into the country to-day or no, I hearing, by my people, that she, poor
wretch, hath a mind to stay a little longer, and I cannot blame her,
considering what a life she will through her own folly lead when she comes
home again, unlike the pleasure and liberty she hath had here. At last I
resolved to put it to her, and she agreed to go, so I would not oppose it,
because of the sicknesse in the towne, and my intentions of removing my
wife. So I did give her money and took a kind leave of her, she, poor
wretch, desiring that I would forgive my brother John, but I refused it to
her, which troubled her, poor soul, but I did it in kind words and so let
the discourse go off, she leaving me though in a great deal of sorrow. So
I to my office and left my wife and people to see her out of town, and I
at the office all the morning. At noon my wife tells me that she is with
much ado gone, and I pray God bless her, but it seems she was to the last
unwilling to go, but would not say so, but put it off till she lost her
place in the coach, and was fain to ride in the waggon part. After dinner
to the office again till night, very busy, and so home not very late to
supper and to bed.
23rd. Up and to White Hall to a Committee for Tangier, where his Royal
Highness was. Our great design was to state to them the true condition of
this Committee for want of money, the want whereof was so great as to need
some sudden help, and it was with some content resolved to see it supplied
and means proposed towards the doing of it. At this Committee, unknown to
me, comes my Lord of Sandwich, who, it seems, come to towne last night.
After the Committee was up, my Lord Sandwich did take me aside, and we
walked an hour alone together in the robe-chamber, the door shut, telling
me how much the Duke and Mr. Coventry did, both in the fleete and here,
make of him, and that in some opposition to the Prince; and as a more
private message, he told me that he hath been with them both when they
have made sport of the Prince and laughed at him: yet that all the
discourse of the towne, and the printed relation, should not give him one
word of honour my Lord thinks mighty strange; he assuring me, that though
by accident the Prince was in the van the beginning of the fight for the
first pass, yet all the rest of the day my Lord was in the van, and
continued so. That notwithstanding all this noise of the Prince, he had
hardly a shot in his side nor a man killed, whereas he hath above 30 in
her hull, and not one mast whole nor yard; but the most battered ship of
the fleet, and lost most men, saving Captain Smith of "The Mary." That
the most the Duke did was almost out of gun-shot; but that, indeed, the
Duke did come up to my Lord's rescue after he had a great while fought
with four of them. How poorly Sir John Lawson performed, notwithstanding
all that was said of him; and how his ship turned out of the way, while
Sir J. Lawson himself was upon the deck, to the endangering of the whole
fleete. It therefore troubles my Lord that Mr. Coventry should not
mention a word of him in his relation. I did, in answer, offer that I was
sure the relation was not compiled by Mr. Coventry, but by L'Estrange, out
of several letters, as I could witness; and that Mr. Coventry's letter
that he did give the Duke of Albemarle did give him as much right as the
Prince, for I myself read it first and then copied it out, which I
promised to show my Lord, with which he was somewhat satisfied. From that
discourse my Lord did begin to tell me how much he was concerned to
dispose of his children, and would have my advice and help; and propounded
to match my Lady Jemimah to Sir G. Carteret's eldest son, which I approved
of, and did undertake the speaking with him about it as from myself, which
my Lord liked. So parted, with my head full of care about this business.
Thence home to the 'Change, and so to dinner, and thence by coach to Mr.
Povy's. Thence by appointment with him and Creed to one Mr. Finch; one of
the Commissioners for the Excise, to be informed about some things of the
Excise, in order to our settling matters therein better for us for our
Tangier business. I find him a very discreet, grave person. Thence well
satisfied I and Creed to Mr. Fox at White Hall to speak with him about the
same matter, and having some pretty satisfaction from him also, he and I
took boat and to Fox Hall, where we spent two or three hours talking of
several matters very soberly and contentfully to me, which, with the ayre
and pleasure of the garden, was a great refreshment to me, and, 'methinks,
that which we ought to joy ourselves in. Thence back to White Hall, where
we parted, and I to find my Lord to receive his farther direction about
his proposal this morning. Wherein I did that I should first by another
hand break my intentions to Sir G. Carteret. I pitched upon Dr. Clerke,
which my Lord liked, and so I endeavoured but in vain to find him out
to-night. So home by hackney-coach, which is become a very dangerous
passage now-a-days, the sickness increasing mightily, and to bed.
