where we all met to a venison pasty, and were very merry, Major Norwood
being with us, whom they did play upon for his surrendering of Dunkirk.
Here we staid till three or four o'clock; and so to the Council Chamber,
where there met the Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, my
Lord Sandwich, Sir Win. Compton, Mr. Coventry, Sir J. Minnes, Sir R. Ford,
Sir W. Rider, myself, and Captain Cuttance, as Commissioners for Tangier.
And after our Commission was read by Mr. Creed, who I perceive is to be
our Secretary, we did fall to discourse of matters: as, first, the
supplying them forthwith with victualls; then the reducing it to make way
for the money, which upon their reduction is to go to the building of the
Mole; and so to other matters, ordered as against next meeting. This done
we broke up, and I to the Cockpitt, with much crowding and waiting, where
I saw "The Valiant Cidd"--[Translated from the "Cid" of Corneille]--acted,
a play I have read with great delight, but is a most dull thing acted,
which I never understood before, there being no pleasure in it, though
done by Betterton and by Ianthe, And another fine wench that is come in
the room of Roxalana nor did the King or queen once smile all the whole
play, nor any of the company seem to take any pleasure but what was in the
greatness and gallantry of the company. Thence to my Lord's, and Mr.
Moore being in bed I staid not, but with a link walked home and got
thither by 12 o'clock, knocked up my boy, and put myself to bed.
2nd. Before I went to the office my wife and I had another falling out
about Sarah, against whom she has a deadly hate, I know not for what, nor
can I see but she is a very good servant. Then to my office, and there
sat all the morning, and then to dinner with my wife at home, and after
dinner did give Jane a very serious lesson, against we take her to be our
chamber-maid, which I spoke so to her that the poor girl cried and did
promise to be very dutifull and carefull. So to the office, where we sat
as Commissioners for the Chest, and so examined most of the old
accountants to the Chest about it, and so we broke up, and I to my office
till late preparing business, and so home, being cold, and this night
first put on a wastecoate. So to bed.
3rd. Called up by Commissioner Pett, and with him by water, much against
my will, to Deptford, and after drinking a warm morning draft, with Mr.
Wood and our officers measuring all the morning his New England masts,
with which sight I was much pleased for my information, though I perceive
great neglect and indifference in all the King's officers in what they do
for the King. That done, to the Globe, and there dined with Mr. Wood, and
so by water with Mr. Pett home again, all the way reading his Chest
accounts, in which I did see things did not please me; as his allowing
himself 1300 for one year's looking to the business of the Chest, and L150
per annum for the rest of the years. But I found no fault to him himself,
but shall when they come to be read at the Board. We did also call at
Limehouse to view two Busses that are building, that being a thing we are
now very hot upon. Our call was to see what dimensions they are of, being
50 feet by the keel and about 60 tons. Home and did a little business,
and so taking Mr. Pett by the way, we walked to the Temple, in our way
seeing one of the Russia Embassador's coaches go along, with his footmen
not in liverys, but their country habits; one of one colour and another of
another, which was very strange. At the Temple spoke with Mr. Turner and
Calthrop, and so walked home again, being in some pain through the cold
which I have got to-day by water, which troubles me. At the office doing
business a good while, and so home and had a posset, and so to bed.
4th. At the office all the morning setting about business, and after
dinner to it again, and so till night, and then home looking over my
Brampton papers against to-morrow that we are to meet with our counsel on
both sides toward an arbitration, upon which I was very late, and so to
bed.
5th. Up, it being a snow and hard frost, and being up I did call up
Sarah, who do go away to-day or to-morrow. I paid her her wages, and gave
her 10s. myself, and my wife 5s. to give her. For my part I think never
servant and mistress parted upon such foolish terms in the world as they
do, only for an opinion in my wife that she is ill-natured, in all other
things being a good servant. The wench cried, and I was ready to cry too,
but to keep peace I am content she should go, and the rather, though I say
nothing of that, that Jane may come into her place. This being done, I
walked towards Guildhall, thither being summoned by the Commissioners for
the Lieutenancy; but they sat not this morning. So meeting in my way W.
