Hone’s Every-Day Book, vol. i., pp. 569, 570.]

and saw pretty Nelly standing at her lodgings’ door in Drury-lane in her

smock sleeves and bodice, looking upon one: she seemed a mighty pretty

creature. To the Hall and there walked a while, it being term. I thence

home to the Rose, and then had Doll Lane venir para me.... To my Lord

Crew’s, where I found them at dinner, and among others. Mrs. Bocket,

which I have not seen a long time, and two little dirty children, and

she as idle a prating and impertinent woman as ever she was. After

dinner my Lord took me alone and walked with me, giving me an account

of the meeting of the Commissioners for Accounts, whereof he is one. How

some of the gentlemen, Garraway, Littleton, and others, did scruple at

their first coming there, being called thither to act, as Members

of Parliament, which they could not do by any authority but that of

Parliament, and therefore desired the King’s direction in it, which was

sent for by my Lord Bridgewater, who brought answer, very short, that

the King expected they should obey his Commission. Then they went on,

and observed a power to be given them of administering and framing

an oath, which they thought they could not do by any power but Act of

Parliament; and the whole Commission did think fit to have the judges’

opinion in it; and so, drawing up their scruples in writing, they all

attended the King, who told them he would send to the judges to be

answered, and did so; who have, my Lord tells me, met three times about

it, not knowing what answer to give to it; and they have met this week,

doing nothing but expecting the solution of the judges in this point. My

Lord tells me he do believe this Commission will do more hurt than good;

it may undo some accounts, if these men shall think fit; but it can

never clear an account, for he must come into the Exchequer for all

this. Besides, it is a kind of inquisition that hath seldom ever been

granted in England; and he believes it will never, besides, give any

satisfaction to the People or Parliament, but be looked upon as a

forced, packed business of the King, especially if these Parliament-men

that are of it shall not concur with them: which he doubts they will

not, and, therefore, wishes much that the King would lay hold of this

fit occasion, and let the Commission fall. Then to talk of my Lord

Sandwich, whom my Lord Crew hath a great desire might get to be Lord

Treasurer if the present Lord should die, as it is believed he will,

in a little time; and thinks he can have no competitor but my Lord

Arlington, who, it is given out, desires it: but my Lord thinks it is

not so, for that the being Secretary do keep him a greater interest with

the King than the other would do at least, do believe, that if my Lord

would surrender him his Wardrobe place, it would be a temptation to

Arlington to assist my Lord in getting the Treasurer’s. I did object

to my Lord [Crew] that it would be no place of content, nor safety, nor

honour for my Lord, the State being so indigent as it is, and the [King]

so irregular, and those about him, that my Lord must be forced to part

with anything to answer his warrants; and that, therefore, I do believe

the King had rather have a man that may be one of his vicious caball,

than a sober man that will mind the publick, that so they may sit at

cards and dispose of the revenue of the kingdom. This my Lord was moved

at, and said he did not indeed know how to answer it, and bid me think

of it; and so said he himself would also do. He do mightily cry out of

the bad management of our monies, the King having had so much given him;

and yet, when the Parliament do find that the King should have L900,000

in his purse by the best account of issues they have yet seen, yet we

should report in the Navy a debt due from the King of L900,000; which, I

did confess, I doubted was true in the first, and knew to be true in

the last, and did believe that there was some great miscarriages in it:

which he owned to believe also, saying, that at this rate it is not in

the power of the kingdom to make a war, nor answer the King’s wants.

Thence away to the King’s playhouse, by agreement met Sir W. Pen, and

saw “Love in a Maze” but a sorry play: only Lacy’s clowne’s part, which

he did most admirably indeed; and I am glad to find the rogue at liberty

again. Here was but little, and that ordinary, company. We sat at the

upper bench next the boxes; and I find it do pretty well, and have the

advantage of seeing and hearing the great people, which may be pleasant

when there is good store. Now was only Prince Rupert and my Lord

Lauderdale, and my Lord, the naming of whom puts me in mind of my

seeing, at Sir Robert Viner’s, two or three great silver flagons, made

with inscriptions as gifts of the King to such and such persons of

quality as did stay in town the late great plague, for the keeping

things in order in the town, which is a handsome thing. But here was

neither Hart, Nell, nor Knipp; therefore, the play was not likely to

please me. Thence Sir W. Pen and I in his coach, Tiburne way, into the

Park, where a horrid dust, and number of coaches, without pleasure

or order. That which we, and almost all went for, was to see my Lady

Newcastle; which we could not, she being followed and crowded upon by

coaches all the way she went, that nobody could come near her; only I

could see she was in a large black coach, adorned with silver instead

of gold, and so white curtains, and every thing black and white, and

herself in her cap, but other parts I could not make [out]. But that

which I did see, and wonder at with reason, was to find Pegg Pen in a

new coach, with only her husband’s pretty sister with her, both patched

and very fine, and in much the finest coach in the park, and I think

that ever I did see one or other, for neatness and richness in gold,

and everything that is noble. My Lady Castlemayne, the King, my Lord

St. Albans, nor Mr. Jermyn, have so neat a coach, that ever I saw. And,

Lord! to have them have this, and nothing else that is correspondent, is

to me one of the most ridiculous sights that ever I did see, though her

present dress was well enough; but to live in the condition they do at

home, and be abroad in this coach, astonishes me. When we had spent

half an hour in the Park, we went out again, weary of the dust, and

despairing of seeing my Lady Newcastle; and so back the same way, and to

St. James’s, thinking to have met my Lady Newcastle before she got home,

but we staying by the way to drink, she got home a little before us: so

we lost our labours, and then home; where we find the two young ladies

come home, and their patches off, I suppose Sir W. Pen do not allow

of them in his sight, and going out of town to-night, though late, to

Walthamstow. So to talk a little at Sir W. Batten’s, and then home to

supper, where I find Mrs. Hewer and her son, who have been abroad with

my wife in the Park, and so after supper to read and then to bed. Sir

W. Pen did give me an account this afternoon of his design of buying Sir

Robert Brooke’s fine house at Wansted; which I so wondered at, and did

give him reasons against it, which he allowed of: and told me that he

did intend to pull down the house and build a less, and that he should

get L1500 by the old house, and I know not what fooleries. But I

will never believe he ever intended to buy it, for my part; though he

troubled Mr. Gawden to go and look upon it, and advise him in it.

2nd. To the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and

then abroad to my Lord Treasurer’s, who continues so ill as not to be

troubled with business. So Mr. Gawden and I to my Lord Ashly’s and spoke

with him, and then straight home, and there I did much business at the

office, and then to my own chamber and did the like there, to my great

content, but to the pain of my eyes, and then to supper and to bed,

having a song with my wife with great pleasure, she doing it well.

3rd. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes, [Sir] W. Batten, and [Sir] W. Pen in

the last man’s coach to St. James’s, and thence up to the Duke of York’s

chamber, which, as it is now fretted at the top, and the chimney-piece

made handsome, is one of the noblest and best-proportioned rooms that

ever, I think, I saw in my life, and when ready, into his closet and

did our business, where, among other things, we had a proposition of

Mr. Pierces, for being continued in pay, or something done for him, in

reward of his pains as Chyrurgeon-Generall; forasmuch as Troutbecke,

that was never a doctor before, hath got L200 a year settled on him for

nothing but that one voyage with the Duke of Albemarle. The Duke of York

and the whole company did shew most particular kindness to Mr. Pierce,

every body moving for him, and the Duke himself most, that he is likely

to be a very great man, I believe. Here also we had another mention of

Carcasses business, and we directed to bring in a report of our opinion

of his case, which vexes us that such a rogue shall make us so much

trouble. Thence I presently to the Excise Office, and there met the

Cofferer and [Sir] Stephen Fox by agreement, and agreed upon a method

for our future payments, and then we three to my Lord Treasurer, who

continues still very ill. I had taken my stone with me on purpose,

and Sir Philip Warwicke carried it in to him to see, but was not in

a condition to talk with me about it, poor man. So I with them to

Westminster by coach; the Cofferer telling us odd stories how he was

dealt with by the men of the Church at Westminster in taking a lease of

them at the King’s coming in, and particularly the devilish covetousness

of Dr. Busby. Sir Stephen Fox, in discourse, told him how he is selling

some land he hath, which yields him not above three per cent., if so

much, and turning it into money, which he can put out at ten per cent.;

and, as times go, if they be like to continue, it is the best way for

me to keep money going so, for aught I see. I to Westminster Hall, and

there took a turn with my old acquaintance Mr. Pechell, whose red nose

makes me ashamed to be seen with him, though otherwise a good-natured

man. So away, I not finding of Mr. Moore, with whom I should have met

and spoke about a letter I this day received from him from my Lord

Hinchingbroke, wherein he desires me to help him to L1900 to pay a bill

of exchange of his father’s, which troubles me much, but I will

find some way, if I can do it, but not to bring myself in bonds or

disbursements for it, whatever comes of it. So home to dinner, where my

wife hath ‘ceux la’ upon her and is very ill with them, and so forced

to go to bed, and I sat by her a good while, then down to my chamber and

made an end of Rycaut’s History of the Turks, which is a very good book.

Then to the office, and did some business, and then my wife being pretty

well, by coach to little Michell’s, and there saw my poor Betty and

her little child, which slept so soundly we could hardly wake it in an

hour’s time without hurting it, and they tell me what I did not know,

that a child (as this do) will hunt and hunt up and down with its mouth

if you touch the cheek of it with your finger’s end for a nipple, and

fit its mouth for sucking, but this hath not sucked yet, she having

no nipples. Here sat a while, and then my wife and I, it being a most

curious clear evening, after some rain to-day, took a most excellent

tour by coach to Bow, and there drank and back again, and so a little

at the office, and home to read a little, and to supper and bed mightily

refreshed with this evening’s tour, but troubled that it hath hindered

my doing some business which I would have done at the office. This day

the newes is come that the fleete of the Dutch, of about 20 ships, which

come upon our coasts upon design to have intercepted our colliers, but

by good luck failed, is gone to the Frith,--[Frith of Forth. See 5th of

this month.]--and there lies, perhaps to trouble the Scotch privateers,

which have galled them of late very much, it may be more than all our

last year’s fleete.

