Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 65: May 1668
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
                                  1668

May 1st, 1668.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning busy.  Then
to Westminster Hall, and there met Sir W. Pen, who labours to have his
answer to his impeachment, and sent down from the Lords' House, read by
the House of Commons; but they are so busy on other matters, that he
cannot, and thereby will, as he believes, by design, be prevented from
going to sea this year.  Here met my cozen Thomas Pepys of Deptford, and
took some turns with him; who is mightily troubled for this Act now passed
against Conventicles, and in few words, and sober, do lament the condition
we are in, by a negligent Prince and a mad Parliament.  Thence I by coach
to the Temple, and there set him down, and then to Sir G. Carteret's to
dine, but he not being at home, I back again to the New Exchange a little,
and thence back again to Hercules Pillars, and there dined all alone, and
then to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Surprizall;" and a
disorder in the pit by its raining in, from the cupola at top, it being a
very foul day, and cold, so as there are few I believe go to the Park
to-day, if any.  Thence to Westminster Hall, and there I understand how
the Houses of Commons and Lords are like to disagree very much, about the
business of the East India Company and one Skinner; to the latter of which
the Lords have awarded L5000 from the former, for some wrong done him
heretofore; and the former appealing to the Commons, the Lords vote their
petition a libell; and so there is like to follow very hot work.  Thence
by water, not being able to get a coach, nor boat but a sculler, and that
with company, is being so foul a day, to the Old Swan, and so home, and
there spent the evening, making Balty read to me, and so to supper and to
bed.

2nd.  Up, and at the office all the morning.  At noon with Lord Brouncker
in his coach as far as the Temple, and there 'light and to Hercules
Pillars, and there dined, and thence to the Duke of York's playhouse, at a
little past twelve, to get a good place in the pit, against the new play,
and there setting a poor man to keep my place, I out, and spent an hour at
Martin's, my bookseller's, and so back again, where I find the house quite
full.  But I had my place, and by and by the King comes and the Duke of
York; and then the play begins, called "The Sullen Lovers; or, The
Impertinents," having many good humours in it, but the play tedious, and
no design at all in it.  But a little boy, for a farce, do dance
Polichinelli, the best that ever anything was done in the world, by all
men's report: most pleased with that, beyond anything in the world, and
much beyond all the play.  Thence to the King's house to see Knepp, but
the play done; and so I took a hackney alone, and to the park, and there
spent the evening, and to the lodge, and drank new milk.  And so home to
the Office, ended my letters, and, to spare my eyes, home, and played on
my pipes, and so to bed.

3rd (Lord's day).  Up, and to church, where I saw Sir A. Rickard, though
he be under the Black Rod, by order of the Lords' House, upon the quarrel
between the East India Company and Skinner, which is like to come to a
very great heat between the two Houses.  At noon comes Mr. Mills and his
wife, and Mr. Turner and his wife, by invitation to dinner, and we were
mighty merry, and a very pretty dinner, of my Bridget and Nell's dressing,
very handsome.  After dinner to church again  .  .  .  . So home and with
Sir W. Pen took a hackney, and he and I to Old Street, to a brew-house
there, to see Sir Thomas Teddiman, who is very ill in bed of a fever, got,
I believe, by the fright the Parliament have put him into, of late.  But
he is a good man, a good seaman, and stout.  Thence Pen and I to
Islington, and there, at the old house, eat, and drank, and merry, and
there by chance giving two pretty fat boys each of them a cake, they
proved to be Captain Holland's children, whom therefore I pity.  So round
by Hackney home, having good discourse, he [Pen] being very open to me in
his talk, how the King ought to dissolve this Parliament, when the Bill of
Money is passed, they being never likely to give him more; how he [the
King] hath great opportunity of making himself popular by stopping this
Act against Conventicles; and how my Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, if the
Parliament continue, will undoubtedly fall, he having managed that place
with so much self-seeking, and disorder, and pleasure, and some great men
are designing to overthrow [him], as, among the rest, my Lord Orrery; and
that this will try the King mightily, he being a firm friend to my Lord
Lieutenant.  So home; and to supper a little, and then to bed, having
stepped, after I come home, to Alderman Backewell's about business, and
there talked a while with him and his wife, a fine woman of the country,
and how they had bought an estate at Buckeworth, within four mile of
Brampton.

4th.  Up betimes, and by water to Charing Cross, and so to W. Coventry,
and there talked a little with him, and thence over the Park to White
Hall, and there did a little business at the Treasury, and so to the Duke,
and there present Balty to the Duke of York and a letter from the Board to
him about him, and the Duke of York is mightily pleased with him, and I
doubt not his continuance in employment, which I am glad of. Thence with
Sir H. Cholmly to Westminster Hall talking, and he crying mightily out of
the power the House of Lords usurps in this business of the East India
Company.  Thence away home and there did business, and so to dinner, my
sister Michell and I, and thence to the Duke of York's house, and there
saw "The Impertinents" again, and with less pleasure than before, it being
but a very contemptible play, though there are many little witty
expressions in it; and the pit did generally say that of it. Thence, going
out, Mrs. Pierce called me from the gallery, and there I took her and Mrs.
Corbet by coach up and down, and took up Captain Rolt in the street; and
at last, it being too late to go to the Park, I carried them to the Beare
in Drury Lane, and there did treat them with a dish of mackrell, the first
I have seen this year, and another dish, and mighty merry; and so carried
her home, and thence home myself, well pleased with this evening's
pleasure, and so to bed.

5th.  Up, and all the morning at the office.  At noon home to dinner and
Creed with me, and after dinner he and I to the Duke of York's playhouse;
and there coming late, he and I up to the balcony-box, where we find my
Lady Castlemayne and several great ladies; and there we sat with them, and
I saw "The Impertinents" once more, now three times, and the three only
days it hath been acted.  And to see the folly how the house do this day
cry up the play more than yesterday! and I for that reason like it, I
find, the better, too; by Sir Positive At-all, I understand, is meant Sir
Robert Howard.  My Lady [Castlemaine] pretty well pleased with it; but
here I sat close to her fine woman, Willson, who indeed is very handsome,
but, they say, with child by the King.  I asked, and she told me this was
the first time her Lady had seen it, I having a mind to say something to
her.  One thing of familiarity I observed in my Lady Castlemayne: she
called to one of her women, another that sat by this, for a little patch
off her face, and put it into her mouth and wetted it, and so clapped it
upon her own by the side of her mouth, I suppose she feeling a pimple
rising there.  Thence with Creed to Westminster Hall, and there met with
cozen Roger, who tells me of the great conference this day between the
Lords and Commons, about the business of the East India Company, as being
one of the weightiest conferences that hath been, and managed as
weightily.  I am heartily sorry I was not there, it being upon a mighty
point of the privileges of the subjects of England, in regard to the
authority of the House of Lords, and their being condemned by them as the
Supreme Court, which, we say, ought not to be, but by appeal from other
Courts.  And he tells me that the Commons had much the better of them, in
reason and history there quoted, and believes the Lords will let it fall.
Thence to walk in the Hall, and there hear that Mrs. Martin's child, my
god-daughter, is dead, and so by water to the Old Swan, and thence home,
and there a little at Sir W. Pen's, and so to bed.

