Produced by David Widger
THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.
CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY
TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
(Unabridged)
WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES
EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY
HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
1665
November 1st. Lay very long in bed discoursing with Mr. Hill of most
things of a man's life, and how little merit do prevail in the world, but
only favour; and that, for myself, chance without merit brought me in; and
that diligence only keeps me so, and will, living as I do among so many
lazy people that the diligent man becomes necessary, that they cannot do
anything without him, and so told him of my late business of the
victualling, and what cares I am in to keepe myself having to do with
people of so different factions at Court, and yet must be fair with them
all, which was very pleasant discourse for me to tell, as well as he
seemed to take it, for him to hear. At last up, and it being a very foule
day for raine and a hideous wind, yet having promised I would go by water
to Erith, and bearing sayle was in danger of oversetting, but ordered them
take down their sayle, and so cold and wet got thither, as they had ended
their dinner. How[ever], I dined well, and after dinner all on shore, my
Lord Bruncker with us to Mrs. Williams's lodgings, and Sir W. Batten, Sir
Edmund Pooly, and others; and there, it being my Lord's birth-day, had
every one a green riband tied in our hats very foolishly; and methinks
mighty disgracefully for my Lord to have his folly so open to all the
world with this woman. But by and by Sir W. Batten and I took coach, and
home to Boreman, and so going home by the backside I saw Captain Cocke
'lighting out of his coach (having been at Erith also with her but not on
board) and so he would come along with me to my lodging, and there sat and
supped and talked with us, but we were angry a little a while about our
message to him the other day about bidding him keepe from the office or
his owne office, because of his black dying. I owned it and the reason of
it, and would have been glad he had been out of the house, but I could not
bid him go, and so supped, and after much other talke of the sad condition
and state of the King's matters we broke up, and my friend and I to bed.
This night coming with Sir W. Batten into Greenwich we called upon Coll.
Cleggatt, who tells us for certaine that the King of Denmark hath declared
to stand for the King of England, but since I hear it is wholly false.
2nd. Up, left my wife and to the office, and there to my great content
Sir W. Warren come to me to settle the business of the Tangier boates,
wherein I shall get above L100, besides L100 which he gives me in the
paying for them out of his owne purse. He gone, I home to my lodgings to
dinner, and there comes Captain Wagers newly returned from the Streights,
who puts me in great fear for our last ships that went to Tangier with
provisions, that they will be taken. A brave, stout fellow this Captain
is, and I think very honest. To the office again after dinner and there
late writing letters, and then about 8 at night set out from my office and
fitting myself at my lodgings intended to have gone this night in a Ketch
down to the Fleete, but calling in my way at Sir J. Minnes's, who is come
up from Erith about something about the prizes, they persuaded me not to
go till the morning, it being a horrible darke and a windy night. So I
back to my lodging and to bed.
3rd. Was called up about four o'clock and in the darke by lanthorne took
boat and to the Ketch and set sayle, sleeping a little in the Cabbin till
day and then up and fell to reading of Mr. Evelyn's book about Paynting,
[This must surely have been Evelyn's "Sculptura, or the History and
Art of Chalcography and Engraving in Copper," published in 1662.
The translation of Freart's "Idea of the Perfection of Painting
demonstrated" was not published until 1668.]
which is a very pretty book. Carrying good victuals and Tom with me I to
breakfast about 9 o'clock, and then to read again and come to the Fleete
about twelve, where I found my Lord (the Prince being gone in) on board
the Royall James, Sir Thomas Allen commander, and with my Lord an houre
alone discoursing what was my chief and only errand about what was
adviseable for his Lordship to do in this state of things, himself being
under the Duke of Yorke's and Mr. Coventry's envy, and a great many more
and likely never to do anything honourably but he shall be envied and the
honour taken as much as can be from it. His absence lessens his interest
at Court, and what is worst we never able to set out a fleete fit for him
to command, or, if out, to keepe them out or fit them to do any great
thing, or if that were so yet nobody at home minds him or his condition
when he is abroad, and lastly the whole affairs of state looking as if
they would all on a sudden break in pieces, and then what a sad thing it
would be for him to be out of the way. My Lord did concur in every thing
and thanked me infinitely for my visit and counsel, telling me that in
every thing he concurs, but puts a query, what if the King will not think
himself safe, if any man should go but him. How he should go off then? To
that I had no answer ready, but the making the King see that he may be of
as good use to him here while another goes forth. But for that I am not
able to say much. We after this talked of some other little things and so
to dinner, where my Lord infinitely kind to me, and after dinner I rose
and left him with some Commanders at the table taking tobacco and I took
the Bezan back with me, and with a brave gale and tide reached up that
night to the Hope, taking great pleasure in learning the seamen's manner
of singing when they sound the depths, and then to supper and to sleep,
which I did most excellently all night, it being a horrible foule night
for wind and raine.
4th. They sayled from midnight, and come to Greenwich about 5 o'clock in
the morning. I however lay till about 7 or 8, and so to my office, my
head a little akeing, partly for want of natural rest, partly having so
much business to do to-day, and partly from the newes I hear that one of
the little boys at my lodging is not well; and they suspect, by their
sending for plaister and fume, that it may be the plague; so I sent Mr.
