enquire when the Duke of York will be in town, in order to Mr. Turner's
going down to Audley Ends about his place; and here I met in St. James's
Park with one that told us that the Duke of York would be in town
to-morrow, and so Turner parted and went home, and I also did stop my
intentions of going to the Court, also this day, about securing Mr.
Turner's place of Petty-purveyor to Mr. Hater. So I to my Lord
Brouncker's, thinking to have gone and spoke to him about it, but he is
gone out to town till night, and so, meeting a gentleman of my Lord
Middleton's looking for me about the payment of the L1000 lately ordered
to his Lord, in advance of his pay, which shall arise upon his going
Governor to Tangier, I did go to his Lord's lodgings, and there spoke the
first time with him, and find him a shrewd man, but a drinking man, I
think, as the world says; but a man that hath seen much of the world, and
is a Scot. I offered him my service, though I can do him little; but he
sends his man home with me, where I made him stay, till I had gone to Sir
W. Pen, to bespeak him about Mr. Hater, who, contrary to my fears, did
appear very friendly, to my great content; for I was afraid of his
appearing for his man Burroughs. But he did not; but did declare to me
afterwards his intentions to desire an excuse in his own business, to be
eased of the business of the Comptroller, his health not giving him power
to stay always in town, but he must go into the country. I did say little
to him but compliment, having no leisure to think of his business, or any
man's but my own, and so away and home, where I find Sir H. Cholmly come
to town; and is come hither to see me: and he is a man that I love
mightily, as being, of a gentleman, the most industrious that ever I saw.
He staid with me awhile talking, and telling me his obligations to my Lord
Sandwich, which I was glad of; and that the Duke of Buckingham is now
chief of all men in this kingdom, which I knew before; and that he do
think the Parliament will hardly ever meet again; which is a great many
men's thoughts, and I shall not be sorry for it. He being gone, I with my
Lord Middleton's servant to Mr. Colvill's, but he was not in town, and so
he parted, and I home, and there to dinner, and Mr. Pelling with us; and
thence my wife and Mercer, and W. Hewer and Deb., to the King's playhouse,
and I afterwards by water with them, and there we did hear the Eunuch
(who, it seems, is a Frenchman, but long bred in Italy) sing, which I
seemed to take as new to me, though I saw him on Saturday last, but said
nothing of it; but such action and singing I could never have imagined to
have heard, and do make good whatever Tom Hill used to tell me. Here we
met with Mr. Batelier and his sister, and so they home with us in two
coaches, and there at my house staid and supped, and this night my
bookseller Shrewsbury comes, and brings my books of Martyrs, and I did pay
him for them, and did this night make the young women before supper to
open all the volumes for me. So to supper, and after supper to read a
ridiculous nonsensical book set out by Will. Pen, for the Quakers; but so
full of nothing but nonsense, that I was ashamed to read in it. So they
gone, we to bed.
[Penn's first work, entitled, "Truth exalted, in a short but sure
testimony against all those religions, faiths, and worships, that
have been formed and followed, in the darkness of apostacy; and for
that glorious light which is now risen, and shines forth, in the
life and doctrine of the despised Quakers . . . . by W. Penn,
whom divine love constrains, in holy contempt, to trample on Egypt's
glory, not fearing the King's wrath, having beheld the Majesty of
Him who is invisible:" London, 1668.--B.]
13th. Up, and to the office, and before the office did speak with my Lord
Brouncker, and there did get his ready assent to T. Hater's having of Mr.
Turner's place, and so Sir J. Minnes's also: but when we come to sit down
at the Board, comes to us Mr. Wren this day to town, and tells me that
James Southern do petition the Duke of York for the Storekeeper's place of
Deptford, which did trouble me much, and also the Board, though, upon
discourse, after he was gone, we did resolve to move hard for our Clerks,
and that places of preferment may go according to seniority and merit.
