November 1st. I went this morning with Sir W. Pen by coach to
Westminster, and having done my business at Mr. Montagu’s, I went back
to him at Whitehall, and from thence with him to the 3 Tun Tavern, at
Charing Cross, and there sent for up the maister of the house’s dinner,
and dined very well upon it, and afterwards had him and his fayre sister
(who is very great with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen in mirth) up to us,
and looked over some medals that they shewed us of theirs; and so went
away to the Theatre, to “The Joviall Crew,” and from hence home, and
at my house we were very merry till late, having sent for his son, Mr.
William Pen,
[The celebrated Quaker, and founder of Pennsylvania.]
lately come from Oxford. And after supper parted, and to bed.
2d. At the office all the morning; where Sir John Minnes, our new
comptroller, was fetched by Sir Wm. Pen and myself from Sir Wm.
Batten’s, and led to his place in the office. The first time that he had
come hither, and he seems a good fair condition man, and one that I
am glad hath the office. After the office done, I to the Wardrobe, and
there dined, and in the afternoon had an hour or two’s talk with my Lady
with great pleasure. And so with the two young ladies by coach to my
house, and gave them some entertainment, and so late at night sent them
home with Captain Ferrers by coach. This night my boy Wayneman, as I was
in my chamber, I overheard him let off some gunpowder; and hearing my
wife chide him below for it, and a noise made, I call him up, and find
that it was powder that he had put in his pocket, and a match carelessly
with it, thinking that it was out, and so the match did give fire to the
powder, and had burnt his side and his hand that he put into his pocket
to put out the fire. But upon examination, and finding him in a lie
about the time and place that he bought it, I did extremely beat him,
and though it did trouble me to do it, yet I thought it necessary to do
it. So to write by the post, and to bed.
3rd (Lord’s day). This day I stirred not out, but took physique, and it
did work very well, and all the day as I was at leisure I did read in
Fuller’s Holy Warr, which I have of late bought, and did try to make a
song in the praise of a liberall genius (as I take my own to be) to all
studies and pleasures, but it not proving to my mind I did reject it
and so proceeded not in it. At night my wife and I had a good supper by
ourselves of a pullet hashed, which pleased me much to see my condition
come to allow ourselves a dish like that, and so at night to bed.
4th. In the morning, being very rainy, by coach with Sir W. Pen and
my wife to Whitehall, and sent her to Mrs. Bunt’s, and he and I to Mr.
Coventry’s about business, and so sent for her again, and all three
home again, only I to the Mitre (Mr. Rawlinson’s), where Mr. Pierce,
the Purser, had got us a most brave chine of beef, and a dish of
marrowbones. Our company my uncle Wight, Captain Lambert, one Captain
Davies, and purser Barter, Mr. Rawlinson, and ourselves; and very merry.
After dinner I took coach, and called my wife at my brother’s, where I
left her, and to the Opera, where we saw “The Bondman,” which of old we
both did so doat on, and do still; though to both our thinking not
so well acted here (having too great expectations), as formerly at
Salisbury-court. But for Betterton he is called by us both the best
actor in the world. So home by coach, I lighting by the way at my uncle
Wight’s and staid there a little, and so home after my wife, and to bed.
5th. At the office all the morning. At noon comes my brother Tom and Mr.
Armiger to dine with me, and did, and we were very merry. After dinner,
I having drunk a great deal of wine, I went away, seeming to go about
business with Sir W. Pen, to my Lady Batten’s (Sir William being at
Chatham), and there sat a good while, and then went away (before I went
I called at home to see whether they were gone, and found them there,
and Armiger inviting my wife to go to a play, and like a fool would be
courting her, but he is an ass, and lays out money with Tom, otherwise
I should not think him worth half this respect I shew him). To the
Dolphin, where he and I and Captain Cocke sat late and drank much,
seeing the boys in the streets flying their crackers, this day being
kept all the day very strictly in the City. At last broke up, and called
at my Lady Batten’s again and would have gone to cards, but Sir W.
Pen was so fuddled that we could not try him to play, and therefore we
parted, and I home and to bed.
