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Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys, October 1665
Author: Samuel Pepys, Translator: Mynors Bright, Editor: Wheatley
Release Date: June, 2003 [Etext #4160]
[Yes, we are about one year ahead of schedule]
[The actual date this file first posted = 11/16/01]
Edition: 10
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.
OCTOBER
1665
October 1st (Lord's day). Called up about 4 of the clock and so dressed
myself and so on board the Bezan, and there finding all my company asleep
I would not wake them, but it beginning to be break of day I did stay
upon the decke walking, and then into the Maister's cabbin and there laid
and slept a little, and so at last was waked by Captain Cocke's calling
of me, and so I turned out, and then to chat and talk and laugh, and
mighty merry. We spent most of the morning talking and reading of "The
Siege of Rhodes," which is certainly (the more I read it the more I think
so) the best poem that ever was wrote. We breakfasted betimes and come
to the fleete about two of the clock in the afternoon, having a fine day
and a fine winde. My Lord received us mighty kindly, and after discourse
with us in general left us to our business, and he to his officers,
having called a council of wary, we in the meantime settling of papers
with Mr. Pierce and everybody else, and by and by with Captain Cuttance.
Anon called down to my Lord, and there with him till supper talking and
discourse; among other things, to my great joy, he did assure me that he
had wrote to the King and Duke about these prize-goods, and told me that
they did approve of what he had done, and that he would owne what he had
done, and would have me to tell all the world so, and did, under his
hand, give Cocke and me his certificate of our bargains, and giving us
full power of disposal of what we have so bought. This do ease my mind
of all my fear, and makes my heart lighter by L100 than it was before.
He did discourse to us of the Dutch fleete being abroad, eighty-five of
them still, and are now at the Texell, he believes, in expectation of our
Eastland ships coming home with masts and hempe, and our loaden Hambrough
ships going to Hambrough. He discoursed against them that would have us
yield to no conditions but conquest over the Dutch, and seems to believe
that the Dutch will call for the protection of the King of France and
come under his power, which were to be wished they might be brought to do
under ours by fair means, and to that end would have all Dutch men and
familys, that would come hither and settled, to be declared denizens; and
my Lord did whisper to me alone that things here must break in pieces,
nobody minding any thing, but every man his owne business of profit or
pleasure, and the King some little designs of his owne, and that
certainly the kingdom could not stand in this condition long, which I
fear and believe is very true. So to supper and there my Lord the
kindest man to me, before all the table talking of me to my advantage and
with tenderness too that it overjoyed me. So after supper Captain Cocke
and I and Temple on board the Bezan, and there to cards for a while and
then to read again in "Rhodes" and so to sleep. But, Lord! the mirth
which it caused me to be waked in the night by their snoaring round about
me; I did laugh till I was ready to burst, and waked one of the two
companions of Temple, who could not a good while tell where he was that
he heard one laugh so, till he recollected himself, and I told him what
it was at, and so to sleep again, they still snoaring.
2nd. We having sailed all night (and I do wonder how they in the dark
could find the way) we got by morning to Gillingham, and thence all
walked to Chatham; and there with Commissioner Pett viewed the Yard; and
among other things, a teame of four horses come close by us, he being
with me, drawing a piece of timber that I am confident one man could
easily have carried upon his back. I made the horses be taken away, and
a man or two to take the timber away with their hands. This the
Commissioner did see, but said nothing, but I think had cause to be
ashamed of. We walked, he and I and Cocke, to the Hill-house, where we
find Sir W. Pen in bed and there much talke and much dissembling of
kindnesse from him, but he is a false rogue, and I shall not trust him,
but my being there did procure his consent to have his silk carried away
before the money received, which he would not have done for Cocke I am
sure. Thence to Rochester, walked to the Crowne, and while dinner was
getting ready, I did there walk to visit the old Castle ruines, which
hath been a noble place, and there going up I did upon the stairs
overtake three pretty mayds or women and took them up with me, and I did
'baiser sur mouches et toucher leur mains' and necks to my great
pleasure: but, Lord! to see what a dreadfull thing it is to look down the
precipices, for it did fright me mightily, and hinder me of much pleasure
which I would have made to myself in the company of these three, if it
had not been for that. The place hath been very noble and great and
strong in former ages. So to walk up and down the Cathedral, and thence
to the Crowne, whither Mr. Fowler, the Mayor of the towne, was come in
his gowne, and is a very reverend magistrate. After I had eat a bit, not
staying to eat with them, I went away, and so took horses and to
Gravesend, and there staid not, but got a boat, the sicknesse being very
much in the towne still, and so called on board my Lord Bruncker and Sir
John Minnes, on board one of the East Indiamen at Erith, and there do
find them full of envious complaints for the pillageing of the ships, but
I did pacify them, and discoursed about making money of some of the
goods, and do hope to be the better by it honestly. So took leave (Madam
Williams being here also with my Lord), and about 8 o'clock got to
Woolwich and there supped and mighty pleasant with my wife, who is, for
ought I see, all friends with her mayds, and so in great joy and content
to bed.
3rd. Up, and to my great content visited betimes by Mr. Woolly, my uncle
Wight's cozen, who comes to see what work I have for him about these East
India goods, and I do find that this fellow might have been of great use,
and hereafter may be of very great use to me, in this trade of prize
goods, and glad I am fully of his coming hither. While I dressed myself,
and afterwards in walking to Greenwich we did discourse over all the
business of the prize goods, and he puts me in hopes I may get some money
in what I have done, but not so much as I expected, but that I may
hereafter do more. We have laid a design of getting more, and are to
talk again of it a few days hence. To the office, where nobody to meet
me, Sir W. Batten being the only man and he gone this day to meet to
adjourne the Parliament to Oxford. Anon by appointment comes one to tell
me my Lord Rutherford is come; so I to the King's Head to him, where I
find his lady, a fine young Scotch lady, pretty handsome and plain. My
wife also, and Mercer, by and by comes, Creed bringing them; and so
presently to dinner and very merry; and after to even our accounts, and I
to give him tallys, where he do allow me L100, of which to my grief the
rogue Creed has trepanned me out of L50. But I do foresee a way how it
may be I may get a greater sum of my Lord to his content by getting him
allowance of interest upon his tallys. That being done, and some musique
and other diversions, at last away goes my Lord and Lady, and I sent my
wife to visit Mrs. Pierce, and so I to my office, where wrote important
letters to the Court, and at night (Creed having clownishly left my
wife), I to Mrs. Pierces and brought her and Mrs. Pierce to the King's
Head and there spent a piece upon a supper for her and mighty merry and
pretty discourse, she being as pretty as ever, most of our mirth being
upon "my Cozen" (meaning my Lord Bruncker's ugly mistress, whom he calls
cozen), and to my trouble she tells me that the fine Mrs. Middleton is
noted for carrying about her body a continued sour base smell, that is
very offensive, especially if she be a little hot. Here some bad musique
to close the night and so away and all of us saw Mrs. Belle Pierce (as
pretty as ever she was almost) home, and so walked to Will's lodging
where I used to lie, and there made shift for a bed for Mercer, and
mighty pleasantly to bed. This night I hear that of our two watermen
that use to carry our letters, and were well on Saturday last, one is
dead, and the other dying sick of the plague. The plague, though
decreasing elsewhere, yet being greater about the Tower and thereabouts.
