Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, February 1659/1660
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, February 1659/1660
23rd. Thursday, my birthday, now twenty-seven years. A pretty fair
morning, I rose and after writing a while in my study I went forth. To my
office, where I told Mr. Hawly of my thoughts to go out of town to-morrow.
Hither Mr. Fuller comes to me and my Uncle Thomas too, thence I took them
to drink, and so put off my uncle. So with Mr. Fuller home to my house,
where he dined with me, and he told my wife and me a great many stories of
his adversities, since these troubles, in being forced to travel in the
Catholic countries, &c. He shewed me his bills, but I had not money to
pay him. We parted, and I to Whitehall, where I was to see my horse which
Mr. Garthwayt lends me to-morrow. So home, where Mr. Pierce comes to me
about appointing time and place where and when to meet tomorrow. So to
Westminster Hall, where, after the House rose, I met with Mr. Crew, who
told me that my Lord was chosen by 73 voices, to be one of the Council of
State. Mr. Pierpoint had the most, 101, and himself the next, too. He
brought me in the coach home. He and Mr. Anslow being in it. I back to
the Hall, and at Mrs. Michell's shop staid talking a great while with her
and my Chaplain, Mr. Mumford, and drank a pot or two of ale on a wager
that Mr. Prin is not of the Council. Home and wrote to my Lord the news
of the choice of the Council by the post, and so to bed.
24th. I rose very early, and taking horse at Scotland Yard, at Mr.
Garthwayt's stable, I rode to Mr. Pierces, who rose, and in a quarter of
an hour, leaving his wife in bed (with whom Mr. Lucy methought was very
free as she lay in bed), we both mounted, and so set forth about seven of
the clock, the day and the way very foul. About Ware we overtook Mr.
Blayton, brother-in-law to Dick Vines, who went thenceforwards with us,
and at Puckeridge we baited, where we had a loin of mutton fried, and were
very merry, but the way exceeding bad from Ware thither. Then up again
and as far as Foulmer, within six miles of Cambridge, my mare being almost
tired: here we lay at the Chequer, playing at cards till supper, which was
a breast of veal roasted. I lay with Mr. Pierce, who we left here the
next morning upon his going to Hinchingbroke to speak with my Lord before
his going to London, and we two come to Cambridge by eight o'clock in the
morning.
25th. To the Falcon, in the Petty Cury,
[The old Falcon Inn is on the south side of Petty Cury. It is now
divided into three houses, one of which is the present Falcon Inn,
the other two being houses with shops. The Falcon yard is but
little changed. From the size of the whole building it must have
been the principal inn of the town. The room said to have been used
by Queen Elizabeth for receptions retains its original form.--M. B.
The Petty Cury. The derivation of the name of this street, so well
known to all Cambridge men, is a matter of much dispute among
antiquaries. (See "Notes and Queries.") The most probable meaning
of it is the Parva Cokeria, or little cury, where the cooks of the
town lived, just as "The Poultry," where the Poulters (now
Poulterers) had their shops. "The Forme of Cury," a Roll of Antient
English Cookery, was compiled by the principal cooks of that "best
and royalest viander of all Christian Kings," Richard the Second,
and edited with a copious Index and Glossary by Dr. Samuel Pegge,
1780.--M. B.]
where we found my father and brother very well. After dressing myself,
about ten o'clock, my father, brother, and I to Mr. Widdririgton, at
Christ's College, who received us very civilly, and caused my brother to
be admitted, while my father, he, and I, sat talking. After that done, we
take leave. My father and brother went to visit some friends, Pepys's,
scholars in Cambridge, while I went to Magdalene College, to Mr. Hill,
with whom I found Mr. Zanchy, Burton, and Hollins, and was exceeding
civilly received by them. I took leave on promise to sup with them, and
to my Inn again, where I dined with some others that were there at an
ordinary. After dinner my brother to the College, and my father and I to
my Cozen Angier's, to see them, where Mr. Fairbrother came to us. Here we
sat a while talking. My father he went to look after his things at the
carrier's, and my brother's chamber, while Mr. Fairbrother, my Cozen
Angier, and Mr. Zanchy, whom I met at Mr. Merton's shop (where I bought
'Elenchus Motuum', having given my former to Mr. Downing when he was
here), to the Three Tuns, where we drank pretty hard and many healths to
the King, &c., till it began to be darkish: then we broke up and I and Mr.
