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
1667
April 1st. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes in his coach, set him down at the
Treasurer's Office in Broad-streete, and I in his coach to White Hall, and
there had the good fortune to walk with Sir W. Coventry into the garden,
and there read our melancholy letter to the Duke of York, which he likes.
And so to talk: and he flatly owns that we must have a peace, for we
cannot set out a fleete; and, to use his own words, he fears that we shall
soon have enough of fighting in this new way, which we have thought on for
this year. He bemoans the want of money, and discovers himself jealous
that Sir G. Carteret do not look after, or concern himself for getting,
money as he used to do, and did say it is true if Sir G. Carteret would
only do his work, and my Lord Treasurer would do his own, Sir G. Carteret
hath nothing to do to look after money, but if he will undertake my Lord
Treasurer's work to raise money of the Bankers, then people must expect
that he will do it, and did further say, that he [Carteret] and my Lord
Chancellor do at this very day labour all they can to villify this new way
of raising money, and making it payable, as it now is, into the Exchequer;
and expressly said that in pursuance hereof, my Lord Chancellor hath
prevailed with the King, in the close of his last speech to the House, to
say, that he did hope to see them come to give money as it used to be
given, without so many provisos, meaning, as Sir W. Coventry says, this
new method of the Act. While we were talking, there come Sir Thomas Allen
with two ladies; one of which was Mrs. Rebecca Allen, that I knew
heretofore, the clerk of the rope-yard's daughter at Chatham, who, poor
heart! come to desire favour for her husband, who is clapt up, being a
Lieutenant [Jowles], for sending a challenge to his Captain, in the most
saucy, base language that could be writ. I perceive [Sir] W. Coventry is
wholly resolved to bring him to punishment; for, "bear with this," says
he, "and no discipline shall ever be expected." She in this sad condition
took no notice of me, nor I of her. So away we to the Duke of York, and
there in his closett [Sir] W. Coventry and I delivered the letter, which
the Duke of York made not much of, I thought, as to laying it to heart, as
the matter deserved, but did promise to look after the getting of money
for us, and I believe Sir W. Coventry will add what force he can to it. I
did speak to [Sir] W. Coventry about Balty's warrant, which is ready, and
about being Deputy Treasurer, which he very readily and friendlily agreed
to, at which I was glad, and so away and by coach back to Broad-streete to
Sir G. Carteret's, and there found my brother passing his accounts, which
I helped till dinner, and dined there, and many good stories at dinner,
among others about discoveries of murder, and Sir J. Minnes did tell of
the discovery of his own great-grandfather's murder, fifteen years after
he was murdered. Thence, after dinner, home and by water to Redriffe, and
walked (fine weather) to Deptford, and there did business and so back
again, walked, and pleased with a jolly femme that I saw going and coming
in the way, which je could avoir been contented pour avoir staid with if I
could have gained acquaintance con elle, but at such times as these I am
at a great loss, having not confidence, no alcune ready wit. So home and
to the office, where late, and then home to supper and bed. This evening
Mrs. Turner come to my office, and did walk an hour with me in the garden,
telling me stories how Sir Edward Spragge hath lately made love to our
neighbour, a widow, Mrs. Hollworthy, who is a woman of estate, and wit and
spirit, and do contemn him the most, and sent him away with the greatest
scorn in the world; she tells me also odd stories how the parish talks of
Sir W. Pen's family, how poorly they clothe their daughter so soon after
marriage, and do say that Mr. Lowther was married once before, and some
such thing there hath been, whatever the bottom of it is. But to think of
the clatter they make with his coach, and his owne fine cloathes, and yet
how meanly they live within doors, and nastily, and borrowing everything
of neighbours is a most shitten thing.
2nd. Up, and to the office, where all the morning sitting, and much
troubled, but little business done for want of money, which makes me
mighty melancholy. At noon home to dinner, and Mr. Deane with me, who
hath promised me a very fine draught of the Rupert, which he will make
purposely for me with great perfection, which I will make one of the
beautifullest things that ever was seen of the kind in the world, she
being a ship that will deserve it. Then to the office, where all the
afternoon very busy, and in the evening weary home and there to sing, but
vexed with the unreadiness of the girle's voice to learn the latter part
of my song, though I confess it is very hard, half notes. So to supper
and to bed.
3rd. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall to Sir W. Coventry's
chamber, and there did receive the Duke's order for Balty's receiving of
the contingent money to be paymaster of it, and it pleases me the more for
that it is but L1500, which will be but a little sum for to try his
ability and honesty in the disposing of, and so I am the willinger to
trust and pass my word for him therein. By and by up to the Duke of York,
where our usual business, and among other things I read two most dismal
letters of the straits we are in (from Collonell Middleton and
Commissioner Taylor) that ever were writ in the world, so as the Duke of
York would have them to shew the King, and to every demand of money,
whereof we proposed many and very pressing ones, Sir G. Carteret could
make no answer but no money, which I confess made me almost ready to cry
for sorrow and vexation, but that which was the most considerable was when
Sir G. Carteret did say that he had no funds to raise money on; and being
asked by Sir W. Coventry whether the eleven months' tax was not a fund,
and he answered, "No, that the bankers would not lend money upon it."