4th. Up and to my office, where Mr. Andrews comes, and reckoning with
him I get L64 of him. By and by comes Mr. Gawden, and reckoning with him
he gives me L60 in his account, which is a great mercy to me. Then both
of them met and discoursed the business of the first man's resigning and
the other's taking up the business of the victualling of Tangier, and I
do not think that I shall be able to do as well under Mr. Gawden as under
these men, or within a little as to profit and less care upon me. Thence
to the King's Head to dinner, where we three and Creed and my wife and
her woman dined mighty merry and sat long talking, and so in the
afternoon broke up, and I led my wife to our lodging again, and I to the
office where did much business, and so to my wife. This night comes Sir
George Smith to see me at the office, and tells me how the plague is
decreased this week 740, for which God be praised! but that it encreases
at our end of the town still, and says how all the towne is full of
Captain Cocke's being in some ill condition about prize-goods, his goods
being taken from him, and I know not what. But though this troubles me
to have it said, and that it is likely to be a business in Parliament,
yet I am not much concerned at it, because yet I believe this newes is
all false, for he would have wrote to me sure about it. Being come to my
wife, at our lodging, I did go to bed, and left my wife with her people
to laugh and dance and I to sleep.
5th. Lay long in bed talking among other things of my sister Pall, and
my wife of herself is very willing that I should give her L400 to her
portion, and would have her married soon as we could; but this great
sicknesse time do make it unfit to send for her up. I abroad to the
office and thence to the Duke of Albemarle, all my way reading a book of
Mr. Evelyn's translating and sending me as a present, about directions
for gathering a Library;
[Instructions concerning erecting of a Library, presented to my
Lord the President De Mesme by Gilbert Naudeus, and now interpreted
by Jo. Evelyn, Esquire. London, 1661: This little book was
dedicated to Lord Clarendon by the translator. It was printed while
Evelyn was abroad, and is full of typographical errors; these are
corrected in a copy mentioned in Evelyn's "Miscellaneous Writings,"
1825, p. xii, where a letter to Dr. Godolphin on the subject is
printed.]
but the book is above my reach, but his epistle to my Lord Chancellor is
a very fine piece. When I come to the Duke it was about the victuallers'
business, to put it into other hands, or more hands, which I do advise
in, but I hope to do myself a jobb of work in it. So I walked through
Westminster to my old house the Swan, and there did pass some time with
Sarah, and so down by water to Deptford and there to my Valentine.
[A Mrs. Bagwell. See ante, February 14th, 1664-65]
Round about and next door on every side is the plague, but I did not
value it, but there did what I would 'con elle', and so away to Mr.
Evelyn's to discourse of our confounded business of prisoners, and sick
and wounded seamen, wherein he and we are so much put out of order.
[Each of the Commissioners for the Sick and Wounded was appointed to
a particular district, and Evelyn's district was Kent and Sussex.
On September 25th, 1665, Evelyn wrote in his Diary: "My Lord Admiral
being come from ye fleete to Greenewich, I went thence with him to
ye Cockpit to consult with the Duke of Albemarle. I was peremptory
that unlesse we had L10,000 immediately, the prisoners would starve,
and 'twas proposed it should be rais'd out of the E. India prizes
now taken by Lord Sandwich. They being but two of ye Commission,
and so not impower'd to determine, sent an expresse to his Majesty
and Council to know what they should do."]
And here he showed me his gardens, which are for variety of evergreens,
and hedge of holly, the finest things I ever saw in my life.
[Evelyn purchased Sayes Court, Deptford, in 1653, and laid out his
gardens, walks, groves, enclosures, and plantations, which
afterwards became famous for their beauty. When he took the place
in hand it was nothing but an open field of one hundred acres, with
scarcely a hedge in it.]
Thence in his coach to Greenwich, and there to my office, all the way
having fine discourse of trees and the nature of vegetables. And so to
write letters, I very late to Sir W. Coventry of great concernment, and
so to my last night's lodging, but my wife is gone home to Woolwich. The
Bill, blessed be God! is less this week by 740 of what it was the last
week. Being come to my lodging I got something to eat, having eat little
all the day, and so to bed, having this night renewed my promises of
observing my vowes as I used to do; for I find that, since I left them
off, my mind is run a'wool-gathering and my business neglected.
6th. Up, and having sent for Mr. Gawden he come to me, and he and I
largely discoursed the business of his Victualling, in order to the
adding of partners to him or other ways of altering it, wherein I find
him ready to do anything the King would have him do. So he and I took
his coach and to Lambeth and to the Duke of Albemarle about it, and so
back again, where he left me. In our way discoursing of the business and
contracting a great friendship with him, and I find he is a man most
worthy to be made a friend, being very honest and gratefull, and in the
freedom of our discourse he did tell me his opinion and knowledge of Sir
W. Pen to be, what I know him to be, as false a man as ever was born, for
so, it seems, he hath been to him. He did also tell me, discoursing how
things are governed as to the King's treasure, that, having occasion for
money in the country, he did offer Alderman Maynell to pay him down money
here, to be paid by the Receiver in some county in the country, upon whom
Maynell had assignments, in whose hands the money also lay ready. But
Maynell refused it, saying that he could have his money when he would,
and had rather it should lie where it do than receive it here in towne
this sickly time, where he hath no occasion for it. But now the evil is
that he hath lent this money upon tallys which are become payable, but he
finds that nobody looks after it, how long the money is unpaid, and
whether it lies dead in the Receiver's hands or no, so the King he pays
Maynell 10 per cent. while the money lies in his Receiver's hands to no
purpose but the benefit of the Receiver. I to dinner to the King's Head
with Mr. Woolly, who is come to instruct me in the business of my goods,
but gives me not so good comfort as I thought I should have had. But,
however, it will be well worth my time though not above 2 or L300. He
gone I to my office, where very busy drawing up a letter by way of
discourse to the Duke of Albemarle about my conception how the business
of the Victualling should be ordered, wherein I have taken great pains,
and I think have hitt the right if they will but follow it. At this very
late and so home to our lodgings to bed.
7th. Up and to the office along with Mr. Childe, whom I sent for to
discourse about the victualling business, who will not come into
partnership (no more will Captain Beckford ), but I do find him a mighty
understanding man, and one I will keep a knowledge of. Did business,
though not much, at the office; because of the horrible crowd and
lamentable moan of the poor seamen that lie starving in the streets for
lack of money. Which do trouble and perplex me to the heart; and more at
noon when we were to go through them, for then a whole hundred of them
followed us; some cursing, some swearing, and some praying to us. And
that that made me more troubled was a letter come this afternoon from the
Duke of Albemarle, signifying the Dutch to be in sight, with 80 sayle,
yesterday morning, off of Solebay, coming right into the bay. God knows
what they will and may do to us, we having no force abroad able to oppose
them, but to be sacrificed to them. Here come Sir W. Rider to me, whom I
sent for about the victualling business also, but he neither will not
come into partnership, but desires to be of the Commission if there be
one. Thence back the back way to my office, where very late, very busy.
But most of all when at night come two waggons from Rochester with more
goods from Captain Cocke; and in houseing them at Mr. Tooker's lodgings
come two of the Custome-house to seize them, and did seize them but I
showed them my 'Transire'. However, after some hot and angry words, we
locked them up, and sealed up the key, and did give it to the constable
to keep till Monday, and so parted. But, Lord! to think how the poor
constable come to me in the dark going home; "Sir," says he, "I have the
key, and if you would have me do any service for you, send for me betimes
to-morrow morning, and I will do what you would have me." Whether the
fellow do this out of kindness or knavery, I cannot tell; but it is
pretty to observe. Talking with him in the high way, come close by the
bearers with a dead corpse of the plague; but, Lord! to see what custom
is, that I am come almost to think nothing of it. So to my lodging, and
there, with Mr. Hater and Will, ending a business of the state of the
last six months' charge of the Navy, which we bring to L1,000,000 and
above, and I think we do not enlarge much in it if anything. So to bed.
