James's by appointment to have attended the Duke of Yorke and my Lord
Bellasses, lose the hopes of my getting something by the hire of a ship to
carry men to Tangier. But, however, according to the order of the Duke
this morning, I did go to the 'Change, and there after great pains did
light of a business with Mr. Gifford and Hubland [Houblon] for bringing me
as much as I hoped for, which I have at large expressed in my stating the
case of the "King's Fisher," which is the ship that I have hired, and got
the Duke of Yorke's agreement this afternoon after much pains and not
eating a bit of bread till about 4 o'clock. Going home I put in to an
ordinary by Temple Barr and there with my boy Tom eat a pullet, and thence
home to the office, being still angry with my wife for yesterday's
foolery. After a good while at the office, I with the boy to the Sun
behind the Exchange, by agreement with Mr. Young the flag-maker, and there
was met by Mr. Hill, Andrews, and Mr. Hubland, a pretty serious man. Here
two very pretty savoury dishes and good discourse. After supper a song,
or three or four (I having to that purpose carried Lawes's book), and
staying here till 12 o'clock got the watch to light me home, and in a
continued discontent to bed. After being in bed, my people come and say
there is a great stinke of burning, but no smoake. We called up Sir J.
Minnes's and Sir W. Batten's people, and Griffin, and the people at the
madhouse, but nothing could be found to give occasion to it. At this
trouble we were till past three o'clock, and then the stinke ceasing, I to
sleep, and my people to bed, and lay very long in the morning.
2nd. Then up and to my office, where till noon and then to the 'Change,
and at the Coffee-house with Gifford, Hubland, the Master of the ship, and
I read over and approved a charter-party for carrying goods for Tangier,
wherein I hope to get some money. Thence home, my head akeing for want of
rest and too much business. So to the office. At night comes, Povy, and
he and I to Mrs. Bland's to discourse about my serving her to helpe her to
a good passage for Tangier. Here I heard her kinswoman sing 3 or 4 very
fine songs and in good manner, and then home and to supper. My cook mayd
Jane and her mistresse parted, and she went away this day. I vexed to
myself, but was resolved to have no more trouble, and so after supper to
my office and then to bed.
3rd. Up, and walked with my boy (whom, because of my wife's making him
idle, I dare not leave at home) walked first to Salsbury court, there to
excuse my not being at home at dinner to Mrs. Turner, who I perceive is
vexed, because I do not serve her in something against the great feasting
for her husband's Reading--[On his appointment as Reader in Law.]--in
helping her to some good penn'eths, but I care not. She was dressing
herself by the fire in her chamber, and there took occasion to show me her
leg, which indeed is the finest I ever saw, and she not a little proud of
it. Thence to my Lord Bellasses; thence to Mr. Povy's, and so up and down
at that end of the town about several businesses, it being a brave frosty
day and good walking. So back again on foot to the 'Change, in my way
taking my books from binding from my bookseller's. My bill for the
rebinding of some old books to make them suit with my study, cost me,
besides other new books in the same bill, L3; but it will be very
handsome. At the 'Change did several businesses, and here I hear that
newes is come from Deale, that the same day my Lord Sandwich sailed thence
with the fleete, that evening some Dutch men of warr were seen on the back
side of the Goodwin, and, by all conjecture, must be seen by my Lord's
fleete; which, if so, they must engage. Thence, being invited, to my
uncle Wight's, where the Wights all dined; and, among the others, pretty
Mrs. Margaret, who indeed is a very pretty lady; and though by my vowe it
costs me 12d. a kiss after the first, yet I did adventure upon a couple.
So home, and among other letters found one from Jane, that is newly gone,
telling me how her mistresse won't pay her her Quarter's wages, and withal
tells me how her mistress will have the boy sit 3 or 4 hours together in
the dark telling of stories, but speaks of nothing but only her
indiscretion in undervaluing herself to do it, but I will remedy that, but
am vexed she should get some body to write so much because of making it
publique. Then took coach and to visit my Lady Sandwich, where she
discoursed largely to me her opinion of a match, if it could be thought
fit by my Lord, for my Lady Jemimah, with Sir G. Carteret's eldest son;
but I doubt he hath yet no settled estate in land. But I will inform
myself, and give her my opinion. Then Mrs. Pickering (after private
discourse ended, we going into the other room) did, at my Lady's command,
tell me the manner of a masquerade
[The masquerade at Court took place on the 2nd, and is referred to
by Evelyn, who was present, in his Diary. Some amusing incidents
connected with the entertainment are related in the "Grammont
Memoirs" (chapter vii.).]
before the King and Court the other day. Where six women (my Lady
Castlemayne and Duchesse of Monmouth being two of them) and six men (the
Duke of Monmouth and Lord Arran and Monsieur Blanfort, being three of
them) in vizards, but most rich and antique dresses, did dance admirably
and most gloriously. God give us cause to continue the mirthe! So home,
and after awhile at my office to supper and to bed.
