wife, to dine with her. I to church, where our parson made a melancholy
but good sermon; and many and most in the church cried, specially the
women. The church mighty full; but few of fashion, and most strangers. I
walked to Bednall Green, and there dined well, but a bad venison pasty at
Sir W. Rider's. Good people they are, and good discourse; and his
daughter, Middleton, a fine woman, discreet. Thence home, and to church
again, and there preached Dean Harding; but, methinks, a bad, poor sermon,
though proper for the time; nor eloquent, in saying at this time that the
City is reduced from a large folio to a decimotertio. So to my office,
there to write down my journall, and take leave of my brother, whom I sent
back this afternoon, though rainy; which it hath not done a good while
before. But I had no room or convenience for him here till my house is
fitted; but I was very kind to him, and do take very well of him his
journey. I did give him 40s. for his pocket, and so, he being gone, and,
it presently rayning, I was troubled for him, though it is good for the
fyre. Anon to Sir W. Pen's to bed, and made my boy Tom to read me asleep.
10th. All the morning clearing our cellars, and breaking in pieces all my
old lumber, to make room, and to prevent fire. And then to Sir W.
Batten's, and dined; and there hear that Sir W. Rider says that the towne
is full of the report of the wealth that is in his house, and would be
glad that his friends would provide for the safety of their goods there.
This made me get a cart; and thither, and there brought my money all away.
Took a hackney-coach myself (the hackney-coaches now standing at Allgate).
Much wealth indeed there is at his house. Blessed be God, I got all mine
well thence, and lodged it in my office; but vexed to have all the world
see it. And with Sir W. Batten, who would have taken away my hands before
they were stowed. But by and by comes brother Balty from sea, which I was
glad of; and so got him, and Mr. Tooker, and the boy, to watch with them
all in the office all night, while I upon Jane's coming went down to my
wife, calling at Deptford, intending to see Bagwell, but did not 'ouvrir
la porte comme je' did expect. So down late to Woolwich, and there find
my wife out of humour and indifferent, as she uses upon her having much
liberty abroad.
11th. Lay there, and up betimes, and by water with my gold, and laid it
with the rest in my office, where I find all well and safe. So with Sir
W. Batten to the New Exchange by water and to my Lord Bruncker's house,
where Sir W. Coventry and Sir G. Carteret met. Little business before us
but want of money. Broke up, and I home by coach round the town. Dined
at home, Balty and myself putting up my papers in m closet in the office.
He away, I down to Deptford and there spoke with Bagwell and agreed upon
to-morrow, and come home in the rain by water. In the evening at Sir W.
Pen's; with my wife, at supper, he in a mad, ridiculous, drunken humour;
and it seems there have been some late distances between his lady and him,
as my [wife] tells me. After supper, I home, and with Mr. Hater, Gibson,
and Tom alone, got all my chests and money into the further cellar with
much pains, but great content to me when done. So very late and weary, to
bed.
12th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to St. James's by water,
and there did our usual business with the Duke of Yorke. Thence I to
Westminster, and there, spoke with Michell and Howlett, who tell me how
their poor young ones are going to Shadwell's. The latter told me of the
unkindness of the young man to his wife, which is now over, and I have
promised to appear a counsellor to him. I am glad she is like to be so
near us again. Thence to Martin, and there did 'tout ce que je voudrais
avec' her, and drank, and away by water home and to dinner, Balty and his
wife there. After dinner I took him down with me to Deptford, and there
by the Bezan loaded above half my goods and sent them away. So we back
home, and then I found occasion to return in the dark and to Bagwell, and
there . . . did do all that I desired, but though I did intend 'pour
avoir demeurais con elle' to-day last night, yet when I had done 'ce que
je voudrais I did hate both elle and la cose', and taking occasion from
the occasion of 'su marido's return . . . did me lever', and so away
home late to Sir W. Pen's (Batty and his wife lying at my house), and
there in the same simple humour I found Sir W. Pen, and so late to bed.
13th. Up, and down to Tower Wharfe; and there, with Batty and labourers
from Deptford, did get my goods housed well at home. So down to Deptford
again to fetch the rest, and there eat a bit of dinner at the Globe, with
the master of the Bezan with me, while the labourers went to dinner. Here
I hear that this poor towne do bury still of the plague seven or eight in
a day. So to Sir G. Carteret's to work, and there did to my content ship
off into the Bezan all the rest of my goods, saving my pictures and fine
things, that I will bring home in wherrys when the house is fit to receive
them: and so home, and unload them by carts and hands before night, to my
exceeding satisfaction: and so after supper to bed in my house, the first
time I have lain there; and lay with my wife in my old closett upon the
ground, and Batty and his wife in the best chamber, upon the ground also.
14th. Up, and to work, having carpenters come to helpe in setting up
bedsteads and hangings; and at that trade my people and I all the morning,
till pressed by publique business to leave them against my will in the
afternoon: and yet I was troubled in being at home, to see all my goods
lie up and down the house in a bad condition, and strange workmen going to
and fro might take what they would almost. All the afternoon busy; and
Sir W. Coventry come to me, and found me, as God would have it, in my
office, and people about me setting my papers to rights; and there
discoursed about getting an account ready against the Parliament, and
thereby did create me infinite of business, and to be done on a sudden;
which troubled me: but, however, he being gone, I about it late, and to
good purpose. And so home, having this day also got my wine out of the
ground again, and set in my cellar; but with great pain to keep the
porters that carried it in from observing the money-chests there. So to
bed as last night, only my wife and I upon a bedstead with curtains in
that which was Mercer's chamber, and Balty and his wife (who are here and
do us good service), where we lay last night. This day, poor Tom Pepys,
the turner, was with me, and Kate, Joyce, to bespeake places; one for
himself, the other for her husband. She tells me he hath lost L140 per
annum, but have seven houses left.
15th. All the morning at the office, Harman being come to my great
satisfaction to put up my beds and hangings, so I am at rest, and followed
my business all day. Dined with Sir W. Batten, mighty busy about this
account, and while my people were busy, wrote near thirty letters and
orders with my owne hand. At it till eleven at night; and it is strange
to see how clear my head was, being eased of all the matter of all these
letters; whereas one would think that I should have been dazed. I never
did observe so much of myself in my life. In the evening there comes to
me Captain Cocke, and walked a good while in the garden. He says he hath
computed that the rents of houses lost by this fire in the City comes to
L600,000 per annum; that this will make the Parliament, more quiet than
otherwise they would have been, and give the, King a more ready supply;
that the supply must be by excise, as it is in Holland; that the
Parliament will see it necessary to carry on the warr; that the late storm
hindered our beating the Dutch fleete, who were gone out only to satisfy
the people, having no business to do but to avoid us; that the French, as
late in the yeare as it is, are coming; that the Dutch are really in bad
condition, but that this unhappinesse of ours do give them heart; that
there was a late difference between my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry
about neglect in the last to send away an express of the other's in time;
that it come before the King, and the Duke of Yorke concerned himself in
it; but this fire hath stopped it. The Dutch fleete is not gone home, but
rather to the North, and so dangerous to our Gottenburgh fleete. That the
Parliament is likely to fall foul upon some persons; and, among others, on
the Vice-chamberlaine, though we both believe with little ground. That
certainly never so great a loss as this was borne so well by citizens in
the world; he believing that not one merchant upon the 'Change will break
upon it. That he do not apprehend there will be any disturbances in State
upon it; for that all men are busy in looking after their owne business to
save themselves. He gone, I to finish my letters, and home to bed; and
find to my infinite joy many rooms clean; and myself and wife lie in our
own chamber again. But much terrified in the nights now-a-days with
dreams of fire, and falling down of houses.
16th (Lord's day). Lay with much pleasure in bed talking with my wife
about Mr. Hater's lying here and W. Hewer also, if Mrs. Mercer leaves her
house. To the office, whither also all my people about this account, and
there busy all the morning. At noon, with my wife, against her will, all
undressed and dirty, dined at Sir W. Pen's, where was all the company of
our families in towne; but, Lord! so sorry a dinner: venison baked in
pans, that the dinner I have had for his lady alone hath been worth four
of it. Thence, after dinner, displeased with our entertainment, to my
office again, and there till almost midnight and my people with me, and
then home, my head mightily akeing about our accounts.
17th. Up betimes, and shaved myself after a week's growth, but, Lord! how
ugly I was yesterday and how fine to-day! By water, seeing the City all
the way, a sad sight indeed, much fire being still in. To Sir W.
Coventry, and there read over my yesterday's work: being a collection of
the particulars of the excess of charge created by a war, with good
content. Sir W. Coventry was in great pain lest the French fleete should
be passed by our fleete, who had notice of them on Saturday, and were
preparing to go meet them; but their minds altered, and judged them
merchant-men, when the same day the Success, Captain Ball, made their
whole fleete, and come to Brighthelmstone, and thence at five o'clock
afternoon, Saturday, wrote Sir W. Coventry newes thereof; so that we do
much fear our missing them. Here come in and talked with him Sir Thomas
Clifford, who appears a very fine gentleman, and much set by at Court for
his activity in going to sea, and stoutness everywhere, and stirring up
and down. Thence by coach over the ruines, down Fleete Streete and
Cheapside to Broad Streete to Sir G. Carteret, where Sir W. Batten (and
Sir J. Minnes, whom I had not seen a long time before, being his first
coming abroad) and Lord Bruncker passing his accounts. Thence home a
little to look after my people at work and back to Sir G. Carteret's to
dinner; and thence, after some discourse; with him upon our publique
accounts, I back home, and all the day with Harman and his people
finishing the hangings and beds in my house, and the hangings will be as
good as ever, and particularly in my new closet. They gone and I weary,
my wife and I, and Balty and his wife, who come hither to-day to helpe us,
to a barrel of oysters I sent from the river today, and so to bed.
18th. Strange with what freedom and quantity I pissed this night, which I
know not what to impute to but my oysters, unless the coldness of the
night should cause it, for it was a sad rainy and tempestuous night. Soon
as up I begun to have some pain in my bladder and belly, as usual, which
made me go to dinner betimes, to fill my belly, and that did ease me, so
as I did my business in the afternoon, in forwarding the settling of my
house, very well. Betimes to bed, my wife also being all this day ill in
the same manner. Troubled at my wife's haire coming off so much. This day
the Parliament met, and adjourned till Friday, when the King will be with
them.
19th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen by coach to St. James's, and there did our
usual business before the Duke of Yorke; which signified little, our
business being only complaints of lack of money. Here I saw a bastard of
the late King of Sweden's come to kiss his hands; a mighty modish
French-like gentleman. Thence to White Hall, with Sir W. Batten and Sir
W. Pen, to Wilkes's; and there did hear the many profane stories of Sir
Henry Wood damning the parsons for so much spending the wine at the
sacrament, cursing that ever they took the cup to themselves, and then
another story that he valued not all the world's curses, for two pence he
shall get at any time the prayers of some poor body that is worth a 1000
of all their curses; Lord Norwich drawing a tooth at a health. Another
time, he and Pinchbacke and Dr. Goffe, now a religious man, Pinchbacke did
begin a frolick to drink out of a glass with a toad in it that he had
taken up going out to shit, he did it without harm. Goffe, who knew sacke
would kill the toad, called for sacke; and when he saw it dead, says he,
"I will have a quick toad, and will not drink from a dead toad."
["They swallow their own contradictions as easily as a hector can
drink a frog in a glass of wine."--Benlivoglio and Urania, book v.,
p. 92, 3rd edit.--B.]
By that means, no other being to be found, he escaped the health. Thence
home, and dined, and to Deptford and got all my pictures put into
wherries, and my other fine things, and landed them all very well, and
brought them home, and got Sympson to set them all up to-night; and he
gone, I and the boy to finish and set up my books, and everything else in
my house, till two o'clock; in the morning, and then to bed; but mightily
troubled, and even in my sleep, at my missing four or five of my biggest
books. Speed's Chronicle and Maps, and the two parts of Waggoner, and a
book of cards, which I suppose I have put up with too much care, that I
have forgot where they are; for sure they are not stole. Two little
pictures of sea and ships and a little gilt frame belonging to my plate of
the River, I want; but my books do heartily trouble me. Most of my gilt
frames are hurt, which also troubles me, but most my books. This day I
put on two shirts, the first time this year, and do grow well upon it; so
that my disease is nothing but wind.
20th. Up, much troubled about my books, but cannot, imagine where they
should be. Up, to the setting my closet to rights, and Sir W. Coventry
takes me at it, which did not displease me. He and I to discourse about
our accounts, and the bringing them to the Parliament, and with much
content to see him rely so well on my part. He and I together to Broad
Streete to the Vice-Chamberlain, and there discoursed a while and parted.
My Lady Carteret come to town, but I did not see her. He tells me how the
fleete is come into the Downes. Nothing done, nor French fleete seen: we
drove all from our anchors. But he says newes is come that De Ruyter is
dead, or very near it, of a hurt in his mouth, upon the discharge of one
of his own guns; which put him into a fever, and he likely to die, if not
already dead. We parted, and I home to dinner, and after dinner to the
setting things in order, and all my people busy about the same work. In
the afternoon, out by coach, my wife with me, which we have not done
several weeks now, through all the ruines, to shew her them, which frets
her much, and is a sad sight indeed. Set her down at her brother's, and
thence I to Westminster Hall, and there staid a little while, and called
her home. She did give me an account of great differences between her
mother and Balty's wife. The old woman charges her with going abroad and
staying out late, and painting in the absence of her husband, and I know
not what; and they grow proud, both he and she, and do not help their
father and mother out of what I help them to, which I do not like, nor my
wife. So home, and to the office, to even my journall, and then home, and
very late up with Jane setting my books in perfect order in my closet, but
am mightily troubled for my great books that I miss, and I am troubled the
more for fear there should be more missing than what I find, though by the
room they take on the shelves I do not find any reason to think it. So to
bed.
21st. Up, and mightily pleased with the setting of my books the last
night in order, and that which did please me most of all is that W. Hewer
tells me that upon enquiry he do find that Sir W. Pen hath a hamper more
than his own, which he took for a hamper of bottles of wine, and are books
in it. I was impatient to see it, but they were carried into a
wine-cellar, and the boy is abroad with him at the House, where the
Parliament met to-day, and the King to be with them. At noon after dinner
I sent for Harry, and he tells me it is so, and brought me by and by my
hamper of books to my great joy, with the same books I missed, and three
more great ones, and no more. I did give him 5s. for his pains, And so
home with great joy, and to the setting of some off them right, but could
not finish it, but away by coach to the other end of the town, leaving my
wife at the 'Change, but neither come time enough to the Council to speak
with the Duke of Yorke, nor with Sir G. Carteret, and so called my wife,
and paid for some things she bought, and so home, and there after a little
doing at the office about our accounts, which now draw near the time they
should be ready, the House having ordered Sir G. Carteret, upon his
offering them, to bring them in on Saturday next, I home, and there, with
great pleasure, very late new setting all my books; and now I am in as
good condition as I desire to be in all worldly respects. The Lord of
Heaven make me thankfull, and continue me therein! So to bed. This day I
had new stairs of main timber put t my cellar going into the yard.
22nd. To my closet, and had it new washed, and now my house is so clean
as I never saw it, or any other house in my life, and every thing in as
good condition as ever before the fire; but with, I believe, about L20
cost one way or other besides about L20 charge in removing my goods, and
do not find that I have lost any thing but two little pictures of ship and
sea, and a little gold frame for one of my sea-cards. My glazier, indeed,
is so full of worke that I cannot get him to come to perfect my house. To
the office, and there busy now for good and all about my accounts. My
Lord Brunck come thither, thinking to find an office, but we have not yet
met. He do now give me a watch, a plain one, in the roome of my former
watch with many motions which I did give him. If it goes well, I care not
for the difference in worth, though believe there is above L5. He and I
to Sir G. Carteret to discourse about his account, but Mr. Waith not being
there nothing could be done, and therefore I home again, and busy all day.
In the afternoon comes Anthony Joyce to see me, and with tears told me his
losse, but yet that he had something left that he can live well upon, and
I doubt it not. But he would buy some place that he could have and yet
keepe his trade where he is settled in St. Jones's. He gone, I to the
office again, and then to Sir G. Carteret, and there found Mr. Wayth, but,
Lord! how fretfully Sir G. Carteret do discourse with Mr. Wayth about his
accounts, like a man that understands them not one word. I held my tongue
and let him go on like a passionate foole. In the afternoon I paid for
the two lighters that carried my goods to Deptford, and they cost me L8.
Till past midnight at our accounts, and have brought them to a good issue,
so as to be ready to meet Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry to-morrow,
but must work to-morrow, which Mr. T. Hater had no mind to, it being the
Lord's day, but, being told the necessity, submitted, poor man! This
night writ for brother John to come to towne. Among other reasons, my
estate lying in money, I am afeard of any sudden miscarriage. So to bed
mightily contented in dispatching so much business, and find my house in
the best condition that ever I knew it. Home to bed.
23rd (Lord's day). Up, and after being trimmed, all the morning at the
office with my people about me till about one o'clock, and then home, and
my people with me, and Mr. Wayth and I eat a bit of victuals in my old
closet, now my little dining-room, which makes a pretty room, and my house
being so clean makes me mightily pleased, but only I do lacke Mercer or
somebody in the house to sing with. Soon as eat a bit Mr. Wayth and I by
water to White Hall, and there at Sir G. Carteret's lodgings Sir W.
Coventry met, and we did debate the whole business of our accounts to the
Parliament; where it appears to us that the charge of the war from
September 1st, 1664, to this Michaelmas, will have been but L3,200,000,
and we have paid in that time somewhat about L2,200,000; so that we owe
above L900,000: but our method of accounting, though it cannot, I believe,
be far wide from the mark, yet will not abide a strict examination if the
Parliament should be troublesome. Here happened a pretty question of Sir
W. Coventry, whether this account of ours will not put my Lord Treasurer
to a difficulty to tell what is become of all the money the Parliament
have 'give' in this time for the war, which hath amounted to about
L4,000,000, which nobody there could answer; but I perceive they did doubt
what his answer could be. Having done, and taken from Sir W. Coventry the
minutes of a letter to my Lord Treasurer, Wayth and I back again to the
office, and thence back down to the water with my wife and landed him in
Southwarke, and my wife and I for pleasure to Fox-hall, and there eat and
drank, and so back home, and I to the office till midnight drawing the
letter we are to send with our accounts to my Lord Treasurer, and that
being done to my mind, I home to bed.
24th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to St. James's, and there
with Sir W. Coventry read and all approved of my letter, and then home,
and after dinner, Mr. Hater and Gibson dining with me, to the office, and
there very late new moulding my accounts and writing fair my letter, which
I did against the evening, and then by coach left my wife at her
brother's, and I to St. James's, and up and down to look [for] Sir W.
Coventry; and at last found him and Sir G. Carteret with the Lord
Treasurer at White Hall, consulting how to make up my Lord Treasurer's
general account, as well as that of the Navy particularly. Here brought
the letter, but found that Sir G. Carteret had altered his account since
he did give me the abstract of it: so all my letter must be writ over
again, to put in his last abstract. So to Sir G. Carteret's lodgings, to
speak a little about the alteration; and there looking over the book that
Sir G. Carteret intends to deliver to the Parliament of his payments since
September 1st, 1664, and there I find my name the very second for flags,
which I had bought for the Navy, of calico; once, about 500 and odd
pounds, which vexed me mightily. At last, I concluded of scraping out my
name and putting in Mr. Tooker's, which eased me; though the price was
such as I should have had glory by. Here I saw my Lady Carteret lately
come to towne, who, good lady! is mighty kind, and I must make much of
her, for she is a most excellent woman. So took up my wife and away home,
and there to bed, and