Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, January/February/March 1660/61
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, January/February/March 1660/61
16th. This morning I went early to the Comptroller's and so with him by
coach to Whitehall, to wait upon Mr. Coventry to give him an account of
what we have done, which having done, I went away to wait upon my Lady;
but coming to her lodgings I find that she is gone this morning to Chatham
by coach, thinking to meet me there, which did trouble me exceedingly, and
I did not know what to do, being loth to follow her, and yet could not
imagine what she would do when she found me not there. In this trouble, I
went to take a walk in Westminster Hall and by chance met with Mr. Child,
who went forth with my Lady to-day, but his horse being bad, he come back
again, which then did trouble me more, so that I did resolve to go to her;
and so by boat home and put on my boots, and so over to Southwarke to the
posthouse, and there took horse and guide to Dartford and thence to
Rochester (I having good horses and good way, come thither about
half-an-hour after daylight, which was before 6 o'clock and I set forth
after two), where I found my Lady and her daughter Jem., and Mrs. Browne'
and five servants, all at a great loss, not finding me here, but at my
coming she was overjoyed. The sport was how she had intended to have kept
herself unknown, and how the Captain (whom she had sent for) of the
Charles had forsoothed
[To forsooth is to address in a polite and ceremonious manner.
"Your city-mannerly word forsooth, use it not too often in any
case."--Ben Jonson's Poetaster, act iv., sc. 1.]
her, though he knew her well and she him. In fine we supped merry and so
to bed, there coming several of the Charles's men to see me before, I got
to bed. The page lay with me.
17th. Up, and breakfast with my Lady. Then come Captains Cuttance and
Blake to carry her in the barge on board; and so we went through Ham
Creeke to the Soverayne (a goodly sight all the way to see the brave ships
that lie here) first, which is a most noble ship. I never saw her before.
My Lady Sandwich, my Lady Jemimah, Mrs. Browne, Mrs. Grace, and Mary and
the page, my lady's servants and myself, all went into the lanthorn
together. From thence to the Charles, where my lady took great pleasure
to see all the rooms, and to hear me tell her how things are when my Lord
is there. After we had seen all, then the officers of the ship had
prepared a handsome breakfast for her, and while she was pledging my
Lord's health they give her five guns. That done, we went off, and then
they give us thirteen guns more. I confess it was a great pleasure to
myself to see the ship that I begun my good fortune in. From thence on
board the Newcastle, to show my Lady the difference between a great and a
small ship. Among these ships I did give away L7. So back again and went
on shore at Chatham, where I had ordered the coach to wait for us. Here I
heard that Sir William Batten and his lady (who I knew were here, and did
endeavour to avoyd) were now gone this morning to London. So we took
coach, and I went into the coach, and went through the town, without
making stop at our inn, but left J. Goods to pay the reckoning. So I rode
with my lady in the coach, and the page on the horse that I should have
rid on--he desiring it. It begun to be dark before we could come to
Dartford, and to rain hard, and the horses to fayle, which was our great
care to prevent, for fear of my Lord's displeasure, so here we sat up for
to-night, as also Captains Cuttance and Blake, who came along with us. We
sat and talked till supper, and at supper my Lady and I entered into a
great dispute concerning what were best for a man to do with his
estate--whether to make his elder son heir, which my Lady is for, and I
against, but rather to make all equall. This discourse took us much time,
till it was time to go to bed; but we being merry, we bade my Lady
goodnight, and intended to have gone to the Post-house to drink, and hear
a pretty girl play of the cittern (and indeed we should have lain there,
but by a mistake we did not), but it was late, and we could not hear her,
and the guard came to examine what we were; so we returned to our Inn and
to bed, the page and I in one bed, and the two captains in another, all in
one chamber, where we had very good mirth with our most abominable
lodging.
18th. The Captains went with me to the post-house about 9 o'clock, and
after a morning draft I took horse and guide for London; and through some
rain, and a great wind in my face, I got to London at eleven o'clock. At
home found all well, but the monkey loose, which did anger me, and so I
did strike her till she was almost dead, that they might make her fast
again, which did still trouble me more. In the afternoon we met at the
office and sat till night, and then I to see my father who I found well,
and took him to Standing's' to drink a cup of ale. He told me my aunt at
Brampton is yet alive and my mother well there. In comes Will Joyce to us
drunk, and in a talking vapouring humour of his state, and I know not
what, which did vex me cruelly. After him Mr. Hollier had learned at my
father's that I was here (where I had appointed to meet him) and so he did
give me some things to take for prevention. Will Joyce not letting us
talk as I would I left my father and him and took Mr. Hollier to the
Greyhound, where he did advise me above all things, both as to the stone
and the decay of my memory (of which I now complain to him), to avoid
drinking often, which I am resolved, if I can, to leave off. Hence home,
and took home with me from the bookseller's Ogilby's AEsop, which he had
bound for me, and indeed I am very much pleased with the book. Home and
to bed.
19th. To the Comptroller's, and with him by coach to White Hall; in our
way meeting Venner and Pritchard upon a sledge, who with two more Fifth
Monarchy men were hanged to-day, and the two first drawn and quartered.
Where we walked up and down, and at last found Sir G. Carteret, whom I had
not seen a great while, and did discourse with him about our assisting the
Commissioners in paying off the Fleet, which we think to decline. Here
the Treasurer did tell me that he did suspect Thos. Hater to be an
informer of them in this work, which we do take to be a diminution of us,
which do trouble me, and I do intend to find out the truth. Hence to my
Lady, who told me how Mr. Hetley is dead of the small-pox going to
Portsmouth with my Lord. My Lady went forth to dinner to her father's,
and so I went to the Leg in King Street and had a rabbit for myself and my
Will, and after dinner I sent him home and myself went to the Theatre,
where I saw "The Lost Lady," which do not please me much. Here I was
troubled to be seen by four of our office clerks, which sat in the
half-crown box and I in the 1s. 6d. From thence by link, and bought two
mouse traps of Thomas Pepys, the Turner, and so went and drank a cup of
ale with him, and so home and wrote by post to Portsmouth to my Lord and
so to bed.
20th (Lord's day). To Church in the morning. Dined at home. My wife and
I to Church in the afternoon, and that being done we went to see my uncle
and aunt Wight. There I left my wife and came back, and sat with Sir W.
Pen, who is not yet well again. Thence back again to my wife and supped
there, and were very merry and so home, and after prayers to write down my
journall for the last five days, and so to bed.
21st. This morning Sir W. Batten, the Comptroller and I to Westminster,
to the Commissioners for paying off the Army and Navy, where the Duke of
Albemarle was; and we sat with our hats on, and did discourse about paying
off the ships and do find that they do intend to undertake it without our
help; and we are glad of it, for it is a work that will much displease the
poor seamen, and so we are glad to have no hand in it. From thence to the
Exchequer, and took L200 and carried it home, and so to the office till
night, and then to see Sir W. Pen, whither came my Lady Batten and her
daughter, and then I sent for my wife, and so we sat talking till it was
late. So home to supper and then to bed, having eat no dinner to-day. It
is strange what weather we have had all this winter; no cold at all; but
the ways are dusty, and the flyes fly up and down, and the rose-bushes are
full of leaves, such a time of the year as was never known in this world
before here. This day many more of the Fifth Monarchy men were hanged.
22nd. To the Comptroller's house, where I read over his proposals to the
Lord Admiral for the regulating of the officers of the Navy, in which he
hath taken much pains, only he do seem to have too good opinion of them
himself. From thence in his coach to Mercer's Chappell, and so up to the
great hall, where we met with the King's Councell for Trade, upon some
proposals of theirs for settling convoys for the whole English trade, and
that by having 33 ships (four fourth-rates, nineteen fifths, ten sixths)
settled by the King for that purpose, which indeed was argued very finely
by many persons of honour and merchants that were there. It pleased me
much now to come in this condition to this place, where I was once a
petitioner for my exhibition in Paul's School; and also where Sir G.
Downing (my late master) was chairman, and so but equally concerned with
me. From thence home, and after a little dinner my wife and I by coach
into London, and bought some glasses, and then to Whitehall to see Mrs.
Fox, but she not within, my wife to my mother Bowyer, and I met with Dr.
Thomas Fuller, and took him to the Dog, where he tells me of his last and
great book that is coming out: that is, his History of all the Families in
England;' and could tell me more of my own, than I knew myself. And also
to what perfection he hath now brought the art of memory; that he did
lately to four eminently great scholars dictate together in Latin, upon
different subjects of their proposing, faster than they were able to
write, till they were tired; and by the way in discourse tells me that the
best way of beginning a sentence, if a man should be out and forget his
last sentence (which he never was), that then his last refuge is to begin
with an Utcunque. From thence I to Mr. Bowyer's, and there sat a while,
and so to Mr. Fox's, and sat with them a very little while, and then by
coach home, and so to see Sir Win. Pen, where we found Mrs. Martha Batten
and two handsome ladies more, and so we staid supper and were very merry,
and so home to bed.
23rd. To the office all the morning. My wife and people at home busy to
get things ready for tomorrow's dinner. At noon, without dinner, went
into the City, and there meeting with Greatorex, we went and drank a pot
of ale. He told me that he was upon a design to go to Teneriffe to try
experiments there. With him to Gresham Colledge
[Gresham College occupied the house of Sir Thomas Gresham, in
Bishopsgate Street, from 1596, when Lady Gresham, Sir Thomas's
widow, died. The meeting which Pepys attended was an early one of
the Royal Society, which was incorporated by royal charter in 1663.]
(where I never was before), and saw the manner of the house, and found
great company of persons of honour there; thence to my bookseller's, and
for books, and to Stevens, the silversmith, to make clean some plate
against to-morrow, and so home, by the way paying many little debts for
wine and pictures, &c., which is my great pleasure. Home and found all
things in a hurry of business, Slater, our messenger, being here as my
cook till very late. I in my chamber all the evening looking over my
Osborn's works and new Emanuel Thesaurus Patriarchae. So late to bed,
having ate nothing to-day but a piece of bread and cheese at the ale-house
with Greatorex, and some bread and butter at home.
24th. At home all day. There dined with me Sir William Batten and his
lady and daughter, Sir W. Pen, Mr. Fox (his lady being ill could not
come), and Captain Cuttance; the first dinner I have made since I came
hither. This cost me above L5, and merry we were--only my chimney smokes.
In the afternoon Mr. Hater bringing me my last quarter's salary, which I
received of him, and so I have now Mr. Barlow's money in my hands. The
company all go away, and by and by Sir Wms. both and my Lady Batten and
his daughter come again and supped with me and talked till late, and so to
bed, being glad that the trouble is over.
25th. At the office all the morning. Dined at home and Mr. Hater with
me, and so I did make even with him for the last quarter. After dinner he
and I to look upon the instructions of my Lord Northumberland's, but we
were interrupted by Mr. Salisbury's coming in, who came to see me and to
show me my Lord's picture in little, of his doing. And truly it is
strange to what a perfection he is come in a year's time. From thence to
Paul's Churchyard about books, and so back again home. This night comes
two cages, which I bought this evening for my canary birds, which Captain
Rooth this day sent me. So to bed.
26th. Within all the morning. About noon comes one that had formerly
known me and I him, but I know not his name, to borrow L5 of me, but I had
the wit to deny him. There dined with me this day both the Pierces' and
their wives, and Captain Cuttance, and Lieutenant Lambert, with whom we
made ourselves very merry by taking away his ribbans and garters, having
made him to confess that he is lately married. The company being gone I
went to my lute till night, and so to bed.
27th (Lord's day). Before I rose, letters come to me from Portsmouth,
telling me that the Princess is now well, and my Lord Sandwich set sail
with the Queen and her yesterday from thence for France. To church,
leaving my wife sick . . . . at home, a poor dull sermon of a stranger.
Home, and at dinner was very angry at my people's eating a fine pudding
(made me by Slater, the cook, last Thursday) without my wife's leave. To
church again, a good sermon of Mr. Mills, and after sermon Sir W. Pen and
I an hour in the garden talking, and he did answer me to many things, I
asked Mr. Coventry's opinion of me, and Sir W. Batten's of my Lord
Sandwich, which do both please me. Then to Sir W. Batten's, where very
merry, and here I met the Comptroller and his lady and daughter (the first
time I ever saw them) and Mrs. Turner, who and her husband supped with us
here (I having fetched my wife thither), and after supper we fell to
oysters, and then Mr. Turner went and fetched some strong waters, and so
being very merry we parted, and home to bed. This day the parson read a
proclamation at church, for the keeping of Wednesday next, the 30th of
January, a fast for the murther of the late King.
28th. At the office all the morning; dined at home, and after dinner to
Fleet Street, with my sword to Mr. Brigden (lately made Captain of the
Auxiliaries) to be refreshed, and with him to an ale-house, where I met
Mr. Davenport; and after some talk of Cromwell, Ireton and Bradshaw's
bodies being taken out of their graves to-day,
["The bodies of Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton, John Bradshaw, and
Thomas Pride, were dug up out of their graves to be hanged at
Tyburn, and buried under the gallows. Cromwell's vault having been
opened, the people crowded very much to see him."--Rugge's Diurnal.]
I went to Mr. Crew's and thence to the Theatre, where I saw again "The
Lost Lady," which do now please me better than before; and here I sitting
behind in a dark place, a lady spit backward upon me by a mistake, not
seeing me, but after seeing her to be a very pretty lady, I was not
troubled at it at all. Thence to Mr. Crew's, and there met Mr. Moore, who
came lately to me, and went with me to my father's, and with him to
Standing's, whither came to us Dr. Fairbrother, who I took and my father
to the Bear and gave a pint of sack and a pint of claret.
He do still continue his expressions of respect and love to me, and tells
me my brother John will make a good scholar. Thence to see the Doctor at
his lodging at Mr. Holden's, where I bought a hat, cost me 35s. So home
by moonshine, and by the way was overtaken by the Comptroller's coach, and
so home to his house with him. So home and to bed. This noon I had my
press set up in my chamber for papers to be put in.
29th. Mr. Moore making up accounts with me all this morning till Lieut.
Lambert came, and so with them over the water to Southwark, and so over
the fields to Lambeth, and there drank, it being a most glorious and warm
day, even to amazement, for this time of the year. Thence to my Lord's,
where we found my Lady gone with some company to see Hampton Court, so we
three went to Blackfryers (the first time I ever was there since plays
begun), and there after great patience and little expectation, from so
poor beginning, I saw three acts of "The Mayd in ye Mill" acted to my
great content. But it being late, I left the play and them, and by water
through bridge home, and so to Mr. Turner's house, where the Comptroller,
Sir William Batten, and Mr. Davis and their ladies; and here we had a most
neat little but costly and genteel supper, and after that a great deal of
impertinent mirth by Mr. Davis, and some catches, and so broke up, and
going away, Mr. Davis's eldest son took up my old Lady Slingsby in his
arms, and carried her to the coach, and is said to be able to carry three
of the biggest men that were in the company, which I wonder at. So home
and to bed.
30th (Fast day). The first time that this day hath been yet observed: and
Mr. Mills made a most excellent sermon, upon "Lord forgive us our former
iniquities;" speaking excellently of the justice of God in punishing men
for the sins of their ancestors. Home, and John Goods comes, and after
dinner I did pay him L30 for my Lady, and after that Sir W. Pen and I into
Moorfields and had a brave talk, it being a most pleasant day, and besides
much discourse did please ourselves to see young Davis and Whitton, two of
our clerks, going by us in the field, who we observe to take much pleasure
together, and I did most often see them at play together. Back to the Old
James in Bishopsgate Street, where Sir W. Batten and Sir Wm. Rider met him
about business of the Trinity House. So I went home, and there understand
that my mother is come home well from Brampton, and had a letter from my
brother John, a very ingenious one, and he therein begs to have leave to
come to town at the Coronacion. Then to my Lady Batten's; where my wife
and she are lately come back again from being abroad, and seeing of
Cromwell, Ireton, and Bradshaw hanged and buried at Tyburn. Then I home.
["Jan. 30th was kept as a very solemn day of fasting and prayer.
This morning the carcases of Cromwell, Ireton, and Bradshaw (which
the day before had been brought from the Red Lion Inn, Holborn),
were drawn upon a sledge to Tyburn, and then taken out of their
coffins, and in their shrouds hanged by the neck, until the going
down of the sun. They were then cut down, their heads taken off,
and their bodies buried in a grave made under the gallows. The
coffin in which was the body of Cromwell was a very rich thing, very
full of gilded hinges and nails."--Rugge's Diurnal.]
31st. This morning with Mr. Coventry at Whitehall about getting a ship to
carry my Lord's deals to Lynne, and we have chosen the Gift. Thence at
noon to my Lord's, where my Lady not well, so I eat a mouthfull of dinner
there, and thence to the Theatre, and there sat in the pit among the
company of fine ladys, &c.; and the house was exceeding full, to see
Argalus and Parthenia, the first time that it hath been acted: and indeed
it is good, though wronged by my over great expectations, as all things
else are. Thence to my father's to see my mother, who is pretty well
after her journey from Brampton. She tells me my aunt is pretty well, yet
cannot live long. My uncle pretty well too, and she believes would marry
again were my aunt dead, which God forbid. So home.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
FEBRUARY
1660-61
February 1st (Friday). A full office all this morning, and busy about
answering the Commissioners of Parliament to their letter, wherein they
desire to borrow two clerks of ours, which we will not grant them. After
dinner into London and bought some books, and a belt, and had my sword new
furbished. To the alehouse with Mr. Brigden and W. Symons. At night
home. So after a little music to bed, leaving my people up getting things
ready against to-morrow's dinner.
