ready; and by and by Mrs. Turner come to us, by agreement, and she and I
staid talking below, while my wife dressed herself, which vexed me that
she was so long about it keeping us till past five o'clock before she was
ready. She ready; and, taking some bottles of wine, and beer, and some
cold fowle with us into the coach, we took coach and four horses, which I
had provided last night, and so away. A very fine day, and so towards
Epsum, talking all the way pleasantly, and particularly of the pride and
ignorance of Mrs. Lowther, in having of her train carried up? The country
very fine, only the way very dusty. We got to Epsum by eight o'clock, to
the well; where much company, and there we 'light, and I drank the water:
they did not, but do go about and walk a little among the women, but I did
drink four pints, and had some very good stools by it. Here I met with
divers of our town, among others with several of the tradesmen of our
office, but did talk but little with them, it growing hot in the sun, and
so we took coach again and to the towne, to the King's Head, where our
coachman carried us, and there had an ill room for us to go into, but the
best in the house that was not taken up. Here we called for drink, and
bespoke dinner; and hear that my Lord Buckhurst and Nelly are lodged at
the next house, and Sir Charles Sidly with them and keep a merry house.
Poor girl! I pity her; but more the loss of her at the King's house. Here
I saw Gilsthrop, Sir W. Batten's clerk that hath been long sick, he looks
like a dying man, with a consumption got, as is believed, by the pox, but
God knows that the man is in a sad condition, though he finds himself much
better since his coming thither, he says. W. Hewer rode with us, and I
left him and the women, and myself walked to church, where few people,
contrary to what I expected, and none I knew, but all the Houblons,
brothers, and them after sermon I did salute, and walk with towards my
inne, which was in their way to their lodgings. They come last night to
see their elder brother, who stays here at the waters, and away to-morrow.
James did tell me that I was the only happy man of the Navy, of whom, he
says, during all this freedom the people have taken of speaking treason,
he hath not heard one bad word of me, which is a great joy to me; for I
hear the same of others, but do know that I have deserved as well as most.
We parted to meet anon, and I to my women into a better room, which the
people of the house borrowed for us, and there to dinner, a good dinner,
and were merry, and Pendleton come to us, who happened to be in the house,
and there talked and were merry. After dinner, he gone, we all lay down
after dinner (the day being wonderful hot) to sleep, and each of us took a
good nap, and then rose; and Tom Wilson come to see me, and sat and talked
an hour; and I perceive he hath been much acquainted with Dr. Fuller (Tom)
and Dr. Pierson, and several of the great cavalier parsons during the late
troubles; and I was glad to hear him talk of them, which he did very
ingeniously, and very much of Dr. Fuller's art of memory, which he did
tell me several instances of. By and by he parted, and we took coach and
to take the ayre, there being a fine breeze abroad; and I went and carried
them to the well, and there filled some bottles of water to carry home
with me; and there talked with the two women that farm the well, at L12
per annum, of the lord of the manor, Mr. Evelyn (who with his lady, and
also my Lord George Barkeley's lady, and their fine daughter, that the
King of France liked so well, and did dance so rich in jewells before the
King at the Ball I was at, at our Court, last winter, and also their son,
a Knight of the Bath, were at church this morning). Here W. Hewer's horse
broke loose, and we had the sport to see him taken again. Then I carried
them to see my cozen Pepys's house, and 'light, and walked round about it,
and they like it, as indeed it deserves, very well, and is a pretty place;
and then I walked them to the wood hard by, and there got them in the
thickets till they had lost themselves, and I could not find the way into
any of the walks in the wood, which indeed are very pleasant, if I could
have found them. At last got out of the wood again; and I, by leaping
down the little bank, coming out of the wood, did sprain my right foot,
which brought me great present pain, but presently, with walking, it went
away for the present, and so the women and W. Hewer and I walked upon the
Downes, where a flock of sheep was; and the most pleasant and innocent
sight that ever I saw in my life--we find a shepherd and his little boy
reading, far from any houses or sight of people, the Bible to him; so I
made the boy read to me, which he did, with the forced tone that children
do usually read, that was mighty pretty, and then I did give him
something, and went to the father, and talked with him; and I find he had
been a servant in my cozen Pepys's house, and told me what was become of
their old servants. He did content himself mightily in my liking his
boy's reading, and did bless God for him, the most like one of the old
patriarchs that ever I saw in my life, and it brought those thoughts of
the old age of the world in my mind for two or three days after. We took
notice of his woolen knit stockings of two colours mixed, and of his shoes
shod with iron shoes, both at the toe and heels, and with great nails in
the soles of his feet, which was mighty pretty: and, taking notice of
them, "Why," says the poor man, "the downes, you see, are full of stones,
and we are faine to shoe ourselves thus; and these," says he, "will make
the stones fly till they sing before me." I did give the poor man
something, for which he was mighty thankful, and I tried to cast stones
with his horne crooke. He values his dog mightily, that would turn a
sheep any way which he would have him, when he goes to fold them: told me
there was about eighteen scoare sheep in his flock, and that he hath four
shillings a week the year round for keeping of them: so we posted thence
with mighty pleasure in the discourse we had with this poor man, and Mrs.
