Produced by David Widger
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
1667-1668
March 1st (Lord's day). Up very betimes, and by coach to Sir W.
Coventry's; and there, largely carrying with me all my notes and papers,
did run over our whole defence in the business of tickets, in order to the
answering the House on Thursday next; and I do think, unless they be set
without reason to ruin us, we shall make a good defence. I find him in
great anxiety, though he will not discover it, in the business of the
proceedings of Parliament; and would as little as is possible have his
name mentioned in our discourse to them; and particularly the business of
selling places is now upon his hand to defend himself in; wherein I did
help him in his defence about the flag-maker's place, which is named in
the House. We did here do the like about the complaint of want of
victuals in the fleete in the year 1666, which will lie upon me to defend
also. So that my head is full of care and weariness in my employment.
Thence home, and there my mind being a little lightened by my morning's
work in the arguments I have now laid together in better method for our
defence to the Parliament, I to talk with my wife; and in lieu of a coach
this year, I have got my wife to be contented with her closet being made
up this summer, and going into the country this summer for a month or two,
to my father's, and there Mercer and Deb. and Jane shall go with her,
which I the rather do for the entertaining my wife, and preventing of
fallings out between her and my father or Deb., which uses to be the fate
of her going into the country. After dinner by coach to Westminster, and
there to St. Margaret's church, thinking to have seen Betty Michell, but
she was not there, but met her father and mother and with them to her
father's house, where I never was before, but was mighty much made of,
with some good strong waters, which they have from their son Michell, and
mighty good people they are. Thence to Mrs. Martin's, where I have not
been also a good while, and with great difficulty, company being there,
did get an opportunity to hazer what I would con her, and here I was
mightily taken with a starling which she hath, that was the King's, which
he kept in his bedchamber; and do whistle and talk the most and best that
ever I heard anything in my life. Thence to visit Sir H. Cholmly, who
continues still sick of his cold, and thence calling, but in vain, to
speak with Sir G. Carteret at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where I
spoke with nobody, but home, where spent the evening talking with W. Hewer
about business of the House, and declaring my expectation of all our being
turned out. Hither comes Carcasse to me about business, and there did
confess to me of his own accord his having heretofore discovered as a
complaint against Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen and me that we did prefer the
paying of some men to man "The Flying Greyhound" to others, by order under
our hands. The thing upon recollection I believe is true, and do hope no
great matter can be made of it, but yet I would be glad to have my name
out of it, which I shall labour to do; in the mean time it weighs as a new
trouble on my mind, and did trouble me all night. So without supper to
bed, my eyes being also a little overwrought of late that I could not stay
up to read.
2nd. Up and betimes to the office, where I did much business, and several
come to me, and among others I did prepare Mr. Warren, and by and by Sir
D. Gawden, about what presents I have had from them, that they may not
publish them, or if they do, that in truth I received none on the account
of the Navy but Tangier, and this is true to the former, and in both that
I never asked any thing of them. I must do the like with the rest. Mr.
Moore was with me, and he do tell me, and so W. Hewer tells me, he hears
this morning that all the town is full of the discourse that the Officers
of the Navy shall be all turned out, but honest Sir John Minnes, who, God
knows, is fitter to have been turned out himself than any of us, doing the
King more hurt by his dotage and folly than all the rest can do by their
knavery, if they had a mind to it. At noon home to dinner, where was
Mercer, and very merry as I could be with my mind so full of business, and
so with my wife, her and the girl, to the King's house to see the "Virgin
Martyr" again, which do mightily please me, but above all the musique at
the coming down of the angel, which at this hearing the second time, do
still commend me as nothing ever did, and the other musique is nothing to
it. Thence with my wife to the 'Change, and so, calling at the Cocke ale
house, we home, and there I settle to business, and with my people
preparing my great answer to the Parliament for the office about tickets
till past 1 a o'clock at night, and then home to supper and to bed,
keeping Mr. Gibson all night with me. This day I have the news that my
sister was married on Thursday last to Mr. Jackson; so that work is, I
hope, well over.
3rd. Up betimes to work again, and then met at the Office, where to our
great business of this answer to the Parliament; where to my great
vexation I find my Lord Brouncker prepared only to excuse himself, while
I, that have least reason to trouble myself, am preparing with great pains
to defend them all: and more, I perceive, he would lodge the beginning of
discharging ships by ticket upon me; but I care not, for I believe I shall
get more honour by it when the Parliament, against my will, shall see how
the whole business of the Office was done by me. At noon rose and to
dinner. My wife abroad with Mercer and Deb. buying of things, but I with
my clerks home to dinner, and thence presently down with Lord Brouncker,
W. Pen, T. Harvy, T. Middleton, and Mr. Tippets, who first took his place
this day at the table, as a Commissioner, in the room of Commissioner
Pett. Down by water to Deptford, where the King, Queene, and Court are to
see launched the new ship built by Mr. Shish, called "The Charles." 2 God
send her better luck than the former! Here some of our brethren, who went
in a boat a little before my boat, did by appointment take opportunity of
asking the King's leave that we might make full use of the want of money,
in our excuse to the Parliament for the business of tickets, and other
things they will lay to our charge, all which arose from nothing else: and
this the King did readily agree to, and did give us leave to make our full
use of it. The ship being well launched, I back again by boat, setting
[Sir] T. Middleton and Mr. Tippets on shore at Ratcliffe, I home and there
to my chamber with Mr. Gibson, and late up till midnight preparing more
things against our defence on Thursday next to my content, though vexed
that all this trouble should be on me. So to supper and to bed.
