I had not because of troubling me, and so left her, though against my
will, to go and see her father and mother by herself, and I straight to my
Lord Sandwich's, and there I had a pretty kind salute from my Lord, and
went on to the Duke's, where my fellow officers by and by came, and so in
with him to his closet, and did our business, and so broke up, and I with
Sir W. Batten by coach to Salisbury Court, and there spoke with Clerk our
Solicitor about Field's business, and so parted, and I to Mrs. Turner's,
and there saw the achievement pretty well set up, and it is well done.
Thence I on foot to Charing Crosse to the ordinary, and there, dined,
meeting Mr. Gauden and Creed. Here variety of talk but to no great
purpose. After dinner won a wager of a payre of gloves of a crowne of Mr.
Gauden upon some words in his contract for victualling. There parted in
the street with them, and I to my Lord's, but he not being within, took
coach, and, being directed by sight of bills upon the walls, I did go to
Shoe Lane to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there, a sport I was never
at in my life; but, Lord! to see the strange variety of people, from
Parliament-man (by name Wildes, that was Deputy Governor of the Tower when
Robinson was Lord Mayor) to the poorest 'prentices, bakers, brewers,
butchers, draymen, and what not; and all these fellows one with another in
swearing, cursing, and betting. I soon had enough of it, and yet I would
not but have seen it once, it being strange to observe the nature of these
poor creatures, how they will fight till they drop down dead upon the
table, and strike after they are ready to give up the ghost, not offering
to run away when they are weary or wounded past doing further, whereas
where a dunghill brood comes he will, after a sharp stroke that pricks
him, run off the stage, and then they wring off his neck without more ado,
whereas the other they preserve, though their eyes be both out, for breed
only of a true cock of the game. Sometimes a cock that has had ten to one
against him will by chance give an unlucky blow, will strike the other
starke dead in a moment, that he never stirs more; but the common rule is,
that though a cock neither runs nor dies, yet if any man will bet L10 to a
crowne, and nobody take the bet, the game is given over, and not sooner.
One thing more it is strange to see how people of this poor rank, that
look as if they had not bread to put in their mouths, shall bet three or
four pounds at one bet, and lose it, and yet bet as much the next battle
(so they call every match of two cocks), so that one of them will lose L10
or L20 at a meeting. Thence, having enough of it, by coach to my Lord
Sandwich's, where I find him within with Captain Cooke and his boys, Dr.
Childe, Mr. Madge, and Mallard, playing and singing over my Lord's anthem
which he hath made to sing in the King's Chappell: my Lord saluted me
kindly and took me into the withdrawing-room, to hear it at a distance,
and indeed it sounds very finely, and is a good thing, I believe, to be
made by him, and they all commend it. And after that was done Captain
Cooke and his two boys did sing some Italian songs, which I must in a word
say I think was fully the best musique that I ever yet heard in all my
life, and it was to me a very great pleasure to hear them. After all
musique ended, my Lord going to White Hall, I went along with him, and
made a desire for to have his coach to go along with my cozen Edward
Pepys's hearse through the City on Wednesday next, which he granted me
presently, though he cannot yet come to speak to me in the familiar stile
that he did use to do, nor can I expect it. But I was the willinger of
this occasion to see whether he would deny me or no, which he would I
believe had he been at open defyance against me. Being not a little
pleased with all this, though I yet see my Lord is not right yet, I
thanked his Lordship and parted with him in White Hall. I back to my
Lord's, and there took up W. Howe in a coach, and carried him as far as
the Half Moone, and there set him down. By the way, talking of my Lord,
who is come another and a better man than he was lately, and God be
praised for it, and he says that I shall find my Lord as he used to be to
me, of which I have good hopes, but I shall beware of him, I mean W. Howe,
how I trust him, for I perceive he is not so discreet as I took him for,
for he has told Captain Ferrers (as Mr. Moore tells me) of my letter to my
Lord, which troubles me, for fear my Lord should think that I might have
told him. So called with my coach at my wife's brother's lodging, but she
was gone newly in a coach homewards, and so I drove hard and overtook her
at Temple Bar, and there paid off mine, and went home with her in her
coach. She tells me how there is a sad house among her friends. Her
brother's wife proves very unquiet, and so her mother is, gone back to be
with her husband and leave the young couple to themselves, and great
trouble, and I fear great want, will be among them, I pray keep me from
being troubled with them. At home to put on my gowne and to my office,
and there set down this day's Journall, and by and by comes Mrs. Owen,
Captain Allen's daughter, and causes me to stay while the papers relating
to her husband's place, bought of his father, be copied out because of her
going by this morning's tide home to Chatham. Which vexes me, but there
is no help for it. I home to supper while a young [man] that she brought
with her did copy out the things, and then I to the office again and
dispatched her, and so home to bed.
22nd. Up and there comes my she cozen Angier, of Cambridge, to me to
speak about her son. But though I love them, and have reason so to do,
yet, Lord! to consider how cold I am to speak to her, for fear of giving
her too much hopes of expecting either money or anything else from me
besides my care of her son. I let her go without drinking, though that
was against my will, being forced to hasten to the office, where we sat
all the morning, and at noon I to Sir R. Ford's, where Sir R. Browne (a
dull but it seems upon action a hot man), and he and I met upon setting a
price upon the freight of a barge sent to France to the Duchess of
Orleans. And here by discourse I find them greatly crying out against the
choice of Sir J. Cutler to be Treasurer for Paul's upon condition that he
give L1500 towards it, and it seems he did give it upon condition that he
might be Treasurer for the work, which they say will be worth three times
as much money, and talk as if his being chosen to the office will make
people backward to give, but I think him as likely a man as either of
them, or better. The business being done we parted, Sir R. Ford never
inviting me to dine with him at all, and I was not sorry for it. Home and
dined. I had a letter from W. Howe that my Lord hath ordered his coach
and six horses for me to-morrow, which pleases me mightily to think that
my Lord should do so much, hoping thereby that his anger is a little over.
After dinner abroad with my wife by coach to Westminster, and set her at
Mrs. Hunt's while I about my business, having in our way met with Captain
Ferrers luckily to speak to him about my coach, who was going in all haste
thither, and I perceive the King and Duke and all the Court was going to
the Duke's playhouse to see "Henry VIII." acted, which is said to be an
admirable play. But, Lord! to see how near I was to have broken my oathe,
or run the hazard of 20s. losse, so much my nature was hot to have gone
thither; but I did not go, but having spoke with W. Howe and known how my
Lord did do this kindly as I would have it, I did go to Westminster Hall,
and there met Hawley, and walked a great while with him. Among other
discourse encouraging him to pursue his love to Mrs. Lane, while God knows
I had a roguish meaning in it. Thence calling my wife home by coach,
calling at several places, and to my office, where late, and so home to
supper and to bed. This day I hear for certain that my Lady Castlemaine
is turned Papist, which the Queene for all do not much like, thinking that
she do it not for conscience sake. I heard to-day of a great fray lately
between Sir H. Finch's coachman, who struck with his whip a coachman of
the King's to the losse of one of his eyes; at which the people of the
Exchange seeming to laugh and make sport with some words of contempt to
him, my Lord Chamberlin did come from the King to shut up the 'Change, and
by the help of a justice, did it; but upon petition to the King it was
opened again.
23rd. Up betimes and my wife; and being in as mourning a dress as we
could, at present, without cost, put ourselves into, we by Sir W. Pen's
coach to Mrs. Turner's, at Salisbury Court, where I find my Lord's coach
and six horses. We staid till almost eleven o'clock, and much company
came, and anon, the corps being put into the hearse, and the scutcheons
set upon it, we all took coach, and I and my wife and Auditor Beale in my
Lord Sandwich's coach, and went next to Mrs. Turner's mourning coach, and
so through all the City and Shoreditch, I believe about twenty coaches,
and four or five with six and four horses. Being come thither, I made up
to the mourners, and bidding them a good journey, I took leave and back
again, and setting my wife into a hackney out of Bishopsgate Street, I
sent her home, and I to the 'Change and Auditor Beale about his business.
Did much business at the 'Change, and so home to dinner, and then to my
office, and there late doing business also to my great content to see God
bless me in my place and opening honest ways, I hope to get a little money
to lay up and yet to live handsomely. So to supper and to bed. My wife
having strange fits of the toothache, some times on this, and by and by on
that side of her tooth, which is not common.
24th. Up betimes; and though it was a most foggy morning, and cold, yet
with a gally down to Eriffe, several times being at a loss whither we
went. There I mustered two ships of the King's, lent by him to the Guiny
Company, which are manned better than ours at far less wages. Thence on
board two of the King's, one of them the "Leopard," Captain Beech, who I
find an able and serious man. He received me civilly, and his wife was
there, a very well bred and knowing woman, born at Antwerp, but speaks as
good English as myself, and an ingenious woman. Here was also Sir G.
Carteret's son, who I find a pretty, but very talking man, but good
humour. Thence back again, entertaining myself upon my sliding rule with
great content, and called at Woolwich, where Mr. Chr. Pett having an
opportunity of being alone did tell me his mind about several things he
thought I was offended with him in, and told me of my kindness to his
assistant. I did give him such an answer as I thought was fit and left
him well satisfied, he offering to do me all the service, either by
draughts or modells that I should desire. Thence straight home, being
very cold, but yet well, I thank God, and at home found my wife making
mince pies, and by and by comes in Captain Ferrers to see us, and, among
other talke, tells us of the goodness of the new play of "Henry VIII.,"
which makes me think [it] long till my time is out; but I hope before I go
I shall set myself such a stint as I may not forget myself as I have
hitherto done till I was forced for these months last past wholly to
forbid myself the seeing of one. He gone I to my office and there late
writing and reading, and so home to bed.
25th (Christmas day). Lay long talking pleasantly with my wife, but among
other things she begun, I know not whether by design or chance, to enquire
what she should do if I should by any accident die, to which I did give
her some slight answer; but shall make good use of it to bring myself to
some settlement for her sake, by making a will as soon as I can. Up and
to church, where Mr. Mills made an ordinary sermon, and so home and dined
with great pleasure with my wife, and all the afternoon first looking out
at window and seeing the boys playing at many several sports in our back
yard by Sir W. Pen's, which reminded me of my own former times, and then I
began to read to my wife upon the globes with great pleasure and to good
purpose, for it will be pleasant to her and to me to have her understand
these things. In the evening at the office, where I staid late reading
Rushworth, which is a most excellent collection of the beginning of the
late quarrels in this kingdom, and so home to supper and to bed, with good
content of mind.
26th. Up and walked forth first to the Minerys to Brown's, and there with
great pleasure saw and bespoke several instruments, and so to Cornhill to
Mr. Cades, and there went up into his warehouse to look for a map or two,
and there finding great plenty of good pictures, God forgive me! how my
mind run upon them, and bought a little one for my wife's closett
presently, and concluded presently of buying L10 worth, upon condition he
would give me the buying of them. Now it is true I did still within me
resolve to make the King one way or other pay for them, though I saved it
to him another way, yet I find myself too forward to fix upon the expense,
and came away with a resolution of buying them, but do hope that I shall
not upon second thoughts do it without a way made out before I buy them to
myself how to do [it] without charge to my main stock. Thence to the
Coffee-house, and sat long in good discourse with some gentlemen
concerning the Roman Empire. So home and found Mr. Hollyard there, and he
stayed and dined with us, we having a pheasant to dinner. He gone, I all
the afternoon with my wife to cards, and, God forgive me! to see how the
very discourse of plays, which I shall be at liberty to see after New
Year's Day next, do set my mind upon them, but I must be forced to stint
myself very strictly before I begin, or else I fear I shall spoil all. In
the evening came my aunt Wight's kinswoman to see how my wife do, with a
compliment from my aunt, which I take kindly as it is unusual for her to
do it, but I do perceive my uncle is very kind to me of late. So to my
office writing letters, and then to read and make an end of Rushworth,
which I did, and do say that it is a book the most worth reading for a man
of my condition or any man that hopes to come to any publique condition in
the world that I do know. So home to supper and to bed.
27th. Up and to church alone and so home to dinner with my wife very
pleasant and pleased with one another's company, and in our general
enjoyment one of another, better we think than most other couples do. So
after dinner to the French church, but came too late, and so back to our
owne church, where I slept all the sermon the Scott preaching, and so
home, and in the evening Sir J. Minnes and I met at Sir W. Pen's about
ordering some business of the Navy, and so I home to supper, discourse,
prayers, and bed.
28th. Up and by coach to my Lord's lodgings, but he was gone abroad, so I
lost my pains, but, however, walking through White Hall I heard the King
was gone to play at Tennis, so I down to the new Tennis Court; and saw him
and Sir Arthur Slingsby play against my Lord of Suffolke and my Lord
Chesterfield. The King beat three, and lost two sets, they all, and he
particularly playing well, I thought. Thence went and spoke with the Duke
of Albemarle about his wound at Newhall, but I find him a heavy dull man,
methinks, by his answers to me. Thence to the King's Head ordinary and
there dined, and found Creed there, but we met and dined and parted
without any thing more than "How do you?" After dinner straight on foot
to Mr. Hollyard's, and there paid him L3 in full for his physic and work
to my wife . . . . but whether it is cured for ever or no I cannot
tell, but he says it will never come to anything, though it may be it may
ooze now and then a little. So home and found my wife gone out with Will
(whom she sent for as she do now a days upon occasion) to have a tooth
drawn, she having it seems been in great pain all day, and at night came
home with it drawn, and pretty well. This evening I had a stove brought
me to the office to try, but it being an old one it smokes as much as if
there was nothing but a hearth as I had before, but it may be great new
ones do not, and therefore I must enquire further. So at night home to
supper and to bed. The Duchesse of York is fallen sicke of the meazles.
29th. Up and to the office, where all the morning sitting, at noon to the
'change, and there I found and brought home Mr. Pierse the surgeon to
dinner. Where I found also Mr. Luellin and Mount, and merry at dinner,
but their discourse so free . . . . that I was weary of them. But
after dinner Luellin took me up to my chamber to give me L50 for the
service I did him, though not so great as he expected and I intended. But
I told him that I would not sell my liberty to any man. If he would give
me any thing by another's hand I would endeavour to deserve it, but I will
never give him himself thanks for it, not acknowledging the receiving of
any, which he told me was reasonable. I did also tell him that neither
this nor any thing should make me to do any thing that should not be for
the King's service besides. So we parted and left them three at home with
my wife going to cards, and I to my office and there staid late. Sir W.
Pen came like a cunning rogue to sit and talk with me about office
business and freely about the Comptroller's business of the office, to
which I did give him free answers and let him make the best of them. But
I know him to be a knave, and do say nothing that I fear to have said
again. Anon came Sir W. Warren, and after talking of his business of the
masts and helping me to understand some foul dealing in the business of
Woods we fell to other talk, and particularly to speak of some means how
to part this great familiarity between Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes,
and it is easy to do by any good friend of Sir J. Minnes to whom it will
be a good service, and he thinks that Sir J. Denham will be a proper man
for it, and so do I. So after other discourse we parted, and I home and to
bed.
30th. Up betimes and by coach to my Lord Sandwich, who I met going out,
and he did aske me how his cozen, my wife; did, the first time he hath
done so since his being offended, and, in my conscience, he would be glad
to be free with me again, but he knows not how to begin. So he went out,
and I through the garden to Mr. Coventry, where I saw Mr. Ch. Pett
bringing him a modell, and indeed it is a pretty one, for a New Year's
gift; but I think the work not better done than mine. With him by coach
to London, with good and friendly discourse of business and against Sir W.
Batten and his foul dealings. So leaving him at the Guiny House I to the
Coffee House, whither came Mr. Grant and Sir W. Petty, with whom I talked,
and so did many, almost all the house there, about his new vessel, wherein
he did give me such satisfaction in every point that I am almost confident
she will prove an admirable invention. So home to dinner, and after being
upon the 'Change awhile I dined with my wife, who took physique to-day,
and so to my office, and there all the afternoon till late at night about
office business, and so to supper and to bed.
31st. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and among other
things Sir W. Warren came about some contract, and there did at the open
table, Sir W. Batten not being there; openly defy him, and insisted how
Sir W. Batten did endeavour to oppose him in everything that he offered.