Hater and W. Hewer to speake with the mother; but they returned to me,
satisfied that there is no hurt nor danger, but the boy is well, and
offers to be searched, however, I was resolved myself to abstain coming
thither for a while. Sir W. Batten and myself at the office all the
morning. At noon with him to dinner at Boreman's, where Mr. Seymour with
us, who is a most conceited fellow and not over much in him. Here Sir W.
Batten told us (which I had not heard before) that the last sitting day
his cloake was taken from Mingo he going home to dinner, and that he was
beaten by the seamen and swears he will come to Greenwich, but no more to
the office till he can sit safe. After dinner I to the office and there
late, and much troubled to have 100 seamen all the afternoon there,
swearing below and cursing us, and breaking the glasse windows, and swear
they will pull the house down on Tuesday next. I sent word of this to
Court, but nothing will helpe it but money and a rope. Late at night to
Mr. Glanville's there to lie for a night or two, and to bed.
5th (Lord's day). Up, and after being trimmed, by boat to the Cockpitt,
where I heard the Duke of Albemarle's chaplin make a simple sermon: among
other things, reproaching the imperfection of humane learning, he cried:
"All our physicians cannot tell what an ague is, and all our arithmetique
is not able to number the days of a man;" which, God knows, is not the
fault of arithmetique, but that our understandings reach not the thing. To
dinner, where a great deale of silly discourse, but the worst is I hear
that the plague increases much at Lambeth, St. Martin's and Westminster,
and fear it will all over the city. Thence I to the Swan, thinking to
have seen Sarah but she was at church, and so I by water to Deptford, and
there made a visit to Mr. Evelyn, who, among other things, showed me most
excellent painting in little; in distemper, Indian incke, water colours:
graveing; and, above all, the whole secret of mezzo-tinto, and the manner
of it, which is very pretty, and good things done with it. He read to me
very much also of his discourse, he hath been many years and now is about,
about Guardenage; which will be a most noble and pleasant piece. He read
me part of a play or two of his making, very good, but not as he conceits
them, I think, to be. He showed me his Hortus Hyemalis; leaves laid up in
a book of several plants kept dry, which preserve colour, however, and
look very finely, better than any Herball. In fine, a most excellent
person he is, and must be allowed a little for a little conceitedness; but
he may well be so, being a man so much above others. He read me, though
with too much gusto, some little poems of his own, that were not
transcendant, yet one or two very pretty epigrams; among others, of a lady
looking in at a grate, and being pecked at by an eagle that was there.
Here comes in, in the middle of our discourse Captain Cocke, as drunk as a
dogg, but could stand, and talk and laugh. He did so joy himself in a
brave woman that he had been with all the afternoon, and who should it be
but my Lady Robinson, but very troublesome he is with his noise and talke,
and laughing, though very pleasant. With him in his coach to Mr.
Glanville's, where he sat with Mrs. Penington and myself a good while
talking of this fine woman again and then went away. Then the lady and I
to very serious discourse and, among other things, of what a bonny lasse
my Lady Robinson is, who is reported to be kind to the prisoners, and has
said to Sir G. Smith, who is her great crony, "Look! there is a pretty
man, I would be content to break a commandment with him," and such loose
expressions she will have often. After an houre's talke we to bed, the
lady mightily troubled about a pretty little bitch she hath, which is very
sicke, and will eat nothing, and the worst was, I could hear her in her
chamber bemoaning the bitch, and by and by taking her into bed with her.
The bitch pissed and shit a bed, and she was fain to rise and had coals
out of my chamber to dry the bed again. This night I had a letter that
Sir G. Carteret would be in towne to-morrow, which did much surprize me.
6th. Up, and to my office, where busy all the morning and then to dinner
to Captain Cocke's with Mr. Evelyn, where very merry, only vexed after
dinner to stay too long for our coach. At last, however, to Lambeth and
thence the Cockpitt, where we found Sir G. Carteret come, and in with the
Duke and the East India Company about settling the business of the prizes,
and they have gone through with it. Then they broke up, and Sir G.
Carteret come out, and thence through the garden to the water side and by
water I with him in his boat down with Captain Cocke to his house at
Greenwich, and while supper was getting ready Sir G. Carteret and I did
walk an houre in the garden before the house, talking of my Lord
Sandwich's business; what enemies he hath, and how they have endeavoured
to bespatter him: and particularly about his leaving of 30 ships of the
enemy, when Pen would have gone, and my Lord called him back again: which
is most false. However, he says, it was purposed by some hot-heads in the
House of Commons, at the same time when they voted a present to the Duke
of Yorke, to have voted L10,000 to the Prince, and half-a-crowne to my
Lord of Sandwich; but nothing come of it.
[The tide of popular indignation ran high against Lord Sandwich, and
he was sent to Spain as ambassador to get him honourably out of the
way (see post, December 6th).]