4th. Up betimes and with Sir W. Pen in his coach to White Hall, there to
wait upon the Duke of York and the Commissioners of the Treasury, [Sir] W.
Coventry and Sir John Duncombe, who do declare that they cannot find the
money we demand, and we that less than what we demand will not set out the
fleet intended, and so broke up, with no other conclusion than that they
would let us have what they could get and we would improve that as well as
we could. So God bless us, and prepare us against the consequences of
these matters. Thence, it being a cold wet day, I home with Sir J. Minnes
in his coach, and called by the way at my bookseller's and took home with
me Kercher's Musurgia--very well bound, but I had no comfort to look upon
them, but as soon as I come home fell to my work at the office, shutting
the doors, that we, I and my clerks, might not be interrupted, and so,
only with room for a little dinner, we very busy all the day till night
that the officers met for me to give them the heads of what I intended to
say, which I did with great discontent to see them all rely on me that
have no reason at all to trouble myself about it, nor have any thanks from
them for my labour, but contrarily Brouncker looked mighty dogged, as
thinking that I did not intend to do it so as to save him. This troubled
me so much as, together with the shortness of the time and muchness of the
business, did let me be at it till but about ten at night, and then quite
weary, and dull, and vexed, I could go no further, but resolved to leave
the rest to to-morrow morning, and so in full discontent and weariness did
give over and went home, with[out] supper vexed and sickish to bed, and
there slept about three hours, but then waked, and never in so much
trouble in all my life of mind, thinking of the task I have upon me, and
upon what dissatisfactory grounds, and what the issue of it may be to me.
5th. With these thoughts I lay troubling myself till six o'clock,
restless, and at last getting my wife to talk to me to comfort me, which
she at last did, and made me resolve to quit my hands of this Office, and
endure the trouble of it no longer than till I can clear myself of it. So
with great trouble, but yet with some ease, from this discourse with my
wife, I up, and to my Office, whither come my clerks, and so I did huddle
the best I could some more notes for my discourse to-day, and by nine
o'clock was ready, and did go down to the Old Swan, and there by boat,
with T. H[ater] and W. H[ewer] with me, to Westminster, where I found
myself come time enough, and my brethren all ready. But I full of
thoughts and trouble touching the issue of this day; and, to comfort
myself, did go to the Dog and drink half-a-pint of mulled sack, and in the
Hall [Westminster] did drink a dram of brandy at Mrs. Hewlett's; and with
the warmth of this did find myself in better order as to courage, truly.
So we all up to the lobby; and between eleven and twelve o'clock, were
called in, with the mace before us, into the House, where a mighty full
House; and we stood at the bar, namely, Brouncker, Sir J. Minnes, Sir T.
Harvey, and myself, W. Pen being in the House, as a Member. I perceive
the whole House was full, and full of expectation of our defence what it
would be, and with great prejudice. After the Speaker had told us the
dissatisfaction of the House, and read the Report of the Committee, I
began our defence most acceptably and smoothly, and continued at it
without any hesitation or losse, but with full scope, and all my reason
free about me, as if it had been at my own table, from that time till past
three in the afternoon; and so ended, without any interruption from the
Speaker; but we withdrew. And there all my Fellow-Officers, and all the
world that was within hearing, did congratulate me, and cry up my speech
as the best thing they ever heard; and my Fellow-Officers overjoyed in it;
we were called in again by and by to answer only one question, touching
our paying tickets to ticket-mongers; and so out; and we were in hopes to
have had a vote this day in our favour, and so the generality of the House
was; but my speech, being so long, many had gone out to dinner and come in
again half drunk; and then there are two or three that are professed
enemies to us and every body else; among others, Sir T. Littleton, Sir
Thomas Lee, Mr. Wiles, the coxcomb whom I saw heretofore at the
cock-fighting, and a few others; I say, these did rise up and speak
against the coming to a vote now, the House not being full, by reason of
several being at dinner, but most because that the House was to attend the
King this afternoon, about the business of religion, wherein they pray him
to put in force all the laws against Nonconformists and Papists; and this
prevented it, so that they put it off to to-morrow come se'nnight.
However, it is plain we have got great ground; and everybody says I have
got the most honour that any could have had opportunity of getting; and so
with our hearts mightily overjoyed at this success, we all to dinner to
Lord Brouncker's--that is to say, myself, T. Harvey, and W. Pen, and there
dined; and thence with Sir Anthony Morgan, who is an acquaintance of
Brouncker's, a very wise man, we after dinner to the King's house, and
there saw part of "The Discontented Colonel," but could take no great
pleasure in it, because of our coming in in the middle of it. After the
play, home with W. Pen, and there to my wife, whom W. Hewer had told of my
success, and she overjoyed, and I also as to my particular; and, after
talking awhile, I betimes to bed, having had no quiet rest a good while.
