February 1st (Friday). A full office all this morning, and busy about
answering the Commissioners of Parliament to their letter, wherein they
desire to borrow two clerks of ours, which we will not grant them. After
dinner into London and bought some books, and a belt, and had my sword
new furbished. To the alehouse with Mr. Brigden and W. Symons. At night
home. So after a little music to bed, leaving my people up getting
things ready against to-morrow’s dinner.
2nd. Early to Mr. Moore, and with him to Sir Peter Ball, who proffers my
uncle Robert much civility in letting him continue in the grounds which
he had hired of Hetley who is now dead. Thence home, where all things in
a hurry for dinner, a strange cook being come in the room of Slater, who
could not come. There dined here my uncle Wight and my aunt, my father
and mother, and my brother Tom, Dr. Fairbrother and Mr. Mills, the
parson, and his wife, who is a neighbour’s daughter of my uncle
Robert’s, and knows my Aunt Wight and all her and my friends there; and
so we had excellent company to-day. After dinner I was sent for to Sir
G. Carteret’s, where he was, and I found the Comptroller, who are upon
writing a letter to the Commissioners of Parliament in some things a
rougher stile than our last, because they seem to speak high to us. So
the Comptroller and I thence to a tavern hard by, and there did agree
upon drawing up some letters to be sent to all the pursers and Clerks
of the Cheques to make up their accounts. Then home; where I found the
parson and his wife gone. And by and by the rest of the company, very
well pleased, and I too; it being the last dinner I intend to make a
great while, it having now cost me almost L15 in three dinners within
this fortnight. In the evening comes Sir W. Pen, pretty merry, to sit
with me and talk, which we did for an hour or two, and so good night,
and I to bed.
3d (Lord’s day). This day I first begun to go forth in my coat and
sword, as the manner now among gentlemen is. To Whitehall. In my way
heard Mr. Thomas Fuller preach at the Savoy upon our forgiving of other
men’s trespasses, shewing among other things that we are to go to law
never to revenge, but only to repayre, which I think a good distinction.
So to White Hall; where I staid to hear the trumpets and kettle-drums,
and then the other drums, which are much cried up, though I think it
dull, vulgar musique. So to Mr. Fox’s, unbid; where I had a good dinner
and special company. Among other discourse, I observed one story, how my
Lord of Northwich, at a public audience before the King of France, made
the Duke of Anjou cry, by making ugly faces as he was stepping to the
King, but undiscovered.
[This story relates to circumstances which had occurred many years
previously. George, Lord Goring, was sent by Charles I. as
Ambassador Extraordinary to France in 1644, to witness the oath of
Louis XIV. to the observance of the treaties concluded with England
by his father, Louis XIII., and his grandfather, Henry IV. Louis
XIV. took this oath at Ruel, on July 3rd, 1644, when he was not yet
six years of age, and when his brother Philippe, then called Duke of
Anjou, was not four years old. Shortly after his return home, Lord
Goring was created, in September, 1644, Earl of Norwich, the title
by which he is here mentioned. Philippe, Duke of Anjou, who was
frightened by the English nobleman’s ugly faces, took the title of
Duke of Orleans after the death of his uncle, Jean Baptiste Gaston,
in 1660. He married his cousin, Henrietta of England.--B.]
And how Sir Phillip Warwick’s’ lady did wonder to have Mr. Darcy’ send
for several dozen bottles of Rhenish wine to her house, not knowing that
the wine was his. Thence to my Lord’s; where I am told how Sir Thomas
Crew’s Pedro, with two of his countrymen more, did last night kill
one soldier of four that quarrelled with them in the street, about 10
o’clock. The other two are taken; but he is now hid at my Lord’s till
night, that he do intend to make his escape away. So up to my Lady, and
sat and talked with her long, and so to Westminster Stairs, and there
took boat to the bridge, and so home, where I met with letters to call
us all up to-morrow morning to Whitehall about office business.
4th. Early up to Court with Sir W. Pen, where, at Mr. Coventry’s
chamber, we met with all our fellow officers, and there after a hot
debate about the business of paying off the Fleet, and how far we
should join with the Commissioners of Parliament, which is now the great
business of this month more to determine, and about which there is
a great deal of difference between us, and then how far we should be
assistants to them therein. That being done, he and I back again home,
where I met with my father and mother going to my cozen Snow’s to
Blackwall, and had promised to bring me and my wife along with them,
which we could not do because we are to go to the Dolphin to-day to a
dinner of Capt. Tayler’s. So at last I let my wife go with them, and
I to the tavern, where Sir William Pen and the Comptroller and several
others were, men and women; and we had a very great and merry dinner;
and after dinner the Comptroller begun some sports, among others the
naming of people round and afterwards demanding questions of them that
they are forced to answer their names to, which do make very good sport.