So, the Board up, I home with my people to dinner, and so to the office
again, and there, after doing some business, I with Mr. Turner to the Duke
of Albemarle's at night; and there did speak to him about his appearing to
Mr. Wren a friend to Mr. Turner, which he did take kindly from me; and so
away thence, well pleased with what we had now done, and so I with him
home, stopping at my Lord Brouncker's, and getting his hand to a letter I
wrote to the Duke of York for T. Hater, and also at my Lord Middleton's,
to give him an account of what I had done this day, with his man, at
Alderman Backewell's, about the getting of his L1000 paid;
[It was probably for this payment that the tally was obtained, the
loss of which caused Pepys so much anxiety. See November 26th,
1668]
and here he did take occasion to discourse about the business of the Dutch
war, which, he says, he was always an enemy to; and did discourse very
well of it, I saying little, but pleased to hear him talk; and to see how
some men may by age come to know much, and yet by their drinking and other
pleasures render themselves not very considerable. I did this day find by
discourse with somebody, that this nobleman was the great Major-General
Middleton; that was of the Scots army, in the beginning of the late war
against the King. Thence home and to the office to finish my letters, and
so home and did get my wife to read to me, and then Deb to comb my head .
. . .
14th. Up, and by water, stopping at Michell's, and there saw Betty, but
could have no discourse with her, but there drank. To White Hall, and
there walked to St. James's, where I find the Court mighty full, it being
the Duke or York's birthday; and he mighty fine, and all the musick, one
after another, to my great content. Here I met with Sir H. Cholmly; and
he and I to walk, and to my Lord Barkeley's new house; there to see a new
experiment of a cart, which; by having two little wheeles fastened to the
axle-tree, is said to make it go with half the ease and more, than another
cart but we did not see the trial made. Thence I home, and after dinner
to St. James's, and there met my brethren; but the Duke of York being gone
out, and to-night being a play there; and a great festival, we would not
stay, but went all of us to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The
Faythful Shepherdess" again, that we might hear the French Eunuch sing,
which we did, to our great content; though I do admire his action as much
as his singing, being both beyond all I ever saw or heard. Thence with W.
Pen home, and there to get my people to read, and to supper, and so to
bed.
15th. Up, and all the morning at the office, and at home at dinner,
where, after dinner, my wife and I and Deb. out by coach to the upholsters
in Long Lane, Alderman Reeve's, and then to Alderman Crow's, to see
variety of hangings, and were mightily pleased therewith, and spent the
whole afternoon thereupon; and at last I think we shall pitch upon the
best suit of Apostles, where three pieces for my room will come to almost
L80: so home, and to my office, and then home to supper and to bed. This
day at the Board comes unexpected the warrants from the Duke of York for
Mr. Turner and Hater, for the places they desire, which contents me
mightily.
16th. Up, and busy all the morning at the office, and before noon I took
my wife by coach, and Deb., and shewed her Mr. Wren's hangings and bed, at
St. James's, and Sir W. Coventry's in the Pell Mell, for our satisfaction
in what we are going to buy; and so by Mr. Crow's, home, about his
hangings, and do pitch upon buying his second suit of Apostles-the whole
suit, which comes to L83; and this we think the best for us, having now
the whole suit, to answer any other rooms or service. So home to dinner,
and with Mr. Hater by water to St. James's: there Mr. Hater, to give Mr.
Wren thanks for his kindness about his place that he hath lately granted
him, of Petty Purveyor of petty emptions, upon the removal of Mr. Turner
to be Storekeeper at Deptford, on the death of Harper. And then we all up
to the Duke of York, and there did our usual business, and so I with J.
Minnes home, and there finding my wife gone to my aunt Wight's, to see her
the first time after her coming to town, and indeed the first time, I
think, these two years (we having been great strangers one to the other
for a great while), I to them; and there mighty kindly used, and had a
barrel of oysters, and so to look up and down their house, they having
hung a room since I was there, but with hangings not fit to be seen with
mine, which I find all come home to-night, and here staying an hour or two
we home, and there to supper and to bed.
