I spent an hour talking and bewailing the posture of things at
present; the King led away by half-a-dozen men, that none of his
serious servants and friends can come at him. These are
Lauderdale, Buckingham, Hamilton, FitzHarding, (to whom he hath,
it seems, given 12,000l. per annum in the best part of the King's
estate); and that the old Duke of Buckingham could never get of
the King. Projers is another, [Edward Progers, Esq., the King's
Valet-de-Chambre, and the confidant of his amours. Ob. 1713,
aged ninety-six.] and Sir H. Bennett. He loves not the Queene
at all, but is rather sullen to her; and she, by all reports,
incapable of children. He is so fond of the Duke of Monmouth,
that every body admires it; and he says that the Duke hath said,
that he would be the death of any man that says the King was not
married to his mother: though Alsopp says, it is well known that
she was a common strumpet before the King was acquainted with
her. But it seems, he says, that the King is mighty kind to
these his bastard children; and at this day will go at midnight
to my Lady Castlemaine's nurses, and take the child and dance it
in his arms: that he is not likely to have his tables up again
in his house, for the crew that are about him will not have him
come to common view again, but keep him obscurely among
themselves. He hath this night, it seems, ordered that the Hall
(which there is a ball to be in to-night before the King) be
guarded, as the Queene-Mother's is, by his Horse Guards; whereas
heretofore they were by the Lord Chamberlain or Steward, and
their people. But it is feared they will reduce all to the
soldiery, and all other places be taken away; and what is worst
of all, will alter the present militia, and bring all to a flying
army. That my Lord Lauderdale, being Middleton's enemy, [John
Earl of Middleton, General of the Forces in Scotland.] and one
that scorns the Chancellor even to open affronts before the King,
hath got the whole power of Scotland into his hand; whereas the
other day he was in a fair way to have had his whole estate, and
honour, and life, voted away from him. That the King hath done
himself all imaginable wrong in the business of my Lord Antrim,
[Randall, second Earl, and first Marquis of Antrim. Ob. 1673.]
in Ireland; who, though he was the head of rebels, yet he by his
letter owns to have acted by his father's and mother's and his
commissions: but it seems the truth is, he hath obliged himself
upon the clearing of his estate, to settle it upon a daughter of
the Queene-Mother's (by my Lord Germin, [Earl of St. Albans.] I
suppose,) in marriage be it to whom the Queene pleases: which is
a sad story. It seems a daughter of the Duke of Lenox's was, by
force, going to be married the other day at Somerset House, to
Harry Germin; but she got away and run to the King, and he says
he will protect her. She is, it seems, very near akin to the
King. Such mad doings there are every day among them! There was
a French book in verse, the other day, translated and presented
to the Duke of Monmouth in such a high stile, that the Duke of
York, he tells me, was mightily offended at it. The Duke of
Monmouth's mother's brother hath a place at Court; and being a
Welchman, (I think he told me,) will talk very broad of the
King's being married to his sister. The King did the other day,
at the Council, commit my Lord Digby's [George, Lord Digby, 2nd
Earl of Bristol, who had been Secretary of State in 1643; but by
changing his religion while abroad, at the instigation of Don
John of Austria, incapacitated himself from being restored to
that office; and in consequence of the disappointment, which he
imputed to the interference of the Lord Chancellor, conspired and
effected his ruin. He was installed K.G. in 1661, and died
1676.] chaplin, and steward, and another servant, who went upon
the process begun there against their lord, to swear that they
saw him at church, and receive the Sacrament as a Protestant,
(which, the Judges said, was sufficient to prove him such in the
eye of the law); the King, I say, did commit them all to the
Gate-house, notwithstanding their pleading their dependance upon
him, and the faith they owed him as their lord, whose bread they
eat. And that the King should say, that he would soon see
whether he was King, or Digby. That the Queene-mother had outrun
herself in her expences, and is now come to pay very ill, or run
in debt the money being spent that she received for leases. He
believes there is not any money laid up in bank, as I told him
some did hope; but he says, from the best informers he can assure
me there is no such thing, nor any body that should look after
such a thing; and that there is not now above 80,000l. of the
Dunkirke money left in stock. That Oliver the year when he spent
1,400,000l. in the Navy did spend in the whole expence of the
kingdom 2,600,000l. That all the Court are mad for a Dutch war;
but both he and I did concur, that it was a thing rather to be
dreaded than hoped for; unless by the French King's falling upon
Flanders, they and the Dutch should be divided. That our
Embassador had, it is true, an audience; but in the most
dishonourable way that could be; for the Princes of the Blood
(though invited by our Embassador, which was the greatest
absurdity that ever Embassador committed these 400 years) were
not there; and so were not said to give place to our King's
Embassador. And that our King did openly say, the other day in
the Privy Chamber, that he would not be hectored out of his right
and pre-eminences by the King of France, as great as he was.
That the Pope is glad to yield to a peace with the French (as the
news-book says,) upon the basest terms that ever was. That the
talk which these people about our King, that I named before,
have, is to tell him how neither priviledge of Parliament nor
City is any thing; but that his will is all, and ought to be so:
and their discourse, it seems, when they are alone, is so base
and sordid, that it makes the eares of the very gentlemen of the
back stairs (I think he called them) to tingle to hear it spoke
in the King's hearing; and that must be very bad indeed. That my
Lord Digby did send to Lisbon a couple of priests, to search out
what they could against the Chancellor concerning the match, as
to the point of his knowing before-hand that the Queene was not
capable of bearing children; and that something was given her to
make her so. But as private as they were, when they come thither
they were clapped up prisoners. That my Lord Digby endeavours
what he can to bring the business into the House of Commons,
hoping there to master the Chancellor, there being many enemies
of his there: but I hope the contrary. That whereas the late
King did mortgage Clarendon [Clarendon Park near Salisbury.] to
somebody for 20,000l., and this to have given it to the Duke of
Albemarle, and he sold it to my Lord Chancellor, whose title of
Earldome is fetched from thence; the King hath this day sent his
order to the Privy Seale for the payment of this 20,000l. to my
Lord Chancellor, to clear the mortgage. Ireland in a very
distracted condition about the hard usage which the Protestants
meet with, and the too good which the Catholiques. And from all
together, God knows my heart, I expect nothing but ruin can
follow, unless things are better ordered in a little time.
23rd. This day, by the blessing of God, I have lived thirty-one
years in the world: and, by the grace of God, I find myself not
only in good health in every thing, and particularly as to the
stone, but only pain upon taking cold, and also in a fair way of
coming to a better esteem and estate in the world, than ever I
expected. But I pray God give me a heart to fear a fall, and to
prepare for it.
24th (Ash Wednesday). To the Queene's chapel, where I staid and
saw their masse, till a man come and bid me go out or kneel down:
so I did go out. And thence to Somerset House; and there into
the chapel, where Monsieur d'Espagne [Probably author of a small
volume called "Shibboleth, ou, Reformation de quelques Passages
de la Bible, per Jean d'Espagne; Ministre du St. Evangile," in
the Pepysian Collection, printed 1653, and dedicated to
Cromwell.] used to preach. But now it is made very fine, and
was ten times more crouded than the Queene's chapel at St.
James's: which I wonder at. Thence down to the garden of
Somerset House, and up and down the new building, which in every
respect will be mighty magnificent and costly.
27th. Sir Martin Noell told us the dispute between him, as
farmer of the Additional Duty, and the East India Company,
whether callico be linnen or no: which he says it is, having
been ever esteemed so: they say it is made of cotton woole, and
grows upon trees, not like flax or hemp. But it was carried
against the Company, though they stand out against the verdict.
28th (Lord's day). Up and walked to Paul's; and by chance it was
an extraordinary day for the Readers of the Inns of Court and all
the Students to come to church, it being an old ceremony not used
these twenty-five years, upon the first Sunday in Lent.
Abundance there was of Students, more than there was room to seat
but upon forms, and the Church mighty full. One Hawkins
preached, an Oxford man. A good sermon upon these words: "But
the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable." Both
before and after sermon I was most impatiently troubled at the
Quire, the worst that; ever I heard. But what was extraordinary,
the Bishop of London, [Humphrey Henchman translated from
Salisbury, September 1663. Ob. 1675.] who sat there in a pew,
made a' purpose for him by the pulpitt, do give the last blessing
to the congregation; which was, he being a comely old man, a very
decent thing, methought. The Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir J.
Robinson, would needs have me by coach home with him, where the
officers of his regiment dined with him. After dinner to chapel
in the Tower with the Lieutenant, with the keyes carried before
us, and the Warders and Gentleman-porter going before us. And I
sat with the Lieutenant in his pew, in great state. None, it
seems, of the prisoners in the Tower that are there now, though
they may, will come to prayers there.
29th. To Sir Philip Warwick, who showed me many excellent
collections of the state of the Revenue in former Kings' and the
late times, and the present. He showed me how the very
assessments between 1643 and 1659, which were taxes, (besides
Excise, Customes, Sequestrations, Decimations, King and Queene's
and Church Lands, or any thing else but just the Assessments,)
come to above fifteen millions. He showed me a discourse of his
concerning the Revenues of this and foreign States. How that of
Spayne was great but divided with his kingdoms, and so come to
little. How that of France did, and do much exceed ours before
for quantity; and that it is at the will of the Prince to tax
what he will upon his people; which is not here. That the
Hollanders have the best manner of tax, which is only upon the
expence of provisions, by an excise; and do conclude that no
other tax is proper for England but a pound-rate, or excise upon
the expence of provisions. He showed me every particular sort of
payment away of money, since the King's coming in, to this day;
and told me, from one to one, how little he hath received of
profit from most of them: and I believe him truly. That the
1,200,000l. which the Parliament with so much ado did first vote
to give the King, and since hath been re-examined by several
committees of the present Parliament, is yet above 300,000l.
short of making up really to the King the 1,200,000l. as by
particulars he showed me. And in my Lord Treasurer's excellent
letter to the King upon this subject, he tells the King how it
was the spending more than the revenue that did give the first
occasion of his fathers ruine, and did since to the rebels; who,
he says, just like Henry the Eighth, had great and sudden
increase of wealth, but yet by overspending both died poor: and
further tells the King how much of this 1,200,000l. depends upon
the life of the Prince, and so must be renewed by Parliament
again to his successor; which is seldom done without parting with
some of the prerogatives of the Crowne; or if denied and he
persists to take it of the people, it gives occasion to a civill
war, which did in the late business of tonnage and poundage prove
fatal to the Crowne. He showed me how many ways the Lord
Treasurer did take before he moved the King to farme the Customes
in the manner he do, and the reasons that moved him to do it. He
showed me a very excellent argument to prove, that our importing
lesse than we export, do not impoverish the kingdom, according to
the received opinion: which, though it be a paradox, and that I
do not remember the argument, yet methought there was a great
deal in what he said. And upon the whole I find him a most exact
and methodicall man, and of great industry: and very glad that
he thought fit to show me all this; though I cannot easily guess
the reason why he should do it to me, unless from the plainness
that he sees I use to him in telling him how much the King may
suffer for our want of understanding the case of our Treasury.
