Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, August/September 1660
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, August/September 1660
9th (Sunday). In the morning with Sir W. Pen to church, and a very good
sermon of Mr. Mills. Home to dinner, and Sir W. Pen with me to such as I
had, and it was very handsome, it being the first time that he ever saw my
wife or house since we came hither. Afternoon to church with my wife, and
after that home, and there walked with Major Hart, who came to see me, in
the garden, who tells me that we are all like to be speedily disbanded;
[The Trained Bands were abolished in 1663, but those of the City of
London were specially excepted. The officers of the Trained Bands
were supplied by the Hon. Artillery Company.]
and then I lose the benefit of a muster. After supper to bed.
10th (Office day). News of the Duke's intention to go tomorrow to the
fleet for a day or two to meet his sister. Col. Slingsby and I to
Whitehall, thinking to proffer our service to the Duke to wait upon him,
but meeting with Sir G. Carteret he sent us in all haste back again to
hire two Catches for the present use of the Duke. So we returned and
landed at the Bear at the Bridge foot, where we saw Southwark Fair (I
having not at all seen Bartholomew Fair), and so to the Tower wharf, where
we did hire two catches. So to the office and found Sir W. Batten at
dinner with some friends upon a good chine of beef, on which I ate
heartily, I being very hungry. Home, where Mr. Snow (whom afterwards we
called one another cozen) came to me to see me, and with him and one
Shelston, a simple fellow that looks after an employment (that was with me
just upon my going to sea last), to a tavern, where till late with them.
So home, having drunk too much, and so to bed.
11th. At Sir W. Batten's with Sir W. Pen we drank our morning draft,
and from thence for an hour in the office and dispatch a little business.
Dined at Sir W. Batten's, and by this time I see that we are like to have
a very good correspondence and neighbourhood, but chargeable. All the
afternoon at home looking over my carpenters. At night I called Thos.
Hater out of the office to my house to sit and talk with me. After he was
gone I caused the girl to wash the wainscot of our parlour, which she did
very well, which caused my wife and I good sport. Up to my chamber to
read a little, and wrote my Diary for three or four days past. The Duke
of York did go to-day by break of day to the Downs. The Duke of
Gloucester ill. The House of Parliament was to adjourn to-day. I know
not yet whether it be done or no. To bed.
12th (Office day). This noon I expected to have had my cousin Snow and my
father come to dine with me, but it being very rainy they did not come.
My brother Tom came to my house with a letter from my brother John,
wherein he desires some books: Barthol. Anatom., Rosin. Rom. Antiq., and
Gassend. Astronom., the last of which I did give him, and an angel--[A
gold coin varying in value at different times from 6s. 8d. to
10s.]--against my father buying of the others. At home all the afternoon
looking after my workmen, whose laziness do much trouble me. This day the
Parliament adjourned.
13th. Old East comes to me in the morning with letters, and I did give
him a bottle of Northdown ale, which made the poor man almost drunk. In
the afternoon my wife went to the burial of a child of my cozen Scott's,
and it is observable that within this month my Aunt Wight was brought to
bed of two girls, my cozen Stradwick of a girl and a boy, and my cozen
Scott of a boy, and all died. In the afternoon to Westminster, where Mr.
Dalton was ready with his money to pay me for my house, but our writings
not being drawn it could not be done to-day. I met with Mr. Hawly, who
was removing his things from Mr. Bowyer's, where he has lodged a great
while, and I took him and W. Bowyer to the Swan and drank, and Mr. Hawly
did give me a little black rattoon,--[Probably an Indian rattan
cane.]--painted and gilt. Home by water. This day the Duke of Gloucester
died of the small-pox, by the great negligence of the doctors.
14th (Office day). I got L42 15s. appointed me by bill for my employment
of Secretary to the 4th of this month, it being the last money I shall
receive upon that score. My wife went this afternoon to see my mother,
who I hear is very ill, at which my heart is very sad. In the afternoon
Luellin comes to my house, and takes me out to the Mitre in Wood Street,
where Mr. Samford, W. Symons and his wife, and Mr. Scobell, Mr. Mount and
Chetwind, where they were very merry, Luellin being drunk, and I being to
defend the ladies from his kissing them, I kissed them myself very often
with a great deal of mirth. Parted very late, they by coach to
Westminster, and I on foot.