6th. Up betimes, and with Sir D. Gawden to Sir W, Coventry's chamber:
where the first word he said to me was, "Good-morrow, Mr. Pepys, that must
be Speaker of the Parliament-house:" and did protest I had got honour for
ever in Parliament. He said that his brother, that sat by him, admires
me; and another gentleman said that I could not get less than L1000 a-year
if I would put on a gown and plead at the Chancery-bar; but, what pleases
me most, he tells me that the Sollicitor-Generall did protest that he
thought I spoke the best of any man in England. After several talks with
him alone, touching his own businesses, he carried me to White Hall, and
there parted; and I to the Duke of York's lodgings, and find him going to
the Park, it being a very fine morning, and I after him; and, as soon as
he saw me, he told me, with great satisfaction, that I had converted a
great many yesterday, and did, with great praise of me, go on with the
discourse with me. And, by and by, overtaking the King, the King and Duke
of York come to me both; and he--[The King]--said, "Mr. Pepys, I am very
glad of your success yesterday;" and fell to talk of my well speaking; and
many of the Lords there. My Lord Barkeley did cry the up for what they
had heard of it; and others, Parliament-men there, about the King, did say
that they never heard such a speech in their lives delivered in that
manner. Progers, of the Bedchamber, swore to me afterwards before
Brouncker, in the afternoon, that he did tell the King that he thought I
might teach the Sollicitor-Generall. Every body that saw me almost come
to me, as Joseph Williamson and others, with such eulogys as cannot be
expressed. From thence I went to Westminster Hall, where I met Mr. G.
Montagu, who come to me and kissed me, and told me that he had often
heretofore kissed my hands, but now he would kiss my lips: protesting that
I was another Cicero, and said, all the world said the same of me. Mr.
Ashburnham, and every creature I met there of the Parliament, or that knew
anything of the Parliament's actings, did salute me with this honour:--Mr.
Godolphin;--Mr. Sands, who swore he would go twenty mile, at any time, to
hear the like again, and that he never saw so many sit four hours together
to hear any man in his life, as there did to hear me; Mr. Chichly,--Sir
John Duncomb,--and everybody do say that the kingdom will ring of my
abilities, and that I have done myself right for my whole life: and so
Captain Cocke, and others of my friends, say that no man had ever such an
opportunity of making his abilities known; and, that I may cite all at
once, Mr. Lieutenant of the Tower did tell me that Mr. Vaughan did protest
to him, and that, in his hearing it, said so to the Duke of Albemarle, and
afterwards to W. Coventry, that he had sat twenty-six years in Parliament
and never heard such a speech there before: for which the Lord God make me
thankful! and that I may make use of it not to pride and vain-glory, but
that, now I have this esteem, I may do nothing that may lessen it! I
spent the morning thus walking in the Hall, being complimented by
everybody with admiration: and at noon stepped into the Legg with Sir
William Warren, who was in the Hall, and there talked about a little of
his business, and thence into the Hall a little more, and so with him by
coach as far as the Temple almost, and there 'light, to follow my Lord
Brouncker's coach, which I spied, and so to Madam Williams's, where I
overtook him, and agreed upon meeting this afternoon, and so home to
dinner, and after dinner with W. Pen, who come to my house to call me, to
White Hall, to wait on the Duke of York, where he again and all the
company magnified me, and several in the Gallery: among others, my Lord
Gerard, who never knew me before nor spoke to me, desires his being better
acquainted with me; and [said] that, at table where he was, he never heard
so much said of any man as of me, in his whole life. We waited on the
Duke of York, and thence into the Gallery, where the House of Lords waited
the King's coming out of the Park, which he did by and by; and there, in
the Vane-room, my Lord Keeper delivered a message to the King, the Lords
being about him, wherein the Barons of England, from many good arguments,
very well expressed in the part he read out of, do demand precedence in
England of all noblemen of either of the King's other two kingdoms, be
their title what it will; and did shew that they were in England reputed
but as Commoners, and sat in the House of Commons, and at conferences with
the Lords did stand bare. It was mighty worth my hearing: but the King
did only say that he would consider of it, and so dismissed them. Thence
Brouncker and I to the Committee of Miscarriages sitting in the Court of
Wards, expecting with Sir D. Gawden to have been heard against Prince
Rupert's complaints for want of victuals. But the business of Holmes's
charge against Sir Jer. Smith, which is a most shameful scandalous thing
for Flag officers to accuse one another of, and that this should be heard
here before men that understand it not at all, and after it hath been
examined and judged in before the King and Lord High Admirall and other
able seamen to judge, it is very hard. But this business did keep them
all the afternoon, so we not heard but put off to another day. Thence,
with the Lieutenant of the Tower, in his coach home; and there, with great
pleasure, with my wife, talking and playing at cards a little--she, and I,
and W. Hewer, and Deb., and so, after a little supper, I to bed.
7th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, at noon home to
dinner, where Mercer with us, and after dinner she, my wife, Deb., and I,
to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Spanish Gipsys," the second
time of acting, and the first that I saw it. A very silly play, only
great variety of dances, and those most excellently done, especially one
part by one Hanes, only lately come thither from the Nursery, an
understanding fellow, but yet, they say, hath spent L1000 a-year before he
come thither. This day my wife and I full of thoughts about Mrs. Pierces
sending me word that she, and my old company, Harris and Knipp, would come
and dine with us next Wednesday, how we should do-to receive or put them
off, my head being, at this time, so full of business, and my wife in no
mind to have them neither, and yet I desire it. Come to no resolution
tonight. Home from the playhouse to the office, where I wrote what I had
to write, and among others to my father to congratulate my sister's
marriage, and so home to supper a little and then to bed.