MARCH 2, 1663-64. This morning Mr. Burgby, one of the writing
clerks belonging to the Council, a knowing man, complains to me
how most of the Lords of the Council do look after themselves and
their own ends, and none the public, unless Sir Edward Nicholas.
Sir G. Carteret is diligent, but for all his own ends and profit.
My Lord Privy Seale, a destroyer of every body's business, and do
no good at all to the public. The Archbishop of Canterbury
[Gilbert Sheldon.] speaks very little, nor do much, being now
come to the highest pitch that he can expect. He tells me, that
he believes that things will go very high against the Chancellor
by Digby, and that bad things will be proved. Talks much of his
neglecting the King; and making the King to trot every day to
him, when he is well enough to go to visit his cosen Chief-
Justice Hide, but not to the Council or King. He commends my
Lord of Ormond mightily in Ireland; but cries out cruelly of Sir
G. Lane for his corruption; and that he hath done my Lord great
dishonour by selling of places here, which are now all taken
away, and the poor wretches ready to starve. But nobody almost
understands or judges of business better than the King, if he
would not be guilty of his father's fault to be doubtfull of
himself and easily be removed from his own opinion. That my Lord
Lauderdale is never from the King's care nor council, and that he
is a most cunning fellow. Upon the whole, that he finds things
go very bad every where; and even in the Council nobody minds the
public.
4th. There were several people trying a new-fashion gun brought
my Lord Peterborough this morning, to shoot off often, one after
another, without trouble or danger. At Greenwich I observed the
foundation laying of a very great house for the King, which will
cost a great deal of money.
10th. At the Privy Seale I enquired, and found the Bill come for
the Corporation of the Royall Fishery: whereof the Duke of York
is made present Governor, and severall other very great persons,
to the number of thirty-two, made his assistants for their lives:
whereof, by my Lord Sandwich's favour, I am one: and take it not
only as a matter of honour, but that, that may come to be of
profit to me.
14th. To White Hall; and in the Duke's chamber, while he was
dressing, two persons of quality that were there did tell his
Regal Highness how the other night, in Holborne, about midnight,
being at cards, a link-boy come by and run into the house, and
told the people the house was a-falling. Upon this the whole
family was frighted, concluding that the boy had said that; the
house was a-fire: so they left their cards above, and one would
have got out of the balcony, but it was not open; the other went
up to fetch down his children, that were in bed: so all got
clear out of the house. And no sooner so, but the house fell
down indeed, from top to bottom. It seems my Lord Southampton's
canaille did come too near their foundation, and so weakened the
house, and down it come: which, in every respect, is a most
extraordinary passage. The business between my Lords Chancellor
and Bristoll, they say, is hushed up: and the latter gone or
going, by the King's licence, to France.
15th. My poor brother Tom died.
16th. To the office, where we sat this afternoon, having changed
this day our sittings from morning to afternoon, because of the
Parliament which returned yesterday; but was adjourned till
Monday next, upon pretence that many of the members were said to
be upon the road; and also the King had other affairs, and so
desired them to adjourn till then. But the truth is, the King is
offended at my Lord of Bristoll, as they say, whom he hath found
to have been all this while (pretending a desire of leave to go
into France, and to have all the differences between him and the
Chancellor made up,) endeavouring to make: factions in both
Houses to the Chancellor. So the King did this to keep the
Houses from meeting; and in the meanwhile sent a guard and a
herald last night to have taken him at Wimbleton, where he was in
the morning, but could not find him: at which the King was and
is still mightily concerned, and runs up and down to and from the
Chancellor's like a boy: and it seems would make Digby's
articles against the Chancellor to be treasonable reflections
against his Majesty. So that the King is very high, as they say;
and God knows what will follow upon it!
18th. To church, and with the grave-maker chose a place for my
brother to lie in, just under my mother's pew. But to see how a
man's tombes [QUERY Bones?] are at the mercy of such a fellow,
that for sixpence he would, (as his own words were,) "I will
justle them together but I will make room for him;" speaking of
the fulness of the middle isle, where he was to lie. I dressed
myself, and so did my servant Besse; and so to my brother's
again: whither, though invited, as the custom is, at one or two
o'clock, they come not till four or five. But at last one after
another they come, many more than I bid: and my reckoning that I
bid was one hundred and twenty; but I believe there was nearer
one hundred and fifty. Their service was six biscuits a-piece,
and what they pleased of burnt claret. My cosen Joyce Norton
kept the wine and cakes above; and did give out to them that
served, who had white gloves given them. But above all, I am
beholden to Mrs. Holding, who was most kind, and did take mighty
pains not only in getting the house and every thing else ready,
but this day in going up and down to see the house filled and
served, in order to mine and their great content, I think; the
men sitting by themselves in some rooms, and the women by
themselves in others, very close, but yet room enough. Anon to
church, walking out into the street to the Conduit, and so across
the street; and had a very good company along with the corps and
being come to the grave as above, Dr. Pierson, the minister of
the parish, did read the service for buriall: and so I saw my
poor brother laid into the grave.
21st. This day the Houses of Parliament met; and the King met
them, with the Queene with him. And he made a speech to them:
among other things, discoursing largely of the plots abroad
against him and the peace of the kingdom; and that the
dissatisfied party had great hopes upon the effect of the Act for
a Triennial Parliament granted by his father, which he desired
them to peruse, and, I think, repeal. So the Houses did retire
to their own House, and did order the Act to be read to-morrow
before them; and I suppose it will be repealed, though I believe
much against the will of a good many that sit there.
23rd. To the Trinity House, and there dined very well: and good
discourse among the old men. Among other things, they observed,
that there are but two seamen in the Parliament, viz. Sir W.
Batten and Sir W. Pen, and not above twenty or thirty merchants;
which is a strange thing in an island.
25th. To White Hall, and there to chapel; where it was most
infinite full to hear Dr. Critton. [Creighton.] The Doctor
preached upon the thirty-first of Jeremy, and the twenty-first
and twenty-second verses, about a woman compassing a man; meaning
the Virgin conceiving and bearing our Saviour. It was the worst
sermon I ever heard him make, I must confess; and yet it was
good, and in two places very bitter, advising the King to do as
the Emperor Severus did, to hang up a Presbyter John (a short
coat and a long gowne interchangeably) in all the Courts of
England. But the story of Severus was pretty, that he hanged up
forty senators before the Senate-house, and then made a speech
presently to the Senate in praise of his own lenity; and then
decreed that never any senator after that time should suffer in
the same manner without consent of the Senate: which he compared
to the proceeding of the Long Parliament against my Lord
Strafford. He said the greatest part of the lay magistrates in
England were Puritans, and would not do justice; and the Bishops'
powers were so taken away and lessened, that they could not
exercise the power they ought. He told the King and the ladies,
plainly speaking of death and of the skulls and bones of dead men
and women, how there is no difference; that nobody could tell
that of the great Marius or Alexander from a pyoneer; nor, for
all the pains the ladies take with their faces, he that should
look in a charnel-house could not distinguish which was
Cleopatra's, or fair Rosamond's, or Jane Shore's.
26th. Sir W. Batten told me how Sir Richard Temple hath spoke
very discontentful words in the house about the Triennial Bill;
but it hath been read the second time to-day, and committed; and,
he believes, will go on without more ado, though there are many
in the house are displeased at it, though they dare not say much.
But above all expectation, Mr. Prin is the man against it,
comparing it to the idoll whose head was of gold, and his body
and legs and feet of different metal. So this Bill had several
degrees of calling of Parliaments, in case the King, and then the
Council, and then the Lord Chancellor, and then the Sheriffes,
should fail to do it. He tells me also, how, upon occasion of
some 'prentices being put in the pillory to-day for beating of
their masters or such like thing, in Cheapside, a company of
'prentices come and rescued them, and pulled down the pillory;
and they being set up again, did the like again.
28th. The great matter to-day in the House hath been, that Mr.
Vaughan, [John Vaughan, afterwards knighted, and made Chief
Justice of the Common Pleas.] the great speaker, is this day
come to town, and hath declared himself in a speech of an hour
and a half with great reason and eloquence, against the repealing
of the Bill for Triennial Parliaments, but with no successe: but
the House have carried it that there shall be such Parliaments,
but without any coercive power upon the King, if he will bring
this Act. But, Lord! to see how the best things are not done
without some design; for I perceive all these gentlemen that I
was with to-day, are against it (though there was reason enough
on their side); yet purely I could perceive, because it was the
King's mind to have it; and should he demand any thing else, I
believe they would give it him.
APRIL 1, 1664. To White Hall; and in the Gallery met the Duke of
York; (I also saw the Queene going to the Park, and her Maids of
Honour: she herself looks ill, and methinks Mrs. Stewart is
grown fatter, and not so fair as she was:) and he called me to
him, and discoursed a good while with me; and after he was gone,
twice or thrice staid and called me again to him, the whole
length of the house: and at last talked of the Dutch; and I
perceive do much wish that the Parliament will find reason to
fall out with them.
3rd. Called up by W. Joyce, [William Joyce had married Mr.
Pepys' first cousin, Kate Fenner.] he being summonsed to the
House of Lords to-morrow, for endeavouring to arrest my Lady
Peters for a debt. [Elizabeth, daughter of John Earl Rivers, and
first wife to William fourth Lord Petre, who was, in 1678,
impeached by the Commons of High Treason, and died under
confinement in the Tower, January 5th, 1683, S.P.]
4th. Up, and walked to my Lord Sandwich's; and there spoke with
him about W. Joyce, who tells me he would do what was fit; in so
tender a point. I to the Lords' House before they sat; and stood
within it, while the Duke of York come to me and spoke to me a
good while about the new ship at Woolwich. Afterwards I spoke
with my Lord Barkeley and my Lord Peterborough about it. And so
staid without a good while, and saw my Lady Peters, an impudent
jade, soliciting all the Lords on her behalf. And at last W.
