December 1st (Lord’s day). Up, and after entering my journal for 2 or 3
days, I to church, where Mr. Mills, a dull sermon: and in our pew there
sat a great lady, which I afterwards understood to be my Lady Carlisle,
that made her husband a cuckold in Scotland, a very fine woman indeed
in person. After sermon home, where W. Hewer dined with us, and after
dinner he and I all the afternoon to read over our office letters to see
what matters can be got for our advantage or disadvantage therein.
In the evening comes Mr. Pelling and the two men that were with him
formerly, the little man that sings so good a base (Wallington) and
another that understands well, one Pigott, and Betty Turner come and
sat and supped with us, and we spent the evening mighty well in good
musique, to my great content to see myself in condition to have these
and entertain them for my own pleasure only. So they gone, we to bed.
2nd. Up, and then abroad to Alderman Backewell’s (who was sick of a cold
in bed), and then to the Excise Office, where I find Mr. Ball out of
humour in expectation of being put out of his office by the change of
the farm of the excise. There comes Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to
Westminster, and there walked up and down till noon, where all the
business is that the Lords’ answer is come down to the Commons, that
they are not satisfied in the Commons’ Reasons: and so the Commons are
hot, and like to sit all day upon the business what to do herein, most
thinking that they will remonstrate against the Lords. Thence to Lord
Crew’s, and there dined with him; where, after dinner, he took me aside,
and bewailed the condition of the nation, how the King and his brother
are at a distance about this business of the Chancellor, and the two
Houses differing. And he do believe that there are so many about the
King like to be concerned and troubled by the Parliament, that they will
get him to dissolve or prorogue the Parliament; and the rather, for that
the King is likely, by this good husbandry of the Treasury, to get out
of debt, and the Parliament is likely to give no money. Among other
things, my Lord Crew did tell me, with grief, that he hears that the
King of late hath not dined nor supped with the Queen, as he used of
late to do. After a little discourse, Mr. Caesar, he dining there, did
give us some musique on his lute (Mr. John Crew being there) to my great
content, and then away I, and Mr. Caesar followed me and told me that my
boy Tom hath this day declared to him that he cared not for the French
lute and would learn no more, which Caesar out of faithfulness tells me
that I might not spend any more money on him in vain. I shall take the
boy to task about it, though I am contented to save my money if the boy
knows not what is good for himself. So thanked him, and indeed he is a
very honest man I believe, and away home, there to get something ready
for the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and so took my wife and
girle and set them at Unthanke’s, and I to White Hall, and there with
the Commissioners of the Treasury, who I find in mighty good condition
to go on in payment of the seamen off, and thence I to Westminster Hall,
where I met with my cozen Roger and walked a good while with him; he
tells me of the high vote of the Commons this afternoon, which I also
heard at White Hall, that the proceedings of the Lords in the case of
my Lord Clarendon are an obstruction to justice, and of ill precedent
to future times. This makes every body wonder what will be the effect of
it, most thinking that the King will try him by his own Commission. It
seems they were mighty high to have remonstrated, but some said that was
too great an appeale to the people. Roger is mighty full of fears of
the consequence of it, and wishes the King would dissolve them. So we
parted, and I bought some Scotch cakes at Wilkinson’s in King Street,
and called my wife, and home, and there to supper, talk, and to bed.
Supped upon these cakes, of which I have eat none since we lived at
Westminster. This night our poor little dogg Fancy was in a strange fit,
through age, of which she has had five or six.
3rd. Up, by candlelight, the only time I think I have done so this
winter, and a coach being got over night, I to Sir W. Coventry’s, the
first time I have seen him at his new house since he come to lodge
there. He tells me of the vote for none of the House to be of the
Commission for the Bill of Accounts; which he thinks is so great a
disappointment to Birch and others that expected to be of it, that he
thinks, could it have been [fore]seen, there would not have been any
Bill at all. We hope it will be the better for all that are to account;
it being likely that the men, being few, and not of the House, will
hear reason. The main business I went about was about. Gilsthrop, Sir
W. Batten’s clerk; who, being upon his death-bed, and now dead, hath
offered to make discoveries of the disorders of the Navy and of L65,000
damage to the King: which made mighty noise in the Commons’ House;
and members appointed to go to him, which they did; but nothing to the
purpose got from him, but complaints of false musters, and ships being
refitted with victuals and stores at Plymouth, after they come fitted
from other ports; but all this to no purpose, nor more than we know, and
will owne. But the best is, that this loggerhead should say this, that
understands nothing of the Navy, nor ever would; and hath particularly
blemished his master by name among us. I told Sir W. Coventry of my
letter to Sir R. Brookes, and his answer to me. He advises me, in what
I write to him, to be as short as I can, and obscure, saving in things
fully plain; for all that he do is to make mischief; and that the
greatest wisdom in dealing with the Parliament in the world is to say
little, and let them get out what they can by force: which I shall
observe. He declared to me much of his mind to be ruled by his own
measures, and not to go so far as many would have him to the ruin of
my Lord Chancellor, and for which they do endeavour to do what they can
against [Sir] W. Coventry. “But,” says he, “I have done my do in helping
to get him out of the administration of things, for which he is not fit;
but for his life or estate I will have nothing to say to it: besides
that, my duty to my master the Duke of York is such, that I will perish
before I will do any thing to displease or disoblige him, where the very
necessity of the kingdom do not in my judgment call me.” Thence I home
and to the office, where my Lord Anglesey, and all the discourse was
yesterday’s vote in the Commons, wherein he told us that, should the
Lords yield to what the Commons would have in this matter, it were to
make them worse than any justice of Peace (whereas they are the highest
Court in the Kingdom) that they cannot be judges whether an offender be
to be committed or bailed, which every justice of Peace do do, and then
he showed me precedents plain in their defence. At noon home to
dinner, and busy all the afternoon, and at night home, and there met W.
Batelier, who tells me the first great news that my Lord Chancellor is
fled this day. By and by to Sir W. Pen’s, where Sir R. Ford and he and
I met, with Mr. Young and Lewes, about our accounts with my Lady Batten,
which prove troublesome, and I doubt will prove to our loss. But here I
hear the whole that my Lord Chancellor is gone, and left a paper behind
him for the House of Lords, telling them the reason of him retiring,
complaining of a design for his ruin. But the paper I must get: only the
thing at present is great, and will put the King and Commons to some new
counsels certainly. So home to supper and to bed. Sir W. Pen I find
in much trouble this evening, having been called to the Committee this
afternoon, about the business of prizes. Sir Richard Ford told us this
evening an odd story of the basenesse of the late Lord Mayor, Sir W.
Bolton, in cheating the poor of the City, out of the collections made
for the people that were burned, of L1800; of which he can give no
account, and in which he hath forsworn himself plainly, so as the Court
of Aldermen have sequestered him from their Court till he do bring in an
account, which is the greatest piece of roguery that they say was ever
found in a Lord Mayor. He says also that this day hath been made appear
to them that the Keeper of Newgate, at this day, hath made his house the
only nursery of rogues, and whores, and pickpockets, and thieves in the
world; where they were bred and entertained, and the whole society met:
and that, for the sake of the Sheriffes, they durst not this day committ
him, for fear of making him let out the prisoners, but are fain to go by
artifice to deal with him. He tells me, also, speaking of the new street
that is to be made from Guild Hall down to Cheapside, that the ground
is already, most of it, bought. And tells me of one particular, of a man
that hath a piece of ground lieing in the very middle of the street
that must be; which, when the street is cut out of it, there will remain
ground enough, of each side, to build a house to front the street. He
demanded L700 for the ground, and to be excused paying any thing for
the melioration of the rest of his ground that he was to keep. The Court
consented to give him L700, only not to abate him the consideration:
which the man denied; but told them, and so they agreed, that he
would excuse the City the L700, that he might have the benefit of the
melioration without paying any thing for it. So much some will get by
having the City burned! But he told me that in other cases ground, by
this means, that was not 4d. a-foot before, will now, when houses are
built, be worth 15s. a-foot. But he tells me that the common standard
now reckoned on between man and man, in places where there is no
alteration of circumstances, but only the houses burnt, there the
ground, which, with a house on it, did yield L100 a-year, is now reputed
worth L33 6s. 8d.; and that this is the common market-price between one
man and another, made upon a good and moderate medium.