8th (Lord's day). Up and, after being trimmed, to the office, whither I
upon a letter from the Duke of Albemarle to me, to order as many ships
forth out of the river as I can presently, to joyne to meet the Dutch;
having ordered all the Captains of the ships in the river to come to me,
I did some business with them, and so to Captain Cocke's to dinner, he
being in the country. But here his brother Solomon was, and, for guests,
myself, Sir G. Smith, and a very fine lady, one Mrs. Penington, and two
more gentlemen. But, both [before] and after dinner, most witty
discourse with this lady, who is a very fine witty lady, one of the best
I ever heard speake, and indifferent handsome. There after dinner an
houre or two, and so to the office, where ended my business with the
Captains; and I think of twenty-two ships we shall make shift to get out
seven. (God helpe us! men being sick, or provisions lacking.) And so to
write letters to Sir Ph. Warwicke, Sir W. Coventry, and Sir G. Carteret
to Court about the last six months' accounts, and sent away by an express
to-night. This day I hear the Pope is dead;--[a false report]--and one
said, that the newes is, that the King of France is stabbed, but that the
former is very true, which will do great things sure, as to the troubling
of that part of the world, the King of Spayne
[Philip IV., King of Spain, who succeeded to the throne in 1621,
died in 1665. He was succeeded by his son Charles II.]
being so lately dead. And one thing more, Sir Martin Noell's lady is
dead with griefe for the death of her husband and nothing else, as they
say, in the world; but it seems nobody can make anything of his estate,
whether he be dead worth anything or no, he having dealt in so many
things, publique and private, as nobody can understand whereabouts his
estate is, which is the fate of these great dealers at everything. So
after my business being done I home to my lodging and to bed,
9th. Up, my head full of business, and called upon also by Sir John
Shaw, to whom I did give a civil answer about our prize goods, that all
his dues as one of the Farmers of the Customes are paid, and showed him
our Transire; with which he was satisfied, and parted, ordering his
servants to see the weight of them. I to the office, and there found an
order for my coming presently to the Duke of Albemarle, and what should
it be, but to tell me, that, if my Lord Sandwich do not come to towne, he
do resolve to go with the fleete to sea himself, the Dutch, as he thinks,
being in the Downes, and so desired me to get a pleasure boat for to take
him in to-morrow morning, and do many other things, and with a great
liking of me, and my management especially, as that coxcombe my Lord
Craven do tell me, and I perceive it, and I am sure take pains enough to
deserve it. Thence away and to the office at London, where I did some
business about my money and private accounts, and there eat a bit of
goose of Mr. Griffin's, and so by water, it raining most miserably, to
Greenwich, calling on several vessels in my passage. Being come there I
hear another seizure hath been made of our goods by one Captain Fisher
that hath been at Chatham by warrant of the Duke of Albemarle, and is
come in my absence to Tooker's and viewed them, demanding the key of the
constable, and so sealed up the door. I to the house, but there being no
officers nor constable could do nothing, but back to my office full of
trouble about this, and there late about business, vexed to see myself
fall into this trouble and concernment in a thing that I want instruction
from my Lord Sandwich whether I should appear in it or no, and so home to
bed, having spent two hours, I and my boy, at Mr. Glanvill's removing of
faggots to make room to remove our goods to, but when done I thought it
not fit to use it. The newes of the killing of the [King of] France is
wholly untrue, and they say that of the Pope too.
10th. Up, and receive a stop from the Duke of Albemarle of setting out
any more ships, or providing a pleasure boat for himself, which I am glad
of, and do see, what I thought yesterday, that this resolution of his was
a sudden one and silly. By and by comes Captain Cocke's Jacob to tell me
that he is come from Chatham this morning, and that there are four
waggons of goods at hand coming to towne, which troubles me. I directed
him to bring them to his master's house. But before I could send him
away to bring them thither, newes is brought me that they are seized on
in the towne by this Captain Fisher and they will carry them to another
place. So I to them and found our four waggons in the streete stopped by
the church by this Fisher and company and 100 or 200 people in the
streetes gazing. I did give them good words, and made modest desires of
carrying the goods to Captain Cocke's, but they would have them to a
house of their hiring, where in a barne the goods were laid. I had
transires to show for all, and the tale was right, and there I spent all
the morning seeing this done. At which Fisher was vexed that I would not
let it be done by any body else for the merchant, and that I must needs
be concerned therein, which I did not think fit to owne. So that being
done, I left the goods to be watched by men on their part and ours, and
so to the office by noon, whither by and by comes Captain Cocke, whom I
had with great care sent for by expresse the last night, and so I with
him to his house and there eat a bit, and so by coach to Lambeth, and I
took occasion first to go to the Duke of Albemarle to acquaint him with
some thing of what had been done this morning in behalf of a friend
absent, which did give a good entrance and prevented their possessing the
Duke with anything of evil of me by their report, and by and by in comes.
Captain Cocke and tells his whole story. So an order was made for the
putting him in possession upon giving security to, be accountable for the
goods, which for the present did satisfy us, and so away, giving Locke
that drew the order a piece. (Lord! to see how unhappily a man may fall
into a necessity of bribing people to do him right in a thing, wherein he
hath done nothing but fair, and bought dear.) So to the office, there to
write my letters, and Cocke comes to tell me that Fisher is come to him,
and that he doubts not to cajole Fisher and his companion and make them
friends with drink and a bribe. This night comes Sir Christopher Mings
to towne, and I went to see him, and by and by he being then out of the
town comes to see me. He is newly come from Court, and carries direction
for the making a show of getting out the fleete again to go fight the
Dutch, but that it will end in a fleete of 20 good sayling frigates to go
to the Northward or Southward, and that will be all. I enquired, but he
would not be to know that he had heard any thing at Oxford about the
business of the prize goods, which I did suspect, but he being gone, anon
comes Cocke and tells me that he hath been with him a great while, and
that he finds him sullen and speaking very high what disrespect he had
received of my Lord, saying that he hath walked 3 or 4 hours together at
that Earle's cabbin door for audience and could not be received, which,
if true, I am sorry for. He tells me that Sir G. Ascue says, that he did
from the beginning declare against these [prize] goods, and would not
receive his dividend; and that he and Sir W. Pen are at odds about it,
and that he fears Mings hath been doing ill offices to my Lord. I did
to-night give my Lord an account of all this, and so home and to bed.
11th. Up, and so in my chamber staid all the morning doing something
toward my Tangier accounts, for the stating of them, and also comes up my
landlady, Mrs. Clerke, to make an agreement for the time to come; and I,
for the having room enough, and to keepe out strangers, and to have a
place to retreat to for my wife, if the sicknesse should come to
Woolwich, am contented to pay dear; so for three rooms and a dining-room,
and for linen and bread and beer and butter, at nights and mornings, I am
to give her L5 10s. per month, and I wrote and we signed to an
agreement. By and by comes Cocke to tell me that Fisher and his fellow
were last night mightily satisfied and promised all friendship, but this
morning he finds them to have new tricks and shall be troubled with them.
