Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 53: May 1667
Author: Pepys, Samuel, 1633-1703
Language: English
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                THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.

            CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY

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

                              (Unabridged)

                      WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES

                        EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY

                        HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.

                          DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
                                  MAY
                                  1667

May 1st.  Up, it being a fine day, and after doing a little business in my
chamber I left my wife to go abroad with W. Hewer and his mother in a
Hackney coach incognito to the Park, while I abroad to the Excise Office
first, and there met the Cofferer and Sir Stephen Fox about our money
matters there, wherein we agreed, and so to discourse of my Lord
Treasurer, who is a little better than he was of the stone, having rested
a little this night.  I there did acquaint them of my knowledge of that
disease, which I believe will be told my Lord Treasurer.  Thence to
Westminster; in the way meeting many milk-maids with their garlands upon
their pails, dancing with a fiddler before them;

     [On the 1st of May milkmaids used to borrow silver cups, tankards,
     &c., to hang them round their milkpails, with the addition of
     flowers and ribbons, which they carried upon their heads,
     accompanied by a bagpipe or fiddle, and went from door to door,
     dancing before the houses of their customers, in order to obtain a
     small gratuity from each of them.

              "In London thirty years ago,
               When pretty milkmaids went about,
               It was a goodly sight to see
               Their May-day pageant all drawn out.

              "Such scenes and sounds once blest my eyes
               And charm'd my ears; but all have vanish'd,
               On May-day now no garlands go,
               For milkmaids and their dance are banish'd."

                    Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. i., pp. 569, 570.]

and saw pretty Nelly standing at her lodgings' door in Drury-lane in her
smock sleeves and bodice, looking upon one: she seemed a mighty pretty
creature.  To the Hall and there walked a while, it being term.  I thence
home to the Rose, and then had Doll Lane venir para me .  .  .  .  To my
Lord Crew's, where I found them at dinner, and among others.  Mrs. Bocket,
which I have not seen a long time, and two little dirty children, and she
as idle a prating and impertinent woman as ever she was.  After dinner my
Lord took me alone and walked with me, giving me an account of the meeting
of the Commissioners for Accounts, whereof he is one.  How some of the
gentlemen, Garraway, Littleton, and others, did scruple at their first
coming there, being called thither to act, as Members of Parliament, which
they could not do by any authority but that of Parliament, and therefore
desired the King's direction in it, which was sent for by my Lord
Bridgewater, who brought answer, very short, that the King expected they
should obey his Commission.  Then they went on, and observed a power to be
given them of administering and framing an oath, which they thought they
could not do by any power but Act of Parliament; and the whole Commission
did think fit to have the judges' opinion in it; and so, drawing up their
scruples in writing, they all attended the King, who told them he would
send to the judges to be answered, and did so; who have, my Lord tells me,
met three times about it, not knowing what answer to give to it; and they
have met this week, doing nothing but expecting the solution of the judges
in this point.  My Lord tells me he do believe this Commission will do
more hurt than good; it may undo some accounts, if these men shall think
fit; but it can never clear an account, for he must come into the
Exchequer for all this.  Besides, it is a kind of inquisition that hath
seldom ever been granted in England; and he believes it will never,
besides, give any satisfaction to the People or Parliament, but be looked
upon as a forced, packed business of the King, especially if these
Parliament-men that are of it shall not concur with them: which he doubts
they will not, and, therefore, wishes much that the King would lay hold of
this fit occasion, and let the Commission fall. Then to talk of my Lord
Sandwich, whom my Lord Crew hath a great desire might get to be Lord
Treasurer if the present Lord should die, as it is believed he will, in a
little time; and thinks he can have no competitor but my Lord Arlington,
who, it is given out, desires it: but my Lord thinks it is not so, for
that the being Secretary do keep him a greater interest with the King than
the other would do at least, do believe, that if my Lord would surrender
him his Wardrobe place, it would be a temptation to Arlington to assist my
Lord in getting the Treasurer's. I did object to my Lord [Crew] that it
would be no place of content, nor safety, nor honour for my Lord, the
State being so indigent as it is, and the [King] so irregular, and those
about him, that my Lord must be forced to part with anything to answer his
warrants; and that, therefore, I do believe the King had rather have a man
that may be one of his vicious caball, than a sober man that will mind the
publick, that so they may sit at cards and dispose of the revenue of the
kingdom.  This my Lord was moved at, and said he did not indeed know how
to answer it, and bid me think of it; and so said he himself would also
do.  He do mightily cry out of the bad management of our monies, the King
having had so much given him; and yet, when the Parliament do find that
the King should have L900,000 in his purse by the best account of issues
they have yet seen, yet we should report in the Navy a debt due from the
King of L900,000; which, I did confess, I doubted was true in the first,
and knew to be true in the last, and did believe that there was some great
miscarriages in it: which he owned to believe also, saying, that at this
rate it is not in the power of the kingdom to make a war, nor answer the
King's wants.  Thence away to the King's playhouse, by agreement met Sir
W. Pen, and saw "Love in a Maze" but a sorry play: only Lacy's clowne's
part, which he did most admirably indeed; and I am glad to find the rogue
at liberty again.  Here was but little, and that ordinary, company.  We
sat at the upper bench next the boxes; and I find it do pretty well, and
have the advantage of seeing and hearing the great people, which may be
pleasant when there is good store.  Now was only Prince Rupert and my Lord
Lauderdale, and my Lord, the naming of whom puts me in mind of my seeing,
at Sir Robert Viner's, two or three great silver flagons, made with
inscriptions as gifts of the King to such and such persons of quality as
did stay in town the late great plague, for the keeping things in order in
the town, which is a handsome thing.  But here was neither Hart, Nell, nor
Knipp; therefore, the play was not likely to please me. Thence Sir W. Pen
and I in his coach, Tiburne way, into the Park, where a horrid dust, and
number of coaches, without pleasure or order.  That which we, and almost
all went for, was to see my Lady Newcastle; which we could not, she being
followed and crowded upon by coaches all the way she went, that nobody
could come near her; only I could see she was in a large black coach,
adorned with silver instead of gold, and so white curtains, and every
thing black and white, and herself in her cap, but other parts I could not
make [out].  But that which I did see, and wonder at with reason, was to
find Pegg Pen in a new coach, with only her husband's pretty sister with
her, both patched and very fine, and in much the finest coach in the park,
and I think that ever I did see one or other, for neatness and richness in
gold, and everything that is noble. My Lady Castlemayne, the King, my Lord
St. Albans, nor Mr. Jermyn, have so neat a coach, that ever I saw.  And,
Lord! to have them have this, and nothing else that is correspondent, is
to me one of the most ridiculous sights that ever I did see, though her
present dress was well enough; but to live in the condition they do at
home, and be abroad in this coach, astonishes me.  When we had spent half
an hour in the Park, we went out again, weary of the dust, and despairing
of seeing my Lady Newcastle; and so back the same way, and to St. James's,
thinking to have met my Lady Newcastle before she got home, but we staying
by the way to drink, she got home a little before us: so we lost our
labours, and then home; where we find the two young ladies come home, and
their patches off, I suppose Sir W. Pen do not allow of them in his sight,
and going out of town to-night, though late, to Walthamstow.  So to talk a
little at Sir W. Batten's, and then home to supper, where I find Mrs.
Hewer and her son, who have been abroad with my wife in the Park, and so
after supper to read and then to bed.  Sir W. Pen did give me an account
this afternoon of his design of buying Sir Robert Brooke's fine house at
Wansted; which I so wondered at, and did give him reasons against it,
which he allowed of: and told me that he did intend to pull down the house
and build a less, and that he should get L1500 by the old house, and I
know not what fooleries.  But I will never believe he ever intended to buy
it, for my part; though he troubled Mr. Gawden to go and look upon it, and
advise him in it.

2nd.  To the office, where all the morning.  At noon home to dinner, and
then abroad to my Lord Treasurer's, who continues so ill as not to be
troubled with business.  So Mr. Gawden and I to my Lord Ashly's and spoke
with him, and then straight home, and there I did much business at the
office, and then to my own chamber and did the like there, to my great
content, but to the pain of my eyes, and then to supper and to bed, having
a song with my wife with great pleasure, she doing it well.

3rd.  Up, and with Sir J. Minnes, [Sir] W. Batten, and [Sir] W. Pen in the
last man's coach to St. James's, and thence up to the Duke of York's
chamber, which, as it is now fretted at the top, and the chimney-piece
made handsome, is one of the noblest and best-proportioned rooms that
ever, I think, I saw in my life, and when ready, into his closet and did
our business, where, among other things, we had a proposition of Mr.
Pierces, for being continued in pay, or something done for him, in reward
of his pains as Chyrurgeon-Generall; forasmuch as Troutbecke, that was
never a doctor before, hath got L200 a year settled on him for nothing but
that one voyage with the Duke of Albemarle.  The Duke of York and the
whole company did shew most particular kindness to Mr. Pierce, every body
moving for him, and the Duke himself most, that he is likely to be a very
great man, I believe.  Here also we had another mention of Carcasses
business, and we directed to bring in a report of our opinion of his case,
which vexes us that such a rogue shall make us so much trouble. Thence I
presently to the Excise Office, and there met the Cofferer and [Sir]
Stephen Fox by agreement, and agreed upon a method for our future
payments, and then we three to my Lord Treasurer, who continues still very
ill.  I had taken my stone with me on purpose, and Sir Philip Warwicke
carried it in to him to see, but was not in a condition to talk with me
about it, poor man.  So I with them to Westminster by coach; the Cofferer
telling us odd stories how he was dealt with by the men of the Church at
Westminster in taking a lease of them at the King's coming in, and
particularly the devilish covetousness of Dr. Busby.  Sir Stephen Fox, in
discourse, told him how he is selling some land he hath, which yields him
not above three per cent., if so much, and turning it into money, which he
can put out at ten per cent.; and, as times go, if they be like to
continue, it is the best way for me to keep money going so, for aught I
see.  I to Westminster Hall, and there took a turn with my old
acquaintance Mr. Pechell, whose red nose makes me ashamed to be seen with
him, though otherwise a good-natured man.  So away, I not finding of Mr.
Moore, with whom I should have met and spoke about a letter I this day
received from him from my Lord Hinchingbroke, wherein he desires me to
help him to L1900 to pay a bill of exchange of his father's, which
troubles me much, but I will find some way, if I can do it, but not to
bring myself in bonds or disbursements for it, whatever comes of it. So
home to dinner, where my wife hath 'ceux la' upon her and is very ill with
them, and so forced to go to bed, and I sat by her a good while, then down
to my chamber and made an end of Rycaut's History of the Turks, which is a
very good book.  Then to the office, and did some business, and then my
wife being pretty well, by coach to little Michell's, and there saw my
poor Betty and her little child, which slept so soundly we could hardly
wake it in an hour's time without hurting it, and they tell me what I did
not know, that a child (as this do) will hunt and hunt up and down with
its mouth if you touch the cheek of it with your finger's end for a
nipple, and fit its mouth for sucking, but this hath not sucked yet, she
having no nipples.  Here sat a while, and then my wife and I, it being a
most curious clear evening, after some rain to-day, took a most excellent
tour by coach to Bow, and there drank and back again, and so a little at
the office, and home to read a little, and to supper and bed mightily
refreshed with this evening's tour, but troubled that it hath hindered my
doing some business which I would have done at the office.  This day the
newes is come that the fleete of the Dutch, of about 20 ships, which come
upon our coasts upon design to have intercepted our colliers, but by good
luck failed, is gone to the Frith,--[Frith of Forth.  See 5th of this
month.]--and there lies, perhaps to trouble the Scotch privateers, which
have galled them of late very much, it may be more than all our last
year's fleete.