8th (Lord's day). At my sending to desire it, Sir J. Robinson, Lieutenant
of the Tower, did call me with his coach, and carried me to White Hall,
where met with very many people still that did congratulate my speech the
other day in the House of Commons, and I find all the world almost rings
of it. Here spent the morning walking and talking with one or other, and
among the rest with Sir W. Coventry, who I find full of care in his own
business, how to defend himself against those that have a mind to choke
him; and though, I believe, not for honour and for the keeping his
employment, but for his safety and reputation's sake, is desirous to
preserve himself free from blame, and among other mean ways which himself
did take notice to me to be but a mean thing he desires me to get
information against Captain Tatnell, thereby to diminish his testimony,
who, it seems, hath a mind to do W. Coventry hurt: and I will do it with
all my heart; for Tatnell is a very rogue. He would be glad, too, that I
could find anything proper for his taking notice against Sir F. Hollis.
At noon, after sermon, I to dinner with Sir G. Carteret to Lincoln's Inn
Fields, where I find mighty deal of company--a solemn day for some of his
and her friends, and dine in the great dining-room above stairs, where Sir
G. Carteret himself, and I, and his son, at a little table by, the great
table being full of strangers. Here my Lady Jem. do promise to come, and
bring my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady some day this week, to dinner to
me, which I am glad of. After dinner, I up with her husband, Sir Philip
Carteret, to his closet, where, beyond expectation, I do find many pretty
things, wherein he appears to be ingenious, such as in painting, and
drawing, and making of watches, and such kind of things, above my
expectation; though, when all is done, he is a shirke, who owns his owing
me L10 for his lady two or three years ago, and yet cannot provide to pay
me. The company by and by parted, and G. Carteret and I to White Hall,
where I set him down and took his coach as far as the Temple, it raining,
and there took a hackney and home, and so had my head combed, and then to
bed.
9th. Up betimes, and anon with Sir W. Warren, who come to speak with me,
by coach to White Hall, and there met Lord Brouncker: and he and I to the
Commissioners of the Treasury, where I find them mighty kind to me, more,
I think, than was wont. And here I also met Colvill, the goldsmith; who
tells me, with great joy, how the world upon the 'Change talks of me; and
how several Parliamentmen, viz., Boscawen and Major [Lionel] Walden, of
Huntingdon, who, it seems, do deal with him, do say how bravely I did
speak, and that the House was ready to have given me thanks for it; but
that, I think, is a vanity. Thence I with Lord Brouncker, and did take up
his mistress, Williams, and so to the 'Change, only to shew myself, and
did a little business there, and so home to dinner, and then to the office
busy till the evening, and then to the Excize Office, where I find Mr.
Ball in a mighty trouble that he is to be put out of his place at
Midsummer, the whole Commission being to cease, and the truth is I think
they are very fair dealing men, all of them. Here I did do a little
business, and then to rights home, and there dispatched many papers, and
so home late to supper and to bed, being eased of a great many thoughts,
and yet have a great many more to remove as fast as I can, my mind being
burdened with them, having been so much employed upon the public business
of the office in their defence before the Parliament of late, and the
further cases that do attend it.
10th. Up, and to the office betimes, where all the morning. At noon home
to dinner with my clerks, and after dinner comes Kate Joyce, who tells me
she is putting off her house, which I am glad of, but it was pleasant that
she come on purpose to me about getting a ticket paid, and in her way
hither lost her ticket, so that she is at a great loss what to do.--There
comes in then Mrs. Mercer, the mother, the first time she has been here
since her daughter lived with us, to see my wife, and after a little talk
I left them and to the office, and thence with Sir D. Gawden to
Westminster Hall, thinking to have attended the Committee about the
Victualling business, but they did not meet, but here we met Sir R.
Brookes, who do mightily cry up my speech the other day, saying my
fellow-officers are obliged to me, as indeed they are. Thence with Sir D.
Gawden homewards, calling at Lincolne's Inn Fields: but my Lady Jemimah
was not within: and so to Newgate, where he stopped to give directions to
the jaylor about a Knight, one Sir Thomas Halford brought in yesterday for
killing one Colonel Temple, falling out at a taverne. So thence as far as
Leadenhall, and there I 'light, and back by coach to Lincoln's Inn Fields;
but my Lady was not come in, and so I am at a great loss whether she and
her brother Hinchingbroke and sister will dine with me to-morrow or no,
which vexes me. So home; and there comes Mr. Moore to me, who tells me
that he fears my Lord Sandwich will meet with very great difficulties to
go through about the prizes, it being found that he did give orders for
more than the King's letter do justify; and then for the Act of
Resumption, which he fears will go on, and is designed only to do him
hurt, which troubles me much. He tells me he believes the Parliament will
not be brought to do anything in matters of religion, but will adhere to
the Bishops. So he gone, I up to supper, where I find W. Joyce and Harman
come to see us, and there was also Mrs. Mercer and her two daughters, and
here we were as merry as that fellow Joyce could make us with his mad
talking, after the old wont, which tired me. But I was mightily pleased
with his singing; for the rogue hath a very good eare, and a good voice.