4th. Lay long in bed discoursing with my wife about her mayds, which by
Jane's going away in discontent and against my opinion do make some
trouble between my wife and me. But these are but foolish troubles and so
not to be set to heart, yet it do disturb me mightily these things. To my
office, and there all the morning. At noon being invited, I to the Sun
behind the 'Change, to dinner to my Lord Belasses, where a great deal of
discourse with him, and some good, among others at table he told us a very
handsome passage of the King's sending him his message about holding out
the town of Newarke, of which he was then governor for the King. This
message he sent in a sluggbullet, being writ in cypher, and wrapped up in
lead and swallowed. So the messenger come to my Lord and told him he had
a message from the King, but it was yet in his belly; so they did give him
some physique, and out it come. This was a month before the King's flying
to the Scotts; and therein he told him that at such a day, being the 3d or
6th of May, he should hear of his being come to the Scotts, being assured
by the King of France that in coming to them he should be used with all
the liberty, honour, and safety, that could be desired. And at the just
day he did come to the Scotts. He told us another odd passage: how the
King having newly put out Prince Rupert of his generallshipp, upon some
miscarriage at Bristoll, and Sir Richard Willis
[Sir Richard Willis, the betrayer of the Royalists, was one of the
"Sealed Knot." When the Restoration had become a certainty, he
wrote to Clarendon imploring him to intercede for him with the king
(see Lister's "Life of Clarendon," vol. iii., p. 87).]
of his governorship of Newarke, at the entreaty of the gentry of the
County, and put in my Lord Bellasses, the great officers of the King's
army mutinyed, and come in that manner with swords drawn, into the
market-place of the towne where the King was; which the King hearing,
says, "I must to horse." And there himself personally, when every body
expected they should have been opposed, the King come, and cried to the
head of the mutineers, which was Prince Rupert, "Nephew, I command you to
be gone." So the Prince, in all his fury and discontent, withdrew, and
his company scattered, which they say was the greatest piece of mutiny in
the world. Thence after dinner home to my office, and in the evening was
sent to by Jane that I would give her her wages. So I sent for my wife to
my office, and told her that rather than be talked on I would give her all
her wages for this Quarter coming on, though two months is behind, which
vexed my wife, and we begun to be angry, but I took myself up and sent her
away, but was cruelly vexed in my mind that all my trouble in this world
almost should arise from my disorders in my family and the indiscretion of
a wife that brings me nothing almost (besides a comely person) but only
trouble and discontent. She gone I late at my business, and then home to
supper and to bed.
5th (Lord's day). Lay in bed most of the morning, then up and down to my
chamber, among my new books, which is now a pleasant sight to me to see my
whole study almost of one binding. So to dinner, and all the afternoon
with W. Hewer at my office endorsing of papers there, my business having
got before me much of late. In the evening comes to see me Mr. Sheply,
lately come out of the country, who goes away again to-morrow, a good and
a very kind man to me. There come also Mr. Andrews and Hill, and we sang
very pleasantly; and so, they being gone, I and my wife to supper, and to
prayers and bed.
6th. Up and with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Pen to St. James's, but the
Duke is gone abroad. So to White Hall to him, and there I spoke with him,
and so to Westminster, did a little business, and then home to the
'Change, where also I did some business, and went off and ended my
contract with the "Kingfisher" I hired for Tangier, and I hope to get
something by it. Thence home to dinner, and visited Sir W. Batten, who is
sick again, worse than he was, and I am apt to think is very ill. So to
my office, and among other things with Sir W. Warren 4 hours or more till
very late, talking of one thing or another, and have concluded a firm
league with him in all just ways to serve him and myself all I can, and I
think he will be a most usefull and thankfull man to me. So home to
supper and to bed. This being one of the coldest days, all say, they ever
felt in England; and I this day, under great apprehensions of getting an
ague from my putting a suit on that hath lain by without ayring a great
while, and I pray God it do not do me hurte.
7th. Up and to my office, where busy all the morning, and at home to
dinner. It being Shrove Tuesday, had some very good fritters. All the
afternoon and evening at the office, and at night home to supper and to
bed. This day, Sir W. Batten, who hath been sicke four or five days, is
now very bad, so as people begin to fear his death; and I am at a loss
whether it will be better for me to have him die, because he is a bad man,
or live, for fear a worse should come.
