April 1st (Lord’s day). Mr. Ibbott preached very well. After dinner my
Lord did give me a private list of all the ships that were to be set out
this summer, wherein I do discern that he bath made it his care to put
by as much of the Anabaptists as he can. By reason of my Lord and my
being busy to send away the packet by Mr. Cooke of the Nazeby, it was
four o’clock before we could begin sermon again. This day Captain Guy
come on board from Dunkirk, who tells me that the King will come in, and
that the soldiers at Dunkirk do drink the King’s health in the streets.
At night the Captain, Sir R. Stayner, Mr. Sheply, and I did sup together
in the Captain’s cabin. I made a commission for Captain Wilgness, of
the Bear, to-night, which got me 30s. So after writing a while I went to
bed.
2d. Up very early, and to get all my things and my boy’s packed up.
Great concourse of commanders here this morning to take leave of my Lord
upon his going into the Nazeby, so that the table was full, so there
dined below many commanders, and Mr. Creed, who was much troubled to
hear that he could not go along with my Lord, for he had already got all
his things thither, thinking to stay there, but W. Howe was very high
against it, and he indeed did put him out, though everybody was glad of
it. After dinner I went in one of the boats with my boy before my Lord,
and made shift before night to get my cabin in pretty good order. It
is but little, but very convenient, having one window to the sea
and another to the deck, and a good bed. This morning comes Mr. Ed.
Pickering, like a coxcomb as he always was. He tells me that the King
will come in, but that Monk did resolve to have the doing of it himself,
or else to hinder it.
3d. Late to bed. About three in the morning there was great knocking at
my cabin, which with much difficulty (so they say) waked me, and I
rose, but it was only for a packet, so went to my bed again, and in the
morning gave it my Lord. This morning Capt. Isham comes on board to see
my Lord and drunk his wine before he went into the Downs, there likewise
come many merchants to get convoy to the Baltique, which a course was
taken for. They dined with my Lord, and one of them by name Alderman
Wood talked much to my Lord of the hopes that we have now to be settled,
(under the King he meant); but my Lord took no notice of it. After
dinner which was late my Lord went on shore, and after him I and Capt.
Sparling went in his boat, but the water being almost at low water we
could not stay for fear of not getting into our boat again. So back
again. This day come the Lieutenant of the Swiftsure, who was sent by
my Lord to Hastings, one of the Cinque Ports, to have got Mr. Edward
Montagu to have been one of their burgesses, but could not, for they
were all promised before. After he had done his message, I took him and
Mr. Pierce, the surgeon (who this day came on board, and not before), to
my cabin, where we drank a bottle of wine. At night, busy a-writing, and
so to bed. My heart exceeding heavy for not hearing of my dear wife, and
indeed I do not remember that ever my heart was so apprehensive of her
absence as at this very time.
4th. This morning I dispatch many letters of my own private business to
London. There come Colonel Thomson with the wooden leg, and General Pen,
[This is the first mention in the Diary of Admiral (afterwards Sir
William) Penn, with whom Pepys was subsequently so particularly
intimate. At this time admirals were sometimes styled generals.
William Penn was born at Bristol in 1621, of the ancient family of
the Penns of Penn Lodge, Wilts. He was Captain at the age of
twenty-one; Rear-Admiral of Ireland at twenty-three; Vice-Admiral of
England and General in the first Dutch war, at thirty-two. He was
subsequently M.P. for Weymouth, Governor of Kingsale, and Vice-
Admiral of Munster. He was a highly successful commander, and in
1654 he obtained possession of Jamaica. He was appointed a
Commissioner of the Navy in 1660, in which year he was knighted.
