April 1st. Up betimes and abroad to my brother’s, but he being gone out
I went to the Temple to my Cozen Roger Pepys, to see and talk with him
a little; who tells me that, with much ado, the Parliament do agree to
throw down Popery; but he says it is with so much spite and passion, and
an endeavour of bringing all Non-conformists into the same condition,
that he is afeard matters will not yet go so well as he could wish.
Thence back to my brother’s, in my way meeting Mr. Moore and talking
with him about getting me some money, and calling at my brother’s they
tell me that my brother is still abroad, and that my father is not
yet up. At which I wondered, not thinking that he was come, though
I expected him, because I looked for him at my house. So I up to his
bedside and staid an hour or two talking with him. Among other things
he tells me how unquiett my mother is grown, that he is not able to live
almost with her, if it were not for Pall. All other matters are as well
as upon so hard conditions with my uncle Thomas we can expect them.
I left him in bed, being very weary, to come to my house to-night or
tomorrow, when he pleases, and so I home, calling on the virginall
maker, buying a rest for myself to tune my tryangle, and taking one of
his people along with me to put it in tune once more, by which I learned
how to go about it myself for the time to come. So to dinner, my
wife being lazily in bed all this morning. Ashwell and I dined below
together, and a pretty girl she is, and I hope will give my wife and
myself good content, being very humble and active, my cook maid do also
dress my meat very well and neatly. So to my office all the afternoon
till night, and then home, calling at Sir W. Batten’s, where was Sir
J. Minnes and Sir W. Pen, I telling them how by my letter this day from
Commissioner Pett I hear that his Stempeese
[Stemples, cross pieces which are put into a frame of woodwork to
cure and strengthen a shaft.]
he undertook for the new ship at Woolwich, which we have been so long,
to our shame, in looking for, do prove knotty and not fit for service.
Lord! how Sir J. Minnes, like a mad coxcomb, did swear and stamp,
swearing that Commissioner Pett hath still the old heart against the
King that ever he had, and that this was his envy against his brother
that was to build the ship, and all the damnable reproaches in the
world, at which I was ashamed, but said little; but, upon the whole,
I find him still a fool, led by the nose with stories told by Sir W.
Batten, whether with or without reason. So, vexed in my mind to see
things ordered so unlike gentlemen, or men of reason, I went home and to
bed.
2nd. Up by very betimes and to my office, where all the morning till
towards noon, and then by coach to Westminster Hall with Sir W. Pen, and
while he went up to the House I walked in the Hall with Mr. Pierce, the
surgeon, that I met there, talking about my business the other day with
Holmes, whom I told my mind, and did freely tell how I do depend upon my
care and diligence in my employment to bear me out against the pride
of Holmes or any man else in things that are honest, and much to that
purpose which I know he will make good use of. But he did advise me to
take as few occasions as I can of disobliging Commanders, though this is
one that every body is glad to hear that he do receive a check. By and
by the House rises and I home again with Sir W. Pen, and all the way
talking of the same business, to whom I did on purpose tell him my mind
freely, and let him see that it must be a wiser man than Holmes (in
these very words) that shall do me any hurt while I do my duty. I to
remember him of Holmes’s words against Sir J. Minnes, that he was a
knave, rogue, coward, and that he will kick him and pull him by the
ears, which he remembered all of them and may have occasion to do it
hereafter to his owne shame to suffer them to be spoke in his presence
without any reply but what I did give him, which, has caused all this
feud. But I am glad of it, for I would now and then take occasion to
let the world know that I will not be made a novice. Sir W. Pen took
occasion to speak about my wife’s strangeness to him and his daughter,
and that believing at last that it was from his taking of Sarah to be
his maid, he hath now put her away, at which I am glad. He told me, that
this day the King hath sent to the House his concurrence wholly with
them against the Popish priests, Jesuits, &c., which gives great
content, and I am glad of it. So home, whither my father comes and dines
with us, and being willing to be merry with him I made myself so as much
as I could, and so to the office, where we sat all the afternoon, and at
night having done all my business I went home to my wife and father, and
supped, and so to bed, my father lying with me in Ashwell’s bed in the
red chamber.
3rd. Waked betimes and talked half an hour with my father, and so I
rose and to my office, and about 9 o’clock by water from the Old Swan to
White Hall and to chappell, which being most monstrous full, I could
not go into my pew, but sat among the quire. Dr. Creeton, the Scotchman,
preached a most admirable, good, learned, honest and most severe
sermon, yet comicall, upon the words of the woman concerning the Virgin,
“Blessed is the womb that bare thee (meaning Christ) and the paps that
gave thee suck; and he answered, Nay; rather is he blessed that heareth
the word of God, and keepeth it.” He railed bitterly ever and anon
against John Calvin, and his brood, the Presbyterians, and against the
present term, now in use, of “tender consciences.” He ripped up Hugh
Peters (calling him the execrable skellum--[A villain or scoundrel; the
cant term for a thief.]--), his preaching and stirring up the maids of
the city to bring in their bodkins and thimbles. Thence going out of
White Hall, I met Captain Grove, who did give me a letter directed
to myself from himself. I discerned money to be in it, and took it,
knowing, as I found it to be, the proceed of the place I have got him to
be, the taking up of vessels for Tangier. But I did not open it till I
came home to my office, and there I broke it open, not looking into
it till all the money was out, that I might say I saw no money in the
paper, if ever I should be questioned about it. There was a piece in
gold and L4 in silver. So home to dinner with my father and wife, and
after dinner up to my tryangle, where I found that above my expectation
Ashwell has very good principles of musique and can take out a lesson
herself with very little pains, at which I am very glad. Thence away
back again by water to Whitehall, and there to the Tangier Committee,
where we find ourselves at a great stand; the establishment being but
L70,000 per annum, and the forces to be kept in the town at the least
estimate that my Lord Rutherford can be got to bring it is L53,000. The
charge of this year’s work of the Mole will be L13,000; besides L1000
a-year to my Lord Peterborough as a pension, and the fortifications and
contingencys, which puts us to a great stand, and so unsettled what to
do therein we rose, and I to see my Lord Sandwich, whom I found merry at
cards, and so by coach home, and after supper a little to my office and
so home and to bed. I find at Court that there is some bad news from
Ireland of an insurrection of the Catholiques there, which puts them
into an alarm. I hear also in the City that for certain there is an
embargo upon all our ships in Spayne, upon this action of my Lord
Windsor’s at Cuba, which signifies little or nothing, but only he hath a
mind to say that he hath done something before he comes back again.
Late tonight I sent to invite my uncle Wight and aunt with Mrs. Turner
to-morrow.
4th. Up betimes and to my office. By and by to Lombard street by
appointment to meet Mr. Moore, but the business not being ready I
returned to the office, where we sat a while, and, being sent for, I
returned to him and there signed to some papers in the conveying of some
lands mortgaged by Sir Rob. Parkhurst in my name to my Lord Sandwich,
which I having done I returned home to dinner, whither by and by comes
Roger Pepys, Mrs. Turner her daughter, Joyce Norton, and a young lady, a
daughter of Coll. Cockes, my uncle Wight, his wife and Mrs. Anne Wight.
This being my feast, in lieu of what I should have had a few days ago
for my cutting of the stone, for which the Lord make me truly thankful.
Very merry at, before, and after dinner, and the more for that my
dinner was great, and most neatly dressed by our own only maid. We had a
fricasee of rabbits and chickens, a leg of mutton boiled, three carps
in a dish, a great dish of a side of lamb, a dish of roasted pigeons, a
dish of four lobsters, three tarts, a lamprey pie (a most rare pie),
a dish of anchovies, good wine of several sorts, and all things mighty
noble and to my great content. After dinner to Hide Park; my aunt,
Mrs. Wight and I in one coach, and all the rest of the women in Mrs.
Turner’s; Roger being gone in haste to the Parliament about the carrying
this business of the Papists, in which it seems there is great contest
on both sides, and my uncle and father staying together behind. At
the Park was the King, and in another coach my Lady Castlemaine, they
greeting one another at every tour.
[The company drove round and round the Ring in Hyde Park. The
following two extracts illustrate this, and the second one shows
how the circuit was called the Tour: “Here (1697) the people of
fashion take the diversion of the Ring. In a pretty high place,
which lies very open, they have surrounded a circumference of two or
three hundred paces diameter with a sorry kind of balustrade, or
rather with postes placed upon stakes but three feet from the
ground; and the coaches drive round this. When they have turned for
some time round one way they face about and turn t’other: so rowls
the world!”--Wilson’s Memoirs, 1719, p. 126.]
[“It is in this Park where the Grand Tour or Ring is kept for the
Ladies to take the air in their coaches, and in fine weather I have
seen above three hundred at a time.”--[Macky’s] Journey through
England, 1724, vol. i., p. 75.]
Here about an hour, and so leaving all by the way we home and found
the house as clean as if nothing had been done there to-day from top to
bottom, which made us give the cook 12d. a piece, each of us. So to
my office about writing letters by the post, one to my brother John at
Brampton telling him (hoping to work a good effect by it upon my mother)
how melancholy my father is, and bidding him use all means to get my
mother to live peaceably and quietly, which I am sure she neither do nor
I fear can ever do, but frightening her with his coming down no more,
and the danger of her condition if he should die I trust may do good. So
home and to bed.
5th (Lord’s day). Up and spent the morning, till the Barber came, in
reading in my chamber part of Osborne’s Advice to his Son (which I shall
not never enough admire for sense and language), and being by and
by trimmed, to Church, myself, wife, Ashwell, &c. Home to dinner, it
raining, while that was prepared to my office to read over my vows with
great affection and to very good purpose. So to dinner, and very well
pleased with it. Then to church again, where a simple bawling young Scot
preached. So home to my office alone till dark, reading some papers of
my old navy precedents, and so home to supper, and, after some pleasant
talk, my wife, Ashwell, and I to bed.
6th. Up very betimes and to my office, and there made an end of reading
my book that I have of Mr. Barlow’s of the Journal of the Commissioners
of the Navy, who begun to act in the year 1628 and continued six years,
wherein is fine observations and precedents out of which I do purpose
to make a good collection. By and by, much against my will, being twice
sent for, to Sir G. Carteret’s to pass his accounts there, upon which
Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, and myself all the morning,
and again after dinner to it, being vexed at my heart to see a thing
of that importance done so slightly and with that neglect for which God
pardon us, and I would I could mend it. Thence leaving them I made an
excuse and away home, and took my wife by coach and left her at Madam
Clerk’s, to make a visit there, and I to the Committee of Tangier, where
I found, to my great joy, my Lord Sandwich, the first time I have seen
him abroad these some months, and by and by he rose and took leave,
being, it seems, this night to go to Kensington or Chelsey, where he
hath taken a lodging for a while to take the ayre. We staid, and after
business done I got Mr. Coventry into the Matted Gallery and told him
my whole mind concerning matters of our office, all my discontent to
see things of so great trust carried so neglectfully, and what pitiful
service the Controller and Surveyor make of their duties, and I
disburdened my mind wholly to him and he to me his own, many things,
telling me that he is much discouraged by seeing things not to grow
better and better as he did well hope they would have done. Upon the
whole, after a full hour’s private discourse, telling one another our
minds, we with great content parted, and with very great satisfaction
for my [having] thus cleared my conscience, went to Dr. Clerk’s and
thence fetched my wife, and by coach home. To my office a little to set
things in order, and so home to supper and to bed.
7th. Up very betimes, and angry with Will that he made no more haste to
rise after I called him. So to my office, and all the morning there. At
noon to the Exchange, and so home to dinner, where I found my wife had
been with Ashwell to La Roche’s to have her tooth drawn, which it seems
aches much, but my wife could not get her to be contented to have it
drawn after the first twich, but would let it alone, and so they came
home with it undone, which made my wife and me good sport. After dinner
to the office, where Sir J. Minnes did make a great complaint to me
alone, how my clerk Mr. Hater had entered in one of the Sea books a
ticket to have been signed by him before it had been examined, which
makes the old fool mad almost, though there was upon enquiry the
greatest reason in the world for it. Which though it vexes me, yet it
is most to see from day to day what a coxcomb he is, and that so great a
trust should lie in the hands of such a fool. We sat all the afternoon,
and I late at my office, it being post night, and so home to supper, my
father being come again to my house, and after supper to bed, and after
some talk to sleep.
8th. Up betimes and to my office, and by and by, about 8 o’clock, to the
Temple to Commissioner Pett lately come to town and discoursed about the
affairs of our office, how ill they go through the corruption and folly
of Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes. Thence by water to White Hall, to
chappell; where preached Dr. Pierce, the famous man that preached the
sermon so much cried up, before the King against the Papists. His matter
was the Devil tempting our Saviour, being carried into the Wilderness
by the spirit. And he hath as much of natural eloquence as most men that
ever I heard in my life, mixed with so much learning. After sermon I
went up and saw the ceremony of the Bishop of Peterborough’s paying
homage upon the knee to the King, while Sir H. Bennet, Secretary, read
the King’s grant of the Bishopric of Lincoln, to which he is translated.
His name is Dr. Lany. Here I also saw the Duke of Monmouth, with his
Order of the Garter, the first time I ever saw it. I am told that the
University of Cambridge did treat him a little while since with all the
honour possible, with a comedy at Trinity College, and banquet; and made
him Master of Arts there. All which, they say, the King took very well.
Dr. Raynbow, Master of Magdalen, being now Vice-Chancellor. Home by
water to dinner, and with my father, wife, and Ashwell, after dinner,
by water towards Woolwich, and in our way I bethought myself that we had
left our poor little dog that followed us out of doors at the waterside,
and God knows whether he be not lost, which did not only strike my
wife into a great passion but I must confess myself also; more than was
becoming me. We immediately returned, I taking another boat and with my
father went to Woolwich, while they went back to find the dog. I took
my father on board the King’s pleasure boat and down to Woolwich, and
walked to Greenwich thence and turning into the park to show my father
the steps up the hill, we found my wife, her woman, and dog attending
us, which made us all merry again, and so took boats, they to Deptford
and so by land to Half-way house, I into the King’s yard and overlook
them there, and eat and drank with them, and saw a company of seamen
play drolly at our pence, and so home by water. I a little at the
office, and so home to supper and to bed, after having Ashwell play my
father and me a lesson upon her Tryangle.
9th. Up betimes and to my office, and anon we met upon finishing the
Treasurer’s accounts. At noon dined at home and am vexed to hear my wife
tell me how our maid Mary do endeavour to corrupt our cook maid, which
did please me very well, but I am resolved to rid the house of her as
soon as I can. To the office and sat all the afternoon till 9 at night,
and an hour after home to supper and bed. My father lying at Tom’s
to-night, he dining with my uncle Fenner and his sons and a great many
more of the gang at his own cost to-day. To bed vexed also to think
of Sir J. Minnes finding fault with Mr. Hater for what he had done the
other day, though there be no hurt in the thing at all but only the old
fool’s jealousy, made worse by Sir W. Batten.
10th. Up very betimes and to my office, where most hard at business
alone all the morning. At noon to the Exchange, where I hear that after
great expectation from Ireland, and long stop of letters, there is good
news come, that all is quiett after our great noise of troubles there,
though some stir hath been as was reported. Off the Exchange with Sir J.
Cutler and Mr. Grant to the Royall Oak Tavern, in Lumbard Street, where
Alexander Broome the poet was, a merry and witty man, I believe, if he
be not a little conceited, and here drank a sort of French wine, called
Ho Bryan,
[Haut Brion, a claret; one of the first growths of the red wines of
Medoc.]
that hath a good and most particular taste that I never met with. Home
to dinner, and then by water abroad to Whitehall, my wife to see Mrs.
Ferrers, I to Whitehall and the Park, doing no business. Then to my
Lord’s lodgings, met my wife, and walked to the New Exchange. There laid
out 10s. upon pendents and painted leather gloves, very pretty and all
the mode. So by coach home and to my office till late, and so to supper
and to bed.
11th. Up betimes and to my office, where we sat also all the morning
till noon, and then home to dinner, my father being there but not very
well. After dinner in comes Captain Lambert of the Norwich, this day
come from Tangier, whom I am glad to see. There came also with him
Captain Wager, and afterwards in came Captain Allen to see me, of the
Resolution. All staid a pretty while, and so away, and I a while to my
office, then abroad into the street with my father, and left him to go
to see my aunt Wight and uncle, intending to lie at Tom’s to-night, or
my cozen Scott’s, where it seems he has hitherto lain and is most kindly
used there. So I home and to my office very late making up my Lord’s
navy accounts, wherein I find him to stand debtor L1200. So home to
supper and to bed.
12th (Lord’s day). Lay till 8 o’clock, which I have not done a great
while, then up and to church, where I found our pew altered by taking
some of the hind pew to make ours bigger, because of the number of
women, more by Sir J. Minnes company than we used to have. Home
to dinner, and after dinner, intending to go to Chelsey to my Lord
Sandwich, my wife would needs go with me, though she walked on foot to
Whitehall. Which she did and staid at my Lord’s lodgings while Creed and
I took a turn at Whitehall, but no coach to be had, and so I returned
to them and sat talking till evening, and then got a coach and to Gray’s
Inn walks, where some handsome faces, and so home and there to supper,
and a little after 8 o’clock to bed, a thing I have not done God knows
when. Coming home to-night, a drunken boy was carrying by our constable
to our new pair of stocks to handsel them, being a new pair and very
handsome.
13th. Up by five o’clock and to my office, where hard at work till
towards noon, and home and eat a bit, and so going out met with Mr.
Mount my old acquaintance, and took him in and drank a glass or two of
wine to him and so parted, having not time to talk together, and I with
Sir W. Batten to the Stillyard, and there eat a lobster together, and
Wyse the King’s fishmonger coming in we were very merry half an hour,
and so by water to Whitehall, and by and by being all met we went in to
the Duke and there did our business and so away, and anon to the Tangier
Committee, where we had very fine discourse from Dr. Walker and Wiseman,
civilians, against our erecting a court-merchant at Tangier, and well
answered in many things by my Lord Sandwich (whose speaking I never till
now observed so much to be very good) and Sir R. Ford. By and by the
discourse being ended, we fell to my Lord Rutherford’s dispatch, which
do not please him, he being a Scott, and one resolved to scrape every
penny that he can get by any way, which the Committee will not agree to.
He took offence at something and rose away, without taking leave of the
board, which all took ill, though nothing said but only by the Duke of
Albemarle, who said that we ought to settle things as they ought to be,
and if he will not go upon these terms another man will, no doubt.
Here late, quite finishing things against his going, and so rose, and I
walked home, being accompanied by Creed to Temple Bar, talking of this
afternoon’s passage, and so I called at the Wardrobe in my way home,
and there spoke at the Horn tavern with Mr. Moore a word or two, but
my business was with Mr. Townsend, who is gone this day to his country
house, about sparing Charles Pepys some money of his bills due to him
when he can, but missing him lost my labour. So walked home, finding my
wife abroad, at my aunt, Wight’s, who coming home by and by, I home to
supper and to bed.
14th. Up betimes to my office, where busy till 8 o’clock that Sir W.
Batten, Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Pen and I down by barge to Woolwich, to
see “The Royal James” launched, where she has been under repair a great
while. We staid in the yard till almost noon, and then to Mr. Falconer’s
to a dinner of fish of our own sending, and when it was just ready to
come upon the table, word is brought that the King and Duke are come,
so they all went away to shew themselves, while I staid and had a little
dish or two by myself, resolving to go home, and by the time I had dined
they came again, having gone to little purpose, the King, I believe,
taking little notice of them. So they to dinner, and I staid a little
with them, and so good bye. I walked to Greenwich, studying the slide
rule for measuring of timber, which is very fine. Thence to Deptford by
water, and walked through the yard, and so walked to Redriffe, and so
home pretty weary, to my office, where anon they all came home, the ship
well launched, and so sat at the office till 9 at night, and I longer
doing business at my office, and so home to supper, my father being
come, and to bed. Sir G. Carteret tells me to-night that he perceives
the Parliament is likely to make a great bustle before they will give
the King any money; will call all things into question; and, above
all, the expences of the Navy; and do enquire into the King’s expences
everywhere, and into the truth of the report of people being forced to
sell their bills at 15 per cent. loss in the Navy; and, lastly, that
they are in a very angry pettish mood at present, and not likely to be
better.
15th. Up betimes, and after talking with my father awhile, I to my
office, and there hard at it till almost noon, and then went down the
river with Maynes, the purveyor, to show a ship’s lading of Norway
goods, and called at Sir W. Warren’s yard, and so home to dinner. After
dinner up with my wife and Ashwell a little to the Tryangle, and so I
down to Deptford by land about looking out a couple of catches fitted
to be speedily set forth in answer to a letter of Mr. Coventry’s to
me. Which done, I walked back again, all the way reading of my book of
Timber measure, comparing it with my new Sliding Rule brought home this
morning with great pleasure. Taking boat again I went to Shishe’s yard,
but he being newly gone out towards Deptford I followed him thither
again, and there seeing him I went with him and pitched upon a couple,
and so by water home, it being late, past 8 at night, the wind cold, and
I a little weary. So home to my office, then to supper and bed.
16th. Up betimes and to my office, met to pass Mr. Pitt’s (anon Sir J.
Lawson’s Secretary and Deputy Treasurer) accounts for the voyage last to
the Streights, wherein the demands are strangely irregular, and I dare
not oppose it alone for making an enemy and do no good, but only bring a
review upon my Lord Sandwich, but God knows it troubles my heart to see
it, and to see the Comptroller, whose duty it is, to make no more matter
of it. At noon home for an hour to dinner, and so to the office public
and private till late at night, so home to supper and bed with my
father.
17th. Up by five o’clock as I have long done and to my office all the
morning, at noon home to dinner with my father with us. Our dinner, it
being Good Friday, was only sugarsopps and fish; the only time that
we have had a Lenten dinner all this Lent. This morning Mr. Hunt, the
instrument maker, brought me home a Basse Viall to see whether I like
it, which I do not very well, besides I am under a doubt whether I had
best buy one yet or no, because of spoiling my present mind and love to
business. After dinner my father and I walked into the city a little,
and parted and to Paul’s Church Yard, to cause the title of my English
“Mare Clausum”
[Selden’s work was highly esteemed, and Charles I. made an order in
council that a copy should be kept in the Council chest, another in
the Court of Exchequer, and a third in the Court of Admiralty. The
book Pepys refers to is Nedham’s translation, which was entitled,
“Of the Dominion or Ownership of the Sea. Two Books...,
written at first in Latin and entituled Mare Clausum, by John
Selden. Translated into English by Marchamont Nedham. London,
1652.” This has the Commonwealth arms on the title-page and a
dedication “To the Supreme Autoritie of the Nation-The Parliament of
the Commonwealth of England.” The dedication to Charles I. in
Selden’s original work was left out. Apparently a new title-page
and dedication was prepared in 1663, but the copy in the British
Museum, which formerly belonged to Charles Killigrew, does not
contain these additions.]
to be changed, and the new title, dedicated to the King, to be put
to it, because I am ashamed to have the other seen dedicated to the
Commonwealth. So home and to my office till night, and so home to talk
with my father, and supper and to bed, I have not had yet one quarter of
an hour’s leisure to sit down and talk with him since he came to town,
nor do I know till the holidays when I shall.
18th. Up betimes and to my office, where all the morning. At noon to
dinner. With us Mr. Creed, who has been deeply engaged at the office
this day about the ending of his accounts, wherein he is most unhappy
to have to do with a company of fools who after they have signed his
accounts and made bills upon them yet dare not boldly assert to the
Treasurer that they are satisfied with his accounts. Hereupon all
dinner, and walking in the garden the afternoon, he and I talking of the
ill management of our office, which God knows is very ill for the King’s
advantage. I would I could make it better. In the evening to my office,
and at night home to supper and bed.
19th (Easter day). Up and this day put on my close-kneed coloured suit,
which, with new stockings of the colour, with belt, and new gilt-handled
sword, is very handsome. To church alone, and so to dinner, where my
father and brother Tom dined with us, and after dinner to church again,
my father sitting below in the chancel. After church done, where the
young Scotchman preaching I slept all the while, my father and I to see
my uncle and aunt Wight, and after a stay of an hour there my father to
my brother’s and I home to supper, and after supper fell in discourse of
dancing, and I find that Ashwell hath a very fine carriage, which
makes my wife almost ashamed of herself to see herself so outdone, but
to-morrow she begins to learn to dance for a month or two. So to prayers
and to bed. Will being gone, with my leave, to his father’s this day for
a day or two, to take physique these holydays.
20th. Up betimes as I use to do, and in my chamber begun to look over
my father’s accounts, which he brought out of the country with him by
my desire, whereby I may see what he has received and spent, and I find
that he is not anything extravagant, and yet it do so far outdo his
estate that he must either think of lessening his charge, or I must be
forced to spare money out of my purse to help him through, which I would
willing do as far as L20 goes. So to my office the remaining part of
the morning till towards noon, and then to Mr. Grant’s. There saw his
prints, which he shewed me, and indeed are the best collection of any
things almost that ever I saw, there being the prints of most of the
greatest houses, churches, and antiquitys in Italy and France and brave
cutts. I had not time to look them over as I ought, and which I will
take time hereafter to do, and therefore left them and home to dinner.
After dinner, it raining very hard, by coach to Whitehall, where, after
Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, Mr. Coventry and I had been with the
Duke, we to the Committee of Tangier and did matters there dispatching
wholly my Lord Teviott, and so broke up. With Sir G. Carteret and Sir
John Minnes by coach to my Lord Treasurer’s, thinking to have spoken
about getting money for paying the Yards; but we found him with some
ladies at cards: and so, it being a bad time to speak, we parted, and
Sir J. Minnes and I home, and after walking with my wife in the garden
late, to supper and to bed, being somewhat troubled at Ashwell’s
desiring and insisting over eagerly upon her going to a ball to meet
some of her old companions at a dancing school here in town next Friday,
but I am resolved she shall not go. So to bed. This day the little
Duke of Monmouth was marryed at White Hall, in the King’s chamber;
and tonight is a great supper and dancing at his lodgings, near
Charing-Cross. I observed his coat at the tail of his coach he gives the
arms of England, Scotland, and France, quartered upon some other fields,
but what it is that speaks his being a bastard I know not.
21st. Up betimes and to my office, where first I ruled with red ink my
English “Mare Clausum,” which, with the new orthodox title, makes it now
very handsome. So to business, and then home to dinner, and after dinner
to sit at the office in the afternoon, and thence to my study late, and
so home to supper to play a game at cards with my wife, and so to bed.
Ashwell plays well at cards, and will teach us to play; I wish it do not
lose too much of my time, and put my wife too much upon it.
22nd. Up betimes and to my office very busy all the morning there,
entering things into my Book Manuscript, which pleases me very much.
So to the Change, and so to my uncle Wight’s, by invitation, whither my
father, wife, and Ashwell came, where we had but a poor dinner, and
not well dressed; besides, the very sight of my aunt’s hands and greasy
manner of carving, did almost turn my stomach. After dinner by coach
to the King’s Playhouse, where we saw but part of “Witt without mony,”
which I do not like much, but coming late put me out of tune, and it
costing me four half-crowns for myself and company. So, the play done,
home, and I to my office a while and so home, where my father (who is so
very melancholy) and we played at cards, and so to supper and to bed.
23rd. St. George’s day and Coronacion, the King and Court being at
Windsor, at the installing of the King of Denmark by proxy and the Duke
of Monmouth. I up betimes, and with my father, having a fire made in my
wife’s new closet above, it being a wet and cold day, we sat there all
the morning looking over his country accounts ever since his going
into the country. I find his spending hitherto has been (without
extraordinary charges) at full L100 per annum, which troubles me, and
I did let him apprehend it, so as that the poor man wept, though he did
make it well appear to me that he could not have saved a farthing of
it. I did tell him how things stand with us, and did shew my distrust of
Pall, both for her good nature and housewifery, which he was sorry for,
telling me that indeed she carries herself very well and carefully,
which I am glad to hear, though I doubt it was but his doting and
not being able to find her miscarriages so well nowadays as he could
heretofore have done. We resolve upon sending for Will Stankes up to
town to give us a right understanding in all that we have in Brampton,
and before my father goes to settle every thing so as to resolve how to
find a living for my father and to pay debts and legacies, and also to
understand truly how Tom’s condition is in the world, that we may know
what we are like to expect of his doing ill or well. So to dinner,
and after dinner to the office, where some of us met and did a little
business, and so to Sir W. Batten’s to see a little picture drawing of
his by a Dutchman which is very well done. So to my office and put a
few things in order, and so home to spend the evening with my father. At
cards till late, and being at supper, my boy being sent for some mustard
to a neat’s tongue, the rogue staid half an hour in the streets, it
seems at a bonfire, at which I was very angry, and resolve to beat him
to-morrow.