Then Sir W. Coventry burst out and said he did supplicate his Royal
Highness, and would do the same to the King, that he would remember who
they were that did persuade the King from parting with the Chimney-money
to the Parliament, and taking that in lieu which they would certainly have
given, and which would have raised infallibly ready money; meaning the
bankers and the farmers of the Chimney-money, whereof Sir, G. Carteret, I
think, is one; saying plainly, that whoever did advise the King to that,
did, as much as in them lay, cut the King's throat, and did wholly betray
him; to which the Duke of York did assent; and remembered that the King
did say again and again at the time, that he was assured, and did fully
believe, the money would be raised presently upon a land-tax. This put as
all into a stound; and Sir W. Coventry went on to declare, that he was
glad he was come to have so lately concern in the Navy as he hath, for he
cannot now give any good account of the Navy business; and that all his
work now was to be able to provide such orders as would justify his Royal
Highness in the business, when it shall be called to account; and that he
do do, not concerning himself whether they are or can be performed, or no;
and that when it comes to be examined, and falls on my Lord Treasurer, he
cannot help it, whatever the issue of it shall be. Hereupon Sir W. Batten
did pray him to keep also by him all our letters that come from the office
that may justify us, which he says he do do, and, God knows, it is an ill
sign when we are once to come to study how to excuse ourselves. It is a
sad consideration, and therewith we broke up, all in a sad posture, the
most that ever I saw in my life. One thing more Sir W. Coventry did say to
the Duke of York, when I moved again, that of about L9000 debt to Lanyon,
at Plymouth, he might pay L3700 worth of prize-goods, that he bought
lately at the candle, out of this debt due to him from the King; and the
Duke of York, and Sir G: Carteret, and Lord Barkeley, saying, all of them,
that my Lord Ashly would not be got to yield to it, who is Treasurer of
the Prizes, Sir W. Coventry did plainly desire that it might be declared
whether the proceeds of the prizes were to go to the helping on of the
war, or no; and, if it were, how then could this be denied? which put them
all into another stound; and it is true, God forgive us! Thence to the
chappell, and there, by chance, hear that Dr. Crew is to preach; and so
into the organ-loft, where I met Mr. Carteret, and my Lady Jemimah, and
Sir Thomas Crew's two daughters, and Dr. Childe played; and Dr. Crew did
make a very pretty, neat, sober, honest sermon; and delivered it very
readily, decently, and gravely, beyond his years: so as I was exceedingly
taken with it, and I believe the whole chappell, he being but young; but
his manner of his delivery I do like exceedingly. His text was, "But
seeke ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto you." Thence with my Lady to Sir G. Carteret's
lodgings, and so up into the house, and there do hear that the Dutch
letters are come, and say that the Dutch have ordered a passe to be sent
for our Commissioners, and that it is now upon the way, coming with a
trumpeter blinded, as is usual. But I perceive every body begins to doubt
the success of the treaty, all their hopes being only that if it can be
had on any terms, the Chancellor will have it; for he dare not come before
a Parliament, nor a great many more of the courtiers, and the King himself
do declare he do not desire it, nor intend it but on a strait; which God
defend him from! Here I hear how the King is not so well pleased of this
marriage between the Duke of Richmond and Mrs. Stewart, as is talked; and
that he [the Duke] by a wile did fetch her to the Beare, at the
Bridge-foot, where a coach was ready, and they are stole away into Kent,
without the King's leave; and that the King hath said he will never see
her more; but people do think that it is only a trick. This day I saw
Prince Rupert abroad in the Vane-room, pretty well as he used to be, and
looks as well, only something appears to be under his periwigg on the
crown of his head. So home by water, and there find my wife gone abroad
to her tailor's, and I dined alone with W. Hewer, and then to the office
to draw up a memorial for the Duke of York this afternoon at the Council
about Lanyon's business. By and by we met by appointment at the office
upon a reference to Carcasses business to us again from the Duke of York,
but a very confident cunning rogue we have found him at length. He
carried himself very uncivilly to Sir W. Batten this afternoon, as
heretofore, and his silly Lord [Bruncker] pleaded for him, but all will
not nor shall not do for ought he shall give, though I love the man as a
man of great parts and ability. Thence to White Hall by water (only
asking Betty Michell by the way how she did), and there come too late to
do any thing at the Council. So by coach to my periwigg maker's and
tailor's, and so home, where I find my wife with her flageolet master,
which I wish she would practise, and so to the office, and then to Sir W.
Batten's, and then to Sir W. Pen's, talking and spending time in vain a
little while, and then home up to my chamber, and so to supper and to bed,
vexed at two or three things, viz. that my wife's watch proves so bad as
it do; the ill state of the office; and Kingdom's business; at the charge
which my mother's death for mourning will bring me when all paid.
4th. Up, and going down found Jervas the barber with a periwigg which I
had the other day cheapened at Westminster, but it being full of nits, as
heretofore his work used to be, I did now refuse it, having bought
elsewhere. So to the office till noon, busy, and then (which I think I
have not done three times in my life) left the board upon occasion of a
letter of Sir W. Coventry, and meeting Balty at my house I took him with
me by water, and to the Duke of Albemarle to give him an account of the
business, which was the escaping of some soldiers for the manning of a few
ships now going out with Harman to the West Indies, which is a sad
consideration that at the very beginning of the year and few ships abroad
we should be in such want of men that they do hide themselves, and swear
they will not go to be killed and have no pay. I find the Duke of
Albemarle at dinner with sorry company, some of his officers of the Army;
dirty dishes, and a nasty wife at table, and bad meat, of which I made but
an ill dinner. Pretty to hear how she talked against Captain Du Tell, the
Frenchman, that the Prince and her husband put out the last year; and how,
says she, the Duke of York hath made him, for his good services, his
Cupbearer; yet he fired more shot into the Prince's ship, and others of
the King's ships, than of the enemy. And the Duke of Albemarle did
confirm it, and that somebody in the fight did cry out that a little
Dutchman, by his ship, did plague him more than any other; upon which they
were going to order him to be sunk, when they looked and found it was Du
Tell, who, as the Duke of Albemarle says, had killed several men in
several of our ships. He said, but for his interest, which he knew he had
at Court, he had hanged him at the yard's-arm, without staying for a
Court-martiall. One Colonel Howard, at the table, magnified the Duke of
Albemarle's fight in June last, as being a greater action than ever was
done by Caesar. The Duke of Albemarle, did say it had been no great
action, had all his number fought, as they should have done, to have beat
the Dutch; but of his 55 ships, not above 25 fought. He did give an
account that it was a fight he was forced to: the Dutch being come in his
way, and he being ordered to the buoy of the Nore, he could not pass by
them without fighting, nor avoid them without great disadvantage and
dishonour; and this Sir G. Carteret, I afterwards giving him an account of
what he said, says that it is true, that he was ordered up to the Nore.
But I remember he said, had all his captains fought, he would no more have
doubted to have beat the Dutch, with all their number, than to eat the
apple that lay on his trencher. My Lady Duchesse, among other things,
discoursed of the wisdom of dividing the fleete; which the General said
nothing to, though he knows well that it come from themselves in the
fleete, and was brought up hither by Sir Edward Spragge. Colonel Howard,
asking how the prince did, the Duke of Albemarle answering, "Pretty well;"
the other replied, "But not so well as to go to sea again."--"How!" says
the Duchess, "what should he go for, if he were well, for there are no
ships for him to command? And so you have brought your hogs to a fair
market," said she. [It was pretty to hear the Duke of Albemarle himself
to wish that they would come on our ground, meaning the French, for that
he would pay them, so as to make them glad to go back to France again;
which was like a general, but not like an admiral.] One at the table told
an odd passage in this late plague: that at Petersfield, I think, he said,
one side of the street had every house almost infected through the town,
and the other, not one shut up. Dinner being done, I brought Balty to the
Duke of Albemarle to kiss his hand and thank him far his kindness the last
year to him, and take leave of him, and then Balty and I to walk in the
Park, and, out of pity to his father, told him what I had in my thoughts
to do for him about the money--that is, to make him Deputy Treasurer of
the fleete, which I have done by getting Sir G. Carteret's consent, and an
order from the Duke of York for L1500 to be paid to him. He promises the
whole profit to be paid to my wife, for to be disposed of as she sees fit,
for her father and mother's relief. So mightily pleased with our walk, it
being mighty pleasant weather, I back to Sir G. Carteret's, and there he
had newly dined, and talked, and find that he do give every thing over for
lost, declaring no money to be raised, and let Sir W. Coventry name the
man that persuaded the King to take the Land Tax on promise, of raising
present money upon it. He will, he says, be able to clear himself enough
of it. I made him merry, with telling him how many land-admirals we are
to have this year: Allen at Plymouth, Holmes at Portsmouth, Spragge for
Medway, Teddiman at Dover, Smith to the Northward, and Harman to the
Southward. He did defend to me Sir W. Coventry as not guilty of the
dividing of the fleete the last year, and blesses God, as I do, for my
Lord Sandwich's absence, and tells me how the King did lately observe to
him how they have been particularly punished that were enemies to my Lord
Sandwich. Mightily pleased I am with his family, and my Lady Carteret was
on the bed to-day, having been let blood, and tells me of my Lady
Jemimah's being big-bellied. Thence with him to my Lord Treasurer's, and
there walked during Council sitting with Sir Stephen Fox, talking of the
sad condition of the King's purse, and affairs thereby; and how sad the
King's life must be, to pass by his officers every hour, that are four
years behind-hand unpaid. My Lord Barkeley [of Stratton] I met with
there, and fell into talk with him on the same thing, wishing to God that
it might be remedied, to which he answered, with an oath, that it was as
easy to remedy it as anything in the world; saying, that there is himself
and three more would venture their carcasses upon it to pay all the King's
debts in three years, had they the managing his revenue, and putting
L300,000 in his purse, as a stock. But, Lord! what a thing is this to
me, that do know how likely a man my Lord Barkeley of all the world is, to
do such a thing as this. Here I spoke with Sir W. Coventry, who tells me
plainly that to all future complaints of lack of money he will answer but
