July 1st. This morning I went up and down into the city, to buy several
things, as I have lately done, for my house. Among other things, a fair
chest of drawers for my own chamber, and an Indian gown for myself. The
first cost me 33s., the other 34s. Home and dined there, and Theodore
Goodgroome, my singing master, with me, and then to our singing. After
that to the office, and then home.
2nd. To Westminster Hall and there walked up and down, it being Term
time. Spoke with several, among others my cozen Roger Pepys, who was
going up to the Parliament House, and inquired whether I had heard from
my father since he went to Brampton, which I had done yesterday, who
writes that my uncle is by fits stupid, and like a man that is drunk,
and sometimes speechless. Home, and after my singing master had done,
took coach and went to Sir William Davenant’s Opera; this being the
fourth day that it hath begun, and the first that I have seen it. To-day
was acted the second part of “The Siege of Rhodes.” We staid a very
great while for the King and the Queen of Bohemia. And by the breaking
of a board over our heads, we had a great deal of dust fell into the
ladies’ necks and the men’s hair, which made good sport. The King being
come, the scene opened; which indeed is very fine and magnificent, and
well acted, all but the Eunuch, who was so much out that he was hissed
off the stage. Home and wrote letters to my Lord at sea, and so to bed.
3rd. To Westminster to Mr. Edward Montagu about business of my Lord’s,
and so to the Wardrobe, and there dined with my Lady, who is in some
mourning for her brother, Mr. Saml. Crew, who died yesterday of the
spotted fever. So home through Duck Lane’ to inquire for some Spanish
books, but found none that pleased me. So to the office, and that being
done to Sir W. Batten’s with the Comptroller, where we sat late talking
and disputing with Mr. Mills the parson of our parish. This day my
Lady Batten and my wife were at the burial of a daughter of Sir John
Lawson’s, and had rings for themselves and their husbands. Home and to
bed.
4th. At home all the morning; in the afternoon I went to the Theatre,
and there I saw “Claracilla” (the first time I ever saw it), well acted.
But strange to see this house, that used to be so thronged, now empty
since the Opera begun; and so will continue for a while, I believe.
Called at my father’s, and there I heard that my uncle Robert--[Robert
Pepys, of Brampton, who died on the following day.]--continues to have
his fits of stupefaction every day for 10 or 12 hours together. From
thence to the Exchange at night, and then went with my uncle Wight to
the Mitre and were merry, but he takes it very ill that my father would
go out of town to Brampton on this occasion and would not tell him of
it, which I endeavoured to remove but could not. Here Mr. Batersby
the apothecary was, who told me that if my uncle had the
emerods--[Haemorrhoids or piles.]--(which I think he had) and that now
they are stopped, he will lay his life that bleeding behind by leeches
will cure him, but I am resolved not to meddle in it. Home and to bed.
5th. At home, and in the afternoon to the office, and that being done
all went to Sir W. Batten’s and there had a venison pasty, and were very
merry. At night home and to bed.
6th. Waked this morning with news, brought me by a messenger on purpose,
that my uncle Robert is dead, and died yesterday; so I rose sorry in
some respect, glad in my expectations in another respect. So I made
myself ready, went and told my uncle Wight, my Lady, and some others
thereof, and bought me a pair of boots in St. Martin’s, and got myself
ready, and then to the Post House and set out about eleven and twelve
o’clock, taking the messenger with me that came to me, and so we rode
and got well by nine o’clock to Brampton, where I found my father well.
My uncle’s corps in a coffin standing upon joynt-stools in the chimney
in the hall; but it begun to smell, and so I caused it to be set forth
in the yard all night, and watched by two men. My aunt I found in bed
in a most nasty ugly pickle, made me sick to see it. My father and I lay
together tonight, I greedy to see the will, but did not ask to see it
till to-morrow.
7th (Lord’s day). In the morning my father and I walked in the garden
and read the will; where, though he gives me nothing at present till my
father’s death, or at least very little, yet I am glad to see that he
hath done so well for us, all, and well to the rest of his kindred.
