Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 50: February 1666-67
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.
                                 FEBRUARY
                                 1666-1667

February 1st.  Up, and to the office, where I was all the morning doing
business, at noon home to dinner, and after dinner down by water, though
it was a thick misty and rainy day, and walked to Deptford from Redriffe,
and there to Bagwell's by appointment, where the 'mulier etoit within
expecting me venir .  .  .  .  By and by 'su marido' come in, and there
without any notice taken by him we discoursed of our business of getting
him the new ship building by Mr. Deane, which I shall do for him.  Thence
by and by after a little talk I to the yard, and spoke with some of the
officers, but staid but little, and the new clerk of the 'Chequer, Fownes,
did walk to Redriffe back with me.  I perceive he is a very child, and is
led by the nose by Cowly and his kinsman that was his clerk, but I did
make him understand his duty, and put both understanding and spirit into
him, so that I hope he will do well.  [Much surprised to hear this day at
Deptford that Mrs. Batters is going already to be married to him, that is
now the Captain of her husband's ship.  She seemed the most passionate
mourner in the world.  But I believe it cannot be true.]--(The passage
between brackets is written in the margin of the MS.)--Thence by water to
Billingsgate; thence to the Old Swan, and there took boat, it being now
night, to Westminster Hall, there to the Hall, and find Doll Lane, and
'con elle' I went to the Bell Taverne, and 'ibi je' did do what I would
'con elle' as well as I could, she 'sedendo sobre' thus far and making
some little resistance.  But all with much content, and 'je tenai' much
pleasure 'cum ista'.  There parted, and I by coach home, and to the
office, where pretty late doing business, and then home, and merry with my
wife, and to supper.  My brother and I did play with the base, and I upon
my viallin, which I have not seen out of the case now I think these three
years, or more, having lost the key, and now forced to find an expedient
to open it.  Then to bed.

2nd.  Up, and to the office.  This day I hear that Prince Rupert is to be
trepanned.  God give good issue to it.  Sir W. Pen looks upon me, and I on
him, and speak about business together at the table well enough, but no
friendship or intimacy since our late difference about his closet, nor do
I desire to have any.  At noon dined well, and my brother and I to write
over once more with my own hand my catalogue of books, while he reads to
me.  After something of that done, and dined, I to the office, where all
the afternoon till night busy.  At night, having done all my office
matters, I home, and my brother and I to go on with my catalogue, and so
to supper.  Mrs. Turner come to me this night again to condole her
condition and the ill usage she receives from my Lord Bruncker, which I
could never have expected from him, and shall be a good caution to me
while I live.  She gone, I to supper, and then to read a little, and to
bed.  This night comes home my new silver snuffe-dish, which I do give
myself for my closet, which is all I purpose to bestow in plate of myself,
or shall need, many a day, if I can keep what I have.  So to bed. I am
very well pleased this night with reading a poem I brought home with me
last night from Westminster Hall, of Dryden's' upon the present war; a
very good poem.

3rd (Lord's day).  Up, and with Sir W. Batten and [Sir] W. Pen to White
Hall, and there to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and there staid till he was
ready, talking, and among other things of the Prince's being trepanned,
which was in doing just as we passed through the Stone Gallery, we asking
at the door of his lodgings, and were told so.  We are all full of wishes
for the good success; though I dare say but few do really concern
ourselves for him in our hearts.  Up to the Duke of York, and with him did
our business we come about, and among other things resolve upon a meeting
at the office to-morrow morning, Sir W. Coventry to be there to determine
of all things necessary for the setting of Sir W. Pen to work in his
Victualling business.  This did awake in me some thoughts of what might in
discourse fall out touching my imployment, and did give me some
apprehension of trouble.  Having done here, and after our laying our
necessities for money open to the Duke of York, but nothing obtained
concerning it, we parted, and I with others into the House, and there hear
that the work is done to the Prince in a few minutes without any pain at
all to him, he not knowing when it was done.  It was performed by Moulins.
 Having cut the outward table, as they call it, they find the inner all
corrupted, so as it come out without any force; and their fear is, that
the whole inside of his head is corrupted like that, which do yet make
them afeard of him; but no ill accident appeared in the doing of the
thing, but all with all imaginable success, as Sir Alexander Frazier did
tell me himself, I asking him, who is very kind to me.  I to the Chapel a
little, but hearing nothing did take a turn into the Park, and then back
to Chapel and heard a very good Anthem to my heart's delight, and then to
Sir G. Carteret's to dinner, and before dinner did walk with him alone a
good while, and from him hear our case likely for all these acts to be bad
for money, which troubles me, the year speeding so fast, and he tells me
that he believes the Duke of York will go to sea with the fleete, which I
am sorry for in respect to his person, but yet there is no person in
condition to command the fleete, now the Captains are grown so great, but
him, it being impossible for anybody else but him to command any order or
discipline among them.  He tells me there is nothing at all in the late
discourse about my Lord Sandwich and the French Embassador meeting and
contending for the way, which I wonder at, to see the confidence of report
without any ground.  By and by to dinner, where very good company.  Among
other discourse, we talked much of Nostradamus

     [Michael Nostradamus, a physician and astrologer, born in the
     diocese of Avignon, 1503.  Amongst other predictions, one was
     interpreted as foreshowing the singular death of Hen. II. of France,
     by which his reputation was increased.]

his prophecy of these times, and the burning of the City of London, some
of whose verses are put into Booker's' Almanack this year; and Sir G.
Carteret did tell a story, how at his death he did make the town swear
that he should never be dug up, or his tomb opened, after he was buried;
but they did after sixty years do it, and upon his breast they found a
plate of brasse, saying what a wicked and unfaithful people the people of
that place were, who after so many vows should disturb and open him such a
day and year and hour; which, if true, is very strange.  Then we fell to
talking of the burning of the City; and my Lady Carteret herself did tell
us how abundance of pieces of burnt papers were cast by the wind as far as
Cranborne; and among others she took up one, or had one brought her to
see, which was a little bit of paper that had been printed, whereon there
remained no more nor less than these words: "Time is, it is done."   After
dinner I went and took a turn into the Park, and then took boat and away
home, and there to my chamber and to read, but did receive some letters
from Sir W. Coventry, touching the want of victuals to Kempthorne's'
fleete going to the Streights and now in the Downes: which did trouble me,
he saying that this disappointment might prove fatal; and the more,
because Sir W. Coventry do intend to come to the office upon business
to-morrow morning, and I shall not know what answer to give him. This did
mightily trouble my mind; however, I fell to read a little in Hakewill's
Apology, and did satisfy myself mighty fair in the truth of the saying
that the world do not grow old at all, but is in as good condition in all
respects as ever it was as to nature.  I continued reading this book with
great pleasure till supper, and then to bed sooner than ordinary, for
rising betimes in the morning to-morrow.  So after reading my usual vows
to bed, my mind full of trouble against to-morrow, and did not sleep any
good time of the night for thoughts of to-morrow morning's trouble.

4th.  I up, with my head troubled to think of the issue of this morning,
so made ready and to the office, where Mr. Gawden comes, and he and I
discoursed the business well, and thinks I shall get off well enough; but
I do by Sir W. Coventry's silence conclude that he is not satisfied in my
management of my place and the charge it puts the King to, which I confess
I am not in present condition through my late laziness to give any good
answer to.  But here do D. Gawden give me a good cordiall this morning, by
telling me that he do give me five of the eight hundred pounds on his
account remaining in my hands to myself, for the service I do him in my
victualling business, and L100 for my particular share of the profits of
my Tangier imployment as Treasurer.  This do begin to make my heart glad,
and I did dissemble it the better, so when Sir W. Coventry did come, and
the rest met, I did appear unconcerned, and did give him answer pretty
satisfactory what he asked me; so that I did get off this meeting without
any ground lost, but rather a great deal gained by interposing that which
did belong to my duty to do, and neither [Sir] W. Coventry nor (Sir) W.
Yen did oppose anything thereunto, which did make my heart very glad.  All
the morning at this work, Sir W. Pen making a great deal of do for the
fitting him in his setting out in his employment, and I do yield to any
trouble that he gives me without any contradiction.  Sir W. Coventry being
gone, we at noon to dinner to Sir W. Pen's, he inviting me and my wife,
and there a pretty good dinner, intended indeed for Sir W. Coventry, but
he would not stay.  So here I was mighty merry and all our differences
seemingly blown over, though he knows, if he be not a fool, that I love
him not, and I do the like that he hates me.  Soon as dined, my wife and I
out to the Duke's playhouse, and there saw "Heraclius," an excellent play,
to my extraordinary content; and the more from the house being very full,
and great company; among others, Mrs. Steward, very fine, with her locks
done up with puffes, as my wife calls them: and several other great ladies
had their hair so, though I do not like it; but my wife do mightily--but
it is only because she sees it is the fashion.  Here I saw my Lord
Rochester and his lady, Mrs. Mallet, who hath after all this ado married
him; and, as I hear some say in the pit, it is a great act of charity, for
he hath no estate.  But it was pleasant to see how every body rose up when
my Lord John Butler, the Duke of Ormond's son, come into the pit towards
the end of the play, who was a servant--[lover]--to Mrs. Mallet, and now
smiled upon her, and she on him.  I had sitting next to me a woman, the
likest my Lady Castlemayne that ever I saw anybody like another; but she
is a whore, I believe, for she is acquainted with every fine fellow, and
called them by their name, Jacke, and Tom, and before the end of the play
frisked to another place.  Mightily pleased with the play, we home by
coach, and there a little to the office, and then to my chamber, and there
finished my Catalogue of my books with my own hand, and so to supper and
to bed, and had a good night's rest, the last night's being troublesome,
but now my heart light and full of resolution of standing close to my
business.