8th. Up and by coach to my Lord Peterborough's, where anon my Lord Ashly
and Sir Thomas Ingram met, and Povy about his accounts, who is one of the
most unhappy accountants that ever I knew in all my life, and one that if
I were clear in reference to my bill of L117 he should be hanged before I
would ever have to do with him, and as he understands nothing of his
business himself, so he hath not one about him that do. Here late till I
was weary, having business elsewhere, and thence home by coach, and after
dinner did several businesses and very late at my office, and so home to
supper and to bed.
9th. Up and to my office, where all the morning very busy. At noon home
to dinner, and then to my office again, where Sir William Petty come,
among other things to tell me that Mr. Barlow
[Thomas Barlow, Pepys's predecessor as Clerk of the Acts, to whom he
paid part of the salary. Barlow held the office jointly with Dennis
Fleeting.]
is dead; for which, God knows my heart, I could be as sorry as is possible
for one to be for a stranger, by whose death he gets L100 per annum, he
being a worthy, honest man; but after having considered that when I come
to consider the providence of God by this means unexpectedly to give me
L100 a year more in my estate, I have cause to bless God, and do it from
the bottom of my heart. So home late at night, after twelve o'clock, and
so to bed.
10th. Up and abroad to Paul's Churchyard, there to see the last of my
books new bound: among others, my "Court of King James,"
["The Court and Character of King James, written and taken by Sir
Anthony Weldon, being an eye and eare witnesse," was published in
1650, and reprinted in 1651 under the title of "Truth brought to
Light" Weldon's book was answered in a work entitled "Aulicus
Coquinariae." Both the original book and the answer were reprinted
in "The Secret History of the Court of King James," Edinburgh, 1811,
two vols. (edited by Sir Walter Scott).]
and "The Rise and Fall of the Family of the Stewarts;" and much pleased I
am now with my study; it being, methinks, a beautifull sight. Thence (in
Mr. Grey's coach, who took me up), to Westminster, where I heard that
yesterday the King met the Houses to pass the great bill for the
L2,500,000. After doing a little business I home, where Mr. Moore dined
with me, and evened our reckonings on my Lord Sandwich's bond to me for
principal and interest. So that now on both there is remaining due to me
L257. 7s., and I bless God it is no more. So all the afternoon at my
office, and late home to supper, prayers, and to bed.
11th. Up and to my office, where all the morning. At noon to 'Change by
coach with my Lord Brunkard, and thence after doing much business home to
dinner, and so to my office all the afternoon till past 12 at night very
busy. So home to bed.
12th (Lord's day). Up and to church to St. Lawrence to hear Dr. Wilkins,
the great scholar, for curiosity, I having never heard him: but was not
satisfied with him at all, only a gentleman sat in the pew I by chance sat
in, that sang most excellently, and afterward I found by his face that he
had been a Paul's scholler, but know not his name, and I was also well
pleased with the church, it being a very fine church. So home to dinner,
and then to my office all the afternoon doing of business, and in the
evening comes Mr. Hill (but no Andrews) and we spent the evening very
finely, singing, supping and discoursing. Then to prayers and to bed.
13th. Up and to St. James's, did our usual business before the Duke.
Thence I to Westminster and by water (taking Mr. Stapely the rope-maker by
the way), to his rope-ground and to Limehouse, there to see the manner of
stoves and did excellently inform myself therein, and coming home did go
on board Sir W. Petty's "Experiment," which is a brave roomy vessel, and I
hope may do well. So went on shore to a Dutch [house] to drink some mum,
and there light upon some Dutchmen, with whom we had good discourse
touching stoveing
[Stoveing, in sail-making, is the heating of the bolt-ropes, so as
to make them pliable.--B.]
and making of cables. But to see how despicably they speak of us for our
using so many hands more to do anything than they do, they closing a cable
with 20, that we use 60 men upon. Thence home and eat something, and then
to my office, where very late, and then to supper and to bed. Captain
Stokes, it seems, is at last dead at Portsmouth.
14th (St. Valentine). This morning comes betimes Dicke Pen, to be my
wife's Valentine, and come to our bedside. By the same token, I had him
brought to my side, thinking to have made him kiss me; but he perceived
me, and would not; so went to his Valentine: a notable, stout, witty boy.
