Excise Office, and so to Lilly's, the Varnishes; who is lately dead,
and his wife and brother keep up the trade, and there I left my French
prints to be put on boards:, and, while I was there, a fire burst out
in a chimney of a house over against his house, but it was with a gun
quickly put out. So to White Hall, and did a little business there at
the Treasury chamber, and so homeward, calling at the laceman's for some
lace for my new suit, and at my tailor's, and so home, where to dinner,
and Mr. Sheres dined, with us, who come hither to-day to teach my wife
the rules of perspective; but I think, upon trial, he thinks it too hard
to teach her, being ignorant of the principles of lines. After dinner
comes one Colonel Macnachan, one that I see often at Court, a Scotchman,
but know him not; only he brings me a letter from my Lord Middleton,
who, he says, is in great distress for L500 to relieve my Lord Morton
with, but upon, what account I know not; and he would have me advance it
without order upon his pay for Tangier, which I was astonished at, but
had the grace to deny him with an excuse. And so he went away, leaving
me a little troubled that I was thus driven, on a sudden, to do any
thing herein; but Creed, coming just now to see me, he approves of what
I have done. And then to talk of general matters, and, by and by, Sheres
being gone, my wife, and he, and I out, and I set him down at Temple
Bar, and myself and wife went down the Temple upon seeming business,
only to put him off, and just at the Temple gate I spied Deb. with
another gentlewoman, and Deb. winked on me and smiled, but undiscovered,
and I was glad to see her. So my wife and I to the 'Change, about things
for her; and here, at Mrs. Burnett's shop, I am told by Betty, who
was all undressed, of a great fire happened in Durham-Yard last night,
burning the house of one Lady Hungerford, who was to come to town to it
this night; and so the house is burned, new furnished, by carelessness
of the girl sent to take off a candle from a bunch of candles, which she
did by burning it off, and left the rest, as is supposed, on fire. The
King and Court were here, it seems, and stopped the fire by blowing up
of the next house. The King and Court went out of town to Newmarket this
morning betimes, for a week. So home, and there to my chamber, and got
my wife to read to me a little, and so to supper and to bed. Coming home
this night I did call at the coachmaker's, and do resolve upon having
the standards of my coach gilt with this new sort of varnish, which
will come but to 40s.; and, contrary to my expectation, the doing of the
biggest coach all over comes not to above L6, which is [not] very much.
27th. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning. At noon home to
dinner, and then to the Office again, where the afternoon busy till
late, and then home, and got my wife to read to me in the Nepotisme,
[The work here mentioned is a bitter satire against the Court Rome,
written in Italian, and attributed to Gregorio Leti. It was first
printed in 1667, without the name or place of printer, but it is
from the press of the Elzevirs. The book obtained by Pepys was
probably the anonymous English translation, "Il Nipotismo di Roma:
or the history of the Popes nephews from the time of Sixtus the IV.
to the death the last Pope Alexander the VII. In two parts. Written
originally Italian in the year 1667 and Englished by W. A. London,
1669" 8vo. From this work the word Nepotism is derived, and is
applied to the bad practice of statesmen, when in power, providing
lucrative places for their relations.]
which is very pleasant, and so to supper and to bed. This afternoon was
brought to me a fresh Distringas upon the score of the Tangier accounts
which vexes me, though I hope it will not turn to my wrong.
28th. Up, and was called upon by Sir H. Cholmly to discourse about some
accounts of his, of Tangier: and then other talk; and I find by him that
it is brought almost effect ([through] the late endeavours of the Duke
of York Duchess, the Queen-Mother, and my Lord St. Albans, together
with some of the contrary faction, my Lord Arlington), that for a sum of
money we shall enter into a league with the King of France, wherein, he
says, my Lord Chancellor--[Clarendon; then an exile in France.]--is also
concerned; and that he believes that, in the doing hereof, it is meant
that he [Clarendon] shall come again, and that this sum of money will
so help the King that he will not need the Parliament; and that, in that
regard it will be forwarded by the Duke of Buckingham and his faction,
who dread the Parliament. But hereby we must leave the Dutch, and that
I doubt will undo us; and Sir H. Cholmly says he finds W. Coventry do
think the like. Lady Castlemayne is instrumental in this matter, and,
he say never more great with the King than she is now. But this a thing
that will make the Parliament and kingdom mad, and will turn to our
ruine: for with this money the King shall wanton away his time in
pleasures, and think nothing of the main till it be too late. He gone,
I to the office, where busy till noon, and then home to dinner, where W.
