DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
JUNE & JULY
1660
June 1st. This morning Mr. Sheply disposed of the money that the Duke of
York did give my Lord's servants, 22 ducatoons 3 came to my share, whereof
he told me to give Jaspar something because my Lord left him out.
[Foreign coins were in frequent use at this time. A Proclamation,
January 29th, 1660-61, declared certain foreign gold and silver
coins to be current at certain rates. The rate of the ducatoon was
at 5s. 9d.]
I did give Mr. Sheply the fine pair of buckskin gloves that I bought
myself about five years ago. My Lord took physic to-day, and so come not
out all day. The Captain on shore all day. After dinner Captain Jefferys
and W. Howe, and the Lieutenant and I to ninepins, where I lost about two
shillings and so fooled away all the afternoon. At night Mr. Cooke comes
from London with letters, leaving all things there very gallant and
joyful. And brought us word that the Parliament had ordered the 29th of
May, the King's birthday, to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for
our redemption from tyranny, and the King's return to his Government, he
entering London that day. My wife was in London when he came thither, and
had been there a week with Mr. Bowyer and his wife. My poor wife has not
been well a week before, but thanks be to God is well again. She would
fain see me and be at her house again, but we must be content. She writes
word how the Joyces grow very rich and very proud, but it is no matter,
and that there was a talk that I should be knighted by the King, which
they (the Joyces) laugh at; but I think myself happier in my wife and
estate than they are in theirs. To bed. The Captain come on board, when I
was going to bed, quite fuddled; and himself the next morning told me so
too, that the Vice-Admiral, Rear-Admiral, and he had been drinking all
day.
2d. Being with my Lord in the morning about business in his cabin, I took
occasion to give him thanks for his love to me in the share that he had
given me of his Majesty's money, and the Duke's. He told the he hoped to
do me a more lasting kindness, if all things stand as they are now between
him and the King, but, says he, "We must have a little patience and we
will rise together; in the mean time I will do you all the good jobs I
can." Which was great content for me to hear from my Lord. All the
morning with the Captain, computing how much the thirty ships that come
with the King from Scheveling their pay comes to for a month (because the
King promised to give them all a month's pay), and it comes to L6,538, and
the Charles particularly L777. I wish we had the money. All the
afternoon with two or three captains in the Captain's cabin, drinking of
white wine and sugar, and eating pickled oysters, where Captain Sparling
told us the best story that ever I heard, about a gentleman that persuaded
a country fool to let him gut his oysters or else they would stink. At
night writing letters to London and Weymouth, for my Lord being now to sit
in the House of Peers he endeavours to get Mr. Edward Montagu for Weymouth
and Mr. George for Dover. Mr. Cooke late with me in my cabin while I
wrote to my wife, and drank a bottle of wine and so took leave of me on
his journey and I to bed.
3d. Waked in the morning by one who when I asked who it was, he told me
one from Bridewell, which proved Captain Holland. I rose presently to
him. He is come to get an order for the setting out of his ship, and to
renew his commission. He tells me how every man goes to the Lord Mayor to
set down their names, as such as do accept of his Majesty's pardon, and
showed me a certificate under the Lord Mayor's hand that he had done so.
At sermon in the morning; after dinner into my cabin, to cast my accounts
up, and find myself to be worth near L100, for which I bless Almighty God,
it being more than I hoped for so soon, being I believe not clearly worth
L25 when I came to sea besides my house and goods. Then to set my papers
in order, they being increased much upon my hands through want of time to
put them in order. The ship's company all this while at sermon. After
sermon my Lord did give me instruction to write to London about business,
which done, after supper to bed.
4th. Waked in the morning at four o'clock to give some money to Mr.
Hetly, who was to go to London with the letters that I wrote yesterday
night. After he was gone I went and lay down in my gown upon my bed again
an hour or two. At last waked by a messenger come for a Post Warrant for
Mr. Hetly and Mr. Creed, who stood to give so little for their horses that
the men would not let them have any without a warrant, which I sent them.
All the morning getting Captain Holland's commission done, which I did,
and he at noon went away. I took my leave of him upon the quarter-deck
with a bottle of sack, my Lord being just set down to dinner. Then he
being gone I went to dinner and after dinner to my cabin to write. This
afternoon I showed my Lord my accounts, which he passed, and so I think
myself to be worth near L100 now. In the evening I made an order for
Captain Sparling of the Assistance to go to Middleburgh, to fetch over
some of the King's goods. I took the opportunity to send all my Dutch
money, 70 ducatoons and 29 gold ducats to be changed, if he can, for
English money, which is the first venture that ever I made, and so I have
been since a little afeard of it. After supper some music and so to bed.
This morning the King's Proclamation against drinking, swearing, and
debauchery, was read to our ships' companies in the fleet, and indeed it
gives great satisfaction to all.
[The King's "Proclamation against vicious, debauched, and prophane
Persons" is dated May 30th. It is printed in "Somers's Tracts," ed.
1812, vol. vii. p. 423.]
5th. A-bed late. In the morning my Lord went on shore with the
Vice-Admiral a-fishing, and at dinner returned. In the afternoon I played
at ninepins with my Lord, and when he went in again I got him to sign my
accounts for L115, and so upon my private balance I find myself confirmed
in my estimation that I am worth L100. In the evening in my cabin a great
while getting the song without book, "Help, help Divinity, &c." After
supper my Lord called for the lieutenant's cittern, and with two
candlesticks with money in them for symballs, we made barber's music,
[In the "Notices of Popular Histories," printed for the Percy
Society, there is a curious woodcut representing the interior of a
barber's shop, in which, according to the old custom, the person
waiting to be shaved is playing on the "ghittern" till his turn
arrives. Decker also mentions a "barber's cittern," for every
serving-man to play upon. This is no doubt "the barber's music"
with which Lord Sandwich entertained himself.--B.]
with which my Lord was well pleased. So to bed.
6th. In the morning I had letters come, that told me among other things,
that my Lord's place of Clerk of the Signet was fallen to him, which he
did most lovingly tell me that I should execute, in case he could not get
a better employment for me at the end of the year. Because he thought
that the Duke of York would command all, but he hoped that the Duke would
not remove me but to my advantage.