September 1st (Lord’s day). Last night being very rainy [the rain] broke
into my house, the gutter being stopped, and spoiled all my ceilings
almost. At church in the morning, and dined at home with my wife. After
dinner to Sir W. Batten’s, where I found Sir W. Pen and Captain Holmes.
Here we were very merry with Sir W. Pen about the loss of his tankard,
though all be but a cheat, and he do not yet understand it; but the
tankard was stole by Sir W. Batten, and the letter, as from the
thief, wrote by me, which makes: very good sport. Here I staid all the
afternoon, and then Captain Holmes and I by coach to White Hall; in our
way, I found him by discourse, to be a great friend of my Lord’s, and he
told me there was many did seek to remove him; but they were old seamen,
such as Sir J. Minnes (but he would name no more, though I do believe
Sir W. Batten is one of them that do envy him), but he says he knows
that the King do so love him, and the Duke of York too, that there is no
fear of him. He seems to be very well acquainted with the King’s mind,
and with all the several factions at Court, and spoke all with so much
frankness, that I do take him to be my Lord’s good friend, and one able
to do him great service, being a cunning fellow, and one (by his own
confession to me) that can put on two several faces, and look his
enemies in the face with as much love as his friends. But, good God!
what an age is this, and what a world is this! that a man cannot live
without playing the knave and dissimulation. At Whitehall we parted, and
I to Mrs. Pierce’s, meeting her and Madam Clifford in the street, and
there staid talking and laughing with them a good while, and so back to
my mother’s, and there supped, and so home and to bed.
2nd. In the morning to my cozen Thos. Pepys, executor, and there talked
with him about my uncle Thomas, his being in the country, but he could
not advise me to anything therein, not knowing what the other has done
in the country, and so we parted. And so to Whitehall, and there my Lord
Privy Seal, who has been out of town this week, not being yet come,
we can have no seal, and therefore meeting with Mr. Battersby the
apothecary in Fenchurch Street to the King’s Apothecary’s chamber in
Whitehall, and there drank a bottle or two of wine, and so he and I by
water towards London. I landed at Blackfriars and so to the Wardrobe
and dined, and then back to Whitehall with Captain Ferrers, and there
walked, and thence to Westminster Hall, where we met with Mr. Pickering,
and so all of us to the Rhenish wine house (Prior’s), where the master
of the house is laying out some money in making a cellar with an arch in
his yard, which is very convenient for him. Here we staid a good while,
and so Mr. Pickering and I to Westminster Hall again, and there walked
an hour or two talking, and though he be a fool, yet he keeps much
company, and will tell all he sees or hears, and so a man may understand
what the common talk of the town is, and I find by him that there
are endeavours to get my Lord out of play at sea, which I believe Mr.
Coventry and the Duke do think will make them more absolute; but I hope,
for all this, they will not be able to do it. He tells me plainly of the
vices of the Court, and how the pox is so common there, and so I hear on
all hands that it is as common as eating and swearing. From him by water
to the bridge, and thence to the Mitre, where I met my uncle and aunt
Wight come to see Mrs. Rawlinson (in her husband’s absence out of town),
and so I staid with them and Mr. Lucas and other company, very merry,
and so home, Where my wife has been busy all the day making of pies, and
had been abroad and bought things for herself, and tells that she met at
the Change with my young ladies of the Wardrobe and there helped them to
buy things, and also with Mr. Somerset, who did give her a bracelet of
rings, which did a little trouble me, though I know there is no hurt yet
in it, but only for fear of further acquaintance. So to bed. This night
I sent another letter to Sir W. Pen to offer him the return of his
tankard upon his leaving of 30s. at a place where it should be brought.
The issue of which I am to expect.
3rd. This day some of us Commissioners went down to Deptford to pay
off some ships, but I could not go, but staid at home all the morning
setting papers to rights, and this morning Mr. Howell, our turner, sent
me two things to file papers on very handsome. Dined at home, and then
with my wife to the Wardrobe, where my Lady’s child was christened (my
Lord Crew and his Lady, and my Lady Montagu, my Lord’s mother-in-law,
were the witnesses), and named Katherine
[Lady Katherine Montagu, youngest daughter of Lord Sandwich,
married, first, Nicholas Bacon, eldest son and heir of Sir Nicholas
Bacon, K.B., of Shrubland Hall, co. Suffolk; and, secondly, the
Rev. Balthazar Gardeman. She died January 15th, 1757, at ninety-six
years, four months.--B.]