After the Dutch fight in 1665, where he distinguished himself as
second in command under the Duke of York, he took leave of the sea,
but continued to act as a Commissioner for the Navy till 1669, when
he retired to Wanstead, on account of his bodily infirmities, and
dying there, September 16th, 1670, aged forty-nine, was buried in
the church of St. Mary Redcliffe, in Bristol, where a monument to
his memory was erected.]
and dined with my Lord and Mr. Blackburne, who told me that it was
certain now that the King must of necessity come in, and that one of the
Council told him there is something doing in order to a treaty already
among them. And it was strange to hear how Mr. Blackburne did already
begin to commend him for a sober man, and how quiet he would be under
his government, &c. I dined all alone to prevent company, which was
exceeding great to-day, in my cabin. After these two were gone Sir W.
Wheeler and Sir John Petters came on board and staid about two or three
hours, and so went away. The Commissioners came to-day, only to consult
about a further reducement of the Fleet, and to pay them as fast as they
can. I did give Davis, their servant, L5 10s. to give to Mr. Moore from
me, in part of the L7 that I borrowed of him, and he is to discount the
rest out of the 36s. that he do owe me. At night, my Lord resolved to
send the Captain of our ship to Waymouth and promote his being chosen
there, which he did put himself into a readiness to do the next morning.
5th. Infinity of business all the morning of orders to make, that I
was very much perplexed that Mr. Burr had failed me of coming back last
night, and we ready to set sail, which we did about noon, and came in
the evening to Lee roads and anchored. At night Mr. Sheply overtook us
who had been at Gray’s Market this morning. I spent all the afternoon
upon the deck, it being very pleasant weather. This afternoon Sir Rich.
Stayner and Mr. Creed, after we were come to anchor, did come on board,
and Creed brought me L30, which my Lord had ordered him to pay me upon
account, and Captain Clerke brought me a noted caudle. At night very
sleepy to bed.
6th. This morning came my brother-in-law Balty to see me, and to desire
to be here with me as Reformado,--[“a broken or disbanded officer.”]
which did much trouble me. But after dinner (my Lord using him very
civilly, at table) I spoke to my Lord, and he presented me a letter to
Captain Stokes for him that he should be there. All the day with
him walking and talking, we under sail as far as the Spitts. In the
afternoon, W. Howe and I to our viallins, the first time since we came
on board. This afternoon I made even with my Lord to this day, and did
give him all the money remaining in my hands. In the evening, it being
fine moonshine, I staid late walking upon the quarter-deck with Mr.
Cuttance, learning of some sea terms; and so down to supper and to bed,
having an hour before put Balty into Burr’s cabin, he being out of the
ship.
7th. This day, about nine o’clock in the morning, the wind grew high,
and we being among the sands lay at anchor; I began to be dizzy and
squeamish. Before dinner my Lord sent for me down to eat some oysters,
the best my Lord said that ever he ate in his life, though I have ate as
good at Bardsey. After dinner, and all the afternoon I walked upon the
deck to keep myself from being sick, and at last about five o’clock,
went to bed and got a caudle made me, and sleep upon it very well. This
day Mr. Sheply went to Sheppy.
8th (Lord’s day). Very calm again, and I pretty well, but my head aked
all day. About noon set sail; in our way I see many vessels and masts,
which are now the greatest guides for ships. We had a brave wind all the
afternoon, and overtook two good merchantmen that overtook us yesterday,
going to the East Indies. The lieutenant and I lay out of his window
with his glass, looking at the women that were on board them, being
pretty handsome. This evening Major Willoughby, who had been here three
or four days on board with Mr. Pickering, went on board a catch [ketch]
for Dunkirk. We continued sailing when I went to bed, being somewhat
ill again, and Will Howe, the surgeon, parson, and Balty supped in the
Lieutenant’s cabin and afterwards sat disputing, the parson for and I
against extemporary prayers, very hot.