4th. Up and to the office, where sat all the morning, among other things

a great conflict I had with Sir W. Warren, he bringing a letter to the

Board, flatly in words charging them with their delays in passing his

accounts, which have been with them these two years, part of which I

said was not true, and the other undecent. The whole Board was concerned

to take notice of it, as well as myself, but none of them had the honour

to do it, but suffered me to do it alone, only Sir W. Batten, who did

what he did out of common spite to him. So I writ in the margin of the

letter, “Returned as untrue,” and, by consent of the Board, did give it

him again, and so parted. Home to dinner, and there came a woman whose

husband I sent for, one Fisher, about the business of Perkins and

Carcasse, and I do think by her I shall find the business as bad as ever

it was, and that we shall find Commissioner Pett a rogue, using foul

play on behalf of Carcasse. After dinner to the office again, and there

late all the afternoon, doing much business, and with great content home

to supper and to bed.

5th (Lord’s day). Up, and going down to the water side, I met Sir John

Robinson, and so with him by coach to White Hall, still a vain, prating,

boasting man as any I know, as if the whole City and Kingdom had all

its work done by him. He tells me he hath now got a street ordered to

be continued, forty feet broad, from Paul’s through Cannon Street to the

Tower, which will be very fine. He and others this day, where I was in

the afternoon, do tell me of at least six or eight fires within these

few days; and continually stirs of fires, and real fires there have

been, in one place or other, almost ever since the late great fire, as

if there was a fate sent people for fire. I walked over the Park to

Sir W. Coventry’s. Among other things to tell him what I hear of people

being forced to sell their bills before September for 35 and 40 per

cent. loss, and what is worst, that there are some courtiers that have

made a knot to buy them, in hopes of some ways to get money of the

King to pay them, which Sir W. Coventry is amazed at, and says we are a

people made up for destruction, and will do what he can to prevent all

this by getting the King to provide wherewith to pay them. We talked

of Tangier, of which he is ashamed; also that it should put the King to

this charge for no good in the world: and now a man going over that is a

good soldier, but a debauched man, which the place need not to have.

And so used these words: “That this place was to the King as my Lord

Carnarvon says of wood, that it is an excrescence of the earth provided

by God for the payment of debts.” Thence away to Sir G. Carteret, whom

I find taking physic. I staid talking with him but a little, and so home

to church, and heard a dull sermon, and most of the best women of our

parish gone into the country, or at least not at church. So home, and

find my boy not there, nor was at church, which vexed me, and when he

come home I enquired, he tells me he went to see his mother. I send him

back to her to send me some token that he was with her. So there come

a man with him back of good fashion. He says he saw him with her,

which pacified me, but I did soundly threaten him before him, and so to

dinner, and then had a little scolding with my wife for not being fine

enough to go to the christening to-day, which she excused by being ill,

as she was indeed, and cried, but I was in an ill humour and ashamed,

indeed, that she should not go dressed. However, friends by and by, and

we went by water to Michell’s, and there his little house full of his

father and mothers and the kindred, hardly any else, and mighty merry

in this innocent company, and Betty mighty pretty in bed, but, her head

akeing, not very merry, but the company mighty merry, and I with them,

and so the child was christened; my wife, his father, and her mother,

the witnesses, and the child’s name Elizabeth. So we had gloves and wine

and wafers, very pretty, and talked and tattled, and so we away by water

and up with the tide, she and I and Barker, as high as Barne Eimes, it

being a fine evening, and back again to pass the bridges at standing

water between 9 and 10 at might, and then home and to supper, and then

to bed with much pleasure. This day Sir W. Coventry tells me the Dutch

fleete shot some shot, four or five hundred, into Burnt-Island in the

Frith, but without any hurt; and so are gone.

6th. Up and angry with my mayds for letting in watermen, and I know not

who, anybody that they are acquainted with, into my kitchen to talk and

prate with them, which I will not endure. Then out and by coach to

my Lord Treasurer’s, who continues still very ill, then to Sir Ph.

Warwicke’s house, and there did a little business about my Tangier

tallies, and so to Westminster Hall, and there to the Exchequer to

consult about some way of getting our poor Creditors of the Navy (who

served in their goods before the late Session of Parliament) paid out

of the 11 months tax, which seems to relate only for goods to be then

served in, and I think I have found out a way to bring them into the

Act, which, if it do, I shall think a good service done. Thence by coach

home with Captain Cocke, in our way talking of my Lord Bruncker and his

Lady, who are mighty angry with us all of the office, about Carcasse’s

business, but especially with me, and in great confidence he bids me

have a care of him, for he hath said that he would wound me with

the person where my greatest interest is. I suppose he means Sir W.

Coventry, and therefore I will beware of him, and am glad, though vexed

to hear it. So home to dinner, where Creed come, whom I vexed devilishly

with telling him a wise man, and good friend of his and mine, did say

that he lately went into the country to Hinchingbroke; and, at his

coming to town again, hath shifted his lodgings, only to avoid paying to

the Poll Bill, which is so true that he blushed, and could not in words

deny it, but the fellow did think to have not had it discovered. He is

so devilish a subtle false rogue, that I am really weary and afeard of

his company, and therefore after dinner left him in the house, and to my

office, where busy all the afternoon despatching much business, and in

the evening to Sir R. Viner’s to adjust accounts there, and so home,

where some of our old Navy creditors come to me by my direction to

consider of what I have invented for their help as I have said in the

morning, and like it mighty well, and so I to the office, where busy

late, then home to supper and sing with my wife, who do begin to give me

real pleasure with her singing, and so to bed.

7th. Up betimes, and by coach to St. James’s; but there find Sir W.

Coventry gone out betimes this morning, on horseback, with the King and

Duke of York, to Putney-heath,--to run some horses, and so back again to

the office, where some witnesses from Chatham which I sent for are come

up, and do give shrewd testimonies against Carcasse, which put my Lord

into a new flame, and he and I to high words, and so broke up. Then home

to dinner, where W. Hewer dined with us, and he and I after dinner to

discourse of Carcasses business, wherein I apparently now do manage

it wholly against my Lord Bruncker, Sir W. Pen, like a false rogue,

shrinking out of the collar, Sir J. Minnes, afoot, being easily led

either way, and Sir W. Batten, a malicious fellow that is not able to

defend any thing, so that the whole odium must fall on me, which I will

therefore beware how I manage that I may not get enemies to no purpose.

It vexes me to see with what a company I am mixed, but then it pleases

me to see that I am reckoned the chief mover among them, as they do,

confess and esteem me in every thing. Thence to the office, and did

business, and then by coach to St. James’s again, but [Sir] W. Coventry

not within, so I wrote something to him, and then straight back again

and to Sir W. Batten’s, and there talked with him and [Sir] J. Minnes,

who are mighty hot in Carcasses business, but their judgment’s not to

be trusted. However, I will go through with it, or otherwise we shall be

all slaves to my Lord Bruncker and his man’s impudence. So to the office

a little, and then home to supper and to bed, after hearing my wife

sing, who is manifestly come to be more musical in her eare than ever I

thought she could have been made, which rejoices me to the heart, for I

take great delight now to hear her sing.

8th. Up pretty betimes and out of doors, and in Fen Church street

met Mr. Lovett going with a picture to me, but I could not stand to

discourse or see it, but on to the next hackney coach and so to Sir W.

Coventry, where he and I alone a while discoursing of some businesses

of the office, and then up to the Duke of York to his chamber with my

fellow brethren who are come, and so did our usual weekly business,

which was but little to-day, and I was glad that the business of

Carcasse was not mentioned because our report was not ready, but I am

resolved it shall against the next coming to the Duke of York. Here was

discourse about a way of paying our old creditors which did please me,

there being hopes of getting them comprehended within the 11 months Tax,

and this did give occasion for Sir G. Carteret’s and my going to Sir

Robert Long to discourse it, who do agree that now the King’s Council

do say that they may be included in the Act, which do make me very glad,

not so much for the sake of the poor men as for the King, for it would

have been a ruin to him and his service not to have had a way to have

paid the debt. There parted with Sir G. Carteret and into Westminster

Hall, where I met with Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to Sir Ph.

Warwicke’s to speak a little about our Tangier business, but to little

purpose, my Lord Treasurer being so ill that no business can be done.

Thence with Sir H. Cholmly to find out Creed from one lodging to

another, which he hath changed so often that there is no finding him,

but at last do come to his lodging that he is entering into this day,

and do find his goods unlading at the door, by Scotland Yard, and there

I set down Sir H. Cholmly, and I away to the ‘Change, where spoke about

several things, and then going home did meet Mr. Andrews our neighbour,

and did speak with him to enquire about the ground behind our house, of

which I have a mind to buy enough to make a stable and coach-house; for

I do see that my condition do require it, as well as that it is more

charge to my purse to live as I do than to keep one, and therefore I

am resolved before winter to have one, unless some extraordinary thing

happens to hinder me. He promises me to look after it for me, and so I

home to dinner, where I find my wife’s flageolette master, and I am

so pleased with her proceeding, though she hath lost time by not

practising, that I am resolved for the encouragement of the man to

learn myself a little for a month or so, for I do foresee if God send my

wife and I to live, she will become very good company for me. He gone,

comes Lovett with my little print of my dear Lady Castlemayne varnished,

and the frame prettily done like gold, which pleases me well. He dined

with me, but by his discourse I do still see that he is a man of good

wit but most strange experience, and acquaintance with all manner of

subtleties and tricks, that I do think him not fit for me to keep any

acquaintance with him, lest he some time or other shew me a slippery

trick. After dinner, he gone, I to the office, where all the afternoon

very busy, and so in the evening to Sir R. Viner’s, thinking to finish

my accounts there, but am prevented, and so back again home, and late at

my office at business, and so home to supper and sing a little with my

dear wife, and so to bed.

9th. Up, and to the office, and at noon home to dinner, and then with my

wife and Barker by coach, and left them at Charing Cross, and I to St.

James’s, and there found Sir W. Coventry alone in his chamber, and

sat and talked with him more than I have done a great while of several

things of the Navy, how our debts and wants do unfit us for doing any

thing. He tells me he hears stories of Commissioner Pett, of selling

timber to the Navy under other names, which I told him I believe is

true, and did give him an instance. He told me also how his clerk

Floyd he hath put away for his common idlenesse and ill company, and

particularly that yesterday he was found not able to come and attend

him, by being run into the arme in a squabble, though he pretends it was

done in the streets by strangers, at nine at night, by the Maypole in

the Strand. Sir W. Coventry did write to me this morning to recommend

him another, which I could find in my heart to do W. Hewer for his good;

but do believe he will not part with me, nor have I any mind to let him

go. I would my brother were fit for it, I would adventure him there.

He insists upon an unmarried man, that can write well, and hath French

enough to transcribe it only from a copy, and may write shorthand, if it

may be. Thence with him to my Lord Chancellor at Clarendon House, to a

Committee for Tangier, where several things spoke of and proceeded on,

and particularly sending Commissioners thither before the new Governor

goes, which I think will signify as much good as any thing else that

hath been done about the place, which is none at all. I did again tell

them the badness of their credit by the time their tallies took before

they become payable, and their spending more than their fund. They seem

well satisfied with what I said, and I am glad that I may be remembered

that I do tell them the case plain; but it troubled me that I see them

hot upon it, that the Governor shall not be paymaster, which will

force me either to the providing one there to do it (which I will never

undertake), or leave the employment, which I had rather do. Mightily

pleased with the noblenesse of this house, and the brave furniture and

pictures, which indeed is very noble, and, being broke up, I with Sir G.

Carteret in his coach into Hide Park, to discourse of things, and

spent an hour in this manner with great pleasure, telling me all his

concernments, and how he is gone through with the purchase for my Lady

Jemimah and her husband; how the Treasury is like to come into the

hands of a Committee; but that not that, nor anything else, will do our

business, unless the King himself will mind his business, and how his

servants do execute their parts; he do fear an utter ruin in the state,

and that in a little time, if the King do not mind his business soon;

that the King is very kind to him, and to my Lord Sandwich, and that he

doubts not but at his coming home, which he expects about Michaelmas, he

will be very well received. But it is pretty strange how he began again

the business of the intention of a marriage of my Lord Hinchingbroke to

a daughter of my Lord Burlington’s to my Lord Chancellor, which he now

tells me as a great secret, when he told it me the last Sunday but one;

but it may be the poor man hath forgot, and I do believe he do make it

a secret, he telling me that he has not told it to any but myself, end

this day to his daughter my Lady Jemimah, who looks to lie down about

two months hence. After all this discourse we turned back and to White

Hall, where we parted, and I took up my wife at Unthanke’s, and so

home, and in our street, at the Three Tuns’ Tavern’ door, I find a great

hubbub; and what was it but two brothers have fallen out, and one killed

the other. And who should they be but the two Fieldings; one whereof,

Bazill, was page to my Lady Sandwich; and he hath killed the other,

himself being very drunk, and so is sent to Newgate. I to the office and

did as much business as my eyes would let me, and so home to supper and

to bed.

10th. Up and to the office, where a meeting about the Victuallers’

accounts all the morning, and at noon all of us to Kent’s, at the Three

Tuns’ Tavern, and there dined well at Mr. Gawden’s charge; and, there

the constable of the parish did show us the picklocks and dice that were

found in the dead man’s pocket, and but 18d. in money; and a table-book,

wherein were entered the names of several places where he was to go; and

among others Kent’s house, where he was to dine, and did dine yesterday:

and after dinner went into the church, and there saw his corpse with

the wound in his left breast; a sad spectacle, and a broad wound, which

makes my hand now shake to write of it. His brother intending, it seems,

to kill the coachman, who did not please him, this fellow stepped in,

and took away his sword; who thereupon took out his knife, which was of

the fashion, with a falchion blade, and a little cross at the hilt like

a dagger; and with that stabbed him. So to the office again, very busy,

and in the evening to Sir Robert Viner’s, and there took up all my notes

and evened our balance to the 7th of this month, and saw it entered in

their ledger, and took a receipt for the remainder of my money as the

balance of an account then adjusted. Then to my Lord Treasurer’s, but

missed Sir Ph. Warwicke, and so back again, and drove hard towards

Clerkenwell,

[At Newcastle House, Clerkenwell Close, the duke and duchess lived

in great state. The house was divided, and let in tenements in the

eighteenth century.]

thinking to have overtaken my Lady Newcastle, whom I saw before us in

her coach, with 100 boys and girls running looking upon her but I could

not: and so she got home before I could come up to her. But I will get

a time to see her. So to the office and did more business, and then home

and sang with pleasure with my wife, and to supper and so to bed.

11th. Up, and being called on by Mr. Commander, he and I out to the

ground behind Sir W. Pen’s, where I am resolved to take a lease of some

of it for a stable and coach [house], and so to keep a coach, unless

some change come before I can do it, for I do see it is a greater charge

to me now in hackneys, and I am a little dishonoured by going in them.

We spoke with him that hath the letting it, and I do believe when I can

tell how much it will be fit for me to have we shall go near to agree.

So home, and there found my door open, which makes me very angry with

Nell, and do think to put her away for it, though it do so go against

me to part with a servant that it troubles me more than anything in the

world. So to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner,

where Mr. Goodgroome and Creed, and I have great hopes that my wife

will come to sing to my mind. After dinner my wife and Creed and I being

entered a hackney coach to go to the other end of the town, we espied

The. Turner coming in her coach to see us, which we were surprised at,

and so ‘light and took her and another young lady home, and there sat

and talked with The., she being lately come out of the North after two

or three years absence. She is come to put out her sister and brothers

to school at Putney. After a little talk, I over Tower Hill with them to

a lady’s they go to visit, and so away with my wife, whose being dressed

this day in fair hair did make me so mad, that I spoke not one word to

her in our going, though I was ready to burst with anger. So to White

Hall to the Committee of Tangier, where they were discoursing about laws

for the civil government of the place, but so dull and so little to the

purpose that I fell to slumber, when the fear of being seen by Sir W.

Coventry did trouble me much afterwards, but I hope he did not. After

that broke up. Creed and I into the Park, and walked, a most pleasant

evening, and so took coach, and took up my wife, and in my way home

discovered my trouble to my wife for her white locks,

[Randle Holmes says the ladies wore “false locks set on wyres, to

make them stand at a distance from the head,” and accompanies the

information with the figure of a lady “with a pair of locks and

curls which were in great fashion in 1670” (Planche’s “Cyclopaedia

of Costume;” Vol. i., p. 248).]

swearing by God, several times, which I pray God forgive me for, and

bending my fist, that I would not endure it. She, poor wretch,

[A new light is thrown upon this favourite expression of Pepys’s

when speaking of his wife by the following quotation from a Midland

wordbook: “Wretch, n., often used as an expression of endearment or

sympathy. Old Woman to Young Master: ‘An’ ‘ow is the missis to-day,

door wretch?’ Of a boy going to school a considerable distance off

‘I met ‘im with a bit o’ bread in ‘is bag, door wretch’” (“A

Glossary of Words and Phrases used in S.E. Worcestershire,” by Jesse

Salisbury. Published by the English Dialect Society, 1894).]

was surprized with it, and made me no answer all the way home; but there

we parted, and I to the office late, and then home, and without supper

to bed, vexed.

12th (Lord’s day). Up, and to my chamber, to settle some accounts there,

and by and by down comes my wife to me in her night-gown, and we begun

calmly, that upon having money to lace her gown for second mourning, she

would promise to wear white locks no more in my sight, which I, like a

severe fool, thinking not enough, begun to except against, and made her

fly out to very high terms and cry, and in her heat told me of keeping

company with Mrs. Knipp, saying, that if I would promise never to see

her more--of whom she hath more reason to suspect than I had heretofore

of Pembleton--she would never wear white locks more. This vexed me, but

I restrained myself from saying anything, but do think never to see this

woman--at least, to have her here more, but by and by I did give her

money to buy lace, and she promised to wear no more white locks while I

lived, and so all very good friends as ever, and I to my business, and

she to dress herself. Against noon we had a coach ready for us, and she

and I to White Hall, where I went to see whether Sir G. Carteret was at

dinner or no, our design being to make a visit there, and I found them

set down, which troubled me, for I would not then go up, but back to the

coach to my wife, and she and I homeward again, and in our way bethought

ourselves of going alone, she and I, to go to a French house to dinner,

and so enquired out Monsieur Robins, my perriwigg-maker, who keeps an

ordinary, and in an ugly street in Covent Garden, did find him at the

door, and so we in; and in a moment almost had the table covered, and

clean glasses, and all in the French manner, and a mess of potage

first, and then a couple of pigeons a la esterve, and then a piece of

boeuf-a-la-mode, all exceeding well seasoned, and to our great liking;

at least it would have been anywhere else but in this bad street, and in

a perriwigg-maker’s house; but to see the pleasant and ready attendance

that we had, and all things so desirous to please, and ingenious in the

people, did take me mightily. Our dinner cost us 6s., and so my wife

and I away to Islington, it being a fine day, and thence to Sir G.

Whitmore’s house, where we ‘light, and walked over the fields to

Kingsland, and back again; a walk, I think, I have not taken these

twenty years; but puts me in mind of my boy’s time, when I boarded at

Kingsland, and used to shoot with my bow and arrows in these fields. A

very pretty place it is; and little did any of my friends think I should

come to walk in these fields in this condition and state that I am. Then

took coach again, and home through Shoreditch; and at home my wife finds

Barker to have been abroad, and telling her so many lies about it, that

she struck her, and the wench said she would not stay with her: so I

examined the wench, and found her in so many lies myself, that I was

glad to be rid of her, and so resolved having her go away to-morrow. So

my wife and W. Hewer and I to supper, and then he and I to my chamber to

begin the draught of the report from this office to the Duke of York in

the case of Mr. Carcasse, which I sat up till midnight to do, and then

to bed, believing it necessary to have it done, and to do it plainly,

for it is not to be endured the trouble that this rascal hath put us to,

and the disgrace he hath brought upon this office.

13th. Up, and when ready, to the office (my wife rising to send away

Barker, according to our resolution last night, and she did do it with

more clothes than have cost us L10, and 20s. in her purse, which I did

for the respect I bear Mr. Falconbridge, otherwise she had not deserved

half of it, but I am the more willing to do it to be rid of one that

made work and trouble in the house, and had not qualities of any honour

or pleasure to me or my family, but what is a strange thing did always

declare to her mistress and others that she had rather be put

to drudgery and to wash the house than to live as she did like a

gentlewoman), and there I and Gibson all the morning making an end of my

report against Carcasse, which I think will do our business, but it is

a horrid shame such a rogue should give me and all of us this trouble.

This morning come Sir H. Cholmly to me for a tally or two; and tells me

that he hears that we are by agreement to give the King of France Nova

Scotia, which he do not like: but I do not know the importance of it.

[Nova Scotia and the adjoining countries were called by the French

Acadie. Pepys is not the only official personage whose ignorance of

Nova Scotia is on record. A story is current of a prime minister

(Duke of Newcastle) who was surprised at hearing Cape Breton was an

island. “Egad, I’ll go tell the King Cape Breton is an island!”

Of the same it is said, that when told Annapolis was in danger, and

ought to be defended: “Oh! certainly Annapolis must be defended,--

where is Annapolis?”--B.]

Then abroad with my wife to my Lord Treasurer’s, and she to her

tailor’s. I find Sir Philip Warwicke, who I perceive do give over my

Lord Treasurer for a man of this world, his pain being grown great again

upon him, and all the rest he hath is by narcotiques, and now Sir Philip

Warwicke do please himself, like a good man, to tell some of the good

ejaculations of my Lord Treasurer concerning the little worth of this

world, to buy it with so much pain, and other things fit for a dying

man. So finding no business likely to be done here for Tangier, I having

a warrant for tallies to be signed, I away to the New Exchange, and

there staid a little, and then to a looking-glass shop to consult about

covering the wall in my closet over my chimney, which is darkish, with

looking-glasses, and then to my wife’s tailor’s, but find her not ready

to go home, but got to buy things, and so I away home to look after

my business and finish my report of Carcasse, and then did get Sir W.

Batten, Sir J. Minnes, and [Sir] W. Pen together, and read it over with

all the many papers relating to the business, which they do wonder at,

and the trouble I have taken about it, and like the report, so as that

they do unanimously resolve to sign it, and stand by it, and after a

great deal of discourse of the strange deportment of my Lord Bruncker in

this business to withstand the whole board in behalf of such an impudent

rogue as this is, I parted, and home to my wife, and supped and talked

with her, and then to bed, resolving to rise betimes to-morrow to write

fair the report.

14th. Up by 5 o’clock, and when ready down to my chamber, and there with

Mr. Fist, Sir W. Batten’s clerk, who writes mighty well, writing over

our report in Mr. Carcasses business, in which we continued till 9

o’clock, that the office met, and then to the office, where all the

morning, and so at noon home to dinner, where Mr. Holliard come and eat

with us, who among other things do give me good hopes that we shall give

my father some ease as to his rupture when he comes to town, which I

expect to-morrow. After dinner comes Fist, and he and I to our report

again till 9 o’clock, and then by coach to my Lord Chancellor’s, where I

met Mr. Povy, expecting the coming of the rest of the Commissioners for

Tangier. Here I understand how the two Dukes, both the only sons of the

Duke of York, are sick even to danger, and that on Sunday last they

were both so ill, as that the poor Duchess was in doubt which would die

first: the Duke of Cambridge of some general disease; the other little

Duke, whose title I know not, of the convulsion fits, of which he had

four this morning. Fear that either of them might be dead, did make us

think that it was the occasion that the Duke of York and others were not

come to the meeting of the Commission which was designed, and my Lord

Chancellor did expect. And it was pretty to observe how, when my Lord

sent down to St. James’s to see why the Duke of York come not, and Mr.

Povy, who went, returned, my Lord (Chancellor) did ask, not how the

Princes or the Dukes do, as other people do, but “How do the children?”

which methought was mighty great, and like a great man and grandfather.

I find every body mightily concerned for these children, as a matter

wherein the State is much concerned that they should live. At last it

was found that the meeting did fail from no known occasion, at which my

Lord Chancellor was angry, and did cry out against Creed that he should

give him no notice. So Povy and I went forth, and staid at the gate of

the house by the streete, and there stopped to talk about the business

of the Treasury of Tangier, which by the badness of our credit, and the

resolution that the Governor shall not be paymaster, will force me to

provide one there to be my paymaster, which I will never do, but rather

lose my place, for I will not venture my fortune to a fellow to be

employed so far off, and in that wicked place. Thence home, and with

Fist presently to the finishing the writing fair of our report. And by

and by to Sir W. Batten’s, and there he and I and [Sir] J. Minnes and

[Sir] W. Pen did read and sign it with great good liking, and so away

to the office again to look over and correct it, and then home to supper

and to bed, my mind being pretty well settled, having this report done,

and so to supper and to bed.

15th. [This morning my wife had some things brought home by a new woman

of the New Exchange, one Mrs. Smith, which she would have me see for her

fine hand, and indeed it is a fine hand, and the woman I have observed

is a mighty pretty looked woman.] Up, and with Sir W. Batten and [Sir]

J. Minnes to St. James’s, and stopt at Temple Bar for Sir J. Minnes to

go into the Devil’s Taverne to shit, he having drunk whey, and his belly

wrought. Being come, we up to the Duke of York’s chamber, who, when

ready, we to our usual business, and being very glad, we all that signed

it, that is, Sir J. Minnes, W. Batten, W. Pen, and myself, and then

Sir G. Carteret and [Sir] W. Coventry, Bruncker, and T. Harvy, and the

officers of the Ordnance, Sir J. Duncombe, and Mr. Cholmely presented

our report about Carcasse, and did afterwards read it with that success

that the Duke of York was for punishing him, not only with turning him

out of the office, but with what other punishment he could, which nobody

did forward, and so he escaped, only with giving security to secure the

King against double tickets of his and other things that he might have

wronged the King or subject in before his dismission. Yet, Lord! to

see how our silly Lord Bruncker would have stood to have justified this

rogue, though to the reproach of all us who have signed, which I shall

never forget to have been a most malicious or a most silly act, and I do

think it is as much the latter as the other, for none but a fool could

have done as this silly Lord hath done in this business. So the Duke of

York did like our report, and ordered his being secured till he did give

his security, which did fully content me, and will I hope vindicate the

office. It happened that my Lord Arlington coming in by chance was at

the hearing of all this, which I was not sorry for, for he did move or

did second the Duke of York that this roguery of his might be put in the

News-book that it might be made publique to satisfy for the wrong the

credit of this office hath received by this rogue’s occasion. So with

utmost content I away with Sir G. Carteret to London, talking all the

way; and he do tell me that the business of my Lord Hinchingbroke his

marriage with my Lord Burlington’s daughter is concluded on by all

friends; and that my Lady is now told of it, and do mightily please

herself with it; which I am mighty glad of. So home, and there I find

that my wife hath been at my desire at the Inne, thinking that my father

might be come up with the coach, but he is not come this week, poor

man, but will be here the next. At noon to dinner, and then to Sir

W. Batten’s, where I hear the news how our Embassadors were but ill

received at Flushing, nor at Bredah itself, there being only a house and

no furniture provided for them, though it be said that they have as much

as the French. Here we staid talking a little, and then I to the office

about my business, and thence to the office, where busy about my own

papers of my office, and by and by comes the office full to examine Sir

W. Warren’s account, which I do appear mighty fierce in against him, and

indeed am, for his accounts are so perplexed that I am sure he cannot

but expect to get many a L1000 in it before it passes our hands, but I

will not favour him, but save what I can to the King. At his accounts,

wherein I very high against him, till late, and then we broke up with

little done, and so broke up, and I to my office, where late doing of

business, and then home to supper and to bed. News still that my Lord

Treasurer is so ill as not to be any man of this world; and it is said

that the Treasury shall be managed by Commission. I would to God Sir G.

Carteret, or my Lord Sandwich, be in it! But the latter is the more fit

for it. This day going to White Hall, Sir W. Batten did tell me strange

stories of Sir W. Pen, how he is already ashamed of the fine coach which

his son-in-law and daughter have made, and indeed it is one of the most

ridiculous things for people of their low, mean fashion to make such

a coach that ever I saw. He tells me how his people come as they do to

mine every day to borrow one thing or other, and that his Lady hath been

forced to sell some coals (in the late dear time) only to enable her

to pay money that she hath borrowed of Griffin to defray her family

expense, which is a strange story for a rogue that spends so much money

on clothes and other occasions himself as he do, but that which is most

strange, he tells me that Sir W. Pen do not give L6000, as is usually

[supposed], with his daughter to him, and that Mr. Lowder is come to use

the tubb, that is to bathe and sweat himself, and that his lady is come

to use the tubb too, which he takes to be that he hath, and hath given

her the pox, but I hope it is not so, but, says Sir W. Batten, this is

a fair joynture, that he hath made her, meaning by that the costs the

having of a bath.

16th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and, among

other things, comes in Mr. Carcasse, and after many arguings against

it, did offer security as was desired, but who should this be but Mr.

Powell, that is one other of my Lord Bruncker’s clerks; and I hope

good use will be made of it. But then he began to fall foul upon the

injustice of the Board, which when I heard I threatened him with being

laid by the heels, which my Lord Bruncker took up as a thing that I

could not do upon the occasion he had given, but yet did own that it was

ill said of him. I made not many words of it, but have let him see that

I can say what I will without fear of him, and so we broke off, leaving

the bond to be drawn by me, which I will do in the best manner I can. At

noon, this being Holy Thursday, that is, Ascension Day, when the boys go

on procession round the parish, we were to go to the Three Tuns’ Tavern,

to dine with the rest of the parish; where all the parish almost was,

Sir Andrew Rickard and others; and of our house, J. Minnes, W. Batten,

W. Pen, and myself; and Mr. Mills did sit uppermost at the table. Here

we were informed that the report of our Embassadors being ill received

in their way to Bredah is not true, but that they are received with very

great civility, which I am glad to hear. But that that did vex me was

that among all us there should come in Mr. Carcasse to be a guest for

his money (5s. a piece) as well as any of us. This did vex me, and I

would have gone, and did go to my house, thinking to dine at home, but

I was called away from them, and so we sat down, and to dinner. Among

other things Sir John Fredericke and Sir R. Ford did talk of Paul’s

School, which, they tell me, must be taken away; and then I fear it will

be long before another place, as they say is promised, is found; but

they do say that the honour of their company is concerned in the doing

of it, and that it is a thing that they are obliged to do. Thence home,

and to my office, where busy; anon at 7 at night I and my wife and Sir

W. Pen in his coach to Unthanke’s, my wife’s tailor, for her to speak

one word, and then we to my Lord Treasurer’s, where I find the porter

crying, and suspected it was that my Lord is dead; and, poor Lord! we

did find that he was dead just now; and the crying of the fellow did so

trouble me, that considering I was not likely to trouble him any more,

nor have occasion to give any more anything, I did give him 3s.; but it

may be, poor man, he hath lost a considerable hope by the death of his

Lord, whose house will be no more frequented as before, and perhaps I

may never come thither again about any business. There is a good man

gone: and I pray God that the Treasury may not be worse managed by

the hand or hands it shall now be put into; though, for certain, the

slowness, though he was of great integrity, of this man, and remissness,

have gone as far to undo the nation, as anything else that hath

happened; and yet, if I knew all the difficulties that he hath lain

under, and his instrument Sir Philip Warwicke, I might be brought to

another mind. Thence we to Islington, to the Old House, and there eat

and drank, and then it being late and a pleasant evening, we home, and

there to my chamber, and to bed. It is remarkable that this afternoon

Mr. Moore come to me, and there, among other things, did tell me how Mr.

Moyer, the merchant, having procured an order from the King and Duke

of York and Council, with the consent of my Lord Chancellor, and by

assistance of Lord Arlington, for the releasing out of prison his

brother, Samuel Moyer, who was a great man in the late times in

Haberdashers’-hall, and was engaged under hand and seal to give the man

that obtained it so much in behalf of my Lord Chancellor; but it seems

my Lady Duchess of Albemarle had before undertaken it for so much money,

but hath not done it. The Duke of Albemarle did the next day send for

this Moyer, to tell him, that notwithstanding this order of the King and

Council’s being passed for release of his brother, yet, if he did not

consider the pains of some friends of his, he would stop that order.

This Moyer being an honest, bold man, told him that he was engaged to

the hand that had done the thing to give him a reward; and more he would

not give, nor could own any kindness done by his Grace’s interest; and

so parted. The next day Sir Edward Savage did take the said Moyer in tax

about it, giving ill words of this Moyer and his brother; which he

not being able to bear, told him he would give to the person that had

engaged him what he promised, and not any thing to any body else; and

that both he and his brother were as honest men as himself, or any man

else; and so sent him going, and bid him do his worst. It is one of the

most extraordinary cases that ever I saw or understood; but it is true.

This day Mr. Sheply is come to town and to see me, and he tells me my

father is very well only for his pain, so that he is not able to stir;

but is in great pain. I would to God that he were in town that I might

have what help can be got for him, for it troubles me to have him live

in that condition of misery if I can help it.

17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning upon some accounts

of Mr. Gawden’s, and at noon to the Three Tuns to dinner with Lord

Bruncker, Sir J. Minnes, W. Batten, W. Pen, and T. Harvy, where very

merry, and my Lord Bruncker in appearance as good friends as ever,

though I know he has a hatred to me in heart. After dinner to my house,

where Mr. Sheply dined, and we drank and talked together. He, poor man,

hath had his arm broke the late frost, slipping in going over Huntingdon

Bridge. He tells me that jasper Trice and Lewes Phillips and Mr.

Ashfield are gone from Brampton, and he thinks chiefly from the height

of Sir J. Bernard’s carriage, who carries all things before him there,

which they cannot bear with, and so leave the town, and this is a great

instance of the advantage a man of the law hath over all other people,

which would make a man to study it a little. Sheply being gone, there

come the flageolet master, who having had a bad bargain of teaching my

wife by the year, she not practising so much as she should do, I did

think that the man did deserve some more consideration, and so will give

him an opportunity of 20s. a month more, and he shall teach me, and this

afternoon I begun, and I think it will be a few shillings well spent.

Then to Sir R. Viner’s with 600 pieces of gold to turn into silver, for

the enabling me to answer Sir G. Carteret’s L3000; which he now draws

all out of my hand towards the paying for a purchase he hath made for

his son and my Lady Jemimah, in Northamptonshire, of Sir Samuel Luke,

in a good place; a good house, and near all her friends; which is a

very happy thing. Thence to St. James’s, and there spoke with Sir W.

Coventry, and give him some account of some things, but had little

discourse with him, there being company with him, and so directly home

again and then to my office, doing some business, and so to my house,

and with my wife to practice on the flageolet a little, and with great

pleasure I see she can readily hit her notes, but only want of practice

makes her she cannot go through a whole tune readily. So to supper and

to bed.

18th. Up, and all the morning at the office, and then to dinner, and

after dinner to the office to dictate some letters, and then with my

wife to Sir W. Turner’s to visit The., but she being abroad we back

again home, and then I to the office, finished my letters, and then to

walk an hour in the garden talking with my wife, whose growth in musique

do begin to please me mightily, and by and by home and there find our

Luce drunk, and when her mistress told her of it would be gone, and so

put up some of her things and did go away of her accord, nobody pressing

her to it, and the truth is, though she be the dirtiest, homeliest

servant that ever I kept, yet I was sorry to have her go, partly through

my love to my servants, and partly because she was a very drudging,

working wench, only she would be drunk. But that which did a little

trouble me was that I did hear her tell her mistress that she would tell

her master something before she was aware of her that she would be

sorry to have him know; but did it in such a silly, drunken manner,

that though it trouble me a little, yet not knowing what to suspect she

should know, and not knowing well whether she said it to her mistress or

Jane, I did not much think of it. So she gone, we to supper and to bed,

my study being made finely clean.

19th (Lord’s day). Up, and to my chamber to set some papers in order,

and then, to church, where my old acquaintance, that dull fellow,

Meriton, made a good sermon, and hath a strange knack of a grave,

serious delivery, which is very agreeable. After church to White Hall,

and there find Sir G. Carteret just set down to dinner, and I dined with

them, as I intended, and good company, the best people and family in

the world I think. Here was great talk of the good end that my Lord

Treasurer made; closing his owne eyes and setting his mouth, and bidding

adieu with the greatest content and freedom in the world; and is said

to die with the cleanest hands that ever any Lord Treasurer did. After

dinner Sir G. Carteret and I alone, and there, among other discourse, he

did declare that he would be content to part with his place of Treasurer

of the Navy upon good terms. I did propose my Lord Belasses as a man

likely to buy it, which he listened to, and I did fully concur and

promote his design of parting with it, for though I would have my father

live, I would not have him die Treasurer of the Navy, because of the

accounts which must be uncleared at his death, besides many other

circumstances making it advisable for him to let it go. He tells me that

he fears all will come to naught in the nation soon if the King do not

mind his business, which he do not seem likely to do. He says that the

Treasury will be managed for a while by a Commission, whereof he thinks

my Lord Chancellor for the honour of it, and my Lord Ashly, and the two

Secretaries will be, and some others he knows not. I took leave of him,

and directly by water home, and there to read the life of Mr. Hooker,

which pleases me as much as any thing I have read a great while, and by

and by comes Mr. Howe to see us, and after him a little Mr. Sheply, and

so we all to talk, and, Mercer being there, we some of us to sing, and

so to supper, a great deal of silly talk. Among other things, W. Howe

told us how the Barristers and Students of Gray’s Inne rose in rebellion

against the Benchers the other day, who outlawed them, and a great deal

of do; but now they are at peace again. They being gone, I to my book

again, and made an end of Mr. Hooker’s Life, and so to bed.

20th. Up betimes, and comes my flagelette master to set me a new tune,

which I played presently, and shall in a month do as much as I desire

at it. He being gone, I to several businesses in my chamber, and then

by coach to the Commissioners of Excise, and so to Westminster Hall,

and there spoke with several persons I had to do with. Here among other

news, I hear that the Commissioners for the Treasury were named by the

King yesterday; but who they are nobody could tell: but the persons are

the Lord Chancellor, the two Secretaries, Lord Ashly, and others say

Sir W. Coventry and Sir John Duncomb, but all conclude the Duke of

Albemarle; but reports do differ, but will be known in a day or two.

Having done my business, I then homeward, and overtook Mr. Commander; so

took him into a coach with me, and he and I into Lincoln’s Inne Fields,

there to look upon the coach-houses to see what ground is necessary for

coach-house and horses, because of that that I am going about to do, and

having satisfied myself in this he and I to Mr. Hide’s to look upon the

ground again behind our house, and concluded upon his going along with

us to-morrow to see some stables, he thinking that we demand more than

is necessary. So away home, and then, I, it being a broken day, and had

power by my vows, did walk abroad, first through the Minorys, the first

time I have been over the Hill to the postern-gate, and seen the place,

since the houses were pulled down about that side of the Tower, since

the fire, to find where my young mercer with my pretty little woman to

his wife lives, who lived in Lumbard streete, and I did espy them, but

took no notice now of them, but may do hereafter. Thence down to the

Old Swan, and there saw Betty Michell, whom I have not seen since her

christening. But, Lord! how pretty she is, and looks as well as ever I

saw her, and her child (which I am fain to seem very fond of) is pretty

also, I think, and will be. Thence by water to Westminster Hall, and

there walked a while talking at random with Sir W. Doyly, and so away to

Mrs. Martin’s lodging, who was gone before, expecting me, and there je

hazer what je vellem cum her and drank, and so by coach home (but I have

forgot that I did in the morning go to the Swan, and there tumbling of

la little fille, son uncle did trouver her cum su neckcloth off, which

I was ashamed of, but made no great matter of it, but let it pass with

a laugh), and there spent the evening with my wife at our flagelets, and

so to supper, and after a little reading to bed. My wife still troubled

with her cold. I find it everywhere now to be a thing doubted whether

we shall have peace or no, and the captain of one of our ships that went

with the Embassadors do say, that the seamen of Holland to his hearing

did defy us, and called us English dogs, and cried out against peace,

and that the great people there do oppose peace, though he says the

common people do wish it.

21st. Up and to the office, where sat all the morning. At noon dined at

home with my wife and find a new girle, a good big girle come to us, got

by Payne to be our girle; and his daughter Nell we make our cook. This

wench’s name is Mary, and seems a good likely maid. After dinner I with

Mr. Commander and Mr. Hide’s brother to Lincolne’s Inne Fields, and

there viewed several coach-houses, and satisfied ourselves now fully in

it, and then there parted, leaving the rest to future discourse between

us. Thence I home; but, Lord! how it went against my heart to go away

from the very door of the Duke’s play-house, and my Lady Castlemayne’s

coach, and many great coaches there, to see “The Siege of Rhodes.” I was

very near making a forfeit, but I did command myself, and so home to my

office, and there did much business to my good content, much better

than going to a play, and then home to my wife, who is not well with

her cold, and sat and read a piece of Grand Cyrus in English by her,

and then to my chamber and to supper, and so to bed. This morning the

Captain come from Holland did tell us at the board what I have said

he reported yesterday. This evening after I come from the office Mrs.

Turner come to see my wife and me, and sit and talk with us, and so, my

wife not being well and going to bed, Mrs. Turner and I sat up till 12

at night talking alone in my chamber, and most of our discourse was of

our neighbours. As to my Lord Bruncker, she says how Mrs. Griffin,

our housekeeper’s wife, hath it from his maid, that comes to her house

often, that they are very poor; that the other day Mrs. Williams was

fain to send a jewell to pawn; that their maid hath said herself that

she hath got L50 since she come thither, and L17 by the payment of one

bill; that they have a most lewd and nasty family here in the office,

but Mrs. Turner do tell me that my Lord hath put the King to infinite

charge since his coming thither in alterations, and particularly that

Mr. Harper at Deptford did himself tell her that my Lord hath had of

Foly, the ironmonger, L50 worth in locks and keys for his house, and

that it is from the fineness of them, having some of L4 and L5 a lock,

such as is in the Duke’s closet; that he hath several of these; that he

do keep many of her things from her of her own goods, and would have her

bring a bill into the office for them; that Mrs. Griffin do say that

he do not keep Mrs. Williams now for love, but need, he having another

whore that he keeps in Covent Garden; that they do owe money everywhere

almost for every thing, even Mrs. Shipman for her butter and cheese

about L3, and after many demands cannot get it. Mrs. Turner says she do

believe their coming here is only out of a belief of getting purchase by

it, and that their servants (which was wittily said of her touching

his clerks) do act only as privateers, no purchase, no pay. And in my

conscience she is in the right. Then we fell to talk of Sir W. Pen,

and his family and rise. She [Mrs. Turner] says that he was a pityfull

[fellow] when she first knew them; that his lady was one of the sourest,

dirty women, that ever she saw; that they took two chambers, one over

another, for themselves and child, in Tower Hill; that for many years

together they eat more meals at her house than at their own; did call

brothers and sisters the husbands and wives; that her husband was

godfather to one, and she godmother to another (this Margaret) of their

children, by the same token that she was fain to write with her own hand

a letter to Captain Twiddy, to stand for a godfather for her; that

she brought my Lady, who then was a dirty slattern, with her stockings

hanging about her heels, so that afterwards the people of the whole Hill

did say that Mrs. Turner had made Mrs. Pen a gentlewoman, first to the

knowledge of my Lady Vane, Sir Henry’s lady, and him to the knowledge of

most of the great people that then he sought to, and that in short his

rise hath been his giving of large bribes, wherein, and she agrees with

my opinion and knowledge before therein, he is very profuse. This made

him General; this got him out of the Tower when he was in; and hath

brought him into what he is now, since the King’s coming in: that long

ago, indeed, he would drink the King’s health privately with Mr. Turner;

but that when he saw it fit to turn Roundhead, and was offered by Mr.

Turner to drink the King’s health, he answered “No;” he was changed, and

now, he that would make him drink the King’s health, or any health but

the Protector’s and the State’s, or to that purpose, he would be the

first man should sheath his sword in his guts. That at the King’s coming

in, he did send for her husband, and told him what a great man Sir W.

Coventry was like to be, and that he having all the records in his hands

of the Navy, if he would transcribe what was of most present use of the

practice of the Navy, and give them him to give Sir W. Coventry from

him, it would undoubtedly do his business of getting him a principal

officer’s place; that her husband was at L5 charge to get these

presently writ; that Sir W. Pen did give them Sir W. Coventry as from

himself, which did set him up with W. Coventry, and made him what he is,

and never owned any thing of Mr. Turner in them; by which he left him

in the lurch, though he did promise the Duke of Albemarle to do all

that was possible, and made no question of Mr. Turner’s being what he

desired; and when afterwards, too, did propose to him the getting of

the Purveyor’s place for him, he did tell Mr. Turner it was necessary to

present Sir W. Coventry 100 pieces, which he did, and W. Coventry took

80 of them: so that he was W. Coventry’s mere broker, as Sir W. Batten

and my Lady did once tell my Lady Duchess of Albemarle, in the case of

Mr. Falconer, whom W. Pen made to give W. Coventry L200 for his place

of Clerk of the Rope Yard of Woolwich, and to settle L80 a year upon his

daughter Pegg, after the death of his wife, and a gold watch presently

to his wife. Mrs. Turner do tell me that my Lady and Pegg have

themselves owned to her that Sir W. Coventry and Sir W. Pen had private

marks to write to one another by, that when they in appearance writ a

fair letter in behalf of anybody, that they had a little mark to

show they meant it only in shew: this, these silly people did confess

themselves of him. She says that their son, Mr. William Pen, did tell

her that his father did observe the commanders did make their addresses

to me and applications, but they should know that his father should

be the chief of the office, and that she hath observed that Sir W. Pen

never had a kindness to her son, since W. Pen told her son that he had

applied himself to me. That his rise hath been by her and her husband’s

means, and that it is a most inconceivable thing how this man can have

the face to use her and her family with the neglect that he do them.

That he was in the late war a most devilish plunderer, and that got him

his estate, which he hath in Ireland, and nothing else, and that he hath

always been a very liberal man in his bribes, that upon his coming into

this part of the Controller’s business wherein he is, he did send for T.

Willson and told him how against his knowledge he was put in, and had so

little wit as to say to him, “This will make the pot boyle, will it not,

Mr. Willson? will it not make the pot boyle?” and do offer him to

come in and do his business for him, and he would reward him. This Mr.

Willson did come and tell her presently, he having been their servant,

and to this day is very faithful to them. That her husband’s not being

forward to make him a bill for Rere Admirall’s pay and Generall’s pay

both at the same time after he was first made Generall did first give

him occasion of keeping a distance from him, since which they have

never been great friends, Pen having by degrees been continually growing

higher and higher, till now that he do wholly slight them and use them

only as servants. Upon the whole, she told me stories enough to confirm

me that he is the most false fellow that ever was born of woman, and

that so she thinks and knows him to be.

22nd. Up, and by water to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who tells me

now for certain how the Commission for the Treasury is disposed of:

viz., to Duke of Albemarle, Lord Ashly, Sir W. Coventry, Sir John

Duncomb, and Sir Thomas Clifford: at which, he says, all the whole Court

is disturbed; it having been once concluded otherwise into the other

hands formerly mentioned in yesterday’s notes, but all of a sudden the

King’s choice was changed, and these are to be the men; the first of

which is only for a puppet to give honour to the rest. He do presage

that these men will make it their business to find faults in the

management of the late Lord Treasurer, and in discouraging the bankers:

but I am, whatever I in compliance do say to him, of another mind, and

my heart is very glad of it, for I do expect they will do much good, and

that it is the happiest thing that hath appeared to me for the good of

the nation since the King come in. Thence to St. James’s, and up to the

Duke of York; and there in his chamber Sir W. Coventry did of himself

take notice of this business of the Treasury, wherein he is in the

Commission, and desired that I would be thinking of any thing fit for

him to be acquainted with for the lessening of charge and bettering of

our credit, and what our expence bath been since the King’s coming home,

which he believes will be one of the first things they shall enquire

into: which I promised him, and from time to time, which he desires,

will give him an account of what I can think of worthy his knowledge. I

am mighty glad of this opportunity of professing my joy to him in what

choice the King hath made, and the hopes I have that it will save the

kingdom from perishing and how it do encourage me to take pains again,

after my having through despair neglected it! which he told me of

himself that it was so with him, that he had given himself up to more

ease than ever he expected, and that his opinion of matters was so bad,

that there was no publick employment in the kingdom should have been

accepted by him but this which the King hath now given him; and therein

he is glad, in hopes of the service he may do therein; and in my

conscience he will. So into the Duke of York’s closet; and there, among

other things, Sir W. Coventry did take notice of what he told me the

other day, about a report of Commissioner Pett’s dealing for timber

in the Navy, and selling it to us in other names; and, besides his own

proof, did produce a paper I had given him this morning about it, in the

case of Widow Murford and Morecocke, which was so handled, that the Duke

of York grew very angry, and commanded us presently to fall into the

examination of it, saying that he would not trust a man for his sake

that lifts up the whites of his eyes. And it was declared that if he be

found to have done so, he should be reckoned unfit to serve the Navy;

and I do believe he will be turned out; and it was, methought, a worthy

saying of Sir W. Coventry to the Duke of York, “Sir,” says he, “I do

not make this complaint out of any disrespect to Commissioner Pett, but

because I do love to do these things fairly and openly.” Thence I to

Westminster Hall with Sir G. Carteret to the Chequer Chamber to hear our

cause of the Lindeboome prize there before the Lords of Appeal, where

was Lord Ashly, Arlington, Barkely, and Sir G. Carteret, but the latter

three signified nothing, the former only either minding or understanding

what was said. Here was good pleading of Sir Walter Walker’s and worth

hearing, but little done in our business. Thence by coach to the Red

Lyon, thinking to meet my father, but I come too soon, but my wife is

gone out of town to meet him. I am in great pain, poor man, for him,

lest he should come up in pain to town. So I staid not, but to the

‘Change, and there staid a little, where most of the newes is that the

Swedes are likely to fall out with the Dutch, which we wish, but how

true I know not. Here I met my uncle Wight, the second day he hath been

abroad, having been sick these two months even to death, but having

never sent to me even in the greatest of his danger. I do think my Aunt

had no mind I should come, and so I never went to see him, but neither

he took notice of it to me, nor I made any excuse for it to him, but

past two or three How do you’s, and so parted and so home, and by and

by comes my poor father, much better than I expected, being at ease by

fits, according as his truss sits, and at another time in as much pain.

I am mighty glad to see him come well to town. So to dinner, where Creed

comes. After dinner my wife and father abroad, and Creed and I also

by water, and parted at the Temple stairs, where I landed, and to the

King’s house, where I did give 18d., and saw the two last acts of “The

Goblins,” a play I could not make any thing of by these two acts, but

here Knipp spied me out of the tiring-room, and come to the pit door,

and I out to her, and kissed her, she only coming to see me, being in a

country-dress, she, and others having, it seemed, had a country-dance in

the play, but she no other part: so we parted, and I into the pit again

till it was done. The house full, but I had no mind to be seen, but

thence to.my cutler’s, and two or three other places on small, errands,

and so home, where my father and wife come home, and pretty well my

father, who to supper and betimes to bed at his country hours. I to

Sir W. Batten’s, and there got some more part of my dividend of the

prize-money. So home and to set down in writing the state of the

account, and then to supper, and my wife to her flageolet, wherein

she did make out a tune so prettily of herself, that I was infinitely

pleased beyond whatever I expected from her, and so to bed. This day

coming from Westminster with W. Batten, we saw at White Hall stairs a

fisher-boat, with a sturgeon that he had newly catched in the River;

which I saw, but it was but a little one; but big enough to prevent my

mistake of that for a colt, if ever I become Mayor of Huntingdon!

[During a very high flood in the meadows between Huntingdon and

Godmanchester, something was seen floating, which the Godmanchester

people thought was a black pig, and the Huntingdon folk declared it

was a sturgeon; when rescued from the waters, it proved to be a

young donkey. This mistake led to the one party being styled

“Godmanchester black pigs,” and the other “Huntingdon sturgeons,”

terms not altogether forgotten at this day. Pepys’s colt must be

taken to be the colt of an ass.--B.]

23rd. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon

home, and with my father dined, and, poor man! he hath put off his

travelling-clothes to-day, and is mighty spruce, and I love to see him

cheerful. After dinner I to my chamber, and my wife and I to talk, and

by and by they tell Mrs. Daniel would speak with me, so I down to the

parlour to her, and sat down together and talked about getting her

husband a place .... I do promise, and mean to do what kindness I can to

her husband. After having been there hasti je was ashamed de peur that

my people pensait.... de it, or lest they might espy us through some

trees, we parted and I to the office, and presently back home again, and

there was asked by my wife, I know not whether simply or with design,

how I come to look as I did, car ego was in much chaleur et de body and

of animi, which I put off with the heat of the season, and so to

other business, but I had some fear hung upon me lest alcuno had sidi

decouvert. So to the office, and then to Sir R. Viner’s about some

part of my accounts now going on with him, and then home and ended my

letters, and then to supper and my chamber to settle many things

there, and then to bed. This noon I was on the ‘Change, where I to my

astonishment hear, and it is in the Gazette, that Sir John Duncomb is

sworn yesterday a Privy-councillor. This day I hear also that last night

the Duke of Kendall, second son of the Duke of York, did die; and that

the other, Duke of Cambridge, continues very ill still. This afternoon

I had opportunity para jouer with Mrs. Pen, tokendo her mammailles

and baisando elle, being sola in the casa of her pater, and she fort

willing.

24th. Up, and to the office, where, by and by, by appointment, we met

upon Sir W. Warren’s accounts, wherein I do appear in every thing as

much as I can his enemy, though not so far but upon good conditions from

him I may return to be his friend, but I do think it necessary to do

what I do at present. We broke off at noon without doing much, and then

home, where my wife not well, but yet engaged by invitation to go with

Sir W. Pen. I got her to go with him by coach to Islington to the old

house, where his lady and Madam Lowther, with her exceeding fine coach

and mean horses, and her mother-in-law, did meet us, and two of Mr.

Lowther’s brothers, and here dined upon nothing but pigeon-pyes, which

was such a thing for him to invite all the company to, that I was

ashamed of it. But after dinner was all our sport, when there come in a

juggler, who, indeed, did shew us so good tricks as I have never seen

in my life, I think, of legerdemaine, and such as my wife hath since

seriously said that she would not believe but that he did them by the

help of the devil. Here, after a bad dinner, and but ordinary company,

saving that I discern good parts in one of the sons, who, methought, did

take me up very prettily in one or two things that I said, and I was so

sensible of it as to be a caution to me hereafter how I do venture to

speak more than is necessary in any company, though, as I did now, I

do think them incapable to censure me. We broke up, they back to

Walthamstow, and only my wife and I and Sir W. Pen to the King’s

playhouse, and there saw “The Mayden Queene,” which, though I have often

seen, yet pleases me infinitely, it being impossible, I think, ever to

have the Queen’s part, which is very good and passionate, and Florimel’s

part, which is the most comicall that ever was made for woman, ever

done better than they two are by young Marshall and Nelly. Home, where

I spent the evening with my father and wife, and late at night some

flagillette with my wife, and then to supper and to bed.

25th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined at

home, and there come Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, and dined with me, telling

me that the Duke of Cambridge continues very ill, so as they do despair

of his living. So to the office again, where all the afternoon. About

4 o’clock comes Mrs. Pierce to see my wife, and I into them, and there

find Pierce very fine, and in her own hair, which do become her, and so

says my wife, ten times better than lighter hair, her complexion being

mighty good. With them talked a little, and was invited by her to come

with my wife on Wednesday next in the evening, to be merry there, which

we shall do. Then to the office again, where dispatched a great deal of

business till late at night, to my great content, and then home and with

my wife to our flageolets a little, and so to supper and to bed, after

having my chamber a little wiped up.

26th (Lord’s day). Up sooner than usual on Sundays, and to walk, it

being exceeding hot all night (so as this night I begun to leave off my

waistcoat this year) and this morning, and so to walk in the garden

till toward church time, when my wife and I to church, where several

strangers of good condition come to our pew, where the pew was full.

At noon dined at home, where little Michell come and his wife, who

continues mighty pretty. After dinner I by water alone to Westminster,

where, not finding Mrs. Martin within, did go towards the parish church,

and in the way did overtake her, who resolved to go into the church with

her that she was going with (Mrs. Hargrave, the little crooked woman,

the vintner’s wife of the Dog) and then go out again, and so I to the

church, and seeing her return did go out again myself, but met with Mr.

Howlett, who, offering me a pew in the gallery, I had no excuse but up

with him I must go, and then much against my will staid out the whole

church in pain while she expected me at home, but I did entertain myself

with my perspective glass up and down the church, by which I had the

great pleasure of seeing and gazing at a great many very fine women;

and what with that, and sleeping, I passed away the time till sermon was

done, and then to Mrs. Martin, and there staid with her an hour or two,

and there did what I would with her, and after been here so long I

away to my boat, and up with it as far as Barne Elmes, reading of Mr.

Evelyn’s late new book against Solitude, in which I do not find much

excess of good matter, though it be pretty for a bye discourse. I walked

the length of the Elmes, and with great pleasure saw some gallant ladies

and people come with their bottles, and basket, and chairs, and form, to

sup under the trees, by the waterside, which was mighty pleasant. I to

boat again and to my book, and having done that I took another book, Mr.

Boyle’s of Colours, and there read, where I laughed, finding many fine

things worthy observation, and so landed at the Old Swan, and so home,

where I find my poor father newly come out of an unexpected fit of his

pain, that they feared he would have died. They had sent for me to White

Hall and all up and down, and for Mr. Holliard also, who did come, but

W. Hewer being here did I think do the business in getting my father’s

bowel, that was fallen down, into his body again, and that which made me

more sensible of it was that he this morning did show me the place where

his bowel did use to fall down and swell, which did trouble me to see.

But above all things the poor man’s patience under it, and his good

heart and humour, as soon as he was out of it, did so work upon me, that

my heart was sad to think upon his condition, but do hope that a way

will be found by a steel truss to relieve him. By and by to supper,

all our discourse about Brampton, and my intentions to build there if I

could be free of my engagement to my Uncle Thomas and his son, that they

may not have what I have built, against my will, to them whether I will

or no, in case of me and my brothers being without heirs male; which

is the true reason why I am against laying out money upon that

place, together with my fear of some inconvenience by being so near

Hinchingbroke; being obliged to be a servant to that family, and subject

to what expence they shall cost me; and to have all that I shall buy,

or do, esteemed as got by the death of my uncle, when indeed what I have

from him is not worth naming. After supper to read and then to bed.

27th. Up, and there comes Greeting my flagelette master, and I practised

with him. There come also Richardson, the bookbinder, with one of

Ogilby’s Bibles in quires for me to see and buy, it being Mr. Cade’s,

my stationer’s; but it is like to be so big that I shall not use it, it

being too great to stir up and down without much trouble, which I shall

not like nor do intend it for. So by water to White Hall, and there find

Sir G. Carteret at home, and talked with him a while, and find that the

new Commissioners of the Treasury did meet this morning. So I to find

out Sir W. Coventry, but missed, only I do hear that they have chosen

Sir G. Downing for their Secretary; and I think in my conscience they

have done a great thing in it; for he is a business active man, and

values himself upon having of things do well under his hand; so that I

am mightily pleased in their choice. Here I met Mr. Pierce, who tells me

that he lately met Mr. Carcasse, who do mightily inveigh against me, for

that all that has been done against him he lays on me, and I think he is

in the right and I do own it, only I find what I suspected, that he do

report that Sir W. Batten and I, who never agreed before, do now, and

since this business agree even more, which I did fear would be thought,

and therefore will find occasion to undeceive the world in that

particular by promoting something shortly against [Sir] W. Batten. So

home, and there to sing with my wife before dinner, and then to dinner,

and after dinner comes Carcasse to speak with me, but I would not give

him way to enlarge on anything, but he would have begun to have made a

noise how I have undone him and used all the wit I could in the drawing

up of his report, wherein he told me I had taken a great deal of pains

to undo him. To which I did not think fit to enter into any answer, but

dismissed him, and so I again up to my chamber, vexed at the impudence

of this rogue, but I think I shall be wary enough for him: So to my

chamber, and there did some little business, and then abroad, and

stopped at the Bear-garden-stairs, there to see a prize fought. But the

house so full there was no getting in there, so forced to go through an

alehouse into the pit, where the bears are baited; and upon a stool did

see them fight, which they did very furiously, a butcher and a waterman.

The former had the better all along, till by and by the latter dropped

his sword out of his hand, and the butcher, whether not seeing his sword

dropped I know not, but did give him a cut over the wrist, so as he

was disabled to fight any longer. But, Lord! to see how in a minute

the whole stage was full of watermen to revenge the foul play, and the

butchers to defend their fellow, though most blamed him; and there they

all fell to it to knocking down and cutting many on each side. It was

pleasant to see, but that I stood in the pit, and feared that in the

tumult I might get some hurt. At last the rabble broke up, and so I away

to White Hall and so to St. James’s, but I found not Sir W. Coventry, so

into the Park and took a turn or two, it being a most sweet day, and

so by water home, and with my father and wife walked in the garden, and

then anon to supper and to bed. The Duke of Cambridge very ill still.

28th. Up, and by coach to St. James’s, where I find Sir W. Coventry, and

he desirous to have spoke with me. It was to read over a draught of a

letter which he hath made for his brother Commissioners and him to sign

to us, demanding an account of the whole business of the Navy accounts;

and I perceive, by the way he goes about it, that they will do admirable

things. He tells me they have chosen Sir G. Downing their Secretary, who

will be as fit a man as any in the world; and said, by the by, speaking

of the bankers being fearful of Sir G. Downing’s being Secretary,

he being their enemy, that they did not intend to be ruled by their

Secretary, but do the business themselves. My heart is glad to see so

great hopes of good to the nation as will be by these men; and it do me

good to see Sir W. Coventry so cheerfull as he now is on the same score.

Thence home, and there fell to seeing my office and closet there made

soundly clean, and the windows cleaned. At which all the morning, and so

at noon to dinner. After dinner my wife away down with Jane and W. Hewer

to Woolwich, in order to a little ayre and to lie there to-night, and so

to gather May-dew to-morrow morning,

[If we are to credit the following paragraph, extracted from the

“Morning Post” of May 2nd, 1791, the virtues of May dew were then

still held in some estimation; for it records that “on the day

preceding, according to annual and superstitious custom, a number of

persons went into the fields, and bathed their faces with the dew on

the grass, under the idea that it would render them beautiful”

(Hone’s “Every Day Book,” vol. ii., p. 611). Aubrey speaks of May

dew as “a great dissolvent” (“Miscellanies,” p. 183).--B.]

which Mrs. Turner hath taught her as the only thing in the world to wash

her face with; and I am contented with it. Presently comes Creed, and he

and I by water to Fox-hall, and there walked in Spring Garden. A great

deal of company, and the weather and garden pleasant: that it is very

pleasant and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what he

will, or nothing, all is one. But to hear the nightingale and other

birds, and here fiddles, and there a harp, and here a Jew’s trump, and

here laughing, and there fine people walking, is mighty divertising.

Among others, there were two pretty women alone, that walked a great

while, which being discovered by some idle gentlemen, they would needs

take them up; but to see the poor ladies how they were put to it to run

from them, and they after them, and sometimes the ladies put themselves

along with other company, then the other drew back; at last, the last

did get off out of the house, and took boat and away. I was troubled to

see them abused so; and could have found in my heart, as little desire

of fighting as I have, to have protected the ladies. So by water, set

Creed down at White Hall, and I to the Old Swan, and so home. My father

gone to bed, and wife abroad at Woolwich, I to Sir W. Pen, where he and

his Lady and Pegg and pretty Mrs. Lowther her sister-in-law at supper,

where I sat and talked, and Sir W. Pen, half drunk, did talk like a fool

and vex his wife, that I was half pleased and half vexed to see so much

folly and rudeness from him, and so late home to bed.

29th. Up, and by coach to St. James’s, where by and by up to the Duke

of York, where, among other things, our parson Mills having the offer of

another benefice by Sir Robert Brookes, who was his pupil, he by my

Lord Barkeley [of Stratton] is made one of the Duke’s Chaplains, which

qualifies him for two livings. But to see how slightly such things are

done, the Duke of York only taking my Lord Barkeley’s word upon saying,

that we the officers of the Navy do say he is a good man and minister of

our parish, and the Duke of York admits him to kiss his hand, but speaks

not one word to him; but so a warrant will be drawn from the Duke of

York to qualify him, and there’s an end of it. So we into the Duke’s

closett, where little to do, but complaint for want of money and a

motion of Sir W. Coventry’s that we should all now bethink ourselves

of lessening charge to the King, which he said was the only way he saw

likely to put the King out of debt, and this puts me upon thinking to

offer something presently myself to prevent its being done in a worse

manner without me relating to the Victualling business, which, as I may

order it, I think may be done and save myself something. Thence home,

and there settle to some accounts of mine in my chamber I all the

morning till dinner. My wife comes home from Woolwich, but did not dine

with me, going to dress herself against night, to go to Mrs. Pierce’s to

be merry, where we are to have Knepp and Harris and other good people.

I at my accounts all the afternoon, being a little lost in them as

to reckoning interest. Anon comes down my wife, dressed in her second

mourning, with her black moyre waistcoat, and short petticoat, laced

with silver lace so basely that I could not endure to see her, and with

laced lining, which is too soon, so that I was horrid angry, and went

out of doors to the office and there staid, and would not go to our

intended meeting, which vexed me to the blood, and my wife sent twice

or thrice to me, to direct her any way to dress her, but to put on her

cloth gown, which she would not venture, which made me mad: and so in

the evening to my chamber, vexed, and to my accounts, which I ended to

my great content, and did make amends for the loss of our mirth this

night, by getting this done, which otherwise I fear I should not have

done a good while else. So to bed.

30th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined at

home, being without any words friends with my wife, though last night

I was very angry, and do think I did give her as much cause to be angry

with me. After dinner I walked to Arundell House, the way very dusty,

the day of meeting of the Society being changed from Wednesday

to Thursday, which I knew not before, because the Wednesday is a

Council-day, and several of the Council are of the Society, and would

come but for their attending the King at Council; where I find much

company, indeed very much company, in expectation of the Duchesse of

Newcastle, who had desired to be invited to the Society; and was, after

much debate, pro and con., it seems many being against it; and we do

believe the town will be full of ballads of it. Anon comes the Duchesse

with her women attending her; among others, the Ferabosco,2 of whom

so much talk is that her lady would bid her show her face and kill the

gallants. She is indeed black, and hath good black little eyes, but

otherwise but a very ordinary woman I do think, but they say sings well.

The Duchesse hath been a good, comely woman; but her dress so antick,

and her deportment so ordinary, that I do not like her at all, nor did I

hear her say any thing that was worth hearing, but that she was full of

admiration, all admiration. Several fine experiments were shown her of

colours, loadstones, microscopes, and of liquors among others, of one

that did, while she was there, turn a piece of roasted mutton into pure

blood, which was very rare. Here was Mrs. Moore of Cambridge, whom I had

not seen before, and I was glad to see her; as also a very pretty black

boy that run up and down the room, somebody’s child in Arundell House.

After they had shown her many experiments, and she cried still she was

full of admiration, she departed, being led out and in by several Lords

that were there; among others Lord George Barkeley and Earl of Carlisle,

and a very pretty young man, the Duke of Somerset. She gone, I by coach

home, and there busy at my letters till night, and then with my wife in

the evening singing with her in the garden with great pleasure, and so

home to supper and to bed.

31st. Up, and there came young Mrs. Daniel in the morning as I expected

about business of her husband’s. I took her into the office to discourse

with her about getting some employment for him.... By water to White

Hall to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, the first time I ever

was there and I think the second that they have met at the Treasury

chamber there. Here I saw Duncomb look as big, and take as much state on

him, as if he had been born a lord. I was in with him about Tangier, and

at present received but little answer from them, they being in a cloud

of business yet, but I doubt not but all will go well under them. Here

I met with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me that he is told this day by

Secretary Morris that he believes we are, and shall be, only fooled by

the French; and that the Dutch are very high and insolent, and do look

upon us as come over only to beg a peace; which troubles me very much,

and I do fear it is true. Thence to Sir G. Carteret at his lodgings;

who, I perceive, is mightily displeased with this new Treasury; and he

hath reason, for it will eclipse him; and he tells me that my Lord Ashly

says they understand nothing; and he says he believes the King do not

intend they shall sit long. But I believe no such thing, but that the

King will find such benefit by them as he will desire to have them

continue, as we see he hath done, in the late new Act that was so much

decried about the King; but yet the King hath since permitted it, and

found good by it. He says, and I believe, that a great many persons at

Court are angry at the rise of this Duncomb, whose father, he tells me,

was a long-Parliamentman, and a great Committee-man; and this fellow

used to carry his papers to Committees after him: he was a kind of an

atturny: but for all this, I believe this man will be a great man, in

spite of all. Thence I away to Holborne to Mr. Gawden, whom I met at

Bernard’s Inn gate, and straight we together to the Navy Office, where

we did all meet about some victualling business, and so home to dinner

and to the office, where the weather so hot now-a-days that I cannot but

sleep before I do any business, and in the evening home, and there, to

my unexpected satisfaction, did get my intricate accounts of interest,

which have been of late much perplexed by mixing of some moneys of Sir

G. Carteret’s with mine, evened and set right: and so late to supper,

and with great quiet to bed; finding by the balance of my account that I

am creditor L6900, for which the Lord of Heaven be praised!