5th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning doing business, and
then home to dinner.  Heard this morning that the Prince is much better,
and hath good rest.  All the talk is that my Lord Sandwich hath perfected
the peace with Spayne, which is very good, if true.  Sir H. Cholmly was
with me this morning, and told me of my Lord Bellasses's base dealings
with him by getting him to give him great gratuities to near L2000 for his
friendship in the business of the Mole, and hath been lately underhand
endeavouring to bring another man into his place as Governor, so as to
receive his money of Sir H. Cholmly for nothing.  Dined at home, and after
dinner come Mrs. Daniel and her sister and staid and talked a little, and
then I to the office, and after setting my things in order at the office I
abroad with my wife and little Betty Michell, and took them against my
vowes, but I will make good my forfeit, to the King's house, to show them
a play, "The Chances."  A good play I find it, and the actors most good in
it; and pretty to hear Knipp sing in the play very properly, "All night I
weepe;" and sung it admirably.  The whole play pleases me well: and most
of all, the sight of many fine ladies--among others, my Lady Castlemayne
and Mrs. Middleton: the latter of the two hath also a very excellent face
and body, I think.  Thence by coach to the New Exchange, and there laid
out money, and I did give Betty Michell two pair of gloves and a
dressing-box; and so home in the dark, over the ruins, with a link.  I was
troubled with my pain, having got a bruise on my right testicle, I know
not how.  But this I did make good use of to make my wife shift sides with
me, and I did come to sit 'avec' Betty Michell, and there had her 'main',
which 'elle' did give me very frankly now, and did hazer whatever I
'voudrais avec la', which did 'plaisir' me 'grandement', and so set her at
home with my mind mighty glad of what I have prevailed for so far; and so
home, and to the office, and did my business there, and then home to
supper, and after to set some things right in my chamber, and so to bed.
This morning, before I went to the office, there come to me Mr. Young and
Whistler, flaggmakers, and with mighty earnestness did present me with,
and press me to take a box, wherein I could not guess there was less than
L100 in gold: but I do wholly refuse it, and did not at last take it.  The
truth is, not thinking them safe men to receive such a gratuity from, nor
knowing any considerable courtesy that ever I did do them, but desirous to
keep myself free from their reports, and to have it in my power to say I
had refused their offer.

6th.  Up, lying a little long in bed, and by water to White Hall, and
there find the Duke of York gone out, he being in haste to go to the
Parliament, and so all my Brethren were gone to the office too.  So I to
Sir Ph. Warwicke's about my Tangier business, and then to Westminster
Hall, and walked up and down, and hear that the Prince do still rest well
by day and night, and out of pain; so as great hopes are conceived of him:
though I did meet Dr. Clerke and Mr. Pierce, and they do say they believe
he will not recover it, they supposing that his whole head within is eaten
by this corruption, which appeared in this piece of the inner table.  Up
to the Parliament door, and there discoursed with Roger Pepys, who goes
out of town this week, the Parliament rising this week also.  So down to
the Hall and there spied Betty Michell, and so I sent for burnt wine to
Mrs. Michell's, and there did drink with the two mothers, and by that
means with Betty, poor girle, whom I love with all my heart.  And God
forgive me, it did make me stay longer and hover all the morning up and
down the Hall to 'busquer occasions para ambulare con elle.  But ego ne
pouvoir'.  So home by water and to dinner, and then to the office, where
we sat upon Denis Gawden's accounts, and before night I rose and by water
to White Hall, to attend the Council; but they sat not to-day.  So to Sir
W. Coventry's chamber, and find him within, and with a letter from the
Downes in his hands, telling the loss of the St. Patricke coming from
Harwich in her way to Portsmouth; and would needs chase two ships (she
having the Malago fire-ship in company) which from English colours put up
Dutch, and he would clap on board the Vice-Admirall; and after long
dispute the Admirall comes on the other side of him, and both together
took him.  Our fire-ship (Seely) not coming in to fire all three, but come
away, leaving her in their possession, and carried away by them: a ship
built at Bristoll the last year, of fifty guns and upwards, and a most
excellent good ship.  This made him very melancholy.  I to talk of our
wants of money, but I do find that he is not pleased with that discourse,
but grieves to hear it, and do seem to think that Sir G. Carteret do not
mind the getting of money with the same good cheer that he did heretofore,
nor do I think he hath the same reason.  Thence to Westminster Hall,
thinking to see Betty Michell, she staying there all night, and had hopes
to get her out alone, but missed, and so away by coach home, and to Sir W.
Batten's, to tell him my bad news, and then to the office, and home to
supper, where Mrs. Hewer was, and after supper and she gone, W. Hewer
talking with me very late of the ill manner of Sir G. Carteret's accounts
being kept, and in what a sad condition he would be if either Fenn or
Wayth should break or die, and am resolved to take some time to tell Sir
G. Carteret or my Lady of it, I do love them so well and their family.  So
to bed, my pain pretty well gone.

7th.  Lay long with pleasure with my wife, and then up and to the office,
where all the morning, and then home to dinner, and before dinner I went
into my green dining room, and there talking with my brother upon matters
relating to his journey to Brampton to-morrow, and giving him good counsel
about spending the time when he shall stay in the country with my father,
I looking another way heard him fall down, and turned my head, and he was
fallen down all along upon the ground dead, which did put me into a great
fright; and, to see my brotherly love!  I did presently lift him up from
the ground, he being as pale as death; and, being upon his legs, he did
presently come to himself, and said he had something come into his stomach
very hot.  He knew not what it was, nor ever had such a fit before.  I
never was so frighted but once, when my wife was ill at Ware upon the
road, and I did continue trembling a good while and ready to weepe to see
him, he continuing mighty pale all dinner and melancholy, that I was loth
to let him take his journey tomorrow; but he began to be pretty well, and
after dinner my wife and Barker fell to singing, which pleased me pretty
well, my wife taking mighty pains and proud that she shall come to trill,
and indeed I think she will.  So to the office, and there all the
afternoon late doing business, and then home, and find my brother pretty
well.  So to write a letter to my Lady Sandwich for him to carry, I having
not writ to her a great while.  Then to supper and so to bed.  I did this
night give him 20s. for books, and as much for his pocket, and 15s. to
carry him down, and so to bed.  Poor fellow!  he is so melancholy, and
withal, my wife says, harmless, that I begin to love him, and would be
loth he should not do well.

8th.  This morning my brother John come up to my bedside, and took his
leave of us, going this day to Brampton.  My wife loves him mightily as
one that is pretty harmless, and I do begin to fancy him from yesterday's
accident, it troubling me to think I should be left without a brother or
sister, which is the first time that ever I had thoughts of that kind in
my life.  He gone, I up, and to the office, where we sat upon the
Victuallers' accounts all the morning.  At noon Lord Bruncker, Sir W.
Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, and myself to the Swan in Leadenhall Street to
dinner, where an exceedingly good dinner and good discourse.  Sir W.
Batten come this morning from the House, where the King hath prorogued
this Parliament to October next.  I am glad they are up.  The Bill for
Accounts was not offered, the party being willing to let it fall; but the
King did tell them he expected it.  They are parted with great
heartburnings, one party against the other.  Pray God bring them hereafter
together in better temper!  It is said that the King do intend himself in
this interval to take away Lord Mordaunt's government, so as to do
something to appease the House against they come together, and let them
see he will do that of his own accord which is fit, without their forcing
him; and that he will have his Commission for Accounts go on which will be
good things.  At dinner we talked much of Cromwell; all saying he was a
brave fellow, and did owe his crowne he got to himself as much as any man
that ever got one.  Thence to the office, and there begun the account
which Sir W. Pen by his late employment hath examined, but begun to
examine it in the old manner, a clerk to read the Petty warrants, my Lord
Bruncker upon very good ground did except against it, and would not suffer
him to go on.  This being Sir W. Pen's clerk he took it in snuff, and so
hot they grew upon it that my Lord Bruncker left the office.  He gone
(Sir) W. Pen ranted like a devil, saying that nothing but ignorance could
do this.  I was pleased at heart all this while.  At last moved to have
Lord Bruncker desired to return, which he did, and I read the petty
warrants all the day till late at night, that I was very weary, and
troubled to have my private business of my office stopped to attend this,
but mightily pleased at this falling out, and the truth is [Sir] W. Pen do
make so much noise in this business of his, and do it so little and so
ill, that I think the King will be little the better by changing the hand.
So up and to my office a little, but being at it all day I could not do
much there.  So home and to supper, to teach Barker to sing another piece
of my song, and then to bed.

9th.  To the office, where we sat all the morning busy.  At noon home to
dinner, and then to my office again, where also busy, very busy late, and
then went home and read a piece of a play, "Every Man in his
Humour,"--[Ben Jonson's well-known play.]--wherein is the greatest
propriety of speech that ever I read in my life: and so to bed.  This noon
come my wife's watchmaker, and received L12 of me for her watch; but
Captain Rolt coming to speak with me about a little business, he did judge
of the work to be very good work, and so I am well contented, and he hath
made very good, that I knew, to Sir W. Pen and Lady Batten.

10th (Lord's day).  Up and with my wife to church, where Mr. Mills made an
unnecessary sermon upon Original Sin, neither understood by himself nor
the people.  Home, where Michell and his wife, and also there come Mr.
Carter, my old acquaintance of Magdalene College, who hath not been here
of many years.  He hath spent his time in the North with the Bishop of
Carlisle much.  He is grown a very comely person, and of good discourse,
and one that I like very much.  We had much talk of our old acquaintance
of the College, concerning their various fortunes; wherein, to my joy, I
met not with any that have sped better than myself.  After dinner he went
away, and awhile after them Michell and his wife, whom I love mightily,
and then I to my chamber there to my Tangier accounts, which I had let run
a little behind hand, but did settle them very well to my satisfaction,
but it cost me sitting up till two in the morning, and the longer by
reason that our neighbour, Mrs. Turner, poor woman, did come to take her
leave of us, she being to quit her house to-morrow to my Lord Bruncker,
who hath used her very unhandsomely.  She is going to lodgings, and do
tell me very odde stories how Mrs. Williams do receive the applications of
people, and hath presents, and she is the hand that receives all, while my
Lord Bruncker do the business, which will shortly come to be loud talk if
she continues here, I do foresee, and bring my Lord no great credit.  So
having done all my business, to bed.

11th.  Up, and by water to the Temple, and thence to Sir Ph. Warwicke's
about my Tangier warrant for tallies, and there met my Lord Bellasses and
Creed, and discoursed about our business of money, but we are defeated as
to any hopes of getting [any] thing upon the Poll Bill, which I seem but
not much troubled at, it not concerning me much.  Thence with Creed to
Westminster Hall, and there up and down, and heard that Prince Rupert is
still better and better; and that he did tell Dr. Troutbecke expressly
that my Lord Sandwich is ordered home.  I hear, too, that Prince Rupert
hath begged the having of all the stolen prize-goods which he can find,
and that he is looking out anew after them, which at first troubled me;
but I do see it cannot come to anything, but is done by Hayes, or some of
his little people about him.  Here, among other newes, I bought the King's
speech at proroguing the House the other day, wherein are some words which
cannot but import some prospect of a peace, which God send us!  After
walking a good while in the Hall, it being Term time, I home by water,
calling at Michell's and giving him a fair occasion to send his wife to
the New Exchange to meet my wife and me this afternoon.  So home to
dinner, and after dinner by coach to Lord Bellasses, and with him to
Povy's house, whom we find with Auditor Beale and Vernatty about their
accounts still, which is never likely to have end.  Our business was to
speak with Vernatty, who is certainly a most cunning knave as ever was
born.  Having done what we had to do there, my Lord carried me and set me
down at the New Exchange, where I staid at Pottle's shop till Betty
Michell come, which she did about five o'clock, and was surprised not to
'trouver my muger' I there; but I did make an excuse good enough, and so I
took 'elle' down, and over the water to the cabinet-maker's, and there
bought a dressing-box for her for 20s., but would require an hour's time
to make fit.  This I was glad of, thinking to have got 'elle' to enter to
a 'casa de biber', but 'elle' would not, so I did not much press it, but
suffered 'elle' to enter 'a la casa de uno de sus hermanos', and so I past
my time walking up and down, and among other places, to one Drumbleby, a
maker of flageolets, the best in towne.  He not within, my design to
bespeak a pair of flageolets of the same tune, ordered him to come to me
in a day or two, and so I back to the cabinet-maker's and there staid; and
by and by Betty comes, and here we staid in the shop and above seeing the
workmen work, which was pretty, and some exceeding good work, and very
pleasant to see them do it, till it was late quite dark, and the mistresse
of the shop took us into the kitchen and there talked and used us very
prettily, and took her for my wife, which I owned and her big belly, and
there very merry, till my thing done, and then took coach and home
.  .  . But now comes our trouble, I did begin to fear that 'su marido'
might go to my house to 'enquire pour elle', and there, 'trouvant' my
'muger'--[wife in Spanish.]--at home, would not only think himself, but
give my 'femme' occasion to think strange things. This did trouble me
mightily, so though 'elle' would not seem to have me trouble myself about
it, yet did agree to the stopping the coach at the streete's end, and 'je
allois con elle' home, and there presently hear by him that he had newly
sent 'su mayde' to my house to see for her mistresse.  This do much
perplex me, and I did go presently home Betty whispering me behind the
'tergo de her mari', that if I would say that we did come home by water,
'elle' could make up 'la cose well satis', and there in a sweat did walk
in the entry ante my door, thinking what I should say a my 'femme', and as
God would have it, while I was in this case (the worst in reference a my
'femme' that ever I was in in my life), a little woman comes stumbling to
the entry steps in the dark; whom asking who she was, she enquired for my
house.  So knowing her voice, and telling her 'su donna' is come home she
went away.  But, Lord!  in what a trouble was I, when she was gone, to
recollect whether this was not the second time of her coming, but at last
concluding that she had not been here before, I did bless myself in my
good fortune in getting home before her, and do verily believe she had
loitered some time by the way, which was my great good fortune, and so I
in a-doors and there find all well. So my heart full of joy, I to the
office awhile, and then home, and after supper and doing a little business
in my chamber I to bed, after teaching Barker a little of my song.

12th.  Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, with several
things (among others) discoursed relating to our two new assistant
controllers, but especially Sir W. Pen, who is mighty troublesome in it.
At noon home to dinner, and then to the office again, and there did much
business, and by and by comes Mr. Moore, who in discourse did almost
convince me that it is necessary for my Lord Sandwich to come home end
take his command at sea this year, for that a peace is like to be.  Many
considerations he did give me hereupon, which were very good both in
reference to the publick and his private condition.  By and by with Lord
Bruncker by coach to his house, there to hear some Italian musique: and
here we met Tom Killigrew, Sir Robert Murray, and the Italian Signor
Baptista, who hath composed a play in Italian for the Opera, which T.
Killigrew do intend to have up; and here he did sing one of the acts. He
himself is the poet as well as the musician; which is very much, and did
sing the whole from the words without any musique prickt, and played all
along upon a harpsicon most admirably, and the composition most excellent.
The words I did not understand, and so know not how they are fitted, but
believe very well, and all in the recitativo very fine.  But I perceive
there is a proper accent in every country's discourse, and that do reach
in their setting of notes to words, which, therefore, cannot be natural to
any body else but them; so that I am not so much smitten with it as, it
may be, I should be, if I were acquainted with their accent.  But the
whole composition is certainly most excellent; and the poetry, T.
Killigrew and Sir R. Murray, who understood the words, did say was
excellent.  I confess I was mightily pleased with the musique.  He
pretends not to voice, though it be good, but not excellent. This done, T.
Killigrew and I to talk: and he tells me how the audience at his house is
not above half so much as it used to be before the late fire.  That Knipp
is like to make the best actor that ever come upon the stage, she
understanding so well: that they are going to give her L30 a-year more.
That the stage is now by his pains a thousand times better and more
glorious than ever heretofore.  Now, wax-candles, and many of them; then,
not above 3 lbs. of tallow: now, all things civil, no rudeness anywhere;
then, as in a bear-garden then, two or three fiddlers; now, nine or ten of
the best then, nothing but rushes upon the ground, and every thing else
mean; and now, all otherwise: then, the Queen seldom and the King never
would come; now, not the King only for state, but all civil people do
think they may come as well as any.  He tells me that he hath gone several
times, eight or ten times, he tells me, hence to Rome to hear good
musique; so much he loves it, though he never did sing or play a note.
That he hath ever endeavoured in the late King's time, and in this, to
introduce good musique, but he never could do it, there never having been
any musique here better than ballads.  Nay, says, "Hermitt poore" and
"Chevy Chese"

     ["Like hermit poor in pensive place obscure" is found in "The
     Phoenix Nest," 1593, and in Harl.  MS. No. 6910, written soon after
     1596.  It was set to music by Alfonso Ferrabosco, and published in
     his "Ayres," 1609.  The song was a favourite with Izaak Walton, and
     is alluded to in "Hudibras" (Part I., canto ii., line 1169).  See
     Rimbault's "Little Book of Songs and Ballads," 1851, p. 98.  Both
     versions of the famous ballad of "Chevy Chase" are printed in
     Percy's "Reliques."]

was all the musique we had; and yet no ordinary fiddlers get so much money
as ours do here, which speaks our rudenesse still.  That he hath gathered
our Italians from several Courts in Christendome, to come to make a
concert for the King, which he do give L200 a-year a-piece to: but badly
paid, and do come in the room of keeping four ridiculous gundilows,

     [The gondolas mentioned before, as sent by the Doge of Venice.  See
     September 12th, 1661]

he having got, the King to put them away, and lay out money this way; and
indeed I do commend him for it, for I think it is a very noble
undertaking.  He do intend to have some times of the year these operas to
be performed at the two present theatres, since he is defeated in what he
intended in Moorefields on purpose for it; and he tells me plainly that
the City audience was as good as the Court, but now they are most gone.
Baptista tells me that Giacomo Charissimi is still alive at Rome, who was
master to Vinnecotio, who is one of the Italians that the King hath here,
and the chief composer of them.  My great wonder is, how this man do to
keep in memory so perfectly the musique of the whole act, both for the
voice and the instrument too.  I confess I do admire it: but in recitativo
the sense much helps him, for there is but one proper way of discoursing
and giving the accents.  Having done our discourse, we all took coaches,
my Lord's and T. Killigrew's, and to Mrs. Knipp's chamber, where this
Italian is to teach her to sing her part.  And so we all thither, and
there she did sing an Italian song or two very fine, while he played the
bass upon a harpsicon there; and exceedingly taken I am with her singing,
and believe that she will do miracles at that and acting.  Her little girl
is mighty pretty and witty.  After being there an hour, and I mightily
pleased with this evening's work, we all parted, and I took coach and
home, where late at my office, and then home to enter my last three days'
Journall; and so to supper and to bed, troubled at nothing, but that these
pleasures do hinder me in my business, and the more by reason of our being
to dine abroad to-morrow, and then Saturday next is appointed to meet
again at my Lord Bruncker's lodgings, and there to have the whole quire of
Italians; but then I do consider that this is all the pleasure I live for
in the world, and the greatest I can ever expect in the best of my life,
and one thing more, that by hearing this man to-night, and I think Captain
Cooke to-morrow, and the quire of Italians on Saturday, I shall be truly
able to distinguish which of them pleases me truly best, which I do much
desire to know and have good reason and fresh occasion of judging.

13th.  Up, and by water to White Hall, where to the Duke of York, and
there did our usual business; but troubled to see that, at this time,
after our declaring a debt to the Parliament of L900,000, and nothing paid
since, but the debt increased, and now the fleete to set out; to hear that
the King hath ordered but L35,000 for the setting out of the fleete, out
of the Poll Bill, to buy all provisions, when five times as much had been
little enough to have done any thing to purpose.  They have, indeed,
ordered more for paying off of seamen and the Yards to some time, but not
enough for that neither.  Another thing is, the acquainting the Duke of
York with the case of Mr. Lanyon, our agent at Plymouth, who has trusted
us to L8000 out of purse; we are not in condition, after so many promises,
to obtain him a farthing, nor though a message was carried by Sir G.
Carteret and Sir W. Coventry to the Commissioners for Prizes, that he
might have L3000 out of L20,000 worth of prizes to be shortly sold there,
that he might buy at the candle and pay for the goods out of bills, and
all would [not] do any thing, but that money must go all another way,
while the King's service is undone, and those that trust him perish.
These things grieve me to the heart.  The Prince, I hear, is every day
better and better.  So away by water home, stopping at Michell's, where
Mrs. Martin was, and I there drank with them and whispered with Betty, who
tells me all is well, but was prevented in something she would have said,
her 'marido venant' just then, a news which did trouble me, and so drank
and parted and home, and there took up my wife by coach, and to Mrs.
Pierce's, there to take her up, and with them to Dr. Clerke's, by
invitation, where we have not been a great while, nor had any mind to go
now, but that the Dr., whom I love, would have us choose a day.  Here was
his wife, painted, and her sister Worshipp, a widow now and mighty pretty
in her mourning.  Here was also Mr. Pierce and Mr. Floyd, Secretary to the
Lords Commissioners of Prizes, and Captain Cooke, to dinner, an ill and
little mean one, with foul cloth and dishes, and everything poor.
Discoursed most about plays and the Opera, where, among other vanities,
Captain Cooke had the arrogance to say that he was fain to direct Sir W.
Davenant in the breaking of his verses into such and such lengths,
according as would be fit for musick, and how he used to swear at
Davenant, and command him that way, when W. Davenant would be angry, and
find fault with this or that note--but a vain coxcomb I perceive he is,
though he sings and composes so well.  But what I wondered at, Dr. Clerke
did say that Sir W. Davenant is no good judge of a dramatick poem, finding
fault with his choice of Henry the 5th, and others, for the stage, when I
do think, and he confesses, "The Siege of Rhodes" as good as ever was
writ.  After dinner Captain Cooke and two of his boys to sing, but it was
indeed both in performance and composition most plainly below what I heard
last night, which I could not have believed.  Besides overlooking the
words which he sung, I find them not at all humoured as they ought to be,
and as I believed he had done all he had sett.  Though he himself do
indeed sing in a manner as to voice and manner the best I ever heard yet,
and a strange mastery he hath in making of extraordinary surprising
closes, that are mighty pretty, but his bragging that he do understand
tones and sounds as well as any man in the world, and better than Sir W.
Davenant or any body else, I do not like by no means, but was sick of it
and of him for it.  He gone, Dr. Clerke fell to reading a new play, newly
writ, of a friend's of his; but, by his discourse and confession
afterwards, it was his own.  Some things, but very few, moderately good;
but infinitely far from the conceit, wit, design, and language of very
many plays that I know; so that, but for compliment, I was quite tired
with hearing it.  It being done, and commending the play, but against my
judgment, only the prologue magnifying the happiness of our former poets
when such sorry things did please the world as was then acted, was very
good.  So set Mrs. Pierce at home, and away ourselves home, and there to
my office, and then my chamber till my eyes were sore at writing and
making ready my letter and accounts for the Commissioners of Tangier
to-morrow, which being done, to bed, hearing that there was a very great
disorder this day at the Ticket Office, to the beating and bruising of the
face of Carcasse very much. A foul evening this was to-night, and I
mightily troubled to get a coach home; and, which is now my common
practice, going over the ruins in the night, I rid with my sword drawn in
the coach.

14th.  Up and to the office, where Carcasse comes with his plaistered
face, and called himself Sir W. Batten's martyr, which made W. Batten mad
almost, and mighty quarrelling there was.  We spent the morning almost
wholly upon considering some way of keeping the peace at the Ticket
Office; but it is plain that the care of that office is nobody's work, and
that is it that makes it stand in the ill condition it do.  At noon home
to dinner, and after dinner by coach to my Lord Chancellor's, and there a
meeting: the Duke of York, Duke of Albemarle, and several other Lords of
the Commission of Tangier.  And there I did present a state of my
accounts, and managed them well; and my Lord Chancellor did say, though he
was, in other things, in an ill humour, that no man in England was of more
method, nor made himself better understood than myself.  But going, after
the business of money was over, to other businesses, of settling the
garrison, he did fling out, and so did the Duke of York, two or three
severe words touching my Lord Bellasses: that he would have no Governor
come away from thence in less than three years; no, though his lady were
with child.  "And," says the Duke of York, "there should be no Governor
continue so, longer than three years."  "Nor," says Lord Arlington, "when
our rules are once set, and upon good judgment declared, no Governor
should offer to alter them."--"We must correct the many things that are
amiss there; for," says the Lord Chancellor, "you must think we do hear of
more things amisse than we are willing to speak before our friends'
faces."  My Lord Bellasses would not take notice of their reflecting on
him, and did wisely, but there were also many reflections on him.  Thence
away by coach to Sir H. Cholmly and Fitzgerald and Creed, setting down the
two latter at the New Exchange. And Sir H. Cholmly and I to the Temple,
and there walked in the dark in the walks talking of newes; and he
surprises me with the certain newes that the King did last night in
Council declare his being in treaty with the Dutch: that they had sent him
a very civil letter, declaring that, if nobody but themselves were
concerned, they would not dispute the place of treaty, but leave it to his
choice; but that, being obliged to satisfy therein a Prince of equal
quality with himself, they must except any place in England or Spayne.
And so the King hath chosen the Hague, and thither hath chose my Lord
Hollis and Harry Coventry to go Embassadors to treat; which is so mean a
thing, as all the world will believe, that we do go to beg a peace of
them, whatever we pretend.  And it seems all our Court are mightily for a
peace, taking this to be the time to make one, while the King hath money,
that he may save something of what the Parliament hath given him to put
him out of debt, so as he may need the help of no more Parliaments, as to
the point of money: but our debt is so great, and expence daily so
encreased, that I believe little of the money will be saved between this
and the making of the peace up.  But that which troubles me most is, that
we have chosen a son of Secretary Morris, a boy never used to any
business, to go Embassador [Secretary] to the Embassy, which shows how,
little we are sensible of the weight of the business upon us.  God
therefore give a good end to it, for I doubt it, and yet do much more
doubt the issue of our continuing the war, for we are in no wise fit for
it, and yet it troubles me to think what Sir H. Cholmly says, that he
believes they will not give us any reparation for what we have suffered by
the war, nor put us into any better condition than what we were in before
the war, for that will be shamefull for us. Thence parted with him and
home through the dark over the ruins by coach, with my sword drawn, to the
office, where dispatched some business; and so home to my chamber and to
supper and to bed.  This morning come up to my wife's bedside, I being up
dressing myself, little Will Mercer to be her Valentine; and brought her
name writ upon blue paper in gold letters, done by himself, very pretty;
and we were both well pleased with it.  But I am also this year my wife's
Valentine, and it will cost me L5; but that I must have laid out if we had
not been Valentines.  So to bed.

15th.  Up and with Sir W. Batten and [Sir] J. Minnes by coach to White
Hall, where we attended upon the Duke of York to complain of the disorders
the other day among the seamen at the Pay at the Ticket Office, and that
it arises from lack of money, and that we desire, unless better provided
for with money, to have nothing more to do with the payment of tickets, it
being not our duty; and the Duke of York and [Sir] W. Coventry did agree
to it, so that I hope we shall be rid of that trouble. This done, I moved
for allowance for a house for Mr. Turner, and got it granted.  Then away
to Westminster Hall, and there to the Exchequer about my tallies, and so
back to White Hall, and so with Lord Bellasses to the Excise Office, where
met by Sir H. Cholmly to consider about our business of money there, and
that done, home and to dinner, where I hear Pegg Pen is married this day
privately; no friends, but two or three relations on his side and hers.
Borrowed many things of my kitchen for dressing their dinner.  So after
dinner to the office, and there busy and did much business, and late at
it.  Mrs. Turner come to me to hear how matters went; I told her of our
getting rent for a house for her.  She did give me account of this wedding
to-day, its being private being imputed to its being just before Lent, and
so in vain to make new clothes till Easter, that they might see the
fashions as they are like to be this summer; which is reason good enough.
Mrs. Turner tells me she hears [Sir W. Pen] gives L4500 or 4000 with her.
They are gone to bed, so I wish them much sport, and home to supper and to
bed.  They own the treaty for a peace publickly at Court, and the
Commissioners providing themselves to go over as soon as a passe comes for
them.

16th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning.  Among other things
great heat we were all in on one side or other in the examining witnesses
against Mr. Carcasse about his buying of tickets, and a cunning knave I do
believe he is, and will appear, though I have thought otherwise
heretofore.  At noon home to dinner, and there find Mr. Andrews, and
Pierce and Hollyard, and they dined with us and merry, but we did rise
soon for saving of my wife's seeing a new play this afternoon, and so away
by coach, and left her at Mrs. Pierces, myself to the Excise Office about
business, and thence to the Temple to walk a little only, and then to
Westminster to pass away time till anon, and here I went to Mrs. Martin's
to thank her for her oysters .  .  .  .  Thence away to my Lord
Bruncker's, and there was Sir Robert Murray, whom I never understood so
well as now by this opportunity of discourse with him, a most excellent
man of reason and learning, and understands the doctrine of musique, and
everything else I could discourse of, very finely.  Here come Mr. Hooke,
Sir George Ent, Dr. Wren, and many others; and by and by the musique, that
is to say, Signor Vincentio, who is the master-composer, and six more,
whereof two eunuches, so tall, that Sir T. Harvey said well that he
believes they do grow large by being gelt as our oxen do, and one woman
very well dressed and handsome enough, but would not be kissed, as Mr.
Killigrew, who brought the company in, did acquaint us.  They sent two
harpsicons before; and by and by, after tuning them, they begun; and, I
confess, very good musique they made; that is, the composition exceeding
good, but yet not at all more pleasing to me than what I have heard in
English by Mrs. Knipp, Captain Cooke, and others.  Nor do I dote on the
eunuches; they sing, indeed, pretty high, and have a mellow kind of sound,
but yet I have been as well satisfied with several women's voices and men
also, as Crispe of the Wardrobe.  The women sung well, but that which
distinguishes all is this, that in singing, the words are to be
considered, and how they are fitted with notes, and then the common accent
of the country is to be known and understood by the hearer, or he will
never be a good judge of the vocal musique of another country.  So that I
was not taken with this at all, neither understanding the first, nor by
practice reconciled to the latter, so that their motions, and risings and
fallings, though it may be pleasing to an Italian, or one that understands
the tongue, yet to me it did not, but do from my heart believe that I
could set words in English, and make musique of them more agreeable to any
Englishman's eare (the most judicious) than any Italian musique set for
the voice, and performed before the same man, unless he be acquainted with
the Italian accent of speech.  The composition as to the musique part was
exceeding good, and their justness in keeping time by practice much before
any that we have, unless it be a good band of practised fiddlers.  So
away, here being Captain Cocke, who is stole away, leaving them at it, in
his coach, and to Mrs. Pierce's, where I took up my wife, and there I find
Mrs. Pierce's little girl is my Valentine, she having drawn me; which I
was not sorry for, it easing me of something more that I must have given
to others.  But here I do first observe the fashion of drawing of mottos
as well as names; so that Pierce, who drew my wife, did draw also a motto,
and this girl drew another for me.  What mine was I have forgot; but my
wife's was, "Most virtuous and most fair;" which, as it may be used, or an
anagram made upon each name, might be very pretty.  Thence with Cocke and
my wife, set him at home, and then we home.  To the office, and there did
a little business, troubled that I have so much been hindered by matters
of pleasure from my business, but I shall recover it I hope in a little
time.  So home and to supper, not at all smitten with the musique
to-night, which I did expect should have been so extraordinary, Tom
Killigrew crying it up, and so all the world, above all things in the
world, and so to bed.  One wonder I observed to-day, that there was no
musique in the morning to call up our new-married people, which is very
mean, methinks, and is as if they had married like dog and bitch.

17th (Lord's day).  Up, and called at Michell's, and took him and his wife
and carried them to Westminster, I landing at White Hall, and having no
pleasure in the way 'con elle'; and so to the Duke's, where we all met and
had a hot encounter before the Duke of York about the business of our
payments at the Ticket Office, where we urged that we had nothing to do to
be troubled with the pay, having examined the tickets.  Besides, we are
neglected, having not money sent us in time, but to see the baseness of my
brethren, not a man almost put in a word but Sir W. Coventry, though at
the office like very devils in this point.  But I did plainly declare
that, without money, no fleete could be expected, and desired the Duke of
York to take notice of it, and notice was taken of it, but I doubt will do
no good.  But I desire to remember it as a most prodigious thing that to
this day my Lord Treasurer hath not consulted counsel, which Sir W.
Coventry and I and others do think is necessary, about the late Poll act,
enough to put the same into such order as that any body dare lend money
upon it, though we have from this office under our hands related the
necessity thereof to the Duke of York, nor is like to be determined in,
for ought I see, a good while had not Sir W. Coventry plainly said that he
did believe it would be a better work for the King than going to church
this morning, to send for the Atturney Generall to meet at the Lord
Treasurer's this afternoon and to bring the thing to an issue, saying that
himself, were he going to the Sacrament, would not think he should offend
God to leave it and go to the ending this work, so much it is of moment to
the King and Kingdom.  Hereupon the Duke of York said he would presently
speak to the King, and cause it to be done this afternoon.  Having done
here we broke up; having done nothing almost though for all this, and by
and by I met Sir G. Carteret, and he is stark mad at what has passed this
morning, and I believe is heartily vexed with me: I said little, but I am
sure the King will suffer if some better care be not taken than he takes
to look after this business of money.  So parted, and I by water home and
to dinner, W. Hewer with us, a good dinner and-very merry, my wife and I,
and after dinner to my chamber, to fit some things against: the Council
anon, and that being done away to White Hall by water, and thence to my
Lord Chancellor's, where I met with, and had much pretty discourse with,
one of the Progers's that knows me; and it was pretty to hear him tell me,
of his own accord, as a matter of no shame, that in Spayne he had a pretty
woman, his mistress, whom, when money grew scarce with him, he was forced
to leave, and afterwards heard how she and her husband lived well, she
being kept by an old fryer who used her as his whore; but this, says he,
is better than as our ministers do, who have wives that lay up their
estates, and do no good nor relieve any poor--no, not our greatest
prelates, and I think he is in the right for my part.  Staid till the
Council was up, and attended the King and Duke of York round the Park, and
was asked several questions by both; but I was in pain, lest they should
ask me what I could not answer; as the Duke of York did the value of the
hull of the St. Patrick lately lost, which I told him I could not
presently answer; though I might have easily furnished myself to answer
all those questions.  They stood a good while to see the ganders and geese
tread one another in the water, the goose being all the while kept for a
great while: quite under water, which was new to me, but they did make
mighty sport of it, saying (as the King did often) "Now you shall see a
marriage, between this and that," which did not please me.  They gone, by
coach to my Lord Treasurer's, as the Duke of York told me, to settle the
business of money for the navy, I walked into the Court to and again till
night, and there met Colonell Reames, and he and I walked together a great
while complaining of the ill-management of things, whereof he is as full
as I am.  We ran over many persons and things, and see nothing done like
men like to do well while the King minds his pleasures so much.  We did
bemoan it that nobody would or had authority enough with the King to tell
him how all things go to rack and will be lost.  Then he and I parted, and
I to Westminster to the Swan, and there staid till Michell and his wife
come. Old Michell and his wife come to see me, and there we drank and
laughed a little, and then the young ones and I took boat, it being fine
moonshine. I did to my trouble see all the way that 'elle' did get as
close 'a su marido' as 'elle' could, and turn her 'mains' away 'quand je'
did endeavour to take one.  .  .  .  So that I had no pleasure at all 'con
elle ce' night.  When we landed I did take occasion to send him back a the
bateau while I did get a 'baiser' or two, and would have taken 'la' by
'la' hand, but 'elle' did turn away, and 'quand' I said shall I not
'toucher' to answered 'ego' no love touching, in a slight mood.  I seemed
not to take notice of it, but parted kindly; 'su marido' did alter with me
almost a my case, and there we parted, and so I home troubled at this, but
I think I shall make good use of it and mind my business more. At home, by
appointment, comes Captain Cocke to me, to talk of State matters, and
about the peace; who told me that the whole business is managed between
Kevet, Burgomaster of Amsterdam, and my Lord Arlington, who hath, by the
interest of his wife there, some interest.  We have proposed the Hague,
but know not yet whether the Dutch will like it; or; if they do, whether
the French will.  We think we shall have the help of the information of
their affairs and state, and the helps of the Prince of Orange his
faction; but above all, that De Witt, who hath all this while said he
cannot get peace, his mouth will now be stopped, so that he will be forced
to offer fit terms for fear of the people; and, lastly, if France or
Spayne do not please us, we are in a way presently to clap up a peace with
the Dutch, and secure them.  But we are also in treaty with France, as he
says: but it must be to the excluding our alliance with the King of Spayne
or House of Austria; which we do not know presently what will be
determined in.  He tells me the Vice-Chamberlaine is so great with the
King, that, let the Duke of York, and Sir W. Coventry, and this office, do
or say what they will, while the King lives, Sir G. Carteret will do what
he will; and advises me to be often with him, and eat and drink with him.;
and tells me that he doubts he is jealous of me, and was mighty mad to-day
at our discourse to him before the Duke of York.  But I did give him my
reasons that the office is concerned to declare that, without money, the
King's work cannot go on. From that discourse we ran to others, and among
the others he assures me that Henry Bruncker is one of the shrewdest
fellows for parts in England, and a dangerous man; that if ever the
Parliament comes again Sir W. Coventry cannot stand, but in this I believe
him not; that, while we want money so much in the Navy, the Officers of
the Ordnance have at this day L300,000 good in tallys, which they can
command money upon, got by their over-estimating their charge in getting
it reckoned as a fifth part of the expense of the Navy; that Harry
Coventry, who is to go upon this treaty with Lord Hollis (who he confesses
to be a very wise man) into Holland, is a mighty quick, ready man, but not
so weighty as he should be, he knowing him so well in his drink as he do;
that, unless the King do do something against my Lord Mordaunt and the
Patent for the Canary Company, before the Parliament next meets, he do
believe there will be a civil war before there will be any more money
given, unless it may be at their perfect disposal; and that all things are
now ordered to the provoking of the Parliament against they come next, and
the spending the King's money, so as to put him into a necessity of having
it at the time it is prorogued for, or sooner.  Having discoursed all this
and much more, he away, and I to supper and to read my vows, and to bed.
My mind troubled about Betty Michell, 'pour sa carriage' this night
'envers moy', but do hope it will put me upon doing my business.  This
evening, going to the Queen's side to see the ladies, I did find the
Queene, the Duchesse of York, and another or two, at cards, with the room
full of great ladies and men; which I was amazed at to see on a Sunday,
having not believed it; but, contrarily, flatly denied the same a little
while since to my cozen Roger Pepys?  I did this day, going by water, read
the answer to "The Apology for Papists," which did like me mightily, it
being a thing as well writ as I think most things that ever I read in my
life, and glad I am that I read it.

18th.  Up, and to my bookbinder's, and there mightily pleased to see some
papers of the account we did give the Parliament of the expense of the
Navy sewed together, which I could not have conceived before how prettily
it was done.  Then by coach to the Exchequer about some tallies, and
thence back again home, by the way meeting Mr. Weaver, of Huntingdon, and
did discourse our business of law together, which did ease my mind, for I
was afeard I have omitted doing what I in prudence ought to have done. So
home and to dinner, and after dinner to the office, where je had Mrs.
Burrows all sola a my closet, and did there 'baiser and toucher ses
mamelles' .  .  .  .  Thence away, and with my wife by coach to the Duke
of York's play-house, expecting a new play, and so stayed not no more than
other people, but to the King's house, to "The Mayd's Tragedy;" but vexed
all the while with two talking ladies and Sir Charles Sedley; yet pleased
to hear their discourse, he being a stranger.  And one of the ladies
would, and did sit with her mask on, all the play, and, being exceeding
witty as ever I heard woman, did talk most pleasantly with him; but was, I
believe, a virtuous woman, and of quality.  He would fain know who she
was, but she would not tell; yet did give him many pleasant hints of her
knowledge of him, by that means setting his brains at work to find, out
who she was, and did give him leave to use all means to find out who she
was, but pulling off her mask.  He was mighty witty, and she also making
sport with him very inoffensively, that a more pleasant 'rencontre' I
never heard.  But by that means lost the pleasure of the play wholly, to
which now and then Sir Charles Sedley's exceptions against both words and
pronouncing were very pretty.  So home and to the office, did much
business, then home, to supper, and to bed.

19th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning doing little business,
our want of money being so infinite great.  At noon home, and there find
old Mr. Michell and Howlett come to desire mine and my wife's company to
dinner to their son's, and so away by coach with them, it being Betty's
wedding-day a year, as also Shrove Tuesday.  Here I made myself mighty
merry, the two old women being there also, and a mighty pretty dinner we
had in this little house, to my exceeding great content, and my wife's,
and my heart pleased to see Betty.  But I have not been so merry a very
great while as with them, every thing pleasing me there as much as among
so mean company I could be pleased.  After dinner I fell to read the Acts
about the building of the City again;

     [Burnet wrote ("History of his Own Time," book ii.): "An act passed
     in this session for rebuilding the city of London, which gave Lord
     Chief Justice Hale a great reputation, for it was drawn with so true
     a judgment, and so great foresight, that the whole city was raised
     out of its ashes without any suits of law."]

and indeed the laws seem to be very good, and I pray God I may live to see
it built in that manner!  Anon with much content home, walking with my
wife and her woman, and there to my office, where late doing much
business, and then home to supper and to bed.  This morning I hear that
our discourse of peace is all in the dirt; for the Dutch will not like of
the place, or at least the French will not agree to it; so that I do
wonder what we shall do, for carry on the war we cannot.  I long to hear
the truth of it to-morrow at Court.

20th.  Up, with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen by coach to White Hall, by
the way observing Sir W. Pen's carrying a favour to Sir W. Coventry, for
his daughter's wedding, and saying that there was others for us, when we
will fetch them, which vexed me, and I am resolved not to wear it when he
orders me one.  His wedding hath been so poorly kept, that I am ashamed of
it; for a fellow that makes such a flutter as he do.  When we come to the
Duke of York here, I heard discourse how Harris of his play-house is sick,
and everybody commends him, and, above all things, for acting the
Cardinall.  Here they talk also how the King's viallin,--[violin]--
Bannister, is mad that the King hath a Frenchman come to be chief of some
part of the King's musique, at which the Duke of York made great mirth.
Then withdrew to his closett, all our business, lack of money and prospect
of the effects of it, such as made Sir W. Coventry say publickly before us
all, that he do heartily wish that his Royal Highness had nothing to do in
the Navy, whatever become of him; so much dishonour, he says, is likely to
fall under the management of it.  The Duke of York was angry, as much as
he could be, or ever I saw him, with Sir G. Carteret, for not paying the
masters of some ships on Monday last, according to his promise, and I do
think Sir G. Carteret will make himself unhappy by not taking some course
either to borrow more money or wholly lay aside his pretence to the charge
of raising money, when he hath nothing to do to trouble himself with.
Thence to the Exchequer, and there find the people in readiness to
dispatch my tallies to-day, though Ash Wednesday.  So I back by coach to
London to Sir Robt. Viner's and there got L100, and come away with it and
pay my fees round, and so away with the 'Chequer men to the Leg in King
Street, and there had wine for them; and here was one in company with
them, that was the man that got the vessel to carry over the King from
Bredhemson, who hath a pension of 200 per annum, but ill paid, and the man
is looking after getting of a prizeship to live by; but the trouble is,
that this poor man, who hath received no part of his money these four
years, and is ready to starve almost, must yet pay to the Poll Bill for
this pension.  He told me several particulars of the King's coming
thither, which was mighty pleasant, and shews how mean a thing a king is,
how subject to fall, and how like other men he is in his afflictions.
Thence with my tallies home, and a little dinner, and then with my wife by
coach to Lincoln's Inn Fields, sent her to her brother's, and I with Lord
Bellasses to the Lord Chancellor's.  Lord Bellasses tells me how the King
of France hath caused the stop to be made to our proposition of treating
in The Hague; that he being greater than they, we may better come and
treat at Paris: so that God knows what will become of the peace!  He tells
me, too, as a grand secret, that he do believe the peace offensive and
defensive between Spayne and us is quite finished, but must not be known,
to prevent the King of France's present falling upon Flanders.  He do
believe the Duke of York will be made General of the Spanish armies there,
and Governor of Flanders, if the French should come against it, and we
assist the Spaniard: that we have done the Spaniard abundance of mischief
in the West Indys, by our privateers at Jamaica, which they lament
mightily, and I am sorry for it to have it done at this time. By and by,
come to my Lord Chancellor, who heard mighty quietly my complaints for
lack of money, and spoke mighty kind to me, but little hopes of help
therein, only his good word.  He do prettily cry upon Povy's account with
sometimes seeming friendship and pity, and this day quite the contrary.
He do confess our streights here and every where else arise from our
outspending our revenue.  I mean that the King do do so.  Thence away,
took up my wife; who tells me her brother hath laid out much money upon
himself and wife for clothes, which I am sorry to hear, it requiring great
expense.  So home and to the office a while, and then home to supper,
where Mrs. Turner come to us, and sat and talked.  Poor woman, I pity her,
but she is very cunning.  She concurs with me in the falseness of Sir W.
Pen's friendship, and she tells pretty storms of my Lord Bruncker since he
come to our end of the town, of people's applications to Mrs. Williams.
So, she gone, I back to my accounts of Tangier, which I am settling,
having my new tallies from the Exchequer this day, and having set all
right as I could wish, then to bed.

21st. Up, and to the Office, where sat all the morning, and there a most
furious conflict between Sir W. Pen and I, in few words, and on a sudden
occasion, of no great moment, but very bitter, and stared on one another,
and so broke off; and to our business, my heart as full of spite as it
could hold, for which God forgive me and him!  At the end of the day come
witnesses on behalf of Mr. Carcasse; but, instead of clearing him, I find
they were brought to recriminate Sir W. Batten, and did it by oath very
highly, that made the old man mad, and, I confess, me ashamed, so that I
caused all but ourselves to withdraw; being sorry to have such things
declared in the open office, before 100 people.  But it was done home, and
I do believe true, though (Sir) W. Batten denies all, but is cruel mad,
and swore one of them, he or Carcasse, should not continue in the Office,
which is said like a fool.  He gone, for he would not stay, and [Sir] W.
Pen gone a good while before, Lord Bruncker, Sir T. Harvy, and I, staid
and examined the witnesses, though amounting to little more than a
reproaching of Sir W. Batten.  I home, my head and mind vexed about the
conflict between Sir W. Pen and I, though I have got, nor lost any ground
by it.  At home was Mr. Daniel and wife and sister, and dined with us, and
I disturbed at dinner, Colonell Fitzgerald coming to me about tallies,
which I did go and give him, and then to the office, where did much
business and walked an hour or two with Lord Bruncker, who is mightily
concerned in this business for Carcasse and against Sir W. Batten, and I
do hope it will come to a good height, for I think it will be good for the
King as well as for me, that they two do not agree, though I do, for ought
I see yet, think that my Lord is for the most part in the right.  He gone,
I to the office again to dispatch business, and late at night comes in Sir
W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, and [Sir] J. Minnes to the office, and what was
it but to examine one Jones, a young merchant, who was said to have spoke
the worst against Sir W. Batten, but he do deny it wholly, yet I do
believe Carcasse will go near to prove all that was sworn in the morning,
and so it be true I wish it may.  That done, I to end my letters, and then
home to supper, and set right some accounts of Tangier, and then to bed.

22nd.  Up, and to the office, where I awhile, and then home with Sir H.
Cholmly to give him some tallies upon the business of the Mole at Tangier,
and then out with him by coach to the Excise Office, there to enter them,
and so back again with him to the Exchange, and there I took another
coach, and home to the office, and to my business till dinner, the rest of
our officers having been this morning upon the Victuallers' accounts.  At
dinner all of us, that is to say, Lord Bruncker, [Sir] J. Minnes, [Sir] W.
Batten, [Sir] T. Harvy, and myself, to Sir W. Pen's house, where some
other company.  It is instead of a wedding dinner for his daughter, whom I
saw in palterly clothes, nothing new but a bracelet that her servant had
given her, and ugly she is, as heart can wish.  A sorry dinner, not any
thing handsome or clean, but some silver plates they borrowed of me.  My
wife was here too.  So a great deal of talk, and I seemingly merry, but
took no pleasure at all.  We had favours given us all, and we put them in
our hats, I against my will, but that my Lord and the rest did, I being
displeased that he did carry Sir W. Coventry's himself several days ago,
and the people up and down the town long since, and we must have them but
to-day.  After dinner to talk a little, and then I away to my office, to
draw up a letter of the state of the Office and Navy for the Duke of York
against Sunday next, and at it late, and then home to supper and to bed,
talking with my wife of the poorness and meanness of all that Sir W. Pen
and the people about us do, compared with what we do.

23rd.  This day I am, by the blessing of God, 34 years old, in very good
health and mind's content, and in condition of estate much beyond whatever
my friends could expect of a child of theirs, this day 34 years. The
Lord's name be praised! and may I be ever thankful for it.  Up betimes to
the office, in order to my letter to the Duke of York to-morrow, and then
the office met and spent the greatest part about this letter.  At noon
home to dinner, and then to the office again very close at it all the day
till midnight, making an end and writing fair this great letter and other
things to my full content, it abundantly providing for the vindication of
this office, whatever the success be of our wants of money.  This evening
Sir W. Batten come to me to the office on purpose, out of spleen (of which
he is full to Carcasse!), to tell me that he is now informed of many
double tickets now found of Carcasses making which quite overthrows him.
It is strange to see how, though I do believe this fellow to be a rogue,
and could be contented to have him removed, yet to see him persecuted by
Sir W. Batten, who is as bad himself, and that with so much rancour, I am
almost the fellow's friend. But this good I shall have from it, that the
differences between Sir W. Batten and my Lord Bruncker will do me no hurt.

24th (Lord's day).  Up, and with [Sir] W. Batten, by coach; he set me down
at my Lord Bruncker's (his feud there not suffering him to 'light
himself), and I with my Lord by and by when ready to White Hall, and by
and by up to the Duke of York, and there presented our great letter and
other papers, and among the rest my report of the victualling, which is
good, I think, and will continue my pretence to the place, which I am
still afeard Sir W. Coventry's employment may extinguish.  We have
discharged ourselves in this letter fully from blame in the bad success of
the Navy, if money do not come soon to us, and so my heart is at pretty
good rest in this point.  Having done here, Sir W. Batten and I home by
coach, and though the sermon at our church was begun, yet he would 'light
to go home and eat a slice of roast beef off the spit, and did, and then
he and I to church in the middle of the sermon.  My Lady Pen there saluted
me with great content to tell me that her daughter and husband are still
in bed, as if the silly woman thought it a great matter of honour, and
did, going out of the church, ask me whether we did not make a great show
at Court today, with all our favours in our hats. After sermon home, and
alone with my wife dined.  Among other things my wife told me how ill a
report our Mercer hath got by her keeping of company, so that she will not
send for her to dine with us or be with us as heretofore; and, what is
more strange, tells me that little Mis. Tooker hath got a clap as young as
she is, being brought up loosely by her mother .  .  .  .  In the
afternoon away to White Hall by water, and took a turn or two in the Park,
and then back to White Hall, and there meeting my Lord Arlington, he, by I
know not what kindness, offered to carry me along with him to my Lord
Treasurer's, whither, I told him, I was going.  I believe he had a mind to
discourse of some Navy businesses, but Sir Thomas Clifford coming into the
coach to us, we were prevented; which I was sorry for, for I had a mind to
begin an acquaintance with him.  He speaks well, and hath pretty slight
superficial parts, I believe.  He, in our going, talked much of the plain
habit of the Spaniards; how the King and Lords themselves wear but a cloak
of Colchester bayze, and the ladies mantles, in cold weather, of white
flannell: and that the endeavours frequently of setting up the manufacture
of making these stuffs there have only been prevented by the Inquisition:
the English and Dutchmen that have been sent for to work, being taken with
a Psalmbook or Testament, and so clapped up, and the house pulled down by
the Inquisitors; and the greatest Lord in Spayne dare not say a word
against it, if the word Inquisition be but mentioned. At my Lord
Treasurer's 'light and parted with them, they going into Council, and I
walked with Captain Cocke, who takes mighty notice of the differences
growing in our office between Lord Bruncker and [Sir] W. Batten, and among
others also, and I fear it may do us hurt, but I will keep out of them.
By and by comes Sir S. Fox, and he and I walked and talked together on
many things, but chiefly want of money, and the straits the King brings
himself and affairs into for want of it.  Captain Cocke did tell me what I
must not forget: that the answer of the Dutch, refusing The Hague for a
place of treaty, and proposing the Boysse, Bredah, Bergen-op-Zoome, or
Mastricht, was seemingly stopped by the Swede's Embassador (though he did
show it to the King, but the King would take no notice of it, nor does
not) from being delivered to the King; and he hath wrote to desire them to
consider better of it: so that, though we know their refusal of the place,
yet they know not that we know it, nor is the King obliged to show his
sense of the affront.  That the Dutch are in very great straits, so as to
be said to be not able to set out their fleete this year.  By and by comes
Sir Robert Viner and my Lord Mayor to ask the King's directions about
measuring out the streets according to the new Act for building of the
City, wherein the King is to be pleased.

     [See Sir Christopher Wren's "Proposals for rebuilding the City of
     London after the great fire, with an engraved Plan of the principal
     Streets and Public Buildings," in Elmes's "Memoirs of Sir
     Christopher Wren," Appendix, p.61.  The originals are in All Souls'
     College Library, Oxford.--B.]

But he says that the way proposed in Parliament, by Colonel Birch, would
have been the best, to have chosen some persons in trust, and sold the
whole ground, and let it be sold again by them, with preference to the old
owner, which would have certainly caused the City to be built where these
Trustees pleased; whereas now, great differences will be, and the streets
built by fits, and not entire till all differences be decided. This, as he
tells it, I think would have been the best way.  I enquired about the
Frenchman

     ["One Hubert, a French papist, was seized in Essex, as he was
     getting out of the way in great confusion.  He confessed he had
     begun the fire, and persisted in his confession to his death, for he
     was hanged upon no other evidence but that of his own confession.
     It is true he gave so broken an account of the whole matter that he
     was thought mad.  Yet he was blindfolded, and carried to several
     places of the city, and then his eyes being opened, he was asked if
     that was the place, and he being carried to wrong places, after he
     looked round about for some time, he said that was not the place,
     but when he was brought to the place where it first broke out, he
     affirmed that was the true place.  "Burnet's Own Time," book ii.
     Archbishop Tillotson, according to Burnet, believed that London was
     burnt by design.]

that was said to fire the City, and was hanged for it, by his own
confession, that he was hired for it by a Frenchman of Roane, and that he
did with a stick reach in a fire-ball in at a window of the house: whereas
the master of the house, who is the King's baker, and his son, and
daughter, do all swear there was no such window, and that the fire did not
begin thereabouts.  Yet the fellow, who, though a mopish besotted fellow,
did not speak like a madman, did swear that he did fire it: and did not
this like a madman; for, being tried on purpose, and landed with his
keeper at the Tower Wharf, he could carry the keeper to the very house.
Asking Sir R. Viner what he thought was the cause of the fire, he tells
me, that the baker, son, and his daughter, did all swear again and again,
that their oven was drawn by ten o'clock at night; that, having occasion
to light a candle about twelve, there was not so much fire in the
bakehouse as to light a match for a candle, so that they were fain to go
into another place to light it; that about two in the morning they felt
themselves almost choked with smoke, and rising, did find the fire coming
upstairs; so they rose to save themselves; but that, at that time, the
bavins--[brushwood, or faggots used for lighting fires]--were not on fire
in the yard.  So that they are, as they swear, in absolute ignorance how
this fire should come; which is a strange thing, that so horrid an effect
should have so mean and uncertain a beginning.  By and by called in to the
King and Cabinet, and there had a few insipid words about money for
Tangier, but to no purpose.  Thence away walked to my boat at White Hall,
and so home and to supper, and then to talk with W. Hewer about business
of the differences at present among the people of our office, and so to my
journall and to bed.  This night going through bridge by water, my
waterman told me how the mistress of the Beare tavern, at the bridge-foot,
did lately fling herself into the Thames, and drowned herself; which did
trouble me the more, when they tell me it was she that did live at the
White Horse tavern in Lumbard Streete, which was a most beautiful woman,
as most I have seen.  It seems she hath had long melancholy upon her, and
hath endeavoured to make away with herself often.

25th.  Lay long in bed, talking with pleasure with my poor wife, how she
used to make coal fires, and wash my foul clothes with her own hand for
me, poor wretch! in our little room at my Lord Sandwich's; for which I
ought for ever to love and admire her, and do; and persuade myself she
would do the same thing again, if God should reduce us to it.  So up and
by coach abroad to the Duke of Albemarle's about sending soldiers down to
some ships, and so home, calling at a belt-maker's to mend my belt, and so
home and to dinner, where pleasant with my wife, and then to the office,
where mighty busy all the day, saving going forth to the 'Change to pay
for some things, and on other occasions, and at my goldsmith's did observe
the King's new medall, where, in little, there is Mrs. Steward's face as
well done as ever I saw anything in my whole life, I think: and a pretty
thing it is, that he should choose her face to represent Britannia by.  So
at the office late very busy and much business with great joy dispatched,
and so home to supper and to bed.

26th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning.  And here did receive
another reference from Sir W. Coventry about the business of some of the
Muster-Masters, concerning whom I had returned their small performances,
which do give me a little more trouble for fear [Sir] W. Coventry should
think I had a design to favour my brother Balty, and to that end to
disparage all the rest.  But I shall clear all very well, only it do
exercise my thoughts more than I am at leisure for.  At home find Balty
and his wife very fine, which I did not like, for fear he do spend too
much of his money that way, and lay [not] up anything.  After dinner to
the office again, where by and by Lord Bruncker, [Sir] W. Batten, [Sir] J.
Minnes and I met about receiving Carcasses answers to the depositions
against him.  Wherein I did see so much favour from my Lord to him that I
do again begin to see that my Lord is not right at the bottom, and did
make me the more earnest against him, though said little. My Lord rising,
declaring his judgement in his behalf, and going away, I did hinder our
arguing it by ourselves, and so broke up the meeting, and myself went full
of trouble to my office, there to write over the deposition and his
answers side by side, and then home to supper and to bed with some trouble
of mind to think of the issue of this, how it will breed ill blood among
us here.

27th.  Up by candle-light, about six o'clock, it being bitter cold weather
again, after all our warm weather, and by water down to Woolwich
rope-yard, I being this day at a leisure, the King and Duke of York being
gone down to Sheerenesse this morning to lay out the design for a
fortification there to the river Medway; and so we do not attend the Duke
of York as we should otherwise have done, and there to the Dock Yard to
enquire of the state of things, and went into Mr. Pett's; and there,
beyond expectation, he did present me with a Japan cane, with a silver
head, and his wife sent me by him a ring, with a Woolwich stone;

     [Woolwich stones, still collected in that locality, are simply
     waterworn pebbles of flint, which, when broken with a hammer,
     exhibit on the smooth surface some resemblance to the human face;
     and their possessors are thus enabled to trace likenesses of
     friends, or eminent public characters.  The late Mr. Tennant, the
     geologist, of the Strand, had a collection of such stones.  In the
     British Museum is a nodule of globular or Egyptian jasper, which, in
     its fracture, bears a striking resemblance to the well-known
     portrait of Chaucer.  It is engraved in Rymsdyk's "Museum
     Britannicum," tab.  xxviii.  A flint, showing Mr. Pitt's face, used
     once to be exhibited at the meetings of the Pitt Club.--B.]

now much in request; which I accepted, the values not being great, and
knowing that I had done them courtesies, which he did own in very high
terms; and then, at my asking, did give me an old draught of an
ancient-built ship, given him by his father, of the Beare, in Queen
Elizabeth's time.  This did much please me, it being a thing I much
desired to have, to shew the difference in the build of ships now and
heretofore.  Being much taken with this kindness, I away to Blackwall and
Deptford, to satisfy myself there about the King's business, and then
walked to Redriffe, and so home about noon; there find Mr. Hunt, newly
come out of the country, who tells me the country is much impoverished by
the greatness of taxes: the farmers do break every day almost, and L1000
a-year become not worth L500.  He dined with us, and we had good
discourse of the general ill state of things, and, by the way, he told me
some ridiculous pieces of thrift of Sir G. Downing's, who is his
countryman, in inviting some poor people, at Christmas last, to charm the
country people's mouths; but did give them nothing but beef, porridge,
pudding, and pork, and nothing said all dinner, but only his mother would
say, "It's good broth, son."  He would answer, "Yes, it is good broth."
Then, says his lady, Confirm all, and say, "Yes, very good broth."  By and
by she would begin and say, "Good pork:"--"Yes," says the mother, "good
pork."  Then he cries, "Yes, very good pork."  And so they said of all
things; to which nobody made any answer, they going there not out of love
or esteem of them, but to eat his victuals, knowing him to be a niggardly
fellow; and with this he is jeered now all over the country. This day just
before dinner comes Captain Story, of Cambridge, to me to the office,
about a bill for prest money,

     [Money paid to men who enlist into the public service; press money.
     So called because those who receive it are to be prest or ready when
     called on ("Encyclopaedic Dictionary ").]

for men sent out of the country and the countries about him to the fleete
the last year; but, Lord! to see the natures of men; how this man, hearing
of my name, did ask me of my country, and told me of my cozen Roger, that
he was not so wise a man as his father; for that he do not agree in
Parliament with his fellow burgesses and knights of the shire, whereas I
know very well the reason; for he is not so high a flyer as Mr. Chichley
and others, but loves the King better than any of them, and to better
purpose.  But yet, he says that he is a very honest gentleman, and thence
runs into a hundred stories of his own services to the King, and how he at
this day brings in the taxes before anybody here thinks they are
collected: discourse very absurd to entertain a stranger with.  He being
gone, and I glad of it, I home then to dinner.  After dinner with my wife
by coach abroad, andset Mr. Hunt down at the Temple and her at her
brother's, and I to White Hall to meet [Sir] W. Coventry, but found him
not, but met Mr. Cooling, who tells me of my Lord Duke of Buckingham's
being sent for last night, by a Serjeant at Armes, to the Tower, for
treasonable practices, and that the King is infinitely angry with him, and
declared him no longer one of his Council.  I know not the reason of it,
or occasion.  To Westminster Hall, and there paid what I owed for books,
and so by coach, took up my wife to the Exchange, and there bought things
for Mrs. Pierces little daughter, my Valentine, and so to their house,
where we find Knipp, who also challengeth me for her Valentine. She looks
well, sang well, and very merry we were for half an hour. Tells me Harris
is well again, having been very ill, and so we home, and I to the office;
then, at night, to Sir W. Pen's, and sat with my Lady, and the young
couple (Sir William out of town) talking merrily; but they make a very
sorry couple, methinks, though rich.  So late home and to bed.

28th.  Up, and there comes to me Drumbleby with a flageolet, made to suit
with my former and brings me one Greeting, a master, to teach my wife. I
agree by the whole with him to teach her to take out any lesson of herself
for L4.  She was not ready to begin to-day, but do to-morrow. So I to the
office, where my Lord Bruncker and I only all the morning, and did
business.  At noon to the Exchange and to Sir Rob. Viner's about settling
my accounts there.  So back home and to dinner, where Mr. Holliard dined
with us, and pleasant company he is.  I love his company, and he secures
me against ever having the stone again.  He gives it me, as his opinion,
that the City will never be built again together, as is expected, while
any restraint is laid upon them.  He hath been a great loser, and would be
a builder again, but, he says, he knows not what restrictions there will
be, so as it is unsafe for him to begin. He gone, I to the office, and
there busy till night doing much business, then home and to my accounts,
wherein, beyond expectation, I succeeded so well as to settle them very
clear and plain, though by borrowing of monies this month to pay D.
Gawden, and chopping and changing with my Tangier money, they were become
somewhat intricate, and, blessed be God; upon the evening my accounts, I
do appear L6800 creditor: This done, I to supper about 12 at night, and so
to bed.  The weather for three or four days being come to be exceeding
cold again as any time this year.  I did within these six days see smoke
still remaining of the late fire in the City; and it is strange to think
how, to this very day, I cannot sleep at night without great terrors of
fire, and this very night I could not sleep till almost two in the morning
through thoughts of fire.  Thus this month is ended with great content of
mind to me, thriving in my estate, and the affairs in my offices going
pretty well as to myself.  This afternoon Mr. Gawden was with me and tells
me more than I knew before--that he hath orders to get all the victuals he
can to Plymouth, and the Western ports, and other outports, and some to
Scotland, so that we do intend to keep but a flying fleete this year;
which, it may be, may preserve us a year longer, but the end of it must be
ruin.  Sir J. Minnes this night tells me, that he hears for certain, that
ballads are made of us in Holland for begging of a peace; which I
expected, but am vexed at. So ends this month, with nothing of weight upon
my mind, but for my father and mother, who are both very ill, and have
been so for some weeks: whom God help!  but I do fear my poor father will
hardly be ever thoroughly well again.



     ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

     Being taken with a Psalmbook or Testament
     Consider that this is all the pleasure I live for in the world
     Dinner, an ill and little mean one, with foul cloth and dishes
     If the word Inquisition be but mentioned
     King's service is undone, and those that trust him perish
     Mean, methinks, and is as if they had married like dog and bitch
     Musique in the morning to call up our new-married people
     Must yet pay to the Poll Bill for this pension (unreceived)
     New medall, where, in little, there is Mrs. Steward's face
     Not thinking them safe men to receive such a gratuity
     Only because she sees it is the fashion (She likes it)
     Prince's being trepanned, which was in doing just as we passed
     Proud that she shall come to trill
     Receive the applications of people, and hath presents
     Seems she hath had long melancholy upon her
     Sermon upon Original Sin, neither understood by himself
     Sick of it and of him for it
     The world do not grow old at all
     Then home, and merry with my wife
     Though he knows, if he be not a fool, that I love him not
     To my joy, I met not with any that have sped better than myself
     Used to make coal fires, and wash my foul clothes





*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 50: February 1666-67" ***

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