Here he stayed till he was almost drunk, and then away at about ten at
night, and then all broke up, and I to bed.
11th. Up, and betimes to the office, where busy till 8 o'clock, and then
went forth, and meeting Mr. Colvill, I walked with, him to his building,
where he is building a fine house, where he formerly lived, in Lumbard
Street: and it will be a very fine street. Thence walked down to the
Three Cranes and there took boat to White Hall, where by direction I
waited on the Duke of York about office business, and so by water to
Westminster, where walking in the Hall most of the morning, and up to my
Lady Jem. in Lincoln's Inn Fields to get her to appoint the day certain
when she will come and dine with me, and she hath appointed Saturday next.
So back to Westminster; and there still walked, till by and by comes Sir
W. Coventry, and with him Mr. Chichly and Mr. Andrew Newport, I to dinner
with them to Mr. Chichly's, in Queene Street, in Covent Garden. A very
fine house, and a man that lives in mighty great fashion, with all things
in a most extraordinary manner noble and rich about him, and eats in the
French fashion all; and mighty nobly served with his servants, and very
civilly; that I was mighty pleased with it: and good discourse. He is a
great defender of the Church of England, and against the Act for
Comprehension, which is the work of this day, about which the House is
like to sit till night. After dinner, away with them back to Westminster,
where, about four o'clock, the House rises, and hath done nothing more in
the business than to put off the debate to this day month. In the mean
time the King hath put out his proclamations this day, as the House
desired, for the putting in execution the Act against Nonconformists and
Papists, but yet it is conceived that for all this some liberty must be
given, and people will have it. Here I met with my cozen Roger Pepys, who
is come to town, and hath been told of my performance before the House the
other day, and is mighty proud of it, and Captain Cocke met me here
to-day, and told me that the Speaker says he never heard such a defence
made; in all his life, in the House; and that the Sollicitor-Generall do
commend me even to envy. I carried cozen Roger as far as the Strand,
where, spying out of the coach Colonel Charles George Cocke, formerly a
very great man, and my father's customer, whom I have carried clothes to,
but now walks like a poor sorry sneake, he stopped, and I 'light to him.
This man knew me, which I would have willingly avoided, so much pride I
had, he being a man of mighty height and authority in his time, but now
signifies nothing. Thence home, where to the office a while and then
home, where W. Batelier was and played at cards and supped with us, my
eyes being out of order for working, and so to bed.
12th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, at noon home, and
after dinner with wife and Deb., carried them to Unthanke's, and I to
Westminster Hall expecting our being with the Committee this afternoon
about Victualling business, but once more waited in vain. So after a turn
or two with Lord Brouncker, I took my wife up and left her at the 'Change
while I to Gresham College, there to shew myself; and was there greeted by
Dr. Wilkins, Whistler, and others, as the patron of the Navy Office, and
one that got great fame by my late speech to the Parliament. Here I saw a
great trial of the goodness of a burning glass, made of a new figure, not
spherical (by one Smithys, I think, they call him), that did burn a glove
of my Lord Brouncker's from the heat of a very little fire, which a
burning glass of the old form, or much bigger, could not do, which was
mighty pretty. Here I heard Sir Robert Southwell give an account of some
things committed to him by the Society at his going to Portugall, which he
did deliver in a mighty handsome manner.
[At the meeting of the Royal Society on March 12th, 1668, "Mr.
Smethwick's glasses were tried again; and his telescope being
compared with another longer telescope, and the object-glasses
exchanged, was still found to exceed the other in goodness; and his
burning concave being compared with a spherical burning-glass of
almost twice the diameter, and held to the fire, it burnt gloves,
whereas the other spherical ones would not burn at all."--"Sir
Robert Southwell being lately returned from Portugal, where he had
been ambassador from the king, and being desired to acquaint the
society with what he had done with respect to the instructions,
which he had received from them before his departure from England,
related, that he had lodged the astronomical quadrant, which the
society had sent to Portugal to make observations with there, with a
body of men at Lisbon, who had applied themselves among other kinds
of literature to mathematics" (Birch's "History of the Royal
Society," vol. ii., p. 256).]
Thence went away home, and there at my office as long as my eyes would
endure, and then home to supper, and to talk with Mr. Pelling, who tells
me what a fame I have in the City for my late performance; and upon the
whole I bless God for it. I think I have, if I can keep it, done myself a
great deal of repute. So by and by to bed.
13th. Up betimes to my office, where to fit myself for attending the
Parliament again, not to make any more speech, which, while my fame is
good, I will avoid, for fear of losing it; but only to answer to what
objections will be made against us. Thence walked to the Old Swan and
drank at Michell's, whose house is going up apace. Here I saw Betty, but
could not baiser la, and so to Westminster, there to the Hall, where up to
my cozen Roger Pepys at the Parliament door, and there he took me aside,
and told me how he was taken up by one of the House yesterday, for moving
for going on with the King's supply of money, without regard to the
keeping pace therewith, with the looking into miscarriages, and was told
by this man privately that it did arise because that he had a kinsman
concerned therein; and therefore he would prefer the safety of his kinsman
to the good of the nation, and that there was great things against us and
against me, for all my fine discourse the other day. But I did bid him be
at no pain for me; for I knew of nothing but what I was very well prepared
to answer; and so I think I am, and therefore was not at all disquieted by
this. Thence he to the House, and I to the Hall, where my Lord Brouncker
and the rest waiting till noon and not called for by the House, they being
upon the business of money again, and at noon all of us to Chatelin's, the
French house in Covent Garden, to dinner--Brouncker, J. Minnes, W. Pen, T.
Harvey, and myself--and there had a dinner cost us 8s. 6d. a-piece, a
damned base dinner, which did not please us at all, so that I am not fond
of this house at all, but do rather choose the Beare. After dinner to
White Hall to the Duke of York, and there did our usual business,
complaining of our standing still in every-respect for want of money, but
no remedy propounded, but so I must still be. Thence with our company to
the King's playhouse, where I left them, and I, my head being full of
to-morrow's dinner, I to my Lord Crew's, there to invite Sir Thomas Crew;
and there met with my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady, the first time I
spoke to her. I saluted her; and she mighty civil and; with my Lady
Jemimah, do all resolve to be very merry to-morrow at my house. My Lady
Hinchingbroke I cannot say is a beauty, nor ugly; but is altogether a
comely lady enough, and seems very good-humoured, and I mighty glad of the
occasion of seeing her before to-morrow. Thence home; and there find one
laying of my napkins against tomorrow in figures of all sorts, which is
mighty pretty; and, it seems, it is his trade, and he gets much money by
it; and do now and then furnish tables with plate and linnen for a feast
at so much, which is mighty pretty, and a trade I could not have thought
of. I find my wife upon the bed not over well, her breast being broke out
with heat, which troubles her, but I hope it will be for her good. Thence
I to Mrs. Turner, and did get her to go along with me to the French
pewterer's, and there did buy some new pewter against to-morrow; and
thence to White Hall, to have got a cook of her acquaintance, the best in
England, as she says. But after we had with much ado found him, he could
not come, nor was Mr. Gentleman in town, whom next I would have had, nor
would Mrs. Stone let her man Lewis come, whom this man recommended to me;
so that I was at a mighty loss what in the world to do for a cooke,
Philips being out of town. Therefore, after staying here at Westminster a
great while, we back to London, and there to Philips's, and his man
directed us to Mr. Levett's, who could not come, and he sent to two more,
and they could not; so that, at last, Levett as a great kindness did
resolve he would leave his business and come himself, which set me in
great ease in my mind, and so home, and there with my wife setting all
things in order against to-morrow, having seen Mrs. Turner at home, and so
late to bed.
14th. Up very betimes, and with Jane to Levett's, there to conclude upon
our dinner; and thence to the pewterer's, to buy a pewter sesterne,
[A pewter cistern was formerly part of the furniture of a well-
appointed dining-room; the plates were rinsed in it, when necessary,
during the meal. A magnificent silver cistern is still preserved in
the dining-room at Burghley House, the seat of the Marquis of
Exeter. It is said to be the largest piece of plate in England, and
was once the subject of a curious wager.--B.]
which I have ever hitherto been without, and so up and down upon several
occasions to set matters in order, and that being done I out of doors to
Westminster Hall, and there met my Lord Brouncker, who tells me that our
business is put off till Monday, and so I was mighty glad that I was eased
of my attendance here, and of any occasion that might put me out of
humour, as it is likely if we had been called before the Parliament.
Therefore, after having spoke with Mr. Godolphin and cozen Roger, I away
home, and there do find everything in mighty good order, only my wife not
dressed, which troubles me. Anon comes my company, viz., my Lord
Hinchingbroke and his lady, Sir Philip Carteret and his, lady, Godolphin
and my cozen Roger, and Creed: and mighty merry; and by and by to dinner,
which was very good and plentifull: (I should have said, and Mr. George
Montagu), who come at a very little warning, which was exceeding kind of
him. And there, among other things, my Lord had Sir Samuel Morland's late
invention for casting up of sums of L. s. d.;
[The same as Morland's so-called calculating machine. Sir Samuel
published in 1673 "The Description and Use of two Arithmetick
Instruments, together with a short Treatise of Arithmetic, as
likewise a Perpetual Almanack and severall useful tables."]
which is very pretty, but not very useful. Most of our discourse was of
my Lord Sandwich and his family, as being all of us of the family; and
with extraordinary pleasure all the afternoon, thus together eating and
looking over my closet: and my Lady Hinchingbroke I find a very
sweet-natured and well-disposed lady, a lover of books and pictures, and
of good understanding. About five o'clock they went; and then my wife and
I abroad by coach into Moorefields, only for a little ayre, and so home
again, staying no where, and then up to her chamber, there to talk with
pleasure of this day's passages, and so to bed. This day I had the
welcome news of our prize being come safe from Holland, so as I shall have
hopes, I hope, of getting my money of my Lady Batten, or good part of it.
15th (Lord's day). Up and walked, it being fine dry weather, to Sir W.