Zanchy went to Magdalene College, where a very handsome supper at Mr.
Hill's chambers, I suppose upon a club among them, where in their
discourse I could find that there was nothing at all left of the old
preciseness in their discourse, specially on Saturday nights. And Mr.
Zanchy told me that there was no such thing now-a-days among them at any
time. After supper and some discourse then to my Inn, where I found my
father in his chamber, and after some discourse, and he well satisfied
with this day's work, we went to bed, my brother lying with me, his things
not being come by the carrier that he could not lie in the College.
26th (Sunday). My brother went to the College to Chapel. My father and I
went out in the morning, and walked out in the fields behind King's
College, and in King's College Chapel Yard, where we met with Mr.
Fairbrother, who took us to Botolph's Church, where we heard Mr. Nicholas,
of Queen's College, who I knew in my time to be Tripos,
[The Tripos or Bachelor of the Stool, who made the speech on Ash
Wednesday, when the senior Proctor called him up and exhorted him to
be witty but modest withal. Their speeches, especially after the
Restoration, tended to be boisterous, and even scurrilous.
"26 Martii 1669. Da Hollis, fellow of Clare Hall is to make a
publick Recantation in the Bac. Schools for his Tripos speeche."
The Tripos verses still come out, and are circulated on Ash
Wednesday. The list of successful candidates for honours is printed
on the same paper, hence the term "Tripos" applied to it.]
with great applause, upon this text, "For thy commandments are broad."
Thence my father and I to Mr. Widdrington's chamber to dinner, where he
used us very courteously again, and had two Fellow Commoners at table with
him, and Mr. Pepper, a Fellow of the College. After dinner, while we sat
talking by the fire, Mr. Pierces man came to tell me that his master was
come to town, so my father and I took leave, and found Mr. Pierce at our
Inn, who told us that he had lost his journey, for my Lord was gone from
Hinchingbroke to London on Thursday last, at which I was a little put to a
stand. So after a cup of drink I went to Magdalene College to get the
certificate of the College for my brother's entrance there, that he might
save his year. I met with Mr. Burton in the Court, who took me to Mr.
Pechell's chamber, where he was and Mr. Zanchy. By and by, Mr. Pechell
and Sanchy and I went out, Pechell to Church, Sanchy and I to the Rose
Tavern, where we sat and drank till sermon done, and then Mr. Pechell came
to us, and we three sat drinking the King's and his whole family's health
till it began to be dark. Then we parted; Sanchy and I went to my
lodging, where we found my father and Mr. Pierce at the door, and I took
them both and Mr. Blayton to the Rose Tavern, and there gave them a quart
or two of wine, not telling them that we had been there before. After
this we broke up, and my father, Mr. Zanchy, and I to my Cosen Angier to
supper, where I caused two bottles of wine to be carried from the Rose
Tavern; that was drunk up, and I had not the wit to let them know at table
that it was I that paid for them, and so I lost my thanks for them. After
supper Mr. Fairbrother, who supped there with us, took me into a room by
himself, and shewed me a pitiful copy of verses upon Mr. Prinn which he
esteemed very good, and desired that I would get them given to Mr. Prinn,
in hopes that he would get him some place for it, which I said I would do,
but did laugh in my sleeve to think of his folly, though indeed a man that
has always expressed great civility to me. After that we sat down and
talked; I took leave of all my friends, and so to my Inn, where after I
had wrote a note and enclosed the certificate to Mr. Widdrington, I bade
good night to my father, and John went to bed, but I staid up a little
while, playing the fool with the lass of the house at the door of the
chamber, and so to bed.
27th. Up by four o'clock, and after I was ready, took my leave of my
father, whom I left in bed, and the same of my brother John, to whom I
gave 10s. Mr. Blayton and I took horse and straight to Saffron Walden,
where at the White Hart, we set up our horses, and took the master of the
house to shew us Audley End House, who took us on foot through the park,
and so to the house, where the housekeeper shewed us all the house, in
which the stateliness of the ceilings, chimney-pieces, and form of the
whole was exceedingly worth seeing. He took us into the cellar, where we
drank most admirable drink, a health to the King. Here I played on my
flageolette, there being an excellent echo. He shewed us excellent
pictures; two especially, those of the four Evangelists and Henry VIII.
