wife thought, had been come to be her Valentine; she, it seems, having
drawne him last night, but it proved not. However, calling him up to our
bed-side, my wife challenged him. I up, and made myself ready, and so
with him by coach to my Lord Sandwich's by appointment to deliver Mr.
Howe's accounts to my Lord. Which done, my Lord did give me hearty and
large studied thanks for all my kindnesse to him and care of him and his
business. I after profession of all duty to his Lordship took occasion to
bemoane myself that I should fall into such a difficulty about Sir G.
Carteret, as not to be for him, but I must be against Sir W. Coventry, and
therefore desired to be neutrall, which my Lord approved and confessed
reasonable, but desired me to befriend him privately. Having done in
private with my Lord I brought Mr. Hill to kisse his hands, to whom my
Lord professed great respect upon my score. My Lord being gone, I took
Mr. Hill to my Lord Chancellor's new house that is building, and went with
trouble up to the top of it, and there is there the noblest prospect that
ever I saw in my life, Greenwich being nothing to it; and in every thing
is a beautiful house, and most strongly built in every respect; and as if,
as it hath, it had the Chancellor for its master. Thence with him to his
paynter, Mr. Hales, who is drawing his picture, which will be mighty like
him, and pleased me so, that I am resolved presently to have my wife's and
mine done by him, he having a very masterly hand. So with mighty
satisfaction to the 'Change and thence home, and after dinner abroad,
taking Mrs. Mary Batelier with us, who was just come to see my wife, and
they set me down at my Lord Treasurer's, and themselves went with the
coach into the fields to take the ayre. I staid a meeting of the Duke of
Yorke's, and the officers of the Navy and Ordnance. My Lord Treasurer
lying in bed of the gowte. Our business was discourse of the straits of
the Navy for want of money, but after long discourse as much out of order
as ordinary people's, we come to no issue, nor any money promised, or like
to be had, and yet the worke must be done. Here I perceive Sir G.
Carteret had prepared himself to answer a choque of Sir W. Coventry, by
offering of himself to shew all he had paid, and what is unpaid, and what
moneys and assignments he hath in his hands, which, if he makes good, was
the best thing he ever did say in his life, and the best timed, for else
it must have fallen very foule on him. The meeting done I away, my wife
and they being come back and staying for me at the gate. But, Lord! to
see how afeard I was that Sir W. Coventry should have spyed me once
whispering with Sir G. Carteret, though not intended by me, but only Sir
G. Carteret come to me and I could not avoyde it. So home, they set me
down at the 'Change, and I to the Crowne, where my Lord Bruncker was come
and several of the Virtuosi, and after a small supper and but little good
discourse I with Sir W. Batten (who was brought thither with my Lord
Bruncker) home, where I find my wife gone to Mrs. Mercer's to be merry,
but presently come in with Mrs. Knipp, who, it seems, is in towne, and was
gone thither with my wife and Mercer to dance, and after eating a little
supper went thither again to spend the whole night there, being W. Howe
there, at whose chamber they are, and Lawd Crisp by chance. I to bed.
15th. Up, and my wife not come home all night. To the office, where sat
all the morning. At noon to Starky's, a great cooke in Austin Friars,
invited by Colonell Atkins, and a good dinner for Colonell Norwood and his
friends, among others Sir Edward Spragg and others, but ill attendance.
Before dined, called on by my wife in a coach, and so I took leave, and
then with her and Knipp and Mercer (Mr. Hunt newly come out of the country
being there also come to see us) to Mr. Hales, the paynter's, having set
down Mr. Hunt by the way. Here Mr. Hales' begun my wife in the posture we
saw one of my Lady Peters, like a St. Katharine.
[It was the fashion at this time to be painted as St. Catherine, in
compliment to the queen.]
While he painted, Knipp, and Mercer, and I, sang; and by and by comes Mrs.
Pierce, with my name in her bosom for her Valentine, which will cost me
money. But strange how like his very first dead colouring is, that it did
me good to see it, and pleases me mightily, and I believe will be a noble
picture. Thence with them all as far as Fleete Streete, and there set
Mercer and Knipp down, and we home. I to the office, whither the Houblons
come telling me of a little new trouble from Norwood about their ship,
which troubles me, though without reason. So late home to supper and to
bed. We hear this night of Sir Jeremy Smith, that he and his fleete have
been seen at Malaga; which is good newes.
