June 1st. This morning Mr. Sheply disposed of the money that the Duke
of York did give my Lord’s servants, 22 ducatoons 3 came to my share,
whereof he told me to give Jaspar something because my Lord left him
out.
[Foreign coins were in frequent use at this time. A Proclamation,
January 29th, 1660-61, declared certain foreign gold and silver
coins to be current at certain rates. The rate of the ducatoon was
at 5s. 9d.]
I did give Mr. Sheply the fine pair of buckskin gloves that I bought
myself about five years ago. My Lord took physic to-day, and so come not
out all day. The Captain on shore all day. After dinner Captain Jefferys
and W. Howe, and the Lieutenant and I to ninepins, where I lost about
two shillings and so fooled away all the afternoon. At night Mr. Cooke
comes from London with letters, leaving all things there very gallant
and joyful. And brought us word that the Parliament had ordered the
29th of May, the King’s birthday, to be for ever kept as a day of
thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny, and the King’s return to
his Government, he entering London that day. My wife was in London when
he came thither, and had been there a week with Mr. Bowyer and his wife.
My poor wife has not been well a week before, but thanks be to God is
well again. She would fain see me and be at her house again, but we
must be content. She writes word how the Joyces grow very rich and very
proud, but it is no matter, and that there was a talk that I should
be knighted by the King, which they (the Joyces) laugh at; but I think
myself happier in my wife and estate than they are in theirs. To bed.
The Captain come on board, when I was going to bed, quite fuddled;
and himself the next morning told me so too, that the Vice-Admiral,
Rear-Admiral, and he had been drinking all day.
2d. Being with my Lord in the morning about business in his cabin, I
took occasion to give him thanks for his love to me in the share that
he had given me of his Majesty’s money, and the Duke’s. He told the he
hoped to do me a more lasting kindness, if all things stand as they
are now between him and the King, but, says he, “We must have a little
patience and we will rise together; in the mean time I will do you all
the good jobs I can.” Which was great content for me to hear from my
Lord. All the morning with the Captain, computing how much the thirty
ships that come with the King from Scheveling their pay comes to for a
month (because the King promised to give them all a month’s pay), and
it comes to L6,538, and the Charles particularly L777. I wish we had
the money. All the afternoon with two or three captains in the Captain’s
cabin, drinking of white wine and sugar, and eating pickled oysters,
where Captain Sparling told us the best story that ever I heard, about
a gentleman that persuaded a country fool to let him gut his oysters or
else they would stink. At night writing letters to London and Weymouth,
for my Lord being now to sit in the House of Peers he endeavours to get
Mr. Edward Montagu for Weymouth and Mr. George for Dover. Mr. Cooke late
with me in my cabin while I wrote to my wife, and drank a bottle of wine
and so took leave of me on his journey and I to bed.
3d. Waked in the morning by one who when I asked who it was, he told me
one from Bridewell, which proved Captain Holland. I rose presently to
him. He is come to get an order for the setting out of his ship, and to
renew his commission. He tells me how every man goes to the Lord Mayor
to set down their names, as such as do accept of his Majesty’s pardon,
and showed me a certificate under the Lord Mayor’s hand that he had done
so.
At sermon in the morning; after dinner into my cabin, to cast my
accounts up, and find myself to be worth near L100, for which I bless
Almighty God, it being more than I hoped for so soon, being I believe
not clearly worth L25 when I came to sea besides my house and goods.
Then to set my papers in order, they being increased much upon my hands
through want of time to put them in order. The ship’s company all this
while at sermon. After sermon my Lord did give me instruction to write
to London about business, which done, after supper to bed.
4th. Waked in the morning at four o’clock to give some money to Mr.
Hetly, who was to go to London with the letters that I wrote yesterday
night. After he was gone I went and lay down in my gown upon my bed
again an hour or two. At last waked by a messenger come for a Post
Warrant for Mr. Hetly and Mr. Creed, who stood to give so little for
their horses that the men would not let them have any without a warrant,
which I sent them. All the morning getting Captain Holland’s commission
done, which I did, and he at noon went away. I took my leave of him upon
the quarter-deck with a bottle of sack, my Lord being just set down to
dinner. Then he being gone I went to dinner and after dinner to my cabin
to write. This afternoon I showed my Lord my accounts, which he passed,
and so I think myself to be worth near L100 now. In the evening I made
an order for Captain Sparling of the Assistance to go to Middleburgh, to
fetch over some of the King’s goods. I took the opportunity to send all
my Dutch money, 70 ducatoons and 29 gold ducats to be changed, if he
can, for English money, which is the first venture that ever I made, and
so I have been since a little afeard of it. After supper some music
and so to bed. This morning the King’s Proclamation against drinking,
swearing, and debauchery, was read to our ships’ companies in the fleet,
and indeed it gives great satisfaction to all.
[The King’s “Proclamation against vicious, debauched, and prophane
Persons” is dated May 30th. It is printed in “Somers’s Tracts,” ed.
1812, vol. vii. p. 423.]
5th. A-bed late. In the morning my Lord went on shore with the
Vice-Admiral a-fishing, and at dinner returned. In the afternoon I
played at ninepins with my Lord, and when he went in again I got him to
sign my accounts for L115, and so upon my private balance I find myself
confirmed in my estimation that I am worth L100. In the evening in my
cabin a great while getting the song without book, “Help, help Divinity,
&c.” After supper my Lord called for the lieutenant’s cittern, and
with two candlesticks with money in them for symballs, we made barber’s
music,
[In the “Notices of Popular Histories,” printed for the Percy
Society, there is a curious woodcut representing the interior of a
barber’s shop, in which, according to the old custom, the person
waiting to be shaved is playing on the “ghittern” till his turn
arrives. Decker also mentions a “barber’s cittern,” for every
serving-man to play upon. This is no doubt “the barber’s music”
with which Lord Sandwich entertained himself.--B.]
with which my Lord was well pleased. So to bed.
6th. In the morning I had letters come, that told me among other things,
that my Lord’s place of Clerk of the Signet was fallen to him, which he
did most lovingly tell me that I should execute, in case he could
not get a better employment for me at the end of the year. Because he
thought that the Duke of York would command all, but he hoped that the
Duke would not remove me but to my advantage.