with the shrug of his shoulder; which methought did come to my heart, to
see him to begin to abandon the King's affairs, and let them sink or swim,
so he do his owne part, which I confess I believe he do beyond any officer
the King hath, but unless he do endeavour to make others do theirs,
nothing will be done. The consideration here do make me go away very sad,
and so home by coach, and there took up my wife and Mercer, who had been
to-day at White Hall to the Maundy,
[The practice of giving alms on Maundy Thursday to poor men and
women equal in number to the years of the sovereign's age is a
curious survival in an altered form of an old custom. The original
custom was for the king to wash the feet of twelve poor persons, and
to give them a supper in imitation of Christ's last supper and his
washing of the Apostles' feet. James II. was the last sovereign to
perform the ceremony in person, but it was performed by deputy so
late as 1731. The Archbishop of York was the king's deputy on that
occasion. The institution has passed through the various stages of
feet washing with a supper, the discontinuance of the feet washing,
the substitution of a gift of provisions for the supper, and finally
the substitution of a gift of money for the provisions. The
ceremony took place at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall; but it is now
held at Westminster Abbey. Maundy is derived from the Latin word
'maudatum', which commences the original anthem sung during the
ceremony, in reference to Christ's command]
it being Maundy Thursday; but the King did not wash the poor people's feet
himself, but the Bishop of London did it for him, but I did not see it,
and with them took up Mrs. Anne Jones at her mother's door, and so to take
the ayre to Hackney, where good neat's tongue, and things to eat and
drink, and very merry, the weather being mighty pleasant; and here I was
told that at their church they have a fair pair of organs, which play
while the people sing, which I am mighty glad of, wishing the like at our
church at London, and would give L50 towards it. So very pleasant, and
hugging of Mercer in our going home, we home, and then to the office to do
a little business, and so to supper at home and to bed.
5th. Up, and troubled with Mr. Carcasse's coming to speak with me, which
made me give him occasion to fall into a heat, and he began to be
ill-mannered to me, which made me angry. He gone, I to Sir W. Pen about
the business of Mrs. Turner's son to keep his ship in employment, but so
false a fellow as Sir W. Pen is I never did nor hope shall ever know
again. So to the office, and there did business, till dinnertime, and
then home to dinner, wife and I alone, and then down to the Old Swan, and
drank with Betty and her husband, but no opportunity para baiser la. So
to White Hall to the Council chamber, where I find no Council held till
after the holidays. So to Westminster Hall, and there bought a pair of
snuffers, and saw Mrs. Howlett after her sickness come to the Hall again.
So by coach to the New Exchange and Mercer's and other places to take up
bills for what I owe them, and to Mrs. Pierce, to invite her to dinner
with us on Monday, but staid not with her. In the street met with Mr.
Sanchy, my old acquaintance at Cambridge, reckoned a great minister here
in the City; and by Sir Richard Ford particularly, which I wonder at; for
methinks, in his talk, he is but a mean man. I set him down in Holborne,
and I to the Old Exchange, and there to Sir Robert Viner's, and made up my
accounts there, to my great content; but I find they do not keep them so
regularly as, to be able to do it easily, and truly, and readily, nor
would it have been easily stated by any body on my behalf but myself,
several things being to be recalled to memory, which nobody else could
have done, and therefore it is fully necessary for me to even accounts
with these people as often as I can. So to the 'Change, and there met
with Mr. James Houblon, but no hopes, as he sees, of peace whatever we
pretend, but we shall be abused by the King of France. Then home to the
office, and busy late, and then to Sir W. Batten's, where Mr. Young was
talking about the building of the City again; and he told me that those
few churches that are to be new built are plainly not chosen with regard
to the convenience of the City; they stand a great many in a cluster about
Cornhill; but that all of them are either in the gift of the Lord
Archbishop, or Bishop of London, or Lord Chancellor, or gift of the City.
Thus all things, even to the building of churches, are done in this world!
And then he says, which I wonder at, that I should not in all this time
see, that Moorefields have houses two stories high in them, and paved
streets, the City having let leases for seven years, which he do conclude
will be very much to the hindering the building of the City; but it was
considered that the streets cannot be passable in London till a whole
street be built; and several that had got ground of the City for charity,
to build sheds on, had got the trick presently to sell that for L60, which
did not cost them L20 to put up; and so the City, being very poor in
stock, thought it as good to do it themselves, and therefore let leases
for seven years of the ground in Moorefields; and a good deal of this
money, thus advanced, hath been employed for the enabling them to find
some money for Commissioner Taylor, and Sir W. Batten, towards the charge
of "The Loyall London," or else, it is feared, it had never been paid.
And Taylor having a bill to pay wherein Alderman Hooker was concerned it
was his invention to find out this way of raising money, or else this had
not been thought on. So home to supper and to bed. This morning come to
me the Collectors for my Pollmoney; for which I paid for my title as
Esquire and place of Clerk of Acts, and my head and wife's, and servants'
and their wages, L40 17s; and though this be a great deal, yet it is a
shame I should pay no more; that is, that I should not be assessed for my
pay, as in the Victualling business and Tangier; and for my money, which,
of my own accord, I had determined to charge myself with L1000 money, till
coming to the Vestry, and seeing nobody of our ablest merchants, as Sir
Andrew Rickard, to do it, I thought it not decent for me to do it, nor
would it be thought wisdom to do it unnecessarily, but vain glory.
6th. Up, and betimes in the morning down to the Tower wharfe, there to
attend the shipping of soldiers, to go down to man some ships going out,
and pretty to see how merrily some, and most go, and how sad others--the
leave they take of their friends, and the terms that some wives, and other
wenches asked to part with them: a pretty mixture. So to the office,
having staid as long as I could, and there sat all the morning, and then
home at noon to dinner, and then abroad, Balty with me, and to White Hall,
by water, to Sir G. Carteret, about Balty's L1500 contingent money for the
fleete to the West Indys, and so away with him to the Exchange, and
mercers and drapers, up and down, to pay all my scores occasioned by this
mourning for my mother; and emptied a L50 bag, and it was a joy to me to
see that I am able to part with such a sum, without much inconvenience; at
least, without any trouble of mind. So to Captain Cocke's to meet Fenn,
to talk about this money for Balty, and there Cocke tells me that he is
confident there will be a peace, whatever terms be asked us, and he
confides that it will take because the French and Dutch will be jealous
one of another which shall give the best terms, lest the other should make
the peace with us alone, to the ruin of the third, which is our best
defence, this jealousy, for ought I at present see. So home and there very
late, very busy, and then home to supper and to bed, the people having got
their house very clean against Monday's dinner.
7th (Easter day). Up, and when dressed with my wife (in mourning for my
mother) to church both, where Mr. Mills, a lazy sermon. Home to dinner,
wife and I and W. Hewer, and after dinner I by water to White Hall to Sir
G. Carteret's, there to talk about Balty's money, and did present Balty to
him to kiss his hand, and then to walk in the Parke, and heard the Italian
musique at the Queen's chapel, whose composition is fine, but yet the
voices of eunuchs I do not like like our women, nor am more pleased with
it at all than with English voices, but that they do jump most excellently
with themselves and their instrument, which is wonderful pleasant; but I
am convinced more and more, that, as every nation has a particular accent
and tone in discourse, so as the tone of one not to agree with or please
the other, no more can the fashion of singing to words, for that the
better the words are set, the more they take in of the ordinary tone of
the country whose language the song speaks, so that a song well composed
by an Englishman must be better to an Englishman than it can be to a
stranger, or than if set by a stranger in foreign words. Thence back to
White Hall, and there saw the King come out of chapel after prayers in the
afternoon, which he is never at but after having received the Sacrament:
and the Court, I perceive, is quite out of mourning; and some very fine;
among others, my Lord Gerard, in a very rich vest and coat. Here I met
with my Lord Bellasses: and it is pretty to see what a formal story he
tells me of his leaving, his place upon the death of my Lord Cleveland,
by which he is become Captain of the Pensioners; and that the King did
leave it to him to keep the other or take this; whereas, I know the
contrary, that they had a mind to have him away from Tangier. He tells me
he is commanded by the King to go down to the Northward to satisfy the
Deputy Lieutenants of Yorkshire, who have desired to lay down their
commissions upon pretence of having no profit by their places but charge,
but indeed is upon the Duke of Buckingham's being under a cloud (of whom
there is yet nothing heard), so that the King is apprehensive of their
discontent, and sends him to pacify them, and I think he is as good a
dissembler as any man else, and a fine person he is for person, and proper
to lead the Pensioners, but a man of no honour nor faith I doubt. So to
Sir G. Carteret's again to talk with him about Balty's money, and wrote a
letter to Portsmouth about part of it, and then in his coach, with his
little daughter Porpot (as he used to nickname her), and saw her at home,
and her maid, and another little gentlewoman, and so I walked into Moore
Fields, and, as is said, did find houses built two stories high, and like
to stand; and it must become a place of great trade, till the City be
built; and the street is already paved as London streets used to be, which
is a strange, and to mean unpleasing sight. So home and to my chamber
about sending an express to Portsmouth about Balty's money, and then comes
Mrs. Turner to enquire after her son's business, which goes but bad, which
led me to show her how false Sir W. Pen is to her, whereupon she told me
his obligations to her, and promises to her, and how a while since he did
show himself dissatisfied in her son's coming to the table and applying
himself to me, which is a good nut, and a nut I will make use of. She
gone I to other business in my chamber, and then to supper and to bed.
The Swede's Embassadors and our Commissioners are making all the haste
they can over to the treaty for peace, and I find at Court, and
particularly Lord Bellasses, says there will be a peace, and it is worth
remembering what Sir W. Coventry did tell me (as a secret though) that
whereas we are afeard Harman's fleete to the West Indys will not be got
out before the Dutch come and block us up, we shall have a happy pretext
to get out our ships under pretence of attending the Embassadors and
Commissioners, which is a very good, but yet a poor shift.
8th. Up, and having dressed myself, to the office a little, and out,
expecting to have seen the pretty daughter of the Ship taverne at the
hither end of Billiter Lane (whom I never yet have opportunity to speak
to). I in there to drink my morning draught of half a pint of Rhenish
wine; but a ma doleur elle and their family are going away thence, and a
new man come to the house. So I away to the Temple, to my new.
bookseller's; and there I did agree for Rycaut's late History of the
Turkish Policy, which costs me 55s.; whereas it was sold plain before the
late fire for 8s., and bound and coloured as this is for 20s.; for I have
bought it finely bound and truly coloured, all the figures, of which there
was but six books done so, whereof the King and Duke of York, and Duke of
Monmouth, and Lord Arlington, had four. The fifth was sold, and I have
bought the sixth. So to enquire out Mrs. Knipp's new lodging, but could
not, but do hear of her at the Playhouse, where she was practising, and I
sent for her out by a porter, and the jade come to me all undressed, so
cannot go home to my house to dinner, as I had invited her, which I was
not much troubled at, because I think there is a distance between her and
Mrs. Pierce, and so our company would not be so pleasant. So home, and
there find all things in good readiness for a good dinner, and here
unexpectedly I find little Mis. Tooker, whom my wife loves not from the
report of her being already naught; however, I do shew her countenance,
and by and by come my guests, Dr. Clerke and his wife, and Mrs. Worshipp,
and her daughter; and then Mr. Pierce and his wife, and boy, and Betty;
and then I sent for Mercer; so that we had, with my wife and I, twelve at
table, and very good and pleasant company, and a most neat and excellent,
but dear dinner; but, Lord! to see with what envy they looked upon all my
fine plate was pleasant; for I made the best shew I could, to let them
understand me and my condition, to take down the pride of Mrs. Clerke, who
thinks herself very great. We sat long, and very merry, and all things
agreeable; and, after dinner, went out by coaches, thinking to have seen a
play, but come too late to both houses, and then they had thoughts of
going abroad somewhere; but I thought all the charge ought not to be mine,
and therefore I endeavoured to part the company, and so ordered it to set
them all down at Mrs. Pierces; and there my wife and I and Mercer left
them in good humour, and we three to the King's house, and saw the latter
end of the "Surprisall," a wherein was no great matter, I thought, by what
I saw there. Thence away to Polichinello, and there had three times more
sport than at the play, and so home, and there the first night we have
been this year in the garden late, we three and our Barker singing very
well, and then home to supper, and so broke up, and to bed mightily
pleased with this day's pleasure.
9th. Up. and to the office a while, none of my fellow officers coming to
sit, it being holiday, and so towards noon I to the Exchange, and there do
hear mighty cries for peace, and that otherwise we shall be undone; and
yet I do suspect the badness of the peace we shall make. Several do
complain of abundance of land flung up by tenants out of their hands for
want of ability to pay their rents; and by name, that the Duke of
Buckingham hath L6000 so flung up. And my father writes, that Jasper
Trice, upon this pretence of his tenants' dealing with him, is broke up
housekeeping, and gone to board with his brother, Naylor, at Offord; which
is very sad. So home to dinner, and after dinner I took coach and to the
King's house, and by and by comes after me my wife with W. Hewer and his
mother and Barker, and there we saw "The Tameing of a Shrew," which hath
some very good pieces in it, but generally is but a mean play; and the
best part, "Sawny,"
[This play was entitled "Sawney the Scot, or the Taming of a Shrew,"
and consisted of an alteration of Shakespeare's play by John Lacy.
Although it had long been popular it was not printed until 1698. In
the old "Taming of a Shrew" (1594), reprinted by Thomas Amyot for
the Shakespeare Society in 1844, the hero's servant is named Sander,
and this seems to have given the hint to Lacy, when altering
Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew," to foist a 'Scotsman into the
action. Sawney was one of Lacy's favourite characters, and occupies
a prominent position in Michael Wright's picture at Hampton Court.
Evelyn, on October 3rd, 1662, "visited Mr. Wright, a Scotsman, who
had liv'd long at Rome, and was esteem'd a good painter," and he
singles out as his best picture, "Lacy, the famous Roscius, or
comedian, whom he has painted in three dresses, as a gallant, a
Presbyterian minister, and a Scotch Highlander in his plaid."
Langbaine and Aubrey both make the mistake of ascribing the third
figure to Teague in "The Committee;" and in spite of Evelyn's clear
statement, his editor in a note follows them in their blunder.
Planche has reproduced the picture in his "History of Costume"
(Vol. ii., p. 243).]
done by Lacy, hath not half its life, by reason of the words, I suppose,
not being understood, at least by me. After the play was done, as I come
so I went away alone, and had a mind to have taken out Knipp to have taken
the ayre with her, and to that end sent a porter in to her that she should
take a coach and come to me to the Piatza in Covent Garden, where I waited
for her, but was doubtful I might have done ill in doing it if we should
be visti ensemble, sed elle was gone out, and so I was eased of my care,
and therefore away to Westminster to the Swan, and there did baiser la
little missa . . . . and drank, and then by water to the Old Swan, and
there found Betty Michell sitting at the door, it being darkish. I staid
and talked a little with her, but no once baiser la, though she was to my
thinking at this time une de plus pretty mohers that ever I did voir in my
vida, and God forgive me my mind did run sobre elle all the vespre and
night and la day suivante. So home and to the office a little, and then
to Sir W. Batten's, where he tells me how he hath found his lady's jewels
again, which have been so long lost, and a servant imprisoned and
arraigned, and they were in her closet under a china cup, where he hath
servants will swear they did look in searching the house; but Mrs. Turner
and I, and others, do believe that they were only disposed of by my Lady,
in case she had died, to some friends of hers, and now laid there again.