6th. Going forth this morning I met Mr. Davenport and a friend of his,
one Mr. Furbisher, to drink their morning draft with me, and I did give
it them in good wine, and anchovies, and pickled oysters, and took them
to the Sun in Fish Street, there did give them a barrel of good ones,
and a great deal of wine, and sent for Mr. W. Bernard (Sir Robert’s
son), a grocer thereabouts, and were very merry, and cost me a good
deal of money, and at noon left them, and with my head full of wine, and
being invited by a note from Luellin, that came to my hands this morning
in bed, I went to Nick Osborne’s at the Victualling Office, and there
saw his wife, who he has lately married, a good sober woman, and new
come to their home. We had a good dish or two of marrowbones and another
of neats’ tongues to dinner, and that being done I bade them adieu and
hastened to Whitehall (calling Mr. Moore by the way) to my Lord Privy
Seal, who will at last force the clerks to bring in a table of their
fees, which they have so long denied, but I do not join with them, and
so he is very respectful to me. So he desires me to bring in one which I
observe in making of fees, which I will speedily do. So back again,
and endeavoured to speak with Tom Trice (who I fear is hatching some
mischief), but could not, which vexed me, and so I went home and sat
late with pleasure at my lute, and so to bed.
7th. This morning came one Mr. Hill (sent by Mr. Hunt, the Instrument
maker), to teach me to play on the Theorbo, but I do not like his play
nor singing, and so I found a way to put him off. So to the office. And
then to dinner, and got Mr. Pett the Commissioner to dinner with me, he
and I alone, my wife not being well, and so after dinner parted. And I
to Tom Trice, who in short shewed me a writt he had ready for my father,
and I promised to answer it. So I went to Dr. Williams (who is now
pretty well got up after his sickness), and after that to Mr. Moore to
advise, and so returned home late on foot, with my mind cleared, though
not satisfied. I met with letters at home from my Lord from Lisbone,
which speak of his being well; and he tells me he had seen at the court
there the day before he wrote this letter, the Juego de Toro.--[A bull
fight. See May 24th, 1662.--B:]--So fitted myself for bed. Coming home
I called at my uncle Fenner’s, who tells that Peg Kite now hath declared
she will have the beggarly rogue the weaver, and so we are resolved
neither to meddle nor make with her.
8th. This morning up early, and to my Lord Chancellor’s with a letter
to him from my Lord, and did speak with him; and he did ask me whether
I was son to Mr. Talbot Pepys or no (with whom he was once acquainted
in the Court of Requests), and spoke to me with great respect. Thence
to Westminster Hall (it being Term time) and there met with Commissioner
Pett, and so at noon he and I by appointment to the Sun in New Fish
Street, where Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and we all were to dine, at
an invitation of Captain Stoaks and Captain Clerk, and were very merry,
and by discourse I found Sir J. Minnes a fine gentleman and a very good
scholler. After dinner to the Wardrobe, and thence to Dr. Williams, who
went with me (the first time that he has been abroad a great while) to
the Six Clerks Office to find me a clerk there able to advise me in my
business with Tom Trice, and after I had heard them talk, and had given
me some comfort, I went to my brother Tom’s, and took him with me to
my coz. Turner at the Temple, and had his opinion that I should not
pay more than the principal L200, with which I was much pleased, and so
home.
9th. At the office all the morning. At noon Mr. Davenport, Phillips, and
Mr. Wm. Bernard and Furbisher, came by appointment and dined with me,
and we were very merry. After dinner I to the Wardrobe, and there staid
talking with my Lady all the afternoon till late at night. Among other
things my Lady did mightily urge me to lay out money upon my wife, which
I perceived was a little more earnest than ordinary, and so I seemed to
be pleased with it, and do resolve to bestow a lace upon her, and what
with this and other talk, we were exceeding merry. So home at night.
10th (Lord’s day). At our own church in the morning, where Mr. Mills
preached. Thence alone to the Wardrobe to dinner with my Lady, where my
Lady continues upon yesterday’s discourse still for me to lay out money
upon my wife, which I think it is best for me to do for her honour and
my own. Last night died Archibald, my Lady’s butler and Mrs. Sarah’s
brother, of a dropsy, which I am troubled at. In the afternoon went and
sat with Mr. Turner in his pew at St. Gregory’s, where I hear our Queen
Katherine, the first time by name as such, publickly prayed for, and
heard Dr. Buck upon “Woe unto thee, Corazin,” &c., where he started
a difficulty, which he left to another time to answer, about why God
should give means of grace to those people which he knew would not
receive them, and deny to others which he himself confesses, if they had
had them, would have received them, and they would have been effectual
too. I would I could hear him explain this, when he do come to it.