I up about business, and, opening the door, there was Bagwell's wife, with
whom I talked afterwards, and she had the confidence to say she came with
a hope to be time enough to be my Valentine, and so indeed she did, but my
oath preserved me from loosing any time with her, and so I and my boy
abroad by coach to Westminster, where did two or three businesses, and
then home to the 'Change, and did much business there. My Lord Sandwich
is, it seems, with his fleete at Alborough Bay. So home to dinner and
then to the office, where till 12 almost at night, and then home to supper
and to bed.
15th. Up and to my office, where busy all the morning. At noon with
Creed to dinner to Trinity-house, where a very good dinner among the old
sokers, where an extraordinary discourse of the manner of the loss of the
"Royall Oake" coming home from Bantam, upon the rocks of Scilly, many
passages therein very extraordinary, and if I can I will get it in
writing. Thence with Creed to Gresham College, where I had been by Mr.
Povy the last week proposed to be admitted a member;
[According to the minutes of the Royal Society for February 15th,
1664-65, "Mr. Pepys was unanimously elected and admitted." Notes of
the experiments shown by Hooke and Boyle are given in Birch's
"History of the Royal Society," vol. ii., p. 15.]
and was this day admitted, by signing a book and being taken by the hand
by the President, my Lord Brunkard, and some words of admittance said to
me. But it is a most acceptable thing to hear their discourse, and see
their experiments; which were this day upon the nature of fire, and how it
goes out in a place where the ayre is not free, and sooner out where the
ayre is exhausted, which they showed by an engine on purpose. After this
being done, they to the Crowne Taverne, behind the 'Change, and there my
Lord and most of the company to a club supper; Sir P. Neale, Sir R.
Murrey, Dr. Clerke, Dr. Whistler, Dr. Goddard, and others of most eminent
worth. Above all, Mr. Boyle to-day was at the meeting, and above him Mr.
Hooke, who is the most, and promises the least, of any man in the world
that ever I saw. Here excellent discourse till ten at night, and then
home, and to Sir W. Batten's, where I hear that Sir Thos. Harvy intends to
put Mr. Turner out of his house and come in himself, which will be very
hard to them, and though I love him not, yet for his family's sake I pity
him. So home and to bed.
16th. Up, and with Mr. Andrews to White Hall, where a Committee of
Tangier, and there I did our victuallers' business for some more money,
out of which I hope to get a little, of which I was glad; but, Lord! to
see to what a degree of contempt, nay, scorn, Mr. Povy, through his
prodigious folly, hath brought himself in his accounts, that if he be not
a man of a great interest, he will be kicked out of his employment for a
foole, is very strange, and that most deservedly that ever man was, for
never any man, that understands accounts so little, ever went through so
much, and yet goes through it with the greatest shame and yet with
confidence that ever I saw man in my life. God deliver me in my owne
business of my bill out of his hands, and if ever I foul my fingers with
him again let me suffer for it! Back to the 'Change, and thence home to
dinner, where Mrs. Hunt dined with me, and poor Mrs. Batters; who brought
her little daughter with her, and a letter from her husband, wherein, as a
token, the foole presents me very seriously with his daughter for me to
take the charge of bringing up for him, and to make my owne. But I took
no notice to her at all of the substance of the letter, but fell to
discourse, and so went away to the office, where all the afternoon till
almost one in the morning, and then home to bed.
17th. Up, and it being bitter cold, and frost and snow, which I had
thought had quite left us, I by coach to Povy's, where he told me, as I
knew already, how he was handled the other day, and is still, by my Lord
Barkeley, and among other things tells me, what I did not know, how my
Lord Barkeley will say openly, that he hath fought more set
fields--[Battles or actions]--than any man in England hath done. I did my
business with him, which was to get a little sum of money paid, and so
home with Mr. Andrews, who met me there, and there to the office. At noon
home and there found Lewellin, which vexed me out of my old jealous
humour. So to my office, where till 12 at night, being only a little
while at noon at Sir W. Batten's to see him, and had some high words with
Sir J. Minnes about Sir W. Warren, he calling him cheating knave, but I
cooled him, and at night at Sir W. Pen's, he being to go to Chatham
to-morrow. So home to supper and to bed.
18th. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning; at noon to the
'Change, and thence to the Royall Oake taverne in Lumbard Streete, where
Sir William Petty and the owners of the double-bottomed boat (the
Experiment) did entertain my Lord Brunkard, Sir R. Murrey, myself, and
others, with marrow bones and a chine of beefe of the victuals they have
made for this ship; and excellent company and good discourse: but, above
all, I do value Sir William Petty. Thence home; and took my Lord
Sandwich's draught of the harbour of Portsmouth down to Ratcliffe, to one
Burston, to make a plate for the King, and another for the Duke, and
another for himself; which will be very neat. So home, and till almost
one o'clock in the morning at my office, and then home to supper and to
bed. My Lord Sandwich, and his fleete of twenty-five ships in the Downes,
returned from cruising, but could not meet with any Dutchmen.