Batelier dined with us, and pretty merry, and so I to the office again.
This morning Mr. Sheres sent me, in two volumes, Mariana his History of
Spaine, in Spanish, an excellent book; and I am much obliged for it to
him.
29th. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning, and at noon dined at
home, and then to the Office again, there to despatch as much business
as I could, that I might be at liberty to-morrow to look after my many
things that I have to do, against May-day. So at night home to supper
and to bed.
30th. Up, and by coach to the coachmaker's: and there I do find a
great many ladies sitting in the body of a coach that must be ended
by to-morrow: they were my Lady Marquess of Winchester, Bellassis, and
other great ladies; eating of bread and butter, and drinking ale. I to
my coach, which is silvered over, but no varnish yet laid on, so I put
it in a way of doing; and myself about other business, and particularly
to see Sir W. Coventry, with whom I talked a good while to my great
content; and so to other places-among others, to my tailor's: and then
to the belt-maker's, where my belt cost me 55s., of the colour of my new
suit; and here, understanding that the mistress of the house, an oldish
woman in a hat hath some water good for the eyes, she did dress me,
making my eyes smart most horribly, and did give me a little glass of
it, which I will use, and hope it will do me good. So to the cutler's,
and there did give Tom, who was with me all day a sword cost me 12s. and
a belt of my owne; and set my own silver-hilt sword a-gilding against
to-morrow. This morning I did visit Mr. Oldenburgh, and did see the
instrument for perspective made by Dr. Wren, of which I have one making
by Browne; and the sight of this do please me mightily. At noon my wife
come to me at my tailor's, and I sent her home and myself and Tom dined
at Hercules' Pillars; and so about our business again, and particularly
to Lilly's, the varnisher about my prints, whereof some of them
are pasted upon the boards, and to my full content. Thence to the
frame-maker's one Morris, in Long Acre, who shewed me several forms of
frames to choose by, which was pretty, in little bits of mouldings,
to choose by. This done, I to my coach-maker's, and there vexed to see
nothing yet done to my coach, at three in the afternoon; but I set it in
doing, and stood by it till eight at night, and saw the painter varnish
which is pretty to see how every doing it over do make it more and more
yellow; and it dries as fast in the sun as it can be laid on almost; and
most coaches are, now-a-days done so, and it is very pretty when laid
on well, and not pale, as some are, even to shew the silver. Here I did
make the workmen drink, and saw my coach cleaned and oyled; and, staying
among poor people there in the alley, did hear them call their fat child
Punch, which pleased me mightily that word being become a word of common
use for all that is thick and short. At night home, and there find my
wife hath been making herself clean against to-morrow; and, late as it
was, I did send my coachman and horses to fetch home the coach to-night,
and so we to supper, myself most weary with walking and standing so
much, to see all things fine against to-morrow, and so to bed. God give
a blessing to it! Meeting with Mr. Sheres, he went with me up and down
to several places, and, among others, to buy a perriwig, but I bought
none; and also to Dancre's, where he was about my picture of Windsor,
which is mighty pretty, and so will the prospect of Rome be.