15th. Met very early at our office this morning to pick out the
twenty-five ships which are to be first paid off: After that to
Westminster and dined with Mr. Dalton at his office, where we had one
great court dish, but our papers not being done we could [not] make an end
of our business till Monday next. Mr. Dalton and I over the water to our
landlord Vanly, with whom we agree as to Dalton becoming a tenant. Back
to Westminster, where I met with Dr. Castles, who chidd me for some errors
in our Privy-Seal business; among the rest, for letting the fees of the
six judges pass unpaid, which I know not what to say to, till I speak to
Mr. Moore. I was much troubled, for fear of being forced to pay the money
myself. Called at my father's going home, and bespoke mourning for myself,
for the death of the Duke of Gloucester. I found my mother pretty well.
So home and to bed.
16th (Sunday). To Dr. Hardy's church, and sat with Mr. Rawlinson and
heard a good sermon upon the occasion of the Duke's death. His text was,
"And is there any evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it?" Home to
dinner, having some sport with Win. [Hewer], who never had been at Common
Prayer before. After dinner I alone to Westminster, where I spent my time
walking up and down in Westminster Abbey till sermon time with Ben. Palmer
and Fetters the watchmaker, who told me that my Lord of Oxford is also
dead of the small-pox; in whom his family dies, after 600 years having
that honour in their family and name. From thence to the Park, where I
saw how far they had proceeded in the Pell-mell, and in making a river
through the Park, which I had never seen before since it was begun.
[This is the Mall in St. James's Park, which was made by Charles
II., the former Mall (Pall Mall) having been built upon during the
Commonwealth. Charles II. also formed the canal by throwing the
several small ponds into one.]
Thence to White Hall garden, where I saw the King in purple mourning for
his brother.
["The Queen-mother of France," says Ward, in his Diary, p. 177,
"died at Agrippina, 1642, and her son Louis, 1643, for whom King
Charles mourned in Oxford in purple, which is Prince's mourning."]
So home, and in my way met with Dinah, who spoke to me and told me she had
a desire to speak too about some business when I came to Westminster
again. Which she spoke in such a manner that I was afraid she might tell
me something that I would not hear of our last meeting at my house at
Westminster. Home late, being very dark. A gentleman in the Poultry had
a great and dirty fall over a waterpipe that lay along the channel.
17th. Office very early about casting up the debts of those twenty-five
ships which are to be paid off, which we are to present to the Committee
of Parliament. I did give my wife L15 this morning to go to buy mourning
things for her and me, which she did. Dined at home and Mr. Moore with
me, and afterwards to Whitehall to Mr. Dalton and drank in the Cellar,
where Mr. Vanly according to appointment was. Thence forth to see the
Prince de Ligne, Spanish Embassador, come in to his audience, which was
done in very great state. That being done, Dalton, Vanly, Scrivener and
some friends of theirs and I to the Axe, and signed and sealed our
writings, and hence to the Wine cellar again, where I received L41 for my
interest in my house, out of which I paid my Landlord to Michaelmas next,
and so all is even between him and me, and I freed of my poor little
house. Home by link with my money under my arm. So to bed after I had
looked over the things my wife had bought to-day, with which being not
very well pleased, they costing too much, I went to bed in a discontent.
Nothing yet from sea, where my Lord and the Princess are.
18th. At home all the morning looking over my workmen in my house. After
dinner Sir W. Batten, Pen, and myself by coach to Westminster Hall, where
we met Mr. Wayte the lawyer to the Treasurer, and so we went up to the
Committee of Parliament, which are to consider of the debts of the Army
and Navy, and did give in our account of the twenty-five ships. Col. Birch
was very impertinent and troublesome. But at last we did agree to fit the
accounts of our ships more perfectly for their view within a few days,
that they might see what a trouble it is to do what they desire. From
thence Sir Williams both going by water home, I took Mr. Wayte to the
Rhenish winehouse, and drank with him and so parted. Thence to Mr. Crew's
and spoke with Mr. Moore about the business of paying off Baron our share
of the dividend. So on foot home, by the way buying a hat band and other
things for my mourning to-morrow. So home and to bed. This day I heard
that the Duke of York, upon the news of the death of his brother
yesterday, came hither by post last night.