Joyce was called in; and by the consequences, and what my Lord
Peterborough told me, I find that he did speak all he said to his
disadvantage, and so was committed to the Black Rod: which is
very hard, he doing what he did by the advice of my Lord Peter's
own steward. But the Serjeant of the Black Rod did direct one of
his messengers to take him in custody, and peaceably conducted
him to the Swan with two Necks, in Tuttle-street, to a handsome
dining-room; and there was most civilly used. It was a sad
sight, methought, to-day to see my Lord Peters coming out of the
House, fall out with his lady (from whom he is parted) about this
business, saying that she disgraced him. But she hath been a
handsome woman, and is, it seems, not only a lewd woman, but very
high-spirited.
5th. Lord Peterborough presented a petition to the House from W.
Joyce: and a great dispute, we hear, there was in the House for
and against it. At last it was carried that he should be bayled
till the House meets again after Easter, he giving bond for his
appearance. Anon comes the King and passed the Bill for
repealing the Triennial Act, and another about Writs of Errour.
I crowded in and heard the King's Speech to them; but he speaks
the worst that ever I heard man in my life: worse than if he
read it all, and he had it in writing in his hand. I went to W.
Joyce, where I found the order come, and bayle (his father and
brother) given; and he paying his fees, which come to above 12l.,
besides 5l. he is to give one man, and his charges of eating and
drinking here, and 10s. a-day as many days as he stands under
bayle: which, I hope, will teach him hereafter to hold his
tongue better than he used to do.
8th. Home to the only Lenten supper I have had of wiggs [Buns,
still called wiggs in the West of England.] and ale.
15th. To the Duke's house, and there saw "The German Princesse"
acted, by the woman herself; but never was any thing so well done
in earnest, worse performed in jest upon the stage. [Mary
Moders, alias Stedman, alias Carleton, a celebrated impostor, who
had induced the son of a London citizen to marry her under the
pretence that she was a German Princess. She next became an
actress, after having been tried for bigamy and acquitted. The
rest of her life was one continued course of robbery and fraud;
and in 1678 she suffered at Tyburn, for stealing a piece of plate
from a tavern in Chancery-lane.]
18th. Up and by coach to Westminster, and there solicited W.
Joyce's business again; and did speak to the Duke of York about
it, who did understand it very well. I afterwards did without
the House fall in company with my Lady Peters, and endeavoured to
mollify her: but she told me she would not, to redeem her from
hell, do any thing to release him; but would be revenged while
she lived, if she lived the age of Methusalem. I made many
friends, and so did others. At last it was ordered by the Lords
that it should be referred to the Committee of Priviledges to
consider. So I away by coach to the 'Change; and there do hear
that a Jew hath put in a policy of four per cent. to any man, to
insure him against a Dutch warr for four months: I could find in
my heart to take him at this offer. To Hide Park, where I have
not been since last year: where I saw the King with his
periwigg, but not altered at all; and my Lady Castlemaine in a
coach by herself, in yellow satin and a pinner on; and many brave
persons. And myself being in a hackney and full of people, was
ashamed to be seen by the world, many of them knowing me.
19th. To the Physique Garden in St, James's Parke; where I first
saw orange-trees, and other fine trees.
20th. Mr. Coventry told me how the Committee for Trade have
received now all the complaints of the merchants against the
Dutch, and were resolved to report very highly the wrongs they
have done us, (when God knows! it is only our own negligence and
laziness that hath done us the wrong): and this to be made to
the House to-morrow.
21st. At the Lords' House heard that it is ordered, that, upon
submission upon the knee both to the House and my Lady Peters, W.
Joyce shall be released. I forthwith made him submit, and ask
pardon upon his knees; which he did before several Lords. But my
Lady would not hear it; but swore she would post the Lords, that
the world might know what pitifull Lords the King hath: and that
revenge was sweeter to her than milk; and that she would never be
satisfied unless he stood in a pillory, and demand pardon there.
But I perceive the Lords are ashamed of her. I find that the
House this day have voted that the King be desired to demand
right for the wrong done us by the Dutch, and that they will
stand by him with their lives and fortunes: which is a very high
vote, and more than I expected. What the issue will be, God
knows!
23rd. I met with Mr. Coventry, who himself is now full of talk
of a Dutch war: for it seems the Lords have concurred in the
Commons' vote about it; and so the next week it will be presented
to the King.
26th. Saw W. Joyce: and the late business hath cost the poor
man above 40l., besides, he is likely to lose his debt. Lady
Peters, Creed says, is a drunken jade, he himself having seen her
drunk in the lobby of their House. My wife gone this afternoon
to the buriall of my she-cosen Scott, a good woman: and it is a
sad consideration how the Pepys's decay, and nobody almost that I
know in a present way of encreasing them.
27th. This day the Houses attended the King, and delivered their
votes to him upon the business of the Dutch; and he thanks them,
and promises an answer in writing.
MAY 3, 1664. To Westminster Hall; and there, in the Lords'
house, did in a great crowd, from ten o'clock till almost three,
hear the cause of Mr. Roberts, [VIDE "Lords' Journals of the
day."] my Lord Privy Seale's son, against Win, who by false ways
did get the father of Mr. Roberts's wife (Mr. Bodvill) to give
him the estate and disinherit, his daughter. The cause was
managed for my Lord Privy Seale by Finch the solicitor; but I do
really think that he is a man of as great eloquence as ever I
heard, or ever hope to hear in all my life. Mr. Cutler told me
how for certain Lawson hath proclaimed war again with Argier,
though they had at his first coming given back the ships which
they had taken, and all their men; though they refused afterwards
to make him restitution for the goods which they had taken.
5th. My eyes beginning every day to grow less and less able to
bear with long reading or writing, though it be by daylight;
which I never observed till now.
13th. In the Painted Chamber I heard a fine conference between
some of the two Houses upon the Bill for Conventicles. The Lords
would be freed from having their houses searched by any but the
Lord Lieutenant of the County: and upon being found guilty, to
be tried only by their peers; and thirdly, would have it added,
that whereas the Bill says, "That that, among other things, shall
be a conventicle wherein any such meeting is found doing any
thing contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England," they
would have it added, "or practice." The Commons to the Lords
said, that they knew not what might hereafter be found out which
might he called the practice of the Church of England: for there
are many things may be said to be the practice of the Church,
which were never established by any law either common, statute,
or canon; as singing of psalms, binding up; prayers at the end of
the Bible, and praying extempore before and after sermon: and
though these are things indifferent, yet things for aught they at
present know may be started, which may be said to be the practice
of the Church which would not be fit to allow. For the Lords'
priviledges, Mr. Waller told them how tender their predecessors
had been of the priviledges of the Lords; but, however, where the
peace of the kingdom stands in competition with them, they
apprehend those priviledges must give place. He told them that
he thought, if they should own all to be the priviledges of the
Lords which might be demanded, they should be led like the man
(who granted leave to his neighbour to pull off his horse's tail,
meaning that he could not do it at once,) that hair by hair had
his horse's tail pulled off indeed: so the Commons, by granting
one thing after another, might be served by the Lords. Mr.
Vaughan, whom I could not to my grief perfectly hear, did say, if
that they should be obliged in this manner to exempt the Lords
from every thing, it would in time come to pass that whatever (be
it ever so great) should be voted by the Commons as a thing
penall for a commoner, the contrary should be thought a
priviledge to the Lords: that also in this business, the work of
a conventicle being but the work of an hour, the cause of a
search would be over before a Lord Lieutenant, who may be many
miles off, can be sent for; and that all this dispute is but
about 100l.: for it is said in the Act, that it shall be
banishment or payment of 100l. I thereupon heard the Duke of
Lennox say, that there might be Lords who could not always be
ready to lose 100l., or some such thing. They broke up without
coming to any end in it. There was also in the Commons' House a
great quarrel about Mr. Prin, and it was believed that he should
have been sent to the Tower, for adding something to a Bill
(after it was ordered to be engrossed) of his own head--a Bill
for measures for wine and other things of that sort, and a Bill
of his own bringing in; but it appeared he could not mean any
hurt in it. But, however, the King was fain to write in his
behalf and all was passed over. But it is worth my remembrance,
that I saw old Ryly the Herald, and his son; and spoke to his
son, who told me in very bad words concerning Mr. Prin, that the
King had given him an office of keeping the Records; but that he
never comes thither, nor had been there these six months: so
that I perceive they expect to get his employment from him.
19th, To a Committee of Tangier; where God forgive how our Report
of my Lord Peterborough's accounts was read over and agreed to by
the Lords, without one of them understanding it! And had it been
what it would, it had gone: and, besides, not one thing touching
the King's profit in it minded or hit upon.
20th. Mr. Edward Montagu is turned out of the Court, not to
return again. His fault, I perceive, was his pride, and most of
all his affecting to be great with the Queene: and it seems
indeed he had more of her eare than every body else, and would be
with her talking alone two or three hours together; insomuch that
the Lords about the King, when he would be jesting with them
about their wives, would tell the King that he must have a care
of his wife too, for she hath now the gallant: and they say the
King himself did once ask Montagu how his mistress (meaning the
Queene) did. He grew so proud and despised every body, besides
suffering nobody he or she to get or do any thing about the
Queene, that they all laboured to do him a good turn. They all
say that he did give some affront to the Duke of Monmouth, which
the King himself did speak to him of. So he is gone,nobody
pitying, but laughing at him: and he pretends only that he is
gone to his father that is sick in the country.
23rd. The King is gone down with the Duke and a great crew this
morning by break of day to Chatham.
29th. Mr. Coventry and I did a long discourse together of the
business of the office, and the war with the Dutch; and he seemed
to argue mightily with the little reason that there is for all
this. For first, as to the wrong we pretend they have done us;
that of the East Indys, for their not delivering of Poleron, it
is not yet known whether they have failed or no; that of their
hindering the Leopard cannot amount to above 3000l. if true; that
of the Guinny Company, all they had done us did not amount to
above 2 or 300l. he told me truly; and that now, from what
Holmes, without any commission, hath done in taking an island and
two forts, hath set us much in debt to them; and he believes that
Holmes will have been so puffed up with this, that he by this
time hath been enforced with more strength than he had then,
hath, I say, done a great deal more wrong to them. He do, as to
the effect of the war, tell me clearly that it is not any skill
of the Dutch that can hinder our trade if we will, we having so
many advantages over them, of winds, good ports, and men; but it
is our pride, and the laziness of the merchant. The main thing
he desired to speak with me about was, to understand my Lord
Sandwich's intentions as to going to sea with this fleet; saying,
that the Duke, if he desires it, is most willing to do it; but
thinking that twelve ships is not a fleet fit for my Lord to be
troubled to go out with, he is not willing to offer it to him
till he hath some intimations of his mind to go, or not. To the
King's closet; whither by and by the King come, my Lord Sandwich
carrying the sword. A Bishop preached, but he speaking too low
for me to hear. By and by my Lord Sandwich come forth, and
called me to him: and we fell into discourse a great while about
his business, wherein he seems to be very open with me, and to
receive my opinion as he used to do: and I hope I shall become
necessary to him again. He desired me to think of the fitness,
or not, for him to offer himself to go to sea; and to give him my
thoughts in a day or two. Thence after sermon among the ladies
in the Queene's side; where I saw Mrs. Stewart, very fine and
pretty, but far beneath my Lady Castlemaine. Thence with Mr.