So home to supper, and to read the book I bought yesterday of the Turkish
policy, which is a good book, well writ, and so owned by Dr. Clerke
yesterday to me, commending it mightily to me for my reading as the only
book of the subject that ever was writ, yet so designedly. So to bed.
10th. Up, and to my office a little, and then, in the garden, find Sir W.
Pen; and he and I to Sir W. Batten, where he tells us news of the new
disorders of Hogg and his men in taking out of 30 tons of wine out of a
prize of ours, which makes us mad; and that, added to the unwillingness of
the men to go longer abroad without money, do lead us to conclude not to
keep her abroad any longer, of which I am very glad, for I do not like our
doings with what we have already got, Sir W. Batten ordering the disposal
of our wines and goods, and he leaves it to Morrice the cooper, who I take
to be a cunning proud knave, so that I am very desirous to adventure no
further. So away by water from the Old Swan to White Hall, and there to
Sir W. Coventry's, with whom I staid a great while longer than I have done
these many months, and had opportunity of talking with him, and he do
declare himself troubled that he hath any thing left him to do in the
Navy, and would be glad to part with his whole profits and concernments in
it, his pains and care being wholly ineffectual during this lack of money;
the expense growing infinite, the service not to be done, and discipline
and order not to be kept, only from want of money. I begun to discourse
with him the business of Tangier, which by the removal of my Lord
Bellasses, is now to have a new Governor; and did move him, that at this
season all the business of reforming the garrison might be considered,
while nobody was to be offended; and I told him it is plain that we do
overspend our revenue: that the place is of no more profit to the King
than it was the first day, nor in itself of better credit; no more people
of condition willing to live there, nor any thing like a place likely to
turn his Majesty to account: that it hath been hitherto, and, for aught I
see, likely only to be used as a job to do a kindness to some Lord, or he
that can get to be Governor. Sir W. Coventry agreed with me, so as to
say, that unless the King hath the wealth of the Mogul, he would be a
beggar to have his businesses ordered in the manner they now are: that his
garrisons must be made places only of convenience to particular persons
that he hath moved the Duke of York in it; and that it was resolved to
send no Governor thither till there had been Commissioners sent to put the
garrison in order, so as that he that goes may go with limitations and
rules to follow, and not to do as he please, as the rest have hitherto
done. That he is not afeard to speak his mind, though to the displeasure
of any man; and that I know well enough; but that, when it is come, as it
is now, that to speak the truth in behalf of the King plainly do no good,
but all things bore down by other measures than by what is best for the
King, he hath no temptation to be perpetually fighting of battles, it
being more easy to him do those terms to suffer things to go on without
giving any man offence, than to have the same thing done, and he contract
the displeasure of all the world, as he must do, that will be for the
King. I did offer him to draw up my thoughts in this matter to present to
the Duke of York, which he approved of, and I do think to do it. So away,
and by coach going home saw Sir G. Carteret going towards White Hall. So
'light and by water met him, and with him to the King's little chapel; and
afterwards to see the King heal the King's Evil, wherein no pleasure, I
having seen it before; and then to see him and the Queene and Duke of York
and his wife, at dinner in the Queene's lodgings; and so with Sir G.
Carteret to his lodgings to dinner; where very good company; and after
dinner he and I to talk alone how things are managed, and to what ruin we
must come if we have not a peace. He did tell me one occasion, how Sir
Thomas Allen, which I took for a man of known courage and service on the
King's side, was tried for his life in Prince Rupert's fleete, in the late
times, for cowardice, and condemned to be hanged, and fled to Jersey;
where Sir G. Carteret received him, not knowing the reason of his coming
thither: and that thereupon Prince Rupert wrote to the Queen-Mother his
dislike of Sir G. Carteret's receiving a person that stood condemned; and
so Sir G. Carteret was forced to bid him betake himself to some other
place. This was strange to me. Our Commissioners are preparing to go to
Bredah to the treaty, and do design to be going the next week. So away by
coach home, where there should have been a meeting about Carcasse's
business, but only my Lord and I met, and so broke up, Carcasse having
only read his answer to his charge, which is well writ, but I think will
not prove to his advantage, for I believe him to be a very rogue. So
home, and Balty and I to look Mr. Fenn at Sir G. Carteret's office in
Broad Streete, and there missing him and at the banker's hard by, we home,
and I down by water to Deptford Dockyard, and there did a little business,
and so home back again all the way reading a little piece I lately bought,
called "The Virtuoso, or the Stoicke," proposing many things paradoxical
to our common opinions, wherein in some places he speaks well, but
generally is but a sorry man. So home and to my chamber to enter my two
last days' journall, and this, and then to supper and to bed. Blessed be
God! I hear that my father is better and better, and will, I hope, live
to enjoy some cheerful days more; but it is strange what he writes me,
that Mr. Weaver, of Huntingdon, who was a lusty, likely, and but a
youngish man, should be dead.
