Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 43: May/June 1666
Author: Pepys, Samuel, 1633-1703
Language: English
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                THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.

            CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY

    TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
 MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
                      AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE

                              (Unabridged)

                      WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES

                        EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY

                        HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.

                          DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
                                MAY & JUNE
                                  1666

May 1st.  Up, and all the morning at the office.  At noon, my cozen Thomas
Pepys did come to me, to consult about the business of his being a justice
of the Peace, which he is much against; and among other reasons, tells me,
as a confidant, that he is not free to exercise punishment according to
the Act against Quakers and other people, for religion.  Nor do he
understand Latin, and so is not capable of the place as formerly, now all
warrants do run in Latin.  Nor is he in Kent, though he be of Deptford
parish, his house standing in Surry.  However, I did bring him to incline
towards it, if he be pressed to take it.  I do think it may be some repute
to me to have my kinsman in Commission there, specially if he behave
himself to content in the country.  He gone and my wife gone abroad, I out
also to and fro, to see and be seen, among others to find out in Thames
Streete where Betty Howlett is come to live, being married to Mrs.
Michell's son; which I did about the Old Swan, but did not think fit to go
thither or see them.  Thence by water to Redriffe, reading a new French
book my Lord Bruncker did give me to-day, "L'Histoire Amoureuse des
Gaules,"

     [This book, which has frequently been reprinted, was written by
     Roger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy, for the amusement of his mistress,
     Madame de Montglas, and consists of sketches of the chief ladies of
     the court, in which he libelled friends and foes alike.  These
     circulated in manuscript, and were printed at Liege in 1665.  Louis
     XIV. was so much annoyed with the book that he sent the author to
     the Bastille for over a year.]

being a pretty libel against the amours of the Court of France.  I walked
up and down Deptford yarde, where I had not been since I come from living
at Greenwich, which is some months.  There I met with Mr. Castle, and was
forced against my will to have his company back with me.  So we walked and
drank at Halfway house and so to his house, where I drank a cupp of syder,
and so home, where I find Mr. Norbury newly come to town to see us.  After
he gone my wife tells me the ill newes that our Susan is sicke and gone to
bed, with great pain in her head and back, which troubles us all.  However
we to bed expecting what to-morrow would produce.  She hath we conceive
wrought a little too much, having neither maid nor girle to help her.

2nd.  Up and find the girle better, which we are glad of, and with Sir W.
Batten to White Hall by coach.  There attended the Duke as usual.  Thence
with Captain Cocke, whom I met there, to London, to my office, to consult
about serving him in getting him some money, he being already tired of his
slavery to my Lord Bruncker, and the charge it costs him, and gets no
manner of courtesy from him for it.  He gone I home to dinner, find the
girle yet better, so no fear of being forced to send her out of doors as
we intended.  After dinner.  I by water to White Hall to a Committee for
Tangier upon Mr. Yeabsly's business, which I got referred to a Committee
to examine.  Thence among other stops went to my ruler's house, and there
staid a great while with Nan idling away the afternoon with pleasure.  By
and by home, so to my office a little, and then home to supper with my
wife, the girle being pretty well again, and then to bed.

3rd.  Up, and all the morning at the office.  At noon home, and contrary
to my expectation find my little girle Su worse than she was, which
troubled me, and the more to see my wife minding her paynting and not
thinking of her house business, this being the first day of her beginning
the second time to paynt.  This together made me froward that I was angry
with my wife, and would not have Browne to think to dine at my table with
me always, being desirous to have my house to myself without a stranger
and a mechanique to be privy to all my concernments.  Upon this my wife
and I had a little disagreement, but it ended by and by, and then to send
up and down for a nurse to take the girle home and would have given
anything.  I offered to the only one that we could get 20s. per weeke, and
we to find clothes, and bedding and physique, and would have given 30s.,
as demanded, but desired an houre or two's time.  So I away by water to
Westminster, and there sent for the girle's mother to Westminster Hall to
me; she came and undertakes to get her daughter a lodging and nurse at
next doore to her, though she dare not, for the parish's sake, whose
sexton her husband is, to [have] her into her owne house.  Thence home,
calling at my bookseller's and other trifling places, and in the evening
the mother come and with a nurse she has got, who demanded and I did agree
at 10s. per weeke to take her, and so she away, and my house mighty
uncouth, having so few in it, and we shall want a servant or two by it,
and the truth is my heart was a little sad all the afternoon and jealous
of myself.  But she went, and we all glad of it, and so a little to the
office, and so home to supper and to bed.

4th.  Up and by water to Westminster to Charing Cross (Mr. Gregory for
company with me) to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, who was not within.  So I took
Gregory to White Hall, and there spoke with Joseph Williamson to have
leave in the next Gazette to have a general pay for the Chest at Chatham
declared upon such a day in June.  Here I left Gregory, and I by coach
back again to Sir Philip Warwicke's, and in the Park met him walking, so
discoursed about the business of striking a quarter's tallys for Tangier,
due this day, which he hath promised to get my Lord Treasurer's warrant
for, and so away hence, and to Mr. Hales, to see what he had done to Mrs.
Pierces picture, and whatever he pretends, I do not think it will ever be
so good a picture as my wife's.  Thence home to the office a little and
then to dinner, and had a great fray with my wife again about Browne's
coming to teach her to paynt, and sitting with me at table, which I will
not yield to.  I do thoroughly believe she means no hurte in it; but very
angry we were, and I resolved all into my having my will done, without
disputing, be the reason what it will; and so I will have it.  After
dinner abroad again and to the New Exchange about play books, and to White
Hall, thinking to have met Sir G. Carteret, but failed.  So to the Swan at
Westminster, and there spent a quarter of an hour with Jane, and thence
away home, and my wife coming home by and by (having been at her mother's
to pray her to look out for a mayde for her) by coach into the fields to
Bow, and so home back in the evening, late home, and after supper to bed,
being much out of order for lack of somebody in the room of Su.  This
evening, being weary of my late idle courses, and the little good I shall
do the King or myself in the office, I bound myself to very strict rules
till Whitsunday next.

5th.  At the office all the morning.  After dinner upon a letter from the
fleete from Sir W. Coventry I did do a great deale of worke for the
sending away of the victuallers that are in the river, &c., too much to
remember.  Till 10 at night busy about letters and other necessary matter
of the office.  About 11 home, it being a fine moonshine and so my wife
and Mercer come into the garden, and, my business being done, we sang till
about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure to ourselves and neighbours,
by their casements opening, and so home to supper and to bed.

6th (Lord's day).  To church.  Home, and after dinner walked to White
Hall, thinking to have seen Mr. Coventry, but failed, and therefore walked
clear on foot back again.  Busy till night in fitting my Victualling
papers in order, which I through my multitude of business and pleasure
have not examined these several months.  Walked back again home, and so to
the Victualling Office, where I met Mr. Gawden, and have received some
satisfaction, though it be short of what I expected, and what might be
expected from me.  So after evened I have gone, and so to supper and to
bed.

7th.  Up betimes to set my Victualling papers in order against Sir W.
Coventry comes, which indeed makes me very melancholy, being conscious
that I am much to seeke in giving a good answer to his queries about the
Victualling business.  At the office mighty busy, and brought myself into
a pretty plausible condition before Sir W. Coventry come, and did give him
a pretty tolerable account of every thing and went with him into the
Victualling office, where we sat and examined his businesses and state of
the victualling of the fleete, which made me in my heart blushe that I
could say no more to it than I did or could.  But I trust in God I shall
never be in that condition again.  We parted, and I with pretty good
grace, and so home to dinner, where my wife troubled more and more with
her swollen cheek.  So to dinner, my sister-in-law with us, who I find
more and more a witty woman; and then I to my Lord Treasurer's and the
Exchequer about my Tangier businesses, and with my content passed by all
things and persons without so much as desiring any stay or loss of time
with them, being by strong vowe obliged on no occasion to stay abroad but
my publique offices.  So home again, where I find Mrs. Pierce and Mrs.
Ferrers come to see my wife.  I staid a little with them, being full of
business, and so to the office, where busy till late at night and so weary
and a little conscious of my failures to-day, yet proud that the day is
over without more observation on Sir W. Coventry's part, and so to bed and
to sleepe soundly.

8th.  Up, and to the office all the morning.  At noon dined at home, my
wife's cheek bad still.  After dinner to the office again and thither
comes Mr. Downing, the anchor-smith, who had given me 50 pieces in gold
the last month to speake for him to Sir W. Coventry, for his being smith
at Deptford; but after I had got it granted to him, he finds himself not
fit to go on with it, so lets it fall.  So has no benefit of my motion. I
therefore in honour and conscience took him home the money, and, though
much to my grief, did yet willingly and forcibly force him to take it
again, the poor man having no mind to have it.  However, I made him take
it, and away he went, and I glad to have given him so much cause to speake
well of me.  So to my office again late, and then home to supper to a good
lobster with my wife, and then a little to my office again, and so to bed.

9th.  Up by five o'clock, which I have not a long time done, and down the
river by water to Deptford, among other things to examine the state of
Ironworke, in order to the doing something with reference to Downing that
may induce him to returne me the 50 pieces.  Walked back again reading of
my Civill Law Book, and so home and by coach to White Hall, where we did
our usual business before the Duke, and heard the Duke commend Deane's
ship "The Rupert" before "The Defyance," built lately by Castle, in
hearing of Sir W. Batten, which pleased me mightily.  Thence by water to
Westminster, and there looked after my Tangier order, and so by coach to
Mrs. Pierces, thinking to have gone to Hales's, but she was not ready, so
away home and to dinner, and after dinner out by coach to Lovett's to have
forwarded what I have doing there, but find him and his pretty wife gone
to my house to show me something.  So away to my Lord Treasurer's, and
thence to Pierces, where I find Knipp, and I took them to Hales's to see
our pictures finished, which are very pretty, but I like not hers half so
well as I thought at first, it being not so like, nor so well painted as I
expected, or as mine and my wife's are.  Thence with them to Cornhill to
call and choose a chimney-piece for Pierces closett, and so home, where my
wife in mighty pain and mightily vexed at my being abroad with these
women; and when they were gone called them whores and I know not what,
which vexed me, having been so innocent with them.  So I with them to Mrs.
Turner's and there sat with them a while, anon my wife sends for me, I
come, and what was it but to scold at me and she would go abroad to take
the ayre presently, that she would.  So I left my company and went with
her to Bow, but was vexed and spoke not one word to her all the way going
nor coming, or being come home, but went up straight to bed.  Half an hour
after (she in the coach leaning on me as being desirous to be friends) she
comes up mighty sicke with a fit of the cholique and in mighty pain and
calls for me out of the bed; I rose and held her, she prays me to forgive
her, and in mighty pain we put her to bed, where the pain ceased by and
by, and so had some asparagus to our bed side for supper and very kindly
afterward to sleepe and good friends in the morning.

10th.  So up, and to the office, where all the morning.  At noon home to
dinner and there busy all the afternoon till past six o'clock, and then
abroad with my wife by coach, who is now at great ease, her cheeke being
broke inward.  We took with us Mrs. Turner, who was come to visit my wife
just as we were going out.  A great deale of tittle tattle discourse to
little purpose, I finding her, though in other things a very discreete
woman, as very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body.  Going out
towards Hackney by coach for the ayre, the silly coachman carries us to
Shoreditch, which was so pleasant a piece of simplicity in him and us,
that made us mighty merry.  So back again late, it being wondrous hot all
the day and night and it lightning exceeding all the way we went and came,
but without thunder.  Coming home we called at a little ale-house, and had
an eele pye, of which my wife eat part and brought home the rest. So being
come home we to supper and to bed.  This day come our new cook maid Mary,
commended by Mrs. Batters.

11th.  Up betimes, and then away with Mr. Yeabsly to my Lord Ashly's,
whither by and by comes Sir H. Cholmly and Creed, and then to my Lord, and
there entered into examination of Mr. Yeabsly's accounts, wherein as in
all other things I find him one of the most distinct men that ever I did
see in my life.  He raised many scruples which were to be answered another
day and so parted, giving me an alarme how to provide myself against the
day of my passing my accounts.  Thence I to Westminster to look after the
striking of my tallys, but nothing done or to be done therein.  So to the
'Change, to speake with Captain Cocke, among other things about getting of
the silver plates of him, which he promises to do; but in discourse he
tells me that I should beware of my fellow-officers; and by name told me
that my Lord Bruncker should say in his hearing, before Sir W. Batten, of
me, that he could undo the man, if he would; wherein I think he is a
foole; but, however, it is requisite I be prepared against the man's
friendship.  Thence home to dinner alone, my wife being abroad.  After
dinner to the setting some things in order in my dining-room; and by and
by comes my wife home and Mrs. Pierce with her, so I lost most of this
afternoon with them, and in the evening abroad with them, our long tour by
coach, to Hackney, so to Kingsland, and then to Islington, there
entertaining them by candlelight very well, and so home with her, set her
down, and so home and to bed.

12th.  Up to the office very betimes to draw up a letter for the Duke of
Yorke relating to him the badness of our condition in this office for want
of money.  That being in good time done we met at the office and there sat
all the morning.  At noon home, where I find my wife troubled still at my
checking her last night in the coach in her long stories out of Grand
Cyrus, which she would tell, though nothing to the purpose, nor in any
good manner.

     [Sir Walter Scott observes, in his "Life of Dryden," that the
     romances of Calprenede and Scuderi, those ponderous and unmerciful
     folios, now consigned to oblivion, were, in their day, not only
     universally read and admired, but supposed to furnish the most
     perfect models of gallantry and heroism.  Dr. Johnson read them all.
     "I have," says Mrs. Chapone, "and yet I am still alive, dragged
     through 'Le Grand Cyrus,' in twelve huge volumes; 'Cleopatra,' in
     eight or ten; 'Ibrahim,' 'Clelie,' and some others, whose names, as
     well as all the rest of them, I have forgotten" ("Letters to Mrs.
     Carter").  No wonder that Pepys sat on thorns, when his wife began
     to recite "Le Grand Cyrus" in the coach, "and trembled at the
     impending tale."--B.]

This she took unkindly, and I think I was to blame indeed; but she do find
with reason, that in the company of Pierce, Knipp, or other women that I
love, I do not value her, or mind her as I ought.  However very good
friends by and by, and to dinner, and after dinner up to the putting our
dining room in order, which will be clean again anon, but not as it is to
be because of the pictures which are not come home.  To the office and did
much business, in the evening to Westminster and White Hall about business
and among other things met Sir G. Downing on White Hall bridge, and there
walked half an hour, talking of the success of the late new Act; and
indeed it is very much, that that hath stood really in the room of
L800,000 now since Christmas, being itself but L1,250,000.  And so I do
really take it to be a very considerable thing done by him; for the
beginning, end, and every part of it, is to be imputed to him.  So home by
water, and there hard till 12 at night at work finishing the great letter
to the Duke of Yorke against to-morrow morning, and so home to bed.  This
day come home again my little girle Susan, her sicknesse proving an ague,
and she had a fit soon almost as she come home.  The fleete is not yet
gone from the Nore.  The plague encreases in many places, and is 53 this
week with us.

13th (Lord's day).  Up, and walked to White Hall, where we all met to
present a letter to the Duke of Yorke, complaining solemnly of the want of
money, and that being done, I to and again up and down Westminster,
thinking to have spent a little time with Sarah at the Swan, or Mrs.
Martin, but was disappointed in both, so walked the greatest part of the
way home, where comes Mr. Symons, my old acquaintance, to dine with me,
and I made myself as good company as I could to him, but he was mighty
impertinent methought too yet, and thereby I see the difference between
myself now and what it was heretofore, when I reckoned him a very brave
fellow.  After dinner he and I walked together as far as Cheapside, and I
quite through to Westminster again, and fell by chance into St. Margett's'
Church, where I heard a young man play the foole upon the doctrine of
purgatory.  At this church I spied Betty Howlett, who indeed is mighty
pretty, and struck me mightily.  After church time, standing in the Church
yarde, she spied me, so I went to her, her father and mother and husband
being with her.  They desired and I agreed to go home with Mr. Michell,
and there had the opportunity to have saluted two or three times Betty and
make an acquaintance which they are pleased with, though not so much as I
am or they think I am.  I staid here an houre or more chatting with them
in a little sorry garden of theirs by the Bowling Alley, and so left them
and I by water home, and there was in great pain in mind lest Sir W. Pen,
who is going down to the Fleete, should come to me or send for me to be
informed in the state of things, and particularly the Victualling, that by
my pains he might seem wise.  So after spending an houre with my wife
pleasantly in her closett, I to bed even by daylight.

14th.  Comes betimes a letter from Sir W. Coventry, that he and Sir G.
Carteret are ordered presently down to the Fleete.  I up and saw Sir W.
Pen gone also after them, and so I finding it a leisure day fell to making
cleane my closett in my office, which I did to my content and set up my
Platts again, being much taken also with Griffin's mayde, that did cleane
it, being a pretty mayde.  I left her at it, and toward Westminster myself
with my wife by coach and meeting took up Mr. Lovett the varnisher with
us, who is a pleasant speaking and humoured man, so my wife much taken
with him, and a good deale of worke I believe I shall procure him.  I left
my wife at the New Exchange and myself to the Exchequer, to looke after my
Tangier tallys, and there met Sir G. Downing, who shewed me his present
practise now begun this day to paste up upon the Exchequer door a note of
what orders upon the new Act are paid and now in paying, and my Lord of
Oxford coming by, also took him, and shewed him his whole method of
keeping his books, and everything of it, which indeed is very pretty, and
at this day there is assigned upon the Act L804,000.  Thence at the New
Exchange took up my wife again, and so home to dinner, and after dinner to
my office again to set things in order.  In the evening out with my wife
and my aunt Wight, to take the ayre, and happened to have a pleasant race
between our hackney-coach and a gentleman's.  At Bow we eat and drank and
so back again, it being very cool in the evening.  Having set home my aunt
and come home, I fell to examine my wife's kitchen book, and find 20s.
mistake, which made me mighty angry and great difference between us, and
so in the difference to bed.

15th.  Up and to the office, where we met and sat all the morning.  At
noon home to dinner, and after dinner by coach to Sir Philip Warwicke's,
he having sent for me, but was not within, so I to my Lord Crew's, who is
very lately come to towne, and with him talking half an houre of the
business of the warr, wherein he is very doubtful, from our want of money,
that we shall fail.  And I do concur with him therein.  After some little
discourse of ordinary matters, I away to Sir Philip Warwicke's again, and
was come in, and gone out to my Lord Treasurer's; whither I followed him,
and there my business was, to be told that my Lord Treasurer hath got
L10,000 for us in the Navy, to answer our great necessities, which I did
thank him for; but the sum is not considerable. So home, and there busy
all the afternoon till night, and then home to supper and to bed.

16th.  Up very betimes, and so down the river to Deptford to look after
some business, being by and by to attend the Duke and Mr. Coventry, and so
I was wiling to carry something fresh that I may look as a man minding
business, which I have done too much for a great while to forfeit, and is
now so great a burden upon my mind night and day that I do not enjoy
myself in the world almost.  I walked thither, and come back again by
water, and so to White Hall, and did our usual business before the Duke,
and so to the Exchequer, where the lazy rogues have not yet done my
tallys, which vexes me.  Thence to Mr. Hales, and paid him for my picture,
and Mr. Hill's, for the first L14 for the picture, and 25s. for the frame,
and for the other L7 for the picture, it being a copy of his only, and 5s.
for the frame; in all, L22 10s.  I am very well satisfied in my pictures,
and so took them in another coach home along with me, and there with great
pleasure my wife and I hung them up, and, that being done, to dinner,
where Mrs. Barbara Sheldon come to see us and dined with us, and we kept
her all the day with us, I going down to Deptford, and, Lord! to see with
what itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's wife, but failed, for
which I am glad, only I observe the folly of my mind that cannot refrain
from pleasure at a season above all others in my life requisite for me to
shew my utmost care in.  I walked both going and coming, spending my time
reading of my Civill and Ecclesiastical Law book.  Being returned home, I
took my wife and Mrs. Barbary and Mercer out by coach and went our Grand
Tour, and baited at Islington, and so late home about 11 at night, and so
with much pleasure to bed.

17th.  Up, lying long, being wearied yesterday with long walking.  So to
the office, where all the morning with fresh occasion of vexing at myself
for my late neglect of business, by which I cannot appear half so usefull
as I used to do.  Home at noon to dinner, and then to my office again,
where I could not hold my eyes open for an houre, but I drowsed (so little
sensible I apprehend my soul is of the necessity of minding business), but
I anon wakened and minded my business, and did a great deale with very
great pleasure, and so home at night to supper and to bed, mightily
pleased with myself for the business that I have done, and convinced that
if I would but keepe constantly to do the same I might have leisure enough
and yet do all my business, and by the grace of God so I will.  So to bed.

18th.  Up by 5 o'clock, and so down by water to Deptford and Blackewall to
dispatch some business.  So walked to Dickeshoare, and there took boat
again and home, and thence to Westminster, and attended all the morning on
the Exchequer for a quarter's tallys for Tangier.  But, Lord! to see what
a dull, heavy sort of people they are there would make a man mad. At noon
had them and carried them home, and there dined with great content with my
people, and within and at the office all the afternoon and night, and so
home to settle some papers there, and so to bed, being not very well,
having eaten too much lobster at noon at dinner with Mr. Hollyard, he
coming in and commending it so much.

19th.  Up, and to the office all the morning.  At noon took Mr. Deane
(lately come to towne) home with me to dinner, and there after giving him
some reprimands and good advice about his deportment in the place where by
my interest he is at Harwich, and then declaring my resolution of being
his friend still, we did then fall to discourse about his ship "Rupert,"
built by him there, which succeeds so well as he hath got great honour by
it, and I some by recommending him; the King, Duke, and every body saying
it is the best ship that was ever built.  And then he fell to explain to
me his manner of casting the draught of water which a ship will draw
before-hand: which is a secret the King and all admire in him; and he is
the first that hath come to any certainty before-hand, of foretelling the
draught of water of a ship before she be launched.  I must confess I am
much pleased in his successe in this business, and do admire at the
confidence of Castle who did undervalue the draught Deane sent up to me,
that I was ashamed to owne it or him, Castle asking of me upon the first
sight of it whether he that laid it down had ever built a ship or no,
which made me the more doubtfull of him.  He being gone, I to the office,
where much business and many persons to speake with me.  Late home and to
bed, glad to be at a little quiett.

20th (Lord's day).  With my wife to church in the morning.  At noon dined
mighty nobly, ourselves alone.  After dinner my wife and Mercer by coach
to Greenwich, to be gossip to Mrs. Daniel's child.  I out to Westminster,
and straight to Mrs. Martin's, and there did what I would with her, she
staying at home all the day for me; and not being well pleased with her
over free and loose company, I away to Westminster Abbey, and there fell
in discourse with Mr. Blagrave, whom I find a sober politique man, that
gets money and increase of places, and thence by coach home, and thence by
water after I had discoursed awhile with Mr. Yeabsly, whom I met and took
up in my coach with me, and who hath this day presented my Lord Ashly with
L100 to bespeak his friendship to him in his accounts now before us; and
my Lord hath received it, and so I believe is as bad, as to bribes, as
what the world says of him.  Calling on all the Victualling ships to know
what they had of their complements, and so to Deptford, to enquire after a
little business there, and thence by water back again, all the way coming
and going reading my Lord Bacon's "Faber Fortunae," which I can never read
too often, and so back home, and there find my wife come home, much
pleased with the reception she had there, and she was godmother, and did
hold the child at the Font, and it is called John. So back again home, and
after setting my papers in order and supping, to bed, desirous to rise
betimes in the morning.

21st.  Up between 4 and 5 o'clock and to set several papers to rights, and
so to the office, where we had an extraordinary meeting.  But, Lord! how
it torments me to find myself so unable to give an account of my
Victualling business, which puts me out of heart in every thing else, so
that I never had a greater shame upon me in my owne mind, nor more trouble
as to publique business than I have now, but I will get out of it as soon
as possibly I can.  At noon dined at home, and after dinner comes in my
wife's brother Balty and his wife, he being stepped ashore from the fleete
for a day or two.  I away in some haste to my Lord Ashly, where it is
stupendous to see how favourably, and yet closely, my Lord Ashly carries
himself to Mr. Yeabsly, in his business, so as I think we shall do his
business for him in very good manner.  But it is a most extraordinary
thing to observe, and that which I would not but have had the observation
of for a great deal of money.  Being done there, and much forwarded
Yeabsly's business, I with Sir H. Cholmly to my Lord Bellassis, who is
lately come from Tangier to visit him, but is not within.  So to
Westminster Hall a little about business and so home by water, and then
out with my wife, her brother, sister, and Mercer to Islington, our grand
tour, and there eat and drank.  But in discourse I am infinitely pleased
with Balty, his deportment in his business of Muster-Master, and hope
mighty well from him, and am glad with all my heart I put him into this
business.  Late home and to bed, they also lying at my house, he intending
to go away to-morrow back again to sea.

22nd.  Up betimes and to my business of entering some Tangier payments in
my book in order, and then to the office, where very busy all the morning.
At noon home to dinner, Balty being gone back to sea and his wife dining
with us, whom afterward my wife carried home.  I after dinner to the
office, and anon out on several occasions, among others to Lovett's, and
there staid by him and her and saw them (in their poor conditioned manner)
lay on their varnish, which however pleased me mightily to see.  Thence
home to my business writing letters, and so at night home to supper and to
bed.

23rd.  Up by 5 o'clock and to my chamber settling several matters in
order.  So out toward White Hall, calling in my way on my Lord Bellassis,
where I come to his bedside, and did give me a full and long account of
his matters, how he left them at Tangier.  Declares himself fully
satisfied with my care: seems cunningly to argue for encreasing the number
of men there.  Told me the whole story of his gains by the Turky prizes,
which he owns he hath got about L5000 by.  Promised me the same profits
Povy was to have had; and in fine, I find him a pretty subtle man; and so
I left him, and to White Hall before the Duke and did our usual business,
and eased my mind of two or three things of weight that lay upon me about
Lanyon's salary, which I have got to be L150 per annum. Thence to
Westminster to look after getting some little for some great tallys, but
shall find trouble in it.  Thence homeward and met with Sir Philip
Warwicke, and spoke about this, in which he is scrupulous.  After that to
talk of the wants of the Navy.  He lays all the fault now upon the new
Act, and owns his owne folly in thinking once so well of it as to give way
to others' endeavours about it, and is grieved at heart to see what passe
things are like to come to.  Thence to the Excise Office to the
Commissioners to get a meeting between them and myself and others about
our concernments in the Excise for Tangier, and so to the 'Change awhile,
and thence home with Creed, and find my wife at dinner with Mr. Cooke, who
is going down to Hinchinbrooke.  After dinner Creed and I and wife and
Mercer out by coach, leaving them at the New Exchange, while I to White
Hall, and there staid at Sir G. Carteret's chamber till the Council rose,
and then he and I, by agreement this morning, went forth in his coach by
Tiburne, to the Parke; discoursing of the state of the Navy as to money,
and the state of the Kingdom too, how ill able to raise more: and of our
office as to the condition of the officers; he giving me caution as to
myself, that there are those that are my enemies as well as his, and by
name my Lord Bruncker, who hath said some odd speeches against me.  So
that he advises me to stand on my guard; which I shall do, and unless my
too-much addiction to pleasure undo me, will be acute enough for any of
them.  We rode to and again in the Parke a good while, and at last home
and set me down at Charing Crosse, and thence I to Mrs. Pierces to take up
my wife and Mercer, where I find her new picture by Hales do not please
her, nor me indeed, it making no show, nor is very like, nor no good
painting.  Home to supper and to bed, having my right eye sore and full of
humour of late, I think, by my late change of my brewer, and having of 8s.
beer.

24th.  Up very betimes, and did much business in my chamber.  Then to the
office, where busy all the morning.  At noon rose in the pleasantest
humour I have seen Sir W. Coventry and the whole board in this twelvemonth
from a pleasant crossing humour Sir W. Batten was in, he being hungry, and
desirous to be gone.  Home, and Mr. Hunt come to dine with me, but I was
prevented dining till 4 o'clock by Sir H. Cholmly and Sir J. Bankes's
coming in about some Tangier business.  They gone I to dinner, the others
having dined.  Mr. Sheply is also newly come out of the country and come
to see us, whom I am glad to see.  He left all well there; but I perceive
under some discontent in my Lord's behalfe, thinking that he is under
disgrace with the King; but he is not so at all, as Sir G. Carteret
assures me.  They gone I to the office and did business, and so in the
evening abroad alone with my wife to Kingsland, and so back again and to
bed, my right eye continuing very ill of the rheum, which hath troubled it
four or five days.

25th.  Up betimes and to my chamber to do business, where the greatest
part of the morning.  Then out to the 'Change to speake with Captain
[Cocke], who tells me my silver plates are ready for me, and shall be sent
me speedily; and proposes another proposition of serving us with a
thousand tons of hempe, and tells me it shall bring me 6500, if the
bargain go forward, which is a good word.  Thence to Sir G. Carteret, who
is at the pay of the tickets with Sir J. Minnes this day, and here I sat
with them a while, the first time I ever was there, and thence to dinner
with him, a good dinner.  Here come a gentleman over from France arrived
here this day, Mr. Browne of St. Mellos, who, among other things, tells me
the meaning of the setting out of doggs every night out of the towne
walls, which are said to secure the city; but it is not so, but only to
secure the anchors, cables, and ships that lie dry, which might otherwise
in the night be liable to be robbed.  And these doggs are set out every
night, and called together in every morning by a man with a home, and they
go in very orderly.  Thence home, and there find Knipp at dinner with my
wife, now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down.  But my head was
full of business and so could have no sport.  So I left them, promising to
return and take them out at night, and so to the Excise Office, where a
meeting was appointed of Sir Stephen Fox, the Cofferer, and myself, to
settle the business of our tallys, and it was so pretty well against
another meeting.  Thence away home to the office and out again to Captain
Cocke (Mr. Moore for company walking with me and discoursing and admiring
of the learning of Dr. Spencer), and there he and I discoursed a little
more of our matters, and so home, and (Knipp being gone) took out my wife
and Mercer to take the ayre a little, and so as far as Hackney and back
again, and then to bed.

26th.  Up betimes and to the office, where all the morning.  At noon dined
at home.  So to the office again, and a while at the Victualling Office to
understand matters there a little, and thence to the office and despatched
much business, to my great content, and so home to supper and to bed.

27th (Lord's day).  Rose betimes, and to my office till church time to
write two copies of my Will fair, bearing date this day, wherein I have
given my sister Pall L500, my father for his owne and my mother's support
L2,000, to my wife the rest of my estate, but to have L2500 secured to
her, though by deducting out of what I have given my father and my sister.
I dispatched all before church time and then to church, my wife with me.
Thence home to dinner, whither come my uncle Wight, and aunt and uncle
Norbury, and Mr. Shepley.  A good dinner and very merry.  After dinner we
broke up and I by water to Westminster to Mrs. Martin's, and there sat
with her and her husband and Mrs. Burrows, the pretty, an hour or two,
then to the Swan a while, and so home by water, and with my wife by and by
by water as low as Greenwich, for ayre only, and so back again home to
supper and to bed with great pleasure.

28th.  Up and to my chamber to do some business there, and then to the
office, where a while, and then by agreement to the Excise Office, where I
waited all the morning for the Cofferer and Sir St. Foxe's coming, but
they did not, so I and the Commissioners lost their labour and expectation
of doing the business we intended.  Thence home, where I find Mr. Lovett
and his wife came to see us.  They are a pretty couple, and she a fine
bred woman.  They dined with us, and Browne, the paynter, and she plays
finely on the lute.  My wife and I were well pleased with her company.
After dinner broke up, I to the office and they abroad.  All the afternoon
I busy at the office, and down by water to Deptford. Walked back to
Redriffe, and so home to the office again, being thoughtfull how to answer
Sir W. Coventry against to-morrow in the business of the Victualling, but
that I do trust to Tom Wilson, that he will be ready with a book for me
to-morrow morning.  So to bed, my wife telling me where she hath been
to-day with my aunt Wight, and seen Mrs. Margaret Wight, and says that she
is one of the beautifullest women that ever she saw in her life, the most
excellent nose and mouth.  They have been also to see pretty Mrs.
Batelier, and conclude her to be a prettier woman than Mrs. Pierce, whom
my wife led my aunt to see also this day.

29th (King's birth-day and Restauration day).  Waked with the ringing of
the bells all over the towne; so up before five o'clock, and to the
office, where we met, and I all the morning with great trouble upon my
spirit to think how I should come off in the afternoon when Sir W.
Coventry did go to the Victualling office to see the state of matters
there, and methinks by his doing of it without speaking to me, and only
with Sir W. Pen, it must be of design to find my negligence.  However, at
noon I did, upon a small invitation of Sir W. Pen's, go and dine with Sir
W. Coventry at his office, where great good cheer and many pleasant
stories of Sir W. Coventry; but I had no pleasure in them.  However, I had
last night and this morning made myself a little able to report how
matters were, and did readily go with them after dinner to the Victualling
office; and there, beyond belief, did acquit myself very well to full
content; so that, beyond expectation, I got over this second rub in this
business; and if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone. Being
broke up there, I with a merry heart home to my office, and thither my
wife comes to me, to tell me, that if I would see the handsomest woman in
England, I shall come home presently; and who should it be but the pretty
lady of our parish, that did heretofore sit on the other side of our
church, over against our gallery, that is since married; she with Mrs.
Anne Jones, one of this parish, that dances finely, and Mrs. sister did
come to see her this afternoon, and so I home and there find Creed also
come to me.  So there I spent most of the afternoon with them, and indeed
she is a pretty black woman, her name Mrs. Horsely.  But, Lord! to see how
my nature could not refrain from the temptation; but I must invite them to
Foxhall, to Spring Gardens, though I had freshly received minutes of a
great deale of extraordinary business.  However I could not helpe it, but
sent them before with Creed, and I did some of my business; and so after
them, and find them there, in an arbour, and had met with Mrs. Pierce, and
some company with her.  So here I spent 20s. upon them, and were pretty
merry.  Among other things, had a fellow that imitated all manner of
birds, and doggs, and hogs, with his voice, which was mighty pleasant.
Staid here till night: then set Mrs. Pierce in at the New Exchange; and
ourselves took coach, and so set Mrs. Horsely home, and then home
ourselves, but with great trouble in the streets by bonefires, it being
the King's birth-day and day of Restauration; but, Lord! to see the
difference how many there were on the other side, and so few ours, the
City side of the Temple, would make one wonder the difference between the
temper of one sort of people and the other: and the difference among all
between what they do now, and what it was the night when Monk come into
the City.  Such a night as that I never think to see again, nor think it
can be.  After I come home I was till one in the morning with Captain
Cocke drawing up a contract with him intended to be offered to the Duke
to-morrow, which, if it proceeds, he promises me L500.

30th.  Up and to my office, there to settle some business in order .to our
waiting on the Duke to-day.  That done to White Hall to Sir W. Coventry's
chamber, where I find the Duke gone out with the King to-day on hunting.
So after some discourse with him, I by water to Westminster, and there
drew a draught of an order for my Lord Treasurer to sign for my having
some little tallys made me in lieu of two great ones, of L2000 each, to
enable me to pay small sums therewith.  I shewed it to Sir R. Long and had
his approbation, and so to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, and did give it him to get
signed.  So home to my office, and there did business.  By and by toward
noon word is brought me that my father and my sister are come.  I expected
them to-day, but not so soon.  I to them, and am heartily glad to see
them, especially my father, who, poor man, looks very well, and hath rode
up this journey on horseback very well, only his eyesight and hearing is
very bad.  I staid and dined with them, my wife being gone by coach to
Barnet, with W. Hewer and Mercer, to meet them, and they did come Ware
way.  After dinner I left them to dress themselves and I abroad by
appointment to my Lord Ashly, who, it is strange to see, how prettily he
dissembles his favour to Yeabsly's business, which none in the world could
mistrust only I, that am privy to his being bribed. Thence to White Hall,
and there staid till the Council was up, with Creed expecting a meeting of
Tangier to end Yeabsly's business, but we could not procure it.  So I to
my Lord Treasurer's and got my warrant, and then to Lovett's, but find
nothing done there.  So home and did a little business at the office, and
so down by water to Deptford and back again home late, and having signed
some papers and given order in business, home, where my wife is come home,
and so to supper with my father, and mighty pleasant we were, and my wife
mighty kind to him and Pall, and so after supper to bed, myself being
sleepy, and my right eye still very sore, as it has been now about five
days or six, which puts me out of tune.  To-night my wife tells me newes
has been brought her that Balty's wife is brought to bed, by some fall or
fit, before her time, of a great child but dead.  If the woman do well we
have no reason to be sorry, because his staying a little longer without a
child will be better for him and her.

31st.  Waked very betimes in the morning by extraordinary thunder and
rain, which did keep me sleeping and waking till very late, and it being a
holiday and my eye very sore, and myself having had very little sleep for
a good while till nine o'clock, and so up, and so saw all my family up,
and my father and sister, who is a pretty good-bodied woman, and not over
thicke, as I thought she would have been, but full of freckles, and not
handsome in face.  And so I out by water among the ships, and to Deptford
and Blackewall about business, and so home and to dinner with my father
and sister and family, mighty pleasant all of us; and, among other things,
with a sparrow that our Mercer hath brought up now for three weeks, which
is so tame that it flies up and down, and upon the table, and eats and
pecks, and do everything so pleasantly, that we are mightily pleased with
it.  After dinner I to my papers and accounts of this month to sett all
straight, it being a publique Fast-day appointed to pray for the good
successe of the fleete.  But it is a pretty thing to consider how little a
matter they make of this keeping of a Fast, that it was not so much as
declared time enough to be read in the churches the last Sunday; but
ordered by proclamation since: I suppose upon some sudden newes of the
Dutch being come out.  To my accounts and settled them clear; but to my
grief find myself poorer than I was the last by near L20, by reason of my
being forced to return L50 to Downing, the smith, which he had presented
me with.  However, I am well contented, finding myself yet to be worth
L5,200.  Having done, to supper with my wife, and then to finish the
writing fair of my accounts, and so to bed.  This day come to town Mr.
Homewood, and I took him home in the evening to my chamber, and discoursed
with him about my business of the Victualling, which I have a mind to
employ him in, and he is desirous of also, but do very ingenuously declare
he understands it not so well as other things, and desires to be informed
in the nature of it before he attempts it, which I like well, and so I
carried him to Mr. Gibson to discourse with him about it, and so home
again to my accounts.  Thus ends this month, with my mind oppressed by my
defect in my duty of the Victualling, which lies upon me as a burden, till
I get myself into a better posture therein, and hinders me and casts down
my courage in every thing else that belongs to me, and the jealousy I have
of Sir W. Coventry's being displeased with me about it; but I hope in a
little time to remedy all. As to publique business; by late tidings of the
French fleete being come to Rochelle (how true, though, I know not) our
fleete is divided; Prince Rupert being gone with about thirty ships to the
Westward as is conceived to meet the French, to hinder their coming to
join with the Dutch.  My Lord Duke of Albemarle lies in the Downes with
the rest, and intends presently to sail to the Gunfleete.

                          DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
                                  JUNE
                                  1666

June 1st.  Being prevented yesterday in meeting by reason of the fast day,
we met to-day all the morning.  At noon I and my father, wife and sister,
dined at Aunt Wight's here hard by at Mr. Woolly's, upon sudden warning,
they being to go out of town to-morrow.  Here dined the faire Mrs.
Margaret Wight, who is a very fine lady, but the cast of her eye, got only
by an ill habit, do her much wrong and her hands are bad; but she hath the
face of a noble Roman lady.  After dinner my uncle and Woolly and I out
into their yarde, to talke about what may be done hereafter to all our
profits by prizegoods, which did give us reason to lament the losse of the
opportunity of the last yeare, which, if we were as wise as we are now,
and at the peaceable end of all those troubles that we met with, all might
have been such a hit as will never come again in this age, and so I do
really believe it.  Thence home to my office and there did much business,
and at night home to my father to supper and to bed.

2nd.  Up, and to the office, where certain newes is brought us of a letter
come to the King this morning from the Duke of Albemarle, dated yesterday
at eleven o'clock, as they were sailing to the Gunfleete, that they were
in sight of the Dutch fleete, and were fitting themselves to fight them;
so that they are, ere this, certainly engaged; besides, several do averr
they heard the guns all yesterday in the afternoon. This put us at the
Board into a tosse.  Presently come orders for our sending away to the
fleete a recruite of 200 soldiers.  So I rose from the table, and to the
Victualling office, and thence upon the River among several vessels, to
consider of the sending them away; and lastly, down to Greenwich, and
there appointed two yachts to be ready for them; and did order the
soldiers to march to Blackewall.  Having set all things in order against
the next flood, I went on shore with Captain Erwin at Greenwich, and into
the Parke, and there we could hear the guns from the fleete most plainly.
Thence he and I to the King's Head and there bespoke a dish of steaks for
our dinner about four o'clock.  While that was doing, we walked to the
water-side, and there seeing the King and Duke come down in their barge to
Greenwich-house, I to them, and did give them an account [of] what I was
doing.  They went up to the Parke to hear the guns of the fleete go off.
All our hopes now are that Prince Rupert with his fleete is coming back
and will be with the fleete this even: a message being sent to him to that
purpose on Wednesday last; and a return is come from him this morning,
that he did intend to sail from St. Ellen's point about four in the
afternoon on Wednesday [Friday], which was yesterday; which gives us great
hopes, the wind being very fair, that he is with them this even, and the
fresh going off of the guns makes us believe the same.  After dinner,
having nothing else to do till flood, I went and saw Mrs. Daniel, to whom
I did not tell that the fleets were engaged, because of her husband, who
is in the R. Charles.  Very pleasant with her half an hour, and so away
and down to Blackewall, and there saw the soldiers (who were by this time
gotten most of them drunk) shipped off.  But, Lord! to see how the poor
fellows kissed their wives and sweethearts in that simple manner at their
going off, and shouted, and let off their guns, was strange sport.  In the
evening come up the River the Katharine yacht, Captain Fazeby, who hath
brought over my Lord of Alesbury and Sir Thomas Liddall (with a very
pretty daughter, and in a pretty travelling-dress) from Flanders, who saw
the Dutch fleete on Thursday, and ran from them; but from that houre to
this hath not heard one gun, nor any newes of any fight.  Having put the
soldiers on board, I home and wrote what I had to write by the post, and
so home to supper and to bed, it being late.

3rd (Lord's-day; Whit-sunday).  Up, and by water to White Hall, and there
met with Mr. Coventry, who tells me the only news from the fleete is
brought by Captain Elliott, of The Portland, which, by being run on board
by The Guernsey, was disabled from staying abroad; so is come in to
Aldbrough.  That he saw one of the Dutch great ships blown up, and three
on fire.  That they begun to fight on Friday; and at his coming into port,
he could make another ship of the King's coming in, which he judged to be
the Rupert: that he knows of no other hurt to our ships.  With this good
newes I home by water again, and to church in the sermon-time, and with
great joy told it my fellows in the pew.  So home after church time to
dinner, and after dinner my father, wife, sister, and Mercer by water to
Woolwich, while I walked by land, and saw the Exchange as full of people,
and hath been all this noon as of any other day, only for newes. I to St.
Margaret's, Westminster, and there saw at church my pretty Betty Michell,
and thence to the Abbey, and so to Mrs. Martin, and there did what 'je
voudrais avec her .  .  .  .  So by and by he come in, and after some
discourse with him I away to White Hall, and there met with this bad newes
farther, that the Prince come to Dover but at ten o'clock last night, and
there heard nothing of a fight; so that we are defeated of all our hopes
of his helpe to the fleete.  It is also reported by some Victuallers that
the Duke of Albemarle and Holmes their flags were shot down, and both fain
to come to anchor to renew their rigging and sails. A letter is also come
this afternoon, from Harman in the Henery; which is she [that] was taken
by Elliott for the Rupert; that being fallen into the body of the Dutch
fleete, he made his way through them, was set on by three fire-ships one
after another, got two of them off, and disabled the third; was set on
fire himself; upon which many of his men leapt into the sea and perished;
among others, the parson first.  Have lost above 100 men, and a good many
women (God knows what is become of Balty), and at last quenched his own
fire and got to Aldbrough; being, as all say, the greatest hazard that
ever any ship escaped, and as bravely managed by him.  The mast of the
third fire-ship fell into their ship on fire, and hurt Harman's leg, which
makes him lame now, but not dangerous.  I to Sir G. Carteret, who told me
there hath been great bad management in all this; that the King's orders
that went on Friday for calling back the Prince, were sent but by the
ordinary post on Wednesday; and come to the Prince his hands but on
Friday; and then, instead of sailing presently, he stays till four in the
evening.  And that which is worst of all, the Hampshire, laden with
merchants' money, come from the Straights, set out with or but just before
the fleete, and was in the Downes by five in the clock yesterday morning;
and the Prince with his fleete come to Dover but at ten of the clock at
night.  This is hard to answer, if it be true. This puts great
astonishment into the King, and Duke, and Court, every body being out of
countenance.  So meeting Creed, he and I by coach to Hide Parke alone to
talke of these things, and do blesse God that my Lord Sandwich was not
here at this time to be concerned in a business like to be so
misfortunate.  It was a pleasant thing to consider how fearfull I was of
being seen with Creed all this afternoon, for fear of people's thinking
that by our relation to my Lord Sandwich we should be making ill
construction of the Prince's failure.  But, God knows, I am heartily sorry
for the sake of the whole nation, though, if it were not for that, it
would not be amisse to have these high blades find some checke to their
presumption and their disparaging of as good men.  Thence set him down in
Covent Guarden and so home by the 'Change, which is full of people still,
and all talk highly of the failure of the Prince in not making more haste
after his instructions did come, and of our managements here in not giving
it sooner and with more care and oftener.  Thence. After supper to bed.

4th.  Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Pen to White Hall in the
latter's coach, where, when we come, we find the Duke at St. James's,
whither he is lately gone to lodge.  So walking through the Parke we saw
hundreds of people listening at the Gravel-pits,--[Kensington]--and to and
again in the Parke to hear the guns, and I saw a letter, dated last night,
from Strowd, Governor of Dover Castle, which says that the Prince come
thither the night before with his fleete, but that for the guns which we
writ that we heard, it is only a mistake for thunder;

     [Evelyn was in his garden when he heard the guns, and be at once set
     off to Rochester and the coast, but he found that nothing had been
     heard at Deal (see his "Diary," June 1st, 1666).]

and so far as to yesterday it is a miraculous thing that we all Friday,
and Saturday and yesterday, did hear every where most plainly the guns go
off, and yet at Deale and Dover to last night they did not hear one word
of a fight, nor think they heard one gun.  This, added to what I have set
down before the other day about the Katharine, makes room for a great
dispute in philosophy, how we should hear it and they not, the same wind
that brought it to us being the same that should bring it to them: but so
it is.  Major Halsey, however (he was sent down on purpose to hear newes),
did bring newes this morning that he did see the Prince and his fleete at
nine of the clock yesterday morning, four or five leagues to sea behind
the Goodwin, so that by the hearing of the guns this morning we conclude
he is come to the fleete.  After wayting upon the Duke, Sir W. Pen (who
was commanded to go to-night by water down to Harwich, to dispatch away
all the ships he can) and I home, drinking two bottles of Cocke ale in the
streete in his new fine coach, where no sooner come, but newes is brought
me of a couple of men come to speak with me from the fleete; so I down,
and who should it be but Mr. Daniel, all muffled up, and his face as black
as the chimney, and covered with dirt, pitch, and tarr, and powder, and
muffled with dirty clouts, and his right eye stopped with okum.  He is
come last night at five o'clock from the fleete, with a comrade of his
that hath endangered another eye.  They were set on shore at Harwich this
morning, and at two o'clock, in a catch with about twenty more wounded men
from the Royall Charles.  They being able to ride, took post about three
this morning, and were here between eleven and twelve.  I went presently
into the coach with them, and carried them to Somerset-House-stairs, and
there took water (all the world gazing upon us, and concluding it to be
newes from the fleete, and every body's face appeared expecting of newes)
to the Privy-stairs, and left them at Mr. Coventry's lodging (he, though,
not being there); and so I into the Parke to the King, and told him my
Lord Generall was well the last night at five o'clock, and the Prince come
with his fleete and joyned with his about seven.  The King was mightily
pleased with this newes, and so took me by the hand and talked a little of
it.  Giving him the best account I could; and then he bid me to fetch the
two seamen to him, he walking into the house.  So I went and fetched the
seamen into the Vane room to him, and there he heard the whole account.

                                THE FIGHT.

How we found the Dutch fleete at anchor on Friday half seas over, between
Dunkirke and Ostend, and made them let slip their anchors.  They about
ninety, and we less than sixty.  We fought them, and put them to the run,
till they met with about sixteen sail of fresh ships, and so bore up
again.  The fight continued till night, and then again the next morning
from five till seven at night.  And so, too, yesterday morning they begun
again, and continued till about four o'clock, they chasing us for the most
part of Saturday and yesterday, we flying from them.  The Duke himself,
then those people were put into the catch, and by and by spied the
Prince's fleete coming, upon which De Ruyter called a little council
(being in chase at this time of us), and thereupon their fleete divided
into two squadrons; forty in one, and about thirty in the other (the
fleete being at first about ninety, but by one accident or other, supposed
to be lessened to about seventy); the bigger to follow the Duke, the less
to meet the Prince.  But the Prince come up with the Generall's fleete,
and the Dutch come together again and bore towards their own coast, and we
with them; and now what the consequence of this day will be, at that time
fighting, we know not.  The Duke was forced to come to anchor on Friday,
having lost his sails and rigging.  No particular person spoken of to be
hurt but Sir W. Clerke, who hath lost his leg, and bore it bravely.  The
Duke himself had a little hurt in his thigh, but signified little.  The
King did pull out of his pocket about twenty pieces in gold, and did give
it Daniel for himself and his companion; and so parted, mightily pleased
with the account he did give him of the fight, and the successe it ended
with, of the Prince's coming, though it seems the Duke did give way again
and again.  The King did give order for care to be had of Mr. Daniel and
his companion; and so we parted from him, and then met the Duke [of York],
and gave him the same account: and so broke up, and I left them going to
the surgeon's and I myself by water to the 'Change, and to several people
did give account of the business. So home about four o'clock to dinner,
and was followed by several people to be told the newes, and good newes it
is.  God send we may hear a good issue of this day's business!  After I
had eat something I walked to Gresham College, where I heard my Lord
Bruncker was, and there got a promise of the receipt of the fine varnish,
which I shall be glad to have.  Thence back with Mr. Hooke to my house and
there lent some of my tables of naval matters, the names of rigging and
the timbers about a ship, in order to Dr. Wilkins' book coming out about
the Universal Language.  Thence, he being gone, to the Crown, behind the
'Change, and there supped at the club with my Lord Bruncker, Sir G. Ent,
and others of Gresham College; and all our discourse is of this fight at
sea, and all are doubtful of the successe, and conclude all had been lost
if the Prince had not come in, they having chased us the greatest part of
Saturday and Sunday.  Thence with my Lord Bruncker and Creed by coach to
White Hall, where fresh letters are come from Harwich, where the
Gloucester, Captain Clerke, is come in, and says that on Sunday night upon
coming in of the Prince, the Duke did fly; but all this day they have been
fighting; therefore they did face again, to be sure.  Captain Bacon of The
Bristoll is killed.  They cry up Jenings of The Ruby, and Saunders of The
Sweepstakes.  They condemn mightily Sir Thomas Teddiman for a coward, but
with what reason time must shew.  Having heard all this Creed and I walked
into the Parke till 9 or 10 at night, it being fine moonshine, discoursing
of the unhappinesse of our fleete, what it would have been if the Prince
had not come in, how much the Duke hath failed of what he was so
presumptuous of, how little we deserve of God Almighty to give us better
fortune, how much this excuses all that was imputed to my Lord Sandwich,
and how much more he is a man fit to be trusted with all those matters
than those that now command, who act by nor with any advice, but rashly
and without any order.  How bad we are at intelligence that should give
the Prince no sooner notice of any thing but let him come to Dover without
notice of any fight, or where the fleete were, or any thing else, nor give
the Duke any notice that he might depend upon the Prince's reserve; and
lastly, of how good use all may be to checke our pride and presumption in
adventuring upon hazards upon unequal force against a people that can
fight, it seems now, as well as we, and that will not be discouraged by
any losses, but that they will rise again. Thence by water home, and to
supper (my father, wife, and sister having been at Islington today at
Pitt's) and to bed.

5th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning, expecting every houre
more newes of the fleete and the issue of yesterday's fight, but nothing
come.  At noon, though I should have dined with my Lord Mayor and Aldermen
at an entertainment of Commissioner Taylor's, yet it being a time of
expectation of the successe of the fleete, I did not go, but dined at
home, and after dinner by water down to Deptford (and Woolwich, where I
had not been since I lodged there, and methinks the place has grown
natural to me), and thence down to Longreach, calling on all the ships in
the way, seeing their condition for sayling, and what they want. Home
about 11 of the clock, and so eat a bit and to bed, having received no
manner of newes this day, but of The Rainbow's being put in from the
fleete, maimed as the other ships are, and some say that Sir W. Clerke is
dead of his leg being cut off.

6th.  Up betimes, and vexed with my people for having a key taken out of
the chamber doors and nobody knew where it was, as also with my boy for
not being ready as soon as I, though I called him, whereupon I boxed him
soundly, and  then to my business at the office and on the Victualling
Office, and thence by water to St. James's, whither he [the Duke of York]
is now gone, it being a monthly fast-day for the plague.  There we all
met, and did our business as usual with the Duke, and among other things
had Captain Cocke's proposal of East country goods read, brought by my
Lord Bruncker, which I make use of as a monkey do the cat's foot.  Sir W.
Coventry did much oppose it, and it's likely it will not do; so away goes
my hopes of L500.  Thence after the Duke into the Parke, walking through
to White Hall, and there every body listening for guns, but none heard,
and every creature is now overjoyed and concludes upon very good grounds
that the Dutch are beaten because we have heard no guns nor no newes of
our fleete.  By and by walking a little further, Sir Philip Frowde did
meet the Duke with an expresse to Sir W. Coventry (who was by) from
Captain Taylor, the Storekeeper at Harwich, being the narration of Captain
Hayward of The Dunkirke; who gives a very serious account, how upon Monday
the two fleetes fought all day till seven at night, and then the whole
fleete of Dutch did betake themselves to a very plain flight, and never
looked back again.  That Sir Christopher Mings is wounded in the leg; that
the Generall is well.  That it is conceived reasonably, that of all the
Dutch fleete, which, with what recruits they had, come to one hundred
sayle, there is not above fifty got home; and of them, few if any of their
flags.  And that little Captain Bell, in one of the fire-ships, did at the
end of the day fire a ship of 70 guns.  We were all so overtaken with this
good newes, that the Duke ran with it to the King, who was gone to
chappell, and there all the Court was in a hubbub, being rejoiced over
head and ears in this good newes.  Away go I by coach to the New Exchange,
and there did spread this good newes a little, though I find it had broke
out before.  And so home to our own church, it being the common Fast-day,
and it was just before sermon; but, Lord!  how all the people in the
church stared upon me to see me whisper to Sir John Minnes and my Lady
Pen.  Anon I saw people stirring and whispering below, and by and by comes
up the sexton from my Lady Ford to tell me the newes (which I had
brought), being now sent into the church by Sir W. Batten in writing, and
handed from pew to pew.  But that which pleased me as much as the newes,
was, to have the fair Mrs. Middleton at our church, who indeed is a very
beautiful lady.  Here after sermon comes to our office 40 people almost of
all sorts and qualities to hear the newes, which I took great delight to
tell them.  Then home and found my wife at dinner, not knowing of my being
at church, and after dinner my father and she out to Hales's, where my
father is to begin to sit to-day for his picture, which I have a desire to
have.  I all the afternoon at home doing some business, drawing up my
vowes for the rest of the yeare to Christmas; but, Lord! to see in what a
condition of happiness I am, if I would but keepe myself so; but my love
of pleasure is such, that my very soul is angry with itself for my vanity
in so doing.  Anon took coach and to Hales's, but he was gone out, and my
father and wife gone.  So I to Lovett's, and there to my trouble saw
plainly that my project of varnished books will not take, it not keeping
colour, not being able to take polishing upon a single paper.  Thence
home, and my father and wife not coming in, I proceeded with my coach to
take a little ayre as far as Bow all alone, and there turned back and
home; but before I got home, the bonefires were lighted all the towne
over, and I going through Crouched Friars, seeing Mercer at her mother's
gate, stopped, and 'light, and into her mother's, the first time I ever
was there, and find all my people, father and all, at a very fine supper
at W. Hewer's lodging, very neatly, and to my great pleasure.  After
supper, into his chamber, which is mighty fine with pictures and every
thing else, very curious, which pleased me exceedingly.  Thence to the
gate, with the women all about me, and Mrs. Mercer's son had provided a
great many serpents, and so I made the women all fire some serpents.  By
and by comes in our faire neighbour, Mrs. Turner, and two neighbour's
daughters, Mrs. Tite, the elder of whom, a long red-nosed silly jade; the
younger, a pretty black girle, and the merriest sprightly jade that ever I
saw.  With them idled away the whole night till twelve at night at the
bonefire in the streets. Some of the people thereabouts going about with
musquets, and did give me two or three vollies of their musquets, I giving
them a crowne to drink; and so home.  Mightily pleased with this happy
day's newes, and the more, because confirmed by Sir Daniel Harvy,  who was
in the whole fight with the Generall, and tells me that there appear but
thirty-six in all of the Dutch fleete left at the end of the voyage when
they run home.  The joy of the City was this night exceeding great.

7th.  Up betimes, and to my office about business (Sir W. Coventry having
sent me word that he is gone down to the fleete to see how matters stand,
and to be back again speedily); and with the same expectation of
congratulating ourselves with the victory that I had yesterday.  But my
Lord Bruncker and Sir T. H. that come from Court, tell me quite contrary
newes, which astonishes me: that is to say, that we are beaten, lost many
ships and good commanders; have not taken one ship of the enemy's; and so
can only report ourselves a victory; nor is it certain that we were left
masters of the field.  But, above all, that The Prince run on shore upon
the Galloper, and there stuck; was endeavoured to be fetched off by the
Dutch, but could not; and so they burned her; and Sir G. Ascue is taken
prisoner, and carried into Holland.  This newes do much trouble me, and
the thoughts of the ill consequences of it, and the pride and presumption
that brought us to it.  At noon to the 'Change, and there find the
discourse of towne, and their countenances much changed; but yet not very
plain.  So home to dinner all alone, my father and people being gone all
to Woolwich to see the launching of the new ship The Greenwich, built by
Chr. Pett.  I left alone with little Mrs. Tooker, whom I kept with me in
my chamber all the afternoon, and did what I would with her.  By and by
comes Mr. Wayth to me; and discoursing of our ill successe, he tells me
plainly from Captain Page's own mouth (who hath lost his arm in the
fight), that the Dutch did pursue us two hours before they left us, and
then they suffered us to go on homewards, and they retreated towards their
coast: which is very sad newes.  Then to my office and anon to White Hall,
late, to the Duke of York to see what commands he hath and to pray a
meeting to-morrow for Tangier in behalf of Mr. Yeabsly, which I did do and
do find the Duke much damped in his discourse, touching the late fight,
and all the Court talk sadly of it.  The Duke did give me several letters
he had received from the fleete, and Sir W. Coventry and Sir W. Pen, who
are gone down thither, for me to pick out some works to be done for the
setting out the fleete again; and so I took them home with me, and was
drawing out an abstract of them till midnight.  And as to newes, I do find
great reason to think that we are beaten in every respect, and that we are
the losers.  The Prince upon the Galloper, where both the Royall Charles
and Royall Katharine had come twice aground, but got off.  The Essex
carried into Holland; the Swiftsure missing (Sir William Barkeley) ever
since the beginning of the fight.  Captains Bacon, Tearne, Wood, Mootham,
Whitty, and Coppin, slayne.  The Duke of Albemarle writes, that he never
fought with worse officers in his life, not above twenty of them behaving
themselves like men.  Sir William Clerke lost his leg; and in two days
died.  The Loyall George, Seven Oakes, and Swiftsure, are still missing,
having never, as the Generall writes himself, engaged with them.  It was
as great an alteration to find myself required to write a sad letter
instead of a triumphant one to my Lady Sandwich this night, as ever on any
occasion I had in my life.  So late home and to bed.

8th.  Up very betimes and to attend the Duke of York by order, all of us
to report to him what the works are that are required of us and to divide
among us, wherein I have taken a very good share, and more than I can
perform, I doubt.  Thence to the Exchequer about some Tangier businesses,
and then home, where to my very great joy I find Balty come home without
any hurt, after the utmost imaginable danger he hath gone through in the
Henery, being upon the quarterdeck with Harman all the time; and for which
service Harman I heard this day commended most seriously and most
eminently by the Duke of Yorke.  As also the Duke did do most utmost right
to Sir Thomas Teddiman, of whom a scandal was raised, but without cause,
he having behaved himself most eminently brave all the whole fight, and to
extraordinary great service and purpose, having given Trump himself such a
broadside as was hardly ever given to any ship.  Mings is shot through the
face, and into the shoulder, where the bullet is lodged. Young Holmes' is
also ill wounded, and Atber in The Rupert.  Balty tells me the case of The
Henery; and it was, indeed, most extraordinary sad and desperate.  After
dinner Balty and I to my office, and there talked a great deal of this
fight; and I am mightily pleased in him and have great content in, and
hopes of his doing well.  Thence out to White Hall to a Committee for
Tangier, but it met not.  But, Lord! to see how melancholy the Court is,
under the thoughts of this last overthrow (for so it is), instead of a
victory, so much and so unreasonably expected.  Thence, the Committee not
meeting, Creed and I down the river as low as Sir W. Warren's, with whom I
did motion a business that may be of profit to me, about buying some
lighters to send down to the fleete, wherein he will assist me.  So back
again, he and I talking of the late ill management of this fight, and of
the ill management of fighting at all against so great a force bigger than
ours, and so to the office, where we parted, but with this satisfaction
that we hear the Swiftsure, Sir W. Barkeley, is come in safe to the Nore,
after her being absent ever since the beginning of the fight, wherein she
did not appear at all from beginning to end.  But wherever she has been,
they say she is arrived there well, which I pray God however may be true.
At the office late, doing business, and so home to supper and to bed.

9th.  Up, and to St. James's, there to wait on the Duke of Yorke, and had
discourse with him about several businesses of the fleete.  But, Lord! to
see how the Court is divided about The Swiftsure and The Essex's being
safe.  And wagers and odds laid on both sides.  I did tell the Duke how
Sir W. Batten did tell me this morning that he was sure the Swiftsure is
safe.  This put them all in a great joy and certainty of it, but this I
doubt will prove nothing.  Thence to White Ball in expectation of a
meeting of Tangier, and we did industriously labour to have it this
morning; but we could not get a fifth person there, so after much pains
and thoughts on my side on behalfe of Yeabsly, we were fain to breake up.
But, Lord! to see with what patience Lord Ashly did stay all the morning
to get a Committee, little thinking that I know the reason of his
willingnesse.  So I home to dinner and back again to White Hall, and,
being come thither a little too soon, went to Westminster Hall, and bought
a payre of gloves, and to see how people do take this late fight at sea,
and I find all give over the thoughts of it as a victory and to reckon it
a great overthrow.  So to White Hall, and there when we were come all
together in certain expectation of doing our business to Yeabsly's full
content, and us that were his friends, my Lord Peterborough (whether
through some difference between him and my Lord Ashly, or him and me or
Povy, or through the falsenesse of Creed, I know not) do bring word that
the Duke of Yorke (who did expressly bid me wait at the Committee for the
dispatch of the business) would not have us go forward in this business of
allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry
were come to towne, which was the very thing indeed which we would have
avoided.  This being told us, we broke up doing nothing, to my great
discontent, though I said nothing, and afterwards I find by my Lord
Ashly's discourse to me that he is troubled mightily at it, and indeed it
is a great abuse of him and of the whole Commissioners that nothing of
that nature can be done without Sir G. Carteret or Sir W. Coventry.  No
sooner was the Committee up, and I going [through] the Court homeward, but
I am told Sir W. Coventry is come to town; so I to his chamber, and there
did give him an account how matters go in our office, and with some
content I parted from him, after we had discoursed several things of the
haste requisite to be made in getting the fleete out again and the manner
of doing it.  But I do not hear that he is at all pleased or satisfied
with the late fight; but he tells me more newes of our suffering, by the
death of one or two captains more than I knew before.  But he do give over
the thoughts of the safety of The Swiftsure or Essex.  Thence homewards,
landed at the Old Swan, and there find my pretty Betty Michell and her
husband at their doore in Thames Streete, which I was glad to find, and
went into their shop, and they made me drink some of their strong water,
the first time I was ever with them there.  I do exceedingly love her.
After sitting a little and talking with them about several things at great
distance I parted and home to my business late.  But I am to observe how
the drinking of some strong water did immediately put my eyes into a fit
of sorenesse again as they were the other day.  I mean my right eye only.
Late at night I had an account brought me by Sir W. Warren that he has
gone through four lighters for me, which pleases me very well.  So home to
bed, much troubled with our disappointment at the Tangier Committee.

10th (Lord's day).  Up very betimes, and down the river to Deptford, and
did a good deale of business in sending away and directing several things
to the Fleete.  That being done, back to London to my office, and there at
my office till after Church time fitting some notes to carry to Sir W.
Coventry in the afternoon.  At noon home to dinner, where my cozen Joyces,
both of them, they and their wives and little Will, come by invitation to
dinner to me, and I had a good dinner for them; but, Lord! how sicke was I
of W. Joyce's company, both the impertinencies of it and his ill manners
before me at my table to his wife, which I could hardly forbear taking
notice of; but being at my table and for his wife's sake, I did, though I
will prevent his giving me the like occasion again at my house I will
warrant him.  After dinner I took leave and by water to White Hall, and
there spent all the afternoon in the Gallery, till the Council was up, to
speake with Sir W. Coventry.  Walking here I met with Pierce the surgeon,
who is lately come from the fleete, and tells me that all the commanders,
officers, and even the common seamen do condemn every part of the late
conduct of the Duke of Albemarle: both in his fighting at all, in his
manner of fighting, running among them in his retreat, and running the
ships on ground; so as nothing can be worse spoken of.  That Holmes,
Spragg, and Smith do all the business, and the old and wiser commanders
nothing.  So as Sir Thomas Teddiman (whom the King and all the world speak
well of) is mightily discontented, as being wholly slighted. He says we
lost more after the Prince come, than before too.  The Prince was so
maimed, as to be forced to be towed home.  He says all the fleete confess
their being chased home by the Dutch; and yet the body of the Dutch that
did it, was not above forty sayle at most.  And yet this put us into the
fright, as to bring all our ships on ground.  He says, however, that the
Duke of Albemarle is as high almost as ever, and pleases himself to think
that he hath given the Dutch their bellies full, without sense of what he
hath lost us; and talks how he knows now the way to beat them.  But he
says, that even Smith himself, one of his creatures, did himself condemn
the late conduct from the beginning to the end.  He tells me further, how
the Duke of Yorke is wholly given up to his new mistresse, my Lady Denham,
going at noon-day with all his gentlemen with him to visit her in Scotland
Yard; she declaring she will not be his mistresse, as Mrs. Price, to go up
and down the Privy-stairs, but will be owned publicly; and so she is.  Mr.
Bruncker, it seems, was the pimp to bring it about, and my Lady
Castlemaine, who designs thereby to fortify herself by the Duke; there
being a falling-out the other day between the King and her: on this
occasion, the Queene, in ordinary talke before the ladies in her
drawing-room, did say to my Lady Castlemaine that she feared the King did
take cold, by staying so late abroad at her house.  She answered before
them all, that he did not stay so late abroad with her, for he went
betimes thence (though he do not before one, two, or three in the
morning), but must stay somewhere else.  The King then coming in and
overhearing, did whisper in the eare aside, and told her she was a bold
impertinent woman, and bid her to be gone out of the Court, and not come
again till he sent for, her; which she did presently, and went to a
lodging in the Pell Mell, and kept there two or three days, and then sent
to the King to know whether she might send for her things away out of her
house.  The King sent to her, she must first come and view them: and so
she come, and the King went to her, and all friends again.  He tells me
she did, in her anger, say she would be even with the King, and print his
letters to her.  So putting all together, we are and are like to be in a
sad condition.  We are endeavouring to raise money by borrowing it of the
City; but I do not think the City will lend a farthing.  By and by the
Council broke up, and I spoke with Sir W. Coventry about business, with
whom I doubt not in a little time to be mighty well, when I shall appear
to mind my business again as I used to do, which by the grace of God I
will do.  Gone from him I endeavoured to find out Sir G. Carteret, and at
last did at Mr. Ashburnham's, in the Old Palace Yarde, and thence he and I
stepped out and walked an houre in the church-yarde, under Henry the
Seventh's Chappell, he being lately come from the fleete; and tells me, as
I hear from every body else, that the management in the late fight was bad
from top to bottom.  That several said this would not have been if my Lord
Sandwich had had the ordering of it.  Nay, he tells me that certainly had
my Lord Sandwich had the misfortune to have done as they have done, the
King could not have saved him.  There is, too, nothing but discontent
among the officers; and all the old experienced men are slighted.  He
tells me to my question (but as a great secret), that the dividing of the
fleete did proceed first from a proposition from the fleete, though agreed
to hence.  But he confesses it arose from want of due intelligence, which
he confesses we do want.  He do, however, call the fleete's retreat on
Sunday a very honourable retreat, and that the Duke of Albemarle did do
well in it, and would have been well if he had done it sooner, rather than
venture the loss of the fleete and crown, as he must have done if the
Prince had not come.  He was surprised when I told him I heard that the
King did intend to borrow some money of the City, and would know who had
spoke of it to me; I told him Sir Ellis Layton this afternoon.  He says it
is a dangerous discourse; for that the City certainly will not be invited
to do it, and then for the King to ask it and be denied, will be the
beginning of our sorrow.  He seems to fear we shall all fall to pieces
among ourselves. This evening we hear that Sir Christopher Mings is dead
of his late wounds; and Sir W. Coventry did commend him to me in a most
extraordinary manner.  But this day, after three days' trial in vain, and
the hazard of the spoiling of the ship in lying till next spring, besides
the disgrace of it, newes is brought that the Loyall London is launched at
Deptford. Having talked thus much with Sir G. Carteret we parted there,
and I home by water, taking in my boat with me young Michell and my Betty
his wife, meeting them accidentally going to look a boat.  I set them down
at the Old Swan and myself, went through bridge to the Tower, and so home,
and after supper to bed.

11th.  Up, and down by water to Sir W. Warren's (the first time I was in
his new house on the other side the water since he enlarged it) to
discourse about our lighters that he hath bought for me, and I hope to get
L100 by this jobb.  Having done with him I took boat again (being mightily
struck with a woman in a hat, a seaman's mother,--[Mother or mauther, a
wench.]--that stood on the key) and home, where at the office all the
morning with Sir W. Coventry and some others of our board hiring of
fireships, and Sir W. Coventry begins to see my pains again, which I do
begin to take, and I am proud of it, and I hope shall continue it.  He
gone, at noon I home to dinner, and after dinner my father and wife out to
the painter's to sit again, and I, with my Lady Pen and her daughter, to
see Harman; whom we find lame in bed.  His bones of his anckle are broke,
but he hopes to do well soon; and a fine person by his discourse he seems
to be and my hearty [friend]; and he did plainly tell me that at the
Council of War before the fight, it was against his reason to begin the
fight then, and the reasons of most sober men there, the wind being such,
and we to windward, that they could not use their lower tier of guns,
which was a very sad thing for us to have the honour and weal of the
nation ventured so foolishly.  I left them there, and walked to Deptford,
reading in Walsingham's Manual, a very good book, and there met with Sir
W. Batten and my Lady at Uthwayt's.  Here I did much business and yet had
some little mirthe with my Lady, and anon we all come up together to our
office, where I was very late doing much business.  Late comes Sir J.
Bankes to see me, and tells me that coming up from Rochester he overtook
three or four hundred seamen, and he believes every day they come flocking
from the fleete in like numbers; which is a sad neglect there, when it
will be impossible to get others, and we have little reason to think that
these will return presently again.  He gone, I to end my letters to-night,
and then home to supper and to bed.

12th.  Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning.  At noon to
dinner, and then to White Hall in hopes of a meeting of Tangier about
Yeabsly's business, but it could not be obtained, Sir G. Carteret nor Sir
W. Coventry being able to be there, which still vexes [me] to see the poor
man forced still to attend, as also being desirous to see what my profit
is, and get it.  Walking here in the galleries I find the Ladies of Honour
dressed in their riding garbs, with coats and doublets with deep skirts,
just for all the world like mine, and buttoned their doublets up the
breast, with perriwigs and with hats; so that, only for a long petticoat
dragging under their men's coats, nobody could take them for women in any
point whatever; which was an odde sight, and a sight did not please me.
It was Mrs. Wells and another fine lady that I saw thus. Thence down by
water to Deptford, and there late seeing some things dispatched down to
the fleete, and so home (thinking indeed to have met with Bagwell, but I
did not) to write my letters very late, and so to supper and to bed.

13th.  Up, and by coach to St. James's, and there did our business before
the Duke as usual, having, before the Duke come out of his bed, walked in
an ante-chamber with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me there are great jarrs
between the Duke of Yorke and the Duke of Albemarle, about the later's
turning out one or two of the commanders put in by the Duke of Yorke.
Among others, Captain Du Tell, a Frenchman, put in by the Duke of Yorke,
and mightily defended by him; and is therein led by Monsieur Blancford,
that it seems hath the same command over the Duke of Yorke as Sir W.
Coventry hath; which raises ill blood between them.  And I do in several
little things observe that Sir W. Coventry hath of late, by the by,
reflected on the Duke of Albemarle and his captains, particularly in that
of old Teddiman, who did deserve to be turned out this fight, and was so;
but I heard Sir W. Coventry say that the Duke of Albemarle put in one as
bad as he is in his room, and one that did as little.  After we had done
with the Duke of Yorke, I with others to White Hall, there to attend again
a Committee of Tangier, but there was none, which vexed me to the heart,
and makes me mighty doubtfull that when we have one, it will be prejudiced
against poor Yeabsly and to my great disadvantage thereby, my Lord
Peterborough making it his business, I perceive (whether in spite to me,
whom he cannot but smell to be a friend to it, or to my Lord Ashly, I know
not), to obstruct it, and seems to take delight in disappointing of us;
but I shall be revenged of him.  Here I staid a very great while, almost
till noon, and then meeting Balty I took him with me, and to Westminster
to the Exchequer about breaking of two tallys of L2000 each into smaller
tallys, which I have been endeavouring a good while, but to my trouble it
will not, I fear, be done, though there be no reason against it, but only
a little trouble to the clerks; but it is nothing to me of real profit at
all.  Thence with Balty to Hales's by coach, it being the seventh day from
my making my late oathes, and by them I am at liberty to dispense with any
of my oathes every seventh day after I had for the six days before going
performed all my vowes.  Here I find my father's picture begun, and so
much to my content, that it joys my very heart to thinke that I should
have his picture so well done; who, besides that he is my father, and a
man that loves me, and hath ever done so, is also, at this day, one of the
most carefull and innocent men, in the world.  Thence with mighty content
homeward, and in my way at the Stockes did buy a couple of lobsters, and
so home to dinner, where I find my wife and father had dined, and were
going out to Hales's to sit there, so Balty and I alone to dinner, and in
the middle of my grace, praying for a blessing upon (these his good
creatures), my mind fell upon my lobsters: upon which I cried, Odd zooks!
and Balty looked upon me like a man at a losse what I meant, thinking at
first that I meant only that I had said the grace after meat instead of
that before meat.  But then I cried, what is become of my lobsters?
Whereupon he run out of doors to overtake the coach, but could not, so
came back again, and mighty merry at dinner to thinke of my surprize.
After dinner to the Excise Office by appointment, and there find my Lord
Bellasses and the Commissioners, and by and by the whole company come to
dispute the business of our running so far behindhand there, and did come
to a good issue in it, that is to say, to resolve upon having the debt due
to us, and the Household and the Guards from the Excise stated, and so we
shall come to know the worst of our condition and endeavour for some helpe
from my Lord Treasurer.  Thence home, and put off Balty, and so, being
invited, to Sir Christopher Mings's funeral, but find them gone to church.
However I into the church (which is a fair, large church, and a great
chappell) and there heard the service, and staid till they buried him, and
then out.  And there met with Sir W. Coventry (who was there out of great
generosity, and no person of quality there but he) and went with him into
his coach, and being in it with him there happened this extraordinary
case, one of the most romantique that ever I heard of in my life, and
could not have believed, but that I did see it; which was this:--About a
dozen able, lusty, proper men come to the coach-side with tears in their
eyes, and one of them that spoke for the rest begun and says to Sir W.
Coventry, "We are here a dozen of us that have long known and loved, and
served our dead commander, Sir Christopher Mings, and have now done the
last office of laying him in the ground.  We would be glad we had any
other to offer after him, and in revenge of him.  All we have is our
lives; if you will please to get His Royal Highness to give us a fireship
among us all, here is a dozen of us, out of all which choose you one to be
commander, and the rest of us, whoever he is, will serve him; and, if
possible, do that that shall show our memory of our dead commander, and
our revenge."  Sir W. Coventry was herewith much moved (as well as I, who
could hardly abstain from weeping), and took their names, and so parted;
telling me that he would move His Royal Highness as in a thing very
extraordinary, which was done.  Thereon see the next day in this book.  So
we parted. The truth is, Sir Christopher Mings was a very stout man, and a
man of great parts, and most excellent tongue among ordinary men; and as
Sir W. Coventry says, could have been the most useful man at such a pinch
of time as this.  He was come into great renowne here at home, and more
abroad in the West Indys.  He had brought his family into a way of being
great; but dying at this time, his memory and name (his father being
always and at this day a shoemaker, and his mother a Hoyman's daughter; of
which he was used frequently to boast) will be quite forgot in a few
months as if he had never been, nor any of his name be the better by it;
he having not had time to will any estate, but is dead poor rather than
rich.  So we left the church and crowd, and I home (being set down on
Tower Hill), and there did a little business and then in the evening went
down by water to Deptford, it being very late, and there I staid out as
much time as I could, and then took boat again homeward, but the officers
being gone in, returned and walked to Mrs. Bagwell's house, and there (it
being by this time pretty dark and past ten o'clock) went into her house
and did what I would.  But I was not a little fearfull of what she told me
but now, which is, that her servant was dead of the plague, that her
coming to me yesterday was the first day of her coming forth, and that she
had new whitened the house all below stairs, but that above stairs they
are not so fit for me to go up to, they being not so.  So I parted thence,
with a very good will, but very civil, and away to the waterside, and sent
for a pint of sacke and so home, drank what I would and gave the waterman
the rest; and so adieu.  Home about twelve at night, and so to bed,
finding most of my people gone to bed.  In my way home I called on a
fisherman and bought three eeles, which cost me three shillings.

14th.  Up, and to the office, and there sat all the morning.  At noon
dined at home, and thence with my wife and father to Hales's, and there
looked only on my father's picture (which is mighty like); and so away to
White Hall to a committee for Tangier, where the Duke of York was, and Sir
W. Coventry, and a very full committee; and instead of having a very
prejudiced meeting, they did, though indeed inclined against Yeabsly,
yield to the greatest part of his account, so as to allow of his demands
to the value of L7,000 and more, and only give time for him to make good
his pretence to the rest; which was mighty joy to me: and so we rose up.
But I must observe the force of money, which did make my Lord Ashly to
argue and behave himself in the business with the greatest friendship, and
yet with all the discretion imaginable; and [it] will be a business of
admonition and instruction to me concerning him (and other men, too, for
aught I know) as long as I live.  Thence took Creed with some kind of
violence and some hard words between us to St. James's, to have found out
Sir W. Coventry to have signed the order for his payment among others that
did stay on purpose to do it (and which is strange among the rest my Lord
Ashly, who did cause Creed to write it presently and kept two or three of
them with him by cunning to stay and sign it), but Creed's ill nature
(though never so well bribed, as it hath lately in this case by twenty
pieces) will not be overcome from his usual delays.  Thence failing of
meeting Sir W. Coventry I took leave of Creed (very good friends) and away
home, and there took out my father, wife, sister, and Mercer our grand
Tour in the evening, and made it ten at night before we got home, only
drink at the doore at Islington at the Katherine Wheel, and so home and to
the office a little, and then to bed.

15th.  Up betimes, and to my Journall entries, but disturbed by many
businesses, among others by Mr. Houblon's coming to me about evening their
freight for Tangier, which I did, and then Mr. Bland, who presented me
yesterday with a very fine African mat, to lay upon the ground under a bed
of state, being the first fruits of our peace with Guyland.  So to the
office, and thither come my pretty widow Mrs. Burrows, poor woman, to get
her ticket paid for her husband's service, which I did her myself, and did
'baisser her moucher', and I do hope may thereafter have some day 'sa'
company.  Thence to Westminster to the Exchequer, but could not persuade
the blockheaded fellows to do what I desire, of breaking my great tallys
into less, notwithstanding my Lord Treasurer's order, which vexed [me] so
much that I would not bestow more time and trouble among a company of
dunces, and so back again home, and to dinner, whither Creed come and
dined with me and after dinner Mr. Moore, and he and I abroad, thinking to
go down the river together, but the tide being against me would not, but
returned and walked an houre in the garden, but, Lord! to hear how he
pleases himself in behalf of my Lord Sandwich, in the miscarriage of the
Duke of Albemarle, and do inveigh against Sir W. Coventry as a cunning
knave, but I thinke that without any manner of reason at all, but only his
passion.  He being gone I to my chamber at home to set my Journall right
and so to settle my Tangier accounts, which I did in very good order, and
then in the evening comes Mr. Yeabsly to reckon with me, which I did also,
and have above L200 profit therein to myself, which is a great blessing,
the God of heaven make me thankfull for it.  That being done, and my eyes
beginning to be sore with overmuch writing, I to supper and to bed.

16th.  Up betimes and to my office, and there we sat all the morning and
dispatched much business, the King, Duke of Yorke, and Sir W. Coventry
being gone down to the fleete.  At noon home to dinner and then down to
Woolwich and Deptford to look after things, my head akeing from the
multitude of businesses I had in my head yesterday in settling my
accounts.  All the way down and up, reading of "The Mayor of Quinborough,"
a simple play.  At Deptford, while I am there, comes Mr. Williamson, Sir
Arthur Ingram and Jacke Fen, to see the new ships, which they had done,
and then I with them home in their boat, and a very fine gentleman Mr.
Williamson is.  It seems the Dutch do mightily insult of their victory,
and they have great reason.

     [This treatment seems to have been that of the Dutch populace alone,
     and there does not appear to have been cause of complaint against
     the government.  Respecting Sir W. Berkeley's body the following
     notice was published in the "London Gazette" of July 15th, 1666 (No.
     69) "Whitehall, July 15.  This day arrived a trumpet from the States
     of Holland, who came over from Calais in the Dover packet-boat, with
     a letter to his Majesty, that the States have taken order for the
     embalming the body of Sir William Berkeley, which they have placed
     in the chapel of the great church at the Hague, a civility they
     profess to owe to his corpse, in respect to the quality of his
     person, the greatness of his command, and of the high courage and
     valour he showed in the late engagement; desiring his Majesty to
     signify his pleasure about the further disposal of it."  "Frederick
     Ruysch, the celebrated Dutch anatomist, undertook, by order of the
     States-General, to inject the body of the English Admiral Berkeley,
     killed in the sea-fight of 1666; and the body, already somewhat
     decomposed, was sent over to England as well prepared as if it had
     been the fresh corpse of a child.  This produced to Ruysch, on the
     part of the States-General, a recompense worthy of their liberality,
     and the merit of the anatomist," "James's Medical Dictionary."]

Sir William Barkeley was killed before his ship taken; and there he lies
dead in a sugar-chest, for every body to see, with his flag standing up by
him.  And Sir George Ascue is carried up and down the Hague for people to
see.  Home to my office, where late, and then to bed.

17th (Lord's day).  Being invited to Anthony Joyce's to dinner, my wife
and sister and Mercer and I walked out in the morning, it being fine
weather, to Christ Church, and there heard a silly sermon, but sat where
we saw one of the prettiest little boys with the prettiest mouth that ever
I saw in [my] life.  Thence to Joyce's, where William Joyce and his wife
were, and had a good dinner; but, Lord! how sicke was I of the company,
only hope I shall have no more of it a good while; but am invited to
Will's this week; and his wife, poor unhappy woman, cried to hear me say
that I could not be there, she thinking that I slight her: so they got me
to promise to come.  Thence my father and I walked to Gray's Inne Fields,
and there spent an houre or two walking and talking of several businesses;
first, as to his estate, he told me it produced about L80 per ann., but
then there goes L30 per. ann. taxes and other things, certain charge,
which I do promise to make good as far as this L30, at which the poor man
was overjoyed and wept.  As to Pall he tells me he is mightily satisfied
with Ensum, and so I promised to give her L500 presently, and to oblige
myself to 100 more on the birth of her first child, he insuring her in L10
per ann. for every L100, and in the meantime till she do marry I promise
to allow her L10 per ann.  Then as to John I tell him I will promise him
nothing, but will supply him as so much lent him, I declaring that I am
not pleased with him yet, and that when his degree is over I will send for
him up hither, and if he be good for any thing doubt not to get him
preferment.  This discourse ended to the joy of my father and no less to
me to see that I am able to do this, we return to Joyce's and there
wanting a coach to carry us home I walked out as far as the New Exchange
to find one, but could not.  So down to the Milke-house, and drank three
glasses of whay, and then up into the Strand again, and there met with a
coach, and so to Joyce's and took up my father, wife, sister, and Mercer,
and to Islington, where we drank, and then our tour by Hackney home,
where, after a little, business at my office and then talke with my Lady
and Pegg Pen in the garden, I home and to bed, being very weary.

18th.  Up betimes and in my chamber most of the morning setting things to
rights there, my Journall and accounts with my father and brother, then to
the office a little, and so to Lumbard Streete, to borrow a little money
upon a tally, but cannot.  Thence to the Exchequer, and there after much
wrangling got consent that I should have a great tally broken into little
ones.  Thence to Hales's to see how my father's picture goes on, which
pleases me mighty well, though I find again, as I did in Mrs. Pierce's,
that a picture may have more of a likeness in the first or second working
than it shall have when finished, though this is very well and to my full
content, but so it is, and certainly mine was not so like at the first,
second, or third sitting as it was afterward.  Thence to my Lord
Bellasses, by invitation, and there dined with him, and his lady and
daughter; and at dinner there played to us a young boy, lately come from
France, where he had been learning a yeare or two on the viallin, and
plays finely.  But impartially I do not find any goodnesse in their ayres
(though very good) beyond ours when played by the same hand, I observed in
several of Baptiste's'

     [Jean Baptiste Lulli, son of a Tuscan peasant, born 1633, died 1687.
     He invented the dramatic overture.  "But during the first years of
     Charles II. all musick affected by the beau mond run in the french
     way; and the rather because at that time the master of the court
     musick in France, whose name was Baptista (an Italian frenchifyed)
     had influenced the french style by infusing a great portion of the
     Italian harmony into it, whereby the ayre was exceedingly improved"
     (North's "Memoires of Musick," ed. Rimbault, 1846, p, 102).]

(the present great composer) and our Bannister's.  But it was pretty to
see how passionately my Lord's daughter loves musique, the most that ever
I saw creature in my life.  Thence after dinner home and to the office and
anon to Lumbard Streete again, where much talke at Colvill's, he censuring
the times, and how matters are ordered, and with reason enough; but, above
all, the thinking to borrow money of the City, which will not be done, but
be denied, they being little pleased with the King's affairs, and that
must breed differences between the King and the City. Thence down by water
to Deptford, to order things away to the fleete and back again, and after
some business at my office late home to supper and to bed.  Sir W.
Coventry is returned this night from the fleete, he being the activest man
in the world, and we all (myself particularly) more afeard of him than of
the King or his service, for aught I see; God forgive us!  This day the
great newes is come of the French, their taking the island of St.
Christopher's' from us; and it is to be feared they have done the like of
all those islands thereabouts this makes the city mad.

19th.  Up, and to my office, there to fit business against the rest meet,
which they did by and by, and sat late.  After the office rose (with Creed
with me) to Wm. Joyce's to dinner, being invited, and there find my father
and sister, my wife and Mercer, with them, almost dined.  I made myself as
complaisant as I could till I had dined, but yet much against my will, and
so away after dinner with Creed to Penny's, my Tailor, where I bespoke a
thin stuff suit, and did spend a little time evening some little accounts
with Creed and so parted, and I to Sir. G. Carteret's by appointment;
where I perceive by him the King is going to borrow some money of the
City; but I fear it will do no good, but hurt.  He tells me how the
Generall--[The Duke of Albemarle.]--is displeased, and there have been
some high words between the Generall and Sir W. Coventry.  And it may be
so; for I do not find Sir W. Coventry so highly commending the Duke as he
used to be, but letting fall now and then some little jerkes: as this day,
speaking of newes from Holland, he says, "I find their victory begins to
shrinke there, as well as ours here."  Here I met with Captain Cocke, and
he tells me that the first thing the Prince said to the King upon his
coming, was complaining of the Commissioners of the Navy; that they could
have been abroad in three or four days but for us; that we do not take
care of them which I am troubled at, and do fear may in violence break out
upon this office some time or other; for we shall not be able to carry on
the business.  Thence home, and at my business till late at night, then
with my wife into the garden and there sang with Mercer, whom I feel
myself begin to love too much by handling of her breasts in a' morning
when she dresses me, they being the finest that ever I saw in my life,
that is the truth of it.  So home and to supper with beans and bacon and
to bed.

20th.  Up, but in some pain of the collique.  I have of late taken too
much cold by washing my feet and going in a thin silke waistcoate, without
any other coate over it, and open-breasted, but I hope it will go over.  I
did this morning (my father being to go away to-morrow) give my father
some money to buy him a horse, and for other things to himself and my
mother and sister, among them L20, besides undertaking to pay for other
things for them to about L3, which the poor man takes with infinite
kindnesse, and I do not thinke I can bestow it better.  Thence by coach to
St. James's as usual to wait on the Duke of York, after having discoursed
with Collonell Fitzgerald, whom I met in my way and he returned with me to
Westminster, about paying him a sum of 700 and odd pounds, and he bids me
defalk L25 for myself,--[Abate from an amount.]--which is a very good
thing; having done with the Duke I to the Exchequer and there after much
ado do get my business quite over of the difficulty of breaking a great
tally into little ones and so shall have it done tomorrow.  Thence to the
Hall and with Mrs. Martin home and staid with her a while, and then away
to the Swan and sent for a bit of meat and dined there, and thence to
Faythorne, the picture-seller's, and there chose two or three good Cutts
to try to vernish, and so to Hales's to see my father's picture, which is
now near finished and is very good, and here I staid and took a nap of an
hour, thinking my father and wife would have come, but they did not; so I
away home as fast as I could, fearing lest my father this day going abroad
to see Mr. Honiwood at Major Russell's might meet with any trouble, and so
in great pain home; but to spite me, in Cheapside I met Mrs. Williams in a
coach, and she called me, so I must needs 'light and go along with her and
poor Knipp (who is so big as she can tumble and looks-every day to lie
down) as far as Paternoster Row, which I did do and there staid in
Bennett's shop with them, and was fearfull lest the people of the shop,
knowing me, should aske after my father and give Mrs. Williams any
knowledge of me to my disgrace.  Having seen them done there and
accompanied them to Ludgate I 'light and into my owne coach and home,
where I find my father and wife had had no intent of coming at all to
Hales's.  So I at home all the evening doing business, and at night in the
garden (it having been these three or four days mighty hot weather)
singing in the evening, and then home to supper and to bed.

21st.  Up, and at the office all the morning; whereby several
circumstances I find Sir W. Coventry and the Duke of Albemarle do not
agree as they used to do; Sir W. Coventry commending Aylett (in some
reproach to the Duke), whom the Duke hath put out for want of courage; and
found fault with Steward, whom the Duke keeps in, though as much in fault
as any commander in the fleete.  At noon home to dinner, my father,
sister, and wife dining at Sarah Giles's, poor woman, where I should have
been, but my pride would not suffer me.  After dinner to Mr. Debasty's to
speake with Sir Robert Viner, a fine house and a great many fine ladies.
He used me mighty civilly.  My business was to set the matter right about
the letter of credit he did give my Lord Belassis, that I may take up the
tallys lodged with Viner for his security in the answering of my Lord's
bills, which we did set right very well, and Sir Robert Viner went home
with me and did give me the L5000 tallys presently.  Here at Mr. Debasty's
I saw, in a gold frame, a picture of a Outer playing on his flute which,
for a good while, I took for paynting, but at last observed it a piece of
tapestry, and is the finest that ever I saw in my life for figures, and
good natural colours, and a very fine thing it is indeed. So home and met
Sir George Smith by the way, who tells me that this day my Lord Chancellor
and some of the Court have been with the City, and the City have voted to
lend the King L100,000; which, if soon paid (as he says he believes it
will), will be a greater service than I did ever expect at this time from
the City.  So home to my letters and then with my wife in the garden, and
then upon our leades singing in the evening and so to supper (while at
supper comes young Michell, whose wife I love, little Betty Howlet, to get
my favour about a ticket, and I am glad of this occasion of obliging him
and give occasion of his coming to me, for I must be better acquainted
with him and her), and after supper to bed.

22nd.  Up, and before I went out Mr. Peter Barr sent me a tierce of
claret, which is very welcome.  And so abroad down the river to Deptford
and there did some business, and then to Westminster, and there did with
much ado get my tallys (my small ones instead of one great one of L2,000),
and so away home and there all day upon my Tangier accounts with Creed,
and, he being gone, with myself, in settling other accounts till past
twelve at night, and then every body being in bed, I to bed, my father,
wife, and sister late abroad upon the water, and Mercer being gone to her
mother's and staid so long she could not get into the office, which vexed
me.

23rd.  My father and sister very betimes took their leave; and my wife,
with all possible kindnesse, went with them to the coach, I being mightily
pleased with their company thus long, and my father with his being here,
and it rejoices my heart that I am in condition to do any thing to comfort
him, and could, were it not for my mother, have been contented he should
have stayed always here with me, he is such innocent company.  They being
gone, I to my papers, but vexed at what I heard but a little of this
morning, before my wife went out, that Mercer and she fell out last night,
and that the girle is gone home to her mother's for all-together: This
troubles me, though perhaps it may be an ease to me of so much charge.
But I love the girle, and another we must be forced to keepe I do foresee
and then shall be sorry to part with her.  At the office all the morning,
much disquiett in my mind in the middle of my business about this girle.
Home at noon to dinner, and what with the going away of my father today
and the losse of Mercer, I after dinner went up to my chamber and there
could have cried to myself, had not people come to me about business.  In
the evening down to Tower Wharfe thinking to go by water, but could not
get watermen; they being now so scarce, by reason of the great presse; so
to the Custome House, and there, with great threats, got a couple to carry
me down to Deptford, all the way reading Pompey the Great (a play
translated from the French by several noble persons; among others, my Lord
Buckhurst), that to me is but a mean play, and the words and sense not
very extraordinary.  From Deptford I walked to Redriffe, and in my way was
overtaken by Bagwell, lately come from sea in the Providence, who did give
me an account of several particulars in the late fight, and how his ship
was deserted basely by the York, Captain Swanly, commander.  So I home and
there after writing my letters home to supper and to bed, fully resolved
to rise betimes, and go down the river to-morrow morning, being vexed this
night to find none of the officers in the yarde at 7 at night, nor any
body concerned as if it were a Dutch warr.  It seems Mercer's mother was
here in the morning to speak with my wife, but my wife would not.  In the
afternoon I and my wife in writing did instruct W. Hewer in some discourse
to her, and she in the evening did come and satisfy my wife, and by and by
Mercer did come, which I was mighty glad of and eased of much pain about
her.

24th.  Sunday.  Midsummer Day.  Up, but, being weary the last night, not
so soon as I intended.  Then being dressed, down by water to Deptford, and
there did a great deale of business, being in a mighty hurry, Sir W.
Coventry writing to me that there was some thoughts that the Dutch fleete
were out or coming out.  Business being done in providing for the carrying
down of some provisions to the fleete, I away back home and after dinner
by water to White Hall, and there waited till the councill rose, in the
boarded gallery, and there among other things I hear that Sir Francis
Prujean is dead, after being married to a widow about a yeare or
thereabouts.  He died very rich, and had, for the last yeare, lived very
handsomely, his lady bringing him to it.  He was no great painstaker in
person, yet died very rich; and, as Dr. Clerke says, was of a very great
judgment, but hath writ nothing to leave his name to posterity.  In the
gallery among others met with Major Halsey, a great creature of the Duke
of Albemarle's; who tells me that the Duke, by name, hath said that he
expected to have the worke here up in the River done, having left Sir W.
Batten and Mr. Phipps there.  He says that the Duke of Albemarle do say
that this is a victory we have had, having, as he was sure, killed them
8000 men, and sunk about fourteen of their ships; but nothing like this
appears true.  He lays much of the little success we had, however, upon
the fleete's being divided by order from above, and the want of spirit in
the commanders; and that he was commanded by order to go out of the Downes
to the Gun-fleete, and in the way meeting the Dutch fleete, what should he
do?  should he not fight them?  especially having beat them heretofore at
as great disadvantage.  He tells me further, that having been downe with
the Duke of Albemarle, he finds that Holmes and Spragge do govern most
business of the Navy; and by others I understand that Sir Thomas Allen is
offended thereat; that he is not so much advised with as he ought to be.
He tells me also, as he says, of his own knowledge, that several people
before the Duke went out did offer to supply the King with L100,000
provided he would be treasurer of it, to see it laid out for the Navy;
which he refused, and so it died.  But I believe none of this.  This day I
saw my Lady Falmouth, with whom I remember now I have dined at my Lord
Barkeley's heretofore, a pretty woman: she was now in her second or third
mourning, and pretty pleasant in her looks.  By and by the Council rises,
and Sir W. Coventry comes out; and he and I went aside, and discoursed of
much business of the Navy; and afterwards took his coach, and to
Hide-Parke, he and I alone: there we had much talke.  First, he started a
discourse of a talke he hears about the towne, which, says he, is a very
bad one, and fit to be suppressed, if we knew how which is, the comparing
of the successe of the last year with that of this; saying that that was
good, and that bad. I was as sparing in speaking as I could, being jealous
of him and myself also, but wished it could be stopped; but said I doubted
it could not otherwise than by the fleete's being abroad again, and so
finding other worke for men's minds and discourse.  Then to discourse of
himself, saying, that he heard that he was under the lash of people's
discourse about the Prince's not having notice of the Dutch being out, and
for him to comeback again, nor the Duke of Albemarle notice that the
Prince was sent for back again: to which he told me very particularly how
careful he was the very same night that it was resolved to send for the
Prince back, to cause orders to be writ, and waked the Duke, who was then
in bed, to sign them; and that they went by expresse that very night,
being the Wednesday night before the fight, which begun on the Friday; and
that for sending them by the post expresse, and not by gentlemen on
purpose, he made a sport of it, and said, I knew of none to send it with,
but would at least have lost more time in fitting themselves out, than any
diligence of theirs beyond that of the ordinary post would have recovered.
I told him that this was not so much the towne talke as the reason of
dividing the fleete.  To this he told me he ought not to say much; but did
assure me in general that the proposition did first come from the fleete,
and the resolution not being prosecuted with orders so soon as the
Generall thought fit, the Generall did send Sir Edward Spragge up on
purpose for them; and that there was nothing in the whole business which
was not done with the full consent and advice of the Duke of Albemarle.

But he did adde (as the Catholiques call 'le secret de la Masse'), that
Sir Edward Spragge--who had even in Sir Christopher Mings's time put in to
be the great favourite of the Prince, but much more now had a mind to be
the great man with him, and to that end had a mind to have the Prince at a
distance from the Duke of Albemarle, that they might be doing something
alone--did, as he believed, put on this business of dividing the fleete,
and that thence it came.

     [This division of the fleet was the original cause of the disaster,
     and at a later period the enemies of Clarendon charged him with
     having advised this action, but Coventry's communication to Pepys in
     the text completely exonerates Clarendon.]

He tells me as to the business of intelligence, the want whereof the world
did complain much of, that for that it was not his business, and as he was
therefore to have no share in the blame, so he would not meddle to lay it
any where else.  That de Ruyter was ordered by the States not to make it
his business to come into much danger, but to preserve himself as much as
was fit out of harm's way, to be able to direct the fleete.  He do, I
perceive, with some violence, forbear saying any thing to the reproach of
the Duke of Albemarle; but, contrarily, speaks much of his courage; but I
do as plainly see that he do not like the Duke of Albemarle's proceedings,
but, contrarily, is displeased therewith.  And he do plainly diminish the
commanders put in by the Duke, and do lessen the miscarriages of any that
have been removed by him.  He concurs with me, that the next bout will be
a fatal one to one side or other, because, if we be beaten, we shall not
be able to set out our fleete again.  He do confess with me that the
hearts of our seamen are much saddened; and for that reason, among others,
wishes Sir Christopher Mings was alive, who might inspire courage and
spirit into them.  Speaking of Holmes, how great a man he is, and that he
do for the present, and hath done all the voyage, kept himself in good
order and within bounds; but, says he, a cat will be a cat still, and some
time or other out his humour must break again.  He do not disowne but that
the dividing of the fleete upon the presumptions that were then had
(which, I suppose, was the French fleete being come this way), was a good
resolution.  Having had all this discourse, he and I back to White Hall;
and there I left him, being [in] a little doubt whether I had behaved
myself in my discourse with the policy and circumspection which ought to
be used to so great a courtier as he is, and so wise and factious a man,
and by water home, and so, after supper, to bed.

25th.  Up, and all the morning at my Tangier accounts, which the chopping
and changing of my tallys make mighty troublesome; but, however, I did end
them with great satisfaction to myself.  At noon, without staying to eat
my dinner, I down by water to Deptford, and there coming find Sir W.
Batten and Sir Jeremy Smith (whom the dispatch of the Loyall London
detained) at dinner at Greenwich at the Beare Taverne, and thither I to
them and there dined with them.  Very good company of strangers there was,
but I took no great pleasure among them, being desirous to be back again.
So got them to rise as soon as I could, having told them the newes Sir W.
Coventry just now wrote me to tell them, which is, that the Dutch are
certainly come out.  I did much business at Deptford, and so home, by an
old poor man, a sculler, having no oares to be got, and all this day on
the water entertained myself with the play of Commenius, and being come
home did go out to Aldgate, there to be overtaken by Mrs. Margot Pen in
her father's coach, and my wife and Mercer with her, and Mrs. Pen carried
us to two gardens at Hackny, (which I every day grow more and more in love
with,) Mr. Drake's one, where the garden is good, and house and the
prospect admirable; the other my Lord Brooke's, where the gardens are much
better, but the house not so good, nor the prospect good at all.  But the
gardens are excellent; and here I first saw oranges grow: some green, some
half, some a quarter, and some full ripe, on the same tree, and one fruit
of the same tree do come a year or two after the other.  I pulled off a
little one by stealth (the man being mighty curious of them) and eat it,
and it was just as other little green small oranges are; as big as half
the end of my little finger.  Here were also great variety of other
exotique plants, and several labarinths, and a pretty aviary.  Having done
there with very great pleasure we away back again, and called at the
Taverne in Hackny by the church, and there drank and eate, and so in the
Goole of the evening home.  This being the first day of my putting on my
black stuff bombazin suit, and I hope to feel no inconvenience by it, the
weather being extremely hot.  So home and to bed, and this night the first
night of my lying without a waistcoat, which I hope I shall very well
endure.  So to bed.  This morning I did with great pleasure hear Mr.
Caesar play some good things on his lute, while he come to teach my boy
Tom, and I did give him 40s. for his encouragement.

26th.  Up and to my office betimes, and there all the morning, very busy
to get out the fleete, the Dutch being now for certain out, and we shall
not, we thinke, be much behindhand with them.  At noon to the 'Change
about business, and so home to dinner, and after dinner to the setting my
Journall to rights, and so to the office again, where all the afternoon
full of business, and there till night, that my eyes were sore, that I
could not write no longer.  Then into the garden, then my wife and Mercer
and my Lady Yen and her daughter with us, and here we sung in the darke
very finely half an houre, and so home to supper and to bed.  This
afternoon, after a long drowth, we had a good shower of rain, but it will
not signify much if no more come.  This day in the morning come Mr.
Chichly to Sir W. Coventry, to tell him the ill successe of the guns made
for the Loyall London; which is, that in the trial every one of the great
guns, the whole cannon of seven (as I take it), broke in pieces, which is
a strange mishap, and that which will give more occasion to people's
discourse of the King's business being done ill.  This night Mary my
cookemayde, that hath been with us about three months, but find herself
not able to do my worke, so is gone with great kindnesse away, and another
(Luce) come, very ugly and plaine, but may be a good servant for all that.

27th.  Up, and to my office awhile, and then down the river a little way
to see vessels ready for the carrying down of 400 land soldiers to the
fleete.  Then back to the office for my papers, and so to St. James's,
where we did our usual attendance on the Duke.  Having done with him, we
all of us down to Sir W. Coventry's chamber (where I saw his father my
Lord Coventry's picture hung up, done by Stone, who then brought it home.
It is a good picture, drawn in his judge's robes, and the great seale by
him.  And while it was hanging up, "This," says Sir W. Coventry, merrily,
"is the use we make of our fathers,") to discourse about the proposition
of serving us with hempe, delivered in by my Lord Brouncker as from an
unknown person, though I know it to be Captain Cocke's.  My Lord and Sir
William Coventry had some earnest words about it, the one promoting it for
his private ends, being, as Cocke tells me himself, to have L500 if the
bargain goes on, and I am to have as much, and the other opposing it for
the unseasonableness of it, not knowing at all whose the proposition is,
which seems the more ingenious of the two.  I sat by and said nothing,
being no great friend to the proposition, though Cocke intends me a
convenience by it.  But what I observed most from the discourse was this
of Sir W. Coventry, that he do look upon ourselves in a desperate
condition.  The issue of all standing upon this one point, that by the
next fight, if we beat, the Dutch will certainly be content to take eggs
for their money (that was his expression); or if we be beaten, we must be
contented to make peace, and glad if we can have it without paying too
dear for it.  And withall we do rely wholly upon the Parliament's giving
us more money the next sitting, or else we are undone.  Being gone hence,
I took coach to the Old Exchange, but did not go into it, but to Mr.
Cade's, the stationer, stood till the shower was over, it being a great
and welcome one after so much dry weather.  Here I understand that Ogleby
is putting out some new fables of his owne, which will be very fine and
very satyricall.  Thence home to dinner, and after dinner carried my wife
to her sister's and I to Mr. Hales's, to pay for my father's picture,
which cost me L10 the head and 25s. the frame.  Thence to Lovett's, who
has now done something towards the varnishing of single paper for the
making of books, which will do, I think, very well.  He did also carry me
to a Knight's chamber in Graye's Inne, where there is a frame of his
making, of counterfeite tortoise shell, which indeed is most excellently
done.  Then I took him with me to a picture shop to choose a print for him
to vernish, but did not agree for one then.  Thence to my wife to take her
up and so carried her home, and I at the office till late, and so to
supper with my wife and to bed.  I did this afternoon visit my Lord
Bellasses, who professes all imaginable satisfaction in me.  He spoke
dissatisfiedly with Creed, which I was pleased well enough with.  My Lord
is going down to his garrison to Hull, by the King's command, to put it in
order for fear of an invasion which course I perceive is taken upon the
sea-coasts round; for we have a real apprehension of the King of France's
invading us.

28th.  Up, and at the office all the morning.  At noon home to dinner, and
after dinner abroad to Lumbard Streete, there to reckon with Sir Robert
Viner for some money, and did sett all straight to my great content, and
so home, and all the afternoon and evening at the office, my mind full at
this time of getting my accounts over, and as much money in my hands as I
can, for a great turne is to be feared in the times, the French having
some great design (whatever it is) in hand, and our necessities on every
side very great.  The Dutch are now known to be out, and we may expect
them every houre upon our coast.  But our fleete is in pretty good
readinesse for them.

29th.  Up, and within doors most of the morning, sending a porter
(Sanders) up and down to several people to pay them money to clear my
month's debts every where, being mighty desirous to have all clear so soon
as I can, and to that end did so much in settling my Tangier accounts
clear.  At noon dined, having first been down at Deptford and did a little
business there and back again.  After dinner to White Hall to a Committee
of Tangier, but I come a little too late, they were up, so I to several
places about business, among others to Westminster Hall, and there did
meet with Betty Michell at her own mother's shop.  I would fain have
carried her home by water, but she was to sup at that end of the town.  So
I away to White Hall, and thence, the Council being up, walked to St.
James's, and there had much discourse with Sir W. Coventry at his chamber,
who I find quite weary of the warr, decries our having any warr at all, or
himself to have been any occasion of it, that he hopes this will make us
shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it, believes that one
overthrow on the Dutch side would make them desire peace, and that one on
ours will make us willing to accept of one: tells me that Commissioner
Pett is fallen infinitely under the displeasure of the Prince and Duke of
Albemarle, not giving them satisfaction in the getting out of the fleete,
and that the complaint he believes is come to the King, and by Sir W.
Coventry's discourse I find he do concur in it, and speaks of his having
of no authority in the place where he is, and I do believe at least it
will end in his being removed to some other yarde, and I am not sorry for
it, but do fear that though he deserves as bad, yet at this time the blame
may not be so well deserved.  Thence home and to the office; where I met
with a letter from Dover, which tells me (and it did come by expresse)
that newes is brought over by a gentleman from Callice that the Dutch
fleete, 130 sail, are come upon the French coast; and that the country is
bringing in picke-axes, and shovells, and wheel-barrows into Callice; that
there are 6,000 men armed with head, back, and breast (Frenchmen) ready to
go on board the Dutch fleete, and will be followed by 12,000 more.  That
they pretend they are to come to Dover; and that thereupon the Governor of
Dover Castle is getting the victuallers' provision out of the towne into
the Castle to secure it. But I do think this is a ridiculous conceit; but
a little time will show. At night home to supper and to bed,

30th.  Up, and to the office, and mightily troubled all this morning with
going to my Lord Mayor (Sir Thomas Bludworth,

     [As his conduct during the Great Fire fully proved, when he is said
     to have boasted that he would extinguish the flames by the same
     means to which Swift tells us Gulliver had recourse at Lilliput.--B.]

a silly man, I think), and other places, about getting shipped some men
that they have these two last nights pressed in the City out of houses:
the persons wholly unfit for sea, and many of them people of very good
fashion, which is a shame to think of, and carried to Bridewell they are,
yet without being impressed with money legally as they ought to be.  But
to see how the King's business is done; my Lord Mayor himself did scruple
at this time of extremity to do this thing, because he had not money to
pay the pressed-money to the men, he told me so himself; nor to take up
boats to carry them down through bridge to the ships I had prepared to
carry them down in; insomuch that I was forced to promise to be his
paymaster, and he did send his City Remembrancer afterwards to the office,
and at the table, in the face of the officers, I did there out of my owne
purse disburse L15 to pay for their pressing and diet last night and this
morning; which is a thing worth record of my Lord Mayor.  Busy about this
all the morning, at noon dined and then to the office again, and all the
afternoon till twelve at night full of this business and others, and among
these others about the getting off men pressed by our officers of the
fleete into the service; even our owne men that are at the office, and the
boats that carry us.  So that it is now become impossible to have so much
as a letter carried from place to place, or any message done for us: nay,
out of Victualling ships full loaden to go down to the fleete, and out of
the vessels of the officers of the Ordnance, they press men, so that for
want of discipline in this respect I do fear all will be undone.  Vexed
with these things, but eased in mind by my ridding of a great deale of
business from the office, I late home to supper and to bed.  But before I
was in bed, while I was undressing myself, our new ugly mayde, Luce, had
like to have broke her necke in the darke, going down our upper stairs;
but, which I was glad of, the poor girle did only bruise her head, but at
first did lie on the ground groaning and drawing her breath, like one
a-dying.  This month I end in much hurry of business, but in much more
trouble in mind to thinke what will become of publique businesses, having
so many enemys abroad, and neither force nor money at all, and but little
courage for ourselves, it being really true that the spirits of our seamen
and commanders too are really broke by the last defeate with the Dutch,
and this is not my conjecture only, but the real and serious thoughts of
Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry, whom I have at distinct times heard
the same thing come from with a great deale of grief and trouble.  But,
lastly, I am providing against a foule day to get as much money into my
hands as I can, at least out of the publique hands, that so, if a turne,
which I fear, do come, I may have a little to trust to.  I pray God give
me good successe in my choice how to dispose of what little I have, that I
may not take it out of publique hands, and put it into worse.



     ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

     A cat will be a cat still
     And if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone
     Apprehension of the King of France's invading us
     As very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body
     Baited at Islington, and so late home about 11 at night
     Called at a little ale-house, and had an eele pye
     Checking her last night in the coach in her long stories
     Foretelling the draught of water of a ship before she be launche
     Great deale of tittle tattle discourse to little purpose
     He is such innocent company
     Here I first saw oranges grow
     I do not value her, or mind her as I ought
     I to bed even by daylight
     Long petticoat dragging under their men's coats
     Mightily pleased with myself for the business that I have done
     Mightily vexed at my being abroad with these women
     Never fought with worse officers in his life
     Not being well pleased with her over free and loose company
     Now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down
     Out also to and fro, to see and be seen
     Providing against a foule day to get as much money into my hands
     Rejoiced over head and ears in this good newes
     Requisite I be prepared against the man's friendship
     Sang till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure
     Send up and down for a nurse to take the girle home
     Shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it
     So back again home to supper and to bed with great pleasure
     So home and to supper with beans and bacon and to bed
     That I may look as a man minding business
     There did what I would with her
     There did what 'je voudrais avec' her .  .  .  .
     Think that we are beaten in every respect
     This is the use we make of our fathers
     Took him home the money, and, though much to my grief
     Unless my too-much addiction to pleasure undo me
     What itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's wife
     Young man play the foole upon the doctrine of purgatory





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