Povy home to dinner; where extraordinary cheer. [Evelyn mentions
Mr. Povy's house in Lincoln's Inn.] And after dinner up and down
to see his house, and in a word, methinks, for his perspective in
the little closet; his room floored above with woods of several
colours, like but above the best cabinet-work I ever saw; his
grotto and vault, with his bottles of wine, and a well therein to
keep them cool; his furniture of all sorts; his bath at the top
of the house, good pictures, and his manner of eating and
drinking; do surpass all that ever I did see of one man in all my
life.
31st. I was told to-day, that upon Sunday night last, being the
King's birth-day, the King was at my Lady Castlemaine's lodgings
over the hither-gate at Lambert's lodgings, dancing with fiddlers
all night almost; and all the world coming by taking notice of
it.
JUNE 1, 1664. Southwell (Sir W. Pen's friend) tells me the very
sad newes of my Lord Teviott's and nineteen more commission
officers being killed at Tangier by the Moores, by an ambush of
the enemy upon them, while they were surveying their lines:
which is very sad and he says, afflicts the King much. To the
Kings house and saw "The Silent Woman;" but methought not so well
done or so good a play as I formerly thought it to be. Before
the play was done, it fell such a storm of hayle, that we in the
middle of the pit were fain to rise; and all the house in a
disorder.
2nd. It seems my Lord Teviott's design was to go a mile and half
out of the town to cut down a wood in which the enemy did use to
lie in ambush. He had sent several spyes: but all brought word
that the way was clear, and so might be for any body's discovery
of an enemy before you are upon them. There they were all snapt,
he and all his officers, and about two hundred men, as they say;
there being left now in the garrison but four captains. This
happened the 3rd of May last, being not before that day
twelvemonth of his entering into his government there: but at
his going out in the morning he said to some of his officers,
"Gentlemen let us look to ourselves, for it was this day three
years that so many brave Englishmen were knocked on the head by
the Moores, when Fines made his sally out."
4th. Mr. Coventry discoursing this noon about Sir W. Batten,
(what a sad fellow he is!) told me how the King told him the
other day how Sir W. Batten, being in the ship with him and
Prince Rupert when they expected to fight with Warwicke, did walk
up and down sweating with a napkin under his throat to dry up his
sweat: and that Prince Rupert being a most jealous man, and
particularly of Batten, do walk up and down swearing bloodily to
the King, that Batten had a mind to betray them to-day, and that
the napkin was a signal; "but, by God," says he, "if things go
ill, the first thing I will do is to shoot him." He discoursed
largely and bravely to me concerning the different sorts of
valours, the active and passive valour. For the latter, he
brought as an instance General Blake, who, in the defending of
Taunton and Lime for the Parliament, did through his sober sort
of valour defend it the most opiniastrement that ever any man did
any thing; and yet never was the man that ever made an attaque by
land or sea, but rather avoyded it on all, even fair occasions.
On the other side, Prince Rupert, the boldest attaquer in the
world for personal courage; and yet in the defending of Bristol
no man did any thing worse, he wanting the patience and seasoned
head to consult and advise for defence, and to bear with the
evils of a siege. The like he says of my Lord Teviott, who was
the boldest adventurer of his person in the world, and from a
mean man in few years was come to this greatness of command and
repute only by the death of all his officers, he many times
having the luck of being the only survivor of them all, by
venturing upon services for the King of France that nobody else
would; and yet no man upon a defence, he being all fury and no
judgment in a fight. He tells me above all of the Duke of York,
that he is more himself and more of judgment is at hand in him in
the middle of a desperate service, than at other times, as
appeared in the business of Dunkirke, wherein no man ever did
braver things, or was in hotter service in the close of that day,
being surrounded with enemies; and then, contrary to the advice
of all about him, his counsel carried himself and the rest
through them safe, by advising that he might make his passage
with but a dozen with him; "For," says he, "the enemy cannot move
after me so fast with a great body, and with a small one we shall
be enough to deal with them:" and though he is a man naturally
martiall to the hottest degree, yet a man that never in his life
talks one word of himself or service of his own, but only that he
saw such or such a thing, and lays it down for a maxime that a
Hector can have no courage. He told me also, as a great instance
of some men, that the Prince of Conde's excellence is, that there
not being a more furious man in the world, danger in fight never
disturbs him more than just to make him civill, and to command in
words of great obligation to his officers and men; but without
any the least disturbance in his judgment or spirit.
6th. By barge with Sir W. Batten to Trinity House. Here were my
Lord Sandwich, Mr. Coventry, my Lord Craven, and others. A great
dinner, and good company. Mr. Prin also, who would not drink any
health, no, not the King's, but sat down with his hat on all the
while; but nobody took notice of it to him at all.
11th. With my wife only to take the ayre, it being very warm and
pleasant, to Bowe and Old Ford: and thence to Hackney. There
light, and played at shuffle-board, eat cream and good cherries:
and so with good refreshment home.
13th. Spent the whole morning reading of some old Navy books;
wherein the order that was observed in the Navy then, above what
it is now, is very observable.
15th. At home, to look after things for dinner. And anon at
noon comes Mr. Creed by chance, and by and by the three young
ladies: [Lord Sandwich's daughters.] and very merry we were
with our pasty, very well baked; and a good dish of roasted
chickens; pease, lobsters, strawberries. But after dinner to
cards: and about five o'clock, by water down to Greenwich; and
up to the top of the hill, and there played upon the ground at
cards. And so to the Cherry Garden, and then by water singing
finely to the Bridge, and there landed; and so took boat again,
and to Somerset House. And by this time, the tide being against
us, it was past ten of the clock; and such a troublesome passage,
in regard of my Lady Paulina's fearfullness, that in all my life
I never did see any poor wretch in that, condition. Being come
hither, there waited for them their coach; but it being so late,
I doubted what to do how to get them home. After half an hour's
stay in the street, I sent my wife home by coach with Mr. Creed's
boy; and myself and Creed in the coach home with them. But,
Lord! the fear that my Lady Paulina was in every step of the
way: and indeed at this time of the night it was no safe thing
to go that road; so that I was even afraid myself, though I
appeared otherwise. We come safe, however, to their house; where
we knocked them up, my Lady and all the family being in bed. So
put them into doors and leaving them with the maids, bade them
good night.
16th. The talk upon the 'Change is, that De Ruyter is dead, with
fifty men of his own ship, of the plague, at Cales: that the
Holland Embassador here do endeavour to sweeten us with fair
words; and things like to be peaceable.
20th. I to the Duke, where we did our usual business. And among
other discourse of the Dutch, he was merrily saying how they
print that Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, and my Lord
Sandwich, are to be Generalls; and soon after is to follow them
"Vieux Pen:" and so the Duke called him in mirth Old Pen. They
have, it seems, lately wrote to the King, to assure him that
their setting-out ships was only to defend their fishing-trade,
and to stay near home, not to annoy the King's subjects; and to
desire that he would do the like with his ships: which the King
laughs at, but yet is troubled they should think him such a
child, to suffer them to bring home their fish and East India
Company's ships, and then they will not care for us. To my
Lord's lodgings; and were merry with the young ladies, who made
a great story of their appearing before their mother the morning
after we carried them, the last week, home so late; and that
their mother took it very well, at least without any anger. Here
I heard how the rich widow, my Lady Gold, is married to one
Neale, after he had received a box on the eare by her brother
(who was there a sentinel, in behalf of some courtier,) at the
door; but made him draw, and wounded him. She called Neale up to
her, and sent for a priest, married presently, and went to bed.
The brother sent to the Court, and had a serjeant sent for Neale;
but Neale sent for him up to be seen in bed, and she owned him
for her husband: and so all is past.
23rd. W. How was with me this afternoon, to desire some things
to be got ready for my Lord against his going down to his ship,
which will be soon; for it seems the King and both the Queenes
intend to visit him. The Lord knows how my Lord will get out of
this charge; for Mr. Moore tells me to-day that he is 10,000l. in
debt: and this will, with many other things that daily will grow
upon him, (while he minds his pleasure as he do,) set him further
backward.
24th. To White Hall; and Mr. Pierce showed me the Queene's bed.
chamber, and her closet, where she had nothing but some pretty
pious pictures, and books of devotion; and her holy water at her
head as she sleeps, with a clock by her bed-side, wherein a lamp
burns that tells her the time of the night at any time. Thence
with him to the Park, and there met the Queene coming from
Chapell, with her Maids of Honour, all in silver-lace gowns
again; which is new to me, and that which I did not think would
have been brought up again. Thence he carried me to the King's
closet: where such variety of pictures, and other things of
value and rarity, that I was properly confounded and enjoyed no
pleasure in the sight of them; which is the only time in my life
that ever I was so at a loss for pleasure, in the greatest plenty
of objects to give it me.
26th. At my Lord Sandwich's; where his little daughter, my Lady
Catharine was brought, who is lately come from my father's at
Brampton, to have her cheeke looked after, which is and hath long
been sore. But my Lord will rather have it be as it is, with a
scarr in her face, than endanger it being worse with tampering.
[She married, first, Nicholas, son and heir of Sir N. Bacon,
K.B.; and secondly the Rev. Mr. Gardeman; and lived to be 96,
dying 1757.]
JULY 4, 1664. This day the King and the Queenes went to visit my
Lord Sandwich and the fleet, going forth in the Hope.
7th. The King is pretty well to-day, though let blood the night
before yesterday.
10th. My Lady Sandwich showed us my Lady Castlemaine's picture,
finely done: given my Lord; and a most beautiful picture it is.
[There is a beautiful portrait of Lady Castlemaine in the dining-
room at Hinchingbroke.]