(the Queen elect’s name); but to my and all our trouble, the Parson of
the parish christened her, and did not sign the child with the sign of
the cross. After that was done, we had a very fine banquet, the best I
ever was at, and so (there being very little company) we by and by broke
up, and my wife and I to my mother, who I took a liberty to advise about
her getting things ready to go this week into the country to my father,
and she (being become now-a-days very simple) took it very ill, and we
had a great deal of noise and wrangling about it. So home by coach.
4th. In the morning to the Privy Seal to do some things of the last
month, my Lord Privy Seal having been some time out of town. Then my
wife came to me to Whitehall, and we went and walked a good while in St.
James’s Park to see the brave alterations, and so to Wilkinson’s, the
Cook’s, to dinner, where we sent for Mrs. Sarah and there dined and had
oysters, the first I have eat this year, and were pretty good. After
dinner by agreement to visit Mrs. Symonds, but she is abroad, which I
wonder at, and so missing her my wife again to my mother’s (calling at
Mrs. Pierce’s, who we found brought to bed of a girl last night) and
there staid and drank, and she resolves to be going to-morrow without
fail. Many friends come in to take their leave of her, but a great
deal of stir I had again tonight about getting her to go to see my Lady
Sandwich before she goes, which she says she will do tomorrow. So I
home.
5th. To the Privy Seal this morning about business, in my way taking
leave of my mother, who goes to Brampton to-day. But doing my business
at the Privy Seal pretty soon, I took boat and went to my uncle
Fenner’s, and there I found my mother and my wife and Pall (of whom I
had this morning at my own house taken leave, and given her 20s. and
good counsel how to carry herself to my father and mother), and so I
took them, it being late, to Beard’s, where they were staid for, and so
I put them into the waggon, and saw them going presently, Pall crying
exceedingly. Then in with my wife, my aunt Bell and Charles Pepys, whom
we met there, and drank, and so to my uncle Fenner’s to dinner (in the
way meeting a French footman with feathers, who was in quest of my wife,
and spoke with her privately, but I could not tell what it was, only my
wife promised to go to some place to-morrow morning, which do trouble
my mind how to know whither it was), where both his sons and daughters
were, and there we were merry and dined. After dinner news was brought
that my aunt Kite, the butcher’s widow in London, is sick ready to die
and sends for my uncle and me to come to take charge of things, and to
be entrusted with the care of her daughter. But I through want of time
to undertake such a business, I was taken up by Antony Joyce, which
came at last to very high words, which made me very angry, and I did
not think that he would ever have been such a fool to meddle with other
people’s business, but I saw he spoke worse to his father than to me and
therefore I bore it the better, but all the company was offended with
him, so we parted angry he and I, and so my wife and I to the fair,
and I showed her the Italians dancing the ropes, and the women that
do strange tumbling tricks and so by foot home vexed in my mind about
Antony Joyce.
6th. This morning my uncle Fenner by appointment came and drank his
morning draft with me, and from thence he and I go to see my aunt Kite
(my wife holding her resolution to go this morning as she resolved
yesterday, and though there could not be much hurt in it, yet my own
jealousy put a hundred things into my mind, which did much trouble me
all day), whom we found in bed and not like to live as we think, and she
told us her mind was that if she should die she should give all she had
to her daughter, only L5 apiece to her second husband’s children, in
case they live to come out of their apprenticeships, and that if her
daughter should die before marrying, then L10 to be divided between
Sarah Kite’s children and the rest as her own daughter shall dispose of
it, and this I set down that I may be able to swear in case there should
be occasion. From thence to an alehouse while it rained, which kept us
there I think above two hours, and at last we were fain to go through
the rainy street home, calling on his sister Utbeck and drank there.
Then I home to dinner all alone, and thence my mind being for my
wife’s going abroad much troubled and unfit for business, I went to the
Theatre, and saw “Elder Brother” ill acted; that done, meeting here with
Sir G. Askew, Sir Theophilus Jones, and another Knight, with Sir W.
Pen, we to the Ship tavern, and there staid and were merry till late
at night, and so got a coach, and Sir Wm. and I home, where my wife had
been long come home, but I seemed very angry, as indeed I am, and did
not all night show her any countenance, neither before nor in bed, and
so slept and rose discontented.