After that done, we went about getting things, as ribbands and gloves,
ready for the burial. Which in the afternoon was done; where, it being
Sunday, all people far and near come in; and in the greatest disorder
that ever I saw, we made shift to serve them what we had of wine and
other things; and then to carry him to the church, where Mr. Taylor
buried him, and Mr. Turners preached a funerall sermon, where he spoke
not particularly of him anything, but that he was one so well known for
his honesty, that it spoke for itself above all that he could say for
it. And so made a very good sermon. Home with some of the company who
supped there, and things being quiet, at night to bed.
8th, 9th, Loth, 11th, 12th, 13th. I fell to work, and my father to look
over my uncle’s papers and clothes, and continued all this week upon
that business, much troubled with my aunt’s base, ugly humours. We had
news of Tom Trice’s putting in a caveat against us, in behalf of his
mother, to whom my uncle hath not given anything, and for good reason
therein expressed, which troubled us also. But above all, our trouble
is to find that his estate appears nothing as we expected, and all the
world believes; nor his papers so well sorted as I would have had them,
but all in confusion, that break my brains to understand them. We missed
also the surrenders of his copyhold land, without which the land would
not come to us, but to the heir at law, so that what with this, and the
badness of the drink and the ill opinion I have of the meat, and the
biting of the gnats by night and my disappointment in getting home this
week, and the trouble of sorting all the papers, I am almost out of my
wits with trouble, only I appear the more contented, because I would not
have my father troubled. The latter end of the week Mr. Philips comes
home from London, and so we advised with him and have the best counsel
he could give us, but for all that we were not quiet in our minds.
14th (Lord’s day). At home, and Robert Barnwell with us, and dined, and
in the evening my father and I walked round Portholme and viewed all the
fields, which was very pleasant. Thence to Hinchingbroke, which is now
all in dirt, because of my Lord’s building, which will make it very
magnificent. Back to Brampton, and to supper and to bed.
15th. Up by three o’clock this morning, and rode to Cambridge, and was
there by seven o’clock, where, after I was trimmed, I went to Christ
College, and found my brother John at eight o’clock in bed, which vexed
me. Then to King’s College chappell, where I found the scholars in their
surplices at the service with the organs, which is a strange sight to
what it used in my time to be here. Then with Dr. Fairbrother (whom I
met there) to the Rose tavern, and called for some wine, and there met
fortunately with Mr. Turner of our office, and sent for his wife, and
were very merry (they being come to settle their son here), and sent
also for Mr. Sanchy, of Magdalen, with whom and other gentlemen, friends
of his, we were very merry, and I treated them as well as I could, and
so at noon took horse again, having taken leave of my cozen Angier, and
rode to Impington, where I found my old uncle
[Talbot Pepys, sixth son of John Pepys of Impington, was born 1583,
and therefore at this time he was seventy-eight years of age. He
was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and called to the bar at
the Middle Temple in 1605. He was M.P. for Cambridge in 1625, and
Recorder of Cambridge from 1624 to 1660, in which year he was
succeeded by his son Roger. He died of the plague, March, 1666,
aged eighty-three.]
sitting all alone, like a man out of the world: he can hardly see; but
all things else he do pretty livelyly. Then with Dr. John Pepys and
him, I read over the will, and had their advice therein, who, as to the
sufficiency thereof confirmed me, and advised me as to the other parts
thereof. Having done there, I rode to Gravely with much ado to inquire
for a surrender of my uncle’s in some of the copyholders’ hands there,
but I can hear of none, which puts me into very great trouble of mind,
and so with a sad heart rode home to Brampton, but made myself as
cheerful as I could to my father, and so to bed.
16th, 17th, 18th, 19th. These four days we spent in putting things in
order, letting of the crop upon the ground, agreeing with Stankes to
have a care of our business in our absence, and we think ourselves in
nothing happy but in lighting upon him to be our bayly; in riding to
Offord and Sturtlow, and up and down all our lands, and in the evening
walking, my father and I about the fields talking, and had advice from
Mr. Moore from London, by my desire, that the three witnesses of the
will being all legatees, will not do the will any wrong. To-night
Serjeant Bernard, I hear, is come home into the country. To supper and
to bed. My aunt continuing in her base, hypocritical tricks, which both
Jane Perkin (of whom we make great use), and the maid do tell us every
day of.
