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diff --git a/old/sp56g10.txt b/old/sp56g10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..083d309 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/sp56g10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13371 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1666 N.S. Complete +#56 in our series by Pepys; Translator: Mynors Bright, Editor: Wheatley + +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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WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + + 1666 N.S. + + + + + + JANUARY & FEBRUARY + 1665-1666 + + +January 1st (New-Yeare's Day). Called up by five o'clock, by my order, +by Mr. Tooker, who wrote, while I dictated to him, my business of the +Pursers; and so, without eating or drinking, till three in the afternoon, +and then, to my great content, finished it. So to dinner, Gibson and he +and I, and then to copying it over, Mr. Gibson reading and I writing, and +went a good way in it till interrupted by Sir W. Warren's coming, of whom +I always learne something or other, his discourse being very good and his +brains also. He being gone we to our business again, and wrote more of +it fair, and then late to bed. + + [This document is in the British Museum (Harleian MS. 6287), and is + entitled, "A Letter from Mr. Pepys, dated at Greenwich, 1 Jan. + 1665-6, which he calls his New Year's Gift to his hon. friend, Sir + Wm. Coventry, wherein he lays down a method for securing his Majesty + in husbandly execution of the Victualling Part of the Naval + Expence." It consists of nineteen closely written folio pages, and + is a remarkable specimen of Pepys's business habits.--B. There are + copies of several letters on the victualling of the navy, written by + Pepys in 1666, among the Rawlinson MSS. in the Bodleian.] + + + +2nd. Up by candlelight again, and wrote the greatest part of my business +fair, and then to the office, and so home to dinner, and after dinner up +and made an end of my fair writing it, and that being done, set two +entering while to my Lord Bruncker's, and there find Sir J. Minnes and +all his company, and Mr. Boreman and Mrs. Turner, but, above all, my dear +Mrs. Knipp, with whom I sang, and in perfect pleasure I was to hear her +sing, and especially her little Scotch song of "Barbary Allen;" + + [The Scottish ballad is entitled, "Sir John Grehme and Barbara + Allan," and the English version, "Barbara Allen's Cruelty." Both + are printed in Percy's "Reliques," Series III.] + +and to make our mirthe the completer, Sir J. Minnes was in the highest +pitch of mirthe, and his mimicall tricks, that ever I saw, and most +excellent pleasant company he is, and the best mimique that ever I saw, +and certainly would have made an excellent actor, and now would be an +excellent teacher of actors. Thence, it being post night, against my +will took leave, but before I come to my office, longing for more of her +company, I returned and met them coming home in coaches, so I got into +the coach where Mrs. Knipp was and got her upon my knee (the coach being +full) and played with her breasts and sung, and at last set her at her +house and so good night. So home to my lodgings and there endeavoured to +have finished the examining my papers of Pursers' business to have sent +away to-night, but I was so sleepy with my late early risings and late +goings to bed that I could not do it, but was forced to go to bed and +leave it to send away to-morrow by an Expresse. + + + +3rd. Up, and all the morning till three in the afternoon examining and +fitting up my Pursers' paper and sent it away by an Expresse. Then comes +my wife, and I set her to get supper ready against I go 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. So home, and find all my good +company I had bespoke, as Coleman and his wife, and Laneare, Knipp and +her surly husband; and good musique we had, and, among other things, Mrs. +Coleman sang my words I set of "Beauty retire," and I think it is a good +song, and they praise it mightily. Then to dancing and supper, and +mighty merry till Mr. Rolt come in, whose pain of the tooth-ake made him +no company, and spoilt ours; so he away, and then my wife's teeth fell of +akeing, and she to bed. So forced to break up all with a good song, and +so to bed. + + + +4th. Up, and to the office, where my Lord Bruncker and I, against Sir W. +Batten and Sir J. Minnes and the whole table, for Sir W. Warren in the +business of his mast contract, and overcome them and got them to do what +I had a mind to, for indeed my Lord being unconcerned in what I aimed at. +So home to dinner, where Mr. Sheldon come by invitation from Woolwich, +and as merry as I could be with all my thoughts about me and my wife +still in pain of her tooth. He anon took leave and took Mrs. Barbary his +niece home with him, and seems very thankful to me for the L10 I did give +him for my wife's rent of his house, and I am sure I am beholding to him, +for it was a great convenience to me, and then my wife home to London by +water and I to the office till 8 at night, and so to my Lord Bruncker's, +thinking to have been merry, having appointed a meeting for Sir J. Minnes +and his company and Mrs. Knipp again, but whatever hindered I know not, +but no company come, which vexed me because it disappointed me of the +glut of mirthe I hoped for. However, good discourse with my Lord and +merry, with Mrs. Williams's descants upon Sir J. Minnes's and Mrs. +Turner's not coming. So home and to bed. + + + +5th. I with my Lord Bruncker and Mrs. Williams by coach with four horses +to London, to my Lord's house in Covent-Guarden. 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 a delightfull thing it is to see +the towne full of people again as now it is; and shops begin to open, +though in many places seven or eight together, and more, all shut; but +yet the towne is full, compared with what it used to be. I mean the City +end; for Covent-Guarden and Westminster are yet very empty of people, no +Court nor gentry being there. Set Mrs. Williams down at my Lord's house +and he and I to Sir G. Carteret, at his chamber at White Hall, he being +come to town last night to stay one day. So my Lord and he and I much +talke about the Act, what credit we find upon it, but no private talke +between him and I. So I to the 'Change, and there met Mr. Povy, newly +come to town, and he and I to Sir George Smith's and there dined nobly. +He tells me how my Lord Bellases complains for want of money and of him +and me therein, but I value it not, for I know I do all that can be done. +We had no time to talk of particulars, but leave it to another day, and I +away to Cornhill to expect my Lord Bruncker's coming back again, and I +staid at my stationer's house, and by and by comes my Lord, and did take +me up and so to Greenwich, and after sitting with them a while at their +house, home, thinking to get Mrs. Knipp, but could not, she being busy +with company, but sent me a pleasant letter, writing herself "Barbary +Allen." I went therefore to Mr. Boreman's for pastime, and there staid +an houre or two talking with him, and 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. I had +great satisfaction herein. So home and to my papers for lacke of +company, but by and by comes little Mrs. Tooker and sat and supped with +me, and I kept her very late talking and making her comb my head, and did +what I will with her. So late to bed. + + + +6th. Up betimes and by water to the Cockepitt, there met Sir G. Carteret +and, after discourse with the Duke, all together, and there saw a letter +wherein Sir W. Coventry did take notice to the Duke with a commendation +of my paper about Pursers, I to walke in the Parke with the Vice- +Chamberlain, and received his advice about my deportment about the +advancing the credit of the Act; giving me caution to see that we do not +misguide the King by making them believe greater matters from it than +will be found. But I see that this arises from his great trouble to see +the Act succeede, and to hear my name so much used and my letters shown +at Court about goods served us in upon the credit of it. But I do make +him believe that I do it with all respect to him and on his behalfe too, +as indeed I do, as well as my owne, that it may not be said that he or I +do not assist therein. He tells me that my Lord Sandwich do proceed on +his journey with the greatest kindnesse that can be imagined from the +King and Chancellor, which was joyfull newes to me. Thence with Lord +Bruncker to Greenwich by water to a great dinner and much company; Mr. +Cottle and his lady and others and I went, hoping to get Mrs. Knipp to +us, having wrote a letter to her in the morning, calling myself "Dapper +Dicky," in answer to hers of "Barbary Allen," but could not, and am told +by the boy that carried my letter, that he found her crying; but I fear +she lives a sad life with that ill-natured fellow her husband: so we had +a great, but I a melancholy dinner, having not her there, as I hoped. +After dinner to cards, and then comes notice that my wife is come +unexpectedly to me to towne. So I to her. It is only to see what I do, +and why I come not home; and she is in the right that I would have a +little more of Mrs. Knipp's company before I go away. My wife to fetch +away my things from Woolwich, and I back to cards and after cards to +choose King and Queene, and a good cake there was, but no marks found; +but I privately found the clove, the mark of the knave, and privately put +it into Captain Cocke's piece, which made some mirthe, because of his +lately being knowne by his buying of clove and mace of the East India +prizes. At night home to my lodging, where I find my wife returned with +my things, and there also Captain Ferrers is come upon business of my +Lord's to this town about getting some goods of his put on board in order +to his going to Spain, and Ferrers presumes upon my finding a bed for +him, which I did not like to have done without my invitation because I +had done [it] several times before, during the plague, that he could not +provide himself safely elsewhere. But it being Twelfth Night, they had +got the fiddler and mighty merry they were; and I above come not to them, +but when I had done my business among my papers went to bed, leaving them +dancing, and choosing King and Queene. + + + +7th (Lord's day). Up, and being trimmed I was invited by Captain Cocke, +so I left my wife, having a mind to some discourse with him, and dined +with him. He tells me of new difficulties about his goods which troubles +me and I fear they will be great. He tells me too what I hear everywhere +how the towne 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. Thence to my lodging, and considering how I am +hindered by company there to do any thing among my papers, I did resolve +to go away to-day rather than stay to no purpose till to-morrow and so +got all my things packed up and spent half an hour with W. Howe about his +papers of accounts for contingencies and my Lord's accounts, so took +leave of my landlady and daughters, having paid dear for what time I have +spent there, but yet having been quiett and my health, I am very well +contented therewith. So with my wife and Mercer took boat and away home; +but in the evening, before I went, comes Mrs. Knipp, just to speake with +me privately, to excuse her not coming to me yesterday, complaining how +like a devil her husband treats her, but will be with us in towne a weeke +hence, and so I kissed her and parted. Being come home, my wife and I to +look over our house and consider of laying out a little money to hang our +bedchamber better than it is, and so resolved to go and buy something +to-morrow, and so after supper, with great joy in my heart for my coming +once again hither, to bed. + + + +8th. Up, and my wife and I by coach to Bennett's, in Paternoster Row, +few shops there being yet open, and there bought velvett for a coate, and +camelott for a cloake for myself; and thence to a place to look over some +fine counterfeit damasks to hang my wife's closett, and pitched upon one, +and so by coach home again, I calling at the 'Change, and so home to +dinner and all the afternoon look after my papers at home and my office +against to-morrow, and so after supper and considering the uselessness of +laying out so much money upon my wife's closett, but only the chamber, to +bed. + + + +9th. Up, and then to the office, where we met first since the plague, +which God preserve us in! At noon home to dinner, where uncle Thomas +with me, and in comes Pierce lately come from Oxford, and Ferrers. After +dinner Pierce and I up to my chamber, where he tells me how a great +difference hath been between the Duke and Duchesse, he suspecting her to +be naught with Mr. Sidney. + + ["This Duchess was Chancellor Hyde's daughter, and she was a very + handsome woman, and had a great deal of wit; therefore it was not + without reason that Mr. Sydney, the handsomest youth of his time, of + the Duke's bedchamber, was so much in love with her, as appeared to + us all, and the Duchess not unkind to him, but very innocently. He + was afterwards banished the Court for another reason, as was + reported" (Sir John Reresby's "Memoirs," August 5th, 1664, ed. + Cartwright, pp. 64,65). "'How could the Duke of York make my mother + a Papist?' said the Princess Mary to Dr. Bumet. 'The Duke caught a + man in bed with her,' said the Doctor, 'and then had power to make + her do anything.' The Prince, who sat by the fire, said, 'Pray, + madam, ask the Doctor a few more questions'" (Spence's "Anecdotes," + ed. Singer, 329).] + +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 streete, openly cries, "The King cannot go away till my Lady +Castlemaine be ready to come along with him;" she being lately put to bed +And that he visits her and Mrs. Stewart every morning before he eats his +breakfast. All this put together makes me very sad, but yet I hope I +shall do pretty well among them for all this, by my not meddling with +either of their matters. He and Ferrers gone I paid uncle Thomas his +last quarter's money, and then comes Mr. Gawden and he and I talked above +stairs together a good while about his business, and to my great joy got +him to declare that of the L500 he did give me the other day, none of it +was for my Treasurershipp for Tangier (I first telling him how matters +stand between Povy and I, that he was to have half of whatever was coming +to me by that office), and that he will gratify me at 2 per cent. for +that when he next receives any money. So there is L80 due to me more +than I thought of. He gone I with a glad heart to the office to write, +my letters and so home to supper and bed, my wife mighty full of her +worke she hath to do in furnishing her bedchamber. + + + +10th. Up, and by coach to Sir G. Downing, where Mr. Gawden met me by +agreement to talke upon the Act. I do find Sir G. Downing to be a mighty +talker, more than is true, which I now know to be so, and suspected it +before, but for all that I have good grounds to think it will succeed for +goods and in time for money too, but not presently. Having done with +him, I to my Lord Bruncker's house in Covent-Garden, and, among other +things, it was to acquaint him with my paper of Pursers, and read it to +him, and had his good liking of it. Shewed him Mr. Coventry's sense of +it, which he sent me last post much to my satisfaction. Thence to the +'Change, and there hear to our grief how the plague is encreased this +week from seventy to eighty-nine. We have also great fear of our +Hambrough fleete, of their meeting the Dutch; as also have certain newes, +that by storms Sir Jer. Smith's fleet is scattered, and three of them +come without masts back to Plymouth, which is another very exceeding +great disappointment, and if the victualling ships are miscarried will +tend to the losse of the garrison of Tangier. Thence home, in my way had +the opportunity I longed for, of seeing and saluting Mrs. Stokes, my +little goldsmith's wife in Paternoster Row, and there bespoke some thing, +a silver chafing-dish for warming plates, and so home to dinner, found my +wife busy about making her hangings for her chamber with the upholster. +So I to the office and anon to the Duke of Albemarle, by coach at night, +taking, for saving time, Sir W. Warren with me, talking of our businesses +all the way going and coming, and there got his reference of my pursers' +paper to the Board to consider of it before he reads it, for he will +never understand it I am sure. Here I saw Sir W. Coventry's kind letter +to him concerning my paper, and among others of his letters, which I saw +all, and that is a strange thing, that whatever is writ to this Duke of +Albemarle, all the world may see; for this very night he did give me Mr. +Coventry's letter to read, soon as it come to his hand, before he had +read it himself, and bid me take out of it what concerned the Navy, and +many things there was in it, which I should not have thought fit for him +to have let any body so suddenly see; but, among other things, find him +profess himself to the Duke a friend into the inquiring further into the +business of Prizes, and advises that it may be publique, for the righting +the King, and satisfying the people and getting the blame to be rightly +laid where it should be, which strikes very hard upon my Lord Sandwich, +and troubles me to read it. Besides, which vexes me more, I heard the +damned Duchesse again say to twenty gentlemen publiquely in the room, +that she would have Montagu sent once more to sea, before he goes his +Embassy, that we may see whether he will make amends for his cowardice, +and repeated the answer she did give the other day in my hearing to Sir +G. Downing, wishing her Lord had been a coward, for then perhaps he might +have been made an Embassador, and not been sent now to sea. But one good +thing she said, she cried mightily out against the having of gentlemen +Captains with feathers and ribbands, and wished the King would send her +husband to sea with the old plain sea Captains, that he served with +formerly, that would make their ships swim with blood, though they could +not make legs + + [Make bows, play the courtier. The reading, "make leagues," + appeared in former editions till Mr. Mynors Bright corrected it.] + +as Captains nowadays can. It grieved me to see how slightly the Duke do +every thing in the world, and how the King and every body suffers +whatever he will to be done in the Navy, though never so much against +reason, as in the business of recalling tickets, which will be done +notwithstanding all the arguments against it. So back again to my +office, and there to business and so to bed. + + + +11th. Up and to the office. By and by to the Custome House to the +Farmers, there with a letter of Sir G. Carteret's for L3000, which they +ordered to be paid me. So away back again to the office, and at noon to +dinner all of us by invitation to Sir W. Pen's, and much other company. +Among others, Lieutenant of the Tower, and Broome, his poet, and Dr. +Whistler, and his (Sir W. Pen's) son-in-law Lowder, servant--[lover]-- +to Mrs. Margaret Pen, and Sir Edward Spragg, a merry man, that sang a +pleasant song pleasantly. Rose from table before half dined, and with +Mr. Mountney of the Custome House to the East India House, and there +delivered to him tallys for L3000 and received a note for the money on +Sir R. Viner. So ended the matter, and back to my company, where staid a +little, and thence away with my Lord Bruncker for discourse sake, and he +and I to Gresham College to have seen Mr. Hooke and a new invented +chariott of Dr. Wilkins, but met with nobody at home! So to Dr. +Wilkins's, where I never was before, and very kindly received and met +with Dr. Merritt, and fine discourse among them to my great joy, so sober +and so ingenious. He is now upon finishing his discourse of a universal +character. So away and I home to my office about my letters, and so home +to supper and to bed. + + + +12th. By coach to the Duke of Albemarle, where Sir W. Batten and I only +met. Troubled at my heart to see how things are ordered there without +consideration or understanding. Thence back by coach and called at +Wotton's, my shoemaker, lately come to towne, and bespoke shoes, as also +got him to find me a taylor to make me some clothes, my owne being not +yet in towne, nor Pym, my Lord Sandwich's taylor. So he helped me to a +pretty man, one Mr. Penny, against St. Dunstan's Church. Thence to the +'Change and there met Mr. Moore, newly come to towne, and took him home +to dinner with me and after dinner to talke, and he and I do conclude my +Lord's case to be very bad and may be worse, if he do not get a pardon +for his doings about the prizes and his business at Bergen, and other +things done by him at sea, before he goes for Spayne. I do use all the +art I can to get him to get my Lord to pay my cozen Pepys, for it is a +great burden to my mind my being bound for my Lord in L1000 to him. +Having done discourse with him and directed him to go with my advice to +my Lord expresse to-morrow to get his pardon perfected before his going, +because of what I read the other night in Sir W. Coventry's letter, I to +the office, and there had an extraordinary meeting of Sir J. Minnes, Sir +W. Batten, and Sir W. Pen, and my Lord Bruncker and I to hear my paper +read about pursers, which they did all of them with great good will and +great approbation of my method and pains in all, only Sir W. Pen, who +must except against every thing and remedy nothing, did except against my +proposal for some reasons, which I could not understand, I confess, nor +my Lord Bruncker neither, but he did detect indeed a failure or two of +mine in my report about the ill condition of the present pursers, which I +did magnify in one or two little things, to which, I think, he did with +reason except, but at last with all respect did declare the best thing he +ever heard of this kind, but when Sir W. Batten did say, "Let us that do +know the practical part of the Victualling meet Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Pen +and I and see what we can do to mend all," he was so far from offering or +furthering it, that he declined it and said, he must be out of towne. So +as I ever knew him never did in his life ever attempt to mend any thing, +but suffer all things to go on in the way they are, though never so bad, +rather than improve his experience to the King's advantage. So we broke +up, however, they promising to meet to offer some thing in it of their +opinions, and so we rose, and I and my Lord Bruncker by coach a little +way for discourse sake, till our coach broke, and tumbled me over him +quite down the side of the coach, falling on the ground about the +Stockes, but up again, and thinking it fit to have for my honour some +thing reported in writing to the Duke in favour of my pains in this, lest +it should be thought to be rejected as frivolous, I did move it to my +Lord, and he will see it done to-morrow. So we parted, and I to the +office and thence home to my poor wife, who works all day at home like a +horse, at the making of her hangings for our chamber and the bed. So to +supper and to bed. + + + +13th. At the office all the morning, where my Lord Bruncker moved to +have something wrote in my matter as I desired him last night, and it was +ordered and will be done next sitting. 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 Bruncker do tell us, that he +hath it from Sir John Baber; 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. After dinner Cocke and I together by coach to the Exchange, +in our way talking of our matters, and do conclude that every thing must +breake in pieces, while no better counsels govern matters than there seem +to do, and that it will become him and I and all men to get their +reckonings even, as soon as they can, and expect all to breake. Besides, +if the plague continues among us another yeare, the Lord knows what will +become of us. I set him down at the 'Change, and I home to my office, +where late writing letters and doing business, and thence home to supper +and to bed. My head full of cares, but pleased with my wife's minding +her worke so well, and busying herself about her house, and I trust in +God if I can but clear myself of my Lord Sandwich's bond, wherein I am +bound with him for L1000 to T. Pepys, I shall do pretty well, come what +will come. + + + +14th (Lord's day). Long in bed, till raised by my new taylor, Mr. Penny, +[who comes and brings me my new velvet coat, very handsome, but plain, +and a day hence will bring me my camelott cloak.] He gone I close to my +papers and to set all in order and to perform my vow to finish my +journall and other things before I kiss any woman more or drink any wine, +which I must be forced to do to-morrow if I go to Greenwich as I am +invited by Mr. Boreman to hear Mrs. Knipp sing, and I would be glad to +go, so as we may be merry. At noon eat the second of the two cygnets Mr. +Shepley sent us for a new-year's gift, and presently to my chamber again +and so to work hard all day about my Tangier accounts, which I am going +again to make up, as also upon writing a letter to my father about Pall, +whom it is time now I find to think of disposing of while God Almighty +hath given me something to give with her, and in my letter to my father I +do offer to give her L450 to make her own L50 given her by my uncle up +L500. I do also therein propose Mr. Harman the upholster for a husband +for her, to whom I have a great love and did heretofore love his former +wife, and a civil man he is and careful in his way, beside, I like his +trade and place he lives in, being Cornhill. Thus late at work, and so +to supper and to bed. This afternoon, after sermon, comes my dear fair +beauty of the Exchange, Mrs. Batelier, brought by her sister, an +acquaintance of Mercer's, to see my wife. I saluted her with as much +pleasure as I had done any a great while. We sat and talked together an +houre, with infinite pleasure to me, and so the fair creature went away, +and proves one of the modestest women, and pretty, that ever I saw in my +life, and my [wife] judges her so too. + + + +15th. Busy all the morning in my chamber in my old cloth suit, while my +usuall one is to my taylor's to mend, which I had at noon again, and an +answer to a letter I had sent this morning to Mrs. Pierce to go along +with my wife and I down to Greenwich to-night upon an invitation to Mr. +Boreman's to be merry to dance and sing with Mrs. Knipp. Being dressed, +and having dined, I took coach and to Mrs. Pierce, to her new house in +Covent-Garden, a very fine place and fine house. Took her thence home to +my house, and so by water to Boreman's by night, where the greatest +disappointment that ever I saw in my life, much company, a good supper +provided, and all come with expectation of excesse of mirthe, but all +blank through the waywardnesse of Mrs. Knipp, who, though she had +appointed the night, could not be got to come. Not so much as her +husband could get her to come; but, which was a pleasant thing in all my +anger, I asking him, while we were in expectation what answer one of our +many messengers would bring, what he thought, whether she would come or +no, he answered that, for his part, he could not so much as thinke. By +and by we all to supper, which the silly master of the feast commended, +but, what with my being out of humour, and the badnesse of the meate +dressed, I did never eat a worse supper in my life. At last, very late, +and supper done, she came undressed, but it brought me no mirthe at all; +only, after all being done, without singing, or very little, and no +dancing, Pierce and I to bed together, and he and I very merry to find +how little and thin clothes they give us to cover us, so that we were +fain to lie in our stockings and drawers, and lay all our coates and +clothes upon the bed. So to sleep. + + + +16th. Up, and leaving the women in bed together (a pretty black and +white) I to London to the office, and there forgot, through business, to +bespeake any dinner for my wife and Mrs. Pierce. However, by noon they +come, and a dinner we had, and Kate Joyce comes to see us, with whom very +merry. After dinner she and I up to my chamber, who told me her business +was chiefly for my advice about her husband's leaving off his trade, +which though I wish enough, yet I did advise against, for he is a man +will not know how to live idle, and employment he is fit for none. +Thence anon carried her and Mrs. Pierce home, and so to the Duke of +Albemarle, and mighty kind he to me still. So home late at my letters, +and so to bed, being mightily troubled at the newes 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. Busy all the morning, settling things against my going out of +towne this night. After dinner, late took horse, having sent for +Lashmore to go with me, and so he and I rode to Dagenhams in the dark. +There find the whole family well. It was my Lord Crew's desire that I +should come, and chiefly to discourse with me of 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 Spayne. 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. By and by to supper, my Lady Wright very kind. After +supper up to wait on my Lady Crew, who is the same weake silly lady as +ever, asking such saintly questions. Down to my Lord again and sat +talking an houre or two, and anon to prayers the whole family, and then +all to bed, I handsomely used, lying in the chamber Mr. Carteret formerly +did, but sat up an houre talking sillily with Mr. Carteret and Mr. Marre, +and so to bed. + + + +18th. Up before day and thence rode to London before office time, where +I met a note at the doore to invite me to supper to Mrs. Pierces because +of Mrs. Knipp, who is in towne and at her house: To the office, where, +among other things, vexed with Major Norwood's coming, who takes it ill +my not paying a bill of Exchange of his, but I have good reason for it, +and so the less troubled, but yet troubled, so as at noon being carried +by my Lord Bruncker to Captain Cocke's to dinner, where Mrs. Williams +was, and Mrs. Knipp, I was not heartily merry, though a glasse of wine +did a little cheer me. After dinner to the office. Anon comes to me +thither my Lord Bruncker, Mrs. Williams, and Knipp. I brought down my +wife in her night-gowne, she not being indeed very well, to the office to +them and there by and by they parted all and my wife and I anon and +Mercer, by coach, to Pierces; where mighty merry, and sing and dance with +great pleasure; and I danced, who never did in company in my life, and +Captain Cocke come for a little while and danced, but went away, but we +staid and had a pretty supper, and spent till two in the morning, but got +home well by coach, though as dark as pitch, and so to bed. + + + +19th. Up and ready, called on by Mr. Moone, my Lord Bellases' secretary, +who and I good friends though I have failed him in some payments. Thence +with Sir J. Minnes to the Duke of Albemarle's, and carried all well, and +met Norwood but prevented him in desiring a meeting of the Commissioners +for Tangier. Thence to look for Sir H. [Cholmly], but he not within, he +coming to town last night. It is a remarkable thing how infinitely naked +all that end of the towne, Covent-Garden, is at this day of people; while +the City is almost as full again of people as ever it was. To the +'Change and so home to dinner and the office, whither anon comes Sir H. +Cholmley to me, and he and I to my house, there to settle his accounts +with me, and so with great pleasure we agreed and great friends become, +I think, and he presented me upon the foot of our accounts for this +year's service for him L100, whereof Povy must have half. Thence to the +office and wrote a letter to Norwood to satisfy him about my nonpayment +of his bill, for that do still stick in my mind. So at night home to +supper and to bed. + + + +20th. To the office, where upon Mr. Kinaston's coming to me about some +business of Colonell Norwood's, I sent my boy home for some papers, +where, he staying longer than I would have him, and being vexed at the +business and to be kept from my fellows in the office longer than was +fit, I become angry, and boxed my boy when he came, that I do hurt my +thumb so much, that I was not able to stir all the day after, and in +great pain. At noon to dinner, and then to the office again, late, and +so to supper and to bed. + + + +21st (Lord's day). Lay almost till noon merrily and with pleasure +talking with my wife in bed. Then up looking about my house, and the +roome which my wife is dressing up, having new hung our bedchamber with +blue, very handsome. After dinner to my Tangier accounts and there +stated them against to-morrow very distinctly for the Lords to see who +meet tomorrow, and so to supper and to bed. + + + +22nd. Up, and set my people to work in copying Tangier accounts, and I +down the river to Greenwich to the office to fetch away some papers and +thence to Deptford, where by agreement my Lord Bruncker was to come, but +staid almost till noon, after I had spent an houre with W. Howe talking +of my Lord Sandwich's matters and his folly in minding his pleasures too +much now-a-days, and permitting himself to be governed by Cuttance to the +displeasing of all the Commanders almost of the fleete, and thence we may +conceive indeed the rise of all my Lord's misfortunes of late. At noon +my Lord Bruncker did come, but left the keys of the chests we should +open, at Sir G. Carteret's lodgings, of my Lord Sandwich's, wherein +Howe's supposed jewells are; so we could not, according to my Lord +Arlington's order, see them today; but we parted, resolving to meet here +at night: my Lord Bruncker being going with Dr. Wilkins, Mr. Hooke, and +others, to Colonell Blunts, to consider again of the business of +charriots, and to try their new invention. Which I saw here my Lord +Bruncker 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. +Thence I with speede by water home and eat a bit, and took my accounts +and to the Duke of Albemarle, where for all I feared of Norwood he was +very civill, and Sir Thomas Ingram beyond expectation, I giving them all +content and I thereby settled mightily in my mind, for I was weary of the +employment, and had had thoughts of giving it over. I did also give a +good step in a business of Mr. Hubland's, about getting a ship of his to +go to Tangier, which during this strict embargo is a great matter, and I +shall have a good reward for it, I hope. Thence by water in the darke +down to Deptford, and there find my Lord Bruncker come and gone, having +staid long for me. I back presently to the Crowne taverne behind the +Exchange by appointment, and there met the first meeting of Gresham +College since the plague. Dr. Goddard did fill us with talke, in defence +of his and his fellow physicians going out of towne in the plague-time; +saying that their particular patients were most gone out of towne, and +they left at liberty; and a great deal more, &c. But what, among other +fine discourse pleased me most, was Sir G. Ent 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. +Here late till poor Dr. Merriot was drunk, and so all home, and I to bed. + + + +23rd. Up and to the office and then to dinner. After dinner to the +office again all the afternoon, and much business with me. Good newes +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. By agreement my Lord Bruncker called me up, and though it was a +very foule, windy, and rainy morning, yet down to the waterside we went, +but no boat could go, the storme continued so. So my Lord to stay till +fairer weather carried me into the Tower to Mr. Hore's and there we staid +talking an houre, but at last we found no boats yet could go, so we to +the office, where we met upon an occasion extraordinary of examining +abuses of our clerkes in taking money for examining of tickets, but +nothing done in it. Thence my Lord and I, the weather being a little +fairer, by water to Deptford to Sir G. Carteret's house, where W. Howe +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. Howe; 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 Horsydowne, where I never was +since a little 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 on 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. So walked home, my Lord away to his house and I to dinner, +Mr. Creed being come to towne and to dine with me, though now it was +three o'clock. After dinner he and I to our accounts and very +troublesome he is and with tricks which I found plainly and was vexed at; +while we were together comes Sir G. Downing with Colonell Norwood, +Rumball, and Warrupp to visit me. I made them drink good wine and +discoursed above alone a good while with Sir G. Downing, who is very +troublesome, and then with Colonell Norwood, who hath a great mind to +have me concerned with him in everything; which I like, but am shy of +adventuring too much, but will thinke of it. They gone, Creed and I to +finish the settling his accounts. Thence to the office, where the +Houblans and we discoursed upon a rubb which we have for one of the ships +I hoped to have got to go out to Tangier for them. They being gone, I to +my office-business late, and then home to supper and even sacke for lacke +of a little wine, which I was forced to drink against my oathe, but +without pleasure. + + + +25th. Up and to the office, at noon home to dinner. So abroad to the +Duke of Albemarle and Kate Joyce's and her husband, with whom I talked a +great deale about Pall's business, and told them what portion I would +give her, and they do mightily like of it and will proceed further in +speaking with Harman, who hath already been spoke to about it, as from +them only, and he is mighty glad of it, but doubts it may be an offence +to me, if I should know of it, so thinks that it do come only from Joyce, +which I like the better. So I do believe the business will go on, and I +desire it were over. I to the office then, where I did much business, +and set my people to work against furnishing me to go to Hampton Court, +where the King and Duke will be on Sunday next. 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. At night comes Sir W. Warren, and he +and I into the garden, and talked over all our businesses. He gives me +good advice not to embarke into trade (as I have had it in my thoughts +about Colonell Norwood) so as to be seen to mind it, for it will do me +hurte, and draw my mind off from my business and embroile my estate too +soon. So to the office business, and I find him as cunning a man in all +points as ever I met with in my life and mighty merry we were in the +discourse of our owne trickes. So about to o'clock at night I home and +staid with him there settling my Tangier-Boates business and talking and +laughing at the folly of some of our neighbours of this office till two +in the morning and so to bed. + + + +26th. Up, and pleased mightily with what my poor wife hath been doing +these eight or ten days with her owne hands, like a drudge in fitting the +new hangings of our bed-chamber of blue, and putting the old red ones +into my dressing-room, and so by coach to White Hall, where I had just +now notice that Sir G. Carteret is come to towne. He seems pleased, but +I perceive he is heartily troubled at this Act, and the report of his +losing his place, and more at my not writing to him to the prejudice of +the Act. But I carry all fair to him and he to me. He bemoans the +Kingdom as in a sad state, and with too much reason I doubt, having so +many enemys about us and no friends abroad, nor money nor love at home. +Thence to the Duke of Albemarle, and there a meeting with all the +officers of the Navy, where, Lord! to see how the Duke of Albemarle +flatters himself with false hopes of money and victuals and all without +reason. Then comes the Committee of Tangier to sit, and I there carry +all before me very well. Thence with Sir J. Bankes and Mr. Gawden to the +'Change, they both very wise men. After 'Change and agreeing with +Houblon about our ships, D. Gawden and I to the Pope's Head and there +dined and little Chaplin (who a rich man grown). He gone after dinner, +D. Gawden and I to talke of the Victualling business of the Navy in what +posture it is, which is very sad also for want of money. Thence home to +my chamber by oathe to finish my Journall. Here W. Hewer came to me with +L320 from Sir W. Warren, whereof L220 is got clearly by a late business +of insurance of the Gottenburg ships, and the other L100 which was due +and he had promised me before to give me to my very extraordinary joy, +for which I ought and do bless God and so to my office, where late +providing a letter to send to Mr. Gawden in a manner we concluded on to- +day, and so to bed. + + + +27th. Up very betimes to finish my letter and writ it fair to Mr. +Gawden, it being to demand several arrears in the present state of the +victualling, partly to the King's and partly to give him occasion to say +something relating to the want of money on his own behalf. This done I +to the office, where all the morning. At noon after a bit of dinner back +to the office and there fitting myself in all points to give an account +to the Duke and Mr. Coventry in all things, and in my Tangier business, +till three o'clock in the morning, and so to bed, + + + +28th. And up again about six (Lord's day), and being dressed in my +velvett coate and plain cravatte took a hackney coach provided ready for +me by eight o'clock, and so to my Lord Bruncker's with all my papers, and +there took his coach with four horses and away toward Hampton Court, +having a great deale of good discourse with him, particularly about his +coming to lie at the office, when I went further in inviting him to than +I intended, having not yet considered whether it will be convenient for +me or no to have him here so near us, and then of getting Mr. Evelyn or +Sir Robert Murray into the Navy in the room of Sir Thomas Harvey. At +Brainford I 'light, having need to shit, and went into an Inne doore that +stood open, found the house of office and used it, but saw no people, +only after I was in the house, heard a great dogg barke, and so was +afeard how I should get safe back again, and therefore drew my sword and +scabbard out of my belt to have ready in my hand, but did not need to use +it, but got safe into the coach again, but lost my belt by the shift, +not missing it till I come to Hampton Court. At the Wicke found Sir J. +Minnes and Sir W. Batten at a lodging provided for us by our messenger, +and there a good dinner ready. After dinner took coach and to 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 a 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. After changing a few words with Sir W. +Coventry, who assures me of his respect and love to me, and his +concernment for my health in all this sickness, 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." And the Duke of Yorke did tell me +with pleasure, that he had read over my discourse about pursers, and +would have it ordered in my way, and so fell from one discourse to +another. I walked with them quite out of the Court into the fields, +and then back to my Lord Sandwich's chamber, where I find him very. +melancholy and not well satisfied, I perceive, with my carriage to Sir G. +Carteret, but I did satisfy him and made him confess to me, that I have a +very hard game to play; and told me he was sorry to see it, and the +inconveniences which likely may fall upon me with him; but, for all that, +I am not much afeard, if I can but keepe out of harm's way in not being +found too much concerned in my Lord's or Sir G. Carteret's matters, and +that I will not be if I can helpe it. He hath got over his business of +the prizes, so far as to have a privy seale passed for all that was in +his distribution to the officers, which I am heartily glad of; and, for +the rest, he must be answerable for what he is proved to have. But for +his pardon for anything else, he thinks it not seasonable to aske it, and +not usefull to him; because that will not stop a Parliament's mouth, and +for the King, he is sure enough of him. I did aske him whether he was +sure of the interest and friendship of any great Ministers of State and +he told me, yes. As we were going further, in comes my Lord Mandeville, +so we were forced to breake off and I away, and to Sir W. Coventry's +chamber, where he not come in but I find Sir W. Pen, and he and I to +discourse. I find him very much out of humour, so that I do not think +matters go very well with him, and I am glad of it. He and I staying +till late, and Sir W. Coventry not coming in (being shut up close all the +afternoon with the Duke of Albemarle), we took boat, and by water to +Kingston, and so to our lodgings, where a good supper and merry, only I +sleepy, and therefore after supper I slunk away from the rest to bed, and +lay very well and slept soundly, my mind being in a great delirium +between joy for what the King and Duke have said to me and Sir W. +Coventry, and trouble for my Lord Sandwich's concernments, and how hard +it will be for me to preserve myself from feeling thereof. + + + +29th. Up, and to Court by coach, where to Council before the Duke of +Yorke, the Duke of Albemarle with us, and after Sir W. Coventry had gone +over his notes that he had provided with the Duke of Albemarle, I went +over all mine with good successe, only I fear I did once offend the Duke +of Albemarle, but I was much joyed to find the Duke of Yorke so much +contending for my discourse about the pursers against Sir W. Pen, who +opposes it like a foole; my Lord Sandwich come in in the middle of the +business, and, poor man, very melancholy, methought, and said little at +all, or to the business, and sat at the lower end, just as he come, no +roome being made for him, only I did give him my stoole, and another was +reached me. After council done, I walked to and again up and down the +house, discoursing with this and that man. Among others tooke occasion +to thanke the Duke of Yorke for his good opinion in general of my +service, and particularly his favour in conferring on me the Victualling +business. He told me that he knew nobody so fit as I for it, and next, +he was very glad to find that to give me for my encouragement, speaking +very kindly of me. So to Sir W. Coventry's to dinner with him, whom I +took occasion to thanke for his favour and good thoughts of what little +service I did, desiring he would do the last act of friendship in telling +me of my faults also. He told me he would be sure he would do that also, +if there were any occasion for it. So that as much as it is possible +under so great a fall of my Lord Sandwich's, and difference between them, +I may conclude that I am thoroughly right with Sir W. Coventry. I dined +with him with a great deale of company, and much merry discourse. I was +called away before dinner ended to go to my company who dined at our +lodgings. Thither I went with Mr. Evelyn (whom I met) in his coach going +that way, but finding my company gone, but my Lord Bruncker left his +coach for me; so Mr. Evelyn and I into my Lord'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. He set me down at Mr. +Gawden's, where nobody yet come home, I having left him and his sons and +Creed at Court, so I took a book and into the gardens, and there walked +and read till darke with great pleasure, and then in and in comes +Osborne, and he and I to talk of Mr. Jaggard, who comes from London, and +great hopes there is of a decrease this week also of the plague. Anon +comes in Creed, and after that Mr. Gawden and his sons, and then they +bringing in three ladies, who were in the house, but I do not know them, +his daughter and two nieces, daughters of Dr. Whistler's, with whom and +Creed mighty sport at supper, the ladies very pretty and mirthfull. I +perceive they know Creed's gut and stomach as well as I, and made as much +mirthe as I with it at supper. After supper I made the ladies sing, and +they have been taught, but, Lord! though I was forced to commend them, +yet it was the saddest stuff I ever heard. However, we sat up late, and +then I, in the best chamber like a prince, to bed, and Creed with me, and +being sleepy talked but little. + + + +30th. Lay long till Mr. Gawden was gone out being to take a little +journey. Up, and Creed and I some good discourse, but with some trouble +for the state of my Lord's matters. After walking a turne or two in the +garden, and bid good morrow to Mr. Gawden's sons, and sent my service to +the ladies, I took coach after Mr. Gawden's, and home, finding the towne +keeping the day solemnly, it being the day of the King's murther, and +they being at church, I presently into the church, thinking to see Mrs. +Lethulier or Batelier, but did not, and a dull sermon of our young +Lecturer, too bad. This is the first time I have been in this church +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. So home to my wife, whom I find not well, +in bed, and it seems hath not been well these two days. She rose and we +to dinner, after dinner up to my chamber, where she entertained me with +what she hath lately bought of clothes for herself, and Damask linnen, +and other things for the house. I did give her a serious account how +matters stand with me, of favour with the King and Duke, and of danger in +reference to my Lord's and Sir G. Carteret's falls, and the +dissatisfaction I have heard the Duke of Albemarle hath acknowledged to +somebody, among other things, against my Lord Sandwich, that he did bring +me into the Navy against his desire and endeavour for another, which was +our doting foole Turner. Thence from one discourse to another, and +looking over my house, and other things I spent the day at home, and at +night betimes to bed. After dinner this day I went down by water to +Deptford, and fetched up what money there was of W. Howe's contingencies +in the chest there, being L5I6 13s. 3d. and brought it home to dispose +of. + + + +31st. Lay pretty long in bed, and then up and to the office, where we +met on extraordinary occasion about the business of tickets. By and by +to the 'Change, and there did several businesses, among others brought +home my cozen Pepys, whom I appointed to be here to-day, and Mr. Moore +met us upon the business of my Lord's bond. Seeing my neighbour Mr. +Knightly walk alone from the 'Change, his family being not yet come to +town, I did invite him home with me, and he dined with me, a very sober, +pretty man he is. He is mighty solicitous, as I find many about the City +that live near the churchyards, to have the churchyards covered with +lime, and I think it is needfull, and ours I hope will be done. Good +pleasant discourse at dinner of the practices of merchants to cheate the +"Customers," occasioned by Mr. Moore's being with much trouble freed of +his prize goods, which he bought, which fell into the Customers' hands, +and with much ado hath cleared them. Mr. Knightly being gone, my cozen +Pepys and Moore and I to our business, being the clearing of my Lord +Sandwich's bond wherein I am bound with him to my cozen for L1000 I have +at last by my dexterity got my Lord's consent to have it paid out of the +money raised by his prizes. So the bond is cancelled, and he paid by +having a note upon Sir Robert Viner, in whose hands I had lodged my +Lord's money, by which I am to my extraordinary comfort eased of a +liablenesse to pay the sum in case of my Lord's death, or troubles in +estate, or my Lord's greater fall, which God defend! Having settled this +matter at Sir R. Viner's, I took up Mr. Moore (my cozen going home) and +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. Thence to the +Duke of Albemarle, who tells me Mr. Coventry is come to town and directs +me to go to him about some business in hand, whether out of displeasure +or desire of ease I know not; but I asked him not the reason of it but +went to White Hall, but could not find him there, though to my great joy +people begin to bustle up and down there, the King holding his resolution +to be in towne to-morrow, and hath good encouragement, blessed be God! +to do so, the plague being decreased this week to 56, and the total to +227. So after going to the Swan in the Palace, and sent for Spicer to +discourse about my last Tangier tallys that have some of the words washed +out with the rain, to have them new writ, I home, and there did some +business and at the office, and so home to supper, and to bed. + + + + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + FEBRUARY + 1665-1666 + + +February 1st. Up and to the office, where all the morning till late, and +Mr. Coventry with us, the first time since before the plague, then +hearing my wife was gone abroad to buy things and see her mother and +father, whom she hath not seen since before the plague, and no dinner +provided for me ready, I walked to Captain Cocke's, knowing my Lord +Bruncker dined there, and there very merry, and a good dinner. Thence my +Lord and his mistresse, Madam Williams, set me down at the Exchange, and +I to Alderman Backewell's to set all my reckonings straight there, which +I did, and took up all my notes. So evened to this day, and thence to +Sir Robert Viner's, where I did the like, leaving clear in his hands just +L2000 of my owne money, to be called for when I pleased. Having done all +this I home, and there to the office, did my business there by the post +and so home, and spent till one in the morning in my chamber to set right +all my money matters, and so to bed. + + + +2nd. Up betimes, and knowing that my Lord Sandwich is come to towne with +the King and Duke, I to wait upon him, which I did, and find him in very +good humour, which I am glad to see with all my heart. Having received +his commands, and discoursed with some of his people about my Lord's +going, and with Sir Roger Cuttance, who was there, and finds himself +slighted by Sir W. Coventry, I advised him however to look after +employment lest it should be said that my Lord's friends do forsake the +service after he hath made them rich with the prizes. I to London, and +there among other things did look over some pictures at Cade's for my +house, and did carry home a silver drudger + + [The dredger was probably the drageoir of France; in low Latin, + dragerium, or drageria, in which comfits (dragdes) were kept. + Roquefort says, "The ladies wore a little spice-box, in shape like a + watch, to carry dragles, and it was called a drageoir." The custom + continued certainly till the middle of the last century. Old + Palsgrave, in his "Eclaircissement de la Langue Francaise," gives + "dradge" as spice, rendering it by the French word dragde. Chaucer + says, of his Doctor of Physic, "Full ready hadde he his Apothecaries + To send him dragges, and his lattuaries." The word sometimes may + have signified the pounded condiments in which our forefathers + delighted. It is worth notice, that "dragge" was applied to a grain + in the eastern counties, though not exclusively there, appearing to + denote mixed grain. Bishop Kennett tells us that "dredge mault is + mault made up of oats, mixed with barley, of which they make an + excellent, freshe, quiete sort of drinke, in Staffordshire." The + dredger is still commonly used in our kitchen.--B.] + +for my cupboard of plate, and did call for my silver chafing dishes, but +they are sent home, and the man would not be paid for them, saying that +he was paid for them already, and with much ado got him to tell me by Mr. +Wayth, but I would not accept of that, but will send him his money, not +knowing any courtesy I have yet done him to deserve it. So home, and +with my wife looked over our plate, and picked out L40 worth, I believe, +to change for more usefull plate, to our great content, and then we shall +have a very handsome cupboard of plate. So to dinner, and then to the +office, where we had a meeting extraordinary, about stating to the Duke +the present debts of the Navy, for which ready money must be had, and +that being done, I to my business, where late, and then home to supper, +and to bed. + + + +3rd. Up, and to the office very busy till 3 o'clock, and then home, all +of us, for half an hour to dinner, and to it again till eight at night, +stating our wants of money for the Duke, but could not finish it. So +broke up, and I to my office, then about letters and other businesses +very late, and so home to supper, weary with business, and to bed. + + + +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 afeard for going through. Here I had +the content to see my noble Mrs. Lethulier, and so home to dinner, and +all the afternoon at my Journall till supper, it being a long while +behindhand. At supper my wife tells me that W. Joyce has been with her +this evening, the first time since the plague, and tells her my aunt +James is lately dead of the stone, and what she had hath given to his and +his brother's wife and my cozen Sarah. So after supper to work again, +and late to bed. + + + +5th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten (at whose lodgings calling for him, I +saw his Lady the first time since her coming to towne since the plague, +having absented myself designedly to shew some discontent, and that I am +not at all the more suppliant because of my Lord Sandwich's fall), to my +Lord Bruncker's, to see whether he goes to the Duke's this morning or no. +But it is put off, and so we parted. My Lord invited me to dinner to-day +to dine with Sir W. Batten and his Lady there, who were invited before, +but lest he should thinke so little an invitation would serve my turne I +refused and parted, and to Westminster about business, and so back to the +'Change, and there met Mr. Hill, newly come to town, and with him the +Houblands, preparing for their ship's and his going to Tangier, and +agreed that I must sup with them to-night. So home and eat a bit, and +then to White Hall to a Committee for Tangier, but it did not meet but +was put off to to-morrow, so I did some little business and visited my +Lord Sandwich, and so, it raining, went directly to the Sun, behind the +Exchange, about seven o'clock, where I find all the five brothers +Houblons, and mighty fine gentlemen they are all, and used me mighty +respectfully. We were mighty civilly merry, and their discourses, having +been all abroad, very fine. Here late and at last accompanied home with +Mr. J. Houblon and Hill, whom I invited to sup with me on Friday, and so +parted and I home to bed. + + + +6th. Up, and to the office, where very busy all the morning. We met +upon a report to the Duke of Yorke of the debts of the Navy, which we +finished by three o'clock, and having eat one little bit of meate, I by +water before the rest to White Hall (and they to come after me) because +of a Committee for Tangier, where I did my business of stating my +accounts perfectly well, and to good liking, and do not discern, but the +Duke of Albemarle is my friend in his intentions notwithstanding my +general fears. After that to our Navy business, where my fellow officers +were called in, and did that also very well, and then broke up, and I +home by coach, Tooker with me, and staid in Lumbard Streete at Viner's, +and sent home for the plate which my wife and I had a mind to change, and +there changed it, about L50 worth, into things more usefull, whereby we +shall now have a very handsome cupboard of plate. So home to the office, +wrote my letters by the post, and to bed. + + + +7th. It being fast day I staid at home all day long to set things to +rights in my chamber by taking out all my books, and putting my chamber +in the same condition it was before the plague. But in the morning doing +of it, and knocking up a nail I did bruise my left thumb so as broke a +great deal of my flesh off, that it hung by a little. It was a sight +frighted my wife, but I put some balsam of Mrs. Turner's to it, and +though in great pain, yet went on with my business, and did it to my full +content, setting every thing in order, in hopes now that the worst of our +fears are over as to the plague for the next year. Interrupted I was by +two or three occasions this day to my great vexation, having this the +only day I have been able to set apart for this work since my coming to +town. At night to supper, weary, and to bed, having had the plasterers +and joiners also to do some jobbs. + + + +8th. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon to the 'Change, +expecting to have received from Mr. Houbland, as he promised me, an +assignment upon Viner, for my reward for my getting them the going of +their two ships to Tangier, but I find myself much disappointed therein, +for I spoke with him and he said nothing of it, but looked coldly, +through some disturbance he meets with in our business through Colonell +Norwood's pressing them to carry more goods than will leave room for some +of their own. But I shall ease them. Thence to Captain Cocke's, where +Mr. Williamson, Wren, Boldell and Madam Williams, and by and by Lord +Bruncker, he having been with the King and Duke upon the water to-day, +to see Greenwich house, and the yacht Castle is building of, and much +good discourse. So to White Hall to see my Lord Sandwich, and then home +to my business till night, and then to bed. + + + +9th. Up, and betimes to Sir Philip Warwicke, who was glad to see me, and +very kind. Thence to Colonell Norwood's lodgings, and there set about +Houblons' business about their ships. Thence to Westminster, to the +Exchequer, about my Tangier business to get orders for tallys, and so to +the 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. Thence to the 'Change, and to the Sun behind it to dinner with the +Lieutenant of the Tower, Colonell Norwood and others, where strange +pleasure they seem to take in their wine and meate, and discourse of it +with the curiosity and joy that methinks was below men of worthe. Thence +home, and there very much angry with my people till I had put all things +in good forwardnesse about my supper for the Houblons, but that being +done I was in good humour again, and all things in good order. Anon the +five brothers Houblons come and Mr. Hill, and a very good supper we had, +and good company and discourse, with great pleasure. My new plate sets +off my cupboard very nobly. Here they were till about eleven at night +with great pleasure, and a fine sight it is to see these five brothers +thus loving one to another, and all industrious merchants. Our subject +was principally Mr. Hill's going for them to Portugall, which was the +occasion of this entertainment. They gone, we to bed. + + + +10th. Up, and to the office. At noon, full of business, to dinner. +This day comes first Sir Thomas Harvy after the plague, having been out +of towne all this while. He was coldly received by us, and he went away +before we rose also, to make himself appear yet a man less necessary. +After dinner, being full of care and multitude of business, I took coach +and my wife with me. I set her down at her mother's (having first called +at my Lord Treasurer's and there spoke with Sir Ph. Warwicke), and I to +the Exchequer about Tangier orders, and so to the Swan and there staid a +little, and so by coach took up my wife, and at the old Exchange bought a +muffe, and so home and late at my letters, and so to supper and to bed, +being now-a-days, for these four or five months, mightily troubled with +my snoring in my sleep, and know not how to remedy it. + + + +11th (Lord's day). Up, and put on a new black cloth suit to an old coate +that I make to be in mourning at Court, where they are all, for the King +of Spayne.--[Philip IV., who died September 17th, 1665.]-- To church I, +and at noon dined well, and then by water to White Hall, carrying a +captain of the Tower (who desired his freight thither); there I to the +Parke, and walked two or three turns of the Pell Mell with the company +about the King and Duke; the Duke speaking to me a good deal. There met +Lord Bruncker 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 fleete, that went away to the Streights 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 hither with promise +of their protection, that every body wonders at it. Thence home with my +Lord Bruncker for discourse sake, and thence by hackney coach home, and +so my wife and I mighty pleasant discourse, supped and to bed. The great +wound I had Wednesday last in my thumb having with once dressing by Mrs. +Turner's balsam been perfectly cured, whereas I did not hope to save my +nail, whatever else ill it did give me. My wife and I are much +thoughtfull now-a-days about Pall's coming up in order to a husband. + + + +12th. Up, and very busy to perform an oathe in finishing my Journall +this morning for 7 or 8 days past. Then to several people attending upon +business, among others Mr. Grant and the executors of Barlow for the L25 +due for the quarter before he died, which I scrupled to pay, being +obliged but to pay every half year. Then comes Mr. Caesar, my boy's +lute-master, whom I have not seen since the plague before, but he hath +been in Westminster 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. Then to dinner before the +'Change, and so to the 'Change, and then to the taverne to talk with Sir +William Warren, and so by coach to several places, among others to my +Lord Treasurer's, there to meet my Lord Sandwich, but missed, and met him +at [my] Lord Chancellor's, and there talked with him about his accounts, +and then about Sir G. Carteret, and I find by him that Sir G. Carteret +has a worse game to play than my Lord Sandwich, for people are jeering at +him, and he cries out of the business of Sir W. Coventry, who strikes at +all and do all. Then to my bookseller's, and then received some books I +have new bought, and here late choosing some more to new bind, having +resolved to give myself L10 in books, and so home to the office and then +home to supper, where Mr. Hill was and supped with us, and good +discourse; an excellent person he still appears to me. After supper, and +he gone, we to bed. + + + +13th. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon to the 'Change, +and thence after business dined at the Sheriffe's [Hooker], being carried +by Mr. Lethulier, where to my heart's content I met with his wife, a most +beautifull fat woman. But all the house melancholy upon the sickness of +a daughter of the house in childbed, Mr. Vaughan's lady. So all of them +undressed, but however this lady a very fine woman. I had a salute of +her, and after dinner some discourse the Sheriffe and I about a parcel of +tallow I am buying for the office of him. I away home, and there at the +office all the afternoon till late at night, and then away home to supper +and to bed. Ill newes this night that the plague is encreased this week, +and in many places else about the towne, and at Chatham and elsewhere. +This day my wife wanting a chambermaid with much ado got our old little +Jane to be found out, who come to see her and hath lived all this while +in one place, but is so well that we will not desire her removal, but are +mighty glad to see the poor wench, who is very well and do well. + + + +14th (St. Valentine's day). This morning called up by Mr. Hill, who, my +wife thought, had been come to be her Valentine; she, it seems, having +drawne him last night, but it proved not. However, calling him up to our +bed-side, my wife challenged him. I up, and made myself ready, and so +with him by coach to my Lord Sandwich's by appointment to deliver Mr. +Howe's accounts to my Lord. Which done, my Lord did give me hearty and +large studied thanks for all my kindnesse to him and care of him and his +business. I after profession of all duty to his Lordship took occasion +to bemoane myself that I should fall into such a difficulty about Sir G. +Carteret, as not to be for him, but I must be against Sir W. Coventry, +and therefore desired to be neutrall, which my Lord approved and +confessed reasonable, but desired me to befriend him privately. Having +done in private with my Lord I brought Mr. Hill to kisse his hands, to +whom my Lord professed great respect upon my score. My Lord being gone, +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 there the noblest +prospect that ever I saw in my life, Greenwich being nothing to it; and +in every thing is a beautiful house, and most strongly built in every +respect; and as if, as it hath, it had the Chancellor for its master. +Thence with him to his paynter, Mr. Hales, who is drawing his picture, +which will be mighty like him, and pleased me so, that I am resolved +presently to have my wife's and mine done by him, he having a very +masterly hand. So with mighty satisfaction to the 'Change and thence +home, and after dinner abroad, taking Mrs. Mary Batelier with us, who was +just come to see my wife, and they set me down at my Lord Treasurer's, +and themselves went with the coach into the fields to take the ayre. I +staid a meeting of the Duke of Yorke's, and the officers of the Navy and +Ordnance. My Lord Treasurer lying in bed of the gowte. Our business was +discourse of the straits of the Navy for want of money, but after long +discourse as much out of order as ordinary people's, we come to no issue, +nor any money promised, or like to be had, and yet the worke must be +done. Here I perceive Sir G. Carteret had prepared himself to answer a +choque of Sir W. Coventry, by offering of himself to shew all he had +paid, and what is unpaid, and what moneys and assignments he hath in his +hands, which, if he makes good, was the best thing he ever did say in his +life, and the best timed, for else it must have fallen very foule on him. +The meeting done I away, my wife and they being come back and staying for +me at the gate. But, Lord! to see how afeard I was that Sir W. Coventry +should have spyed me once whispering with Sir G. Carteret, though not +intended by me, but only Sir G. Carteret come to me and I could not +avoyde it. So home, they set me down at the 'Change, and I to the +Crowne, where my Lord Bruncker was come and several of the Virtuosi, and +after a small supper and but little good discourse I with Sir W. Batten +(who was brought thither with my Lord Bruncker) home, where I find my +wife gone to Mrs. Mercer's to be merry, but presently come in with Mrs. +Knipp, who, it seems, is in towne, and was gone thither with my wife and +Mercer to dance, and after eating a little supper went thither again to +spend the whole night there, being W. Howe there, at whose chamber they +are, and Lawd Crisp by chance. I to bed. + + + +15th. Up, and my wife not come home all night. To the office, where sat +all the morning. At noon to Starky's, a great cooke in Austin Friars, +invited by Colonell Atkins, and a good dinner for Colonell Norwood and +his friends, among others Sir Edward Spragg and others, but ill +attendance. Before dined, called on by my wife in a coach, and so I took +leave, and then with her and Knipp and Mercer (Mr. Hunt newly come out of +the country being there also come to see us) to Mr. Hales, the paynter's, +having set down Mr. Hunt by the way. Here Mr. Hales' begun my wife in +the posture we saw one of my Lady Peters, like a St. Katharine. + + [It was the fashion at this time to be painted as St. Catherine, in + compliment to the queen.] + +While he painted, Knipp, and Mercer, and I, sang; and by and by comes +Mrs. Pierce, with my name in her bosom for her Valentine, which will cost +me money. But strange how like his very first dead colouring is, that it +did me good to see it, and pleases me mightily, and I believe will be a +noble picture. Thence with them all as far as Fleete Streete, and there +set Mercer and Knipp down, and we home. I to the office, whither the +Houblons come telling me of a little new trouble from Norwood about their +ship, which troubles me, though without reason. So late home to supper +and to bed. We hear this night of Sir Jeremy Smith, that he and his +fleete have been seen at Malaga; which is good newes. + + + +16th. Up betimes, and by appointment to the Exchange, where I met +Messrs. Houblons, and took them up in my coach and carried them to +Charing Crosse, where they to Colonell Norwood to see how they can settle +matters with him, I having informed them by the way with advice to be +easy with him, for he may hereafter do us service, and they and I are +like to understand one another to very good purpose. I to my Lord +Sandwich, and there alone with him to talke of his affairs, and +particularly of his prize goods, wherein I find he is wearied with being +troubled, and gives over the care of it to let it come to what it will, +having the King's release for the dividend made, and for the rest he +thinks himself safe from being proved to have anything more. Thence to +the Exchequer, and so by coach to the 'Change, Mr. Moore with me, who +tells me very odde passages of the indiscretion of my Lord in the +management of his family, of his carelessnesse, &c., which troubles me, +but makes me rejoice with all my heart of my being rid of the bond of +L1000, for that would have been a cruel blow to me. With Moore 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. So to the 'Change, +and then home to dinner, and after dinner to settle accounts with him for +my Lord, and so evened with him to this day. Then to the office, and out +with Sir W. Warren for discourse by coach to White Hall, thinking to have +spoke with Sir W. Coventry, but did not, and to see the Queene, but she +comes but to Hampton Court to-night. Back to my office and there late, +and so home to supper and bed. I walked a good while to-night with Mr. +Hater in the garden, talking about a husband for my sister, and reckoning +up all our clerks about us, none of which he thinks fit for her and her +portion. At last I thought of young Gawden, and will thinke of it again. + + + +17th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning. Late to +dinner, and then to the office again, and there busy till past twelve at +night, and so home to supper and to bed. We have newes of Sir Jeremy +Smith's being very well with his fleete at Cales.--[Cadiz] + + + +18th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed discoursing with pleasure with my +wife, among other things about Pall's coming up, for she must be here a +little to be fashioned, and my wife hath a mind to go down for her, which +I am not much against, and so I rose and to my chamber to settle several +things. At noon comes my uncle Wight to dinner, and brings with him Mrs. +Wight, sad company to me, nor was I much pleased with it, only I must +shew respect to my uncle. After dinner they gone, and 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. +I endeavoured to have seen my Lord Hinchingbrooke, who come to town +yesterday, but I could not. Met with Creed and walked with him a turne +or two in the Parke, but without much content, having now designs of +getting money in my head, which allow me not the leisure I used to have +with him, besides an odde story lately told of him for a great truth, of +his endeavouring to lie with a woman at Oxford, and her crying out saved +her; and this being publickly known, do a little make me hate him. +Thence took coach, and calling by the way at my bookseller's for a booke +I writ about twenty years ago in prophecy of this year coming on, 1666, +explaining it to be the marke of the beast, I home, and there fell to +reading, and then to supper, and to bed. + + + +19th. Up, and by coach to my Lord Sandwich's, but he was gone out. So I +to White Hall, and there waited on the Duke of Yorke with some of the +rest of our brethren, and thence back again to my Lord's, to see my Lord +Hinchingbroke, which I did, and I am mightily out of countenance in my +great expectation of him by others' report, though he is indeed a pretty +gentleman, yet nothing what I took him for, methinks, either as to person +or discourse discovered to me, but I must try him more before I go too +far in censuring. Hence to the Exchequer from office to office, to set +my business of my tallys in doing, and there all the morning. So at noon +by coach to St. Paul's Church-yarde to my Bookseller's, and there bespoke +a few more books to bring all I have lately bought to L10. Here 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 L10 to be +paid L100, if a certain person now at Smyrna be within these two years +owned by all the Princes of the East, and particularly the grand Signor +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 L1100 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! Thence to the 'Change, and from +my stationer's thereabouts carried home by coach two books of Ogilby's, +his AEsop and Coronation, which fell to my lot at his lottery. Cost me +L4 besides the binding. So home. I find my wife gone out to Hales, her +paynter's, and I after a little dinner do follow her, and there do find +him at worke, and with great content I do see it will be a very brave +picture. Left her there, and I to my Lord Treasurer's, where Sir G. +Carteret and Sir J. Minnes met me, and before my Lord Treasurer and Duke +of Albemarle the state of our Navy debts were laid open, being very +great, and their want of money to answer them openly professed, there +being but L1,500,000 to answer a certaine expense and debt of L2,300,000. +Thence walked with Fenn down 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 miscarryed +lately; Dr. Clerke telling me yesterday at White Hall that he had the +membranes and other vessels in his hands which she voided, and were +perfect as ever woman's was that bore a child. Thence hoping to find my +Lord Sandwich, away by coach to my Lord Chancellor's, but missed him, and +so home and to office, and then to supper and my Journall, and to bed. + + + +20th. Up, and to the office; where, among other businesses, Mr. Evelyn's +proposition about publique 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. After dinner I took him by coach to White Hall, +and there he and I parted, and I to my Lord Sandwich's, where coming and +bolting into the dining-room, I there found Captain Ferrers going to +christen a child of his born yesterday, and I come just pat to be a +godfather, along with my Lord Hinchingbrooke, and Madam Pierce, my +Valentine, which for that reason I was pretty well contented with, though +a little vexed to see myself so beset with people to spend me money, as +she of a Valentine and little Mrs. Tooker, who is come to my house this +day from Greenwich, and will cost me 20s., my wife going out with her +this afternoon, and now this christening. Well, by and by the child is +brought and christened Katharine, and I this day on this occasion drank +a glasse of wine, which I have not professedly done these two years, I +think, but a little in the time of the sicknesse. After that done, and +gone and kissed the mother in bed, I away to Westminster Hall, and there +hear that Mrs. Lane is come to town. So I staid loitering up and down +till anon she comes and agreed to meet at Swayn's, and there I went anon, +and she come, but staid but little, the place not being private. I have +not seen her since before the plague. So thence parted and 'rencontrais +a' her last 'logis', and in the place did what I 'tenais a mind pour +ferais con her'. At last she desired to borrow money of me, L5, and +would pawn gold with me for it, which I accepted and promised in a day or +two to supply her. So away home to the office, and thence home, where +little Mrs. Tooker staid all night with us, and a pretty child she is, +and happens to be niece to my beauty that is dead, that lived at the +Jackanapes, in Cheapside. So to bed, a little troubled that I have been +at two houses this afternoon with Mrs. Lane that were formerly shut up of +the plague. + + + +21st. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to White Hall by his coach, by the way +talking of my brother John to get a spiritual promotion for him, which I +am now to looke after, for as much as he is shortly to be Master in Arts, +and writes me this weeke a Latin letter that he is to go into orders this +Lent. There to the Duke's chamber, and find our fellows discoursing +there on our business, so I was sorry to come late, but no hurte was done +thereby. Here the Duke, among other things, 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. Thence I +to the Exchequer, and there did strike my tallys for a quarter for +Tangier and carried them home with me, and thence 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 Bruncker to Gresham +College, the first time after the sicknesse 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; + + [Afterwards the famous Sir Christopher Wren. He was one of the + mainstays of the Royal Society.] + +but he says nothing do like squares, or, which is the best in the world, +like a darke roome,--[The camera obscura.]-- which pleased me mightily. +Thence with Povy home to my house, and there late settling accounts with +him, which was very troublesome to me, and he gone, found Mr. Hill below, +who sat with me till late talking, and so away, and we to bed. + + + +22nd. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning. At noon home to +dinner and thence by coach with my wife for ayre principally for her. +I alone stopped at Hales's and there mightily am pleased with my wife's +picture that is begun there, and with Mr. Hill's, though I must [owne] I +am not more pleased with it now the face is finished than I was when I +saw it the second time of sitting. Thence to my Lord Sandwich's, but he +not within, but goes to-morrow. My wife to Mrs. Hunt's, who is lately +come to towne and grown mighty fat. I called her there, and so home and +late at the office, and so home to supper and to bed. We are much +troubled that the sicknesse 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. Up betimes, and out of doors by 6 of the clock, and walked (W. +Howe with me) 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. I had much +discourse with my Lord, he telling me how fully he leaves the King his +friend and the large discourse he had with him the other day, and how he +desired to have the business of the prizes examined before he went, and +that he yielded to it, and it is done as far as it concerns himself to +the full, and the Lords Commissioners for prizes did reprehend all the +informers in what related to his Lordship, which I am glad of in many +respects. But we could not make an end of discourse, so I promised to +waite upon [him] on Sunday at Cranborne, and took leave and away hence to +Mr. Hales's with Mr. Hill and two of the Houblons, who come thither to +speak with me, and saw my wife's picture, which pleases me well, but Mr. +Hill's picture never a whit so well as it did before it was finished, +which troubled me, and I begin to doubt the picture of my Lady Peters my +wife takes her posture from, and which is an excellent picture, is not of +his making, it is so master-like. I set them down at the 'Change and I +home to the office, and at noon dined at home and to the office again. +Anon comes Mrs. Knipp to see my wife, who is gone out, so I fain to +entertain her, and took her out by coach to look my wife at Mrs. Pierce's +and Unthanke's, but find her not. So back again, and then my wife comes +home, having been buying of things, and at home 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. So I supped, and was merry at home all +the evening, and the rather it being my birthday, 33 years, for which God +be praised that I am in so good a condition of healthe and estate, and +every thing else as I am, beyond expectation, in all. So she to Mrs. +Turner's to lie, and we to bed. Mightily pleased to find myself in +condition to have these people come about me and to be able to entertain +them, and have the pleasure of their qualities, than which no man can +have more in the world. + + + +24th. All the morning at the office till past three o'clock. At that +houre home and eat a bit alone, my wife being gone out. So abroad by +coach with Mr. Hill, who staid for me to speake about business, and he +and I to Hales's, where I find my wife and her woman, and Pierce and +Knipp, and there sung and was mighty merry, and I joyed myself in it; but +vexed at first to find my wife's picture not so like as I expected; but +it was only his having finished one part, and not another, of the face; +but, before I went, I was satisfied it will be an excellent picture. +Here we had ale and cakes and mighty merry, and sung my song, which she +[Knipp] now sings bravely, and makes me proud of myself. Thence left my +wife to go home with Mrs. Pierce, while I home to the office, and there +pretty late, and to bed, after fitting myself for +to-morrow's journey. + + + +25th (Lord's day). My wife up between three and four of the clock in the +morning to dress herself, and I about five, and were all ready to take +coach, she and I and Mercer, a little. past five, but, to our trouble, +the coach did not come till six. Then with our coach of four horses I +hire on purpose, and Leshmore to ride by, we through the City to Branford +and so to Windsor, Captain Ferrers overtaking us at Kensington, being to +go with us, and here drank, and so through, making no stay, to Cranborne, +about eleven o'clock, and found my Lord 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, Sir Charles Herbert, and Mr. Carteret, my Lady Carteret, +my Lady Jemimah, and Lady Slaning. After dinner to talk to and again, +and then to walke in the Parke, my Lord and I alone, talking upon these +heads; first, he has left his business of the prizes as well as is +possible for him, having cleared himself before the Commissioners by the +King's commands, so that nothing or little is to be feared from that +point, he goes fully assured, he tells me, of the King's favour. That +upon occasion I may know, I desired to know, his friends I may trust to, +he tells me, but that he is not yet in England, but continues this summer +in Ireland, my Lord Orrery is his father almost in affection. He tells +me my Lord of Suffolke, 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 tells me my Lord Chancellor +seems his very good friend, but doubts that he may not think him so much +a servant of the Duke of Yorke's as he would have him, and indeed my Lord +tells me he hath lately made it his business to be seen studious of the +King's favour, and not of the Duke's, and by the King will stand or fall, +for factions there are, as he tells me, and God knows how high they may +come. The Duke of Albemarle's post is so great, having had the name of +bringing in the King, that he is like to stand, or, if it were not for +him, God knows in what troubles we might be from some private faction, +if an army could be got into another hand, which God forbid! It is +believed that though Mr. Coventry be in appearance so great against the +Chancellor, yet that there is a good understanding between the Duke and +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 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 it sold to France, +saying the King of Spayne 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 this Parliament. He told me it would not +be necessary for him to tell me his debts, because he thinks I know them +so well. He tells me, that for the match propounded of Mrs. Mallett for +my Lord Hinchingbroke, it hath been lately off, and now her friends bring +it on again, and an overture hath been made to him by a servant of hers, +to compass the thing without consent of friends, she herself having a +respect to my Lord's family, but my Lord will not listen to it but in a +way of honour. The Duke hath for this weeke or two been very kind to +him, more than lately; and so others, which he thinks is a good sign of +faire weather again. He says the Archbishopp of Canterbury hath been +very kind to him, and hath plainly said to him that he and all the world +knows the difference between his judgment and brains and the Duke of +Albemarle's, and then calls my Lady Duchesse the veryest slut and drudge +and the foulest worde that can be spoke of a woman almost. My Lord +having walked an houre with me talking thus and going in, and my Lady +Carteret not suffering me to go back again to-night, my Lord to walke +again with me about some of this and other discourse, and then in a-doors +and to talke with all and with my Lady Carteret, and I with the young +ladies and gentle men, 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; at this late 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. Then +I in, and my wife up and to visit my Lady Slaving in her bed, and there +sat three hours, with Lady Jemimah with us, talking and laughing, and by +and by my Lady Carteret comes, and she and I to talke, I glad to please +her in discourse of Sir G. Carteret, that all will do well with him, and +she is much pleased, he having had great annoyance and fears about his +well doing, and I fear hath doubted that I have not been a friend to him, +but cries out against my Lady Castlemaine, that makes the King neglect +his business and seems much to fear that all will go to wracke, and I +fear with great reason; exclaims against the Duke of Albemarle, and more +the Duchesse for a filthy woman, as indeed she is. Here staid till 9 +o'clock almost, and then took coach with so much love and kindnesse from +my Lady Carteret, Lady Jemimah, and Lady Slaving, that it joys my heart, +and when I consider the manner of my going hither, with a coach and four +horses and servants and a woman with us, and coming hither being so much +made of, and used with that state, and then going to Windsor and being +shewn all that we were there, and had wherewith to give every body +something for their pains, and then going home, and all in fine weather +and no fears nor cares upon me, I do thinke myself obliged to thinke +myself happy, and do look upon myself at this time in the happiest +occasion a man can be, and whereas we take pains in expectation of future +comfort and ease, I have taught myself to reflect upon myself at present +as happy, and enjoy myself in that consideration, and not only please +myself with thoughts of future wealth and forget the pleasure we at +present enjoy. So took coach and to Windsor, to the Garter, and thither +sent for Dr. Childe; who come to us, and carried us to St. George's +Chappell; 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 particularly, to the +Alter. After prayers, we to see the plate of the chappell, and the robes +of Knights, and a man to shew 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 shewn where the late [King] is buried, and +King Henry the Eighth, and my Lady [Jane] 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. Infinitely satisfied I and my wife with all this, +she being in all points mightily pleased too, which added to my pleasure; +and so giving a great deal of money to this and that man and woman, we to +our taverne, and there dined, the Doctor with us; and so took coach and +away to Eton, the Doctor with me. Before we went to Chappell this +morning, Kate Joyce, in a stage-coach going toward London, called to me. +I went to her and saluted her, but could not get her to stay with us, +having company. 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 struts of the window when they +go to Cambridge, by which many a one hath lived to see himself Provost +and Fellow, that had 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 ones they were, and +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 given, 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 chappell, and there saw, +among other things, Sir H. Wotton's stone with this Epitaph + + Hic facet 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. Thence took leave of the Doctor, +and so took coach, and finely, but sleepy, away home, and got thither +about eight at night, and after a little at my office, I to bed; and an +houre after, was waked with my wife's quarrelling with Mercer, at which I +was angry, and my wife and I fell out. But with much ado to sleep again, +I beginning to practise more temper, and to give her her way. + + + +27th. Up, and after a harsh word or two my wife and I good friends, and +so up and to the office, where all the morning. At noon late to dinner, +my wife gone out to Hales's about her picture, and, after dinner, I after +her, and do mightily like her picture, and think it will be as good as my +Lady Peters's. So home mightily pleased, and there late at business and +set down my three last days' journalls, and so to bed, overjoyed to +thinke of the pleasure of the last Sunday and yesterday, and my ability +to bear the charge of these pleasures, and with profit too, by obliging +my Lord, and reconciling Sir George Carteret's family. + + + +28th (Ash Wednesday). Up, and after doing a little business at my office +I walked, it being a most curious dry and cold morning, to White Hall, +and there I went into the Parke, and meeting Sir Ph. Warwicke took a +turne with him in the Pell Mall, talking of the melancholy posture of +affairs, where every body is snarling one at another, and all things put +together looke ominously. This new Act too putting us out of a power of +raising money. So that he fears as I do, but is fearfull of enlarging in +that discourse of an ill condition in every thing, and the State and all. +We appointed another time to meet to talke of the business of the Navy +alone seriously, and so parted, and I to White Hall, and there we did our +business with the Duke of Yorke, and so parted, and walked to Westminster +Hall, where I staid talking with Mrs. Michell and Howlett long and her +daughter, which is become a mighty pretty woman, and thence going out of +the Hall was called to by Mrs. Martin, so I went to her and bought two +bands, and so parted, and by and by met at her chamber, and there did +what I would, and so away home and there find Mrs. Knipp, and we dined +together, she the pleasantest company in the world. After dinner I did +give my wife money to lay out on Knipp, 20s., and I abroad to White Hall +to visit Colonell Norwood, and then Sir G. Carteret, with whom I have +brought myself right again, and he very open to me; is very melancholy, +and matters, I fear, go down with him, but he seems most afeard of a +general catastrophe to the whole kingdom, and thinks, as I fear, that all +things will come to nothing. Thence to the Palace Yard, to the Swan, and +there staid till it was dark, and then to Mrs. Lane's, and there lent her +L5 upon L4 01s. in gold. And then did what I would with her, and I +perceive she is come to be very bad, and offers any thing, that it is +dangerous to have to do with her, nor will I see [her] any more a good +while. Thence by coach home and to the office, where a while, and then +betimes to bed by ten o'clock, sooner than I have done many a day. And +thus ends this month, with my mind full of resolution to apply myself +better from this time forward to my business than I have done these six +or eight days, visibly to my prejudice both in quiett of mind and setting +backward of my business, that I cannot give a good account of it as I +ought to do. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +After a harsh word or two my wife and I good friends +By and by met at her chamber, and there did what I would +Did drink of the College beer, which is very good +Got her upon my knee (the coach being full) and played with her +Lady Duchesse the veryest slut and drudge +Last act of friendship in telling me of my faults also +Scotch song of "Barbary Allen" +Tooth-ake made him no company, and spoilt ours +Wherewith to give every body something for their pains +Who must except against every thing and remedy nothing + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v47 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + + THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S. + + CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY + + TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY +MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW + AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE + + (Unabridged) + + WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES + + EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY + + HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + MARCH & APRIL + 1665-1666 + + +March 1st. Up, and to the office and there all the morning sitting and +at noon to dinner with my Lord Bruncker, Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen at +the White Horse in Lumbard Streete, where, God forgive us! good sport +with Captain Cocke's having his mayde sicke of the plague a day or two +ago and sent to the pest house, where she now is, but he will not say +anything but that she is well. But blessed be God! a good Bill this +week we have; being but 237 in all, and 42 of the plague, and of them but +six in the City: though my Lord Bruneker says, that these six are most of +them in new parishes where they were not the last week. Here was with us +also Mr. Williamson, who the more I know, the more I honour. Hence I +slipt after dinner without notice home and there close to my business at +my office till twelve at night, having with great comfort returned to my +business by some fresh vowes in addition to my former, and-more severe, +and a great joy it is to me to see myself in a good disposition to +business. So home to supper and to my Journall and to bed. + + + +2nd. Up, as I have of late resolved before 7 in the morning and to the +office, where all the morning, among other things setting my wife and +Mercer with much pleasure to worke upon the ruling of some paper for the +making of books for pursers, which will require a great deale of worke +and they will earn a good deale of money by it, the hopes of which makes +them worke mighty hard. At noon dined and to the office again, and about +4 o'clock took coach and to my Lord Treasurer's and thence to Sir Philip +Warwicke's new house by appointment, there to spend an houre in talking +and we were together above an hour, and very good discourse about the +state of the King as to money, and particularly in the point of the Navy. +He endeavours hard to come to a good understanding of Sir G. Carteret's +accounts, and by his discourse I find Sir G. Carteret must be brought to +it, and what a madman he is that he do not do it of himself, for the King +expects the Parliament will call upon him for his promise of giving an +account of the money, and he will be ready for it, which cannot be, I am +sure, without Sir G. Carteret's accounts be better understood than they +are. He seems to have a great esteem of me and my opinion and thoughts +of things. After we had spent an houre thus discoursing and vexed that +we do but grope so in the darke as we do, because the people, that should +enlighten us, do not helpe us, we resolved fitting some things for +another meeting, and so broke up. He shewed me his house, which is yet +all unhung, but will be a very noble house indeed. Thence by coach +calling at my bookseller's and carried home L10 worth of books, all, I +hope, I shall buy a great while. There by appointment find Mr. Hill come +to sup and take his last leave of me, and by and by in comes Mr. James +Houbland to bear us company, a man I love mightily, and will not lose his +acquaintance. He told me in my eare this night what he and his brothers +have resolved to give me, which is L200, for helping them out with two or +three ships. A good sum and that which I did believe they would give me, +and I did expect little less. Here we talked and very good company till +late, and then took leave of one another, and indeed I am heartily sorry +for Mr. Hill's leaving us, for he is a very worthy gentleman, as most I +know. God give him a good voyage and successe in his business. Thus we +parted and my wife and I to bed, heavy for the losse of our friend. + + + +3rd. All the morning at the office, at noon to the Old James, being sent +for, and there dined with Sir William Rider, Cutler, and others, to make +an end with two Scots Maisters about the freight of two ships of my Lord +Rutherford's. After a small dinner and a little discourse I away to the +Crowne behind the Exchange to Sir W. Pen, Captain Cocke and Fen, about +getting a bill of Cocke's paid to Pen, in part for the East India goods +he sold us. Here Sir W. Pen did give me the reason in my eare of his +importunity for money, for that he is now to marry his daughter. God +send her better fortune than her father deserves I should wish him for a +false rogue. Thence by coach 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. Thence home +and late at the office, and then to bed. + + + +4th (Lord's day). And all day at my Tangier and private accounts, having +neglected them since Christmas, which I hope I shall never do again; for +I find the inconvenience of it, it being ten times the labour to remember +and settle things. But I thank God I did it at last, and brought them +all fine and right; and I am, I thinke, by all appears to me (and I am +sure I cannot be L10 wrong), worth above L4600, for which the Lord be +praised! being the biggest sum I ever was worth yet. + + + +5th. I was at it till past two o'clock on Monday morning, and then read +my vowes, and to bed with great joy and content that I have brought my +things to so good a settlement, and now having my mind fixed to follow my +business again and sensible of Sir W. Coventry's jealousies, I doubt, +concerning me, partly my siding with Sir G. Carteret, and partly that +indeed I have been silent in my business of the office a great while, and +given but little account of myself and least of all to him, having not +made him one visitt since he came to towne from Oxford, I am resolved to +fall hard to it again, and fetch up the time and interest I have lost or +am in a fair way of doing it. Up about eight o'clock, being called up by +several people, among others by Mr. Moone, with whom I went to Lumbard +Streete to Colvill, and so back again and in my chamber he and I did end +all our businesses together of accounts for money upon bills of Exchange, +and am pleased to find myself reputed a man of business and method, as he +do give me out to be. To the 'Change at noon and so home to dinner. +Newes for certain of the King of Denmarke's declaring for the Dutch, and +resolution to assist them. To the office, and there all the afternoon. +In the evening come Mr. James and brother Houblons to agree upon share +parties for their ships, and did acquaint me that they had paid my +messenger, whom I sent this afternoon for it, L200 for my friendship in +the business, which pleases me mightily. They being gone I forth late to +Sir H. Viner's to take a receipt of them for the L200 lodged for me there +with them, and so back home, and after supper to bed. + + + +6th. Up betimes and did much business before office time. Then to the +office and there till noon and so home to dinner and to the office again +till night. In the evening being at Sir W. Batten's, stepped in (for I +have not used to go thither a good while), I find my Lord Bruncker 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). There being also Captain Cocke and Mrs. Turner, who had never been +in my house since I come to the office before, and Mrs. Carcasse, wife of +Mr. Carcasses. My house happened to be mighty clean, and did me great +honour, and they mightily pleased with it. They gone I to the office and +did some business, and then home to supper and to bed. My mind troubled +through a doubtfulness of my having incurred Sir W. Coventry's +displeasure by not having waited on him since his coming to towne, which +is a mighty faulte and that I can bear the fear of the bad effects of +till I have been with him, which shall be to-morrow, God willing. So to +bed. + + + +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 and had as +good a time as heart could wish, and after an houre in his chamber about +publique business he and I walked up, and the Duke being gone abroad we +walked an houre 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 kindnesse +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 differences with my Lord Sandwich and Sir +G. Carteret; but I am satisfied throughly, 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. Thence by coach +to the Temple, and it being a holyday, a fast-day, there 'light, and took +water, being invited, and down to Greenwich, to Captain Cocke's, where +dined, he and Lord Bruncker, and Matt. Wren, Boltele, and Major Cooper, +who is also a very pretty companion; but they all drink hard, and, after +dinner, to gaming at cards. So I provoked my Lord to be gone, and he and +I to Mr. Cottle's and met Mrs. Williams (without whom he cannot stir out +of doors) and there took coach and away home. They carry me to London +and set me down at the Temple, where my mind changed and I home, and to +writing and heare my boy play on the lute, and a turne with my wife +pleasantly in the garden by moonshine, my heart being in great peace, and +so home to supper and to bed. 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. + + + +8th. Up betimes and to the office, where all the morning sitting and did +discover three or four fresh instances of Sir W. Pen's old cheating +dissembling tricks, he being as false a fellow as ever was born. Thence +with Sir. W. Batten and Lord Bruncker to the White Horse in Lumbard +Streete to dine with Captain Cocke, upon particular business of canvas to +buy for the King, and here by chance I saw the mistresse of the house I +have heard much of, and a very pretty woman she is indeed and her husband +the simplest looked fellow and old that ever I saw. After dinner I took +coach and away to Hales's, where my wife is sitting; and, indeed, her +face and necke, which are now finished, do so please me that I am not +myself almost, nor was not all the night after in writing of my letters, +in consideration of the fine picture that I shall be master of. Thence +home and to the office, where very late, and so home to supper and to +bed. + + + +9th. Up, and being ready, to the Cockpitt to make a visit to the Duke of +Albemarle, and to my great joy find him the same man to me that [he has +been] 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 am in mighty ease in my mind and I think shall never suffer +matters to run so far backward again as I have done of late, with +reference to my neglecting him and Sir W. Coventry. Thence by water down +to Deptford, where I met my Lord Bruncker and Sir W. Batten by agreement, +and to measuring Mr. Castle's new third-rate ship, which is to be called +the Defyance. + + [William Castell wrote to the Navy Commissioners on February 17th, + 1665-66, to inform them that the "Defiance" had gone to Longreach, + and again, on February 22nd, to say that Mr. Grey had no masts large + enough for the new ship. Sir William Batten on March 29th asked for + the consent of the Board to bring the "Defiance" into dock (" + Calendar of State Papers," Domestic, 1665-66, pp. 252, 262, 324).] + +And here I had my end in saving the King some money and getting myself +some experience in knowing how they do measure ships. Thence I left them +and walked to Redriffe, and there taking water was overtaken by them in +their boat, and so they would have me in with them to Castle's house, +where my Lady Batten and Madam Williams were, and there dined and a deale +of doings. I had a good dinner and counterfeit mirthe and pleasure with +them, but had but little, thinking how I neglected my business. Anon, +all home to Sir W. Batten's and there Mrs. Knipp coming we did spend the +evening together very merry. She and I singing, and, God forgive me! I +do still see that my nature is not to be quite conquered, but will esteem +pleasure above all things, though yet in the middle of it, it has +reluctances after my business, which is neglected by my following my +pleasure. However musique and women I cannot but give way to, whatever +my business is. They being gone I to the office a while and so home to +supper and to bed. + + + +10th. Up, and to the office, and there busy sitting till noon. I find +at home Mrs. Pierce and Knipp come to dine with me. We were mighty +merry; and, after dinner, I carried them and my wife out by coach to the +New Exchange, and there I did give my valentine, Mrs. Pierce, a dozen +payre of gloves, and a payre of silke stockings, and Knipp for company's +sake, though my wife had, by my consent, laid out 20s. upon her the other +day, six payre of gloves. Thence to Hales's to have seen our pictures, +but could not get in, he being abroad, and so to the Cakehouse hard by, +and there sat in the coach with great pleasure, and eat some fine cakes +and so carried them to Pierces and away home. It is a mighty fine witty +boy, Mrs. Pierces little boy. Thence home and to the office, where late +writing letters and leaving a great deale to do on Monday, I home to +supper and to bed. 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 with any pleasure. + + + +11th (Lord's day). Up, and by water to White Hall, there met +Mr. Coventry coming out, going along with the Commissioners of the +Ordnance to the water side to take barge, they being to go down to the +Hope. I returned with them as far as the Tower in their barge speaking +with Sir W. Coventry and so home and to church, and at noon dined and +then to my chamber, where with great pleasure about one business or other +till late, and so to supper and to bed. + + + +12th. Up betimes, and called on by abundance of people about business, +and then away by water to Westminster, and there to the Exchequer about +some business, and thence by coach calling at several places, to the Old +Exchange, and there did much business, and so homeward and bought a +silver salt for my ordinary table to use, and so home to dinner, and +after dinner comes my uncle and aunt Wight, the latter I have not seen +since the plague; a silly, froward, ugly woman she is. We made mighty +much of them, and she talks mightily of her fear of the sicknesse, and so +a deale of tittle tattle and I left them and to my office where late, and +so home to supper and to bed. This day I hear my Uncle Talbot Pepys died +the last week, and was buried. All the news now is, that Sir Jeremy +Smith is at Cales--[Cadiz]--with his fleete, and Mings in the Elve.-- +[Elbe]--The King is come this noon to towne from Audly End, with the +Duke of Yorke and a fine train of gentlemen. + + + +13th. Up betimes, and to the office, where busy sitting all the morning, +and I begin to find a little convenience by holding up my head to Sir W. +Pen, for he is come to be more supple. At noon to dinner, and then to +the office again, where mighty business, doing a great deale till +midnight and then home to supper and to bed. The plague encreased this +week 29 from 28, though the total fallen from 238 to 207, which do never +a whit please me. + + + +14th. Up, and met by 6 o'clock in my chamber Mr. Povy (from White Hall) +about evening reckonings between him and me, on our Tangier business, and +at it hard till toward eight o'clock, and he then carried me in his +chariot to White Hall, where by and by my fellow officers met me, and we +had a meeting before the Duke. Thence with my Lord Bruncker 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, giving this reason, that he has been +inconvenienced by being too free in discourse till he knew who all the +company were. 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, the Chamberlain of the City (a man I have much heard of for his +credit and punctuality in the City, and on that score I had a desire to +be made known to him), about the credit of our tallys, which are lodged +there for security to such as should lend money thereon to the use of the +Navy. And I had great satisfaction therein: and the truth is, I find all +our matters of credit to be in an ill condition. Thence, I being in a +little haste walked before and to the 'Change a little and then home, and +presently to Trinity house to dinner, where Captain Cox made his Elder +Brother's dinner. But it seemed to me a very poor sorry dinner. I +having many things in my head rose, when my belly was full, though the +dinner not half done, and home and there to do some business, and by and +by out of doors and met Mr. Povy coming to me by appointment, but it +being a little too late, I took a little pride in the streete not to go +back with him, but prayed him to come another time, and I away to Kate +Joyce's, thinking to have spoke to her husband about Pall's business, but +a stranger, the Welsh Dr. Powell, being there I forebore and went away +and so to Hales's, to see my wife's picture, which I like mighty well, +and there had the pleasure to see how suddenly he draws the Heavens, +laying a darke ground and then lightening it when and where he will. +Thence 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, and thence, +it growing dark, took two or three wanton turns about the idle places and +lanes about Drury Lane, but to no satisfaction, but a great fear of the +plague among them, and so anon I walked by invitation to Mrs. Pierces, +where I find much good company, that is to say, Mrs. Pierce, my wife, +Mrs. Worshipp and her daughter, and Harris the player, and Knipp, and +Mercer, and Mrs. Barbary Sheldon, who is come this day to spend a weeke +with my wife; and here with musique we danced, and sung and supped, and +then to sing and dance till past one in the morning; and much mirthe with +Sir Anthony Apsley and one Colonell Sidney, who lodge in the house; and +above all, they are mightily taken with Mrs. Knipp. Hence weary and +sleepy we broke up, and I and my company homeward by coach and to bed. + + + +15th. Lay till it was full time to rise, it being eight o'clock, and so +to the office and there sat till almost three o'clock and then to dinner, +and after dinner (my wife and Mercer and Mrs. Barbary being gone to +Hales's before), I and my cozen Anthony Joyce, who come on purpose to +dinner with me, and he and I to discourse of our proposition of marriage +between Pall and Harman, and upon discourse he and I to Harman's house +and took him to a taverne hard by, and we to discourse of our business, +and I offered L500, and he declares most ingenuously that his trade is +not to be trusted on, that he however needs no money, but would have her +money bestowed on her, which I like well, he saying that he would +adventure 2 or L300 with her. I like him as a most good-natured, and +discreet man, and, I believe, very cunning. We come to this conclusion +for us to meete one another the next weeke, and then we hope to come to +some end, for I did declare myself well satisfied with the match. Thence +to Hales's, 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 L14, and the truth is, I think he do deserve +it. Thence toward London and home, and I to the office, where I did +much, and betimes to bed, having had of late so little sleep, and there +slept + + + +16th. Till 7 this morning. Up and all the morning about the +Victualler's business, passing his account. At noon to the 'Change, and +did several businesses, and thence to the Crowne behind the 'Change and +dined with my Lord Bruncker and Captain Cocke and Fenn, and Madam +Williams, who without question must be my Lord's wife, and else she could +not follow him wherever he goes and kisse and use him publiquely as she +do. Thence to the office, where Sir W. Pen and I made an end of the +Victualler's business, and thence abroad about several businesses, and so +in the evening back again, and anon called on by Mr. Povy, and he and I +staid together in my chamber till 12 at night ending our reckonings and +giving him tallys for all I was to pay him and so parted, and I to make +good my Journall for two or three days, and begun it till I come to the +other side, where I have scratched so much, for, for want of sleep, I +begun to write idle and from the purpose. So forced to breake off, and +to bed.--[There are several erasures in the original MS.] + + + +17th. Up, and to finish my Journall, which I had not sense enough the +last night to make an end of, and thence to the office, where very busy +all the morning. At noon home to dinner and presently with my wife out +to Hales's, where I am still infinitely pleased with my wife's picture. +I paid him L14 for it, and 25s. for the frame, and I think it is not a +whit too deare for so good a picture. It is not yet quite finished and +dry, so as to be fit to bring home yet. This day I begun 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. Thence home and to the office, and so home having a great cold, +and so my wife and Mrs. Barbary have very great ones, we are at a loss +how we all come by it together, so to bed, drinking butter-ale. This day +my W. Hewer comes from Portsmouth and gives me an instance of another +piece of knavery of Sir W. Pen, who wrote to Commissioner Middleton, that +it was my negligence the other day he was not acquainted, as the board +directed, with our clerks coming down to the pay. But I need no new +arguments to teach me that he is a false rogue to me and all the world +besides. + + + +18th (Lord's day). Up and my cold better, so to church, and then home to +dinner, and so walked out to St. James's Church, thinking to have seen +faire Mrs. Butler, but could not, she not being there, nor, I believe, +lives thereabouts now. So walked to Westminster, very fine fair dry +weather, but all cry out for lack of rain. To Herbert's and drank, and +thence to Mrs. Martin's, and did what I would with her; her husband going +for some wine for us. The poor man I do think would take pains if I can +get him a purser's place, which I will endeavour. She tells me as a +secret that Betty Howlet of the Hall, my little sweetheart, that I used +to call my second wife, is married to a younger son of Mr. Michell's (his +elder brother, who should have had her, being dead this plague), at which +I am glad, and that they are to live nearer me in Thames Streete, by the +Old Swan. Thence by coach home and to my chamber about some accounts, +and so to bed. Sir Christopher Mings is come home from Hambro without +anything done, saving bringing home some pipestaves for us. + + + +19th. Up betimes and upon a meeting extraordinary at the office most of +the morning with Lord Bruncker, Sir W. Coventry, and Sir W. Pen, upon the +business of the accounts. Where now we have got almost as much as we +would have we begin to lay all on the Controller, and I fear he will be +run down with it, for he is every day less and less capable of doing +business. Thence with my Lord Bruncker, Sir W. Coventry to the ticket +office, to see in what little order things are there, and there it is a +shame to see how the King is served. Thence to the Chamberlain of +London, and satisfy ourselves more particularly how much credit we have +there, which proves very little. Thence to Sir Robert Long's, absent. +About much the same business, but have not the satisfaction we would have +there neither. So Sir W. Coventry parted, and my Lord and I to Mrs. +Williams's, and there I saw her closett, where indeed a great many fine +things there are, but the woman I hate. Here we dined, and Sir J. Minnes +come to us, and 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 hobbyhorse, there a crown, would make a man split himself to +see with laughing; and particularly Lacy's wardrobe, and Shotrell's. But +then again, to think how fine they show on the stage by candle-light, and +how poor things they are to look now too near hand, is not pleasant at +all. The machines are fine, and the paintings very pretty. Thence +mightily satisfied in my curiosity I away with my Lord to see him at her +house again, and so take leave and by coach home and to the office, and +thence sent for to Sir G. Carteret by and by to the Broad Streete, where +he and I walked two or three hours till it was quite darke in his gallery +talking of his affairs, wherein I assure him all will do well, and did +give him (with great liberty, which he accepted kindly) my advice to deny +the Board nothing they would aske about his accounts, but rather call +upon them to know whether there was anything more they desired, or was +wanting. But our great discourse and serious reflections was upon the +bad state of the kingdom in general, through want of money and good +conduct, which we fear will undo all. Thence mightily satisfied with +this good fortune of this discourse with him I home, and there walked in +the darke till 10 o'clock at night in the garden 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 giving us up to the Parliament's +pleasure as easily, for we deserve it as much. Besides, Sir G. Carteret +did tell me tonight how my Lord Bruncker himself, 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 owne single place there, +which much troubles me, and shall yet provoke me to more and more care +and diligence than ever. Thence home to supper, where I find my wife and +Mrs. Barbary with great colds, as I also at this time have. This day by +letter from my father he propounds a match in the country for Pall, which +pleased me well, of one that hath seven score and odd pounds land per +annum in possession, and expects L1000 in money by the death of an old +aunt. He hath neither father, mother, sister, nor brother, but demands +L600 down, and L100 on the birth of first child, which I had some +inclination to stretch to. He is kinsman to, and lives with, Mr. +Phillips, but my wife tells me he is a drunken, ill-favoured, ill-bred +country fellow, which sets me off of it again, and I will go on with +Harman. So after supper to bed. + + + +20th. Up and to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon dined +in haste, and so my wife, Mrs. Barbary, Mercer, and I by coach to +Hales's, where I find my wife's picture now perfectly finished in all +respects, and a beautiful picture it is, as almost I ever saw. I sat +again, and had a great deale done, but, whatever the matter is, I do not +fancy that it has the ayre of my face, though it will be a very fine +picture. Thence home and to my business, being post night, and so home +to supper and to, bed. + + + +21st. Up betimes, and first by coach to my Lord Generall to visitt him, +and then to the Duke of Yorke, where we all met and did our usual +business with him; but, Lord! how everything is yielded to presently, +even by Sir W. Coventry, that is propounded by the Duke, as now to have +Troutbecke, his old surgeon, and intended to go Surgeon-General of the +fleete, to go Physician-General of the fleete, of which there never was +any precedent in the world, and he for that to have L20 per month. +Thence with Lord Bruncker to Sir Robert Long, whom we found in his +closett, and after some discourse of business he fell to discourse at +large and pleasant, and among other things 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. Thence I to the Excise Office behind the +'Change, and there find our business of our tallys in great disorder as +to payment, and thereupon do take a resolution of thinking how to remedy +it, as soon as I can. Thence home, and there met Sir W. Warren, and +after I had eat a bit of victuals (he staying in the office) he and I to +White Hall. He to look after the business of the prize ships which we +are endeavouring to buy, and hope to get money by them. So I to London +by coach and to Gresham College, where I staid half an houre, and so away +home to my office, and there walking late alone in the darke in the +garden 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 seaman. 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, he had done his duty therein, and so left it to them, +whether they would let so many ships go for masts or not: Here he and I +talked of 1,000 businesses, all profitable discourse, and late parted, +and I home to supper and to bed, troubled a little at a letter from my +father, telling me how [he] is like to be sued for a debt of Tom's, by +Smith, the mercer. + + + +22nd. Up, and to the office all the morning. At noon my wife being gone +to her father's I dined with Sir W. Batten, he inviting me. After dinner +to my office close, and did very much business, and so late home to +supper and to bed. The plague increased four this week, which troubles +me, though but one in the whole. + + + +23rd. Up, and going out of my dressing-room, when ready to go down +stairs, I spied little Mrs. Tooker, my pretty little girle, which, it +seems, did come yesterday to our house to stay a little while with us, +but I did not know of it till now. I was glad of her coming, she being a +very pretty child, and now grown almost a woman. I out by six o'clock by +appointment to Hales's, where we fell to my picture presently very hard, +and it comes on a very fine picture, and very merry, pleasant discourse +we had all the morning while he was painting. Anon comes my wife and +Mercer and little Tooker, and having done with me we all to a picture +drawer's hard by, Hales carrying me to see some landskipps of a man's +doing. But I do not [like] any of them, save only a piece of fruit, +which indeed was very fine. Thence I to Westminster, to the Chequer, +about a little business, and then to the Swan, and there sent for a bit +of meat and dined; and after dinner had opportunity of being pleased with +Sarah; and so away to Westminster Hall, and there Mrs. Michell tells me +with great joy how little Betty Howlett is married to her young son +Michell, which is a pretty odd thing, that he should so soon succeed in +the match to his elder brother that died of the plague, and to the house +and trade intended for him, and more they say that the girle has +heretofore said that she did love this little one more than the other +brother that was intended her all along. I am mighty glad of this match, +and more that they are likely to live near me in Thames Streete, where I +may see Betty now and then, whom I from a girle did use to call my second +wife, and mighty pretty she is. Thence by coach to Anthony Joyce to +receive Harman's answer, which did trouble me to receive, for he now +demands L800, whereas he never made exception at the portion, but +accepted of L500. This I do not like; but, however, I cannot much blame +the man, if he thinks he can get more of another than of me. So home and +hard to my business at the office, where much business, and so home to +supper and to bed. + + + +24th. Up and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to +dinner, where Anthony Joyce, and I did give my final answer, I would give +but L500 with my sister, and did show him the good offer made us in the +country, to which I did now more and more incline, and intend to pursue +that. After dinner I to White Hall to a Committee for Tangier, where the +Duke of Yorke was, and I acquitted myself well in what I had to do. +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 there 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. So home, and to +the office, where late, and so to bed. + + + +25th (Lady day and Sunday). Up, and to my chamber in my gowne all the +morning about settling my papers there. At noon to dinner, where my +wife's brother, whom I sent for to offer making him a Muster-Master and +send to sea, which the poore man likes well of and will go, and it will +be a good preferment to him, only hazardous. I hope he will prove a good +discreet man. After dinner to my papers and Tangier accounts again till +supper, and after supper again to them, but by my mixing them, I know not +how, my private and publique accounts, it makes me mad to see how hard it +is to bring them to be understood, and my head is confounded, that though +I did sweare to sit up till one o'clock upon them, yet, I fear, it will +be to no purpose, for I cannot understand what I do or have been doing of +them to-day. + + + +26th. Up, and a meeting extraordinary there was of Sir W. Coventry, Lord +Bruncker, and myself, about the business of settling the ticket office, +where infinite room is left for abusing the King in the wages of seamen. +Our [meeting] being done, my Lord Bruncker and I to the Tower, to see the +famous engraver, to get him to grave a seale 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, and I will +carry my wife thither to shew them her. Here I also did see bars of gold +melting, which was a fine sight. So with my Lord to the Pope's Head +Taverne in Lumbard Streete to dine by appointment with Captain Taylor, +whither Sir W. Coventry come to us, and were mighty merry, and I find +reason to honour him every day more and more. Thence alone to Broade +Street to Sir G. Carteret by his desire to confer with him, who is I find +in great pain about the business of the office, and not a little, I +believe, in fear of falling there, Sir W. Coventry having so great a +pique against him, and herein I first learn an eminent instance how great +a man this day, that nobody would think could be shaken, is the next +overthrown, dashed out of countenance, and every small thing of +irregularity in his business taken notice of, where nobody the other day +durst cast an eye upon them, and next I see that he that the other day +nobody durst come near is now as supple as a spaniel, and sends and +speaks to me with great submission, and readily hears to advice. Thence +home to the office, where busy late, and so home a little to my accounts +publique and private, but could not get myself rightly to know how to +dispose of them in order to passing. + + + +27th. All the morning at the office busy. At noon dined at home, Mr. +Cooke, our old acquaintance at my Lord Sandwich's, come to see and dine +with me, but I quite out of humour, having many other and better things +to thinke of. Thence to the office to settle my people's worke and then +home to my publique accounts of Tangier, which it is strange by meddling +with evening reckonings with Mr. Povy lately how I myself am become +intangled therein, so that after all I could do, ready to breake my head +and brains, I thought of another way, though not so perfect, yet the only +one which this account is capable of. Upon this latter I sat up till +past two in the morning and then to bed. + + + +28th. Up, and with Creed, who come hither betimes to speake with me +about his accounts, to White Hall by water, mighty merry in discourse, +though I had been very little troubled with him, or did countenance it, +having now, blessed be God! a great deale of good business to mind to +better purpose than chatting with him. Waited on the Duke, after that +walked with Sir W. Clerke into St. James's Parke, and by and by met with +Mr. Hayes, Prince Rupert's Secretary, who are mighty, both, briske +blades, but I fear they promise themselves more than they expect. Thence +to the Cockpitt, and dined with a great deal of company at the Duke of +Albemarle's, and a bad and dirty, nasty dinner. So by coach to Hales's, +and there sat again, and it is become mighty like. Hither come my wife +and Mercer brought by Mrs. Pierce and Knipp, we were mighty merry and the +picture goes on the better for it. Thence set them down at Pierces, and +we home, where busy and at my chamber till 12 at night, and so to bed. +This night, I am told, the Queene of Portugall, the mother to our Queene, +is lately dead, and newes brought of it hither this day. + + [Donna Luiza, the Queen Regent of Portugal. She was daughter of the + Duke de Medina Sidonia and widow of Juan IV. The Court wore the + deepest mourning on this occasion. The ladies were directed to wear + their hair plain, and to appear without spots on their faces, the + disfiguring fashion of patching having just been introduced.-- + Strickland s Queens of England, vol. viii., p. 362.] + + + +29th. All the morning hard at the office. At noon dined and then out to +Lumbard Streete, to look after the getting of some money that is lodged +there of mine in Viner's hands, I having no mind to have it lie there +longer. So back again and to the office, where and at home about +publique and private business and accounts till past 12 at night, and so +to bed. This day, poor Jane, my old, little Jane, came to us again, to +my wife's and my great content, and we hope to take mighty pleasure in +her, she having all the marks and qualities of a good and loving and +honest servant, she coming by force away from the other place, where she +hath lived ever since she went from us, and at our desire, her late +mistresse having used all the stratagems she could to keepe her. + + + +30th. My wife and I mighty pleased with Jane's coming to us again. Up, +and away goes Alce, our cooke-mayde, a good servant, whom we loved and +did well by her, and she an excellent servant, but would not bear being +told of any faulte in the fewest and kindest words and would go away of +her owne accord, after having given her mistresse warning fickly for a +quarter of a yeare together. So we shall take another girle and make +little Jane our cook, at least, make a trial of it. Up, and after much +business I out to Lumbard Streete, and there received L2200 and brought +it home; and, contrary to expectation, received L35 for the use of L2000 +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 of my house, +and demandable at two days' warning, as this hath been. This morning Sir +W. Warren come to me a second time about having L2000 of me upon his +bills on the Act to enable him to pay for the ships he is buying, wherein +I shall have considerable profit. I am loth to do it, but yet speaking +with Colvill I do not see but I shall be able to do it and get money by +it too. Thence home and eat one mouthful, and so to Hales's, and there +sat till almost quite darke upon working my gowne, which I hired to be +drawn in; an Indian gowne, and I do see all the reason to expect a most +excellent picture of it. So home and to my private accounts in my +chamber till past one in the morning, and so to bed, with my head full of +thoughts for my evening of all my accounts tomorrow, the latter end of +the month, in which God give me good issue, for I never was in such a +confusion in my life and that in great sums. + + + +31st All the morning at the office busy. At noon to dinner, and thence +to the office and did my business there as soon as I could, and then home +and to my accounts, where very late at them, but, Lord! what a deale of +do I have to understand any part of them, and in short do what I could, +I could not come to any understanding of them, but after I had throughly +wearied myself, I was forced to go to bed and leave them much against my +will and vowe too, but I hope God will forgive me, for I have sat up +these four nights till past twelve at night to master them, but cannot. +Thus ends this month, with my head and mind mighty full and disquiett +because of my accounts, which I have let go too long, and confounded my +publique with my private that I cannot come to any liquidating of them. +However, I do see that I must be grown richer than I was by a good deale +last month. Busy also I am in thoughts for a husband for my sister, and +to that end my wife and I have determined that she shall presently go +into the country to my father and mother, and consider of a proffer made +them for her in the country, which, if she likes, shall go forward. + + + + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + APRIL + 1666 + + +April 1st (Lord's day). Up and abroad, and by coach 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. Much pleased with +this visit I to White Hall, where I met Sir G. Downing, and to discourse +with him an houre about the Exchequer payments upon the late Act, and +informed myself of him thoroughly in my safety in lending L2000 to Sir W. +Warren, upon an order of his upon the Exchequer for L2602 and I do +purpose to do it. Thence meeting Dr. Allen, the physician, he and I and +another walked in the Parke, a most pleasant warm day, and to the +Queene's chappell; where I do not so dislike the musique. Here I saw on +a post an invitation to all good Catholiques 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 physique, that they dare +not tell it her. At noon by coach home, and there by invitation met my +uncle and aunt Wight and their cozen Mary, and dined with me and very +merry. After dinner my uncle and I abroad by coach to White Hall, up and +down the house, and I did some business and thence with him and a +gentleman he met with to my Lord Chancellor's new house, and there viewed +it again and again and up to the top and I like it as well as ever and +think it a most noble house. So all up and down my Lord St. Albans his +new building and market-house, and the taverne under the market-house, +looking to and again into every place of building, and so away and took +coach and home, where to my accounts, and was at them till I could not +hold open my eyes, and so to bed. 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. + + + +2nd. Up, and to the office and thence with Mr. Gawden to Guildhall to +see the bills and tallys there in the chamber (and by the way in the +streete his new coach broke and we fain to take an old hackney). Thence +to the Exchequer again to inform myself of some other points in the new +Act in order to my lending Sir W. Warren L2000 upon an order of his upon +the Act, which they all encourage me to. There walking with Mr. Gawden +in Westminster Hall, he and I to talke from one business to another and +at last to the marriage of his daughter. He told me the story of Creed's +pretences to his daughter, and how he would not believe but she loved +him, while his daughter was in great passion on the other hand against +him. Thence to talke of his son Benjamin; and I propounded a match for +him, and at last named my sister, which he embraces heartily, and +speaking of the lowness of her portion, that it would be less than L1000, +he tells me if every thing else agrees, he will out of what he means to +give me yearly, make a portion for her shall cost me nothing more than I +intend freely. This did mightily rejoice me and full of it did go with +him to London to the 'Change; and there did much business and at the +Coffee-house with Sir W. Warren, who very wisely did shew me that my +matching my sister with Mr. Gawden would undo me in all my places, +everybody suspecting me in all I do; and I shall neither be able to serve +him, nor free myself from imputation of being of his faction, while I am +placed for his severest check. I was convinced that it would be for +neither of our interests to make this alliance, and so am quite off of it +again, but with great satisfaction in the motion. Thence to the Crowne +tavern behind the Exchange to meet with Cocke and Fenn and did so, and +dined with them, and after dinner had the intent of our meeting, which +was some private discourse with Fenn, telling him what I hear and think +of his business, which he takes very kindly and says he will look about +him. It was about his giving of ill language and answers to people that +come to him about money and some other particulars. This morning Mrs. +Barbary and little Mrs. Tooker went away homeward. Thence my wife by +coach calling me at White Hall to visit my Lady Carteret, and she was not +within. So to Westminster Hall, where I purposely tooke my wife well +dressed into the Hall to see and be seen; and, among others, [met] +Howlet's daughter, who is newly married, and is she I call wife, and one +I love mightily. So to Broad Streete and there met my Lady and Sir G. +Carteret, and sat and talked with them a good while and so home, and to +my accounts which I cannot get through with. But at it till I grew +drowsy, and so to bed mightily vexed that I can come to no better issue +in my accounts. + + + +3rd. Up, and Sir W. Warren with me betimes and signed a bond, and +assigned his order on the Exchequer to a blank for me to fill and I did +deliver him L1900. The truth is, it is a great venture to venture so +much on the Act, but thereby I hedge in L300 gift for my service about +some ships that he hath bought, prizes, and good interest besides, and +his bond to repay me the money at six weeks' warning. So to the office, +where busy all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and there my brother +Balty dined with me and my wife, who is become a good serious man, and I +hope to do him good being sending him a Muster-Master on one of the +squadrons of the fleete. After dinner and he gone I to my accounts hard +all the afternoon till it was quite darke, and I thank God I do come to +bring them very fairly to make me worth L5,000 stocke in the world, which +is a great mercy to me. Though I am a little troubled to find L50 +difference between the particular account I make to myself of my profits +and loss in each month and the account which I raise from my acquittances +and money which I have at the end of every month in my chest and other +men's hands. However I do well believe that I am effectually L5,000, the +greatest sum I ever was in my life yet, and this day I have as I have +said before agreed with Sir W. Warren and got of him L300 gift. At night +a while to the office and then home and supped and to my accounts again +till I was ready to sleepe, there being no pleasure to handle them, if +they are not kept in good order. So to bed. + + + +4th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen in his coach to White Hall, in his way +talking simply and fondly as he used to do, but I find myself to slight +him and his simple talke, I thank God, and that my condition will enable +me to do it. Thence, after doing our business with the Duke of Yorke, +with Captain Cocke home to the 'Change in his coach. He promises me +presently a dozen of silver salts, and proposes a business for which he +hath promised Mrs. Williams for my Lord Bruncker a set of plate shall +cost him L500 and me the like, which will be a good business indeed. +After done several businesses at the 'Change I home, and being washing +day dined upon cold meate, and so abroad by coach to Hales's, and there +sat till night, mightily pleased with my picture, which is now almost +finished. So by coach home, it being the fast day and to my chamber and +so after supper to bed, consulting how to send my wife into the country +to advise about Pall's marriage, which I much desire, and my father too, +and two or three offers are now in hand. + + + +5th. Up, and before office time to Lumbard Streete, and there at Viner's +was shewn the silver plates, made for Captain Cocke to present my Lord +Bruncker; and I chose a dozen of the same weight to be bespoke for +myself, which he told me yesterday he would give me on the same occasion. +To the office, where the falsenesse and impertinencies of Sir W. Pen +would make a man mad to think of. At noon would have avoided, but could +not, dining with my Lord Bruncker and his mistresse with Captain Cocke at +the Sun Taverne in Fish Streete, where a good dinner, but the woman do +tire me, and indeed how simply my Lord Bruncker, who is otherwise a wise +man, do proceed at the table in serving of Cocke, without any means of +understanding in his proposal, or defence when proposed, would make a man +think him a foole. After dinner home, where I find my wife hath on a +sudden, upon notice of a coach going away to-morrow, taken a resolution +of going in it to Brampton, we having lately thought it fit for her to go +to satisfy herself and me in the nature of the fellow that is there +proposed to my sister. So she to fit herself for her journey and I to +the office all the afternoon till late, and so home and late putting +notes to "It is decreed, nor shall thy fate, &c." and then to bed. 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. Up mighty betimes upon my wife's going this day toward Brampton. I +could not go to the coach with her, but W. Hewer did and hath leave from +me to go the whole day's journey with her. All the morning upon business +at the office, and at noon dined, and Mrs. Hunt coming lent her L5 on her +occasions and so carried her to Axe Yard end at Westminster and there +left her, a good and understanding woman, and her husband I perceive +thrives mightily in his business of the Excise. Thence to Mr. Hales and +there sat, and my picture almost finished, which by the word of Mr. and +Mrs. Pierce (who come in accidently) is mighty like, and I am sure I am +mightily pleased both in the thing and the posture. Thence with them +home a little, and so to White Hall and there met by agreement with Sir +Stephen Fox and Mr. Ashburnham, and discoursed the business of our Excise +tallys; the former being Treasurer of the guards, and the other Cofferer +of the King's household. I benefitted much by their discourse. We come +to no great conclusion upon our discourse, but parted, and I home, where +all things, methinks, melancholy in the absence of my wife. This day +great newes of the Swedes declaring for us against the Dutch, and, so far +as that, I believe it. After a little supper to bed. + + + +7th. Lay pretty long to-day, lying alone and thinking of several +businesses. So up to the office and there till noon. Thence with my +Lord Bruncker home by coach to Mrs. Williams's, where Bab. Allen and Dr. +Charleton dined. Bab and I sang and were mighty merry as we could be +there, where the rest of the company did not overplease. Thence took her +by coach to Hales's, and there find Mrs. Pierce and her boy and Mary. +She had done sitting the first time, and indeed her face is mighty like +at first dash. Thence took them to the cakehouse, and there called in +the coach for cakes and drank, and thence I carried them to my Lord +Chancellor's new house to shew them that, and all mightily pleased, +thence set each down at home, and so I home to the office, where about +ten of the clock W. Hewer comes to me to tell me that he has left my wife +well this morning at Bugden, which was great riding, and brings me a +letter from her. She is very well got thither, of which I am heartily +glad. After writing several letters, I home to supper and to bed. The +Parliament of which I was afraid of their calling us of the Navy to an +account of the expense of money and stores and wherein we were so little +ready to give them a good answer [will soon meet]. The Bishop of +Munster, every body says, is coming to peace with the Dutch, we having +not supplied him with the money promised him. + + + +8th (Lord's day). Up, and was in great trouble how to get a passage to +White Hall, it raining, and no coach to be had. So I walked to the Old +Swan, and there got a scull. To the Duke of Yorke, 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 newes of Tom Cheffin's death, the King's +closett-keeper. He was well last night as ever, flaying 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 nowadays, the plague, as we hear, encreasing every +where again. To the Chappell, but could not get in to hear well. But I +had the pleasure once in my life to see an Archbishop (this was of Yorke) +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 + + [Richard Cromwell subsequently returned to England, and resided in + strict privacy at Cheshunt for some years before his death in 1712] + +lives in France: spends about L500 per annum. Thence carried her home +again and then to Court and walked over to St. James's Chappell, thinking +to have heard a Jesuite preach, but come too late. So got a hackney and +home, and there to business. At night had Mercer comb my head and so to +supper, sing a psalm, and to bed. + + + +9th. Up betimes, and with my Joyner begun the making of the window in my +boy's chamber bigger, purposing it shall be a roome to eat and for having +musique in. To the office, where a meeting upon extraordinary business, +at noon to the 'Change about more, and then home with Creed and dined, +and then with him to the Committee of Tangier, where I got two or three +things done I had a mind to of convenience to me. Thence by coach to +Mrs. Pierce's, and with her and Knipp and Mrs. Pierce's boy and girle +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 sicknesse. So we with great affright turned back, being holden to +the gentleman; and went away (I for my part in great disorder) for +Kensington, and there I spent about 30s. upon the jades with great +pleasure, and we sang finely and staid till about eight at night, the +night coming on apace and so set them down at Pierce's, and so away home, +where awhile with Sir W. Warren about business, and then to bed, + + + +10th. Up betimes, and many people to me about business. To the office +and there sat till noon, and then home and dined, and to the office again +all the afternoon, where we sat all, the first time of our resolution to +sit both forenoons and afternoons. Much business at night and then home, +and though late did see some work done by the plasterer to my new window +in the boy's chamber plastered. Then to supper, and after having my head +combed by the little girle to bed. Bad news that the plague is decreased +in the general again and two increased in the sickness. + + + +11th. To White Hall, having first set my people to worke about setting +me rails upon the leads of my wife's closett, a thing I have long +designed, but never had a fit opportunity till now. After having done +with the Duke of Yorke, I to Hales's, where there was nothing found to be +done more to my picture, but the musique, which now pleases me mightily, +it being painted true. Thence home, and after dinner 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. So my Lord Bruncker being confirmed President I home, +where I find to my great content my rails up upon my leads. To the +office and did a little business, and then home and did a great jobb at +my Tangier accounts, which I find are mighty apt to run into confusion, +my head also being too full of other businesses and pleasures. This noon +Bagwell's wife come to me to the office, after her being long at +Portsmouth. After supper, and past 12 at night to bed. + + + +12th. Up and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined at +home and so to my office again, and taking a turne in the garden my Lady +Pen comes to me and takes me into her house, where I find her daughter +and a pretty lady of her acquaintance, one Mrs. Lowder, sister, I +suppose, of her servant Lowder's, with whom I, notwithstanding all my +resolution to follow business close this afternoon, did stay talking and +playing the foole almost all the afternoon, and there saw two or three +foolish sorry pictures of her doing, but very ridiculous compared to what +my wife do. She grows mighty homely and looks old. Thence ashamed at +myself for this losse of time, yet not able to leave it, I to the office, +where my Lord Bruncker come; and he and I had a little fray, he being, I +find, a very peevish man, if he be denied what he expects, and very +simple in his argument in this business (about signing a warrant for +paying Sir Thos. Allen L1000 out of the groats); but we were pretty good +friends before we parted, and so we broke up and I to the writing my +letters by the post, and so home to supper and to bed. + + + +13th. Up, being called up by my wife's brother, for whom I have got a +commission from the Duke of Yorke for Muster-Master of one of the +divisions, of which Harman is Rere-Admirall, of which I am glad as well +as he. After I had acquainted him with it, and discoursed a little of +it, I went forth and took him with me by coach to the Duke of Albemarle, +who being not up, I took a walk with Balty into the Parke, and to the +Queene's Chappell, it being Good Friday, where people were all upon their +knees very silent; but, it seems, no masse this day. So back and waited +on the Duke and received some commands of his, and so by coach to Mr. +Hales's, where it is pretty strange to see that his second doing, I mean +the second time of her sitting, is less like Mrs. Pierce than the first, +and yet I am confident will be most like her, for he is so curious that I +do not see how it is possible for him to mistake. Here he and I +presently resolved of going to White Hall, to spend an houre in the +galleries there among the pictures, and we did so to my great +satisfaction, he shewing me the difference in the payntings, and when I +come more and more to distinguish and observe the workmanship, I do not +find so many good things as I thought there was, but yet great difference +between the works of some and others; and, while my head and judgment was +full of these, I would go back again to his house to see his pictures, +and indeed, though, I think, at first sight some difference do open, yet +very inconsiderably but that I may judge his to be very good pictures. +Here we fell into discourse of my picture, and I am for his putting out +the Landskipp, though he says it is very well done, yet I do judge it +will be best without it, and so it shall be put out, and be made a plain +sky like my wife's picture, which will be very noble. Thence called upon +an old woman in Pannier Ally to agree for ruling of some paper for me and +she will do it pretty cheap. Here I found her have a very comely black +mayde to her servant, which I liked very well. So home to dinner and to +see my joiner do the bench upon my leads to my great content. After +dinner I abroad to carry paper to my old woman, and so to Westminster +Hall, and there beyond my intention or design did see and speak with +Betty Howlett, at her father's still, and it seems they carry her to her +own house to begin the world with her young husband on Monday next, +Easter Monday. I please myself with the thoughts of her neighbourhood, +for I love the girl mightily. Thence home, and thither comes Mr. Houblon +and a brother, with whom I evened for the charter parties of their ships +for Tangier, and paid them the third advance on their freight to full +satisfaction, and so, they being gone, comes Creed and with him till past +one in the morning, evening his accounts till my head aked and I was fit +for nothing, however, coming at last luckily to see through and settle +all to my mind, it did please me mightily, and so with my mind at rest to +bed, and he with me and hard to sleep. + + + +14th. Up about seven and finished our papers, he and I, and I delivered +him tallys and some money and so away I to the office, where we sat all +the morning. At noon dined at home and Creed with me, then parted, and I +to the office, and anon called thence by Sir H. Cholmley and he and I to +my chamber, and there settled our matters of accounts, and did give him +tallys and money to clear him, and so he being gone and all these +accounts cleared I shall be even with the King, so as to make a very +clear and short account in a very few days, which pleases me very well. +Here he and I discoursed a great while about Tangier, and he do convince +me, as things are now ordered by my Lord Bellasses and will be by Norwood +(men that do only mind themselves), the garrison will never come to any +thing, and he proposes his owne being governor, which in truth I do think +will do very well, and that he will bring it to something. He gone I to +my office, where to write letters late, and then home and looked over a +little more my papers of accounts lately passed, and so to bed. + + + +15th (Easter Day). Up and by water to Westminster to the Swan to lay +down my cloak, and there found Sarah alone, with whom after I had staid +awhile I to White Hall Chapel, and there coming late could hear nothing +of the Bishop of London's sermon. So walked into the Park to the +Queene's chappell, 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 closett with a great +many others, and there saw him receive it, which I did never see the +manner of before. But I do see very little difference between the degree +of the ceremonies used by our people in the administration thereof, and +that in the Roman church, saving that methought our Chappell was not so +fine, nor the manner of doing it so glorious, as it was in the Queene's +chappell. Thence walked to Mr. Pierces, and there dined, I alone with +him and her and their children: 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 do do +everything with the King that a mistress should do; and that the King +hath many bastard children that are known and owned, besides the Duke of +Monmouth. After a great deale of this discourse I walked thence into the +Parke with her little boy James with me, who is the wittiest boy and the +best company in the world, and so back again through White Hall both +coming and going, and people did generally take him to be my boy and some +would aske me. Thence home to Mr. Pierce again; and he being gone forth, +she and I and the children out by coach to Kensington, to where we were +the other day, and with great pleasure stayed till night; and were mighty +late getting home, the horses tiring and stopping at every twenty steps. +By the way we discoursed of Mrs. Clerke, who, she says, is grown mighty +high, fine, and proud, but tells me an odd story how Captain Rolt did see +her the other day accost a gentleman in Westminster Hall and went with +him, and he dogged them to Moorefields to a little blind bawdy house, and +there staid watching three hours and they come not out, so could stay no +longer but left them there, and he is sure it was she, he knowing her +well and describing her very clothes to Mrs. Pierce, which she knows are +what she wears. Seeing them well at home I homeward, but the horses at +Ludgate Hill made a final stop; so there I 'lighted, and with a linke, it +being about 10 o'clock, walked home, and after singing a Psalm or two and +supped to bed. + + + +16th. Up, and set my people, Mercer, W. Hewer, Tom and the girle at work +at ruling and stitching my ruled book for the Muster-Masters, and I hard +toward the settling of my Tangier accounts. At noon dined alone, the +girl Mercer taking physique can eat nothing, and W. Hewer went forth to +dinner. So up to my accounts again, and then comes Mrs. Mercer and fair +Mrs. Turner, a neighbour of hers that my wife knows by their means, to +visit me. I staid a great while with them, being taken with this pretty +woman, though a mighty silly, affected citizen woman she is. Then I left +them to come to me at supper anon, and myself out by coach to the old +woman in Pannyer Alley for my ruled papers, and they are done, and I am +much more taken with her black maid Nan. Thence further to Westminster, +thinking to have met Mrs. Martin, but could not find her, so back and +called at Kirton's to borrow 10s. to pay for my ruled papers, I having +not money in my pocket enough to pay for them. But it was a pretty +consideration that on this occasion I was considering where I could with +most confidence in a time of need borrow 10s., and I protest I could not +tell where to do it and with some trouble and fear did aske it here. So +that God keepe me from want, for I shall be in a very bad condition to +helpe myself if ever I should come to want or borrow. Thence called for +my papers and so home, and there comes Mrs. Turner and Mercer and supped +with me, and well pleased I was with their company, but especially Mrs. +Turner's, she being a very pretty woman of person and her face pretty +good, the colour of her haire very fine and light. They staid with me +talking till about eleven o'clock and so home, W. Hewer, who supped with +me, leading them home. So I to bed. + + + +17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined at +home, my brother Balty with me, who is fitting himself to go to sea. So +after dinner to my accounts and did proceed a good way in settling them, +and thence to the office, where all the afternoon late, writing my +letters and doing business, but, Lord! what a conflict I had with myself, +my heart tempting me 1000 times to go abroad about some pleasure or +other, notwithstanding the weather foule. However I reproached myself +with my weaknesse in yielding so much my judgment to my sense, and +prevailed with difficulty and did not budge, but stayed within, and, to +my great content, did a great deale of business, and so home to supper +and to bed. This day I am told that Moll Davis, the pretty girle, that +sang and danced so well at the Duke's house, is dead. + + + +18th. [Up] and by coach with Sir W. Batten and Sir Thos. Allen to White +Hall, and there after attending the Duke as usual and there concluding of +many things preparatory to the Prince and Generall's going to sea on +Monday next, Sir W. Batten and Sir T. Allen and I 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 Yorke against the +Dutch. The Duke of Yorke hath them done to hang in his chamber, and very +finely they are done indeed. Here is the Prince's, Sir G. Askue's, Sir +Thomas Teddiman's, Sir Christopher Mings, Sir Joseph Jordan, Sir William +Barkeley, Sir Thomas Allen, and Captain Harman's, as also the Duke of +Albemarle's; and will be my Lord Sandwich's, Sir W. Pen's, and Sir Jeremy +Smith's. Being very well satisfied with this sight, and other good +pictures hanging in the house, we parted, and I left them, and [to] pass +away a little time went to the printed picture seller's in the way thence +to the Exchange, and there did see great plenty of fine prints; but did +not buy any, only a print of an old pillar in Rome made for a Navall +Triumph, + + [The columna rostrata erected in the Forum to C. Duilius, who + obtained a triumph for the first naval victory over the + Carthaginians, B.C. 261. Part of the column was discovered in the + ruins of the Forum near the Arch of Septimius, and transferred to + the Capitol.--B.] + +which for the antiquity of the shape of ships, I buy and keepe. Thence +to the Exchange, that is, the New Exchange, and looked over some play +books and intend to get all the late new plays. So to Westminster, and +there at the Swan got a bit of meat and dined alone; and so away toward +King's Street, and spying out of my coach Jane that lived heretofore at +Jevons, my barber's, I went a little further and stopped, and went on +foot back, and overtook her, taking water at Westminster Bridge, and +spoke to her, and she telling me whither she was going I over the water +and met her at Lambeth, and there drank with her; she telling me how he +that was so long her servant, did prove to be a married man, though her +master told me (which she denies) that he had lain with her several times +in his house. There left her 'sans essayer alcune cose con elle', and so +away by boat to the 'Change, and took coach and to Mr. Hales, where he +would have persuaded me to have had the landskipp stand in my picture, +but I like it not and will have it otherwise, which I perceive he do not +like so well, however is so civil as to say it shall be altered. Thence +away to Mrs. Pierces, who was not at home, but gone to my house to visit +me with Mrs. Knipp. I therefore took up the little girle Betty and my +mayde Mary that now lives there and to my house, where they had been but +were gone, so in our way back again met them coming back again to my +house in Cornehill, and there stopped laughing at our pretty misfortunes, +and so I carried them to Fish Streete, and there treated them with prawns +and lobsters, and it beginning to grow darke we away, but the jest is our +horses would not draw us up the Hill, but we were fain to 'light and stay +till the coachman had made them draw down to the bottom of the Hill, +thereby warming their legs, and then they came up cheerfully enough, and +we got up and I carried them home, and coming home called at my paper +ruler's and there found black Nan, which pleases me mightily, and having +saluted her again and again away home and to bed . . . . . In all my +ridings in the coach and intervals my mind hath been full these three +weeks of setting in musique "It is decreed, &c." + + + +19th. Lay long in bed, so to the office, where all the morning. At noon +dined with Sir W. Warren at the Pope's Head. So back to the office, and +there met with the Commissioners of the Ordnance, where Sir W. Pen being +almost drunk vexed me, and the more because Mr. Chichly observed it with +me, and it was a disparagement to the office. They gone I to my office. +Anon comes home my wife from Brampton, not looked for till Saturday, +which will hinder me of a little pleasure, but I am glad of her coming. +She tells me Pall's business with Ensum is like to go on, but I must +give, and she consents to it, another 100. She says she doubts my father +is in want of money, for rents come in mighty slowly. My mother grows +very unpleasant and troublesome and my father mighty infirm through his +old distemper, which altogether makes me mighty thoughtfull. Having +heard all this and bid her welcome I to the office, where late, and so +home, and after a little more talk with my wife, she to bed and I after +her. + + + +20th. Up, and after an houre or two's talke with my poor wife, who gives +me more and more content every day than other, I abroad by coach to +Westminster, and there met with Mrs. Martin, and she and I over the water +to Stangold, and after a walke in the fields to the King's Head, and +there spent an houre or two with pleasure with her, and eat a tansy and +so parted, and I to the New Exchange, there to get a list of all the +modern plays which I intend to collect and to have them bound up +together. Thence to Mr. Hales's, and there, though against his +particular mind, I had my landskipp done out, and only a heaven made in +the roome of it, which though it do not please me thoroughly now it is +done, yet it will do better than as it was before. Thence to Paul's +Churchyarde, and there bespoke some new books, and so to my ruling +woman's and there did see my work a doing, and so home and to my office a +little, but was hindered of business I intended by being sent for to Mrs. +Turner, who desired some discourse with me and lay her condition before +me, which is bad and poor. Sir Thomas Harvey intends again to have +lodgings in her house, which she prays me to prevent if I can, which I +promised. Thence to talke generally of our neighbours. I find she tells +me the faults of all of them, and their bad words of me and my wife, and +indeed do discover more than I thought. So I told her, and so will +practise that I will have nothing to do with any of them. She ended all +with a promise of shells to my wife, very fine ones indeed, and seems to +have great respect and honour for my wife. So home and to bed. + + + +21st. Up betimes and to the office, there to prepare some things against +the afternoon for discourse about the business of the pursers and +settling the pursers' matters of the fleete according to my proposition. +By and by the office sat, and they being up I continued at the office to +finish my matters against the meeting before the Duke this afternoon, so +home about three to clap a bit of meate in my mouth, and so away with Sir +W. Batten to White Hall, and there to the Duke, but he being to go abroad +to take the ayre, he dismissed us presently without doing any thing till +to-morrow morning. So my Lord Bruncker and 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, commending him that he will not alter his moulds of his 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 owne 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 Bruncker 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 any 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, whom I saw there +also. Having done at the Park he set me down at the Exchange, and I by +coach home and there to my letters, and they being done, to writing a +large letter about the business of the pursers to Sir W. Batten against +to-morrow's discourse, and so home and to bed. + + + +22nd (Lord's day). Up, and put on my new black coate, long down to my +knees, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, where all in deep mourning +for the Queene's mother. There had great discourse, before the Duke and +Sir W. Coventry begun the discourse of the day about the purser's +business, which I seconded, and with great liking to the Duke, whom +however afterward my Lord Bruncker and Sir W. Pen did stop by some thing +they said, though not much to the purpose, yet because our proposition +had some appearance of certain charge to the King it was ruled that for +this year we should try another the same in every respect with ours, +leaving out one circumstance of allowing the pursers the victuals of all +men short of the complement. I was very well satisfied with it and am +contented to try it, wishing it may prove effectual. Thence away with +Sir W. Batten in his coach home, in our way he telling me the certaine +newes, which was afterward confirmed to me this day by several, that the +Bishopp of Munster has made a league [with] the Hollanders, and that our +King and Court are displeased much at it: moreover we are not sure of +Sweden. I home to my house, and there dined mighty well, my poor wife +and Mercer and I. So back again walked to White Hall, and there to and +again in the Parke, till being in the shoemaker's stockes.--[A cant +expression for tight shoes.]--I was heartily weary, yet walked however +to the Queene's Chappell at St. James's, and there saw a little mayde +baptized; many parts and words whereof are the same with that of our +Liturgy, and little that is more ceremonious than ours. Thence walked to +Westminster and eat a bit of bread and drank, and so to Worster House, +and there staid, and saw the Council up, and then back, walked to the +Cockepitt, 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. Thence walked wearily as far as Fleet Streete +and so there met a coach and home to supper and to bed, having sat a +great while with Will Joyce, who come to see me, and it is the first time +I have seen him at my house since the plague, and find him the same +impertinent, prating coxcombe that ever he was. + + + +23rd. Being mighty weary last night, lay long this morning, then up and +to the office, where Sir W. Batten, Lord Bruncker and I met, and toward +noon took coach and 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 towne much, and exceedingly in the country everywhere. Thence +walked to Westminster Hall, and after a little stay, there being nothing +now left to keep me there, Betty Howlett being gone, I took coach and +away home, in my way asking in two or three places the worth of pearles, +I being now come to the time that I have long ago promised my wife a +necklace. Dined at home and took Balty with me to Hales's to show him +his sister's picture, and thence to Westminster, and there I to the Swan +and drank, and so back again alone to Hales's and there met my wife and +Mercer, Mrs. Pierce being sitting, and two or three idle people of her +acquaintance more standing by. Her picture do come on well. So staid +until she had done and then set her down at home, and my wife and I and +the girle by coach to Islington, and there eat and drank in the coach and +so home, and there find a girle sent at my desire by Mrs. Michell of +Westminster Hall, to be my girle under the cooke-mayde, Susan. But I am +a little dissatisfied that the girle, though young, is taller and bigger +than Su, and will not, I fear, be under her command, which will trouble +me, and the more because she is recommended by a friend that I would not +have any unkindness with, but my wife do like very well of her. So to my +accounts and journall at my chamber, there being bonfires in the streete, +for being St. George's day, and the King's Coronation, and the day of the +Prince and Duke's going to sea. So having done my business, to bed. + + +24th. Up, and presently am told that the girle that came yesterday hath +packed up her things to be gone home again to Enfield, whence she come, +which I was glad of, that we might be at first rid of her altogether +rather than be liable to her going away hereafter. The reason was that +London do not agree with her. So I did give her something, and away she +went. By and by comes Mr. Bland to me, the first time since his coming +from Tangier, and tells me, in short, how all things are out of order +there, and like to be; and the place never likely to come to anything +while the soldiers govern all, and do not encourage trade. He gone I to +the office, where all the morning, and so to dinner, and there in the +afternoon very busy all day till late, and so home to supper and to bed. + + + +25th. Up, and to White Hall to the Duke as usual, and did our business +there. So I away to Westminster (Batty with me, whom I had presented to +Sir W. Coventry) and there told Mrs. Michell of her kinswoman's running +away, which troubled her. So home, and there find another little girle +come from my wife's mother, likely to do well. After dinner 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 alone in the garden +about the laws of England, telling me the many 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, which appears a very noble good +thing. By and by Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Rider met with us, and we did +something to purpose about the Chest, and hope we shall go on to do so. +They up, I to present Batty to Sir W. Pen, who at my entreaty did write a +most obliging letter to Harman to use him civilly, but the dissembling of +the rogue is such, that it do not oblige me at all. So abroad to my +ruler's of my books, having, God forgive me! a mind to see Nan there, +which I did, and so back again, and then out again to see Mrs. Bettons, +who were looking out of the window as I come through Fenchurch Streete. +So that indeed I am not, as I ought to be, able to command myself in the +pleasures of my eye. So home, and with my wife and Mercer spent our +evening upon our new leads by our bedchamber singing, while Mrs. Mary +Batelier looked out of the window to us, and we talked together, and at +last bid good night. However, my wife and I staid there talking of +several things with great pleasure till eleven o'clock at night, and it +is a convenience I would not want for any thing in the world, it being, +methinks, better than almost any roome in my house. So having, supped +upon the leads, to bed. The plague, blessed be God! is decreased sixteen +this week. + + + +26th. To the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and +in the afternoon to my office again, where very busy all the afternoon +and particularly about fitting of Mr. Yeabsly's accounts for the view of +the Lords Commissioners for Tangier. At night home to supper and to bed. + + + +27th. Up (taking Balty with me, who lay at my house last [night] in +order to his going away to-day to sea with the pursers of the Henery, +whom I appointed to call him), abroad to many several places about +several businesses, to my Lord Treasurer's, Westminster, and I know not +where. At noon to the 'Change a little, and there bespoke some maps to +hang in my new roome (my boy's roome) which will be very-pretty. Home to +dinner, and after dinner to the hanging up of maps, and other things for +the fitting of the roome, and now it will certainly be one of the +handsomest and most usefull roomes in my house. So that what with this +room and the room on my leads my house is half as good again as it was. +All this afternoon about this till I was so weary and it was late I could +do no more but finished the room. So I did not get out to the office all +the day long. At night spent a good deale of time with my wife and +Mercer teaching them a song, and so after supper to bed. + + + +28th. Up and to the office. At noon dined at home. After dinner abroad +with my wife to Hales's to see only our pictures and Mrs. Pierce's, which +I do not think so fine as I might have expected it. My wife to her +father's, to carry him some ruling work, which I have advised her to let +him do. It will get him some money. She also is to look out again for +another little girle, the last we had being also gone home the very same +day she came. She was also to look after a necklace of pearle, which she +is mighty busy about, I being contented to lay out L80 in one for her. +I home to my business. By and by comes my wife and presently after, the +tide serving, Balty took leave of us, going to sea, and upon very good +terms, to be Muster-Master of a squadron, which will be worth L100 this +yeare to him, besides keeping him the benefit of his pay in the Guards. +He gone, I very busy all the afternoon till night, among other things, +writing a letter to my brother John, the first I have done since my being +angry with him, and that so sharpe a one too that I was sorry almost to +send it when I had wrote it, but it is preparatory to my being kind to +him, and sending for him up hither when he hath passed his degree of +Master of Arts. So home to supper and to bed. + + + +29th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where Mr. Mills, a lazy, simple +sermon upon the Devil's having no right to any thing in this world. So +home to dinner, and after dinner I and my boy down by water to Redriffe +and thence walked 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. His chief business with me was to propose having my cozen Thomas +Pepys in Commission of the Peace, which I do not know what to say to till +I speake with him, but should be glad of it and will put him upon it. +Thence walked back again reading and so took water and home, where I find +my uncle and aunt Wight, and supped with them upon my leads with mighty +pleasure and mirthe, and they being gone I mighty weary to bed, after +having my haire of my head cut shorter, even close to my skull, for +coolnesse, it being mighty hot weather. + + + +30th. Up and, being ready, to finish my journall for four days past. To +the office, where busy all the morning. At noon dined alone, my wife +gone abroad to conclude about her necklace of pearle. I after dinner to +even all my accounts of this month; and, bless God! I find myself, +notwithstanding great expences of late; viz. L80 now to pay for a +necklace; near L40 for a set of chairs and couch; near L40 for my three +pictures: yet I do gather, and am now worth L5200. My wife comes home by +and by, and hath pitched upon a necklace with three rows, which is a very +good one, and L80 is the price. In the evening, having finished my +accounts to my full content and joyed that I have evened them so plainly, +remembering the trouble my last accounts did give me by being let alone a +little longer than ordinary, by which I am to this day at a loss for L50, +I hope I shall never commit such an error again, for I cannot devise +where the L50 should be, but it is plain I ought to be worth L50 more +than I am, and blessed be God the error was no greater. In the evening +with my [wife] and Mercer by coach to take the ayre as far as Bow, and +eat and drank in the coach by the way and with much pleasure and pleased +with my company. At night home and up to the leads, but were contrary to +expectation driven down again with a stinke by Sir W. Pen's shying of a +shitten pot in their house of office close by, which do trouble me for +fear it do hereafter annoy me. So down to sing a little and then to bed. +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. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Ashamed at myself for this losse of time +Begun to write idle and from the purpose +Counterfeit mirthe and pleasure with them, but had but little +Driven down again with a stinke by Sir W. Pen's shying of a pot +Great newes of the Swedes declaring for us against the Dutch +He has been inconvenienced by being too free in discourse +Mass, and some of their musique, which is not so contemptible +Reading over my dear "Faber fortunae," of my Lord Bacon's +Thence to Mrs. Martin's, and did what I would with her +Through want of money and good conduct +Too late for them to enjoy it with any pleasure +Tooke my wife well dressed into the Hall to see and be seen + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v48 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + + THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S. + + CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY + + TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY +MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW + AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE + + (Unabridged) + + WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES + + EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY + + HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + MAY & JUNE + 1666 + + +May 1st. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon, my cozen +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 is 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. He gone and my +wife gone abroad, I out also to and fro, to see and be seen, among others +to find out in Thames Streete where Betty Howlett is come to live, being +married to Mrs. Michell's son; which I did about the Old Swan, but did +not think fit to go thither or see them. Thence by water to Redriffe, +reading a new French book my Lord Bruncker did give me to-day, +"L'Histoire Amoureuse des Gaules," + + [This book, which has frequently been reprinted, was written by + Roger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy, for the amusement of his mistress, + Madame de Montglas, and consists of sketches of the chief ladies of + the court, in which he libelled friends and foes alike. These + circulated in manuscript, and were printed at Liege in 1665. Louis + XIV. was so much annoyed with the book that he sent the author to + the Bastille for over a year.] + +being a pretty libel against the amours of the Court of France. I walked +up and down Deptford yarde, where I had not been since I come from living +at Greenwich, which is some months. There I met with Mr. Castle, and was +forced against my will to have his company back with me. So we walked +and drank at Halfway house and so to his house, where I drank a cupp of +syder, and so home, where I find Mr. Norbury newly come to town to see +us. After he gone my wife tells me the ill newes that our Susan is sicke +and gone to bed, with great pain in her head and back, which troubles us +all. However we to bed expecting what to-morrow would produce. She hath +we conceive wrought a little too much, having neither maid nor girle to +help her. + + + +2nd. Up and find the girle better, which we are glad of, and with Sir W. +Batten to White Hall by coach. There attended the Duke as usual. Thence +with Captain Cocke, whom I met there, to London, to my office, to consult +about serving him in getting him some money, he being already tired of +his slavery to my Lord Bruncker, and the charge it costs him, and gets no +manner of courtesy from him for it. He gone I home to dinner, find the +girle yet better, so no fear of being forced to send her out of doors as +we intended. After dinner. I by water to White Hall to a Committee for +Tangier upon Mr. Yeabsly's business, which I got referred to a Committee +to examine. Thence among other stops went to my ruler's house, and there +staid a great while with Nan idling away the afternoon with pleasure. By +and by home, so to my office a little, and then home to supper with my +wife, the girle being pretty well again, and then to bed. + + + +3rd. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon home, and contrary +to my expectation find my little girle Su worse than she was, which +troubled me, and the more to see my wife minding her paynting and not +thinking of her house business, this being the first day of her beginning +the second time to paynt. This together made me froward that I was angry +with my wife, and would not have Browne to think to dine at my table with +me always, being desirous to have my house to myself without a stranger +and a mechanique to be privy to all my concernments. Upon this my wife +and I had a little disagreement, but it ended by and by, and then to send +up and down for a nurse to take the girle home and would have given +anything. I offered to the only one that we could get 20s. per weeke, +and we to find clothes, and bedding and physique, and would have given +30s., as demanded, but desired an houre or two's time. So I away by +water to Westminster, and there sent for the girle's mother to +Westminster Hall to me; she came and undertakes to get her daughter a +lodging and nurse at next doore to her, though she dare not, for the +parish's sake, whose sexton her husband is, to [have] her into her owne +house. Thence home, calling at my bookseller's and other trifling +places, and in the evening the mother come and with a nurse she has got, +who demanded and I did agree at 10s. per weeke to take her, and so she +away, and my house mighty uncouth, having so few in it, and we shall want +a servant or two by it, and the truth is my heart was a little sad all +the afternoon and jealous of myself. But she went, and we all glad of +it, and so a little to the office, and so home to supper and to bed. + + + +4th. Up and by water to Westminster to Charing Cross (Mr. Gregory for +company with me) to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, who was not within. So I took +Gregory to White Hall, and there spoke with Joseph Williamson to have +leave in the next Gazette to have a general pay for the Chest at Chatham +declared upon such a day in June. Here I left Gregory, and I by coach +back again to Sir Philip Warwicke's, and in the Park met him walking, so +discoursed about the business of striking a quarter's tallys for Tangier, +due this day, which he hath promised to get my Lord Treasurer's warrant +for, and so away hence, and to Mr. Hales, to see what he had done to Mrs. +Pierces picture, and whatever he pretends, I do not think it will ever be +so good a picture as my wife's. Thence home to the office a little and +then to dinner, and had a great fray with my wife again about Browne's +coming to teach her to paynt, and sitting with me at table, which I will +not yield to. I do thoroughly believe she means no hurte in it; but very +angry we were, and I resolved all into my having my will done, without +disputing, be the reason what it will; and so I will have it. After +dinner abroad again and to the New Exchange about play books, and to +White Hall, thinking to have met Sir G. Carteret, but failed. So to the +Swan at Westminster, and there spent a quarter of an hour with Jane, and +thence away home, and my wife coming home by and by (having been at her +mother's to pray her to look out for a mayde for her) by coach into the +fields to Bow, and so home back in the evening, late home, and after +supper to bed, being much out of order for lack of somebody in the room +of Su. This evening, being weary of my late idle courses, and the little +good I shall do the King or myself in the office, I bound myself to very +strict rules till Whitsunday next. + + + +5th. At the office all the morning. After dinner upon a letter from the +fleete from Sir W. Coventry I did do a great deale of worke for the +sending away of the victuallers that are in the river, &c., too much to +remember. Till 10 at night busy about letters and other necessary matter +of the office. About 11 home, it being a fine moonshine and so my wife +and Mercer come into the garden, and, my business being done, we sang +till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure to ourselves and +neighbours, by their casements opening, and so home to supper and to bed. + + + +6th (Lord's day). To church. Home, and after dinner walked to White +Hall, thinking to have seen Mr. Coventry, but failed, and therefore +walked clear on foot back again. Busy till night in fitting my +Victualling papers in order, which I through my multitude of business and +pleasure have not examined these several months. Walked back again home, +and so to the Victualling Office, where I met Mr. Gawden, and have +received some satisfaction, though it be short of what I expected, and +what might be expected from me. So after evened I have gone, and so to +supper and to bed. + + + +7th. Up betimes to set my Victualling papers in order against Sir W. +Coventry comes, which indeed makes me very melancholy, being conscious +that I am much to seeke in giving a good answer to his queries about the +Victualling business. At the office mighty busy, and brought myself into +a pretty plausible condition before Sir W. Coventry come, and did give +him a pretty tolerable account of every thing and went with him into the +Victualling office, where we sat and examined his businesses and state of +the victualling of the fleete, which made me in my heart blushe that I +could say no more to it than I did or could. But I trust in God I shall +never be in that condition again. We parted, and I with pretty good +grace, and so home to dinner, where my wife troubled more and more with +her swollen cheek. So to dinner, my sister-in-law with us, who I find +more and more a witty woman; and then I to my Lord Treasurer's and the +Exchequer about my Tangier businesses, and with my content passed by all +things and persons without so much as desiring any stay or loss of time +with them, being by strong vowe obliged on no occasion to stay abroad but +my publique offices. So home again, where I find Mrs. Pierce and Mrs. +Ferrers come to see my wife. I staid a little with them, being full of +business, and so to the office, where busy till late at night and so +weary and a little conscious of my failures to-day, yet proud that the +day is over without more observation on Sir W. Coventry's part, and so to +bed and to sleepe soundly. + + + +8th. Up, and to the office all the morning. At noon dined at home, my +wife's cheek bad still. After dinner to the office again and thither +comes Mr. Downing, the anchor-smith, who had given me 50 pieces in gold +the last month to speake for him to Sir W. Coventry, for his being smith +at Deptford; but after I had got it granted to him, he finds himself not +fit to go on with it, so lets it fall. So has no benefit of my motion. +I therefore in honour and conscience took him home the money, and, though +much to my grief, did yet willingly and forcibly force him to take it +again, the poor man having no mind to have it. However, I made him take +it, and away he went, and I glad to have given him so much cause to +speake well of me. So to my office again late, and then home to supper +to a good lobster with my wife, and then a little to my office again, and +so to bed. + + + +9th. Up by five o'clock, which I have not a long time done, and down the +river by water to Deptford, among other things to examine the state of +Ironworke, in order to the doing something with reference to Downing that +may induce him to returne me the 50 pieces. Walked back again reading of +my Civill Law Book, and so home and by coach to White Hall, where we did +our usual business before the Duke, and heard the Duke commend Deane's +ship "The Rupert" before "The Defyance," built lately by Castle, in +hearing of Sir W. Batten, which pleased me mightily. Thence by water to +Westminster, and there looked after my Tangier order, and so by coach to +Mrs. Pierces, thinking to have gone to Hales's, but she was not ready, so +away home and to dinner, and after dinner out by coach to Lovett's to +have forwarded what I have doing there, but find him and his pretty wife +gone to my house to show me something. So away to my Lord Treasurer's, +and thence to Pierces, where I find Knipp, and I took them to Hales's to +see our pictures finished, which are very pretty, but I like not hers +half so well as I thought at first, it being not so like, nor so well +painted as I expected, or as mine and my wife's are. Thence with them to +Cornhill to call and choose a chimney-piece for Pierces closett, and so +home, where my wife in mighty pain and mightily vexed at my being abroad +with these women; and when they were gone called them whores and I know +not what, which vexed me, having been so innocent with them. So I with +them to Mrs. Turner's and there sat with them a while, anon my wife sends +for me, I come, and what was it but to scold at me and she would go +abroad to take the ayre presently, that she would. So I left my company +and went with her to Bow, but was vexed and spoke not one word to her all +the way going nor coming, or being come home, but went up straight to +bed. Half an hour after (she in the coach leaning on me as being +desirous to be friends) she comes up mighty sicke with a fit of the +cholique and in mighty pain and calls for me out of the bed; I rose and +held her, she prays me to forgive her, and in mighty pain we put her to +bed, where the pain ceased by and by, and so had some asparagus to our +bed side for supper and very kindly afterward to sleepe and good friends +in the morning. + + + +10th. So up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to +dinner and there busy all the afternoon till past six o'clock, and then +abroad with my wife by coach, who is now at great ease, her cheeke being +broke inward. We took with us Mrs. Turner, who was come to visit my wife +just as we were going out. A great deale of tittle tattle discourse to +little purpose, I finding her, though in other things a very discreete +woman, as very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body. Going +out towards Hackney by coach for the ayre, the silly coachman carries us +to Shoreditch, which was so pleasant a piece of simplicity in him and us, +that made us mighty merry. So back again late, it being wondrous hot all +the day and night and it lightning exceeding all the way we went and +came, but without thunder. Coming home we called at a little ale-house, +and had an eele pye, of which my wife eat part and brought home the rest. +So being come home we to supper and to bed. This day come our new cook +maid Mary, commended by Mrs. Batters. + + + +11th. Up betimes, and then away with Mr. Yeabsly to my Lord Ashly's, +whither by and by comes Sir H. Cholmly and Creed, and then to my Lord, +and there entered into examination of Mr. Yeabsly's accounts, wherein as +in all other things I find him one of the most distinct men that ever I +did see in my life. He raised many scruples which were to be answered +another day and so parted, giving me an alarme how to provide myself +against the day of my passing my accounts. Thence I to Westminster to +look after the striking of my tallys, but nothing done or to be done +therein. So to the 'Change, to speake with Captain Cocke, among other +things about getting of the silver plates of him, which he promises to +do; but in discourse he tells me that I should beware of my fellow- +officers; and by name told me that my Lord Bruncker should say in his +hearing, before Sir W. Batten, of me, that he could undo the man, if he +would; wherein I think he is a foole; but, however, it is requisite I be +prepared against the man's friendship. Thence home to dinner alone, my +wife being abroad. After dinner to the setting some things in order in +my dining-room; and by and by comes my wife home and Mrs. Pierce with +her, so I lost most of this afternoon with them, and in the evening +abroad with them, our long tour by coach, to Hackney, so to Kingsland, +and then to Islington, there entertaining them by candlelight very well, +and so home with her, set her down, and so home and to bed. + + + +12th. Up to the office very betimes to draw up a letter for the Duke of +Yorke relating to him the badness of our condition in this office for +want of money. That being in good time done we met at the office and +there sat all the morning. At noon home, where I find my wife troubled +still at my checking her last night in the coach in her long stories out +of Grand Cyrus, which she would tell, though nothing to the purpose, nor +in any good manner. + + [Sir Walter Scott observes, in his "Life of Dryden," that the + romances of Calprenede and Scuderi, those ponderous and unmerciful + folios, now consigned to oblivion, were, in their day, not only + universally read and admired, but supposed to furnish the most + perfect models of gallantry and heroism. Dr. Johnson read them all. + "I have," says Mrs. Chapone, "and yet I am still alive, dragged + through 'Le Grand Cyrus,' in twelve huge volumes; 'Cleopatra,' in + eight or ten; 'Ibrahim,' 'Clelie,' and some others, whose names, as + well as all the rest of them, I have forgotten" ("Letters to Mrs. + Carter"). No wonder that Pepys sat on thorns, when his wife began + to recite "Le Grand Cyrus" in the coach, "and trembled at the + impending tale."--B.]--[One is reminded of the 21st centuries' + bookstores full of "Romantic novels"--the modern era did not invent + trashy literature. D.W.] + +This she took unkindly, and I think I was to blame indeed; but she do +find with reason, that in the company of Pierce, Knipp, or other women +that I love, I do not value her, or mind her as I ought. However very +good friends by and by, and to dinner, and after dinner up to the putting +our dining room in order, which will be clean again anon, but not as it +is to be because of the pictures which are not come home. To the office +and did much business, in the evening to Westminster and White Hall about +business and among other things 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 L800,000 now since Christmas, being itself but L1,250,000. 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. So home +by water, and there hard till 12 at night at work finishing the great +letter to the Duke of Yorke against to-morrow morning, and so home to +bed. This day come home again my little girle Susan, her sicknesse +proving an ague, and she had a fit soon almost as she come home. The +fleete is not yet gone from the Nore. The plague encreases in many +places, and is 53 this week with us. + + + +13th (Lord's day). Up, and walked to White Hall, where we all met to +present a letter to the Duke of Yorke, complaining solemnly of the want +of money, and that being done, I to and again up and down Westminster, +thinking to have spent a little time with Sarah at the Swan, or Mrs. +Martin, but was disappointed in both, so walked the greatest part of the +way home, where comes Mr. Symons, my old acquaintance, to dine with me, +and I made myself as good company as I could to him, but he was mighty +impertinent methought too yet, and thereby I see the difference between +myself now and what it was heretofore, when I reckoned him a very brave +fellow. After dinner he and I walked together as far as Cheapside, and I +quite through to Westminster again, and fell by chance into St. +Margett's' Church, where I heard a young man play the foole upon the +doctrine of purgatory. At this church I spied Betty Howlett, who indeed +is mighty pretty, and struck me mightily. After church time, standing in +the Church yarde, she spied me, so I went to her, her father and mother +and husband being with her. They desired and I agreed to go home with +Mr. Michell, and there had the opportunity to have saluted two or three +times Betty and make an acquaintance which they are pleased with, though +not so much as I am or they think I am. I staid here an houre or more +chatting with them in a little sorry garden of theirs by the Bowling +Alley, and so left them and I by water home, and there was in great pain +in mind lest Sir W. Pen, who is going down to the Fleete, should come to +me or send for me to be informed in the state of things, and particularly +the Victualling, that by my pains he might seem wise. So after spending +an houre with my wife pleasantly in her closett, I to bed even by +daylight. + + + +14th. Comes betimes a letter from Sir W. Coventry, that he and Sir G. +Carteret are ordered presently down to the Fleete. I up and saw Sir W. +Pen gone also after them, and so I finding it a leisure day fell to +making cleane my closett in my office, which I did to my content and set +up my Platts again, being much taken also with Griffin's mayde, that did +cleane it, being a pretty mayde. I left her at it, and toward +Westminster myself with my wife by coach and meeting took up Mr. Lovett +the varnisher with us, who is a pleasant speaking and humoured man, so my +wife much taken with him, and a good deale of worke I believe I shall +procure him. I left my wife at the New Exchange and myself to the +Exchequer, to looke after my Tangier tallys, and there met Sir G. +Downing, who shewed me his present practise now begun this day to paste +up upon the Exchequer door a note of what orders upon the new Act are +paid and now in paying, and my Lord of Oxford coming by, also took him, +and shewed him his whole method of keeping his books, and everything of +it, which indeed is very pretty, and at this day there is assigned upon +the Act L804,000. Thence at the New Exchange took up my wife again, and +so home to dinner, and after dinner to my office again to set things in +order. In the evening out with my wife and my aunt Wight, to take the +ayre, and happened to have a pleasant race between our hackney-coach and +a gentleman's. At Bow we eat and drank and so back again, it being very +cool in the evening. Having set home my aunt and come home, I fell to +examine my wife's kitchen book, and find 20s. mistake, which made me +mighty angry and great difference between us, and so in the difference to +bed.--[Sam forgets that he is still out L50 on his own personal accounts +which is about $50,000 (ann. 2001) compared to his wife's $1000 D.W.]-- + + + +15th. Up and to the office, where we met and sat all the morning. At +noon home to dinner, and after dinner by coach to Sir Philip Warwicke's, +he having sent for me, but was not within, so I to my Lord Crew's, who is +very lately come to towne, and with him talking half an houre 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 Warwicke's +again, and 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 L10,000 for us in the Navy, to answer our great +necessities, which I did thank him for; but the sum is not considerable. +So home, and there busy all the afternoon till night, and then home to +supper and to bed. + + + +16th. Up very betimes, and so down the river to Deptford to look after +some business, being by and by to attend the Duke and Mr. Coventry, and +so I was wiling to carry something fresh that I may look as a man minding +business, which I have done too much for a great while to forfeit, and is +now so great a burden upon my mind night and day that I do not enjoy +myself in the world almost. I walked thither, and come back again by +water, and so to White Hall, and did our usual business before the Duke, +and so to the Exchequer, where the lazy rogues have not yet done my +tallys, which vexes me. Thence to Mr. Hales, and paid him for my +picture, and Mr. Hill's, for the first L14 for the picture, and 25s. for +the frame, and for the other L7 for the picture, it being a copy of his +only, and 5s. for the frame; in all, L22 10s. I am very well satisfied +in my pictures, and so took them in another coach home along with me, and +there with great pleasure my wife and I hung them up, and, that being +done, to dinner, where Mrs. Barbara Sheldon come to see us and dined with +us, and we kept her all the day with us, I going down to Deptford, and, +Lord! to see with what itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's +wife, but failed, for which I am glad, only I observe the folly of my +mind that cannot refrain from pleasure at a season above all others in my +life requisite for me to shew my utmost care in. I walked both going and +coming, spending my time reading of my Civill and Ecclesiastical Law +book. Being returned home, I took my wife and Mrs. Barbary and Mercer +out by coach and went our Grand Tour, and baited at Islington, and so +late home about 11 at night, and so with much pleasure to bed. + + + +17th. Up, lying long, being wearied yesterday with long walking. So to +the office, where all the morning with fresh occasion of vexing at myself +for my late neglect of business, by which I cannot appear half so usefull +as I used to do. Home at noon to dinner, and then to my office again, +where I could not hold my eyes open for an houre, but I drowsed (so +little sensible I apprehend my soul is of the necessity of minding +business), but I anon wakened and minded my business, and did a great +deale with very great pleasure, and so home at night to supper and to +bed, mightily pleased with myself for the business that I have done, and +convinced that if I would but keepe constantly to do the same I might +have leisure enough and yet do all my business, and by the grace of God +so I will. So to bed. + + + +18th. Up by 5 o'clock, and so down by water to Deptford and Blackewall +to dispatch some business. So walked to Dickeshoare, and there took boat +again and home, and thence to Westminster, and attended all the morning +on the Exchequer for a quarter's tallys for Tangier. But, Lord! to see +what a dull, heavy sort of people they are there would make a man mad. +At noon had them and carried them home, and there dined with great +content with my people, and within and at the office all the afternoon +and night, and so home to settle some papers there, and so to bed, being +not very well, having eaten too much lobster at noon at dinner with Mr. +Hollyard, he coming in and commending it so much. + + + +19th. Up, and to the office all the morning. At noon took Mr. Deane +(lately come to towne) home with me to dinner, and there after giving him +some reprimands and good advice about his deportment in the place where +by my interest he is at Harwich, and then declaring my resolution of +being his friend still, we did then fall to 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 before-hand: which is a secret the King and all admire in him; +and he is the first that hath come to any certainty before-hand, of +foretelling the draught of water of a ship before she be launched. I +must confess I am much pleased in his successe in this business, and do +admire at the confidence of Castle who did undervalue the draught Deane +sent up to me, that I was ashamed to owne it or him, Castle asking of me +upon the first sight of it whether he that laid it down had ever built a +ship or no, which made me the more doubtfull of him. He being gone, I to +the office, where much business and many persons to speake with me. Late +home and to bed, glad to be at a little quiett. + + + +20th (Lord's day). With my wife to church in the morning. At noon dined +mighty nobly, ourselves alone. After dinner my wife and Mercer by coach +to Greenwich, to be gossip to Mrs. Daniel's child. I out to Westminster, +and straight to Mrs. Martin's, and there did what I would with her, she +staying at home all the day for me; and not being well pleased with her +over free and loose company, I away to Westminster Abbey, and there fell +in discourse with Mr. Blagrave, whom I find a sober politique man, that +gets money and increase of places, and thence by coach home, and thence +by water after I had 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 L100 to bespeak his friendship to him in his accounts now +before us; and my Lord hath received it, and so I believe is as bad, as +to bribes, as what the world says of him. Calling on all the Victualling +ships to know what they had of their complements, and so to Deptford, to +enquire after a little business there, and thence by water back again, +all the way coming and going reading my Lord Bacon's "Faber Fortunae," +which I can never read too often, and so back home, and there find my +wife come home, much pleased with the reception she had there, and she +was godmother, and did hold the child at the Font, and it is called John. +So back again home, and after setting my papers in order and supping, to +bed, desirous to rise betimes in the morning. + + + +21st. Up between 4 and 5 o'clock and to set several papers to rights, +and so to the office, where we had an extraordinary meeting. But, Lord! +how it torments me to find myself so unable to give an account of my +Victualling business, which puts me out of heart in every thing else, +so that I never had a greater shame upon me in my owne mind, nor more +trouble as to publique business than I have now, but I will get out of it +as soon as possibly I can. At noon dined at home, and after dinner comes +in my wife's brother Balty and his wife, he being stepped ashore from the +fleete for a day or two. 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. Being done there, and much +forwarded Yeabsly's business, I with Sir H. Cholmly to my Lord Bellassis, +who is lately come from Tangier to visit him, but is not within. So to +Westminster Hall a little about business and so home by water, and then +out with my wife, her brother, sister, and Mercer to Islington, our grand +tour, and there eat and drank. But in discourse I am infinitely pleased +with Balty, his deportment in his business of Muster-Master, and hope +mighty well from him, and am glad with all my heart I put him into this +business. Late home and to bed, they also lying at my house, he +intending to go away to-morrow back again to sea. + + + +22nd. Up betimes and to my business of entering some Tangier payments in +my book in order, and then to the office, where very busy all the +morning. At noon home to dinner, Balty being gone back to sea and his +wife dining with us, whom afterward my wife carried home. I after dinner +to the office, and anon out on several occasions, among others to +Lovett's, and there staid by him and her and saw them (in their poor +conditioned manner) lay on their varnish, which however pleased me +mightily to see. Thence home to my business writing letters, and so at +night home to supper and to bed. + + + +23rd. Up by 5 o'clock and to my chamber settling several matters in +order. So out toward White Hall, calling in my way on my Lord Bellassis, +where I come to his bedside, and did give me a full and long account of +his matters, how he left 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 L5000 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, and to White Hall before the Duke and did our +usual business, and eased my mind of two or three things of weight that +lay upon me about Lanyon's salary, which I have got to be L150 per annum. +Thence to Westminster to look after getting some little for some great +tallys, but shall find trouble in it. Thence homeward and met with Sir +Philip Warwicke, and spoke about this, in which he is scrupulous. After +that to talk of the wants of the Navy. He lays all the fault now upon +the new Act, and owns his owne folly in thinking once so well of it as to +give way to others' endeavours about it, and is grieved at heart to see +what passe things are like to come to. Thence to the Excise Office to +the Commissioners to get a meeting between them and myself and others +about our concernments in the Excise for Tangier, and so to the 'Change +awhile, and thence home with Creed, and find my wife at dinner with Mr. +Cooke, who is going down to Hinchinbrooke. After dinner Creed and I and +wife and Mercer out by coach, leaving them at the New Exchange, while I +to White Hall, and there 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 Parke; 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 Bruncker, 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. We rode to and again in the Parke a good while, +and at last home and set me down at Charing Crosse, and thence I to Mrs. +Pierces to take up my wife and Mercer, where I find her new picture by +Hales do not please her, nor me indeed, it making no show, nor is very +like, nor no good painting. Home to supper and to bed, having my right +eye sore and full of humour of late, I think, by my late change of my +brewer, and having of 8s. beer. + + + +24th. Up very betimes, and did much business in my chamber. Then to the +office, where busy all the morning. At noon rose in the pleasantest +humour I have seen Sir W. Coventry and the whole board in this +twelvemonth from a pleasant crossing humour Sir W. Batten was in, he +being hungry, and desirous to be gone. Home, and Mr. Hunt come to dine +with me, but I was prevented dining till 4 o'clock by Sir H. Cholmly and +Sir J. Bankes's coming in about some Tangier business. They gone I to +dinner, the others having dined. Mr. Sheply is also newly come out of +the country and come to see us, whom I am glad to see. He left all well +there; but I perceive under some discontent in my Lord's behalfe, +thinking that he is under disgrace with the King; but he is not so at +all, as Sir G. Carteret assures me. They gone I to the office and did +business, and so in the evening abroad alone with my wife to Kingsland, +and so back again and to bed, my right eye continuing very ill of the +rheum, which hath troubled it four or five days. + + + +25th. Up betimes and to my chamber to do business, where the greatest +part of the morning. Then out to the 'Change to speake with Captain +[Cocke], who tells me my silver plates are ready for me, and shall be +sent me speedily; and proposes another proposition of serving us with a +thousand tons of hempe, and tells me it shall bring me 6500, if the +bargain go forward, which is a good word. Thence to Sir G. Carteret, who +is at the pay of the tickets with Sir J. Minnes this day, and here I sat +with them a while, the first time I ever was there, and thence to dinner +with him, a good dinner. Here come a gentleman over from France arrived +here this day, Mr. Browne of St. Mellos, who, among other things, tells +me the meaning of the setting out of doggs every night out of the towne +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 doggs are set out every +night, and called together in every morning by a man with a home, and +they go in very orderly. Thence home, and there find Knipp at dinner +with my wife, now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down. But my +head was full of business and so could have no sport. So I left them, +promising to return and take them out at night, and so to the Excise +Office, where a meeting was appointed of Sir Stephen Fox, the Cofferer, +and myself, to settle the business of our tallys, and it was so pretty +well against another meeting. Thence away home to the office and out +again to Captain Cocke (Mr. Moore for company walking with me and +discoursing and admiring of the learning of Dr. Spencer), and there he +and I discoursed a little more of our matters, and so home, and (Knipp +being gone) took out my wife and Mercer to take the ayre a little, and so +as far as Hackney and back again, and then to bed. + + + +26th. Up betimes and to the office, where all the morning. At noon +dined at home. So to the office again, and a while at the Victualling +Office to understand matters there a little, and thence to the office and +despatched much business, to my great content, and so home to supper and +to bed. + + + +27th (Lord's day). Rose betimes, and to my office till church time to +write two copies of my Will fair, bearing date this day, wherein I have +given my sister Pall L500, my father for his owne and my mother's support +L2,000, to my wife the rest of my estate, but to have L2500 secured to +her, though by deducting out of what I have given my father and my +sister. I dispatched all before church time and then to church, my wife +with me. Thence home to dinner, whither come my uncle Wight, and aunt +and uncle Norbury, and Mr. Shepley. A good dinner and very merry. After +dinner we broke up and I by water to Westminster to Mrs. Martin's, and +there sat with her and her husband and Mrs. Burrows, the pretty, an hour +or two, then to the Swan a while, and so home by water, and with my wife +by and by by water as low as Greenwich, for ayre only, and so back again +home to supper and to bed with great pleasure. + + + +28th. Up and to my chamber to do some business there, and then to the +office, where a while, and then by agreement to the Excise Office, where +I waited all the morning for the Cofferer and Sir St. Foxe's coming, but +they did not, so I and the Commissioners lost their labour and +expectation of doing the business we intended. Thence home, where I find +Mr. Lovett and his wife came to see us. They are a pretty couple, and +she a fine bred woman. They dined with us, and Browne, the paynter, and +she plays finely on the lute. My wife and I were well pleased with her +company. After dinner broke up, I to the office and they abroad. All +the afternoon I busy at the office, and down by water to Deptford. +Walked back to Redriffe, and so home to the office again, being +thoughtfull how to answer Sir W. Coventry against to-morrow in the +business of the Victualling, but that I do trust to Tom Wilson, that he +will be ready with a book for me to-morrow morning. So to bed, my wife +telling me where she hath been to-day with my aunt Wight, and seen Mrs. +Margaret Wight, and says that she is one of the beautifullest women that +ever she saw in her life, the most excellent nose and mouth. They have +been also to see pretty Mrs. Batelier, and conclude her to be a prettier +woman than Mrs. Pierce, whom my wife led my aunt to see also this day. + + + +29th (King's birth-day and Restauration day). Waked with the ringing of +the bells all over the towne; so up before five o'clock, and to the +office, where we met, and I all the morning with great trouble upon my +spirit to think how I should come off in the afternoon when Sir W. +Coventry did go to the Victualling office to see the state of matters +there, and methinks by his doing of it without speaking to me, and only +with Sir W. Pen, it must be of design to find my negligence. However, at +noon I did, upon a small invitation of Sir W. Pen's, go and dine with Sir +W. Coventry at his office, where great good cheer and many pleasant +stories of Sir W. Coventry; but I had no pleasure in them. However, I +had last night and this morning made myself a little able to report how +matters were, and did readily go with them after dinner to the +Victualling office; and there, beyond belief, did acquit myself very well +to full content; so that, beyond expectation, I got over this second rub +in this business; and if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone. +Being broke up there, I with a merry heart home to my office, and thither +my wife comes to me, to tell me, that if I would see the handsomest woman +in England, I shall come home presently; and who should it be but the +pretty lady of our parish, that did heretofore sit on the other side of +our church, over against our gallery, that is since married; she with +Mrs. Anne Jones, one of this parish, that dances finely, and Mrs. sister +did come to see her this afternoon, and so I home and there find Creed +also come to me. So there I spent most of the afternoon with them, and +indeed she is a pretty black woman, her name Mrs. Horsely. But, Lord! +to see how my nature could not refrain from the temptation; but I must +invite them to Foxhall, to Spring Gardens, though I had freshly received +minutes of a great deale of extraordinary business. However I could not +helpe it, but sent them before with Creed, and I did some of my business; +and so after them, and find them there, in an arbour, and had met with +Mrs. Pierce, and some company with her. So here I spent 20s. upon them, +and were pretty merry. Among other things, had a fellow that imitated +all manner of birds, and doggs, and hogs, with his voice, which was +mighty pleasant. Staid here till night: then set Mrs. Pierce in at the +New Exchange; and ourselves took coach, and so set Mrs. Horsely home, and +then home ourselves, but with great trouble in the streets by bonefires, +it being the King's birth-day and day of Restauration; 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 come +into the City. Such a night as that I never think to see again, nor +think it can be. After I come home I was till one in the morning with +Captain Cocke drawing up a contract with him intended to be offered to +the Duke to-morrow, which, if it proceeds, he promises me L500. + + + +30th. Up and to my office, there to settle some business in order .to +our waiting on the Duke to-day. That done to White Hall to Sir W. +Coventry's chamber, where I find the Duke gone out with the King to-day +on hunting. So after some discourse with him, I by water to Westminster, +and there drew a draught of an order for my Lord Treasurer to sign for my +having some little tallys made me in lieu of two great ones, of L2000 +each, to enable me to pay small sums therewith. I shewed it to Sir R. +Long and had his approbation, and so to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, and did give +it him to get signed. So home to my office, and there did business. By +and by toward noon word is brought me that my father and my sister are +come. I expected them to-day, but not so soon. I to them, and am +heartily glad to see them, especially my father, who, poor man, looks +very well, and hath rode up this journey on horseback very well, only his +eyesight and hearing is very bad. I staid and dined with them, my wife +being gone by coach to Barnet, with W. Hewer and Mercer, to meet them, +and they did come Ware way. After dinner I left them to dress themselves +and I abroad by appointment to my Lord Ashly, who, it is strange to see, +how prettily he dissembles his favour to Yeabsly's business, which none +in the world could mistrust only I, that am privy to his being bribed. +Thence to White Hall, and there staid till the Council was up, with Creed +expecting a meeting of Tangier to end Yeabsly's business, but we could +not procure it. So I to my Lord Treasurer's and got my warrant, and then +to Lovett's, but find nothing done there. So home and did a little +business at the office, and so down by water to Deptford and back again +home late, and having signed some papers and given order in business, +home, where my wife is come home, and so to supper with my father, and +mighty pleasant we were, and my wife mighty kind to him and Pall, and so +after supper to bed, myself being sleepy, and my right eye still very +sore, as it has been now about five days or six, which puts me out of +tune. To-night my wife tells me newes has been brought her that Balty's +wife is brought to bed, by some fall or fit, before her time, of a great +child but dead. If the woman do well we have no reason to be sorry, +because his staying a little longer without a child will be better for +him and her. + + + +31st. Waked very betimes in the morning by extraordinary thunder and +rain, which did keep me sleeping and waking till very late, and it being +a holiday and my eye very sore, and myself having had very little sleep +for a good while till nine o'clock, and so up, and so saw all my family +up, and my father and sister, who is a pretty good-bodied woman, and not +over thicke, as I thought she would have been, but full of freckles, and +not handsome in face. And so I out by water among the ships, and to +Deptford and Blackewall about business, and so home and to dinner with my +father and sister and family, mighty pleasant all of us; and, among other +things, with a sparrow that our Mercer hath brought up now for three +weeks, which is so tame that it flies up and down, and upon the table, +and eats and pecks, and do everything so pleasantly, that we are mightily +pleased with it. After dinner I to my papers and accounts of this month +to sett all straight, it being a publique Fast-day appointed to pray for +the good successe of the fleete. 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 +newes of the Dutch being come out. To my accounts and settled them +clear; but to my grief find myself poorer than I was the last by near +L20, by reason of my being forced to return L50 to Downing, the smith, +which he had presented me with. However, I am well contented, finding +myself yet to be worth L5,200. Having done, to supper with my wife, and +then to finish the writing fair of my accounts, and so to bed. This day +come to town Mr. Homewood, and I took him home in the evening to my +chamber, and discoursed with him about my business of the Victualling, +which I have a mind to employ him in, and he is desirous of also, but do +very ingenuously declare he understands it not so well as other things, +and desires to be informed in the nature of it before he attempts it, +which I like well, and so I carried him to Mr. Gibson to discourse with +him about it, and so home again to my accounts. Thus ends this month, +with my mind oppressed by my defect in my duty of the Victualling, which +lies upon me as a burden, till I get myself into a better posture +therein, and hinders me and casts down my courage in every thing else +that belongs to me, and the jealousy I have of Sir W. Coventry's being +displeased with me about it; but I hope in a little time to remedy all. +As to publique business; by late tidings of the French fleete being come +to Rochelle (how true, though, I know not) our fleete 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. + + + + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + JUNE + 1666 + + +June 1st. Being prevented yesterday in meeting by reason of the fast +day, we met to-day all the morning. At noon I and my father, wife and +sister, dined at Aunt Wight's here hard by at Mr. Woolly's, upon sudden +warning, they being to go out of town to-morrow. Here dined the faire +Mrs. Margaret Wight, who is a very fine lady, but the cast of her eye, +got only by an ill habit, do her much wrong and her hands are bad; but +she hath the face of a noble Roman lady. After dinner my uncle and +Woolly and I out into their yarde, to talke about what may be done +hereafter to all our profits by prizegoods, which did give us reason to +lament the losse of the opportunity of the last yeare, which, if we were +as wise as we are now, and at the peaceable end of all those troubles +that we met with, all might have been such a hit as will never come again +in this age, and so I do really believe it. Thence home to my office and +there did much business, and at night home to my father to supper and to +bed. + + + +2nd. Up, and to the office, where certain newes 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 fleete, and were fitting themselves to +fight them; so that they are, ere this, certainly engaged; besides, +several do averr they heard the guns all yesterday in the afternoon. +This put us at the Board into a tosse. Presently come orders for our +sending away to the fleete 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. Thence he and I to the King's Head and there +bespoke a dish of steaks for our dinner about four o'clock. While that +was doing, 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 [of] what I was doing. They went up to the Parke to hear +the guns of the fleete go off. All our hopes now are that Prince Rupert +with his fleete is coming back and will be with the fleete this even: a +message being sent to him to 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 on Wednesday [Friday], which +was 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. After dinner, having nothing else to do till flood, I +went and saw Mrs. Daniel, to whom I did not tell that the fleets were +engaged, because of her husband, who is in the R. Charles. Very pleasant +with her half an hour, and so away and 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 +sweethearts 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 and Sir Thomas Liddall (with a very pretty daughter, and in a +pretty travelling-dress) from Flanders, who saw the Dutch fleete on +Thursday, and ran from them; but from that houre to this hath not heard +one gun, nor any newes of any fight. Having put the soldiers on board, I +home and wrote what I had to write by the post, and so home to supper and +to bed, it being late. + + + +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 fleete 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 +Aldbrough. 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, he 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 newes I home by water again, and to church in the sermon-time, and +with great joy told it my fellows in the pew. So home after church time +to dinner, and after dinner my father, wife, sister, and Mercer by water +to Woolwich, while I walked by land, and saw the Exchange as full of +people, and hath been all this noon as of any other day, only for newes. +I to St. Margaret's, Westminster, and there saw at church my pretty Betty +Michell, and thence to the Abbey, and so to Mrs. Martin, and there did +what 'je voudrais avec her . . . . So by and by he come in, and after +some discourse with him I away to White Hall, and there met with this bad +newes 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 helpe to the fleete. It is also reported by some +Victuallers that the Duke of Albemarle and 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 is +she [that] was taken by Elliott for the Rupert; that being fallen into +the body of the Dutch fleete, 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), and at +last quenched his own fire and got to Aldbrough; being, as all say, the +greatest hazard that ever any ship escaped, and as 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 fleete, and was in the Downes by five in the +clock yesterday morning; and the Prince with his fleete 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. So meeting Creed, he and I by coach to +Hide Parke alone to talke of these things, and do blesse God that my Lord +Sandwich was not here at this time to be concerned in a business like to +be so misfortunate. It was a pleasant thing to consider how fearfull I +was of being seen with Creed all this afternoon, for fear of people's +thinking that by our relation to my Lord Sandwich we should be making ill +construction of the Prince's failure. But, God knows, I am heartily +sorry for the sake of the whole nation, though, if it were not for that, +it would not be amisse to have these high blades find some checke to +their presumption and their disparaging of as good men. Thence set him +down in Covent Guarden and so 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. Thence. +After supper to bed. + + + +4th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Pen to White Hall in the +latter's coach, where, when we come, we find the Duke at St. James's, +whither he is lately gone to lodge. So walking through the Parke we saw +hundreds of people listening at the Gravel-pits,--[Kensington]--and to +and again in the Parke to hear the guns, and I saw a letter, dated last +night, from Strowd, Governor of Dover Castle, which says that the Prince +come thither the night before with his fleete, but that for the guns +which we writ that we heard, it is only a mistake for thunder; + + [Evelyn was in his garden when he heard the guns, and be at once set + off to Rochester and the coast, but he found that nothing had been + heard at Deal (see his "Diary," June 1st, 1666).] + +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 Deale 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 +newes), did bring newes this morning that he did see the Prince and his +fleete 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 fleete. After wayting upon the Duke, Sir +W. Pen (who was commanded to go to-night by water down to Harwich, to +dispatch away all the ships he can) and I home, drinking two bottles of +Cocke ale in the streete in his new fine coach, where no sooner come, but +newes is brought me of a couple of men come to speak with me from the +fleete; 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 +tarr, 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 +fleete, 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 newes from the fleete, and +every body's face appeared expecting of newes) to the Privy-stairs, and +left them at Mr. Coventry's lodging (he, though, not being there); and so +I into the Parke to the King, and told him my Lord Generall was well the +last night at five o'clock, and the Prince come with his fleete and +joyned with his about seven. The King was mightily pleased with this +newes, 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 Vane room to him, and there he heard the whole account. + + + THE FIGHT. + +How we found the Dutch fleete 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, then those people were put into the catch, and by and by spied +the Prince's fleete coming, upon which De Ruyter called a little council +(being in chase at this time of us), and thereupon their fleete divided +into two squadrons; forty in one, and about thirty in the other (the +fleete 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 +fleete, 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, at that time fighting, 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 successe 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 and I myself by water +to the 'Change, and to several people did give account of the business. +So home about four o'clock to dinner, and was followed by several people +to be told the newes, and good newes it is. God send we may hear a good +issue of this day's business! After I had eat something I walked to +Gresham College, where I heard my Lord Bruncker was, and there got a +promise of the receipt of the fine varnish, which I shall be glad to +have. Thence back with Mr. Hooke to my house and there lent some of my +tables of naval matters, the names of rigging and the timbers about a +ship, in order to Dr. Wilkins' book coming out about the Universal +Language. Thence, he being gone, to the Crown, behind the 'Change, and +there supped at the club with my Lord Bruncker, Sir G. Ent, and others of +Gresham College; and all our discourse is of this fight at sea, and all +are doubtful of the successe, 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 Bruncker 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 shew. Having heard all this +Creed and I walked into the Parke till 9 or 10 at night, it being fine +moonshine, discoursing of the unhappinesse of our fleete, what it would +have been if the Prince had not come in, how much the Duke hath failed of +what he was so presumptuous of, how little we deserve of God Almighty to +give us better fortune, how much this excuses all that was imputed to my +Lord Sandwich, and how much more he is a man fit to be trusted with all +those matters than those that now command, who act by nor with any +advice, but rashly and without any order. How bad we are at intelligence +that should give the Prince no sooner notice of any thing but let him +come to Dover without notice of any fight, or where the fleete were, or +any thing else, nor give the Duke any notice that he might depend upon +the Prince's reserve; and lastly, of how good use all may be to checke +our pride and presumption in adventuring upon hazards upon unequal force +against a people that can fight, it seems now, as well as we, and that +will not be discouraged by any losses, but that they will rise again. +Thence by water home, and to supper (my father, wife, and sister having +been at Islington today at Pitt's) and to bed. + + + +5th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, expecting every houre +more newes of the fleete and the issue of yesterday's fight, but nothing +come. 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 successe of the fleete, I did not go, but +dined at home, and after dinner by water down to Deptford (and Woolwich, +where I had not been since I lodged there, and methinks the place has +grown natural to me), and thence down to Longreach, calling on all the +ships in the way, seeing their condition for sayling, and what they want. +Home about 11 of the clock, and so eat a bit and to bed, having received +no manner of newes this day, but of The Rainbow's being put in from the +fleete, maimed as the other ships are, and some say that Sir W. Clerke is +dead of his leg being cut off. + + + +6th. Up betimes, and vexed with my people for having a key taken out of +the chamber doors and nobody knew where it was, as also with my boy for +not being ready as soon as I, though I called him, whereupon I boxed him +soundly, and then to my business at the office and on the Victualling +Office, and thence by water to St. James's, whither he [the Duke of York] +is now gone, it being a monthly fast-day for the plague. There we all +met, and did our business as usual with the Duke, and among other things +had Captain Cocke's proposal of East country goods read, brought by my +Lord Bruncker, which I make use of as a monkey do the cat's foot. Sir W. +Coventry did much oppose it, and it's likely it will not do; so away goes +my hopes of L500. Thence after the Duke into the Parke, walking through +to White Hall, and there every body listening for guns, but none heard, +and every creature is now overjoyed and concludes upon very good grounds +that the Dutch are beaten because we have heard no guns nor no newes of +our fleete. By and by walking a little further, Sir Philip Frowde did +meet the Duke with an expresse 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 fleetes fought all day till seven at night, and then +the whole fleete 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 fleete, which, with what recruits they had, come to +one hundred sayle, 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 all so +overtaken with this good newes, that the Duke ran with it to the King, +who was gone to chappell, and there all the Court was in a hubbub, being +rejoiced over head and ears in this good newes. Away go I by coach to +the New Exchange, and there did spread this good newes 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 newes +(which I had brought), being now sent into the church by Sir W. Batten in +writing, and handed from pew to pew. But that which pleased me as much +as the newes, was, to have the fair Mrs. Middleton at our church, who +indeed is a very beautiful lady. Here after sermon comes to our office +40 people almost of all sorts and qualities to hear the newes, which I +took great delight to tell them. Then home and found my wife at dinner, +not knowing of my being at church, and after dinner my father and she out +to Hales's, where my father is to begin to sit to-day for his picture, +which I have a desire to have. I all the afternoon at home doing some +business, drawing up my vowes for the rest of the yeare to Christmas; +but, Lord! to see in what a condition of happiness I am, if I would but +keepe myself so; but my love of pleasure is such, that my very soul is +angry with itself for my vanity in so doing. Anon took coach and to +Hales's, but he was gone out, and my father and wife gone. So I to +Lovett's, and there to my trouble saw plainly that my project of +varnished books will not take, it not keeping colour, not being able to +take polishing upon a single paper. Thence home, and my father and wife +not coming in, I proceeded with my coach to take a little ayre as far as +Bow all alone, and there turned back and home; but before I got home, the +bonefires were lighted all the towne over, and I going through Crouched +Friars, seeing Mercer at her mother's gate, stopped, and 'light, and into +her mother's, the first time I ever was there, and find all my people, +father and all, at a very fine supper at W. Hewer's lodging, very neatly, +and to my great pleasure. After supper, into his chamber, which is +mighty fine with pictures and every thing else, very curious, which +pleased me exceedingly. Thence to the gate, with the women all about me, +and Mrs. Mercer's son had provided a great many serpents, and so I made +the women all fire some serpents. By and by comes in our faire +neighbour, Mrs. Turner, and two neighbour's daughters, Mrs. Tite, the +elder of whom, a long red-nosed silly jade; the younger, a pretty black +girle, and the merriest sprightly jade that ever I saw. With them idled +away the whole night till twelve at night at the bonefire 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 crowne to drink; +and so home. Mightily pleased with this happy day's newes, and the more, +because confirmed by Sir Daniel Harvy, who was in the whole fight with +the Generall, and tells me that there appear but thirty-six in all of the +Dutch fleete 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 fleete 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 Bruncker and Sir T. H. that come from Court, tell me quite contrary +newes, 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 newes 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 towne, and their countenances much changed; but yet not very +plain. So home to dinner all alone, my father and people being gone all +to Woolwich to see the launching of the new ship The Greenwich, built by +Chr. Pett. I left alone with little Mrs. Tooker, whom I kept with me in +my chamber all the afternoon, and did what I would with her. By and by +comes Mr. Wayth to me; and discoursing of our ill successe, 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 newes. Then to my office and anon to +White Hall, late, to the Duke of York to see what commands he hath and to +pray a meeting to-morrow for Tangier in behalf of Mr. Yeabsly, which I +did do and do find 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 fleete, 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 fleete again; and so I took them home +with me, and was drawing out an abstract of them till midnight. And as +to newes, 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 +William 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. So late +home and to bed. + + + +8th. Up very betimes and to attend the Duke of York by order, all of us +to report to him what the works are that are required of us and to divide +among us, wherein I have taken a very good share, and more than I can +perform, I doubt. Thence to the Exchequer about some Tangier businesses, +and then home, where 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 quarterdeck with Harman all the time; and for +which service Harman I heard this day commended most seriously and most +eminently by the Duke of Yorke. 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. Thence, the +Committee not meeting, Creed and I down the river as low as Sir W. +Warren's, with whom I did motion a business that may be of profit to me, +about buying some lighters to send down to the fleete, wherein he will +assist me. So back again, he and I talking of the late ill management of +this fight, and of the ill management of fighting at all against so great +a force bigger than ours, and so to the office, where we parted, but with +this satisfaction that we hear the Swiftsure, Sir W. Barkeley, is come in +safe to the Nore, after her being absent ever since the beginning of the +fight, wherein she did not appear at all from beginning to end. But +wherever she has been, they say she is arrived there well, which I pray +God however may be true. At the office late, doing business, and so home +to supper and to bed. + + + +9th. Up, and to St. James's, there to wait on the Duke of Yorke, and had +discourse with him about several businesses of the fleete. But, Lord! +to see how the Court is divided about The Swiftsure and The Essex's being +safe. And wagers and odds laid on both sides. I did tell the Duke how +Sir W. Batten did tell me this morning that he was sure the Swiftsure is +safe. This put them all in a great joy and certainty of it, but this I +doubt will prove nothing. Thence to White Ball in expectation of a +meeting of Tangier, and we did industriously labour to have it this +morning; but we could not get a fifth person there, so after much pains +and thoughts on my side on behalfe of Yeabsly, we were fain to breake up. +But, Lord! to see with what patience Lord Ashly did stay all the morning +to get a Committee, little thinking that I know the reason of his +willingnesse. So I home to dinner and back again to White Hall, and, +being come thither a little too soon, went to Westminster Hall, and +bought a payre of gloves, and to see how people do take this late fight +at sea, and I find all give over the thoughts of it as a victory and to +reckon it a great overthrow. So to White Hall, and there when we were +come all together in certain expectation of doing our business to +Yeabsly's full content, and us that were his friends, my Lord +Peterborough (whether through some difference between him and my Lord +Ashly, or him and me or Povy, or through the falsenesse of Creed, I know +not) do bring word that the Duke of Yorke (who did expressly bid me wait +at the Committee for the dispatch of the business) would not have us go +forward in this business of allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G. +Carteret and Sir W. Coventry were come to towne, which was the very thing +indeed which we would have avoided. This being told us, we broke up +doing nothing, to my great discontent, though I said nothing, and +afterwards I find by my Lord Ashly's discourse to me that he is troubled +mightily at it, and indeed it is a great abuse of him and of the whole +Commissioners that nothing of that nature can be done without Sir G. +Carteret or Sir W. Coventry. No sooner was the Committee up, and I going +[through] the Court homeward, but I am told Sir W. Coventry is come to +town; so I to his chamber, and there did give him an account how matters +go in our office, and with some content I parted from him, after we had +discoursed several things of the haste requisite to be made in getting +the fleete out again and the manner of doing it. But I do not hear that +he is at all pleased or satisfied with the late fight; but he tells me +more newes 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. Thence homewards, landed at the Old Swan, and +there find my pretty Betty Michell and her husband at their doore in +Thames Streete, which I was glad to find, and went into their shop, and +they made me drink some of their strong water, the first time I was ever +with them there. I do exceedingly love her. After sitting a little and +talking with them about several things at great distance I parted and +home to my business late. But I am to observe how the drinking of some +strong water did immediately put my eyes into a fit of sorenesse again as +they were the other day. I mean my right eye only. Late at night I had +an account brought me by Sir W. Warren that he has gone through four +lighters for me, which pleases me very well. So home to bed, much +troubled with our disappointment at the Tangier Committee. + + + +10th (Lord's day). Up very betimes, and down the river to Deptford, and +did a good deale of business in sending away and directing several things +to the Fleete. That being done, back to London to my office, and there +at my office till after Church time fitting some notes to carry to Sir W. +Coventry in the afternoon. At noon home to dinner, where my cozen +Joyces, both of them, they and their wives and little Will, come by +invitation to dinner to me, and I had a good dinner for them; but, Lord! +how sicke was I of W. Joyce's company, both the impertinencies of it and +his ill manners before me at my table to his wife, which I could hardly +forbear taking notice of; but being at my table and for his wife's sake, +I did, though I will prevent his giving me the like occasion again at my +house I will warrant him. After dinner I took leave and by water to +White Hall, and there spent all the afternoon in the Gallery, till the +Council was up, to speake with Sir W. Coventry. Walking here I met with +Pierce the surgeon, who is lately come from the fleete, 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, in his manner of fighting, 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 come, than before too. The Prince +was so maimed, as to be forced to be towed home. He says all the fleete +confess their being chased home by the Dutch; and yet the body of the +Dutch that did it, was not above forty sayle 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 Yorke is wholly given up to +his new mistresse, my Lady Denham, going at noon-day with all his +gentlemen with him to visit her in Scotland Yard; she declaring she will +not be his mistresse, as Mrs. Price, to go up and down the Privy-stairs, +but will be owned publicly; and so she is. Mr. Bruncker, 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 talke +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 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 sent 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. By and by the Council broke up, and I spoke with Sir +W. Coventry about business, with whom I doubt not in a little time to be +mighty well, when I shall appear to mind my business again as I used to +do, which by the grace of God I will do. Gone from him I endeavoured to +find out Sir G. Carteret, and at last did at Mr. Ashburnham's, in the Old +Palace Yarde, and thence he and I stepped out and walked an houre in the +church-yarde, under Henry the Seventh's Chappell, he being lately come +from the fleete; 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 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 fleete did proceed first from a +proposition from the fleete, though agreed to hence. But he confesses it +arose from want of due intelligence, which he confesses we do want. He +do, however, call the fleete's retreat on Sunday a very honourable +retreat, 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 +fleete 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, newes is brought that the Loyall London is launched at Deptford. +Having talked thus much with Sir G. Carteret we parted there, and I home +by water, taking in my boat with me young Michell and my Betty his wife, +meeting them accidentally going to look a boat. I set them down at the +Old Swan and myself, went through bridge to the Tower, and so home, and +after supper to bed. + + + +11th. Up, and down by water to Sir W. Warren's (the first time I was in +his new house on the other side the water since he enlarged it) to +discourse about our lighters that he hath bought for me, and I hope to +get L100 by this jobb. Having done with him I took boat again (being +mightily struck with a woman in a hat, a seaman's mother,--[Mother or +mauther, a wench.]--that stood on the key) and home, where at the office +all the morning with Sir W. Coventry and some others of our board hiring +of fireships, and Sir W. Coventry begins to see my pains again, which I +do begin to take, and I am proud of it, and I hope shall continue it. He +gone, at noon I home to dinner, and after dinner my father and wife out +to the painter's to sit again, and I, with my Lady Pen and her daughter, +to see Harman; whom we find lame in bed. His bones of his anckle are +broke, but he hopes to do well soon; and a fine person by his discourse +he seems to be and my hearty [friend]; 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, which was a very sad thing for us to have the honour and weal of +the nation ventured so foolishly. I left them there, and walked to +Deptford, reading in Walsingham's Manual, a very good book, and there met +with Sir W. Batten and my Lady at Uthwayt's. Here I did much business +and yet had some little mirthe with my Lady, and anon we all come up +together to our office, where I was very late doing much business. Late +comes Sir J. Bankes to see me, and tells me that coming up from Rochester +he overtook three or four hundred seamen, and he believes every day they +come flocking from the fleete in like numbers; which is a sad neglect +there, when it will be impossible to get others, and we have little +reason to think that these will return presently again. He gone, I to +end my letters to-night, and then home to supper and to bed. + + + +12th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon to +dinner, and then to White Hall in hopes of a meeting of Tangier about +Yeabsly's business, but it could not be obtained, Sir G. Carteret nor Sir +W. Coventry being able to be there, which still vexes [me] to see the +poor man forced still to attend, as also being desirous to see what my +profit is, and get it. Walking here in the galleries 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. +Thence down by water to Deptford, and there late seeing some things +dispatched down to the fleete, and so home (thinking indeed to have met +with Bagwell, but I did not) to write my letters very late, and so to +supper and to bed. + + + +13th. Up, and by coach to St. James's, and there did our business before +the Duke as usual, having, before the Duke come out of his bed, walked in +an ante-chamber with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me there are great jarrs +between the Duke of Yorke and the Duke of Albemarle, about the later's +turning out one or two of the commanders put in by the Duke of Yorke. +Among others, Captain Du Tell, a Frenchman, put in by the Duke of Yorke, +and mightily defended by him; and is therein led by Monsieur Blancford, +that it seems hath the same command over the Duke of Yorke 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 is in his room, and one that did as little. After we had done +with the Duke of Yorke, I with others to White Hall, there to attend +again a Committee of Tangier, but there was none, which vexed me to the +heart, and makes me mighty doubtfull that when we have one, it will be +prejudiced against poor Yeabsly and to my great disadvantage thereby, my +Lord Peterborough making it his business, I perceive (whether in spite to +me, whom he cannot but smell to be a friend to it, or to my Lord Ashly, +I know not), to obstruct it, and seems to take delight in disappointing +of us; but I shall be revenged of him. Here I staid a very great while, +almost till noon, and then meeting Balty I took him with me, and to +Westminster to the Exchequer about breaking of two tallys of L2000 each +into smaller tallys, which I have been endeavouring a good while, but to +my trouble it will not, I fear, be done, though there be no reason +against it, but only a little trouble to the clerks; but it is nothing to +me of real profit at all. Thence with Balty to Hales's by coach, it +being the seventh day from my making my late oathes, and by them I am at +liberty to dispense with any of my oathes every seventh day after I had +for the six days before going performed all my vowes. Here I find my +father's picture begun, and so much to my content, that it joys my very +heart to thinke that I should have his picture so well done; who, besides +that he is my father, and a man that loves me, and hath ever done so, is +also, at this day, one of the most carefull and innocent men, in the +world. Thence with mighty content homeward, and in my way at the Stockes +did buy a couple of lobsters, and so home to dinner, where I find my wife +and father had dined, and were going out to Hales's to sit there, so +Balty and I alone to dinner, and in the middle of my grace, praying for a +blessing upon (these his good creatures), my mind fell upon my lobsters: +upon which I cried, Odd zooks! and Balty looked upon me like a man at a +losse what I meant, thinking at first that I meant only that I had said +the grace after meat instead of that before meat. But then I cried, what +is become of my lobsters? Whereupon he run out of doors to overtake the +coach, but could not, so came back again, and mighty merry at dinner to +thinke of my surprize. After dinner to the Excise Office by appointment, +and there find my Lord Bellasses and the Commissioners, and by and by the +whole company come to dispute the business of our running so far +behindhand there, and did come to a good issue in it, that is to say, to +resolve upon having the debt due to us, and the Household and the Guards +from the Excise stated, and so we shall come to know the worst of our +condition and endeavour for some helpe from my Lord Treasurer. Thence +home, and put off Balty, and so, being 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 chappell) 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 of 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 says 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 fireship among us all, here +is 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 +that 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, +which was done. Thereon see the next day in this book. So we parted. +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, and I home (being set down on +Tower Hill), and there did a little business and then in the evening went +down by water to Deptford, it being very late, and there I staid out as +much time as I could, and then took boat again homeward, but the officers +being gone in, returned and walked to Mrs. Bagwell's house, and there (it +being by this time pretty dark and past ten o'clock) went into her house +and did what I would. But I was not a little fearfull of what she told +me but now, which is, that her servant was dead of the plague, that her +coming to me yesterday was the first day of her coming forth, and that +she had new whitened the house all below stairs, but that above stairs +they are not so fit for me to go up to, they being not so. So I parted +thence, with a very good will, but very civil, and away to the waterside, +and sent for a pint of sacke and so home, drank what I would and gave the +waterman the rest; and so adieu. Home about twelve at night, and so to +bed, finding most of my people gone to bed. In my way home I called on a +fisherman and bought three eeles, which cost me three shillings. + + + +14th. Up, and to the office, and there sat all the morning. At noon +dined at home, and thence 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 indeed inclined against Yeabsly, +yield to the greatest part of his account, so as to allow of his demands +to the value of L7,000 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. Thence took Creed with some kind of +violence and some hard words between us to St. James's, to have found out +Sir W. Coventry to have signed the order for his payment among others +that did stay on purpose to do it (and which is strange among the rest my +Lord Ashly, who did cause Creed to write it presently and kept two or +three of them with him by cunning to stay and sign it), but Creed's ill +nature (though never so well bribed, as it hath lately in this case by +twenty pieces) will not be overcome from his usual delays. Thence +failing of meeting Sir W. Coventry I took leave of Creed (very good +friends) and away home, and there took out my father, wife, sister, and +Mercer our grand Tour in the evening, and made it ten at night before we +got home, only drink at the doore at Islington at the Katherine Wheel, +and so home and to the office a little, and then to bed. + + + +15th. Up betimes, and to my Journall entries, but disturbed by many +businesses, among others by Mr. Houblon's coming to me about evening +their freight for Tangier, which I did, and then Mr. Bland, who presented +me yesterday with a very fine African mat, to lay upon the ground under a +bed of state, being the first fruits of our peace with Guyland. So to +the office, and thither come my pretty widow Mrs. Burrows, poor woman, to +get her ticket paid for her husband's service, which I did her myself, +and did 'baisser her moucher', and I do hope may thereafter have some day +'sa' company. Thence to Westminster to the Exchequer, but could not +persuade the blockheaded fellows to do what I desire, of breaking my +great tallys into less, notwithstanding my Lord Treasurer's order, which +vexed [me] so much that I would not bestow more time and trouble among a +company of dunces, and so back again home, and to dinner, whither Creed +come and dined with me and after dinner Mr. Moore, and he and I abroad, +thinking to go down the river together, but the tide being against me +would not, but returned and walked an houre in the garden, but, Lord! +to hear how he pleases himself in behalf of my Lord Sandwich, in the +miscarriage of the Duke of Albemarle, and do inveigh against Sir W. +Coventry as a cunning knave, but I thinke that without any manner of +reason at all, but only his passion. He being gone I to my chamber at +home to set my Journall right and so to settle my Tangier accounts, which +I did in very good order, and then in the evening comes Mr. Yeabsly to +reckon with me, which I did also, and have above L200 profit therein to +myself, which is a great blessing, the God of heaven make me thankfull +for it. That being done, and my eyes beginning to be sore with overmuch +writing, I to supper and to bed. + + + +16th. Up betimes and to my office, and there we sat all the morning and +dispatched much business, the King, Duke of Yorke, and Sir W. Coventry +being gone down to the fleete. At noon home to dinner and then down to +Woolwich and Deptford to look after things, my head akeing from the +multitude of businesses I had in my head yesterday in settling my +accounts. All the way down and up, reading of "The Mayor of +Quinborough," a simple play. At Deptford, while I am there, comes Mr. +Williamson, Sir Arthur Ingram and Jacke Fen, to see the new ships, which +they had done, and then I with them home in their boat, and a very fine +gentleman Mr. Williamson is. It seems the Dutch do mightily insult of +their victory, and they have great reason. + + [This treatment seems to have been that of the Dutch populace alone, + and there does not appear to have been cause of complaint against + the government. Respecting Sir W. Berkeley's body the following + notice was published in the "London Gazette" of July 15th, 1666 (No. + 69) "Whitehall, July 15. This day arrived a trumpet from the States + of Holland, who came over from Calais in the Dover packet-boat, with + a letter to his Majesty, that the States have taken order for the + embalming the body of Sir William Berkeley, which they have placed + in the chapel of the great church at the Hague, a civility they + profess to owe to his corpse, in respect to the quality of his + person, the greatness of his command, and of the high courage and + valour he showed in the late engagement; desiring his Majesty to + signify his pleasure about the further disposal of it." "Frederick + Ruysch, the celebrated Dutch anatomist, undertook, by order of the + States-General, to inject the body of the English Admiral Berkeley, + killed in the sea-fight of 1666; and the body, already somewhat + decomposed, was sent over to England as well prepared as if it had + been the fresh corpse of a child. This produced to Ruysch, on the + part of the States-General, a recompense worthy of their liberality, + and the merit of the anatomist," "James's Medical Dictionary."] + +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. Home to my office, where late, and then to bed. + + + +17th (Lord's day). Being invited to Anthony Joyce's to dinner, my wife +and sister and Mercer and I walked out in the morning, it being fine +weather, to Christ Church, and there heard a silly sermon, but sat where +we saw one of the prettiest little boys with the prettiest mouth that +ever I saw in [my] life. Thence to Joyce's, where William Joyce and his +wife were, and had a good dinner; but, Lord! how sicke was I of the +company, only hope I shall have no more of it a good while; but am +invited to Will's this week; and his wife, poor unhappy woman, cried to +hear me say that I could not be there, she thinking that I slight her: so +they got me to promise to come. Thence my father and I walked to Gray's +Inne Fields, and there spent an houre or two walking and talking of +several businesses; first, as to his estate, he told me it produced about +L80 per ann., but then there goes L30 per. ann. taxes and other things, +certain charge, which I do promise to make good as far as this L30, at +which the poor man was overjoyed and wept. As to Pall he tells me he is +mightily satisfied with Ensum, and so I promised to give her L500 +presently, and to oblige myself to 100 more on the birth of her first +child, he insuring her in L10 per ann. for every L100, and in the +meantime till she do marry I promise to allow her L10 per ann. Then as +to John I tell him I will promise him nothing, but will supply him as so +much lent him, I declaring that I am not pleased with him yet, and that +when his degree is over I will send for him up hither, and if he be good +for any thing doubt not to get him preferment. This discourse ended to +the joy of my father and no less to me to see that I am able to do this, +we return to Joyce's and there wanting a coach to carry us home I walked +out as far as the New Exchange to find one, but could not. So down to +the Milke-house, and drank three glasses of whay, and then up into the +Strand again, and there met with a coach, and so to Joyce's and took up +my father, wife, sister, and Mercer, and to Islington, where we drank, +and then our tour by Hackney home, where, after a little, business at my +office and then talke with my Lady and Pegg Pen in the garden, I home and +to bed, being very weary. + + + +18th. Up betimes and in my chamber most of the morning setting things to +rights there, my Journall and accounts with my father and brother, then +to the office a little, and so to Lumbard Streete, to borrow a little +money upon a tally, but cannot. Thence to the Exchequer, and there after +much wrangling got consent that I should have a great tally broken into +little ones. Thence to Hales's to see how my father's picture goes on, +which pleases me mighty well, though I find again, as I did in Mrs. +Pierce's, that a picture may have more of a likeness in the first or +second working than it shall have when finished, though this is very well +and to my full content, but so it is, and certainly mine was not so like +at the first, second, or third sitting as it was afterward. Thence to my +Lord Bellasses, by invitation, and there dined with him, and his lady and +daughter; and at dinner there played to us a young boy, lately come from +France, where he had been learning a yeare or two on the viallin, and +plays finely. But impartially I do not find any goodnesse in their ayres +(though very good) beyond ours when played by the same hand, I observed +in several of Baptiste's' + + [Jean Baptiste Lulli, son of a Tuscan peasant, born 1633, died 1687. + He invented the dramatic overture. "But during the first years of + Charles II. all musick affected by the beau mond run in the french + way; and the rather because at that time the master of the court + musick in France, whose name was Baptista (an Italian frenchifyed) + had influenced the french style by infusing a great portion of the + Italian harmony into it, whereby the ayre was exceedingly improved" + (North's "Memoires of Musick," ed. Rimbault, 1846, p, 102).] + +(the present great composer) and our Bannister's. But it was pretty to +see how passionately my Lord's daughter loves musique, the most that ever +I saw creature in my life. Thence after dinner home and to the office +and anon to Lumbard Streete again, where much talke at Colvill's, he +censuring the times, and how matters are ordered, and with reason enough; +but, above all, the thinking to borrow money of the City, which will not +be done, but be denied, they being little pleased with the King's +affairs, and that must breed differences between the King and the City. +Thence down by water to Deptford, to order things away to the fleete and +back again, and after some business at my office late home to supper and +to bed. Sir W. Coventry is returned this night from the fleete, he being +the activest man in the world, and we all (myself particularly) more +afeard of him than of the King or his service, for aught I see; God +forgive us! This day the great newes is come of the French, their taking +the island of St. Christopher's' from us; and it is to be feared they +have done the like of all those islands thereabouts this makes the city +mad. + + + +19th. Up, and to my office, there to fit business against the rest meet, +which they did by and by, and sat late. After the office rose (with +Creed with me) to Wm. Joyce's to dinner, being invited, and there find my +father and sister, my wife and Mercer, with them, almost dined. I made +myself as complaisant as I could till I had dined, but yet much against +my will, and so away after dinner with Creed to Penny's, my Tailor, where +I bespoke a thin stuff suit, and did spend a little time evening some +little accounts with Creed and so parted, and 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--[The Duke of Albemarle.]--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 newes 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. Thence home, and at my business +till late at night, then with my wife into the garden and there sang with +Mercer, whom I feel myself begin to love too much by handling of her +breasts in a' morning when she dresses me, they being the finest that +ever I saw in my life, that is the truth of it. So home and to supper +with beans and bacon and to bed. + + + +20th. Up, but in some pain of the collique. I have of late taken too +much cold by washing my feet and going in a thin silke waistcoate, +without any other coate over it, and open-breasted, but I hope it will go +over. I did this morning (my father being to go away to-morrow) give my +father some money to buy him a horse, and for other things to himself and +my mother and sister, among them L20, besides undertaking to pay for +other things for them to about L3, which the poor man takes with infinite +kindnesse, and I do not thinke I can bestow it better. Thence by coach +to St. James's as usual to wait on the Duke of York, after having +discoursed with Collonell Fitzgerald, whom I met in my way and he +returned with me to Westminster, about paying him a sum of 700 and odd +pounds, and he bids me defalk L25 for myself,--[Abate from an amount.]-- +which is a very good thing; having done with the Duke I to the Exchequer +and there after much ado do get my business quite over of the difficulty +of breaking a great tally into little ones and so shall have it done +tomorrow. Thence to the Hall and with Mrs. Martin home and staid with +her a while, and then away to the Swan and sent for a bit of meat and +dined there, and thence to Faythorne, the picture-seller's, and there +chose two or three good Cutts to try to vernish, and so to Hales's to see +my father's picture, which is now near finished and is very good, and +here I staid and took a nap of an hour, thinking my father and wife would +have come, but they did not; so I away home as fast as I could, fearing +lest my father this day going abroad to see Mr. Honiwood at Major +Russell's might meet with any trouble, and so in great pain home; but to +spite me, in Cheapside I met Mrs. Williams in a coach, and she called me, +so I must needs 'light and go along with her and poor Knipp (who is so +big as she can tumble and looks-every day to lie down) as far as +Paternoster Row, which I did do and there staid in Bennett's shop with +them, and was fearfull lest the people of the shop, knowing me, should +aske after my father and give Mrs. Williams any knowledge of me to my +disgrace. Having seen them done there and accompanied them to Ludgate I +'light and into my owne coach and home, where I find my father and wife +had had no intent of coming at all to Hales's. So I at home all the +evening doing business, and at night in the garden (it having been these +three or four days mighty hot weather) singing in the evening, and then +home to supper and to bed. + + + +21st. Up, and at the office all the morning; whereby 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 fleete. At noon home to dinner, my father, +sister, and wife dining at Sarah Giles's, poor woman, where I should have +been, but my pride would not suffer me. After dinner to Mr. Debasty's to +speake with Sir Robert Viner, a fine house and a great many fine ladies. +He used me mighty civilly. My business was to set the matter right about +the letter of credit he did give my Lord Belassis, that I may take up the +tallys lodged with Viner for his security in the answering of my Lord's +bills, which we did set right very well, and Sir Robert Viner went home +with me and did give me the L5000 tallys presently. Here at Mr. +Debasty's I saw, in a gold frame, a picture of a Outer playing on his +flute which, for a good while, I took for paynting, but at last observed +it a piece of tapestry, and is the finest that ever I saw in my life for +figures, and good natural colours, and a very fine thing it is indeed. +So home and met Sir George Smith by the way, who tells me that this day +my Lord Chancellor and some of the Court have been with the City, and the +City have voted to lend the King L100,000; 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. So home to my letters and then with +my wife in the garden, and then upon our leades singing in the evening +and so to supper (while at supper comes young Michell, whose wife I love, +little Betty Howlet, to get my favour about a ticket, and I am glad of +this occasion of obliging him and give occasion of his coming to me, for +I must be better acquainted with him and her), and after supper to bed. + + + +22nd. Up, and before I went out Mr. Peter Barr sent me a tierce of +claret, which is very welcome. And so abroad down the river to Deptford +and there did some business, and then to Westminster, and there did with +much ado get my tallys (my small ones instead of one great one of +L2,000), and so away home and there all day upon my Tangier accounts with +Creed, and, he being gone, with myself, in settling other accounts till +past twelve at night, and then every body being in bed, I to bed, my +father, wife, and sister late abroad upon the water, and Mercer being +gone to her mother's and staid so long she could not get into the office, +which vexed me. + + + +23rd. My father and sister very betimes took their leave; and my wife, +with all possible kindnesse, went with them to the coach, I being +mightily pleased with their company thus long, and my father with his +being here, and it rejoices my heart that I am in condition to do any +thing to comfort him, and could, were it not for my mother, have been +contented he should have stayed always here with me, he is such innocent +company. They being gone, I to my papers, but vexed at what I heard but +a little of this morning, before my wife went out, that Mercer and she +fell out last night, and that the girle is gone home to her mother's for +all-together: This troubles me, though perhaps it may be an ease to me of +so much charge. But I love the girle, and another we must be forced to +keepe I do foresee and then shall be sorry to part with her. At the +office all the morning, much disquiett in my mind in the middle of my +business about this girle. Home at noon to dinner, and what with the +going away of my father today and the losse of Mercer, I after dinner +went up to my chamber and there could have cried to myself, had not +people come to me about business. In the evening down to Tower Wharfe +thinking to go by water, but could not get watermen; they being now so +scarce, by reason of the great presse; so to the Custome House, and +there, with great threats, got a couple to carry me down to Deptford, all +the way 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. So I home and there after +writing my letters home to supper and to bed, fully resolved to rise +betimes, and go down the river to-morrow morning, being vexed this night +to find none of the officers in the yarde at 7 at night, nor any body +concerned as if it were a Dutch warr. It seems Mercer's mother was here +in the morning to speak with my wife, but my wife would not. In the +afternoon I and my wife in writing did instruct W. Hewer in some +discourse to her, and she in the evening did come and satisfy my wife, +and by and by Mercer did come, which I was mighty glad of and eased of +much pain about her. + + + +24th. Sunday. Midsummer Day. Up, but, being weary the last night, not +so soon as I intended. Then being dressed, down by water to Deptford, +and there did a great deale of business, being in a mighty hurry, Sir W. +Coventry writing to me that there was some thoughts that the Dutch fleete +were out or coming out. Business being done in providing for the +carrying down of some provisions to the fleete, I away back home and +after dinner by water to White Hall, and there waited till the councill +rose, in the boarded gallery, and there among other things I hear that +Sir Francis Prujean is dead, after being married to a widow about a yeare +or thereabouts. He died very rich, and had, for the last yeare, lived +very handsomely, his lady bringing him to it. He was no great painstaker +in person, yet died very rich; and, as Dr. Clerke says, was of a very +great judgment, but hath writ nothing to leave his name to posterity. 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 worke 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 had, however, +upon the fleete'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 Gun-fleete, and in the way meeting the Dutch fleete, +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 L100,000 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, 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 pretty pleasant +in her looks. By and by the Council rises, and Sir W. Coventry comes +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 talke. First, he started a discourse of a talke he +hears about the towne, which, says he, is a very bad one, and fit to be +suppressed, if we knew how which is, the comparing of the successe 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 fleete's being abroad again, and so finding other +worke 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 comeback 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 expresse that very night, being the +Wednesday night before the fight, which begun on the Friday; and that for +sending them by the post expresse, 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 talke 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 fleete, 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 fleete, and that thence it came. + + [This division of the fleet was the original cause of the disaster, + and at a later period the enemies of Clarendon charged him with + having advised this action, but Coventry's communication to Pepys in + the text completely exonerates Clarendon.] + +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 fleete. 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 fleete 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 humour must break +again. He do not disowne but that the dividing of the fleete upon the +presumptions that were then had (which, I suppose, was the French fleete +being come this way), was a good resolution. Having had all this +discourse, he and I back to White Hall; and there I left him, being [in] +a little doubt whether I had behaved myself in my discourse with the +policy and circumspection which ought to be used to so great a courtier +as he is, and so wise and factious a man, and by water home, and so, +after supper, to bed. + + + +25th. Up, and all the morning at my Tangier accounts, which the chopping +and changing of my tallys make mighty troublesome; but, however, I did +end them with great satisfaction to myself. At noon, without staying to +eat my dinner, I down by water to Deptford, and there coming find Sir W. +Batten and Sir Jeremy Smith (whom the dispatch of the Loyall London +detained) at dinner at Greenwich at the Beare Taverne, and thither I to +them and there dined with them. Very good company of strangers there +was, but I took no great pleasure among them, being desirous to be back +again. So got them to rise as soon as I could, having told them the +newes Sir W. Coventry just now wrote me to tell them, which is, that the +Dutch are certainly come out. I did much business at Deptford, and so +home, by an old poor man, a sculler, having no oares to be got, and all +this day on the water entertained myself with the play of Commenius, and +being come home did go out to Aldgate, there to be overtaken by Mrs. +Margot Pen in her father's coach, and my wife and Mercer with her, and +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, 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 mighty +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. Having done there with very great pleasure we away back +again, and called at the Taverne in Hackny by the church, and there drank +and eate, and so in the Goole of the evening home. This being the first +day of my putting on my black stuff bombazin suit, and I hope to feel no +inconvenience by it, the weather being extremely hot. So home and to +bed, and this night the first night of my lying without a waistcoat, +which I hope I shall very well endure. So to bed. This morning I did +with great pleasure hear Mr. Caesar play some good things on his lute, +while he come to teach my boy Tom, and I did give him 40s. for his +encouragement. + + + +26th. Up and to my office betimes, and there all the morning, very busy +to get out the fleete, the Dutch being now for certain out, and we shall +not, we thinke, be much behindhand with them. At noon to the 'Change +about business, and so home to dinner, and after dinner to the setting my +Journall to rights, and so to the office again, where all the afternoon +full of business, and there till night, that my eyes were sore, that I +could not write no longer. Then into the garden, then my wife and Mercer +and my Lady Yen and her daughter with us, and here we sung in the darke +very finely half an houre, and so home to supper and to bed. This +afternoon, after a long drowth, we had a good shower of rain, but it will +not signify much if no more come. This day in the morning come Mr. +Chichly to Sir W. Coventry, to tell him the ill successe 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, which is +a strange mishap, and that which will give more occasion to people's +discourse of the King's business being done ill. This night Mary my +cookemayde, that hath been with us about three months, but find herself +not able to do my worke, so is gone with great kindnesse away, and +another (Luce) come, very ugly and plaine, but may be a good servant for +all that. + + + +27th. Up, and to my office awhile, and then down the river a little way +to see vessels ready for the carrying down of 400 land soldiers to the +fleete. Then back to the office for my papers, and so to St. James's, +where we did our usual attendance on the Duke. Having done with him, we +all of us down 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 seale by +him. And while it was hanging up, "This," says Sir W. Coventry, merrily, +"is the use we make of our fathers,") to discourse about the proposition +of serving us with hempe, delivered in by my Lord Brouncker as from an +unknown person, though I know it to be Captain Cocke's. My Lord and Sir +William Coventry had some earnest words about it, the one promoting it +for his private ends, being, as Cocke tells me himself, to have L500 if +the bargain goes on, and I am to have as much, and the other opposing it +for the unseasonableness of it, not knowing at all whose the proposition +is, which seems the more ingenious of the two. I sat by and said +nothing, being no great friend to the proposition, though Cocke intends +me a convenience by it. 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. Being gone hence, +I took coach to the Old Exchange, but did not go into it, but to Mr. +Cade's, the stationer, stood till the shower was over, it being a great +and welcome one after so much dry weather. Here I understand that Ogleby +is putting out some new fables of his owne, which will be very fine and +very satyricall. Thence home to dinner, and after dinner carried my wife +to her sister's and I to Mr. Hales's, to pay for my father's picture, +which cost me L10 the head and 25s. the frame. Thence to Lovett's, who +has now done something towards the varnishing of single paper for the +making of books, which will do, I think, very well. He did also carry me +to a Knight's chamber in Graye's Inne, where there is a frame of his +making, of counterfeite tortoise shell, which indeed is most excellently +done. Then I took him with me to a picture shop to choose a print for +him to vernish, but did not agree for one then. Thence to my wife to +take her up and so carried her home, and I at the office till late, and +so to supper with my wife and to bed. I did this afternoon visit my Lord +Bellasses, who professes all imaginable satisfaction in me. He spoke +dissatisfiedly with Creed, which I was pleased well enough with. 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. Up, and at the office all the morning. At noon home to dinner, +and after dinner abroad to Lumbard Streete, there to reckon with Sir +Robert Viner for some money, and did sett all straight to my great +content, and so home, and all the afternoon and evening at the office, my +mind full at this time of getting my accounts over, and as much money in +my hands as I can, for a great turne is to be feared in the times, the +French having some great design (whatever it is) in hand, and our +necessities on every side very great. The Dutch are now known to be out, +and we may expect them every houre upon our coast. But our fleete is in +pretty good readinesse for them. + + + +29th. Up, and within doors most of the morning, sending a porter +(Sanders) up and down to several people to pay them money to clear my +month's debts every where, being mighty desirous to have all clear so +soon as I can, and to that end did so much in settling my Tangier +accounts clear. At noon dined, having first been down at Deptford and +did a little business there and back again. After dinner to White Hall +to a Committee of Tangier, but I come a little too late, they were up, so +I to several places about business, among others to Westminster Hall, and +there did meet with Betty Michell at her own mother's shop. I would fain +have carried her home by water, but she was to sup at that end of the +town. So I away to White Hall, and thence, the Council being up, walked +to St. James's, and there had much discourse with Sir W. Coventry at his +chamber, who I find quite weary of the warr, decries our having any warr +at all, or himself to have been any occasion of it, that he hopes this +will make us shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it, +believes that one overthrow on the Dutch side would make them desire +peace, and that one on ours will make us willing to accept of one: tells +me that Commissioner Pett is fallen infinitely under the displeasure of +the Prince and Duke of Albemarle, not giving them satisfaction in the +getting out of the fleete, and that the complaint he believes is come to +the King, and by Sir W. Coventry's discourse I find he do concur in it, +and speaks of his having of no authority in the place where he is, and I +do believe at least it will end in his being removed to some other yarde, +and I am not sorry for it, but do fear that though he deserves as bad, +yet at this time the blame may not be so well deserved. Thence home and +to the office; where I met with a letter from Dover, which tells me (and +it did come by expresse) that newes is brought over by a gentleman from +Callice that the Dutch fleete, 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 6,000 men armed with head, back, and +breast (Frenchmen) ready to go on board the Dutch fleete, and will be +followed by 12,000 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 towne into the Castle to secure it. +But I do think this is a ridiculous conceit; but a little time will show. +At night home to supper and to bed, + + + +30th. Up, and to the office, and mightily troubled all this morning with +going to my Lord Mayor (Sir Thomas Bludworth, + + [As his conduct during the Great Fire fully proved, when he is said + to have boasted that he would extinguish the flames by the same + means to which Swift tells us Gulliver had recourse at Lilliput.--B.] + +a silly man, I think), 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, he told me so himself; nor to take up +boats to carry them down through bridge to the ships I had prepared to +carry them down in; insomuch that I was forced to promise to be his +paymaster, and he did send his City Remembrancer afterwards to the +office, and at the table, in the face of the officers, I did there out of +my owne purse disburse L15 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, at noon dined and then to the office again, +and all the afternoon till twelve at night full of this business and +others, and among these others about the getting off men pressed by our +officers of the fleete into the service; even our owne 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 fleete, 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. Vexed with these things, but eased in mind +by my ridding of a great deale of business from the office, I late home +to supper and to bed. But before I was in bed, while I was undressing +myself, our new ugly mayde, Luce, had like to have broke her necke in the +darke, going down our upper stairs; but, which I was glad of, the poor +girle did only bruise her head, but at first did lie on the ground +groaning and drawing her breath, like one a-dying. This month I end in +much hurry of business, but in much more trouble in mind to thinke what +will become of publique businesses, having so many enemys abroad, and +neither force nor money at all, and but little courage for ourselves, it +being really true that the spirits of our seamen and commanders too are +really broke by the last defeate with the Dutch, and this is not my +conjecture only, but the real and serious thoughts of Sir G. Carteret and +Sir W. Coventry, whom I have at distinct times heard the same thing come +from with a great deale of grief and trouble. But, lastly, I am +providing against a foule day to get as much money into my hands as I +can, at least out of the publique hands, that so, if a turne, which I +fear, do come, I may have a little to trust to. I pray God give me good +successe in my choice how to dispose of what little I have, that I may +not take it out of publique hands, and put it into worse. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +A cat will be a cat still +And if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone +Apprehension of the King of France's invading us +As very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body +Baited at Islington, and so late home about 11 at night +Called at a little ale-house, and had an eele pye +Checking her last night in the coach in her long stories +Foretelling the draught of water of a ship before she be launche +Great deale of tittle tattle discourse to little purpose +He is such innocent company +Here I first saw oranges grow +I do not value her, or mind her as I ought +I to bed even by daylight +Long petticoat dragging under their men's coats +Mightily pleased with myself for the business that I have done +Mightily vexed at my being abroad with these women +Never fought with worse officers in his life +Not being well pleased with her over free and loose company +Now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down +Out also to and fro, to see and be seen +Providing against a foule day to get as much money into my hands +Rejoiced over head and ears in this good newes +Requisite I be prepared against the man's friendship +Sang till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure +Send up and down for a nurse to take the girle home +Shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it +So back again home to supper and to bed with great pleasure +So home and to supper with beans and bacon and to bed +That I may look as a man minding business +There did what I would with her +There did what 'je voudrais avec' her . . . . +Think that we are beaten in every respect +This is the use we make of our fathers +Took him home the money, and, though much to my grief +Unless my too-much addiction to pleasure undo me +What itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's wife +Young man play the foole upon the doctrine of purgatory + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v49 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + + THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S. + + CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY + + TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY +MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW + AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE + + (Unabridged) + + WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES + + EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY + + HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + JULY + 1666 + + +July 1st (Sunday). Up betimes, and to the office receiving letters, two +or three one after another from Sir W. Coventry, and sent as many to him, +being full of variety of business and hurry, but among the chiefest is +the getting of these pressed men out of the City down the river to the +fleete. While I was hard at it comes Sir W. Pen to towne, 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 +fleete being much taken notice of, and reported to the King and Duke [of +York], 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. After +dinner to the office again, where busy, and then down to Deptford to the +yard, thinking to have seen Bagwell's wife, whose husband is gone +yesterday back to the fleete, but I did not see her, so missed what I +went for, and so back 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, taking 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. Having done this I +to the Lieutenant of the Tower and bade him good night, and so away home +and to bed. + + + +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 publique 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. Here 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 hand, +and his own hair burnt by a bullet-shot in the insurrection of Venner, +and himself escaped. Thence home and to the Tower to see the men from +Bridewell shipped. Being rid of him I home to dinner, and thence to the +Excise office by appointment to meet my Lord Bellasses and the +Commissioners, which we did and soon dispatched, and so I home, and there +was called by Pegg Pen to her house, where her father and mother, and +Mrs. Norton, the second Roxalana, a fine woman, indifferent handsome, +good body and hand, and good mine, and pretends to sing, but do it not +excellently. However I took pleasure there, and my wife was sent for, +and Creed come in to us, and so there we spent the most of the afternoon. +Thence weary of losing so much time I to the office, and thence presently +down to Deptford; but to see what a consternation there is upon the water +by reason of this great press, that nothing is able to get a waterman to +appear almost. Here I meant to have spoke with Bagwell's mother, but her +face was sore, and so I did not, but returned and upon the water 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. But away they went, and I to the +Lieutenant of the Tower, and having talked with him a little, then home +to supper very late and to bed weary. + + + +3rd. Being very weary, lay long in bed, then to the office and there sat +all the day. At noon dined at home, Balty's wife with us, and in very +good humour I was and merry at dinner, and after dinner a song or two, +and so I abroad to my Lord Treasurer's (sending my sister home by the +coach), while I staid there by appointment to have met my Lord Bellasses +and Commissioners of Excise, but they did not meet me, he being abroad. +However Mr. Finch, one of the Commissioners, I met there, and he and I +walked two houres together in the garden, talking of many things; +sometimes of Mr. Povy, whose vanity, prodigality, neglect of his +business, and committing it to unfit hands hath undone him and outed him +of all his publique employments, and the thing set on foot by an +accidental revivall of a business, wherein he had three or fours years +ago, by surprize, got the Duke of Yorke to sign to the having a sum of +money paid out of the Excise, before some that was due to him, and now +the money is fallen short, and the Duke never likely to be paid. This +being revived hath undone Povy. Then we 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 trienniall 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. He told me many fine things, and so we parted, and I home and +hard to work a while at the office and then home and till midnight about +settling my last month's accounts wherein I have been interrupted by +public business, that I did not state them two or three days ago, but I +do now to my great joy find myself worth above L5600, for which the +Lord's name be praised! So with my heart full of content to bed. Newes +come yesterday from Harwich, that the Dutch had appeared upon our coast +with their fleete, 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, +a the great song-maker, is lately dead. + + + +4th. Up, and visited very betimes by Mr. Sheply, who is come to town +upon business from Hinchingbrooke, where he left all well. I out and +walked along with him as far as Fleet Streete, it being a fast day, the +usual fast day for the plague, and few coaches to be had. 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. To St. James's, and there did our usual business +with the Duke, all of us, among other things, 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 shew must be made to the world. Thence to my Lord Bellasses +to take my leave of him, he being going down to the North to look after +the Militia there, for fear of an invasion. Thence home and dined, and +then to the office, where busy all day, and in the evening Sir W. Pen +come 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, and +that that of truth's all, and he tells me that it is not he, but two- +thirds of the commanders of the whole fleete 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 fleete. +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 is 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 disablenesses. +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 fleete; he telling me that even one of our flag- +men in the fleete did not know which tacke lost the wind, or which 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. He gone I to the office again, and +so after some business home to supper and to bed. + + + +5th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning busy, then at +noon dined and Mr. Sheply with me, who come to towne the other day. I +lent him 630 in silver upon 30 pieces in gold. But to see how apt every +body is to neglect old kindnesses! I must charge myself with the +ingratitude of being unwilling to lend him so much money without some +pawne, if he should have asked it, but he did not aske it, poor man, and +so no harm done. After dinner, he gone, I to my office and Lumbard +Streete about money, and then to my office again, very busy, and so till +late, and then a song with my wife and Mercer in the garden, and so with +great content to bed. + + + +6th. Up, and after doing some business at my office abroad to Lumbard +Street, about the getting of a good sum of money, thence home, in +preparation for my having some good sum in my hands, for fear of a +trouble in the State, that I may not have all I have in the world out of +my hands and so be left a beggar. Having put that in a way, I home to +the office, and so to the Tower; about shipping of some more pressed men, +and that done, away to Broad Streete, to Sir G. Carteret, who is at a pay +of tickets all alone, and 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 afeard of the press. I dined with +Sir G. Carteret, and after dinner had much discourse about our publique +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 Lumbard Streete, and received L2000, and carried it home: +whereof L1000 in gold. The greatest quantity not only that I ever had of +gold, but that ever I saw together, and is not much above half a 100 lb. +bag full, but is much weightier. This I do for security sake, and +convenience of carriage; though it costs me above L70 the change of it, +at 18 1/2d. per piece. Being at home, I there met with a letter from Bab +Allen,--[Mrs. Knipp]--to invite me to be god-father to her boy, with Mrs. +Williams, which I consented to, but know not the time when it is to be. +Thence down to the Old Swan, calling at Michell's, he not being within, +and there I did steal a kiss or two of her, and staying a little longer, +he come in, and her father, whom I carried to Westminster, my business +being thither, and so back again home, and very busy all the evening. At +night a song in the garden and to bed. + + + +7th. At the office all the morning, at noon dined at home and Creed with +me, and after dinner he and I two or three hours in my chamber +discoursing of the fittest way for a man to do that hath money, and find +all he offers of turning some into gold and leaving some in a friend's +hand is nothing more than what I thought of myself, but is doubtful, +as well as I, what is best to be done of all these or other ways to be +thought on. He 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 helpe 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 any thing, nor hath any body to call him to account for +it. Thence left him and to my office all the afternoon busy, and in some +pain in my back by some bruise or other I have given myself in my right +testicle this morning, and the pain lies there and hath done, and in my +back thereupon all this day. At night into the garden to my wife and +Lady Pen and Pegg, and Creed, who staid with them till to at night. My +Lady Pen did give us a tarte and other things, and so broke up late and I +to bed. It proved the hottest night that ever I was in in my life, and +thundered and lightened all night long and rained hard. But, Lord! to +see in what fears I lay a good while, hearing of a little noise of +somebody walking in the house: so rung the bell, and it was my mayds +going to bed about one o'clock in the morning. But the fear of being +robbed, having so much money in the house, was very great, and is still +so, and do much disquiet me. + + + +8th (Lord's day). Up, and pretty well of my pain, so that it did not +trouble me at all, and I do clearly find that my pain in my back was +nothing but only accompanied my bruise in my stones. To church, wife and +Mercer and I, in expectation of hearing some mighty preacher to-day, Mrs. +Mary Batelier sending us word so; but it proved our ordinary silly +lecturer, which made me merry, and she laughed upon us to see her +mistake. At noon W. Hewer dined with us, and a good dinner, and I +expected to have had newes sent me of Knipp's christening to-day; but, +hearing nothing of it, I did not go, though I fear it is but their +forgetfulness and so I may disappoint them. To church, after dinner, +again, a thing I have not done a good while before, go twice in one day. +After church with my wife and Mercer and Tom by water through bridge to +the Spring Garden at Fox Hall, and thence down to Deptford and there did +a little business, and so back home and to bed. + + + +9th. Up betimes, and with Sir W. Pen in his coach to Westminster to Sir +G. Downing's, but missed of him, and so we parted, I by water home, where +busy all the morning, at noon dined at home, and after dinner to my +office, where busy till come to by Lovett and his wife, who have. +brought me some sheets of paper varnished on one side, which lies very +white and smooth and, I think, will do our business most exactly, and +will come up to the use that I intended them for, and I am apt to believe +will be an invention that will take in the world. I have made up a +little book of it to give Sir W. Coventry to-morrow, and am very well +pleased with it. Home with them, and there find my aunt Wight with my +wife come to take her leave of her, being going for the summer into the +country; and there was also Mrs. Mary Batelier and her sister, newly come +out of France, a black, very black woman, but mighty good-natured people +both, as ever I saw. Here I made the black one sing a French song, which +she did mighty innocently; and then Mrs. Lovett play on the lute, which +she do very well; and then Mercer and I sang; and so, with great +pleasure, I left them, having shewed them my chamber, and L1000 in gold, +which they wondered at, and given them sweetmeats, and shewn my aunt +Wight my father's picture, which she admires. So I left them and to the +office, where Mr. Moore come to me and talking of my Lord's family +business tells me that Mr. Sheply is ignorantly, we all believe, mistaken +in his accounts above L700 more than he can discharge himself of, which +is a mighty misfortune, poor man, and may undo him, and yet every body +believes that he do it most honestly. I am troubled for him very much. +He gone, I hard at the office till night, then home to supper and to bed. + + + +10th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning, sitting, and +there presented Sir W. Coventry with my little book made up of Lovett's +varnished paper, which he and the whole board liked very well. At noon +home to dinner and then to the office; the yarde 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 afeard 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. +Then I took an opportunity, when they were all gone into the foreyarde, +and slipt into the office and there busy all the afternoon, but by and by +the women got into the garden, and come all to my closett window, and +there tormented me, and I confess their cries were so sad for money, and +laying down the condition of their families and their husbands, and what +they have done and suffered for the King, and how ill they are used by +us, and how well the Dutch are used here by the allowance of their +masters, and what their husbands are offered to serve the Dutch abroad, +that I do most heartily pity them, and was ready to cry to hear them, but +cannot helpe them. However, when the rest were gone, I did call one to +me that I heard complaine only and pity her husband and did give her some +money, and she blessed me and went away. Anon my business at the office +being done I to the Tower to speak with Sir John Robinson about business, +principally the bad condition of the pressed men for want of clothes, so +it is represented from the fleete, and so to provide them shirts and +stockings and drawers. Having done with him about that, I home and there +find my wife and the two Mrs. Bateliers walking in the garden. I with +them till almost 9 at night, and then they and we and Mrs. Mercer, the +mother, and her daughter Anne, and our Mercer, to supper to a good +venison-pasty and other good things, and had a good supper, and very +merry, Mistresses Bateliers being both very good-humoured. We sang and +talked, and then led them home, and there they made us drink; and, among +other things, did show us, in cages, some birds brought from about +Bourdeaux, that are all fat, and, examining one of them, they are so, +almost all fat. Their name is [Ortolans], which are brought over to the +King for him to eat, and indeed are excellent things. We parted from +them and so home to bed, it being very late, and to bed. + + + +11th. Up, and by water to Sir G. Downing's, there to discourse with him +about the reliefe of the prisoners in Holland; which I did, and we do +resolve of the manner of sending them some. So 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 in +Holland. And then about several stories of the basenesse of the King of +Spayne'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 generall officers, as the Generall and Lieutenant- +generall, in the whole world. But, above all things, the King did speake +most in contempt of the ceremoniousnesse of the King of Spayne, that he +do nothing but under some ridiculous form or other, and will not piss but +another must hold the chamber-pot. Thence to Westminster Hall and there +staid a while, and then to the Swan and kissed Sarah, and so home to +dinner, and after dinner out again to Sir Robert Viner, and there did +agree with him to accommodate some business of tallys so as I shall get +in near L2000 into my own hands, which is in the King's, upon tallys; +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. Thence to Westminster, doing several things by the +way, and there failed of meeting Mrs. Lane, and so by coach took up my +wife at her sister's, and so away to Islington, she and I alone, and so +through Hackney, and home late, our discourse being about laying up of +some money safe in prevention to the troubles I am afeard we may have in +the state, and so sleepy (for want of sleep the last night, going to bed +late and rising betimes in the morning) home, but when I come to the +office, I there met with a command from my Lord Arlington, to go down to +a galliott at Greenwich, by the King's particular command, that is going +to carry the Savoy Envoye over, and we fear there may be many Frenchmen +there on board; and so I have a power and command to search for and seize +all that have not passes from one of the Secretarys of State, and to +bring them and their papers and everything else in custody some whither. +So I to the Tower, and got a couple of musquetiers with me, and Griffen +and my boy Tom and so down; and, being come, found none on board but two +or three servants, looking to horses and doggs, there on board, and, +seeing no more, I staid not long there, but away and on shore at +Greenwich, the night being late and the tide against us; so, having sent +before, to Mrs. Clerke's and there I had a good bed, and well received, +the whole people rising to see me, and among the rest young Mrs. Daniel, +whom I kissed again and again alone, and so by and by to bed and slept +pretty well, + + + +12th. But was up again by five o'clock, and was forced to rise, having +much business, and so up and dressed myself (enquiring, was told that +Mrs. Tooker was gone hence to live at London) and away with Poundy to the +Tower, and thence, having shifted myself, but being mighty drowsy for +want of sleep, I by coach to St. James's, to Goring House, there to wait +on my Lord Arlington to give him an account of my night's worke, but he +was not up, being not long since married: so, after walking up and down +the house below,--being the house I was once at Hartlib's sister's +wedding, and is a very fine house and finely furnished,--and then +thinking it too much for me to lose time to wait my Lord's rising, I away +to St. James's, and there to Sir W. Coventry, and wrote a letter to my +Lord Arlington giving him an account of what I have done, and so 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 quality +eminent in him was, that he did persevere; and indeed he is a very +drudge, and stands by the King's business. And this he said, that one +thing he was good at, that he never would receive an excuse if the thing +was not done; listening to no reasoning for it, be it good or bad. But +then I told him, what he confessed, that he would however give the man, +that he employs, orders for removing of any obstruction that he thinks he +shall meet with in the world, and instanced in several warrants that he +issued for breaking open of houses and other outrages about the business +of prizes, which people bore with either for affection or fear, which he +believes would not have been borne with from the King, nor Duke, nor any +man else in England, and I thinke he is in the right, but it is not from +their love of him, but from something else I cannot presently say. Sir +W. Coventry did further say concerning Warcupp, his kinsman, that had the +simplicity to tell Sir W. Coventry, that the Duke did intend to go to sea +and to leave him his agent on shore for all things that related to the +sea. But, says Sir W. Coventry, I did believe but the Duke of Yorke +would expect to be his agent on shore for all sea matters. And then he +begun to say what a great man Warcupp was, and something else, and what +was that but a great lyer; and told me a story, how at table he did, they +speaking about antipathys, say, that a rose touching his skin any where, +would make it rise and pimple; and, by and by, the dessert coming, with +roses upon it, the Duchesse bid him try, and they did; but they rubbed +and rubbed, but nothing would do in the world, by which his lie was found +at then. He spoke contemptibly of Holmes and his mermidons, that come to +take down the ships from hence, and have carried them without any +necessaries, or any thing almost, that they will certainly be longer +getting ready than if they had staid here. In fine, I do observe, he +hath no esteem nor kindnesse for the Duke's matters, but, contrarily, do +slight him and them; and I pray God the Kingdom do not pay too dear by +this jarring; though this blockheaded Duke I did never expect better +from. At the office all the morning, at noon home and thought to have +slept, my head all day being full of business and yet sleepy and out of +order, and so I lay down on my bed in my gowne to sleep, but I could not, +therefore about three o'clock up and to dinner and thence to the office, +where. Mrs. Burroughs, my pretty widow, was and so I did her business +and sent her away by agreement, and presently I by coach after and took +her up in Fenchurch Streete and away through the City, hiding my face as +much as I could, but she being mighty pretty and well enough clad, I was +not afeard, but only lest somebody should see me and think me idle. I +quite through with her, and so into the fields Uxbridge way, a mile or +two beyond Tyburne, and then back and then to Paddington, and then back +to Lyssen green, a place the coachman led me to (I never knew in my life) +and there we eat and drank and so back to Chasing Crosse, and there I set +her down. All the way most excellent pretty company. I had her lips as +much as I would, and a mighty pretty woman she is and very modest and yet +kinde in all fair ways. All this time I passed with mighty pleasure, it +being what I have for a long time wished for, and did pay this day 5s. +forfeite for her company. She being gone, I to White Hall and there to +Lord Arlington's, and met Mr. Williamson, and find there is no more need +of my trouble about the Galliott, so with content departed, and went +straight home, where at the office did the most at the office in that +wearied and sleepy state I could, and so home to supper, and after supper +falling to singing with Mercer did however sit up with her, she pleasing +me with her singing of "Helpe, helpe," 'till past midnight and I not a +whit drowsy, and so to bed. + + + +13th. Lay sleepy in bed till 8 in the morning, then up and to the +office, where till about noon, then out to the 'Change and several +places, and so home to dinner. Then out again to Sir R. Vines, and there +to my content settled the business of two tallys, so as I shall have +L2000 almost more of my owne money in my hand, which pleases me mightily, +and so home and there to the office, where mighty busy, and then home to +supper and to even my Journall and to bed. Our fleete being now in all +points ready to sayle, but for the carrying of the two or three new +ships, which will keepe them a day or two or three more. It is said +the Dutch is gone off our coast, but I have no good reason to believe it, +Sir W. Coventry not thinking any such thing. + + + +14th. Up betimes to the office, to write fair a laborious letter I wrote +as from the Board to the Duke of Yorke, laying out our want of money +again; and particularly the business of Captain Cocke's tenders of hemp, +which my Lord Bruncker brought in under an unknown hand without name. +Wherein his Lordship will have no great successe, 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 fleete, being a new device to make +barricados with, instead of junke. By this means I come to see and kiss +Mr. Hill's young wife, and a blithe young woman she is. So to the office +and at noon home to dinner, and then sent for young Michell and employed +him all the afternoon about weighing and shipping off of the corke, +having by this means an opportunity of getting him 30 or 40s. Having set +him a doing, I home and to the office very late, very busy, and did +indeed dispatch much business, and so to supper and to bed. After a song +in the garden, which, and after dinner, is now the greatest pleasure I +take, and indeed do please me mightily, to bed, after washing my legs and +feet with warm water in my kitchen. This evening I had Davila + + [Enrico Caterino Davila (1576-1631) was one of the chief historical + writers of Italy, and his "Storia delle guerre civili di Francia" + covers a period of forty years, from the death of Henri II. to the + Peace of Vervins in 1598.] + +brought home to me, and find it a most excellent history as ever I read. + + + +15th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where our lecturer made a sorry +silly sermon, upon the great point of proving the truth of the Christian +religion. Home and had a good dinner, expecting Mr. Hunt, but there +comes only young Michell and his wife, whom my wife concurs with me to be +a pretty woman, and with her husband is a pretty innocent couple. +Mightily pleasant we were, and I mightily pleased in her company and to +find my wife so well pleased with them also. After dinner he and I +walked to White Hall, not being able to get a coach. He to the Abbey, +and I to White Hall, but met with nobody to discourse with, having no +great mind to be found idling there, and be asked questions of the +fleete, so walked only through to the Parke, and there, it being mighty +hot and I weary, lay down by the canaille, upon the grasse, and slept +awhile, and was thinking of a lampoone which hath run in my head this +weeke, to make upon the late fight at sea, and the miscarriages there; +but other businesses put it out of my head. Having lain there a while, +I then to the Abbey and there called Michell, and so walked in great +pain, having new shoes on, as far as Fleete Streete and there got a +coach, and so in some little ease home and there drank a great deale of +small beer; and so took up my wife and Betty Michell and her husband, and +away into the fields, to take the ayre, as far as beyond Hackny, and so +back again, in our way drinking a great deale of milke, which I drank to +take away, my heartburne, wherewith I have of late been mightily +troubled, but all the way home I did break abundance of wind behind, +which did presage no good but a great deal of cold gotten. So home and +supped and away went Michell and his wife, of whom I stole two or three +salutes, and so to bed in some pain and in fear of more, which +accordingly I met with, for I was in mighty pain all night long of the +winde griping of my belly and making of me shit often and vomit too, +which is a thing not usual with me, but this I impute to the milke that I +drank after so much beer, but the cold, to my washing my feet the night +before. + + + +16th. Lay in great pain in bed all the morning and most of the +afternoon, being in much pain, making little or no water, and indeed +having little within to make any with. And had great twinges with the +wind all the day in my belly with wind. And a looseness with it, which +however made it not so great as I have heretofore had it. A wonderful +dark sky, and shower of rain this morning, which at Harwich proved so too +with a shower of hail as big as walnuts. I had some broth made me to +drink, which I love, only to fill up room. Up in the afternoon, and +passed the day with Balty, who is come from sea for a day or two before +the fight, and I perceive could be willing fairly to be out of the next +fight, and I cannot much blame him, he having no reason by his place to +be there; however, would not have him to be absent, manifestly to avoid +being there. At night grew a little better and took a glyster of sacke, +but taking it by halves it did me not much good, I taking but a little of +it. However, to bed, and had a pretty good night of it, + + + +17th. So as to be able to rise to go to the office and there sat, but +now and then in pain, and without making much water, or freely. However, +it grew better and better, so as after dinner believing the jogging in a +coach would do me good, I did take my wife out to the New Exchange to buy +things. She there while I with Balty went and bought a common riding- +cloake for myself, to save my best. It cost me but 30s., and will do my +turne mighty well. Thence home and walked in the garden with Sir W. Pen +a while, and saying how the riding in the coach do me good (though I do +not yet much find it), he ordered his to be got ready while I did some +little business at the office, and so abroad he and I after 8 o'clock at +night, as far almost as Bow, and so back again, and so home to supper and +to bed. This day I did bid Balty to agree with the Dutch paynter, which +he once led me to, to see landskipps, for a winter piece of snow, which +indeed is a good piece, and costs me but 40s., which I would not take the +money again for, it being, I think, very good. After a little supper to +bed, being in less pain still, and had very good rest. + + + +18th. Up in good case, and so by coach to St. James's after my fellows, +and there did our business, which is mostly every day to complain of want +of money, and that only will undo us in a little time. Here, among other +things, before us all, the Duke of Yorke did say, that now at length he +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 fleete, and to +cause it to be spread about the fleete, for the recovering of the spirits +of the officers and seamen; who are under great dejectedness 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 +faro 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. I had also by his desire Sir W. Pen, and with +him his lady and daughter, and had a good dinner, and find the Bishop the +same good man as 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; 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. After dinner, they being gone, and I mightily +pleased with my guests, I down the river to Greenwich, about business, +and thence walked to Woolwich, reading "The Rivall Ladys" all the way, +and find it a most pleasant and fine writ play. At Woolwich saw Mr. +Shelden, it being late, and there eat and drank, being kindly used by him +and Bab, and so by water to Deptford, it being 10 o'clock before I got to +Deptford, and dark, and there to Bagwell's, and, having staid there a +while, away home, and after supper to bed. The Duke of Yorke said this +day that by the letters from the Generals they would sail with the Fleete +this day or to-morrow. + + + +19th. Up in very good health in every respect, only my late fever got by +my pain do break out about my mouth. So to the office, where all the +morning sitting. Full of wants of money, and much stores to buy, for to +replenish the stores, and no money to do it with, nor anybody to trust us +without it. So at noon home to dinner, Balty and his wife with us. By +and by Balty takes his leave of us, he going away just now towards the +fleete, where he will pass through one great engagement more before he be +two days older, I believe. I to the office, where busy all the +afternoon, late, and then home, and, after some pleasant discourse to my +wife, to bed. After I was in bed I had a letter from Sir W. Coventry +that tells me that the fleete is sailed this morning; God send us good +newes of them! + + + +20th. Up, and finding by a letter late last night that the fleete is +gone, and that Sir W. Pen is ordered to go down to Sheernesse, and +finding him ready to go to St. James's this morning, I was willing to go +with him to see how things go, + + [Sir William Penn's instructions from the Duke of York directing him + to embark on his Majesty's yacht "Henrietta," and to see to the + manning of such ships has had been left behind by the fleet, dated + on this day, 20th July, is printed in Penn's "Memorials of Sir W. + Penn," vol. ii., p. 406.] + +and so with him thither (but no discourse with the Duke), but to White +Hall, and there the Duke of York did bid Sir W. Pen to stay to discourse +with him and the King about business of the fleete, which troubled me a +little, but it was only out of envy, for which I blame myself, having no +reason to expect to be called to advise in a matter I understand not. So +I away to Lovett's, there to see how my picture goes on to be varnished +(a fine Crucifix), + + [This picture occasioned Pepys trouble long afterwards, having been + brought as evidence that he was a Papist (see "Life," vol. i., p. + xxxiii).] + +which will be very fine; and here I saw some fine prints, brought from +France by Sir Thomas Crew, who is lately returned. So home, calling at +the stationer's for some paper fit to varnish, and in my way home met +with Lovett, to whom I gave it, and he did present me with a varnished +staffe, very fine and light to walk with. So home and to dinner, there +coming young Mrs. Daniel and her sister Sarah, and dined with us; and old +Mr. Hawly, whose condition pities me, he being forced to turne under +parish-clerke at St. Gyles's, I think at the other end of the towne. +Thence I to the office, where busy all the afternoon, and in the evening +with Sir W. Pen, walking with whom in the garden I am of late mighty +great, and it is wisdom to continue myself so, for he is of all the men +of the office at present most manifestly usefull and best thought of. +He and I supped together upon the seat in the garden, and thence, +he gone, my wife and Mercer come and walked and sang late, and then +home to bed. + + + +21st. Up and to the office, where all the morning sitting. At noon +walked in the garden with Commissioner Pett (newly come to towne), who +tells me how infinite the disorders are among the commanders and all +officers of the fleete. 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 Captain Seymour. He tells +me that captains carry, for all the late orders, what men they please; +demand and consume what provisions they please. So that he fears, and I +do no less, that God Almighty cannot 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 fleete; and the truth is, 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 house, is so free, that it is not for +any person but the Duke himself to have any command over them. He gone I +to dinner, and then to the office, where busy all the afternoon. At +night walked in the garden with my wife, and so I home to supper and to +bed. Sir W. Pen is gone down to Sheernesse to-day to see things made +ready against the fleete shall come in again, which makes Pett mad, and +calls him dissembling knave, and that himself takes all the pains and is +blamed, while he do nothing but hinder business and takes all the honour +of it to himself, and tells me plainly he will fling, up his commission +rather than bear it. + + + +22nd (Lord's day). Up, and to my chamber, and there till noon mighty +busy, setting money matters and other things of mighty moment to rights +to the great content of my mind, I finding that accounts but a little let +go can never be put in order by strangers, for I cannot without much +difficulty do it myself. After dinner to them again till about four +o'clock and then walked to White Hall, where saw nobody almost but walked +up and down with Hugh May, 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 no +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 and 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. Thence walked through the +House, where most people mighty hush and, methinks, melancholy. I see +not a smiling face through the whole Court; and, in my conscience, they +are doubtfull of the conduct again of the Generalls, and I pray God they +may not make their fears reasonable. Sir Richard Fanshaw is lately dead +at Madrid. Guyland is lately overthrowne wholly in Barbary by the King +of Tafiletta. The fleete cannot yet get clear of the River, but expect +the first wind to be out, and then to be sure they fight. The Queene and +Maids of Honour are at Tunbridge. + + + +23rd. Up, and to my chamber doing several things there of moment, and +then comes Sympson, the Joyner; and he and I with great pains contriving +presses to put my books up in: they now growing numerous, and lying one +upon another on my chairs, I lose the use to avoyde the trouble of +removing them, when I would open a book. Thence out to the Excise office +about business, and then homewards met Colvill, who tells me he hath +L1000 ready for me upon a tally; which pleases me, and yet I know not now +what to do with it, having already as much money as is fit for me to have +in the house, but I will have it. I did also meet Alderman Backewell, +who tells me of the hard usage he now finds from Mr. Fen, in not getting +him a bill or two paid, now that he can be no more usefull to him; +telling me that what by his being abroad and Shaw's death he hath lost +the ball, but that he doubts not to come to give a kicke at it still, and +then he shall be wiser and keepe it while he hath it. But he says he +hath a good master, the King, who will not suffer him to be undone, as +otherwise he must have been, and I believe him. So home and to dinner, +where I confess, reflecting upon the ease and plenty that I live in, of +money, goods, servants, honour, every thing, I could not but with hearty +thanks to Almighty God ejaculate my thanks to Him while I was at dinner, +to myself. After dinner to the office and there till five or six +o'clock, and then by coach to St. James's and there with Sir W. Coventry +and Sir G. Downing to take the gyre in the Parke. All full of +expectation of the fleete's engagement, but it is not yet. Sir +W. Coventry says they are eighty-nine men-of-warr, but one fifth-rate, +and that, the Sweepstakes, which carries forty guns. They are most +infinitely manned. He tells me the Loyall 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 fleete hath lane now near fourteen days without +any demand for a farthingworth of any thing of any kind, but only to get +men. He also observes, that with this excesse 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 +been serviceable in the fight, and yet the fleete well-manned, according +to the excesse 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 fleete, for +force of guns, greatnesse 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 warr and twenty fire-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. We cannot think of any business, but lie big with +expectation of the issue of this fight, but do conclude that, this fight +being over, we shall be able to see the whole issue of the warr, good or +bad. So homeward, and walked over the Parke (St. James's) with Sir G. +Downing, and at White Hall took a coach; and there to supper with much +pleasure and to bed. + + + +24th. Up, and to the office, where little business done, our heads being +full of expectation of the fleete's being engaged, but no certain notice +of it, only Sheppeard in the Duke's yacht left them yesterday morning +within a league of the Dutch fleete, and making after them, they standing +into the sea. At noon to dinner, and after dinner with Mercer (as of +late my practice is) a song and so to the office, there to set up again +my frames about my Platts, which I have got to be all gilded, and look +very fine, and then to my business, and busy very late, till midnight, +drawing up a representation of the state of my victualling business to +the Duke, I having never appeared to him doing anything yet and therefore +I now do it in writing, I now having the advantage of having had two +fleetes dispatched in better condition than ever any fleetes were yet, I +believe; at least, with least complaint, and by this means I shall with +the better confidence get my bills out for my salary. So home to bed. + + + +25th. Up betimes to write fair my last night's paper for the Duke, and +so along with Sir W. Batten by hackney coach to St. James's, where the +Duke is gone abroad with the King to the Parke, but anon come back to +White Hall, and we, after an houre's waiting, walked thither (I having +desired Sir W. Coventry in his chamber to read over my paper about the +victualling, which he approves of, and I am glad I showed it him first, +it makes it the less necessary to show it the Duke at all, if I find it +best to let it alone). At White Hall we find [the Court] gone to +Chappell, it being St. James's-day. And by and by, while they are at +chappell, and we waiting chappell being done, come people out of the +Parke, telling us that the guns are heard plain. And so every body to +the Parke, and by and by the chappell 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 loudnesse 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 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 in serious discourse told me he did hope well of this fight +because of the equality of force or rather our having the advantage in +number, and also because we did not go about it with the presumption that +we did heretofore, when, he told me, he did before the last fight look +upon us by our pride fated to be overcome. He 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 owne drinking, which did please me +mightily. Thence, having dined mighty nobly, I away to Mrs. Martin's new +lodgings, where I find her, and was with her close, but, Lord! how big +she is already. She is, at least seems, in mighty trouble for her +husband at sea, when I am sure she cares not for him, and I would not +undeceive her, though I know his ship is one of those that is not gone, +but left behind without men. Thence to White Hall again to hear news, +but found none; so back toward Westminster, and there met Mrs. Burroughs, +whom I had a mind to meet, but being undressed did appear a mighty +ordinary woman. Thence by water home, and out again by coach to Lovett's +to see my Crucifix, which is not done. So to White Hall again to have +met Sir G. Carteret, but he is gone, abroad, so back homewards, and +seeing Mr. Spong took him up, and he and I to Reeves, the glass maker's, +and did set several glasses and had pretty discourse with him, and so +away, and set down Mr. Spong in London, and so home and with my wife, +late, twatling at my Lady Pen's, and so home to supper and to bed. I did +this afternoon call at my woman that ruled my paper to bespeak a musique +card, and there did kiss Nan. No news to-night from the fleete how +matters go yet. + + + +26th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined at +home: Mr. Hunt and his wife, who is very gallant, and newly come from +Cambridge, because of the sicknesse, with us. Very merry at table, and +the people I do love mightily, but being in haste to go to White Hall I +rose, and Mr. Hunt with me, and by coach thither, where I left him in the +boarded gallery, and I by appointment to attend the Duke of Yorke at his +closett, but being not come, Sir G. Carteret and I did talke together, +and [he] advises me, that, if I could, I would get the papers of +examination touching the business of the last year's prizes, which +concern my Lord Sandwich, out of Warcupp's hands, who being now under +disgrace and poor, he believes may be brought easily to part with them. +My Lord Crew, it seems, is fearfull yet that maters may be enquired into. +This I will endeavour to do, though I do not thinke it signifies much. +By and by the Duke of Yorke comes and we had a meeting and, among other +things, I did read my declaration of the proceedings of the Victualling +hired this yeare, and desired his Royall Highnesse to give me the +satisfaction of knowing whether his Royall Highnesse were pleased +therewith. He told me he was, and that it was a good account, and that +the business of the Victualling was much in a better condition than it +was the last yeare; which did much joy me, being said in the company of +my fellows, by which I shall be able with confidence to demand my salary +and the rest of the subsurveyors. Thence away mightily satisfied to Mrs. +Pierces, there to find my wife. Mrs. Pierce hath lain in of a boy about +a month. The boy is dead this day. She lies in good state, and very +pretty she is, but methinks do every day grow more and more great, and a +little too much, unless they get more money than I fear they do. Thence +with my wife and Mercer to my Lord Chancellor's new house, and there +carried them up to the leads, where I find my Lord Chamberlain, +Lauderdale, Sir Robert Murray, and others, and do find it the most +delightfull place for prospect that ever was in the world, and even +ravishing me, and that is all, in short, I can say of it. Thence to +Islington to our old house and eat and drank, and so round by Kingsland +home, and there to the office a little and Sir W. Batten's, but no newes +at all from the fleete, and so home to bed. + + + +27th. Up and to the office, where all the morning busy. At noon dined +at home and then to the office again, and there walking in the garden +with Captain Cocke till 5 o'clock. No newes yet of the fleete. His +great bargaine of Hempe with us by his unknown proposition is disliked by +the King, and so is quite off; of which he is glad, by this means being +rid of his obligation to my Lord Bruncker, which he was tired with, and +especially his mistresse, Mrs. Williams, and so will fall into another +way about it, wherein he will advise only with myself, which do not +displease me, and will be better for him and the King too. Much common +talke of publique business, the want of money, the uneasinesse that +Parliament will find in raising any, and the ill condition we shall be +in if they do not, and his confidence that the Swede is true to us, +but poor, but would be glad to do us all manner of service in the world. +He gone, I away by water from the Old Swan to White Hall. The waterman +tells me that newes is come that our ship Resolution is burnt, and that +we had sunke four or five of the enemy's ships. When I come to White +Hall I met with Creed, and he tells me the same news, and walking with +him to the Park I 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 Blue fell to the Zealand squadron; and after a long +dispute, he against two or three great ships, he 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 +owne fire-ships, which Sir W. Coventry, nor I, cannot understand. But +upon the whole, he and I walked two or three turns in the Parke under the +great trees, and do doubt that this gallant is come away a little too +soon, having lost never a mast nor sayle. And then we did begin to +discourse of the young gentlemen captains, which he was very free with me +in speaking his mind of the unruliness of them; and what a losse the King +hath of his old men, and now of this Hannam, of the Resolution, if he be +dead, and that there is but few old sober men in the fleete, and if these +few of the Flags that are so should die, he fears some other gentlemen +captains will get in, and then what a council we shall have, God knows. +He told me how he is disturbed to hear the commanders at sea called +cowards here on shore, and that he was yesterday concerned publiquely at +a dinner to defend them, against somebody that said that not above twenty +of them fought as they should do, and indeed it is derived from the Duke +of Albemarle himself, who wrote so to the King and Duke, and that he told +them how they fought four days, two of them with great disadvantage. The +Count de Guiche, who was on board De Ruyter, writing his narrative home +in French of the fight, do lay all the honour that may be upon the +English courage above the Dutch, and that he himself [Sir W. Coventry] +was sent down from the King and Duke of Yorke after the fight, to pray +them to spare none that they thought had not done their parts, and that +they had removed but four, whereof Du Tell is one, of whom he would say +nothing; but, it seems, the Duke of Yorke hath been much displeased at +his removal, and hath now taken him into his service, which is a plain +affront to the Duke of Albemarle; and two of the others, Sir W. Coventry +did speake very slenderly of their faults. Only the last, which was old +Teddiman, he says, is in fault, and hath little to excuse himself with; +and that, therefore, we should not be forward in condemning men of want +of courage, when the Generalls, who are both men of metal, and hate +cowards, and had the sense of our ill successe upon them (and by the way +must either let the world thinke it was the miscarriage of the Captains +or their owne conduct), have thought fit to remove no more of them, when +desired by the King and Duke of Yorke to do it, without respect to any +favour any of them can pretend to in either of them. At last we +concluded that we never can hope to beat the Dutch with such advantage as +now in number and force and a fleete in want of nothing, and he hath +often repeated now and at other times industriously that many of the +Captains have: declared that they want nothing, and again, that they did +lie ten days together at the Nore without demanding of any thing in the +world but men, and of them they afterward, when they went away, the +generalls themselves acknowledge that they have permitted several ships +to carry supernumeraries, but that if we do not speede well, we must then +play small games and spoile their trade in small parties. And so we +parted, and I, meeting Creed in the Parke again, did take him by coach +and to Islington, thinking to have met my Lady Pen and wife, but they +were gone, so we eat and drank and away back, setting him down in +Cheapside and I home, and there after a little while making of my tune to +"It is decreed," to bed. + + + +28th. Up, and to the office, where no more newes of the fleete than was +yesterday. Here we sat and at noon to dinner to the Pope's Head, where +my Lord Bruncker and his mistresse dined and Commissioner Pett, Dr. +Charleton, and myself, entertained with a venison pasty by Sir W. Warren. +Here very pretty discourse of Dr. Charleton's, concerning Nature's +fashioning every creature's teeth according to the food she intends them; +and that men's, it is plain, was not for flesh, but for fruit, and that +he can at any time tell the food of a beast unknown by the teeth. My +Lord Bruncker made one or two objections to it that creatures find their +food proper for their teeth rather than that the teeth were fitted for +the food, but the Doctor, I think, did well observe that creatures do +naturally and from the first, before they have had experience to try, do +love such a food rather than another, and that all children love fruit, +and none brought to flesh, but against their wills at first. Thence with +my Lord Bruncker to White Hall, where no news. So to St. James's to Sir +W. Coventry, and there hear only of the Bredah's being come in and gives +the same small account that the other did yesterday, so that we know not +what is done by the body of the fleete at all, but conceive great reason +to hope well. Thence with my Lord to his coach-house, and there put in +his six horses into his coach, and he and I alone to Highgate. All the +way going and coming I learning of him the principles of Optickes, and +what it is that makes an object seem less or bigger and how much distance +do lessen an object, and that it is not the eye at all, or any rule in +optiques, that can tell distance, but it is only an act of reason +comparing of one mark with another, which did both please and inform me +mightily. Being come thither we went to my Lord Lauderdale's house to +speake with him, about getting a man at Leith to joyne with one we employ +to buy some prize goods for the King; we find [him] and his lady and some +Scotch people at supper. Pretty odd company; though my Lord Bruncker +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 sicke it makes him; and that of all instruments, he +hates the lute most, and next to that, the baggpipe. Thence back with my +Lord to his house, all the way good discourse, informing of myself about +optiques still, and there left him and by a hackney home, and after +writing three or four letters, home to supper and to bed. + + + +29th (Lord's day). Up and all the morning in my chamber making up my +accounts in my book with my father and brother and stating them. Towards +noon before sermon was done at church comes newes by a letter to Sir W. +Batten, to my hand, of the late fight, which I sent to his house, he at +church. But, Lord! with what impatience I staid till sermon was done, +to know the issue of the fight, with a thousand hopes and fears and +thoughts about the consequences of either. At last sermon is done and he +come home, and the bells immediately rung soon as the church was done. +But coming; to Sir W. Batten to know the newes, his letter said nothing +of it; but all the towne 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; + + [In a letter from Richard Browne to Williamson, dated Yarmouth, July + 30th, we read, "The Zealanders were engaged with the Blue squadron + Wednesday and most of Thursday, but at length the Zealanders ran; + the Dutch fleet escaped to the Weelings and Goree" ("Calendar of + State Papers," 1665-66, p 591).] + +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 fleetes, and four days having no tidings of +them, I was still impatient; but could know no more. So away home to +dinner, where Mr. Spong and Reeves dined with me by invitation. And +after dinner to our business of my microscope to be shown some of the +observables of that, and then down to my office to looke in a darke room +with my glasses and tube, and most excellently things appeared indeed +beyond imagination. This was our worke all the afternoon trying the +several glasses and several objects, among others, one of my plates, +where the lines appeared so very plain that it is not possible to thinke +how plain it was done. Thence satisfied exceedingly with all this we +home and to discourse many pretty things, and so staid out the afternoon +till it began to be dark, and then they away and I to Sir W. Batten, +where the Lieutenant of the Tower was, and Sir John Minnes, and the newes +I find is no more or less than 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 her 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. So home to supper +and to bed. + + + +30th. Up, and did some business in my chamber, then by and by comes my +boy's Lute-Master, and I did direct him hereafter to begin to teach him +to play his part on the Theorbo, which he will do, and that in a little +time I believe. So to the office, and there with Sir W. Warren, with +whom I have spent no time a good while. We set right our business of the +Lighters, wherein I thinke I shall get L100. At noon home to dinner and +there did practise with Mercer one of my new tunes that I have got Dr. +Childe to set me a base to and it goes prettily. Thence abroad to pay +several debts at the end of the month, and so to Sir W. Coventry, at St. +James's, where I find him in his new closett, 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 fleete up their coast, +believing that the Dutch will come out in fourteen days, and then we with +our unready fleete, by reason of some of the ships being maymed, shall be +in bad condition to fight them upon their owne coast: is much +dissatisfied with the great number of men, and their fresh demands of +twenty-four victualling ships, they going out but the other day as full +as they could stow. I asked him whether he did never desire an account +of the number of supernumeraries, as I have done several ways, without +which we shall be in great errour about the victuals; he says he has done +it again and again, and if any mistake should happen they must thanke +themselves. 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 will 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 fleetes were even in number to one ship. Thence home; and +to sing with my wife and Mercer 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 musique +mighty readily, and she do not, and musique 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. Good friends in the morning and up to the office, where sitting +all the morning, and while at table we were mightily joyed with newes +brought by Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten of the death of De Ruyter, but +when Sir W. Coventry come, he told us there was no such thing, which +quite dashed me again, though, God forgive me! I was a little sorry in +my heart before lest it might give occasion of too much glory to the Duke +of Albemarle. Great bandying this day between Sir W. Coventry and my +Lord Bruncker about Captain Cocke, which I am well pleased with, while I +keepe from any open relyance on either side, but rather on Sir W. +Coventry's. At noon had a haunch of venison boiled and a very good +dinner besides, there dining with me on a sudden invitation the two +mayden sisters, Bateliers, and their elder brother, a pretty man, +understanding and well discoursed, much pleased with his company. Having +dined myself I rose to go to a Committee of Tangier, and did come thither +time enough to meet Povy and Creed and none else. The Court being empty, +the King being gone to Tunbridge, and the Duke of Yorke 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. Then with Creed and read over with him the +narrative of the late [fight], which he makes a very poor thing of, as it +is indeed, and speaks most slightingly of the whole matter. Povy +discoursed with me about my Lord Peterborough's L50 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 out 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 shew. Thence to Westminster Hall and walked +an hour with Creed talking of the late fight, and observing the +ridiculous management thereof and success of the Duke of Albemarle. +Thence parted and to Mrs. Martin's lodgings, and sat with her a while, +and then by water home, all the way reading the Narrative of the late +fight in order, it may be, to the making some marginal notes upon it. +At the Old Swan found my Betty Michell at the doore, where I staid +talking with her a pretty while, it being dusky, and kissed her and so +away home and writ my letters, and then home to supper, where the, +brother and Mary Batelier are still and Mercer's two sisters. They have +spent the time dancing this afternoon, and we were very merry, and then +after supper into the garden and there walked, and then home with them +and then back again, my wife and I and the girle, and sang in the garden +and then to bed. Colville was with me this morning, and to my great joy +I could now have all my money in, that I have in the world. But the +times being open again, I thinke it is best to keepe some of it abroad. +Mighty well, and end this month in content of mind and body. The +publique matters looking more safe for the present than they did, and we +having a victory over the Dutch just such as I could have wished, and as +the kingdom was fit to bear, enough to give us the name of conquerors, +and leave us masters of the sea, but without any such great matters done +as should give the Duke of Albemarle any honour at all, or give him cause +to rise to his former insolence. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Better the musique, the more sicke it makes him +Contempt of the ceremoniousnesse of the King of Spayne +Listening to no reasoning for it, be it good or bad +Many women now-a-days of mean sort in the streets, but no men +Milke, which I drank to take away, my heartburne +No money to do it with, nor anybody to trust us without it +Rather hear a cat mew, than the best musique in the world +Says, of all places, if there be hell, it is here +So to bed in some little discontent, but no words from me +The gentlemen captains will undo us +To bed, after washing my legs and feet with warm water +Venison-pasty that we have for supper to-night to the cook's +With a shower of hail as big as walnuts +World sees now the use of them for shelter of men (fore-castles) + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v50 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + + THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S. + + CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY + + TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY +MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW + AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE + + (Unabridged) + + WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES + + EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY + + HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + AUGUST & SEPTEMBER + 1666 + + +August 1st. Up betimes to the settling of my last month's accounts, and +I bless God I find them very clear, and that I am worth L5700, the most +that ever my book did yet make out. So prepared to attend the Duke of +Yorke as usual, but Sir W. Pen, just as I was going out, comes home from +Sheernesse, and held me in discourse about publique business, till I come +by coach too late to St. James's, and there find that every thing stood +still, and nothing done for want of me. Thence walked over the Parke +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 5,000 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 5,000 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; there being Everson, and the Admiral and Vice- +Admiral of Freezeland on theirs, and Seamour, Martin, and -----, on ours. +I left him going to Chappell, it being the common fast day, and the Duke +of York at Chappell. And I to Mrs. Martin's, but she abroad, so I +sauntered to or again to the Abbey, and then to the parish church, +fearfull of being seen to do so, and so after the parish church was +ended, I to the Swan and there dined upon a rabbit, and after dinner to +Mrs. Martin's, and there find Mrs. Burroughs, and by and by comes a +pretty widow, one Mrs. Eastwood, and one Mrs. Fenton, a maid; and here +merry kissing and looking on their breasts, and all the innocent pleasure +in the world. But, Lord! to see the dissembling of this widow, how upon +the singing of a certain jigg by Doll, Mrs. Martin's sister, she seemed +to be sick and fainted and God knows what, because the jigg, which her +husband (who died this last sickness) loved. But by and by I made her as +merry as is possible, and towzed and tumbled her as I pleased, and then +carried her and her sober pretty kinswoman Mrs. Fenton home to their +lodgings in the new market of my Lord Treasurer's, and there left them. +Mightily pleased with this afternoon's mirth, but in great pain to ride +in a coach with them, for fear of being seen. So home, and there much +pleased with my wife's drawing today in her pictures, and so to supper +and to bed very pleasant. + + + +2nd. [Up] and to the office, where we sat, and in discourse at the table +with Sir W. Batten, I was obliged to tell him it was an untruth, which +did displease him mightily, and parted at noon very angry with me. At +home find Lovett, who brought me some papers varnished, and showed me my +crucifix, which will be very fine when done. He dined with me and +Balty's wife, who is in great pain for her husband, not hearing of him +since the fight; but I understand he was not in it, going hence too late, +and I am glad of it. Thence to the office, and thither comes to me +Creed, and he and I walked a good while, and then to the victualling +office together, and there with Mr. Gawden I did much business, and so +away with Creed again, and by coach to see my Lord Bruncker, who it seems +was not well yesterday, but being come thither, I find his coach ready to +carry him abroad, but Tom, his footman, whatever the matter was, was +lothe to desire me to come in, but I walked a great while in the Piatza +till I was going away, but by and by my Lord himself comes down and +coldly received me. So I soon parted, having enough for my over +officious folly in troubling myself to visit him, and I am apt to think +that he was fearfull that my coming was out of design to see how he spent +his time [rather] than to enquire after his health. So parted, and I +with Creed down to the New Exchange Stairs, and there I took water, and +he parted, so home, and then down to Woolwich, reading and making an end +of the "Rival Ladys," and find it a very pretty play. At Woolwich, it +being now night, I find my wife and Mercer, and Mr. Batelier and Mary +there, and a supper getting ready. So I staid, in some pain, it being +late, and post night. So supped and merrily home, but it was twelve at +night first. However, sent away some letters, and home to bed. + + + +3rd. Up and to the office, where Sir W. Batten and I sat to contract for +some fire-ships. I there close all the morning. At noon home to dinner, +and then abroad to Sir Philip Warwicke's at White Hall about Tangier one +quarter tallys, and there had some serious discourse touching money, and +the case of the Navy, wherein all I could get of him was that we had the +full understanding of the treasure as much as my Lord Treasurer himself, +and knew what he can do, and that whatever our case is, more money cannot +be got till the Parliament. So talked of getting an account ready as +soon as we could to give the Parliament, and so very melancholy parted. +So I back again, calling my wife at her sister's, from whose husband we +do now hear that he was safe this week, and going in a ship to the fleete +from the buoy of the Nore, where he has been all this while, the fleete +being gone before he got down. So home, and busy till night, and then to +Sir W. Pen, with my wife, to sit and chat, and a small supper, and home +to bed. 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 spooned before the wind +as well as they, and have overtaken their ships in the pursuite, in all +the while. + + [To spoom, or spoon, is to go right before the wind, without any + sail. Sea Dictionary. Dryden uses the word + + "When virtue spooms before a prosperous gale, + My heaving wishes help to fill the sail." + Hind and Panther, iii. 96.] + + + +4th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and, at noon to +dinner, and Mr. Cooke dined with us, who is lately come from +Hinchingbroke, [Lord Hinchingbrooke] who is also come to town: The family +all well. Then I to the office, where very busy to state to Mr. Coventry +the account of the victuals of the fleete, and late at it, and then home +to supper and to bed. 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 every good hearing. + + + +5th. (Lord's day). Up, and down to the Old Swan, and there called Betty +Michell and her husband, and had two or three a long salutes from her out +of sight of 'su mari', which pleased me mightily, and so carried them by +water to West minster, and I to St. James's, and there had a meeting +before the Duke of Yorke, complaining of want of money, but nothing done +to any purpose, for want we shall, so that now our advices to him signify +nothing. Here Sir W. Coventry did acquaint the Duke of Yorke how the +world do discourse of the ill method of our books, and that we would +consider how to answer any enquiry which shall be made after our practice +therein, which will I think concern the Controller most, but I shall make +it a memento to myself. Thence walked to the Parish Church to have one +look upon Betty Michell, and so away homeward by water, and landed to go +to the church, where, I believe, Mrs. Horsely goes, by Merchant-tailors' +Hall, and there I find in the pulpit Elborough, my old schoolfellow and a +simple rogue, and yet I find him preaching a very good sermon, and in as +right a parson-like manner, and in good manner too, as I have heard any +body; and the church very full, which is a surprising consideration; but +I did not see her. So home, and had a good dinner, and after dinner +with my wife, and Mercer, and Jane by water, all the afternoon up as high +as Morclaeke with great pleasure, and a fine day, reading over the second +part of the, "Siege of Rhodes," with great delight. We landed and walked +at Barne-elmes, and then at the Neat Houses I landed and bought a millon, +--[melon]--and we did also land and eat and drink at Wandsworth, and so +to the Old Swan, and thence walked home. It being a mighty fine cool +evening, and there being come, my wife and I spent an houre in the +garden, talking of our living in the country, when I shall be turned out +of the office, as I fear the Parliament may find faults enough with the +office to remove us all, and I am joyed to think in how good a condition +I am to retire thither, and have wherewith very well to subsist. Nan, at +Sir W. Pen's, lately married to one Markeham, a kinsman of Sir W. Pen's, +a pretty wench she is. + + + +6th. Up, and to the office a while, and then by water to my Lady +Montagu's, at Westminster, and there visited my Lard Hinchingbroke, newly +come from Hinchingbroke, and find him a mighty sober gentleman, to my +great content. Thence to Sir Ph. Warwicke and my Lord Treasurer's, but +failed in my business; so home and in Fenchurch-streete 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 the 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 mayds sicke, 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 towne +would leave the towne and come to London; which is now the receptacle of +all the people from all infected places. God preserve us! So by and by +to dinner, and, after dinner in comes Mrs. Knipp, and I being at the +office went home to her, and there I sat and talked with her, it being +the first time of her being here since her being brought to bed. I very +pleasant with her; but perceive my wife hath no great pleasure in her +being here, she not being pleased with my kindnesse to her. However, we +talked and sang, and were very pleasant. By and by comes Mr. Pierce and +his wife, the first time she also hath been here since her lying-in, both +having been brought to bed of boys, and both of them dead. And here we +talked, and were pleasant, only my wife in a chagrin humour, she not +being pleased with my kindnesse to either of them, and by and by she fell +into some silly discourse wherein I checked her, which made her mighty +pettish, and discoursed mighty offensively to Mrs. Pierce, which did +displease me, but I would make no words, but put the discourse by as much +as I could (it being about a report that my wife said was made of herself +and meant by Mrs. Pierce, that she was grown a gallant, when she had but +so few suits of clothes these two or three years, and a great deale of +that silly discourse), and by and by Mrs. Pierce did tell her that such +discourses should not trouble her, for there went as bad on other people, +and particularly of herself at this end of the towne, meaning my wife, +that she was crooked, which was quite false, which my wife had the wit +not to acknowledge herself to be the speaker of, though she has said it +twenty times. But by this means we had little pleasure in their visit; +however, Knipp and I sang, and then I offered them to carry them home, +and to take my wife with me, but she would not go: so I with them, +leaving my wife in a very ill humour, and very slighting to them, which +vexed me. However, I would not be removed from my civility to them, but +sent for a coach, and went with them; and, in our way, Knipp saying that +she come out of doors without a dinner to us, I took them to Old Fish +Streete, to the very house and woman where I kept my wedding dinner, +where I never was since, and there I did give them a joie of salmon, and +what else was to be had. And here we talked of the ill-humour of my +wife, which I did excuse as much as I could, and they seemed to admit of +it, but did both confess they wondered at it; but from thence to other +discourse, and among others to that of my Lord Bruncker and Mrs. +Williams, who it seems do speake mighty hardly of me for my not treating +them, and not giving her something to her closett, and do speake worse of +my wife, and dishonourably, but it is what she do of all the world, +though she be a whore herself; so I value it not. But they told me how +poorly my Lord carried himself the other day to his kinswoman, Mrs. +Howard, and was displeased because she called him uncle to a little +gentlewoman that is there with him, which he will not admit of; for no +relation is to be challenged from others to a lord, and did treat her +thereupon very rudely and ungenteely. Knipp tells me also that my Lord +keeps another woman besides Mrs. Williams; and that, when I was there the +other day, there was a great hubbub in the house, Mrs. Williams being +fallen sicke, because my Lord was gone to his other mistresse, making her +wait for him, till his return from the other mistresse; and a great deale +of do there was about it; and Mrs. Williams swounded at it, at the very +time when I was there and wondered at the reason of my being received so +negligently. I set them both at home, Knipp at her house, her husband +being at the doore; and glad she was to be found to have staid out so +long with me and Mrs. Pierce, and none else; and Mrs. Pierce at her +house, and am mightily pleased with the discretion of her during the +simplicity and offensiveness of my wife's discourse this afternoon. I +perceive by the new face at Mrs. Pierces door that our Mary is gone from +her. So I home, calling on W. Joyce in my coach, and staid and talked a +little with him, who is the same silly prating fellow that ever he was, +and so home, and there find my wife mightily out of order, and +reproaching of Mrs. Pierce and Knipp as wenches, and I know not what. +But I did give her no words to offend her, and quietly let all pass, and +so to bed without any good looke or words to or from my wife. + + + +7th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and home to +dinner, and then to the office again, being pretty good friends with my +wife again, no angry words passed; but she finding fault with Mercer, +suspecting that it was she that must have told Mary, that must have told +her mistresse of my wife's saying that she was crooked. But the truth +is, she is jealous of my kindnesse to her. After dinner, to the office, +and did a great deale of business. In the evening comes Mr. Reeves, with +a twelve-foote glasse, so I left the office and home, where I met Mr. +Batelier with my wife, in order to our going to-morrow, by agreement, to +Bow to see a dancing meeting. But, Lord! to see how soon I could +conceive evil fears and thoughts concerning them; so Reeves and I and +they up to the top of the house, and there we endeavoured to see the +moon, and Saturne and Jupiter; but the heavens proved cloudy, and so we +lost our labour, having taken pains to get things together, in order to +the managing of our long glasse. So down to supper and then to bed, +Reeves lying at my house, but good discourse I had from him: in his own +trade, concerning glasses, and so all of us late to bed. I receive fresh +intelligence that Deptford and Greenwich are now afresh exceedingly +afflicted with the sickness more than ever. + + + +8th. Up, and with Reeves walk as far as the Temple, doing some business +in my way at my bookseller's and elsewhere, and there parted, and I took +coach, having first discoursed with Mr. Hooke a little, whom we met in +the streete, 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. There I +left them, and myself by coach 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 come 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. After we had done our business with him, +which is now but little, the want of money being such as leaves us little +to do but to answer complaints of the want thereof, and nothing to offer +to the Duke, the representing of our want of money being now become +uselesse, I into the Park, and there I met with Mrs. Burroughs by +appointment, and did agree (after discoursing of some business of her's) +for her to meet me at New Exchange, while I by coach to my Lord +Treasurer's, and then called at the New Exchange, and thence carried her +by water to Parliament stayres, and I to the Exchequer about my Tangier +quarter tallys, and that done I took coach and to the west door of the +Abby, where she come to me, and I with her by coach to Lissen-greene +where we were last, and staid an hour or two before dinner could be got +for us, I in the meantime having much pleasure with her, but all honest. +And by and by dinner come up, and then to my sport again, but still +honest; and then took coach and up and down in the country toward Acton, +and then toward Chelsy, and so to Westminster, and there set her down +where I took her up, with mighty pleasure in her company, and so I by +coach home, and thence to Bow, with all the haste I could, to my Lady +Pooly's, where my wife was with Mr. Batelier and his sisters, and there I +found a noble supper, and every thing exceeding pleasant, and their +mother, Mrs: Batelier, a fine woman, but mighty passionate upon sudden +news brought her of the loss of a dog borrowed of the Duke of Albemarle's +son to line a bitch of hers that is very pretty, but the dog was by and +by found, and so all well again, their company mighty innocent and +pleasant, we having never been here before. 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, and being there come, and sent away Mr. Batelierand his sister, I +find Reeves there, it being a mighty fine bright night, and so upon my +leads, though very sleepy, till one in the morning, looking on the moon +and Jupiter, with this twelve-foote glasse and another of six foote, that +he hath brought with him to-night, and the sights mighty pleasant, and +one of the glasses I will buy, it being very usefull. So to bed mighty +sleepy, but with much pleasure. Reeves lying at my house again; and +mighty proud I am (and ought to be thankfull to God Almighty) that I am +able to have a spare bed for my friends. + + + +9th. Up and to the office to prepare business for the Board, Reeves +being gone and I having lent him upon one of the glasses. Here we sat, +but to little purpose, nobody coming at us but to ask for money, not to +offer us any goods. At noon home to dinner, and then to the office +again, being mightily pleased with a Virgin's head that my wife is now +doing of. In the evening to Lumbard-streete about money, to enable me to +pay Sir G. Carteret's L3000, which he hath lodged in my hands, in behalf +of his son and my Lady Jemimah, toward their portion, which, I thank God, +I am able to do at a minute's warning. In my [way] I inquired, and find +Mrs. Rawlinson is dead of the sickness, and her mayde continues mighty +ill. He himself is got out of the house. I met also with Mr. Evelyn in +the streete, 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. Thence back home again, and after some business at my +office, late, home to supper and to bed, I being sleepy by my late want +of rest, notwithstanding my endeavouring to get a nap of an hour this +afternoon after dinner. So home and to bed. + + + +10th. Up and to my chamber; there did some business and then to my +office, and towards noon by water to the Exchequer about my Tangier +order, and thence back again and to the Exchange, where little newes but +what is in the book, and, among other things, of a man sent up for by the +King and Council for saying that Sir W. Coventry did give intelligence to +the Dutch of all our matters here. I met with Colvill, and he and I did +agree about his lending me L1000 upon a tally of L1000 for Tangier. +Thence to Sympson, the joyner, and I am mightily pleased with what I see +of my presses for my books, which he is making for me. So homeward, and +hear in Fanchurch-streete, that now the mayde also is dead at Mr. +Rawlinson's; so that there are three dead in all, the wife, a man- +servant, and mayde-servant. Home to dinner, where sister Balty dined +with us, and met a letter come to me from him. He is well at Harwich, +going to the fleete. After dinner to the office, and anon with my wife +and sister abroad, left them in Paternoster Row, while Creed, who was +with me at the office, and I to Westminster; and leaving him in the +Strand, I to my Lord Chancellor's, and did very little business, and so +away home by water, with more and more pleasure, I every time reading +over my Lord Bacon's "Faber Fortunae." So home, and there did little +business, and then walked an hour talking of sundry things in the garden, +and find him a cunning knave, as I always observed him to be, and so home +to supper, and to bed. Pleased that this day I find, if I please, I can +have all my money in that I have out of my hands, but I am at a loss +whether to take it in or no, and pleased also to hear of Mrs. Barbara +Sheldon's good fortune, who is like to have Mr. Wood's son, the mast- +maker, a very rich man, and to be married speedily, she being already +mighty fine upon it. + + + +11th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon home +to dinner, where mighty pleased at my wife's beginnings of a little +Virgin's head. To the office and did much business, and then to Mr. +Colvill's, and with him did come to an agreement about my L2600 +assignment on the Exchequer, which I had of Sir W. Warren; and, to my +great joy, I think I shall get above L100 by it, but I must leave it to +be finished on Monday. Thence to the office, and there did the remainder +of my business, and so home to supper and to bed. This afternoon I hear +as if we had landed some men upon the Dutch coasts, but I believe it is +but a foolery either in the report or the attempt. + + + +12th (Lord's day). Up and to my chamber, where busy all the morning, and +my thoughts very much upon the manner of my removal of my closett things +the next weeke into my present musique room, if I find I can spare or get +money to furnish it. By and by comes Reeves, by appointment, but did not +bring the glasses and things I expected for our discourse and my +information to-day, but we have agreed on it for next Sunday. By and by, +in comes Betty Michell and her husband, and so to dinner, I mightily +pleased with their company. We passed the whole day talking with them, +but without any pleasure, but only her being there. In the evening, all +parted, and I and my wife up to her closett to consider how to order that +the next summer, if we live to it; and then down to my chamber at night +to examine her kitchen accounts, and there I took occasion to fall out +with her for her buying a laced handkercher and pinner without my leave. +Though the thing is not much, yet I would not permit her begin to do so, +lest worse should follow. From this we began both to be angry, and so +continued till bed, and did not sleep friends. + + + +13th. Up, without being friends with my wife, nor great enemies, being +both quiet and silent. So out to Colvill's, but he not being come to +town yet, I to Paul's Church-yarde, to treat with a bookbinder, to come +and gild the backs of all my books, to make them handsome, to stand in my +new presses, when they come. So back again to Colvill's, and there did +end our treaty, to my full content, about my Exchequer assignment of +L2600 of Sir W. Warren's, for which I give him L170 to stand to the +hazard of receiving it. So I shall get clear by it L230, which is a very +good jobb. God be praised for it! Having done with him, then he and I +took coach, and I carried him to Westminster, and there set him down, in +our way speaking of several things. I find him a bold man to say any +thing of any body, and finds fault with our great ministers of state that +nobody looks after any thing; and I thought it dangerous to be free with +him, for I do not think he can keep counsel, because he blabs to me what +hath passed between other people and him. Thence I to St. James's, and +there missed Sir W. Coventry; but taking up Mr. Robinson in my coach, I +towards London, and there in the way met Sir W. Coventry, and followed +him to White Hall, where a little discourse very kind, and so I away with +Robinson, and set him down at the 'Change, and thence I to Stokes the +goldsmith, and sent him to and again to get me L1000 in gold; and so home +to dinner, my wife and I friends, without any words almost of last night. +After dinner, I abroad to Stokes, and there did receive L1000 worth in +gold, paying 18 1/2d. and 19d. for others exchange. Home with them, +and there to my office to business, and anon home in the evening, there +to settle some of my accounts, and then to supper and to bed. + + + +14th. (Thanksgiving day.) + + [A proclamation ordering August 14th to be observed in London and + Westminster, and August 23rd in other places, as a day of + thanksgiving for the late victory at sea over the Dutch, was + published on August 6th.] + +Up, and comes Mr. Foley and his man, with a box of a great variety of +carpenter's and joyner's tooles, which I had bespoke, to me, which please +me mightily; but I will have more. Then I abroad down to the Old Swan, +and there I called and kissed Betty Michell, and would have got her to go +with me to Westminster, but I find her a little colder than she used to +be, methought, which did a little molest me. So I away not pleased, and +to White Hall, where I find them at Chappell, and met with Povy, and he +and I together, who tells me how mad my letter makes my Lord +Peterborough, and what a furious letter he hath 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. So to the chappell, and heard a piece of the Dean of +Westminster's sermon, and a special good anthemne before the king, after +a sermon, and then home by coach with Captain Cocke, who is in pain about +his hempe, of which he says he hath bought great quantities, and would +gladly be upon good terms with us for it, wherein I promise to assist +him. So we 'light at the 'Change, where, after a small turn or two, +taking no pleasure now-a-days to be there, because of answering questions +that would be asked there which I cannot answer; so home and dined, and +after dinner, with my wife and Mercer to the Beare-garden, + + [The Bear Garden was situated on Bankside, close to the precinct of + the Clinke Liberty, and very near to the old palace of the bishops + of Winchester. Stow, to his "Survey," says: "There be two Bear + Gardens, the old and new Places." The name still exists in a street + or lane at the foot of Southwark Bridge, and in Bear Garden Wharf.] + +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; +and who should be in the house but Mr. Pierce the surgeon, who saw us +and spoke to us. Thence home, well enough satisfied, however, with the +variety of this afternoon's exercise; and so I to my chamber, till in the +evening our company come to supper. We had invited to a venison pasty +Mr. Batelier and his sister Mary, Mrs. Mercer, her daughter Anne, +Mr. Le Brun, and W. Hewer; and so we supped, 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 his 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. + + [On the 8th August the Duke of Albemarle reported to Lord Arlington + that he had "sent 1000 good men under Sir R. Holmes and Sir William + Jennings to destroy the islands of Vlie and Schelling." On the 10th + James Hayes wrote to Williamson: "On the 9th at noon smoke was seen + rising from several places in the island of Vlie, and the 10th + brought news that Sir Robert had burned in the enemy's harbour 160 + outward bound valuable merchant men and three men-of-war, and taken + a little pleasure boat and eight guns in four hours. The loss is + computed at a million sterling, and will make great confusion when + the people see themselves in the power of the English at their very + doors. Sir Robert then landed his forces, and is burning the houses + in Vlie and Schelling as bonfires for his good success at sea" + ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, pp. 21,27).] + +I up, and with all possible haste, and in pain for fear of coming late, +it being our day of attending the Duke of Yorke, 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 Yorke with his books +showed us the very place and manner, and that it was not our design or +expectation to have done this, but only to have landed on the Fly, and +burned some of their store; but being come in, we spied those ships, and +with our long boats, one by one, fired them, our ships running all +aground, 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, though +there is nothing of his in this. But, Lord! to see what successe do, +whether with or without reason, and making a man seem wise, +notwithstanding never so late demonstration of the profoundest folly in +the world. Thence walked over the Parke with Sir W. Coventry, in our way +talking of the unhappy state of our office; and I took an opportunity to +let him know, that though the backwardnesses of all our matters of the +office may be well imputed to the known want of money, yet, perhaps, +there might be personal and particular failings; and that I did, +therefore, depend still upon his promise of telling me whenever he finds +any ground to believe any defect or neglect on my part, which he promised +me still to do; and that there was none he saw, nor, indeed, says he, is +there room now-a-days to find fault with any particular man, while we are +in this condition for money. This, methought, did not so well please me; +but, however, I am glad I have said this, thereby giving myself good +grounds to believe that at this time he did not want an occasion to have +said what he pleased to me, if he had had anything in his mind, which by +his late distance and silence I have feared. But then again I am to +consider he is grown a very great man, much greater than he was, and so +must keep more distance; and, next, that the condition of our office will +not afford me occasion of shewing myself so active and deserving as +heretofore; and, lastly, the muchness of his business cannot suffer him +to mind it, or give him leisure to reflect on anything, or shew the +freedom and kindnesse that he used to do. But I think I have done +something considerable to my satisfaction in doing this; and that if I do +but my duty remarkably from this time forward, and not neglect it, as I +have of late done, and minded my pleasures, I may be as well as ever I +was. Thence to the Exchequer, but did nothing, they being all gone from +their offices; and so to the Old Exchange, where the towne full of the +good newes, but I did not stay to tell or hear any, but home, my head +akeing and drowsy, and to dinner, and then lay down upon the couch, +thinking to get a little rest, but could not. So down the river, reading +"The Adventures of Five Houres," which the more I read the more I admire. +So down below Greenwich, but the wind and tide being against us, I back +again to Deptford, and did a little business there, and thence walked to +Redriffe; and so home, and to the office a while. In the evening comes +W. Batelier and his sister, and my wife, and fair Mrs. Turner into the +garden, and there we walked, and then with my Lady Pen and Pegg in +a-doors, and eat and were merry, and so pretty late broke up, and to bed. +The guns of the Tower going off, and there being bonefires also in the +street for this late good successe. + + + +16th. Up, having slept well, and after entering my journal, to the +office, where all the morning, but of late Sir W. Coventry hath not come +to us, he being discouraged from the little we have to do but to answer +the clamours of people for money. At noon home, and there dined with me +my Lady Pen only and W. Hewer at a haunch of venison boiled, where pretty +merry, only my wife vexed me a little about demanding money to go with my +Lady Pen to the Exchange to lay out. I to the office, where all the +afternoon and very busy and doing much business; but here I had a most +eminent experience of the evil of being behindhand in business. I was +the most backward to begin any thing, and would fain have framed to +myself an occasion of going abroad, and should, I doubt, have done it, +but some business coming in, one after another, kept me there, and I fell +to the ridding away of a great deale of business, and when my hand was in +it was so pleasing a sight to [see] my papers disposed of, and letters +answered, which troubled my book and table, that I could have continued +there with delight all night long, and did till called away by my Lady +Pen and Pegg and my wife to their house to eat with them; and there I +went, and exceeding merry, there being Nan Wright, now Mrs. Markham, and +sits at table with my Lady. So mighty merry, home and to bed. 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 towne), laden with hempe, flax, +tarr, deales, &c. This was good newes; but by and by comes in Sir G. +Carteret, and he asked us with full mouth what we would give for good +newes. 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 newes. So Sir W. Batten told his of the ten or twelve +ships Sir G. Carteret did then tell us that upon the newes of the burning +of the ships and towne the common people a Amsterdam did besiege De +Witt's house, and he was force to flee to the Prince of Orange, who is +gone to Cleve to the marriage of his sister. This we concluded all the +best newest and my Lord Bruncker 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. Up and betimes with Captain Erwin down by water to Woolwich, I +walking alone from Greenwich thither, making an end of the "Adventures of +Five Hours," which when all is done is the best play that ever I read in +my life. Being come thither I did some business there and at the Rope +Yarde, and had a piece of bride-cake sent me by Mrs. Barbary into the +boate after me, she being here at her uncle's, with her husband, Mr. +Wood's son, the mast-maker, and mighty nobly married, they say, she was, +very fine, and he very rich, a strange fortune for so odd a looked mayde, +though her hands and body be good, and nature very good, I think. Back +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 crowne +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 toward the King. +Their druggerman 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 is 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 he left the fleete in +Sole Bay, and that he hath not heard (he belonging to Sir W. Jenings, in +the fleete) of any such prizes taken as the ten or twelve I inquired +about, and said by Sir W. Batten yesterday to be taken, so I fear it is +not true. So to Westminster, and there, to my great content, did receive +my L2000 of Mr. Spicer's telling, which I was to receive of Colvill, and +brought it home with me [to] my house by water, and there I find one of +my new presses for my books brought home, which pleases me mightily. As, +also, do my wife's progresse upon her head that she is making. So to +dinner, and thence abroad with my wife, leaving her at Unthanke's; I to +White Hall, waiting at the Council door till it rose, and there spoke +with Sir W. Coventry, who and I do much fear our Victuallers, they having +missed the fleete in their going. But Sir W. Coventry says it is not our +fault, but theirs, if they have not left ships to secure them. This he +spoke in a chagrin sort of way, methought. After a little more discourse +of several businesses, I away homeward, having in the gallery the good +fortune to see Mrs. Stewart, who is grown a little too tall, but is a +woman of most excellent features. The narrative of the late expedition +in burning the ships is in print, and makes it a great thing, and I hope +it is so. So took up my wife and home, there I to the office, and thence +with Sympson the joyner home to put together the press he hath brought me +for my books this day, which pleases me exceedingly. Then to Sir W. +Batten's, where Sir Richard Ford did very understandingly, methought, +give us an account of the originall of the Hollands Bank, + + [This bank at Amsterdam is referred to in a tract entitled "An + Appeal to Caesar," 1660, p. 22. In 1640 Charles I. seized the money + in the mint in the Tower entrusted to the safe keeping of the Crown. + It was the practice of the London goldsmiths at this time to allow + interest at the rate of six or eight per cent. on money deposited + with them (J. Biddulph Martin, "The Grasshopper in Lombard Street," + 1892, p. 152).] + +and the nature of it, and how they do never give any interest at all to +any 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 Spayne all the bullion of Spayne 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 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. So home to supper and to bed, understanding this +evening, since I come home, that our Victuallers are all come in to the +fleete, which is good newes. Sir John Minnes come home tonight not well, +from Chatham, where he hath been at a pay, holding it at Upnor Castle, +because of the plague so much in the towne of Chatham. He hath, they +say, got an ague, being so much on the water. + + + +18th. All the morning at my office; then to the Exchange (with my Lord +Bruncker in his coach) at noon, but it was only to avoid Mr. Chr. Pett's +being invited by me to dinner. So home, calling at my little mercer's in +Lumbard Streete, who hath the pretty wench, like the old Queene, and +there cheapened some stuffs to hang my roome, that I intend to turn into +a closett. So home to dinner, and after dinner comes Creed to discourse +with me about several things of Tangier concernments and accounts, among +others starts the doubt, which I was formerly aware of, but did wink at +it, whether or no Lanyon and his partners be not paid for more than they +should be, which he presses, so that it did a little discompose me; but, +however, I do think no harm will arise thereby. He gone, I to the +office, and there very late, very busy, and so home to supper and to bed. + + + +19th (Lord's day). Up and to my chamber, and there began to draw out +fair and methodically my accounts of Tangier, in order to shew them to +the Lords. But by and by comes by agreement Mr. Reeves, and after him +Mr. Spong, and all day with them, both before and after dinner, till ten +o'clock at night, upon opticke enquiries, he bringing me a frame he +closes on, to see how the rays of light do cut one another, and in a +darke room with smoake, which is very pretty. He did also bring a +lanthorne with pictures in glasse, to make strange things appear on a +wall, very pretty. We did also at night see Jupiter and his girdle and +satellites, very fine, with my twelve-foote glasse, but could not +Saturne, he being very dark. Spong and I had also several fine +discourses upon the globes this afternoon, particularly why the fixed +stars do not rise and set at the same houre all the yeare long, which he +could not demonstrate, nor I neither, the reason of. So, it being late, +after supper they away home. But it vexed me to understand no more from +Reeves and his glasses touching the nature and reason of the several +refractions of the several figured glasses, he understanding the acting +part, but not one bit the theory, nor can make any body understand it, +which is a strange dullness, methinks. I did not hear anything yesterday +or at all to confirm either Sir Thos. Allen's news of the 10 or 12 ships +taken, nor of the disorder at Amsterdam upon the news of the burning of +the ships, that he [De Witt] should be fled to the Prince of Orange, +it being generally believed that he was gone to France before. + + + +20th. Waked this morning, about six o'clock, with a violent knocking at +Sir J. Minnes's doore, to call up Mrs. Hammon, crying out that Sir J. +Minnes is a-dying. He come home ill of an ague on Friday night. I saw +him on Saturday, after his fit of the ague, and then was pretty lusty. +Which troubles me mightily, for he is a very good, harmless, honest +gentleman, though not fit for the business. But I much fear a worse may +come, that may be more uneasy to me. Up, and 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. Walked back, and so home, and then down +to the Old Swan and drank at Betty Michell's, and so to Westminster to +the Exchequer about my quarter tallies, and so to Lumbard Streete to +choose stuff to hang my new intended closet, and have chosen purple. +So home to dinner, and all the afternoon till almost midnight upon my +Tangier accounts, getting Tom Wilson to help me in writing as I read, and +at night W. Hewer, and find myself most happy in the keeping of all my +accounts, for that after all the changings and turnings necessary in such +an account, I find myself right to a farthing in an account of L127,000. +This afternoon I visited Sir J. Minnes, who, poor man, is much impatient +by these few days' sickness, and I fear indeed it will kill him. + + + +21st. Up, and to the office, where much business and Sir W. Coventry +there, who of late hath wholly left us, most of our business being about +money, to which we can give no answer, which makes him weary of coming to +us. He made an experiment to-day, by taking up a heape of petitions that +lay upon the table. They proved seventeen in number, and found them +thus: one for money for reparation for clothes, four desired to have +tickets made out to them, and the other twelve were for money. Dined at +home, and sister Balty with us. My wife snappish because I denied her +money to lay out this afternoon; however, good friends again, and by +coach set them down at the New Exchange, and I to the Exchequer, and +there find my business of my tallys in good forwardness. I passed down +into the Hall, and there hear that Mr. Bowles, the grocer, after 4 or 5 +days' sickness, is dead, and this day buried. So away, and taking up my +wife, went homewards. I 'light and with Harman to my mercer's in Lumbard +Streete, and there agreed for, our purple serge for my closett, and so I +away home. So home and late at the office, and then home, and there +found Mr. Batelier and his sister Mary, and we sat chatting a great +while, talking of witches and spirits, and he told me of his own +knowledge, 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 turne them. Which was so reasonable to the merchant, that he did +abate two pistolls per ton for the wine in belief of that, whereas, going +out, there was no such thing. This Batelier did see and was the cause of +to his profit, as is above said. By and by broke up and to bed. + + + +22nd. Up and by coach with L100 to the Exchequer to pay fees there. +There left it, and I to St. James's, and there with; the Duke of Yorke. +I had opportunity of much talk with Sir. W. Pen to-day (he being newly +come from the fleete); 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 + + [The town burned (see August 15th, ante) was Brandaris, a place of + 1000 houses, on the isle of Schelling; the ships lay between that + island and the Fly (i.e. Vlieland), the adjoining island. This + attack probably provoked that by the Dutch on Chatham.] + +saying it was a great thing indeed, and of great profit to us in being of +great losse to the enemy, but that it was wholly a business of chance, +and no conduct employed in it. I find Sir W. Pen do hold up his head at +this time higher than ever he did in his life. I perceive he do look +after Sir J. Minnes's place if he dies, and though I love him not nor do +desire to have him in, yet I do think [he] is the first man in England +for it. To the Exchequer, and there received my tallys, and paid my fees +in good order, and so home, and there find Mrs. Knipp and my wife going +to dinner. She 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. My closett is doing by +upholsters, which I am pleased with, but fear my purple will be too sad +for that melancholy roome. After dinner and doing something at the +office, I with my wife, Knipp, and Mercer, by coach to Moorefields, and +there saw "Polichinello," which pleases me mightily, and here I saw our +Mary, our last chamber-maid, who is gone from Mrs. Pierces it seems. +Thence carried Knipp home, calling at the Cocke alehouse at the doore and +drank, and so home, and there find Reeves, and so up to look upon the +stars, and do like my glasse very well, and did even with him for it and +a little perspective and the Lanthorne that shows tricks, altogether +costing me L9 5s. 0d. So to bed, he lying at our house. + + + +23rd. At the office all the morning, whither Sir W. Coventry sent me +word that the Dutch fleete is certainly abroad; and so we are to hasten +all we have to send to our fleete with all speed. But, Lord! to see how +my Lord Bruncker 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. At noon dined at home, Lovett +with us; but he do not please me in his business, for he keeps things +long in hand, and his paper do not hold so good as I expected--the +varnish wiping off in a little time--a very sponge; and I doubt by his +discourse he is an odde kind of fellow, and, in plain terms, a very +rogue. He gone, I to the office (having seen and liked the upholsters' +work in my roome--which they have almost done), and there late, and in +the evening find Mr. Batelier and his sister there and then we talked and +eat and were merry, and so parted late, and to bed. + + + +24th. Up, and dispatched several businesses at home in the morning, and +then comes Sympson to set up my other new presses + + [These presses still exist, and, according to Pepys's wish, they are + placed in the second court of Magdalene College in a room which they + exactly fit, and the books are arranged in the presses just as they + were when presented to the college.--M. B.] + +for my books, and so he and I fell in to the furnishing of my new +closett, and taking out the things out of my old, and I kept him with me +all day, and he dined with me, and so all the afternoon till it was quite +darke hanging things, that is my maps and pictures and draughts, and +setting up my books, and as much as we could do, to my most extraordinary +satisfaction; so that I think it will be as noble a closett as any man +hath, and light enough--though, indeed, it would be better to have had a +little more light. He gone, my wife and I to talk, and sup, and then to +setting right my Tangier accounts and enter my Journall, and then to bed +with great content in my day's worke. This afternoon comes Mrs. Barbary +Sheldon, now Mrs. Wood, to see my wife. I was so busy I would not see +her. But she came, it seems, mighty rich in rings and fine clothes, and +like a lady, and says she is matched mighty well, at which I am very +glad, but wonder at her good fortune and the folly of her husband, and +vexed at myself for not paying her the respect of seeing her, but I will +come out of her debt another time. + + + +25th. All the morning at the office. At noon dined at home, and after +dinner up to my new closett, which pleases me mightily, and there I +proceeded to put many things in order as far as I had time, and then set +it in washing, and stood by myself a great while to see it washed; and +then to the office, and then wrote my letters and other things, and then +in mighty good humour home to supper and to bed. + + + +26th (Lord's day). Up betimes, and to the finishing the setting things +in order in my new closett out of my old, which I did thoroughly by the +time sermon was done at church, to my exceeding joy, only I was a little +disturbed with newes my Lord Bruncker 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 dined by invitation with me, +his Lady and daughter being gone into the country. We very merry. After +dinner we parted, and I to my office, whither I sent for Mr. Lewes and +instructed myself fully in the business of the Victualling, to enable me +to answer in the matter; and then Sir W. Pen and I by coach to White +Hall, and there staid till the King and Cabinet were 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 fleete stood. I did in a long discourse +tell him and the rest (the Duke of Yorke, 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 +fireships; 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 hear 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 houre 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. Mallett is quite broke off; he attending 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. He told +me how my Lord has drawn a bill of exchange from Spayne of L1200, and +would have me supply him with L500 of it, but I avoyded it, being not +willing to embarke myself in money there, where I see things going to +ruine. 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 afeard of this +Parliament now coming on. He tells me that Bristoll's faction is getting +ground apace against my Lord Chancellor. He told me that my old Lord +Coventry 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 Yorke +and the Duchesse, and said to my Lord Chancellor, that he had rather be +drawn up Holborne to be hanged, than live to see his father pissed upon +(in these very terms) and any decree of his 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. Thence Sir W. Pen and I to Islington and there +drank at the Katherine Wheele, and so down the nearest way home, where +there was no kind of pleasure at all. Being come home, hear that Sir J. +Minnes has had a very bad fit all this day, and a hickup do take him, +which is a very bad sign, which troubles me truly. So home to supper a +little and then to bed. + + + +27th. Up, and to my new closett, which pleases me mightily, and there +did a little business. Then to break open a window, to the leads' side +in my old closett, which will enlighten the room mightily, and make it +mighty pleasant. So to the office, and then home about one thing or +other, about my new closet, for my mind is full of nothing but that. So +at noon to dinner, mightily pleased with my wife's picture that she is +upon. Then to the office, and thither come and walked an hour with me +Sir G. Carteret, who tells me what is done about my Lord's pardon, and is +not for letting the Duke of Yorke 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. He gone, I to the +Victualling Office, there with Lewes' and Willson setting the business of +the state of the fleete's victualling even and plain, and that being +done, and other good discourse about it over, Mr. Willson and I by water +down the River for discourse only, about business of the office, and then +back, and I home, and after a little at my office home to my new closet, +and there did much business on my Tangier account and my Journall for +three days. So to supper and to bed. We are not sure that the Dutch +fleete is out. I have another memento from Sir W. Coventry of the want +of provisions in the fleete, which troubles me, though there is no reason +for it; but will have the good effect of making me more wary. So, full +of thoughts, to bed. + + + +28th. Up, and in my new closet a good while doing business. Then called +on Mrs. Martin and Burroughs of Westminster about business of the +former's husband. Which done, I to the office, where we sat all the +morning. At noon I, with my wife and Mercer, to Philpott Lane, a great +cook's shop, to the wedding of Mr. Longracke, our purveyor, a good, +sober, civil man, and hath married a sober, serious mayde. Here I met +much ordinary company, I going thither at his great request; but there +was Mr. Madden and his lady, a fine, noble, pretty lady, and he, and a +fine gentleman seems to be. We four were most together; but the whole +company was very simple and innocent. A good-dinner, and, what was best, +good musique. After dinner the young women went to dance; among others +Mr. Christopher Pett his daughter, who is a very pretty, modest girle, I +am mightily taken with her; and that being done about five o'clock, home, +very well pleased with the afternoon's work. And so we broke up mightily +civilly, the bride and bridegroom going to Greenwich (they keeping their +dinner here only for my sake) to lie, and we home, where I to the office, +and anon am on a sudden called to meet Sir W. Pen and Sir W. Coventry at +the Victualling Office, which did put me out of order to be so surprised. +But I went, and there Sir William Coventry did read me a letter from the +Generalls to the King, + + [The letter from Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle to the king + (dated August 27th, from the "Royal Charles," Sole Bay) is among the + State Papers. The generals complain of the want of supplies, in + spite of repeated importunities. The demands are answered by + accounts from Mr. Pepys of what has been sent to the fleet, which + will not satisfy the ships, unless the provisions could be found + ". . . Have not a month's provision of beer, yet Sir Wm. Coventry + assures the ministers that they are supplied till Oct. 3; unless + this is quickened they will have to return home too soon . . . . + Want provisions according to their own computation, not Sir Wm. + Coventry's, to last to the end of October" ("Calendar," 1666-67, p. + 71).] + +a most scurvy letter, reflecting most upon Sir W. Coventry, and then upon +me for my accounts (not that they are not true, but that we do not +consider the expence of the fleete), and then of the whole office, in +neglecting them and the King's service, and this in very plain and sharp +and menacing terms. I did give a good account of matters according to +our computation of the expence of the fleete. I find Sir W. Coventry +willing enough to accept of any thing to confront the Generalls. But a +great supply must be made, and shall be in grace of God! But, however, +our accounts here will be found the true ones. Having done here, and +much work set me, I with greater content home than I thought I should +have done, and so to the office a while, and then home, and a while in my +new closet, which delights me every day more and more, and so late to +bed. + + + +29th. Up betimes, and there to fit some Tangier accounts, and then, by +appointment, to my Lord Bellasses, but about Paul's thought of the chant +paper I should carry with me, and so fain to come back again, and did, +and then met with Sir W. Pen, and with him to my Lord Bellasses, he +sitting in the coach the while, while I up to my Lord and there offered +him my account of the bills of exchange I had received and paid for him, +wherein we agree all but one L200 bill of Vernatty's drawing, wherein I +doubt he hath endeavoured to cheate my Lord; but that will soon appear. +Thence took leave, and found Sir W. Pen talking to Orange Moll, of the +King's house, who, to our great comfort, told us that they begun to act +on the 18th of this month. So on to St. James's, in the way Sir W. Pen +telling me that Mr. Norton, that married Sir J. Lawson's daughter, is +dead. She left L800 a year jointure, a son to inherit the whole estate. +She freed from her father-in-law's tyranny, and is in condition to helpe +her mother, who needs it; of which I am glad, the young lady being very +pretty. 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 happen to be involved with him in +the same cause. And then, speaking of the supplies which have been made +to this fleete, more than ever in all kinds to any, even that wherein the +Duke of Yorke 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,'"--["King Henry +IV.," Part I, act v., sc. 4.]--and so we broke up, and to the Duke, and +there did our usual business. So I to the Parke and there met Creed, and +he and I walked to Westminster to the Exchequer, and thence to White Hall +talking of Tangier matters and Vernatty's knavery, and so parted, and +then I homeward and met Mr. Povy in Cheapside, and stopped and talked a +good while upon the profits of the place which my Lord Bellasses hath +made this last year, and what share we are to have of it, but of this all +imperfect, and so parted, and I home, and there find Mrs. Mary Batelier, +and she dined with us; and thence I took them to Islington, and there eat +a custard; and so back to Moorfields, and shewed Batelier, with my wife, +"Polichinello," which I like the more I see it; and so home with great +content, she being a mighty good-natured, pretty woman, and thence I to +the Victualling office, and there with Mr. Lewes and Willson upon our +Victualling matters till ten at night, and so I home and there late +writing a letter to Sir W. Coventry, and so home to supper and to bed. +No newes where the Dutch are. We begin to think they will steale through +the Channel to meet Beaufort. We think our fleete sayled yesterday, but +we have no newes of it. + + + +30th. Up and all the morning at the office, dined at home, and in the +afternoon, and at night till two in the morning, framing my great letter +to Mr. Hayes about the victualling of the fleete, about which there has +been so much ado and exceptions taken by the Generalls. + + + +31st. To bed at 2 or 3 in the morning and up again at 6 to go by +appointment to my Lord Bellasses, but he out of town, which vexed me. +So back and got Mr. Poynter to enter into, my book while I read from my +last night's notes the letter, and that being done to writing it fair. +At noon home to dinner, and then the boy and I to the office, and there +he read while I writ it fair, which done I sent it to Sir W. Coventry to +peruse and send to the fleete by the first opportunity; and so pretty +betimes to bed. Much pleased to-day with thoughts of gilding the backs +of all my books alike in my new presses. + + + + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + SEPTEMBER + 1666 + + +September 1st. Up and at the office all the morning, and then dined at +home. Got my new closet made mighty clean against to-morrow. Sir W. Pen +and my wife and Mercer and I to "Polichinelly," 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. By and +by, they went away, and then we were at rest again; and so, the play +being done, we to Islington, and there eat and drank and mighty merry; +and so home singing, and, after a letter or two at the office, to bed. + + + +2nd (Lord's day). Some of our mayds 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 nightgowne, and went to her window, and thought it to +be on the backside 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 closett 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' house in Pudding-lane, and that it hath burned St. +Magnus's 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 Steeleyard, while I was there. Everybody +endeavouring to remove their goods, and flinging into the river or +bringing them into lighters that layoff; 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 were, some of them 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 by which pretty +Mrs.--------lives, and whereof my old school-fellow Elborough is parson, +taken fire in the very top, an 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); to White Hall, and there up to the Kings +closett in the Chappell, where people come about me, and 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 Yorke 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. See June 30th, 1666.]-- +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. + + [Sir William Coventry wrote to Lord Arlington on the evening of this + day, "The Duke of York fears the want of workmen and tools to-morrow + morning, and wishes the deputy lieutenants and justices of peace to + summon the workmen with tools to be there by break of day. In some + churches and chapels are great hooks for pulling down houses, which + should be brought ready upon the place to-night against the morning" + ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-66, p. 95).] + +Here meeting, with Captain Cocke, I in his coach, which he lent me, and +Creed with me to Paul's, and there walked along Watlingstreet, as well as +I could, every creature coming away loaden with goods to save, and here +and there sicke people carried away in beds. Extraordinary good goods +carried in carts and on backs. At last met my Lord Mayor in +Canningstreet, 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 tarr, in Thames-street; and warehouses +of oyle, and wines, and brandy, and other things. Here I saw Mr. Isaake +Houblon, the handsome man, prettily dressed and dirty, at his door at +Dowgate, receiving some of his brothers' 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, which was Mr. Wood and his wife Barbary Sheldon, +and also Mr. Moons: 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 +closett 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-streets (which +received goods in the morning) into Lumbard-streets, 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 +streets and carried them below and above bridge to 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 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 + + [The virginal differed from the spinet in being square instead of + triangular in form. The word pair was used in the obsolete sense of + a set, as we read also of a pair of organs. The instrument is + supposed to have obtained its name 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 Parks, 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 face in the wind, you were almost burned with a shower +of firedrops. 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 of houses at their ruins. 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 is burned upon Fish-streets Hall. I invited him to lie at +my house, and did receive his goods, but was deceived in his lying there, +the newes coming every moment of the growth of the fire; so as we were +forced to begin to pack up our owne goods; and prepare for their removal; +and did by moonshine (it being brave dry, and moon: shine, 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 tallys 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-gowne 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, with much ado to find a way, nor +any sleep all this night to me nor my poor wife. But then and 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 next quay, above the Tower Docke. 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 Yorke of 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 Generall, 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, met 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 +came 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, fear +of coming into in a little time of being less able to keepe one in her +quality. At night lay down a little upon a quilt of W. Hewer's in the +office, all my owne 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 few, that it was the +afternoon before we could get them all away. Sir W. Pen and I to Tower- +streete, 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 +streete, 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 Yorke 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 Woolwich and Deptford +yards (none whereof yet appeared), and to write to Sir W. Coventry to +have the Duke of Yorke's permission to pull down houses, rather than lose +this office, which would, much hinder, the King's business. So Sir W. +Pen he 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. 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 I 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, and saw how horridly the sky looks, all on a fire in the +night, was enough to put us out of our wits; and, indeed, it was +extremely dreadful, for it looks just as if it was at us; and the whole +heaven on fire. I after supper walked in the darke down to Tower- +streete, and there saw it all on fire, at the Trinity House on that side, +and the Dolphin Taverne 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-streete, those next the Tower, which at first did +frighten people more than anything, but it stopped the fire where it was +done, it bringing down the + + [A copy of this letter, preserved among the Pepys MSS. in the + author's own handwriting, 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 this + 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 had 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. + + "Yr. obedient servnt. + "S. P. + + "Sir W. Coventry, + "Septr. 4, 1666."] + +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. Newer 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 +all the Old Bayly, and was running down to Fleete-streete; and Paul's is +burned, and all Cheapside. I wrote to my father this night, but the +post-house being burned, the letter could not go. + + [J. Hickes wrote to Williamson on September 3rd from the "Golden + Lyon," Red Cross Street Posthouse. Sir Philip [Frowde] and his lady + fled from the [letter] office at midnight for: safety; stayed + himself till 1 am. till his wife and childrens' patience could stay, + no longer, fearing lest they should be quite stopped up; the passage + was so tedious they had much ado to get where they are. The Chester + and Irish, mails have come-in; sends him his letters, knows not how + to dispose of the business ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, + p. 95).] + + + +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 Barkeing Church, which is the bottom of our lane. +I up, and finding it so, resolved presently to take her away, and did, +and took my gold, which was about L2350, W. Newer, and Jane, down by +Proundy's boat to Woolwich; but, Lord! what 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 discourse +now begun, that there is 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. Newer 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 fyre, 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 not burned. But going to the fire, I find by the blowing up of +houses, and the great helpe 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 as 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 afeard 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, 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-streete, Gracious-streete; and +Lumbard-streete 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. Walked into Moorefields (our feet ready to burn, walking +through the towne among the hot coles), and find that full of people, and +poor wretches carrying their good there, and every body keeping his goods +together by themselves (and a great blessing it is to them that it is +fair weathe for them to keep abroad night and day); drank there, and paid +two-pence 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 glasse of Mercers' +Chappell in the streete, 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 the 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 had 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 where met Mr. Gawden 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 + + [The terrible disaster which overtook London was borne by the + inhabitants of the city with great fortitude, but foreigners and + Roman Catholics had a bad dime. As no cause for the outbreak of the + fire could be traced, a general cry was raised that it owed its + origin to a plot. In a letter from Thomas Waade to Williamson + (dated "Whitby, Sept. 14th") we read, "The destruction of London by + fire is reported to be a hellish contrivance of the French, + Hollanders, and fanatic party" ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, + p. 124).] + +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 go 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 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; 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 hurt. 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 was to see +Cloathworkers' 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 Paul'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 +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 publique distractions upon this fire, which is what every body +fears, because of the talke 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 armes every +where. Our fleetes, he tells me, have been in sight one of another, and +most unhappily by fowle weather were parted, to our great losse, 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 Bullen; and our fleete 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 Bruncker, at Sir W. Batten's, and 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. So I up again, and +calling at Deptford for some things of W. Hewer's, he being with me, and +then home and spent the evening with Sir R. Ford, Mr. Knightly, and Sir +W. Pen at Sir W. Batten's: 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 L150 for what he used to let for L40 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 towne. 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 hath 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 + + [On September 5th proclamation was made "ordering that for supply of + the distressed people left destitute by the late dreadful and dismal + fire. . . . great proportions of bread be brought daily, not + only to the former markets, but to those lately ordained; that all + churches, chapels, schools, and public buildings are to be open to + receive the goods of those who know not how to dispose of them." On + September 6th, proclamation ordered "that as the markets are burned + down, markets be held in Bishopsgate Street, Tower Hill, Smithfield, + and Leadenhall Street" ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, pp. + 100, 104).] + +is come out for markets to be kept at Leadenhall and Mileendgreene, and +several other places about the towne; and Tower-hill, and all churches to +be set open to receive poor people. + + + +8th. Up and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen by water to White Hall and +they to St. James's. 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 says, "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 can, without any books. Our discourse, as every thing else, +was confused. The fleete is at Portsmouth, there staying a wind to carry +them to the Downes, or towards Bullen, where they say the Dutch fleete 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; I perceive he lays by all business of the fleete 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 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 is 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 brothet 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 shewed the King that when it was offered +to stop the fire near his house for such a reward that came 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, and then back to the +office where I find Bagwell's wife, and her husband come home. Agreed to +come to their house to-morrow, I sending him away to his ship to-day. To +the office and late writing letters, and then to Sir W. Pen's, my brother +lying with me, and Sir W. Pen gone down to rest himself at Woolwich. But +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 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. +I walked to Bednall Green, and there dined well, but a bad venison pasty +at Sir W. Rider's. Good people they are, and good discourse; and his +daughter, Middleton, a fine woman, discreet. Thence home, and to church +again, and there preached Dean Harding; 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 decimotertio. So to my +office, there to write down my journall, and take leave of my brother, +whom I sent back this afternoon, though rainy; which it hath not done a +good while before. But I had no room or convenience for him here till my +house is fitted; but I was very kind to him, and do take very well of him +his journey. I did give him 40s. for his pocket, and so, he being gone, +and, it presently rayning, I was troubled for him, though it is good for +the fyre. Anon 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 towne +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 upon Jane's coming +went down to my wife, calling at Deptford, intending to see Bagwell, but +did not 'ouvrir la porte comme je' did expect. So down late to Woolwich, +and there find my wife out of humour and indifferent, as she uses upon +her having much liberty abroad. + + + +11th. Lay there, and up betimes, and by water with my gold, and laid it +with the rest in my office, where I find all well and safe. So with Sir +W. Batten to the New Exchange by water and to my Lord Bruncker's house, +where Sir W. Coventry and Sir G. Carteret met. Little business before us +but want of money. Broke up, and I home by coach round the town. Dined +at home, Balty and myself putting up my papers in m closet in the office. +He away, I down to Deptford and there spoke with Bagwell and agreed upon +to-morrow, and come home in the rain by water. In the evening at Sir W. +Pen's; with my wife, 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, 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 Sir W. Pen to St. James's by water, +and there did our usual business with the Duke of Yorke. Thence I to +Westminster, and there, spoke with Michell and Howlett, who tell me how +their poor young ones are going to Shadwell's. The latter told me of the +unkindness of the young man to his wife, which is now over, and I have +promised to appear a counsellor to him. I am glad she is like to be so +near us again. Thence to Martin, and there did 'tout ce que je voudrais +avec' her, and drank, and away by water home and to dinner, Balty and his +wife there. After dinner I took him down with me to Deptford, and there +by the Bezan loaded above half my goods and sent them away. So we back +home, and then I found occasion to return in the dark and to Bagwell, and +there . . . did do all that I desired, but though I did intend 'pour +avoir demeurais con elle' to-day last night, yet when I had done 'ce que +je voudrais I did hate both elle and la cose', and taking occasion from +the occasion of 'su marido's return . . . did me lever', and so away +home late to Sir W. Pen's (Batty and his wife lying at my house), and +there in the same simple humour I found Sir W. Pen, and so late to bed. + + + +13th. Up, and down to Tower Wharfe; and there, with Batty 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 towne 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 into 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; and lay with my wife +in my old closett upon the ground, and Batty and his wife in the best +chamber, upon the ground also. + + + +14th. Up, and to work, having carpenters come to helpe in setting up +bedsteads and hangings; and at that trade my people and I all the +morning, till pressed by publique 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 infinite 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 in my cellar; but with great pain to keep the +porters that carried it in from observing the money-chests there. So to +bed as last night, only my wife and I upon a bedstead with curtains in +that which was Mercer's chamber, and Balty and his wife (who are here and +do us good service), where we lay last night. This day, poor Tom Pepys, +the turner, was with me, and Kate, Joyce, to bespeake places; one for +himself, the other for her husband. She tells me he hath lost L140 per +annum, but have seven houses left. + + + +15th. All the morning at the office, Harman being come to my great +satisfaction to put up my beds and hangings, so I am at rest, and +followed my business all day. Dined with Sir W. Batten, mighty busy +about this account, and while my people were busy, wrote near thirty +letters and orders with my owne hand. At it till eleven at night; and it +is strange to see how clear my head was, being eased of all the matter of +all these letters; whereas one would think that I should have been dazed. +I never did observe so much of myself in my life. In the evening there +comes to me Captain Cocke, and walked a good while in the garden. He +says he hath computed that the rents of houses lost by this fire in the +City comes to L600,000 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 warr; that the +late storm hindered our beating the Dutch fleete, 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 yeare as it is, are coming; that the Dutch are +really in bad condition, but that this unhappinesse of ours do give them +heart; that there was a late difference between my Lord Arlington and Sir +W. Coventry about neglect in the last to send away an express of the +other's in time; that it come before the King, and the Duke of Yorke +concerned himself in it; but this fire hath stopped it. The Dutch fleete +is not gone home, but rather to the North, and so dangerous to our +Gottenburgh fleete. That the Parliament is likely to fall foul upon some +persons; and, among others, on the Vice-chamberlaine, 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 owne 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. + + + +16th (Lord's day). Lay with much pleasure in bed talking with my wife +about Mr. Hater's lying here and W. Hewer also, if Mrs. Mercer leaves her +house. To the office, whither also all my people about this account, and +there busy all the morning. At noon, with my wife, against her will, all +undressed and dirty, dined at Sir W. Pen's, where was all the company of +our families in towne; but, Lord! so sorry a dinner: venison baked in +pans, that the dinner I have had for his lady alone hath been worth four +of it. Thence, after dinner, displeased with our entertainment, to my +office again, and there till almost midnight and my people with me, and +then home, my head mightily akeing about our accounts. + + + +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. To Sir W. +Coventry, and there read over my yesterday's work: being a collection of +the particulars of the excess of charge created by a war, with good +content. Sir W. Coventry was in great pain lest the French fleete should +be passed by our fleete, 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 fleete, and come to Brighthelmstone, and thence at five o'clock +afternoon, Saturday, wrote Sir W. Coventry newes thereof; so that we do +much fear our missing them. Here come in and talked with him Sir Thomas +Clifford, who appears a very fine gentleman, and much set by at Court for +his activity in going to sea, and stoutness everywhere, and stirring up +and down. Thence by coach over the ruines, down Fleete Streete and +Cheapside to Broad Streete to Sir G. Carteret, where Sir W. Batten (and +Sir J. Minnes, whom I had not seen a long time before, being his first +coming abroad) and Lord Bruncker passing his accounts. Thence home a +little to look after my people at work and back to Sir G. Carteret's to +dinner; and thence, after some discourse; with him upon our publique +accounts, I back home, and all the day with Harman and his people +finishing the hangings and beds in my house, and the hangings will be as +good as ever, and particularly in my new closet. They gone and I weary, +my wife and I, and Balty and his wife, who come hither to-day to helpe +us, to a barrel of oysters I sent from the river today, and so to bed. + + + +18th. Strange with what freedom and quantity I pissed this night, which +I know not what to impute to but my oysters, unless the coldness of the +night should cause it, for it was a sad rainy and tempestuous night. +Soon as up I begun to have some pain in my bladder and belly, as usual, +which made me go to dinner betimes, to fill my belly, and that did ease +me, so as I did my business in the afternoon, in forwarding the settling +of my house, very well. Betimes to bed, my wife also being all this day +ill in the same manner. Troubled at my wife's haire coming off so much. +This day the Parliament met, and adjourned till Friday, when the King +will be with them. + + + +19th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen by coach to St. James's, and there did our +usual business before the Duke of Yorke; 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 Sir W. Pen, +to Wilkes's; and there did hear the many profane stories of Sir Henry +Wood damning the parsons for so much spending the wine at the sacrament, +cursing that ever they took the cup to themselves, and then another story +that he valued not all the world's curses, for two pence he shall get at +any time the prayers of some poor body that is worth a 1000 of all their +curses; Lord Norwich drawing a tooth at a health. Another time, he and +Pinchbacke and Dr. Goffe, now a religious man, Pinchbacke did begin a +frolick to drink out of a glass with a toad in it that he had taken up +going out to shit, he did it without harm. Goffe, who knew sacke would +kill the toad, called for sacke; and when he saw it dead, says he, +"I will have a quick toad, and will not drink from a dead toad." + + ["They swallow their own contradictions as easily as a hector can + drink a frog in a glass of wine."--Benlivoglio and Urania, book v., + p. 92, 3rd edit.--B.] + +By that means, no other being to be found, he escaped the health. Thence +home, and dined, and to Deptford and got all my pictures put into +wherries, and my other fine things, and landed them all very well, and +brought them home, and got Sympson to set them all up to-night; and he +gone, I and the boy to finish and set up my books, and everything else in +my house, till two o'clock; in the morning, and then to bed; but mightily +troubled, and even in my sleep, at my missing four or five of my biggest +books. Speed's Chronicle and Maps, and the two parts of Waggoner, and a +book of cards, which I suppose I have put up with too much care, that I +have forgot where they are; for sure they are not stole. Two little +pictures of sea and ships and a little gilt frame belonging to my plate +of the River, I want; but my books do heartily trouble me. Most of my +gilt frames are hurt, which also troubles me, but most my books. This +day I put on two shirts, the first time this year, and do grow well upon +it; so that my disease is nothing but wind. + + + +20th. Up, much troubled about my books, but cannot, imagine where they +should be. Up, to the setting my closet to rights, and Sir W. Coventry +takes me at it, which did not displease me. He and I to discourse about +our accounts, and the bringing them to the Parliament, and with much +content to see him rely so well on my part. He and I together to Broad +Streete to the Vice-Chamberlain, and there discoursed a while and parted. +My Lady Carteret come to town, but I did not see her. He tells me how +the fleete is come into the Downes. Nothing done, nor French fleete +seen: we drove all from our anchors. But he says newes 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. We parted, and I home to dinner, and +after dinner to the setting things in order, and all my people busy about +the same work. In the afternoon, out by coach, my wife with me, which we +have not done several weeks now, through all the ruines, to shew her +them, which frets her much, and is a sad sight indeed. Set her down at +her brother's, and thence I to Westminster Hall, and there staid a little +while, and called her home. She did give me an account of great +differences between her mother and Balty's wife. The old woman charges +her with going abroad and staying out late, and painting in the absence +of her husband,--[?? D.W.]--and I know not what; and they grow proud, +both he and she, and do not help their father and mother out of what I +help them to, which I do not like, nor my wife. So home, and to the +office, to even my journall, and then home, and very late up with Jane +setting my books in perfect order in my closet, but am mightily troubled +for my great books that I miss, and I am troubled the more for fear there +should be more missing than what I find, though by the room they take on +the shelves I do not find any reason to think it. So to bed. + + + +21st. Up, and mightily pleased with the setting of my books the last +night in order, and that which did please me most of all is that W. Hewer +tells me that upon enquiry he do find that Sir W. Pen hath a hamper more +than his own, which he took for a hamper of bottles of wine, and are +books in it. I was impatient to see it, but they were carried into a +wine-cellar, and the boy is abroad with him at the House, where the +Parliament met to-day, and the King to be with them. At noon after +dinner I sent for Harry, and he tells me it is so, and brought me by and +by my hamper of books to my great joy, with the same books I missed, and +three more great ones, and no more. I did give him 5s. for his pains, +And so home with great joy, and to the setting of some off them right, +but could not finish it, but away by coach to the other end of the town, +leaving my wife at the 'Change, but neither come time enough to the +Council to speak with the Duke of Yorke, nor with Sir G. Carteret, and so +called my wife, and paid for some things she bought, and so home, and +there after a little doing 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, I +home, and there, with great pleasure, very late new setting all my books; +and now I am in as good condition as I desire to be in all worldly +respects. The Lord of Heaven make me thankfull, and continue me therein! +So to bed. This day I had new stairs of main timber put t my cellar +going into the yard. + + + +22nd. To my closet, and had it new washed, and now my house is so clean +as I never saw it, or any other house in my life, and every thing in as +good condition as ever before the fire; but with, I believe, about L20 +cost one way or other besides about L20 charge in removing my goods, and +do not find that I have lost any thing but two little pictures of ship +and sea, and a little gold frame for one of my sea-cards. My glazier, +indeed, is so full of worke that I cannot get him to come to perfect my +house. To the office, and there busy now for good and all about my +accounts. My Lord Brunck come thither, thinking to find an office, but +we have not yet met. He do now give me a watch, a plain one, in the +roome of my former watch with many motions which I did give him. If it +goes well, I care not for the difference in worth, though believe there +is above L5. He and I to Sir G. Carteret to discourse about his account, +but Mr. Waith not being there nothing could be done, and therefore I home +again, and busy all day. In the afternoon comes Anthony Joyce to see me, +and with tears told me his losse, but yet that he had something left that +he can live well upon, and I doubt it not. But he would buy some place +that he could have and yet keepe his trade where he is settled in St. +Jones's. He gone, I to the office again, and then to Sir G. Carteret, +and there found Mr. Wayth, but, Lord! how fretfully Sir G. Carteret do +discourse with Mr. Wayth about his accounts, like a man that understands +them not one word. I held my tongue and let him go on like a passionate +foole. In the afternoon I paid for the two lighters that carried my +goods to Deptford, and they cost me L8. Till past midnight at our +accounts, and have brought them to a good issue, so as to be ready to +meet Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry to-morrow, but must work +to-morrow, which Mr. T. Hater had no mind to, it being the Lord's day, +but, being told the necessity, submitted, poor man! This night writ for +brother John to come to towne. Among other reasons, my estate lying in +money, I am afeard of any sudden miscarriage. So to bed mightily +contented in dispatching so much business, and find my house in the best +condition that ever I knew it. Home to bed. + + + +23rd (Lord's day). Up, and after being trimmed, all the morning at the +office with my people about me till about one o'clock, and then home, and +my people with me, and Mr. Wayth and I eat a bit of victuals in my old +closet, now my little dining-room, which makes a pretty room, and my +house being so clean makes me mightily pleased, but only I do lacke +Mercer or somebody in the house to sing with. Soon as eat a bit 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 1st, 1664, to this Michaelmas, will have been but +L3,200,000, and we have paid in that time somewhat about L2,200,000; so +that we owe above L900,000: 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. Here 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 'give' in this time for the war, which hath +amounted to about L4,000,000, which nobody there could answer; but I +perceive they did doubt what his answer could be. Having done, and taken +from Sir W. Coventry the minutes of a letter to my Lord Treasurer, Wayth +and I back again to the office, and thence back down to the water with my +wife and landed him in Southwarke, and my wife and I for pleasure to Fox- +hall, and there eat and drank, and so back home, and I to the office till +midnight drawing the letter we are to send with our accounts to my Lord +Treasurer, and that being done to my mind, I home to bed. + + + +24th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to St. James's, and +there with Sir W. Coventry read and all approved of my letter, and then +home, and after dinner, Mr. Hater and Gibson dining with me, to the +office, and there very late new moulding my accounts and writing fair my +letter, which I did against the evening, and then by coach left my wife +at her brother's, and I to St. James's, and 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. Here brought +the letter, but found that Sir G. Carteret had altered his account since +he did give me the abstract of it: so all my letter must be writ over +again, to put in his last abstract. So to Sir G. Carteret's lodgings, to +speak a little about the alteration; and there looking over the book that +Sir G. Carteret intends to deliver to the Parliament of his payments +since September 1st, 1664, and there I find my name the very second for +flags, which I had bought for the Navy, of calico; once, about 500 and +odd pounds, which vexed me mightily. At last, I concluded of scraping +out my name and putting in Mr. Tooker's, which eased me; though the price +was such as I should have had glory by. Here I saw my Lady Carteret +lately come to towne, who, good lady! is mighty kind, and I must make +much of her, for she is a most excellent woman. So took up my wife and +away home, and there to bed, and + + + +25th. Up betimes, with all my people to get the letter writ over, and +other things done, which I did, and by coach to Lord Bruncker'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. I had brought my wife to White Hall, and +leaving her with Mrs. Michell, where she sat in her shop and had burnt +wine sent for her, I walked in the Hall, and among others with Ned +Picketing, who continues still a lying, bragging coxcombe, telling me +that my Lord Sandwich may thank himself for all his misfortune; for not +suffering him and two or three good honest fellows more to take them by +the throats that spoke ill of him, and told me how basely Lionell Walden +hath carried himself towards my Lord; by speaking slightly of him, which +I shall remember. Thence took my wife home to dinner, and then to the +office, where Mr. Hater all the day putting in order and entering in a +book all the measures that this account of the Navy hath been made up by, +and late at night to Mrs. Turner's, where she had got my wife and Lady +Pen and Pegg, and supped, and after, supper and the rest of the company +by design gone, Mrs. Turner and her husband did lay their case to me +about their lodgings, Sir J. Minnes being now gone wholly to his owne, +and now, they being empty, they doubt Sir T. Harvy or Lord Bruncker may +look after the lodgings. I did give them the best advice, poor people, +that I could, and would do them any kindnesse, though it is strange that +now they should have ne'er a friend of Sir W. Batten or Sir W. Pen to +trust to but me, that they have disobliged. So home to bed, and all +night still mightily troubled in my sleepe, with fire and houses pulling +down. + + + +26th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to St. James's, where every body going +to the House, I away by coach to White Hall, and after a few turns, and +hearing that our accounts come into the House but to-day, being hindered +yesterday by other business, I away by coach home, taking up my wife and +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 closett, and the +little blind bed chamber, and a garret to a silke man for L50 fine, and +L30 per annum, and L40 per annum more for dieting the master and two +prentices. So home, not agreeing for silk for a petticoat for her which +she desired, but home to dinner and then back to White Hall, leaving my +wife by the way to buy her petticoat of Bennet, and I to White Hall +waiting all day on the Duke of Yorke to move the King for getting Lanyon +some money at Plymouth out of some oyle prizes brought in thither, but +could get nothing done, but here Mr. Dugdale I hear the great loss of +books in St. Paul's Church-yarde, and at their Hall also, which they +value about L150,000; some booksellers being wholly undone, among others, +they say, my poor Kirton. And Mr. Crumlu all his books and household +stuff burned; they trusting 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 L1000 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, Castlemayne, but chiefly Denham again; +and the Duke of Yorke 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 bitchering,--[This word was apparently of Evelyn's own making.] +--for the Duke of Yorke 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. Thence away by coach, and called away my wife at Unthanke's, +where she tells me she hath bought a gowne of 15s. per yard; the same, +before her face, my Lady Castlemayne this day bought also, which I seemed +vexed for, though I do not grudge it her, but to incline her to have +Mercer again, which I believe I shall do, but the girle, I hear, has no +mind to come to us again, which vexes me. Being come home, I to Sir +W. Batten, and there hear our business was tendered to the House to-day, +and a Committee of the whole House chosen to examine our accounts, and a +great many Hotspurs enquiring into it, and likely to give us much trouble +and blame, and perhaps (which I am afeard of) will find faults enow to +demand better officers. This I truly fear. Away with Sir W. Pen, who +was there, and he and I walked in the garden by moonlight, and he +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; and I like the motion, and doubt not that we may do good in it. +We did also discourse about our Privateer, and hope well of that also, +without much hazard, as, if God blesses us, I hope we shall do pretty +well toward getting a penny. I was mightily pleased with our discourse, +and so parted, and to the office to finish my journall for three or four +days, and so home to supper, and to bed. Our fleete 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 fleete 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 fleete. Up, and with my wife by coach as far +as the Temple, and there she to the mercer's again, and 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. I then to the Exchequer, and there, +among other things, spoke to Mr. Falconbridge about his girle I heard +sing at Nonsuch, and took him and some other 'Chequer men to the Sun +Taverne, and there spent 2s. 6d. upon them, and he sent for the girle, +and she hath a pretty way of singing, but hath almost forgot for want of +practice. She is poor in clothes, and not bred to any carriage, but will +be soon taught all, and if Mercer do not come again, I think we may have +her upon better terms, and breed her to what we please. Thence to Sir W. +Coventry's, and there dined with him and Sir W. Batten, the Lieutenant of +the Tower, and Mr. Thin, a pretty gentleman, going to Gottenburgh. +Having dined, Sir W. Coventry, Sir W. Batten, and I walked into his +closet to consider of some things more to be done in a list to be given +to the Parliament of all our ships, and time of entry and discharge. Sir +W. Coventry seems to think they will soon be weary of the business, and +fall quietly into the giving the King what is fit. This he hopes. +Thence I by coach home to the office, and there intending a meeting, but +nobody being there but myself and Sir J. Minnes, who is worse than +nothing, I did not answer any body, but kept to my business in the office +till night, and then Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to me, and thence to +Sir W. Batten's, and eat a barrel of oysters I did give them, and so +home, and to bed. I have this evening discoursed with W. Hewer about +Mercer, I having a mind to have her again; and I am vexed to hear him say +that she hath no mind to come again, though her mother hath. No newes of +the fleete yet, but that they went by Dover on the 25th towards the +Gunfleete, 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 fleete are gone home again. + + + +28th. Lay long in bed, and am come to agreement with my wife to have +Mercer again, on condition she may learn this winter two months to dance, +and she promises me she will endeavour to learn to sing, and all this I +am willing enough to. So up, and by and by the glazier comes to finish +the windows of my house, which pleases me, and the bookbinder to gild the +backs of my books. I got the glass of my book-presses to be done +presently, which did mightily content me, and to setting my study in a +little better order; and so to my, office to my people, busy about our +Parliament accounts; and so to dinner, and then at them again close. At +night comes Sir W. Pen, and he and I a turn in the garden, and he 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. We +judged a third man, that is knowing, is necessary, and concluded on Sir +W. Warren, and sent for him to come to us to-morrow morning. I full of +this all night, and the project of our man of war; but he and, I both +dissatisfied with Sir W. Batten's proposing his son to be Lieutenant, +which we, neither of us, like. He gone, I discoursed with W. Hewer about +Mercer, having a great mind she should come to us again, and instructed +him what to say to her mother about it. And so home, to supper, and to +bed. + + + +29th. A little meeting at the office by Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, and +myself, being the first since the fire. We rose soon, and comes Sir W. +Warren, by our desire, and with Sir W. Pen and I talked of our Scotch +motion, which Sir W. Warren did seem to be stumbled at, and did give no +ready answer, but proposed some thing previous to it, which he knows +would find us work, or writing to Mr. Pett to be informed how matters go +there as to cost and ways of providing sawyers or saw-mills. We were +parted without coming to any good resolution in it, I discerning plainly +that Sir W. Warren had no mind to it, but that he was surprised at our +motion. He gone, I to some office business, and then home to dinner, and +then to office again, and then got done by night the lists that are to be +presented to the Parliament Committee of the ships, number of men, and +time employed since the war, and then I with it (leaving my wife at +Unthanke's) to St. James's, where Sir W. Coventry staid for me, and I +perused our lists, and find to our great joy that wages, victuals, wear +and tear, cast by the medium of the men, will come to above 3,000,000; +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., L320,000, he and I being both mightily satisfied, +he saying to me, that if God send us over this rub we must take another +course for a better Comptroller. So parted, and I to my wife [at +Unthanke's], who staid for the finishing her new best gowne (the best +that ever I made her coloured tabby, flowered, and so took it and her +home; and then I to my people, and having cut them out a little more work +than they expected, viz., the writing over the lists in new method, I +home to bed, being in good humour, and glad of the end we have brought +this matter to. + + + +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. Here I saw Mercer come into the church, which I had a mind to, +but she avoided looking up, which vexed me. A pretty good sermon, and +then home, and comes Balty and dined with us. A good dinner; and then to +have my haire cut against winter close to my head, and then to church +again. A sorry sermon, and away home. [Sir] W. Pen and I to walk to +talk about several businesses, and then home; and my wife and I to read +in Fuller's Church History, and so to supper and to bed. 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. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +About my new closet, for my mind is full of nothing but that +About the nature of sounds +All the innocent pleasure in the world +Angry, and so continued till bed, and did not sleep friends +Beare-garden +Being examined at Allgate, whether we were husbands and wives +Did dig another, and put our wine in it; and I my Parmazan cheese +Do bury still of the plague seven or eight in a day +Durst not ask any body how it was with us +Evelyn, who cries out against it, and calls it bitchering +Fire grow; and, as it grew darker, appeared more and more +Good sport of the bull's tossing of the dogs +Great fire they saw in the City +Horrid malicious bloody flame +I never did observe so much of myself in my life +No manner of means used to quench the fire +Not permit her begin to do so, lest worse should follow +Offered to stop the fire near his house for such a reward +Pain to ride in a coach with them, for fear of being seen +Plot in it, and that the French had done it +Put up with too much care, that I have forgot where they are +Removing goods from one burned house to another +Sad sight it was: the whole City almost on fire +Staying out late, and painting in the absence of her husband +There did 'tout ce que je voudrais avec' her +This unhappinesse of ours do give them heart +Ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye fire + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v51 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + + THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S. + + CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY + + TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY +MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW + AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE + + (Unabridged) + + WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES + + EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY + + HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + OCTOBER + 1666 + + +October 1st, 1666. Up, and all the morning at the office, getting the +list of all the ships and vessels employed since the war, for the +Committee of Parliament. At noon with it to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, +and there dined with him and [Sir] W. Batten, and [Sir] W. Pen, and after +dinner examined it and find it will do us much right in the number of men +rising to near the expense we delivered to the Parliament. [Sir] W. +Coventry and I (the others going before the Committee) to Lord Bruncker's +for his hand, and find him simply mighty busy in a council of the +Queen's. He come out and took in the papers to sign, and sent them +mighty wisely out again. Sir W. Coventry away to the Committee, and I to +the Mercer's, and there took a bill of what I owe of late, which comes to +about L17. Thence to White Hall, and there did hear Betty Michell was at +this end of the towne, and so without breach of vowe did stay to +endeavour to meet with her and carry her home; but she did not come, so I +lost my whole afternoon. But pretty! how I took another pretty woman +for her, taking her a clap on the breech, thinking verily it had been +her. Staid till [Sir] W. Batten and [Sir] W. Pen come out, and so away +home by water with them, and to the office to do some business, and then +home, and my wife do tell me that W. Hewer tells her that Mercer hath no +mind to come. So I was angry at it, and resolved with her to have +Falconbridge's girle, and I think it will be better for us, and will +please me better with singing. With this resolution, to supper and to +bed. + + + +2nd. Up, and am sent for to Sir G. Carteret, and to him, and there he +tells me how our lists are referred to a Sub-committee to consider and +examine, and that I am ordered to be there this afternoon. So I away +thence to my new bookbinder to see my books gilding in the backs, and +then to White Hall to the House, and spoke to Sir W. Coventry, where he +told me I must attend the Committee in the afternoon, and received some +hints of more work to do. So I away to the 'Chequer, and thence to an +alehouse, and found Mr. Falconbridge, and agreed for his kinswoman to +come to me. He says she can dress my wife, and will do anything we would +have her to do, and is of a good spirit and mighty cheerful. He is much +pleased therewith, and so we shall be. So agreed for her coming the next +week. So away home, and eat a short dinner, and then with Sir W. Pen to +White Hall, and do give his boy my book of papers to hold while he went +into the Committee Chamber in the Inner Court of Wards, and I walked +without with Mr. Slingsby, of the Tower, who was there, and who did in +walking inform me mightily in several things; among others, that the +heightening or lowering of money is only a cheat, and do good to some +particular men, which, if I can but remember how, I am now by him fully +convinced of. Anon Sir W. Pen went away, telling me that Sir W. Coventry +that was within had told him that the fleete is all come into the buoy of +the Nore, and that he must hasten down to them, and so went away, and I +into the Committee Chamber before the Committee sat, and there heard +Birch discourse highly and understandingly about the Navy business and a +proposal made heretofore to farm the Navy; but Sir W. Coventry did +abundantly answer him, and is a most excellent person. By and by the +Committee met, and I walked out, and anon they rose and called me in, and +appointed me to attend a Committee of them to-morrow at the office to +examine our lists. This put me into a mighty fear and trouble; they +doing it in a very ill humour, methought. So I away and called on my +Lord Bruncker to desire him to be there to-morrow, and so home, having +taken up my wife at Unthanke's, full of trouble in mind to think what I +shall be obliged to answer, that am neither fully fit, nor in any measure +concerned to take the shame and trouble of this office upon me, but only +from the inability and folly of the Comptroller that occasions it. When +come home I to Sir W. Pen's, to his boy, for my book, and there find he +hath it not, but delivered it to the doorekeeper of the Committee for me. +This, added to my former disquiet, made me stark mad, considering all the +nakedness of the office lay open in papers within those covers. I could +not tell in the world what to do, but was mad on all sides, and that +which made me worse Captain Cocke was there, and he did so swear and +curse at the boy that told me. So Cocke, Griffin, and the boy with me, +they to find the housekeeper of the Parliament, Hughes, while I to Sir W. +Coventry, but could hear nothing of it there. But coming to our +rendezvous at the Swan Taverne, in Ding Streete, I find they have found +the housekeeper, and the book simply locked up in the Court. So I staid +and drank, and rewarded the doore-keeper, and away home, my heart lighter +by all this, but to bed very sad notwithstanding, in fear of what will +happen to-morrow upon their coming. + + + +3rd. Waked betimes, mightily troubled in mind, and in the most true +trouble that I ever was in my life, saving in the business last year of +the East India prizes. So up, and with Mr. Hater and W. Hewer and +Griffin to consider of our business, and books and papers necessary for +this examination; and by and by, by eight o'clock, comes Birch, the +first, with the lists and books of accounts delivered in. He calls me to +work, and there he and I begun, when, by and by, comes Garraway, + + [William Garway, elected M.P. for Chichester, March 26th, 1661, and + in 1674 he was appointed by the House to confer with Lord + Shaftesbury respecting the charge against Pepys being popishly + affected. See note to the Life, vol. i., p, xxxii, and for his + character, October 6th, 1666] + +the first time I ever saw him, and Sir W. Thompson and Mr. Boscawen. +They to it, and I did make shift to answer them better than I expected. +Sir W. Batten, Lord Bruncker, [Sir] W. Pen, come in, but presently went +out; and [Sir] J. Minnes come in, and said two or three words from the +purpose, but to do hurt; and so away he went also, and left me all the +morning with them alone to stand or fall. At noon Sir W. Batten comes to +them to invite them (though fast day) to dinner, which they did, and good +company they were, but especially Garraway. Here I have news brought me +of my father's coming to town, and I presently to him, glad to see him, +poor man, he being come to town unexpectedly to see us and the city. +I could not stay with him, but after dinner to work again, only the +Committee and I, till dark night, and by that time they cast up all the +lists, and found out what the medium of men was borne all the war, of all +sorts, and ended with good peace, and much seeming satisfaction; but I +find them wise and reserved, and instructed to hit all our blots, as +among others, that we reckon the ships full manned from the beginning. +They gone, and my heart eased of a great deale of fear and pain, and +reckoning myself to come off with victory, because not overcome in +anything or much foiled, I away to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, but he not +within, then to White Hall, and there among the ladies, and saw my Lady +Castlemaine never looked so ill, nor Mrs. Stewart neither, as in this +plain, natural dress. I was not pleased with either of them. Away, not +finding [Sir] W. Coventry, and so home, and there find my father and my +brother come to towne--my father without my expectation; but glad I am to +see him. And so to supper with him, and to work again at the office; +then home, to set up all my folio books, which are come home gilt on the +backs, very handsome to the eye, and then at midnight to bed. This night +[Sir] W. Pen told me [Sir] W. Batten swears he will have nothing to do +with the Privateer if his son do not go Lieutenant, which angers me and +him; but we will be even with him, one way or other. + + + +4th. Up, and mighty betimes, to [Sir] W. Coventry, to give him an +account of yesterday's work, which do give him good content. He did then +tell me his speech lately to the House in his owne vindication about the +report of his selling of places, he having a small occasion offered him +by chance, which he did desire, and took, and did it to his content, and, +he says, to the House's seeming to approve of it by their hum. He +confessed how long he had done it, and how he desired to have something +else; and, since then, he had taken nothing, and challenged all the +world. I was glad of this also. Thence up to the Duke of York, by +appointment, with fellow officers, to complaine, but to no purpose, of +want of money, and so away. I to Sir G. Carteret, to his lodging, and +here 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 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, and so I believe. Thence home, about +noon, to dinner. After dinner the book binder come, and I sent by him +some more books to gild. I to the office all day, and spent most of it +with Sir W. Warren, whom I have had no discourse with a great while, and +when all is done I do find him a mighty wise man as any I know, and his +counsel as much to be followed. Late with Mr. Hater upon comparing the +charge and husbandry of the last Dutch war with ours now, and do find +good roome to think we have done little worse than they, whereof good use +may and will be made. So home to supper, and to bed. + + + +5th. Up, and with my father talking awhile, then to the office, and +there troubled with a message from Lord Peterborough about money; but I +did give as kind answer as I could, though I hate him. Then to Sir G. +Carteret to discourse about paying of part of the great ships come in, +and so home again to compare the comparison of the two Dutch wars' +charges for [Sir] W. Coventry, and then by water (and saw old Mr. Michell +digging like a painfull father for his son) to him, and find him at +dinner. After dinner to look over my papers, and comparing them with +some notes of his and brought me, the sight of some good Navy notes of +his which I shall get. Then examined and liked well my notes, and away +together to White Hall, in the way discoursing the inconvenience of the +King's being thus subject to an account, but it will be remedied for the +time to come, he thinks, if we can get this over, and I find he will have +the Comptroller's business better done, swearing he will never be for a +wit to be employed on business again. Thence I home, and back again to +White Hall, and meeting Sir H. Cholmly to White Hall; there walked till +night that the Committee come down, and there Sir W. Coventry tells me +that the Subcommittee have made their report to the Grand Committee, and +in pretty kind terms, and have agreed upon allowing us L4 per head, which +I am sure will do the business, but he had endeavoured to have got more, +but this do well, and he and I are both mighty glad it is come to this, +and the heat of the present business seems almost over. But I have more +worke cut out for me, to prepare a list of the extraordinaries, not to be +included within the L4, against Monday. So I away from him, and met with +the Vice-Chamberlain, and I told him when I had this evening in coming +hither met with Captain Cocke, and he told me of a wild motion made in +the House of Lords by the Duke of Buckingham for all men that had cheated +the King to be declared traitors and felons, and that my Lord Sandwich +was named. This put me into a great pain, so the Vice-Chamberlain, who +had heard nothing of it, having been all day in the City, away with me to +White Hall; and there come to me and told me that, upon Lord Ashly's +asking their direction whether, being a peere, he should bring in his +accounts to the Commons, which they did give way to, the Duke of +Buckingham did move that, for the time to come, what I have written above +might be declared by some fuller law than heretofore. Lord Ashly +answered, that it was not the fault of the present laws, but want of +proof; and so said the Lord Chancellor. He answered, that a better law, +he thought, might be made so the House laughing, did refer it to him to +bring in a Bill to that purpose, and this was all. So I away with joyful +heart home, calling on Cocke and telling him the same. So I away home to +the office to clear my Journall for five days, and so home to supper and +to bed, my father who had staid out late and troubled me thereat being +come home well and gone to bed, which pleases me also. This day, coming +home, Mr. Kirton's kinsman, my bookseller, come in my way; and so I am +told by him that Mr. Kirton is utterly undone, and made 2 or L3000 worse +than nothing, from being worth 7 or L8,000. That the goods laid in the +Churchyarde 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 +stand still. He do believe there is above; L50,000 of books burned; all +the great booksellers almost undone: not only these, but their warehouses +at their Hall, and under Christchurch, 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 L40 a-piece. + + + +6th. Up, and having seen my brother in his cassocke, which I am not the +most satisfied in, being doubtfull at this time what course to have him +profess too soon. To the office and there busy about a list of the +extraordinaries of the charge of the fleete this war; and was led to go +to the office of the ordnance to be satisfied in something, and find +their accounts and books kept in mighty good order, but that they can +give no light, nor will the nature of their affairs permit it to tell +what the charge of the ordnance comes to a man a month. So home again +and to dinner, there coming Creed to me; but what with business and my +hatred to the man, I did not spend any time with him, but after dinner +[my] wife and he and I took coach and to Westminster, but he 'light about +Paul's, and set her at her tailor's, and myself to St. James's, but there +missing [Sir] W. Coventry, returned and took up my wife, and calling at +the Exchange home, whither Sir H. Cholmly come to visit me, but my +business suffered me not to stay with him. So he gone I by water to +Westminster Hall and thence to St. James's, and there found [Sir] W. +Coventry waiting for me, and I did give him a good account to his mind of +the business he expected about extraordinaries and then fell to other +talke, among others, our sad condition contracted by want of a +Comptroller; + + [As Sir John Minnes performed the duties inefficiently, it was + considered necessary to take the office from him: See January 21st.] + +and it was his words, that he believes, besides all the shame and trouble +he hath brought on the office, the King had better have given L100,000 +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 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 faithfull; 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 favour, they will be discontented too, +and impose on you. Thence to White Hall and got a coach and home, and +there did business late, and so home and set up my little books of one of +my presses come home gilt, which pleases me mightily, and then to bed. +This morning my wife told me of a fine gentlewoman my Lady Pen tells her +of, for L20 per annum, that sings, dances, plays on four or five +instruments and many other fine things, which pleases me mightily: and +she sent to have her see her, which she did this afternoon; but sings +basely, and is a tawdry wench that would take L8, but [neither] my wife +nor I think her fit to come. + + + +7th (Lord's day). Up, and after visiting my father in his chamber, to +church, and then home to dinner. Little Michell and his wife come to +dine with us, which they did, and then presently after dinner I with Sir +J. Minnes to White Hall, where met by Sir W. Batten and Lord Bruncker, +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 work to do against +next yeare; 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 fleete in as good a condition as ever any +fleete was brought home; that twenty boats would be as many as the fleete +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 fleete was come in--the greatest fleete 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 fleete 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 now 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. Anon they broke, up, and Sir W. Coventry come +out; so I asked his advice. He told me he had said something to salve +it, which was, that his Highnesse had, he believed, rightly informed the +King that the fleete is come in good condition to have staid out yet +longer, and have fought the enemy, but yet that Mr. Pepys his meaning +might be, that, though in so good condition, if they should come in and +lie all the winter, we shall be very loth to send them to sea for another +year's service with[out] great repairs. He said it would be no hurt if I +went to him, and showed him the report himself brought up from the +fleete, where every ship, by the Commander's report, do need more or +less, and not to mention more of Sir W. Pen for doing him a mischief. +So I said I would, but do not think that all this will redound to my +hurt, because the truth of what I said will soon appear. Thence, having +been informed that, after all this pains, the King hath found out how to +supply us with 5 or L6000, when L100,000 were at this time but absolutely +necessary, and we mentioned L50,000. This is every day a greater and +greater omen of ruine. God fit us for it! Sir J. Minnes and I home +(it raining) by coach, calling only on Sir G. Cartefet at his lodging +(who is I find troubled at my Lord Treasurer and Sir Ph. Warwicke +bungling in his accounts), and come home to supper with my father, and +then all to bed. 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 +this order upon him. + + + +8th. Up and to my office, called up by Commissioner Middleton, newly +come to town, but staid not with me; so I to my office busy all the +morning. 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. Thus plenty on both sides makes us mad. The Committee of the +Canary Company of both factions come to me for my Cozen Roger that is of +the Committee. Thence with [Sir] W. Coventry when the House rose and +[Sir] W. Batten to St. James's, and there agreed of and signed our paper +of extraordinaries, and there left them, and I to Unthanke's, where Mr. +Falconbridge's girle is, and by and by comes my wife, who likes her well, +though I confess I cannot (though she be of my finding out and sings +pretty well), because she will be raised from so mean a condition to so +high all of a sudden; but she will be much to our profit, more than +Mercer, less expense. Here we bespoke anew gowne for her, and to come to +us on Friday. She being gone, my wife and I home by coach, and then I +presently by water with Mr. Pierce to Westminster Hall, he in the way +telling me how the Duke of York and Duke of Albemarle do not agree. The +Duke of York is wholly given up to this bitch of Denham. The Duke of +Albemarle and Prince Rupert do less agree. So that we are all in pieces, +and nobody knows what will be done the next year. The King hath +yesterday in Council declared his resolution of setting a fashion for +clothes, which he will never alter. + + [There are several references to this new fashion of dress + introduced by the king, Pepys saw the Duke of York put on the vest + on the 13th, and he says Charles II. himself put it on on the 15th. + On November 4th Pepys dressed himself in the new vest and coat. See + notes, October 15th and November 22nd.] + +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 worke growing on our hands. Time spending, and no money to set +anything in hand with; the end thereof must be speedy ruine. The Dutch +insult and have taken off Bruant's head, + + [Captain Du Buat, a Frenchman in the Dutch service, plotted with two + magistrates of Rotterdam to obtain a peace with England as the + readiest means of pressing the elevation of the Prince of Orange to + the office of Captain-General. He was brought before the Supreme + Court of Holland, condemned, and executed. He had been one of the + household of the Prince of Orange who were dismissed by De Witt.] + +which they have 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 darke by coach all +alone, full of thoughts of the consequences of this ill complexion of +affairs, and how to save myself and 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 did some business, and finished my Journall with resolutions, +if God bless me, to apply myself soberly to settle all matters for +myself, and expect the event of all with comfort. So home to supper and +to bed. + + + +9th. Up and to the office, where we sat the first day since the fire, I +think. At noon home, and my uncle Thomas was there, and dined with my +brother and I (my father and I were gone abroad), and then to the office +again in the afternoon, and there close all day long, and did much +business. At night to Sir W. Batten, where Sir R. Ford did occasion some +discourse of sending a convoy to the Maderas; and this did put us upon +some new thoughts of sending our privateer thither on merchants' +accounts, which I have more mind to, the profit being certain and +occasion honest withall. So home, and to supper with my father, and then +to set my remainder of my books gilt in order with much pleasure, and so +late to bed. + + + +10th (Fast-day for the fire). Up 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 fleete with him, +to shew 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 afeard 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 Taverne. And then to church again, and there was +Mr. Frampton in the pulpit, they cry up so much, a young man, and of a +mighty ready tongue. I heard a little of his sermon, and liked it; but +the crowd so great, I could not stay. So to the Swan, and 'baise la +fille', and drank, and then home by coach, and took father, wife, +brother, and W. Hewer to Islington, where I find mine host dead. Here +eat and drank, and merry; and so home, and to the office a while, and +then to Sir W. Batten to talk a while, and with Captain Cocke into the +office to hear his newes, who is mighty conversant with Garraway and +those people, who tells me what they object as to the maladministration +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 L70,000 every + year for three years..................... 0,210,000 + Customes, out of which the King did promise + to pay L240,000, which for two years + comes to.................................. 0,480,000 + 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 + for two years and a month, hath been but.. 3,200,000 + + So what is become of all this sum?........ 2,390,000 + + +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. So home to supper, and to bed, it +being my wedding night, + + [See Life, vol. i., p. xxi., where the register of St. Margaret's + parish, Westminster, is quoted to the effect that Pepys was married + December 1st, 1655. It seems incomprehensible that both husband and + wife should have been wrong as to the date of their wedding day, but + Mrs. Pepys was unquestionably wrong as to the number of years, for + they had been married nearly eleven.] + +but how many years I cannot tell; but my wife says ten. + + + +11th. Up, and discoursed with my father of my sending some money for +safety into the country, for I am in pain what to do with what I have. +I did give him money, poor man, and he overjoyed. So left him, and to +the office, where nothing but sad evidences of ruine coming on us for +want of money. So home to dinner, which was a very good dinner, my +father, brother, wife and I, and then to the office again, where I was +all the afternoon till very late, busy, and then home to supper and to +bed. + + Memorandum. I had taken my Journall 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. Up, and after taking leave of my poor father, who is setting out +this day for Brampton by the Cambridge coach, he having taken a journey +to see the city burned, and to bring my brother to towne, I out by water; +and so coach to St. James's, the weather being foul; and there, from Sir +W. Coventry, do hear how the House have cut us off L150,000 of our wear +and tear, for that which was saved by the King while the fleete 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, + + [The parliament voted this day a supply of L1,800,000 sterling. + See below.] + +and to propose the way of raising it; so that this is likely to be the +great day. This done in his chamber, I with him to Westminster Hall, and +there took a few turns, the Hall mighty full of people, and the House +likely to be very full to-day about the money business. Here I met with +several people, and do find that people have a mighty mind to have a +fling at the Vice-Chamberlain, if they could lay hold of anything, his +place being, indeed, too much for such, they think, or any single subject +of no greater parts and quality than he, to enjoy. But I hope he may +weather all, though it will not be by any dexterity of his, I dare say, +if he do stand, but by his fate only, and people's being taken off by +other things. Thence home by coach, mighty dirty weather, and then to +the Treasurer's office and got a ticket paid for my little Michell, and +so again by coach to Westminster, and come presently after the House +rose. So to the Swan, and there sent for a piece of meat and dined alone +and played with Sarah, and so to the Hall a while, and thence to Mrs. +Martin's lodging and did what I would with her. She is very big, and +resolves I must be godfather. Thence away by water with Cropp to +Deptford. It was almost night before I got thither. So I did only give +directions concerning a press that I have making there to hold my turning +and joyner's tooles that were lately given me, which will be very +handsome, and so away back again, it being now dark, and so home, and +there find my wife come home, and hath brought her new girle I have +helped her to, of Mr. Falconbridge's. She is wretched poor; and but +ordinary favoured; and we fain to lay out seven or eight pounds worth of +clothes upon her back, which, methinks, do go against my heart; and I do +not think I can ever esteem her as I could have done another that had +come fine and handsome; and which is more, her voice, for want of use, is +so furred, that it do not at present please me; but her manner of singing +is such, that I shall, I think, take great pleasure in it. Well, she is +come, and I wish us good fortune in her. Here I met with notice of a +meeting of the Commissioners for Tangier tomorrow, and so I must have my +accounts ready for them, which caused me to confine myself to my chamber +presently and set to the making up my accounts, which I find very clear, +but with much difficulty by reason of my not doing them sooner, things +being out of my mind. + + + +13th. It cost me till four o'clock in the morning, and, which was pretty +to think, I was above an hour, after I had made all right, in casting up +of about twenty sums, being dozed with much work, and had for forty times +together forgot to carry the 60 which I had in my mind, in one +denomination which exceeded 60; and this did confound me for above an +hour together. At last all even and done, and so to bed. Up at seven, +and so to the office, after looking over my last night's work. We sat +all the morning. At noon by coach with my Lord Bruncker and 'light at +the Temple, and so alone I to dinner at a cooke's, and thence to my Lord +Bellasses, whom I find kind; but he had drawn some new proposal to +deliver to the Lords Commissioners to-day, wherein one was, that the +garrison would not be well paid without some goldsmith's undertaking the +paying of the bills of exchange for Tallys. He professing so much +kindness to me, and saying that he would not be concerned in the garrison +without me; and that if he continued in the employment, no man should +have to do with the money but myself. I did ask his Lordship's meaning +of the proposition in his paper. He told me he had not much considered +it, but that he meant no harm to me. I told him I thought it would +render me useless; whereupon he did very frankly, after my seeming +denials for a good while, cause it to be writ over again, and that clause +left out, which did satisfy me abundantly. It being done, he and I +together 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 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 easinesse 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 welt, 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 tallys. 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 garrison's 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 next year L1,800,000; +which, were it not for his debts, were a great sum. He says, he thinks +the House may say no more to us for the present, but that we must mend +our manners against the next tryall, and mend them we will. But he +thinks it not a fit time to be found making of trouble among ourselves, +meaning about Sir J. Minnes, who most certainly must be removed, or made +a Commissioner, and somebody else Comptroller. But he tells me that the +House has a great envy at Sir G. Carteret, and that had he ever thought +fit in all his discourse to have touched upon the point of our want of +money and badness of payment, it would have been laid hold on to Sir G. +Carteret's hurt; but he hath avoided it, though without much reason for +it, most studiously, and in short did end thus, that he has never shewn +so much of the pigeon in all his life as in his innocence to Sir G. +Carteret at this time; which I believe, and will desire Sir G. Carteret +to thank him for it. So we broke up and I by coach home, calling for a +new pair of shoes, and so, little being to do at the office, did go home, +and after spending a little in righting some of my books, which stood out +of order, I to bed. + + + +14th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed, among other things, talking of my +wife's renewing her acquaintance with Mrs. Pierce, which, by my wife's +ill using her when she was here last, hath been interrupted. Herein we +were a little angry together, but presently friends again; and so up, and +I to church, which was mighty full, and my beauties, Mrs. Lethulier and +fair Batelier, both there. A very foul morning, and rained; and sent for +my cloake to go out of the church with. So dined, and after dinner (a +good discourse thereat to my brother) he and I by water to White Hall, +and he to Westminster Abbey. Here I met with Sir Stephen Fox, who told +me how much right I had done myself, and how well it is represented by +the Committee to the House, my readinesse to give them satisfaction in +everything 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 owne +it, but do myself think it were not unnecessary if either he should die, +or be removed to the Lords, or any thing 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. He and I parted, I to Mrs. +Martin's, thinking to have met Mrs. Burrows, but she was not there, so +away and took my brother out of the Abbey and home, and there to set some +accounts right, and to the office to even my Journall, and so home to +supper and to bed. + + + +15th. Called up, though a very rainy morning, by Sir H. Cholmley, and he +and I most of the morning together evening of accounts, which I was very +glad of. Then he and I out to Sir Robt. Viner's, at the African house +(where I had not been since he come thither); but he was not there; but I +did some business with his people, and then to Colvill's, who, I find, +lives now in Lyme Streete, and with the same credit as ever, this fire +having not done them any wrong that I hear of at all. Thence he and I +together to Westminster Hall, in our way talking of matters and passages +of state, 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 whore Denham, and wholly minds her; that there really was amours +between the Duchesse and Sidney; a 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. He tells me, +what I wonder at, but that I find it confirmed by Mr. Pierce, whom I met +by-and-by in the Hall, that Sir W. Coventry is of the caball with the +Duke of York, and Bruncker, with this 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 as little agreement as there is +between the Prince--[Rupert]--and Duke of Albemarle, yet they are likely +to go to sea again; for the first will not be trusted alone, and nobody +will go with him but this Duke of Albemarle. He tells me much how all +the commanders of the fleete and officers that are sober men do cry out +upon their bad discipline, and the ruine that must follow it if it +continue. But that which I wonder most at, it seems their secretaries +have been the most exorbitant in their fees to all sorts of the people, +that it is not to be believed that they durst do it, so as it is believed +they have got L800 apiece by the very vacancies in the fleete. He tells +me that Lady Castlemayne 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 lie 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 silke 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. + + [Evelyn describes the new fashion as "a comely dress after ye + Persian mode" (see "Diary," October 18th, 1666). He adds that he + had described the "comelinesse and usefulnesse" of the Persian + clothing in his pamphlet entitled "Tyrannus, or the Mode." "I do + not impute to this discourse. the change which soone happen'd, but + it was an identity I could not but take notice of." Rugge, in his + "Diurnal," thus describes the new Court costume "1666, Oct. 11. In + this month His Majestie and whole Court changed the fashion of their + clothes-viz. a close coat of cloth, pinkt with a white taffety under + the cutts. This in length reached the calf of the leg, and upon + that a sercoat cutt at the breast, which hung loose and shorter than + the vest six inches. The breeches the Spanish cut, and buskins some + of cloth, some of leather, but of the same colour as the vest or + garment; of never the like fashion since William the Conqueror." It + is represented in a portrait of Lord Arlington, by Sir P. Lely, + formerly belonging to Lord de Clifford, and engraved in Lodge's + "Portraits." Louis XIV. ordered his servants to wear the dress. + See November 22.] + +Walking with Pierce in the Court of Wards out comes Sir W. Coventry, and +he and I talked of business. Among others I proposed the making Sir J. +Minnes a Commissioner, and make somebody else Comptroller. He tells me +it is the thing he hath been thinking of, and hath spoke to the Duke of +York of it. He believes it will be done; but that which I fear is that +Pen will be Comptroller, which I shall grudge a little. The Duke of +Buckingham called him aside and spoke a good while with him. I did +presently fear it might be to discourse something of his design to +blemish my Lord of Sandwich, in pursuance of the wild motion he made the +other day in the House. Sir W. Coventry, when he come to me again, told +me that he had wrought a miracle, which was, the convincing the Duke of +Buckingham that something--he did not name what--that he had intended to +do was not fit to be done, and that the Duke is gone away of that +opinion. This makes me verily believe it was something like what I +feared. By and by the House rose, and then we parted, and I with Sir G. +Carteret, and walked in the Exchequer Court, discoursing of businesses. +Among others, I observing to him how friendly Sir W. Coventry had carried +himself to him in these late inquiries, when, if he had borne him any +spleen, he could have had what occasion he pleased offered him, he did +confess he found the same thing, and would thanke him for it. I did give +him some other advices, and so away with him to his lodgings at White +Hall to dinner, where my Lady Carteret is, and mighty kind, both of them, +to me. Their son and my Lady Jemimah will be here very speedily. She +tells me the ladies are to go into a new fashion shortly, and that is, to +wear short coats, above their ancles; which she and I do 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. After +dinner away home, Mr. Brisband along with me as far as the Temple, and +there looked upon a new booke, set out by one Rycault, secretary to my +Lord Winchelsea, of the policy and customs of the Turks, which is, it +seems, much cried up. But I could not stay, but home, where I find Balty +come back, and with him some muster-books, which I am glad of, and hope +he will do me credit in his employment. By and by took coach again and +carried him home, and my wife to her tailor's, while I to White Hall to +have found out Povy, but miss him and so call in my wife and home again, +where at Sir W. Batten's I met Sir W. Pen, lately come from the fleete at +the Nore; and here were many good fellows, among others Sir R. Holmes, +who is exceeding kind to me, more than usual, which makes me afeard of +him, though I do much wish his friendship. Thereupon, after a little +stay, I withdrew, and to the office and awhile, and then home to supper +and to my chamber to settle a few papers, and then to bed. This day the +great debate was in Parliament, the manner of raising the L1,800,000 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, L1,600,000, and the State +be eased of an ill burthen and the King be supplied of something as food +or better for his use. The House seems to like this, and put off the +debate to to-morrow. + + + +16th. Up, and to the office, where sat to do little business but hear +clamours for money. At noon home to dinner, and to the office again, +after hearing my brother play a little upon the Lyra viall, which he do +so as to show that he hath a love to musique and a spirit for it, which I +am well pleased with. All the afternoon at the office, and at night with +Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, [and Sir] J. Minnes, at [Sir] W. Pen's +lodgings, advising about business and orders fit presently to make about +discharging of ships come into the river, and which to pay first, and +many things in order thereto. But it vexed me that, it being now past +seven o'clock, and the businesses of great weight, and I had done them by +eight o'clock, and sending them to be signed, they were all gone to bed, +and Sir W. Pen, though awake, would not, being in bed, have them brought +to him to sign; this made me quite angry. Late at work at the office, +and then home to supper and to bed. Not come to any resolution at the +Parliament to-day about the manner of raising this L1,800,000. + + + +17th. Up, and busy about public and private business all the morning at +the office. At noon home to dinner, alone with my brother, with whom I +had now the first private talke I have had, and find he hath preached but +twice in his life. I did give him some advice to study pronunciation; +but I do fear he will never make a good speaker, nor, I fear, any general +good scholar, for I do not see that he minds optickes or mathematiques of +any sort, nor anything else that I can find. I know not what he may be +at divinity and ordinary school-learning. However, he seems sober, and +that pleases me. After dinner took him and my wife and Barker (for so is +our new woman called, and is yet but a sorry girle), and set them down at +Unthanke's, and so to White Hall, and there find some of my brethren with +the Duke of York, but so few I put off the meeting. So staid and heard +the Duke discourse, which he did mighty scurrilously, of the French, and +with reason, that they should give Beaufort orders when he was to bring, +and did bring, his fleete hither, that his rendezvous for his fleete, and +for all sluggs to come to, should be between Calais and Dover; which did +prove the taking of La Roche[lle], who, among other sluggs behind, did, +by their instructions, make for that place, to rendezvous with the +fleete; and Beaufort, seeing them as he was returning, took them for the +English fleete, and wrote word to the King of France that he had passed +by the English fleete, and the English fleete durst not meddle with him. +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 white makes them +look too much like magpyes, and therefore hath bespoke one of plain +velvet. Thence to St. James's by coach, and spoke, at four o'clock or +five, with Sir W. Coventry, newly come from the House, where they have +sat all this day and not come to an end of the debate how the money shall +be raised. He tells me that what I proposed to him the other day was +what he had himself thought on and determined, and that he believes it +will speedily be done--the making Sir J. Minnes a Commissioner, and +bringing somebody else to be Comptroller, and that (which do not please +me, I confess, for my own particulars, so well as Sir J. Minnes) will, I +fear, be Sir W. Pen, for he is the only fit man for it. Away from him +and took up my wife, and left her at Temple Bar to buy some lace for a +petticoat, and I took coach and away to Sir R. Viner's about a little +business, and then home, and by and by to my chamber, and there late upon +making up an account for the Board to pass to-morrow, if I can get them, +for the clearing all my imprest bills, which if I can do, will be to my +very good satisfaction. Having done this, then to supper and to bed. + + + +18th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. The waters +so high in the roads, by the late rains, that our letters come not in +till to-day, and now I understand that my father is got well home, but +had a painful journey of it. At noon with Lord Bruncker to St. Ellen's, +where the master of the late Pope's Head Taverne is now set up again, and +there dined at Sir W. Warren's cost, a very good dinner. Here my Lord +Bruncker proffered to carry me and my wife into a play at Court to-night, +and to lend me his coach home, which tempted me much; but I shall not do +it. Thence rose from table before dinner ended, and homewards met my +wife, and so away by coach towards Lovett's (in the way wondering at what +a good pretty wench our Barker makes, being now put into good clothes, +and fashionable, at my charge; but it becomes her, so that I do not now +think much of it, and is an example of the power of good clothes and +dress), 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 owne; but +is a Capuchin, one of the Queene-mother's priests. He did give my proxy +and the woman proxy (my Lady Bills, 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 that 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., mayde 2s. 6d., and +the coach 5s. I was very well satisfied with what I have done, and so +home and to the office, and thence to Sir W. Batten's, and there hear how +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. So home, +mightily pleased in mind that I have got my bills of imprest cleared by +bills signed this day, to my good satisfaction. To supper, and to bed. + + + +19th. Up, and by coach to my Lord Ashly's, and thence (he being gone +out), to the Exchequer chamber, and there find him and my Lord Bellasses +about my Lord Bellasses' accounts, which was the business I went upon. +This was soon ended, and then I with Creed back home to my house, and +there he and I did even accounts for salary, and by that time dinner was +ready, and merry at dinner, and then abroad to Povy's, who continues as +much confounded in all his business as ever he was; and would have had me +paid money, as like a fool as himself, which I troubled him in refusing; +but I did persist in it. After a little more discourse, I left them, and +to White Hall, where I met with Sir Robert Viner, who told me a little of +what, in going home, I had seen; also a little of the disorder and mutiny +among the seamen at the Treasurer's office, which did trouble me then and +all day since, considering how many more seamen will come to towne every +day, and no money for them. A Parliament sitting, and the Exchange close +by, and an enemy to hear of, and laugh at it. + + [The King of Denmark was induced to conclude a treaty with the + United Provinces, a secret article of which bound him to declare war + against England. The order in council for the printing and + publishing a declaration of war against Denmark is dated "Whitehall, + Sept. 19, 1666;" annexed is "A True Declaration of all + transactions between his Majesty of Great Britain and the King of + Denmark, with a declaration of war against the said king, and the + motives that obliged his Majesty thereunto" ("Calendar of State + Papers," 1666-67, p. 140).] + +Viner too, and Backewell, were sent for this afternoon; and was before +the King and his Cabinet about money; they declaring they would advance +no more, it being discoursed of in the House of Parliament for the King +to issue out his privy-seals to them to command them to trust him, which +gives them reason to decline trusting. But more money they are persuaded +to lend, but so little that (with horrour I speake it), coming after the +Council was up, with Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Coventry, Lord Bruncker, and +myself, I did lay the state of our condition before the Duke of York, +that the fleete could not go out without several things it wanted, and we +could not have without money, particularly rum and bread, which we have +promised the man Swan to helpe him to L200 of his debt, and a few other +small sums of L200 a piece to some others, and that I do foresee the Duke +of York would call us to an account why the fleete is not abroad, and we +cannot answer otherwise than our want of money; and that indeed we do not +do the King any service now, but do rather abuse and betray his service +by being there, and seeming to do something, while we do not. Sir G. +Carteret asked me (just in these words, for in this and all the rest I +set down the very words for memory sake, if there should be occasion) +whether L50 or L60 would do us any good; and when I told him the very rum +man must have L200, he held up his eyes as if we had asked a million. +Sir W. Coventry told the Duke of York plainly he did rather desire to +have his commission called in than serve in so ill a place, where he +cannot do the King service, and I did concur in saying the same. This +was all very plain, and the Duke of York did confess that he did not see +how we could do anything without a present supply of L20,000, and that he +would speak to the King next Council day, and I promised to wait on him +to put him in mind of it. This I set down for my future justification, +if need be, and so we broke up, and all parted, Sir W. Coventry being not +very well, but I believe made much worse by this night's sad discourse. +So I home by coach, considering what the consequence of all this must be +in a little time. Nothing but distraction and confusion; 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. Home, and to Sir W. +Batten's, where I saw my Lady, who is now come down stairs after a great +sickness. Sir W. Batten was at the pay to-day, and tells me how rude the +men were, but did go away quietly, being promised pay on Wednesday next. +God send us money for it! So to the office, and then to supper and to +bed. Among other things proposed in the House to-day, to give the King +in lieu of chimneys, there was the bringing up of sealed paper, such as +Sir J. Minnes shewed me to-night, at Sir W. Batten's, is used in Spayne, +and brings the King a great revenue; but it shows what shifts we are put +to too much. + + + +20th. Up, and all the morning at the office, where none met but myself. +So I walked a good while with Mr. Gawden in the garden, who is lately +come from the fleete at the buoy of the Nore, and he do tell me how all +the sober commanders, and even Sir Thomas Allen himself, do complain of +the ill government of the fleete. How Holmes and Jennings have commanded +all the fleete this yeare, that nothing is done upon deliberation, but if +a sober man give his opinion otherwise than the Prince would have it the +Prince would cry, "Damn him, do you follow your orders, and that is +enough for you." He tells me he hears of nothing but of swearing and +drinking and whoring, and all manner of profaneness, quite through the +whole fleete. He being gone, there comes to me Commissioner Middleton, +whom I took on purpose to walk in the garden with me, and to learn what +he observed when the fleete was at Portsmouth. He says that the fleete +was in such a condition, as to discipline, as if the Devil had commanded +it; so much wickedness of all sorts. Enquiring how it come to pass that +so many ships 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 fleete) +say that he did hope he should not see a tarpaulin have the command of a +ship within this twelve months. He observed while he was on board the +Admirall, when the fleete 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 Generall's +ship but like a private commander. He says he was on board The Prince, +when the newes 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 now a citizen's wife that would not take under half +a piece before, would be occupied for half-a-crowne: and made mighty +sport of it. He says that Hubberd that commanded this year the Admiral's +ship is a proud conceited fellow (though I thought otherwise of him), and +fit to command a single ship but not a fleete, and he do wonder that +there hath not been more mischief this year than there hath. He says the +fleete come to anchor between the Horse and the Island, so that when they +came to weigh many of the ships could not turn, but run foul of the +Horse, and there stuck, but that the weather was good. He says that +nothing can do the King more disservice, nor please the standing officers +of the ship better than these silly commanders that now we have, for they +sign to anything that their officers desire of them, nor have judgment to +contradict them if they would. He told me other good things, which made +me bless God that we have received no greater disasters this year than we +have, though they have been the greatest that ever was known in England +before, put all their losses of the King's ships by want of skill and +seamanship together from the beginning. He being gone, comes Sir G. +Carteret, and he and I walked together awhile, discoursing upon the sad +condition of the times, what need we have, and how impossible it is to +get money. He told me my Lord Chancellor the other day did ask him how +it come to pass that his friend Pepys do so much magnify all things to +worst, as I did on Sunday last, in the bad condition of the fleete. 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. So that I am well at present with +him, but I must have a care not to be over busy in the office again, and +burn my fingers. He tells me he wishes he had sold his place at some +good rate to somebody or other at the beginning of the warr, and that he +would do it now, but no body will deale with him for it. He tells me the +Duke of Albemarle is very much discontented, and the Duke of York do not, +it seems, please him. He tells me that our case as to money is not to be +made good at present, and therefore wishes a good and speedy peace before +it be too late, and from his discourse methinks I find that there is +something moving towards it. Many people at the office, but having no +more of the office I did put it off till the next meeting. Thence, with +Sir G. Carteret, home to dinner, with him, my Lady and Mr. Ashburnham, +the Cofferer. Here they talk that the Queene hath a great mind to alter +her fashion, and to have the feet seen, which she loves mightily; and +they do believe that it [will] come into it in a little time. Here I met +with the King's declaration about his proceedings with the King of +Denmarke, and particularly the business of Bergen; but it is so well +writ, that, if it be true, the King of Denmarke is one of the most +absolute wickednesse in the world for a person of his quality. After +dinner home, and there met Mr. Povy by appointment, and there he and I +all the afternoon, till late at night, evening of all accounts between +us, which we did to both our satisfaction; but that which troubles me +most is, that I am to refund to the ignoble Lord Peterborough what he had +given us six months ago, because we did not supply him with money; but it +is no great matter. He gone I to the office, and there did some +business; and so home, my mind in good ease by having done with Povy in +order to the adjusting of all my accounts in a few days. So home to +supper and to bed. + + + +21st (Lord's day). Up, and with my wife to church, and her new woman +Barker with her the first time. The girle will, I think, do very well. +Here a lazy sermon, and so home to dinner, and took in my Lady Pen and +Peg (Sir William being below with the fleete), and mighty merry we were, +and then after dinner presently (it being a mighty cool day) I by coach +to White Hall, and there attended the Cabinet, and was called in before +the King and them to give an account of our want of money for Tangier, +which troubles me that it should be my place so often and so soon after +one another to come to speak there of their wants--the thing of the world +that they love least to hear of, and that which is no welcome thing to be +the solicitor for--and to see how like an image the King sat and could +not speak one word when I had delivered myself was very strange; only my +Lord Chancellor did ask me, whether I thought it was in nature at this +time to help us to anything. So I was referred to another meeting of the +Lords Commissioners for Tangier and my Lord Treasurer, and so went away, +and by coach home, where I spent the evening in reading Stillingfleet's +defence of the Archbishopp, the part about Purgatory, a point I had never +considered before, what was said for it or against it, and though I do +believe we are in the right, yet I do not see any great matter in this +book. So to supper; and my people being gone, most of them, to bed, my +boy and Jane and I did get two of my iron chests out of the cellar into +my closett, and the money to my great satisfaction to see it there again, +and the rather because the damp cellar spoils all my chests. This being +done, and I weary, to bed. This afternoon walking with Sir H. Cholmly +long in the gallery, he told me, among many other things, how Harry +Killigrew is banished the Court lately, for saying that my Lady +Castlemayne was a little lecherous girle when she was young . . . . +This she complained to the King of, and he sent to the Duke of York, +whose servant he is, to turn him away. The Duke of York hath done it, +but takes it ill of my Lady that he was not complained to first. She +attended him to excute it, but ill blood is made by it. He told 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. +This afternoon I went to see and sat a good while with Mrs. Martin, and +there was her sister Doll, with whom, contrary to all expectation, I did +what I would, and might have done anything else. + + + +22nd. Up, and by coach to Westminster Hall, there thinking to have met +Betty Michell, who I heard yesterday staid all night at her father's, but +she was gone. So I staid a little and then down to the bridge by water, +and there overtook her and her father. So saluted her and walked over +London Bridge with them and there parted, the weather being very foul, +and so to the Tower by water, and so heme, where I find Mr. Caesar +playing the treble to my boy upon the Theorbo, the first time I heard +him, which pleases me mightily. After dinner I carried him and my wife +towards Westminster, by coach, myself 'lighting at the Temple, and there, +being a little too soon, walked in the Temple Church, looking with +pleasure on the monuments and epitaphs, and then to my Lord Belasses, +where Creed and Povy by appointment met to discourse of some of their +Tangier accounts between my Lord and Vernatty, who will prove a very +knave. That being done I away with Povy to White Hall, and thence I to +Unthanke's, and there take up my wife, and so home, it being very foule +and darke. Being there come, I to the settling of some of my money +matters in my chests, and evening some accounts, which I was at late, to +my extraordinary content, and especially to see all things hit so even +and right and with an apparent profit and advantage since my last +accounting, but how much I cannot particularly yet come to adjudge. + + + +23rd. Up, and to the office all the morning. At noon Sir W. Batten told +me Sir Richard Ford would accept of one-third of my profit of our private +man-of-war, and bear one-third of the charge, and be bound in the +Admiralty, so I shall be excused being bound, which I like mightily of, +and did draw up a writing, as well as I could, to that purpose and signed +and sealed it, and so he and Sir R. Ford are to go to enter into bond +this afternoon. Home to dinner, and after dinner, it being late, I down +by water to Shadwell, to see Betty Michell, the first time I was ever at +their new dwelling since the fire, and there find her in the house all +alone. I find her mighty modest. But had her lips as much as I would, +and indeed she is mighty pretty, that I love her exceedingly. I paid her +L10 1s. that I received upon a ticket for her husband, which is a great +kindness I have done them, and having kissed her as much as I would, I +away, poor wretch, and down to Deptford to see Sir J. Minnes ordering of +the pay of some ships there, which he do most miserably, and so home. +Bagwell's wife, seeing me come the fields way, did get over her pales to +come after and talk with me, which she did for a good way, and so parted, +and I home, and to the office, very busy, and so to supper and to bed. + + + +24th. Up, and down to the Old Swan, and there find little Michell come +to his new shop that he hath built there in the room of his house that +was burned. I hope he will do good here. I drank and bade him joy, for +I love him and his wife well, him for his care, and her for her person, +and so to White Hall, where we attended the Duke; and to all our +complaints for want of money, which now we are tired out with making, the +Duke only tells us that he is sorry for it, and hath spoke to the King of +it, and money we shall have as soon as it can be found; and though all +the issue of the war lies upon it, yet that is all the answer we can get, +and that is as bad or worse than nothing. Thence to Westminster Hall, +where the term is begun, and I did take a turn or two, and so away by +coach to Sir R. Viner's, and there received some money, and then home and +to dinner. After dinner to little business, and then abroad with my +wife, she to see her brother, who is sick, and she believes is from some +discontent his wife hath given him by her loose carriage, which he is +told, and he hath found has been very suspicious in his absence, which I +am sorry for. I to the Hall and there walked long, among others talking +with Mr. Hayes, Prince Rupert's Secretary, a very ingenious man, and one, +I think, fit to contract some friendship with. Here I staid late, +walking to and again, hearing how the Parliament proceeds, which is +mighty slowly in the settling of the money business, and great factions +growing every day among them. I am told also how Holmes did last Sunday +deliver in his articles to the King and Cabinet against [Sir Jeremy] +Smith, and that Smith hath given in his answer, and lays his not +accompanying the fleete 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 publiquely swore that he would never go to sea again unless Holmes's +commission were taken from him. + + [In the instructions given to Sir Thomas Clifford (August 5th, 1666) + to be communicated to Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle, we + read: "to tell them that the complaint of Sir Jeremy Smith's + misbehaviour in the late engagement being so universal, unless he + have fully satisfied the generals he should be brought to trial by + court-martial, and there purged or condemned." The Duke of + Albemarle answered the king (August 14th?): "Wishes to clear a + gallant man falsely accused, Sir Jeremiah Smith, who had more men + killed and hurt, and his ship received more shot than any in the + fleet. There is not a more spirited man serves in the fleet" On + October 27th H. Muddiman wrote to Sir Edward Stradling: "Sir Jeremy + Smith has got as much credit by his late examination as his enemies + wished him disgrace, the King and Duke of York being fully satisfied + of his valour in the engagement. It appears that he had 147 men + killed and wounded, while the most eminent of his accusers had but + two or three." With regard to Sir Jeremy's counter-charges, we + read: "Nov. 3. The King having maturely considered the charges + brought against Sir Rob. Holmes by Sir Jeremy Smith, finds no cause + to suspect Sir Robert of cowardice in the fight with the Dutch of + June 25 and 26, but thinks that on the night of the 26th he yielded + too easily to the opinion of his pilot, without consulting those of + the other ships, muzzled his ship, and thus obliged the squadron to + do the same, and so the enemy, which might have been driven into the + body of the king's fleet, then returning from the pursuit, was + allowed to escape" (" Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, pp. 14, + 40, 222, 236).] + + +I find by Hayes that they did expect great glory in coming home in so +good condition as they did with the fleete, and therefore I the less +wonder that the Prince was distasted with my discourse the other day +about the bad state of the fleete. 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 everything, and the glory of his services. About seven at +night home, and called my wife, and, it being moonshine, took her into +the garden, and there layed open our condition as to our estate, and the +danger of my having it [his money] all in the house at once, in case of +any disorder or troubles in the State, and therefore resolved to remove +part of it to Brampton, and part some whither else, and part in my owne +house, which is very necessary, and will tend to our safety, though I +shall not think it safe out of my owne sight. So to the office, and then +to supper and to bed. + + + +25th. Up betimes and by water to White Hall, and there with Sir G. +Carteret to Sir W. Coventry, who is come to his winter lodgings at White +Hall, and there agreed upon a method of paying of tickets; and so I back +again home and to the office, where we sate all the morning, but to +little purpose but to receive clamours for money. At noon home to +dinner, where the two Mrs. Daniels come to see us, and dined with us. +After dinner I out with my wife to Mrs. Pierces, where she hath not been +a great while, from some little unkindness of my wife's to her when she +was last here, but she received us with mighty respect and discretion, +and was making herself mighty fine to go to a great ball to-night at +Court, being the Queene's birthday; so the ladies for this one day do +wear laces, but to put them off again to-morrow. Thence I to my Lord +Bruncker's, and with him 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 am glad to +hear. Thence with Lord Bruncker to White Hall and there spoke with Sir +W. Coventry about some office business, and then I away to Mrs. Pierces, +and there saw her new closet, which is mighty rich and fine. Her +daughter Betty grows mighty pretty. Thence with my wife home and to do +business at the office. Then to Sir W. Batten's, who tells me that the +House of Parliament makes mighty little haste in settling the money, and +that he knows not when it will be done; but they fall into faction, and +libells have been found in the House. Among others, one yesterday, +wherein they reckon up divers great sums to be given away by the King, +among others, L10,000 to Sir W. Coventry, for weare and teare (the point +he stood upon to advance that sum by, for them to give the King); Sir G. +Carteret L50,000 for something else, I think supernumerarys; and so to +Matt. Wren L5000 for passing the Canary Company's patent; and so a great +many other sums to other persons. So home to supper and to bed. + + + +26th. Up, and all the morning and most of the afternoon within doors, +beginning to set my accounts in order from before this fire, I being +behindhand with them ever since; and this day I got most of my tradesmen +to bring in their bills and paid them. Dined at home, and busy again +after dinner, and then abroad by water to Westminster Hall, where I +walked till the evening, and then out, the first time I ever was abroad +with Doll Lane, to the Dog tavern, and there drank with her, a bad face, +but good bodied girle. Did nothing but salute and play with her and +talk, and thence away by coach, home, and so to do a little more in my +accounts, and then to supper and to bed. Nothing done in the House yet +as to the finishing of the bill for money, which is a mighty sad thing, +all lying at stake for it. + + + +27th. Up, and there comes to see me my Lord Belasses, which was a great +honour. He tells me great newes, yet but what I suspected, that Vernatty +is fled, and so hath cheated him and twenty more, but most of all, I +doubt, Mr. Povy. Thence to talk about publique business; he tells me how +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 he is a Poole; this bred heat from my Lord Chancellor, +and something he [Buckingham] 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 house's 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 everywhere and bold in the owning +their religion, have 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. So that +upon the whole, God knows we are in a sad condition like to be, there +being the very beginnings of the late troubles. He gone, I at the office +all the morning. At noon home to dinner, where Mrs. Pierce and her boy +and Knipp, who sings as well, and is the best company in the world, dined +with us, and infinite merry. The playhouses begin to play next week. +Towards evening I took them out to the New Exchange, and there my wife +bought things, and I did give each of them a pair of Jesimy + + [Jessemin (Jasminum), the flowers of which are of a delicate sweet + smell, and often used to perfume gloves. Edmund Howes, Stows + continuator, informs us that sweet or perfumed gloves were first + brought into England by the Earl of Oxford on his return from Italy, + in the fifteenth year of Queen Elizabeth, during whose reign, and + long afterwards, they were very fashionable. They are frequently + mentioned by Shakespeare. Autolyctis, in the "Winter's Tale," has + among his wares--" Gloves as sweet as damask roses."--B.] + +plain gloves, and another of white. Here Knipp and I walked up and down +to see handsome faces, and did see several. Then carried each of them +home, and with great pleasure and content, home myself, where, having +writ several letters, I home, and there, upon some serious discourse +between my wife and I upon the business, I called to us my brother, and +there broke to him our design to send him into the country with some part +of our money, and so did seriously discourse the whole thing, and then +away to supper and to bed. I pray God give a blessing to our resolution, +for I do much fear we shall meet with speedy distractions for want of +money. + + + +28th (Lord's day). Up, and to church with my wife, and then home, and +there is come little Michell and his wife, I sent for them, and also +tomes Captain Guy to dine with me, and he and I much talk together. He +cries out of the discipline of the fleete, 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 fleete was ashamed to hear of our +bonefires. He commends Smith, and cries out of Holmes for an idle, +proud, conceited, though stout fellow. He tells me we are to owe the +losse 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. After dinner he +gone, I with my brother to White Hall and he to Westminster Abbey. I +presently to Mrs. Martin's, and there met widow Burroughes and Doll, and +did tumble them all the afternoon as I pleased, and having given them a +bottle of wine I parted and home by boat (my brother going by land), and +thence with my wife to sit and sup with my uncle and aunt Wight, and see +Woolly's wife, who is a pretty woman, and after supper, being very merry, +in abusing my aunt with Dr. Venner, we home, and I to do something in my +accounts, and so to bed. 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 Sheernesse, 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 fleete, wherein he told +me how bad every thing is; but was very wary in speaking any thing to the +dishonour of the Prince or Duke of Albemarle, but do magnify my Lord +Sandwich much before them both, for 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 prevent the +necessity of his dining with me I was forced to pretend occasion of going +to Westminster, so away I went, and Mr. Barber, the clerk, having a +request to make to me to get him into employment, did walk along with me, +and by water to Westminster with me, he professing great love to me, and +an able clerk he is. When I come thither 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. Thence by coach (having in the Hall bought me a velvet +riding cap, cost me 20s.) to my taylor's, and there bespoke a plain vest, +and so to my goldsmith to bid him look out for some gold for me; and he +tells me that ginnys, which I bought 2,000 of not long ago, and cost me +but 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. So home to dinner and to discourse +with my brother upon his translation of my Lord Bacon's "Faber Fortunae," +which I gave him to do and he has done it, but meanely; I am not pleased +with it at all, having done it only literally, but without any life at +all. About five o'clock I took my wife (who is mighty fine, and with a +new fair pair of locks, which vex me, though like a foole I helped her +the other night to buy them), and to Mrs. Pierces, and there staying a +little I away before 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 Queene, 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 silly play, and though done by the Duke's +people, yet having neither Betterton nor his wife, 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 Castlemayne. The play done by ten o'clock. I carried them all +home, and then home myself, and well satisfied with the sight, but not +the play, we with great content to bed. + + + +30th. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning, and at noon home +to dinner, and then to the office again, where late, very busy, and +dispatching much business. Mr. Hater staying most of the afternoon +abroad, he come to me, poor man, to make excuse, and it was that he had +been looking out for a little house for his family. His wife being much +frightened in the country with the discourses of troubles and disorders +like to be, and therefore durst not be from him, and therefore he is +forced to bring her to towne that they may be together. This is now the +general apprehension of all people; particulars I do not know, but my +owne fears are also great, and I do think it time to look out to save +something, if a storm should come. At night home to supper, and singing +with my wife, who hath lately begun to learn, and I think will come to do +something, though her eare is not good, nor I, I confess, have patience +enough to teach her, or hear her sing now and then a note out of tune, +and am to blame that I cannot bear with that in her which is fit I should +do with her as a learner, and one that I desire much could sing, and so +should encourage her. This I was troubled at, for I do find that I do +put her out of heart, and make her fearfull to sing before me. So after +supper to bed. + + + +31st. Out with Sir W. Batten toward White Hall, being in pain in my cods +by being squeezed the other night in a little coach when I carried Pierce +and his wife and my people. But I hope I shall be soon well again. This +day is a great day at the House, so little to do with the Duke of York, +but soon parted. Coming out of the Court I met Colonell Atkins, who +tells me the whole city rings to-day of Sir Jeremy Smith's killing of +Holmes in a duell, at which I was not much displeased, for I fear every +day more and more mischief from the man, if he lives; but the thing is +not true, for in my coach I did by and by meet Sir Jer. Smith going to +Court. So I by coach to my goldsmith, there to see what gold I can get, +which is but little, and not under 22d. So away home to dinner, and +after dinner to my closett, where I spent the whole afternoon till late +at evening of all my accounts publique and private, and to my great +satisfaction I do find that I do bring my accounts to a very near +balance, notwithstanding all the hurries and troubles I have been put to +by the late fire, that I have not been able to even my accounts since +July last before; and I bless God I do find that I am worth more than +ever I yet was, which is L6,200, for which the Holy Name of God be +praised! and my other accounts of Tangier in a very plain and clear +condition, that I am not liable to any trouble from them; but in fear +great I am, and I perceive the whole city is, of some distractions and +disorders among us, which God of his goodness prevent! Late to supper +with my wife and brother, and then to bed. And thus ends the month with +an ill aspect, the business of the Navy standing wholly still. No +credit, no goods sold us, nobody will trust. All we have to do at the +office is to hear complaints for want of money. The Duke of York himself +for now three weeks seems to rest satisfied that we can do nothing +without money, and that all must stand still till the King gets money, +which the Parliament have been a great while about; but are so +dissatisfied with the King's management, and his giving himself up to +pleasures, and not minding the calling to account any of his officers, +and they observe so much the expense of the war, and yet that after we +have made it the most we can, it do not amount to what they have given +the King for the warn that they are backward of giving any more. +However, L1,800,000 they have voted, but the way of gathering it has +taken up more time than is fit to be now lost: The seamen grow very rude, +and every thing out of order; commanders having no power over their +seamen, but the seamen do what they please. Few stay on board, but all +coming running up hither to towne, and nobody can with justice blame +them, we owing them so much money; and their familys must starve if we do +not give them money, or they procure upon their tickets from some people +that will trust them. A great folly is observed by all people in the +King's giving leave to so many merchantmen to go abroad this winter, and +some upon voyages where it is impossible they should be back again by the +spring, and the rest will be doubtfull, but yet we let them go; what the +reason of State is nobody can tell, but all condemn it. The Prince and +Duke of Albemarle have got no great credit by this year's service. Our +losses both of reputation and ships having been greater than is thought +have ever been suffered in all ages put together before; being beat home, +and fleeing home the first fight, and then losing so many ships then and +since upon the sands, and some falling into the enemy's hands, and not +one taken this yeare, but the Ruby, French prize, now at the end of the +yeare, by the Frenchmen's mistake in running upon us. Great folly in +both Houses of Parliament, several persons falling together by the eares, +among others in the House of Lords, the Duke of Buckingham and my Lord +Ossory. Such is our case, that every body fears an invasion the next +yeare; and for my part, I do methinks foresee great unhappiness coming +upon us, and do provide for it by laying by something against a rainy +day, dividing what I have, and laying it in several places, but with all +faithfulness to the King in all respects; my grief only being that the +King do not look after his business himself, and thereby will be undone +both himself and his nation, it being not yet, I believe, too late if he +would apply himself to it, to save all, and conquer the Dutch; but while +he and the Duke of York mind their pleasure, as they do and nothing else, +we must be beaten. So late with my mind in good condition of quiet after +the settling all my accounts, and to bed. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Being there, and seeming to do something, while we do not +Bill against importing Irish cattle +Bringing over one discontented man, you raise up three +But how many years I cannot tell; but my wife says ten +But pretty! how I took another pretty woman for her +Catholiques are everywhere and bold +Did tumble them all the afternoon as I pleased +Discoursing upon the sad condition of the times +Exceeding kind to me, more than usual, which makes me afeard +Fashion, the King says; he will never change +I did what I would, and might have done anything else +King be desired to put all Catholiques out of employment +King hath lost his power, by submitting himself to this way +So home to supper, and to bed, it being my wedding night +The very rum man must have L200 +Time spending, and no money to set anything in hand + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v52 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S. + + CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY + + TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY +MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW + AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE + + (Unabridged) + + WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES + + EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY + + HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + NOVEMBER + 1666 + + +November 1st. Up, and was presented by Burton, one of our smith's wives, +with a very noble cake, which I presently resolved to have my wife go +with to-day, and some wine, and house-warme my Betty Michell, which she +readily resolved to do. So I to the office and sat all the morning, +where little to do but answer people about want of money; so that there +is little service done the King by us, and great disquiet to ourselves; +I am sure there is to me very much, for I do not enjoy myself as I would +and should do in my employment if my pains could do the King better +service, and with the peace that we used to do it. At noon to dinner, +and from dinner my wife and my brother, and W. Hewer and Barker away to +Betty Michell's, to Shadwell, and I to my office, where I took in Mrs. +Bagwell and did what I would with her, and so she went away, and I all +the afternoon till almost night there, and then, my wife being come back, +I took her and set her at her brother's, who is very sicke, and I to +White Hall, and there all alone a pretty while with Sir W. Coventry at +his chamber. I find him very melancholy under the same considerations of +the King's service that I am. He confesses with me he expects all will +be undone, and all ruined; he complains and sees perfectly what I with +grief do, and said it first himself to me that all discipline is lost in +the fleete, no order nor no command, and concurs with me that it is +necessary we do again and again represent all things more and more +plainly to the Duke of York, for a guard to ourselves hereafter when +things shall come to be worse. He says the House goes on slowly in +finding of money, and that the discontented party do say they have not +done with us, for they will have a further bout with us as to our +accounts, and they are exceedingly well instructed where to hit us. +I left him with a thousand sad reflections upon the times, and the state +of the King's matters, and so away, and took up my wife and home, where +a little at the office, and then home to supper, and talk with my wife +(with whom I have much comfort) and my brother, and so to bed. + + + +2nd. Up betimes, and with Sir W. Batten to Woolwich, where first we went +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. She had also about forty good brass guns, but will make +little amends to our loss in The Prince. Thence to the Ropeyarde and the +other yards to do several businesses, he and I also did buy some apples +and pork; by the same token the butcher commended it as the best in +England for cloath and colour. And for his beef, says he, "Look how fat +it is; the lean appears only here and there a speck, like beauty-spots." +Having done at Woolwich, we to Deptford (it being very cold upon the +water), and there did also a little more business, and so home, I reading +all the why to make end of the "Bondman" (which the oftener I read the +more I like), and begun "The Duchesse of Malfy;" which seems a good play. +At home to dinner, and there come Mr. Pierce, surgeon, to see me, and +after I had eat something, he and I and my wife by coach to Westminster, +she set us down at White Hall, and she to her brother's. I up into the +House, and among other things walked a good while with the Serjeant +Trumpet, who tells me, as I wished, that the King's Italian here is about +setting three parts for trumpets, and shall teach some to sound them, and +believes they will be admirable musique. I also walked with Sir Stephen +Fox an houre, and good discourse of publique business with him, who seems +very much satisfied with my discourse, and desired more of my +acquaintance. Then comes out the King and Duke of York from the Council, +and so I spoke awhile to Sir W. Coventry about some office business, and +so called my wife (her brother being now a little better than he was), +and so home, and I to my chamber to do some business, and then to supper +and to bed. + + + +3rd. This morning comes Mr. Lovett, and brings me my print of the +Passion, varnished by him, and the frame black, which indeed is very +fine, though not so fine as I expected; however, pleases me exceedingly. +This, and the sheets of paper he prepared for me, come to L3, which I did +give him, and though it be more than is fit to lay out on pleasure, +yet, it being ingenious, I did not think much of it. He gone, I to the +office, where all the morning to little purpose, nothing being before us +but clamours for money: So at noon home to dinner, and after dinner to +hang up my new varnished picture and set my chamber in order to be made +clean, and then to; the office again, and there all the afternoon till +late at night, and so to supper and to bed. + + + +4th (Lord's day). Comes my taylor's man in the morning, and brings my +vest home, and coate to wear with it, and belt, and silver-hilted sword. +So I rose and dressed myself, and I like myself mightily in it, and so do +my wife. Then, being dressed, to church; and after church pulled my Lady +Pen and Mrs. Markham into my house to dinner, and Sir J. Minnes he got +Mrs. Pegg along with him. I had a good dinner for them, and very merry; +and after dinner to the waterside, and so, it being very cold, to White +Hall, and was mighty fearfull of an ague, my vest being new and thin, +and the coat cut not to meet before upon my breast. Here I waited in the +gallery till the Council was up, and among others 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-out 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? Here we +parted, and so by and by the Council rose, and out comes Sir G. Carteret +and Sir W. Coventry, and they and my Lord Bruncker and I went to Sir G. +Carteret's lodgings, there to discourse about some money demanded by Sir +W. Warren, and having done that broke up. And Sir G. Carteret and I +alone together a while, where he shows a long letter, all in cipher, from +my Lord Sandwich to him. The contents he hath not yet found out, but he +tells me that my Lord is not sent for home, as several people have +enquired after of me. He spoke something reflecting upon me in the +business of pursers, that their present bad behaviour is what he did +foresee, and had convinced me of, and yet when it come last year to be +argued before the Duke of York I turned and said as the rest did. I +answered nothing to it, but let it go, and so to other discourse of the +ill state of things, of which all people are full of sorrow and +observation, and so parted, and then by water, landing in Southwarke, +home to the Tower, and so home, and there began to read "Potter's +Discourse upon 1666," which pleases me mightily, and then broke off and +to supper and to bed. + + + +5th (A holyday). Lay long; then up, and to the office, where vexed to +meet with people come from the fleete at the Nore, where so many ships +are laid up and few going abroad, and yet Sir Thomas Allen hath sent up +some Lieutenants with warrants to presse men for a few ships to go out +this winter, while every day thousands appear here, to our great trouble +and affright, before our office and the ticket office, and no Captains +able to command one-man aboard. Thence by water to Westminster, and +there at the Swan find Sarah is married to a shoemaker yesterday, so I +could not see her, but I believe I shall hereafter at good leisure. +Thence by coach to my Lady Peterborough, and there spoke with my Lady, +who had sent to speak with me. She makes mighty moan 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 nor disbursements, and +therefore prays my assistance about his pension. I was moved with her +story, which she largely and handsomely told me, and promised I would try +what I could do in a few days, and so took leave, being willing to keep +her Lord fair with me, both for his respect to my Lord Sandwich and for +my owne sake hereafter, when I come to pass my accounts. Thence to my +Lord Crew's, and there dined, and mightily made of, having not, to my +shame, been there in 8 months before. Here my Lord and Sir Thomas Crew, +Mr. John, and Dr. Crew, 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 towne 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 Crew 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 do much cry out upon our accounts, and that all that they have had +from the King hath been but estimates both from my Lord Treasurer and us, +and from all people else, so that the Parliament is weary of it. 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 Crew 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 losse of the fire; and they say that tenants +should against all casualties of fire beginning either in their owne 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 salvo 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 Crew 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; till anon +we come to my house, and there I took them upon Tower Hill to shew 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. Here I +got them to appoint Wednesday come se'nnight to dine here at my house, +and so we broke up and all took coach again, and I carried the Doctor to +Chancery Lane, and thence I to White Hall, where I staid walking up and +down till night, and then got almost into the play house, having much +mind to go and see the play at Court this night; but fearing how I should +get home, because of the bonefires and the lateness of the night to get a +coach, I did not stay; but having this evening seen my Lady Jemimah, who +is come to towne, and looks very well and fat, and heard how Mr. John +Pickering is to be married this week, and to a fortune with L5000, and +seen a rich necklace of pearle and two pendants of dyamonds, which Sir G. +Carteret hath presented her with since her coming to towne, I home by +coach, but met not one bonefire 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. Home, and there find my wife +and her people at cards, and I to my chamber, and there late, and so to +supper and to bed. + + + +6th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning sitting. At noon home +to dinner, and after dinner down alone by water to Deptford, reading +"Duchesse of Malfy," the play, which is pretty good, and there did some +business, and so up again, and all the evening at the office. At night +home, and there find Mr. Batelier, who supped with us, and good company +he is, and so after supper to bed. + + + +7th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, where we attended as +usual the Duke of York and there was by the folly of Sir W. Batten +prevented in obtaining a bargain for Captain Cocke, which would, I think +have [been] at this time (during our great want of hempe), both +profitable to the King and of good convenience to me; but I matter it +not, it being done only by the folly, not any design, of Sir W. Batten's. +Thence to Westminster Hall, and, it being fast day, there was no shops +open, but meeting with Doll Lane, did go with her to the Rose taverne, +and there drank and played with her a good while. She went away, and I +staid a good while after, and was seen going out by one of our neighbours +near the office and two of the Hall people that I had no mind to have +been seen by, but there was no hurt in it nor can be alledged from it. +Therefore I am not solicitous in it, but took coach and called at +Faythorne's, to buy some prints for my wife to draw by this winter, and +here did see my Lady Castlemayne'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 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. Thence home and find my wife gone out with my brother to see her +brother. I to dinner and thence to my chamber to read, and so to the +office (it being a fast day and so a holiday), and then to Mrs. Turner's, +at her request to speake and advise about Sir Thomas Harvy's coming to +lodge there, which I think must be submitted to, and better now than +hereafter, when he gets more ground, for I perceive he intends to stay by +it, and begins to crow mightily upon his late being at the payment of +tickets; but a coxcombe he is and will never be better in the business of +the Navy. Thence home, and there find Mr. Batelier come to bring my wife +a very fine puppy of his mother's spaniel, a very fine one indeed, which +my wife is mighty proud of. He staid and supped with us, and they to +cards. I to my chamber to do some business, and then out to them to play +and were a little merry, and then to bed. 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 mischiefe +to the remainder of this day; 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 body's fears are busy at this time. + + + +8th. Up, and before I went to the office I spoke with Mr. Martin for his +advice about my proceeding in the business of the private man-of-war, he +having heretofore served in one of them, and now I have it in my thoughts +to send him purser in ours. After this discourse I to the office, where +I sat all the morning, Sir W. Coventry with us, where he hath not been a +great while, Sir W. Pen also, newly come from the Nore, where he hath +been some time fitting of the ships out. At noon home to dinner and then +to the office awhile, and so home for my sword, and there find Mercer +come to see her mistresse. I was glad to see her there, and my wife +mighty kind also, and for my part, much vexed that the jade is not with +us still. Left them together, designing to go abroad to-morrow night to +Mrs. Pierces to dance; and so 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. So to White Hall to Sir W. Coventry, and there would fain +have carried Captain Cocke's business for his bargain of hemp, but am +defeated and disappointed, and know hardly how to carry myself in it +between my interest and desire not to offend Sir W. Coventry. 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 Bruncker and Sir W. Pen are +to be Controller joyntly, 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. Thence by coach home, full of thoughts of the consequence of this +alteration in our office, and I think no evil to me. So at my office +late, and then home to supper and to bed. 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. Up and to the office, where did a good deale of business, and then +at noon to the Exchange and to my little goldsmith's, whose wife is very +pretty and modest, that ever I saw any. Upon the 'Change, where I seldom +have of late been, I find all people mightily at a losse what to expect, +but confusion and fears in every man's head and heart. Whether war or +peace, all fear the event will be bad. Thence home and with my brother +to dinner, my wife being dressing herself against night; after dinner I +to my closett all the afternoon, till the porter brought my vest back +from the taylor's, and then to dress myself very fine, about 4 or 5 +o'clock, and by that time comes Mr. Batelier and Mercer, and away by +coach to Mrs. Pierces, 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 some trifling discourse, we to dancing, and very good +sport, and mightily pleased I was with the company. After our first bout +of dancing, Knipp and I to sing, and Mercer and Captain Downing (who +loves and understands musique) 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, and, without flattery, I know it is good in its +kind. This being done and going to dance again, comes news that White +Hall was on fire; and presently more particulars, that the Horse-guard +was on fire; + + ["Nov. 9th. Between seven and eight at night, there happened a fire + in the Horse Guard House, in the Tilt Yard, over against Whitehall, + which at first arising, it is supposed, from some snuff of a candle + falling amongst the straw, broke out with so sudden a flame, that at + once it seized the north-west part of that building; but being so + close under His Majesty's own eye, it was, by the timely help His + Majesty and His Royal Highness caused to be applied, immediately + stopped, and by ten o'clock wholly mastered, with the loss only of + that part of the building it had at first seized."--The London + Gazette, No. 103.--B.] + +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 afeard: one fell into fits. The whole town in an +alarme. Drums beat and trumpets, and the guards every where spread, +running up and down in the street. And I begun to have mighty +apprehensions how things might be at home, and so was in mighty pain to +get home, and that that encreased all is that 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 has 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 wondering 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 afeard 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 did all he could, but 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 come 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 newes that the fire is as great as ever, which put us all +to our wit's-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 armes. We got well home . . . . Being come home, we to cards, +till two in the morning, and drinking lamb's-wool. + + [A beverage consisting of ale mixed with sugar, nutmeg, and the pulp + of roasted apples. "A cupp of lamb's-wool they dranke unto him + then." The King and the Miller of Mansfield (Percy's "Reliques," + Series III., book ii., No. 20).] + +So to bed. + + + +10th. Up and to the office, where Sir W. Coventry come to tell us that +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. My head full this morning how +to carry on Captain Cocke's bargain of hemp, which I think I shall by my +dexterity do, and to the King's advantage as well as my own. At noon +with my Lord Bruncker and Sir Thomas Harvy, to Cocke's house, and there +Mrs. Williams and other company, and an excellent dinner. Mr. Temple's +wife; after dinner, fell to play on the harpsicon, till she tired +everybody, that I left the house without taking leave, and no creature +left standing by her to hear her. Thence I home and to the office, where +late doing of business, and then home. Read an hour, to make an end of +Potter's Discourse of the Number 666, which I like all along, but his +close is most excellent; and, whether it be right or wrong, is mighty +ingenious. Then to supper and to bed. 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, had designed to commit a massacre upon; but, however, I +trust in God we shall rise to-morrow morning as well as ever. This +afternoon Creed comes to me, and by him, as, also my Lady Pen, I hear +that my Lady Denham is exceeding sick, even to death, and that she says, +and every body else discourses, that she is poysoned; 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 knows; but every day +things look worse and worse. God fit us for the worst! + + + +11th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, myself and wife, where the old +dunce Meriton, brother to the known Meriton; of St. Martin's, +Westminster, did make a very good sermon, beyond my expectation. Home to +dinner, and we carried in Pegg Pen, and there also come to us little +Michell and his wife, and dined very pleasantly. Anon to church, my wife +and I and Betty Michell, her husband being gone to Westminster . . . . +Alter church home, and I to my chamber, and there did finish the putting +time to my song of "It is decreed," and do please myself at last and +think it will be thought a good song. By and by little Michell comes and +takes away his wife home, and my wife and brother and I to my uncle +Wight's, where my aunt is grown so ugly and their entertainment so bad +that I am in pain to be there; nor will go thither again a good while, +if sent for, for we were sent for to-night, we had not gone else. +Wooly's wife, a silly woman, and not very handsome, but no spirit in her +at all; and their discourse mean, and the fear of the troubles of the +times hath made them not to bring their plate to town, since it was +carried out upon the business of the fire, so that they drink in earth +and a wooden can, which I do not like. So home, and my people to bed. +I late to finish my song, and then to bed also, and the business of the +firing of the city, and the fears we have of new troubles and violences, +and the fear of fire among ourselves, did keep me awake a good while, +considering the sad condition I and my family should be in. So at last +to sleep. + + + +12th. Lay long in bed, and then up, and Mr. Carcasse brought me near 500 +tickets to sign, which I did, and by discourse find him a cunning, +confident, shrewd man, but one that I do doubt hath by his discourse of +the ill will he hath got with my Lord Marquess of Dorchester (with whom +he lived), he hath had cunning practices in his time, and would not now +spare to use the same to his profit. That done I to the office; whither +by and by comes Creed to me, and he and I walked in the garden a little, +talking of the present ill condition of things, which is the common +subject of all men's discourse and fears now-a-days, and particularly of +my Lady Denham, whom everybody says is poisoned, and he tells me she hath +said it to the Duke of York; but is upon the mending hand, though the +town says she is dead this morning. He and I to the 'Change. There I +had several little errands, and going to Sir R. Viner's, I did get such a +splash and spots of dirt upon my new vest, that I was out of countenance +to be seen in the street. 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 near L2800 in gold, and will not rest till I get full +L3000, and then will venture my fortune for the saving that and the rest. +Home to dinner, though Sir R. Viner would have staid us to dine with him, +he being sheriffe; but, poor man, was so out of countenance that he had +no wine ready to drink to us, his butler being out of the way, though we +know him to be a very liberal man. And after dinner I took my wife out, +intending to have gone and have seen my Lady Jemimah, at White Hall, but +so great a stop there was at the New Exchange, that we could not pass in +half an houre, and therefore 'light and bought a little matter at the +Exchange, and then home, and then at the office awhile, and then home to +my chamber, and after my wife and all the mayds abed but Jane, whom I put +confidence in--she and I, and my brother, and Tom, and W. Hewer, did +bring up all the remainder of my money, and my plate-chest, out of the +cellar, and placed the money in my study, with the rest, and the plate in +my dressing-room; but indeed I am in great pain to think how to dispose +of my money, it being wholly unsafe to keep it all in coin in one place. +'But now I have it all at my hand, I shall remember it better to think of +disposing of it. This done, by one in the morning to bed. This +afternoon going towards Westminster, Creed and I did stop, the Duke of +York being just going away from seeing of it, at Paul's, and in the +Convocation House Yard did there see the body of Robert Braybrooke, +Bishop of London, that died 1404: He fell down in his 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 his skeletons now +exposed to be handled and derided by some, though admired for its +duration by others. Many flocking to see it. + + + +13th. At the office all the morning, at noon home to dinner, and out to +Bishopsgate Street, and there bought some drinking-glasses, a case of +knives, and other things, against tomorrow, in expectation of my Lord +Hinchingbroke's coming to dine with me. So home, and having set some +things in the way of doing, also against to-morrow, I to my, office, +there to dispatch business, and do here receive notice from my Lord +Hinchingbroke that he is not well, and so not in condition to come to +dine with me to-morrow, which I am not in much trouble for, because of +the disorder my house is in, by the bricklayers coming to mend the +chimney in my dining-room for smoking, which they were upon almost till +midnight, and have now made it very pretty, and do carry smoke exceeding +well. This evening come all the Houblons to me, to invite me to sup with +them to-morrow night. I did take them home, and there we sat and talked +a good while, and a glass of wine, and then parted till to-morrow night. +So at night, well satisfied in the alteration of my chimney, to bed. + + + +14th. Up, and by water to White Hall, and thence to Westminster, where I +bought several things, as a hone, ribbon, gloves, books, and then took +coach and to Knipp's lodging, whom I find not ready to go home with me. +So I away to do a little business, among others to call upon Mr. Osborne +for my Tangier warrant for the last quarter, and so to the Exchange for +some things for my wife, and then to Knipp's again, and there staid +reading of Waller's verses, while she finished dressing, her husband +being by. I had no other pastime. Her lodging very mean, and the +condition she lives in; yet makes a shew without doors, God bless us! +I carried him along with us into the City, and set him down in +Bishopsgate Street, and then home with her. She 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, she +says. Here she and we alone at dinner to some good victuals, that we +could not put off, that was intended for the great dinner of my Lord +Hinchingbroke's, if he had come. After dinner I to teach her my new +recitative of "It is decreed," of which she learnt a good part, and I do +well like it and believe shall be well pleased when she hath it all, and +that it will be found an agreeable thing. Then carried her home, and my +wife and I intended to have seen my Lady Jemimah at White Hall, but the +Exchange Streete was so full of coaches, every body, as they say, going +thither to make themselves fine against tomorrow night, that, after half +an hour's stay, we could not do any [thing], only my wife to see her +brother, and I to go speak one word with Sir G. Carteret about office +business, and talk of the general complexion of matters, which he looks +upon, as I do, with horrour, and gives us all for an undone people. That +there is no such thing as a peace in hand, nor possibility of any without +our begging it, they being as high, or higher, in their terms than ever, +and tells me that, just now, my Lord Hollis had been with him, and wept +to think in what a condition we are fallen. He shewed me my Lord +Sandwich's letter to him, complaining of the lack of money, which Sir G. +Carteret is at a loss how in the world to get the King to supply him +with, and wishes him, for that reason, here; for that he fears he will be +brought to disgrace there, for want of supplies. He says the House is +yet in a bad humour; and desiring to know whence it is that the King +stirs not, he says he minds it not, nor will be brought to it, and that +his servants of the House do, instead of making the Parliament better, +rather play the rogue one with another, and will put all in fire. So +that, upon the whole, we are in a wretched condition, and I went from him +in full apprehensions of it. So took up my wife, her brother being yet +very bad, and doubtful whether he will recover or no, and so to St. +Ellen's [St. Helen's], and there sent my wife home, and myself to the +Pope's Head, where all the Houblons were, and Dr. Croone, + + [William Croune, or Croone, of Emanuel College, Cambridge, chosen + Rhetoric Professor at Gresham College, 1659, F.R.S. and M.D. Died + October 12th, 1684, and was interred at St. Mildred's in the + Poultry. He was a prominent Fellow of the Royal Society and first + Registrar. In accordance with his wishes his widow (who married Sir + Edwin Sadleir, Bart.) left by will one-fifth of the clear rent of + the King's Head tavern in or near Old Fish Street, at the corner of + Lambeth Hill, to the Royal Society for the support of a lecture and + illustrative experiments for the advancement of natural knowledge on + local motion. The Croonian lecture is still delivered before the + Royal Society.] + +and by and by to an exceeding pretty supper, excellent discourse of all +sorts, and indeed [they] are a set of the finest gentlemen that ever I +met withal in my life. Here Dr. Croone 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 dogg let out, +till he died, into the body of another on one side, while all his own run +out on the other side. + + [At the meeting on November 14th, "the experiment of transfusing the + blood of one dog into another was made before the Society by Mr. + King and Mr. Thomas Coxe upon a little mastiff and a spaniel with + very good success, the former bleeding to death, and the latter + receiving the blood of the other, and emitting so much of his own, + as to make him capable of receiving that of the other." On November + 21st the spaniel "was produced and found very well" (Birch's + "History of the Royal Society," vol. ii., pp. 123, 125). The + experiment of transfusion of blood, which occupied much of the + attention of the Royal Society in its early days, was revived within + the last few years.] + +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. After supper, +James Houblon and another brother took me aside and to talk of some +businesses of their owne, where I am to serve them, and will, and then to +talk of publique matters, and I do find that they and all merchants else +do give over trade and the nation for lost, nothing being done with care +or foresight, no convoys granted, nor any thing done to satisfaction; but +do think that the Dutch and French will master us the next yeare, do what +we can: and so do I, unless necessity makes the King to mind his +business, which might yet save all. Here we sat talking till past one in +the morning, and then home, where my people sat up for me, my wife and +all, and so to bed. + + + +15th. This [morning] come Mr. Shepley (newly out of the country) to see +me; after a little discourse with him, I to the office, where we sat all +the morning, and at noon home, and there dined, Shepley with me, and +after dinner I did pay him L70, which he had paid my father for my use in +the country. He being gone, I took coach and to Mrs. Pierce's, where I +find her as fine as possible, and himself going to the ball at night at +Court, it being the Queen's birth-day, and so I carried them in my coach, +and having set them into the house, and gotten Mr. Pierce to undertake +the carrying in my wife, I to Unthanke's, where she appointed to be, and +there told her, and back again about business to White Hall, while Pierce +went and fetched her and carried her in. I, after I had met with Sir W. +Coventry and given him some account of matters, 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 Queen and all the ladies set: and it was, indeed, a glorious sight to +see Mrs. Stewart in black and white lace, and her head and shoulders +dressed with dyamonds, and the like a great many great ladies more, only +the Queen none; and the King in his rich vest of some rich silke 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 began the Bransles.--[Brawl--a dance D.W.]-- +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. [George] Hamilton, Colonell Russell, Mr. Griffith, Lord Ossory, Lord +Rochester; and of the ladies, the Queene, Duchess of York, Mrs. Stewart, +Duchess of Monmouth, Lady Essex Howard, Mrs. Temples Swedes Embassadress, +Lady Arlington; 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 was indeed very pleasing, and worth my coming, being +never likely to see more gallantry while I live, if I should come twenty +times. About twelve at night it broke up, and I to hire a coach with +much difficulty, but Pierce had hired a chair for my wife, and so she +being gone to his house, he and I, taking up Barker at Unthanke's, to his +house, whither his wife was come home a good while ago and gone to bed. +So away home with my wife, between displeased with the dull dancing, and +satisfied at the clothes and persons. My Lady Castlemayne, without whom +all is nothing, being there, very rich, though not dancing. And so after +supper, it being very cold, to bed. + + + +16th. Up again betimes to attend the examination of Mr. Gawden's, +accounts, where we all met, but I did little but fit myself for the +drawing my great letter to the Duke of York of the state of the Navy for +want of money. At noon to the 'Change, and thence back to the new +taverne come by us; the Three Tuns, where D. Gawden did feast us all with +a chine of beef and other good things, and an infinite dish of fowl, but +all spoiled in the dressing. 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 taverne. Thence home in the evening, and I to +my preparing my letter, and did go a pretty way in it, staying late upon +it, and then home to supper and to bed, the weather being on a sudden set +in to be very cold. + + + +17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to +dinner, and in the afternoon shut myself in my chamber, and there till +twelve at night finishing my great letter to the Duke of York, which do +lay the ill condition of the Navy so open to him, that it is impossible +if the King and he minds any thing of their business, but it will operate +upon them to set all matters right, and get money to carry on the war, +before it be too late, or else lay out for a peace upon any termes. +It was a great convenience to-night that what I had writ foule in short +hand, I could read to W. Hewer, and he take it fair in short hand, so as +I can read it to-morrow to Sir W. Coventry, and then come home, and Hewer +read it to me while I take it in long-hand to present, which saves me +much time. So to bed. + + + +18th (Lord's day). Up by candle-light and on foote to White Hall, where +by appointment I met Lord Bruncker at Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and +there I read over my great letter, and they approved it: and as I do do +our business in defence of the Board, so I think it is as good a letter +in the manner, and believe it is the worst in the matter of it, as ever +come from any office to a Prince. Back home in my Lord Bruncker's coach, +and there W. Hewer and I to write it over fair; dined at noon, and Mercer +with us, and mighty merry, and then to finish my letter; and it being +three o'clock ere we had done, when I come to Sir W. Batten; he was in a +huffe, which I made light of, but he signed the letter, though he would +not go, and liked the letter well. Sir W. Pen, it seems, he would not +stay for it: so, making slight of Sir W. Pen's putting so much weight +upon his hand to Sir W. Batten, I down to the Tower Wharf, and there got +a sculler, and to White Hall, and there met Lord Bruncker, and he signed +it, and so I delivered it to Mr. Cheving, + + [William Chiffinch, pimp to Charles II. and receiver of the secret + pensions paid by the French Court. He succeeded his brother, Thomas + Chiffinch (who died in April, 1666), as Keeper of the King's Private + Closet (see note, vol. v., p. 265). He is introduced by Scott into + his "Peveril of the Peak."] + +and he to Sir W. Coventry, in the cabinet, the King and councill being +sitting, where I leave it to its fortune, and I by water home again, and +to my chamber, to even my Journall; and then comes Captain Cocke to me, +and he and I a great deal of melancholy discourse of the times, giving +all over for gone, though now the Parliament will soon finish the Bill +for money. But we fear, if we had it, as matters are now managed, we +shall never make the best of it, but consume it all to no purpose or a +bad one. He being gone, I again to my Journall and finished it, and so +to supper and to bed. + + + +19th. Lay pretty long in bed talking with pleasure with my wife, and +then up and all the morning at my own chamber fitting some Tangier +matters against the afternoon for a meeting. This morning also came Mr. +Caesar, and I heard him on the lute very finely, and my boy begins to +play well. After dinner I carried and set my wife down at her brother's, +and then to Barkeshire-house, where my Lord Chancellor hath been ever +since the fire, but he is not come home yet, so I to Westminster Hall, +where the Lords newly up and the Commons still sitting. Here I met with +Mr. Robinson, who did give me a printed paper wherein he states his +pretence to the post office, and intends to petition the Parliament in +it. Thence I to the Bull-head tavern, where I have not been since Mr. +Chetwind and the time of our club, and here had six bottles of claret +filled, and I sent them to Mrs. Martin, whom I had promised some of my +owne, and, having none of my owne, sent her this. Thence to my Lord +Chancellor's, and there Mr. Creed and Gawden, Cholmley, and Sir G. +Carteret walking in the Park over against the house. I walked with Sir +G. Carteret, who I find displeased with the letter I have drawn and sent +in yesterday, finding fault with the account we give of the ill state of +the Navy, but I said little, only will justify the truth of it. Here we +walked to and again till one dropped away after another, and so I took +coach to White Hall, and there visited my Lady Jemimah, at Sir G. +Carteret's lodgings. Here was Sir Thomas Crew, and he 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 that he must give him reparation, +or he would take it his owne way. The House therefore did bring my Lord +Ossory to confess his fault, and ask pardon for it, as he was also to my +Lord Buckingham, for saying that something was not truth that my Lord +Buckingham had said. This will render my Lord Ossory very little in a +little time. By and by away, and calling my wife went home, and then a +little at Sir W. Batten's to hear news, but nothing, and then home to +supper, whither Captain Cocke, half foxed, come and sat with us, and so +away, and then we to bed. + + + +20th. Called up by Mr. Sheply, who is going into the country to-day to +Hinchingbroke, I sent my service to my Lady, and in general for newes: +that the world do think well of my Lord, and do wish he were here again, +but that the publique matters of the State as to the war are in the worst +condition that is possible. By and by Sir W. Warren, and with him half +an hour discoursing of several businesses, and some I hope will bring me +a little profit. He gone, and Sheply, I to the office a little, and then +to church, it being thanksgiving-day for the cessation of the plague; +but, Lord! how the towne do say that it is hastened before the plague is +quite over, there dying some people still, + + [According to the Bills of Mortality seven persons died in London of + the plague during the week November 20th to 27th; and for some weeks + after deaths continued from this cause.] + +but only to get ground for plays to be publickly acted, which the Bishops +would not suffer till the plague was over; and one would thinke so, by +the suddenness of the notice given of the day, which was last Sunday, and +the little ceremony. The sermon being dull of Mr. Minnes, and people +with great indifferency come to hear him. After church home, where I met +Mr. Gregory, who I did then agree with to come to teach my wife to play +on the Viall, and he being an able and sober man, I am mightily glad of +it. He had dined, therefore went away, and I to dinner, and after dinner +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. Among other things I +declared the state of our credit as to tallys to raise money by, and +there was an order for payment of L5000 to Mr. Gawden, out of which I +hope to get something against Christmas. Here we sat late, and here I +did hear that there are some troubles like to be in Scotland, there being +a discontented party already risen, that have seized on the Governor of +Dumfreeze and imprisoned him, + + [William Fielding, writing to Sir Phil. Musgrave from Carlisle on + November 15th, says: "Major Baxter, who has arrived from Dumfries, + reports that this morning a great number of horse and foot came into + that town, with drawn swords and pistols, gallopped up to Sir Jas. + Turner's lodgings, seized him in his bed, carried him without + clothes to the marketplace, threatened to cut him to pieces, and + seized and put into the Tollbooth all the foot soldiers that were + with him; they also secured the minister of Dumfries. Many of the + party were lairds and county people from Galloway--200 horse well + mounted, one minister was with them who had swords and pistols, and + 200 or 300 foot, some with clubs, others with scythes." On November + 17th Rob. Meine wrote to Williamson: "On the 15th 120 fanatics from + the Glenkins, Deray; and neighbouring parishes in Dumfriesshire, + none worth L10 except two mad fellows, the lairds of Barscob and + Corsuck, came to Dumfries early in the morning, seized Sir Jas. + Turner, commander of a company of men in Dumfriesshire, and carried + him, without violence to others, to a strong house in Maxwell town, + Galloway, declaring they sought only revenge against the tyrant who + had been severe with them for not keeping to church, and had laid + their families waste" ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, pp. 262, + 268).] + +but the story is yet very uncertain, and therefore I set no great weight +on it. I home by Mr. Gawden in his coach, and so with great pleasure to +spend the evening at home upon my Lyra Viall, and then to supper and to +bed. With mighty peace of mind and a hearty desire that I had but what I +have quietly in the country, but, I fear, I do at this day see the best +that either I or the rest of our nation will ever see. + + + +21st. Up, with Sir W. Batten to Charing Cross, and thence 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 owne waiting on him, and one +playing finely on the gittar: he discourses as well as ever I heard man, +in few words and handsome. He expressed all kindness to Balty, when I +told him how sick 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, +and he will be ready to do. I pray God he may have his health again to +be able to do it. Being mightily satisfied with his civility, I away to +Westminster Hall, and there walked with several people, and all the +discourse is about some trouble in Scotland I heard of yesterday, but +nobody can tell the truth of it. Here was Betty Michell with her mother. +I would have carried her home, but her father intends to go with her, so +I lost my hopes. And thence I to the Excise Office about some tallies, +and then to the Exchange, where I did much business, and so home to +dinner, and then to the office, where busy all the afternoon till night, +and then home to supper, and after supper an hour reading to my wife and +brother something in Chaucer with great pleasure, and so to bed. + + + +22nd. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and my Lord +Bruncker 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. +At noon home to dinner, where my wife and I fell out, I being displeased +with her cutting away a lace handkercher sewed about the neck down to her +breasts almost, out of a belief, but without reason, that it is the +fashion. Here we did give one another the lie too much, but were +presently friends, and then I to my office, where very late and did much +business, and then home, and there find Mr. Batelier, and did sup and +play at cards awhile. But he tells me the newes 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 incite a stone to be revenged; and I hope our King will, if it +be so, as he tells me it is: + + [Planche throws some doubt on this story in his "Cyclopaedia of + Costume" (vol. ii., p. 240), and asks the question, "Was Mr. + Batelier hoaxing the inquisitive secretary, or was it the idle + gossip of the day, as untrustworthy as such gossip is in general?" + But the same statement was made by the author of the "Character of a + Trimmer," who wrote from actual knowledge of the Court: "About this + time a general humour, in opposition to France, had made us throw + off their fashion, and put on vests, that we might look more like a + distinct people, and not be under the servility of imitation, which + ever pays a greater deference to the original than is consistent + with the equality all independent nations should pretend to. France + did not like this small beginning of ill humours, at least of + emulation; and wisely considering, that it is a natural + introduction, first to make the world their apes, that they may be + afterwards their slaves. It was thought, that one of the + instructions Madame [Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans] brought along + with her, was to laugh us out of these vests; which she performed so + effectually, that in a moment, like so many footmen who had quitted + their master's livery, we all took it again, and returned to our old + service; so that the very time of doing it gave a very critical + advantage to France, since it looked like an evidence of our + returning to her interest, as well as to their fashion. "The + Character of a Trimmer ("Miscellanies by the Marquis of Halifax," + 1704, p. 164). Evelyn reports that when the king expressed his + intention never to alter this fashion, "divers courtiers and + gentlemen gave his Majesty gold by way of wager that he would not + persist in this resolution" ("Diary," October 18th, 1666).] + +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 it makes me angry, to see that the King of England is +become so little as to have the affront offered him. So I left my people +at cards, and so to my chamber to read, and then to bed. Batelier did +bring us some oysters to-night, and some bottles of new French wine of +this year, mighty good, but I drank but little. This noon Bagwell's wife +was with me at the office, and I did what I would, and at night comes +Mrs. Burroughs, and appointed to meet upon the next holyday and go abroad +together. [Sam seems to have given over making vows restricting his +behaviour. D.W.] + + + +23rd. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to White Hall, where we and the rest +attended the Duke of York, where, among other things, we had a complaint +of Sir William Jennings against his lieutenant, Le Neve, one that had +been long the Duke's page, and for whom the Duke of York hath great +kindness. It was a drunken quarrel, where one was as blameable as the +other. It was referred to further examination, but the Duke of York +declared, that as he would not favour disobedience, so neither +drunkenness, and therein he said very well. Thence with Sir W. Coventry +to Westminster Hall, and there parted, he having told me how Sir J. +Minnes do disagree from the proposition of resigning his place, and that +so the whole matter is again at a stand, at which I am sorry for the +King's sake, but glad that Sir W. Pen is again defeated, for I would not +have him come to be Comptroller if I could help it, he will be so cruel +proud. Here 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. Thence down to the Hall, and +there walked awhile, and all the talk is about Scotland, what news +thence; but there is nothing come since the first report, and so all is +given over for nothing. Thence home, and after dinner to my chamber with +Creed, who come and dined with me, and he and I to reckon for his salary, +and by and by comes in Colonel Atkins, and I did the like with him, and +it was Creed's design to bring him only for his own ends, to seem to do +him a courtesy, and it is no great matter. The fellow I hate, and so I +think all the world else do. Then to talk of my report I am to make of +the state of our wants of money to the Lord Treasurer, but our discourse +come to little. However, in the evening, to be rid of him, I took coach +and saw him to the Temple and there 'light, and he being gone, with all +the haste back again and to my chamber late to enter all this day's +matters of account, and to draw up my report to my Lord Treasurer, and so +to bed. At the Temple I called at Playford's, and there find that his +new impression of his ketches + + [John Hilton's "Catch that catch can, or a Choice Collection of + Catches, Rounds and Canons for 3 or 4 voyces," was first published + by Playford in 1651 or 1652. The book was republished "with large + additions by John Playford" in 1658. The edition referred to in the + text was published in 1667 with a second title of "The Musical + Companion." The book was republished in 1672-73.] + +are not yet out, the fire having hindered it, but his man tells me that +it will be a very fine piece, many things new being added to it. + + + +24th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon rose +and to my closet, and finished my report to my Lord Treasurer of our +Tangier wants, and then 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. Here was a good venison pasty or two and other good victuals; +but towards the latter end of the dinner I rose, and without taking leave +went away from the table, and got Sir J. Minnes' coach and away home, and +thence with my report to my Lord Treasurer's, where I did deliver it to +Sir Philip Warwicke for my Lord, who was busy, my report for him to +consider against to-morrow's council. Sir Philip Warwicke, 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 and right +honest man. So away home again, and there to my office to write my +letters very late, and then home to supper, and then to read the late +printed discourse of witches by a member of Gresham College,--[For belief +in witches. D.W.]--and then to bed; the discourse being well writ, in +good stile, but methinks not very convincing. This day Mr. Martin is +come to tell me his wife is brought to bed of a girle, and I promised to +christen it next Sunday. + + + +25th (Lord's day). Up, and with Sir J. Minnes by coach to White Hall, +and there coming late, I to rights to the chapel, where in my usual place +I heard one of the King's chaplains, one Mr. Floyd, preach. He was out +two or three times in his prayer, and as many in his sermon, but yet he +made a most excellent good sermon, of our duty to imitate the lives and +practice of Christ and the saints departed, and did it very handsomely +and excellent stile; but was a little overlarge in magnifying the graces +of the nobility and prelates, that we have seen in our memorys in the +world, whom God hath taken from us. At the end of the sermon an +excellent anthem; but it was a pleasant thing, an idle companion in our +pew, a prating, bold counsellor that hath been heretofore at the Navy +Office, and noted for a great eater and drinker, not for quantity, but of +the best, his name Tom Bales, said, "I know a fitter anthem for this +sermon," speaking only of our duty of following the saints, and I know +not what. "Cooke should have sung, 'Come, follow, follow me.'" I After +sermon up into the gallery, and then to Sir G. Carteret's to dinner; +where much company. Among others, Mr. Carteret and my Lady Jemimah, and +here was also Mr. [John] Ashburnham, the great man, who is a pleasant +man, and that hath seen much of the world, and more of the Court. After +dinner Sir G. Carteret and I to another room, and he tells me more and +more of our want of money and in how ill condition we are likely to be +soon in, and that he believes we shall not have a fleete at sea the next +year. So do I believe; but he seems to speak it as a thing expected by +the King and as if their matters were laid accordingly. Thence into the +Court and there delivered copies of my report to my Lord Treasurer, to +the Duke of York, Sir W. Coventry, and others, 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 tallys for payment, that he should, soon as the +Parliament's money do come in, take back their tallys, and give them +money: which I giving him occasion to repeat to me, it coming from him +against the 'gre' + + [Apparently a translation of the French 'contre le gre', and + presumably an expression in common use. "Against the grain" is + generally supposed to have its origin in the use of a plane against + the grain of the wood.] + +I perceive, of my Lord Treasurer, I was content therewith, and went out, +and glad that I have got so much. Here staid till the Council rose, +walking in the gallery. All the talke being of Scotland, where the +highest report, I perceive, runs but upon three or four hundred in armes; +but they believe that it will grow more, and do seem to apprehend it +much, as if the King of France had a hand in it. My Lord Lauderdale do +make nothing of it, it seems, and people do censure him for it, he from +the beginning saying that there was nothing in it, whereas it do appear +to be a pure rebellion; but no persons of quality being in it, all do +hope that it cannot amount to much. 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 +begin to think do exceed my Lady Castlemayne, at least now. This being +St. Catherine's 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 Queen-mother +had. I spoke with Mr. Maya 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. The Council up, after speaking with Sir W. Coventry a little, away +home with Captain Cocke in his coach, discourse about the forming of. +his contract he made with us lately for hempe, and so home, where we +parted, and I find my uncle Wight and Mrs. Wight and Woolly, who staid +and supped, and mighty merry together, and then I to my chamber to even +my journal, and then to bed. I will remember that Mr. Ashburnham to-day +at dinner told how the rich fortune Mrs. Mallett reports of her servants; +that my Lord Herbert would have had her; my Lord Hinchingbroke was +indifferent to have her; + + [They had quarrelled (see August 26th). She, perhaps, was piqued at + Lord Hinchingbroke's refusal "to compass the thing without consent + of friends" (see February 25th), whence her expression, + "indifferent" to have her. It is worthy of remark that their + children intermarried; Lord Hinchingbroke's son married Lady + Rochester's daughter.--B.] + +my Lord John Butler might not have her; my Lord of Rochester would have +forced her; + + [Of the lady thus sought after, whom Pepys calls "a beauty" as well + as a fortune, and who shortly afterwards, about the 4th February, + 1667, became the wife of the Earl of Rochester, then not twenty + years old, no authentic portrait is known to exist. When Mr. + Miller, of Albemarle Street, in 1811, proposed to publish an edition + of the "Memoires de Grammont," he sent an artist to Windsor to copy + there the portraits which he could find of those who figure in that + work. In the list given to him for this purpose was the name of + Lady Rochester. Not finding amongst the "Beauties," or elsewhere, + any genuine portrait of her, but seeing that by Hamilton she is + absurdly styled "une triste heritiere," the, artist made a drawing + from some unknown portrait at Windsor of a lady of a sorrowful + countenance, and palmed it off upon the bookseller. In the edition + of "Grammont" it is not actually called Lady Rochester, but "La + Triste Heritiere." A similar falsification had been practised in + Edwards's edition of 1793, but a different portrait had been copied. + It is needless, almost, to remark how ill applied is Hamilton's + epithet.--B.] + +and Sir ------ Popham, who nevertheless is likely to have her, would kiss +her breach to have her. + + + +26th. Up, and to my chamber to do some business. Then to speak with +several people, among others with Mrs. Burroughs, whom I appointed to +meet me at the New Exchange in the afternoon. I by water to Westminster, +and there to enquire after my tallies, which I shall get this week. +Thence to the Swan, having sent for some burnt claret, and there by and +by comes Doll Lane, and she and I sat and drank and talked a great while, +among other things about her sister's being brought to bed, and I to be +godfather to the girle. I did tumble Doll, and do almost what I would +with her, and so parted, and I took coach, and to the New Exchange, +buying a neat's tongue by the way, thinking to eat it out of town, but +there I find Burroughs in company of an old woman, an aunt of hers, whom +she could not leave for half an hour. So after buying a few baubles to +while away time, I down to Westminster, and there 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. +Here was Mr. Sawyer, my old chamber-fellow, a counsel against my Lord; +and I am glad to see him in so good play. Here I met, before the +committee sat, with my cozen Roger Pepys, the first time I have spoke +with him this parliament. He hath promised to come, and bring Madam +Turner with him, who is come to towne to see the City, but hath lost all +her goods of all kinds in Salisbury Court, Sir William Turner having not +endeavoured, in her absence, to save one penny, to dine with me on Friday +next, of which I am glad. Roger bids me to help him to some good rich +widow; for he is resolved to go, and retire wholly, into the country; +for, he says, he is confident we shall be all ruined very speedily, by +what he sees in the State, and I am much in his mind. Having staid as +long as I thought fit for meeting of Burroughs, I away and to the 'Change +again, but there I do not find her now, I having staid too long at the +House, and therefore very hungry, having eat nothing to-day. Home, and +there to eat presently, and then to the office a little, and to Sir W. +Batten, where Sir J. Minnes and Captain Cocke was; but no newes from the +North at all to-day; and the newes-book makes the business nothing, but +that they are all dispersed. I pray God it may prove so. So home, and, +after a little, to my chamber to bed. + + + +27th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and here I +had a letter from Mr. Brisband on another occasion, which, by the by, +intimates my Lord Hinchingbroke's intention to come and dine with me +to-morrow. This put me into a great surprise, and therefore endeavoured +all I could to hasten over our business at the office, and so home at +noon and to dinner, and then away by coach, it being a very foul day, to +White Hall, and there at Sir G. Carteret's find my Lord Hinchingbroke, +who promises to dine with me to-morrow, and bring Mr. Carteret along with +him. Here I staid a little while talking with him and the ladies, and +then away to my Lord Crew's, and then did by the by make a visit to my +Lord Crew, 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 +lands, office, profession, and money at interest, will be the hardest +that ever come 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. Having ended my visit, I spoke +to Sir Thomas Crew, to invite him and his brother John to dinner +tomorrow, at my house, to meet Lord Hinchingbroke; and so homewards, +calling at the cook's, who is to dress it, to bespeak him, and then home, +and there set things in order for a very fine dinner, and then to the +office, where late very busy and to good purpose as to dispatch of +business, and then home. To bed, my people sitting up to get things in +order against to-morrow. This evening was brought me what Griffin had, +as he says, taken this evening off of the table in the office, a letter +sealed and directed to the Principal Officers and Commissioners of the +Navy. It is a serious and just libel against our disorder in paying of +our money, making ten times more people wait than we have money for, and +complaining by name of Sir W. Batten for paying away great sums to +particular people, which is true. I was sorry to see this way of +reproach taken against us, but more sorry that there is true ground for +it. + + + +28th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen to White Hall (setting his lady and +daughter down by the way at a mercer's in the Strand, where they are +going to lay out some money), where, though it blows hard and rains hard, +yet the Duke of York is gone a-hunting. We therefore lost our labour, +and so back again, and by hackney coach to secure places to get things +ready against dinner, and then home, and did the like there, and to my +great satisfaction: and at noon comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, Sir Thomas +Crew, Mr. John Crew, 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 with reflections upon the pleasures which I at best can +expect, yet not to exceed this; eating in silver plates, and all things +mighty rich and handsome about me. A great deal of fine discourse, +sitting almost 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, where they meet now weekly again, and here they had good +discourse how this late experiment of the dog, which is in perfect good +health, may be improved for good uses to men, and other pretty things, +and then broke up. 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. Thence home and +there comes my Lady Pen, Pegg, and Mrs. Turner, and played at cards and +supped with us, and were pretty merry, and Pegg with me in my closet a +good while, and did suffer me 'a la baiser mouche et toucher ses cosas' +upon her breast, wherein I had great pleasure, and so spent the evening +and then broke up, and I to bed, my mind mightily pleased with the day's +entertainment. + + + +29th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon home +to dinner, where I find Balty come out to see us, but looks like death, +and I do fear he is in a consumption; he has not been abroad many weeks +before, and hath now a well day, and a fit day of the headake in +extraordinary torture. After dinner left him and his wife, they having +their mother hard by and my wife, and I a wet afternoon to White Hall to +have seen my Lady Carteret and Jemimah, but as God would have it they +were abroad, and I was well contented at it. So my wife and I to +Westminster Hall, where I left her a little, and to the Exchequer, and +then presently home again, calling at our man-cooke's for his help to- +morrow, but he could not come. So I home to the office, my people all +busy to get a good dinner to-morrow again. I late at the office, and all +the newes I hear I put into a letter this night to my Lord Bruncker at +Chatham, thus:-- + + "I doubt not of your lordship's hearing of Sir Thomas Clifford's + succeeding Sir H. Pollard' in the Comptrollership 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's, + were seized by a violent hurricane, and all sunk--two only of + thirteen escaping, and those with loss of masts, &c. My Lord + Willoughby himself is involved in the disaster, 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 + newes 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." + +Having writ my letter, I home to supper and to bed, the world being +mightily troubled at the ill news from Barbadoes, and the consequence of +the Scotch business, as little as we do make of it. And to shew 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 gentle man 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. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, and there we did attend +the Duke of York, and had much business with him; 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 +saints' days till they hear better newes from Scotland. Thence to +Westminster Hall and the Abbey, thinking as I had appointed to have met +Mrs. Burroughs there, but not meeting her I home, and just overtook my +cozen Roger Pepys, Mrs. Turner, Dicke, and Joyce Norton, coming by +invitation to dine with me. These ladies I have not seen since before +the plague. Mrs. Turner is come to towne to look after her things in her +house, but all is lost. She is quite weary of the country, but cannot +get her husband to let her live here any more, which troubles her +mightily. She was mighty angry with me, that in all this time I never +writ to her, which I do think and take to myself as a fault, and which I +have promised to mend. Here I had a noble and costly dinner for them, +dressed by a man-cooke, as that the other day was, and pretty merry we +were, as I could be with this company and so great a charge. We sat +long, and after much talk of the plenty of her country in fish, but in +nothing also that is pleasing, we broke up with great kindness, and when +it begun to be dark we parted, they in one coach home, and I in another +to Westminster Hall, where by appointment Mrs. Burroughs and I were to +meet, but did not after I had spent the whole evening there. Only I did +go drink at the Swan, and there did meet with Sarah, who is now newly +married, and there I did lay the beginnings of a future 'amour con elle'. +. . . . Thence it being late away called at Mrs. Burroughs' mother's +door, and she come out to me, and I did hazer whatever I would . . . . +and then parted, and home, and after some playing at cards with my wife, +we to supper and to bed. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Amending of bad blood by borrowing from a better body +And for his beef, says he, "Look how fat it is" +First their apes, that they may be afterwards their slaves +For a land-tax and against a general excise +I had six noble dishes for them, dressed by a man-cook +In opposition to France, had made us throw off their fashion +Magnifying the graces of the nobility and prelates +Origin in the use of a plane against the grain of the wood +Play on the harpsicon, till she tired everybody +Reading to my wife and brother something in Chaucer +Said that there hath been a design to poison the King +Tax the same man in three or four several capacities +There I did lay the beginnings of a future 'amour con elle' +Too much ill newes true, to afflict ourselves with uncertain +What I had writ foule in short hand + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v53 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + + THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S. + + CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY + + TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY +MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW + AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE + + (Unabridged) + + WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES + + EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY + + HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A. + + + + DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. + DECEMBER + 1666 + + +December 1st. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At +home to dinner, and then abroad walking to the Old Swan, and in my way I +did see a cellar in Tower Streete in a very fresh fire, the late great +winds having blown it up. + + [The fire continued burning in some cellars of the ruins of the city + for four months, though it rained in the month of October ten days + without ceasing (Rugge's "Diurnal").--B.] + +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, and went with him by water to White Hall. But, Lord! +the silly talk that this fellow had, only how ready he would be to part +with all his estate in these difficult times to advance the King's +service, and complaining that now, as every body did lately in the fire, +every body endeavours to save himself, and let the whole perish: but a +very weak man he seems to be. I left him at White Hall, he giving 6d. +towards the boat, and I to Westminster Hall, where I was again defeated +in my expectation of Burroughs. However, I was not much sorry for it, +but by coach home, in the evening, calling at Faythorne's, buying three +of my Lady Castlemayne'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 Queen +Elizabeth's time, for that it was impossible for them to think her a +lawfull Queen, if Queen 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. So home to my letters, +and then to my supper and to bed. + + + +2nd (Lord's day). Up, and to church, and after church home to dinner, +where I met Betty Michell and her husband, very merry at dinner, and +after dinner, having borrowed Sir W. Pen's coach, we to Westminster, they +two and my wife and I to Mr. Martin's, where find the company almost all +come to the christening of Mrs. Martin's child, a girl. A great deal of +good plain company. After sitting long, till the church was done, the +Parson comes, and then we to christen the child. I was Godfather, and +Mrs. Holder (her husband, a good man, I know well), and a pretty lady, +that waits, it seems, on my Lady Bath, at White Hall, her name, Mrs. +Noble, were Godmothers. After the christening comes in the wine and the +sweetmeats, and then to prate and tattle, and then very good company they +were, and I among them. Here was old Mrs. Michell and Howlett, and +several married women of the Hall, whom I knew mayds. Here was also +Mrs. Burroughs and Mrs. Bales, the young widow, whom I led home, and +having staid till the moon was up, I took my pretty gossip to White Hall +with us, and I saw her in her lodging, and then my owne company again +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, + + [Cow Lane, West Smithfield (now named King Street), was famous for + its coachmakers.] + +for fear it should break again; and in pain about the coach all the way. +But to ease myself therein Betty Michell did sit at the same end with me +. . . . Being very much pleased with this, we at last come home, and +so to supper, and then sent them by boat home, and we to bed. When I +come home I went to Sir W. Batten's, and there I hear more ill newes +still: that all our New England fleete, 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 not, 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. Up, and, among a great many people that come to speak with me, one +was my Lord Peterborough's gentleman, who comes to me to dun me to get +some money advanced for my Lord; and I demanding what newes, he tells me +that at Court they begin to fear the business of Scotland more and more; +and that the Duke of York intends to go to the North to raise an army, +and that the King would have some of the Nobility and others to go and +assist; but they were so served the last year, among others his Lord, in +raising forces at their own charge, for fear of the French invading us, +that they will not be got out now, without money advanced to them by the +King, and this is like to be the King's case for certain, if ever he +comes to have need of any army. He and others gone, I by water to +Westminster, and there to the Exchequer, and put my tallys in a way of +doing for the last quarter. But my not following it the last week has +occasioned the clerks some trouble, which I am sorry for, and they are +mad at. Thence at noon home, and there find Kate Joyce, who dined with +me: Her husband and she are weary of their new life of being an +Innkeeper, and will leave it, and would fain get some office; but I know +none the foole is fit for, but would be glad to help them, if I could, +though they have enough to live on, God be thanked! though their loss +hath been to the value of L3000 W. Joyce now has all the trade, she says, +the trade being come to that end of the towne. She dined with me, my +wife being ill of her months in bed. I left her with my wife, and away +myself to Westminster Hall by appointment and there found out Burroughs, +and I took her by coach as far as the Lord Treasurer's and called at the +cake house by Hales's, and there in the coach eat and drank and then +carried her home . . . . So having set her down in the palace I to +the Swan, and there did the first time 'baiser' the little sister of +Sarah that is come into her place, and so away by coach home, where to my +vyall and supper and then to bed, being weary of the following of my +pleasure and sorry for my omitting (though with a true salvo to my vowes) +the stating my last month's accounts in time, as I should, but resolve to +settle, and clear all my business before me this month, that I may begin +afresh the next yeare, and enjoy some little pleasure freely at +Christmasse. So to bed, and with more cheerfulness than I have done a +good while, to hear that for certain the Scott rebells 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, one 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 newes 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! So to bed. + + + +4th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon dined +at home. After dinner presently to my office, and there late and then +home to even my Journall and accounts, and then to supper much eased in +mind, and last night's good news, which is more and more confirmed with +particulars to very good purpose, and so to bed. + + + +5th. Up, and by water to White Hall, where we did much business before +the Duke of York, which being done, I away home by water again, and there +to my office till noon busy. At noon home, and Goodgroome dined with us, +who teaches my wife to sing. After dinner I did give him my song, +"Beauty retire," which he has often desired of me, and without flattery +I think is a very good song. He gone, I to the office, and there late, +very busy doing much business, and then home to supper and talk, and then +scold with my wife for not reckoning well the times that her musique +master hath been with her, but setting down more than I am sure, and did +convince her, they had been with her, and in an ill humour of anger with +her to bed. + + + +6th. Up, but very good friends with her before I rose, and so to the +office, where we sat all the forenoon, and then home to dinner, where +Harman dined with us, and great sport to hear him tell how Will Joyce +grows rich by the custom of the City coming to his end of the towne, and +how he rants over his brother and sister for their keeping an Inne, and +goes thither and tears like a prince, calling him hosteller and his +sister hostess. Then after dinner, my wife and brother, in another +habit; go out to see a play; but I am not to take notice that I know of +my brother's going. So I to the office, where very busy till late at +night, and then home. My wife not pleased with the play, but thinks that +it is because she is grown more critical than she used to be, but my +brother she says is mighty taken with it. So to supper and to bed. This +day, in the Gazette, is the whole story of defeating the Scotch rebells, +and of the creation of the Duke of Cambridge, Knight of the Garter. + + + +7th. Up, and by water to the Exchequer, where I got my tallys finished +for the last quarter for Tangier, and having paid all my fees I to the +Swan, whither I sent for some oysters, and thither comes Mr. Falconbridge +and Spicer and many more clerks; and there we eat and drank, and a great +deal of their sorry discourse, and so parted, and I by coach home, +meeting Balty in the streete about Charing Crosse walking, which I am +glad to see and spoke to him about his mustering business, I being now to +give an account how the several muster-masters have behaved themselves, +and so home to dinner, where finding the cloth laid and much crumpled but +clean, I grew angry and flung the trenchers about the room, and in a +mighty heat I was: so a clean cloth was laid, and my poor wife very +patient, and so to dinner, and in comes Mrs. Barbara Sheldon, now Mrs. +Wood, and dined with us, she mighty fine, and lives, I perceive, mighty +happily, which I am glad [of] for her sake, but hate her husband for a +block-head in his choice. So away after dinner, leaving my wife and her, +and by water to the Strand, and so 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;" 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. Soon as done I home, and then to my office awhile, and +then home and spent the night evening my Tangier accounts, much to my +satisfaction, and then to supper, and mighty good friends with my poor +wife, and so to bed. + + + +8th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon +home to dinner, and there find Mr. Pierce and his wife and Betty, a +pretty girle, who in discourse at table told me 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 bawdy houses, 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, who is one of the King's servants, at least hath a +great office, and hath got, they say, L20,000 since the King come in. +Mr. Pierce did also tell me as a great truth, as being told it by Mr. +Cowly, who was by, and heard it, that Tom Killigrew should publiquely +tell the King that his matters were coming into a very ill state; but +that yet there was a way to help all, which is, 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 sorrowful +consideration. Very good company we were at dinner, and merry, and after +dinner, he being gone about business, my wife and I and Mrs. Pierce and +Betty and Balty, who come to see us to-day very sick, and went home not +well, together out, and our coach broke the wheel off upon Ludgate Hill. +So we were fain to part ourselves and get room in other people's coaches, +and Mrs. Pierce and I in one, and I carried her home and set her down, +and myself to the King's playhouse, which troubles me since, and hath +cost me a forfeit of 10s., which I have paid, and there did see a good +part of "The English Monsieur," which is a mighty pretty play, very witty +and pleasant. And the women do very well; but, above all, little Nelly; +that I am mightily pleased with the play, and much with the House, more +than ever I expected, the women doing better than ever I expected, and +very fine women. Here I was in pain to be seen, and hid myself; but, as +God would have it, Sir John Chichly come, and sat just by me. Thence to +Mrs. Pierce's, and there took up my wife and away home, and to the office +and Sir W. Batten's, of whom 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. Home, and set some papers right in my chamber, and then to +supper and to bed, we being in much fear of ill news of our colliers. A +fleete of two hundred sail, and fourteen Dutch men-of-war between them +and us and they coming home with small convoy; and the City in great +want, coals being at L3 3s. per chaldron, as I am told. I saw smoke in +the ruines this very day. + + + +9th (Lord's day). Up, not to church, but to my chamber, and there begun +to enter into this book my journall of September, which in the fire-time +I could not enter here, but in loose papers. At noon dined, and then to +my chamber all the afternoon and night, looking over and tearing and +burning all the unnecessary letters, which I have had upon my file for +four or five years backward, which I intend to do quite through all my +papers, that I may have nothing by me but what is worth keeping, and fit +to be seen, if I should miscarry. At this work till midnight, and then +to supper and to bed. + + + +10th. Up, and at my office all the morning, and several people with me, +Sir W. Warren, who I do every day more and more admire for a miracle of +cunning and forecast in his business, and then Captain Cocke, with whom I +walked in the garden, and he 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. Then comes Mr. Gawden, and he and I in my +chamber discoursing about his business, and to pay him some Tangier +orders which he delayed to receive till I had money instead of tallies, +but do promise me consideration for my victualling business for this +year, and also as Treasurer for Tangier, which I am glad of, but would +have been gladder to have just now received it. He gone, I alone to +dinner at home, my wife and her people being gone down the river to-day +for pleasure, though a cold day and dark night to come up. In the +afternoon I to the Excise Office to enter my tallies, which I did, and +come presently back again, and then to the office and did much business, +and then home to supper, my wife and people being come well and hungry +home from Erith. Then I to begin the setting of a Base to "It is +Decreed," and so to bed. + + + +11th. Up, and to the office, where we sat, and at noon home to dinner, +a small dinner because of a good supper. After dinner my wife and I by +coach to St. Clement's Church, to Mrs. Turner's lodgings, hard by, to +take our leaves of her. She is returning into the North to her children, +where, I perceive, her husband hath clearly got the mastery of her, and +she is likely to spend her days there, which for her sake I am a little +sorry for, though for his it is but fit she should live where he hath a +mind. Here were several people come to see and take leave of her, she +going to-morrow: among others, my Lady Mordant, which was Betty Turner, a +most homely widow, but young, and pretty rich, and good natured. Thence, +having promised to write every month to her, we home, and I to my office, +while my wife to get things together for supper. Dispatching my business +at the office. Anon come our guests, old Mr. Batelier, and his son and +daughter, Mercer, which was all our company. We had a good venison pasty +and other good cheer, and as merry as in so good, innocent, and +understanding company I could be. He is much troubled that wines, laden +by him in France before the late proclamation was out, cannot now be +brought into England, which is so much to his and other merchants' loss. +We sat long at supper and then to talk, and so late parted and so to bed. +This day the Poll Bill was to be passed, and great endeavours used to +take away the Proviso. + + + +12th. Up, and to the office, where some accounts of Mr. Gawden's were +examined, but I home most of the morning to even some accounts with Sir +H. Cholmly, Mr. Moone, and others one after another. 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 about L30,000 + + [Two thousand pounds of this sum went to Alderman Edward Bakewell + for two diamond rings, severally charged L1000 and L900, bought + March 14th, 1665-66 (Second addenda to Steinman's "Memoir of the + Duchess of Cleveland," privately printed, 1878, p. 4.).] + +to clear debts of my Lady Castlemayne'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 L400,000 hath gone into the Privypurse 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. He gone, and after +him the rest, I to the office, and at noon to the 'Change, where 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 newes 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 L3 per annum, whereas he sat at the other +at L100, which he says he believes will prove of as good account to him +now as the other did at that rent. From the 'Change to Captain +Cocke's, and there, by agreement, dined, and there was Charles Porter, +Temple, Fern, Debasty, whose bad English and pleasant discourses was +exceeding good entertainment, Matt. Wren, Major Cooper, and myself, +mighty merry and pretty discourse. They talked for certain, that now the +King do follow Mrs. Stewart wholly, and my Lady Castlemayne 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. After dinner I away +to the office, where we sat late upon Mr. Gawden's accounts, Sir J. +Minnes being gone home sick. I late at the office, and then home to +supper and to bed, being mightily troubled with a pain in the small of my +back, through cold, or (which I think most true) my straining last night +to get open my plate chest, in such pain all night I could not turn +myself in my bed. Newes this day from Brampton, of Mr. Ensum, my +sister's sweetheart, being dead: a clowne. + + + +13th. Up, and to the office, where we sat. At noon to the 'Change and +there met Captain Cocke, and had a second time his direction to bespeak +L100 of plate, which I did at Sir R. Viner's, being twelve plates more, +and something else I have to choose. Thence home to dinner, and there 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. + + [The "Gazette" of April 23rd-26th, 1666, which contains the + following remarkable passage: "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 surprised in the inns where they were + quartered, several ostlers having been gained for that purpose. The + Tower was accordingly viewed, and its surprise 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 more 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." See November 10th, + 1666--B.] + +And the fire did indeed break out on the 2nd of September, which is very +strange, methinks, and I shall remember it. At the office all the +afternoon late, and then home to even my accounts in my Tangier book, +which I did to great content in all respects, and joy to my heart, and so +to bed. This afternoon Sir W. Warren and Mr. Moore, one after another, +walked with me in the garden, and they both tell me that my Lord Sandwich +is called home, and that he do grow more and more in esteem everywhere, +and is better spoken of, which I am mighty glad of, though I know well +enough his deserving the same before, and did foresee that it will come +to it. In mighty great pain in my back still, but I perceive it changes +its place, and do not trouble me at all in making of water, and that is +my joy, so that I believe it is nothing but a strain, and for these three +or four days I perceive my overworking of my eyes by candlelight do hurt +them as it did the last winter, that by day I am well and do get them +right, but then after candlelight they begin to be sore and run, so that +I intend to get some green spectacles. + + + +14th. Up, and very well again of my pain in my back, it having been +nothing but cold. By coach to White Hall, seeing many smokes of the fire +by the way yet, and took up into the coach with me a country gentleman, +who asked me room to go with me, it being dirty--one come out of the +North to see his son, after the burning his house: a merchant. Here +endeavoured to wait on the Duke of York, but he would not stay from the +Parliament. So I to Westminster Hall, and there 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. I out to the Bell Taverne, and thither comes Doll to me . . +. ., and after an hour's stay, away and staid in Westminster Hall till +the rising of the house, having told Mr. Evelyn, and he several others, +of my Gazette which I had about me that mentioned in April last a plot +for which several were condemned of treason at the Old Bayly for many +things, and among others for a design of burning the city on the 3rd of +September. 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 with us. +There I find Sir S. Fox's 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. After dinner we three to the Excise +Office, and there had long discourse about our monies, but nothing to +satisfaction, that is, to shew any way of shortening the time which our +tallies take up before they become payable, which is now full two years, +which is 20 per, cent. for all the King's money for interest, and the +great disservice of his Majesty otherwise. Thence in the evening round +by coach home, where I find Foundes his present, of a fair pair of +candlesticks, and half a dozen of plates come, which cost him full L50, +and is a very good present; and here I met with, sealed up, from Sir H. +Cholmly, the lampoone, or the Mocke-Advice to a Paynter, + + [In a broadside (1680), quoted by Mr. G. T. Drury in his edition of + Waller's Poems, 1893, satirical reference is made to the fashionable + form of advice to the painters + + "Each puny brother of the rhyming trade + At every turn implores the Painter's aid, + And fondly enamoured of own foul brat + Cries in an ecstacy, Paint this, draw that." + + The series was continued, for we find "Advice to a Painter upon the + Defeat of the Rebels in the West and the Execution of the late Duke + of Monmouth" ("Poems on Affairs of State," vol. ii., p. 148); + "Advice to a Painter, being a Satire on the French King," &c., 1692, + and "Advice to a Painter," 1697 ("Poems on Affairs of State," vol. + ii., p. 428).] + +abusing the Duke of York and my Lord Sandwich, Pen, and every body, and +the King himself, in all the matters of the navy and warr. I am sorry +for my Lord Sandwich's having so great a part in it. Then to supper and +musique, and to bed. + + + +15th. Up and to the office, where my Lord Bruncker 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 +fleete is got in; and good hopes that we may soon have the like of our +Gottenburgh, and then we shall be well for this winter. Very merry at +dinner. And by and by comes in Matt. Wren 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, + + [It was called "A Bill for raising part of the supply for his + Majesty by an imposition on Sealed Paper and Parchment"--B.] + +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 shews 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 do really say that they are truly outwitted by the other +side. Thence away to Sir R. Viner's, and there chose some plate besides +twelve plates which I purpose to have with Captain Cocke's gift of L100, +and so home and there busy late, and then home and to bed. + + + +16th (Lord's day). Lay long talking with my wife in bed, then up with +great content and to my chamber to set right a picture or two, Lovett +having sent me yesterday Sancta Clara's head varnished, which is very +fine, and now my closet is so full stored, and so fine, as I would never +desire to have it better. Dined without any strangers with me, which I +do not like on Sundays. Then after dinner by water to Westminster to see +Mrs. Martin, whom I found up in her chamber and ready to go abroad. I +sat there with her and her husband and others a pretty while, and then +away to White Hall, and there walked up and down to the Queen's side, and +there saw my dear Lady Castlemayne, who continues admirable, methinks, +and I do not hear but that the King is the same to her still as ever. +Anon to chapel, by the King's closet, and heard a very good anthemne. +Then with Lord Bruncker to Sir W. Coventry's chamber; and there we sat +with him and talked. He is weary of anything to do, he says, in the +Navy. He tells us this Committee of Accounts will enquire sharply into +our office. And, speaking of Sir J. Minnes, he says he will not bear any +body's faults but his own. He discoursed as bad of Sir W. Batten almost, +and cries out upon the discipline of the fleete, which is lost, and that +there is not in any of the fourth rates and under scarce left one Sea +Commander, but all young gentlemen; and what troubles him, he hears that +the gentlemen give out that in two or three years a Tarpaulin shall not +dare to look after being better than a Boatswain. Which he is troubled +at, and with good reason, and at this day Sir Robert Holmes is mighty +troubled that his brother do not command in chief, but is commanded by +Captain Hannum, who, Sir W. Coventry says, he believes to be at least of +as good blood, is a longer bred seaman, an elder officer, and an elder +commander, but such is Sir R. Holmes's pride as never to be stopt, he +being greatly troubled at my Lord Bruncker's late discharging all his men +and officers but the standing officers at Chatham, and so are all other +Commanders, and a very great cry hath been to the King from them all in +my Lord's absence. But Sir W. Coventry do undertake to defend it, and my +Lord Bruncker got ground I believe by it, who is angry at Sir W. Batten's +and Sir W. Pen's bad words concerning it, and I have made it worse by +telling him that they refuse to sign to a paper which he and I signed on +Saturday to declare the reason of his actions, which Sir W. Coventry +likes and would have it sent him and he will sign it, which pleases me +well. So we parted, and I with Lord Bruncker to Sir P. Neale's chamber, +and there sat and talked awhile, 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, the famous scholar and mathematician; but he promises little. +Left them, and in the dark and cold home by water, and so to supper and +to read and so to bed, my eyes being better to-day, and I cannot impute +it to anything but by my being much in the dark to-night, for I plainly +find that it is only excess of light that makes my eyes sore. This after +noon I walked with Lord Bruncker into the Park and there talked of the +times, and he do think that the King sees that he cannot never have much +more money or good from this Parliament, and that therefore he may +hereafter dissolve them, that as soon as he has the money settled he +believes a peace will be clapped up, and that there are overtures of a +peace, which if such as the Lord Chancellor can excuse he will take. +For it is the Chancellor's interest, he says, to bring peace again, +for in peace he can do all and command all, but in war he cannot, because +he understands not the nature of the war as to the management thereof. +He tells me he do not believe the Duke of York will go to sea again, +though there are a great many about the King that would be glad of any +occasion to take him out of the world, he standing in their ways; and +seemed to mean the Duke of Monmouth, who spends his time the most +viciously and idly of any man, nor will be fit for any thing; yet +bespeaks as if it were not impossible but the King would own him for his +son, and that there was a marriage between his mother and him; which God +forbid should be if it be not true, nor will the Duke of York easily be +gulled in it. But this put to our other distractions makes things appear +very sad, and likely to be the occasion of much confusion in a little +time, and my Lord Bruncker seems to say that nothing can help us but the +King's making a peace soon as he hath this money; and thereby putting +himself out of debt, and so becoming a good husband, and then he will +neither need this nor any other Parliament, till he can have one to his +mind: for no Parliament can, as he says, be kept long good, but they will +spoil one another, and that therefore it hath been the practice of kings +to tell Parliaments what he hath for them to do, and give them so long +time to do it in, and no longer. Harry Kembe, one of our messengers, is +lately dead. + + + +17th. Up, and several people to speak with me, and then comes Mr. +Caesar, and then Goodgroome, and, what with one and the other, nothing +but musique with me this morning, to my great content; and the more, to +see that God Aimighty hath put me into condition to bear the charge of +all this. So out to the 'Change, and did a little business, and then +home, where they two musicians and Mr. Cooke come to see me, and Mercer +to go along with my wife this afternoon to a play. To dinner, and then +our company all broke up, and to my chamber to do several things. Among +other things, to write a letter to my Lord Sandwich, it being one of the +burdens upon my mind that I have not writ to him since he went into +Spain, but now I do intend to give him a brief account of our whole +year's actions since he went, which will make amends. 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. Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon +each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole, which will be of +great ease to me. This day Captain Batters come from sea in his fireship +and come to see me, poor man, as his patron, and a poor painful wretch he +is as can be. After supper to bed. + + + +18th. Up, and to the office, where I hear the ill news that poor +Batters, that had been born and bred a seaman, and brought up his ship +from sea but yesterday, was, going down from me to his ship, drowned in +the Thames, which is a sad fortune, and do make me afeard, and will do, +more than ever I was. At noon dined at home, and then by coach to my +Lord Bellasses, but not at home. So to Westminster Hall, where the Lords +are sitting still, I to see Mrs. Martin, who is very well, and intends to +go abroad to-morrow after her childbed. She do tell me that this child +did come is 'meme jour that it ought to hazer after my avoir ete con elle +before her marid did venir home . . . . Thence to the Swan, and +there I sent for Sarah, and mighty merry we were . . . . So to Sir +Robert Viner's about my plate, and carried home another dozen of plates, +which makes my stock of plates up 2 1/2 dozen, and at home find Mr. Thomas +Andrews, with whom I staid and talked a little and invited him to dine +with me at Christmas, and then I to the office, and there late doing +business, and so home and to bed. Sorry for poor Batters. + + + +19th. Up, and by water down to White Hall, and there with the .Duke of +York did our usual business, but nothing but complaints of want of money +[without] success, and Sir W. Coventry's complaint of the defects of our +office (indeed Sir J. Minnes's) without any amendment, and he tells us so +plainly of the Committee of Parliament's resolution to enquire home into +all our managements that it makes me resolve to be wary, and to do all +things betimes to be ready for them. Thence going away met Mr. Hingston +the organist (my old acquaintance) in the Court, and I took him to the +Dog Taverne and got him to set me a bass to my "It is decreed," which I +think will go well, but he commends the song not knowing the words, but +says the ayre is good, and believes the words are plainly expressed. He +is of my mind against having of 8ths unnecessarily in composition. This +did all please me mightily. Then to talk of the King's family. He says +many of the musique are ready to starve, they being five years behindhand +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. He says all must come to +ruin at this rate, and I believe him. Thence I up to the Lords' House to +enquire for 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, my +Lord Dorchester removed his elbow. Duke of Buckingham asked him 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 answered 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 L350. But a strange, conceited, vain man he +is that ever I met withal, in his own praise, as I have heretofore +observed of him. 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 afeard; so I got home as +fast as I could. And hearing of no present hurt did go to Sir Robert +Viner's about my plate again, and coming home do hear of 1000 seamen said +in the streets to be in armes. So in great fear home, expecting to find +a tumult about my house, and was doubtful of my riches there. But I +thank God I found all well. 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 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. +We were full in discourse of the sad state of our times, and the horrid +shame brought on the King's service by the just clamours of the poor +seamen, and that we must be undone in a little time. Home full of +trouble on these considerations, and, among other things, I to my +chamber, and there to ticket a good part of my books, in order to the +numbering of them for my easy finding them to read as I have occasion. +So to supper and to bed, with my heart full of trouble. + + + +20th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and here +among other things come Captain Cocke, and I did get him to sign me a +note for the L100 to pay for the plate he do present me with, which I am +very glad of. At noon home to dinner, where was Balty come, who is well +again, and the most recovered in his countenance that ever I did see. +Here dined with me also Mrs. Batters, poor woman! now left a sad widow by +the drowning of her husband the other day. I pity her, and will do her +what kindness I can; yet I observe something of ill-nature in myself more +than should be, that I am colder towards her in my charity than I should +be to one so painful as he and she have been and full of kindness to +their power to my wife and I. After dinner out with Balty, setting him +down at the Maypole in the Strand, and then I to my Lord Bellasses, and +there spoke with Mr. Moone about some business, and so away home to my +business at the office, and then home to supper and to bed, after having +finished the putting of little papers upon my books to be numbered +hereafter. + + + +21st. Lay long, and when up find Mrs. Clerk of Greenwich and her +daughter Daniel, their business among other things was a request her +daughter was to make, so I took her into my chamber, and there it was to +help her husband to the command of a little new pleasure boat building, +which I promised to assist in. And here I had opportunity 'para baiser +elle, and toucher ses mamailles' . . . . Then to the office, and +there did a little business, and then to the 'Change and did the like. +So home to dinner, and spent all the afternoon in putting some things, +pictures especially, in order, and pasting my Lady Castlemayne's print on +a frame, which I have made handsome, and is a fine piece. So to the +office in the evening to marshall my papers of accounts presented to the +Parliament, against any future occasion to recur to them, which I did do +to my great content. So home and did some Tangier work, and so to bed. + + + +22nd. At the office all the morning, and there come news from Hogg that +our shipp hath brought in a Lubecker to Portsmouth, likely to prove +prize, of deals, which joys us. At noon home to dinner, and then Sir W. +Pen, Sir R. Ford, and I met at Sir W. Batten's to examine our papers, and +have great hopes to prove her prize, and Sir R. Ford I find a mighty yare +--[Quick or ready, a naval term frequently used by Shakespeare.]-- man in +this business, making exceeding good observations from the papers on our +behalf. Hereupon concluded what to write to Hogg and Middleton, which I +did, and also with Mr. Oviatt (Sir R. Ford's son, who is to be our +solicitor), to fee some counsel in the Admiralty, but none in town. So +home again, and after writing letters by the post, I with all my clerks +and Carcasse and Whitfield to the ticket-office, there to be informed in +the method and disorder of the office, which I find infinite great, of +infinite concernment to be mended, and did spend till 12 at night to my +great satisfaction, it being a point of our office I was wholly +unacquainted in. So with great content home and to bed. + + + +23rd (Lord's day). Up and alone to church, and meeting Nan Wright at the +gate had opportunity to take two or three 'baisers', and so to church, +where a vain fellow with a periwigg preached, Chaplain, as by his prayer +appeared, to the Earl of Carlisle? Home, and there dined with us Betty +Michell and her husband. After dinner to White Hall by coach, and took +them with me. And in the way I would have taken 'su main' as I did the +last time, but she did in a manner withhold it. So set them down at +White Hall, and I to the Chapel to find Dr. Gibbons, and from him to the +Harp and Ball to transcribe the treble which I would have him to set a +bass to. But this took me so much time, and it growing night, I was +fearful of missing a coach, and therefore took a coach and to rights to +call Michell and his wife at their father Howlett's, and so home, it +being cold, and the ground all snow . . . . They gone I to my +chamber, and with my brother and wife did number all my books in my +closet, and took a list of their names, which pleases me mightily, and is +a jobb I wanted much to have done. Then to supper and to bed. + + + +24th. Up, and to the office, where Lord Bruncker, [Sir] J. Mimics, [Sir] +W. Yen, and myself met, and there I did use my notes I took on Saturday +night about tickets, and did come to a good settlement in the business of +that office, if it be kept to, this morning being a meeting on purpose. +At noon to prevent my Lord Bruncker's dining here I walked as if upon +business with him, it being frost and dry, as far as Paul's, and so back +again through the City by Guildhall, observing the ruines thereabouts, +till I did truly lose myself, and so home to dinner. I do truly find +that I have overwrought my eyes, so that now they are become weak and apt +to be tired, and all excess of light makes them sore, so that now to the +candlelight I am forced to sit by, adding, the snow upon the ground all +day, my eyes are very bad, and will be worse if not helped, so my Lord +Bruncker do advise as a certain cure to use greene spectacles, which I +will do. So to dinner, where Mercer with us, and very merry. After +dinner she goes and fetches a little son of Mr. Backeworth's, the +wittiest child and of the most spirit that ever I saw in my life for +discourse of all kind, and so ready and to the purpose, not above four +years old. Thence to Sir Robert Viner's, and there paid for the plate I +have bought to the value of L94, with the L1OO Captain Cocke did give me +to that purpose, and received the rest in money. I this evening did buy +me a pair of green spectacles, to see whether they will help my eyes or +no. So to the 'Change, and went to the Upper 'Change, which is almost as +good as the old one; only shops are but on one side. Then home to the +office, and did business till my eyes began to be bad, and so home to +supper. My people busy making mince pies, and so to bed. No newes yet +of our Gottenburgh fleete; 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. + + + +25th (Christmas day). Lay pretty long in bed, and then rose, leaving my +wife desirous to sleep, having sat up till four this morning seeing her +mayds make mince-pies. I to church, where our parson Mills made a good +sermon. Then home, and dined well on some good ribbs of beef roasted and +mince pies; only my wife, brother, and Barker, and plenty of good wine of +my owne, and my heart full of true joy; and thanks to God Almighty for +the goodness of my condition at this day. After dinner, I begun to teach +my wife and Barker my song, "It is decreed," which pleases me mightily as +now I have Mr. Hinxton's base. Then out and walked alone on foot to the +Temple, it being a fine frost, thinking to have seen a play all alone; +but there, missing of any bills, concluded there was none, and so back +home; and there with my brother reducing the names of all my books to an +alphabet, which kept us till 7 or 8 at night, and then to supper, +W. Hewer with us, and pretty merry, and then to my chamber to enter this +day's journal only, and then to bed. My head a little thoughtfull how to +behave myself in the business of the victualling, which I think will be +prudence to offer my service in doing something in passing the pursers' +accounts, thereby to serve the King, get honour to myself, and confirm me +in my place in the victualling, which at present yields not work enough +to deserve my wages. + + + +26th. Up, and walked all the way (it being a most fine frost), to White +Hall, to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and thence with him up to the Duke of +York, where among other things at our meeting I did offer my assistance +to Sir J. Minnes to do the business of his office, relating to the +Pursers' accounts, which was well accepted by the Duke of York, and I +think I have and shall do myself good in it, if it be taken, for it will +confirm me in the business of the victualling office, which I do now very +little for. Thence home, carrying a barrel of oysters with me. Anon +comes Mr. John Andrews and his wife by invitation from Bow to dine with +me, and young Batelier and his wife with her great belly, which has +spoiled her looks mightily already. Here was also Mercer and Creed, whom +I met coming home, who tells me of a most bitter lampoone now out against +the Court and the management of State from head to foot, mighty witty and +mighty severe. By and by to dinner, a very good one, and merry. After +dinner I put the women into a coach, and they to the Duke's house, to a +play which was acted, "The --------." It was indifferently done, but was +not pleased with the song, Gosnell not singing, but a new wench, that +sings naughtily. Thence home, all by coach, and there Mr. Andrews to the +vyall, who plays most excellently on it, which I did not know before. +Then to dance, here being Pembleton come, by my wife's direction, and a +fiddler; and we got, also, the elder Batelier to-night, and Nan Wright, +and mighty merry we were, and I danced; and so till twelve at night, and +to supper, and then to cross purposes, mighty merry, and then to bed, my +eyes being sore. Creed lay here in Barker's bed. + + + +27th. Up; and called up by the King's trumpets, which cost me 10s. So +to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon, by invitation, my +wife, who had not been there these to months, I think, and I, to meet all +our families at Sir W. Batten's at dinner, whither neither a great dinner +for so much company nor anything good or handsome. In the middle of +dinner I rose, and my wife, and by coach to the King's playhouse, and +meeting Creed took him up, and there saw "The Scornfull 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 used to be, by the old actors. Anon to White Hall by +coach, thinking to have seen a play there to-night, but found it a +mistake, so back again, and missed our coach[man], who was gone, thinking +to come time enough three hours hence, and we could not blame him. So +forced to get another coach, and all three home to my house, and there to +Sir W. Batten's, and eat a bit of cold chine of beef, and then staid and +talked, and then home and sat and talked a little by the fireside with my +wife and Creed, and so to bed, my left eye being very sore. No business +publick or private minded all these two days. This day a house or two +was blown up with powder in the Minorys, and several people spoiled, and +many dug out from under the rubbish. + + + +28th. Up, and Creed and I walked (a very fine walk in the frost) to my +Lord Bellasses, but missing him did find him at White Hall, and there +spoke with him about some Tangier business. That done, we to Creed's +lodgings, which are very pretty, but he is going from them. So we to +Lincoln's Inne Fields, he to Ned Pickering's, who it seems lives there, +keeping a good house, and I to my Lord Crew's, where I dined, and hear +the newes how my Lord's brother, Mr. Nathaniel Crew, hath an estate of 6 +or L700 per annum, left him by the death of an 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. Crew, to him and +his heirs for ever, and given Mr. Crew 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 act of confident friendship as this latter age, I believe, can +shew. 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, and after the play was done, I +out so soon to meet her at the other door that I left my cloake in the +playhouse, and while I returned to get it, she was gone out and missed +me, and with W. Hewer away home. I not sorry for it much did 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 habits, 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. But the worst +was, I had left my cloak at Sir G. Carteret's, and they being abed I was +forced to go home without it. So by chance got a coach and to the Golden +Lion Taverne in the Strand, and there drank some mulled sack, and so +home, where find my poor wife staying for me, and then to bed mighty +cold. + + + +29th. Up, called up with newes 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 L4,000: for which God be +thanked! Then to the office, and have the newes brought us of Captain +Robinson's coming with his fleete 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 newes to close up the year +with, and most of our merchantmen already heard of to be safely come +home, though after long lookings-for, and now to several ports, as they +could make them. At noon home to dinner, where Balty is and now well +recovered. Then to the office to do business, and at night, it being +very cold, home to my chamber, and there late writing, but my left eye +still very sore. I write by spectacles all this night, then to supper +and to bed. This day's good news making me very lively, only the arrears +of much business on my hands and my accounts to be settled for the whole +year past do lie as a weight on my mind. + + + +30th (Lord's day). Lay long, however up and to church, where Mills made +a good sermon. 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. Home, and, without any +strangers, to dinner, and then all the afternoon and evening in my +chamber preparing all my accounts in good condition against to-morrow, to +state them for the whole year past, to which God give me a good issue +when I come to close them! So to supper and to bed. + + + +31st. Rising this day with a full design to mind nothing else but to +make up my accounts for the year past, I did take money, and walk forth +to several places in the towne as far as the New Exchange, to pay all my +debts, it being still a very great frost and good walking. I staid at +the Fleece Tavern in Covent Garden while my boy Tom went to W. Joyce's to +pay what I owed for candles there. Thence to the New Exchange to clear +my wife's score, and so going back again I met Doll Lane (Mrs. Martin's +sister), with another young woman of the Hall, one Scott, and took them +to the Half Moon Taverne and there drank some burnt wine with them, +without more pleasure, and so away home by coach, and there to dinner, +and then 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 +L573 less than my last: it being this year in all but L2,986; whereas, +the last, I got L3,560. And then again my spendings this year have +exceeded my spendings the last by L644: my whole spendings last year +being but L509; whereas this year, it appears, I have spent L1154, 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 L6,200; which is above L1800 more than I was the last year. +This, I trust in God, will make me thankfull for what I have, and +carefull to make up by care next year what by my negligence and +prodigality I have lost and spent this year. The doing of this, and +entering of it fair, with the sorting of all my expenses, to see how and +in what points I have exceeded, did make it late work, till my eyes +become very sore and ill, and then did give over, and supper, and to bed. +Thus ends this year of publick wonder and mischief to this nation, and, +therefore, generally wished by all people to have an end. Myself and +family well, having four mayds and one clerk, Tom, in my house, and my +brother, now with me, to spend time in order to his preferment. Our +healths all well, only my eyes with overworking them are sore as +candlelight comes to them, and not else; 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 fleete 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 owne 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. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Being five years behindhand for their wages (court musicians) +But fit she should live where he hath a mind +Gladder to have just now received it (than a promise) +Most homely widow, but young, and pretty rich, and good natured +No Parliament can, as he says, be kept long good +Peace with France, which, as a Presbyterian, he do not like +That I may have nothing by me but what is worth keeping +Weary of the following of my pleasure + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v54 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + + + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS, PEPY'S DIARY, 1966 N.S., COMPLETE: + +A cat will be a cat still +About the nature of sounds +About my new closet, for my mind is full of nothing but that +After a harsh word or two my wife and I good friends +All the innocent pleasure in the world +Amending of bad blood by borrowing from a better body +And if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone +And for his beef, says he, "Look how fat it is" +Angry, and so continued till bed, and did not sleep friends +Apprehension of the King of France's invading us +As very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body +Ashamed at myself for this losse of time +Baited at Islington, and so late home about 11 at night +Beare-garden +Begun to write idle and from the purpose +Being there, and seeming to do something, while we do not +Being examined at Allgate, whether we were husbands and wives +Being five years behindhand for their wages (court musicians) +Better the musique, the more sicke it makes him +Bill against importing Irish cattle +Bringing over one discontented man, you raise up three +But pretty! how I took another pretty woman for her +But fit she should live where he hath a mind +But how many years I cannot tell; but my wife says ten +By and by met at her chamber, and there did what I would +Called at a little ale-house, and had an eele pye +Catholiques are everywhere and bold +Checking her last night in the coach in her long stories +Contempt of the ceremoniousnesse of the King of Spayne +Counterfeit mirthe and pleasure with them, but had but little +Did tumble them all the afternoon as I pleased +Did drink of the College beer, which is very good +Did dig another, and put our wine in it; and I my Parmazan cheese +Discoursing upon the sad condition of the times +Do bury still of the plague seven or eight in a day +Driven down again with a stinke by Sir W. Pen's shying of a pot +Durst not ask any body how it was with us +Evelyn, who cries out against it, and calls it bitchering +Exceeding kind to me, more than usual, which makes me afeard +Fashion, the King says; he will never change +Fire grow; and, as it grew darker, appeared more and more +First their apes, that they may be afterwards their slaves +For a land-tax and against a general excise +Foretelling the draught of water of a ship before she be launche +Gladder to have just now received it (than a promise) +Good sport of the bull's tossing of the dogs +Got her upon my knee (the coach being full) and played with her +Great fire they saw in the City +Great deale of tittle tattle discourse to little purpose +Great newes of the Swedes declaring for us against the Dutch +He is such innocent company +He has been inconvenienced by being too free in discourse +Here I first saw oranges grow +Horrid malicious bloody flame +I to bed even by daylight +I do not value her, or mind her as I ought +I did what I would, and might have done anything else +I never did observe so much of myself in my life +I had six noble dishes for them, dressed by a man-cook +In opposition to France, had made us throw off their fashion +King hath lost his power, by submitting himself to this way +King be desired to put all Catholiques out of employment +Lady Duchesse the veryest slut and drudge +Last act of friendship in telling me of my faults also +Listening to no reasoning for it, be it good or bad +Long petticoat dragging under their men's coats +Magnifying the graces of the nobility and prelates +Many women now-a-days of mean sort in the streets, but no men +Mass, and some of their musique, which is not so contemptible +Mightily pleased with myself for the business that I have done +Mightily vexed at my being abroad with these women +Milke, which I drank to take away, my heartburne +Most homely widow, but young, and pretty rich, and good natured +Never fought with worse officers in his life +No Parliament can, as he says, be kept long good +No manner of means used to quench the fire +No money to do it with, nor anybody to trust us without it +Not being well pleased with her over free and loose company +Not permit her begin to do so, lest worse should follow +Now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down +Offered to stop the fire near his house for such a reward +Origin in the use of a plane against the grain of the wood +Out also to and fro, to see and be seen +Pain to ride in a coach with them, for fear of being seen +Peace with France, which, as a Presbyterian, he do not like +Play on the harpsicon, till she tired everybody +Plot in it, and that the French had done it +Providing against a foule day to get as much money into my hands +Put up with too much care, that I have forgot where they are +Rather hear a cat mew, than the best musique in the world +Reading over my dear "Faber fortunae," of my Lord Bacon's +Reading to my wife and brother something in Chaucer +Rejoiced over head and ears in this good newes +Removing goods from one burned house to another +Requisite I be prepared against the man's friendship +Sad sight it was: the whole City almost on fire +Said that there hath been a design to poison the King +Sang till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure +Says, of all places, if there be hell, it is here +Scotch song of "Barbary Allen" +Send up and down for a nurse to take the girle home +Shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it +So home to supper, and to bed, it being my wedding night +So back again home to supper and to bed with great pleasure +So to bed in some little discontent, but no words from me +So home and to supper with beans and bacon and to bed +Staying out late, and painting in the absence of her husband +Tax the same man in three or four several capacities +That I may have nothing by me but what is worth keeping +That I may look as a man minding business +The gentlemen captains will undo us +The very rum man must have L200 +Thence to Mrs. Martin's, and did what I would with her +There did what 'je voudrais avec' her . . . . +There did 'tout ce que je voudrais avec' her +There I did lay the beginnings of a future 'amour con elle' +There did what I would with her +Think that we are beaten in every respect +This is the use we make of our fathers +This unhappinesse of ours do give them heart +Through want of money and good conduct +Time spending, and no money to set anything in hand +To bed, after washing my legs and feet with warm water +Too late for them to enjoy it with any pleasure +Too much ill newes true, to afflict ourselves with uncertain +Took him home the money, and, though much to my grief +Tooke my wife well dressed into the Hall to see and be seen +Tooth-ake made him no company, and spoilt ours +Unless my too-much addiction to pleasure undo me +Venison-pasty that we have for supper to-night to the cook's +Weary of the following of my pleasure +What I had writ foule in short hand +What itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's wife +Wherewith to give every body something for their pains +Who must except against every thing and remedy nothing +With a shower of hail as big as walnuts +World sees now the use of them for shelter of men (fore-castles) +Ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye fire +Young man play the foole upon the doctrine of purgatory + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v55 +by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley + |