as in my way by coach to White Hall with Sir J. Minnes I called at Mr.
Holliard's, who did give me some pills, and tells me I shall have my
hearing again and be well. So to White Hall, where Sir J. Minnes and I
did spend an hour in the Gallery, looking upon the pictures, in which he
hath some judgment. And by and by the Commissioners for Tangier met: and
there my Lord Teviott, together with Captain Cuttance, Captain Evans, and
Jonas Moore, sent to that purpose, did bring us a brave draught of the
Mole to be built there; and report that it is likely to be the most
considerable place the King of England hath in the world; and so I am apt
to think it will. After discourse of this, and of supplying the garrison
with some more horse, we rose; and Sir J. Minnes and I home again, finding
the street about our house full, Sir R. Ford beginning his shrievalty
to-day and, what with his and our houses being new painted, the street
begins to look a great deal better than it did, and more gracefull. Home
and eat one bit of meat, and then by water with him and Sir W. Batten to a
sale of old provisions at Deptford, which we did at Captain Boddily's
house, to the value of L600 or L700, but I am not satisfied with the
method used in this thing. Then home again by water, and after a little
at my office, and visit Sir W. Pen, who is not very well again, with his
late pain, home to supper, being hungry, and my ear and cold not so bad I
think as it was. So to bed, taking one of my pills. Newes that the King
comes to town for certain on Thursday next from his progresse.
29th. Took two pills more in the morning and they worked all day, and I
kept the house. About noon dined, and then to carry several heavy things
with my wife up and down stairs, in order to our going to lie above, and
Will to come down to the Wardrobe, and that put me into a violent sweat,
so I had a fire made, and then, being dry again, she and I to put up some
paper pictures in the red chamber, where we go to lie very pretty, and the
map of Paris. Then in the evening, towards night, it fell to thunder,
lighten, and rain so violently that my house was all afloat, and I in all
the rain up to the gutters, and there dabbled in the rain and wet half an
hour, enough to have killed a man. That done downstairs to dry myself
again, and by and by come Mr. Sympson to set up my wife's chimney-piece in
her closett, which pleases me, and so that being done, I to supper and to
bed, shifting myself from top to toe, and doubtful of my doing myself
hurt.
30th. Rose very well, and my hearing pretty well again, and so to my
office, by and by Mr. Holliard come, and at my house he searched my ear,
and I hope all will be well, though I do not yet hear so well as I used to
do with my right ear. So to my office till noon, and then home to dinner,
and in the afternoon by water to White Hall, to the Tangier Committee;
where my Lord Tiviott about his accounts; which grieves me to see that his
accounts being to be examined by us, there are none of the great men at
the Board that in compliment will except against any thing in his
accounts, and so none of the little persons dare do it: so the King is
abused. Thence home again by water with Sir W. Rider, and so to my
office, and there I sat late making up my month's accounts, and, blessed
be God, do find myself L760 creditor, notwithstanding that for clothes for
myself and wife, and layings out on her closett, I have spent this month
L47. So home, where I found our new cooke-mayde Elizabeth, whom my wife
never saw at all, nor I but once at a distance before, but recommended
well by Mr. Creed, and I hope will prove well. So to supper, prayers, and
bed. This evening Mr. Coventry is come to St. James's, but I did not go
see him, and tomorrow the King, Queen, Duke and his Lady, and the whole
Court comes to towne from their progresse. Myself and family well, only
my father sicke in the country. All the common talke for newes is the
Turke's advance in Hungary, &c.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
OCTOBER
1663
October 1st. Up and betimes to my office, and then to sit, where Sir G.
Carteret, Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, Sir J. Minnes, Mr. Coventry and
myself, a fuller board than by the King's progresse and the late pays and
my absence has been a great while. Sat late, and then home to dinner.
After dinner I by water to Deptford about a little business, and so back
again, buying a couple of good eeles by the way, and after writing by the
post, home to see the painter at work, late, in my wife's closet, and so
to supper and to bed, having been very merry with the painter, late, while
he was doing his work. This day the King and Court returned from their
progress.
2nd. Up betimes and by water to St. James's, and there visited Mr.