17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning sitting, and at noon
home to dinner, and to the office all the afternoon, and then late home,
and there with much pleasure getting Mr. Gibbs, that writes well, to write
the name upon my new draught of "The Resolution;" and so set it up, and
altered the situation of some of my pictures in my closet, to my
extraordinary content, and at it with much pleasure till almost 12 at
night. Mr. Moore and Seymour were with me this afternoon, who tell me
that my Lord Sandwich was received mighty kindly by the King, and is in
exceeding great esteem with him, and the rest about him; but I doubt it
will be hard for him to please both the King and the Duke of York, which I
shall be sorry for. Mr. Moore tells me the sad condition my Lord is in,
in his estate and debts; and the way he now lives in, so high, and so many
vain servants about him, that he must be ruined, if he do not take up,
which, by the grace of God, I will put him upon, when I come to see him.
18th (Lord's day). Up, and with my boy Tom all the morning altering the
places of my pictures with great pleasure, and at noon to dinner, and then
comes Mr. Shales to see me, and I with him to recommend him to my Lord
Brouncker's service, which I did at Madam Williams's, and my Lord receives
him. Thence with Brouncker to Lincolne's Inn, and Mr. Ball, to visit Dr.
Wilkins, now newly Bishop of Chester: and he received us mighty kindly;
and had most excellent discourse from him about his Book of Reall
Character: and so I with Lord Brouncker to White Hall, and there saw the
Queen and some ladies, and with Lord Brouncker back, it again being a
rainy evening, and so my Lord forced to lend me his coach till I got a
hackney, which I did, and so home and to supper, and got my wife to read
to me, and so to bed.
19th. Up, and to my office to set down my Journall for some days past,
and so to other business. At the office all the morning upon some
business of Sir W. Warren's, and at noon home to dinner, and thence out by
coach with my wife and Deb. and Mr. Harman, the upholster, and carried
them to take measure of Mr. Wren's bed at St. James's, I being resolved to
have just such another made me, and thence set him down in the Strand, and
my wife and I to the Duke of York's playhouse; and there saw, the first
time acted, "The Queene of Arragon," an old Blackfriars play, but an
admirable one, so good that I am astonished at it, and wonder where it
hath lain asleep all this while, that I have never heard of it before.
Here met W. Batelier and Mrs. Hunt, Deb.'s aunt; and saw her home--a very
witty woman, and one that knows this play, and understands a play mighty
well. Left her at home in Jewen Street, and we home, and to supper, and
my wife to read to me, and so to bed.
20th. Up, and to the office all the morning, and then home to dinner,
having this day a new girl come to us in the room of Nell, who is lately,
about four days since, gone away, being grown lazy and proud. This girl
to stay only till we have a boy, which I intend to keep when I have a
coach, which I am now about. At this time my wife and I mighty busy
laying out money in dressing up our best chamber, and thinking of a coach
and coachman and horses, &c.; and the more because of Creed's being now
married to Mrs. Pickering; a thing I could never have expected, but it is
done about seven or ten days since, as I hear out of the country. At noon
home to dinner, and my wife and Harman and girl abroad to buy things, and
I walked out to several places to pay debts, and among other things to
look out for a coach, and saw many; and did light on one for which I bid
L50, which do please me mightily, and I believe I shall have it. So to my
tailor's, and the New Exchange, and so by coach home, and there, having
this day bought "The Queene of Arragon" play, I did get my wife and W.
Batelier to read it over this night by 11 o'clock, and so to bed.
