Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1662 N.S. Complete

S >> Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1662 N.S. Complete




2nd (Lord's day). Lay long with pleasure talking with my wife, in whom I
never had greater content, blessed be God! than now, she continuing with
the same care and thrift and innocence, so long as I keep her from
occasions of being otherwise, as ever she was in her life, and keeps the
house as well. To church, where Mr. Mills, after he had read the service,
and shifted himself as he did the last day, preached a very ordinary
sermon. So home to dinner with my wife. Then up into my new rooms which
are, almost finished, and there walked with great content talking with my
wife till church time, and then to church, and there being a lazy preacher
I slept out the sermon, and so home, and after visiting the two Sir
Williams, who are both of them mending apace, I to my office preparing
things against to-morrow for the Duke, and so home and to bed, with some
pain, . . . having taken cold this morning in sitting too long
bare-legged to pare my corns. My wife and I spent a good deal of this
evening in reading "Du Bartas' Imposture" and other parts which my wife of
late has taken up to read, and is very fine as anything I meet with.

3d. Up and with Sir J. Minnes in his coach to White Hall, to the Duke's;
but found him gone out a-hunting. Thence to my Lord Sandwich, from whom I
receive every day more and more signs of his confidence and esteem of me.
Here I met with Pierce the chyrurgeon, who tells me that my Lady
Castlemaine is with child; but though it be the King's, yet her Lord being
still in town, and sometimes seeing of her, though never to eat or lie
together, it will be laid to him. He tells me also how the Duke of York
is smitten in love with my Lady Chesterfield

[Lady Elizabeth Butler, daughter of James Butler, first Duke of
Ormond, second wife of Philip Stanhope, second Earl of Chesterfield.
She died July, 1665 (see "Memoires de Grammont," chap. viii.).
Peter Cunningham thinks that this banishment was only temporary,
for, according to the Grammont Memoirs, she was in town when the
Russian ambassador was in London, December, 1662, and January,
1662-63. "It appears from the books of the Lord Steward's office
. . . that Lord Chesterfield set out for the country on the
12th May, 1663, and, from his 'Short Notes' referred to in the
Memoirs before his Correspondence, that he remained at Bretby, in
Derbyshire, with his wife, throughout the summer of that year"
("Story of Nell Gwyn," 1852, p. 189).]

(a virtuous lady, daughter to my Lord of Ormond); and so much, that the
duchess of York hath complained to the King and her father about it, and
my Lady Chesterfield is gone into the country for it. At all which I am
sorry; but it is the effect of idleness, and having nothing else to employ
their great spirits upon. Thence with Mr. Creede and Mr. Moore (who is
got upon his legs and come to see my Lord) to Wilkinson's, and there I did
give them and Mr. Howe their dinner of roast beef, cost me 5s., and after
dinner carried Mr. Moore as far as Paul's in a coach, giving him direction
about my law business, and there set him down, and I home and among my
workmen, who happened of all sorts to meet to their making an end of a
great many jobbs, so that after to-morrow I shall have but a little
plastering and all the painting almost to do, which was good content to
me. At night to my office, and did business; and there came to me Mr.
Wade and Evett, who have been again with their prime intelligencer, a
woman, I perceive: and though we have missed twice, yet they bring such an
account of the probability of the truth of the thing, though we are not
certain of the place, that we shall set upon it once more; and I am
willing and hopefull in it. So we resolved to set upon it again on
Wednesday morning; and the woman herself will be there in a disguise, and
confirm us in the place. So they took leave for the night, and I to my
business, and then home to my wife and to supper and bed, my pain being
going away. So by God's great blessing my mind is in good condition of
quiet.

4th. Lay long talking pleasantly with my wife in bed, it having rained,
and do still, very much all night long. Up and to the office, where we
sat till noon. This morning we had news by letters that Sir Richard
Stayner is dead at sea in the Mary, which is now come into Portsmouth from
Lisbon; which we are sorry for, he being a very stout seaman. But there
will be no great miss of him for all that. Dined at home with my wife,
and all the afternoon among my workmen, and at night to my office to do
business there, and then to see Sir W. Pen, who is still sick, but his
pain less than it was. He took occasion to talk with me about Sir J.
Minnes's intention to divide the entry and the yard, and so to keep him
out of the yard, and forcing him to go through the garden to his house.
Which he is vexed at, and I am glad to see that Sir J. Minnes do use him
just as he do me, and so I perceive it is not anything extraordinary his
carriage to me in the matter of our houses, for this is worse than
anything he has done to me, that he should give order for the stopping up
of his way to his house without so much as advising with him or letting of
him know it, and I confess that it is very highly and basely done of him.
So to my office again, and after doing business there, then home to supper
and to bed.

5th. Up and with my painters painting my dining room all day long till
night, not stirring out at all. Only in the morning my. Lady Batten did
send to speak with me, and told me very civilly that she did not desire,
nor hoped I did, that anything should pass between us but what was civill,
though there was not the neighbourliness between her and my wife that was
fit to be, and so complained of my maid's mocking of her; when she called
"Nan" to her maid within her own house, my maid Jane in the garden
overheard her, and mocked her, and some other such like things she told
me, and of my wife's speaking unhandsomely of her; to all which I did give
her a very respectfull answer, such as did please her, and am sorry indeed
that this should be, though I do not desire there should be any
acquaintance between my wife and her. But I promised to avoid such words
and passages for the future. So home, and by and by Sir W. Pen did send
for me to his bedside; and tell me how really Sir J. Minnes did resolve to
have one of my rooms, and that he was very angry and hot, and said he
would speak to the Duke. To which, knowing that all this was but to scare
me, and to get him to put off his resolution of making up the entry, I did
tell him plainly how I did not value his anger more, than he did mine, and
that I should be willing to do what the Duke commanded, and I was sure to
have justice of him, and that was all I did say to him about it, though I
was much vexed, and after a little stay went home; and there telling my
wife she did put me into heart, and resolve to offer him to change
lodgings, and believe that that will one way or other bring us to some end
in this dispute. At night I called up my maids, and schooled Jane, who
did answer me so humbly and drolly about it, that though I seemed angry, I
was much pleased with her and [my] wife also. So at night to bed.

6th. At the office forenoon and afternoon till late at night, very busy
answering my Lord Treasurer's letter, and my mind troubled till we come to
some end with Sir J. Minnes about our lodgings, and so home. And after
some pleasant discourse and supper to bed, and in my dream much troubled
by being with Will. Swan, a great fanatic, my old acquaintance, and,
methought, taken and led up with him for a plotter, all our discourse
being at present about the late plots.

7th. Up and being by appointment called upon by Mr. Lee, he and I to the
Tower, to make our third attempt upon the cellar. And now privately the
woman, Barkestead's great confident, is brought, who do positively say
that this is the place which he did say the money was hid in, and where he
and she did put up the L50,000

[Thus in the MS., although the amount was first stated as L7,000
(see October 30th, 1662)]

in butter firkins; and the very day that he went out of England did say
that neither he nor his would be the better for that money, and therefore
wishing that she and hers might. And so left us, and we full of hope did
resolve to dig all over the cellar, which by seven o'clock at night we
performed. At noon we sent for a dinner, and upon the head of a barrel
dined very merrily, and to work again. Between times, Mr. Lee, who had
been much in Spain, did tell me pretty stories of the customs and other
things, as I asked him, of the country, to my great content. But at last
we saw we were mistaken; and after digging the cellar quite through, and
removing the barrels from one side to the other, we were forced to pay our
porters, and give over our expectations, though I do believe there must be
money hid somewhere by him, or else he did delude this woman in hopes to
oblige her to further serving him, which I am apt to believe. Thence by
coach to White Hall, and at my Lord's lodgings did write a letter, he not
being within, to tell him how things went, and so away again, only hearing
that Mrs. Sarah is married, I did go up stairs again and joy her and kiss
her, she owning of it; and it seems it is to a cook. I am glad she is
disposed of, for she grows old, and is very painfull,--[painstaking]--and
one I have reason to wish well for her old service to me. Then to my
brother's, where my wife, by my order, is tonight to stay a night or two
while my house is made clean, and thence home, where I am angry to see,
instead of the house made in part clean, all the pewter goods and other
things are brought up to scouring, which makes the house ten times worse,
at which I was very much displeased, but cannot help it. So to my office
to set down my journal, and so home and to bed.

8th. All the morning sitting at the office, and after that dined alone at
home, and so to the office again till 9 o'clock, being loth to go home,
the house is so dirty, and my wife at my brother's. So home and to bed.

9th (Lord's day). Lay alone a good while, my mind busy about pleading
to-morrow to the Duke if there shall be occasion for this chamber that I
lie in against Sir J., Minnes. Then up, and after being ready walked to
my brother's, where my wife is, calling at many churches, and then to the
Temple, hearing a bit there too, and observing that in the streets and
churches the Sunday is kept in appearance as well as I have known it at
any time. Then to dinner to my brother's, only he and my wife, and after
dinner to see Mr. Moore, who is pretty well, and he and I to St.
Gregory's, where I escaped a great fall down the staires of the gallery:
so into a pew there and heard Dr. Ball make a very good sermon, though
short of what I expected, as for the most part it do fall out. So home
with Mr. Moore to his chamber, and after a little talk I walked home to my
house and staid at Sir W. Batten's. Till late at night with him and Sir
J. Minnes, with whom we did abundance of most excellent discourse of
former passages of sea commanders and officers of the navy, and so home
and to bed, with my mind well at ease but only as to my chamber, which I
fear to lose.

10th. Up betimes and to set my workmen to work, and then a little to the
office, and so with Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and myself by coach to
White Hall, to the Duke, who, after he was ready, did take us into his
closett. Thither come my Lord General Monk, and did privately talk with
the Duke about having the life-guards pass through the City today only for
show and to fright people, for I perceive there are great fears abroad;
for all which I am troubled and full of doubt that things will not go
well. He being gone, we fell to business of the Navy. Among other
things, how to pay off this fleet that is now come from Portugall; the
King of Portugall sending them home, he having no more use for them, which
we wonder at, that his condition should be so soon altered. And our
landmen also are coming back, being almost starved in that poor country.
Having done here I went by my Lord Sandwich's, who was not at home, and so
to Westminster Hall, where full of term, and here met with many about
business, among others my cozen Roger Pepys, who is all for a composition
with my uncle Thomas, which upon any fair terms I am for also and desire
it. Thence by water, and so by land to my Lord Crew's, and dined with him
and his brother, I know not his name; where very good discourse; among
others, of France's intention to make a patriarch of his own, independent
from the Pope, by which he will be able to cope with the Spaniard in all
councils, which hitherto he has never done. My Lord Crew told us how he
heard my Lord of Holland say that, being Embassador about the match with
the Queene-Mother that now is, the King of France--[Louis XIII., in
1624.]--insisted upon a dispensation from the Pope, which my Lord Holland
making a question of, and that he was commanded to yield to nothing to the
prejudice of our religion, says the King of France, "You need not fear
that, for if the Pope will not dispense with the match, my Bishopp of
Paris shall." By and by come in great Mr. Swinfen, the Parliament-man,
who, among other discourse of the rise and fall of familys, told us of
Bishopp Bridgeman (brother of Sir Orlando) who lately hath bought a seat
anciently of the Levers, and then the Ashtons; and so he hath in his great
hall window (having repaired and beautified the house) caused four great
places to be left for coates of armes. In one, he hath put the Levers,
with this motto, "Olim." In another the Ashtons, with this, "Heri." In
the next his own, with this, "Hodie." In the fourth nothing but this
motto, "Cras nescio cujus." Thence towards my brother's; met with Jack
Cole in Fleet Street, and he and I went into his cozen Mary Cole's (whom I
never saw since she was married), and drank a pint of wine and much good
discourse. I found him a little conceited, but he had good things in him,
and a man may know the temper of the City by him, he being of a general
conversation, and can tell how matters go; and upon that score I will
encourage his acquaintance. Thence to my brother's, and taking my wife
up, carried her to Charing Cross, and there showed her the Italian motion,
much after the nature of what I showed her a while since in Covent Garden.
Their puppets here are somewhat better, but their motions not at all.
Thence by coach to my Lady's, and, hiding my wife with Sarah below, I went
up and heard some musique with my Lord, and afterwards discoursed with him
alone, and so good night to him and below, having sent for Mr. Creed, had
thought to have shown my wife a play before the King, but it is so late
that we could not, and so we took coach, and taking up Sarah at my
brother's with their night geare we went home, and I to my office to
settle matters, and so home and to bed. This morning in the Duke's
chamber Sir J. Minnes did break to me his desire about my chamber, which I
did put off to another time to discourse of, he speaking to me very kindly
to make me the less trouble myself, hoping to save myself and to contrive
something or other to pleasure him as well, though I know not well what.
The town, I hear, is full of discontents, and all know of the King's new
bastard by Mrs. Haslerigge, and as far as I can hear will never be
contented with Episcopacy, they are so cruelly set for Presbytery, and the
Bishopps carry themselves so high, that they are never likely to gain
anything upon them.

11th. All the morning sitting at the office, and then to dinner with my
wife, and so to the office again (where a good while Mr. Bland was with
me, telling me very fine things in merchandize, which, but that the
trouble of my office do so cruelly hinder me, I would take some pains in)
till late at night. Towards the evening I, as I have done for three or
four nights, studying something of Arithmetique, which do please me well
to see myself come forward. So home, to supper, and to bed.

12th. At my office most of the morning, after I had done among my
painters, and sent away Mr. Shaw and Hawly, who came to give me a visit
this morning. Shaw it seems is newly re-married to a rich widow. At noon
dined at home with my wife, and by and by, by my wife's appointment came
two young ladies, sisters, acquaintances of my wife's brother's, who are
desirous to wait upon some ladies, and proffer their service to my wife.
The youngest, indeed, hath a good voice, and sings very well, besides
other good qualitys; but I fear hath been bred up with too great liberty
for my family, and I fear greater inconveniences of expenses, and my
wife's liberty will follow, which I must study to avoid till I have a
better purse; though, I confess, the gentlewoman, being pretty handsome,
and singing, makes me have a good mind to her. Anon I took them by coach
and carried them to a friend's of theirs, in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and
there I left them and I to the Temple by appointment to my cousin Roger's
chamber, where my uncle Thomas and his son Thomas met us, I having hoped
that they would have agreed with me to have had [it] ended by my cozen
Roger, but they will have two strangers to be for them against two others
of mine, and so we parted without doing any thing till the two send me the
names of their arbiters. Thence I walked home, calling a little in Paul's
Churchyard, and, I thank God, can read and never buy a book, though I have
a great mind to it. So to the Dolphin Tavern near home, by appointment,
and there met with Wade and Evett, and have resolved to make a new attempt
upon another discovery, in which God give us better fortune than in the
other, but I have great confidence that there is no cheat in these people,
but that they go upon good grounds, though they have been mistaken in the
place of the first. From thence, without drinking a drop of wine, home to
my office and there made an end, though late, of my collection of the
prices of masts for these twelve years to this day, in order to the buying
of some of Wood, and I bound it up in painted paper to lie by as a book
for future use. So home and to supper and to bed, and a little before and
after we were in bed we had much talk and difference between us about my
wife's having a woman, which I seemed much angry at, that she should go so
far in it without consideration and my being consulted with. So to bed.

13th. Up and began our discontent again and sorely angered my wife, who
indeed do live very lonely, but I do perceive that it is want of work that
do make her and all other people think of ways of spending their time
worse, and this I owe to my building, that do not admit of her undertaking
any thing of work, because the house has been and is still so dirty. I to
my office, and there sat all the morning and dined with discontent with my
wife at noon, and so to my office, and there this afternoon we had our
first meeting upon our commission of inspecting the Chest, and there met
Sir J. Minnes, Sir Francis Clerke, Mr. Heath, Atturney of the Dutchy, Mr.
Prinn, Sir W. Rider, Captn. Cocke, and myself. Our first work to read
over the Institution, which is a decree in Chancery in the year 1617, upon
an inquisition made at Rochester about that time into the revenues of the
Chest, which had then, from the year 1588 or 1590, by the advice of the
Lord High Admiral and principal officers then being, by consent of the
seamen, been settled, paying sixpence per month, according to their wages
then, which was then but 10s. which is now 24s. We adjourned to a
fortnight hence. So broke up, and I to see Sir W. Pen, who is now pretty
well, but lies in bed still; he cannot rise to stand. Then to my office
late, and this afternoon my wife in her discontent sent me a letter, which
I am in a quandary what to do, whether to read it or not, but I purpose
not, but to burn it before her face, that I may put a stop to more of this
nature. But I must think of some way, either to find her some body to
keep her company, or to set her to work, and by employment to take up her
thoughts and time. After doing what I had to do I went home to supper,
and there was very sullen to my wife, and so went to bed and to sleep
(though with much ado, my mind being troubled) without speaking one word
to her.

14th. She begun to talk in the morning and to be friends, believing all
this while that. I had read her letter, which I perceive by her discourse
was full of good counsel, and relating the reason of her desiring a woman,
and how little charge she did intend it to be to me, so I begun and argued
it as full and plain to her, and she to reason it highly to me, to put her
away, and take one of the Bowyers if I did dislike her, that I did resolve
when the house is ready she shall try her for a while; the truth is, I
having a mind to have her come for her musique and dancing. So up and
about my papers all the morning, and her brother coming I did tell him my
mind plain, who did assure me that they were both of the sisters very
humble and very poor, and that she that we are to have would carry herself
so. So I was well contented and spent part of the morning at my office,
and so home and to dinner, and after dinner, finding Sarah to be
discontented at the news of this woman, I did begin in my wife's chamber
to talk to her and tell her that it was not out of unkindness to her, but
my wife came up, and I perceive she is not too reconciled to her whatever
the matter is, that I perceive I shall not be able to keep her, though she
is as good a servant (only a little pettish) that ever I desire to have,
and a creditable servant. So she desired leave to go out to look [for] a
service, and did, for which I am troubled, and fell out highly afterwards
with my wife about it. So to my office, where we met this afternoon about
answering a great letter of my Lord Treasurer's, and that done to my
office drawing up a letter to him, and so home to supper.

15th. All the morning at the office sitting, dined with my wife
pleasantly at home, then among my painters, and by and by went to my Civil
Lawyers about my uncle's suit, and so home again and saw my painters make
an end of my house this night, which is my great joy, and so to my office
and did business till ten at night, and so home and to supper, and after
reading part of Bussy d'Ambois, a good play I bought to-day, to bed.

16th (Lord's day). About 3 o'clock in the morning waked with a rude noise
among Sir J. Minnes his servants (he not being yet come to his lodgings),
who are the rudest people but they that lived before, one Mrs. Davis, that
ever I knew in my life. To sleep again, and after long talking pleasantly
with my wife, up and to church, where Mrs. Goodyer, now Mrs. Buckworth,
was churched. I love the woman for her gravity above any in the parish.
So home and to dinner with my wife with great content, and after dinner
walked up and down my house, which is now almost finished, there being
nothing to do but the glazier and furniture to put up. By and by comes
Tom, and after a little talk I with him towards his end, but seeing many
strangers and coaches coming to our church, and finding that it was a
sermon to be preached by a probationer for the Turkey Company,--[The
Turkey or Levant Company was established in 1581.]--to be sent to Smyrna,
I returned thither. And several Turkey merchants filled all the best pews
(and some in ours) in the Church, but a most pitiful sermon it was upon a
text in Zachariah, and a great time he spent to show whose son Zachary
was, and to prove Malachi to be the last prophet before John the Baptist.
Home and to see Sir W. Pen, who gets strength, but still keeps his bed.
Then home and to my office to do some business there, and so home to
supper and to bed.

17th. To the Duke's to-day, but he is gone a-hunting, and therefore I to
my Lord Sandwich's, and having spoke a little with him about his
businesses, I to Westminster Hall and there staid long doing many
businesses, and so home by the Temple and other places doing the like, and
at home I found my wife dressing by appointment by her woman--[Mrs.
Gosnell.]--that I think is to be, and her other sister being here to-day
with her and my wife's brother, I took Mr. Creed, that came to dine, to an
ordinary behind the Change, and there dined together, and after dinner
home and there spent an hour or two till almost dark, talking with my
wife, and making Mrs. Gosnell sing; and then, there being no coach to be
got, by water to White Hall; but Gosnell not being willing to go through
bridge, we were forced to land and take water, again, and put her and her
sister ashore at the Temple. I am mightily pleased with her humour and
singing. At White Hall by appointment, Mr. Creed carried my wife and I to
the Cockpitt, and we had excellent places, and saw the King, Queen, Duke
of Monmouth, his son, and my Lady Castlemaine, and all the fine ladies;
and "The Scornfull Lady," well performed. They had done by eleven
o'clock, and it being fine moonshine, we took coach and home, but could
wake nobody at my house, and so were fain to have my boy get through one
of the windows, and so opened the door and called up the maids, and went
to supper and to bed, my mind being troubled at what my wife tells me,
that her woman will not come till she hears from her mother, for I am so
fond of her that I am loth now not to have her, though I know it will be a
great charge to me which I ought to avoid, and so will make it up in other
things. So to bed.

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