Turner, in the common fields here, did gather one of the prettiest
nosegays that ever I saw in my life. So to our coach, and through Mr.
Minnes's wood, and looked upon Mr. Evelyn's house; and so over the common,
and through Epsum towne to our inne, in the way stopping a poor woman with
her milk-pail, and in one of my gilt tumblers did drink our bellyfulls of
milk, better than any creame; and so to our inne, and there had a dish of
creame, but it was sour, and so had no pleasure in it; and so paid our
reckoning, and took coach, it being about seven at night, and passed and
saw the people walking with their wives and children to take the ayre, and
we set out for home, the sun by and by going down, and we in the cool of
the evening all the way with much pleasure home, talking and pleasing
ourselves with the pleasure of this day's work, Mrs. Turner mightily
pleased with my resolution, which, I tell her, is never to keep a
country-house, but to keep a coach, and with my wife on the Saturday to go
sometimes for a day to this place, and then quit to another place; and
there is more variety and as little charge, and no trouble, as there is in
a country-house. Anon it grew dark, and as it grew dark we had the
pleasure to see several glow-wormes, which was mighty pretty, but my foot
begins more and more to pain me, which Mrs. Turner, by keeping her warm
hand upon it, did much ease; but so that when we come home, which was just
at eleven at night, I was not able to walk from the lane's end to my house
without being helped, which did trouble me, and therefore to bed
presently, but, thanks be to God, found that I had not been missed, nor
any business happened in my absence. So to bed, and there had a cerecloth
laid to my foot and leg alone, but in great pain all night long.
15th. So as I was not able to go to-day to wait on the Duke of York with
my fellows, but was forced in bed to write the particulars for their
discourse there, and kept my bed all day, and anon comes Mrs. Turner, and
new-dressed my foot, and did it so, that I was at much ease presently, and
so continued all day, so as I slept much and well in the daytime, and in
the evening rose and eat something, where our poor Jane very sad for the
death of her poor brother, who hath left a wife and two small children. I
did give her 20s. in money, and what wine she needed, for the burying him.
This evening come to see me Pelling, and we did sing together, and he
sings well indeed, and after supper I was willing to go to bed to ease my
foot again, which I did, and slept well all night.
16th. In the morning I was able to put on a wide shoe on the foot, and to
the office without much pain, and there sat all the morning. At noon home
to dinner, where Creed to discourse of our Tangier business, which stands
very bad in the business of money, and therefore we expect to have a
committee called soon, and to acquaint them among other things with the
order come to me for the not paying of any more pensions. We dined
together, and after dinner I to the office, and there very late, very
busy, doing much business indeed, and so with great comfort home to
supper, and so to bed to ease my foot, which toward night began to ake.
17th. Up, and to my chamber to set down my Journall of Sunday last with
much pleasure, and my foot being pretty well, but yet I am forced to limp.