20th. Up to Huntingdon this morning to Sir Robert Bernard, with whom I
met Jaspar Trice. So Sir Robert caused us to sit down together and began
discourse very fairly between us, so I drew out the Will and show it
him, and [he] spoke between us as well as I could desire, but could come
to no issue till Tom Trice comes. Then Sir Robert and I fell to talk
about the money due to us upon surrender from Piggott, L164., which he
tells me will go with debts to the heir at law, which breaks my heart on
the other side. Here I staid and dined with Sir Robert Bernard and his
lady, my Lady Digby, a very good woman. After dinner I went into the
town and spent the afternoon, sometimes with Mr. Phillips, sometimes
with Dr. Symcottes, Mr. Vinter, Robert Ethell, and many more friends,
and at last Mr. Davenport, Phillips, Jaspar Trice, myself and others
at Mother-----over against the Crown we sat and drank ale and were very
merry till 9 at night, and so broke up. I walked home, and there found
Tom Trice come, and he and my father gone to Goody Gorum’s, where I
found them and Jaspar Trice got before me, and Mr. Greene, and there had
some calm discourse, but came to no issue, and so parted. So home and to
bed, being now pretty well again of my left hand, which lately was stung
and very much swelled.
21st (Lord’s day). At home all the morning, putting my papers in order
against my going to-morrow and doing many things else to that end. Had
a good dinner, and Stankes and his wife with us. To my business again in
the afternoon, and in the evening came the two Trices, Mr. Greene, and
Mr. Philips, and so we began to argue. At last it came to some agreement
that for our giving of my aunt L10 she is to quit the house, and for
other matters they are to be left to the law, which do please us all,
and so we broke up, pretty well satisfyed. Then came Mr. Barnwell and J.
Bowles and supped with us, and after supper away, and so I having taken
leave of them and put things in the best order I could against to-morrow
I went to bed. Old William Luffe having been here this afternoon and
paid up his bond of L20, and I did give him into his hand my uncle’s
surrender of Sturtlow to me before Mr. Philips, R. Barnwell, and Mr.
Pigott, which he did acknowledge to them my uncle did in his lifetime
deliver to him.
22nd. Up by three, and going by four on my way to London; but the day
proves very cold, so that having put on no stockings but thread ones
under my boots, I was fain at Bigglesworth to buy a pair of coarse
woollen ones, and put them on. So by degrees till I come to Hatfield
before twelve o’clock, where I had a very good dinner with my hostess,
at my Lord of Salisbury’s Inn, and after dinner though weary I walked
all alone to the Vineyard, which is now a very beautiful place again;
and coming back I met with Mr. Looker, my Lord’s gardener (a friend of
Mr. Eglin’s), who showed me the house, the chappell with brave pictures,
and, above all, the gardens, such as I never saw in all my life; nor so
good flowers, nor so great gooseberrys, as big as nutmegs. Back to the
inn, and drank with him, and so to horse again, and with much ado got to
London, and set him up at Smithfield; so called at my uncle Fenner’s,
my mother’s, my Lady’s, and so home, in all which I found all things as
well as I could expect. So weary and to bed.
23rd. Put on my mourning. Made visits to Sir W. Pen and Batten. Then
to Westminster, and at the Hall staid talking with Mrs. Michell a good
while, and in the afternoon, finding myself unfit for business, I went
to the Theatre, and saw “Brenoralt,” I never saw before. It seemed a
good play, but ill acted; only I sat before Mrs. Palmer, the King’s
mistress, and filled my eyes with her, which much pleased me. Then to my
father’s, where by my desire I met my uncle Thomas, and discoursed of my
uncle’s will to him, and did satisfy [him] as well as I could. So to my
uncle Wight’s, but found him out of doors, but my aunt I saw and staid a
while, and so home and to bed. Troubled to hear how proud and idle Pall
is grown, that I am resolved not to keep her.