16th. Up betimes, and by appointment to the Exchange, where I met Messrs.
Houblons, and took them up in my coach and carried them to Charing Crosse,
where they to Colonell Norwood to see how they can settle matters with
him, I having informed them by the way with advice to be easy with him,
for he may hereafter do us service, and they and I are like to understand
one another to very good purpose. I to my Lord Sandwich, and there alone
with him to talke of his affairs, and particularly of his prize goods,
wherein I find he is wearied with being troubled, and gives over the care
of it to let it come to what it will, having the King's release for the
dividend made, and for the rest he thinks himself safe from being proved
to have anything more. Thence to the Exchequer, and so by coach to the
'Change, Mr. Moore with me, who tells me very odde passages of the
indiscretion of my Lord in the management of his family, of his
carelessnesse, &c., which troubles me, but makes me rejoice with all my
heart of my being rid of the bond of L1000, for that would have been a
cruel blow to me. With Moore to the Coffee-House, the first time I have
been there, where very full, and company it seems hath been there all the
plague time. So to the 'Change, and then home to dinner, and after dinner
to settle accounts with him for my Lord, and so evened with him to this
day. Then to the office, and out with Sir W. Warren for discourse by
coach to White Hall, thinking to have spoke with Sir W. Coventry, but did
not, and to see the Queene, but she comes but to Hampton Court to-night.
Back to my office and there late, and so home to supper and bed. I walked
a good while to-night with Mr. Hater in the garden, talking about a
husband for my sister, and reckoning up all our clerks about us, none of
which he thinks fit for her and her portion. At last I thought of young
Gawden, and will thinke of it again.
17th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning. Late to dinner,
and then to the office again, and there busy till past twelve at night,
and so home to supper and to bed. We have newes of Sir Jeremy Smith's
being very well with his fleete at Cales.--[Cadiz]
18th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed discoursing with pleasure with my
wife, among other things about Pall's coming up, for she must be here a
little to be fashioned, and my wife hath a mind to go down for her, which
I am not much against, and so I rose and to my chamber to settle several
things. At noon comes my uncle Wight to dinner, and brings with him Mrs.
Wight, sad company to me, nor was I much pleased with it, only I must shew
respect to my uncle. After dinner they gone, and it being a brave day, I
walked to White Hall, where the Queene and ladies are all come: I saw some
few of them, but not the Queene, nor any of the great beauties. I
endeavoured to have seen my Lord Hinchingbrooke, who come to town
yesterday, but I could not. Met with Creed and walked with him a turne or
two in the Parke, but without much content, having now designs of getting
money in my head, which allow me not the leisure I used to have with him,
besides an odde story lately told of him for a great truth, of his
endeavouring to lie with a woman at Oxford, and her crying out saved her;
and this being publickly known, do a little make me hate him. Thence took
coach, and calling by the way at my bookseller's for a booke I writ about
twenty years ago in prophecy of this year coming on, 1666, explaining it
to be the marke of the beast, I home, and there fell to reading, and then
to supper, and to bed.