Then by coach, set my wife down at the New Exchange, and I to White Hall
to the Treasury chamber, but to little purpose. So to Mr. Burges to as
little. There to the Hall and talked with Mrs. Michell, who begins to
tire me about doing something for her elder son, which I am willing to do,
but know not what. Thence to White Hall again, and thence away, and took
up my wife at Unthanke's, and left her at the 'Change, and so I to
Bennet's to take up a bill for the last silk I had for my vest and coat,
which I owe them for, and so to the Excise Office, and there did a little
business, and so to Temple Bar and staid at my bookseller's till my wife
calls me, and so home, where I am saluted with the news of Hogg's bringing
a rich Canary prize to Hull:
[Thomas Pointer to Samuel Pepys (Hull, July 15th): "Capt. Hogg has
brought in a great prize laden with Canary wine; also Capt. Reeves
of the 'Panther,' and the 'Fanfan,' whose commander is slain, have
come in with their prizes" ("Calendar of State Papers," 1667,
p. 298).]
and Sir W. Batten do offer me L1000 down for my particular share, beside
Sir Richard Ford's part, which do tempt me; but yet I would not take it,
but will stand and fall with the company. He and two more, the Panther
and Fanfan, did enter into consortship; and so they have all brought in
each a prize, though ours worth as much as both theirs, and more. However,
it will be well worth having, God be thanked for it! This news makes us
all very glad. I at Sir W. Batten's did hear the particulars of it; and
there for joy he did give the company that were there a bottle or two of
his own last year's wine, growing at Walthamstow, than which the whole
company said they never drank better foreign wine in their lives. Home,
and to dinner, and by and by comes Mr. Pierce, who is interested in the
Panther, for some advice, and then comes Creed, and he and I spent the
whole afternoon till eight at night walking and talking of sundry things
public and private in the garden, but most of all of the unhappy state of
this nation at this time by the negligence of the King and his Council.
The Duke of Buckingham is, it seems, set at liberty, without any further
charge against him or other clearing of him, but let to go out; which is
one of the strangest instances of the fool's play with which all publick
things are done in this age, that is to be apprehended. And it is said
that when he was charged with making himself popular--as indeed he is, for
many of the discontented Parliament, Sir Robert Howard and Sir Thomas
Meres, and others, did attend at the Council-chamber when he was
examined--he should answer, that whoever was committed to prison by my
Lord Chancellor or my Lord Arlington, could not want being popular. But it
is worth considering the ill state a Minister of State is in, under such a
Prince as ours is; for, undoubtedly, neither of those two great men would
have been so fierce against the Duke of Buckingham at the Council-table
the other day, had they [not] been assured of the King's good liking, and
supporting them therein: whereas, perhaps at the desire of my Lady
Castlemayne, who, I suppose, hath at last overcome the King, the Duke of
Buckingham is well received again, and now these men delivered up to the
interest he can make for his revenge. He told me over the story of Mrs.
Stewart, much after the manner which I was told it long since, and have
entered it in this book, told me by Mr. Evelyn; only he says it is verily
believed that the King did never intend to marry her to any but himself,
and that the Duke of York and Lord Chancellor were jealous of it; and that
Mrs. Stewart might be got with child by the King, or somebody else, and
the King own a marriage before his contract, for it is but a contract, as
he tells me, to this day, with the Queene, and so wipe their noses of the
Crown; and that, therefore, the Duke of York and Chancellor did do all
they could to forward the match with my Lord Duke of Richmond, that she
might be married out of the way; but, above all, it is a worthy part that
this good lady hath acted. Thus we talked till night and then parted, and
so I to my office and did business, and so home to supper, and there find
my sister Michell
[The wife of Balthazar St. Michel, Mrs. Pepys's brother.--B. Leigh,
opposite to Sheerness.--R.]
come from Lee to see us; but do tattle so much of the late business of the
Dutch coming thither that I was weary of it. Yet it is worth remembering
what she says: that she hath heard both seamen and soldiers swear they
would rather serve the Dutch than the King, for they should be better
used.
[Reference has already been made to Andrew Marvell's "Instructions
to a Painter", in which the unpaid English sailors are described as
swimming to the Dutch ships, where they received the money which was
withheld from them on their own ships.]
She saw "The Royal Charles" brought into the river by them; and how they
shot off their great guns for joy, when they got her out of Chatham River.
I would not forget that this very day when we had nothing to do almost but
five merchantmen to man in the River, which have now been about it some
weeks, I was asked at Westminster, what the matter was that there was such
ado kept in pressing of men, as it seems there is thereabouts at this day.
So after supper we all to bed, my foot very well again, I thank God.
