another bed. So cold all night. Up and to the office, where busy all the
morning. At noon at the 'Change, busy; where great talk of a Dutch ship
in the North put on shore, and taken by a troop of horse. Home to dinner
and Creed with me. Thence to Gresham College, where very noble discourse,
and thence home busy till past 12 at night, and then home to supper and to
bed. Mrs. Bland come this night to take leave of me and my wife, going to
Tangier.
23rd. This day, by the blessing of Almighty God, I have lived thirty-two
years in the world, and am in the best degree of health at this minute
that I have been almost in my life time, and at this time in the best
condition of estate that ever I was in-the Lord make me thankfull. Up,
and to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon to the 'Change,
where I hear the most horrid and astonishing newes that ever was yet told
in my memory, that De Ruyter with his fleete in Guinny hath proceeded to
the taking of whatever we have, forts, goods, ships, and men, and tied our
men back to back, and thrown them all into the sea, even women and
children also. This a Swede or Hamburgher is come into the River and
tells that he saw the thing done.
[Similar reports of the cruelty of the English to the Dutch in
Guinea were credited in Holland, and were related by Downing in a
letter to Clarendon from the Hague, dated April 14th, 1665 (Lister's
"Life of Clarendon," vol. iii., p. 374).]
But, Lord! to see the consternation all our merchants are in is
observable, and with what fury and revenge they discourse of it. But I
fear it will like other things in a few days cool among us. But that
which I fear most is the reason why he that was so kind to our men at
first should afterward, having let them go, be so cruel when he went
further. What I fear is that there he was informed (which he was not
before) of some of Holmes's dealings with his countrymen, and so was moved
to this fury. God grant it be not so! But a more dishonourable thing was
never suffered by Englishmen, nor a more barbarous done by man, as this by
them to us. Home to dinner, and then to the office, where we sat all the
afternoon, and then at night to take my finall leave of Mrs. Bland, who
sets out to-morrow for Tangier, and then I back to my office till past 12,
and so home to supper and to bed.
24th. Up, and to my office, where all the morning upon advising again
with some fishermen and the water bayliffe of the City, by Mr. Coventry's
direction, touching the protections which are desired for the fishermen
upon the River, and I am glad of the occasion to make me understand
something of it. At noon home to dinner, and all the afternoon till 9 at
night in my chamber, and Mr. Hater with me (to prevent being disturbed at
the office), to perfect my contract book, which, for want of time, hath a
long time lain without being entered in as I used to do from month to
month. Then to my office, where till almost 12, and so home to bed.
25th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon to the
'Change; where just before I come, the Swede that had told the King and
the Duke so boldly this great lie of the Dutch flinging our men back to
back into the sea at Guinny, so particularly, and readily, and
confidently, was whipt round the 'Change: he confessing it a lie, and that
he did it in hopes to get something. It is said the judges, upon demand,
did give it their opinion that the law would judge him to be whipt, to
lose his eares, or to have his nose slit but I do not hear that anything
more is to be done to him. They say he is delivered over to the Dutch
Embassador to do what he pleased with him. But the world do think that
there is some design on one side or other, either of the Dutch or French,
for it is not likely a fellow would invent such a lie to get money whereas
he might have hoped for a better reward by telling something in behalf of
us to please us. Thence to the Sun taverne, and there dined with Sir W.
Warren and Mr. Gifford, the merchant: and I hear how Nich. Colborne, that
lately lived and got a great estate there, is gone to live like a prince
in the country, and that this Wadlow, that did the like at the Devil by
St. Dunstane's, did go into the country, and there spent almost all he had
got, and hath now choused this Colborne out of his house, that he might
come to his old trade again. But, Lord! to see how full the house is, no
room for any company almost to come into it. Thence home to the office,
where dispatched much business; at night late home, and to clean myself
with warm water; my wife will have me, because she do herself, and so to
bed.
26th (Sunday). Up and to church, and so home to dinner, and after dinner
to my office, and there busy all the afternoon, till in the evening comes
Mr. Andrews and Hill, and so home and to singing. Hill staid and supped
with me, and very good discourse of Italy, where he was, which is always
to me very agreeable. After supper, he gone, we to prayers and to bed.