MAY 1669
May 1st. Up betimes. Called up by my tailor, and there first put on
a summer suit this year; but it was not my fine one of flowered tabby
vest, and coloured camelott tunique, because it was too fine with the
gold lace at the hands, that I was afeard to be seen in it; but put on
the stuff suit I made the last year, which is now repaired; and so did
go to the Office in it, and sat all the morning, the day looking as
if it would be fowle. At noon home to dinner, and there find my wife
extraordinary fine, with her flowered tabby gown that she made two years
ago, now laced exceeding pretty; and, indeed, was fine all over; and
mighty earnest to go, though the day was very lowering; and she would
have me put on my fine suit, which I did. And so anon we went alone
through the town with our new liveries of serge, and the horses' manes
and tails tied with red ribbons, and the standards there gilt with
varnish, and all clean, and green refines, that people did mightily look
upon us; and, the truth is, I did not see any coach more pretty, though
more gay, than ours, all the day. But we set out, out of humour--I
because Betty, whom I expected, was not come to go with us; and my wife
that I would sit on the same seat with her, which she likes not, being
so fine: and she then expected to meet Sheres, which we did in the Pell
Mell, and, against my will, I was forced to take him into the coach, but
was sullen all day almost, and little complaisant: the day also being
unpleasing, though the Park full of coaches, but dusty and windy, and
cold, and now and then a little dribbling rain; and, what made it
worst, there were so many hackney-coaches as spoiled the sight of the
gentlemen's; and so we had little pleasure. But here was W. Batelier and
his sister in a borrowed coach by themselves, and I took them and we to
the lodge; and at the door did give them a syllabub, and other things,
cost me 12s., and pretty merry. And so back to the coaches, and there
till the evening, and then home, leaving Mr. Sheres at St. James's Gate,
where he took leave of us for altogether, he; being this night to set
out for Portsmouth post, in his way to Tangier, which troubled my wife
mightily, who is mighty, though not, I think, too fond of him. But she
was out of humour all the evening, and I vexed at her for it, and she
did not rest almost all the night, so as in the night I was forced; to
take her and hug her to put her to rest. So home, and after a little
supper, to bed.
2nd (Lord's day). Up, and by water to White Hall, and there visit my
Lord Sandwich, who, after about two months' absence at Hinchingbroke,
come to town last night. I saw him, and very kind; and I am glad he is
so, I having not wrote to him all the time, my eyes indeed not letting
me. Here with Sir Charles Herbert [Harbord], and my Lord Hinchingbroke,
and Sidney, we looked upon the picture of Tangier, designed: by Charles
Herbert [Harbord], and drawn by Dancre, which my Lord Sandwich admires,
as being the truest picture that ever he's saw in his life: and it is
indeed very pretty, and I will be at the cost of having one of them.
Thence with them to White Hall, and there walked out the sermon, with
one or other; and then saw the Duke of York after sermon, and he talked
to me a little; and so away back by water home, and after dinner got my
wife to read, and then by coach, she and I, to the Park, and there spent
the evening with much pleasure, it proving clear after a little shower,
and we mighty fine as yesterday, and people mightily pleased with our
coach, as I perceived; but I had not on my fine suit, being really
afeard to wear it, it being so fine with the gold lace, though not gay.
So home and to supper, and my wife to read, and Tom, my Nepotisme, and
then to bed.
3rd. Up, and by coach to my Lord Brouncker's, where Sir G. Carteret did
meet Sir J. Minnes and me, to discourse upon Mr. Deering's business, who
was directed, in the time of the war, to provide provisions at Hamburgh,
by Sir G. Carteret's direction; and now G. Carteret is afeard to own it,
it being done without written order. But by our meeting we do all begin
to recollect enough to preserve Mr. Deering, I think, which, poor
silly man! I shall be glad of, it being too much he should suffer for
endeavouring to serve us. Thence to St. James's, where the Duke of York
was playing in the Pell Mell; and so he called me to him most part of
the time that he played, which was an hour, and talked alone to me; and,
among other things, tells me how the King will not yet be got to name
anybody in the room of Pen, but puts it off for three or four days; from
whence he do collect that they are brewing something for the Navy, but
what he knows not; but I perceive is vexed that things should go so, and
he hath reason; for he told me that it is likely they will do in this
as in other things--resolve first, and consider it and the fitness of it
afterward. Thence to White Hall, and met with Creed, and I took him to
the Harp and Balls, and there drank a cup of ale, he and I alone, and
discoursed of matters; and I perceive by him that he makes no doubt but
that all will turn to the old religion, for these people cannot hold
things in their hands, nor prevent its coming to that; and by his
discourse fits himself for it, and would have my Lord Sandwich do so,
too, and me. After a little talk with him, and particularly about the
ruinous condition of Tangier, which I have a great mind to lay before
the Duke of York, before it be too late, but dare not, because of his
great kindness to Lord Middleton, we parted, and I homeward; but
called at Povy's, and there he stopped me to dinner, there being Mr.