After that I gave the man 2s. for his trouble, and went back again. In
our going, my landlord carried us through a very old hospital or
almshouse, where forty poor people was maintained; a very old foundation;
and over the chimney in the mantelpiece was an inscription in brass:
"Orate pre anima Thomae Bird," &c.; and the poor box also was on the same
chimney-piece, with an iron door and locks to it, into which I put 6d.
They brought me a draft of their drink in a brown bowl, tipt with silver,
which I drank off, and at the bottom was a picture of the Virgin and the
child in her arms, done in silver. So we went to our Inn, and after
eating of something, and kissed the daughter of the house, she being very
pretty, we took leave, and so that night, the road pretty good, but the
weather rainy to Ep[p]ing, where we sat and played a game at cards, and
after supper, and some merry talk with a plain bold maid of the house, we
went to bed.
28th. Up in the morning, and had some red herrings to our breakfast,
while my boot-heel was a-mending, by the same token the boy left the hole
as big as it was before. Then to horse, and for London through the
forest, where we found the way good, but only in one path, which we kept
as if we had rode through a canal all the way. We found the shops all
shut, and the militia of the red regiment in arms at the Old Exchange,
among whom I found and spoke to Nich. Osborne, who told me that it was a
thanksgiving-day through the City for the return of the Parliament. At
Paul's I light, Mr. Blayton holding my horse, where I found Dr. Reynolds'
in the pulpit, and General Monk there, who was to have a great
entertainment at Grocers' Hall. So home, where my wife and all well.
Shifted myself,--[Changed his dress.]--and so to Mr. Crew's, and then to
Sir Harry Wright's, where I found my Lord at dinner, who called for me in,
and was glad to see me. There was at dinner also Mr. John Wright and his
lady, a very pretty lady, Alderman Allen's daughter. I dined here with
Will. Howe, and after dinner went out with him to buy a hat (calling in my
way and saw my mother), which we did at the Plough in Fleet Street by my
Lord's direction, but not as for him. Here we met with Mr. Pierce a
little before, and he took us to the Greyhound Tavern, and gave us a pint
of wine, and as the rest of the seamen do, talked very high again of my
Lord. After we had done about the hat we went homewards, he to Mr. Crew's
and I to Mrs. Jem, and sat with her a little. Then home, where I found
Mr. Sheply, almost drunk, come to see me, afterwards Mr. Spong comes, with
whom I went up and played with him a Duo or two, and so good night. I was
indeed a little vexed with Mr. Sheply, but said nothing, about his
breaking open of my study at my house, merely to give him the key of the
stair door at my Lord's, which lock he might better have broke than mine.
29th. To my office, and drank at Will's with Mr. Moore, who told me how
my Lord is chosen General at Sea by the Council, and that it is thought
that Monk will be joined with him therein. Home and dined, after dinner
my wife and I by water to London, and thence to Herring's, the merchant in
Coleman Street, about L50 which he promises I shall have on Saturday next.
So to my mother's, and then to Mrs. Turner's, of whom I took leave, and
her company, because she was to go out of town to-morrow with Mr. Pepys
into Norfolk. Here my cosen Norton gave me a brave cup of metheglin,
[A liquor made of honey and water, boiled and fermenting. By 12
Charles II. cap. 23, a grant of certain impositions upon beer, ale,
and other liquors, a duty of 1d. per gallon was laid upon "all
metheglin or mead."]
the first I ever drank. To my mother's and supped there.
She shewed me a letter to my father from my uncle inviting him to come to
Brampton while he is in the country. So home and to bed. This day my
Lord came to the House, the first time since he came to town; but he had
been at the Council before.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Dined with my wife on pease porridge and nothing else
Do press for new oaths to be put upon men
Hanging jack to roast birds on
Kiss my Parliament, instead of "Kiss my [rump]"
Mottoes inscribed on rings was of Roman origin
My wife and I had some high words
Petition against hackney coaches
Playing the fool with the lass of the house
Posies for Rings, Handkerchers and Gloves
Some merry talk with a plain bold maid of the house
To the Swan and drank our morning draft
Wedding for which the posy ring was required
Went to bed with my head not well by my too much drinking to-day