14th. To my Lord's. He did begin with a most solemn profession
of the same confidence in and love for me that he ever had, and
then told me what a misfortune was fallen upon me and him: in
me, by a displeasure which my Lord Chancellor did show to him
last night against me, in the highest and most passionate manner
that ever any man did speak, even to the not hearing of anything
to be said to him: but he told me, that he did say all that
could be said for a man as to my faithfullnesse and duty to his
Lordship, and did me the greatest right imaginable. And what
should the business be, but that I should be forward to have the
trees in Clarendon Park marked and cut down, [Near Salisbury,
granted by Edward VI. to Sir W. Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, for
two lives, which term ended in 1601, when it reverted to the
Crown, and was conferred on the Duke of Albemarle, whose family,
as I imagine, got back the estate after Lord Clarendon's fall;
for, according to Britton, Clarendon Park was alienated by
Christopher, second Duke of Albemarle, to the Earl of Bath, from
whom it passed, by purchase, to Mr. Bathurst, the ancestor of the
present possessor.] which he, it seems, hath bought of my Lord
Albemarle; when, God knows! I am the most innocent man in the
world in it, and did nothing of myself, nor knew of his
concernment therein, but barely obeyed my Lord Treasurer's
warrant for the doing thereof. And said that I did most
ungentlemanly-like with him, and had justified the rogues in
cutting down a tree of his; and that I had sent the veriest
Fanatique that is in England to mark them, on purpose to nose
him. All which, I did assure my Lord, was most properly false,
and nothing like it true; and told my Lord the whole passage. My
Lord do seem most nearly affected with him; partly, I believe,
for me, and partly for himself. So he advised me to wait
presently upon my Lord, and clear myself in the most perfect
manner I could, with all submission and assurance that I am his
creature both in this and all other things: and that I do own
that all I have, is derived through my Lord Sandwich from his
Lordship. So, full of horror I went, and found him busy in
trials of law in his great room; and it being Sitting-day, durst
not stay, but went to my Lord and told him so: whereupon he
directed me to take him after dinner: and so away I home,
leaving my Lord mightily concerned for me. So I to my Lord
Chancellor's; and there coming out after dinner I accosted him,
telling him that I was the unhappy Pepys that had fallen into his
high displeasure, and come to desire him to give me leave to make
myself better understood to his Lordship, assuring him of my duty
and service. He answered me very pleasingly, that he was
confident upon the score of my Lord Sandwich's character of me,
but that he had reason to think what he did, and desired me to
call upon him some evening: I named to-night, and he accepted of
it. To my Lord Chancellor's, and there heard several trials,
wherein I perceive my Lord is a most able and ready man. After
all done, he himself called, "Come, Mr. Pepys, you and I will
take a turn in the garden." So he was led down stairs, having
the goute, and there walked with me, I think, above an hour,
talking most friendly, yet cunningly. I told him clearly how
things were; how ignorant I was of his Lordship's concernment in
it; how I did not do nor say one word singly, but what was done
was the act of the whole Board. He told me by name that he was
more angry with Sir G. Carteret than with me, and also with the
whole body of the Board. But thinking who it was of the Board
that did know him least, he did place his fear upon me: but he
finds that he is indebted to none of his friends there. I think
I did thoroughly appease him, till he thanked me for my desire
and pains to satisfy him; and upon my desiring to be directed who
I should of his servants advise with about this business, he told
me nobody, but would be glad to hear from me himself. He told me
he would not direct me in anything, that it might not be said
that the Lord Chancellor did labour to abuse the King; or (as I
offered) direct the suspending the Report of the Purveyors: but
I see what he means, and will make it my work to do him service
in it. But, Lord! to see how he is incensed against poor Deane,
as a fanatick rogue, and I know not what: and what he did was
done in spite to his Lordship, among an his friends and tenants,
He did plainly say that he would not direct me in any thing, for
he would not put himself into the power of any man to say that he
did so and so; but plainly told me as if he would be glad I did
something. Lord! to see how we poor wretches dare not do the
King good service for fear of the greatness of these men. He
named Sir G. Carteret, and Sir J. Minnes, and the rest; and that
he was as angry with them all as me. But it was pleasant to
think that, while he was talking to me, comes into the garden Sir
G. Carteret; and my Lord avoided speaking with him, and made him
and many others stay expecting him; while I walked up and down
above an hour, I think and would have me walk with my hat on.
And yet, after all, there has been so little ground for his
jealousy of me, that I am sometimes afraid that he do this only
in policy to bring me to his side by scaring me; or else, which
is worse, to try how faithfull I would be to the King; but I
rather think the former of the two. I parted with great
assurance how I acknowledged all I had to come from his Lordship;
which he did not seem to refuse, but with great kindness and
respect parted.
15th. Up, and to my Lord Sandwich's; where he sent for me up,
and I did give my Lord an account of what had passed with my Lord
Chancellor yesterday; with which he was pleased, and advised me
by all means to study in the best manner I could to serve him in
this business. After this discourse ended, he began to tell me
that he had now pitched upon his day of going to sea upon Monday
next, and that he would now give me an account how matters are
with him. He told me that his work now in the world is only to
keep up his interest at Court, having little hopes to get more
considerably, he saying that he hath now about 8000l. per annum.
It is true, be says, he oweth about 10,000l.; but he hath been at
great charges in getting things to this pass in his estate;
besides his building and good goods that he hath bought. He says
that he hath now evened his reckonings at the Wardrobe till
Michaelmas last, and hopes to finish it to Lady-day before he
goes. He says now there is due, too, 7000l. to him there, if he
knew how to get it paid, besides 2000l. that Mr. Montagu do owe
him. As to his interest, he says that he hath had all the injury
done him that ever man could have by another bosom friend that
knows all his secrets, by Mr. Montagu: but he says that the
worst of it all is past, and he gone out and hated, his very
person by the King, and he believes the more upon the score of
his carriage to him; nay, that the Duke of York did say a little
while since in his closet, that he did hate him because of his
ungrateful carriage to my Lord of Sandwich. He says that he is
as great with the Chancellor, or greater, than ever in his life.
That with the King he is the like; and told me an instance, that
whereas he formerly was of the private council to the King before
he was last sick, and that by the sickness an interruption was
made in his attendance upon him; the King did not constantly call
him as he used to do to his private council, only in businesses
of the sea and the like; but of late the King did send a message
to him by Sir Harry Bennet, to excuse the King to my Lord that he
had not of late sent for him as he used to do to his private
council, for it was not out of any distaste, but to avoid giving
offence to some others whom he did not name; but my Lord supposes
it might be Prince Rupert, or it may be only that the King would
rather pass it by an excuse, than be thought unkind; but that now
he did desire him to attend him constantly, which of late he hath
done, and the King never more kind to him in his life than now.
The Duke of York, as much as is possible; and in the business of
late, when I was to speak to my Lord about his going to sea, he
says that he finds the Duke did it with the greatest ingenuity
and love in the world: "and whereas," says my Lord, "here is a
wise man hard by that thinks himself so, and it may be is in a
degree so, (naming by and by my Lord Crewe,) would have had me
condition with him that neither Prince Rupert nor any body should
come over his head, and I know not what." The Duke himself hath
caused in his commission, that he be made Admirall of this and
what other ships or fleets shall hereafter be put out after
these; which is very noble. He tells me in these cases, and that
of Mr. Montagu's, and all others, he finds that bearing of them
patiently is the best way, without noise or trouble, and things
wear out of themselves and come fair again. But says he takes it
from me, never to trust too much to any man in the world, for you
put yourself into his power; and the best seeming friend and real
friend as to the present may have or take occasion to fall out
with you, and then out comes all. Then he told me of Sir Harry
Bennet, though they were always kind, yet now it is become to an
acquaintance and familiarity above ordinary, that for these
months he hath done no business but with my Lord's advice in his
chamber, and promises all faithfull love to him and service upon
all occasions. My Lord says, that he hath the advantage of being
able by his experience to help out and advise him; and he
believes that that chiefly do invite Sir Harry to this manner of
treating him. "Now," says my Lord, "the only and the greatest
embarras that I have in the world is, how to behave myself to Sir
H. Bennet and my Lord Chancellor, in case that there do lie any
thing under the embers about my Lord Bristoll, which nobody can
tell; for then," says he, "I must appear for one or other, and I
will lose all I have in the world rather than desert my Lord
Chancellor: so that," says he, "I know not for my life what to
do in that case." For Sir H. Bennet's love is come to the
height, and his confidence, that he hath given my lord a
character, [A cypher.] and will oblige my Lord to correspond
with him. "This," says he, "is the whole condition of my estate
and interest; which I tell you, because I know not whether I
shall see you again or no." Then as to the voyage, he thinks it
will be of charge to him, and no profit; but that he must not now
look after nor think to encrease, but study to make good what he
hath, that what is due to him from the Wardrobe or elsewhere may
be paid, which otherwise would fail, and all a man hath be but
small content to him. So we seemed to take leave one of another;
my Lord of me, desiring me that I would write to him and give him
information upon all occasions in matters that concern him;
which, put together with what he preambled with yesterday, makes
me think that my Lord do truly esteem me still, and desires to
preserve my service to him; which I do bless God for. In the
middle of our discourse my Lady Crewe come in to bring my Lord
word that he hath another son, my Lady being brought to bed just
now, for which God be praised! and send my Lord to study the
laying up of something the more! Thence with Creed to St.
James's, and missing Mr. Coventry, to White Hall; where, staying
for him in one of the galleries, there comes out of the
chayre-roome Mrs. Stewart in a most lovely form, with her hair
all about her eares, having her picture taken there. There was
the King and twenty more I think, standing by all the while, and
a lovely creature she in the dress seemed to be.
18th. Sir G. Cateret and I did talk together in the Parke about
my Lord Chancellor's business of the timber; he telling me freely
that my Lord Chancellor was never so angry with him in all his
life, as he was for this business, and in a great passion; and
that when he saw me there, he knew what it was about. And plots
now with me how we may serve my Lord, which I am mightily glad
of; and I hope together we may do it. Thence I to my Lord
Chancellor, and discoursed his business with him. I perceive,
and he says plainly,that he will not have any man to have it in
his power to say that my Lord Chancellor did contrive the
wronging the King of his timber; but yet I perceive, he would be
glad to have service done him therein; and told me Sir G.
Carteret hath told him that he and I would look after his
business to see it done in the best manner for him.
