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