So he being to go down to Erith with them this afternoon about giving
security, I advised him to let them go by land, and so he and I (having
eat something at his house) by water to Erith, but they got thither
before us, and there we met Mr. Seymour, one of the Commissioners for
Prizes, and a Parliament-man, and he was mighty high, and had now seized
our goods on their behalf; and he mighty imperiously would have all
forfeited, and I know not what. I thought I was in the right in a thing
I said and spoke somewhat earnestly, so we took up one another very
smartly, for which I was sorry afterwards, shewing thereby myself too
much concerned, but nothing passed that I valued at all. But I could not
but think [it odd] that a Parliament-man, in a serious discourse before
such persons as we and my Lord Bruncker, and Sir John Minnes, should
quote Hudibras, as being the book I doubt he hath read most. They I
doubt will stand hard for high security, and Cocke would have had me
bound with him for his appearing, but I did stagger at it, besides
Seymour do stop the doing it at all till he has been with the Duke of
Albemarle. So there will be another demurre. It growing late, and I
having something to do at home, took my leave alone, leaving Cocke there
for all night, and so against tide and in the darke and very cold weather
to Woolwich, where we had appointed to keepe the night merrily; and so,
by Captain Cocke's coach, had brought a very pretty child, a daughter of
one Mrs. Tooker's, next door to my lodging, and so she, and a daughter
and kinsman of Mrs. Pett's made up a fine company at my lodgings at
Woolwich, where my wife and Mercer, and Mrs. Barbara danced, and mighty
merry we were, but especially at Mercer's dancing a jigg, which she does
the best I ever did see, having the most natural way of it, and keeps
time the most perfectly I ever did see. This night is kept in lieu of
yesterday, for my wedding day of ten years; for which God be praised!
being now in an extreme good condition of health and estate and honour,
and a way of getting more money, though at this houre under some
discomposure, rather than damage, about some prize goods that I have
bought off the fleete, in partnership with Captain Cocke; and for the
discourse about the world concerning my Lord Sandwich, that he hath done
a thing so bad; and indeed it must needs have been a very rash act; and
the rather because of a Parliament now newly met to give money, and will
have some account of what hath already been spent, besides the precedent
for a General to take what prizes he pleases, and the giving a pretence
to take away much more than he intended, and all will lie upon him; and
not giving to all the Commanders, as well as the Flaggs, he displeases.
all them, and offends even some of them, thinking others to be better
served than themselves; and lastly, puts himself out of a power of
begging anything again a great while of the King. Having danced with my
people as long as I saw fit to sit up, I to bed and left them to do what
they would. I forgot that we had W. Hewer there, and Tom, and Golding,
my barber at Greenwich, for our fiddler, to whom I did give 10s.
12th. Called up before day, and so I dressed myself and down, it being
horrid cold, by water to my Lord Bruncker's ship, who advised me to do
so, and it was civilly to show me what the King had commanded about the
prize-goods, to examine most severely all that had been done in the
taking out any with or without order, without respect to my Lord Sandwich
at all, and that he had been doing of it, and find him examining one man,
and I do find that extreme ill use was made of my Lord's order. For they
did toss and tumble and spoil, and breake things in hold to a great losse
and shame to come at the fine goods, and did take a man that knows where
the fine goods were, and did this over and over again for many days, Sir
W. Berkeley being the chief hand that did it, but others did the like at
other times, and they did say in doing it that my Lord Sandwich's back
was broad enough to bear it. Having learned as much as I could, which
was, that the King and Duke were very severe in this point, whatever
order they before had given my Lord in approbation of what he had done,
and that all will come out and the King see, by the entries at the
Custome House, what all do amount to that had been taken, and so I took
leave, and by water, very cold, and to Woolwich where it was now noon,
and so I staid dinner and talking part of the afternoon, and then by
coach, Captain Cocke's, to Greenwich, taking the young lady home, and so
to Cocke, and he tells me that he hath cajolled with Seymour, who will be
our friend; but that, above all, Seymour tells him, that my Lord Duke did
shew him to-day an order from Court, for having all respect paid to the
Earle of Sandwich, and what goods had been delivered by his order, which
do overjoy us, and that to-morrow our goods shall be weighed, and he
doubts not possession to-morrow or next day. Being overjoyed at this I
to write my letters, and at it very late. Good newes this week that
there are about 600 less dead of the plague than the last. So home to
bed.
13th. Lay long, and this morning comes Sir Jer. Smith
[Captain Jeremiah Smith (or Smyth), knighted June, 1665; Admiral of
the Blue in 1666. He succeeded Sir William Penn as Comptroller of
the Victualling Accounts in 1669, and held the office until 1675.]
to see me in his way to Court, and a good man he is, and one that I must
keep fair with, and will, it being I perceive my interest to have
kindnesse with the Commanders. So to the office, and there very busy
till about noon comes Sir W. Warren, and he goes and gets a bit of meat
ready at the King's Head for us, and I by and by thither, and we dined
together, and I am not pleased with him about a little business of
Tangier that I put to him to do for me, but however, the hurt is not
much, and his other matters of profit to me continue very likely to be
good. Here we spent till 2 o'clock, and so I set him on shore, and I by
water to the Duke of Albemarle, where I find him with Lord Craven and
Lieutenant of the Tower about him; among other things, talking of ships
to get of the King to fetch coles for the poore of the city, which is a
good worke. But, Lord! to hear the silly talke between these three great
people! Yet I have no reason to find fault, the Duke and Lord Craven
being my very great friends. Here did the business I come about, and so
back home by water, and there Cocke comes to me and tells me that he is
come to an understanding with Fisher, and that he must give him L100, and
that he shall have his goods in possession to-morrow, they being all
weighed to-day, which pleases me very well. This day the Duke tells me
that there is no news heard of the Dutch, what they do or where they are,
but believes that they are all gone home, for none of our spyes can give
us any tideings of them. Cocke is fain to keep these people, Fisher and
his fellow, company night and day to keep them friends almost and great
troubles withal. My head is full of settling the victualling business
also, that I may make some profit out of it, which I hope justly to do to
the King's advantage. To-night come Sir J. Bankes to me upon my letter
to discourse it with him, and he did give me the advice I have taken
almost as fully as if I had been directed by him what to write. The
business also of my Tangier accounts to be sent to Court is upon my hands
in great haste; besides, all my owne proper accounts are in great
disorder, having been neglected now above a month, which grieves me, but
it could not be settled sooner. These together and the feare of the
sicknesse and providing for my family do fill my head very full, besides
the infinite business of the office, and nobody here to look after it but
myself. So late from my office to my lodgings, and to bed.
14th. Up, and to the office, where mighty busy, especially with Mr.
Gawden, with whom I shall, I think, have much to do, and by and by comes
the Lieutenant of the Tower by my invitation yesterday, but I had got
nothing for him, it is to discourse about the Cole shipps. So he went
away to Sheriffe Hooker's, and I staid at the office till he sent for me
at noon to dinner, I very hungry. When I come to the Sheriffe's he was
not there, nor in many other places, nor could find him at all, so was
forced to come to the office and get a bit of meat from the taverne, and
so to my business. By and by comes the Lieutenant and reproaches me with
my not treating him as I ought, but all in jest, he it seemed dined with
Mr. Adrian May. Very late writing letters at the office, and much
satisfied to hear from Captain Cocke that he had got possession of some
of his goods to his own house, and expected to have all to-night. The
towne, I hear, is full of talke that there are great differences in the
fleete among the great Commanders, and that Mings at Oxford did impeach
my Lord of something, I think about these goods, but this is but talke.
But my heart and head to-night is full of the Victualling business, being
overjoyed and proud at my success in my proposal about it, it being read
before the King, Duke, and the Caball with complete applause and
satisfaction. This Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry both writ me,
besides Sir W. Coventry's letter to the Duke of Albemarle, which I read
yesterday, and I hope to find my profit in it also. So late home to bed.