Sir W. Pen took him up for it, like a counterfeit rogue, though I know he
was as much pleased to hear him talk so as any man there. But upon his
speaking no more was said but to the business. At noon we broke up and I
to the 'Change awhile, and so home again to dinner, my head aching
mightily with being overcharged with business. We had to dinner, my wife
and I, a fine turkey and a mince pie, and dined in state, poor wretch, she
and I, and have thus kept our Christmas together all alone almost, having
not once been out, but to-morrow my vowes are all out as to plays and
wine, but I hope I shall not be long before I come to new ones, so much
good, and God's blessing, I find to have attended them. Thence to the
office and did several businesses and answered several people, but my head
aching and it being my great night of accounts, I went forth, took coach,
and to my brother's, but he was not within, and so I back again and sat an
hour or two at the Coffee [house], hearing some simple discourse about
Quakers being charmed by a string about their wrists, and so home, and
after a little while at my office, I home and supped, and so had a good
fire in my chamber and there sat till 4 o'clock in the morning making up
my accounts and writing this last Journall of the year. And first I bless
God I do, after a large expense, even this month, by reason of Christmas,
and some payments to my father, and other things extraordinary, find that
I am worth in money, besides all my household stuff, or any thing of
Brampton, above L800, whereof in my Lord Sandwich's hand, L700, and the
rest in my hand. So that there is not above L5 of all my estate in money
at this minute out of my hands and my Lord's. For which the good God be
pleased to give me a thankful heart and a mind careful to preserve this
and increase it. I do live at my lodgings in the Navy Office, my family
being, besides my wife and I, Jane Gentleman, Besse, our excellent,
good-natured cookmayde, and Susan, a little girle, having neither man nor
boy, nor like to have again a good while, living now in most perfect
content and quiett, and very frugally also; my health pretty good, but
only that I have been much troubled with a costiveness which I am
labouring to get away, and have hopes of doing it. At the office I am
well, though envied to the devil by Sir William Batten, who hates me to
death, but cannot hurt me. The rest either love me, or at least do not
show otherwise, though I know Sir W. Pen to be a false knave touching me,
though he seems fair. My father and mother well in the country; and at
this time the young ladies of Hinchingbroke with them, their house having
the small-pox in it. The Queene after a long and sore sicknesse is become
well again; and the King minds his mistresse a little too much, if it
pleased God! but I hope all things will go well, and in the Navy
particularly, wherein I shall do my duty whatever comes of it. The great
talke is the designs of the King of France, whether against the Pope or
King of Spayne nobody knows; but a great and a most promising Prince he
is, and all the Princes of Europe have their eye upon him. My wife's
brother come to great unhappiness by the ill-disposition, my wife says, of
his wife, and her poverty, which she now professes, after all her
husband's pretence of a great fortune, but I see none of them, at least
they come not to trouble me. At present I am concerned for my cozen
Angier, of Cambridge, lately broke in his trade, and this day am sending
his son John, a very rogue, to sea. My brother Tom I know not what to
think of, for I cannot hear whether he minds his business or not; and my
brother John at Cambridge, with as little hopes of doing good there, for
when he was here he did give me great cause of dissatisfaction with his
manner of life. Pall with my father, and God knows what she do there, or
what will become of her, for I have not anything yet to spare her, and she
grows now old, and must be disposed of one way or other. The Duchesse of
York, at this time, sicke of the meazles, but is growing well again. The
Turke very far entered into Germany, and all that part of the world at a
losse what to expect from his proceedings. Myself, blessed be God! in a
good way, and design and resolution of sticking to my business to get a
little money with doing the best service I can to the King also; which God
continue! So ends the old year.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Again that she spoke but somewhat of what she had in her heart
Better we think than most other couples do
Compliment from my aunt, which I take kindly as it is unusual
Did go to Shoe Lane to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there
Dined at home alone, a good calves head boiled and dumplings
Every man looking after himself, and his owne lust and luxury
Excommunications, which they send upon the least occasions
Expectation of profit will have its force
King was gone to play at Tennis
Opening his mind to him as of one that may hereafter be his foe
Pen was then turned Quaker
Persuade me that she should prove with child since last night
Pride and debauchery of the present clergy
Quakers being charmed by a string about their wrists
Taught my wife some part of subtraction
To bed with discontent she yielded to me and began to be fond