19th (Office day). I put on my mourning and went to the office. At noon
thinking to have found my wife in hers, I found that the tailor had failed
her, at which I was vexed because of an invitation that we have to a
dinner this day, but after having waited till past one o'clock I went, and
left her to put on some other clothes and come after me to the Mitre
tavern in Wood-street (a house of the greatest note in London), where I
met W. Symons, and D. Scobell, and their wives, Mr. Samford, Luellin,
Chetwind, one Mr. Vivion, and Mr. White,
[According to Noble, Jeremiah White married Lady Frances Cromwell's
waiting-woman, in Oliver's lifetime, and they lived together fifty
years. Lady Frances had two husbands, Mr. Robert Rich and Sir John
Russell of Chippenham, the last of whom she survived fifty-two years
dying 1721-22 The story is, that Oliver found White on his knees to
Frances Cromwell, and that, to save himself, he pretended to have
been soliciting her interest with her waiting-woman, whom Oliver
compelled him to marry. (Noble's "Life of Cromwell," vol. ii.
pp. 151, 152.) White was born in 1629 and died 1707.]
formerly chaplin to the Lady Protectresse--[Elizabeth, wife of Oliver
Cromwell.]--(and still so, and one they say that is likely to get my Lady
Francess for his wife). Here we were very merry and had a very good
dinner, my wife coming after me hither to us.
Among other pleasures some of us fell to handycapp,
["A game at cards not unlike Loo, but with this difference, the
winner of one trick has to put in a double stake, the winner of two
tricks a triple stake, and so on. Thus, if six persons are playing,
and the general stake is 1s., suppose A gains the three tricks, he
gains 6s., and has to 'hand i' the cap,' or pool, 4s. for the next
deal. Suppose A gains two tricks and B one, then A gains 4s. and B
2s., and A has to stake 3s. and B 2s. for the next deal."--Hindley's
Tavern Anecdotes.--M. B.]
a sport that I never knew before, which was very good. We staid till it
was very late; it rained sadly, but we made shift to get coaches. So home
and to bed.
20th. At home, and at the office, and in the garden walking with both Sir
Williams all the morning. After dinner to Whitehall to Mr. Dalton, and
with him to my house and took away all my papers that were left in my
closet, and so I have now nothing more in the house or to do with it. We
called to speak with my Landlord Beale, but he was not within but spoke
with the old woman, who takes it very ill that I did not let her have it,
but I did give her an answer. From thence to Sir G. Downing and staid
late there (he having sent for me to come to him), which was to tell me
how my Lord Sandwich had disappointed him of a ship to bring over his
child and goods, and made great complaint thereof; but I got him to write
a letter to Lawson, which it may be may do the business for him, I writing
another also about it. While he was writing, and his Lady and I had a
great deal of discourse in praise of Holland. By water to the Bridge, and
so to Major Hart's lodgings in Cannon-street, who used me very kindly with
wine and good discourse, particularly upon the ill method which Colonel
Birch and the Committee use in defending of the army and the navy;
promising the Parliament to save them a great deal of money, when we judge
that it will cost the King more than if they had nothing to do with it, by
reason of their delays and scrupulous enquirys into the account of both.
So home and to bed.
21st (Office day). There all the morning and afternoon till 4 o'clock.
Hence to Whitehall, thinking to have put up my, books at my Lord's, but am
disappointed from want of a chest which I had at Mr. Bowyer's. Back by
water about 8 o'clock, and upon the water saw the corpse of the Duke of
Gloucester brought down Somerset House stairs, to go by water to
Westminster, to be buried to-night. I landed at the old Swan and went to
the Hoop Tavern, and (by a former agreement) sent for Mr. Chaplin, who
with Nicholas Osborne and one Daniel came to us and we drank off two or
three quarts of wine, which was very good; the drawing of our wine causing
a great quarrel in the house between the two drawers which should draw us
the best, which caused a great deal of noise and falling out till the
master parted them, and came up to us and did give us a large account of
the liberty that he gives his servants, all alike, to draw what wine they
will to please his customers; and we did eat above 200 walnuts. About to
o'clock we broke up and so home, and in my way I called in with them at
Mr. Chaplin's, where Nicholas Osborne did give me a barrel of samphire,
[Samphire was formerly a favourite pickle; hence the "dangerous
trade" of the samphire gatherer ("King Lear," act iv. sc. 6) who
supplied the demand. It was sold in the streets, and one of the old
London cries was "I ha' Rock Samphier, Rock Samphier!"]
and showed me the keys of Mardyke Fort,
[A fort four miles east of Dunkirk, probably dismantled when that
town was sold to Louis XIV.]
which he that was commander of the fort sent him as a token when the fort
was demolished, which I was mightily pleased to see, and will get them of
him if I can. Home, where I found my boy (my maid's brother) come out of
the country to-day, but was gone to bed and so I could not see him
to-night. To bed.
22nd. This morning I called up my boy, and found him a pretty,
well-looked boy, and one that I think will please me. I went this morning
by land to Westminster along with Luellin, who came to my house this
morning to get me to go with him to Capt. Allen to speak with him for his
brother to go with him to Constantinople, but could not find him. We
walked on to Fleet street, where at Mr. Standing's in Salsbury Court we
drank our morning draft and had a pickled herring. Among other discourse
here he told me how the pretty woman that I always loved at the beginning
of Cheapside that sells child's coats was served by the Lady Bennett (a
famous strumpet), who by counterfeiting to fall into a swoon upon the
sight of her in her shop, became acquainted with her, and at last got her
ends of her to lie with a gentleman that had hired her to procure this
poor soul for him. To Westminster to my Lord's, and there in the house of
office vomited up all my breakfast, my stomach being ill all this day by
reason of the last night's debauch. Here I sent to Mr. Bowyer's for my
chest and put up my books and sent them home. I staid here all day in my
Lord's chamber and upon the leads gazing upon Diana, who looked out of a
window upon me. At last I went out to Mr. Harper's, and she standing over
the way at the gate, I went over to her and appointed to meet to-morrow in
the afternoon at my Lord's. Here I bought a hanging jack. From thence by
coach home by the way at the New Exchange
[In the Strand; built, under the auspices of James I., in 1608, out
of the stables of Durham House, the site of the present Adelphi.
The New Exchange stood where Coutts's banking-house now is. "It was
built somewhat on the model of the Royal Exchange, with cellars
beneath, a walk above, and rows of shops over that, filled chiefly
with milliners, sempstresses, and the like." It was also called
"Britain's Burse." "He has a lodging in the Strand . . . to
watch when ladies are gone to the china houses, or to the Exchange,
that he may meet them by chance and give them presents, some two or
three hundred pounds worth of toys, to be laughed at"--Ben Jonson,
The Silent Woman, act i. sc. 1.]
I bought a pair of short black stockings, to wear over a pair of silk ones
for mourning; and here I met with The. Turner and Joyce, buying of things
to go into mourning too for the Duke, which is now the mode of all the
ladies in town), where I wrote some letters by the post to Hinchinbroke to
let them know that this day Mr. Edw. Pickering is come from my Lord, and
says that he left him well in Holland, and that he will be here within
three or four days. To-day not well of my last night's drinking yet. I
had the boy up to-night for his sister to teach him to put me to bed, and
I heard him read, which he did pretty well.
23rd (Lord's day). My wife got up to put on her mourning to-day and to go
to Church this morning. I up and set down my journall for these 5 days
past. This morning came one from my father's with a black cloth coat,
made of my short cloak, to walk up and down in. To church my wife and I,
with Sir W. Batten, where we heard of Mr. Mills a very good sermon upon
these words, "So run that ye may obtain." After dinner all alone to
Westminster. At Whitehall I met with Mr. Pierce and his wife (she newly
come forth after childbirth) both in mourning for the Duke of Gloucester.
She went with Mr. Child to Whitehall chapel and Mr. Pierce with me to the
Abbey, where I expected to hear Mr. Baxter or Mr. Rowe preach their
farewell sermon, and in Mr. Symons's pew I sat and heard Mr. Rowe. Before
sermon I laughed at the reader, who in his prayer desires of God that He
would imprint his word on the thumbs of our right hands and on the right
great toes of our right feet. In the midst of the sermon some plaster
fell from the top of the Abbey, that made me and all the rest in our pew
afeard, and I wished myself out. After sermon with Mr. Pierce to
Whitehall, and from thence to my Lord, but Diana did not come according to
our agreement. So calling at my father's (where my wife had been this
afternoon but was gone home) I went home. This afternoon, the King having
news of the Princess being come to Margate, he and the Duke of York went
down thither in barges to her.
24th (Office day). From thence to dinner by coach with my wife to my
Cozen Scott's, and the company not being come, I went over the way to the
Barber's. So thither again to dinner, where was my uncle Fenner and my
aunt, my father and mother, and others. Among the rest my Cozen Rich.
Pepys,
[Richard Pepys, eldest son of Richard Pepys, Lord Chief Justice of
Ireland. He went to Boston, Mass., in 1634, and returned to England
about 1646.]
their elder brother, whom I had not seen these fourteen years, ever since
he came from New England. It was strange for us to go a gossiping to her,
she having newly buried her child that she was brought to bed of. I rose
from table and went to the Temple church, where I had appointed Sir W.
Batten to meet him; and there at Sir Heneage Finch Sollicitor General's
chambers, before him and Sir W. Wilde,
[William Wilde, elected Recorder on November 3rd, 1659, and
appointed one of the commissioners sent to Breda to desire Charles
II. to return to England immediately. He was knighted after the
King's return, called to the degree of Serjeant, and created a
baronet, all in the same year. In 1668 he ceased to be Recorder,
and was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas. In 1673 he
was removed to the King's Bench. He was turned out of his office in
1679 on account of his action in connection with the Popish Plot,
and died November 23rd of the same year.]
Recorder of London (whom we sent for from his chamber) we were sworn
justices of peace for Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and Southampton; with which
honour I did find myself mightily pleased, though I am wholly ignorant in
the duty of a justice of peace. From thence with Sir William to Whitehall
by water (old Mr. Smith with us) intending to speak with Secretary
Nicholas about the augmentation of our salaries, but being forth we went
to the Three Tuns tavern, where we drank awhile, and then came in Col.
Slingsby and another gentleman and sat with us. From thence to my Lord's
to enquire whether they have had any thing from my Lord or no. Knocking
at the door, there passed me Mons. L'Impertinent [Mr. Butler] for whom I
took a coach and went with him to a dancing meeting in Broad Street, at
the house that was formerly the glass-house, Luke Channel, Master of the
School, where I saw good dancing, but it growing late, and the room very
full of people and so very hot, I went home.
25th. To the office, where Sir W. Batten, Colonel Slingsby, and I sat
awhile, and Sir R. Ford
[Sir Richard Ford was one of the commissioners sent to Breda to
desire Charles II. to return to England immediately.]
coming to us about some business, we talked together of the interest of
this kingdom to have a peace with Spain and a war with France and Holland;
where Sir R. Ford talked like a man of great reason and experience. And
afterwards I did send for a cup of tee'
[That excellent and by all Physicians, approved, China drink, called
by the Chineans Tcha, by other nations Tay alias Tee, is sold at the
Sultaness Head Coffee-House, in Sweetings Rents, by the "Royal
Exchange, London." "Coffee, chocolate, and a kind of drink called
tee, sold in almost every street in 1659."--Rugge's Diurnal. It is
stated in "Boyne's Trade Tokens," ed. Williamson, vol. i., 1889,
p. 593 "that the word tea occurs on no other tokens than those
issued from 'the Great Turk' (Morat ye Great) coffeehouse in
Exchange Alley. The Dutch East India Company introduced tea into
Europe in 1610, and it is said to have been first imported into
England from Holland about 1650. The English "East India Company"
purchased and presented 2 lbs. of tea to Charles II. in 1660, and 23
lbs. in 1666. The first order for its importation by the company
was in 1668, and the first consignment of it, amounting to 143 lbs.,
was received from Bantam in 1669 (see Sir George Birdwood's "Report
on the Old Records at the India Office," 1890, p. 26). By act 12
Car. II., capp. 23, 24, a duty of 8d. per gallon was imposed upon
the infusion of tea, as well as on chocolate and sherbet.]
(a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away. Then
came Col. Birch and Sir R. Browne by a former appointment, and with them
from Tower wharf in the barge belonging to our office we went to Deptford
to pay off the ship Success, which (Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Pen coming
afterwards to us) we did, Col. Birch being a mighty busy man and one that
is the most indefatigable and forward to make himself work of any man that
ever I knew in my life. At the Globe we had a very good dinner, and after
that to the pay again, which being finished we returned by water again,
and I from our office with Col. Slingsby by coach to Westminster (I
setting him down at his lodgings by the way) to inquire for my Lord's
coming thither (the King and the Princess
["The Princess Royall came from Gravesend to Whitehall by water,
attended by a noble retinue of about one hundred persons, gentry,
and servants, and tradesmen, and tirewomen, and others, that took
that opportunity to advance their fortunes, by coming in with so
excellent a Princess as without question she is."-Rugge's Diurnal.
A broadside, entitled "Ourania, the High and Mighty Lady the
Princess Royal of Aurange, congratulated on her most happy arrival,
September the 25th, 1660," was printed on the 29th.]
coming up the river this afternoon as we were at our pay), and I found him
gone to Mr. Crew's, where I found him well, only had got some corns upon
his foot which was not well yet. My Lord told me how the ship that
brought the Princess and him (The Tredagh) did knock six times upon the
Kentish Knock,