4th.  Up and to the office, where sat all the morning, among other things
a great conflict I had with Sir W. Warren, he bringing a letter to the
Board, flatly in words charging them with their delays in passing his
accounts, which have been with them these two years, part of which I said
was not true, and the other undecent.  The whole Board was concerned to
take notice of it, as well as myself, but none of them had the honour to
do it, but suffered me to do it alone, only Sir W. Batten, who did what he
did out of common spite to him.  So I writ in the margin of the letter,
"Returned as untrue," and, by consent of the Board, did give it him again,
and so parted.  Home to dinner, and there came a woman whose husband I
sent for, one Fisher, about the business of Perkins and Carcasse, and I do
think by her I shall find the business as bad as ever it was, and that we
shall find Commissioner Pett a rogue, using foul play on behalf of
Carcasse.  After dinner to the office again, and there late all the
afternoon, doing much business, and with great content home to supper and
to bed.

5th (Lord's day).  Up, and going down to the water side, I met Sir John
Robinson, and so with him by coach to White Hall, still a vain, prating,
boasting man as any I know, as if the whole City and Kingdom had all its
work done by him.  He tells me he hath now got a street ordered to be
continued, forty feet broad, from Paul's through Cannon Street to the
Tower, which will be very fine.  He and others this day, where I was in
the afternoon, do tell me of at least six or eight fires within these few
days; and continually stirs of fires, and real fires there have been, in
one place or other, almost ever since the late great fire, as if there was
a fate sent people for fire.  I walked over the Park to Sir W. Coventry's.
Among other things to tell him what I hear of people being forced to sell
their bills before September for 35 and 40 per cent. loss, and what is
worst, that there are some courtiers that have made a knot to buy them, in
hopes of some ways to get money of the King to pay them, which Sir W.
Coventry is amazed at, and says we are a people made up for destruction,
and will do what he can to prevent all this by getting the King to provide
wherewith to pay them.  We talked of Tangier, of which he is ashamed; also
that it should put the King to this charge for no good in the world: and
now a man going over that is a good soldier, but a debauched man, which
the place need not to have.  And so used these words: "That this place was
to the King as my Lord Carnarvon says of wood, that it is an excrescence
of the earth provided by God for the payment of debts."  Thence away to
Sir G. Carteret, whom I find taking physic.  I staid talking with him but
a little, and so home to church, and heard a dull sermon, and most of the
best women of our parish gone into the country, or at least not at church.
So home, and find my boy not there, nor was at church, which vexed me, and
when he come home I enquired, he tells me he went to see his mother.  I
send him back to her to send me some token that he was with her.  So there
come a man with him back of good fashion.  He says he saw him with her,
which pacified me, but I did soundly threaten him before him, and so to
dinner, and then had a little scolding with my wife for not being fine
enough to go to the christening to-day, which she excused by being ill, as
she was indeed, and cried, but I was in an ill humour and ashamed, indeed,
that she should not go dressed.  However, friends by and by, and we went
by water to Michell's, and there his little house full of his father and
mothers and the kindred, hardly any else, and mighty merry in this
innocent company, and Betty mighty pretty in bed, but, her head akeing,
not very merry, but the company mighty merry, and I with them, and so the
child was christened; my wife, his father, and her mother, the witnesses,
and the child's name Elizabeth.  So we had gloves and wine and wafers,
very pretty, and talked and tattled, and so we away by water and up with
the tide, she and I and Barker, as high as Barne Eimes, it being a fine
evening, and back again to pass the bridges at standing water between 9
and 10 at might, and then home and to supper, and then to bed with much
pleasure.  This day Sir W. Coventry tells me the Dutch fleete shot some
shot, four or five hundred, into Burnt-Island in the Frith, but without
any hurt; and so are gone.

6th.  Up and angry with my mayds for letting in watermen, and I know not
who, anybody that they are acquainted with, into my kitchen to talk and
prate with them, which I will not endure.  Then out and by coach to my
Lord Treasurer's, who continues still very ill, then to Sir Ph. Warwicke's
house, and there did a little business about my Tangier tallies, and so to
Westminster Hall, and there to the Exchequer to consult about some way of
getting our poor Creditors of the Navy (who served in their goods before
the late Session of Parliament) paid out of the 11 months tax, which seems
to relate only for goods to be then served in, and I think I have found
out a way to bring them into the Act, which, if it do, I shall think a
good service done.  Thence by coach home with Captain Cocke, in our way
talking of my Lord Bruncker and his Lady, who are mighty angry with us all
of the office, about Carcasse's business, but especially with me, and in
great confidence he bids me have a care of him, for he hath said that he
would wound me with the person where my greatest interest is.  I suppose
he means Sir W. Coventry, and therefore I will beware of him, and am glad,
though vexed to hear it.  So home to dinner, where Creed come, whom I
vexed devilishly with telling him a wise man, and good friend of his and
mine, did say that he lately went into the country to Hinchingbroke; and,
at his coming to town again, hath shifted his lodgings, only to avoid
paying to the Poll Bill, which is so true that he blushed, and could not
in words deny it, but the fellow did think to have not had it discovered.
He is so devilish a subtle false rogue, that I am really weary and afeard
of his company, and therefore after dinner left him in the house, and to
my office, where busy all the afternoon despatching much business, and in
the evening to Sir R. Viner's to adjust accounts there, and so home, where
some of our old Navy creditors come to me by my direction to consider of
what I have invented for their help as I have said in the morning, and
like it mighty well, and so I to the office, where busy late, then home to
supper and sing with my wife, who do begin to give me real pleasure with
her singing, and so to bed.

7th.  Up betimes, and by coach to St. James's; but there find Sir W.
Coventry gone out betimes this morning, on horseback, with the King and
Duke of York, to Putney-heath,--to run some horses, and so back again to
the office, where some witnesses from Chatham which I sent for are come
up, and do give shrewd testimonies against Carcasse, which put my Lord
into a new flame, and he and I to high words, and so broke up.  Then home
to dinner, where W. Hewer dined with us, and he and I after dinner to
discourse of Carcasses business, wherein I apparently now do manage it
wholly against my Lord Bruncker, Sir W. Pen, like a false rogue, shrinking
out of the collar, Sir J. Minnes, afoot, being easily led either way, and
Sir W. Batten, a malicious fellow that is not able to defend any thing, so
that the whole odium must fall on me, which I will therefore beware how I
manage that I may not get enemies to no purpose. It vexes me to see with
what a company I am mixed, but then it pleases me to see that I am
reckoned the chief mover among them, as they do, confess and esteem me in
every thing.  Thence to the office, and did business, and then by coach to
St. James's again, but [Sir] W. Coventry not within, so I wrote something
to him, and then straight back again and to Sir W. Batten's, and there
talked with him and [Sir] J. Minnes, who are mighty hot in Carcasses
business, but their judgment's not to be trusted. However, I will go
through with it, or otherwise we shall be all slaves to my Lord Bruncker
and his man's impudence.  So to the office a little, and then home to
supper and to bed, after hearing my wife sing, who is manifestly come to
be more musical in her eare than ever I thought she could have been made,
which rejoices me to the heart, for I take great delight now to hear her
sing.

8th.  Up pretty betimes and out of doors, and in Fen Church street met Mr.
Lovett going with a picture to me, but I could not stand to discourse or
see it, but on to the next hackney coach and so to Sir W. Coventry, where
he and I alone a while discoursing of some businesses of the office, and
then up to the Duke of York to his chamber with my fellow brethren who are
come, and so did our usual weekly business, which was but little to-day,
and I was glad that the business of Carcasse was not mentioned because our
report was not ready, but I am resolved it shall against the next coming
to the Duke of York.  Here was discourse about a way of paying our old
creditors which did please me, there being hopes of getting them
comprehended within the 11 months Tax, and this did give occasion for Sir
G. Carteret's and my going to Sir Robert Long to discourse it, who do
agree that now the King's Council do say that they may be included in the
Act, which do make me very glad, not so much for the sake of the poor men
as for the King, for it would have been a ruin to him and his service not
to have had a way to have paid the debt. There parted with Sir G. Carteret
and into Westminster Hall, where I met with Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I
to Sir Ph. Warwicke's to speak a little about our Tangier business, but to
little purpose, my Lord Treasurer being so ill that no business can be
done.  Thence with Sir H. Cholmly to find out Creed from one lodging to
another, which he hath changed so often that there is no finding him, but
at last do come to his lodging that he is entering into this day, and do
find his goods unlading at the door, by Scotland Yard, and there I set
down Sir H. Cholmly, and I away to the 'Change, where spoke about several
things, and then going home did meet Mr. Andrews our neighbour, and did
speak with him to enquire about the ground behind our house, of which I
have a mind to buy enough to make a stable and coach-house; for I do see
that my condition do require it, as well as that it is more charge to my
purse to live as I do than to keep one, and therefore I am resolved before
winter to have one, unless some extraordinary thing happens to hinder me.
He promises me to look after it for me, and so I home to dinner, where I
find my wife's flageolette master, and I am so pleased with her
proceeding, though she hath lost time by not practising, that I am
resolved for the, encouragement of the man to learn myself a little for a
month or so, for I do foresee if God send my wife and I to live, she will
become very good company for me.  He gone, comes Lovett with my little
print of my dear Lady Castlemayne varnished, and the frame prettily done
like gold, which pleases me well.  He dined with me, but by his discourse
I do still see that he is a man of good wit but most strange experience,
and acquaintance with all manner of subtleties and tricks, that I do think
him not fit for me to keep any acquaintance with him, lest he some time or
other shew me a slippery trick.  After dinner, he gone, I to the office,
where all the afternoon very busy, and so in the evening to Sir R.
Viner's, thinking to finish my accounts there, but am prevented, and so
back again home, and late at my office at business, and so home to supper
and sing a little with my dear wife, and so to bed.

9th.  Up, and to the office, and at noon home to dinner, and then with my
wife and Barker by coach, and left them at Charing Cross, and I to St.
James's, and there found Sir W. Coventry alone in his chamber, and sat and
talked with him more than I have done a great while of several things of
the Navy, how our debts and wants do unfit us for doing any thing.  He
tells me he hears stories of Commissioner Pett, of selling timber to the
Navy under other names, which I told him I believe is true, and did give
him an instance.  He told me also how his clerk Floyd he hath put away for
his common idlenesse and ill company, and particularly that yesterday he
was found not able to come and attend him, by being run into the arme in a
squabble, though he pretends it was done in the streets by strangers, at
nine at night, by the Maypole in the Strand. Sir W. Coventry did write to
me this morning to recommend him another, which I could find in my heart
to do W. Hewer for his good; but do believe he will not part with me, nor
have I any mind to let him go. I would my brother were fit for it, I would
adventure him there. He insists upon an unmarried man, that can write
well, and hath French enough to transcribe it only from a copy, and may
write shorthand, if it may be.  Thence with him to my Lord Chancellor at
Clarendon House, to a Committee for Tangier, where several things spoke of
and proceeded on, and particularly sending Commissioners thither before
the new Governor goes, which I think will signify as much good as any
thing else that hath been done about the place, which is none at all.  I
did again tell them the badness of their credit by the time their tallies
took before they become payable, and their spending more than their fund.
They seem well satisfied with what I said, and I am glad that I may be
remembered that I do tell them the case plain; but it troubled me that I
see them hot upon it, that the Governor shall not be paymaster, which will
force me either to the providing one there to do it (which I will never
undertake), or leave the employment, which I had rather do.  Mightily
pleased with the noblenesse of this house, and the brave furniture and
pictures, which indeed is very noble, and, being broke up, I with Sir G.
Carteret in his coach into Hide Park, to discourse of things, and spent an
hour in this manner with great pleasure, telling me all his concernments,
and how he is gone through with the purchase for my Lady Jemimah and her
husband; how the Treasury is like to come into the hands of a Committee;
but that not that, nor anything else, will do our business, unless the
King himself will mind his business, and how his servants do execute their
parts; he do fear an utter ruin in the state, and that in a little time,
if the King do not mind his business soon; that the King is very kind to
him, and to my Lord Sandwich, and that he doubts not but at his coming
home, which he expects about Michaelmas, he will be very well received.
But it is pretty strange how he began again the business of the intention
of a marriage of my Lord Hinchingbroke to a daughter of my Lord
Burlington's to my Lord Chancellor, which he now tells me as a great
secret, when he told it me the last Sunday but one; but it may be the poor
man hath forgot, and I do believe he do make it a secret, he telling me
that he has not told it to any but myself, end this day to his daughter my
Lady Jemimah, who looks to lie down about two months hence. After all this
discourse we turned back and to White Hall, where we parted, and I took up
my wife at Unthanke's, and so home, and in our street, at the Three Tuns'
Tavern' door, I find a great hubbub; and what was it but two brothers have
fallen out, and one killed the other.  And who should they be but the two
Fieldings; one whereof, Bazill, was page to my Lady Sandwich; and he hath
killed the other, himself being very drunk, and so is sent to Newgate.  I
to the office and did as much business as my eyes would let me, and so
home to supper and to bed.

10th.  Up and to the office, where a meeting about the Victuallers'
accounts all the morning, and at noon all of us to Kent's, at the Three
Tuns' Tavern, and there dined well at Mr. Gawden's charge; and, there the
constable of the parish did show us the picklocks and dice that were found
in the dead man's pocket, and but 18d. in money; and a table-book, wherein
were entered the names of several places where he was to go; and among
others Kent's house, where he was to dine, and did dine yesterday: and
after dinner went into the church, and there saw his corpse with the wound
in his left breast; a sad spectacle, and a broad wound, which makes my
hand now shake to write of it.  His brother intending, it seems, to kill
the coachman, who did not please him, this fellow stepped in, and took
away his sword; who thereupon took out his knife, which was of the
fashion, with a falchion blade, and a little cross at the hilt like a
dagger; and with that stabbed him.  So to the office again, very busy, and
in the evening to Sir Robert Viner's, and there took up all my notes and
evened our balance to the 7th of this month, and saw it entered in their
ledger, and took a receipt for the remainder of my money as the balance of
an account then adjusted.  Then to my Lord Treasurer's, but missed Sir Ph.
Warwicke, and so back again, and drove hard towards Clerkenwell,

     [At Newcastle House, Clerkenwell Close, the duke and duchess lived
     in great state.  The house was divided, and let in tenements in the
     eighteenth century.]

thinking to have overtaken my Lady Newcastle, whom I saw before us in her
coach, with 100 boys and girls running looking upon her but I could not:
and so she got home before I could come up to her.  But I will get a time
to see her.  So to the office and did more business, and then home and
sang with pleasure with my wife, and to supper and so to bed.

11th.  Up, and being called on by Mr. Commander, he and I out to the
ground behind Sir W. Pen's, where I am resolved to take a lease of some of
it for a stable and coach [house], and so to keep a coach, unless some
change come before I can do it, for I do see it is a greater charge to me
now in hackneys, and I am a little dishonoured by going in them.  We spoke
with him that hath the letting it, and I do believe when I can tell how
much it will be fit for me to have we shall go near to agree.  So home,
and there found my door open, which makes me very angry with Nell, and do
think to put her away for it, though it do so go against me to part with a
servant that it troubles me more than anything in the world. So to the
office, where all the morning.  At noon home to dinner, where Mr.
Goodgroome and Creed, and I have great hopes that my wife will come to
sing to my mind.  After dinner my wife and Creed and I being entered a
hackney coach to go to the other end of the town, we espied The.  Turner
coming in her coach to see us, which we were surprised at, and so 'light
and took her and another young lady home, and there sat and talked with
The., she being lately come out of the North after two or three years
absence.  She is come to put out her sister and brothers to school at
Putney.  After a little talk, I over Tower Hill with them to a lady's they
go to visit, and so away with my wife, whose being dressed this day in
fair hair did make me so mad, that I spoke not one word to her in our
going, though I was ready to burst with anger.  So to White Hall to the
Committee of Tangier, where they were discoursing about laws for the civil
government of the place, but so dull and so little to the purpose that I
fell to slumber, when the fear of being seen by Sir W. Coventry did
trouble me much afterwards, but I hope he did not.  After that broke up.
Creed and I into the Park, and walked, a most pleasant evening, and so
took coach, and took up my wife, and in my way home discovered my trouble
to my wife for her white locks,

     [Randle Holmes says the ladies wore "false locks set on wyres, to
     make them stand at a distance from the head," and accompanies the
     information with the figure of a lady "with a pair of locks and
     curls which were in great fashion in 1670" (Planche's "Cyclopaedia
     of Costume;" Vol. i., p. 248).]

swearing by God, several times, which I pray God forgive me for, and
bending my fist, that I would not endure it.  She, poor wretch,

     [A new light is thrown upon this favourite expression of Pepys's
     when speaking of his wife by the following quotation from a Midland
     wordbook: "Wretch, n., often used as an expression of endearment or
     sympathy.  Old Woman to Young Master: 'An''ow is the missis to-day,
     door wretch?'  Of a boy going to school a considerable distance off
     'I met 'im with a bit o' bread in 'is bag, door wretch'" ("A
     Glossary of Words and Phrases used in S.E. Worcestershire," by Jesse
     Salisbury.  Published by the English Dialect Society, 1894).]

was surprized with it, and made me no answer all the way home; but there
we parted, and I to the office late, and then home, and without supper to
bed, vexed.

12th (Lord's day).  Up, and to my chamber, to settle some accounts there,
and by and by down comes my wife to me in her night-gown, and we begun
calmly, that upon having money to lace her gown for second mourning, she
would promise to wear white locks no more in my sight, which I, like a
severe fool, thinking not enough, begun to except against, and made her
fly out to very high terms and cry, and in her heat told me of keeping
company with Mrs. Knipp, saying, that if I would promise never to see her
more--of whom she hath more reason to suspect than I had heretofore of
Pembleton--she would never wear white locks more.  This vexed me, but I
restrained myself from saying anything, but do think never to see this
woman--at least, to have her here more, but by and by I did give her money
to buy lace, and she promised to wear no more white locks while I lived,
and so all very good friends as ever, and I to my business, and she to
dress herself.  Against noon we had a coach ready for us, and she and I to
White Hall, where I went to see whether Sir G. Carteret was at dinner or
no, our design being to make a visit there, and I found them set down,
which troubled me, for I would not then go up, but back to the coach to my
wife, and she and I homeward again, and in our way bethought ourselves of
going alone, she and I, to go to a French house to dinner, and so enquired
out Monsieur Robins, my perriwigg-maker, who keeps an ordinary, and in an
ugly street in Covent Garden, did find him at the door, and so we in; and
in a moment almost had the table covered, and clean glasses, and all in
the French manner, and a mess of potage first, and then a couple of
pigeons a la esterve, and then a piece of boeuf-a-la-mode, all exceeding
well seasoned, and to our great liking; at least it would have been
anywhere else but in this bad street, and in a perriwigg-maker's house;
but to see the pleasant and ready attendance that we had, and all things
so desirous to please, and ingenious in the people, did take me mightily.
Our dinner cost us 6s., and so my wife and I away to Islington, it being a
fine day, and thence to Sir G. Whitmore's house, where we 'light, and
walked over the fields to Kingsland, and back again; a walk, I think, I
have not taken these twenty years; but puts me in mind of my boy's time,
when I boarded at Kingsland, and used to shoot with my bow and arrows in
these fields.  A very pretty place it is; and little did any of my friends
think I should come to walk in these fields in this condition and state
that I am.  Then took coach again, and home through Shoreditch; and at
home my wife finds Barker to have been abroad, and telling her so many
lies about it, that she struck her, and the wench said she would not stay
with her: so I examined the wench, and found her in so many lies myself,
that I was glad to be rid of her, and so resolved having her go away
to-morrow.  So my wife and W. Hewer and I to supper, and then he and I to
my chamber to begin the draught of the report from this office to the Duke
of York in the case of Mr. Carcasse, which I sat up till midnight to do,
and then to bed, believing it necessary to have it done, and to do it
plainly, for it is not to be endured the trouble that this rascal hath put
us to, and the disgrace he hath brought upon this office.

13th.  Up, and when ready, to the office (my wife rising to send away
Barker, according to our resolution last night, and she did do it with
more clothes than have cost us L10, and 20s. in her purse, which I did for
the respect I bear Mr. Falconbridge, otherwise she had not deserved half
of it, but I am the more willing to do it to be rid of one that made work
and trouble in the house, and had not qualities of any honour or pleasure
to me or my family, but what is a strange thing did always declare to her
mistress and others that she had rather be put to drudgery and to wash the
house than to live as she did like a gentlewoman), and there I and Gibson
all the morning making an end of my report against Carcasse, which I think
will do our business, but it is a horrid shame such a rogue should give me
and all of us this trouble.  This morning come Sir H. Cholmly to me for a
tally or two; and tells me that he hears that we are by agreement to give
the King of France Nova Scotia, which he do not like: but I do not know
the importance of it.

     [Nova Scotia and the adjoining countries were called by the French
     Acadie.  Pepys is not the only official personage whose ignorance of
     Nova Scotia is on record.  A story is current of a prime minister
     (Duke of Newcastle) who was surprised at hearing Cape Breton was an
     island.  "Egad, I'll go tell the King Cape Breton is an island!"
     Of the same it is said, that when told Annapolis was in danger, and
     ought to be defended: "Oh! certainly Annapolis must be defended,--
     where is Annapolis?"--B.]

Then abroad with my wife to my Lord Treasurer's, and she to her tailor's.
I find Sir Philip Warwicke, who I perceive do give over my Lord Treasurer
for a man of this world, his pain being grown great again upon him, and
all the rest he hath is by narcotiques, and now Sir Philip Warwicke do
please himself, like a good man, to tell some of the good ejaculations of
my Lord Treasurer concerning the little worth of this world, to buy it
with so much pain, and other things fit for a dying man.  So finding no
business likely to be done here for Tangier, I having a warrant for
tallies to be signed, I away to the New Exchange, and there staid a
little, and then to a looking-glass shop to consult about covering the
wall in my closet over my chimney, which is darkish, with looking-glasses,
and then to my wife's tailor's, but find her not ready to go home, but got
to buy things, and so I away home to look after my business and finish my
report of Carcasse, and then did get Sir W. Batten, Sir J. Minnes, and
[Sir] W. Pen together, and read it over with all the many papers relating
to the business, which they do wonder at, and the trouble I have taken
about it, and like the report, so as that they do unanimously resolve to
sign it, and stand by it, and after a great deal of discourse of the
strange deportment of my Lord Bruncker in this business to withstand the
whole board in behalf of such an impudent rogue as this is, I parted, and
home to my wife, and supped and talked with her, and then to bed,
resolving to rise betimes to-morrow to write fair the report.

14th.  Up by 5 o'clock, and when ready down to my chamber, and there with
Mr. Fist, Sir W. Batten's clerk, who writes mighty well, writing over our
report in Mr. Carcasses business, in which we continued till 9 o'clock,
that the office met, and then to the office, where all the morning, and so
at noon home to dinner, where Mr. Holliard come and eat with us, who among
other things do give me good hopes that we shall give my father some ease
as to his rupture when he comes to town, which I expect to-morrow.  After
dinner comes Fist, and he and I to our report again till 9 o'clock, and
then by coach to my Lord Chancellor's, where I met Mr. Povy, expecting the
coming of the rest of the Commissioners for Tangier.  Here I understand
how the two Dukes, both the only sons of the Duke of York, are sick even
to danger, and that on Sunday last they were both so ill, as that the poor
Duchess was in doubt which would die first: the Duke of Cambridge of some
general disease; the other little Duke, whose title I know not, of the
convulsion fits, of which he had four this morning.  Fear that either of
them might be dead, did make us think that it was the occasion that the
Duke of York and others were not come to the meeting of the Commission
which was designed, and my Lord Chancellor did expect.  And it was pretty
to observe how, when my Lord sent down to St. James's to see why the Duke
of York come not, and Mr. Povy, who went, returned, my Lord (Chancellor)
did ask, not how the Princes or the Dukes do, as other people do, but "How
do the children?" which methought was mighty great, and like a great man
and grandfather.  I find every body mightily concerned for these children,
as a matter wherein the State is much concerned that they should live.  At
last it was found that the meeting did fail from no known occasion, at
which my Lord Chancellor was angry, and did cry out against Creed that he
should give him no notice. So Povy and I went forth, and staid at the gate
of the house by the streete, and there stopped to talk about the business
of the Treasury of Tangier, which by the badness of our credit, and the
resolution that the Governor shall not be paymaster, will force me to
provide one there to be my paymaster, which I will never do, but rather
lose my place, for I will not venture my fortune to a fellow to be
employed so far off, and in that wicked place.  Thence home, and with Fist
presently to the finishing the writing fair of our report.  And by and by
to Sir W. Batten's, and there he and I and [Sir] J. Minnes and [Sir] W.
Pen did read and sign it with great good liking, and so away to the office
again to look over and correct it, and then home to supper and to bed, my
mind being pretty well settled, having this report done, and so to supper
and to bed.

15th.  [This morning my wife had some things brought home by a new woman
of the New Exchange, one Mrs. Smith, which she would have me see for her
fine hand, and indeed it is a fine hand, and the woman I have observed is
a mighty pretty looked woman.]  Up, and with Sir W. Batten and [Sir] J.
Minnes to St. James's, and stopt at Temple Bar for Sir J. Minnes to go
into the Devil's Taverne to shit, he having drunk whey, and his belly
wrought.  Being come, we up to the Duke of York's chamber, who, when
ready, we to our usual business, and being very glad, we all that signed
it, that is, Sir J. Minnes, W. Batten, W. Pen, and myself, and then Sir G.
Carteret and [Sir] W. Coventry, Bruncker, and T. Harvy, and the officers
of the Ordnance, Sir J. Duncombe, and Mr. Cholmely presented our report
about Carcasse, and did afterwards read it with that success that the Duke
of York was for punishing him, not only with turning him out of the
office, but with what other punishment he could, which nobody did forward,
and so he escaped, only with giving security to secure the King against
double tickets of his and other things that he might have wronged the King
or subject in before his dismission.  Yet, Lord!  to see how our silly
Lord Bruncker would have stood to have justified this rogue, though to the
reproach of all us who have signed, which I shall never forget to have
been a most malicious or a most silly act, and I do think it is as much
the latter as the other, for none but a fool could have done as this silly
Lord hath done in this business.  So the Duke of York did like our report,
and ordered his being secured till he did give his security, which did
fully content me, and will I hope vindicate the office.  It happened that
my Lord Arlington coming in by chance was at the hearing of all this,
which I was not sorry for, for he did move or did second the Duke of York
that this roguery of his might be put in the News-book that it might be
made publique to satisfy for the wrong the credit of this office hath
received by this rogue's occasion.  So with utmost content I away with Sir
G. Carteret to London, talking all the way; and he do tell me that the
business of my Lord Hinchingbroke his marriage with my Lord Burlington's
daughter is concluded on by all friends; and that my Lady is now told of
it, and do mightily please herself with it; which I am mighty glad of.  So
home, and there I find that my wife hath been at my desire at the Inne,
thinking that my father might be come up with the coach, but he is not
come this week, poor man, but will be here the next.  At noon to dinner,
and then to Sir W. Batten's, where I hear the news how our Embassadors
were but ill received at Flushing, nor at Bredah itself, there being only
a house and no furniture provided for them, though it be said that they
have as much as the French.  Here we staid talking a little, and then I to
the office about my business, and thence to the office, where busy about
my own papers of my office, and by and by comes the office full to examine
Sir W. Warren's account, which I do appear mighty fierce in against him,
and indeed am, for his accounts are so perplexed that I am sure he cannot
but expect to get many a L1000 in it before it passes our hands, but I
will not favour him, but save what I can to the King.  At his accounts,
wherein I very high against him, till late, and then we broke up with
little done, and so broke up, and I to my office, where late doing of
business, and then home to supper and to bed. News still that my Lord
Treasurer is so ill as not to be any man of this world; and it is said
that the Treasury shall be managed by Commission. I would to God Sir G.
Carteret, or my Lord Sandwich, be in it!  But the latter is the more fit
for it.  This day going to White Hall, Sir W. Batten did tell me strange
stories of Sir W. Pen, how he is already ashamed of the fine coach which
his son-in-law and daughter have made, and indeed it is one of the most
ridiculous things for people of their low, mean fashion to make such a
coach that ever I saw.  He tells me how his people come as they do to mine
every day to borrow one thing or other, and that his Lady hath been forced
to sell some coals (in the late dear time) only to enable her to pay money
that she hath borrowed of Griffin to defray her family expense, which is a
strange story for a rogue that spends so much money on clothes and other
occasions himself as he do, but that which is most strange, he tells me
that Sir W. Pen do not give L6000, as is usually [supposed], with his
daughter to him, and that Mr. Lowder is come to use the tubb, that is to
bathe and sweat himself, and that his lady is come to use the tubb too,
which he takes to be that he hath, and hath given her the pox, but I hope
it is not so, but, says Sir W. Batten, this is a fair joynture, that he
hath made her, meaning by that the costs the having of a bath.

16th.  Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and, among
other things, comes in Mr. Carcasse, and after many arguings against it,
did offer security as was desired, but who should this be but Mr. Powell,
that is one other of my Lord Bruncker's clerks; and I hope good use will
be made of it.  But then he began to fall foul upon the injustice of the
Board, which when I heard I threatened him with being laid by the heels,
which my Lord Bruncker took up as a thing that I could not do upon the
occasion he had given, but yet did own that it was ill said of him.  I
made not many words of it, but have let him see that I can say what I will
without fear of him, and so we broke off, leaving the bond to be drawn by
me, which I will do in the best manner I can.  At noon, this being Holy
Thursday, that is, Ascension Day, when the boys go on procession round the
parish, we were to go to the Three Tuns' Tavern, to dine with the rest of
the parish; where all the parish almost was, Sir Andrew Rickard and
others; and of our house, J. Minnes, W. Batten, W. Pen, and myself; and
Mr. Mills did sit uppermost at the table.  Here we were informed that the
report of our Embassadors being ill received in their way to Bredah is not
true, but that they are received with very great civility, which I am glad
to hear.  But that that did vex me was that among all us there should come
in Mr. Carcasse to be a guest for his money (5s. a piece) as well as any
of us.  This did vex me, and I would have gone, and did go to my house,
thinking to dine at home, but I was called away from them, and so we sat
down, and to dinner.  Among other things Sir John Fredericke and Sir R.
Ford did talk of Paul's School, which, they tell me, must be taken away;
and then I fear it will be long before another place, as they say is
promised, is found; but they do say that the honour of their company is
concerned in the doing of it, and that it is a thing that they are obliged
to do.  Thence home, and to my office, where busy; anon at 7 at night I
and my wife and Sir W. Pen in his coach to Unthanke's, my wife's tailor,
for her to speak one word, and then we to my Lord Treasurer's, where I
find the porter crying, and suspected it was that my Lord is dead; and,
poor Lord! we did find that he was dead just now; and the crying of the
fellow did so trouble me, that considering I was not likely to trouble him
any more, nor have occasion to give any more anything, I did give him 3s.;
but it may be, poor man, he hath lost a considerable hope by the death of
his Lord, whose house will be no more frequented as before, and perhaps I
may never come thither again about any business.  There is a good man
gone: and I pray God that the Treasury may not be worse managed by the
hand or hands it shall now be put into; though, for certain, the slowness,
though he was of great integrity, of this man, and remissness, have gone
as far to undo the nation, as anything else that hath happened; and yet,
if I knew all the difficulties that he hath lain under, and his instrument
Sir Philip Warwicke, I might be brought to another mind.  Thence we to
Islington, to the Old House, and there eat and drank, and then it being
late and a pleasant evening, we home, and there to my chamber, and to bed.
It is remarkable that this afternoon Mr. Moore come to me, and there,
among other things, did tell me how Mr. Moyer, the merchant, having
procured an order from the King and Duke of York and Council, with the
consent of my Lord Chancellor, and by assistance of Lord Arlington, for
the releasing out of prison his brother, Samuel Moyer, who was a great man
in the late times in Haberdashers'-hall, and was engaged under hand and
seal to give the man that obtained it so much in behalf of my Lord
Chancellor; but it seems my Lady Duchess of Albemarle had before
undertaken it for so much money, but hath not done it.  The Duke of
Albemarle did the next day send for this Moyer, to tell him, that
notwithstanding this order of the King and Council's being passed for
release of his brother, yet, if he did not consider the pains of some
friends of his, he would stop that order.  This Moyer being an honest,
bold man, told him that he was engaged to the hand that had done the thing
to give him a reward; and more he would not give, nor could own any
kindness done by his Grace's interest; and so parted.  The next day Sir
Edward Savage did take the said Moyer in tax about it, giving ill words of
this Moyer and his brother; which he not being able to bear, told him he
would give to the person that had engaged him what he promised, and not
any thing to any body else; and that both he and his brother were as
honest men as himself, or any man else; and so sent him going, and bid him
do his worst.  It is one of the most extraordinary cases that ever I saw
or understood; but it is true.  This day Mr. Sheply is come to town and to
see me, and he tells me my father is very well only for his pain, so that
he is not able to stir; but is in great pain.  I would to God that he were
in town that I might have what help can be got for him, for it troubles me
to have him live in that condition of misery if I can help it.

17th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning upon some accounts of
Mr. Gawden's, and at noon to the Three Tuns to dinner with Lord Bruncker,
Sir J. Minnes, W. Batten, W. Pen, and T. Harvy, where very merry, and my
Lord Bruncker in appearance as good friends as ever, though I know he has
a hatred to me in heart.  After dinner to my house, where Mr. Sheply
dined, and we drank and talked together.  He, poor man, hath had his arm
broke the late frost, slipping in going over Huntingdon Bridge.  He tells
me that jasper Trice and Lewes Phillips and Mr. Ashfield are gone from
Brampton, and he thinks chiefly from the height of Sir J. Bernard's
carriage, who carries all things before him there, which they cannot bear
with, and so leave the town, and this is a great instance of the advantage
a man of the law hath over all other people, which would make a man to
study it a little.  Sheply being gone, there come the flageolet master,
who having had a bad bargain of teaching my wife by the year, she not
practising so much as she should do, I did think that the man did deserve
some more consideration, and so will give him an opportunity of 20s. a
month more, and he shall teach me, and this afternoon I begun, and I think
it will be a few shillings well spent.  Then to Sir R. Viner's with 600
pieces of gold to turn into silver, for the enabling me to answer Sir G.
Carteret's L3000; which he now draws all out of my hand towards the paying
for a purchase he hath made for his son and my Lady Jemimah, in
Northamptonshire, of Sir Samuel Luke, in a good place; a good house, and
near all her friends; which is a very happy thing.  Thence to St. James's,
and there spoke with Sir W. Coventry, and give him some account of some
things, but had little discourse with him, there being company with him,
and so directly home again and then to my office, doing some business, and
so to my house, and with my wife to practice on the flageolet a little,
and with great pleasure I see she can readily hit her notes, but only want
of practice makes her she cannot go through a whole tune readily.  So to
supper and to bed.

18th.  Up, and all the morning at the office, and then to dinner, and
after dinner to the office to dictate some letters, and then with my wife
to Sir W. Turner's to visit The., but she being abroad we back again home,
and then I to the office, finished my letters, and then to walk an hour in
the garden talking with my wife, whose growth in musique do begin to
please me mightily, and by and by home and there find our Luce drunk, and
when her mistress told her of it would be gone, and so put up some of her
things and did go away of her accord, nobody pressing her to it, and the
truth is, though she be the dirtiest, homeliest servant that ever I kept,
yet I was sorry to have her go, partly through my love to my servants, and
partly because she was a very drudging, working wench, only she would be
drunk.  But that which did a little trouble me was that I did hear her
tell her mistress that she would tell her master something before she was
aware of her that she would be sorry to have him know; but did it in such
a silly, drunken manner, that though it trouble me a little, yet not
knowing what to suspect she should know, and not knowing well whether she
said it to her mistress or Jane, I did not much think of it.  So she gone,
we to supper and to bed, my study being made finely clean.

19th (Lord's day).  Up, and to my chamber to set some papers in order, and
then, to church, where my old acquaintance, that dull fellow, Meriton,
made a good sermon, and hath a strange knack of a grave, serious delivery,
which is very agreeable.  After church to White Hall, and there find Sir
G. Carteret just set down to dinner, and I dined with them, as I intended,
and good company, the best people and family in the world I think.  Here
was great talk of the good end that my Lord Treasurer made; closing his
owne eyes and setting his mouth, and bidding adieu with the greatest
content and freedom in the world; and is said to die with the cleanest
hands that ever any Lord Treasurer did.  After dinner Sir G. Carteret and
I alone, and there, among other discourse, he did declare that he would be
content to part with his place of Treasurer of the Navy upon good terms.
I did propose my Lord Belasses as a man likely to buy it, which he
listened to, and I did fully concur and promote his design of parting with
it, for though I would have my father live, I would not have him die
Treasurer of the Navy, because of the accounts which must be uncleared at
his death, besides many other circumstances making it advisable for him to
let it go.  He tells me that he fears all will come to naught in the
nation soon if the King do not mind his business, which he do not seem
likely to do.  He says that the Treasury will be managed for a while by a
Commission, whereof he thinks my Lord Chancellor for the honour of it, and
my Lord Ashly, and the two Secretaries will be, and some others he knows
not.  I took leave of him, and directly by water home, and there to read
the life of Mr. Hooker, which pleases me as much as any thing I have read
a great while, and by and by comes Mr. Howe to see us, and after him a
little Mr. Sheply, and so we all to talk, and, Mercer being there, we some
of us to sing, and so to supper, a great deal of silly talk.  Among other
things, W. Howe told us how the Barristers and Students of Gray's Inne
rose in rebellion against the Benchers the other day, who outlawed them,
and a great deal of do; but now they are at peace again.  They being gone,
I to my book again, and made an end of Mr. Hooker's Life, and so to bed.

20th.  Up betimes, and comes my flagelette master to set me a new tune,
which I played presently, and shall in a month do as much as I desire at
it.  He being gone, I to several businesses in my chamber, and then by
coach to the Commissioners of Excise, and so to Westminster Hall, and
there spoke with several persons I had to do with.  Here among other news,
I hear that the Commissioners for the Treasury were named by the King
yesterday; but who they are nobody could tell: but the persons are the
Lord Chancellor, the two Secretaries, Lord Ashly, and others say Sir W.
Coventry and Sir John Duncomb, but all conclude the Duke of Albemarle; but
reports do differ, but will be known in a day or two.  Having done my
business, I then homeward, and overtook Mr. Commander; so took him into a
coach with me, and he and I into Lincoln's Inne Fields, there to look upon
the coach-houses to see what ground is necessary for coach-house and
horses, because of that that I am going about to do, and having satisfied
myself in this he and I to Mr. Hide's to look upon the ground again behind
our house, and concluded upon his going along with us to-morrow to see
some stables, he thinking that we demand more than is necessary.  So away
home, and then, I, it being a broken day, and had power by my vows, did
walk abroad, first through the Minorys, the first time I have been over
the Hill to the postern-gate, and seen the place, since the houses were
pulled down about that side of the Tower, since the fire, to find where my
young mercer with my pretty little woman to his wife lives, who lived in
Lumbard streete, and I did espy them, but took no notice now of them, but
may do hereafter.  Thence down to the Old Swan, and there saw Betty
Michell, whom I have not seen since her christening.  But, Lord! how
pretty she is, and looks as well as ever I saw her, and her child (which I
am fain to seem very fond of) is pretty also, I think, and will be.
Thence by water to Westminster Hall, and there walked a while talking at
random with Sir W. Doyly, and so away to Mrs. Martin's lodging, who was
gone before, expecting me, and there je hazer what je vellem cum her and
drank, and so by coach home (but I have forgot that I did in the morning
go to the Swan, and there tumbling of la little fille, son uncle did
trouver her cum su neckcloth off, which I was ashamed of, but made no
great matter of it, but let it pass with a laugh), and there spent the
evening with my wife at our flagelets, and so to supper, and after a
little reading to bed.  My wife still troubled with her cold.  I find it
everywhere now to be a thing doubted whether we shall have peace or no,
and the captain of one of our ships that went with the Embassadors do say,
that the seamen of Holland to his hearing did defy us, and called us
English dogs, and cried out against peace, and that the great people there
do oppose peace, though he says the common people do wish it.

21st.  Up and to the office, where sat all the morning.  At noon dined at
home with my wife and find a new girle, a good big girle come to us, got
by Payne to be our girle; and his daughter Nell we make our cook.  This
wench's name is Mary, and seems a good likely maid.  After dinner I with
Mr. Commander and Mr. Hide's brother to Lincolne's Inne Fields, and there
viewed several coach-houses, and satisfied ourselves now fully in it, and
then there parted, leaving the rest to future discourse between us. Thence
I home; but, Lord! how it went against my heart to go away from the very
door of the Duke's play-house, and my Lady Castlemayne's coach, and many
great coaches there, to see "The Siege of Rhodes."  I was very near making
a forfeit, but I did command myself, and so home to my office, and there
did much business to my good content, much better than going to a play,
and then home to my wife, who is not well with her cold, and sat and read
a piece of Grand Cyrus in English by her, and then to my chamber and to
supper, and so to bed.  This morning the Captain come from Holland did
tell us at the board what I have said he reported yesterday. This evening
after I come from the office Mrs. Turner come to see my wife and me, and
sit and talk with us, and so, my wife not being well and going to bed,
Mrs. Turner and I sat up till 12 at night talking alone in my chamber, and
most of our discourse was of our neighbours.  As to my Lord Bruncker, she
says how Mrs. Griffin, our housekeeper's wife, hath it from his maid, that
comes to her house often, that they are very poor; that the other day Mrs.
Williams was fain to send a jewell to pawn; that their maid hath said
herself that she hath got L50 since she come thither, and L17 by the
payment of one bill; that they have a most lewd and nasty family here in
the office, but Mrs. Turner do tell me that my Lord hath put the King to
infinite charge since his coming thither in alterations, and particularly
that Mr. Harper at Deptford did himself tell her that my Lord hath had of
Foly, the ironmonger, L50 worth in locks and keys for his house, and that
it is from the fineness of them, having some of L4 and L5 a lock, such as
is in the Duke's closet; that he hath several of these; that he do keep
many of her things from her of her own goods, and would have her bring a
bill into the office for them; that Mrs. Griffin do say that he do not
keep Mrs. Williams now for love, but need, he having another whore that he
keeps in Covent Garden; that they do owe money everywhere almost for every
thing, even Mrs. Shipman for her butter and cheese about L3, and after
many demands cannot get it.  Mrs. Turner says she do believe their coming
here is only out of a belief of getting purchase by it, and that their
servants (which was wittily said of her touching his clerks) do act only
as privateers, no purchase, no pay.  And in my conscience she is in the
right.  Then we fell to talk of Sir W. Pen, and his family and rise.  She
[Mrs. Turner] says that he was a pityfull [fellow] when she first knew
them; that his lady was one of the sourest, dirty women, that ever she
saw; that they took two chambers, one over another, for themselves and
child, in Tower Hill; that for many years together they eat more meals at
her house than at their own; did call brothers and sisters the husbands
and wives; that her husband was godfather to one, and she godmother to
another (this Margaret) of their children, by the same token that she was
fain to write with her own hand a letter to Captain Twiddy, to stand for a
godfather for her; that she brought my Lady, who then was a dirty
slattern, with her stockings hanging about her heels, so that afterwards
the people of the whole Hill did say that Mrs. Turner had made Mrs. Pen a
gentlewoman, first to the knowledge of my Lady Vane, Sir Henry's lady, and
him to the knowledge of most of the great people that then he sought to,
and that in short his rise hath been his giving of large bribes, wherein,
and she agrees with my opinion and knowledge before therein, he is very
profuse.  This made him General; this got him out of the Tower when he was
in; and hath brought him into what he is now, since the King's coming in:
that long ago, indeed, he would drink the King's health privately with Mr.
Turner; but that when he saw it fit to turn Roundhead, and was offered by
Mr. Turner to drink the King's health, he answered "No;" he was changed,
and now, he that would make him drink the King's health, or any health but
the Protector's and the State's, or to that purpose, he would be the first
man should sheath his sword in his guts.  That at the King's coming in, he
did send for her husband, and told him what a great man Sir W. Coventry
was like to be, and that he having all the records in his hands of the
Navy, if he would transcribe what was of most present use of the practice
of the Navy, and give them him to give Sir W. Coventry from him, it would
undoubtedly do his business of getting him a principal officer's place;
that her husband was at L5 charge to get these presently writ; that Sir W.
Pen did give them Sir W. Coventry as from himself, which did set him up
with W. Coventry, and made him what he is, and never owned any thing of
Mr. Turner in them; by which he left him in the lurch, though he did
promise the Duke of Albemarle to do all that was possible, and made no
question of Mr. Turner's being what he desired; and when afterwards, too,
did propose to him the getting of the Purveyor's place for him, he did
tell Mr. Turner it was necessary to present Sir W. Coventry 100 pieces,
which he did, and W. Coventry took 80 of them: so that he was W.
Coventry's mere broker, as Sir W. Batten and my Lady did once tell my Lady
Duchess of Albemarle, in the case of Mr. Falconer, whom W. Pen made to
give W. Coventry L200 for his place of Clerk of the Rope Yard of Woolwich,
and to settle L80 a year upon his daughter Pegg, after the death of his
wife, and a gold watch presently to his wife.  Mrs. Turner do tell me that
my Lady and Pegg have themselves owned to her that Sir W. Coventry and Sir
W. Pen had private marks to write to one another by, that when they in
appearance writ a fair letter in behalf of anybody, that they had a little
mark to show they meant it only in shew: this, these silly people did
confess themselves of him.  She says that their son, Mr. William Pen, did
tell her that his father did observe the commanders did make their
addresses to me and applications, but they should know that his father
should be the chief of the office, and that she hath observed that Sir W.
Pen never had a kindness to her son, since W. Pen told her son that he had
applied himself to me.  That his rise hath been by her and her husband's
means, and that it is a most inconceivable thing how this man can have the
face to use her and her family with the neglect that he do them.  That he
was in the late war a most devilish plunderer, and that got him his
estate, which he hath in Ireland, and nothing else, and that he hath
always been a very liberal man in his bribes, that upon his coming into
this part of the Controller's business wherein he is, he did send for T.
Willson and told him how against his knowledge he was put in, and had so
little wit as to say to him, "This will make the pot boyle, will it not,
Mr. Willson? will it not make the pot boyle?" and do offer him to come in
and do his business for him, and he would reward him.  This Mr. Willson
did come and tell her presently, he having been their servant, and to this
day is very faithful to them.  That her husband's not being forward to
make him a bill for Rere Admirall's pay and Generall's pay both at the
same time after he was first made Generall did first give him occasion of
keeping a distance from him, since which they have never been great
friends, Pen having by degrees been continually growing higher and higher,
till now that he do wholly slight them and use them only as servants.
Upon the whole, she told me stories enough to confirm me that he is the
most false fellow that ever was born of woman, and that so she thinks and
knows him to be.

22nd.  Up, and by water to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who tells me now
for certain how the Commission for the Treasury is disposed of: viz., to
Duke of Albemarle, Lord Ashly, Sir W. Coventry, Sir John Duncomb, and Sir
Thomas Clifford: at which, he says, all the whole Court is disturbed; it
having been once concluded otherwise into the other hands formerly
mentioned in yesterday's notes, but all of a sudden the King's choice was
changed, and these are to be the men; the first of which is only for a
puppet to give honour to the rest.  He do presage that these men will make
it their business to find faults in the management of the late Lord
Treasurer, and in discouraging the bankers: but I am, whatever I in
compliance do say to him, of another mind, and my heart is very glad of
it, for I do expect they will do much good, and that it is the happiest
thing that hath appeared to me for the good of the nation since the King
come in.  Thence to St. James's, and up to the Duke of York; and there in
his chamber Sir W. Coventry did of himself take notice of this business of
the Treasury, wherein he is in the Commission, and desired that I would be
thinking of any thing fit for him to be acquainted with for the lessening
of charge and bettering of our credit, and what our expence bath been
since the King's coming home, which he believes will be one of the first
things they shall enquire into: which I promised him, and from time to
time, which he desires, will give him an account of what I can think of
worthy his knowledge.  I am mighty glad of this opportunity of professing
my joy to him in what choice the King hath made, and the hopes I have that
it will save the kingdom from perishing and how it do encourage me to take
pains again, after my having through despair neglected it!  which he told
me of himself that it was so with him, that he had given himself up to
more ease than ever he expected, and that his opinion of matters was so
bad, that there was no publick employment in the kingdom should have been
accepted by him but this which the King hath now given him; and therein he
is glad, in hopes of the service he may do therein; and in my conscience
he will.  So into the Duke of York's closet; and there, among other
things, Sir W. Coventry did take notice of what he told me the other day,
about a report of Commissioner Pett's dealing for timber in the Navy, and
selling it to us in other names; and, besides his own proof, did produce a
paper I had given him this morning about it, in the case of Widow Murford
and Morecocke, which was so handled, that the Duke of York grew very
angry, and commanded us presently to fall into the examination of it,
saying that he would not trust a man for his sake that lifts up the whites
of his eyes.  And it was declared that if he be found to have done so, he
should be reckoned unfit to serve the Navy; and I do believe he will be
turned out; and it was, methought, a worthy saying of Sir W. Coventry to
the Duke of York, "Sir," says he, "I do not make this complaint out of
any disrespect to Commissioner Pett, but because I do love to do these
things fairly and openly."  Thence I to Westminster Hall with Sir G.
Carteret to the Chequer Chamber to hear our cause of the Lindeboome prize
there before the Lords of Appeal, where was Lord Ashly, Arlington,
Barkely, and Sir G. Carteret, but the latter three signified nothing, the
former only either minding or understanding what was said.  Here was good
pleading of Sir Walter Walker's and worth hearing, but little done in our
business. Thence by coach to the Red Lyon, thinking to meet my father, but
I come too soon, but my wife is gone out of town to meet him.  I am in
great pain, poor man, for him, lest he should come up in pain to town.  So
I staid not, but to the 'Change, and there staid a little, where most of
the newes is that the Swedes are likely to fall out with the Dutch, which
we wish, but how true I know not.  Here I met my uncle Wight, the second
day he hath been abroad, having been sick these two months even to death,
but having never sent to me even in the greatest of his danger.  I do
think my Aunt had no mind I should come, and so I never went to see him,
but neither he took notice of it to me, nor I made any excuse for it to
him, but past two or three How do you's, and so parted and so home, and by
and by comes my poor father, much better than I expected, being at ease by
fits, according as his truss sits, and at another time in as much pain.  I
am mighty glad to see him come well to town.  So to dinner, where Creed
comes.  After dinner my wife and father abroad, and Creed and I also by
water, and parted at the Temple stairs, where I landed, and to the King's
house, where I did give 18d., and saw the two last acts of "The Goblins,"
a play I could not make any thing of by these two acts, but here Knipp
spied me out of the tiring-room, and come to the pit door, and I out to
her, and kissed her, she only coming to see me, being in a country-dress,
she, and others having, it seemed, had a country-dance in the play, but
she no other part: so we parted, and I into the pit again till it was
done.  The house full, but I had no mind to be seen, but thence to .my
cutler's, and two or three other places on small, errands, and so home,
where my father and wife come home, and pretty well my father, who to
supper and betimes to bed at his country hours.  I to Sir W. Batten's, and
there got some more part of my dividend of the prize-money.  So home and
to set down in writing the state of the account, and then to supper, and
my wife to her flageolet, wherein she did make out a tune so prettily of
herself, that I was infinitely pleased beyond whatever I expected from
her, and so to bed.  This day coming from Westminster with W. Batten, we
saw at White Hall stairs a fisher-boat, with a sturgeon that he had newly
catched in the River; which I saw, but it was but a little one; but big
enough to prevent my mistake of that for a colt, if ever I become Mayor of
Huntingdon!

     [During a very high flood in the meadows between Huntingdon and
     Godmanchester, something was seen floating, which the Godmanchester
     people thought was a black pig, and the Huntingdon folk declared it
     was a sturgeon; when rescued from the waters, it proved to be a
     young donkey.  This mistake led to the one party being styled
     "Godmanchester black pigs," and the other "Huntingdon sturgeons,"
     terms not altogether forgotten at this day.  Pepys's colt must be
     taken to be the colt of an ass.--B.]

23rd.  Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning.  At noon home,
and with my father dined, and, poor man! he hath put off his
travelling-clothes to-day, and is mighty spruce, and I love to see him
cheerful.  After dinner I to my chamber, and my wife and I to talk, and by
and by they tell Mrs. Daniel would speak with me, so I down to the parlour
to her, and sat down together and talked about getting her husband a place
.  .  .  .  I do promise, and mean to do what kindness I can to her
husband.  After having been there hasti je was ashamed de peur that my
people pensait .  .  .  . de it, or lest they might espy us through some
trees, we parted and I to the office, and presently back home again, and
there was asked by my wife, I know not whether simply or with design, how
I come to look as I did, car ego was in much chaleur et de body and of
animi, which I put off with the heat of the season, and so to other
business, but I had some fear hung upon me lest alcuno had sidi decouvert.
So to the office, and then to Sir R. Viner's about some part of my
accounts now going on with him, and then home and ended my letters, and
then to supper and my chamber to settle many things there, and then to
bed.  This noon I was on the 'Change, where I to my astonishment hear, and
it is in the Gazette, that Sir John Duncomb is sworn yesterday a
Privy-councillor.  This day I hear also that last night the Duke of
Kendall, second son of the Duke of York, did die; and that the other, Duke
of Cambridge, continues very ill still.  This afternoon I had opportunity
para jouer with Mrs. Pen, tokendo her mammailles and baisando elle, being
sola in the casa of her pater, and she fort willing.

24th.  Up, and to the office, where, by and by, by appointment, we met
upon Sir W. Warren's accounts, wherein I do appear in every thing as much
as I can his enemy, though not so far but upon good conditions from him I
may return to be his friend, but I do think it necessary to do what I do
at present.  We broke off at noon without doing much, and then home, where
my wife not well, but yet engaged by invitation to go with Sir W. Pen.  I
got her to go with him by coach to Islington to the old house, where his
lady and Madam Lowther, with her exceeding fine coach and mean horses, and
her mother-in-law, did meet us, and two of Mr. Lowther's brothers, and
here dined upon nothing but pigeon-pyes, which was such a thing for him to
invite all the company to, that I was ashamed of it. But after dinner was
all our sport, when there come in a juggler, who, indeed, did shew us so
good tricks as I have never seen in my life, I think, of legerdemaine, and
such as my wife hath since seriously said that she would not believe but
that he did them by the help of the devil. Here, after a bad dinner, and
but ordinary company, saving that I discern good parts in one of the sons,
who, methought, did take me up very prettily in one or two things that I
said, and I was so sensible of it as to be a caution to me hereafter how I
do venture to speak more than is necessary in any company, though, as I
did now, I do think them incapable to censure me.  We broke up, they back
to Walthamstow, and only my wife and I and Sir W. Pen to the King's
playhouse, and there saw "The Mayden Queene," which, though I have often
seen, yet pleases me infinitely, it being impossible, I think, ever to
have the Queen's part, which is very good and passionate, and Florimel's
part, which is the most comicall that ever was made for woman, ever done
better than they two are by young Marshall and Nelly.  Home, where I spent
the evening with my father and wife, and late at night some flagillette
with my wife, and then to supper and to bed.

25th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning.  At noon dined at
home, and there come Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, and dined with me, telling
me that the Duke of Cambridge continues very ill, so as they do despair of
his living.  So to the office again, where all the afternoon.  About 4
o'clock comes Mrs. Pierce to see my wife, and I into them, and there find
Pierce very fine, and in her own hair, which do become her, and so says my
wife, ten times better than lighter hair, her complexion being mighty
good.  With them talked a little, and was invited by her to come with my
wife on Wednesday next in the evening, to be merry there, which we shall
do.  Then to the office again, where dispatched a great deal of business
till late at night, to my great content, and then home and with my wife to
our flageolets a little, and so to supper and to bed, after having my
chamber a little wiped up.

26th (Lord's day).  Up sooner than usual on Sundays, and to walk, it being
exceeding hot all night (so as this night I begun to leave off my
waistcoat this year) and this morning, and so to walk in the garden till
toward church time, when my wife and I to church, where several strangers
of good condition come to our pew, where the pew was full.  At noon dined
at home, where little Michell come and his wife, who continues mighty
pretty.  After dinner I by water alone to Westminster, where, not finding
Mrs. Martin within, did go towards the parish church, and in the way did
overtake her, who resolved to go into the church with her that she was
going with (Mrs. Hargrave, the little crooked woman, the vintner's wife of
the Dog) and then go out again, and so I to the church, and seeing her
return did go out again myself, but met with Mr. Howlett, who, offering me
a pew in the gallery, I had no excuse but up with him I must go, and then
much against my will staid out the whole church in pain while she expected
me at home, but I did entertain myself with my perspective glass up and
down the church, by which I had the great pleasure of seeing and gazing at
a great many very fine women; and what with that, and sleeping, I passed
away the time till sermon was done, and then to Mrs. Martin, and there
staid with her an hour or two, and there did what I would with her, and
after been here so long I away to my boat, and up with it as far as Barne
Elmes, reading of Mr. Evelyn's late new book against Solitude, in which I
do not find much excess of good matter, though it be pretty for a bye
discourse.  I walked the length of the Elmes, and with great pleasure saw
some gallant ladies and people come with their bottles, and basket, and
chairs, and form, to sup under the trees, by the waterside, which was
mighty pleasant. I to boat again and to my book, and having done that I
took another book, Mr. Boyle's of Colours, and there read, where I
laughed, finding many fine things worthy observation, and so landed at the
Old Swan, and so home, where I find my poor father newly come out of an
unexpected fit of his pain, that they feared he would have died.  They had
sent for me to White Hall and all up and down, and for Mr. Holliard also,
who did come, but W. Hewer being here did I think do the business in
getting my father's bowel, that was fallen down, into his body again, and
that which made me more sensible of it was that he this morning did show
me the place where his bowel did use to fall down and swell, which did
trouble me to see. But above all things the poor man's patience under it,
and his good heart and humour, as soon as he was out of it, did so work
upon me, that my heart was sad to think upon his condition, but do hope
that a way will be found by a steel truss to relieve him.  By and by to
supper, all our discourse about Brampton, and my intentions to build there
if I could be free of my engagement to my Uncle Thomas and his son, that
they may not have what I have built, against my will, to them whether I
will or no, in case of me and my brothers being without heirs male; which
is the true reason why I am against laying out money upon that place,
together with my fear of some inconvenience by being so near
Hinchingbroke; being obliged to be a servant to that family, and subject
to what expence they shall cost me; and to have all that I shall buy, or
do, esteemed as got by the death of my uncle, when indeed what I have from
him is not worth naming.  After supper to read and then to bed.

27th.  Up, and there comes Greeting my flagelette master, and I practised
with him.  There come also Richardson, the bookbinder, with one of
Ogilby's Bibles in quires for me to see and buy, it being Mr. Cade's, my
stationer's; but it is like to be so big that I shall not use it, it being
too great to stir up and down without much trouble, which I shall not like
nor do intend it for.  So by water to White Hall, and there find Sir G.
Carteret at home, and talked with him a while, and find that the new
Commissioners of the Treasury did meet this morning.  So I to find out Sir
W. Coventry, but missed, only I do hear that they have chosen Sir G.
Downing for their Secretary; and I think in my conscience they have done a
great thing in it; for he is a business active man, and values himself
upon having of things do well under his hand; so that I am mightily
pleased in their choice.  Here I met Mr. Pierce, who tells me that he
lately met Mr. Carcasse, who do mightily inveigh against me, for that all
that has been done against him he lays on me, and I think he is in the
right and I do own it, only I find what I suspected, that he do report
that Sir W. Batten and I, who never agreed before, do now, and since this
business agree even more, which I did fear would be thought, and therefore
will find occasion to undeceive the world in that particular by promoting
something shortly against [Sir] W. Batten.  So home, and there to sing
with my wife before dinner, and then to dinner, and after dinner comes
Carcasse to speak with me, but I would not give him way to enlarge on
anything, but he would have begun to have made a noise how I have undone
him and used all the wit I could in the drawing up of his report, wherein
he told me I had taken a great deal of pains to undo him.  To which I did
not think fit to enter into any answer, but dismissed him, and so I again
up to my chamber, vexed at the impudence of this rogue, but I think I
shall be wary enough for him: So to my chamber, and there did some little
business, and then abroad, and stopped at the Bear-garden-stairs, there to
see a prize fought.  But the house so full there was no getting in there,
so forced to go through an alehouse into the pit, where the bears are
baited; and upon a stool did see them fight, which they did very
furiously, a butcher and a waterman.  The former had the better all along,
till by and by the latter dropped his sword out of his hand, and the
butcher, whether not seeing his sword dropped I know not, but did give him
a cut over the wrist, so as he was disabled to fight any longer.  But,
Lord! to see how in a minute the whole stage was full of watermen to
revenge the foul play, and the butchers to defend their fellow, though
most blamed him; and there they all fell to it to knocking down and
cutting many on each side.  It was pleasant to see, but that I stood in
the pit, and feared that in the tumult I might get some hurt.  At last the
rabble broke up, and so I away to White Hall and so to St. James's, but I
found not Sir W. Coventry, so into the Park and took a turn or two, it
being a most sweet day, and so by water home, and with my father and wife
walked in the garden, and then anon to supper and to bed. The Duke of
Cambridge very ill still.

28th.  Up, and by coach to St. James's, where I find Sir W. Coventry, and
he desirous to have spoke with me.  It was to read over a draught of a
letter which he hath made for his brother Commissioners and him to sign to
us, demanding an account of the whole business of the Navy accounts; and I
perceive, by the way he goes about it, that they will do admirable things.
He tells me they have chosen Sir G. Downing their Secretary, who will be
as fit a man as any in the world; and said, by the by, speaking of the
bankers being fearful of Sir G. Downing's being Secretary, he being their
enemy, that they did not intend to be ruled by their Secretary, but do the
business themselves.  My heart is glad to see so great hopes of good to
the nation as will be by these men; and it do me good to see Sir W.
Coventry so cheerfull as he now is on the same score. Thence home, and
there fell to seeing my office and closet there made soundly clean, and
the windows cleaned.  At which all the morning, and so at noon to dinner.
After dinner my wife away down with Jane and W. Hewer to Woolwich, in
order to a little ayre and to lie there to-night, and so to gather May-dew
to-morrow morning,

     [If we are to credit the following paragraph, extracted from the
     "Morning Post" of May 2nd, 1791, the virtues of May dew were then
     still held in some estimation; for it records that "on the day
     preceding, according to annual and superstitious custom, a number of
     persons went into the fields, and bathed their faces with the dew on
     the grass, under the idea that it would render them beautiful"
     (Hone's "Every Day Book," vol. ii., p. 611).  Aubrey speaks of May
     dew as "a great dissolvent" ("Miscellanies," p. 183).--B.]

which Mrs. Turner hath taught her as the only thing in the world to wash
her face with; and I am contented with it.  Presently comes Creed, and he
and I by water to Fox-hall, and there walked in Spring Garden.  A great
deal of company, and the weather and garden pleasant: that it is very
pleasant and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what he will,
or nothing, all is one.  But to hear the nightingale and other birds, and
here fiddles, and there a harp, and here a Jew's trump, and here laughing,
and there fine people walking, is mighty divertising.  Among others, there
were two pretty women alone, that walked a great while, which being
discovered by some idle gentlemen, they would needs take them up; but to
see the poor ladies how they were put to it to run from them, and they
after them, and sometimes the ladies put themselves along with other
company, then the other drew back; at last, the last did get off out of
the house, and took boat and away.  I was troubled to see them abused so;
and could have found in my heart, as little desire of fighting as I have,
to have protected the ladies.  So by water, set Creed down at White Hall,
and I to the Old Swan, and so home.  My father gone to bed, and wife
abroad at Woolwich, I to Sir W. Pen, where he and his Lady and Pegg and
pretty Mrs. Lowther her sister-in-law at supper, where I sat and talked,
and Sir W. Pen, half drunk, did talk like a fool and vex his wife, that I
was half pleased and half vexed to see so much folly and rudeness from
him, and so late home to bed.

29th.  Up, and by coach to St. James's, where by and by up to the Duke of
York, where, among other things, our parson Mills having the offer of
another benefice  by Sir Robert Brookes, who was his pupil, he by my Lord
Barkeley [of Stratton] is made one of the Duke's Chaplains, which
qualifies him for two livings.  But to see how slightly such things are
done, the Duke of York only taking my Lord Barkeley's word upon saying,
that we the officers of the Navy do say he is a good man and minister of
our parish, and the Duke of York admits him to kiss his hand, but speaks
not one word to him; but so a warrant will be drawn from the Duke of York
to qualify him, and there's an end of it.  So we into the Duke's closett,
where little to do, but complaint for want of money and a motion of Sir W.
Coventry's that we should all now bethink ourselves of lessening charge to
the King, which he said was the only way he saw likely to put the King out
of debt, and this puts me upon thinking to offer something presently
myself to prevent its being done in a worse manner without me relating to
the Victualling business, which, as I may order it, I think may be done
and save myself something.  Thence home, and there settle to some accounts
of mine in my chamber I all the morning till dinner.  My wife comes home
from Woolwich, but did not dine with me, going to dress herself against
night, to go to Mrs. Pierce's to be merry, where we are to have Knepp and
Harris and other good people.  I at my accounts all the afternoon, being a
little lost in them as to reckoning interest.  Anon comes down my wife,
dressed in her second mourning, with her black moyre waistcoat, and short
petticoat, laced with silver lace so basely that I could not endure to see
her, and with laced lining, which is too soon, so that I was horrid angry,
and went out of doors to the office and there staid, and would not go to
our intended meeting, which vexed me to the blood, and my wife sent twice
or thrice to me, to direct her any way to dress her, but to put on her
cloth gown, which she would not venture, which made me mad: and so in the
evening to my chamber, vexed, and to my accounts, which I ended to my
great content, and did make amends for the loss of our mirth this night,
by getting this done, which otherwise I fear I should not have done a good
while else.  So to bed.

30th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning.  At noon dined at
home, being without any words friends with my wife, though last night I
was very angry, and do think I did give her as much cause to be angry with
me.  After dinner I walked to Arundell House, the way very dusty, the day
of meeting of the Society being changed from Wednesday to Thursday, which
I knew not before, because the Wednesday is a Council-day, and several of
the Council are of the Society, and would come but for their attending the
King at Council; where I find much company, indeed very much company, in
expectation of the Duchesse of Newcastle, who had desired to be invited to
the Society; and was, after much debate, pro and con., it seems many being
against it; and we do believe the town will be full of ballads of it.
Anon comes the Duchesse with her women attending her; among others, the
Ferabosco,2 of whom so much talk is that her lady would bid her show her
face and kill the gallants.  She is indeed black, and hath good black
little eyes, but otherwise but a very ordinary woman I do think, but they
say sings well.  The Duchesse hath been a good, comely woman; but her
dress so antick, and her deportment so ordinary, that I do not like her at
all, nor did I hear her say any thing that was worth hearing, but that she
was full of admiration, all admiration.  Several fine experiments were
shown her of colours, loadstones, microscopes, and of liquors among
others, of one that did, while she was there, turn a piece of roasted
mutton into pure blood, which was very rare.  Here was Mrs. Moore of
Cambridge, whom I had not seen before, and I was glad to see her; as also
a very pretty black boy that run up and down the room, somebody's child in
Arundell House.  After they had shown her many experiments, and she cried
still she was full of admiration, she departed, being led out and in by
several Lords that were there; among others Lord George Barkeley and Earl
of Carlisle, and a very pretty young man, the Duke of Somerset.  She gone,
I by coach home, and there busy at my letters till night, and then with my
wife in the evening singing with her in the garden with great pleasure,
and so home to supper and to bed.

31st.  Up, and there came young Mrs. Daniel in the morning as I expected
about business of her husband's.  I took her into the office to discourse
with her about getting some employment for him .  .  .  .  By water to
White Hall to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, the first time I
ever was there and I think the second that they have met at the Treasury
chamber there.  Here I saw Duncomb look as big, and take as much state on
him, as if he had been born a lord.  I was in with him about Tangier, and
at present received but little answer from them, they being in a cloud of
business yet, but I doubt not but all will go well under them.  Here I met
with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me that he is told this day by Secretary
Morris that he believes we are, and shall be, only fooled by the French;
and that the Dutch are very high and insolent, and do look upon us as come
over only to beg a peace; which troubles me very much, and I do fear it is
true.  Thence to Sir G. Carteret at his lodgings; who, I perceive, is
mightily displeased with this new Treasury; and he hath reason, for it
will eclipse him; and he tells me that my Lord Ashly says they understand
nothing; and he says he believes the King do not intend they shall sit
long.  But I believe no such thing, but that the King will find such
benefit by them as he will desire to have them continue, as we see he hath
done, in the late new Act that was so much decried about the King; but yet
the King hath since permitted it, and found good by it.  He says, and I
believe, that a great many persons at Court are angry at the rise of this
Duncomb, whose father, he tells me, was a long-Parliamentman, and a great
Committee-man; and this fellow used to carry his papers to Committees
after him: he was a kind of an atturny: but for all this, I believe this
man will be a great man, in spite of all.  Thence I away to Holborne to
Mr. Gawden, whom I met at Bernard's Inn gate, and straight we together to
the Navy Office, where we did all meet about some victualling business,
and so home to dinner and to the office, where the weather so hot
now-a-days that I cannot but sleep before I do any business, and in the
evening home, and there, to my unexpected satisfaction, did get my
intricate accounts of interest, which have been of late much perplexed by
mixing of some moneys of Sir G. Carteret's with mine, evened and set
right: and so late to supper, and with great quiet to bed; finding by the
balance of my account that I am creditor L6900, for which the Lord of
Heaven be praised!



     ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

     Advantage a man of the law hath over all other people
     Certainly Annapolis must be defended,--where is Annapolis?
     Credit of this office hath received by this rogue's occasion
     Did take me up very prettily in one or two things that I said
     Father, who to supper and betimes to bed at his country hours
     Give the King of France Nova Scotia, which he do not like
     Hath given her the pox, but I hope it is not so
     How do the children?
     Hunt up and down with its mouth if you touch the cheek
     Just set down to dinner, and I dined with them, as I intended
     Little worth of this world, to buy it with so much pain
     Looks to lie down about two months hence
     Pit, where the bears are baited
     Said to die with the cleanest hands that ever any Lord Treasurer
     Says of wood, that it is an excrescence of the earth
     Shame such a rogue should give me and all of us this trouble
     Street ordered to be continued, forty feet broad, from Paul's
     Think never to see this woman--at least, to have her here more
     We find the two young ladies come home, and their patches off
     Which he left him in the lurch
     Who continues so ill as not to be troubled with business
     Whose red nose makes me ashamed to be seen with him
     Wretch, n., often used as an expression of endearment





*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 53: May 1667" ***

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