24th (Midsummer-day). Up very betimes, by six, and at Dr. Clerke's at
Westminster by 7 of the clock, having over night by a note acquainted him
with my intention of coming, and there I, in the best manner I could,
broke my errand about a match between Sir G. Carteret's eldest son and my
Lord Sandwich's eldest daughter, which he (as I knew he would) took with
great content: and we both agreed that my Lord and he, being both men
relating to the sea, under a kind aspect of His Majesty, already good
friends, and both virtuous and good familys, their allyance might be of
good use to us; and he did undertake to find out Sir George this morning,
and put the business in execution. So being both well pleased with the
proposition, I saw his niece there and made her sing me two or three songs
very prettily, and so home to the office, where to my great trouble I
found Mr. Coventry and the board met before I come. I excused my late
coming by having been on the River about office business. So to business
all the morning. At noon Captain Ferrers and Mr. Moore dined with me, the
former of them the first time I saw him since his corning from sea, who do
give me the best conversation in general, and as good an account of the
particular service of the Prince and my Lord of Sandwich in the late
sea-fight that I could desire. After dinner they parted. So I to White
Hall, where I with Creed and Povy attended my Lord Treasurer, and did
prevail with him to let us have an assignment for 15 or L20,000, which, I
hope, will do our business for Tangier. So to Dr. Clerke, and there found
that he had broke the business to Sir G. Carteret, and that he takes the
thing mighty well. Thence I to Sir G. Carteret at his chamber, and in the
best manner I could, and most obligingly, moved the business: he received
it with great respect and content, and thanks to me, and promised that he
would do what he could possibly for his son, to render him fit for my
Lord's daughter, and shewed great kindness to me, and sense of my kindness
to him herein. Sir William Pen told me this day that Mr. Coventry is to
be sworn a Privy Counsellor, at which my soul is glad. So home and to my
letters by the post, and so home to supper and bed.
25th (Lord's day). Up, and several people about business come to me by
appointment relating to the office. Thence I to my closet about my
Tangier papers. At noon dined, and then I abroad by water, it raining
hard, thinking to have gone down to Woolwich, but I did not, but back
through bridge to White Hall, where, after I had again visited Sir G.
Carteret, and received his (and now his Lady's) full content in my
proposal, I went to my Lord Sandwich, and having told him how Sir G.
Carteret received it, he did direct me to return to Sir G. Carteret, and
give him thanks for his kind reception of this offer, and that he would
the next day be willing to enter discourse with him about the business.
Which message I did presently do, and so left the business with great joy
to both sides. My Lord, I perceive, intends to give L5000 with her, and
expects about L800 per annum joynture. So by water home and to supper and
bed, being weary with long walking at Court, but had a Psalm or two with
my boy and Mercer before bed, which pleased me mightily. This night Sir
G. Carteret told me with great kindnesse that the order of the Council did
run for the making of Hater and Whitfield incapable of any serving the
King again, but that he had stopped the entry of it, which he told me with
great kindnesse, but the thing troubles me. After dinner, before I went
to White Hall, I went down to Greenwich by water, thinking to have visited
Sir J. Lawson, where, when I come, I find that he is dead, and died this
morning, at which I was much surprized; and indeed the nation hath a great
loss; though I cannot, without dissembling, say that I am sorry for it,
for he was a man never kind to me at all. Being at White Hall, I visited
Mr. Coventry, who, among other talk, entered about the great question now
in the House about the Duke's going to sea again; about which the whole
House is divided. He did concur with me that, for the Duke's honour and
safety, it were best, after so great a service and victory and danger, not
to go again; and, above all, that the life of the Duke cannot but be a
security to the Crowne; if he were away, it being more easy to attempt
anything upon the King; but how the fleete will be governed without him,
the Prince--[Rupert]--being a man of no government and severe in council,
that no ordinary man can offer any advice against his; saying truly that
it had been better he had gone to Guinny, and that were he away, it were
easy to say how matters might be ordered, my Lord Sandwich being a man of
temper and judgment as much as any man he ever knew, and that upon good
observation he said this, and that his temper must correct the Prince's.
But I perceive he is much troubled what will be the event of the question.
And so I left him.
26th. Up and to White Hall with Sir J. Minnes, and to the Committee of
Tangier, where my Lord Treasurer was, the first and only time he ever was
there, and did promise us L15,000 for Tangier and no more, which will be
short. But if I can pay Mr. Andrews all his money I care for no more, and
the bills of Exchange. Thence with Mr. Povy and Creed below to a new
chamber of Mr. Povy's, very pretty, and there discourse about his
business, not to his content, but with the most advantage I could to him,
and Creed also did the like. Thence with Creed to the King's Head, and
there dined with him at the ordinary, and good sport with one Mr.
Nicholls, a prating coxcombe, that would be thought a poet, but would not
be got to repeat any of his verses. Thence I home, and there find my
wife's brother and his wife, a pretty little modest woman, where they
dined with my wife. He did come to desire my assistance for a living,
and, upon his good promises of care, and that it should be no burden to
me, I did say and promise I would think of finding something for him, and
the rather because his wife seems a pretty discreet young thing, and
humble, and he, above all things, desirous to do something to maintain
her, telling me sad stories of what she endured with him in Holland, and I
hope it will not be burdensome. So down by water to Woolwich, walking to
and again from Greenwich thither and back again, my business being to
speak again with Sheldon, who desires and expects my wife coming thither
to spend the summer, and upon second thoughts I do agree that it will be a
good place for her and me too. So, weary, home, and to my office a while,
till almost midnight, and so to bed. The plague encreases mightily, I
this day seeing a house, at a bitt-maker's over against St. Clement's
Church, in the open street, shut up; which is a sad sight.
27th. Up and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined by
chance at my Lady Batten's, and they sent for my wife, and there was my
Lady Pen and Pegg. Very merry, and so I to my office again, where till 12
o'clock at night, and so home to supper and to bed.
28th. Sir J. Minnes carried me and my wife to White Hall, and thence his
coach along with my wife where she would. There after attending the Duke
to discourse of the navy. We did not kiss his hand, nor do I think, for
all their pretence, of going away to-morrow. Yet I believe they will not
go for good and all, but I did take my leave of Sir William Coventry, who,
it seems, was knighted and sworn a Privy-Counsellor two days since; who
with his old kindness treated me, and I believe I shall ever find [him] a
noble friend. Thence by water to Blackfriars, and so to Paul's churchyard
and bespoke severall books, and so home and there dined, my man William
giving me a lobster sent him by my old maid Sarah. This morning I met
with Sir G. Carteret, who tells me how all things proceed between my Lord
Sandwich and himself to full content, and both sides depend upon having
the match finished presently, and professed great kindnesse to me, and
said that now we were something akin. I am mightily, both with respect to
myself and much more of my Lord's family, glad of this alliance. After
dinner to White Hall, thinking to speak with my Lord Ashly, but failed,
and I whiled away some time in Westminster Hall against he did come, in my
way observing several plague houses in King's Street and [near] the
Palace. Here I hear Mrs. Martin is gone out of town, and that her
husband, an idle fellow, is since come out of France, as he pretends, but
I believe not that he hath been. I was fearful of going to any house, but
I did to the Swan, and thence to White Hall, giving the waterman a
shilling, because a young fellow and belonging to the Plymouth. Thence by
coach to several places, and so home, and all the evening with Sir J.
Minnes and all the women of the house (excepting my Lady Batten) late in
the garden chatting. At 12 o'clock home to supper and to bed. My Lord
Sandwich is gone towards the sea to-day, it being a sudden resolution, I
having taken no leave of him.
29th. Up and by water to White Hall, where the Court full of waggons and
people ready to go out of towne. To the Harp and Ball, and there drank
and talked with Mary, she telling me in discourse that she lived lately at
my neighbour's, Mr. Knightly, which made me forbear further discourse.
This end of the towne every day grows very bad of the plague. The
Mortality Bill is come to 267;
[According to the Bills of Mortality, the total number of deaths in
London for the week ending June 27th was 684, of which number 267
were deaths from the plague. The number of deaths rose week by week
until September 19th, when the total was 8,297, and the deaths from
the plague 7,165. On September 26th the total had fallen to 6,460,
and deaths from the plague to 5,533 The number fell gradually, week
by week, till October 31st, when the total was 1,388, and deaths
from the plague 1,031. On November 7th there was a rise to 1,787
and 1,414 respectively. On November 14th the numbers had gone down
to 1,359 and 1,050 respectively. On December 12th the total had
fallen to 442, and deaths from the plague to 243. On December 19th
there was a rise to 525 and 281 respectively. The total of burials
in 1665 was 97,506, of which number the plague claimed 68,596
victims.]
which is about ninety more than the last: and of these but four in the
City, which is a great blessing to us. Thence to Creed, and with him up
and down about Tangier business, to no purpose. Took leave again of Mr.