9th. We having sailed all night, were come in sight of the Nore and
South Forelands in the morning, and so sailed all day. In the afternoon
we had a very fresh gale, which I brooked better than I thought I should
be able to do. This afternoon I first saw France and Calais, with which
I was much pleased, though it was at a distance. About five o’clock we
came to the Goodwin, so to the Castles about Deal; where our Fleet lay,
among whom we anchored. Great was the shout of guns from the castles
and ships, and our answers, that I never heard yet so great rattling of
guns. Nor could we see one another on board for the smoke that was among
us, nor one ship from another. Soon as we came to anchor, the captains
came from on board their ships all to us on board. This afternoon I
wrote letters for my Lord to the Council, &c., which Mr. Dickering was
to carry, who took his leave this night of my Lord, and Balty after I
had wrote two or three letters by him to my wife and Mr. Bowyer, and had
drank a bottle of wine with him in my cabin which J. Goods and W. Howe
brought on purpose, he took leave of me too to go away to-morrow morning
with Mr. Dickering. I lent Balty 15s. which he was to pay to my wife. It
was one in the morning before we parted. This evening Mr. Sheply came
on board, having escaped a very great danger upon a sand coming from
Chatham.
10th. This morning many or most of the commanders in the Fleet came on
board and dined here, so that some of them and I dined together in the
Round-house, where we were very merry. Hither came the Vice-Admiral to
us, and sat and talked and seemed a very good-natured man. At night as I
was all alone in my cabin, in a melancholy fit playing on my viallin, my
Lord and Sir R. Stayner came into the coach
[“A sort of chamber or apartment in a large ship of war, just before
the great cabin. The floor of it is formed by the aftmost part of
the quarter deck, and the roof of it by the poop: it is generally
the habitation of the flag-captain.”--Smyth’s Sailor’s Word-Book.]
and supped there, and called me out to supper with them. After that up
to the Lieutenant’s cabin, where he and I and Sir Richard sat till 11
o’clock talking, and so to bed. This day my Lord Goring returned from
France, and landed at Dover.
11th. A Gentleman came this morning from my Lord of Manchester to
my Lord for a pass for Mr. Boyle,’ which was made him. I ate a good
breakfast by my Lord’s orders with him in the great cabin below. The
wind all this day was very high, so that a gentleman that was at dinner
with my Lord that came along with Sir John Bloys (who seemed a fine man)
was forced to rise from table. This afternoon came a great packet of
letters from London directed to me, among the rest two from my wife,
the first that I have since coming away from London. All the news from
London is that things go on further towards a King. That the Skinners’
Company the other day at their entertaining of General Monk had took
down the Parliament Arms in their Hall, and set up the King’s. In the
evening my Lord and I had a great deal of discourse about the several
Captains of the Fleet and his interest among them, and had his mind
clear to bring in the King. He confessed to me that he was not sure of
his own Captain [Cuttance] to be true to him, and that he did not like
Captain Stokes. At night W. Howe and I at our viallins in my cabin,
where Mr. Ibbott and the lieutenant were late. I staid the lieutenant
late, shewing him my manner of keeping a journal. After that to bed. It
comes now into my mind to observe that I am sensible that I have been a
little too free to make mirth with the minister of our ship, he being a
very sober and an upright man.
12th. This day, the weather being very bad, we had no strangers on
board. In the afternoon came the Vice-Admiral on board, with whom my
Lord consulted, and I sent a packet to London at night with several
letters to my friends, as to my wife about my getting of money for
her when she should need it, to Mr. Bowyer that he tell me when the
Messieurs of the offices be paid, to Mr. Moore about the business of my
office, and making even with him as to matter of money. At night after I
had despatched my letters, to bed.
13th. This day very foul all day for rain and wind. In the afternoon set
my own things in my cabin and chests in better order than hitherto, and
set my papers in order. At night sent another packet to London by the
post, and after that was done I went up to the lieutenant’s cabin and
there we broached a vessel of ale that we had sent for among us from
Deal to-day. There was the minister and doctor with us. After that
till one o’clock in the morning writing letters to Mr. Downing about my
business of continuing my office to myself, only Mr. Moore to execute it
for me. I had also a very serious and effectual letter from my Lord
to him to that purpose. After that done then to bed, and it being very
rainy, and the rain coming upon my bed, I went and lay with John Goods
in the great cabin below, the wind being so high that we were faro to
lower some of the masts. I to bed, and what with the goodness of the bed
and the rocking of the ship I slept till almost ten o’clock, and then--
14th. Rose and drank a good morning draught there with Mr. Sheply,
which occasioned my thinking upon the happy life that I live now, had I
nothing to care for but myself. The sea was this morning very high,
and looking out of the window I saw our boat come with Mr. Pierce, the
surgeon, in it in great danger, who endeavouring to come on board us,
had like to have been drowned had it not been for a rope. This day I was
informed that my Lord Lambert is got out of the Towers and that there is
L100 proffered to whoever shall bring him forth to the Council of State.
[The manner of the escape of John Lambert, out of the Tower, on the
11th inst., as related by Rugge:--“That about eight of the clock at
night he escaped by a rope tied fast to his window, by which he slid
down, and in each hand he had a handkerchief; and six men were ready
to receive him, who had a barge to hasten him away. She who made
the bed, being privy to his escape, that night, to blind the warder
when he came to lock the chamber-door, went to bed, and possessed
Colonel Lambert’s place, and put on his night-cap. So, when the
said warder came to lock the door, according to his usual manner, he
found the curtains drawn, and conceiving it to be Colonel John
Lambert, he said, ‘Good night, my Lord.’ To which a seeming voice
replied, and prevented all further jealousies. The next morning, on
coming to unlock the door, and espying her face, he cried out, ‘In
the name of God, Joan, what makes you here? Where is my Lord
Lambert?’ She said, ‘He is gone; but I cannot tell whither.’
Whereupon he caused her to rise, and carried her before the officer
in the Tower, and [she] was committed to custody. Some said that a
lady knit for him a garter of silk, by which he was conveyed down,
and that she received L100 for her pains.”--B]
My Lord is chosen at Waymouth this morning; my Lord had his freedom
brought him by Captain Tiddiman of the port of Dover, by which he is
capable of being elected for them. This day I heard that the Army had in
general declared to stand by what the next Parliament shall do. At night
supped with my Lord.
15th (Lord’s day). Up early and was trimmed by the barber in the great
cabin below. After that to put my clothes on and then to sermon, and
then to dinner, where my Lord told us that the University of Cambridge
had a mind to choose him for their burgess, which he pleased himself
with, to think that they do look upon him as a thriving man, and said
so openly at table. At dinner-time Mr. Cook came back from London with a
packet which caused my Lord to be full of thoughts all day, and at night
he bid me privately to get two commissions ready, one for Capt. Robert
Blake to be captain of the Worcester, in the room of Capt. Dekings, an
anabaptist, and one that had witnessed a great deal of discontent with
the present proceedings. The other for Capt. Coppin to come out of that
into the Newbury in the room of Blake, whereby I perceive that General
Monk do resolve to make a thorough change, to make way for the King.
From London I hear that since Lambert got out of the Tower, the
Fanatiques had held up their heads high, but I hope all that will come
to nothing. Late a writing of letters to London to get ready for Mr.
Cook. Then to bed.
16th. And about 4 o’clock in the morning Mr. Cook waked me where I lay
in the great cabin below, and I did give him his packet and directions
for London. So to sleep again. All the morning giving out orders and
tickets to the Commanders of the Fleet to discharge all supernumeraries
that they had above the number that the Council had set in their last
establishment. After dinner busy all the afternoon writing, and so till
night, then to bed.
17th. All the morning getting ready commissions for the Vice-Admiral and
the Rear-Admiral, wherein my Lord was very careful to express the
utmost of his own power, commanding them to obey what orders they should
receive from the Parliament, &c., or both or either of the Generals.
[Sir Edward Montagu afterwards recommended the Duke of York as High
Admiral, to give regular and lawful commissions to the Commanders of
the Fleet, instead of those which they had received from Sir Edward
himself, or from the Rump Parliament.--Kennett’s Register, p. 163.]
