at my Lord Bruncker's (his feud there not suffering him to 'light
himself), and I with my Lord by and by when ready to White Hall, and by
and by up to the Duke of York, and there presented our great letter and
other papers, and among the rest my report of the victualling, which is
good, I think, and will continue my pretence to the place, which I am
still afeard Sir W. Coventry's employment may extinguish. We have
discharged ourselves in this letter fully from blame in the bad success of
the Navy, if money do not come soon to us, and so my heart is at pretty
good rest in this point. Having done here, Sir W. Batten and I home by
coach, and though the sermon at our church was begun, yet he would 'light
to go home and eat a slice of roast beef off the spit, and did, and then
he and I to church in the middle of the sermon. My Lady Pen there saluted
me with great content to tell me that her daughter and husband are still
in bed, as if the silly woman thought it a great matter of honour, and
did, going out of the church, ask me whether we did not make a great show
at Court today, with all our favours in our hats. After sermon home, and
alone with my wife dined. Among other things my wife told me how ill a
report our Mercer hath got by her keeping of company, so that she will not
send for her to dine with us or be with us as heretofore; and, what is
more strange, tells me that little Mis. Tooker hath got a clap as young as
she is, being brought up loosely by her mother . . . . In the
afternoon away to White Hall by water, and took a turn or two in the Park,
and then back to White Hall, and there meeting my Lord Arlington, he, by I
know not what kindness, offered to carry me along with him to my Lord
Treasurer's, whither, I told him, I was going. I believe he had a mind to
discourse of some Navy businesses, but Sir Thomas Clifford coming into the
coach to us, we were prevented; which I was sorry for, for I had a mind to
begin an acquaintance with him. He speaks well, and hath pretty slight
superficial parts, I believe. He, in our going, talked much of the plain
habit of the Spaniards; how the King and Lords themselves wear but a cloak
of Colchester bayze, and the ladies mantles, in cold weather, of white
flannell: and that the endeavours frequently of setting up the manufacture
of making these stuffs there have only been prevented by the Inquisition:
the English and Dutchmen that have been sent for to work, being taken with
a Psalmbook or Testament, and so clapped up, and the house pulled down by
the Inquisitors; and the greatest Lord in Spayne dare not say a word
against it, if the word Inquisition be but mentioned. At my Lord
Treasurer's 'light and parted with them, they going into Council, and I
walked with Captain Cocke, who takes mighty notice of the differences
growing in our office between Lord Bruncker and [Sir] W. Batten, and among
others also, and I fear it may do us hurt, but I will keep out of them.
By and by comes Sir S. Fox, and he and I walked and talked together on
many things, but chiefly want of money, and the straits the King brings
himself and affairs into for want of it. Captain Cocke did tell me what I
must not forget: that the answer of the Dutch, refusing The Hague for a
place of treaty, and proposing the Boysse, Bredah, Bergen-op-Zoome, or
Mastricht, was seemingly stopped by the Swede's Embassador (though he did
show it to the King, but the King would take no notice of it, nor does
not) from being delivered to the King; and he hath wrote to desire them to
consider better of it: so that, though we know their refusal of the place,
yet they know not that we know it, nor is the King obliged to show his
sense of the affront. That the Dutch are in very great straits, so as to
be said to be not able to set out their fleete this year. By and by comes
Sir Robert Viner and my Lord Mayor to ask the King's directions about
measuring out the streets according to the new Act for building of the
City, wherein the King is to be pleased.
[See Sir Christopher Wren's "Proposals for rebuilding the City of
London after the great fire, with an engraved Plan of the principal
Streets and Public Buildings," in Elmes's "Memoirs of Sir
Christopher Wren," Appendix, p.61. The originals are in All Souls'
College Library, Oxford.--B.]
But he says that the way proposed in Parliament, by Colonel Birch, would
have been the best, to have chosen some persons in trust, and sold the
whole ground, and let it be sold again by them, with preference to the old
owner, which would have certainly caused the City to be built where these
Trustees pleased; whereas now, great differences will be, and the streets
built by fits, and not entire till all differences be decided. This, as he
tells it, I think would have been the best way. I enquired about the
Frenchman
["One Hubert, a French papist, was seized in Essex, as he was
getting out of the way in great confusion. He confessed he had
begun the fire, and persisted in his confession to his death, for he
was hanged upon no other evidence but that of his own confession.
