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.
APRIL & MAY
1669
April 1st. Up, and with Colonel Middleton, at the desire of Rear-Admiral
Kempthorne, the President, for our assisting them, to the Court-martiall
on board a yacht in the River here, to try the business of the Purser's
complaints, Baker against Trevanion, his Commander, of "The Dartmouth."
But, Lord! to see what wretched doings there were among all the Commanders
to ruin the Purser, and defend the Captain in all his rogueries, be it to
the prejudice of the King or Purser, no good man could bear! I confess I
was pretty high, which did not at least the young gentlemen Commander
like; and Middleton did the like. But could not bring it to any issue
this day, sitting till two o'clock; and therefore we being sent for, went
to Sir W. Pen's by invitation to dine; where my wife was, and my Lord
Brouncker and his mistress, and Sir J. Minnes and his niece; and here a
bad dinner, and little mirth, I being little pleased with my host.
However, I made myself sociable; and so, after dinner, my wife and I, with
my Lord Brouncker and his mistress, they set us down at my cozen Turner's,
and there we staid awhile and talked; and particularly here we met with
Dr. Ball, the Parson of the Temple, who did tell me a great many pretty
stories about the manner of the Parsons being paid for their preaching at
Paul's heretofore, and now, and the ground of the Lecture, and heretofore
the names of the founders thereof, which were many, at some 5s., some 6s.
per annum towards it: and had their names read in the pulpit every sermon
among those holy persons that the Church do order a collect for, giving
God thanks for. By and by comes by my desire Commissioner Middleton's
coach and horses for us, and we went with it towards the Park, thinking to
have met The. Turner and Betty, but did not; so turned back again to their
lodging, and there found them and Mr. Batelier, and there, after a little
talk, we took leave, and carry Batelier home with us. So to supper, and
so to bed.
2nd. Up, and by water to White Hall, and there with the Office attended
the Duke of York, and staid in White Hall till about noon, and so with W.
Hewer to the Cocke, and there he and I dined alone with great content, he
reading to me, for my memory's sake, my late collections of the history of
the Navy, that I might represent the same by and by to the Duke of York;
and so, after dinner, he and I to White Hall, and there to the Duke of
York's lodgings, whither he, by and by, by his appointment come: and alone
with him an hour in his closet, telling him mine and W. Coventry's advice
touching the present posture of the Navy, as the Duke of Buckingham and
the rest do now labour to make changes therein; and that it were best for
him to suffer the King to be satisfied with the bringing in of a man or
two which they desire. I did also give the Duke of York a short account
of the history of the Navy, as to our Office, wherewith he was very well
satisfied: but I do find that he is pretty stiff against their bringing in
of men against his mind, as the Treasures were, and particularly against
Child's' coming in, because he is a merchant. After much discourse with
him, we parted; and [he to] the Council, while I staid waiting for his
telling me when I should be ready to give him a written account of the
administration of the Navy. This caused me to wait the whole afternoon,
till night. In the mean time, stepping to the Duchess of York's side to
speak with Lady Peterborough; I did see the young Duchess,
[The Princess Mary, afterwards Queen of England.]
a little child in hanging sleeves; dance most finely, so as almost to
ravish me, her ears were so good: taught by a Frenchman that did
heretofore teach the King, and all the King's children, and the
Queen-Mother herself, who do still dance well. Thence to the council door
and Mr. Chevins took me into the back stairs, and they with his friend,
Mr. Fowkes, for whom he is very solicitous in some things depending in
this Office, he did make me, with some others that he took in (among
others, Alderman Back well), eat a pickled herring, the largest I ever
saw, and drink variety of wines till I was almost merry; but I did keep in
good tune; and so, after the Council was up, I home; and there find my
wife not yet come home from Deptford, he she hath been all this day to see
her mother, but she come and by, and so to talk, and supper, and to bed.
This night I did bring home from the King's potticary's, in White Hall by
Mr. Cooling's direction, a water that he says did him mighty good for his
eyes. I pray God it may do me good; but, by his description, his disease
was the same as mine, and this do encourage me to use it.
3rd. Up, and to the Council of War again, with Middleton: but the
proceedings of the Commanders so devilishly bad, and so professedly
partial to the Captain, that I could endure it no longer, but took
occasion to pretend business at the Office, and away, and Colonel
Middleton with me, who was of the same mind, and resolved to declare our
minds freely to the Duke of York about it. So to the office, where we sat
all the morning. Then home to dinner, and so back to the office, where
busy late till night, and so home to supper and to bed.
4th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where Alderman Backewell's wife, by
my invitation with my head, come up with her mother, and sat with us, and
after sermon I did walk with them home, and there left them, and home to
dinner, and after dinner with Sir J. Minnes and T. Middleton to White
Hall, by appointment; and at my Lord Arlington's the Office did attend the
King and Cabal, to discourse the further quantity of victuals fit to be
declared for, which was 2,000 men for six months; and so without more ado
or stay, there, hearing no news but that Sir Thomas Allen is to be
expected every hour at home with his fleete, or news of his being gone
back to Algier, and so home, where got my wife to read to me; and so after
supper to bed. The Queen-Mother hath been of late mighty ill, and some
fears of her death.