7th. At the office all the morning. At noon Mr. Moore dined with me, and
then in comes Wm. Joyce to answer a letter of mine I wrote this morning
to him about a maid of his that my wife had hired, and she sent us word
that she was hired to stay longer with her master, which mistake he came
to clear himself of; and I took it very kindly. So I having appointed
the young ladies at the Wardrobe to go with them to a play to-day, I
left him and my brother Tom who came along with him to dine, and my wife
and I took them to the Theatre, where we seated ourselves close by the
King, and Duke of York, and Madame Palmer, which was great content; and,
indeed, I can never enough admire her beauty. And here was “Bartholomew
Fayre,” with the puppet-show, acted to-day, which had not been these
forty years (it being so satyricall against Puritanism, they durst not
till now, which is strange they should already dare to do it, and the
King do countenance it), but I do never a whit like it the better for
the puppets, but rather the worse. Thence home with the ladies, it being
by reason of our staying a great while for the King’s coming, and the
length of the play, near nine o’clock before it was done, and so in
their coach home, and still in discontent with my wife, to bed, and rose
so this morning also.
8th (Lord’s day). To church, it being a very wet night last night
and to-day, dined at home, and so to church again with my wife in the
afternoon, and coming home again found our new maid Doll asleep, that
she could not hear to let us in, so that we were fain to send the boy in
at a window to open the door to us. So up to my chamber all alone, and
troubled in mind to think how much of late I have addicted myself to
expense and pleasure, that now I can hardly reclaim myself to look after
my great business of settling Gravely business, until now almost too
late. I pray God give me grace to begin now to look after my business,
but it always was, and I fear will ever be, my foible that after I am
once got behind-hand with business, I am hard to set to it again to
recover it. In the evening I begun to look over my accounts and upon
the whole I do find myself, by what I can yet see, worth near L600, for
which God be blessed, which put me into great comfort. So to supper and
to bed.
9th. To the Privy Seal in the morning, but my Lord did not come, so I
went with Captain Morrice at his desire into the King’s Privy Kitchen
to Mr. Sayres, the Master Cook, and there we had a good slice of beef
or two to our breakfast, and from thence he took us into the wine cellar
where, by my troth, we were very merry, and I drank too much wine, and
all along had great and particular kindness from Mr. Sayres, but I drank
so much wine that I was not fit for business, and therefore at noon I
went and walked in Westminster Hall a while, and thence to Salisbury
Court play house, where was acted the first time “‘Tis pity Shee’s a
Whore,” a simple play and ill acted, only it was my fortune to sit by a
most pretty and most ingenious lady, which pleased me much. Thence home,
and found Sir Williams both and much more company gone to the Dolphin
to drink the 30s. that we got the other day of Sir W. Pen about his
tankard. Here was Sir R. Slingsby, Holmes, Captn. Allen, Mr. Turner,
his wife and daughter, my Lady Batten, and Mrs. Martha, &c., and an
excellent company of fiddlers; so we exceeding merry till late; and
then we begun to tell Sir W. Pen the business, but he had been drinking
to-day, and so is almost gone, that we could not make him understand it,
which caused us more sport. But so much the better, for I believe when
he do come to understand it he will be angry, he has so talked of the
business himself and the letter up and down that he will be ashamed to
be found abused in it. So home and to bed.
10th. At the office all the morn, dined at home; then my wife into
Wood Street to buy a chest, and thence to buy other things at my uncle
Fenner’s (though by reason of rain we had ill walking), thence to my
brother Tom’s, and there discoursed with him about business, and so to
the Wardrobe to see my Lady, and after supper with the young ladies,
bought a link and carried it myself till I met one that would light me
home for the link. So he light me home with his own, and then I did give
him mine. This night I found Mary, my cozen W. Joyce’s maid, come to me
to be my cook maid, and so my house is full again. So to bed.