Williamson, the Lieutenant of the Tower, Mr. Childe, and several others.
And after dinner, Povy and I together to talk of Tangier; and he would
have me move the Duke of York in it, for it concerns him particularly,
more than any, as being the head of us; and I do think to do it. Thence
home, and at the office busy all the afternoon, and so to supper and to
bed.
4th. Up, and to the office, and then my wife being gone to see her
mother at Deptford, I before the office sat went to the Excise Office,
and thence being alone stepped into Duck Lane, and thence tried to have
sent a porter to Deb.'s, but durst not trust him, and therefore having
bought a book to satisfy the bookseller for my stay there, a 12d. book,
Andronicus of Tom Fuller, I took coach, and at the end of Jewen Street
next Red Cross Street I sent the coachman to her lodging, and understand
she is gone for Greenwich to one Marys's, a tanner's, at which I, was
glad, hoping to have opportunity to find her out; and so, in great fear
of being seen, I to the office, and there all the morning, dined at
home, and presently after dinner comes home my wife, who I believe is
jealous of my spending the day, and I had very good fortune in being at
home, for if Deb. had been to have been found it is forty to one but I
had been abroad, God forgive me. So the afternoon at the office, and at
night walked with my wife in the garden, and my Lord Brouncker with us,
who is newly come to W. Pen's lodgings; and by and by comes Mr. Hooke;
and my Lord, and he, and I into my Lord's lodgings, and there discoursed
of many fine things in philosophy, to my great content, and so home to
supper and to bed.
5th. Up, and thought to have gone with Lord Brouncker to Mr. Hooke this
morning betimes; but my Lord is taken ill of the gout, and says his new
lodgings have infected him, he never having had any symptoms of it till
now. So walked to Gresham College, to tell Hooke that my Lord could
not come; and so left word, he being abroad, and I to St. James's, and
thence, with the Duke of York, to White Hall, where the Board waited
on him all the morning: and so at noon with Sir Thomas Allen, and Sir
Edward Scott, and Lord Carlingford, to the Spanish Embassador's, where I
dined the first time. The Olio not so good as Sheres's. There was at
the table himself and a Spanish Countess, a good, comely, and witty
lady-three Fathers and us. Discourse good and pleasant. And here was an
Oxford scholar in a Doctor of Law's gowne, sent from the College where
the Embassador lay, when the Court was there, to salute him before his
return to Spain: This man, though a gentle sort of scholar, yet sat like
a fool for want of French or Spanish, but [knew] only Latin, which he
spoke like an Englishman to one of the Fathers. And by and by he and I
to talk, and the company very merry at my defending Cambridge against
Oxford: and I made much use of my French and Spanish here, to my great
content. But the dinner not extraordinary at all, either for quantity
or quality. Thence home, where my wife ill of those upon the maid's
bed, and troubled at my being abroad. So I to the office, and there till
night, and then to her, and she read to me the Epistle of Cassandra,
which is very good indeed; and the better to her, because recommended by
Sheres. So to supper, and to bed.
6th. Up, and by coach to Sir W. Coventry's, but he gone out. I by water
back to the Office, and there all the morning; then to dinner, and then
to the Office again, and anon with my wife by coach to take the ayre, it
being a noble day, as far as the Greene Man, mightily pleased with our
journey, and our condition of doing it in our own coach, and so home,
and to walk in the garden, and so to supper and to bed, my eyes being
bad with writing my journal, part of it, to-night.