Coventry as a compliment after his new coming to town, but had no great
talk with him, he being full of business. So back by foot through London,
doing several errands, and at the 'Change met with Mr. Cutler, and he and
I to a coffee-house, and there discoursed, and he do assure me that there
is great likelyhood of a war with Holland, but I hope we shall be in good
condition before it comes to break out. I like his company, and will make
much of his acquaintance. So home to dinner with my wife, who is over
head and eares in getting her house up, and so to the office, and with Mr.
Lewes, late, upon some of the old victuallers' accounts, and so home to
supper and to bed, up to our red chamber, where we purpose always to lie.
This day I received a letter from Mr. Barlow, with a Terella,
[Professor Silvanus P. Thompson, F.R.S., has kindly supplied me with
the following interesting note on the terrella (or terella): The
name given by Dr. William Gilbert, author of the famous treatise,
"De Magnete" (Lond. 1600), to a spherical loadstone, on account of
its acting as a model, magnetically, of the earth; compass-needles
pointing to its poles, as mariners' compasses do to the poles of
the earth. The term was adopted by other writers who followed
Gilbert, as the following passage from Wm. Barlowe's "Magneticall
Advertisements" (Lond. 1616) shows: "Wherefore the round Loadstone
is significantly termed by Doct. Gilbert Terrella, that is, a
little, or rather a very little Earth: For it representeth in an
exceeding small model (as it were) the admirable properties
magneticall of the huge Globe of the earth" (op. cit, p. 55).
Gilbert set great store by his invention of the terrella, since it
led him to propound the true theory of the mariners' compass. In
his portrait of himself which he had painted for the University of
Oxford he was represented as holding in his hand a globe inscribed
terella. In the Galileo Museum in Florence there is a terrella
twenty-seven inches in diameter, of loadstone from Elba, constructed
for Cosmo de' Medici. A smaller one contrived by Sir Christopher
Wren was long preserved in the museum of the Royal Society (Grew's
"Rarities belonging to the Royal Society," p. 364). Evelyn was
shown "a pretty terrella described with all ye circles and skewing
all y magnetic deviations" (Diary, July 3rd, 1655).]
which I had hoped he had sent me, but to my trouble I find it is to
present from him to my Lord Sandwich, but I will make a little use of it
first, and then give it him.
3rd. Up, being well pleased with my new lodging and the convenience of
having our mayds and none else about us, Will lying below. So to the
office, and there we sat full of business all the morning. At noon I home
to dinner, and then abroad to buy a bell to hang by our chamber door to
call the mayds. Then to the office, and met Mr. Blackburne, who came to
know the reason of his kinsman (my Will) his being observed by his friends
of late to droop much. I told him my great displeasure against him and
the reasons of it, to his great trouble yet satisfaction, for my care over
him, and how every thing I said was for the good of the fellow, and he
will take time to examine the fellow about all, and to desire my pleasure
concerning him, which I told him was either that he should became a better
servant or that we would not have him under my roof to be a trouble. He
tells me in a few days he will come to me again and we shall agree what to
do therein. I home and told my wife all, and am troubled to see that my
servants and others should be the greatest trouble I have in the world,
more than for myself. We then to set up our bell with a smith very well,
and then I late at the office. So home to supper and to bed.
4th (Lord's day). Up and to church, my house being miserably overflooded
with rayne last night, which makes me almost mad. At home to dinner with
my wife, and so to talk, and to church again, and so home, and all the
evening most pleasantly passed the time in good discourse of our fortune
and family till supper, and so to bed, in some pain below, through cold
got.
5th. Up with pain, and with Sir J. Minnes by coach to the Temple, and
then I to my brother's, and up and down on business, and so to the New
Exchange, and there met Creed, and he and I walked two or three hours,
talking of many businesses, especially about Tangier, and my Lord Tiviot's
bringing in of high accounts, and yet if they were higher are like to pass
without exception, and then of my Lord Sandwich sending a messenger to
know whether the King intends to come to Newmarket, as is talked, that he
may be ready to entertain him at Hinchingbroke. Thence home and dined,
and my wife all day putting up her hangings in her closett, which she do
very prettily herself with her own hand, to my great content. So I to the
office till night, about several businesses, and then went and sat an hour
or two with Sir W. Pen, talking very largely of Sir J. Minnes's simplicity
and unsteadiness, and of Sir W. Batten's suspicious dealings, wherein I
was open, and he sufficiently, so that I do not care for his telling of
tales, for he said as much, but whether that were so or no I said nothing
but what is my certain knowledge and belief concerning him. Thence home
to bed in great pain.
6th. Slept pretty well, and my wife waked to ring the bell to call up our
mayds to the washing about 4 o'clock, and I was and she angry that our
bell did not wake them sooner, but I will get a bigger bell. So we to
sleep again till 8 o'clock, and then I up in some ease to the office,
where we had a full board, where we examined Cocke's second account, when
Mr. Turner had drawn a bill directly to be paid the balance thereof, as
Mr. Cocke demanded, and Sir J. Minnes did boldly assert the truth of it,
and that he had examined it, when there is no such thing, but many
vouchers, upon examination, missing, and we saw reason to strike off
several of his demands, and to bring down his 5 per cent. commission to 3
per cent. So we shall save the King some money, which both the
Comptroller and his clerke had absolutely given away. There was also two
occasions more of difference at the table; the one being to make out a
bill to Captain Smith for his salary abroad as commander-in-chief in the
Streights. Sir J. Minnes did demand an increase of salary for his being
Vice-Admiral in the Downes, he having received but 40s. without an
increase, when Sir J. Lawson, in the same voyage, had L3, and others have
also had increase, only he, because he was an officer of the board, was
worse used than any body else, and particularly told Sir W. Batten that he
was the opposer formerly of his having an increase, which I did wonder to
hear him so boldly lay it to him. So we hushed up the dispute, and
offered, if he would, to examine precedents, and report them, if there was
any thing to his advantage to be found, to the Duke. The next was, Mr.
Chr. Pett and Deane were summoned to give an account of some knees
["Naturally grown timber or bars of iron bent to a right angle or to
fit the surfaces and to secure bodies firmly together as hanging
knees secure the deck beams to the sides."--Smyth's Sailor's Word-
Book. There are several kinds of knees.]
which Pett reported bad, that were to be served in by Sir W. Warren, we
having contracted that none should be served but such as were to be
approved of by our officers. So that if they were bad they were to be
blamed for receiving them. Thence we fell to talk of Warren's other
goods, which Pett had said were generally bad, and falling to this
contract again, I did say it was the most cautious and as good a contract
as had been made here, and the only [one] that had been in such terms. Sir
J. Minnes told me angrily that Winter's timber, bought for 33s. per load,
was as good and in the same terms. I told him that it was not so, but
that he and Sir W. Batten were both abused, and I would prove it was as
dear a bargain as had been made this half year, which occasioned high
words between them and me, but I am able to prove it and will. That also
was so ended, and so to other business. At noon Lewellin coming to me I
took him and Deane, and there met my uncle Thomas, and we dined together,
but was vexed that, it being washing-day, we had no meat dressed, but sent
to the Cook's, and my people had so little witt to send in our meat from
abroad in that Cook's dishes, which were marked with the name of the Cook
upon them, by which, if they observed anything, they might know it was not
my own dinner. After dinner we broke up, and I by coach, setting down
Luellin in Cheapside. So to White Hall, where at the Committee of
Tangier, but, Lord! how I was troubled to see my Lord Tiviott's accounts
of L10,000 paid in that manner, and wish 1000 times I had not been there.
Thence rose with Sir G. Carteret and to his lodgings, and there discoursed
of our frays at the table to-day, and particularly of that of the
contract, and the contract of masts the other day, declaring my fair
dealing, and so needing not any man's good report of it, or word for it,
and that I would make it so appear to him, if he desired it, which he did,
and I will do it. Thence home by water in great pain, and at my office a
while, and thence a little to Sir W. Pen, and so home to bed, and finding
myself beginning to be troubled with wind as I used to be, and in pain in
making water, I took a couple of pills that I had by me of Mr. Hollyard's.
7th. They wrought in the morning, and I did keep my bed, and my pain
continued on me mightily that I kept within all day in great pain, and
could break no wind nor have any stool after my physic had done working.
So in the evening I took coach and to Mr. Holliard's, but he was not at
home, and so home again, and whether the coach did me good or no I know
not . . . . So to bed and lay in good ease all night, and . . . .
pretty well to the morning . . . . .
[Pepys's prescription for the colic:
"Balsom of Sulphur, 3 or 4 drops in a spoonfull of Syrrup of Colts
foote, not eating or drinking two hours before or after.
"The making of this Balsom:
"2/3ds of fine Oyle, and 1/3d of fine Brimstone, sett 13 or 14
houres upon yt fire, simpring till a thicke Stufte lyes at ye
Bottome, and ye Balsom at ye topp. Take this off &c.
"Sir Rob. Parkhurst for ye Collique."--M. B.]
8th. So, keeping myself warm, to the office, and at noon home to dinner,
my pain coming again by breaking no wind nor having any stool. So to Mr.
Holliard, and by his direction, he assuring me that it is nothing of the
stone, but only my constitution being costive, and that, and cold from
without, breeding and keeping the wind, I took some powder that he did
give me in white wine, and sat late up, till past eleven at night, with my
wife in my chamber till it had done working, which was so weakly that I
could hardly tell whether it did work or no. My mayds being at this time
in great dirt towards getting of all my house clean, and weary and having
a great deal of work to do therein to-morrow and next day, were gone to
bed before my wife and I, who also do lie in our room more like beasts
than Christians, but that is only in order to having of the house shortly
in a cleaner, or rather very clean condition. Some ease I had so long as
this did keep my body loose, and I slept well.
9th. And did keep my bed most of this morning, my body I find being still
bound and little wind, and so my pain returned again, though not so bad,
but keeping my body with warm clothes very hot I made shift to endure it,
and at noon sent word to Mr. Hollyard of my condition, that I could
neither have a natural stool nor break wind, and by that means still in
pain and frequent offering to make water. So he sent me two bottles of
drink and some syrup, one bottle to take now and the other to-morrow
morning. So in the evening, after Commissioner Pett, who came to visit
me, and was going to Chatham, but methinks do talk to me in quite another
manner, doubtfully and shyly, and like a stranger, to what he did
heretofore. After I saw he was gone I did drink one of them, but it was a
most loathsome draught, and did keep myself warm after it, and had that
afternoon still a stool or two, but in no plenty, nor any wind almost
carried away, and so to bed. In no great pain, but do not think myself
likely to be well till I have a freedom of stool and wind. Most of this
day and afternoon my wife and I did spend together in setting things now
up and in order in her closet, which indeed is, and will be, when I can
get her some more things to put in it, a very pleasant place, and is at
present very pretty, and such as she, I hope, will find great content in.
So to bed.
10th. Up, and not in any good ease yet, but had pain in making water, and
some course. I see I must take besides keeping myself warm to make myself
break wind and go freely to stool before I can be well, neither of which I
can do yet, though I have drank the other bottle of Mr. Hollyard's against
my stomach this morning. I did, however, make shift to go to the office,
where we sat, and there Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten did advise me to
take some juniper water, and Sir W. Batten sent to his Lady for some for
me, strong water made of juniper. Whether that or anything else of my
draught this morning did it I cannot tell, but I had a couple of stools
forced after it . . . . but whether I shall grow better upon it I
cannot tell. Dined at home at noon, my wife and house in the dirtiest
pickle that ever she and it was in almost, but in order, I hope, this
night to be very clean. To the office all the afternoon upon victualling
business, and late at it, so after I wrote by the post to my father, I
home. This evening Mr. Hollyard sends me an electuary to take (a walnut
quantity of it) going to bed, which I did. 'Tis true I slept well, and
rose in a little ease in the morning.
11th (Lord's day). And was mightily pleased to see my house clean and in
good condition, but something coming into my wife's head, and mine, to be
done more about bringing the green bed into our chamber, which is
handsomer than the red one, though not of the colour of our hangings, my
wife forebore to make herself clean to-day, but continued in a sluttish
condition till to-morrow. I after the old passe, all the day within
doors, . . . . the effect of my electuary last night, and the greatest
of my pain I find to come by my straining . . . . For all this I eat
with a very good stomach, and as much as I use to do, and so I did this
noon, and staid at home discoursing and doing things in my chamber,
altering chairs in my chamber, and set them above in the red room, they
being Turkey work, and so put their green covers upon those that were
above, not so handsome. At night fell to reading in the Church History of
Fuller's, and particularly Cranmer's letter to Queen Elizabeth, which
pleases me mightily for his zeal, obedience, and boldness in a cause of
religion. After supper to bed as I use to be, in pain . . . . .
12th. Up (though slept well) and made some water in the morning [as] I
used to do, and a little pain returned to me, and some fears, but being
forced to go to the Duke at St. James's, I took coach and in my way called
upon Mr. Hollyard and had his advice to take a glyster. At St. James's we
attended the Duke all of us. And there, after my discourse, Mr. Coventry
of his own accord begun to tell the Duke how he found that discourse
abroad did run to his prejudice about the fees that he took, and how he
sold places and other things; wherein he desired to appeal to his
Highness, whether he did any thing more than what his predecessors did,
and appealed to us all. So Sir G. Carteret did answer that some fees were
heretofore taken, but what he knows not; only that selling of places never
was nor ought to be countenanced. So Mr. Coventry very hotly answered to
Sir G. Carteret, and appealed to himself whether he was not one of the
first that put him upon looking after this taking of fees, and that he
told him that Mr. Smith should say that he made L5000 the first year, and
he believed he made L7000. This Sir G. Carteret denied, and said, that if
he did say so he told a lie, for he could not, nor did know, that ever he
did make that profit of his place; but that he believes he might say L2500
the first year. Mr. Coventry instanced in another thing, particularly
wherein Sir G. Carteret did advise with him about the selling of the
Auditor's place of the stores, when in the beginning there was an
intention of creating such an office. This he confessed, but with some
lessening of the tale Mr. Coventry told, it being only for a respect to my
Lord Fitz-Harding. In fine, Mr. Coventry did put into the Duke's hand a
list of above 250 places that he did give without receiving one farthing,
so much as his ordinary fees for them, upon his life and oath; and that
since the Duke's establishment of fees he had never received one token
more of any man; and that in his whole life he never conditioned or
discoursed of any consideration from any commanders since he came to the
Navy. And afterwards, my Lord Barkeley merrily discoursing that he wished
his profit greater than it was, and that he did believe that he had got
L50,000 since he came in, Mr. Coventry did openly declare that his
Lordship, or any of us, should have not only all he had got, but all that
he had in the world (and yet he did not come a beggar into the Navy, nor
would yet be thought to speak in any contempt of his Royall Highness's
bounty), and should have a year to consider of it too, for L25,000. The
Duke's answer was, that he wished we all had made more profit than he had
of our places, and that we had all of us got as much as one man below
stayres in the Court, which he presently named, and it was Sir George
Lane! This being ended, and the list left in the Duke's hand, we parted,
and I with Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, and Sir W. Batten by coach to
the Exchange, and there a while, and so home, and whether it be the
jogging, or by having my mind more employed (which I believe is a great
matter) I know not, but . . . . I begin to be suddenly well, at least
better than I was. So home and to dinner, and thence by coach to the Old
Exchange, and there cheapened some laces for my wife, and then to
Mr.-----the great laceman in Cheapside, and bought one cost me L4. more by
20s. than I intended, but when I came to see them I was resolved to buy
one worth wearing with credit, and so to the New Exchange, and there put
it to making, and so to my Lord's lodgings and left my wife, and so I to
the Committee of Tangier, and then late home with my wife again by coach,
beginning to be very well, and yet when I came home . . . . the little
straining which I thought was no strain at all at the present did by and
by bring me some pain for a good while. Anon, about 8 o'clock, my wife
did give me a clyster which Mr. Hollyard directed, viz., a pint of strong
ale, 4 oz. of sugar, and 2 oz. of butter. It lay while I lay upon the bed
above an hour, if not two, and then thinking it quite lost I rose, and by
and by it began with my walking to work, and gave me three or four most
excellent stools and carried away wind, put me in excellent ease, and
taking my usual walnut quantity of electuary at my going into bed I had
about two stools in the night . . . . .
13th. And so rose in the morning in perfect good ease . . . .
continued all the morning well, and in the afternoon had a natural easily
and dry stoole, the first I have had these five days or six, for which God
be praised, and so am likely to continue well, observing for the time to
come when any of this pain comes again
(1) To begin to keep myself as warm as I can.
(2) Strain as little as ever I can backwards, remembering that my pain
will come by and by, though in the very straining I do not feel it.
(3) Either by physic forward or by clyster backward or both ways to get an
easy and plentiful going to stool and breaking of wind.
(4) To begin to suspect my health immediately when I begin to become
costive and bound, and by all means to keep my body loose, and that to
obtain presently after I find myself going the contrary.