11th. Early to my cozen Thomas Trice to discourse about our affairs,
and he did make demand of the L200 and the interest thereof. But for
the L200 I did agree to pay him, but for the other I did desire to be
advised. So from him to Dr. Williams, who did carry me into his garden,
where he hath abundance of grapes; and did show me how a dog that he
hath do kill all the cats that come thither to kill his pigeons, and
do afterwards bury them; and do it with so much care that they shall be
quite covered; that if but the tip of the tail hangs out he will take
up the cat again, and dig the hole deeper. Which is very strange; and he
tells me that he do believe that he hath killed above 100 cats. After
he was ready we went up and down to inquire about my affairs and then
parted, and to the Wardrobe, and there took Mr. Moore to Tom Trice, who
promised to let Mr. Moore have copies of the bond and my aunt’s deed
of gift, and so I took him home to my house to dinner, where I found my
wife’s brother, Balty, as fine as hands could make him, and his servant,
a Frenchman, to wait on him, and come to have my wife to visit a young
lady which he is a servant to, and have hope to trepan and get for his
wife. I did give way for my wife to go with him, and so after dinner
they went, and Mr. Moore and I out again, he about his business and I
to Dr. Williams: to talk with him again, and he and I walking through
Lincoln’s Fields observed at the Opera a new play, “Twelfth Night”
[Pepys seldom liked any play of Shakespeare’s, and he sadly
blundered when he supposed “Twelfth Night” was a new play.]
was acted there, and the King there; so I, against my own mind and
resolution, could not forbear to go in, which did make the play seem a
burthen to me, and I took no pleasure at all in it; and so after it
was done went home with my mind troubled for my going thither, after my
swearing to my wife that I would never go to a play without her. So
that what with this and things going so cross to me as to matters of my
uncle’s estate, makes me very much troubled in my mind, and so to bed.
My wife was with her brother to see his mistress today, and says she is
young, rich, and handsome, but not likely for him to get.
12th. Though it was an office day, yet I was forced to go to the Privy
Seal, at which I was all the morning, and from thence to my Lady’s to
dinner at the Wardrobe; and in my way upon the Thames, I saw the King’s
new pleasure-boat that is come now for the King to take pleasure in
above bridge; and also two Gundaloes
[“Two long boats that were made in Venice, called gondolas, were by
the Duke of Venice (Dominico Contareni) presented to His Majesty;
and the attending watermen, being four, were in very rich clothes,
crimson satin; very big were their breeches and doublets; they wore
also very large shirts of the same satin, very richly laced.”
--Rugge’s Diurnal.--B.]
that are lately brought, which are very rich and fine. After dinner
I went into my Lady’s chamber where I found her up now out of her
childbed, which I was glad to see, and after an hour’s talk with her I
took leave and to Tom Trice again, and sat talking and drinking with him
about our business a great while. I do find I am likely to be forced to
pay interest for the L200. By and by in comes my uncle Thomas, and as he
was always a close cunning fellow, so he carries himself to me, and says
nothing of what his endeavours are, though to my trouble I know that he
is about recovering of Gravely, but neither I nor he began any discourse
of the business. From thence to Dr. Williams (at the little blind
alehouse in Shoe Lane, at the Gridiron, a place I am ashamed to be seen
to go into), and there with some bland counsel of his we discuss our
matters, but I find men of so different minds that by my troth I know
not what to trust to. It being late I took leave, and by link home and
called at Sir W. Batten’s, and there hear that Sir W. Pen do take our
jest of the tankard very ill, which Pam sorry for.
13th. This morning I was sent for by my uncle Fenner to come and advise
about the buriall of my aunt, the butcher, who died yesterday; and from
thence to the Anchor, by Doctor’s Commons, and there Dr. Williams and I
did write a letter for my purpose to Mr. Sedgewick, of Cambridge, about
Gravely business, and after that I left him and an attorney with him and
went to the Wardrobe, where I found my wife, and thence she and I to
the water to spend the afternoon in pleasure; and so we went to old
George’s, and there eat as much as we would of a hot shoulder of mutton,
and so to boat again and home. So to bed, my mind very full of business
and trouble.
14th. At the office all the morning, at noon to the Change, and then
home again. To dinner, where my uncle Fenner by appointment came and
dined with me, thinking to go together to my aunt Kite’s that is dead;
but before we had dined comes Sir R. Slingsby and his lady, and a great
deal of company, to take my wife and I out by barge to shew them the
King’s and Duke’s yachts. So I was forced to leave my uncle and brother
Tom at dinner and go forth with them, and we had great pleasure, seeing
all four yachts, viz., these two and the two Dutch ones. And so home
again, and after writing letters by post, to bed.