And here I took pleasure to take the forfeits of the ladies who would
not do their duty by kissing of them; among others a pretty lady, who I
found afterwards to be wife to Sir W. Batten’s son. Home, and then with
my wife to see Sir W. Batten, who could not be with us this day being
ill, but we found him at cards, and here we sat late, talking with my
Lady and others and Dr. Whistler,
[Daniel Whistler, M.D., Fellow of Merton College, whose inaugural
dissertation on Rickets in 1645 contains the earliest printed
account of that disease. He was Gresham Professor of Geometry,
1648-57, and held several offices at the College of Physicians,
being elected President in 1683. He was one of the original Fellows
of the Royal Society. Dr. Munk, in his “Roll of the Royal College
of Physicians,” speaks very unfavourably of Whistler, and says that
he defrauded the college. He died May 11th, 1684.]
who I found good company and a very ingenious man. So home and to bed.
5th. Washing-day. My wife and I by water to Westminster. She to her
mother’s and I to Westminster Hall, where I found a full term, and here
I went to Will’s, and there found Shaw and Ashwell and another Bragrave
(who knew my mother wash-maid to my Lady Veere), who by cursing and
swearing made me weary of his company and so I went away. Into the Hall
and there saw my Lord Treasurer (who was sworn to-day at the Exchequer,
with a great company of Lords and persons of honour to attend him) go up
to the Treasury Offices, and take possession thereof; and also saw the
heads of Cromwell, Bradshaw, and Ireton, set up upon the further end of
the Hall. Then at Mrs. Michell’s in the Hall met my wife and Shaw, and
she and I and Captain Murford to the Dog, and there I gave them some
wine, and after some mirth and talk (Mr. Langley coming in afterwards) I
went by coach to the play-house at the Theatre, our coach in King Street
breaking, and so took another. Here we saw Argalus and Parthenia, which
I lately saw, but though pleasant for the dancing and singing, I do not
find good for any wit or design therein. That done home by coach and to
supper, being very hungry for want of dinner, and so to bed.
6th. Called up by my Cozen Snow, who sat by me while I was trimmed, and
then I drank with him, he desiring a courtesy for a friend, which I have
done for him. Then to the office, and there sat long, then to dinner,
Captain Murford with me. I had a dish of fish and a good hare, which
was sent me the other day by Goodenough the plasterer. So to the office
again, where Sir W. Pen and I sat all alone, answering of petitions and
nothing else, and so to Sir W. Batten’s, where comes Mr. Jessop (one
whom I could not formerly have looked upon, and now he comes cap in hand
to us from the Commissioners of the Navy, though indeed he is a man of
a great estate and of good report), about some business from them to
us, which we answered by letter. Here I sat long with Sir W., who is not
well, and then home and to my chamber, and some little, music, and so to
bed.
7th. With Sir W. Batten and Pen to Whitehall to Mr. Coventry’s chamber,
to debate upon the business we were upon the other day morning, and
thence to Westminster Hall. And after a walk to my Lord’s; where, while
I and my Lady were in her chamber in talk, in comes my Lord from sea,
to our great wonder. He had dined at Havre de Grace on Monday last, and
came to the Downs the next day, and lay at Canterbury that night; and so
to Dartford, and thence this morning to White Hall. All my friends his
servants well. Among others, Mr. Creed and Captain Ferrers tell me the
stories of my Lord Duke of Buckingham’s and my Lord’s falling out at
Havre de Grace, at cards; they two and my Lord St. Alban’s playing.
The Duke did, to my Lord’s dishonour, often say that he did in his
conscience know the contrary to what he then said, about the difference
at cards; and so did take up the money that he should have lost to my
Lord. Which my Lord resenting, said nothing then, but that he doubted
not but there were ways enough to get his money of him. So they parted
that night; and my Lord sent for Sir R. Stayner and sent him the next
morning to the Duke, to know whether he did remember what he said last
night, and whether he would own it with his sword and a second; which
he said he would, and so both sides agreed. But my Lord St. Alban’s, and
the Queen and Ambassador Montagu, did waylay them at their lodgings
till the difference was made up, to my Lord’s honour; who hath got great
reputation thereby. I dined with my Lord, and then with Mr. Shepley and
Creed (who talked very high of France for a fine country) to the tavern,
and then I home. To the office, where the two Sir Williams had staid
for me, and then we drew up a letter to the Commissioners of Parliament
again, and so to Sir W. Batten, where I staid late in talk, and so home,
and after writing the letter fair then I went to bed.