5th. Up, and by coach, it being very cold, to White Hall, expecting a
meeting of Tangier, but it did not. But, however, did wait there all the
morning, and, among other things, I spent a little time with Creed walking
in the garden, and talking about our Office, and Child's coming in to be a
Commissioner; and, being his friend, I did think he might do me a kindness
to learn of him what the Duke of Buckingham and the faction do design
touching me, and to instil good words concerning me, which he says, and I
believe he will: and it is but necessary; for I have not a mind indeed at
this time to be put out of my Office, if I can make any shift that is
honourable to keep it; but I will not do it by deserting the Duke of York.
At noon by appointment comes Mr. Sheres, and he and I to Unthanke's, where
my wife stays for us in our coach, and Betty Turner with her; and we to
the Mulberry Garden, where Sheres is to treat us with a Spanish Olio,
[An olio is a mixed dish of meat and vegetables, and, secondarily,
mixture or medley.]
by a cook of his acquaintance that is there, that was with my Lord in
Spain: and without any other company, he did do it, and mighty nobly; and
the Olio was indeed a very noble dish, such as I never saw better, or any
more of. This, and the discourse he did give us of Spain, and description
of the Escuriall, was a fine treat. So we left other good things, that
would keep till night, for a collation; and, with much content, took coach
again, and went five or six miles towards Branford, the Prince of Tuscany,
who comes into England only to spend money and see our country, comes into
the town to-day, and is much expected; and we met him, but the coach
passing by apace, we could not see much of him but he seems a very jolly
and good comely man. By the way, we overtook Captain Ferrers upon his
fine Spanish horse, and he is a fine horse indeed; but not so good, I
think, as I have seen some. He did ride by us most of the way, and with
us to the Park, and there left us, where we passed the evening, and
meeting The. Turner, Talbot, W. Batelier, and his sister, in a coach, we
anon took them with us to the Mulberry Garden; and there, after a walk, to
supper upon what was left at noon; and very good; only Mr. Sheres being
taken suddenly ill for a while, did spoil our mirth; but by and by was
well again, and we mighty merry: and so broke up, and left him at Charing
Cross, and so calling only at my cozen Turner's, away home, mightily
pleased with the day's work, and this day come another new mayd, for a
middle mayd, but her name I know not yet; and, for a cookmaid, we have,
ever since Bridget went, used a blackmoore of Mr. Batelier's, Doll, who
dresses our meat mighty well, and we mightily pleased with her. So by and
by to bed.
6th. Up, and to the Office, and thence to the Excise Office about some
business, and so back to the office and sat till late, end thence to Mr.
Batelier's to dinner, where my cozen Turner and both her daughters, and
Talbot Pepys and my wife, and a mighty fine dinner. They at dinner before
I come; and, when I had dined, I away home, and thence to White Hall,
where the Board waited on the Duke of York to discourse about the
disposing of Sir Thomas Allen's fleete, which is newly come home to
Portsmouth; and here Middleton and I did in plain terms acquaint the Duke
of York what we thought and had observed in the late Court-martiall, which
the Duke did give ear to; and though he thinks not fit to revoke what is
already done in this case by a Court-martiall, yet it shall bring forth
some good laws in the behaviour of Captains to their under Officers for
the time to come. Thence home, and there, after a while at the Office, I
home, and there come home my wife, who hath been with Batelier's late, and
been dancing with the company, at which I seemed a little troubled, not
being sent for thither myself, but I was not much so, but went to bed well
enough pleased.
7th. Up, and by coach to my cozen Turner's, and invited them to dine at
the Cocke to-day, with my wife and me; and so to the Lords of the
Treasury, where all the morning, and settled matters to their liking about
the assignments on the Customes, between the Navy Office and Victualler,
and to that end spent most of the morning there with D. Gawden, and thence
took him to the Cocke, and there left him and my clerk Gibson together
evening their reckonings, while I to the New Exchange to talk with Betty,
my little sempstress; and so to Mrs. Turner's, to call them to dinner, but
my wife not come, I back again, and was overtaken by a porter, with a
message from my wife that she was ill, and could not come to us: so I back
again to Mrs. Turner's, and find them gone; and so back again to the
Cocke, and there find Mr: Turner, Betty, and Talbot Pepys, and they dined
with myself Sir D. Gawden and Gibson, and mighty merry, this house being
famous for good meat, and particularly pease-porridge and after dinner
broke up, and they away; and I to the Council-Chamber, and there heard the
great complaint of the City, tried against the gentlemen of the Temple,
for the late riot, as they would have it, when my Lord Mayor was there.
But, upon hearing the whole business, the City was certainly to blame to
charge them in this manner as with a riot: but the King and Council did
forbear to determine any thing it, till the other business of the title
and privilege be decided which is now under dispute at law between them,
whether Temple be within the liberty of the City or no. But I, sorry to
see the City so ill advised as to complain in a thing where their proofs
were so weak. Thence to my cousin Turner's, and thence with her and her
daughters, and her sister Turner, I carrying Betty in my lap, to Talbot's
chamber at the Temple, where, by agreement, the poor rogue had a pretty
dish of anchovies and sweetmeats for them; and hither come Mr. Eden, who
was in his mistress's disfavour ever since the other night that he come in
thither fuddled, when we were there. But I did make them friends by my
buffoonery, and bringing up a way of spelling their names, and making
Theophila spell Lamton, which The. would have to be the name of Mr. Eden's
mistress, and mighty merry we were till late, and then I by coach home,
and so to bed, my wife being ill of those, but well enough pleased with my
being with them. This day I do hear that Betty Turner is to be left at
school at Hackney, which I am mightily pleased with; for then I shall, now
and then, see her. She is pretty, and a girl for that, and her relations,
I love.