It is true he gave so broken an account of the whole matter that he
was thought mad. Yet he was blindfolded, and carried to several
places of the city, and then his eyes being opened, he was asked if
that was the place, and he being carried to wrong places, after he
looked round about for some time, he said that was not the place,
but when he was brought to the place where it first broke out, he
affirmed that was the true place. "Burnet's Own Time," book ii.
Archbishop Tillotson, according to Burnet, believed that London was
burnt by design.]
that was said to fire the City, and was hanged for it, by his own
confession, that he was hired for it by a Frenchman of Roane, and that he
did with a stick reach in a fire-ball in at a window of the house: whereas
the master of the house, who is the King's baker, and his son, and
daughter, do all swear there was no such window, and that the fire did not
begin thereabouts. Yet the fellow, who, though a mopish besotted fellow,
did not speak like a madman, did swear that he did fire it: and did not
this like a madman; for, being tried on purpose, and landed with his
keeper at the Tower Wharf, he could carry the keeper to the very house.
Asking Sir R. Viner what he thought was the cause of the fire, he tells
me, that the baker, son, and his daughter, did all swear again and again,
that their oven was drawn by ten o'clock at night; that, having occasion
to light a candle about twelve, there was not so much fire in the
bakehouse as to light a match for a candle, so that they were fain to go
into another place to light it; that about two in the morning they felt
themselves almost choked with smoke, and rising, did find the fire coming
upstairs; so they rose to save themselves; but that, at that time, the
bavins--[brushwood, or faggots used for lighting fires]--were not on fire
in the yard. So that they are, as they swear, in absolute ignorance how
this fire should come; which is a strange thing, that so horrid an effect
should have so mean and uncertain a beginning. By and by called in to the
King and Cabinet, and there had a few insipid words about money for
Tangier, but to no purpose. Thence away walked to my boat at White Hall,
and so home and to supper, and then to talk with W. Hewer about business
of the differences at present among the people of our office, and so to my
journall and to bed. This night going through bridge by water, my
waterman told me how the mistress of the Beare tavern, at the bridge-foot,
did lately fling herself into the Thames, and drowned herself; which did
trouble me the more, when they tell me it was she that did live at the
White Horse tavern in Lumbard Streete, which was a most beautiful woman,
as most I have seen. It seems she hath had long melancholy upon her, and
hath endeavoured to make away with herself often.
25th. Lay long in bed, talking with pleasure with my poor wife, how she
used to make coal fires, and wash my foul clothes with her own hand for
me, poor wretch! in our little room at my Lord Sandwich's; for which I
ought for ever to love and admire her, and do; and persuade myself she
would do the same thing again, if God should reduce us to it. So up and
by coach abroad to the Duke of Albemarle's about sending soldiers down to
some ships, and so home, calling at a belt-maker's to mend my belt, and so
home and to dinner, where pleasant with my wife, and then to the office,
where mighty busy all the day, saving going forth to the 'Change to pay
for some things, and on other occasions, and at my goldsmith's did observe
the King's new medall, where, in little, there is Mrs. Steward's face as
well done as ever I saw anything in my whole life, I think: and a pretty
thing it is, that he should choose her face to represent Britannia by. So
at the office late very busy and much business with great joy dispatched,
and so home to supper and to bed.
26th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. And here did receive
another reference from Sir W. Coventry about the business of some of the
Muster-Masters, concerning whom I had returned their small performances,
which do give me a little more trouble for fear [Sir] W. Coventry should
think I had a design to favour my brother Balty, and to that end to
disparage all the rest. But I shall clear all very well, only it do
exercise my thoughts more than I am at leisure for. At home find Balty
and his wife very fine, which I did not like, for fear he do spend too
much of his money that way, and lay [not] up anything. After dinner to
the office again, where by and by Lord Bruncker, [Sir] W. Batten, [Sir] J.