18th. Up and to the office, where busy all the morning, and most of our
time taken up with Carcasse upon some complaints brought in against him,
and many other petitions about tickets lost, which spends most of our
time. Home to dinner, and then to the office again, where very well
employed at the office till evening; and then being weary, took out my
wife and Will Batelier by coach to Islington, but no pleasure in our
going, the way being so dusty that one durst not breathe. Drank at the
old house, and so home, and then to the office a little, and so home to
supper and to bed.
19th. Up and comes the flageolet master, and brings me two new great
Ivory pipes which cost me 32s., and so to play, and he being done, and
Balty's wife taking her leave of me, she going back to Lee to-day, I to
Westminster and there did receive L15,000 orders out of the Exchequer in
part of a bigger sum upon the eleven months tax for Tangier, part of which
I presently delivered to Sir H. Cholmly, who was there, and thence with
Mr. Gawden to Auditor Woods and Beales to examine some precedents in his
business of the Victualling on his behalf, and so home, and in my way by
coach down Marke Lane, mightily pleased and smitten to see, as I thought,
in passing, the pretty woman, the line-maker's wife that lived in
Fenchurch Streete, and I had great mind to have gone back to have seen,
but yet would correct my nature and would not. So to dinner with my wife,
and then to sing, and so to the office, where busy all the afternoon late,
and to Sir W. Batten's and to Sir R. Ford's, we all to consider about our
great prize at Hull, being troubled at our being likely to be troubled
with Prince Rupert, by reason of Hogg's consorting himself with two
privateers of the Prince's, and so we study how to ease or secure
ourselves. So to walk in the garden with my wife, and then to supper and
to bed. One tells me that, by letter from Holland, the people there are
made to believe that our condition in England is such as they may have
whatever they will ask; and that so they are mighty high, and despise us,
or a peace with us; and there is too much reason for them to do so. The
Dutch fleete are in great squadrons everywhere still about Harwich, and
were lately at Portsmouth; and the last letters say at Plymouth, and now
gone to Dartmouth to destroy our Streights' fleete lately got in thither;
but God knows whether they can do it any hurt, or no, but it was pretty
news come the other day so fast, of the Dutch fleets being in so many
places, that Sir W. Batten at table cried, "By God," says he, "I think the
Devil shits Dutchmen."
20th. Up and to the office, where all the morning, and then towards the
'Change, at noon, in my way observing my mistake yesterday in Mark Lane,
that the woman I saw was not the pretty woman I meant, the line-maker's
wife, but a new-married woman, very pretty, a strong-water seller: and in
going by, to my content, I find that the very pretty daughter at the Ship
tavern, at the end of Billiter Lane, is there still, and in the bar: and,
I believe, is married to him that is new come, and hath new trimmed the
house. Home to dinner, and then to the office, we having dispatched away
Mr. Oviatt to Hull, about our prizes there; and I have wrote a letter of
thanks by him to Lord Bellasses, who had writ to me to offer all his
service for my interest there, but I dare not trust him. In the evening
late walking in the garden with my wife, and then to bed.
21st (Lord's day). Up betimes, and all the morning, and then to dinner
with my wife alone, and then all the afternoon in like manner, in my
chamber, making up my Tangier accounts and drawing a letter, which I have
done at last to my full content, to present to the Lords Commissioners for
Tangier tomorrow; and about seven at night, when finished my letter and
weary, I and my wife and Mercer up by water to Barne Elmes, where we
walked by moonshine, and called at Lambeth, and drank and had cold meat in
the boat, and did eat, and sang, and down home, by almost twelve at night,
very fine and pleasant, only could not sing ordinary songs with the
freedom that otherwise I would. Here Mercer tells me that the pretty maid
of the Ship tavern I spoke of yesterday is married there, which I am glad
of. So having spent this night, with much serious pleasure to consider
that I am in a condition to fling away an angell
[The angel coin was so called from the figure of the Archangel
Michael in conflict with the dragon on the obverse. On the reverse
was a representation of a ship with a large cross as a mast. The
last angel coined was in Charles I.'s reign, and the value varied
from 6s. 8d. to 10s.]
in such a refreshment to myself and family, we home and to bed, leaving
Mercer, by the way, at her own door.
22nd. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and [Sir] J. Minnes to St. James's,
where the first time I have been there since the enemy's being with us,
where little business but lack of money, which now is so professed by Sir
W. Coventry as nothing is more, and the King's whole business owned to be
at a stand for want of it. So up to my Lord Chancellor's, where was a
Committee of Tangier in my Lord's roome, where he is to hear causes, where
all the judges' pictures hang up, very fine. Here I read my letter to
them, which was well received, and they did fall seriously to discourse
the want of money and other particulars, and to some pretty good purpose.
But to see how Sir W. Coventry did oppose both my Lord Chancellor and the
Duke of York himself, about the Order of the Commissioners of the Treasury
to me for not paying of pensions, and with so much reason, and eloquence
so natural, was admirable. And another thing, about his pressing for the
reduction of the charge of Tangier, which they would have put off to
another time; "But," says he, "the King suffers so much by the putting off
of the consideration of reductions of charge, that he is undone; and
therefore I do pray you, sir, to his Royal Highness, that when any thing
offers of the kind, you will not let it escape you." Here was a great
bundle of letters brought hither, sent up from sea, from a vessel of ours
that hath taken them after they had been flung over by a Dutchman;
wherein, among others, the Duke of York did read the superscription of one
to De Witt, thus "To the most wise, foreseeing and discreet, These, &c.;"
which, I thought with myself, I could have been glad might have been duly
directed to any one of them at the table, though the greatest men in this
kingdom. The Duke of York, the Lord Chancellor, my Lord Duke of
Albemarle, Arlington, Ashley, Peterborough, and Coventry (the best of them
all for parts), I perceive they do all profess their expectation of a
peace, and that suddenly, and do advise of things accordingly, and do all
speak of it (and expressly, I remember, the Duke of Albemarle), saying
that they hoped for it. Letters were read at the table from Tangier that
Guiland is wholly lost, and that he do offer Arzill to us to deliver it to
us. But Sir W. Coventry did declare his opinion that we should have
nothing to do with it, and said that if Tangier were offered us now, as
the King's condition is, he would advise against the taking it; saying,
that the King's charge is too great, and must be brought down, it being,
like the fire of this City, never to be mastered till you have brought it
under you; and that these places abroad are but so much charge to the
King, and we do rather hitherto strive to greaten them than lessen them;
and then the King is forced to part with them, "as," says he, "he did with
Dunkirke," by my Lord Tiviott's making it so chargeable to the King as he
did that, and would have done Tangier, if he had lived: I perceive he is
the only man that do seek the King's profit, and is bold to deliver what
he thinks on every occasion. Having broke up here, I away with Mr. Gawden
in his coach to the 'Change, and there a, little, and then home and dined,
and then to the office, and by and by with my wife to White Hall (she to
Unthanke's), and there met Creed and did a little business at the Treasury
chamber, and then to walk in Westminster Hall an hour or two, with much
pleasure reflecting upon our discourse to-day at the Tangier meeting, and
crying up the worth of Sir W. Coventry. Creed tells me of the fray
between the Duke of Buckingham at the Duke's playhouse the last Saturday
(and it is the first day I have heard that they have acted at either the
King's or Duke's houses this month or six weeks) and Henry Killigrew, whom
the Duke of Buckingham did soundly beat and take away his sword, and make
a fool of, till the fellow prayed him to spare his life; and I am glad of
it; for it seems in this business the Duke of Buckingham did carry himself
very innocently and well, and I wish he had paid this fellow's coat well.
I heard something of this at the 'Change to-day: and it is pretty to hear
how people do speak kindly of the Duke of Buckingham, as one that will
enquire into faults; and therefore they do mightily favour him. And it
puts me in mind that, this afternoon, Billing, the Quaker, meeting me in
the Hall, come to me, and after a little discourse did say, "Well," says
he, "now you will be all called to an account;" meaning the Parliament is
drawing near. This done I took coach and took up my wife, and so home,
and after a little at the office I home to my chamber a while, and then to
supper and to bed.
23rd: Up betimes and to the office, doing something towards our great
account to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and anon the office
sat, and all the morning doing business. At noon home to dinner, and then
close to my business all the afternoon. In the evening Sir R. Ford is
come back from the Prince and tells Sir W. Batten and me how basely Sir W.