But, for all this, the King is most firme to my Lord, and so is my Lord
Chancellor, and my Lord Arlington. The Prince, in appearance, kind; the
Duke of Yorke silent, says no hurt; but admits others to say it in his
hearing. Sir W. Pen, the falsest rascal that ever was in the world; and
that this afternoon the Duke of Albemarle did tell him that Pen was a very
cowardly rogue, and one that hath brought all these rogueish fanatick
Captains into the fleete, and swears he should never go out with the
fleete again. That Sir W. Coventry is most kind to Pen still; and says
nothing nor do any thing openly to the prejudice of my Lord. He agrees
with me, that it is impossible for the King [to] set out a fleete again
the next year; and that he fears all will come to ruine, there being no
money in prospect but these prizes, which will bring, it may be, L20,000,
but that will signify nothing in the world for it. That this late Act of
Parliament for bringing the money into the Exchequer, and making of it
payable out there, intended as a prejudice to him and will be his
convenience hereafter and ruine the King's business, and so I fear it will
and do wonder Sir W. Coventry would be led by Sir G. Downing to persuade
the King and Duke to have it so, before they had thoroughly weighed all
circumstances; that for my Lord, the King has said to him lately that I
was an excellent officer, and that my Lord Chancellor do, he thinks, love
and esteem of me as well as he do of any man in England that he hath no
more acquaintance with. So having done and received from me the sad newes
that we are like to have no money here a great while, not even of the very
prizes, I set up my rest
[The phrase "set up my rest" is a metaphor from the once fashionable
game of Primero, meaning, to stand upon the cards you have in your
hand, in hopes they may prove better than those of your adversary.
Hence, to make up your mind, to be determined (see Nares's
"Glossary").]
in giving up the King's service to be ruined and so in to supper, where
pretty merry, and after supper late to Mr. Glanville's, and Sir G.
Carteret to bed. I also to bed, it being very late.
7th. Up, and to Sir G. Carteret, and with him, he being very passionate
to be gone, without staying a minute for breakfast, to the Duke of
Albemarle's and I with him by water and with Fen: but, among other things,
Lord! to see how he wondered to see the river so empty of boats, nobody
working at the Custome-house keys; and how fearful he is, and vexed that
his man, holding a wine-glasse in his hand for him to drinke out of, did
cover his hands, it being a cold, windy, rainy morning, under the
waterman's coate, though he brought the waterman from six or seven miles
up the river, too. Nay, he carried this glasse with him for his man to
let him drink out of at the Duke of Albemarle's, where he intended to
dine, though this he did to prevent sluttery, for, for the same reason he
carried a napkin with him to Captain Cocke's, making him believe that he
should eat with foule linnen. Here he with the Duke walked a good while
in the Parke, and I with Fen, but cannot gather that he intends to stay
with us, nor thinks any thing at all of ever paying one farthing of money
more to us here, let what will come of it. Thence in, and Sir W. Batten
comes in by and by, and so staying till noon, and there being a great deal
of company there, Sir W. Batten and I took leave of the Duke and Sir G.
Carteret, there being no good to be done more for money, and so over the
River and by coach to Greenwich, where at Boreman's we dined, it being
late. Thence my head being full of business and mind out of order for
thinking of the effects which will arise from the want of money, I made an
end of my letters by eight o'clock, and so to my lodging and there spent
the evening till midnight talking with Mrs. Penington, who is a very
discreet, understanding lady and very pretty discourse we had and great
variety, and she tells me with great sorrow her bitch is dead this
morning, died in her bed. So broke up and to bed.
8th. Up, and to the office, where busy among other things to looke my
warrants for the settling of the Victualling business, the warrants being
come to me for the Surveyors of the ports and that for me also to be
Surveyor-Generall. I did discourse largely with Tom Willson about it and
doubt not to make it a good service to the King as well, as the King gives
us very good salarys. It being a fast day, all people were at church and
the office quiett; so I did much business, and at noon adventured to my
old lodging, and there eat, but am not yet well satisfied, not seeing of
Christopher, though they say he is abroad. Thence after dinner to the
office again, and thence am sent for to the King's Head by my Lord
Rutherford, who, since I can hope for no more convenience from him, his
business is troublesome to me, and therefore I did leave him as soon as I
could and by water to Deptford, and there did order my matters so, walking
up and down the fields till it was dark night, that 'je allais a la maison
of my valentine,--[Bagwell's wife]--and there 'je faisais whatever je
voudrais avec' her, and, about eight at night, did take water, being glad
I was out of the towne; for the plague, it seems, rages there more than
ever, and so to my lodgings, where my Lord had got a supper and the
mistresse of the house, and her daughters, and here staid Mrs. Pierce to
speake with me about her husband's business, and I made her sup with us,
and then at night my Lord and I walked with her home, and so back again.
My Lord and I ended all we had to say as to his business overnight, and so
I took leave, and went again to Mr. Glanville's and so to bed, it being
very late.
