the Duke of York, and staid in White Hall till about noon, and so
with W. Hewer to the Cocke, and there he and I dined alone with great
content, he reading to me, for my memory's sake, my late collections of
the history of the Navy, that I might represent the same by and by to
the Duke of York; and so, after dinner, he and I to White Hall, and
there to the Duke of York's lodgings, whither he, by and by, by his
appointment come: and alone with him an hour in his closet, telling him
mine and W. Coventry's advice touching the present posture of the Navy,
as the Duke of Buckingham and the rest do now labour to make changes
therein; and that it were best for him to suffer the King to be
satisfied with the bringing in of a man or two which they desire. I did
also give the Duke of York a short account of the history of the Navy,
as to our Office, wherewith he was very well satisfied: but I do find
that he is pretty stiff against their bringing in of men against his
mind, as the Treasures were, and particularly against Child's' coming
in, because he is a merchant. After much discourse with him, we parted;
and [he to] the Council, while I staid waiting for his telling me when
I should be ready to give him a written account of the administration of
the Navy. This caused me to wait the whole afternoon, till night. In
the mean time, stepping to the Duchess of York's side to speak with Lady
Peterborough; I did see the young Duchess,
[The Princess Mary, afterwards Queen of England.]
a little child in hanging sleeves; dance most finely, so as almost
to ravish me, her ears were so good: taught by a Frenchman that
did heretofore teach the King, and all the King's children, and the
Queen-Mother herself, who do still dance well. Thence to the council
door and Mr. Chevins took me into the back stairs, and they with his
friend, Mr. Fowkes, for whom he is very solicitous in some things
depending in this Office, he did make me, with some others that he
took in (among others, Alderman Back well), eat a pickled herring, the
largest I ever saw, and drink variety of wines till I was almost merry;
but I did keep in good tune; and so, after the Council was up, I home;
and there find my wife not yet come home from Deptford, he she hath been
all this day to see her mother, but she come and by, and so to talk,
and supper, and to bed. This night I did bring home from the King's
potticary's, in White Hall by Mr. Cooling's direction, a water that he
says did him mighty good for his eyes. I pray God it may do me good;
but, by his description, his disease was the same as mine, and this do
encourage me to use it.
3rd. Up, and to the Council of War again, with Middleton: but the
proceedings of the Commanders so devilishly bad, and so professedly
partial to the Captain, that I could endure it no longer, but took
occasion to pretend business at the Office, and away, and Colonel
Middleton with me, who was of the same mind, and resolved to declare our
minds freely to the Duke of York about it. So to the office, where we
sat all the morning. Then home to dinner, and so back to the office,
where busy late till night, and so home to supper and to bed.
4th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where Alderman Backewell's wife,
by my invitation with my head, come up with her mother, and sat with
us, and after sermon I did walk with them home, and there left them, and
home to dinner, and after dinner with Sir J. Minnes and T. Middleton to
White Hall, by appointment; and at my Lord Arlington's the Office did
attend the King and Cabal, to discourse the further quantity of victuals
fit to be declared for, which was 2,000 men for six months; and so
without more ado or stay, there, hearing no news but that Sir Thomas
Allen is to be expected every hour at home with his fleete, or news of
his being gone back to Algier, and so home, where got my wife to read
to me; and so after supper to bed. The Queen-Mother hath been of late
mighty ill, and some fears of her death.
5th. Up, and by coach, it being very cold, to White Hall, expecting a
meeting of Tangier, but it did not. But, however, did wait there all
the morning, and, among other things, I spent a little time with Creed
walking in the garden, and talking about our Office, and Child's coming
in to be a Commissioner; and, being his friend, I did think he might
do me a kindness to learn of him what the Duke of Buckingham and the
faction do design touching me, and to instil good words concerning me,
which he says, and I believe he will: and it is but necessary; for I
have not a mind indeed at this time to be put out of my Office, if I can
make any shift that is honourable to keep it; but I will not do it by
deserting the Duke of York. At noon by appointment comes Mr. Sheres,
and he and I to Unthanke's, where my wife stays for us in our coach, and
Betty Turner with her; and we to the Mulberry Garden, where Sheres is to
treat us with a Spanish Olio,
[An olio is a mixed dish of meat and vegetables, and, secondarily,
mixture or medley.]
by a cook of his acquaintance that is there, that was with my Lord in
Spain: and without any other company, he did do it, and mighty nobly;
and the Olio was indeed a very noble dish, such as I never saw better,
or any more of. This, and the discourse he did give us of Spain, and
description of the Escuriall, was a fine treat. So we left other good
things, that would keep till night, for a collation; and, with much
content, took coach again, and went five or six miles towards Branford,
the Prince of Tuscany, who comes into England only to spend money and
see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much expected; and
we met him, but the coach passing by apace, we could not see much of him
but he seems a very jolly and good comely man. By the way, we overtook
Captain Ferrers upon his fine Spanish horse, and he is a fine horse
indeed; but not so good, I think, as I have seen some. He did ride by
us most of the way, and with us to the Park, and there left us, where
we passed the evening, and meeting The. Turner, Talbot, W. Batelier,
and his sister, in a coach, we anon took them with us to the Mulberry
Garden; and there, after a walk, to supper upon what was left at noon;
and very good; only Mr. Sheres being taken suddenly ill for a while, did
spoil our mirth; but by and by was well again, and we mighty merry: and
so broke up, and left him at Charing Cross, and so calling only at my
cozen Turner's, away home, mightily pleased with the day's work, and
this day come another new mayd, for a middle mayd, but her name I know
not yet; and, for a cookmaid, we have, ever since Bridget went, used a
blackmoore of Mr. Batelier's, Doll, who dresses our meat mighty well,
and we mightily pleased with her. So by and by to bed.
6th. Up, and to the Office, and thence to the Excise Office about some
business, and so back to the office and sat till late, end thence to Mr.
Batelier's to dinner, where my cozen Turner and both her daughters,
and Talbot Pepys and my wife, and a mighty fine dinner. They at dinner
before I come; and, when I had dined, I away home, and thence to White
Hall, where the Board waited on the Duke of York to discourse about
the disposing of Sir Thomas Allen's fleete, which is newly come home
to Portsmouth; and here Middleton and I did in plain terms acquaint
the Duke of York what we thought and had observed in the late
Court-martiall, which the Duke did give ear to; and though he thinks not
fit to revoke what is already done in this case by a Court-martiall,
yet it shall bring forth some good laws in the behaviour of Captains to
their under Officers for the time to come. Thence home, and there, after
a while at the Office, I home, and there come home my wife, who hath
been with Batelier's late, and been dancing with the company, at which
I seemed a little troubled, not being sent for thither myself, but I was
not much so, but went to bed well enough pleased.
7th. Up, and by coach to my cozen Turner's, and invited them to dine
at the Cocke to-day, with my wife and me; and so to the Lords of the
Treasury, where all the morning, and settled matters to their liking
about the assignments on the Customes, between the Navy Office and
Victualler, and to that end spent most of the morning there with D.
Gawden, and thence took him to the Cocke, and there left him and my
clerk Gibson together evening their reckonings, while I to the New
Exchange to talk with Betty, my little sempstress; and so to Mrs.
Turner's, to call them to dinner, but my wife not come, I back again,
and was overtaken by a porter, with a message from my wife that she was
ill, and could not come to us: so I back again to Mrs. Turner's, and
find them gone; and so back again to the Cocke, and there find Mr.
Turner, Betty, and Talbot Pepys, and they dined with myself Sir D.
Gawden and Gibson, and mighty merry, this house being famous for good
meat, and particularly pease-porridge and after dinner broke up, and
they away; and I to the Council-Chamber, and there heard the great
complaint of the City, tried against the gentlemen of the Temple, for
the late riot, as they would have it, when my Lord Mayor was there.
But, upon hearing the whole business, the City was certainly to blame to
charge them in this manner as with a riot: but the King and Council did
forbear to determine any thing it, till the other business of the title
and privilege be decided which is now under dispute at law between them,
whether Temple be within the liberty of the City or no. But I, sorry to
see the City so ill advised as to complain in a thing where their proofs
were so weak. Thence to my cousin Turner's, and thence with her and
her daughters, and her sister Turner, I carrying Betty in my lap, to
Talbot's chamber at the Temple, where, by agreement, the poor rogue had
a pretty dish of anchovies and sweetmeats for them; and hither come Mr.
Eden, who was in his mistress's disfavour ever since the other night
that he come in thither fuddled, when we were there. But I did make them
friends by my buffoonery, and bringing up a way of spelling their names,
and making Theophila spell Lamton, which The. would have to be the name
of Mr. Eden's mistress, and mighty merry we were till late, and then
I by coach home, and so to bed, my wife being ill of those, but well
enough pleased with my being with them. This day I do hear that Betty
Turner is to be left at school at Hackney, which I am mightily pleased
with; for then I shall, now and then, see her. She is pretty, and a girl
for that, and her relations, I love.
8th. Up, and to White Hall, to the King's side, to find Sir T. Clifford,
where the Duke of York come and found me, which I was sorry for, for
fear he should think I was making friends on that side. But I did put it
off the best I could, my being there: and so, by and by, had opportunity
alone to shew Sir T. Clifford the fair account I had drawn up of the
Customes, which he liked, and seemed mightily pleased with me; and so
away to the Excise-Office, to do a little business there, and so to the
Office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and then to
the office again till the evening, and then with my wife by coach to
Islington, to pay what we owe there, for the late dinner at Jane's
wedding; and so round by Kingsland and Hogsden home, pleased with my
wife's singing with me, by the way, and so to the office again a
little, and then home to supper and to bed. Going this afternoon through
Smithfield, I did see a coach run over the coachman's neck, and stand
upon it, and yet the man rose up, and was well after it, which I thought
a wonder.
9th. Up, and by water to White Hall, end there, with the Board, attended
the Duke of York, and Sir Thomas Allen with us (who come to town
yesterday); and it is resolved another fleete shall go to the Streights
forthwith, and he command it. But his coming home is mighty hardly
talked on by the merchants, for leaving their ships there to the mercy
of the Turks: but of this more in my White-Booke. Thence out, and
slipped out by water to Westminster Hall and there thought to have spoke
with Mrs. Martin, but she was not there, nor at home. So back again, and
with W. Hewer by coach home and to dinner, and then to the office, and
out again with W. Hewer to the Excise-Office, and to several places;
among others, to Mr. Faythorne's, to have seen an instrument which he
was said to have, for drawing perspectives, but he had it not: but here
I did see his work-house, and the best things of his doing he had by
him, and so to other places among others to Westminster Hall, and I took
occasion to make a step to Mrs. Martin's, the first time I have been
with her since her husband went last to sea, which is I think a year
since.... But, Lord! to hear how sillily she tells the story of her
sister Doll's being a widow and lately brought to bed; and her husband,
one Rowland Powell, drowned, sea with her husband, but by chance dead at
sea, cast When God knows she hath played the whore, and forced at this
time after she was brought to bed, this story. Thence calling at several
places by the home, and there to the office, and then home to supper and
to bed.
10th. Up, and to the Excise-Office, and thence to White Hall a little,
and so back again to the 'Change, but nobody there, it being over, and
so walked home to dinner, and after dinner comes Mr. Seymour to visit
me, a talking fellow: but I hear by him that Captain Trevanion do give
it out every where, that I did overrule the whole Court-martiall against
him, as long as I was there; and perhaps I may receive, this time, some
wrong by it: but I care not, for what I did was out of my desire of
doing justice. So the office, where late, and then home to supper and to
bed.
11th (Lord's day. Easter day). Up, and to Church; where Alderman
Backewell's wife, and mother, and boy, and another gentlewoman, did
come, and sit in our pew; but no women of our own there, and so there
was room enough. Our Parson made a dull sermon, and so home to dinner;
and, after dinner, my wife and I out by coach, and Balty with us, to
Loton, the landscape-drawer, a Dutchman, living in St. James's Market,
but there saw no good pictures. But by accident he did direct us to
a painter that was then in the house with him, a Dutchman, newly come
over, one Evarelst, who took us to his lodging close by, and did shew us
a little flower-pot of his doing, the finest thing that ever, I think,
I saw in my life; the drops of dew hanging on the leaves, so as I was
forced, again and again, to put my finger to it, to feel whether my eyes
were deceived or no. He do ask L70 for it: I had the vanity to bid him
L20; but a better picture I never saw in my whole life; and it is worth
going twenty miles to see it. Thence, leaving Balty there, I took my
wife to St. James's, and there carried her to the Queen's Chapel, the
first time I ever did it; and heard excellent musick, but not so good as
by accident I did hear there yesterday, as I went through the Park from
White Hall to see Sir W. Coventry, which I have forgot to set down in my
journal yesterday. And going out of the Chapel, I did see the Prince of
Tuscany' come out, a comely, black, fat man, in a mourning suit; and my
wife and I did see him this afternoon through a window in this Chapel.
All that Sir W. Coventry yesterday did tell me new was, that the King
would not yet give him leave to come to kiss his hand; and he do believe
that he will not in a great while do it, till those about him shall see
fit, which I am sorry for. Thence to the Park, my wife and I; and here
Sir W. Coventry did first see me and my wife in a coach of our own; and
so did also this night the Duke of York, who did eye my wife mightily.
But I begin to doubt that my being so much seen in my own coach at this
time, may be observed to my prejudice; but I must venture it now. So
home, and by night home, and so to my office, and there set down my
journal, with the help of my left eye through my tube, for fourteen
days' past; which is so much, as, I hope, I shall not run in arrear
again, but the badness of my eyes do force me to it. So home to supper
and to bed.
12th. Up, and by water to White Hall, where I of the whole Office
attended the Duke of York at his meeting with Sir Thomas Allen and
several flag-officers, to consider of the manner of managing the war
with Algiers; and, it being a thing I was wholly silent in, I did only
observe; and find that; their manner of discourse on this weighty affair
was very mean and disorderly, the Duke of York himself being the man
that I thought spoke most to the purpose. Having done here, I up and
down the house, talking with this man and that, and: then meeting Mr.
Sheres, took him to see the fine flower-pot I saw yesterday, and did
again offer L20 for it; but he [Verelst] insists upon L50. Thence I took
him to St. James's, but there was no musique, but so walked to White
Hall, and, by and by to my wife at Unthanke's, and with her was Jane,
and so to the Cocke, where they, and I, and Sheres, and Tom dined, my
wife having a great desire to eat of their soup made of pease, and dined
very well, and thence by water to the Bear-Garden, and there happened to
sit by Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is still full of his vain-glorious
and prophane talk. Here we saw a prize fought between a soldier and
country fellow, one Warrell, who promised the least in his looks, and
performed the most of valour in his boldness and evenness of mind, and
smiles in all he did, that ever I saw and we were all both deceived and
infinitely taken with him. He did soundly beat the soldier, and cut him
over the head. Thence back to White Hall, mightily pleased, all of us,
with this sight, and particularly this fellow, as a most extraordinary
man for his temper and evenness in fighting. And there leaving Sheres,
we by our own coach home, and after sitting an hour, thrumming upon
my viall, and singing, I to bed, and left my wife to do something to a
waistcoat and petticoat she is to wear to-morrow. This evening, coming
home, we overtook Alderman Backewell's coach and his lady, and followed
them to their house, and there made them the first visit, where they
received us with extraordinary civility, and owning the obligation.
But I do, contrary to my expectation, find her something a proud and
vain-glorious woman, in telling the number of her servants and family
and expences: he is also so, but he was ever of that strain. But here he
showed me the model of his houses that he is going to build in Cornhill
and Lumbard Street; but he hath purchased so much there, that it looks
like a little town, and must have cost him a great deal of money.
13th. Up, and at the Office a good while, and then, my wife going down
the River to spend the day with her mother at Deptford, I abroad, and
first to the milliner's in Fenchurch Street, over against Rawlinson's,
and there, meeting both him and her in the shop, I bought a pair of
gloves, and fell to talk, and found so much freedom that I stayed there
the best part of the morning till towards noon, with great pleasure, it
being a holiday, and then against my will away and to the 'Change, where
I left W. Hewer, and I by hackney-coach to the Spittle, and heard a
piece of a dull sermon to my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and thence saw
them all take horse and ride away, which I have not seen together many
a-day; their wives also went in their coaches; and, indeed, the sight
was mighty pleasing. Thence took occasion to go back to this milliner's
[in Fenchurch Street], whose name I now understand to be Clerke; and
there, her husband inviting me up to the balcony, to see the sight go by
to dine at Clothworker's-Hall, I did go up and there saw it go by: and
then; there being a good piece of cold roast beef upon the tables and
one Margetts, a young merchant that lodges there, and is likely to marry
a sister of hers, I staid and eat, and had much good conversation with
her, who hath the vanity to talk of her great friends and father, one
Wingate, near Welling;, that hath been a Parliament-man. Here also was
Stapely: the rope-merchant, and dined with us; and, after spending most
of the afternoon also, I away home, and there sent for W. Hewer, and he
and I by water to White Hall to loop among other things, for Mr. May,
to unbespeak his dining with me to-morrow. But here being in the
court-yard, God would have it, I spied Deb., which made my heart and
head to work, and I presently could not refrain, but sent W. Hewer away
to look for Mr. Wren (W. Hewer, I perceive, did see her, but whether
he did see me see her I know not, or suspect my sending him away I know
not, but my heart could not hinder me), and I run after her and two
women and a man, more ordinary people, and she in her old clothes,
and after hunting a little, find them in the lobby of the chapel below
stairs, and there I observed she endeavoured to avoid me, but I did
speak to her and she to me, and did get her pour dire me ou she demeurs
now, and did charge her para say nothing of me that I had vu elle, which
she did promise, and so with my heart full of surprize and disorder I
away, and meeting with Sir H. Cholmley walked into the Park with him and
back again, looking to see if I could spy her again in the Park, but I
could not. And so back to White Hall, and then back to the Park with Mr.
May, but could see her, no more, and so with W. Hewer, who I doubt by my
countenance might see some disorder in me, we home by water, and there
I find Talbot Pepys, and Mrs. Turner, and Betty, come to invite us to
dinner on Thursday; and, after drinking, I saw them to the water-side,
and so back home through Crutched Friars, and there saw Mary Mercer,
and put off my hat to her, on the other side of the way, but it being a
little darkish she did not, I think, know me well, and so to my office
to put my papers in order, they having been removed for my closet to be
made clean, and so home to my wife, who is come home from Deptford. But,
God forgive me, I hardly know how to put on confidence enough to speak
as innocent, having had this passage to-day with Deb., though only, God
knows, by accident. But my great pain is lest God Almighty shall suffer
me to find out this girl, whom indeed I love, and with a bad amour, but
I will pray to God to give me grace to forbear it. So home to supper,
where very sparing in my discourse, not giving occasion of any enquiry
where I have been to-day, or what I have done, and so without any
trouble to-night more than my fear, we to bed.
14th. Up, and with W. Hewer to White Hall, and there I did speak with
the Duke of York, the Council sitting in the morning, and it was to
direct me to have my business ready of the Administration of the Office
against Saturday next, when the King would have a hearing of it. Thence
home, W. Hewer with me, and then out with my own coach to the Duke
of York's play-house, and there saw "The Impertinents," a play which
pleases me well still; but it is with great trouble that I now see
a play, because of my eyes, the light of the candles making it very
troublesome to me. After the play; my wife and I towards the Park, but
it being too late we to Creed's, and there find him and her [his wife]
together alone, in their new house, where I never was before, they
lodging before at the next door, and a pretty house it is; but I do
not see that they intend to keep any coach. Here they treat us like
strangers, quite according to the fashion--nothing to drink or eat,
which is a thing that will spoil our ever having any acquaintance with
them; for we do continue the old freedom and kindness of England to all
our friends. But they do here talk mightily of my Lady Paulina making a
very good end, and being mighty religious in her lifetime; and hath left
many good notes of sermons and religion; wrote with her own hand, hand,
which nobody ever knew of; which I am glad of: but she was always a
peevish lady. Thence home, and there to talk and to supper and to bed,
all being very safe as to my seeing of poor Deb. yesterday.