8th. Up, and to White Hall, to the King's side, to find Sir T. Clifford,
where the Duke of York come and found me, which I was sorry for, for fear
he should think I was making friends on that side. But I did put it off
the best I could, my being there: and so, by and by, had opportunity alone
to shew Sir T. Clifford the fair account I had drawn up of the Customes,
which he liked, and seemed mightily pleased with me; and so away to the
Excise-Office, to do a little business there, and so to the Office, where
all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and then to the office again
till the evening, and then with my wife by coach to Islington, to pay what
we owe there, for the late dinner at Jane's wedding; and so round by
Kingsland and Hogsden home, pleased with my. wife's singing with me, by
the way, and so to the office again a little, and then home to supper and
to bed. Going this afternoon through Smithfield, I did see a coach run
over the coachman's neck, and stand upon it, and yet the man rose up, and
was well after it, which I thought a wonder.
9th. Up, and by water to White Hall, end there, with the Board, attended
the Duke of York, and Sir Thomas Allen with us (who come to town
yesterday); and it is resolved another fleete shall go to the Streights
forthwith, and he command it. But his coming home is mighty hardly talked
on by the merchants, for leaving their ships there to the mercy of the
Turks: but of this more in my White-Booke. Thence out, and slipped out by
water to Westminster Hall and there thought to have spoke with Mrs.
Martin, but she was not there, nor at home. So back again, and with W.
Hewer by coach home and to dinner, and then to the office, and out again
with W. Hewer to the Excise-Office, and to several places; among others,
to Mr. Faythorne's, to have seen an instrument which he was said to have,
for drawing perspectives, but he had it not: but here I did see his
work-house, and the best things of his doing he had by him, and so to
other places among others to Westminster Hall, and I took occasion to make
a step to Mrs. Martin's, the first time I have been with her since her
husband went last to sea, which is I think a year since . . . . But,
Lord! to hear how sillily she tells the story of her sister Doll's being
a widow and lately brought to bed; and her husband, one Rowland Powell,
drowned, sea with her husband, but by chance dead at sea, cast When God
knows she hath played the whore, and forced at this time after she was
brought to bed, this story. Thence calling at several places by the
home, and there to the office, and then home to supper and to bed.
10th. Up, and to the Excise-Office, and thence to White Hall a little,
and so back again to the 'Change, but nobody there, it being over, and so
walked home to dinner, and after dinner comes Mr. Seymour to visit me, a
talking fellow: but I hear by him that Captain Trevanion do give it out
every where, that I did overrule the whole Court-martiall against him, as
long as I was there; and perhaps I may receive, this time, some wrong by
it: but I care not, for what I did was out of my desire of doing justice.
So the office, where late, and then home to supper and to bed.
11th (Lord's day. Easter day). Up, and to Church; where Alderman
Backewell's wife, and mother, and boy, and another gentlewoman, did come,
and sit in our pew; but no women of our own there, and so there was room
enough. Our Parson made a dull sermon, and so home to dinner; and, after
dinner, my wife and I out by coach, and Balty with us, to Loton, the
landscape-drawer, a Dutchman, living in St. James's Market, but there saw
no good pictures. But by accident he did direct us to a painter that was
then in the house with him, a Dutchman, newly come over, one Evarelst, who
took us to his lodging close by, and did shew us a little flower-pot of
his doing, the finest thing that ever, I think, I saw in my life; the
drops of dew hanging on the leaves, so as I was forced, again and again,
to put my finger to it, to feel whether my eyes were deceived or no. He
do ask L70 for it: I had the vanity to bid him L20; but a better picture I
never saw in my whole life; and it is worth going twenty miles to see it.
Thence, leaving Balty there, I took my wife to St. James's, and there
carried her to the Queen's Chapel, the first time I ever did it; and heard
excellent musick, but not so good as by accident I did hear there
yesterday, as I went through the Park from White Hall to see Sir W.
Coventry, which I have forgot to set down in my journal yesterday. And
going out of the Chapel, I did see the Prince of Tuscany' come out, a
comely, black, fat man, in a mourning suit; and my wife and I did see him
this afternoon through a window in this Chapel. All that Sir W. Coventry
yesterday did tell me new was, that the King would not yet give him leave
to come to kiss his hand; and he do believe that he will not in a great
while do it, till those about him shall see fit, which I am sorry for.
Thence to the Park, my wife and I; and here Sir W. Coventry did first see
me and my wife in a coach of our own; and so did also this night the Duke
of York, who did eye my wife mightily. But I begin to doubt that my being
so much seen in my own coach at this time, may be observed to my
prejudice; but I must venture it now. So home, and by night home, and so
to my office, and there set down my journal, with the help of my left eye
through my tube, for fourteen days' past; which is so much, as, I hope, I
shall not run in arrear again, but the badness of my eyes do force me to
it. So home to supper and to bed.