Pen received our letter we sent him about the prizes at Hull, and slily
answered him about the Prince's leaving all his concerns to him, but the
Prince did it afterward by letter brought by Sir R. Ford to us, which Sir
W. Pen knows not of, but a very rogue he is. By and by comes sudden news
to me by letter from the Clerke of the Cheque at Gravesend, that there
were thirty sail of Dutch men-of-war coming up into the Hope this last
tide: which I told Sir W. Pen of; but he would not believe it, but
laughed, and said it was a fleete of Billanders,
["Bilander. A small merchant vessel with two masts, particularly
distinguished from other vessels with two masts by the form of her
mainsail, which is bent to the whole length of her yard, hanging
fore and aft, and inclined to the horizon at an angle of about 45
deg. Few vessels are now rigged in this manner, and the name is
rather indiscriminately used."--Smyth's Sailor's Word-Book.]
and that the guns that were heard was the salutation of the Swede's
Ambassador that comes over with them. But within half an hour comes
another letter from Captain Proud, that eight of them were come into the
Hope, and thirty more following them, at ten this morning. By and by
comes an order from White Hall to send down one of our number to Chatham,
fearing that, as they did before, they may make a show first up hither,
but then go to Chatham: so my Lord Bruncker do go, and we here are ordered
to give notice to the merchant men-of-war, gone below the barricado at
Woolwich, to come up again. So with much trouble to supper, home and to
bed.
24th. Betimes this morning comes a letter from the Clerke of the Cheque
at Gravesend to me, to tell me that the Dutch fleete did come all into the
Hope yesterday noon, and held a fight with our ships from thence till
seven at night; that they had burned twelve fire-ships, and we took one of
their's, and burned five of our fire-ships. But then rising and going to
Sir W. Batten, he tells me that we have burned one of their men-of-war,
and another of theirs is blown up: but how true this is, I know not. But
these fellows are mighty bold, and have had the fortune of the wind
easterly this time to bring them up, and prevent our troubling them with
our fire-ships; and, indeed, have had the winds at their command from the
beginning, and now do take the beginning of the spring, as if they had
some great design to do. I to my office, and there hard at work all the
morning, to my great content, abstracting the contract book into my
abstract book, which I have by reason of the war omitted for above two
years, but now am endeavouring to have all my books ready and perfect
against the Parliament comes, that upon examination I may be in condition
to value myself upon my perfect doing of my own duty. At noon home to
dinner, where my wife mighty musty,--[Dull, heavy, spiritless]--but I took
no notice of it, but after dinner to the office, and there with Mr. Harper
did another good piece of work about my late collection of the accounts of
the Navy presented to the Parliament at their last session, which was left
unfinished, and now I have done it which sets my mind at my ease, and so,
having tired myself, I took a pair of oares about five o'clock, which I
made a gally at Redriffe, and so with very much pleasure down to
Gravesend, all the way with extraordinary content reading of Boyle's
Hydrostatickes, which the more I read and understand, the more I admire,
as a most excellent piece of philosophy; as we come nearer Gravesend, we
hear the Dutch fleete and ours a-firing their guns most distinctly and
loud. But before we got to Gravesend they ceased, and it grew darkish,
and so I landed only (and the flood being come) and went up to the Ship
and discoursed with the landlord of the house, who undeceives me in what I
heard this morning about the Dutch having lost two men-of-war, for it is
not so, but several of their fire-ships. He do say, that this afternoon
they did force our ships to retreat, but that now they are gone down as
far as Shield-haven: but what the event hath been of this evening's guns
they know not, but suppose not much, for they have all this while shot at
good distance one from another. They seem confident of the security of
this town and the River above it, if the enemy should come up so high;
their fortifications being so good, and guns many. But he do say that
people do complain of Sir Edward Spragg, that he hath not done
extraordinary; and more of Sir W. Jenings, that he come up with his
tamkins
[Tamkin, or tampion, the wooden stopper of a cannon placed in the
muzzle to exclude water or dust.]
in his guns. Having discoursed this a little with him, and eat a bit of
cold venison and drank, I away, took boat, and homeward again, with great
pleasure, the moon shining, and it being a fine pleasant cool evening, and
got home by half-past twelve at night, and so to bed.