15th (Lord's day). Up, and while I staid for the barber, tried to
compose a duo of counterpoint, and I think it will do very well, it being
by Mr. Berckenshaw's rule. By and by by appointment comes Mr. Povy's
coach, and, more than I expected, him himself, to fetch me to Brainford:
so he and I immediately set out, having drunk a draft of mulled sacke;
and so rode most nobly, in his most pretty and best contrived charriott
in the world, with many new conveniences, his never having till now,
within a day or two, been yet finished; our discourse upon Tangier
business, want of money, and then of publique miscarriages, nobody
minding the publique, but every body himself and his lusts. Anon we come
to his house, and there I eat a bit, and so with fresh horses, his noble
fine horses, the best confessedly in England, the King having none such,
he sent me to Sir Robert Viner's, whom I met coming just from church, and
so after having spent half-an-hour almost looking upon the horses with
some gentlemen that were in company, he and I into his garden to
discourse of money, but none is to be had, he confessing himself in great
straits, and I believe it. Having this answer, and that I could not get
better, we fell to publique talke, and to think how the fleete and seamen
will be paid, which he protests he do not think it possible to compass,
as the world is now: no money got by trade, nor the persons that have it
by them in the City to be come at. The Parliament, it seems, have voted
the King L1,250,000 at L50,000 per month, tax for the war; and voted to
assist the King against the Dutch, and all that shall adhere to them; and
thanks to be given him for his care of the Duke of Yorke, which last is a
very popular vote on the Duke's behalf. He tells me how the taxes of the
last assessment, which should have been in good part gathered, are not
yet laid, and that even in part of the City of London; and the Chimny-
money comes almost to nothing, nor any thing else looked after. Having
done this I parted, my mind not eased by any money, but only that I had
done my part to the King's service. And so in a very pleasant evening
back to Mr. Povy's, and there supped, and after supper to talke and to
sing, his man Dutton's wife singing very pleasantly (a mighty fat woman),
and I wrote out one song from her and pricked the tune, both very pretty.
But I did never heare one sing with so much pleasure to herself as this
lady do, relishing it to her very heart, which was mighty pleasant.
16th. Up about seven o'clock; and, after drinking, and I observing Mr.
Povy's being mightily mortifyed in his eating and drinking, and coaches
and horses, he desiring to sell his best, and every thing else, his
furniture of his house, he walked with me to Syon,
[Sion House, granted by Edward VI. to his uncle, the Duke of
Somerset. After his execution, 1552, it was forfeited, and given to
John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. The duke being beheaded in
1553, it reverted to the Crown, and was granted in 1604 to Henry
Percy, Earl of Northumberland. It still belongs to the Duke of
Northumberland.]
and there I took water, in our way he discoursing of the wantonnesse of
the Court, and how it minds nothing else, and I saying that that would
leave the King shortly if he did not leave it, he told me "No," for the
King do spend most of his time in feeling and kissing them naked . . .
But this lechery will never leave him. Here I took boat (leaving him
there) and down to the Tower, where I hear the Duke of Albemarle is, and
I to Lumbard Streete, but can get no money. So upon the Exchange, which
is very empty, God knows! and but mean people there. The newes for
certain that the Dutch are come with their fleete before Margett, and
some men were endeavouring to come on shore when the post come away,
perhaps to steal some sheep. But, Lord! how Colvill talks of the
businesse of publique revenue like a madman, and yet I doubt all true;
that nobody minds it, but that the King and Kingdom must speedily be
undone, and rails at my Lord about the prizes, but I think knows not my
relation to him. Here I endeavoured to satisfy all I could, people about
Bills of Exchange from Tangier, but it is only with good words, for money
I have not, nor can get. God knows what will become of all the King's
matters in a little time, for he runs in debt every day, and nothing to
pay them looked after. Thence I walked to the Tower; but, Lord! how
empty the streets are and melancholy, so many poor sick people in the
streets full of sores; and so many sad stories overheard as I walk, every
body talking of this dead, and that man sick, and so many in this place,
and so many in that. And they tell me that, in Westminster, there is
never a physician and but one apothecary left, all being dead; but that
there are great hopes of a great decrease this week: God send it! At the
Tower found my Lord Duke and Duchesse at dinner; so I sat down. And much
good cheer, the Lieutenant and his lady, and several officers with the
Duke. But, Lord! to hear the silly talk that was there, would make one
mad; the Duke having none almost but fools about him. Much of their
talke about the Dutch coming on shore, which they believe they may some
of them have been and steal sheep, and speak all in reproach of them in
whose hands the fleete is; but, Lord helpe him, there is something will
hinder him and all the world in going to sea, which is want of victuals;
for we have not wherewith to answer our service; and how much better it
would have been if the Duke's advice had been taken for the fleete to
have gone presently out; but, God helpe the King! while no better
counsels are given, and what is given no better taken. Thence after
dinner receiving many commands from the Duke, I to our office on the
Hill, and there did a little business and to Colvill's again, and so took
water at the Tower, and there met with Captain Cocke, and he down with me
to Greenwich, I having received letters from my Lord Sandwich to-day,
speaking very high about the prize goods, that he would have us to fear
nobody, but be very confident in what we have done, and not to confess
any fault or doubt of what he hath done; for the King hath allowed it,
and do now confirm it, and sent orders, as he says, for nothing to be
disturbed that his Lordshipp hath ordered therein as to the division of
the goods to the fleete; which do comfort us, but my Lord writes to me
that both he and I may hence learn by what we see in this business. But
that which pleases me best is that Cocke tells me that he now understands
that Fisher was set on in this business by the design of some of the Duke
of Albemarle's people, Warcupp and others, who lent him money to set him
out in it, and he has spent high. Who now curse him for a rogue to take
L100 when he might have had as well L1,500, and they are mightily fallen
out about it. Which in due time shall be discovered, but that now that
troubles me afresh is, after I am got to the office at Greenwich that
some new troubles are come, and Captain Cocke's house is beset before and
behind with guards, and more, I do fear they may come to my office here
to search for Cocke's goods and find some small things of my clerk's. So
I assisted them in helping to remove their small trade, but by and by I
am told that it is only the Custome House men who came to seize the
things that did lie at Mr. Glanville's, for which they did never yet see
our Transire, nor did know of them till to-day. So that my fear is now
over, for a transire is ready for them. Cocke did get a great many of
his goods to London to-day. To the Still Yarde, which place, however, is
now shut up of the plague; but I was there, and we now make no bones of
it. Much talke there is of the Chancellor's speech and the King's at the
Parliament's meeting, which are very well liked; and that we shall
certainly, by their speeches, fall out with France at this time, together
with the Dutch, which will find us work. Late at the office entering my
Journall for 8 days past, the greatness of my business hindering me of
late to put it down daily, but I have done it now very true and
particularly, and hereafter will, I hope, be able to fall into my old way
of doing it daily. So to my lodging, and there had a good pullet to my
supper, and so to bed, it being very cold again, God be thanked for it!
17th. Up, and all day long busy at the office, mighty busy, only stepped
to my lodging and had a fowl for my dinner, and at night my wife and
Mercer comes to me, which troubled me a little because I am to be mighty
busy to-morrow all day seriously about my accounts. So late from my
office to her, and supped, and so to bed.
18th. Up, and after some pleasant discourse with my wife (though my head
full of business) I out and left her to go home, and myself to the
office, and thence by water to the Duke of Albemarle's, and so back again
and find my wife gone. So to my chamber at my lodgings, and to the
making of my accounts up of Tangier, which I did with great difficulty,
finding the difference between short and long reckonings where I have had
occasion to mix my moneys, as I have of late done my Tangier treasure
upon other occasions, and other moneys upon that. However, I was at it
late and did it pretty perfectly, and so, after eating something, to bed,
my mind eased of a great deal of figures and castings.