Coventry's, overtaking my boy Ely (that was), and he walked with me, being
grown a man, and I think a sober fellow. He parted at Charing Cross, and
I to Sir W. Coventry's, and there talked with him about the Commissioners
of Accounts, who did give in their report yesterday to the House, and do
lay little upon us as aggravate any thing at present, but only do give an
account of the dissatisfactory account they receive from Sir G. Carteret,
which I am sorry for, they saying that he tells them not any time when he
paid any sum, which is fit for them to know for the computing of interest,
but I fear he is hardly able to tell it. They promise to give them an
account of the embezzlement of prizes, wherein I shall be something
concerned, but nothing that I am afeard of, I thank God. Thence walked
with W. Coventry into the Park, and there met the King and the Duke of
York, and walked a good while with them: and here met Sir Jer. Smith, who
tells me he is like to get the better of Holmes, and that when he is come
to an end of that, he will do Hollis's business for him, in the House, for
his blasphemies, which I shall be glad of. So to White Hall, and there
walked with this man and that man till chapel done, and, the King dined
and then Sir Thomas Clifford, the Comptroller, took me with him to dinner
to his lodgings, where my Lord Arlington and a great deal of good and
great company; where I very civilly used by them, and had a most excellent
dinner: and good discourse of Spain, Mr. Godolphin being there;
particularly of the removal of the bodies of all the dead Kings of Spain
that could be got together, and brought to the Pantheon at the Escuriall,
when it was finished, and there placed before the altar, there to lie for
ever; and there was a sermon made to them upon this text, "Arida ossa,
audite verbum Dei;" and a most eloquent sermon, as they say, who say they
have read it. After dinner, away hence, and I to Mrs. Martin's, and there
spent the afternoon, and did hazer con elle, and here was her sister and
Mrs. Burrows, and so in the evening got a coach and home, and there find
Mr. Pelting and W. Hewer, and there talked and supped, Pelting being gone,
and mightily pleased with a picture that W. Hewer brought hither of
several things painted upon a deale board, which board is so well painted
that in my whole life I never was so well pleased or surprized with any
picture, and so troubled that so good pictures should be painted upon a
piece of bad deale. Even after I knew that it was not board, but only the
picture of a board, I could not remove my fancy. After supper to bed,
being very sleepy, and, I bless God, my mind being at very good present
rest.
16th. Up, to set my papers and books in order, and put up my plate since
my late feast, and then to Westminster, by water, with Mr. Hater, and
there, in the Hall, did walk all the morning, talking with one or other,
expecting to have our business in the House; but did now a third time wait
to no purpose, they being all this morning upon the business of Barker's
petition about the making void the Act of Settlement in Ireland, which
makes a great deal of hot work: and, at last, finding that by all men's
opinion they could not come to our matter today, I with Sir W. Pen home,
and there to dinner, where I find, by Willet's crying, that her mistress
had been angry with her: but I would take no notice of it. Busy all the
afternoon at the office, and then by coach to the Excize Office, but lost
my labour, there being nobody there, and so back again home, and after a
little at the office I home, and there spent the evening with my wife
talking and singing, and so to bed with my mind pretty well at ease. This
evening W. Pen and Sir R. Ford and I met at the first's house to talk of
our prize that is now at last come safe over from Holland, by which I hope
to receive some if not all the benefit of my bargain with W. Batten for my
share in it, which if she had miscarried I should have doubted of my Lady
Batten being left little able to have paid me.
17th. Up betimes and to the office, where all the morning busy, and then
at noon home to dinner, and so again to the office awhile, and then abroad
to the Excize-Office, where I met Mr. Ball, and did receive the paper I
went for; and there fell in talk with him, who, being an old cavalier, do
swear and curse at the present state of things, that we should be brought
to this, that we must be undone and cannot be saved; that the Parliament
is sitting now, and will till midnight, to find how to raise this
L300,000, and he doubts they will not do it so as to be seasonable for the
King: but do cry out against our great men at Court; how it is a fine
thing for a Secretary of State to dance a jigg, and that it was not so
heretofore; and, above all, do curse my Lord of Bristoll, saying the worst
news that ever he heard in his life, or that the Devil could ever bring
us, was this Lord's coming to prayers the other day in the House of Lords,
by which he is coming about again from being a Papist, which will undo
this nation; and he says he ever did say, at the King's first coming in,
that this nation could not be safe while that man was alive. Having done
there, I away towards Westminster, but seeing by the coaches the House to
be up, I stopped at the 'Change (where, I met Mrs. Turner, and did give
her a pair of gloves), and there bought several things for my wife, and so
to my bookseller's, and there looked for Montaigne's Essays,
[This must have been Florio's translation, as Cotton's was not
published until 1685.]
which I heard by my Lord Arlington and Lord Blaney so much commended, and
intend to buy it, but did not now, but home, where at the office did some
business, as much as my eyes would give leave, and so home to supper,
Mercer with us talking and singing, and so to bed. The House, I hear,
have this day concluded upon raising L100,000 of the L300,000 by wine, and
the rest by a poll-[tax], and have resolved to excuse the Church, in
expectation that they will do the more of themselves at this juncture; and
I do hear that Sir W. Coventry did make a speech in behalf of the Clergy.