15th (Lord’s day). To my aunt Kite’s in the morning to help my uncle
Fenner to put things in order against anon for the buriall, and at noon
home again; and after dinner to church, my wife and I, and after sermon
with my wife to the buriall of my aunt Kite, where besides us and my
uncle Fenner’s family, there was none of any quality, but poor rascally
people. So we went to church with the corps, and there had service read
at the grave, and back again with Pegg Kite who will be, I doubt, a
troublesome carrion to us executors; but if she will not be ruled, I
shall fling up my executorship. After that home, and Will Joyce along
with me where we sat and talked and drank and ate an hour or two, and so
he went away and I up to my chamber and then to prayers and to bed.
16th. This morning I was busy at home to take in my part of our freight
of Coles, which Sir G. Carteret, Sir R. Slingsby, and myself sent for,
which is 10 Chaldron, 8 of which I took in, and with the other to repay
Sir W. Pen what I borrowed of him a little while ago. So that from this
day I should see how long 10 chaldron of coals will serve my house, if
it please the Lord to let me live to see them burned. In the afternoon
by appointment to meet Dr. Williams and his attorney, and they and I to
Tom Trice, and there got him in discourse to confess the words that he
had said that his mother did desire him not to see my uncle about her
L200 bond while she was alive. Here we were at high words with T. Trice
and then parted, and we to Standing’s, in Fleet Street, where we sat and
drank and talked a great while about my going down to Gravely Court,
[The manorial court of Graveley, in Huntingdonshire, to which
Impington owed suit or service, and under which the Pepys’s copyhold
estates were held. See July 8th, 1661, ante.--B.]
which will be this week, whereof the Doctor had notice in a letter from
his sister this week. In the middle of our discourse word was brought me
from my brother’s that there is a fellow come from my father out of the
country, on purpose to speak to me, so I went to him and he made a story
how he had lost his letter, but he was sure it was for me to go into the
country, which I believed, and thought it might be to give me notice of
Gravely Court, but I afterwards found that it was a rogue that did use
to play such tricks to get money of people, but he got none of me. At
night I went home, and there found letters-from my father informing me
of the Court, and that I must come down and meet him at Impington, which
I presently resolved to do,
17th. And the next morning got up, telling my wife of my journey, and
she with a few words got me to hire her a horse to go along with me. So
I went to my Lady’s and elsewhere to take leave, and of Mr. Townsend did
borrow a very fine side-saddle for my wife; and so after all things were
ready, she and I took coach to the end of the town towards Kingsland,
and there got upon my horse and she upon her pretty mare that I hired
for her, and she rides very well. By the mare at one time falling she
got a fall, but no harm; so we got to Ware, and there supped, and to bed
very merry and pleasant.
18th. The next morning up early and begun our march; the way about
Puckridge--[Puckeridge, a village in Hertfordshire six and a half miles
N.N.E, of Ware.]--very bad, and my wife, in the very last dirty place of
all, got a fall, but no hurt, though some dirt. At last she begun, poor
wretch, to be tired, and I to be angry at it, but I was to blame; for
she is a very good companion as long as she is well. In the afternoon we
got to Cambridge, where I left my wife at my cozen Angier’s while I
went to Christ’s College, and there found my brother in his chamber, and
talked with him; and so to the barber’s, and then to my wife again, and
remounted for Impington, where my uncle received me and my wife very
kindly. And by and by in comes my father, and we supped and talked and
were merry, but being weary and sleepy my wife and I to bed without
talking with my father anything about our business.
19th. Up early, and my father and I alone into the garden, and there
talked about our business, and what to do therein. So after I had talked
and advised with my coz Claxton, and then with my uncle by his bedside,
we all horsed away to Cambridge, where my father and I, having left my
wife at the Beare with my brother, went to Mr. Sedgewicke, the steward
of Gravely, and there talked with him, but could get little hopes from
anything that he would tell us; but at last I did give him a fee, and
then he was free to tell me what I asked, which was something, though
not much comfort. From thence to our horses, and with my wife went and
rode through Sturbridge
[Sturbridge fair is of great antiquity. The first trace of it is
found in a charter granted about 1211 by King John to the Lepers of
the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen at Sturbridge by Cambridge, a fair
to be held in the close of the hospital on the vigil and feast of
the Holy Cross (see Cornelius Walford’s “Fairs Past and Present,”
1883, p. 54).]
but the fair was almost done. So we did not ‘light there at all, but
went back to Cambridge, and there at the Beare we had some herrings, we
and my brother, and after dinner set out for Brampton, where we come
in very good time, and found all things well, and being somewhat weary,
after some talk about tomorrow’s business with my father, we went to
bed.