Thence home to my wife, and took her to my Aunt Wight’s, and there sat a
while with her (my uncle being at Katharine hill), and so home, and I to
Sir W. Batten’s, where Captain Cock was, and we sent for two bottles
of Canary to the Rose, which did do me a great deal of hurt, and did
trouble me all night, and, indeed, came home so out of order that I was
loth to say prayers to-night as I am used ever to do on Sundays, which
my wife took notice of and people of the house, which I was sorry for.
11th. To the Wardrobe, and with Mr. Townsend and Moore to the Saracen’s
Head to a barrel of oysters, and so Mr. Moore and I to Tom Trice’s, with
whom I did first set my hand to answer to a writt of his this tearm.
Thence to the Wardrobe to dinner, and there by appointment met my wife,
who had by my direction brought some laces for my Lady to choose one for
her. And after dinner I went away, and left my wife and ladies together,
and all their work was about this lace of hers. Captain Ferrers and
I went together, and he carried me the first time that ever I saw any
gaming house, to one, entering into Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, at the end of
Bell Yard, where strange the folly of men to lay and lose so much money,
and very glad I was to see the manner of a gamester’s life, which I see
is very miserable, and poor, and unmanly. And thence he took me to a
dancing school in Fleet Street, where we saw a company of pretty girls
dance, but I do not in myself like to have young girls exposed to so
much vanity. So to the Wardrobe, where I found my Lady had agreed upon a
lace for my wife of L6, which I seemed much glad of that it was no more,
though in my mind I think it too much, and I pray God keep me so to
order myself and my wife’s expenses that no inconvenience in purse or
honour follow this my prodigality. So by coach home.
12th. At the office all the morning. Dined at home alone. So abroad with
Sir W. Pen. My wife and I to “Bartholomew Fayre,” with puppets which I
had seen once before, and Ate play without puppets often, but though I
love the play as much as ever I did, yet I do not like the puppets at
all, but think it to be a lessening to it. Thence to the Greyhound in
Fleet Street, and there drank some raspberry sack and eat some sasages,
and so home very merry. This day Holmes come to town; and we do expect
hourly to hear what usage he hath from the Duke and the King about
this late business of letting the Swedish Embassador go by him without
striking his flag.
[And that, too, in the river Thames itself. The right of obliging
ships of all nations to lower topsails, and strike their flag to the
English, whilst in the British seas, and even on the French coasts,
had, up to this time, been rigidly enforced. When Sully was sent by
Henry IV., in 1603, to congratulate James I. on his accession, and
in a ship commanded by a vice-admiral of France, he was fired upon
by the English Admiral Mansel, for daring to hoist the flag of
France in the presence of that of England, although within sight of
Calais. The French flag was lowered, and all Sully’s remonstrances
could obtain no redress for the alleged injury. According to Rugge,
Holmes had insisted upon the Swede’s lowering his flag, and had even
fired a shot to enforce the observance of the usual tribute of
respect, but the ambassador sent his secretary and another gentleman
on board the English frigate, to assure the captain, upon the word
and honour of an ambassador, that the king, by a verbal order, had
given him leave and a dispensation in that particular, and upon this
false representation he was allowed to proceed on his voyage without
further question. This want of caution, and disobedience of orders,
fell heavily on Holmes, who was imprisoned for two months, and not
re-appointed to the same ship. Brahe afterwards made a proper
submission for the fault he had committed, at his own court. His
conduct reminds us of Sir Henry Wotton’s definition of an
ambassador--that he is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the good
of his country. A pun upon the term lieger--ambassador.--B.]
13th. By appointment, we all went this morning to wait upon the Duke
of York, which we did in his chamber, as he was dressing himself in his
riding suit to go this day by sea to the Downs. He is in mourning for
his wife’s grandmother, which is thought a great piece of fondness.
[Fondness, foolishness.
“Fondness it were for any, being free,
To covet fetters, tho’ they golden be.”
Spenser, Sonnet 37,--M. B.]