The Vice-Admiral dined with us, and in the afternoon my Lord called
me to give him the commission for him, which I did, and he gave it him
himself. A very pleasant afternoon, and I upon the deck all the day, it
was so clear that my Lord’s glass shewed us Calais very plain, and the
cliffs were as plain to be seen as Kent, and my Lord at first made me
believe that it was Kent. At night, after supper, my Lord called for
the Rear-Admiral’s commission, which I brought him, and I sitting in
my study heard my Lord discourse with him concerning D. King’s and
Newberry’s being put out of commission. And by the way I did observe
that my Lord did speak more openly his mind to me afterwards at night
than I can find that he did to the Rear-Admiral, though his great
confidant. For I was with him an hour together, when he told me clearly
his thoughts that the King would carry it, and that he did think himself
very happy that he was now at sea, as well for his own sake, as that he
thought he might do his country some service in keeping things quiet.
To bed, and shifting myself from top to toe, there being J. Goods and W.
Howe sat late by my bedside talking. So to sleep, every day bringing me
a fresh sense of the pleasure of my present life.
18th. This morning very early came Mr. Edward Montagu on board, but what
was the business of his coming again or before without any servant
and making no stay at all I cannot guess. This day Sir R. Stayner, Mr.
Sheply, and as many of my Lord’s people as could be spared went to Dover
to get things ready against to-morrow for the election there. I all
the afternoon dictating in my cabin (my own head being troubled with
multiplicity of business) to Burr, who wrote for me above a dozen
letters, by which I have made my mind more light and clear than I have
had it yet since I came on board. At night sent a packet to London, and
Mr. Cook returned hence bringing me this news, that the Sectaries do
talk high what they will do, but I believe all to no purpose, but the
Cavaliers are something unwise to talk so high on the other side as they
do. That the Lords do meet every day at my Lord of Manchester’s, and
resolve to sit the first day of the Parliament. That it is evident now
that the General and the Council do resolve to make way for the King’s
coming. And it is now clear that either the Fanatiques must now be
undone, or the gentry and citizens throughout England, and clergy must
fall, in spite of their militia and army, which is not at all possible
I think. At night I supped with W. Howe and Mr. Luellin (being the first
time that I had been so long with him) in the great cabin below. After
that to bed, and W. Howe sat by my bedside, and he and I sang a psalm or
two and so I to sleep.
19th. A great deal of business all this day, and Burr being gone to
shore without my leave did vex me much. At dinner news was brought us
that my Lord was chosen at Dover. This afternoon came one Mr. Mansell on
board as a Reformado, to whom my Lord did shew exceeding great respect,
but upon what account I do not yet know. This day it has rained much, so
that when I came to go to bed I found it wet through, so I was fain to
wrap myself up in a dry sheet, and so lay all night.
20th. All the morning I was busy to get my window altered, and to
have my table set as I would have it, which after it was done I was
infinitely pleased with it, and also to see what a command I have to
have every one ready to come and go at my command. This evening came Mr.
Boyle on board, for whom I writ an order for a ship to transport him
to Flushing. He supped with my Lord, my Lord using him as a person
of honour. This evening too came Mr. John Pickering on board us.
This evening my head ached exceedingly, which I impute to my sitting
backwards in my cabin, otherwise than I am used to do. To-night Mr.
Sheply told me that he heard for certain at Dover that Mr. Edw. Montagu
did go beyond sea when he was here first the other day, and I am apt to
believe that he went to speak with the King. This day one told me how
that at the election at Cambridge for knights of the shire, Wendby and
Thornton by declaring to stand for the Parliament and a King and the
settlement of the Church, did carry it against all expectation against
Sir Dudley North and Sir Thomas Willis! I supped to-night with Mr.
Sheply below at the half-deck table, and after that I saw Mr. Pickering
whom my Lord brought down to his cabin, and so to bed.