19th. Lay in bed, it being Lord's day, all the morning talking with my
wife, sometimes pleased, sometimes displeased, and then up and to dinner.
All the afternoon also at home, and Sir W. Batten's, and in the evening
comes Mr. Andrews, and we sung together, and then to supper, he not
staying, and at supper hearing by accident of my mayds their letting in a
rogueing Scotch woman that haunts the office, to helpe them to washe and
scoure in our house, and that very lately, I fell mightily out, and made
my wife, to the disturbance of the house and neighbours, to beat our
little girle, and then we shut her down into the cellar, and there she lay
all night. So we to bed.
20th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to attend the Duke, and then we back
again and rode into the beginning of my Lord Chancellor's new house, near
St. James's; which common people have already called Dunkirke-house, from
their opinion of his having a good bribe for the selling of that towne.
And very noble I believe it will be. Near that is my Lord Barkeley
beginning another on one side, and Sir J. Denham on the other. Thence I
to the House of Lords and spoke with my Lord Bellasses, and so to the
'Change, and there did business, and so to the Sun taverne, haling in the
morning had some high words with Sir J. Lawson about his sending of some
bayled goods to Tangier, wherein the truth is I did not favour him, but
being conscious that some of my profits may come out by some words that
fell from him, and to be quiet, I have accommodated it. Here we dined
merry; but my club and the rest come to 7s. 6d., which was too much.
Thence to the office, and there found Bagwell's wife, whom I directed to
go home, and I would do her business, which was to write a letter to my
Lord Sandwich for her husband's advance into a better ship as there should
be occasion. Which I did, and by and by did go down by water to Deptford,
and then down further, and so landed at the lower end of the town, and it
being dark 'entrer en la maison de la femme de Bagwell', and there had 'sa
compagnie', though with a great deal of difficulty, 'neanmoins en fin
j'avais ma volont d'elle', and being sated therewith, I walked home to
Redriffe, it being now near nine o'clock, and there I did drink some
strong waters and eat some bread and cheese, and so home. Where at my
office my wife comes and tells me that she hath hired a chamber mayde, one
of the prettiest maydes that ever she saw in her life, and that she is
really jealous of me for her, but hath ventured to hire her from month to
month, but I think she means merrily. So to supper and to bed.
21st. Up, and to the office (having a mighty pain in my forefinger of my
left hand, from a strain that it received last night) in struggling 'avec
la femme que je' mentioned yesterday, where busy till noon, and then my
wife being busy in going with her woman to a hot-house to bathe herself,
after her long being within doors in the dirt, so that she now pretends to
a resolution of being hereafter very clean. How long it will hold I can
guess. I dined with Sir W. Batten and my Lady, they being now a'days very
fond of me. So to the 'Change, and off of the 'Change with Mr. Wayth to a
cook's shop, and there dined again for discourse with him about Hamaccos
[Or hammock-battens: cleats or battens nailed to the sides of a
vessel's beams, from which to suspend the seamen's hammocks.]
and the abuse now practised in tickets, and more like every day to be.
Also of the great profit Mr. Fen makes of his place, he being, though he
demands but 5 per cent. of all he pays, and that is easily computed, but
very little pleased with any man that gives him no more. So to the
office, and after office my Lord Brunkerd carried me to Lincolne's Inne
Fields, and there I with my Lady Sandwich (good lady) talking of innocent
discourse of good housewifery and husbands for her daughters, and the
luxury and looseness of the times and other such things till past 10
o'clock at night, and so by coach home, where a little at my office, and
so to supper and to bed. My Lady tells me how my Lord Castlemayne is
coming over from France, and is believed will be made friends with his
Lady again. What mad freaks the Mayds of Honour at Court have: that Mrs.
Jenings, one of the Duchesses mayds, the other day dressed herself like an
orange wench, and went up and down and cried oranges; till falling down,
or by such accident, though in the evening, her fine shoes were discerned,
and she put to a great deale of shame; that such as these tricks being
ordinary, and worse among them, thereby few will venture upon them for
wives: my Lady Castlemayne will in merriment say that her daughter (not
above a year old or two) will be the first mayde in the Court that will be
married. This day my Lord Sandwich writ me word from the Downes, that he
is like to be in towne this week.