24th. This morning my wife in bed tells me of our being robbed of our
silver tankard, which vexed me all day for the negligence of my people
to leave the door open. My wife and I by water to Whitehall, where I
left her to her business and I to my cozen Thomas Pepys, and discoursed
with him at large about our business of my uncle’s will. He can give us
no light at all into his estate, but upon the whole tells me that he do
believe that he has left but little money, though something more than we
have found, which is about L500. Here came Sir G. Lane by chance, seeing
a bill upon the door to hire the house, with whom my coz and I walked
all up and down, and indeed it is a very pretty place, and he do intend
to leave the agreement for the House, which is L400 fine, and L46 rent a
year to me between them. Then to the Wardrobe, but come too late, and so
dined with the servants. And then to my Lady, who do shew my wife and me
the greatest favour in the world, in which I take great content. Home by
water and to the office all the afternoon, which is a great pleasure to
me again, to talk with persons of quality and to be in command, and I
give it out among them that the estate left me is L200 a year in land,
besides moneys, because I would put an esteem upon myself. At night home
and to bed after I had set down my journals ever since my going from
London this journey to this house. This afternoon I hear that my man
Will hath lost his clock with my tankard, at which I am very glad.
25th. This morning came my box of papers from Brampton of all my uncle’s
papers, which will now set me at work enough. At noon I went to the
Exchange, where I met my uncle Wight, and found him so discontented
about my father (whether that he takes it ill that he has not been
acquainted with things, or whether he takes it ill that he has nothing
left him, I cannot tell), for which I am much troubled, and so staid not
long to talk with him. Thence to my mother’s, where I found my wife
and my aunt Bell and Mrs. Ramsey, and great store of tattle there was
between the old women and my mother, who thinks that there is, God knows
what fallen to her, which makes me mad, but it was not a proper time to
speak to her of it, and so I went away with Mr. Moore, and he and I to
the Theatre, and saw “The Jovial Crew,” the first time I saw it, and
indeed it is as merry and the most innocent play that ever I saw, and
well performed. From thence home, and wrote to my father and so to bed.
Full of thoughts to think of the trouble that we shall go through before
we come to see what will remain to us of all our expectations.
26th. At home all the morning, and walking met with Mr. Hill of
Cambridge at Pope’s Head Alley with some women with him whom he took and
me into the tavern there, and did give us wine, and would fain seem to
be very knowing in the affairs of state, and tells me that yesterday put
a change to the whole state of England as to the Church; for the King
now would be forced to favour Presbytery, or the City would leave him:
but I heed not what he says, though upon enquiry I do find that things
in the Parliament are in a great disorder. Home at noon and there found
Mr. Moore, and with him to an ordinary alone and dined, and there he and
I read my uncle’s will, and I had his opinion on it, and still find
more and more trouble like to attend it. Back to the office all the
afternoon, and that done home for all night. Having the beginning of
this week made a vow to myself to drink no wine this week (finding it to
unfit me to look after business), and this day breaking of it against my
will, I am much troubled for it, but I hope God will forgive me.