4th. At the office all the morning. At noon to dinner, and presently
with my wife abroad, whom and her girle I leave at Unthanke’s, and so to
White Hall in expectation of waiting on the Duke of York to-day, but
was prevented therein, only at Mr. Wren’s chamber there I hear that the
House of Lords did send down the paper which my Lord Chancellor left
behind him, directed to the Lords, to be seditious and scandalous; and
the Commons have voted that it be burned by the hands of the hangman,
and that the King be desired to agree to it. I do hear, also, that they
have desired the King to use means to stop his escape out of the nation.
Here I also heard Mr. Jermin, who was there in the chamber upon occasion
of Sir Thomas Harvy’s telling him of his brother’s having a child, and
thereby taking away his hopes (that is, Mr. Jermin’s) of L2000 a year.
He swore, God damn him, he did not desire to have any more wealth than
he had in the world, which indeed is a great estate, having all his
uncle’s, my Lord St. Alban’s, and my Lord hath all the Queen-Mother’s.
But when Sir Thos. Harvy told him that “hereafter you will wish
it more;”--“By God,” answers he, “I won’t promise what I shall do
hereafter.” Thence into the House, and there spied a pretty woman with
spots on her face, well clad, who was enquiring for the guard chamber; I
followed her, and there she went up, and turned into the turning towards
the chapel, and I after her, and upon the stairs there met her coming up
again, and there kissed her twice, and her business was to enquire for
Sir Edward Bishop, one of the serjeants at armes. I believe she was a
woman of pleasure, but was shy enough to me, and so I saw her go out
afterwards, and I took a hackney coach, and away. I to Westminster Hall,
and there walked, and thence towards White Hall by coach, and spying
Mrs. Burroughs in a shop did stop and ‘light and speak to her; and so
to White Hall, where I ‘light and went and met her coming towards White
Hall, but was upon business, and I could not get her to go any whither
and so parted, and I home with my wife and girle (my wife not being very
well, of a great looseness day and night for these two days). So
home, my wife to read to me in Sir R. Cotton’s book of warr, which is
excellent reading, and particularly I was mightily pleased this night in
what we read about the little profit or honour this kingdom ever gained
by the greatest of its conquests abroad in France. This evening come Mr.
Mills and sat with us a while, who is mighty kind and good company, and
so, he gone, I to supper and to bed. My wife an unquiet night. This day
Gilsthrop is buried, who hath made all the late discourse of the great
discovery of L65,000, of which the King bath been wronged.
5th. At the office all the morning, do hear that Will Pen, Sir W. Pen’s
son, is come from Ireland, but I have not seen him yet. At noon to
the ‘Change, where did little, but so home again and to dinner with my
clerks with me, and very good discourse and company they give me, and so
to the office all the afternoon till late, and so home to supper and to
bed. This day, not for want, but for good husbandry, I sent my father,
by his desire, six pair of my old shoes, which fit him, and are good;
yet, methought, it was a thing against my mind to have him wear my old
things.
6th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to the Duke of York, the first time that
I have seen him, or we waited on him, since his sickness; and, blessed
be God! he is not at all the worse for the smallpox, but is only a
little weak yet. We did much business with him, and so parted. My Lord
Anglesey told me how my Lord Northampton brought in a Bill into the
House of Lords yesterday, under the name of a Bill for the Honour and
Privilege of the House, and Mercy to my Lord Clarendon: which, he told
me, he opposed, saying that he was a man accused of treason by the House
of Commons; and mercy was not proper for him, having not been tried yet,
and so no mercy needful for him. However, the Duke of Buckingham and
others did desire that the Bill might be read; and it, was for banishing
my Lord Clarendon from all his Majesty’s dominions, and that it should
be treason to have him found in any of them: the thing is only a thing
of vanity, and to insult over him, which is mighty poor I think, and so
do every body else, and ended in nothing, I think. By and by home with
Sir J. Minnes, who tells me that my Lord Clarendon did go away in
a Custom-house boat, and is now at Callis (Calais): and, I confess,
nothing seems to hang more heavy than his leaving of this unfortunate
paper behind him, that hath angered both Houses, and hath, I think,
reconciled them in that which otherwise would have broke them in pieces;
so that I do hence, and from Sir W. Coventry’s late example and doctrine
to me, learn that on these sorts of occasions there is nothing like
silence; it being seldom any wrong to a man to say nothing, but, for
the most part, it is to say anything. This day, in coming home, Sir
J. Minnes told me a pretty story of Sir Lewes Dives, whom I saw this
morning speaking with him, that having escaped once out of prison
through a house of office, and another time in woman’s apparel, and
leaping over a broad canal, a soldier swore, says he, this is a strange
jade.... He told me also a story of my Lord Cottington, who, wanting a
son, intended to make his nephew his heir, a country boy; but did
alter his mind upon the boy’s being persuaded by another young heir,
in roguery, to crow like a cock at my Lord’s table, much company being
there, and the boy having a great trick at doing that perfectly. My
Lord bade them take away that fool from the table, and so gave over the
thoughts of making him his heir, from this piece of folly. So home, and
there to dinner, and after dinner abroad with my wife and girle, set
them down at Unthanke’s, and I to White Hall to the Council chamber,
where I was summoned about the business of paying of the seamen, where I
heard my Lord Anglesey put to it by Sir W. Coventry before the King for
altering the course set by the Council; which he like a wise man did
answer in few words, that he had already sent to alter it according to
the Council’s method, and so stopped it, whereas many words would have
set the Commissioners of the Treasury on fire, who, I perceive, were
prepared for it. Here I heard Mr. Gawden speak to the King and Council
upon some business of his before them, but did it so well, in so good
words and to the purpose, that I could never have expected from a man of
no greater learning. So went away, and in the Lobby met Mr. Sawyer, my
old chamber fellow, and stayed and had an hour’s discourse of old things
with him, and I perceive he do very well in the world, and is married
he tells me and hath a child. Then home and to the office, where Captain
Cocke come to me; and, among other discourse, tells me that he is told
that an impeachment against Sir W. Coventry will be brought in very
soon. He tells me, that even those that are against my Lord Chancellor
and the Court, in the House, do not trust nor agree one with another.
He tells me that my Lord Chancellor went away about ten at night, on
Saturday last; and took boat at Westminster, and thence by a vessel to
Callis, where he believes he now is: and that the Duke of York and Mr.
Wren knew of it, and that himself did know of it on Sunday morning: that
on Sunday his coach, and people about it, went to Twittenham, and the
world thought that he had been there: that nothing but this unhappy
paper hath undone him and that he doubts that this paper hath lost him
everywhere that his withdrawing do reconcile things so far as, he thinks
the heat of their fury will be over, and that all will be made well
between the two [royal] brothers: that Holland do endeavour to persuade
the King of France to break peace with us: that the Dutch will, without
doubt, have sixty sail of ships out the next year; so knows not what
will become of us, but hopes the Parliament will find money for us to
have a fleete. He gone, I home, and there my wife made an end to me of
Sir K. Cotton’s discourse of warr, which is indeed a very fine book. So
to supper and to bed. Captain Cocke did this night tell me also, among
other discourses, that he did believe that there are jealousies in some
of the House at this day against the Commissioners of the Treasury, that
by their good husbandry they will bring the King to be out of debt and
to save money, and so will not be in need of the Parliament, and then do
what he please, which is a very good piece of news that there is such a
thing to be hoped, which they would be afeard of.
