And so to see my Lord's picture at De Cretz, and he says it is very like
him, and I say so too. After that to Westminster Hall, and there hearing
that Sir W. Batten was at the Leg in the Palace, I went thither, and
there dined with him and some of the Trinity House men who had obtained
something to-day at the House of Lords concerning the Ballast Office.
After dinner I went by water to London to the Globe in Cornhill, and
there did choose two pictures to hang up in my house, which my wife
did not like when I came home, and so I sent the picture of Paris back
again. To the office, where we sat all the afternoon till night. So
home, and there came Mr. Beauchamp to me with the gilt tankard, and I
did pay him for it L20. So to my musique and sat up late at it, and so
to bed, leaving my wife to sit up till 2 o'clock that she may call the
wench up to wash.
20th. About two o'clock my wife wakes me, and comes to bed, and so both
to sleep and the wench to wash. I rose and with Will to my Lord's by
land, it being a very hard frost, the first we have had this year. There
I staid with my Lord and Mr. Shepley, looking over my Lord's accounts
and to set matters straight between him and Shepley, and he did commit
the viewing of these accounts to me, which was a great joy to me to see
that my Lord do look upon me as one to put trust in. Hence to the organ,
where Mr. Child and one Mr Mackworth (who plays finely upon the violin)
were playing, and so we played till dinner and then dined, where my Lord
in a very good humour and kind to me. After dinner to the Temple, where
I met Mr. Moore and discoursed with him about the business of putting
out my Lord's L3000, and that done, Mr. Shepley and I to the new
Play-house near Lincoln's-Inn-Fields (which was formerly Gibbon's
tennis-court), where the play of "Beggar's Bush" was newly begun; and so
we went in and saw it, it was well acted: and here I saw the first time
one Moone,
[Michael Mohun, or Moone, the celebrated actor, who had borne a
major's commission in the King's army. The period of his death is
uncertain, but he is known to have been dead in 1691. Downes
relates that an eminent poet [Lee] seeing him act Mithridates
"vented suddenly this saying: 'Oh, Mohun, Mohun, thou little man of
mettle, if I should write a 100, I'd write a part for thy mouth.'"
--Roscius Anglicanus, p. 17.]
who is said to be the best actor in the world, lately come over with the
King, and indeed it is the finest play-house, I believe, that ever was
in England. From thence, after a pot of ale with Mr. Shepley at a house
hard by, I went by link home, calling a little by the way at my father's
and my uncle Fenner's, where all pretty well, and so home, where I found
the house in a washing pickle, and my wife in a very joyful condition
when I told her that she is to see the Queen next Thursday, which puts
me in mind to say that this morning I found my Lord in bed late, he
having been with the King, Queen, and Princess, at the Cockpit
[The Cockpit at Whitehall. The plays at the Cockpit in Drury Lane
were acted in the afternoon.]
all night, where. General Monk treated them; and after supper a play,
where the King did put a great affront upon Singleton's' musique, he
bidding them stop and bade the French musique play, which, my Lord says,
do much outdo all ours. But while my Lord was rising, I went to Mr.
Fox's, and there did leave the gilt tankard for Mrs. Fox, and then to
the counting-house to him, who hath invited me and my wife to dine with
him on Thursday next, and so to see the Queen and Princesses.
21st. Lay long in bed. This morning my cozen Thomas Pepys, the turner,
sent me a cupp of lignum vitae
[A hard, compact, black-green wood, obtained from 'Guaiacum
offcinale', from which pestles, ship-blocks, rollers, castors, &c.,
are turned.]
for a token. This morning my wife and I went to Paternoster Row, and
there we bought some green watered moyre for a morning wastecoate. And
after that we went to Mr. Cade's' to choose some pictures for our house.
After that my wife went home, and I to Pope's Head, and bought me an
aggate hafted knife, which cost me 5s. So home to dinner, and so to the
office all the afternoon, and at night to my viallin (the first time
that I have played on it since I came to this house) in my dining room,
and afterwards to my lute there, and I took much pleasure to have the
neighbours come forth into the yard to hear me. So down to supper, and
sent for the barber, who staid so long with me that he was locked into
the house, and we were fain to call up Griffith, to let him out. So up
to bed, leaving my wife to wash herself, and to do other things against
to-morrow to go to court.
22d. This morning came the carpenters to make me a door at the other
side of my house, going into the entry, which I was much pleased with.
At noon my wife and I walked to the Old Exchange, and there she bought
her a white whisk
[A gorget or neckerchief worn by women at this time. "A woman's
neck whisk is used both plain and laced, and is called of most a
gorget or falling whisk, because it falleth about the shoulders."
--Randle Hohnt (quoted by Planche).]
and put it on, and I a pair of gloves, and so we took coach for
Whitehall to Mr. Fox's, where we found Mrs. Fox within, and an alderman
of London paying L1000 or L1500 in gold upon the table for the King,
which was the most gold that ever I saw together in my life. Mr. Fox
came in presently and did receive us with a great deal of respect; and
then did take my wife and I to the Queen's presence-chamber; where he
got my wife placed behind the Queen's chair, and I got into the crowd,
and by and by the Queen and the two Princesses came to dinner. The Queen
a very little plain old woman, and nothing more in her presence in any
respect nor garb than any ordinary woman. The Princess of Orange I had
often seen before. The Princess Henrietta is very pretty, but much below
my expectation; and her dressing of herself with her hair frized short
up to her ears, did make her seem so much the less to me. But my wife
standing near her with two or three black patches on, and well dressed,
did seem to me much handsomer than she. Dinner being done, we went to
Mr. Fox's again, where many gentlemen dined with us, and most princely
dinner, all provided for me and my friends, but I bringing none but
myself and wife, he did call the company to help to eat up so much good
victuals. At the end of dinner, my Lord Sandwich's health was drunk in
the gilt tankard that I did give to Mrs. Fox the other day. After dinner
I had notice given me by Will my man that my Lord did inquire for me,
so I went to find him, and met him and the Duke of York in a coach going
towards Charing Cross. I endeavoured to follow them but could not, so
I returned to Mr. Fox, and after much kindness and good discourse we
parted from thence. I took coach for my wife and me homewards, and I
light at the Maypole in the Strand, and sent my wife home. I to the new
playhouse and saw part of the "Traitor," a very good Tragedy; Mr. Moon
did act the Traitor very well. So to my Lord's, and sat there with my
Lady a great while talking. Among other things, she took occasion to
inquire (by Madame Dury's late discourse with her) how I did treat my
wife's father and mother. At which I did give her a good account, and
she seemed to be very well opinioned of my wife. From thence to White
Hall at about 9 at night, and there, with Laud the page that went with
me, we could not get out of Henry the Eighth's gallery into the further
part of the boarded gallery, where my Lord was walking with my Lord
Ormond; and we had a key of Sir S. Morland's, but all would not do; till
at last, by knocking, Mr. Harrison the door-keeper did open us the door,
and, after some talk with my Lord about getting a catch to carry my Lord
St. Albans a goods to France, I parted and went home on foot, it being
very late and dirty, and so weary to bed.
23rd. This morning standing looking upon the workmen doing of my new
door to my house, there comes Captain Straughan the Scot (to whom the
King has given half of the money that the two ships lately sold do
bring), and he would needs take me to the Dolphin, and give me a glass
of ale and a peck of oysters, he and I. He did talk much what he is able
to advise the King for good husbandry in his ships, as by ballasting
them with lead ore and many other tricks, but I do believe that he is a
knowing man in sea-business. Home and dined, and in the afternoon to the
office, where till late, and that being done Mr. Creed did come to speak
with me, and I took him to the Dolphin, where there was Mr. Pierce the
purser and his wife and some friends of theirs. So I did spend a crown
upon them behind the bar, they being akin to the people of the house,
and this being the house where Mr. Pierce was apprentice. After they
were gone Mr. Creed and I spent an hour in looking over the account
which he do intend to pass in our office for his lending moneys, which
I did advise about and approve or disapprove of as I saw cause. After
an hour being, serious at this we parted about 11 o'clock at night. So I
home and to bed, leaving my wife and the maid at their linen to get up.
24th. To my Lord's, where after I had done talking with him Mr.
Townsend, Rumball, Blackburn, Creed and Shepley and I to the Rhenish
winehouse, and there I did give them two quarts of Wormwood wine,
[Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is celebrated for its intensely
bitter, tonic, and stimulating qualities, which have caused it to be
used in various medicinal preparations, and also in the making of
liqueurs, as wormwood wine and creme d'absinthe.]
and so we broke up. So we parted, and I and Mr. Creed to Westminster
Hall and looked over a book or two, and so to my Lord's, where I dined
with my lady, there being Mr. Child and Mrs. Borfett, who are never
absent at dinner there, under pretence of a wooing. From thence I to Mr.
de Cretz and did take away my Lord's picture, which is now finished for
me, and I paid L3 10s. for it and the frame, and am well pleased with it
and the price. So carried it home by water, Will being with me. At home,
and had a fire made in my closet, and put my papers and books and things
in order, and that being done I fell to entering these two good songs of
Mr. Lawes, "Helpe, helpe, O helpe," and "O God of Heaven and Hell" in my
song book, to which I have got Mr. Child to set the base to the Theorbo,
and that done to bed.
25th (Lord's day). In the forenoon I alone to our church, and after
dinner I went and ranged about to many churches, among the rest to the
Temple, where I heard Dr. Wilkins' a little (late Maister of Trinity
in Cambridge). That being done to my father's to see my mother who is
troubled much with the stone, and that being done I went home, where I
had a letter brought me from my Lord to get a ship ready to carry the
Queen's things over to France, she being to go within five or six days.
So to supper and to bed.
26th (Office day). To it all the morning, and dined at home where my
father come and dined with me, who seems to take much pleasure to have
a son that is neat in his house. I being now making my new door into the
entry, which he do please himself much with. After dinner to the office
again, and there till night. And that being done the Comptroller and
I to the Mitre to a glass of wine, when we fell into a discourse of
poetry, and he did repeat some verses of his own making which were very
good. Home, there hear that my Lady Batten had given my wife a visit
(the first that ever she made her), which pleased me exceedingly. So
after supper to bed.
27th. To Whitehall, where I found my Lord gone abroad to the Wardrobe,
whither he do now go every other morning, and do seem to resolve
to understand and look after the business himself. From thence to
Westminster Hall, and in King Street there being a great stop of
coaches, there was a falling out between a drayman and my Lord
Chesterfield's coachman, and one of his footmen killed. At the Hall I
met with Mr. Creed, and he and I to Hell to drink our morning draught,
and so to my Lord's again, where I found my wife, and she and I dined
with him and my Lady, and great company of my Lord's friends, and my
Lord did show us great respect. Soon as dinner was done my wife took
her leave, and went with Mr. Blackburne and his wife to London to a
christening of a Brother's child of his on Tower Hill, and I to a play,
"The Scorn-full Lady," and that being done, I went homewards, and met
Mr. Moore, who had been at my house, and took him to my father's, and we
three to Standing's to drink. Here Mr. Moore told me how the House had
this day voted the King to have all the Excise for ever. This day I do
also hear that the Queen's going to France is stopt, which do like, me
well, because then the King will be in town the next month, which is my
month again at the Privy Seal. From thence home, where when I come I
do remember that I did leave my boy Waineman at Whitehall with order to
stay there for me in the court, at which I was much troubled, but about
11 o'clock at night the boy came home well, and so we all to bed.
28th. This morning went to Whitehall to my Lord's, where Major Hart did
pay me; L23 14s. 9d., due to me upon my pay in my Lord's troop at the
time of our disbanding, which is a great blessing to have without taking
any law in the world for. But now I must put an end to any hopes of
getting any more, so that I bless God for this. From thence with Mr.
Shepley and Pinkney to the Sun, and did give them a glass of wine and a
peck of oysters for joy of my getting this money. So home, where I
found that Mr. Creed had sent me the L11 5s. that is due to me upon
the remains of account for my sea business, which is also so much clear
money to me, and my bill of impresse
[For "bill of impress" In Italian 'imprestare' means "to lend." In
the ancient accounts of persons officially employed by the crown,
money advanced, paid on, account, was described as "de prestito," or
"in prestitis."--M. B.]
for L30 is also cleared, so that I am wholly clear as to the sea in all
respects. To the office, and was there till late at night, and among
the officers do hear that they may have our salaries allowed by the
Treasurer, which do make me very glad, and praise God for it. Home to
supper, and Mr. Hater supped with me, whom I did give order to take up
my money of the Treasurer to-morrow if it can be had. So to bed.
29th. In the morning seeing a great deal of foul water come into my
parlour from under the partition between me and Mr. Davis, I did step
thither to him and tell him of it, and he did seem very ready to have
it stopt, and did also tell me how thieves did attempt to rob his house
last night, which do make us all afraid. This noon I being troubled that
the workmen that I have to do my door were called to Mr. Davis's away,
I sent for them, when Mr. Davis sent to inquire a reason of, and I did
give him a good one, that they were come on purpose to do some work with
me that they had already begun, with which he was well pleased, and I
glad, being unwilling to anger them. In the afternoon Sir W. Batten and
I met and did sell the ship Church for L440; and we asked L391, and that
being done, I went home, and Dr. Petty came to me about Mr. Barlow's
money, and I being a little troubled to be so importuned before I had
received it, and that they would have it stopt in Mr. Fenn's hands, I
did force the Doctor to go fetch the letter of attorney that he had to
receive it only to make him same labour, which he did bring, and Mr.
Hales came along with him from the Treasury with my money for the first
quarter (Michaelmas last) that ever I received for this employment. So I
paid the Dr. L25 and had L62 10s. for myself, and L7 10s. to myself also
for Will's salary, which I do intend yet to keep for myself. With this
my heart is much rejoiced, and do bless Almighty God that he is pleased
to send so sudden and unexpected payment of my salary so soon after my
great disbursements. So that now I am worth L200 again. In a great
ease of mind and spirit I fell about the auditing of Mr. Shepley's last
accounts with my Lord by my Lord's desire, and about that I sat till
12 o'clock at night, till I began to doze, and so to bed, with my heart
praising God for his mercy to us.
30th (Office day). To the office, where Sir G. Carteret did give us an
account how Mr. Holland do intend to prevail with the Parliament to try
his project of discharging the seamen all at present by ticket, and so
promise interest to all men that will lend money upon them at eight per
cent., for so long as they are unpaid; whereby he do think to take away
the growing debt, which do now lie upon the kingdom for lack of present
money to discharge the seamen. But this we are, troubled at as some
diminution to us. I having two barrels of oysters at home, I caused one
of them and some wine to be brought to the inner room in the office, and
there the Principal Officers did go and eat them. So we sat till noon,
and then to dinner, and to it again in the afternoon till night. At
home I sent for Mr. Hater, and broke the other barrel with him, and did
afterwards sit down discoursing of sea terms to learn of him. And he
being gone I went up and sat till twelve at night again to make an end
of my Lord's accounts, as I did the last night. Which at last I made a
good end of, and so to bed.