against we sit. There came to me my cozen Harry Alcocke, whom I much
respect, to desire (by a letter from my father to me, where he had been
some days) my help for him to some place. I proposed the sea to him, and
I think he will take it, and I hope do well. Sat all the morning, and I
bless God I find that by my diligence of late and still, I do get ground
in the office every day. At noon to the Change, where I begin to be known
also, and so home to dinner, and then to the office all the afternoon
dispatching business. At night news is brought me that Field the rogue
hath this day cast me at Guildhall in L30 for his imprisonment, to which I
signed his commitment with the rest of the officers; but they having been
parliament-men, that he hath begun the law with me; and threatens more,
but I hope the Duke of York will bear me out. At night home, and Mr.
Spong came to me, and so he and I sat singing upon the leads till almost
ten at night and so he went away (a pretty, harmless, and ingenious man),
and I to bed, in a very great content of mind, which I hope by my care
still in my business will continue to me.
25th. Up by four o'clock, and put my accounts with my Lord into a very
good order, and so to my office, where having put many things in order I
went to the Wardrobe, but found my Lord gone to Hampton Court. After
discourse with Mr. Shepley we parted, and I into Thames Street, beyond the
Bridge, and there enquired among the shops the price of tarre and oyle,
and do find great content in it, and hope to save the King money by this
practice. So home to dinner, and then to the Change, and so home again,
and at the office preparing business against to-morrow all the afternoon.
At night walked with my wife upon the leads, and so to supper and to bed.
My wife having lately a great pain in her ear, for which this night she
begins to take physique, and I have got cold and so have a great deal of
my old pain.
26th. Up and took physique, but such as to go abroad with, only to loosen
me, for I am bound. So to the office, and there all the morning sitting
till noon, and then took Commissioner Pett home to dinner with me, where
my stomach was turned when my sturgeon came to table, upon which I saw
very many little worms creeping, which I suppose was through the staleness
of the pickle. He being gone, comes Mr. Nicholson, my old fellow-student
at Magdalene, and we played three or four things upon the violin and
basse, and so parted, and I to my office till night, and there came Mr.
Shepley and Creed in order to settling some accounts of my Lord to-night,
and so to bed.
27th. Up early, not quite rid of my pain. I took more physique, and so
made myself ready to go forth. So to my Lord, who rose as soon as he
heard I was there; and in his nightgown and shirt stood talking with me
alone two hours,. I believe, concerning his greatest matters of state and
interest. Among other things, that his greatest design is, first, to get
clear of all debts to the King for the Embassy money, and then a pardon.
Then, to get his land settled; and then to, discourse and advise what is
best for him, whether to keep his sea employment longer or no. For he do
discern that the Duke would be willing to have him out, and that by
Coventry's means. And here he told me, how the terms at Argier were
wholly his; and that he did plainly tell Lawson and agree with him, that
he would have the honour of them, if they should ever be agreed to; and
that accordingly they did come over hither entitled, "Articles concluded
on by Sir J. Lawson, according to instructions received from His Royal
Highness James Duke of York, &c., and from His Excellency the Earle of
Sandwich." (Which however was more than needed; but Lawson tells my Lord
in his letter, that it was not he, but the Council of Warr that would have
"His Royal Highness" put into the title, though he did not contribute one
word to it.) But the Duke of York did yesterday propose them to the
Council, to be printed with this title: "Concluded on, by Sir J. Lawson,
Knt." and my Lord quite left out. Here I find my Lord very politique;
for he tells me, that he discerns they design to set up Lawson as much as
they can and that he do counterplot them by setting him up higher still;
by which they will find themselves spoiled of their design, and at last
grow jealous of Lawson. This he told me with much pleasure; and that
several of the Duke's servants, by name my Lord Barkeley [of Stratton],
Mr. Talbot, and others, had complained to my Lord, of Coventry, and would
have him out. My Lord do acknowledge that his greatest obstacle is
Coventry. He did seem to hint such a question as this: "Hitherto I have
been supported by the King and Chancellor against the Duke; but what if it
should come about, that it should be the Duke and Chancellor against the
King?" which, though he said it in these plain words, yet I could not
fully understand it; but may more here after. My Lord did also tell me,
that the Duke himself at Portsmouth did thank my Lord for all his pains
and care; and that he perceived it must be the old Captains that must do
the business; and that the new ones would spoil all. And that my Lord did
very discreetly tell the Duke (though quite against his judgement and
inclination), that, however, the King's new captains ought to be borne
with a little and encouraged. By which he will oblige that party, and
prevent, as much as may be, their envy; but he says that certainly things
will go to rack if ever the old captains should be wholly out, and the new
ones only command. Then we fell to talk of Sir J. Minnes, of whom my Lord
hath a very slight opinion, and that at first he did come to my Lord very
displeased and sullen, and had studied and turned over all his books to
see whether it had ever been that two flags should ride together in the
main-top, but could not find it, nay, he did call his captains on board to
consult them. So when he came by my Lord's side, he took down his flag,
and all the day did not hoist it again, but next day my Lord did tell him
that it was not so fit to ride without a flag, and therefore told him that
he should wear it in the fore-top, for it seems my Lord saw his
instructions, which were that he should not wear his flag in the maintop
in the presence of the Duke or my Lord. But that after that my Lord did
caress him, and he do believe him as much his friend as his interest will
let him. I told my Lord of the late passage between Swan and me, and he
told me another lately between Dr. Dell and himself when he was in the
country. At last we concluded upon dispatching all his accounts as soon
as possible, and so I parted, and to my office, where I met Sir W. Pen,
and he desired a turn with me in the garden, where he told me the day now
was fixed for his going into Ireland;--[Penn was Governor of
Kinsale.-B.]--and that whereas I had mentioned some service he could do a
friend of mine there, Saml. Pepys,
[Mentioned elsewhere as "My cousin in Ireland." He was son of Lord
Chief Justice Richard Pepys.]
he told me he would most readily do what I would command him, and then
told me we must needs eat a dish of meat together before he went, and so
invited me and my wife on Sunday next. To all which I did give a cold
consent, for my heart cannot love or have a good opinion of him since his
last playing the knave with me, but he took no notice of our difference at
all, nor I to him, and so parted, and I by water to Deptford, where I
found Sir W. Batten alone paying off the yard three quarters pay. Thence
to dinner, where too great a one was prepared, at which I was very much
troubled, and wished I had not been there. After dinner comes Sir J.
Minnes and some captains with him, who had been at a Councill of Warr
to-day, who tell us they have acquitted Captain Hall, who was accused of
cowardice in letting of old Winter, the Argier pyrate, go away from him
with a prize or two; and also Captain Diamond of the murder laid to him of
a man that he had struck, but he lived many months after, till being
drunk, he fell into the hold, and there broke his jaw and died, but they
say there are such bawdy articles against him as never were heard of
. . . . To the pay again, where I left them, and walked to Redriffe,
and so home, and there came Mr. Creed and Shepley to me, and staid till
night about my Lord's accounts, our proceeding to set them in order, and
so parted and I to bed. Mr. Holliard had been with my wife to-day, and
cured her of her pain in her ear by taking out a most prodigious quantity
of hard wax that had hardened itself in the bottom of the ear, of which I
am very glad.
28th. Up to my Lord's and my own accounts, and so to the office, where
all the forenoon sitting, and at noon by appointment to the Mitre, where
Mr. Shepley gave me and Mr. Creed, and I had my uncle Wight with us, a
dish of fish. Thence to the office again, and there all the afternoon
till night, and so home, and after talking with my wife to bed. This day
a genteel woman came to me, claiming kindred of me, as she had once done
before, and borrowed 10s. of me, promising to repay it at night, but I
hear nothing of her. I shall trust her no more. Great talk there is of a
fear of a war with the Dutch; and we have order to pitch upon twenty ships
to be forthwith set out; but I hope it is but a scarecrow to the world, to
let them see that we can be ready for them; though, God knows! the King is
not able to set out five ships at this present without great difficulty,
we neither having money, credit, nor stores. My mind is now in a
wonderful condition of quiet and content, more than ever in all my life,
since my minding the business of my office, which I have done most
constantly; and I find it to be the very effect of my late oaths against
wine and plays, which, if God please, I will keep constant in, for now my
business is a delight to me, and brings me great credit, and my purse
encreases too.