9th. Up, and did give the servants something at Mr. Glanville's and so
took leave, meaning to lie to-night at my owne lodging. To my office,
where busy with Mr. Gawden running over the Victualling business, and he
is mightily pleased that this course is taking and seems sensible of my
favour and promises kindnesse to me. At noon by water, to the King's Head
at Deptford, where Captain Taylor invites Sir W: Batten, Sir John Robinson
(who come in with a great deale of company from hunting, and brought in a
hare alive and a great many silly stories they tell of their sport, which
pleases them mightily, and me not at all, such is the different sense of
pleasure in mankind), and others upon the score of a survey of his new
ship; and strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles
everybody, Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Robinson being now as kind to him, and
report well of his ship and proceedings, and promise money, and Sir W.
Batten is a solicitor for him, but it is a strange thing to observe, they
being the greatest enemys he had, and yet, I believe, hath in the world in
their hearts. Thence after dinner stole away and to my office, where did
a great deale of business till midnight, and then to Mrs. Clerk's, to
lodge again, and going home W. Hewer did tell me my wife will be here
to-morrow, and hath put away Mary, which vexes me to the heart, I cannot
helpe it, though it may be a folly in me, and when I think seriously on
it, I think my wife means no ill design in it, or, if she do, I am a foole
to be troubled at it, since I cannot helpe it. The Bill of Mortality, to
all our griefs, is encreased 399 this week, and the encrease generally
through the whole City and suburbs, which makes us all sad.
10th. Up, and entered all my Journall since the 28th of October, having
every day's passages well in my head, though it troubles me to remember
it, and which I was forced to, being kept from my lodging, where my books
and papers are, for several days. So to my office, where till two or
three o'clock busy before I could go to my lodging to dinner, then did it
and to my office again. In the evening newes is brought me my wife is
come: so I to her, and with her spent the evening, but with no great
pleasure, I being vexed about her putting away of Mary in my absence, but
yet I took no notice of it at all, but fell into other discourse, and she
told me, having herself been this day at my house at London, which was
boldly done, to see Mary have her things, that Mr. Harrington, our
neighbour, an East country merchant, is dead at Epsum of the plague, and
that another neighbour of ours, Mr. Hollworthy, a very able man, is also
dead by a fall in the country from his horse, his foot hanging in the
stirrup, and his brains beat out. Here we sat talking, and after supper
to bed.
11th. I up and to the office (leaving my wife in bed) and there till
noon, then to dinner and back again to the office, my wife going to
Woolwich again, and I staying very late at my office, and so home to bed.
12th (Lord's day). Up, and invited by Captain Cocke to dinner. So after
being ready I went to him, and there he and I and Mr. Yard (one of the
Guinny Company) dined together and very merry. After dinner I by water to
the Duke of Albemarle, and there had a little discourse and business with
him, chiefly to receive his commands about pilotts to be got for our
Hambro' ships, going now at this time of the year convoy to the merchant
ships, that have lain at great pain and charge, some three, some four
months at Harwich for a convoy. They hope here the plague will be less
this weeke. Thence back by water to Captain Cocke's, and there he and I
spent a great deale of the evening as we had done of the day reading and
discoursing over part of Mr. Stillingfleet's "Origines Sacrae," wherein
many things are very good and some frivolous. Thence by and by he and I
to Mrs. Penington's, but she was gone to bed. So we back and walked a
while, and then to his house and to supper, and then broke up, and I home
to my lodging to bed.
13th. Up, and to my office, where busy all the morning, and at noon to
Captain Cocke's to dinner as we had appointed in order to settle our
business of accounts. But here came in an Alderman, a merchant, a very
merry man, and we dined, and, he being gone, after dinner Cocke and I
walked into the garden, and there after a little discourse he did
undertake under his hand to secure me in L500 profit, for my share of the
profit of what we have bought of the prize goods. We agreed upon the
terms, which were easier on my side than I expected, and so with
extraordinary inward joy we parted till the evening. So I to the office
and among other business prepared a deed for him to sign and seale to me
about our agreement, which at night I got him to come and sign and seale,
and so he and I to Glanville's, and there he and I sat talking and playing
with Mrs. Penington, whom we found undrest in her smocke and petticoats by
the fireside, and there we drank and laughed, and she willingly suffered
me to put my hand in her bosom very wantonly, and keep it there long.
Which methought was very strange, and I looked upon myself as a man
mightily deceived in a lady, for I could not have thought she could have
suffered it, by her former discourse with me; so modest she seemed and I
know not what. We staid here late, and so home after he and I had walked
till past midnight, a bright moonshine, clear, cool night, before his door
by the water, and so I home after one of the clock.
14th. Called up by break of day by Captain Cocke, by agreement, and he
and I in his coach through Kent-streete (a sad place through the plague,
people sitting sicke and with plaisters about them in the street begging)
to Viner's and Colvill's about money business, and so to my house, and
there I took L300 in order to the carrying it down to my Lord Sandwich in
part of the money I am to pay for Captain Cocke by our agreement. So I
took it down, and down I went to Greenwich to my office, and there sat
busy till noon, and so home to dinner, and thence to the office again, and
by and by to the Duke of Albemarle's by water late, where I find he had
remembered that I had appointed to come to him this day about money, which
I excused not doing sooner; but I see, a dull fellow, as he is, do
sometimes remember what another thinks he mindeth not. My business was
about getting money of the East India Company; but, Lord! to see how the
Duke himself magnifies himself in what he had done with the Company; and
my Lord Craven what the King could have done without my Lord Duke, and a
deale of stir, but most mightily what a brave fellow I am. Back by water,
it raining hard, and so to the office, and stopped my going, as I
intended, to the buoy of the Nore, and great reason I had to rejoice at
it, for it proved the night of as great a storme as was almost ever
remembered. Late at the office, and so home to bed. This day, calling at
Mr. Rawlinson's to know how all did there, I hear that my pretty grocer's
wife, Mrs. Beversham, over the way there, her husband is lately dead of
the plague at Bow, which I am sorry for, for fear of losing her
neighbourhood.
15th. Up and all the morning at the office, busy, and at noon to the
King's Head taverne, where all the Trinity House dined to-day, to choose a
new Master in the room of Hurlestone, that is dead, and Captain Crispe is
chosen. But, Lord! to see how Sir W. Batten governs all and tramples upon
Hurlestone, but I am confident the Company will grow the worse for that
man's death, for now Batten, and in him a lazy, corrupt, doating rogue,
will have all the sway there. After dinner who comes in but my Lady
Batten, and a troop of a dozen women almost, and expected, as I found
afterward, to be made mighty much of, but nobody minded them; but the best
jest was, that when they saw themselves not regarded, they would go away,
and it was horrible foule weather; and my Lady Batten walking through the
dirty lane with new spicke and span white shoes, she dropped one of her
galoshes in the dirt, where it stuck, and she forced to go home without
one, at which she was horribly vexed, and I led her; and after vexing her
a little more in mirth, I parted, and to Glanville's, where I knew Sir
John Robinson, Sir G. Smith, and Captain Cocke were gone, and there, with
the company of Mrs. Penington, whose father, I hear, was one of the Court
of justice, and died prisoner, of the stone, in the Tower, I made them,
against their resolutions, to stay from houre to houre till it was almost
midnight, and a furious, darke and rainy, and windy, stormy night, and,
which was best, I, with drinking small beer, made them all drunk drinking
wine, at which Sir John Robinson made great sport. But, they being gone,
the lady and I very civilly sat an houre by the fireside observing the
folly of this Robinson, that makes it his worke to praise himself, and all
he say and do, like a heavy-headed coxcombe. The plague, blessed be God!
is decreased 400; making the whole this week but 1300 and odd; for which
the Lord be praised!
16th. Up, and fitted myself for my journey down to the fleete, and
sending my money and boy down by water to Eriffe,--[Erith]--I borrowed a
horse of Mr. Boreman's son, and after having sat an houre laughing with my
Lady Batten and Mrs. Turner, and eat and drank with them, I took horse and
rode to Eriffe, where, after making a little visit to Madam Williams, who
did give me information of W. Howe's having bought eight bags of precious
stones taken from about the Dutch Vice-Admirall's neck, of which there
were eight dyamonds which cost him L60,000 sterling, in India, and hoped
to have made L2000 here for them. And that this is told by one that sold
him one of the bags, which hath nothing but rubys in it, which he had for
35s.; and that it will be proved he hath made L125 of one stone that he
bought. This she desired, and I resolved I would give my Lord Sandwich
notice of. So I on board my Lord Bruncker; and there he and Sir Edmund
Pooly carried me down into the hold of the India shipp, and there did show
me the greatest wealth lie in confusion that a man can see in the world.
Pepper scattered through every chink, you trod upon it; and in cloves and
nutmegs, I walked above the knees; whole rooms full. And silk in bales,
and boxes of copper-plate, one of which I saw opened. Having seen this,
which was as noble a sight as ever I saw in my life, I away on board the
other ship in despair to get the pleasure-boat of the gentlemen there to
carry me to the fleet. They were Mr. Ashburnham and Colonell Wyndham; but
pleading the King's business, they did presently agree I should have it.
So I presently on board, and got under sail, and had a good bedd by the
shift, of Wyndham's; and so,
17th. Sailed all night, and got down to Quinbrough water, where all the
great ships are now come, and there on board my Lord, and was soon
received with great content. And after some little discourse, he and I on
board Sir W. Pen; and there held a council of Warr about many wants of the
fleete, but chiefly how to get slopps and victuals for the fleete now
going out to convoy our Hambro' ships, that have been so long detained for
four or five months for want of convoy, which we did accommodate one way
or other, and so, after much chatt, Sir W. Pen did give us a very good and
neat dinner, and better, I think, than ever I did see at his owne house at
home in my life, and so was the other I eat with him. After dinner much
talke, and about other things, he and I about his money for his prize
goods, wherein I did give him a cool answer, but so as we did not disagree
in words much, and so let that fall, and so followed my Lord Sandwich, who
was gone a little before me on board the Royall James. And there spent an
houre, my Lord playing upon the gittarr, which he now commends above all
musique in the world, because it is base enough for a single voice, and is
so portable and manageable without much trouble. That being done, I got my
Lord to be alone, and so I fell to acquaint him with W. Howe's business,
which he had before heard a little of from Captain Cocke, but made no
great matter of it, but now he do, and resolves nothing less than to lay
him by the heels, and seize on all he hath, saying that for this yeare or
two he hath observed him so proud and conceited he could not endure him.