18th. Up betimes to Westminster, where met with cozen Roger and Creed and
walked with them, and Roger do still continue of the mind that there is no
other way of saving this nation but by dissolving this Parliament and
calling another; but there are so many about the King that will not be
able to stand, if a new Parliament come, that they will not persuade the
King to it. I spent most of the morning walking with one or other, and
anon met Doll Lane at the Dog tavern, and there je did hater what I did
desire with her . . . and I did give her as being my valentine 20s. to
buy what elle would. Thence away by coach to my bookseller's, and to
several places to pay my debts, and to Ducke Lane, and there bought
Montaigne's Essays, in English, and so away home to dinner, and after
dinner with W. Pen to White Hall, where we and my Lord Brouncker attended
the Council, to discourse about the fitness of entering of men presently
for the manning of the fleete, before one ship is in condition to receive
them. W. Coventry did argue against it: I was wholly silent, because I
saw the King, upon the earnestness of the Prince, was willing to it,
crying very sillily, "If ever you intend to man the fleete, without being
cheated by the captains and pursers, you may go to bed, and resolve never
to have it manned;" and so it was, like other things, over-ruled that all
volunteers should be presently entered. Then there was another great
business about our signing of certificates to the Exchequer for [prize]
goods, upon the L1,20,000 Act, which the Commissioners of the Treasury did
all oppose, and to the laying fault upon us. But I did then speak to the
justifying what we had done, even to the angering of Duncomb and Clifford,
which I was vexed at: but, for all that, I did set the Office and myself
right, and went away with the victory, my Lord Keeper saying that he would
not advise the Council to order us to sign no more certificates. But,
before I began to say anything in this matter, the King and the Duke of
York talking at the Council-table, before all the Lords, of the Committee
of Miscarriages, how this entering of men before the ships could be ready
would be reckoned a miscarriage; "Why," says the King, "it is then but Mr.
Pepys making of another speech to them;" which made all the Lords, and
there were by also the Atturny and Sollicitor-Generall, look upon me.
Thence Sir W. Coventry, W. Pen and I, by hackney-coach to take a little
ayre in Hyde Parke, the first time I have been there this year; and we did
meet many coaches going and coming, it being mighty pleasant weather; and
so, coming back again, I 'light in the Pell Mell; and there went to see
Sir H. Cholmly, who continues very ill of his cold. And there come in Sir
H. Yelverton, whom Sir H. Cholmly commended me to his acquaintance, which
the other received, but without remembering to me, or I him, of our being
school-fellows together; and I said nothing of it. But he took notice of
my speech the other day at the bar of the House; and indeed I perceive he
is a wise man by his manner of discourse, and here he do say that the town
is full of it, that now the Parliament hath resolved upon L300,000, the
King, instead of fifty, will set out but twenty-five ships, and the Dutch
as many; and that Smith is to command them, who is allowed to have the
better of Holmes in the late dispute, and is in good esteem in the
Parliament, above the other. Thence home, and there, in favour to my eyes,
stayed at home, reading the ridiculous History of my Lord Newcastle, wrote
by his wife, which shews her to be a mad, conceited, ridiculous woman, and
he an asse to suffer her to write what she writes to him, and of him.
["The Life of the thrice noble, high, and puissant Prince, William
Cavendish, Duke . . . of Newcastle," by his duchess, of which the
first edition, in folio, was published in 1667.]
Betty Turner sent my wife the book to read, and it being a fair print, to
ease my eyes, which would be reading, I read that. Anon comes Mrs. Turner
and sat and talked with us, and most about the business of Ackworth,
[William Acworth, storekeeper at Woolwich, was accused of converting
stores to his own use (see "Calendar of State Papers," 1667-68, p.
279).]
which comes before us to-morrow, that I would favour it, but I do not
think, notwithstanding all the friendship I can shew him, that he can
escape, and therefore it had been better that he had followed the advice I
sent him the other day by Mrs. Turner, to make up the business. So
parted, and I to bed, my eyes being very bad; and I know not how in the
world to abstain from reading.
19th. Up, and betimes to the Old Swan, and by water to White Hall, and
thence to W. Coventry's, where stayed but a little to talk with him, and
thence by water back again, it being a mighty fine, clear spring morning.
Back to the Old Swan, and drank at Michell's, whose house goes up apace,
but I could not see Betty, and thence walked all along Thames Street,
which I have not done since it was burned, as far as Billingsgate; and
there do see a brave street likely to be, many brave houses being built,
and of them a great many by Mr. Jaggard; but the raising of the street
will make it mighty fine. So to the office, where busy all the morning.
At noon home to dinner, and thence to the office, very busy till five
o'clock, and then to ease my eyes I took my wife out and Deb. to the
'Change, and there bought them some things, and so home again and to the
office, ended my letters, and so home to read a little more in last
night's book, with much sport, it being a foolish book, and so to supper
and to bed. This afternoon I was surprized with a letter without a name
to it, very well writ, in a good stile, giving me notice of my cozen Kate
Joyce's being likely to ruin herself by marriage, and by ill reports
already abroad of her, and I do fear that this keeping of an inne may
spoil her, being a young and pretty comely woman, and thought to be left
well. I did answer the letter with thanks and good liking, and am
resolved to take the advice he gives me, and go see her, and find out what
I can: but if she will ruin herself, I cannot help it, though I should be
troubled for it.