29th (Lord's day). Up by four o'clock, and to the settling of my own
accounts, and I do find upon my monthly ballance, which I have undertaken
to keep from month to month, that I am worth L650, the greatest sum that
ever I was yet master of. I pray God give me a thankfull, spirit, and
care to improve and encrease it. To church with my wife, who this day put
on her green petticoat of flowred satin, with fine white and gimp lace of
her own putting on, which is very pretty. Home with Sir W. Pen to dinner
by appointment, and to church again in the afternoon, and then home, Mr.
Shepley coming to me about my Lord's accounts, and in the evening parted,
and we to supper again to Sir W. Pen. Whatever the matter is, he do much
fawn upon me, and I perceive would not fall out with me, and his daughter
mighty officious to my wife, but I shall never be deceived again by him,
but do hate him and his traitorous tricks with all my heart. It was an
invitation in order to his taking leave of us to-day, he being to go for
Ireland in a few days. So home and prayers, and to bed.
30th. Up betimes, and to my office, where I found Griffen's girl making
it clean, but, God forgive me! what a mind I had to her, but did not
meddle with her. She being gone, I fell upon boring holes for me to see
from my closet into the great office, without going forth, wherein I
please myself much. So settled to business, and at noon with my wife to
the Wardrobe, and there dined, and staid talking all the afternoon with my
Lord, and about four o'clock took coach with my wife and Lady, and went
toward my house, calling at my Lady Carteret's, who was within by chance
(she keeping altogether at Deptford for a month or two), and so we sat
with her a little. Among other things told my Lady how my Lady Fanshaw is
fallen out with her only for speaking in behalf of the French, which my
Lady wonders at, they having been formerly like sisters, but we see there
is no true lasting friendship in the world. Thence to my house, where I
took great pride to lead her through the Court by the hand, she being very
fine, and her page carrying up her train. She staid a little at my house,
and then walked through the garden, and took water, and went first on
board the King's pleasure boat, which pleased her much. Then to Greenwich
Park; and with much ado she was able to walk up to the top of the hill,
and so down again, and took boat, and so through bridge to Blackfryers,
and home, she being much pleased with the ramble in every particular of
it. So we supped with her, and then walked home, and to bed.
OBSERVATIONS.
This I take to be as bad a juncture as ever I observed. The King and his
new Queen minding their pleasures at Hampton Court. All people
discontented; some that the King do not gratify them enough; and the
others, Fanatiques of all sorts, that the King do take away their liberty
of conscience; and the height of the Bishops, who I fear will ruin all
again. They do much cry up the manner of Sir H. Vane's death, and he
deserves it. They clamour against the chimney-money, and say they will
not pay it without force. And in the mean time, like to have war abroad;
and Portugall to assist, when we have not money to pay for any ordinary
layings-out at home. Myself all in dirt about building of my house and
Sir W. Batten's a story higher. Into a good way, fallen on minding my
business and saving money, which God encrease; and I do take great delight
in it, and see the benefit of it. In a longing mind of going to see
Brampton, but cannot get three days time, do what I can. In very good
health, my wife and myself.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Afeard of being louzy
Afeard that my Lady Castlemaine will keep still with the King
Afraid now to bring in any accounts for journeys
As much his friend as his interest will let him
Comb my head clean, which I found so foul with powdering
Deliver her from the hereditary curse of child-bearing
Discontented at the pride and luxury of the Court
Enjoy some degree of pleasure now that we have health, money
God forgive me! what a mind I had to her
Hard matter to settle to business after so much leisure
Holes for me to see from my closet into the great office
I know not yet what that is, and am ashamed to ask
King dined at my Lady Castlemaine's, and supped, every day
Lady Castlemaine do speak of going to lie in at Hampton Court
Let me blood, about sixteen ounces, I being exceedingly full
Lust and wicked lives of the nuns heretofore in England
Only wind do now and then torment me . . . extremely
See her look dejectedly and slighted by people already
She also washed my feet in a bath of herbs, and so to bed
Sir W. Pen did it like a base raskall, and so I shall remember
Slight answer, at which I did give him two boxes on the ears
They were not occupiers, but occupied (women)
Trumpets were brought under the scaffold that he not be heard
Up and took physique, but such as to go abroad with
Will put Madam Castlemaine's nose out of joynt
With my whip did whip him till I was not able to stir