After we had given him our letter relating the bad condition of the Navy
for want of money, he referred it to his coming back and so parted, and
I to Whitehall and to see la belle Pierce, and so on foot to my Lord
Crew’s, where I found him come to his new house, which is next to that
he lived in last; here I was well received by my Lord and Sir Thomas,
with whom I had great talk: and he tells me in good earnest that he do
believe the Parliament (which comes to sit again the next week), will
be troublesome to the Court and Clergy, which God forbid! But they see
things carried so by my Lord Chancellor and some others, that get money
themselves, that they will not endure it. From thence to the Theatre,
and there saw “Father’s own Son” again, and so it raining very hard
I went home by coach, with my mind very heavy for this my expensefull
life, which will undo me, I fear, after all my hopes, if I do not take
up, for now I am coming to lay out a great deal of money in clothes for
my wife, I must forbear other expenses. To bed, and this night began to
lie in the little green chamber, where the maids lie, but we could not a
great while get Nell to lie there, because I lie there and my wife, but
at last, when she saw she must lie there or sit up, she, with much ado,
came to bed.
4th. At the office all the morning. At noon I went by appointment to the
Sun in Fish Street to a dinner of young Mr. Bernard’s for myself, Mr.
Phillips, Davenport, Weaver, &c., where we had a most excellent dinner,
but a pie of such pleasant variety of good things, as in all my life I
never tasted. Hither came to me Captain Lambert to take his leave of me,
he being this day to set sail for the Straights. We drank his farewell
and a health to all our friends, and were very merry, and drank wine
enough. Hence to the Temple to Mr. Turner about drawing up my bill in
Chancery against T. Trice, and so to Salisbury Court, where Mrs. Turner
is come to town to-night, but very ill still of an ague, which I was
sorry to see. So to the Wardrobe and talked with my Lady, and so home
and to bed.
15th. At home all the morning, and at noon with my wife to the Wardrobe
to dinner, and there, did shew herself to my Lady in the handkercher
that she bought the lace for the other day, and indeed it is very
handsome. Here I left my wife and went to my Lord Privy Seal to
Whitehall, and there did give him a copy of the Fees of the office as
I have received them, and he was well pleased with it. So to the Opera,
where I met my wife and Captain Ferrers and Madamoiselle Le Blanc, and
there did see the second part of “The Siege of Rhodes” very well done;
and so by coach set her home, and the coach driving down the hill
through Thames Street, which I think never any coach did before from
that place to the bridge-foot, but going up Fish Street Hill his horses
were so tired, that they could not be got to go up the hill, though all
the street boys and men did beat and whip them. At last I was fain to
send my boy for a link, and so light out of the coach till we got to
another at the corner of Fenchurch Street, and so home, and to bed.
16th. At the office all the morning. Dined at home, and so about my
business in the afternoon to the Temple, where I found my Chancery bill
drawn against T. Trice, which I read and like it, and so home.
17th (Lord’s day). To our own church, and at noon, by invitation, Sir W.
Pen dined with me, and I took Mrs. Hester, my Lady Batten’s kinswoman,
to dinner from church with me, and we were very merry. So to church
again, and heard a simple fellow upon the praise of Church musique,
and exclaiming against men’s wearing their hats on in the church, but
I slept part of the sermon, till latter prayer and blessing and all was
done without waking which I never did in my life. So home, and by and
by comes my uncle Wight and my aunt and Mr. Norbury and his lady, and we
drank hard and were very merry till supper time, and then we parted, my
wife and I being invited to Sir W. Pen’s, where we also were very merry,
and so home to prayers and to bed.
18th. By coach with Sir W. Pen; my wife and I toward Westminster,
but seeing Mr. Moore in the street I light and he and I went to Mr.
Battersby’s the minister, in my way I putting in at St. Paul’s, where I
saw the quiristers in their surplices going to prayers, and a few idle
poor people and boys to hear them, which is the first time I have seen
them, and am sorry to see things done so out of order, and there I
received L50 more, which make up L100 that I now have borrowed of him,
and so I did burn the old bond for L50, and paying him the use of it did
make a new bond for the whole L100. Here I dined and had a good dinner,
and his wife a good pretty woman. There was a young Parson at the table
that had got himself drunk before dinner, which troubled me to see.
After dinner to Mr. Bowers at Westminster for my wife, and brought her
to the Theatre to see “Philaster,” which I never saw before, but I found
it far short of my expectations. So by coach home.
19th. At the office all the morning, and coming home found Mr. Hunt with
my wife in the chamber alone, which God forgive me did trouble my head,
but remembering that it was washing and that there was no place else
with a fire for him to be in, it being also cold weather, I was at ease
again. He dined with us, and after dinner took coach and carried him
with us as far as my cozen Scott’s, where we set him down and parted,
and my wife and I staid there at the christening of my cozens boy, where
my cozen Samuel Pepys, of Ireland, and I were godfathers, and I did
name the child Samuel. There was a company of pretty women there in the
chamber, but we staid not, but went with the minister into another room
and eat and drank, and at last, when most of the women were gone, Sam
and I went into my cozen Scott, who was got off her bed, and so we
staid and talked and were very merry, my she-cozen, Stradwick, being
godmother. And then I left my wife to go home by coach, and I walked to
the Temple about my law business, and there received a subpoena for T.
Trice. I carried it myself to him at the usual house at Doctors Commons
and did give it him, and so home and to bed. It cost me 20s, between the
midwife and the two nurses to-day.
20th. To Westminster Hall by water in the morning, where I saw the King
going in his barge to the Parliament House; this being the first day of
their meeting again. And the Bishops, I hear, do take their places in
the Lords House this day. I walked long in the Hall, but hear nothing of
news, but what Ned Pickering tells me, which I am troubled at, that Sir
J. Minnes should send word to the King, that if he did not remove all my
Lord Sandwich’s captains out of this fleet, he believed the King would
not be master of the fleet at its coming again: and so do endeavour to
bring disgrace upon my Lord. But I hope all that will not do, for the
King loves him. Hence by water to the Wardrobe, and dined with my Lady,
my Lady Wright being there too, whom I find to be a witty but very
conceited woman and proud. And after dinner Mr. Moore and I to the
Temple, and there he read my bill and likes it well enough, and so we
came back again, he with me as far as the lower end of Cheapside,
and there I gave him a pint of sack and parted, and I home, and went
seriously to look over my papers touching T. Trice, and I think I have
found some that will go near to do me more good in this difference of
ours than all I have before. So to bed with my mind cheery upon it, and
lay long reading “Hobbs his Liberty and Necessity,” and a little but
very shrewd piece, and so to sleep.
21st. In the morning again at looking over my last night’s papers, and
by and by comes Mr. Moore, who finds that my papers may do me much good.
He staid and dined with me, and we had a good surloyne of rost beefe,
the first that ever I had of my own buying since I kept house; and after
dinner he and I to the Temple, and there showed Mr. Smallwood my papers,
who likes them well, and so I left them with him, and went with Mr.
Moore to Gray’s Inn to his chamber, and there he shewed me his old
Camden’s “Britannica”, which I intend to buy of him, and so took it away
with me, and left it at St. Paul’s Churchyard to be bound, and so home
and to the office all the afternoon; it being the first afternoon that
we have sat, which we are now to do always, so long as the Parliament
sits, who this day have voted the King L 120,000
[A mistake. According to the journals, L1,200,000. And see Diary,
February 29th, 1663-64.--M. B.]
to be raised to pay his debts. And after the office with Sir W. Batten
to the Dolphin, and drank and left him there, and I again to the Temple
about my business, and so on foot home again and to bed.
22nd. Within all the morning, and at noon with my wife, by appointment
to dinner at the Dolphin, where Sir W. Batten, and his lady and daughter
Matt, and Captain Cocke and his lady, a German lady, but a very great
beauty, and we dined together, at the spending of some wagers won and
lost between him and I; and there we had the best musique and very good
songs, and were very merry and danced, but I was most of all taken with
Madam Cocke and her little boy, which in mirth his father had given to
me. But after all our mirth comes a reckoning of L4, besides 40s. to
the musicians, which did trouble us, but it must be paid, and so I took
leave and left them there about eight at night. And on foot went to
the Temple, and then took my cozen Turner’s man Roger, and went by his
advice to Serjeant Fountaine and told him our case, who gives me good
comfort in it, and I gave him 30s. fee. So home again and to bed. This
day a good pretty maid was sent my wife by Mary Bowyer, whom my wife has
hired.
23rd. To Westminster with my wife (she to her father’s), and about 10
o’clock back again home, and there I to the office a little, and thence
by coach with Commissioner Pett to Cheapside to one Savill, a painter,
who I intend shall do my picture and my wife’s. Thence I to dinner at
the Wardrobe, and so home to the office, and there all the afternoon
till night, and then both Sir Williams to my house, and in comes
Captain Cock, and they to cards. By and by Sir W. Batten and Cock, after
drinking a good deal of wine, went away, and Sir W. Pen staid with my
wife and I to supper, very pleasant, and so good night. This day I have
a chine of beef sent home, which I bespoke to send, and did send it as a
present to my uncle Wight.
24th (Lord’s day). Up early, and by appointment to St. Clement Danes
to church, and there to meet Captain Cocke, who had often commended Mr.
Alsopp, their minister, to me, who is indeed an able man, but as all
things else did not come up to my expectations. His text was that all
good and perfect gifts are from above. Thence Cocke and I to the Sun
tavern behind the Exchange, and there met with others that are come from
the same church, and staid and drank and talked with them a little, and
so broke up, and I to the Wardrobe and there dined, and staid all the
afternoon with my Lady alone talking, and thence to see Madame Turner,
who, poor lady, continues very ill, and I begin to be afraid of her.
Thence homewards, and meeting Mr. Yong, the upholster, he and I to the
Mitre, and with Mr. Rawlinson sat and drank a quart of sack, and so I to
Sir W. Batten’s and there staid and supped, and so home, where I found
an invitation sent my wife and I to my uncle Wight’s on Tuesday next to
the chine of beef which I presented them with yesterday. So to prayers
and to bed.
25th. To Westminster Hall in the morning with Captain Lambert, and there
he did at the Dog give me and some other friends of his, his foy, he
being to set sail to-day towards the Streights. Here we had oysters
and good wine. Having this morning met in the Hall with Mr. Sanchy, we
appointed to meet at the play this afternoon. At noon, at the rising of
the House, I met with Sir W. Pen and Major General Massy,
[Major-General Edward Massey (or Massie), son of John Massie, was
captain of one of the foot companies of the Irish Expedition, and
had Oliver Cromwell as his ensign (see Peacock’s “Army Lists in
1642,” p. 65). He was Governor of Gloucester in its obstinate
defence against the royal forces, 1643; dismissed by the self-
denying ordinance when he entered Charles II’s service. He was
taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, September 3rd, 1651, but
escaped abroad.]
who I find by discourse to be a very ingenious man, and among other
things a great master in the secresys of powder and fireworks, and
another knight to dinner, at the Swan, in the Palace yard, and our meat
brought from the Legg; and after dinner Sir W. Pen and I to the Theatre,
and there saw “The Country Captain,” a dull play, and that being done, I
left him with his Torys
[This is a strange use of the word Tory, and an early one also. The
word originally meant bogtrotters or wild Irish, and as Penn was
Governor of Kildare these may have been some of his Irish followers.
The term was not used politically until about 1679.]
and went to the Opera, and saw the last act of “The Bondman,” and there
found Mr. Sanchy and Mrs. Mary Archer, sister to the fair Betty, whom
I did admire at Cambridge, and thence took them to the Fleece in Covent
Garden, there to bid good night to Sir W. Pen who staid for me; but Mr.
Sanchy could not by any argument get his lady to trust herself with
him into the tavern, which he was much troubled at, and so we returned
immediately into the city by coach, and at the Mitre in Cheapside there
light and drank, and then yet her at her uncle’s in the Old Jewry. And
so he and I back again thither, and drank till past 12 at night, till I
had drank something too much. He all the while telling me his intention
to get a girl who is worth L1000, and many times we had her sister
Betty’s health, whose memory I love. At last parted, and I well home,
only had got cold and was hoarse and so to bed.
27th. This morning our maid Dorothy and my wife parted, which though she
be a wench for her tongue not to be borne with, yet I was loth to part
with her, but I took my leave kindly of her and went out to Savill’s,
the painter, and there sat the first time for my face with him; thence
to dinner with my Lady; and so after an hour or two’s talk in divinity
with my Lady, Captain Ferrers and Mr. Moore and I to the Theatre, and
there saw “Hamlett” very well done, and so I home, and found that my
wife had been with my aunt Wight and Ferrers to wait on my Lady to-day
this afternoon, and there danced and were very merry, and my Lady very
fond as she is always of my wife. So to bed.
28th. At home all the morning; at noon Will brought me from Whitehall,
whither I had sent him, some letters from my Lord Sandwich, from
Tangier; where he continues still, and hath done some execution upon
the Turks, and retaken an Englishman from them, of one Mr. Parker’s,
a merchant in Marke-lane. In the afternoon Mr. Pett and I met at the
office; there being none more there than we two I saw there was not the
reverence due to us observed, and so I took occasion to break up and
took Mr. Gawdon along with me, and he and I (though it rained) were
resolved to go, he to my Lord Treasurer’s and I to the Chancellor’s with
a letter from my Lord to-day. So to a tavern at the end of Mark Lane,
and there we staid till with much ado we got a coach, and so to my Lord
Treasurer’s and lost our labours, then to the Chancellor’s, and there
met with Mr. Dugdale, and with him and one Mr. Simons, I think that
belongs to my Lord Hatton, and Mr. Kipps and others, to the Fountain
tavern, and there staid till twelve at night drinking and singing, Mr.
Simons and one Mr. Agar singing very well. Then Mr. Gawdon being almost
drunk had the wit to be gone, and so I took leave too, and it being a
fine moonshine night he and I footed it all the way home, but though
he was drunk he went such a pace as I did admire how he was able to go.
When I came home I found our new maid Sarah--[Sarah did not stay long
with Mrs. Pepys, who was continually falling out with her. She left to
enter Sir William Penn’s service.]--come, who is a tall and a very well
favoured wench, and one that I think will please us. So to bed.
29th. I lay long in bed, till Sir Williams both sent me word that we
were to wait upon the Duke of York to-day; and that they would have me
to meet them at Westminster Hall, at noon: so I rose and went thither;
and there I understand that they are gone to Mr. Coventry’s lodgings, in
the Old Palace Yard, to dinner (the first time I knew he had any); and
there I met them two and Sir G. Carteret, and had a very fine dinner,
and good welcome, and discourse; and so, by water, after dinner to White
Hall to the Duke, who met us in his closet; and there he did discourse
to us the business of Holmes, and did desire of us to know what hath
been the common practice about making of forrayne ships to strike sail
to us, which they did all do as much as they could; but I could say
nothing to it, which I was sorry for. So indeed I was forced to study a
lie, and so after we were gone from the Duke, I told Mr. Coventry that
I had heard Mr. Selden often say, that he could prove that in Henry the
7th’s time, he did give commission to his captains to make the King of
Denmark’s ships to strike to him in the Baltique. From thence Sir W. Pen
and I to the Theatre, but it was so full that we could hardly get any
room, so he went up to one of the boxes, and I into the 18d. places,
and there saw “Love at first sight,” a play of Mr. Killigrew’s, and the
first time that it hath been acted since before the troubles, and great
expectation there was, but I found the play to be a poor thing, and so I
perceive every body else do. So home, calling at Paul’s Churchyard for
a “Mare Clausum,” having it in my mind to write a little matter, what I
can gather, about the business of striking sayle, and present it to the
Duke, which I now think will be a good way to make myself known. So home
and to bed.
30th. In the morning to the Temple, Mr. Philips and Dr. Williams about
my several law matters, and so to the Wardrobe to dinner, and after
dinner stole away, my Lady not dining out of her chamber, and so home
and then to the office all the afternoon, and that being done Sir W.
Batten and I and Captain Cock got a bottle of sack into the office, and
there we sat late and drank and talked, and so home and to bed. I am
this day in very good health, only got a little cold. The Parliament has
sat a pretty while. The old condemned judges of the late King have
been brought before the Parliament, and like to be hanged. I am deep
in Chancery against Tom Trice, God give a good issue; and myself under
great trouble for my late great expending of money vainly, which God
stop for the future. This is the last day for the old State’s coyne
[In a speech of Lord Lucas in the House of Lords, the 22nd February,
1670-1 (which speech was burnt by the common hangman), he thus
adverted to that coin: “It is evident that there is scarcity of
money; for all the parliament’s money called breeches (a fit stamp
for the coin of the Rump) is wholly vanished--the king’s
proclamation and the Dutch have swept it all away, and of his now
majesty’s coin there appears but very little; so that in effect we
have none left for common use, but a little old lean coined money of
the late three former princes. And what supply is preparing for it,
my lords? I hear of none, unless it be of copper farthings, and
this is the metal that is to vindicate, according to the inscription
on it, the dominion of the four seas.”--Quoted in Penn’s “Memorials
of Sir Wm. Penn,” ii. 264.]
to pass in common payments, but they say it is to pass in publique
payments to the King three months still.