12th. Up, and by water to White Hall, where I of the whole Office
attended the Duke of York at his meeting with Sir Thomas Allen and several
flag-officers, to consider of the manner of managing the war with Algiers;
and, it being a thing I was wholly silent in, I did only observe; and find
that; their manner of discourse on this weighty affair was very mean and
disorderly, the Duke of York himself being the man that I thought spoke
most to the purpose. Having done here, I up and down the house, talking
with this man and that, and: then meeting Mr. Sheres, took him to see the
fine flower-pot I saw yesterday, and did again offer L20 for it; but he
[Verelst] insists upon L50. Thence I took him to St. James's, but there
was no musique, but so walked to White Hall, and, by and by to my wife at
Unthanke's, and with her was Jane, and so to the Cocke, where they, and I,
and Sheres, and Tom dined, my wife having a great desire to eat of their
soup made of pease, and dined very well, and thence by water to the
Bear-Garden, and there happened to sit by Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is
still full of his vain-glorious and prophane talk. Here we saw a prize
fought between a soldier and country fellow, one Warrell, who promised the
least in his looks, and performed the most of valour in his boldness and
evenness of mind, and smiles in all he did, that ever I saw and we were
all both deceived and infinitely taken with him. He did soundly beat the
soldier, and cut him over the head. Thence back to White Hall, mightily
pleased, all of us, with this sight, and particularly this fellow, as a
most extraordinary man for his temper and evenness in fighting. And there
leaving Sheres, we by our own coach home, and after sitting an hour,
thrumming upon my viall, and singing, I to bed, and left my wife to do
something to a waistcoat and petticoat she is to wear to-morrow. This
evening, coming home, we overtook Alderman Backewell's coach and his lady,
and followed them to their house, and there made them the first visit,
where they received us with extraordinary civility, and owning the
obligation. But I do, contrary to my expectation, find her something a
proud and vain-glorious woman, in telling the number of her servants and
family and expences: he is also so, but he was ever of that strain. But
here he showed me the model of his houses that he is going to build in
Cornhill and Lumbard Street; but he hath purchased so much there, that it
looks like a little town, and must have cost him a great deal of money.
13th. Up, and at the Office a good while, and then, my wife going down
the River to spend the day with her mother at Deptford, I abroad, and
first to the milliner's in Fenchurch Street, over against Rawlinson's, and
there, meeting both him and her in the shop, I bought a pair of gloves,
and fell to talk, and found so much freedom that I stayed there the best
part of the morning till towards noon, with great pleasure, it being a
holiday, and then against my will away and to the 'Change, where I left W.
Hewer, and I by hackney-coach to the Spittle, and heard a piece of a dull
sermon to my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and thence saw them all take horse
and ride away, which I have not seen together many a-day; their wives also
went in their coaches; and, indeed, the sight was mighty pleasing. Thence
took occasion to go back to this milliner's [in Fenchurch Street], whose
name I now understand to be Clerke; and there, her husband inviting me up
to the balcony, to see the sight go by to dine at Clothworker's-Hall, I
did go up and there saw it go by: and then; there being a good piece of
cold roast beef upon the tables and one Margetts, a young merchant that
lodges there, and is likely to marry a sister of hers, I staid and eat,
and had much good conversation with her, who hath the vanity to talk of
her great friends and father, one Wingate, near Welling;, that hath been a
Parliament-man. Here also was Stapely: the rope-merchant, and dined with
us; and, after spending most of the afternoon also, I away home, and there
sent for W. Hewer, and he and I by water to White Hall to loop among other
things, for Mr. May, to unbespeak his dining with me to-morrow. But here
being in the court-yard, God would have it, I spied Deb., which made my
heart and head to work, and I presently could not refrain, but sent W.
Hewer away to look for Mr. Wren (W. Hewer, I perceive, did see her, but
whether he did see me see her I know not, or suspect my sending him away I
know not, but my heart could not hinder me), and I run after her and two
women and a man, more ordinary people, and she in her old clothes, and
after hunting a little, find them in the lobby of the chapel below stairs,
and there I observed she endeavoured to avoid me, but I did speak to her
and she to me, and did get her pour dire me ou she demeurs now, and did
charge her para say nothing of me that I had vu elle, which she did
promise, and so with my heart full of surprize and disorder I away, and
meeting with Sir H. Cholmley walked into the Park with him and back again,
looking to see if I could spy her again in the Park, but I could not. And
so back to White Hall, and then back to the Park with Mr. May, but could
see her, no more, and so with W. Hewer, who I doubt by my countenance
might see some disorder in me, we home by water, and there I find Talbot
Pepys, and Mrs. Turner, and Betty, come to invite us to dinner on
Thursday; and, after drinking, I saw them to the water-side, and so back
home through Crutched Friars, and there saw Mary Mercer, and put off my
hat to her, on the other side of the way, but it being a little darkish
she did not, I think, know me well, and so to my office to put my papers
in order, they having been removed for my closet to be made clean, and so
home to my wife, who is come home from Deptford. But, God forgive me, I
hardly know how to put on confidence enough to speak as innocent, having
had this passage to-day with Deb., though only, God knows, by accident.