7th. All the morning at the office, and at noon home to dinner with my
clerks, and while we were at dinner comes Willet’s aunt to see her and
my wife; she is a very fine widow and pretty handsome, but extraordinary
well carriaged and speaks very handsomely and with extraordinary
understanding, so as I spent the whole afternoon in her company with
my wife, she understanding all the things of note touching plays and
fashions and Court and everything and speaks rarely, which pleases me
mightily, and seems to love her niece very well, and was so glad (which
was pretty odde) that since she came hither her breasts begin to swell,
she being afeard before that she would have none, which was a pretty
kind of content she gave herself. She tells us that Catelin is likely to
be soon acted, which I am glad to hear, but it is at the King’s House.
But the King’s House is at present and hath for some days been silenced
upon some difference [between] Hart and Moone. She being gone I to the
office, and there late doing business, and so home to supper and to bed.
Only this evening I must remember that my Lady Batten sent for me, and
it was to speak to me before her overseers about my bargain with Sir W.
Batten about the prize, to which I would give no present answer, but am
well enough contented that they begin the discourse of it, and so away
to the office again, and then home to supper and to bed. Somebody told
me this, that they hear that Thomson, with the wooden leg, and Wildman,
the Fifth-Monarchy man, a great creature of the Duke of Buckingham’s,
are in nomination to be Commissioners, among others, upon the Bill of
Accounts.
8th (Lord’s day). All the morning at my chamber doing something towards
the settling of my papers and accounts, which have been out of order a
great while. At noon to dinner, where W. How with us, and after dinner,
he being gone, I to my chamber again till almost night, and then took
boat, the tide serving, and so to White Hall, where I saw the Duchesse
of York, in a fine dress of second mourning for her mother, being black,
edged with ermine, go to make her first visit to the Queene since the
Duke of York was sick; and by and by, she being returned, the Queene
come and visited her. But it was pretty to observe that Sir W. Coventry
and I, walking an hour and more together in the Matted Gallery, he
observed, and so did I, how the Duchesse, as soon as she spied him,
turned her head a one side. Here he and I walked thus long, which we
have not done a great while before. Our discourse was upon everything:
the unhappiness of having our matters examined by people that understand
them not; that it was better for us in the Navy to have men that do
understand the whole, and that are not passionate; that we that have
taken the most pains are called upon to answer for all crimes, while
those that, like Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes, did sit and do
nothing, do lie still without any trouble; that, if it were to serve
the King and kingdom again in a war, neither of us could do more,
though upon this experience we might do better than we did; that the
commanders, the gentlemen that could never be brought to order, but
undid all, are now the men that find fault and abuse others; that it
had been much better for the King to have given Sir J. Minnes and Sir
W. Batten L1000 a-year to have sat still, than to have had them in his
business this war: that the serving a Prince that minds not his business
is most unhappy for them that serve him well, and an unhappiness so
great that he declares he will never have more to do with a war,
under him. That he hath papers which do flatly contradict the Duke of
Albemarle’s Narrative; and that he hath been with the Duke of Albemarle
and shewed him them, to prevent his falling into another like fault:
that the Duke of Albemarle seems to be able to answer them; but he
thinks that the Duke of Albemarle and the Prince are contented to let
their Narratives sleep, they being not only contradictory in some things
(as he observed about the business of the Duke of Albemarle’s being to
follow the Prince upon dividing the fleete, in case the enemy come out),
but neither of them to be maintained in others. That the business the
other night of my Lord Anglesey at the Council was happily got over
for my Lord, by his dexterous silencing it, and the rest, not urging it
further; forasmuch as, had the Duke of Buckingham come in time enough,
and had got it by the end, he, would have toused him in it; Sir W.
Coventry telling me that my Lord Anglesey did, with such impudence,
maintain the quarrel against the Commons and some of the Lords, in the
business of my Lord Clarendon, that he believes there are enough would
be glad but of this occasion to be revenged of him. He tells me that
he hears some of the Thomsons are like to be of the Commission for the
Accounts, and Wildman, which he much wonders at, as having been a false
fellow to every body, and in prison most of the time since the King’s
coming in. But he do tell me that the House is in such a condition that
nobody can tell what to make of them, and, he thinks, they were never
in before; that every body leads, and nobody follows; and that he do
now think that, since a great many are defeated in their expectation
of being of the Commission, now they would put it into such hands as it
shall get no credit from: for, if they do look to the bottom and see
the King’s case, they think they are then bound to give the King money;
whereas, they would be excused from that, and therefore endeavour to
make this business of the Accounts to signify little. I spoke with him
about my Lord Sandwich’s business, in which he is very friendly, and do
say that the unhappy business of the prizes is it that hath brought
all this trouble upon him, and the only thing that made any thing else
mentioned, and it is true. So having discoursed with him, I spent some
time with Sir Stephen Fox about the business of our adjusting the new
method of the Excise between the Guards household and Tangier, the Lords
Commissioners of the Treasury being now resolved to bring all their
management into a course of payment by orders, and not by tallies, and
I am glad of it, and so by water home late, and very dark, and when come
home there I got my wife to read, and then come Captain Cocke to me; and
there he tells me, to my great satisfaction, that Sir Robert Brookes did
dine with him today; and that he told him, speaking of me, that he would
make me the darling of the House of Commons, so much he is satisfied
concerning me. And this Cocke did tell me that I might give him thanks
for it; and I do think it may do me good, for he do happen to be held a
considerable person, of a young man, both for sobriety and ability. Then
to discourse of business of his own about some hemp of his that is come
home to receive it into the King’s stores, and then parted, and by and
by my wife and I to supper, she not being well, her flux being great
upon her, and so to bed.
9th. All the morning busy at the office, doing very considerable
business, and thither comes Sir G. Carteret to talk with me; who seems
to think himself safe as to his particular, but do doubt what will
become of the whole kingdom, things being so broke in pieces. He tells
me that the King himself did the other day very particularly tell the
whole story of my Lord Sandwich’s not following the Dutch ships, with
which he is charged; and shews the reasons of it to be the only good
course he could have taken, and do discourse it very knowingly. This
I am glad of, though, as the King is now, his favour, for aught I see,
serves very little in stead at this day, but rather is an argument
against a man; and the King do not concern himself to relieve or justify
any body, but is wholly negligent of everybody’s concernment. This
morning I was troubled with my Lord Hinchingbroke’s sending to borrow
L200 of me; but I did answer that I had none, nor could borrow any; for
I am resolved I will not be undone for any body, though I would do much
for my Lord Sandwich--for it is to answer a bill of exchange of his, and
I perceive he hath made use of all other means in the world to do it,
but I am resolved to serve him, but not ruin myself, as it may be to
part with so much of the little I have by me to keep if I should by any
turn of times lose the rest. At noon I to the ‘Change, and there did a
little business, and among other things called at Cade’s, the stationer,
where he tells me how my Lord Gerard is troubled for several things in
the House of Commons, and in one wherein himself is concerned; and, it
seems, this Lord is a very proud and wicked man, and the Parliament
is likely to order him. Then home to dinner, and then a little abroad,
thinking to have gone to the other end of the town, but it being almost
night I would not, but home again, and there to my chamber, and all
alone did there draw up my answer to Sir Rob. Brookes’s letter, and when
I had done it went down to my clerks at the office for their opinion
which at this time serves me to very good purpose, they having many
things in their heads which I had not in the businesses of the office
now in dispute. Having done with this, then I home and to supper very
late, and to bed. My [wife] being yet very ill of her looseness, by
which she is forced to lie from me to-night in the girl’s chamber.
10th. Up, and all the morning at the office, and then home with my
people to dinner, and very merry, and then to my office again, where did
much business till night, that my eyes begun to be sore, and then forced
to leave off, and by coach set my wife at her tailor’s and Willet, and I
to Westminster Hall, and there walked a good while till 8 at night, and
there hear to my great content that the King did send a message to
the House to-day that he would adjourne them on the 17th instant to
February; by which time, at least, I shall have more respite to prepare
things on my own behalf, and the Office, against their return. Here met
Mr. Hinxton, the organist, walking, and I walked with him; and, asking
him many questions, I do find that he can no more give an intelligible
answer to a man that is not a great master in his art, than another man.
And this confirms me that it is only want of an ingenious man that
is master in musique, to bring musique to a certainty, and ease in
composition. Having done this, I home, taking up my wife and girle, and
there to supper and to bed, having finished my letters, among which one
to Commissioner Middleton, who is now coming up to town from Portsmouth,
to enter upon his Surveyorship.
11th. By coach to White Hall, and there attended the Duke of York, as we
are wont, who is now grown pretty well, and goes up and down White Hall,
and this night will be at the Council, which I am glad of. Thence to
Westminster Hall, and there walked most of the morning, and among others
did there meet my cozen Roger Pepys, who intends to go to Impington on
this day s’ennight, the Parliament break up the night before. Here I met
Rolt and Sir John Chichly, and Harris, the player, and there we talked
of many things, and particularly of “Catiline,” which is to be suddenly
acted at the King’s house; and there all agree that it cannot be well
done at that house, there not being good actors enow: and Burt’ acts
Cicero, which they all conclude he will not be able to do well. The
King gives them L500 for robes, there being, as they say, to be sixteen
scarlett robes. Thence home to dinner, and would have had Harris home
with me, but it was too late for him to get to the playhouse after it,
and so home to dinner, and spent the afternoon talking with my wife and
people at home till the evening, and then comes Sir W. Warren to talk
about some business of his and mine: and he, I find, would have me not
to think that the Parliament, in the mind they are in, and having so
many good offices in their view to dispose of, will leave any of the
King’s officers in, but will rout all, though I am likely to escape as
well as any, if any can escape; and I think he is in the right, and I do
look for it accordingly. Then we fell to discourse of my little vessel,
“The Maybolt,” and he thinks that it will be best for me to employ her
for a voyage to Newcastle for coles, they being now dear, and the voyage
not long, nor dangerous yet; and I think I shall go near to do so. Then,
talking of his business, I away to the office, where very busy, and
thither comes Sir W. Pen, and he and I walked together in the garden,
and there told me what passed to-day with him in the Committee, by my
Lord Sandwich’s breaking bulk of the prizes; and he do seem to me that
he hath left it pretty well understood by them, he saying that what
my Lord did was done at the desire, and with the advice, of the chief
officers of the fleete, and that it was no more than admirals heretofore
have done in like cases, which, if it be true that he said it, is very
well, and did please me well. He being gone, I to my office again and
there late, and so weary home.
12th. Rose before day, and took coach, by daylight, and to Westminster
to Sir G. Downing’s, and there met Sir Stephen Fox, and thence he and I
to Sir Robert Longs to discourse the business of our orders for money,
he for the guards, and I for Tangier, and were a little angry in our
concerns, one against the other, but yet parted good friends, and I
think I got ground by it. Thence straight to the office, and there sat
all the morning, and then home to dinner, and after dinner I all alone
to the Duke of York’s house, and saw “The Tempest,” which, as often as I
have seen it, I do like very well, and the house very full. But I could
take little pleasure more than the play, for not being able to look
about, for fear of being seen. Here only I saw a French lady in the
pit, with a tunique, just like one of ours, only a handkercher about her
neck; but this fashion for a woman did not look decent. Thence walked to
my bookseller’s, and there he did give me a list of the twenty who were
nominated for the Commission in Parliament for the Accounts: and it is
strange that of the twenty the Parliament could not think fit to choose
their nine, but were fain to add three that were not in the list of the
twenty, they being many of them factious people and ringleaders in the
late troubles; so that Sir John Talbott did fly out and was very hot
in the business of Wildman’s being named, and took notice how he was
entertained in the bosom of the Duke of Buckingham, a Privy-counsellor;
and that it was fit to be observed by the House, and punished. The men
that I know of the nine I like very well; that is, Mr. Pierrepont, Lord
Brereton, and Sir William Turner; and I do think the rest are so, too;
but such as will not be able to do this business as it ought to be, to
do any good with. Here I did also see their votes against my Lord Chiefe
Justice Keeling, that his proceedings were illegal, and that he was a
contemner of Magna Charta (the great preserver of our lives, freedoms,
and properties) and an introduction to arbitrary government; which is
very high language, and of the same sound with that in the year 1640. I
home, and there wrote my letters, and so to supper and to bed. This day
my Lord Chancellor’s letter was burned at the ‘Change.’
13th. Up, lying long all alone (my wife lying for these two or three
days of sickness alone), thinking of my several businesses in hand,
and then rose and to the office, being in some doubt of having my cozen
Roger and Lord Hinchinbroke and Sir Thos. Crew by my cozens invitation
at dinner to-day, and we wholly unprovided. So I away to Westminster, to
the Parliament-door, to speak with Roger: and here I saw my Lord Keeling
go into the House to the barr, to have his business heard by the whole
House to-day; and a great crowd of people to stare upon him. Here I hear
that the Lords’ Bill for banishing and disabling my Lord Clarendon from
bearing any office, or being in the King’s dominions, and its being made
felony for any to correspond with him but his own children, is brought
to the Commons: but they will not agree to it, being not satisfied with
that as sufficient, but will have a Bill of Attainder brought in against
him: but they make use of this against the Lords, that they, that would
not think there was cause enough to commit him without hearing, will
have him banished without hearing. By and by comes out my cozen Roger to
me, he being not willing to be in the House at the business of my Lord
Keeling, lest he should be called upon to complain against him for his
abusing him at Cambridge, very wrongfully and shamefully, but not to
his reproach, but to the Chief justice’s in the end, when all the world
cried shame upon him for it. So he with me home, and Creed, whom I
took up by the way, going thither, and they to dine with me, and pretty
merry, and among other pieces of news, it is now fresh that the King
of Portugall is deposed, and his brother made King; and that my Lord
Sandwich is gone from Madrid with great honour to Lisbon, to make up, at
this juncture, a peace to the advantage, as the Spaniard would have it,
of Spain. I wish it may be for my Lord’s honour, if it be so; but it
seems my Lord is in mighty estimation in Spain. After dinner comes Mr.
Moore, and he and I alone a while, he telling me my Lord Sandwich’s
credit is like to be undone, if the bill of L200 my Lord Hinchingbroke
wrote to me about be not paid to-morrow, and that, if I do not help him
about it, they have no way but to let it be protested. So, finding that
Creed hath supplied them with L150 in their straits, and that this is no
bigger sum, I am very willing to serve my Lord, though not in this
kind; but yet I will endeavour to get this done for them, and the rather
because of some plate that was lodged the other day with me, by my
Lady’s order, which may be in part of security for my money, as I may
order it, for, for ought I see, there is no other to be hoped for. This
do trouble me; but yet it is good luck that the sum is no bigger. He
gone, I with my cozen Roger to Westminster Hall; and there we met
the House rising: and they have voted my Lord Chief Justice Keeling’s
proceedings illegal; but that, out of particular respect to him, and
the mediation of a great many, they have resolved to proceed no further
against him. After a turn or two with my cozen, I away with Sir W.
Warren, who met me here by my desire, and to Exeter House, and there to
counsel, to Sir William Turner, about the business of my bargain with my
Lady Batten; and he do give me good advice, and that I am safe, but
that there is a great many pretty considerations in it that makes it
necessary for me to be silent yet for a while till we see whether the
ship be safe or no; for she is drove to the coast of Holland, where she
now is in the Texell, so that it is not prudence for me yet to resolve
whether I will stand by the bargain or no, and so home, and Sir
W. Warren and I walked upon Tower Hill by moonlight a great while,
consulting business of the office and our present condition, which is
but bad, it being most likely that the Parliament will change all hands,
and so let them, so I may keep but what I have. Thence home, and there
spent the evening at home with my wife and entering my journal, and so
to supper and to bed, troubled with my parting with the L200, which I
must lend my Lord Sandwich to answer his bill of exchange.
14th. Up and to the office, where busy, and after dinner also to the
office again till night, when Mr. Moore come to me to discourse about
the L200 I must supply my Lord Hinchingbroke, and I promised him to do
it, though much against my will. So home, to supper and to bed.
15th (Lord’s day). Up, and to church, where I heard a German preach, in
a tone hard to be understood, but yet an extraordinary good sermon, and
wholly to my great content. So home, and there all alone with wife and
girle to dinner, and then I busy at my chamber all the afternoon, and
looking over my plate, which indeed is a very fine quantity, God knows,
more than ever I expected to see of my own, and more than is fit for a
man of no better quality than I am. In the evening comes Mrs. Turner to
visit us, who hath been long sick, and she sat and supped with us, and
after supper, her son Francke being there, now upon the point of his
going to the East Indys, I did give him “Lex Mercatoria,” and my wife my
old pair of tweezers, which are pretty, and my book an excellent one for
him. Most of our talk was of the great discourse the world hath against
my Lady Batten, for getting her husband to give her all, and disinherit
his eldest son; though the truth is, the son, as they say, did play
the knave with his father when time was, and the father no great matter
better with him, nor with other people also. So she gone, we to bed.
16th. Up, and to several places, to pay what I owed. Among others, to
my mercer, to pay for my fine camlott cloak, which costs me, the very
stuff, almost L6; and also a velvet coat-the outside cost me above
L8. And so to Westminster, where I find the House mighty busy upon a
petition against my Lord Gerard, which lays heavy things to his charge,
of his abusing the King in his Guards; and very hot the House is upon
it. I away home to dinner alone with wife and girle, and so to the
office, where mighty busy to my great content late, and then home to
supper, talk with my wife, and to bed. It was doubtful to-day whether
the House should be adjourned to-morrow or no.
17th. Up, and to the office, where very busy all the morning, and then
in the afternoon I with Sir W. Pen and Sir T. Harvy to White Hall to
attend the Duke of York, who is now as well as ever, and there we did
our usual business with him, and so away home with Sir W. Pen, and there
to the office, where pretty late doing business, my wife having been
abroad all day with Mrs. Turner buying of one thing or other. This day
I do hear at White Hall that the Duke of Monmouth is sick, and in danger
of the smallpox. So home to supper and to bed.
18th. Up, and to my goldsmith’s in the morning, to look after the
providing of L60 for Mr. Moore, towards the answering of my Lord
Sandwich’s bill of exchange, he being come to be contented with my
lending him L60 in part of it, which pleases me, I expecting to have
been forced to answer the whole bill; and this, which I do do, I hope
to secure out of the plate, which was delivered into my custody of my
Lord’s the other day by Mr. Cooke, and which I did get Mr. Stokes,
the goldsmith, last night to weigh at my house, and there is enough to
secure L100. Thence home to the office, and there all the morning by
particular appointment with Sir W. Pen, Sir R. Ford, and those that are
concerned for my Lady Batten (Mr. Wood, Young, and Lewes), to even the
accounts of our prize business, and at noon broke up, and to dinner,
every man to his own home, and to it till late at night again, and
we did come to some end, and I am mightily put to it how to order
the business of my bargaine, but my industry is to keep it off from
discourse till the ship be brought home safe, and this I did do, and so
we broke up, she appearing in our debts about L1500, and so we parted,
and I to my business, and home to my wife, who is troubled with the
tooth ake, and there however I got her to read to me the History of
Algiers, which I find a very pretty book, and so to supper with much
pleasure talking, and to bed. The Parliament not adjourned yet.
19th. Up, and to the Office, where Commissioner Middleton first took
place at the Board as Surveyor of the Navy; and indeed I think will be
an excellent officer; I am sure much beyond what his predecessor was. At
noon, to avoid being forced to invite him to dinner, it being his first
day, and nobody inviting him, I did go to the ‘Change with Sir W. Pen in
his coach, who first went to Guildhall, whither I went with him, he to
speak with Sheriff Gawden--I only for company; and did here look up and
down this place, where I have not been before since the fire; and I see
that the city are got a pace on in the rebuilding of Guildhall. Thence
to the ‘Change, where I stayed very little, and so home to dinner, and
there find my wife mightily out of order with her teeth. At the office
all the afternoon, and at night by coach to Westminster, to the Hall,
where I met nobody, and do find that this evening the King by message
(which he never did before) hath passed several bills, among others
that for the Accounts, and for banishing my Lord Chancellor, and hath
adjourned the House to February; at which I am glad, hoping in this time
to get leisure to state my Tangier Accounts, and to prepare better for
the Parliament’s enquiries. Here I hear how the House of Lords, with
great severity, if not tyranny, have ordered poor Carr, who only erred
in the manner of the presenting his petition against my Lord Gerard, it
being first printed before it was presented; which was, it, seems, by
Colonel Sands’s going into the country, into whose hands he had put it:
the poor man is ordered to stand in the pillory two or three times, and
his eares cut, and be imprisoned I know not how long. But it is believed
that the Commons, when they meet, will not be well pleased with it; and
they have no reason, I think. Having only heard this from Mrs. Michell,
I away again home, and there to supper and to bed, my wife exceeding
ill in her face with the tooth ake, and now her face has become mightily
swelled that I am mightily troubled for it.
20th. Up, and all the morning at the office with Sir R. Ford and the
same company as on Wednesday about my Lady Batten’s accounts. At noon
home to dinner, where my poor wife in bed in mighty pain, her left cheek
so swelled as that we feared it would break, and so were fain to send
for Mr. Hollier, who come, and seems doubtful of the defluxions of
humours that may spoil her face, if not timely cured. He laid a poultice
to it and other directions, and so away, and I to the office, where on
the same accounts very late, and did come pretty near a settlement. So
at night to Sir W. Pen’s with Sir R. Ford, and there was Sir D. Gawden,
and there we only talked of sundry things; and I have found of late, by
discourse, that the present sort of government is looked upon as a sort
of government that we never had yet--that is to say, a King and House of
Commons against the House of Lords; for so indeed it is, though neither
of the two first care a fig for one another, nor the third for them
both, only the Bishops are afeard of losing ground, as I believe they
will. So home to my poor wife, who is in mighty pain, and her face
miserably swelled: so as I was frighted to see it, and I was forced to
lie below in the great chamber, where I have not lain many a day, and
having sat up with her, talking and reading and pitying her, I to bed.
21st. At the office all the morning, and at noon home to dinner with
my Clerks and Creed, who among other things all alone, after dinner,
talking of the times, he tells me that the Nonconformists are mighty
high, and their meetings frequented and connived at; and they do expect
to have their day now soon; for my Lord of Buckingham is a declared
friend to them, and even to the Quakers, who had very good words the
other day from the King himself: and, what is more, the Archbishop
of Canterbury is called no more to the Cabal, nor, by the way, Sir W.
Coventry; which I am sorry for, the Cabal at present being, as he
says, the King, and Duke of Buckingham, and Lord Keeper, the Duke of
Albemarle, and Privy Seale. The Bishops, differing from the King in the
late business in the House of Lords, having caused this and what is like
to follow, for every body is encouraged nowadays to speak, and even to
preach, as I have heard one of them, as bad things against them as ever
in the year 1640; which is a strange change. He gone, I to the office,
where busy till late at night, and then home to sit with my wife, who
is a little better, and her cheek asswaged. I read to her out of “The
History of Algiers,” which is mighty pretty reading, and did discourse
alone about my sister Pall’s match, which is now on foot with one
Jackson, another nephew of Mr. Phillips’s, to whom he hath left his
estate.
22nd (Lord’s day). Up, and my wife, poor wretch, still in pain, and
then to dress myself and down to my chamber to settle some papers, and
thither come to me Willet with an errand from her mistress, and this
time I first did give her a little kiss, she being a very pretty
humoured girle, and so one that I do love mightily. Thence to my office,
and there did a little business, and so to church, where a dull sermon,
and then home, and Cozen Kate Joyce come and dined with me and Mr.
Holliard; but by chance I offering occasion to him to discourse of
the Church of Rome, Lord! how he run on to discourse with the greatest
vehemence and importunity in the world, as the only thing in the world
that he is full of, and it was good sport to me to see him so earnest on
so little occasion. She come to see us and to tell me that her husband
is going to build his house again, and would borrow of me L300, which
I shall upon good security be willing to do, and so told her, being
willing to have some money out of my hands upon good security. After
dinner up to my wife again, who is in great pain still with her tooth,
and there, they gone, I spent the most of the afternoon and night
reading and talking to bear her company, and so to supper and to bed.
23rd. Up before day, and by coach to Sir W. Coventry’s, and with him to
White Hall, and there walked a great while with him in the garden
till the Commissioners of the Treasury met, and there talked over many
businesses, and particularly he tells me that by my desire he hath moved
the Duke of York that Sir J. Minnes might be removed from the Navy, at
least the Controller’s place, and his business put on my Lord Brouncker
and Sir W. Pen; that the Committee for Accounts are good sober men, and
such as he thinks we shall have fair play from; that he hopes that the
kingdom will escape ruin in general, notwithstanding all our fears, and
yet I find he do seem not very confident in it. So to the Commissioners
of the Treasury, and there I had a dispute before them with Sir Stephen
Fox about our orders for money, who is very angry, but I value it not.
But, Lord! to see with what folly my Lord Albemarle do speak in this
business would make a man wonder at the good fortune of such a fool.
Thence meeting there with Creed, he and I to the Exchange, and there I
saw Carr stand in the pillory for the business of my Lord Gerard, which
is supposed will make a hot business in the House of Commons, when
they shall come to sit again, the Lords having ordered this with great
injustice, as all people think, his only fault being the printing his
petition before, by accident, his petition be read in the House. Here
walked up and down the Exchange with Creed, and then home to dinner, and
there hear by Creed that the Bishops of Winchester and of Rochester, and
the Dean of the Chapel, and some other great prelates, are suspended:
and a cloud upon the Archbishop ever since the late business in the
House of Lords; and I believe it will be a heavy blow to the Clergy.
This noon I bought a sermon of Dr. Floyd’s, which Creed read a great
part of to me and Mr. Hollier, who dined with me, but as well writ and
as good, against the Church of Rome, as ever I read; but, Lord! how
Hollier, poor man, was taken with it. They gone I to the office, and
there very late with Mr. Willson and my people about the making of a new
contract for the victualler, which do and will require a great deal of
pains of me, and so to supper and to bed, my wife being pretty well all
this day by reason of her imposthume being broke in her cheek into her
mouth. This day, at the ‘Change, Creed shewed me Mr. Coleman, of whom
my wife hath so good an opinion, and says that he is as very a rogue for
women as any in the world; which did disquiet me, like a fool, and run
in my mind a great while.
24th. Up, and all the morning at the office, and at noon with my clerks
to dinner, and then to the office again, busy at the office till six at
night, and then by coach to St. James’s, it being about six at night;
my design being to see the ceremonys, this night being the eve
of Christmas, at the Queen’s chapel. But it being not begun I to
Westminster Hall, and there staid and walked, and then to the Swan, and
there drank and talked, and did banter a little Frank, and so to White
Hall, and sent my coach round, I through the Park to chapel, where I got
in up almost to the rail, and with a great deal of patience staid from
nine at night to two in the morning, in a very great crowd; and there
expected, but found nothing extraordinary, there being nothing but a
high masse. The Queen was there, and some ladies. But, Lord! what an
odde thing it was for me to be in a crowd of people, here a footman,
there a beggar, here a fine lady, there a zealous poor papist, and here
a Protestant, two or three together, come to see the shew. I was afeard
of my pocket being picked very much.... Their musique very good indeed,
but their service I confess too frivolous, that there can be no zeal go
along with it, and I do find by them themselves that they do run over
their beads with one hand, and point and play and talk and make signs
with the other in the midst of their masse. But all things very rich and
beautiful; and I see the papists have the wit, most of them, to bring
cushions to kneel on, which I wanted, and was mightily troubled to
kneel. All being done, and I sorry for my coming, missing of what I
expected; which was, to have had a child born and dressed there, and a
great deal of do: but we broke up, and nothing like it done: and there
I left people receiving the Sacrament: and the Queen gone, and ladies;
only my Lady Castlemayne, who looked prettily in her night-clothes, and
so took my coach, which waited, and away through Covent Garden, to set
down two gentlemen and a lady, who come thither to see also, and did
make mighty mirth in their talk of the folly of this religion. And so
I stopped, having set them down and drank some burnt wine at the Rose
Tavern door, while the constables come, and two or three Bellmen went
by,
25th. It being a fine, light, moonshine morning, and so home round the
city, and stopped and dropped money at five or six places, which I was
the willinger to do, it being Christmas-day, and so home, and there find
my wife in bed, and Jane and the maids making pyes, and so I to bed, and
slept well, and rose about nine, and to church, and there heard a dull
sermon of Mr. Mills, but a great many fine people at church; and so
home. Wife and girl and I alone at dinner--a good Christmas dinner, and
all the afternoon at home, my wife reading to me “The History of the
Drummer of Mr. Mompesson,” which is a strange story of spies, and worth
reading indeed. In the evening comes Mr. Pelling, and he sat and supped
with us; and very good company, he reciting to us many copies of good
verses of Dr. Wilde, who writ “Iter Boreale,” and so to bed, my boy
being gone with W. Hewer and Mr. Hater to Mr. Gibson’s in the country to
dinner and lie there all night.
26th. Up and to Westminster, and there to the Swan, and by chance met
Mr. Spicer and another ‘Chequer clerk, and there made them drink, and
there talked of the credit the ‘Chequer is now come to and will in a
little time, and so away homeward, and called at my bookseller’s, and
there bought Mr. Harrington’s works, “Oceana,” &c., and two other books,
which cost me L4, and so home, and there eat a bit, and then with my
wife to the King’s playhouse, and there saw “The Surprizall;” which did
not please me to-day, the actors not pleasing me; and especially Nell’s
acting of a serious part, which she spoils. Here met with Sir W. Pen,
and sat by him, and home by coach with him, and there to my office a
while, and then home to supper and to bed. I hear this day that Mrs.
Stewart do at this day keep a great court at Somerset House, with her
husband the Duke of Richmond, she being visited for her beauty’s sake by
people, as the Queen is, at nights; and they say also that she is likely
to go to Court again, and there put my Lady Castlemayne’s nose out of
joynt. God knows that would make a great turn. This day I was invited to
have gone to my cozen Mary Pepys’ burial, my uncle Thomas’ daughter, but
could not.
27th. Up, and by water to White Hall, and there walked with Creed in the
Matted gallery till by and by a Committee for Tangier met: the Duke of
York there; and there I did discourse over to them their condition as to
money, which they were all mightily, as I could desire, satisfied with,
but the Duke of Albemarle, who takes the part of the Guards against
us in our supplies of money, which is an odd consideration for a dull,
heavy blockhead as he is, understanding no more of either than a goose:
but the ability and integrity of Sir W. Coventry, in all the King’s
concernments, I do and must admire. After the Committee up, I and Sir
W. Coventry walked an hour in the gallery, talking over many businesses,
and he tells me that there are so many things concur to make him and
his Fellow Commissioners unable to go through the King’s work that he
do despair of it, every body becoming an enemy to them in their
retrenchments, and the King unstable, the debts great and the King’s
present occasions for money great and many and pressing, the bankers
broke and every body keeping in their money, while the times are
doubtful what will stand. But he says had they come in two years ago
they doubt not to have done what the King would by this time, or were
the King in the condition as heretofore, when the Chancellor was great,
to be able to have what sums of money they pleased of the Parliament,
and then the ill administration was such that instead of making good use
of this power and money he suffered all to go to ruin. But one such
sum now would put all upon their legs, and now the King would have the
Parliament give him money when they are in an ill humour and will not be
willing to give any, nor are very able, and besides every body distrusts
what they give the King will be lost; whereas six months hence, when
they see that the King can live without them, and is become steady,
and to manage what he has well, he doubts not but their doubts would be
removed, and would be much more free as well as more able to give him
money. He told me how some of his enemies at the Duke of York’s had
got the Duke of York’s commission for the Commissioners of his estate
changed, and he and Brouncker and Povy left out: that this they did do
to disgrace and impose upon him at this time; but that he, though he
values not the thing, did go and tell the Duke of York what he heard,
and that he did not think that he had given him any reason to do this,
out of his belief that he would not be as faithful and serviceable to
him as the best of those that have got him put out. Whereupon the Duke
of York did say that it arose only from his not knowing whether now he
would have time to regard his affairs; and that, if he should, he would
put him into the commission with his own hand, though the commission be
passed. He answered that he had been faithful to him, and done him good
service therein, so long as he could attend it; and if he had been able
to have attended it more, he would not have enriched himself with such
and such estates as my Lord Chancellor hath got, that did properly
belong to his Royal Highness, as being forfeited to the King, and so by
the King’s gift given to the Duke of York. Hereupon the Duke of York did
call for the commission, and hath since put him in. This he tells me he
did only to show his enemies that he is not so low as to be trod on by
them, or the Duke hath any so bad opinion of him as they would think.
Here we parted, and I with Sir H. Cholmly went and took a turn into
the Park, and there talked of several things, and about Tangier
particularly, and of his management of his business, and among other
discourse about the method he will leave his accounts in if he should
suddenly die, he says there is nothing but what is easily understood,
but only a sum of L500 which he has entered given to E. E. S., which
in great confidence he do discover to me to be my Lord Sandwich, at the
beginning of their contract for the Mole, and I suppose the rest did the
like, which was L1500, which would appear a very odd thing for my Lord
to be a profiter by the getting of the contract made for them. But here
it puts me into thoughts how I shall own my receiving of L200 a year
from him, but it is his gift, I never asked of him, and which he did to
Mr. Povy, and so there is no great matter in it. Thence to other talk.
He tells me that the business of getting the Duchess of Richmond to
Court is broke off, the Duke not suffering it; and thereby great trouble
is brought among the people that endeavoured it, and thought they had
compassed it. And, Lord! to think that at this time the King should mind
no other cares but these! He tells me that my Lord of Canterbury is a
mighty stout man, and a man of a brave, high spirit, and cares not for
this disfavour that he is under at Court, knowing that the King cannot
take away his profits during his life, and therefore do not value it.
[This character of Archbishop Sheldon does not tally with the
scandal that Pepys previously reported of him. Burnet has some
passages of importance on this in his “Own Time,” Book II. He
affirms that Charles’s final decision to throw over Clarendon was
caused by the Chancellor’s favouring Mrs. Stewart’s marriage with
the Duke of Richmond. The king had a conference with Sheldon on the
removal of Clarendon, but could not convert the archbishop to his
view. Lauderdale told Burnet that he had an account of the
interview from the king. “The king and Sheldon had gone into such
expostulations upon it that from that day forward Sheldon could
never recover the king’s confidence.”]
Thence I home, and there to my office and wrote a letter to the Duke of
York from myself about my clerks extraordinary, which I have employed
this war, to prevent my being obliged to answer for what others do
without any reason demand allowance for, and so by this means I will be
accountable for none but my own, and they shall not have them but upon
the same terms that I have, which is a profession that with these helps
they will answer to their having performed their duties of their places.
So to dinner, and then away by coach to the Temple, and then for speed
by water thence to White Hall, and there to our usual attending the Duke
of York, and did attend him, where among other things I did present and
lodge my letter, and did speed in it as I could wish. Thence home with
Sir W. Pen and Comm. Middleton by coach, and there home and to cards
with my wife, W. Hewer, Mercer, and the girle, and mighty pleasant all
the evening, and so to bed with my wife, which I have not done since her
being ill for three weeks or thereabouts.
28th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning, at noon home,
and there to dinner with my clerks and Mr. Pelting, and had a very good
dinner, among others a haunch of venison boiled, and merry we were, and
I rose soon from dinner, and with my wife and girle to the King’s house,
and there saw “The Mad Couple,” which is but an ordinary play; but only
Nell’s and Hart’s mad parts are most excellently done, but especially
hers: which makes it a miracle to me to think how ill she do any serious
part, as, the other day, just like a fool or changeling; and, in a mad
part, do beyond all imitation almost. [It pleased us mightily to see
the natural affection of a poor woman, the mother of one of the children
brought on the stage: the child crying, she by force got upon the stage,
and took up her child and carried it away off of the stage from Hart.]
Many fine faces here to-day. Thence home, and there to the office late,
and then home to supper and to bed. I am told to-day, which troubles me,
that great complaint is made upon the ‘Change, among our merchants, that
the very Ostend little pickaroon men-of-war do offer violence to our
merchant-men, and search them, beat our masters, and plunder them, upon
pretence of carrying Frenchmen’s goods. Lord! what a condition are we
come to, and that so soon after a war!
29th (Lord’s day). Up, and at my chamber all the day, both morning
and afternoon (only a little at dinner with my wife alone), upon the
settling of my Tangier accounts towards the evening of all reckonings
now against the new year, and here I do see the great folly of letting
things go long unevened, it being very hard for me and dangerous to
state after things are gone out of memory, and much more would be so
should I have died in this time and my accounts come to other hands, to
understand which would never be. At night comes Mrs. Turner to see us;
and there, among other talk, she tells me that Mr. William Pen, who
is lately come over from Ireland, is a Quaker again, or some very
melancholy thing; that he cares for no company, nor comes into any which
is a pleasant thing, after his being abroad so long, and his father such
a hypocritical rogue, and at this time an Atheist. She gone, I to my
very great content do find my accounts to come very even and naturally,
and so to supper and to bed.
30th. Up before day, and by coach to Westminster, and there first to
Sir H. Cholmly, and there I did to my great content deliver him up his
little several papers for sums of money paid him, and took his regular
receipts upon his orders, wherein I am safe. Thence to White Hall, and
there to visit Sir G. Carteret, and there was with him a great while,
and my Lady and they seem in very good humour, but by and by Sir G.
Carteret and I alone, and there we did talk of the ruinous condition we
are in, the King being going to put out of the Council so many able men;
such as my Lord Anglesey, Ashly, Hopis, Secretary Morrice (to bring in
Mr. Trevor), and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and my Lord Bridgewater.
He tells me that this is true, only the Duke of York do endeavour to
hinder it, and the Duke of York himself did tell him so: that the King
and the Duke of York do not in company disagree, but are friendly; but
that there is a core in their hearts, he doubts, which is not to be
easily removed; for these men do suffer only for their constancy to the
Chancellor, or at least from the King’s ill-will against him: that
they do now all they can to vilify the clergy, and do accuse Rochester
[Dolben]... and so do raise scandals, all that is possible, against
other of the Bishops. He do suggest that something is intended for the
Duke of Monmouth, and it may be, against the Queene also: that we are
in no manner sure against an invasion the next year: that the Duke of
Buckingham do rule all now, and the Duke of York comes indeed to the
Caball, but signifies little there. That this new faction do not endure,
nor the King, Sir W. Coventry; but yet that he is so usefull that they
cannot be without him; but that he is not now called to the Caball.
That my Lord of Buckingham, Bristoll, and Arlington, do seem to agree
in these things; but that they do not in their hearts trust one another,
but do drive several ways, all of them. In short, he do bless himself
that he is no more concerned in matters now; and the hopes he hath
of being at liberty, when his accounts are over, to retire into the
country. That he do give over the kingdom for wholly lost. So after some
other little discourse, I away, meeting with Mr. Cooling. I with him
by coach to the Wardrobe, where I never was since the fire in Hatton
Garden, but did not ‘light: and he tells me he fears that my Lord
Sandwich will suffer much by Mr. Townsend’s being untrue to him, he
being now unable to give the Commissioners of the Treasury an account of
his money received by many thousands of pounds, which I am troubled
for. Thence to the Old Exchange together, he telling me that he believes
there will be no such turning out of great men as is talked of, but that
it is only to fright people, but I do fear there may be such a thing
doing. He do mightily inveigh against the folly of the King to bring his
matters to wrack thus, and that we must all be undone without help.
I met with Cooling at the Temple-gate, after I had been at both my
booksellers and there laid out several pounds in books now against the
new year. From the ‘Change (where I met with Captain Cocke, who would
have borrowed money of me, but I had the grace to deny him, he would
have had 3 or L400) I with Cocke and Mr. Temple (whose wife was just now
brought to bed of a boy, but he seems not to be at all taken with it,
which is a strange consideration how others do rejoice to have a child
born), to Sir G. Carteret’s, in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and there did dine
together, there being there, among other company, Mr. Attorney Montagu,
and his fine lady, a fine woman. After dinner, I did understand from my
Lady Jemimah that her brother Hinchingbroke’s business was to be ended
this day, as she thinks, towards his match, and they do talk here of
their intent to buy themselves some new clothes against the wedding,
which I am very glad of. After dinner I did even with Sir G. Carteret
the accounts of the interest of the money which I did so long put out
for him in Sir R. Viner’s hands, and by it I think I shall be a gainer
about L28, which is a very good reward for the little trouble I have had
in it. Thence with Sir Philip Carteret to the King’s playhouse, there to
see “Love’s Cruelty,” an old play, but which I have not seen before; and
in the first act Orange Moll come to me, with one of our porters by
my house, to tell me that Mrs. Pierce and Knepp did dine at my house
to-day, and that I was desired to come home. So I went out presently,
and by coach home, and they were just gone away so, after a very little
stay with my wife, I took coach again, and to the King’s playhouse
again, and come in the fourth act; and it proves to me a very silly
play, and to everybody else, as far as I could judge. But the jest is,
that here telling Moll how I had lost my journey, she told me that Mrs.
Knepp was in the house, and so shews me to her, and I went to her, and
sat out the play, and then with her to Mrs. Manuel’s, where Mrs. Pierce
was, and her boy and girl; and here I did hear Mrs. Manuel and one
of the Italians, her gallant, sing well. But yet I confess I am not
delighted so much with it, as to admire it: for, not understanding the
words, I lose the benefit of the vocalitys of the musick, and it proves
only instrumental; and therefore was more pleased to hear Knepp sing two
or three little English things that I understood, though the composition
of the other, and performance, was very fine. Thence, after sitting and
talking a pretty while, I took leave and left them there, and so to my
bookseller’s, and paid for the books I had bought, and away home, where
I told my wife where I had been. But she was as mad as a devil, and
nothing but ill words between us all the evening while we sat at
cards--W. Hewer and the girl by--even to gross ill words, which I was
troubled for, but do see that I must use policy to keep her spirit down,
and to give her no offence by my being with Knepp and Pierce, of which,
though she will not own it, yet she is heartily jealous. At last it
ended in few words and my silence (which for fear of growing higher
between us I did forbear), and so to supper and to bed without one word
one to another. This day I did carry money out, and paid several debts.
Among others, my tailor, and shoemaker, and draper, Sir W. Turner, who
begun to talk of the Commission of accounts, wherein he is one; but
though they are the greatest people that ever were in the nation as to
power, and like to be our judges, yet I did never speak one word to him
of desiring favour, or bidding him joy in it, but did answer him to
what he said, and do resolve to stand or fall by my silent preparing to
answer whatever can be laid to me, and that will be my best proceeding,
I think. This day I got a little rent in my new fine camlett cloak with
the latch of Sir G. Carteret’s door; but it is darned up at my tailor’s,
that it will be no great blemish to it; but it troubled me. I could not
but observe that Sir Philip Carteret would fain have given me my going
into a play; but yet, when he come to the door, he had no money to pay
for himself, I having refused to accept of it for myself, but was fain;
and I perceive he is known there, and do run upon the score for plays,
which is a shame; but I perceive always he is in want of money.
[The practice of gallants attending the theatre without payment is
illustrated by Mr. Lowe in his “Betterton,” from Shadwell’s “True
Widow”:
“1st Doorkeeper. Pray, sir, pay me: my masters will make me
pay it.
3d Man. Impudent rascal, do you ask me for money? Take that,
sirrah.
2nd Doorkeeper. Will you pay me, sir?
4th Man. No; I don’t intend to stay.
2nd Doorkeeper. So you say every day, and see two or three
acts for nothing.”]
In the pit I met with Sir Ch. North, formerly Mr. North, who was with my
Lord at sea; and he, of his own accord, was so silly as to tell me he
is married; and for her quality (being a Lord’s daughter, my Lord Grey),
and person, and beauty, and years, and estate, and disposition, he is
the happiest man in the world. I am sure he is an ugly fellow; but
a good scholar and sober gentleman; and heir to his father, now Lord
North, the old Lord being dead.
31st. Up, without words to my wife, or few, and those not angry, and so
to White Hall, and there waited a long time, while the Duke of York
was with the King in the Caball, and there I and Creed stayed talking
without, in the Vane-Room, and I perceive all people’s expectation is,
what will be the issue of this great business of putting these great
Lords out of the council and power, the quarrel, I perceive, being
only their standing against the will of the King in the business of the
Chancellor. Anon the Duke of York comes out, and then to a committee of
Tangier, where my Lord Middleton did come to-day, and seems to me but a
dull, heavy man; but he is a great soldier, and stout, and a needy Lord,
which will still keep that poor garrison from ever coming to be worth
anything to the King. Here, after a short meeting, we broke up, and I
home to the office, where they are sitting, and so I to them, and having
done our business rose, and I home to dinner with my people, and there
dined with me my uncle Thomas, with a mourning hat-band on, for his
daughter Mary, and here I and my people did discourse of the Act for the
accounts,
[“An Act for taking the Accompts of the several sums of money therein
menconed, 19 and 20 Car. II., c. I. The commissioners were
empowered to call before them all Treasurers, Receivers,
Paymasters, Principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy and
Ordnance respectively, Pursers, Mustermasters and Clerks of the
Cheque, Accomptants, and all Officers and Keepers of his Majesties
Stores and Provisions for Warr as well for Land as Sea, and all
other persons whatsoever imployed in the management of the said Warr
or requisite for the discovery of any frauds relating thereunto,”
&c., &c. (“Statutes of the Realm,” vol. v., pp. 624,627).]
which do give the greatest power to these people, as they report that
have read it (I having not yet read it, and indeed its nature is such as
I have no mind to go about to read it, for fear of meeting matter in it
to trouble me), that ever was given to any subjects, and too much also.
After dinner with my wife and girl to Unthanke’s, and there left her,
and I to Westminster, and there to Mrs. Martin’s, and did hazer con elle
what I desired, and there did drink with her, and find fault with her
husband’s wearing of too fine clothes, by which I perceive he will be a
beggar, and so after a little talking I away and took up my wife again,
and so home and to the office, where Captain Perryman did give me
an account, walking in the garden, how the seamen of England are
discouraged by want of money (or otherwise by being, as he says, but I
think without cause, by their being underrated) so far as that he thinks
the greatest part are gone abroad or going, and says that it is known
that there are Irish in the town, up and down, that do labour to entice
the seamen out of the nation by giving them L3 in hand, and promise
of 40s. per month, to go into the King of France’s service, which is a
mighty shame, but yet I believe is true. I did advise with him about my
little vessel, “The Maybolt,” which he says will be best for me to sell,
though my employing her to Newcastle this winter, and the next spring,
for coles, will be a gainful trade, but yet make me great trouble, but I
will think of it, and so to my office, ended my letters, and so home to
supper and to bed, good friends with my wife. Thus ends the year, with
great happiness to myself and family as to health and good condition in
the world, blessed be God for it! only with great trouble to my mind
in reference to the publick, there being little hopes left but that the
whole nation must in a very little time be lost, either by troubles at
home, the Parliament being dissatisfied, and the King led into unsettled
councils by some about him, himself considering little, and divisions
growing between the King and Duke of York; or else by foreign invasion,
to which we must submit if any, at this bad point of time, should come
upon us, which the King of France is well able to do. These thoughts,
and some cares upon me, concerning my standing in this Office when the
Committee of Parliament shall come to examine our Navy matters, which
they will now shortly do. I pray God they may do the kingdom service
therein, as they will have sufficient opportunity of doing it!