which, I hope, will do our business for +Tangier. To Sir G. Carteret, and in the best manner I could, +moved the business: he received it with great respect and +content, and thanks to me, and promised that he would do what he +possibly could for his son, to render him fit for my Lord's +daughter, and showed great kindness to me, and sense of my +kindness to him herein. Sir William Pen told me this day that +Mr. Coventry is to be sworn a Privy Counsellor, at which my soul +is glad. + +25th. To White Hall, where, after I again visited G. Carteret, +and received his (and now his Lady's) full content in my +proposal, my Lord Sandwich did direct me to return to Sir G. +Carteret, and give him thanks for his kind acceptation of this +offer, and that he would the next day be willing to enter +discourse with him shout the business. My Lord, I perceive, +intends to give 5000l. with her, and expects about 8001. per +annum joynture. To Greenwich by water, thinking to have visited +Sir J. Lawson, where, when I come, I find that he died this +morning; and indeed the nation hath a great loss. Mr. Coventry, +among other talk, entered about the great question now in the +House about the Duke's going to sea again; about which the whole +House is divided. The plague encreases mightily, I this day +seeing a house, at a bitt-maker's over against St. Clement's +Church, in the open street shut up; which is a sad sight. + +28th. I did take my leave of Sir William Coventry, who it seems +was knighted, and sworn a Privy-Counsellor two days since; who +with his old kindness treated me, and I believe I shall ever find +a noble friend. In my way to Westminster Hall, I observed +several plague houses in King's street and the Palace. + +29th. To White Hall, where the Court full of waggons and people +ready to go out of town. This end of the town every day grows +very bad of the plague. The Mortality Bill is come to 267: +which is about ninety more than the last: and of these but four +in the City, which is a great blessing to us. Took leave again +of Mr. Coventry; though I hope the Duke is not gone to stay, and +so do others too. Home; calling at Somerset House, where all +were packing up too: the Queene Mother setting out for France +this day to drink Bourbon waters this year, she being in a +consumption; and intends not to come till winter come twelve- +months. + +30th. Thus this book of two years ends. Myself and family in +good health, consisting of myself and wife, Mercer, her woman, +Mary, Alice, and Susan our maids, and Tom my boy. In a sickly +time of the plague growing on. Having upon my hands the +troublesome care of the Treasury of Tangier, with great sums +drawn upon me, and nothing to pay them with: also the business +of the office great. Considering of removing my wife to +Woolwich; she lately busy in learning to paint, with great +pleasure and successe. All other things well; especially a new +interest I am making, by a match in hand between the eldest son +of Sir G. Carteret, and my Lady Jemimah Montagu. The Duke of +York gone down to the fleet; but all suppose not with intent to +stay there, as it is not fit, all men conceive, he should. + +July 1, 1665. Sad at the news that seven or eight houses in +Burying Hall [Probably Basinghall.] street, are shut up of the +plague. + +2nd. Sir G. Carteret did send me word that the business between +my Lord and him is fully agreed on, and is mightily liked of by +the King and the Duke of York. Sir G. Lawson was buried late +last night at St. Dunstan's by us, without any company at all. + +4th. I hear this day the Duke and Prince Rupert are both come +back from sea, and neither of them go back again. Mr. Coventry +tells me how matters are ordered in the fleet: my Lord Sandwich +goes Admiral; under him Sir G. Ascue, and Sir T. Teddiman: Vice +Admiral, Sir W. Pen; and under him Sir W. Barkeley, and Sir Jos +Jordan: Rear-Admiral, Sir Thomas Allen; and under him Sir +Christopher Mings, and Captain Harman. Walked round to White +Hall, the Park being quite locked up; and I observed a house shut +up this day in the Pell Mell, where heretofore in Cromwell's time +we young men used to keep our weekly clubs. + +6th. Alderman Backewell is ordered abroad upon some private +score with a great sum of money; wherein I was instrumental the +other day in shipping him away. It seems some of his creditors +have taken notice of it, and he was like to be broke yesterday in +his absence: Sir G. Carteret telling me that the King and the +kingdom must as good as fall with that man at this time; and that +he was forced to get 4000l. himself to answer Backewell's +people's occasions, or he must have broke; but committed this to +me as a great secret. I could not see Lord Brouncker, nor had +much mind, one of the great houses within two doors of him being +shut up: and Lord! the number of houses visited, which this day +I observed through the town quite round in my way by Long Lane +and London Wall. Sir W. Pen, it seems, sailed last night from +Solebay with about sixty sail of ship, and my Lord Sandwich in +the Prince and some others, it seems, going after them to +overtake them. + +7th. At this time I have two tierces of Claret, two quarter +casks of Canary, and a smaller vessel of Sack; a vessel of Tent, +another of Malaga, and another of white wine, all in my wine +cellar together. + +9th. I took occasion to have much discourse with Mr. Ph. +Carteret, and find him a very modest man, and I think verily of +mighty good nature, and pretty understanding. He did give me a +good account of the fight with the Dutch. Having promised Harman +yesterday, I to his house: the most observable thing I found +there to my content, was to hear him and his clerk tell me that +in this parish of Michell's Cornhill, one of the middle-most +parishes and a great one of the town, there hath, notwithstanding +this sickness, been buried of any disease, man, woman, or child, +not one for thirteen months last past; which is very strange. +And the like in a good degree in most other parishes, I hear, +saving only of the plague in them. + +12th. A solemn fast-day; for the plague growing upon us. + +13th. Above 700 died of the plague this week. + +14th. I by water to Sir G. Carteret's, and there find my Lady +Sandwich buying things for my Lady Jem's wedding: and my Lady +Jem is beyond expectation come to Dagenham's, [Dagenhams near +Romford, now belonging to Sir Thomas Neave, Bart. This estate +was devised by Mrs. Anne Rider, only surviving child of Sir Henry +Wright, to her relative and friend Edward Carteret, Esq., +Postmaster-General; whose daughters in 1749 sold it to Henry +Muilman, Esq.; in 1772 it was again disposed of to Mr. Neave +father of the present proprietor, who pulled down the old house +built by Sir H. W., and erected the present mansion on a +different site, Vide LYSONS'S ENVIRONS.] where Mr. Carteret is +to go to visit her to-morrow; and my proposal of waiting on him, +he being to go alone to all persons strangers to him, was well +accepted, and so I go with him. But Lord! to see how kind my +Lady Carteret is to her! Sends her most rich jewells, and +provides bedding and things of all sorts most richly for her. + +15th. Mr. Carteret, and I to the ferry-place at Greenwich, and +there staid an hour crossing the water to and again to get our +coach and horses over; and by and by set out, and so toward +Dagenhams. But Lord! what silly discourse we had as to love- +matters, he being the most awkerd man ever I met with in my life +as to that business. Thither we come, and by that time it begun +to be dark, and were kindly received by Lady Wright and my Lord +Crewe. And to discourse they went, my Lord discoursing with him, +asking of him questions of travell, which he answered well enough +in a few words; but nothing to the lady from him at all. To +supper, and after supper to talk again, he yet taking no notice +of the lady. My Lord would have had me have consented to leaving +the young people together to-night, to begin their amours, his +staying being but to be little. But I advised against it, lest +the lady might be too much surprised. So they led him up to his +chamber, where I staid a little, to know how he liked the lady, +which he told me he did mightily: but Lord! in the dullest +insipid manner that ever lover did. So I bid him good night, and +down to prayers with my Lord Crewe's family, and after prayers, +my Lord and Lady Wright, and I, to consult what to do; and it was +agreed at last to have them go to church together, as the family +used to do, though his lameness was a great objection against it. + +16th (Lord's day). I up, having lain with Mr. Moore in the +chaplin's chamber. And having trimmed myself, down to Mr. +Carteret; and we walked in the gallery an hour or two, it being a +most noble and pretty house that ever, for the bigness, I saw. +Here I taught him what to do: to take the lady always by the +hand to lead her, and telling him that I would find opportunity +to leave them together, he should make these and these +compliments, and also take a time to do the like to Lord Crewe +and Lady Wright. After I had instructed him, which he thanked me +for, owning that he needed my teaching him, my Lord Crewe come +down and family, the young lady among the rest; and so by coaches +to church four miles off: where a pretty good sermon, and a +declaration of penitence of a man that had undergone the +Churche's censure for his wicked life. Thence back again by +coach, Mr. Carteret having not had the confidence to take his +lady once by the hand, coming or going, which I told him of when +we come home, and he will hereafter do it. So to dinner. My +Lord excellent discourse. Then to walk in the gallery, and to +sit down. By and by my Lady Wright and I go out, (and then my +Lord Crewe, he not by design,) and lastly my Lady Creme come out, +and left the young people together. And a little pretty daughter +of my Lady Wright's most innocently come out afterwards, and shut +the door to, as if she had done it, poor child, by inspiration: +which made us without have good sport to laugh at. They together +an hour, and by and by church-time, whither he led her into the +coach and into the church, where several handsome ladies. But it +was most extraordinary hot that ever I knew it. Anon to supper, +and excellent discourse and dispute between my Lord Crewe and the +chaplin, who is a good scholler, but a nonconformist. Here this +evening I spoke with Mrs. Carter, my old acquaintance, that hath +lived with my lady these twelve or thirteen years, the sum of all +whose discourse and others for her, is, that I would get her a +good husband; which I have promised, but know not when I shall +perform. After Mr. Carteret was carried to his chamber, we to +prayers and then to bed. + +17th. Up all of us, and to billiards; my Lady Wright, Mr. +Carteret, myself, and every body. By and by the young couple +left together. Anon to dinner; and after dinner Mr. Carteret +took my advice about giving to the servants 10l. among them. +Before we went, I took my Lady Jem apart, and would know how she +liked this gentleman, and whether she was under any difficulty +concerning him. She blushed, and hid her face awhile; but at +last I forced her to tell me. She answered that she could +readily obey what her father and mother had done; which was all +she could say, or I expect. So anon took leave, and for London. +In our way Mr. Carteret did give me mighty thanks for my care and +pains for him, and is mightily pleased. + +18th. I was much troubled this day to hear at Westminster, how +the officers do bury the dead in the open Tuttle-fields, +pretending want of room elsewhere: whereas the new chapel +church-yard was walled-in at the publick charge in the last, +plague-time, merely for want of room and now none, but such as +are able to pay dear for it, can be buried there. + +20th. Walked to Redriffe, where I hear the sickness is, and +indeed is scattered almost every where. There dying 1089 of the +plague this week. My Lady Carteret did this day give me a bottle +of plague-water home with me. I received yesterday a letter from +my Lord Sandwich, giving me thanks for my care about their +marriage business, and desiring it to be dispatched, that no +disappointment may happen therein. + +21st. Late in my chamber, setting some papers in order; the +plague growing very ranging, and my apprehensions of it great. + +22nd. The Duke of Albemarle being gone to dinner to my Lord of +Canterbury's, I thither, and there walked and viewed the new +hall, a new old-fashion hall as possible. Begun, and means left +for the ending of it, by Bishop Juxon. To Fox-hall, where to the +Spring garden; but I do not see one guest there, the town being +so empty of any body to come thither. I by coach home, not +meeting with but two coaches, and but two carts from White Hall +to my own house, that I could observe; and the streets mighty +thin of people. All the news is great: that we must of +necessity fall out with France, for He will side with the Dutch +against us. That alderman Backewell is gone over (which indeed he +is,) with money, and that Ostend is in our present possession. +But it is strange to see how poor Alderman Backewell is like to +be put to it in his absence, Mr. Shaw his right hand being ill. +And the Alderman's absence gives doubts to people, and I perceive +they are in great straits for money, besides what Sir G. Carteret +told me about fourteen days ago. Our fleet under my Lord +Sandwich being about the latitude 55 1/2 (which is a great +secret) to the Northward of the Texell. + +23rd. To Hampton Court, where I followed the King to chapel, and +there heard a good sermon; and after sermon with my Lord +Arlington, Sir Thomas Ingram and others, spoke to the Duke about +Tangier, but not to much purpose. I was not invited any whither +to dinner, though a stranger, which did also trouble me; but yet +I must remember it is a Court, and indeed where most are +strangers: but, however, Cutler carried me to Mr. Marriott's the +house-keeper, and there we had a very good dinner and good +company among others Lilly, the painter. + +24th. I find Mr. Carteret yet as backward almost in his +caresses, as he was the first day. + +25th. Sad the story of the plague in the City, it growing +mightily. This day my Lord Brouncker did give me Mr. Grant's +book upon the Bills of Mortality, new printed and enlarged. This +day came a letter to me from Paris, from my Lord Hinchingbroke, +about his coming over; and I have sent this night an order from +the Duke of Albemarle for a ship of 36 guns to go to Calais to +fetch him. + +26th. To Greenwich to the Park, where I heard the King and Duke +are come by water this morn from Hampton Court. They asked me +several questions. The King mightily pleased with his new +buildings there. I followed them to Castle's ship in building, +and there met Sir W. Batten, and thence to Sir G. Carteret's, +where all the morning with them; they not having any but the Duke +of Monmouth, and Sir W. Killigrew, [Vice-Chamberlain to the +Queen.] and one gentleman, and a page more. Great variety of +talk, and was often led to speak to the King and Duke. By and by +they to dinner, and all to dinner and sat down to the King saving +myself. The King having dined, he came down, and I went in the +barge with him, I sitting at the door. Down to Woolwich (and +there I just saw and kissed my wife, and saw some of her +painting, which is very curious; and away again to the King,) and +back again with him in the barge, hearing him and the Duke talk, +and seeing and observing their manner of discourse. And God +forgive me! though I admire them with all the duty possible, yet +the more a man considers and observes them, the less he finds of +difference between them and other men, though (blessed be God!) +they are both princes of great nobleness and spirits. The Duke +of Monmouth is the most skittish leaping gallant that ever I saw, +always in action, vaulting or leaping, or clambering. Sad news +of the death of so many in the parish of the plague, forty last +night. The bell always going. This day poor Robin Shaw at +Backewell's died and Backewell himself in Flanders. The King +himself asked about Shaw, and being told he was dead, said he was +very sorry for it. The sickness is got into our parish this +week, and is got, indeed, every where: so that I begin to think +of setting things in order, which I pray God enable me to put +both as to soul and body. + +27th. To Hampton Court, where I saw the King and Queene set out +towards Salisbury, and after them the Duke and Duchesse, whose +hands I did kiss. And it was the first time I did ever, or did +see any body else, kiss her hand, and it was a most fine white +and fat hand. But it was pretty to see the young pretty ladies +dressed like men, in velvet coats, caps with ribbands, and with +laced bands, just like men. Only the Duchesse herself it did not +become. At home met the weekly Bill, where above 100 encreased +in the Bill, and of them, in all about 1700 of the plague, which +hath made the officers this day resolve of sitting at Deptford, +which puts me to some consideration what to do. + +28th. Set out with my Lady Sandwich all alone with her with six +horses to Dagenhams; going by water to the Ferry. And a pleasant +going, and a good discourse; and when there very merry, and the +young couple now well acquainted. But Lord! to see in what fear +all the people here do live. How they are afraid of us that come +to them, insomuch that I am troubled at it, and wish myself away. +But some cause they have; for the chaplin, with whom but a week +or two ago we were here mighty high disputing, is since fallen +into a fever and dead, being gone hence to a friend's a good way +off. A sober and a healthful man. These considerations make us +all hasten the marriage, and resolve it upon Monday next. + +30th. It was a sad noise to hear our bell to toll and ring so +often to-day, either for death or burials: I think five or six +times. + +31st. Up; and very betimes by six o'clock at Deptford, and there +find Sir G. Carteret, and my Lady ready to go: I being in my new +coloured silk suit, and coat trimmed with gold buttons and gold +broad lace round my hands, very rich and fine. By water to the +Ferry, where, when we come, no coach there; and tide of ebb so +far spent as the horse-boat could not get off on the other side +the river to bring away the coach. So we were fain to stay there +in the unlucky Isle of Doggs, in a chill place, the morning cool, +and wind fresh, above two if not three hours to our great +discontent. Yet being upon a pleasant errand, and seeing that it +could not be helped, we did bear it very patiently; and it was +worth my observing, to see how upon these two scores, Sir G. +Carteret, the most passionate man in the world, and that was in +greatest haste to be gone, did bear with it, and very pleasant +all the while, at least not troubled much so as to fret and storm +at it. Anon the coach comes: in the mean time there coming a +news thither with his horse to go over, that told us he did come +from Islington this morning; and that Proctor the vintner of the +Miter in Wood-street, and his son, are dead this morning there, +of the plague; he having laid out abundance of money there, and +was the greatest vintner for some time in London for great +entertainments. We, fearing the canonicall hour would be past +before we got thither, did with a great deal of unwillingness +send away the licence and wedding-ring. So that when we come, +though we drove hard with six horses, yet we found them gone from +home; and going towards the church, met them coming from church, +which troubled us. But, however, that trouble was soon over; +hearing it was well done: they being both in their old clothes; +my Lord Crewe giving her, there being three coach fulls of them. +The young lady mighty sad, which troubled me; but yet I think it +was only her gravity in a little greater degree than usual. All +saluted her, but I did not till my Lady Sandwich did ask me +whether I had saluted her or no. So to dinner, and very merry we +were; but in such a sober way as never almost any thing was in so +great families: but it was much better. After dinner company +divided, some to cards, others to talk. My Lady Sandwich and I +up to settle accounts, and pay her some money. And mighty kind +she is to me, and would fain have had me gone down for company +with her to Hinchingbroke; but for my life I cannot. At night to +supper, and so to talk; and which, methought, was the most +extraordinary thing, all of us to prayers as usual, and the young +bride and bridegroom too: and so after prayers soberly to bed; +only I got into the bridegroom's chamber while he undressed +himself, and there was very merry, till he was called to the +bride's chamber, and into bed they went. I kissed the bride in +bed, and so the curtaines drawne with the greatest gravity that +could be, and so good night. But the modesty and gravity of this +business was so decent, that it was to me indeed ten times more +delightful than if it had been twenty times more merry and +jovial. Thus I ended this month with the greatest joy that ever +I did any in my life, because I have spent the greatest part of +it with abundance of joy, and honour, and pleasant journeys, and +brave entertainments, and without cost of money; and at last live +to see the business ended with great content; on all sides. Thus +we end this month, as I said, after the greatest glut of content +that ever I had; only under some difficulty because of the +plague, which grows mightily upon us, the last week being about +1700 or 1800 of the plague. My Lord Sandwich at sea with a fleet +of about 100 sail, to the Northward, expecting De Ruyter, or the +Dutch East India fleet. My Lord Hinchingbroke coming over from +France, and will meet his sister at Scott's-hall. Myself having +obliged both these families in this business very much; as both +my Lady and Sir G. Carteret and his Lady do confess exceedingly, +and the latter do also now call me cozen, which I am glad of. So +God preserve us all friends long, and continue health among us. + +AUGUST 3, 1665. To Dagenhams. All the way people, citizens, +walking to and fro, enquire how the plague is in the City this +week by the Bill; which by chance, at Greenwich, I had heard was +2020 of the plague, and 3000 and odd of all diseases. By and by +met my Lord Crewe returning; Mr. Marr telling me by the way how a +maid-servant of Mr. John Wright's (who lives thereabouts) falling +sick of the plague, she was removed to an out-house, and a nurse +appointed to look to her; who, being once absent, the maid got +out of the house at the window, and run away. The nurse coming +and knocking, and having no answer, believed she was dead, and +went and told Mr. Wright so; who and his lady were in great +strait what to do to get her buried. At last resolved to go to +Burntwood, hard by, being in the parish, and there get people to +do it. But they would not; so he went home full of trouble, and +in the way met the wench walking over the common, which frighted +him worse than before; and was forced to send people to take her, +which he did; and they got one of the pest coaches and put her +into it to carry her to a pest house. And passing in a narrow +lane, Sir Anthony Browne [He commanded a troop of horse in the +Train-bands. 1662.] with his brother and some friends in the +coach, met this coach with the curtains drawn close. The brother +being a young man, and believing there might be some lady in it +that would not be seen, and the way being narrow, he thrust his +head out of his own into her coach, and to look, and there saw +somebody look very ill, and in a sick dress, and stunk mightily; +which the coachman also cried out upon. And presently they come +up to some people that stood looking after it, and told our +gallants that it was a maid of Mr. Wright's carried away sick of +the plague; which put the young gentle man into a fright had +almost cost him his life, but is now well again. + +5th. I am told of a great ryott upon Thursday last in Cheapside; +Colonel Danvers, a delinquent, having been taken, and in his way +to the Tower was rescued from the captain of the guard, and +carried away; one only of the rescuers being taken. + +8th. To my office a little, and then to the Duke of Albemarle's +about some business. The streets empty all the way, now even in +London, which is a sad sight. And to Westminster Hall, where +talking, hearing very sad stories from Mrs. Mumford; among +others, of Mr. Michell's son's family. And poor Will, that used +to sell us ale at the Hall-door, his wife and three children +died, all, I think, in a day. So home through the City again, +wishing I may have taken no ill in going; but I will go, I think, +no more thither. The news of De Ruyter's coming home is certain; +and told to the great disadvantage of our fleet, and the praise +of De Ruyter; but it cannot be helped. + +10th. By and by to the office, where we sat all the morning; in +great trouble to see the Bill this week rise so high, to above +4000 in all, and of them above 3000 of the plague. Home, to draw +over anew my will, which I had bound myself by oath to dispatch +by tomorrow night; the town growing so unhealthy, that a man +cannot depend upon living two days. + +12th. The people die so, that now it seems they are fain to +carry the dead to be buried by day-light, the nights not +sufficing to do it in. And my Lord Mayor commands people to be +within at nine at night all, as they say, that the sick may have +liberty to go abroad for ayre. There is one also dead out of one +of our ships at Deptford, which troubles us mightily; the +Providence, fire-ship, which was just fitted to go to sea. But +they tell me to-day no more sick on board. And this day W. +Bodham tells me that one is dead at Woolwich, not far from the +Rope-yard. I am told, too, that a wife of one of the groomes at +Court; is dead at Salisbury; so that the King and Queene are +speedily to be all gone to Milton, So God preserve us! + +15th. It was dark before I could get home, and so land at +Church-yard stairs, where, to my great trouble, I met a dead +corps of the plague, in the narrow ally just bringing down a +little pair of stairs. But I thank God I was not much disturbed +at it. However, I shall beware of being late abroad again. + +16th. To the Exchange, where I have not been a great while. +But, Lord! how sad a sight it is to see the streets empty of +people, and very few upon the 'Change. Jealous of every door +that one sees shut up, lest it should be the plague; and about us +two shops in three, if not more, generally shut up. This day I +had the ill news from Dagenhams, that my poor Lord of +Hinchingbroke his indisposition is turned to the small-pox. Poor +gentleman that he should be come from France so soon to fall +sick, and of that disease too, when he should be gone to see a +fine lady, his mistress. I am most heartily sorry for it. + +18th. To Sheernesse, where we walked up and down, laying out the +ground to be taken in for a yard to lay provisions for cleaning +and repairing of ships, and a most proper place it is for the +purpose. + +19th. Come letters from the King and Lord Arlington, for the +removal of our office to Greenwich. I also wrote letters, and +made myself ready to go to Sir G. Carteret, at Windsor; and +having borrowed a horse of Mr. Blackbrough, sent him to wait for +me at the Duke of Albemarle's door: when, on a sudden, a letter +comes to us from the Duke of Albemarle, to tell us that the fleet +is all come back to Solebay, and are presently to be dispatched +back again. Whereupon I presently by water to the Duke of +Albemarle to know what news; and there I saw a letter from my +Lord Sandwich to the Duke of Albemarle, and also from Sir W. +Coventry and Captain Teddiman; how my Lord having commanded +Teddiman with twenty-two ships (of which but fifteen could get +thither, and of those fifteen but eight or nine could come up to +play) to go to Bergen; where, after several messages to and fro +from the Governor of the Castle, urging that Teddiman ought not +to come thither with more than five ships, and desiring time to +think of it, all the while he suffering the Dutch ships to land +their guns to the best advantage; Teddiman on the second +presence, began to play at the Dutch ships, (whereof ten East +India-men,) and in three hours' time (the town and castle, +without any provocation, playing on our ships,) they did cut all +our cables, so as the wind being off the land, did force us to go +out, and rendered our fire-ships useless; without doing any +thing, but what hurt of course our guns must have done them: we +having lost five commanders, besides Mr. Edward Montagu and Mr. +Windham. Our fleet is come home to our great grief with not +above five weeks' dry, and six days' wet provisions however, must +go out again; and the Duke hath ordered the Soveraigne, and all +other ships ready, to go out to the fleet and strengthen them. +This news troubles us all, but cannot be helped. Having read all +this news, and received commands of the Duke with great content, +he giving me the words which to my great joy he hath several +times said to me, that his greatest reliance is upon me. And my +Lord Craven also did come out to talk with me, and told me that I +am in mighty esteem with the Duke, for which I bless God. Home; +and having given my fellow-officers an account hereof, to +Chatham, and wrote other letters. I by water to Charing-Cross, +to the post-house, and there the people tell me they are shut up; +and so I went to the new post-house, and there got a guide and +horses to Hounslow. So to Stanes, and there by this time it was +dark night, and got a guide who lost his way in the forest, till +by help of the moone, (which recompences me for all the pains I +ever took about studying of her motions,) I led my guide into the +way back again; and so we made a man rise that kept a gate, and +so he carried us to Cranborne. [One of the Lodges belonging to +the Crown in Windsor Forest.] Where in the dark I perceive an +old house new building with a great deal of rubbish, and was fain +to go up a ladder to Sir G. Carteret's chamber. And there in his +bed I sat down, and told him all my bad news, which troubled him +mightily; but yet we were very merry, and made the best of it; +and being myself weary did take leave, and after having spoken +with Mr. Fenn [Nicholas Fenne is mentioned as a Commissioner of +the Victualling Office, 1683.--Pepys MS. Letters.] in bed, I to +bed in my Lady's chamber that she uses to lie in, and where the +Duchesse of York, that now is, was born. So to sleep; being very +well, but weary, and, the better by having carried with me a +bottle of strong water; whereof now and then a sip did me good. + +20th. I up and to walk forth to see the place; and I find it to +be a very noble seat in a noble forest, with the noblest prospect +towards Windsor, and round about over many countys, that can be +desired; but otherwise a very melancholy place, and little +variety save only trees. To Brainford; and there at the inn that +goes down to the waterside, I light and paid off my post-horses, +and so slipped on my shoes, and laid my things by, the tide not +serving, and to church, where a dull sermon, and many Londoners. +After church to my inn, and eat and drank, and so about seven +o'clock by water, and got between nine and ten to Queenhive, +[Queenhythe.] very dark. And I could not get my waterman to go +elsewhere for fear of the plague. Thence with a lanthorn, in +great fear of meeting of dead corpses, carrying to be buried; +but, blessed be God, met none, but did see now and then a linke +(which is the mark of them) at a distance. + +22nd. I went away and walked to Greenwich, in my way seeing a +coffin with a dead body therein, dead of the plague, lying in an +open close belonging to Coome farme, which was carried out last +night, and the parish have not appointed any body to bury it; but +only set a watch there all day and night, that nobody should go +thither or come thence: this disease making us more cruel to one +another than we are to dogs. + +23th. This day I am told that Dr. Burnett, my physician, is this +morning dead of the plague; which is strange, his man dying so +long ago, and his house this month open again. Now himself dead. +Poor unfortunate man! + +28th. I think to take adieu to-day of the London streets. In +much the best posture I ever was in in my life, both as to the +quantity and the certainty I have of the money I am worth; having +most of it in my hand. But then this is a trouble to me what to +do with it, being myself this day going to be wholly at Woolwich; +but for the present I am resolved to venture it in an iron chest, +at least for a while. + +30th, Abroad, and met with Hadley, our clerke, who, upon my +asking how the plague goes, told me it encreases much, and much +in our parish; for, says he, there died nine this week, though I +have returned but six: which is a very ill practice, and makes +me think it is so in other places; and therefore the plague much +greater than people take it to be. I went forth and walked +towards Moorefields to see (God forgive my presumption!) whether +I could see any dead corpse going to the grave; but, as God would +have it, did not. But, Lord! how every body looks, and +discourse in the street is of death, and nothing else, and few +people going up and down, that the town is like a place +distressed and forsaken. + +31st. Up; and after putting several things in order to my +removal to Woolwich; the plague having a great encrease this week +beyond all expectation of almost 2000, making the general Bill +7000, odd 100; and the plague above 6000. Thus this month ends +with great sadness upon the publick, through the greatness of the +plague every where through the kingdom almost. Every day sadder +and sadder news of its encrease. In the City died this week +7496, and of them 6102 of the plague. But it is feared that the +true number of the dead this week is near 10,000; partly from the +poor that cannot be taken notice of, through the greatness of the +number, and partly from the Quakers and others that will not have +any bell ring for them. Our fleet gone out to find the Dutch, we +having about 100 sail in our fleet, and in them the Soveraigne +one; so that it is a better fleet than the former with which the +Duke was. All our fear is that the Dutch should be got in before +them; which would be a very great sorrow to the publick, and to +me particularly, for my Lord Sandwich's sake. A great deal of +money being spent, and the kingdom not in a condition to spare, +nor a parliament without much difficulty to meet to give more, +And to that; to have it said, what hath been done by our late +fleets? As to myself I am very well, only in fear of the plague, +and as much of an ague by being forced to go early and late to +Woolwich, and my family to lie their continually. My late +gettings have been very great to my great content, and am likely +to have yet a few more profitable jobbs in a little while; for +which Tangier and Sir W. Warren I am wholly obliged to. + +Sept. 3, 1665 (Lord's day). Up; and put on my coloured silk suit +very fine, and my new periwigg, bought a good while since, but +durst not wear, because the plague was in Westminster when I +bought it; and it is a wonder what will be the fashion after the +plague is done, as to periwiggs, for nobody will dare to buy any +haire, for fear of the infection, that it had been cut off the +heads of people dead of the plague. My Lord Brouncker, Sir J. +Minnes, and I up to the Vestry at the desire of the Justices of +the Peace, in order to the doing something for the keeping of the +plague from growing; but Lord! to consider the madness of people +of the town, who will (because they are forbid) come in crowds +along with the dead corpses to see them buried; but we agreed on +some orders for the prevention thereof. Among other stories, one +was very passionate, methought, of a complaint brought against a +man in the town for taking a child from London from an infected +house. Alderman Hooker told us it was the child of a very able +citizen in Gracious Street, a saddler, who had buried all the +rest of his children of the plague, and himself and wife now +being shut up and in despair of escaping, did desire only to save +the life of this little child; and so prevailed to have it +received stark-naked into the arms of a friend, who brought it +(having put it into new fresh clothes) to Greenwich; where upon +hearing the story, we did agree it should be permitted to be +received and kept in the town. + +4th. Walked home, my Lord Brouncker giving me a very neat cane +to walk with; but it troubled me to pass by Coome farme where +about twenty-one people have died of the plague. + +5th. After dinner comes Colonel Blunt in his new chariot made +with springs; as that was of wicker, wherein a while since we +rode at his house. And he hath rode, he says, now his journey, +many miles in it with one horse, and out-drives any coach, and +out-goes any horse, and so easy, he says. So for curiosity I +went into it to try it, and up the hill to the heath, and over +the cart-ruts and found it pretty well, but not so easy as he +pretends. + +6th. To London, to pack up more things; and there I saw fires +burning in the streets, as it is through the whole City, by the +Lord Mayor's order. Thence by water to the Duke of Albemarle's: +all the way fires on each side of the Thames, and strange to see +in broad daylight two or three burials upon the Bankeside, one at +the very heels of another: doubtless all of the plague; and yet +at least forty or fifty people going; along with every one of +them. The Duke mighty pleasant with me; telling me that he is +certainly informed, that the Dutch were not come home upon the +1st instant, and so he hopes our fleet may meet with them. + +7th. To the Tower, and there sent for the Weekly Bill, and find +8252 dead in all, and of them 6978 of the plague; which is a most +dreadful number, and shows reason to fear that the plague hath +got that hold that it will yet continue amongst us. To Swakely +[Swakeley House, in the parish of Ickenham, Middlesex, was built +in 1638 by Sir Edmund Wright, whose daughter marrying Sir James +Harrington, one of Charles I.'s judges, he became possessed of +it, JURE UXORIS. Sir Robert Vyner Bart., to whom the property +was sold in 1665, entertained Charles II. at Guildhall, when +Lord Mayor. The house is now the residence of Thomas Clarke, +Esq., whose father in 1750 bought the estate of Mr. Lethieullier, +to whom it had been alienated by the Vyner family.--LYSONS'S +ENVIRONS.] to Sir R. Viner's. A very pleasant place, bought by +him of Sir James Harrington's lady. He took us up and down with +great respect, and showed us all his house and grounds; and it is +a place not very moderne in the garden nor house, but the most +uniforme in all that ever I saw; and some things to excess. +Pretty to see over the screene of the hall (put up by Sir J. +Harrington, a Long Parliament man) the King's head, and my Lord +of Essex [The Parliament General.] on one side, and Fairfax on +the other; and upon the other side of the screene, the parson of +the parish, and the lord of the manor and his sisters. The +window-cases, door-cases, and chimnys of all the house are +marble. He showed me a black boy that he had, that died of a +consumption, and being dead, he caused him to be dried in an +oven, and lies there entire in a box. By and by to dinner, where +his lady I find yet handsome, but hath been a very handsome +woman: now is old. Hath brought him near 100,000l. and now +lives, no man in England in greater plenty, and commands both +King and Council with his credit he gives them. After dinner Sir +Robert led us up to his long gallery, very fine, above stairs, +(and better, or such furniture I never did see.) A most pleasant +journey we had back. Povy tells me by a letter he showed me, +that the King is not, nor hath been of late, very well, but quite +out of humour; and, as some think, in a consumption, and weary of +every thing. He showed me my Lord Arlington's house that he was +born in, in a towne, called Harlington: and so carried me +through a most pleasant country to Brainford, and there put me +into my boat, and good night. So I wrapped myself warm, and by +water got to Woolwich about one in the morning. + +9th. I was forced to get a bed at Captain Cocke's, where I find +Sir W. Doyly, [Sir William Doyly, of Shottisham, Norfolk, +knighted 1642, created Baronet 1663, M.P. for Yarmouth. Ob. +1677. He and Mr. Evelyn were at this time appointed +Commissioners for the care of the sick and wounded seamen and +prisoners of war.] and he and Evelyn at supper; and I with them +full of discourse of the neglect of our masters, the great +officers of State, about all business, and especially that of +money: having now some thousands prisoners kept to no purpose at +a great charge, and no money provided almost for the doing of it. +We fell to talk largely of the want of some persons understanding +to look after businesses, but all goes to rack. "For," says +Captain Cocke, "my Lord Treasurer, he minds his ease, and lets +things go how they will: If he can have his 8000l. per annum, +and a game at l'ombre, he is well. My Lord Chancellor he minds +getting of money and nothing else; and my Lord Ashly will rob the +Devil and the Alter, but he will get money if it be to be got." +But that which put us into this great melancholy, was news +brought to-day, which Captain Cocke reports as a certain truth, +that all the Dutch fleet, men-of-war and merchant East India +ships, are got every one in from Bergen the 3rd of this month, +Sunday last; which will make us all ridiculous. + +10th (Lord's day). Walked home; being forced thereto by one of +my watermen falling sick yesterday, and it was God's great mercy +I did not go by water with them yesterday, for he fell sick on +Saturday night, and it is to be feared of the plague. So I sent +him away to London with his family; but another boat come to me +this morning. My wife before I come out telling me the ill news +that she hears that her father is very ill, and then I told her I +feared of the plague, for that the house is shut up. And so she +much troubled, and did desire me to send them something and I +said I would, and will do so. But before I come out there +happened news to come to me by an expresse from Mr. Coventry, +telling the most happy news of my Lord Sandwich's meeting with +part of the Dutch; his taking two of their East India ships, and +six or seven others, and very good prizes: and that he is in +search of the rest of the fleet, which he hopes to find upon the +Well-bancke, with the loss only of the Hector, poor Captn. +Cuttle. To Greenwich, and there sending away Mr. Andrews, I to +Captn. Cocke's, where I find my Lord Brouncker and his mistress, +[Mrs. Williams.] and Sir J. Minnes. Where we supped; (there was +also Sir W. Doyly and Mr. Evelyn,) but the receipt of this news +did put us all into such an extasy of joy, that it inspired into +Sir J. Minnes and Mr. Evelyn such a spirit of mirth, that in all +my life I never met with so merry a two hours as our company this +night was. Among other humours, Mr. Evelyn's repeating of some +verses made up of nothing but the various acceptations of MAY and +CAN, and doing it so aptly upon occasion of something of that +nature, and so fast, did make us all die almost with laughing, +and did so stop the mouth of Sir J. Minnes in the middle of all +his mirth, (and in a thing agreeing with his own manner of +genius) that I never saw any man so out-done in all my life; and +Sir J. Minnes's mirth too to see himself out-done, was the crown +of all our mirth. In this humour we sat till about ten at night, +and so my Lord and his mistress home, and we to bed. + +13th. My Lord Brouncker, Sir J. Minnes, and I took boat, and in +my Lord's coach to Sir W. Hickes's, [Sir William Hickes, created +a baronet 1619. Ob. 1680, aged 84. His country-seat was called +Ruckholts, or Rookwood, at Layton, in Essex, where he entertained +King Charles II. after hunting.] whither by and by my Lady +Batten and Sir William comes. It is a good seat, with a fair +grove of trees by it, and the remains of a good garden; but so +let to run to ruine, both house and every thing in and about it, +so ill furnished and miserably looked after, I never did see in +all my life. Not so much as a latch to his dining-room door; +which saved him nothing, for the wind blowing into the room for +want thereof, flung down a great bow pott, that stood upon the +side-table, and that fell upon some Venice glasses, and did him a +crown's worth of hurt. He did give us the meanest dinner, (of +beef shoulder and umbles of venison which he takes away from the +keeper of the Forest, [Of which he was Ranger.] and a few +pigeons, and all in the meanest manner,) that ever I did see, to +the basest degree. I was only pleased at a very fine picture of +the Queene-Mother, when she was young, by Vandike; a very good +picture, and a lovely face. + +14th. To the Duke of Albemarle, where I find a letter of the +12th. from Solebay, from my Lord Sandwich, of the fleet's meeting +with about eighteen more of the Dutch fleet, and his taking of +most of them; and the messenger says, they had taken three after +the letter was wrote and sealed; which being twenty-one, and the +fourteen took the other day, is forty-five sail; some of which +are good, and others rich ships. And having taken a copy of my +Lord's letter, I away toward the 'Change, the plague being all +thereabouts. Here my news was highly welcome, and I did wonder +to see the 'Change so full, I believe 200 people; but not a man +or merchant of any fashion, but plain men all. And Lord! to see +how I did endeavour all I could to talk with as few as I could, +there being now no observation of shutting up of houses infected, +that to be sure we do converse and meet with people that have the +plague upon them. I spent some thoughts upon the occurrences of +this day, giving matter for as much content on one hand and +melancholy on another, as any day in all my life. For the first; +the finding of my money and plate, and all safe at London, and +speeding in my business of money this day. The hearing of this +good news to such excess, after so great a despair of my Lord's +doing any thing this year; adding to that, the decrease of 500 +and more, which is the first decrease we have yet had in the +sickness since it begun: and great hopes that the next week it +will be greater. Then, on the other side, my finding that though +the Bill in general is abated, yet the City within the walls is +encreased, and likely to continue so, and is close to our house +there. My meeting dead corpses of the plague, carried to be +buried close to me at noon-day through the City in Fanchurch- +street. To see a person sick of the sores, carried close by me +by Gracechurch in a hackney-coach. My finding the Angel tavern, +at the lower end of Tower-bill, shut up, and more than that, the +alehouse at the Tower-stairs, and more than that, that the person +was then dying of the plague when I was last there, a little +while ago, at night. To hear that poor Payne, my waiter, had +buried a child, and is dying himself. To hear that a labourer I +sent but the other day to Dagenhams, to know how they did there, +is dead of the plague; and that one of my own watermen, that +carried me daily, fell sick as soon as he had landed me on Friday +morning last, when I had been all night upon the water, (and I +believe he did get his infection that day at Brainford) and is +now dead of the plague. To hear that Captain Lambert and Cuttle +are killed in the taking these ships; and that Mr. Sidney +Montague is sick of a desperate fever at my Lady Carteret's, at +Scott's-hall. To hear that Mr. Lewes hath another daughter sick. +And, lastly, that both my servants, W. Hewer, and Tom Edwards, +have lost their fathers, both in St. Sepulchre's parish of the +plague this week, do put me into great apprehension of +melancholy, and with good reason. + +17th. To Gravesend in the Bezan Yacht, and there come to anchor +for all night. + +18th. By break of day we come to within sight of the fleet, +which was a very fine thing to behold, being above 100 ships, +great and small; with the flag ships of each squadron, +distinguished by their several flags on their main, fore, or +mizen masts. Among others, the Soveraigne, Charles, and Prince; +in the last of which my Lord Sandwich was. And so we come on +board, and we and my Lord Sandwich newly up in his night-gown +very well. He received us kindly; telling us the state of the +fleet, lacking provisions, having no beer at all, nor have had +most of them these three weeks or month, and but few days' dry +provisions. and indeed he tells us that he believes no fleet was +ever set to sea in so ill condition of provision, as this was +when it went out last. He did inform us in the business of +Bergen, so as to let us see how the judgment of the world is not +to be depended on in things they know not; it being a place just +wide enough, and not so much hardly, for ships to go through to +it, the yard-armes sticking in the very rocks. He do not, upon +his best enquiry, find reason to except against any part of the +management of the business by Teddiman; he having staid treating +no longer than during the night, whiles he was fitting himself to +fight, bringing his ship a-breast, and not a quarter of an hour +longer, (as it is said); nor could more ships have been brought +to play, as is thought. Nor could men be landed, there being +10,000 men effectively always in armes of the Danes; nor, says +he, could we expect more from the Dane than he did, it being +impossible to set fire on the ships but it must burn the towne. +But that wherein the Dane did amisse, is that he did assist them, +the Dutch, all the time, while he was treating with us, when he +should have been newtrall to us both. But, however, he did +demand but the treaty of us; which is, that we should not come +with more than five ships. A flag of truce is said, and +confessed by my Lord, that he believes it was hung out; but while +they did hang it out, they did shoot at us; so that it was not +seen, or perhaps they would not cease upon sight of it, while +they continued actually in action against us. But the main thing +my Lord wonders at, and condemns the Dane for, is, that the +blockhead, who is so much in debt to the Hollander, having now a +treasure more by much than all his Crowne was worth, and that +which would for ever have beggared the Hollander, should not take +this time to break with the Hollander, and thereby pay his debt +which must have been forgiven him, and have got the greatest +treasure into his hands that ever was together in the world. By +and by my Lord took me aside to discourse of his private matters, +who was very free with me touching the ill condition of the fleet +that it hath been in, and the good fortune that he hath had, and +nothing else that these prizes are to be imputed to. He also +talked with me about Mr. Coventry's dealing with him in sending +Sir W. Pen away before him, which was not fair nor kind; but that +he hath mastered and cajoled Sir W. Pen, that he hath been able +to do nothing in the fleet, but been obedient to him; but withal +tells me he is a man that is but of very mean parts, and a fellow +not to be lived with, so false and base he is; which I know well +enough to be true, and did, as I had formerly done, give my Lord +my knowledge of him. By and by was called a Council of Warr on +board, when comes Sir W. Pen there, and Sir Christopher Mings, +[The son of a shoemaker, bred to the sea service, and rose to the +rank of an Admiral. He was killed in the naval action with the +Dutch, June 1666.] Sir Edward Spragg, Sir Jos. Jordan, +[Distinguished himself as an admiral in the battle of Soleby, and +on other Occasions.] Sir Thomas Teddiman, and Sir Roger +Cuttance. So to our Yacht again, having seen many of my friends +there, and continued till we come into Chatham river. + +20th. To Lambeth. But, Lord! what a sad time it is to see no +boats upon the River; and grass grows all up and down White Hall +court, and nobody but poor wretches in the streets! and, which +is worst of all, the Duke showed us the number of the plague this +week, brought in the last night from the Lord Mayor; that it is +encreased about 600 more than the last, which is quite contrary +to our hopes and expectations, from the coldness of the late +season. For the whole general number is 8297, and of them the +plague 7165; which is more in the whole by above 50, than the +biggest Bill yet: which is very grievous to us all. + +21st. To Nonsuch, to the Exchequer, by appointment and walked up +and down the house and park; and a fine place it hath heretofore +been, and a fine prospect about the house. A great; walk of an +elme and a walnutt set one after another in order. And all the +house on the outside filled with figures of stories, and good +painting of Rubens' or Holben's doing. And one great thing is, +that most of the house is covered, I mean the post, and quarters +in the walls, with lead, and gilded. I walked also into the +ruined garden. + +22nd. At Blackwell. Here is observable what Johnson tells us, +that in digging the late Docke, they did 12 feet under ground +find perfect trees over-covered with earth. Nut trees, with the +branches and the very nuts upon them; some of whose nuts he +showed us. Their shells black with age, and their kernell, upon +opening, decayed, but their shell perfectly hard as ever. And a +yew tree, (upon which the very ivy was taken up whole about it,) +which upon cutting; with an addes we found to be rather harder +than the living tree usually is. Among other discourse +concerning long life, Sir J. Minnes saying that his great-grand- +father was alive in Edward the Vth.'s time; my Lord Sandwich did +tell us how few there have been of his family since King Harry +the VIIIth. that is to say, the then Chiefe Justice, [Sir +Edward Montagu, ob. 1556.] and his son and the Lord Montagu, who +was father [I think this should be brother, as Edward first Lord +Montagu and Sir Sidney Montagu were both sons of the second Sir +Edward Montagu.] to Sir Sidney, [Master of the Requests to +Charles 1st.] who was his father. And yet, what is more +wonderfull, he did assure us from the mouth of my Lord Montagu +himself, that in King James's time, (when he had a mind to get +the King to cut off the entayle of some land which was given in +Harry the VIIIth.'s time to the family, with the remainder in the +Crowne;) he did answer the King in showing how unlikely it was +that ever it could revert to the Crown, but that it would be a +present convenience to him; and did show that at that time there +were 4000 persons derived from the very body of the Chiefe +Justice. It seems the number of daughters in the family had been +very great, and they too had most of them many children, and +grandchildren, and great-grand-children. This he tells as a most +known and certain truth. + +25th. Found ourselves come to the fleet, and so aboard the +Prince, and there, after a good while in discourse, we did agree +a bargain of 5000l. for my Lord Sandwich for silk, cinnamon, +nutmegs, and indigo. And I was near signing to an undertaking +for the payment of the whole sum: but I did by chance escape it, +having since, upon second thoughts, great cause to be glad of it, +reflecting upon the craft and not good condition, it may be of, +Captain Cocke. + +27th. To Captain Cocke's, and (he not yet come from town) to Mr. +Evelyn, where much company; and thence in his coach with him to +the Duke of Albemarle by Lambeth, who was in a mighty pleasant +humour; and tells us that the Dutch do stay abroad, and our fleet +must go out again, or be ready to do so. Here we got several +things ordered as we desired for the relief of the prisoners, and +sick and wounded men. Here I saw this week's Bill of Mortality, +wherein, blessed be God! there is above 1800 decrease, being the +first considerable decrease we have had. Most excellent +discourse with Mr. Evelyn touching all manner of learning; +wherein I find him a very fine gentleman, and particularly of +paynting, in which he tells me the beautifull Mrs. Middleton is +rare, and his own wife do brave things. + +29th. Sir Martin Noell [He had been a Farmer of the Excise and +Customs before the Restoration. The messenger described in +Hudibras, Part III. Canto II. 1407, as disturbing the Cabal with +the account of the mobs burning Rumps, is said to have keen +intended for Sir Martin Noell.] is this day dead of the plague +in London. + +October 1, 1665. Embarked on board the Bezan, and come to the +fleet about two of the clock. My Lord received us mighty kindly, +and did discourse to us of the Dutch fleet being abroad, eighty- +five of them still. + +2nd. Having sailed all night, (and I do wonder how they in the +dark could find the way) we got by morning to Gillingham, and +thence all walked to Chatham; and there with Commissioner Pett +viewed the Yard; and among other things, a team of four horses +come close by us, he being with me, drawing a piece of timber +that I am confident one man could easily have carried upon his +back, I made the horses be taken away, and a man or two to take +the timber away with their hands. + +3rd. Sir W. Batten is gone this day to meet to adjourne the +Parliament to Oxford. This night I hear that of our two watermen +that used to carry our letters, and were well on Saturday last, +one is dead, and the other dying sick of the plague; the plague, +though decreasing elsewhere, yet being greater about the Tower +and thereabouts. + +4th. This night comes Sir George Smith to see me at the office, +and tells me how the plague is decreased this week 740, for which +God be praised! but that it encreases at our end of the town +still. + +5th. Read a book of Mr. Evelyn's translating and sending me as a +present, about directions for gathering a Library; but the book +is above my reach, but his epistle to my Lord Chancellor is a +very fine piece. Then to Mr. Evelyn's to discourse of our +confounded business of prisoners, and sick and wounded seamen, +wherein he and we are so much put out of order. And here he +showed me his gardens, which are for variety of evergreens, and +hedge of holly, the finest things I ever saw in my life. Thence +in his coach to Greenwich, and there to my office, all the way +having fine discourse of trees and the nature of vegetables. + +7th. Did business, though not much, at the office; because of +the horrible crowd and lamentable moan of the poor seamen that +lie starving in the streets for lack of money. Which do trouble +and perplex me to the heart; and more at noon when we were to go +through them, for then above a whole hundred of them followed us; +some cursing, some swearing, and some praying to us. At night +come two waggons from Rochester with more goods from Captain +Cocke; and in housing them come two of the Custom-house, and did +seize them: but I showed them my TRANSIRE. However, after some +angry words, we locked them up, and sealed up the key, and did +give it to the constable to keep till Monday, and so parted. +But, Lord! to think how the poor constable come to me in the +dark going home; "Sir," says he, "I have the key, and if you +would have me do any service for you, send for me betimes to- +morrow morning, and I will do what you would have me." Whether +the fellow do this out of kindness or knavery, I cannot tell; but +it is pretty to observe. Talking with him in the high way, come +close by the bearers with a dead corpse of the plague; but, Lord! +to see what custom is, that I am come almost to think nothing of +it. + +8th. To the office, where ended my business with the Captains; +and I think of twenty-two ships we shall make shift to get out +seven. (God help us! men being sick, or provisions lacking.) + +9th. Called upon by Sir John Shaw to whom I did give a civil +answer about our prize goods, that all his dues as one of the +Farmers of the Customes are paid, and showed him our TRANSIRE, +with which he was satisfied, and parted. + +11th, We met Mr. Seamour, one of the Commissioners for Prizes, +and a Parliament-man, and he was mighty high, and had now seized +our goods on their behalf; and he mighty imperiously would have +all forfeited. But I could not but think it odd that a +Parliament-man, in a serious discourse before such persons as we +and my Lord Brouncker, and Sir John Minnes, should quote +Hudibras, as being the book I doubt he hath read most. + +12th. Good news this week that there are about 600 less dead of +the plague than the last. + +13th. Sir Jer. Smith; [A distinguished Naval Officer, made a +Commissioner of the Navy, vice Sir W. Pen, 1669.] to see me in +his way to Court, and a good man he is, and one that I must keep +fair with. + +14th. My heart and head to-night is full of the Victualling +business, being overjoyed and proud at my success in my proposal +about it, it being read before the King, Duke, and the Caball +with complete applause and satisfaction. This Sir G. Carteret +and Sir W. Coventry both writ me. My own proper accounts are in +great disorder, having been neglected about a month. This, and +the fear of the sickness, and providing for my family, do fill my +head very full, besides the infinite business of the office, and +nobody here to look after it but myself. + +15th. The Parliament, it seems, have voted the King 1,250,000l. +at 50,000l. per month, tax for the war; and voted to assist the +King against the Dutch, and all that shall adhere to them; and +thanks to be given him for his care of the Duke of York, which +last is a very popular vote on the Duke's behalf. The taxes of +the last assessment, which should have been in good part +gathered, are not yet laid, and that even in part of the City of +London; and the Chimny-money comes almost to nothing, nor any +thing else looked after. + +16th. I walked to the Tower; but, Lord! how empty the streets +are and melancholy, so many poor sick people in the streets full +of sores; and so many sad stories overheard as I walk, every body +talking of this dead, and that man sick, and so many in this +place, and so many in that. And they tell me that, in +Westminster, there is never a physician and but one apothecary +left, all being dead; but that there are great hopes of a great +decrease this week: God send it! At the Tower found my Lord +Duke and Duchesse at dinner; so I sat down. And much good cheer, +the Lieutenant and his lady, and several officers with the Duke. +But, Lord! to hear the silly talk was there, would make one mad; +the Duke having none almost but fools about him. I have received +letters from my Lord Sandwich today, speaking very high about the +prize goods, that he would have us to fear nobody, but be very +confident in what we have done, and not to confess any fault or +doubt of what he hath done; for the King hath allowed it, and do +now confirm it, and send orders, as he says, for nothing to be +disturbed that his Lordshipp hath ordered therein as to the +division of the goods to the fleet which do comfort us. Much +talk there is of the Chancellor's speech and the King's at the +Parliament's meeting, which are very well liked; and that we +shall certainly, by their speeches, fall out with France at this +time, together with the Dutch, which will find us work. + +26th. Sir Christopher Mings and I together by water to the +Tower; and I find him a very witty well-spoken fellow, and mighty +free to tell his parentage, being a shoemaker's son. I to the +'Change, where I hear how the French have taken two and sunk one +of our merchant-men in the Straights, and carried the ships to +Toulon: so that there is no expectation but we must fall out +with them. The 'Change pretty full, and the town begins to be +lively again, though the streets very empty, and most shops shut. + +27th. The Duke of Albemarle proposed to me from Mr. Coventry, +that I should be Surveyor-Generall of the Victualling business, +which I accepted. But, indeed, the terms in which Mr. Coventry +proposes it for me are the most obliging that ever I could expect +from any man, and more; he saying that I am the fittest man in +England, and that he is sure, if I will undertake, I will perform +it: and that it will be also a very desirable thing that I might +have this encouragement, my encouragement in the Navy alone being +in no wise proportionable to my pains or deserts. This, added to +the letter I had three days since from Mr. Southerne, [Secretary +to Sir W. Coventry.] signifying that the Duke of York had in his +master's absence opened my letters, and commanded him to tell me +that he did approve of my being the Surveyor-General, do make me +joyful beyond myself that I cannot express it, to see that as I +do take pains, so God blesses me, and hath sent me masters that +do observe that I take pains. + +28th. The Parliament hath given the Duke of York 120,000l., to +be paid him after 1,250,000l. is gathered upon the tax which they +have now given the King. He tells me that the Dutch have lately +launched sixteen new ships; all which is great news. The King +and Court, they say, have now finally resolved to spend nothing +upon clothes, but what is of the growth of England; which, if +observed, will be very pleasing to the people, and very good for +them. + +29th. In the street did overtake and almost run upon two women +crying and carrying a man's coffin between them. I suppose the +husband, of one of them, which, methinks, is a sad thing. + +31st. Meeting yesterday the Searchers with their rods in their +hands coming from Captain Cocke's house, I did overhear them say +that his Black did not die of the plague. About nine at night I +come home, and anon comes Mrs. Coleman [Probably the person +mentioned in the following extract from MALONE'S ACCOUNT OF THE +ENGLISH STAGE. "In 1659 or 60, in imitation of foreign theatres, +women were first introduced on the scene. In 1656, indeed, Mrs. +Coleman, wife to Mr. Edward Coleman, represented Ianthe in the +first part of the Siege of Rhodes: but the little she had to say +was spoken in recitative."] and her husband, and she sung very +finely, though her voice is decayed as to strength but mighty +sweet though soft, and a pleasant jolly woman, and in mighty good +humour. She sung part of the Opera, though she would not own she +did get any of it without book in order to the stage. Thus we +end the month. The whole number of deaths being 1388, and of +them of the plague, 1031. Want of money in the Navy puts every +thing out of order. Men grow mutinous; and nobody here to mind +the business of the Navy but myself. I in great hopes of my +place of Surveyor-General of the Victualling, which will bring me +300l. per annum. + +November 1, 1665. My Lord Brouncker with us to Mrs. William's +lodgings, and Sir W. Batten, Sir Edmund Pooly, [M.P. for Bury St. +Edmunds, and in the list of proposed Knights of the Royal Oak for +Suffolk.] and others; and there, it being my Lord's birth-day, +had every one a green riband tied in our hats very foolishly; and +methinks mighty disgracefully for my Lord to have his folly so +open to all the world with this woman. + +5th. By water to Deptford, and there made a visit to Mr. Evelyn, +who, among other things, showed me most excellent painting in +little; in distemper, Indian incke, water colours: graveing; +and, above all, the whole secret of mezzo-tinto, and the manner +of it, which is very pretty, and good things done with it. He +read to me very much also of his discourse, he hath been many +years and now is about, about Gardenage; which will be a most +noble and pleasant piece. He read me part of a play or two of +his making, very good, but not as he conceits them, I think, to +be. He showed me his Hortus Hyemalis; leaves laid up in a book +of several plants kept dry, which preserve colour, however, and +look very finely, better than an herball. In fine, a most +excellent person he is, and must be allowed a little for a little +conceitedness; but he may well be so, being a man so much above +others. He read me, though with too much gusto, some little +poems of his own that were not transcendant, yet one or two very +pretty epigrams; among others, of a lady looking in at a grate, +and being pecked at by an eagle that was there. + +6th. Sir G. Carteret and I did walk an hour in the garden before +the house, talking of my Lord Sandwich's business; what enemies +he hath, and how they have endeavoured to bespatter him: and +particularly about his leaving of 30 ships of the enemy, when Pen +would have gone, and my Lord called him back again: which is +most false. However, he says, it was purposed by some hot-heads +in the House of Commons, at the same time when they voted a +present to the Duke of York, to have voted 10,000l. to the +Prince, and half-a-crowne to my Lord of Sandwich; but nothing +come of it. But, for all this, the King is most firme to my +Lord, and so is my Lord Chancellor, and my Lord Arlington. The +Prince, in appearance, kind; the Duke of York silent, says no +hurt; but admits others to say it in his hearing. Sir W. Pen, +the falsest rascal that ever was in the world; and that this +afternoon the Duke of Albemarle did tell him that Pen was a very +cowardly rogue, and one that hath brought all these rogueish +fanatick Captains into the fleet, and swears he should never go +out with the fleet again. That Sir W. Coventry is most kind to +Pen still; and says nothing not do any thing openly to the +prejudice of my Lord. He agrees with me, that it is impossible +for the King to set out a fleet again the next year; and that he +fears all will come to ruine, there being no money in prospect +but these prizes, which will bring, it may be 20,000l., but that +will signify nothing in the world for it. + +9th. The Bill of Mortality, to all our griefs, is encreased 399 +this week, and the encrease generally through the whole City and +suburbs, which makes us all sad. + +14th. Captain Cocke and I in his coach through Kent-streete, (a +sad place through the plague, people sitting sick and with +plaisters about them in the street begging.) + +15th. The plague, blessed be God! is decreased 400; making the +whole this week but 1300 and odd: for which the Lord be praised! + +16th. To Eriffe; where after making a little visit to Madam +Williams, she did give me information of W. How's having bought +eight bags of precious stones taken from about the Dutch Vice- +admirall's neck, of which there were eight dyamonds which cost +him 4000l. sterling, in India, and hoped to have made 12,000l. +here for them. And that this is told by one that sold him one of +the bags, which hath nothing but rubys in it, which he had for +35s.; and that it will be proved he hath made 125l., of one stone +that he bought. This she desired, and I resolved I would give my +Lord Sandwich notice of. So I on board my Lord Brouncker; and +there he and Sir Edmund Pooly carried me down into the hold of +the India shipp, and there did show me the greatest wealth lie in +confusion that a man can see in the world. Pepper scattered +through every chink, you trod upon it; and in cloves and nutmegs, +I walked above the knees: whole rooms full. And silk in bales, +and boxes of copper-plate, one of which I saw opened. Having +seen this, which was as noble a sight as ever I saw in my life, I +away on board the other ship in despair to get the pleasure-boat +of the gentlemen there to carry me to the fleet. They were Mr. +Ashburnham [John Ashburnham, a Groom of the Bedchamber to +Charles I. whom he attended during the whole of the Rebellion, +and afterwards filled the same post under Charles II. He was in +1661 M.P, for Sussex; and ob. 1671.] and Colonell Wyndham; but +pleading the King's business, they did presently agree I should +have it. So I presently on board, and got under sail, and had a +good bedd by the shift, of Wyndham's; and so sailed all night, +and got down to Quinbrough water, where all the great ships are +now come, and there on board my Lord, and was soon received with +great content. And after some little discourse, he and I on +board Sir W. Pen; and there held a council of Warr about many +wants of the fleet; and so followed my Lord Sandwich, who was +gone a little before me on board the Royall James. And there +spent an hour, my Lord playing upon the gittarr, which he now +commends above all musique in the world. As an infinite secret, +my Lord tells me, the factions are high between the King and the +Duke, and all the Court are in an uproar with their loose amours; +the Duke of York being in love desperately with Mrs. Stewart. +Nay, that the Duchesse herself is fallen in love with her new +Master of the Horse, one Harry Sidney, [Younger son of Robert +Earl of Leicester, created Earl of Romney, 1694. He was Lord +Lieutenant of Ireland, Master of the Ordnance, and Warden of the +Cinque Ports in the reign of King William. Ob. 1704, unmarried.] +and another, Harry Savill. [Henry Saville, some time one of the +Grooms of the Bedchamber to the Duke of York.] So that God knows +what will be the end of it. And that the Duke is not so +obsequious as he need to be, but very high of late; and would be +glad to be in the head of an army as Generall; and that it is +said that he do propose to go and command under the King of +Spayne, in Flanders. That his amours to Mrs. Stewart are told +the King. So that all is like to be nought among them. + +22nd. I was very glad to hear that the plague is come very low; +that is, the whole under 1000, and the plague 800 and odd: and +great hopes of a further decrease, because of this day's being a +very exceeding hard frost, and continues freezing. This day the +first of the Oxford Gazettes come out, which is very pretty, full +of news, and no folly in it. Wrote by Williamson. It pleased me +to have it demonstrated, that a purser without professed cheating +is a professed loser, twice as much as he gets. + +23rd. Captn. Cuttance tells me how W. How is laid by the heels, +and confined to the Royall Katharin, and his things all seized. + +24th. To the 'Change, where very busy with several people, and +mightily glad to see the 'Change so full, and hopes of another +abatement still the next week. Visited Mr. Evelyn, where most +excellent discourse with him; among other things he showed me a +lieger of a Treasurer of the Navy, his great grandfather, just +100 years old; which I seemed mighty fond of, and he did present +me with it, which I take as a great rarity; and he hopes to find +me more, older than it. He also showed us several letters of the +old Lord of Leicester's [There are some letters and papers +answering to this description in the Pepysian Library, and +amongst them an account of the Coroner's Inquest held upon the +Countess of Leicester at Cumnor.] in Queen Elizabeth's time, +under the very hand-writing of Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Mary, +Queen of Scotts; and others, very venerable names. But, Lord! +how poorly, methinks, they wrote in those days, and in what plain +uncut paper. + +27th. With Sir G. Carteret, who tells me that my Lord hath +received still worse and worse usage from some base people about +the Court. But the King is very kind, and the Duke do not appear +the contrary; and my Lord Chancellor swore to him "by -- I will +not forsake my Lord of Sandwich." I into London, it being dark +night, by a hackny coach; the first I have durst to go in many a +day, and with great pain now for fear. But it being unsafe to go +by water in the dark and frosty cold, and unable being weary with +my morning walk to go on foot, this was my only way. Few people +yet in the streets, nor shops open, here and there twenty in a +place almost; though not above five or six o'clock at night. + +30th. Great joy we have this week in the weekly Bill, it being +come to 544 in all, and but 333 of the plague so that we are +encouraged to get to London soon as we can. And my father writes +as great news of joy to them, that he saw York's waggon go again +this week to London, and full of passengers; and tells me that my +aunt Bell hath been dead of the plague these seven weeks. + +December 3, 1665. To Captn. Cocke's, and there dined with him, +and Colonell Wyndham, a worthy gentleman, whose wife was nurse to +the present King, and one that while she lived governed him and +every thing else, as Cocke says, as a minister of state; the old +King putting mighty weight and trust upon her. They talked much +of matters of State and persons, and particularly how my Lord +Barkeley hath all along been a fortunate, though a passionate and +but weak man as to policy; but as a kinsman brought in and +promoted by my Lord of St. Alban's, and one that is the greatest +vapourer in the world, this Colonell Wyndham says; and to whom +only, with Jacke Ashburne [This should be Ashburnham.] and +Colonel Legg, [William Legge, Groom of the Bedchamber to Charles +I., and father to the first Lord Dartmouth. He was M.P. for +Southampton. Ob, 1672.] the King's removal to the Isle of Wight +from Hampton Court was communicated; and (though betrayed by +their knavery, or at best by their ignorance, insomuch that they +have all solemnly charged one another with their failures +therein, and have been at daggers-drawing publickly about it.) +yet now none greater friends in the world. + +4th. Upon the 'Change to-day Colvill tells me, from Oxford, that +the King in person hath justified my Lord Sandwich to the highest +degree; and is right in his favour to the uttermost. + +6th. Up betimes, it being fast-day; and by water to the Duke of +Albemarle, who come to town from Oxford last night. He is mighty +brisk, and very kind to me, and asks my advice principally in +every thing. He surprises me with the news that my Lord Sandwich +goes Embassador to Spayne speedily; though I know not whence this +arises, yet I am heartily glad of it. The King hath done my Lord +Sandwich all the right imaginable, by showing him his countenance +before all the world on every occasion, to remove thoughts of +discontent; and he is to go Embassador, and the Duke of York is +made generall of all forces by land and sea and the Duke of +Albemarle, lieutenant-generall. + +8th. To White Hall, where we found Sir G. Carteret with the +Duke, and also Sir G. Downing, whom I had not seen in many years +before. He greeted me very kindly, and I him; though methinks I +am touched that it should be said that he was my master +heretofore, as doubtless he will. + +9th. My Lord Brouncker and I dined with the Duke of Albemarle. +At table the Duchesse, a very ill-looked woman, complaining of +her Lord's going to sea the next year, said these cursed words: +"If my Lord had been a coward he had gone to sea no more: it may +be then he might have been excused, and made an embassador," +(meaning my Lord Sandwich). This made me mad, and I believed she +perceived my countenance change, and blushed herself very much. +I was in hopes others had not minded it, but my Lord Brouncker, +after we were come away, took notice of the words to me; with +displeasure. + +11th. That I may remember it the more particularly, I thought +fit to insert this memorandum of Temple's discourse this night +with me, which I took in writing from his mouth. Before the Harp +and Crosse money was cried down, he and his fellow goldsmiths did +make some particular trials what proportion that money bore to +the old King's money, and they found that generally it come to, +one with another, about 25l. in every 100l. Of this money there +was upon the calling of it in, 650,000l. at least brought into +the Tower; and from thence he computes that the whole money of +England must be full 16,250,000l. But for all this believes that +there is about 30,000,000l.; he supposing that about the King's +coming in (when he begun to observe the quantity of the new +money) people begun to be fearful of this money's being cried +down, and so picked it out and set it a-going as fast as they +could, to be rid of it; and he thinks 30,000,000l. the rather, +because if there were but 16,250,000l. the King having +2,000,000l. every year, would have the whole money of the kingdom +in his hands in eight years. He tells me about 350,000l. +sterling was coined out of the French money, the proceeds of +Dunkirke; so that, with what was coined of the Cross money, there +is new coined about 1,000,000l. besides the gold, which is +guessed at 500,000l. He tells me, that, though the King did +deposit the French money in pawn all the while for the 350,000l. +he was forced to borrow thereupon till the tools could be made +for the new Minting in the present form. Yet the interest he +paid for that time come to 35,000l. Viner having to his +knowledge 10,000l. for the use of 100,000l. of it. + +13th. Away to the 'Change, and there hear the ill news, to my +great and all our great trouble, that the plague is encreased +again this week, notwithstanding there hath been a long day or +two great frosts; but we hope it is only the effects of the late +close warm weather, and if the frost continue the next week, may +fall again; but the towne do thicken so much with people, that it +is much if the plague do not grow again upon us. + +15th. Met with Sir James Bunch; [Probably James Bunce, an +Alderman of London, 1660.] "This is the time for you," says he, +"that; were for Oliver heretofore; you are full of employment, +and we poor Cavaliers sit still and can get nothing;" which was a +pretty reproach I thought, but answered nothing to it, for fear +of making it worse. + +22nd. I to my Lord Brouncker's, and there spent the evening by +my desire in seeing his Lordship open to pieces and make up again +his watch, thereby being taught what I never knew before; and it +is a thing very well worth my having seen, and am mightily +pleased and satisfied with it. + +25th (Christmas day). To church in the morning, and there saw a +wedding in the church, which I have not seen many a day; and the +young people so merry one with another, and strange to see what +delight we married people have to see these poor fools decoyed +into our condition, every man and woman gazing and smiling at +them. + +26th. Saw some fine writing work and flourishing of Mr. Hore, +with one that I knew long ago, an acquaintance of Mr. Tomson's, +at Westminster, that is this man's clerk. It is the story of the +several Archbishops of Canterbury, engrossed in vellum, to hang +up in Canterbury Cathedrall in tables, in lieu of the old ones, +which are almost worn out. + +30th. All the afternoon to my accounts; and there find myself, +to my great joy, a great deal worth above 4000l. for which the +Lord be praised! and is principally occasioned by my getting +500l. of Cocke, for my profit in his bargains of prize goods, and +from Mr. Gauden's making me a present of 500l. more, when I paid +him 800l. for Tangier. + +31st. Thus ends this year, to my great joy, in this manner. I +have raised my estate from 1300l. in this year to 4400l. I have +got myself greater interest I think by my diligence, and my +imployments encreased by that of Treasurer for Tangier, and +Surveyor of the Victualls. It is true we have gone through great +melancholy because of the great plague, and I put to great +charges by it, by keeping my family long at Woolwich, and myself +and another part of my family, my clerks, at my charge at +Greenwich, and a maid at London; but I hope the King will give us +some satisfaction for that. But now the plague is abated almost +to nothing, and I intending to get to London as fast as I can. +The Dutch war goes on very ill, by reason of lack of money; +having none to hope for, all being put into disorder by a new Act +that is made as an experiment to bring credit to the Exchequer, +for goods and money to be advanced upon the credit of that Act. +The great evil of this year, and the only one indeed, is the fall +of my Lord of Sandwich, whose mistake about the prizes hath +undone him, I believe, as to interest at Court; though sent (for +a little palliating it) Embassador into Spayne, which he is now +fitting himself for. But the Duke of Albemarle goes with the +Prince to sea this next year, and my Lord is very meanly spoken +of; and, indeed, his miscarriage about the prize goods is not to +be excused, to suffer a company of rogues to go away with ten +times as much as himself, and the blame of all to be deservedly +laid upon him. My whole family hath been well all the while, and +all my friends I know of, saving my aunt Bell, who is dead, and +some children of my cosen Sarah's, of the plague. But many of +such as I know very well, dead; yet, to our great joy, the town +fills apace, and shops begin to be open again. Pray God continue +the plague's decrease! for that keeps the Court away from the +place of business, and so all goes to rack as to publick matters, +they at this distance not thinking of it. + +1665-6. JANUARY 3. I to the Duke of Albemarle and back again: +and at the Duke's with great joy I received the good news of the +decrease of the plague this week to 70, and but 253 in all; which +is the least Bill hath been known these twenty years in the City. +Through the want of people in London, is it that must make it so +low below the ordinary number for Bills. + +5th. I with my Lord Brouncker and Mrs. Williams by coach with +four horses to London, to my Lord's house in Covent-Garden. But, +Lord! what staring to see a nobleman's coach come to town. And +porters every where bow to us; and such begging of beggars! And +delightful it is to see the town full of people again; and shops +begin to open, though in many places seven or eight together, and +more, all shut; but yet the town is full, compared with what it +used to be. I mean the City end: for Covent-Garden and +Westminster are yet very empty of people, no Court nor gentry +being there. Reading a discourse about the River of Thames, the +reason of its being choked up in several places with shelfes: +which is plain is by the encroachments made upon the River, and +running out of causeways into the River at every wood-wharfe; +which was not heretofore when Westminster Hall and White Hall +were built, and Redriffe Church, which now are sometimes +overflown with water. + +7th. The town talks of my Lord Craven being to come into Sir G. +Carteret's place; but sure it cannot be true. But I do fear +those two families, his and my Lord Sandwich's, are quite broken. +And I must now stand upon my own legs. + +9th. Pierce tells me how great a difference hath been between +the Duke and Duchesse, he suspecting her to be naught with Mr. +Sidney. But some way or other the matter is made up; but he was +banished the Court, and the Duke for many days did not speak to +the Duchesse at all. He tells me that my Lord Sandwich is lost +there at Court, though the King is particularly his friend. But +people do speak every where slightly of him; which is a sad story +to me, but I hope it may be better again. And that Sir G. +Carteret is neglected, and hath great enemies at work against +him. That matters must needs go bad, while all the town, and +every boy in the street, openly cries, "The King cannot go away +till my Lady Castlemaine be ready to come along with him;" she +being lately put to bed. But that he visits her and Mrs. Stewart +every morning before he eats his breakfast. + +10th. The plague is encreased this week from seventy to eighty- +nine. We have also great fear of our Hambrough fleet, of their +meeting with the Dutch; as also have certain news, that by storms +Sir Jer. Smith's fleet is scattered, and three of them come +without masts back to Plymouth. + +13th. Home with his Lordship to Mrs. Williams's, in Covent- +Garden, to dinner, (the first time I ever was there,) and there +met Captain Cocke; and pretty merry, though not perfectly so, +because of the fear that; there is of a great encrease again of +the plague this week. And again my Lord Brouncker do tell us, +that he hath it from Sir John Baber, [Physician in Ordinary to +the King.] who is related to my Lord Craven, that my Lord Craven +do look after Sir G. Carteret's place, and do reckon himself sure +of it. + +16th. Mightily troubled at the news of the plague's being +encreased, and was much the saddest news that the plague hath +brought me from the beginning of it; because of the lateness of +the year, and the fear, we may with reason have, of its +continuing with us the next summer. The total being now 375, and +the plague 158. + +17th. I rode to Dagenhams in the dark. It was my Lord Crewe's +desire that I should come, and chiefly to discourse with me of my +Lord Sandwich's matters; and therein to persuade, what I had done +already, that my Lord should sue out a pardon for his business of +the prizes, as also for Bergen, and all he hath done this year +past, before he begins his Embassy to Spain. For it is to be +feared that the Parliament will fly out against him and +particular men, the next Session. He is glad also that my Lord +is clear of his sea-imployment, though sorry as I am, only in the +manner of its bringing about. + +18th. My wife and I anon and Mercer, by coach, to Pierce; where +mighty merry, and sing and dance with great pleasure; and I +danced, who never did in company in my life. + +19th. It is a remarkable thing how infinitely naked all that end +of the town, Covent-Garden, is at this day of people; while the +City is almost as full again of people as ever it was. + +22nd. At noon my Lord Brouncker did come, but left the keys of +the chests we should open, at Sir G. Carteret's lodgings, of my +Lord Sandwich's, wherein How's supposed jewells are; so we could +not, according to my Lord Arlington's order, see them to-day; but +we parted, resolving to meet here at night: my Lord Brouncker +being going with Dr. Wilkins, Mr. Hooke, [Dr. Robert Hooke, +before mentioned, Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, and +Curator of the Experiments to the Royal Society, of which he was +one of the earliest and most distinguished members. Ob. 1678.] +and others, to Colonel Blunt's, to consider again of the business +of chariots, and to try their new invention. Which I saw here my +Lord Brouncker ride in; where the coachman sits astride upon a +pole over the horse, but do not touch the horse, which is a +pretty odde thing; but it seems it is most easy for the horse, +and, as they say, for the man also. The first meeting of Gresham +College, since the plague. Dr. Goddard did fill us with talk, in +defence of his and his fellow physicians going out of town in the +plague-time; saying that their particular patients were most gone +out of town, and they left at liberty; and a great deal more, &c. +But what, among other fine discourse pleased me most, was Sir G. +Ent [Sir George Ent, F.R.S., President of the College of +Physicians.] about Respiration; that it is not to this day +known, or concluded on among physicians, nor to be done either, +how the action is managed by nature, or for what use it is. + +23rd. Good news beyond all expectation of the decrease of the +plague, being now but 79, and the whole but 272. So home with +comfort to bed. A most furious storme all night and morning. + +24th. My Lord and I, the weather being a little fairer, by water +to Deptford to Sir G. Carteret's house, where W. How met us, and +there we opened the chests, and saw the poor sorry rubys which +have caused all this ado to the undoing of W. How; though I am +not much sorry for it, because of his pride and ill nature. +About 200 of these very small stones, and a cod of muske (which +it is strange I was not able to smell) is all we could find; so +locked them up again, and my Lord and I, the wind being again +very furious, so as we durst not go by water, walked to London +quite round the bridge, no boat being able to stirre; and, Lord! +what a dirty walk we had, and so strong the wind, that in the +fields we many times could not carry our bodies against it, but +were driven backwards. We went through Horslydowne, where I +never was since a boy, that I went to enquire after my father, +whom we did give over for lost coming from Holland. It was +dangerous to walk the streets, the bricks and tiles falling from +the houses that the whole streets were covered with them; and +whole chimneys, nay, whole houses in two or three places, blowed +down. But, above all, the pales of London-bridge on both sides +were blown away, so that we were fain to stoop very low for fear +of blowing off of the bridge. We could see no boats in the +Thames afloat, but what were broke loose, and carried through the +bridge, it being ebbing water. And the greatest sight of all +was, among other parcels of ships driven here and there in +clusters together, one was quite overset and lay with her masts +all along in the water, and keel above water. + +25th. It is now certain that the King of France hath publickly +declared war against us, and God knows how little fit we are for +it. + +28th. Took coach, and to Hampton Court, where we find the King, +and Duke, and Lords, all in council; so we walked up and down: +there being none of the ladies come, and so much the more +business I hope will be done. The Council being up, out comes +the King, and I kissed his hand, and he grasped me very kindly by +the hand. The Duke also, I kissed his, and he mighty kind, and +Sir W. Coventry. I found my Lord Sandwich there, poor man! I +see with it melancholy face, and suffers his beard to grow on his +upper lip more than usual. I took him a little aside to know +when I should wait on him, and where: he told me, and that it +would be best to meet at his lodgings, without being seen to walk +together. Which I liked very well; and, Lord! to see in what +difficulty I stand, that I dare not walk with Sir W. Coventry, +for fear my Lord or Sir G. Carteret should see me: nor with +either of them, for fear Sir W. Coventry should. I went down +into one of the Courts, and there met the King and Duke; and the +Duke called me to him, And the King come to me of himself, and +told me, "Mr. Pepys," says he, "I do give you thanks for your +good service all this year, and I assure you I am very sensible +of it." + +29th. Mr. Evelyn and I into my Lord Brouncker's coach, and rode +together with excellent discourse till we come to Clapham. +Talking of the vanity and vices of the Court, which makes it a +most contemptible thing; and indeed in all his discourse I find +him a most worthy person. Particularly he entertained me with +discourse of an Infirmary, which he hath projected for the sick +and wounded seamen against the next year; which I mightily +approve of; and will endeavour to promote it, being a worthy +thing, and of use, and will save money. + +30th. This is the first time I have been in the church [Probably +St. Olave's, Hart Street.] since I left London for the plague, +and it frighted me indeed to go through the church more than I +thought it could have done, to see so many graves lie so high +upon the churchyards where people have been buried of the plague. +I was much troubled at it, and do not think to go through it +again a good while. + +31st. I find many about the City that live near the churchyards +solicitous to have the churchyards covered with lime, and I think +it is needfull, and ours I hope will be done. To my Lord +Chancellor's new house which he is building, only to view it, +hearing so much from Mr. Evelyn of it; and, indeed, it is the +finest pile I ever did see in my life, and will be a glorious +house. To White Hall, and to my great joy people begin to bustle +up and down there, the King holding his resolution to be in town +to-morrow, and hath good encouragement, blessed be God! to do +so, the plague being decreased this week to 36, and the total to +227. + +FEBRUARY 2, 1665-6. My Lord Sandwich is come to town with the +King and Duke. + +4th. (Lord's day;) and my wife and I the first time together at +church since the plague, and now only because of Mr. Mills his +coming home to preach his first sermon; expecting a great excuse +for his leaving the parish before any body went, and now staying +till all are come home; but he made but a very poor and short +excuse, and a bad sermon. It was a frost, and had snowed last +night, which covered the graves in the churchyard, so as I was +the less afraid for going through. + +8th. Lord Brouncker with the King and Duke upon the water to- +day, to see Greenwich house, and the yacht Castle is building of. + +9th. Thence to Westminster, to the Exchequer, about my Tangier +business, and so to Westminster Hall, where the first day of the +Terme and the hall very full of people, and much more than was +expected, considering the plague that hath been. + +11th (Lord's day). Up; and put on a new black cloth suit to an +old coat that I make to be in mourning at Court, where they are +all, for the King of Spain. I to the Park, and walked two or +three times of the Pell Mell with the company about the King and +Duke: the Duke speaking to me a good deal. There met Lord +Brouncker and Mr. Coventry, and discoursed about the Navy +business; and all of us much at a loss that we yet can hear +nothing of Sir Jeremy Smith's fleet, that went away to the +Straights the middle of December, through all the storms that we +have had since that have driven back three or four of them with +their masts by the board. Yesterday come out the King's +Declaration of War against the French, but with such mild +invitations of both them and the Dutch to come over here with +promise of their protection, that every body wonders at it. + +12th. Comes Mr. Caesar, my boy's lute-master, whom I have not +seen since the plague before, but he hath been in Westminster +Hall all this while very well; and tells me in the height of it, +how bold people there were, to go in sport to one another's +burials: and in spite too, ill people would breathe in the faces +(out of their windows) of well people going by. + +13th. Ill news this night that the plague is encreased this +week, and in many places else about the town, and at Chatham and +elsewhere. + +14th. I took Mr. Hill to my Lord Chancellor's new house that is +building, and went with trouble up to the top of it, and there is +the noblest prospect that ever I saw in my life, Greenwich being +nothing to it; and in everything is a beautiful house, and most, +strongly built in every respect; and as if, as it hath, it had +the Chancellor for its master. I staid a meeting of the Duke of +York's, and the officers of the Navy and Ordnance. My Lord +Treasurer lying in bed of the gowte. + +15th. Mr. Hales [John Hayls, or Hales, a portrait-painter +remarkable for copying Vandyke well, and being a rival of Lely.] +began my wife's portrait in the posture we saw one of my Lady +Peters, like a St. Katharine. While he painted, Knipp, [Of Mrs. +Knipp's history, nothing seems known; except that she was a +married actress belonging to the King's house, and as late as +1677, her name occurs among the performers in the "Wily False +One."] and Mercer, and I, sang. We hear this night of Sir +Jeremy Smith, that he and his fleet have been seen at Malaga; +which is good news. + +16th. To the Coffee-House, the first time I have been there, +where very full, and company it seems hath been there all the +plague time. The Queene comes to Hampton Court to-night. + +18th. It being a brave day, I walked to White Hall, where the +Queene and ladies are all come: I saw some few of them, but not +the Queene, nor any of the great beauties. + +19th. I am told for certain, what I have heard once or twice +already, of a Jew in town, that in the name of the rest do offer +to give any man 10l. to be paid 100l., if a certain person now at +Smyrna be within these two years owned by all the Princes of the +East, and particularly the grand Segnor as the King of the world, +in the same manner we do the King of England here, and, that this +man is the true Messiah. One named a friend of his that had +received ten pieces in gold upon this score, and says that the +Jew hath disposed of 1100l. in this manner, which is very +strange; and certainly this year of 1666 will be a year of great +action; but what the consequences of it will be, God knows! To +White Hall, and there saw the Queene at cards with many ladies, +but none of our beauties were there. But glad I was to see the +Queene so well, who looks prettily; and methinks hath more life +than before, since it is confessed of all that she miscarried +lately; Dr. Clerke telling me yesterday of it at White Hall. +[The details in the original leave no doubt of the fact,--and +exculpate the Chancellor from the charge of having selected the +Queen as incapable of bearing children.] + +20th. Up, and to the office; where, among other businesses, Mr. +Evelyn's proposition about publick Infirmarys was read and agreed +on, he being there: and at noon I took him home to dinner, being +desirous of keeping my acquaintance with him; and a most +excellent humoured man I still find him, and mighty knowing. + +21st. The Duke did bring out a book of great antiquity of some +of the customs of the Navy, about 100 years since, which he did +lend us to read and deliver him back again. To Trinity-house, +being invited to an Elder Brother's feast; and there met and sat +by Mr. Prin, and had good discourse about the privileges of +Parliament, which, he says, are few to the Commons' House, and +those not examinable by them, but only by the House of Lords. +Thence with my Lord Brouncker to Gresham College, the first time +after the sickness that I was there, and the second time any met. +And here a good lecture of Mr. Hooke's about the trade of felt- +making, very pretty. And anon alone with me about the art of +drawing pictures by Prince Rupert's rule and machine, and another +of Dr. Wren's; [Sir Christopher Wren.] but he says nothing do +like squares, or, which is the best in the world, like a darke +roome. + +22nd. We are much troubled that the sickness in general (the +town being so full of people) should be but three, and yet of the +particular disease of the plague there should be ten encrease. + +23rd. To my Lord Sandwich's, who did lie the last night at his +house in Lincoln's Inne Fields. It being fine walking in the +morning, and the streets full of people again. There I staid, +and the house full of people come to take leave of my Lord, who +this day goes out of towne upon his embassy towards Spayne. And +I was glad to find Sir W. Coventry to come, though I know it is +only a piece of courtshipp. Comes Mrs. Knipp to see my wife, and +I spent all the night talking with this baggage, and teaching her +my song of "Beauty retire," which she sings and makes go most +rarely, and a very fine song it seems to be. She also +entertained me with repeating many of her own and others' parts +of the play-house, which she do most excellently; and tells me +the whole practices of the play-house and players, and is in +every respect most excellent company. + +25th. With our coach of four horses to Windsor, and so to +Cranborne, about eleven o'clock, and found my Lord [Sandwich.] +and the ladies at a sermon in the house; which being ended we to +them, and all the company glad to see us, and mighty merry to +dinner. Here was my Lord, and Lord Hinchingbroke, and Mr. +Sidney, [Sidney Montagu, Lord Sandwich's second son.] Sir +Charles Herbert, and Mr. Carteret, my Lady Carteret, my Lady +Jemimah, and Lady Slaning. [Sir G. Carteret's daughter +Caroline.] After dinner to walk in the Park, my Lord and I +alone; and he tells me my Lord of Suffolk, Lord Arlington, +Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, Mr. Atturny Montagu, +Sir Thomas Clifford in the House of Commons, Sir G. Carteret, and +some others I cannot presently remember, are friends that I may +rely on for him. He dreads the issue of this year, and fears +there will be some very great revolutions before his coming back +again. He doubts it is needful for him to have a pardon for his +last year's actions, all which he did without commission, and at +most but the King's private single single word for that of +Bergen; but he dares not ask it at this time, lest it should make +them think that there is something more in it than yet they know; +and if it should be denied, it would be of very ill consequence. +He says also, if it should in Parliament be enquired into the +selling of Dunkirke, (though the Chancellor was the man that +would have sold it to France, saying the King of Spain had no +money to give for it;) yet he will be found to have been the +greatest adviser of it; which he is a little apprehensive may be +called upon by this Parliament. Then I with the young ladies and +gentlemen, who played on the guittar, and mighty merry, and anon +to supper; and then my Lord going away to write, the young +gentlemen to flinging of cushions, and other mad sports till +towards twelve at night, and then being sleepy, I and my wife in +a passage-room to bed, and slept not very well because of noise. + +26th. Called up about five in the morning, and my Lord up, and +took leave, a little after six, very kindly of me and the whole +company. So took coach and to Windsor, to the Garter, and +thither sent for Dr. Childe: [William Child, Doctor of Music, +Organist of St. George's Chapel, at Windsor. Ob. 1696, aged 91.] +who come to us, and carried us to St. George's Chapel, and there +placed us among the Knights' stalls; (and pretty the +observation, that no man, but a woman may sit in a Knight's +place, where any brass-plates are set,) and hither come! +cushions to us, and a young singing-boy to bring us a copy of the +anthem to be sung. And here, for our sakes, had this anthem and +the great service sung extraordinary, only to entertain us. It +is a noble place indeed, and a good Quire of voices. Great +bowing by all the people, the poor Knights in particularly, to +the Alter. After prayers, we to see the plate of the chapel, and +the robes of Knights, and a man to show us the banners of the +several Knights in being, which hang up over the stalls. And so +to other discourse very pretty, about the Order. Was shown where +the late King is buried, and King Henry the Eighth, and my Lady +Seymour. This being done, to the King's house, and to observe +the neatness and contrivance of the house and gates: it is the +most romantique castle that is in the world. But, Lord! the +prospect that is in the balcone in the Queene's lodgings, and the +terrace and walk, are strange things to consider, being the best +in the world, sure; and so giving a great deal of money to this +and that man and woman, we to our tavern, and there dined, the +Doctor with us; and so took coach and away to Eton, the Doctor +with me. At Eton I left my wife in the coach, and he and I to +the College, and there find all mighty fine. The school good, +and the custom pretty of boys cutting their names in the shuts of +the windows when they go to Cambridge, by which many a one hath +lived to see himself a Provost and Fellow, that hath his name in +the window standing. To the Hall, and there find the boys' +verses, "De Peste;" it being their custom to make verses at +Shrove-tide. I read several, and very good they were; better, I +think, than ever I made when I was a boy, and in rolls as long +and longer than the whole Hall, by much. Here is a picture of +Venice hung up, and a monument made of Sir H. Wotton's giving it +to the College. Thence to the porter's, in the absence of the +butler, and did drink of the College beer, which is very good; +and went into the back fields to see the scholars play. And so +to the chapel, and there saw, among other things, Sir H. Wotton's +stone with this Epitaph: + + Hic jacet primus hujus sententiae Author:-- + Disputandi pruritus fit ecclesiae scabies. + +But unfortunately the word "Author" was wrong writ, and now so +basely altered that it disgraces the stone. + +MARCH 1, 1665-6. Blessed be God! a good Bill this week we have; +being but 257 in all, and 42 of the plague, and of them but six +in the City: though my Lord Brouncker says, that these six are +most of them in new parishes where they were not the last week + +3rd. To Hales's, and there saw my wife sit; and I do like her +picture mightily, and very like it will be, and a brave piece of +work. But he do complain that her nose hath cost him as much +work as another's face, and he hath done it finely indeed. + +5th. News for certain of the King of Denmark's declaring for the +Dutch, and resolution to assist them. I find my Lord Brouncker +and Mrs. Williams, and they would of their own accord, though I +had never obliged them (nor my wife neither) with one visit for +many of theirs, go see my house and my wife; which I showed them, +and made them welcome with wine and China oranges (now a great +rarity since the war, none to be had.) My house happened to be +mighty clean, and did me great honour, and they mightily pleased +with it. + +7th. Up betimes, and to St. James's, thinking Mr. Coventry had +lain there; but he do not, but at White Hall; so thither I went +to him. We walked an hour in the Matted Gallery: he of himself +begun to discourse of the unhappy differences between him and my +Lord of Sandwich, and from the beginning to the end did run +through all passages wherein my Lord hath, at any time gathered +any dissatisfaction, and cleared himself to me most honourably; +and in truth, I do believe he do as he says. I did afterwards +purge myself of all partiality in the business of Sir G. +Carteret, (whose story Sir W. Coventry did also run over,) that I +do mind the King's interest, notwithstanding my relation to him; +all which he declares he firmly believes, and assures me he hath +the same kindness and opinion of me as ever. And when I said I +was jealous of myself, that having now come to such an income as +I am, by his favour, I should not be found to do as much service +as might deserve it; he did assure me, he thinks it not too much +for me, but thinks I deserve it as much as any man in England. +All this discourse did cheer my heart, and sets me right again, +after a good deal of melancholy, out of fears of his +disinclination to me, upon the difference with my Lord Sandwich +and Sir G. Carteret; but I am satisfied thoroughly, and so went +away quite another man, and by the grace of God will never lose +it again by my folly in not visiting and writing to him, as I +used heretofore to do. The King and Duke are to go to-morrow to +Audly End, in order to the seeing and buying of it of my Lord +Suffolke. + +9th. Made a visit to the Duke of Albemarle, and to my great joy +find him the same man to me that heretofore, which I was in great +doubt of, through my negligence in not visiting of him a great +while; and having now set all to rights there, I shall never +suffer matters to run so far backwards again as I have done of +late, with reference to my neglecting him and Sir W. Coventry. +The truth is, I do indulge myself a little the more in pleasure, +knowing that this is the proper age of my life to do it; and out +of my observation that most men that do thrive in the world, do +forget to take pleasure during the time that they are getting +their estate, but reserve that till they have got one, and then +it is too late for them to enjoy it. + +12th. My Uncle Talbot Pepys died the last week. All the news +now is, that Sir Jeremy Smith is at Cales [Cadiz.] with his +fleet; and Mings in the Elve. The King is come this noon to town +from Audly End, with the Duke of York and a fine train of +gentlemen. + +13th. The plague encreased this week 29 from 28, though the +total fallen from 238 to 207. + +14th. With my Lord Brouncker towards London, and in our way +called in Covent Garden, and took in Sir John (formerly Dr.) +Baber; who hath this humour that he will not enter into discourse +while any stranger is in company, till he be told who he is that +seems a stranger to him. This he did declare openly to me, and +asked my Lord who I was. Thence to Guildhall, (in our way taking +in Dr. Wilkins,) and there my Lord and I had full and large +discourse with Sir Thomas Player, [One of the City Members in the +Oxford and Westminster Parliaments. See more of him in the +Notes, by Scott, to Absalom and Achitophel; in which poem he is +introduced under the designation of "railing Rabsheka."] the +Chamberlain of the City (a man I have much heard of) about the +credit of our tallies, which are lodged there for security to +such as should lend money thereon to the use of the Navy. I had +great satisfaction therein: and the truth is, I find all our +matters of credit to be in an ill condition. To walk all alone +in the fields behind Grayes Inne, making an end of reading over +my dear "Faber fortunae," of my Lord Bacon's. + +15th. To Hales, where I met my wife and people; and do find the +picture, above all things, a most pretty picture, and mighty like +my wife; and I asked him his price: he says 14l. and the truth +is, I think he do deserve it. + +17th. To Hales's, and paid him 14l. for the picture, and 1l. 5s. +for the frame. This day I began to sit, and he will make me, I +think, a very fine picture. He promises it shall be as good as +my wife's, and I sit to have it full of shadows, and do almost +break my neck looking over my shoulder to make the posture for +him to work by. Home, having a great cold: so to bed, drinking +butter-ale. + +19th. After dinner we walked to the King's play-house, all in +dirt, they being altering of the stage to make it wider. But God +knows when they will begin to act again; but my business here was +to see the inside of the stage and all the tiring-rooms and +machines: and, indeed, it was a sight worthy seeing. But to see +their clothes, and the various sorts, and what a mixture of +things there was; here a wooden-leg, there a ruff, here a hobby- +horse, there a crown, would make a man split himself with +laughing; and particularly Lacy's [John Lacy, the celebrated +comedian, author of four plays. Ob. 1681.] wardrobe, and +Shotrell's. [Robert and William Shotterel both belonged to the +King's company at the opening of their new Theatre in 1663. One +of them had been Quarter-master to the troop of horse in which +Hart was serving as Lieutenant under Charles the First's +standard. He is called by Downs a good actor, but nothing +further is recorded of his merits or career. NOTE TO CIBBER'S +APOLOGY.] But then again, to think now fine they show on the +stage by candle-light, and how poor things they are to look at +too near hand, is not pleasant at all. The machines are fine, +and the paintings very pretty. With Sir W. Warren, talking of +many things belonging to us particularly, and I hope to get +something considerably by him before the year be over. He gives +me good advice of circumspection in my place, which I am now in +great mind to improve; for I think our office stands on very +ticklish terms, the Parliament likely to sit shortly and likely +to be asked more money, and we able to give a very bad account of +the expence of what we have done with what they did give before. +Besides, the turning out the prize officers may be an example for +the King's giving us up to Parliament's pleasure as easily, for +we deserve it as much. Besides, Sir G. Carteret did tell me to- +night how my Lord Brouncker, whose good-will I could have +depended as much on as any, did himself to him take notice of the +many places I have; and though I was a painful man, yet the Navy +was enough for any man to go through with in his own single place +there, which much troubles me, and shall yet provoke me to more +and more care and diligence than ever. + +21st. Sir Robert Long [Sir Robert Long, Secretary to Charles II. +during his exile, and subsequently made Auditor of the Exchequer, +and a privy Counsellor, and created a Baronet 1662, Ob. +unmarried, 1673.] told us of the plenty of partridges in France, +where he says the King of France and his company killed with +their guns, in the plain de Versailles, 300 and odd partridges at +one bout. With Sir W. Warren, who tells me that at the Committee +of the Lords for the prizes to-day, there passed very high words +between my Lord Ashly and Sir W. Coventry, about our business of +the prize ships. And that my Lord Ashly did snuff and talk as +high to him, as he used to do to any ordinary man. And that Sir +W. Coventry did take it very quietly, but yet for all did speak +his mind soberly and with reason, and went away, saying that he +had done his duty therein. + +24th. After the Committee up. I had occasion to follow the Duke +into his lodgings, into a chamber where the Duchesse was sitting +to have her picture drawn by Lilly, who was then at work. But I +was well pleased to see that there was nothing near so much +resemblance of her face in his work, which is now the second, if +not the third time, as there was of my wife's at the very first +time. Nor do I think at last it can be like, the lines not being +in proportion to those of her face. + +28th. My Lord Brouncker and I to the Tower, to see the famous +engraver, to get him to grave a seal for the office. And did see +some of the finest pieces of work in embossed work, that ever I +did see in my life, for fineness and smallness of the images +thereon. + +28th. To the Cockpitt, and dined with a great deal of company at +the Duke of Albemarle's, and a bad and dirty, nasty dinner. This +night, I am told, the Queene of Portugall, the mother to our +Queene, is lately dead, and news brought of it hither this day. + +30th. I out to Lombard-streete, and there received 2200l. and +brought it home; and, contrary to expectation, received 35l. for +the use of 2000l. of it for a quarter of a year, where it hath +produced me this profit, and hath been a convenience to me as to +care and security at my house, and demandable at two days' +warning, as this hath been. To Hales's, and there sat till +almost quite dark upon working my gowne, which I hired to be +drawn in; an Indian gowne. + +April 1, 1666. To Charing Cross, to wait on Sir Philip Howard; +whom I found in bed: and he do receive me very civilly. My +request was about suffering my wife's brother to go to sea, and +to save his pay in the Duke's guards; which after a little +difficulty he did with great respect agree to. I find him a very +fine-spoken gentleman, and one of great parts, and very +courteous. Meeting Dr. Allen, [Probably Thomas Allen, M.D. of +Caius College, Cambridge, and Member of the College of +Physicians. Ob. 1685.] the physician, he and I and another +walked in the Park, a most pleasant warm day and to the Queene's +chapel; where I do not so dislike the musick. Here I saw on a +post an invitation to all good Catholics to pray for the soul of +such a one departed this life. The Queene, I hear, do not yet +hear of the death of her mother, she being in a course of +physick, that they dare not tell it her. Up and down my Lord St. +Albans his new building and market-house, looking to and again +into every place building. I this afternoon made a visit to my +Lady Carteret, whom I understood newly come to towne; and she +took it mighty kindly, but I see her face and heart are dejected +from the condition her husband's matters stand in. But I hope +they will do all well enough. And I do comfort her as much as I +can, for she is a noble lady. + +5th. The plague is, to our great grief, encreased nine this +week, though decreased a few in the total. And this encrease +runs through many parishes, which makes us much fear the next +year. + +6th. Met by agreement with Sir Stephen Fox and Mr. Ashburnham, +and discoursed the business of our Excise tallies; the former +being Treasurer of the guards, and the other Cofferer of the +King's household. This day great news of the Swedes declaring +for us against the Dutch, and so far as that I believe it. + +8th. To the Duke of York, where we all met to hear the debate +between Sir Thomas Allen and Mr. Wayth; the former complaining of +the latter's ill usage of him at the late pay of his ship. But a +very sorry poor occasion he had for it. The Duke did determine +it with great judgement, chiding both, but encouraging Wayth to +continue to be a check to all captains in any thing to the King's +right. And, indeed, I never did see the Duke do any thing more +in order, nor with more judgement than he did pass the verdict in +this business, The Court full this morning of the news of Tom +Cheffins' death, the King's closet-keeper. [Sir E. Walker, +Garter King at Arms, in 1644 gave a grant of arms GRATIS, to +Thomas Chiffinch, Esq., one of the Pages of His Majesty's +Bedchamber, Keeper of his private Closet, and Comptroller of the +Excise. His brother William appears to have succeeded to the two +first-named appointments, and became a great favourite with the +King, whom he survived. There is a portrait of William Chiffinch +at Gorhamburg.] He was well last night as ever, playing at +tables in the house, and not very ill this morning at six +o'clock, yet dead before seven: they think, of an imposthume in +his breast. But it looks fearfully among people now-a-days, the +plague, as we hear encreasing every where again. To the Chapel, +but could not get in to hear well. But I had the pleasure once +in my life to see an Archbishop (this was of York) [Richard +Sterne, Bishop of Carlisle, elected Archbishop of York, 1664. +Ob. 1683.] in a pulpit. Then at a loss how to get home to +dinner, having promised to carry Mrs. Hunt thither. At last got +my Lord Hinchingbroke's coach, he staying at Court; and so took +her up in Axe-yard, and home and dined. And good discourse of +the old matters of the Protector and his family, she having a +relation to them. The Protector lives in France: spends about +500l. per annum. + +9th. By coach to Mrs. Pierce's, and with her and Knipp and Mrs. +Pierce's boy and girl abroad, thinking to have been merry at +Chelsey; but being come almost to the house by coach near the +waterside, a house alone, I think the Swan, a gentleman walking +by called to us to tell us that the house was shut up of the +sickness. So we with great affright turned back, being holden to +the gentleman: and went away (I for my part in great disorder) +for Kensington. + +11th. To Hales's, where there was nothing to be done more to my +picture, [This potrait is now in the possession of Samuel Pepys +Cockerel, Esq.] but the musique, which now pleases me mightily, +it being painted true. To Gresham College, where a great deal of +do and formality in choosing of the Council and Officers. I had +three votes to be of the Council, who am but a stranger, nor +expected any. + +15th. Walked into the Park to the Queen's chapel, and there +heard a good deal of their mass, and some of their musique, which +is not so contemptible, I think, as our people would make it, it +pleasing me very well; and, indeed, better than the anthem I +heard afterwards at White Hall, at my coming back. I staid till +the King went down to receive the Sacrament, and stood in his +closet with a great many others, and there saw him receive it, +which I did never see the manner of before. Thence walked to Mr. +Pierce's, and there dined: very good company and good discourse, +they being able to tell me all the businesses of the Court: the +amours and the mad doings that are there: how for certain Mrs. +Stewart is become the King's mistress; and that the King hath +many bastard children that are known and owned, besides the Duke +of Monmouth. + +18th. To Mr. Lilly's, the painter's; and there saw the heads, +some finished, and all begun, of the flaggmen in the late great +fight with the Duke of York against the Dutch. The Duke of York +hath them done to hang in his chamber, and very finely they are +done indeed. Here are the Prince's, Sir G. Askue's, Sir Thomas +Teddiman's, Sir Christopher Mings, Sir Joseph Jordan, Sir William +Berkeley, Sir Thomas Allen, and Captain Harman's, [Afterwards Sir +John Harman.] as also the Duke of Albemarle's; and will be my +Lord Sandwich's, Sir W. Pen's, and Sir Jeremy Smith's. I was +very well satisfied with this sight, and other good pictures +hanging in the house. + +21st. I down to walk in the garden at White Hall, it being a +mighty hot and pleasant day; and there was the King, who, among +others, talked to us a little; and among other pretty things, he +swore merrily that he believed the ketch that Sir W. Batten +bought the last year at Colchester, was of his own getting, it +was so thick to its length. Another pleasant thing he said of +Christopher Pett, commanding him that he will not alter his +moulds of ships upon any man's advice; "as," says he, +"Commissioner Taylor I fear do of his New London, that he makes +it differ, in hopes of mending the Old London, built by him." +"For," says he, "he finds that God hath put him into the right, +and so will keep in it while he is in." "And," says the King, "I +am sure it must be God put him in, for no art of his own ever +could have done it;" for it seems he cannot give a good account +of what he do as an artist. Thence with my Lord Brouncker in his +coach to Hide Parke, the first time I have been there this year. +There the King was; but I was sorry to see my Lady Castlemaine, +for the mourning forceing all the ladies to go in black, with +their hair plain and without spots. I find her to be a much more +ordinary woman than ever I durst have thought she was; and, +indeed, is not so pretty as Mrs. Stewart. + +22nd. To the Cockpitt, and there took my leave of the Duke of +Albemarle, who is going to-morrow to sea. He seems mightily +pleased with me, which I am glad of; but I do find infinitely my +concernment in being careful to appear to the King and Duke to +continue my care of his business, and to be found diligent as I +used to be. + +23rd. To White Hall, where I had the opportunity to take leave +of the Prince, and again of the Duke of Albemarle; and saw them +kiss the King's hands and the Duke's; and much content indeed, +there seems to be in all people at their going to sea, and they +promise themselves much good from them. This morning the House +of Parliament do meet, only to adjourne again till winter. The +plague, I hear, encreases in the town much, and exceedingly in +the country every where. Bonfires in the street, for being +St.George's day, and the King's Coronation, and the day of the +Prince and Duke's going to sea. + +25th. I to the office, where Mr. Prin come to meet about the +Chest-business; and till company come, did discourse with me a +good while in the garden about the laws of England, telling me +the main faults in them; and among others, their obscurity +through multitude of long statutes, which he is about to abstract +out of all of a sort; and as he lives, and Parliaments come, get +them put into laws, and the other statutes repealed, and then it +will be a short work to know the law. Having supped upon the +leads, to bed. The plague, blessed be God! is decreased sixteen +this week. + +29th. To Mr. Evelyn's, where I walked in his garden till he come +from Church, with great pleasure reading Ridly's discourse, all +my way going and coming, upon the Civill and Ecclesiastical Law. +He being come home, he and I walked together in the garden with +mighty pleasure, he being a very ingenious man; and the more I +know him the more I love him. + +30th. I after dinner to even all my accounts of this month; and +bless God, I find myself, notwithstanding great expences of late; +viz. 80l. now to pay for a necklace; near 40l. for a set of +chairs and couch; near 40l. for my three pictures: yet I do +gather, and am worth 5200l. My wife comes home by and by, and +hath pitched upon a necklace with three rows, which is a very +good one, and 80l. is the price. So ends this month with great +layings-out. Good health and gettings, and advanced well in the +whole of my estate, for which God make me thankful! + +May 1, 1666. At noon, my cosen Thomas Pepys did come to me, to +consult about the business of his being a Justice of the Peace, +which he is much against; and among other reasons, tells me, as a +confidant, that he is not free to exercise punishment according +to the Act against Quakers and other people, for religion. Nor +do he understand Latin, and so is not capable of the place as +formerly, now all warrants do run in Latin. Nor he in Kent, +though he be of Deptford parish, his house standing in Surry. +However, I did bring him to incline towards it, if he be pressed +to take it. I do think it may be some repute to me to have my +kinsman in Commission there, specially, if he behave himself to +content in the country. + +12th. Met Sir G. Downing on White Hall bridge, and there walked +half an hour, talking of the success of the late new Act; and +indeed it is very much, that that hath stood really in the room +of 800,000l. [There appears to be some error in these figures.] +now since Christmas, being itself but 1,250,000l. And so I do +really take it to be a very considerable thing done by him; for +the beginning, end, and every part of it, is to be imputed to +him. The fleet is not yet gone from the Nore. The plague +encreases in many places, and is 53 this week with us. + +13th. Into St. Margett's [St. Margaret's.] Church, where I +heard a young man play the fool upon the doctrine of Purgatory. + +16th. I to my Lord Crowe's, who is very lately come to town, and +he talked for half an hour of the business of the warr, wherein +he is very doubtful, from our want of money, that we shall fail. +And I do concur with him therein. After some little discourse of +ordinary matters, I away to Sir Philip Warwick's again, and he +was come in, and gone out to my Lord Treasurer's; whither I +followed him, and there my business was, to be told that my Lord +Treasurer hath got 10,000l. for us in the Navy, to answer our +great necessities, which I did thank him for; but the sum is not +considerable. The five brothers Houblons came, and Mr. Hill, to +my house; and a very good supper we had, and good discourse with +great pleasure. My new plate sets off my cupboard very nobly. +Here they were till about eleven at night: and a fine sight it +is to see these five brothers thus loving one to another, and all +industrious merchants. + +[Two of these brothers, Sir James and Sir John Houblon, Knts. and +Aldermen, rose to great wealth; the former represented the City +of London, and the latter became Lord Mayor in 1695. The +following epitaph, in memory of their father, who was interred in +the church of St. Mary Woolnoth, is here inserted, as having been +written by Mr. Pepys:- + +Jacobus Houblon +Londin. Petri filius, +Ob fidem Flandria exulantis: +Ex C. Nepotibus habuit LXX superstites: +Filios V. videns mercatores florentissimos; +Ipse Londinensis Bursae Pater. +Plissime obiit Nonagenarius, +A.D. MDCLXXXII.] + +19th. Mr. Deane and I did discourse about his ship Rupert, built +by him there, which succeeds so well as he hath got great honour +by it, and I some by recommending him; the King, Duke, and every +body, saying it is the best ship that was ever built. And then +he fell to explain to me his manner of casting the draught of +water which a ship will draw beforehand: which is a secret the +King and all admire in him; and he is the first that hath come to +any certainty beforehand of foretelling the draught of water of a +ship before she be launched + +20th. I discoursed awhile with Mr. Yeabsly, whom I met and took +up in my coach with me, and who hath this day presented my Lord +Ashly with 100l. to bespeak his friendship to him in his accounts +now before us; and my Lord hath received, and so I believe is as +bad, as to bribes, as what the world says of him. + +21st. I away in some haste to my Lord Ashly, where it is +stupendous to see how favourably, and yet closely, my Lord Ashly +carries himself to Mr. Yeabsly, in his business, so as I think we +shall do his business for him in very good manner. But it is a +most extraordinary thing to observe, and that which I would not +but have had the observation of for a great deal of money. + +23rd. Towards White Hall, calling in my way on my Lord Bellasses, +[John Lord Bellassis, second son of Thomas Viscount Falconberg, +an officer of distinction on the King's side, during the Civil +War. He was afterwards Governor of Tangier, and Captain of the +Band of Gentlemen Pensioners. Being a Catholic, the Test Act +deprived him of all his appointments in 1672; but James II, in +1684, made him first Commissioner of the Treasury. Ob, 1689.] +where I come to his bedside, and he did give me a full and long +account of his matters, how he kept them at Tangier. Declares +himself fully satisfied with my care: seems cunningly to argue +for encreasing the number of men there. Told me the whole story +of his gains by the Turky prizes, which he owns he hath got about +5000l. by. Promised me the same profits Povy was to have had; +and in fine, I find him a pretty subtle man; and so I left him. +Staid at Sir G. Carteret's chamber till the Council rose, and +then he and I, by agreement this morning, went forth in his coach +by Tiburne, to the park; discoursing of the state of the Navy as +to money, and the state of the Kingdom too, how ill able to raise +more: and of our office, as to the condition of the officers; he +giving me caution as to myself, that there are those that are my +enemies as well as his, and by name my Lord Brouncker who hath +said some odd speeches against me. So that he advises me to +stand on my guard; which I shall do, and unless my too-much +addiction to pleasure undo me, will be acute enough for any of +them. + +25th. A gentleman arrived here this day, Mr. Brown of St. +Maloes, among other things tells me the meaning of the setting +out of dogs every night out of the town walls, which are said to +secure the city: but it is not so, but only to secure the +anchors, cables, and ships that lie dry, which might otherwise in +the night be liable to be robbed. And these dogs are set out +every night, and called together in, every morning by a man with +a horne, and they go in very orderly. + +29th. Home this evening, but with great trouble in the streets +by bonfires, it being the King's birth-day and day of +Restoration; but Lord! to see the difference how many there were +on the other side, and so few ours, the City side of the Temple, +would make one wonder the difference between the temper of one +sort of people and the other: and the difference among all +between what they do now, and what it was the night when Monk +came into the City. Such a night as that I never think to see +again, nor think it can be. + +30th. I find the Duke gone out with the King to-day on hunting. + +31st. A public Fast-day appointed to pray for the good success +of the fleet. But it is a pretty thing to consider how little a +matter they make of this keeping of a Fast, that it was not so +much as declared time enough to be read in the churches, the last +Sunday; but ordered by proclamation since: I suppose upon some +sudden news of the Dutch being come out. As to public business; +by late tidings of the French fleet being come to Rochell, (how +true, though, I know not) our fleet is divided; Prince Rupert +being gone with about thirty ships to the Westward as is +conceived to meet the French, to hinder their coming to join with +the Dutch. My Lord Duke of Albemarle lies in the Downes with the +rest, and intends presently to sail to the Gunfleete. + +June 2, 1666. Up, and to the office, where certain news is +brought us of a letter come to the King this morning from the +Duke of Albemarle, dated yesterday at eleven o'clock, as they +were sailing to the Gunfleete, that they were in sight of the +Dutch fleet, and were fitting themselves to fight them; so that +they are ere this certainly engaged: besides, several do averr +they heard the guns yesterday in the afternoon. This put us at +the Board into a tosse. Presently come orders for our sending +away to the fleet a recruite of 200 soldiers. So I rose from the +table, and to the Victualling-office, and thence upon the River +among several vessels, to consider of the sending them away; and +lastly, down to Greenwich, and there appointed two yachts to be +ready for them; and did order the soldiers to march to +Blackewall. Having set all things in order against the next +flood, I went on shore with Captain Erwin at Greenwich, and into +the parke, and there: we could hear the guns from the fleete +most plainly. We walked to the water-side, and there seeing the +King and Duke come down in their barge to Greenwich-house, I to +them, and did give them an account what I was doing. They went +up to the park to hear the guns of the fleet go off. All our +hopes now are that Prince Rupert with his fleet is coming back +and will be with the fleet this even: a message being sent to +him for that purpose on Wednesday last; and a return is come from +him this morning, that he did intend to sail from St. Ellen's +point about four in the afternoon yesterday; which gives us great +hopes, the wind being very fair, that he is with them this even, +and the fresh going off of the guns makes us believe the same. +Down to Blackewall, and there saw the soldiers (who were by this +time gotten most of them drunk) shipped off. But, Lord! to see +how the poor fellows kissed their wives and sweet-hearts in that +simple manner at their going off, and shouted, and let off their +guns, was strange sport. In the evening come up the River the +Katharine yacht, Captain Fazeby, who hath brought over my Lord of +Alesbury [Robert Bruce, created Earl of Aylesbury, 1663. Ob. +1685.] and Sir Thomas Liddall [Of Ravensworth Castle, Durham, +succeeded his grandfather, the first Baronet, 1650. He had three +daughters. Ob. 1697.] (with a very pretty daughter, and in a +pretty travelling-dress) from Flanders, who saw the Dutch fleet +on Thursday, and ran from them; but from that hour to this hath +not heard one gun, nor any news of any fight. Having put the +soldiers on board, I home. + +3rd (Lord's-day; Whit-sunday). Up; and by water to White Hall, +and there met with Mr. Coventry, who tells me the only news from +the fleet is brought by Captain Elliott, of the Portland, which, +by being run on board by the Guernsey, was disabled from staying +abroad: so is come in to Albrough. That he saw one of the Dutch +great ships blown up, and three on fire. That they begun to +fight on Friday; and at his coming into port, could make another +ship of the King's coming in, which he judged to be the Rupert: +that he knows of no other hurt to our ships. With this good news +I home by water again. The Exchange as full of people, and hath +been all this noon as of any other day, only for news. To White +Hall, and there met with this bad news farther, that the Prince +come to Dover but at ten o'clock last night, and there heard +nothing of a fight; so that we are defeated of all our hopes of +his help to the fleet. It is also reported by some Victuallers +that the Duke of Albemarle and Holmes [Sir Robert Holmes.] their +flags were shot down, and both fain to come to anchor to renew +their rigging and sails. A letter is also come this afternoon, +from Harman in the Henery; which states, that she was taken by +Elliott for the Rupert; that being fallen into the body of the +Dutch fleet, he made his way through them, was set on by three +fire-ships one after another, got two of them off, and disabled +the third; was set on fire himself; upon which many of his men +leapt into the sea and perished; among others, the parson first. +Have lost above 100 men, and a good many women, (God knows what +is become of Balty [Balthazar St. Michel, Mrs. Pepys's brother, +employed in the office for sick and hurt at Deal afterwards, and +in 1686 Commissioner at Woolwich and Deptford.] ) and at last +quenched his own fire and got to Albrough; being, as all say, the +greatest hazard that ever any ship escaped, and so bravely +managed by him. The mast of the third fire ship fell into their +ship on fire, and hurt Harman's leg, which makes him lame now, +but not dangerous. I to Sir G. Carteret, who told me there hath +been great bad management in all this; that the King's orders +that went on Friday for calling back the Prince, were sent but by +the ordinary post on Wednesday; and come to the Prince his hands +but on Friday; and then, instead of sailing presently, he stays +till four in the evening. And that which is worst of all, the +Hampshire, laden with merchants' money, come from the Straights, +set out with or but just before the fleet, and was in the Downes +by five in the clock yesterday morning; and the Prince with his +fleet come to Dover but at ten of the clock at night. This is +hard to answer, if it be true. This puts great astonishment into +the King, and Duke, and Court, every body being out of +countenance. Home by the 'Change, which is full of people still, +and all talk highly of the failure of the Prince in not making +more haste after his instructions did come, and of our +managements here in not giving it sooner and with more care and +oftener. + +4th. To White Hall, where, when we come, we find the Duke at St. +James's, whither he is lately gone to lodge. So walking through +the Park we saw hundreds of people listening at the Gravell-pits, +and to and again in the Park to hear the guns. I saw a letter, +dated last night, from Strowd, Governor of Dover Castle, which +sags that the Prince come thither the night before with his +fleet; but that for the guns which we writ that we heard, it is +only a mistake for thunder; and so far as to yesterday it is a +miraculous thing that we all Friday, and Saturday and yesterday, +did hear every where most plainly the guns go off, and yet at +Deal and Dover to last night they did not hear one word of a +fight, nor think they heard one gun. This, added to what I have +set down before the other day about the Katharine, makes room for +a great dispute in philosophy, how we should hear it and they +not, the same wind that brought it to us being the same that +should bring it to them: but so it is. Major Halsey, however, +(He was sent down on purpose to hear news) did bring news this +morning that he did see the Prince and his fleet at nine of the +clock yesterday morning, four or five leagues to sea behind the +Goodwin, so that by the hearing of the guns this morning, we +conclude he is come to the fleet. After wayting upon the Duke +with Sir W. Pen, (who was commanded to go to-night by water down +to Harwich, to dispatch away all the ships he can,) I home: +where no sooner come, but news is brought me of a couple of men +come to speak with me from the fleet; so I down, and who should +it be but Mr. Daniel, all muffled up, and his face as black as +the chimney, and covered with dirt, pitch, and tar, and powder, +and muffled with dirty clouts, and his right eye stopped with +okum. He is come last night; at five o'clock from the fleet, +with a comrade of his that hath endangered another eye. They +were set on shore at Harwich this morning, and at two o'clock, in +a catch with about twenty more wounded men from the Royall +Charles. They being able to ride, took post about three this +morning, and were here between eleven and twelve. I went +presently into the coach with them, and carried them to Somerset- +House-stairs, and there took water (all the world gazing upon us, +and concluding it to be news from the fleet, and every body's +face appeared expecting of news,) to the Privy-stairs, and left +them at Mr. Coventry's lodgings (he, though, not being there); +and so I into the Park to the King, and told him my Lord Generall +was well the last night at five o'clock, and the Prince come with +his fleet and joyned with his about seven. The King was mightily +pleased with this news, and so took me by the hand and talked a +little of it, giving him the best account I could; and then he +bid me to fetch the two seamen to him, he walking into the house. +So I went and fetched the seamen into the same room to him, and +there he heard the whole account. + +THE FIGHT. + +How we found the Dutch fleet at anchor on Friday half seas over, +between Dunkirke and Ostend, and made them let slip their +anchors. They about ninety, and we less than sixty. We fought +them, and put them to the run, till they met with about sixteen +sail of fresh ships, and so bore up again. The fight continued +till night, and then again the next morning from five till seven +at night. And so, too, yesterday morning they begun again, and +continued till about four o'clock, they chasing us for the most +part of Saturday, and yesterday we flying from them. The Duke +himself and then those people who were put into the catch, by and +by spied the Prince's fleet coming, upon which De Ruyter called a +little council, (being in chase at this time of us,) and +thereupon their fleet divided into two squadrons; forty in one, +and about thirty in the other (the fleet being at first about +ninety, but by one accident or other, supposed to be lessened to +about seventy); the bigger to follow the Duke, the less to meet +the Prince. But the Prince come up with the Generall's fleet, +and the Dutch come together again and bore towards their own +coast, and we with them; and now what the consequence of this day +will be, we know not. The Duke was forced to come to anchor on +Friday, having lost his sails and rigging. No particular person +spoken of to be hurt but Sir W. Clerke, who hath lost his leg, +and bore it bravely. The Duke himself had a little hurt in his +thigh, but signified little. The King did pull out of his pocket +about twenty pieces in gold, and did give it Daniel for himself +and his companion; and so parted, mightily pleased with the +account he did give him of the fight, and the success it ended +with, of the Prince's coming, though it seems the Duke did give +way again and again. The King did give order for care to be had +of Mr. Daniel and his companion; and so we parted from him, and +then met the Duke of York, and gave him the same account: and so +broke up, and I left them going to the surgeon's. To the Crown, +behind the 'Change, and there supped at the club with my Lord +Brouncker, Sir G. Ent, and others of Gresham College; and all our +discourse is of this fight at sea, and all are doubtful of the +success, and conclude all had been lost if the Prince had not +come in, they having chased us the greatest part of Saturday and +Sunday. Thence with my Lord Brouncker and Creed by coach to +White Hall, where fresh letters are come from Harwich, where the +Gloucester, Captain Clerke, is come in, and says that on Sunday +night upon coming in of the Prince, the Duke did fly; but all +this day they have been fighting; therefore they did face again +to be sure. Captain Bacon of the Bristoll is killed. They cry +up Jenings of the Ruby, and Saunders of the Sweepstakes. They +condemn mightily Sir Thomas Teddiman for a coward, but with what +reason time must show. + +5th. At noon, though I should have dined with my Lord Mayor and +Aldermen at an entertainment of Commissioner Taylor's, yet it +being a time of expectation of the success of the fleet, I did +not go. No manner of news this day, but of the Rainbow's being +put in from the fleet maimed as the other ships are. + +6th. By and by walking a little further, Sir Philip Frowde +[Secretary to the Duchess of York.] did meet the Duke with an +express to Sir W. Coventry (who was by) from Captain Taylor, the +Storekeeper at Harwich, being the narration of Captain Hayward of +the Dunkirke; who gives a very serious account, how upon Monday +the two fleets fought all day till seven at night, and then the +whole fleet of Dutch did betake themselves to a very plain +flight, and never looked back again. That Sir Christopher Mings +is wounded in the leg; that the Generall is well. That it is +conceived reasonably, that of all the Dutch fleet, which, with +what recruits they had, come to one hundred sail, there is not +above fifty got home; and of them, few if any of their flags. +And that little Captain Bell, in one of the fire-ships, did at +the end of the day fire a ship of 70 guns. We were also so +overtaken with this good news, that the Duke ran with it to the +King, who was gone to chapel, and there all the Court was in a +hubbub, being rejoiced over head and ears in this good news. +Away go I by coach to the new Exchange, and there did spread this +good news a little, though I find it had broke out before. And +so home to our own church, it being the common Fast-day, and it +was just before sermon; but, Lord! how all the people in the +church stared upon me to see me whisper to Sir John Minnes and my +Lady Pen. Anon I saw people stirring and whispering below, and +by and by comes up the sexton from my Lady Ford to tell me the +news, (which I had brought) being now sent into the church by Sir +W. Batten in writing, and passed from pew to pew. But that which +pleased me as much as the news, was, to have the fair Mrs. +Middleton at our church, who indeed is a very beautiful lady. +Idled away the whole night till twelve at night at the bonfire in +the streets. Some of the people thereabouts going about with +musquets, and did give me two or three vollies of their musquets, +I giving them a crown to drink; and so home. Mightily pleased +with this happy day's news, and the more, because confirmed by +Sir Daniel Harvy, [Ranger of Richmond Park.] who was in the +whole fight with the Generall, and tells me that there appear but +thirty-six in all of the Dutch fleet left at the end of the +voyage when they run home. The joy of the City was this night +exceeding great. + +7th. Up betimes, and to my office about business, (Sir W. +Coventry having sent me word that he is gone down to the fleet to +see how matters stand, and to be back again speedily); and with +the same expectation of congratulating ourselves with the victory +that I had yesterday. But my Lord Brouncker and Sir T. H. +[Probably Sir Thomas Harvey.] that come from court, tell me the +contrary news, which astonishes me: that is to say, that we are +beaten, lost many ships and good commanders; have not taken one +ship of the enemy's; and so can only report ourselves a victory: +nor is it certain that we were left masters of the field. But, +above all, that the Prince run on shore upon the Galloper, and +there stuck; was endeavoured to be fetched off by the Dutch, but +could not; and so they burned her; and Sir G. Ascue is taken +prisoner, and carried into Holland. This news do much trouble +me, and the thoughts of the ill consequences of it, and the pride +and presumption that brought us to it. At noon to the 'Change, +and there find the discourse of town, and their countenances much +changed; but yet not very plain. By and by comes Mr. Wayth to +me; and discoursing of our ill success, he tells me plainly from +Captain Page's own mouth, (who hath lost his arm in the fight,) +that the Dutch did pursue us two hours before they left us, and +then they suffered us to go on homewards, and they retreated +towards their coast: which is very sad news. The Duke much +damped. In his discourse, touching the late fight, and all the +Court talk sadly of it. The Duke did give me several letters he +had received from the fleet, and Sir W. Coventry and Sir W. Pen, +who are gone down thither, for me to pick out some works to be +done for the setting out the fleet again; and so I took them home +with me, and was drawing out an abstract of them till midnight. +And as to news, I do find great reason to think that we are +beaten in every respect, and that we are the losers. The Prince +upon the Galloper, where both the Royall Charles and Royall +Katharine had come twice aground, but got off. The Essex carried +into Holland; the Swiftsure missing (Sir W. Barkeley) ever since +the beginning of the fight. Captains Bacon, Tearne, Wood, +Mootham, Whitty, and Coppin, slayne. The Duke of Albemarle +writes, that he never fought with worse officers in his life, not +above twenty of them behaving themselves like men. Sir William +Clerke lost his leg; and in two days died. The Loyall George, +Seven Oakes, and Swiftsure, are still missing, having never, as +the Generall writes himself, engaged with them. It was as great +an alteration to find myself required to write a sad letter +instead of a triumphant one, to my Lady Sandwich this night, as +ever on any occasion I had in my life. + +8th. To my very great joy I find Balty come home without any +hurt, after the utmost imaginable danger he hath gone through in +the Henery, being upon the quarter-deck with Harman all the time; +and for which service, Harman I heard this day commended most +seriously and most eminently by the Duke of York. As also the +Duke did do most utmost right to Sir Thomas Teddiman, of whom a +scandal was raised, but without cause, he having behaved himself +most eminently brave all the whole fight, and to extraordinary +great service and purpose, having given Trump himself such a +broadside as was hardly ever given to any ship. Mings is shot +through the face, and into the shoulder, where the bullet is +lodged. Young Holmes is also ill-wounded, and Atber in the +Rupert. Balty tells me the case of the Henery; and it was, +indeed, most extraordinary sad and desperate. After dinner Balty +and I to my office, and there talked a great deal of this fight; +and I am mightily pleased in him, and have great content in, and +hopes of his doing well. Thence out to White Hall to a Committee +for Tangier, but it met not. But, Lord! to see how melancholy +the Court is, under the thoughts of this last overthrow, (for so +it is,) instead of a victory, so much and so unreasonably +expected. We hear the Swiftsure, Sir W. Barkeley, is come in +safe to the Nowre, after her being absent ever since the +beginning of the fight, wherein she did not appear at all from +beginning to end. + +9th. The Court is divided about the Swiftsure and the Essex's +being safe. And wagers and odds laid on both sides. Sir W. +Coventry is come to town; so I to his chamber. But I do not hear +that he is at all pleased or satisfied with the late fight; but +he tells me more news of our suffering, by the death of one or +two captains more than I knew before. But he do give over the +thoughts of the safety of the Swiftsure or Essex. + +10th. I met with Pierce the surgeon, who is lately come from the +fleet, and tells me that all the commanders, officers, and even +the common seamen do condemn every part of the late conduct of +the Duke of Albemarle; both in his fighting at all, running among +them in his retreat, and running the ships on ground; so as +nothing can be worse spoken of. That Holmes, Spragg, and Smith +do all the business, and the old and wiser commanders nothing. +So as Sir Thomas Teddiman (whom the King and all the world speak +well of) is mightily discontented, as being wholly slighted. He +says we lost more after the Prince came, than before too. The +Prince was so maimed, as to be forced to be towed home. He says +all the fleet confess their being chased home by the Dutch; and +yet the body of the Dutch that did it, was not above forty sail +at most. And yet this put us into the fright, as to bring all +our ships on ground. He says, however, that the Duke of +Albemarle is as high almost as ever, and pleases himself to think +that he hath given the Dutch their bellies full, without sense of +what he hath lost us; and talks how he knows now the way to beat +them. But he says, that even Smith himself, one of his +creatures, did himself condemn the late conduct from the +beginning to the end. He tells me further, how the Duke of York +is wholly given up to his new mistress, my Lady Denham, [Miss +Brookes, a relative of the Earl of Bristol, married to Sir J. +Denham, frequently mentioned in the "Memoires de Grammont."] +going at noonday with all his gentlemen with him, to visit her in +Scotland Yard; she declaring she will not be his mistress, as +Mrs. Price, to go up and down the Privy-stairs, but will be owned +publicly; and so she is. Mr. Brouncker, [Henry Brouncker, +younger brother to Lord Brouncker, whom he succeeded in his +title. He was Groom of the Bed-chamber to the Duke of York, and +a famous chess-player.] it seems, was the pimp to bring it +about, and my Lady Castlemaine, who designs thereby to fortify +herself by the Duke; there being a falling-out the other day +between the King and her: on this occasion, the Queene, in +ordinary talk before the ladies in her drawing-room, did say to +my Lady Castlemaine that she feared the King did take cold, by +staying so late abroad at her house. She answered before them +all, that he did not stay so late abroad with her, for he went +betimes thence, (though he do not before one, two, or three in +the morning,) but must stay somewhere else. The King then coming +in and overhearing, did whisper in the eare aside, and told her +she was a bold impertinent woman, and bid her to be gone out of +the Court, and not to come again till he sent for her; which she +did presently, and went to a lodging in the Pell Mell, and kept +there two or three days, and then sent to the King to know +whether she might send for her things away out of her house. The +King went to her, she must first come and view them: and so she +come, and the King went to her, and all friends again. He tells +me she did, in her anger, say she would be even with the King, +and print his letters to her. So putting all together, we are +and are like to be in a sad condition. We are endeavouring to +raise money by borrowing it of the City; but I do not think the +City will lend a farthing. Sir G. Carteret and I walked an hour +in the church-yard, under Henry the Seventh's Chapel, he being +lately come from the fleet; and tells me, as I hear from every +body else, that the management in the late fight was bad from +top to bottom. That several said that this would not have been +if my Lord Sandwich had had the ordering of it. Nay, he tells me +that certainly had my Lord Sandwich had the misfortune to have +done as they have done, the King could not have saved him. There +is, too, nothing but discontent among the officers; and all the +old experienced men are slighted. He tells me to my question, +(but as a great secret,) that the dividing of the fleet did +proceed first from a proposition from the fleet, though agreed to +hence. But he confesses it arose from want of due intelligence. +He do, however, call the fleet's retreat on Sunday a very +honourable one, and that the Duke of Albemarle did do well in it, +and would have been well if he had done it sooner, rather than +venture the loss of the fleet and crown, as he must have done if +the Prince had not come. He was surprised when I told him I +heard that the King did intend to borrow some money of the City, +and would know who had spoke of it to me; I told him Sir Ellis +Layton this afternoon. He says it is a dangerous discourse, for +that the City certainly will not be invited to do it, and then +for the King to ask it and be denied, will be the beginning of +our sorrow. He seems to fear we shall all fall to pieces among +ourselves. This evening we hear that Sir Christopher Mings is +dead of his late wounds; and Sir W. Coventry did commend him to +me in a most extraordinary manner. But this day, after three +days' trial in vain, and the hazard of the spoiling of the ship +in lying till next spring, besides the disgrace of it, news is +brought that the Loyall London is launched at Deptford. + +11th. I with my Lady Pen and her daughter to see Harman; whom we +find lame in bed. His bones of his ancle are broke, but he hopes +to do well soon; and a fine person by his discourse he seems to +be: and he did plainly tell me that at the Council of War before +the fight, it was against his reason to begin the fight then, and +the reasons of most sober men there, the wind being such, and we +to windward, that they could not use their lower tier of guns. +Late comes Sir Jo. Bankes to see me, who tells me that coming up +from Rochester he overtook three or four hundred seamen, and he +believes every day they come flocking from the fleet in like +numbers; which is a sad neglect there, when it will be impossible +to get others, and we have little reason to think these will +return presently again. Walking in the galleries at White Hall, +I find the Ladies of Honour dressed in their riding garbs, with +coats and doublets with deep skirts, just for all the world like +mine, and buttoned their doublets up the breast, with perriwigs +and with hats; so that, only for a long petticoat dragging under +their men's coats, nobody could take them for women in any point +whatever; which was an odde sight, and a sight did not please me. +It was Mrs. Wells and another fine lady that I saw thus. + +13th. Sir H. C. Cholmly [Sir Hugh Cholmely of Whitby, Yorkshire, +Bart., was employed in constructing the Mole at Tangier, and +resided there some years. Ob. 1688.] tells me there are great +jarrs between the Duke of York and the Duke of Albemarle, about +the latter's turning out one or two of the commanders put in by +the Duke of York. Among others, Captain Du Tell, a Frenchman, +put in by the Duke of York, and mightily defended by him; and is +therein led by Monsieur Blancford, that it seems hath the same +command over the Duke of York as Sir W. Coventry hath; which +raises ill blood between them. And I do in several little things +observe that Sir W. Coventry hath of late, by the by, reflected +on the Duke of Albemarle and his captains, particularly in that +of old Teddiman, who did deserve to be turned out this fight, and +was so; but I heard Sir W. Coventry say that the Duke of +Albemarle put in one as bad as he in his room, and one that did +as little. Invited to Sir Christopher Mings's funeral, but find +them gone to church. However I into the church (which is a fair +large church, and a great chapel) and there heard the service, +and staid till they buried him, and then out. And there met with +Sir W. Coventry (who was there out of great generosity, and no +person of quality there but he) and went with him into his coach, +and being in it with him there happened this extraordinary case, +--one of the most romantique that ever I heard in my life, and +could not have believed, but that I did see it; which was this. +--About a dozen able, lusty, proper men come to the coach-side +with tears in their eyes, and one of them that spoke for the rest +begun and said to Sir W. Coventry, "We are here a dozen of us, +that have long known and loved, and served our dead commander, +Sir Christopher Mings, and have now done the last office of +laying him in the ground. We would be glad we had any other to +offer after him, and in revenge of him. All we have is our +lives; if you will please to get His Royal Highness to give us a +fire-ship among us all, here are a dozen of us, out of all which +choose you one to be commander, and the rest of us, whoever he +is, will serve him; and, if possible, do that which shall show +our memory of our dead commander, and our revenge." Sir W. +Coventry was herewith much moved, (as well as I, who could hardly +abstain from weeping,) and took their names, and so parted; +telling me that he would move his Royal Highness as in a thing +very extraordinary. The truth is, Sir Christopher Mings was a +very stout man, and a man of great parts, and most excellent +tongue among ordinary men: and as Sir W. Coventry says, could +have been the most useful man at such a pinch of time as this. +He was come into great renowne here at home, and more abroad in +the West Indys. He had brought his family into a way of being +great; but dying at this time, his memory and name (his father +being always and at this day a shoemaker, and his mother a +hoyman's daughter; of which he was used frequently to boast) will +be quite forgot in a few months as if he had never been, nor any +of his name be the better by it; he having not had time to will +any estate, but is dead poor rather than rich. So we left the +church and crowd. + +14th. With my wife and father to Hales's, and there looked only +on my father's picture, (which is mighty like); and so away to +White Hall to a committee for Tangier. Where the Duke of York +was, and Sir W. Coventry, and a very full committee: and instead +of having a very prejudiced meeting, they did, though inclined +against Yeabsly, yield to the greatest part of his account, so as +to allow of his demands to the value of 7000l. and more, and only +give time for him to make good his pretence to the rest; which +was mighty joy to me: and so we rose up. But I must observe the +force of money, which did make my Lord Ashly to argue and behave +himself in the business with the greatest friendship, and yet +with all the discretion imaginable; and it will be a business of +admonition and instruction to me concerning him (and other men, +too, for aught I know) as long as I live. + +16th. The King, Duke of York, and Sir W. Coventry are gone down +to the fleet. It seems the Dutch do mightily insult of their +victory, and they have great reason. Sir William Barkeley was +killed before his ship taken; and there he lies dead in a sugar- +chest, for every body to see, with his flag standing up by him. +And Sir George Ascue is carried up and down the Hague for people +to see. + +18th. Sir W. Coventry is returned this night from the fleet; he +being the activest man, in the world, and we all (myself +particularly) more afraid of him than of the King or his service, +for aught I see; God forgive us! This day the great news is come +of the French, their taking the island of St. Christopher from +us; and it is to be feared they have done the like of all those +islands thereabouts: this makes me mad. + +19th. I to Sir G. Carteret's by appointment; where I perceive by +him the King is going to borrow some money of the City; but I +fear it will do no good, but hurt. He tells me how the Generall +is displeased, and there have been some high words between the +Generall and Sir W. Coventry. And it may be so; for I do not +find Sir W. Coventry so highly commending the Duke as he used to +be, but letting fall now and then some little jerkes: as this +day, speaking of news from Holland, he says, "I find their +victory begins to shrinke there as well as ours here." Here I +met with Captain Cocke, and he tells me that the first thing the +Prince said to the King upon his coming was, complaining of the +Commissioners of the Navy: that they could have been abroad in +three or four days but for us; that we do not take care of them: +which I am troubled at, and do fear may in violence break out +upon this office some time or other; for we shall not be able to +carry on the business. + +21st. Up, and at the office all the morning; where by several +circumstances I find Sir W. Coventry and the Duke of Albemarle do +not agree as they used to do; Sir W. Coventry commending Aylett, +(in some reproach to the Duke), whom the Duke hath put out for +want of courage; and found fault with Steward, whom the Duke +keeps in, though as much in fault as any commander in the fleet. +Sir George Smith tells me that this day my Lord Chancellor and +some of the Court have been with the City, and that the City have +voted to lend the King 100,000l.; which, if soon paid, (as he +says he believes it will,) will be a greater service than I did +ever expect at this time from the City. + +23rd. Reading Pompey the Great, (a play translated from the +French by several noble persons; among others, my Lord +Buckhurst,) that to me is but a mean play, and the words and +sense not very extraordinary. From Deptford I walked to +Redriffe, and in my way was overtaken by Bagwell, lately come +from sea in the Providence, who did give me an account of several +particulars in the late fight, and how his ship was deserted +basely by the York, Captain Swanly, commander. + +24th. In the gallery among others met with Major Halsey, a great +creature of the Duke of Albemarle's: who tells me that the Duke +by name hath said that he expected to have the work here up in +the River done, having left Sir W. Batten and Mr. Phipps there. +He says that the Duke of Albemarle do say that this is a victory +we have had, having, as he was sure, killed them 8000 men, and +sunk about fourteen of their ships; but nothing like this appears +true. He lays much of the little success we have had, however, +upon the fleet's being divided by order from above, and the want +of spirit in the commanders; and that he was commanded by order +to go out of the Downes to the Gunfleete, and in the way meeting +the Dutch fleet, what should he do? should he not fight them? +especially having beat them heretofore at as great disadvantage. +He tells me further, that having been downe with the Duke of +Albemarle, he finds that Holmes and Spragge do govern most +business of the Navy; and by others I understand that Sir Thomas +Allen is offended thereat: that he is not so much advised with +as he ought to be. He tells me also, as he says of his own +knowledge, that several people before the Duke went out did offer +to supply the King with 100,000l. provided he would be treasurer +of it, to see it laid out for the Navy; which he refused, and so +it died. But I believe none of this. This day I saw my Lady +Falmouth, [Elizabeth, daughter of Hervey Bagot, Esq., and widow +of Charles Berkeley, Earl of Falmouth, married secondly, Charles +first Duke of Dorset. She had been Maid of Honour to the Duchess +of York.] with whom I remember now I have dined at my Lord +Barkeley's heretofore, a pretty woman: she was now in her second +or third mourning, and pleasant in her looks. By and by the +Council rises, and Sir W. Coventry come out; and he and I went +aside; and discoursed of much business of the Navy; and +afterwards took his coach, and to Hide-Parke, he and I alone: +there we had much talk. First, he stated a discourse of a talk +he hears about the town, which, says he, is a very bad one, and +fit to be suppressed, if we knew how: which is, the comparing of +the success of the last year with that of this; saying that that +was good, and that bad. I was as sparing in speaking as I could, +being jealous of him and myself also, but wished it could be +stopped; but said I doubted it could not otherwise than by the +fleet's being abroad again, and so finding other work for men's +minds and discourse. Then to discourse of himself, saying, that +he heard that he was under the lash of people's discourse about +the Prince's not having notice of the Dutch being out, and for +him to come back again, nor the Duke of Albemarle notice that the +Prince was sent for back again: to which he told me very +particularly how careful he was the very same night that it was +resolved to send for the Prince back, to cause orders to be writ, +and waked the Duke, who was then in bed, to sign them; and that +they went by express that very night, being the Wednesday night +before the fight, which begun on the Friday; and that for sending +them by the post express, and not by gentlemen on purpose, he +made a sport of it, and said, I knew of none to send it with but +would at least have lost more time in fitting themselves out, +than any diligence of theirs beyond that of the ordinary post +would have recovered. I told him that this was not so much the +towne talk as the reason of dividing the fleete. To this he told +me he ought not to say much; but did assure me in general that +the proposition did first come from the fleet, and the resolution +not being prosecuted with orders so soon as the Generall thought +fit, the Generall did send Sir Edward Spragge up on purpose for +them; and that there was nothing in the whole business which was +not done with the full consent and advice of the Duke of +Albemarle. But he did adde, (as the Catholiques call LE SECRET +DE LA MASSE) that Sir Edward Spragge--who had even in Sir +Christopher Mings's time, put in to be the great favourite of the +Prince, but much more now had a mind to be the great man with +him, and to that end had a mind to have the Prince at a distance +from the Duke of Albemarle, that they might be doing something +alone--did, as he believed, put on this business of dividing the +fleet, and that thence it came. He tells me as to the business +of intelligence, the want whereof the world did complain much of, +that for that it was not his business, and as he was therefore to +have no share in the blame, so he would not meddle to lay it any +where else. That De Ruyter was ordered by the States not to make +it his business to come into much danger, but to preserve himself +as much as was fit out of harm's way, to be able to direct the +fleet. He do, I perceive, with some violence, forbear saying any +thing to the reproach of the Duke of Albemarle; but, contrarily, +speaks much of his courage; but I do as plainly see that he do +not like the Duke of Albemarle's proceedings, but, contrarily, is +displeased therewith. And he do plainly diminish the commanders +put in by the Duke, and do lessen the miscarriages of any that +have been removed by him. He concurs with me, that the next bout +will be a fatal one to one side or other, because, if we be +beaten, we shall not be able to set out our fleet again. He do +confess with me that the hearts of our seamen are much saddened; +and for that reason, among others, wishes Sir Christopher Mings +was alive, who might inspire courage and spirit into them. +Speaking of Holmes, how great a man he is, and that he do for the +present, and hath done all the voyage, kept himself in good order +and within bounds: but, says he, a cat will be a cat still, and +some time or other out his humours must break again. He do not +disowne but that the dividing of the fleet upon the presumptions +that were then had (which, I suppose, was the French fleet being +come this way,) was a good resolution. + +25th. News from Sir W. Coventry that the Dutch are certainly +come out. Mrs. Pen carried us to two gardens at Hackny, (which I +every day grow more and more in love with,) Mr. Drake's one, +where the garden is good, and house and the prospect admirable; +the other my Lord Brooke's [Robert Lord Brooke, ob. 1676. Evelyn +mentions this garden as Lady Brooke's. Brooke House at Clapton, +was lately occupied as a private madhouse.] where the gardens +are much better, but the house not so good, nor the prospect good +at all. But the gardens are excellent; and here I first saw +oranges grow: some green, some half, some a quarter, and some +full ripe, on the same tree, and one fruit of the same tree do +come a year or two after the other. I pulled off a little one by +stealth (the man being mightily curious of them) and eat it, and +it was just as other little green small oranges are: as big as +half the end of my little finger. Here were also great variety +of other exotique plants, and several labarinths, and a pretty +aviary. + +26th. In the morning come Mr. Chichly [Mr., afterwards Sir +Thomas Chicheley, a Privy-Counsellor and Commissioner of the +Ordnance.] to Sir W. Coventry, to tell him the ill success of +the guns made for the Loyall London; which is, that in the trial +every one of the great guns, the whole cannon of seven (as I take +it), broke in pieces. + +27th. To Sir W. Coventry's chamber (where I saw his father my +Lord Coventry's picture hung up, done by Stone, who then brought +it home. It is a good picture, drawn in his judge's robes, and +the great seal by him. And while it was hanging up, "This," says +Sir W. Coventry, merrily, "is the use we make of our fathers.") +But what I observed most from the discourse was this of Sir W. +Coventry, that he do look upon ourselves in a desperate +condition. The issue of all standing upon this one point, that +by the next fight, if we beat, the Dutch will certainly be +content to take eggs for their money, (that was his expression); +or if we be beaten, we must be contented to make peace, and glad +if we can have it without paying too dear for it. And withall we +do rely wholly upon the Parliament's giving us more money the +next sitting, or else we are undone. I did this afternoon visit +my Lord Bellasses, who professes all imaginable satisfaction in +me. My Lord is going down to his garrison to Hull, by the King's +command, to put it in order for fear of an invasion: which +course I perceive is taken upon the sea-coasts round; for we have +a real apprehension of the King of France's invading us. + +28th. The Dutch are now known to be out, and we may expect them +every hour upon our coast. But our fleet is in pretty good +readiness for them. + +29th. To the office; where I met with a letter from Dover, which +tells me (and it did come by express) that news is brought over +by a gentleman from Callice that the Dutch fleet, 130 sail, are +come upon the French coast; and that the country is bringing in +picke-axes, and shovells, and wheel-barrows into Callice; that +there are 6000 men armed with head, back, and breast, (Frenchmen) +ready to go on board the Dutch fleet, and will be followed by +1200 more. That they pretend they are to come to Dover; and that +thereupon the Governor of Dover Castle is getting the +victuallers' provision out of the town into the Castle to secure +it. But I do think this is a ridiculous conceit; but a little +time will show. + +30th. Mightily troubled all this morning with going to my Lord +Mayor, (Sir Thomas Bludworth, a silly man I think, [As his +conduct during the Great Fire fully proved.]) and other places, +about getting shipped some men that they have these two last +nights pressed in the City out of houses: the persons wholly +unfit for sea, and many of them people of very good fashion, +which is a shame to think of, and carried to Bridewell they are, +yet without being impressed with money legally as they ought to +be. But to see how the King's business is done; my Lord Mayor +himself did scruple at this time of extremity to do this thing, +because he had not money to pay the pressed-money to the men. I +did out of my own purse disburse 15l. to pay for their pressing +and diet last night and this morning; which is a thing worth +record of my Lord Mayor. Busy about this all the morning, and +about the getting off men pressed by our officers of the fleet +into the service; even our own men that are at the office, and +the boats that carry us. So that it is now become impossible to +have so much as a letter carried from place to place, or any +message done for us: nay, out of Victualling ships full loaden +to go down to the fleet, and out of the vessels of the officers +of the Ordnance, they press men, so that for want of discipline +in this respect I do fear all will be undone. + +July 1, 1666. Comes Sir W. Pen to town, which I little expected, +having invited my Lady and her daughter Pegg to dine with me to- +day; which at noon they did, and Sir W. Pen with them: and +pretty merry we were. And though I do not love him, yet I find +it necessary to keep in with him: his good service at Shearnesse +in getting out the fleet being much taken notice of; and reported +to the King and Duke, even from the Prince and Duke of Albemarle +themselves, and made the most of to me and them by Sir W. +Coventry; therefore I think it discretion, great and necessary +discretion, to keep in with him. To the Tower several times, +about the business of the pressed men, and late at it till twelve +at night shipping of them. But, Lord! how some poor women did +cry; and in my life I never did see such natural expression of +passion as I did here in some women's bewailing themselves, and +running to every parcel of men that were brought, one after +another, to look for their husbands, and wept over every vessel +that went off, thinking they might be there, and looking after +the ship as far as ever they could by moone-light, that it +grieved me to the heart to hear them. Besides, to see poor +patient labouring men and housekeepers leaving poor wives and +families, taken up on a sudden by strangers, was very hard, and +that without press-money, but forced against all law to be gone. +It is a great tyranny. + +2nd. Up betimes, and forced to go to my Lord Mayor's, about the +business of the pressed men; and indeed I find him a mean man of +understanding and dispatch of any publick business. Thence out +of curiosity to Bridewell to see the pressed men, where there are +about 300; but so unruly that I durst not go among them: and +they have reason to be so, having been kept these three days +prisoners, with little or no victuals, and pressed out and +contrary to all course of law, without press-money, and men that +are not liable to it. Were I met with prating Colonel Cox, one +of the City collonells, heretofore a great presbyter: but to +hear how the fellow did commend himself, and the service he do +the King; and, like an asse, at Paul's did take me out of my way +on purpose to show me the gate, (the little north gate) where he +had two men shot close by him on each time, and his own hair +burnt by a bullet-shot in the insurrection of Venner, and himself +escaped. I found one of the vessels loaden with the Bridewell +birds in a great mutiny, and they would not sail, not they; but +with good words, and cajoling the ringleader into the Tower, +(where, when he was come, he was clapped up in the Hole) they +were got very quietly; but I think it is much if they do not run +the vessel on ground. + +3rd. Mr. Finch, one of the Commissioners of Excise, and I fell +to discourse of the Parliament, and the great men there; and +among others, Mr. Vaughan, whom he reports as a man of excellent +judgement and learning, but most passionate and opiniastre. He +had done himself the most wrong (though he values it not), that +is, the displeasure of the King in his standing so long against +the breaking of the Act for a triennial parliament; but yet do +believe him to be a most loyall gentleman. He told me Mr. Prin's +character; that he is a man of mighty labour and reading, and +memory, but the worst judge of matters, or layer together of what +he hath read, in the world, (which I do not, however, believe him +in;) that he believes him very true to the King in his heart, but +can never be reconciled to episcopacy; that the House do not lay +much weight upon him, or any thing he says. News came yesterday +from Harwich, that the Dutch had appeared upon our coast with +their fleet, and we believe did go to the Gun-fleete, and they +are supposed to be there now, but I have heard nothing of them +to-day. Yesterday Dr. Whistler, at Sir W. Pen's, told me that +Alexander Broome, [Alexander Broome, an attorney in the Lord +Mayor's Court, author of "Loyal Songs and Madrigals," much sung +by the Cavaliers, and of a translation of Horace. He was +regretted as an agreeable companion.] the great song-maker, is +lately dead. + +4th. Thanks be to God, the plague is, as I hear, encreased but +two this week; but in the country in several places it rages +mightily, and particularly in Colchester, where it hath, long +been, and is believed will quite depopulate the place. With the +Duke, all of us discoursing about the places where to build ten +great ships: the King and Council have resolved on none to be +under third-rates; but it is impossible to do it, unless we have +more money towards the doing it than yet we have in any view. +But, however, the show must be made to the world. In the evening +Sir W. Pen came to me, and we walked together, and talked of the +late fight. I find him very plain, that the whole conduct of the +late fight was ill; that two-thirds of the commanders of the +whole fleet have told him so: they all saying, that they durst +not oppose it at the Council of War, for fear of being called +cowards, though it was wholly against their judgement to fight +that day with the disproportion of force, and then we not being +able to use one gun of our lower tier, which was a greater +disproportion than the other. Besides, we might very well have +staid in the Downs without fighting, or any where else, till the +Prince could have come up to them; or at least till the weather +was fair, that we might have the benefit of our whole force in +the ships that we had. He says three things must be remedied, or +else we shall be undone by this fleet. 1. That we must fight in +a line, whereas we fight promiscuously, to our utter and +demonstrable ruine: the Dutch fighting otherwise; and we, +whenever we beat them,--2. We must not desert ships of our own in +distress, as we did, for that makes a captain desperate, and he +will fling away his ship, when there are no hopes left him of +succour.--3. That ships when they are a little shattered, must +not take the liberty to come in of themselves, but refit +themselves the best they can, and stay out--many of our ships +coming in with very small disableness. He told me that our very +commanders, nay, our very flag-officers, do stand in need of +exercising among themselves, and discoursing the business of +commanding a fleet: he telling me that even one of our flag-men +in the fleet, did not know which tacke lost the wind, or kept it, +in the last engagement. He says it was pure dismaying and fear +that made them all run upon the Galloper, not having their wits +about them: and that it was a miracle they were not all lost. +He much inveighs upon my discoursing of Sir John Lawson's saying +heretofore, that sixty sail would do as much as one hundred; and +says that he was a man of no counsel at all, but had got the +confidence to say as the gallants did, and did propose to himself +to make himself great by them, and saying as they did: but was +no man of judgement in his business, but hath been out in the +greatest points that have come before them. And then in the +business of fore-castles, which he did oppose, all the world sees +now the use of them for shelter of men. He did talk very +rationally to me, insomuch that I took more pleasure this night +in hearing him discourse, than I ever did in my life in any thing +that he said. + +6th. I believe not less than one thousand people in the streets. +But it is a pretty thing to observe that both there and every +where else, a man shall see many women now-a-days of mean sort in +the streets, but no men; men being so afraid of the press. I +dined with Sir G. Carteret, and after dinner had much discourse +about; our public business; and he do seem to fear every day more +and more what I do; which is a general confusion in the State; +plainly answering me to the question, who is it that the weight +of the warr depends upon? that it is only Sir W. Coventry. He +tells me, too, the Duke of Albemarle is dissatisfied, and that +the Duchesse do curse Coventry as the man that betrayed her +husband to the sea: though I believe that it is not so. Thence +to Lumburd-streete, and received 2000l., and carried it home: +whereof 1000l. in gold. This I do for security sake, and +convenience of carriage; though it costs me above 70l. the change +of it, at 18 1/2d per peece. Creed tells me he finds all things +mighty dull at Court; and that they now begin to lie long in bed; +it being, as we suppose, not seemly for them to be found playing +and gaming as they used to be; nor that their minds are at ease +enough to follow those sports, and yet not knowing how to employ +themselves, (though there be work enough for their thoughts and +councils and pains,) they keep long in bed. But he thinks with +me, that there is nothing in the world can help us but the King's +personal looking after his business and his officers, and that +with that we may yet do well; but otherwise must be undone: +nobody at this day taking care of anything, nor hath any body to +call him to account for it. + +10th. To the office; the yard being very full of women, (I +believe above three hundred) coming to get money for their +husbands and friends that are prisoners in Holland; and they lay +clamouring and swearing and cursing us, that my wife and I were +afraid to send a venison-pasty that we have for supper to-night, +to the cook's to be baked, for fear of their offering violence to +it: but it went, and no hurt done. To the Tower to speak with +Sir John Robinson about the bad condition of the pressed men for +want of clothes. + +11th. I away by coach to St. James's, and there hear that the +Duchesse is lately brought to bed of a boy. By and by called to +wait on the Duke, the King being present; and there agreed, among +other things, of the places to build the ten new great ships +ordered to be built; and as to the relief of prisoners is +Holland. And then, about several stories of the basenesse of the +King of Spain's being served with officers: they in Flanders +having as good common men as any Prince in the world, but the +veriest cowards for the officers, nay for the general officers, +as the Generall and Lieutenant-generall, in the whole world. +But, above all things, the King did speak most in contempt of the +ceremoniousnesse of the King of Spain, that he do nothing but +under some ridiculous form or other. I shall get in near 2000l. +into my own hands, which is in the King's, upon tallies; which +will be a pleasure to me, and satisfaction to have a good sum in +my own hands, whatever evil disturbances should be in the State; +though it troubles me to lose so great a profit as the King's +interest of ten per cent. for that money. + +12th. With Sir W. Coventry into London, to the office. And all +the way I observed him mightily to make mirth of the Duke of +Albemarle and his people about him, saying, that he was the +happiest man in the world for doing of great things by sorry +instruments. And so particularized in Sir W. Clerke, and Riggs, +and Halsey, and others. And then again said that the only +duality eminent in him was, that he did persevere; and indeed he +is a very drudge, and stands by the King's business. + +14th. Up betimes to the office, to write fair a laborious letter +I wrote as from the Board to the Duke of York, laying out our +want of money again; and particularly the business of Captain +Cocke's tender of hemp, which my Lord Brouncker brought in under +an unknown hand without name. Wherein his Lordship will have no +great success, I doubt. That being done, I down to Thames- +streete, and there agreed for four or five tons of corke, to send +this day to the fleet, being a new device to make barricados +with, instead of junke. After a song in the garden, which is now +the greatest pleasure I take, and indeed do please me mightily, +to bed. This evening I had Davila brought home to me and find it +a most excellent history as ever I read. + +16th. A wonderful dark sky, and shower of rain this morning. At +Harwich a shower of hail as big as walnuts. + +18th. To St. James's after my fellows; and here, among other +things, before us all, the Duke of York did say, that now at +length is come to a sure knowledge that the Dutch did lose in the +late engagements twenty-nine captains and thirteen ships. Upon +which Sir W. Coventry did publickly move, that if his Royal +Highness had this of a certainty, it would be of use to send this +down to the fleet, and to cause it to be spread about the fleet, +for the recovering of the spirits of the officers and seamen; who +are under great dejectednes, for want of knowing that they did do +any thing against the enemy, notwithstanding all that they did to +us. Which, though it be true, yet methought was one of the most +dishonourable motions to our countrymen that ever was made; and +is worth remembering. Thence with Sir W. Pen home, calling at +Lilly's, to have a time appointed when to be drawn among the +other Commanders of Flags the last year's fight. And so full of +work Lilly is, that he was fain to take his table-book out to see +how his time is appointed, and appointed six days hence for him +to come between seven and eight in the morning. Thence with him +home; and there by appointment I find Dr. Fuller, now Bishop of +Limericke, in Ireland; whom I knew in his low condition at +Twittenham and find the Bishop the same good man that ever; and +in a word, kind to us, and, methinks, one of the comeliest and +most becoming prelates in all respects that ever I saw in my +life. During dinner comes an acquaintance of his, Sir Thomas +Littleton [Afterwards made Treasurer of the Navy in conjunction +with Sir Thomas Osborn.] whom I knew not while he was in my +house, but liked his discourse: and afterwards, by Sir W. Pen, +do come to know that he is one of the greatest speakers in the +House of Commons, and the usual second to the great Vaughan. So +was sorry I did observe him no more, and gain more of his +acquaintance. Walked to Woolwich, reading "the Rivall Ladys" [A +Tragi-comedy by Dryden.] all the way, and find it a most +pleasant and fine writ play. + +19th. Full of wants of money, and much stores to buy, for to +replenish the stores, and no money to do it with. The fleet is +sailed this morning; God send us good news of them! + +21st. At noon walked in the garden with Commissioner Pett, +(newly come to town) who tells me how infinite the disorders are +among the commanders and all officers of the fleet. No +discipline: nothing but swearing and cursing, and every body +doing what they please; and the Generalls, understanding no +better, suffer it, to the reproaching of this Board, or whoever +it will be. He himself hath been challenged twice to the field, +or something as good, by Sir Edward Spragge and Capt. Seamons +[QUERY Seymour?] He tells me that captains carry, for all the +late orders, what men they please. So that he fears, and I do no +less, that God Almighty can bless us while we keep in this +disorder that we are in: he observing to me too, that there is +no man of counsel or advice in the fleet; and the truth is, that +the gentlemen captains will undo us for they are not to be kept +in order, their friends about the King and Duke, and their own +houses are so free, that it is not for any person but the Duke +himself to have any command over them. + +22nd. Walked to White Hall, where saw nobody almost, but walked +up and down with Hugh May, [An architect, and Comptroller of the +works at Windsor Castle. Ob 1684.] who is a very ingenious man. +Among other things, discoursing of the present fashion of gardens +to make them plain, that we have the best walks of gravell in the +world, France having none, nor Italy: and our green of our +bowling allies is better than any they have. So our business +here being ayre, this is the best way, only with a little mixture +of statues, or pots, which may be handsome, and so filled with +another pot of such or such a flower or greene as the season of +the year will bear. And then for flowers, they are best seen in +a little plat by themselves; besides, their borders spoil the +walks of another garden; and then for fruit, the best way is to +have walls built circularly one within another, to the South, on +purpose for fruit, and leave the walking garden only for that +use. Sir Richard Fanshaw is lately dead at Madrid. The fleet +cannot get clear of the River, but expect the first wind to be +out, and then to be sure to fight. The Queene and Maids of +Honour are at Tunbridge. + +23rd. All full of expectation of the fleet's engagement, but it +is not yet. Sir W. Coventry says they are eighty-nine men-of- +war, but one fifth-rate; and that the Sweepstakes, which carries +forty guns. They are most infinitely manned. He tells me the +Loyal London, Sir J. Smith, (which, by the way, he commends to be +the best ship in the world, large and small) hath above eight +hundred men; and moreover takes notice, which is worth notice, +that the fleet hath lain now near fourteen days without any +demand for a farthing-worth of any thing of any kind, but only to +get men. He also observes, that with this excess of men, +nevertheless, they have thought fit to leave behind them sixteen +ships, which they have robbed of their men, which certainly might +have been manned, and they have been serviceable in the fight, +and yet the fleet well-manned, according to the excess of +supernumeraries, which we hear they have. At least two or three +of them might have been left manned, and sent away with the +Gottenburgh ships. They conclude this to be much the best fleet, +for force of guns, greatness and number of ships and men, that +ever England did see; being as Sir W. Coventry reckons, besides +those left behind, eighty-nine men-of-war, and twenty-five ships, +though we cannot hear that they have with them above eighteen. +The French are not yet joined with the Dutch, which do dissatisfy +the Hollanders, and if they should have a defeat, will undo De +Witt; the people generally of Holland do hate this league with +France. + +25th. At White Hall; we find the Court gone to Chapel, it being +St. James's-day. And by and by, while they are at chapel, and we +waiting chapel being done, come people out of the Park, telling +us that the guns are heard plainly. And so every body to the +Park, and by and by the chapel done, and the King and Duke into +the bowling green, and upon the leads, whither I went, and there +the guns were plain to be heard; though it was pretty to hear how +confident some would be in the lowdnesse of the guns, which it +was as much as ever I could do to hear them. By and by the King +to dinner, and I waited there his dining; but, Lord! how little +I should be pleased, I think, to have so many people crowding +about me; and among other things it astonished me to see my Lord +Barkeshire [Thomas Howard, second son of Thomas first Earl of +Suffolk created Earl of Berkshire 1625-6, K.G. Ob. 1669, aged +nearly 90.] waiting at table, and serving the King drink, in +that dirty pickle as I never saw man in my life. Here I met Mr. +Williams, who would have me to dine where he was invited to dine, +at the Backe-stayres. So after the King's meat was taken away, +we thither; but he could not stay, but left me there among two or +three of the King's servants, where we dined with the meat that +come from his table; which was most excellent, with most brave +drink cooled in ice, (which at this hot time was welcome,) and I +drinking no wine, had metheglin for the King's own drinking, +which did please me mightily. + +27th. To Sir W. Coventry's lodging, and there he showed me +Captain Talbot's letter, wherein he says that the fight begun on +the 25th: that our White squadron begun with one of the Dutch +squadrons, and then the Red with another, so hot that we put them +both to giving way, and so they continued in pursuit all the day, +and as long as he stayed with them: that the blow fell to the +Zealand squadron; and after a long dispute, he against two or +three great ships, received eight or nine dangerous shots, and so +come away; and says, he saw the Resolution burned by one of their +fire-ships, and four or five of the enemy's. But says that two +or three of our great ships were in danger of being fired by our +fire-ships, which Sir W. Coventry nor I cannot understand. But +upon the whole, he and I walked two or three turns in the Park +under the great trees, and no doubt that this gallant is come +away a little too soon, having lost never a mast nor sail. And +then we did begin to discourse of the young genteel captains, +which he was very free with me in speaking his mind of the +unruliness of them; and what a loss the King hath of his old men, +and now of this Hannam, of the Resolution, if he be dead. He +told me how he is disturbed to hear the commanders at sea called +cowards here on shore. + +28th. To my Lord Lauderdale's, where we find some Scotch people +at supper. Pretty odd company; though my Lord Brouncker tells +me, my Lord Lauderdale is a man of mighty good reason and +judgement. But at supper there played one of their servants upon +the viallin some Scotch tunes only; several, and the best of +their country, as they seemed to esteem them, by their praising +and admiring them: but, Lord! the strangest ayre that ever I +heard in my life, and all of one cast. But strange to hear my +Lord Lauderdale say himself that he had rather hear a cat mew +than the best musique in the world; and the better the musique, +the more sick it makes him; and that of all instruments, he hates +the lute most, and next to that, the baggpipe. + +29th. All the town is full of a victory. By and by a letter +from Sir W. Coventry tells me that we have the victory. Beat +them into the Weelings: had taken two of their great ships; but +by the orders of the Generalls they are burned. This being, +methought, but a poor result after the fighting of two so great +fleets, and four days having no tidings of them: I was still +impatient; but could know no more. I to Sir W. Batten, where the +Lieutenant of the Tower was, and Sir John Minnes, and the news I +find is what I had heard before; only that our Blue squadron, it +seems, was pursued the most of the time, having more ships, a +great many, than its number allotted to its share. Young Seamour +is killed, the only captain slain. The Resolution burned; but, +as they say, most of her crew and commander saved. This is all, +only we keep the sea, which denotes a victory, or at least that +we are not beaten; but no great matters to brag of, God knows. + +30th. To Sir W. Coventry, at St. James's, where I find him in +his new closet, which is very fine, and well supplied with +handsome books. I find him speak very slightly of the late +victory: dislikes their staying with the fleet up their coast; +believing that the Dutch will come out in fourteen days, and then +we with our unready fleet, by reason of some of the ships being +maymed, shall be in bad condition to fight them upon their own +coast: is much dissatisfied with the great number of men, and +their fresh demands of twenty-four victualling ships, they going +out the other day as full as they could stow. He spoke slightly +of the Duke of Albemarle, saying, when De Ruyter come to give him +a broadside--"Now," says he, (chewing of tobacco the while) "will +this fellow come and give me two broadsides, and then he shall +run;" but it seems he held him to it two hours, till the Duke +himself was forced to retreat to refit, and was towed off, and De +Ruyter staid for him till he come back again to fight. One in +the ship saying to the Duke, "Sir, methinks De Ruyter hath given +us more than two broadsides;"-- "Well," says the Duke, "but you +shall find him run by and by," and so he did, says Sir W. +Coventry; but after the Duke himself had been first made to fall +off. The Resolution had all brass guns, being the same that Sir +J. Lawson had in her in the Straights. It is observed, that the +two fleets were even in number to one ship. Thence home; and to +sing with my wife and Mercer [Mrs. Pepys's maid.] in the garden; +and coming in I find my wife plainly dissatisfied with me, that I +can spend so much time with Mercer, teaching her to sing, and +could never take the pains with her. Which I acknowledge; but it +is because that the girl do take musick mighty readily, and she +do not, and musick is the thing of the world that I love most, +and all the pleasure almost that I can now take. So to bed in +some little discontent, but no words from me. + +31st. The court empty, the King being gone to Tunbridge, and the +Duke of York a-hunting. I had some discourse with Povy, who is +mightily discontented, I find, about his disappointments at +Court; and says, of all places, if there be hell, it is here. No +faith, no truth, no love, nor any agreement between man and wife, +nor friends. He would have spoke broader, but I put it off to +another time; and so parted, Povy discoursed with me about my +Lord Peterborough's 50l. which his man did give me from him, the +last year's salary I paid him, which he would have Povy pay him +again; but I have not taken it to myself yet, and therefore will +most heartily return him, and mark him put for a coxcomb. Povy +went down to Mr. Williamson's, and brought me up this extract out +of the Flanders' letters to day come:--That Admiral Everson, and +the Admiral and Vice-Admiral of Freezeland with many captains and +men, are slain; that De Ruyter is safe, but lost 250 men out of +his own ship; but that he is in great disgrace, and Trump in +better favour; that Bankert's ship is burned, himself hardly +escaping with a few men on board De Haes; that fifteen captains +are to be tried the seventh of August; and that the hangman was +sent from Flushing to assist the Council of Warr. How much of +this is true, time will show. + +August 1, 1666. Walked over the Park with Sir W. Coventry, who I +clearly see is not thoroughly pleased with the late management of +the fight, nor with any thing that the Generalls do; only is glad +to hear that De Ruyter is out of favour, and that this fight hath +cost them 5000 men, as they themselves do report. And it is a +strange thing, as he observes, how now and then the slaughter +runs on one hand; there being 5000 killed on theirs, and not +above 400 or 500 killed and wounded on ours, and as many flag- +officers on theirs as ordinary captains in ours. + +3rd. The death of Everson, and the report of our success, beyond +expectation, in the killing of so great a number of men, hath +raised the estimation of the late victory considerably; but it is +only among fools: for all that was but accidental. But this +morning, getting Sir W. Pen to read over the Narrative with me, +he did sparingly, yet plainly, say that we might have intercepted +their Zealand squadron coming home, if we had done our parts; and +more, that we might have run before the wind as well as they, and +have overtaken their ships in the pursuite, in all the while. + +4th. This evening, Sir W. Pen come into the garden, and walked +with me, and told me that he had certain notice that at Flushing +they are in great distraction. De Ruyter dares not come on shore +for fear of the people: nor any body open their houses or shops +for fear of the tumult: which is a very good hearing. + +6th. In Fenchurch-street met with Mr. Battersby; says he, "Do +you see Dan Rawlinson's door shut up?" (which I did, and +wondered.) "Why," says he, "after all this sickness, and himself +spending all the last year in the country, one of his men is now +dead of the plague, and his wife and one of his maids sick, and +himself shut up;" which troubles me mightily. So home; and there +do hear also from Mrs. Sarah Daniel, that Greenwich is at this +time much worse than ever it was, and Deptford too: and she told +us that they believed all the town would leave the town, and come +to London; which is now the receptacle of all the people from all +infected places. God preserve us! + +7th. I receive fresh intelligence that Deptford and Greenwich +are now afresh exceedingly afflicted with the sickness more than +ever. + +8th. Discoursed with Mr. Hooke about the nature of sounds, and +he did make me understand the nature of musicall sounds made by +strings, mighty prettily; and told me that having come to a +certain number of vibrations proper to make any tone, he is able +to tell how many strokes a fly makes with her wings, (those flies +that hum in their flying by the note that it answers to in +musique, during their flying. That, I suppose, is a little too +much refined; but his discourse in general of sound was mighty +fine. To St. James's, where we attended with the rest of my +fellows on the Duke, whom I found with two or three Patches upon +his nose and about his right eye, which came from his being +struck with the bough of a tree the other day in his hunting; and +it is a wonder it did not strike out his eye. To Bow, to my Lady +Pooly's, [Wife of Sir Edmund Pooly, mentioned before.] where my +wife was with Mr. Batelier and his sisters; and there I found a +noble supper. About ten o'clock we rose from table, and sang a +song; and so home in two coaches, (Mr. Batelier and his sister +Mary and my wife and I in one, and Mercer alone in the other); +and after being examined at Allgate whether we were husbands and +wives, home. So to bed mighty sleepy, but with much pleasure. +Reeves lying at my house; and mighty proud I am (and ought to be +thankful to God Almighty) that I am able to have a spare bed for +my friends. + +9th. In the evening to Lumbard-street, about money, to enable me +to pay Sir G. Carteret's 3000l. which he hath lodged in my hands, +in behalf of his son and my Lady Jemimah, towards their portion. +Mrs. Rawlinson is dead of the sickness, and her maid continues +mighty ill. He himself is got out of the house. I met with Mr. +Evelyn in the street, who tells me the sad condition at this very +day at Deptford, for the plague, and more at Deale, (within his +precinct as one of the Commissioners for sick and wounded +seamen,) that the towne is almost quite depopulated. + +10th. Homeward, and hear in Fenchurch-street, that now the maid +also is dead at Mr. Rawlinson's; so that there are three dead in +all, the wife, a man-servant, and maid-servant. + +14th. Povy tells me how mad my letter makes my Lord +Peterborough, and what a furious letter he writ to me in answer, +though it is not come yet. This did trouble me; for though there +be no reason, yet to have a nobleman's mouth open against a man, +may do a man hurt; so I endeavoured to have found him out and +spoke with him, but could not. After dinner with my wife and +Mercer to the Beare-garden; where I have not been, I think, of +many years, and saw some good sport of the bull's tossing of the +dogs: one into the very boxes. But it is a very rude and nasty +pleasure. We had a great many hectors in the same box with us, +(and one very fine went into the pit, and played his dog for a +wager, which was a strange sport for a gentleman,) where they +drank wine, and drank Mercer's health first; which I pledged with +my hat off. We supped at home, and very merry. And then about +nine o'clock to Mrs. Mercer's gate, where the fire and boys +expected us, and her son had provided abundance of serpents and +rockets; and there mighty merry (my Lady Pen and Pegg going +thither with us, and Nan Wright,) till about twelve at night, +flinging our fireworks, and burning one another and the people +over the way. And at last our businesses being most spent, we +into Mrs. Mercer's, and there mighty merry, smutting one another +with candle grease and soot, till most of us were like devils. +And that being done, then we broke up, and to my house; and there +I made them drink, and upstairs we went, and then fell into +dancing, (W. Batelier dancing well,) and dressing him and I and +one Mr. Banister (who with my wife come over also with us) like +women; and Mercer put on a suit of Tom's, like a boy, and mighty +mirth we had, and Mercer danced a jigg; and Nan Wright and my +wife and Pegg Pen put on perriwigs. Thus we spent till three or +four in the morning, mighty merry; and then parted, and to bed. + +15th. Mighty sleepy; slept till past eight of the clock, and was +called up by a letter from Sir W. Coventry; which among other +things, tells me how we have burned one hundred and sixty ships +of the enemy within the Fly. I up, and with all possible haste, +and in pain for fear of coming late, it being our day of +attending the Duke of York, to St. James's, where they are full +of the particulars; how they are generally good merchant-ships, +some of them laden and supposed rich ships. We spent five fire- +ships upon them. We landed on the Schelling, (Sir Philip Howard +with some men, and Holmes, I think, with others, about 1000 in +all,) and burned a town; and so come away. By and by the Duke of +York with his books showed us the very place and manner; and that +it was not our design and expectation to have done this, but only +to have landed on the Fly and burned some of their stores; but +being come in, we spied those ships, and with our long boats, one +by one, fired them, our ships running all a-ground, it being so +shoal water. We were led to this by it seems, a renegado captain +of the Hollanders, who found himself ill used by De Ruyter for +his good service, and so come over to us, and hath done us good +service; so that now we trust him, and he himself did go on this +expedition. The service is very great, and our joys as great for +it. All this will make the Duke of Albemarle in repute again, I +doubt. The guns of the Tower going off; and bonfires also in the +street for this late good successe. + +16th. This day Sir W. Batten did show us at the table a letter +from Sir T. Allen, which says, that we have taken ten or twelve +ships, (since the late great expedition of burning their ships +and town) laden with hemp, flax, tar, deals, &c. This was good +news; but by and by comes in Sir G. Carteret, and he asked us +with full mouth what we would give for good news. Says Sir W. +Batten "I have better than you for a wager." They laid sixpence, +and we that were by were to give sixpence to him that told the +best news. So Sir W. Batten told his of the ten or twelve ships. +Sir G. Carteret did then tell us that upon the news of the +burning of the ships and town, the common people of Amsterdam did +besiege De Witt's house, and he was forced to flee to the Prince +of Orange, who is gone to Cleve, to the marriage of his sister. +This we concluded all the best news, and my Lord Brouncker and +myself did give Sir G. Carteret our sixpence a-piece, which he +did give Mr. Smith to give the poor. Thus we made ourselves +mighty merry. + +17th. With Captain Erwin, discoursing about the East Indys, +where he hath often been. And among other things, he tells me +how the King of Syam seldom goes out without thirty or forty +thousand people with him, and not a word spoke, nor a hum or +cough in the whole company to be heard. He tells me the +punishment frequently there for malefactors, is cutting off the +crowns of their head; which they do very dexterously, leaving +their brains bare, which kills them presently. He told me what I +remember he hath once done heretofore; that every body is to lie +flat down at the coming by of the King and nobody to look upon +him upon pain of death. And that he and his fellows being +strangers, were invited to see the sport of taking of a wild +elephant; and they did only kneel, and look towards the King. +Their druggerman [Dragoman.] did desire them to fall down, for +otherwise he should suffer for their contempt of the King. The +sport being ended, a messenger comes from the King, which the +druggerman thought had been to have taken away his life. But it +was to enquire how the strangers liked the sport. The druggerman +answered, that they did cry it up to be the best that ever they +saw, and that they never heard of any Prince so great in every +thing as this King. The messenger being gone back, Erwin and his +company asked their druggerman what he had said, which he told +them. "But why," say they, "would you say that without our +leave, it being not true?"--"It makes no matter for that," says +he, "I must have said it, or have been hanged, for our King do +not live by meat, nor drink, but by having great lyes told him." +In our way back we come by a little vessel that come into the +river this morning, and says she left the fleet in Sole Bay, and +that she hath not heard (she belonging to Sir W. Jenings in the +fleet) of any such prizes taken as the ten or twelve I enquired +about, and said by Sir W. Batten yesterday to be taken, so I fear +it is not true. I had the good fortune to see Mrs. Stewart, who +is grown a little too tall, but is a woman of most excellent +features. Sir Richard Ford did, very understandingly methought, +give us an account of the originall of the Hollands Bank, and the +nature of it, and how they do never give any interest at all to +the person that brings in their money, though what is brought in +upon the public faith interest is given by the State for. The +unsafe condition of a Bank under a Monarch, and the little safety +to a Monarch to have any; or Corporation alone (as London in +answer to Amsterdam,) to have so great a wealth or credit, it is +that makes it hard to have a Bank here. And as to the former, he +did tell us how it sticks in the memory of most merchants how the +late King (when by the war between Holland and France and Spain +all the bullion of Spain was brought hither, one third of it to +be coyned; and indeed it was found advantageous to the merchant +to coyne most of it,) was persuaded in a strait by my Lord +Cottington [Francis, created Lord Cottington, Baron of Hanworth, +by Charles I. Died at Valladolid 1653, S.P.] to seize upon the +money in the Tower: which, though in a few days the merchants +concerned did prevail to get it released, yet the thing will +never be forgot. + +20th. To Deptford by water, reading Othello, Moore of Venice, +which I ever heretofore esteemed a mighty good play, but having +so lately read The Adventures of Five Houres, it seems a mean +thing. All the afternoon upon my Tangier accounts, getting Tom +Wilson to help me in writing as I read; and I find myself right +to a farthing in an account of 127,000l. + +21st. Mr. Batelier told me how, being with some others at +Bourdeaux, making a bargain with another man at a taverne for +some clarets, they did hire a fellow to thunder (which he had the +art of doing upon a deale board) and to rain and hail, that is, +make the noise of, so as did give them a pretence of undervaluing +their merchants' wines, by saying this thunder would spoil and +turn them which was so reasonable to the merchant, that he did +abate two pistolls per ton for the wine in belief of that. + +22nd. I to St. James's, and there with the Duke of York. I had +opportunity of much talk with Sir W. Pen to-day (he being newly +come from the fleet); and he do much undervalue the honour that +is given to the conduct of the late business of Holmes in burning +the ships and town, saying it was a great thing indeed, and of +great profit to us in being of great loss to the enemy, but that +it was wholly a business of chance. Mrs. Knipp tells me my song +of "Beauty Retire" is mightily cried up, which I am not a little +proud of; and do think I have done "It is Decreed" better, but I +have not finished it. + +23rd. Sir W. Coventry sent me word that the Dutch fleet is +certainly abroad; and so we are to hasten all we have to send to +our fleet with all speed. But, Lord! to see how my Lord +Brouncker undertakes the despatch of the fire-ships, when he is +no more fit for it than a porter; and all the while Sir W. Pen, +who is the most fit, is unwilling to displease him, and do not +look after it; and so the King's work is like to be well done. + +26th. I was a little disturbed with news my Lord Brouncker +brought me, that we are to attend the King at White Hall this +afternoon, and that it is about a complaint from the Generalls +against us. Sir W. Pen and I by coach to White Hall, and there +staid till the King and Cabinet met in the Green Chamber, and +then we were called in; and there the King begun with me, to hear +how the victualls of the fleet stood. I did in a long discourse +tell him and the rest (the Duke of York, Lord Chancellor, Lord +Treasurer, both the Secretarys, Sir G. Carteret, and Sir W. +Coventry,) how it stood, wherein they seemed satisfied, but press +mightily for more supplies: and the letter of the Generalls, +which was read, did lay their not going or too soon returning +from the Dutch coast, this next bout, to the want of victuals. +They then proceeded to the enquiry after the fire-ships; and did +all very superficially, and without any severity at all. But, +however, I was in pain, after we come out, to know how I had +done; and here, well enough. But, however, it shall be a caution +to me to prepare myself against a day of inquisition. Being come +out, I met with Mr. Moore, and he and I an hour together in the +Gallery, telling me how far they are gone in getting my Lord +Sandwich's pardon, so as the Chancellor is prepared in it; and +Sir H. Bennet; do promote it, and the warrant for the King's +signing is drawn. The business between my Lord Hinchingbroke and +Mrs. Mallet is quite broke off; he attended her at Tunbridge, and +she declaring her affections to be settled; and he not being +fully pleased with the vanity and liberty of her carriage. +Thence to discourse of the times; and he tells me he believes +both my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry, as well as my Lord +Sandwich and Sir G. Carteret, have reason to fear, and are +afraid, of this Parliament now coming on. He tells me that +Bristoll's faction is getting ground space against my Lord +Chancellor. He told me that my old Lord Coventry [The Lord +Keeper, Ob. 1639-40.] was a cunning, crafty man, and did make as +many bad decrees in Chancery as any man; and that in one case, +that occasioned many years' dispute, at last when the King come +in, it was hoped by the party grieved, to get my Lord Chancellor +to reverse a decree of his. Sir W. Coventry took the opportunity +of the business between the Duke of York and the Duchess, and +said to my Lord Chancellor, that he had rather be drawn up +Holborne to be hanged, than live to see any decree of his +father's reversed. And so the Chancellor did not think fit to do +it, but it still stands, to the undoing of one Norton, a printer, +about his right to the printing of the Bible, and Grammar, &c. +Sir J. Minnes bad a very bad fit this day. + +27th. Sir G. Carteret tells me what is done about my Lord's +pardon, and is not for letting the Duke of York know any thing of +it beforehand, but to carry it as speedily and quietly as we can. +He seems to be very apprehensive that the Parliament will be +troublesome and inquisitive into faults; but seems not to value +them as to himself. + +28th. To the wedding of Mr. Longracke, our purveyor, a civil +man, and hath married a sober, serious mayde; but the whole +company was very simple and innocent. Sir W. Coventry did read +me a letter from the Generalls to the King, a most scurvy letter, +reflecting most upon him, and then upon me for my accounts, (not +that they are not true, but that we do not consider the expence +of the fleet,) and then upon the whole office, in neglecting them +and the King's service, and this in very plain and sharp and +menacing terms. But a great supply must be made, and shall be, +in grace of God! + +29th. To St. James's, and there Sir W. Coventry took Sir W. Pen +and me apart, and read to us his answer to the Generalls' letter +to the King, that he read last night; wherein he is very plain, +and states the matter in full defence of himself, and of me with +him, which he could not avoid; which is a good comfort to me, +that I happened to be involved with him in the same cause. And +then speaking of the supplies which have been made to this fleet, +more than ever in all kinds to any, even that wherein the Duke of +York himself was, "Well," says he, "if this will not do, I will +say, as Sir J. Falstaffe did to the Prince, 'Tell your father, +that if he do not like this, let him kill the next Piercy +himself.'" + +September 1, 1666. My wife and I to Polichinelly, [Polichinello +in Moorfields.] but were there horribly frighted to see Young +Killigrew come in with a great many more young sparks; but we hid +ourselves, so as we think they did not see us. + +2nd (Lord's day). Some of our maids sitting up late last night +to get things ready against our feast to-day, Jane called us up +about three in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw +in the City. So I rose, and slipped on my night-gown, and went +to her window; and thought it to be on the back-side of Marke- +lane at the farthest, but being unused to such fires as followed, +I thought it far enough off; and so went to bed again, and to +sleep. About seven rose again to dress myself, and there looked +out at the window, and saw the fire not so much as it was, and +further off. So to my closet to set things to rights, after +yesterday's cleaning. By and by Jane comes and tells me that she +hears that above 300 houses have been burned down to-night by the +fire we saw, and that it is now burning down all Fish-street, by +London Bridge. So I made myself ready presently, and walked to +the Tower, and there got up upon one of the high places, Sir J. +Robinson's little son going up with me; and there I did see the +houses at that end of the bridge all on fire, and an infinite +great fire on this and the other side the end of the bridge; +which, among other people, did trouble me for poor little Michell +and our Sarah on the bridge. So down with my heart full of +trouble to the Lieutenant of the Tower, who tells me that it +begun this morning in the King's baker's [His name was Faryner.] +house in Pudding-lane, and that it hath burned down St. Magnes +Church and most part of Fish-street already. So I down to the +water-side, and there got a boat, and through bridge, and there +saw a lamentable fire. Poor Michell's house, as far as the Old +Swan, already burned that way, and the fire running further, that +in a very little time it got as far as the Steele-yard, while I +was there. Every body endeavouring to remove their goods, and +flinging into the river, or bringing them into lighters that lay +off; poor people staying in their houses as long as till the very +fire touched them, and then running into boats, or clambering +from one pair of stairs by the water-side to another. And among +other things, the poor pigeons, I perceive, were loth to leave +their houses, but hovered about the windows and balconys, till +they burned their wings, and fell down. Having staid, and in an +hour's time seen the fire rage every way, and nobody, to my +sight, endeavouring to quench it, but to remove their goods, and +leave all to the fire, and having seen it get as far as the +Steele-yard, and the wind mighty high, and driving it into the +City: and every thing after so long a drought proving +combustible, even the very stones of churches, and among other +things, the poor steeple [St, Lawrence Poultney, of which Thomas +Elborough was Curate.] by which pretty Mrs. -- lives, and +whereof my old schoolfellow Elborough is parson, taken fire in +the very top, and there burned till it fell down; I to White Hall +(with a gentleman with me, who desired to go off from the Tower, +to see the fire, in my boat): and there up to the King's closet +in the Chapel, where people come about me, and I did give them an +account dismayed them all, and word was carried in to the King. +So I was called for, and did tell the King and Duke of York what +I saw, and that unless his Majesty did command houses to be +pulled down, nothing could stop the fire, They seemed much +troubled, and the King commanded me to go to my Lord Mayor [Sir +Thomas Bludworth.] from him, and command him to spare no houses, +but to pull down before the fire every way. The Duke of York bid +me tell him, that if he would have any more soldiers, he shall: +and so did my Lord Arlington afterwards, as a great secret. Here +meeting with Captain Cocke, I in his coach, which he lent me, and +Creed with me to Paul's, and there walked along Watling-street, +as well as I could, every creature coming away loaded with goods +to save, and here and there sick people carried away in beds. +Extraordinary good goods carried in carts-and on backs. At last +met my Lord Mayor in Canning-street, like a man spent, with a +handkercher about his neck. To the King's message, he cried, +like a fainting woman, "Lord! what can I do? I am spent: +people will not obey me. I have been pulling down houses; but +the fire overtakes us faster than we can do it." That he needed +no more soldiers; and that, for himself, he must go and refresh +himself, having been up all night. So he left me, and I him, and +walked home; seeing people all almost distracted, and no manner +of means used to quench the fire. The houses too so very thick +thereabouts, and full of matter for burning, as pitch and tar, in +Thames-street; and warehouses of oyle, and wines, and brandy, and +other things. Here I saw Mr. Isaac Houblon, the handsome man, +prettily dressed and dirty at his door at Dowgate, receiving some +of his brother's things, whose houses were on fire; and, as he +says, have been removed twice already; and he doubts (as it soon +proved) that they must be in a little time removed from his house +also, which was a sad consideration. And to see the churches all +filling with goods by people, who themselves should have been +quietly there at this time. By this time it was about twelve +o'clock; and so home, and there find my guests, who were Mr. Wood +and his wife Barbary Shelden, and also Mr. Moone; she mighty +fine, and her husband, for aught I see, a likely man. But Mr. +Moone's design and mine, which was to look over my closet, and +please him with the sight thereof, which he hath long desired, +was wholly disappointed; for we were in great trouble and +disturbance at this fire, not knowing what to think of it. +However, we had an extraordinary good dinner, and as merry as at +this time we could be. While at dinner Mrs. Batelier come to +enquire after Mr. Woolfe and Stanes, (who it seems are related to +them,) whose houses in Fish-street are all burned, and they in a +sad condition. She would not stay in the fright. Soon as dined, +I and Moone away, and walked through the City, the streets full +of nothing but people, and horses and carts loaden with goods, +ready to run over one another, and removing goods from one burned +house to another. They now removing out of Canning-street (which +received goods in the morning) into Lumbard-street, and further: +and among others I now saw my little goldsmith Stokes receiving +some friend's goods, whose house itself was burned the day after. +We parted at Paul's; he home, and I to Paul's Wharf, where I had +appointed a boat to attend me, and took in Mr. Carcasse and his +brother, whom I met in the street, and carried them below and +above bridge too. And again to see the fire, which was now got +further, both below and above, and no likelihood of stopping it. +Met with the King and Duke of York in their barge, and with them +to Queenhith, and there called Sir Richard Browne to them. Their +order was only to pull down houses apace, and so below bridge at +the water-side; but little was or could be done, the fire coming +upon them so fast. Good hopes there was of stopping it at the +Three Cranes above, and at Buttolph's Wharf below bridge, if care +be used; but the wind carries it into the City, so as we know not +by the water-side what it do there. River full of lighters and +boats taking in goods, and good goods swimming in the water, and +only I observed that hardly one lighter or boat in three that had +the goods of a house in, but there was a pair of Virginalls [A +sort of spinett, so called (according to Johnson) from young +women playing upon it.] in it. Having seen as much as I could +now, I away to White Hall by appointment, and there walked to St. +James's Park, and there met my wife and Creed and Wood and his +wife, and walked to my boat; and there upon the water again, and +to the fire up and down, it still encreasing, and the wind great. +So near the fire as we could for smoke; and all over the Thames, +with one's faces in the wind, you were almost burned with a +shower of fire-drops. This is very true: so as houses were +burned by these drops and flakes of fire, three or four, nay, +five or six houses, one from another. When we could endure no +more upon the water, we to a little ale-house on the Bankside, +over against the Three Cranes, and there staid till it was dark +almost, and saw the fire grow, and as it grew darker, appeared +more and more, and in corners and upon steeples, and between +churches and houses, as far as we could see up the hill of the +City, in a most horrid malicious bloody flame, not like the fine +flame of an ordinary fire. Barbary and her husband away before +us. We staid till, it being darkish, we saw the fire as only one +entire arch of fire from this to the other side the bridge, and +in a bow up the hill for an arch of above a mile long: it made +me weep to see it. The churches, houses, and all on fire, and +flaming at once; and a horrid noise the flames made, and the +cracking houses at their ruine. So home with a sad heart, and +there find every body discoursing and lamenting the fire; and +poor Tom Hater come with some few of his goods saved out of his +house, which was burned upon Fish-street Hill. I invited him to +lie at my house, and did receive his goods, but was deceived in +his lying there, the news coming every moment of the growth of +the fire; so as we were forced to begin to pack up our own goods, +and prepare for their removal; and did by moonshine (it being +brave dry and moonshine and warm weather) carry much of my goods +into the garden, and Mr. Hater and I did remove my money and iron +chests into my cellar, as thinking that the safest place. And +got my bags of gold into my office, ready to carry away, and my +chief papers of accounts also there, and my tallies into a box by +themselves. So great was our fear, as Sir W. Batten hath carts +come out of the country to fetch away his goods this night. We +did put Mr. Hater, poor man, to bed a little; but he got but very +little rest, so much noise being in my house, taking down of +goods. + +3rd. About four o'clock in the morning, my Lady Batten sent me a +cart to carry away all my money, and plate, and best things, to +Sir W. Rider's at Bednall-greene. Which I did, riding myself in +my night gown, in the cart; and, Lord! to see how the streets +and the highways are crowded with people running and riding, and +getting of carts at any rate to fetch away things. I find Sir W. +Rider tired with being called up all night, and receiving things +from several friends. His house full of goods, and much of Sir +W. Batten's and Sir W. Pen's, I am eased at my heart to have my +treasure so well secured. Then home, and with much ado to find a +way, nor any sleep all this night to me nor my poor wife. Then +all this day she and I, and all my people labouring to get away +the rest of our things, and did get Mr. Tooker to get me a +lighter to take them in, and we did carry them (myself some) over +Tower Hill, which was by this time full of people's goods, +bringing their goods thither; and down to the lighter, which lay +at the next quay, above the Tower Dock. And here was my +neighbour's wife, Mrs. --, with her pretty child, and some few of +her things, which I did willingly give way to be saved with mine; +but there was no passing with any thing through the postern the +crowd was so great. The Duke of York come this day by the +office, and spoke to us, and did ride with his guard up and down +the City to keep all quiet, (he being now General, and having the +care of all). This day, Mercer being not at home, but against +her mistress's order gone to her mother's, and my wife going +thither to speak with W. Hewer, beat her there, and was angry; +and her mother saying that she was not a 'prentice girl, to ask +leave every time she goes abroad, my wife with good reason was +angry, and when she come home bid her be gone again. And so she +went away, which troubled me, but yet less than it would, because +of the condition we are in, in fear of coming in a little time to +being less able to keep one in her quality. At night lay down a +little upon a quilt of W. Hewer's, in the office, all my own +things being packed up or gone; and after me my poor wife did the +like, we having fed upon the remains of yesterday's dinner, +having no fire nor dishes, nor any opportunity of dressing any +thing. +>> +4th. Up by break of day, to get away the remainder of my things; +which I did by a lighter at the Iron gate: and my hands so full, +that it was the afternoon before we could get them all away. Sir +W. Pen and I to the Tower-street, and there met the fire burning +three or four doors beyond Mr. Howell's, whose goods, poor man, +his trayes, and dishes, shovells, &c., were flung all along +Tower-street in the kennels, and people working therewith from +one end to the other; the fire coming on in that narrow street, +on both sides, with infinite fury. Sir W. Batten not knowing how +to remove his wine, did dig a pit in the garden, and laid it in +there; and I took the opportunity of laying all the papers of my +office that I could not otherwise dispose of and in the evening +Sir W. Pen and I did dig another, and put our wine in it; and I +my parmazan cheese, as well as my wine and some other things. +The Duke of York was at the office this day, at Sir W. Pen's; but +I happened not to be within. This afternoon, sitting melancholy +with Sir W. Pen in our garden, and thinking of the certain +burning of this office, without extraordinary means, I did +propose for the sending up of all our workmen from the Woolwich +and Deptford yards, (none whereof yet appeared,) and to write to +Sir W. Coventry to have the Duke of York's permission to pull +down houses, rather than lose this office, which would much +hinder the King's business. So Sir W. Pen went down this night, +in order to the sending them up to-morrow morning; and I wrote to +Sir W. Coventry about the business, but received no answer. [A +copy of this letter, preserved among the Pepys MSS. in the +author's own hand-writing, is subjoined:-- + Sir,--The fire is now very neere us as well on Tower Streete as + Fanchurch Street side, and we little hope of our escape but by + that remedy, to ye want whereof we doe certainly owe ye loss of + ye City, namely, ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye + fire. This way Sir W. Pen and myself have so far concluded upon + ye practising, that he is gone to Woolwich and Deptford to + supply himself with men and necessarys in order to the doeing + thereof, in case at his returne our condition be not bettered + and that he meets with his R.Hs. approbation, which I have thus + undertaken to learn of you, Pray please to let me have this + night (at whatever hour it is) what his R. Hs. directions are in + this particular, Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten having left, + us, we cannot add, though we are well assured of their, as well + as all ye neighbourhood's concurrence. + Sir W.Coventry, Yr obedient Servnt, + Septr. 4, 1666. S.P.] +This night Mrs. Turner (who, poor woman, was removing her goods +all this day, good goods into the garden, and knows not how to +dispose of them) and her husband supped with my wife and me at +night, in the office, upon a shoulder of mutton from the cook's, +without any napkin, or any thing, in a sad manner, but were +merry. Only now and then, walking into the garden, saw how +horribly the sky looks, all on a fire in the night, was enough to +put us out of our wits; and, indeed, it was extremely dreadfull, +for it looks just as if it was at us, and the whole heaven on +fire. I after supper walked in the dark down to Tower-street, +and there saw it all on fire, at the Trinity House on that side, +and the Dolphin Tavern on this side, which was very near us; and +the fire with extraordinary vehemence. Now begins the practice +of blowing up of houses in Tower-street, those next the Tower, +which at first did frighten people more than any thing; but it +stopped the fire where it was done, it bringing down the houses +to the ground in the same places they stood, and then it was easy +to quench what little fire was in it, though it kindled nothing +almost. W.Hewer this day went to see how his mother did, and +comes late home, telling us how he hath been forced to remove her +to Islington, her house in Pye-corner being burned; so that the +fire is got so far that way, and to the Old Bayly, and was +running down to Fleet-street; and Paul's is burned, and all +Cheepside. I wrote to my father this night, but the post-house +being burned, the letter could not go. + +5th. I lay down in the office again upon W. Hewer's quilt, being +mighty weary, and sore in my feet with going till I was hardly +able to stand. About two in the morning my wife calls me up, and +tells me of new cryes of fire, it being come to Barking Church, +which is the bottom of our lane. [Sethinge Lane.] I up; and +finding it so, resolved presently to take her away, and did, and +took my gold, which was about 2350l. W. Hewer, and Jane, down by +Proundy's boat to Woolwich; but Lord! what a sad sight it was by +moone-light to see the whole City almost on fire, that you might +see it plain at Woolwich, as if you were by it. There, when I +come, I find the gates shut, but no guard kept at all; which +troubled me, because of discourses now begun, that there is a +plot in it, and that the French had done it. I got the gates +open, and to Mr. Shelden's, where I locked up my gold, and +charged my wife and W. Hewer never to leave the room without one +of them in it, night or day. So back again, by the way seeing my +goods well in the lighters at Deptford, and watched well by +people. Home, and whereas I expected to have seen our house on +fire, it being now about seven o'clock, it was not. But to the +fire, and there find greater hopes than I expected; for my +confidence of finding our office on fire was such, that I durst +not ask any body how it was with us, till I come and saw it was +not burned. But going to the fire, I find by the blowing up of +houses, and the great help given by the workmen out of the King's +yards, sent up by Sir W. Pen, there is a good stop given to it, +as well at Marke-lane end, as ours; it having only burned the +dyall of Barking Church, and part of the porch, and was there +quenched. I up to the top of Barking steeple, and there saw the +saddest sight of desolation that I ever saw; every where great +fires, oyle-cellars, and brimstone, and other things burning. I +became afraid to stay there long, and therefore down again as +fast as I could, the fire being spread as far as I could see it; +and to Sir W. Pen's, and there eat a piece of cold meat, having +eaten nothing since Sunday, [He forgot the shoulder of mutton +from,the cook's the day before.] but the remains of Sunday's +dinner. Here I met with Mr. Young and Whistler; and having +removed all my things, and received good hopes that the fire at +our end is stopped, they and I walked into the town, and find +Fanchurch-street, Gracious-street, and Lumbard-street all in +dust. The Exchange a sad sight, nothing standing there, of all +the statues or pillars, but Sir Thomas Gresham's picture in the +corner. Into Moore-fields, (our feet ready to burn, walking +through the town among the hot coles,) and find that full of +people, and poor wretches carrying their goods there, and every +body keeping his goods together by themselves; (and a great +blessing it is to them that it is fair weather for them to keep +abroad night and day;) drunk there, and paid twopence for a plain +penny loaf. Thence homeward, having passed through Cheapside, +and Newgate market, all burned; and seen Anthony Joyce's house in +fire. And took up (which I keep by me) a piece of glass of +Mercer's chapel in the street, where much more was, so melted and +buckled with the heat of the fire like parchment. I also did see +a poor cat taken out of a hole in a chimney, joyning to the wall +of the Exchange, with the hair all burned off the body, and yet +alive. So home at night, and find there good hopes of saving our +office; but great endeavours of watching all night, and having +men ready; and so we lodged them in the office, and had drink and +bread and cheese for them. And I lay down and slept a good night +about midnight: though when I rose, I heard that there bad been +a great alarme of French and Dutch being risen, which proved +nothing. But it is a strange thing to see how long this time did +look since Sunday, having been always full of variety of actions, +and little sleep, that it looked like a week or more, and I had +forgot almost the day of the week. + +6th. Up about five o'clock; and met Mr. Gauden at the gate of +the office, (I intending to go out, as I used, every now and then +to-day, to see how the fire is,) to call our men to Bishop's- +gate, where no fire had yet been near, and there is now one broke +out: which did give great grounds to people, and to me too, to +think that there is some kind of plot in this, (on which many by +this time have been taken, and it hath been dangerous for any +stranger to walk in the streets,) but I went with the men, and we +did put it out in a little time; so that that was well again. It +was pretty to see how hard the women did work in the cannells, +sweeping of water; but then they would scold for drink, and be as +drunk as devils. I saw good butts of sugar broke open in the +street, and people give and take handsfull out, and put into +beer, and drink it. and now all being pretty well, I took boat, +and over to Southwarke, and took boat on the other side the +bridge, and so to Westminster, thinking to shift myself, being +all in dirt from top to bottom; but could not there find any +place to buy a shirt or a pair of gloves, Westminster Hall being +full of people's goods, those in Westminster having removed all +their goods, and the Exchequer money put into vessels to carry to +Nonsuch [Nonsuch House near Epsom, where the Exchequer had +formerly been kept.] but to the Swan, and there was trimmed: +and then to White Hall, but saw nobody; and so home. A sad sight +to see how the River looks: no houses nor church near it, to the +Temple, where it stopped. At home, did go with Sir W. Batten, +and our neighbour, Knightly, (who, with one more, was the only +man of any fashion left in all the neighbourhood thereabouts, +they all removing their goods, and leaving their houses to the +mercy of the fire,) to Sir R. Ford's, and there dined in an +earthen platter--a fried breast of mutton; a great many of us, +but very merry, and indeed as good a meal, though as ugly a one, +as ever I had in my life. Thence down to Deptford, and there +with great satisfaction landed all my goods at Sir G. Carteret's +safe, and nothing missed I could see or hear. This being done to +my great content, I home, and to Sir W. Batten's, and there with +Sir R. Ford, Mr. Knightly, and one Withers, a professed lying +rogue, supped well, and mighty merry, and our fears over. From +them to the office and there slept with the office full of +labourers, who talked, and slept, and walked all night long +there. But strange it is to see Clothworkers' Hall on fire these +three days and nights in one body of flame, it being the cellar +full of oyle. + +7th. Up by five o'clock; and, blessed be God! find all well; +and by water to Pane's Wharfe. Walked thence, and saw all the +towne burned, and a miserable sight of Paul's church, with all +the roofs fallen, and the body of the quire fallen into St. +Fayth's; Paul's school also, Ludgate, and Fleet-street. My +father's house, and the church, and a good part of the Temple the +like. So to Creed's lodging, near the New Exchange, and there +find him laid down upon a bed; the house all unfurnished, there +being fears of the fire's coming to them. There I borrowed a +shirt of him, and washed. To Sir W. Coventry, at St. James's, +who lay without curtains, having removed all his goods; as the +King at White Hall, and every body had done, and was doing. He +hopes we shall have no public distractions upon this fire, which +is what every body fears, because of the talk of the French +having a hand in it. And it is a proper time for discontents; +but all men's minds are full of care to protect themselves, and +save their goods: the militia is in arms every where. Our +fleetes, he tells me, have been is sight one of another, and most +unhappily by fowle weather were parted, to our great loss, as in +reason they do conclude; the Dutch being come out only to make a +shew, and please their people; but in very bad condition as to +stores, victuals, and men. They are at Boulogne, and our fleet +come to St. Ellen's. We have got nothing, but have lost one +ship, but he knows not what. Thence to the Swan, and there +drank; and so home, and find all well. My Lord Brouncker, at Sir +W. Batten's, tells us the Generall is sent for up, to come to +advise with the King about business at this juncture, and to keep +all quiet; which is great honour to him, but I am sure is but a +piece of dissimulation. So home, and did give orders for my +house to be made clean; and then down to Woolwich, and there find +all well. Dined, and Mrs. Markham come to see my wife. This day +our Merchants first met at Gresham College, which, by +proclamation, is to be their Exchange. Strange to hear what is +bid for houses; all up and down here; a friend of Sir W. Rider's +having 150l. for what he used to let for 40l. per annum. Much +dispute where the Custome-house shall be; thereby the growth of +the City again to be foreseen. My Lord Treasurer, they say, and +others, would have it at the other end of the town. I home late +to Sir W. Pen's, who did give me a bed; but without curtains or +hangings, all being down. So here I went the first time into a +naked bed, only my drawers on; and did sleep pretty well: but +still both sleeping and waking had a fear of fire in my heart, +that I took little rest. People do all the world over cry out of +the simplicity of my Lord Mayor in generall; and more +particularly in this business of the fire, laying it all upon +him. A proclamation is come out for markets to be kept at +Leadenhall and Mile-end-greene, and several other places about +the town; and Tower-hill, and all churches to be set open to +receive poor people. + +8th. I stopped with Sir G. Carteret to desire him to go with us, +and to enquire after money. But the first he cannot do, and the +other as little, or say "When we can get any, or what shall we do +for it?" He, it seems, is employed in the correspondence between +the City and the King every day, in settling of things. I find +him full of trouble, to think how things will go. I left him, +and to St. James's, where we met first at Sir W. Coventry's +chamber, and there did what business we could, without any books. +Our discourse, as every thing else, was confused. The fleet is +at Portsmouth, there staying a wind to carry them to the Downes, +or towards Boulogne, where they say the Dutch fleet is gone, and +stays. We concluded upon private meetings for a while, not +having any money to satisfy any people that may come to us. I +bought two eeles upon the Thames, cost me six shillings. Thence +with Sir W. Batten to the Cock-pit, whither the Duke of Albemarle +is come. It seems the King holds him so necessary at this time, +that he hath sent for him, and will keep him here. Indeed, his +interest in the City, being acquainted, and his care in keeping +things quiet, is reckoned that wherein he will be very +serviceable. We to him: he is courted in appearance by every +body. He very kind to us; and I perceive he lays by all business +of the fleet at present, and minds the City, and is now hastening +to Gresham College, to discourse with the Aldermen. Sir W. +Batten and I home, (where met by my brother John, come to town to +see how things are done with us,) and then presently he with me +to Gresham College; where infinity of people, partly through +novelty to see the new place, and partly to find out and hear +what has become one man of another. I met with many people +undone, and more that have extraordinary great losses. People +speaking their thoughts variously about the beginning of the +fire, and the rebuilding of the City. Then to Sir W. Batten's +and took my brother with me, and there dined with a great company +of neighbours, and much good discourse; among others, of the low +spirits of some rich men in the City, in sparing any +encouragement to the poor people that wrought for the saving +their houses. Among others, Alderman Starling, a very rich man, +without children, the fire at next door to him in our lane, after +our men had saved his house, did give 2s. 6d. among thirty of +them, and did quarrel with some that would remove the rubbish out +of the way of the fire, saying that they come to steal. Sir W. +Coventry told me of another this morning in Holborne, which he +showed the King: that when it was offered to stop the fire near +his house for such a reward that come but to 2s. 6d. a man among +the neighbours he would give but 18d. Thence to Bednall Green by +coach, my brother with me, and saw all well there, and fetched +away my journall-book to enter for five days past. I was much +frighted and kept awake in my bed, by some noise I heard a great +while below stairs; and the boys not coming up to me when I +knocked. It was by their discovery of some people stealing of +some neighbours' wine that lay in vessels in the streets. So to +sleep; and all well all night. + +9th. Sunday. Up; and was trimmed, and sent my brother to +Woolwich to my wife, to dine with her. I to church, where our +parson made a melancholy but good sermon; and many and most in +the church cried, specially the women. The church mighty full; +but few of fashion, and most strangers. To church again, and +there preached Dean Harding; [Probably Nathaniel Hardy, Dean of +Rochester.] but, methinks a bad, poor sermon, though proper for +the time; nor eloquent, in saying at this time that the City is +reduced from a large folio to a decimo-tertio. So to my office, +there to write down my journall, and take leave of my brother, +whom I send back this afternoon, though rainy: which it hath not +done a good while before. To Sir W. Pen's to bed, and made my +boy Tom to read me asleep. + +10th. All the morning clearing our cellars, and breaking in +pieces all my old lumber, to make room, and to prevent fire. And +then to Sir W. Batten's, and dined; and there hear that Sir W. +Rider says that the town is full of the report of the wealth that +is in his house, and would be glad that his friends would provide +for the safety of their goods there. This made me get a cart; +and thither, and there brought my money all away. Took a +hackney-coach myself, (the hackney-coaches now standing at +Allgate.) Much wealth indeed there is at his house. Blessed be +God, I got all mine well thence, and lodged it in my office; but +vexed to have all the world see it. And with Sir W Batten, who +would have taken away my hands before they were stowed. But by +and by comes brother Balty from sea, which I was glad of; and so +got him, and Mr. Tooker, and the boy, to watch with them all in +the office all night, while I went down to my wife. + +11th. In the evening at Sir W. Pen's at supper: he in a mad, +ridiculous, drunken humour; and it; seems there have been some +late distances between his lady and him, as my wife tells me. +After supper, I home, and with Mr. Hater, Gibson, [Probably Clerk +of the Cheque at Deptford in 1688.] and Tom alone, got all my +chests and money into the further cellar with much pains, but +great content to me when done. So very late and weary to bed. + +12th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sis W. Pen to St. James's +by water, and there did our usual business with the Duke of York. + +13th. Up, and down to Tower Wharfe; and there, with Balty and +labourers from Deptford, did get my goods housed well at home. +So down to Deptford again to fetch the rest, and there eat a bit +of dinner at the Globe, with the master of the Bezan with me, +while the labourers went to dinner. Here I hear that this poor +town do bury still of the plague seven or eight in a day. So to +Sir G. Carteret's to work, and there did to my content ship off +in the Bezan all the rest of my goods, saving my pictures and +fine things, that I will bring home in wherrys when the house is +fit to receive them: and so home, and unload them by carts and +hands before night, to my exceeding satisfaction: and so after +supper to bed in my house, the first time I have lain there. + +14th. Up, and to work, having carpenters come to help in setting +up bedsteads and hangings; and at that trade my people and I all +the morning, till pressed by publick business to leave them +against my will in the afternoon: and yet I was troubled in +being at home, to see all my goods lie up and down the house in a +bad condition, and strange workmen going to and fro might take +what they would almost. All the afternoon busy; and Sir W. +Coventry come to me, and found me, as God would have it, in my +office, and people about me setting my papers to rights; and +there discoursed about getting an account ready against the +Parliament, and thereby did create me infinity of business and to +be done on a sudden; which troubled me; but, however, he being +gone, I about it late, and to good purpose. and so home, having +this day also got my wine out of the ground again, and set it in +my cellar; but with great pain to keep the porters that carried +it in from observing the money-chests there. + +13th. Captain Cocke says be hath computed that the rents of the +houses lost this fire in the City comes to 600,000l. per annum; +that this will make the Parliament more quiet than otherwise they +would have been, and give the King a more ready supply; that the +supply must be by excise, as it is in Holland; that the +Parliament will see it necessary to carry on the war; that the +late storm hindered our beating the Dutch fleet, who were gone +out only to satisfy the people, having no business to do but to +avoid us; that the French, as late in the year as it is, are +coming; that the Dutch are really in bad condition, but that this +unhappiness of ours do give them heart: that there was a late +difference between my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry about +neglect in the latter to send away an express of the other's in +time; that it come before the King, and the Duke of York +concerned himself in it; but this fire hath stopped it. The +Dutch fleet is not gone home, but rather to the North, and so +dangerous to our Gottenburgh fleet. That the Parliament is +likely to fall foul upon some persons; and, among others, on the +Vice-chamberlaine, [Sir G. Carteret.] though we both believe +with little ground. That certainly never so great a loss as this +was borne so well by citizens in the world; he believing that not +one merchant upon the 'Change will break upon it. That he do not +apprehend there will be any disturbances in State upon it; for +that all men are busy in looking after their own business to save +themselves. He gone, I to finish my letters, and home to bed; +and find to my infinite joy many rooms clean; and myself and wife +lie in our own chamber again. But much terrified in the nights +now-a-days with dreams of fire, and falling down of houses. + +17th. Up betimes, and shaved myself after a week's growth: but, +Lord! how ugly I was yesterday and how fine to-day! By water, +seeing the City all the way, a sad sight indeed, much fire being +still in. Sir W. Coventry was in great pain lest the French +fleet should be passed by our fleet, who had notice of them on +Saturday, and were preparing to go meet them; but their minds +altered, and judged them merchant-men, when the same day the +Success, Captain Ball, made their whole fleet, and come to +Brighthelmstone, and thence at five o'clock afternoon, Saturday, +wrote Sir W. Coventry news thereof; so that we do much fear our +missing them. Hence come in and talked with him Sir Thomas +Clifford, [Eldest son of Hugh Clifford, Esq., of Ugbrooke, M.P. +for Totness, 1661, and knighted for his conduct in the sea-fight +1665. After filling several high offices, he was in 1672 created +Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, and constituted High Treasurer; +which place he resigned the following year, a few months before +his death.] who appears a very fine gentleman, and much set by +at Court for his activity in going to sea, and stoutness every +where, and stirring up and down. + +18th. This day the Parliament met, and adjourned till Friday, +when the King will be with them. + +19th. To St. James's, and did our usual business before the Duke +of York; which signified little, our business being only +complaints of lack of money. Here I saw a bastard of the late +King of Sweden's come to kiss his hands; a mighty modish French- +like gentleman. Thence to White Hall with Sir W. Batten and W. +Pen, to Wilkes's; and there did hear many stories of Sir Henry +Wood. [Clerk of the Spicery to Charles I.; and, after the +Restoration, Clerk to the Board of Green Cloth.] About Lord +Norwich drawing a tooth at a health. Another time, he and +Pinchbacke and Dr. Goffe, [Dr. Gough, Clerk of the Queen's +Closet, and her Assistant Confessor.] now a religious man:-- +Pinchbacke did begin a frolick to drink out of a glass with a +toad in it: he did it without harm. Goffe, who knew sacke would +kill the toad, called for sack; and when he saw it dead, says he, +"I will have a quick toad, and will not drink from a dead toad." +By that means, no other being to be found, he escaped the health. + +20th. The fleet is come into the Downes. Nothing done, nor +French fleet seen: we drove all from our anchors. But Sir G. +Carteret says news is come that De Ruyter is dead, or very near +it, of a hurt in his mouth, upon the discharge of one of his own +guns: which put him into a fever, and he likely to die, if not +already dead. + +21st. The Parliament meet to-day, and the King to be with them. +At the office, about our accounts, which now draw near the time +they should be ready, the House having ordered Sir G. Carteret, +upon his offering them, to bring them in on Saturday next. + +23rd. Mr. Wayth and I by water to White Hall, and there at Sir +G. Carteret's lodgings Sir W. Coventry met, and we did debate the +whole business of our accounts to the Parliament; where it +appears to us that the charge of the war from September 1, 1664, +to this Michaelmas, will have been but 3,200,000l., and we have +paid in that time somewhat about 2,200,000l.; so that we owe +above 900,000l.: but our method of accounting, though it cannot, +I believe, be far wide from the mark, yet will not abide a strict +examination if the Parliament should be troublesome. There +happened a pretty question of Sir W. Coventry, whether this +account of ours will not put my Lord Treasurer to a difficulty to +tell what is become of all the money the Parliament have given in +this time for the war, which hath amounted to about 4,000,000l. +which nobody there could answer; but I perceive they did doubt +what his answer could be. + +24th. Up, and down to look for Sir W. Coventry; and at last +found him and Sir G. Carteret with the Lord Treasurer at White +Hall, consulting how to make up my Lord Treasurer's general +account, as well as that; of the Navy particularly. + +25th. With all my people to get the letter writ over about the +Navy Accounts; and by coach to Lord Brouncker's, and got his hand +to it; and then to the Parliament House and got it signed by the +rest, and then delivered it at the House-door to Sir Philip +Warwicke; Sir G. Carteret being gone into the House with his book +of accounts under his arme, to present to the House. All night +still mightily troubled in my sleep with fire and houses pulling +down. + +26th. By coach home, calling at Bennet's, our late mercer, who +is come into Covent Garden to a fine house looking down upon the +Exchange. And I perceive many Londoners every day come. And Mr. +Pierce hath let his wife's closet, and the little blind +bedchamber, and a garret to a silk-man for 50l. fine, and 30l. +per annum, and 40l. per annum more for dieting the master and two +prentices. By Mr. Dugdale I hear the great loss of books in St. +Paul's Church-yard, and at their Hall also, which they value at +about 150,000l.; some book-sellers being wholly undone, and among +others they say my poor Kirton. And Mr. Crumlum, [Samuel +Cromleholme, or Crumlum, Master of St. Paul's School.] all his +books and household stuff burned; they trusting to St. Fayth's, +and the roof of the church falling, broke the arch down into the +lower church, and so all the goods burned. A very great loss. +His father hath lost above 1000l. in books; one book newly +printed, a Discourse, it seems, of Courts. Here I had the hap to +see my Lady Denham: and at night went into the dining-room and +saw several fine ladies; among others, Castlemaine, but chiefly +Denham again; and the Duke of York taking her aside and talking +to her in the sight of all the world, all alone; which was +strange, and what also I did not like. Here I met with good Mr. +Evelyn, who cries out against it, and calls it bickering; for the +Duke of York talks a little to her, and then she goes away, and +then he follows her again like a dog. He observes that none of +the nobility come out of the country at all, to help the King, or +comfort him, or prevent commotions at this fire; but do as if the +King were nobody; nor ne'er a priest comes to give the King and +Court good council, or to comfort the poor people that suffer; +but all is dead, nothing of good in any of their minds: he +bemoans it, and says he fears more ruin hangs over our heads. My +wife tells me she hath bought a gown of 15s. per yard; the same, +before her face, my Lady Castlemaine this day bought also. Sir +W. Pen proposes his and my looking out into Scotland about +timber, and to use Pett there; for timber will be a good +commodity this time of building the City. Our fleet abroad, and +the Dutch too, for all we know. The weather very bad: and under +the command of an unlucky man, I fear. God bless him and the +fleet under him! + +27th. A very furious blowing night all the night; and my mind +still mightily perplexed with dreams, and burning the rest of the +town; and waking in much pain for the fleet. I to look out +Penny, my tailor, to speak for a cloak and cassock for my +brother, who is coming to town; and I will have him in a +canonical dress, that he may be the fitter to go abroad with me. +No news of the fleet yet, but that they went by Dover on the 25th +towards the Gun-fleet; but whether the Dutch be yet abroad, or +no, we hear not. De Ruyter is not dead, but like to do well. +Most think that the gross of the French fleet are gone home +again. + +28th. Comes the bookbinder to gild the backs of my books. Sir +W. Pen broke to me a proposition of his and my joining in a +design of fetching timber and deals from Scotland, by the help of +Mr. Pett upon the place; which, while London is building, will +yield good money. I approve it. + +29th. Sir W. Coventry and I find to our great joy, that the +wages, victuals, wear and tear, cast by the medium of the men, +will come to above 3,000,000l.; and that the extraordinaries, +which all the world will allow us, will arise to more than will +justify the expence we have declared to have been at since the +war; viz. 320,000l. + +30th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where I have not been a +good while; and there the church infinitely thronged with +strangers since the fire come into our parish; but not one +handsome face in all of them, as if, indeed, there was a curse, +as Bishop Fuller heretofore said, upon our parish. This month +ends with my mind full of business and concernment how this +office will speed with the Parliament, which begins to be mighty +severe in the examining our accounts, and the expence of the Navy +this war. + +OCTOBER 1, 1666. All the morning at the office, getting the list +of all the ships and vessels employed since the war, for the +Committee of Parliament. + +2nd. Sir G. Carteret tells me how our lists are referred to a +Sub-committee to consider and examine, and that I am ordered to +be there. By and by the Committee met, and appointed me to +attend them to-morrow at the office to examine our lists. + +3rd. The Committee met, and I did make shift to answer them +better than I expected. Sir W. Batten, Lord Brouncker, W. Pen, +come in, but presently went out; and J. Minnes come in, and said +two or three words from the purpose but to do hurt; so away he +went also, and left me all the morning with them alone to stand +or fall. And it ended with good peace, and much seeming +satisfaction; but I find them wise and reserved, and instructed +to hit all our blots. + +4th. To Sir G. Carteret, and there discoursed much of the want +of money, and our being designed for destruction. How the King +hath lost his power, by submitting himself to this way of +examining his accounts, and is become but as a private man. He +says the King is troubled at it. But they talk an entry [In the +Journals of the House of Commons.] shall be made; that it is not +to be brought; into example; that the King must, if they do not +agree presently, make them a courageous speech, which he says he +may do (the City of London being now burned, and himself master +of an army) better than any prince before him. + +5th. The Sub-committee have made their report to the Grand +Committee, and in pretty kind terms. Captain Cocke told me of a +wild motion made in the House of Lords by the Duke of Buckingham, +for all men that have cheated the King to be declared traitors +and felons; and that my Lord Sandwich was named. Mr. Kirton's +kinsman, my bookseller, come in my may; and so I am told by him +that Mr. Kirton is utterly undone, and made 2 or 3000l. worse +than nothing, from being worth 7 or 8000l. That the goods laid +in the Churchyard fired through the windows those in St. Fayth's +church; and those coming to the warehouses' doors fired them, and +burned all the books and the pillars of the church, so as the +roof falling down, broke quite down; which it did not do in the +other places of the church, which is alike pillared, (which I +knew not before;) but being not burned, they stood still. He do +believe there is above 150,000l. of books burned; all the great +book-sellers almost undone: not only these, but their warehouses +at their Hall and under Christ-church, and elsewhere, being all +burned. A great want thereof there will be of books, specially +Latin books and foreign books; and, among others, the Polyglottes +and new Bible, which he believes will be presently worth 40l. a- +piece. + +6th. Sir W. Coventry and I discoursed of, among others, our sad +condition by want of a Controller; and it was his words, that he +believes, besides all the shame and trouble he [Sir John Minnes, +who performed the duties inefficiently.] hath brought on the +office, the King had better have given 100,000l. than ever have +had him there. He did discourse about some of these discontented +Parliament-men, and says that Birch is a false rogue, but that +Garraway is a man that hath not been well used by the Court, +though very stout to death, and hath suffered all that is +possible for the King from the beginning. But discontented as he +is, yet he never knew a Session of Parliament but that he hath +done some good deed for the King before it rose. I told him the +passage Cocke told me of--his having begged a brace of bucks of +the Lord Arlington for him, and when it come to him, he sent it +back again. Sir W. Coventry told me, it is much to be pitied +that the King should lose the service of a man so able and +faithful; and that he ought to be brought over, but that it is +always observed, that by bringing over one discontented man, you +raise up three in his room; which is a state lesson I never knew +before. But when others discover your fear, and that discontent +procures fear, they will be discontented too, and impose on you. + +7th. To White Hall, where met by Sir W. Batten and Lord +Brouncker, to attend the King and Duke of York at the Cabinet; +but nobody had determined what to speak of, but only in general +to ask for money. So I was forced immediately to prepare in my +mind a method of discoursing. And anon we were called in to the +Green Room, where the King, Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Lord +Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, Duke of Albemarle, Sirs G. Carteret, +W. Coventry, Morrice. Nobody beginning, I did, and made a +current, and I thought a good speech, laying open the ill state +of the Navy: by the greatness of the debt; greatness of the work +to do against next year; the time and materials it would take; +and our incapacity, through a total want of money. I had no +sooner done, but Prince Rupert rose up and told the King in a +heat, that whatever the gentleman had said, he had brought home +his fleet in as good a condition as ever any fleet was brought +home; that twenty boats would be as many as the fleet would want: +and all the anchors and cables left in the storm, might be taken +up again. This arose from my saying, among other things we had +to do, that the fleet was come in,--the greatest fleet that ever +his Majesty had yet together, and that in as bad condition as the +enemy or weather could put it. And to use Sir W. Pen's words, +who is upon the place taking a survey, he dreads the reports he +is to receive from the Surveyors of its defects. I therefore did +only answer, that I was sorry for his Highness's offence, but +that what I said was but the report we received from those +entrusted in the fleet to inform us. He muttered and repeated +what he had said; and so, after a long silence on all hands, +nobody, not so much as the Duke of Albemarle, seconding the +Prince, nor taking notice of what he said, we withdrew. I was +not a little troubled at this passage, and the more when speaking +with Jacke Fenn about it, he told me that the Prince will be +asking who this Pepys is, and find him to be a creature of my +Lord Sandwich's, and therefore this was done only to disparage +him. After all this pains, the King hath found out how to supply +us with 5 or 6000l., when 100,000l. were at this time but +absolutely necessary, and we mentioned 50,000l. I made my +brother in his cassocke to say grace this day, but I like his +voice so ill, that I begin to be sorry he hath taken orders. + +8th. Towards noon by water to Westminster Hall, and there by +several hear that the Parliament do resolve to do something to +retrench Sir G. Carteret's great salary; but cannot hear of any +thing bad they can lay to his charge. The House did this day +order to be engrossed the Bill against importing Irish cattle: a +thing, it seems carried on by the Western Parliament-men, wholly +against the sense of most of the rest of the House; who think if +you do this, you give the Irish again cause to rebel. Mr. Pierce +says, the Duke of York and Duke of Albemarle do not agree. The +Duke of York is wholly given up to this Lady Denham. The Duke of +Albemarle and Prince Rupert do less agree. The King hath +yesterday in Council declared his resolution of setting a fashion +for clothes, which he will never alter. It will be a vest, I +know not well how; but it is to teach the nobility thrift, and +will do good. By and by comes down from the Committee Sir W. +Coventry, and I find him troubled at several things happened this +afternoon. Which vexes me also; our business looking worse and +worse, and our work growing on our hands. Time spending, and no +money to set any thing in hand with; the end thereof must be +speedy ruin. The Dutch insult and have taken off Bruant's head, +which they had not dared to do (though found guilty of the fault +he did die for, of something of the Prince of Orange's faction) +till just now, which speaks more confidence in our being worse +than before. Alderman Maynell, I hear, is dead. Thence returned +in the dark by coach all alone, full of thoughts of the +consequences of this ill complexion of affairs, and how to save +the little I have, which if I can do, I have cause to bless God +that I am so well, and shall be well contented to retreat to +Brampton, and spend the rest of my days there. So to my office, +and finished my Journal with resolutions, if God bless me, to +apply myself soberly to settle all matters for myself and expect +the event of all with comfort. + +9th. To the office, where we sat the first day since the fire. + +10th. Fast-day for the fire. With Sir W. Batten by water to +White Hall, and anon had a meeting before the Duke of York, where +pretty to see how Sir W. Batten, that carried the surveys of all +the fleet with him to show their ill condition to the Duke of +York, when he found the Prince there, did not speak one word, +though the meeting was of his asking; for nothing else. And when +I asked him, he told me he knew the Prince too well to anger him, +so that he was afraid to do it. Thence with him to Westminster, +to the parish church, where the Parliament-men; and +Stillingfleete in the pulpit. So full, no standing there; so he +and I to eat herrings at the Dog Tavern. And then to church +again, and there was Mr. Frampton in the pulpit, whom they cry up +so much, a young man, and of a mighty ready tongue. I heard a +little of his sermon. Captain Cooke, who is mighty conversant +with Garraway and those people, tells me what they object as to +the mal-administration of things as to money. But that they mean +well, and will do well; but their reckonings are very good, and +show great faults, as I will insert here. They say the King hath +had towards this war expressly thus much:-- + + Royal Ayde . . . . . . L2,450,000 + More . . . . . . 1,250,000 + + Three months tax given the King by a power of ) + raising a month's tax of 70,000l. every year for) 0,210,000 + three years. ) + + Customes, out of which the King did promise to ) 0,480,000 + pay 240,000l. which for two years come to ) + + Prizes, which they moderately reckon at 0,300,000 + A debt declared by the Navy, by us 0,900,000 + --------- + 5,590,000 + + The whole charge of the Navy, as we state it ) 3,200,000 + for two years and a month, hath been but ) + + So what is become of all this sum? L2,390,000 + [The remainder of the receipts.] + +He and I did bemoan our public condition. He tells me the Duke +of Albemarle is under a cloud, and they have a mind at Court to +lay him aside. This I know not; but all things are not right +with him: and I am glad of it, but sorry for the time. + +11th. MEMORANDUM. I had taken my Journal during the fire and +the disorders following in loose papers until this very day, and +could not get time to enter them in my book till January 18, in +the morning, having made my eyes sore by frequent attempts this +winter to do it. But now it is done; for which I thank God, and +pray never the like occasion may happen. + +12th. The House have cut us off 150,000l. of our wear and tear, +for that which was saved by the King while the fleet lay in +harbour in winter. However, he seems pleased, and so am I, that +they have abated no more: and do intend to allow of 28,000 men +for the next year; and this day have appointed to declare the sum +they will give the King, and to propose the way of raising it; so +that this is likely to be the great day. + +13th. To White Hall, and there the Duke of York (who is gone +over to all his pleasures again, and leaves off care of business, +what with his woman, my Lady Denham, and his hunting three times +a week was just come in from hunting. So I stood and saw him +dress himself, and try on his vest, which is the King's new +fashion, and he will be in it for good and all on Monday next, +and the whole Court: it is a fashion, the King says, he will +never change. He being ready, he and my lord Chancellor, and +Duke of Albemarle, and Prince Rupert, Lord Bellasses, Sir H. +Cholmly, Povy, and myself, met at a Committee for Tangier. My +Lord Bellasses's propositions were read and discoursed of, about +reducing the garrison to less charge; and indeed I am mad in love +with my Lord Chancellor, for he do comprehend and speak out well, +and with the greatest easiness and authority that ever I saw man +in my life. I did never observe how much easier a man do speak +when he knows all the company to be below him, than in him; for +though he spoke indeed excellent well, yet his manner and freedom +of doing it, as if he played with it, and was informing only all +the rest of the company, was mighty pretty. He did call again +and again upon Mr. Povy for his accounts. I did think fit to +make the solemn tender of my accounts that I intended. I said +something that was liked, touching the want of money, and the bad +credit of our tallies. My Lord Chancellor moved that without any +trouble to any of the rest of the Lords, I might alone attend the +King, when he was with his private Council, and open the state of +the garrisons; want of credit: and all that could be done, +should. Most things moved were referred to Committees, and so we +broke up. And at the end Sir W. Coventry come; so I away with +him, and he discoursed with me something of the Parliament's +business. They have voted giving the King for the next year +1,800,000l.; which, were it not for his debts, were a great sum. + +14th. I met with Sir Stephen Fox, who told me much right I have +done myself, and how well it is represented by the Committee to +the House my readiness to give them satisfaction in every thing +when they were at the office. I was glad of this. He did +further discourse of Sir W. Coventry's great abilities, and how +necessary it were that I were of the House to assist him. I did +not own it, but do myself think it were not unnecessary, if +either he should die, or be removed to the Lords, or anything +happen to hinder his doing the like service the next trial; which +makes me think that it were not a thing very unfit; but I will +not move in it. + +15th. Colvill tells me of the viciousness of the Court; the +contempt the King brings himself into thereby; his minding +nothing, but doing all things just as his people about him will +have it! The Duke of York becoming a slave to this Lady Denham, +and wholly minds her. That there really were amours between the +Duchesse and Sidny; that there is reason to fear that, as soon as +the Parliament have raised this money, the King will see that he +hath got all that he can get, and then make up a peace; that Sir +W. Coventry is of the caball with the Duke of York, and Brouncker +with this Lady Denham: which is a shame, and I am sorry for it, +and that Sir W. Coventry do make her visits: but yet I hope it +is not so. Pierce tells me, that Lady Castlemaine is concluded +to be with child again; and that all the people about the King do +make no scruple of saying that the King do intrigue with Mrs. +Stewart, who, he says, is a most excellent-natured lady. This +day the King begins to put on his vest, and I did see several +persons of the House of Lords and Commons too, great courtiers, +who are in it; being a long cassocke close to the body, of black +cloth, and pinked with white silk under it, and a coat over it, +and the legs ruffled with black riband like a pigeon's leg: and +upon the whole I wish the King may keep it, for it is a very fine +and handsome garment. Lady Carteret tells me ladies are to go +into a new fashion shortly and that is, to wear short coats, +above their ancles; which she and I not like; but conclude this +long trayne to be mighty graceful. But she cries out of the +vices of the Court, and how they are going to set up plays +already; and how, the next day after the late great fast, the +Duchesse of York did give the King and Queene a play. Nay, she +told me that they have heretofore had plays at Court, the very +nights before the fast for the death of the late King. She do +much cry out upon these things, and that which she believes will +undo the whole nation: and I fear so too. This day the great +debate was in Parliament, the manner of raising the 1,800,000l. +they voted the King on Friday: and at last, after many +proposals, one moved that the Chimney-money might be taken from +the King, and an equal revenue of something else might be found +for the King; and people be enjoyned to buy off this tax of +Chimney-money for ever at eight years' purchase, which will raise +present money, as they think, 1,600,000l., and the State be eased +of an ill burthen, and the King be supplied of something as good +or better for his use. The House seems to like this, and put off +the debate to to-morrow. + +17th. The Court is all full of vests, only my Lord St. Albans +not pinked, but plain black; and they say the King says the +pinking upon whites makes them look too much like magpyes, and +therefore hath bespoke one of plain velvet. + +18th. To Lovett's house, where I stood godfather. But it was +pretty that, being a Protestant, a man stood by and was my proxy +to answer for me. A priest christened it, and the boy's name is +Samuel. The ceremonies many, and some foolish. The priest in a +gentleman's dress, more than my own: but is a Capuchin, one of +the Queen-mother's priests. He did give my proxy and the woman +proxy, (my Lady Bills, [Probably the widow of Sir Thomas Pelham, +who re-married John Bills, Esq, of Caen Wood, and retained the +title derived from her first husband with the name of her +second.] absent, had a proxy also,) good advice to bring up the +child, and at the end that he ought never to marry the child nor +the godmother, nor the godmother the child or the godfather: +but, which is strange, they say the mother of the child and the +godfather may marry. By and by the Lady Bills come in, a well- +bred but crooked woman. The poor people of the house had good +wine, and a good cake; and she a pretty woman in her lying-in +dress. It cost me near 40s. the whole christening: to midwife +20s., nurse 10s., maid 2s. 6d., and the coach 5s. The business of +buying off the Chimney-money is passed in the House; and so the +King to be satisfied some other way, and the King supplied with +the money raised by this purchasing off of the chimnies. + +19th. Nothing but distraction and confusion in the affairs of +the Navy; which makes me wish with all my heart, that I were well +and quietly settled with what little I have got at Brampton, +where I might live peaceably, and study, and pray for the good of +the King and my country. + +20th. Commissioner Middleton [Thomas Middleton, made a +Commissioner of the Navy, 1664.] says, that the fleet was in +such a condition, as to discipline, as if the Devil had commanded +it; so much wickedness of all sorts. Enquiring how it came to +pass that so many ships had miscarried this year, he tells me +that he enquired; and the pilots do say, that they dare not do +nor go but as the Captains will have them; and if they offer to +do otherwise, the Captains swear they will run them through. +He says that he heard Captain Digby (my Lord of Bristoll's son, a +young fellow that never was but one year, if that, in the fleet,) +say that he did hope he should not see a tarpawlin [Tarpawlin, a +sailor.] have the command of a ship within this twelve months. +He observed while he was on board the Admirall, when the fleet +was at Portsmouth, that there was a faction there. Holmes +commanded all on the Prince's side, and Sir Jeremy Smith on the +Duke's, and every body that come did apply themselves to one side +or other; and when the Duke of Albemarle was gone away to come +hither, then Sir Jeremy Smith did hang his head, and walked in +the General's ship but like a private commander. He says he was +on board the Prince, when the news come of the burning of London; +and all the Prince said was, that now Shipton's prophecy was out; +and he heard a young commander presently swear, that a citizen's +wife that would not take under half a piece before, would be +contented with half-a-crowne: and made mighty sport of it. My +Lord Chancellor the other day did ask Sir G. Carteret how it come +to pass that his friend Pepys do so much magnify the bad +condition of the fleet. Sir G. Carteret tells me that he +answered him, that I was but the mouth of the rest, and spoke +what they have dictated to me; which did, as he says, presently +take off his displeasure. They talk that the Queene hath a great +mind to alter her fashion, and to have the feet seen; which she +loves mightily. + +21st. Sir H. Cholmly tells me how Mr. Williamson stood in a +little place to have come into the House of Commons, and they +would not choose him; they said, "No courtier." And which is +worse, Bab May went down in great state to Winchelsea with the +Duke of York's letters, not doubting to be chosen; and there the +people chose a private gentleman in spite of him, and cried out +they would have no Court pimp to be their burgesse; which are +things that bode very ill. + +24th. Holmes did last Sunday deliver in his articles to the King +and Cabinet against Smith, and Smith hath given in his answer, +and lays his not accompanying the fleet to his pilot, who would +not undertake to carry the ship further; which the pilot +acknowledges. The thing is not accommodated, but only taken up, +and both sides commanded to be quiet, but no peace like to be. +The Duke of Albemarle is Smith's friend, and hath publickly sworn +that he would never go to sea again, unless Holmes's commission +were taken from him. I find by Hayes [Prince Rupert's +secretary.] that they did expect great glory in coming home in +so good condition as they did with the fleet; and therefore I the +less wonder that the Prince was distasted with my discourse the +other day about the sad state of the fleet. But it pleases me to +hear that he did expect great thanks, and lays the fault of the +want; of it upon the fire, which deadened every thing, and the +glory of his services. + +25th. To Mrs. Pierce's, where she was making herself mighty fine +to go to a great ball to-night at Court, being the Queene's +birth-day; so the ladies for this one day wear laces, but are to +put them off again to-morrow, To Mrs. Williams's, where we met +Knipp. I was glad to see the jade. Made her sing; and she told +us they begin at both houses to act on Monday next. But I fear +after all this sorrow, their gains will be but little. Mrs. +Williams says, the Duke's house will now be much the better of +the two, because of their women; which I was glad to hear. + +27th. The two Houses begin to be troublesome: the Lords to have +quarrels one with another. My Lord Duke of Buckingham having +said to the Lord Chancellor (who is against the passing of the +Bill for prohibiting the bringing over of Irish cattle,) that +whoever was against the Bill, was there led to it by an Irish +interest, or an Irish understanding, which is as much as to say +be is a fool; this bred heat from my Lord Chancellor, and +something he said did offend my Lord of Ossory (my Lord Duke of +Ormond's son,) and they two had hard words, upon which the latter +sends a challenge to the former; of which the former complains to +the House, and so the business is to be heard on Monday next. +Then as to the Commons; some ugly knives, like poignards, to stab +people with, about two or three hundred of them were brought in +yesterday to the House, found in one of the houses rubbish that +was burned, and said to be the house of a Catholique. This and +several letters out of the country, saying how high the +Catholiques are every where and bold in the owning their +religion, hath made the Commons mad, and they presently voted +that the King be desired to put all Catholiques out of +employment, and other high things; while the business of money +hangs in the hedge. + +28th. Captain Guy to dine with me, and he and I much talk +together. He cries out of the discipline of the fleet, and +confesses really that; the true English valour we talk of, is +almost spent and worn out; few of the commanders doing what they +should do, and he much fears we shall therefore be beaten the +next year. He assures me we were beaten home the last June +fight, and that the whole fleet was ashamed to hear of our +bonfires. He commends Smith and cries out of Holmes for an idle, +proud, conceited, though stout fellow. He tells me we are to owe +the loss of so many ships on the sands, not to any fault of the +pilots, but to the weather; but in this I have good authority to +fear there was something more. He says the Dutch do fight in +very good order, and we in none at all. He says that in the July +fight, both the Prince and Holmes had their belly-fulls, and were +fain to go aside; though, if the wind had continued, we had +utterly beaten them. He do confess the whole to be governed by a +company of fools, and fears our ruine. The Revenge having her +forecastle blown up with powder to the killing of some men in the +River, and the Dyamond's being overset in the careening at +Sheernese, are further marks of the method all the King's work is +now done in. The Foresight also and another come to disasters in +the same place this week in the cleaning; which is strange. + +29th. Up, and to the office to do business, and thither comes to +me Sir Thomas Teddiman, and he and I walked a good while in the +garden together, discoursing of the disorder and discipline of +the fleet, wherein he told me how bad every thing is; but was +very wary in speaking any to the dishonour of the Prince or Duke +of Albemarle, but do magnify my Lord Sandwich much before them +both, from ability to serve the King, and do heartily wish for +him here. For he fears that we shall be undone the next year, +but that he will, however, see an end of it. To Westminster; and +I find the new Lord Mayor Bolton a-swearing at the Exchequer, +with some of the Aldermen and Livery; but Lord! to see how +meanely they now look, who upon this day used to be all little +lords, is a sad sight and worthy consideration. And every body +did reflect with pity upon the poor City, to which they are now +coming to choose and swear their Lord Mayor, compared with what +it heretofore was. To my goldsmith to bid him look out for some +gold for me; and he tells me that ginnys, which I bought 2000 of +not long ago, and cost me 18 1/2d. change, will now cost me 22d.; +and but very few to be had at any price. However, some more I +will have, for they are very convenient, and of easy disposal. +To White Hall, and into the new playhouse there, the first time I +ever was there, and the first play I have seen since before the +great plague. By and by Mr. Pierce comes, bringing my wife and +his, and Knipp. By and by the King and Queen, Duke and Duchesse, +and all the great ladies of the Court; which, indeed, was a fine +sight. But the play, being "Love in a Tub," [A comedy, by Sir +George Etheridge.] a silly play, and though done by the Duke's +people, yet having neither Beterton nor his wife, [Vide Note to +Feb. 1, 1663-4.] and the whole thing done ill, and being ill +also, I had no manner of pleasure in the play. Besides, the +House, though very fine, yet bad for the voice, for hearing. The +sight of the ladies, indeed, was exceeding noble; and above all, +my Lady Castlemaine. The play done by ten o'clock. + +NOVEMBER 2, 1666. On board the Ruby French prize, the only ship +of war we have taken from any of our enemies this year. It seems +a very good ship, but with galleries quite round the sterne to +walk in as a balcone, which will be taken down. + +4th. My taylor's man brings my vest home, and coat to wear with +it and belt, and silver-hilted sword. I waited in the gallery +till the Council was up, and did speak with Mr. Cooling, my Lord +Chamberlain's secretary, who tells me my Lord Generall is become +mighty low in all people's opinion, and that he hath received +several slurs from the King and Duke of York. The people at +Court do see the difference between his and the Prince's +management, and my Lord Sandwich's. That this business which he +is put upon of crying out against the Catholiques and turning +them out of all employment, will undo him, when he comes to turn +the officers out of the Army, and this is a thing of his own +seeking. That he is grown a drunken sot, and drinks with nobody +but Troutbecke, whom nobody else will keep company with. Of whom +he told me this story; that once the Duke of Albemarle in his +drink taking notice as of a wonder that Nan Hide should ever come +to be Duchesse of York: "Nay," says Troutbecke, "ne'er wonder at +that; for if you will give me another bottle of wine, I will tell +you as great, if not greater, a miracle." And what was that, but +that our dirty Besse (meaning his Duchesse) should come to be +Duchesse of Albemarle? + +5th. To my Lady Peterborough, who had sent to speak with me. +She makes mighty mourn of the badness of the times, and her +family as to money. My Lord's passionateness for want thereof, +and his want of coming in of rents, and no wages from the Duke +of York. No money to be had there for wages or disbursements, +and therefore prays my assistance about his pension. To my Lord +Crewe's, and there dined, and mightily made of. Here my Lord, +and Sir Thomas Crewe, Mr. John, and Dr, Crewe, [Nathaniel, +afterwards Bishop of Durham and Baron Crewe.] and two strangers. +The best family in the world for goodness and sobriety. Here +beyond my expectation I met my Lord Hinchingbroke, who is come to +town two days since from Hinchingbroke, and brought his sister +and brother Carteret with him, who are at Sir G. Carteret's. +After dinner I and Sir Thomas Crewe went aside to discourse of +public matters, and do find by him that all the country gentlemen +are publickly jealous of the courtiers in the Parliament, and +that they do doubt every thing that they propose; and that the +true reason why the country-gentlemen are for a land-tax and +against a general excise, is, because they are fearful that if +the latter be granted, they shall never get it down again; +whereas the land-tax will be but for so much, and when the war +ceases, there will be no ground got by the court to keep it up. +He says the House would be very glad to get something against Sir +G. Carteret, and will not let their inquiries die till they have +got something. He do, from what he hath heard at the Committee +for examining the burning of the City, conclude it as a thing +certain, that it was done by plots; it being proved by many +witnesses that endeavours were made in several places to encrease +the fire, and that both in City and country it was bragged by +several Papists, that upon such a day or in such a time we should +find the hottest weather that ever was in England; and words of +plainer sense. But my Lord Crewe was discoursing at table how +the Judges have determined in the case whether the landlords or +the tenants (who are, in their leases, all of them generally tied +to maintain and uphold their houses,) shall bear the loss of the +fire; and they say, that tenants should against all casualties of +fire beginning either in their own, or in their neighbour's; but, +where it is done by an enemy, they are not to do it. And this +was by an enemy, there having been one convicted and hanged upon +this very score. This is an excellent salve for the tenants, and +for which I am glad, because of my father's house. After dinner +and this discourse, I took coach, and at the same time find my +Lord Hinchingbroke and Mr. John Crewe and the Doctor going out to +see the ruins of the City; so I took the Doctor into my hackney- +coach, (and he is a very fine sober gentleman,) and so through +the City. But Lord! what pretty and sober observations he made +of the City and its desolation; anon we come to my house, and +there I took them upon Tower-Hill to show them what houses were +pulled down there since the fire; and then to my house, where I +treated them with good wine of several sorts, and they took it +mighty respectfully, and a fine company of gentlemen they are; +but above all I was glad to see my Lord Hinchingbroke drink no +wine at all. I home by coach, but met not one bonfire through +the whole town in going round by the wall, which is strange, and +speaks the melancholy disposition of the City at present, while +never more was said of, and feared of, and done against the +Papists, than just at this time. + +7th. Called at Faythorne's to buy some prints for my wife to +draw by this winter, and here did see my Lady Castlemaine's +picture, done by him from Lilly's, in red chalke, and other +colours, by which he hath cut it in copper to be printed. The +picture in chalke is the finest thing I ever saw in my life, I +think; and I did desire to buy it; but he says he must keep it +awhile to correct his copper-plate by, and when that is done he +will sell it me. By the Duke of York his discourse to-day in his +chamber, they have it at Court, as well as we here, that a fatal +day is to be expected shortly, of some great mischief; whether by +the Papists, or what, they are not certain. But the day is +disputed; some say next Friday, others a day sooner, others +later, and I hope all will prove a foolery. But it is observable +how every bodys fears are busy at this time. + +8th. I to Westminster Hall, and there met Mr. Grey, who tells me +the House is sitting still, (and now it was six o'clock,) and +likely to sit till midnight; and have proceeded fair to give the +King his supply presently. And herein have done more to-day than +was hoped for. Sir W. Coventry did this night tell me how the +business is about Sir J. Minnes; that he is to be a commissioner, +and my Lord Brouncker and Sir W. Pen are to be Controller +jointly, which I am very glad of, and better than if they were +either of them alone; and do hope truly that the King's business +will be better done thereby, and infinitely better than now it +is. Mr. Grey did assure me this night, that he was told this +day, by one of the greater Ministers of State in England, and one +of the King's Cabinet, that we had little left to agree on +between the Dutch and us towards a peace, but only the place of +treaty; which do astonish me to hear, but I am glad of it, for I +fear the consequence of the war. But he says that the King, +having all the money he is like to have, we shall be sure of a +peace in a little time. + +9th. To Mrs. Pierce's by appointment, where we find good +company: a fair lady, my Lady Prettyman, Mrs. Corbet, Knipp; and +for men, Captain Downing, Mr. Lloyd, Sir W. Coventry's clerk, and +one Mr. Tripp, who dances well. After our first bout of dancing, +Knipp, and I to sing, and Mercer and Captain Downing (who loves +and understands musick) would by all means have my song of +"Beauty retire:" which Knipp had spread abroad, and he extols it +above any thing he ever heard. Going to dance again, and then +comes news that White Hall was on fire. And presently more +particulars, that the Horse-guard was on fire. And so we run up +to the garret, and find it so; a horrid great fire. And by and +by we saw and heard part of it blown up with powder. The ladies +begun presently to be afraid: one fell into fits. The whole +town in an alarm. Drums beat and trumpets, and the Horse-guards +every where spread, running up and down in the street. And I +begun to have mighty apprehensions how things might be, for we +are in expectation (from common fame) this night or to-morrow to +have a massacre, by the having so many fires one after another, +as that in the City, and at same time begun in Westminster, by +the Palace, but put out; and since in Southwarke, to the burning +down some houses. And now this do make all people conclude there +is something extraordinary in it; but nobody knows what. By and +by comes news that the fire is slackened; so then we were a +little cheered up again, and to supper, and pretty merry. But +above all there comes in the dumb boy that I knew in Oliver's +time, who is mightily acquainted here, and with Downing. And he +made strange signs of the fire, and how the King was abroad, and +many things they understood, but I could not. Which I wondered +at, and discoursing with Downing about it, "Why," says he, "it is +only a little use, and you will understand him, and make him +understand you with as much ease as may be." So I prayed him to +tell him that I was afraid that my coach would be gone, and that +he should go down and steal one of the seats out of the coach and +keep it, and that would make the coachman to stay. He did this, +so that the dumb boy did go down, and like a cunning rogue went +into the coach, pretending to sleep, and by and by fell to his +work, but finds the seats nailed to the coach. So he could not +do it; however, stayed there, and stayed the coach, till the +coachman's patience was quite spent, and beat the dumb boy by +force, and so went away. So the dumb boy came up and told him +all the story, which they below did see all that passed, and knew +it to be true. After supper another dance or two, and then news +that the fire is as great as ever, which put us all to our wits' +end; and I mightily anxious to go home, but the coach being gone, +and it being about ten at night, and rainy dirty weather, I knew +not what to do; but to walk out with Mr. Batelier, myself +resolving to go home on foot, and leave the women there. And so +did; but at the Savoy got a coach, and come back and took up the +women, and so (having, by people come from the fire, understood +that the fire was overcome, and all well,) we merrily parted, and +home. Stopped by several guards and constables quite through the +town, (round the wall as we went,) all being in arms. + +10th. The Parliament did fall foul of our accounts again +yesterday; and we must arme to have them examined, which I am +sorry for: it will bring great trouble to me, and shame upon the +office. This is the fatal day that every body hath discoursed +for a long time to be the day that the Papists, or I know not +who, have designed to commit a massacre upon; but, however, I +trust in God we shall rise to-morrow morning as well as ever. I +hear that my Lady Denham is exceeding sick, even to death, and +that she says, and every body else discourses, that she is +poisoned; and Creed tells me, that it is said that there hath +been a design to poison the King. What the meaning of all these +sad signs is the Lord only knows, but every day things look worse +and worse. God fit us for the worst! + +12th. Creed tells me of my Lady Denham, whom every body says is +poisoned, and she hath said it to the Duke of York; but is upon +the mending hand, though the town says she is dead this morning. +This day I received 450 pieces of gold more of Mr. Stokes, but +cost me 22 1/2d. change. But I am well contented with it, I +having now nearly 2800l. in gold, and will not rest till I get +full 3000l. Creed and I did stop (the Duke of York being just +going away from seeing of it) at Pauls, and in the Convocation- +House Yard did there see the body of Robert Braybrooke, Bishop of +London, that died 1404. He fell down in the tomb out of the +great church into St. Fayth's this late fire, and is here seen +his skeleton with the flesh on; but all tough and dry like a +spongy dry leather, or touchwood all upon his bones. His head +turned aside. A great man in his time, and Lord Chancellor. And +now exposed to be handled and derided by some, though admired for +its duration by others. Many flocking to see it. + +14th, Knipp tells me how Smith, of the Duke's house, hath killed +a man upon a quarrel in play; which makes every body sorry, he +being a good actor, and they say a good man, however this +happens. The ladies of the Court do much bemoan him. Sir G. +Carteret tells me that just now my Lord Hollis had been with him, +and wept to think in what a condition we are fallen. Dr. Croone +[William Croune of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, chosen Rhetoric +Professor at Gresham College 1659, F.R.S. and M.D. Ob. 1684.] +told me, that at the meeting at Gresham College to-night (which +it seems, they now have every Wednesday again,) there was a +pretty experiment of the blood of one dog let out (till he died) +into the body of another on one side, while all his own run out +on the other side. The first died upon the place, and the other +very well, and likely to do well. This did give occasion to many +pretty wishes, as of the blood of a Quaker to be let into an +Archbishop, and such like; but, as Dr. Croone says, may, if it +takes, be of mighty use to man's health, for the amending of bad +blood by borrowing from a better body. + +15th. To Mrs. Pierce's, where I find her as fine as possible, +and Mr. Pierce going to the ball at night at Court, it being the +Queene's birthday. I also to the ball, and with much ado got up +to the loft, where with much trouble I could see very well. Anon +the house grew full, and the candles light, and the King and +Queene and all the ladies sat: and it was, indeed, a glorious +sight to see Mrs. Stewart in black and white lace, and her head +and shoulders dressed with diamonds, and the like many great +ladies more (only the Queene none;) and the King in his rich vest +of some rich silk and silver trimming, as the Duke of York and +all the dancers were, some of cloth of silver, and others of +other sorts, exceeding rich. Presently after the King was come +in, he took the Queene, and about fourteen more couple there was, +and begun the Bransles. As many of the men as I can remember +presently, were, the King, Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Duke of +Monmouth, Duke of Buckingham, Lord Douglas, Mr. Hamilton, +Colonell Russell, Mr. Griffith, Lord Ossory, Lord Rochester; and +of the ladies, the Queene, Duchesse of York, Mrs. Stewart, +Duchesse of Monmouth, Lady Essex Howard, [Only daughter of James +third Earl of Suffolk, by his first wife Susan, daughter of Henry +Rich Earl of Holland; afterwards married to Edward Lord Griffin +of Braybrooke. There is a portrait of her at Audley End, by +Lely.] Mrs. Temple, Swedes Embassadresse, Lady Arlington, +[Isabella, of Nassau, daughter of Lord Beverweert, natural son of +Prince Maurice. She was sister to the Countess of Ossory, and +mother of the first Duchess of Grafton.] Lord George Barkeley's +daughter, and many others I remember not; but all most +excellently dressed in rich petticoats and gowns, and dyamonds +and pearls. After the Bransles, then to a Corant, and now and +then a French dance; but that so rare that the Corants grew +tiresome, that I wished it done. Only Mrs. Stewart danced mighty +finely, and many French dances, specially one the King called the +New Dance, which was very pretty. But upon the whole matter, the +business of the dancing of itself was not extraordinary pleasing. +But the clothes and sight of the persons were indeed very +pleasing, and worth my coming, being never likely to see more +gallantry while I live, if I should come twenty times. Above +twelve at night it broke up. My Lady Castlemaine (without whom +all is nothing) being there very rich, though not dancing. + +16th. This noon I met with Mr. Hooke, and he tells me the dog +which was filled with another dog's blood, at the College the +other day, is very well, and like to be so as ever, and doubts +not its being found of great use to men; and so do Dr. Whistler, +who dined with us at the tavern. + +19th. To Barkeshire-house; [Belonging to the Earl of Berkshire: +afterwards purchased by Charles II., and presented to the Duchess +of Cleveland, it was then of great extent, and stood on or near +the site of Lord Stafford's present residence.] where my Lord +Chancellor hath been ever since the fire. Sir Thomas Crewe told +me how hot words grew again to-day in the House of Lords between +my Lord Ossory and Ashly, the former saying that something said +by the other was said like one of Oliver's Council. Ashly said +he must give him reparation, or he would take it his own way. +The House therefore did bring my Lord Ossory to confess his +fault, and ask pardon for it, as he did also to my Lord +Buckingham, for saying that something was not truth that my Lord +Buckingham had said. + +20th. To church, it being thanksgiving-day for the cessation of +the plague; but, Lord! how the town do say that it is hastened +before the plague is quite over, there being some people still +ill of it, but only to get ground of plays to be publickly acted, +which the Bishops would not suffer till the plague was over; and +one would think so, by the suddenness of the notice given of the +day, which was last Sunday, and the little ceremony. By coach to +Barkeshire-house, and there did get a very great meeting; the +Duke of York being there, and much business done, though not in +proportion to the greatness of the business, and my Lord +Chancellor sleeping and snoring the greater part of the time. + +21st. I to wait on Sir Philip Howard, whom I find dressing +himself in his night-gown and turban like a Turke, but one of the +finest persons that ever I saw in my life. He had several +gentlemen of his own waiting on him, and one playing finely on +the gittar. He discourses as well as ever I heard a man, in few +words and handsome. He expressed all kindness to Balty, when I +told him how sicke he is. He says that before he comes to be +mustered again, he must bring a certificate of his swearing the +oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and having taken the Sacrament +according to the rites of the Church of England. This, I +perceive, is imposed on all. + +22nd. My Lord Brouncker did show me Hollar's new print of the +City, with a pretty representation of that part which is burnt, +very fine indeed; and tells me, that he was yesterday sworn the +King's servant, and that the King hath commanded him to go on +with his great map of the City, which he was upon before the City +was burned, like Gombout of Paris, which I am glad of. Mr. +Batelier tells me the news how the King of France hath in +defiance to the King of England caused all his footmen to be put +into vests, and that the noblemen of France will do the like; +which, if true, is the greatest indignity ever done by one Prince +to another, and would excite a stone to be revenged; and I hope +our King will, if it be so, as he tells me it is: being told by +one that come over from Paris with my Lady Fanshaw, (who is come +over with the dead body of her husband,) and that saw it before +he come away. This makes me mighty merry, it being an ingenious +kind of affront; but yet makes me angry, to see that the King of +England is become so little as to have the affront offered him. + +23rd. I spoke with Sir G. Downing about our prisoners in Holland +and their being released; which he is concerned in, and most of +them are. Then discoursing of matters of the House of +Parliament, he tells me that it is not the fault of the House, +but the King's own party that have hindered the passing of the +Bill for money, by their popping in of new projects for raising +it: which is a strange thing; and mighty confident he is, that +what money is raised, will be raised and put into the same form +that the last was, to come into the Exchequer. And for aught I +see, I must confess I think it is the best way. + +24th. With Sir J. Minnes by coach to Stepney to the Trinity +House, where it is kept again now since the burning of their +other house in London. And here a great many met at Sir Thomas +Allen's feast, of his being made an Elder Brother; but he is +sick, and so could not be there. Here was much good company, and +very merry ; but the discourse of Scotland it seems is confirmed, +and that they are 4000 of them in armes, and do declare for King +and Covenant, which is very ill news. I pray God deliver us from +the ill consequences we may justly fear from it. Sir Philip +Warwick I find is full of trouble in his mind to see how things +go, and what our wants are; and so I have no delight to trouble +him with discourse, though I honour the man with all my heart, +and I think him to be a very able right-honest man. + +25th. To Sir G. Carteret's to dinner; where much company. Among +others, Mr. Carteret and my Lady Jemimah, and Mr. Ashburnham, the +great man; who is a pleasant man, and that hath seen much of the +world, and more of the Court. Into the Court, and attended there +till the Council met, and then was called in, and I read my +letter. My Lord Treasurer declared that the King had nothing to +give, till the Parliament did give him some money. So the King +did of himself bid me to declare to all that would take our +tallies for payment, that he should, soon as the Parliament's +money do come in, take back their tallies, and give them money: +which I giving him occasion to repeat to me (it coming from him +against the gre, I perceive, of my Lord Treasurer,) I was content +therewith and went out. All the talk of Scotland, where the +highest report I perceive, runs but upon three or four hundred in +armes. Here I saw Mrs. Stewart this afternoon, methought the +beautifullest creature that ever I saw in my life, more than ever +I thought her, so often as I have seen her and I do begin to +think do exceed my Lady Castlemaine, at least now. This being +St. Katherine'a day, the Queene was at masse by seven o'clock +this morning; and Mr. Ashburnham do say that he never saw any one +have so much zeale in his life as she hath: and (the question +being asked by my Lady Carteret,) much beyond the bigotry that +ever the old Queene-mother had. I spoke with Mr. May, [Hugh +May.] who tells me that the design of building the City do go on +apace, and by his description it will be mighty handsome, and to +the satisfaction of the people; but I pray God it come not out +too late. Mr. Ashburnham today, at dinner told how the rich +fortune Mrs. Mallett reports of her servants; that my Lord +Herbert [William Lord Herbert succeeded his father as (sixth) +Earl of Pembroke, 1669. Ob, unmarried 1674.] would have her; my +Lord Hinchingbroke was indifferent to have her; my Lord John +Butler [Seventh son of the Duke of Ormond, created 1676 Baron of +Aghrim, Viscount of Clonmore, and Earl of Gowran. Ob. 1677, +s. p.] not have her; my Lord of Rochester would have forced her, +and Sir -- Popham [Probably Sir Francis Popham, K.B.] (who +nevertheless is likely to have her), would do any thing to have +her. + +26th. Into the House of Parliament, where at a great committee I +did hear as long as I would the great case against my Lord +Mordaunt, for some arbitrary proceedings of his against one +Taylor whom he imprisoned and did all the violence to imaginable, +only to get him to give way to his abusing his daughter. [John +Mordaunt, younger son to the first, and brother to the second +Earl of Peterborough, having incurred considerable personal risk +in endeavouring to promote the King's Restoration, was in 1659, +created Baron Mordaunt of Reigate, and Viscount Mordaunt of +Avalon. He was soon afterwards made K.G. and constituted Lord +Lieutenant of Surrey, and Constable of Windsor Castle; which +offices he held till his death, in 1675. In January 1666-7, Lord +Mordaunt was impeached by the House of Commons for forcibly +ejecting William Tayleur and his family from the apartments which +they occupied in Windsor Castle, where Tayleur held some +appointment, and imprisoning him because he had presumed to offer +himself as a candidate for the borough of Windsor. Lord M. was +also accused of improper conduct towards Tayleur's daughter. He, +however, denied all these charges in his place in the House of +Lords, and put in an answer to the articles of impeachment, for +hearing which a day was absolutely fixed; but the Parliament +being shortly afterwards prorogued, the enquiry seems to have +been entirely abandoned, notwithstanding the vehemence with which +the House of Commons had taken the matter up. Perhaps the King +interfered in Lord Mordaunt's behalf, because Andrew Marvel in +his "Instructions to a Painter," after saying, in allusion to +this business, + + "Now Mordaunt may within his castle tower + Imprison parents and the child deflower," + +proceeds to observe, + + "Each does the other blame, and all distrust, + But Mordaunt NEW OBLIGED would sure be just."] + +Here was Mr. Sawyer, [Afterwards Sir Robert Sawyer, Attorney +General from 1681 to 1687. Ob. 1692.] my old chamber-fellow, +[At Magdalene College, where he was admitted a Pensioner, June +1648.] a counsel against my Lord; and I was glad to see him in +so good play. No news from the North at all to-day; and the +news-book; makes the business nothing, but that they are all +dispersed. + +27th. To my Lord Crewe, and had some good discourse with him, he +doubting that all will break in pieces in the Kingdom; and that +the taxes now coming out, which will tax the same man in three or +four several capacities as for land, office, profession, and +money at interest, will be the hardest that ever came out; and do +think that we owe it, and the lateness of its being given, wholly +to the unpreparedness of the King's own party, to make their +demand and choice; for they have obstructed the giving it by +land-tax, which had been done long since. + +28th. To White Hall; where, though it blows hard and rains hard, +yet the Duke of York is gone a-hunting. We therefore lost our +labour, and so to get things ready against dinner at home, and at +noon comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, Sir Thomas Crewe, Mr. John +Crewe, Mr. Carteret, and Brisband. I had six noble dishes for +them, dressed by a man-cook, and commended, as indeed they +deserved, for exceeding well done. We eat with great pleasure, +and I enjoyed myself in it; eating in silver plates, and all +things mighty rich and handsome about me. Till dark at dinner, +and then broke up with great pleasure, especially to myself; and +they away, only Mr. Carteret and I to Gresham College. Here was +Mr. Henry Howard, that will hereafter be Duke of Norfolke, who is +admitted this day into the Society, and being a very proud man, +and one that values himself upon his family, writes his name, as +he do every where, Henry Howard of Norfolke. [Henry Howard, +second son of Henry Earl of Arundel, became, on the death of his +brother Thomas in 1677, sixth Duke of Norfolk, having been +previously created Baron Howard of Castle Rising, in 1669, and +advanced to the Earldom of Norwich, 1672; He was a great +benefactor to the Royal Society, and presented the Arundel +Marbles to the University of Oxford. Ob. 1683-4.] + +29th. I late at the office, and all the news I hear I put into a +letter this night to my Lord Brouncker at Chatham, thus: "I +doubt not of your Lordship's hearing of Sir Thomas Clifford's +succeeding Sir H. Pollard [M.P. for Devonshire. Ob. Nov. 27, +1666.] in the Controllership of the King's house; but perhaps +our ill (but confirmed) tidings from the Barbadoes may not have +reached you yet, it coming but yesterday; viz. that about eleven +ships (whereof two of the King's, the Hope and Coventry) going +thence with men to attack St. Christopher were seized by a +violent hurricana, and all sunk. Two only of thirteen escaping, +and those with loss of masts, &c. My Lord Willoughby himself is +involved in the disaster, [Francis fifth Lord Willoughby of +Parnham, drowned at Barbadoes, 1666.] and I think two ships +thrown upon an island of the French, and so all the men (to 500) +become their prisoners. 'Tis said too, that eighteen Dutch men- +of-war are passed the Channell, in order to meet with our Smyrna +ships; and some I hear do fright us with the King of Sweden's +seizing our mast-ships at Gottenburgh. But we have too much ill +news true, to afflict ourselves with what is uncertain. That +which I hear from Scotland is, the Duke of York's saying +yesterday, that he is confident the Lieutenant Generall there +hath driven them into a pound somewhere towards the mountains." + +To show how mad we are at home here, and unfit for any troubles: +My Lord St. John did a day or two since openly pull a gentleman +in Westminster Hall by the nose, (one Sir Andrew Henly,) while +the Judges were upon their benches, and the other gentleman did +give him a rap over the pate with his cane. Of which fray the +Judges, they say, will make a great matter: men are only sorry +the gentleman did proceed to return a blow; for otherwise my Lord +would have been soundly fined for the affront, and may be yet for +his affront to the Judges. + +30th. To White Hall; and pretty to see (it being St. Andrew's +day,) how some few did wear St. Andrew's crosse; but most did +make a mockery at it, and the House of Parliament, contrary to +practice, did sit also: people having no mind to observe the +Scotch saint's days till they hear better news from Scotland. + +DECEMBER 1, 1666. Walking to the Old Swan I did see a cellar in +Tower-streete in a very fresh fire, the late great winds having +blown it up. It seemed to be only of log-wood that hath kept the +fire all this while in it. Going further I met my late Lord +Mayor Bludworth, under whom the City was burned; but a very weak +man he seems to be. By coach home in the evening, calling at +Faythorne's buying three of my Lady Castlemaine's heads, printed +this day, which indeed is, as to the head, I think a very fine +picture, and like her. I did this afternoon get Mrs. Michell to +let me only have a sight of a pamphlet lately printed, but +suppressed and much called after, called "The Catholique's +Apology;" lamenting the severity of the Parliament against them, +and comparing it with the lenity of other princes to Protestants. +Giving old and late instances of their loyalty to their princes, +whatever is objected against them; and excusing their disquiets +in Queene Elizabeth's time, for that it was impossible for them +to think her a lawfull Queene, if Queene Mary, who had been owned +as such, were so; one being the daughter of the true, and the +other of a false wife: and that of the Gunpowder Treason, by +saying that it was only the practice of some of us, if not the +King, to trepan some of their religion into it, it never being +defended by the generality of their Church, nor indeed known by +them; and ends with a large Catalogue, in red letters, of the +Catholiques which have lost their lives in the quarrel of the +late King and this. The thing is very well writ indeed. + +2nd. Took coach, and no sooner in the coach but something broke, +that we were fain there to stay till a smith could be fetched, +which was above an hour, and then it costing me 6s. to mend. +Away round by the wall and Cow-lane, for fear it should break +again, and in pain about the coach all the way. I went to Sir W. +Batten's, and there I hear more ill news still: that all our +New-England fleet, which went out lately, are put back a third +time by foul weather, and dispersed, some to one port and some to +another; and their convoys also to Plymouth; and whether any of +them be lost or no, we do not know. This, added to all the rest, +do lay us flat in our hopes and courages, every body prophesying +destruction to the nation. + +3rd. More cheerful than I have been a good while, to hear that +for certain the Scott rebels are all routed; they having been so +bold as to come within three miles of Edinburgh, and there given +two or three repulses to the King's forces, but at last were +mastered. Three or four hundred killed or taken, among which +their leader, Wallis, and seven ministers they having all taken +the Covenant a few days before, and sworn to live and die in it, +as they did; and so all is likely to be there quiet again. There +is also the very good news come of four New-England ships come +home safe to Falmouth with masts for the King; which is a +blessing mighty unexpected, and without which (if for nothing +else) we must; have failed the next year. But God be praised for +thus much good fortune, and send us the continuance of his favour +in other things! + +6th. After dinner my wife and brother [John Pepys, who, being in +holy orders, had lately assumed the canonical habit. He died in +1677, at which period he held some office in the Trinity-house. +PEPYS'S MS. LETTERS.] (in another habit) go out to see a play; +but I am not to take notice that I know of my brother's going. +This day, in the Gazette, is the whole story of defeating of +Scotch rebells, and of the creation of the Duke of Cambridge, +Knight of the Garter. + +7th. To the King's playhouse, where two acts were almost done +when I come in; and there I sat with my cloak about my face, and +saw the remainder of "The Mayd's Tragedy;" [By Beaumont and +Fletcher.] a good play, and well acted, especially by the +younger Marshall, who is become a pretty good actor; and is the +first play I have seen in either of the houses, since before the +great plague, they having acted now about fourteen days +publickly. But I was in mighty pain, lest I should be seen by +any body to be at a play. + +8th. The great Proviso passed the House of Parliament yesterday: +which makes the King and Court mad, the King having given order +to my Lord Chamberlain to send to the playhouses and brothels, to +bid all the Parliament-men that were there to go to the +Parliament presently. This is true, it seems; but it was carried +against the Court by thirty or forty voices. It is a Proviso to +the Poll Bill, that there shall be a Committee of nine persons +that shall have the inspection upon oath, and power of giving +others, of all the accounts of the money given and spent for this +warr. This hath a most sad face, and will breed very ill blood. +He tells me, brought in by Sir Robert Howard, [A younger son of +Thomas Earl of Berkshire; educated at Magdalene College, +Cambridge; knighted at the Restoration, and chosen M.P. for +Stockbridge, and afterwards for Castle Rising. He was Auditor of +the Exchequer, and a creature of Charles II., who employed him in +cajoling the Parliament for money. He published some poems, +plays, and political tracts. Ob. 1698.] who is one of the +King's servants, at least hath a great office, and hath got, they +say, 20,000l. since the King come in. Mr. Pierce did also tell +me as a great truth, as being told it by Mr. Cowly, [Abraham +Cowley, the poet.] who was by and heard it, that Tom Killigrew +should publickly tell the King that his matters were coming into +a very ill state; but that yet there was a way to help all. Says +he; "There is a good, honest, able man that I could name, that if +your Majesty would employ, and command to see all things well +executed, all things would soon be mended; and this is one +Charles Stuart, who now spends his time in employing his lips +about the Court, and hath no other employment; but if you would +give him this employment, he were the fittest man in the world to +perform it." This, he says, is most true; but the King do not +profit by any of this, but lays all aside, and remembers nothing, +but to his pleasures again: which is a sorowful consideration. +To the King's play-house, and there did see a good part of "The +English Monsieur," [A comedy, by James Howard.] which is a +mighty pretty play, very witty and pleasant. And the women do +very well; but above all, little Nelly. I hear that this Proviso +in Parliament is mightily ill taken by all the Court party as a +mortal blow, and that that strikes deep into the King's +prerogative; which troubles me mightily. In much fear of ill +news of our colliers. A fleet of 200 sail, and 14 Dutch men-of- +war between them and us: and they coming home with small convoy; +and the City in great want, coals being at 3l. 3s. per chaldron, +as I am told. I saw smoke in the ruines this very day. + +10th. Captain Cocke, with whom I walked in the garden, tells me +how angry the Court is at the late Proviso brought in by the +House. How still my Lord Chancellor is, not daring to do or say +any thing to displease the Parliament; that the Parliament is in +a very ill humour, and grows every day more and more so; and that +the unskilfulness of the Court, and their difference among one +another, is the occasion of all not agreeing in what they would +have, and so they give leisure and occasion to the other part to +run away with what the Court would not have. + +11th. This day the Poll Bill was to be passed, and great +endeavours used to take away the Proviso. + +12th. Sir H. Cholmly did with grief tell me how the Parliament +hath been told plainly that the King hath been heard to say, that +he would dissolve them rather than pass this Bill with the +Proviso. But tells me, that the Proviso is removed, and now +carried that it shall be done by a Bill by itself. He tells me +how the King hath lately paid above 30,000l. to clear the debts +of my Lady Castlemaine's; and that she and her husband are parted +for ever, upon good terms, never to trouble one another more. He +says that he hears that above 400,000l. hath gone into the Privy- +purse since this warr; and that that hath consumed so much of our +money, and makes the King and Court so mad to be brought to +discover it. The very good newes is just come of our four ships +from Smyrna, come safe without convoy even into the Downes, +without seeing any enemy; which is the best, and indeed only +considerable good news to our Exchange, since the burning of the +City; and it is strange to see how it do cheer up men's hearts. +Here I saw shops now come to be in this Exchange; and met little +Batelier who sits here but at 3l. per annum, whereas he sat at +the other at 100l.; which he says he believes will prove as good +account to him now as the other did at that rent. They talk for +certain, that now the King do follow Mrs. Stewart wholly, and my +Lady Castlemaine not above once a-week; that the Duke of York do +not haunt my Lady Denham so much; that she troubles him with +matters of State, being of my Lord Bristoll's faction, and that +he avoids; that she is ill still. News this day from Brampton, +of Mr. Ensum, my sister's sweetheart, being dead: a clowne. + +13th. W. Hewer dined with me, and showed me a Gazette, in April +last, (which I wonder should never be remembered by any body,) +which tells how several persons were then tried for their lives, +and were found guilty of a design of killing the King, and +destroying the Government; and as a means to it, to burn the +City; and that the day intended for the plot was the 3rd of last +September. And the fire did indeed break out on the 2nd of +September: which is very strange, methinks. [This circumstance +was so remarkable that it has been thought worth while extracting +the whole passage from the Gazette of April 23-26, 1666:-- + +"At the Sessions in the Old Bailey, John Rathbone, an old Army +Colonel, William Saunders, Henry Tucker, Thomas Flint, Thomas +Evans, John Myles, Will. Westcot, and John Cole, officers or +soldiers in the late Rebellion, were indicted for conspiring the +death of his Majesty, and the overthrow of the Government. +Having laid their plot and contrivance for the surprisal of the +Tower, the killing his Grace the Lord General, Sir John Robinson, +Lieutenant of the Tower, and Sir Richard Brown; and then to have +declared for an equal division of lands, &c. THE BETTER TO +EFFECT THIS HELLISH DESIGN, THE CITY WAS TO HAVE BEEN FIRED, and +the portcullis let down to keep out all assistance; and the Horse +Guards to have been suprised in the Inns where they were +quartered, several ostlers having been gained for that purpose. +The Tower was accordingly viewed, and its suprise ordered by +boats over the moat, and from thence to scale the wall. One +Alexander, not yet taken, had likewise distributed money to these +conspirators, and for the carrying on the design most +effectually, they were told of a Council of the great ones that +sat frequently in London, from whom issued all orders; which +Council received their directions from another in Holland, who +sat with the States; and that the THIRD OF SEPTEMBER was pitched +on for the attempt, as being found by Lilly's Almanack, and a +scheme erected for that purpose, to be a lucky day, a planet then +ruling which prognosticated the downfall of Monarchy. The +evidence against these persons was very full and clear, and they +were accordingly found guilty of High Treason."] + +14th. Met my good friend Mr. Evelyn, and walked with him a good +while, lamenting our condition for want of good council, and the +King's minding of his business and servants. The House sat till +three o'clock, and then up: and I home with Sir Stephen Fox to +his house to dinner; and the Cofferer [William Ashburnham, an +officer of distinction in the King's Army during the Civil War, +and after the Restoration made Cofferer to Charles II. Ob. s.p. +1671.] with us. There I found his Lady, a fine woman, and seven +the prettiest children of theirs that ever I knew almost. A very +genteel dinner, and in great state and fashion, and excellent +discourse: and nothing like an old experienced man and a +courtier, and such is the Cofferer Ashburnham. The House have +been mighty hot to-day against the Paper Bill, showing all manner +of averseness to give the King money; which these courtiers do +take mighty notice of, and look upon the others as bad rebells as +ever the last were. But the courtiers did carry it against those +men upon a division of the House, a great many, that it should be +committed; and so it was: which they reckon good news. + +15th. To the office, where my Lord Brouncker (newly come to town +from his being at Chatham and Harwich to spy enormities): and at +noon I with him and his lady, Williams, to Captain Cocke's; where +a good dinner, and very merry. Good news to-day upon the +Exchange, that our Hamburgh fleet is got in; and good hopes that +we will soon have the like of our Gottenburgh, and then we shall +be well for this winter. And by and by comes in Matt Wren +[Matthew Wren, eldest son of the Bishop of Ely of both his names, +M.P. for St. Michael's 1661, and made Secretary to Lord +Clarendon; after whose fall he filled the same office under the +Duke of York till his death in 1672. He was one of the earliest +Members of the Royal Society, and published two tracts in answer +to Harrington's Oceana.] from the Parliament-House; and tells us +that he and all his party of the House, which is the Court party, +are fools, and have been made so this day by the wise men of the +other side; for after the Court party had carried it yesterday so +powerfully for the Paper Bill, yet now it is laid aside wholly, +and to be supplied by a land-tax; which it is true will do well +and will be the sooner finished, which was the great argument for +the doing of it. But then it shows them fools, that they would +not permit this to have been done six weeks ago, which they might +have had. And next they have parted with the Paper Bill, which +when once begun might have proved a very good flower in the +Crowne, as any there. So they are truly outwitted by the other +side. + +16th. To White Hall, and there walked up and down to the +Queene's side, and there saw my dear Lady Castlemaine, who +continues admirable, methinks, and I do not hear that but the +King is the same to her still as ever. Anon to chapel by the +King's closet, and heard a very good anthem. Then with Lord +Brouncker to Sir W. Coventry's chamber; and there we sat with him +and talked. He is weary of any thing to do, he says, in the +Navy. He tells us this Committee of Accounts will enquire +sharply into our office. To Sir P. Neale's chamber; Sir Edward +Walker being there;, and telling us how he hath lost many fine +rowles of antiquity in heraldry by the late fire, but hath saved +the most of his papers. Here was also Dr. Wallis, [John Wallis, +S.T.P. F.R.S. Savilian Professor of Geometry. Ob. 1703, aged +87.] the famous scholar and mathematician; but he promises +little. The Duke of Monmonth, Lord Brouncker says, spends his +time the most viciously and idle of any man, nor will be fit for +any thing; yet he speaks as if it were not impossible but the +King would own him for his son, and that there was marriage +between his mother and him. + +17th. My wife well home in the evening from the play; which I +was glad of, it being cold and dark, and she having her necklace +of pearl on, and none but Mercer with her. + +19th. Talked of the King's family with Mr. Hingston, the +organist. He says many of the musique are ready to starve, they +being five years behind hand for their wages: nay, Evens, the +famous man upon the Harp, having not his equal in the world, did +the other day die for mere want, and was fain to be buried at the +almes of the parish, and carried to his grave in the dark at +night without one linke, but that Mr. Hingston met it by chance, +and did give 12d. to buy two or three links. Thence I up to the +Lords' House to enquire for my Lord Bellasses; and there hear how +at a conference this morning between the two Houses about the +business of the Canary Company, my Lord Buckingham leaning rudely +over my Lord Marquis Dorchester, [Henry second Earl of Kingston, +created Marquis of Dorchester 1645. Ob. 1680. See an account of +this quarrel in Lord Clarendon's Life.] my Lord Dorchester +removed his elbow. Duke of Buckingham asked whether he was +uneasy; Dorchester replied, yes, and that he durst not do this +were he any where else: Buckingham replied, yes he would, and +that he was a better man than himself; Dorchester said that he +lyed. With this Buckingham struck off his hat, and took him by +his periwigg, and pulled it aside, and held him. My Lord +Chamberlain and others interposed, and upon coming into the House +the Lords did order them both to the Tower, whither they are to +go this afternoon. I down into the Hall, and there the +Lieutenant of the Tower took me with him, and would have me to +the Tower to dinner; where I dined at the head of his table next +his lady, who is comely and seeming sober and stately, but very +proud and very cunning or I am mistaken, and wanton too. This +day's work will bring the Lieutenant of the Tower 350l. Thence +home, and upon Tower Hill saw about 3 or 400 seamen get together; +and one standing upon a pile of bricks made his sign with his +handkercher upon his stick, and called all the rest to him, and +several shouts they gave. This made me afraid; so I got home as +fast as I could. But by and by Sir W. Batten and Sir R. Ford do +tell me that the seamen have been at some prisons to release some +seamen, and the Duke of Albemarle is in armes and all the Guards +at the other end of the town; and the Duke of Albemarle is gone +with some forces to Wapping to quell the seamen; which is a thing +of infinite disgrace to us. I sat long talking with them. And, +among other things, Sir R. Ford did make me understand how the +House of Commons is a beast not to be understood, it being +impossible to know beforehand the success almost of any small +plain thing, there being so many to think and speak to any +business, and they of so uncertain minds and interests and +passions. He did tell me, and so did Sir W. Batten, how Sir +Allen Brodericke [Son of Sir Thomas Broderick of Richmond, +Yorkshire, and Wandsworth, Surrey; knighted by Charles II., and +Surveyor-General in Ireland to his Majesty.] and Sir Allen Apsly +did come drunk the other day into the House, and did both speak +for half an hour, together, and could not be either laughed, or +pulled, or bid to sit down and hold their peace, to the great +contempt of the King's servants and cause; which I am grieved at +with all my heart. + +23rd (Lord's day). To church, where a vain fellow with a +periwigg preached, Chaplain (as by his prayer appeared) to the +Earle of Carlisle. + +24th. It being frost and dry, as far as Paul's, and so back +again through the City by Guildhall, observing the ruins +thereabouts till I did truly lose myself. No news yet of our +Gottenburgh fleet; which makes us have some fears, it being of +mighty concernment to have our supply of masts safe. I met with +Mr. Cade to-night, my stationer; and he tells me that he hears +for certain, that the Queene-Mother is about and hath near +finished a peace with France, which as a Presbyterian he do not +like, but seems to fear it will be a means to introduce Popery. + +26th. To the Duke's house to a play. It was indifferently done, +Gosnell not singing, but a new wench that sings naughtily. + +27th. Up; and called up by the King's trumpets, which cost me +10s. By coach to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The +Scornful Lady" well acted; Doll Common doing Abigail most +excellently, and Knipp the widow very well, (and will be an +excellent actor, I think.) In other parts the play not so well +done as need be by the old actors. This day a house or two was +blown up with powder in the Minorys, and several people spoiled, +and manye dug out from under the rubbish. + +28th. I to my Lord Crewe's, where I find and hear the news how +my Lord's brother, Mr. Nathaniel Crewe, hath an estate of 6 or +700l. per annum left him by the death of as old acquaintance of +his, but not akin to him at all. And this man is dead without +will, but had above ten years since made over his estate to this +Mr. Crewe, to him and his heirs for ever, and given Mr. Crewe the +keeping of the deeds in his own hand all this time; by which, if +he would, he might have taken present possession of the estate, +for he knew what they were. This is as great an action of +confident friendship as this latter age, I believe, can show. +From hence to the Duke's house, and there saw "Macbeth" most +excellently acted, and a most excellent play for variety. I had +sent for my wife to meet me there, who did come: so I did not go +to White Hall, and got my Lord Bellasses to get me into the +playhouse; and there, after all staying above an hour for the +players (the King and all waiting, which was absurd,) saw "Henry +the Fifth" well done by the Duke's people, and in most excellent +habit, all new vests, being put on but this night. But I sat so +high and far off that I missed most of the words, and sat with a +wind coming into my back and neck, which did much trouble me. +The play continued till twelve at night; and then up, and a most +horrid cold night it was, and frosty, and moonshine. + +29th. Called up with news from Sir W. Batten that Hogg hath +brought in two prizes more: and so I thither, and hear the +particulars, which are good; one of them, if prize, being worth +4000l.: for which God be thanked! Then to the office, and have +the news brought us of Captain Robinson's coming with his fleet +from Gottenburgh: dispersed, though, by foul weather. But he +hath light of five Dutch men-of-war, and taken three, whereof one +is sunk; which is very good news to close up the year with, and +most of our merchant-men already heard of to be safely come home, +though after long lookings for, and now to several ports as they +could make them. + +30th (Lord's day). To church. Here was a collection for the +sexton, But it come into my head why we should be more bold in +making the collection while the psalm is singing, than in the +sermon or prayer. + +31st. To my accounts, wherein at last I find them clear and +right; but to my great discontent do find that my gettings this +year have been 573l. less than my last: it being this year in +all but 2986l.; whereas, the last, I got 3560l. And then again +my spendings this year have exceeded my spendings the last, by +644l.: my whole spendings last year being but 509l.; whereas +this year it appears I have spent 1154l. which is a sum not fit +to be said that ever I should spend in one year, before I am +master of a better estate than I am. Yet, blessed be God! and I +pray God make me thankful for it, I do find myself worth in +money, all good, above 6200l.: which is above 1800l. more than I +was the last year. Thus ends this year of publick wonder and +mischief to this nation. Publick matters in a most sad +condition; seamen discouraged for want of pay, and are become not +to be governed: nor, as matters are now, can any fleet go out +next year. Our enemies, French and Dutch, great, and grow more +by our poverty. The Parliament backward in raising, because +jealous of the spending of the money; the City less and less +likely to be built again, every body settling elsewhere, and +nobody encouraged to trade. A sad, vicious, negligent Court, and +all sober men there fearful of the ruin of the whole kingdom this +next year; from which, good God deliver us! One thing I reckon +remarkable in my own condition is, that I am come to abound in +good plate, so as at all entertainments to be served wholly with +silver plates, having two dozen and a half. + +JANUARY 2, 1666-7. My wife up, and with Mrs. Pen to walk in the +fields to frost-bite themselves. I find the Court full of great +apprehensions of the French, who have certainly shipped landsmen, +great numbers at Brest; and most of our people here guess his +design for Ireland. We have orders to send all the ships we can +possible to the Downes, every day bringing us news of new +mutinies among the seamen; so that our condition is like to be +very miserable. Mr. George Montagu tells me of the King +displeasing the House of Commons by evading their Bill for +examining Accounts, and putting it into a Commission, though +therein he hath left out Coventry and --[A blank in the MS.], and +named all the rest the Parliament named, and all country Lords, +not one Courtier: this do not please them. He finds the enmity +almost over for my Lord Sandwich. Up to the Painted Chamber, and +there heard a conference between the House of Lords and Commons +about the Wine Patent; which I was exceeding glad to be at, +because of my hearing exceeding good discourses, but especially +from the Commons; among others Mr. Swinfen, and a young man, one +Sir Thomas Meres: [Knight, M.P. for Lincoln, made a Commissioner +of the Admiralty 1679.] and do outdo the Lords infinitely. +Alone to the King's house, and there saw "The Custome of the +Country," [A tragi-comedy, by Beaumont and Fletcher.] the second +time of its being acted, wherein Knipp does the Widow well; but +of all the plays that ever I did see, the worst, having neither +plot, language, nor any thing in the earth that is acceptable; +only Knipp sings a song admirably. + +3rd. This day, I hear, hath been a conference between the two +Houses about the Bill for examining Accounts, wherein the House +of Lords their proceedings in petitioning the King for doing it +by Commission, are in great heat voted by the Commons, after the +conference, unparliamentary. + +4th. Comes our company to dinner; my Lord Brouncker, Sir W. Pen, +his lady, and Peg, [Their daughter.] and her servant, Mr. +Lowther [[Anthony Lowther, Esq., of Marske, Co. York, Ob. 1692.]. +At night to sup, and then to cards, and last of all to have a +flaggon of ale and apples, drunk out of a wood cup, as a +Christmas draught, which made all merry; and they full of +admiration at my plate. Mr. Lowther a pretty gentleman, too good +for Peg. Sir W. Pen was much troubled to hear the song I sung, +"The New Droll," it touching him home. + +5th. With my wife to the Duke's house, and there saw +"Mustapha," [A tragedy, by Roger Earl of Orrery.] a most +excellent play. + +6th. Young Michell and I, it being an excellent frosty day, did +walk out. He showed me the baker's house in Pudding-lane, where +the late great fire begun: and thence all along Thames-street, +where I did view several places, and so up by London Wall by +Blackfriars to Ludgate; and thence to Bridewell, which I find to +have been heretofore an extraordinary good house, and a fine +coming to it before the house by the bridge was built. + +7th. Lord Brouncker tells me that my Lady Denham is at last +dead. Some suspect her poisoned, but it will be best known when +her body is opened to-day, she dying yesterday morning. The Duke +of York is troubled for her; but hath declared he will never have +another public mistress again; which I shall be glad of, and +would the King would do the like. He tells me how the Parliament +is grown so jealous of the King's being unfayre to them in the +business of the Bill for examining Accounts, Irish Bill, and the +business of the Papists, that they will not pass the business for +money till they see themselves secure that those Bills will pass; +which they do observe the Court to keep off till all the Bills +come together, that the King may accept what he pleases, and what +he pleases to object to. He tells me how Mr. Henry Howard of +Norfolke hath given our Royal Society all his grandfather's +library: which noble gift they value at 2000l.; and gives them +accommodation to meet in at his house (Arundell House), they +being now disturbed at Gresham College. To the Duke's house, and +saw "Macbeth," which though I saw it lately, yet appears a most +excellent play in all respects, but especially in divertisement, +though it be a deep tragedy; which is a strange perfection in a +tragedy, it being most proper here, and suitable. + +9th. In a hackney-coach to White Hall, the way being most +horribly bad upon the breaking up of the frost, so as not to be +passed almost. I do hear by my Lord Brouncker, that for certain +Sir W. Coventry hath resigned his place of Commissioner up; which +I believe he hath done upon good grounds of security to himself +from all the blame which must attend our office this next year; +but I fear the King will suffer by it. Thence to Westminster +Hall, and there to the conference of the Houses about the word +"Nusance," which the Commons would have, and the Lords will not, +in the Irish Bill. The Commons do it professedly to prevent the +King's dispensing with it; which Sir Robert Howard and others did +expressly repeat often: viz., "that no King ever could do any +thing which was hurtful to his people." Now the Lords did argue +that it was an ill precedent, and that which will ever hereafter +be used as a way of preventing the King's dispensation with acts; +and therefore rather advise to pass the Bill without that word, +and let it go accompanied with a petition to the King that he +will not dispense with it; this being a more civil way to the +King. They answered well, that this do imply that the King +should pass their Bill, and yet with design to dispense with it; +which is to suppose the King guilty of abusing them. And more, +they produce precedents for it; namely, that against new +buildings, and about leather, where the word "Nusance" is used to +the purpose: and further, that they do not rob the King of any +right he ever had, for he never had a power to do hurt to his +people, nor would exercise it; and therefore there is no danger +in the passing this Bill of imposing on his prerogative; and +concluded that they think they ought to do this, so as the people +may really have the benefit of it when it is passed, for never +any people could expect so reasonably to be indulged something +from a King, they having already given him so much money and are +likely to give more. Thus they broke up, both adhering to their +opinions; but the Commons seemed much more full of judgment and +reason than the Lords. Then the Commons made their Report to the +Lords of their vote that their Lordships' proceedings in the Bill +for examining Accounts were unparliamentary, they having, while a +Bill was sent up to them from the Commons about the business, +petitioned his Majesty that he would do the same thing by his +Commission. They did give their reasons: viz. that it had no +precedent; that the King ought not to be informed of any thing +passing in the Houses till it comes to a Bill; that it will +wholly break off all correspondence between the two Houses, and +in the issue wholly infringe the very use and being of +Parliaments. Thence to Faythorne, and bought a head or two; one +of them my Lord of Ormond's, the best I ever saw. To Arundell +House, where first the Royal Society meet by the favour of Mr. +Harry Howard, who was there. And here was a great meeting of +worthy noble persons; but my Lord Brouncker, who pretended to +make a congratulatory speech upon their coming hither, and great +thanks to Mr. Howard, did do it in the worst manner in the world. + +14th. Sir W. Batten tells me the Lords do agree at last with the +Commons about the word "Nusance" in the Irish Bill, and do desire +a good correspondence between the two Houses; and that the King +do intend to prorogue them the last of this month. + +16th. Sir W. Coventry came to me aside in the Duke's chamber to +tell that he had not answered part of a late letter of mine, +because LITTERA SCRIPTA MANET. About his leaving the office, he +tells me, it is because he finds that his business at Court will +not permit him to attend it; and then he confesses that he seldom +of late could come from it with satisfaction, and therefore would +not take the King's money for nothing. I professed my sorrow for +it, and prayed the continuance of his favour; which he promised, +I do believe he hath acted like a very wise man in reference to +himself; but I doubt it will prove ill for the King, and for the +office. Prince Rupert, I hear, is very ill; yesterday given +over, but better to-day. Sir Stephen Fox, among other things, +told me his whole mystery in the business of the interest he pays +as Treasurer for the Army. They give him 12d. per pound quite +through the Army, with condition to be paid weekly, This he +undertakes for his own private credit, and to be paid by the King +at the end of every four months. If the King pay him not at the +end of every four months, then, for all the time he stays longer, +my Lord Treasurer by agreement allows him eight per cent. per +annum for the forbearance. So that, in fine, he hath about +twelve per cent. from the King, and the Army, for fifteen or +sixteen months' interest; out of which he gains soundly, his +expense being about 130,000l. per annum; and hath no trouble in +it, compared (as I told him) to the trouble I must have to bring +in an account of interest. Talk there is of a letter to come +from Holland, desiring a place of treaty; but I do doubt it. +This day I observe still in many places the smoking remains of +the late fire: the ways mighty bad and dirty. This night Sir R. +Ford told me how this day, at Christ church Hospital, they have +given a living of 200l. per annum to Mr. Sanchy, my old +acquaintance, which I wonder at, he commending him mightily; but +am glad of it. He tells me too how the famous Stillingfleete was +a Blue-coat boy. + +18th. This morning come Captain Cocke to me, and tells me that +the King comes to the House this day to pass the Poll Bill and +the Irish Bill; and that, though the Faction is very froward in +the House, yet all will end well there. But he says that one had +got a Bill ready to present in the House against Sir W. Coventry +for selling of places, and says he is certain of it, and how he +was withheld from doing it. He says that the Vice-chamberlaine +is now one of the greatest men in England again, and was he that +did prevail with the King to let the Irish Bill go with the word +"Nusance." He told me that Sir G. Carteret's declaration of +giving double to any man that will prove that any of his people +have demanded or taken any thing for forwarding the payment of +the wages of any man, (of which he sent us a copy yesterday, +which we approved of,) is set up, among other places, upon the +House of Lords' door. I do not know how wisely this is done. +Sir W. Pen told me this night how the King did make them a very +sharp speech in the House of Lords to-day, saying that he did +expect to have had more Bills; that he purposes to prorogue them +on Monday come se'nnight; that whereas they have unjustly +conceived some jealousys of his making a peace, he declares he +knows of no such thing or treaty: and so left them. But with so +little effect, that as soon as he came into the house, Sir W. +Coventry moved, that now the King hath declared his intention of +proroguing them, it would be loss of time to go on with the thing +they were upon when they were called to the King, which was the +calling over the defaults of Members appearing in the House; for +that before any person could now come or be brought to town, the +House would be up. Yet the Faction did desire to delay time, and +contend so as to come to a division of the House; where, however +it was carried by a few voices that the debate should be laid by. +But this shows that they are not pleased, or that they have not +any awe over them from the King's displeasure. + +20th. I was sorry to hear of the heat the House was in yesterday +about the ill management of the Navy; though I think they were +well answered both by Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry, as he +informs me the substance of their speeches. I to church, and +there beyond expectation find our seat and all the church crammed +by twice as many people as used to be: and to my great joy find +Mr. Frampton in the pulpit; and I think the best sermon, for +goodness and oratory, without affectation or study, that ever I +heard in my life. The truth is, he preaches the most like an +apostle that ever I heard man; and it was much the best time that +ever I spent in my life at church. + +21st To the Swede's-Resident's in the Piazza, to discourse with +him about two of our prizes. A cunning fellow. He lives in one +of the great houses there, but ill-furnished; and come to us out +of bed in his furred mittins and furred cap. Up to the Lords' +House, and there come mighty seasonably to hear the Solicitor +about my Lord Buckingham's pretence to the title of Lord Rosse. +Mr. Atturny Montagu is also a good man, and so is old Sir P. Ball +[Sir Peter Bell, the Queen's attorney.] but the Solicitor, and +Scroggs [Sir William Scroggs, King's Serjeant 1669, and made a +Judge 1676.] after him, are excellent men. This night at supper +comes from Sir W. Coventry the Order of Councill for my Lord +Brouncker to do all the Controller's part relating to the +Treasurer's accounts, and Sir W. Pen all relating to the +Victualler's, and Sir J. Minnes to do the rest. This, I hope, +will do much better for the King, and I think will give neither +of them ground to over-top me, as I feared they would; which +pleases me mightily. This evening Mr. Wren and Captain Cocke +called upon me at the office, and there told me how the House was +in better temper to-day, and hath passed the Bill for the +remainder of the money, but not to be passed finally till they +have done some other things which they will have passed with it; +wherein they are very open, what their meaning is, which was but +doubted before, for they do in all respects doubt the King's +pleasing them. + +23rd. My Lord Brouncker and I walking into the Park, I did +observe the new buildings: and my Lord seeing I had a desire to +see them, they being the place for the priests and friers, he +took me back to my Lord Almoner; [Cardinal Howard of Norfolk, the +Queen's Almoner.] and he took us quite through the whole house +and chapel, and the new monastery, showing me most excellent +pieces in wax-worke: a crucifix given by a Pope to Mary Queene +of Scotts, where a piece of the Cross is; two bits set in the +manner of a cross in the foot of the crucifix: several fine +pictures, but especially very good prints of holy pictures. I +saw the dortoire [Dormitory.] and the cells of the priests, and +we went into one; a very pretty little room, very clean, hung +with pictures, set with books. The Priest was in his cell, with +his hair clothes to his skin, bare-legged with a sandall only on, +and his little bed without sheets, and no feather-bed; but yet I +thought, soft enough. His cord about his middle; but in so good +company, living with ease, I thought it a very good life. A +pretty library they have. And I was in the refectoire, where +every man his napkin, knife, cup of earth, and basin of the same; +and a place for one to sit and read while the rest are at meals. +And into the kitchen I went, where a good neck of mutton at the +fire, and other victuals boiling. I do not think they fared very +hard. Their windows all looking into a fine garden and the Park; +and mighty pretty rooms all. I wished myself one of the +Capuchins. To the King's house, and there saw "The Humerous +Lieutenant:" [A tragi-comedy, by Beaumont and Fletcher.] a silly +play, I think; only the Spirit in it that grows very tall and +then sinks again to nothing, having two heads breeding upon one, +and then Knipp's singing, did please us. Here in a box above we +spied Mrs. Pierce; and going out they called us, and so we staid +for them; and Knipp took us all in, and brought to us Nelly, +[Nell Gwynne.] a most pretty woman, who acted the great part +Coelia to-day very fine, and did it pretty well: I kissed her, +and so did my wife; and a mighty pretty soul she is. We also saw +Mrs. Ball, which is my little Roman-nose black girl, that is +mighty pretty: she is usually called Betty. Knipp made us stay +in a box and see the dancing preparatory to to-morrow for "The +Goblins," a play of Suckling's [Sir John Suckling, the poet.], +not acted these twenty-five years; which was pretty. In our way +home we find the Guards of horse in the street, and hear the +occasion to be news that the seamen are in a mutiny; which put me +into a great fright. + +24th. Company at home: amongst others, Captain Rolt. And anon +at about seven or eight o'clock comes Mr. Harris of the Duke's +playhouse, and brings Mrs. Pierce with him, and also one dressed +like a country-maid with a straw-hat, on, and at first I could +not tell who it was, though I expected Knipp: but it was she +coming off the stage just as she acted this day in "The Goblins;" +a merry jade. Now my house is full, and four fiddlers that play +well. Harris I first took to my closet: and I find him a very +curious and understanding person in all pictures and other +things, and a man of fine conversation; and so is Rolt. Among +other things, Harris sung his Irish song, the strangest in itself +and the prettiest sung by him that ever I heard. + +25th. This afternoon I saw the Poll Bill, now printed; wherein I +do fear I shall be very deeply concerned, being to be taxed for +all my offices, and then for my money that I have, and my title +as well as my head. It is a very great tax; but yet I do think +it is so perplexed, it will hardly ever be collected duly. The +late invention of Sir G. Downing's is continued of bringing all +the money into the Exchequer. This day the House hath passed the +Bill for the Assessment; which I am glad of. And also our little +Bill, for giving any of us in the office the power of justice of +peace, is done as I would have it. + +27th. Roger Pepys and I to walk in the Pell Mell. I find by him +that the House of Parliament continues full of ill humours; and +do say how in their late Poll Bill, which cost so much time, the +yeomanry, and indeed two-thirds of the nation, are left out to be +taxed. Walked to White Hall, and there I showed my cosen Roger +the Duchesse of York sitting in state, while her own mother +stands by her: and my Lady Castlemaine, whom he approves to be +very handsome, and wonders that she cannot be as good within as +she is fair without. Her little black boy come by him, and a dog +being in his way, the little boy swore at the dog: "How," says +he, blessing himself, "would I whip this child till the blood +come, if it were my child!" + +28th. To Westminster, where I spent the morning at the Lords' +House door to hear the conference between the two Houses about my +Lord Mordaunt, of which there was great expectation. Many +hundreds of people coming to hear it. But when they come, the +Lords did insist upon my Lord Mordaunt's having leave to sit upon +a stool uncovered within their barr, and that he should have +counsel, which the Commons would not suffer, but desired leave to +report their Lordships' resolution to the House of Commons; and +so parted for this day, which troubles me, I having by this means +lost the whole day. Here I hear from Mr. Hayes that Prince +Rupert is very bad still, and so bad that he do now yield to be +trepanned. After supper and reading a little, and my wife's +cutting off my hair short, which is grown too long upon my crown +of my head, I to bed. + +FEBRUARY 2, 1666-7. I am very well pleased this night with +reading a poem I brought home with me last night from Westminster +Hall, of Dryden's, upon the present war; a very good poem. + +3rd. To White Hall, and there to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and +there staid till he was ready. Talking, and among other things +of the Prince's being trepanned, which was in doing just as we +passed through the Stone Gallery, we asking at the door of his +lodgings, and were told so. We are full of wishes for the good +success; though I dare say but few do really concern ourselves +for him in our hearts. With others into the House, and there +hear that the work is done to the Prince in a few minutes without +any pain at all to him, he not knowing when it was done. It was +performed by Moulins. Having cut the outward table, as they call +it, they find the inner all corrupted, so as it come out without +any force; and their fear is, that the whole inside of his head +is corrupted like that, which do yet make them afraid of him; but +no ill accident appeared in the doing of the thing, but all with +all imaginable success, as Sir Alexander Frazier did tell me +himself, I asking him, who is very kind to me. To Sir G. +Carteret's to dinner; and before dinner he tells me that he +believes the Duke of York will go to sea with the fleet, which I +am sorry for in respect to his person, but yet there is no person +in condition to command the fleet, now the Captains are grown so +great, but him. By and by to dinner, where very good company. +Among other discourse, we talked much of Nostradamus [Michael +Nostradamus, a physician and astrologer, born in the diocese of +Avignon, 1503. Amongst other predictions he prophesied the death +of Henry II. of France, by which the celebrity he had before +acquired was not a little increased. He succeeded also in +rendering assistance to the inhabitants of Aix, during the +plague, by a powder of his own invention. He died at Salon, July +1566.] his prophecy of these times, and the burning of the City +of London, some of whose verses are put into Booker's Almanack +this year: [John Booker, an eminent astrologer and writing- +master at Hadley.] and Sir G. Carteret did tell a story, how at +his death he did make the town swear that he should never be dug +up, or his tomb opened, after he was buried; but they did after +sixty years do it, and upon his breast they found a plate of +brasse, saying what a wicked and unfaithful people the people of +that place were, who after so many vows should disturb and open +him such a day and year and hour which, if true, is very strange. +Then we fell to talk of the burning of the City. And my Lady +Carteret herself did tell us how abundance of pieces of burnt +papers were cast by the wind as far as Cranborne; and among +others she took up one, or had one brought her to see, which was +a little bit of paper that had been printed, whereon there +remained no more nor less than these words: "Time is, it is +done." Away home, and received some letters from Sir W. +Coventry, touching the want of victuals to Kempthorne's fleet +going to the Streights and now in the Downes: which did trouble +me, he saying that this disappointment might prove fatal; and the +more, because Sir W. Coventry do intend to come to the office +upon business to-morrow morning, and I shall not know what answer +to give him. [John Kempthorne, a distinguished Naval Officer, +afterwards knighted and made Commissioner at Portsmouth, which +place he represented in Parliament. Ob. 1679. Vide some curious +letters about his election in the Correspondence.] + +4th. When Sir W. Coventry did come, and the rest met, I did +appear uuconcerned, and did give him answer pretty satisfactory +what he asked me; so that I did get off this meeting without any +ground lost. Soon as dined, my wife and I out to the Duke's +playhouse, and there saw "Heraclius," [A tragedy, by Lodowick +Carlell, taken from Corneille.] an excellent play, to my +extraordinary content; and the more from the house being very +full, and great company; among others Mrs. Stewart, very fine, +with her locks done up with puffes, as my wife calls them: and +several other great ladies had their hair so, though I do not +like it; but my wife do mightily; but it is only because she sees +it is the fashion. Here I saw my Lord Rochester and his lady, +Mrs. Mallett, who hath after all this ado married him; and, as I +hear some say in the pit, it is a great act of charity, for he +hath no estate. But it was so pleasant to see how every body +rose up when my Lord John Butler, the Duke of 0rmond's son, come +into the pit towards the end of the play, who was a servant to +Mrs. Mallett, and now smiled upon her, and she on him. Home, and +to my chamber, and there finished my Catalogue of my books with +my own-hand. + +5th. Heard this morning that the Prince is much better, and hath +good rest. All the talk is that my Lord Sandwich hath perfected +the peace with Spain; which is very good, if true. Sir H. +Cholmly was with me this morning, and told me of my Lord +Bellasses' base dealings with him by getting him to give him +great gratuities to near 2000l. for his friendship in the +business of the Molle, and hath been lately underhand +endeavouring to bring another man into his place as Governor, so +as to receive his money of Sir H. Cholmly for nothing. To the +King's house to see "The Chances." [A comedy, by the Duke of +Buckingham.], a good play I find it, and the actors most good in +it. and pretty to hear Knipp sing in the play very properly, +"All night I weepe;" and sung it admirably. The whole play +pleases me well: and most of all, the sight of many fine ladies; +among others my Lady Castlemaine and Mrs. Middleton: the latter +of the two hath also a very excellent face and body, I think. +And so home in the dark over the ruins with a link. + +6th. To Westminster Hall, and walked up and down, and hear that +the Prince do still rest well by day and night, and out of pain; +so as great hopes are conceived of him; though I did meet Dr. +Clerke and Mr. Pierce, and they do say: they believe he will not +recover it, they supposing that his whole head within is eaten by +this corruption, which appeared in this piece of the inner table. +To White Hall to attend the Council; but they sat not to-day. So +to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and find him within, and with a +letter from the Downes in his hands, telling the loss of the St. +Patricke coming from Harwich in her way to Portsmouth; and would +needs chase two ships (she having the Malago fireship in company) +which from English colours put up Dutch, and he would clap on +board the Vice-Admirall; and after long dispute the Admirall +comes on the other side of him, and both together took her. Our +fireship (Seely) not coming in to fire all three, but come away, +leaving her in their possession, and carried away by them: a +ship built at Bristoll the last year, of fifty guns and upwards, +and a most excellent good ship. + +8th. Sir W. Batten come this morning from the House, where the +King hath prorogued this Parliament to October next. I am glad +they are up. The Bill for Accounts was not offered, the party +being willing to let it fall; but the King did tell them he +expected it. They are parted with great heart-burnings, one +party against the other. Pray God bring them hereafter together +in better temper! It is said that the King do intend himself in +this interval to take away Lord Mordaunt's government [Windsor +Castle.], so as to do something to appease the House against +they come together, and let them see he will do that of his own +accord which is fit without their forcing him; and that he will +have his Commission for accounts go on: which will be good +things. At dinner we talked much of Cromwell; all saying he was +a brave fellow, and did owe his crowne he got to himself as much +as any man that ever got one. + +9th. Read a piece of a play, "Every Man in his Humour," wherein +is the greatest propriety of speech that; ever I read in my life; +and so to bed. This noon come my wife's watch-maker, and +received 12l. of me for her watch; but Captain Rolt coming to +speak with me about a little business, he did judge of the work +to be very good, and so I am well contented. + +10th (Lord's day). To church, where Mr. Mills made an +unnecessary sermon upon Original Sin, neither understood by +himself nor the people. Home, where come Mr. Carter, [Thomas +Carter, S.T.P. 1669.] my old acquaintance of Magdalene College, +who hath not been here of many years. He hath spent his time in +the country with the Bishop of Carlisle much. He is grown a very +comely person, and of good discourse, and one that I like very +much. We had much talk of all our old acquaintance of the +College, concerning their various fortunes; wherein, to my joy, I +met not with any that have sped better than myself. Mrs. Turner +do tell me very odde stories how Mrs. Williams do receive the +applications of people, and hath presents, and she is the hand +that receives all, while my Lord do the business. + +12th. With my Lord Brouncker by coach to his house, there to +hear some Italian musique: and here we met Tom Killigrew, Sir +Robert Murray, and the Italian Signor Baptista, [Giovanni +Baptista Draghi, an Italian musician in the service of Queen +Catherine, and a composer of merit. BURNEY, HISTORY OF MUSIC.] +who hath proposed a play in Italian for the Opera, which T. +Killigrew do intend to have up; and here he did sing one of the +acts. He himself is the poet as well as the musician; which is +very much, and did sing the whole from the words without any +musique prickt, and played all along upon a harpsicon most +admirably, and the composition most excellent. The words I did +not understand, and so know not how they are fitted, but believe +very well, and all in the recitative very fine. But I perceive +there is a proper accent in every country's discourse, and that +do reach in their setting of notes to words, which, therefore, +cannot be natural to any body else but them; so that I am not so +much smitten with it as it may be I should be if I were +acquainted with their accent. But the whole composition is +certainly most excellent; and the poetry, T. Killigrew and Sir R. +Murray, who understood the words, did say most excellent. I +confess I was mightily pleased with the musique. He pretends not +to voice, though it be good, but not excellent. This done, T. +Killigrew and I to talk: and he tells me how the audience at his +house is not above half so much as it used to be before the late +fire. That Knipp is like to make the best actor that ever come +upon the stage, she understanding so well: that they are going +to give her 30l. a-year more. That the stage is now by his pains +a thousand times better and more glorious than ever heretofore. +Now wax-candles, and many of them; then not above 3 lbs. of +tallow: now all things civil, no rudeness any where; then, as in +a bear-garden: then two or three fiddlers, now nine or ten of +the best: then nothing but rushes upon the ground, and every +thing else mean; now all otherwise: then the Queene seldom and +the King never would come; now, not the King only for state, but +all civil people do think they may come as well as any. He tells +me that he hath gone several times (eight or ten times, he tells +me,) hence to Rome, to hear good musique; so much he loves it, +though he never did sing or play a note. That he hath ever +endeavoured in the late King's time and in this to introduce good +musique, but he never could do it, there never having been any +musique here better than ballads. And says "Hermitt poore" and +"Chiny Chese" was all the musique we had; and yet no ordinary +fiddlers get so much money as ours do here, which speaks our +rudeness still. That he hath gathered our Italians from several +Courts in Christendome, to come to make a concert for the King, +which he do give 200l. a-year a-piece to; but badly paid, and do +come in the room of keeping four ridiculous Gundilows, he having +got the King to put them away, and lay out money this way. And +indeed I do commend him for it; for I think it is a very noble +undertaking. He do intend to have some times of the year these +operas to be performed at the two present theatres, since he is +defeated in what he intended in Moorefields on purpose for it. +And he tells me plainly that the City audience was as good as the +Court; but now they are most gone. Baptista tells me that +Giacomo Charissimi [Giacomo Chiarissimi, Maestro di Cappella of +the Church of St. Apollinare in the German College at Rome, an +excellent Italian musician. He lived to be 90.--BURNEY.] is +still alive at Rome, who was master to Vinnecotio, who is one of +the Italians that the King hath here, and the chief composer of +them. My great wonder is, how this man do to keep in memory so +perfectly the musique of the whole act, both for the voice and +the instrument too. I confess I do admire it: but in recitative +the sense much helps him, for there is but one proper way of +discoursing and giving the accents. Having done our discourse, +we all took coaches (my Lord's and T. Killigrew's) and to Mrs. +Knipp's chamber, where this Italian is to teach her to sing her +part. And so we all thither, and there she did sing an Italian +song or two very fine, while he played the bass upon a harpsicon +there; and exceedingly taken I am with her singing, and believe +she will do miracles at that and acting. + +13th. To the Duke of York, and there did our usual business; but +troubled to see that at this time, after our declaring a debt to +the Parliament of 900,000l. and nothing paid since, but the debt +encreased, and now the fleet to set out, to hear that the King +hath ordered but 35,000l. for the setting out of the fleet, out +of the Poll Bill to buy all provisions, when five times as much +had been little enough to have done any thing to purpose. They +have, indeed, ordered more for paying off of seamen and the Yards +to some time, but not enough for that neither. A foul evening +this was to-night, and I mightily troubled to get a coach home; +and, which is now my common practice, going over the ruins in the +night, I rid with my sword drawn in the coach. + +14th. By coach to my Lord Chancellor's, and there a meeting: +the Duke of York, Duke of Albemarle, and several other Lords of +the Commission of Tangier. And there I did present a state of my +accounts, and managed them well and my Lord Chancellor did say, +though he was in other things in an ill humour, that no man in +England was of more method, nor made himself better understood, +than myself. But going, after the business of money was over, to +other businesses, of settling the garrison, he did fling out, and +so did the Duke of York, two or three severe words touching my +Lord Bellasses: that he would have no Governor come away from +thence in less than three years: no, though his lady were with +child. "And," says the Duke of York, "there should be no +Governor continue so, longer than three years."--"And," says +Lord Arlington, "when our rules are once set, and upon good +judgment declared, no Governor should offer to alter them." "We +must correct the many things that are amiss there; for (says the +Lord Chancellor) you must think we do hear of more things amiss +than we are willing to speak before our friends' faces." My Lord +Bellasses would not take notice of their reflecting on him, and +did wisely. H. Cholmly and I to the Temple, and there walked in +the dark in the walks talking of news; and he surprises me with +the certain news that the King did last night in Council declare +his being in treaty with the Dutch: that they had sent him a +very civil letter, declaring that if nobody but themselves were +concerned, they would not dispute the place of treaty, but leave +it to his choice; but that being obliged to satisfy therein a +prince of equal quality with himself, they must except any place +in England or Spain. Also the King hath chosen the Hague, and +thither hath chose my Lord Hollis and Harry Coventry to go +Embassadors to treat; which is so mean a thing as all the world +will believe that we do go to beg a peace of them, whatever we +pretend. And it seems all our Court are mightily for a peace, +taking this to be the time to make one while the King hath money, +that he may save something of what the Parliament hath given him +to put him out of debt, so as he may need the help of no more +Parliaments, as to the point of money: but our debt is so great, +and expence daily so encreased, that I believe little of the +money will be saved between this and the making of the peace up. +But that which troubles me most is, that we have chosen a son of +Secretary Morris, a boy never used to any business, to go +Secretary to the Embassy. + +14th. This morning come up to my wife's bedside, I being up +dressing myself, little Will Mercer to be her Valentine; and +brought her name writ upon blue paper in gold letters, done by +himself, very pretty; and we were both well pleased with it. But +I am also this year my wife's Valentine, and it will cost me 5l.; +but that I must have laid out if we had not been Valentines. + +15th. Pegg Pen is married this day privately: no friends but +two or three relations of his and hers. Borrowed many things of +my kitchen for dressing their dinner. This wedding, being +private, is imputed to its being just before Lent, and so in vain +to make new clothes till Easter, that they might see the fashions +as they are like to be this summer; which is reason good enough. + +16th. To my Lord Brouncker's, and there was Sir Robert Murray, a +most excellent man of reason and learning, and understands the +doctrine of musique, and every thing else I could discourse of, +very finely. Here come Mr. Hooke, Sir George Ent, Dr. Wren, and +many others; and by and by the musique, that is to say, Signior +Vincentio, who is the master composer, and six more, whereof two +eunuches (so tall that Sir T. Harvy said well that he believes +they do grow large as our oxen do), and one woman very well +dressed and handsome enough, but would not be kissed, as Mr. +Killigrew, who brought the company in, did acquaint us. They +sent two harpsicons before, and by and by after tuning them they +begun; and, I confess, very good musique they made; that is, the +composition exceeding good, but yet not at all more pleasing to +me than what I have heard in English by Mrs. Knipp, Captain +Cocke, and others. Their justness in keeping time by practice +much before any that we have, unless it be a good band of +practiced fiddlers. I find that Mrs. Pierce's little girl is my +Valentine, she having drawn me; which I was not sorry for, it +easing me of something more that I must have given to others. +But here I do first observe the fashion of drawing of mottos as +well as names; so that Pierce, who drew my wife, did draw also a +motto, and this girl drew another for me. What mine was I have +forgot; but my wife's was, "Most courteous and most fair:" which +as it may be used, or an anagram made upon each name, might be +very, pretty. One wonder I observed to-day, that there was no +musique in the morning to call up our new-married people; which +is very mean methinks. + +17th. Staid till the council was up, and attended the King and +Duke of York round the Park, and was asked several questions by +both; but I was in pain lest they should ask me what I could not +answer; as the Duke of York did the value of the hull of the St. +Patricke lately lost, which I told him I could not presently +answer: though I might have easily furnished myself to answer +all those questions. They stood a good while to see the ganders +and geese in the water. At home by appointment comes Captain +Cocke to me, to talk of State matters and about the peace; who +told me that the whole business is managed between Kevet, +Burgomaster, of Amsterdam, and my Lord Arlington, who hath +through his wife there some interest. [See note Nov. 15, 1666.] +We have proposed the Hague, but know not yet whether the Dutch +will like it; or if they do, whether the French will. We think +we shall have the help of the information of their affairs and +state, and the helps of the Prince of Orange his faction: but +above all, that De Witt, who hath all this while said he cannot +get peace, his mouth will now be stopped, so that he will be +forced to offer fit terms for fear of the people; and lastly, if +France or Spain do not please us, we are in a way presently to +clap up a peace with the Dutch, and secure them. But we are also +in treaty with France, as he says; but it must be to the +excluding our alliance with the King of Spain or House of +Austria: which we do not know presently what will be determined +in. He tells me the Vice-chamberlaine is so great with the King, +that let the Duke of York, and Sir W. Coventry, and this office, +do or say what they will, while the King lives Sir G. Carteret +will do what he will; and advises me to be often with him, and +eat and drink with him; and tells me that he doubts he is jealous +of me, and was mighty mad to-day at our discourse to him before +the Duke of York. But I did give him my reasons, that the office +is concerned to declare that without money the King's work cannot +go on. He assures me that Henry Brouncker is one of the +shrewdest fellows for parts in England, and a dangerous man: +that while we want money so much in the Navy, the officers of the +Ordnance have at this day 300,000l. good in tallies, which they +can command money upon: that Harry Coventry, who is to go upon +this treaty with Lord Hollis (who he confesses to be a very wise +man) into Holland, is a mighty, quick, ready man, but not so +weighty as he should be, he knowing him so well in his drink as +he do: that unless the King do something against my Lord +Mordaunt and the Patents for the Canary Company before the +Parliament next meets, he do believe there will be a civil war +before there will be any more money given, unless it may be at +their perfect disposal; and that all things are now ordered to +the provoking of the Parliament against they come next, and the +spending the King's money, so as to put him into a necessity of +having it at the time it is prorogued for, or sooner. This +evening going to the Queene's side to see the ladies, I did find +the Queene, the Duchesse of York, and another or two, at cards, +with the room full of great ladies and men; which I was amazed at +to see on a Sunday, having not believed it, but contrarily, +flatly denied the same a little while since to my cosen Roger +Pepys. + +18th. To the King's house to "The Mayd's Tragedy;" but vexed all +the while with two talking ladies and Sir Charles Sedley; yet +pleased to hear their discourse, he being a stranger. And one of +the ladies would and did sit with her mask on all the play; and +being exceedingly witty as ever I heard woman, did talk most +pleasantly with him; but was, I believe, a virtuous woman, and of +quality. He would fain know who she was, but she would not tell; +yet did give him many pleasant hints of her knowledge of him, by +that means setting his brains at work to find out who she was, +and did give him leave to use all means to find out who she was, +but pulling off her mask. He was mighty witty, and she also +making sport with him very inoffensively, that a more pleasant +rencontre I never heard. But by that means lost the pleasure of +the play wholly, to which now and then Sir Charles Sedley's +exceptions against both words and pronouncing were very pretty. + +20th. They talked how the King's viallin, Bannister, is mad; +that the King hath a Frenchman come to be chief of some part of +the King's musique. I with Lord Bellasses, to Lord Chancellor's. +Lord Bellasses tells me how the King of France hath caused the +stop to be made to our proposition of treating in the Hague; that +he being greater than they, we may better come and treat at +Paris: so that God knows what will become of the peace! He +tells me, too, as a grand secret, that he do believe the +offensive and defensive between Spain and us is quite finished, +but must not be known, to prevent the King of France's present +falling upon Flanders. He do believe the Duke of York will be +made General of the Spanish Armies there, and Governor of +Flanders, if the French should come against it, and we assist the +Spaniard: that we have done the Spaniard abundance of mischief +in the West Indys by our privateers at Jamaica, which they lament +mightily, and I am sorry for it to have it done at this time. By +and by come to my Lord Chancellor, who heard mighty quietly my +complaints for lack of money, and spoke mighty kind to me, but +little hopes of help therein. + +24th. To White Hall, and there meeting my Lord Arlington, he by +I know not what kindness offered to carry me along with him to my +Lord Treasurer's, whither I told him I was going. I believe he +had a mind to discourse of some Navy businesses, but Sir Thomas +Clifford coming into the coach to us, we were prevented; which I +was sorry for, for I had a mind to begin an acquaintance with +him. He speaks well, and hath pretty slight superficial parts, I +believe. He, in our going, talked much of the plain habit of the +Spaniards; how the King and Lords themselves wear but a cloak of +Colchester bayze, and the ladies mantles in cold weather of white +flannell: and that the endeavours frequently of setting up the +manufactory of making these stuffs there, have only been +prevented by the Inquisition. Captain Cocke did tell me what I +must not forget: that the answer of the Dutch, refusing the +Hague for a place of treaty, and proposing Boysse, Bredah, +Bergen-op-Soome, or Mastricht, was seemingly stopped by the +Swedes Embassador (though he did show it the King, but the King +would take no notice of it, nor does not,) from being delivered +to the King; and he hath wrote to desire them to consider better +of it. So that, though we know their refusal of the place, yet +they know not that we know it, nor the King obliged to show his +sense of the affront. That the Dutch are in very great straits, +so as to be said to be not able to set out their fleet this year. +By and by comes Sir Robert Viner and Lord Mayor [Sir William +Bolton.] to ask the King's direction about measuring out the +streets according to the new Act for building of the City, +wherein the King is to be pleased. But he says that the way +proposed in Parliament by Colonel Birch would have been the best, +to have chosen some persons in trust, and sold the whole ground, +and let it be sold again by them with preference to the old +owner, which would have certainly caused the City to be built +where these Trustees pleased; whereas now great differences will +be, and the streets built by fits, and not entire till all +differences be decided. This, as he tells it, I think would have +been the best way. I enquired about the Frenchman that was said +to fire the City, and was hanged for it by his own confession, +that he was hired for it by a Frenchman of Roane, and that he did +with a stick reach in a fire-ball in at a window of the house: +whereas the master of the house, who is the King's baker, and his +son, and daughter, do all swear there was no such window, and +that the fire did not begin there-abouts. Yet the fellow, who, +though a mopish besotted fellow, did not speak like a madman, did +swear that he did fire it: and did not this like a madman; for +being tried on purpose and landed with his keeper at the Town- +Wharf, he could carry the keeper to the very house. Asking Sir +R. Viner what he thought was the cause of the fire, he tells me, +that the baker, son, and his daughter, did all swear again and +again, that their oven was drawn by ten o'clock at night: that +having occasion to light a candle about twelve, there was not so +much fire in the bakehouse as to light a match for a candle, so +that they were fain to go into another place to light it: that +about two in the morning they felt themselves almost choked with +smoke, and rising did find the fire coming upstairs; so they rose +to save themselves; but that at that time the bavins were not on +fire in the yard. So that they are, as they swear, in absolute +ignorance how this fire should come; which is a strange thing, +that so horrid an effect should have so mean and uncertain a +beginning. + +25th. Lay long in bed, talking with pleasure with my poor wife, +how she used to make coal fires, and wash my foul clothes with +her own hand for me, poor wretch! in our little room at my Lord +Sandwich's; for which I ought for ever to love and admire her, +and do: and persuade myself she would do the same thing again, +if God should reduce us to it. At my goldsmith's did observe the +King's new medall, where in little there is Mrs. Stewart's face +as well done as ever I saw any thing in my whole life, I think: +and a pretty thing it is, that he should choose her face to +represent Brittannia by. + +27th. This day at a leisure, the King and Duke of York being +gone down to Sheerenesse this morning to lay out the design for a +fortification there to the river Medway; and so we do not attend +the Duke or York as we should otherwise have done. To the Dock +Yard, and went into Mr. Pett's; and there beyond expectation he +did present me with a Japan cane with a silver head, and his wife +sent me by him a ring with a Woolwich stone, now much in request; +which I accepted, the values not being great: and then at my +asking did give me an old draught of an ancient-built ship, given +him by his father, of the Beare in Queene Elizabeth's time. Mr. +Hunt, newly come out of the country, tells me the country is much +impoverished by the greatness of taxes: the farmers do break +every day almost, and 1000l. a year become not worth 500l. He +told me some ridiculous pieces of thrift of Sir G. Downing's, who +is his countryman, in inviting some poor people at Christmas +last, to charm the country people's mouths; but did give them +nothing but beef, porridge, pudding, and pork, and nothing said +all dinner, but only his mother would say, "It's good broth, +son." He would answer, "Yes, it is good broth." Then says his +lady, "Confirm all, and say, Yes, very good broth." By and by +she would begin and say, "Good pork:" "Yes," says the mother, +"good pork." Then he cries, "Yes, very good pork." And so they +said of all things; to which nobody made any answer, they going +there not out of love or esteem of them, but to eat his victuals, +knowing him to be a, niggardly fellow; and with this he is jeered +now all over the country. Met Mr. Cooling, who tells me of my +Lord Duke of Buckingham's being sent for last night by a Sergeant +at Armes to the Tower for treasonable practices, and that the +King is infinitely angry with him, and declared him no longer one +of his Council. I know not the reason of it, or occasion. + +28th. Mr. Holland gives it me as his opinion, that the City will +never be built again together, as is expected, while any +restraint is laid upon them. I did within these six days see +smoke still remaining of the late fire in the City. Sir J. +Minnes this night tells me that he hears for certain that ballads +are made of us in Holland for begging of a peace; which I +expected, but am vexed at. So ends this month with nothing of +weight upon my mind but for my father and mother, who are both +very ill, and have been so for some weeks: whom God help! but I +do fear my poor father will hardly be ever naturally well again. + +March 1, 1666-7. In Mark-lane I do observe (it being St. David's +day) the picture of a man, dressed like a Welchman, hanging by +the neck upon one of the poles that stand out at the top of one +of the merchant's houses, in full proportion, and very handsomely +done; which is one of the oddest sights I have seen a good while. +Tom Woodall, the known chyrurgeon, is killed at Somerset House by +a Frenchman in a drunken quarrel. + +2nd. After dinner with my wife to the King's house to see "The +Mayden Queene," a new play of Dryden's, mightily commended for +the regularity of it, and the strain and wit: and the truth is, +there is a comical part done by Nell, which is Florimell, that I +never can hope ever to see the like done again by man or woman. +The King and Duke of York were at the play. But so great +performance of a comical part was never, I believe, in the world +before as Nell do this, both as a mad girle, then most and best +of all when she comes in like a young gallant; and hath the +motions and carriage of a spark the most that ever I saw any man +have. It makes me, I confess, admire her. + +3rd. it is believed that the Dutch will yield to have the treaty +at London or Dover, neither of which will get our King any +credit, we having already consented to have it at the Hague; +which, it seems, De Witt opposed, as a thing wherein the King of +England must needs have some profound design, which in my +conscience he hath not. They do also tell me that news is this +day come to the King, that the King of France is come with his +army to the frontiers of Flanders, demanding leave to pass +through their country towards Poland, but is denied, and +thereupon that he is gone into the country. How true this is I +dare not believe till I hear more. I walked into the Park, it +being a fine but very cold day; and there took two or three turns +the length of the Pell Mell: and there I met Serjeant Bearcroft, +who was sent for the Duke of Buckingham, to have brought him +prisoner to the Tower. He come to town this day, and brings word +that being overtaken and outrid by the Duchesse of Buckingham +within a few miles of the Duke's house of Westhorp, he believes +she got thither about a quarter of an hour before him, and so had +time to consider; so that when he come the doors were kept shut +against him. The next day coming with officers of the neighbour +market-town to force open the doors, they were open for him, but +the Duke gone: so he took horse presently, and heard upon the +road that the Duke of Buckingham was gone before him for London: +so that he believes he is this day also come to town before him; +but no news is yet heard of him. This is all he brings. Thence +to my Lord Chancellor's, and there meeting Sir H. Cholmly, he and +I walked in my Lord's garden, and talked among other things, of +the treaty; and he says there will certainly be a peace, but I +cannot believe it. He tells me that the Duke of Buckingham his +crimes, as far as he knows, are his being of a cabal with some +discontented persons of the late House of Commons, and opposing +the desires of the King in all his matters in that House: and +endeavouring to become popular, and advising how the Commons' +House should proceed, and how he would order the House of Lords. +And that he hath been endeavouring to have the King's nativity +calculated: which was done, and the fellow now in the Tower +about it: which itself hath heretofore, as he says, been held +treason, and people died for it: but by the Statute of Treason +in Queen Mary's time and since, it hath been left out. He tells +me that this silly Lord hath provoked by his ill carriage the +Duke of York, my Lord Chancellor, and all the great persons; and +therefore most likely will die. He tells me too many pratices of +treachery against this King; as betraying him in Scotland, and +giving Oliver an account of the King's private councils: which +the King knows very well, and yet hath pardoned him. + +6th. To White Hall; and here the Duke of York did acquaint us +(and the King did the like also afterwards coming in) with his +resolution of altering the manner of the war this year: that is, +we shall keep what fleet we have abroad in several squadrons: so +that now all is come out; but we are to keep it as close as we +can, without hindering the work that is to be done in preparation +to this. Great preparations there are to fortify Sheerenesse and +the yard at Portsmouth, and forces are drawing down to both those +places, and elsewhere by the sea-side; so that we have some fear +of invasion: and the Duke of York himself did declare his +expectation of the enemy's blocking us up here in the river, and +therefore directed that we should send away all the ships that we +have to fit out hence. Sir W. Pen told me, going with me this +morning to White Hall, that for certain the Duke of Buckingham is +brought into the Tower, and that he hath had an hour's private +conference with the King before he was sent thither. Every body +complains of the dearness of coals, being at 4l. per chaldron, +the weather too being become most bitter cold, the King saying +to-day that it was the coldest day he ever knew in England. +Thence by coach to my Lord Crewe's, where very welcome. Here I +find they are in doubt where the Duke of Buckingham is; which +makes me mightily reflect on the uncertainty of all history, when +in a business of this moment, and of this day's growth, we cannot +tell the truth. + +7th. To Devonshire House, to a burial of a kinsman of Sir R. +Viner's; and there I received a ring. To the Duke's playhouse, +and saw "The English Princesse, or Richard the Third;" [A +tragedy, by J. Caryl.] a most sad, melancholy play, and pretty +good, but nothing eminent in it, as some tragedys are; only +little Miss Davis did dance a jigg after the end of the play, and +there telling the next day's play, so that it come in by force +only to please the company to see her dance in boy's clothes; and +the truth is, there is no comparison between Nell's dancing the +other day at the King's house in boy's clothes and this, this +being infinitely beyond the other. [Mary Davis, some time a +comedian in the Duke of York's troop, was, according to Pepys, +natural daughter of the Earl of Berkshire: she afterwards became +the King's mistress, and had by him a child named Mary Tudor, +married to Francis Ratcliffe, 2nd Earl of Derwentwater; whose son +James, the 3rd Earl, was attainted and beheaded for High Treason. +There is a fine whole-length portrait of Miss Davis, by Kneller, +lately removed to Audley End, from the collection at Billingbear, +in which she is represented as a tall handsome woman, and her +general appearance ill accords with time description given of her +in the Diary.] This day was reckoned by all people the coldest +day that ever was remembered in England; and, God knows, coals at +a very great price. + +8th. Sir H. Cholmly and I to the Temple, and there parted, he +telling me of my Lord Bellasses's want of generosity, and that he +will certainly be turned out of his government, and he thinks +himself stands fair for it. + +9th. Captain Cocke, who was here to-night, did tell us that he +is certain that yesterday a proclamation was voted at the council +touching the proclaiming of my Lord Duke of Buckingham a traytor, +and that it will be out on Monday. + +11th. Yesterday the King did publicly talk of the King of +France's dealing with all the Princes of Christendome. As to the +States of Holland he hath advised them, on good grounds, to +refuse to treat with us at the Hague, because of having +opportunity of spies by reason of our interest in the House of +Orange; and then, it being a town in one particular province, it +would not be fit to have it but in a town wherein the provinces +have equal interest, as at Mastricht and other places named. That +he advises them to offer no terms, nor accept of any, without his +privity and consent, according to agreement; and tells them, if +not so, he hath in his power to be even with them, the King of +England being come to offer any terms he pleases: and that my +Lord St. Albans is now at Paris, Plenipotentiary, to make what +peace he pleases; and so he can make it and exclude them (the +Dutch) if he sees fit. A copy of this letter of the King of +France's the Spanish Ambassador here gets, and comes and tells +all to our King; which our King denies, and says the King of +France only uses his power of saying anything. At the same time +the King of France writes to the Emperor, that he is resolved to +do all things to express affection to the Emperor, having it now +in his power to make what peace he pleases between the King of +England and him, and the States of the United Provinces; and +therefore, that he would not have him to concern himself in a +friendship with us; and assures him that on that regard he will +not offer anything to his disturbance in his interest in Flanders +or elsewhere. He writes at the same time to Spain, to tell him +that he wonders to hear of a league almost ended between the +Crown of Spain and England, by my Lord Sandwich, and all without +his privity, while he was making a peace upon what terms he +pleased with England. That he is a great lover of the Crown of +Spain, and would take the King and his affairs during his +minority into his protection, nor would offer to set; his foot in +Flanders or any where else to disturb him; and therefore would +not have him to trouble himself to make peace with any body; only +he hath a desire to offer an exchange, which he thinks may be of +moment to both sides: that is, that he will enstate the King of +Spain in the kingdom of Portugall, and he and the Dutch will put; +him into possession of Lisbon; and that being done, he may have +Flanders: and this, they say, do mightily take in Spain, which +is sensible of the fruitless expence Flanders, so far off, gives +them; and how much better it would be for them to be master of +Portugall: and the King of France offers for security herein +that the King of England shall be bond for him, and that he will +counter-secure the King of England with Amsterdam: and it seems +hath assured our King, that if he will make a league with him, he +will make a peace exclusive to the Hollander. These things are +almost romantique, but yet true, as Sir H. Cholmly tells me the +King himself did relate it all yesterday; and it seems as if the +King of France did think other princes fit for nothing but to +make sport for him: but simple princes they are that are forced +to suffer this from him. The proclamation has this day come out +against the Duke of Buckingham, commanding him to come in to one +of the Secretaries, or to the Lieutenant of the Tower. A silly, +vain man to bring himself to this: and there be many hard +circumstances in the proclamation of the causes of this +proceeding of the King's, which speak great displeasure of the +King's, and crimes of his. + +13th. The Duke of Buckingham is concluded gone over sea, and, it +is thought, to France. + +14th. To my Lord Treasurer's. By and by comes the King and Duke +of York, and presently the officers of the Ordnance were called; +my Lord Barkeley, Sir John Duncomb, and Mr. Chichly; then my Lord +Brouncker, W. Batten, W. Pen, and myself; where we find only the +King and Duke of York, and my Lord Treasurer, and Sir G. +Carteret; when I only did speak, laying down the state of our +wants, which the King and Duke of York seemed very well pleased +with, and we did get what we asked, 500,000l., signed upon the +eleven months' tax: but that is not so much ready-money, or what +will raise 40,000l. per week, which we desired, and the business +will want. The King did prevent my offering any thing by and by +as Treasurer for Tangier, telling me that he had ordered us +30,000l. on the same tax; but that is not what we would have to +bring our payments to come within a year. So we gone out, in +went others; viz. one after another, Sir Stephen Fox for the +Army, Captain Cocke for sick and wounded, Mr. Ashburnham for the +household. Thence W. Batten, W. Pen, and I back again; I +mightily pleased with what I had said and done, and the success +thereof. + +15th. Letters this day come to Court do tell us that we are +likely not to agree, the Dutch demanding high terms, and the King +of France the like in a most braveing manner. This morning I was +called up by Sir John Winter, poor man! come in a sedan from the +other end of the town, about helping the King in the business of +bringing down his timber to the sea-side in the forest of Deane. + +18th. The weather is now grown warm again after much cold; and +it is observable that within these eight days I did see smoke +remaining, coming out of some cellars from the late great fire, +now above six months since. + +17th. I to the Duke of York's lodging, where in his dressing- +chamber, he talking of his journey to-morrow or next day to +Harwich, to prepare some fortifications there; so that we are +wholly upon the defensive part this year. I to walke in the +Parke; where to the Queene's chapel, and there heard a fryer +preach with his cord about his middle in Portuguese, something I +could understand, showing that God did respect the meek and +humble as well as the high and rich. He was full of action, but +very decent and good, I thought, and his manner of delivery very +good. Then I went back to White Hall, and there up to the +closet, and spoke with several people till sermon was ended, +which was preached by the Bishop of Hereford, [Dr. Herbert Croft +was made Bishop of Hereford 1661, but he could not then be very +old, as he lived till 1691. The Bishop's father was a knight and +his son a Baronet.] an old good man, that they say made an +excellent sermon. He was by birth a Catholique, and a great +gallant, having 1500l. per annum patrimony, and is a Knight +Barronet: was turned from his persuasion by the late Archbishop +Laud. He and the Bishop of Exeter, Dr. Ward, are the two Bishops +that the King do say he cannot have bad sermons from. Here I met +with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me, that undoubtedly my Lord +Bellasses do go no more to Tangier, and that he do believe he do +stand in a likely way to go governor; though he sees and showed +me a young silly lord (one Lord Allington [William 2nd Baron +Allington of Killard, Ireland, created an English Peer 1682; +which title was extinct 1692. He was thrice married.]) who hath +offered a great sum of money to go, and will put hard for it, he +having a fine lady, and a great man would be glad to have him out +of the way. The King is very kind to my Lord Sandwich, and did +himself observe to him (Sir G. Carteret) how those very people +(meaning the Prince, and Duke of Albemarle) are punished in the +same kind as they did seek to abuse my Lord Sandwich. + +18th. Comes my old good friend Mr. Richard Cumberland [Richard +Cumberland educated at St. Paul's School, and Magdalene College, +Cambridge, made Bishop of Peterborough 1691. Ob. 1718, aged 86.] +to see me, being newly come to town, whom I have not seen almost, +if not quite these seven years. In a plain country-parson's +dress. I could not spend much time with him, but prayed him to +come with his brother, who was with him, to dine with me to-day; +which he did do: and I had a great deal of his good company; and +a most excellent person he is as any I know, and one that I am +sorry should be lost and buried in a little country town, and +would be glad to remove him thence; and the truth is, if he would +accept of my sister's fortune, I should give 100l. more with him +than to a man able to settle her four times as much as I fear he +is able to do. Comes Captain Jenifer to me, a great servant of +my Lord Sandwich's, who tells me that he do hear for certain, +though I do not yet believe it, that Sir W. Coventry is to be +Secretary of State, and my Lord Arlington Lord Treasurer. I only +wish that the latter were as fit for the latter office as the +former is for the former, and more fit than my Lord Arlington. +Anon Sir W. Pen come and talked with me in the garden; and tells +me that for certain the Duke of Richmond is to marry Mrs. +Stewart, he having this day brought in an account of his estate +and debts to the King on that account. This day Mr. Caesar told +me a pretty experiment of his of angling with a minikin, a gut- +string varnished over, which keeps it from swelling, and is +beyond any hair for strength and smallness. The secret I like +mightily. + +19th. It comes in my mind this night to set down how a house was +the other day in Bishopsgate-street blowed up with powder; a +house that was untenanted; but, thanks be to God, it did no more +hurt; and all do conclude it a plot. This afternoon I am told +again that the town do talk of my Lord Arlington's being to be +Lord Treasurer, and Sir W. Coventry to be Secretary of State; and +that for certain the match is concluded between the Duke of +Richmond and Mrs. Stewart; which I am well enough pleased with: +and it is pretty to consider how his quality will allay people's +talk; whereas had a meaner person married her, he would for +certain have been derided at first dash. + +20th. To our church to the vestry, to be assessed by the late +Poll Bill, where I am rated as an Esquire, and for my office all +will come to about 50l. But not more than I expected, nor so much +by a great deal as I ought to be for all my offices. The Duke of +Richmond and Mrs. Stewart were betrothed last night. It is +strange how "Rycaut's Discourse of Turky," which before the fire +I was asked but 8s. for, there being all but twenty-two or +thereabouts burned, I did now offer 20s., and he demands 50s., +and I think I shall give it him, though it be only as a monument +of the fire. + +21st. To the Duke of York's playhouse, where unexpectedly I come +to see only the young men and women of the house act; they having +liberty to act for their own profit on Wednesdays and Fridays +this Lent: and the play they did yesterday, being Wednesday, was +so well taken, that they thought fit to venture it publickly to- +day; a play my Lord Falkand's, [Henry Carey, third Viscount +Falkland, M.P, for Arundell 1661. Ob. 1664.] called "The +Wedding Night," a kind of a tragedy, and some things very good in +it, but the whole together, I thought, not so. I confess I was +well enough pleased with my seeing it; and the people did do +better (without the great actors) than I did expect, but yet far +short of what they do when they are there. Our trial for a good +prize came on to-day, "The Phoenix, worth 2 or 3000l." when by +and by Sir W. Batten told me we had got the day, which was mighty +welcome news to me and us all. But it is pretty to see what +money will do. Yesterday Walker [Sir W. Walker.] was mighty +cold on our behalf, till Sir W. Batten promised him, if we sped +in this business of the goods, a coach; and if at the next trial +we sped for the ship, we would give him a pair of horses. And he +hath strove for us to-day like a prince. Though the Swedes' +Agent was there with all the vehemence he could to save the +goods, but yet we carried it against him. + +23rd. At the office, where Sir W. Pen come, being returned from +Chatham, from considering the means of fortifying the river +Medway, by a chain at the stakes, and ships laid there with guns +to keep the enemy from coming up to burn our ships; all our care +being now to fortify ourselves against their invading us. + +24th. With Sir G. Carteret and Sir J. Minnes; and they did talk +of my Lord Brouncker; whose father it seems did give Mr. +Ashburnham and the present Lord Digby [The Earl of Bristol, +frequently called in the Diary Lord Digby, long after he had +succeeded to the Earldom.] 1200l. to be made an Irish lord, and +swore the same day that he had not 12d. left to pay for his +dinner: they made great mirth at this, my Lord Brouncker having +lately given great matter of offence both to them and us all, +that we are at present mightily displeased with him. By and by +to the Duke of York, where we all met, and there was the King +also; and all our discourse was about fortifying of the Medway +and Harwich, which is to be entrenched quite round, and +Portsmouth: and here they advised with Sir Godfrey Lloyd and Sir +Bernard de Gunn, [Engineer-general, who had been employed in 1661 +to construct the works at Dunkirk.] the two great engineers, and +had the plates drawn before them; and indeed all their care they +now take is to fortify themselves, and are not ashamed of it; for +when by and by my Lord Arlington come in with letters, and seeing +the King and Duke of York give us and the officers of the +Ordnance directions in this matter, he did move that we might do +it as privately as we could, that it might not come into the +Dutch Gazette presently, as the King's and Duke of York's going +down the other day to Sheerenesse was the week after in the +Harlem Gazette. The King and Duke of York both laughed at it, +and made no matter, but said, "Let us be safe, and let them talk, +for there is nothing will trouble them more, nor will prevent +their coming more, than to hear that we are fortifying +ourselves." And the Duke of York said further, "What said +Marshal Turenne, when some in vanity said that the enemies were +afraid, for they entrenched themselves? 'Well,' says he, 'I +would they were not afraid, for then they would not entrench +themselves, and so we could deal with them the better.'" Away +thence, and met with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me that he do +believe the government of Tangier is bought by my Lord Allington +for a sum of money to my Lord Arlington, and something to Lord +Bellasses. I did this night give the waterman who uses to carry +me 10s. at his request, for the painting of his new boat, on +which shall be my arms. + +25th. Called at Mr. Lilly's, who was working; and indeed his +pictures are without doubt much beyond Mr. Hales's, I think I may +say I am convinced: but a mighty proud man he is, and full of +state. To the King's playhouse; and by and by comes Mr. Lowther +and his wife and mine, and into a box forsooth, neither of them +being dressed, which I was almost ashamed of. Sir W. Pen and I +in the pit, and here saw "The Mayden Queene" again; which indeed +the more I see the more I like, and is an excellent play, and so +done by Nell her merry part, as cannot be better done in nature. + +26th. To Exeter House, where the Judge was sitting, and there +heard our cause pleaded; Sir -- Turner, Sir W. Walker, and Sir +Ellis Layton being our counsel against Sir Robert Wiseman [D.C.L. +King's Advocate 1669.] on the other. The second of our three +counsel was the best, and indeed did speak admirably, and is a +very shrewd man. Nevertheless as good as he did make our case, +and the rest, yet when Wiseman come to argue (nay, and though he +did begin so sillily that we laughed in scorn in our sleeves at +him,) he did so state the case, that the Judge [Sir Leoline +Jenkins, Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, and afterwards made +Judge of the Admiralty and the Prerogative Court. He was +subsequently employed on several Embassies, and in 1680 succeeded +Henry Coventry as secretary of State. Ob. 1685, aged 62.] did +not think it to decide the cause to-night, but took to to-morrow, +and did stagger us in our hopes, so as to make us despair of the +success. I am mightily pleased with the Judge, who seems a very +rational, learned, and uncorrupt man, though our success do shake +me. + +27th. To the Castle Taverne by Exeter House; and there Sir Ellis +Layton, whom I find a wonderful witty, ready man for sudden +answers and little tales, and sayings very extraordinary witty. +He did give me a full account, upon my demand, of this Judge of +the Admiralty, Judge Jenkins; who, he says, is a man never +practised in this Court but taken merely for his merit and +ability's sake from Trinity Hall where he had always lived; only +by accident the business of the want of a Judge: being proposed, +the present Archbishop of Canterbury sent for him up: and here +he is against the gre and content of the old Doctors made Judge, +but is a very excellent man both for judgment and temper (yet +majesty enough), and by all men's report not to be corrupted. +After dinner to the Court, where Sir Ellis Layton did make a very +silly motion in our behalf, but did neither hurt nor good after +him Walker and Wiseman. And then the Judge did pronounce his +sentence; for some a part of the goods and ship, and the freight +of the whole to be free and returned and paid by us, and the +remaining (which was the greater part) to be ours. The loss of +so much troubles us; but we have got a pretty good part, thanks +be to God! Received from my brother the news of my mother's +dying on Monday about five or six o'clock in the afternoon, and +that the last time she spoke of her children was on Friday last, +and her last words were, "God bless my poor Sam!" The reading; +hereof did set me a-weeping heartily. + +29th. The great streets in the City are marked out with piles +drove into the ground; and if ever it be built in that form with +so fair streets, it will be a noble sight. To a periwigg-maker's +and there bought two periwiggs, mighty fine indeed; too fine, I +thought, for me; but he persuaded me, and I did buy them for 4l. +10s. the two. To the Bull-Head Taverne, whither was brought my +French gun; and one Truelocke, the famous gunsmith, that is a +mighty ingenious man, did take my gun in pieces, and made me +understand the secrets thereof: and upon the whole I do find it +a very good piece of work, and truly wrought; but for certain not +a thing to be used much with safety: and he do find that this +very gun was never yet shot off. + +30th. To see the silly play of my Lady Newcastle's, [Margaret, +daughter of Thomas Lucas of Colchester, and sister to John Lord +Lucas, married William Marquis of Newcastle, created a Duke +1664.] called "The Humourous Lovers;" the most silly thing that +ever came upon a stage. I was sick to see it, but yet would not +but have seen it, that I might the better understand her. + +31st. To church; and with my mourning, very handsome, and new +periwigg, make a great show. Walked to my Lord Treasurer's, +where the King, Duke of York, and the Caball, and much company +without; and a fine day. Anon come out from the Caball my Lord +Hollis and Mr. H. Coventry, [Third son of Thomas first Lord +Coventry; after the Restoration made a Groom of the Bedchamber, +and elected M.P. for Droitwich. In 1664 he was sent Envoy +Extraordinary to Sweden, where he remained two years, and was +again employed on an Embassy to the same Court in 1671. He also +succeeded in negotiating the peace at Breda here alluded to, and +in 1672 became Secretary of State; which office he resigned in +1679, on account of ill health. He died unmarried, Dec. 7, +1686.] who, it is conceived, have received their instructions +from the King this day; they being to begin their journey towards +their treaty at Bredagh speedily, their passes being come. Here +I saw the Lady Northumberland [Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of +Theophilus Earl of Suffolk, wife of Algernon tenth Earl of +Northumberland.] and her daughter-in-law (my Lord Treasurer's +daughter) my Lady Piercy, a beautiful lady indeed. [Lady +Elizabeth Wriothesly, daughter to the Earl of Southampton, +married Joscelin Lord Percy.] The month shuts up only with great +desires of peace in all of us, and a belief that we shall have a +peace, in most people if it can be had on any terms, for there is +a necessity of it; for we cannot go on with the war, and our +masters are afraid to come to depend upon the good will of the +Parliament any more, as I do hear. + +APRIL 1st. 1667. To White Hall, and there had the good fortune +to walk with Sir W. Coventry into the garden, and there read our +melancholy letter to the Duke of York, which he likes. And so to +talk: and he flatly owns that we must have a peace, for we +cannot set out a fleet; and (to use his own words) he fears that +we shall soon have enough of fighting in this new way that we +have thought on for this year. He bemoans the want of money, and +discovers himself jealous that Sir G. Carteret do not look after +or concern himself for getting money; and did further say, that +he and my Lord Chancellor do at this very day labour all they can +to vilify this new way of raising money, and making it payable as +it now is into the Exchequer; and that in pursuance hereof my +Lord Chancellor hath prevailed with the King in the close of his +speech to the House to say, that he did hope to see them come to +give money as it used to be given, without so many provisos, +meaning this new method of the Act. Mrs. Rebecca Allen, poor +heart! come to desire favour for her husband, who is clapt up, +being a Lieutenant, for sending a challenge to his Captain in the +most saucy, base language that could be writ. I perceive Sir W. +Coventry is wholly resolved to bring him to punishment; for "bear +with this," says he, "and no discipline shall ever be expected." +Sir J. Minnes did tell of the discovery of his own great- +grandfather's murder, fifteen years after he was murdered. + +3rd. To the Duke of York, where Sir G. Carteret did say that he +had no funds to raise money on; and being asked by Sir W. +Coventry whether the eleven months' tax was not a fund, he +answered "No," that the banquers would not lend money upon it. +Then Sir W. Coventry burst out and said he did supplicate His +Royal Highness, and would do the same to the King, that he would +remember who they were that did persuade the King from parting +with the Chimney-money to the Parliament, and taking that in lieu +which they would certainly have given, and which would have +raised infallibly ready-money; meaning the bankers and the +farmers of the Chimney-money, (whereof Sir G. Carteret, I think, +is one;) saying plainly, that whoever did advise the King to +that, did as much as in them lay cut the King's throat, and did +wholly betray him. To which the Duke of York did assent; and +remembered that the King did say again and again at the time, +that he was assured, and did fully believe, the money would be +raised presently upon a land-tax, This put us all into a stound. +And Sir W. Coventry went on to declare that he was glad he was +come to have so lately concern in the Navy as he hath, for he +cannot now give any good account of the Navy business; and that +all his work now was to be able to provide such orders as would +justify His Royal Highness in business when it shall be called to +account; and that he do do, not concerning himself whether they +are or can be performed, or no: and that when it comes to be +examined and falls on my Lord Treasurer, he cannot help it, +whatever the issue of it shall be. One thing more Sir W. +Coventry did say to the Duke of York, when I moved again, that of +about 9000l. debt to Lanyon at Plymouth, he might pay 3700l. +worth of prize-goods that he bought lately at the candle out of +this debt due to him from the King; and the Duke of York, and Sir +G. Carteret, and Lord Barkeley, saying all of them that my Lord +Ashly would not be got to yield it, who is Treasurer of the +Prizes: Sir W. Coventry did plainly desire that it might be +declared whether the proceeds of the prizes were to go to the +helping on of the war, or no; and if it were, how then this could +be denied. Which put them all into another stound; and it is +true, God forgive us! Thence to the chapel, and there by chance +hear that Dr. Crewe is to preach; and so into the organ loft, +where I met Mr. Carteret, and my Lady Jemimah, and Sir Thomas +Crewe's two daughters, and Dr. Childe playing: and Dr. Crewe did +make a very pretty, neat, sober, honest sermon; and delivered it +very readily, decently, and gravely, beyond his years: so as I +was exceedingly taken with it, and I believe the whole chapel, he +being but young; but his manner of his delivery I do like +exceedingly. His text was, "But first seek the kingdom of God, +and all things shall be added unto you." The Dutch letters are +come, and say that the Dutch have ordered a passe to be sent for +our Commissioners, and that it is now upon the way coming with a +trumpeter blinded, as is usual. But I perceive every body begins +to doubt the success of the treaty, all their hopes being only +that if it can be had on any terms, the Chancellor will have it; +for he dare not come before a Parliament, nor a great many more +of the courtiers, and the King himself do declare he do not +desire it, nor intend but on a strait; which God defend him from! +Here I hear how the King is not so well pleased of this marriage +between the Duke of Richmond and Mrs. Stewart, as is talked; and +that he by a wile did fetch her to the Beare, at the Bridge-foot, +where a coach was ready, and they are stole away into Kent +without the King's leave; and that the King hath said he will +never see her more: but people do think that it is only a trick. +This day I saw Prince Rupert abroad in the vane-room, pretty well +as he used to be, and looks as well, only something appears to be +under his periwigg on the crown of his head. + +4th. I find the Duke of Albemarle at dinner with sorry company, +some of his officers of the Army: dirty dishes and a nasty wife +at table, and had meat, of which I made but an ill dinner. +Pretty to hear how she talked against Captain Du Tel, the +Frenchman, that the Prince and her husband put out the last year; +and how, says she, the Duke of York hath made him for his good +services his capbearer, yet he fired more shot into the Prince's +ship, and others of the King's ships, than of the enemy. And the +Duke of Albemarle did confirm it, and that somebody in the fight +did cry out that a little Dutchman by his ship did plague him +more than any other; upon which they were going to order him to +be sunk, when they looked and found it was Du Tell, who, as the +Duke of Albemarle says, had killed several men in several of our +ships. He said, but for his interest, which he knew he had at +Court, he had hanged him at the yard's-arm without staying for a +Court-martiall. One Colonell Howard, at the table, magnified the +Duke of Albemarle's fight in June last, as being a greater action +than ever was done by Caesar. The Duke of Albemarle did say it +had been no great action, had all his number fought, as they +should have done, to have beat; the Dutch: but of his 55 ships, +not above 25 fought. He did give an account that it was a fight +he was forced to: the Dutch being come in his way, and he being +ordered to the buoy of the Nore, he could not pass by them +without fighting, nor avoid them without great disadvantage and +dishonour, (and this Sir G. Carteret, I afterwards giving him an +account of what he said, says that it is true that he was ordered +up to the Nore.) But I remember he said, had all his captains +fought, he would no more have doubted to have beat the Dutch with +all their number, than to eat the apple that lay on his trencher. +My Lady Duchesse, among other things, discoursed of the wisdom of +dividing the fleet; which the Generall said nothing to, though he +knew well that it come from themselves in the fleet, and was +brought up hither by Sir Edward Spragge. Colonell Howard, asking +how the Prince did, the Duke of Albemarle answering "Pretty +well," the other replied, "But not so well as to go to sea +again."--" How!" says the Duchesse, "what should he go for, if he +were well, for there are no ships for him to command? And so you +have brought your hogs to a fair market," said she. It was +pretty to hear the Duke of Albemarle himself to wish that they +would come on our ground (meaning the French), for that he! +would pay them so as to make them glad to go back to France +again; which was like a general, but not like an admiral. One at +the table told an odd passage in this late plague: that at +Petersfield (I think he said) one side of the street had every +house almost infected through the town, and the other, not one +shut up. I made Sir G. Carteret merry with telling him how many +land-admirals we are to have this year: Allen at Plymouth, +Holmes at Portsmouth, Spragge for Medway, Teddiman at Dover, +Smith to the Northward, and Harman to the Southward. With Sir +Stephen Fox talking of the sad condition of the King's purse, and +affairs thereby; and how sad the King's life must be, to pass by +his officers every hour, that are four years behind hand unpaid. +Sir W. Coventry tells me plainly, that to all future complaints +of lack of money he will answer but with the shrug of the +shoulder; which methought did come to my heart, to see him to +begin to abandon the King's affairs, and let them sink or swim. +My wife had been to day at White Hall to the Maunday, it being +Maunday Thursday; but the King did not wash the poor people's +feet himself, but the Bishop of London did it for him. + +5th. Mr. Young was talking about the building of the City again: +and he told me that those few churches that are to be new built +are plainly not chosen with regard to the convenience of the +City; they stand a great many in a cluster about Cornhill: but +that all of them are either in the gift of the Lord Archbishop, +or Bishop of London, or Lord Chancellor, or gift of the City. +Thus all things, even to the building of churches, are done in +this world! This morning come to me the collectors for my Poll- +money; for which I paid for my title as Esquire and place of +Clerk of Acts, and my head and wife's servants', and their wages, +40l. 17s. And though this be a great deal, yet it is a shame I +should pay no more: that is, that I should not be assessed for +my pay, as in the victualling business and Tangier; and for my +money, which of my own accord I had determined to charge myself +with 1000l. money, till coming to the Vestry, and seeing nobody +of our ablest merchants, as Sir Andrew Rickard, [A leading man in +the East India Company, who was committed in 1668 by the House of +Lords, during their proceedings on the petition of Skinner, VIDE +JOURNALS, He purchased the advowson of his parish, St. Olave, +Hart Street, and left it to trustees IN PERPETUUM, who still +present the Rector. He was knighted by Charles II,. July 10th, +1662.] to do it, I thought it not decent for me to do it. + +7th. To White Hall, and there saw the King come out of chapel +after prayers in the afternoon, which he is never at but after +having received the Sacrament: and the Court, I perceive, is +quite out of mourning; and some very fine; among others, my Lord +Gerard, in a very rich vest and coate. Here I met with my Lord +Bellasses: and it is pretty to see what a formal story he tells +me of his leaving his place upon the death of my Lord Cleveland, +[Thomas Wentworth Earl of Cleveland.] by which he is become +Captain of the Pensioners; and that the King did leave it to him +to keep the other or take this; whereas I know the contrary, that +they had a mind to have him away from Tangier. Into Moor-fields, +and did find houses built two stories high, and like to stand; +and must become a place of great trade till the City be built; +and the street is already paved as London streets used to be. + +8th. Away to the Temple, to my new bookseller's; and there I did +agree for Rycaut's [This book is in the Pepysian Library.] late +History of the Turkish Policy, which cost me 55s.: whereas it +was sold plain before the late fire for 8s., and bound and +coloured as this is for 20s.; for I have bought it finely bound +and truly coloured all the figures, of which there was but six +books done so, whereof the King and Duke of York and Duke of +Monmouth, and Lord Arlington, had four. The fifth was sold, and +I have bought the sixth. + +9th. Towards noon I to the Exchange, and there do hear mighty +cries for peace, and that otherwise we shall be undone; and yet +do suspect the badness of the peace we shall make. Several do +complain of abundance of land flung up by tenants out of their +hands for want of ability to pay their rents; and by name, that +the Duke of Buckingham hath 6000l. so flung up. And my father +writes that Jasper Trice, upon this pretence of his tenants' +dealing with him, is broke up house-keeping, and gone to board +with his brother, Naylor, at Offord; which is very sad. To the +King's house, and there saw "The Tameing of a Shrew," which hath +some very good pieces in it, but generally is but a mean play; +and the best part "Sawny," done by Lucy; and hath not half its +life, by reason of the words, I suppose, not being understood, at +least by me. + +10th. I began to discourse with Sir W. Coventry the business of +Tangier, which by the removal of my Lord Bellasses is now to have +a new Governor; and did move him, that at this season all the +business of reforming the garrison might be considered, while +nobody was to be offended. And I told him it is plain that we do +overspend our revenue: that it is of no more profit to the King +than it was the first day, nor in itself of better credit; no +more people of condition willing to live there, nor any thing +like a place likely to turn his Majesty to account: that it hath +been hitherto, and for aught I see likely only to be used as a +jobb to do a kindness to some lord, or he that can get to be +Governor. Sir W. Coventry agreed with me so as to say, that +unless the King hath the wealth of the Mogull, he would be a +beggar to have his businesses ordered in the manner they now are: +that his garrison must be made places only of convenience to +particular persons: that he hath moved the Duke of York in it: +and that it was resolved to send no Governor thither till there +had been Commissioners sent to put the garrison in order, so as +that he that goes may go with limitations and rules to follow, +and not to do as he please, as the rest have hitherto done. That +he is not afraid to speak his mind, though to the displeasure of +any man; and that I know well enough. But that when it is come +(as it is now), that to speak the truth in behalf of the King +plainly do no good but all things bore down by other measures +than by what is best for the King, he hath no temptation to be +perpetually fighting of battles, it being more easy to him on +those terms to suffer things to go on without giving any man +offence, than to have the same thing done, and he contract the +displeasure of all the world, as he must do, that will be for the +King. To the King's little chapel; and afterwards to see the +King heal the King's Evil (wherein no pleasure, I having seen it +before): and then to see him and the Queene and Duke of York and +his wife, at dinner in the Queene's lodgings. And so with Sir G. +Carteret to his lodgings to dinner; where very good company. And +after dinner he and I to talk alone how things are managed, and +to what ruin we must come if we have not a peace. He did tell me +one occasion, how Sir Thomas Allen (whom I took for a man of +known courage and service on the King's side) was tried for his +life in Prince Rupert's fleet, in the late times for cowardice, +and condemned to be hanged, and fled to Jerzy; where Sir G. +Carteret received him, not knowing the reason of his coming +thither; and that thereupon Prince Rupert wrote to the Queene- +Mother his dislike of Sir G. Carteret's receiving a person that +stood condemned; and so Sir C. Carteret was forced to bid him +betake himself to some other place. This was strange to me. Our +Commissioners are preparing to go to Bredah to the treaty, and do +design to be going the next week. + +11th. To White Hall, thinking there to have seen the Duchesse of +Newcastle's coming this night to Court to make a visit to the +Queene, the King having been with her yesterday to make her a +visit since her coming to town. The whole story of this lady is +a romance, and all she does is romantic. Her footmen in velvet +coats, and herself in an antique dress, as they say; and was the +other day at her own play, "The Humourous Lovers;" the most +ridiculous thing that ever was wrote, but yet she and her Lord +mightily pleased with it; and she at the end made her respects to +the players from her box, and did give them thanks. There is as +much expectation of her coming to Court, that so people may come +to see her, as if it were the Queene of Sweden; but I lost my +labour, for she did not come this night. There have been two +fires in the City within this week. + +12th. By water to White Hall, and there did our usual business +before the Duke of York: but it fell out that, discoursing of +matters of money, it rose to a mighty heat, very high words +arising between Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry, the former +in his passion saying that the other should have helped things if +they were so bad; and the other answered, so he would, and things +should have been better had he been Treasurer of the Navy. I was +mightily troubled at this heat, and it will breed ill blood +between them, I fear; but things are in that bad condition, that +I do daily expect we shall all fly in one another's faces, when +we shall be reduced every one to answer for himself. We broke +up; and I soon after to Sir G. Carteret's chamber, where I find +the poor man telling his lady privately, and she weeping. I went +in to them, and did seem, as indeed I was, troubled for this; and +did give the best advice I could, which I think did please them: +and they do apprehend me their friend, as indeed I am, for I do +take the Vice-chamberlain for a most honest man. He did assure +me that he was not, all expences and things paid, clear in estate +15,000l. better than he was when the King come in; and that the +King and Lord Chancellor did know that he was worth, with the +debt the King owed him, 50,000l. (I think he said) when the King +come into England. + +15th. Called up by Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me that my Lord +Middleton [John first Earl of Middleton in Scotland.] is for +certain chosen Governor of Tangier; a man of moderate +understanding, not covetous, but a soldier of fortune, and poor. +To the King's house by chance, where a new play: so full as I +never saw it; I forced to stand all the while close to the very +door till I took cold, and many people went away for want of +room. The King and Queene and Duke of York and Duchesse there, +and all the Court, and Sir W. Coventry. The play called, "The +Change of Crownes:" a play of Ned Howard's, [A younger son of the +Earl of Berkshire, and brother to Sir Robert Howard.] the best +that I ever saw at that house, being a great play and serious; +only Lacy did act the country-gentleman come up to Court, who do +abuse the Court with all the imaginable wit and plainness about +selling of places, and doing every thing for money. The play +took very much. Thence I to my new bookseller's, and there +bought "Hooker's Polity," the new edition, and "Dugdale's History +of the Inns of Court," of which there was but a few saved out of +the fire. Carried my wife to see the new play I saw yesterday: +but there, contrary to expectation, I find "The Silent Woman." + +16th. Knipp tells me the King was so angry at the liberty taken +by Lacy's part to abuse him to his face, that he commanded they +should act no more, till Moone [Michael Mohun, a celebrated actor +belonging to the King's Company; he had served as a Major in the +Royal Army.] went and got leave for them to act again, but not +this play. The King mighty angry; and it was bitter indeed, but +very fine and witty I never was more taken with a play than I am +with this "Silent Woman," as old as it is, and as often as I have +seen it. There is more wit in it than goes to ten new plays. +Pierce told us the story how in good earnest the King is offended +with the Duke of Richmond's marrying and Mrs. Stewart's sending +the King his jewels again. As she tells it, it is the noblest +romance: and example of a brave lady that ever I read in my +life. + +17th. In our way in Tower-street we saw Desbrough [Major-general +John Desborough, Cromwell's brother-in-law, and one of his +CounciI of State; afterwards promoted to the (Chancellorship of +Ireland by his nephew Richard.] walking on foot; who is now no +more a prisoner, and looks well, and just as he used to do +heretofore. + +19th. Some talk about Sir W. Pen's being to buy Wanstead-House +of Sir Robert Brookes. + +20th. Met Mr. Rolt, who tells me the reason of no play today at +the King's house. That Lacy had been committed to the porter's +lodge for his acting his part in the late new play, and being +thence released to come to the King's house, he there met with +Ned Howard, the poet of the play, who congratulated his release; +upon which Lacy cursed him as that it was the fault of his +nonsensical play that was the cause of his ill usage. Mr. Howard +did give him some reply: to which Lacy answered him, that he was +more a fool than a poet; upon which Howard did give him a blow on +the face with his glove; on which Lacy, having a cane in his +hand, did give him a blow over the pate. Here Rolt and others +that discoursed of it, in the pit this afternoon, did wonder that +Howard did not run him through, he being too mean a fellow to +fight with. But Howard did not do any thing but complain to the +King of it; so the whole house is silenced: and the gentry seem +to rejoice much at it, the house being become too insolent. I +have a mind to buy enough ground to build a coach-house and +stable; for I have had it much in my thoughts lately that it is +not too much for me now in degree or cost to keep a coach, but +contrarily, that I am almost ashamed to be seen in a hackney. To +Hackney church. A knight and his lady very civil to me when they +came, being Sir George Viner, and his lady in rich jewells, but +most in beauty: almost the finest woman that ever I saw. That +which I went chiefly to see was the young ladies of the schools, +whereof there is great store, very pretty; and also the organ, +which is handsome, and tunes the psalm and plays with the people; +which is mighty pretty, and makes me mighty earnest to have a +pair at our church: I having almost a mind to give them a pair +if they would settle a maintenance on them for it. + +22nd. To the Lord Chancellor's house, the first time I have been +therein; and it is very noble, and brave pictures of the ancient +and present nobility. The King was vexed the other day for +having no paper laid for him at the Council table, as was usual; +and Sir Richard Browne did tell his Majesty he would call the +person whose work it was to provide it: who being come, did tell +his Majesty that he was but a poor man, and was out 4 or 500l. +for it, which was as much as he is worth; and that he cannot +provide it any longer without money, having not received a penny +since the King's coming in. So the King spoke to my Lord +Chamberlain. And many such mementos the King do now-a-days meet +withall, enough to make an ingenuous man mad. + +23rd. St. George's-day; the feast being kept at White Hall, out +of design, as it is thought, to make the best coutenance we can +to the Swede's Embassadors before their leaving us to go to the +treaty abroad, to show some jollity. + +24th. To Sir John Duncomb's lodging in the Pell Mell, in order +to the money spoken of in the morning; and there awhile sat and +discoursed: and I find that he is a very proper man for +business, being very resolute and proud, and industrious. He +told me what reformation they had made in the office of the +Ordnance, taking away Legg's fees: have got an order that no +Treasurer after him shall ever sit at the Board; and it is a good +one: that no Master of the Ordnance here shall ever sell a +place. He tells me they have not paid any increase of price for +any thing during this war, but in most have paid less; and at +this day have greater stores than they know where to lay if there +should be peace, and than ever was any time this war. Then to +talk of news: that he thinks the want of money hath undone the +King, for the Parliament will never give the King more money +without; calling all people to account, nor, as he believes, will +ever make war again, but they will manage it themselves: unless, +which I proposed, he would visibly become a severer inspector +into his own business and accounts, and that would gain upon the +Parliament yet: which he confesses and confirms as the only lift +to set him upon his legs, but says that it is not, in his nature +ever to do. He thinks that much of our misfortune hath been for +want of an active Lord Treasurer, and that such a man as Sir W. +Coventry would do the business thoroughly. + +26th. To White Hall, and there saw the Duke of Albemarle, who is +not well, and do grow crazy. While I was waiting in the Matted +Gallery, a young man was working in Indian inke, the great +picture of the King and Queene sitting by Van Dike; and did it +very finely. Then I took a turn with Mr. Evelyn; with whom I +walked two hours, till almost one of the clock: talking of the +badness of the Government, where nothing but wickedness, and +wicked men and women command the King: that it is not in his +nature to gainsay any thing that relates to his pleasures; that +much of it arises from the sickliness of our Ministers of State, +who cannot be about him as the idle companions are, and therefore +he gives way to the young rogues; and then from the negligence of +the clergy, that a Bishop shall never be seen about him, as the +King of France hath always: that the King would fain have some +of the same gang to be Lord Treasurer, which would be yet worse, +for now some delays are put to the getting gifts of the King; as +Lady Byron, [Eleanor, daughter of Robert Needham, Viscount +Kilmurrey, and widow of Peter Warburton, became in 1644 the +second wife of Richard first Lord Byron. Ob. 1663.] who had +been, as he called it, the King's seventeenth mistress abroad, +did not leave him till she had got him to give her an order for +4000l. worth of plate to be made for her; but by delays, thanks +be to God! she died before she had it. He confirmed to me the +business of the want of paper at the Council table the other day, +which I have observed; Wooly being to have found it, and did, +being called, tell the King to his face the reason of it. And +Mr. Elvelyn tells me of several of the menial servants of the +Court lacking bread, that have not received a farthing wages +since the King's coming in. He tells me the King of France hath +his mistresses, but laughs at the foolery of our King, that makes +his bastards princes, and loses his revenue upon them, and makes +his mistresses his masters. And the King of France did never +grant Lavaliere any thing to bestow on others, and gives a little +subsistence, but no more, to his bastards. We told me the whole +story of Mrs. Stewart's going away from Court, he knowing her +well; and believes her, up to her leaving the Court, to be as +virtuous as any woman in the world: and told me, from a Lord +that she told it to but yesterday with her own mouth, and a sober +man, that when the Duke of Richmond did make love to her, she did +ask the King, and he did the like also; and that the King did not +deny it, and told this Lord that she was come to that pass as to +resolve to have married any gentleman of 1500l. a-year that would +have had her in honour: for it was come to that pass, that she +could not longer continue at Court without prostituting herself +to the King, whom she had so long kept off, though he had liberty +more than any other had, or he ought to have, as to dalliance. +She told this Lord that she had reflected upon the occasion she +had given the world to think her a bad woman, and that she had no +way but to marry and leave the Court, rather in this way of +discontent than otherwise, that the world might see that she +sought not any thing but her honour; and that she will never come +to live at Court; more than when she comes to town to kiss the +Queene her mistress's hand: and hopes, though she hath little +reason to hope, she can please her Lord so as to reclaim him, +that they may yet live comfortably in the country on his estate. +She told this Lord that all the jewells she ever had given her at +Court, or any other presents (more than the King's Allowance of +700l. per annum out of the Privy-purse for her clothes), were at +her first coming, the King did give her a necklace of pearl of +about 1100l.; and afterwards, about seven months since, when the +King had hopes to have obtained some courtesy of her, the King +did give her some jewells, I have forgot what, and I think a pair +of pendants. The Duke of York, being once her Valentine, did +give her a jewell of about 800l.; and my Lord Mandeville, her +Valentine this year, a ring of about 300l.; and the King of +France would have had her mother (who, he says, was one of the +most cunning women in the world,) to have let her stay in France, +saying that he loved her not as a mistress, but as one that he +could marry as well as any lady in France; and that, if she might +stay, for the honour of his court he would take care she should +not repent. But her mother, by command of the Queene-mother, +thought rather to bring her into England; and the King of France +did give her a jewell: so that Evelyn believes she may be worth +in jewells about 6000l. and that is all she hath in the world: +and a worthy woman; and in this hath done as great an act of +honour as ever was done by woman. That now the Countesse +Castlemaine do carry all before her: and among other arguments +to prove Mrs. Stewart to have been honest to the last, he says +that the King's keeping in still with my Lady Castlemaine do show +it; for he never was known to keep two mistresses in his life, +and would never have kept to her had he prevailed any thing with +Mrs. Stewart. She is gone yesterday with her Lord to Cobham. He +did tell me of the ridiculous humour of our King and Knights of +the Garter the other day, who, whereas heretofore their robes +were only to be worn during their ceremonies and service, these, +as proud of their coats, did wear them all day till night, and +then rode into the Park with them on. Nay, and he tells me he +did see my Lord Oxford and Duke of Monmouth in a hackney-coach +with two footmen in the Park, with their robes on; which is a +most scandalous thing, so as all gravity may be said to be lost +among us. By and by we discoursed of Sir Thomas Clifford, whom I +took for a very rich and learned man, and of the great family of +that name. He tells me he is only a man of about seven-score +pounds a-year, of little learning more than the law of a justice +of peace; which he knows well; a parson's son, [Collins states, +that Sir Thomas Clifford's father was a Colonel in the King's +Army during the Scotch Rebellion 1639, and died the same year on +his return from the Northern March.] got to be burgess in a +little borough in the West, and here fell into the acquaintance +of my Lord Arlington, whose creature he is, and never from him; a +man of virtue, and comely, and good parts enough; and hath come +into his place with a great grace, though with a great skip over +the heads of a great many, as Chichly and Denham, and some Lords +that did expect it. By the way, he tells me that of all the +great men of England there is none that endeavours more to raise +those that he takes into favour than my Lord Arlington; and that +on that score he is much more to be made one's patron than my +Lord Chancellor, who never did, nor never will do any thing, but +for money. Certain news of the Dutch being abroad on our coast +with twenty-four great ships. Met my Lady Newcastle going with +her coaches and footmen all in velvet: herself (whom I never saw +before), as I have heard her often described (for all the town- +talk is now-a-days of her extravagancies), with her velvet-cap, +her hair about her ears; many black patches, because of pimples +about her mouth; naked-necked, without any thing about it, and a +black just-au-corps. She seemed to me a very comely woman: but +I hope to see more of her on May-day. + +28th. To Deptford, and there I walked down the Yard, Shish and +Cox with me; and discoursed about cleaning of the wet docke, and +heard (which I had before) how, when the docke was made, a ship +of near 500 tons was there found; a ship supposed of Queene +Elizabeth's time, and well wrought, with a great deal of stone +shot in her of eighteen inches diameter, which was shot then in +use: and afterwards meeting with Captain Perriman and Mr. Castle +at Half-way Tree, they tell me of stone-shot of thirty-six inches +diameter, which they shot out of mortar-pieces. + +29th. I hear that the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of York's son, +[James, second son to the Duke of York. Born 1663, and created +Duke of Cambridge that year.] is very sick; and my Lord +Treasurer very bad of the stone, and hath been so some days. Sir +G. Carteret tells me my Lord Arlington hath done like a gentleman +by him in all things. He says, if my Lord were here, he were the +fittest man to be Lord Treasurer of any man in England; and he +thinks it might be compassed; for he confesses that the King's +matters do suffer through the inability of this man, who is +likely to die, and he will propound him to the King. It will +remove him from his place at sea, and the King will have a good +place to bestow. He says to me, that he could wish when my Lord +comes that he would think fit to forbear playing as a thing below +him, and which will lessen him, as it do my Lord St. Albans, in +the King's esteem: and as a great secret tells me that he hath +made a match for my Lord Hinchingbroke to a daughter of my Lord +Burlington's, [Richard Boyle second Earl of Cork, created Earl of +Burlington, 1663.] where there is great alliance, 10,000l. +portion; a civil family, and relation to my Lord Chancellor, +whose son hath married one of the daughters: and that my Lord +Chancellor do take it with very great kindness, so that he do +hold himself obliged by it. My Lord Sandwich hath referred it to +my Lord Crewe, Sir G. Carteret, and Mr. Montagu, to end it. My +Lord Hinchingbroke and the ladies know nothing yet of it. It +will, I think, be very happy. + +30th, I met with Mr. Pierce, and he tells me the Duke of +Cambridge is very ill and full of spots about his body, that Dr. +Frazier knows not what to think of it. + +MAY 1. 1667. To Westminster; in the way meeting many milk-maids +with their garlands upon their pails, dancing with a fiddler +before them; and saw pretty Nelly [Nell Gwynne.] standing at her +lodgings' door in Drury-lane in her smock sleeves and bodice, +looking upon one: she seemed a mighty pretty creature. My Lord +Crewe walked with me, giving me an account of the meeting of the +Commissioners for Accounts, whereof he is one. How some of the +gentlemen, Garraway, Littleton, and others, did scruple at their +first coming there, being called thither to act, as Members of +Parliament, which they could not do by any authority but that of +the Parliament, and therefore desired the King's direction in it, +which was sent for by my Lord Bridgewater, who brought answer, +very short, that the King expected they should obey his +Commission. Then they went on and observed upon a power to be +given them of administering and framing an oath, which they +thought they could not do by any power but Act of Parliament; and +the whole Commission did think fit to have the Judges' opinion in +it, and so drawing up their scruples in writing they all attended +the King, who told them he would send to the Judges to be +answered, and did so; who have, my Lord tells me, met three times +about it, not knowing what answer to give it: and they have met +this week, doing nothing but expecting the solution of the Judges +in this point. My Lord tells me he do believe this Commission +will do more hurt than good: it may undo some accounts, if these +men shall think fit; but it can never clear an account, for he +must come into the Exchequer for all this. Besides, it is a kind +of inquisition that hath seldom ever been granted in England: +and he believes it will never, besides, give any satisfaction to +the People or Parliament, but be looked upon as a forced, packed +business of the King, especially if these Parliament-men that are +of it shall not concur with them; which he doubts they will not, +and therefore wishes much that the King would lay hold of this +fit occasion and let the Commission fall. Then to talk of my +Lord Sandwich, whom my Lord Crewe hath a great desire might get +to be Lord Treasurer if the present Lord should die, as it is +believed he will in a little time; and thinks he can have no +competitor but my Lord Arlington, who, it is given out, desires +it: but my Lord thinks not, for that the being Secretary do keep +him a greater interest with the King than the other would do; at +least do believe that if my Lord would surrender him his Wardrobe +place, it would be a temptation to Arlington to assist my Lord in +getting the Treasurer's. I did object to my Lord that it would +be no place of content, nor safety, nor honour for my Lord, the +State being so indigent as it is, and the King so irregular, and +those about him, that my Lord must be forced to part with any +thing to answer his warrants; and that, therefore, I do believe +the King had rather have a man that may be one of his vicious +caball, than a sober man that will mind the publick, that so they +may sit at cards and dispose of the revenue of the kingdom. This +my Lord was moved at, and said he did not indeed know how to +answer it, and bid me think of it; and so said he himself would +also do. He do mightily cry out of the bad management of our +monies, the King having had so much given him; and yet when the +Parliament do find that the King should have 900,000l. in his +purse by the best account of issues they have yet seen, yet we +should report in the Navy a debt due from the King of 900,000l.: +which I did confess I doubted was true in the first, and knew to +be true in the last, and did believe that there was some great +miscarriages in it: which he owned to believe also, saying, that +at this rate it is not in the power of the kingdom to make a war, +nor answer the King's wants. Thence away to the King's +playhouse, and saw "Love in a Maze:" [Downes mentions this play, +which was never printed, nor is the author known.] but a sorry +play; only Lacy's clowne's part, which he did most admirably +indeed; and I am glad to find the rogue at liberty again. Here +was but little, and that ordinary company. We sat at the upper +bench next the boxes; and I find it do pretty well, and have the +advantage of seeing and hearing the great people, which may be +pleasant when there is good store. Now was only Prince Rupert +and my Lord Lauderdale, and my Lord --, [Probaby Craven.] the +naming of whom puts me in mind of my seeing at Sir Robert Viner's +two or three great silver flagons, made with inscriptions as +gifts of the King to such and such persons of quality as did stay +in town the late great plague, for the keeping things in order in +the town. Thence Sir W. Pen and I in his coach Tiburne way into +the Park, where a horrid dust, and number of coaches, without +pleasure or order. That which we and almost all went for was to +see my Lady Newcastle; which we could not, she being followed and +crowded upon by coaches all the way she went, that nobody could +come near her; only I could see she was in a large black coach +adorned with silver instead of gold, and so white curtains, and +every thing black and white, and herself in her cap. Sir W. Pen +did give me an account this afternoon of his design of buying Sir +Robert Brookes's fine house at Wansted: which I so wondered at, +and did give him reasons against it, which he allowed of: and +told me that he did intend to pull down the house and build a +less, and that he should get 1500l. by the old house, and I know +not what fooleries. But I will never believe he ever intended to +buy it, for my part, though he troubled Mr. Gauden to go and look +upon it, and advise him in it, + +3rd. To the Duke of York's chamber, which, as it is now fretted +at the top, and the chimney-piece made handsome, is one of the +noblest and best-proportioned rooms that ever, I think I saw. To +Westminster by coach: the Cofferer [Mr. Ashburnham.] telling us +odd stories how he was dealt with by the men of the Church at +Westminster in taking a lease of them at the King's coming in, +and particularly the devilish covetousness of Dr. Busby. +[Richard Busby, D.D., Master of Westminster School, and in 1660 +made a Prebendary of Westminster. Notwithstanding the character +given of him here, he was a liberal benefactor to Christ Church, +Oxford, and Lichfield Cathedral. Ob. 1695,, aged 89.] Took a +turn with my old acquaintance Mr. Pechell, whose red nose makes +me ashamed to be seen with him, though otherwise a good-natured +man. This day the news is come that the fleet of the Dutch, of +about 20 ships, which come upon our coasts upon design to have +intercepted our colliers (but by good luck failed), is gone to +the Frith, and there lies, perhaps to trouble the Scotch +privateers, which have galled them of late very much, it may be +more than all our last year's fleet. + +5th. Sir John Robinson tells me he hath now got a street ordered +to be continued, forty feet broad, from Paul's through Cannon- +street to the Tower, which will be very fine. He and others this +day, where I was in the afternoon, do tell me of at least six or +eight fires within these few days; and continually stirs of fire, +and real fires there have been, in one place or other, almost +ever since the late great fire, as if there was a fate sent +people for fire. I walked over the Park to Sir W. Coventry's. +We talked of Tangier, of which he is ashamed; also that it should +put the King to this charge for no good in the world: and now a +man going over that is a good soldier, but a debauched man, which +the place need not to have. And so used these words: "That this +place was to the King as my Lord Carnarvon [Charles Dormer +succeeded his father, who fell at the battle of Newbury; as Earl +of Carnarvon. Ob. s.p. 1709.] says of wood, that it is an +excrescence of the earth provided by God for the payment of +debts. "This day Sir W. Coventry tells me the Dutch fleet shot +some shot, four or five hundred, into Burnt Island in the Frith, +but without any hurt; and so are gone. + +7th. To St. James's; but there find Sir W. Coventry gone out +betimes this morning on horseback with the King and Duke of York +to Putny-heath, to run some horses. + +8th. In our street, at the Three Tuns Tavern, I find a great +hubbub: and what was it but two brothers had fallen out, and one +killed the other? And who should they be but the two Fieldings? +one whereof, Bazill, was page to my Lady Sandwich; and he hath +killed the other, himself being very drunk, and so is sent to +Newgate. + +10th. At noon to Kent's, at the Three Tuns Tavern: and there +the constable of the parish did show us the picklocks and dice +that were found in the dead man's pocket, and but 18d. in money; +and a table-book, wherein were entered the names of several +places where he was to go; and among others his house, where he +was to dine, and did dine yesterday. And after dinner went into +the church, and there saw his corpse with the wound in his left +breast; a sad spectacle, and a broad wound, which makes my hand +now shake to write of it. His brother intending, it seems, to +kill the coachman, who did not please him, this fellow stepped in +and took away his sword; who thereupon took out his knife, which +was of the fashion, with a falchion blade, and a little cross at +the hilt like a dagger; and with that stabbed him. Drove hard +towards Clerkenwell, thinking to have overtaken my Lady +Newcastle, whom I saw before us in her coach, with 100 boys and +girls running looking upon her; but I could, not: and so she got +home before I could come up to her. But I will get a time to see +her. + +12th. Walked over the fields to Kingsland, and back again; a +walk, I think, I have not taken these twenty years; but puts me +in mind of my boy's time when I boarded at Kingsland, and used to +shoot with my bow and arrows in these fields. + +13th. This morning come Sir H. Cholmly to me for a tally or two; +and tells me that he hears that we are by agreement to give the +King of France Nova Scotia; which he do not like: but I do not +know the importance of it. Sir Philip Warwick do please himself +like a good man to tell some of the good ejaculations of my Lord +Treasurer concerning the little worth of this world, to buy it +with so much pain, and other things fit for a dying man. + +14th. To my Lord Chancellor's, where I met Mr. Povy expecting +the coming of the rest of the Commissioners for Tangier. Here I +understand how the two Dukes, both the only sons of the Duke of +York, are sick even to danger; and that on Sunday last they were +both so ill, as that the poor Duchesse was in doubt which would +die: the Duke of Cambridge, of some general disease, the other +little Duke, whose title I know not, of the convulsion fits, of +which he had four this morning. Fear that either of them might +be dead, did make us think that it was the occasion that the +Duke of York and others were not come to the meeting of the +Commission which was designed, and my Lord Chancellor did expect. +And it was pretty to observe how, when my Lord sent down to St. +James's to see why the Duke of York come not, and Mr. Povy, who +went, returned, my Lord did ask (not how the Princes or the Dukes +do, as other people do, but) "How do the Children?" which +methought was mighty great, and like a great man and grandfather. +I find every body mightily concerned for these children, as a +matter wherein the State is much concerned that they should live. + +16th. I away with Sir G. Carteret to London, talking all the +way; and he do tell me that the business of my Lord Hinchingbroke +his marriage with my Lord Burlington's daughter, is concluded on +by all friends; and that my Lady is now told of it, and do +mightily please herself with it: which I am mightily glad of. +News still that my Lord Treasurer is so ill as not to be any man +of this world; and it is said that the Treasury shall be managed +by Commission. I would to God Sir G. Carteret, or my Lord +Sandwich, be in it! But the latter is the more fit for it. + +16th. This being Holy Thursday, when the boys go our procession +round the parish, we were to go to the Three Tuns Tavern to dine +with the rest of the parish; where all the parish almost was, Sir +Andrew Rickard and others; and of our house, J. Minnes, W. +Batten, W. Pen, and myself: and Mr. Mills did sit uppermost at +the table. Sir John Fredricke [Lord Mayor of London 1662, and +President of Christ's Hospital. His eldest son, John, was +created a Baronet 1723.] and Sir R. Ford did talk of Paul's +School, which, they tell me, must be taken away; and then I fear +it will be long before another place, such as they say is +promised, is found: but they do say that the honour of their +Company [The Mercers' Company, under whose superintendence St. +Paul's school was placed by the Founder.] is concerned in the +doing of it, and that it is a thing that they are obliged to do. +To my Lord Treasurer's, where I find the porter crying, and +suspected it was that my Lord is dead; and, poor Lord! we did +find that he was dead just now. There is a good man gone: and I +pray God that the Treasury may not be worse managed the hand or +hands it shall now be put into; though, for certain, the slowness +(though he was of great integrity) of this man and remissness +have gone as far to undo the nation, as any thing else that hath +happened; and yet, if I knew all the difficulties that he hath +lain under, and his instrument Sir Philip Warwick, I might be +true to another mind. It is remarkable that this afternoon Mr. +Moore come to me, and there among other things did tell me how +Mr. Moyer the merchant, having procured an order from the King +and Duke of York and Council, with the consent of my Lord +Chancellor, and by assistance of Lord Arlington, for the +releasing out of prison his brother Samuel Moyer, who was a great +man in the late times in Haberdashers'-hall, and was engaged +under hand and seal to give the man that obtained it so much in +behalf of my Lord Chancellor; but it seems my Lady Duchesse of +Albemarle had before undertaken it for so much money, but hath +not done it. The Duke of Albemarle did the next day send for +this Moyer, to tell him that notwithstanding this order of the +King and Council's being passed for release of his brother, yet, +if he did not consider the pains of some friends of his, he would +stop that order. This Moyer being an honest, bold man, told him +that he was engaged to the hand that had done the thing to give +him a reward; and more, he could not give, nor could own any +kindness done by his Grace's interest: and so parted. The next +day Sir Edward Savage did take the said Moyer in tax about it, +giving ill words of this Moyer and his brother; which he not +being able to bear, told him he would give to the person that had +engaged him what he promised, and not any thing to any body else; +and that both he and his brother were as honest men as himself or +any man else: and so sent him going, and bid him do his worst. +It is one of the most extraordinary cases that ever I saw or +understood; but it is true. + +17th. To Sir R. Viner's with 600 pieces of gold to turn into +silver, for the enabling me to answer Sir G. Carteret's 3000l.; +which he now draws all out of my hand towards the paying for a +purchase he hath made for his son and my Lady Jemimah, in +Northamptonshire, of Sir Samuel Luke, [Sir Samuel Luke was +(according to Granger) the original Hudibras of Butler.] in a +good place: a good house, and near all her friends; which is a +very happy thing. + +19th. Great talk of the good end that my Lord Treasurer made; +closing his own eyes, and wetting his mouth, and bidding adieu +with the greatest content and freedom in the world: and is said +to die with the cleanest hands that ever any Lord Treasurer did. +Mr. How come to see us; and, among other things, told us how the +Barristers and Students of Gray's Inne rose in rebellion against +the Benchers the other day; who outlawed them, and a great deal +of do: but now they are at peace again. + +20th. Among other news I hear that the Commissioners for the +Treasury were named by the King yesterday; but who they are +nobody could tell: but the persons are the Lord Chancellor, the +two Secretaries, Lord Ashly, and others say Sir W. Coventry and +Sir John Duncomb, but all conclude the Duke of Albemarle: but +reports do differ. + +22nd. Up, and by water to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who +tells me now for certain how the Commission for the Treasury is +disposed of; viz. to Duke of Albemarle, Lord Ashly, Sir W. +Coventry, Sir John Duncomb, and Sir Thomas Clifford: at which, +he says, all the whole Court is disturbed; it having been once +concluded otherwise into the other hands formerly mentioned in +yesterday's notes, but all of a sudden the King's choice was +changed, and these are to be the men: the first of which is only +for a puppet to give honour to the rest. He do presage that +these men will make it their business to find faults in the +management of the late Lord Treasurer, and in discouraging the +bankers: but I am (whatever I in compliance do say to him) of +another mind, and my heart is very glad of it, for I do expect +they will do much good, and that it is the happiest thing that +hath appeared to me for the good of the nation since the King +come in. Thence to St. James's, and up to the Duke of York; and +there in his chamber Sir W. Coventry did of himself take notice +of this business of the Treasury, wherein he is in the +Commission, and desired that I would be thinking of any thing fit +for him to be acquainted with for the lessening of charge and +bettering of our credit, and what our expence hath been since the +King's coming home, which he believes will be one of the first +things they shall enquire into: which I promised him, and from +time to time, which he desires, give him an account of what I can +think of worthy his knowledge. I am mighty glad of this +opportunity of professing my joy to him in what choice the King +hath made, and the hopes I have that it will save the kingdom +from perishing: and how it do encourage me to take pains again, +after my having through despair neglected it! which he told me +of himself that it was so with him, that he had given himself up +to more ease than ever he expected, and that his opinion of +matters was so bad that there was no public employment in the +kingdom should have been accepted by him but this which the King +hath now given him; and therein he is glad, in hopes of the +service he may do therein; and in my conscience he will. So into +the Duke of York's closet, and there, among other things, Sir W. +Coventry did take notice of what he told me the other day, about +a report of Commissioner Pett's dealing for timber in the Navy +and selling it to us in other names; and besides his own proof, +did produce a paper I had given him this morning about it, in the +case of Widow Murford and Morecocke, which was so handled, that +the Duke of York grew very angry, and commanded us presently to +fall into the examination of it, saying that he would not trust a +man for his sake that lifts up the whites of his eyes. And it +was declared that if he be found to have done so, he should be +reckoned unfit to serve the Navy; and I do believe he will be +turned out: and it was, methought, a worthy saying of Sir W. +Coventry to the Duke of York, "Sir," says he, "I do not make this +complaint out of any disrespect to Commissioner Pett, but because +I do love to do these things fairly and openly." This day coming +from Westminster with W. Batten, we saw at White Hall stairs a +fisher-boat with a sturgeon that he had newly catched in the +River; which I saw, but it was but a little one; but big enough +to prevent my mistake of that for a colt, if ever I become Mayor +of Huntingdon. + +23rd. Sir John Duncomb is sworn yesterday a Privy-councillor. +This day I hear also that last night the Duke of Kendall, [Henry +Stuart. Created Duke of Kendall, 1664.] second son of the Duke +of York, did die; and that the other, Duke of Cambridge, +continues very ill still. + +26th. All our discourse about Brampton, and my intentions to +build there if I could be free of my engagement to my uncle +Thomas and his son, that they may not have what I have built +against my will in case of me and my brother's being without +heirs male; which is the true reason why I am against laying out +money upon that place, together with my fear of some +inconvenience by being so near Hinchingbroke; being obliged to be +a servant to that family, and subject to what expence they shall +call me; and to have all that I shall buy or do esteemed as got +by the death of my uncle, when indeed what I have from him is not +worth naming. + +27th. The new Commissioners of the Treasury have chosen Sir G. +Downing for their Secretary: and I think in my conscience they +have done a great thing in it; for he is active and a man of +business, and values himself upon having of things do well under +his hand; so that I am mightily pleased in their choice. Abroad, +and stopped at Bear-garden stairs, there to see a prize fought. +But the house so full there was no getting in there, so forced to +go through an alehouse into the pit, where the bears are baited; +and upon a stool did see them fight, which they did very +furiously, a butcher and a waterman. The former had the better +all along till by and by the latter dropped his sword out of his +hand, and the butcher, whether not seeing his sword dropped I +know not, but did give him a cut over the wrist, so as he was +disabled to fight any longer. But, Lord! to see how in a minute +the whole stage was full of watermen to revenge the foul play, +and the butchers to defend their fellow, though most blamed him; +and there they all fell to it to knocking down and cutting many +on each side. It was pleasant to see, but that I stood in the +pit, and feared that in the tumult I might get some hurt. At +last the battle broke up, and so I away. The Duke of Cambridge +very ill still. + +28th. Up, and by coach to St. James's, where I find Sir W. +Coventry desirous to have spoke with me. It was to read over a +draught of a letter which he hath made for his brother +Commissioners and him to sign to us, demanding an account of the +whole business of the Navy accounts; and I perceive, by the way +he goes about it, that they will do admirable things. He tells +me that they have chosen Sir G. Downing their Secretary, who will +be as fit a man as any in the world: and he said, by the by, +speaking of the banquers being fearful of Sir G. Downing's being +Secretary, he being their enemy, that they did not intend to be +ruled by their Secretary but do the business themselves. My +heart is glad to see so great hopes of good to the nation as will +be by these men; and it do me good to see Sir W. Coventry so +cheerfull as he now is on the same score. My wife away down with +Jane and W. Hewer to Woolwich, in order to a little ayre and to +lie there to night, and so to gather May-dew to-morrow morning, +which Mrs. Turner hath taught her is the only thing in the world +to wash her face with; and I am contented with it. I by water to +Fox-hall, and there walked in Spring-garden. A great deal of +company, and the weather and garden pleasant: and it is very +pleasant and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what +he will, or nothing, all as one. But to hear the nightingale and +other birds, and hear fiddles and there a harp, and here a Jew's +trump, and here laughing, and there fine people walking, is +mighty divertising. + +29th. Our parson Mills having the offer of another benefice [The +Rectory of Wansted in Essex, to which he was presented.] by Sir +Robert Brookes, who was his tutor, he by my Lord Barkeley is made +one of the Duke's Chaplains, which qualifies him for two livings. +But to see how slightly such things are done, the Duke of York +only taking my Lord Barkeley's word upon saying, that we the +officers of the Navy do say that he is a good man and minister of +our parish, and the Duke of York admits him to kiss his hand, but +speaks not one word to him; but so a warrant will be drawn from +the Duke of York to qualify him, and there's an end of it. + +30th. After dinner I walked to Arundell House, the way very +dusty, (the day of meeting of the Society being changed from +Wednesday to Thursday, which I knew not before, because the +Wednesday is a Council-day, and several of the Council are of the +Society, and would come but for their attending the King at +Council;) where I find very much company, in expectation of the +Duchesse of Newcastle, who had desired to be invited to the +Society; and was; after much debate PRO and CON, it seems many +being against it; and we do believe the town will be full of +ballads of it. Anon comes the Duchesse with her women attending +her; among others the Ferabosco, of whom so much talk is that her +lady would bid her show her face and kill the gallants. She is +indeed black, and hath good black little eyes, but otherwise a +very ordinary woman I do think, but they say sings well. The +Duchesse hath been a good, comely woman; but her dress so antick, +and her deportment so ordinary, that I do not like her at all, +nor did I hear her say any thing that was worth hearing, but that +she was full of admiration, all admiration. Several fine +experiments were shown her of colours, loadstones, microscopes, +and of liquors: among others, of one that did while she was +there turn a piece of roasted mutton into pure blood, which was +very rare. Here was Mrs. Moore of Cambridge, whom I had not seen +before, and I was glad to see her; as also a very black boy that +ran up and down the room, somebody's child in Arundell House. +After they had shown her many experiments, and she cried still +she was full of admiration, she departed, being led out and in by +several Lords that were there; among others, Lord George Barkeley +and Earl of Carlisle, [Charles Howard, created Earl of Carlisle +1661, employed on several Embassies, and Governor of Jamaica. +Ob. 1684.] and a very pretty young man, the Duke of Somerset. +[Francis fifth Duke of Somerset, murdered in Italy 1678.] + +31st. At the Treasury chamber. Here I saw Duncomb look as big, +and take as much state on him, as if he had been born a lord. +Here I met, with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me that he is told +this day by Secretary Morris that he believes we are, and shall +be only fooled by the French; and that the Dutch are very high +and insolent, and do look upon us as come over only to beg a +peace; which troubles me very much, and I do fear it is true. +Thence to Sir G. Carteret at his lodgings; who, I perceive, is +mightily displeased with this new Treasury; and he hath reason, +for it will eclipse him. And he tells me that my Lord Ashly says +they understand nothing; and he says he believes the King do not +intend they shall sit long. But I believe no such thing, but +that the King will find such benefit by them as he will desire to +have them continue, as we see he hath done in the late new Act +that was so much decried about the King; but yet the King hath +since permitted it, and found good by it. He says, and I +believe, that a great many persons at Court are angry at the rise +of this Duncomb, whose father, he tells me, was a long-Parliament +man, and a great Committee man; and this fellow used to carry his +papers to Committees after him: he was a kind of an atturny: +but for all this, I believe will be a great man, in spite of all. +In the evening home, and there to my unexpected satisfaction did +get my intricate accounts of interest (which have been of late +much perplexed by mixing of some moneys of Sir G. Carteret's with +mine) evened and set right: and so late to supper, and with +great quiet to bed; finding by the balance of my account that I +am creditor 6900l. for which the Lord of Heaven be praised! + +JUNE 1, 1667. Up; and there comes to me Mr. Commander, whom I +employ about hiring of some ground behind the office, for the +building of me a stable and coach-house: for I do find it +necessary for me, both in respect of honour and the profit of it +also, (my expense in hackney-coaches being now so great), to keep +a coach, and therefore will do it. Having given him some +instructions about it, I to the office; where we have news that +our peace with Spain as to trade is wholly concluded, and we are +to furnish him with some men for Flanders against the French. +How that will agree with the French I know not; but they say that +he also hath liberty to get what men he pleases out of England. +But for the Spaniard, I hear that my Lord Castlehaven is raising +a regiment of 4000 men which he is to command there; and several +young gentlemen are going over in commands with him: and they +say the Duke of Monmouth is going over only as a traveller, not +to engage on either side, but only to see the campagne, which +will be becoming him much more: than to live as he now do. + +3rd. Met Mr. Mills, our parson, whom I went back with to bring +him to Sir W. Coventry to give him the form of a qualification +for the Duke of York to sign to, to enable him to have two +livings; which was a service I did, but much against my will, for +a lazy, fat priest. Sir William Doyly did lay a wager with me, +the Treasurership would be in one hand (notwithstanding this +present Commission) before Christmas: on which we did lay a poll +of ling, a brace of carps, and a bottle of wine; and Sir W. Pen +and Mr. Scowen to be at the eating of them. Thence down by water +to Deptford, it being Trinity Monday, when the Master is chosen. +And so I down with them; and we had a good dinner of plain meat, +and good company at our table: among others my good Mr. Evelyn, +with whom after dinner I stepped aside and talked upon the +present posture of our affairs; which is, that the Dutch are +known to be abroad with eighty sail of ships of war, and twenty +fire-ships, and the French come into the Channell with twenty +sail of men-of-war, and five fire-ships, while we have not a ship +at sea to do them any hurt with, but are calling in all we can, +while our Embassadors are treating at Bredah, and the Dutch look +upon them as come to beg peace, and use them accordingly: and +all this through the negligence of our Prince, who had power, if +he would, to master all these with the money and men that he hath +had the command of, and may now have, if he would mind his +business. In the Treasury-chamber an hour or two, where we saw +the Country Receivers and Accountants come to attend; and one of +them a brisk young fellow (with his hat cocked like a fool +behind, as the present fashion among the blades is) committed to +the Serjeant. By and by I upon desire was called in, and +delivered in my Report of my Accounts. Present, Lord Ashly, +Clifford, and Duncomb. But I do like the way of these lords, +that they admit nobody to use many words, nor do they spend many +words themselves, but in great state do bear what they see +necessary, and say little themselves, but bid withdraw. + +5th. Captain Perriman brings us word bow the Happy Returne's +crew below in the Hope, ordered to carry the Portugal Embassador +to Holland, (and the Embassador, I think, on board,) refuse to go +till paid; and by their example two or three more ships are in a +mutiny: which is a sad consideration, while so many of the +enemy's ships are at this day triumphing in the sea. Sir G. +Carteret showed me a gentleman coming by in his coach who hath +been sent for up out of Lincolnshire, (I think he says he is a +justice of peace there,) that the Council have laid by the heels +here, and here lies in a messenger's hands, for saying that a man +and his wife are but one person, and so ought to pay but 12d. for +both to the Poll Bill; by which others were led to do the like: +and so here he lies prisoner. + +7th. With Mr. Townsend, whom I sent for to come to me to +discourse about my Lord Sandwich's business; (for whom I am in +some pain lest the Accounts of the Wardrobe may not be in so good +order as may please the new Lords' Treasurers, who are quick- +sighted, and under obligations of recommending themselves to the +King and the world by their finding and mending of faults, and +are most of them not the best friends to my Lord.) + +8th. Up, and to the office, where all the news this morning is +that the Dutch are come with a fleet of eighty sail to Harwich, +and that guns were heard plain by Sir W. Rider's people at +Bednall-greene all yesterday even. The news is confirmed that +the Dutch are off Harwich, but had done nothing last night. The +King hath sent down my Lord of Oxford to raise the countries +there; and all the Western barges are taken up to make a bridge +over the river about the Hope for horse to cross the River, if +there be occasion. + +9th. I hear that the Duke of Cambridge, who was given over long +since by the Doctors, is now likely to recover; for which God be +praised! To Sir W. Coventry, and there talked with him a great +while; and mighty glad I was of my good fortune to visit him, for +it keeps in my acquaintance with him, and the world sees it, and +reckons my interest accordingly. In comes my Lord Barkeley, who +is going down to Harwich also to look after the militia there: +and there is also the Duke of Monmouth, and with him a great many +young Hectors, the Lord Chesterfield, my Lord Mandeville, and +others; but to little purpose, I fear, but to debauch the country +women thereabouts. My Lord Barkeley wanting some maps, and Sir +W. Coventry recommending the six maps of England that are bound +up for the pocket, I did offer to present my Lord with them, +which he accepted; and so I will send them him. I find an order +come for the getting some fire-ships presently to annoy the +Dutch, who are in the King's Channel, and expected up higher. + +10th. Up; and news brought us that the Dutch are come up as high +as the Nore; and more presing orders for fire-ships. W. Batten, +W. Pen, and I to St. James's; whence the Duke of York gone this +morning betimes, to send away some men down to Chatham. So we +then to White Hall, and meet Sir W. Coventry, who presses all +that is possible for fireships. So we three to the office +presently; and thither comes Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is to +command them all in some exploits he is to do with them on the +enemy in the River. [Son of Fretcheville Hollis, of Grimsby +(Colonel of a regiment on the King's side during the Civil Wars, +in which he acquired considerable credit,) by his second wife +Elizabeth Molesworth, and himself a distinguished naval officer. +He lost an arm in the sea-fight 1665, and afterwards served as +Rear-Admiral under Sir R. Holmes, when they attacked the Smyrna +fleet. He fell in the battle of Southwold Bay, 1672, on board +the Cambridge. Although Mr. Pepys speaks slightingly of Sir F. +H. he was a man of high spirit and enterprise, and is thus +eulogised by Dryden in his ANNUS MIRABILIS. + "Young Hollis on a Muse by Mars begot, + Born, Caesar-like, to write and act great deeds, + Impatient to revenge his fatal shot, + His right hand doubly to his left succeeds."] +So we all down to Deptford, and pitched upon ships and set men at +work: but, Lord! to see how backwardly things move at this +pinch, notwithstanding that by the enemy's being now come up as +high as almost the Hope, Sir J. Minnes, who was gone down to pay +some ships there, hath sent up the money; and so we are possessed +of money to do what we will with. Yet partly ourselves, being +used to be idle and in despair, and partly people that have been +used to be deceived by us as to money won't believe us; and we +know not, though we have it, how almost to promise it; and our +wants such, and men out of the way, that it is an admirable thing +to consider how much the King suffers, and how necessary it is in +a State to keep the King's service always in a good posture and +credit. Down to Gravesend, where I find the Duke of Albemarle +just come, with a great many idle lords and gentlemen, with their +pistols and fooleries; and the bulworke not able to have stood +half an hour had they come up; but the Dutch are fallen down from +the Hope and Shell-haven as low as Sheerenesse, and we do plainly +at this time hear the guns play. Yet I do not find the Duke of +Albemarle intends to go thither, but stays here to-night, and +hath (though the Dutch are gone) ordered our frigates to be +brought to a line between the two block-houses; which I took then +to be a ridiculous thing. I find the town had removed most of +their goods out of the town, for fear of the Dutch coming up to +them; and from Sir John Griffen, that last night there was not +twelve men to be got in the town to defend it: which the master +of the house tells me is not true, but that the men of the town +did intend to stay, though they did indeed, and so had he (at the +Ship,) removed their goods. Thence went to an Ostend man-of-war +just now come up, who met the Dutch fleet, who took three ships +that he came convoying hither from him: says they are as low as +the Nore, or thereabouts. + +11th. Brouncker come to us, who is just now going to Chatham +upon a desire of Commissioner Pett's, who is very fearful of the +Dutch, and desires help for God and the King and kingdom's sake. +So Brouncker goes down, and Sir J. Minnes also from Gravesend. +This morning Pett writes us word that Sheerenesse is lost last +night, after two or three hours' dispute. The enemy hath +possessed himself of that place; which is very sad, and puts us +into great fears of Chatham. Home, and there to our business, +hiring some fire-ships, and receiving every hour almost letters +from Sir W. Coventry, calling for more fire-ships: and an order +from Council to enable us to take any man's ships; and Sir W. +Coventry, in his letter to us, says he do not; doubt but at this +time (under an invasion, as he owns it to be) the King may by law +take any man's goods. At this business late, and then home; +where a great deal of serious talk with my wife about the sad +state we are in, and especially from the beating up of drums this +night for the train-bands upon pain of death to appear in arms +to-morrow morning, with bullet and powder, and money to supply +themselves with victuals for a fortnight: which, considering the +soldiers drawn out to Chatham and elsewhere, looks as if they had +a design to ruin the City and give it up to be undone; which, I +hear, makes the sober citizens to think very sadly of things. + +12th. Up very betimes to our business at the office, their +hiring of more fire-ships; and at it close all the morning. At +noon home, and Sir W. Pen dined with us. By and by after dinner +my wife out by coach to see her mother; and I in another (being +afraid at this busy time to be seen with a woman in a coach, as +if I were idle) towards The. Turner's: but met Sir W. Coventry's +boy; and there in a letter find that; the Dutch had made no +motion since their taking Sheerenesse, and the Duke of Albemarle +writes that all is safe as to the great ships against any +assault, the bomb and chaine being so fortified: which put my +heart into great joy. When I come to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, +I find him abroad; but his clerk, Powell, do tell me that ill +news is come to Court of the Dutch breaking the Chaine at +Chatham; which struck me to the heart. And to White Hall to hear +the truth of it; and there going up the Park-stairs I did hear +some lacquies speaking of sad news come to Court, saying, there +is hardly any body in the Court but do look as if he cried. I +met Roger Pepys, newly come out of the country: in discourse he +told me that his grandfather, my great grandfather, had 800l. per +annum in Queene Elizabeth's time in the very town of Cottenham; +and that we did certainly come out of Scotland with the Abbot of +Crowland. Home, where all our hearts do now ake; for the news is +true that the Dutch have broke the chaine and burned our ships, +and particularly "The Royal Charles:" other particulars I know +not, but it is said to be so. And the truth is I do fear so much +that the whole kingdom is undone, that I do this night resolve to +study with my father and wife what to do with the little that I +have in money by me, for I give all the rest that I have in the +King's hands for Tangier for lost. So God help us! and God +knows what disorders we may fall into, and whether any violence +on this office, or perhaps some severity on our persons, as being +reckoned by the silly people, or perhaps may by policy of State +be thought fit to be condemned by the King and Duke of York, and +so put to trouble; though, God knows I have in my own person done +my full duty, I am sure. + +13th. No sooner up but hear the sad news confirmed of the Royal +Charles being taken by them, and now in fitting by them, (which +Pett should have carried up higher by our several orders, and +deserves therefore to be hanged for not doing it,) and burning +several others; and that another fleet is come up into the Hope. +Upon which news the King and Duke of York have been below since +four o'clock in the morning, to command the sinking of ships at +Barking-Creeke and other places, to stop their coming up higher: +which put me into such a fear, that I presently resolved of my +father's and wife's going into the country; and at two hours' +warning they did go by the coach this day, with about 1300l. in +gold in their night-bag. Pray God give them good passage, and +good care to hide it when they come home! but my heart is full +of fear. They gone, I continued in frights and fear what to do +with the rest. W. Hewer hath been at the banker's, and hath got +500l. out of Blackwell's hands of his own money; but they are so +called upon that they will be all broke, hundreds coming to them +for money: and they answer him, "It is payable at twenty days-- +when the days are out we will pay you;" and those that are not so +they make tell over their money, and make their bags false on +purpose to give cause to retell it, and so spend time. I cannot +have my 200 pieces or gold again for silver, all being bought up +last night that were to be had, and sold for 24 and 25s. a-piece. +Every minute some one or other calls for this or that order; and +so I forced to be at the office most of the day about the fire- +ships which are to be suddenly fitted out. And it's a most +strange thing that we hear nothing from any of my brethren at +Chatham: so that we are wholly in the dark, various being the +reports of what is done there; insomuch, that I sent Mr. Clapham +express thither to see how matters go. I did about noon resolve +to send Mr. Gibson away after my wife with another 1000 pieces, +under colour of an express to Sir Jeremy Smith, who is, as I +hear, with some ships at Newcastle; which I did really send to +him, and may possibly prove of good use to the King, for it is +possible in the hurry of business they may not think of it at +Court, and the charge of express is not considerable to the King. +The King and Duke of York up and down all the day here and there: +some time on Tower Hill, where the City militia was; where the +King did make a speech to them, that they should venture +themselves no further than he would himself. I also sent (my +mind being in pain) Saunders after my wife and father, to +overtake them at their night's lodging, to see how matters go +with them. In the evening I sent for my cousin Sarah and her +husband, who come; and I did deliver them my chest of writings +about Brampton, and my brother Tom's papers, and my journalls, +which I value much: and did send my two silver flagons to Kate +Joyce's: that so being scattered what I have, something might be +saved. I have also made a girdle, by which with some trouble I +do carry about me 300l. in gold about my body, that I may not be +without something in case I should be surprised; for I think, in +any nation but our's, people that appear (for we are not indeed +so) so faulty as we, would have their throats cut. In the +evening comes Mr. Pelling and several others to the office, and +tell me that never were people so dejected as they are in the +City all over at this day; and do talk most loudly, even treason; +as, that we are bought and sold, that we are betrayed by the +Papists and others about the King: cry out that the office of +the Ordnance hath been so backward as no powder to have been at +Chatham nor Upner Castle till such a time, and the carriages all +broken: Legg is a Papist; [William Legge, mentioned before, He +was Treasurer and Superintendent of the Ordnance, with General's +pay.] that Upner, the old good castle built by Queen Elizabeth, +should be lately slighted; that the ships at Chatham should not +be carried up higher. They look upon us as lost, and remove +their families and rich goods in the City; and do think verily +that the French being come down with an army to Dunkirke, it is +to invade us, and that we shall be invaded. Mr. Clerke, the +solicitor, comes to me about business, and tells me that he hears +that the King hath chosen Mr. Pierpoint and Vaughan of the West, +Privy-councillors; that my Lord Chancellor was affronted in the +Hall this day, by people telling him of his Dunkirke House; and +that there are regiments ordered to be got together, whereof to +be commanders my Lord Fairfax, Ingolsby, Bethell, Norton, and +Birch, and other Presbyterians; and that Dr. Bates will have +liberty to preach. Now, whether this be true or not, I know not; +but do think that nothing but this will unite us together. Late +at night comes Mr. Hudson the cooper, my neighbour, and tells me +that he come from Chatham this evening at five o'clock, and saw +this afternoon "The Royal James," "Oake," and "London," burnt by +the enemy with their fire-ships: that two or three men-of-war +come up with them, and made no more of Upner Castle's shooting +than of a fly; that those ships lay below Upner-Castle, (but +therein, I conceive, he is in an error;) that the Dutch are +fitting out "The Royall Charles;" that we shot; so far as from +the Yard thither, so that the shot did no good, for the bullets +grazed on the water; that Upner played hard with their guns at +first, but slowly afterwards, either from the men's being beat +off; or their powder spent. But we hear that the fleet in the +Hope is not come up any higher the last flood. And Sir W. Batten +tells me that ships are provided to sink in the River, about +Woolwich, that will prevent their coming up higher if they should +attempt it. I made my will also this day, and did give all I had +equally between my father and wife. + +14th. Up, and to the office; where Mr. Fryer comes and tells me +that there are several Frenchman and Flemish ships in the River +with passes from the Duke of York for carrying of prisoners, that +ought to be parted from the rest of the ships, and their powder +taken, lest they do fire themselves when the enemy comes, and so +spoil us; which is good advice, and I think I will give notice of +it; and did so. But it is pretty odd to see how every body, even +at this high time of danger, puts business off of their own +hands! He says that he told this to the Lieutenant of the Tower, +(to whom I, for the same reason, was directing him to go); and +the Lieutenant of the Tower bade him come to us, for he had +nothing to do with it. And yesterday comes Captain Crew, of one +of the fire-ships, and told me that the officers of the Ordnance +would deliver his gunner's materials, but not compound them, but +that we must do it; whereupon I was forced to write to them about +it: and one that like a great many come to me this morning. By +and by comes Mr. Willson, and, by direction of his, a man of Mr. +Gauden's; who are come from Chatham last night, and saw the three +ships burnt, they lying all dry, and boats going from the men-of- +war to fire them. But that that he tells me of worst consequence +is, that he himself (I think he said) did hear many Englishmen on +board the Dutch ships speaking to one another in English; and +that they did cry and say, "We did heretofore fight for tickets; +now we fight for dollars!" and did ask how such and such a one +did, and would commend themselves to them: which is a sad +consideration. And Mr. Lewes (who was present at this fellow's +discourse to me) did tell me, that he is told that when they took +"The Royal Charles," they said that they had their tickets signed +(and showed some), and that now they come to have them paid, and +would have them paid before they parted. And several seamen come +this morning to me, to tell me that if I would get their tickets +paid they would go and do all they could against the Dutch; but +otherwise they would not venture being killed, and lose all they +have already fought for: so that I was forced to try what I +could do to get them paid. This man tells me that the ships +burnt last night did lie above Upner Castle, over against the +Docke; and the boats come from the ships of war and burnt them: +all which is very sad. And masters of ships that are lately +taken up, do keep from their ships all their stores, or as much +as they can, so that we can dispatch them, having not time to +appraise them, nor secure their payment. Only some little money +we have, which we are fain to pay the men we have with every +night, or they will not work. And indeed the hearts as well as +affections of the seamen are turned away; and in the open streets +in Wapping, and up and down, the wives have cried publickly, +"This comes of your not paying our husbands; and now your work is +undone, or done by hands that understand it not." And Sir W. +Batten told me that he was himself affronted with a woman, in +language of this kind, on Tower Hill publickly yesterday; and we +are fain to bear it, and to keep one at the office door to let no +idle people in, for fear of firing of the office and doing us +mischief. The City is troubled at their being put upon duty: +summoned one hour, and discharged two hours after: and then +again summoned two hours after that; to their great charge as +well as trouble. And Pelling, the Potticary, tells me the world +says all over, that less charge than what the kingdom is put to, +of one kind or other, by this business, would have set out all +our great ships. It is said they did in open streets yesterday, +at Westminster, cry, " A Parliament! a Parliament!" and I do +believe it will cost blood to answer for these miscarriages. We +do not hear that the Dutch are come to Gravesend; which is a +wonder. But a wonderful thing it is that to this day we have not +one word yet from Brouncker, or Peter Pett, or J. Minnes, of any +thing at Chatham. The people that come hither to hear how things +go, make me ashamed to be found unable to answer them: for I am +left alone here at the office; and the truth is, I am glad my +station is to be here, near my own home and out of danger, yet in +a place of doing the King good service. I have this morning good +news from Gibson; three letters from three several stages, that +we was safe last night as far as Royston at between nine and ten +at night. The dismay that is upon us all, in the business of the +kingdom and Navy at this day, is not to be expressed otherwise +than by the condition the citizens were in when the City was on +fire, nobody knowing which way to turn themselves, while +everything concurred to greaten the fire; as here the easterly +gale and spring-tides for coming up both rivers, and enabling +them to break the chaine. D. Gauden did tell me yesterday, that +the day before at the Council they were ready to fall together by +the ears at the Council-table, arraigning one another of being +guilty of the counsel that brought us into this misery, by laying +up all the great ships. Mr. Hater tells me at noon that some +rude people have been, as he hears, at my Lord Chancellor's, +where they have cut down the trees before his house and broke his +windows; and a gibbet either set up before or painted upon his +gate, and these three words writ: "Three sights to be seen; +Dunkirke, Tangier, and a barren Queene." It gives great matter +of talk that it is said there is at this hour, in the Exchequer, +as much money as is ready to break down the floor. This arises, +I believe, from Sir G. Downing's late talk of the greatness of +the sum lying there of people's money that, they would not fetch +away, which he showed me and a great many others. Most people +that I speak with are in doubt how we shall do to secure our +seamen from running over to the Dutch; which is a sad but very +true consideration at this day. At noon I am told that my Lord +Duke of Albemarle is made Lord High Constable; the meaning +whereof at this time I know not, nor whether it be true or no. +Dined, and Mr. Hater and Mr. Hewer with me; where they do speak +very sorrowfully of the posture of the times, and how people do +cry out in the streets of their being bought and sold; and both +they and every body that come to me do tell me that people make +nothing of talking treason in the streets openly; as, that they +are bought and sold, and governed by Papists, and that we are +betrayed by people about the King, and shall be delivered up to +the French, and I know not what. At dinner we discoursed of Tom +of the Wood, a fellow that lives like a hermit near Woolwich, +who, as they say (and Mr. Bodham, they tell me, affirms that he +was by at the Justice's when some did accuse him there for it) +did foretell the burning of the City, and now says that a greater +desolation is at hand. Thence we read and laughed at Lilly's +prophecies this month, in his Almanack this year. So to the +office after dinner; and thither comes Mr. Pierce, who tells me +his condition, how he cannot get his money (about 500l. which, he +says, is a very great part of what he hath for his family and +children) out of Viner's hand: and indeed it is to be feared +that this will wholly undo the bankers. He says he knows nothing +of the late affronts to my Lord Chancellor's house, as is said, +nor hears of the Duke of Albemarle's being made High Constable; +but says that they are in great distraction at White Hall, and +that every where people do speak high against Sir W. Coventry: +[Evelyn says it was owing to Sir W. C. that no fleet was fitted +out in 1667.] but he agrees with me, that he is the best +Minister of State the King hath, and so from my heart I believe. +At night come home Sir W. Batten and W. Ben, who only can tell me +that they have placed guns at Woolwich and Deptford, and sunk +some ships below Woolwich and Blackwall, and are in hopes that +they stop the enemy's coming up. But strange our confusion! +that among them that are sunk they have gone and sunk without +consideration "The Franclin," one of the King's ships with stores +to a very considerable value, that hath been long loaded for +supply of the ships; and the new ship at Bristoll, and much +wanted there. And nobody will own that they directed it, but do +lay it on Sir W. Rider. They speak also of another ship loaded +to the value of 80,000l. sunk with the goods in her, or at least +was mightily contended for by him and a foreign ship that had the +faith of the nation for her security: this Sir R. Ford tells us. +And it is too plain a truth, that both here and at Chatham the +ships that we have sunk have many, and the first of them, been +ships completely fitted for fire-ships at great charge. But most +strange the backwardness and disorder of all people, especially +the King's people in pay, to do any work, (Sir W. Pen tells me), +all crying out for money. And it was so at Chatham that this +night comes an order from Sir W. Coventry to stop the pay of the +wages of that Yard, the Duke of Albemarle having related, that +not above three of 1100 in pay there, did attend to do any work +there. This evening having sent a messenger to Chatham on +purpose, we have received a dull letter from my Lord Brouncker +and Peter Pett, how matters have gone there this week; but not so +much, or so particularly as we knew it by common talk before, and +as true. I doubt they will be found to have been but slow men in +this business; and they say the Duke of Albemarle did tell my +Lord Brouncker to his face that his discharging of the great +ships there was the cause of all this; and I am told that it is +become common talk against my Lord Brouncker. But in that; he is +to be justified, for he did it by verbal order from Sir W. +Coventry, and with good intent; and it was to good purpose, +whatever the success be, for the men would have but spent the +King so much the more in wages, and yet not attended on board to +have done the King any service. And as an evidence of that, just +now, being the 15th day in the morning that I am writing +yesterday's passages, one is with me, Jacob Bryan, Purser of the +Princesse, who confesses to me that he hath but 180 men borne at +this day in victuals and wages on that ship lying at Chatham, +being lately brought in thither; of which 180 there was not above +five appeared to do the King any service at this late business. +And this morning also, some of the Cambridge's men come up from +Portsmouth by order from Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who boasted to +us the other day that he had sent for 50, and would be hanged if +100 did not come up that would do as much as twice the number of +other men: I say some of them, instead of being at work at +Deptford, where they were intended, do come to the office this +morning to demand the payment of their tickets; for otherwise +they would, they said, do no more work; and are, as I understand +from every body that has to do with them, the most debauched, +damning, swearing rogues that ever were in the Navy, just like +their prophane commander. + +15th. All the morning at the office. No news more than last +night; only Purser Tyler comes and tells me that he being at all +the passages in this business at Chatham, he says there have been +horrible miscarriages, such as we shall shortly hear of: that +the want of boats hath undone us: and it is commonly said, and +Sir J. Minnes under his hand tells us, that they were employed by +the men of the Yard to carry away their goods; and I hear that +Commissioner Pett will be found the first man that began to +remove: he is much spoken against, and Brouncker is complained +of, and reproached for discharging the men of the great ships +heretofore. At noon Mr. Hater dined with me; and tells me he +believes that it will hardly be the want of money alone that will +excuse to the Parliament the neglect of not setting out a fleet, +it having never been done in our greatest straits, but however +unlikely it appeared, yet when it was gone about, the State or +King did compass it; and there is something in it. + +18th. Roger Pepys told me, that when I come to his house he will +show me a decree in Chancery, wherein there was 26 men all house- +keepers in the town of Cottenham, in Queene Elizabeth's time, of +our name. By and by occasion offered for my writing to Sir W. +Coventry a plain bold letter touching lack of money; which, when +it was gone, I was afraid might give offence; but upon two or +three readings over again the copy of it, I was satisfied it was +a good letter; only Sir W. Batten signed it with me, which I +could wish I had done alone. + +17th. Every moment business of one kind or other about the fire- +ships and other businesses, most of them vexatious for want of +money, the commanders all complaining that if they miss to pay +their men a night, they run away; seamen demanding money of them +by way of advance, and some of Sir Fretcheville Hollis's men, +that he so bragged of, demanding their tickets to be paid, or +they would not work: this Hollis, Sir W. Batten and W. Pen say, +proves a conceited, idle, prating, lying fellow. Captain Cocke +tells me there have been great endeavours of bringing in the +Presbyterian interest, but that it will not do. He named to me +several of the insipid lords that are to command the armies that +are to be raised. He says the King and Court are all troubled, +and the gates of the Court were shut up upon the first coming of +the Dutch to us, but they do mind the business no more than ever: +that the bankers, he fears, are broke as to ready-money, though +Viner had 100,000l. by him when our trouble begun: that he and +the Duke of Albemarle have received into their own hands, of +Viner, the former 10,000l., and the latter 12,000l., in tallies +or assignments to secure what was in his hands of theirs; and +many other great men of our masters have done the like; which is +no good sign, when they begin to fear the main. He and every +body cries out of the office of the Ordnance, for their neglects, +both at Gravesend and Upner, and every where else. + +18th. To the office, and by and by word was brought me that +Commissioner Pett is brought to the Tower, and there laid up +close prisoner; which puts me into a fright, lest they may do the +same with us as they do with him. Great news to-night of the +blowing up of one of the Dutch's greatest ships, while a Council +of War was on board: the latter part, I doubt, is not so, it not +being confirmed since; but the former, that they had a ship blown +up, is said to be true. This evening comes Sir G. Carteret to +the office, to talk of business at Sir W. Batten's; where all to +be undone for want of money, there being none to pay the chest at +their public pay the 24th of this month, which will make us a +scorn to the world. After he had done there, he and I into the +garden, and walked; and the greatest of our discourse is, his +sense of the requisiteness of his parting with his being +Treasurer of the Navy, if he can on any good terms. He do harp +upon getting my Lord Brouncker to take it on half profit, but +that he is not able to secure him in paying him so much. He +tells me now the great question is, whether a Parliament or no +Parliament; and says the Parliament itself cannot be thought able +at present to raise money, and therefore it will be to no purpose +to call one. + +19th. Comes an order from Sir R. Browne, commanding me this +afternoon to attend the Council-board with all my books and +papers, touching the Medway. I was ready to fear some mischief +to myself, though it appears most reasonable that it is to inform +them about Commissioner Pett. I am called in to a large +Committee of the Council: present, the Duke of Albemarle, +Anglesy, Arlington, Ashly, Carteret, Duncomb, Coventry, Ingram, +Clifford, Lauderdale, Morrice, Manchester, Craven, Carlisle, +Bridgewater. [John, second Earl of Bridgewater, Ob. 1686.] And +after Sir W. Coventry's telling them what orders his Royal +Highness had made for the safety of the Medway, I told them to +their full content what we had done, and showed them our letters. +Then was Peter Pett called in, with the Lieutenant of the Tower. +He is in his old clothes, and looked most sillily. His charge +was chiefly the not carrying up of the great ships, and the using +of the boats in carrying away his goods; to which he answered +very sillily, though his faults to me seem only great omissions. +Lord Arlington and Coventry very severe against him; the former +saying that, if he was not guilty the world would think them all +guilty. The latter urged, that there must be some faults, and +that the Admiral must be found to have done his part. I did say +an unhappy word, which I was sorry for, when he complained of +want of oares for the boats: and there was, it seems, enough, +and good enough, to carry away all the boats with from the King's +occasions. He said he used never a boat till they were all gone +but one; and that was to carry away things of great value, and +these were his models of ships; which, when the Council, some of +them, had said they wished that the Dutch had had them instead of +the King's ships, he answered, he did believe the Dutch would +have made more advantage of the models than of the ships, and +that the King had had greater loss thereby: this they all +laughed at. After having heard him for an hour or more, they bid +him withdraw. He being gone, they caused Sir Richard Browne to +read over his minutes; and then my Lord Arlington moved that they +might be put into my hands to put into form, I being more +acquainted with such business; and they were so. So I away back +with my books and papers; and when I got into the Court it was +pretty to see how people gazed upon me, that I thought myself +obliged to salute people and to smile, lest they should think I +was a prisoner too: but afterwards I found that most did take me +to be there to bear evidence against P. Pett. My wife did give +me so bad an account of her and my father's method in burying of +our gold, that made me mad: and she herself is not pleased with +it, she believing that my sister knows of it. My father and she +did it on Sunday, when they were gone to church, in open +daylight, in the midst of the garden; where, for aught they knew, +many eyes might see them: which put me into trouble, and +presently cast about how to have it back again to secure it here, +the times being a little better now. + +20th. Mr. Barber told me that all the discourse yesterday, about +that part of the town where he was, was that Mr. Pett and I were +in the Tower; and I did hear the same before. Busy all the +afternoon: in the evening did treat with, and in the end agree, +but by some kind of compulsion, with the owners of six merchant- +ships, to serve the King as men-of-war. But, Lord! to see how +against the hair it is with these men, and everybody, to trust us +and the King; and how unreasonable it is to expect they should be +willing to lend their ships, and lay out 2 or 300l. a man to fit +their ships for the new voyages, when we have not paid them half +of what we owe them for their old services! I did write so to +Sir W. Coventry this night. + +21st. This day comes news from Harwich that the Dutch fleet are +all in sight, near 100 sail great and small, they think, coming +towards them; where, they think, they shall be able to oppose +them; but do cry out of the falling back of the seamen, few +standing by them, and those with much faintness. The like they +write from Portsmouth, and their letters this post are worth +reading. Sir H. Cholmly come to me this day, and tells me the +Court is as mad as ever; and that the night the Dutch burned our +ships the King did sup with my Lady Castlemaine, at the Duchesse +of Monmouth's, and there were all mad in hunting of a poor moth. +All the Court afraid of a Parliament; but he thinks nothing can +save us but the King's giving up all to a Parliament. + +22nd. In the evening come Captain Hart and Hayward to me about +the six merchant-ships now taken up for men-of-war; and in +talking they told me about the taking of "The Royal Charles;" +that nothing but carelessness lost the ship, for they might have +saved her the very tide that the Dutch came up, if they would +have but used means and had had but boats; and that the want of +boats plainly lost all the other ships. That the Dutch did take +her with a boat of nine men, who found not a man on board her, +(and her laying so near them was a main temptation to them to +come on;) and presently a man went up and struck her flag and +jacke, and a trumpeter sounded upon her "Joan's placket is torn:" +[Placket: the open part of a woman's petticoat.] that they did +carry her down at a time, both for tides and wind, when the best +pilot in Chatham would not have undertaken it, they heeling her +on one side to make her draw little water: and so carried her +away safe. They being gone, by and by comes Sir W. Pen, who hath +been at Court; and in the first place I hear the Duke of +Cambridge is dead; which is a great loss to the nation, having, I +think, never an heyre male now of the King's or Duke's to succeed +to the Crown. He tells me that they do begin already to damn the +Dutch and call them cowards at White Hall, and think of them and +their business no better than they used to do; which is very sad. +The King did tell him himself, (which is so, I was told, here in +the City,) that the City hath lent him 10,000l. to be laid out +towards securing of the River of Thames; which, methinks, is a +very poor thing, that we should be induced to borrow by such mean +sums. + +23rd. To Woolwich, and there called on Mr. Bodham: and he and I +to see the batterys newly raised; which, indeed, are good works +to command the River below the ships that are sunk, but not above +them. It is a sad sight to see so many good ships there sunk in +the River, while we would be thought to be masters of the sea. +Cocke says the bankers cannot, till peace returns, ever hope to +have credit again; so that they can pay no more money, but people +must be contented to take publick security such as they can give +them; and if so, and they do live to receive the money thereupon, +the bankers will be happy men, Fenn read me an Order of Council +passed the 17th instant, directing all the Treasurers of any part +of the King's revenue to make no payments but such as shall be +approved by the present Lords Commissioners; which will, I think, +spoil the credit of all his Majesty's service, when people cannot +depend upon payment any where. But the King's declaration in +behalf of the bankers, to make good their assignments for money, +is very good, and will, I hope, secure me. Cocke says, that he +hears it is come to it now that the King will try what he can +soon do for a peace; and if he cannot, that then he will cast all +upon the Parliament to do as they see fit: and in doing so, +perhaps, it may save us all. The King of France, it is believed, +is engaged for this year; so that we shall be safe as to him. +The great misery the City and kingdom is like to suffer for want +of coals in a little time is very visible, and, is feared, will +breed a mutiny; for we are not in any prospect to command the sea +for our colliers to come, but rather, it is feared, the Dutch may +go and burn all our colliers at Newcastle; though others do say +that they lie safe enough there. No news at all of late from +Bredagh what our treaters do. In the evening comes Mr. Povy +about business; and he and I to walk in the garden an hour or +two, and to talk of State matters. He tells me his opinion that +it is out of possibility for us to escape being undone, there +being nothing in our power to do that is necessary for the saving +us: a lazy Prince, no Council, no money, no reputation at home +or abroad. He says that to this day the King do follow the women +as much as ever he did; that the Duke of York hath not got Mrs. +Middleton, as I was told the other day: but says that he wants +not her, for he hath others, and hath always had, and that he +hath known them brought through the Matted Gallery at White Hall +into his closet; nay, he hath come out of his wife's bed, and +gone to others laid in bed for him: that Mr. Brouncker is not +the only pimp, but that the whole family are of the same strain, +and will do any thing to please him: that, besides the death of +the two Princes lately, the family is in horrible disorder by +being in debt by spending above 60,000l. per annum, when he hath +not 40,000l.: that the Duchesse is not only the proudest woman +in the world, but the most expensefull; and that the Duke of +York's marriage with her hath undone the kingdom, by making the +Chancellor so great above reach, who otherwise would have been +but an ordinary man to have been dealt with by other people; and +he would have been careful of managing things well, for fear of +being called to account; whereas now he is secure, and hath let +things run to rack, as they now appear. That at a certain time +Mr. Povy did carry him an account of the state of the Duke of +York's estate, showing in faithfullness how he spent more than +his estate would bear, by above 20,000l. per annum, and asked my +Lord's opinion of it; to which he answered, that no man that +loved the King or kingdom durst own the writing of that paper: +at which Povy was started, and reckoned himself undone for this +good service, and found it necessary then to show it to the Duke +of York's Commissioners; who read, examined, and approved of it, +so as to cause it to be put into form, and signed it, and gave it +to the Duke. Now the end of the Chancellor was, for fear that +his daughter's ill housewifery should be condemned. He tells me +that the other day, upon this ill news of the Dutch being upon +us, White Hall was shut up, and the Council called and sat close; +(and, by the way he do assure me, from the mouth of some Privy- +councillors, that at this day the Privy-council in general do +know no more what the state of the kingdom as to peace and war +is, than he or I; nor who manages it, nor upon whom it depends;) +and there my Lord Chancellor did make a speech to them, saying +that they knew well that he was no friend to the war from the +beginning, and therefore had concerned himself little in, nor +could say much to it; and a great deal of that kind to discharge +himself of the fault of the war. Upon which my Lord Anglesy rose +up and told his Majesty that he thought their coming now together +was not to enquire who was or was not the cause of the war, but +to enquire what was or could be done in the business of making a +peace, and in whose hands that was, and where it was stopped or +forwarded; and went on very highly to have all made open to them: +(and, by the way, I remember that Captain Cocke did the other day +tell me that this Lord Anglesy hath said within few days, that he +would willingly give 10,000l. of his estate that he was well +secured of the rest, such apprehensions he hath of the sequel of +things, as giving all over for lost.) He tells me, (speaking of +the horrid effeminacy of the King,) that the King hath taken ten +times more care and pains in making friends between my Lady +Castlemaine and Mrs. Stewart, when they have fallen out, than +ever he did to save his kingdom; nay, that upon any falling out +between my Lady Castlemaine's nurse and her women, my Lady hath +often said she would make the King to make them friends, and they +would be friends and be quiet; which the King hath been fain to +do: that the King is, at this day, every night in Hyde Park with +the Duchesse of Monmouth, or with my Lady Castlemaine: that he +is concerned of late by my Lord Arlington in the looking after +some buildings that he is about in Norfolke, [At Euston Hall in +Suffolk, on the borders of Norfolk.] where my Lord is laying out +a great deal of money; and that he (Mr. Povy,) considering the +unsafeness of laying out money at such a time as this, and, +besides, the enviousness of the particular county as well as all +the kingdom to find him building and employing workmen, while all +the ordinary people of the country are carried down to the sea- +sides for securing the land, he thought it becoming him to go to +my Lord Arlington (Sir Thomas Clifford by) and give it as his +advice to hold his hands a little; but my Lord would not, but +would have him go on, and so Sir Thomas Clifford advised also, +which one would think (if he were a statesman) should be a sign +of his foreseeing that all shall do well. He tells me that there +is not so great confidence between any two men of power in the +nation at this day, that he knows of, as between my Lord +Arlington and Sir Thomas Clifford; and that it arises by accident +only, there being no relation nor acquaintance between them, but +only Sir Thomas Clifford's coming to him and applying himself to +him for favours, when he came first up to town to be a +Parliament-man. + +25th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen in his new chariot (which indeed +is plain, but pretty and more fashionable in shape than any coach +he hath, and yet do not cost him, harness and all, above 32l.) to +White Hall; where staid a very little: and thence to St. James's +to Sir W. Coventry, whom I have not seen since before the coming +of the Dutch into the River, nor did indeed know how well to go +to see him, for shame either to him or me, or both of us, to find +ourselves in so much misery. I find that he and his fellow- +Treasurers are in the utmost want of money, and do find fault +with Sir G. Carteret, that having kept the mystery of borrowing +money to himself so long, (to the ruin of the nation, as Sir W. +Coventry said in words to Sir W. Pen and me,) he should now lay +it aside and come to them for money for every penny he hath, +declaring that he can raise no more: which, I confess do appear +to me the most like ill-will of any thing that I have observed of +Sir W. Coventry, when he himself did tell us on another occasion +at the same time, that the bankers who used to furnish them money +are not able to lend a farthing, and he knows well enough that +that was all the mystery Sir G. Carteret did use, that is, only +his credit with them. He told us the masters and owners of two +ships that I had complained of, for not readily setting forth +their ships which we had taken up to make men-of-war, had been +yesterday with the King and Council, and had made their case so +well understood, that the King did owe them for what they had +earned the last year, and that they could not set them out again +without some money or stores out of the King's Yard; the latter +of which Sir W. Coventry said must be done, for that they were +not able to raise money for them, though it was but 200l. a ship: +which do show us our condition to be so bad, that I am in a total +despair of ever having the nation do well. After that talking +awhile, and all out of heart with stories of want of seamen, and +seamen's running away, and their demanding a month's advance, and +our being forced to give seamen 3s. a-day to go hence to work at +Chatham, and other things that show nothing but destruction upon +us; for it is certain that, as it now is, the seamen of England, +in my conscience, would, if they could, go over and serve the +King of France or Holland rather than us. Up to the Duke of York +to his chamber, where he seems to be pretty easy, and now and +then merry; but yet one may perceive in all their minds there is +something of trouble and care, and with good reason. Thence to +White Hall, with Sir W. Pen, by chariot; and there in the Court +met with my Lord Anglesy: and he to talk with Sir W. Pen, and +told him of the masters of ships being with the Council +yesterday, and that we were not in condition, though the men were +willing, to furnish them with 200l. of money (already due to them +as earned by them the last year) to enable them to set out their +ships again this year for the King: which he is amazed at; and +when I told him, "My Lord, this is a sad instance of the +condition we are in," he answered that it was so indeed, and +sighed; and so parted: and he up to the Council-chamber, where I +perceive they sit every morning. It is worth noting that the +King and Council in their order of the 23rd instant, for +unloading three merchant-ships taken up for the King's service +for men-of-war, do call the late coming of the Dutch "an +invasion." I was told yesterday, that Mr. Oldenburg, [Henry +Oldenburgh, Secretary to the Royal Society.] our Secretary at +Gresham College, is put into the Tower, for writing news to a +virtuoso in France, with whom he constantly corresponds in +philosophical matters; which makes it very unsafe at this time to +write, or almost do any thing. Several captains come to the +office yesterday and to-day, complaining that their men come and +go when they will, and will not be commanded, though they are +paid every night, or may be. Nay, this afternoon comes Harry +Russell from Gravesend, telling us that the money carried down +yesterday for the Chest at Chatham had like to have been seized +upon yesterday in the barge there by seamen, who did beat our +waterman: and what men should these be but the boats' crew of +Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who used to brag so much of the goodness +and order of his men, and his command over them? Sir H. Cholmly +tells me great news; that this day in Council the King hath +declared that he will call his Parliament in thirty days: which +is the best news I have heard a great while, and will, if any +thing, save the kingdom. How the King come to be advised to +this, I know not; but he tells me that it was against the Duke of +York's mind flatly, who did rather advise the King to raise money +as he pleased; and against the Chancellor's, who told the King +that Queene Elizabeth did do all her business in eighty-eight +without calling a Parliament, and so might he do for anything he +saw, But, blessed be God, it is done; and pray God it may hold, +though some of us must surely go to the pot, for all must be +flung up to them, or nothing will be done. + +26th. The Parliament is ordered to meet the 25th of July being, +as they say, St. James's day; which every creature is glad of. +Colonel Reymes [Bullen Reymes, M.P. for Melcombe Regis.] tells me +of a letter come last night or the day before from my Lord St. +Albans out of France, wherein he says that the King of France did +lately fall out with him, giving him ill names, saying that he +had belied him to our King, by saying that he had promised to +assist our King, and to forward the peace; saying that indeed he +had offered to forward the peace at such a time, but it was not +accepted of, and so he thinks himself not obliged, and would do +what was fit for him; and so made him to go out of his sight in +great displeasure: and he hath given this account to the King, +which, Colonel Reymes tells me, puts them into new melancholy at +Court, and he believes hath forwarded the resolution of calling +the Parliament. At White Hall spied Mr. Povy, who tells me as a +great secret, which none knows but himself, that Sir G. Carteret +hath parted with his place of Treasurer of the Navy by consent to +my Lord Anglesy, and is to be Treasurer of Ireland in his stead; +but upon what terms it is, I know not: and that it is in his +power to bring me to as great a friendship and confidence in my +Lord Anglesy, as ever I was with Sir W. Coventry. Such is the +want already of coals, and the despair of having any supply, by +reason of the enemy's being abroad, and no fleet of ours to +secure them, that they are come this day to 5l. 10s. per +chaldron. + +27th. Proclamations come out this day for the Parliament to meet +the 25th of next month: for which God be praised! And another to +invite seamen to bring in their complaints, of their being ill +used in the getting their tickets and money. Pierce tells me +that he hears for certain fresh at Court, that France and we +shall agree; and more, that yesterday was damned at the Council +the Canary Company; and also that my Lord Mordaunt hath laid down +his Commission. News this tide that about 80 sail of Dutch, +great and small, were seen coming up the River this morning; and +this tide some of them to the upper end of the Hope. + +28th. We find the Duke of York and Sir W. Coventry gone this +morning by two o'clock to Chatham, to come home to-night: and it +is fine to observe how both the King and Duke of York have in +their several late journeys to and again done them in the night +for coolnesse. They tell me that the Duke of Buckingham hath +surrendered himself to Secretary Morrice, and is going to the +Tower. Mr. Fenn, at the table, says that he hath been taken by +the watch two or three times of late, at unseasonable hours, but +so disguised that they could not know him: and when I come home +by and by, Mr. Lowther tells me that the Duke of Buckingham do +dine publickly this day at Wadlow's, at the Sun Tavern; and is +mighty merry, and sent word to the Lieutenant of the Tower that +he would come to him as soon as he had dined. It is said that +the King of France do make a sport of us now; and says, that he +knows no reason why his cosen the King of England should not be +as willing to let him have his kingdom, as that the Dutch should +take it from him, Sir G. Carteret did tell me, that the business +is done between him and my Lord Anglesy; that himself is to have +the other's place of Deputy Treasurer of Ireland (which is a +place of honour and great profit, being far better than the +Treasurer's, my Lord of Corke's,) and to give the other his of +Treasurer of the Navy; that the King, at his earnest entreaty, +did with much unwillingness, but with owing of great obligations +to him for his faithfulness and long service to him and his +father, grant his desire. My Lord Chancellor, I perceive, is his +friend in it; I remember I did in the morning tell Sir H. Cholmly +of this business: and he answered me, he was sorry for it: for +whatever Sir G. Carteret was, he is confident my Lord Anglesy is +one of the greatest knaves in the world. Home, and then find my +wife making of tea; a drink which Mr. Pelling, the Potticary, +tells her is good for her cold and defluxions. To Sir W. +Batten's to see how he did; and he is better than he was. He +told me how Mrs Lowther had her train held up yesterday by her +page at his house in the country which is ridiculous. Mr.Pelling +told us the news of the town; how the officers of the Navy are +cried out upon, and a great many greater men; but do think that I +shall do well enough; and I think, if I have justice, I shall. +We hear that the Dutch are gone down again; and, thanks be to +God, the trouble they give us this second time is not very +considerable! + +30th. To Rochester about ten of the clock. At the landing-place +I met my Lord Brouncker and my Lord Douglas, and all the officers +of the soldiers in the town, waiting there for the Duke of York, +whom they heard was coming. By and by comes my Lord Middleton, +well mounted: he seems a fine soldier, and so every body says he +is; and a man like my Lord Tiviott, and indeed most of the Scotch +gentry (as I observe,) of few words. After seeing the boats come +up from Chatham with them that rowed with bandeleeres about their +shoulders, and muskets in their boats; they being the workmen of +the Yard, who have promised to redeem their credit, lost by their +deserting the service when the Dutch were there; I and Creed down +by boat to Chatham yard. Thence to see the batteries made; which +indeed are very fine, and guns placed so as one would think the +River should be very secure. Here I was told that in all the +late attempt there was but one man that they knew killed on +shore; and that was a man that had laid upon his belly upon one +of the hills on the other side of the River, to see the action; +and a bullet come, and so he was killed. Thence by barge, it +raining hard, down to the chaine; and in our way did see the sad +wrackes of the poor "Royall Oake," "James," and "London;" and +several other of our ships by us sunk, and several of the +enemy's, whereof three men-of-war that they could not get off, +and so burned. I do not see that Upner Castle hath received any +hurt by them, though they played long against it; and they +themselves shot till they had hardly a gun left upon the +carriages, so badly provided they were: they have now made two +batteries on that side, which will be very good, and do good +service. So to the chaine, and there saw it fast at the end on +Upner side of the River; very fast, and borne up upon the several +stages across the River; and where it is broke nobody can tell +me. I went on shore on Upner side to look upon the end of the +chaine; and caused the link to be measured, and it was six inches +and one-fourth in circumference. It seems very remarkable to me, +and of great honour to the Dutch, that those of them that did go +on shore to Gillingham, though they went in fear of their lives, +and were some of them killed, and notwithstanding their +provocation at Scelling, yet killed none of our people nor +plundered their houses, but did take some things of easy carriage +and left the rest, and not a house burned; and which is to our +eternal disgrace, that; what my Lord Douglas's men, who come +after them, found there, they plundered and took all away; and +the watermen that carried us did further tell us, that our own +soldiers are far more terrible to those people of the country- +towns than the Dutch themselves. We were told at the batteries, +upon my seeing of the field-guns that were there, that had they +come a day sooner they had been able to have saved all; but they +had no orders, and lay lingering upon the way. Several +complaints, I hear, of the Monmouth's coming away too soon from +the chaine, where she was placed with the two guard-ships to +secure it; and Captain Robert Clerke, my friend, is blamed for so +doing there, but I hear nothing of him at London about it; but +Captain Brookes's running aground with the "Sancta Maria," which +was one of the three ships that were ordered to be sunk to have +dammed up the River at the chaine, is mightily cried against, and +with reason. It is a strange thing to see, that while my Lords +Douglas and Middleton do ride up and down upon single horses, my +Lord Brouncker do go up and down with his hackney coach and six +horses at the King's charge, and is not able to do so much good +as a good boatswain in this business. + +JULY 2, 1667. To the office, where W. Pen and myself and Sir T. +Harvey met, the first time we have had a meeting since the coming +of the Dutch upon this coast. + +3rd. Sir Richard Ford tells us how he hath been at the Sessions- +house, and there it is plain that there is a combination of +rogues in the town that do make it their business to set houses +on fire, and that one house they did set on fire in Aldersgate- +street last Easter; and that this is proved by two young men, +whom one of them debauched by degrees to steal their fathers' +plate and clothes, and at last to be of their company. One of +these boys is a son of a Montagu, of my Lord Manchester's family. +To the Council-chamber, to deliver a letter to their Lordships +about the state of the six merchantmen which we have been so long +-fitting out. When I come, the King and the whole table full of +Lords were hearing of a pitifull cause of a complaint of an old +man with a great grey beard against his son, for not allowing him +something to live on; and at last come to the ordering the son to +allow his father 10l. a-year. This cause lasted them near two +hours; which, methinks, at this time to be the work of the +Council-board of England, is a scandalous thing. Here I find all +the news is the enemy's landing 3000 men near Harwich, and +attacking Landguard Fort, and being beat off thence with our +great guns, killing some of their men, and they leaving their +ladders behind them; but we had no horse in the way on Suffolke +side, otherwise we might have galled their foot. The Duke of +York is gone down thither this day, while the Generall sat +sleeping this afternoon at the Council-table. + +4th. To the Sessions-house, where I have a mind to hear Bazill +Fielding's case tried; and so got up to the Bench, my Lord Chief- +Justice Keeling [Sir John Keeling, Knight, King's Serjeant 1661, +Chief Justice of the King's Bench 1665.] being Judge. Here I +stood bare, not challenging, though I might well enough, to be +covered. But here were several fine trials; among others, +several brought in for making it their trade to set houses on +fire merely to get plunder; and all proved by the two little boys +spoken of yesterday by Sir R. Ford, who did give so good account +of particulars that I never heard children in my life. One my +Lady Montagu's (I know not what Lady Montagu) son, and the other +of good condition, were playing in Moore-fields, and one rogue, +Gabriel Holmes, did come to them and teach them to drink, and +then to bring him plate and clothes from their fathers' houses: +and this Gabriel Holmes did advise to have had two houses set on +fire, one after another, that while they were quenching of one +they might be burning another. The boys did swear against one of +them, that he had made it his part to pull out the plug out of +the engine while it was a-playing; and it really was so. Well, +this fellow Holmes was found guilty of the act of burning the +house, and other things that he stood indicted for. It was time +very well spent to be here. Here I saw how favourable the Judge +was to a young gentleman that struck one of the officers, for not +making him room: told him he had endangered the loss of his +hand, but that he hoped he had not struck him, and would suppose +that he had not struck him. The Court then rose, and I to dinner +with my Lord Mayor and Sheriffs; where a good dinner and good +discourse, the Judge being there. There was also tried this +morning Fielding (which I thought had been Bazill, but it proved +the other, and Bazill was killed,) that killed his brother, who +was found guilty of murder, and nobody pitied him. The Judge +seems to be a worthy man, and able; and do intend for these +rogues that burned this house to be hung in some conspicuous +place in the town, for an example. + +6th. Mr. Williamson told me that Mr. Coventry is coming over +with a project of a peace; which, if the States agree to, and our +King when their Ministers on both sides have showed it them, we +shall agree, and that is all: but the King, I hear, do give it +out plain that the peace is concluded. This day with great +satisfaction I hear that my Lady Jemimah is brought to bed, at +Hinchingbroke, of a boy [In 1681 created Baron Carteret of +Hawnes, co. Bedford, in consideration of the eminent services +rendered by his grandfather and father to Charles II.] + +7th (Lord's day). Mr. Moor tells me that the discontented +Parliament-men are fearful that the next sitting the King will +try for a general excise by which to raise him money, and then to +fling off the Parliament, and raise a land-army and keep them all +down like slaves; and it is gotten among them that Bab. May, the +Privy-purse, hath been heard to say that 300l. a-year is enough +for any country-gentleman; which makes them mad, and they do talk +of 6 or 800,000l. gone into the Privy-purse this war, when in +King James's time it arose but to 5000l., and in King Charles's +but 10,000l. in a year. He tells me that a goldsmith in town +told him, that being with some plate with my Lady Castlemaine +lately, she directed her woman (the great beauty,) "Willson," +sayes she, "Make a note for this and for that to the Privy-purse +for money." He tells me a little more of the basenesse of the +courses taken at Court in the case of Mr. Moyer, who is at +liberty, and is to give 500l. for his liberty; but now the great +ones are divided who shall have the money, the Duke of Albemarle +on one hand, and another Lord on the other; and that it is fain +to be decided by having the person's name put into the King's +warrant for his liberty, at whose intercession the King shall own +that he is set at liberty: which is a most lamentable thing, +that we do professedly own that we do these things, not for right +and justice' sake, but only to gratify this or that person about +the King. God forgive us all! + +8th. Mr. Coventry is come from Bredah, as was expected; but, +contrary to expectation, brings with him two or three articles +which do not please the King: as to retrench the Act of +Navigation, and then to ascertain what are contraband goods; and +then that those exiled persons, who are or shall take refuge in +their country, may be secure from any further prosecution. +Whether these will be enough to break the Peace upon, or no, he +cannot tell; but I perceive the certainty of peace is blown over. +To Charing Cross, there to see the great boy and girle that are +lately come out of Ireland, the latter eight, the former but four +years old, of most prodigious bigness for their age. I tried to +weigh them in my arms, and and them twice as heavy as people +almost twice their age; and yet I am apt to believe they are very +young. Their father a little sorry fellow, and their mother an +old Irish woman. They have had four children of this bigness, +and four of ordinary growth, whereof two of each are dead. If +(as my Lord Ormond certifies) it be true that they are no older, +it is very monstrous. + +9th. This evening news comes for certain that the Dutch are with +their fleet before Dover, and that it is expected they will +attempt something there. The business of the peace is quite +dashed again. + +12th. The Duke of Buckingham was before the Council the other +day, and there did carry it very submissively and pleasingly to +the King; but to my Lord Arlington, who do prosecute the +business, he was most bitter and sharp, and very slighting. As +to the letter about his employing a man to cast the King's +nativity, says he to the King, "Sir, this is none of my hand, and +I refer it to your Majesty whether you do not know this hand." +The King answered, that it was indeed none of his, and that he +knew whose it was, but could not recall it presently. "Why," +says he, "it is my sister of Richmond's, [Mary, daughter of +George Villiers first Duke of Buckingham; married first, to +Charles Lord Herbert; secondly, to James Duke of Richmond and +Lenox; and thirdly, to Thomas Howard, brother to Charles Earl of +Carlisle. She left no issue by any of her husbands.] some +frolick or other of hers about some certain person: and there is +nothing of the King's name in it, but it is only said to be his +by supposition, as is said." The King, it seems, was not very +much displeased with what the Duke had said; but however, he is +still in the Tower, and no discourse of his being out in haste, +though my Lady Caatlemaine hath so far solicited for him that the +King and she are quite fallen out: he comes not to her, nor hath +for some three or four days; and parted with very foul words, the +King calling her a jade that meddled with things she had nothing +to do with at all: and she calling him fool; and told him if he +was not a fool he would not suffer his businesses to be carried +on by fools that did not understand them, and cause his best +subjects, and those best able to serve him, to be imprisoned; +meaning the Duke of Buckingham. And it seems she was not only +for his liberty, but to be restored to all his places; which, it +is thought, he will never be. It was computed that the +Parliament had given the King for this war only, besides all +prizes, and besides the 200,000l. which he was to spend of his +own revenue, to guard the sea above 5,000,000l. and odd +100,000l.; which is a most prodigious sum. It is strange how +everybody do now-a-days reflect upon Oliver, and commend him, +what brave things he did, and made all the neighbour princes fear +him; while here a prince, come in with all the love and prayers +and good liking of his people, who have given greater signs of +loyalty and willingness to serve him with their estates that ever +was done by any people, hath lost all so soon, that it is a +miracle what way a man could devise to lose so much in so little +time. Sir Thomas Crewe tells me how I am mightily in esteem with +the Parliament; there being harangues made in the House to the +Speaker, of Mr. Pepys's readiness and civility to show them +everything. + +13th. Mr. Pierce tells us what troubles me, that my Lord +Buckhurst hath got Nell away from the King's house, and gives her +100l. a-year, so as she hath sent her parts to the house, and +will act no more and yesterday Sir Thomas Crewe told me that Lacy +lies a-dying; nor will receive any ghostly advice from a bishop, +an old acquaintance of his, that went to see him. It is an odd +and sad thing to say, that though this be a peace worse than we +had before, yet everybody's fear almost is, that the Dutch will +not stand by their promise, now the King hath consented to all +they would have. And yet no wise man that I meet with, when he +comes to think of it, but wishes with all his heart a war; but +that the King is not a man to be trusted with the management of +it. It was pleasantly said by a man in this City, a stranger, to +one that told him the peace was concluded, "Well," says he, "and +have you a peace?" "Yes," says the other. "Why then," says he, +"hold your peace!" Partly reproaching us with the disgracefulness +of it, that it is not fit to be mentioned; and next, that we are +not able to make the Dutch keep it, when they have a mind to +break it. + +14th. To Epsum, by eight o'clock, to the well; where much +company. And to the towne to the King's Head; and hear that my +Lord Buckhurst and Nelly are lodged at the next house, and Sir +Charles Sedley with them: and keep a merry house. Poor girl! +I pity her; but more the loss of her at the King's house. Here +Tom Wilson come to see me, and sat and talked an hour: and I +perceive he hath been much acquainted with Dr. Fuller (Tom) and +Dr. Pierson, and several of the great cavalier parsons during the +late troubles; and I was glad to hear him talk of them, which he +did very ingenuously, and very much of Dr. Fuller's art of +memory, which he did tell me several instances of. By and by he +parted, and I talked with the two women that farm the well at +12l. per annum of the lord of the manor. Mr. Evelyn with his +lady, and also my Lord George Barkeley's lady, [Elizabeth, +daughter and co-heir of John Maasingberd, Esq.] and their fine +daughter, that the King of France liked so well, and did dance so +rich in jewells before the King at the Ball I was at at our Court +last winter, and also their son, a Knight of the Bath, [Charles, +eldest son, summoned to Parliament as Baron Berkeley, VITA +PATRIS, 1680, Ob. 1710, having succeeded his father in the +Earldom 1698.] were at church this morning. I walked upon the +Downes, where a flock of sheep was; and the most pleasant and +innocent sight that ever I saw in my life. We found a shepherd +and his little boy reading, far from any houses or sight of +people, the Bible to him; and we took notice of his wooling knit +stockings, of two colours mixed. Mrs. Turner mightily pleased +with my resolution, which, I tell her, is never to keep a +country-house, but to keep a coach, and with my wife on the +Saturday to go sometimes for a day to this place, and then quit +to another place; and there is more variety and as little charge, +and no trouble, as there is in a country-house. + +17th. Home, where I was saluted with the news of Hogg's bringing +a rich Canary prize to Hull: and Sir W. Batten do offer me +1000l. down for my particular share, beside Sir Richard Ford's +part; which do tempt me; but yet I would not take it;, but will +stand and fall with the company. He and two more, the Panther +and Fanfan, did enter into consortship; and so they have all +brought in each a prize, though ours worth as much as both +theirs, and more. However, it will be well worth having, God be +thanked for it! This news makes us all very glad. I at Sir W. +Batten's did hear the particulars of it; and there for joy he did +give the company that were there a bottle or two of his own last +year's wine growing at Walthamstow, than which the whole company +said they never drank better foreign wine in their lives. The +Duke of Buckingham is, it seems, set at liberty without any +further charge against him or other clearing of him, but let to +go out; which is one of the strangest instances of the fool's +play, with which all publick things are done in this age, that is +to be apprehended. And it is said that when he was charged with +making himself popular, (as indeed he is, for many of the +discontented Parliament, Sir Robert Howard, and Sir Thomas Meres, +and others, did attend at the Council-chamber when he was +examined,) he should answer, that whoever was committed to prison +by my Lord Chancellor or my Lord Arlington, could not want being +popular. But it is worth considering the ill state a Minister of +State is in, under such a Prince as ours is; for, undoubtedly, +neither of those two great men would have been so fierce against +the Duke of Buckingham at the Council-table the other day, had +they not been assured of the King's good liking, and supporting +them therein: whereas, perhaps at the desire of my Lady +Castlemaine, (who I suppose, hath at last overcome the King,) the +Duke of Buckingham is well received again, and now these men +delivered up to the interest he can make for his revenge. He +told me over the story of Mrs. Stewart, much after the manner +which I was told it by Mr. Evelyn: only he says it is verily +believed that the King did never intend to marry her to any but +himself, and that the Duke of York and Lord Chancellor were +jealous of it: and that Mrs. Stewart might be got with child by +the King, or somebody else, and the King own a marriage before +his contract (for it is but a contract, as he tells me to this +day,) with the Queene, and so wipe their noses of the Crown; and +that, therefore, the Duke of York and Chancellor did do all they +could to forward the match with my Lord Duke of Richmond, that +she might be married out of the way: but above all, it is a +worthy part that this good lady hath acted. My sister Michell +[The wife of Balthazar St. Michel, Mrs. Pepys's brother.] come +from Lee to see us; but do tattle so much of the late business of +the Dutch coming thither that I am weary of it. Yet it is worth +remembering what she says: that she hath heard both seamen and +soldiers swear they would rather serve the Dutch than the King, +for they should be better used. She saw "The Royal Charles" +brought into the river by them; and how they shot off their great +guns for joy, when they got her out of Chatham river. + +19th. One tells me that, by letter from Holland, the people +there are made to believe that our condition in England is such +as they may have whatever they will ask; and that so they are +mighty high, and despise us, or a peace with us: and there is +too much reason for them to do so. The Dutch fleet are in great +squadrons everywhere still about Harwich, and were lately at +Portsmouth; and the last letters say at Plymouth, and now gone to +Dartmouth to destroy our Streights' fleet lately got in thither: +but God knows whether they can do it any hurt, or no. + +22nd. Up to my Lord Chancellor's, where was a Committee of +Tangier in my Lord's roome, where he sits to hear causes, and +where all the Judges' pictures hung up, very fine. But to see +how Sir W. Coventry did oppose both my Lord Chancellor and the +Duke of York himself, about the Order of the Commissioners of the +Treasury to me for not paying of pensions, and with so much +reason, and eloquence so natural, was admirable. And another +thing, about his pressing for the reduction of the charge of +Tangier, which they would have put off to another time; "But," +says he, "the King suffers so much by the putting off of the +consideration of reductions of charge, that he is undone; and +therefore I do pray you, Sir, (to his Royal Highness,) that when +any thing offers of the kind, you will not let it escape you." +Here was a great bundle of letters brought hither, sent up from +sea, from a vessel of ours that hath taken them after they had +been flung over by a Dutchman; wherein, among others, the Duke of +York did read superscription of one to De Witt, thus--"To the +most wise, foreseeing, and discreet, These, &c.;" which, I +thought with myself, I could have been glad might have been duly +directed to any one of them at the table, though the greatest men +in this kingdom. The Duke of York, the Lord Chancellor, my Lord +Duke of Albemarle, Arlington, Ashly, Peterborough, and Coventry, +(the best of them all for parts,) I perceive they do all profess +their expectation of a peace, and that suddenly. Sir W. Coventry +did declare his opinion that if Tangier were offered us now, as +the King's condition is; he would advise against the taking it; +saying, that the King's charge is too great, and must be brought +down, it being like the fire of this City, never to be mastered +till you have brought it under you; and that these places abroad +are but so much charge to the King, and we do rather herein +strive to greaten them than lessen them; and then the King is +forced to part with them "as," says he, "he did with Dunkirke, by +my Lord Tiviott's making it so chargeable to the King as he did +that, and would have done Tangier, if he had lived." I perceive +he is the only man that do seek the King's profit, and is bold to +deliver what he thinks on every occasion. With much pleasure +reflecting upon our discourse to-day at the Tangier meeting, and +crying up the worth of Sir W. Coventry. Creed tells me of the +fray between the Duke of Buckingham at the Duke's playhouse the +last Saturday, (and it is the first day I have heard that they +have acted at either the King's or Duke's houses this month or +six weeks), and Henry Killigrew, whom the Duke of Buckingham did +soundly beat and take away his sword, and make a fool of, till +the fellow prayed him to spare his life; and I am glad of it, for +it seems in this business the Duke of Buckingham did carry +himself very innocently and well, and I wish he had paid this +fellow's coat well. I heard something of this at the 'Change to- +day: and it is pretty to hear how people do speak kindly of the +Duke of Buckingham, as one that will enquire into faults; and +therefore they do mightily favour him. And it puts me in mind +that, this afternoon, Billing the Quaker meeting me in the Hall, +come to me, and after a little discourse did say, "Well," says +he, "now you will be all called to an account;" meaning the +Parliament is drawing near. + +23rd. By and by comes sudden news to me by letter from the +Clerke of the Cheque at Gravesend, that there were thirty sail of +Dutch men-of-war coming up into the Hope this last tide: which I +told Sir W. Pen of; but he would not believe it, but laughed, and +said it was a fleet of Billanders, and that the guns that were +heard was the salutation of the Swede's Embassador that comes +over with them. But within half an hour comes another letter +from Captain Proud, that eight of them were come into the Hope, +and thirty more following them, at ten this morning. By and by +comes an order from White Hall to send down one of our number to +Chatham, fearing that, as they did before, they may make a show +first up hither, but then go to Chatham: so my Lord Brouncker do +go, and we here are ordered to give notice to the merchant men- +of-war, gone below the barricado at Woolwich, to come up again. + +24th. Betimes this morning comes a letter from the Clerk of the +Cheque at Gravesend to me, to tell me that the Dutch fleet did +come all into the Hope yesterday noon, and held a fight with our +ships from thence till seven at night; that they had burned +twelve fire-ships, and we took one of theirs, and burned five of +our fire-ships. But then rising and going to Sir W. Batten, he +tells me that we have burned one of their men-of-war, and another +of theirs is blown up: but how true this is, I know not. But +these fellows are mighty bold, and have had the fortune of the +wind easterly this time to bring them up, and prevent our +troubling them with our fire-ships; and, indeed, have had the +winds at their command from the beginning, and now do take the +beginning of the spring, as if they had some great design to do. +About five o'clock down to Gravesend; and as we come nearer +Gravesend, we hear the Dutch fleet and ours a-firing their guns +most distinctly and loud. So I landed and discoursed with the +landlord of the Ship, who undeceives me in what I heard this +morning about the Dutch having lost two men-of-war, for it is not +so, but several of their fire-ships. He do say, that this +afternoon they did force our ships to retreat, but that now they +are gone down as far as Shield-haven: but what the event hath +been of this evening's guns they know not, but suppose not much +for they have all this while shot at good distance one from +another. They seem confident of the security of this town and +the River above it, if ever the enemy should come up so high; +their fortifications being so good, and guns many. But he do say +that people do complain of Sir Edward Spragg, that he hath not +done extraordinary; and more of Sir W. Jenings, that he came up +with his tamkins [Tamkin or Tompion, the stopple of a great gun.] +in his guns. + +25th. I demanded of Sir R. Ford and the rest, what passed to-day +at the meeting of Parliament: who told me that, contrary to all +expectation by the King that there would be but a thin meeting, +there met above 300 this first day, and all the discontented +party; and, indeed, the whole House seems to be no other almost. +The Speaker told them, as soon as they were sat, that he was +ordered by the King to let them know he was hindered by some +important business to come to them and speak to them, as he +intended; and, therefore, ordered him to move that they would +adjourn themselves till Monday next, (it being very plain to all +the House that he expects to hear by that time of the sealing of +the peace, which by letters, it seems, from my Lord Hollis was to +be sealed the last Sunday.) But before they would come to the +question whether they would adjourn, Sir Thomas Tomkins steps up +and tells them, that all the country is grieved at this new- +raised standing-army; and that they thought themselves safe +enough in their trayn-bands: and that, therefore, he desired the +King might be moved to disband them. Then rises Garraway and +seconds him, only with this explanation, (which he said he +believed the other meant;) that, as soon as peace should be +concluded, they might be disbanded. Then rose Sir W. Coventry, +and told them that he did approve of what the last gentleman +said; but also, that at the same time he did no more than what he +durst be bold to say he knew to be the King's mind, that as soon +as peace was concluded he would do it of himself. Then rose Sir +Thomas Littleton, and did give several reasons from the +uncertainty of their meeting again but to adjourne, (in case news +comes of the peace being ended before Monday next,) and the +possibility of the King's having some about him that may +endeavour to alter his own, and the good part of his Council's +advice, for the keeping up of the land-army: and, therefore, it +was fit that they did present it to the King as their desire, +that as soon as peace was concluded the land-army might be laid +down, and that this their request might be carried to the King by +them of their House that were Privy-councillors; which was put to +the vote, and carried NEMINE CONTRADICENTE. So after this vote +passed, they adjourned: but it is plain what the effects of this +Parliament will be, if they be suffered to sit, that they will +fall foul upon the faults of the Government; and I pray God they +may be permitted to do it, for nothing else, I fear, will save +the King and kingdom than the doing it betimes. + +27th. To the office, where I hear that Sir John Coventry [Nephew +to Sir William and Henry Coventry; created K.B. at Charles II.'s +coronation, and M.P. for Weymouth in several Parliaments. The +outrage committed on his person by Sir Thomas Sandys, O'Bryan, +and others, who cut his nose to the bone, gave rise to the +passing a Bill still known by the name of "THE COVENTRY ACT."] +is come over from Bredagh, (a nephew, I think, of Sir W. +Coventry's); but what message he brings I know not. This morning +news is come that Sir Jos. Jordan is come from Harwich, with +sixteen fire-ships and four other little ships of war; and did +attempt to do some execution upon the enemy, but did, it without +discretion, as most do say, so as they have been able to do no +good, but have lost four of their fire-ships. They attempted +this, it seems, when the wind was too strong, that our grapplings +could not hold: others say we came to leeward of them, but all +condemn it as a foolish management. They are come to Sir Edward +Spragg about Lee, and the Dutch are below at the Nore. At the +office all the morning: and at noon to the 'Change, where I met +Fenn. And he tells me that Sir John Coventry do bring the +confirmation of the peace; but I do not find the 'Change at all +glad of it, but rather the worse, they looking upon it as a peace +made only to preserve the King for a time in his lusts and ease, +and to sacrifice trade and his kingdoms only to his own +pleasures; so that the hearts of merchants are quite down. He +tells me that the King and my Lady Castlemaine are quite broke +off, and she is gone away, and is with child, and swears the King +shall own it; and she will have it christened in the Chapel at +White Hall so, and owned for the King's, as other Kings have +done; or she will bring it into White Hall gallery, and dash the +brains of it out before the King's face. He tells me that the +King and Court were never in the world so bad as they are now for +gaming, swearing, women, and drinking, and the most abominable +vices that ever were in the world; so that all must come to +nought. He told me that Sir G. Carteret was at this end of the +town: so I went to visit; him in Broad-street. And there he and +I together: and he is mightily pleased with my Lady Jem's having +a son; and a mighty glad man he is. He tells me, as to news, +that; the peace is now confirmed, and all that over. He says it +was a very unhappy motion in the House the other day about the +land-army; for whether the King hath a mind of his own to do the +thing desired, or no, his doing it will be looked upon as a thing +done only in fear of the Parliament. He says that the Duke of +York is suspected to be the great man that is for raising this +army, and bringing things to be commanded by an army; but that he +do know that he is wronged therein. He do say that the Court is +in a way to ruin all for their pleasures; and says that he +himself hath once taken the liberty to tell the King the +necessity of having at least a show of religion in the +Government, and sobriety; and that it was that that did set up +and keep up Oliver, though he was the greatest rogue in the +world. He tells me the King adheres to no man, but this day +delivers himself up to this and the next to that, to the ruin of +himself and business: that he is at the command of any woman +like a slave, though he be the best man to the Queene in the +world, with so much respect, and never lies a night from her; but +yet cannot command himself in the presence of a woman he likes. +It raining this day all day to our great joy, it having not +rained, I think, this month before, so as the ground was every +where so burned and dry as could be; and no travelling in the +road or streets in London, for dust. + +28th. All the morning close to draw up a letter to Sir W. +Coventry upon the tidings of peace, taking occasion (before I am +forced to it) to resign up to his Royall Highness my place of the +Victualling, and to recommend myself to him by promise of doing +my utmost to improve this peace in the best manner we may, to +save the kingdom from ruin. + +29th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to St. James's, to Sir W. +Coventry's chamber; where, among other things, he came to me and +told me that he had received my yesterday's letters, and that we +concurred very well in our notions; and that as to my place which +I had offered to resign of the Victualling, he had drawn up a +letter at the same time for the Duke of York's signing for the +like places in general raised during this war; and that he had +done me right to the Duke of York, to let him know that I had of +my own accord offered to resign mine. The letter do bid us to do +all things, particularizing several, for the laying up of the +ships and easing the King of charge; so that the war is now +professedly over. By and by up to the Duke of York's chamber; +and there all the talk was about Jordan's coming with so much +indiscretion, with his four little frigates and sixteen fire- +ships from Harwich, to annoy the enemy. His failures were of +several sorts, I know not which the truest: that he came with so +strong a gale of wind that his grapplings would not hold; that he +did come by their lee, whereas if he had come athwart their +hawse, they would have held; that they did not stop a tide, and +ebb up with a windward tide, and then they would have come so +fast. Now there happened to be Captain Jenifer by, who commanded +the Lily in this business, and thus says: that finding the Dutch +not so many as they expected, they did not know that there were +more of them above, and so were not so earnest to the setting +upon these; that they did do what they could to make the fire- +ships fall in among the enemy; and for their lives Sir J. Jordan +nor others could, by shooting several times at them, make them go +in: and it seems they were commanded by some idle fellows, such +as they could of a sudden gather up at Harwich; which is a sad +consideration, that at such a time as this, where the saving the +reputation of the whole nation lay at stake, and after so long a +war, the King had not credit to gather a few able men to command +these vessels. He says, that if they had come up slower, the +enemy would (with their boats and their great sloops, which they +have to row with a great many men,) and did come and cut up +several of our fire-ships, and would certainly have taken most of +them, for they do come with a great provision of these boats on +purpose, and to save their men, which is bravely done of them, +though they did on this very occasion show great fear, as they +say, by some men leaping overboard out of a great ship (as these +were all of them of sixty and seventy guns a-piece) which one of +our fire-ships laid on board, though the fire did not take. But +yet it is brave to see what care they do take to encourage their +men to provide great stores of boats to save them, while we have +not credit to find one boat for a ship. And further, he told us +that this new way used by Deane (and this Sir W. Coventry +observed several times) of preparing of fire-ships do not do the +work; for the fire not being strong and quick enough to flame up, +so as to take the rigging and sails, lies smothering a great +while, half an hour before it flames, in which time they can get +the fire-ship off safely, though (which is uncertain, and did +fail in one or two this bout) it do serve to burn our own ships. +But what a shame it is to consider how two of our ships' +companies did desert their ships for fear of being taken by their +boats, our little frigates being forced to leave them, being +chased by their greater! And one more company did set their ship +on fire, and leave her; which afterwards a Feversham fisherman +came up to, and put out the fire, and carried safe into +Feversham, where she now is. Which was observed by the Duke of +York, and all the company with him, that it was only want of +courage, and a general dismay and abjectness of spirit upon all +our men; and others did observe our ill management, and God +Almighty's curse upon all that we have in hand, for never such an +opportunity was of destroying so many good ships of theirs as we +now had. But to see how negligent we were in this business, that +our fleet of Jordan's should not have any notice where: Spragg +was, nor Spragg of Jordan's so as to be able to meet and join in +the business, and help one another; but Jordan, when he saw +Spragg's fleet above, did think them to be another part of the +enemy's fleet! while, on the other side, notwithstanding our +people at Court made such a secret of Jordan's design that nobody +must know it, and even this office itself must not know it; nor +for my part; I did not, though Sir W. Batten says by others' +discourse to him he had heard something of it; yet De Ruyter (or +he that commanded this fleet) had notice of it, and told it to a +fisherman of ours that he took and released on Thursday last, +which was the day before our fleet came to him. But then, that +that seems most to our disgrace, and which the Duke of York did +take special and vehement notice of, is, that when the Dutch saw +so many fire-ships provided for them, themselves lying, I think, +about the Nore, they did with all their great ships, with a +North-east wind, (as I take it they said, but whatever it was, it +was a wind that we should not have done it with,) turn down to +the Middle-ground; which, the Duke of York observed, never was +nor would have been undertaken by ourselves. And whereas some of +the company answered, it was their great fear, not their choice, +that made them do it, the Duke of York answered, that it was, it +maybe, their fear and wisdom that made them do it; but yet their +fear did not make them mistake, as we should have done, when we +have had no fear upon us, and have run our ships on ground. And +this brought it into my mind, that they managed their retreat +down this difficult passage, with all their fear, better than we +could do ourselves in the main sea, when the Duke of Albemarle +ran away from the Dutch, when the Prince was lost, and the Royal +Charles and the other great ships came on ground upon the +Galloper. Thus in all things, in wisdom, courage, force, +knowledge of our own streams, and success, the Dutch have the +best of us, and do end the war with victory on their side. One +thing extraordinary was this day: a man, a Quaker, came naked +through the Hall, only very civilly tied about the loins to avoid +scandal, and with a chafing-dish of fire and brimstone burning +upon his head, did pass through the Hall, crying "Repent! +repent!" Presently comes down the House of Commons, the King +having made a very short and no pleasing speech to them at all, +not at all giving them thanks for their readiness to come up to +town at this busy time; but told them that he did think he should +have had occasion for them, but had none, and therefore did +dismiss them to look after their own occasions till October; and +that he did wonder any should offer to bring in a suspicion that +he intended to rule by an army, or otherwise than by the laws of +the land, which he promised them he would do; and so bade them go +home and settle the minds of the country in that particular; and +only added, that; he had made a peace which be did believe they +would find reasonable, and a good peace, but did give them none +of the particulars thereof. Thus they are dismissed again to +their general great distaste, I believe the greatest that ever +Parliament was, to see themselves so fooled, and the nation in +certain condition of ruin, while the King, they see, is only +governed by his lust, and women, and rogues about him. The +Speaker, they found, was kept from coming in the morning to the +House on purpose till after the King was come to the House of +Lords, for fear they should be doing any thing in the House of +Commons to the further dissatisfaction of the King and his +courtiers. They do all give up the kingdom for lost, that I +speak to; and do hear what the King says, how he and the Duke of +York do do what they can to get up an army, that they may need no +more Parliaments: and how my Lady Castlemaine hath, before the +last breach between her and the King, said to the King, that he +must rule by an army, or all would be lost. I am told that many +petitions were provided for the Parliament, complaining of the +wrongs they have received from the Court and courtiers, in city +and country, if the Parliament had but sat: and I do perceive +they all do resolve to have a good account of the money spent +before ever they give a farthing more; and the whole kingdom is +every where sensible of their being abused, insomuch that they +forced their Parliament-men to come up to sit; and my cozen Roger +told me that (but that was in mirth) he believed, if he had not +come up he should have had his house burned. The kingdom never +in so troubled a condition in this world as now; nobody pleased +with the peace, and yet nobody daring to wish for the continuance +of the war, it being plain that nothing do nor can thrive under +us. Here I saw old good Mr. Vaughan, and several of the great +men of the Commons, and some of them old men, that are come 200 +miles and more to attend this session of Parliament; and have +been at great charge and disappointments in their other private +business; and now all to no purpose, neither to serve their +country, content themselves, nor receive any thanks from the +King. It is verily expected by many of them that the King will +continue the prorogation in October, so as, if it be possible, +never to have this Parliament more. My Lord Bristoll took his +place in the House of Lords this day, but not in his robes; and +when the King came in he withdrew: but my Lord of Buckingham was +there as brisk as ever, and sat in his robes; which is a +monstrous thing, that a man should be proclaimed against, and put +in the Tower, and released without any trial, and yet not +restored to his places. But above all, I saw my Lord Mordaunt +[Vide note Nov. 26, 1666.] as merry as the best, that it seems +hath done such further indignities to Mr. Taylor since the last +sitting of Parliament as would hang him, if there were nothing +else, would the King do what were fit for him; but nothing of +that is now likely to be. Cozen Roger and Creed to dinner with +me, and very merry: but among other things they told me of the +strange, bold sermon of Dr. Creeton [Probably Robert Creyghton of +Trin. Col. Cambridge, A.M. 1662. Ling. Graec. Prof. Reg. +1672-3.] yesterday before the King; how he preached against the +sins of the Court, and particularly against adultery, over and +over instancing how for that single sin in David the whole nation +was undone; and of our negligence in having our castles without +ammunition and powder when the Dutch came upon us; and how we +have no courage now-a-days, but let our ships be taken out of our +harbour. Here Creed did tell us the story of the duell last +night, in Covent-garden, between Sir H. Bellasses and Tom Porter. +It is worth remembering the silliness of the quarrel, and is a +kind of emblem of the general complexion of this whole kingdom at +present. They two dined yesterday at Sir Robert Carr's [M.P. +Knight and Baronet, of Sleaford, Lincolnshire, and one of the +proposed knights of the Royal Oak for that county.] where it +seems people do drink high, all that come. It happened that +these two, the greatest friends in the world, were talking +together: and Sir H. Bellasses talked a little louder than +ordinary to Tom Porter, giving of him some advice. Some of the +company standing by said, "What! are they quarrelling, that they +talk so high?" Sir H. Bellasses hearing it, said, "No!" says +he: "I would have you know I never quarrel, but I strike; and +take that as a rule of mine!" "How?" says Tom Porter, "strike! I +would I could see the man in England that durst give me a blow!" +with that Sir H. Bellasses did give him a box of the ears; and so +they were going to fight there, but were hindered. And by and by +Tom Porter went out, and meeting Dryden the poet, told him of the +business, and that he was resolved to fight Sir H. Bellasses +presently; for he knew, if he did not, they should be friends +to-morrow, and then the blow would rest upon him; which he would +prevent, and desired Dryden to let him have his boy to bring him +notice which way Sir H. Bellasses goes. By and by he is informed +that Sir H. Bellasses's coach was coming: so Tom Porter went +down out of the Coffee-house where he stayed for the tidings, and +stopped the coach, and bade Sir H. Bellasses come out. "Why," +says H. Bellasses, "you will not hurt me coming out-will you?" +"No," says Tom Porter, So out he went, and both drew: and H. +Bellasses having drawn and flung away his scabbard, Tom Porter +asked him whether he was ready? The other answering him he was, +they fell to fight, some of their acquaintance by. They wounded +one another, and H. Bellasses so much that it is feared he will +die: and finding himself severely wounded, he called to Tom +Porter, and kissed him and bade him shift for himself; "for," +says he, "Tom, thou hast hurt me; but I will make shift to stand +upon my legs till thou mayest withdraw, and the world not take +notice of you, for I would not have thee troubled for what thou +hast done." And so whether he did fly or no I cannot tell; but +Tom Porter showed H. Bellasses that he was wounded too: and they +are both ill, but H. Bellasses to fear of life. And this is a +fine example; and H. Bellasses a Parliament-man too, and both of +them extraordinary friends! Among other discourse my cosen Roger +told us a thing certain, that my Lady Castlemaine hath made a +Bishop lately, namely, her uncle Dr. Glenham, [Henry Glenham, +D.D., was Dean of Bristol, 1661; but, I believe, never raised to +the Bench.] who, I think they say, is Bishop of Carlisle; a +drunken, swearing rascal, and a scandal to the Church; and do now +pretend to be Bishop of Lincoln, in competition with Dr. Raynbow, +[Dr. Rainbow was Bishop of Carlisle from 1664 to 1684.] who is +reckoned as worthy a man as most in the Church for piety and +learning: which are things so scandalous to consider, that no +man can doubt but we must be undone that hears of them. Cosen +Roger did acquaint me in private with an offer made of his +marrying of Mrs. Elizabeth Wiles, whom I know; a kinswoman of Mr. +Honiwood's, an ugly old maid, but good housewife, and is said to +have 2500l. to her portion; though I am against it in my heart, +she being not handsome at all: and it hath been the very bad +fortune of the Pepyses that ever I knew, never to marry an +handsome woman, excepting Ned Pepys. To White Hall; and looking +out of the window into the garden, I saw the King (whom I have +not had any desire to see since the Dutch came upon the coast +first to Sheerness, for shame that; I should see him, or he me, +methinks, after such a dishonour) come upon the garden; with him +two or three idle Lords; and instantly after him, in another +walk, my Lady Castlemaine, led by Bab. May: at which I was +surprised, having but newly heard the stories of the King and her +being parted for ever. So I took Mr. Povy, who was there, aside, +and he told me all,--how imperious this woman is, and hectors the +King to whatever she will. It seems she is with child, and the +King says he did not get it: with that she made a slighting puh +with her mouth, and went out of the house, and never came in +again till the King went to Sir Daniel Harvy's to pray her; and +so she is come to-day, when one would think his mind should be +full of some other cares, having but this morning broken up such +a Parliament with so much discontent and so many wants upon him, +and but yesterday heard such a sermon against adultery. But it +seems she hath told the King, that whoever did get it, he should +own it. And the bottom of the quarrel is this:--She is fallen in +love with young Jermin, who hath of late been with her oftener +than the King, and is now going to marry my Lady Falmouth; [Lady +Falmouth married the Earl of Dorset.] the King is mad at her +entertaining Jermin, and she is mad at Jermin's going to marry +from her: so they are all mad; and thus the kingdom is governed! +But he tells me for certain that nothing is more sure than that +the King, and Duke of York, and the Chancellor, are desirous and +labouring all they can to get an army, whatever the King says to +the Parliament; and he believes that they are at last resolved to +stand and fall all three together: so that he says in terms that +the match of the Duke of York with the Chancellor's daughter hath +undone the nation. He tells me also that the King hath not +greater enemies in the world than those of his own family; for +there is not an officer in the house almost but curses him for +letting them starve, and there is not a farthing of money to be +raised for the buying them bread. + +30th. To the Treasury-chamber, where I did speak with the Lords. +Here I do hear that there are three Lords more to be added to +them; my Lord Bridgewater, my Lord Anglesy, and my Lord +Chamberlaine. Mr. Cooling told as how the King, once speaking of +the Duke of York's being mastered by his wife, said to some of +the company by, that he would go no more abroad with this Tom +Otter (meaning the Duke of York) and his wife. [Vide the play of +"Epicene, or the Silent Woman," in which Mrs. Otter thus +addresses her henpecked husband, THOMAS OTTER--"Is this according +to the instrument when I married you, that I would be princess +and reign in my own house, and you would be my subject, and obey +me?"--ACT iii., SCENE 1.] Tom Killigrew being by, said, "Sir, +pray which is the best for a man, to be a Tom Otter to his wife +or to his mistress? meaning the King's being so to my Lady +Castlemaine. + +31st. To Marrowbone, where my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, it seems, +dined to-day; and were just now going away, methought, in a +disconsolate condition, compared with their splendour they +formerly had when the City was standing. + +AUGUST 1, 1667. Home, the gates of the City shut, it being so +late; and at Newgate we find them in trouble, some thieves having +this night broke open prison. + +3rd. To the office, there to enable myself, by finishing our +great account, to give it to the Lords Commissioners of the +Treasury; which I did, and there was called in to them, to tell +them only the total of our debt of the Navy on the 25th of May +last, which is above 950,000l. Here I find them mighty hot in +their answer to the Council-board about our Treasurer's +threepences of the Victualling, and also against the present farm +of the Customes, which they do most highly inveigh against. + +5th. I hear the ill news of our loss lately of four rich ships, +two from Guinea, one from Gallipoly, all with rich oyles, and the +other from Barbadoes, worth, as is guessed, 80,000l. But here is +strong talk as if Harman had taken some of the Dutch East India +ships, (but I dare not yet believe it,) and brought them into +Lisbon. To the Duke of York's house, and there saw "Love +Trickes, or the School of Compliments;" [A comedy, by James +Shirley.] a silly play, only Miss Davis, dancing in a shepherd's +clothes, did please us mightily. + +6th. A full Board. Here, talking of news, my Lord Anglesy did +tell us that the Dutch do make a further bogle with us about two +or three things, which they will be satisfied in, he says, by us +easily, but only in one, it seems, they do demand that we shall +not interrupt their East Indiamen coming home, and of which they +are in some fear; and we are full of hopes that we have light +upon some of them and carried them into Lisbon by Harman; which +God send! But they (which do show the low esteem they have of +us) have the confidence to demand that we shall have a cessation +on our parts, and yet they at liberty to take what they will; +which is such an affront, as another cannot be devised greater. + +7th. Though the King and my Lady Castlemaine are friends again, +she is not at White Hall, but at Sir D. Harvy's, whither the King +goes to her; and he says she made him ask her forgiveness upon +his knees and promised to offend her no more so: and that, +indeed, she did threaten to bring all his bastards to his closet +door, and hath nearly hectored him out of his wits. + +8th. Sir Henry Bellasses is dead of the duell he fought about +ten days ago with Tom Porter; and it is pretty to see how the +world talk of them as of a couple of fools that killed one +another out of love. I to my bookseller's; where by and by I met +Mr. Evelyn, and talked of several things, but particularly of the +times: and he tells me that wise men do prepare to remove abroad +what they have, for that we must be ruined, our case being past +relief, the kingdom so much in debt, and the King minding nothing +but his lust, going two days a-week to see my Lady Castlemaine at +Sir D. Harvy's. + +9th. To St. James's, and there met Sir W. Coventry; and he and I +walked in the Park an hour. And then to his chamber, where he +read to me the heads of the late great dispute between him and +the rest of the Commissioners of the Treasury, and our new +Treasurer of the Navy; where they have overthrown him the last +Wednesday, in the great dispute touching his having the payment +of the Victualler, which is now settled by Council that he is not +to have it: and, indeed, they have been most just as well as +most severe and bold in the doing this against a man of his +quality: but I perceive he does really make no difference +between any man. He tells me this day it is supposed the Peace is +ratified at Bredah, and all that matter over. We did talk of +many retrenchments of charge of the Navy which he will put in +practice, and every where else; though, he tells me, he despairs +of being able to do what ought to be done for the saving of the +kingdom, (which I tell him, indeed, all the world is almost in +hopes of, upon the proceeding of these gentlemen for the +regulating of the Treasury,) it being so late, and our poverty +grown so great, that they want where to set their feet to begin +to do any thing. He tells me how weary he hath for this year and +a half been of the warr; and how in the Duke of York's bedchamber +at Christ Church, at Oxford, when the Court was there, he did +labour to persuade the Duke to fling off the care of the Navy, +and get it committed to other hands; which, if he had done, would +have been much to his honour, being just come home with so much +honour from sea as he was. I took notice of the sharp letter he +wrote (which he sent us to read) to Sir Edward Spragg, where he +is very plain about his leaving his charge of the ships at +Gravesend, when the enemy came last up, and several other things; +a copy whereof I have kept. But it is done like a most worthy +man; and he says it is good now and then to tell these gentlemen +their duty, for they need it. And it seems, as he tells me, all +our Knights are fallen out one with another, he and Jenings and +Hollis, and (his words were) they are disputing which is the +coward among them; and yet men that take the greatest liberty of +censuring others! Here with him very late, till I could hardly +get a coach or link willing to go through the ruines; but I do, +but will not do it again, being indeed very dangerous. + +10th. Sir John Denham's Poems are going to be all printed +together; and, among others, some new things; and among them he +showed me a copy of verses of his upon Sir John Minnes's going +heretofore to Bullogne to eat a pig. Cowly, he tells me, is +dead; who, it seems, was a mighty civil, serious man; which I did +not know before. + +11th. To the Wells at Barnett, by seven o'clock; and there found +many people a-drinking; but the morning is a very cold morning, +so as we were very cold all the way in the coach. And so to +Hatfield, to the inn next my Lord Salisbury's house; and there +rested ourselves, and drank, and bespoke dinner: and so to +church. In this church lies the former Lord of Salisbury +(Cecil), buried in a noble tomb. Then we to our inn, and there +dined very well, and mighty merry; and walked out into the Park +through the fine walk of trees, and to the Vineyard, and there +showed them that which is in good order, and indeed a place of +great delight; which, together with our fine walk through the +Park, was of as much pleasure as could be desired in the world +for country pleasure and good ayre. Being come back and weary +with the walk, the women had pleasure in putting on some straw- +hats, which are much worn in this country, and did become them +mightily but especially my wife. + +12th. To my bookseller's, and did buy Scott's Discourse of +Witches; and to hear Mr. Cowly mightily lamented (his death) by +Dr. Ward, the Bishop of Winchester, and Dr. Bates, who were +standing there, as the best poet of our nation, and as good a +man. + +13th. Attended the Duke of York, with our usual business; who +upon occasion told us that he did expect this night or to-morrow +to hear from Bredah of the consummation of the peace. + +15th. Sir W. Pen and I to the Duke's house; where a new play. +The King and Court there: the house full, and an act begun. And +so we went to the King's, and there saw "The Merry Wives of +Windsor;" which did not please me at all, in no part of it. + +16th. My wife and I to the Duke's playhouse, where we saw the +new play acted yesterday, "The Feign Innocence, or Sir Martin +Marall;" a play made by my Lord Duke of Newcastle, but, as every +body says, corrected by Dryden. It is the most entire piece of +mirth, a complete farce from one end to the other, that certainly +was ever writ. I never laughed so in all my life, and at very +good wit therein, not fooling. The House full, and in all things +of mighty content to me. Every body wonders that we have no news +from Bredah of the ratification of the peace; and do suspect that +there is some stop in it. + +17th. To the King's playhouse, where the house extraordinary +full; and there the King and Duke of York to see the new play, +"Queene Elizabeth's Troubles, and the history of Eighty Eight." +I confess I have sucked in so much of the sad story of Queene +Elizabeth from my cradle, that I was ready to weep for her +sometimes; but the play is the most ridiculous that sure ever +came upon stage, and, indeed, is merely a show, only shows the +true garbe of the Queene in those days, just as we see Queene +Mary and Queene Elizabeth painted: but the play is merely a +puppet play, acted by living puppets. Neither the design nor +language better; and one stands by and tells us the meaning of +things: only I was pleased to see Knipp dance among the milk +maids, and to hear her sing a song to Queene Elizabeth; and to +see her come out in her night-gowne with no lockes on, but her +bare face and hair only tied up in a knot behind; which is the +comeliest dress that ever I saw her in to her advantage. + +18th. To Cree Church, to see it how it is; but I find no +alteration there, as they say there was, for my Lord Mayor and +Aldermen to come to sermon, as they do every Sunday, as they did +formerly to Paul's. + +20th. Sir W. Coventry fell to discourse of retrenchments: and +therein he tells how he would have but only one Clerk of the +Acts. He do tell me he hath propounded how the charge of the +Navy in peace shall come within 200,000l., by keeping out twenty- +four ships in summer, and ten in the winter. And several other +particulars we went over of retrenchment: and I find I must +provide some things to offer, that I may be found studious to +lessen the King's charge. Sir W. Coventry did single Sir W. Pen +and me, and desired us to lend the King some money, out of the +prizes we have taken by Hogg. He did not much press it, and we +made but a merry answer thereto: but I perceive he did ask it +seriously, and did tell us that there never was so much need of +it in the world as now, we being brought to the lowest straits +that can be in the world. + +22nd. Up, and to the office: whence Lord Brouncker, J. Minnes, +and W. Pen, and I went to examine some men that are put in there +for rescuing of men that were pressed into the service: and we +do plainly see that the desperate condition that we put men into +for want of their pay makes them mad, they being as good men as +over were in the world, and would as readily serve the King +again, were they but paid. Two men leapt overboard, among +others, into the Thames out of the vessel into which they were +pressed, and were shot by the soldiers placed there to keep them, +two days since; so much people do avoid the King's service! And +then these men are pressed without money, and so we cannot punish +them for any thing, so that we are forced only to make a show of +severity by keeping them in prison, but are unable to punish +them. [Shooting the men was rather more than a show of +severity.] Returning to the office, I did ask whether we might +visit Commissioner Pett (to which, I confess, I have no great +mind); and it was answered that he was close prisoner, and we +could not; but the Lieutenant of the Tower would send for him to +his lodgings, if we would: so we put it off to another time. To +Captain Cocke's to dinner; where Lord Brouncker and his lady, +Matt. Wren, and Bulteale, and Sir Allan Apsly; the last of whom +did make good sport, he being already fallen under the +retrenchments of the new Committee, as he is Master Falconer; +which makes him mad. With my Lord Brouncker and his mistress to +the King's Playhouse, and there saw "The Indian Emperour:" [A +tragi-comedy, by Dryden.] where I find Nell come again, which I +am glad of; but was most infinitely displeased with her being put +to act the Emperour's daughter, which is a great and serious +part, which she does most basely. This evening Mr. Pelling comes +to me, and tells me that this night the Dutch letters are come, +and that the peace was proclaimed there the 19th inst. and that +all is finished: which for my life I know not whether to be glad +or sorry for, a peace being so necessary, and yet so bad in its +terms. + +23rd. To White Hall to attend the Council. The King there: and +it was about considering how the fleet might be discharged at +their coming in shortly, the peace being now ratified, and it +takes place on Monday next. To the Treasury-chamber, where I +waited talking with Sir G. Downing till the Lords met. He tells +me how he will make all the Exchequer officers, of one side and +the other, to lend the King money upon the Act; and that the +least Clerk shall lend money, and he believes the least will +100l.: but this I do not believe. He made me almost ashamed +that we of the Navy had not in all this time lent any; so that I +find it necessary I should, and so will speedily do it before any +of my fellows begin and lead me to a bigger sum. By and by the +Lords come; and I perceive Sir W. Coventry is the man, and +nothing done till he comes. Among other things I heard him +observe, looking over a paper, that Sir John Shaw is a miracle of +a man, for he thinks he executes more places than any man in +England: for there he finds him a Surveyor of some of the King's +woods, and so reckoned up many other places, the most +inconsistent in the world. Their business with me was to +consider how to assigne such of our commanders as will take +assignements upon the Act for their wages; and the consideration +thereof was referred to me to give them an answer the next +sitting: which is a horrid poor thing; but they scruple at +nothing of honour in the case. I find most people pleased with +their being at ease, and safe of a peace, that they may know no +more charge or hazard of an ill managed war; but nobody speaking +of the peace with any content or pleasure, but are silent in it, +as of a thing they are ashamed of; no, not at Court, much less in +the City. + +24th. St. Bartholomew's Day. This morning was proclaimed the +peace between us and the States of the United Provinces, and also +of the King of France and Denmarke; and in the afternoon the +Proclamations were printed and came out; and at night the bells +rung, but no bonfires that I hear of any where, partly from the +dearness of firing, but principally from the little content most +people have in the peace. This day comes a letter from the Duke +of York to the Board, to invite us, which is as much as to fright +us, into the lending the King money; which is a poor thing, and +most dishonourable, and shows in what a case we are at the end of +the war to our neighbours. And the King do now declare publickly +to give 10 per cent. to all lenders; which make some think that +the Dutch themselves will send over money, and lend it upon our +publick faith, the Act of Parliament. + +28th. To the office, where we sat upon a particular business all +the morning: and my Lord Anglesy with us; who, and my Lord +Brouncker, do bring us news how my Lord Chancellor's seal is to +be taken away from him to-day. The thing is so great and sudden +to me, that it put me into a very great admiration what should be +the meaning of it; and they do not own that they know what it +should be; but this is certain, that the King did resolve it on +Saturday, and did yesterday send the Duke of Albemarle (the only +man fit for those works) to him for his purse: to which the +Chancellor answered, that he received it from the King, and would +deliver it to the King's own hand, and so civilly returned the +Duke of Albemarle without it; and this morning my Lord Chancellor +is to be with the King, to come to an end in the business. Dined +at Sir W. Batten's, where Mr. Boreman was, who came from White +Hall; who tells us that he saw my Lord Chancellor come in his +coach with some of his men, without his seal, to White Hall to +his chamber; and thither the King and Duke of York came and staid +together alone an hour or more: and it is said that the King do +say that he will have the Parliament meet, and that it will +prevent much trouble by having of him out of their enmity by his +place being taken away; for that all their enmity will be at him. +It is said also that my Lord Chancellor answers, that he desires +he may be brought to his trial, if he have done anything to lose +his office; and that he will be willing and is most desirous to +lose that and his head both together. Upon what terms they +parted nobody knows; but the Chancellor looked sad, he says. +Then in comes Sir Richard Ford, and says he hears that there is +nobody more presses to reconcile the King and Chancellor than the +Duke of Albemarle and Duke of Buckingham: the latter of which is +very strange, not only that he who was so lately his enemy should +do it, but that this man, that but the other day was in danger of +losing his own head, should so soon come to be a mediator for +others: it shows a wise Government. They all say that he is but +a poor man, not worth above 3000l. a-year in land; but this I +cannot believe: and all do blame him for having built so great a +house, till he had got a better estate. Sir W. Pen and I had a +great deal of discourse with Mall; [Orange Moll, mentioned +before.] who tells us that Nell is already left by Lord +Buckhurst, and that he makes sport of her, and swears she hath +had all she could get of him; and Hart [The celebrated actor.] +her great admirer now hates her; and that she is very poor, and +hath lost my Lady Castlemaine, who was her great friend also: +but she is come to the playhouse, but is neglected by them all. + +27th. To White Hall; and there hear how it is like to go well +enough with my Lord Chancellor; that he is like to keep his Seal, +desiring that he may stand his trial in Parliament, if they will +accuse him of any thing. This day Mr. Pierce, the surgeon was +with me; and tells me how this business of my Lord Chancellor's +was certainly designed in my Lady Castlemaine's chamber; and that +when he went from the King on Monday morning she was in bed +(though about twelve o'clock), and ran out in her smock into her +aviary looking into White Hall garden; and thither her woman +brought; her her nightgown; and stood blessing herself at the old +man's going away: and several of the gallants of White Hall (of +which there were many staying to see the Chancellor's return) did +talk to her in her bird-cage; among others Blancford, telling her +she was the bird of passage. + +28th. To White Hall: till past twelve in a crowd of people in +the lobby, expecting the hearing of the great cause of Alderman +Barker against my Lord Deputy of Ireland for his ill usage in his +business of land there; but the King and Council sat so long as +they neither heard them nor me. Went twice round Bartholomew +fayre; which I was glad to see again, after two years missing it +by the plague. + +29th. I find at Sir G. Carteret's that they do mightily joy +themselves in the hopes of my Lord Chancellor's getting over this +trouble; and I make them believe (and so, indeed, I do believe he +will) that my Lord Chancellor is become popular by it. I find by +all hands that the Court is at this day all to pieces, every man +of a faction of one sort or other, so as it is to be feared what +it will come to. But that that pleases me is, I hear to-night +that Mr. Brouncker is turned away yesterday by the Duke of York, +for some bold words he was heard by Colonel Werden to say in the +garden the day the Chancellor was with the King--that he believed +the King would be hectored out of every thing. For this the Duke +of York, who all say hath been very strong for his father-in-law +at this trial, hath turned him away: and every body, I think, is +glad of it; for he was a pestilent rogue, an atheist, that would +have sold his King and country for 6d. almost, so corrupt and +wicked a rogue he is by all men's report. But one observed to +me, that there never was the occasion of men's holding their +tongues at Court and every where else as there is at this day, +for nobody knows which side will be uppermost. + +30th. At White Hall I met with Sir G. Downing, who tells me of +Sir W. Pen's offering to lend 500l.; and I tell him of my 300l. +which he would have me to lend upon the credit of the latter part +of the Act; saying, that by that means my 10 per cent. will +continue to me the longer. But I understand better, and will do +it upon the 380,000l. which will come to be paid the sooner; +there being no delight in lending money now, to be paid by the +King two years hence. But here he and Sir William Doyly were +attending the Council as Commissioners for sick and wounded, and +prisoners: and they told me their business, which was to know +how we shall do to release our prisoners; for it seems the Dutch +have got us to agree in the treaty (as they fool us in any +thing), that the dyet of the prisoners on both sides shall be +paid for before they be released: which they have done, knowing +ours to run high, they having more prisoners of ours than we have +of theirs; so they are able and most ready to discharge the debt +of theirs, but we are neither able nor willing to do that for +ours, the debt of those in Zeland only amounting to above 5000l. +for men taken in the King's own ships, besides others taken in +merchantmen, who expect, as is usual, that the King should redeem +them; but I think he will not, by what Sir G. Downing says. This +our prisoners complain of there; and say in their letters, which +Sir G. Downing showed me, that they have made a good feat that +they should be taken in the service of the King, and the King not +pay for their victuals while prisoners for him. But so far they +are from doing thus with their men as we do to discourage ours, +that I find in the letters of some of our prisoners there, which +he showed me, that they have with money got our men, that they +took, to work: and carry their ships home for them; and they +have been well rewarded, and released when they come into +Holland: which is done like a noble, brave, and wise people. I +to Bartholomew fayre to walk up and down; and there among other +things find my Lady Castlemaine at a puppet-play (Patient +Grizell), and the street full of people expecting her coming out. +I confess I did wonder at her courage to come abroad, thinking +the people would abuse her: but they, silly people! do not know +the work she makes, and therefore suffered her with great respect +to take coach, and she away without any trouble at all. Captain +Cocke tells me that there is yet expectation that the Chancellor +will lose the Seal; and assures me that there have been high +words between the Duke of York and Sir W. Coventry, for his being +so high against the Chancellor; so as the Duke of York would not +sign some papers that he brought, saying that he could not endure +the sight of him: and that Sir W. Coventry answered, that what +he did was in obedience to the King's commands; and that he did +not think any man fit to serve a prince, that did not know how to +retire and live a country life. + +31st. At the office all the morning; where by Sir W. Pen I do +hear that the Seal was fetched away to the King yesterday from +the Lord Chancellor by Secretary Morrice; which puts me into a +great horror. In the evening Mr. Ball of the Excise-office tells +me that the Seal is delivered to Sir Orlando Bridgeman; the man +of the whole nation that is the best spoken of, and will please +most people; and therefore I am mighty glad of it. He was then +at my Lord Arlington's, whither I went, expecting to see him come +out; but staid so long, and Sir W. Coventry coming there, whom I +had not a mind should see me there idle upon a post-night, I went +home without seeing him; but he is there with his Seal in his +hand. + +SEPTEMBER 1, 1667. Our new Lord-keeper Bridgeman, did this day, +the first time, attend the King to chapel with his Seal. Sir H. +Cholmly tells me there are hopes that the women also will have a +rout, and particularly that my Lady Castlemaine is coming to a +composition with the King to be gone; but how true this is, I +know not, Blancfort is made Privy-purse to the Duke of York; the +Attorney General is made Chief Justice in the room of my Lord +Bridgeman; the Solicitor-general is made Attorney-general; and +Sir Edward Turner made Solicitor-general. [According to Beatson, +no change took place in these officers at this time.] It is +pretty to see how strange every body looks, nobody knowing whence +this arises ; whether from my Lady Castlemaine, Bab. May, and +their faction; or from the Duke of York, notwithstanding his +great appearing of defence of the Chancellor; or from Sir William +Coventry, and some few with him. But greater changes are yet +expected. + +2nd. This day is kept in the City as a publick fast for the fire +this day twelve months: but I was not at church, being commanded +with the rest to attend the Duke of York; and therefore with Sir +J. Minnes to St. James's, where we had much business before the +Duke of York, and observed all things to be very kind between the +Duke of York and Sir W. Coventry; which did mightily joy me. +When we had done, Sir W. Coventry called me down with him to his +chamber, and there told me that he is leaving the Duke of York's +service; which I was amazed at. But he tells me that it is not +with the least unkindness on the Duke of York's side, though he +expects (and I told him he was in the right) it will be +interpreted otherwise, because done just at this time; "but," +says he, "I did desire it a good while since, and the Duke of +York did with much entreaty grant it, desiring that I would say +nothing of it, that he might have time and liberty to choose his +successor, without being importuned for others whom he should not +like:" and that he hath chosen Mr. Wren, which I am glad of, he +being a very ingenious man; and so Sir W. Coventry says of him, +though he knows him little; but particularly commends him for the +book he writ in answer to "Harrington's Oceana," which for that +reason I intend to buy. He tells me the true reason is, that he +being a man not willing to undertake more business than he can go +through, and being desirous to have his whole time to spend upon +the business of the Treasury, and a little for his own ease, he +did desire this of the Duke of York. He assures me that the +kindness with which he goes away from the Duke of York, is one of +the greatest joys that ever he had in the world. I used some +freedom with him, telling him how the world hath discoursed of +his having offended the Duke of York, about the late business of +the Chancellor. He does not deny it, but says that perhaps the +Duke of York might have some reason for it, he opposing him in a +thing wherein he was so earnest: but tells me, that +notwithstanding all that, the Duke of York does not now, nor can +blame him; for he was the man that did propose the removal of the +Chancellor; and that he did still persist in it, and at this day +publickly owns it, and is glad of it: but that the Duke of York +knows that he did first speak of it to the Duke of York before he +spoke to any mortal creature besides, which was fair dealing: +and the Duke of York was then of the same mind with him, and did +speak of it to the King, though since, for reasons best known to +himself, he afterwards altered. I did then desire to know, what +was the great matter that grounded his desire of the Chancellor's +removal? He told me many things not fit to be spoken, and yet +not any thing of his being unfaithful to the King, but, INSTAR +OMNIUM, he told me that while he was so great at the Council- +board, and in the administration of matters, there was no room +for any body to propose any remedy to what was amiss, or to +compass any thing, though never so good, for the kingdom, unless +approved of by the Chancellor, he managing all things with that +greatness, which now will be removed, that the King may have the +benefit of others' advice. I then told him that the world hath +an opinion that he hath joined himself with my Lady Castlemaine's +faction: but in this business, he told me, he cannot help it, +but says they are in an errour; for he will never while he lives, +truckle under any body or any faction, but do just as his own +reason and judgment directs; and when he cannot use that freedom, +he will have nothing to do in public affairs: but then he added +that he never was the man that ever had any discourse with my +Lady Castlemaine, or with others from her, about this or any +public business, or ever made her a visit, or at least not this +twelve-month, or been in her lodgings but when called on any +business to attend the King there, nor hath had any thing to do +in knowing her mind in this business. He ended all with telling +me that he knows that he that serves a prince must expect and be +contented to stand all fortunes, and be provided to retreat; and +that he is most willing to do whatever the King shall please. +And so we parted, he setting me down out of his coach at Charing +Cross, and desired me to tell Sir W. Pen what he had told me of +his leaving the Duke of York's service, that his friends might +not be the last that know it. I took a coach and went homewards; +but then turned again, and to White Hall, where I met with many +people; and among other things do learn that there is some fear +that Mr. Brouncker is got into the King's favour, and will be +cherished there; which will breed ill will between the King and +Duke of York, he lodging at this time in White Hall since he was +put away from the Duke of York; and he is great with Bab. May, my +Lady Castlemaine, and that wicked crew. But I find this denied +by Sir G. Carteret, who tells me that he is sure he hath no +kindness from the King; that the King at first, indeed, did +endeavour to persuade the Duke of York from putting him away; but +when, besides this business of his ill words concerning his +Majesty in the business of the Chancellor, he told him that he +hath had a long time a mind to put him away for his ill offices, +done between him and his wife, the King held his peace, and said +no more, but wished him to do what he pleased with him; which was +very noble. I met with Fenn; and he tells me, as I do hear from +some others, that the business of the Chancellor's had proceeded +from something of a mistake, for the Duke of York did first tell +the King that the Chancellor had a desire to be eased of his +great trouble: and that the King, when the Chancellor came to +him, did wonder to hear him deny it, and the Duke of York was +forced to deny to the King that ever he did tell him so in those +terms: but the King did answer that he was sure that he did say +some such things to him; but, however, since it had gone so far, +did desire him to be contented with it; as a thing very +convenient for him as well as for himself (the King:) and so +matters proceeded, as we find. Now it is likely the Chancellor +might some time or other, in a compliment or vanity, say to the +Duke of York, that he was weary of this burden, and I know not +what; and this comes of it. Some people, and myself among them, +are of good hope from this change that things are reforming; but +there are others that do think it is a bit of chance, as all +other our greatest matters are, and that there is no general plot +or contrivance in any number of people what to do next, (though, +I believe, Sir W. Coventry may in himself have further designs;) +and so that though other changes may come, yet they shall be +accidental and laid upon good principles of doing good. Mr. May +showed me the King's new buildings, in order to their having of +some old sails for the closing of the windows this winter. I +dined with Sir G. Carteret, with whom dined Mr. Jack Ashburnham +and Dr. Creeton, who I observe to be a most good man and scholar. +In discourse at dinner concerning the change of men's humours and +fashions touching meats, Mr. Asburnham told us, that he remembers +since the only fruit in request, and eaten by the King and Queene +at table as the best fruit, was the Katharine payre, though they +knew at the time other fruits of France and our own country. +After dinner comes in Mr. Townsend: and there I was witness of a +horrid rateing which Mr. Ashburnham, as one of the Grooms of the +King's Bedchamber, did give him for want of linen for the King's +person; which he swore was not to be endured, and that the King +would not endure it, and that the King his father would have +hanged his Wardrobe-man should he have been served so; the King +having at this day no hankerchers, and but three bands to his +neck, he swore. Mr. Townsend pleaded want of money and the owing +of the linendraper 5000l.; and that he hath of late got many rich +things made, beds and sheets and saddles, without money; and that +he can go no further: but still this old man (indeed like an old +loving servant) did cry out for the King's person to be +neglected. But when he was gone, Townsend told me that it is the +Grooms taking away the King's linen at the quarter's end, as +their fees, which makes this great want; for whether the King can +get it or no, they will run away at the quarter's end with what +he hath had, let the King get more as he can. All the company +gone, Sir G. Carteret and I to talk: and it is pretty to observe +how already he says that he did always look upon the Chancellor +indeed as his friend, though he never did do him any service at +all, nor ever got any thing by, nor was a man apt (and that, I +think, is true) to do any man any kindness of his own nature; +though I do know he was believed by all the world to be the +greatest support of Sir G. Carteret with the King of any man in +England: but so little is now made of it! He observes that my +Lord Sandwich will lose a great friend in him; and I think so +too, my Lord Hinchingbroke being about a match calculated purely +out of respect to my Lord Chancellor's family. By and by Sir G. +Carteret, and Townsend, and I to consider of an answer to the +Commissioners of the Treasury about my Lord Sandwich's profits in +the Wardrobe; which seem as we make them to be very small, not +1000l. a-year, but only the difference in measure at which he +buys and delivers out to the King, and then 6d. in the pound from +the tradesman for what money he receives for him; but this, it is +believed, these Commissioners will endeavour to take away. From +him I went to see a great match at tennis, between Prince Rupert +and one Captain Cooke against Bab. May and the elder Chichly; +where the King was, and Court; and it seems they are the best +players at tennis in the nation. But this puts me in mind of +what I observed in the morning, that the King playing at tennis +had a steele-yard carried to him; and I was told it was to weigh +him after he had done playing; and at noon Mr. Ashburnham told me +that it is only the King's curiosity, which he usually hath of +weighing himself before and after his play, to see how much he +loses in weight by playing; and this day he lost 4 1/2lbs. I to +Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen, and there discoursed of Sir W. +Coventry's leaving the Duke of York, and Mr. Wren's succeeding +him. They told me both seriously that they had long cut me out +for Secretary to the Duke of York, if ever Sir W. Coventry left +him; which agreeing with what I have heard from other hands +heretofore, do make me not only think that something of that kind +hath been thought on, but do comfort me to see that the world +hath such an esteem of my qualities as to think me fit for any +such thing: though I am glad with all my heart that I am not so; +for it would never please me to be forced to the attendance that +that would require, and leave my wife and family to themselves, +as I must do in such a case; thinking myself now in the best +place that ever man was in to please his own mind in, and +therefore I will take to preserve it. + +3rd. Attended the Duke of York about the list of ships that we +propose to sell: and here there attended Mr. Wren the first +time, who hath not yet, I think, received the Duke of York's seal +and papers. At our coming hither we found the Duke and Duchesse +all alone at dinner, methought melancholy: or else I thought so, +from the late occasion of the Chancellor's fall, who, they say, +however, takes it very contentedly. + +4th. By coach to White Hall to the Council-chamber; and there +met with Sir W. Coventry going in, who took me aside, and told me +that he was just come from delivering up his seal and papers to +Mr. Wren; and told me he must now take his leave of me as a naval +man, but that he shall always bear respect to his friends there, +[The officers of the Navy.] and particularly to myself with great +kindness; which I returned to him with thanks, and so with much +kindness parted; and he into the Council. Staid and heard +Alderman Barker's case of his being abused by the Council of +Ireland, touching his lands there. All I observed there is the +silliness of the King, playing with his dog all the while, and +not minding the business; and what he said was mighty weak: but +my Lord Keeper I observed to be a mighty able man. To the Duke +of York's playhouse, and there saw "Mustapha;" which the more I +see the more I like; and is a most admirable poem, and bravely +acted; only both Betterton and Harris could not contain from +laughing in the midst of a most serious part, from the ridiculous +mistake of one of the men upon the stage; which I did not like. +This morning was told by Sir W. Batten that he do hear from Mr. +Grey, who hath good intelligence, that our Queene is to go into a +nunnery there to spend her days; and that my Lady Castlemaine is +going to France, and is to have a pension of 4000l. a-year. This +latter I do more believe than the other, it being very wise in +her to do it and save all she hath, besides easing the King and +kingdom of a burden and reproach. + +8th. Lord Brouncker says he do believe that my Lady Castlemaine +is compounding with the King for a pension, and to leave the +Court; but that her demands are mighty high: but he believes the +King is resolved, and so do everybody else I speak with, to do +all possible to please the Parliament; and he do declare that he +will deliver every body up to give an account of their actions: +and that last Friday, it seems, there was an Act of Council +passed, to put out all Papists in office, and to keep out any +from coming in. Sir G. Downing told he had been seven years +finding out a man that could dress English sheep-akin as it +should be; and indeed it is now as good in all respects as kidd; +and, he says, will save 100,000l. a-year that goes out to France +for kidds'-skins. He tells me that at this day the King in +familiar talk do call the Chancellor "the insolent man," and says +that he would not let him speak himself in Council: which is +very high, and do show that the Chancellor is like to be in a bad +state, unless he can defend himself better than people think. +And yet Creed tells me that he do hear that my Lord Cornbury +[Henry, afterwards second Earl of Clarendon.] do say that his +father do long for the coming of the Parliament, in order to his +own vindication, more than any one of his enemies. And here it +comes into my head to set down what Mr. Rawlinson (whom I met in +Fenchurch-street on Friday last looking over his ruines there) +told me that he was told by one of my Lord Chancellor's gentlemen +lately, that a grant coming to him to be sealed, wherein the King +hath given my Lady Castlemaine, or somebody by her means, a place +which he did not like well of, he did stop the grant; saying, +that he thought this woman would sell every thing shortly: which +she hearing of, she sent to let him know that she had disposed of +this place, and did not doubt in a little time to dispose of his. +To White Hall, and saw the King and Queene at dinner; and +observed (which I never did before) the formality, but it is but +a formality, of putting a bit of bread wiped upon each dish into +the mouth of every man that brings a dish; but it should be in +the sauce. Here were some Russes come to see the King at dinner; +among others the interpreter, a comely Englishman, in the Envoy's +own clothes; which the Envoy, it seems, in vanity did send to +show his fine clothes upon this man's back, he being one, it +seems, of a comelier presence than himself: and yet it is said +that none of their clothes are their own, but taken out of the +King's own Wardrobe; and which they dare not bring back dirty or +spotted, but clean, or are in danger of being beaten, as they +say: inasmuch that, Sir Charles Cotterell [Knight, and Master of +the Ceremonies from 1641 to 1686, when he resigned in favour of +his son.] says, when they are to have an audience they never +venture to put on their clothes till he appears to come and fetch +them; and as soon as ever they come home, put them off again. I +to Sir G. Carteret's to dinner; where Mr. Cofferer Ashburnham; +who told a good story of a prisoner's being condemned at +Salisbury for a small matter. While he was on the bench with his +father-in-law Judge Richardson, [Sir Thomas Richardson, Knight; +appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas 1626.] and while +they were considering to transport him to save his life, the +fellow flung a great stone at the Judge, that missed him, but +broke through the wainscoat. Upon this he had his hand cut off, +and was hanged presently. [This anecdote is thus confirmed in +Chief Justice Treby's NOTES TO DYER'S REPORTS, FOLIO EDITION, +p.188. b. "Richardson, Ch. Just. de C. Banc. al Assises at +Salisbury, in summer 1631, fuit assault per prisoner la condemne +pur felony; que puis son condemnation ject un brick-bat a le dit +Justice, qui narrowly mist; et pur ceo immediately fuit indictment +drawn, per Noy, [The Attorney-General.] eavers le prisoner, et +son dexter manus ampute, and fix at gibbet, sur que luy meme +immediatement hange in presence de Court."] + +9th. To White Hall; and here do hear, by Tom Killigrew and Mr. +Progers, that for certain news is come of Harman's having spoiled +nineteen of twenty-two French ships, somewhere about the +Barbadoes, I think they said; but wherever it is, it is a good +service and very welcome. To the Bear-garden, where now the yard +was full of people, and those most of them seamen, striving by +force to get in. I got into the common pit; and there, with my +cloak about my face, I stood and saw the prize fought, till one +of them, a shoemaker, was so cut in both his wrists that he could +not fight any longer, and then they broke off: his enemy was a +butcher. The sport very good, and various humours to be seen +among the rabble that is there. + +10th. To St. James's, where we all met and did our usual weekly +business with the Duke of York. But, Lord! methinks both he and +we are mighty flat and dull to what we used to be when Sir W. +Coventry was among us. Met Mr. Povy; and he and I to walk an +hour or more in the Pell Mell, talking of the times. He tells me +among other things, that this business of the Chancellor do breed +a kind of inward distance between the King and the Duke of York, +and that it cannot be avoided; for though the latter did at first +move it through his folly, yet he is made to see that he is +wounded by it, and is become much a less man than be was, and so +will be: but he tells me that they are, and have always been, +great dissemblers one towards another; and that their parting +heretofore in France is never to be thoroughly reconciled between +them. He tells me that he believes there is no such thing likely +to be as a composition with my Lady Castlemaine, and that she +shall be got out of the way before the Parliament comes; for he +says she is high as ever she was, though he believes the King is +as weary of her as is possible; and would give any thing to +remove her, but he is so weak in his passion that he dare not do +it: that he do believe that my Lord Chancellor will be doing +some acts in the Parliament which shall render him popular; and +that there are many people now do speak kindly of him that did +not before; but that if he do do this, it must provoke the King +and that party that removed him. He seems to doubt what the King +of France will do, in case an accommodation shall be made between +Spain and him for Flanders, for then he will have nothing more +easy to do with his army than to subdue us. + +11th. Come to dine with me Sir W. Batten and his lady, and Mr. +Griffith their Ward, and Sir W. Pen and his lady, and Mrs. +Lowther, (who is grown either through pride or want of manners a +fool, having not a word to say; and, as a further mark of a +beggarly proud fool, hath a bracelet of diamonds and rubies about +her wrist, and a sixpenny necklace about her neck, and not one +good rag of clothes upon her back;) and Sir John Chichly in their +company, and Mr. Turner. Here I had an extraordinary good and +handsome dinner for them, better than any of them deserve or +understand (saving Sir John Chichly and Mrs. Turner.) To the Duke +of York's playhouse, and there saw part of the "Ungrateful +Lovers;" and sat by Beck Marshall, whose hand is very handsome. +Here came Mr. Moore, and sat and discoursed with me of public +matters: the sum of which is, that he do doubt that there is +more at the bottom than the removal of the Chancellor; that is, +he do verily believe that the King do resolve to declare the Duke +of Monmouth legitimate, and that we shall soon see if. This I do +not think the Duke of York will endure without blows; but his +poverty, and being lessened by having the Chancellor fallen and +Sir W. Coventry gone from him, will disable him from being able +to do any thing almost, he being himself almost lost in the +esteem of people; and will be more and more, unless my Lord +Chancellor (who is already begun to be pitied by some people, and +to be better thought of than was expected) do recover himself in +Parliament. He do say that that is very true, that my Lord +Chancellor did lately make some stop of some grants of 2000l. +a-year to my Lord Grandison, [George Villiers, fourth Viscount +Grandison, and younger brother of Lady Castlemaine's father, who +had died without male issue.] which was only in his name, for +the use of my Lady Castlemaine's children; and that this did +incense her, and she did speak very scornful words and sent a +scornful message to him about it. + +14th. The King and Duke of York and the whole Court is mighty +joyful at the Duchesse of York's being brought to bed this day, +or yesterday, of a son; which will settle men's minds mightily. +And Pierce tells me that he do think that what the King do, of +giving the Duke of Monmouth the command of his Guards, and giving +my Lord Gerard 12,000l. for it, is merely to find an employment +for him upon which he may live, and not out of any design to +bring him into any title to the Crowne; which Mr. Moore did the +other day put me into great fear of. To the King's playhouse to +see "The Northerne Castle," which I think I never did see, +before. Knipp acted is it, and did her part very extraordinary +well; but the play is but a mean, sorry play. Sir H. Cholmly was +with me a good while; who tells me that the Duke of York's child +is christened, the Duke of Albemarle and the Marquis of Worcester +[Edward, second Marquis of Worcester, author of "The Century of +Inventions."] godfathers, and my Lady Suffolke godmother; and +they have named it Edgar, which is a brave name. But it seems +they are more joyful in the Chancellor's family, at the birth of +this Prince, than in wisdom they should, for fear it should give +the King cause of jealousy. Sir H. Cholmly thinks there may +possibly be some persons that would be glad to have the Queene +removed to some monastery, or somewhere or other, to make room +for a new wife; for they will all be unsafe under the Duke of +York. He says the King and Parliament will agree; that is, that +the King will do any thing that they will have him. I met with +"a fourth Advice to the Painter upon the coming in of the Dutch +to the River and end of the war," [In the Collection of Poems on +Affairs of State, there are four pieces called "DIRECTIONS TO A +PAINTER;" the first of them "CONCERNING THE DUTCH WAR, 1667, BY +SIR JOHN DENHAM." The same book also contains "THE LAST +INSTRUCTIONS TO A PAINTER ABOUT THE DUTCH WARS, BY ANDREW MARVEL, +ESQ.," which from its severity I suppose to be the work here +alluded to.] that made my heart ake to read, it being too sharp +and so true. Here I also saw a printed account of the +examinations taken touching the burning of the City of London, +showing the plot of the Papists therein; which, it seems, hath +been ordered to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman, in +Westminster Palace. My wife and Mercer and I away to the King's +playhouse, to see "The Scornfull Lady;" but it being now three +o'clock there was not one soul in the pit; whereupon, for shame +we could not go in, but, against our wills, went all to see "Tu +quoque" again, where there was pretty store of company. Here we +saw Madam Morland, [Sir Samuel Morland's first wife.] who is +grown mighty fat, but is very comely. Thence to the King's +house, upon a wager of mine with my wife that there would be no +acting there to-day there being no company: so I went in and +found a pretty good company there, and saw their dance at the end +of the play. + +18th. I walked in the Exchange; which is now made mighty pretty, +by having windows and doors before all their shops, to keep out +the cold. + +20th. By coach to the King's playhouse, and there saw, "The Mad +Couple," [Probably "A Mad Couple well Matched" a comedy by +Richard Brome, printed in 1653.] my wife having been at the same +play with Jane in the 18d. seat. + +21st. The King, Duke of York, and the men of the Court have been +these four or five days a-hunting at Bagshot. + +22nd. At noon comes Mr. Sheres, whom I find a good, ingenious +man, but do talk a little too much of his travels. He left my +Lord Sandwich well, but in pain to be at home for want of money, +which comes very hardly. I have indulged myself more in pleasure +for these last two months than ever I did in my life before, +since I came to be a person concerned in business; and I doubt, +when I come to make up my accounts, I shall find it so by the +expence. + +23rd. At my Lord Ashly's by invitation to dine there. At table +it is worth remembering that my Lord tells us that the House of +Lords is the last appeal that a man can make upon a point of +interpretation of the law, and that therein they are above the +Judges; and that he did assert this in the Lords' House upon the +late occasion of the quarrel between my Lord Bristoll and the +Chancellor, when the former did accuse the latter of treason, and +the Judges did bring it in not to be treason: my Lord Ashly did +declare that the judgement of the Judges was nothing in the +presence of their Lordships, but only as far as they were the +properest men to bring precedents; but not to interpret the law +to their Lordships, but only the inducements of their +persuasions: and this the Lords did concur in. Another pretty +thing was my Lady Ashly's speaking of the bad Qualities of glass- +coaches; among others, the flying open of the doors upon any +great shake: but another was, that my Lady Peterborough being in +her glass-coach with the glass up, and seeing a lady pass by in a +coach whom she would salute, the glass was so clear that she +thought it had been open, and so ran her head through the glass! +We were put into my Lord's room before he could come to us, and +there had opportunity to look over his state of his accounts of +the prizes; and there saw how bountiful the King hath been to +several people: and hardly any man almost, commander of the Navy +of any note, but hath had some reward or other out of them; and +many sums to the Privy-purse, but not so many, I see, as I +thought there had been: but we could not look quite through it, +But several Bed-chambermen and people about the Court had good +sums; and, among others, Sir John Minnes and Lord Brouncker have +200l. a-piece for looking to the East India prizes, while I did +their work for them. By and by my Lord came, and we did look +over Yeabsly's business a little; and I find how prettily this +cunning lord can be partial and dissemble it in this case, being +privy to the bribe he is to receive. With Sir H. Cholmly to +Westminster; who by the way told me how merry the King and Duke +of York and Court were the other day, when they were abroad a- +hunting. They came to Sir G. Carteret's house at Cranbourne, and +there were entertained, and all made drunk; and being all drunk, +Armerer did come to the King, and swore to him by God, "Sir," +says he, "you are not so kind to the Duke of York of late as you +used to be."--"Not I?" says the King. "Why so?" "Why," says +he, "if you are, let us drink his health." "Why let us," says +the King. Then he fell on his knees and drank it; and having +done, the King began to drink it. "Nay, Sir," says Armerer, by +God you must do it on your knees!" So he did, and then all the +company: and having done it, all fell a-crying for joy, being +all maudlin and kissing one another, the King the Duke of York, +and the Duke of York the King; and in such a maudlin pickle as +never people were: and so passed the day. But Sir H. Cholmly +tells me, that the King hath this good luck: that the next day +he hates to have any body mention what he had done the day +before, nor will suffer any body to gain upon him that way; which +is a good quality. By and by comes Captain Cocke about business; +who tells me that Mr. Brouncker is lost for ever, notwithstanding +that my Lord Brouncker hath advised with him (Cocke) how he might +make a peace with the Duke of York and Chancellor, upon promise +of serving him in the Parliament: but Cocke says that is base to +offer, and will have no success there. He says that Mr. Wren +hath refused a present of Tom Wilson's for his place of Store- +keeper at Chatham, and is resolved never to take any thing: +which is both wise in him, and good to the King's service. + +25th. With Sir H. Cholmly (who came to me about his business) to +White Hall: and thither came also my Lord Brouncker. And we by +and by called in, and our paper read; and much discourse thereon +by Sir G. Carteret, my Lord Anglesy, Sir W. Coventry, and my Lord +Ashly, and myself: but I could easily discern that they none of +them understood the business; and the King at last ended it with +saying lazily, "Why," says he, "after all this discourse I now +come to understand it; and that is, that there can nothing be +done in this more than is possible," (which was so silly as I +never heard): "and therefore," says he, "I would have these +gentlemen do as much as possible to hasten the Treasurer's +accounts; and that is all." And so we broke up: and I confess +I went away ashamed, to see how slightly things are advised upon +there. Here I saw the Duke of Buckingham sit in Council again, +where he was re-admitted, it seems, the last Council-day: and it +is wonderful to see how this man is come again to his places, all +of them, after the reproach and disgrace done him; so that things +are done in a most foolish manner quite through. The Duke of +Buckingham did second Sir W. Coventry in the advising the King +that he would not concern himself in the evening or not evening +any man's accounts, or any thing else, wherein he had not the +same satisfaction that would satisfy the Parliament; saying, that +nothing would displease the Parliament; more than to find him +defending any thing that is not right nor justifiable to the +utmost degree: but methought he spoke it but very poorly. After +this I walked up and down the Gallery till noon: and here I met +with Bishop Fuller, who, to my great joy, is made (which I did +not hear before) Bishop of Lincolne. At noon I took coach, and +to Sir G. Carteret's in Lincoln's-inn-fields, to the house that +is my Lord's, which my Lord lets him have: and this is the first +day of dining there. And there dined with him and his lady my +Lord Privy-seale, [John Lord Roberts, afterwards Earl of Radnor, +filled this office from 1661 to 1669.] who is indeed a very +sober man: who, among other talk, did mightily wonder at the +reason of the growth of the credit of bankers, (since it is so +ordinary a thing for citizens to break out of knavery.) Upon +this we had much discourse; and I observed therein, to the +honour of this City, that I have not heard of one citizen of +London broke in all this war, this plague, or this fire, and +this coming up of the enemy among us; which he owned to be very +considerable. I to the King's playhouse, my eyes being so bad +since last night's straining of them that I am hardly able to +see, besides the pain which I have in them. The play was a new +play: and infinitely full; the King and all the Court almost +there. It is "The Storme," a play of Fletcher's; which is but +so-so, methinks; only there is a most admirable dance at the +end, of the ladies, in a military manner, which indeed did +please me mightily. + +27th. Creed and Sheres come and dined with me; and we had a +great deal of pretty discourse of the ceremoniousness of the +Spaniards, whose ceremonies are so many and so known, that, he +tells me, upon all occasions of joy or sorrow in a Grandee's +family, my Lord Embassador is fain to send one with EN HORA BUENA +(if it be upon a marriage or birth of a child), or a PESA ME, if +it be upon the death of a child, or so. And these ceremonies are +so set, and the words of the compliment, that he hath been sent +from my Lord when he hath done no more than send in word to the +Grandee that one was there from the Embassador; and he knowing +what was his errand, that hath been enough, and he never spoken +with him; nay, several Grandees having been to marry a daughter, +have wrote letters to my Lord to give him notice, and out of the +greatness of his wisdom to desire his advice, though people he +never saw; and then my Lord he answers by commending the +greatness of his discretion in making so good an alliance, &c. +and so ends. He says that it is so far from dishonour to a man +to give private revenge for an affront, that the contrary is a +disgrace; they holding that he that receives an affront is not +fit to appear in the sight of the world till he hath revenged +himself; and therefore, that a gentleman there that receives an +affront oftentimes never appears again in the world till he hath, +by some private way or other, revenged himself: and that, on +this account, several have followed their enemies privately to +the Indys, thence to Italy, thence to France and back again, +waiting for an opportunity to be revenged. He says my Lord was +fain to keep a letter from the Duke of York to the Queene of +Spain a great while in his hands, before he could think fit to +deliver it, till he had learnt whether the Queene could receive +it, it being directed to his cosen. He says that many ladies in +Spain, after they are found to be with child, do never stir out +of their beds or chambers till they are brought to bed: so +ceremonious they are in that point also. He tells me of their +wooing by serenades at the window, and that their friends do +always make the match; but yet they have opportunities to meet at +masse at church, and there they make love: that the Court there +hath no dancing nor visits at night to see the King or Queene, +but is always just like a cloyster, nobody stirring in it; that +my Lord Sandwich wears a beard now, turned up in the Spanish +manner. But that which pleases me most indeed is, that the peace +which he hath made with Spain is now printed here, and is +acknowledged by all the merchants to be the best peace that ever +England had with them; and it appears that the King thinks it so, +for this is printed before the ratification is gone over: +whereas what with France and Holland was not in a good while +after, till copys came over of it in English out of Holland and +France, that it was a reproach not to have it printed here. This +I am mighty glad of; and is the first and only piece of good +news, or thing fit to be owned, that this nation hath done +several years. + +28th. All the morning at the office busy upon an Order of +Council, wherein they are mightily at a loss what to advise about +our discharging of seamen by ticket, there being no money to pay +their wages before January. After dinner comes Sir Fr. Hollis to +me about business; and I with him by coach to the Temple, and +there I light; all the way he telling me romantic lies of himself +and his family, how they have been Parliament-men for Grimsby, he +and his forefathers, this 140 years; and his father is now: and +himself, at this day, stands for to be with his father, [Jervas +Hollis and Sir Frecheville Hollis represented Grimsby in 1669. +--CHAMBERLAYNES'S ANTIQUAE NOTITIA.] by the death of his fellow +burgess; and that he believes it will cost him as much as it did +his predecessor, which was 300l. in ale, and 52l. in buttered +ale; which I believe is one of his devilish lies. + +30th. To the Duke of York to Council, where the officers of the +Navy did attend; and my Lord Ashly did move that an assignment +for money on the Act might be put into the hands of the East +India Company, or City of London, which he thought the seamen +would believe. But this my Lord Anglesy did very handsomely +oppose, and I think did carry it that it will not be: and it is +indeed a mean thing that the king should so far own his own want +of credit as to borrow theirs in this manner. My Lord Anglesy +told him that this was the way indeed to teach the Parliament to +trust the King no more for the time to come, but to have a +kingdom's Treasurer distinct from the King's. + +October 1. To White Hall; and there in the Boarded Gallery did +hear the musick with which the King is presented this night by +Monsieur Grebus, the Master of his Musick: both instrumental +(I think twenty-four violins) and vocall: an English song upon +Peace. But, God forgive me! I never was so little pleased with +a concert of music in my life. The manner of setting of words +and repeating them out of order, and that with a number of +voices, makes me sick, the whole design of vocall musick; being +lost by it. Here was a great press of people; but I did not see +many pleased with it, only the instrumental musick he had brought +by practice to play very just. + +3rd. To St. James's, where Sir W. Coventry took me into the +Gallery and walked with me an hour, discoursing of Navy business, +and with much kindness, to and confidence in me still; which I +must endeavour to preserve, and will do. And, good man! all his +care how to get the Navy paid off, and that all other things +therein may go well. He gone, I thence to my Lady Peterborough, +who sent for me: and with her an hour talking about her +husband's pension, and how she hath got an order for its being +paid again; though I believe, for all that order, it will hardly +be; but of that I said nothing; but her design is to get it paid +again: and how to raise money upon it to clear it from the +engagement which lies upon it to some citizens, who lent her +husband money (without her knowledge) upon it, to vast loss. She +intends to force them to take their money again, and release her +husband of those hard terms. The woman is a very wise woman, and +is very plain in telling me how her plate and jewels are at pawne +for money, and how they are forced to live beyond their estate, +and do get nothing by his being a courtier. The lady I pity, and +her family. + +4th. To my Lord Crewe's, and there did stay with him an hour +till almost night, discoursing about the ill state of my Lord +Sandwich, that he can neither be got to be called home, nor money +got to maintain him there; [In Spain.] which will ruin his +family. And the truth is, he do almost deserve it, for by all +relation he hath, in little more than a year and half, spent +20,000l. of the King's money, and the best part of 10,000l. of +his own; which is a most prodigious expence, more than ever +Embassador spent there, and more than these Commissioners of the +Treasury will or do allow. And they demand an account before +they will give him any more money; which puts all his friends to +a loss what to answer. But more money we must get him, or to be +called home. I offer to speak to Sir W. Coventry about it; but +my Lord will not advise to it, without consent of Sir G. +Carteret. + +5th. Up, and to the office; and there all the morning; none but +my Lord Anglesy and myself. But much surprized with the news of +the death of Sir W. Batten, who died this morning, having been +but two days sick. Sir W. Pen and I did dispatch a letter this +morning to Sir W. Coventry, to recommend Colonell Middleton, who +we think a most honest and understanding man, and fit for that +place. Sir G. Carteret did also come this morning, and walked +with me in the garden; and concluded not to concern or have any +advice made to Sir W. Coventry in behalf of my Lord Sandwich's +business: so I do rest satisfied, though I do think they are all +mad, that they will judge Sir W. Coventry an enemy, when he is +indeed no such man to any body, but is severe and just, as he +ought to be, where he sees things ill done. To the King's house; +and there going in met with Knipp, and she took us up into the +tireing-rooms; and to the women's shift, where Nell was dressing +herself, and was all unready, and is very pretty, prettier than I +thought. And into the scene-room, and there sat down, and she +gave us fruit: and here I read the questions to Knipp, while she +answered me, through all her part of "Flora's Figarys," which was +acted to-day. But, Lord! to see how they were both painted, +would make a man mad, and did make me loath them; and what base +company of men comes among them, and how lewdly they talk! And +how poor the men are in clothes, and yet what a show they make on +the stage by candle-light, is very observable. But to see how +Nell cursed, for having so few people in the pit, was strange; +the other house carrying away all the people at the new play, and +is said now-a-days to have generally most company, as being +better players. By and by into the pit, and there saw the play, +which is pretty good. + +7th. I and my wife, and Willet, [Mrs. Pepys's maid.] set out in +a coach I have hired with four horses; and W. Hewer and Murford +rode by us on horse-back; and before night come to Bishop- +Stafford. [Stortford.] Took coach to Audly-End, and did go all +over the house and garden; and mighty merry we were. The house +indeed do appear very fine, but not so fine as it hath heretofore +to me; particularly the ceilings are not so good as I always took +them to be, being nothing so well wrought as my Lord Chancellor's +are; and though the figure of the house without be very +extraordinary good, yet the stayre-case is exceeding poor; and a +great many pictures, and not one good one in the house but one of +Harry the Eighth, done by Holben; and not one good suit of +hangings in all the house, but all most ancient things, such as I +would not give the hanging-upon in my house; and the other +furniture, beds and other things, accordingly. Only the gallery +is good, and above all things the cellars, where we went down and +drank of much good liquor. And indeed the cellars are fine: and +here my wife and I did sing to my great content. And then to the +garden, and there eat many grapes, and took some with us: and so +away thence exceeding well satisfied, though not to that degree +that by my old esteem of the house I ought and did expect to have +done, the situation of it not pleasing me. Thence away to +Cambridge, and did take up at the Rose. + +9th. Up, and got ready, and eat our breakfast; and then took +coach; and the poor, as they did yesterday, did stand at the +coach to have something given them, as they do to all great +persons; and I did give them something: and the town musick did +also come and play; but, Lord! what sad musick they made! So +through the town, and observed at our College of Magdalene the +posts new painted, and understand that the Vice Chancellor is +there this year. And so away for Huntingdon; and come to +Brampton at about noon, and there find my father and sister and +brother all well: and up and down to see the garden with my +father, and the house, and do altogether find it very pretty; and +I bless God that I am like to have such a pretty place to retire +to. After dinner I walked up to Hinchingbroke, where my Lady +expected me; and there spent all the afternoon with her: the +same most excellent, good, discreet lady that ever she was; and, +among other things, is mightily pleased with the lady that is +like to be her son Hinchingbroke's wife. I am pleased with my +Lady Paulina [A mistake for Lady Catherine, Lady Paulina being +dead.] and Anne, who are both grown very proper ladies, and +handsome enough. But I do find by my Lady that they are reduced +to great straits for money, having been forced to sell her plate, +8 or 900l. worth; and she is now going to sell a suit of her best +hangings, of which I could almost wish to buy a piece or two, if +the pieces will be broke. But the house is most excellently +furnished, and brave rooms and good pictures, so that it do +please me infinitely beyond Audley End. + +10th. Up, to walk up and down in the garden with my father, to +talk of all our concernments: about a husband for my sister, +whereof there is at present no appearance; but we must endeavour +to find her one now, for she grows old and ugly. My father and I +with a dark lantern, it being now night, into the garden with my +wife, and there went about our great work to dig up my gold. +But, Lord! what a tosse I was for some time in, that they could +not justly tell where it was: but by and by poking with a spit +we found it, and then begun with a spudd to lift up the ground. +But, good God! to see how sillily they did it, not half a foot +under ground, and in the sight of the world from a hundred +places, if any body by accident were near hand, and within sight +of a neighbour's window: only my father says that he saw them +all gone to church before he began the work, when he laid the +money. But I was out of my wits almost, and the more from that, +upon my lifting up the earth with the spudd, I did discern that I +had scattered the pieces of gold round about the ground among the +grass and loose earth: and taking up the iron head-pieces +wherein they were put, I perceived the earth was got among the +gold, and wet so that the bags were all rotten, and all the +notes, that I could not tell what in the world to say to it, not +knowing how to judge what was wanting or what had been lost by +Gibson in his coming down: which, all put together, did make me +mad; and at last I was forced to take up the head-pieces, dirt +and all, and as many of the scattered pieces as I could with the +dirt discern by candle light, and carry them up into my brother's +chamber, and there locke them up till I had eat a little supper: +and then, all people going to bed, W. Hewer and I did all alone +with several pails of water and besoms at last wash the dirt off +the pieces, and parted the pieces and the dirt, and then began to +tell them by a note which I had of the value of the whole (in my +pocket.) And do find that there was short above a hundred +pieces: which did make me mad; and considering that the +neighbour's house was so near that we could not possibly speak +one to another in the garden at that place where the gold lay +(especially my father being deaf) but they must know what we had +been doing, I feared that they might in the night come and gather +some pieces and prevent us the next morning; so W. Hewer and I +out again about midnight (for it was now grown so late) and there +by candle-light did make shift to gather forty-five pieces more. +And so in and to cleanse them: and by this time it was past two +in the morning; and so to bed, and there lay in some disquiet all +night telling of the clock till it was day-light. + +11th. And then W. Hewer and I, with pails and a sieve, did lock +ourselves into the garden, and there gather all the earth about +the place into pails, and then sift those pails in one of the +summer-houses (just as they do for dyamonds in other parts of the +world); and there to our great content did by nine o'clock make +the last night's forty-five up seventy-nine: so that we are come +to about twenty or thirty of what I think the true number should +be. So do leave my father to make a second examination of the +dirt; and my mind at rest in it, being but an accident: and so +give me some kind of content to remember how painful it is +sometimes to keep money, as well as to get it, and how doubtful I +was to keep it all night, and how to secure it to London. About +ten o'clock took coach, my wife and I, and Willett, and W. Hewer, +and Murford and Bowles (whom my Lady lent me to go along with me +my journey, not telling her the reason, but it was only to secure +my gold,) and my brother John on horseback; and with these four I +thought myself pretty safe. My gold I put into a basket and set +under one of the seats; and so my work every quarter of an hour +was to look to see whether all was well; and I did ride in great +fear all the day. + +12th. By five o'clock got home, where I find all well; and did +bring my gold to my heart's content very safe, having not this +day carried it in a basket, but in our hands: the girl took care +of one, and my wife another bag, and I the rest, I being afraid +of the bottom of the coach, lest it should break. At home we +find that Sir W. Batten's body was to-day carried from hence, +with a hundred or two of coaches, to Walthamstow, and there +buried, The Parliament met on Thursday last, and adjourned to +Monday next. The King did make them a very kind speech, +promising them to leave all to them to do, and call to account +what and whom they pleased; and declared by my Lord Keeper how +many (thirty-six) actes he had done since he saw them: among +others, disbanding the army, and putting all Papists out of +employment, and displacing persons that had managed their +business ill. The Parliament is mightily pleased with the King's +speech, and voted giving him thanks for what he said and hath +done; and among other things, would by name thank him for +displacing my Lord Chancellor, for which a great many did speak +in the House, but it was opposed by some, and particularly Harry +Coventry, who got that it should be put to a Committee to +consider what particulars to mention in their thanks to the King, +saying that it was too soon to give thanks for the displacing of +a man, before they knew or had examined what was the cause of his +displacing. And so it rested: but this do show that they are +and will be very high. And Mr. Pierce do tell me that he fears +and do hear that it hath been said among them, that they will +move for the calling my Lord Sandwich home, to bring him to +account which do trouble me mightily, but I trust it will not be +so. Anon comes home Sir W. Pen from the buriall; and he says +that Lady Batten and her children-in-law are all broke in pieces, +and that there is but 800l. found in the world of money; and is +in great doubt what we shall do towards the doing ourselves right +with them, about the prize money. + +13th. To St. James's; and there to the Duke of York's chamber +and there he was dressing; and many Lords and Parliament-men come +to kiss his hands, they being newly come to town. And then the +Duke of York did of himself call me to him and tell me that he +had spoke to the King and that the King had granted me the ship +asked for; and did moreover say that he was mightily pleased with +my service, and that he would be willing to do any thing that was +in his power for me: which he said with mighty kindness; which I +did return him thanks for, and departed with mighty joy, more +than I did expect. And so walked over the Park to White Hall, +and then met Sir H. Cholmly who walked with me and told me most +of the news: heard last night of the Parliament; and thinks they +will do all things very well, only they will be revenged of my +Lord Chancellor; and says however, that he thinks there will be +but two things proved on him and that one is, that he may have +said to the King and to others words to breed in the King an ill +opinion of the Parliament--that they were factious, and that it +was better to dissolve them: and this he thinks they will be +able to prove; but what this will amount to, he knows not. And +next, that he hath taken money for several bargains that have +been made with the Crown; and did instance one that is already +complained of: but there are so many more involved in it, that +should they unravel things of this sort, every body almost will +be more or less concerned. But these are the two great points +which he thinks they will insist on, and prove against him. + +14th. To Mr, Wren's; and he told me that my business was done +about my warrant on the Maybolt Galliott; which I did see, and +thought it was not so full in the reciting of my services as the +other was in that of Sir W. Pen's; yet I was well pleased with +it, and do intend to fetch it away anon. To visit Sir G. +Carteret; and from him do understand that the King himself (but +this he told me as a great secret) is satisfied that these thanks +which he expects from the House, for the laying aside of my Lord +Chancellor, are a thing irregular; but since it is come into the +House, he do think it necessary to carry it on, and will have it, +and hath made his mind known to be so to some of the House. But +Sir G. Carteret do say he knows nothing of what my Lord Brouncker +told us to-day, that the King was angry with the Duke of York +yesterday, and advised him not to hinder what he had a mind to +have done touching this business; which is news very bad, if +true. He tells me also that the King will have the thanks of the +House go on: and commends my Lord Keeper's speech for all but +what he was forced to say about the reason of the King's sending +away the House so soon the last time, when they were met. + +16th. At home most of the morning with Sir H. Cholmly, about +some accounts of his: and for news he tells me that the Commons +and Lords have concurred, and delivered the King their thanks, +among other things, for his removal of the Chancellor; who took +their thanks very well, and, among other things, promised them +(in these words) never in any degree to give the Chancellor any +employment again. And he tells me that it is very true, he hath +it from one that was by, that the King did give the Duke of York +a sound reprimande; told him that he had lived with him with more +kindness than ever any brother King lived with a brother, and +that he lived as much like a monarch as himself, but advised him +not to cross him in his designs about the Chancellor; in which +the Duke of York do very wisely acquiesce, and will be quiet as +the King bade him, but presently commands all his friends to be +silent in the business of the Chancellor, and they were so: but +that the Chancellor hath done all that is possible to provoke the +King, and to bring himself to lose his head, by enraging of +people. To the Duke of York's house; and I was vexed to see +Young (who is but a bad actor at best) act Macbeth, in the room +of Betterton, who, poor man! is sick. + +17th. The Parliament run on mighty furiously, having yesterday +been almost all the morning complaining against some high +proceedings of my Lord Chief Justice Keeling, that the gentlemen +of the country did complain against him in the House, and run +very high. It is the man that did fall out with my cosen Roger +Pepys, once at the Assizes there, and would have laid him by the +heels; but, it seems, a very able lawyer. This afternoon my Lord +Anglesy tells us that the House of Commons have this morning run +into the enquiry in many things; as, the sale of Dunkirke, the +dividing of the fleet the last year, the business of the prizes +with my Lord Sandwich, and many other things: so that now they +begin to fall close upon it, and God knows what will be the end +of it, but a Committee they have chosen to enquire into the +miscarriages of the war. + +18th. To White Hall, and there attended the Duke of York; but +first we find him to spend above an hour in private in his closet +with Sir W. Coventry; which I was glad to see, that there is so +much confidence between them. By and by we were called in. The +Duke of York considering that the King had a mind for Spragg to +command the Rupert, which would not be well, by turning out +Hubbard, who is a good man, said he did not know whether he did +so well conforme as at this time to please the people and +Parliament, Sir W. Coventry answered, and the Duke of York +merrily agreed to it, that it was very hard to know what it was +that the Parliament would call conformity at this time. + +19th. Full of my desire of seeing my Lord Orrery's new play this +afternoon at the King's house, "The Black Prince," the first time +it is acted; where, though we came by two o'clock, yet there was +no room in the pit, but were forced to go into one of the upper +boxes, at 4s. a piece, which is the first time I ever sat in a +box in my life. And in the same box came by and by, behind me, +my Lord Barkeley and his lady; but I did not turn my face to them +to be known, so that I was excused from giving them my seat. And +this pleasure I had, that from this place the scenes do appear +very fine indeed, and much better than in the pit. The house +infinite full, and the King and Duke of York there. The whole +house was mightily pleased all along till the reading of a +letter, which was so long and so unnecessary that they frequently +began to laugh, and to hiss twenty times, that had it not been +for the King's being there, they had certainly hissed it off the +stage. + +20th (Lord's day). Up, and put on my new tunique of velvett; +which is very plain, but good. This morning is brought to me an +order for the presenting the Committee of Parliament to-morrow +with a list of the commanders and ships' names of all the fleets +set out since the war, and particularly of those ships which are +divided from the fleet with Prince Rupert; which gives me +occasion to see that they are busy after that business, and I am +glad of it. This afternoon comes to me Captain O'Bryan, about a +ship that the King hath given him; and he and I to talk of the +Parliament. And he tells me that the business of the Duke of +York's slackening sail in the first fight, at the beginning of +the war, is brought into question, and Sir W. Penn and Captain +Cox are to appear to-morrow about it; and it is thought will at +last be laid upon Mr. Brouncker's giving orders from the Duke of +York (which the Duke of York do not own) to Captain Cox to do it; +but it seems they do resent this very highly, and are mad in +going through all business, where they can lay any fault. I am +glad to hear that in the world I am as kindly spoke of as any +body; for, for aught I see, there is bloody work like to be, Sir +W. Coventry having been forced to produce a letter in Parliament, +wherein the Duke of Albemarle did from Sheernesse write in what +good posture all things were at Chatham, and that they were so +well placed that he feared no attempt of the enemy: so that, +among other things, I do see every body is upon his own defence, +and spares not to blame another to defend himself; and the same +course I shall take. But God knows where it will end! Pelling +tells me that my Lady Duchesse Albemarle was at Mrs. Turner's +this afternoon (she being ill,) and did there publickly talk of +business, and of our office; and that she believed that I was +safe, and had done well; and so, I thank God, I hear every body +speaks of me; and indeed I think, without vanity, I may expect to +be profited rather than injured by this inquiry which the +Parliament makes into business. + +21st. To Westminster, and up to the lobby, where many commanders +of the fleet were, and Captain Cox, and Mr. Pierce the Surgeon; +the last of whom hath been in the House, and declared that he +heard Brouncker advise and give arguments to Cox: for the safety +of the Duke of York's person to shorten sail, that they might not +be in the middle of the enemy in the morning alone; and Cox +denying to observe his advice, having received the Duke of York's +commands over night to keep within gun-shot (as they then were) +of the enemy, Brouncker did go to Harman, and used the same +arguments, and told him that he was sure it would be well +pleasing to the King that care should be taken of not endangering +the Duke of York; and, after much persuasion, Harman was heard to +say, "Why, if it must be, then lower the topsail." and so did +shorten sail, to the loss, as the Parliament will have it, of the +greatest victory that ever was, and which would have saved all +the expence of blood and money, and honour, that followed; and +this they do resent, so as to put it to the question, whether +Brouncker should not be carried to the Tower: who do confess +that, out of kindness to the Duke of York's safety, he did advise +that they should do so, but did not use the Duke of York's name +therein; and so it was only his error in advising it, but; the +greatest theirs in taking it contrary to order. At last it ended +that it should be suspended till Harman comes home; and then the +Parliament-men do all tell me that it will fall heavy, and, they +think, be fatal to Brouncker or him. Sir W. Pen tells me, he was +gone to bed, having been all day labouring, and then not able to +stand, of the gout, and did give order for the keeping the sails +standing as they then were all night. But, which I wonder at, he +tells me that he did not know the next day that they had +shortened sail, nor ever did enquire into it till about ten days +ago, that this began to be mentioned; and indeed it is charged +privately as a fault on the Duke of York, that, he did not +presently examine the reason of the breach of his orders, and +punish it. But Cox tells me that he did finally refuse it; and +what prevailed with Harman he knows not, and do think that we +might have done considerable service on the enemy the next day, +if this had not been done. Thus this business ended to-day, +having kept them till almost two o'clock: and then I by coach +with Sir W. Pen as far as St. Clement's talking of this matter, +and there set down; and I walked to Sir G. Carteret's, and there +dined with him and several Parliament-men, who, I perceive, do +all look upon it as a thing certain that the Parliament will +enquire into every thing, and will be very severe where they can +find any fault. Sir W. Coventry, I hear, did this day make a +speech, in apology for his reading the letter of the Duke of +Albemarle, concerning the good condition which Chatham was in +before the enemy came thither; declaring his simple intention +therein without prejudice to my Lord. And I am told that he was +also with the Duke of Albemarle yesterday to excuse it; but this +day I do hear, by some of Sir W. Coventry's friends, that they +think he hath done himself much injury by making this man and his +interest so much his enemy. After dinner I away to Westminster, +and up to the Parliament house, and there did wait with great +patience till seven at night to be called in to the Committee, +who sat all this afternoon examining the business of Chatham; and +at last was called in, and told that the least they expected from +us Mr. Wren had promised them, and only bade me to bring all my +fellow-officers thither to-morrow afternoon. Sir Robert Brookes +in the chair: methinks a sorry fellow to be there, because a +young man; and yet he seems to speak very well. I gone thence, +my cosen Pepys comes out to me, and walks in the Hall with me, +and bids me prepare to answer to every thing; for they do seem to +lay the business of Chatham upon the Commissioners of the Navy, +and they are resolved to lay the fault heavy somewhere, and to +punish it: and prays me to prepare to save myself, and gives me +hints what; to prepare against; which I am obliged to him for. +This day I did get a list of the fourteen particular miscarriages +which are already before the Committee to be examined, wherein, +besides two or three that will concern this office much, there +are those of the prizes, and that of Bergen, and not following +the Dutch ships, against my Lord Sandwich; that I fear will ruin +him, unless he hath very good luck, or they may be in better +temper before he can come to be charged: but my heart is full of +fear for him and his family. I hear that they do prosecute the +business against my Lord Chief Justice Keeling with great +severity. + +22nd. Slept but ill all the last part of the night, for fear of +this day's success in Parliament: therefore up, and all of us +all the morning close, till almost two o'clock, collecting all we +had to say and had done from the beginning, touching the safety +of the River Medway and Chatham. And having done this, and put +it into order, we away, I not having time to eat my dinner; and +so all in my Lord Brouncker's coach, (that is to say, Brouncker, +W. Pen, T. Hater, and myself,) talking of the other great matter +with which they charge us, that is, of discharging men by ticket, +in order to our defence in case that should be asked. We came to +the Parliament-door, and there, after a little waiting till the +Committee was sat, we were, the House being very full, called in: +(Sir W. Pen went in and sat as a Member: and my Lord Brouncker +would not at first go in, expecting to have a chair set for him, +and his brother had bid him not go in till he was called for; +but, after a few words, I had occasion to mention him, and so he +was called in, but without any more chair or respect paid him +than myself:) and so Brouncker, and T. Hater, and I were there to +answer: and I had a chair brought me to lean my books upon; and +so did give them such an account, in a series of the whole +business that had passed the office touching the matter, and so +answered all questions given me about it, that I did not perceive +but they were fully satisfied with me and the business as to our +office: and then Commissioner Pett (who was by at all my +discourse, and this held till within an hour after candle-light, +for I had candles brought in to read my papers by) was to answer +for himself, we having lodged all matters with him for execution. +But, Lord! what a tumultuous thing this Committee is, for all +the reputation they have of a great council, is a strange +consideration; there being as impertinent questions, and as +disorderly proposed, as any man could make. But Commissioner +Pett of all men living did make the weakest defence of himself: +nothing to the purpose, nor to satisfaction, nor certain; but +sometimes one thing and sometimes another, sometimes for himself +and sometimes against him; and h;s greatest failure was (that I +observed) from his considering whether the question propounded +was his part to answer or no, and the thing to be done was his +work to do: the want of which distinction will overthrow him; +for he concerns himself in giving an account of the disposal of +the boats, which he had no reason at all to do, or take any blame +upon him for them. He charged the not carrying up of "The +Charles" upon the Tuesday to the Duke of Albemarle; but I see the +House is mighty favourable to the Duke of Albemarle, and would +give little weight to it. And something of want of armes he +spoke, which Sir J. Duncomb answered with great imperiousness and +earnestness; but, for all that, I do see the House is resolved to +be better satisfied in the business of the unreadiness of +Sheernesse, and want of armes and ammunition there and every +where; and all their officers were here to-day attending, but +only one called in, about armes for boats to answer Commissioner +Pett. None of my brethren said anything but me there: but only +two or three silly words my Lord Brouncker gave in answer to one +question about the number of men that were in the King's Yard at +the time. At last the House dismissed us, and shortly after did +adjourn the debate till Friday next: and my cosen Pepys did come +out and joy me in my acquitting myself so well, and so did +several others, and my fellow officers all very briske to see +themselves so well acquitted; which makes me a little proud, but +yet not secure but we may yet meet with a back-blow which we see +not. + +23rd. To White Hall, there to attend the Duke of York; but came +a little too late, and so missed it: only spoke with him, and +heard him correct my Lord Barkeley who fell foul on Sir Edward +Spragg, (who, it seems, said yesterday to the House, that if the +officers of the Ordnance had done as much work at Sheernesse in +ten weeks as "The Prince" did in ten days, he could have defended +the place against the Dutch): but the Duke of York told him that +every body must have liberty at this time to make their own +defence, though it be to the charging of the fault upon any +other, so it be true; so I perceive the whole world is at work in +blaming one another. Thence Sir W. Pen and I back into London; +and there saw the King, with his kettle-drums and trumpets, going +to the Exchange to lay the first stone of the first pillar of the +new building of the Exchange; which, the gates being shut, I +could not get in to see; so with Sir W. Pen to Captain Cocke's, +and then again toward Westminster; but in my way stopped at the +Exchange and got in, the King being newly gone; and there find +the bottom of the first pillar laid. And here was a shed set up, +and hung with tapestry, and a canopy of state, and some good +victuals and wine, for the King, who, it seems, did it; [i.e., +Laid the stone.] and so a great many people, as Tom Killigrew +and others of the Court, there. I do find Mr. Gauden in his +gowne as Sheriffe, and understand that the King hath this morning +knighted him upon the place (which I am mightily pleased with); +and I think the other Sheriffe, who is Davis, [He became +afterwards Lord Mayor.] the little fellow, my school-fellow the +bookseller, who was one of Audley's executors, and now become +Sheriffe; which is a strange turn, methinks. To Westminster +Hall, where I came just as the House rose; and there in the Hall +met with Sir W. Coventry, who is in pain to defend himself in the +business of tickets, it being said that the paying of the ships +at Chatham by ticket was by his direction. He says the House was +well satisfied with my Report yesterday; and so several others +told me in the Hall that my Report was very good and +satisfactory, and that I have got advantage by it in the House: +I pray God it may prove so! To the King's playhouse, and saw +"The Black Prince;" which is now mightily bettered by that long +letter being printed, and so delivered to every body at their +going in, and some short reference made to it in the play. But +here to my great satisfaction I did see my Lord Hinchingbroke and +his mistress (with her father and mother); and I am mightily +pleased with the young lady, being handsome enough, and indeed to +my great liking, as I would have her. This day it was moved in +the House that a day might be appointed to bring in an +impeachment against the Chancellor, but it was decried as being +irregular; but that if there was ground for complaint, it might +be brought to the Committee for miscarriages, and, if they +thought good, to present it to the House; and so it was carried. +They did also vote this day thanks to be given to the Prince and +Duke of Albemarle, for their care and conduct in the last year's +war; which is a strange act: but, I know not how, the blockhead +Albemarle hath strange luck to be loved, though he be (and every +man must know it) the heaviest man in the world, but stout and +honest to his country. This evening late, Mr. Moore come to me +to prepare matters for my Lord Sandwich's defence; wherein I can +little assist, but will do all I can; and am in great fear of +nothing but the damned business of the prizes, but I fear my Lord +will receive a cursed deal of trouble by it. + +25th. Up, and to make our answer ready for the Parliament this +afternoon, to show how Commissioner Pett was singly concerned in +the execution of all orders at Chatham, and that we did properly +lodge all orders with him. Thence with Sir W. Pen to the +Parliament Committee, and there I had no more matters asked me. +The Commissioners of the Ordnance, being examined with all +severity and hardly used, did go away with mighty blame; and I am +told by every body that it is likely to stick mighty hard upon +them: at which every body is glad, because of Duncomb's pride, +and their expecting to have the thanks of the House; whereas they +have deserved, as the Parliament apprehends, as bad as bad can +be. Here is great talk of an impeachment brought in against my +Lord Mordaunt, and that another will be brought in against my +Lord Chancellor in a few days. Here I understand for certain +that they have ordered that my Lord Arlington's letters, and +Secretary Morrice's letters of intelligence, be consulted about +the business of the Dutch fleet's coming abroad; and I do hear +how Birch is the man that do examine and trouble every body with +his questions. + +26th. Mrs. Pierce tells me that the two Marshalls at the King's +house are Stephen Marshall's the great Presbyterian's daughters: +and that Nelly and Beck Marshall falling out the other day, the +latter called the other my Lord Buckhurst's mistress. Nell +answered her, "I was but one man's mistress, though I was brought +up in a brothel to fill strong water to the gentlemen; and you +are a mistress to three or four, though a Presbyter's praying +daughter!" + +27th. This evening come Sir J. Minnes to me, to let me know that +a Parliament-man hath been with him to tell him that the +Parliament intend to examine him particularly about Sir W. +Coventry's selling of places, and about my Lord Brouncker's +discharging the ships at Chatham by ticket: for the former of +which I am more particularly sorry, that that business of Sir W. +Coventry should come up again; though this old man tells me, and +I believe, that he can say nothing to it. + +28th. Sir W. Coventry says he is so well armed to justify +himself in every thing, unless in the old business of selling +places, when be says every body did; and he will now not be +forward to tell his own story, as he hath been; but tells me he +is grown wiser, and will put them to prove any thing, and he will +defend himself: that he is weary of public employment; and +neither ever designed, nor will ever, if his commission were +brought to him wrapt in gold, accept of any single place in the +State, as particularly Secretary of State: which, he says, the +world discourses Morrice is willing to resign. + +29th. To Westminster Hall, the House sitting all this day about +the method of bringing in the charge against my Lord Chancellor; +and at last resolved for a Committee to draw up the heads. + +30th. To the Parliament-house: where, after the Committee was +sat, I was called in: and the first thing was upon the complaint +of a dirty slut that was there, about a ticket which she had +lost, and had applied herself to me for another. I did give them +a short and satisfactory answer to that; and so they sent her +away, and were ashamed of their foolery, in giving occasion to +500 seamen and seamen's wives to come before them, as there were +this afternoon. + +31st. I to Westminster; and there at the lobby do hear by +Commissioner Pett, to my great amazement, that he is in worse +condition than before, by the coming in of the Duke of +Albemarle's and Prince Rupert's Narratives this day; wherein the +former do most severely lay matters upon him, so as the House +this day have, I think, ordered him to the Tower again, or +something like it: so that the poor man is likely to be +overthrown, I doubt, right or wrong, so infinite fond they are of +any thing the Duke of Albemarle says or writes to them! I did +then go down, and there met with Colonell Reames and cosen Roger +Pepys: and there they do tell me how the Duke of Albemarle and +the Prince have laid blame on a great many, and particularly on +our office in general; and particularly for want of provision, +wherein I shall come to be questioned again in that business +myself; which do trouble me. But my cosen Pepys and I had much +discourse alone: and he do bewail the constitution of this +House, and says there is a direct caball and faction as much as +is possible between those for and against the Chancellor, and so +in other factions, that there is nothing almost done honestly and +with integrity; only some few, he says, there are, that do keep +out of all plots and combinations, and when their time comes will +speak and see right done if possible; and that he himself is +looked upon to be a man that will be of no faction, and so they +do shun to make him: and I am glad of it. He tells me that he +thanks God that he never knew what it was to be tempted to be a +knave in his life, till he did come into the House of Commons, +where there is nothing done but by passion, and faction, and +private interest. I espied Sir D. Gauden's coach, and so went +out of mine into his; and there had opportunity to talk of the +business of victuals, which the Duke of Albemarle and Prince did +complain that they were in want of the last year: but we do +conclude we shall be able to show quite the contrary of that; +only it troubles me that we must come to contend with these great +persons, which will overrun us. + +NOVEMBER 1, 1667. I this morning before chapel visited Sir G. +Carteret, who is vexed to see how things are likely to go, but +cannot help it, and yet seems to think himself mighty safe. I +also visited my Lord Hinchingbroke, at his chamber at White Hall; +where I found Mr. Turner, Moore, and Creed talking of my Lord +Sandwich, whose case I doubt is but bad, and, I fear, will not +escape being worse. To the King's playhouse, and there saw a +silly play and an old one, "The Taming Of a Shrew." + +2nd. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "Henry the Fourth;" +and, contrary to expectation, was pleased in nothing more than in +Cartwright's speaking of Falstaffe's speech about "What is +Honour?" [William Cartwright, one of Killigrew's Company at the +original establishment of Drury-lane. By his will, dated 1686, +he left his books, pictures, and furniture to Dulwich College, +where his portrait still remains.] The house full of Parliament- +men, it being holyday with them: and it was observable how a +gentleman of good habit sitting just before us, eating of some +fruit in the midst of the play, did drop down as dead, being +choked; but with much ado Orange Mall did thrust her finger down +his throat, and brought him to life again. + +4th. To Westminster; and there landing at the New Exchange +stairs, I to Sir W. Coventry: and there he read over to me the +Prince's and Duke of Albemarle's Narratives; wherein they are +very severe against him and our office. But Sir W. Coventry do +contemn them; only that their persons and qualities are great, +and so I do perceive he is afraid of them, though he will not +confess it. But he do say that, if he can get out of these +briars, he will never trouble himself with Princes nor Dukes +again. He finds several things in their Narratives which are +both inconsistent and foolish, as well as untrue. Sir H. Cholmly +owns Sir W. Coventry, in his opinion, to be one of the worthiest +men in the nation, as I do really think he is. He tells me he do +think really that they will cut off my Lord Chancellor's head, +the Chancellor at this day having as much pride as is possible to +those few that venture their fortunes by coming to see him; and +that the Duke of York is troubled much, knowing that those that +fling down the Chancellor cannot stop there, but will do +something to him, to prevent his having it in his power hereafter +to avenge himself and father-in-law upon them. And this Sir H. +Cholmly fears may be by divorcing the Queene and getting another, +or declaring the Duke of Monmouth legitimate: which God forbid! +He tells me he do verily believe that there will come in an +impeachment of High Treason against my Lord of Ormond; among +other things, for ordering the quartering of soldiers in Ireland +on free quarters; which, it seems, is High Treason in that +country, and was one of the things that lost the Lord Strafford +his head, and the law is not yet repealed; which, he says, was a +mighty oversight of him not to have repealed (which he might with +ease have done), or have justified himself by an Act. + +7th. At noon resolved with Sir W. Pen to go to see "The +Tempest," an old play of Shakespeare's, acted, I hear, the first +day, And so my wife, and girl, and W. Hewer by themselves, and +Sir W. Pen and I afterwards by ourselves: and forced to sit in +the side balcony over against the musique-room at the Duke's +House, close by my Lady Dorset [Frances, daughter of Lionel Earl +of Middlesex, wife of Richard fifth Earl of Dorset.] and a great +many great ones. The house mighty full; the King and Court +there: and the most innocent play that ever I saw; and a curious +piece of musique in an echo of half sentences, the echo repeating +the former half while the man goes on to the latter; which is +mighty pretty. The play has no great wit, but yet good above +ordinary plays. + +9th. The House very busy, and like to be so all day, about my +Lord Chancellor's impeachment, whether Treason or not. + +10th. To White Hall, to speak with Sir W. Coventry; and there, +beyond all we looked for do hear that the Duke of York hath got +and is full of the small-pox. And so we to his lodgings; and +there find most of the family going to St. James's, and the +gallery-doors locked up, that nobody might pass to nor fro: and +so a sad house, I am sorry to see. I am sad to consider the +effects of his death if he should miscarry; but Dr. Frazier tells +me that he is in as good condition as a man can be in his case. +They appeared last night: it seems he was let blood on Friday. + +11th. Sir G. Carteret and I towards the Temple in coach +together; and there he did tell me how the King do all he can in +the world to overthrow my Lord Chancellor, and that notice is +taken of every man about the King that is not seen to promote the +ruine of the Chancellor; and that this being another great day in +his business, he dares not but be there. He tells me that as +soon as Secretary Morrice brought the Great Seale from my Lord +Chancellor, Bab. May fell upon his knees and catched the King +about the legs, and joyed him, and said that this was the first +time that ever he could call him King of England, being freed +from this great man: which was a most ridiculous saying. And he +told me that when first my Lord Gerard, a great while ago, came +to the King, and told him that the Chancellor did say openly that +the King was a lazy person and not fit to govern (which is now +made one of the things in people's mouths against the +Chancellor,) "Why," says the King, "that is no news, for he hath +told me so twenty times, and but the other day he told me so;" +and made matter of mirth at it: but yet this light discourse is +likely to prove bad to him. + +12th. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning; and +there hear that the Duke of York do yet do very well with his +small-pox: pray God he may continue to do so! This morning +also, to my astonishment, I hear that yesterday my Lord +Chancellor, to another of his Articles, that of betraying the +King's councils to his enemies, is voted to have matter against +him for an impeachment of High Treason, and that this day the +impeachment is to be carried up to the House of Lords: which is +very high, and I am troubled at it; for God knows what will +follow, since they that do this must do more to secure themselves +against any that will revenge this, if it ever come in their +power! + +13th. To Westminster: where I find the House sitting, and in a +mighty heat about Commissioner Pett, that they would have him +impeached, though the Committee have yet brought in but part of +their Report: and this heat of the House is much heightened by +Sir Thomas Clifford telling them, that he was the man that did, +out of his own purse, employ people at the out-ports to prevent +the King of Scotts to escape after the battle of Worcester. The +house was in a great heat all this day about it; and at last it +was carried, however, that it should be referred back to the +Committee to make further enquiry. By and by I met with Mr. +Wren, who tells me that the Duke of York is in as good +condition as is possible for a man in his condition of the small- +pox. He, I perceive, is mightily concerned in the business of my +Lord Chancellor, the impeachment against whom is gone up to the +House of Lords; and great differences there are in the Lords' +House about it, and the Lords are very high one against another. +This day Mr. Chichly told me, with a seeming trouble, that the +House have stopped his son Jack (Sir John) his going to France, +that he may be a witness against my Lord Sandwich: which do +trouble me, though he can, I think, say little. + +15th. A conference between the two Houses today; so I stayed: +and it was only to tell the Commons that the Lords' cannot agree +to the confining or sequestring of the Earle of Clarendon from +the Parliament, forasmuch as they do not specify any particular +crime which they lay upon him and call Treason. This the House +did receive, and so parted: at which, I hear the Commons are +like to grow very high, and will insist upon their privileges, +and the Lords will own theirs, though the Duke of Buckingham, +Bristoll, and others have been very high in the House of Lords to +have had him committed. This is likely to breed ill blood. The +King hath (as Mr. Moore says Sir Thomas Crewe told him) been +heard to say that the quarrel is not between my Lord Chancellor +and him, but his brother and him; which will make sad work among +us if that be once promoted, as to be sure it will, Buckingham +and Bristoll being now the only counsel the King follows, so as +Arlington and Coventry are come to signify little. He tells me +they are likely to fall upon my Lord Sandwich; but for my part +sometimes I am apt to think they cannot do him much harm, he +telling me that there is no great fear of the business of +Resumption. This day Poundy the waterman was with me, to let me +know that he was summoned to bear witness against me to Prince +Rupert's people (who have a commission to look after the business +of prize-goods), about the business of the prize-goods I was +concerned in: but I did desire him to speak all he knew, and not +to spare me, nor did promise nor give him any thing, but sent him +away with good words. + +16th. Met Mr. Gregory, my old acquaintance, an understanding +gentleman; and he and I walked an hour together, talking of the +bad prospect of the times. And the sum of what I learn from him +is this: That the King is the most concerned in the world +against the Chancellor and all people that do not appear against +him, and therefore is angry with the Bishops, having said that he +had one Bishop on his side (Crofts), [Herbert Croft, Dean of +Hereford, elected Bishop of that see 1661.] and but one: that +Buckingham and Bristoll are now his only Cabinet Counsel; and +that, before the Duke of York fell sick, Buckingham was admitted +to the King of his Cabinet, and there stayed with him several +hours, and the Duke of York shut out. That it is plain that +there is dislike between the King and Duke of York, and that it +is to be feared that the House will go so far against the +Chancellor, that they must do something to undo the Duke of York, +or will not think themselves safe. That this Lord Vaughan that is +so great against the Chancellor, is one of the lewdest fellows of +the age, worse than Sir Charles Sedley; and that he was heard to +swear he would do my Lord Clarendon's business. [John Lord +Vaughan, eldest surviving son to Richard Earl of Carbery, whom he +succeeded. He was well versed in literature, and President of +the Royal Society from 1686 to 1689, and had been Governor of +Jamaica. He was amongst Dryden's earliest patrons Ob. 1712-13.] +That he do find that my Lord Clarendon hath more friends in both +Houses than he believes he would have, by reason that they do see +what are the hands that pull him down; which they do not like. +That Harry Coventry was scolded at by the King severely the other +day; and that his answer was, that if he must not speak what he +thought in this business in Parliament, he must not come thither. +And he says that by this very business Harry Coventry hath got +more fame and common esteem than any gentleman in England hath at +this day, and is an excellent and able person. That the King, +who not long ago did say of Bristoll, that he was a man able in +three years to get himself a fortune in any kingdom in the world, +and lose all again in three months, do now hug him and commend +his parts every where, above all the world. How fickle is this +man, and how unhappy we like to be! That he fears some furious +courses will be taken against the Duke of York; and that he hath +heard that it was designed, if they cannot carry matters against +the Chancellor, to impeach the Duke of York himself; which God +forbid! That Sir Edward Nicholas, whom he served while +Secretary, is one of the best men in the world, but hated by the +Queene-Mother, (for a service he did the old King against her +mind and her favourites;) and that she and my Lady Castlemaine +did make the King to lay him aside: but this man says that he is +one of the most heavenly and charitable men in the whole world. +That the House of Commons resolve to stand by their proceedings, +and have chosen a Committee to draw up the reason thereof to +carry to the Lords; which is likely to breed great heat between +them. That the Parliament, after all this, is likely to give the +King no money; and therefore, that it is to be wondered what +makes the King give way to so great extravagancies, which do all +tend to the making him less than he is, and so will every day +more and more: and by this means every creature is divided +against the other, that there never was so great an uncertainty +in England, of what would be the event of things, as at this +day; nobody being at ease, or safe. To White Hall; and there got +into the theatre room, and there heard both the vocall and +instrumentall musick. Here was the King and Queene, and some of +the ladies; among whom none more jolly than my Lady Buckingham, +her Lord being once more a great man. + +19th. I was told this day that Lory Hide, [Laurence Hyde, Master +of the Robes, afterwards created Earl of Rochester.] second son +of my Lord Chancellor, did some time since in the House say, that +if he thought his father was guilty but of one of the things then +said against him, he would be the first that should call for +judgement against him: which Mr. Waller the poet did say was +spoke like the old Roman, like Brutus, for its greatness and +worthiness. + +20th. This afternoon Mr. Mills told me how fully satisfactory my +first Report was to the House in the business of Chatham: which +I am glad to hear; and the more, for that I know that he is a +great creature of Sir R. Brookes's. + +21st. Among other things of news I do hear, that upon the +reading of the House of Commons' Reasons of the manner of their +proceedings in the business of my Lord Chancellor, the Reasons +were so bad, that my Lord Bristoll himself did declare that he +would not stand, to what he had and did still advise the Lords to +concur to, upon any of the Reasons of the House of Commons; but +if it was put to the question whether it should be done on their +Reasons, he would be against them: and indeed it seems the +Reasons, however they come to escape the House of Commons (which +shows how slightly the greatest matters are done in this world, +and even in Parliaments), were none of them of strength, but the +principle of them untrue; they saying, that where any man is +brought before a Judge accused of Treason in general, without +specifying the particular, the Judge is obliged to commit him. +The question being put by the Lords to my Lord Keeper, he said +that quite the contrary was true. And then in the Sixth Article +(I will get a copy of them if I can) there are two or three +things strangely asserted to the diminishing of the King's power, +as is said at least; things that heretofore would not have been +heard of. But then the question being put among the Lords, as my +Lord Bristoll advised, whether, upon the whole matter and Reasons +that had been laid before them, they would commit my Lord +Clarendon, it was carried five to one against it; there being but +three Bishops against him, of whom Cosens [John Cosins, Master of +Peter House and Dean of Peterborough in the time of Charles I.; +afterwards Bishop of Durham. Ob. 1671-2, aged 78.] and Dr. +Reynolds [Edward Reynolds, Bishop of Norwich. Ob. 1676.] were +two, and I know not the third. This made the opposite Lords, as +Bristoll and Buckingham, so mad that they declared and protested +against it, speaking very broad that there was mutiny and +rebellion in the hearts of the Lords, and that they desired they +might enter their dissents, which they did do in great fury. So +that upon the Lords sending to the Commons, as I am told, to have +a conference for them to give their answer to the Commons' +Reasons, the Commons did desire a free conference: but the Lords +do deny it; and the reason is, that they hold not the Commons any +Court, but that themselves only are a Court, and the Chief Court +of Judicature, and therefore are not to dispute the laws and +method of their own Court with them that are none, and so will +not submit so much as to have their power disputed. And it is +conceived that much of this eagerness among the Lords do arise +from the fear some of them have that they may be dealt with in +the same manner themselves, and therefore to stand upon it now. +It seems my Lord Clarendon hath, as is said and believed, had his +coach and horses several times in his coach, ready to carry him +to the Tower, expecting a message to that purpose; but by this +means his case is like to be laid by. With Creed to a Tavern, +where Dean Wilkins and others: and good discourse; among the +rest, of a man that is a little frantic (that hath been a kind of +Minister, Dr. Wilkins saying that he hath read for him in his +church), that is poor and a debauched man, that the College have +hired for 20s. to have some of the blood of a sheep let into his +body; and it is to be done on Saturday next. They purpose to let +in about twelve ounces; which, they compute, is what will be let +in in a minute's time by a watch. On this occasion Dr. Whistler +told a pretty story related by Muffett, a good author, of Dr. +Cayus that built Caius College; that being very old, and living +only at that time upon woman's milk, he, while he fed upon the +milk of an angry fretful woman, was so himself; and then being +advised to take it of a good-natured patient woman, he did become +so beyond the common temper of his age. + +22nd. Met with Cooling, my Lord Chamberlain's Secretary, and +from him learn the truth of all I heard last night; and +understand further, that this stiffness of the Lords is in no +manner of kindness to my Lord Chancellor, for he neither hath, +nor do, nor for the future can oblige any of them, but rather the +contrary; but that they do fear what the consequence may be to +themselves, should they yield in his case, as many of them have +reason. And more, he showed me how this is rather to the wrong +and prejudice of my Lord Chancellor, for that it is better for +him to come to be tried before the Lords, where he can have right +and make interest, than, when the Parliament is up, be committed +by the King, and tried by a Court on purpose made by the King of +what Lords the King pleases, who have a mind to have his head. +So that my Lord Cornbury himself, his son, (he tells me,) hath +moved that if they have Treason against my Lord of Clarendon, +that they would specify it and send it up to the Lords, that he +might come to his trial; so full of intrigues this business is! +Walked a good while in the Temple church, observing the plainness +of Selden's tomb, and how much better one of his executors hath, +who is buried by him. + +23rd. Busy till late preparing things to fortify myself and +fellows against the Parliament; and particularly myself against +what I fear is thought, that I have suppressed the Order of the +Board by which the discharging the great ships at Chatham by +tickets was directed; whereas, indeed, there was no such Order. + +25th. This morning Sir W. Pen tells me that the house was very +hot on Saturday last upon the business of liberty of speech in +the House and damned the vote in the beginning of the Long- +Parliament against it; so that he fears that there may be some +bad thing which they have a mind to broach, which they dare not +do without more security than they now have. God keep us, for +things look mighty ill! + +26th. This evening comes to me to my closet at the office Sir +John Chichly, of his own accord, to tell me what he shall answer +to the Committee, when, as he expects, he shall be examined about +my Lord Sandwich; which is so little as will not hurt my Lord at +all, I know. + +27th. Mr. Pierce comes to me, and there in general tells me, how +the King is now fallen in and become a slave to the Duke of +Buckingham, led by none but him, whom he (Mr. Pierce) swears he +knows do hate the very person of the King, and would as well, as +will certainly, ruin him. He do say, and I think is right, that +the King do in this do the most ungrateful part of a master to a +servant that ever was done, in this carriage of his to my Lord +Chancellor: that it may be the Chancellor may have faults, but +none such as these they speak of; that he do now really fear that +all is going to ruin, for he says he hears that Sir W. Coventry +hath been just before his sickness with the Duke of York, to ask +his forgiveness and peace for what he had done; for that he never +could foresee that what he meant so well, in the counselling to +lay by the Chancellor, should come to this. + +30th. To Arundell House, to the election of officers [Of the +Royal Society.] for the next year; where I was near being chosen +of the Council, but am glad I was not, for I could not have +attended, though above all things I could wish it; and do take it +as a mighty respect to have been named there. Then to Cary +House, a house now of entertainment, next my Lord Ashly's; where +I have heretofore heard Common Prayer in the time of Dr. Mossum. +[Probably Robert Massum, D.D., Dean of Christ Church, Dublin; and +in 1666 made Bishop of Derry.] I was pleased to see the person +who had his blood taken out. He speaks well, and did this day +give the Society a relation thereof in Latin, saying that he +finds himself much better since, and as a new man; but he is +cracked a little in his head, though he speaks very reasonably, +and very well. He had but 20s. for his suffering it, and is to +have the same again tried upon him: the first sound man that +ever had it tried on him in England, and but one that we hear of +in France. My Lord Anglesy told me this day that he did believe +the House of Commons would the next week yield to the Lords; but +speaking with others this day, they conclude they will not, but +that rather the King will accommodate it by committing my Lord +Clarendon himself. I remember what Mr. Evelyn said, that he did +believe we should soon see ourselves fall into a Commonwealth +again. + +DECEMBER 1, 1667. I to church: and in our pew there sat a great +lady, whom I afterwards understood to be my Lady Carlisle, [Anne, +daughter of Edward Lord Howard of Escrick, wife to Charles first +Earl of Carlisle.] a very fine woman indeed in person. + +2nd. The Lords' answer is come down to the Commons, that they +are not satisfied in the Commons reasons; and so the Commons are +hot, and like to sit all day upon the business what to do herein, +most thinking that they will remonstrate against the Lords. +Thence to Lord Crewe's, and there dined with him; where, after +dinner, he took me aside and bewailed the condition of the +nation, now the King and his brother are at a distance about this +business of the Chancellor, and the two houses differing: and he +do believe that there are so many about the King like to be +concerned and troubled by the Parliament, that they will get him +to dissolve or prorogue the Parliament; and the rather, for that +the King is likely by this good husbandry of the Treasury to get +out of debt, and the Parliament is likely to give no money. +Among other things, my Lord Crewe did tell me with grief that he +hears that the King of late hath not dined nor supped with the +Queene, as he used of late to do. To Westminster Hall, where my +cosen Roger tells me of the high vote of the Commons this +afternoon, that the proceedings of the Lords in the case of my +Lord Clarendon are an obstruction to justice, and of ill +precedent to future times. + +3rd. To Sir W. Coventry's, the first time I have seen him at his +new house since he came to lodge there. He tells me of the vote +for none of the House to be of the Commission for the Bill of +Accounts; which he thinks is so great a disappointment to Birch +and others that expected to be of it, that he thinks, could it +have been seen, there would not have been any Bill at all. We +hope it will be the better for all that are to account; it being +likely that the men, being few and not of the House will hear +reason. The main business I went about was about Gilsthrop, Sir +W. Batten's clerk; who being upon his death-bed, and now dead, +hath offered to make discoveries of the disorders of the Navy and +of 65,000l. damage to the King: which made mighty note in the +Commons House; and members appointed to go to him, which they +did; but nothing to the purpose got from him, but complaints of +false musters, and ships being refitted with victuals and stores +at Plymouth after they were fitted from other ports. But all +this to no purpose, nor more than we know and will owne. But the +best is, that this logger-head should say this, that understands +nothing of the Navy, nor ever would; and hath particularly +blemished his master by name among us. I told Sir W. Coventry of +my letter to Sir R. Brookes, and his answer to me. He advises +me, in what I write to him, to be as short as I can, and obscure, +saving in things fully plain; for that all that he do is to make +mischief; and that the greatest wisdom in dealing with the +Parliament in the world is to say little, and let them get out +what they can by force: which I shall observe. He declared to +me much of his mind to be ruled by his own measures, and not to +go so far as many would have him to the ruin of my Lord +Chancellor, and for which they do endeavour to do what they can +against Sir W. Coventry. "But," says he, "I have done my do in +helping to get him out of the administration of things, for which +he is not fit; but for his life or estate I will have nothing to +say to it: besides that, my duty to my master the Duke of York +is such, that I will perish before I will do any thing to +displease or disoblige him, where the very necessity of the +kingdom do not in my judgment call me." Home; and there met W. +Batelier, who tells me the first great, news, that my Lord +Chancellor is fled this day, and left a paper behind him for the +House of Lords, telling them the reason of his retiring, +complaining of a design for his ruin. But the paper I must get: +only the thing at present is great, and will put the King and +Commons to some new counsels certainly. Sir Richard Ford told us +this evening an odd story of the basenesse of the Lord Mayor, Sir +W. Bolton, in cheating the poor of the City (out of the +collections made for the people that were burned) of 1800l.; of +which he can give no account, and in which he hath forsworn +himself plainly, so as the Court of Aldermen have sequestered him +from their Court till he do bring in an account. He says also +that this day hath been made appear to them that the Keeper of +Newgate hath at this day made his house the only nursery of +rogues, prostitutes, pickpockets and thieves, in the world; where +they were bred and entertained and the whole society met; and +that for the sake of the Sheriffes they durst not this day commit +him, for fear of making him let out the prisoners but are fain to +go by artifice to deal with him. He tells me also, speaking of +the new street that is to be made from Guild Hall down to +Cheapside, that the ground is already most of it bought. And +tells me of one particular, of a man that hath a piece of ground +lying in the very middle of the street that must be; which, when +the street is cut out of it, there will remain ground enough, of +each side, to build a house to front the street. He demanded +700l. for the ground, and to be excused paying any thing for the +melioration of the rest of his ground that he was to keep. The +Court consented to give him 700l., only not to abate him the +consideration: which the man denied; but told them, and so they +agreed, that he would excuse the City the 700l., that he might +have the benefit of the melioration without paying any thing for +it. So much some will get by having the City burned! Ground by +this means, that was not worth 4d. a-foot before, will now, when +houses are built, be worth 15s. a-foot. But he tells me of the +common standard now reckoned on between man and man, in places +where there is no alteration of circumstances, but only the +houses burnt, there the ground, which with a house on it did +yield 100l. a year, is now reputed worth 33l. 6s. 8d.; and that +this is the common market-price between one man and another, made +upon a good and moderate medium. + +4th. I hear that the House of Lords did send down the paper +which my Lord Clarendon left behind him, directed to the Lords, +to be seditious and scandalous; and the Commons have voted that +it be burned by the hands of the hangman, and that the King be +desired to agree to it. I do hear also that they have desired +the King to use means to stop his escape out of the nation. This +day Gilsthrop is buried, who hath made all the late discourse of +the great discovery of 65,000l. of which the King hath been +wronged. + +6th. With Sir J. Minnes to the Duke of York, the first time that +I have seen him, or we waited on him, since his sickness: and +blessed be God, he is not at all the worse for the small-pox, but +is only a little weak yet. We did much business with him, and so +parted. My Lord Anglesy told me how my Lord Northampton [James +third Earl of Northampton, Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, and +constable of the Tower, Ob. 1681.] brought in a Bill into the +House of Lords yesterday, under the name of a Bill for the Honour +and Privilege of the House, and Mercy to my Lord Clarendon: +which, he told me, he opposed, saying that he was a man accused +of treason by the House of Commons, and mercy was not proper for +him, having not been tried yet, and so no mercy needful for him. +However, the Duke of Buckingham and others did desire that the +Bill, might be read; and it was for banishing my Lord Clarendon +from all his Majesty's dominions, and that it should be treason +to have him found in any of them: the thing is only a thing of +vanity, and to insult over him. By and by home with Sir J. +Minnes, who tells me that my Lord Clarendon did go away in a +Custom-house boat, and is now at Callis: and, I confess, nothing +seems to hang more heavy than his leaving of this unfortunate +paper behind him, that hath angered both Houses, and hath, I +think, reconciled them in that which otherwise would have broke +them in pieces: so that I do hence, and from Sir W. Coventry's +late example and doctrine to me, learn that on these sorts of +occasions there is nothing like silence; it being seldom any +wrong to a man to say nothing, but for the most part it is to say +any thing. Sir J. Minnes told me a story of Lord Cottington, +who, wanting a son, intended to make his nephew his heir, a +country boy; but did alter his mind upon the boy's being +persuaded by another young heir (in roguery) to crow like a cock +at my Lord's table, much company being there, and the boy having +a great trick at doing that perfectly. My Lord bade them take +away that fool from the table, and so gave over the thoughts of +making him his heir from this piece of folly. Captain Cocke +comes to me; and, among other discourse, tells me that he is told +that an impeachment against Sir W. Coventry will be brought in +very soon. He tells me that even those that are against my Lord +Chancellor and the Court in the House, do not trust nor agree one +with another. He tells me that my Lord Chancellor went away +about ten at night, on Saturday last, at Westminster; and took +boat at Westminster, and thence by a vessel to Callis, where he +believes he now is; and that the Duke of York and Mr. Wren knew +of it, and that himself did know of it on Sunday morning: that +on Sunday his coach, and people about it, went to Twittenham, and +the world thought that he had been there: that nothing but this +unhappy paper hath undone him, and that he doubts that this paper +hath lost him every where: that his withdrawing do reconcile +things so far as, he thinks, the heat of their fury will be over, +and that all will be made well between the two brothers: that +Holland do endeavour to persuade the King of France to break +peace with us: that the Dutch will, without doubt, have sixty +sail of ships out the next year: so knows not what will become +of us, but hopes the Parliament will find money for us to have a +fleet. + +7th. Somebody told me this day that they hear that Thomson with +the wooden leg, and Wildman, the Fifth-Monarchy man (a great +creature of the Duke of Buckingham's), are in nomination to be +Commissioners, among others, upon the Bill of Accounts. + +8th. To White Hall, where I saw the Duchesse of York (in a fine +dress of second mourning for her mother, being black edged with +ermin) go to make her first visit to the Queene since the Duke of +York's being sick; and by and by she being returned, the Queene +came and visited her. But it was pretty to observe that Sir W. +Coventry and I walking an hour and more together in the Matted +Gallery, he observed, and so did I, how the Duchesse, soon as she +spied him, turned her head a' one side. Here he and I walked +thus long, which we have not done a great while before. Our +discourse was upon every thing: the unhappiness of having our +matters examined by people that understand them not; that it is +better for us in the Navy to have men that do understand the +whole, and that are not passionate; that we that have taken the +most pains are called upon to answer for all crimes, while those +that, like Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes, did sit and do +nothing, do lie still without any trouble: that if it were to +serve the King and kingdom again in a war, neither of us could do +more, though upon this experience we might do better than we did: +that the commanders, the gentlemen that could never be brought to +order, but undid all, are now the men that find fault and abuse +others: that it had been much better for the King to have given +Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten 1000l. a-year to have sat still, +than to have had them in this business this war: that the +serving a prince that minds not his business is most unhappy for +them that serve him well, and an unhappiness so great that he +declares he will never have more to do with a war under him. +That he hath papers which do flatly contradict the Duke of +Albemarle's Narrative; and that he hath been with the Duke of +Albemarle and showed him them, to prevent his falling into +another like fault: that the Duke of Albemarle seems to be able +to answer them; but he thinks that the Duke of Albemarle and the +Prince are contented to let their Narratives sleep, they being +not only contradictory in some things (as he observed about the +business of the Duke of Albemarle's being to follow the Prince +upon the dividing the fleet in case the enemy come out), but +neither of them to be maintained in others. That the business +the other night of my Lord Anglesy at the Council was happily got +over for my Lord, by his dexterous silencing it, and the rest not +urging it further; forasmuch as had the Duke of Buckingham come +in time enough and had got it by the end, he would have touched +him in it; Sir W. Coventry telling me that my Lord Anglesy did +with such impudence maintain the quarrel against the Commons and +some of the Lords, in the business of my Lord Clarendon, that he +believes there are enough would be glad but of this occasion to +be revenged of him. He tells me that he hears some of the +Thomsons are like to be of the Commission for the Accounts, and +Wildman, which he much wonders at, as having been a false fellow +to every body, and in prison most of the time since the King's +coming in. But he do tell me that the House is in such a +condition that nobody can tell what to make of them, and, he +thinks, they were never in before; that every body leads, and +nobody follows; and that he do now think that, since a great many +are defeated in their expectation of being of the Commission, now +they would put it into such hands as it shall get no credit from: +for if they do look to the bottom and see the King's case, they +think they are then bound to give the King money; whereas they +would be excused from that, and therefore endeavour to make this +business of the Accounts to signify little. Comes Captain Cocke +to me; and there he tells me, to my great satisfaction, that Sir +Robert Brookes did dine with him to-day; and that he told him, +speaking of me, that he would make me the darling of the House of +Commons, so much he is satisfied concerning me. And this Cocke +did tell me that I might give him thanks for it; and I do think +it may do me good, for he do happen to be held a considerable +person, of a young man, both for sobriety and ability. + +9th. Comes Sir G. Carteret to talk with me, who seems to think +himself safe as to his particular, but do doubt what will become +of the whole kingdom, things being so broke in pieces. He tells +me that the King himself did the other day very particularly tell +the whole story of my Lord Sandwich's not following the Dutch +ships, with which he is charged; and shows the reasons of it to +be the only good course he could have taken, and do discourse it +very knowingly. This I am glad of, though, as the King is now, +his favour, for aught I see, serves very little in stead at this +day, but rather is an argument against a man; and the King do not +concern himself to relieve or justify any body, but is wholly +negligent of every body's concernment. + +10th. The King did send a message to the House to-day that he +would adjourn them on the 17th instant to February; by which +time, at least, I shall have more respite to prepare things on my +own behalf and the office, against their return. + +11th. I met Harris the player, and talked of "Catiline," which +is to be suddenly acted at the King's house; and there all agree +that it cannot be well done at that house, there not being good +actors enough: and Burt [Davies, says Burt, ranked in the list +of good actors without possessing superior talents.--DRAMATIC +MISCELLANIES.] acts Cicero, which they all conclude he will not +be able to do well. The King gives them 500l. for robes, there +being, as they say, to be sixteen scarlet robes. Comes Sir W. +Warren [I have been recently informed that Charles II., April 12, +1662, knighted a rich tradesman of Wapping, named WILLIAM WARREN; +and there is still in that parish a place called "SIR WILLIAM +WARREN'S SQUARE," perhaps built on the site of the knight's +residence.] to talk about some business of his and mine: and +he, I find, would have me not to think that the Parliament, in +the mind they are in, and having so many good offices in their +view to dispose of, will leave any of the King's officers in, but +will rout all, though I am likely to escape as well as any, if any +can escape. And I think he is in the right, and I do look for it +accordingly. + +12th. My bookseller did give me a list of the twenty who were +mentioned for the Commission in Parliament for the Accounts: and +it is strange that of the twenty the Parliament could not think +fit to choose their nine, but were fain to add three that were +not in the list of the twenty, they being many of them factious +people and ringleaders in the late troubles; so that Sir John +Talbot did fly out and was very hot in the business of Wildman's +being named, and took notice how he was entertained in the bosom +of the Duke of Buckingham, a Privy-counsellor; and that it was +fit to be observed by the House, and punished. The men that I +know of the nine I like very well; that is, Mr. Pierrepoint, Lord +Brereton, [William, third Lord Brereton, of Leaghlin in Ireland, +M.P. for Cheshire, where he possessed an estate which he disposed +of on account of the exigences of the times, and his father's +losses in the cause of Charles I. He was educated at Breda, and +was an accomplished and amiable nobleman, and one of the Founders +of the Royal Society, Ob. 1679.] and Sir William Turner; and I +do think the rest are so too, but such as will not be able to do +this business as it ought to be to do any good with. Here I did +also see their votes against my Lord Chief Justice Keeling, that +his proceedings were illegal, and that he was a contemner of +Magna Charta, the great preserver of our lives, freedoms and +properties, and an introduction to arbitrary government; which is +very high language, and of the same sound with that in the year +1640. This day my Lord Chancellor's letter was burned at the +'Change. + +13th. To Westminster, to the Parliament-door, to speak with +Roger: and here I saw my Lord Keeling go into the House to the +bar, to have his business heard by the whole House to-day; and a +great crowd of people to stare upon him. Here I hear that the +Lord's Bill for banishing and disabling my Lord Clarendon from +bearing any office, or being in the King's dominions, and it +being made felony for any to correspond with him but his own +children, is brought to the Commons; but they will not agree to +it, being not satisfied with that as sufficient, but will have a +Bill of Attainder brought in against him: but they make use of +this against the Lords, that they that would not think there was +cause enough to commit him without hearing, will have him +banished without hearing. By and by comes out my cosen Roger to +me, he being not willing to be in the House at the business of my +Lord Keeling, lest he should be called upon to complain against +him for his abusing him at Cambridge. Among other news it is now +fresh that the King of Portugall is deposed, and his brother made +King; and that my Lord Sandwich is gone from Madrid with great +honour to Lisbon, to make up at this juncture a peace to the +advantage, as the Spaniard would have it, of Spain. I wish it +may be for my Lord's honour, if it be so; but it seems my Lord is +in mighty estimation in Spain. With my cosen Roger to +Westminster Hall; and there we met the House rising: and they +have voted my Lord Chief Justice Keeling's proceedings illegal; +but that out of particular respect to him and the mediation of a +great many, they have resolved to proceed no further against him. + +16th. To Westminster, where I find the House mighty busy upon a +petition against my Lord Gerard, which lays heavy things to his +charge, of his abusing the King in his Guards; and very hot the +House is upon it. + +17th. This day I do hear at White Hall that the Duke of Monmouth +is sick, and in danger of the small-pox. + +19th. To the office, where Commissioner Middleton first took his +place at the Board as Surveyor of the Navy; and indeed I think +will be an excellent officer, I am sure much beyond what his +predecessor was. This evening the King by message (which he +never did before) hath passed several Bills, among others that +for the Accounts and for banishing my Lord Chancellor, and hath +adjourned the House to February; at which I am glad, hoping in +this time to get leisure to state my Tangier Accounts, and to +prepare better for the Parliament's enquiries. Here I hear how +the House of Lords with great severity, if not tyranny, have +proceeded against poor Carr, who only erred in the manner of the +presenting his petition against my Lord Gerard, it being first +printed before it was presented: which was, it seems, by +Colonell Sands's going into the country, into whose hands he had +put it: the poor man is ordered to stand in the pillory two or +three times, and to have his eares cut, and be imprisoned I know +not how long. But it is believed that the Commons, when they +meet, will not be well pleased with it; and they have no reason, +I think. + +21st. The Nonconformists are mighty high, and their meetings +frequented and connived at; and they do expect to have their day +now soon; for my Lord of Buckingham is a declared friend to them, +and even to the Quakers, who had very good words the other day +from the King himself: and, what is more, the Archbishop of +Canterbury [Gilbert Sheldon.] is called no more to the Caball, +nor, by the way, Sir W. Coventry: which I am sorry for, the +Caball at present being, as he says, the King, and Duke of +Buckingham, and Lord Keeper, the Duke of Albemarle, and Privy +Seale. The Bishops differing from the King in the late business +in the House of Lords, have caused this and what is like to +follow, for every body is encouraged now-a-days to speak, and +even to preach (as I have heard one of them), as bad things +against them as ever in the year 1640; which is a strange change. + +23rd. I to the Exchange; and there I saw Carr stand in the +pillory for the business of my Lord Gerard; and there hear by +Creed that the Bishops of Winchester [George Morley.] and of +Rochester, [John Dolben.] and the Dean of the Chapel, and some +other great prelates, are suspended: and a cloud upon the +Archbishop ever since the late business in the House of Lords; +and I believe it will be a heavy blow to the Clergy. + +24th. By coach to St. James's, it being about six at night; my +design being to see the ceremonys, this night being the eve of +Christmas, at the Queene's chapel. I got in almost up to the +rail, and with a good deal of patience staid from nine at night +to two in the morning in a very great crowd: and there expected +but found nothing extraordinary, there being nothing but a high +masse. The Queene was there, and some high-ladies. All being +done, I was sorry for my coming, and missing of what I expected; +which was, to have had a child born and dressed there, and a +great deal of do; but we broke up, and nothing like it done. And +there I left people receiving the Sacrament: and the Queene +gone, and ladies; only my Lady Castlemaine, who looked prettily +in her night-clothes. And so took my coach, which waited; and +drank some burnt wine at the Rose Tavern door while the +constables came, and two or three bellmen went by, it being a +fine light moonshine morning: and so home round the City. + +26th. With my wife to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The +Surprizall;" [A comedy, by Sir Robert Howard.] which did not +please me to-day, the actors not pleasing me; and especially +Nell's acting of a serious part, which she spoils. I hear this +day that Mrs. Stewart do at this day keep a great court at +Somerset House with her husband the Duke of Richmond, she being +visited for her beauty's sake by people as the Queene is at +nights; and they say also that she is likely to go to Court; +again, and there put my Lady Castlemaine's nose out of joynt. + +27th. A Committee of Tangier met; the Duke of York there. And +there I did discourse over to them their condition as to money; +which they were all mightily as I could desire satisfied with, +but the Duke of Albemarle, who takes the part of the Guards +against us in our supplies of money; which is an odd +consideration for a dull, heavy blockhead as he is, understanding +no more of either than a goose: but the ability and integrity of +Sir W. Coventry, in all the King's concernments, I do and must +admire. After the Committee, Sir W. Coventry tells me that the +businesse of getting the Duchesse of Richmond to Court is broke +off, the Duke not suffering it; and thereby great trouble is +brought among the people that endeavoured it, and thought they +had compassed it. But Lord! to think that at this time the King +should mind no other cares but these! We tells me that my Lord +of Canterbury is a mighty stout man, and a man of a brave, high +spirit, and cares not for this disfavour that he is under at +Court, knowing that the King cannot take away his profits during +his life, and therefore do not value it. + +28th. To the King's house, and there saw "The Mad Couple;" which +is but an ordinary play; but only Nell's and Hart's mad parts are +most excellent done, but especially her's: which makes it a +miracle to me to think how ill she do any serious part, as the +other day, just like a fool or changeling; and, in a mad part, do +beyond all imitation almost. It pleased us mightily to see the +natural affection of a poor woman, the mother of one of the +children brought on the stage: the child crying she by force got +upon the stage, and took up her child and carried it away off of +the stage from Hart. Many fine faces here to-day. I am told to- +day, which troubles me, that great complaint is made upon the +'Change, among our merchants, that the very Ostend little +pickaroon men-of-war do offer violence to our merchant-men and +search them, beat our masters, and plunder them, upon pretence of +carrying Frenchmen's goods. + +29th. At night comes Mrs. Turner to see us; and there, among +other talk, she tells me that Mr. William Pen, who is lately come +over from Ireland, is a Quaker again, or some very melancholy +thing; that he cares for no company, nor comes into any which is +a pleasant thing, after his being abroad so long, and his father +such a hypocritical rogue, and at this time an atheist. + +30th. Sir G. Carteret and I alone did talk of the ruinous +condition we are in, the King being going to put out of the +Council so many able men; such as my Lord Anglesy, Ashly, Hollis, +Secretary Morrice (to bring in Mr. Trevor, [John Trevor, knighted +by Charles II. who made him Secretary of State, 1668, which +office he held till his death in 1672.]) and the Archbishop of +Canterbury and my Lord Bridgewater. He tells me that this is +true, only the Duke of York do endeavour to hinder it, and the +Duke of York himself did tell him so; that the King and the Duke +of York do not in company disagree, but are friendly; but that +there is a core in their hearts, he doubts, which is not to be +easily removed; for these men so suffer only for their constancy +to the Chancellor, or at least from the King's ill-will against +him. He do suggest that something is intended for the Duke of +Monmouth, and, it may be, against the Queene also: that we are +in no manner sure against an invasion the next year: that the +Duke of Buckingham do rule all now, and the Duke of York comes +indeed to the Caball, but signifies little there. That this new +faction do not endure, nor the King; Sir W. Coventry; but yet +that he is so usefull that they cannot be without him; but that +he is not now called to the Caball. That my Lord of Buckingham, +Bristoll, and Arlington do seem to agree in these things; but +that they do not in their hearts trust one another, but do drive +several ways all of them. In short, he do bless himself that he +is no more concerned in matters now; and the hopes he hath of +being at liberty, when his accounts are over, to retire into the +country. That he do give over the kingdom for wholly lost. This +day I got a little rent in my new fine camlett cloak with the +latch of Sir G. Carteret's door; but it is darned up at my +tailor's, that it will be no great blemish to it; but it troubled +me. I could not but observe that Sir Philip Carteret [Sir G. +Carteret's eldest son, mentioned before, who had been knighted.] +would fain have given me my going into a play; but yet when he +came to the door he had no money to pay for himself I having +refused to accept of it for myself, but was fain; and I perceive +he is known there, and do run upon the score for plays, which is +a shame; but I perceive always he is in want of money. In the +pit I met with Sir Ch. North (formerly Mr. North, who was with my +Lord at sea); and he, of his own accord, was so silly as to tell +me he is married; and for her quality, being a Lord's daughter, +[Catherine, daughter to William Lord Grey of Warke, and widow of +Sir Edward Moseley.] (my Lord Grey) and person and beauty, and +years and estate and disposition, he is the happiest man in the +world. I am sure he is an ugly fellow; but a good scholar and +sober gentleman; and heir to his father, now Lord North, the old +Lord being dead. + +31st. Thus ends the year, with great happiness to myself and +family as to health and good condition in the world, blessed be +God for it! only with great trouble to my mind in reference to +the publick, there being little hopes left but that the whole +nation must in a very little time be lost, either by troubles at +home, the Parliament being dissatisfied, and the King led into +unsettled councils by some about him, himself considering little, +and divisions growing between the King and Duke of York; or else +by foreign invasion, to which we must submit if any at this bad +point of time should come upon us, which the King of France is +well able to do. These thoughts, and some cares upon me, +concerning my standing in this office when the Committee of +Parliament shall come to examine our Navy matters, which they +will now shortly do. I pray God they may do the kingdom service +therein, as they will have sufficient opportunity of doing it! + +JANUARY 1, 1667-8. Dined with my Lord Crewe, with whom was Mr. +Browne, Clerk of the House of Lords, and Mr. John Crewe. Here +was mighty good discourse, as there is always: and among other +things my Lord Crewe did turn to a place in the Life of Sir +Philip Sidney, wrote by Sir Fulke Greville, which do foretell the +present condition of this nation, in relation to the Dutch, to +the very degree of a prophecy, and is so remarkable that I am +resolved to buy one of them, it being quite through a good +discourse. Here they did talk much of the present cheapness of +corne, even to a miracle; so as their farmers can pay no rent, +but do fling up their lands; and would pay in corne: but (which +I did observe to my Lord, and he liked well of it) our gentry are +grown so ignorant in every thing of good husbandry that they know +not how to bestow this corne; which, did they understand but a +little trade, they would be able to joyne together and know what +markets there are abroad, and send it thither, and thereby ease +their tenants and be able to pay themselves. They did talk much +of the disgrace the Archbishop is fallen under with the King, and +the rest of the Bishops also. Thence I after dinner to the Duke +of York's playhouse, and there saw "Sir Martin Mar-all;" which I +have seen so often, and yet am mightily pleased with it, and +think it mighty witty, and the fullest of proper matter for mirth +that; ever was writ; and I do clearly see that they do improve in +their acting of it. Here a mighty company of citizens, +prentices, and others; and it makes me observe, that when I began +first to be able to bestow a play on myself, I do not remember +that I saw so many by half of the ordinary prentices and mean +people in the pit at 2s. 6d. a-piece as now; I going for several +years no higher than the 12d. and then the 18d. places, though I +strained hard to go in then when I did: so much the vanity and +prodigality of the age is to be observed in this particular. +Thence I to White Hall, and there walked up and down the house a +while, and do hear nothing of any thing done further in this +business of the change of Privy-counsellors: only I hear that +Sir G. Savile, [Of Rufford, co. Notts, Bart.; created Lord Savile +of Eland, and Viscount Halifax, 1668, Earl of Halifax, 1679, and +Marquis of Halifax, 1682. Ob. 1695.] one of the Parliament +Committee of nine for examining the Accounts, is by the King made +a Lord, the Lord Halifax; which, I believe, will displease the +Parliament. By and by I met with Mr. Brisband; and having it in +my mind this Christmas to do (what I never can remember that I +did) go to see the gaming at the groome-porters (I having in my +coming from the playhouse stepped into the two Temple-halls, and +there saw the dirty prentices and idle people playing; wherein I +was mistaken, in thinking to have seen gentlemen of quality +playing there), he did lead me thither; where, after staying an +hour, they began to play, at about eight at night. And to see +the formality of the groome-porter, who is their judge of all +disputes in play and all quarrels that may arise therein, and how +his under-officers are there to observe true play at each table, +and to give new dice, is a consideration I never could have +thought had been in the world, had I not now seen it. And so I +having enough for once, refusing to venture, though Brisband +pressed me hard, went away. + +2nd. Attended the King and the Duke of York in the Duke of +York's lodgings, with the rest of the officers and many of the +commanders of the fleet, and some of our master shipwrights, to +discourse the business of having the topmasts of ships made to +lower abaft of the mainmast; a business I understand not, and so +can give no good account; but I do see that by how much greater +the Council and the number of counsellors is, the more confused +the issue is of their councils; so that little was said to the +purpose regularly, and but little use was made of it, they coming +to a very broken conclusion upon it to make trial in a ship or +two. From this they fell to other talk about the fleet's +fighting this late war, and how the King's ships have been +shattered; though the King said that the world would not have it +that above ten or twenty ships in any fight did do any service, +and that this hath been told so to him himself by ignorant +people. The Prince, who was there, was mightily surprised at it, +and seemed troubled; but the King told him that it was only +discourse of the world. But Mr. Wren whispered me in the eare, +and said that the Duke of Albemarle had put it into his Narrative +for the House, that not above twenty-five ships fought in the +engagement wherein he was, but that he was advised to leave it +out; but this he did write from sea, I am sure, or words to that +effect: and did displease many commanders, among others Captain +Batts, who the Duke of York said was a very stout man, all the +world knew; and that another was brought into his ship that; had +been turned out of his place when he was a boatswain, not long +before, for being a drunkard. This the Prince [Rupert.] took +notice of, and would have been angry, I think, but they let their +discourse fall: but the Duke of York was earnest in it. And the +Prince said to me, standing by me, "If they will turn out every +man that will be drunk, they must turn out all the commanders in +the fleet. What is the matter if he be drunk, so when he comes +to fight he do his work? At least, let him be punished for his +drunkenness, and not put out of his command presently." This he +spoke very much concerned for this idle fellow, one Greene. +After this the King began to tell stories of the cowardice of the +Spaniards in Flanders, when he was there, at the siege of Mardike +and Dunkirke; which was very pretty, though he tells them but +meanly. To Westminster Hall, and there staid a little: and then +home, and by the way did find with difficulty the Life of Sir +Philip Sidney. And the bookseller told me that he had sold four +within this week or two, which is more than ever he sold in all +his life of them; and he could not imagine what should be the +reason of it: but I suppose it is from the same reason of +people's observing of this part therein, touching his prophecying +our present condition here in England in relation to the Dutch, +which is very remarkable. It is generally believed that France +is endeavouring a firmer league with us than the former, in order +to his going on with his business against Spain the next year; +which I am, and so every body else is, I think, very glad of, for +all our fear is of his invading us. This day at White Hall I +overheard Sir W. Coventry propose to the King his ordering of +some particular thing in the Wardrobe, which was of no great +value; but yet, as much as it was, it was of profit to the King +and saving to his purse. The King answered to it with great +indifferency, as a thing that it was no great matter whether it +was done or no. Sir W. Coventry answered; "I see your Majesty do +not remember the old English proverb, 'He that will not stoop for +a pin, will never be worth a pound.'" And so they parted, the +King bidding him do as he would; which, methought, was an answer +not like a King that did intend ever to do well. + +4th. It seems worth remembering that this day I did hear my Lord +Anglesy at the table, speaking touching this new Act for +Accounts, say that the House of Lords did pass it because it was +a senseless, impracticable, ineffectual, and foolish Act; and +that my Lord Ashly having shown that it was so to the House of +Lords, the Duke of Buckingham did stand up and told the Lords +that they were beholden to my Lord Ashly, that having first +commended them for a most grave and honourable assembly, he +thought it fit for the House to pass this Act for Accounts +because it was a foolish and simple Act; and it seems it was +passed with but a few in the House, when it was intended to have +met in a grand Committee upon it. And it seems that in itself it +is not to be practised till after this session of Parliament, by +the very words of the Act, which nobody regarded, and therefore +cannot come in force yet, unless the next meeting they do make a +new Act for the bringing it into force sooner; which is a strange +omission. But I perceive my Lord Anglesy do make a mere +laughing-stock of this act, as a thing that can do nothing +considerable, for all its great noise. + +5th. The business of putting out of some of the Privy-council is +over, the King being at last advised to forbear it; for whereas +he did design it to make room for some of the House of Commons +that are against him, thereby to gratify them, it is believed +that it will but so much the more fret the rest that are not +provided for, and raise a new stock of enemies by them that are +displeased; and it goes for a pretty saying of my Lord Anglesy's +up and down the Court, that he should lately say to one of the +great promoters of this putting him and others out of the +Council, "Well, and what are we to look for when we are outed? +Will all things be set right in the nation?" The other said that +he did believe that many things would be mended: "But," says my +Lord, "will you and the rest of you be contented to be hanged if +you do not redeem all our misfortunes and set all right, if the +power be put into your hands?" The other answered, No, he would +not undertake that. "Why then," says my Lord, "I and the rest of +us that you are labouring to put out will be contented to be +hanged if we do not recover all that is past, if the King will +put the power into our hands and adhere wholly to our advice." + +7th. To the Nursery; but the house did not act to-day; and so I +to the other two playhouses into the pit to gaze up and down, and +there did by this means for nothing see an act in "The Schoole of +Compliments" at the Duke of York's house, and "Henry the Fourth" +at the King's house; but not liking either of the plays, I took +my coach again, and home. + +8th. To White Hall, and by coach home, taking up Mr. Prin at the +Court gate (it raining), and setting him down at the Temple: and +by the way did ask him about the manner of holding of +Parliaments, and whether the number of Knights and Burgesses were +always the same? And, he says that the latter were not; but +that, for aught he can find, they were sent up at the discretion +at first of the Sheriffes, to whom the writs are sent to send up +generally the Burgesses and citizens of their county; and he do +find that heretofore the Parliament-men being paid by the +country, several burroughs have complained of the Sheriffes +putting them to the charge of sending up Burgesses; which is a +very extraordinary thing to me, that knew not this, but thought +that the number had been known, and always the same. + +10th. To White Hall; and there to wait on the Duke of York with +the rest of my brethren, which we did a little in the King's +green-room while the King was in Council: and in this room we +found my Lord Bristoll walking alone; which wondering at while +the Council was sitting, I was answered that as being a +Catholique he could not be of the Council; which I did not +consider before. This day I received a letter from my father, +and another from my cosen Roger Pepys, who have had a view of +Jackson's evidences of his estate, and do mightily like of the +man and his condition and estate, and do advise me to accept of +the match for my sister, and to finish it soon as I can; and he +do it so as I confess I am contented to have it done, and so give +her her portion. + +11th. To the King's house, to see "The Wildgoose Chase." [By +Beaumont and Fletcher.] In this play I met with nothing +extraordinary at all, but very dull inventions and designs. +Knipp came and sat by us, and her talk pleased me a little, she +tells me how Miss Davis is for certain going away from the Duke's +house, the King being in love with her; and a house is taken for +her, and furnishing; and she hath a ring given her already worth +600l.: that the King did send several times for Nelly, and she +was with him; and I am sorry for it, and can hope for no good to +the State from having a Prince so devoted to his pleasure. She +told me also of a play shortly coming upon the stage of Sir +Charles Sedley's, which, she thinks, will be called "The +Wandering Ladys," a comedy that she thinks will be most pleasant; +and also another play, called "The Duke of Lorane:" besides +"Catiline," which she thinks, for want of the clothes which the +King promised them, will not be acted for a good while. + +14th. To my bookseller, Martin, and there did receive my book I +expected of China, a most excellent book with rare cuts; and +there fell into discourse with him about the burning of Paul's +when the City was burned, his house being in the church-yard. +And he tells me that it took fire first upon the end of a board +that among others was laid upon the roof instead of lead, the +lead being broke off, and thence down lower and lower: but that +the burning of the goods under St. Fayth's arose from the goods +taking fire in the church-yard, and so got into St. Fayth's +church; and that they first took fire from the Draper's side, by +some timber of the houses that were burned falling into the +church. He says that one warehouse of books was saved under +Paul's; and there were several dogs found burned among the goods +in the churchyard, and but one man, which was an old man, that +said he would go and save a blanket which he had in the church, +and being weak the fire overcame him. He says that most of the +booksellers do design to fall a-building again the next year; but +that the Bishop of London do use them most basely, worse than any +other landlords, and says he will be paid to this day the rent, +or else he will not come to treat with them for the time to come; +and will not, on that condition either, promise them in any thing +how he will use them; and the Parliament sitting, he claims his +privilege, and will not be cited before the Lord Chief Justice as +others are there, to be forced to a fair dealing. Thence by +coach to Mrs. Pierce's, where my wife is; and there they fell to +discourse of the last night's work at Court, where the ladies and +Duke of Monmouth and others acted. "The Indian Emperour;" +wherein they told me these things most remarkable: That not any +woman but the Duchesse of Monmouth and Mrs. Cornwallis did any +thing but like fools and stocks, but that these two did do most +extraordinary well: that not any man did any thing well but +Captain Olrigran, [SIC. ORIG.] who spoke and did well, but above +all things did dance most incomparably. That she did sit near +the players of the Duke's house; among the rest Miss Davis, who +is the most impertinent slut, she says, in the world; and the +more, now the King do show her countenance; and is reckoned his +mistress, even to the scorne of the whole world; the King gazing +on her, and my Lady Castlemaine being melancholy and out of +humour, all the play not smiling once. The King, it seems, hath +given her a ring of 700l. which she shows to every body, and owns +that the King did give it her; and he hath furnished a house in +Suffolke-street most richly for her; which is a most infinite +shame. It seems she is a bastard of Colonell Howard, my Lord +Berkshire, and that he hath got her for the King: but Pierce +says that she is a most homely jade as ever she saw, though she +dances beyond any thing in the world. She tells me that the +Duchesse of Richmond do not yet come to the Court, nor hath seen +the King, nor will not, nor do he own his desire of seeing her; +but hath used means to get her to Court, but they do not take. + +15th. This afternoon my Lord Anglesy tells us that it is voted +in Council to have a fleet of 50 ships out: but it is only a +disguise for the Parliament to get some money by; but it will not +take, I believe. + +16th. Lord Anglesy tells us again that a fleet is to be set out; +and that it is generally, he hears, said that it is but a Spanish +rhodomontado; and that he saying so just now to the Duke of +Albemarle, who came to town last night (after the thing was +ordered,) he told him a story of two seamen: one wished all the +guns of the ship were his, and that they were silver; and says +the other, "You are a fool, for if you can have it for wishing, +why do you not wish them gold?" "So," says he, "if a +rhodomontado will do any good, why do you not say 100 ships?" +And it is true; for the Dutch and French are said to make such +preparations as 50 sail will do no good. Mightily pleased with +Mr. Gibson's talking; he telling me so many good stories relating +to the war and practices of commanders which I will find a time +to recollect; and he will be an admirable help to my writing a +history of the Navy, if ever I do. + +17th. Much discourse of the duell yesterday between the Duke of +Buckingham, Holmes, and one Jenkins, on one side, and my Lord of +Shrewsbury, [Francis, eleventh Earl of Shrewsbury, died of his +wounds March 16th following.] Sir John Talbot, [Sir John Talbot, +a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, M.P. for Knaresborough.] and +one Bernard Howard [Bernard Howard, eighth son of Henry Frederic +Earl of Arundel.] on the other side: and all about; my Lady +Shrewsbury, [Anna Maria, daughter of Robert Earl of Cardigan, the +Duke of Buckingham's mistress, and said to have held his horse, +in the habit of a page, while he was fighting with her husband. +She married, secondly, George Rodney Bridges, son of Sir Thomas +Bridges of Keynsham, Somerset, and died April 20, 1702.] who is +at this time, and hath for a great while been, a mistress to the +Duke of Buckingham. And so her husband challenged him, and they +met yesterday in a close near Barne-Elmes and there fought: and +my Lord Shrewsbury is run through the body, from the right breast +through the shoulder; and Sir John Talbot all along up one of his +armes; and Jenkins killed upon the place, and the rest all in a +little measure wounded. This will make the world think that the +King hath good counsellors about him, when the Duke of +Buckingham, the greatest man about him, is a fellow of no more +sobriety than to fight about a mistress. And this may prove a +very bad accident to the Duke of Buckingham, but that my Lady +Castlemaine do rule all at this time as much as ever she did, and +she will, it is believed, keep all matters well with the Duke of +Buckingham: though this is a time that the King will be very +backward, I suppose, to appear in such a business. And it is +pretty to hear how the King had some notice of this challenge a +week or two ago, and did give it to my Lord Generall to confine +the Duke, or take security that he should not do any such thing +as fight: and the Generall trusted to the King that he, sending +for him, would do it; and the King trusted to the Generall. And +it is said that my Lord Shrewsbury's case is to be feared, that +he may die too; and that may make it much worse for the Duke of +Buckingham: and I shall not be much sorry for it, that we may +have some sober man come in his room to assist in the Government. +Creed tells me of Mr. Harry Howard's giving the Royall Society a +piece of ground next to his house to build a college on: which +is a most generous act. And he tells me he is a very fine +person, and understands and speaks well; and no rigid Papist +neither, but one that would not have a Protestant servant leave +his religion, which he was going to do, thinking to recommend +himself to his master by it; saying, that he had rather have an +honest Protestant than a knavish Catholique. I was not called in +to the Council and therefore home, first informing myself that my +Lord Hinchingbroke hath been married this week to my Lord +Burlington's daughter: so that that great business is over; and +I am mighty glad of it, though I am not satisfied that I have not +a favour sent me. + +19th. Lord Shrewsbury is likely to do well. + +20th. To Drumbleby's the pipe-maker, there to advise about the +making of a flageolet to go low and soft; and he do show me a way +which do do, and also a fashion of having two pipes of the same +note fastened together, so as I can play on one, and then echo it +upon the other; which is mighty pretty. So to my Lord Crewe's to +dinner; where we hear all the good news of our making a league +now with Holland against the French Power coming over them or us: +which is the first good act that hath been done a great while, +and done secretly and with great seeming wisdom; and is certainly +good for us at this time, while we are in no condition to resist +the French, if he should come over hither: and then a little +time of peace will give us time to lay up something, which these +Commissioners of the Treasury are doing; and the world do begin +to see that they will do the King's work for him, if he will let +them. My Lord told a good story of Mr. Newman, the Minister in +New England, who wrote the Concordance, of his foretelling his +death and preaching a funeral sermon, and did at last bid the +angels do their office, and died. It seems there is great +presumption that there will be a Toleration granted: so that the +Presbyterians do hold up their heads; but they will hardly trust +the King or the Parliament what to yield them, though most of the +sober party be for some kind of allowance to be given them. Lord +Gerard is likely to meet with ill, the next sitting of +Parliament, about Carr being set in the pillory; and I am glad of +it. And it is mighty acceptable to the world to hear, that among +other reductions the King do reduce his Guards: which do please +mightily. + +21st. Comes news from Kate Joyce that, if I would see her +husband alive, I must come presently. So I to him, and and his +breath rattled in the throate; and they did lay pigeons to his +feet, and all despair of him. It seems on Thursday last he went +sober and quiet to Islington, and behind one of the inns (the +White Lion) did fling himself into a pond: was spied by a poor +woman, and got out by some people, and set on his head and got to +life: and so his wife and friends sent for. He confessed his +doing the thing, being led by the Devil; and do declare his +reason to be his trouble in having forgot to serve God as he +ought since he came to his new employment: [He kept a tavern.] +and I believe that, and the sense of his great loss by the fire, +did bring him to it; for he grew sick, and worse and worse to +this day. The friends that were there being now in fear that the +goods and estate would be seized on, though he lived all this +while, because of his endeavouring to drown himself, my cosen did +endeavour to remove what she could of plate out of the house, and +desired me to take my flagons; which I did, but in great fear all +the way of being seized; though there was no reason for it, he +not being dead. So with Sir D. Gauden to Guild Hall to advise +with the Towne-Clerke about the practice of the City and nation +in this case: and he thinks it cannot be found selfe-murder; but +if it be, it will fall, all the estate, to the King. So I to my +cosen's again; where I no sooner come but find that he was +departed. So at their entreaty I presently to White Hall, and +there find Sir W. Coventry; and he carried me to the King, the +Duke of York being with him, and there told my story which I had +told him; and the King, without more ado, granted that, if it was +found, the estate should be to the widow and children: which +indeed was every great courtesy, for people are looking out for +the estate. + +22nd. At noon with any Lord Brouncker to Sir D. Gauden's, at the +Victualling-office, to dinner, where I have not dined since he +was Sheriffe. He expected us: and a good dinner, and much good +company; and a fine house, and especially two rooms very fine, he +hath built there. His lady a good lady; but my Lord led himself +and me to a great absurdity in kissing all the ladies, but the +finest of all the company, leaving her out I know not how; and I +was loath to do it, since he omitted it. Here little Chaplin +dined, who is like to be Sheriffe the next year; and a pretty +humoured little man he is: and Mr. Talents the younger, of +Magdalene College, Chaplain to the Sheriffe; which I was glad to +see, though not much acquainted with him. + +23rd. At the office all the morning; and at noon find the Bishop +of Lincolne [Dr. William Fuller, translated from Limerick 1667.] +come to dine with us; and after him comes Mr. Brisband. And +there mighty good company. But the Bishop a very extraordinary +good-natured man, and one that is mightily pleased, as well as I +am, that I live so near Bugden, [At Brampton.] the seat of his +bishopricke, where he is like to reside; and indeed I am glad of +it. In discourse we think ourselves safe for this year, by this +league with Holland; which pleases every body, and, they say, +vexes France; insomuch that De l'Estrade, the French Embassador +in Holland, when he heard it, told the States that he would have +them not forget that his master is in the head of 100,000 men, +and is but 28 years old; which was a great speech. The Bishop +tells me he thinks that the great business of Toleration will +not, notwithstanding this talk, be carried this Parliament; nor +for the King's taking away the Deans' and Chapters' lands to +supply his wants, they signifying little to him if he had them +for his present service. + +27th. Mr. Povy do tell me how he is like to lose his 400l. a- +year pension of the Duke of York, which he took in consideration +of his place that was taken from him. He tells me the Duchesse +is a devil against him, and do now come like Queene Elizabeth, +and sits with the Duke of York's Council, and sees what they do; +and she crosses out this man's wages and prices as she sees fit +for saving money: but yet, he tells me, she reserves 5000l. a- +gear for her own spending; and my Lady Peterborough by and by +tells me that the Duchesse do lay up mightily jewells. + +28th. To White Hall; and by and by the Duke of York comes, and +we had a little meeting, Anglesy, W. Pen, and I there, and none +else: and, among other things, did discourse of the want of +discipline in the fleet; which the Duke of York confessed, and +yet said that he while he was there did keep it in a good +measure, but that it was now lost when he was absent; but he will +endeavour to have it again. That he did tell the Prince and Duke +of Albemarle they would lose all order by making such and such +men commanders, which they would because they were stout men: he +told them it was a reproach to the nation, as if there were no +sober men among us, that were stout to be had. That they did put +out some men for cowards that the Duke of York had put in, but; +little before, for stout men; and would now, were he to go to sea +again, entertain them in his own division to choose: and did put +in an idle fellow, Greene, who was hardly thought fit for a +boatswain by him; they did put him from being a lieutenant to a +captain's place of a second-rate ship; as idle a drunken fellow, +he said, as any was in the fleet. That he will now desire the +King to let him be what he is, that is, Admirall; and he will put +in none but those that he hath great reason to think well of: +and particularly says that though he likes Colonel Legg well, yet +his son that was, he knows not how, made a captain after he had +been but one voyage at sea, he should go to sea another +apprenticeship before ever he gives him a command. We did tell +him of the many defects and disorders among the captains, and I +prayed we might do it in writing to him; which he liked; and I am +glad of an opportunity of doing it. My wife this day hears from +her father and mother: they are in France, at Paris; he, poor +good man! thankful for my small charities to him. + +29th. To Sir W. Coventry. He tells me he hath no friends in the +whole Court but my Lord Keeper and Sir John Duncomb. They have +reduced the charges of Ireland about 70,000l. a-year, and thereby +cut off good profits from my Lord Lieutenant; which will make a +new enemy, but he cares not. He tells me that Townsend, of the +Wardrobe, is the veriest knave and bufflehead that over he saw. + +30th. I first heard that my cosen Pepys, of Salisbury Court, was +Marshall to my Lord Coke when he was Lord Chief Justice; which +beginning of his I did not know to be so low; but so it was, it +seems. + +31st. Up; and by coach, with W. Griffin with me, and our +Contract-books, to Durham Yard, to the Commissioners for +Accounts; the first time I ever was there; and staid awhile +before I was admitted to them. I did observe a great many people +attending about complaints of seamen concerning tickets, and +among others Mr. Carcasse, and Mr. Martin my purser. And I +observe a fellow, one Collins, is there, who is employed by these +Commissioners particularly to hold an office in Bishopsgate- +street, or somewhere thereabouts, to receive complaints of all +people about tickets: and I believe he will have work enough. +Presently I was called in; where I found the whole number of +Commissioners, and was there received with great respect and +kindness; and did give them great satisfaction, making it my +endeavour to inform them what it was they were to expect from me, +and what was the duty of other people; this being my only way to +preserve myself, after all my pains and trouble. They did ask +many questions, and demanded other books of me, which I did give +them very ready and acceptable answers to; and, upon the whole, I +do observe they go about their business like men resolved to go +through with it, and in a very good method, like men of +understanding. They have Mr. Jessop their secretary: and it is +pretty to see that they are fain to find out an old-fashioned man +of Cromwell's to do their business for them, as well as the +Parliament to pitch upon such for the most part in the lowest of +people that were brought into the House for Commissioners. I +went away giving and receiving great satisfaction: and so to +White Hall, to the Commissioners of the Treasury; where waiting +some time I there met with Colonell Birch: and he and I fell +into discourse; and I did give him thanks for his kindness to me +in the Parliament-house, both before my face and behind my back. +He told me that he knew me to be a man of the old way of taking +pains, and did always endeavour to do me right, and prevent any +thing that was moved that might tend to my injury; which I was +obliged to him for, and thanked him. Thence to talk of other +things, and the want of money: and he told me of the general +want of money in the country; that land sold for nothing, and the +many pennyworths he knows of lands and houses upon them, with +good titles in his country, at 16 years' purchase: "And," says +he, "though I am in debt, yet I have a mind to one thing, and +that is a Bishop's lease:" but said, "I will yet choose such a +lease before any other, because I know they cannot stand, and +then it will fall into the King's hands, and I in possession +shall have an advantage by it." Says he, "I know they must fall, +and they are now near it, taking all the ways they can to undo +themselves, and showing us the way:" and thereupon told me a +story of the present quarrel between the Bishop [John Hacket.] +and Dean [Henry Greswold, A.M.] of Coventry and Lichfield; the +former of whom did excommunicate the latter, and caused his +excommunication to be read in the church while he was there; and +after it was read, the Dean made the service be gone through +with, though himself an excommunicate was present (which is +contrary to the Canon), and said he would justify the quire +therein against the Bishop: and so they are at law in the Arches +about it; which is a very pretty story. He tells me that the +King is for Toleration, though the Bishops be against it; and +that he do not doubt but it will be carried in Parliament: but +that he fears some will stand for the tolerating of Papists with +the rest; and that he knows not what to say, but rather thinks +that the sober party will be without it rather than have it upon +those terms; and I do believe so. It is observed, and is true, +in the late fire of London, that the fire burned just as many +parish-churches as there were hours from the beginning to the end +of the fire; and next, that there were just as many churches left +standing as there were taverns left standing in the rest of the +City that was not burned, being, I think, thirteen in all of +each: which is pretty to observe. + +FEBRUARY 1, 1667-8. To the office till past two o'clock; where +at the Board some high words passed between Sir W. Pen and I, +begun by me, and yielded to by him, I being in the right in +finding fault with him for his neglect of duty. Home, my head +mighty full of business now on my hands: viz. of finishing my +Tangier Accounts; of auditing my last year's accounts; of +preparing answers to the Commissioners of Accounts; of drawing up +several important letters to the Duke of York and the +Commissioners of the Treasury; the marrying of my sister; the +building of a coach and stables against summer, and the setting +many things in the office right: and the drawing up a new form +of Contract with the Victualler of the Navy, and several other +things, which pains, however, will go through with. + +5th. Mr. Moore mightily commends my Lord Hinchingbroke's match +and lady, though he buys her 10,000l. dear, by the jointure and +settlement his father makes her; and says that the Duke of York +and Duchesse of York did come to see them in bed together on +their wedding-night, and how my Lord had fifty pieces of gold +taken out of his pocket that night after he was in bed. He tells +me that an Act of Comprehension is likely to pass this Parliament +for admitting of all persuasions in religion to the public +observation of their particular worship, but in certain places, +and the persons therein concerned to be listed of this or that +church; which, it is thought, will do them more hurt than good, +and make them not own their persuasion. He tells me that there +is a pardon passed to the Duke of Buckingham, my Lord of +Shrewsbury and the rest, for the late duell and murder; which he +thinks a worse fault than any ill use my late Lord Chancellor +ever put the great Seal to, and will be so thought by the +Parliament, for them to be pardoned without bringing them to any +trial: and that my Lord Privy-seale therefore would not have it +pass his hand, but made it go by immediate warrant; or at least +they knew that he would not pass it, and so did direct it to go +by immediate warrant, that it might not come to him. He tells me +what a character my Lord Sandwich hath sent over of Mr. +Godolphin; [Sidney Godolphin, Groom of the Bedchamber to Charles +II.; made a Commissioner of the Treasury 1678-9, and in 1684 +created Baron Godolphin.] as the worthiest man, and such a +friend to him as he may be trusted in any thing relating to him +in the world; as one whom, he says, he hath infallible assurances +that he will remaine his friend: which is very high, but indeed +they say the gentleman is a fine man. + +6th. Sir H. Cholmly tells me how the Parliament (which is to +meet again to-day) are likely to fall heavy on the business of +the Duke of Buckingham's pardon; and I shall be glad of it: and +that the King hath put out of the Court the two Hides, my Lord +Chancellor's two sons, and also the Bishops of Rochester [John +Dolben.] and Winchester [George Morley.] the latter of whom +should have preached before him yesterday, being Ash-Wednesday, +and had sermon ready, but was put by; which is great news. My +wife being gone before, I to the Duke of York's playhouse; where +a new play of Etheridge's, called "She would if she could;" and +though I was there by two o'clock, there was 1000 people put back +that could not have room in the pit; and I at last, because my +wife was there, made shift to get into the 18d. box, and there +saw: but, Lord! how full was the house, and how silly the play, +there being nothing in the world good in it, and few people +pleased in it. The King was there; but I sat mightily behind, +and could see but little, and hear not all. The play being done, +I into the pit to look for my wife, it being dark and raining; +but could not find her, and so staid going between the two doors +and through the pit an hour and half, I think, after the play was +done; the people staying there till the rain was over, and to +talk one with another. And among the rest here was the Duke of +Buckingham to-day openly sat in the pit; and there I found him +with my Lord Buckhurst, and Sedley, and Etheridge the poet; the +last of whom I did hear mightily find fault with the actors, that +they were out of humour and had not their parts perfect, and that +Harris did do nothing, nor could so much as sing a ketch in it; +and so was mightily concerned: while all the rest did through +the whole pit blame the play as a silly, dull thing, though there +was something very roguish and witty; but the design of the play +and end mighty insipid. At last I did find my wife. + +7th. Met my cosen Roger Pepys, (the Parliament meeting yesterday +and adjourned to Monday next;) and here he tells me that Mr. +Jackson my sister's servant is come to town, and hath this day +suffered a recovery on his estate in order to the making her a +settlement. There is a great triall between my Lord Gerard and +Carr to-day, who is indicted for his life at the King's Bench for +running from his colours; but all do say that my Lord Gerard, +though he designs the ruin of this man, will not get any thing by +it. Met my cosen Roger again, and Mr. Jackson, who is a plain +young man, handsome enough for her, [Paulina Peps.] one of no +education nor discourse, but of few words, and one altogether +that, I think, will please me well enough. My cosen had got me +to give the odd sixth 100l. presently, which I intended to keep +to the birth of the first child: and let it go--I shall be eased +of the care. So there parted, my mind pretty well satisfied with +this plain fellow for my sister; though I shall, I see, have no +pleasure nor content in him, as if he had been a man of reading +and parts, like Cumberland. + +8th. The great talk is of Carr's coming off in all his trials, +to the disgrace of my Lord Gerard to that degree, and the ripping +up of so many notorious rogueries and cheats of my Lord's, that +my Lord, it is thought, will be ruined: and above all do show +the madness of the House of Commons, who rejected the petition of +this poor man by a combination of a few in the House; and, much +more, the base proceedings (just the epitome of all our publick +managements in this age) of the House of Lords, that ordered him +to stand in the pillory for those very things, without hearing +and examining what he hath now, by the seeking of my Lord Gerard +himself, cleared himself of in open Court, to the gaining himself +the pity of all the world, and shame for ever to my Lord Gerard. + +10th. Made a visit to Mr. Godolphin at his chamber; and I do +find him a very pretty and able person, a man of very fine parts, +and of infinite zeal to my Lord Sandwich; and one that says, he +is (he believes) as wise and able a person as any prince in the +world hath. He tells me that he meets with unmannerly usage by +Sir Robert Southwell, [He was knighted and sent as Envoy +Extraordinary to Portugal 1666, and with the same rank to +Brussels in 1671. He became afterwards Clerk to the Privy +Council and was five times elected President of the Royal +Society. Ob. 1702, aged 60.] in Portugall, who would sign with +him in his negociations there, being a forward young man; but +that my Lord mastered him in that point, it being ruled for my +Lord here at a hearing of a Committee of the Council. He says +that if my Lord can compass a peace between Spain and Portugall, +and hath the doing of it and the honour himself, it will be a +thing of more honour than ever any man had, and of as much +advantage. Thence to Westminster Hall, where the Hall mighty +full: and, among other things, the House begins to sit to-day, +and the King came. But before the King's coming the House of +Commons met; and upon information given them of a Bill intended +to be brought in as common report said, for Comprehension, they +did mightily and generally inveigh against it, and did vote that +the King should be desired by the House, and the message +delivered by the Privy-counsellors of the House, that the laws +against breakers of the Act for Uniformity should be put in +execution: and it was moved in the House that if any people had +a mind to bring any new laws into the House about religion, they +might come as a proposer of new laws did in Athens, with ropes +about their necks. By and by the King comes to the Lords' House, +and there tells them of his league with Holland, and the +necessity of a fleet, and his debts; and, therefore, want of +money; and his desire that they would think of some way to bring +in all his Protestant subjects to a right understanding and peace +one with another; meaning the Bill of Comprehension. The Commons +coming to their House, it was moved that the vote passed this +morning might be suspended, because of the King's Speech, till +the House was full and called over, two days hence: but it was +denied, so furious they are against this Bill; and thereby a +great blow either given to the King or Presbyters, or, which is +the rather of the two, to the House itself, by denying a thing +desired by the King, and so much desired by much the greater part +of the nation. Whatever the consequence be, if the King be a man +of any stomach and heat, all do believe that he will resent this +vote. Read over and agreed upon the deed of settlement to our +minds: my sister to have 600l. presently, and she to be +joyntured in 60l. per annum; wherein I am very well satisfied. + +11th. To Pemberton's [Francis Pemberton, afterwards knighted, +and made Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench 1679.] chamber. +It was pretty here to see the heaps of money upon this lawyer's +table; and more, to see how he had not since last night spent any +time upon our business, but begun with telling us that we were +not at all concerned in that Act; which was a total mistake, by +his not having read over the Act at all. + +12th. My cosen Roger told me the pleasant passage of a fellow's +bringing a bag of letters to-day into the lobby of the House, +where he left them, and withdrew himself without observation. +The bag being opened, the letters were found all of one size, and +directed with one hand: a letter to most of the Members of the +House. The House was acquainted with it, and voted they should +be brought in and one opened by the Speaker; wherein if he found +any thing unfit to communicate, to propose a Committee to be +chosen for it. The Speaker opening one, found it only a case +with a libell in it, printed: a satire most sober and bitter as +ever I read; and every letter was the same. So the House fell a- +scrambling for them like boys; and my cosen Roger had one +directed to him, which he lent me to read. + +13th. Mr. Brisband tells me in discourse that Tom Killigrew hath +a fee out of the Wardrobe for cap and bells, under the title of +the King's Foole or Jester; and may revile or jeere any body, the +greatest person without offence, by the privilege of his place. +This morning Sir G. Carteret come to the office to see and talk +with me: and he assures me that to this day the King is the most +kind man to my Lord Sandwich in the whole world; that he himself +do not now mind any publick business, but suffers things to go on +at Court as they will, he seeing all likely to come to ruin: +that this morning the Duke of York sent to him to come to make up +one of a Committee of the Council for Navy Affairs; upon which, +when he came, he told the Duke of York that he was none of them: +which shows how things are now-a-days ordered, that there should +be a Committee for the Navy, and the Lord Admirall knows not the +persons of it; and that Sir G. Carteret and my Lord Anglesy +should be left out of it, and men wholly improper put into it. I +do hear of in hands that there is great difference at this day +between my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry; which I am sorry +for. + +14th. I to my office to perfect my Narrative about prize-goods; +and did carry it to the Commissioners of Accounts, who did +receive it with great kindness, and express great value of and +respect to me: and my heart is at rest that it is lodged there +in so full truth and plainness, though it may hereafter prove +some loss to me. But here I do see they are entered into many +enquiries about prizes, by the great attendance of commanders and +others before them; which is a work I am not sorry for. Thence I +away, with my head busy but my heart at pretty good ease, to +visit Colonell Thomson, one of the Committee of Accounts; who +among the rest is mighty kind to me, and is likely to mind our +business more than any; and I would be glad to have a good +understanding with him. Thence after dinner to White Hall to +attend the Duke of York; where I did let him know too the +troublesome life we lead, and particularly myself, by being +obliged to such attendances every day as I am, on one Committee +or other. And I do find the Duke of York himself troubled, and +willing not to be troubled with occasions of having his name used +among the Parliament though he himself do declare that he did +give directions to Lord Brouncker to discharge the men at Chatham +by ticket, and will own it if the House call for it, but not +else. Thence I attended the King and Council, and some of the +rest of us, in a business to be heard about the value of a ship +of one Dorrington's. And it was pretty to observe how Sir W. +Pen, making use of this argument against the validity of an oath, +against the King, being made by the master's mate of the ship, +who was but a fellow of about 23 years of age; the master of the +ship, against whom we pleaded, did say that he did think himself +at that age capable of being master's mate of any ship; and do +know that he, Sir W. Pen, was so himself; and in no better degree +at that age himself: which word did strike Sir W. Pen mad, and +made him open his mouth no more; and I saw the King and Duke of +York wink at one another at it. This done, we into the Gallery; +and there I walked with several people, and among others my Lord +Brouncker; who I do find under much trouble still about the +business of the tickets, his very case being brought in, as is +said, this day in the Report of the miscarriages. And he seems +to lay much of it on me, which I did clear and satisfy him in; +and would be glad with all my heart to serve him in, and have +done it more than he hath done for himself, he not deserving the +least blame, but commendations, for this. I met with my cosen +Roger Pepys and Creed; and from them understand that the report +was read to-day of the Miscarriages, wherein my Lord Sandwich is +named about the business I mentioned this morning; but I will be +at rest, for it can do him no hurt. Our business of tickets is +soundly up, and many others; so they went over them again, and +spent all the morning on the first, which is the dividing of the +fleet; wherein hot work was, and that among great men, Privy- +counsellors, and, they say, Sir W. Coventry; but I do not much +fear it, but do hope that it will show a little of the Duke of +Albemarle and the Prince to have been advisers in it: but +whereas they ordered that the King's Speech should be considered +to-day, they took no notice of it at all, but are really come to +despise the King in all possible ways of showing it. And it was +the other day a strange saying, as I am told by my cosen Roger +Pepys, in the House, when it was moved that the King's Speech +should be considered, that though the first part of the Speech, +meaning the league that is there talked of, be the only good +publick thing that hath been done since the King come into +England, yet it might bear with being put off to consider till +Friday next, which was this day. Secretary Morrice did this day +in the House, when they talked of intelligence, say that he was +allowed but 700l. a-year for intelligence; whereas in Cromwell's +time he did allow 70,000l. a-year for it; and was confirmed +therein by Colonell. Birch, who said that thereby Cromwell +carried the secrets of all the princes of Europe at his girdle. +The House is in a most broken condition; nobody adhering to any +thing, but reviling and finding fault: and now quite mad at the +Undertakers, as they are commonly called, Littleton, Lord +Vaughan, Sir R. Howard, and others that are brought over to the +Court, and did undertake to get the King money: but they despise +and will not hear them in the House; and the Court do as much, +seeing that they cannot be useful to them, as was expected. In +short, it is plain that the King will never be able to do any +thing with this Parliament; and that the only likely way to do +better (for it cannot do worse) is to break this and call another +Parliament; and some do think that it is intended. I was told +to-night that my Lady Castlemaine is so great a gamester as to +have won 15,000l. in one night, and lost 25,000l. in another +night at play, and hath played 1000l. and 1500l. at a cast. + +16th. Mr. Hollier [He was a Surgeon.] dined with my wife and +me. Much discourse about the bad state of the Church, and how +the Clergy are come to be men of no worth in the world; and, as +the world do now generally discourse, they must be reformed: and +I believe the Hierarchy will in a little time be shaken, whether +they will or no; the King being offended with them and set upon +it, as I hear. + +17th. Great high words in the House on Saturday last upon the +first part of the Committee's Report about the dividing of the +fleet; wherein some would have the counsels of the King to be +declared, and the reasons of them, and who did give them; where +Sir W. Coventry laid open to them the consequences of doing that, +that the King would never have any honest and wise men ever to be +of his Council. They did here in the House talk boldly of the +King's bad Counsellors, and how they must all be turned out, and +many others, and better brought in: and the proceedings of the +Long-Parliament in the beginning of the war were called to +memory; and the King's bad intelligence was mentioned, wherein +they were bitter against my Lord Arlington, saying, among other +things, that whatever Morrice's was, who declared he had but +750l. a-year allowed him for intelligence, the King paid too dear +for my Lord Arlington's in giving him 10,000l. and a Barony for +it. Sir W. Coventry did here come to his defence in the business +of the letter that was sent to call back Prince Rupert after he +was divided from the fleet, wherein great delay was objected; but +he did show that he sent it at one in the morning, when the Duke +of York did give him the instructions after supper that night, +and did clear himself well of it; only it was laid as a fault, +which I know not how he removes, of not sending it by an express, +but by the ordinary post; it coming not to Sir Philip Honiwood's +hand at Portsmouth till four in the afternoon that day, being +about fifteen or sixteen hours in going. The dividing of the +fleet however is, I hear, voted a miscarriage, and the not +building a fortification at Sheernesse: and I have reason every +hour to expect that they will vote the like of our paying men off +by ticket; and what the consequence of that will be, I know not. + +18th. Sir W. Coventry and I did look over the list of +commanders, and found that we could presently recollect thirty- +seven commanders that have been killed in actuall service this +war. He tells me that Sir Fr. Hollis is the main man that hath +prosecuted him hitherto in the business of dividing the fleet, +saying vainly that the want of that letter to the Prince hath +given him that that he shall remember it by to his grave, meaning +the loss of his arme [Vide Note June 10, 1667.] when, God knows, +he is as idle and insignificant a fellow as ever came into the +fleet. I well remember what in mirth he said to me this morning, +when upon this discourse he said if ever there was another Dutch +war they should not find a Secretary; "Nor," said I, "a Clerk of +the Acts, for I see the reward of it; and, thank God, I have +enough of my own to buy me a book and a good fiddle, and I have a +good wife;"--"Why," says he, "I have enough to buy me a good +book, and shall not need a fiddle because I have never a one of +your good wives." This morning the House is upon a Bill, brought +in to-day by Sir Richard Temple, for obliging the King to call +Parliaments every three years; or if he fail, for others to be +obliged to do it, and to keep him from a power of dissolving any +Parliament in less than forty days after their first day of +sitting: which is such a Bill as do speak very high proceedings +to the lessening of the King; and this they will carry, and +whatever else they desire, before they will give any money; and +the King must have money, whatever it cost him. I to see Kate +Joyce; where I find her and her friends in great ease of mind, +the Jury having this day given in their verdict that her husband +died of a fever. Some opposition there was, the foreman pressing +them to declare the cause of the fever, thinking thereby to +obstruct it; but they did adhere to their verdict, and would give +no reason: so all trouble is now over, and she safe in her +estate. + +19th. In the evening to White Hall; where I find Sir W. Coventry +a great while with the Duke of York in the King's drawing-room, +they two talking together all alone; which did mightily please +me. I do hear how La Roche, a French captain, who was once +prisoner here, being with his ship at Plymouth, hath played some +freakes there, for which his men being beat out of the town, he +hath put up a flag of defiance, and also somewhere there about +did land with his men and go a mile into the country, and did +some prank; which sounds pretty odd to our disgrace, but we are +in condition now to bear any thing. But, blessed be God! all +the Court is full of good news of my Lord Sandwich having made a +peace between Spain and Portugall; which is mighty great news, +and above all to my Lord's honour more than any thing he ever +did; and yet I do fear it will not prevail to secure him in +Parliament against incivilities there. + +20th. The House most of the morning upon the business of not +prosecuting the first victory: which they have voted one of the +greatest miscarriages of the whole war, though they cannot lay +the fault any where yet, because Harman is not come home. Dined, +and by one o'clock to the King's house: a new play, "The Duke of +Lerma," of Sir Robert Howard's: where the King and Court was; +and Knipp and Nell spoke the prologue most excellently, +especially Knipp, who spoke beyond any creature I ever heard. +The play designed to reproach our King with his mistresses, that +I was troubled for it, and expected it should be interrupted; but +it ended all well, which salved all. + +21st. The House this day is still as backward for giving any +money as ever, and do declare they will first have an account of +the disposals of the last Poll-bill, and eleven months' tax. And +it is pretty odde that the very first sum mentioned in the +account brought in by Sir Robert Long of the disposal of the +Poll-bill money is 5000l. to my Lord Arlington for intelligence; +which was mighty unseasonable, so soon after they had so much +cried out against his want of intelligence. The King do also own +but 250,000l. or thereabouts yet paid on the Poll-bill, and that +he hath charged 350,000l. upon it. This makes them mad; for that +the former Poll-bill, that was so much less in its extent than +the last, which took in all sexes and qualities, did come to +350,000l. Upon the whole, I perceive they are like to do nothing +in this matter to please the King, or relieve the State, be the +case never so pressing; and therefore it is thought by a great +many that the King cannot be worse if he should dissolve them; +but there is nobody dares advise it, nor do he consider any thing +himself. My cosen Roger Pepys showed me Granger's written +confession, of his being forced by imprisonment, &c. by my Lord +Gerard, most barbarously to confess his forging of a deed in +behalf of Fitton, in the great case between him and my Lord +Gerard; which business is under examination, and is the foulest +against my Lord Gerard that ever any thing in the world was, and +will, all do believe, ruine him; and I shall be glad of it. + +22nd. To the Duke's playhouse, and there saw "Alblemanazar," +[Albumazar, a comedy, by Tomkins of Trin. Coll. Cambridge.] an +old play, this the second time of acting. It is said to have +been the ground of B. Jonson's "Alchymist;" but, saving the +ridiculousnesse of Angell's part, which is called Trinkilo, I do +not see any thing extraordinary in it, but was indeed wary of it +before it was done. The King here; and indeed all of us pretty +merry at the mimique tricks of Trinkilo. + +23rd. I met with Sir W. Coventry, and he and I walked awhile +together in the Matted Gallery; and there he told me all the +proceedings yesterday: that the matter is found in general a +miscarriage, but no persons named; and so there is no great +matter to our prejudice yet, till, if ever, they come to +particular persons. He told me Birch was very industrious to do +what he could, and did like a friend; but they were resolved to +find the thing in general a miscarriage: and says, that when we +shall think fit to desire its being heard, as to our own defence, +it will be granted. He tells me how he hath with advantage +cleared himself in what concerns himself therein, by his servant +Robson; which I am glad of. He tells me that there is a letter +sent by conspiracy to some of the House, which he hath seen, +about the manner of selling of places; which he do believe he +shall be called upon to-morrow for: and thinks himself well +prepared to defend himself in it; and then neither he nor his +friends for him are afraid of any thing to his prejudice. Thence +by coach with Brisband to Sir G. Carteret's, in Lincoln's Inn- +fields, and there dined: a good dinner and good company. And +after dinner he and I alone, discoursing of my Lord Sandwich's +matters; who hath, in the first business before the House, been +very kindly used beyond expectation, the matter being laid by +till his coming home: and old Mr. Vaughan did speak for my Lord; +which I am mighty glad of. The business of the prizes is the +worst that can be said, and therein I do fear something may lie +hard upon him; but against this we must prepare the best we can +for his defence. Thence with Sir G. Carteret to White Hall; +where finding a meeting of the Committee of the Council for the +Navy, his Royal Highness there, and Sir W. Pen, and some of the +Brethren of the Trinity House to attend, I did go in with them. +And it was to be informed of the practice heretofore, for all +foreign nations at enmity one with another to forbear any acts of +hostility to one another in the presence of any of the King of +England's ships; of which several instances were given: and it +is referred to their further enquiry, in order to the giving +instructions accordingly to our ships now during the war between +Spain and France. Would to God we were in the same condition as +heretofore, to challenge and maintain this our dominion! Thence +with W. Pen homeward, and quite through to Mile End for a little +ayre; the days being now pretty long, but the ways mighty dirty. +Going back again, Sir R. Brookes overtook us coming to town; who +played the jacke with us all, and is a fellow that I must trust +no more, he quoting me for all he hath said in this business of +tickets; though I have told him nothing that either is not true, +or I afraid to own. But here talking he did discourse in this +stile: "We," and We all along, "will not give any money, be the +pretence never so great, nay, though the enemy was in the River +of Thames again, till we know what is become of the last money +given." And I do believe he do speak the mind of his fellows; +and so let him. This evening my wife did with great pleasure +show me her stock of jewells, encreased by the ring she hath made +lately as my Valentine's gift this year, a Turky stone set with +diamonds: and with this, and what she had, she reckons that she +hath above 150l. worth of jewells of one kind or other; and I am +glad of it, for it is fit the wretch should have something to +content herself with. + +24th. Meeting Dr. Gibbons, [Christopher Gibbons, Organist to the +King and of Westminster abbey. He was admitted Doctor of Music +at Oxford 1664, and died 1676.] he and I to see an organ at the +Dean of Westminster's lodgings at the abby, the Bishop of +Rochester's; [John Dolben; afterwards translated to York.] where +he lives like a great prelate, his lodgings being very good; +though at present under great disgrace at Court, being put by his +Clerks of the Closet's place. I saw his lady, of whom the TERROE +FILIUS of Oxford was once so merry; and two children, whereof one +a very pretty little boy, like him, so fat and black. Here I saw +the organ; but it is too big for my house, and the fashion do not +please me enough; and therefore I will not have it. To the +Nursery, where none of us ever were before; where the house is +better and the musique better than we looked for, and the acting +not much worse, because I expected as bad as could be: and I was +not much mistaken, for it was so. I was prettily served this day +at the playhouse-door; where, giving six shillings into the +fellow's hand for three of us, the fellow by legerdemain did +convey one away, and with so much grace faced me down that I did +give him but five, that, though I knew the contrary, yet I was +overpowered by his so grave and serious demanding the other +shilling, that I could not deny him, but was forced by myself to +give it; him. + +28th. To Westminster Hall, where, it being now about six +o'clock, I find the House just risen; and met with Sir W. +Coventry and the Lieutenant of the Tower, they having sat all +day; and with great difficulty have got a vote for giving; the +King 300,000l., not to be raised by any land-tax. The sum is +much smaller than I expected, and than the King needs; but is +grounded upon Mr. Wren's reading our estimates the other day of +270,000l. to keep the fleet abroad, wherein we demanded nothing +for setting and fitting of them out, which will cost almost +200,000l. I do verily believe: and do believe that the King hath +no cause to thank Wren for this motion. I home to Sir W. +Coventry's lodgings with him and the Lieutenant of the Tower, +where also was Sir John Coventry, and Sir John Duncomb, and Sir +Job Charleton. [M.P. for Ludlow ; and in 1663 elected Speaker +which office he resigned on account of ill health. He was +successively King's Serjeant, Chief Justice of Chester and a +Justice of the Common Pleas; created a Baronet 1686, and ob. +1697.] And here a great deal of good discourse: and they seem +mighty glad to have this vote pass; which I did wonder at, to see +them so well satisfied with so small a sum, Sir John Duncomb +swearing (as I perceive he will freely do) that it was as much as +the nation could beare. + +27th. With my wife to the King's House to see "The Virgin +Martyr," [A Tragedy, by Massinger.] the first time it hath been +acted a great while: and it is mighty pleasant; not that the +play is worth much, but it is finely acted by Beck Marshall. But +that which did please me beyond any thing in the whole world, was +the wind-musique when the angel comes down; which is so sweet +that it ravished me, and indeed, in a word, did wrap up my soul +so that it made me really sick, just as I have formerly been when +in love with my wife; that neither then, nor all the evening +going home, and at home, I was able to think of any thing, but +remained all night transported, so as I could not believe that +ever any musique hath that real command over the soul of a man as +this did upon me; and makes me resolve to practice wind-musique, +and to make my wife do the like. + +28th. After dinner with Sir W. Pen to White Hall, where we and +the rest of us presented a great letter of the state of our want +of money to his Royal Highness. I did also present a demand of +mine for consideration for my travelling-charges of coach and +boat-hire during the war: which, although his Royal Highness and +the company did all like of, yet, contrary to my expectation, I +find him so jealous now of doing any thing extraordinary, that he +desired the gentlemen that they would consider it, and report +their minds in it to him. This did unsettle my mind a great +while, not expecting this stop: but, however, I shall do as +well, I know, though it causes me a little stop. But that that +troubles me most is, that while we were thus together with the +Duke of York, comes in Mr. Wren from the House; where, he tells +us, another storm hath been all this day almost against the +officers of the Navy upon this complaint,--that though they have +made good rules for payment of tickets, yet that they have not +observed them themselves; which was driven so high as to have it +urged that we should presently be put out of our places: and so +they have at last ordered that we shall be heard at the bar of +the House upon this business on Thursday next. This did mightily +trouble me and us all; but me particularly, who am least able to +bear these troubles, though I have the least cause to be +concerned in it. Thence therefore to visit Sir H. Cholmly, who +hath for some time been ill of a cold; and thence walked towards +Westminster, and met Colonell Birch, who took me back to walk +with him, and did give me an account of this day's heat against +the Navy-officers, and an account of his speech on our behalf, +which was very good. And indeed we are much beholden to him, as +I, after I parted with him, did find by my cosen Roger, whom I +went to: and he and I to his lodgings. And there he did tell me +the same over again; and how Birch did stand up in our defence; +and that he do see that there are many desirous to have us out of +the office; and the House is so furious and passionate that he +thinks nobody can be secure, let him deserve never so well. But +now, he tells me, we shall have a fair hearing of the House, and +he hopes justice of them: but upon the whole, he do agree with +me that I should hold my hand as to making any purchase of land, +which I had formerly discoursed with him about, till we see a +little further how matters go. He tells me that what made them +so mad to-day first was, several letters in the House about the +Fanatickes in several places coming in great bodies and turning +people out of the churches, and there preaching themselves, and +pulling the surplice over the parsons' heads: this was confirmed +from several places; which makes them stark mad, especially the +hectors and bravadoes of the House, who show all the zeal on this +occasion. + +29th. They tell me how Sir Thomas Allen hath taken the +Englishmen out of La Roche's ship, and taken from him an Ostend +prize which La Roche had fetched out of our harbours. And at +this day La Roche keeps upon our coasts; and had the boldness to +land some men and go a mile up into the country, and there took +some goods belonging to this prize out of a house there: which +our King resents, and, they say, hath wrote to the King of France +about. And every body do think a war will follow; and then in +what a case we shall be for want of money, nobody knows. Wrote +to my father, and sent him Colvill's note for 600l. for my +sister's portion. + +MARCH 1, 1667-8. Lord's day. Up very betimes, and by coach to +Sir W. Coventry's; and there largely carrying with me all my +notes and papers, did run over our whole defence in the business +of tickets, in order to the answering the House on Thursday next; +and I do think, unless they be set without reason to ruin us, we +shall make a good defence. I find him in great anxiety, though +he will not discover it, in the business of the proceedings of +Parliament; and would as little as is possible have his name +mentioned in our discourse to them. And particularly the +business of selling places is now upon his hand to defend himself +in; wherein I did help him in his defence about the flag-maker's +place, which is named in the House. We did here do the like +about the complaint of want of victuals in the fleet in the year +1666, which will lie upon me to defend also. + +2nd. Mr. Moore was with me, and do tell me, and so W. Hewer +tells me, he hears this morning that all the town is full of the +discourse that the officers of the Navy shall be all turned out, +but honest Sir John Minnes; who, God knows, is fitter to have +been turned out himself than any of us, doing the King more hurt; +by his dotage and folly than all the rest can do by their +knavery, if they had a mind to it. This day I have the news that +my sister was married on Thursday last to Mr. Jackson; so that +work is, I hope, well over. + +3rd. Up betimes to work again, and then met at the office, where +to our great business of this answer to the Parliament; where to +my great vexation I find my Lord Brouncker prepared only to +excuse himself, while I, that have least reason to trouble +myself, am preparing with great pains to defend them all: and +more, I perceive he would lodge the beginning of discharging +ships by ticket upon me; but I care not, for I believe I shall +get more honour by it when the Parliament against my will shall +see how the whole business of the office was done by me. Down by +water to Deptford; where the King, Queene, and Court are to see +launched the new ship built by Mr. Shish, called "The Charles." +God send her better luck than the former! Here some of our +brethren, who went in a boat a little before my boat, did by +appointment take opportunity of asking the King's leave that we +might make full use of the want of money in our excuse to the +Parliament for the business of tickets and other things they will +lay to our charge, all which arise from nothing else: and this +the King did readily agree to, and did give us leave to make our +full use of it. The ship being well launched, I back again by +boat. + +5th. To Westminster; where I found myself come time enough, and +my brethren all ready. But I full of thoughts and trouble +touching the issue of this day: and to comfort myself did go to +the Dog and drink half-a-pint of mulled sack, and in the hall did +drink a dram of brandy at Mrs. Hewlett's; and with the warmth of +this did find myself in better order as to courage, truly. So we +all up to the lobby; and between eleven and twelve o'clock were +called in, with the mace before us, into the House; where a +mighty full House: and we stood at the bar; namely, Brouncker, +Sir J. Minnes, Sir T. Harvey, and myself, W. Pen being in the +House as a Member. I perceive the whole House was full of +expectation of our defence what it would be, and with great +prejudice. After the Speaker had told us the dissatisfaction of +the House, and read the Report of the Committee, I began our +defence most acceptably and smoothly, and continued at it without +any hesitation or losse, but with full scope, and all my reason +free about me, as if it had been at my own table, from that, time +till past three in the afternoon; and so ended, without any +interruption from the Speaker; but we withdrew. And there all my +fellow officers, and all the world that was within hearing, did +congratulate me, and cry up my speech as the best thing they ever +heard; and my fellow-officers were overjoyed in it. And we were +called in again by and by to answer only one question touching +our paying tickets to ticket-mongers; and so out. And we were in +hopes to have had a vote this day in our favour, and so the +generality of the House was; but, my speech being so long many +had gone out to dinner and come in again half-drunk. And then +there are two or three that are professed enemies to us and every +body else; among others, Sir T. Littleton, Sir Thomas Lee, [Of +Hartwell, Bucks; created a Baronet 1660.] Mr. Wiles (the coxcomb +whom I saw heretofore at the cock-fighting), and a few others: I +say, these did rise up and speak against the coming to a vote +now, the House not being full by reason of several being at +dinner, but most because that the House was to attend the King +this afternoon about the business of religion (wherein they pray +him to in force all the laws against Nonconformists and Papists): +and this prevented it, so that they put it off to to-morrow come +se'nnight. However, it is plain we have got great ground; and +every body says I have got the most honour that any could have +had opportunity of getting: and so our hearts mightily overjoyed +at this success. After dinner to the King's house, and there saw +part of "The Discontented Colonell." [Brennoralt, or The +Discontented Colonel; a tragedy, by Sir John Suckling.] + +6th. Up betimes, and with Sir D. Gauden to Sir W. Coventry's +chamber; where the first word he said to me was, "Good-morrow, +Mr. Pepys, that must be Speaker of the Parliament-house:" and did +protest I had got honour for ever in Parliament. He said that +his brother, that sat by him, admires me; and another gentleman +said that I could not get less than 1000l. a-year, if I would put +on a gown and plead at the Chancery-bar. But, what pleases me +most, he tells me that the Solicitor-generall did protest that he +thought I spoke the best of any man in England. After several +talks with him alone touching his own businesses, he carried me +to White Hall; and there parted. And I to the Duke of York's +lodgings, and find him going to the Parke, it being a very fine +morning; and I after him: and as soon as he saw me, he told me +with great satisfaction that I had converted a great many +yesterday, and did with great praise of me go on with the +discourse with me. And by and by overtaking the King, the King +and Duke of York came to me both; and he [The King.] said, "Mr. +Pepys, I am very glad of your success yesterday:" and fell to +talk of my well speaking. And many of the Lords there. My Lord +Barkeley did cry me up for what they had heard of it; and others, +Parliament-men there about the King, did say that they never +heard such a speech in their lives delivered in that manner. +Progers of the Bedchamber swore to me afterwards before +Brouncker, in the afternoon, that he did tell the King that he +thought I might match the Solicitor-generall. Every body that +saw me almost came to me, as Joseph Williamson and others, with +such eulogys as cannot be expressed. From thence I went to +Westminster Hall; where I met Mr. G. Montagu, who came to me and +kissed me, and told me that he had often heretofore kissed my +hands, but now he would kiss my lips; protesting that I was +another Cicero, and said, all the world said the same of me. Mr. +Ashburnham, and every creature I met there of the Parliament, or +that knew any thing of the Parliament's actings, did salute me +with this honour: Mr. Godolphin; Mr. Sands, who swore he would +go twenty miles at any time to hear the like again, and that he +never saw so many sit four hours together to hear any man in his +life as there did to hear me, Mr. Chichly, Sir John Duncomb, and +every body do say that the kingdom will ring of my abilities, and +that I have done myself right for my whole life; and so Captain +Cocke and others of my friends say that no man had ever such an +opportunity of making his abilities known. And that I may cite +all at once, Mr. Lieutenant of the Tower did tell me that Mr. +Vaughan did protest to him, and that in his hearing it said so to +the Duke of Albemarle, and afterwards to Sir W. Coventry, that he +had sat twenty-six years in Parliament and never heard such a +speech there before: for which the Lord God make me thankful; +and that I may make use of it, not to pride and vain-glory, but +that, now I have this esteem, I may do nothing that may lessen +it! To White Hall to wait on the Duke of York; where he again +and all the company magnified me, and several in the Gallery: +among others, my Lord Gerard, who never knew me before nor spoke +to me, desires his being better acquainted with me: and that, at +table where he was, he never heard so much said of any man as of +me in his whole life. So waited on the Duke of York, and thence +into the Gallery, where the House of Lords waited the King's +coming out of the Park; which he did by and by. And there in the +Vane-roome my Lord Keeper delivered a Message to the King, the +Lords being about him, wherein the Barons of England, from many +good arguments very well expressed in the part he read out of, do +demand precedence in England of all noblemen of either of the +King's other two kingdoms, be their title what it will; and did +show that they were in England reputed but as Commoners, and sat +in the House of Commons and at conferences with the Lords did +stand bare. It was mighty worth my hearing; but the King did say +only that he would consider of it, and so dismissed them. + +8th. With Sir W. Coventry, who I find full of care in his own +business, how to defend himself against those that have a mind to +cheque him; and though I believe not for honour and for the +keeping his employment, but for safety and reputation's sake, is +desirous to preserve himself free from blame. + +9th. By coach to White Hall, and there met Lord Brouncker: and +he and I to the Commissioners of the Treasury; where I find them +mighty kind to me, more, I think, than was wont. And here I also +met Colvill the goldsmith; who tells me, with great joy, how the +world upon the 'Change talks of me; and how several Parliament- +men, viz. Boscawen [Edward Boscawen, M.P for Truro.] and Major +Walden of Huntingdon, who it seems do deal with him, do say how +bravely I did speak, and that the House was ready to have given +me thanks for it: but that, I think, is a vanity. + +10th. With Sir D. Gauden homewards, calling at Lincolne's Inn- +fields. But my Lady Jemimah was not within: and so to Newgate, +where he stopped to give directions to the jaylor about a Knight, +one Sir Thomas Halford, [Of Welham, Leicestershire, Baronet.] +brought in yesterday for killing one Colonell Temple, falling out +at a taverne. Home; and there comes Mr. Moore to me; who tells +me that he fears my Lord Sandwich will meet with very great +difficulties to go through about the prizes, it being found that +he did give orders for more than the King's letter do justify; +and then for the Act of Resumption, which he fears will go on, +and is designed only to do him hurt; which troubles me much. He +tells me he believes the Parliament will not be brought to do any +thing in matters of religion, but will adhere to the Bishops. + +11th. Meeting Mr. Colvill I walked with him to his building, +where he is building a fine house, where he formerly lived, in +Lumbard-street: and it will be a very fine street. So to +Westminster; and there walked, till by and by comes Sir W. +Coventry, and with him Mr. Chichly and Mr. Andrew Newport. I to +dinner with them to Mr. Chichly's in Queens-street, in Covent +Garden. A very fine house, and a man that lives in mighty great +fashion, with all things in a most extraordinary manner noble and +rich about him, and eats in the French fashion all; and mighty +nobly served with his servants, and very civilly; that I was +mighty pleased with it: and good discourse. He is a great +defender of the Church of England, and against the Act for +Comprehension; which is the work of this day, about which the +House is like to sit till night. After dinner with them back to +Westminster. Captain Cocke told me that the Speaker says he +never heard such a defence made in all his life in the House, and +that the Solicitor-generall do commend me even to envy. + +12th. To Gresham College, there to show myself; and was there +greeted by Dr. Wilkins, Whistler, and others, as the patron of +the Navy-office, and one that got great fame by my late speech to +the Parliament. + +13th. At noon, all of us to Chatelin, the French house in Covent +Garden, to dinner; Brouncker, J. Minnes, W. Pen, T. Harvey, and +myself; and there had a dinner cost us 8s. 6d. a-piece, a base +dinner, which did not please us at all. My head being full of +to-morrow's dinner, I to my: Lord Crewe's, there to invite Sir +Thomas Crewe; and there met with my Lord Hinchingbroke and his +lady, the first time I spoke to her. I saluted her; and she +mighty civil: and, with my Lady Jemimah, do all resolve to be +very merry to-morrow at my house. My Lady Hinchingbroke I cannot +say is a beauty, nor ugly; but is altogether a comely lady +enough, and seems very good-humoured. Thence home; and there I +find one laying of my napkins against to-morrow in figures of all +sorts; which is mighty pretty, and it seems it is his trade, and +he gets much money by it. + +14th. Up very betimes, and with Jane to Lovett's, there to +conclude upon our dinner; and thence to the pewterer's, to buy a +pewter sesterne, which I have ever hitherto been without. Anon +comes my company, viz, my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady, Sir +Philip Carteret and his lady, Godolphin and my cosen Roger, and +Creed: and mighty merry; and by and by to dinner, which was very +good and plentifull: (and I should have said, and Mr. George +Montagu, who came at a very little warning, which was exceeding +kind of him.) And there, among other things, my Lord had Sir +Samuel Morland's late invention for casting up of sums of L. S. +D.; which is very pretty, but not very useful. Most of our +discourse was of my Lord Sandwich and his family, as being all of +us of the family. And with extraordinary pleasure all the +afternoon, thus together eating and looking over my closet; and +my Lady Hinchingbroke I find a very sweet-natured and well- +disposed lady, a lover of books and pictures, and, of good +understanding. About five o'clock they went; and then my wife +and I abroad by coach into Moore-fields, only for a little ayre. + +15th. Walked with Sir W. Coventry into the Park, and there met +the King and the Duke of York, and walked a good while with them: +and here met Sir Jer. Smith, who tells me he is like to get the +better of Holmes, and that when he is come to an end of that he +will do Hollis's business for him in the House for his +blasphemies; which I shall be glad of. So to White Hall, and +there walked with this man and that man till chapel done and the +King dined: and then Sir Thomas Clifford the Comptroller took me +with him to dinner to his lodgings, where my Lord Arlington and a +great deal of good and great company; where I very civilly used +by them, and had a most excellent dinner. And good discourse of +Spain, Mr. Godolphin being there; particularly of the removal of +the bodies of all the dead kings of Spain that could be got +together, and brought to the Pantheon at the Escuriall (when it +was finished) and there placed before the altar, there to lie for +ever: and there was a sermon made to them upon this text, "Arida +ossa, audite verbum Dei;" and a most eloquent sermon, as they +say. + +17th. To the Excise-office, where I met Mr. Ball, and did +receive my paper I went for; and there fell in talk with him, who +being an old cavalier do swear and curse at the present state of +things, that we should be brought to this, that we must be undone +and cannot be saved; that the Parliament is sitting now, and will +till midnight, to find how to raise this 300,000l. and doubts +they will not do it so as to be seasonable for the King: but do +cry out against all our great men at Court; how it is a fine +thing for a Secretary of State to dance a jigg, and that it was +not so heretofore; and, above all, do curse my Lord of Bristoll, +saying the worst news that ever he heard in his life, or that the +Devil could ever bring us, was this Lord's coming to prayers the +other day in the House of Lords, by which he is coming about +again from being a Papist, which will undo this nation; and he +says he ever did say at the King's first coming in, that this +nation could not be safe while that man was alive. The house, I +hear, have this day concluded upon raising 100,000l. of the +300,0001. by wine, and the rest by poll, and have resolved to +excuse the Church, in expectation that they will do the more of +themselves at this juncture; and I do hear that Sir W. Coventry +did make a speech in behalf of the clergy. + +18th. To White Hall, where we and my Lord Brouncker attended the +Council, to discourse about the fitness of entering of men +presently for the manning of the fleet, before one ship is in +condition to receive them. Sir W. Coventry did argue against it: +I was wholly silent, because I saw the King upon the earnestness +of the Prince was willing to it, crying very civilly, "If ever +you intend to man the fleet without being cheated by the captains +and pursers, you may go to bed and resolve never to have it +manned." And so it was, like other things, over-ruled that all +volunteers should be presently entered. Then there was another +great business about our signing of certificates to the Exchequer +for goods upon the 1,250,000l. Act; which the Commissioners of +the Treasury did all oppose, and to the laying fault upon us. +But I did then speak to the justifying what we had done even to +the angering of Duncomb and Clifford; which I was vexed at: but +for all that, I did set the office and myself right, and went +away with the victory, my Lord Keeper saying that he would not +advise the Council to order us to sign more certificates. But +before I began to say any thing in this matter, the King and the +Duke of York talking at the Council-table before all the Lords of +the Committee of Miscarriages, how this entering of men before +the ships could be ready would be reckoned a miscarriage; "Why," +says the King, "it is then but Mr. Pepys making of another speech +to them;" which made all the Lords (and there were by also the +Atturny and Solicitor-generall) look upon me. Thence Sir W. +Coventry, W. Pen, and I by hackney-coach to take a little ayre in +Hyde Parke, the first time that I have been there this year; and +we did meet many coaches going and coming, it being mighty +pleasant weather. And so coming back again I light in the Pell +Mell; and there went to see Sir H. Cholmly, who continues very +ill of his cold. And there came in Sir H. Yelverton, and Sir H. +Cholmly commended to me his acquaintance; which the other +received, but without remembering to me, or I him, of our being +school-fellows together; and I said nothing of it. But he took +notice of my speech the other day at the bar of the House; and +indeed I perceive he is a wise men. Here he do say that the town +is full of it; that now the Parliament hath resolved upon +300,000l.; the King instead of fifty will set out but twenty-five +ships, and the Dutch as many; and that Smith is to command them, +who is allowed to have the better of Holmes in the late dispute, +and is in good esteem in the Parliament above the other, Thence +home, and there in favour to my eyes staid at home reading the +ridiculous History of my Lord Newcastle, wrote by his wife; which +shows her to be a mad, conceited, ridiculous woman, and he an +asse to suffer her to write what she writes to him and of him. +So to bed, my eyes being very bad; and I know not how in the +world to abstain from reading. + +19th. Walked all along Thames-street, which I have not done +since it was burned, as far as Billingsgate; and there do see a +brave street likely to be, many brave houses being built, and of +them a great many by Mr. Jaggard; but the raising of the street +will make it mighty fine. + +20th. All the evening pricking down some things and trying some +conclusions upon my viall, in order to the inventing a better +theory of musique than hath yet been abroad; and I think verily I +shall do it. This day at Court I do hear that Sir W. Pen do +command this summer's fleet; and Mr. Progers of the Bedchamber as +a secret told me that the Prince Rupert is troubled at it, and +several friends of his have been with him to know the reason of +it; so that he do pity Sir W. Pen, whom he hath a great kindness +for, that he should not at any desire of his be put to this +service, and thereby make the Prince his enemy and contract more +envy from other people. + +24th. From the Duke's chamber Sir W. Coventry and I to walk in +the Mattted Gallery; and there, among other things, he tells me +of the wicked design that now is at last contriving against him, +to get a petition presented from people, that the money they have +paid to Sir W. Coventry for their places may be repaid them back: +and that this is set on by Temple and Hollis of the Parliament, +and, among other mean people in it, by Captain Tatnell: and he +prays me that I will use some effectual way to sift Tatnell what +he do and who puts him on in this business: which I do +undertake, and will do with all my skill for his service, being +troubled that he is still under this difficulty. Thence back to +White Hall: where great talk of the tumult at the other end of +the town, about Moore-fields, among the prentices taking the +liberty of these holydays to pull down brothels. And Lord! to +see the apprehensions which this did give to all people at Court, +that presently order was given for all the soldiers, horse and +foot, to be in armes; and forthwith alarmes were beat by drum and +trumpet through Westminster and all to their colours and to +horse, as if the French were coming into the town. So Creed, +whom I met here, and I to Lincolne's Inn-fields, thinking to have +come into the fields to have seen the prentices; but here we +found these fields full of soldiers all in a body, and my Lord +Craven commanding of them, and riding up and down to give orders +like a madman. And some young men we saw brought by soldiers to +the guard at White Hall, and overheard others that stood by say +that it was only for pulling down the brothels; and none of the +bystanders finding fault with them, but rather of the soldiers +for hindering them. And we heard a Justice of Peace this morning +say to the King, that he had been endeavouring to suppress this +tumult, but could not; and that imprisoning some of them in the +new prison at Clerkenwell, the rest did come and break open the +prison and release them; and that they do give out that they are +for pulling down the brothels, which is one of the great +grievances of the nation. To which the King made a very poor, +cold, insipid answer: "Why! why do they go to them, then?"--and +that was all, and had no mind to go on with the discourse. This +evening I came home from White Hall with Sir W. Pen, who fell in +talk about his going to sea this year, and the difficulties that +arise to him by it, by giving offence to the Prince and +occasioning envy to him, and many other things that make it a bad +matter at this time of want of money and necessaries, and bad and +uneven counsels at home, for him to go abroad: and did tell me +how much with the King and Duke of York he had endeavoured to be +excused, desiring the Prince might be satisfied in it who hath a +mind to go; but he tells me they will not excuse him, and I +believe it, and truly do judge it a piece of bad fortune to W. +Pen. + +25th. Up, and walked to White Hall, there to wait on the Duke of +York; which I did: and in his chamber there, first by hearing +the Duke of York call me by my name, my Lord Burlington did come +to me and with great respect take notice of me and my relation to +my Lord Sandwich, and express great kindness to me; and so to +talk of my Lord Sandwich's concernments. By and by the Duke of +York is ready; and I did wait for an opportunity of speaking my +mind to him about Sir J. Minnes, his being unable to do the King +any service. The Duke of York and all with him this morning were +full of the talk of the prentices, who are not yet, put down, +though the guards and militia of the town have been in armes all +this night and the night before; and the prentices have made +fools of them, sometimes by running from them and flinging stones +at them. Some blood hath been spilt, but a great many houses +pulled down; and, among others, the Duke of York was mighty merry +at that of Daman Page's, the great bawd of the seamen; and the +Duke of York complained merrily that he hath lost two tenants by +their houses being pulled down, who paid him for their wine- +licences 15l. a-year. But these idle fellows have had the +confidence to say that they did ill in contenting themselves in +pulling down the little brothels, and did not go and pull down +the great one at White Hall. And some of them have the last +night had a word among them, and it was "Reformation and +Reducement." This do make the courtiers ill at ease to see this +spirit among people, though they think this matter will not +come to much: but it speakes people's minds; and then they do +say that there are men of understanding among them, that have +been of Cromwell's army: but how true that is, I know not. + +26th. To the Duke of York's house to see the new play, called +"The Man is the Master:" [A comedy, by Sir Wm. Davenant, taken +from Moliere's "Joddelet."] where the house was, it being not +one o'clock, very full. By and by the King came; and we sat just +under him, so that I durst not turn my back all the play. The +most of the mirth was sorry, poor stuffe, of eating of sack +posset and slabbering themselves, and mirth fit for clownes; the +prologue but poor, and the epilogue little in it but the +extraordinariness of it, it being sung by Harris and another in +the form of a ballet. My wife extraordinary fine to-day in her +flower tabby suit, bought a year and more ago, before my mother's +death put her into mourning, and so not worn till this day: and +every body in love with it; and indeed she is very fine and +handsome in it. Home in a coach round by the wall; where we met +so many stops by the watches, that it cost us much time and some +trouble, and more money, to every watch to them to drink; this +being encreased by the trouble the prentices did lately give the +City, so that the militia and watches are very strict at this +time; and we had like to have met with a stop for all night at +the constable's watch at Mooregate by a pragmatical constable; +but we came well home at about two in the morning. This noon +from Mrs. Williams's my Lord Brouncker sent to Somerset House to +hear how the Duchesse of Richmond do; and word was brought him +that she is pretty well, but mighty full of the small pox, by +which all do conclude she will he wholly spoiled; which is the +greatest instance of the uncertainty of beauty that could be in +this age; but, then she hath had the benefit of it to be first +married, and to have kept it so long under the greatest +temptations in the world from a King, and yet without the least +imputation. This afternoon, at the play, Sir Fr. Hollis spoke to +me as a secret and matter of confidence in me, and friendship to +Sir W. Pen, who is now out of town, that it were well he were +made acquainted that he finds in the House of Commons, which met +this day, several motions made for the calling strictly again +upon the miscarriages, and particularly in the business of the +prizes and the not prosecuting of the first victory, only to give +an affront to Sir W. Pen, whose going to sea this year does give +them matter of great dislike. + +27th. This day at noon comes Mr. Pelling to me, and shows me the +stone cut lately out of Sir Thomas Adams's (the old comely +Alderman) body; [Knight and Bart. alderman of London; ob. 1667. +He founded an Arabic Professorship at Cambridge.] which is very +large indeed, bigger I think than my fist, and weighs above +twenty-five ounces: and which is very miraculous, he never in +all his life had any fit of it, but lived to a great age without +pain, and died at last of something else, without any sense of +this in all his life. This day Creed at White Hall in discourse +told me what information he hath had from very good hands, of the +cowardize and ill-government of Sir Jer. Smith and Sir Thomas +Allen, and the repute they have both of them abroad in the +Streights, from their deportment when they did at several times +command there; and that, above all Englishmen that ever were +there, there never was any man that behaved himself like poor +Charles Wager, whom the very Moores do mention with tears +sometimes. + +29th. To church; and there did first find a strange reader, who +could not find in the Service-book the place for churching women, +but was fain to change books with the clerke: and then a +stranger preached, a seeming able man; but said in his pulpit +that God did a greater work in raising of an oake-tree from an +acorn, than a man's body raising it at the last day from his dust +(showing the Possibility of the Resurrection): which was, +methought, a strange saying. Harris do so commend my wife's +picture of Mr. Hales's, that I shall have him draw Harris's head; +and he hath also persuaded me to have Cooper draw my wife's, +which though it cost 30l. yet I will have done. I do hear by +several that Sir W. Pen's going to sea do dislike the Parliament +mightily, and that they have revived the Committee of +Miscarriages to find something to prevent it; and that he being +the other day with the Duke of Albemarle to ask his opinion +touching his going to sea, the Duchesse overheard and came in to +him, and asked W. Pen how he durst have the confidence to offer +to go to sea again to the endangering the nation, when he knew +himself such a coward as he was; which, if true, is very severe. + +30th. By coach to Common-garden Coffee-house, where by +appointment I was to meet Harris; which I did, and also Mr. +Cooper the great painter, and Mr. Hales. And thence presently to +Mr. Cooper's house to see some of his work; which is all in +little, but so excellent as, though I must confess I do think the +colouring of the flesh to be a little forced, yet the painting is +so extraordinary as I do never expect to see the like again. +Here I did see Mrs. Stewart's picture as when a young maid, and +now just done before her having the small-pox: and it would make +a man weep to see what she was then, and what she is like to be +by people's discourse now. Here I saw my Lord Generall's +picture, and my Lord Arlington and Ashly's, and several others: +but among the rest one Swinfen that was Secretary to my Lord +Manchester, Lord Chamberlain (with Cooling), done so admirably as +I never saw any thing: but the misery was, this fellow died in +debt and never paid Cooper for his picture; but it being seized +on by his creditors among his other goods after his death, Cooper +himself says that he did buy it and give 25l. out of his purse +for it, for what he was to have had but 30l. To White Hall and +Westminster, where I find the Parliament still bogling about the +raising of this money. And every body's mouth full now; and Mr. +Wren himself tells me that the Duke of York declares to go to sea +himself this year; and I perceive it is only on this occasion of +distaste of the Parliament against W. Pen's going, and to prevent +the Prince's: but I think it is mighty hot counsel for the Duke +of York at this time to go out of the way; but, Lord! what pass +are all our matters come to! At noon by appointment to +Cursitor's-alley in Chancery-lane, to meet Captain Cocke and some +other creditors the Navy, and their Counsel (Pemberton, North, +Offly, and Charles Porter); and there dined and talked of the +business of the assignments on the Exchequer of the 1,250,000l. +on behalf of our creditors; and there I do perceive that the +Counsel had heard of my performance in the Parliament-house +lately, and did value me and what I said accordingly. At dinner +we had a great deal of good discourse about Parliament; their +number being uncertain, and always at the will of the King to +encrease as he saw reason to erect a new borough. But all +concluded that the bane of the Parliament hath been the leaving +off the old custom of the places allowing wages to those that +served them in Parliament, by which they chose men that +understood their business and would attend it, and they could +expect an account from; which now they cannot: and so the +Parliament is become a company of men unable to give account for +the interest of the place they serve for. Thence, the meeting of +the Counsel with the King's Counsel this afternoon being put off +by reason of the death of Serjeant Maynard's lady, [John Maynard, +an eminent lawyer; made Serjeant to Cromwell in 1653, and +afterwards King's Serjeant by Charles II., who knighted him, In +1663 he was chosen Member for Berealston, and sat in every +Parliament till the Revolution. Ob. 1690, aged 88.] I to White +Hall, where the Parliament was to wait on the King; and they did: +and he did think fit to tell them that they might expect to be +adjourned at Whitsuntide, and that they might make haste to raise +their money; but this, I fear, will displease them, who did +expect to sit as long as they pleased. + +APRIL 2, 1668. With Lord Brouncker to the Royall Society, where +they had just done; but there I was forced to subscribe to the +building of a college, and did give 40l.; and several others did +subscribe, some greater and some less sums; but several I saw +hang off: and I doubt it will spoil the Society, for it breeds +faction and ill-will, and becomes burdensome to some that cannot +or would not do it. + +3rd. As soon as we had done with the Duke of York we did attend +the Council; and were there called in, and did hear Mr. +Sollicitor make his report to the Council in the business of a +complaint against us, for having prepared certificates on the +Exchequer for the further sum of 50,000l.; which he did in a most +excellent manner of words, but most cruelly severe against us, +and so were some of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, as +men guilty of a practice with the tradesmen, to the King's +prejudice. I was unwilling to enter into a contest with them; +but took advantage of two or three words last spoke, and brought +it to a short issue in good words, that if we had the King's +order to hold our hands, we would; which did end the matter: and +they all resolved we should have it, and so it ended. And so we +away; I vexed that I did not speak more in a cause so fit to be +spoke in, and wherein we had so much advantage; but perhaps I +might have provoked the Sollicitor and the Commissioners of the +Treasury, and therefore since I am not sorry that I forebore. +This day I hear that Prince Rupert and Holmes do go to sea: and +by this there is a seeming friendship and peace among our great +seamen; but the devil a bit there is any love among them, or can +be. + +4th, I did attend the Duke of York, and he did carry us to the +King's lodgings: but he was asleep in his closet; so we stayed +in the green-roome; where the Duke of York did tell us what rules +he had of knowing the weather, and did now tell us we should have +rain before to-morrow (it having been a dry season for some +time), and so it did rain all night almost; and pretty rules he +hath, and told Brouncker and me some of them, which were such as +no reason can readily be given for them. By and by the King +comes out: and then to talk of other things; about the Quakers +not swearing, and how they do swear in the business of a late +election of a Knight of the Shire of Hartfordshire in behalf of +one they have a mind to have; and how my Lord of Pembroke says he +hath heard the Quaker at the tennis-court swear to himself when +he loses; and told us what pretty notions my Lord Pembroke hath +of the first chapter of Genesis, and a great deal of such +fooleries; which the King made mighty mockery at. + +5th. I hear that eight of the ringleaders in the late tumults of +the prentices at Easter are condemned to die. + +6th. The King and Duke of York themselves in my absence did call +for some of the Commissioners of the Treasury and give them +directions about the business of the certificates; which I, +despairing to do any thing on a Sunday, and not thinking that +they would think of it themselves, did rest satisfied with, and +stayed at home all yesterday, leaving it to do something in this +day: but I find that the King and Duke of York had been so +pressing in it, that my Lord Ashly was more forward with the +doing of it this day than I could have been. And so I to White +Hall with Alderman Backewell in his coach, with Mr. Blany, my +Lord's Secretary; and there did draw up a rough draught of what +order I would have, and did carry it in, and had it read twice +and approved of before my Lord Ashly and three more of the +Commissioners of the Treasury; and then went up to the Council- +chamber, where the Duke of York and Prince Rupert, and the rest +of the Committee of the Navy, were sitting: and I did get some +of them to read it there; and they would have had it passed +presently, but Sir John Nichollas desired they would first have +it approved by a full council; and therefore a Council +Extraordinary was readily summoned against the afternoon, and, +the Duke of York run presently to the King, as if now they were +really set to mind their business; which God grant! Mr. Montagu +did tell me how Mr. Vaughan in that very room did say that I was +a great man, and had great understanding, and I know not what; +which, I confess, I was a little proud of, if I may believe him. +Here I do hear as a great secret that the King, and Duke of York +and Duchesse, and my lady Castlemaine, are now all agreed in a +strict league, and all things like to go very current, and that +it is not impossible to have my Lord Clarendon in time here +again. But I do hear that my Lady Castlemaine is horribly vexed +at the late libell, the petition of the poor prostitutes about +the town whose houses were pulled down the other day. I have got +one of them; and it is not very witty, but devilish severe +against her and the King: and I wonder how it durst be printed +and spread abroad; which shows that the times are loose, and come +to a great disregard of the King, or Court, or Govermment. To +the Park; and then to the House, and there at the door eat and +drank; whither came my Lady Kerneagy [Carnegie.] of whom Creed +tells me more particulars: how her Lord, finding her and the +Duke of York at the King's first coming in, too kind, did get it +out of her that he did dishonour him; and did take the most +pernicious and full piece of revenge that ever I heard of; and he +at this day owns it with great glory, and looks upon the Duke of +York and the world with great content in the ampleness of his +revenge. [VIDE Memoires de Grammont.] This day in the +afternoon, stepping with the Duke of York into St. James's Park, +it rained; and I was forced to lend the Duke of York my cloak, +which he wore through the Park. + +7th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The English +Monsieur" [A Comedy by James Howard.] (sitting for privacy sake +in an upper box): the play hath much mirth in it as to that +particular humour. After the play done I down to Knipp, and did +stay her undressing herself: and there saw the several players, +men and women, go by; and pretty to see how strange they are all, +one to another, after the play is done. Here I hear Sir W. +Davenant is just now dead; and so who will succeed him in the +mastership of the House is not yet known. The eldest Davenport +is, it seems, gone from this house to be kept by somebody; which +I am glad of, she being a very bad actor. Mrs. Knipp tells me +that my Lady Castlemaine is mightily in love with Hart of their +house; and he is much with her in private, and she goes to him +and do give him many presents; and that the thing is most +certain, and Beck Marshall only privy to it, and the means of +bringing them together: which is a very odd thing; and by this +means she is even with the King's love to Mrs. Davis. + +8th. To Drumbleby's, and there did talk a great deal about +pipes; and did buy a recorder, which I do intend to learn to play +on, the sound of it being, of all sounds in the world, most +pleasing to me. + +9th. I up and down to the Duke of York's playhouse, there to +see, which I did, Sir W. Davenant's corpse, carried out towards +Westminster, there to be buried. Here were many coaches and six +horses, and many hacknies, that made it look, methought, as if it +were the buriall of a poor poet. He seemed to have many +children, by five or six in the first mourning-coach, all boys. +To my office, where is come a packet from the Downes from my +brother Balty, who with Harman are arrived there, of which this +day comes the first news. And now the Parliament will be +satisfied, I suppose, about the business they have so long +desired between Brouncker [Henry Brouncker.] and Harman, about +not prosecuting the first victory. + +16th. To Westminster Hall, where I hear W. Pen is ordered to be +impeached. There spoke with many, and particularly with G. +Montagu; and went with him and Creed to his house, where he told +how Sir W. Pen hath been severe to Lord Sandwich; but the +Coventrys both labouring to save him by laying it on Lord +Sandwich; which our friends cry out upon, and I am silent, but do +believe they did it as the only way to save him. It could not be +carried to commit him. It is thought the House do cool: Sir W. +Coventry's being for him provoked Sir R. Howard, and his party: +Court all for W. Pen. + +17th. I hear that the House is upon the business of Harman, who, +they say, takes all on himself. + +18th. Do hear this morning that Harman is committed by the +Parliament last night, the day he came up; which is hard: but he +took all upon himself first, and then, when a witness came in to +say otherwise, he would have retracted; and the House took it so +ill, they would commit him. + +19th. Roger Pepys did tell me the whole story of Harman, how he +prevaricated, and hath undoubtedly been imposed on and wheedled; +and he is like the miller's man that in Richard the Third's time +was hanged for his master. + +20th. To White Hall, and there hear how Brouncker is tied, which +I think will undo him; but what good it will do Harman I know +not, he hath so befouled himself; but it will be good sport to my +Lord Chancellor to hear how his great enemy is fain to take the +same course that he is. There met Robinson, who tells me that he +fears his master, Sir W. Coventry, will this week have his +business brought upon the stage again about selling of places; +which I shall be sorry for, though the less since I hear his +standing up for Pen the other day, to the prejudice, though not +to the ruin, of my Lord Sandwich; and yet I do think what he did, +he did out of a principle of honesty. Meeting Sir William Hooker +the Alderman, he did cry out mighty high against Sir W. Pen for +his getting such an estate and giving 15,000l. with his daughter; +which is more by half than ever he did give; but this the world +believes, and so let them. + +21st. I hear how Sir W. Pen's impeachment was read and agreed to +in the House this day, and ordered to be engrossed; and he +suspended the House: Harman set at liberty; and Brouncker put +out of the House, and a writ [At Romney, which Brouncker +represented.] for a new election, and an impeachment ordered to +be brought in against him, he being fled. + +22nd. To White Hall; and there we attended the Duke of York as +usual; and I did present Mrs. Pett the widow and her petition to +the Duke of York, for some relief from the King. Here was to-day +a proposition made to the Duke of York by Captain Von Hemskirke +for 20,000l. to discover an art how to make a ship go two feet +for one what any ship do now: which the King inclines to try, it +costing him nothing to try and it is referred to us to contract +with the man. Then by water from the Privy-stairs to Westminster +Hall: and taking water the King and the Duke of York were in the +new buildings; and the Duke of York called to me whither I was +going? And I answered aloud, "To wait on our masters at +Westminster;" at which he and all the company laughed: but I was +sorry and troubled for it afterwards, for fear any Parliament-man +should have been there; and it will be a caution to me for the +time to come. + +24th. I did hear the Duke of York tell how Sir W. Pen's +impeachment was brought into the House of Lords to-day; and he +spoke with great kindness of him: and that the Lords would not +commit, him till they could find precedent for it, and did +incline to favour him. + +25th. To Westminster Hall, and there met with Roger Pepys; and +he tells me that nothing hath lately passed about my Lord +Sandwich but only Sir Robert Carr did speak hardly of him. But +it is hoped that nothing will be done more this meeting of +Parliament, which the King did by a message yesterday declare +again should rise the 4th of May, and then only adjourne for +three months; and this message being only about an adjournment +did please them mightily, for they are desirous of their power +mightily. + +27th. To Westminster Hall, and up to the Lords' House; and there +saw Sir W. Pen go into the House of Lords, where his impeachment +was read to him and he used mighty civilly, the Duke of York +being there; and two days hence, at his desire, he is to bring in +his answer, and a day then to be appointed for his being heard +with Counsel. Thence down into the Hall, and with Creed and +Godolphin walked; and do hear that to-morrow is appointed, upon a +motion on Friday last, to discourse the business of my Lord +Sandwich, moved by Sir R. Howard, that he should be sent for +home; and I fear it will be ordered. Certain news come, I hear, +this day, that the Spanish Plenipotentiary in Flanders will not +agree to the peace and terms we and the Dutch have made for him +and the King of France; and by this means the face of things may +be altered, and we forced to join with the French against Spain; +which will be an odd thing. + +28th. By coach to Westminster Hall, and there do understand that +the business of religion and the Act against Conventicles have so +taken them up all this morning, and do still, that my Lord +Sandwich's business is not like to come on to-day; which I am +heartily glad of. This law against Conventicles is very severe; +but Creed, whom I meet here, do tell me that it being moved that +Papists' meetings might be included, the House was divided upon +it, and it was carried in the negative; which will give great +disgust to the people, I doubt. To the King's house, and there +did see "Love in a Maze;" wherein very good mirth of Lacy the +clown, and Wintershell the country-knight, his master. + +29th. To White Hall, and there do hear how Sir W. Pen hath +delivered in his answer; and the Lords have sent it down to the +Commons, but they have not yet read it nor taken notice of it, so +as I believe they will by design defer it till they rise, that so +he by lying under an impeachment may be prevented in his going to +sea; which will vex him, and trouble the Duke of York. To +Westminster Hall, and there met Mr. G. Montagu, and walked and +talked; who tells me that the best fence against the Parliament's +present fury is delay, and recommended it to me in my friends' +business and my own, if I have any; and is that that Sir W. +Coventry do take, and will secure himself: that the King will +deliver up all to the Parliament; and being petitioned the other +day by Mr. Brouncker to protect him, with teares in his eyes the +King did say he could not, and bid him shift for himself, at +least till the House is up. + +30th. To the Dolphin Tavern, there to meet on neighbours all of +the parish, this being Procession-day, to dine. And did: and +much very good discourse; they being most of them very able +merchants, as any in the City; Sir Andrew Rickard, Mr. Vandeputt, +Sir John Fredericke, Harrington, and others. They talked with +Mr. Mills about the meaning of this day, and the good uses of it; +and how heretofore, and yet in several places, they do whip a boy +at each place they stop at in their procession stopped to talk +with Mr. Brisband, who gives me an account of the rough usage Sir +G. Carteret and his Counsel, had the other day before the +Commissioners of Accounts, and what I do believe we shall all of +us have in a greater degree than any he hath had yet with them, +before their three years are out; which are not yet begun, nor +God knows when they will, this being like to be no session of +Parliament when they now rise. Thus ends this month; my wife in +the country, myself full of pleasure and expence; in some trouble +for my friends, and my Lord Sandwich by the Parliament, and more +for my eyes, which are daily worse and worse, that I dare not +write or read almost any thing. The Parliament going in a few +days to rise: myself so long without accounting now (for seven +or eight months, I think, or more,) that I know not what +condition almost I am in as to getting or spending for all that +time; which troubles me, but I will soon do it. The kingdom in +an ill state through poverty: a fleet going out, and no money to +maintain it or set it out; seamen yet unpaid, and mutinous when +pressed to go out again; our office able to do little, nobody +trusting us, nor we desiring any to trust us, and yet have not +money for any thing, but only what particularly belongs to this +fleet going out, and that but lamely too. The Parliament several +months upon an Act for 300,000l. but cannot or will not agree +upon it, but do keep it back, in spite of the King's desires to +hasten it, till they can obtain what they have a mind in revenge +upon some men for the late ill managements; and he is forced to +submit to what they please, knowing that without it he shall have +no money, and they as well that if they give the money the King +will suffer them to do little more: and then the business of +religion do disquiet every body, the Parliament being vehement +against the Nonconformists, while the King seems to be willing to +countenance them. So we are all poor and in pieces, God help us! +while the peace is like to go on between Spain and France; and +then the French may be apprehended able to attack us. So God +help us! + +MAY 1, 1668. Met my cosen Thomas Pepys of Deptford, and took +some turns with him; and he is mightily troubled for this Act now +passed against Conventicles, and in few words and sober do lament +the condition we are in by a negligent prince and a mad +Parliament. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The +Surprizall;" and a disorder in the pit by its raining in from the +cupola, at top. I understand how the Houses of Commons and Lords +are like to disagree very much about the business of the East +India Company, and one Skinner; to the latter of which the Lords +have awarded 5000l. from the former, for some wrong done him +heretofore; and the former appealing to the Commons, the Lords +vote their petition a libell; and so there is like to follow very +hot work. + +3rd. To church, where I saw Sir A. Rickard, though he be under +the Black Rod, by order of the Lords' House, upon the quarrel +between the East India Company and Skinner; which is like to come +to a very great heat between the two Houses. To Old-street, to +see Sir Thomas Teddiman, who is very ill in bed of a fever, got, +I believe, by the fright the Parliament have put him into of +late. + +3th. Creed and I to the Duke of York's playhouse; and there +coming late, up to the balcony-box, where we find my Lady +Castlemaine and several great ladies; and there we sat with them, +and I saw "The Impertinents" once more, now three times, and the +three only days it hath been acted. And to see the folly how the +house do this day cry up the play more than yesterday! and I for +that reason like it, I find, the better too. By Sir Positive At- +all, I understand is meant Sir Robert Howard. My Lady pretty +well pleased with it: but here I eat; close to her fine woman, +Willson, who indeed is very handsome, but, they say, with child +by the King. I asked, and she told me this was the first time +her Lady had seen it, I having a mind to say something to her. +One thing of familiarity I observed in my Lady Castlemaine: she +called to one of her women, another that sat by this, for a +little patch off of her face, and put it into her mouth and +wetted it, and so clapped it upon her own by the side of her +mouth, I suppose she feeling a pimple rising there. Thence with +Creed to Westminster Hall, and there met with cosen Roger, who +tells me of the great conference this day between the Lords and +Commons about the business of the East India Company, as being +one of the weightiest conferences that hath been, and maintained +as weightily. I am heartily sorry I was not there, it being upon +a mighty point of the privileges of the subjects of England in +regard to the authority of the House of Lords, and their being +condemned by them as the Supreme Court, which we say ought not to +be but by appeal from other Courts. And he tells me that the +Commons had much the better of them in reason and history there +quoted, and believes the Lords will let it fall. + +6th. I understand that my Lord St. John is meant by Mr. +Woodrocke in "The Impertinents." Home to put up things against +to-morrow's carrier for my wife; and, among others, a very fine +salmon pie sent me by Mr. Steventon, W. Hewer's uncle. + +7th. To the King's House; where going in for Knipp, the play +being done, I did see Beck Marshall come dressed off the stage, +and look mighty fine and pretty, and noble: and also Nell in her +boy's clothes, mighty pretty. Put Lord! their confidence, and +how many men do hover about them as soon as they come off the +stage, and how confident they are in their talk! Here was also +Haynes, the incomparable dancer of the King's house. Then we +abroad to Marrowbone, and there walked in the garden, the first +time I ever was there; and a pretty place it is. + +8th. The Lords' House did sit till eleven o'clock last night +about the business of difference between them and the Commons in +the matter of the East India Company. To my Lord Crewe's, and +there dined; where Mr. Case the minister, a dull fellow in his +talk, and all in the Presbyterian manner; a great deal of noise +and a kind of religious tone, but very dull. After dinner my +Lord and I together. He tells me he hears that there are great +disputes like to be at Court between the factions of the two +women, my Lady Castlemaine and Mrs. Stewart, who is now well +again, (the King having made several public visits to her,) and +like to come to Court: the other is to go to Barkeshire-house, +which is taken for her, and they say a Privy-seal is passed for +5000l. for it. He believes all will come to ruin. Thence I to +White Hall; where the Duke of York gone to the Lords' House, +where there is to be a conference on thee Lords' side with the +Commons this afternoon, giving in their Reasons, which I would +have been at, but could not; for going by direction to the +Prince's chamber, there Brouncker, W. Pen, and Mr. Wren and I +met, and did our business with the Duke of York. But, Lord! to +see how this play of Sir Positive At-all in abuse of Sir Robert +Howard do take, all the Duke's and every body's talk being of +that, and telling more stories of him of the like nature, that it +is now the town and country talk, and, they say, is most exactly +true. The Duke of York himself said that of his playing at trap- +ball is true, and told several other stories of him. Then to +Brouncker's house, and there sat and talked, I asking many +questions in mathematics to my Lord, which he do me the pleasure +to satisfy me in. + +9th. I hear that the Queene hath miscarryed of a perfect child, +being gone about ten weeks; which do show that she can conceive, +though it be unfortunate that she cannot bring forth. We are +told also that last night the Duchesse of Monmouth dancing at her +lodgings, hath sprained her thigh. We are told also that the +House of Commons sat till five o'clock this morning upon the +business of the difference between the Lords and them, resolving +to do something therein before they rise to assert their +privileges. So I at noon by water to Westminster, and there find +the King hath waited in the Prince's chamber these two hours, and +the Houses are not ready for him. The Commons having sent this +morning, after their long debate therein the last night, to the +Lords, that they do think the only expedient left to preserve +unity between the two Houses is, that they do put a stop to any +proceedings upon their late judgement against the East India +Company, till their next meeting; to which the Lords returned +answer, that they would return answer to them by a messenger of +their own; which they not presently doing, they were all +inflamed, and thought it was only a trick to keep them in +suspense till the King come to adjourne them; and so rather than +lose the opportunity of doing themselves right, they presently +with great fury come to this vote: "That whoever should assist +in the execution of the Judgement of the Lords against the +Company should be held betrayers of the liberties of the people +of England, and of the privileges of that House." This the Lords +had notice of, and were mad at it; and so continued debating +without any design to yield to the Commons, till the King came in +and sent for the Commons: where the Speaker made a short but +silly speech about their giving him 300,000l.; and then the +several Bills their titles were read, and the King's assent +signified in the proper terms, according to the nature of the +Bills; of which about three or four were public Bills, and seven +or eight private ones, (the additional Bills for the building of +the City and the Bill against Conventicles being none of them.) +The King did make a short silly speech, which he read, giving +them thanks for the money, which now, he said, he did believe +would be sufficient, because there was peace between his +neighbours; which was a kind of a slur, methought, to the +Commons: and that he was sorry for what he heard of difference +between the two Houses, but that he hoped their recesse would put +them into a way of accommodation; and so adjourned them to the +9th of August, and then recollected himself and told them the +11th; so imperfect a speaker he is. So the Commons went to their +House, and forthwith adjourned; and the Lords resumed their +House, the King being gone, and sat an hour or two after: but +what they did, I cannot tell; but every body expected they would +commit Sir Andrew Rickard, Sir Samuel Barnardiston, [Wood +mentions Sir S. Barnadiston as a leading Fanatic, CIRC. 1683.] +Mr. Boone, and Mr. Wynne, who were all there, and called in upon +their knees to the bar of the House: and Sir John Robinson I +left there, endeavouring to prevent their being committed to the +Tower, lest he should thereby be forced to deny their order, +because of this vote of the Commons, whereof he is one; which is +an odde case. + +12th. Lord Anglesy, in talk about the late difference between +the two Houses, do tell us that he thinks the House of Lords may +be in an error, at least it is possible they may, in this matter +of Skinner; and did declare his judgement in the House of Lords +against their proceedings therein, he having hindered 100 +originall causes being brought into their House, notwithstanding +that he was put upon defending their proceedings: but that he is +confident that the House of Commons are in the wrong, in the +method they take to remedy an error of the Lords, for no vote of +theirs can do it; but in all like cases the Commons have done it +by petition to the King, sent up to the Lords, and by them agreed +to and so redressed, as they did in the petition of Right. He +says that he did tell them indeed, which is talked of, and which +did vex the Commons, that the Lords were "JUDICES NATI ET +CONCILIARII NATI;" but all other Judges among us are under +salary, and the Commons themselves served for wages; and +therefore the Lords, in reason, the freer Judges. + +13th. To attend the Council about the business of Hemskirke's +project of building a ship that sails two feet for one of any +other ship; which the Council did agree to be put in practice, +the King to give him, if it proves good, 5000l. in hand, and +15,000l. more in seven years: which for my part I think a piece +of folly for them to meddle with, because the secret cannot be +long kept. This morning I hear that last night Sir Thomas +Teddiman, poor man! did die by a thrush in his mouth: a good +man, and stout and able, and much lamented; though people do make +a little mirth, and say, as I believe it did in good part, that +the business of the Parliament did break his heart, or at least +put him into this fever and disorder that; caused his death. + +15th. To a Committee for Tangier; where God knows how my Lord +Bellasses' accounts passed: understood by nobody but my Lord +Ashly, who, I believe, was allowed to let them go as he pleased. +But here Sir H. Cholmly had his propositions read about a greater +price for his work of the Molle, or to do it upon account; which +being read, he was bid to withdraw. But, Lord! to see how +unlucky a man may be by chance! for, making an unfortunate +motion when they were almost tired with the other business, the +Duke of York did find fault with it, and that made all the rest, +that I believe he had better have given a great deal and had +nothing said to it to-day; whereas I have seen other things more +extravagant passed at first hearing, without any difficulty. To +Loriner's-hall, by Mooregate, (a hall I never heard of before,) +to Sir Thomas Teddiman's burial, where most people belonging to +the sea, were. And here we had rings: and here I do hear that +some of the last words that he said were, that he had a, very +good King, God bless him! but that the Parliament had very ill +rewarded him for all the service he had endeavoured to do them +and his country: so that for certain this did go far towards his +death. But, Lord! to see among the company the young +commanders, and Thomas Killigrew and others that came, how unlike +a burial this was, O'Brian taking out some ballads out of his +pocket, which I read, and the rest come about me to hear! And +there very merry we were all, they being new ballads. By and by +the corpse went; and I, with my Lord Brouncker, and Dr. Clerke, +and Mr. Pierce, as far as the foot of London-bridge; and there we +struck off into Thames-street, the rest going to Redriffe, where +he is to be buried. The Duchesse of Monmouth's hip is, I hear, +now set again, after much pain. I am told also that the +Countesse of Shrewsbery is brought home by the Duke of Buckingham +to his house; where his Duchesse saying that it was not for her +and the other to live together in a house, he answered, "Why, +Madam, I did think so, and therefore have ordered your coach to +be ready to carry you to your father's;" which was a devilish +speech, but, they say, true; and my Lady Shrewsbery is there, +it seems. + +18th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw the best part of +"The Sea Voyage," [A comedy, by Beaumont and Fletcher.] where +Knipp did her part of sorrow very well. + +17th (Lord's day). Up, and put on my new stuff-suit, with a +shoulder-belt according to the new fashion, and the hands of my +vest and tunique laced with silk-lace of the colour of my suit: +and so very handsome to church. + +18th. To my Lord Bellasses, at his new house by my late Lord +Treasurer's; which indeed is mighty noble, and good pictures, +indeed not one bad one in it. It being almost twelve o'clock, or +little more, to the King's playhouse, where the doors were not +then open; but presently they did open; and we in, and find many +people already come in by private ways into the pit, it being the +first day of Sir Charles Sedley's new play so long expected, "The +Mulbery Garden;" of whom, being so reputed a wit, all the world +do expect great matters. I having sat here awhile and eat +nothing to-day, did slip out, getting a boy to keep my place; and +to the Rose Tavern, and there got half a breast of mutton off of +the spit, and dined all alone. And so to the play again; where +the King and Queene by and by come, and all the Court; and the +house infinitely full. But the play, when it come, though there +was here and there a pretty saying, and that not very many +neither, yet the whole of the play had nothing extraordinary in +it all, neither of language nor design; insomuch that the King I +did not see laugh nor pleased from the beginning to the end, nor +the company; insomuch that I have not been less pleased at a new +play in my life, I think. + +19th. Pierce tells me that for certain Mr. Vaughan is made Lord +Chief Justice; which I am glad of. He tells me too, that since +my Lord of Ormond's coming over, the King begins to be mightily +reclaimed, and sups every night with great pleasure with the +Queene: and yet, it seems, he is mighty hot upon the Duchesse of +Richmond; insomuch that, upon Sunday was se'nnight at night, +after he had ordered his Guards and coach to be ready to carry +him to the Park, he did on a sudden take a pair of oars or +sculler, and all alone, or but one with him, go to Somerset +House, and there, the garden-door not being open, himself clamber +over the wall to make a visit to her; which is a horrid shame. + +20th. To the Council-chamber, where the Committee of the Navy +sat; and here we discoursed several things, but, Lord! like +fools, so as it was a shame to see things of this importance +managed by a Council that understand nothing of them. And, among +other things, one was about this building of a ship with +Hemskirke's secret, to sail a third faster than any other ship; +but he hath got Prince Rupert on his side, and by that means, I +believe, will get his conditions made better than he would +otherwise, or ought indeed. To the Mulbery-garden, [On the site +of which Buckingham-House was erected.] where I never was +before; and find it a very silly place, worse than Spring-garden, +and but little company, only a wilderness here that is somewhat +pretty. + +21st. To the office, where meets me Sir Richard Ford; who among +other things congratulates me, as one or two did yesterday, on my +great purchase; and he advises me rather to forbear if it be not +done, as a thing that the world will envy me in: and what is it +but my cosen Tom Pepys's buying of Martin Abbey, [In 1668 the +site of Murton, ALIAS Martin Priory, was conveyed by Ellis Crispe +to Thomas Pepys, Esq., of Hatcham Barns, Master of the Jewel- +office to Charles II. and James II.--MANNING'S SURREY.] in +Surry? All the town is full of the talk of a meteor, or some +fire, that did on Saturday last fly over the City at night; which +do put me in mind that, being then walking in the dark an hour or +more myself in the garden after I had done writing, I did see a +light before me come from behind me, which made me turn back my +head; and I did see a sudden fire or light running in the sky, as +it were towards Cheapside-ward, And vanished very quick; which +did make me bethink myself what holyday it was, and took it for +some rocket, though it was much brighter: and the world do make +much discourse of it, their apprehensione being mighty full of +the rest of the City to be burned, and the Papists to cut our +throats. + +22nd. I fitted myself for my journey to Brampton to-morrow, +which I fear will not be pleasant because of the wet weather, it +rained very hard all this day; but the less it troubles me, +because the King and Duke of York and Court are at this day at +Newmarket at a great horse-race, and proposed great pleasure for +two or three days, but are in the same wet. + +23rd. To the Bull in Bishopsgate-street; and, there about six +took coach, and so away to Bishop's Stafford, [Bishop Stortford, +in Herts.] The ways are mighty full of water, so as hardly to be +passed. After dinner to Cambridge, about nine at night: and +there I met my father's horses. + +24th. We set out by three o'clock to Brampton. Here I saw my +brother and sister Jackson. After dinner my Lady Sandwich +sending to see whether I was come, I presently took horse, and +find her and her family at chapel: and, thither I went in to +them, and sat out the sermon; where I heard Jervas Fulwood, now +their chaplain, preach a very good and civantick kind of sermon, +too good for an ordinary congregation. After sermon I with my +Lady, and my Lady Hinchingbroke, and Paulina, and Lord +Hinchingbroke. + +25th. To Cambridge, the waters not being now so high as before. +Here lighting, I took my boy and two brothers, and walked to +Magdalene College; and there into the butterys as a stranger, and +there drank of their beer, which pleased me, as the best I ever +drank; and hear by the Butler's man, who was son to Goody +Mulliner over-against the College, that we used to buy stewed +prunes of, concerning the College and persons in it; and find +very few, only Mr. Hollins [John Hollins of Medley, in Yorkshire; +admitted a Pensioner of Magdalene College, March 1651.] and +Pechell, I think, that were of my time. + +26th. To the coach; where about six o'clock we set out, and got +to Bishopsgate-street before eight o'clock, the waters being now +most of them down, and we avoiding the bad way in the forest by a +privy way, which brought us to Hodsden; and so to Tibald's that +road; which was mighty pleasant. + +27th. Met Mr. Sawyer, my old chamber-fellow; and he and I by +water together to the Temple, he giving me an account of the +base, rude usage which he and Sir G. Carteret had lately before +the Commissioners of Accounts, where he was as Counsel to Sir G. +Carteret; which I was sorry to hear, they behaving themselves +like most insolent and ill-mannered men. To see Sir W. Pen; whom +I find still very ill of the gout, sitting in his great chair, +made on purpose for persons sick of that disease for their ease; +and this very chair, he tells me, was made for my Lady Lambert. + +29th. Received some directions from the Duke of York and the +Committee of the Navy about casting up the charge of the present +summer's fleet, that so they may come within the bounds of the +sum given by the Parliament. But it is pretty to see how Prince +Rupert and other mad silly people are for setting out but a +little fleet, there being no occasion for it; and say it will be +best to save the money for better uses. But Sir G. Carteret did +declare that in wisdom it was better to do so; but that, in +obedience to the Parliament, he was for setting out the fifty +sail talked on, though it spent all the money, and to little +purpose; and that this was better than to leave it to the +Parliament to make bad constructions of their thrift, if any +trouble should happen. Thus wary the world is grown! Thence +back again presently home, and did business till noon. And then +to Sir G. Carteret's to dinner with much good company, it being +the King's birthday, and many healths drunk. And here I did +receive another letter from my Lord Sandwich; which troubles me +to see how I have neglected him in not writing, or but once, all +this time of his being abroad and I see he takes notice, but yet +gently, of it. + +30th. Up, and put on a new summer black bombazin suit; and being +come now to an agreement with my barber to keep my perriwig in +good order at 20s. a-year, I am like to go very spruce, more than +I used to do. To the King's playhouse, and there saw +"Philaster;" [A tragedy, by Beaumont and Fletcher.] where it is +pretty to see how I could remember almost all along, ever since I +was a boy, Arethusa, the part which I was to have acted at Sir +Robert Cooke's; and it was very pleasant to me, but more to think +what a ridiculous thing it would have been for me to have acted a +beautiful woman. To Fox Hall, and there fell into the company of +Harry Killigrew, a rogue newly come out of France, but still in +disgrace at our Court, and young Newport and others, as very +rogues as any in the town, who were ready to take hold of every +woman that come by them. And so to supper in an arbour: but +Lord! their mad talk did make my heart ake. And here I first +understood by their talk the meaning of the company that lately +were called Ballers; Harris telling how it was by a meeting of +some young blades, where he was among them, and my Lady Bennet +and her ladies; and there dancing naked, and all the roguish +things in the world. But, Lord! what loose company was this +that I was in to-night, though full of wit; and worth a man's +being in for once to know the nature of it, and their manner of +talk and lives. + +31st. I hear that Mrs. Davis is quite gone from the Duke of +York's house, and Gosnell comes in her room; which I am glad of. +At the play at Court the other night Mrs. Davis was there; and +when she was to come to dance her jigg, the Queene would not stay +to see it; which people do think was out of displeasure at her +being the King's mistress, that she could not bear it. My Lady +Castlemaine is, it seems, now mightily out of request, the King +coming little to her, and then she mighty melancholy and +discontented. + +JUNE 1, 1668. Alone to Fox Hall, and walked and saw young +Newport and two more rogues of the town seize on two ladies, who +walked with them an hour with their masks on; (perhaps civil +ladies;) and there I left them. + +3rd. To White Hall to the Council-chamber, where I did present +the Duke of York with an account of the charge of the present +fleet to his satisfaction; and this being done, did ask his leave +for my going out of town five or six days, which he did give me, +saying that my diligence in the King's business was such that I +ought not to be denied when my own business called me any +whither. To my Lord Crewe's to visit him; from whom I learn +nothing but that there hath been some controversy at the Council- +table about my Lord Sandwich's signing, where some would not have +had him, in the treaty with Portugall; but all, I think, is over +in it. + +4th. Mr. Clerke the solicitor dined with me and my clerks. +After dinner I carried and set him down at; the Temple, he +observing to me how St. Sepulchre's church steeple is repaired +already a good deal, and the Fleet-bridge is contracted for by +the City to begin to be built this summer; which do please me +mightily. I to White Hall, and walked through the Park for a +little ayre; and so back to the Council-chamber to the Committee +of the Navy, about the business of fitting the present fleet +suitable to the money given; which, as the King orders it and by +what appears, will be very little, and so as I perceive the Duke +of York will have nothing to command, nor can intend to go +abroad. But it is pretty to see how careful these great men are +to do every thing so as they may answer it to the Parliament, +thinking themselves safe in nothing but where the Judges (with +whom they often advise) do say the matter is doubtful; and so +they take upon themselves then to be the chief persons to +interpret what is doubtful. Thence home, and all the evening to +set matters in order against my going to Brampton to-morrow, +being resolved upon my journey, and having the Duke of York's +leave again to-day; though I do plainly see that I can very ill +be spared now, there being much business, especially about this +which I have attended the Council about, and I the man that am +alone consulted with; and besides, my Lord Brouncker is at this +time ill, and Sir W. Pen. So things being put in order at the +office, I home to do the like there; and so to bed. + +5th. [The Journal from this time to the 17th of June is +contained on five leaves, inserted in the Book and after them +follow several blank pages.] Friday. At Barnet for milk, 6d. +On the highway, to menders of the highway, 6d. Dinner at +Stevenage, 5s. 6d. + +6th. Saturday. Spent at Huntingdon with Bowles and Appleyard, +and Shepley, 2s. + +7th. Sunday. My father, for money lent, and horse-hire, 1l. +11s. + +8th. Monday. Father's servants (father having in the garden +told me bad stories of my wife's ill words), 14s.; one that +helped at the horses, 1s.; menders of the highway, 2s. Pleasant +country to Bedford; where, while they stay, I rode through the +town; and a good country town; and there drinking, 1s. We on to +Newport; and there I and W. Hewer to the church, and there give +the boy 1s. So to Buckingham, a good old town. Here I to see +the church; which very good, and the leads, and a school in it: +did give the sexton's boy 1s. A fair bridge here, with many +arches: vexed at my people's making me lose so much time: +reckoning, 13s. 4d. Mightily pleased with the pleasure of the +ground all the day. At night to Newport Pagnell; and there a +good pleasant country-town, but few people in it. A very fair +and like a cathedral-church; and I saw the leads, and a vault +that goes far under ground: the town, and so most of this +country, well watered. Lay here well and rose next day by four +o'clock: few people in the town: and so away. Reckoning for +supper, 19s. 6d.; poor, 6d. Mischance to the coach, but no time +lost. + +9th. Tuesday. We came to Oxford, a very sweet place: paid our +guide 1l. 2s. 6d.; barber, 2s. 6d.; book (Stonhenge,) 4s.; boy +that showed me the colleges before dinner, 1s. To dinner; and +then out with my wife and people, and landlord; and to him that +showed us the schools and library, 10s.; to him that showed us +All Souls' College and Chichly's picture, 5s. So to see Christ +Church with my wife, I seeing several others very fine alone +before dinner, and did give the boy that went with me, 1s. +Strawberries, 1s. 2d. Dinner and servants, 1l. 0s. 6d. After +coming home from the schools, I out with the landlord to Brazen- +nose College to the butteries, and in the cellar find the hand of +the child of Hales, long butler, 2s. [Does this mean "slipped +2s. into the child's hand?"] Thence with coach and people to +Physic-garden, 1s. So to Friar Bacon's study: I up and saw it, +and gave the man 1s.--Bottle of sack for landlord, 2s. Oxford +mighty fine place; and well seated, and cheap entertainment. At +night came to Abingdon, where had been a fair of custard; and met +many people and scholars going home; and there did get some +pretty good musick, and sang and danced till supper: 5s. + +10th. Wednesday. Up, and walked to the hospitall: very large +and fine, and pictures of founders and the History of the +hospitall; and is said to be worth 700l. per annum, and that Mr. +Foly was here lately to see how their lands were settled. And +here, in old English, the story of the occasion of it, and a +rebus at the bottom. So did give the poor, which they would not +take but in their box, 2s. 8d. So to the inn, and paid the +reckoning and what not, 13s. So forth towards Hungerford. Led +this good way by our landlord, one Heart, an old but very civil +and well-spoken man, more than I ever heard, of his quality. He +gone, we forward; and I vexed at my people's not minding the way. +So come to Hungerford, where very good trouts, eels, and cray- +fish. Dinner: a mean town. At dinner there, 12s. Thence set +out with a guide, who saw us to Newmarket-heath, and then left +us, 3s. 6d. So all over the plain by the sight of the steeple +(the plain high and low) to Salisbury by night; but before I came +to the town, I saw a great fortification, and there light, and to +it and in it; and find it prodigious, so as to fright me to be in +it all alone at that time of night, it being dark. I understand +since it to be that that is called Old Sarum. Come to the George +Inne, where lay in a silk bed; and very good diet. To supper; +then to bed. + +11th. Thursday. Up, and W. Hewer and I up and down the town, +and find it a very brave place. The river goes through every +street; and a most capacious market-place. The city great, I +think greater than Hereford. But the minster most admirable; as +big, I think, and handsomer than Westminster: and a most large +close about it, and horses for the officers thereof, and a fine +palace for the Bishop. So to my lodging back, and took out my +wife and people to show them the town and church; but they being +at prayers, we could not be shown the quire. A very good organ; +and I looked in and saw the Bishop, my friend Dr. Ward. Thence +to the inns; and there not being able to hire coach-horses, and +not willing to use our own, we got saddle-horses, very dear. Boy +that went to look for them 6d. So the three women behind W. +Hewer, Murford, and our guide, and I single to Stonehenge, over +the plain and some great hills, even to fright us. Come thither, +and find them as prodigious as any tales I ever heard of them, +and worth going this journey to see. God knows what their use +was: they are hard to tell, but yet may be told. Gave the +shepherd-woman, for leading our horses, 4d. So back by Wilton, +my Lord Pembroke's house, which we could not see, he being just +coming to town; but the situation I do not like, nor the house at +present much, it being in a low but rich valley. So back home; +and there being light we to the church, and there find them at +prayers again, so could not see the quire; but I sent the women +home, and I did go in and saw very many fine tombs, and among the +rest some very ancient of the Montagus. So home to dinner; and +that being done, paid the reckoning, which was so exorbitant, and +particular in rate of my horses, and 7s. 6d. for bread and beer, +that I was mad, and resolve to trouble the mistress about it, and +get something for the poor; and come away in that humour: 2l. +5s. 6d. Servants, 1s. 6d.; poor, 1s.; guide to the Stones, 2s.; +poor woman in the street, 1s.; ribbands, 9d.; wash-woman, 1s.; +sempstress for W. Hewer, 3s.; lent W. Hewer, 2s. Thence about +six o'clock, and with a guide went over the smooth plain indeed +till night; and then by a happy mistake, and that looked like an +adventure, we were carried out of our way to a town where we +would lie, since we could not go as far as we would. By and by +to bed, glad of this mistake, because it seems, had we gone on as +me pretended, we could not have passed with our coach, and must +have lain on the plain all night. This day from Salisbury I +wrote by the post my excuse for not coming home, which I hope +will do, for I am resolved to see the Bath, and, it may be, +Bristol. + +12th. Friday. Up, finding our beds good, but lousy; which made +us merry. We set out, the reckoning and servants coming to 9s. +6d.; my guide thither, 2s.; coachman advanced, 10s. So rode a +very good way, led to my great content by our landlord to +Philips-Norton, with great pleasure, being now come into +Somersetshire; where my wife and Deb. mightily joyed thereat, +[They were natives of that county.] I commending the country, as +indeed it deserves. And the first town we came to was +Brekington; where we stopping for something for the horses, we +called two or three little boys to us, and pleased ourselves with +their manner of speech. At Philips-Norton I walked to the +church, and there saw a very ancient tomb of some Knight Templar, +I think; and here saw the tombstone whereon there were only two +heads cut, which the story goes, and creditably, were two +sisters, called the Fair Maids of Foscott, that had two bodies +upward and one belly, and there lie buried. Here is also a very +fine ring of six bells, and they mighty tuneable. Having dined +very well, 10s., me come before night to the Bath; where I +presently stepped out with my landlord, and saw the baths with +people in them. They are not so large as I expected, but yet +pleasant; and the town most of stone, and clean, though the +streets generally narrow. I home, and being weary, went to bed +without supper; the rest supping. + +13th. Saturday. Up at four o'clock, being by appointment called +up to the Cross Bath; where we were carried after one another, +myself and wife and Betty Turner, Willet, and W. Hewer. And by +and by, though we designed to have done before company come, much +company come; very fine ladies; and the manner pretty enough, +only methinks it cannot be clean to go so many bodies together in +the same water. Good conversation among them that are acquainted +here, and stay together. Strange to see how hot the water is; +and in some places though this is the most temperate bath, the +springs so hot as the feet not able to endure. But strange to +see, when women and men here, that live all the season in these +waters, cannot but be parboiled and look like the creatures of +the bath! Carried away wrapped in a sheet, and in a chair home; +and there one after another thus carried (I staying above two +hours in the water) home to bed, sweating for an hour. And by +and by comes musick to play to me, extraordinary good as ever I +heard at London almost any where: 5s. Up to go to Bristoll +about eleven o'clock, and paying my landlord that was our guide +from Chiltren 10s., and the serjeant of the bath 10s., and the +man that carried us in chairs 3s. 6d., set out toward Bristoll, +and come thither, the way bad, (in coach hired to spare our own +horses,) but country good, about two o'clock; where set down at +the Horse-shoe, and there being trimmed by a very handsome +fellow, 2s., walked with my wife and people through the city, +which is in every respect another London, that one can hardly +know it to stand in the country no more than that. No carts, it +standing generally on vaults, only dog-carts. So to the Three +Crowns Tavern I was directed; but when I came in, the master told +me that he had newly given over the selling of wine; it seems +grown rich: and so went to the Sun; and there Deb. going with W. +Hewer and Betty Turner to see her uncle, and leaving my wife with +the mistress of the house, I to see the quay, which is a most +large and noble place; and to see the new ship building by Bally, +neither he nor Furzer [Daniel Furzer, Surveyor to the Navy.] +being in town. It will be a fine ship. Spoke with the foreman, +and did give the boys that kept the cabin 2s. Walked back to the +Sun, where I find Deb. come back, and with her, her uncle, a +sober merchant, very good company, and so like one of our sober +wealthy London merchants as pleased me mightily. Here we dined, +and much good talk with him, 7s. 6d.; a messenger to Sir John +Knight, [Mayor of Bristol 1663, and M.P. for that city.] who was +not at home, 6d. Then walked with him and my wife and company +round the quay, and to the ship; and he showed me the Custom- +house, and made me understand many things of the place, and led +us through Marsh-street, where our girl was born. But, Lord! +the joy that was among the old poor people of the place, to see +Mrs. Willet's daughter, it seems her mother being a brave woman +and mightily beloved! And so brought us a back way by surprize +to his house; where a substantial good house, and well furnished; +and did give us good entertainment of strawberries, a whole +venison-pasty cold, and plenty of brave wine, and above all +Bristol milk: where comes in another poor woman, who hearing +that Deb. was here did come running hither, and with her eyes so +full of tears and heart so full of joy that she could not speak +when she come in, that it made me weep too: I protest that I was +not able to speak to her, which I would have done, to have +diverted her tears. His wife a good woman, and so sober and +substantiall as I was never more pleased any where, Servant-maid, +2s. So thence took leave and he with us through the city; where +in walking I find the city pay him great respect, and he the like +to the meanest, which pleased me mightily. He showed us the +place where the merchants meet here, and a fine cross yet +standing, like Cheapside. And so to the Horse-shoe, where paid +the reckoning, 2s. 6d. We back, and by moonshine to the Bath +again about ten o'clock: bad way; and giving the coachman 1s. +went all of us to bed. + +14th. (Sunday). Up, and walked up and down the town, and saw a +pretty good market-place, and many good streets, and very fair +stone-houses. And so to the great church, and there saw Bishop +Montagu's tomb; and, when placed, did there see many brave people +come, and among others two men brought in litters, and set down +in the chancel to hear: but I did not know one face. Here a +good organ; but a vain pragmatical fellow preached a ridiculous, +affected sermon, that made me angry, and some gentlemen that sat +next me, and sang well. So home, walking round the walls of the +City, which are good, and the battlements all whole. To this +church again, to see it and look over the monuments; where, among +others, Dr. Venner and Pelling, and a lady of Sir W. Waller's; +[Jane, sole daughter of Sir Richard Reynell.] he lying with his +face broken. My landlord did give me a good account of the +antiquity of this town and Wells; and of two heads, on two +pillars, in Wells church. + +15th. Monday. looked into the baths, and find the King and +Queene's full of a mixed sort of good and bad, and the Cross only +almost for the gentry. So home with my wife, and did pay my +guides, two women, 5s.; one man, 2s. 6d.; poor, 6d.; woman to lay +my foot-cloth, 1s. So to our inne, and there eat and paid +reckoning, 1l. 8s. 6d.; servants, 3s.; poor, 1s.; lent the +coachman, 10s. Before I took coach, I went to make a boy dive in +the King's bath, 1s. I paid also for my coach and a horse to +Bristoll, 1l. 1s. 6d. Took coach, and away without any of the +company of the other stage-coaches that go out of this town to- +day; and rode all day with some trouble, for fear of our being +out of our way, over the Downes, (where the life of the shepherds +is, in fair weather only, pretty). In the afternoon come to +Abury; where seeing great stones like those of Stonehenge +standing up, I stopped and took a countryman of that town, and he +carried me and showed me a place trenched in, like Old Sarum +almost, with great stones pitched in it some bigger than those at +Stonehenge in figure, to my great admiration: and he told me +that most people of learning coming by do come and view them, and +that the King did so; and the mount cast hard by is called +Selbury, from one King Seall buried there, as tradition says. I +did give this man 1s. So took coach again, seeing one place with +great high stones pitched round, which I believe was once some +particular building, in some measure like that of Stonehenge. +But, about a mile off, it was prodigious to see how full the +Downes are of great stones; and all along the vallies stones of +considerable bigness, most of them growing certainly out of the +ground, so thick as to cover the ground; which makes me think the +less of the wonder of Stonehenge, for hence they might +undoubtedly supply themselves with stones, as well as those at +Abury. In my way did give to the poor and menders of the highway +3s. Before night come to Marlborough, and lay at the Hart; a +good house, and a pretty fair town for a street or two; and what +is most singular is, their houses on one side having their pent- +houses supported with pillars, which makes it a good walk. All +the five coaches that come this day from Bath, as well as we, +were gone out of the town before six. + +16th. Tuesday. After paying the reckoning, 14s. 4d. and +servants 2s., poor 1s., set out; and passing through a good part +of this country of Wiltshire, saw a good house [Littlecote.] of +Alexander Popham's, [M.P. for Bath.] and another of my Lord +Craven's, [Hampstead Marshal, since destroyed by fire.] I think, +in Barkeshire. Come to Newbery, and there dined; and musick: a +song of the old courtier of Queene Elizabeth's, and how he was +changed upon the coming in of the King, did please me mightily, +and I did cause W. Hewer to write it out. Then comes the +reckoning, (forced to change gold,) 8s. 7d.; servants and poor, +1s. 6d. So out, and lost our way, but come into it again; and in +the evening betimes come to Reding; and I to walk about the town, +which is a very great one; I think bigger than Salisbury: a +river runs through it in seven branches, (which unite in one, in +one part of the town,) and runs into the Thames half-a-mile off: +one odd sign of the Broad Face. Then to my inn, and so to bed. + +17th (Wednesday). Rose, and paying the reckoning, 12s. 8d.; +servants and poor, 2s. 6d.; musick, the worst we have had, coming +to our chamber-door, but calling us by wrong names; so set out +with one coach in company, and through Maydenhead, which I never +saw before, to Colebrooke by noon; the way mighty good; and there +dined, and fitted ourselves a little to go through London anon. +Thence pleasant way to London before night, and and all very well +to great content; and saw Sir W. Pen, who is well again. I hear +of the ill news by the great fire at Barbadoes. + +18th. I did receive a hint or two from my Lord Anglesy, as if he +thought much of my taking the ayre as I have done; but I care +not: but whatever the matter is, I think he hath some ill-will +to me, or at least an opinion that I am more the servant of the +Board than I am. To my Lady Peterborough's; who tells me, among +other things, her Lord's good words to the Duke of York lately +about my Lord Sandwich, and that the Duke of York is kind to my +Lord Sandwich; which I am glad to hear. + +19th. Between two and three in the morning we were waked with +the maids crying out, "Fire, fire, in Marke-lane!" So I rose and +looked out, and it was dreadful; and strange apprehensions in me +and us all of being presently burnt. So we all rose; and my care +presently was to secure my gold and plate and papers, and could +quickly have done it, but I went forth to see where it was; and +the whole town was presently in the streets; and I found it in a +new-built house that stood alone in Minchin-lane, over against +the Cloth-workers'-hall, which burned furiously: the house not +yet quite finished; and the benefit of brick was well seen, for +it burnt all inward and fell down within itself; so no fear of +doing more hurt. Yesterday I heard how my Lord Ashly is like to +die, having some imposthume in his breast, that he hath been fain +to be cut into the body. To White Hall, were we attended the +Duke of York in his closet upon our usual business. And thence +out, and did see many of the Knights of the Garter with the King +and Duke of York going into the Privy-chamber to elect the +Elector of Saxony in that Order; who, I did hear the Duke of York +say, was a good drinker: I know not upon what score this +compliment is done him. + +22nd. With Balty to St. James's, and there presented him to Mr. +Wren about his being Muster-master this year; which will be done. +So up to wait on the Duke of York, and thence with Sir W. +Coventry walked to White Hall: good discourse about the Navy, +where want of money undoes us. Thence to the Coffee-house in +Covent-garden; but met with nobody but Sir Philip Howard, who +shamed me before the whole house there in commendation of my +speech in Parliament. To the King's playhouse, and saw an act or +two of the new play, "Evening Love," ["An Evening's Love, or The +Mock Astrologer," a comedy by Dryden.] again, but like it not. +Calling this day at Herringman's, [H. Herringman, a printer and +publisher in the New Exchange.] he tells me Dryden do himself +call it but a fifth-rate play. From thence to my Lord +Brouncker's, where a Council of the Royall Society; and there +heard Mr. Harry Howard's noble offers about ground for our +college, and his intentions of building his own house there, most +nobly. My business was to meet Mr. Boyle; which I did, and +discoursed about my eyes; and he did give me the best advice he +could, but refers me to one Turberville [Daubigney Turberville, +of Oriel College; created M.D. at Oxford 1660.] of Salisbury +lately come to town, who I will go to. Thence home; where the +streets full at our end of the town, removing their wine against +the Act begins, which will be two days hence, to raise the price. + +23rd. To Dr. Turberville about my eyes; whom I met with: and he +did discourse, I thought, learnedly about them; and takes time, +before he did prescribe me any thing, to think of it. + +24th. Creed and Colonel Atkins come to me about sending coals to +Tangier; and upon that most of the morning. + +28th. Much talk of the French setting out their fleet afresh; +but I hear nothing that our King is alarmed at it at all, but +rather making his fleet less. + +29th. To Dr. Turberville's, and there did receive a direction +for some physic, and also a glass of something to drop into my +eyes: he gives me hopes that I may do well. Then to White Hall; +where I find the Duke of York in the Council-chamber; and the +officers of the Navy were called in about Navy business, about +calling in of more ships; the King of France having, as the Duke +of York says, ordered his fleet to come in, notwithstanding what +he had lately ordered for their staying abroad. Thence to the +chapel, it being St. Peter's day, and did hear an anthem of Silas +Taylor's making; a dull, old-fashioned thing of six and seven +parts, that nobody could understand: and the Duke of York, when +he came out, told me that he was a better storekeeper than +anthem-maker, and that was bad enough too. This morning Mr. May +showed me the King's new buildings at White Hall, very fine; and +among other things, his cielings and his houses of office. + +JULY 1, 1668. To White Hall, and so to St. James's where we met; +and much business with the Duke of York. And I find the Duke of +York very hot for regulations in the Navy; and I believe is put +on it by Sir W. Coventry; and I am glad of it: and particularly +he falls heavy on Chatham-yard, and is vexed that Lord Anglesy +did the other day complain at the Council-table of disorders in +the Navy, and not to him. So I to White Hall to a Committee of +Tangier; and there vexed with the importunity and clamours of +Alderman Backewell for my acquittance for money by him supplied +to the garrison, before I have any order for paying it. So home, +calling at several places, among others the 'Change, and on +Cooper, to know when my wife shall come and sit for her picture. + +3rd. To Commissioners of Accounts at Brooke-house, the first +time I was ever there: and found Sir W. Turner in the chair; and +present, Lord Halifax, Thomas Gregory, Dunster, and Osborne. I +long with them, and see them hot set on this matter; but I did +give them proper and safe answers. Halifax, I perceive, was +industrious on my side on behalf of his uncle Coventry, it being +the business of Sir W. Warren. Vexed only at their denial of a +copy of what I set my hand to and swore. To an alehouse: met +Mr. Pierce the surgeon, and Dr. Clerke, Waldron, [Thomas Waldron, +of Baliol College; created M.D. at Oxford 1653; afterwards +Physician in Ordinary to Charles II.] Turberville my physician +for the eyes, and Lowre, [Probably Richard Lower, of Christ +Church; admitted Bachelor of Physic at Oxford 1665.] to dissect +several eyes of sheep and oxen, with great pleasure and to my +great information. But strange that this Turberville should be +so great a man, and yet to this day had seen no eyes dissected, +or but once, but desired this Dr. Lowre to give him the +opportunity to see him dissect some. + +4th. Up, and to see Sir W. Coventry, and give him an account of +my doings yesterday; which he well liked of, and was told thereof +by my Lord Halifax before; but I do perceive he is much concerned +for this business. Gives me advice to write a smart letter to +the Duke of York about the want of money in the Navy, and desire +him to communicate it to the Commissioners of the Treasury; for +he tells me he hath hot work sometimes to contend with the rest +for the Navy, they being all concerned for some other part of the +King's expenses, which they would prefer to this of the Navy. He +showed me his closet, with his round-table for him to sit in the +middle, very convenient; and I borrowed several books of him, to +collect things out of the Navy, which I have not. + +6th. With Sir W. Coventry; and we walked in the Park together a +good while. He mighty kind to me; and hear many pretty stories +of my Lord Chancellor's being heretofore made sport of by Peter +Talbot the priest, in his story of the death of Cardinal Bleau; +by Lord Cottington, in his DOLOR DE LAS TRIPAS; and Tom +Killigrew, in his being bred in Ram-ally, and now bound prentice +to Lord Cottington, going to Spain with 1000l. and two suits of +clothes, Thence to Mr. Cooper's, and there met my wife and W. +Hewer and Deb.; and there my wife first sat for her picture: but +he is a most admirable workman, and good company. Here comes +Harris, and first told us how Betterton is come again upon the +stage: whereupon my wife and company to the house to see "Henry +the Fifth;" while I to attend the Duke of York at the Committee +of the Navy at the Council, where some high dispute between him +and W. Coventry about settling pensions upon all flag-officers +while unemployed: W. Coventry against it, and, I think, with +reason. Great doings at Paris, I hear, with their triumphs for +their late conquests. The Duchesse of Richmond sworn last week +of the Queene's Bedchamber, and the King minding little else but +what he used to do--about his women. + +7th. We are fain to go round by Newgate because of Fleet-bridge +being under rebuilding. + +8th. To Sir W. Coventry, and there discoursed of several things; +and I find him much concerned in the present enquiries now on +foot of the Commissioners of accounts, though he reckons himself +and the rest very safe, but vexed to see us liable to these +troubles in things wherein we have laboured to do best. Thence, +he being to go out of town to-morrow to drink Banbury waters, I +to the Duke of York to attend him about business of the office; +and find him mighty free to me, and how he is concerned to mend +things in the Navy himself, and not leave it to other people. So +home to dinner; sad then with my wife to Cooper's, and there saw +her sit; and he do extraordinary things indeed. So to White +Hall; and there by and by the Duke of York comes to the Robe- +chamber and spent with us three hours till night, in hearing the +business of the Masters-attendants of Chatham, and the Store- +keeper of Woolwich; and resolves to displace them all; so hot he +is of giving proofs of his justice at this time, that it is their +great fate now to come to be questioned at such a time as this. + +10th. To Cooper's; and there find my wife (and W. Hewer and +Deb.), sitting, and painting: and here he do work finely, though +I fear it will not be so like as I expected: but now I +understand his great skill in musick, his playing and setting to +the French lute most excellently: and he speaks French, and +indeed is an excellent man. + +11th. To the King's Playhouse to see an old play of Shirly's, +called "Hide Parke;" the first day acted; where horses are +brought upon the stage: but it is but a very moderate play, only +an excellent epilogue spoke by Beck Marshall. + +13th. To Cooper's and spent the afternoon with them; and it will +be an excellent picture. This morning I was let blood, and did +bleed about fourteen ounces, towards curing my eyes. + +14th. This day Bosse finished his copy of my picture, which I +confess I do not admire, though my wife prefers him to Browne; +nor do I think it like. He does it for W. Hewer, who hath my +wife's also, which I like less. + +15th. At noon is brought home the espinette I bought the other +day of Haward; cost me 5l. My Lady Duchesse of Monmouth is still +lame, and likely always to be so; which is a sad chance for a +young lady to get only by trying of tricks in dancing. + +17th. To White Hall, where waited on the Duke of York and then +the Council about the business of tickets; and I did discourse to +their liking, only was too high to assert that nothing could be +invented to secure the King more in the business of tickets than +there is, which the Duke of Buckingham did except against, and I +could have answered, but forbore, but all liked very well. + +18th. They say the King of France is making a war again in +Flanders with the King of Spain; the King of Spain refusing to +give him all that he says was promised him in that treaty. + +19th. Come Mr. Cooper, Hales, Harris, Mr. Butler that wrote +Hudibras, and Mr. Cooper's cosen Jacke; and by and by come Mr. +Reeves and his wife, whom I never saw before. And there we +dined: a good dinner, and company that pleased me mightily, +being all eminent men in their way. Spent all the afternoon in +talk and mirth, and in the evening parted. + +20th. To visit my Lord Crewe, who is very sick, to great danger, +by an erisypelas; the first day I heard of it. + +21st. Went to my plate-maker's, and there spent an hour about +contriving my little plates for my books of the King's four +Yards. + +22nd. Attending at the Committee of the Navy about the old +business of tickets; where the only expedient they have found is +to bind the commanders and officers by oaths. The Duke of York +told me how the Duke of Buckingham, after the Council the other +day, did make mirth at my position about the sufficiency of +present rules in the business of tickets; and here I took +occasion to desire a private discourse with the Duke of York, and +he granted it me on Friday next. + +24th. Up, and by water to St. James's (having by the way shown +Symson Sir W. Coventry's chimney-pieces, in order to the making +me one;) and there, after the Duke of York was ready, he called +me to his closet; and there I did long and largely show him the +weakness of our office, and did give him advice to call us to +account for our duties; which he did take mighty well, and +desired me to draw up what I would have him write to the office. +I did lay open the whole failings of the office, and how it was +his duty to fine them and to find fault with them as Admiral, +especially at this time; which he agreed to, and seemed much to +rely on what I said. + +27th. To see my Lord Crewe, whom I find up; and did wait on him; +but his face sore, but in hopes to do now very well again. +Thence to Cooper's, where my wife's picture almost done, and +mighty fine indeed. So over the water with my wife and Deb. and +Mercer to Spring-garden, and there eat and walked; and observe +how rude some of the young gallants of the town are become, to go +into people's arbors where there are not men, and almost force +the women; which troubled me, to see the confidence of the vice +of the age: and so we away by water with much pleasure home. + +30th. To White Hall. There met with Mr. May, who was giving +directions about making a close way for people to go dry from the +gate up into the House, to prevent their going through the +galleries; which will be very good. I staid and talked with him +about the state of the King's offices in general, and how ill he +is served, and do still find him an excellent person. + +31st. With Mr. Ashburnham; and I made him admire my drawing a +thing presently in shorthand; but, God knows, I have paid dear +for it in my eyes. To the King's house, to see the first day of +Lacy's "Monsieur Ragou," now new acted. The King and Court all +there and mighty merry: a farce. The month ends mighty sadly +with me, my eyes being now past all use almost; and I am mighty +hot upon trying the late printed experiment of paper tubes. + +AUGUST 5, 1668. To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw +"The Guardian;" formerly the same, I find, that was called +"Cutter of Coleman-street;" a silly play. And thence to +Westminster Hall, where I met Fitzgerald; and with him to a +tavern to consider of the instructions for Sir Thomas Allen, +against his going to Algier; he and I being designed to go down +to Portsmouth by the Council's order to-morrow morning. So I +away home, and there bespeak a coach; and so home, and to bed. + +6th. Waked betimes, and my wife at an hour's warning is resolved +to go with me; which pleases me, her readiness. But before ready +comes a letter from Fitzgerald, that he is seized upon last night +by a order of the General's by a file of musqueteers, and kept +prisoner ill his chamber. The Duke of York did tell me of it to- +day: it is about a quarrel between him and Witham, and they fear +a challenge. So I to him, and sent my wife by the coach round to +Lambeth, I lost my labour going to his lodgings; and he in bed: +and staying a great while for him I at last grew impatient, and +would stay no longer; but to St. James's to Mr. Wren, to bid him +"God be with you!" and so over the water to Fox Hall; and there +my wife and Deb. took me up, and we away to Gilford, losing our +way for three or four miles about Cobham. At Gilford we dined; +and I showed them the hospitall there of Bishop Abbot's, [George +Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury, Ob. 1633.] and his tomb in the +church; which, and the rest of the tombs there, are kept mighty +clean and neat, with curtains before them. So to coach again, +and got to Lippook, late over Hindhead, having an old man a guide +in the coach with us; but got thither with great fear of being +out of our way, it being ten at night. Here good, honest people; +and after supper to bed. + +7th. To coach, and with a guide to Petersfield, where I find Sir +Thomas Allen and Mr. Tippets [John Tippet, a Surveyor of the +Navy; afterwards knighted.] come; the first about the business +the latter only in respect to me; as also Fitzgerald, who came +post all last night, and newly arrived here. We four sat down +presently to our business, and in an hour despatched all our +talk; and did inform Sir Thomas Allen well in it, who, I +perceive, in serious matters is a serious man: and tells me he +wishes all we are told be true, in our defence; for he finds by +all that the Turkes have to this day been very civil to our +merchantmen every where; and if they would have broke with us, +they never had such an opportunity over our rich merchantmen as +lately coming out of the Streights. Then to dinner; and pretty +merry: and here was Mr. Martin the purser, who dined with us, +and wrote some things for us, And so took coach again back: +Fitzgerald with us, whom I was pleased with all the day, with his +discourse of his observations abroad, as being a great soldier +and of long standing abroad; and knows all things and persons +abroad very well,--I mean the great soldiers of France and Spain +and Germany; and talkes very well. Came at night to Gilford; +where the Red Lyon so full of people, and a wedding, that the +master of the house did get us a lodging over the way, at a +private house, his landlord's, mighty neat and fine: and there +supped; and so bed. + +8th. I hear that Colbert the French Ambassador is come, and hath +been at Court INGOGNITO. When he hath his audience, I know not. + +9th. Waited on the Duke of York; and both by him and several of +the Privy-council, beyond expectation, I find that my going to +Sir Thomas Allen was looked upon as a thing necessary; and I have +got some advantage by it among them. + +10th. To my Lord Arlington's house, the first time since he came +thither, at Goring-house, a very fine, noble place; and there he +received me in sight of several Lords with great respect. I did +give him an account of my journey. And here, while I waited for +him a little, my Lord Orrery took notice of me, and begun +discourse of hangings, and of the improvement of shipping; I not +thinking that he knew me, but did then discover it was a mighty +compliment of my abilities and ingenuity; which I am mighty proud +of; and he do speak most excellently. To Cooper's, where I spent +all the afternoon with my wife and girl, seeing him make an end +of her picture; which he did to my great content, though not so +great as I confess I expected, being not satisfied in the +greatness of the resemblance, nor in the blue garment; but it is +most certainly a most rare piece of work as to the painting. He +hath 30l. for his work, and the chrystal and case and gold case +comes to 8l. 3s. 4d.; and which I sent him this night, that I +might be out of his debt. + +11th. The Parliament met enough to adjourne to the 10th of +November next. At the office all the afternoon till night, being +mightily pleased with a trial I have made of the use of a tube- +spectacall of paper, tried with my right eye. This day I hear +that, to the great joy of the Non-conformists, the time is out of +the Act against them; so that they may meet: and they have +declared that they will have a morning lecture up again, which is +pretty strange; and they are connived at by the King every where, +I hear, in the City and country. This afternoon my wife and +Mercer and Deb. went with Pelling to see the gypsies at Lambeth, +and have their fortunes told; but what they did, I did not +enquire. + +12th. Captain Cocke tells me that he hears for certain the Duke +of York: will lose the authority of an Admirall, and be governed +by a Committee: and all our office changed; only they are in +dispute whether I shall continue or no; which puts new thoughts +in me, but I know not whether to be glad or sorry. + +14th. I with Mr. Wren, by invitation, to Sir Stephen Fox's to +dinner: where the Cofferer and Sir Edward Savage; where many +good stories of the antiquity and estates of many families at +this day in Cheshire, and that part of the kingdom, more than +what is on this side near London. My Lady dining with us; a very +good lady, and a family governed so nobly and neatly as do me +good to see it. Thence the Cofferer, Sir Stephen, and I to the +Commissioners of the Treasury about business: and so I up to the +Duke of York, who enquired for what I had promised him, about my +observations of the miscarriages of our office; and I told him he +should have it next week, being glad he called for it; for I find +he is concerned to do something, and to secure himself thereby, I +believe: for the world is labouring to eclipse him, I doubt; I +mean the factious part of the Parliament. The office met this +afternoon as usual, and waited on him; where, among other things, +he talked a great while of his intentions of going to Dover soon, +to be sworn as Lord Warden; which is a matter of great ceremony +and state. + +16th. All the morning at my office with W. Hewer; there drawing +up my Report to the Duke of York, as I have promised, about the +faults of this office. + +17th. To Hamstead, to speak with the Atturny-generall; whom we +met in the fields, by his old rout and house. And after a little +talk about our business of Ackeworth, went and saw the Lord +Wotton's [Henry de Kirkhoven, Lord of Denfleet in Holland, +married Katherine widow of Henry Lord Stanhope, and daughter of +Lord Wotton; and her second husband the person here mentioned, +was created Lord Wotton, of Wotton in Kent, 1651.] house +[Belsize House, pulled down long ago.] and garden, which is +wonderfull fine: too good for the house the gardens are, being +indeed the most noble that ever I saw, and brave orange and +lemon-trees. Thence to Mr. Chichly's by invitation, and there +dined with Sir John, his father not coming home. And while at +dinner comes by the French Ambassador Colbert's mules (the first +I ever saw,) with their sumpter-clothes mighty rich, and his +coaches, he being to have his entry to-day: but his things, +though rich, are not new; supposed to be the same his brother had +the other day at the treaty at Aix-la-Chapelle, in Flanders. + +18th. Alone to the Park; but there were few coaches: among the +few there were our two great beauties, my Lady Castlemaine and +Richmond; the first time I saw the latter since she had the small +pox. I had much pleasure to see them, but I thought they were +strange one to another. + +20th. To work till past twelve at night, that I might get my +great letter to the Duke of York ready against to-morrow; which I +shall do, to my great content. + +21st. Up betimes, and with my people again to work, and finished +all before noon: and then I by water to White Hall, and there +did tell the Duke of York that I had done; and he hath desired me +to come to him at Sunday next in the afternoon, to read it over; +by which I have more time to consider and correct it. To St. +James's: and by and by comes Monsieur Colbert the French +Ambassador, to make his first visit to the Duke of York, and then +to the Duchesse. And I saw it: a silly piece of ceremony, he +saying only a few formal words. A comely man, and in a black +suit and cloak of silk; which is a strange fashion now it hath +been so long left off. This day I did first see the Duke of +York's room of pictures of some Maids of Honour, done by Lilly: +good, but not like. + +22nd. To the 'Change, and thence home, and took London-bridge in +my way; walking down Fish-street and Gracious-street, to see how +very fine a descent they have now made down the hill, that it is +become very easy and pleasant. + +23rd. To church, and heard a good sermon of Mr. Gifford's at our +church, upon "Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven and its +righteousness, and all things shall be added to you." A very +excellent and persuasive, good and moral sermon. He showed, like +a wise man, that righteousness is a surer moral way of being +rich, than sin and villany. After dinner to the office, Mr. +Gibson and I, to examine my letter to the Duke of York; which, to +my great joy, I did very well by my paper tube, without pain to +my eyes. And I do mightily like what I have therein done; and +did according to the Duke of York's order make haste to St. +James's, and about four o'clock got thither: and there the Duke +of York was ready expecting me, and did hear it all over with +extraordinary content; and did give me many and hearty thanks, +and in words the most expressive tell me his sense of my good +endeavours, and that he would have a care of me on all occasions; +and did with much inwardness tell me what was doing, suitable +almost to what Captain Cocke tells me, of designs to make +alterations in the Navy: and is most open to me in them, and +with utmost confidence desires my further advice on all +occasions: and he resolves to have my letter transcribed and +sent forthwith to the office. So with as much satisfaction as I +could possibly or did hope for, and obligation on the Duke of +York's side professed to me, I away. + +25th. Up, and by water to St. James's; and there with Mr. Wren +did discourse about my great letter, which the Duke of York hath +given him; and he hath set it to be transcribed by Billings his +man, whom, as be tells me, he can most confide in for secresy; +and is much pleased with it, and earnest to have it be: and he +and I are like to be much together in the considering how to +reform the office, and that by the Duke of York's command. +Thence I, mightily pleased with this success, away to the office; +where all the morning, my head full of this business. And it is +pretty how Lord Brouncker this day did tell me how he hears that +a design is on foot to remove us out of the office; and proposes +that we two do agree to draw up a form of new constitution of the +office, there to provide remedies for the evils we are now under, +that so we may be beforehand with the world; which I agreed to, +saying nothing of my design: and the truth is, he is the best +man of them all, and I would be glad next myself to save him; for +as he deserves best, so I doubt he needs his place most. + + +26th. It is strange to see with what speed the people employed +do pull down Paul's steeple, and with what ease: it is said that +it and the quire are to be taken down this year, and another +church begun in the room thereof the next. Home by coach with +Sir D. Gauden; who by the way tells me how the City do go on in +several things towards the building of the public places, which I +am glad to hear; and gives hope that in a few years it will be a +glorious place. But we met with several stops and troubles in +the way in the streets, so as makes it bad to travel in the dark: +now through the City. So I to Mr. Batelier's by appointment, +where I find my wife and Deb. and Mercer; Mrs. Pierce and her +husband, son, and daughter; and Knipp and Harris, and W. Batelier +and his sister Mary and cosen Gumbleton, a good-humoured fat +young gentleman, son to the Jeweller, that dances well. And here +danced all night long, with a noble supper; and about two in the +morning the table spread again for a noble breakfast beyond all +moderation; and then broke up. + +27th. To St. James's; and there with Mr. Wren did correct his +copy of my letter, which the Duke of York hath signed in my very +words, without alteration of a syllable. And so, pleased +therewith, I to my Lord Brouncker, who I find within, but hath +business, and so comes not to the office to-day. And so I by +water to the office, where we sat all the morning: and just as +the Board rises comes the Duke of York's letter; which I knowing, +and the Board not being full, and desiring rather to have the +Duke of York deliver it himself to us, I suppressed it for this +day, my heart beginning to falsify in this business, as being +doubtful of the trouble it may give me by provoking them; but, +however, I am resolved to go through it, and it is too late to +help it now. At noon to dinner to Captain Cocke's, where I met +with Mr. Wren; my going being to tell him what I have done, which +he likes, and to confer with Cocke about our office; who tells me +that he is confident the design of removing our officers do hold, +but that he is sure that I am safe enough. So away home; and +there met at Sir Richard Ford's with the Duke of York's +Commissioners about our prizes, with whom we shall have some +trouble before we make an end with them. + +28th. To White Hall; where the Duke of York did call me aside, +and told me that he must speak with me in the afternoon and with +Mr. Wren, for that now he hath got the paper from my Lord Keeper +about the exceptions taken against the management of the Navy; +and so we are to debate upon answering them. At noon I home with +Sir W. Coventry to his house; and there dined with him, and +talked freely with him; and did acquaint him with what I have +done, which he is well pleased with and glad of: and do tell me +that there are endeavours on foot to bring the Navy into new, +but, he fears, worse hands. The Duke of York fell to work with +us (the Committee being gone) in the Council-chamber; and there +with his own hand did give us his long letter, telling us that he +had received several from us, and now did give us one from him, +taking notice of our several doubts and failures, and desired +answer to it as he therein desired: this pleased me well. And +so fell to other business, and then parted. And the Duke of York +and Wren and I, it being now candle-light, into the Duke of +York's closet in White Hall; and there read over this paper of my +Lord Keeper's, wherein are laid down the faults of the Navy, so +silly, and the remedies so ridiculous, or else the same that are +now already provided, that we thought it not to need any answer, +the Duke of York being able himself to do it: that so it makes +us admire the confidence of these men to offer things so silly in +a business of such moment. But it is a most perfect instance of +the complexion of the times! And so the Duke of York said +himself; who, I perceive, is mightily concerned in it, and do +again and again recommend it to Mr. Wren and me together, to +consider upon remedies fit to provide for him to propound to the +King, before the rest of the world, and particularly the +Commissioners of Accounts, who are men of understanding and +order, to find our faults, and offer remedies of their own: +which I am glad of, and will endeavour to do something in it. So +parted, and with much difficulty by candle-light walked over the +Matted Gallery, as it is now with the mats and boards all taken +up, so that we walked over the rafters. But strange to see how +hard matter the plaister of Paris is that is there taken up, as +hard as stone! And pity to see Holben's work in the ceiling +blotted on and only whited over! My wife this day with Hales, to +sit for her hand to be mended in her picture. + +29th. Up, and all the morning at the office; where the Duke of +York's long letter was read to their great trouble, and their +suspecting me to have been the writer of it. And at noon comes +by appointment Harris to dine with me: and after dinner he and I +to Chyrurgeons'-hall, where they are building it new, very fine; +and there to see their theatre, which stood all the fire, and +(which was our business) their great picture of Holben's, +thinking to have bought it by the help of Mr. Pierce for a little +money: I did think to give 200l. for it, it being said to be +worth 1000l.; but it is so spoiled that I have no mind to it, and +is not a pleasant though a good picture. Thence carried Harris +to his playhouse; where, though four o'clock, so few people there +are at "The Impertinents," as I went out; and do believe they did +not act, though there was my Lord Arlington and his company +there. So I out, and met my wife in a coach, and stopped her +going thither to meet me; and took her and Mercer and Deb. to +Bartholomew fair, and there did see a ridiculous, obscene little +stage-play, called "Marry Audrey;" a foolish thing, but seen by +every body: and so to Jacob Hall's [Jacob Hall, the famous rope- +dancer, was said to have received a salary from Lady Castlemaine, +who had become enamoured of him.] dancing on the ropes; a thing +worth seeing, and mightily followed. + +30th. Lord's day. Walked to St. James's and Pell Mell, and, +read over with Sir W. Coventry my long letter to the Duke of +York, and which the Duke of York hath from mine wrote to the +Board, wherein he is mightily pleased, and I perceive do put +great value upon me, and did talk very openly on all matters of +State, and how some people have got the Bill into their mouths +(meaning the Duke of Buckingham and his party), and would likely +run away with all. But what pleased me mightily was to hear the +good character he did give of my Lord Falmouth for his +generosity, good-nature, desire of public good, and low thoughts +of his own wisdom; his employing his interest in the King to do +good offices to all people, without any other fault than the +freedom he do learn in France of thinking himself obliged to +serve his King in his pleasures; and was Sir W. Coventry's +particular friend; and Sir W. Coventry do tell me very odde +circumstances about the fatality of his death, which are very +strange. [I have read the particulars of this prediction in a +MS. in the Pepysian Collection, but the reference to it is +unfortunately mislaid.] Thence to White Hall to chapel, and +heard the anthem, and did dine with the Duke of Albemarle in a +dirty manner as ever. All the afternoon I sauntered up and down +the house and Park. And there was a Committee for Tangier met; +wherein Lord Middleton would, I think, have found fault with me +for want of coles; but I slighted it;, and he made nothing of it, +but was thought to be drunk; and I see that he hath a mind to +find fault with me and Creed, neither of us having yet applied +ourselves to him about any thing: but do talk of his profits and +perquisites taken from him, and garrison reduced, and that it +must be increased, and such things as I fear he will be just such +another as my Lord Tiviott, and the rest to ruin that place. So +I to the Park, and there walk an hour or two; and in the King's +garden, and saw the Queene and ladies walk; and I did steal some +apples off the trees; and here did see my Lady Richmond, who is +of a noble person as ever I did see, but her face worse than it +was considerably by the small-pox: her sister is also very +handsome. So to White Hall in the evening to the Queene's side, +and there met the Duke of York; and he did tell me and Sir W. +Coventry, who was with me, how the Lord Anglesy did take notice +of our reading his long and sharp letter to the Board; but that +it was the better, at least he said so. The Duke of York, I +perceive, is earliest in it, and will have good effects of it; +telling Sir W. Coventry that it was a letter that might have come +from the Commissioners of Accounts, but it was better it should +come first from him. I met Lord Brouncker; who, I perceive, and +the rest, do smell that it comes from me, but dare not find fault +with me; and I am glad of it, it being my glory and defence that +I did occasion and write it. So by water home; and did spend the +evening with W. Hewer, telling him how we are all like to be +turned out, Lord Brouncker telling me this evening that the Duke +of Buckingham did within few hours say that he had enough to turn +us all out: which I am not sorry for at all, for I know the +world will judge me to go for company; and my eyes are such as I +am not able to do the business of my office as I used, and would +desire to do while I am in it. + +31st. To the Duke of York's playhouse, and saw "Hamlet," which +we have not seen this year before, or more; and mightily pleased +with it, but above all with Betterton, the best part, I believe +that ever man acted. + +SEPTEMBER 1, 1668. To the fair and there saw several sights; +among others, the mare that tells money and many things to +admiration. + +2nd. Fast-day for the burning of London strictly observed. + +3rd. To my bookseller's for "Hobbs's Leviathan," which is now +mightily called for: and what was heretofore sold for 8s. I now +give 24s. at the second hand, and is sold for 30s. it being a +book the Bishops will not let be printed again. + +4th. To the fair to see the play "Bartholomew-fair," with +puppets. and it is an excellent play; the more I see it, the +more I love the wit of it; only the business of abusing the +Puritans begins to grow stale and of no use, they being the +people that at last will be found the wisest. This night Knipp +tells us that there is a Spanish woman lately come over that +pretends to sing as well as Mrs. Knight; [A celebrated singer and +favourite of Charles Il. Her portrait was engraved in 1749 by +Faber, after Kneller. There is in Waller's Poems a song, sung by +Mrs. Knight to the Queen on her birthday.] both of whom I must +endeavour to hear. + +5th. To Mr. Hales's new house, where I find he hath finished my +wife's hand, which is better than the other. And here I find +Harris's picture done in his habit of "Henry the Fifth;" mighty +like a player, but I do not think the picture near so good as any +yet he hath made for me; however, it is pretty well. + +7th. With my Lord Brouncker (who was this day in unusual manner +merry, I believe with drink), J. Minnes, and W. Pen to +Bartholomew-fair; and there saw the dancing mare again (which to- +day I find to act much worse than the other day, she forgetting +many things, which her master beat her for, and was mightily +vexed,) and then the dancing of the ropes, and also the little +stage-play, which is very ridiculous. + +8th. This day I received so earnest an invitation again from +Roger Pepys to come to Stourbridge-fair, that I resolve to let my +wife go; which she shall do the next week. + +9th. To the Duke of Richmond's lodgings by his desire by letter +yesterday. I find him at his lodgings in the little building in +the bowling-green at White Hall, that was begun to be built by +Captain Rolt. They are fine rooms. I did hope to see his lady; +but she, I hear, is in the country. His business was about his +yacht; and he seems a mighty good-natured man, and did presently +write me a warrant for a doe from Cobham, when the season comes, +buck season being past. I shall make much of this acquaintance, +that I may live to see his lady near. Thence to Westminster, to +Sir R. Long's office; and going, met Mr. George Montagu, who +talked and complimented me mightily; and a long discourse I had +with him: who, for news, tells me for certain that Trevor do +come to be Secretary at Michaelmas, and that Morrice goes out, +and, he believes, without any compensation. He tells me that now +Buckingham do rule all; and the other day, in the King's journey +he is now in, at Bagshot and that way, he caused Prince Rupert's +horses to be turned out of an inne, and caused his own to be kept +there; which the Prince complained of to the King, and the Duke +of York seconded the complaint; but the King did over-rule it for +Buckingham, by which there are high displeasures among them: and +Buckingham and Arlington rule all. To White Hall; where +Brouncker, W. Pen, and I attended the Commissioners of the +Treasury about the victualling contract; where high words between +Sir Thomas Clifford and us, and myself more particularly, who +told him that something, that he said was told him about this +business, was a flat untruth. However, we went on to our +business in the examination of the draught, and so parted, and I +vexed at what happened. + +13th (Lord's day). By coach to St. James's, and met, to my wish, +the Duke of York and Mr. Wren: and understand the Duke of York +hath received answers from Brouncker, W. Pen, and J. Minnes; and +as soon as he saw me, he bid Mr. Wren read them over with me. So +having no opportunity of talk with the Duke of York, and Mr. Wren +some business to do, he put them into my hands like an idle +companion, to take home with me before himself had read them; +which do give me great opportunity of altering my answer, if +there was cause. After supper made my wife to read them all +over, wherein she is mighty useful to me: and I find them all +evasions, and in many things false, and in few to the full +purpose. Little said reflective on me; though W. Pen and J. +Minnes do mean me in one or two places, and J. Minnes a little +more plainly would lead the Duke of York to question the +exactness of my keeping my records; but all to no purpose. My +mind is mightily pleased by this, if I can but get time to have a +copy taken of them for my future use; but I must return them +tomorrow. So to bed. + +14th. Up betimes, and walked to the Temple, and stopped, viewing +the Exchange and Paul's and St. Fayth's; where strange how the +very sight of the stones falling from the top of the steeple do +make me sea-sick! But no hurt, I hear, hath yet happened in all +this work of the steeple; which is very much. So from the Temple +I by coach to St. James's; where I find Sir W. Pen and Lord +Anglesy, who delivered this morning his answer to the Duke of +York, but I could not see it. But after being above with the +Duke of York, I down with Mr. Wren; and he and I read all over +that I had, and I expounded them to him, and did so order it that +I had them home with me, so that I shall to my heart's wish be +able to take a copy of them. After dinner I by water to White +Hall; and there, with the Cofferer and Sir Stephen Fox, attended +the Commissioners of the Treasury about bettering our fund; and +are promised it speedily. + +15th. To the King's playhouse to see a new play, acted but +yesterday, a translation out of French by Dryden, called "The +Ladys a la Mode:" so mean a thing as, when they come to say it +would be acted again to-morrow, both he that said it (Beeson +[Probably Beeston, who had been Manager of the Cockpit Theatre.]) +and the pit fell a-laughing. + +18th. Walking it to the Temple, and in my way observe that the +stockes are now pulled quite down: and it will make the coming +into Cornhill and Lumber-street mighty noble. I stopped too at; +Paul's, and there did go into St. Fayth's church, and also in the +body of the west part of the church; and do see a hideous sight +of the walls of the church ready to fall, that I was in fear as +long as I was in it; and here I saw the great vaults underneath +the body of the church. No hurt, I hear, is done yet, since +their going to pull down the church and steeple; but one man, one +Mound, this week fell from the top of the roof of the east end +that stands next the steeple, and there broke himself all to +pieces. It is pretty here to see how the late church was but a +case wrought over the old church; for you may see the very old +pillars standing whole within the wall of this. When I come to +St. James's, I find the Duke of York gone with the King to see +the muster of the Guards in Hide Park; and their Colonell, the +Duke of Monmouth, to take his command this day of the King's +Life-guard, by surrender of my Lord Gerard. So I took a hackney- +coach and saw it all: and indeed it was mighty noble, and their +firing mighty fine, and the Duke of Monmouth in mighty rich +clothes; but the well ordering of the men I understand not. +Here, among a thousand coaches that were there, I saw and spoke +to Mrs. Pierce: and by and by Mr. Wren hunts me out and gives me +my Lord Anglesy's answer to the Duke of York's letter: where, I +perceive, he do do what he can to hurt me, by bidding the Duke of +York call for my books: but this will do me all the right in the +world, and yet I am troubled at it. So away out of the Park, and +home; and there Mr. Gibson and I to dinner: and all the +afternoon with him writing over anew and a little altering my +answer to the Duke of York, which I have not yet delivered, and +so have the opportunity of doing it after seeing all their +answers, though this do give me occasion to alter very little. +This done, he to write it over, and I to the office; where late, +and then home, and he had finished it. And then he to read to me +the Life of Archbishop Laud, wrote by Dr. Heylin; which is a +shrewd book, but that which I believe will do the Bishops in +general no great good, but hurt, it pleads so much for Popery. + +18th. To St. James's, and there took a turn or two in the Park; +and then up to the Duke of York, and there had opportunity of +delivering my answer to his late letter, which he did not read, +but give to Mr. Wren, as looking on it as a thing I needed not +have done, but only that I might not give occasion to the rest to +suspect my communication with the Duke of York against them. So +now I am at rest in that matter, and shall be more when my copies +are finished of their answers. + +19th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Silent Woman;" +the best comedy, I think, that ever was wrote: and sitting by +Shadwell [Thomas Shadwell, the dramatic writer. Ob. 1692.] the +poet, he was big with admiration of it. Here was my Lord +Brouncker and W. Pen and their ladies in the box, being grown +roughly kind of a sudden; but, God knows, it will last but a +little while, I dare swear. Knipp did her part mighty well. All +the news now is that Mr. Trevor is for certain to be Secretary in +Morrice's place, which the Duke of York did himself tell me +yesterday; and also that Parliament is to be adjourned to the 1st +of March, which do please me well, hoping thereby to get my +things in a little better order than I should have done; and the +less attendances at that end of the town in winter. + +20th. To church, and thence home to dinner, staying till past +one o'clock for Harris, whom I invited, and to bring Shadwell the +poet with him; but they came not, and so a good dinner lost +through my own folly. And so to dinner alone, having since +church heard the boy read over Dryden's Reply to Sir R. Howard's +Answer about his Essay of Poesy, and a Letter in answer to that; +the last whereof is mighty silly, in behalf of Howard. The +Duchesse of Monmouth is at this time in great trouble of the +shortness of her lame leg, which is likely to grow shorter and +shorter, that she will never recover it. + +21st. To St. James's, and there the Duke of York did of his own +accord come to me and tell me that he had read and do like of my +answers to the objections which he did give me the other day +about the Navy: and so did Sir W. Coventry too, who told me that +the Duke of York had shown him them. To Southwarke-fair, very +dirty, and there saw the puppet-show of Whittington, which was +pretty to see: and how that idle thing do work upon people that +see it, and even myself too! And thence to Jacob Hall's dancing +on the ropes, where I saw such action as I never saw before, and +mightily worth seeing; and here took acquaintance with a fellow +that carried me to a tavern, whither come the musick of this +booth, and by and by Jacob Hall himself, with whom I had a mind +to speak, to hear whether he had ever any mischief by falls in +his time. He told me, "Yes, many, but never to the breaking of a +limb." He seems a mighty strong man. So giving them a bottle or +two of wine, I away. So by water by link-light through the +bridge, it being mighty dark, but still weather; and so home. +This day came out first the new five-pieces in gold, coined by +the Guiny Company; and I did get two pieces of Mr. Holder. + +22nd. This day Mr. Wren did give me at the Board Commissioner +Middleton's answer to the Duke of York's great letter; so that +now I have all of them. + +23rd. At noon comes Mr. Evelyn to me about some business with +the office, and there in discourse tells me of his loss to the +value of 500l. which he hath met with in a late attempt of making +of bricks upon an adventure with others, by which he presumed to +have got a great deal of money: so that I see the most ingenious +men may sometimes be mistaken. + +27th. In the Park, where I met Mr. Wren; and he and I walked +together in the Pell-Mell, it being most summer weather that ever +was seen. And here talking of several things; of the corruption +of the Court, and how unfit it is for ingenuous men, and himself +particularly, to live in it, where a man cannot live but he must +spend, and cannot get suitably without breach of his honour: and +he did thereupon tell me of the basest thing of my Lord Barkeley +that ever was heard of any man--which was this: how the Duke of +York's Commissioners do let his wine-licenses at a bad rate, and +being offered a better, they did persuade the Duke of York to +give some satisfaction to the former to quit it, and let it to +the latter; which being done, my Lord Barkeley did make the +bargain for the former to have 1500l. a-year to quit it; whereof +since it is come to light that they were to have but 800l. and +himself 700l., which the Duke of York hath ever since for some +years paid, though the second bargain hath been broken, and the +Duke of York lost by it half of what the first was. He told me +that there had been a seeming accommodation between the Duke of +York and the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Arlington, the two +latter desiring it; but yet that there is not true agreement +between them, but they do labour to bring in all new creatures +into play, and the Duke of York do oppose it. Thence, he gone, I +to the Queene's chapel, and there heard some good singing; and so +to White Hall, and saw the King and Queene at dinner: and thence +with Sir Stephen Fox to dinner; and the Cofferer with us; and +there mighty kind usage and good discourse. Thence spent all the +afternoon walking in the Park, and then in the evening at Court +on the Queene's side; and there met Mr. Godolphin, who tells me +that the news is true we heard yesterday of my Lord Sandwich's +being come to Mount's-bay, in Cornwall. This night, in the +Queene's drawing-room, my Lord Brouncker told me the difference +that is now between the three Embassadors here, the Venetian, +French, and Spaniard; the third not being willing to make a visit +to the first, because he would not receive him at the door; who +is willing to give him, as much respect as he did to the French, +who was used no otherwise, and who refuses now to take more of +him, upon being desired thereto in order to the making an +accommodation in this matter. + +28th. Knipp's maid comes to me to tell me that the women's day +at the playhouse is to-day, and that therefore I must be there to +encrease their profit. By water to St. James's, and there had +good opportunity of speaking with the Duke of York; who desires +me again talking on that matter, to prepare something for him to +do for the better managing of our office; telling me that my Lord +Keeper and he talking about it yesterday, my Lord Keeper did +advise him to do so, it being better to come from him than +otherwise; which I have promised to do. Thence to my Lord +Burlington's house, the first time I ever was there, it being the +house built by Sir John Denham, next to Clarendon-house, And here +I visited my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady; Mr. Sidney Montagu +being last night come to town unexpectedly from Mount's-bay, +where he left my Lord well eight days since, so as we now hourly +expect to hear of his arrivall at Portsmouth. Sidney is mighty +grown; and I am glad I am here to see him at his first coming, +though it cost me dear, for here I come to be necessitated to +supply them with 500l. for my Lord. [VIDE Mr. Pepys's letter to +Lord Sandwich on this subject in the Appendix.] He sent him up +with a declaration to his friends, of the necessity of his being +presently supplied with 2000l.; but I do not think he will get +1000l.: however, I think it becomes my duty to my Lord to do +something extraordinary in this, and the rather because I have +been remiss in writing to him during this voyage, more than ever +I did in my life and more indeed than was fit for me. By and by +comes Sir W. Godolphin to see Mr. Sidney, who, I perceive, is +much dissatisfied that he should come to town last night, and not +yet be with my Lord Arlington; who, and all the town, hear of his +being come, and he did it seems, take notice of it to Godolphin +this morning. So that I perceive this remissness in affairs do +continue in my Lord's managements still: which I am sorry for; +but, above all, to see in what a condition my Lord is for money, +that I dare swear he do not know where to take up 500l. of any +man in England at this time upon his word but or myself, as I +believe by the sequel hereof it will appear. Here I first saw +and saluted my Lady Burlington, [Elizabeth, sole daughter and +heir to Henry Earl of Cumberland, wife of Richard first Earl of +Burlington.] a very fine-speaking lady, and a good woman, but +old and not handsome; but a brave woman. Here I also, standing +by a candle that was brought for sealing a letter, do set my +periwigg a-fire; which made such an odd noise nobody could tell +what it was till they saw the flame, my back being to the candle. +To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The City Match," [A +comedy, by Jasper Mayne, D.D.] not acted these thirty years, and +but a silly play: the King and Court there; the house for the +women's sake mighty full. So I to White Hall, and there all the +evening on the Queene's side; and it being a most summer-like +day, and a fine warm evening, the Italians came in a barge under +the leads before the Queene's drawing-room; and so the Queene and +ladies went out and heard them for almost an hour: and the +singing was indeed very good together; but yet there was but one +voice that alone did appear considerable, and that was Signior +Joanni. This done, by and by they went in: and here I saw Mr. +Sidney Montagu kiss the Queene's hand, who was mighty kind to +him, and the ladies looked mightily on him; and the King came by +and by, and did talk to him. So I away by coach with Alderman +Backewell home, who is mighty kind to me, more than ordinary, in +his expressions. But I do hear this day what troubles me, that +Sir W. Coventry is quite out of play, the King seldom speaking to +him; and that there is a design of making a Lord Treasurer, and +that my Lord Arlington shall be the man; but I cannot believe it. +But yet the Duke of Buckingham hath it in his mind, and those +with him, to make a thorough alteration in things; and, among the +rest, Coventry to be out. + +[A HIATUS occurs in the Diary at this period for thirteen days; +during which Mr. Pepys went into the country, as he subsequently +alludes to his having been at Saxham whilst the King was there. +He had probably been to Impington to fetch his wife, and perhaps +omitted copying his rough notes into the blank pages evidently +left for them in the Journal.] + +OCTOBER 12, 1668. To White Hall to enquire when the Duke of York +will be in town, in order to Mr. Turner's going down to Audley +End about his place; and here I met in St. James's Park with one +that told me that the Duke of York would be in town to-morrow. +Home, where I find Sir H. Cholmly come to town; and is come +hither to see me: and he is a man that I love mightily, as being +of a gentleman the most industrious that ever I saw. He staid +with me awhile talking and telling me his obligations to my Lord +Sandwich, which I was glad of; and that the Duke of Buckingham is +now chief of all men in this kingdom, which I knew before; and +that he do think the Parliament will hardly ever meet again; +which is a great many men's thoughts and I shall not be sorry for +it. Read a ridiculous nonsensical book set out by Will. Pen for +the Quakers; but so full of nothing but nonsense, that I was +ashamed to read in it. + +13th. With my Lord Brouncker, and did get his ready assent to T. +Hater's having of Mr. Turner's place, and so Sir J. Minnes's +also: but when we come to sit down at the Board comes to us Mr. +Wren this day to town, and tells me that James Southern do +petition the Duke of York for the Store-keeper's place of +Deptford; which did trouble me much, and also the Board; though +upon discourse after he was gone we did resolve to move hard for +our Clerks, and that places of preferment may go according to +seniority and merit at my Lord Middleton's; and I did this day +find by discourse with somebody that this gentleman was the great +Major-general Middleton that was of the Scots army in the +beginning of the late war against the King. + +14th. To White Hall, and there walked to St. James's, where I +find the Court mighty full, it being the Duke of York's birthday; +and he mighty fine, and all the musick, one after another, to my +great content. Here I met with Sir H. Cholmly; and he and I to +walk, and to my Lord Barkeley's new house, there to see a new +experiment of a cart, which, by having two little wheeles +fastened to the axle-tree, is said to make it go with half the +ease and more than another cart; but we did not see the trial +made. To the King's playhouse, and saw "The Faithful +Shepherdess," [A dramatic pastoral, by J. Fletcher.] that I +might hear the French eunuch sing; which I did to my great +content; though I do admire his action as much as his singing, +being both beyond all I ever saw or heard. + +15th. This day at the Board came unexpected the warrants from +the Duke of York for Mr. Turner and Hater, for the places they +desire; which contents me mightily. + +17th. Mr. Moore and Seamour were, with me this afternoon; who +tell me that my Lord Sandwich was received mighty kindly by the +King, and is in exceeding great esteem with him and the rest +about him; but I doubt it will be hard for him to please both the +King and the Duke of York, which I shall be sorry for. Mr. Moore +tells me the sad condition my Lord is in in his estate and debts; +and the way he now lives in so high, and so many vain servants +about him, that he must be ruined if he do not take up; which, by +the grace of God, I will put him upon when I come to see him. + +18th. With Lord Brouncker to Lincolne's Inn, and Mr. Ball, to +visit Dr. Wilkins, now newly Bishop of Chester: and he received +us mighty kindly; and had most excellent discourse from him about +his book of Reall Character. And so I with Lord Brouncker to +White Hall, and there saw the Queene and some ladies. + +19th. To the Duke of York's playhouse; and there saw, the first +time acted, "The Queene of Aragon," [A tragi-comedy, by William +Habington. Upon its revival, the prologue and epilogue were +written by Butler, the author of Hudibras.] an old Blackfriars' +play, but an admirable one, so good that I am astonished at it, +and wonder where it hath lain asleep all this while that I have +never heard of it before. + +20th. At this time my wife and I mighty busy laying out money in +dressing up our best chamber, and thinking of a coach and +coachman and horses, &c.; and the more because of Creed's being +now married to Mrs. Pickering; [Elizabeth, daughter of Sir +Gilbert Pickering, Bart., became the wife of John Creed Esq., of +Oundle, and had issue by him: Major Richard Creed, killed at the +battle of Blenheim.] a thing I could never have expected, but it +is done about seven or ten days since. I walked out to look for +a coach, and saw many; and did light on one for which I bid 50l. +which do please me mightily. + +21st. Dining with Mr. Batelier, I rose from table before the +rest, because under an obligation to go to my Lord Brouncker's, +where to meet several gentlemen of the Royal Society, to go and +make a visit to the French Embassador Colbert at Leicester-house, +he having endeavoured to make one or two to my Lord Brouncker as +our President: but he was not within, but I came too late. To +my Lord Sandwich's lodgings; who came to town the last night, and +is come thither to lie: and met with him within: and among +others my new cosen Creed, who looks mighty soberly; and he and I +saluted one another with mighty gravity, till we came to a little +more freedom of talk about it. But here I hear that Sir Gilbert +Pickering is lately dead, about three days since; which makes +some sorrow there, though not much, because of his being long +expected to die, having been in a lethargy long. So waited on my +Lord to Court, and there staid and saw the ladies awhile: and +thence to my wife, and took them up; and so home, and to supper +and bed. + +23rd. To my Lord Sandwich's, where I find my Lord within, but +busy private; and so I staid a little talking with the young +gentlemen, and so away with Mr. Pierce the surgeon towards +Tyburne, to see the people executed; but came too late, it being +done: two men and a woman hanged. Pierce do tell me, among +other news, the late frolick and debauchery of Sir Charles Sedley +and Buckhurst running up and down all the night, almost naked, +through the streets; and at last fighting, and being beat by the +watch and clapped up all night; and how the King takes their +parts; and my Lord Chief Justice Keeling hath laid the constable +by the heels to answer it next Sessions: which is a horrid +shame. How the King and these gentlemen did make the fiddlers of +Thetford this last progress to sing them all the obscene songs +they could think of. How Sir W. Coventry was brought the other +day to the Duchesse of York by the Duke of York, to kiss her +hand; who did acknowledge his unhappiness to occasion her so much +sorrow, declaring his intentions in it, and praying her pardon; +which she did give him upon his promise to make good his +pretences of innocence to her family by his faithfulness to his +master the Duke of York. That the Duke of Buckingham is now all +in all, and will ruin Coventry, if he can: and that W. Coventry +do now rest wholly upon the Duke of York for his standing; which +is a great turn. He tells me that my Lady Castlemaine, however, +is a mortal enemy to the Duke of Buckingham: which I understand +not, but it seems she is disgusted with his greatness and his ill +usage of her. That the King was drunk at Saxam [Saxham, near +Newmarket, in Suffolk, a seat of William Baron Crofts, long since +pulled down.] with Sedley, Buckhurst, &c. the night that my Lord +Arlington came thither, and would not give him audience, or could +not which is true, for it was the night that I was there and saw +the King go up to his chamber, and was told that the King had +been drinking. He tells me too that the Duke of York did the +next day chide Bab. May for his occasioning the King's giving +himself up to these gentlemen, to the neglecting of my Lord +Arlington: to which he answered merrily, that there was no man +in England that had a head to lose durst do what they do every +day with the King, and asked the Duke of York's pardon: which is +a sign of a mad world; God bless us out of it! + +24th. This morning comes to me the coachmaker, and agreed with +me for 53l. and to stand to the courtesy of what more I should +give him upon the finishing of it. He is likely also to fit me +with a coachman. + +26th. I was obliged to attend the Duke of York, thinking to have +had a meeting of Tangier to-day but had not: but he did take me +and Mr. Wren into his closet, and there did press me to prepare +what I had to say upon the answers of my fellow-officers to his +great letter; which I promised to do against his coming to town +again the next week: and so to other discourse, finding plainly +that he is in trouble and apprehensions of the Reformers, and +would be found to do what he can towards reforming himself. And +so thence to my Lord Sandwich's; where after long stay, he being +in talk with others privately, I to him; and there, he taking +physic and keeping his chamber, I had an hour's talk with him +about the ill posture of things at this time, while the King +gives countenance to Sir Charles Sedley and Lord Buckhurst. He +tells me that he thinks his matters do stand well with the King, +and hopes to have dispatch to his mind; but I doubt it, and do +see that he do fear it too. He told me of my Lady Carteret's +trouble about my writing of that letter of the Duke of York's +lately to the office; which I did not own, but declared to be of +no injury to G. Carteret, and that I would write a letter to him +to satisfy him therein. But this I am in pain how to do without +doing myself wrong, and the end I had of preparing a +justification to myself hereafter, when the faults of the Navy +come to be found out: however, I will do it in the best manner I +can. + +29th. Mr. Wren first tells us of the order from the King, come +last night to the Duke of York, for signifying his pleasure to +the Solicitor-generall for drawing up a Commission for +suspending of my Lord Anglesy, and putting in Sir Thomas +Littleton and Sir Thomas Osborne [Eldest son of Sir Edward +Osborne, Bart.; made a Privy-counsellor 1672, and the following +year constituted Lord High Treasurer, and elected K.G. in 1677. +He was created Baron Kiveton and Viscount Latimer 1678, Earl Of +Danby 1674, Marquis of Caermarthen 1689, and Duke of Leeds 1694. +Ob. 1712, AET.SUAE 81.] (the former a creature of Arlington's, +and the latter of the Duke of Buckingham's) during the +suspension. The Duke of York was forced to obey, and did grant +it, he being to go to Newmarket this day with the King, and so +the King pressed for it. But Mr. Wren do own that the Duke of +York is the most wounded in this in the world, for it is done and +concluded without his privity, after his appearing for him; and +that it is plain that they do ayme to bring the Admiralty into +Commission too, and lessen the Duke of York. This do put strange +apprehensions into all our Board; only I think I am the least +troubled at it, for I care not at all for it: but my Lord +Brouncker and Pen do seem to think much of it. + +30th. Up betimes; and Mr. Povy comes to even accounts with me; +which we did, and then fell to other talk. He tells me, in +short, how the King is made a child of by Buckingham and +Arlington, to the lessening of the Duke of York, whom they cannot +suffer to be great, for fear of my Lord Chancellor's return, +which therefore they make the King violent against. That he +believes it is impossible these two great men can hold together +long; or, at least, that the ambition of the former is so great +that he will endeavour to master all, and bring into play as many +as he can. That Anglesy will not lose his place easily, but will +contend in law with whoever comes to execute it. That the Duke +of York, in all things but in his amours, is led by the nose by +his wife. That Sir W. Coventry is now by the Duke of York made +friends with the Duchesse; and that he is often there, and waits +on her. That he do believe that these present great men will +break in time, and that Sir W. Coventry will be a great man +again; for he do labour to have nothing to do in matters of the +State, and is so usefull to the side that he is on, that he will +stand, though at present he is quite out of play. That my Lady +Castlemaine hates the Duke of Buckingham. That the Duke of York +hath expressed himself very kind to my Lord Sandwich; which I am +mighty glad of. That we are to expect more changes if these men +stand. + +31st. This day my Lord Anglesy was at the office, and do seem to +make nothing of this business of his suspension, resolving to +bring it into Council; where he seems not to doubt to have right, +he standing upon his defence and patent; and hath put in his +caveats to the several offices; so as soon as the King comes back +again, which will be on Tuesday next, he will bring it into the +Council. + +NOVEMBER 2, 1668. To Mr. Povy's; and there I find my Lords +Sandwich, Peterborough, and Hinchingbroke, Charles Harbord, and +Sidney Montagu; and there I was stopped, and dined mighty nobly +at a good table with one little dish at a time upon it; but +mighty merry. I was glad to see it; but sorry, methought, to see +my Lord have so little reason to be merry, and yet glad for his +sake to have him cheerful. After dinner up, and looked up and +down the house, and so to the cellar; and thence I slipt away +without taking leave. + +4th. To White Hall; and there I find the King and Duke of York +came the last night, and every body's mouth full of my Lord +Anglesy's suspension being sealed, which it was, it seems, +yesterday; so that he is prevented in his remedy at the Council. +And, it seems, the two new Treasurers did kiss the King's hand +this morning, brought in by my Lord Arlington. They walked up +and down together in the Court this day, and several people joyed +them; but I avoided it, that I might not be seen to look either +way. This day also I hear that my Lord Ormond is to be declared +in Council no more Deputy Governor of Ireland, his commission +being expired: and the King is prevailed with to take it out of +his hands; which people do mightily admire, saying that he is the +greatest subject of any prince in Christendome, and hath more +acres of land than any, and hath done more for his Prince than +ever any yet did. But all will not do; he must down, it seems, +the Duke of Buckingham carrying all before him. But that that +troubles me most is that they begin to talk that the Duke of +York's regiment is ordered to be disbanded; and more that +undoubtedly his Admiralty will follow: which do shake me +mightily, and I fear will have ill consequences in the nation, +for these counsels are very mad. The Duke of York do by all +men's report, carry himself wonderfull submissive to the King in +the most humble manner in the world; but yet, it seems, nothing +must be spared that tends to the keeping out the Chancellor; and +that is the reason of all this. The great discourse now is, that +the Parliament shall be dissolved and another called, which shall +give the King the Dean and Chapter's lands; and that will put him +out of debt. And it is said that Buckingham do knowingly meet +daily with Wildman and other Commonwealth-men; and that when he +is with them he makes the King believe that he is with his +wenches. And something looks like the Parliament's being +dissolved, by Harry Brouncker's being now come back, and +appearing this day the first day at White Hall; but he hath not +been yet with the King, but is secure that he shall be well +received, I hear. God bless us when such men as he shall be +restored! But that that pleases me most is, that several do tell +me that Pen is to be removed; and others that he hath resigned +his place; and particularly Spragg tells me for certain that he +hath resigned it, and is become a partner with Gauden in the +Victualling: in which I think he hath done a very cunning thing; +but I am sure I am glad of it; and it will be well for the King +to have him out of this office. Sir John Talbot talks mighty +high for my Lord of Ormond: and I perceive this family of the +Talbots hath been raised by my Lord. + +5th. The Duke of York did call me and Mr. Wren; and my paper +that I have lately taken pains to draw up was read, and the Duke +of York pleased therewith; and we did all along conclude upon +answers to my mind for the Board, and that that, if put in +execution, will do the King's business. But I do now more and +more perceive the Duke of York's trouble, and that he do lie +under great weight of mind from the Duke of Buckingham's carrying +things against him; and particularly when I advised that he would +use his interest that a seaman might come into the room of Sir W. +Pen, who is now declared to be gone from us to that of the +Victualling, and did show how the office would now be left +without one seaman in it but the Surveyor and the Controller, who +is so old as to be able to do nothing. He told me plainly that I +knew his mind well enough as to seamen, but that it must be as +others will. And Wren did tell it me as a secret, that when the +Duke of York did first tell the King about Sir W. Pen's leaving +of the place, and that when the Duke of York did move the King +that either Captain Cox or Sir Jer. Smith might succeed him, the +King did tell him that that was a matter fit to be considered of, +and would not agree to either presently: and so the Duke of York +could not prevail for either, nor knows who it shall be. The +Duke of York did tell me himself, that if he had not carried it +privately when first he mentioned Pen's leaving his place to the +King, it had not been done: for the Duke of Buckingham and those +of his party do cry out upon it as a strange thing to trust such +a thing into the hands of one that stands accused in Parliament: +and that they have so far prevailed upon the King that he would +not have him named in Council, but only take his name to the +Board; but I think he said that only D. Gauden's name shall go in +the patent; at least, at the time when Sir Richard Browne asked +the King the names of D.Gauden's security, the King told him it +was not yet necessary for him to declare them. And by and by, +when the Duke of York and we had done, Wren brought into the +closet Captain Cox and James Temple about business of the Guinea +Company; and talking something of the Duke of Buckingham's +concernment therein, says the Duke of York, "I shall give the +Devil his due," as they say the Duke of Buckingham hath paid in +his money to the Company, or something of that kind, wherein he +would do right to him. The Duke of York told me how these people +do begin to cast dirt upon the business that passed the Council +lately touching Supernumeraries, as passed by virtue of his +authority there, there being not liberty for any man to withstand +what the Duke of York advises there; which, he told me, they +bring only as an argument to insinuate the putting of the +Admiralty into Commission, which by all men's discourse is now +designed, and I perceive the same by him. This being done, and +going from him, I up and down the house to hear news: and there +every body's mouth full of changes; and among others, the Duke of +York's regiment of Guards that was raised during the late war at +sea it is to be disbanded: and also, that this day the King do +intend to declare that the Duke of Ormond is no more Deputy of +Ireland, but that he will put it into Commission. This day our +new Treasurers did kiss the King's hand; who complimented them, +as they say, very highly,--that he had for a long time been +abused in his Treasury, and that he was now safe in their hands. +I saw them walk up and down the Court together all this morning; +the first time I ever saw Osborne, who is a comely gentleman. +This day I was told that my Lord Anglesy did deliver a petition +on Wednesday in Council to the King, laying open, that whereas he +had heard that his Majesty had made such a disposal of his place, +which he had formerly granted him for life upon a valuable +consideration, and that without any thing laid to his charge, and +during a Parliament's sessions, he prayed that his Majesty would +be pleased to let his case be heard before the Council and the +Judges of the land, who were his proper Counsel in all matters of +right: to which, I am told, the King, after my Lord's being +withdrawn, concluded upon his giving him an answer some few days +hence; and so he was called in and told so. At the Treasurer's, +Sir Thomas Clifford, where I did eat some oysters; which while we +were at, in comes my Lord Keeper and much company; and so I +thought it best to withdraw. And so away, and to the Swedes +Agent's, and there met Mr. Povy; where the agent would have me +stay and dine, there being only them and Joseph Williamson, and +Sir Thomas Clayton; [Thomas Clayton, M.D., Professor of Physic, +and Anatomy Lecturer at Oxford, for which University he was +chosen Member 1660, and afterwards, knighted and made Warden of +Merton College.] but what he is I know not. Here much +extraordinary noble discourse of foreign princes, and +particularly the greatness of the King of France, and of his +being fallen into the right way of making the kingdom great. I +was mightily pleased with this company and their discourse. + +6th. To see Roger Pepys at his lodgings next door to Arundell- +house, a barber's. And there I did see a book, which my Lord +Sandwich hath promised one to me of, "A Description of the +Escuriall in Spain;" which I have a great desire to have, though +I took it for a finer book when he promised it me. + +9th. The Duke of York told me that Sir W. Pen had been with him +this morning to ask whether it would be fit for him to sit at the +office now, because of his resolution to be gone and to become +concerned in the Victualling. The Duke of York answered, Yes, +till his contract was signed. Thence I to Lord Sandwich's, and +there to see him; but was made to stay very long, as his best +friends are, and when I came to him had little pleasure, his head +being full of his own business, I think. Thence to White Hall +with him to a Committee of Tangier; a day appointed for him to +give an account of Tangier, and what he did and found there; +which, though he had admirable matter for it, and his doings +there were good, and would have afforded a noble account, yet he +did it with a mind so low and mean, and delivered in so poor a +manner, that it appeared nothing at all, nor any body seemed to +value it; whereas he might have shown himself to have merited +extraordinary thanks, and been held to have done a very great +service: whereas now, all that cost the King hath been at for +his journey through Spain thither, seems to be almost lost. +After we were up, Creed and I walked together, and did talk a +good while of the weak Report my Lord made, and were troubled for +it; I fearing that either his mind and judgment are depressed, or +that he do it out of his great neglect, and so that he do all the +rest of his affairs accordingly. + +11th. To the office; where by a speciall desire the new +Treasurers came, and there did show their Patent and the Great +Seal for the suspension of my Lord Anglesy: and here did sit and +discourse of the business of the office; and brought Mr. +Hutchinson with them, who, I hear, is to be their Paymaster, in +the room of Mr. Waith. For it seems they do turn out every +servant that belongs to the present Treasurer; and so for Fenn do +bring in Mr. Littleton, Sir Thomas's brother, and oust all the +rest. But Mr. Hutchinson do already see that his work now will +be another kind of thing than before, as to the trouble of it. + +13th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen by coach to White Hall; where to +the Duke of York, and there did our usual business. And thence I +to the Commissioners of the Treasury; where I staid and heard an +excellent case argued between my Lord Gerard and the town of +Newcastle, about a piece of ground which that Lord hath got a +grant of under the Exchequer Seal, which they were endeavouring +to get of the King under the Great Seal. I liked mightily the +Counsel for the town, Shaftow their recorder, and Mr. Offly. But +I was troubled, and so were the Lords, [The Lords Commissioners.] +to hear my Lord fly out against their [The inhabitants of +Newcastle.] great pretence of merit from the King for their +sufferings and loyalty; telling them that they might thank him +for that repute which they have for their loyalty, for that it +was he that forced them to be so against their wills, when he was +there: and, moreover, did offer a paper to the Lords to read +from the town, sent in 1648; but the Lords would not read it; but +I believe it was something about bringing the King to trial, or +some such thing, in that year. Thence I to the Three Tuns Tavern +by Charing Cross, and there dined with W. Pen, Sir J. Minnes, and +Commissioner Middleton; and as merry as my mind could be, that +hath so much trouble upon it at home. And thence to White Hall, +and there staid in Mr. Wren's chamber with him reading over my +draught of a letter, which Mr. Gibson then attended me with; and +there he did like all, but doubted whether it would be necessary +for the Duke to write in so sharp a style to the office as I had +drawn it in: which I yield to him, to consider the present +posture of the times and the Duke of York, and whether it were +not better to err on that hand than the other. He told me that +he did not think it was necessary for the Duke of York to do, and +that it would not suit so well with his nature nor greatness; +which last perhaps is true, but then do too truly show the +effects of having princes in places where order and discipline +should be. I left it to him to do as the Duke of York pleases; +and so fell to other talk, and with great freedom, of public +things. And he told me, upon my several inquiries to that +purpose, that he did believe it was not yet resolved whether the +Parliament should ever meet more or no, the three great rulers of +things now standing thus:--The Duke of Buckingham is absolutely +against their meeting, as moved thereto by his people that he +advises with, the people of the late times, who do never expect +to have any thing done by this Parliament for their religion, and +who do propose that, by the sale of the Church-lands, they shall +be able to put the King out of debt: my Lord Keeper is utterly +against putting away this and choosing another Parliament, lest +they prove worse than this, and will make all the King's friends, +and the King himself, in a desperate condition: my Lord +Arlington knows not which is best for him, being to seek whether +this or the next will use him worst. He tells me that he +believes that it is intended to call this Parliament, and try +them with a sum of money; and if they do not like it, then to +send them going, and call another who will, at the ruin of the +Church perhaps, please the King with what he will have for a +time. And he tells me, therefore, that he do believe that this +policy will be endeavoured by the Church and their friends,--to +seem to promise the King money when it shall be propounded, but +make the King and these great men buy it, dear before they have +it. He tells me that he is really persuaded that the design of +the Duke of Buckingham is, by bringing the State into such a +condition as, if the King do die without issue, it shall upon his +death break into pieces again; and so put by the Duke of York, +whom they have disobliged, they know, to that degree as to +despair of his pardon. He tells me that there is no way to rule +the King but by brisknesse, which the Duke of Buckingham hath +above all men; and that the Duke of York having it not, his best +way is what he practices, that is to say, a good temper, which +will support him till the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Arlington +fall out, which cannot be long first, the former knowing that the +latter did, in the time of the Chancellor, endeavour with the +Chancellor to hang him at that time, when he was proclaimed +against. And here, by the by, he told me that the Duke of +Buckingham did by his friends treat with my Lord Chancellor, by +the mediation of Matt. Wren and Clifford, to fall in with my Lord +Chancellor; which, he tells me, he did advise my Lord Chancellor +to accept of, as that, that with his own interest and the Duke of +York's, would undoubtedly have secured all to him and his family; +but that my Lord Chancellor was a man not to be advised, thinking +himself too high to be counselled: and so all is come to +nothing; for by that means the Duke of Buckingham became +desperate, and was forced to fall in with Arlington, to his ruin. +This morning at the Treasury-chamber I did meet Jack Fenn, and +there he did show me my Lord Anglesy's petition and the King's +answer: the former good and stout, as I before did hear it; but +the latter short and weak, saying that he was not by what the +King had done hindered from taking the benefit of his laws, and +that the reason he had to suspect his mismanagement of his money +in Ireland did make him think it unfit to trust him with his +Treasury in England till he was satisfied in the former. + +15th. After dinner, W. How to tell me what hath happened between +him and the Commissioners of late, who are hot again, more than +ever, about my Lord Sandwich's business of prizes; which I am +troubled for, and the more because of the great security and +neglect with which I think my Lord do look upon this matter, that +may yet, for aught I know, undo him. + +17th. To the office all the morning, where the new Treasurers +come their second time, and before they sat down did discourse +with the Board, and particularly my Lord Brouncker, about their +place, which they challenge as having been heretofore due and +given to their predecessor; which, at last, my Lord did own hath +been given him only out of courtesy to his quality, and that he +did not take it as of right at the Board: so they, for the +present, sat down and did give him the place, but I think with an +intent to have the Duke of York's directions about it. + +20th. This evening comes Mr. Billup to me, to read over Mr. +Wren's alterations of my draught of a letter for the Duke of York +to sign to the Board; which I like mighty well, they being not +considerable, only in mollifying some hard terms which I had +thought fit to put in. From this to other discourse; and do find +that the Duke of York and his master, Mr. Wren, do look upon this +service of mine as a very seasonable service to the Duke of York, +as that which he will have to show to his enemies in his own +justification of his care of the King's business: and I am sure +I am heartily glad of it, both for the King's sake and the Duke +of York's, and my own also; for if I continue, my work by this +means will be the less, and my share in the blame also. + +22nd. This day my boy's livery is come home, the first I ever +had, of greene lined with red; and it likes me well enough. + +23rd. To visit my Lord Sandwich, who is now so reserved, or +moped rather I think with his own business, that he bids welcome +to no man, I think, to his satisfaction. I met with Mr. Povy; +who tells me: that this discourse which I told him of, of the +Duke of Monmouth being made Prince of Wales, hath nothing in it; +though he thinks there are all the endeavours used in the world +to overthrow the Duke of York. He would not have me doubt of my +safety in the Navy, which I am doubtful of, from the reports of a +general removal; but he will endeavour to inform me what he can +gather from my Lord Arlington. That he do think that the Duke of +Buckingham hath a mind rather to overthrow all the kingdom, and +bring in a Commonwealth, wherein he may think to be General of +their Army, or to make himself King; which, he believes, he may +be led to by some advice he hath had with conjurors, which he do +affect. + +25th. Mr. Wren and I to his chamber, and there talked: and he +seems to hope that these people, the Duke of Buckingham and +Arlington, will run themselves off of their legs; they being +forced to be always putting the King upon one idle thing or +other, against the easiness of his nature, which he will never be +able to bear nor they to keep him to, and so will lose +themselves. And, for instance of their little progress, he tells +me that my Lord of Ormond is like yet to carry it, and to +continue in his command in Ireland; at least, they cannot get the +better of him yet. But he tells me that the Keeper is wrought +upon, as they say, to give his opinion for the dissolving of the +Parliament; which, he thinks, will undo him in the eyes of the +people. He do not seem to own the hearing or fearing of any +thing to be done in the Admiralty to the lessening of the Duke of +York, though he hears how the town-talk is full of it. + +26th. Troubled at W. Hewer's losing of a tally of 1000l., which +I sent him this day to receive of the Commissioners of Excise. + +27th. Comes Mr. Povey by appointment to dine with me; and much +pleasant discourse with him, and some serious: and he tells me +that he would by all means have me get to be a Parliament-man the +next Parliament. By and by comes my cosen Roger, and dines with +us; and, after dinner, did seal his mortgage, wherein I do wholly +rely on his honesty, not having so much as read over what he hath +given me for it, nor minded it, but do trust to his integrity +therein. + +28th. This day presented to the Board the Duke of York's letter; +which, I perceive, troubled Sir W. Pen, he declaring himself +meant in that part that concerned excuse by sickness; but I do +not care, but am mightily glad that it is done, and now I shall +begin to be at pretty good ease in the office. This morning, to +my great content, W. Hewer tells me that a porter is come who +found my tally in Holborn, and brings it him, for which he gives +him 20s. + +29th. My wife lately frighted me about her being a Catholique; +and I dare not, therefore, move her to go to church, for fear she +should deny me. But this morning, of her own accord, she spoke +of going to church the next Sunday: which pleases me mightily. + +30th. My wife after dinner went the first time abroad in her +coach, calling on Roger Pepys, and visiting Mrs. Creed and my +cosen Turner. Thus ended this month with very good content, but +most expenseful to my purse on things of pleasure, having +furnished my wife's closet, and the best chamber, and a coach and +horses, that ever I knew in the world; and I am put into the +greatest condition of outward state that ever I was in, or hoped +ever to be, or desired: and this at a time when we do daily +expect great changes in this office; and by all reports we must +all of us turn out. But my eyes are come to that condition that +I am not able to work; and therefore that and my wife's desire +make me have no manner of trouble in my thoughts about it. So +God do his will in it! + +DECEMBER 2, 1668. Abroad with my wife, the first time that ever +I rode in my own coach, which do make my heart rejoice and praise +God, and pray him to bless it to me and continue it. So she and +I to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Usurper:" [A +tragedy by Edward Howard.] a pretty good play in all but what is +designed to resemble Cromwell and Hugh Peters, which is mighty +silly. The play done, we to White Hall; where my wife staid +while I up to the Duchesse and Queene's side, to speak with the +Duke of York: and here saw all the ladies, and heard the silly +discourse of the King with his people about him, telling a story +of my Lord Rochester's having of his clothes stole while he was +with a wench; and his gold all gone, but his clothes found +afterwards stuffed into a feather-bed by the wench that stole +them. I spoke with the Duke of York, just as he was set down to +supper with the King, about our sending of victuals to Sir Thomas +Allen's fleet hence to Cales, to meet him. + +3rd. Sir Jer. Smith with me; who is a silly, prating, talking +man; but he tells me what he hears,--that Holmes and Spragg now +rule all with the Duke of Buckingham as to sea-business, and will +be great men: but he do prophecy what will be the fruit of it; +so I do. So to the office, where we sat all the morning; and at +noon home to dinner, and then abroad again with my wife to the +Duke of York's playhouse, and saw "The Unfortunate Lovers:" [A +tragedy, by Sir Wm. Davenant.] a mean play I think, but some +parts very good, and excellently acted. We sat under the boxes, +and saw the fine ladies; among others, my Lady Kerneguy, who is +most devilishly painted. And so home, it being mighty pleasure +to go alone with my poor wife in a coach of our own to a play, +and makes us appear mighty great, I think, in the world; at +least, greater than ever I could, or my friends for me, have once +expected; or, I think, than ever any of my family ever yet lived +in my memory, but my cosen Pepys in Salisbury Court. + +4th. Did wait as usual upon the Duke of York, where, upon +discoursing something touching the Ticket-office, which by letter +the Board did give the Duke of York their advice to be put upon +Lord Brouncker, Sir J. Minnes did foolishly rise up and complain +of the office, and his being made nothing of; and this before Sir +Thomas Littleton, who would be glad of this difference among us: +which did trouble me mightily; and therefore I did forbear to say +what I otherwise would have thought fit for me to say on this +occasion, upon so impertinent a speech as this doating fool made +--but, I say, I let it alone, and contented myself that it went +as I advised, as to the Duke of York's judgment in the thing +dispated. Mr. Pickering, who meets me at Smithfield, and I, and +W. Hewer, and a friend (a jockey) of his, did go about to see +several pairs of horses for my coach but it was late, and we +agreed on none, but left it to another time: but here I do see +instances of a piece of craft and cunning that I never dreamed +of, concerning the buying and choosing of horses. To the office, +where vexed to see how ill all the Controller's business is +likely to go, as long as ever Sir J. Minnes lives; and so +troubled I was that I thought it a good occasion for me to give +my thoughts of it in writing, and there fore wrote a letter at +the Board, by the help of a tube, to Lord Brouncker, and did give +it him, which I kept a copy of, and it may be of use to me +hereafter to show in this matter. This being done, I home to my +aunt, who supped with us, and my uncle also: and a good-humoured +woman she is, so that I think we shall keep her acquaintance; but +mighty proud she is of her wedding-ring, being lately set with +diamonds; cost her about 12l.: and I did commend it mightily to +her, but do not think it very suitable for one of our quality. + +5th. No news stirring, but that my Lord of Ormond is likely to +go to Ireland again, which do show that the Duke of Buckingham do +not rule all so absolutely; and that, however, we shall speedily +have more changes in the Navy: and it is certain that the +Nonconformists do now preach openly in houses in many places, and +among others the house that was heretofore Sir G. Carteret's in +Leadenhall-streete, and have ready access to the King. And now +the great dispute is, whether this Parliament or another; and my +great design, if I continue in the Navy, is to get myself to be a +Parliament-man. + +6th. Lord's day. Up, and with my wife to church; which pleases +me mightily, I being full of fear that she would never go to +church again, after she had declared to me that she was a Roman +Catholique. But though I do verily think she fears God, and is +truly and sincerely righteous, yet I do see she is not so +strictly a Catholique as not to go to church with me; which +pleases me mightily. + +7th. Sir W. Coventry says that he hath no more mind to be found +meddling with the Navy, lest it should do it hurt as well as him. +So to talk of general things: and telling him that with all +these doings he, I thanked God, stood yet; he told me, Yes, but +that he thought his continuing in did arise from his enemies my +Lord of Buckingham and Arlington's seeing that he cared so little +if he was out; and he do protest to me that he is as weary of the +Treasury as ever he was of the Navy. He tells me that he do +believe that their heat is over almost as to the Navy, their +being now none left of the old stock but my Lord Brouncker, J. +Minnes (who is ready to leave the world), and myself. But he +tells me that he do foresee very great wants and great disorders +by reason thereof; insomuch, as he is represented to the King by +his enemies as a melancholy man, and one that is still +prophecying ill events, so as the King called him Visionaire; +which being told him, he said he answered the party, that, +whatever he foresaw, he was not afraid as to himself of any +thing, nor particularly of my Lord Arlington so much as the Duke +of Buckingham hath been, nor of the Duke of Buckingham so much as +my Lord Arlington at this time is. But he tells me that he hath +been always looked upon as a melancholy man; whereas others that +would please the King do make him believe that all is safe: and +so he hath heard my Lord Chancellor openly say to the King, that +he was now a glorious prince, and in a glorious condition, +because of some one accident that hath happened, or some one rut +that hath been removed; "when," says Sir W. Coventry "they +reckoned their one good meal, without considering that there was +nothing left in the cupboard for to-morrow." After this +discourse to my Lord Sandwich's, and took a quarter of an hour's +walk in the garden with him, which I have not done for so much +time with him since his coming into England; and talking of his +own condition, and particularly of the world's talk of his going +to Tangier. I find if his conditions can be made profitable and +safe as to money, he would go, but not else; but, however, will +seem not averse to it, because of facilitating his other accounts +now depending; which be finds hard to get through, but yet hath +some hopes, the King, he says, speaking very kindly to him. + +8th. Up, and Sir R. Cholmly betimes with me, about some accounts +and monies due to him: and he gone, I to the office, where sat +all the morning. And here, among other things, breaks out the +storm W. Hewer and I have long expected from the Surveyor, about +W. Hewer's conspiring to get a contract to the burdening of the +stores with kerseys and cottons, of which he hath often +complained, and lately more than ever, and now he did by a most +scandalous letter to the Board reflecting on my office: and by +discourse it fell to such high words between him and me as can +hardly ever be forgot; I declaring I would believe W. Hewer as +soon as him, and laying the fault, if there be any, upon himself; +he, on the other hand, vilifying of my word and W. Hewer's, +calling him knave, and that if he were his clerk he should lose +his ears. At last I closed the business for this morning with +making the thing ridiculous, as it is, and he swearing that the +King should have right in it, or he would lose his place. The +office was cleared of all but ourselves and W. Hewer; but, +however, the world did by the beginning see what it meant, and it +will, I believe, come to high terms between us; which I am sorry +for, to have any blemish laid upon me or mine at this time, +though never so unjustly, for fear of giving occasion to my real +discredit: and therefore I was not only all the rest of the +morning vexed, but so went home to dinner; where my wife tells me +of my Lord Orrery's new play "Tryphon," [A tragedy, taken from +the first book of Maccabees, and performed with great success.] +at the Duke of York's house, which, however, I would see, and +therefore put a bit of meat in our mouths and went thither; +where, with much ado, at half-past one, we got into a blind hole +in the 18d. place above stairs, where we could not hear well. +The house infinite fill, but the prologue most silly, and the +play, though admirable, yet no pleasure almost in it, because +just the very same design, and words, and sense, and plot, as +every one of his plays have, any one of which alone would be held +admirable, whereas so many of the same design and fancy do but +dull one another; and this, I perceive, is the sense of every +body else as well as myself, who therefore showed but little +pleasure in it. So home mighty hot, and my mind mightily out of +order, so as I could not eat my supper, or sleep almost all +night; though I spent till twelve at night with W. Hewer to +consider of our business: and we find it not only most free from +any blame of our side, but so horrid scandalous on the other, to +make so groundless a complaint, and one so shameful to him, that +it could not but let me see that there is no need of my being +troubled; but such is the weakness of my nature that I could not +help it, which vexes me, showing me how unable I am to live with +difficulties. + +10th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning: +Middleton not there, so no words or looks of him. At noon home +to dinner; and so to the office, and there all the afternoon +busy. And at night W. Hewer home with me; and we think we have +got matter enough to make Middleton appear a coxcomb. But it +troubled me to have Sir W. Warren meet me at night going out of +the office home, and tell me that Middleton do intend to complain +to the Duke of York: but, upon consideration of the business, I +did go to bed satisfied that it was best for me that he should; +and so my trouble was over, and to bed and slept well. + +11th. Up, and with W. Hewer by water to Somerset-house; and +there I to my Lord Brouncker before he went forth to the Duke of +York, and there told him my confidence that I should make +Middleton appear a fool, and that it was, I thought, best for me +to complain of the wrong he hath done; but brought it about that +my Lord desired me I would forbear, and promised that he would +prevent Middleton till I had given in my answer to the Board, +which I desired. And so away to White Hall, and there did our +usual attendance: and no word spoke before the Duke of York by +Middleton at all; at which I was glad to my heart, because by +this means I have time to draw up my answer to my mind. +Concluded upon giving 50l. for a fine pair of black horses we saw +this day se'nnight; and so set Mr. Pickering down near his house +(whom I am much beholden to for his care herein, and he hath +admirable skill, I perceive, in this business), and so home. + +12th. I hear this day that there is fallen down a new house not +quite finished in Lumberd-street, and that there have been +several so, they making use of bad mortar and bricks; but no hurt +yet, as God hath ordered it. This day was brought home my pair +of black coach-horses, the first I ever was master of, a fine +pair. + +14th. This day I hear, and am glad, that the King hath prorogued +the Parliament to October next; and, among other reasons, it will +give me time to go to France, I hope. + +15th. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning, and the +new Treasurers there; and, for my life, I cannot keep Sir J. +Minnes and others of the Board from showing our weakness, to the +dishonour of the Board, though I am not concerned; but it do vex +me to the heart to have it before these people, that would be +glad to find out all our weaknesses. + +18th. To Lord Brouncker, and got him to read over my paper, who +owns most absolute content in it, and the advantages I have in +it, and the folly of the Surveyor. At noon home to dinner; and +then to Brooke-house, and there spoke with Colonell Thomson, I by +order carrying them our Contract-books, from the beginning to the +end of the late war. I found him finding of errors in a ship's +book, where he showed, me many; which must end in the ruin, I +doubt, of the Controller, who found them not out in the pay of +the ship, or the whole office. To the office, and after some +other business done we fell to mine. The Surveyor began to be a +little brisk at the beginning; but when I came to the point to +touch him, which I had all the advantages in the world to do, he +became as calm as a lamb, and owned, as the whole Board did, +their satisfaction, and cried excuse: and so all made friends; +and their acknowledgment put into writing and delivered into Sir +J. Minnes's hand, to be kept there for the use of the board or +us, when I shall call for it; they desiring it might be so, that +I might not make use of it to the prejudice of the Surveyor, whom +I had an advantage over by his extraordinary folly in this +matter. So Middleton desiring to be friends, I forgave him; and +all mighty quiet, and fell to talk of other stories, and there +staid all of us till nine or ten at night (more than ever we did +in our lives before together). + +19th. My wife and I by Hackney to the King's playhouse, and +there, the pit being full, sat in the box above, and saw +"Catiline's Conspiracy," yesterday being the first day: a play +of much good sense and words to read, but that do appear the +worst upon the stage, I mean the least diverting, that ever I saw +any, though most fine in clothes; and a fine scene of the Senate +and of a fight as ever I saw in my life. We sat next to Betty +Hall, that did belong to this house, and was Sir Philip Howard's +mistress; a mighty pretty wench. + +20th. The Duke of York in good humour did fall to tell us many +fine stories of the wars in Flanders, and how the Spaniards are +the best disciplined foot in the world; will refuse no +extraordinary service if commanded, but scorn to be paid for it +as in other countries, though at the same time they will beg in +the streets: not a soldier will carry you a cloak-bag for money +for the world, though he will beg a penny and will do the thing +if commanded by his commander. That in the citadel of Antwerp a +soldier hath not a liberty of begging till he hath served three +years, They will cry out against their King and commanders and +generals, none like them in the world, and yet will not hear a +stranger say a word of them but they will cut his throat. That +upon a time some of the commanders of their army exclaiming +against their generals, and particularly the Marquis of Caranen, +the Confessor of the Marquis coming by and hearing them, he stops +and gravely tells them that the three great trades of the world +are, the lawyers, who govern the world, the churchmen, who enjoy +the world; and a sort of fellows whom they call soldiers, who +make it their work to defend the world. He told us too, that +Turenne being now become a Catholique, he is likely to get over +the head of Colbert, their interests being contrary; the latter +to promote trade and the sea (which, says the Duke of York, is +that we have most cause to fear), and Turenne to employ the King +and his forces by land to encrease his conquests. W. Hewer tells +me to-day that he hears that the King of France hath declared in +print, that he do intend this next summer to forbid his +commanders to strike to us, but that both we and the Dutch shall +strike to him, and that he hath made his captains swear it +already that; they will observe it: which is a great thing if he +do it, as I know nothing to hinder him. + +21st. Went into Holborne, and there saw the woman that is to be +seen with a beard. She is a little plain woman, a Dane; her +name, Ursula Dyan; about forty years old; her voice like a little +girl's; with a beard as much as any man I ever saw, black almost +and grizly: it began to grow at about seven years old, and was +shaved not above seven months ago, and is now so big as any man's +almost that ever I saw; I say, bushy and thick. It was a strange +sight to me, I confess, and what pleased me mightily. Thence to +the Duke's playhouse, and saw "Macbeth." The King and Court +there; and we sat just under them and my Lady Castlemaine, and +close to a woman that comes into the pit, a kind of a loose +gossip, that pretends to be like her, and is so something. And +my wife, by my troth, appeared, I think, as pretty as any of +them; I never thought so much before; and so did Talbot and W, +Hewer, as they said, I heard, to one another. The King and Duke +of York minded me, and smiled upon me, at the handsome woman near +me: but it vexed me to see Moll Davis, in the box over the +King's and my Lady Castlemaine, look down upon the King, and he +up to her; and so did my Lady Castlemaine once, to see who it +was; but when she saw Moll Davis, she looked like fire; which +troubled me. + +23rd. Discoursed with Sir John Bankes; who thinks this +prorogation will please all but the Parliament itself, which +will, if ever they meet, be vexed at Buckingham, who yet governs +all. He says the Nonconformists are glad of it, and, he +believes, will get the upper hand in a little time, for the King +must trust to them or nobody; and he thinks the King will be +forced to it. He says that Sir D. Gauden is mightily troubled at +Pen's being put upon him by the Duke of York, and that he +believes he will get clear of it; which, though it will trouble +me to have Pen still at the office, yet I shall think D. Gauden +do well in it, and what I would advise him to, because I love +him. I up to my Lord Brouncker at his lodgings; and sat with him +an hour on purpose to talk over the wretched state of this office +at present, according to the present hands it is made up of; +wherein he do fully concur with me, and that it is our part not +only to prepare for defending it and ourselves against the +consequences of it, but to take the best ways we can to make it +known to the Duke of York; for, till Sir J. Minnes be removed, +and a sufficient man brought into W. Pen's place when he is gone, +it is impossible for this office to support itself. + +25th. Christmas day. To dinner alone with my wife, who, poor +wretch! sat undressed all day till ten at night, altering and +lacing of a noble petticoat; while I by her making the boy read +to me the Life of Julius Caesar, and Des Cartes' book of Musick. + +27th. Lord's day. Saw the King at chapel; but staid not to hear +any thing, but went to walk in the Park with W. Hewer; and there, +among others, met with Sir G. Downing, and walked with him an +hour talking of business, and how the late war was managed, there +being nobody to take care of it: and he telling, when he was in +Holland, what he offered the King to do if he might have power, +and then upon the least word, perhaps of a woman, to the King, he +was contradicted again, and particularly to the loss of all that +we lost in Guinny. He told me that he had so good spies, that he +hath had the keys taken out of De Witt's pocket when he was a- +bed, and his closet opened and papers brought to him and left in +his hands for an hour, and carried back and laid in the place +again, and keys put into his pocket again. He says he hath +always had their most private debates, that have been but between +two or three of the chief of them, brought to him in an hour +after, and an hour after that hath sent word thereof to the King, +but nobody here regarded them. But he tells me the sad news that +he is out of all expectations that ever the debts of the Navy +will be paid, if the Parliament do not enable the King to do it +by money; all they can hope for to do out of the King's revenue +being but to keep our wheels a-going on present services, and, if +they can, to cut off the growing interest: which is a sad story, +and grieves me to the heart. + +28th. Called up by drums and trumpets; these things and boxes +having cost me much money this Christmas already, and will do +more. + +1668-9. JANUARY 1. Presented from Captain Beckford with a noble +silver warming-pan. + +4th. W. Hewer and I went and saw the great tall woman that is to +be seen, who is but twenty-one years old, and I do easily stand +under her arms. To White Hall, where a Committee of Tangier met; +and I did receive an instance of the Duke of York's kindness to +me, and the whole Committee, that they would not order any thing +about the Treasury for the Corporation now in establishing, +without my assent and considering whether it would be to my wrong +or no. Thence up and down the house, and to the Duke of York's +side, and there in the Duchesse's presence: and was mightily +complimented by my Lady Peterborough in my Lord Sandwich's +presence, whom she engaged to thank me for my kindness to her and +her Lord. We also declared our minds together to the Duke of +York about Sir John Minnes's incapacity to do any service in the +office: he promised to speak to the King about it. + +7th. My wife and I to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The +Island Princesse," [A tragi-comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher.] +the first time I ever saw it ; and it is a pretty good play, +many good things being in it, and a good scene of a town on fire. +We sat in an upper box, and the jade Nell came and sat in the +next box; a bold merry slut, who lay laughing there upon people: +and with a comrade of hers, of the Duke's house, that came in to +see the play. + +11th. Abroad with my wife to the King's playhouse, and there saw +"The Joviall Crew;" but ill acted to what it was heretofore in +Clun's time, and when Lacy could dance. Thence to the New +Exchange, to buy some things; and, among others, my wife did give +me my pair of gloves, which by contract she is to give me in her +30l. a-year. Here Mrs. Smith tells us of the great murder +thereabouts on Saturday last, of one Captain Bumbridge, by one +Symons, both of her acquaintance; and hectors that were at play, +and in drink: the former is killed, and is kinsman to my Lord of +Ormond, which made him speak of it with so much passion. + +12th. Mr. Pierce, I asking him whither he was going, told me as +a great secret that he was going to his master's mistress, Mrs. +Churchill, [Arabella Churchill, sister to John Duke of +Marlborough, one of the Maids of Honour to the Duchess of York. +James Duke of Berwick and three other children were the fruits of +this intrigue. She married subsequently Colonel Godfrey, +Comptroller of the Household, and died 1730, aged 82.] with some +physic; meaning, I suppose, that she is with child. + +15th. To Sir W. Coventry; where with him a good while in his +chamber, talking of the great factions at Court at this day, even +to the sober engaging of great persons, and differences, and +making the King cheap and ridiculous. It is about my Lady +Harvy's being offended at Doll Common's acting of Sempronia, to +imitate her; for which she got my Lord Chamberlain, her kinsman, +to imprison Doll: upon which my Lady Castlemaine made the King +to release her, and to order her to act it again worse than ever, +the other day where the King himself was; and since it was acted +again, and my Lady Harvy provided people to hiss her and fling +oranges at her: but it seems the heat is come to a great height, +and real troubles at Court about it. Through the Park, where I +met the King and the Duke of York, and so walked with them; and I +did give the Duke of York thanks for his favour to me yesterday, +at the Committee of Tangier, in my absence, (where some business +was brought forward which the Duke of York would not suffer to go +on without my presence at the debate.) And he answered me just +thus: that he ought to have a care of him that do the King's +business in the manner that I do, and words of more force than +that. Then down with Lord Brouncker to Sir R. Murray, into the +King's little elaboratory under his closet; a pretty place; and +there saw a great many chymical glasses and things, but +understood none of them. + +16th. Mr. Wren thinks that the Parliament is likely to meet +again, the King being frighted with what the Speaker hath put him +in mind of,--his promise not to prorogue, but only to adjourne +them. They speak mighty freely of the folly of the King this +foolish women's business of my Lady Harvy. Povy tells me that +Sir W. Coventry was with the King alone an hour this day; and +that my Lady Castlemaine is now in a higher command over the King +than ever,--not as a mistress, for she scorns him, but as a +tyrant, to command him: and says that the Duchesse of York and +the Duke of York are mighty great with her, which is a great +interest to my Lord Chancellor's family; and that they do agree +to hinder all they can the proceedings of the Duke of Buckingham +and Arlington. And so we are in the old mad condition, or rather +worse than any; no man knowing what the French intend to do next +summer. + +17th. Spoke with my Lord Bellasses and Peterborough about the +business now in dispute about my deputing a Treasurer to pay the +garrison at Tangier; which I would avoid and not be accountable, +and they will serve me therein. Here I met Hugh May, and he +brings me to the knowledge of Sir Harry Capell, [Made K.B. at the +Coronation of Charles II. and created Lord Capel 1692; died at +Dublin, while Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1696.] a member of +Parliament and brother of my Lord Essex, [Arthur Capel, created +Earl of Essex 1661; found dead in the Tower 1683.] who hath a +great value it seems for me, and they appoint a day to come and +dine with me, and see my books and papers of the office; which I +shall be glad to show them, and have opportunity to satisfy them +therein. Here all the discourse is, that now the King is of +opinion to have the Parliament called, notwithstanding his late +resolutions for proroguing them; so unstable are his councils and +those about him. + +18th. To Sir W. Coventry's, and there discourse the business of +my Treasurer's place at Tangier; wherein he consents to my +desire, and concurs therein: which I am glad of, that I may not +be accountable for a man so far off. And so I to my Lord +Sandwich's, and there walk with him through the garden to White +Hall; where he tells me what he hath done about this Treasurer's +place, (and I perceive the whole thing did proceed from him:) +that finding it would be best to have the Governor have nothing +to do with the pay of the garrison, he did propose to the Duke of +York alone that a paymaster should be there; and that being +desirous to do a courtesy to Sir Charles Harbord, [Sir Charles +Harbord, M.P. for Launceston.] and to prevent the Duke of York's +looking out for any body else, he did name him to the Duke of +York. That when be came the other day to move this to the board +of Tangier, the Duke of York it seems readily reply, that it was +fit to have Mr. Pepys satisfied therein first, an that it was not +good to make places for persons. This my Lord in great +confidence tells me that he do take very ill from the Duke of +York, though nobody knew the meaning of these words but him; and +that he did take no notice of them, but bit his lip, being +satisfied that the Duke of York's care of me was as desirable to +him as it could be to have Sir Charles Harbord; and did seem +industrious to let me see that he was glad that the Duke of York +and he might come to contend who shall be the kindest to me; +which I owned as his great love, and so I hope and believe it is; +though my Lord did go a little too far in this business, to move +it so far without consulting me. But I took no notice of that, +but was glad to see this competition come about, that my Lord +Sandwich is apparently jealous of my thinking that the Duke of +York do mean me more kindness than him. So we walked together, +and I took this occasion to invite him to dinner to my house, and +he readily appointed Friday next; which I shall be glad to have +over to his content, he having never yet eat a bit of my bread. +Thence to the Duke of York on the King's side, and meeting Mr. +Sidney Montagu and Sheres, a small invitation served their turn +to carry them to London, where I paid Sheres his 100l. given him +for his pains in drawing the plate of Tangier fortifications. At +White Hall, and there in the Queenes withdrawing-room invited my +Lord Peterborough to dine with me with my Lord Sandwich, who +readily accepted it. + +19th. To the King's house, to see " Horace;" [There were two +translations about this period of the "Horace" of P. Corneille; +one by Charles Cotton, the other (which was performed at Court,) +by Catherine Phillips, the fifth act being added by Sir John +Denham.] this the third day of its acting: a silly tragedy; but +Lacy hath made a farce of several dances--between each act one: +but his words are but silly and invention not extraordinary as to +the dances; only some Dutchmen come out of the mouth and tail of +a Hamburgh sow. + +20th. Heard at the Council-board the City, by their single +Counsel Symson, and the Company of Strangers Merchants, debate +the business of water-baylage; a tax demanded upon all goods, by +the City, imported and exported: which these merchants oppose; +and demanding leave to try the justice of the City's demand by a +Quo Warranto, which the City opposed, the Merchants did quite lay +the City on their backs with great triumph, the City's cause +being apparently too weak: but here I observed Mr. Gold, the +merchant, to speak very well and very sharply against the City. +This afternoon before the play I called with my wife at Dancre's, +[Henry Dankers, born at the Hague, employed by Charles II. to +paint views of his sea-ports and palaces. He followed his +profession for some years in London.] the great landscape- +painter, by Mr. Povy's advice; and have bespoke him to come to +take measure of my dining-room panels. + +22nd. At the 'Change I met with Mr. Dancre, with whom I was on +Wednesday; and he took measure of my panels in my dining-room, +where, in the four, I intend to have the four houses of the King, +White Hall, Hampton Court, Greenwich, and Windsor, Mightily +pleased with the fellow that came to lay the cloth and fold the +napkins; which I like so well as that I am resolved to give him +40s. to teach my wife to do it. + +23rd. To the office till noon, when word brought me that my Lord +Sandwich was come; so I presently rose, and there I found my +Lords Sandwich, Peterborough, and Sir Charles Harbord; and +presently after them comes my Lord Hichingbroke, Mr. Sidney, and +Sir William Godolphin. And after greeting them and some time +spent in talk, dinner was brought up, one dish after another, but +a dish at a time; but all so good: but, above all things, the +variety of wines and excellent of their kind I had for them, and +all in so good order, that they were mightily pleased, and myself +full of content at it: and indeed it was, of a dinner of about +six or eight dishes, as noble as any man need to have, I think; +at least, all was done in the noblest manner that ever I had any, +and I have rarely seen in my life better any where else, even at +the Court. After dinner my Lords to cards, and the rest of us +sitting about them and talking, and looking on my books and +pictures, and my wife's drawings, which they commended mightily: +and mighty merry all day long With exceeding great content, and +so till seven at night; and so took their leaves, it being dark +and foul weather. Thus was this entertainment over, the best of +its kind and the fullest of honour and content to me that ever I +had in my life; and I shall not easily have so good again. + +24th (Lord's day). An order brought me in bed, for the principal +officers to attend the King at my Lord Keeper's this afternoon, +it being resolved late the last night; and by the warrant I find +my Lord Keeper did not then know the cause of it, the messenger +being ordered, to call upon him to tell it him by the way, as he +came to us. I to White Hall; and here I met Will. Batelier, +newly come post from France, his boots all dirty. He brought +letters to the King; and I glad to see him, it having been +reported that he was drowned for some days past. By and by the +King comes out, and so I took coach and followed his coaches to +my Lord Keeper's at Essex-house, where I never was before, since +I saw my old Lord Essex lie in state when he was dead. A large, +but ugly house. Here all the officers of the Navy attended, and +by and by were called in to the King and Cabinet, where my Lord, +who was ill, did lie upon the bed, as my old Lord Treasurer or +Chancellor heretofore used to do. And the business was to know +in what time all the King's ships might be repaired fit for +service. The Surveyor answered, in two years, and not sooner. I +did give them hopes that, with supplies of money suitable, we +might have them all fit for sea some part of the summer after +this. Then they demanded in what time we could set out forty +ships. It was answered, as they might be chosen of the newest +and most ready, we could with money get forty ready against May. +The King seemed mighty full that we should have money to do all +that we desired, and satisfied that without it nothing could be +done: and so without determining any thing we were dismissed; +and I doubt all will end in some little fleet this year, and that +of hired merchantmen, which would indeed be cheaper to the King +and have many conveniences attending it, more than to fit out the +King's own. And this, I perceive, is designed, springing from +Sir W. Coventry's counsel; and the King and most of the Lords, I +perceive, full of it, to get the King's fleet all at once in +condition for service. Thence with Mr. Wren in his coach, for +discourse' sake: and he told me how the business of the +Parliament is wholly laid aside, it being over-ruled now that +they shall not meet, but must be prorogued, upon this argument +chiefly: that all the differences between the two Houses, and +things on foot that were matters of difference and discontent, +may be laid aside, and must begin again if ever the House shall +have a mind to pursue them. + +25th. My wife showed me many excellent prints of Nantueil's and +others, which W. Batelier hath at my desire brought me out of +France, of the King's and Colbert's and others, most excellent, +to my great content. + +26th. To the office, and then to White Hall, leaving my wife at +Unthanke's; and I to the Secretary's chamber, where I was by +particular order this day summonsed to attend, as I find Sir D. +Gauden also was. And here was the King and the Cabinet met; and +being called in, among the rest I find my Lord Privy Seale, whom +I never before knew to be in so much play as to be of the +Cabinet. The business is that the Algerines have broke the peace +with us by taking out some Spaniards and goods out of an English +ship which had the Duke of York's pass, of which advice came this +day; and the King is resolved to stop Sir Thomas Allen's fleet +from coming home till he hath amends made him for this affront, +and therefore sent for us to advise about victuals to be sent to +that fleet, and some more ships: wherein I answered them to what +they demanded of me: which was but some few mean things; but I +see that on all these occasions they seem to rely most upon me. + +27th. To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Five +Hours' Adventure," which hath not been acted a good while before, +but once, and is a most excellent play I must confess. + +28th. Going home to supper with my wife, and to get her to read +to me, I did find that Mr. Sheres hath beyond his promise not +only got me a candlestick made me, after a form he remembers to +have seen in Spain, for keeping the light from one's eyes, but +hath got it done in silver very neat, and designs to give it me +in thanks for my paying him his 100l. in money for his service +at Tangier, which was ordered him; but I do intend to force him +to make me pay for it. But I yet, without his direction, cannot +tell how it is to be made use of. + +29th. To the Duke of York, where I did give a severe account of +our proceedings, and what we found in the business of Sir W. +Jenings's demand of supernumeraries. I thought it a good +occasion to make an example of him, for he is a proud idle +fellow; and it did meet with the Duke of York's acceptance and +well-liking; and he did call him in after I had done, and did not +only give him a soft rebuke, but condemns him to pay both their +victuals and wages, or right himself of the purser. This I was +glad of, and so were all the rest of us; though I know I have +made myself an immortal enemy by it. + +31st (Lord's day). To church and there did hear the Doctor that +is lately turned Divine, Dr. Waterhouse. He preaches in a devout +manner, not elegant nor very persuasive, but seems to mean well, +and that he would preach holily; and was mighty passionate +against people that make a scoff of religion. + +1668-69. FEBRUARY 1. Meeting Mr. Povy, he and I away to +Dancre's to speak something touching the pictures I am getting +him to make for me, And thence he carried me to Mr. Streeter's +[Robert Streater appointed Serjeant Painter at the Restoration. +Ob. 1680.] the famous history-painter over the way, whom I have +often heard of, but did never see him before; and there I found +him and Dr. Wren and several virtuosos looking upon the paintings +which he is making for the new Theatre at Oxford: and indeed they +look as if they would be very fine, and the rest think better +than those of Rubens in the Banqueting house: at White Hall, but +I do not so fully think so. But they will certainly be very +noble; and I am mightily pleased to have the fortune to see this +man and his work, which is very famous. And he a very civil +little man, and lame, but lives very handsomely. So thence to my +Lord Bellasses, and met him within: my business only to see a +chimney-piece of Dancres doing in distemper, with egg to keep off +the glaring of the light, which I must have done for my room: and +indeed it is pretty, but I must confess I do think it is not +altogether so beautiful as the oyle pictures; but I will have +some of one and some of another. So to the King's playhouse, +thinking to have seen. "The Heyresse," first acted on Saturday +last: but when we come thither we find no play there; Kinaston, +that did act a part therein in abuse to Sir Charles Sedley, being +last night exceedingly beaten with sticks by two or three that +saluted him, so as he is mightily bruised and forced to keep his +bed. + +2nd. To dinner at noon, where I find Mr. Sheres; and there made +a short dinner, and carried him with us to the King's playhouse, +where "The Heyresse," notwithstanding Kinaston's being beaten, is +acted: and they say the King is very angry with Sir Charles +Sedley for his being beaten, but he do deny it. But his part is +done by Beeston, who is fain to read it out of a book all the +while, and thereby spoils the part, and almost the play, it being +one of the best parts in it: and though the design is in the +first conception of it pretty good, yet it is but an indifferent +play; wrote, they say, by my Lord Newcastle. ["The Heiress" does +not appear in the list of the Duke of Newcastle's works, nor can +I find any mention of it elsewhere.] But it was pleasant to see +Beeston come in with others, supposing it to be dark, and yet he +is forced to read his part by the light of the candles: and this +I observing to a gentleman that sat by me, he was mightily +pleased therewith, and spread it up and down. But that that +pleased me most in the play is the first song that Knipp sings +(she singing three or four); and indeed it was very finely sung, +so as to make the whole house clap her. + +5th. Betimes to Sir W. Coventry's, meaning by my visit to keep +fresh my interest in him. And he tells me how it hath been +talked that he was to go one of the Commissioners to Ireland, +which he was resolved never to do unless directly commanded: for +that to go thither while the Chief Secretary of State was his +professed enemy, was to undo himself; and therefore it were +better for him to venture being unhappy here, than to go further +off to be undone by some obscure instructions, or whatever other +way of mischief his enemy should cut out for him. He mighty kind +to me; and so parted. + +6th. To the King's playhouse, and there in an upper box (where +come in Colonell Poynton and Moll Stacey, who is very fine, and +by her wedding-ring I suppose he hath married her at last,) did +see "The Moor of Venice:" but ill acted in most parts, Moone +(which did a little surprise me) not acting Iago's part by much +so well as Clun used to do: nor another Hart's, which was +Cassio's; nor indeed Burt doing the Moor's so well as I once +thought he did. Thence home; and just at Holborne-conduit the +bolt broke that holds the fore-wheels to the perch, and so the +horses went away with them and left the coachman and us: but +being near our coach-maker's, and we staying in a little +ironmonger's shop, we were presently supplied with another. + +8th. To visit my Lord Sandwich; and there, while my Lord was +dressing himself, did see a young Spaniard that he hath brought +over with him dance, which he is admired for as the best dancer +in Spain, and indeed he do with mighty mastery; but I do not like +his dancing as well as the English, though my Lord commends it +mightily. But I will have him to my house, and show it my wife, +Here I met with Mr. Moore, who tells me the state of my Lord's +accounts of his embassy, which I find not so good as I thought: +for though it be passed the King and his Caball the (Committee +for Foreign Affairs, as they are called,) yet they have cut off +from 19,000l. full 8000l. and have now sent it to the Lords of +the Treasury, who, though the Committee have allowed the rest, +yet they are not obliged to abide by it. So that I do fear this +account may yet be long ere it be passed,--much more ere that sum +be paid. I am sorry for the family. + +9th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Island +Princesse," which I like mighty well as an excellent play: and +here we find Kinaston to be well enough to act again; which he do +very well, after his beating by Sir Charles Sedley's appointment. + +10th. To the plaisterer's at Charing Cross that casts heads and +bodies in plaister; and there I had my whole face done; but I was +vexed first to be forced to daub all my face over with pomatum. +Thus was the mold made; but when it came off there was little +pleasure in it as it looks in the mold, nor any resemblance +whatever there will be in the figure when I come to see it cast +off. To White Hall, where I staid till the Duke of York came +from hunting, which he did by and by, and when dressed did come +out to dinner; and there I waited. And he did mightly magnify +his sauce, which he did then eat with every thing, and said it +was the best universal sauce in the world, it being taught him by +the Spanish Embassador; made of some parsley and a dry toast, +beat in a mortar together with vinegar, salt, and a little +pepper: he eats it with flesh, or fowl, or fish. And then he did +now mightily commend some new sort of wine lately found out, +called Navarr wine; which I tasted, and is, I think, good wine: +but I did like better the notion of the sauce, and by and by did +taste it, and liked it mightily. After dinner I did what I went +for; which was to get his consent that Balty might hold his +Muster-master's place by deputy in his new employment which I +design for him, about the Store-keeper's accounts; which the Duke +of York did grant me, and I was mightily glad of it. + +12th. To wait on the Duke of York with the rest of us at the +Robes; where the Duke of York did tell us that the King would +have us prepare a draught of the present administration of the +Navy, and what it was in the late times, in order to his being +able to distinguish between the good and the bad; which I shall +do, but to do it well will give me a great deal of trouble. Here +we showed him Sir J. Minnes's propositions about balancing Store- +keeper's accounts; and I did show him Hosier's, which did please +him mightily, and he will have it showed the Council and King +anon to be put in practice. Thence to the Treasurer's and I and +Sir J. Minnes and Mr. Tippets down to the Lords Commissioners of +the Treasury, and there had a hot debate from Sir Thomas Clifford +and my Lord Ashly (the latter of whom, I hear, is turning about +as fast as he can to the Duke Buckingham's side, being in danger +it seems of being otherwise out of play, which would not be +convenient for him,) against Sir W. Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb; +who did uphold our office: against an accusation of our +Treasurers, who told the Lords that they found that we had run +the King in debt 50,000l. or more, more than the money appointed +for the year would defray; which they declared like fools, and +with design to hurt us, though the thing is in itself ridiculous. +But my Lord Ashly and Clifford did most horribly cry out against +the want of method in the office. At last it came that it should +be put in writing what they had to object; but I was devilish mad +at it, to see us thus wounded by our own members. Attended with +Lord Brouncker the King and Council about the proposition of +balancing Store-keeper's accounts; and there presented Hosier's +book, and it was mighty well resented [Resent, to take WELL or +ill,--Johnson.] and approved of. So the Council being up, we to +the Queene's side with the King and Duke of York: and the Duke of +York did take me out to talk of our Treasurers, whom he is mighty +angry with; and I perceive he is mighty desirous to bring in as +many good motions of profit and reformation in the Navy as he can +before the Treasurers do light upon them, they being desirous, it +seems, to be thought the great reformers; and the Duke of York do +well. But to my great joy he is mighty open to me in every +thing; and by this means I know his whole mind, and shall be able +to secure myself if he stands. Here to-night I understand by my +Lord Brouncker, that at last it is concluded on by the King and +Buckingham that my Lord of Ormond shall not hold his government +of Ireland; which is a great stroke to show the power of +Buckingham and the poor spirit of the King, and little hold that +any man can have of him. Home, and there Pelling hath got W. +Pen's book against the Trinity. I got my wife to read it to me; +and I find it so well writ as, I think, it is too good for him +ever to have writ it; and it is a serious sort of book, and not +fit for every body to read. + +14th (Lord's day). Up, and by coach to Sir W. Coventry: and +there he tells me he takes no more care for any thing more than +in the Treasury; and that that being done, be goes to cards and +other delights, as plays, and in the summer-time to bowles. But +here he did show me two or three old books of the Navy of my Lord +Northumberland's [Algernon Percy, tenth Earl of Northumberland, +made Lord High Admiral 1635.] times, which he hath taken many +good notes out of, for justifying the Duke of York and us in many +things, wherein perhaps precedent will be necessary to produce. +Thence to White Hall, where the Duke of York expected me; and in +his closet Wren and I. He did tell me how the King hath been +acquainted with the Treasurers' discourse at the Lords +Commissioners of the Treasury the other day, and is dissatisfied +with our running him in debt; which I removed. And he did carry +me to the King, and I did satisfy him also: but his satisfaction +is nothing worth, it being easily got and easily removed. But I +do purpose to put it in writing, that shall make the Treasurers +ashamed. But the Duke of York is horrid angry against them; and +he hath cause, for they do work all they can to bring dishonour +upon his management, as do plainly appear in all they do. Having +done with the Duke of York, who do repose all in me, I with Mr. +Wren to his chamber to talk; where he observed, that these people +are all of them a broken sort of people that have not much to +lose, and therefore will venture all to make their fortunes +better: that Sir Thomas Osborne is a beggar, having 11 or 1200l. +a-year, but owes above 10,000l. The Duke of Buckingham's +condition is shortly this: that he hath about 19,600l. a-year, of +which he pays away about 7000l. a-year in interest, about 2000l. +in fee-farm rents to the King, about 6000l. in wages and +pensions, and the rest to live upon and pay taxes for the whole. +Wren says, that for the Duke of York to stir in this matter, as +his quality might justify, would but make all things worse, and +that therefore he must bend and suger all till time works it out: +that he fears they will sacrifice the Church, and that the King +will take any thing (and so he holds up his head a little +longer), and then break in pieces. But Sir W. Coventry did to- +day mightily magnify my late Lord Treasurer for a wise and solid, +though infirm man: and among other things, that when he hath said +it was impossible in nature to find this or that sum of money, +and my Lord Chancellor hath made sport of it, and told the King +that when my Lord hath said it was impossible, yet he hath made +shift to find it, and that was by Sir G. Carteret's getting +credit, my Lord did once in his hearing say thus, which he +magnifies as a great saying--that impossible would be found +impossible at last; meaning that the King would run himself out +beyond all his credit and funds, and then we should too late find +it impossible; which is, he says, now come to pass. + +15th. To the plaisterer's, and there saw the figure of my face +taken from the mould; and it is most admirably like, and I will +have another made before I take it away. At the 'Change I did at +my bookseller's shop accidentally fall into talk with Sir Samuel +Tuke [Sir Samuel Tuke, of Cressing Temple, Essex, Bart. was a +Colonel in Charles the First's army, and cosen to Mr. Evelyn. He +died at Somerset-house, January, 1673.] about trees and Mr. +Evelyn's garden; and I do find him, I think, a little conceited, +but a man of very fine discourse as any I ever heard almost; +which I was mighty glad of. In Suffolk-street lives Moll Davies; +and we did see her coach come for her to her door, a mighty +pretty fine coach. To White Hall; and there, by means of Mr. +Cooling, did get into the play, the only one we have seen this +winter: it was "The Five Hours' Adventure:" but I sat so far I +could not hear well, nor was there any pretty woman that I did +see but my wife, who sat in my Lady Fox's pew with her. The +house very full; and late before done, so that it was past eleven +before we got home. + +17th. The King dining yesterday at the Dutch Embassador's, after +dinner they drank and were pretty merry; and among the rest of +the King's company there was that worthy fellow my Lord of +Rochester, and Tom Killigrew, whose mirth and raillery offended +the former so much, that he did give Tom Killigrew a box on the +ear in the King's presence; which do give much offence to the +people here at Court to see how cheap the King makes himself, and +the more, for that the King hath not only passed by the thing and +pardoned it to Rochester already, but this very morning the King +did publicly walk up and down, and Rochester I saw with him as +free as ever, to the King's everlasting shame to have so idle a +rogue his companion. How Tom Killigrew takes it, I do not hear. +I do also this day hear that my Lord Privy-Seale do accept to go +Lieutenant into Ireland; but whether it be true or no, I cannot +tell. To Colonel Middleton's to the burial of his wife, where we +were all invited, and much more company, and had each of us a +ring. At church there was my Lord Brouncker and Mrs. Williams in +our pew, the first time they were ever there, or that I knew that +either of them would go to church. + +19th. This morning, among other things, talking with Sir W. +Coventry, I did propose to him my putting in to serve in +Parliament, if there should, as the world begins to expect, be a +new one chose. He likes it mightily, both for the King's and +service's sake, and the Duke of York's, and will propound it to +the Duke of York: and I confess, if there be one, I would be glad +to be in. + +22nd. In the evening to White Hall, and there did without much +trouble get into the playhouse, finding a good place among the +Ladies of Honour, and all of us sitting in the pit; and then by +and by came the King and Queene, and they began "Bartholomew- +fair." But I like no play here so well as at the common +playhouse; besides that, my eyes being very ill since last Sunday +and this day se'nnight, I was in mighty pain to defend myself now +from the light of the candles. after the play done, we met with +W. Batelier and W. Hewer and Talbot Pepys, [Of Impington, Ob. +1681, aet. suae 35.] and they followed us in a hackney-coach: +and we all stopped at Hercules' Pillars; and there I did give +them the best supper I could, and pretty merry; and so home +between eleven and twelve at night. + +23rd. To Westminster Abbey, and there did see all the tombs very +finely, having one with us alone (there being other company this +day to see the tombs, it being Shrove-Tuesday:) and here we did +see, by particular favour, the body of Queen Katherine of Valois; +and I had the upper part of her body in my hands, and I did kiss +her mouth, reflecting upon it that I did kiss a queene, and that +this was my birth-day, thirty-six years old, that I did kiss a +queene. But here this man, who seems to understand well, tells +me that the saying is not true that she was never buried, for she +was buried; only when Henry the Seventh built his chapel, she was +taken up and laid in this wooden coffin; but I did there see that +in it the body was buried in a leaden one, which remains under +the body to this day. + +25th. To the Duke of York's house, and there before one, but the +house infinite full; where by and by the King and Court come, it +being a new play, or an old one new vamped by Shadwell, called +"The Royall Shepherdesse;" [A tragi-comedy, altered by Thomas +Shadwell from a comedy written by Mr. Fountain, called "The +Rewards of Virtue."] but the silliest for words and design, and +every thing, that ever I saw in my whole life, there being +nothing in the world pleasing in it, but a good martiall dance of +pikemen, where Harris and another do handle their pikes in a +dance to admiration; but never less satisfied with a play in my +life. + +26th. To the King's playhouse, and saw "The Faithfull +Shepherdesse." But, Lord! what an empty house, there not being, +as I could tell the people, so many as to make up above 10l. in +the whole house! But I plainly discern the musick is the better, +by how much the house the emptier. + +1668-9. MARCH 1. I do hear that my Lady Paulina Montagu did die +yesterday! at which I went to my Lord's lodgings, but he is shut +up with sorrow, and so not to be spoken with: and therefore I +returned, and to Westminster Hall, where I have not been, I +think, in some months. And here the Hall was very full, the King +having by Commission to some Lords this day prorogued the +Parliament till the 19th of October next; at which I am glad, +hoping to have time to go over to France this year. But I was +most of all surprised this morning by my Lord Bellasses, who by +appointment met me at Auditor Wood's at the Temple, and tells me +of a duell designed between the Duke of Buckingham and my Lord +Halifax, or Sir W. Coventry; the challenge being carried by Harry +Saville, but prevented by my Lord Arlington, and the King told of +it: and this was all the discourse at Court this day. But I +meeting Sir W. Coventry in the Duke of York's chamber, he would +not own it to me, but told me he was a man of too much peace to +meddle with fighting; and so it rested: but the talk is full in +the town of the business. Thence, having walked some turns with +my cosen Pepys, and most people by their discourse believing that +this Parliament will never sit more, I away. I did bring home a +piece of my face cast in plaister, for to make a visard upon for +my eyes. + +2nd. My wife this day put on first her French gown, called a +Sac, which becomes her very well. + +3rd. To White Hall, where W. Hewer met me; and he and I took a +turn in St. James's Park, and in the Mall did meet Sir W. +Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb, and did speak, with them about some +business, before the Lords of the Treasury: but I did find them +more than usually busy, though I knew not then the reason of it, +though I guessed it by what followed next day. Thence to +Dancre's the painter's and there saw my picture of Greenwich, +finished to my very good content, though this manner of distemper +do make the figures not so pleasing as in oyle. To the Duke of +York's playhouse, and there saw an old play, the first time acted +these forty years, called "The Lady's Tryall," [A tragedy, by +John Ford.] acted only by the young people of the house but the +house very full. To the New Exchange, and so called at my cousin +Turner's, and there meeting Mr. Bellwood, did hear how my Lord +Mayor being invited this day to dinner at the Reader's at the +Temple, and endeavoring to carry his sword up, the students did +pull it down, and forced him to go and stay all the day in a +private Counsellor's chamber until the Reader himself could get +the young gentlemen to dinner; and then my Lord Mayor did retreat +out of the Temple by stealth, with his sword up. This do make +great heat among the students; and my Lord Mayor did send to the +King, and also I hear that Sir Richard Browne did cause the drums +to beat for the Train-bands; but all is over, only I hear that +the students do resolve to try the Charter of the City. So we +home, and betimes to bed, and slept well all night. + +4th. To White Hall, where in the first Court I did meet Sir +Jeremy Smith, who did tell me that Sir W. Coventry was just now +sent to the Tower, about the business of the challenging the Duke +of Buckingham, and so was also Harry Saville to the Gate-house; +which, as he is a gentleman, and of the Duke of York's +Bedchamber, I heard afterwards that the Duke of York is mightily +incensed at, and do appear very high to the King that he might +not be sent thither, but to the Tower, this being done only in +contempt of him. This news of Sir W. Coventry did strike me to +the heart, and with reason, for by this and my Lord of Ormond's +business I do doubt that the Duke of Buckingham will be so +flushed that he will not stop at any thing, but be forced to do +any thing now, as thinking it not safe to end here; and, Sir W. +Coventry being gone, the King will have no good Counsellor left, +nor the Duke of York any sure friend to stick to him; nor any +good man will remain to advise what is good. This, therefore, do +heartily trouble me, as any thing that ever I heard. So up into +the House, and met with several people; but the Committee did not +meet. And the whole House I find full of the business of Sir W. +Coventry's, and most men very sensible of the cause and effects +of it. So, meeting with my Lord Bellasses, he told me the +particulars of this matter; that it arises about a quarrel which +Sir W. Coventry had with the Duke of Buckingham, about a design +between him and Sir Robert Howard to bring him into a play at the +King's house; which W. Coventry not enduring, did by H. Saville +send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to +speak with him. Upon which the Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes +(his champion ever since my Lord Shrewsbury's business) go to him +to do the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any but +himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of +Buckingham, and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of +honour, and was sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing +him, and that he had a desire of satisfaction, and would fight +with him. But that here they were interrupted by my Lord +Chamberlain's coming in, who was commanded to go to bid the Duke +of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having discovered it. +He told me that the King did last night at the Council ask the +Duke of Buckingham, upon his honour, whether he received any +challenge from W. Coventry? which he confessed that he had; and +then the King asking W. Coventry, he told him that he did not +owne what the Duke of Buckingham had said, though it was not fit +for him to give him a direct contradiction. But, being by the +King put upon declaring the truth upon his honour, be answered +that he had understood that many hard questions had upon this +business been moved to some lawyers, and that therefore he was +unwilling to declare any thing that might from his own mouth +render him obnoxious to his Majesty's displeasure, and therefore +prayed to be excused: which the King did think fit to interpret +to be a confession, and so gave warrant that night for his +commitment to the Tower. Being very much troubled at this, I +away by coach homewards, and directly to the Tower, where I find +him in one Mr. Bennet's house, son to Major Bayly, one of the +Officers of the Ordnance, in the Bricke Tower: where I find him +busy with my Lord Halifax and his brother; so I would not stay to +interrupt them, but only to give him comfort and offer my service +to him, which he kindly and cheerfully received, only owning his +being troubled for the King his master's displeasure, which I +suppose is the ordinary form and will of persons in this +condition. And so I parted with great content that I had so +earlily seen him there; and so, going out, did meet Sir Jer. +Smith going to meet me, who had newly been with Sir W. Coventry. +And so he and I by water to Redriffe, and so walked to Deptford, +where I have not been, I think, these twelve months: and there to +the Treasurer's house, where the Duke of York is, and his +Duchesse; and there we find them at dinner in the great room, +unhung: and there was with them my Lady Duchesse of Monmouth, the +Countess of Falmouth, Castlemaine, Henrietta Hide, [Henrietta, +fifth daughter to the Earl of Burlington, married Laurence Hyde +afterwards Earl of Rochester.] my Lady Hinchingbroke's sister, +and my Lady Peterborough. And after dinner Sir Jer. Smith and I +were invited down to dinner with some of the Maids of Honour, +namely, Mrs. Ogle, [Anne Ogle.] Blake, [Mary, daughter of +Colonel Blague, married Sir Thomas Yarborough. VID. "MEMOIRES DE +GRAMMONT."] and Howard, [Dorothy Howard.] (which did me good to +have the honour to dine with and look on); and the mother of the +Maids, and Mrs. Howard, the mother of the Maid of Honour of that +name, and the Duke's housekeeper here. Here was also Monsieur +Blancfort, Sir Richard Powell, Colonell Villers, Sir Jonathan +Trelawny, [Eldest son of Sir John Trelawney, who was created a +Baronet 1628. He served with credit in 1672 under Marshal +Turenne and was afterwards made Governor of Plymouth by King +William, for his good conduct in Ireland.] and others. And here +drank most excellent, and great variety, and plenty of wines, +more than I have drank at once these seven years, but yet did me +no great hurt. Having dined very merrily, and understanding by +Blancfort how angry the Duke of York was about their offering to +send Saville to the Gate-house among the rogues; and then, +observing how this company, both the ladies and all, are of a +gang, and did drink a health to the union of the two brothers, +and talking of others as their enemies, they parted, and so we +up: and there I did find the Duke of York and Duchesse with all +the great ladies sitting upon a carpet on the ground, there being +no chairs, playing at "I love my love with an A, because he is so +and so; and I hate him with an A, because of this and that:" and +some of them, but particularly the Duchesse herself and my Lady +Castlemaine, were very witty. This done, they took barge, and I +with Sir J. Smith to Captain Cox's; and there to talk, and left +them. + +5th. After dinner I to the Tower, where I find Sir W. Coventry +with abundance of company with him; and after sitting awhile and +hearing some merry discourse, and, among others, of Mr. +Brouncker's being this day summoned to Sir William Morton [Made a +Justice of the King's Bench 1665. Ob. 1672.] one of the Judges, +to give in security for his good behaviour upon his words the +other day to Sir John Morton, [M.P. for Weymouth in 1680.] a +Parliament-man, at White Hall, who had heretofore spoke very +highly against Brouncker in the House, I away, and to Aldgate. + +6th. Before the office I stepped to Sir W. Coventry at the +Tower, and there had a great deal of discourse with him; among +others, of the King's putting him out of the Council yesterday, +with which he is well contented, as with what else they can strip +him of, he telling me, and so hath long, that he is weary and +surfeited of business. But he joins with me in his fears that +all will go to naught, as matters are now managed. He told me +the matter of the play that was intended for his abuse, wherein +they foolishly and sillily bring in two tables like that which he +hath made with a round hole In the middle in his closet to turn +himself in; [Vide Diary, July 4, 1668, where Sir W. C.'s round +table is described.] and he is to be in one of them as master, +and Sir J. Duncomb in the other, as his man or imitator: and +their discourse in those tables about the disposing of their +books and papers very foolish. But that that he is offended +with, is his being made so contemptible, as that any should dare +to make a gentleman a subject for the mirth of the world: and +that therefore he had told Tom Killigrew that he should tell his +actors, whoever they were, that did offer at any thing like +representing him, that he would not complain to my Lord +Chamberlain, which was too weak, nor get him beaten, as Sir +Charles Sedley is said to have done; but that he would cause his +nose to be cut. He told me how that the Duke of Buckingham did +himself some time since desire to join with him, of all men in +England, and did bid him propound to himself to be Chief Minister +of State, saying that he would bring it about, but that he +refused to have any thing to do with any faction; and that the +Duke of Buckingham did, within these few days, say that, of all +men in England, he would have chosen Sir W. Coventry to have +joined entire with. He tells me that he fears their prevailing +against the Duke of York; and that their violence will force them +to it, as being already beyond his pardon. He repeated to me +many examples of challengings of Privy-counsellers and others; +but never any proceeded against with that severity which he is, +it never amounting with others to more than a little confinement. +He tells me of his being weary of the Treasury, and of the folly, +ambition, and desire of popularity of Sir Thomas Clifford; and +yet the rudeness of his tongue and passions, when angry. + +7th (Lord's day). To the Tower to see Sir W. Coventry, who had +H. Jermin and a great many more with him, and more while I was +there came in: so that I do hear that there was not less than +sixty coaches there yesterday and the other day; which I hear +also that there is great exception taken at by the King, and the +Duke of Buckingham, but it cannot be helped. I to White Hall, +and there hear that there are letters come from Sir Thomas Allen, +that he hath made some kind of peace with Argier; upon which the +King and Duke of York, being to go out of town to-morrow, are met +at my Lord Arlington's: so I there, and by Mr. Wren was desired +to stay to see if there were occasion for their speaking with me, +which I did, walking without, with Charles Porter, talking of a +great many things: and I perceive all the world is against the +Duke of Buckingham's acting thus high, and do prophecy nothing +but ruin from it. But he do well observe that the church lands +cannot certainly come to much, if the King shall be persuaded to +take them, they being leased out for long leases. By and by +after two hours' stay they rose, having, as Wren tells me, +resolved upon sending six ships to the Streights forthwith, not +being contented with the peace upon the terms they demand; which +are, that all our ships, where any Turks or Moores shall be found +slaves, shall be prizes; which will imply that they must be +searched, I hear that to-morrow the King and Duke of York set out +for Newmarket, by three in the morning, to some foot and horse- +races; to be abroad ten or twelve days. So I without seeing the +Duke of York; but Mr. Wren showed me the order of Council about +the balancing Store-keeper's accounts, passed the Council in the +very terms I drew it, only I did put in my name as he that +presented the book of Hosier's preparing, and that is left out, I +mean my name; which is no great matter. + +8th. To White Hall, from whence the King and the Duke of York +went by three in the morning, and had the misfortune to be +overset with the Duke of York, the Duke of Monmouth, and the +Prince, [Rupert.] at the King's gate in Holborne; and the King +all dirty, but no hurt. How it come to pass I know not, but only +it was dark, and the torches did not, they say, light the coach +as they should do. I thought this morning to have seen my Lord +Sandwich before he went out of town, but I came half an hour too +late; which troubles me, I having not seen him since my Lady Pall +died. And so to the Privy-Seal office, to examine what records I +could find there for my help in the great business I am put upon +of defending the present constitution of the Navy; but there +could not have liberty without order from him that is in present, +waiting, Mr. Bickerstaffe, who is out of town. + +9th. Up, and to the Tower; and there find Sir W. Coventry alone +writing down his journall, which, he tells me, he now keeps of +the material things; upon which I told him, (and he is the only +man I ever told it to, I think,) that I kept it most strictly +these eight or ten years; and I am sorry almost that I told it +him, it not being necessary, nor maybe convenient, to have it +known. Here he showed me the petition he had sent to the King by +my Lord Keeper; which was not to desire any admittance to +employment, but submitting himself therein humbly to his Majesty; +but prayed the removal of his displeasure, and that he might be +set free. He tells me that my Lord Keeper did acquaint the King +with the substance of it, not showing him the petition; who +answered, that he was disposing of his employments, and when that +was done he might be led to discharge him: and this is what he +expects, and what he seems to desire. But by this discourse he +was pleased to take occasion to show me and read to me his +account, which he hath kept by him under his own hand, of all his +discourse and the King's answers to him upon the great business +of my Lord Clarendon, and how he had first moved the Duke of York +with it twice at good distance, one after another, but without +success; showing me thereby the simplicity and reasons of his so +doing, and the manner of it; and the King's accepting it, telling +him that he was not satisfied in his management, and did discover +some dissatisfaction against him for his opposing the laying +aside of my Lord Treasurer at Oxford, which was a secret the King +had not discovered. And really I was mighty proud to be privy to +this great transaction, it giving me great conviction of the +noble nature and ends of Sir W. Coventry in it, and +considerations in general of the consequences of great men's +actions, and the uncertainty of their estates, and other very +serious considerations. + +11th. Up, and to Sir W. Coventry to the Tower; who tells me that +he hears that the Commission is gone down to the King with a +blank to fill for his place in the Treasury: and he believes it +will be filled with one of our Treasurers of the Navy, but which +he knows not, but he believes it will be Osborne. We walked down +to the stone-walk, which is called, it seems, my Lord of +Northumberland's walk, being paved by some one of that title that +was prisoner there; and at the end of it there is a piece of iron +upon the wall with his arms upon it, and holes to put in a peg +for every turn they make upon that walk. + +12th. With great content spent all the morning looking over the +Navy accounts of several years, and the several patents of the +Treasurers. W. Hewer carried me to Nott's, the famous bookbinder +that bound for my Lord Chancellor's library: and here I did take +occasion for curiosity to bespeak a book to be bound, only that I +might have one of his binding. + +13th. That which put me in good humour both at noon and night, +is the fancy that I am this day made a captain of one of the +King's ships, Mr. Wren having this day sent me the Duke of York's +commission to be Captain of "The Jerzy," in order to my being of +a Court-martiall for examining the loss of "The Defyance" and +other things; which do give me occasion of much mirth, and may be +of some use to me, at least I shall get a little money for the +time I have it; it being designed that I must really be a captain +to be able to sit in this Court. + +15th. Up, and by water with W. Hewer to the Temple; and thence +to the Rolls, where I made enquiry for several rolls, and was +soon informed in the manner of it: and so spent the whole +morning with W. Hewer, he taking little notes in short hand, +while I hired a clerk there to read to me about twelve or more +several rolls which I did call for. And it was great pleasure to +me to see the method wherein their rolls are kept; that when the +master of the office, one Mr. Case, do call for them, (who is a +man that I have heretofore known by coming to my Lord +Sandwich's,) he did most readily turn to them. At noon they shut +up; and W. Hewer and I did walk to the Cocke, at the end of +Suffolke-street, where I never was, a great ordinary mightily +cried up, and there bespoke a pullet: which, while dressing, he +and I walked into St. James's Park, and thence back and dined +very handsome with good soup and a pullet for 4s. 6d. the whole. +Thence back to the Rolls, and did a little more business: and so +by water to White Hall, whither I went to speak with Mr. +Williamson (that if he hath any papers relating to the Navy I +might see them, which he promises me.) And so by water home with, +great content for what I have this day found, having got almost +as much as I desire of the history of the Navy, from 1618 to +1642, when the King and Parliament fell out. + +16th. Comes to me Mr. Evelyn of Deptford, a worthy good man, and +dined with me (but a bad dinner): who is grieved for and speaks +openly to me his thoughts of the times, and our ruin approaching; +and all by the folly of the King. His business to me was about +some ground of his at Deptford, next to the King's yard: and +after dinner we parted. To Woolwich, where I saw, but did not go +on board, my ship "The Jerzy," she lying at the wharf under +repair. But my business was to speak with Ackworth about some +old things and passages in the Navy, for my information therein, +in order to my great business now of stating the history of the +Navy. This I did; and upon the whole do find that the late +times, in all their management, were not more husbandly than we; +and other things of good content to me. Thence to Greenwich by +water, and there landed at the King's house, which goes on slow, +but is very pretty. I to the Park, there to see the prospect of +the hill, to judge of Dancre's picture which he hath made thereof +for me; and I do like it very well: and it is a very pretty +place. Thence to Deptford, but staid not, Unthwayte being out of +the way. And so home, and then to the King's Tavern (Morrice's) +and staid till W. Hewer fetched his uncle Blackburn by +appointment to me, to discourse of the business of the Navy in +the late times; and he did do it by giving me a most exact +account in writing of the several turns in the Admiralty and Navy +of the persons employed therein, from the beginning of the King's +leaving the Parliament to his son's coming in, to my great +content; and now I am fully informed in all I at present desire. +We fell to other talk; and I find by him that the Bishops must +certainly fall, and their hierarchy; these people have got so +much ground upon the King and kingdom as is not to be got again +from them: and the Bishops do well deserve it. But it is all +the talk, I find, that Dr. Wilkins, my friend, Bishop of Chester, +shall be removed to Winchester and be Lord Treasurer. Though +this be foolish talk, yet I do gather that he is a mighty rising +man, as being a Latitudinarian, and the Duke of Buckingham his +great friend. + +18th. Up, and to see Sir W. Coventry, and walked with him a good +while in the stone-walk: and brave discourse about my Lord +Chancellor and his ill managements and mistakes, and several +things of the Navy. + +19th. Sir Thomas Clifford did speak to me, as desirous that I +would some time come and confer with him about the Navy; which I +am glad of, but will take the direction of the Duke of York +before I do it, though I would be glad to do something to secure +myself, if I could, in my employment. Thence to the +plaisterer's, and took my face and my Lord Duke of Albemarle's +home with me by coach, they being done to my mind; and mighty +glad I am of understanding this way of having the pictures of any +friends. After dinner with Commissioner Middleton and Kempthorne +to a Court-martiall, to which, by virtue of my late captainship, +I am called, the first I was ever at; where many commanders, and +Kempthorne president. Here was tried a difference between Sir L. +Van Hemskirke, the Dutch captain who commands "The Nonsuch," +built by his direction, and his lieutenant; a drunken kind of +silly business. We ordered the lieutenant to ask him pardon, and +have resolved to lay before the Duke of York what concerns the +captain, which was striking of his lieutenant and challenging him +to fight, which comes not within any article of the laws +martiall. But upon discourse the other day with Sir W. Coventry +I did advise Middleton, and he and I did forbear to give +judgment, but after the debate did withdraw into another cabin, +(the Court being held in one of the yachts, which was on purpose +brought up over against St. Katherine's) it being to be feared +that this precedent of our being made captains in order to the +trying of the loss of "The Defyance," wherein we are the proper +persons to enquire into the want of instructions while ships do +lie in harbour, might be hereafter made of evil use, by putting +the Duke of Buckingham, or any of these rude fellows that now are +uppermost, to make packed Courts by captains made on purpose to +serve their turns. The other cause was of the loss of the +Providence at Tangier, where the captain's being by chance on +shore may prove very inconvenient to him, for example's sake, +though the man be a good man, and one whom for Norwood's sake I +would be kind to; but I will not offer any thing to the excusing +such a miscarriage. He is at present confined till he can bring +better proofs on his behalf of the reasons of his being on shore. +So Middleton and I away to the office; and there I late busy, +making my people, as I have done lately, to read Mr. Holland's +Discourse of the Navy, and what other things I can get to inform +me fully in all. And here late, about eight at night, comes Mr. +Wren to me, who had been at the Tower to visit Sir W. Coventry. +He came only to see how matters go, and tells me as a secret, +that the last night the Duke of York's closet was broken open, +and his cabinets, and shut again one of them; that the rogue that +did it hath left plate and a watch behind him, and therefore they +fear that it was only for papers, which looks like a very +malicious business in design to hurt the Duke of York; but they +cannot know that till the Duke of York comes to town about the +papers, and therefore make no words of it. He gone, I to work +again, and then to supper home, and to bed. + +20th. Up, and to the Tower to Sir W. Coventry, and there walked +with him alone on the stone-walk till company came to him; and +there about the business of the Navy discoursed with him, and +about my Lord Chancellor and Treasurer; that they were against +the war at first, declaring, as wise men and statesmen, at first +to the King, that they thought it fit to have a war with them at +some time or other, but that it ought not to be till we found the +Crowns of Spain and France together by the eares, the want of +which did ruin our war. But then he told me that a great while +before the war my Lord Chancellor did speak of a war with some +heat as a thing to be desired, and did it upon a belief that he +could with his own speeches make the Parliament give what money +he pleased, and do what he would, or would make the King desire; +but he found himself soon deceived of the Parliament, they having +a long time before his removal been cloyed with his speeches and +good words, and being come to hate him. Sir W. Coventry did tell +me it as the wisest thing that ever was said to the King by any +statesman of his time, and it was by my Lord Treasurer that is +dead, whom, I find, he takes for a very great statesman,--that +when the King did show himself forward for passing the Act of +Indemnity, he did advise the King that he would hold his hand in +doing it till he had got his power restored that had been +diminished by the late times, and his revenue settled in such a +manner as he might depend on himself without resting upon +Parliaments, and then pass it. But my Lord Chancellor, who +thought he could have the command of Parliaments for ever, +because for the King's sake they were awhile willing to grant all +the King desired, did press for its being done; and so it was, +and the King from that time able to do nothing with the +Parliament almost. Mightily pleased with the news brought me to- +night; that the King and Duke of York are come back this +afternoon, and no sooner come but a warrant was sent to the Tower +for the releasing Sir W. Coventry: which do put me in some hopes +that there may be in this absence some accommodation made between +the Duke of York and the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Arlington. + +21st. To White Hall, in a scull; where to the Duke of York's +dressing-room, and there met Harry Saville, and do understand +that Sir W. Coventry is come to his house last night. I +understand by Mr. Wren that his friends having by Secretary +Trevor and my Lord Keeper applied to the King upon his first +coming home, and a promise made that he should be discharged this +day, my Lord Arlington did anticipate them by sending a warrant +presently for his discharge; which looks a little like kindness, +or a desire of it; which God send! though I fear the contrary. +However, my heart is glad that he is out. Thence up and down the +House. Met Mr. May, who tells me the story of his being put by +Sir John Denham's place (of Surveyor of the King's Works, who, it +seems, is lately dead) by the unkindness of the Duke of +Buckingham, who hath brought in Dr. Wren. Though, he tells me, +he hath been his servant for twenty years together in all his +wants and dangers, saving him from want of bread by his care and +management, and with a promise of having his help in his +advancement, and an engagement under his hand for 1000l. not yet +paid, and yet the Duke of Buckingham is so ungrateful as to put +him by: which is an ill thing though Dr. Wren is a worthy man. +But he tells me that the King is kind to him, and hath promised +him a pension of 300l. a year out of the Works; which will be of +more content to him than the place, which under their present +wants of money is a place that disobliges most people, being not +able to do what they desire to their lodgings. Here meeting with +Sir R. Cholmly and Povy, they tell me that my Lord Middleton is +resolved in the caball that he shall not go to Tangier; and that +Sir Edward Harlow, whom I know not, is propounded to go, who was +Governor of Dunkirke, and, they say, a most worthy brave man; +which I shall be very glad of. News lately come of the Algerines +taking 13,000l. in money out of one of our Company's East India +ships outward-bound, which will certainly make the war last; +which I am sorry for, being so poor as we are, and broken in +pieces. + +22nd. Up, and by water with W. Hewer to White Hall, there to +attend the Lords of the Treasury; but before they sat, I did make +a step to see Sir W. Coventry at his house, where, I bless God, +he is come again; but in my way I met him, and so he took me into +his coach and carried me to White Hall, and there set me down, +where he ought not, at least he hath not yet leave to come, nor +hath thought fit yet to ask it, hearing that Harry Saville is not +only denied to kiss the King's hand, but the King being asked it +by the Duke of York, the King did deny it, and directed that he +shall not receive him to wait upon him in his chamber till +further orders. Sir W. Coventry told me that he was going to +visit Sir John Trevor, who hath been kind to him; and he showed +me a long list of all his friends that he must this week make +visits to, that came to visit him in the Tower: and seems mighty +well satisfied with his being out of business, but I hope he will +not long be so; at least, I do believe that all must go to rack +if the King do not come to see the want of such a servant. +Thence to the Treasury-chamber, and there all the morning to my +great grief put to do Sir G. Downing's work of dividing the +Customes for this year between the Navy, the Ordnance, and +Tangier: but it did so trouble my eyes, that I had rather have +given 20l. than have had it to do; but I did thereby oblige Sir +Thomas Clifford and Sir J. Duncomb, and so am glad of the +opportunity to recommend myself to the former, for the latter I +need not, he loving me well already: at it till noon, here being +several of my brethren with me, but doing nothing, but I all. +But this day I did also represent to our Treasurers, which was +read here, a state of the charge of the Navy, and what the +expence of it this year would likely be; which is done so as will +appear well done and to my honour, for so the Lords did take it; +and I oblige the Treasurers by doing it at their request. I to +look over my papers for the East India Company against the +afternoon: which done, I with them to White Hall, and there to +the Treasury-chamber, where the East India Company and three +Counsellors pleaded against me alone for three or four hours, +till seven at night, before the Lords; and the Lords did give me +the conquest on behalf of the King, but could not come to any +conclusion, the Company being stiff; and so I think we shall go +to law with them. This done, and my eyes mighty bad with this +day's work, I to Mr. Wren's, and then up to the Duke of York, and +there with Mr. Wren did propound to him my going to Chatham to- +morrow with Commissioner Middleton, and so this week to make the +pay there, and examine the business of "The Defyance" being lost. + +23rd. I took coach with Commissioner Middleton, Captain Tinker, +and Mr. Huchinson, and out towards Chatham, and dined at +Dartford, where we staid an hour or two, it being a cold day; and +so on, and got to Chatham just at night, with very good discourse +by the way, but mostly of matters of religion, wherein Huchinson +his vein lies. + +24th. To the Hill house, and there did give order for a coach to +be made ready; and got Mr. Gibson, whom I carried with me, to go +with me and Mr. Coney, the surgeon, towards Maydstone; which I +had a mighty mind to see. A mighty cold and windy, but clear +day; and had the pleasure of seeing the Medway running winding up +mightily, and a very fine country: and I went a little out of +the way to have visited Sir John Bankes, but he at London; but +here I had a sight of his seat and house, [The Friary in +Aylesford parish, now the property of the Earl of Aylesford, +whose ancestor Heneage Finch married the eldest daughter and co- +heiress of Sir John Bankes.] the outside, which is an old abbey +just like Hinchingbroke, and as good at least, and mightily +finely placed by the river; and he keeps the grounds about it, +and walls and the house, very handsome: I was mightily pleased +with the sight of it. Thence to Maydstone, which I had a mighty +mind to see, having never been there; and walked all up and down +the town, and up to the top of the steeple and had a noble view, +and then down again: and in the town did see an old man beating +of flax, and did step into the barn and give him money, and saw +that piece of husbandry, which I never saw; and it is very +pretty. In the street also I did buy and send to our inne, the +Bell, a dish of fresh fish. And so having walked all round the +town, and found it very pretty as most towns I ever saw, though +not very big, and people of good fashion in it, we to our inne +and had a good dinner; and a barber came to me and there trimmed +me, that I might be clean against night to go to Mrs. Allen. And +so staying till four o'clock we set out, I alone in the coach +going and coming: and in our way back I light out of the way to +see a Saxon monument, as they say, of a King, which is of three +stones standing upright, and a great round one lying on them, of +great bigness, although not so big as those on Salisbury Plain. +But certainly it is a thing of great antiquity, and I am mightily +glad to see it: it is near to Alesford, where Sir John Bankes +lives. So homeward to Chatham, Captain Allen's, and there light. + +25th. Up, and by and by, about eight o'clock, came Rear-Admirall +Kempthorne and seven captains more, by the Duke of York's order, +as we expected, to hold the Court-martiall about the loss of "The +Defyance." And so presently we by boat to "The Charles," which +lies over-against Upner Castle; and there I did manage the +business, the Duke of York having by special order directed them +to take the assistance of Commissioner Middleton and me, +forasmuch as there might be need of advice in what relates to the +government of the ships in harbour. And so I did lay the law +open to them, and rattle the master-attendants out of their wits +almost; and made the trial last till seven at night, not eating a +bit all the day; only when he had done examination, and I given +my thoughts that the neglect of the gunner of the ship was as +great as I thought any neglect could be, which might by the law +deserve death, but Commissioner Middleton did declare that he was +against giving the sentence of death, we withdrew, as not being +of the Court, and so left them to do what they pleased: and +while they were debating it, the boatswain of the ship did bring +us out of the kettle a piece of hot salt beef, and some brown +bread and brandy; and there we did make a little meal, but so +good as I never would desire to eat better meat while I live, +only I would have cleaner dishes. By and by they had, done, and +called us down from the quarterdeck; and there we find they do +sentence that the gunner of "The Defyance" should stand upon "The +Charles" three hours with his fault writ upon his breast, and +with a halter about his neck, and so be made incapable of any +service. The truth is, the man do seem, and is, I believe, a good +man; but his neglect, in trusting a girl to carry fire into his +cabin, is not to be pardoned. This being done, we took boat and +home; and there a good supper was ready for us, which should have +been our dinner. The captains, desirous to be at London, went +away presently for Gravesend, to get thither by this night's +tide. And so we to supper, it having been a great snowy and +mighty cold, foul day; and so after supper to bed. + +26th. Up, and with Middleton all the morning at the Docke, +looking over the store-houses and Commissioner Pett's house, in +order to Captain Cox's coming to live there in his stead as +Commissioner. But it is a mighty pretty house; and pretty to see +how every thing is said to be out of repair for this new man, +though 10l. would put it into as good condition in every thing as +it ever was in, so free every body is of the King's money! And +so to dinner at the Hill-house; and after dinner till eight at +night close, Middleton and I, examining the business of Mr. Pett +about selling a boat; and we find him a very knave; and some +other quarrels of his, wherein to justify himself he hath made +complaints of others. This being done, we to supper, and so to +talk, Commissioner Middleton being mighty good company upon a +journey; and so to bed. + +27th. We took coach again, and got home about six at night. + +29th. Up, and by water to White Hall; and there to the Duke of +York to show myself after my journey to Chatham, but did no +business to-day with him: only after gone from him, I to Sir T. +Clifford's; and there, after an hour's waiting, he being alone in +his closet, I did speak with him, and give him the account he +gave me to draw up, and he did like it very well: and then fell +to talk of the business of the Navy; and giving me good words, +did fall foul of the constitution, and did then discover his +thoughts, that Sir J. Minnes was too old, and so was Colonell +Middleton, and that my Lord Brouncker did mind his mathematics +too much. I did not give much encouragement to that of finding +fault with my fellow-officers; but did stand up for the +constitution, and did say that what faults there were in our +office would be found not to arise from the constitution, but +from the failures of the officers in whose hands it was. This he +did seem to give good ear to; but did give me of myself very good +words, which pleased me well, though I shall not build upon them +any thing. Thence home; and after dinner by water with Tom down +to Greenwich, he reading to me all the way coming and going my +collections out of the Duke of York's old manuscript of the Navy, +which I have bound up, and do please me mightily. At Greenwich I +came to Captain Cocke's, where the house full of company at the +burial of James Temple, who it seems hath been dead these five +days. Here I had a very good ring, which I did give my wife as +soon as I came home. I spent my time there walking in the garden +talking with James Pierce; who tells me that he is certain that +the Duke of Buckingham had been with his wenches all the time +that he was absent, which was all the last week, nobody knowing +where he was. The great talk is of the King's being hot of late +against Conventicles, and to see whether the Duke of Buckingham's +being returned will turn the King, which will make him very +popular; and some think it is his plot to make King thus, to show +his power in the making him change his mind. But Pierce did tell +me that the King did certainly say, that he that took one stone +from the Church did take two from his Crown. By and by the +corpse came out; and I with Sir Richard Browne and Mr. Evelyn in +their coach to the church, where Mr. Plume preached. [Thomas +Plume, D.D., Vicar of Greenwich 1662, and installed Archdeacon of +Rochester 1679. Ob, 1704.] + +30th. Up, and to Sir W. Coventry, to see and discourse with him; +and he tells me that he hath lately been with my Lord Keeper, and +had much discourse about the Navy: and particularly he tells me +that he finds they are divided touching me and my Lord Brouncker; +some are for removing, and some for keeping us. He told my Lord +Keeper that it should cost the King 10,000l. before he had made +another as fit to serve him in the Navy as I am; which though I +believe it is true, yet I am much pleased to have that character +given me by Sir W. Coventry, whatever be the success of it. But +I perceive they do think that I know too much, and shall impose +upon whomever shall come next, and therefore must be removed; +though he tells me that Sir T. Clifford is inclined well enough +to me, and Sir T. Osborne, by what I have lately done, I suppose. +This news is but what I ought not to be much troubled for, +considering my incapacity, in regard to my eyes, to continue long +at this work. + +31st. Up, and by water to Sir W. Coventry's, there to talk with +him about business of the Navy, and received from him direction +what to advise the Duke of York at this time; which was to submit +and give way to the King's naming a man or two that the people +about him have a mind should be brought into the Navy, and +perhaps that may stop their fury in running further against the +whole: and this, he believes, will do it. After much discourse +with him, I walked out with him into St. James's Park; where, +being afraid to be seen with him, (he having not leave yet to +kiss the King's hand, but notice taken, as I hear, of all that go +to him,) I did take the pretence of my attending the Tangier +Committee to take my leave, though to serve him I should, I +think, stick at nothing. At the Committee this morning my Lord +Middleton declares at last his being ready to go, as soon as ever +money can be made ready to pay the garrison: and so I have +orders to get money, but how soon I know not. Thence to +Dancre's, and there saw our pictures which are in doing: and I +did choose a view of Rome instead of Hampton Court; and mightily +pleased I shall be in them. Here were Sir Charles Cotterell and +his son bespeaking something: both ingenious men, I hear. +Thence my wife and I to the Park; and pretty store of company; +and so home with great content. And so ends the month, my mind +in pretty good content for all things but the designs on foot to +bring alterations in the office, which trouble me. + +APRIL 1. 1669. Up, and with Colonell Middleton (at the desire of +Rear-Admiral Kempthorne the president, for our assisting them) to +the Court-Martiall on board a yacht in the River here to try the +business of the purser's complaints, (Baker against Trevanion, +his commander, of "The Dartmouth.") But, Lord! to see what +wretched doings there were among all the commanders to ruin the +purser, and defend the captain in all his rogueries, be it to the +prejudice of the King or purser, no good man could bear! I +confess I was pretty high, which the young gentlemen commanders +did not like: and Middleton did the same. But could not bring +it to any issue this day, sitting till two o'clock; and therefore +we, being sent for, went to Sir W. Pen's by invitation to dine. +At my cosen Turner's, and there we staid awhile and talked: and +particularly here we met with Dr. Ball, the parson of the Temple, +who did tell me a great many pretty stories about the manner of +the parsons being paid for their preaching at Paul's heretofore +and now, and the ground of the lecture; and heretofore for the +names of the founders thereof, which were many, at some 5s. some +8s. per annum towards it: and had their names read in the pulpit +every sermon among those holy persons that the Church do order a +collect for giving God thanks for. + +2nd. To White Hall, and there to the Duke of York's lodgings; +whither he, by and by, by his appointment came: and alone with +him an hour in his closet, telling him mine and Sir W. Coventry's +advice touching the present posture of the Navy, as the Duke of +Buckingham and the rest do now labour to make changes therein; +and that it were best for him to suffer the King to be satisfied +with the bringing in of a man or two whom they desire. I did +also give the Duke of York a short account of the history of the +Navy as to our office, wherewith he was very well satisfied: but +I do find that he is pretty stiff against their bringing in of +men against his mind, as the Treasurers were, and particularly +against Child's coming in, because he is a merchant. After much +discourse with him we parted: and the Council sat while I staid +waiting for his telling me when I should be ready to give him a +written account of the administration of the Navy, which caused +me to wait the whole afternoon, till night. In the mean time, +stepping to the Duchesse of York's side to speak with Lady +Peterborough, I did see the young Duchesse, a little child in +hanging sleeves, dance most finely, so as almost to ravish me, +her ears were so good. Taught by a Frenchman that did heretofore +teach the King, and all the King's children, and the Queene- +Mother herself, who do still dance well. + +3rd. Up, and to the Council of War again with Middleton: but +the proceedings of the commanders so devilishly bad, and so +professedly partial to the captain, that I could endure it no +longer, but took occasion to pretend business at the office, +and away, and Colonell Middleton with me, who was of the same +mind, and resolved to declare our minds freely to the Duke of +York about it. + +4th. After dinner with Sir J. Minnes and T. Middleton to White +Hall, by appointment; and at my Lord Arlington's the office did +attend the King and caball, to discourse of the further quantity +of victuals fit to be declared for, which was 2000 men for six +months; and so without more ado or stay there, hearing no news +but that Sir Thomas Allen is to be expected every hour at home +with his fleet, or news of his being gone back to Algier. The +Queene-Mother hath been of late mighty ill, and some fears of her +death. + +5th. Went five or six miles towards Branford, where the Prince +of Tuscany, [Cosmo de' Medici, who succeeded his father Ferdinand +in the Dukedom of Tuscany 1670. His Tour in England has been +recently published.] who comes into England only to spend money +and see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much +expected; and we met him, but the coach passing by apace we could +not see much of him, but he seems a very jolly and good comely +man. + +6th. Middleton and I did in plain terms acquaint the Duke of +York what we thought and had observed in the late Court-martiall; +which the Duke of York did give ear to, and though he thinks not +fit to revoke what is already done in this case by a Court- +martiall, yet it shall bring forth some good laws in the +behaviour of captains to their under-officers for the time to +come. + +7th. To the Lords of the Treasury, where all the morning, and +settled matters to their liking about the assignments on the +Customes between the Navy-office and Victualler, and to that end +spent most of the morning there with D. Gauden. I to the +Council-chamber, and there heard the great complaint of the City, +tried against the gentlemen of the Temple for the late riot, as +they would have it, when my Lord Mayor was there. But, upon +hearing the whole business, the City was certainly to blame to +charge them in this manner as with a riot; but; the King and +Council did forbear to determine any thing in it, till the other +business of the title and privilege be decided, which is now +under dispute at law between them,--whether the Temple be within +the liberty of the City or no. But I was sorry to see the City +so ill advised as to complain in a thing where their proofs were +so weak. + +8th. Up, and to White Hall to the King's side to find Sir T. +Clifford, where the Duke of York came and found me; which I was +sorry for, for fear he should think I was making friends on that +side. But I did put it off the best I could, my being there; and +so by and by had opportunity alone to show Sir T. Clifford the +fair account I had drawn up of the Customes, which he liked, and +seemed mightily pleased with me; and so away to the Excise- +office, to do a little business there: and so to the office, +where all the morning. + +9th. Up, and by water to White Hall, and there with the Board +attended the Duke of York, and Sir Thomas Allen with us (who came +to town yesterday;) and it is resolved another fleet shall go to +the Streights forthwith, and he command it. But his coming home +is mighty hardly talked on by the merchants, for leaving their +ships there to the mercy of the Turks: but of this more in my +White-book. To the Excise-office, and to several places; among +others to Mr. Faythorne's, to have seen an instrument which he +was said to have of drawing perspectives, but he had it not; but +here I did see his work house, and the best things of his doing +he had by him. + +10th. After dinner comes Mr. Seamour to visit me, a talking +fellow; but I hear by him that Captain Trevanion do give it out +every where that I did over-rule the whole Court-martiall against +him, so long as I was there. And perhaps I may receive at this +time some wrong by it; but I care not, for what I did was out of +my desire to do justice. + +11th. To Loton the landscape-drawer, a Dutchman, living in St. +James's Market; but there saw no good pictures. But by accident +he did direct us to a painter that was then in the house with +him, a Dutchman, newly come over, one Evereest, [Probably Simon +Varelst a Dutch flower-painter, who practised his art with much +success in England about this time.] who took us to his lodging +close by, and did show us a little flower-pot of his drawing, the +finest thing that ever, I think, I saw in my life; the drops of +dew hanging on the leaves, so as I was forced again and again to +put my finger to it, to feel whether my eyes were deceived or no. +He do ask 70l. for it: I had the vanity to bid him 20l. But a +better picture I never saw in my whole life; and it is worth +going twenty miles to see it. Thence, leaving Balty there, I +took my wife to St. James's, and there carried her to the +Queene's chapel, the first time I ever did it; and heard +excellent musick, but not so good as by accident I did hear there +yesterday as I went through the Park from White Hall to see Sir +W. Coventry, which I have forgot to set down in my Journal +yesterday. And going out of the chapel I did see the Prince of +Tuscany come out, a comely black fat man, in a mourning-suit; and +my wife and I did see him this afternoon through a window in this +chapel. All that Sir W. Coventry yesterday did tell me new was, +that the King would not yet give him leave to come to kiss his +hand; and he do believe that he will not in a great while do it, +till those about him shall see fit: which I am sorry for. +Thence to the Park, my wife and I: and here Sir W. Coventry did +first see me and my wife in a coach of our own; and so did also +this night the Duke of York, who did eye my wife mightily. But I +begin to doubt that my being so much seen in my own coach at this +time may be observed to my prejudice; but I must venture it now. +So home, and so set down my Journal, with the help of my left eye +through my tube, for fourteen days past; which is so much as I +hope I shall not run in arrear again, but the badness of my eyes +do force me to it. + +12th. The whole office attended the Duke of York at his meeting +with Sir Thomas Allen and several flag-officers, to consider of +the manner of managing the war with Algier; and it being a thing +I was wholly silent in, I did only observe; and find that their +manner of discourse on this weighty affair was very mean and +disorderly, the Duke of York himself being the man that I thought +spoke most to the purpose. By water to the Bear-garden, and +there happened to sit by Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is still +full of his vain-glorious and prophane talk. Here we saw a prize +fought between a soldier and a country-fellow, one Warrel, who +promised the least in his looks, and performed the most of valour +in his boldness and evenness of mind, and smiles in all he did, +that ever I saw; and we were all both deceived and infinitely +taken with him. He did soundly beat the soldier, and cut him +over the head. Thence back to White Hall, mightily pleased all +of us with this sight, and particularly this fellow, as a most +extraordinary man for his temper and evenness in fighting. This +evening coming home we overtook Alderman Backewell's coach and +his lady, and followed them to their house, and there made them +the first visit, where they received us with extraordinary +civility, and owning the obligation. But I do, contrary to my +expectation, find her something a proud and vain-glorious woman, +in telling the number of her servants and family and expences. +He is also so, but he was ever of that strain. But here he +showed me the model of his houses that he is going to build in +Cornhill and Lumbard-street; but he hath purchased so much there +that it looks like a little town, and must have cost him a great +deal of money. + +13th. I by hackney-coach to the Spittle, and heard a piece of a +dull sermon to my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and thence saw them +all take horse and ride away, which I have not seen together many +a day: their wives also went in their coaches. And indeed the +sight was mighty pleasing. Thence took occasion to go back to a +milliner's in Fenchurch-street, whose name I understand to be +Clerke; and there her husband inviting me up to the balcony to +see the show go by to dinner at Clothworkers'-hall I did go up, +and there saw it go by. + +14th. To the Duke of Yorks playhouse, and there saw "The +Impertinents," a play which pleases me well still; but it is with +great trouble that I now see a play because of my eyes, the light +of the candles making it very troublesome to me. After the play +to Creed's. They do here talk mightily of my Lady Paulina making +a very good end, and being mightily religious in her life-time; +and she hath left many good notes of sermons and religion wrote +with her own hand, which nobody ever knew of: which I am glad +of; but she was always a peevish lady. + +17th. To Sir W. Coventry's, reading over first my draught of the +administration of the Navy, which he do like very well; and so +fell to talk of his late disgrace, and how basely and in what a +mean manner the Duke of Buckingham hath proceeded against him,-- +not like a man of honour. He tells me that the King will not +give other answer, about his coming to kiss his hands, than "Not +yet." But he says that this that he desires of kissing the +King's hand is only to show to the world that he is not a +discontent, and not in any desire to come again into play, though +I do perceive that he speaks this with less earnestness than +heretofore; and this it may be is, from what he told me lately, +that the King is offended at what is talked, that he hath +declared himself desirous not to have to do with any employment +more. But he do tell me that the leisure he hath yet had do not +at all begin to be burden some to him, he knowing how to spend +his time with content to himself; and that he hopes shortly to +contract his expence, so as that he shall not be under any +straits in that respect neither; and so seems to be in very good +condition of content. Thence I away over the Park it being now +night, to White Hall: and there in the Duchesse's chamber do +find the Duke of York; and upon my offer to speak with him, he +did come to me and withdrew to his closet, and there did hear and +approve my paper of the Administration of the Navy, only did bid +me alter these words, "upon the rupture between the late King and +the Parliament," to these, "the beginning of the late Rebellion;" +giving it me as but reason to show that it was with the Rebellion +that the Navy was put by out of its old good course into that of +a Commission. Having done this, we fell to other talk; he with +great confidence telling me how matters go among our adversaries, +in reference to the Navy, and that he thinks they do begin to +flag: but then beginning to talk in general of the excellency of +old constitutions, he did bring out of his cabinet, and made me +read it, an extract out of a book of my late Lord of +Northumberland's, so prophetic of the business of Chatham as is +almost miraculous. I did desire, and he did give it me to copy +out; which pleased me mightily. + +18th. To my office again to examine the fair draught; and so +borrowing Sir J. Minnes's coach, he going with Colonell +Middleton, I to White Hall, where we all met and did sign it. +And then to my Lord Arlington's, where the King and the Duke of +York and Prince Rupert, as also Ormond and the two secretaries, +with my Lord Ashly and Sir T. Clifford, were. And there by and +by being called in, Mr. Williamson did read over our paper, which +was in a letter to the Duke of York, bound up in a book with the +Duke of York's Book of Instructions. He read it well; and after +read, we were bid to withdraw, nothing being at all said to it. +And by and by we were called in again, and nothing said to that +business; but another begun about the state of this year's action +and our wants of money, as I had stated the same lately to our +Treasurers; which I was bid, and did largely, and with great +content open. And having so done, we all withdrew, and left them +to debate our supply of money; to which being called in, and +referred to attend on the Lords of the Treasury, we all departed. +And I only staid in the House till the Council rose; and then to +the Duke of York in the Duchesse's chamber, where he told me that +the book was there left with my Lord Arlington for any of the +Lords to view that had a mind, and to prepare and present to the +King what they had to say in writing to any part of it; which is +all we can desire, and so that rested. The Duke of York then +went to other talk; and by and by comes the Prince of Tuscany to +visit him and the Duchesse; and find that he do still remain +incognito, and so intends to do all the time he stays here, for +avoiding trouble to the King and himself, and expence also to +both. + +20th. At noon comes my guest Mr. Hugh May, and with him Sir +Henry Capell, my old Lord Capell's son, and Mr. Parker. And I +had a pretty dinner for them; and both before and after dinner +had excellent discourse; and showed them my closet and my office, +and the method of it, to their great content: and more +extraordinary manly discourse and opportunity of showing myself, +and learning from others, I have not in ordinary discourse had in +my life, they being all persons of worth, but especially Sir H. +Capell, whose being a Parliament-man, and hearing my discourse in +the Parliament-house, hath, as May tells me, given him a long +desire to know and discourse with me. In the afternoon we walked +to the Old Artillery-ground near the Spitalfields, where I never +was before, but now by Captain Deane's invitation did go to see +his new gun tryed, this being the place where the officers of the +Ordnance do try all their great guns: and when we came, did find +that the trial had been made, and they going away, with +extraordinary report of the proof of his gun, which, from the +shortness and bigness, they do call Punchinello. But I desired +Colonell Legg to stay and give us a sight of her performance; +which he did, and there, in short, against a gun more than as +long and as heavy again, and charged with as much powder again, +she carried the same bullet as strong to the mark, and nearer and +above the mark at a point blank than theirs, and is more easily +managed, and recoyles no more than that; which is a thing so +extraordinary as to be admired for the happiness of his +invention, and to the great regret of the old gunners and +officers of the Ordnance that were there, only Colonell Legg did +do her much right in his report of her, and so having seen this +great and first experiment we all parted, I seeing my guests into +a hackney-coach, and myself, with Captain Deane, taking a +hackney-coach, did go out towards Bow, and went as far as +Stratford, and all the way talking of this invention, and he +offering me a third of the profit of it; which, for aught I know, +or do at present think, may prove matter considerable to us; for +either the King will give him a reward for it if he keeps it to +himself, or he will give us a patent to make our profit of it; +and no doubt but it will be of profit to merchantmen and others +to have guns of the same force at half the charge. This was our +talk; and then to talk of other things, of the Navy in general: +and, among other things, he did tell me that he do hear how the +Duke of Buckingham hath a spite at me, which I knew before, but +value it not; and he tells me that Sir T. Allen is not my friend: +but for all this I am not much troubled, for I know myself so +usefull that, as I believe, they will not part with me; so I +thank God my condition is such that I can retire and be able to +live with comfort, though not with abundance. + +21st. To Auditor Wood's, and met my Lord Bellasses upon some +business of his accounts. Attended the Duke of York a little, +being the first time of my waiting on him at St. James's this +summer, whither he is now newly gone. And thence walked to White +Hall; and so by and by to the Council-chamber, and heard a +remarkable cause pleaded between the Farmers of the Excise of +Wiltshire, in complaint against the Justices of Peace of +Salisbury: and Sir H. Finch was for the former. But, Lord! to +see how he did with his admirable eloquence order the matter, is +not to be conceived almost: so pleasant a thing it is to hear +him plead! after dinner by water to White Hall, where the Duke +of York did meet our office, and went with us to the Lords +Commissioners of the Treasury: and there we did go over all the +business of the state I had drawn up of this year's action and +expence; which I did do to their satisfaction, and convincing +them of the necessity of providing more money, if possible, for +us. Thence the Duke of York being gone, I did there stay walking +with Sir H. Cholmly in the Court, talking of news; where he told +me that now the great design of the Duke of Buckingham is to +prevent the meeting, since he cannot bring about with the King +the dissolving of this Parliament, that the King may not need it; +and therefore my Lord St. Alban's is hourly expected with great +offers of a million of money to buy our breach with the Dutch; +and this, they do think, may tempt the King to take the money, +and thereby be out of a necessity of calling the Parliament +again, which these people dare not suffer to meet again: but +this he doubts, and so do I, that it will be the ruin of the +nation if we fall out with Holland. + +22nd. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon +home to dinner, and Captain Deane with us; and very good +discourse, and particularly about my getting a book for him to +draw up his whole theory of shipping; which at my desire he hath +gone far in, and hath shown me what he hath done therein to +admiration. I did give him a parallelogram, which he is mightily +taken with. And so after dinner to the office, where all the +afternoon till night late, and then home. + +23rd. To the Council-chamber, and heard two or three causes; +among others that of the complaint of Sir Philip Howard and +Watson, the inventors, as they pretend, of the business of +varnishing and lacker-worke, against the Company of Painters, who +take upon them to do the same thing; where I saw a great instance +of the weakness of a young Counsel they used to such an audience, +against the Solicitor-generall and two more able Counsel used to +it. Though he had the right of his side, and did prevail for +what he pretended to against the rest, yet it was with much +disadvantage and hazard. Here I also heard Mr. Papillion make +his defence to the King against some complaints of the Farmers of +Excise; but it was so weak, and done only by his own seeking, +that it was to his injury more than profit, and made his case the +worse, being ill-managed, and in a cause against the King. + +25th (Lord's day). Up, and to my office awhile, and thither +comes Lead with my vizard, with a tube fastened within both eyes; +which, with the help which he prompts me to, of a glass in the +tube, do content me mightily. W. How came and dined with us; and +then I to my office, he being gone, to write down my Journal for +the last twelve days: and did it with the help of my vizard and +tube fixed to it, and do find it mighty manageable, but how +helpfull to my eyes this trial will show me. So abroad with my +wife in the afternoon to the Park, where very much company, and +the weather very pleasant. I carried my wife to the Lodge, the +first time this year, and there in our coach eat a cheesecake and +drank a tankard of milk. I showed her this day also first the +Prince of Tuscany, who was in the Park, and many very fine +ladies. + +26th, after dinner comes Colonell Macknachan, one that I see +often at Court, a Scotchman, but know him not; only he brings me +a letter from my Lord Middleton, who, he says, is in great +distress for 500l. to relieve my Lord Morton [William, ninth Earl +of Morton, who had married Lord Middleton's daughter Grizel.] +with (but upon what account I know not;) and he would have me +advance it without order upon his pay for Tangier; which I was +astonished at, but had the grace to deny him with an excuse. And +so he went away, leaving me a little troubled that I was thus +driven on a sudden to do any thing herein: but Creed coming just +now to see me, be approves of what I have done. A great fire +happened in Durham-yard last night, burning the house of one Lady +Hungerford, who was to come to town to it this night; and so the +house is burned, new furnished, by carelessness of the girl sent +to take off a candle from a bunch of candles, which she did by +burning it off and left the rest, as is supposed, on fire. The +King and Court were here, it seems;, and stopped the fire by +blowing up of the next house. The King and Court; went out of +town to Newmarket this morning betimes, for a week. + +28th. Up, and was called upon by Sir H. Cholmly to discourse +about some accounts of his of Tangier: and then to other talk. +And I find by him that it is brought almost to effect, the late +endeavours of the Duke of York and Duchesse, the Queene-Mother, +and my Lord St. Alban's together with some of the contrary +faction, as my Lord Arlington, that for a sum of money we shall +enter into a league with the King of France, wherein, he says, my +Lord Chancellor is also concerned; and that he believes that in +the doing hereof it is meant that he shall come in again, and +that this sum of money will so help the King as that he will not +need the Parliament; and that in that regard it will be forwarded +by the Duke of Buckingham and his faction, who dread the +Parliament. But hereby must leave the Dutch, and that I doubt +will undo us; and Sir H. Cholmly says he finds W. Coventry do +think the like. My Lady Castlemaine is instrumental in this +matter, and, he says, never more great with the King than she is +now. But this is a thing that will make the Parliament and +kingdom mad, and will turn to our ruine; for with this money the +King shall wanton away his time in pleasures, and think nothing +of the main till it be too late. This morning Mr. Sheres sent me +in two volumes, Marian his History of Spaine in Spanish, an +excellent book; and I am much obliged to him for it. + +30th. Up, and by coach to the coachmaker's; and there I do find +a great many ladies sitting in the body of a coach that must be +ended by to-morrow, (they were my Lady Marquess of Winchester, +[Isabella, daughter of William Viscount Stafford, third wife to +James fifth Marquis of Winchester.] Bellasses, [John Lord +Bellassis was thrice married: first, to Jane, daughter of Sir +Robert Boteler, of Woodhall, Knt.; secondly, to Ann, daughter of +Sir Robert Crane, of Chilton, Suffolk; thirdly, to Lady Anne +Powlet, daughter of John, fourth Marquis of Winchester. The lady +here mentioned was the second or third wife; probably the +latter.] and other great ladies,) eating of bread and butter, +and drinking ale. I to my coach, which is silvered over, but no +varnish yet laid on, so I put it in a way of doing; and my self +about other business, and particularly to see Sir W. Coventry, +with whom I talked a good while to my great content: and so to +other places, among others, to my tailor's; and then to the +belt-maker's, where my belt cost me 55s. of the colour of my new +suit; and here understanding that the mistress of the house, an +oldish woman in a hat, hath some water good for the eyes, she did +dress me, making my eyes smart most horribly, and did give me a +little glass of it, which I will use, and hope it will do me +good. So to the cutler's, and there did give Tom, who was with +me all day, a sword cost me 12s. and a belt of my owne ; and sent +my own silver-hilt sword agilding against to-morrow. This +morning I did visit Mr. Oldenburgh, and did see the instrument +for perspective made by Dr. Wren, of which I have one making by +Browne; and the sight of this do please me mightily. At noon my +wife came to me at my tailor's, and I sent her home, and myself +and Tom dined at Hercules Pillars; and so about our business +again, and particularly to Lilly's, the varnisher, about my +prints, whereof some of them are pasted upon the boards, and to +my full content. Thence to the frame-maker's, one Norris, in +Long Acre; who showed me several forms of frames, which were +pretty, in little bits of mouldings to choose patterns by. This +done, I to my coachmaker's; and there vexed to see nothing yet +done to my coach, at three in the afternoon; but I set it in +doing, and stood by till eight at night, and saw the painter +varnish it, which is pretty to see how every doing it over do +make it more and more yellow: and it dries as fast in the sun as +it can be laid on almost; and most coaches are now-a-days done +so, and it is very pretty when laid on well, and not too pale as +some are, even to show the silver. Here I did make the workmen +drink, and saw my coach cleaned and oyled; and staying among poor +people there in the ally, did hear them call their fat child +Punch, which pleased me mightily, that word being become a word +of common use for all that is thick and short. + +May 1, 1669. Up betimes. My wife extraordinary fine with her +flowered tabby gown that she made two years ago, now laced +exceeding pretty; and indeed was fine all over. And mighty +earnest to go, though the day was very lowering; and she would +have me put on my fine suit, which I did. And so anon we went +alone through the town with our new liveries of serge, and the +horses' manes and tails tied with red ribbons, and the standards +thus gilt with varnish, and all clean, and green reines, that +people did mightily look upon us; and the truth is, I did not see +any coach more pretty, though more gay, than ours all the day; +the day being unpleasing, though the Park full of coaches, but +dusty, and windy, and cold, and now and then a little dribbling +of rain; and what made it worse, there were so many hackney +coaches as spoiled the sight of the gentlemen's; and so we had +little pleasure. + +2nd (Lord's day). Up, and by water to White Hall, and there +visited my Lord Sandwich, who, after about two months' absence at +Hinchingbroke, came to town last night. I saw him; and he was +very kind: and I am glad he is so, I having not wrote to him all +the time, my eyes indeed not letting me. Here with Sir Charles +Harbord and my Lord Hinchingbroke and Sidney, and we looked upon +the picture of Tangier, designed by Charles Harbord and drawn by +Dancre, which my Lord Sandwich admires, as being the truest +picture that ever he saw in his life: and it is indeed very +pretty, and I will be at the cost of having one of them. Thence +with them to White Hall, and there walked out the sermon with one +or other; and then saw the Duke of York, and he talked to me a +little; and so away back by water home. + +3rd. Up, and coach to my Lord Brouncker's, where Sir G. Carteret +did meet Sir J. Minnes and me, to discourse upon Mr. Deering's +business, who was directed in the time of the war to provide +provisions at Hamburgh, by Sir G. Carteret's direction; and now +Sir G. Carteret is afraid to own it, it being done without +written order. But by our meeting we do all begin to recollect +enough to preserve Mr. Deering, which I think, poor silly man! I +shall be glad of, it being too much he should suffer for +endeavouring to serve us. Thence to St. James's, where the Duke +of York was playing in the Pell Mell; and so he called me to him +most part of the time that he played, which was an hour, and +talked alone to me; and, among other things, tells me how the +King will not yet be got to name any body in the room of Pen, but +puts it off for three or four days: from whence he do collect +that they are brewing something for the Navy, but what he knows +not; but I perceive is vexed that things should go so, and he +hath reason; for he told me that it is likely they will do in +this as in other things--resolve first, and consider it and the +fitness of it afterwards. Thence to White Hall, and met with +Creed, and discoursed of matters; and I perceive by him that he +makes no doubt but that all will turn to the old religion, for +these people cannot hold things in their hands, nor prevent its +coming to that; and by his discourse he fits himself for it, and +would have my Lord Sandwich do so too, and me. After a little +talk with him, and particularly about the ruinous condition of +Tangier, which I have a great mind to lay before the Duke of +York, but dare not because of his great kindness to Lord +Middleton, before it be too late, we parted, and I homeward; but +called at Povy's, and there he stopped me to dinner, there being +Mr. Williamson, the Lieutenant of the Tower, Mr. Child, and +several others. And after dinner Povy and I together to talk of +Tangier; and he would have me move the Duke of York in it, for +it concerns him particularly more than any, as being the head of +us; and I do think to do it. + +5th. To St. James's, and thence with the Duke of York to White +Hall, where the Board waited on him all the morning; and so at +noon with Sir Thomas Allen, and Sir Edward Scott [Sir Edward +Scott, made LL.D, at Oxford 1677.] and Lord Carlingford, to the +Spanish Embassador's, where I dined the first time. The olio not +so good as Shere's. There was at the table himself and a Spanish +Countess, a good, comely, and witty lady; three Fathers, and us. +Discourse good and pleasant. And here was an Oxford scholar, in +Doctor of Laws' gowne, sent from the College where the Embassador +lay when the Court was there, to salute him before his return to +Spain. This man, though a gentle sort of scholar, yet sat like a +fool for want of French or Spanish, but knew only Latin, which he +spoke like an Englishman, to one of the Fathers. And by and by +he and I to talk; and the company very merry at my defending +Cambridge against Oxford; and I made much use of my French and +Spanish here, to my great content. But the dinner not +extraordinary at all, either quantity or quality. + +7th. Up, and by coach to Sir W. Coventry's; and there to talk +with him a great deal with great content. And so to the Duke of +York, having a great mind to speak to him about Tangier; but when +I came to it, his interest for my Lord Middleton is such that I +dared not. + +8th. After dinner all the afternoon within, with Mr. Hater, +Gibson, and W. Hewer, reading over and drawing up new things in +the Instructions of Commanders, which will be good, and I hope to +get them confirmed by the Duke of York; though I perceive nothing +will effectually perfect them but to look over the whole body of +the Instructions of all the officers of a ship, and make them all +perfect together. This being done, comes my bookseller, and +brings me home hound my collection of papers, about my Addresse +to the Duke of York in August, which makes me glad, it being that +which shall do me more right many years hence than perhaps all I +ever did in my life: and therefore I do, both for my own and the +King's sake, value it much. By and by also comes Browne, the +mathematical instrument-maker, and brings me home my instrument +for perspective, made according to the description of Dr. Wren's +in the late Transactions; and he hath made it, I think, very +well, and that I believe will do the thing, and therein gives me +great content; but I have, I fear, all the content that must be +received by my eyes, which are almost lost. + +10th. To White Hall, where the Duke of York met the office, and +there discoursed of several things, particularly the Instructions +of Commanders of ships. But here happened by chance a discourse +of the Council of Trade, against which the Duke of York is +mightily displeased, and particularly Mr. Child, against whom he +speaking hardly, Captain Cox did second the Duke of York, by +saying that he was talked on for an unfayre dealer with masters +of ships about freight: to which Sir T. Littleton very hotly and +foolishly replied presently, that he never heard any honest man +speak ill of Child; to which the Duke of York did make a smart +reply, and was angry: so as I was sorry to hear it come so far, +and that I, by seeming to assent to Cox, might be observed too +much by Littleton, though I said nothing aloud, for this must +breed great heart-burnings. After this meeting done, the Duke of +York took the Treasurers into his closet to chide them, as Mr. +Wren tells me; for that my Lord Keeper did last night at the +Council say, when nobody was ready to say anything against the +constitution of the Navy, that he did believe the Treasurers of +the Navy had something to say; which was very foul on their part, +to be parties against us. They being gone, Mr. Wren took boat, +thinking to dine with my Lord of Canterbury; [Gilbert Sheldon.] +but when we came to Lambeth, the gate was shut, which is strictly +done at twelve o'clock, and nobody comes in afterwards; so we +lost our labour, and therefore back to White Hall, and thence +walked to my Lord Crewe, whom I have not seen since he was sick, +which is eight months ago, I think; and there dined with him. He +is mightily broke. A stranger, a country gentleman, was with +him; and he pleased with my discourse accidentally about the +decay of gentlemen's families in the country, telling us that the +old rule was, that a family might remain fifty miles from London +one hundred years, one hundred miles from London two hundred +years, and so farther or nearer London more or less years. He +also told us that he hath heard his father say, that in his time +it was so rare for a country gentleman to come to London, that +when he did come, he used to make his will before he set out. +Thence to St. James's, and there met the Duke of York; who told +me with great content that he did now think he should master our +adversaries, for that; the King did tell him that he was +satisfied in the constitution of the Navy, but that it was well +to give these people leave to object against it, which they +having not done, he did give order to give warrant to the Duke of +York to direct Sir Jeremy Smith to be a Commissioner of the Navy +in the room of Pen; which, though he be an impertinent fellow, +yet I am glad of it, it showing that the other side is not so +strong as it was: and so in plain terms the Duke of York did +tell me, that they were every day losing ground; and particularly +that he would take care to keep out Child: at all which I am +glad, though yet I dare not think myself secure: but the King +may yet be wrought upon by these people to bring changes in our +office, and remove us ere it be long. To White Hall to a +Committee of Tangier, where I see all things going to rack in the +business of the Corporation, and consequently in the place, by +Middleton's going. Thence walked a little with Creed, who tells +me he hears how fine my horses and coach are, and advises me to +avoid being noted for it; which I was vexed to hear taken notice +of, being what I feared; and Povy told me of my gold-laced +sleeves in the Park yesterday which vexed me also, so as to +resolve never to appear in Court with them, but presently to have +them taken off, as it is fit I should. + +11th. My wife up by four o'clock, to go to gather May-dew. Some +trouble at-Court for fear of the Queene's miscarrying; she being, +as they all conclude, far gone with child. + +12th. My brother John tells me the first news that my sister +Jackson is with child and far gone. + +13th. At noon comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, and Sidney, and Sir +Charles Harbord, and Roger Pepys, and dined with me; and had a +good dinner, and very merry with us all the afternoon, it being a +farewell to Sidney. + +14th. At noon to dinner with Mr. Wren to Lambeth, with the +Archbishop of Canterbury; the first time I was ever there, and I +have long longed for it. Where a noble house, and well furnished +with good pictures and furniture, and noble attendance in good +order, and a great deal of company though an ordinary day; and +exceeding great cheer, no where better, or so much, that ever I +think I saw for an ordinary table: and the Bishop mighty kind to +me particularly, desiring my company another time when less +company there. Most of the company gone, and I going, I heard by +a gentleman of a sermon that was to be there; and so I staid to +hear it, thinking it serious, till by and by the gentleman told +me it was a mockery, by one Cornet Bolton a very gentleman-like +man, that behind a chair did pray and preach like a Presbyter +Scot, with all the possible imitation in grimaces and voice. And +his text about the hanging up their harps upon the willows: and +a serious good sermon too, exclaiming against Bishops, and crying +up of my good Lord Eglington, till it made us all burst; but I +did wonder to have the Bishop at this time to make himself sport +with things of this kind, but I perceive it was shown him as a +rarity. And he took care to have the room-door shut, but there +were about twenty gentlemen there: and myself infinitely pleased +with the novelty. So over to White Hall to a little Committee of +Tangier; and thence walking in the Gallery, I met Sir Thomas +Osborne, who, to my great content did of his own accord fall into +discourse with me, with such professions of value and respect, +placing the whole virtue of the office of the Navy upon me, and +that for the Controller's place no man in England was fit for it +but me, when Sir J. Minnes, as he says it is necessary, is +removed: but then knows not what to do for a man in my place; +and in discourse, though I have no mind to the other, did bring +in Tom Hater to be the fittest man in the world for it, which, he +took good notice of. But in the whole I was mightily pleased, +reckoning myself fifty per cent. securer in my place than I did +before think myself to be. By water with my brother as high as +Fulham, talking and singing, and playing the rogue with the +Western bargemen about the women of Woolwich; which mads them. + +16th. I all the afternoon drawing up a foul draught of my +petition to the Duke of York about my eyes, for leave to spend +three or four months out of the office, drawing it so as to give +occasion to a voyage abroad; which I did to my pretty good +liking. And then with my wife to Hyde Park, where a good deal of +company and good weather. + +17th. Great news now of the French taking St. Domingo, in +Spaniola, from the Spaniards; which troubles us, that they should +have got it, and have the honour of taking it, when we could not. + +19th. With my coach to St. James's; and there finding the Duke +of York gone to muster his men in Hyde Park, I alone with my boy +thither, and there saw more, walking out of my coach as other +gentlemen did, of a soldier's trade than ever I did in my life: +the men being mighty fine, and their Commanders, particularly the +Duke of Monmouth; but methought their trade but very easy as to +the mustering of their men, and the men but indifferently ready +to perform what was commanded in the handling of their arms. +Here the news was first talked of Harry Killigrew's being wounded +in nine places last night by footmen in the highway, going from +the Park in a hackney coach towards Hammersmith, to his house at +Turnham Greene; they being supposed to be my Lady Shrewsbury's +men, she being by in her coach with six horses; upon an old +grudge of his saying openly that he had intrigued with her. +Thence by and by to White Hall, and there I waited upon the King +and Queene all dinner time in the Queene's lodgings, she being in +her white pinner, and appearing like a woman with child; and she +seemed handsomer plain so than dressed. And by and by dinner +done, I out and to walk in the Gallery, for the Duke of York's +coming out; and there meeting Mr. May, he took me down about four +o'clock to Mr. Chevin's lodgings, and all alone did get me a dish +of cold chickens and good wine; and I dined like a prince, being +before very hungry and empty. By and by the Duke of York comes, +and readily took me to his closet, and received my petition, and +discoursed about my eyes, and pitied me, and with much kindness +did give me his consent to be absent, and approved of my +proposition to go into Holland to observe things there of the +Navy; but would first ask the King's leave, which he anon did, +and did tell me that the King would be a good master to me, +(these were his words about my eyes,) and do like of my going +into Holland, but do advise that nobody should know of my going +thither, and that I should pretend to go into the country +somewhere; which I liked well. In discourse this afternoon, the +Duke of York did tell me that he was the most amazed at one thing +just now that ever he was in his life; which was, that the Duke +of Buckingham did just now come into the Queene's bed-chamber, +where the King was, with much mixed company, and, among others, +Tom Killigrew, the father of Harry, who was last night wounded so +as to be in danger of death, and his man is quite dead; and there +did say that he had spoke with some one that was by, (which +person all the world must know must be his mistress, my Lady +Shrewsbury,) who says that they did not mean to hurt, but beat +him, and that he did run first at them with his sword; so that he +do hereby clearly discover that he knows who did it, and is of +conspiracy with them, being of known conspiracy with her; which +the Duke of York did seem to be pleased with, and said it might +perhaps cost him his life in the House of Lords; and I find was +mightily pleased with it, saying it was the most impudent thing, +as well as the most foolish, that ever he knew man do in all his +life. + +20th. With my eyes mighty weary, and my head full of care how to +get my accounts and business settled against my journey, home to +supper, and to bed. + +24th. To White Hall, where I attended the Duke of York, and was +by him led to the King, who expressed great sense of my +misfortune in my eyes, and concernment for their recovery; and +accordingly signified, not only his assent to my desire therein, +but; commanded me to give them rest this summer, according to my +late petition to the Duke of York. + +26th. To White Hall, where all the morning. Dined with Mr. +Chevins, with Alderman Backewell, and Spragg. The Court full of +the news from Captain Hubbert of "The Milford," touching his +being affronted in the Streights, shot at, and having eight men +killed him by a French man-of-war, calling; him "English dog," +and commanding him to strike; which he refused, and, as knowing +himself much too weak for him, made away from him. The Queen, as +being supposed with child, fell ill, so as to call for Madam Nun, +Mr. Chevins' sister, and one of her women, from dinner from us; +this being the last day of their doubtfulness touching her being +with child, and they were therein well confirmed by her Majesty's +being well again before night. One Sir Edmund Bury Godfry, +[Supposed to have been murdered by the Papists, October 17th, +1678, when he was found pierced with his own sword, and with +several marks of violence on his body.] a woodmonger and Justice +of Peace in Westminster, having two days since arrested Sir +Alexander Frazier for about 30l. in firing, the bailiffs were +apprehended, committed to the porter's lodge, and there, by the +King's command, the last night, severely whipped; from which the +Justice himself very hardly escaped, (to such an unusual degree +was the King moved therein.) But he lies, now in the lodge, +justifying his act, as grounded upon the opinion of several of +the Judges, and, among others, my Lord Chief-Justice; which makes +the King very angry with the Chief-Justice, as they say; and the +Justice do lie and justify his act, and says he will suffer in +the cause for the people, and do refuse to receive almost any +nutriment. The effects of it may be bad to the Court. + +28th. To St. James's, where the King's being with the Duke of +York prevented a meeting of the Tangier Commission. But Lord! +what a deal of sorry discourse did I hear between the King and +several Lords about him here! but very mean, methought. So with +Creed to the Excise-office, and back to White Hall, where, in the +Park, Sir G. Carteret did give an account of his discourse lately +with the Commissioners of Accounts, who except against many +things, but none that I find considerable; among others, that of +the officers of the Navy selling of the King's goods, and +particularly my providing him with calico flags; which having +been by order, and but once, when necessity and the King's +apparent profit justified it as conformable to my particular +duty, it will prove to my advantage that it be enquired into. +Nevertheless, having this morning received from them a demand of +an account of all monies within their cognizance received and +issued by me, I was willing upon this hint to give myself rest, +by knowing whether their meaning therein might reach only to my +Treasurership for Tangier, or the monies employed on this +occasion I went therefore to them this afternoon to understand +what monies they meant; where they answered me by saying, "The +eleven months' tax, customs, and prize money," without mentioning +(any more or than I demanding) the service they respected +therein: and so without further discourse we parted upon very +good terms of respect, and with few words, but my mind not fully +satisfied about the monies they mean. + +29th. The King's birth-day. To White Hall, where all very gay; +and particularly the Prince of Tuscany very fine, and is the +first day of his appearing out of mourning since he came. I +heard the Bishop of Peterborough [Joseph Henshaw. Ob. 1678.] +preach but dully; but a good anthem of Pelham's. Home to dinner, +and then with my wife to Hyde Park, where all the evening: great +store of company, and great preparations by the Prince of Tuscany +to celebrate the night with fire-works, for the King's birthday. +And so home. + +30th (Whitsunday). By water to White Hall, and thence to Sir W. +Coventry, where all the morning by his bed-side, he being +indisposed. Our discourse was upon the notes I have lately +prepared for Commanders' Instructions; but concluded that nothing +will render them effectual without an amendment in the choice of +them, that they be seamen, and not gentlemen above the command of +the Admiral, by the greatness of their relations at Court. +Thence to White Hall, and dined with Mr. Chevins and his sister: +whither by and by came in Mr. Progers and Sir Thomas Allen, and +by and by fine Mrs. Wells, who is a great beauty; and there I had +my full gaze upon her, to my great content, she being a woman of +pretty conversation. Thence to the Duke of York, who, with the +officers of the Navy, made a good entrance on my draught of my +new Instructions to Commanders, as well expressing his Generalls +of a reformation among them, as liking of my humble offers +towards it. Thence being called by my wife, we to the Park; +whence the rain sent us suddenly home. + +31st. Up very betimes, and continued all the morning with W. +Hewer, upon examining and stating my accounts, in order to the +fitting myself to go abroad beyond sea, which the ill condition +of my eyes and my neglect for a year or two hath kept me behind- +hand in, and so as to render it very difficult now and +troublesome to my mind to do it; but I this day made a +satisfactory entrance therein. Had another meeting with the Duke +of York at White Hall on yesterday's work, and made a good +advance: and so being called by my wife, we to the Park, Mary +Batelier, and a Dutch gentleman, a friend of hers, being with us. +Thence to "The World's End," a drinking house by the Park; and +there merry, and so home late. And thus ends all that I doubt I +shall ever be able to do with my own eyes in the keeping of my +Journall, I being not able to do it any longer having done now so +long as to undo my eyes almost every time that I take a pen in my +hand; and therefore, whatever comes of it, I must forbear: and +therefore resolve, from this time forward to have it kept by my +people in long-hand, and must be contented to set down no more +than is fit for them and all the world to know; or if there be +any thing, I must endeavour to keep a margin in my book open, to +add here and there a note in short-hand with my own hand. And so +I betake myself to that course, which is almost as much as to see +myself go into my grave: for which, and all the discomforts that +will accompany my being blind, the good God prepare me! + +S.P. May 31, 1669. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys + |