Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1660 N.S. Complete

S >> Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1660 N.S. Complete




12th. Lay long in bed to-day. Sir Wm. Batten went this morning to
Deptford to pay off the Wolf. Mr. Comptroller and I sat a while at the
office to do business, and thence I went with him to his house in Lime
Street, a fine house, and where I never was before, and from thence by
coach (setting down his sister at the new Exchange) to Westminster Hall,
where first I met with Jack Spicer and agreed with him to help me to tell
money this afternoon. Hence to De Cretz, where I saw my Lord's picture
finished, which do please me very well. So back to the Hall, where by
appointment I met the Comptroller, and with him and three or four
Parliament men I dined at Heaven, and after dinner called at Will's on
Jack Spicer, and took him to Mr. Fox's, who saved me the labour of telling
me the money by giving me; L3000 by consent (the other L1000 I am to have
on Thursday next), which I carried by coach to the Exchequer, and put it
up in a chest in Spicer's office. From thence walked to my father's,
where I found my wife, who had been with my father to-day, buying of a
tablecloth and a dozen of napkins of diaper the first that
ever I bought in my life. My father and I took occasion to go forth, and
went and drank at Mr. Standing's, and there discoursed seriously about my
sister's coming to live with me, which I have much mind for her good to
have, and yet I am much afeard of her ill-nature. Coming home again, he
and I, and my wife, my mother and Pall, went all together into the little
room, and there I told her plainly what my mind was, to have her come not
as a sister in any respect, but as a servant, which she promised me that
she would, and with many thanks did weep for joy, which did give me and my
wife some content and satisfaction. So by coach home and to bed. The
last night I should have mentioned how my wife and I were troubled all
night with the sound of drums in our ears, which in the morning we found
to be Mr. Davys's jack,

[The date of the origin of smoke jacks does not appear to be known,
but the first patent taken out for an improved smoke-jack by Peter
Clare is dated December 24th, 1770. The smoke jack consists of a
wind-wheel fixed in the chimney, which communicates motion by means
of an endless band to a pulley, whence the motion is transmitted to
the spit by gearing. In the valuable introduction to the volume of
"Abridgments of Specifications relating to Cooking, 1634-1866"
(Patent Office), mention is made of an Italian work by Bartolomeo
Scappi, published first at Rome in 1572, and afterwards reprinted at
Venice in 1622, which gives a complete account of the kitchens of
the time and the utensils used in them. In the plates several
roasting-jacks are represented, one worked by smoke or hot air and
one by a spring.]

but not knowing the cause of its going all night, I understand to-day that
they have had a great feast to-day.

13th. Early going to my Lord's I met with Mr. Moore, who was going to my
house, and indeed I found him to be a most careful, painful,--[Painful,
i.e. painstaking or laborious. Latimer speaks of the "painful
magistrates."]--and able man in business, and took him by water to the
Wardrobe, and shewed him all the house; and indeed there is a great deal
of room in it, but very ugly till my Lord hath bestowed great cost upon
it. So to the Exchequer, and there took Spicer and his fellow clerks to
the Dog tavern, and did give them a peck of oysters, and so home to
dinner, where I found my wife making of pies and tarts to try, her oven
with, which she has never yet done, but not knowing the nature of it, did
heat it too hot, and so a little overbake her things, but knows how to do
better another time. At home all the afternoon. At night made up my
accounts of my sea expenses in order to my clearing off my imprest bill of
L30 which I had in my hands at the beginning of my voyage; which I intend
to shew to my Lord to-morrow. To bed.

14th (Office day). But this day was the first that we do begin to sit in
the afternoon, and not in the forenoon, and therefore I went into
Cheapside to Mr. Beauchamp's, the goldsmith, to look out a piece of plate
to give Mr. Fox from my Lord, for his favour about the L4,000, and did
choose a gilt tankard. So to Paul's Churchyard and bought "Cornelianum.
dolium:"

["Cornelianum dolium" is a Latin comedy, by T. R., published at
London in 1638. Douce attributed it to Thomas Randolph (d. 1635).
The book has a frontispiece representing the sweating tub which,
from the name of the patient, was styled Cornelius's tub. There is
a description of the play in the "European Magazine," vol. xxxvii.
(1805), p. 343]

So home to dinner, and after that to the office till late at night, and so
Sir W. Pen, the Comptroller, and I to the Dolphin, where we found Sir W.
Batten, who is seldom a night from hence, and there we did drink a great
quantity of sack and did tell many merry stories, and in good humours we
were all. So home and to bed.

15th. To Westminster, and it being very cold upon the water I went all
alone to the Sun and drank a draft of mulled white wine, and so to Mr. de
Cretz, whither I sent for J. Spicer (to appoint him to expect me this
afternoon at the office, with the other L1000 from Whitehall), and here we
staid and did see him give some finishing touches to my Lord's picture, so
at last it is complete to my mind, and I leave mine with him to copy out
another for himself, and took the original by a porter with me to my
Lord's, where I found my Lord within, and staid hearing him and Mr. Child
playing upon my Lord's new organ, the first time I ever heard it. My Lord
did this day show me the King's picture, which was done in Flanders, that
the King did promise my Lord before he ever saw him, and that we did
expect to have had at sea before the King came to us; but it came but
to-day, and indeed it is the most pleasant and the most like him that ever
I saw picture in my life. As dinner was coming on table, my wife came to
my Lord's, and I got her carried in to my Lady, who took physic to-day,
and was just now hiring of a French maid that was with her, and they could
not understand one another till my wife came to interpret. Here I did
leave my wife to dine with my Lord, the first time he ever did take notice
of her as my wife, and did seem to have a just esteem for her. And did
myself walk homewards (hearing that Sir W. Pen was gone before in a coach)
to overtake him and with much ado at last did in Fleet Street, and there I
went in to him, and there was Sir Arnold Brames, and we all three to Sir
W. Batten's to dinner, he having a couple of Servants married to-day; and
so there was a great number of merchants, and others of good quality on
purpose after dinner to make an offering, which, when dinner was done, we
did, and I did give ten shillings and no more, though I believe most of
the rest did give more, and did believe that I did so too. From thence to
Whitehall again by water to Mr. Fox and by two porters carried away the
other L1000. He was not within himself, but I had it of his kinsman, and
did give him L4. and other servants something; but whereas I did intend to
have given Mr. Fox himself a piece of plate of L50 I was demanded L100,
for the fee of the office at 6d. a pound, at which I was surprised, but,
however, I did leave it there till I speak with my Lord. So I carried it
to the Exchequer, where at Will's I found Mr. Spicer, and so lodged it at
his office with the rest. From thence after a pot of ale at Will's I took
boat in the dark and went for all that to the old Swan, and so to Sir Wm.
Batten's, and leaving some of the gallants at cards I went home, where I
found my wife much satisfied with my Lord's discourse and respect to her,
and so after prayers to bed.

16th. Up early to my father's, where by appointment Mr. Moore came to me,
and he and I to the Temple, and thence to Westminster Hall to speak with
Mr. Wm. Montagu about his looking upon the title of those lands which I do
take as security for L3000 of my Lord's money. That being done Mr. Moore
and I parted, and in the Hall I met with Mr. Fontleroy (my old
acquaintance, whom I had not seen a long time), and he and I to the Swan,
and in discourse he seems to be wise and say little, though I know things
are changed against his mind. Thence home by water, where my father, Mr.
Snow, and Mr. Moore did dine with me. After dinner Mr. Snow and I went up
together to discourse about the putting out of L80 to a man who lacks the
money and would give me L15 per annum for 8 years for it, which I did not
think profit enough, and so he seemed to be disappointed by my refusal of
it, but I would not now part with my money easily. He seems to do it as a
great favour to me to offer to come in upon a way of getting of money,
which they call Bottomry,

["The contract of bottomry is a negotiable instrument, which may be
put in suit by the person to whom it is transferred; it is in use in
all countries of maritime commerce and interests. A contract in the
nature of a mortgage of a ship, when the owner of it borrows money
to enable him to carry on the voyage, and pledges the keel or bottom
of the ship as a security for the repayment. If the ship be lost
the lender loses his whole money; but if it returns in safety, then
he shall receive back his principal, and also the premium stipulated
to be paid, however it may exceed the usual or legal rate of
interest."--Smyth's Sailor's WordBook.]

which I do not yet understand, but do believe there may be something in it
of great profit. After we were parted I went to the office, and there we
sat all the afternoon, and at night we went to a barrel of oysters at Sir
W. Batten's, and so home, and I to the setting of my papers in order,
which did keep me up late. So to bed.

17th. In the morning to Whitehall, where I inquired at the Privy Seal
Office for a form for a nobleman to make one his Chaplain. But I
understanding that there is not any, I did draw up one, and so to my
Lord's, and there I did give him it to sign for Mr. Turner to be his first
Chaplain. I did likewise get my Lord to sign my last sea accounts, so
that I am even to this day when I have received the balance of Mr. Creed.
I dined with my Lady and my Lady Pickering, where her son John dined with
us, who do continue a fool as he ever was since I knew him. His mother
would fain marry him to get a portion for his sister Betty but he will not
hear of it. Hither came Major Hart this noon, who tells me that the
Regiment is now disbanded, and that there is some money coming to me for
it. I took him to my Lord to Mr. Crew's, and from thence with Mr. Shepley
and Mr. Moore to the Devil Tavern, and there we drank. So home and wrote
letters by the post. Then to my lyra viall,

[The lyre viol is a viol with extra open bass strings, holding the
same relation to the viol as the theorbo does to the lute. A volume
entitled "Musick's Recreation on the Lyra Viol," was printed by John
Playford in 1650.]

and to bed.

18th (Lord's day). In the morning to our own church, Where Mr. Powel (a
crook legged man that went formerly with me to Paul's School), preached a
good sermon. In the afternoon to our own church and my wife with me (the
first time that she and my Lady Batten came to sit in our new pew), and
after sermon my Lady took us home and there we supped with her and Sir W.
Batten, and Pen, and were much made of. The first time that ever my wife
was there. So home and to bed.

19th (Office day). After we had done a little at the office this morning,
I went with the Treasurer in his coach to White Hall, and in our way, in
discourse, do find him a very good-natured man; and, talking of those men
who now stand condemned for murdering the King, he says that he believes
that, if the law would give leave, the King is a man of so great
compassion that he would wholly acquit them. Going to my Lord's I met
with Mr. Shepley, and so he and I to the Sun, and I did give him a morning
draft of Muscadine.

[Muscadine or muscadel, a rich sort of wine. 'Vinum muscatum quod
moschi odorem referat.'

"Quaffed off the muscadel, and threw the sops
All in the sexton's face."

Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew, act iii. SC. 2.--M. B.]

And so to see my Lord's picture at De Cretz, and he says it is very like
him, and I say so too. After that to Westminster Hall, and there hearing
that Sir W. Batten was at the Leg in the Palace, I went thither, and there
dined with him and some of the Trinity House men who had obtained
something to-day at the House of Lords concerning the Ballast Office.
After dinner I went by water to London to the Globe in Cornhill, and there
did choose two pictures to hang up in my house, which my wife did not like
when I came home, and so I sent the picture of Paris back again. To the
office, where we sat all the afternoon till night. So home, and there
came Mr. Beauchamp to me with the gilt tankard, and I did pay him for it
L20. So to my musique and sat up late at it, and so to bed, leaving my
wife to sit up till 2 o'clock that she may call the wench up to wash.

20th. About two o'clock my wife wakes me, and comes to bed, and so both
to sleep and the wench to wash. I rose and with Will to my Lord's by
land, it being a very hard frost, the first we have had this year. There
I staid with my Lord and Mr. Shepley, looking over my Lord's accounts and
to set matters straight between him and Shepley, and he did commit the
viewing of these accounts to me, which was a great joy to me to see that
my Lord do look upon me as one to put trust in. Hence to the organ, where
Mr. Child and one Mr Mackworth (who plays finely upon the violin) were
playing, and so we played till dinner and then dined, where my Lord in a
very good humour and kind to me. After dinner to the Temple, where I met
Mr. Moore and discoursed with him about the business of putting out my
Lord's L3000, and that done, Mr. Shepley and I to the new Play-house near
Lincoln's-Inn-Fields (which was formerly Gibbon's tennis-court), where the
play of "Beggar's Bush" was newly begun; and so we went in and saw it, it
was well acted: and here I saw the first time one Moone,

[Michael Mohun, or Moone, the celebrated actor, who had borne a
major's commission in the King's army. The period of his death is
uncertain, but he is known to have been dead in 1691. Downes
relates that an eminent poet [Lee] seeing him act Mithridates
"vented suddenly this saying: 'Oh, Mohun, Mohun, thou little man of
mettle, if I should write a 100, I'd write a part for thy mouth.'"
--Roscius Anglicanus, p. 17.]

who is said to be the best actor in the world, lately come over with the
King, and indeed it is the finest play-house, I believe, that ever was in
England. From thence, after a pot of ale with Mr. Shepley at a house hard
by, I went by link home, calling a little by the way at my father's and my
uncle Fenner's, where all pretty well, and so home, where I found the
house in a washing pickle, and my wife in a very joyful condition when I
told her that she is to see the Queen next Thursday, which puts me in mind
to say that this morning I found my Lord in bed late, he having been with
the King, Queen, and Princess, at the Cockpit

[The Cockpit at Whitehall. The plays at the Cockpit in Drury Lane
were acted in the afternoon.]

all night, where. General Monk treated them; and after supper a play,
where the King did put a great affront upon Singleton's' musique, he
bidding them stop and bade the French musique play, which, my Lord says,
do much outdo all ours. But while my Lord was rising, I went to Mr.
Fox's, and there did leave the gilt tankard for Mrs. Fox, and then to the
counting-house to him, who hath invited me and my wife to dine with him on
Thursday next, and so to see the Queen and Princesses.

21st. Lay long in bed. This morning my cozen Thomas Pepys, the turner,
sent me a cupp of lignum vitae

[A hard, compact, black-green wood, obtained from 'Guaiacum
offcinale', from which pestles, ship-blocks, rollers, castors, &c.,
are turned.]

for a token. This morning my wife and I went to Paternoster Row, and
there we bought some green watered moyre for a morning wastecoate. And
after that we went to Mr. Cade's' to choose some pictures for our house.
After that my wife went home, and I to Pope's Head, and bought me an
aggate hafted knife, which cost me 5s. So home to dinner, and so to the
office all the afternoon, and at night to my viallin (the first time that
I have played on it since I came to this house) in my dining room, and
afterwards to my lute there, and I took much pleasure to have the
neighbours come forth into the yard to hear me. So down to supper, and
sent for the barber, who staid so long with me that he was locked into the
house, and we were fain to call up Griffith, to let him out. So up to
bed, leaving my wife to wash herself, and to do other things against
to-morrow to go to court.

22d. This morning came the carpenters to make me a door at the other side
of my house, going into the entry, which I was much pleased with. At noon
my wife and I walked to the Old Exchange, and there she bought her a white
whisk

[A gorget or neckerchief worn by women at this time. "A woman's
neck whisk is used both plain and laced, and is called of most a
gorget or falling whisk, because it falleth about the shoulders."
--Randle Hohnt (quoted by Planche).]

and put it on, and I a pair of gloves, and so we took coach for Whitehall
to Mr. Fox's, where we found Mrs. Fox within, and an alderman of London
paying L1000 or L1500 in gold upon the table for the King, which was the
most gold that ever I saw together in my life. Mr. Fox came in presently
and did receive us with a great deal of respect; and then did take my wife
and I to the Queen's presence-chamber; where he got my wife placed behind
the Queen's chair, and I got into the crowd, and by and by the Queen and
the two Princesses came to dinner. The Queen a very little plain old
woman, and nothing more in her presence in any respect nor garb than any
ordinary woman. The Princess of Orange I had often seen before. The
Princess Henrietta is very pretty, but much below my expectation; and her
dressing of herself with her hair frized short up to her ears, did make
her seem so much the less to me. But my wife standing near her with two
or three black patches on, and well dressed, did seem to me much handsomer
than she. Dinner being done, we went to Mr. Fox's again, where many
gentlemen dined with us, and most princely dinner, all provided for me and
my friends, but I bringing none but myself and wife, he did call the
company to help to eat up so much good victuals. At the end of dinner, my
Lord Sandwich's health was drunk in the gilt tankard that I did give to
Mrs. Fox the other day. After dinner I had notice given me by Will my man
that my Lord did inquire for me, so I went to find him, and met him and
the Duke of York in a coach going towards Charing Cross. I endeavoured to
follow them but could not, so I returned to Mr. Fox, and after much
kindness and good discourse we parted from thence. I took coach for my
wife and me homewards, and I light at the Maypole in the Strand, and sent
my wife home. I to the new playhouse and saw part of the "Traitor," a
very good Tragedy; Mr. Moon did act the Traitor very well. So to my
Lord's, and sat there with my Lady a great while talking. Among other
things, she took occasion to inquire (by Madame Dury's late discourse with
her) how I did treat my wife's father and mother. At which I did give her
a good account, and she seemed to be very well opinioned of my wife. From
thence to White Hall at about 9 at night, and there, with Laud the page
that went with me, we could not get out of Henry the Eighth's gallery into
the further part of the boarded gallery, where my Lord was walking with my
Lord Ormond; and we had a key of Sir S. Morland's, but all would not do;
till at last, by knocking, Mr. Harrison the door-keeper did open us the
door, and, after some talk with my Lord about getting a catch to carry my
Lord St. Albans a goods to France, I parted and went home on foot, it
being very late and dirty, and so weary to bed.

23rd. This morning standing looking upon the workmen doing of my new door
to my house, there comes Captain Straughan the Scot (to whom the King has
given half of the money that the two ships lately sold do bring), and he
would needs take me to the Dolphin, and give me a glass of ale and a peck
of oysters, he and I. He did talk much what he is able to advise the King
for good husbandry in his ships, as by ballasting them with lead ore and
many other tricks, but I do believe that he is a knowing man in
sea-business. Home and dined, and in the afternoon to the office, where
till late, and that being done Mr. Creed did come to speak with me, and I
took him to the Dolphin, where there was Mr. Pierce the purser and his
wife and some friends of theirs. So I did spend a crown upon them behind
the bar, they being akin to the people of the house, and this being the
house where Mr. Pierce was apprentice. After they were gone Mr. Creed and
I spent an hour in looking over the account which he do intend to pass in
our office for his lending moneys, which I did advise about and approve or
disapprove of as I saw cause. After an hour being, serious at this we
parted about 11 o'clock at night. So I home and to bed, leaving my wife
and the maid at their linen to get up.

24th. To my Lord's, where after I had done talking with him Mr. Townsend,
Rumball, Blackburn, Creed and Shepley and I to the Rhenish winehouse, and
there I did give them two quarts of Wormwood wine,

[Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is celebrated for its intensely
bitter, tonic, and stimulating qualities, which have caused it to be
used in various medicinal preparations, and also in the making of
liqueurs, as wormwood wine and creme d'absinthe.]

and so we broke up. So we parted, and I and Mr. Creed to Westminster Hall
and looked over a book or two, and so to my Lord's, where I dined with my
lady, there being Mr. Child and Mrs. Borfett, who are never absent at
dinner there, under pretence of a wooing. From thence I to Mr. de Cretz
and did take away my Lord's picture, which is now finished for me, and I
paid L3 10s. for it and the frame, and am well pleased with it and the
price. So carried it home by water, Will being with me. At home, and had
a fire made in my closet, and put my papers and books and things in order,
and that being done I fell to entering these two good songs of Mr. Lawes,
"Helpe, helpe, O helpe," and "O God of Heaven and Hell" in my song book,
to which I have got Mr. Child to set the base to the Theorbo, and that
done to bed.

25th (Lord's day). In the forenoon I alone to our church, and after
dinner I went and ranged about to many churches, among the rest to the
Temple, where I heard Dr. Wilkins' a little (late Maister of Trinity in
Cambridge). That being done to my father's to see my mother who is
troubled much with the stone, and that being done I went home, where I had
a letter brought me from my Lord to get a ship ready to carry the Queen's
things over to France, she being to go within five or six days. So to
supper and to bed.

26th (Office day). To it all the morning, and dined at home where my
father come and dined with me, who seems to take much pleasure to have a
son that is neat in his house. I being now making my new door into the
entry, which he do please himself much with. After dinner to the office
again, and there till night. And that being done the Comptroller and I to
the Mitre to a glass of wine, when we fell into a discourse of poetry, and
he did repeat some verses of his own making which were very good. Home,
there hear that my Lady Batten had given my wife a visit (the first that
ever she made her), which pleased me exceedingly. So after supper to bed.

27th. To Whitehall, where I found my Lord gone abroad to the Wardrobe,
whither he do now go every other morning, and do seem to resolve to
understand and look after the business himself. From thence to
Westminster Hall, and in King Street there being a great stop of coaches,
there was a falling out between a drayman and my Lord Chesterfield's
coachman, and one of his footmen killed. At the Hall I met with Mr.
Creed, and he and I to Hell to drink our morning draught, and so to my
Lord's again, where I found my wife, and she and I dined with him and my
Lady, and great company of my Lord's friends, and my Lord did show us
great respect. Soon as dinner was done my wife took her leave, and went
with Mr. Blackburne and his wife to London to a christening of a Brother's
child of his on Tower Hill, and I to a play, "The Scorn-full Lady," and
that being done, I went homewards, and met Mr. Moore, who had been at my
house, and took him to my father's, and we three to Standing's to drink.
Here Mr. Moore told me how the House had this day voted the King to have
all the Excise for ever. This day I do also hear that the Queen's going
to France is stopt, which do like, me well, because then the King will be
in town the next month, which is my month again at the Privy Seal. From
thence home, where when I come I do remember that I did leave my boy
Waineman at Whitehall with order to stay there for me in the court, at
which I was much troubled, but about 11 o'clock at night the boy came home
well, and so we all to bed.

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