leave, a little after six, very kindly of me and the whole company. Then
I in, and my wife up and to visit my Lady Slaving in her bed, and there
sat three hours, with Lady Jemimah with us, talking and laughing, and by
and by my Lady Carteret comes, and she and I to talke, I glad to please
her in discourse of Sir G. Carteret, that all will do well with him, and
she is much pleased, he having had great annoyance and fears about his
well doing, and I fear hath doubted that I have not been a friend to him,
but cries out against my Lady Castlemaine, that makes the King neglect his
business and seems much to fear that all will go to wracke, and I fear
with great reason; exclaims against the Duke of Albemarle, and more the
Duchesse for a filthy woman, as indeed she is. Here staid till 9 o'clock
almost, and then took coach with so much love and kindnesse from my Lady
Carteret, Lady Jemimah, and Lady Slaving, that it joys my heart, and when
I consider the manner of my going hither, with a coach and four horses and
servants and a woman with us, and coming hither being so much made of, and
used with that state, and then going to Windsor and being shewn all that
we were there, and had wherewith to give every body something for their
pains, and then going home, and all in fine weather and no fears nor cares
upon me, I do thinke myself obliged to thinke myself happy, and do look
upon myself at this time in the happiest occasion a man can be, and
whereas we take pains in expectation of future comfort and ease, I have
taught myself to reflect upon myself at present as happy, and enjoy myself
in that consideration, and not only please myself with thoughts of future
wealth and forget the pleasure we at present enjoy. So took coach and to
Windsor, to the Garter, and thither sent for Dr. Childe; who come to us,
and carried us to St. George's Chappell; and there placed us among the
Knights' stalls (and pretty the observation, that no man, but a woman may
sit in a Knight's place, where any brass-plates are set); and hither come
cushions to us, and a young singing-boy to bring us a copy of the anthem
to be sung. And here, for our sakes, had this anthem and the great
service sung extraordinary, only to entertain us. It is a noble place
indeed, and a good Quire of voices. Great bowing by all the people, the
poor Knights particularly, to the Alter. After prayers, we to see the
plate of the chappell, and the robes of Knights, and a man to shew us the
banners of the several Knights in being, which hang up over the stalls.
And so to other discourse very pretty, about the Order. Was shewn where
the late [King] is buried, and King Henry the Eighth, and my Lady [Jane]
Seymour. This being done, to the King's house, and to observe the
neatness and contrivance of the house and gates: it is the most romantique
castle that is in the world. But, Lord! the prospect that is in the
balcone in the Queene's lodgings, and the terrace and walk, are strange
things to consider, being the best in the world, sure. Infinitely
satisfied I and my wife with all this, she being in all points mightily
pleased too, which added to my pleasure; and so giving a great deal of
money to this and that man and woman, we to our taverne, and there dined,
the Doctor with us; and so took coach and away to Eton, the Doctor with
me. Before we went to Chappell this morning, Kate Joyce, in a stage-coach
going toward London, called to me. I went to her and saluted her, but
could not get her to stay with us, having company. At Eton I left my wife
in the coach, and he and I to the College, and there find all mighty fine.
The school good, and the custom pretty of boys cutting their names in the
struts of the window when they go to Cambridge, by which many a one hath
lived to see himself Provost and Fellow, that had his name in the window
standing. To the Hall, and there find the boys' verses, "De Peste;" it
being their custom to make verses at Shrove-tide. I read several, and
very good ones they were, and better, I think, than ever I made when I was
a boy, and in rolls as long and longer than the whole Hall, by much. Here
is a picture of Venice hung up given, and a monument made of Sir H.
Wotton's giving it to the College. Thence to the porter's, in the absence
of the butler, and did drink of the College beer, which is very good; and
went into the back fields to see the scholars play. And so to the
chappell, and there saw, among other things, Sir H. Wotton's stone with
this Epitaph
Hic facet primus hujus sententiae Author:--
Disputandi pruritus fit ecclesiae scabies.
But unfortunately the word "Author" was wrong writ, and now so basely
altered that it disgraces the stone. Thence took leave of the Doctor, and
so took coach, and finely, but sleepy, away home, and got thither about
eight at night, and after a little at my office, I to bed; and an houre
after, was waked with my wife's quarrelling with Mercer, at which I was
angry, and my wife and I fell out. But with much ado to sleep again, I
beginning to practise more temper, and to give her her way.
27th. Up, and after a harsh word or two my wife and I good friends, and
so up and to the office, where all the morning. At noon late to dinner,
my wife gone out to Hales's about her picture, and, after dinner, I after
her, and do mightily like her picture, and think it will be as good as my
Lady Peters's. So home mightily pleased, and there late at business and
set down my three last days' journalls, and so to bed, overjoyed to thinke
of the pleasure of the last Sunday and yesterday, and my ability to bear
the charge of these pleasures, and with profit too, by obliging my Lord,
and reconciling Sir George Carteret's family.
28th (Ash Wednesday). Up, and after doing a little business at my office
I walked, it being a most curious dry and cold morning, to White Hall, and
there I went into the Parke, and meeting Sir Ph. Warwicke took a turne
with him in the Pell Mall, talking of the melancholy posture of affairs,
where every body is snarling one at another, and all things put together
looke ominously. This new Act too putting us out of a power of raising
money. So that he fears as I do, but is fearfull of enlarging in that
discourse of an ill condition in every thing, and the State and all. We
appointed another time to meet to talke of the business of the Navy alone
seriously, and so parted, and I to White Hall, and there we did our
business with the Duke of Yorke, and so parted, and walked to Westminster
Hall, where I staid talking with Mrs. Michell and Howlett long and her
daughter, which is become a mighty pretty woman, and thence going out of
the Hall was called to by Mrs. Martin, so I went to her and bought two
bands, and so parted, and by and by met at her chamber, and there did what
I would, and so away home and there find Mrs. Knipp, and we dined
together, she the pleasantest company in the world. After dinner I did
give my wife money to lay out on Knipp, 20s., and I abroad to White Hall
to visit Colonell Norwood, and then Sir G. Carteret, with whom I have
brought myself right again, and he very open to me; is very melancholy,
and matters, I fear, go down with him, but he seems most afeard of a
general catastrophe to the whole kingdom, and thinks, as I fear, that all
things will come to nothing. Thence to the Palace Yard, to the Swan, and
there staid till it was dark, and then to Mrs. Lane's, and there lent her
L5 upon L4 01s. in gold. And then did what I would with her, and I
perceive she is come to be very bad, and offers any thing, that it is
dangerous to have to do with her, nor will I see [her] any more a good
while. Thence by coach home and to the office, where a while, and then
betimes to bed by ten o'clock, sooner than I have done many a day. And
thus ends this month, with my mind full of resolution to apply myself
better from this time forward to my business than I have done these six or
eight days, visibly to my prejudice both in quiett of mind and setting
backward of my business, that I cannot give a good account of it as I
ought to do.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
After a harsh word or two my wife and I good friends
By and by met at her chamber, and there did what I would
Did drink of the College beer, which is very good
Got her upon my knee (the coach being full) and played with her
Lady Duchesse the veryest slut and drudge
Last act of friendship in telling me of my faults also
Scotch song of "Barbary Allen"
Tooth-ake made him no company, and spoilt ours
Wherewith to give every body something for their pains
Who must except against every thing and remedy nothing