27th. To Westminster, where at Mr. Montagu’s chamber I heard a Frenchman
play, a friend of Monsieur Eschar’s, upon the guitar, most extreme
well, though at the best methinks it is but a bawble. From thence to
Westminster Hall, where it was expected that the Parliament was to have
been adjourned for two or three months, but something hinders it for a
day or two. In the lobby I spoke with Mr. George Montagu, and advised
about a ship to carry my Lord Hinchingbroke and the rest of the young
gentlemen to France, and they have resolved of going in a hired vessell
from Rye, and not in a man of war. He told me in discourse that my Lord
Chancellor is much envied, and that many great men, such as the Duke of
Buckingham and my Lord of Bristoll, do endeavour to undermine him, and
that he believes it will not be done; for that the King (though he loves
him not in the way of a companion, as he do these young gallants that
can answer him in his pleasures), yet cannot be without him, for his
policy and service. From thence to the Wardrobe, where my wife met me,
it being my Lord of Sandwich’s birthday, and so we had many friends
here, Mr. Townsend and his wife, and Captain Ferrers lady and Captain
Isham, and were very merry, and had a good venison pasty. Mr. Pargiter,
the merchant, was with us also. After dinner Mr. Townsend was called
upon by Captain Cooke: so we three went to a tavern hard by, and there
he did give us a song or two; and without doubt he hath the best manner
of singing in the world. Back to my wife, and with my Lady Jem. and Pall
by water through bridge, and showed them the ships with great pleasure,
and then took them to my house to show it them (my Lady their mother
having been lately all alone to see it and my wife, in my absence in the
country), and we treated them well, and were very merry. Then back again
through bridge, and set them safe at home, and so my wife and I by coach
home again, and after writing a letter to my father at Brampton, who,
poor man, is there all alone, and I have not heard from him since my
coming from him, which troubles me. To bed.
28th (Lord’s day). This morning as my wife and I were going to church,
comes Mrs. Ramsay to see us, so we sent her to church, and we went too,
and came back to dinner, and she dined with us and was wellcome. To
church again in the afternoon, and then come home with us Sir W. Pen,
and drank with us, and then went away, and my wife after him to see his
daughter that is lately come out of Ireland. I staid at home at my book;
she came back again and tells me that whereas I expected she should
have been a great beauty, she is a very plain girl. This evening my wife
gives me all my linen, which I have put up, and intend to keep it now in
my own custody. To supper and to bed.
29th. This morning we began again to sit in the mornings at the office,
but before we sat down. Sir R. Slingsby and I went to Sir R. Ford’s to
see his house, and we find it will be very convenient for us to have it
added to the office if he can be got to part with it. Then we sat down
and did business in the office. So home to dinner, and my brother Tom
dined with me, and after dinner he and I alone in my chamber had a
great deal of talk, and I find that unless my father can forbear to make
profit of his house in London and leave it to Tom, he has no mind to
set up the trade any where else, and so I know not what to do with him.
After this I went with him to my mother, and there told her how things
do fall out short of our expectations, which I did (though it be true)
to make her leave off her spending, which I find she is nowadays very
free in, building upon what is left to us by my uncle to bear her out
in it, which troubles me much. While I was here word is brought that my
aunt Fenner is exceeding ill, and that my mother is sent for presently
to come to her: also that my cozen Charles Glassecocke, though very
ill himself, is this day gone to the country to his brother, John
Glassecocke, who is a-dying there. Home.
30th. After my singing-master had done with me this morning, I went to
White Hall and Westminster Hall, where I found the King expected to
come and adjourn the Parliament. I found the two Houses at a great
difference, about the Lords challenging their privileges not to have
their houses searched, which makes them deny to pass the House of
Commons’ Bill for searching for pamphlets and seditious books. Thence
by water to the Wardrobe (meeting the King upon the water going in his
barge to adjourn the House) where I dined with my Lady, and there met
Dr. Thomas Pepys, who I found to be a silly talking fellow, but very
good-natured. So home to the office, where we met about the business of
Tangier this afternoon. That done, at home I found Mr. Moore, and he and
I walked into the City and there parted. To Fleet Street to find when
the Assizes begin at Cambridge and Huntingdon, in order to my going to
meet with Roger Pepys for counsel. So in Fleet Street I met with Mr.
Salisbury, who is now grown in less than two years’ time so great a
limner--that he is become excellent, and gets a great deal of money at
it. I took him to Hercules Pillars to drink, and there came Mr. Whore
(whom I formerly have known), a friend of his to him, who is a very
ingenious fellow, and there I sat with them a good while, and so home
and wrote letters late to my Lord and to my father, and then to bed.
31st. Singing-master came to me this morning; then to the office all the
morning. In the afternoon I went to the Theatre, and there I saw “The
Tamer Tamed” well done. And then home, and prepared to go to Walthamstow
to-morrow. This night I was forced to borrow L40 of Sir W. Batten.