19th. Up, and to my accounts again, and stated them very clear and fair,
and at noon dined at my lodgings with Mr. Hater and W. Hewer at table
with me, I being come to an agreement yesterday with my landlady for L6
per month, for so many rooms for myself, them, and my wife and mayde,
when she shall come, and to pay besides for my dyett. After dinner I did
give them my accounts and letters to write against I went to the Duke of
Albemarle's this evening, which I did; and among other things, spoke to
him for my wife's brother, Balty, to be of his guard, which he kindly
answered that he should. My business of the Victualling goes on as I
would have it; and now my head is full how to make some profit of it to
myself or people. To that end, when I came home, I wrote a letter to Mr.
Coventry, offering myself to be the Surveyor Generall, and am apt to
think he will assist me in it, but I do not set my heart much on it,
though it would be a good helpe. So back to my office, and there till
past one before I could get all these letters and papers copied out,
which vexed me, but so sent them away without hopes of saving the post,
and so to my lodging to bed.
20th. Up, and had my last night's letters brought back to me, which
troubles me, because of my accounts, lest they should be asked for before
they come, which I abhorr, being more ready to give than they can be to
demand them: so I sent away an expresse to Oxford with them, and another
to Portsmouth, with a copy of my letter to Mr. Coventry about my
victualling business, for fear he should be gone from Oxford, as he
intended, thither. So busy all the morning and at noon to Cocke, and
dined there. He and I alone, vexed that we are not rid of all our
trouble about our goods, but it is almost over, and in the afternoon to
my lodging, and there spent the whole afternoon and evening with Mr.
Hater, discoursing of the business of the office, where he tells me that
among others Thomas Willson do now and then seem to hint that I do take
too much business upon me, more than I can do, and that therefore some do
lie undone. This I confess to my trouble is true, but it arises from my
being forced to take so much on me, more than is my proper task to
undertake. But for this at last I did advise to him to take another
clerk if he thinks fit, I will take care to have him paid. I discoursed
also much with him about persons fit to be put into the victualling
business, and such as I could spare something out of their salaries for
them, but without trouble I cannot, I see, well do it, because Thomas
Willson must have the refusal of the best place which is London of L200
per annum, which I did intend for Tooker, and to get L50 out of it as a
help to Mr. Hater. How[ever], I will try to do something of this kind
for them. Having done discourse with him late, I to enter my Tangier
accounts fair, and so to supper and to bed.
21 st. Up, and to my office, where busy all the morning, and then with
my two clerks home to dinner, and so back again to the office, and there
very late very busy, and so home to supper and to bed.
22nd (Lord's day). Up, and after ready and going to Captain Cocke's,
where I find we are a little further safe in some part of our goods,
I to Church, in my way was meeting with some letters, which made me
resolve to go after church to my Lord Duke of Albemarle's, so, after
sermon, I took Cocke's chariott, and to Lambeth; but, in going and
getting over the water, and through White Hall, I spent so much time, the
Duke had almost dined. However, fresh meat was brought for me to his
table, and there I dined, and full of discourse and very kind. Here they
are again talking of the prizes, and my Lord Duke did speake very broad
that my Lord Sandwich and Pen should do what they would, and answer for
themselves. For his part, he would lay all before the King. Here he
tells me the Dutch Embassador at Oxford is clapped up, but since I hear
it is not true. Thence back again, it being evening before I could get
home, and there Cocke not being within, I and Mr. Salomon to Mr.
Glanville's, and there we found Cocke and sat and supped, and was mighty
merry with only Madam Penington, who is a fine, witty lady. Here we
spent the evening late with great mirth, and so home and to bed.
23rd. Up, and after doing some business I down by water, calling to see
my wife, with whom very merry for ten minutes, and so to Erith, where my
Lord Bruncker and I kept the office, and dispatched some business by
appointment on the Bezan. Among other things about the slopsellers, who
have trusted us so long, they are not able, nor can be expected to trust
us further, and I fear this winter the fleete will be undone by that
particular. Thence on board the East India ship, where my Lord Bruncker
had provided a great dinner, and thither comes by and by Sir John Minnes
and before him Sir W. Warren and anon a Perspective glasse maker, of whom
we, every one, bought a pocket glasse. But I am troubled with the much
talke and conceitedness of Mrs. Williams and her impudence, in case she
be not married to my Lord. They are getting themselves ready to deliver
the goods all out to the East India Company, who are to have the goods in
their possession and to advance two thirds of the moderate value thereof
and sell them as well as they can and the King to give them 6 per cent.
for the use of the money they shall so advance. By this means the
company will not suffer by the King's goods bringing down the price of
their own. Thence in the evening back again with Sir W. Warren and
Captain Taylor in my boat, and the latter went with me to the office, and
there he and I reckoned; and I perceive I shall get L100 profit by my
services of late to him, which is a very good thing. Thence to my
lodging, where I find my Lord Rutherford, of which I was glad. We supped
together and sat up late, he being a mighty wanton man with a daughter in
law of my landlady's, a pretty conceited woman big with child, and he
would be handling her breasts, which she coyly refused. But they gone,
my Lord and I to business, and he would have me forbear paying Alderman
Backewell the money ordered him, which I, in hopes to advantage myself,
shall forbear, but do not think that my Lord will do any thing gratefully
more to me than he hath done, not that I shall get any thing as I
pretended by helping him to interest for his last L7700, which I could
do, and do him a courtesy too. Discourse being done, he to bed in my
chamber and I to another in the house.
24th. Lay long, having a cold. Then to my Lord and sent him going to
Oxford, and I to my office, whither comes Sir William Batten now newly
from Oxford. I can gather nothing from him about my Lord Sandwich about
the business of the prizes, he being close, but he shewed me a bill which
hath been read in the House making all breaking of bulke for the time to
come felony, but it is a foolish Act, and will do no great matter, only
is calculated to my Lord Sandwich's case. He shewed me also a good
letter printed from the Bishopp of Munster to the States of Holland
shewing the state of their case. Here we did some business and so broke
up and I to Cocke, where Mr. Evelyn was, to dinner, and there merry, yet
vexed again at publique matters, and to see how little heed is had to the
prisoners and sicke and wounded. Thence to my office, and no sooner
there but to my great surprise am told that my Lord Sandwich is come to
towne; so I presently to Boreman's, where he is and there found him: he
mighty kind to me, but no opportunity of discourse private yet, which he
tells me he must have with me; only his business is sudden to go to the
fleece, to get out a few ships to drive away the Dutch. I left him in
discourse with Sir W. Batten and others, and myself to the office till
about 10 at night and so, letters being done, I to him again to Captain
Cocke's, where he supped, and lies, and never saw him more merry, and
here is Charles Herbert, who the King hath lately knighted.
[This person, erroneously called by Pepys Sir C. Herbert, will be
best defined by subjoining the inscription on his monument in
Westminster Abbey: "Sir Charles Harbord, Knight, third son of Sir
Charles Harbord, Knight, Surveyor-General, and First Lieutenant of
the Royall James, under the most noble and illustrious Captaine,
Edward, Earle of Sandwich, Vice-Admirall of England, which, after a
terrible fight, maintained to admiration against a squadron of the
Holland fleet, above six hours, neere the Suffolk coast, having put
off two fireships; at last, being utterly disabled, and few of her
men remaining unhurt, was, by a third, unfortunately set on fire.
But he (though he swome well) neglected to save himselfe, as some
did, and out of perfect love to that worthy Lord, whom, for many
yeares, he had constantly accompanyed, in all his honourable
employments, and in all the engagements of the former warre, dyed
with him, at the age of xxxii., much bewailed by his father, whom he
never offended; and much beloved by all for his knowne piety,
vertue, loyalty, fortitude, and fidelity."--B.]