Coventry; though I hope the Duke has not gone to stay, and so do others
too. So home, calling at Somersett House, where all are packing up too:
the Queene-Mother setting out for France this day to drink Bourbon waters
this year, she being in a consumption; and intends not to come till winter
come twelvemonths.
[The Queen-Mother never came to England again. She retired to her
chateau at Colombes, near Paris, where she died in August, 1669,
after a long illness; the immediate cause of her death being an
opiate ordered by her physicians. She was buried, September 12th,
in the church of St. Denis. Her funeral sermon was preached by
Bossuet. Sir John Reresby speaks of Queen Henrietta Maria in high
terms. He says that in the winter, 1659-60, although the Court of
France was very splendid, there was a greater resort to the Palais
Royal, "the good humour and wit of our Queen Mother, and the beauty
of the Princess [Henrietta] her daughter, giving greater invitation
than the more particular humour of the French Queen, being a
Spaniard." In another place he says: "Her majesty had a great
affection for England, notwithstanding the severe usage she and hers
had received from it. Her discourse was much with the great men and
ladies of France in praise of the people and of the country; of
their courage, generosity, good nature; and would excuse all their
miscarriages in relation to unfortunate effects of the late war, as
if it were a convulsion of some desperate and infatuated persons,
rather than from the genius and temper of the kingdom" ("Memoirs of
Sir John Reresby," ed. Cartwright, pp. 43, 45).]
So by coach home, where at the office all the morning, and at noon Mrs.
Hunt dined with us. Very merry, and she a very good woman. To the
office, where busy a while putting some things in my office in order, and
then to letters till night. About 10 a'clock home, the days being
sensibly shorter before I have once kept a summer's day by shutting up
office by daylight; but my life hath been still as it was in winter
almost. But I will for a month try what I can do by daylight. So home to
supper and to bed.
30th. Up and to White Hall, to the Duke of Albemarle, who I find at
Secretary Bennet's, there being now no other great Statesman, I think, but
my Lord Chancellor, in towne. I received several commands from them;
among others, to provide some bread and cheese for the garrison at
Guernsey, which they promised to see me paid for. So to the 'Change, and
home to dinner. In the afternoon I down to Woolwich and after me my wife
and Mercer, whom I led to Mr. Sheldon's to see his house, and I find it a
very pretty place for them to be at. So I back again, walking both
forward and backward, and left my wife to come by water. I straight to
White Hall, late, to Secretary Bennet's to give him an account of the
business I received from him to-day, and there staid weary and sleepy till
past 12 at night. Then writ my mind to him, and so back by water and in
the dark and against tide shot the bridge, groping with their pole for the
way, which troubled me before I got through. So home, about one or two
o'clock in the morning, my family at a great losse what was become of me.
To supper, and to bed. Thus this book of two years ends. Myself and
family in good health, consisting of myself and wife, Mercer, her woman,
Mary, Alice, and Susan our maids, and Tom my boy. In a sickly time of the
plague growing on. Having upon my hands the troublesome care of the
Treasury of Tangier, with great sums drawn upon me, and nothing to pay
them with: also the business of the office great. Consideration of
removing my wife to Woolwich; she lately busy in learning to paint, with
great pleasure and successe. All other things well; especially a new
interest I am making, by a match in hand between the eldest son of Sir G.
Carteret, and my Lady Jemimah Montage. The Duke of Yorke gone down to the
fleete, but all suppose not with intent to stay there, as it is not fit,
all men conceive, he should.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
A vineyard, the first that ever I did see
All the towne almost going out of towne (Plague panic)
Buy some roll-tobacco to smell to and chaw
Consult my pillow upon that and every great thing of my life
Convenience of periwiggs is so great
Dying this last week of the plague 112, from 43 the week before
Hear that the plague is come into the City
Houses marked with a red cross upon the doors
My old folly and childishnesse hangs upon me still
Plague claimed 68,596 victims (in 1665)
Pride of some persons and vice of most was but a sad story
The coachman that carried [us] cannot know me again
Though neither of us care 2d. one for another
Which may teach me how I make others wait