7th. Up, and by coach to W. Coventry's; and there to talk with him a
great deal with great content; and so to the Duke of York, having a
great mind to speak to him about Tangier; but, when I come to it,
his interest for my Lord Middleton is such that I dare not. So to the
Treasury chamber, and then walked home round by the Excise Office,
having by private vows last night in prayer to God Almighty cleared
my mind for the present of the thoughts of going to Deb. at Greenwich,
which I did long after. I passed by Guildhall, which is almost finished,
and saw a poor labourer carried by, I think, dead with a fall, as many
there are, I hear. So home to dinner, and then to the office a little,
and so to see my Lord Brouncker, who is a little ill of the gout; and
there Madam Williams told me that she heard that my wife was going into
France this year, which I did not deny, if I can get time, and I pray
God I may. But I wondering how she come to know it, she tells me a woman
that my wife spoke to for a maid, did tell her so, and that a lady that
desires to go thither would be glad to go in her company. Thence with my
wife abroad, with our coach, most pleasant weather; and to Hackney, and
into the marshes, where I never was before, and thence round about to
Old Ford and Bow; and coming through the latter home, there being some
young gentlewomen at a door, and I seeming not to know who they were,
my wife's jealousy told me presently that I knew well enough it was that
damned place where Deb. dwelt, which made me swear very angrily that it
was false, as it was, and I carried [her] back again to see the place,
and it proved not so, so I continued out of humour a good while at it,
she being willing to be friends, so I was by and by, saying no more of
it. So home, and there met with a letter from Captain Silas Taylor, and,
with it, his written copy of a play that he hath wrote, and intends to
have acted.--It is called "The Serenade, or Disappointment," which I
will read, not believing he can make any good of that kind. He did once
offer to show Harris it, but Harris told him that he would judge by one
Act whether it were good or no, which is indeed a foolish saying, and we
see them out themselves in the choice of a play after they have read the
whole, it being sometimes found not fit to act above three times; nay,
and some that have been refused at one house is found a good one at the
other. This made Taylor say he would not shew it him, but is angry,
and hath carried it to the other house, and he thinks it will be acted
there, though he tells me they are not yet agreed upon it. But I will
find time to get it read to me, and I did get my wife to begin a little
to-night in the garden, but not so much as I could make any judgment of
it. So home to supper and to bed.
8th. Up, and to the Office, and there comes Lead to me, and at last my
vizards are done, and glasses got to put in and out, as I will; and I
think I have brought it to the utmost, both for easiness of using and
benefit, that I can; and so I paid him 15s. for what he hath done now
last, in the finishing them, and they, I hope, will do me a great deal
of ease. At the Office all the morning, and this day, the first time,
did alter my side of the table, after above eight years sitting on that
next the fire. But now I am not able to bear the light of the windows in
my eyes, I do begin there, and I did sit with much more content than
I had done on the other side for a great while, and in winter the fire
will not trouble my back. At noon home to dinner, and after dinner all
the afternoon within, with Mr. Hater, Gibson, and W. Hewer, reading over
and drawing up new things in the Instructions of Commanders, which will
be good, and I hope to get them confirmed by the Duke of York, though
I perceive nothing will effectually perfect them but to look over the
whole body of the Instructions, of all the Officers of a ship, and make
them all perfect together. This being done, comes my bookseller, and
brings me home bound my collection of papers, about my Addresse to the
Duke of York in August, which makes me glad, it being that which shall
do me more right many years hence than, perhaps, all I ever did in my
life: and therefore I do, both for my own and the King's sake, value it
much. By and by also comes Browne, the mathematical instrument maker,
and brings me home my instrument for perspective, made according to the
description of Dr. Wren's, in the late Transactions; and he hath made
it, I think, very well, and that, that I believe will do the thing, and
therein gives me great content; but have I fear all the content that
must be received by my eyes is almost lost. So to the office, and there
late at business, and then home to supper and to bed.
9th (Lord's day). Up; and, after dressing in my best suit with gold
trimming, I to the Office, and there with Gibson and Tom finishing
against to-morrow my notes upon Commanders' Instructions; and, when
church-time, to church with my wife, leaving them at work. Dr. Mills
preached a dull sermon, and so we home to dinner; and thence by coach
to St. Andrew's, Holborne, thinking to have heard Dr. Stillingfleete
preach, but we could not get a place, and so to St. Margaret's,
Westminster, and there heard a sermon, and did get a place, the first
we have heard there these many years, and here at a distance I saw Betty
Michell, but she is become much a plainer woman than she was a
girl. Thence towards the Park, but too soon to go in, so went on to
Knightsbridge, and there eat and drank at "The World's End," where we
had good things, and then back to the Park, and there till night, being
fine weather, and much company, and so home, and after supper to bed.
This day I first left off both my waistcoats by day, and my waistcoat by
night, it being very hot weather, so hot as to make me break out, here
and there, in my hands, which vexes me to see, but is good for me.