August 1st. Up betimes to the settling of my last month’s accounts, and
I bless God I find them very clear, and that I am worth L5700, the most
that ever my book did yet make out. So prepared to attend the Duke of
Yorke as usual, but Sir W. Pen, just as I was going out, comes home from
Sheernesse, and held me in discourse about publique business, till I
come by coach too late to St. James’s, and there find that every thing
stood still, and nothing done for want of me. Thence walked over the
Parke with Sir W. Coventry, who I clearly see is not thoroughly pleased
with the late management of the fight, nor with any thing that the
Generalls do; only is glad to hear that De Ruyter is out of favour, and
that this fight hath cost them 5,000 men, as they themselves do
report. And it is a strange thing, as he observes, how now and then the
slaughter runs on one hand; there being 5,000 killed on theirs, and not
above 400 or 500 killed and wounded on ours, and as many flag-officers
on theirs as ordinary captains in ours; there being Everson, and the
Admiral and Vice-Admiral of Freezeland on theirs, and Seamour, Martin,
and-----, on ours. I left him going to Chappell, it being the common
fast day, and the Duke of York at Chappell. And I to Mrs. Martin’s, but
she abroad, so I sauntered to or again to the Abbey, and then to the
parish church, fearfull of being seen to do so, and so after the parish
church was ended, I to the Swan and there dined upon a rabbit, and after
dinner to Mrs. Martin’s, and there find Mrs. Burroughs, and by and by
comes a pretty widow, one Mrs. Eastwood, and one Mrs. Fenton, a maid;
and here merry kissing and looking on their breasts, and all the
innocent pleasure in the world. But, Lord! to see the dissembling
of this widow, how upon the singing of a certain jigg by Doll, Mrs.
Martin’s sister, she seemed to be sick and fainted and God knows what,
because the jigg, which her husband (who died this last sickness) loved.
But by and by I made her as merry as is possible, and towzed and tumbled
her as I pleased, and then carried her and her sober pretty kinswoman
Mrs. Fenton home to their lodgings in the new market of my Lord
Treasurer’s, and there left them. Mightily pleased with this afternoon’s
mirth, but in great pain to ride in a coach with them, for fear of being
seen. So home, and there much pleased with my wife’s drawing today in
her pictures, and so to supper and to bed very pleasant.
2nd. [Up] and to the office, where we sat, and in discourse at the table
with Sir W. Batten, I was obliged to tell him it was an untruth, which
did displease him mightily, and parted at noon very angry with me. At
home find Lovett, who brought me some papers varnished, and showed me
my crucifix, which will be very fine when done. He dined with me and
Balty’s wife, who is in great pain for her husband, not hearing of him
since the fight; but I understand he was not in it, going hence too
late, and I am glad of it. Thence to the office, and thither comes to
me Creed, and he and I walked a good while, and then to the victualling
office together, and there with Mr. Gawden I did much business, and
so away with Creed again, and by coach to see my Lord Bruncker, who it
seems was not well yesterday, but being come thither, I find his coach
ready to carry him abroad, but Tom, his footman, whatever the matter
was, was lothe to desire me to come in, but I walked a great while in
the Piatza till I was going away, but by and by my Lord himself comes
down and coldly received me. So I soon parted, having enough for my over
officious folly in troubling myself to visit him, and I am apt to think
that he was fearfull that my coming was out of design to see how he
spent his time [rather] than to enquire after his health. So parted, and
I with Creed down to the New Exchange Stairs, and there I took water,
and he parted, so home, and then down to Woolwich, reading and making an
end of the “Rival Ladys,” and find it a very pretty play. At Woolwich,
it being now night, I find my wife and Mercer, and Mr. Batelier and Mary
there, and a supper getting ready. So I staid, in some pain, it being
late, and post night. So supped and merrily home, but it was twelve at
night first. However, sent away some letters, and home to bed.
3rd. Up and to the office, where Sir W. Batten and I sat to contract for
some fire-ships. I there close all the morning. At noon home to dinner,
and then abroad to Sir Philip Warwicke’s at White Hall about Tangier one
quarter tallys, and there had some serious discourse touching money, and
the case of the Navy, wherein all I could get of him was that we had the
full understanding of the treasure as much as my Lord Treasurer himself,
and knew what he can do, and that whatever our case is, more money
cannot be got till the Parliament. So talked of getting an account
ready as soon as we could to give the Parliament, and so very melancholy
parted. So I back again, calling my wife at her sister’s, from whose
husband we do now hear that he was safe this week, and going in a ship
to the fleete from the buoy of the Nore, where he has been all this
while, the fleete being gone before he got down. So home, and busy till
night, and then to Sir W. Pen, with my wife, to sit and chat, and a
small supper, and home to bed. The death of Everson, and the report of
our success, beyond expectation, in the killing of so great a number of
men, hath raised the estimation of the late victory considerably; but it
is only among fools: for all that was but accidental. But this morning,
getting Sir.W. Pen to read over the Narrative with me, he did sparingly,
yet plainly, say that we might have intercepted their Zealand squadron
coming home, if we had done our parts; and more, that we might have
spooned before the wind as well as they, and have overtaken their ships
in the pursuite, in all the while.
[To spoom, or spoon, is to go right before the wind, without any
sail. Sea Dictionary. Dryden uses the word
“When virtue spooms before a prosperous gale,
My heaving wishes help to fill the sail.”
Hind and Panther, iii. 96.]
4th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and, at noon
to dinner, and Mr. Cooke dined with us, who is lately come from
Hinchingbroke, [Lord Hinchingbrooke] who is also come to town: The
family all well. Then I to the office, where very busy to state to Mr.
Coventry the account of the victuals of the fleete, and late at it, and
then home to supper and to bed. This evening, Sir W. Pen come into the
garden, and walked with me, and told me that he had certain notice that
at Flushing they are in great distraction. De Ruyter dares not come on
shore for fear of the people; nor any body open their houses or shops
for fear of the tumult: which is a every good hearing.
5th. (Lord’s day). Up, and down to the Old Swan, and there called Betty
Michell and her husband, and had two or three a long salutes from her
out of sight of ‘su mari’, which pleased me mightily, and so carried
them by water to West minster, and I to St. James’s, and there had a
meeting before the Duke of Yorke, complaining of want of money, but
nothing done to any purpose, for want we shall, so that now our advices
to him signify nothing. Here Sir W. Coventry did acquaint the Duke of
Yorke how the world do discourse of the ill method of our books, and
that we would consider how to answer any enquiry which shall be made
after our practice therein, which will I think concern the Controller
most, but I shall make it a memento to myself. Thence walked to the
Parish Church to have one look upon Betty Michell, and so away homeward
by water, and landed to go to the church, where, I believe, Mrs.
Horsely goes, by Merchant-tailors’ Hall, and there I find in the pulpit
Elborough, my old schoolfellow and a simple rogue, and yet I find him
preaching a very good sermon, and in as right a parson-like manner, and
in good manner too, as I have heard any body; and the church very full,
which is a surprising consideration; but I did not see her. So home, and
had a good dinner, and after dinner with my wife, and Mercer, and Jane
by water, all the afternoon up as high as Morclaeke with great pleasure,
and a fine day, reading over the second part of the “Siege of Rhodes,”
with great delight. We landed and walked at Barne-elmes, and then at the
Neat Houses I landed and bought a millon,--[melon]--and we did also
land and eat and drink at Wandsworth, and so to the Old Swan, and thence
walked home. It being a mighty fine cool evening, and there being come,
my wife and I spent an houre in the garden, talking of our living in
the country, when I shall be turned out of the office, as I fear the
Parliament may find faults enough with the office to remove us all, and
I am joyed to think in how good a condition I am to retire thither,
and have wherewith very well to subsist. Nan, at Sir W. Pen’s, lately
married to one Markeham, a kinsman of Sir W. Pen’s, a pretty wench she
is.
6th. Up, and to the office a while, and then by water to my Lady
Montagu’s, at Westminster, and there visited my Lard Hinchingbroke,
newly come from Hinchingbroke, and find him a mighty sober gentleman,
to my great content. Thence to Sir Ph. Warwicke and my Lord Treasurer’s,
but failed in my business; so home and in Fenchurch-streete met with Mr.
Battersby; says he, “Do you see Dan Rawlinson’s door shut up?” (which I
did, and wondered). “Why,” says he, “after all the sickness, and himself
spending all the last year in the country, one of his men is now dead
of the plague, and his wife and one of his mayds sicke, and himself shut
up;” which troubles me mightily. So home; and there do hear also from
Mrs. Sarah Daniel, that Greenwich is at this time much worse than ever
it was, and Deptford too: and she told us that they believed all
the towne would leave the towne and come to London; which is now the
receptacle of all the people from all infected places. God preserve us!
So by and by to dinner, and, after dinner in comes Mrs. Knipp, and I
being at the office went home to her, and there I sat and talked with
her, it being the first time of her being here since her being brought
to bed. I very pleasant with her; but perceive my wife hath no great
pleasure in her being here, she not being pleased with my kindnesse
to her. However, we talked and sang, and were very pleasant. By and by
comes Mr. Pierce and his wife, the first time she also hath been here
since her lying-in, both having been brought to bed of boys, and both
of them dead. And here we talked, and were pleasant, only my wife in
a chagrin humour, she not being pleased with my kindnesse to either of
them, and by and by she fell into some silly discourse wherein I checked
her, which made her mighty pettish, and discoursed mighty offensively to
Mrs. Pierce, which did displease me, but I would make no words, but put
the discourse by as much as I could (it being about a report that my
wife said was made of herself and meant by Mrs. Pierce, that she was
grown a gallant, when she had but so few suits of clothes these two or
three years, and a great deale of that silly discourse), and by and by
Mrs. Pierce did tell her that such discourses should not trouble her,
for there went as bad on other people, and particularly of herself at
this end of the towne, meaning my wife, that she was crooked, which was
quite false, which my wife had the wit not to acknowledge herself to be
the speaker of, though she has said it twenty times. But by this means
we had little pleasure in their visit; however, Knipp and I sang, and
then I offered them to carry them home, and to take my wife with me, but
she would not go: so I with them, leaving my wife in a very ill humour,
and very slighting to them, which vexed me. However, I would not be
removed from my civility to them, but sent for a coach, and went with
them; and, in our way, Knipp saying that she come out of doors without
a dinner to us, I took them to Old Fish Streete, to the very house and
woman where I kept my wedding dinner, where I never was since, and there
I did give them a joie of salmon, and what else was to be had. And here
we talked of the ill-humour of my wife, which I did excuse as much as
I could, and they seemed to admit of it, but did both confess they
wondered at it; but from thence to other discourse, and among others
to that of my Lord Bruncker and Mrs. Williams, who it seems do speake
mighty hardly of me for my not treating them, and not giving her
something to her closett, and do speake worse of my wife, and
dishonourably, but it is what she do of all the world, though she be a
whore herself; so I value it not. But they told me how poorly my Lord
carried himself the other day to his kinswoman, Mrs. Howard, and was
displeased because she called him uncle to a little gentlewoman that
is there with him, which he will not admit of; for no relation is to
be challenged from others to a lord, and did treat her thereupon very
rudely and ungenteely. Knipp tells me also that my Lord keeps another
woman besides Mrs. Williams; and that, when I was there the other day,
there was a great hubbub in the house, Mrs. Williams being fallen sicke,
because my Lord was gone to his other mistresse, making her wait for
him, till his return from the other mistresse; and a great deale of do
there was about it; and Mrs. Williams swounded at it, at the very time
when I was there and wondered at the reason of my being received so
negligently. I set them both at home, Knipp at her house, her husband
being at the doore; and glad she was to be found to have staid out so
long with me and Mrs. Pierce, and none else; and Mrs. Pierce at her
house, and am mightily pleased with the discretion of her during the
simplicity and offensiveness of my wife’s discourse this afternoon. I
perceive by the new face at Mrs. Pierces door that our Mary is gone from
her. So I home, calling on W. Joyce in my coach, and staid and talked a
little with him, who is the same silly prating fellow that ever he
was, and so home, and there find my wife mightily out of order, and
reproaching of Mrs. Pierce and Knipp as wenches, and I know not what.
But I did give her no words to offend her, and quietly let all pass, and
so to bed without any good looke or words to or from my wife.
7th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and home to
dinner, and then to the office again, being pretty good friends with my
wife again, no angry words passed; but she finding fault with Mercer,
suspecting that it was she that must have told Mary, that must have told
her mistresse of my wife’s saying that she was crooked. But the truth
is, she is jealous of my kindnesse to her. After dinner, to the office,
and did a great deale of business. In the evening comes Mr. Reeves, with
a twelve-foote glasse, so I left the office and home, where I met Mr.
Batelier with my wife, in order to our going to-morrow, by agreement,
to Bow to see a dancing meeting. But, Lord! to see how soon I could
conceive evil fears and thoughts concerning them; so Reeves and I and
they up to the top of the house, and there we endeavoured to see the
moon, and Saturne and Jupiter; but the heavens proved cloudy, and so we
lost our labour, having taken pains to get things together, in order
to the managing of our long glasse. So down to supper and then to bed,
Reeves lying at my house, but good discourse I had from him: in his own
trade, concerning glasses, and so all of us late to bed. I receive fresh
intelligence that Deptford and Greenwich are now afresh exceedingly
afflicted with the sickness more than ever.
8th. Up, and with Reeves walk as far as the Temple, doing some business
in my way at my bookseller’s and elsewhere, and there parted, and I took
coach, having first discoursed with Mr. Hooke a little, whom we met in
the streete, about the nature of sounds, and he did make me understand
the nature of musicall sounds made by strings, mighty prettily; and told
me that having come to a certain number of vibrations proper to make
any tone, he is able to tell how many strokes a fly makes with her wings
(those flies that hum in their flying) by the note that it answers to
in musique during their flying. That, I suppose, is a little too much
refined; but his discourse in general of sound was mighty fine. There
I left them, and myself by coach to St. James’s, where we attended
with the rest of my fellows on the Duke, whom I found with two or three
patches upon his nose and about his right eye, which come from his being
struck with the bough of a tree the other day in his hunting; and it is
a wonder it did not strike out his eye. After we had done our business
with him, which is now but little, the want of money being such as
leaves us little to do but to answer complaints of the want thereof,
and nothing to offer to the Duke, the representing of our want of money
being now become uselesse, I into the Park, and there I met with Mrs.
Burroughs by appointment, and did agree (after discoursing of some
business of her’s) for her to meet me at New Exchange, while I by coach
to my Lord Treasurer’s, and then called at the New Exchange, and thence
carried her by water to Parliament stayres, and I to the Exchequer about
my Tangier quarter tallys, and that done I took coach and to the west
door of the Abby, where she come to me, and I with her by coach to
Lissen-greene where we were last, and staid an hour or two before dinner
could be got for us, I in the meantime having much pleasure with her,
but all honest. And by and by dinner come up, and then to my sport
again, but still honest; and then took coach and up and down in the
country toward Acton, and then toward Chelsy, and so to Westminster,
and there set her down where I took her up, with mighty pleasure in her
company, and so I by coach home, and thence to Bow, with all the haste
I could, to my Lady Pooly’s, where my wife was with Mr. Batelier and
his sisters, and there I found a noble supper, and every thing exceeding
pleasant, and their mother, Mrs. Batelier, a fine woman, but mighty
passionate upon sudden news brought her of the loss of a dog borrowed of
the Duke of Albemarle’s son to line a bitch of hers that is very pretty,
but the dog was by and by found, and so all well again, their company
mighty innocent and pleasant, we having never been here before. About
ten o’clock we rose from table, and sang a song, and so home in two
coaches (Mr. Batelier and his sister Mary and my wife and I in one, and
Mercer alone in the other); and after being examined at Allgate, whether
we were husbands and wives, home, and being there come, and sent away
Mr. Batelierand his sister, I find Reeves there, it being a mighty fine
bright night, and so upon my leads, though very sleepy, till one in the
morning, looking on the moon and Jupiter, with this twelve-foote glasse
and another of six foote, that he hath brought with him to-night, and
the sights mighty pleasant, and one of the glasses I will buy, it being
very usefull. So to bed mighty sleepy, but with much pleasure. Reeves
lying at my house again; and mighty proud I am (and ought to be
thankfull to God Almighty) that I am able to have a spare bed for my
friends.
9th. Up and to the office to prepare business for the Board, Reeves
being gone and I having lent him upon one of the glasses. Here we sat,
but to little purpose, nobody coming at us but to ask for money, not
to offer us any goods. At noon home to dinner, and then to the office
again, being mightily pleased with a Virgin’s head that my wife is now
doing of. In the evening to Lumbard-streete about money, to enable me to
pay Sir G. Carteret’s L3000, which he hath lodged in my hands, in behalf
of his son and my Lady Jemimah, toward their portion, which, I thank
God, I am able to do at a minute’s warning. In my [way] I inquired, and
find Mrs. Rawlinson is dead of the sickness, and her mayde continues
mighty ill. He himself is got out of the house. I met also with Mr.
Evelyn in the streete, who tells me the sad condition at this very day
at Deptford for the plague, and more at Deale (within his precinct as
one of the Commissioners for sick and wounded seamen), that the towne
is almost quite depopulated. Thence back home again, and after some
business at my office, late, home to supper and to bed, I being sleepy
by my late want of rest, notwithstanding my endeavouring to get a nap of
an hour this afternoon after dinner. So home and to bed.
10th. Up and to my chamber; there did some business and then to my
office, and towards noon by water to the Exchequer about my Tangier
order, and thence back again and to the Exchange, where little newes but
what is in the book, and, among other things, of a man sent up for
by the King and Council for saying that Sir W. Coventry did give
intelligence to the Dutch of all our matters here. I met with Colvill,
and he and I did agree about his lending me L1000 upon a tally of L1000
for Tangier. Thence to Sympson, the joyner, and I am mightily pleased
with what I see of my presses for my books, which he is making for me.
So homeward, and hear in Fanchurch-streete, that now the mayde also is
dead at Mr. Rawlinson’s; so that there are three dead in all, the wife,
a man-servant, and mayde-servant. Home to dinner, where sister Balty
dined with us, and met a letter come to me from him. He is well at
Harwich, going to the fleete. After dinner to the office, and anon with
my wife and sister abroad, left them in Paternoster Row, while Creed,
who was with me at the office, and I to Westminster; and leaving him in
the Strand, I to my Lord Chancellor’s, and did very little business, and
so away home by water, with more and more pleasure, I every time reading
over my Lord Bacon’s “Faber Fortunae.” So home, and there did little
business, and then walked an hour talking of sundry things in the
garden, and find him a cunning knave, as I always observed him to be,
and so home to supper, and to bed. Pleased that this day I find, if I
please, I can have all my money in that I have out of my hands, but I am
at a loss whether to take it in or no, and pleased also to hear of Mrs.
Barbara Sheldon’s good fortune, who is like to have Mr. Wood’s son,
the mast-maker, a very rich man, and to be married speedily, she being
already mighty fine upon it.
11th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon home
to dinner, where mighty pleased at my wife’s beginnings of a little
Virgin’s head. To the office and did much business, and then to
Mr. Colvill’s, and with him did come to an agreement about my L2600
assignment on the Exchequer, which I had of Sir W. Warren; and, to my
great joy, I think I shall get above L100 by it, but I must leave it to
be finished on Monday. Thence to the office, and there did the remainder
of my business, and so home to supper and to bed. This afternoon I hear
as if we had landed some men upon the Dutch coasts, but I believe it is
but a foolery either in the report or the attempt.
12th (Lord’s day). Up and to my chamber, where busy all the morning, and
my thoughts very much upon the manner of my removal of my closett things
the next weeke into my present musique room, if I find I can spare or
get money to furnish it. By and by comes Reeves, by appointment, but
did not bring the glasses and things I expected for our discourse and my
information to-day, but we have agreed on it for next Sunday. By and
by, in comes Betty Michell and her husband, and so to dinner, I mightily
pleased with their company. We passed the whole day talking with them,
but without any pleasure, but only her being there. In the evening, all
parted, and I and my wife up to her closett to consider how to order
that the next summer, if we live to it; and then down to my chamber at
night to examine her kitchen accounts, and there I took occasion to fall
out with her for her buying a laced handkercher and pinner without my
leave. Though the thing is not much, yet I would not permit her begin
to do so, lest worse should follow. From this we began both to be angry,
and so continued till bed, and did not sleep friends.
13th. Up, without being friends with my wife, nor great enemies, being
both quiet and silent. So out to Colvill’s, but he not being come to
town yet, I to Paul’s Church-yarde, to treat with a bookbinder, to come
and gild the backs of all my books, to make them handsome, to stand in
my new presses, when they come. So back again to Colvill’s, and there
did end our treaty, to my full content, about my Exchequer assignment
of L2600 of Sir W. Warren’s, for which I give him L170 to stand to the
hazard of receiving it. So I shall get clear by it L230, which is a very
good jobb. God be praised for it! Having done with him, then he and I
took coach, and I carried him to Westminster, and there set him down,
in our way speaking of several things. I find him a bold man to say any
thing of any body, and finds fault with our great ministers of state
that nobody looks after any thing; and I thought it dangerous to be free
with him, for I do not think he can keep counsel, because he blabs to me
what hath passed between other people and him. Thence I to St. James’s,
and there missed Sir W. Coventry; but taking up Mr. Robinson in my
coach, I towards London, and there in the way met Sir W. Coventry, and
followed him to White Hall, where a little discourse very kind, and so
I away with Robinson, and set him down at the ‘Change, and thence I to
Stokes the goldsmith, and sent him to and again to get me L1000 in gold;
and so home to dinner, my wife and I friends, without any words almost
of last night. After dinner, I abroad to Stokes, and there did receive
L1000 worth in gold, paying 18 1/2d. and 19d. for others exchange. Home
with them, and there to my office to business, and anon home in the
evening, there to settle some of my accounts, and then to supper and to
bed.