20th. With Mr. Deane, discoursing upon the business of my Lord
Chancellor's timber, in Clarendon Park, and how to make a report
therein without offending him; which at last I drew up, and hope
it will please him. But I would to God neither I nor he ever had
any thing to have done with it! To White Hall, to the Committee
for Fishing; but nothing done, it being a great day to-day there
upon drawing at the Lottery of Sir Arthur Slingsby. [Evelyn says
this Lottery was a shameful imposition.] I got in and stood by
the two Queenes and the Duchesse of York, and just behind my Lady
Castlemaine, whom I do heartily admire; and good sport to see how
most that did give their ten pounds did go away with a pair of
globes only for their lot, and one gentlewoman, one Mrs. Fish,
with the only blanke. And one I staid to see draw a suit of
hangings valued at 430l. and they say are well worth the money,
or near it. One other suit there is better than that; but very
many lots of three and four-score pounds. I observed the King
and Queene did get but as poor lots as any else. But the wisest
man I met with was Mr. Cholmley, who insured as many as would,
from drawing of the one blank for 12d.; in which case there was
the whole number of persons to one, which I think was three or
four hundred. And so he insured about 200 for 200 shillings, so
that he could not have lost if one of them had drawn it for there
was enough to pay the 10l. but it happened another drew it, and
so he got all the money he took.
25th. Met with a printed copy of the King's commission for the
repairs of Paul's, which is very large, and large power for
collecting money, and recovering of all people that had bought or
sold formerly any thing belonging to the Church. No news, only
the plague is very hot still, and encreases among the Dutch.
26th. Great discourse of the fray yesterday in Moorefields, how
the butchers at first did beat the weavers, (between whom there
hath been ever an old competition for mastery,) but at last the
weavers rallied and beat them. At first the butchers knocked
down all for weavers that had green or blue aprons, till they
were fain to pull them off and put them in their breeches. At
last the butchers were fain to pull off their sleeves, that they
might not be known, and were roundly beaten out of the field, and
some deeply wounded and bruised; till at last the weavers went
out tryumphing, calling 100l. for a butcher.
28th. I am overjoyed in hopes that upon this month's account I
shall find myself worth 1000l. besides the rich present of two
silver and gilt flaggons, which Mr. Gauden did give me the other
day. My Lord Sandwich newly gone to sea, and he did before his
going, and by his letter since, show me all manner of respect and
confidence.
30th. To the 'Change, where great talk of a rich present brought
by an East India ship from some of the Princes of India, worth to
the King 70,000l. in two precious stones.
AUGUST 1, 1664. To the Coffee-house, and there all the house
full of the victory Generall Soushe (who is a Frenchman, a
soldier of fortune, commanding part of the German army) hath had
against the Turke; killing 4000 men, and taking most
extraordinary spoil.
2nd. To the King's play-house, and there saw "Bartholomew
Fayre;" which do still please me; and is, as it is acted, the
best comedy in the world, I believe. I chanced to sit by Tom
Killigrew, who tells me that he is setting up a nursery; that is,
is going to build a house in Moorefields, wherein he will have
common plays acted. But four operas it shall have in the year,
to act six weeks at a time: where we shall have the best scenes
and machines, the best musique, and everything as magnificent as
is in Christendome; and to that end hath sent for voices and
painters and other persons from Italy. Thence homeward called
upon my Lord Marlborough.
4th. To a play at the King's house, "The Rivall Ladys," [A
Tragedy by Dryden.] a very innocent and meet pretty witty play.
I was much pleased with it, and it being given me, [His companion
paid for him.] I look upon it as no breach of my oath. Here we
hear that Clun, one of their best actors, was, the last night,
going out of towne (after he had acted the Alchymist, wherein was
one of his best parts that he acts) to his country-house, set
upon and murdered; one of the rogues taken, an Irish fellow. It
seems most cruelly butchered and bound. The house will have a
great miss of him. Thence visited my Lady Sandwich, who tells me
my Lord FitzHarding is to be made a Marquis.
5th. About ten o'clock I dressed myself, and so mounted upon a
very pretty mare, sent me by Sir W. Warren, according to his
promise yesterday. And so through the City, not a little proud,
God knows, to be seen upon so pretty a beast, and to my cosen W.
Joyce's, who presently mounted too, and he and I out of towne
toward Highgate; in the way, at Kentish-towne, he showing me the
place and manner of Clun's being killed and laid in a ditch, and
yet was not killed by any wounds, having only one in his arm, but
bled to death through his struggling. He told me, also, the
manner of it, of his going home so late drinking with his
mistress, and manner of having it found out.
7th. I saw several poor creatures carried by, by constables, for
being at a conventicle. They go like lambs, without any
resistance. I would to God they would either conform, or be more
wise, and not be catched,'
9th. This day come the news that the Emperour hath beat, the
Turke: killed the Grand Vizier and several great Bassas, with an
army of 80,000 men killed and routed; with some considerable loss
of his own side, having lost three generals, and the French
forces all cut off almost. Which is thought as good a service to
the Emperour as beating the Turke almost.
10th. Abroad to find out one to engrave my tables upon my new
sliding rule with silver plates, it being so small that Browne
that made it cannot get one to do it. So I got Cocker, [Edward
Cocker, the well known writing-master and arithmetician. Ob.
circ. 1679.] the famous writing-master, to do it, and I set an
hour by him to see him design it all: and strange it is to see
him with his natural eyes to cut so small at his first designing
it, and read it all over, without any missing, when for my life I
could not, with my best skill, read one word, or letter of it;
but it is use. He says that the best light for his life to do a
very small thing by, (contrary to Chaucer's words to the Sun,
"that he should lend his light to them that small seals grave,")
it should be by an artificial light of a candle, set to
advantage, as he could do it. I find the fellow, by his
discourse, very ingenious: and among other things, a great
admirer and well read in the English poets, and undertakes to
judge of them all, and that not impertinently.
11th. Comes Cocker with my rule, which he hath engraved to
admiration, for goodness and smallness of work: it cost me 14s.
the doing. This day, for a wager before the King, my Lords of
Castlehaven and Arran, (a son of my Lord of Ormond's) they two
alone did run down and kill a stoute bucke in St. James's parke.
13th. To the new play, at the Duke's house, of "Henry the
Fifth;" a most noble play, writ by my Lord Orrery; wherein
Betterton, Harris, and Ianthe's parts most incomparably wrote and
done, and the whole play the most full of height and raptures of
wit and sense, that ever I heard; having but one incongruity,
that King Harry promises to plead for Tudor to their mistress,
Princesse Katherine of France, more than when it comes to it he
seems to do; and Tudor refused by her with some kind of
indignity, not with a difficulty and honour that it ought to have
been done in to him.
15th. With Sir J. Minnes, he talking of his cures abroad, while
he was with the King as a doctor. And among others, Sir J.
Benham he told me he had cured to a miracle. At Charing Cross,
and there saw the great Dutchman that is come over, under whose
arm I went with my hat on, and could not reach higher than his
eyebrowes with, the tip of my fingers. He is a comely and well-
made man, and his wife a very little but pretty comely Dutch
woman.
16th. Wakened about two o'clock this morning with a noise of
thunder, which lasted for an hour, with such continued
lightnings, not flashes, but flames, that all the sky and ayre
was light; and that for a great while, not a minute's space
between new flames all the time: such a thing as I never did
see, nor could have believed had even been in nature. And being
put into a great sweat with it, could not sleep till all was
over. And that accompanied with such a storm of rain as I never
heard in my life. I expected to find my house in the morning
overflowed; but I find not one drop of rain in my house, nor any
news of hurt done. Mr. Pierce tells me the King do still sup
every night with my Lady Castlemaine.
19th. The news of the Emperour's victory over the Turkes is by
some doubted, but by most confessed to be very small (though
great,) of what was talked, which was 80,000 men to be killed and
taken of the Turke's side.
20th. I walked to Cheapside to see the effect of a fire there
this morning, since four o'clock: which I find in the house of
Mr. Bois, that married Doctor Fuller's niece, who are both out of
town, leaving only a maid and man in town. It begun in their
house, and hath burned much and many houses backward, though none
forward; and that in the great uniform pile of buildings in the
middle of Cheapside. I am very sorry for them, for the Doctor's
sake. Thence to the 'Change, and so home to dinner. And thence
to Sir W. Batten's, whither Sir Richard Ford come, the Sheriffe,
who hath been at this fire all the while; and he tells me, upon
my question, that he and the Mayor [Sir John Robinson.] were
there, as it is their dutys to be, not only to keep the peace,
but they have power of commanding the pulling down of any house
or houses, to defend the City. By and by comes in the Common
Cryer of the City to speak with him; and when he was gone, says
he, "You may see by this man the constitution of the Magistracy
of this City; that this fellow's place, I dare give him (if he
will be true to me,) 1000l. for his profits every year, and
expect to get 500l. more to myself thereby. When," says he, "I
in myself am forced to spend many times as much."
26th. To see some pictures at one Hiseman's, [Huysman.] a
picture-drawer, a Dutchman, which is said to exceed Lilly, and
indeed there is both of the Queenes and Maids or honour
(particularly Mrs. Stewart's in a buff doublet like a soldier)
[Still to be seen at Kensington Palace.] as good pictures I
think as ever I saw. The Queene is drawn in one like a
shepherdess, in the other like St. Katharin, most like and most
admirably. I was mightily pleased with this sight indeed. Mr.
Pen, Sir William's son, is come back from France, and come to
visit my wife. A most modish person grown, she says a fine
gentleman.
27th. All the news this day is, that the Dutch are, with twenty-
two sail of ships of warr, crewsing up and down about Ostend: at
which we are alarmed. My Lord Sandwich is come back into the
Downes with only eight sail, which is or may be a prey to the
Dutch, if they knew our weakness and inability to set out any
more speedily.
31st. Prince Rupert I hear this day is to go to command this
fleet going to Guinny against the Dutch. I doubt few will be
pleased with his going, being accounted an unhappy man.
SEPTEMBER 5, 1664. With the Duke; where all our discourse of war
in the highest measure. Prince Rupert was with us; who is
fitting himself to go to sea in the Heneretta. And afterwards I
met him and Mr. Gray, and says he, "I can answer but for one
ship, and in that I will do my part; for it is not in that as in
the army, where a man can command every thing."
6th. This day Mr. Coventry did tell us how the Duke did receive
the Dutch Embassador the other day: by telling him that, whereas
they think us in jest, he believes that the Prince (Rupert) which
goes in this fleet to Guinny will soon tell them that we are in
earnest, and that he himself will do the like here, in the head
of the fleet here at home; and that he did not doubt to live to
see the Dutch as fearfull of provoking the English, under the
government of a King, as he remembers there to have been under
that of a Coquin.
11th. With Mr. Blagrave walking in the Abbey, he telling me the
whole government and discipline of White Hall Chapel, and the
caution now used against admitting any debauched persons.