6th.  Up, and to the office, and thence to White Hall, but come too late
to see the Duke of York, with whom my business was, and so to Westminster
Hall, where met with several people and talked with them, and among other
things understand that my Lord St. John is meant by Mr. Woodcocke, in "The
Impertinents."

        ["Whilst Positive walks, like Woodcock in the park,
          Contriving projects with a brewer's clerk."

     Andrew Marvell's "Instructions to a Painter," part iii., to which is
     subjoined the following note: "Sir Robert Howard, and Sir William
     Bucknell, the brewer."--Works, ed.  by Capt.  E. Thompson, vol.
     iii., p. 405.--B.]

Here met with Mrs. Washington, my old acquaintance of the Hall, whose
husband has a place in the Excise at Windsor, and it seems lives well. I
have not seen her these 8 or 9 years, and she begins to grow old, I
perceive, visibly.  So time do alter, and do doubtless the like in myself.
This morning the House is upon the City Bill, and they say hath passed it,
though I am sorry that I did not think to put somebody in mind of moving
for the churches to be allotted according to the convenience of the
people, and not to gratify this Bishop, or that College.  Thence by water
to the New Exchange, where bought a pair of shoe-strings, and so to Mr.
Pierces, where invited, and there was Knepp and Mrs. Foster and here
dined, but a poor, sluttish dinner, as usual, and so I could not be
heartily merry at it: here saw her girl's picture, but it is mighty far
short of her boy's, and not like her neither;  but it makes Hales's
picture of her boy appear a good picture.  Thence to White Hall, walked
with Brisband, who dined there also, and thence I back to the King's
playhouse, and there saw "The Virgin Martyr," and heard the musick that I
like so well, and intended to have seen Knepp, but I let her alone; and
having there done, went to Mrs. Pierces back again, where she was, and
there I found her on a pallet in the dark .  .  .  ,  that is Knepp. And
so to talk; and by and by did eat some curds and cream, and thence away
home, and it being night, I did walk in the dusk up and down, round
through our garden, over Tower Hill, and so through Crutched Friars, three
or four times, and once did meet Mercer and another pretty lady, but being
surprized I could say little to them,, although I had an opportunity of
pleasing myself with them,  but left them, and then I did see our Nell,
Payne's daughter, and her je did desire venir after me, and so elle did
see me to, Tower Hill to our back entry there that comes upon the degres
entrant into nostra garden .  .  .  , and so parted, and je home to put up
things against to-morrow's carrier for my wife; and, among others, a very
fine salmon-pie, sent me by Mr. Steventon, W. Hewer's uncle, and so to
bed.

7th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning.  At noon home to
dinner, and thither I sent for Mercer to dine with me, and after dinner
she and I called Mrs. Turner, and I carried them to the Duke of York's
house, and there saw "The Man's the Master," which proves, upon my seeing
it again, a very good play.  Thence called Knepp from the King's house,
where going in for her, the play being done, I did see Beck Marshall come
dressed, off of the stage, and looks mighty fine, and pretty, and noble:
and also Nell, in her boy's clothes, mighty pretty.  But, Lord!  their
confidence! and how many men do hover about them as soon as they come off
the stage, and how confident they are in their talk!  Here I did kiss the
pretty woman newly come, called Pegg, that was Sir Charles Sidly's
mistress, a mighty pretty woman, and seems, but is not, modest.  Here took
up Knepp into our coach, and all of us with her to her lodgings, and
thither comes Bannister with a song of hers, that he hath set in Sir
Charles Sidly's play for her, which is, I think, but very meanly set; but
this he did, before us, teach her, and it being but a slight, silly, short
ayre, she learnt it presently.  But I did get him to prick me down the
notes of the Echo in "The Tempest," which pleases me mightily.  Here was
also Haynes, the incomparable dancer of the King's house, and a seeming
civil man, and sings pretty well, and they gone, we abroad to Marrowbone,
and there walked in the garden, the first time I ever was there; and a
pretty place it is, and here we eat and drank and stayed till 9 at night,
and so home by moonshine .  .  .  .  And so set Mrs. Knepp at her lodging,
and so the rest, and I home talking with a great deal of pleasure, and so
home to bed.

8th.  Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning.  Towards noon I
to Westminster and there understand that the Lords' House did sit till
eleven o'clock last night, about the business in difference between them
and the Commons, in the matter of the East India Company.  Here took a
turn or two, and up to my Lord Crew's, and there dined; where Mr. Case,
the minister, a dull fellow in his talk, and all in the Presbyterian
manner; a great deal of noise and a kind of religious tone, but very dull.
After dinner my Lord and I together.  He tells me he hears that there are
great disputes like to be at Court, between the factions of the two women,
my Lady Castlemayne and Mrs. Stewart, who is now well again, and the King
hath made several public visits to her, and like to come to Court: the
other is to go to Barkeshire-house, which is taken for her, and they say a
Privy-Seal is passed for L5000 for it.  He believes all will come to ruin.
Thence I to White Hall, where the Duke of York gone to the Lords' House,
where there is to be a conference on the Lords' side to the Commons this
afternoon, giving in their Reasons, which I would have been at, but could
not; for, going by direction to the Prince's chamber, there Brouncker, W.
Pen, and Mr. Wren, and I, met, and did our business with the Duke of York.
But, Lord!  to see how this play of Sir Positive At-all,--["The
Impertinents."]--in abuse of Sir Robert Howard, do take, all the Duke's
and every body's talk being of that, and telling more stories of him, of
the like nature, that it is now the town and country talk, and, they say,
is most exactly true.  The Duke of York himself said that of his playing
at trap-ball is true, and told several other stories of him.  This being
done, Brouncker, Pen, and I to Brouncker's house, and there sat and
talked, I asking many questions in mathematics to my Lord, which he do me
the pleasure to satisfy me in, and here we drank and so spent an hour, and
so W. Pen and I home, and after being with W. Pen at his house an hour, I
home and to bed.

9th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning we sat.  Here I first
hear that the Queene hath miscarryed of a perfect child, being gone about
ten weeks, which do shew that she can conceive, though it be unfortunate
that she cannot bring forth.  Here we are told also that last night the
Duchesse of Monmouth, dancing at her lodgings, hath sprained her thigh.
Here we are told also that the House of Commons sat till five o'clock this
morning, upon the business of the difference between the Lords and them,
resolving to do something therein before they rise, to assert their
privileges.  So I at noon by water to Westminster, and there find the King
hath waited in the Prince's chamber these two hours, and the Houses are
not ready for him.  The Commons having sent this morning, after their long
debate therein the last night, to the Lords, that they do think the only
expedient left to preserve unity between the two Houses is, that they do
put a stop to any proceedings upon their late judgement against the East
India Company, till their next meeting; to which the Lords returned answer
that they would return answer to them by a messenger of their own, which
they not presently doing, they were all inflamed, and thought it was only
a trick, to keep them in suspense till the King come to adjourne them;
and, so, rather than lose the opportunity of doing themselves right, they
presently with great fury come to this vote: "That whoever should assist
in the execution of the judgement of the Lords against the Company, should
be held betrayers of the liberties of the people of England, and of the
privileges of that House." This the Lords had notice of, and were mad at
it; and so continued debating without any design to yield to the Commons,
till the King come in, and sent for the Commons, where the Speaker made a
short but silly speech, about their giving Him L300,000; and then the
several Bills, their titles were read, and the King's assent signified in
the proper terms, according to the nature of the Bills, of which about
three or four were public Bills, and seven or eight private ones, the
additional Bills for the building of the City and the Bill against
Conventicles being none of them.  The King did make a short, silly speech,
which he read, giving them thanks for the money, which now, he said, he
did believe would be sufficient, because there was peace between his
neighbours, which was a kind of a slur, methought, to the Commons; and
that he was sorry for what he heard of difference between the two Houses,
but that he hoped their recesse would put them into a way of
accommodation; and so adjourned them to the 9th of August, and then
recollected himself, and told them the 11th; so imperfect a speaker he is.
So the Commons went to their House, and forthwith adjourned; and the Lords
resumed their House, the King being gone, and sat an hour or two after,
but what they did, I cannot tell; but every body expected they would
commit Sir Andrew Rickard, Sir Samuel Barnardiston, Mr. Boone, and Mr.
Wynne, who were all there, and called in, upon their knees, to the bar of
the House; and Sir John Robinson I left there, endeavouring to prevent
their being committed to the Tower, lest he should thereby be forced to
deny their order, because of this vote of the Commons, whereof he is one,
which is an odde case.

     [This "odd case" was that of Thomas Skinner and the East India
     Company.  According to Ralph, the Commons had ordered Skinner, the
     plaintiff, into the custody of the Serjeant-at-Arms, and the Lords
     did the same by Sir Samuel Barnadiston, deputy-governor of the
     company, as likewise Sir Andrew Rickard, Mr. Rowland Gwynn, and Mr.
     Christopher Boone.--B.]

Thence I to the Rose Taverne in Covent Garden, and there sent for a pullet
and dined all alone, being to meet Sir W. Pen, who by and by come, and he
and I into the King's house, and there "The Mayd's Tragedy," a good play,
but Knepp not there; and my head and eyes out of order, the first from my
drinking wine at dinner, and the other from my much work in the morning.
Thence parted, and I towards the New Exchange and there bought a pair of
black silk stockings at the hosier's that hath the very pretty woman to
his wife, about ten doors on this side of the 'Change, and she is indeed
very pretty, but I think a notable talking woman by what I heard to others
there.  Thence to Westminster Hall, where I hear the Lords are up, but
what they have done I know not, and so walked toward White Hall and thence
by water to the Tower, and so home and there to my letters, and so to Sir
W. Pen's; and there did talk with Mrs. Lowther, who is very kind to me,
more than usual, and I will make use of it.  She begins to draw very well,
and I think do as well, if not better, than my wife, if it be true that
she do it herself, what she shews me, and so to bed, and my head akeing
all night with the wine I drank to-day, and my eyes ill.  So lay long, my
head pretty well in the morning.

10th (Lord's day).  Up, and to the office, there to do, business till
church time, when Mr. Shepley, newly come to town, come to see me, and we
had some discourse of all matters, and particularly of my Lord Sandwich's
concernments, and here did by the by as he would seem tell me that my
Lady--[Lady Sandwich.]--had it in her thoughts, if she had occasion, to,
borrow L100 of me, which I did not declare any opposition to, though I
doubt it will be so much lost.  But, however, I will not deny my Lady, if
she ask it, whatever comes of it, though it be lost; but shall be glad
that it is no bigger sum.  And yet it vexes me though, and the more
because it brings into my head some apprehensions what trouble I may here
after be brought to when my Lord comes home, if he should ask me to come
into bonds with him, as I fear he will have occasions to make money, but I
hope I shall have the wit to deny it.  He being gone, I to church, and so
home, and there comes W. Hewer and Balty, and by and by I sent for Mercer
to come and dine with me, and pretty merry, and after dinner I fell to
teach her "Canite Jehovae," which she did a great part presently, and so
she away, and I to church, and from church home with my Lady Pen; and,
after being there an hour or so talking, I took her, and Mrs. Lowther, and
old Mrs. Whistler, her mother-in-law, by water with great pleasure as far
as Chelsy, and so back to Spring Garden, at Fox-hall, and there walked,
and eat, and drank, and so to water again, and set down the old woman at
home at Durham Yard:' and it raining all the way, it troubled us; but,
however, my cloak kept us all dry, and so home, and at the Tower wharf
there we did send for a pair of old shoes for Mrs. Lowther, and there I
did pull the others off and put them on, elle being peu shy, but do speak
con mighty kindness to me that she would desire me pour su mari if it were
to be done .  .  .  .  .  Here staid a little at Sir W. Pen's, who was
gone to bed, it being about eleven at night, and so I home to bed.

11th.  Up, and to my office, where alone all the morning.  About noon
comes to me my cousin Sarah, and my aunt Livett, newly come out of
Gloucestershire, good woman, and come to see me; I took them home, and
made them drink, but they would not stay dinner, I being alone.  But here
they tell me that they hear that this day Kate Joyce was to be married to
a man called Hollingshed, whom she indeed did once tell me of, and desired
me to enquire after him.  But, whatever she said of his being rich, I do
fear, by her doing this without my advice, it is not as it ought to be;
but, as she brews, let her bake.  They being gone, I to dinner with Balty
and his wife, who is come to town to-day from Deptford to see us, and
after dinner I out and took a coach, and called Mercer, and she and I to
the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Tempest," and between two
acts, I went out to Mr. Harris, and got him to repeat to me the words of
the Echo, while I writ them down, having tried in the play to have wrote
them; but, when I had done it, having done it without looking upon my
paper, I find I could not read the blacklead. But now I have got the words
clear, and, in going in thither, had the pleasure to see the actors in
their several dresses, especially the seamen and monster, which were very
droll: so into the play again.  But there happened one thing which vexed
me, which is, that the orange-woman did come in the pit, and challenge me
for twelve oranges, which she delivered by my order at a late play, at
night, to give to some ladies in a box, which was wholly untrue, but yet
she swore it to be true.  But, however, I did deny it, and did not pay
her; but, for quiet, did buy 4s. worth of oranges of her, at 6d. a-piece.
Here I saw first my Lord Ormond since his coming from Ireland, which is
now about eight days.  After the play done, I took Mercer by water to
Spring Garden; and there with great pleasure walked, and eat, and drank,
and sang, making people come about us, to hear us, and two little children
of one of our neighbours that happened to be there, did come into our
arbour, and we made them dance prettily.  So by water, with great
pleasure, down to the Bridge, and there landed, and took water again on
the other side; and so to the Tower, and I saw her home, I myself home to
my chamber, and by and by to bed.

12th.  Up, and to the office, where we sat, and sat all the morning. Here
Lord Anglesey was with us, and in talk about the late difference between
the two Houses, do tell us that he thinks the House of Lords may be in an
error, at least, it is possible they may, in this matter of Skinner; and
he doubts they may, and did declare his judgement in the House of Lords
against their proceedings therein, he having hindered 100 originall causes
being brought into their House, notwithstanding that he was put upon
defending their proceedings: but that he is confident that the House of
Commons are in the wrong, in the method they take to remedy an error of
the Lords, for no vote of theirs can do it; but, in all like cases, the
Commons have done it by petition to the King, sent up to the Lords, and by
them agreed to, and so redressed, as they did in the Petition of Right.
He says that he did tell them indeed, which is talked of, and which did
vex the Commons, that the Lords were "Judices nati et Conciliarii nati;"
but all other judges among us are under salary, and the Commons themselves
served for wages; and therefore the Lords, in reason, were the freer
judges.  At noon to dinner at home, and after dinner, where Creed dined
with me, he and I, by water to the Temple, where we parted, and I both to
the King's and Duke of York's playhouses, and there went through the
houses to see what faces I could spy that I knew, and meeting none, I away
by coach to my house, and then to Mrs. Mercer's, where I met with her two
daughters, and a pretty-lady I never knew yet, one Mrs. Susan Gayet, a
very pretty black lady, that speaks French well, and is a Catholick, and
merchant's daughter, by us, and here was also Mrs. Anne Jones, and after
sitting and talking a little, I took them out, and carried them through
Hackney to Kingsland, and there walked to Sir G. Whitmore's house, where I
have not been many a day; and so to the old house at Islington, and eat,
and drank, and sang, and mighty merry; and so by moonshine with infinite
pleasure home, and there sang again in Mercer's garden.  And so parted, I
having there seen a mummy in a merchant's warehouse there, all the middle
of the man or woman's body, black and hard.  I never saw any before, and,
therefore, it pleased me much, though an ill sight; and he did give me a
little bit, and a bone of an arme, I suppose, and so home, and there to
bed.

13th.  Up, and by water to White Hall, and so to Sir H. Cholmly's, who not
being up I made a short visit to Sir W. Coventry, and he and I through the
Park to White Hall, and thence I back into the Park, and there met Sir H.
Cholmly, and he and I to Sir Stephen Fox's, where we met and considered
the business of the Excise, how far it is charged in reference to the
payment of the Guards and Tangier.  Thence he and I walked to Westminster
Hall and there took a turn, it being holyday, and so back again, and I to
the mercer's, and my tailor's about a stuff suit that I am going to make.
Thence, at noon, to Hercules Pillars, and there dined all alone, and so to
White Hall, some of us attended the Duke of York as usual, and so to
attend the Council about the business of Hemskirke's project of building a
ship that sails two feet for one of any other ship, which the Council did
agree to be put in practice, the King to give him, if it proves good,
L5000 in hand, and L15,000 more in seven years, which, for my part, I
think a piece of folly for them to meddle with, because the secret cannot
be long kept.  So thence, after Council, having drunk some of the King's
wine and water with Mr. Chevins, my Lord Brouncker, and some others, I by
water to the Old Swan, and there to Michell's, and did see her and drink
there, but he being there je ne baiser la; and so back again by water to
Spring Garden all alone, and walked a little, and so back again home, and
there a little to my viall, and so to bed, Mrs. Turner having sat and
supped with me.  This morning I hear that last night Sir Thomas Teddiman,
poor man! did die by a thrush in his mouth: a good man, and stout and
able, and much lamented; though people do make a little mirth, and say, as
I believe it did in good part, that the business of the Parliament did
break his heart, or, at least, put him into this fever and disorder, that
caused his death.

14th.  Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon
home to dinner with my people, but did not stay to dine out with them, but
rose and straight by water to the Temple, and so to Penny's, my tailor's,
where by and by by agreement Mercer, and she, to my great content, brings
Mrs. Gayet, and I carried them to the King's house; but, coming too soon,
we out again to the Rose taverne, and there I did give them a tankard of
cool drink, the weather being very hot, and then into the playhouse again,
and there saw "The Country Captain," a very dull play, that did give us no
content, and besides, little company there, which made it very unpleasing.
Thence to the waterside, at Strand bridge, and so up by water and to
Fox-hall, where we walked a great while, and pleased mightily with the
pleasure thereof, and the company there, and then in, and eat and drank,
and then out again and walked, and it beginning to be dark, we to a corner
and sang, that everybody got about us to hear us; and so home, where I saw
them both at their doors, and, full of the content of this afternoon's
pleasure, I home and to walk in the garden a little, and so home to bed.

15th.  Up, and betimes to White Hall, and there met with Sir H. Cholmly at
Sir Stephen Fox's, and there was also the Cofferer, and we did there
consider about our money and the condition of the Excise, and after much
dispute agreed upon a state thereof and the manner of our future course of
payments.  Thence to the Duke of York, and there did a little navy
business as we used to do, and so to a Committee for Tangier, where God
knows how my Lord Bellasses's accounts passed; understood by nobody but my
Lord Ashly, who, I believe, was mad to let them go as he pleased.  But
here Sir H. Cholmly had his propositions read, about a greater price for
his work of the Mole, or to do it upon account, which, being read, he was
bid to withdraw.  But, Lord! to see how unlucky a man may be, by chance;
for, making an unfortunate minute when they were almost tired with the
other business, the Duke of York did find fault with it, and that made all
the rest, that I believe he had better have given a great deal, and had
nothing said to it to-day; whereas, I have seen other things more
extravagant passed at first hearing, without any difficulty.  Thence I to
my Lord Brouncker's, at Mrs. Williams's, and there dined, and she did shew
me her closet, which I was sorry to see, for fear of her expecting
something from me; and here she took notice of my wife's not once coming
to see her, which I am glad of; for she shall not--a prating, vain, idle
woman.  Thence with Lord Brouncker to Loriners'-hall,

     [The Loriners, or Lorimers (bit-makers), of London are by reputation
     an ancient mistery, but they were first incorporated by letters
     patent of 10 Queen Anne (December 3rd, 1711).  Their small hall was
     at the corner of Basinghall Street in London Wall.  The company has
     no hall now.]

by Mooregate, a hall I never heard of before, to Sir Thomas Teddiman's
burial, where most people belonging to the sea were.  And here we had
rings: and here I do hear that some of the last words that he said were,
that he had a very good King, God bless him!  but that the Parliament had
very ill rewarded him for all the service he had endeavoured to do them
and his country; so that, for certain, this did go far towards his death.
But, Lord!  to see among [the company] the young commanders, and Thomas
Killigrew and others that come, how unlike a burial this was, O'Brian
taking out some ballads out of his pocket, which I read, and the rest come
about me to hear! and there very merry we were all, they being new
ballets.  By and by the corpse went; and I, with my Lord Brouncker, and
Dr. Clerke, and Mr. Pierce, as far as the foot of London-bridge; and there
we struck off into Thames Street, the rest going to Redriffe, where he is
to be buried.  And we 'light at the Temple, and there parted; and I to the
King's house, and there saw the last act of "The Committee," thinking to
have seen Knepp there, but she did not act.  And so to my bookseller's,
and there carried home some books-among others, "Dr. Wilkins's Reall
Character," and thence to Mrs. Turner's, and there went and sat, and she
showed me her house from top to bottom, which I had not seen before, very
handsome, and here supped, and so home, and got Mercer, and she and I in
the garden singing till ten at night, and so home to a little supper, and
then parted, with great content, and to bed.  The Duchesse of Monmouth's
hip is, I hear, now set again, after much pain.  I am told also that the
Countess of Shrewsbury is brought home by the Duke of Buckingham to his
house, where his Duchess saying that it was not for her and the other to
live together in a house, he answered,  Why, Madam, I did think so, and,
therefore, have ordered your coach to be ready, to carry you to your
father's, which was a devilish speech, but, they say, true; and my Lady
Shrewsbury is there, it seems.

16th.  Up; and to the Office, where we sat all the morning; and at noon,
home with my people to dinner; and thence to the Office all the afternoon,
till, my eyes weary, I did go forth by coach to the King's playhouse, and
there saw the best part of "The Sea Voyage," where Knepp I see do her part
of sorrow very well.  I afterwards to her house; but she did not come
presently home; and there je did kiss her ancilla, which is so mighty
belle; and I to my tailor's, and to buy me a belt for my new suit against
to-morrow; and so home, and there to my Office, and afterwards late
walking in the garden; and so home to supper, and to bed, after Nell's
cutting of my hair close, the weather being very hot.

17th (Lord's day).  Up, and put on my new stuff-suit, with a
shoulder-belt, according to the new fashion, and the bands of my vest and
tunique laced with silk lace, of the colour of my suit: and so, very
handsome, to Church, where a dull sermon and of a stranger, and so home;
and there I find W. Howe, and a younger brother of his, come to dine with
me; and there comes Mercer, and brings with her Mrs. Gayet, which pleased
me mightily; and here was also W. Hewer, and mighty merry; and after
dinner to sing psalms.  But, Lord! to hear what an excellent base this
younger brother of W. Howe's sings, even to my astonishment, and mighty
pleasant. By and by Gayet goes away, being a Catholick, to her devotions,
and Mercer to church; but we continuing an hour or two singing, and so
parted; and I to Sir W. Pen's, and there sent for a hackney-coach; and he
and she [Lady Pen] and I out, to take the gyre.  We went to Stepney, and
there stopped at the Trinity House, he to talk with the servants there
against to-morrow, which is a great day for the choice of a new Master,
and thence to Mile End, and there eat and drank, and so home; and I supped
with them--that is, eat some butter and radishes, which is my excuse for
not eating any other of their victuals, which I hate, because of their
sluttery: and so home, and made my boy read to me part of Dr. Wilkins's
new book of the "Real Character;" and so to bed.

18th.  Up, and to my office, where most of the morning doing business and
seeing my window-frames new painted, and then I out by coach to my Lord
Bellasses, at his new house by my late Lord Treasurer's, and there met him
and Mr. Sherwin, Auditor Beale, and Creed, about my Lord's accounts, and
here my Lord shewed me his new house, which, indeed, is mighty noble, and
good pictures--indeed, not one bad one in it.  Thence to my tailor's, and
there did find Mercer come with Mrs. Horsfield and Gayet according to my
desire, and there I took them up, it being almost twelve o'clock, or a
little more, and carried them to the King's playhouse, where the doors
were not then open; but presently they did open; and we in, and find many
people already come in, by private ways, into the pit, it being the first
day of Sir Charles Sidly's new play, so long expected, "The Mullberry
Guarden," of whom, being so reputed a wit, all the world do expect great
matters.  I having sat here awhile, and eat nothing to-day, did slip out,
getting a boy to keep my place; and to the Rose Tavern, and there got half
a breast of mutton, off of the spit, and dined all alone.  And so to the
play again, where the King and Queen, by and by, come, and all the Court;
and the house infinitely full.  But the play, when it come, though there
was, here and there, a pretty saying, and that not very many neither, yet
the whole of the play had nothing extraordinary in it, at all, neither of
language nor design; insomuch that the King I did not see laugh, nor
pleased the whole play from the beginning to the end, nor the company;
insomuch that I have not been less pleased at a new play in my life, I
think.  And which made it the worse was, that there never was worse musick
played--that is, worse things composed, which made me and Captain Rolt,
who happened to sit near me, mad.  So away thence, very little satisfied
with the play, but pleased with my company.  I carried them to Kensington,
to the Grotto, and there we sang, to my great content, only vexed, in
going in, to see a son of Sir Heneage Finch's beating of a poor little dog
to death, letting it lie in so much pain that made me mad to see it, till,
by and by, the servants of the house chiding of their young master, one of
them come with a thong, and killed the dog outright presently.  Thence to
Westminster palace, and there took boat and to Fox Hall, where we walked,
and eat, and drank, and sang, and very merry.  But I find Mrs. Horsfield
one of the veriest citizen's wives in the world, so full of little silly
talk, and now and then a little sillily bawdy, that I believe if you had
her sola a man might hazer all with her.  So back by water to Westminster
Palace, and there got a coach which carried us as far as the Minorys, and
there some thing of the traces broke, and we forced to 'light, and walked
to Mrs. Horsfield's house, it being a long and bad way, and dark, and
having there put her in a doors, her husband being in bed, we left her and
so back to our coach, where the coachman had put it in order, but could
not find his whip in the dark a great while, which made us stay long.  At
last getting a neighbour to hold a candle out of their window Mercer found
it, and so away we home at almost 12 at night, and setting them both at
their homes, I home and to bed.

19th.  Up, and called on Mr. Pierce, who tells me that after all this ado
Ward is come to town, and hath appeared to the Commissioners of Accounts
and given such answers as he thinks will do every body right, and let the
world see that their great expectations and jealousies have been vain in
this matter of the prizes.  The Commissioners were mighty inquisitive
whether he was not instructed by letters or otherwise from hence from my
Lord Sandwich's friends what to say and do, and particularly from me,
which he did wholly deny, as it was true, I not knowing the man that I
know of.  He tells me also that, for certain, Mr. Vaughan is made Lord
Chief justice, which I am glad of.  He tells me, too; that since my Lord
of Ormond's coming over, the King begins to be mightily reclaimed, and
sups every night with great pleasure with the Queene: and yet, it seems,
he is mighty hot upon the Duchess of Richmond; insomuch that, upon Sunday
was se'nnight, at night, after he had ordered his Guards and coach to be
ready to carry him to the Park, he did, on a sudden, take a pair of oars
or sculler, and all alone, or but one with him, go to Somersett House, and
there, the garden-door not being open, himself clamber over the walls to
make a visit to her, which is a horrid shame.  He gone, I to the office,
where we sat all the morning, Sir W. Pen sick of the gout comes not out.
After dinner at home, to White Hall, it being a very rainy day, and there
a Committee for Tangier, where I was mightily pleased to see Sir W.
Coventry fall upon my Lord Bellasses' business of the 3d. in every piece
of it which he would get to himself, making the King pay 4s. 9d, while he
puts them off for 4s. 6d., so that Sir W. Coventry continues still the
same man for the King's good.  But here Creed did vex me with saying that
I ought first to have my account past by the Commissioners of Tangier
before in the Exchequer.  Thence W. Coventry and I in the Matted gallery,
and there he did talk very well to me about the way to save the credit of
the officers of the Navy, and their places too, by making use of this
interval of Parliament to be found to be mending of matters in the Navy,
and that nothing but this will do it, and gives an instance in themselves
of the Treasury, whereof himself and Sir John Duncombe all the world knows
have enemies, and my Lord Ashly a man obnoxious to most, and Sir Thomas
Clifford one that as a man suddenly rising and a creature of my Lord
Arlington's hath enemies enough (none of them being otherwise but the Duke
of Albemarle), yet with all this fault they hear nothing of the business
of the Treasury, but all well spoken of there.  He is for the removal of
Sir John Minnes, thinking that thereby the world will see a greater change
in the hands than now they do; and I will endeavour it, and endeavour to
do some good in the office also.  So home by coach, and to the office,
where ended my letters, and then home, and there got Balty to read to me
out of Sorbiere's Observations in his Voyage into England, and then to
bed.

20th.  Up, and with Colonell Middleton, in a new coach he hath made him,
very handsome, to White Hall, where the Duke of York having removed his
lodgings for this year to St. James's, we walked thither; and there find
the Duke of York coming to White Hall, and so back to the Council-chamber,
where the Committee of the Navy sat; and here we discoursed several
things; but, Lord! like fools; so as it was a shame to see things of this
importance managed by a Council that understand nothing of them: and,
among other things, one was about this building of a ship with Hemskirke's
secret, to sail a third faster than any other ship; but he hath got Prince
Rupert on his side, and by that means, I believe, will get his conditions
made better than he would otherwise, or ought indeed. Having done there, I
met with Sir Richard Browne, and he took me to dinner with him to a new
tavern, above Charing Cross, where some clients of his did give him a good
dinner, and good company; among others, one Bovy, a solicitor, and lawyer
and merchant all together, who hath travelled very much, did talk some
things well; but only he is a "Sir Positive:" but the talk of their
travels over the Alps very fine.  Thence walked to the King's playhouse,
and saw "The Mulberry Garden" again, and cannot be reconciled to it, but
only to find here and there an independent sentence of wit, and that is
all.  Here met with Creed; and took him to Hales's, and there saw the
beginnings of Harris's head which he draws for me, which I do not yet
like.  So he and I down to the New Exchange, and there cheapened ribbands
for my wife, and so down to the Whey house and drank some and eat some
curds, which did by and by make my belly ake mightily.  So he and I to
White Hall, and walked over the Park to the Mulberry-Garden,

     [On the site of the present Buckingham Palace and gardens.
     Originally a garden of mulberry trees, planted by James I. in 1609
     with the intention of cultivating the manufacture of English silks.]

where I never was before; and find it a very silly place, worse than
Spring-garden, and but little company, and those a rascally, whoring,
roguing sort of people, only a wilderness here, that is somewhat pretty,
but rude.  Did not stay to drink, but walked an hour and so away to
Charing Cross, and there took coach and away home, in my way going into
Bishopsgate Street, to bespeak places for myself and boy to go to
Cambridge in the coach this week, and so to Brampton, to see my wife.  So
home, and to supper and to bed.

21st.  Up, and busy to send some things into the country, and then to the
Office, where meets me Sir Richard Ford, who among other things
congratulates me, as one or two did yesterday, [on] my great purchase; and
he advises me rather to forbear, if it be not done, as a thing that the
world will envy me in: and what is it but my cozen Tom Pepys's buying of
Martin Abbey, in Surry! which is a mistake I am sorry for, and yet do fear
that it may spread in the world to my prejudice.  All the morning at the
office, and at noon my clerks dined with me, and there do hear from them
how all the town is full of the talk of a meteor, or some fire, that did
on Saturday last fly over the City at night, which do put me in mind that,
being then walking in the dark an hour or more myself in the garden, after
I had done writing, I did see a light before me come from behind me, which
made me turn back my head; and I did see a sudden fire or light running in
the sky, as it were towards Cheapside ward, and it vanished very quick,
which did make me bethink myself what holyday it was, and took it for some
rocket, though it was much brighter than any rocket, and so thought no
more of it, but it seems Mr. Hater and Gibson going home that night did
meet with many clusters of people talking of it, and many people of the
towns about the city did see it, and the world do make much discourse of
it, their apprehensions being mighty full of the rest of the City to be
burned, and the Papists to cut our throats. Which God prevent!  Thence
after dinner I by coach to the Temple, and there bought a new book of
songs set to musique by one Smith of Oxford, some songs of Mr. Cowley's,
and so to Westminster, and there to walk a little in the Hall, and so to
Mrs. Martin's, and there did hazer cet que je voudrai mit her, and drank
and sat most of the afternoon with her and her sister, and here she
promises me her fine starling, which was the King's, and speaks finely,
which I shall be glad of, and so walked to the Temple, meeting in the
street with my cozen Alcocke, the young man, that is a good sober youth, I
have not seen these four or five years, newly come to town to look for
employment: but I cannot serve him, though I think he deserves well, and
so I took coach and home to my business, and in the evening took Mrs.
Turner and Mercer out to Mile End and drank, and then home, and sang; and
eat a dish of greene pease, the first I have seen this year, given me by
Mr. Gibson, extraordinary young and pretty, and so saw them at home, and
so home to bed.  Sir W. Pen continues ill of the gout.

22nd.  Up, and all the morning at the office busy.  At noon home with my
people to dinner, where good discourse and merry.  After dinner comes Mr.
Martin, the purser, and brings me his wife's starling, which was formerly
the King's bird, that do speak and whistle finely, which I am mighty proud
of and shall take pleasure in it.  Thence to the Duke of York's house to a
play, and saw Sir Martin Marr-all, where the house is full; and though I
have seen it, I think, ten times, yet the pleasure I have is yet as great
as ever, and is undoubtedly the best comedy ever was wrote. Thence to my
tailor's and a mercer's for patterns to carry my wife of cloth and silk
for a bed, which I think will please her and me, and so home, and fitted
myself for my journey to-morrow, which I fear will not be pleasant,
because of the wet weather, it raining very hard all this day; but the
less it troubles me because the King and Duke of York and Court are at
this day at Newmarket, at a great horse-race, and proposed great pleasure
for two or three days, but are in the same wet.  So from the office home
to supper, and betimes to bed.

23rd.  Up by four o'clock; and, getting my things ready, and recommending
the care of my house to W. Hewer, I with my boy Tom, whom I take with me,
to the Bull, in Bishopsgate Street, and there, about six, took coach, he
and I, and a gentleman and his man, there being another coach also, with
as many more, I think, in it; and so away to Bishop's Stafford, and there
dined, and changed horses and coach, at Mrs. Aynsworth's; but I took no
knowledge of her.  Here the gentleman and I to dinner, and in comes
Captain Forster, an acquaintance of his, he that do belong to my Lord
Anglesey, who had been at the late horse-races at Newmarket, where the
King now is, and says that they had fair weather there yesterday, though
we here, and at London, had nothing but rain, insomuch that the ways are
mighty full of water, so as hardly to be passed.  Here I hear Mrs.
Aynsworth is going to live at London: but I believe will be mistaken in
it; for it will be found better for her to be chief where she is, than to
have little to do at London.  There being many finer than she there. After
dinner away again and come to Cambridge, after much bad way, about nine at
night; and there, at the Rose, I met my father's horses, with a man,
staying for me.  But it is so late, and the waters so deep, that I durst
not go to-night; but after supper to bed; and there lay very ill, by
reason of some drunken scholars making a noise all night, and vexed for
fear that the horses should not be taken up from grass, time enough for
the morning.  Well pleased all this journey with the conversation of him
that went with me, who I think is a lawyer, and lives about Lynne, but his
name I did not ask.

24th (Lord's day).  I up, at between two and three in the morning, and,
calling up my boy, and father's boy, we set out by three o'clock, it being
high day; end so through the water with very good success, though very
deep almost all the way, and got to Brampton, where most of them in bed,
and so I weary up to my wife's chamber, whom I find in bed, and pretended
a little not well, and indeed she hath those upon her, but fell to talk
and mightily pleased both of us, and upgot the rest, Betty Turner and
Willet and Jane, all whom I was glad to see, and very merry, and got me
ready in my new stuff clothes that I send down before me, and so my wife
and they got ready too, while I to my father, poor man, and walked with
him up and down the house--it raining a little, and the waters all over
Portholme and the meadows, so as no pleasure abroad.  Here I saw my
brothers and sister Jackson, she growing fat, and, since being married, I
think looks comelier than before: but a mighty pert woman she is, and I
think proud, he keeping her mighty handsome, and they say mighty fond, and
are going shortly to live at Ellington of themselves, and will keep
malting, and grazing of cattle.  At noon comes Mr. Phillips and dines with
us, and a pretty odd-humoured man he seems to be; but good withal, but of
mighty great methods in his eating and drinking, and will not kiss a woman
since his wife's death.  After dinner my Lady Sandwich sending to see
whether I was come, I presently took horse, and find her and her family at
chapel; and thither I went in to them, and sat out the sermon, where I
heard Jervas Fullwood, now their chaplain, preach a very good and seraphic
kind of sermon, too good for an ordinary congregation.  After sermon, I
with my Lady, and my Lady Hinchingbroke, and Paulina, and Lord
Hinchingbroke, to the dining-room, saluting none of them, and there sat
and talked an hour or two, with great pleasure and satisfaction, to my
Lady, about my Lord's matters; but I think not with that satisfaction to
her, or me, that otherwise would, she knowing that she did design
tomorrow, and I remaining all the while in fear, of being asked to lend
her some money, as I was afterward, when I had taken leave of her, by Mr.
Shepley, L100, which I will not deny my Lady, and am willing to be found
when my Lord comes home to have done something of that kind for them, and
so he riding to Brampton and supping there with me he did desire it of me
from my Lady, and I promised it, though much against my will, for I fear
it is as good as lost.  After supper, where very merry, we to bed, myself
very weary and to sleep all night.

25th.  Waked betimes, and lay long .  .  .  .  and there fell to talking,
and by and by rose, it being the first fair day, and yet not quite fair,
that we have had some time, and so up, and to walk with my father again in
the garden, consulting what to do with him and this house when Pall and
her husband go away; and I think it will be to let it, and he go live with
her, though I am against letting the house for any long time, because of
having it to retire to, ourselves.  So I do intend to think more of it
before I resolve.  By and by comes Mr. Cooke to see me and so spent the
morning, and he gone by and by at noon to dinner, where Mr. Shepley come
and we merry, all being in good humour between my wife and her people
about her, and after dinner took horse, I promising to fetch her away
about fourteen days hence, and so calling all of us, we men on horseback,
and the women and my father, at Goody Gorum's, and there in a frolic
drinking I took leave, there going with me and my boy, my two brothers,
and one Browne, whom they call in mirth Colonell, for our guide, and also
Mr. Shepley, to the end of Huntingdon, and another gentleman who
accidentally come thither, one Mr. Castle; and I made them drink at the
Chequers, where I observed the same tapster, Tom, that was there when I
was a little boy and so we, at the end of the town, took leave of Shepley
and the other gentleman, and so we away and got well to Cambridge, about
seven to the Rose, the waters not being now so high as before.  And here
'lighting, I took my boy and two brothers, and walked to Magdalene
College: and there into the butterys, as a stranger, and there drank my
bellyfull of their beer, which pleased me, as the best I ever drank: and
hear by the butler's man, who was son to Goody Mulliner over against the
College, that we used to buy stewed prunes of, concerning the College and
persons in it; and find very few, only Mr. Hollins and Pechell, I think,
that were of my time.  But I was mightily pleased to come in this
condition to see and ask, and thence, giving the fellow something, away
walked to Chesterton, to see our old walk, and there into the Church, the
bells ringing, and saw the place I used to sit in, and so to the ferry,
and ferried over to the other side, and walked with great pleasure, the
river being mighty high by Barnewell Abbey: and so by Jesus College to the
town, and so to our quarters, and to supper, and then to bed, being very
weary and sleepy and mightily pleased with this night's walk.

26th.  Up by four o'clock; and by the time we were ready, and had eat, we
were called to the coach, where about six o'clock we set out, there being
a man and two women of one company, ordinary people, and one lady alone,
that is tolerably handsome, but mighty well spoken, whom I took great
pleasure in talking to, and did get her to read aloud in a book she was
reading, in the coach, being the King's Meditations;--[The meditations on
death, and prayers used by Charles I. shortly before his execution]--and
then the boy and I to sing, and so about noon come to Bishop's Stafford,
to another house than what we were at the other day, and better used. And
here I paid for the reckoning 11s., we dining together, and pretty merry;
and then set out again, sleeping most part of the way; and got to
Bishopsgate Street before eight o'clock, the waters being now most of them
down, and we avoiding the bad way in the forest by a privy way, which
brought us to Hodsden; and so to Tibalds, that road, which was mighty
pleasant.  So home, where we find all well, and brother Balty and his wife
looking to the house, she mighty fine, in a new gold-laced 'just a cour'.
I shifted myself, and so to see Mrs. Turner, and Mercer appearing over the
way, called her in, and sat and talked, and then home to my house by and
by, and there supped and talked mighty merry, and then broke up and to
bed, being a little vexed at what W. Hewer tells me Sir John Shaw did this
day in my absence say at the Board, complaining of my doing of him injury
and the board permitting it, whereas they had more reason to except
against his attributing that to me alone which I could not do but with
their condent and direction, it being to very good service to the King,
and which I shall be proud to have imputed to me alone.  The King I hear
come to town last night.

27th.  Up, and to the office, where some time upon Sir D. Gawden's
accounts, and then I by water to Westminster for some Tangier orders, and
so meeting with Mr. Sawyers my old chamber-fellow, he and I by water
together to the Temple, he giving me an account of the base, rude usage,
which he and Sir G. Carteret had lately, before the Commissioners of
Accounts, where he was, as Counsel to Sir G. Carteret, which I was sorry
to hear, they behaving themselves like most insolent and ill-mannered men.
Thence by coach to the Exchange, and there met with Sir H. Cholmly at
Colvill's; and there did give him some orders, and so home, and there to
the office again, where busy till two o'clock, and then with Sir D. Gawden
to his house, with my Lord Brouncker and Sir J. Minnes, to dinner, where
we dined very well, and much good company, among others, a Dr., a fat man,
whom by face I know, as one that uses to sit in our church, that after
dinner did take me out, and walked together, who told me that he had now
newly entered himself into Orders, in the decay of the Church, and did
think it his duty so to do, thereby to do his part toward the support and
reformation thereof; and spoke very soberly, and said that just about the
same age Dr. Donne did enter into Orders.  I find him a sober gentleman,
and a man that hath seen much of the world, and I think may do good.
Thence after dinner to the office, and there did a little business, and so
to see Sir W. Pen, who I find still very ill of the goute, sitting in his
great chair, made on purpose for persons sick of that disease, for their
ease; and this very chair, he tells me, was made for my Lady Lambert!
Thence I by coach to my tailor's, there to direct about the making of me
another suit, and so to White Hall, and through St. James's Park to St.
James's, thinking to have met with Mr. Wren, but could not, and so
homeward toward the New Exchange, and meeting Mr. Creed he and I to drink
some whey at the whey-house, and so into the 'Change and took a walk or
two, and so home, and there vexed at my boy's being out of doors till ten
at night, but it was upon my brother Jackson's business, and so I was the
less displeased, and then made the boy to read to me out of Dr. Wilkins
his "Real Character," and particularly about Noah's arke, where he do give
a very good account thereof, shewing how few the number of the several
species of beasts and fowls were that were to be in the arke, and that
there was room enough for them and their food and dung, which do please me
mightily and is much beyond what ever I heard of the subject, and so to
bed.

28th.  Up, to set right some little matters of my Tangier accounts, and so
to the office, where busy all the morning, and then home with my people to
dinner, and after dinner comes about a petition for a poor woman
whose-ticket she would get paid, and so talked a little and did baiser
her, and so to the office, being pleased that this morning my bookseller
brings me home Marcennus's book of musick,' which costs me L3 2s.; but is
a very fine book.  So to the office and did some business, and then by
coach to the New Exchange, and there by agreement at my bookseller's shop
met Mercer and Gayet, and took them by water, first to one of the
Neat-houses, where walked in the garden, but nothing but a bottle of wine
to be had, though pleased with seeing the garden; and so to Fox Hall,
where with great pleasure we walked, and then to the upper end of the
further retired walk, and there sat and sang, and brought great many
gallants and fine people about us, and, upon the bench, we did by and by
eat and drink what we had, and very merry: and so with much pleasure to
the Old Swan, and walked with them home, and there left them, and so I
home to my business at the office a little, and so to bed.

29th.  Betimes up, and up to my Tangier accounts, and then by water to the
Council Chamber, and there received some directions from the Duke of York
and the Committee of the Navy there about casting up the charge of the
present summer's fleete, that so they may come within the bounds of the
sum given by the Parliament.  But it is pretty to see how Prince Rupert
and other mad, silly people, are for setting out but a little fleete,
there being no occasion for it; and say it will be best to save the money
for better uses.  But Sir W. Coventry did declare that, in wisdom, it was
better to do so; but that, in obedience to the Parliament, he was [for]
setting out the fifty sail talked on, though it spent all the money, and
to little purpose; and that this was better than to leave it to the
Parliament to make bad construction of their thrift, if any trouble should
happen.  Thus wary the world is grown!  Thence back again presently home,
and did business till noon: and then to Sir G. Carteret's to dinner, with
much good company, it being the King's birthday, and many healths drunk:
and here I did receive another letter from my Lord Sandwich, which
troubles me to see how I have neglected him, in not writing, or but once,
all this time of his being abroad; and I see he takes notice, but yet
gently, of it, that it puts me to great trouble, and I know not how to get
out of it, having no good excuse, and too late now to mend, he being
coming home.  Thence home, whither, by agreement, by and by comes Mercer
and Gayet, and two gentlemen with them, Mr. Monteith and Pelham, the
former a swaggering young handsome gentleman, the latter a sober citizen
merchant.  Both sing, but the latter with great skill-the other, no skill,
but a good voice, and a good basse, but used to sing only tavern tunes;
and so I spent all this evening till eleven at night singing with them,
till I was tired of them, because of the swaggering fellow with the base,
though the girl Mercer did mightily commend him before to me.  This night
je had agreed par' alter at Deptford, there par' avoir lain con the moher
de Bagwell, but this company did hinder me.

30th.  Up, and put on a new summer black bombazin suit, and so to the
office; and being come now to an agreement with my barber, to keep my
perriwig in good order at 20s. a-year, I am like to go very spruce, more
than I used to do.  All the morning at the office and at noon home to
dinner, and so to the King's playhouse, and there saw "Philaster;" where
it is pretty to see how I could remember almost all along, ever since I
was a boy, Arethusa, the part which I was to have acted at Sir Robert
Cooke's; and it was very pleasant to me, but more to think what a
ridiculous thing it would have been for me to have acted a beautiful
woman.  Thence to Mr. Pierces, and there saw Knepp also, and were merry;
and here saw my little Lady Katherine Montagu come to town, about her
eyes, which are sore, and they think the King's evil, poor, pretty lady.
Here I was freed from a fear that Knepp was angry or might take advantage
to declare the essay that je did the other day, quand je was con her
.  .  . Thence to the New Exchange, and there met Harris and Rolt, and one
Richards, a tailor and great company-keeper, and with these over to Fox
Hall, and there fell into the company of Harry Killigrew, a rogue newly
come back out of France, but still in disgrace at our Court, and young
Newport and others, as very rogues as any in the town, who were ready to
take hold of every woman that come by them.  And so to supper in an
arbour: but, Lord! their mad bawdy talk did make my heart ake!  And here I
first understood by their talk the meaning of the company that lately were
called Ballets; Harris telling how it was by a meeting of some young
blades, where he was among them, and my Lady Bennet

     [Evidently adopted as a cant expression.  The woman here alluded to
     was a procuress well known in her day, and described in the "Tatler"
     (No. 84) as "the celebrated Madam Bennet."  We further learn, from
     the "Spectator" (No. 266), that she was the Lady B. to whom
     Wycherley addressed his ironical dedication of "The Plain Dealer,"
     which is considered as a masterpiece of raillery.  It is worthy of
     remark that the fair sex may justly complain of almost every word in
     the English language designating a woman having, at some time or
     another, been used as a term of reproach; for we find Mother, Madam,
     Mistress, and Miss, all denoting women of bad character; and here
     Pepys adds the title of my Lady to the number, and completes the
     ungracious catalogue.--B.]

and her ladies; and their there dancing naked, and all the roguish things
in the world.  But, Lord! what loose cursed company was this, that I was
in to-night, though full of wit; and worth a man's being in for once, to
know the nature of it, and their manner of talk, and lives.  Thence set
Rolt and some of [them] at the New Exchange, and so I home, and my
business being done at the office, I to bed.

31st (Lord's day).  Up, and to church in the morning.  At noon I sent for
Mr. Mills and his wife and daughter to dine, and they dined with me, and
W. Hewer, and very good company, I being in good humour.  They gone to
church, comes Mr. Tempest, and he and I sang a psalm or two, and so
parted, and I by water to the New Exchange, and there to Mrs. Pierces,
where Knepp, and she, and W. Howe, and Mr. Pierce, and little Betty, over
to Fox Hall, and there walked and supped with great pleasure. Here was
Mrs. Manuel also, and mighty good company, and good mirth in making W.
Howe spend his six or seven shillings, and so they called him altogether
"Cully."  So back, and at Somerset-stairs do understand that a boy is
newly drowned, washing himself there, and they cannot find his body.  So
seeing them home, I home by water, W. Howe going with me, and after some
talk he lay at my house, and all to bed.  Here I hear that Mrs. Davis is
quite gone from the Duke of York's house, and Gosnell comes in her room,
which I am glad of.  At the play at Court the other night, Mrs. Davis was
there; and when she was to come to dance her jigg, the Queene would not
stay to see it, which people do think it was out of displeasure at her
being the King's whore, that she could not bear it. My Lady Castlemayne
is, it seems, now mightily out of request, the King coming little to her,
and thus she mighty melancholy and discontented.



     ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

     And will not kiss a woman since his wife's death
     Beating of a poor little dog to death, letting it lie
     City to be burned, and the Papists to cut our throats
     Disorder in the pit by its raining in, from the cupola
     Down to the Whey house and drank some and eat some curds
     Eat some butter and radishes
     Little company there, which made it very unpleasing
     So time do alter, and do doubtless the like in myself
     There setting a poor man to keep my place
     Whom I find in bed, and pretended a little not well





*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 65: May 1668" ***

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