But though I was not at all displeased with it, yet I prayed him to
forbear doing anything therein till he heard from me again about it, and I
had made more enquiry into the truth of it, which he agreed to. Then we
fell to publique discourse, wherein was principally this: he cleared it to
me beyond all doubt that Coventry is his enemy, and has been long so. So
that I am over that, and my Lord told it me upon my proposal of a
friendship between them, which he says is impossible, and methinks that my
Lord's displeasure about the report in print of the first fight was not of
his making, but I perceive my Lord cannot forget it, nor the other think
he can. I shewed him how advisable it were upon almost any terms for him
to get quite off the sea employment. He answers me again that he agrees
to it, but thinks the King will not let him go off: He tells me he lacks
now my Lord Orrery to solicit it for him, who is very great with the King.
As an infinite secret, my Lord tells me, the factions are high between the
King and the Duke, and all the Court are in an uproare with their loose
amours; the Duke of Yorke being in love desperately with Mrs. Stewart.
Nay, that the Duchesse herself is fallen in love with her new Master of
the Horse, one Harry Sidney, and another, Harry Savill. So that God knows
what will be the end of it. And that the Duke is not so obsequious as he
used to be, but very high of late; and would be glad to be in the head of
an army as Generall; and that it is said that he do propose to go and
command under the King of Spayne, in Flanders. That his amours to Mrs.
Stewart are told the King. So that all is like to be nought among them.
That he knows that the Duke of Yorke do give leave to have him spoken
slightly of in his owne hearing, and doth not oppose it, and told me from
what time he hath observed this to begin. So that upon the whole my Lord
do concur to wish with all his heart that he could with any honour get
from off the imployment. After he had given thanks to me for my kind
visit and good counsel, on which he seems to set much by, I left him, and
so away to my Bezan againe, and there to read in a pretty French book, "La
Nouvelle Allegorique," upon the strife between rhetorique and its enemies,
very pleasant. So, after supper, to sleepe, and sayled all night, and
came to Erith before break of day.
18th. About nine of the clock, I went on shore, there (calling by the way
only to look upon my Lord Bruncker) to give Mrs. Williams an account of
her matters, and so hired an ill-favoured horse, and away to Greenwich to
my lodgings, where I hear how rude the souldiers have been in my absence,
swearing what they would do with me, which troubled me, but, however,
after eating a bit I to the office and there very late writing letters,
and so home and to bed.
19th (Lord's day). Up, and after being trimmed, alone by water to Erith,
all the way with my song book singing of Mr. Lawes's long recitative song
in the beginning of his book. Being come there, on board my Lord
Bruncker, I find Captain Cocke and other company, the lady not well, and
mighty merry we were; Sir Edmund Pooly being very merry, and a right
English gentleman, and one of the discontented Cavaliers, that think their
loyalty is not considered. After dinner, all on shore to my Lady
Williams, and there drank and talked; but, Lord! the most impertinent bold
woman with my Lord that ever I did see. I did give her an account again
of my business with my Lord touching W. Howe, and she did give me some
more information about it, and examination taken about it, and so we
parted and I took boat, and to Woolwich, where we found my wife not well
of them, and I out of humour begun to dislike her paynting, the last
things not pleasing me so well as the former, but I blame myself for my
being so little complaisant. So without eating or drinking, there being
no wine (which vexed me too), we walked with a lanthorne to Greenwich and
eat something at his house, and so home to bed.
20th. Up before day, and wrote some letters to go to my Lord, among
others that about W. Howe, which I believe will turn him out, and so took
horse for Nonesuch, with two men with me, and the ways very bad, and the
weather worse, for wind and rayne. But we got in good time thither, and I
did get my tallys got ready, and thence, with as many as could go, to
Yowell, and there dined very well, and I saw my Besse, a very
well-favoured country lass there, and after being very merry and having
spent a piece I took horse, and by another way met with a very good road,
but it rained hard and blew, but got home very well. Here I find Mr.
Deering come to trouble me about business, which I soon dispatched and
parted, he telling me that Luellin hath been dead this fortnight, of the
plague, in St. Martin's Lane, which much surprised me.
21st. Up, and to the office, where all the morning doing business, and at
noon home to dinner and quickly back again to the office, where very busy
all the evening and late sent a long discourse to Mr. Coventry by his
desire about the regulating of the method of our payment of bills in the
Navy, which will be very good, though, it may be, he did ayme principally
at striking at Sir G. Carteret. So weary but pleased with this business
being over I home to supper and to bed.
22nd. Up, and by water to the Duke of Albemarle, and there did some
little business, but most to shew myself, and mightily I am yet in his and
Lord Craven's books, and thence to the Swan and there drank and so down to
the bridge, and so to the 'Change, where spoke with many people, and about
a great deale of business, which kept me late. I heard this day that Mr.