Swan, I took him to a house thereabouts, and gave him a morning draft of
buttered ale;
[Buttered ale must have been a horrible concoction, as it is
described as ale boiled with lump sugar and spice.]
he telling me still much of his Fanatique stories, as if he were a great
zealot, when I know him to be a very rogue. But I do it for discourse,
and to see how things stand with him and his party; who I perceive have
great expectation that God will not bless the Court nor Church, as it is
now settled, but they must be purified. The worst news he tells me, is
that Mr. Chetwind is dead, my old and most ingenious acquaintance. He is
dead, worth L3,000, which I did not expect, he living so high as he did
always and neatly. He hath given W. Symons his wife L300, and made Will
one of his executors. Thence to the Temple to my counsel, and thence to
Gray's Inn to meet with Mr. Cole but could not, and so took a turn or two
in the garden, being very pleasant with the snow and frost. Thence to my
brother's, and there I eat something at dinner and transcribed a copy or
two of the state of my uncle's estate, which I prepared last night, and so
to the Temple Church, and there walked alone till 4 or 5 o'clock, and then
to my cozen Turner's chamber and staid there, up and down from his to
Calthrop's and Bernard's chambers, till so late, that Mr. Cole not coming,
we broke up for meeting this night, and so taking my uncle Thomas
homewards with me by coach, talking of our desire to have a peace, and set
him down at Gracious-street end, and so home, and there I find Gosnell
come, who, my wife tells me, is like to prove a pretty companion, of which
I am glad. So to my office for a little business and then home, my mind
having been all this day in most extraordinary trouble and care for my
father, there being so great an appearance of my uncle's going away with
the greatest part of the estate, but in the evening by Gosnell's coming I
do put off these thoughts to entertain myself with my wife and her, who
sings exceeding well, and I shall take great delight in her, and so
merrily to bed.
6th. Up and to the office, and there sat all the morning, Mr. Coventry
and I alone, the rest being paying off of ships. Dined at home with my
wife and Gosnell, my mind much pleased with her, and after dinner sat with
them a good while, till my wife seemed to take notice of my being at home
now more than at other times. I went to the office, and there I sat till
late, doing of business, and at 9 o'clock walked to Mr. Rawlinson's,
thinking to meet my uncle Wight there, where he was, but a great deal of
his wife's kindred-women and I knew not whom (which Mr. Rawlinson did seem
to me to take much notice of his being led by the nose by his wife), I
went away to my office again, and doing my business there, I went home,
and after a song by Gosnell we to bed.
7th (Lord's day). A great snow, and so to church this morning with my
wife, which is the first time she hath been at church since her going to
Brampton, and Gosnell attending her, which was very gracefull. So home,
and we dined above in our dining room, the first time since it was new
done, and in the afternoon I thought to go to the French church; but
finding the Dutch congregation there, and then finding the French
congregation's sermon begun in the Dutch, I returned home, and up to our
gallery, where I found my wife and Gosnell, and after a drowsy sermon, we
all three to my aunt Wight's, where great store of her usuall company, and
here we staid a pretty while talking, I differing from my aunt, as I
commonly do, in our opinion of the handsomeness of the Queen, which I
oppose mightily, saying that if my nose be handsome, then is her's, and
such like. After much discourse, seeing the room full, and being
unwilling to stay all three, I took leave, and so with my wife only to see
Sir W. Pen, who is now got out of his bed, and sits by the fireside. And
after some talk, home and to supper, and after prayers to bed. This night
came in my wife's brother and talked to my wife and Gosnell about his
wife, which they told me afterwards of, and I do smell that he I doubt is
overreached in thinking that he has got a rich wife,' and I fear she will
prove otherwise. So to bed.
8th. Up, and carrying Gosnell by coach, set her down at Temple Barr, she
going about business of hers today. By the way she was telling me how
Balty did tell her that my wife did go every day in the week to Court and
plays, and that she should have liberty of going abroad as often as she
pleased, and many other lies, which I am vexed at, and I doubt the wench
did come in some expectation of, which troubles me. So to the Duke and
Mr. Coventry, and alone, the rest being at a Pay and elsewhere, and alone
with Mr. Coventry I did read over our letter to my Lord Treasurer, which I
think now is done as well as it can be. Then to my Lord Sandwich's, and
there spent the rest of the morning in making up my Lord's accounts with
Mr. Moore, and then dined with Mr. Moore and Battersby his friend, very
well and merry, and good discourse. Then into the Park, to see them slide
with their skeates, which is very pretty. And so to the Duke's, where the
Committee for Tangier met: and here we sat down all with him at a table,
and had much good discourse about the business, and is to my great
content. That done, I hearing what play it was that is to be acted before
the King to-night, I would not stay, but home by coach, where I find my
wife troubled about Gosnell, who brings word that her uncle, justice
Jiggins, requires her to come three times a week to him, to follow some
business that her mother intrusts her withall, and that, unless she may
have that leisure given her, he will not have her take any place; for
which we are both troubled, but there is no help for it, and believing it
to be a good providence of God to prevent my running behindhand in the
world, I am somewhat contented therewith, and shall make my wife so, who,
poor wretch, I know will consider of things, though in good earnest the
privacy of her life must needs be irksome to her. So I made Gosnell and
we sit up looking over the book of Dances till 12 at night, not observing
how the time went, and so to prayers and to bed.
9th. Lay long with my wife, contenting her about the business of
Gosnell's going, and I perceive she will be contented as well as myself,
and so to the office, and after sitting all the morning in hopes to have
Mr. Coventry dine with me, he was forced to go to White Hall, and so I
dined with my own company only, taking Mr. Hater home with me, but he,
poor man, was not very well, and so could not eat any thing. After dinner
staid within all the afternoon, being vexed in my mind about the going
away of Sarah this afternoon, who cried mightily, and so was I ready to
do, and Jane did also, and then anon went Gosnell away, which did trouble
me too; though upon many considerations, it is better that I am rid of the
charge. All together makes my house appear to me very lonely, which
troubles me much, and in a melancholy humour I went to the office, and
there about business sat till I was called to Sir G. Carteret at the
Treasury office about my Lord Treasurer's letter, wherein he puts me to a
new trouble to write it over again. So home and late with Sir John Minnes
at the office looking over Mr. Creed's accounts, and then home and to
supper, and my wife and I melancholy to bed.
10th. This morning rose, receiving a messenger from Sir G. Carteret and a
letter from Mr. Coventry, one contrary to another, about our letter to my
Lord Treasurer, at which I am troubled, but I went to Sir George, and
being desirous to please both, I think I have found out a way to do it. So
back to the office with Sir J. Minnes, in his coach, but so great a snow
that we could hardly pass the streets. So we and Sir W. Batten to the
office, and there did discourse of Mr. Creed's accounts, and I fear it
will be a good while before we shall go through them, and many things we
meet with, all of difficulty. Then to the Dolphin, where Sir J. Minnes,
Sir W. Batten, and I, did treat the Auditors of the Exchequer, Auditors
Wood and Beale, and hither come Sir G. Carteret to us. We had a good
dinner, cost us L5 and 6s., whereof my share 26s., and after dinner did
discourse of our salarys and other matters, which I think now they will
allow. Thence home, and there I found our new cook-mayde Susan come, who
is recommended to us by my wife's brother, for which I like her never the
better, but being a good well-looked lass, I am willing to try, and Jane
begins to take upon her as a chamber-mayde. So to the office, where late
putting papers and my books and businesses in order, it being very cold,
and so home to supper.
11th. Up, it being a great frost upon the snow, and we sat all the
morning upon Mr. Creed's accounts, wherein I did him some service and some
disservice. At noon he dined with me, and we sat all the afternoon
together, discoursing of ways to get money, which I am now giving myself
wholly up to, and in the evening he went away and I to my office,
concluding all matters concerning our great letter so long in doing to my
Lord Treasurer, till almost one in the morning, and then home with my mind
much eased, and so to bed.
12th. From a very hard frost, when I wake, I find a very great thaw, and
my house overflown with it, which vexed me. At the office and home, doing
business all the morning. Then dined with my wife and sat talking with
her all the afternoon, and then to the office, and there examining my copy
of Mr. Holland's book till 10 at night, and so home to supper and bed.
13th. Slept long to-day till Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten were set out
towards Portsmouth before I rose, and Sir G. Carteret came to the office
to speak with me before I was up. So I started up and down to him. By
and by we sat, Mr. Coventry and I (Sir G. Carteret being gone), and among
other things, Field and Stint did come, and received the L41 given him by
the judgement against me and Harry Kem;
[Fine for the imprisonment of Field (see February 4th, 1661-62, and
October 21st, 1662).]
and we did also sign bonds in L500 to stand to the award of Mr. Porter and
Smith for the rest: which, however, I did not sign to till I got Mr.
Coventry to go up with me to Sir W. Pen; and he did promise me before him
to bear his share in what should be awarded, and both concluded that Sir
W. Batten would do no less. At noon broke up and dined with my wife, and
then to the office again, and there made an end of last night's
examination, and got my study there made very clean and put in order, and
then to write by the post, among other letters one to Sir W. Batten about
this day's work with Field, desiring his promise also. The letter I have
caused to be entered in our public book of letters. So home to supper and
to bed.
14th (Lord's day). Lay with great content talking with my wife in bed,
and so up and to church and then home, and had a neat dinner by ourselves,
and after dinner walked to White Hall and my Lord's, and up and down till
chappell time, and then to the King's chappell, where I heard the service,
and so to my Lord's, and there Mr. Howe and Pagett, the counsellor, an old
lover of musique. We sang some Psalms of Mr. Lawes, and played some
symphonys between till night, that I was sent for to Mr. Creed's lodging,
and there was Captain Ferrers and his lady and W. Howe and I; we supped
very well and good sport in discourse. After supper I was sent for to my
Lord, with whom I staid talking about his, and my owne, and the publique
affairs, with great content, he advising me as to my owne choosing of Sir
R. Bernard for umpire in the businesses between my uncle and us, that I
would not trust to him upon his direction, for he did not think him a man
to be trusted at all; and so bid him good night, and to Mr. Creed's again;
Mr. Moore, with whom I intended to have lain, lying physically without
sheets; and there, after some discourse, to bed, and lay ill, though the
bed good, my stomach being sicke all night with my too heavy supper.
15th. Up and to my Lord's and thence to the Duke, and followed him into
the Park, where, though the ice was broken and dangerous, yet he would go
slide upon his scates, which I did not like, but he slides very well. So
back and to his closett, whither my Lord Sandwich comes, and there Mr.
Coventry and we three had long discourse together about the matters of the
Navy; and, indeed, I find myself more and more obliged to Mr. Coventry,
who studies to do me all the right he can in every thing to the Duke.
Thence walked a good while up and down the gallerys; and among others, met
with Dr. Clerke, who in discourse tells me, that Sir Charles Barkeley's
greatness is only his being pimp to the King, and to my Lady Castlemaine.
And yet for all this, that the King is very kind to the Queen; who, he
says, is one of the best women in the world. Strange how the King is
bewitched to this pretty Castlemaine. Thence to my Lord's, and there with
Mr. Creed, Moore, and Howe to the Crown and dined, and thence to
Whitehall, where I walked up and down the gallerys, spending my time upon
the pictures, till the Duke and the Committee for Tangier met (the Duke
not staying with us), where the only matter was to discourse with my Lord
Rutherford, who is this day made Governor of Tangier, for I know not what
reasons; and my Lord of Peterborough to be called home; which, though it
is said it is done with kindness, yet all the world may see it is done
otherwise, and I am sorry to see a Catholick Governor sent to command
there, where all the rest of the officers almost are such already. But
God knows what the reason is! and all may see how slippery places all
courtiers stand in. Thence by coach home, in my way calling upon Sir John
Berkenheade, to speak about my assessment of L42 to the Loyal Sufferers;
which, I perceive, I cannot help; but he tells me I have been abused by
Sir R. Ford, which I shall hereafter make use of when it shall be fit.
Thence called at the Major-General's, Sir R. Browne, about my being
assessed armes to the militia; but he was abroad; and so driving through
the backside of the Shambles in Newgate Market, my coach plucked down two
pieces of beef into the dirt, upon which the butchers stopped the horses,
and a great rout of people in the street, crying that he had done him 40s
and L5 worth of hurt; but going down, I saw that he had done little or
none; and so I give them a shilling for it and they were well contented,
and so home, and there to my Lady Batten's to see her, who tells me she
hath just now a letter from Sir William, how that he and Sir J. Minnes did
very narrowly escape drowning on the road, the waters are so high; but is
well. But, Lord! what a hypocrite-like face she made to tell it me.
Thence to Sir W. Pen and sat long with him in discourse, I making myself
appear one of greater action and resolution as to publique business than I
have hitherto done, at which he listens, but I know is a rogue in his
heart and likes not, but I perceive I may hold up my head, and the more
the better, I minding of my business as I have done, in which God do and
will bless me. So home and with great content to bed, and talk and chat
with my wife while I was at supper, to our great pleasure.
16th. Up and to the office, and thither came Mr. Coventry and Sir G.
Carteret, and among other business was Strutt's the purser, against Captn.
Browne, Sir W. Batten's brother-in-law, but, Lord! though I believe the
Captain has played the knave, though I seem to have a good opinion of him
and to mean him well, what a most troublesome fellow that Strutt is, such
as I never did meet with his fellow in my life. His talking and ours to
make him hold his peace set my head off akeing all the afternoon with
great pain. So to dinner, thinking to have had Mr. Coventry, but he could
not go with me; and so I took Captn. Murford. Of whom I do hear what the
world says of me; that all do conclude Mr. Coventry, and Pett, and me, to
be of a knot; and that we do now carry all things before us; and much more
in particular of me, and my studiousnesse, &c., to my great content.
After dinner came Mrs. Browne, the Captain's wife, to see me and my wife,
and I showed her a good countenance, and indeed her husband has been civil
to us, but though I speak them fair, yet I doubt I shall not be able to do
her husband much favour in this business of Strutt's, whom without doubt
he has abused. So to the office, and hence, having done some business, by
coach to White Hall to Secretary Bennet's, and agreed with Mr. Lee to set
upon our new adventure at the Tower to-morrow. Hence to Col. Lovelace in
Cannon Row about seeing how Sir R. Ford did report all the officers of the
navy to be rated for the Loyal Sufferers, but finding him at the Rhenish
wine-house I could not have any answer, but must take another time.
Thence to my Lord's, and having sat talking with Mr. Moore bewailing the
vanity and disorders of the age, I went by coach to my brother's, where I
met Sarah, my late mayde, who had a desire to speak with me, and I with
her to know what it was, who told me out of good will to me, for she loves
me dearly, that I would beware of my wife's brother, for he is begging or
borrowing of her and often, and told me of her Scallop whisk, and her
borrowing of 50s. for Will, which she believes was for him and her father.
I do observe so much goodness and seriousness in the mayde, that I am
again and again sorry that I have parted with her, though it was full
against my will then, and if she had anything in the world I would commend
her for a wife for my brother Tom. After much discourse and her
professions of love to me and all my relations, I bade her good night and
did kiss her, and indeed she seemed very well-favoured to me to-night, as
she is always. So by coach home and to my office, did some business, and
so home to supper and to bed.
17th. This morning come Mr. Lee, Wade, and Evett, intending to have gone
upon our new design to the Tower today; but it raining, and the work being
to be done in the open garden, we put it off to Friday next. And so I to
the office doing business, and then dined at home with my poor wife with
great content, and so to the office again and made an end of examining the
other of Mr. Holland's books about the Navy, with which I am much
contented, and so to other businesses till night at my office, and so home
to supper, and after much dear company and talk with my wife, to bed.
18th. Up and to the office, Mr. Coventry and I alone sat till two
o'clock, and then he inviting himself to my house to dinner, of which I
was proud; but my dinner being a legg of mutton and two capons, they were
not done enough, which did vex me; but we made shift to please him, I
think; but I was, when he was gone, very angry with my wife and people.
This afternoon came my wife's brother and his wife, and Mrs. Lodum his
landlady (my old friend Mr. Ashwell's sister), Balty's wife is a most
little and yet, I believe, pretty old girl, not handsome, nor has anything
in the world pleasing, but, they say, she plays mighty well on the Base
Violl. They dined at her father's today, but for ought I hear he is a
wise man, and will not give any thing to his daughter till he sees what
her husband do put himself to, so that I doubt he has made but a bad
matter of it, but I am resolved not to meddle with it. They gone I to the
office, and to see Sir W. Pen, with my wife, and thence I to Mr. Cade the
stationer, to direct him what to do with my two copies of Mr. Holland's
books which he is to bind, and after supplying myself with several things
of him, I returned to my office, and so home to supper and to bed.
19th. Up and by appointment with Mr. Lee, Wade, Evett, and workmen to the
Tower, and with the Lieutenant's leave set them to work in the garden, in
the corner against the mayne-guard, a most unlikely place. It being cold,
Mr. Lee and I did sit all the day till three o'clock by the fire in the
Governor's house; I reading a play of Fletcher's, being "A Wife for a
Month," wherein no great wit or language. Having done we went to them at
work, and having wrought below the bottom of the foundation of the wall, I
bid them give over, and so all our hopes ended; and so went home, taking
Mr. Leigh with me, and after drunk a cup of wine he went away, and I to my
office, there reading in Sir W. Petty's book, and so home and to bed, a
little displeased with my wife, who, poor wretch, is troubled with her
lonely life, which I know not how without great charge to help as yet, but
I will study how to do it.