Minnes and I met about receiving Carcasses answers to the depositions
against him. Wherein I did see so much favour from my Lord to him that I
do again begin to see that my Lord is not right at the bottom, and did
make me the more earnest against him, though said little. My Lord rising,
declaring his judgement in his behalf, and going away, I did hinder our
arguing it by ourselves, and so broke up the meeting, and myself went full
of trouble to my office, there to write over the deposition and his
answers side by side, and then home to supper and to bed with some trouble
of mind to think of the issue of this, how it will breed ill blood among
us here.
27th. Up by candle-light, about six o'clock, it being bitter cold weather
again, after all our warm weather, and by water down to Woolwich
rope-yard, I being this day at a leisure, the King and Duke of York being
gone down to Sheerenesse this morning to lay out the design for a
fortification there to the river Medway; and so we do not attend the Duke
of York as we should otherwise have done, and there to the Dock Yard to
enquire of the state of things, and went into Mr. Pett's; and there,
beyond expectation, he did present me with a Japan cane, with a silver
head, and his wife sent me by him a ring, with a Woolwich stone;
[Woolwich stones, still collected in that locality, are simply
waterworn pebbles of flint, which, when broken with a hammer,
exhibit on the smooth surface some resemblance to the human face;
and their possessors are thus enabled to trace likenesses of
friends, or eminent public characters. The late Mr. Tennant, the
geologist, of the Strand, had a collection of such stones. In the
British Museum is a nodule of globular or Egyptian jasper, which, in
its fracture, bears a striking resemblance to the well-known
portrait of Chaucer. It is engraved in Rymsdyk's "Museum
Britannicum," tab. xxviii. A flint, showing Mr. Pitt's face, used
once to be exhibited at the meetings of the Pitt Club.--B.]
now much in request; which I accepted, the values not being great, and
knowing that I had done them courtesies, which he did own in very high
terms; and then, at my asking, did give me an old draught of an
ancient-built ship, given him by his father, of the Beare, in Queen
Elizabeth's time. This did much please me, it being a thing I much
desired to have, to shew the difference in the build of ships now and
heretofore. Being much taken with this kindness, I away to Blackwall and
Deptford, to satisfy myself there about the King's business, and then
walked to Redriffe, and so home about noon; there find Mr. Hunt, newly
come out of the country, who tells me the country is much impoverished by
the greatness of taxes: the farmers do break every day almost, and L1000
a-year become not worth L500. He dined with us, and we had good
discourse of the general ill state of things, and, by the way, he told me
some ridiculous pieces of thrift of Sir G. Downing's, who is his
countryman, in inviting some poor people, at Christmas last, to charm the
country people's mouths; but did give them nothing but beef, porridge,
pudding, and pork, and nothing said all dinner, but only his mother would
say, "It's good broth, son." He would answer, "Yes, it is good broth."
Then, says his lady, Confirm all, and say, "Yes, very good broth." By and
by she would begin and say, "Good pork:"--"Yes," says the mother, "good
pork." Then he cries, "Yes, very good pork." And so they said of all
things; to which nobody made any answer, they going there not out of love
or esteem of them, but to eat his victuals, knowing him to be a niggardly
fellow; and with this he is jeered now all over the country. This day just
before dinner comes Captain Story, of Cambridge, to me to the office,
about a bill for prest money,
[Money paid to men who enlist into the public service; press money.
So called because those who receive it are to be prest or ready when
called on ("Encyclopaedic Dictionary ").]