Harrington is not dead of the plague, as we believed, at which I was very
glad, but most of all, to hear that the plague is come very low; that is,
the whole under 1,000, and the plague 600 and odd: and great hopes of a
further decrease, because of this day's being a very exceeding hard frost,
and continues freezing. This day the first of the Oxford Gazettes come
out, which is very pretty, full of newes, and no folly in it. Wrote by
Williamson. Fear that our Hambro' ships at last cannot go, because of the
great frost, which we believe it is there, nor are our ships cleared at
the Pillow [Pillau], which will keepe them there too all this winter, I
fear. From the 'Change, which is pretty full again, I to my office and
there took some things, and so by water to my lodging at Greenwich and
dined, and then to the office awhile and at night home to my lodgings, and
took T. Willson and T. Hater with me, and there spent the evening till
midnight discoursing and settling of our Victualling business, that
thereby I might draw up instructions for the Surveyours and that we might
be doing something to earne our money. This done I late to bed. Among
other things it pleased me to have it demonstrated, that a Purser without
professed cheating is a professed loser, twice as much as he gets.
23rd. Up betimes, and so, being trimmed, I to get papers ready against
Sir H. Cholmly come to me by appointment, he being newly come over from
Tangier. He did by and by come, and we settled all matters about his
money, and he is a most satisfied man in me, and do declare his resolution
to give me 200 per annum. It continuing to be a great frost, which gives
us hope for a perfect cure of the plague, he and I to walk in the parke,
and there discoursed with grief of the calamity of the times; how the
King's service is performed, and how Tangier is governed by a man, who,
though honourable, yet do mind his ways of getting and little else
compared, which will never make the place flourish. I brought him and had
a good dinner for him, and there come by chance Captain Cuttance, who
tells me how W. Howe is laid by the heels, and confined to the Royall
Katharine, and his things all seized and how, also, for a quarrel, which
indeed the other night my Lord told me, Captain Ferrers, having cut all
over the back of another of my Lord's servants, is parted from my Lord. I
sent for little Mrs. Frances Tooker, and after they were gone I sat
dallying with her an hour, doing what I would with my hands about her. And
a very pretty creature it is. So in the evening to the office, where late
writing letters, and at my lodging later writing for the last twelve days
my Journall and so to bed. Great expectation what mischief more the
French will do us, for we must fall out. We in extraordinary lacke of
money and everything else to go to sea next year. My Lord Sandwich is
gone from the fleete yesterday toward Oxford.
24th. Up, and after doing some business at the office, I to London, and
there, in my way, at my old oyster shop in Gracious Streete, bought two
barrels of my fine woman of the shop, who is alive after all the plague,
which now is the first observation or inquiry we make at London concerning
everybody we knew before it. So to the 'Change, where very busy with
several people, and mightily glad to see the 'Change so full, and hopes of
another abatement still the next week. Off the 'Change I went home with
Sir G. Smith to dinner, sending for one of my barrels of oysters, which
were good, though come from Colchester, where the plague hath been so
much. Here a very brave dinner, though no invitation; and, Lord! to see
how I am treated, that come from so mean a beginning, is matter of wonder
to me. But it is God's great mercy to me, and His blessing upon my taking
pains, and being punctual in my dealings. After dinner Captain Cocke and
I about some business, and then with my other barrel of oysters home to
Greenwich, sent them by water to Mrs. Penington, while he and I landed,
and visited Mr. Evelyn, where most excellent discourse with him; among
other things he showed me a ledger of a Treasurer of the Navy, his great
grandfather, just 100 years old; which I seemed mighty fond of, and he did
present me with it, which I take as a great rarity; and he hopes to find
me more, older than it. He also shewed us several letters of the old Lord
of Leicester's, in Queen Elizabeth's time, under the very hand-writing of
Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Mary, Queen of Scotts; and others, very
venerable names. But, Lord! how poorly, methinks, they wrote in those
days, and in what plain uncut paper. Thence, Cocke having sent for his
coach, we to Mrs. Penington, and there sat and talked and eat our oysters
with great pleasure, and so home to my lodging late and to bed.
25th. Up, and busy at the office all day long, saving dinner time, and in
the afternoon also very late at my office, and so home to bed. All our
business is now about our Hambro fleete, whether it can go or no this
yeare, the weather being set in frosty, and the whole stay being for want
of Pilotts now, which I have wrote to the Trinity House about, but have so
poor an account from them, that I did acquaint Sir W. Coventry with it
this post.
26th (Lord's day). Up, though very late abed, yet before day to dress
myself to go toward Erith, which I would do by land, it being a horrible
cold frost to go by water: so borrowed two horses of Mr. Howell and his
friend, and with much ado set out, after my horses being frosted
[Frosting means, having the horses' shoes turned up by the smith.]