20th. Will Stankes and I set out in the morning betimes for Gravely,
where to an ale-house and drank, and then, going towards the Court
House, met my uncle Thomas and his son Thomas, with Bradly, the rogue
that had betrayed us, and one Young, a cunning fellow, who guides them.
There passed no unkind words at all between us, but I seemed fair and
went to drink with them. I said little till by and by that we come to
the Court, which was a simple meeting of a company of country rogues,
with the Steward, and two Fellows of Jesus College, that are lords of
the town where the jury were sworn; and I producing no surrender, though
I told them I was sure there is and must be one somewhere, they found
my uncle Thomas heir at law, as he is, and so, though I did tell him and
his son that they would find themselves abused by these fellows, and did
advise them to forbear being admitted this Court (which they could have
done, but that these rogues did persuade them to do it now), my uncle
was admitted, and his son also, in reversion after his father, which he
did well in to secure his money. The father paid a year and a half for
his fine, and the son half a year, in all L48, besides about L3 fees; so
that I do believe the charges of his journeys, and what he gives those
two rogues, and other expenses herein, cannot be less than L70, which
will be a sad thing for them if a surrender be found. After all was
done, I openly wished them joy in it, and so rode to Offord with them
and there parted fairly without any words. I took occasion to bid them
money for their half acre of land, which I had a mind to do that in the
surrender I might secure Piggott’s, which otherwise I should be forced
to lose. So with Stankes home and supped, and after telling my father
how things went, I went to bed with my mind in good temper, because I
see the matter and manner of the Court and the bottom of my business,
wherein I was before and should always have been ignorant.
21st. All the morning pleasing myself with my father, going up and
down the house and garden with my father and my wife, contriving some
alterations. After dinner (there coming this morning my aunt Hanes
and her son from London, that is to live with my father) I rode to
Huntingdon, where I met Mr. Philips, and there put my Bugden
[Bugden, or Buckden, a village and parish in the St. Neots district
of Huntingdonshire, four miles S.W. of Huntingdon.]
matter in order against the Court, and so to Hinchingbroke, where
Mr. Barnwell shewed me the condition of the house, which is yet very
backward, and I fear will be very dark in the cloyster when it is done.
So home and to supper and to bed, very pleasant and quiet.
22nd (Lord’s day). Before church time walking with my father in the
garden contriving. So to church, where we had common prayer, and a dull
sermon by one Mr. Case, who yet I heard sing very well. So to dinner,
and busy with my father about his accounts all the afternoon, and people
came to speak with us about business. Mr. Barnwell at night came and
supped with us. So after setting matters even with my father and I, to
bed.
23rd. Up, and sad to hear my father and mother wrangle as they used
to do in London, of which I took notice to both, and told them that I
should give over care for anything unless they would spend what they
have with more love and quiet. So (John Bowles coming to see us before
we go) we took horse and got early to Baldwick; where there was a fair,
and we put in and eat a mouthfull of pork, which they made us pay 14d.
for, which vexed us much. And so away to Stevenage, and staid till a
showre was over, and so rode easily to Welling, where we supped well,
and had two beds in the room and so lay single, and still remember it
that of all the nights that ever I slept in my life I never did pass a
night with more epicurism of sleep; there being now and then a noise of
people stirring that waked me, and then it was a very rainy night, and
then I was a little weary, that what between waking and then sleeping
again, one after another, I never had so much content in all my life,
and so my wife says it was with her.
24th. We rose, and set forth, but found a most sad alteration in the
road by reason of last night’s rains, they being now all dirty and
washy, though not deep. So we rode easily through, and only drinking at
Holloway, at the sign of a woman with cakes in one hand and a pot of ale
in the other, which did give good occasion of mirth, resembling her to
the maid that served us, we got home very timely and well, and finding
there all well, and letters from sea, that speak of my Lord’s
being well, and his action, though not considerable of any side, at
Argier.--[Algiers]--I went straight to my Lady, and there sat and talked
with her, and so home again, and after supper we to bed somewhat weary,
hearing of nothing ill since my absence but my brother Tom, who is
pretty well though again.
25th. By coach with Sir W. Pen to Covent Garden. By the way, upon my
desire, he told me that I need not fear any reflection upon my Lord for
their ill success at Argier, for more could not be done than was done.
I went to my cozen, Thos. Pepys, there, and talked with him a good
while about our country business, who is troubled at my uncle Thomas
his folly, and so we parted; and then meeting Sir R. Slingsby in St.
Martin’s Lane, he and I in his coach through the Mewes, which is the
way that now all coaches are forced to go, because of a stop at Charing
Cross, by reason of a drain there to clear the streets. To Whitehall,
and there to Mr. Coventry, and talked with him, and thence to my Lord
Crew’s and dined with him, where I was used with all imaginable kindness
both from him and her. And I see that he is afraid that my Lord’s
reputacon will a little suffer in common talk by this late success; but
there is no help for it now. The Queen of England (as she is now owned
and called) I hear doth keep open Court, and distinct at Lisbon. Hence,
much against my nature and will, yet such is the power of the Devil over
me I could not refuse it, to the Theatre, and saw “The Merry Wives of
Windsor,” ill done. And that ended, with Sir W. Pen and Sir G. More to
the tavern, and so home with him by coach, and after supper to prayers
and to bed. In full quiet of mind as to thought, though full of
business, blessed be God.
26th. At the office all the morning, so dined at home, and then abroad
with my wife by coach to the Theatre to shew her “King and no King,”
it being very well done. And so by coach, though hard to get it, being
rainy, home. So to my chamber to write letters and the journal for these
six last days past.
27th. By coach to Whitehall with my wife (where she went to see Mrs.
Pierce, who was this day churched, her month of childbed being out). I
went to Mrs. Montagu and other businesses, and at noon met my wife at
the Wardrobe; and there dined, where we found Captain Country (my little
Captain that I loved, who carried me to the Sound), come with some
grapes and millons
[The antiquity of the cultivation of the melon is very remote. Both
the melon (cucaimis melo) and the water-melon (cucumis citrullus)
were introduced into England at the end of the sixteenth century.
See vol. i., p. 228.]
from my Lord at Lisbon, the first that ever I saw any, and my wife and
I eat some, and took some home; but the grapes are rare things. Here we
staid; and in the afternoon comes Mr. Edwd. Montagu (by appointment
this morning) to talk with my Lady and me about the provisions fit to
be bought, and sent to my Lord along with him. And told us, that we need
not trouble ourselves how to buy them, for the King would pay for all,
and that he would take care to get them: which put my Lady and me into a
great deal of ease of mind. Here we staid and supped too, and, after
my wife had put up some of the grapes in a basket for to be sent to the
King, we took coach and home, where we found a hampire of millons sent
to me also.
28th. At the office in the morning, dined at home, and then Sir W.
Pen and his daughter and I and my wife to the Theatre, and there saw
“Father’s own Son,” a very good play, and the first time I ever saw
it, and so at night to my house, and there sat and talked and drank and
merrily broke up, and to bed.
29th (Lord’s day). To church in the morning, and so to dinner, and Sir
W. Pen and daughter, and Mrs. Poole, his kinswoman, Captain Poole’s
wife, came by appointment to dinner with us, and a good dinner we had
for them, and were very merry, and so to church again, and then to Sir
W. Pen’s and there supped, where his brother, a traveller, and one that
speaks Spanish very well, and a merry man, supped with us, and what
at dinner and supper I drink I know not how, of my own accord, so much
wine, that I was even almost foxed, and my head aked all night; so home
and to bed, without prayers, which I never did yet, since I came to the
house, of a Sunday night: I being now so out of order that I durst not
read prayers, for fear of being perceived by my servants in what case I
was. So to bed.
30th. This morning up by moon-shine, at 5 o’clock, to White Hall, to
meet Mr. Moore at the Privy Seal, but he not being come as appointed,
I went into King Street to the Red Lyon’ to drink my morning draft, and
there I heard of a fray between the two Embassadors of Spain and France;
and that, this day, being the day of the entrance of an Embassador from
Sweden, they intended to fight for the precedence! Our King, I heard,
ordered that no Englishman should meddle in the business,
[The Comte de Brienne insinuates, in his “Memoirs,” that Charles
purposely abstained from interfering, in the belief that it was for
his interest to let France and Spain quarrel, in order to further
his own designs in the match with Portugal. Louis certainly held
that opinion; and he afterwards instructed D’Estrades to solicit
from the English court the punishment of those Londoners who had
insulted his ambassador, and to demand the dismissal of De
Batteville. Either no Londoner had interfered, or Louis’s demand
had not in England the same force as in Spain; for no one was
punished. The latter part of his request it was clearly not for
Charles to entertain, much less enforce.--B.]
but let them do what they would. And to that end all the soldiers in the
town were in arms all the day long, and some of the train-bands in the
City; and a great bustle through the City all the day. Then I to the
Privy Seal, and there Mr. Moore and a gentleman being come with him,
we took coach (which was the business I come for) to Chelsy, to my
Lord Privy Seal, and there got him to seal the business. Here I saw by
day-light two very fine pictures in the gallery, that a little while ago
I saw by night; and did also go all over the house, and found it to be
the prettiest contrived house that ever I saw in my life. So to coach
back again; and at White Hall light, and saw the soldiers and people
running up and down the streets. So I went to the Spanish Embassador’s
and the French, and there saw great preparations on both sides; but
the French made the most noise and vaunted most, the other made no stir
almost at all; so that I was afraid the other would have had too great
a conquest over them. Then to the Wardrobe, and dined there, end then
abroad and in Cheapside hear that the Spanish hath got the best of it,
and killed three of the French coach-horses and several men, and is gone
through the City next to our King’s coach; at which, it is strange to
see how all the City did rejoice. And indeed we do naturally all love
the Spanish, and hate the French. But I, as I am in all things curious,
presently got to the water-side, and there took oars to Westminster
Palace, thinking to have seen them come in thither with all the coaches,
but they being come and returned, I ran after them with my boy after me
through all the dirt and the streets full of people; till at last, at
the Mewes, I saw the Spanish coach go, with fifty drawn swords at least
to guard it, and our soldiers shouting for joy. And so I followed the
coach, and then met it at York House, where the embassador lies; and
there it went in with great state. So then I went to the French house,
where I observe still, that there is no men in the world of a more
insolent spirit where they do well, nor before they begin a matter, and
more abject if they do miscarry, than these people are; for they all
look like dead men, and not a word among them, but shake their heads.
The truth is, the Spaniards were not only observed to fight most
desperately, but also they did outwitt them; first in lining their own
harness with chains of iron that they could not be cut, then in setting
their coach in the most advantageous place, and to appoint men to guard
every one of their horses, and others for to guard the coach, and others
the coachmen. And, above all, in setting upon the French horses and
killing them, for by that means the French were not able to stir. There
were several men slain of the French, and one or two of the Spaniards,
and one Englishman by a bullet. Which is very observable, the French
were at least four to one in number, and had near 100 case of pistols
among them, and the Spaniards had not one gun among them; which is for
their honour for ever, and the others’ disgrace. So, having been very
much daubed with dirt, I got a coach, and home where I vexed my wife in
telling of her this story, and pleading for the Spaniards against the
French. So ends this month; myself and family in good condition
of health, but my head full of my Lord’s and my own and the office
business; where we are now very busy about the business of sending
forces to Tangier,
[This place so often mentioned, was first given up to the English
fleet under Lord Sandwich, by the Portuguese, January 30th, 1662;
and Lord Peterborough left governor, with a garrison. The greatest
pains were afterwards taken to preserve the fortress, and a fine
mole was constructed at a vast expense, to improve the harbour. At
length, after immense sums of money had been wasted there, the House
of Commons expressed a dislike to the management of the garrison,
which they suspected to be a nursery for a popish army, and seemed
disinclined to maintain it any longer. The king consequently, in
1683, sent Lord Dartmouth to bring home the troops, and destroy the
works; which he performed so effectually, that it would puzzle all
our engineers to restore the harbour. It were idle to speculate on
the benefits which might have accrued to England, by its
preservation and retention; Tangier fell into the hands of the
Moors, its importance having ceased, with the demolition of the
mole. Many curious views of Tangier were taken by Hollar, during
its occupation by the English; and his drawings are preserved in the
British Museum. Some have been engraved by himself; but the
impressions are of considerable rarity.--B.]
and the fleet to my Lord of Sandwich, who is now at Lisbon to bring over
the Queen, who do now keep a Court as Queen of England. The business of
Argier hath of late troubled me, because my Lord hath not done what he
went for, though he did as much as any man in the world could have done.
The want of money puts all things, and above all things the Nary, out
of order; and yet I do not see that the King takes care to bring in any
money, but thinks of new designs to lay out money.