But my great pain is lest God Almighty shall suffer me to find out this
girl, whom indeed I love, and with a bad amour, but I will pray to God to
give me grace to forbear it. So home to supper, where very sparing in my
discourse, not giving occasion of any enquiry where I have been to-day, or
what I have done, and so without any trouble to-night more than my fear,
we to bed.
14th. Up, and with W. Hewer to White Hall, and there I did speak with the
Duke of York, the Council sitting in the morning, and it was to direct me
to have my business ready of the Administration of the Office against
Saturday next, when the King would have a hearing of it. Thence home, W.
Hewer with me, and then out with my own coach to the Duke of York's
play-house, and there saw "The Impertinents," a play which pleases me well
still; but it is with great trouble that I now see a play, because of my
eyes, the light of the candles making it very troublesome to me. After
the play;: my wife and I towards the Park, but it being too late we to
Creed's, and there find him and her [his wife] together alone, in their
new house, where I never was before, they lodging before at the next door,
and a pretty house it is; but I do not see that they intend to keep any
coach. Here they treat us like strangers, quite according to the
fashion--nothing to drink or eat, which is a thing that will spoil our
ever having any acquaintance with them; for we do continue the old freedom
and kindness of England to all our friends. But they do here talk
mightily of my Lady Paulina making a very good end, and being mighty
religious in her lifetime; and hath left many good notes of sermons and
religion; wrote with her own hand, hand, which nobody ever knew of; which
I am glad of: but she was always a peevish lady. Thence home, and there
to talk and to supper and to bed, all being very safe as to my seeing of
poor Deb. yesterday.
15th. Up, and to the office, and thence before the office sat to the
Excise Office with W. Hewer, but found some occasion to go another way to
the Temple upon business, and I by Deb.'s direction did know whither in
Jewen Street to direct my hackney coachman, while I staid in the coach in
Aldgate Street, to go thither just to enquire whether Mrs. Hunt, her aunt,
was in town, who brought me word she was not; thought this was as much as
I could do at once, and therefore went away troubled through that I could
do no more but to the office I must go and did, and there all the morning,
but coming thither I find Bagwell's wife, who did give me a little note
into my hand, wherein I find her para invite me para meet her in
Moorfields this noon, where I might speak with her, and so after the
office was up, my wife being gone before by invitation to my cozen
Turner's to dine, I to the place, and there, after walking up and down by
the windmills, I did find her and talk with her, but it being holiday and
the place full of people, we parted, leaving further discourse and doing
to another time. Thence I away, and through Jewen Street, my mind, God
knows, running that way, but stopped not, but going down Holborne hill, by
the Conduit, I did see Deb. on foot going up the hill. I saw her, and she
me, but she made no stop, but seemed unwilling to speak to me; so I away
on, but then stopped and 'light, and after her and overtook her at the end
of Hosier lane in Smithfield, and without standing in the street desired
her to follow me, and I led her into a little blind alehouse within the
walls, and there she and I alone fell to talk and baiser la and toker su
mammailles, but she mighty coy, and I hope modest . . . . I did give
her in a paper 20s., and we did agree para meet again in the Hall at
Westminster on Monday next; and so giving me great hopes by her carriage
that she continues modest and honest, we did there part, she going home
and I to Mrs. Turner's, but when I come back to the place where I left my
coach it was gone, I having staid too long, which did trouble me to abuse
the poor fellow, so that taking another coach I did direct him to find out
the fellow and send him to me. At my cozen Turner's I find they are gone
all to dinner to Povy's, and thither I, and there they were all, and W.
Batelier and his sister, and had dined; but I had good things brought me,
and then all up and down the house, and mightily pleased to see the fine
rooms: but, the truth is, there are so many bad pictures, that to me make
the good ones lose much of the pleasure in seeing them. The. and Betty
Turner in new flowered tabby gowns, and so we were pretty merry, only my
fear upon me for what I had newly done, do keep my content in. So, about
five or six o'clock, away, and I took my wife and the two Bateliers, and
carried them homeward, and W. Batelier 'lighting, I carried the women
round by Islington, and so down Bishopsgate Street home, and there to talk
and sup, and then to bed.
16th. Up, and to my chamber, where with Mr. Gibson all the morning, and
there by noon did almost finish what I had to write about the
Administration of the Office to present to the Duke of York, and my wife
being gone abroad with W. Hewer, to see the new play to-day, at the Duke
of York's house, "Guzman," I dined alone with my people, and in the
afternoon away by coach to White Hall; and there the Office attended the
Duke of York; and being despatched pretty soon, and told that we should
not wait on the King, as intended, till Sunday, I thence presently to the
Duke of York's playhouse, and there, in the 18d. seat, did get room to see
almost three acts of the play; but it seemed to me but very ordinary.
After the play done, I into the pit, and there find my wife and W. Hewer;
and Sheres got to them, which, so jealous is my nature, did trouble me,
though my judgment tells me there is no hurt in it, on neither side; but
here I did meet with Shadwell, the poet, who, to my great wonder, do tell
me that my Lord of [Orrery] did write this play, trying what he could do
in comedy, since his heroique plays could do no more wonders. This do
trouble me; for it is as mean a thing, and so he says, as hath been upon
the stage a great while; and Harris, who hath no part in it, did come to
me, and told me in discourse that he was glad of it, it being a play that
will not take. Thence home, and to my business at the office, to finish
it, but was in great pain about yesterday still, lest my wife should have
sent her porter to enquire anything, though for my heart I cannot see it
possible how anything could be discovered of it, but yet such is fear as
to render me full of doubt and disgust. At night to supper and to bed.
17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon at home to
dinner, and there find Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, and he dined with us; and
there hearing that "The Alchymist" was acted, we did go, and took him with
us to the King's house; and it is still a good play, having not been acted
for two or three years before; but I do miss Clun, for the Doctor. But
more my eyes will not let me enjoy the pleasure I used to have in a play.
Thence with my wife in hackney to Sir W. Coventry's, who being gone to the
Park we drove after him, and there met him coming out, and followed him
home, and there sent my wife to Unthanke's while I spent on hour with him
reading over first my draught of the Administration of the Navy, which he
do like very well; and so fell to talk of other things, and among the rest
of the story of his late disgrace, and how basely and in what a mean
manner the Duke of Buckingham hath proceeded against him--not like a man
of honour. He tells me that the King will not give other answer about his
coming to kiss his hands, than "Not yet." But he says that this that he
desires, of kissing the King's hand, is only to show to the world that he
is not discontented, and not in any desire to come again into play, though
I do perceive that he speaks this with less earnestness than heretofore:
and this, it may be, is, from what he told me lately, that the King is
offended at what is talked, that he hath declared himself desirous not to
have to do with any employment more. But he do tell me that the leisure he
hath yet had do not at all begin to be burdensome to him, he knowing how
to spend his time with content to himself; and that he hopes shortly to
contract his expence, so as that he shall not be under any straits in that
respect neither; and so seems to be in very good condition of content.
Thence I away over the Park, it being now night, to White Hall, and there,
in the Duchess's chamber, do find the Duke of York; and, upon my offer to
speak with him, he did come to me, and withdrew to his closet, and there
did hear and approve my paper of the Administration of the Navy, only did
bid me alter these words, "upon the rupture between the late King and the
Parliament," to these, "the beginning of the late Rebellion;" giving it me
as but reason to shew that it was with the Rebellion that the Navy was put
by out of its old good course, into that of a Commission. Having done
this, we fell to other talk; he with great confidence telling me how
matters go among our adversaries, in reference to the Navy, and that he
thinks they do begin to flag; but then, beginning to talk in general of
the excellency of old constitutions, he did bring out of his cabinet, and
made me read it, an extract out of a book of my late Lord of
Northumberland's, so prophetic of the: business of Chatham, as is almost
miraculous. I did desire, and he did give it me to copy out, which
pleased me mightily, and so, it being late, I away and to my wife, and by
hackney; home, and there, my eyes being weary with reading so much: but
yet not so much as I was afeard they would, we home to supper and to bed.
18th (Lord's day). Up, and all the morning till 2 o'clock at my Office,
with Gibson and Tom, about drawing up fair my discourse of the
Administration of the Navy, and then, Mr. Spong being come to dine with
me, I in to dinner, and then out to my Office again, to examine the fair
draught; and so borrowing Sir J. Minnes's coach, he going with Colonel
Middleton, I to White Hall, where we all met and did sign it and then to
my Lord Arlington's, where the King, and the Duke of York, and Prince
Rupert, as also Ormond and the two Secretaries, with my Lord Ashly and Sir
T. Clifton was. And there, by and by, being called in, Mr. Williamson did
read over our paper, which was in a letter to the Duke of York, bound up
in a book with the Duke of York's Book of Instructions. He read it well;
and, after read, we were bid to withdraw, nothing being at all said to it.
And by and by we were called in again, and nothing said to that business;
but another begun, about the state of this year's action, and our wants of
money, as I had stated the same lately to our Treasurers; which I was bid,
and did largely, and with great content, open. And having so done, we all
withdrew, and left them to debate our supply of money; to which, being
called in, and referred to attend on the Lords of the Treasury, we all
departed. And I only staid in the House till the Council rose; and then
to the Duke of York, who in the Duchess's chamber come to me, and told me
that the book was there left with my Lord Arlington, for any of the Lords
to view that had a mind, and to prepare and present to the King what they
had to say in writing, to any part of it, which is all we can desire, and
so that rested. The Duke of York then went to other talk; and by and by
comes the Prince of Tuscany to visit him, and the Duchess; and I find that
he do still remain incognito, and so intends to do all the time he stays
here, for avoiding trouble to the King and himself, and expence also to
both. Thence I to White Hall Gate, thinking to have found Sir J. Minnes's
coach staying for me; but, not being there, and this being the first day
of rain we have had many a day, the streets being as dusty as in summer, I
forced to walk to my cozen Turner's, and there find my wife newly gone
home, which vexed me, and so I, having kissed and taken leave of Betty,
who goes to Putney to school to-morrow, I walked through the rain to the
Temple, and there, with much ado, got a coach, and so home, and there to
supper, and Pelling comes to us, and after much talk, we parted, and to
bed.
19th. Up, and with Tom (whom, with his wife, I, and my wife, had this
morning taken occasion to tell that I did intend to give him L40 for
himself, and L20 to his wife, towards their setting out in the world, and
that my wife would give her L20 more, that she might have as much to begin
with as he) by coach to White Hall, and there having set him work in the
Robe Chamber, to write something for me, I to Westminster Hall, and there
walked from 10 o'clock to past 12, expecting to have met Deb., but whether
she had been there before, and missing me went away, or is prevented in
coming, and hath no mind to come to me (the last whereof, as being most
pleasing, as shewing most modesty, I should be most glad of), I know not,
but she not then appearing, I being tired with walking went home, and my
wife being all day at Jane's, helping her, as she said, to cut out linen
and other things belonging to her new condition, I after dinner out again,
and, calling for my coach, which was at the coachmaker's, and hath been
for these two or three days, to be new painted, and the window-frames gilt
against May-day, went on with my hackney to White Hall, and thence by
water to Westminster Hall, and there did beckon to Doll Lane, now Mrs.
Powell, as she would have herself called, and went to her sister Martin's
lodgings, the first time I have been there these eight or ten months, I
think, and her sister being gone to Portsmouth to her Y husband, I did
stay and talk and drink with Doll . . . . So away:; and to White Hall,
and there took my own coach, which was now come, and so away home, and
there to do business, and my wife being come home we to talk and to sup,
there having been nothing yet like discovery in my wife of what hath
lately passed with me about Deb., and so with great content to bed
20th. Up; and to the Office, and my wife abroad with Mary Batelier, with
our own coach, but borrowed Sir J Minnes's coachman, that so our own might
stay at home, to attend at dinner; our family being mightily disordered by
our little boy's falling sick the last night; and we fear it will prove
the small-pox. At noon comes my guest, Mr. Hugh May, and with him Sir
Henry Capell, my old Lord Capel's son, and Mr. Parker; and I had a pretty
dinner for them; and both before and after dinner had excellent discourse;
and shewed them my closet and my Office, and the method of it to their
great content; and more extraordinary, manly discourse and opportunity of
shewing myself, and learning from others, I have not, in ordinary
discourse, had in my life, they being all persons of worth, but especially
Sir H. Capell, whose being a Parliament-man, and hearing my discourse in
the Parliament-house, hath, as May tells me, given him along desire to
know and discourse with me. In the afternoon we walked to the Old
Artillery-Ground' near the Spitalfields, where I never was before, but
now, by Captain Deane's invitation, did go to see his new gun tryed, this
being the place where the Officers of the Ordnance do try all their great
guns; and when we come, did find that the trial had been made; and they
going away with extraordinary report of the proof of his gun, which, from
the shortness and bigness, they do call Punchinello. But I desired
Colonel Legg to stay and give us a sight of her performance, which he did,
and there, in short, against a gun more than as long and as heavy again,
and charged with as much powder again, she carried the same bullet as
strong to the mark, and nearer and above the mark at a point blank than
theirs, and is more easily managed, and recoyles no more than that, which
is a thing so extraordinary as to be admired for the happiness of his
invention, and to the great regret of the old Gunners and Officers of the
Ordnance that were there, only Colonel Legg did do her much right in his
report of her. And so, having seen this great and first experiment, we
all parted, I seeing my guests into a hackney coach, and myself, with
Captain Deane, taking a hackney coach, did go out towards Bow, and went as
far as Stratford, and all the way talking of this invention, and he
offering me a third of the profit of the invention; which, for aught I
know, or do at present think, may prove matter considerable to us: for
either the King will give him a reward for it, if he keeps it to himself,
or he will give us a patent to make our profit of it: and no doubt but it
will be of profit to merchantmen and others, to have guns of the same
force at half the charge. This was our talk: and then to talk of other
things, of the Navy in general: and, among other things, he did tell me
that he do hear how the Duke of Buckingham hath a spite at me, which I
knew before, but value it not: and he tells me that Sir T. Allen is not my
friend; but for all this I am not much troubled, for I know myself so
usefull that, as I believe, they will not part with me; so I thank God my
condition is such that I can; retire, and be able to live with comfort,
though not with abundance. Thus we spent the evening with extraordinary
good discourse, to my great content, and so home to the Office, and there
did some business, and then home, where my wife do come home, and I vexed
at her staying out so late, but she tells me that she hath been at home
with M. Batelier a good while, so I made nothing of it, but to supper and
to bed.
21st. Up; and with my own coach as far as the Temple, and thence sent it
to my cozen Turner, who, to ease her own horses, that are going with her
out of town, do borrow mine to-day. So I to Auditor Wood's, and thereto
meet, and met my Lord Bellassis upon some business of his accounts, and
having done that did thence go to St. James's, and attended the Duke of
York a little, being the first time of my waiting on him at St. James's
this summer, whither he is now newly gone and thence walked to White Hall;
and so, by and by, to the Council-Chamber, and heard a remarkable cause
pleaded between the Farmers of the Excise of Wiltshire, in complaint
against the justices of Peace of Salisbury: and Sir H. Finch was for the
former. But, Lord! to see how he did with his admirable eloquence order
the matter, is not to be conceived almost: so pleasant a thing it is to
hear him plead. Then at noon by coach home, and thither by and by comes
cozen Turner, and The., and Joyce, in their riding-clod: they being come
from their lodgings to her husbands chamber, at the Temple, and there do
lie, and purpose to go out of town on Friday next; and here I had a good
dinner for them. After dinner by water to White Hall, where the Duke of
York did meet our Office, and went with us to the Lords Commissioners of
the Treasury; and there we did go over all the business of the state I had
drawn up, of this year's action and expence, which I did do to their
satisfaction, and convincing them of the necessity of providing more
money, if possible, for us. Thence the Duke of York being gone, I did
there stay walking with Sir H. Cholmly in the Court, talking of news;
where he told me, that now the great design of the Duke of Buckingham is
to prevent the meeting, since he cannot bring about with the King the
dissolving, of this Parliament, that the King may not need it; and
therefore my Lord St. Albans is hourly expected with great offers of a
million of money,--[From Louis XIV. See April 28th]--to buy our breach
with the Dutch: and this, they do think, may tempt the King to take the
money, and thereby be out of a necessity of calling the Parliament again,
which these people dare not suffer to meet again: but this he doubts, and
so do I, that it will be to the ruin of the nation if we fall out with
Holland. This we were discoursing when my boy comes to tell me that his
mistress was at the Gate with the coach, whither I went, and there find my
wife and the whole company. So she, and Mrs. Turner, and The., and
Talbot, in mine: and Joyce, W. Batelier, and I, in a hackney, to Hyde
Park, where I was ashamed to be seen; but mightily pleased, though
troubled, with a drunken coachman that did not remember when we come to
'light, where it was that he took us up; but said at Hammersmith, and
thither he was carrying of us when we come first out of the Park. So I
carried them all to Hercules-Pillars, and there did treat them: and so,
about ten at night, parted, and my wife, and I, and W. Batelier, home; and
he gone, we to bed.
22nd. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning. At noon home to
dinner, and Captain Deane with us; and very good discourse, and
particularly about my getting a book for him to draw up his whole theory
of shipping, which, at my desire, he hath gone far in, and hath shewn me
what he hath done therein, to admiration. I did give him a Parallelogram,
which he is mightily taken with; and so after dinner to the Office, where
all the afternoon till night late, and then home. Vexed at my wife's not
being come home, she being gone again abroad with M. Batelier, and come
not home till ten at night, which vexed me, so that I to bed, and lay in
pain awake till past one, and then to sleep.
23rd. Going to rise, without saying anything, my wife stopped me; and,
after a little angry talk, did tell me how she spent all day yesterday
with M. Batelier and her sweetheart, and seeing a play at the New Nursery,
which is set up at the house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, which was formerly
the King's house. So that I was mightily pleased again, and rose a with
great content; and so by water to White Hall, and there to the
Council-Chamber, and heard two or three causes: among others, that of the
complaint of Sir Philip Howard and Watson, the inventors, as they pretend,
of the business of varnishing and lackerworke, against the Company of
Painters, who take upon them to do the same thing; where I saw a great
instance of the weakness of a young Counsel not used to such an audience,
against the Solicitor-General and two more able Counsel used to it.
Though he had the right of, his side, and did prevail for what he
pretended to against the rest, yet it was with much disadvantage and
hazard. Here, also I heard Mr. Papillion' make his defence to the King,
against some complaints of the Farmers of Excise; but it was so weak, and
done only by his own seeking, that it was to his injury more than profit,
and made his case the worse, being ill managed, and in a cause against the
King. Thence at noon, the Council rising, I to Unthanke's, and there by
agreement met my wife, and with her to the Cocke, and did give her a
dinner, but yet both of us but in an ill humour, whatever was the matter
with her, but thence to the King's playhouse, and saw "The Generous
Portugalls," a play that pleases me better and better every time we see
it; and, I thank God! it did not trouble my eyes so much as I was afeard
it would. Here, by accident, we met Mr. Sheres, and yet I could not but
be troubled, because my wife do so delight to talk of him, and to see him.
Nevertheless, we took him with us to our mercer's, and to the Exchange,
and he helped me to choose a summer-suit of coloured camelott, coat and
breeches, and a flowered tabby vest very rich; and so home, where he took
his leave, and down to Greenwich, where he hath some friends; and I to see
Colonel Middleton, who hath been ill for a day or two, or three; and so
home to supper, and to bed.
24th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home to
dinner, Mr. Sheres dining with us by agreement; and my wife, which
troubled me, mighty careful to have a handsome dinner for him; but yet I
see no reason to be troubled at it, he being a very civil and worthy man,
I think; but only it do seem to imply some little neglect of me. After
dinner to the King's house, and there saw "The General" revived--a good
play, that pleases me well, and thence, our coach coming for us, we parted
and home, and I busy late at the office, and then home to supper and to
bed. Well pleased to-night to have Lead, the vizard-maker, bring me home
my vizard, with a tube fastened in it, which, I think, will do my
business, at least in a great measure, for the easing of my eyes.