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Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 45: August/September 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.
AUGUST & SEPTEMBER
1666
August 1st. Up betimes to the settling of my last month's accounts, and I
bless God I find them very clear, and that I am worth L5700, the most that
ever my book did yet make out. So prepared to attend the Duke of Yorke as
usual, but Sir W. Pen, just as I was going out, comes home from
Sheernesse, and held me in discourse about publique business, till I come
by coach too late to St. James's, and there find that every thing stood
still, and nothing done for want of me. Thence walked over the Parke with
Sir W. Coventry, who I clearly see is not thoroughly pleased with the late
management of the fight, nor with any thing that the Generalls do; only is
glad to hear that De Ruyter is out of favour, and that this fight hath
cost them 5,000 men, as they themselves do report. And it is a strange
thing, as he observes, how now and then the slaughter runs on one hand;
there being 5,000 killed on theirs, and not above 400 or 500 killed and
wounded on ours, and as many flag-officers on theirs as ordinary captains
in ours; there being Everson, and the Admiral and Vice-Admiral of
Freezeland on theirs, and Seamour, Martin, and-----, on ours. I left him
going to Chappell, it being the common fast day, and the Duke of York at
Chappell. And I to Mrs. Martin's, but she abroad, so I sauntered to or
again to the Abbey, and then to the parish church, fearfull of being seen
to do so, and so after the parish church was ended, I to the Swan and
there dined upon a rabbit, and after dinner to Mrs. Martin's, and there
find Mrs. Burroughs, and by and by comes a pretty widow, one Mrs.
Eastwood, and one Mrs. Fenton, a maid; and here merry kissing and looking
on their breasts, and all the innocent pleasure in the world. But, Lord!
to see the dissembling of this widow, how upon the singing of a certain
jigg by Doll, Mrs. Martin's sister, she seemed to be sick and fainted and
God knows what, because the jigg, which her husband (who died this last
sickness) loved. But by and by I made her as merry as is possible, and
towzed and tumbled her as I pleased, and then carried her and her sober
pretty kinswoman Mrs. Fenton home to their lodgings in the new market of
my Lord Treasurer's, and there left them. Mightily pleased with this
afternoon's mirth, but in great pain to ride in a coach with them, for
fear of being seen. So home, and there much pleased with my wife's
drawing today in her pictures, and so to supper and to bed very pleasant.
2nd. [Up] and to the office, where we sat, and in discourse at the table
with Sir W. Batten, I was obliged to tell him it was an untruth, which did
displease him mightily, and parted at noon very angry with me. At home
find Lovett, who brought me some papers varnished, and showed me my
crucifix, which will be very fine when done. He dined with me and Balty's
wife, who is in great pain for her husband, not hearing of him since the
fight; but I understand he was not in it, going hence too late, and I am
glad of it. Thence to the office, and thither comes to me Creed, and he
and I walked a good while, and then to the victualling office together,
and there with Mr. Gawden I did much business, and so away with Creed
again, and by coach to see my Lord Bruncker, who it seems was not well
yesterday, but being come thither, I find his coach ready to carry him
abroad, but Tom, his footman, whatever the matter was, was lothe to desire
me to come in, but I walked a great while in the Piatza till I was going
away, but by and by my Lord himself comes down and coldly received me. So
I soon parted, having enough for my over officious folly in troubling
myself to visit him, and I am apt to think that he was fearfull that my
coming was out of design to see how he spent his time [rather] than to
enquire after his health. So parted, and I with Creed down to the New
Exchange Stairs, and there I took water, and he parted, so home, and then
down to Woolwich, reading and making an end of the "Rival Ladys," and find
it a very pretty play. At Woolwich, it being now night, I find my wife
and Mercer, and Mr. Batelier and Mary there, and a supper getting ready.
So I staid, in some pain, it being late, and post night. So supped and
merrily home, but it was twelve at night first. However, sent away some
letters, and home to bed.
3rd. Up and to the office, where Sir W. Batten and I sat to contract for
some fire-ships. I there close all the morning. At noon home to dinner,
and then abroad to Sir Philip Warwicke's at White Hall about Tangier one
quarter tallys, and there had some serious discourse touching money, and
the case of the Navy, wherein all I could get of him was that we had the
full understanding of the treasure as much as my Lord Treasurer himself,
and knew what he can do, and that whatever our case is, more money cannot
be got till the Parliament. So talked of getting an account ready as soon
as we could to give the Parliament, and so very melancholy parted. So I
back again, calling my wife at her sister's, from whose husband we do now
hear that he was safe this week, and going in a ship to the fleete from
the buoy of the Nore, where he has been all this while, the fleete being
gone before he got down. So home, and busy till night, and then to Sir W.
Pen, with my wife, to sit and chat, and a small supper, and home to bed.
The death of Everson, and the report of our success, beyond expectation,
in the killing of so great a number of men, hath raised the estimation of
the late victory considerably; but it is only among fools: for all that
was but accidental. But this morning, getting Sir .W. Pen to read over
the Narrative with me, he did sparingly, yet plainly, say that we might
have intercepted their Zealand squadron coming home, if we had done our
parts; and more, that we might have spooned before the wind as well as
they, and have overtaken their ships in the pursuite, in all the while.
[To spoom, or spoon, is to go right before the wind, without any
sail. Sea Dictionary. Dryden uses the word
"When virtue spooms before a prosperous gale,
My heaving wishes help to fill the sail."
Hind and Panther, iii. 96.]
4th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and, at noon to
dinner, and Mr. Cooke dined with us, who is lately come from
Hinchingbroke, [Lord Hinchingbrooke] who is also come to town: The family
all well. Then I to the office, where very busy to state to Mr. Coventry
the account of the victuals of the fleete, and late at it, and then home
to supper and to bed. This evening, Sir W. Pen come into the garden, and
walked with me, and told me that he had certain notice that at Flushing
they are in great distraction. De Ruyter dares not come on shore for fear
of the people; nor any body open their houses or shops for fear of the
tumult: which is a every good hearing.
5th. (Lord's day). Up, and down to the Old Swan, and there called Betty
Michell and her husband, and had two or three a long salutes from her out
of sight of 'su mari', which pleased me mightily, and so carried them by
water to West minster, and I to St. James's, and there had a meeting
before the Duke of Yorke, complaining of want of money, but nothing done
to any purpose, for want we shall, so that now our advices to him signify
nothing. Here Sir W. Coventry did acquaint the Duke of Yorke how the
world do discourse of the ill method of our books, and that we would
consider how to answer any enquiry which shall be made after our practice
therein, which will I think concern the Controller most, but I shall make
it a memento to myself. Thence walked to the Parish Church to have one
look upon Betty Michell, and so away homeward by water, and landed to go
to the church, where, I believe, Mrs. Horsely goes, by Merchant-tailors'
Hall, and there I find in the pulpit Elborough, my old schoolfellow and a
simple rogue, and yet I find him preaching a very good sermon, and in as
right a parson-like manner, and in good manner too, as I have heard any
body; and the church very full, which is a surprising consideration; but I
did not see her. So home, and had a good dinner, and after dinner with
my wife, and Mercer, and Jane by water, all the afternoon up as high as
Morclaeke with great pleasure, and a fine day, reading over the second
part of the, "Siege of Rhodes," with great delight. We landed and walked
at Barne-elmes, and then at the Neat Houses I landed and bought a
millon,--[melon]--and we did also land and eat and drink at Wandsworth,
and so to the Old Swan, and thence walked home. It being a mighty fine
cool evening, and there being come, my wife and I spent an houre in the
garden, talking of our living in the country, when I shall be turned out
of the office, as I fear the Parliament may find faults enough with the
office to remove us all, and I am joyed to think in how good a condition I
am to retire thither, and have wherewith very well to subsist. Nan, at
Sir W. Pen's, lately married to one Markeham, a kinsman of Sir W. Pen's, a
pretty wench she is.
6th. Up, and to the office a while, and then by water to my Lady
Montagu's, at Westminster, and there visited my Lard Hinchingbroke, newly
come from Hinchingbroke, and find him a mighty sober gentleman, to my
great content. Thence to Sir Ph. Warwicke and my Lord Treasurer's, but
failed in my business; so home and in Fenchurch-streete met with Mr:
Battersby; says he, "Do you see Dan Rawlinson's door shut up?" (which I
did, and wondered). "Why," says he, "after all the sickness, and himself
spending all the last year in the country, one of his men is now dead of
the plague, and his wife and one of his mayds sicke, and himself shut up;"
which troubles me mightily. So home; and there do hear also from Mrs.
Sarah Daniel, that Greenwich is at this time much worse than ever it was,
and Deptford too: and she told us that they believed all the towne would
leave the towne and come to London; which is now the receptacle of all the
people from all infected places. God preserve us! So by and by to
dinner, and, after dinner in comes Mrs. Knipp, and I being at the office
went home to her, and there I sat and talked with her, it being the first
time of her being here since her being brought to bed. I very pleasant
with her; but perceive my wife hath no great pleasure in her being here,
she not being pleased with my kindnesse to her. However, we talked and
sang, and were very pleasant. By and by comes Mr. Pierce and his wife,
the first time she also hath been here since her lying-in, both having
been brought to bed of boys, and both of them dead. And here we talked,
and were pleasant, only my wife in a chagrin humour, she not being pleased
with my kindnesse to either of them, and by and by she fell into some
silly discourse wherein I checked her, which made her mighty pettish, and
discoursed mighty offensively to Mrs. Pierce, which did displease me, but
I would make no words, but put the discourse by as much as I could (it
being about a report that my wife said was made of herself and meant by
Mrs. Pierce, that she was grown a gallant, when she had but so few suits
of clothes these two or three years, and a great deale of that silly
discourse), and by and by Mrs. Pierce did tell her that such discourses
should not trouble her, for there went as bad on other people, and
particularly of herself at this end of the towne, meaning my wife, that
she was crooked, which was quite false, which my wife had the wit not to
acknowledge herself to be the speaker of, though she has said it twenty
times. But by this means we had little pleasure in their visit; however,
Knipp and I sang, and then I offered them to carry them home, and to take
my wife with me, but she would not go: so I with them, leaving my wife in
a very ill humour, and very slighting to them, which vexed me. However, I
would not be removed from my civility to them, but sent for a coach, and
went with them; and, in our way, Knipp saying that she come out of doors
without a dinner to us, I took them to Old Fish Streete, to the very house
and woman where I kept my wedding dinner, where I never was since, and
there I did give them a joie of salmon, and what else was to be had. And
here we talked of the ill-humour of my wife, which I did excuse as much as
I could, and they seemed to admit of it, but did both confess they
wondered at it; but from thence to other discourse, and among others to
that of my Lord Bruncker and Mrs. Williams, who it seems do speake mighty
hardly of me for my not treating them, and not giving her something to her
closett, and do speake worse of my wife, and dishonourably, but it is what
she do of all the world, though she be a whore herself; so I value it not.
But they told me how poorly my Lord carried himself the other day to his
kinswoman, Mrs. Howard, and was displeased because she called him uncle to
a little gentlewoman that is there with him, which he will not admit of;
for no relation is to be challenged from others to a lord, and did treat
her thereupon very rudely and ungenteely. Knipp tells me also that my
Lord keeps another woman besides Mrs. Williams; and that, when I was there
the other day, there was a great hubbub in the house, Mrs. Williams being
fallen sicke, because my Lord was gone to his other mistresse, making her
wait for him, till his return from the other mistresse; and a great deale
of do there was about it; and Mrs. Williams swounded at it, at the very
time when I was there and wondered at the reason of my being received so
negligently. I set them both at home, Knipp at her house, her husband
being at the doore; and glad she was to be found to have staid out so long
with me and Mrs. Pierce, and none else; and Mrs. Pierce at her house, and
am mightily pleased with the discretion of her during the simplicity and
offensiveness of my wife's discourse this afternoon. I perceive by the
new face at Mrs. Pierces door that our Mary is gone from her. So I home,
calling on W. Joyce in my coach, and staid and talked a little with him,
who is the same silly prating fellow that ever he was, and so home, and
there find my wife mightily out of order, and reproaching of Mrs. Pierce
and Knipp as wenches, and I know not what. But I did give her no words to
offend her, and quietly let all pass, and so to bed without any good looke
or words to or from my wife.
7th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and home to
dinner, and then to the office again, being pretty good friends with my
wife again, no angry words passed; but she finding fault with Mercer,
suspecting that it was she that must have told Mary, that must have told
her mistresse of my wife's saying that she was crooked. But the truth is,
she is jealous of my kindnesse to her. After dinner, to the office, and
did a great deale of business. In the evening comes Mr. Reeves, with a
twelve-foote glasse, so I left the office and home, where I met Mr.
Batelier with my wife, in order to our going to-morrow, by agreement, to
Bow to see a dancing meeting. But, Lord! to see how soon I could conceive
evil fears and thoughts concerning them; so Reeves and I and they up to
the top of the house, and there we endeavoured to see the moon, and
Saturne and Jupiter; but the heavens proved cloudy, and so we lost our
labour, having taken pains to get things together, in order to the
managing of our long glasse. So down to supper and then to bed, Reeves
lying at my house, but good discourse I had from him: in his own trade,
concerning glasses, and so all of us late to bed. I receive fresh
intelligence that Deptford and Greenwich are now afresh exceedingly
afflicted with the sickness more than ever.
8th. Up, and with Reeves walk as far as the Temple, doing some business
in my way at my bookseller's and elsewhere, and there parted, and I took
coach, having first discoursed with Mr. Hooke a little, whom we met in the
streete, about the nature of sounds, and he did make me understand the
nature of musicall sounds made by strings, mighty prettily; and told me
that having come to a certain number of vibrations proper to make any
tone, he is able to tell how many strokes a fly makes with her wings
(those flies that hum in their flying) by the note that it answers to in
musique during their flying. That, I suppose, is a little too much
refined; but his discourse in general of sound was mighty fine. There I
left them, and myself by coach to St. James's, where we attended with the
rest of my fellows on the Duke, whom I found with two or three patches
upon his nose and about his right eye, which come from his being struck
with the bough of a tree the other day in his hunting; and it is a wonder
it did not strike out his eye. After we had done our business with him,
which is now but little, the want of money being such as leaves us little
to do but to answer complaints of the want thereof, and nothing to offer
to the Duke, the representing of our want of money being now become
uselesse, I into the Park, and there I met with Mrs. Burroughs by
appointment, and did agree (after discoursing of some business of her's)
for her to meet me at New Exchange, while I by coach to my Lord
Treasurer's, and then called at the New Exchange, and thence carried her
by water to Parliament stayres, and I to the Exchequer about my Tangier
quarter tallys, and that done I took coach and to the west door of the
Abby, where she come to me, and I with her by coach to Lissen-greene where
we were last, and staid an hour or two before dinner could be got for us,
I in the meantime having much pleasure with her, but all honest. And by
and by dinner come up, and then to my sport again, but still honest; and
then took coach and up and down in the country toward Acton, and then
toward Chelsy, and so to Westminster, and there set her down where I took
her up, with mighty pleasure in her company, and so I by coach home, and
thence to Bow, with all the haste I could, to my Lady Pooly's, where my
wife was with Mr. Batelier and his sisters, and there I found a noble
supper, and every thing exceeding pleasant, and their mother, Mrs:
Batelier, a fine woman, but mighty passionate upon sudden news brought her
of the loss of a dog borrowed of the Duke of Albemarle's son to line a
bitch of hers that is very pretty, but the dog was by and by found, and so
all well again, their company mighty innocent and pleasant, we having
never been here before. About ten o'clock we rose from table, and sang a
song, and so home in two coaches (Mr. Batelier and his sister Mary and my
wife and I in one, and Mercer alone in the other); and after being
examined at Allgate, whether we were husbands and wives, home, and being
there come, and sent away Mr. Batelierand his sister, I find Reeves there,
it being a mighty fine bright night, and so upon my leads, though very
sleepy, till one in the morning, looking on the moon and Jupiter, with
this twelve-foote glasse and another of six foote, that he hath brought
with him to-night, and the sights mighty pleasant, and one of the glasses
I will buy, it being very usefull. So to bed mighty sleepy, but with much
pleasure. Reeves lying at my house again; and mighty proud I am (and
ought to be thankfull to God Almighty) that I am able to have a spare bed
for my friends.
9th. Up and to the office to prepare business for the Board, Reeves being
gone and I having lent him upon one of the glasses. Here we sat, but to
little purpose, nobody coming at us but to ask for money, not to offer us
any goods. At noon home to dinner, and then to the office again, being
mightily pleased with a Virgin's head that my wife is now doing of. In
the evening to Lumbard-streete about money, to enable me to pay Sir G.
Carteret's L3000, which he hath lodged in my hands, in behalf of his son
and my Lady Jemimah, toward their portion, which, I thank God, I am able
to do at a minute's warning. In my [way] I inquired, and find Mrs.
Rawlinson is dead of the sickness, and her mayde continues mighty ill. He
himself is got out of the house. I met also with Mr. Evelyn in the
streete, who tells me the sad condition at this very day at Deptford for
the plague, and more at Deale (within his precinct as one of the
Commissioners for sick and wounded seamen), that the towne is almost quite
depopulated. Thence back home again, and after some business at my
office, late, home to supper and to bed, I being sleepy by my late want of
rest, notwithstanding my endeavouring to get a nap of an hour this
afternoon after dinner. So home and to bed.
10th. Up and to my chamber; there did some business and then to my
office, and towards noon by water to the Exchequer about my Tangier order,
and thence back again and to the Exchange, where little newes but what is
in the book, and, among other things, of a man sent up for by the King and
Council for saying that Sir W. Coventry did give intelligence to the Dutch
of all our matters here. I met with Colvill, and he and I did agree about
his lending me L1000 upon a tally of L1000 for Tangier. Thence to Sympson,
the joyner, and I am mightily pleased with what I see of my presses for my
books, which he is making for me. So homeward, and hear in
Fanchurch-streete, that now the mayde also is dead at Mr. Rawlinson's; so
that there are three dead in all, the wife, a man-servant, and
mayde-servant. Home to dinner, where sister Balty dined with us, and met
a letter come to me from him. He is well at Harwich, going to the fleete.
After dinner to the office, and anon with my wife and sister abroad, left
them in Paternoster Row, while Creed, who was with me at the office, and I
to Westminster; and leaving him in the Strand, I to my Lord Chancellor's,
and did very little business, and so away home by water, with more and
more pleasure, I every time reading over my Lord Bacon's "Faber Fortunae."
So home, and there did little business, and then walked an hour talking of
sundry things in the garden, and find him a cunning knave, as I always
observed him to be, and so home to supper, and to bed. Pleased that this
day I find, if I please, I can have all my money in that I have out of my
hands, but I am at a loss whether to take it in or no, and pleased also to
hear of Mrs. Barbara Sheldon's good fortune, who is like to have Mr.
Wood's son, the mast-maker, a very rich man, and to be married speedily,
she being already mighty fine upon it.
11th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon home
to dinner, where mighty pleased at my wife's beginnings of a little
Virgin's head. To the office and did much business, and then to Mr.
Colvill's, and with him did come to an agreement about my L2600 assignment
on the Exchequer, which I had of Sir W. Warren; and, to my great joy, I
think I shall get above L100 by it, but I must leave it to be finished on
Monday. Thence to the office, and there did the remainder of my business,
and so home to supper and to bed. This afternoon I hear as if we had
landed some men upon the Dutch coasts, but I believe it is but a foolery
either in the report or the attempt.
12th (Lord's day). Up and to my chamber, where busy all the morning, and
my thoughts very much upon the manner of my removal of my closett things
the next weeke into my present musique room, if I find I can spare or get
money to furnish it. By and by comes Reeves, by appointment, but did not
bring the glasses and things I expected for our discourse and my
information to-day, but we have agreed on it for next Sunday. By and by,
in comes Betty Michell and her husband, and so to dinner, I mightily
pleased with their company. We passed the whole day talking with them,
but without any pleasure, but only her being there. In the evening, all
parted, and I and my wife up to her closett to consider how to order that
the next summer, if we live to it; and then down to my chamber at night to
examine her kitchen accounts, and there I took occasion to fall out with
her for her buying a laced handkercher and pinner without my leave. Though
the thing is not much, yet I would not permit her begin to do so, lest
worse should follow. From this we began both to be angry, and so
continued till bed, and did not sleep friends.
13th. Up, without being friends with my wife, nor great enemies, being
both quiet and silent. So out to Colvill's, but he not being come to town
yet, I to Paul's Church-yarde, to treat with a bookbinder, to come and
gild the backs of all my books, to make them handsome, to stand in my new
presses, when they come. So back again to Colvill's, and there did end
our treaty, to my full content, about my Exchequer assignment of L2600 of
Sir W. Warren's, for which I give him L170 to stand to the hazard of
receiving it. So I shall get clear by it L230, which is a very good jobb.
God be praised for it! Having done with him, then he and I took coach,
and I carried him to Westminster, and there set him down, in our way
speaking of several things. I find him a bold man to say any thing of any
body, and finds fault with our great ministers of state that nobody looks
after any thing; and I thought it dangerous to be free with him, for I do
not think he can keep counsel, because he blabs to me what hath passed
between other people and him. Thence I to St. James's, and there missed
Sir W. Coventry; but taking up Mr. Robinson in my coach, I towards London,
and there in the way met Sir W. Coventry, and followed him to White Hall,
where a little discourse very kind, and so I away with Robinson, and set
him down at the 'Change, and thence I to Stokes the goldsmith, and sent
him to and again to get me L1000 in gold; and so home to dinner, my wife
and I friends, without any words almost of last night. After dinner, I
abroad to Stokes, and there did receive L1000 worth in gold, paying 18
1/2d. and 19d. for others exchange. Home with them, and there to my
office to business, and anon home in the evening, there to settle some of
my accounts, and then to supper and to bed.
14th. (Thanksgiving day.)
[A proclamation ordering August 14th to be observed in London and
Westminster, and August 23rd in other places, as a day of
thanksgiving for the late victory at sea over the Dutch, was
published on August 6th.]
Up, and comes Mr. Foley and his man, with a box of a great variety of
carpenter's and joyner's tooles, which I had bespoke, to me, which please
me mightily; but I will have more. Then I abroad down to the Old Swan,
and there I called and kissed Betty Michell, and would have got her to go
with me to Westminster, but I find her a little colder than she used to
be, methought, which did a little molest me. So I away not pleased, and
to White Hall, where I find them at Chappell, and met with Povy, and he
and I together, who tells me how mad my letter makes my Lord Peterborough,
and what a furious letter he hath writ to me in answer, though it is not
come yet. This did trouble me; for though there be no reason, yet to have
a nobleman's mouth open against a man may do a man hurt; so I endeavoured
to have found him out and spoke with him, but could not. So to the
chappell, and heard a piece of the Dean of Westminster's sermon, and a
special good anthemne before the king, after a sermon, and then home by
coach with Captain Cocke, who is in pain about his hempe, of which he says
he hath bought great quantities, and would gladly be upon good terms with
us for it, wherein I promise to assist him. So we 'light at the 'Change,
where, after a small turn or two, taking no pleasure now-a-days to be
there, because of answering questions that would be asked there which I
cannot answer; so home and dined, and after dinner, with my wife and
Mercer to the Beare-garden,
[The Bear Garden was situated on Bankside, close to the precinct of
the Clinke Liberty, and very near to the old palace of the bishops
of Winchester. Stow, to his "Survey," says: "There be two Bear
Gardens, the old and new Places." The name still exists in a street
or lane at the foot of Southwark Bridge, and in Bear Garden Wharf.]
where I have not been, I think, of many years, and saw some good sport of
the bull's tossing of the dogs: one into the very boxes. But it is a very
rude and nasty pleasure. We had a great many hectors in the same box with
us (and one very fine went into the pit, and played his dog for a wager,
which was a strange sport for a gentleman), where they drank wine, and
drank Mercer's health first, which I pledged with my hat off; and who
should be in the house but Mr. Pierce the surgeon, who saw us and spoke to
us. Thence home, well enough satisfied, however, with the variety of this
afternoon's exercise; and so I to my chamber, till in the evening our
company come to supper. We had invited to a venison pasty Mr. Batelier
and his sister Mary, Mrs. Mercer, her daughter Anne, Mr. Le Brun, and W.
Hewer; and so we supped, and very merry. And then about nine o'clock to
Mrs. Mercer's gate, where the fire and boys expected us, and her son had
provided abundance of serpents and rockets; and there mighty merry (my
Lady Pen and Pegg going thither with us, and Nan Wright), till about
twelve at night, flinging our fireworks, and burning one another and the
people over the way. And at last our businesses being most spent, we into
Mrs. Mercer's, and there mighty merry, smutting one another with candle
grease and soot, till most of us were like devils. And that being done,
then we broke up, and to my house; and there I made them drink, and
upstairs we went, and then fell into dancing (W. Batelier dancing well),
and dressing, him and I and one Mr. Banister (who with his wife come over
also with us) like women; and Mercer put on a suit of Tom's, like a boy,
and mighty mirth we had, and Mercer danced a jigg; and Nan Wright and my
wife and Pegg Pen put on perriwigs. Thus we spent till three or four in
the morning, mighty merry; and then parted, and to bed.
15th. Mighty sleepy; slept till past eight of the clock, and was called
up by a letter from Sir W. Coventry, which, among other things, tells me
how we have burned one hundred and sixty ships of the enemy within the
Fly.
[On the 8th August the Duke of Albemarle reported to Lord Arlington
that he had "sent 1000 good men under Sir R. Holmes and Sir William
Jennings to destroy the islands of Vlie and Schelling." On the 10th
James Hayes wrote to Williamson: "On the 9th at noon smoke was seen
rising from several places in the island of Vlie, and the 10th
brought news that Sir Robert had burned in the enemy's harbour 160
outward bound valuable merchant men and three men-of-war, and taken
a little pleasure boat and eight guns in four hours. The loss is
computed at a million sterling, and will make great confusion when
the people see themselves in the power of the English at their very
doors. Sir Robert then landed his forces, and is burning the houses
in Vlie and Schelling as bonfires for his good success at sea"
("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, pp. 21,27).]
I up, and with all possible haste, and in pain for fear of coming late, it
being our day of attending the Duke of Yorke, to St. James's, where they
are full of the particulars; how they are generally good merchant ships,
some of them laden and supposed rich ships. We spent five fire-ships upon
them. We landed on the Schelling (Sir Philip Howard with some men, and
Holmes, I think; with others, about 1000 in all), and burned a town; and
so come away. By and by the Duke of Yorke with his books showed us the
very place and manner, and that it was not our design or expectation to
have done this, but only to have landed on the Fly, and burned some of
their store; but being come in, we spied those ships, and with our long
boats, one by one, fired them, our ships running all aground, it being so
shoal water. We were led to this by, it seems, a renegado captain of the
Hollanders, who found himself ill used by De Ruyter for his good service,
and so come over to us, and hath done us good service; so that now we
trust him, and he himself did go on this expedition. The service is very
great, and our joys as great for it. All this will make the Duke of
Albemarle in repute again, I doubt, though there is nothing of his in
this. But, Lord! to see what successe do, whether with or without reason,
and making a man seem wise, notwithstanding never so late demonstration of
the profoundest folly in the world. Thence walked over the Parke with Sir
W. Coventry, in our way talking of the unhappy state of our office; and I
took an opportunity to let him know, that though the backwardnesses of all
our matters of the office may be well imputed to the known want of money,
yet, perhaps, there might be personal and particular failings; and that I
did, therefore, depend still upon his promise of telling me whenever he
finds any ground to believe any defect or neglect on my part, which he
promised me still to do; and that there was none he saw, nor, indeed, says
he, is there room now-a-days to find fault with any particular man, while
we are in this condition for money. This, methought, did not so well
please me; but, however, I am glad I have said this, thereby giving myself
good grounds to believe that at this time he did not want an occasion to
have said what he pleased to me, if he had had anything in his mind, which
by his late distance and silence I have feared. But then again I am to
consider he is grown a very great man, much greater than he was, and so
must keep more distance; and, next, that the condition of our office will
not afford me occasion of shewing myself so active and deserving as
heretofore; and, lastly, the muchness of his business cannot suffer him to
mind it, or give him leisure to reflect on anything, or shew the freedom
and kindnesse that he used to do. But I think I have done something
considerable to my satisfaction in doing this; and that if I do but my
duty remarkably from this time forward, and not neglect it, as I have of
late done, and minded my pleasures, I may be as well as ever I was.
Thence to the Exchequer, but did nothing, they being all gone from their
offices; and so to the Old Exchange, where the towne full of the good
newes, but I did not stay to tell or hear any, but home, my head akeing
and drowsy, and to dinner, and then lay down upon the couch, thinking to
get a little rest, but could not. So down the river, reading "The
Adventures of Five Houres," which the more I read the more I admire. So
down below Greenwich, but the wind and tide being against us, I back again
to Deptford, and did a little business there, and thence walked to
Redriffe; and so home, and to the office a while. In the evening comes W.
Batelier and his sister, and my wife, and fair Mrs. Turner into the
garden, and there we walked, and then with my Lady Pen and Pegg in
a-doors, and eat and were merry, and so pretty late broke up, and to bed.
The guns of the Tower going off, and there being bonefires also in the
street for this late good successe.
16th. Up, having slept well, and after entering my journal, to the
office, where all the morning, but of late Sir W. Coventry hath not come
to us, he being discouraged from the little we have to do but to answer
the clamours of people for money. At noon home, and there dined with me
my Lady Pen only and W. Hewer at a haunch of venison boiled, where pretty
merry, only my wife vexed me a little about demanding money to go with my
Lady Pen to the Exchange to lay out. I to the office, where all the
afternoon and very busy and doing much business; but here I had a most
eminent experience of the evil of being behindhand in business. I was the
most backward to begin any thing, and would fain have framed to myself an
occasion of going abroad, and should, I doubt, have done it, but some
business coming in, one after another, kept me there, and I fell to the
ridding away of a great deale of business, and when my hand was in it was
so pleasing a sight to [see] my papers disposed of, and letters answered,
which troubled my book and table, that I could have continued there with
delight all night long, and did till called away by my Lady Pen and Pegg
and my wife to their house to eat with them; and there I went, and
exceeding merry, there being Nan Wright, now Mrs. Markham, and sits at
table with my Lady. So mighty merry, home and to bed. This day Sir W.
Batten did show us at the table a letter from Sir T. Allen, which says
that we have taken ten or twelve' ships (since the late great expedition
of burning their ships and towne), laden with hempe, flax, tarr, deales,
&c. This was good newes; but by and by comes in Sir G. Carteret, and he
asked us with full mouth what we would give for good newes. Says Sir W.
Batten, "I have better than you, for a wager." They laid sixpence, and we
that were by were to give sixpence to him that told the best newes. So
Sir W. Batten told his of the ten or twelve ships Sir G. Carteret did then
tell us that upon the newes of the burning of the ships and towne the
common people a Amsterdam did besiege De Witt's house, and he was force to
flee to the Prince of Orange, who is gone to Cleve to the marriage of his
sister. This we concluded all the best newest and my Lord Bruncker and
myself did give Sir G. Carteret our sixpence a-piece, which he did give
Mr. Smith to give the poor. Thus we made ourselves mighty merry.
17th. Up and betimes with Captain Erwin down by water to Woolwich, I
walking alone from Greenwich thither, making an end of the "Adventures of
Five Hours," which when all is done is the best play that ever I read in
my life. Being come thither I did some business there and at the Rope
Yarde, and had a piece of bride-cake sent me by Mrs. Barbary into the
boate after me, she being here at her uncle's, with her husband, Mr.
Wood's son, the mast-maker, and mighty nobly married, they say, she was,
very fine, and he very rich, a strange fortune for so odd a looked mayde,
though her hands and body be good, and nature very good, I think. Back
with Captain Erwin, discoursing about the East Indys, where he hath often
been. And among other things he tells me how the King of Syam seldom goes
out without thirty or forty thousand people with him, and not a word
spoke, nor a hum or cough in the whole company to be heard. He tells me
the punishment frequently there for malefactors is cutting off the crowne
of their head, which they do very dexterously, leaving their brains bare,
which kills them presently. He told me what I remember he hath once done
heretofore: that every body is to lie flat down at the coming by of the
King, and nobody to look upon him upon pain of death. And that he and his
fellows, being strangers, were invited to see the sport of taking of a
wild elephant, and they did only kneel, and look toward the King. Their
druggerman did desire them to fall down, for otherwise he should suffer
for their contempt of the King. The sport being ended, a messenger comes
from the King, which the druggerman thought had been to have taken away
his life; but it was to enquire how the strangers liked the sport. The
druggerman answered that they did cry it up to be the best that ever they
saw, and that they never heard of any Prince so great in every thing as
this King. The messenger being gone back, Erwin and his company asked
their druggerman what he had said, which he told them. "But why," say
they, "would you say that without our leave, it being not true?"--"It is
no matter for that," says he, "I must have said it, or have been hanged,
for our King do not live by meat, nor drink, but by having great lyes told
him." In our way back we come by a little vessel that come into the river
this morning, and says he left the fleete in Sole Bay, and that he hath
not heard (he belonging to Sir W. Jenings, in the fleete) of any such
prizes taken as the ten or twelve I inquired about, and said by Sir W.
Batten yesterday to be taken, so I fear it is not true. So to
Westminster, and there, to my great content, did receive my L2000 of Mr.
Spicer's telling, which I was to receive of Colvill, and brought it home
with me [to] my house by water, and there I find one of my new presses for
my books brought home, which pleases me mightily. As, also, do my wife's
progresse upon her head that she is making. So to dinner, and thence
abroad with my wife, leaving her at Unthanke's; I to White Hall, waiting
at the Council door till it rose, and there spoke with Sir W. Coventry,
who and I do much fear our Victuallers, they having missed the fleete in
their going. But Sir W. Coventry says it is not our fault, but theirs, if
they have not left ships to secure them. This he spoke in a chagrin sort
of way, methought. After a little more discourse of several businesses, I
away homeward, having in the gallery the good fortune to see Mrs. Stewart,
who is grown a little too tall, but is a woman of most excellent features.
The narrative of the late expedition in burning the ships is in print, and
makes it a great thing, and I hope it is so. So took up my wife and home,
there I to the office, and thence with Sympson the joyner home to put
together the press he hath brought me for my books this day, which pleases
me exceedingly. Then to Sir W. Batten's, where Sir Richard Ford did very
understandingly, methought, give us an account of the originall of the
Hollands Bank,
[This bank at Amsterdam is referred to in a tract entitled "An
Appeal to Caesar," 1660, p. 22. In 1640 Charles I. seized the money
in the mint in the Tower entrusted to the safe keeping of the Crown.
It was the practice of the London goldsmiths at this time to allow
interest at the rate of six or eight per cent. on money deposited
with them (J. Biddulph Martin, "The Grasshopper in Lombard Street,"
1892, p. 152).]
and the nature of it, and how they do never give any interest at all to
any person that brings in their money, though what is brought in upon the
public faith interest is given by the State for. The unsafe condition of
a Bank under a Monarch, and the little safety to a Monarch to have any; or
Corporation alone (as London in answer to Amsterdam) to have so great a
wealth or credit, it is, that makes it hard to have a Bank here. And as
to the former, he did tell us how it sticks in the memory of most
merchants how the late King (when by the war between Holland and France
and Spayne all the bullion of Spayne was brought hither, one-third of it
to be coyned; and indeed it was found advantageous to the merchant to
coyne most of it), was persuaded in a strait by my Lord Cottington to
seize upon the money in the Tower, which, though in a few days the
merchants concerned did prevail to get it released, yet the thing will
never be forgot. So home to supper and to bed, understanding this
evening, since I come home, that our Victuallers are all come in to the
fleete, which is good newes. Sir John Minnes come home tonight not well,
from Chatham, where he hath been at a pay, holding it at Upnor Castle,
because of the plague so much in the towne of Chatham. He hath, they say,
got an ague, being so much on the water.
18th. All the morning at my office; then to the Exchange (with my Lord
Bruncker in his coach) at noon, but it was only to avoid Mr. Chr. Pett's
being invited by me to dinner. So home, calling at my little mercer's in
Lumbard Streete, who hath the pretty wench, like the old Queene, and there
cheapened some stuffs to hang my roome, that I intend to turn into a
closett. So home to dinner, and after dinner comes Creed to discourse
with me about several things of Tangier concernments and accounts, among
others starts the doubt, which I was formerly aware of, but did wink at
it, whether or no Lanyon and his partners be not paid for more than they
should be, which he presses, so that it did a little discompose me; but,
however, I do think no harm will arise thereby. He gone, I to the office,
and there very late, very busy, and so home to supper and to bed.
19th (Lord's day). Up and to my chamber, and there began to draw out fair
and methodically my accounts of Tangier, in order to shew them to the
Lords. But by and by comes by agreement Mr. Reeves, and after him Mr.
Spong, and all day with them, both before and after dinner, till ten
o'clock at night, upon opticke enquiries, he bringing me a frame he closes
on, to see how the rays of light do cut one another, and in a darke room
with smoake, which is very pretty. He did also bring a lanthorne with
pictures in glasse, to make strange things appear on a wall, very pretty.
We did also at night see Jupiter and his girdle and satellites, very fine,
with my twelve-foote glasse, but could not Saturne, he being very dark.
Spong and I had also several fine discourses upon the globes this
afternoon, particularly why the fixed stars do not rise and set at the
same houre all the yeare long, which he could not demonstrate, nor I
neither, the reason of. So, it being late, after supper they away home.
But it vexed me to understand no more from Reeves and his glasses touching
the nature and reason of the several refractions of the several figured
glasses, he understanding the acting part, but not one bit the theory, nor
can make any body understand it, which is a strange dullness, methinks. I
did not hear anything yesterday or at all to confirm either Sir Thos.
Allen's news of the 10 or 12 ships taken, nor of the disorder at Amsterdam
upon the news of the burning of the ships, that he [De Witt] should be
fled to the Prince of Orange, it being generally believed that he was gone
to France before.
20th. Waked this morning, about six o'clock, with a violent knocking at
Sir J. Minnes's doore, to call up Mrs. Hammon, crying out that Sir J.
Minnes is a-dying. He come home ill of an ague on Friday night. I saw
him on Saturday, after his fit of the ague, and then was pretty lusty.
Which troubles me mightily, for he is a very good, harmless, honest
gentleman, though not fit for the business. But I much fear a worse may
come, that may be more uneasy to me. Up, and to Deptford by water,
reading "Othello, Moore of Venice," which I ever heretofore esteemed a
mighty good play, but having so lately read "The Adventures of Five
Houres," it seems a mean thing. Walked back, and so home, and then down
to the Old Swan and drank at Betty Michell's, and so to Westminster to the
Exchequer about my quarter tallies, and so to Lumbard Streete to choose
stuff to hang my new intended closet, and have chosen purple. So home to
dinner, and all the afternoon till almost midnight upon my Tangier
accounts, getting Tom Wilson to help me in writing as I read, and at night
W. Hewer, and find myself most happy in the keeping of all my accounts,
for that after all the changings and turnings necessary in such an
account, I find myself right to a farthing in an account of L127,000. This
afternoon I visited Sir J. Minnes, who, poor man, is much impatient by
these few days' sickness, and I fear indeed it will kill him.
21st. Up, and to the office, where much business and Sir W. Coventry
there, who of late hath wholly left us, most of our business being about
money, to which we can give no answer, which makes him weary of coming to
us. He made an experiment to-day, by taking up a heape of petitions that
lay upon the table. They proved seventeen in number, and found them thus:
one for money for reparation for clothes, four desired to have tickets
made out to them, and the other twelve were for money. Dined at home, and
sister Balty with us. My wife snappish because I denied her money to lay
out this afternoon; however, good friends again, and by coach set them
down at the New Exchange, and I to the Exchequer, and there find my
business of my tallys in good forwardness. I passed down into the Hall,
and there hear that Mr. Bowles, the grocer, after 4 or 5 days' sickness,
is dead, and this day buried. So away, and taking up my wife, went
homewards. I 'light and with Harman to my mercer's in Lumbard Streete,
and there agreed for, our purple serge for my closett, and so I away home.
So home and late at the office, and then home, and there found Mr.
Batelier and his sister Mary, and we sat chatting a great while, talking
of witches and spirits, and he told me of his own knowledge, being with
some others at Bourdeaux, making a bargain with another man at a taverne
for some clarets, they did hire a fellow to thunder (which he had the art
of doing upon a deale board) and to rain and hail, that is, make the noise
of, so as did give them a pretence of undervaluing their merchants' wines,
by saying this thunder would spoil and turne them. Which was so
reasonable to the merchant, that he did abate two pistolls per ton for the
wine in belief of that, whereas, going out, there was no such thing. This
Batelier did see and was the cause of to his profit, as is above said. By
and by broke up and to bed.
22nd. Up and by coach with L100 to the Exchequer to pay fees there. There
left it, and I to St. James's, and there with; the Duke of Yorke. I had
opportunity of much talk with Sir. W. Pen to-day (he being newly come from
the fleete); and he, do much undervalue the honour that is given to the
conduct of the late business of Holmes in burning the ships and town
[The town burned (see August 15th, ante) was Brandaris, a place of
1000 houses, on the isle of Schelling; the ships lay between that
island and the Fly (i.e. Vlieland), the adjoining island. This
attack probably provoked that by the Dutch on Chatham.]
saying it was a great thing indeed, and of great profit to us in being of
great losse to the enemy, but that it was wholly a business of chance, and
no conduct employed in it. I find Sir W. Pen do hold up his head at this
time higher than ever he did in his life. I perceive he do look after Sir
J. Minnes's place if he dies, and though I love him not nor do desire to
have him in, yet I do think [he] is the first man in England for it. To
the Exchequer, and there received my tallys, and paid my fees in good
order, and so home, and there find Mrs. Knipp and my wife going to dinner.
She tells me my song, of "Beauty Retire" is mightily cried up, which I am
not a little proud of; and do think I have done "It is Decreed" better,
but I have not finished it. My closett is doing by upholsters, which I am
pleased with, but fear my purple will be too sad for that melancholy
roome. After dinner and doing something at the office, I with my wife,
Knipp, and Mercer, by coach to Moorefields, and there saw "Polichinello,"
which pleases me mightily, and here I saw our Mary, our last chamber-maid,
who is gone from Mrs. Pierces it seems. Thence carried Knipp home, calling
at the Cocke alehouse at the doore and drank, and so home, and there find
Reeves, and so up to look upon the stars, and do like my glasse very well,
and did even with him for it and a little perspective and the Lanthorne
that shows tricks, altogether costing me L9 5s. 0d. So to bed, he lying
at our house.
23rd. At the office all the morning, whither Sir W. Coventry sent me word
that the Dutch fleete is certainly abroad; and so we are to hasten all we
have to send to our fleete with all speed. But, Lord! to see how my Lord
Bruncker undertakes the despatch of the fire-ships, when he is no more fit
for it than a porter; and all the while Sir W. Pen, who is the most fit,
is unwilling to displease him, and do not look after it; and so the King's
work is like to be well done. At noon dined at home, Lovett with us; but
he do not please me in his business, for he keeps things long in hand, and
his paper do not hold so good as I expected--the varnish wiping off in a
little time--a very sponge; and I doubt by his discourse he is an odde
kind of fellow, and, in plain terms, a very rogue. He gone, I to the
office (having seen and liked the upholsters' work in my roome--which they
have almost done), and there late, and in the evening find Mr. Batelier
and his sister there and then we talked and eat and were merry, and so
parted late, and to bed.
24th. Up, and dispatched several businesses at home in the morning, and
then comes Sympson to set up my other new presses
[These presses still exist, and, according to Pepys's wish, they are
placed in the second court of Magdalene College in a room which they
exactly fit, and the books are arranged in the presses just as they
were when presented to the college.--M. B.]
for my books, and so he and I fell in to the furnishing of my new closett,
and taking out the things out of my old, and I kept him with me all day,
and he dined with me, and so all the afternoon till it was quite darke
hanging things, that is my maps and pictures and draughts, and setting up
my books, and as much as we could do, to my most extraordinary
satisfaction; so that I think it will be as noble a closett as any man
hath, and light enough--though, indeed, it would be better to have had a
little more light. He gone, my wife and I to talk, and sup, and then to
setting right my Tangier accounts and enter my Journall, and then to bed
with great content in my day's worke. This afternoon comes Mrs. Barbary
Sheldon, now Mrs. Wood, to see my wife. I was so busy I would not see
her. But she came, it seems, mighty rich in rings and fine clothes, and
like a lady, and says she is matched mighty well, at which I am very glad,
but wonder at her good fortune and the folly of her husband, and vexed at
myself for not paying her the respect of seeing her, but I will come out
of her debt another time.
25th. All the morning at the office. At noon dined at home, and after
dinner up to my new closett, which pleases me mightily, and there I
proceeded to put many things in order as far as I had time, and then set
it in washing, and stood by myself a great while to see it washed; and
then to the office, and then wrote my letters and other things, and then
in mighty good humour home to supper and to bed.
26th (Lord's day). Up betimes, and to the finishing the setting things in
order in my new closett out of my old, which I did thoroughly by the time
sermon was done at church, to my exceeding joy, only I was a little
disturbed with newes my Lord Bruncker brought me, that we are to attend
the King at White Hall this afternoon, and that it is about a complaint
from the Generalls against us. Sir W. Pen dined by invitation with me,
his Lady and daughter being gone into the country. We very merry. After
dinner we parted, and I to my office, whither I sent for Mr. Lewes and
instructed myself fully in the business of the Victualling, to enable me
to answer in the matter; and then Sir W. Pen and I by coach to White Hall,
and there staid till the King and Cabinet were met in the Green Chamber,
and then we were called in; and there the King begun with me, to hear how
the victualls of the fleete stood. I did in a long discourse tell him and
the rest (the Duke of Yorke, Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, both the
Secretarys, Sir G. Carteret, and Sir W. Coventry,) how it stood, wherein
they seemed satisfied, but press mightily for more supplies; and the
letter of the Generalls, which was read, did lay their not going or too
soon returning from the Dutch coast, this next bout, to the want of
victuals. They then proceeded to the enquiry after the fireships; and did
all very superficially, and without any severity at all. But, however, I
was in pain, after we come out, to know how I had done; and hear well
enough. But, however, it shall be a caution to me to prepare myself
against a day of inquisition. Being come out, I met with Mr. Moore, and
he and I an houre together in the Gallery, telling me how far they are
gone in getting my Lord [Sandwich's] pardon, so as the Chancellor is
prepared in it; and Sir H. Bennet do promote it, and the warrant for the
King's signing is drawn. The business between my Lord Hinchingbroke and
Mrs. Mallett is quite broke off; he attending her at Tunbridge, and she
declaring her affections to be settled; and he not being fully pleased
with the vanity and liberty of her carriage. He told me how my Lord has
drawn a bill of exchange from Spayne of L1200, and would have me supply
him with L500 of it, but I avoyded it, being not willing to embarke myself
in money there, where I see things going to ruine. Thence to discourse of
the times; and he tells me he believes both my Lord Arlington and Sir W.
Coventry, as well as my Lord Sandwich and Sir G. Carteret, have reason to
fear, and are afeard of this Parliament now coming on. He tells me that
Bristoll's faction is getting ground apace against my Lord Chancellor. He
told me that my old Lord Coventry was a cunning, crafty man, and did make
as many bad decrees in Chancery as any man; and that in one case, that
occasioned many years' dispute, at last when the King come in, it was
hoped by the party grieved, to get my Lord Chancellor to reverse a decree
of his. Sir W. Coventry took the opportunity of the business between the
Duke of Yorke and the Duchesse, and said to my Lord Chancellor, that he
had rather be drawn up Holborne to be hanged, than live to see his father
pissed upon (in these very terms) and any decree of his reversed. And so
the Chancellor did not think fit to do it, but it still stands, to the
undoing of one Norton, a printer, about his right to the printing of the
Bible, and Grammar, &c. Thence Sir W. Pen and I to Islington and there
drank at the Katherine Wheele, and so down the nearest way home, where
there was no kind of pleasure at all. Being come home, hear that Sir J.
Minnes has had a very bad fit all this day, and a hickup do take him,
which is a very bad sign, which troubles me truly. So home to supper a
little and then to bed.
27th. Up, and to my new closett, which pleases me mightily, and there did
a little business. Then to break open a window, to the leads' side in my
old closett, which will enlighten the room mightily, and make it mighty
pleasant. So to the office, and then home about one thing or other, about
my new closet, for my mind is full of nothing but that. So at noon to
dinner, mightily pleased with my wife's picture that she is upon. Then to
the office, and thither come and walked an hour with me Sir G. Carteret,
who tells me what is done about my Lord's pardon, and is not for letting
the Duke of Yorke know any thing of it beforehand, but to carry it as
speedily and quietly as we can. He seems to be very apprehensive that the
Parliament will be troublesome and inquisitive into faults, but seems not
to value them as to himself. He gone, I to the Victualling Office, there
with Lewes' and Willson setting the business of the state of the fleete's
victualling even and plain, and that being done, and other good discourse
about it over, Mr. Willson and I by water down the River for discourse
only, about business of the office, and then back, and I home, and after a
little at my office home to my new closet, and there did much business on
my Tangier account and my Journall for three days. So to supper and to
bed. We are not sure that the Dutch fleete is out. I have another
memento from Sir W. Coventry of the want of provisions in the fleete,
which troubles me, though there is no reason for it; but will have the
good effect of making me more wary. So, full of thoughts, to bed.
28th. Up, and in my new closet a good while doing business. Then called
on Mrs. Martin and Burroughs of Westminster about business of the former's
husband. Which done, I to the office, where we sat all the morning. At
noon I, with my wife and Mercer, to Philpott Lane, a great cook's shop, to
the wedding of Mr. Longracke, our purveyor, a good, sober, civil man, and
hath married a sober, serious mayde. Here I met much ordinary company, I
going thither at his great request; but there was Mr. Madden and his lady,
a fine, noble, pretty lady, and he, and a fine gentleman seems to be. We
four were most together; but the whole company was very simple and
innocent. A good-dinner, and, what was best, good musique. After dinner
the young women went to dance; among others Mr. Christopher Pett his
daughter, who is a very pretty, modest girle, I am mightily taken with
her; and that being done about five o'clock, home, very well pleased with
the afternoon's work. And so we broke up mightily civilly, the bride and
bridegroom going to Greenwich (they keeping their dinner here only for my
sake) to lie, and we home, where I to the office, and anon am on a sudden
called to meet Sir W. Pen and Sir W. Coventry at the Victualling Office,
which did put me out of order to be so surprised. But I went, and there
Sir William Coventry did read me a letter from the Generalls to the King,
[The letter from Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle to the king
(dated August 27th, from the "Royal Charles," Sole Bay) is among the
State Papers. The generals complain of the want of supplies, in
spite of repeated importunities. The demands are answered by
accounts from Mr. Pepys of what has been sent to the fleet, which
will not satisfy the ships, unless the provisions could be found
". . . Have not a month's provision of beer, yet Sir Wm. Coventry
assures the ministers that they are supplied till Oct. 3; unless
this is quickened they will have to return home too soon . . . .
Want provisions according to their own computation, not Sir Wm.
Coventry's, to last to the end of October" ("Calendar," 1666-67, p.
71).]
a most scurvy letter, reflecting most upon Sir W. Coventry, and then upon
me for my accounts (not that they are not true, but that we do not
consider the expence of the fleete), and then of the whole office, in
neglecting them and the King's service, and this in very plain and sharp
and menacing terms. I did give a good account of matters according to our
computation of the expence of the fleete. I find Sir W. Coventry willing
enough to accept of any thing to confront the Generalls. But a great
supply must be made, and shall be in grace of God! But, however, our
accounts here will be found the true ones. Having done here, and much
work set me, I with greater content home than I thought I should have
done, and so to the office a while, and then home, and a while in my new
closet, which delights me every day more and more, and so late to bed.
29th. Up betimes, and there to fit some Tangier accounts, and then, by
appointment, to my Lord Bellasses, but about Paul's thought of the chant
paper I should carry with me, and so fain to come back again, and did, and
then met with Sir W. Pen, and with him to my Lord Bellasses, he sitting in
the coach the while, while I up to my Lord and there offered him my
account of the bills of exchange I had received and paid for him, wherein
we agree all but one L200 bill of Vernatty's drawing, wherein I doubt he
hath endeavoured to cheate my Lord; but that will soon appear. Thence took
leave, and found Sir W. Pen talking to Orange Moll, of the King's house,
who, to our great comfort, told us that they begun to act on the 18th of
this month. So on to St. James's, in the way Sir W. Pen telling me that
Mr. Norton, that married Sir J. Lawson's daughter, is dead. She left L800
a year jointure, a son to inherit the whole estate. She freed from her
father-in-law's tyranny, and is in condition to helpe her mother, who
needs it; of which I am glad, the young lady being very pretty. To St.
James's, and there Sir W. Coventry took Sir W. Pen and me apart, and read
to us his answer to the Generalls' letter to the King that he read last
night; wherein he is very plain, and states the matter in full defence of
himself and of me with him, which he could not avoid; which is a good
comfort to me, that I happen to be involved with him in the same cause.
And then, speaking of the supplies which have been made to this fleete,
more than ever in all kinds to any, even that wherein the Duke of Yorke
himself was, "Well," says he, "if this will not do, I will say, as Sir J.
Falstaffe did to the Prince, 'Tell your father, that if he do not like
this let him kill the next Piercy himself,'"--["King Henry IV.," Part I,
act v., sc. 4.]--and so we broke up, and to the Duke, and there did our
usual business. So I to the Parke and there met Creed, and he and I
walked to Westminster to the Exchequer, and thence to White Hall talking
of Tangier matters and Vernatty's knavery, and so parted, and then I
homeward and met Mr. Povy in Cheapside, and stopped and talked a good
while upon the profits of the place which my Lord Bellasses hath made this
last year, and what share we are to have of it, but of this all imperfect,
and so parted, and I home, and there find Mrs. Mary Batelier, and she
dined with us; and thence I took them to Islington, and there eat a
custard; and so back to Moorfields, and shewed Batelier, with my wife,
"Polichinello," which I like the more I see it; and so home with great
content, she being a mighty good-natured, pretty woman, and thence I to
the Victualling office, and there with Mr. Lewes and Willson upon our
Victualling matters till ten at night, and so I home and there late
writing a letter to Sir W. Coventry, and so home to supper and to bed. No
newes where the Dutch are. We begin to think they will steale through the
Channel to meet Beaufort. We think our fleete sayled yesterday, but we
have no newes of it.
30th. Up and all the morning at the office, dined at home, and in the
afternoon, and at night till two in the morning, framing my great letter
to Mr. Hayes about the victualling of the fleete, about which there has
been so much ado and exceptions taken by the Generalls.
31st. To bed at 2 or 3 in the morning and up again at 6 to go by
appointment to my Lord Bellasses, but he out of town, which vexed me. So
back and got Mr. Poynter to enter into, my book while I read from my last
night's notes the letter, and that being done to writing it fair. At noon
home to dinner, and then the boy and I to the office, and there he read
while I writ it fair, which done I sent it to Sir W. Coventry to peruse
and send to the fleete by the first opportunity; and so pretty betimes to
bed. Much pleased to-day with thoughts of gilding the backs of all my
books alike in my new presses.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
SEPTEMBER
1666
September 1st. Up and at the office all the morning, and then dined at
home. Got my new closet made mighty clean against to-morrow. Sir W. Pen
and my wife and Mercer and I to "Polichinelly," but were there horribly
frighted to see Young Killigrew come in with a great many more young
sparks; but we hid ourselves, so as we think they did not see us. By and
by, they went away, and then we were at rest again; and so, the play being
done, we to Islington, and there eat and drank and mighty merry; and so
home singing, and, after a letter or two at the office, to bed.
2nd (Lord's day). Some of our mayds sitting up late last night to get
things ready against our feast to-day, Jane called us up about three in
the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City. So I rose
and slipped on my nightgowne, and went to her window, and thought it to be
on the backside of Marke-lane at the farthest; but, being unused to such
fires as followed, I thought it far enough off; and so went to bed again
and to sleep. About seven rose again to dress myself, and there looked
out at the window, and saw the fire not so much as it was and further off.
So to my closett to set things to rights after yesterday's cleaning. By
and by Jane comes and tells me that she hears that above 300 houses have
been burned down to-night by the fire we saw, and that it is now burning
down all Fish-street, by London Bridge. So I made myself ready presently,
and walked to the Tower, and there got up upon one of the high places, Sir
J. Robinson's little son going up with me; and there I did see the houses
at that end of the bridge all on fire, and an infinite great fire on this
and the other side the end of the bridge; which, among other people, did
trouble me for poor little Michell and our Sarah on the bridge. So down,
with my heart full of trouble, to the Lieutenant of the Tower, who tells
me that it begun this morning in the King's baker's' house in
Pudding-lane, and that it hath burned St. Magnus's Church and most part of
Fish-street already. So I down to the water-side, and there got a boat
and through bridge, and there saw a lamentable fire. Poor Michell's
house, as far as the Old Swan, already burned that way, and the fire
running further, that in a very little time it got as far as the
Steeleyard, while I was there. Everybody endeavouring to remove their
goods, and flinging into the river or bringing them into lighters that
layoff; poor people staying in their houses as long as till the very fire
touched them, and then running into boats, or clambering from one pair of
stairs by the water-side to another. And among other things, the poor
pigeons, I perceive, were loth to leave their houses, but hovered about
the windows and balconys till they were, some of them burned, their wings,
and fell down. Having staid, and in an hour's time seen the fire: rage
every way, and nobody, to my sight, endeavouring to quench it, but to
remove their goods, and leave all to the fire, and having seen it get as
far as the Steele-yard, and the wind mighty high and driving it into the
City; and every thing, after so long a drought, proving combustible, even
the very stones of churches, and among other things the poor steeple by
which pretty Mrs.--------lives, and whereof my old school-fellow Elborough
is parson, taken fire in the very top, an there burned till it fell down:
I to White Hall (with a gentleman with me who desired to go off from the
Tower, to see the fire, in my boat); to White Hall, and there up to the
Kings closett in the Chappell, where people come about me, and did give
them an account dismayed them all, and word was carried in to the King.
So I was called for, and did tell the King and Duke of Yorke what I saw,
and that unless his Majesty did command houses to be pulled down nothing
could stop the fire. They seemed much troubled, and the King commanded me
to go to my Lord Mayor--[Sir Thomas Bludworth. See June 30th,
1666.]--from him, and command him to spare no houses, but to pull down
before the fire every way. The Duke of York bid me tell him that if he
would have any more soldiers he shall; and so did my Lord Arlington
afterwards, as a great secret.
[Sir William Coventry wrote to Lord Arlington on the evening of this
day, "The Duke of York fears the want of workmen and tools to-morrow
morning, and wishes the deputy lieutenants and justices of peace to
summon the workmen with tools to be there by break of day. In some
churches and chapels are great hooks for pulling down houses, which
should be brought ready upon the place to-night against the morning"
("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-66, p. 95).]
Here meeting, with Captain Cocke, I in his coach, which he lent me, and
Creed with me to Paul's, and there walked along Watlingstreet, as well as
I could, every creature coming away loaden with goods to save, and here
and there sicke people carried away in beds. Extraordinary good goods
carried in carts and on backs. At last met my Lord Mayor in
Canningstreet, like a man spent, with a handkercher about his neck. To
the King's message he cried, like a fainting woman, "Lord! what can I do?
I am spent: people will not obey me. I have been pulling down houses; but
the fire overtakes us faster than we can do it." That he needed no more
soldiers; and that, for himself, he must go and refresh himself, having
been up all night. So he left me, and I him, and walked home, seeing
people all almost distracted, and no manner of means used to quench the
fire. The houses, too, so very thick thereabouts, and full of matter for
burning, as pitch and tarr, in Thames-street; and warehouses of oyle, and
wines, and brandy, and other things. Here I saw Mr. Isaake Houblon, the
handsome man, prettily dressed and dirty, at his door at Dowgate,
receiving some of his brothers' things, whose houses were on fire; and, as
he says, have been removed twice already; and he doubts (as it soon
proved) that they must be in a little time removed from his house also,
which was a sad consideration. And to see the churches all filling with
goods by people who themselves should have been quietly there at this
time. By this time it was about twelve o'clock; and so home, and there
find my guests, which was Mr. Wood and his wife Barbary Sheldon, and also
Mr. Moons: she mighty fine, and her husband; for aught I see, a likely
man. But Mr. Moone's design and mine, which was to look over my closett
and please him with the sight thereof, which he hath long desired, was
wholly disappointed; for we were in great trouble and disturbance at this
fire, not knowing what to think of it. However, we had an extraordinary
good dinner, and as merry, as at this time we could be. While at dinner
Mrs. Batelier come to enquire after Mr. Woolfe and Stanes (who, it seems,
are related to them), whose houses in Fish-street are all burned; and they
in a sad condition. She would not stay in the fright. Soon as dined, I
and Moone away, and walked, through the City, the streets full of nothing
but people and horses and carts loaden with goods, ready to run over one
another, and, removing goods from one burned house to another. They now
removing out of Canning-streets (which received goods in the morning) into
Lumbard-streets, and further;
and among others I now saw my little goldsmith, Stokes, receiving some
friend's goods, whose house itself was burned the day after. We parted at
Paul's; he home, and I to Paul's Wharf, where I had appointed a boat to
attend me, and took in Mr. Carcasse and his brother, whom I met in the
streets and carried them below and above bridge to and again to see the
fire, which was now got further, both below and above and no likelihood of
stopping it. Met with the King and Duke of York in their barge, and with
them to Queenhith and there called Sir Richard Browne to them. Their order
was only to pull down houses apace, and so below bridge the water-side;
but little was or could be done, the fire coming upon them so fast. Good
hopes there was of stopping it at the Three Cranes above, and at
Buttolph's Wharf below bridge, if care be used; but the wind carries it
into the City so as we know not by the water-side what it do there. River
full of lighters and boats taking in goods, and good goods swimming in the
water, and only I observed that hardly one lighter or boat in three that
had the goods of a house in, but there was a pair of Virginalls
[The virginal differed from the spinet in being square instead of
triangular in form. The word pair was used in the obsolete sense of
a set, as we read also of a pair of organs. The instrument is
supposed to have obtained its name from young women, playing upon
it.]
in it. Having seen as much as I could now, I away to White Hall by
appointment, and there walked to St. James's Parks, and there met my wife
and Creed and Wood and his wife, and walked to my boat; and there upon the
water again, and to the fire up and down, it still encreasing, and the
wind great. So near the fire as we could for smoke; and all over the
Thames, with one's face in the wind, you were almost burned with a shower
of firedrops. This is very true; so as houses were burned by these drops
and flakes of fire, three or four, nay, five or six houses, one from
another. When we could endure no more upon the water; we to a little
ale-house on the Bankside, over against the 'Three Cranes, and there staid
till it was dark almost, and saw the fire grow; and, as it grew darker,
appeared more and more, and in corners and upon steeples, and between
churches and houses, as far as we could see up the hill of the City, in a
most horrid malicious bloody flame, not like the fine flame of an ordinary
fire. Barbary and her husband away before us. We staid till, it being
darkish, we saw the fire as only one entire arch of fire from this to the
other side the bridge, and in a bow up the hill for an arch of above a
mile long: it made me weep to see it. The churches, houses, and all on
fire and flaming at once; and a horrid noise the flames made, and the
cracking of houses at their ruins. So home with a sad heart, and there
find every body discoursing and lamenting the fire; and poor Tom Hater
come with some few of his goods saved out of his house, which is burned
upon Fish-streets Hall. I invited him to lie at my house, and did receive
his goods, but was deceived in his lying there, the newes coming every
moment of the growth of the fire; so as we were forced to begin to pack up
our owne goods; and prepare for their removal; and did by moonshine (it
being brave dry, and moon: shine, and warm weather) carry much of my goods
into the garden, and Mr. Hater and I did remove my money and iron chests
into my cellar, as thinking that the safest place. And got my bags of
gold into my office, ready to carry away, and my chief papers of accounts
also there, and my tallys into a box by themselves. So great was our
fear, as Sir W. Batten hath carts come out of the country to fetch away
his goods this night. We did put Mr. Hater, poor man, to bed a little;
but he got but very little rest, so much noise being in my house, taking
down of goods.
3rd. About four o'clock in the morning, my Lady Batten sent me a cart to
carry away all my money, and plate, and best things, to Sir W. Rider's at
Bednall-greene. Which I did riding myself in my night-gowne in the cart;
and, Lord! to see how the streets and the highways are crowded with people
running and riding, and getting of carts at any rate to fetch away things.
I find Sir W. Rider tired with being called up all night, and receiving
things from several friends. His house full of goods, and much of Sir W.
Batten's and Sir W. Pen's I am eased at my heart to have my treasure so
well secured. Then home, with much ado to find a way, nor any sleep all
this night to me nor my poor wife. But then and all this day she and I,
and all my people labouring to get away the rest of our things, and did
get Mr. Tooker to get me a lighter to take them in, and we did carry them
(myself some) over Tower Hill, which was by this time full of people's
goods, bringing their goods thither; and down to the lighter, which lay at
next quay, above the Tower Docke. And here was my neighbour's wife,
Mrs.-------,with her pretty child, and some few of her things, which I did
willingly give way to be saved with mine; but there was no passing with
any thing through the postern, the crowd was so great. The Duke of Yorke
of this day by the office, and spoke to us, and did ride with his guard up
and down the City, to keep all quiet (he being now Generall, and having
the care of all). This day, Mercer being not at home, but against her
mistress's order gone to her mother's, and my wife going thither to speak
with W. Hewer, met her there, and was angry; and her mother saying that
she was not a 'prentice girl, to ask leave every time she goes abroad, my
wife with good reason was angry, and, when she came home, bid her be gone
again. And so she went away, which troubled me, but yet less than it
would, because of the condition we are in, fear of coming into in a little
time of being less able to keepe one in her quality. At night lay down a
little upon a quilt of W. Hewer's in the office, all my owne things being
packed up or gone; and after me my poor wife did the like, we having fed
upon the remains of yesterday's dinner, having no fire nor dishes, nor any
opportunity of dressing any thing.
4th. Up by break of day to get away the remainder of my things; which I
did by a lighter at the Iron gate and my hands so few, that it was the
afternoon before we could get them all away. Sir W. Pen and I to
Tower-streete, and there met the fire burning three or four doors beyond
Mr. Howell's, whose goods, poor man, his trayes, and dishes, shovells,
&c., were flung all along Tower-street in the kennels, and people working
therewith from one end to the other; the fire coming on in that narrow
streete, on both sides, with infinite fury. Sir W. Batten not knowing how
to remove his wine, did dig a pit in the garden, and laid it in there; and
I took the opportunity of laying all the papers of my office that I could
not otherwise dispose of. And in the evening Sir W. Pen and I did dig
another, and put our wine in it; and I my Parmazan cheese, as well as my
wine and some other things. The Duke of Yorke was at the office this day,
at Sir W. Pen's; but I happened not to be within. This afternoon, sitting
melancholy with Sir W. Pen in our garden, and thinking of the certain
burning of this office, without extraordinary means, I did propose for the
sending up of all our workmen from Woolwich and Deptford yards (none
whereof yet appeared), and to write to Sir W. Coventry to have the Duke of
Yorke's permission to pull down houses, rather than lose this office,
which would, much hinder, the King's business. So Sir W. Pen he went down
this night, in order to the sending them up to-morrow morning; and I wrote
to Sir W. Coventry about the business, but received no answer. This night
Mrs. Turner (who, poor woman, was removing her goods all this day, good
goods into the garden, and knows not how to dispose of them), and her
husband supped with my wife and I at night, in the office; upon a shoulder
of mutton from the cook's, without any napkin or any thing, in a sad
manner, but were merry. Only now and then walking into the garden, and
saw how horridly the sky looks, all on a fire in the night, was enough to
put us out of our wits; and, indeed, it was extremely dreadful, for it
looks just as if it was at us; and the whole heaven on fire. I after
supper walked in the darke down to Tower-streete, and there saw it all on
fire, at the Trinity House on that side, and the Dolphin Taverne on this
side, which was very near us; and the fire with extraordinary vehemence.
Now begins the practice of blowing up of houses in Tower-streete, those
next the Tower, which at first did frighten people more than anything, but
it stopped the fire where it was done, it bringing down the
[A copy of this letter, preserved among the Pepys MSS. in the
author's own handwriting, is subjoined:
"SIR, The fire is now very neere us as well on Tower Streete as
Fanchurch Street side, and we little hope of our escape but by this
remedy, to ye want whereof we doe certainly owe ye loss of ye City
namely, ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye fire. This way
Sir W. Pen and myself have so far concluded upon ye practising, that
he is gone to Woolwich and Deptford to supply himself with men and
necessarys in order to the doeing thereof, in case at his returne
our condition be not bettered and that he meets with his R. Hs.
approbation, which I had thus undertaken to learn of you. Pray
please to let me have this night (at whatever hour it is) what his
R. Hs. directions are in this particular; Sir J. Minnes and Sir W.
Batten having left us, we cannot add, though we are well assured of
their, as well as all ye neighbourhood's concurrence.
"Yr. obedient servnt.
"S. P.
"Sir W. Coventry,
"Septr. 4, 1666."]
houses to the ground in the same places they stood, and then it was easy
to quench what little fire was in it, though it kindled nothing almost. W.
Newer this day went to see how his mother did, and comes late home,
telling us how he hath been forced to remove her to Islington, her house
in Pye-corner being burned; so that the fire is got so far that way, and
all the Old Bayly, and was running down to Fleete-streete; and Paul's is
burned, and all Cheapside. I wrote to my father this night, but the
post-house being burned, the letter could not go.
[J. Hickes wrote to Williamson on September 3rd from the "Golden
Lyon," Red Cross Street Posthouse. Sir Philip [Frowde] and his lady
fled from the [letter] office at midnight for: safety; stayed
himself till 1 am. till his wife and childrens' patience could stay,
no longer, fearing lest they should be quite stopped up; the passage
was so tedious they had much ado to get where they are. The Chester
and Irish, mails have come-in; sends him his letters, knows not how
to dispose of the business ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67,
p. 95).]
5th. I lay down in the office again upon W. Hewer's, quilt, being mighty
weary, and sore in my feet with going till I was hardly able to stand.
About two in the morning my wife calls me up and tells me of new cryes of
fire, it being come to Barkeing Church, which is the bottom of our lane. I
up, and finding it so, resolved presently to take her away, and did, and
took my gold, which was about L2350, W. Newer, and Jane, down by
Proundy's boat to Woolwich; but, Lord! what sad sight it was by
moone-light to see, the whole City almost on fire, that you might see it
plain at Woolwich, as if you were by it. There, when I come, I find the
gates shut, but no guard kept at all, which troubled me, because of
discourse now begun, that there is plot in it, and that the French had
done it. I got the gates open, and to Mr. Shelden's, where I locked up my
gold, and charged, my wife and W. Newer never to leave the room without
one of them in it, night, or day. So back again, by the way seeing my
goods well in the lighters at Deptford, and watched well by people. Home;
and whereas I expected to have seen our house on fire, it being now about
seven o'clock, it was not. But to the fyre, and there find greater hopes
than I expected; for my confidence of finding our Office on fire was such,
that I durst not ask any body how it was with us, till I come and saw it
not burned. But going to the fire, I find by the blowing up of houses,
and the great helpe given by the workmen out of the King's yards, sent up
by Sir W. Pen, there is a good stop given to it, as well as at Marke-lane
end as ours; it having only burned the dyall of Barking Church, and part
of the porch, and was there quenched. I up to the top of Barking steeple,
and there saw the saddest sight of desolation that I ever saw; every where
great fires, oyle-cellars, and brimstone, and other things burning. I
became afeard to stay there long, and therefore down again as fast as I
could, the fire being spread as far as I could see it; and to Sir W.
Pen's, and there eat a piece of cold meat, having eaten nothing since
Sunday, but the remains of Sunday's dinner. Here I met with Mr. Young and
Whistler; and having removed all my things, and received good hopes that
the fire at our end; is stopped, they and I walked into the town, and find
Fanchurch-streete, Gracious-streete; and Lumbard-streete all in dust. The
Exchange a sad sight, nothing standing there, of all the statues or
pillars, but Sir Thomas Gresham's picture in the corner. Walked into
Moorefields (our feet ready to burn, walking through the towne among the
hot coles), and find that full of people, and poor wretches carrying their
good there, and every body keeping his goods together by themselves (and a
great blessing it is to them that it is fair weathe for them to keep
abroad night and day); drank there, and paid two-pence for a plain penny
loaf. Thence homeward, having passed through Cheapside and Newgate
Market, all burned, and seen Anthony Joyce's House in fire. And took up
(which I keep by me) a piece of glasse of Mercers' Chappell in the
streete, where much more was, so melted and buckled with the heat of the
fire like parchment. I also did see a poor cat taken out of a hole in the
chimney, joyning to the wall of the Exchange; with, the hair all burned
off the body, and yet alive. So home at night, and find there good hopes
of saving our office; but great endeavours of watching all night, and
having men ready; and so we lodged them in the office, and had drink and
bread and cheese for them. And I lay down and slept a good night about
midnight, though when I rose I heard that there had been a great alarme of
French and Dutch being risen, which proved, nothing. But it is a strange
thing to see how long this time did look since Sunday, having been always
full of variety of actions, and little sleep, that it looked like a week
or more, and I had forgot, almost the day of the week.
6th. Up about five o'clock, and where met Mr. Gawden at the gate of the
office (I intending to go out, as I used, every now and then to-day, to
see how the fire is) to call our men to Bishop's-gate, where no fire had
yet been near, and there is now one broke out which did give great grounds
to people, and to me too, to think that there is some kind of plot
[The terrible disaster which overtook London was borne by the
inhabitants of the city with great fortitude, but foreigners and
Roman Catholics had a bad dime. As no cause for the outbreak of the
fire could be traced, a general cry was raised that it owed its
origin to a plot. In a letter from Thomas Waade to Williamson
(dated "Whitby, Sept. 14th") we read, "The destruction of London by
fire is reported to be a hellish contrivance of the French,
Hollanders, and fanatic party" ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67,
p. 124).]
in this (on which many by this time have been taken, and, it hath been
dangerous for any stranger to walk in the streets), but I went with the
men, and we did put it out in a little time; so that that was well again.
It was pretty to see how hard the women did work in the cannells, sweeping
of water; but then they would scold for drink, and be as drunk as devils.
I saw good butts of sugar broke open in the street, and people go and take
handsfull out, and put into beer, and drink it. And now all being pretty
well, I took boat, and over to Southwarke, and took boat on the other side
the bridge, and so to Westminster, thinking to shift myself, being all in
dirt from top to bottom; but could not there find any place to buy a shirt
or pair of gloves, Westminster Hall being full of people's goods, those in
Westminster having removed all their goods, and the Exchequer money put
into vessels to carry to Nonsuch; but to the Swan, and there was trimmed;
and then to White Hall, but saw nobody; and so home. A sad sight to see
how the River looks: no houses nor church near it, to the Temple, where it
stopped. At home, did go with Sir W. Batten, and our neighbour, Knightly
(who, with one more, was the only man of any fashion left in all the
neighbourhood thereabouts, they all removing their goods and leaving their
houses to the mercy of the fire), to Sir R. Ford's, and there dined in an
earthen platter--a fried breast of mutton; a great many of us, but very
merry, and indeed as good a meal, though as ugly a one, as ever I had in
my life. Thence down to Deptford, and there with great satisfaction
landed all my goods at Sir G. Carteret's safe, and nothing missed I could
see, or hurt. This being done to my great content, I home, and to Sir W.
Batten's, and there with Sir R. Ford, Mr. Knightly, and one Withers, a
professed lying rogue, supped well, and mighty merry, and our fears over.
From them to the office, and there slept with the office full of
labourers, who talked, and slept, and walked all night long there. But
strange it was to see Cloathworkers' Hall on fire these three days and
nights in one body of flame, it being the cellar full of oyle.
7th. Up by five o'clock; and, blessed be God! find all well, and by
water to Paul's Wharfe. Walked thence, and saw, all the towne burned, and
a miserable sight of Paul's church; with all the roofs fallen, and the
body of the quire fallen into St. Fayth's; Paul's school also, Ludgate,
and Fleet-street, my father's house, and the church, and a good part of
the Temple the like. So to Creed's lodging, near the New Exchange, and
there find him laid down upon a bed; the house all unfurnished, there
being fears of the fire's coming to them. There borrowed a shirt of him,
and washed. To Sir W. Coventry, at St. James's, who lay without curtains,
having removed all his goods; as the King at White Hall, and every body
had done, and was doing. He hopes we shall have no publique distractions
upon this fire, which is what every body fears, because of the talke of
the French having a hand in it. And it is a proper time for discontents;
but all men's minds are full of care to protect themselves, and save their
goods: the militia is in armes every where. Our fleetes, he tells me,
have been in sight one of another, and most unhappily by fowle weather
were parted, to our great losse, as in reason they do conclude; the Dutch
being come out only to make a shew, and please their people; but in very
bad condition as to stores; victuals, and men. They are at Bullen; and
our fleete come to St. Ellen's. We have got nothing, but have lost one
ship, but he knows not what. Thence to the Swan, and there drank: and so
home, and find all well. My Lord Bruncker, at Sir W. Batten's, and tells
us the Generall is sent for up, to come to advise with the King about
business at this juncture, and to keep all quiet; which is great honour to
him, but I am sure is but a piece of dissimulation. So home, and did give
orders for my house to be made clean; and then down to Woolwich, and there
find all well: Dined, and Mrs. Markham come to see my wife. So I up
again, and calling at Deptford for some things of W. Hewer's, he being
with me, and then home and spent the evening with Sir R. Ford, Mr.
Knightly, and Sir W. Pen at Sir W. Batten's: This day our Merchants first
met at Gresham College, which, by proclamation, is to be their Exchange.
Strange to hear what is bid for houses all up and down here; a friend of
Sir W. Rider's: having L150 for what he used to let for L40 per annum.
Much dispute where the Custome-house shall be thereby the growth of the
City again to be foreseen. My Lord Treasurer, they say, and others; would
have it at the other end of the towne. I home late to Sir W. Pen's, who
did give me a bed; but without curtains or hangings, all being down. So
here I went the first time into a naked bed, only my drawers on; and did
sleep pretty well: but still hath sleeping and waking had a fear of fire
in my heart, that I took little rest. People do all the world over cry
out of the simplicity of my Lord Mayor in generall; and more particularly
in this business of the fire, laying it all upon' him. A proclamation
[On September 5th proclamation was made "ordering that for supply of
the distressed people left destitute by the late dreadful and dismal
fire. . . . great proportions of bread be brought daily, not
only to the former markets, but to those lately ordained; that all
churches, chapels, schools, and public buildings are to be open to
receive the goods of those who know not how to dispose of them." On
September 6th, proclamation ordered "that as the markets are burned
down, markets be held in Bishopsgate Street, Tower Hill, Smithfield,
and Leadenhall Street" ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67, pp.
100, 104).]
is come out for markets to be kept at Leadenhall and Mileendgreene, and
several other places about the towne; and Tower-hill, and all churches to
be set open to receive poor people.
8th. Up and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen by water to White Hall and
they to St. James's. I stopped with Sir G. Carteret to desire him to go
with us, and to enquire after money. But the first he cannot do, and the
other as little, or says, "when we can get any, or what shall we do for
it?" He, it seems, is employed in the correspondence between the City and
the King every day, in settling of things. I find him full of trouble, to
think how things will go. I left him, and to St. James's, where we met
first at Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and there did what business we can,
without any books. Our discourse, as every thing else, was confused. The
fleete is at Portsmouth, there staying a wind to carry them to the Downes,
or towards Bullen, where they say the Dutch fleete is gone, and stays. We
concluded upon private meetings for a while, not having any money to
satisfy any people that may come to us. I bought two eeles upon the
Thames, cost me six shillings. Thence with Sir W. Batten to the Cock-pit,
whither the Duke of Albemarle is come. It seems the King holds him so
necessary at this time, that he hath sent for him, and will keep him here.
Indeed, his interest in the City, being acquainted, and his care in
keeping things quiet, is reckoned that wherein he will be very
serviceable. We to him; he is courted in appearance by every body. He
very kind to us; I perceive he lays by all business of the fleete at
present, and minds the City, and is now hastening to Gresham College, to
discourse with the Aldermen. Sir W. Batten and I home (where met by my
brother John, come to town to see how things are with us), and then
presently he with me to Gresham College; where infinity of people, partly
through novelty to see the new place, and partly to find out and hear what
is become one man of another. I met with many people undone, and more
that have extraordinary great losses. People speaking their thoughts
variously about the beginning of the fire, and the rebuilding; of the
City. Then to Sir W. Batten's, and took my brothet with me, and there
dined with a great company of neighbours; and much good discourse; among
others, of the low spirits of some rich men in the City, in sparing any
encouragement to the, poor people that wrought for the saving their
houses. Among others, Alderman Starling, a very rich man, without;
children, the fire at next door to him in our lane, after our men had
saved his house, did give 2s. 6d. among thirty of them, and did quarrel
with some that would remove the rubbish out of the way of the fire, saying
that they come to steal. Sir W. Coventry told me of another this morning,
in Holborne, which he shewed the King that when it was offered to stop the
fire near his house for such a reward that came but to 2s. 6d. a man among
the neighbours he would, give but 18d. Thence to Bednall Green by coach,
my brother with me, and saw all well there, and fetched away my journall
book to enter for five days past, and then back to the office where I find
Bagwell's wife, and her husband come home. Agreed to come to their house
to-morrow, I sending him away to his ship to-day. To the office and late
writing letters, and then to Sir W. Pen's, my brother lying with me, and
Sir W. Pen gone down to rest himself at Woolwich. But I was much frighted
and kept awake in my bed, by some noise I heard a great while below
stairs; and the boys not coming up to me when I knocked. It was by their
discovery of people stealing of some neighbours' wine that lay in vessels
in the streets. So to sleep; and all well all night.
9th (Sunday). Up and was trimmed, and sent my brother to Woolwich to my
wife, to dine with her. I to church, where our parson made a melancholy
but good sermon; and many and most in the church cried, specially the
women. The church mighty full; but few of fashion, and most strangers. I
walked to Bednall Green, and there dined well, but a bad venison pasty at
Sir W. Rider's. Good people they are, and good discourse; and his
daughter, Middleton, a fine woman, discreet. Thence home, and to church
again, and there preached Dean Harding; but, methinks, a bad, poor sermon,
though proper for the time; nor eloquent, in saying at this time that the
City is reduced from a large folio to a decimotertio. So to my office,
there to write down my journall, and take leave of my brother, whom I sent
back this afternoon, though rainy; which it hath not done a good while
before. But I had no room or convenience for him here till my house is
fitted; but I was very kind to him, and do take very well of him his
journey. I did give him 40s. for his pocket, and so, he being gone, and,
it presently rayning, I was troubled for him, though it is good for the
fyre. Anon to Sir W. Pen's to bed, and made my boy Tom to read me asleep.
10th. All the morning clearing our cellars, and breaking in pieces all my
old lumber, to make room, and to prevent fire. And then to Sir W.
Batten's, and dined; and there hear that Sir W. Rider says that the towne
is full of the report of the wealth that is in his house, and would be
glad that his friends would provide for the safety of their goods there.
This made me get a cart; and thither, and there brought my money all away.
Took a hackney-coach myself (the hackney-coaches now standing at Allgate).
Much wealth indeed there is at his house. Blessed be God, I got all mine
well thence, and lodged it in my office; but vexed to have all the world
see it. And with Sir W. Batten, who would have taken away my hands before
they were stowed. But by and by comes brother Balty from sea, which I was
glad of; and so got him, and Mr. Tooker, and the boy, to watch with them
all in the office all night, while I upon Jane's coming went down to my
wife, calling at Deptford, intending to see Bagwell, but did not 'ouvrir
la porte comme je' did expect. So down late to Woolwich, and there find
my wife out of humour and indifferent, as she uses upon her having much
liberty abroad.
11th. Lay there, and up betimes, and by water with my gold, and laid it
with the rest in my office, where I find all well and safe. So with Sir
W. Batten to the New Exchange by water and to my Lord Bruncker's house,
where Sir W. Coventry and Sir G. Carteret met. Little business before us
but want of money. Broke up, and I home by coach round the town. Dined
at home, Balty and myself putting up my papers in m closet in the office.
He away, I down to Deptford and there spoke with Bagwell and agreed upon
to-morrow, and come home in the rain by water. In the evening at Sir W.
Pen's; with my wife, at supper, he in a mad, ridiculous, drunken humour;
and it seems there have been some late distances between his lady and him,
as my [wife] tells me. After supper, I home, and with Mr. Hater, Gibson,
and Tom alone, got all my chests and money into the further cellar with
much pains, but great content to me when done. So very late and weary, to
bed.
12th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to St. James's by water,
and there did our usual business with the Duke of Yorke. Thence I to
Westminster, and there, spoke with Michell and Howlett, who tell me how
their poor young ones are going to Shadwell's. The latter told me of the
unkindness of the young man to his wife, which is now over, and I have
promised to appear a counsellor to him. I am glad she is like to be so
near us again. Thence to Martin, and there did 'tout ce que je voudrais
avec' her, and drank, and away by water home and to dinner, Balty and his
wife there. After dinner I took him down with me to Deptford, and there
by the Bezan loaded above half my goods and sent them away. So we back
home, and then I found occasion to return in the dark and to Bagwell, and
there . . . did do all that I desired, but though I did intend 'pour
avoir demeurais con elle' to-day last night, yet when I had done 'ce que
je voudrais I did hate both elle and la cose', and taking occasion from
the occasion of 'su marido's return . . . did me lever', and so away
home late to Sir W. Pen's (Batty and his wife lying at my house), and
there in the same simple humour I found Sir W. Pen, and so late to bed.
13th. Up, and down to Tower Wharfe; and there, with Batty and labourers
from Deptford, did get my goods housed well at home. So down to Deptford
again to fetch the rest, and there eat a bit of dinner at the Globe, with
the master of the Bezan with me, while the labourers went to dinner. Here
I hear that this poor towne do bury still of the plague seven or eight in
a day. So to Sir G. Carteret's to work, and there did to my content ship
off into the Bezan all the rest of my goods, saving my pictures and fine
things, that I will bring home in wherrys when the house is fit to receive
them: and so home, and unload them by carts and hands before night, to my
exceeding satisfaction: and so after supper to bed in my house, the first
time I have lain there; and lay with my wife in my old closett upon the
ground, and Batty and his wife in the best chamber, upon the ground also.
14th. Up, and to work, having carpenters come to helpe in setting up
bedsteads and hangings; and at that trade my people and I all the morning,
till pressed by publique business to leave them against my will in the
afternoon: and yet I was troubled in being at home, to see all my goods
lie up and down the house in a bad condition, and strange workmen going to
and fro might take what they would almost. All the afternoon busy; and
Sir W. Coventry come to me, and found me, as God would have it, in my
office, and people about me setting my papers to rights; and there
discoursed about getting an account ready against the Parliament, and
thereby did create me infinite of business, and to be done on a sudden;
which troubled me: but, however, he being gone, I about it late, and to
good purpose. And so home, having this day also got my wine out of the
ground again, and set in my cellar; but with great pain to keep the
porters that carried it in from observing the money-chests there. So to
bed as last night, only my wife and I upon a bedstead with curtains in
that which was Mercer's chamber, and Balty and his wife (who are here and
do us good service), where we lay last night. This day, poor Tom Pepys,
the turner, was with me, and Kate, Joyce, to bespeake places; one for
himself, the other for her husband. She tells me he hath lost L140 per
annum, but have seven houses left.
15th. All the morning at the office, Harman being come to my great
satisfaction to put up my beds and hangings, so I am at rest, and followed
my business all day. Dined with Sir W. Batten, mighty busy about this
account, and while my people were busy, wrote near thirty letters and
orders with my owne hand. At it till eleven at night; and it is strange
to see how clear my head was, being eased of all the matter of all these
letters; whereas one would think that I should have been dazed. I never
did observe so much of myself in my life. In the evening there comes to
me Captain Cocke, and walked a good while in the garden. He says he hath
computed that the rents of houses lost by this fire in the City comes to
L600,000 per annum; that this will make the Parliament, more quiet than
otherwise they would have been, and give the, King a more ready supply;
that the supply must be by excise, as it is in Holland; that the
Parliament will see it necessary to carry on the warr; that the late storm
hindered our beating the Dutch fleete, who were gone out only to satisfy
the people, having no business to do but to avoid us; that the French, as
late in the yeare as it is, are coming; that the Dutch are really in bad
condition, but that this unhappinesse of ours do give them heart; that
there was a late difference between my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry
about neglect in the last to send away an express of the other's in time;
that it come before the King, and the Duke of Yorke concerned himself in
it; but this fire hath stopped it. The Dutch fleete is not gone home, but
rather to the North, and so dangerous to our Gottenburgh fleete. That the
Parliament is likely to fall foul upon some persons; and, among others, on
the Vice-chamberlaine, though we both believe with little ground. That
certainly never so great a loss as this was borne so well by citizens in
the world; he believing that not one merchant upon the 'Change will break
upon it. That he do not apprehend there will be any disturbances in State
upon it; for that all men are busy in looking after their owne business to
save themselves. He gone, I to finish my letters, and home to bed; and
find to my infinite joy many rooms clean; and myself and wife lie in our
own chamber again. But much terrified in the nights now-a-days with
dreams of fire, and falling down of houses.
16th (Lord's day). Lay with much pleasure in bed talking with my wife
about Mr. Hater's lying here and W. Hewer also, if Mrs. Mercer leaves her
house. To the office, whither also all my people about this account, and
there busy all the morning. At noon, with my wife, against her will, all
undressed and dirty, dined at Sir W. Pen's, where was all the company of
our families in towne; but, Lord! so sorry a dinner: venison baked in
pans, that the dinner I have had for his lady alone hath been worth four
of it. Thence, after dinner, displeased with our entertainment, to my
office again, and there till almost midnight and my people with me, and
then home, my head mightily akeing about our accounts.
17th. Up betimes, and shaved myself after a week's growth, but, Lord! how
ugly I was yesterday and how fine to-day! By water, seeing the City all
the way, a sad sight indeed, much fire being still in. To Sir W.
Coventry, and there read over my yesterday's work: being a collection of
the particulars of the excess of charge created by a war, with good
content. Sir W. Coventry was in great pain lest the French fleete should
be passed by our fleete, who had notice of them on Saturday, and were
preparing to go meet them; but their minds altered, and judged them
merchant-men, when the same day the Success, Captain Ball, made their
whole fleete, and come to Brighthelmstone, and thence at five o'clock
afternoon, Saturday, wrote Sir W. Coventry newes thereof; so that we do
much fear our missing them. Here come in and talked with him Sir Thomas
Clifford, who appears a very fine gentleman, and much set by at Court for
his activity in going to sea, and stoutness everywhere, and stirring up
and down. Thence by coach over the ruines, down Fleete Streete and
Cheapside to Broad Streete to Sir G. Carteret, where Sir W. Batten (and
Sir J. Minnes, whom I had not seen a long time before, being his first
coming abroad) and Lord Bruncker passing his accounts. Thence home a
little to look after my people at work and back to Sir G. Carteret's to
dinner; and thence, after some discourse; with him upon our publique
accounts, I back home, and all the day with Harman and his people
finishing the hangings and beds in my house, and the hangings will be as
good as ever, and particularly in my new closet. They gone and I weary,
my wife and I, and Balty and his wife, who come hither to-day to helpe us,
to a barrel of oysters I sent from the river today, and so to bed.
18th. Strange with what freedom and quantity I pissed this night, which I
know not what to impute to but my oysters, unless the coldness of the
night should cause it, for it was a sad rainy and tempestuous night. Soon
as up I begun to have some pain in my bladder and belly, as usual, which
made me go to dinner betimes, to fill my belly, and that did ease me, so
as I did my business in the afternoon, in forwarding the settling of my
house, very well. Betimes to bed, my wife also being all this day ill in
the same manner. Troubled at my wife's haire coming off so much. This day
the Parliament met, and adjourned till Friday, when the King will be with
them.
19th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen by coach to St. James's, and there did our
usual business before the Duke of Yorke; which signified little, our
business being only complaints of lack of money. Here I saw a bastard of
the late King of Sweden's come to kiss his hands; a mighty modish
French-like gentleman. Thence to White Hall, with Sir W. Batten and Sir
W. Pen, to Wilkes's; and there did hear the many profane stories of Sir
Henry Wood damning the parsons for so much spending the wine at the
sacrament, cursing that ever they took the cup to themselves, and then
another story that he valued not all the world's curses, for two pence he
shall get at any time the prayers of some poor body that is worth a 1000
of all their curses; Lord Norwich drawing a tooth at a health. Another
time, he and Pinchbacke and Dr. Goffe, now a religious man, Pinchbacke did
begin a frolick to drink out of a glass with a toad in it that he had
taken up going out to shit, he did it without harm. Goffe, who knew sacke
would kill the toad, called for sacke; and when he saw it dead, says he,
"I will have a quick toad, and will not drink from a dead toad."
["They swallow their own contradictions as easily as a hector can
drink a frog in a glass of wine."--Benlivoglio and Urania, book v.,
p. 92, 3rd edit.--B.]
By that means, no other being to be found, he escaped the health. Thence
home, and dined, and to Deptford and got all my pictures put into
wherries, and my other fine things, and landed them all very well, and
brought them home, and got Sympson to set them all up to-night; and he
gone, I and the boy to finish and set up my books, and everything else in
my house, till two o'clock; in the morning, and then to bed; but mightily
troubled, and even in my sleep, at my missing four or five of my biggest
books. Speed's Chronicle and Maps, and the two parts of Waggoner, and a
book of cards, which I suppose I have put up with too much care, that I
have forgot where they are; for sure they are not stole. Two little
pictures of sea and ships and a little gilt frame belonging to my plate of
the River, I want; but my books do heartily trouble me. Most of my gilt
frames are hurt, which also troubles me, but most my books. This day I
put on two shirts, the first time this year, and do grow well upon it; so
that my disease is nothing but wind.
20th. Up, much troubled about my books, but cannot, imagine where they
should be. Up, to the setting my closet to rights, and Sir W. Coventry
takes me at it, which did not displease me. He and I to discourse about
our accounts, and the bringing them to the Parliament, and with much
content to see him rely so well on my part. He and I together to Broad
Streete to the Vice-Chamberlain, and there discoursed a while and parted.
My Lady Carteret come to town, but I did not see her. He tells me how the
fleete is come into the Downes. Nothing done, nor French fleete seen: we
drove all from our anchors. But he says newes is come that De Ruyter is
dead, or very near it, of a hurt in his mouth, upon the discharge of one
of his own guns; which put him into a fever, and he likely to die, if not
already dead. We parted, and I home to dinner, and after dinner to the
setting things in order, and all my people busy about the same work. In
the afternoon, out by coach, my wife with me, which we have not done
several weeks now, through all the ruines, to shew her them, which frets
her much, and is a sad sight indeed. Set her down at her brother's, and
thence I to Westminster Hall, and there staid a little while, and called
her home. She did give me an account of great differences between her
mother and Balty's wife. The old woman charges her with going abroad and
staying out late, and painting in the absence of her husband, and I know
not what; and they grow proud, both he and she, and do not help their
father and mother out of what I help them to, which I do not like, nor my
wife. So home, and to the office, to even my journall, and then home, and
very late up with Jane setting my books in perfect order in my closet, but
am mightily troubled for my great books that I miss, and I am troubled the
more for fear there should be more missing than what I find, though by the
room they take on the shelves I do not find any reason to think it. So to
bed.
21st. Up, and mightily pleased with the setting of my books the last
night in order, and that which did please me most of all is that W. Hewer
tells me that upon enquiry he do find that Sir W. Pen hath a hamper more
than his own, which he took for a hamper of bottles of wine, and are books
in it. I was impatient to see it, but they were carried into a
wine-cellar, and the boy is abroad with him at the House, where the
Parliament met to-day, and the King to be with them. At noon after dinner
I sent for Harry, and he tells me it is so, and brought me by and by my
hamper of books to my great joy, with the same books I missed, and three
more great ones, and no more. I did give him 5s. for his pains, And so
home with great joy, and to the setting of some off them right, but could
not finish it, but away by coach to the other end of the town, leaving my
wife at the 'Change, but neither come time enough to the Council to speak
with the Duke of Yorke, nor with Sir G. Carteret, and so called my wife,
and paid for some things she bought, and so home, and there after a little
doing at the office about our accounts, which now draw near the time they
should be ready, the House having ordered Sir G. Carteret, upon his
offering them, to bring them in on Saturday next, I home, and there, with
great pleasure, very late new setting all my books; and now I am in as
good condition as I desire to be in all worldly respects. The Lord of
Heaven make me thankfull, and continue me therein! So to bed. This day I
had new stairs of main timber put t my cellar going into the yard.
22nd. To my closet, and had it new washed, and now my house is so clean
as I never saw it, or any other house in my life, and every thing in as
good condition as ever before the fire; but with, I believe, about L20
cost one way or other besides about L20 charge in removing my goods, and
do not find that I have lost any thing but two little pictures of ship and
sea, and a little gold frame for one of my sea-cards. My glazier, indeed,
is so full of worke that I cannot get him to come to perfect my house. To
the office, and there busy now for good and all about my accounts. My
Lord Brunck come thither, thinking to find an office, but we have not yet
met. He do now give me a watch, a plain one, in the roome of my former
watch with many motions which I did give him. If it goes well, I care not
for the difference in worth, though believe there is above L5. He and I
to Sir G. Carteret to discourse about his account, but Mr. Waith not being
there nothing could be done, and therefore I home again, and busy all day.
In the afternoon comes Anthony Joyce to see me, and with tears told me his
losse, but yet that he had something left that he can live well upon, and
I doubt it not. But he would buy some place that he could have and yet
keepe his trade where he is settled in St. Jones's. He gone, I to the
office again, and then to Sir G. Carteret, and there found Mr. Wayth, but,
Lord! how fretfully Sir G. Carteret do discourse with Mr. Wayth about his
accounts, like a man that understands them not one word. I held my tongue
and let him go on like a passionate foole. In the afternoon I paid for
the two lighters that carried my goods to Deptford, and they cost me L8.
Till past midnight at our accounts, and have brought them to a good issue,
so as to be ready to meet Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry to-morrow,
but must work to-morrow, which Mr. T. Hater had no mind to, it being the
Lord's day, but, being told the necessity, submitted, poor man! This
night writ for brother John to come to towne. Among other reasons, my
estate lying in money, I am afeard of any sudden miscarriage. So to bed
mightily contented in dispatching so much business, and find my house in
the best condition that ever I knew it. Home to bed.
23rd (Lord's day). Up, and after being trimmed, all the morning at the
office with my people about me till about one o'clock, and then home, and
my people with me, and Mr. Wayth and I eat a bit of victuals in my old
closet, now my little dining-room, which makes a pretty room, and my house
being so clean makes me mightily pleased, but only I do lacke Mercer or
somebody in the house to sing with. Soon as eat a bit Mr. Wayth and I by
water to White Hall, and there at Sir G. Carteret's lodgings Sir W.
Coventry met, and we did debate the whole business of our accounts to the
Parliament; where it appears to us that the charge of the war from
September 1st, 1664, to this Michaelmas, will have been but L3,200,000,
and we have paid in that time somewhat about L2,200,000; so that we owe
above L900,000: but our method of accounting, though it cannot, I believe,
be far wide from the mark, yet will not abide a strict examination if the
Parliament should be troublesome. Here happened a pretty question of Sir
W. Coventry, whether this account of ours will not put my Lord Treasurer
to a difficulty to tell what is become of all the money the Parliament
have 'give' in this time for the war, which hath amounted to about
L4,000,000, which nobody there could answer; but I perceive they did doubt
what his answer could be. Having done, and taken from Sir W. Coventry the
minutes of a letter to my Lord Treasurer, Wayth and I back again to the
office, and thence back down to the water with my wife and landed him in
Southwarke, and my wife and I for pleasure to Fox-hall, and there eat and
drank, and so back home, and I to the office till midnight drawing the
letter we are to send with our accounts to my Lord Treasurer, and that
being done to my mind, I home to bed.
24th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to St. James's, and there
with Sir W. Coventry read and all approved of my letter, and then home,
and after dinner, Mr. Hater and Gibson dining with me, to the office, and
there very late new moulding my accounts and writing fair my letter, which
I did against the evening, and then by coach left my wife at her
brother's, and I to St. James's, and up and down to look [for] Sir W.
Coventry; and at last found him and Sir G. Carteret with the Lord
Treasurer at White Hall, consulting how to make up my Lord Treasurer's
general account, as well as that of the Navy particularly. Here brought
the letter, but found that Sir G. Carteret had altered his account since
he did give me the abstract of it: so all my letter must be writ over
again, to put in his last abstract. So to Sir G. Carteret's lodgings, to
speak a little about the alteration; and there looking over the book that
Sir G. Carteret intends to deliver to the Parliament of his payments since
September 1st, 1664, and there I find my name the very second for flags,
which I had bought for the Navy, of calico; once, about 500 and odd
pounds, which vexed me mightily. At last, I concluded of scraping out my
name and putting in Mr. Tooker's, which eased me; though the price was
such as I should have had glory by. Here I saw my Lady Carteret lately
come to towne, who, good lady! is mighty kind, and I must make much of
her, for she is a most excellent woman. So took up my wife and away home,
and there to bed, and
25th. Up betimes, with all my people to get the letter writ over, and
other things done, which I did, and by coach to Lord Bruncker's, and got
his hand to it; and then to the Parliament House and got it signed by the
rest, and then delivered it at the House-door to Sir Philip Warwicke; Sir
G. Carteret being gone into the House with his book of accounts under his
arme, to present to the House. I had brought my wife to White Hall, and
leaving her with Mrs. Michell, where she sat in her shop and had burnt
wine sent for her, I walked in the Hall, and among others with Ned
Picketing, who continues still a lying, bragging coxcombe, telling me that
my Lord Sandwich may thank himself for all his misfortune; for not
suffering him and two or three good honest fellows more to take them by
the throats that spoke ill of him, and told me how basely Lionell Walden
hath carried himself towards my Lord; by speaking slightly of him, which I
shall remember. Thence took my wife home to dinner, and then to the
office, where Mr. Hater all the day putting in order and entering in a
book all the measures that this account of the Navy hath been made up by,
and late at night to Mrs. Turner's, where she had got my wife and Lady Pen
and Pegg, and supped, and after, supper and the rest of the company by
design gone, Mrs. Turner and her husband did lay their case to me about
their lodgings, Sir J. Minnes being now gone wholly to his owne, and now,
they being empty, they doubt Sir T. Harvy or Lord Bruncker may look after
the lodgings. I did give them the best advice, poor people, that I could,
and would do them any kindnesse, though it is strange that now they should
have ne'er a friend of Sir W. Batten or Sir W. Pen to trust to but me,
that they have disobliged. So home to bed, and all night still mightily
troubled in my sleepe, with fire and houses pulling down.
26th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to St. James's, where every body going
to the House, I away by coach to White Hall, and after a few turns, and
hearing that our accounts come into the House but to-day, being hindered
yesterday by other business, I away by coach home, taking up my wife and
calling at Bennet's, our late mercer, who is come into Covent Garden to a
fine house looking down upon the Exchange; and I perceive many Londoners
every day come; and Mr. Pierce hath let his wife's closett, and the little
blind bed chamber, and a garret to a silke man for L50 fine, and L30 per
annum, and L40 per annum more for dieting the master and two prentices.
So home, not agreeing for silk for a petticoat for her which she desired,
but home to dinner and then back to White Hall, leaving my wife by the way
to buy her petticoat of Bennet, and I to White Hall waiting all day on the
Duke of Yorke to move the King for getting Lanyon some money at Plymouth
out of some oyle prizes brought in thither, but could get nothing done,
but here Mr. Dugdale I hear the great loss of books in St. Paul's
Church-yarde, and at their Hall also, which they value about L150,000;
some booksellers being wholly undone, among others, they say, my poor
Kirton. And Mr. Crumlu all his books and household stuff burned; they
trusting St. Fayth's, and the roof of the church falling, broke the arch
down into the lower church, and so all the goods burned. A very great
loss. His father hath lost above L1000 in books; one book newly printed,
a Discourse, it seems, of Courts. Here I had the hap to see my Lady
Denham: and at night went into the dining-room and saw several fine
ladies; among others, Castlemayne, but chiefly Denham again; and the Duke
of Yorke taking her aside and talking to her in the sight of all the
world, all alone; which was strange, and what also I did not like. Here I
met with good Mr. Evelyn, who cries out against it, and calls it
bitchering,--[This word was apparently of Evelyn's own making.]--for the
Duke of Yorke talks a little to her, and then she goes away, and then he
follows her again like a dog. He observes that none of the nobility come
out of the country at all to help the King, or comfort him, or prevent
commotions at this fire; but do as if the King were nobody; nor ne'er a
priest comes to give the King and Court good council, or to comfort the
poor people that suffer; but all is dead, nothing of good in any of their
minds: he bemoans it, and says he fears more ruin hangs over our heads.
Thence away by coach, and called away my wife at Unthanke's, where she
tells me she hath bought a gowne of 15s. per yard; the same, before her
face, my Lady Castlemayne this day bought also, which I seemed vexed for,
though I do not grudge it her, but to incline her to have Mercer again,
which I believe I shall do, but the girle, I hear, has no mind to come to
us again, which vexes me. Being come home, I to Sir W. Batten, and there
hear our business was tendered to the House to-day, and a Committee of the
whole House chosen to examine our accounts, and a great many Hotspurs
enquiring into it, and likely to give us much trouble and blame, and
perhaps (which I am afeard of) will find faults enow to demand better
officers. This I truly fear. Away with Sir W. Pen, who was there, and he
and I walked in the garden by moonlight, and he proposes his and my
looking out into Scotland about timber, and to use Pett there; for timber
will be a good commodity this time of building the City; and I like the
motion, and doubt not that we may do good in it. We did also discourse
about our Privateer, and hope well of that also, without much hazard, as,
if God blesses us, I hope we shall do pretty well toward getting a penny.
I was mightily pleased with our discourse, and so parted, and to the
office to finish my journall for three or four days, and so home to
supper, and to bed. Our fleete abroad, and the Dutch too, for all we
know; the weather very bad; and under the command of an unlucky man, I
fear. God bless him, and the fleete under him!
27th. A very furious blowing night all the night; and my mind still
mightily perplexed with dreams, and burning the rest of the town, and
waking in much pain for the fleete. Up, and with my wife by coach as far
as the Temple, and there she to the mercer's again, and I to look out
Penny, my tailor, to speak for a cloak and cassock for my brother, who is
coming to town; and I will have him in a canonical dress, that he may be
the fitter to go abroad with me. I then to the Exchequer, and there,
among other things, spoke to Mr. Falconbridge about his girle I heard sing
at Nonsuch, and took him and some other 'Chequer men to the Sun Taverne,
and there spent 2s. 6d. upon them, and he sent for the girle, and she hath
a pretty way of singing, but hath almost forgot for want of practice. She
is poor in clothes, and not bred to any carriage, but will be soon taught
all, and if Mercer do not come again, I think we may have her upon better
terms, and breed her to what we please. Thence to Sir W. Coventry's, and
there dined with him and Sir W. Batten, the Lieutenant of the Tower, and
Mr. Thin, a pretty gentleman, going to Gottenburgh. Having dined, Sir W.
Coventry, Sir W. Batten, and I walked into his closet to consider of some
things more to be done in a list to be given to the Parliament of all our
ships, and time of entry and discharge. Sir W. Coventry seems to think
they will soon be weary of the business, and fall quietly into the giving
the King what is fit. This he hopes. Thence I by coach home to the
office, and there intending a meeting, but nobody being there but myself
and Sir J. Minnes, who is worse than nothing, I did not answer any body,
but kept to my business in the office till night, and then Sir W. Batten
and Sir W. Pen to me, and thence to Sir W. Batten's, and eat a barrel of
oysters I did give them, and so home, and to bed. I have this evening
discoursed with W. Hewer about Mercer, I having a mind to have her again;
and I am vexed to hear him say that she hath no mind to come again, though
her mother hath. No newes of the fleete yet, but that they went by Dover
on the 25th towards the Gunfleete, but whether the Dutch be yet abroad, or
no, we hear not. De Ruyter is not dead, but like to do well. Most think
that the gross of the French fleete are gone home again.
28th. Lay long in bed, and am come to agreement with my wife to have
Mercer again, on condition she may learn this winter two months to dance,
and she promises me she will endeavour to learn to sing, and all this I am
willing enough to. So up, and by and by the glazier comes to finish the
windows of my house, which pleases me, and the bookbinder to gild the
backs of my books. I got the glass of my book-presses to be done
presently, which did mightily content me, and to setting my study in a
little better order; and so to my, office to my people, busy about our
Parliament accounts; and so to dinner, and then at them again close. At
night comes Sir W. Pen, and he and I a turn in the garden, and he broke to
me a proposition of his and my joining in a design of fetching timber and
deals from Scotland, by the help of Mr. Pett upon the place; which, while
London is building, will yield good money. I approve it. We judged a
third man, that is knowing, is necessary, and concluded on Sir W. Warren,
and sent for him to come to us to-morrow morning. I full of this all
night, and the project of our man of war; but he and, I both dissatisfied
with Sir W. Batten's proposing his son to be Lieutenant, which we, neither
of us, like. He gone, I discoursed with W. Hewer about Mercer, having a
great mind she should come to us again, and instructed him what to say to
her mother about it. And so home, to supper, and to bed.
29th. A little meeting at the office by Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, and
myself, being the first since the fire. We rose soon, and comes Sir W.
Warren, by our desire, and with Sir W. Pen and I talked of our Scotch
motion, which Sir W. Warren did seem to be stumbled at, and did give no
ready answer, but proposed some thing previous to it, which he knows would
find us work, or writing to Mr. Pett to be informed how matters go there
as to cost and ways of providing sawyers or saw-mills. We were parted
without coming to any good resolution in it, I discerning plainly that Sir
W. Warren had no mind to it, but that he was surprised at our motion. He
gone, I to some office business, and then home to dinner, and then to
office again, and then got done by night the lists that are to be
presented to the Parliament Committee of the ships, number of men, and
time employed since the war, and then I with it (leaving my wife at
Unthanke's) to St. James's, where Sir W. Coventry staid for me, and I
perused our lists, and find to our great joy that wages, victuals, wear
and tear, cast by the medium of the men, will come to above 3,000,000; and
that the extraordinaries, which all the world will allow us, will arise to
more than will justify the expence we have declared to have been at since
the war, viz., L320,000, he and I being both mightily satisfied, he saying
to me, that if God send us over this rub we must take another course for a
better Comptroller. So parted, and I to my wife [at Unthanke's], who
staid for the finishing her new best gowne (the best that ever I made her
coloured tabby, flowered, and so took it and her home; and then I to my
people, and having cut them out a little more work than they expected,
viz., the writing over the lists in new method, I home to bed, being in
good humour, and glad of the end we have brought this matter to.
30th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where I have not been a good while:
and there the church infinitely thronged with strangers since the fire
come into our parish; but not one handsome face in all of them, as if,
indeed, there was a curse, as Bishop Fuller heretofore said, upon our
parish. Here I saw Mercer come into the church, which I had a mind to,
but she avoided looking up, which vexed me. A pretty good sermon, and
then home, and comes Balty and dined with us. A good dinner; and then to
have my haire cut against winter close to my head, and then to church
again. A sorry sermon, and away home. [Sir] W. Pen and I to walk to talk
about several businesses, and then home; and my wife and I to read in
Fuller's Church History, and so to supper and to bed. This month ends
with my mind full of business and concernment how this office will speed
with the Parliament, which begins to be mighty severe in the examining our
accounts, and the expence of the Navy this war.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
About my new closet, for my mind is full of nothing but that
About the nature of sounds
All the innocent pleasure in the world
Angry, and so continued till bed, and did not sleep friends
Beare-garden
Being examined at Allgate, whether we were husbands and wives
Did dig another, and put our wine in it; and I my Parmazan cheese
Do bury still of the plague seven or eight in a day
Durst not ask any body how it was with us
Evelyn, who cries out against it, and calls it bitchering
Fire grow; and, as it grew darker, appeared more and more
Good sport of the bull's tossing of the dogs
Great fire they saw in the City
Horrid malicious bloody flame
I never did observe so much of myself in my life
No manner of means used to quench the fire
Not permit her begin to do so, lest worse should follow
Offered to stop the fire near his house for such a reward
Pain to ride in a coach with them, for fear of being seen
Plot in it, and that the French had done it
Put up with too much care, that I have forgot where they are
Removing goods from one burned house to another
Sad sight it was: the whole City almost on fire
Staying out late, and painting in the absence of her husband
There did 'tout ce que je voudrais avec' her
This unhappinesse of ours do give them heart
Ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye fire
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 45: August/September 1666" ***
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