for men sent out of the country and the countries about him to the fleete
the last year; but, Lord! to see the natures of men; how this man, hearing
of my name, did ask me of my country, and told me of my cozen Roger, that
he was not so wise a man as his father; for that he do not agree in
Parliament with his fellow burgesses and knights of the shire, whereas I
know very well the reason; for he is not so high a flyer as Mr. Chichley
and others, but loves the King better than any of them, and to better
purpose. But yet, he says that he is a very honest gentleman, and thence
runs into a hundred stories of his own services to the King, and how he at
this day brings in the taxes before anybody here thinks they are
collected: discourse very absurd to entertain a stranger with. He being
gone, and I glad of it, I home then to dinner. After dinner with my wife
by coach abroad, andset Mr. Hunt down at the Temple and her at her
brother's, and I to White Hall to meet [Sir] W. Coventry, but found him
not, but met Mr. Cooling, who tells me of my Lord Duke of Buckingham's
being sent for last night, by a Serjeant at Armes, to the Tower, for
treasonable practices, and that the King is infinitely angry with him, and
declared him no longer one of his Council. I know not the reason of it,
or occasion. To Westminster Hall, and there paid what I owed for books,
and so by coach, took up my wife to the Exchange, and there bought things
for Mrs. Pierces little daughter, my Valentine, and so to their house,
where we find Knipp, who also challengeth me for her Valentine. She looks
well, sang well, and very merry we were for half an hour. Tells me Harris
is well again, having been very ill, and so we home, and I to the office;
then, at night, to Sir W. Pen's, and sat with my Lady, and the young
couple (Sir William out of town) talking merrily; but they make a very
sorry couple, methinks, though rich. So late home and to bed.
28th. Up, and there comes to me Drumbleby with a flageolet, made to suit
with my former and brings me one Greeting, a master, to teach my wife. I
agree by the whole with him to teach her to take out any lesson of herself
for L4. She was not ready to begin to-day, but do to-morrow. So I to the
office, where my Lord Bruncker and I only all the morning, and did
business. At noon to the Exchange and to Sir Rob. Viner's about settling
my accounts there. So back home and to dinner, where Mr. Holliard dined
with us, and pleasant company he is. I love his company, and he secures
me against ever having the stone again. He gives it me, as his opinion,
that the City will never be built again together, as is expected, while
any restraint is laid upon them. He hath been a great loser, and would be
a builder again, but, he says, he knows not what restrictions there will
be, so as it is unsafe for him to begin. He gone, I to the office, and
there busy till night doing much business, then home and to my accounts,
wherein, beyond expectation, I succeeded so well as to settle them very
clear and plain, though by borrowing of monies this month to pay D.
Gawden, and chopping and changing with my Tangier money, they were become
somewhat intricate, and, blessed be God; upon the evening my accounts, I
do appear L6800 creditor: This done, I to supper about 12 at night, and so
to bed. The weather for three or four days being come to be exceeding
cold again as any time this year. I did within these six days see smoke
still remaining of the late fire in the City; and it is strange to think
how, to this very day, I cannot sleep at night without great terrors of
fire, and this very night I could not sleep till almost two in the morning
through thoughts of fire. Thus this month is ended with great content of
mind to me, thriving in my estate, and the affairs in my offices going
pretty well as to myself. This afternoon Mr. Gawden was with me and tells
me more than I knew before--that he hath orders to get all the victuals he
can to Plymouth, and the Western ports, and other outports, and some to
Scotland, so that we do intend to keep but a flying fleete this year;
which, it may be, may preserve us a year longer, but the end of it must be
ruin. Sir J. Minnes this night tells me, that he hears for certain, that
ballads are made of us in Holland for begging of a peace; which I
expected, but am vexed at. So ends this month, with nothing of weight upon
my mind, but for my father and mother, who are both very ill, and have
been so for some weeks: whom God help! but I do fear my poor father will
hardly be ever thoroughly well again.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Being taken with a Psalmbook or Testament
Consider that this is all the pleasure I live for in the world
Dinner, an ill and little mean one, with foul cloth and dishes
If the word Inquisition be but mentioned
King's service is undone, and those that trust him perish
Mean, methinks, and is as if they had married like dog and bitch
Musique in the morning to call up our new-married people
Must yet pay to the Poll Bill for this pension (unreceived)
New medall, where, in little, there is Mrs. Steward's face
Not thinking them safe men to receive such a gratuity
Only because she sees it is the fashion (She likes it)
Prince's being trepanned, which was in doing just as we passed
Proud that she shall come to trill
Receive the applications of people, and hath presents
Seems she hath had long melancholy upon her
Sermon upon Original Sin, neither understood by himself
Sick of it and of him for it
The world do not grow old at all
Then home, and merry with my wife
Though he knows, if he be not a fool, that I love him not
To my joy, I met not with any that have sped better than myself
Used to make coal fires, and wash my foul clothes