(which I know not what it means to this day), and my boy having lost one
of my spurs and stockings, carrying them to the smith's; but I borrowed a
stocking, and so got up, and Mr. Tooker with me, and rode to Erith, and
there on board my Lord Bruncker, met Sir W. Warren upon his business,
among others, and did a great deale, Sir J. Minnes, as God would have it,
not being there to hinder us with his impertinences. Business done, we to
dinner very merry, there being there Sir Edmund Pooly, a very worthy
gentleman. They are now come to the copper boxes in the prizes, and hope
to have ended all this weeke. After dinner took leave, and on shore to
Madam Williams, to give her an account of my Lord's letter to me about
Howe, who he has clapped by the heels on suspicion of having the jewells,
and she did give me my Lord Bruncker's examination of the fellow, that
declares his having them; and so away, Sir W. Warren riding with me, and
the way being very bad, that is, hard and slippery by reason of the frost,
so we could not come to past Woolwich till night. However, having a great
mind to have gone to the Duke of Albemarle, I endeavoured to have gone
farther, but the night come on and no going, so I 'light and sent my horse
by Tooker, and returned on foot to my wife at Woolwich, where I found, as
I had directed, a good dinner to be made against to-morrow, and invited
guests in the yarde, meaning to be merry, in order to her taking leave,
for she intends to come in a day or two to me for altogether. But here,
they tell me, one of the houses behind them is infected, and I was fain to
stand there a great while, to have their back-door opened, but they could
not, having locked them fast, against any passing through, so was forced
to pass by them again, close to their sicke beds, which they were removing
out of the house, which troubled me; so I made them uninvite their guests,
and to resolve of coming all away to me to-morrow, and I walked with a
lanthorne, weary as I was, to Greenwich; but it was a fine walke, it being
a hard frost, and so to Captain Cocke's, but he I found had sent for me to
come to him to Mrs. Penington's, and there I went, and we were very merry,
and supped, and Cocke being sleepy he went away betimes. I stayed alone
talking and playing with her till past midnight, she suffering me whatever
'ego voulais avec ses mamilles . . . . Much pleased with her company we
parted, and I home to bed at past one, all people being in bed thinking I
would have staid out of town all night.
27th. Up, and being to go to wait on the Duke of Albemarle, who is to go
out of towne to Oxford to-morrow, and I being unwilling to go by water, it
being bitter cold, walked it with my landlady's little boy Christopher to
Lambeth, it being a very fine walke and calling at half the way and drank,
and so to the Duke of Albemarle, who is visited by every body against his
going; and mighty kind to me: and upon my desiring his grace to give me
his kind word to the Duke of Yorke, if any occasion there were of speaking
of me, he told me he had reason to do so; for there had been nothing done
in the Navy without me. His going, I hear, is upon putting the sea
business into order, and, as some say, and people of his owne family, that
he is agog to go to sea himself the next year. Here I met with a letter
from Sir G. Carteret, who is come to Cranborne, that he will be here this
afternoon and desires me to be with him. So the Duke would have me dine
with him. So it being not dinner time, I to the Swan, and there found
Sarah all alone in the house . . . . So away to the Duke of Albemarle
again, and there to dinner, he most exceeding kind to me to the
observation of all that are there. At dinner comes Sir G. Carteret and
dines with us. After dinner a great deal alone with Sir G. Carteret, who
tells me that my Lord hath received still worse and worse usage from some
base people about the Court. But the King is very kind, and the Duke do
not appear the contrary; and my Lord Chancellor swore to him "by---I will
not forsake my Lord of Sandwich." Our next discourse is upon this Act for
money, about which Sir G. Carteret comes to see what money can be got upon
it. But none can be got, which pleases him the thoughts of, for, if the
Exchequer should succeede in this, his office would faile. But I am apt
to think at this time of hurry and plague and want of trade, no money will
be got upon a new way which few understand. We walked, Cocke and I,
through the Parke with him, and so we being to meet the Vice-Chamberlayne
to-morrow at Nonesuch, to treat with Sir Robert Long about the same
business, I into London, it being dark night, by a hackney coach; the
first I have durst to go in many a day, and with great pain now for fear.
But it being unsafe to go by water in the dark and frosty cold, and unable
being weary with my morning walke to go on foot, this was my only way.
Few people yet in the streets, nor shops open, here and there twenty in a
place almost; though not above five or sixe o'clock at night. So to
Viner's, and there heard of Cocke, and found him at the Pope's Head,
drinking with Temple. I to them, where the Goldsmiths do decry the new
Act, for money to be all brought into the Exchequer, and paid out thence,
saying they will not advance one farthing upon it; and indeed it is their
interest to say and do so. Thence Cocke and I to Sir G. Smith's, it being
now night, and there up to his chamber and sat talking, and I
barbing--[shaving]--against to-morrow; and anon, at nine at night, comes
to us Sir G. Smith and the Lieutenant of the Tower, and there they sat
talking and drinking till past midnight, and mighty merry we were, the
Lieutenant of the Tower being in a mighty vein of singing, and he hath a
very good eare and strong voice, but no manner of skill. Sir G. Smith
shewed me his lady's closett, which was very fine; and, after being very
merry, here I lay in a noble chamber, and mighty highly treated, the first
time I have lain in London a long time.