My Lord, to my great content, did tell me before them, that never
anything was read to the King and Council, all the chief Ministers of
State being there, as my letter about the Victualling was, and no more
said upon it than a most thorough consent to every word was said, and
directed, that it be pursued and practised. After much mirth, and my
Lord having travelled all night last night, he to bed, and we all parted,
I home.
25th. Up and to my Lord Sandwich's, where several Commanders, of whom I
took the state of all their ships, and of all could find not above four
capable of going out. The truth is, the want of victuals being the whole
overthrow of this yeare both at sea, and now at the Nore here and
Portsmouth, where all the fleete lies. By and by comes down my Lord, and
then he and I an houre together alone upon private discourse. He tells
me that Mr. Coventry and he are not reconciled, but declared enemies: the
only occasion of it being, he tells me, his ill usage from him about the
first fight, wherein he had no right done him, which, methinks, is a poor
occasion, for, in my conscience, that was no design of Coventry's. But,
however, when I asked my Lord whether it were not best, though with some
condescension, to be friends with him, he told me it was not possible,
and so I stopped. He tells me, as very private, that there are great
factions at the Court between the King's party and the Duke of Yorke's,
and that the King, which is a strange difficulty, do favour my Lord in
opposition to the Duke's party; that my Lord Chancellor, being, to be
sure, the patron of the Duke's, it is a mystery whence it should be that
Mr. Coventry is looked upon by him [Clarendon] as an enemy to him; that
if he had a mind himself to be out of this employment, as Mr. Coventry,
he believes, wishes, and himself and I do incline to wish it also, in
many respects, yet he believes he shall not be able, because of the King,
who will keepe him in on purpose, in opposition to the other party; that
Prince Rupert and he are all possible friends in the world; that Coventry
hath aggravated this business of the prizes, though never so great
plundering in the world as while the Duke and he were at sea; and in Sir
John Lawson's time he could take and pillage, and then sink a whole ship
in the Streights, and Coventry say nothing to it; that my Lord Arlington
is his fast friend; that the Chancellor is cold to him, and though I told
him that I and the world do take my Lord Chancellor, in his speech the
other day, to have said as much as could be wished, yet he thinks he did
not. That my Lord Chancellor do from hence begin to be cold to him,
because of his seeing him and Arlington so great: that nothing at Court
is minded but faction and pleasure, and nothing intended of general good
to the kingdom by anybody heartily; so that he believes with me, in a
little time confusion will certainly come over all the nation. He told
me how a design was carried on a while ago, for the Duke of Yorke to
raise an army in the North, and to be the Generall of it, and all this
without the knowledge or advice of the Duke of Albemarle, which when he
come to know, he was so vexed, they were fain to let it fall to content
him: that his matching with the family of Sir G. Carteret do make the
difference greater between Coventry and him, they being enemies; that the
Chancellor did, as every body else, speak well of me the other day, but
yet was, at the Committee for Tangier, angry that I should offer to
suffer a bill of exchange to be protested. So my Lord did bid me take
heed, for that I might easily suppose I could not want enemies, no more
than others. In all he speaks with the greatest trust and love and
confidence in what I say or do, that a man can do. After this discourse
ended we sat down to dinner and mighty merry, among other things, at the
Bill brought into the House to make it felony to break bulke, which, as
my Lord says well, will make that no prizes shall be taken, or, if taken,
shall be sunke after plundering; and the Act for the method of gathering
this last LI,250,000 now voted, and how paid wherein are several strange
imperfections. After dinner my Lord by a ketch down to Erith, where the
Bezan was, it blowing these last two days and now both night and day very
hard southwardly, so that it has certainly drove the Dutch off the coast.
My Lord being gone I to the office, and there find Captain Ferrers, who
tells me his wife is come to town to see him, having not seen him since
15 weeks ago at his first going to sea last. She is now at a Taverne and
stays all night, so I was obliged to give him my house and chamber to lie
in, which he with great modesty and after much force took, and so I got
Mr. Evelyn's coach to carry her thither, and the coach coming back, I
with Mr. Evelyn to Deptford, where a little while with him doing a little
business, and so in his coach back again to my lodgings, and there sat
with Mrs. Ferrers two hours, and with my little girle, Mistress Frances
Tooker, and very pleasant. Anon the Captain comes, and then to supper
very merry, and so I led them to bed. And so to bed myself, having seen
my pretty little girle home first at the next door.
26th. Up, and, leaving my guests to make themselves ready, I to the
office, and thither comes Sir Jer. Smith and Sir Christopher Mings to see
me, being just come from Portsmouth and going down to the Fleete. Here I
sat and talked with them a good while and then parted, only Sir
Christopher Mings and I together by water to the Tower; and I find him a
very witty well-spoken fellow, and mighty free to tell his parentage,
being a shoemaker's son, to whom he is now going, and I to the 'Change,
where I hear how the French have taken two and sunk one of our merchant-
men in the Streights, and carried the ships to Toulon; so that there is
no expectation but we must fall out with them. The 'Change pretty full,
and the town begins to be lively again, though the streets very empty,
and most shops shut. So back again I and took boat and called for Sir
Christopher Mings at St. Katharine's, who was followed with some ordinary
friends, of which, he says, he is proud, and so down to Greenwich, the
wind furious high, and we with our sail up till I made it be taken down.
I took him, it being 3 o'clock, to my lodgings and did give him a good
dinner and so parted, he being pretty close to me as to any business of
the fleete, knowing me to be a servant of my Lord Sandwich's. He gone I
to the office till night, and then they come and tell me my wife is come
to towne, so I to her vexed at her coming, but it was upon innocent
business, so I was pleased and made her stay, Captain Ferrers and his
lady being yet there, and so I left them to dance, and I to the office
till past nine at night, and so to them and there saw them dance very
prettily, the Captain and his wife, my wife and Mrs. Barbary, and Mercer
and my landlady's daughter, and then little Mistress Frances Tooker and
her mother, a pretty woman come to see my wife. Anon to supper, and then
to dance again (Golding being our fiddler, who plays very well and all
tunes) till past twelve at night, and then we broke up and every one to
bed, we make shift for all our company, Mrs. Tooker being gone.
27th. Up, and after some pleasant discourse with my wife, I out, leaving
her and Mrs. Ferrers there, and I to Captain Cocke's, there to do some
business, and then away with Cocke in his coach through Kent Streete, a
miserable, wretched, poor place, people sitting sicke and muffled up with
plasters at every 4 or 5 doors. So to the 'Change, and thence I by water
to the Duke of Albemarle's, and there much company, but I staid and
dined, and he makes mighty much of me; and here he tells us the Dutch are
gone, and have lost above 160 cables and anchors, through the last foule
weather. Here he proposed to me from Mr. Coventry, as I had desired of
Mr. Coventry, that I should be Surveyor-Generall of the Victualling
business, which I accepted. But, indeed, the terms in which Mr. Coventry
proposes it for me are the most obliging that ever I could expect from
any man, and more; it saying me to be the fittest man in England, and
that he is sure, if I will undertake, I will perform it; and that it will
be also a very desirable thing that I might have this encouragement, my
encouragement in the Navy alone being in no wise proportionable to my
pains or deserts. This, added to the letter I had three days since from
Mr. Southerne, signifying that the Duke of Yorke had in his master's
absence opened my letter, and commanded him to tell me that he did
approve of my being the Surveyor-General, do make me joyful beyond myself
that I cannot express it, to see that as I do take pains, so God blesses
me, and hath sent me masters that do observe that I take pains. After
having done here, I back by water and to London, and there met with
Captain Cocke's coach again, and I went in it to Greenwich and thence
sent my wife in it to Woolwich, and I to the office, and thence home late
with Captain Taylor, and he and I settled all accounts between us, and I
do find that I do get above L129 of him for my services for him within
these six months. At it till almost one in the morning, and after supper
he away and I to bed, mightily satisfied in all this, and in a resolution
I have taken to-night with Mr. Hater to propose the port of London for
the victualling business for Thomas Willson, by which it will be better
done and I at more ease, in case he should grumble.