21st. Lay pretty long talking with content with my wife about our coach
and things, and so to the office, where Sir D. Gawden was to do something
in his accounts. At noon to dinner to Mr. Batelier's, his mother coming
this day a-housewarming to him, and several friends of his, to which he
invited us. Here mighty merry, and his mother the same; I heretofore took
her for a gentlewoman, and understanding. I rose from table before the
rest, because under an obligation to go to my Lord Brouncker's, where to
meet several gentlemen of the Royal Society, to go and make a visit to the
French Embassador Colbert, at Leicester House, he having endeavoured to
make one or two to my Lord Brouncker, as our President, but he was not
within, but I come too late, they being gone before: but I followed to
Leicester House; but they are gore in and up before me; and so I away to
the New Exchange, and there staid for my wife, and she come, we to Cow
Lane, and there I shewed her the coach which I pitch on, and she is out of
herself for joy almost. But the man not within, so did nothing more
towards an agreement, but to Mr. Crow's about a bed, to have his advice,
and so home, and there had my wife to read to me, and so to supper and to
bed. Memorandum: that from Crow's, we went back to Charing Cross, and
there left my people at their tailor's, while I to my Lord Sandwich's
lodgings, who come to town the last night, and is come thither to lye: and
met with him within: and among others my new cozen Creed, who looks mighty
soberly; and he and I saluted one another with mighty gravity, till we
come to a little more freedom of talk about it. But here I hear that Sir
Gilbert Pickering is lately dead, about three days since, which makes some
sorrow there, though not much, because of his being long expected to die,
having been in a lethargy long. So waited on my Lord to Court, and there
staid and saw the ladies awhile: and thence to my wife, and took them up;
and so home, and to supper and bed.
22nd. Up, and W. Batelier's Frenchman, a perriwigg maker, comes and
brings me a new one, which I liked and paid him for: a mighty genteel
fellow. So to the office, where sat all the morning, and at noon home to
dinner, and thence with wife and Deb. to Crow's, and there did see some
more beds; and we shall, I think, pitch upon a camlott one, when all is
done. Thence sent them home, and I to Arundell House, where the first
time we have met since the vacation, and not much company: but here much
good discourse, and afterwards my Lord and others and I to the Devil
tavern, and there eat and drank, and so late, with Mr. Colwell, home by
coach; and at home took him with me, and there found my uncle Wight and
aunt, and Woolly and his wife, and there supped, and mighty merry. And
anon they gone, and Mrs. Turner staid, who was there also to talk of her
husband's business; and the truth is, I was the less pleased to talk with
her, for that she hath not yet owned, in any fit manner of thanks, my late
and principal service to her husband about his place, which I alone ought
to have the thanks for, if they know as much as I do; but let it go: if
they do not own it, I shall have it in my hand to teach them to do it. So
to bed. This day word come for all the Principal Officers to bring them
[the Commissioners of Accounts] their patents, which I did in the
afternoon, by leaving it at their office, but am troubled at what should
be their design therein.
23rd. Up, and plasterers at work and painters about my house.
Commissioner Middleton and I to St. James's, where with the rest of our
company we attended on our usual business the Duke of York. Thence I to
White Hall, to my Lord Sandwich's, where I find my Lord within, but busy,
private; and so I staid a little talking with the young gentlemen: and so
away with Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, towards Tyburne, to see the people
executed; but come too late, it being done; two men and a woman hanged,
and so back again and to my coachmaker's, and there did come a little
nearer agreement for the coach, and so to Duck Lane, and there my
bookseller's, and saw his moher, but elle is so big-bellied that elle is
not worth seeing. So home, and there all alone to dinner, my wife and W.