2nd. Early to Mr. Moore, and with him to Sir Peter Ball, who proffers my
uncle Robert much civility in letting him continue in the grounds which he
had hired of Hetley who is now dead. Thence home, where all things in a
hurry for dinner, a strange cook being come in the room of Slater, who
could not come. There dined here my uncle Wight and my aunt, my father
and mother, and my brother Tom, Dr. Fairbrother and Mr. Mills, the parson,
and his wife, who is a neighbour's daughter of my uncle Robert's, and
knows my Aunt Wight and all her and my friends there; and so we had
excellent company to-day. After dinner I was sent for to Sir G.
Carteret's, where he was, and I found the Comptroller, who are upon
writing a letter to the Commissioners of Parliament in some things a
rougher stile than our last, because they seem to speak high to us. So
the Comptroller and I thence to a tavern hard by, and there did agree upon
drawing up some letters to be sent to all the pursers and Clerks of the
Cheques to make up their accounts. Then home; where I found the parson
and his wife gone. And by and by the rest of the company, very well
pleased, and I too; it being the last dinner I intend to make a great
while, it having now cost me almost L15 in three dinners within this
fortnight. In the evening comes Sir W. Pen, pretty merry, to sit with me
and talk, which we did for an hour or two, and so good night, and I to
bed.
3d (Lord's day). This day I first begun to go forth in my coat and sword,
as the manner now among gentlemen is. To Whitehall. In my way heard Mr.
Thomas Fuller preach at the Savoy upon our forgiving of other men's
trespasses, shewing among other things that we are to go to law never to
revenge, but only to repayre, which I think a good distinction. So to
White Hall; where I staid to hear the trumpets and kettle-drums, and then
the other drums, which are much cried up, though I think it dull, vulgar
musique. So to Mr. Fox's, unbid; where I had a good dinner and special
company. Among other discourse, I observed one story, how my Lord of
Northwich, at a public audience before the King of France, made the Duke
of Anjou cry, by making ugly faces as he was stepping to the King, but
undiscovered.
[This story relates to circumstances which had occurred many years
previously. George, Lord Goring, was sent by Charles I. as
Ambassador Extraordinary to France in 1644, to witness the oath of
Louis XIV. to the observance of the treaties concluded with England
by his father, Louis XIII., and his grandfather, Henry IV. Louis
XIV. took this oath at Ruel, on July 3rd, 1644, when he was not yet
six years of age, and when his brother Philippe, then called Duke of
Anjou, was not four years old. Shortly after his return home, Lord
Goring was created, in September, 1644, Earl of Norwich, the title
by which he is here mentioned. Philippe, Duke of Anjou, who was
frightened by the English nobleman's ugly faces, took the title of
Duke of Orleans after the death of his uncle, Jean Baptiste Gaston,
in 1660. He married his cousin, Henrietta of England.--B.]
And how Sir Phillip Warwick's' lady did wonder to have Mr. Darcy' send for
several dozen bottles of Rhenish wine to her house, not knowing that the
wine was his. Thence to my Lord's; where I am told how Sir Thomas Crew's
Pedro, with two of his countrymen more, did last night kill one soldier of
four that quarrelled with them in the street, about 10 o'clock. The other
two are taken; but he is now hid at my Lord's till night, that he do
intend to make his escape away. So up to my Lady, and sat and talked with
her long, and so to Westminster Stairs, and there took boat to the bridge,
and so home, where I met with letters to call us all up to-morrow morning
to Whitehall about office business.
4th. Early up to Court with Sir W. Pen, where, at Mr. Coventry's chamber,
we met with all our fellow officers, and there after a hot debate about
the business of paying off the Fleet, and how far we should join with the
Commissioners of Parliament, which is now the great business of this month
more to determine, and about which there is a great deal of difference
between us, and then how far we should be assistants to them therein.
That being done, he and I back again home, where I met with my father and
mother going to my cozen Snow's to Blackwall, and had promised to bring me
and my wife along with them, which we could not do because we are to go to
the Dolphin to-day to a dinner of Capt. Tayler's. So at last I let my
wife go with them, and I to the tavern, where Sir William Pen and the
Comptroller and several others were, men and women; and we had a very
great and merry dinner; and after dinner the Comptroller begun some
sports, among others the naming of people round and afterwards demanding
questions of them that they are forced to answer their names to, which do
make very good sport. And here I took pleasure to take the forfeits of
the ladies who would not do their duty by kissing of them; among others a
pretty lady, who I found afterwards to be wife to Sir W. Batten's son.
Home, and then with my wife to see Sir W. Batten, who could not be with us
this day being ill, but we found him at cards, and here we sat late,
talking with my Lady and others and Dr. Whistler,