12th. Up, and to my cosen Anthony Joyce's, and there took leave
of my aunt James, and both cosens, their wives, who are this day
going down to my father's by coach. I did give my aunt 20s., to
carry as a token to my mother, and 10s. to Poll. [His sister
Paulina.] With the Duke; and saw him with great pleasure play
with his little girle, like an ordinary private father of a
child.
19th. Dr. Pierce tells me (when I was wondering that Fraizer
should order things with the Prince in that confident manner,)
that Fraizer is so great with my Lady Castlemaine, and Stewart,
and all the ladies at Court, in helping to slip their calfes when
there is occasion, and with the great men in curing of them, that
he can do what he please with the King in spite of any man, and
upon the same score with the Prince; they all having more or less
occasion to make use of him.
22nd. Home to-bed; having got a strange cold in my head, by
flinging off my hat at dinner, and sitting with the wind in my
neck. [In Lord Clarendon's Essay on the decay of respect paid to
Age, he says, that in his younger days he never kept his hat on
before those older than himself, except at dinner.]
23rd. We were told to-day of a Dutch ship of 3 or 400 tons,
where all the men were dead of the plague, and the ship cast
ashore at Gottenburgh.
29th. Fresh newes come of our beating the Dutch at Guinny quite
out of all their castles almost, which will make them quite mad
here at home sure. and Sir G. Carteret did tell me, that the
King do joy mightily at it; but asked him laughing, "But," says
he, "how shall I do to answer this to the Embassador when he
comes?" Nay they say that we have beat them out of the New
Netherlands too; so that we have been doing them mischief for a
great while in several parts of the world, without publick
knowledge or reason. Their fleete for Guinny is now, they say,
ready, and abroad, and will be going this week.
OCTOBER 1, 1664. We go now on with vigour in preparing against
the Dutch; who, they say, will now fall upon us without doubt
upon this high news come of our beating them so wholly in Guinny.
2nd. After church I walked to my Lady Sandwich's, through my
Lord Southampton's new buildings in the fields behind Gray's Inn,
and, indeed, they are a very great and a noble work.
3rd. With Sir J. Minnes, by coach, to St. James's; and there all
the news now of very hot preparations for the Dutch: and being
with the Duke, he told us he was resolved to take a tripp
himself, and that Sir W. Pen should go in the same ship with him.
Which honour, God forgive me! I could grudge him, for his
knavery and dissimulation, though I do not envy much the having
the same place myself. Talk also of great haste in the getting
out another fleet, and building some ships; and now it is likely
we have put one another's dalliance past a retreate.
4th. After dinner to a play, to see "The Generall;" which is so
dull and so ill-acted, that I think it is the worst I ever saw or
heard in all my days. I happened to sit near to Sir Charles
Sedley: who I find a very witty man, and he did at every line
take notice of the dullness of the poet and badness of the
action, that most pertinently; which I was mightily taken with.
5th. To the Musique-meeting at the Post-office, where I was once
before. And thither anon come all the Gresham College, and a
great deal of noble company: and the new instrument was brought
called the Arched Viall, where being tuned with lute-strings, and
played on with kees like an organ, a piece of parchment is always
kept moving; and the strings, which by the kees are pressed down
upon it, are grated in imitation of a bow, by the parchment; and
so it is intended to resemble several vyalls played on with one
bow, but so basely and so harshly, that it will never do. But
after three hours' stay it could not be fixed in tune: and so
they were fain to go to some other musique of instruments. This
morning, by three o'clock, the Prince [Rupert.] and King, and
Duke with him, went down the River, and the Prince under sail
the next tide after, and so is gone from the Hope. God give him
better success than he used to have!
10th. This day, by the blessing of God, my wife and I have been
married nine years: but my head being full of business, I did
not think of it to keep it in any extraordinary manner. But
bless God for our long lives and loves and health together, which
the same God long continue, I wish, from my very heart!
11th. Luellin tells me what an obscene loose play this "Parson's
Wedding" [A comedy, by Thomas Killigrew.] is, that is acted by
nothing but women at the King's house. My wife tells me the sad
news of my Lady Castlemaine's being now become so decayed, that
one would not know her; at least far from a beauty, which I am
sorry for. This day with great joy Captain Titus told us the
particulars of the French's expedition against Gigery upon the
Barbary Coast, in the Straights, with 6000 chosen men. They have
taken the Fort of Gigery, wherein were five men and three guns,
which makes the whole story of the King of France's policy and
power to be laughed at.
12th. For news, all say De Ruyter is gone to Guinny before us.
Sir J. Lawson is come to Portsmouth; and our fleet is hastening
all speed: I mean this new fleet. Prince Rupert with his is got
into the Downes.
13th. In my way to Brampton in this day's journey I met with Mr.
White, Cromwell's chaplin that was, and had a great deal of
discourse with him. Among others, he tells me that Richard is,
and hath long been, in France, and is now going into Italy. He
owns publickly that he do correspond, and return him all his
money. That Richard hath been in some straits in the beginning;
but relieved by his friends. That he goes by another name, but
do not disguise himself, nor deny himself to any man that
challenges him. He tells me, for certain, that offers had been
made to the old man, of marriage between the King and his
daughter, to have obliged him, but he would not. He thinks (with
me) that it never was in his power to bring in the King with the
consent of any of his officers about him; and that he scorned to
bring him in as Monk did, to secure himself and deliver every
body else. When I told him of what; I found writ in a French
book of one Monsieur Sorbiere, [Samuel Sorbiere, who, after
studying divinity and medicine at Paris, travelled in different
parts of Europe, and published his Voyage into England, described
by Voltaire as a dull, scurrilous satyr upon a nation of which
the author knew nothing.] that gives an account of his
observations here in England; among other things he says, that it
is reported that Cromwell did, in his life-time, transpose many
of the bodies of the Kings of England from one grave to another,
and that by that means it is not known certainly whether the head
that is now set up upon a post be that of Cromwell, or of one of
the Kings; Mr. White tells me that be believes he never had so
poor a low thought in him to trouble himself about it. He says
the hand of God is much to be seen; that all his children are in
good condition enough as to estate, and that their relations that
betrayed their family are all now either hanged or very
miserable.
15th. My father and I up and walked alone to Hinchingbroke; and
among the late chargeable works that my Lord hath done there, we
saw his water-works, which are very fine; and so is the house all
over, but I am sorry to think of the money at this time spent
therein.
16th (Lord's day). It raining, we set out betimes, and about
nine o'clock got to Hatfield in church-time; and I light and saw
my simple Lord Salsbury sit there in the gallery.
18th. At Somerset-House I saw the Queene's new rooms, which are
most stately and nobly furnished; and there I saw her and the
Duke of York and Duchesse. The Duke espied me, and come to me,
and talked with me a very great while.
24th. Into the galleries at White Hall to talk with my Lord
Sandwich; among other things, about the Prince's writing up to
tell us of the danger he and his fleet lie in at Portsmouth, of
receiving affronts from the Dutch; which, my Lord said, he would
never have done, had he lain there with one ship alone: nor is
there any great reason for it, because of the sands. However,
the fleet will be ordered to go and lay themselves up at the
Cowes. Much beneath the prowesse of the Prince, I think, and the
honour of the nation, at the first to be found to secure
themselves. My Lord is well pleased to think, that, if the Duke
and the Prince go, all the blame of any miscarriage will not
light on him: and that if any thing goes well, he hopes he shall
have the share of the glory, for the Prince is by no means well
esteemed of by any body. This day the great O'Neale died; I
believe, to the content of all the Protestant pretenders in
Ireland.
26th. At Woolwich; I there up to the King and Duke. Here I
staid above with them while the ship was launched, which was done
with great success, and the King did very much like the ship,
saying, she had the best bow that ever he saw. But Lord! the
sorry talk and discourse among the great courtiers round about
him, without any reverence in the world, but with so much
disorder. By and by the Queene comes and her Maids of Honour;
one whereof, Mrs. Boynton, [Daughter of Matthew, second son to
Sir Matthew Boynton, Bart., of Barnston, Yorkshire. She became
the first wife of Richard Talbot, afterwards Duke of Tyrconnel.]
and the Duchesse of Buckingham had been very sick coming by water
in the barge, (the water being very rough); but what silly sport
they made with them in very common terms, methought, was very
poor, and below what people think these great people say and do.
The launching being done, the King and company went down to take
barge; and I sent for Mr. Pett, [He had built the ship.] and put
the flaggon into the Duke's hand, and he, in the presence of the
King, did give it Mr. Pett, taking it upon his knee. The City
did last night very freely lend the King 100,000l. without any
security but the King's word, which was very noble.
29th. All the talk is that De Ruyter is come over-land home with
six or eight of his captaines to command here at home, and their
ships kept abroad in the Straights: which sounds as if they had
a mind to do something with us.
31st. This day I hear young Mr. Stanly, a brave young gentleman,
that went out with young Jermin, with Prince Rupert, is already
dead of the small-pox, at Portsmouth. All preparations against
the Dutch; and the Duke of York fitting himself with all speed to
go to the fleet which is hastening for him; being now resolved to
go in the Charles.
NOVEMBER 5, 1664. To the Duke's house to see "Macbeth," a pretty
good play, but admirably acted. Thence home; the coach being
forced to go round by London Wall home, because of the bonfires;
the day being mightily observed in the City.
8th. At noon, I and Sir J. Minnes and Lord Barkeley (who with
Sir J. Duncum, [M.P. for Bury St. Edmunds.] and Mr. Chichly, are
made Masters of the Ordnance), to the office of the Ordnance, to
discourse about wadding for guns. Thence to dinner, all of us to
the Lieutenant's of the Tower; where a good dinner, but disturbed
in the middle of it by the King's coming into the Tower: and so
we broke up, and to him, and went up and down the store-houses
and magazines; which are, with the addition of the new great
storehouse, a noble sight.
9th. To White Hall, and there the King being in his Cabinet
Council (I desiring to speak with Sir G. Carteret,) I was called
in, and demanded by the King himself many questions, to which I
did give him full answers. There were at this Council my Lord
Chancellor, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, the two
Secretarys, and Sir G. Carteret. Not a little contented at this
chance of being made known to these persons, and called often by
my name by the King. The Duke of York is this day gone away to
Portsmouth.
11th. A gentleman told us he saw the other day, (and did bring
the draught of it to Sir Francis Prigeon,) a monster born of an
hostler's wife at Salsbury, two women children perfectly made,
joyned at the lower part of their bellies, and every part perfect
as two bodies, and only one payre of legs coming forth on one
side from the middle where they were joined. It was alive 24
hours, and cried and did as all hopefull children do; but, being
showed too much to people, was killed. To the Council at White
Hall, where a great many lords: Annesly in the chair. But,
Lord! to see what work they will make us, and what trouble we
shall have to inform men in a business they are to begin to know,
when the greatest of our hurry is, is a thing to be lamented; and
I fear the consequence will be bad to us. Put on my new shaggy
purple gown with gold buttons and loop lace.