Hewer being gone to Deptford to see her mother, and so I to the office all
the afternoon. In the afternoon comes my cozen, Sidney Pickering, to
bring my wife and me his sister's Favour for her wedding, which is kindly
done, and he gone, I to business again, and in the evening home, made my
wife read till supper time, and so to bed. This day Pierce do tell me,
among other news, the late frolick and debauchery of Sir Charles Sidly and
Buckhurst, running up and down all the night with their arses bare,
through the streets; and at last fighting, and being beat by the watch and
clapped up all night; and how the King takes their parts; and my Lord
Chief Justice Keeling hath laid the constable by the heels to answer it
next Sessions: which is a horrid shame. How the King and these gentlemen
did make the fiddlers of Thetford, this last progress, to sing them all
the bawdy songs they could think of. How Sir W. Coventry was brought the
other day to the Duchesse of York by the Duke, to kiss her hand; who did
acknowledge his unhappiness to occasion her so much sorrow, declaring his
intentions in it, and praying her pardon; which she did give him upon his
promise to make good his pretences of innocence to her family, by his
faithfulness to his master, the Duke of York. That the Duke of Buckingham
is now all in all, and will ruin Coventry, if he can: and that W. Coventry
do now rest wholly upon the Duke of York for his standing, which is a
great turn. He tells me that my Lady Castlemayne, however, is a mortal
enemy to the Duke of Buckingham, which I understand not; but, it seems,
she is disgusted with his greatness, and his ill usage of her. That the
King was drunk at Saxam with Sidly, Buckhurst, &c., the night that my Lord
Arlington come thither, and would not give him audience, or could not
which is true, for it was the night that I was there, and saw the King go
up to his chamber, and was told that the King had been drinking. He tells
me, too, that the Duke of York did the next day chide Bab. May for his
occasioning the King's giving himself up to these gentlemen, to the
neglecting of my Lord Arlington: to which he answered merrily, that, by
God, there was no man in England that had heads to lose, durst do what
they do, every day, with the King, and asked the Duke of York's pardon:
which is a sign of a mad world. God bless us out of it!
24th. This morning comes to me the coachmaker, and agreed with me for
L53, and stand to the courtesy of what more I should give him upon the
finishing of the coach: he is likely also to fit me with a coachman. There
comes also to me Mr. Shotgrave, the operator of our Royal Society, to show
me his method of making the Tubes for the eyes, which are clouterly done,
so that mine are better, but I have well informed myself in several things
from him, and so am glad of speaking with him. So to the office, where
all the morning, and then to dinner, and so all the afternoon late at the
office, and so home; and my wife to read to me, and then with much content
to bed. This day Lord Brouncker tells me that the making Sir J. Minnes a
bare Commissioner is now in doing, which I am glad of; but he speaks of
two new Commissioners, which I do not believe.
25th (Lord's day). Up, and discoursing with my wife about our house and
many new things we are doing of, and so to church I, and there find Jack
Fenn come, and his wife, a pretty black woman: I never saw her before, nor
took notice of her now. So home and to dinner, and after dinner all the
afternoon got my wife and boy to read to me, and at night W. Batelier
comes and sups with us; and, after supper, to have my head combed by Deb.,
which occasioned the greatest sorrow to me that ever I knew in this world,
for my wife, coming up suddenly, did find me embracing the girl . . . .
I was at a wonderful loss upon it, and the girle also, and I endeavoured
to put it off, but my wife was struck mute and grew angry, and so her
voice come to her, grew quite out of order, and I to say little, but to
bed, and my wife said little also, but could not sleep all night, but
about two in the morning waked me and cried, and fell to tell me as a
great secret that she was a Roman Catholique and had received the Holy
Sacrament, which troubled me, but I took no notice of it, but she went on
from one thing to another till at last it appeared plainly her trouble was
at what she saw, but yet I did not know how much she saw, and therefore
said nothing to her. But after her much crying and reproaching me with
inconstancy and preferring a sorry girl before her, I did give her no
provocation, but did promise all fair usage to her and love, and foreswore
any hurt that I did with her, till at last she seemed to be at ease again,
and so toward morning a little sleep, and so I with some little repose and
rest
26th. Rose, and up and by water to White Hall, but with my mind mightily
troubled for the poor girle, whom I fear I have undone by this, my [wife]
telling me that she would turn her out of doors. However, I was obliged
to attend the Duke of York, thinking to have had a meeting of Tangier
to-day, but had not; but he did take me and Mr. Wren into his closet, and
there did press me to prepare what I had to say upon the answers of my
fellow-officers to his great letter, which I promised to do against his
coming to town again, the next week; and so to other discourse, finding
plainly that he is in trouble, and apprehensions of the Reformers, and
would be found to do what he can towards reforming, himself. And so
thence to my Lord Sandwich's, where, after long stay, he being in talk
with others privately, I to him; and there he, taking physic and keeping
his chamber, I had an hour's talk with him about the ill posture of things
at this time, while the King gives countenance to Sir Charles Sidly and
Lord Buckhurst, telling him their late story of running up and down the
streets a little while since all night, and their being beaten and clapped
up all night by the constable, who is since chid and imprisoned for his
pains. He tells me that he thinks his matters do stand well with the
King, and hopes to have dispatch to his mind; but I doubt it, and do see
that he do fear it, too. He told me my Lady Carteret's trouble about my
writing of that letter of the Duke of York's lately to the Office, which I
did not own, but declared to be of no injury to G. Carteret, and that I
would write a letter to him to satisfy him therein. But this I am in pain
how to do, without doing myself wrong, and the end I had, of preparing a
justification to myself hereafter, when the faults of the Navy come to be
found out however, I will do it in the best manner I can. Thence by coach
home and to dinner, finding my wife mightily discontented, and the girle
sad, and no words from my wife to her. So after dinner they out with me
about two or three things, and so home again, I all the evening busy, and
my wife full of trouble in her looks, and anon to bed, where about
midnight she wakes me, and there falls foul of me again, affirming that
she saw me hug and kiss the girle; the latter I denied, and truly, the
other I confessed and no more, and upon her pressing me did offer to give
her under my hand that I would never see Mrs. Pierce more nor Knepp, but
did promise her particular demonstrations of my true love to her, owning
some indiscretions in what I did, but that there was no harm in it. She
at last upon these promises was quiet, and very kind we were, and so to
sleep, and
27th. In the morning up, but my, mind troubled for the poor girle, with
whom I could not get opportunity to speak, but to the office, my mind
mighty full of sorrow for her, to the office, where all the morning, and
to dinner with my people, and to the office all the afternoon, and so at
night home, and there busy to get some things ready against to-morrow's
meeting of Tangier, and that being done, and my clerks gone, my wife did
towards bedtime begin to be in a mighty rage from some new matter that she
had got in her head, and did most part of the night in bed rant at me in
most high terms of threats of publishing my shame, and when I offered to
rise would have rose too, and caused a candle to be light to burn by her
all night in the chimney while she ranted, while the knowing myself to
have given some grounds for it, did make it my business to appease her all
I could possibly, and by good words and fair promises did make her very
quiet, and so rested all night, and rose with perfect good peace, being
heartily afflicted for this folly of mine that did occasion it, but was
forced to be silent about the girle, which I have no mind to part with,
but much less that the poor girle should be undone by my folly. So up with
mighty kindness from my wife and a thorough peace, and being up did by a
note advise the girle what I had done and owned, which note I was in pain
for till she told me she had burned it. This evening Mr. Spong come, and
sat late with me, and first told me of the instrument called
parallelogram,
[This useful instrument, used for copying maps, plans, drawings, &c.
either of the same size, or larger or smaller than the originals, is
now named a pantograph.]
which I must have one of, shewing me his practice thereon, by a map of
England.
28th. So by coach with Mr. Gibson to Chancery Lane, and there made oath
before a Master of Chancery to the Tangier account of fees, and so to
White Hall, where, by and by, a Committee met, my Lord Sandwich there, but
his report was not received, it being late; but only a little business
done, about the supplying the place with victuals. But I did get, to my
great content, my account allowed of fees, with great applause by my Lord
Ashly and Sir W. Pen. Thence home, calling at one or two places; and
there about our workmen, who are at work upon my wife's closet, and other
parts of my house, that we are all in dirt. So after dinner with Mr.
Gibson all the afternoon in my closet, and at night to supper and to bed,
my wife and I at good peace, but yet with some little grudgings of trouble
in her and more in me about the poor girle.