8th. At the office all the morning. At noon to the Exchange to meet Mr.
Warren the timber merchant, but could not meet with him. Here I met with
many sea commanders, and among others Captain Cuttle, and Curtis, and
Mootham, and I, went to the Fleece Tavern to drink; and there we spent
till four o’clock, telling stories of Algiers, and the manner of the
life of slaves there! And truly Captn. Mootham and Mr. Dawes (who
have been both slaves there) did make me fully acquainted with their
condition there: as, how they eat nothing but bread and water. At their
redemption they pay so much for the water they drink at the public
fountaynes, during their being slaves. How they are beat upon the soles
of their feet and bellies at the liberty of their padron. How they are
all, at night, called into their master’s Bagnard; and there they lie.
How the poorest men do use their slaves best. How some rogues do live
well, if they do invent to bring their masters in so much a week by
their industry or theft; and then they are put to no other work at
all. And theft there is counted no great crime at all. Thence to Mr.
Rawlinson’s, having met my old friend Dick Scobell, and there I drank a
great deal with him, and so home and to bed betimes, my head aching.
9th. To my Lord’s with Mr. Creed (who was come to me this morning to get
a bill of imprest signed), and my Lord being gone out he and I to the
Rhenish wine-house with Mr. Blackburne. To whom I did make known my
fears of Will’s losing of his time, which he will take care to give him
good advice about. Afterwards to my Lord’s and Mr. Shepley and I did
make even his accounts and mine. And then with Mr. Creed and two friends
of his (my late landlord Jones’ son one of them), to an ordinary to
dinner, and then Creed and I to Whitefriars’ to the Play-house, and saw
“The Mad Lover,” the first time I ever saw it acted, which I like pretty
well, and home.
10th (Lord’s day). Took physique all day, and, God forgive me, did spend
it in reading of some little French romances. At night my wife and I
did please ourselves talking of our going into France, which I hope to
effect this summer. At noon one came to ask for Mrs. Hunt that was here
yesterday, and it seems is not come home yet, which makes us afraid of
her. At night to bed.
11th. At the office all the morning. Dined at home, and then to the
Exchequer, and took Mr. Warren with me to Mr. Kennard, the master
joiner, at Whitehall, who was at a tavern, and there he and I to him,
and agreed about getting some of my Lord’s deals on board to-morrow.
Then with young Mr. Reeve home to his house, who did there show me many
pretty pleasures in perspectives,
[‘Telescope’ and ‘microscope’ are both as old as Milton, but for long
while ‘perspective’ (glass being sometimes understood and sometimes
expressed) did the work of these. It is sometimes written
‘prospective.’ Our present use of ‘perspective’ does not, I suppose,
date farther back than Dryden.--Trench’s Select Glossary.--M. B.]
that I have not seen before, and I did buy a little glass of him cost
me 5s. And so to Mr. Crew’s, and with Mr. Moore to see how my father and
mother did, and so with him to Mr. Adam Chard’s’ (the first time I ever
was at his house since he was married) to drink, then we parted, and I
home to my study, and set some papers and money in order, and so to bed.
12th. To my Lord’s, and there with him all the morning, and then (he
going out to dinner) I and Mr. Pickering, Creed, and Captain Ferrers
to the Leg in the Palace to dinner, where strange Pickering’s
impertinences. Thence the two others and I after a great dispute whither
to go, we went by water to Salsbury Court play-house, where not liking
to sit, we went out again, and by coach to the Theatre, and there saw
“The Scornfull Lady,” now done by a woman, which makes the play appear
much better than ever it did to me. Then Creed and I (the other being
lost in the crowd) to drink a cup of ale at Temple Bar, and there we
parted, and I (seeing my father and mother by the way) went home.
13th. At the office all the morning; dined at home, and poor Mr. Wood
with me, who after dinner would have borrowed money of me, but I would
lend none. Then to Whitehall by coach with Sir W. Pen, where we did very
little business, and so back to Mr. Rawlinson’s, where I took him and
gave him a cup of wine, he having formerly known Mr. Rawlinson, and
here I met my uncle Wight, and he drank with us, and with him to Sir W.
Batten’s, whither I sent for my wife, and we chose Valentines’ against
to-morrow.
[The observation of St. Valentine’s day is very ancient in this
country. Shakespeare makes Ophelia sing
“To-morrow is Saint Valentine’s day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window
To be your Valentine.”