11th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and (which is
now rare, he having not been with us twice I think these six months) Sir
G. Carteret come to us upon some particular business of his office, and
went away again. At noon I to the 'Change, and there hear by Mr. Hublon
of the loss of a little East Indiaman, valued at about L20,000, coming
home alone, and safe to within ten leagues of Scilly, and there snapt by a
French Caper. Our merchants do much pray for peace; and he tells me that
letters are come that the Dutch have stopped the fitting of their great
ships, and the coming out of a fleete of theirs of 50 sayle, that was
ready to come out; but I doubt the truth of it yet. Thence to Sir G.
Carteret, by his invitation to his office, where my Lady was, and dined
with him, and very merry and good people they are, when pleased, as any I
know. After dinner I to the office, where busy till evening, and then
with Balty to Sir G. Carteret's office, and there with Mr. Fenn despatched
the business of Balty's L1500 he received for the contingencies of the
fleete, whereof he received about L253 in pieces of eight at a goldsmith's
there hard by, which did puzzle me and him to tell; for I could not tell
the difference by sight, only by bigness, and that is not always
discernible, between a whole and half-piece and quarterpiece. Having
received this money I home with Balty and it, and then abroad by coach
with my wife and set her down at her father's, and I to White Hall,
thinking there to have seen the Duchess of Newcastle's coming this night
to Court, to make a visit to the Queene, the King having been with her
yesterday, to make her a visit since her coming to town. The whole story
of this lady is a romance, and all she do is romantick. Her footmen in
velvet coats, and herself in an antique dress, as they say; and was the
other day at her own play, "The Humourous Lovers;" the most ridiculous
thing that ever was wrote, but yet she and her Lord mightily pleased with
it; and she, at the end, made her respects to the players from her box,
and did give them thanks. There is as much expectation of her coming to
Court, that so people may come to see her, as if it were the Queen of
Sheba; but I lost my labour, for she did not come this night. So, meeting
Mr. Brisband, he took me up to my Lady Jemimah's chamber, who is let blood
to-day, and so there we sat and talked an hour, I think, very merry and
one odd thing or other, and so away, and I took up my wife at her tailor's
(whose wife is brought to bed, and my wife must be godmother), and so with
much ado got a coach to carry us home, it being late, and so to my
chamber, having little left to do at my office, my eyes being a little
sore by reason of my reading a small printed book the other day after it
was dark, and so to supper and to bed. It comes in my head to set down
that there have been two fires in the City, as I am told for certain, and
it is so, within this week.
12th. Up, and when ready, and to my office, to do a little business, and,
coming homeward again, saw my door and hatch open, left so by Luce, our
cookmayde, which so vexed me, that I did give her a kick in our entry, and
offered a blow at her, and was seen doing so by Sir W. Pen's footboy,
which did vex me to the heart, because I know he will be telling their
family of it; though I did put on presently a very pleasant face to the
boy, and spoke kindly to him, as one without passion, so as it may be he
might not think I was angry, but yet I was troubled at it. So away by
water to White Hall, and there did our usual business before the Duke of
York; but it fell out that, discoursing of matters of money, it rose to a
mighty heat, very high words arising between Sir G. Carteret and [Sir] W.
Coventry, the former in his passion saying that the other should have
helped things if they were so bad; and the other answered, so he would,
and things should have been better had he been Treasurer of the Navy. I
was mightily troubled at this heat, and it will breed ill blood, I fear;
but things are in that bad condition that I do daily expect when we shall
all fly in one another's faces, when we shall be reduced, every one, to
answer for himself. We broke up; and I soon after to Sir G. Carteret's
chamber, where I find the poor man telling his lady privately, and she
weeping. I went into them, and did seem, as indeed I was, troubled for
this; and did give the best advice I could, which, I think, did please
them: and they do apprehend me their friend, as indeed I am, for I do take
the Vice-chamberlain for a most honest man. He did assure me that he was
not, all expences and things paid, clear in estate L15,000 better than he
was when the King come in; and that the King and Lord Chancellor did know
that he was worth, with the debt the King owed him, L50,000, I think, he
said, when the King come into England. I did pacify all I could, and then
away by water home, there to write letters and things for the dispatch of
Balty away this day to sea; and after dinner he did go, I having given him
much good counsell; and I have great hopes that he will make good use of
it, and be a good man, for I find him willing to take pains and very
sober. He being gone, I close at my office all the afternoon getting off
of hand my papers, which, by the late holidays and my laziness, were grown
too many upon my hands, to my great trouble, and therefore at it as late
as my eyes would give me leave, and then by water down to Redriffe,
meaning to meet my wife, who is gone with Mercer, Barker, and the boy (it
being most sweet weather) to walk, and I did meet with them, and walked
back, and then by the time we got home it was dark, and we staid singing
in the garden till supper was ready, and there with great pleasure. But I
tried my girles Mercer and Barker singly one after another, a single song,
"At dead low ebb," etc., and I do clearly find that as to manner of
singing the latter do much the better, the other thinking herself as I do
myself above taking pains for a manner of singing, contenting ourselves
with the judgment and goodness of eare. So to supper, and then parted and
to bed.