19th. Up, and by coach to my Lord Sandwich's, but he was gone out. So I
to White Hall, and there waited on the Duke of Yorke with some of the rest
of our brethren, and thence back again to my Lord's, to see my Lord
Hinchingbroke, which I did, and I am mightily out of countenance in my
great expectation of him by others' report, though he is indeed a pretty
gentleman, yet nothing what I took him for, methinks, either as to person
or discourse discovered to me, but I must try him more before I go too far
in censuring. Hence to the Exchequer from office to office, to set my
business of my tallys in doing, and there all the morning. So at noon by
coach to St. Paul's Church-yarde to my Bookseller's, and there bespoke a
few more books to bring all I have lately bought to L10. Here I am told
for certain, what I have heard once or twice already, of a Jew in town,
that in the name of the rest do offer to give any man L10 to be paid L100,
if a certain person now at Smyrna be within these two years owned by all
the Princes of the East, and particularly the grand Signor as the King of
the world, in the same manner we do the King of England here, and that
this man is the true Messiah. One named a friend of his that had received
ten pieces in gold upon this score, and says that the Jew hath disposed of
L1100 in this manner, which is very strange; and certainly this year of
1666 will be a year of great action; but what the consequences of it will
be, God knows! Thence to the 'Change, and from my stationer's thereabouts
carried home by coach two books of Ogilby's, his AEsop and Coronation,
which fell to my lot at his lottery. Cost me L4 besides the binding. So
home. I find my wife gone out to Hales, her paynter's, and I after a
little dinner do follow her, and there do find him at worke, and with
great content I do see it will be a very brave picture. Left her there,
and I to my Lord Treasurer's, where Sir G. Carteret and Sir J. Minnes met
me, and before my Lord Treasurer and Duke of Albemarle the state of our
Navy debts were laid open, being very great, and their want of money to
answer them openly professed, there being but L1,500,000 to answer a
certaine expense and debt of L2,300,000. Thence walked with Fenn down to
White Hall, and there saw the Queene at cards with many ladies, but none
of our beauties were there. But glad I was to see the Queene so well, who
looks prettily; and methinks hath more life than before, since it is
confessed of all that she miscarryed lately; Dr. Clerke telling me
yesterday at White Hall that he had the membranes and other vessels in his
hands which she voided, and were perfect as ever woman's was that bore a
child. Thence hoping to find my Lord Sandwich, away by coach to my Lord
Chancellor's, but missed him, and so home and to office, and then to
supper and my Journall, and to bed.
20th. Up, and to the office; where, among other businesses, Mr. Evelyn's
proposition about publique Infirmarys was read and agreed on, he being
there: and at noon I took him home to dinner, being desirous of keeping my
acquaintance with him; and a most excellent humoured man I still find him,
and mighty knowing. After dinner I took him by coach to White Hall, and
there he and I parted, and I to my Lord Sandwich's, where coming and
bolting into the dining-room, I there found Captain Ferrers going to
christen a child of his born yesterday, and I come just pat to be a
godfather, along with my Lord Hinchingbrooke, and Madam Pierce, my
Valentine, which for that reason I was pretty well contented with, though
a little vexed to see myself so beset with people to spend me money, as
she of a Valentine and little Mrs. Tooker, who is come to my house this
day from Greenwich, and will cost me 20s., my wife going out with her this
afternoon, and now this christening. Well, by and by the child is brought
and christened Katharine, and I this day on this occasion drank a glasse
of wine, which I have not professedly done these two years, I think, but a
little in the time of the sicknesse. After that done, and gone and kissed
the mother in bed, I away to Westminster Hall, and there hear that Mrs.
Lane is come to town. So I staid loitering up and down till anon she
comes and agreed to meet at Swayn's, and there I went anon, and she come,
but staid but little, the place not being private. I have not seen her
since before the plague. So thence parted and 'rencontrais a' her last
'logis', and in the place did what I 'tenais a mind pour ferais con her'.
At last she desired to borrow money of me, L5, and would pawn gold with me
for it, which I accepted and promised in a day or two to supply her. So
away home to the office, and thence home, where little Mrs. Tooker staid
all night with us, and a pretty child she is, and happens to be niece to
my beauty that is dead, that lived at the Jackanapes, in Cheapside. So to
bed, a little troubled that I have been at two houses this afternoon with
Mrs. Lane that were formerly shut up of the plague.
21st. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to White Hall by his coach, by the way
talking of my brother John to get a spiritual promotion for him, which I
am now to looke after, for as much as he is shortly to be Master in Arts,
and writes me this weeke a Latin letter that he is to go into orders this
Lent. There to the Duke's chamber, and find our fellows discoursing there
on our business, so I was sorry to come late, but no hurte was done
thereby. Here the Duke, among other things, did bring out a book of great
antiquity of some of the customs of the Navy, about 100 years since, which
he did lend us to read and deliver him back again. Thence I to the
Exchequer, and there did strike my tallys for a quarter for Tangier and
carried them home with me, and thence to Trinity-house, being invited to
an Elder Brother's feast; and there met and sat by Mr. Prin, and had good
discourse about the privileges of Parliament, which, he says, are few to
the Commons' House, and those not examinable by them, but only by the
House of Lords. Thence with my Lord Bruncker to Gresham College, the
first time after the sicknesse that I was there, and the second time any
met. And here a good lecture of Mr. Hooke's about the trade of
felt-making, very pretty. And anon alone with me about the art of drawing
pictures by Prince Rupert's rule and machine, and another of Dr. Wren's;
[Afterwards the famous Sir Christopher Wren. He was one of the
mainstays of the Royal Society.]
but he says nothing do like squares, or, which is the best in the world,
like a darke roome,--[The camera obscura.]--which pleased me mightily.
Thence with Povy home to my house, and there late settling accounts with
him, which was very troublesome to me, and he gone, found Mr. Hill below,
who sat with me till late talking, and so away, and we to bed.
22nd. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning. At noon home to
dinner and thence by coach with my wife for ayre principally for her. I
alone stopped at Hales's and there mightily am pleased with my wife's
picture that is begun there, and with Mr. Hill's, though I must [owne] I
am not more pleased with it now the face is finished than I was when I saw
it the second time of sitting. Thence to my Lord Sandwich's, but he not
within, but goes to-morrow. My wife to Mrs. Hunt's, who is lately come to
towne and grown mighty fat. I called her there, and so home and late at
the office, and so home to supper and to bed. We are much troubled that
the sicknesse in general (the town being so full of people) should be but
three, and yet of the particular disease of the plague there should be ten
encrease.
23rd. Up betimes, and out of doors by 6 of the clock, and walked (W. Howe
with me) to my Lord Sandwich's, who did lie the last night at his house in
Lincoln's Inne Fields. It being fine walking in the morning, and the
streets full of people again. There I staid, and the house full of people
come to take leave of my Lord, who this day goes out of towne upon his
embassy towards Spayne. And I was glad to find Sir W. Coventry to come,
though I know it is only a piece of courtshipp. I had much discourse with
my Lord, he telling me how fully he leaves the King his friend and the
large discourse he had with him the other day, and how he desired to have
the business of the prizes examined before he went, and that he yielded to
it, and it is done as far as it concerns himself to the full, and the
Lords Commissioners for prizes did reprehend all the informers in what
related to his Lordship, which I am glad of in many respects. But we
could not make an end of discourse, so I promised to waite upon [him] on
Sunday at Cranborne, and took leave and away hence to Mr. Hales's with Mr.
Hill and two of the Houblons, who come thither to speak with me, and saw
my wife's picture, which pleases me well, but Mr. Hill's picture never a
whit so well as it did before it was finished, which troubled me, and I
begin to doubt the picture of my Lady Peters my wife takes her posture
from, and which is an excellent picture, is not of his making, it is so
master-like. I set them down at the 'Change and I home to the office, and
at noon dined at home and to the office again. Anon comes Mrs. Knipp to
see my wife, who is gone out, so I fain to entertain her, and took her out
by coach to look my wife at Mrs. Pierce's and Unthanke's, but find her
not. So back again, and then my wife comes home, having been buying of
things, and at home I spent all the night talking with this baggage, and
teaching her my song of "Beauty retire," which she sings and makes go most
rarely, and a very fine song it seems to be. She also entertained me with
repeating many of her own and others' parts of the play-house, which she
do most excellently; and tells me the whole practices of the play-house
and players, and is in every respect most excellent company. So I supped,
and was merry at home all the evening, and the rather it being my
birthday, 33 years, for which God be praised that I am in so good a
condition of healthe and estate, and every thing else as I am, beyond
expectation, in all. So she to Mrs. Turner's to lie, and we to bed.
Mightily pleased to find myself in condition to have these people come
about me and to be able to entertain them, and have the pleasure of their
qualities, than which no man can have more in the world.
24th. All the morning at the office till past three o'clock. At that
houre home and eat a bit alone, my wife being gone out. So abroad by
coach with Mr. Hill, who staid for me to speake about business, and he and
I to Hales's, where I find my wife and her woman, and Pierce and Knipp,
and there sung and was mighty merry, and I joyed myself in it; but vexed
at first to find my wife's picture not so like as I expected; but it was
only his having finished one part, and not another, of the face; but,
before I went, I was satisfied it will be an excellent picture. Here we
had ale and cakes and mighty merry, and sung my song, which she [Knipp]
now sings bravely, and makes me proud of myself. Thence left my wife to
go home with Mrs. Pierce, while I home to the office, and there pretty
late, and to bed, after fitting myself for to-morrow's journey.
25th (Lord's day). My wife up between three and four of the clock in the
morning to dress herself, and I about five, and were all ready to take
coach, she and I and Mercer, a little past five, but, to our trouble,
the coach did not come till six. Then with our coach of four horses I
hire on purpose, and Leshmore to ride by, we through the City to Branford
and so to Windsor, Captain Ferrers overtaking us at Kensington, being to
go with us, and here drank, and so through, making no stay, to Cranborne,
about eleven o'clock, and found my Lord and the ladies at a sermon in the
house; which being ended we to them, and all the company glad to see us,
and mighty merry to dinner. Here was my Lord, and Lord Hinchingbroke, and
Mr. Sidney, Sir Charles Herbert, and Mr. Carteret, my Lady Carteret, my
Lady Jemimah, and Lady Slaning. After dinner to talk to and again, and
then to walke in the Parke, my Lord and I alone, talking upon these heads;
first, he has left his business of the prizes as well as is possible for
him, having cleared himself before the Commissioners by the King's
commands, so that nothing or little is to be feared from that point, he
goes fully assured, he tells me, of the King's favour. That upon occasion
I may know, I desired to know, his friends I may trust to, he tells me,
but that he is not yet in England, but continues this summer in Ireland,
my Lord Orrery is his father almost in affection. He tells me my Lord of
Suffolke, Lord Arlington, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, Mr.
Atturny Montagu, Sir Thomas Clifford in the House of Commons, Sir G.
Carteret, and some others I cannot presently remember, are friends that I
may rely on for him. He tells me my Lord Chancellor seems his very good
friend, but doubts that he may not think him so much a servant of the Duke
of Yorke's as he would have him, and indeed my Lord tells me he hath
lately made it his business to be seen studious of the King's favour, and
not of the Duke's, and by the King will stand or fall, for factions there
are, as he tells me, and God knows how high they may come. The Duke of
Albemarle's post is so great, having had the name of bringing in the King,
that he is like to stand, or, if it were not for him, God knows in what
troubles we might be from some private faction, if an army could be got
into another hand, which God forbid! It is believed that though Mr.
Coventry be in appearance so great against the Chancellor, yet that there
is a good understanding between the Duke and him. He dreads the issue of
this year, and fears there will be some very great revolutions before his
coming back again. He doubts it is needful for him to have a pardon for
his last year's actions, all which he did without commission, and at most
but the King's private single word for that of Bergen; but he dares not
ask it at this time, lest it should make them think that there is
something more in it than yet they know; and if it should be denied, it
would be of very ill consequence. He says also, if it should in
Parliament be enquired into the selling of Dunkirke (though the Chancellor
was the man that would have it sold to France, saying the King of Spayne
had no money to give for it); yet he will be found to have been the
greatest adviser of it; which he is a little apprehensive may be called
upon this Parliament. He told me it would not be necessary for him to
tell me his debts, because he thinks I know them so well. He tells me,
that for the match propounded of Mrs. Mallett for my Lord Hinchingbroke,
it hath been lately off, and now her friends bring it on again, and an
overture hath been made to him by a servant of hers, to compass the thing
without consent of friends, she herself having a respect to my Lord's
family, but my Lord will not listen to it but in a way of honour. The
Duke hath for this weeke or two been very kind to him, more than lately;
and so others, which he thinks is a good sign of faire weather again. He
says the Archbishopp of Canterbury hath been very kind to him, and hath
plainly said to him that he and all the world knows the difference between
his judgment and brains and the Duke of Albemarle's, and then calls my
Lady Duchesse the veryest slut and drudge and the foulest worde that can
be spoke of a woman almost. My Lord having walked an houre with me
talking thus and going in, and my Lady Carteret not suffering me to go
back again to-night, my Lord to walke again with me about some of this and
other discourse, and then in a-doors and to talke with all and with my
Lady Carteret, and I with the young ladies and gentle men, who played on
the guittar, and mighty merry, and anon to supper, and then my Lord going
away to write, the young gentlemen to flinging of cushions, and other mad
sports; at this late till towards twelve at night, and then being sleepy,
I and my wife in a passage-room to bed, and slept not very well because of
noise.