27th. Up and to St. James's, where we attended the Duke as usual. This
morning I was much surprized and troubled with a letter from Mrs. Bland,
that she is left behind, and much trouble it cost me this day to find out
some way to carry her after the ships to Plymouth, but at last I hope I
have done it. At noon to the 'Change to inquire what wages the Dutch give
in their men-of-warr at this day, and I hear for certain they give but
twelve guilders at most, which is not full 24s., a thing I wonder at. At
home to dinner, and then in Sir J. Minnes's coach, my wife and I with him,
and also Mercer, abroad, he and I to White Hall, and he would have his
coach to wait upon my wife on her visits, it being the first time my wife
hath been out of doors (but the other day to bathe her) several weeks. We
to a Committee of the Council to discourse concerning pressing of men;
but, Lord! how they meet; never sit down: one comes, now another goes,
then comes another; one complaining that nothing is done, another swearing
that he hath been there these two hours and nobody come. At last it come
to this, my Lord Annesly, says he, "I think we must be forced to get the
King to come to every committee; for I do not see that we do any thing at
any time but when he is here." And I believe he said the truth and very
constant he is at the council table on council-days; which his
predecessors, it seems, very rarely did; but thus I perceive the greatest
affair in the world at this day is likely to be managed by us. But to
hear how my Lord Barkeley and others of them do cry up the discipline of
the late times here, and in the former Dutch warr is strange, wishing with
all their hearts that the business of religion were not so severely
carried on as to discourage the sober people to come among us, and wishing
that the same law and severity were used against drunkennesse as there was
then, saying that our evil living will call the hand of God upon us again.
Thence to walk alone a good while in St. James's Parke with Mr. Coventry,
who I perceive is grown a little melancholy and displeased to see things
go as they do so carelessly. Thence I by coach to Ratcliffe highway, to
the plate-maker's, and he has begun my Lord Sandwich's plate very neatly,
and so back again. Coming back I met Colonell Atkins, who in other
discourse did offer to give me a piece to receive of me 20 when he proves
the late news of the Dutch, their drowning our men, at Guinny, and the
truth is I find the generality of the world to fear that there is
something of truth in it, and I do fear it too. Thence back by coach to
Sir Philip Warwicke's; and there he did contract with me a kind of
friendship and freedom of communication, wherein he assures me to make me
understand the whole business of the Treasurer's business of the Navy,
that I shall know as well as Sir G. Carteret what money he hath; and will
needs have me come to him sometimes, or he meet me, to discourse of things
tending to the serving the King: and I am mighty proud and happy in
becoming so known to such a man. And I hope shall pursue it. Thence back
home to the office a little tired and out of order, and then to supper and
to bed.
28th: At the office all the morning. At noon dined at home. After dinner
my wife and I to my Lady batten's, it being the first time my wife hath
been there, I think, these two years, but I had a mind in part to take
away the strangenesse, and so we did, and all very quiett and kind. Come
home, I to the taking my wife's kitchen accounts at the latter end of the
month, and there find 7s. wanting, which did occasion a very high falling
out between us, I indeed too angrily insisting upon so poor a thing, and
did give her very provoking high words, calling her beggar, and
reproaching her friends, which she took very stomachfully and reproached
me justly with mine; and I confess, being myself, I cannot see what she
could have done less. I find she is very cunning, and when she least
shews it hath her wit at work; but it is an ill one, though I think not so
bad but with good usage I might well bear with it, and the truth is I do
find that my being over-solicitous and jealous and froward and ready to
reproach her do make her worse. However, I find that now and then a
little difference do no hurte, but too much of it will make her know her
force too much. We parted after many high words very angry, and I to my
office to my month's accounts, and find myself worth L1270, for which the
Lord God be praised! So at almost 2 o'clock in the morning I home to
supper and to bed, and so ends this month, with great expectation of the
Hollanders coming forth, who are, it seems, very high and rather more
ready than we. God give a good issue to it!
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Accounts I never did see, or hope again to see in my days
At a loss whether it will be better for me to have him die
By his many words and no understanding, confound himself
Church, where a most insipid young coxcomb preached
Clean myself with warm water; my wife will have me
Costs me 12d. a kiss after the first
Find that now and then a little difference do no hurte
Going with her woman to a hot-house to bathe herself
Good discourse and counsel from him, which I hope I shall take
Great thaw it is not for a man to walk the streets
Heard noises over their head upon the leads
His disease was the pox and that he must be fluxed (Rupert)
I know not how their fortunes may agree
If the exportations exceed importations
It is a strange thing how fancy works
Law against it signifies nothing in the world
Law and severity were used against drunkennesse
Luxury and looseness of the times
Must be forced to confess it to my wife, which troubles me
My wife after her bathing lying alone in another bed
No man is wise at all times
Offer to give me a piece to receive of me 20
Pretends to a resolution of being hereafter very clean
Sat an hour or two talking and discoursing . . . .
So great a trouble is fear
Those bred in the North among the colliers are good for labour
Tied our men back to back, and thrown them all into the sea
Too much of it will make her know her force too much
Up, leaving my wife in bed, being sick of her months
When she least shews it hath her wit at work
Where money is free, there is great plenty
Who is the most, and promises the least, of any man
Wife that brings me nothing almost (besides a comely person)