Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 63: March 1667-68
Author: Pepys, Samuel, 1633-1703
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.


*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 63: March 1667-68" ***


                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.
                                 MARCH
                               1667-1668

March 1st (Lord's day).  Up very betimes, and by coach to Sir W.
Coventry's; and there, largely carrying with me all my notes and papers,
did run over our whole defence in the business of tickets, in order to the
answering the House on Thursday next; and I do think, unless they be set
without reason to ruin us, we shall make a good defence.  I find him in
great anxiety, though he will not discover it, in the business of the
proceedings of Parliament; and would as little as is possible have his
name mentioned in our discourse to them; and particularly the business of
selling places is now upon his hand to defend himself in; wherein I did
help him in his defence about the flag-maker's place, which is named in
the House.  We did here do the like about the complaint of want of
victuals in the fleete in the year 1666, which will lie upon me to defend
also.  So that my head is full of care and weariness in my employment.
Thence home, and there my mind being a little lightened by my morning's
work in the arguments I have now laid together in better method for our
defence to the Parliament, I to talk with my wife; and in lieu of a coach
this year, I have got my wife to be contented with her closet being made
up this summer, and going into the country this summer for a month or two,
to my father's, and there Mercer and Deb.  and Jane shall go with her,
which I the rather do for the entertaining my wife, and preventing of
fallings out between her and my father or Deb., which uses to be the fate
of her going into the country.  After dinner by coach to Westminster, and
there to St. Margaret's church, thinking to have seen Betty Michell, but
she was not there, but met her father and mother and with them to her
father's house, where I never was before, but was mighty much made of,
with some good strong waters, which they have from their son Michell, and
mighty good people they are.  Thence to Mrs. Martin's, where I have not
been also a good while, and with great difficulty, company being there,
did get an opportunity to hazer what I would con her, and here I was
mightily taken with a starling which she hath, that was the King's, which
he kept in his bedchamber; and do whistle and talk the most and best that
ever I heard anything in my life.  Thence to visit Sir H. Cholmly, who
continues still sick of his cold, and thence calling, but in vain, to
speak with Sir G. Carteret at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where I
spoke with nobody, but home, where spent the evening talking with W. Hewer
about business of the House, and declaring my expectation of all our being
turned out.  Hither comes Carcasse to me about business, and there did
confess to me of his own accord his having heretofore discovered as a
complaint against Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen and me that we did prefer the
paying of some men to man "The Flying Greyhound" to others, by order under
our hands.  The thing upon recollection I believe is true, and do hope no
great matter can be made of it, but yet I would be glad to have my name
out of it, which I shall labour to do; in the mean time it weighs as a new
trouble on my mind, and did trouble me all night.  So without supper to
bed, my eyes being also a little overwrought of late that I could not stay
up to read.

2nd.  Up and betimes to the office, where I did much business, and several
come to me, and among others I did prepare Mr. Warren, and by and by Sir
D. Gawden, about what presents I have had from them, that they may not
publish them, or if they do, that in truth I received none on the account
of the Navy but Tangier, and this is true to the former, and in both that
I never asked any thing of them.  I must do the like with the rest.  Mr.
Moore was with me, and he do tell me, and so W. Hewer tells me, he hears
this morning that all the town is full of the discourse that the Officers
of the Navy shall be all turned out, but honest Sir John Minnes, who, God
knows, is fitter to have been turned out himself than any of us, doing the
King more hurt by his dotage and folly than all the rest can do by their
knavery, if they had a mind to it.  At noon home to dinner, where was
Mercer, and very merry as I could be with my mind so full of business, and
so with my wife, her and the girl, to the King's house to see the "Virgin
Martyr" again, which do mightily please me, but above all the musique at
the coming down of the angel, which at this hearing the second time, do
still commend me as nothing ever did, and the other musique is nothing to
it.  Thence with my wife to the 'Change, and so, calling at the Cocke ale
house, we home, and there I settle to business, and with my people
preparing my great answer to the Parliament for the office about tickets
till past 1 a o'clock at night, and then home to supper and to bed,
keeping Mr. Gibson all night with me.  This day I have the news that my
sister was married on Thursday last to Mr. Jackson; so that work is, I
hope, well over.

3rd.  Up betimes to work again, and then met at the Office, where to our
great business of this answer to the Parliament; where to my great
vexation I find my Lord Brouncker prepared only to excuse himself, while
I, that have least reason to trouble myself, am preparing with great pains
to defend them all: and more, I perceive, he would lodge the beginning of
discharging ships by ticket upon me; but I care not, for I believe I shall
get more honour by it when the Parliament, against my will, shall see how
the whole business of the Office was done by me.  At noon rose and to
dinner.  My wife abroad with Mercer and Deb.  buying of things, but I with
my clerks home to dinner, and thence presently down with Lord Brouncker,
W. Pen, T. Harvy, T. Middleton, and Mr. Tippets, who first took his place
this day at the table, as a Commissioner, in the room of Commissioner
Pett.  Down by water to Deptford, where the King, Queene, and Court are to
see launched the new ship built by Mr. Shish, called "The Charles."  2 God
send her better luck than the former!  Here some of our brethren, who went
in a boat a little before my boat, did by appointment take opportunity of
asking the King's leave that we might make full use of the want of money,
in our excuse to the Parliament for the business of tickets, and other
things they will lay to our charge, all which arose from nothing else: and
this the King did readily agree to, and did give us leave to make our full
use of it.  The ship being well launched, I back again by boat, setting
[Sir] T. Middleton and Mr. Tippets on shore at Ratcliffe, I home and there
to my chamber with Mr. Gibson, and late up till midnight preparing more
things against our defence on Thursday next to my content, though vexed
that all this trouble should be on me.  So to supper and to bed.

4th.  Up betimes and with Sir W. Pen in his coach to White Hall, there to
wait upon the Duke of York and the Commissioners of the Treasury, [Sir] W.
Coventry and Sir John Duncombe, who do declare that they cannot find the
money we demand, and we that less than what we demand will not set out the
fleet intended, and so broke up, with no other conclusion than that they
would let us have what they could get and we would improve that as well as
we could.  So God bless us, and prepare us against the consequences of
these matters.  Thence, it being a cold wet day, I home with Sir J. Minnes
in his coach, and called by the way at my bookseller's and took home with
me Kercher's Musurgia--very well bound, but I had no comfort to look upon
them, but as soon as I come home fell to my work at the office, shutting
the doors, that we, I and my clerks, might not be interrupted, and so,
only with room for a little dinner, we very busy all the day till night
that the officers met for me to give them the heads of what I intended to
say, which I did with great discontent to see them all rely on me that
have no reason at all to trouble myself about it, nor have any thanks from
them for my labour, but contrarily Brouncker looked mighty dogged, as
thinking that I did not intend to do it so as to save him.  This troubled
me so much as, together with the shortness of the time and muchness of the
business, did let me be at it till but about ten at night, and then quite
weary, and dull, and vexed, I could go no further, but resolved to leave
the rest to to-morrow morning, and so in full discontent and weariness did
give over and went home, with[out] supper vexed and sickish to bed, and
there slept about three hours, but then waked, and never in so much
trouble in all my life of mind, thinking of the task I have upon me, and
upon what dissatisfactory grounds, and what the issue of it may be to me.

5th.  With these thoughts I lay troubling myself till six o'clock,
restless, and at last getting my wife to talk to me to comfort me, which
she at last did, and made me resolve to quit my hands of this Office, and
endure the trouble of it no longer than till I can clear myself of it. So
with great trouble, but yet with some ease, from this discourse with my
wife, I up, and to my Office, whither come my clerks, and so I did huddle
the best I could some more notes for my discourse to-day, and by nine
o'clock was ready, and did go down to the Old Swan, and there by boat,
with T. H[ater] and W. H[ewer] with me, to Westminster, where I found
myself come time enough, and my brethren all ready.  But I full of
thoughts and trouble touching the issue of this day; and, to comfort
myself, did go to the Dog and drink half-a-pint of mulled sack, and in the
Hall [Westminster] did drink a dram of brandy at Mrs. Hewlett's; and with
the warmth of this did find myself in better order as to courage, truly.
So we all up to the lobby; and between eleven and twelve o'clock, were
called in, with the mace before us, into the House, where a mighty full
House; and we stood at the bar, namely, Brouncker, Sir J. Minnes, Sir T.
Harvey, and myself, W. Pen being in the House, as a Member.  I perceive
the whole House was full, and full of expectation of our defence what it
would be, and with great prejudice.  After the Speaker had told us the
dissatisfaction of the House, and read the Report of the Committee, I
began our defence most acceptably and smoothly, and continued at it
without any hesitation or losse, but with full scope, and all my reason
free about me, as if it had been at my own table, from that time till past
three in the afternoon; and so ended, without any interruption from the
Speaker; but we withdrew.  And there all my Fellow-Officers, and all the
world that was within hearing, did congratulate me, and cry up my speech
as the best thing they ever heard; and my Fellow-Officers overjoyed in it;
we were called in again by and by to answer only one question, touching
our paying tickets to ticket-mongers; and so out; and we were in hopes to
have had a vote this day in our favour, and so the generality of the House
was; but my speech, being so long, many had gone out to dinner and come in
again half drunk; and then there are two or three that are professed
enemies to us and every body else; among others, Sir T. Littleton, Sir
Thomas Lee, Mr. Wiles, the coxcomb whom I saw heretofore at the
cock-fighting, and a few others; I say, these did rise up and speak
against the coming to a vote now, the House not being full, by reason of
several being at dinner, but most because that the House was to attend the
King this afternoon, about the business of religion, wherein they pray him
to put in force all the laws against Nonconformists and Papists; and this
prevented it, so that they put it off to to-morrow come se'nnight.
However, it is plain we have got great ground; and everybody says I have
got the most honour that any could have had opportunity of getting; and so
with our hearts mightily overjoyed at this success, we all to dinner to
Lord Brouncker's--that is to say, myself, T. Harvey, and W. Pen, and there
dined; and thence with Sir Anthony Morgan, who is an acquaintance of
Brouncker's, a very wise man, we after dinner to the King's house, and
there saw part of "The Discontented Colonel," but could take no great
pleasure in it, because of our coming in in the middle of it.  After the
play, home with W. Pen, and there to my wife, whom W. Hewer had told of my
success, and she overjoyed, and I also as to my particular; and, after
talking awhile, I betimes to bed, having had no quiet rest a good while.

6th.  Up betimes, and with Sir D. Gawden to Sir W, Coventry's chamber:
where the first word he said to me was, "Good-morrow, Mr. Pepys, that must
be Speaker of the Parliament-house:" and did protest I had got honour for
ever in Parliament.  He said that his brother, that sat by him, admires
me; and another gentleman said that I could not get less than L1000 a-year
if I would put on a gown and plead at the Chancery-bar; but, what pleases
me most, he tells me that the Sollicitor-Generall did protest that he
thought I spoke the best of any man in England.  After several talks with
him alone, touching his own businesses, he carried me to White Hall, and
there parted; and I to the Duke of York's lodgings, and find him going to
the Park, it being a very fine morning, and I after him; and, as soon as
he saw me, he told me, with great satisfaction, that I had converted a
great many yesterday, and did, with great praise of me, go on with the
discourse with me.  And, by and by, overtaking the King, the King and Duke
of York come to me both; and he--[The King]--said, "Mr. Pepys, I am very
glad of your success yesterday;" and fell to talk of my well speaking; and
many of the Lords there.  My Lord Barkeley did cry the up for what they
had heard of it; and others, Parliament-men there, about the King, did say
that they never heard such a speech in their lives delivered in that
manner.  Progers, of the Bedchamber, swore to me afterwards before
Brouncker, in the afternoon, that he did tell the King that he thought I
might teach the Sollicitor-Generall.  Every body that saw me almost come
to me, as Joseph Williamson and others, with such eulogys as cannot be
expressed.  From thence I went to Westminster Hall, where I met Mr. G.
Montagu, who come to me and kissed me, and told me that he had often
heretofore kissed my hands, but now he would kiss my lips: protesting that
I was another Cicero, and said, all the world said the same of me.  Mr.
Ashburnham, and every creature I met there of the Parliament, or that knew
anything of the Parliament's actings, did salute me with this honour:--Mr.
Godolphin;--Mr. Sands, who swore he would go twenty mile, at any time, to
hear the like again, and that he never saw so many sit four hours together
to hear any man in his life, as there did to hear me; Mr. Chichly,--Sir
John Duncomb,--and everybody do say that the kingdom will ring of my
abilities, and that I have done myself right for my whole life: and so
Captain Cocke, and others of my friends, say that no man had ever such an
opportunity of making his abilities known; and, that I may cite all at
once, Mr. Lieutenant of the Tower did tell me that Mr. Vaughan did protest
to him, and that, in his hearing it, said so to the Duke of Albemarle, and
afterwards to W. Coventry, that he had sat twenty-six years in Parliament
and never heard such a speech there before: for which the Lord God make me
thankful! and that I may make use of it not to pride and vain-glory, but
that, now I have this esteem, I may do nothing that may lessen it!  I
spent the morning thus walking in the Hall, being complimented by
everybody with admiration: and at noon stepped into the Legg with Sir
William Warren, who was in the Hall, and there talked about a little of
his business, and thence into the Hall a little more, and so with him by
coach as far as the Temple almost, and there 'light, to follow my Lord
Brouncker's coach, which I spied, and so to Madam Williams's, where I
overtook him, and agreed upon meeting this afternoon, and so home to
dinner, and after dinner with W. Pen, who come to my house to call me, to
White Hall, to wait on the Duke of York, where he again and all the
company magnified me, and several in the Gallery: among others, my Lord
Gerard, who never knew me before nor spoke to me, desires his being better
acquainted with me; and [said] that, at table where he was, he never heard
so much said of any man as of me, in his whole life.  We waited on the
Duke of York, and thence into the Gallery, where the House of Lords waited
the King's coming out of the Park, which he did by and by; and there, in
the Vane-room, my Lord Keeper delivered a message to the King, the Lords
being about him, wherein the Barons of England, from many good arguments,
very well expressed in the part he read out of, do demand precedence in
England of all noblemen of either of the King's other two kingdoms, be
their title what it will; and did shew that they were in England reputed
but as Commoners, and sat in the House of Commons, and at conferences with
the Lords did stand bare.  It was mighty worth my hearing: but the King
did only say that he would consider of it, and so dismissed them.  Thence
Brouncker and I to the Committee of Miscarriages sitting in the Court of
Wards, expecting with Sir D. Gawden to have been heard against Prince
Rupert's complaints for want of victuals.  But the business of Holmes's
charge against Sir Jer. Smith, which is a most shameful scandalous thing
for Flag officers to accuse one another of, and that this should be heard
here before men that understand it not at all, and after it hath been
examined and judged in before the King and Lord High Admirall and other
able seamen to judge, it is very hard.  But this business did keep them
all the afternoon, so we not heard but put off to another day.  Thence,
with the Lieutenant of the Tower, in his coach home; and there, with great
pleasure, with my wife, talking and playing at cards a little--she, and I,
and W. Hewer, and Deb., and so, after a little supper, I to bed.

7th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning, at noon home to
dinner, where Mercer with us, and after dinner she, my wife, Deb., and I,
to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Spanish Gipsys," the second
time of acting, and the first that I saw it.  A very silly play, only
great variety of dances, and those most excellently done, especially one
part by one Hanes, only lately come thither from the Nursery, an
understanding fellow, but yet, they say, hath spent L1000 a-year before he
come thither.  This day my wife and I full of thoughts about Mrs. Pierces
sending me word that she, and my old company, Harris and Knipp, would come
and dine with us next Wednesday, how we should do-to receive or put them
off, my head being, at this time, so full of business, and my wife in no
mind to have them neither, and yet I desire it.  Come to no resolution
tonight.  Home from the playhouse to the office, where I wrote what I had
to write, and among others to my father to congratulate my sister's
marriage, and so home to supper a little and then to bed.

8th (Lord's day).  At my sending to desire it, Sir J. Robinson, Lieutenant
of the Tower, did call me with his coach, and carried me to White Hall,
where met with very many people still that did congratulate my speech the
other day in the House of Commons, and I find all the world almost rings
of it.  Here spent the morning walking and talking with one or other, and
among the rest with Sir W. Coventry, who I find full of care in his own
business, how to defend himself against those that have a mind to choke
him; and though, I believe, not for honour and for the keeping his
employment, but for his safety and reputation's sake, is desirous to
preserve himself free from blame, and among other mean ways which himself
did take notice to me to be but a mean thing he desires me to get
information against Captain Tatnell, thereby to diminish his testimony,
who, it seems, hath a mind to do W. Coventry hurt: and I will do it with
all my heart; for Tatnell is a very rogue.  He would be glad, too, that I
could find anything proper for his taking notice against Sir F. Hollis.
At noon, after sermon, I to dinner with Sir G. Carteret to Lincoln's Inn
Fields, where I find mighty deal of company--a solemn day for some of his
and her friends, and dine in the great dining-room above stairs, where Sir
G. Carteret himself, and I, and his son, at a little table by, the great
table being full of strangers.  Here my Lady Jem. do promise to come, and
bring my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady some day this week, to dinner to
me, which I am glad of.  After dinner, I up with her husband, Sir Philip
Carteret, to his closet, where, beyond expectation, I do find many pretty
things, wherein he appears to be ingenious, such as in painting, and
drawing, and making of watches, and such kind of things, above my
expectation; though, when all is done, he is a shirke, who owns his owing
me L10 for his lady two or three years ago, and yet cannot provide to pay
me.  The company by and by parted, and G. Carteret and I to White Hall,
where I set him down and took his coach as far as the Temple, it raining,
and there took a hackney and home, and so had my head combed, and then to
bed.

9th.  Up betimes, and anon with Sir W. Warren, who come to speak with me,
by coach to White Hall, and there met Lord Brouncker: and he and I to the
Commissioners of the Treasury, where I find them mighty kind to me, more,
I think, than was wont.  And here I also met Colvill, the goldsmith; who
tells me, with great joy, how the world upon the 'Change talks of me; and
how several Parliamentmen, viz., Boscawen and Major [Lionel] Walden, of
Huntingdon, who, it seems, do deal with him, do say how bravely I did
speak, and that the House was ready to have given me thanks for it; but
that, I think, is a vanity.  Thence I with Lord Brouncker, and did take up
his mistress, Williams, and so to the 'Change, only to shew myself, and
did a little business there, and so home to dinner, and then to the office
busy till the evening, and then to the Excize Office, where I find Mr.
Ball in a mighty trouble that he is to be put out of his place at
Midsummer, the whole Commission being to cease, and the truth is I think
they are very fair dealing men, all of them.  Here I did do a little
business, and then to rights home, and there dispatched many papers, and
so home late to supper and to bed, being eased of a great many thoughts,
and yet have a great many more to remove as fast as I can, my mind being
burdened with them, having been so much employed upon the public business
of the office in their defence before the Parliament of late, and the
further cases that do attend it.

10th.  Up, and to the office betimes, where all the morning.  At noon home
to dinner with my clerks, and after dinner comes Kate Joyce, who tells me
she is putting off her house, which I am glad of, but it was pleasant that
she come on purpose to me about getting a ticket paid, and in her way
hither lost her ticket, so that she is at a great loss what to do.--There
comes in then Mrs. Mercer, the mother, the first time she has been here
since her daughter lived with us, to see my wife, and after a little talk
I left them and to the office, and thence with Sir D. Gawden to
Westminster Hall, thinking to have attended the Committee about the
Victualling business, but they did not meet, but here we met Sir R.
Brookes, who do mightily cry up my speech the other day, saying my
fellow-officers are obliged to me, as indeed they are.  Thence with Sir D.
Gawden homewards, calling at Lincolne's Inn Fields: but my Lady Jemimah
was not within: and so to Newgate, where he stopped to give directions to
the jaylor about a Knight, one Sir Thomas Halford brought in yesterday for
killing one Colonel Temple, falling out at a taverne. So thence as far as
Leadenhall, and there I 'light, and back by coach to Lincoln's Inn Fields;
but my Lady was not come in, and so I am at a great loss whether she and
her brother Hinchingbroke and sister will dine with me to-morrow or no,
which vexes me.  So home; and there comes Mr. Moore to me, who tells me
that he fears my Lord Sandwich will meet with very great difficulties to
go through about the prizes, it being found that he did give orders for
more than the King's letter do justify; and then for the Act of
Resumption, which he fears will go on, and is designed only to do him
hurt, which troubles me much.  He tells me he believes the Parliament will
not be brought to do anything in matters of religion, but will adhere to
the Bishops.  So he gone, I up to supper, where I find W. Joyce and Harman
come to see us, and there was also Mrs. Mercer and her two daughters, and
here we were as merry as that fellow Joyce could make us with his mad
talking, after the old wont, which tired me.  But I was mightily pleased
with his singing; for the rogue hath a very good eare, and a good voice.
Here he stayed till he was almost drunk, and then away at about ten at
night, and then all broke up, and I to bed.

11th.  Up, and betimes to the office, where busy till 8 o'clock, and then
went forth, and meeting Mr. Colvill, I walked with, him to his building,
where he is building a fine house, where he formerly lived, in Lumbard
Street: and it will be a very fine street.  Thence walked down to the
Three Cranes and there took boat to White Hall, where by direction I
waited on the Duke of York about office business, and so by water to
Westminster, where walking in the Hall most of the morning, and up to my
Lady Jem. in Lincoln's Inn Fields to get her to appoint the day certain
when she will come and dine with me, and she hath appointed Saturday next.
So back to Westminster; and there still walked, till by and by comes Sir
W. Coventry, and with him Mr. Chichly and Mr. Andrew Newport, I to dinner
with them to Mr. Chichly's, in Queene Street, in Covent Garden.  A very
fine house, and a man that lives in mighty great fashion, with all things
in a most extraordinary manner noble and rich about him, and eats in the
French fashion all; and mighty nobly served with his servants, and very
civilly; that I was mighty pleased with it: and good discourse.  He is a
great defender of the Church of England, and against the Act for
Comprehension, which is the work of this day, about which the House is
like to sit till night.  After dinner, away with them back to Westminster,
where, about four o'clock, the House rises, and hath done nothing more in
the business than to put off the debate to this day month.  In the mean
time the King hath put out his proclamations this day, as the House
desired, for the putting in execution the Act against Nonconformists and
Papists, but yet it is conceived that for all this some liberty must be
given, and people will have it.  Here I met with my cozen Roger Pepys, who
is come to town, and hath been told of my performance before the House the
other day, and is mighty proud of it, and Captain Cocke met me here
to-day, and told me that the Speaker says he never heard such a defence
made; in all his life, in the House; and that the Sollicitor-Generall do
commend me even to envy.  I carried cozen Roger as far as the Strand,
where, spying out of the coach Colonel Charles George Cocke, formerly a
very great man, and my father's customer, whom I have carried clothes to,
but now walks like a poor sorry sneake, he stopped, and I 'light to him.
This man knew me, which I would have willingly avoided, so much pride I
had, he being a man of mighty height and authority in his time, but now
signifies nothing.  Thence home, where to the office a while and then
home, where W. Batelier was and played at cards and supped with us, my
eyes being out of order for working, and so to bed.

12th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning, at noon home, and
after dinner with wife and Deb., carried them to Unthanke's, and I to
Westminster Hall expecting our being with the Committee this afternoon
about Victualling business, but once more waited in vain.  So after a turn
or two with Lord Brouncker, I took my wife up and left her at the 'Change
while I to Gresham College, there to shew myself; and was there greeted by
Dr. Wilkins, Whistler, and others, as the patron of the Navy Office, and
one that got great fame by my late speech to the Parliament. Here I saw a
great trial of the goodness of a burning glass, made of a new figure, not
spherical (by one Smithys, I think, they call him), that did burn a glove
of my Lord Brouncker's from the heat of a very little fire, which a
burning glass of the old form, or much bigger, could not do, which was
mighty pretty.  Here I heard Sir Robert Southwell give an account of some
things committed to him by the Society at his going to Portugall, which he
did deliver in a mighty handsome manner.

     [At the meeting of the Royal Society on March 12th, 1668, "Mr.
     Smethwick's glasses were tried again; and his telescope being
     compared with another longer telescope, and the object-glasses
     exchanged, was still found to exceed the other in goodness; and his
     burning concave being compared with a spherical burning-glass of
     almost twice the diameter, and held to the fire, it burnt gloves,
     whereas the other spherical ones would not burn at all."--"Sir
     Robert Southwell being lately returned from Portugal, where he had
     been ambassador from the king, and being desired to acquaint the
     society with what he had done with respect to the instructions,
     which he had received from them before his departure from England,
     related, that he had lodged the astronomical quadrant, which the
     society had sent to Portugal to make observations with there, with a
     body of men at Lisbon, who had applied themselves among other kinds
     of literature to mathematics" (Birch's "History of the Royal
     Society," vol.  ii., p.  256).]

Thence went away home, and there at my office as long as my eyes would
endure, and then home to supper, and to talk with Mr. Pelling, who tells
me what a fame I have in the City for my late performance; and upon the
whole I bless God for it.  I think I have, if I can keep it, done myself a
great deal of repute.  So by and by to bed.

13th.  Up betimes to my office, where to fit myself for attending the
Parliament again, not to make any more speech, which, while my fame is
good, I will avoid, for fear of losing it; but only to answer to what
objections will be made against us.  Thence walked to the Old Swan and
drank at Michell's, whose house is going up apace.  Here I saw Betty, but
could not baiser la, and so to Westminster, there to the Hall, where up to
my cozen Roger Pepys at the Parliament door, and there he took me aside,
and told me how he was taken up by one of the House yesterday, for moving
for going on with the King's supply of money, without regard to the
keeping pace therewith, with the looking into miscarriages, and was told
by this man privately that it did arise because that he had a kinsman
concerned therein; and therefore he would prefer the safety of his kinsman
to the good of the nation, and that there was great things against us and
against me, for all my fine discourse the other day.  But I did bid him be
at no pain for me; for I knew of nothing but what I was very well prepared
to answer; and so I think I am, and therefore was not at all disquieted by
this.  Thence he to the House, and I to the Hall, where my Lord Brouncker
and the rest waiting till noon and not called for by the House, they being
upon the business of money again, and at noon all of us to Chatelin's, the
French house in Covent Garden, to dinner--Brouncker, J. Minnes, W. Pen, T.
Harvey, and myself--and there had a dinner cost us 8s. 6d.  a-piece, a
damned base dinner, which did not please us at all, so that I am not fond
of this house at all, but do rather choose the Beare.  After dinner to
White Hall to the Duke of York, and there did our usual business,
complaining of our standing still in every-respect for want of money, but
no remedy propounded, but so I must still be.  Thence with our company to
the King's playhouse, where I left them, and I, my head being full of
to-morrow's dinner, I to my Lord Crew's, there to invite Sir Thomas Crew;
and there met with my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady, the first time I
spoke to her.  I saluted her; and she mighty civil and; with my Lady
Jemimah, do all resolve to be very merry to-morrow at my house.  My Lady
Hinchingbroke I cannot say is a beauty, nor ugly; but is altogether a
comely lady enough, and seems very good-humoured, and I mighty glad of the
occasion of seeing her before to-morrow.  Thence home; and there find one
laying of my napkins against tomorrow in figures of all sorts, which is
mighty pretty; and, it seems, it is his trade, and he gets much money by
it; and do now and then furnish tables with plate and linnen for a feast
at so much, which is mighty pretty, and a trade I could not have thought
of.  I find my wife upon the bed not over well, her breast being broke out
with heat, which troubles her, but I hope it will be for her good.  Thence
I to Mrs. Turner, and did get her to go along with me to the French
pewterer's, and there did buy some new pewter against to-morrow; and
thence to White Hall, to have got a cook of her acquaintance, the best in
England, as she says.  But after we had with much ado found him, he could
not come, nor was Mr. Gentleman in town, whom next I would have had, nor
would Mrs. Stone let her man Lewis come, whom this man recommended to me;
so that I was at a mighty loss what in the world to do for a cooke,
Philips being out of town.  Therefore, after staying here at Westminster a
great while, we back to London, and there to Philips's, and his man
directed us to Mr. Levett's, who could not come, and he sent to two more,
and they could not; so that, at last, Levett as a great kindness did
resolve he would leave his business and come himself, which set me in
great ease in my mind, and so home, and there with my wife setting all
things in order against to-morrow, having seen Mrs. Turner at home, and so
late to bed.

14th.  Up very betimes, and with Jane to Levett's, there to conclude upon
our dinner; and thence to the pewterer's, to buy a pewter sesterne,

     [A pewter cistern was formerly part of the furniture of a well-
     appointed dining-room; the plates were rinsed in it, when necessary,
     during the meal.  A magnificent silver cistern is still preserved in
     the dining-room at Burghley House, the seat of the Marquis of
     Exeter.  It is said to be the largest piece of plate in England, and
     was once the subject of a curious wager.--B.]

which I have ever hitherto been without, and so up and down upon several
occasions to set matters in order, and that being done I out of doors to
Westminster Hall, and there met my Lord Brouncker, who tells me that our
business is put off till Monday, and so I was mighty glad that I was eased
of my attendance here, and of any occasion that might put me out of
humour, as it is likely if we had been called before the Parliament.
Therefore, after having spoke with Mr. Godolphin and cozen Roger, I away
home, and there do find everything in mighty good order, only my wife not
dressed, which troubles me.  Anon comes my company, viz., my Lord
Hinchingbroke and his lady, Sir Philip Carteret and his, lady, Godolphin
and my cozen Roger, and Creed: and mighty merry; and by and by to dinner,
which was very good and plentifull: (I should have said, and Mr. George
Montagu), who come at a very little warning, which was exceeding kind of
him.  And there, among other things, my Lord had Sir Samuel Morland's late
invention for casting up of sums of L. s. d.;

     [The same as Morland's so-called calculating machine.  Sir Samuel
     published in 1673 "The Description and Use of two Arithmetick
     Instruments, together with a short Treatise of Arithmetic, as
     likewise a Perpetual Almanack and severall useful tables."]

which is very pretty, but not very useful.  Most of our discourse was of
my Lord Sandwich and his family, as being all of us of the family; and
with extraordinary pleasure all the afternoon, thus together eating and
looking over my closet: and my Lady Hinchingbroke I find a very
sweet-natured and well-disposed lady, a lover of books and pictures, and
of good understanding.  About five o'clock they went; and then my wife and
I abroad by coach into Moorefields, only for a little ayre, and so home
again, staying no where, and then up to her chamber, there to talk with
pleasure of this day's passages, and so to bed.  This day I had the
welcome news of our prize being come safe from Holland, so as I shall have
hopes, I hope, of getting my money of my Lady Batten, or good part of it.

15th (Lord's day).  Up and walked, it being fine dry weather, to Sir W.
Coventry's, overtaking my boy Ely (that was), and he walked with me, being
grown a man, and I think a sober fellow.  He parted at Charing Cross, and
I to Sir W. Coventry's, and there talked with him about the Commissioners
of Accounts, who did give in their report yesterday to the House, and do
lay little upon us as aggravate any thing at present, but only do give an
account of the dissatisfactory account they receive from Sir G. Carteret,
which I am sorry for, they saying that he tells them not any time when he
paid any sum, which is fit for them to know for the computing of interest,
but I fear he is hardly able to tell it.  They promise to give them an
account of the embezzlement of prizes, wherein I shall be something
concerned, but nothing that I am afeard of, I thank God.  Thence walked
with W. Coventry into the Park, and there met the King and the Duke of
York, and walked a good while with them: and here met Sir Jer. Smith, who
tells me he is like to get the better of Holmes, and that when he is come
to an end of that, he will do Hollis's business for him, in the House, for
his blasphemies, which I shall be glad of. So to White Hall, and there
walked with this man and that man till chapel done, and, the King dined
and then Sir Thomas Clifford, the Comptroller, took me with him to dinner
to his lodgings, where my Lord Arlington and a great deal of good and
great company; where I very civilly used by them, and had a most excellent
dinner: and good discourse of Spain, Mr. Godolphin being there;
particularly of the removal of the bodies of all the dead Kings of Spain
that could be got together, and brought to the Pantheon at the Escuriall,
when it was finished, and there placed before the altar, there to lie for
ever; and there was a sermon made to them upon this text, "Arida ossa,
audite verbum Dei;" and a most eloquent sermon, as they say, who say they
have read it.  After dinner, away hence, and I to Mrs. Martin's, and there
spent the afternoon, and did hazer con elle, and here was her sister and
Mrs. Burrows, and so in the evening got a coach and home, and there find
Mr. Pelting and W. Hewer, and there talked and supped, Pelting being gone,
and mightily pleased with a picture that W. Hewer brought hither of
several things painted upon a deale board, which board is so well painted
that in my whole life I never was so well pleased or surprized with any
picture, and so troubled that so good pictures should be painted upon a
piece of bad deale.  Even after I knew that it was not board, but only the
picture of a board, I could not remove my fancy.  After supper to bed,
being very sleepy, and, I bless God, my mind being at very good present
rest.

16th.  Up, to set my papers and books in order, and put up my plate since
my late feast, and then to Westminster, by water, with Mr. Hater, and
there, in the Hall, did walk all the morning, talking with one or other,
expecting to have our business in the House; but did now a third time wait
to no purpose, they being all this morning upon the business of Barker's
petition about the making void the Act of Settlement in Ireland, which
makes a great deal of hot work: and, at last, finding that by all men's
opinion they could not come to our matter today, I with Sir W. Pen home,
and there to dinner, where I find, by Willet's crying, that her mistress
had been angry with her: but I would take no notice of it.  Busy all the
afternoon at the office, and then by coach to the Excize Office, but lost
my labour, there being nobody there, and so back again home, and after a
little at the office I home, and there spent the evening with my wife
talking and singing, and so to bed with my mind pretty well at ease. This
evening W. Pen and Sir R. Ford and I met at the first's house to talk of
our prize that is now at last come safe over from Holland, by which I hope
to receive some if not all the benefit of my bargain with W. Batten for my
share in it, which if she had miscarried I should have doubted of my Lady
Batten being left little able to have paid me.

17th.  Up betimes and to the office, where all the morning busy, and then
at noon home to dinner, and so again to the office awhile, and then abroad
to the Excize-Office, where I met Mr. Ball, and did receive the paper I
went for; and there fell in talk with him, who, being an old cavalier, do
swear and curse at the present state of things, that we should be brought
to this, that we must be undone and cannot be saved; that the Parliament
is sitting now, and will till midnight, to find how to raise this
L300,000, and he doubts they will not do it so as to be seasonable for the
King: but do cry out against our great men at Court; how it is a fine
thing for a Secretary of State to dance a jigg, and that it was not so
heretofore; and, above all, do curse my Lord of Bristoll, saying the worst
news that ever he heard in his life, or that the Devil could ever bring
us, was this Lord's coming to prayers the other day in the House of Lords,
by which he is coming about again from being a Papist, which will undo
this nation; and he says he ever did say, at the King's first coming in,
that this nation could not be safe while that man was alive.  Having done
there, I away towards Westminster, but seeing by the coaches the House to
be up, I stopped at the 'Change (where, I met Mrs. Turner, and did give
her a pair of gloves), and there bought several things for my wife, and so
to my bookseller's, and there looked for Montaigne's Essays,

     [This must have been Florio's translation, as Cotton's was not
     published until 1685.]

which I heard by my Lord Arlington and Lord Blaney so much commended, and
intend to buy it, but did not now, but home, where at the office did some
business, as much as my eyes would give leave, and so home to supper,
Mercer with us talking and singing, and so to bed.  The House, I hear,
have this day concluded upon raising L100,000 of the L300,000 by wine, and
the rest by a poll-[tax], and have resolved to excuse the Church, in
expectation that they will do the more of themselves at this juncture; and
I do hear that Sir W. Coventry did make a speech in behalf of the Clergy.

18th.  Up betimes to Westminster, where met with cozen Roger and Creed and
walked with them, and Roger do still continue of the mind that there is no
other way of saving this nation but by dissolving this Parliament and
calling another; but there are so many about the King that will not be
able to stand, if a new Parliament come, that they will not persuade the
King to it.  I spent most of the morning walking with one or other, and
anon met Doll Lane at the Dog tavern, and there je did hater what I did
desire with her .  .  .  and I did give her as being my valentine 20s. to
buy what elle would.  Thence away by coach to my bookseller's, and to
several places to pay my debts, and to Ducke Lane, and there bought
Montaigne's Essays, in English, and so away home to dinner, and after
dinner with W. Pen to White Hall, where we and my Lord Brouncker attended
the Council, to discourse about the fitness of entering of men presently
for the manning of the fleete, before one ship is in condition to receive
them.  W. Coventry did argue against it: I was wholly silent, because I
saw the King, upon the earnestness of the Prince, was willing to it,
crying very sillily, "If ever you intend to man the fleete, without being
cheated by the captains and pursers, you may go to bed, and resolve never
to have it manned;" and so it was, like other things, over-ruled that all
volunteers should be presently entered.  Then there was another great
business about our signing of certificates to the Exchequer for [prize]
goods, upon the L1,20,000 Act, which the Commissioners of the Treasury did
all oppose, and to the laying fault upon us.  But I did then speak to the
justifying what we had done, even to the angering of Duncomb and Clifford,
which I was vexed at: but, for all that, I did set the Office and myself
right, and went away with the victory, my Lord Keeper saying that he would
not advise the Council to order us to sign no more certificates.  But,
before I began to say anything in this matter, the King and the Duke of
York talking at the Council-table, before all the Lords, of the Committee
of Miscarriages, how this entering of men before the ships could be ready
would be reckoned a miscarriage; "Why," says the King, "it is then but Mr.
Pepys making of another speech to them;" which made all the Lords, and
there were by also the Atturny and Sollicitor-Generall, look upon me.
Thence Sir W. Coventry, W. Pen and I, by hackney-coach to take a little
ayre in Hyde Parke, the first time I have been there this year; and we did
meet many coaches going and coming, it being mighty pleasant weather; and
so, coming back again, I 'light in the Pell Mell; and there went to see
Sir H. Cholmly, who continues very ill of his cold.  And there come in Sir
H. Yelverton, whom Sir H. Cholmly commended me to his acquaintance, which
the other received, but without remembering to me, or I him, of our being
school-fellows together; and I said nothing of it.  But he took notice of
my speech the other day at the bar of the House; and indeed I perceive he
is a wise man by his manner of discourse, and here he do say that the town
is full of it, that now the Parliament hath resolved upon L300,000, the
King, instead of fifty, will set out but twenty-five ships, and the Dutch
as many; and that Smith is to command them, who is allowed to have the
better of Holmes in the late dispute, and is in good esteem in the
Parliament, above the other. Thence home, and there, in favour to my eyes,
stayed at home, reading the ridiculous History of my Lord Newcastle, wrote
by his wife, which shews her to be a mad, conceited, ridiculous woman, and
he an asse to suffer her to write what she writes to him, and of him.

     ["The Life of the thrice noble, high, and puissant Prince, William
     Cavendish, Duke .  .  .  of Newcastle," by his duchess, of which the
     first edition, in folio, was published in 1667.]

Betty Turner sent my wife the book to read, and it being a fair print, to
ease my eyes, which would be reading, I read that.  Anon comes Mrs. Turner
and sat and talked with us, and most about the business of Ackworth,

     [William Acworth, storekeeper at Woolwich, was accused of converting
     stores to his own use (see "Calendar of State Papers," 1667-68, p.
     279).]

which comes before us to-morrow, that I would favour it, but I do not
think, notwithstanding all the friendship I can shew him, that he can
escape, and therefore it had been better that he had followed the advice I
sent him the other day by Mrs. Turner, to make up the business.  So
parted, and I to bed, my eyes being very bad; and I know not how in the
world to abstain from reading.

19th.  Up, and betimes to the Old Swan, and by water to White Hall, and
thence to W. Coventry's, where stayed but a little to talk with him, and
thence by water back again, it being a mighty fine, clear spring morning.
Back to the Old Swan, and drank at Michell's, whose house goes up apace,
but I could not see Betty, and thence walked all along Thames Street,
which I have not done since it was burned, as far as Billingsgate; and
there do see a brave street likely to be, many brave houses being built,
and of them a great many by Mr. Jaggard; but the raising of the street
will make it mighty fine.  So to the office, where busy all the morning.
At noon home to dinner, and thence to the office, very busy till five
o'clock, and then to ease my eyes I took my wife out and Deb. to the
'Change, and there bought them some things, and so home again and to the
office, ended my letters, and so home to read a little more in last
night's book, with much sport, it being a foolish book, and so to supper
and to bed.  This afternoon I was surprized with a letter without a name
to it, very well writ, in a good stile, giving me notice of my cozen Kate
Joyce's being likely to ruin herself by marriage, and by ill reports
already abroad of her, and I do fear that this keeping of an inne may
spoil her, being a young and pretty comely woman, and thought to be left
well.  I did answer the letter with thanks and good liking, and am
resolved to take the advice he gives me, and go see her, and find out what
I can: but if she will ruin herself, I cannot help it, though I should be
troubled for it.

20th.  Up betimes, and to my Office, where we had a meeting extraordinary
to consider of several things, among others the sum of money fit to be
demanded ready money, to enable us to set out 27 ships, every body being
now in pain for a fleete, and everybody endeavouring to excuse themselves
for the not setting out of one, and our true excuse is lack of money. At
it all the morning, and so at noon home to dinner with my clerks, my wife
and Deb. being busy at work above in her chamber getting things ready and
fine for her going into the country a week or two hence.  I away by coach
to White Hall, where we met to wait on the Duke of York, and, soon as
prayers were done, it being Good Friday, he come to us, and we did a
little business and presented him with our demand of money, and so broke
up, and I thence by coach to Kate Joyce's, being desirous and in pain to
speak with her about the business that I received a letter yesterday, but
had no opportunity of speaking with her about it, company being with her,
so I only invited her to come and dine with me on Sunday next, and so away
home, and for saving my eyes at my chamber all the evening pricking down
some things, and trying some conclusions upon my viall, in order to the
inventing a better theory of musique than hath yet been abroad; and I
think verily I shall do it.  So to supper with my wife, who is in very
good humour with her working, and so am I, and so to bed.  This day at
Court I do hear that Sir W. Pen do command this summer's fleete; and Mr.
Progers of the Bedchamber, as a secret, told me that the Prince Rupert is
troubled at it, and several friends of his have been with him to know the
reason of it; so that he do pity Sir W. Pen, whom he hath great kindness
for, that he should not at any desire of his be put to this service, and
thereby make the Prince his enemy, and contract more envy from other
people.  But I am not a whit sorry if it should be so, first for the
King's sake, that his work will be better done by Sir W. Pen than the
Prince, and next that Pen, who is a false rogue, may be bit a little by
it.

21st.  Up betimes to the office, and there we sat all the morning, at noon
home with my clerks, a good dinner, and then to the Office, and wrote my
letters, and then abroad to do several things, and pay what little scores
I had, and among others to Mrs. Martin's, and there did give 20s. to Mrs.
Cragg, her landlady, who was my Valentine in the house, as well as Doll
Lane .  .  .  .  So home and to the office, there to end my letters, and
so home, where Betty Turner was to see my wife, and she being gone I to my
chamber to read a little again, and then after supper to bed.

22nd (Easter day).  I up, and walked to the Temple, and there got a coach,
and to White Hall, where spoke with several people, and find by all that
Pen is to go to sea this year with this fleete; and they excuse the
Prince's going, by saying it is not a command great enough for him. Here I
met with Brisband, and, after hearing the service at the King's chapel,
where I heard the Bishop of Norwich, Dr. Reynolds, the old presbyterian,
begin a very plain sermon, he and I to the Queen's chapel, and there did
hear the Italians sing; and indeed their musick did appear most admirable
to me, beyond anything of ours: I was never so well satisfied in my life
with it.  So back to White Hall, and there met Mr. Pierce, and adjusted
together how we should spend to-morrow together, and so by coach I home to
dinner, where Kate Joyce was, as I invited her, and had a good dinner,
only she and us; and after dinner she and I alone to talk about her
business, as I designed; and I find her very discreet, and she assures me
she neither do nor will incline to the doing anything towards marriage,
without my advice, and did tell me that she had many offers, and that
Harman and his friends would fain have her; but he is poor, and hath poor
friends, and so it will not be advisable: but that there is another, a
tobacconist, one Holinshed, whom she speaks well of, to be a plain, sober
man, and in good condition, that offers her very well, and submits to me
my examining and inquiring after it, if I see good, which I do like of it,
for it will be best for her to marry, I think, as soon as she can--at
least, to be rid of this house; for the trade will not agree with a young
widow, that is a little handsome, at least ordinary people think her so.
Being well satisfied with her answer, she anon went away, and I to my
closet to make a few more experiments of my notions in musique, and so
then my wife and I to walk in the garden, and then home to supper and to
bed.

23rd.  Up, and after discoursing with my wife about many things touching
this day's dinner, I abroad, and first to the taverne to pay what I owe
there, but missed of seeing the mistress of the house, and there bespoke
wine for dinner, and so away thence, and to Bishopsgate Streete, thinking
to have found a Harpsicon-maker that used to live there before the fire,
but he is gone, and I have a mind forthwith to have a little Harpsicon
made me to confirm and help me in my musique notions, which my head is
now-a-days full of, and I do believe will come to something that is very
good.  Thence to White Hall, expecting to have heard the Bishop of
Lincolne, my friend, preach, for so I understood he would do yesterday,
but was mistaken, and therefore away presently back again, and there find
everything in good order against dinner, and at noon come Mr. Pierce and
she, and Mrs. Manuel, the Jew's wife, and Mrs. Corbet, and Mrs. Pierces
boy and girl.  But we are defeated of Knepp, by her being forced to act
to-day, and also of Harris, which did trouble me, they being my chief
guests.  However, I had an extraordinary good dinner, and the better
because dressed by my own servants, and were mighty merry; and here was
Mr. Pelling by chance come and dined with me; and after sitting long at
dinner, I had a barge ready at Tower-wharfe, to take us in, and so we
went, all of us, up as high as Barne-Elms, a very fine day, and all the
way sang; and Mrs. Manuel sings very finely, and is a mighty discreet,
sober-carriaged woman, that both my wife and I are mightily taken with
her, and sings well, and without importunity or the contrary.  At
Barne-Elms we walked round, and then to the barge again, and had much
merry talk, and good singing; and come before it was dark to the New
Exchange stairs, and there landed, and walked up to Mrs. Pierces, where we
sat awhile, and then up to their dining-room.  And so, having a violin and
theorbo, did fall to dance, here being also Mrs. Floyd come hither, and by
and by Mr. Harris.  But there being so few of us that could dance, and my
wife not being very well, we had not much pleasure in the dancing: there
was Knepp also, by which with much pleasure we did sing a little, and so,
about ten o'clock, I took coach with my wife and Deb., and so home, and
there to bed.

24th.  Up pretty betimes, and so there comes to me Mr. Shish, to desire my
appearing for him to succeed Mr. Christopher Pett, lately dead, in his
place of Master-Shipwright of Deptford and Woolwich, which I do resolve to
promote what I can.  So by and by to White Hall, and there to the Duke of
York's chamber, where I understand it is already resolved by the King and
Duke of York that Shish shall have the place.  From the Duke's chamber Sir
W. Coventry and I to walk in the Matted Gallery; and there, among other
things, he tells me of the wicked design that now is at last contriving
against him, to get a petition presented from people that the money they
have paid to W. Coventry for their places may be repaid them back; and
that this is set on by Temple and Hollis of the Parliament, and, among
other mean people in it, by Captain Tatnell: and he prays me that I will
use some effectual way to sift Tatnell what he do, and who puts him on in
this business, which I do undertake, and will do with all my skill for his
service, being troubled that he is still under this difficulty.  Thence up
and down Westminster by Mrs. Burroughes her mother's shop, thinking to
have seen her, but could not, and therefore back to White Hall, where
great talk of the tumult at the other end of the town, about Moore-fields,
among the 'prentices, taking the liberty of these holydays to pull down
bawdy-houses.

     [It was customary for the apprentices of the metropolis to avail
     themselves of their holidays, especially on Shrove Tuesday, to
     search after women of ill fame, and to confine them during the
     season of Lent.  See a "Satyre against Separatists," 1642.

          "Stand forth, Shrove Tuesday, one a' the silenc'st bricklayers;
          'Tis in your charge to pull down bawdy-houses."

                    Middleton's Inner Temple Masque, 1619,
                         Works, ed.  Bullen, vii., 209.]

And, Lord! to see the apprehensions which this did give to all people at
Court, that presently order was given for all the soldiers, horse and
foot, to be in armes!  and forthwith alarmes were beat by drum and trumpet
through Westminster, and all to their colours, and to horse, as if the
French were coming into the town!  So Creed, whom I met here, and I to
Lincolne's Inn-fields, thinking to have gone into the fields to have seen
the 'prentices; but here we found these fields full of soldiers all in a
body, and my Lord Craven commanding of them, and riding up and down to
give orders, like a madman.  And some young men we saw brought by soldiers
to the Guard at White Hall, and overheard others that stood by say, that
it was only for pulling down the bawdy-houses; and none of the bystanders
finding fault with them, but rather of the soldiers for hindering them.
And we heard a justice of the Peace this morning say to the King, that he
had been endeavouring to suppress this tumult, but could not; and that,
imprisoning some [of them] in the new prison at Clerkenwell, the rest did
come and break open the prison and release them; and that they do give out
that they are for pulling down the bawdy-houses, which is one of the
greatest grievances of the nation.  To which the King made a very poor,
cold, insipid answer: "Why, why do they go to them, then?"  and that was
all, and had no mind to go on with the discourse.  Mr. Creed and I to
dinner to my Lord Crew, where little discourse, there being none but us at
the table, and my Lord and my Lady Jemimah, and so after dinner away,
Creed and I to White Hall, expecting a Committee of Tangier, but come too
late.  So I to attend the Council, and by and by were called in with Lord
Brouncker and Sir W. Pen to advise how to pay away a little money to most
advantage to the men of the yards, to make them dispatch the ships going
out, and there did make a little speech, which was well liked, and after
all it was found most satisfactory to the men, and best for the king's
dispatch, that what money we had should be paid weekly to the men for
their week's work until a greater sum could be got to pay them their
arrears and then discharge them.  But, Lord!  to see what shifts and what
cares and thoughts there was employed in this matter how to do the King's
work and please the men and stop clamours would make a man think the King
should not eat a bit of good meat till he has got money to pay the men,
but I do not see the least print of care or thoughts in him about it at
all.  Having done here, I out and there met Sir Fr. Hollis, who do still
tell me that, above all things in the world, he wishes he had my tongue in
his mouth, meaning since my speech in Parliament.  He took Lord Brouncker
and me down to the guards, he and his company being upon the guards
to-day; and there he did, in a handsome room to that purpose, make us
drink, and did call for his bagpipes, which, with pipes of ebony, tipt
with silver, he did play beyond anything of that kind that ever I heard in
my life; and with great pains he must have obtained it, but with pains
that the instrument do not deserve at all; for, at the best, it is mighty
barbarous musick.  So home and there to my chamber, to prick out my song,
"It is Decreed," intending to have it ready to give Mr. Harris on
Thursday, when we meet, for him to sing, believing that he will do it more
right than a woman that sings better, unless it were Knepp, which I cannot
have opportunity to teach it to.  This evening I come home from White Hall
with Sir W. Pen, who fell in talk about his going to sea this year, and
the difficulties that arise to him by it, by giving offence to the Prince,
and occasioning envy to him, and many other things that make it a bad
matter, at this time of want of money and necessaries, and bad and uneven
counsels at home,--for him to go abroad: and did tell me how much with the
King and Duke of York he had endeavoured to be excused, desiring the
Prince might be satisfied in it, who hath a mind to go; but he tells me
they will not excuse him, and I believe it, and truly do judge it a piece
of bad fortune to W. Pen.

25th.  Up, and walked to White Hall, there to wait on the Duke of York,
which I did: and in his chamber there, first by hearing the Duke of York
call me by my name, my Lord Burlington did come to me, and with great
respect take notice of me and my relation to my Lord Sandwich, and express
great kindness to me; and so to talk of my Lord Sandwich's concernments.
By and by the Duke of York is ready; and I did wait for an opportunity of
speaking my mind to him about Sir J. Minnes, his being unable to do the
King any service, which I think do become me to do in all respects, and
have Sir W. Coventry's concurrence therein, which I therefore will seek a
speedy opportunity to do, come what will come of it.  The Duke of York and
all with him this morning were full of the talk of the 'prentices, who are
not yet [put] down, though the guards and militia of the town have been in
armes all this night, and the night before; and the 'prentices have made
fools of them, sometimes by running from them and flinging stones at them.
Some blood hath been spilt, but a great many houses pulled down; and,
among others, the Duke of York was mighty merry at that of Damaris Page's,
the great bawd of the seamen; and the Duke of York complained merrily that
he hath lost two tenants, by their houses being pulled down, who paid him
for their wine licenses L15 a year.  But here it was said how these idle
fellows have had the confidence to say that they did ill in contenting
themselves in pulling down the little bawdyhouses, and did not go and pull
down the great bawdy-house at White Hall.  And some of them have the last
night had a word among them, and it was "Reformation and Reducement."
This do make the courtiers ill at ease to see this spirit among people,
though they think this matter will not come to much: but it speaks
people's minds; and then they do say that there are men of understanding
among them, that have been of Cromwell's army: but how true that is, I
know not.  Thence walked a little to Westminster, but met with nobody to
spend any time with, and so by coach homeward, and in Seething Lane met
young Mrs. Daniel, and I stopt, and she had been at my house, but found
nobody within, and tells me that she drew me for her Valentine this year,
so I took her into the coach, and was going to the other end of the town,
thinking to have taken her abroad, but remembering that I was to go out
with my wife this afternoon, .  .  .  and so to a milliner at the corner
shop going into Bishopsgate and Leadenhall Street, and there did give her
eight pair of gloves, and so dismissed her, and so I home and to dinner,
and then with my wife to the King's playhouse to see "The Storme," which
we did, but without much pleasure, it being but a mean play compared with
"The Tempest," at the Duke of York's house, though Knepp did act her part
of grief very well.  Thence with my wife and Deb. by coach to Islington,
to the old house, and there eat and drank till it was almost night, and
then home, being in fear of meeting the 'prentices, who are many of them
yet, they say, abroad in the fields, but we got well home, and so I to my
chamber a while, and then to supper and to bed.

26th.  Up betimes to the office, where by and by my Lord Brouncker and I
met and made an end of our business betimes.  So I away with him to Mrs.
Williams's, and there dined, and thence I alone to the Duke of York's
house, to see the new play, called "The Man is the Master," where the
house was, it being not above one o'clock, very full.  But my wife and
Deb. being there before, with Mrs. Pierce and Corbet and Betty Turner,
whom my wife carried with her, they made me room; and there I sat, it
costing me 8s. upon them in oranges, at 6d. a-piece.  By and by the King
come; and we sat just under him, so that I durst not turn my back all the
play.  The play is a translation out of French, and the plot Spanish, but
not anything extraordinary at all in it, though translated by Sir W.
Davenant, and so I found the King and his company did think meanly of it,
though there was here and there something pretty: but the most of the
mirth was sorry, poor stuffe, of eating of sack posset and slabbering
themselves, and mirth fit for clownes; the prologue but poor, and the
epilogue little in it but the extraordinariness of it, it being sung by
Harris and another in the form of a ballet.  Thence, by agreement, we all
of us to the Blue Balls, hard by, whither Mr. Pierce also goes with us,
who met us at the play, and anon comes Manuel, and his wife, and Knepp,
and Harris, who brings with him Mr. Banister, the great master of musique;
and after much difficulty in getting of musique, we to dancing, and then
to a supper of some French dishes, which yet did not please me, and then
to dance and sing; and mighty merry we were till about eleven or twelve at
night, with mighty great content in all my company, and I did, as I love
to do, enjoy myself in my pleasure as being the height of what we take
pains for and can hope for in this world, and therefore to be enjoyed
while we are young and capable of these joys.  My wife extraordinary fine
to-day, in her flower tabby suit, bought a year and more ago, before my
mother's death put her into mourning, and so not worn till this day: and
every body in love with it; and indeed she is very fine and handsome in
it.  I having paid the reckoning, which come to almost L4., we parted: my
company and William Batelier, who was also with us, home in a coach, round
by the Wall, where we met so many stops by the Watches, that it cost us
much time and some trouble, and more money, to every Watch, to them to
drink; this being encreased by the trouble the 'prentices did lately give
the City, so that the Militia and Watches are very strict at this time;
and we had like to have met with a stop for all night at the Constable's
watch, at Mooregate, by a pragmatical Constable; but we come well home at
about two in the morning, and so to bed.  This noon, from Mrs. Williams's,
my Lord Brouncker sent to Somersett House to hear how the Duchess of
Richmond do; and word was brought him that she is pretty well, but mighty
full of the smallpox, by which all do conclude she will be wholly spoiled,
which is the greatest instance of the uncertainty of beauty that could be
in this age; but then she hath had the benefit of it to be first married,
and to have kept it so long, under the greatest temptations in the world
from a King, and yet without the least imputation.  This afternoon, at the
play, Sir Fr. Hollis spoke to me as a secret, and matter of confidence in
me, and friendship to Sir W. Pen, who is now out of town, that it were
well he were made acquainted that he finds in the House of Commons, which
met this day, several motions made for the calling strictly again upon the
Miscarriages, and particularly in the business of the Prises, and the not
prosecuting of the first victory, only to give an affront to Sir W. Pen,
whose going to sea this year do give them matter of great dislike.  So
though I do not much trouble myself for him, yet I am sorry that he should
have this fall so unhappily without any fault, but rather merit of his own
that made him fitter for this command than any body else, and the more for
that this business of his may haply occasion their more eager pursuit
against the whole body of the office.

27th.  Up, and walked to the waterside, and thence to White Hall to the
Duke of York's chamber, where he being ready he went to a Committee of
Tangier, where I first understand that my Lord Sandwich is, in his coming
back from Spayne, to step over thither, to see in what condition the place
is, which I am glad of, hoping that he will be able to do some good there,
for the good of the place, which is so much out of order.  Thence to walk
a little in Westminster Hall, where the Parliament I find sitting, but
spoke with nobody to let me know what they are doing, nor did I enquire.
Thence to the Swan and drank, and did baiser Frank, and so down by water
back again, and to the Exchange a turn or two, only to show myself, and
then home to dinner, where my wife and I had a small squabble, but I first
this day tried the effect of my silence and not provoking her when she is
in an ill humour, and do find it very good, for it prevents its coming to
that height on both sides which used to exceed what was fit between us.
So she become calm by and by and fond, and so took coach, and she to the
mercer's to buy some lace, while I to White Hall, but did nothing, but
then to Westminster Hall and took a turn, and so to Mrs. Martin's, and
there did sit a little and talk and drink, and did hazer con her, and so
took coach and called my wife at Unthanke's, and so up and down to the
Nursery, where they did not act, then to the New Cockpit, and there
missed, and then to Hide Parke, where many coaches, but the dust so great,
that it was troublesome, and so by night home, where to my chamber and
finished my pricking out of my song for Mr. Harris ("It is decreed"), and
so a little supper, being very sleepy and weary since last night, and so
by to o'clock to bed and slept well all night.  This day, at noon, comes
Mr. Pelling to me, and shews me the stone cut lately out of Sir Thomas
Adams' (the old comely Alderman's) body, which is very large indeed,
bigger I think than my fist, and weighs above twenty-five ounces and,
which is very miraculous, he never in all his life had any fit of it, but
lived to a great age without pain, and died at last of something else,
without any sense of this in all his life.  This day Creed at White Hall
in discourse told me what information he hath had, from very good hands,
of the cowardice and ill-government of Sir Jer. Smith and Sir Thomas
Allen, and the repute they have both of them abroad in the Streights, from
their deportment when they did at several times command there; and that,
above all Englishmen that ever were there, there never was any man that
behaved himself like poor Charles Wager, whom the very Moores do mention,
with teares sometimes.

28th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning busy, and at noon home
to dinner with my clerks; and though my head full of business, yet I had a
desire to end this holyday week with a play; and so, with my wife and
Deb., to the King's house, and there saw "The Indian Emperour," a very
good play indeed, and thence directly home, and to my writing of my
letters, and so home to supper and to bed for fearing my eyes.  Our
greatest business at the office to-day is our want of money for the
setting forth of these ships that are to go out, and my people at dinner
tell me that they do verily doubt that the want of men will be so great,
as we must press; and if we press, there will be mutinies in the town; for
the seamen are said already to have threatened the pulling down of the
Treasury Office; and if they do once come to that, it will not be long
before they come to ours.

29th (Lord's day).  Up, and I to Church, where I have not been these many
weeks before, and there did first find a strange Reader, who could not
find in the Service-book the place for churching women, but was fain to
change books with the clerke: and then a stranger preached, a seeming able
man; but said in his pulpit that God did a greater work in raising of an
oake-tree from an akehorne, than a man's body raising it, at the last day,
from his dust (shewing the possibility of the Resurrection): which was,
methought, a strange saying.  At home to dinner, whither comes and dines
with me W. Howe, and by invitation Mr. Harris and Mr. Banister, most
extraordinary company both, the latter for musique of all sorts, the
former for everything: here we sang, and Banister played on the theorbo,
and afterwards Banister played on his flageolet, and I had very good
discourse with him about musique, so confirming some of my new notions
about musique that it puts me upon a resolution to go on and make a scheme
and theory of musique not yet ever made in the world.  Harris do so
commend my wife's picture of Mr. Hales's, that I shall have him draw
Harris's head; and he hath also persuaded me to have Cooper draw my
wife's, which, though it cost L30, yet I will have done.  Thus spent the
afternoon most deliciously, and then broke up and walked with them as far
as the Temple, and there parted, and I took coach to Westminster, but
there did nothing, meeting nobody that I had a mind to speak with, and so
home, and there find Mr. Pelling, and then also comes Mrs. Turner, and
supped and talked with us, and so to bed.  I do hear by several that Sir
W. Pen's going to sea do dislike the Parliament mightily, and that they
have revived the Committee of Miscarriages to find something to prevent
it; and that he being the other day with the Duke of Albemarle to ask his
opinion touching his going to sea, the Duchess overheard and come in to
him, and asks W. Pen how he durst have the confidence to offer to go to
sea again, to the endangering the nation, when he knew himself such a
coward as he was, which, if true, is very severe.

30th.  Up betimes, and so to the office, there to do business till about
to o'clock, and then out with my wife and Deb. and W. Hewer by coach to
Common-garden Coffee-house, where by appointment I was to meet Harris;
which I did, and also Mr. Cooper, the great painter, and Mr. Hales: and
thence presently to Mr. Cooper's house, to see some of his work, which is
all in little, but so excellent as, though I must confess I do think the
colouring of the flesh to be a little forced, yet the painting is so
extraordinary, as I do never expect to see the like again.  Here I did see
Mrs. Stewart's picture as when a young maid, and now just done before her
having the smallpox: and it would make a man weep to see what she was
then, and what she is like to be, by people's discourse, now.  Here I saw
my Lord Generall's picture, and my Lord Arlington and Ashly's, and several
others; but among the rest one Swinfen, that was Secretary to my Lord
Manchester, Lord Chamberlain, with Cooling, done so admirably as I never
saw any thing: but the misery was, this fellow died in debt, and never
paid Cooper for his picture; but, it being seized on by his creditors,
among his other goods, after his death, Cooper himself says that he did
buy it, and give L25 out of his purse for it, for what he was to have had
but L30.  Being infinitely satisfied with this sight, and resolving that
my wife shall be drawn by him when she comes out of the country, I away
with Harris and Hales to the Coffee-house, sending my people away, and
there resolve for Hales to begin Harris's head for me, which I will be at
the cost of.  After a little talk, I away to White Hall and Westminster,
where I find the Parliament still bogling about the raising of this money:
and every body's mouth full now; and Mr. Wren himself tells me that the
Duke of York declares to go to sea himself this year; and I perceive it is
only on this occasion of distaste of the Parliament against W. Pen's
going, and to prevent the Prince's: but I think it is mighty hot counsel
for the Duke of York at this time to go out of the way; but, Lord! what a
pass are all our matters come to!  At noon by appointment to Cursitor's
Alley, in Chancery Lane, to meet Captain Cocke and some other creditors of
the Navy, and their Counsel, Pemberton, North, Offly, and Charles Porter;
and there dined, and talked of the business of the assignments on the
Exchequer of the L1,250,000 on behalf of our creditors; and there I do
perceive that the Counsel had heard of my performance in the
Parliamenthouse lately, and did value me and what I said accordingly.  At
dinner we had a great deal of good discourse about Parliament: their
number being uncertain, and always at the will of the King to encrease, as
he saw reason to erect a new borough.  But all concluded that the bane of
the Parliament hath been the leaving off the old custom of the places
allowing wages to those that served them in Parliament, by which they
chose men that understood their business and would attend it, and they
could expect an account from, which now they cannot; and so the Parliament
is become a company of men unable to give account for the interest of the
place they serve for. Thence, the meeting of the Counsel with the King's
Counsel this afternoon being put off by reason of the death of Serjeant
Maynard's lady, I to White Hall, where the Parliament was to wait on the
King; and they did: and it was to be told that he did think fit to tell
them that they might expect to be adjourned at Whitsuntide, and that they
might make haste to raise their money; but this, I fear, will displease
them, who did expect to sit as long as they pleased, and whether this be
done by the King upon some new counsel I know not, for the King must be
beholding to them till they do settle this business of money.  Great talk
to-day as if Beaufort was come into the Channel with about 20 ships, and
it makes people apprehensive, but yet the Parliament do not stir a bit
faster in the business of money.  Here I met with Creed, expecting a
Committee of Tangier, but the Committee met not, so he and I up and down,
having nothing to do, and particularly to the New Cockpit by the King's
Gate in Holborne, but seeing a great deal of rabble we did refuse to go
in, but took coach and to Hide Park, and there till all the tour was
empty, and so he and I to the Lodge in the Park, and there eat and drank
till it was night, and then carried him to White Hall, having had
abundance of excellent talk with him in reproach of the times and
managements we live under, and so I home, and there to talk and to supper
with my wife, and so to bed.

31st.  Up pretty betimes and to the office, where we sat all the morning,
and at noon I home to dinner, where uncle Thomas dined with me, as he do
every quarter, and I paid him his pension; and also comes Mr. Hollier a
little fuddled, and so did talk nothing but Latin, and laugh, that it was
very good sport to see a sober man in such a humour, though he was not
drunk to scandal.  At dinner comes a summons for this office and the
Victualler to attend a Committee of Parliament this afternoon, with Sir D.
Gawden, which I accordingly did, with my papers relating to the sending of
victuals to Sir John Harman's fleete; and there, Sir R. Brookes in the
chair, we did give them a full account, but, Lord! to see how full they
are and immoveable in their jealousy that some means are used to keep
Harman from coming home, for they have an implacable desire to know the
bottom of the not improving the first victory, and would lay it upon
Brouncker.  Having given them good satisfaction I away thence, up and
down, wanting a little to see whether I could get Mrs. Burroughes out, but
elle being in the shop ego did speak con her much, she could not then go
far, and so I took coach and away to Unthanke's, and there took up my wife
and Deb., and to the Park, where, being in a hackney, and they undressed,
was ashamed to go into the tour, but went round the park, and so with
pleasure home, where Mr. Pelting come and sat and talked late with us, and
he being gone, I called Deb. to take pen, ink, and paper and write down
what things come into my head for my wife to do in order to her going into
the country, and the girl, writing not so well as she would do, cried, and
her mistress construed it to be sullenness, and so away angry with her
too, but going to bed she undressed me, and there I did give her good
advice and baiser la, elle weeping still.



     ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

     Act against Nonconformists and Papists
     Bookseller's, and there looked for Montaigne's Essays
     Bought Montaigne's Essays, in English
     But if she will ruin herself, I cannot help it
     Endangering the nation, when he knew himself such a coward
     I know not how in the world to abstain from reading
     Inventing a better theory of musique
     King, "it is then but Mr. Pepys making of another speech to them"
     Never saw so many sit four hours together to hear any man
     Not eat a bit of good meat till he has got money to pay the men
     Slabbering themselves, and mirth fit for clownes
     To be enjoyed while we are young and capable of these joys
     Tried the effect of my silence and not provoking her
     Trouble, and more money, to every Watch, to them to drink
     Uncertainty of beauty
     Without importunity or the contrary





*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 63: March 1667-68" ***

Copyright 2023 LibraryBlog. All rights reserved.