[The Duke of York's letter appointing Thomas Wilson Surveyor of the
Victualling of His Majesty's Navy in the Port of London, and
referring to Pepys as Surveyor-General of the Victualling Affairs,
is printed in "Memoirs of the English Affairs, chiefly Naval, 1660-
73," by James, Duke of York, 1729, p. 131.]
So to bed.
28th. Up, and sent for Thomas Willson, and broke the victualling
business to him and he is mightily contented, and so am I that I have
bestowed it on him, and so I to Mr. Boreman's, where Sir W. Batten is, to
tell him what I had proposed to Thomas Willson, and the newes also I have
this morning from Sir W. Clerke, which is, that notwithstanding all the
care the Duke of Albemarle hath taken about the putting the East India
prize goods into the East India Company's hands, and my Lord Bruncker and
Sir J. Minnes having laden out a great part of the goods, an order is
come from Court to stop all, and to have the goods delivered to the Sub-
Commissioners of prizes. At which I am glad, because it do vex this
simple weake man, and we shall have a little reparation for the disgrace
my Lord Sandwich has had in it. He tells me also that the Parliament
hath given the Duke of Yorke L120,000, to be paid him after the
L1,250,000 is gathered upon the tax which they have now given the King.
[This sum was granted by the Commons to Charles, with a request that
he would bestow it on his brother.--B.]
He tells me that the Dutch have lately launched sixteen new ships; all
which is great news. Thence by horsebacke with Mr. Deane to Erith, and
so aboard my Lord Bruncker and dined, and very merry with him and good
discourse between them about ship building, and, after dinner and a
little pleasant discourse, we away and by horse back again to Greenwich,
and there I to the office very late, offering my persons for all the
victualling posts much to my satisfaction. Also much other business I
did to my mind, and so weary home to my lodging, and there after eating
and drinking a little I to bed. The King and Court, they say, have now
finally resolved to spend nothing upon clothes, but what is of the growth
of England; which, if observed, will be very pleasing to the people, and
very good for them.
29th (Lord's day). Up, and being ready set out with Captain Cocke in his
coach toward Erith, Mr. Deane riding along with us, where we dined and
were very merry. After dinner we fell to discourse about the Dutch,
Cocke undertaking to prove that they were able to wage warr with us three
years together, which, though it may be true, yet, not being satisfied
with his arguments, my Lord and I did oppose the strength of his
arguments, which brought us to a great heate, he being a conceited man,
but of no Logique in his head at all, which made my Lord and I mirth.
Anon we parted, and back again, we hardly having a word all the way, he
being so vexed at our not yielding to his persuasion. I was set down at
Woolwich towne end, and walked through the towne in the darke, it being
now night. But in the streete did overtake and almost run upon two women
crying and carrying a man's coffin between them. I suppose the husband
of one of them, which, methinks, is a sad thing. Being come to
Shelden's, I find my people in the darke in the dining room, merry and
laughing, and, I thought, sporting one with another, which, God helpe me!
raised my jealousy presently. Come in the darke, and one of them
touching me (which afterward I found was Susan) made them shreeke, and so
went out up stairs, leaving them to light a candle and to run out. I
went out and was very vexed till I found my wife was gone with Mr. Hill
and Mercer this day to see me at Greenwich, and these people were at
supper, and the candle on a sudden falling out of the candlesticke (which
I saw as I come through the yarde) and Mrs. Barbary being there I was
well at ease again, and so bethought myself what to do, whether to go to
Greenwich or stay there; at last go I would, and so with a lanthorne, and
3 or 4 people with me, among others Mr. Browne, who was there, would go,
I walked with a lanthorne and discoursed with him about paynting and the
several sorts of it. I came in good time to Greenwich, where I found Mr.
Hill with my wife, and very glad I was to see him. To supper and
discourse of musique and so to bed, I lying with him talking till
midnight about Berckenshaw's musique rules, which I did to his great
satisfaction inform him in, and so to sleep.
30th. Up, and to my office about business. At noon to dinner, and after
some discourse of musique, he and I to the office awhile, and he to get
Mr. Coleman, if he can, against night. By and by I back again home, and
there find him returned with Mr. Coleman (his wife being ill) and Mr.
Laneare, with whom with their Lute we had excellent company and good
singing till midnight, and a good supper I did give them, but Coleman's
voice is quite spoiled, and when he begins to be drunk he is excellent
company, but afterward troublesome and impertinent. Laneare sings in a
melancholy method very well, and a sober man he seems to be. They being
gone, we to bed. Captain Ferrers coming this day from my Lord is forced
to lodge here, and I put him to Mr. Hill.
31st. Up, and to the office, Captain Ferrers going back betimes to my
Lord. I to the office, where Sir W. Batten met me, and did tell me that
Captain Cocke's black was dead of the plague, which I had heard of
before, but took no notice. By and by Captain Cocke come to the office,
and Sir W. Batten and I did send to him that he would either forbear the
office, or forbear going to his owne office. However, meeting yesterday
the Searchers with their rods in their hands--[Coroners Office ?? D.W.]--
coming from Captain Cocke's house, I did overhear them say that the
fellow did not die of the plague, but he had I know been ill a good
while, and I am told that his boy Jack is also ill. At noon home to
dinner, and then to the office again, leaving Mr. Hill if he can to get
Mrs. Coleman at night. About nine at night I come home, and there find
Mrs. Pierce come and little Fran. Tooker, and Mr. Hill, and other people,
a great many dancing, and anon comes Mrs. Coleman with her husband and
Laneare. The dancing ended and to sing, which Mrs. Coleman do very
finely, though her voice is decayed as to strength but mighty sweet
though soft, and a pleasant jolly woman, and in mighty good humour was
to-night. Among other things Laneare did, at the request of Mr. Hill,
bring two or three the finest prints for my wife to see that ever I did
see in all my life. But for singing, among other things, we got Mrs.
Coleman to sing part of the Opera, though she won't owne that ever she
did get any of it without book in order to the stage; but, above all, her
counterfeiting of Captain Cooke's part, in his reproaching his man with
cowardice, "Base slave," &c., she do it most excellently. At it till
past midnight, and then broke up and to bed. Hill and I together again,
and being very sleepy we had little discourse as we had the other night.
Thus we end the month merrily; and the more for that, after some fears
that the plague would have increased again this week, I hear for certain
that there is above 400 [less], the whole number being 1,388, and of them
of the plague, 1,031. Want of money in the Navy puts everything out of
order. Men grow mutinous; and nobody here to mind the business of the
Navy but myself. At least Sir W. Batten for the few days he has been
here do nothing. I in great hopes of my place of Surveyor-Generall of
the Victualling, which will bring me L300 per annum.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
A conceited man, but of no Logique in his head at all
Best poem that ever was wrote (Siege of Rhodes)
French have taken two and sunk one of our merchant-men
Hath sent me masters that do observe that I take pains
How little heed is had to the prisoners and sicke and wounded
How unhppily a man may fall into a necessity of bribing people
Lechery will never leave him
Money I have not, nor can get
Mr. Evelyn's translating and sending me as a present
Poor seamen that lie starving in the streets
Saying me to be the fittest man in England
Searchers with their rods in their hands
End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v44
by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley