office, where we sat, and after office home to dinner, being in
extraordinary pain. After dinner my pain increasing I was forced to go to
bed, and by and by my pain rose to be as great for an hour or two as ever
I remember it was in any fit of the stone, both in the lower part of my
belly and in my back also. No wind could I break. I took a glyster, but
it brought away but a little, and my height of pain followed it. At last
after two hours lying thus in most extraordinary anguish, crying and
roaring, I know not what, whether it was my great sweating that may do it,
but upon getting by chance, among my other tumblings, upon my knees, in
bed, my pain began to grow less and less, till in an hour after I was in
very little pain, but could break no wind, nor make any water, and so
continued, and slept well all night.
15th (Lord's day). Rose, and as I had intended without reference to this
pain, took physique, and it wrought well with me, my wife lying from me
to-night, the first time she did in the same house ever since we were
married, I think (unless while my father was in town, that he lay with
me). She took physique also to-day, and both of our physiques wrought
well, so we passed our time to-day, our physique having done working, with
some pleasure talking, but I was not well, for I could make no water yet,
but a drop or two with great pain, nor break any wind. In the evening
came Mr. Vernatty to see me and discourse about my Lord Peterborough's
business, and also my uncle Wight and Norbury, but I took no notice nor
showed any different countenance to my uncle Wight, or he to me, for all
that he carried himself so basely to my wife the last week, but will take
time to make my use of it. So, being exceeding hot, to bed, and slept
well.
16th. Forced to rise because of going to the Duke to St. James's, where
we did our usual business, and thence by invitation to Mr. Pierces the
chyrurgeon, where I saw his wife, whom I had not seen in many months
before. She holds her complexion still, but in everything else, even in
this her new house and the best rooms in it, and her closet which her
husband with some vainglory took me to show me, she continues the eeriest
slattern that ever I knew in my life. By and by we to see an experiment
of killing a dogg by letting opium into his hind leg. He and Dr. Clerke
did fail mightily in hitting the vein, and in effect did not do the
business after many trials; but with the little they got in, the dogg did
presently fall asleep, and so lay till we cut him up, and a little dogg
also, which they put it down his throate; he also staggered first, and
then fell asleep, and so continued. Whether he recovered or no, after I
was gone, I know not, but it is a strange and sudden effect. Thence
walked to Westminster Hall, where the King was expected to come to
prorogue the House, but it seems, afterwards I hear, he did not come. I
promised to go again to Mr. Pierce's, but my pain grew so great, besides a
bruise I got to-day in my right testicle, which now vexes me as much as
the other, that I was mighty melancholy, and so by coach home and there
took another glyster, but find little good by it, but by sitting still my
pain of my bruise went away, and so after supper to bed, my wife and I
having talked and concluded upon sending my father an offer of having Pall
come to us to be with us for her preferment, if by any means I can get her
a husband here, which, though it be some trouble to us, yet it will be
better than to have her stay there till nobody will have her and then be
flung upon my hands.
17th. Slept well all night and lay long, then rose and wrote my letter to
my father about Pall, as we had resolved last night. So to dinner and
then to the office, finding myself better than I was, and making a little
water, but not yet breaking any great store of wind, which I wonder at,
for I cannot be well till I do do it. After office home and to supper and
with good ease to bed, and endeavoured to tie my hands that I might not
lay them out of bed, by which I believe I have got cold, but I could not
endure it.
18th. Up and within all the morning, being willing to keep as much as I
could within doors, but receiving a very wakening letter from Mr. Coventry
about fitting of ships, which speaks something like to be done, I went
forth to the office, there to take order in things, and after dinner to
White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, but did little. So home again and
to Sir W. Pen, who, among other things of haste in this new order for
ships, is ordered to be gone presently to Portsmouth to look after the
work there. I staid to discourse with him, and so home to supper, where
upon a fine couple of pigeons, a good supper; and here I met a pretty
cabinet sent me by Mr. Shales, which I give my wife, the first of that
sort of goods I ever had yet, and very conveniently it comes for her
closett. I staid up late finding out the private boxes, but could not do
some of them, and so to bed, afraid that I have been too bold to-day in
venturing in the cold. This day I begun to drink butter-milke and whey,
and I hope to find great good by it.
19th. Up, and it being very rayny weather, which makes it cooler than it
was, by coach to Charing Cross with Sir W. Pen, who is going to Portsmouth
this day, and left him going to St. James's to take leave of the Duke, and
I to White Hall 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. Thence by coach home again, and all the morning
at the office, sat, and all the afternoon till 9 at night, being fallen
again to business, and I hope my health will give me leave to follow it.
So home to supper and to bed, finding myself pretty well. A pretty good
stool, which I impute to my whey to-day, and broke wind also.
20th. Up and to my office, whither by and by comes Mr. Cholmely, and
staying till the rest of the company come he told me how 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 seem great with
the Queene and it seems indeed had more of her eare than any 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 also say that he did give some affront to the Duke of Monmouth, which
the King himself did speak to him of. But strange it is that this man
should, from the greatest negligence in the world, come to be the miracle
of attendance, so as to take all offices from everybody, either men or
women, about the Queene. Insomuch that he was observed as a miracle, but
that which is the worst, that which in a wise manner performed [would]
turn to his greatest advantage, was by being so observed employed to his
greatest wrong, the world concluding that there must be something more
than ordinary to cause him to do this. 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. By and by comes Povy, Creed, and Vernatty, and so
to their accounts, wherein more trouble and vexation with Povy. That
being done, I sent them going and myself fell to business till dinner. So
home to dinner very pleasant. In the afternoon to my office, where busy
again, and by and by came a letter from my father so full of trouble for
discontents there between my mother and servants, and such troubles to my
father from hence from Cave that hath my brother's bastard that I know not
what in the world to do, but with great trouble, it growing night, spent
some time walking, and putting care as much as I could out of my head,
with my wife in the garden, and so home to supper and to bed.
21st. Up, called by Mr. Cholmely, and walked with him in the garden till
others came to another Committee of Tangier, as we did meet as we did use
to do, to see more of Povy's folly, and so broke up, and at the office sat
all the morning, Mr. Coventry with us, and very hot we are getting out
some ships. At noon to the 'Change, and there did some business, and
thence home to dinner, and so abroad with my wife by coach to the New
Exchange, and there laid out almost 40s. upon her, and so called to see my
Lady Sandwich, whom we found in her dining-room, which joyed us mightily;
but she looks very thin, poor woman, being mightily broke. She told us
that Mr. Montagu is to return to Court, as she hears, which I wonder at,
and do hardly believe. So home and to my office, where late, and so home
to supper and to bed.
22nd (Lord's day). Up and by water to White Hall to my Lord's lodgings,
and with him walked to White Hall without any great discourse, nor do I
find that he do mind business at all. Here the Duke of Yorke called me to
him, to ask me whether I did intend to go with him to Chatham or no. I
told him if he commanded, but I did believe there would be business here
for me, and so he told me then it would be better to stay, which I suppose
he will take better than if I had been forward to go. Thence, after
staying and seeing the throng of people to attend the King to Chappell
(but, Lord! what a company of sad, idle people they are) I walked to St.
James's with Colonell Remes, where staid a good while and then walked to
White Hall with Mr. Coventry, talking about business. So meeting Creed,
took him with me home and to dinner, a good dinner, and thence by water to
Woolwich, where mighty kindly received by Mrs. Falconer and her husband,
who is now pretty well again, this being the first time I ever carried my
wife thither. I walked to the Docke, where I met Mrs. Ackworth alone at
home, and God forgive me! what thoughts I had, but I had not the courage
to stay, but went to Mr. Pett's and walked up and down the yard with him
and Deane talking about the dispatch of the ships now in haste, and by and
by Creed and my wife and a friend of Mr. Falconer's came with the boat and
called me, and so by water to Deptford, where I landed, and after talking
with others walked to Half-way house with Mr. Wayth talking about the
business of his supplying us with canvas, and he told me in discourse
several instances of Sir W. Batten's cheats. So to Half-way house,
whither my wife and them were gone before, and after drinking there we
walked, and by water home, sending Creed and the other with the boat home.
Then wrote a letter to Mr. Coventry, and so a good supper of pease, the
first I eat this year, and so to bed.
23rd. Up and to the office, where Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and
myself met and did business, we being in a mighty hurry. The King is gone
down with the Duke and a great crew this morning by break of day to
Chatham. Towards noon I and my wife by water to Woolwich, leaving my wife
at Mr. Falconer's, and Mr. Hater and I with some officers of the yard on
board to see several ships how ready they are. Then to Mr. Falconer's to
a good dinner, having myself carried them a vessel of sturgeon and a
Lamprey pie, and then to the Yarde again, and among other things did at
Mr. Ackworth's obtain a demonstration of his being a knave; but I did not
discover it, till it be a little more seasonable. So back to the Ropeyard
and took my wife and Mr. Hater back, it raining mighty hard of a sudden,
but we with the tilt
[Tilt (A.S. teld) represents a tent or awning. It was used for a
cloth covering for a cart or waggon, or for a canopy or awning over
a portion of a boat.]
kept ourselves dry. So to Deptford, did some business there; but, Lord!
to see how in both places the King's business, if ever it should come to a
warr, is likely to be done, there not being a man that looks or speaks
like a man that will take pains, or use any forecast to serve the King, at
which I am heartily troubled. So home, it raining terribly, but we still
dry, and at the office late discoursing with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W.
Batten, who like a couple of sots receive all I say but to little purpose.
So late home to supper and to bed.
24th. Up and to the office, where Sir J. Minnes and I sat all the
morning, and after dinner thither again, and all the afternoon hard at the
office till night, and so tired home to supper and to bed. This day I
heard that my uncle Fenner is dead, which makes me a little sad, to see
with what speed a great many of my friends are gone, and more, I fear, for
my father's sake, are going.
25th. Took physique betimes and to sleep, then up, it working all the
morning. At noon dined, and in the afternoon in my chamber spending two
or three hours to look over some unpleasant letters and things of trouble
to answer my father in, about Tom's business and others, that vexed me,
but I did go through it and by that means eased my mind very much. This
afternoon also came Tom and Charles Pepys by my sending for, and received
of me L40 in part towards their L70 legacy of my uncle's. Spent the
evening talking with my wife, and so to bed.
26th. Up to the office, where we sat, and I had some high words with Sir
W. Batten about canvas, wherein I opposed him and all his experience,
about seams in the middle, and the profit of having many breadths and
narrow, which I opposed to good purpose, to the rejecting of the whole
business. At noon home to dinner, and thence took my wife by coach, and
she to my Lady Sandwich to see her. I to Tom Trice, to discourse about my
father's giving over his administration to my brother, and thence to Sir
R. Bernard, and there received L19 in money, and took up my father's bond
of L21, that is L40, in part of Piggot's L209 due to us, which L40 he pays
for 7 roods of meadow in Portholme. Thence to my wife, and carried her to
the Old Bayly, and there we were led to the Quest House, by the church,
where all the kindred were by themselves at the buriall of my uncle
Fenner; but, Lord! what a pitiful rout of people there was of them, but
very good service and great company the whole was. And so anon to church,
and a good sermon, and so home, having for ease put my L19 into W. Joyce's
hand, where I left it. So to supper and to bed, being in a little pain
from some cold got last night lying without anything upon my feet.
27th. Up, not without some pain by cold, which makes me mighty
melancholy, to think of the ill state of my health. To the office, where
busy till my brains ready to drop with variety of business, and vexed for
all that to see the service like to suffer by other people's neglect.
Vexed also at a letter from my father with two troublesome ones enclosed
from Cave and Noble, so that I know not what to do therein. At home to
dinner at noon. But to comfort my heart, Captain Taylor this day brought
me L20 he promised me for my assistance to him about his masts. After
dinner to the office again, and thence with Mr. Wayth to St. Catherine's
to see some variety of canvas's, which indeed was worth my seeing, but
only I was in some pain, and so took not the delight I should otherwise
have done. So home to the office, and there busy till late at night, and
so home to supper and to bed. This morning my taylor brought me a very
tall mayde to be my cook-mayde; she asked L5, but my wife offered her but
L3 10s.--whether she will take it or no I know not till to-morrow, but I
am afeard she will be over high for us, she having last been a chamber
mayde, and holds up her head, as my little girle Su observed.
28th. Up pretty well as to pain and wind, and to the office, where we sat
close and did much business. At noon I to the 'Change, and thence to Mr.
Cutler's, where I heard Sir W. Rider was, where I found them at dinner and
dined with them, he having yesterday and to-day a fit of a pain like the
gout, the first time he ever had it. A good dinner. Good discourse, Sir
W. Rider especially much fearing the issue of a Dutch warr, wherein I very
highly commend him. Thence home, and at the office a while, and then with
Mr. Deane to a second lesson upon my Shipwrightry, wherein I go on with
great pleasure. He being gone I to the office late, and so home to supper
and to bed. But, Lord! to see how my very going to the 'Change, and being
without my gowne, presently brought me wind and pain, till I came home and
was well again; but I am come to such a pass that I shall not know what to
do with myself, but I am apt to think that it is only my legs that I take
cold in from my having so long worn a gowne constantly.
29th (Whitsunday. King's Birth and Restauration day). Up, and having
received a letter last night desiring it from Mr. Coventry, I walked to
St. James's, and there he and I did long discourse together of the
business of the office, and the warr 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 L3,000 if true; that of the Guinny Company, all they had done us
did not amount to above L200 or L300 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 deale more
wrong to them. He do, as to the effect of the warr, 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. He seems to think that
there may be some negotiation which may hinder a warr this year, but that
he speaks doubtfully as unwilling I perceive to be thought to discourse
any such thing. The main thing he desired to speake with me about was, to
know whether I do understand my Lord Sandwich's intentions as to going to
sea with this fleete; saying, that the Duke, if he desires it, is most
willing to it; but thinking that twelve ships is not a fleete 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. He spoke this
with very great respect as to my Lord, though methinks it is strange they
should not understand one another better at this time than to need
another's mediation. Thence walked over the Parke to White Hall, Mr. Povy
with me, and was taken in a very great showre in the middle of the Parke
that we were very wet. So up into, the house and with him to the King's
closett, whither by and by the King came, my Lord Sandwich carrying the
sword. A Bishopp preached, but he speaking too low for me to hear behind
the King's closett, I went forth and walked and discoursed with Colonell
Reames, who seems a very willing man to be informed in his business of
canvas, which he is undertaking to strike in with us to serve the Navy.
By and by my Lord Sandwich came 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 on the
Queene's side; where I saw Mrs. Stewart, very fine and pretty, but far
beneath my Lady Castlemayne. Thence with Mr. Povy home to dinner; where
extraordinary cheer. And after dinner up and down to see his house. And
in a word, methinks, for his perspective upon his wall in his garden, and
the springs rising up with the perspective in the little closett; 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 his 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.
Thence walked home and found my uncle Wight and Mr. Rawlinson, who supped
with me. They being gone, I to bed, being in some pain from my being so
much abroad to-day, which is a most strange thing that in such warm
weather the least ayre should get cold and wind in me. I confess it makes
me mighty sad and out of all content in the world.
30th. Lay long, the bells ringing, it being holiday, and then up and all
the day long in my study at home studying of shipmaking with great content
till the evening, and then came Mr. Howe and sat and then supped with me.
He is a little conceited, but will make a discreet man. He being gone, a
little to my office, and then home to bed, being in much pain from
yesterday's being abroad, which is a consideration of mighty sorrow to me.