14th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, to the Lords of
the Admiralty, and there did our business betimes. Thence to Sir
Philip Warwick about Navy business: and my Lord Ashly; and
afterwards to my Lord Chancellor, who is very well pleased with
me, and my carrying of his business. And so to the 'Change,
where mighty busy; and so home to dinner, where Mr. Creed and
Moore: and after dinner I to my Lord Treasurer's, to Sir Philip
Warwick there, and then to White Hall, to the Duke of Albemarle,
about Tangier; and then homeward to the Coffee-house to hear
news. And it seems the Dutch, as I afterwards found by Mr.
Coventry's letters, have stopped a ship of masts of Sir W.
Warren's, coming for us in a Swede's ship, which they will not
release upon Sir G. Downing's claiming her: which appears as the
first act of hostility; and is looked upon as so by Mr. Coventry.
The Elias, coming from New England (Captain Hill, commander,) is
sunk; only the captain and a few men saved. She foundered in the
sea.
21st. This day for certain news is come that Teddiman hath
brought in eighteen or twenty Dutchmen, merchants, their
Bourdeaux fleet and two men of warr to Portsmouth. And I had
letters this afternoon, that three are brought into the Downes
and Dover: so that the warr is begun: God give a good end to
it!
22nd. To my Lord Treasurer's; where with Sir Philip Warwick,
studying all we could to make the last year swell as high as we
could. And it is much to see how he do study for the King, to do
it to get all the money from the Parliament he can: and I shall
be serviceable to him therein, to help him to heads upon which to
enlarge the report of the expence. He did observe to me how
obedient this Parliament was for a while, and the last Session
how they began to differ, and to carp at the King's officers; and
what they will do now, he says, is to make agreement for the
money, for there is no guess to be made of it. He told me he was
prepared to convince the Parliament that the Subsidys are a most
ridiculous tax (the four last not rising to 40,000l.) and
unequall. He talks of a tax of assessment of 70,000l. for five
years; the people to be secured that it shall continue no longer
than there is really a warr; and the charges thereof to be paid.
He told me, that one year of the late Dutch war, cost 1,623,000l.
Thence to my Lord Chancellor's and there staid long with Sir W.
Batten, and Sir J. Minnes, to speak with my lord about our Prize
Office business; but, being sick and full of visitants, we could
not speak with him, and so away home. Where Sir Richard Ford did
meet us with letters from Holland this day, that it is likely the
Dutch fleet will not come out this year; they have not victuals
to keep them out, and it is likely they will be frozen before
they can get back. Captain Cocke is made Steward for sick and
wounded seamen.
23rd. Sir G. Carteret was here this afternoon; and strange to
see how we plot to make the charge of this war to appear greater
than it is, because of getting money.
25th. At my office all the morning, to prepare an account of the
charge we have been put to extraordinary by the Dutch already;
and I have brought it to appear 852,700l.: but God knows this is
only a scare to the Parliament, to make them give the more money.
Thence to the Parliament House, and there did give it to Sir
Philip Warwick; the House being hot upon giving the King a supply
of money. Mr. Jenings tells me the mean manner that Sir Samuel
Morland lives near him, in a house he hath bought and laid out
money upon, in all to the value of 1200l.; but is believed to be
a beggar. At Sir W. Batten's I hear that the House have given
the King 2,500,000l. to be paid for this war, only for the Navy,
in three years' time: which is a joyful thing to all the King's
party I see, but was much opposed by Mr. Vaughan and others, that
it should be so much.
28th. Certain news of our peace made by Captain Allen with
Argier; and that the Dutch have sent part of their fleet round by
Scotland; and resolve to pay off the rest half-pay, promising the
rest in the spring, hereby keeping their men. But how true this,
I know not.
DECEMBER 3, 1664. The Duke of York is expected to-night with
great joy from Portsmouth, after his having been abroad at sea,
three or four days with the fleet; and the Dutch are all drawn
into their harbours. But it seems like a victory: and a matter
of some reputation to us it is, and blemish to them; but in no
degree like what it is esteemed at, the weather requiring them to
do so.
5th. Up, and to White Hall with Sir J. Minnes; and there, among
an infinite crowd of great persons, did kiss the Duke's hand; but
had no time to discourse.
6th. To the Old Exchange, and there hear that the Dutch are
fitting their ships out again, which puts us to new discourse,
and to alter our thoughts of the Dutch, as to their want of
courage or force.
15th. It seems, of all mankind there is no man so led by another
as the Duke is by Lord Muskerry [Eldest son of the Earl of
Cloncarty. He had served with distinction in Flanders, as
colonel of an infantry regiment, and was killed on board the Duke
of York's ship, in the sea fight, 1665.] and this FitzHarding.
Insomuch, as when, the King would have him to be Privy-Purse, the
Duke wept, and said, "But, Sir, I must have your promise, if you
will have my dear Charles from me, that if ever you have an
occasion for an army again, I may have him with me; believing him
to be the best commander of an army in the world." But Mr.
Cholmly thinks, as all other men I meet with do, that he is a
very ordinary fellow. It is strange how the Duke also do love
naturally, and affect the Irish above the English. He, of the
company he carried with him to sea, took above two thirds Irish
and French. He tells me the King do hate my Lord Chancellor; and
that they, that is the King and Lord FitzHarding, do laugh at him
for a dull fellow; and in all this business of the Dutch war do
nothing by his advice, hardly consulting him. Only he is a good
minister in other respects, and the King cannot be without him;
but, above all, being the Duke's father-in-law, he is kept in;
otherwise FitzHarding were able to fling down two of him. This,
all the wise and grave lords see, and cannot help it; but yield
to it. But he bemoans what the end of it may be, the King being
ruled by these men, as he hath been all along since his coming to
the rasing all the strong-holds in Scotland, and giving liberty
to the Irish in Ireland, whom Cromwell had settled all in one
corner; who are now able, and it is feared every day a massacre
beginning among them.
17th. Mighty talk there is of this Comet that is seen a'nights;
and the King and Queene did sit up last night to see it, and did,
it seems. And to-night I thought to have done so too; but it is
cloudy, and so no stars appear. But I will endeavour it. Mr.
Gray did tell me to-night, for certain, that the Dutch, as high
as they seem, do begin to buckle; and that one man in this
kingdom did tell the King that he is offered 40,000l. to make a
peace, and others have been offered money also. It seems the
taking of their Bourdeaux fleet thus, arose from a printed
Gazette of the Dutch's boasting of fighting, and having beaten
the English: in confidence whereof, (it coming to Bourdeaux,)
all the fleet comes out, and so falls into our hands.
19th. With Sir J. Minnes to White Hall, and there we waited on
the Duke. And among other things Mr. Coventry took occasion to
vindicate himself before the Duke and us, being ill there, about
the choosing of Taylor for Harwich. [Silas Taylor, Storekeeper
at Harwich.] Upon which the Duke did clear him, and did tell us
that he did expect, that, after he had named a man, none of us
shall then oppose or find fault with the man; but if we had any
thing to say, we ought to say it before he had chose him. Sir G.
Carteret thought himself concerned, and endeavoured to clear
himself: and by and by Sir W. Batten did speak, knowing himself
guilty, and did confess, that being pressed by the Council he did
say what he did, that he was accounted a fanatique; but did not
know that at that time he had been appointed by his Royal
Highness. To which the Duke: that it was impossible but he must
know that he had appointed him; and so it did appear that the
Duke did mean all this while Sir W. Batten.
21st. My Lord Sandwich this day writes me word that he hath seen
(at Portsmouth) the Comet, and says it is the most extraordinary
thing he ever saw.
22nd. Met with a copy of verses, mightily commended by some
gentlemen there, of my Lord Mordaunt's, [Vide Note, Nov. 26,
1666.] in excuse of his going to sea this late expedition, with
the Duke of York. But Lord! they are sorry things; only a Lord
made them. Thence to the 'Change; and there, among the
merchants, I hear fully the news of our being beaten to dirt at
Guinny, by De Ruyter with his fleet. The particulars, as much as
by Sir G. Carteret afterwards I heard, I have said in a letter to
my Lord Sandwich this day at Portsmouth; it being meet wholly to
the utter ruine of our Royall Company, and reproach and shame to
the whole nation, as well as justification to them in their doing
wrong to no man as to his private property, only taking whatever
is found to belong to the Company, and nothing else. To
Redriffe; and just in time within two minutes, and saw the new
vessel of Sir William Petty's launched, the King and Duke being
there. It swims and looks finely, and I believe will do well.
24th. At noon to the 'Change, to the Coffee-house; and there
heard Sir Richard Ford tell the whole story of our defeat at
Guinny. Wherein our men are guilty of the most horrid cowardice
and perfidiousness, as he says and tells it, that ever Englishmen
were. Captain Reynolds, that was the only commander of any of
the King's ships there, was shot at by De Ruyter, with a bloody
flag flying. He, instead of opposing (which, indeed, had been to
no purpose, but only to maintain honour) did poorly go on board
himself, to ask what De Ruyter would have; and so yield to
whatever Ruyter would desire. The King and Duke are highly vexed
at it, it seems, and the business deserves it. I saw the Comet,
which is now, whether worn away or no I know not, but appears not
with a tail, but only is larger and duller than any other star,
and is come to rise betimes, and to make a great arch, and is
gone quite to a new place in the heavens than it was before: but
I hope in a clearer night something more will be seen.
28th. To Sir W. Pen's to his Lady, [Margaret, daughter of John
Jasper, a merchant at Rotterdam.] who is a well-looked, fat,
short, old Dutch woman; but one that hath been heretofore pretty
handsome, and is I believe very discreet, and hath more wit than
her husband.
31st. Public matters are all in a hurry about a Dutch warr. Our
preparations great; our provocations against them great; and
after all our presumption, we are now afraid as much of them, as
we lately contemned them. Every thing else in the State quiet,
blessed be God! My Lord Sandwich at sea with the fleet at
Portsmouth; sending some about to cruise for taking of ships,
which we have done to a great number. This Christmas I judged it
fit to look over all my papers and books; and to tear all that I
found either boyish or not to be worth keeping, or fit to be
seen, if it should please God to take me away suddenly among
others, I found these two or three notes, which I thought fit to
keep.