Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, July/August 1663

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9th. Up. Making water this morning, which I do every morning as soon as
I am awake, with greater plenty and freedom than I used to do, which I
think I may impute to last night's drinking of elder spirits. Abroad, it
raining, to Blackfriars, and there went into a little alehouse and staid
while I sent to the Wardrobe, but Mr. Moore was gone out. Here I kissed
three or four times the maid of the house, who is a pretty girl, but very
modest, and, God forgive me, had a mind to something more. Thence to my
lawyer's; up and down to the Six Clerks' Office, where I found my bill
against Tom Trice dismissed, which troubles me, it being through my
neglect, and will put me to charges. So to Mr. Phillips, and discoursed
with him about finding me out somebody that will let me have for money an
annuity of about L100 per annum for two lives. So home, and there put up
my riding things against the evening, in case Mr. Moore should continue
his mind to go to Oxford, which I have little mind to do, the weather
continuing so bad and the waters high. Dined at home, and Mr. Moore in
the afternoon comes to me and concluded not to go. Sir W. Batten and I
sat a little this afternoon at the office, and thence I by water to
Deptford, and there mustered the Yard, purposely, God forgive me, to find
out Bagwell, a carpenter, whose wife is a pretty woman, that I might have
some occasion of knowing him and forcing her to come to the office again,
which I did so luckily that going thence he and his wife did of themselves
meet me in the way to thank me for my old kindness, but I spoke little to
her, but shall give occasion for her coming to me. Her husband went along
with me to show me Sir W. Pen's lodging, which I knew before, but only to
have a time of speaking to him and sounding him. So left and I went in to
Sir W. Pen, who continues ill, and worse, I think, than before. He tells
me my Lady Castlemaine was at Court, for all this talk this week, which I
am glad to hear; but it seems the King is stranger than ordinary to her.
Thence walked home as I used to do, and to bed presently, having taken
great cold in my feet by walking in the dirt this day in thin shoes or
some other way, so that I begun to be in pain, and with warm clothes made
myself better by morning, but yet in pain.

10th. Up late and by water to Westminster Hall, where I met Pierce the
chirurgeon, who tells me that for certain the King is grown colder to my
Lady Castlemaine than ordinary, and that he believes he begins to love the
Queen, and do make much of her, more than he used to do. Up to the Lobby,
and there sent out for Mr. Coventry and Sir W. Batten, and told them if
they thought convenient I would go to Chatham today, Sir John Minnes being
already there at a Pay, and I would do such and such business there, which
they thought well of, and so I went home and prepared myself to go after,
dinner with Sir W. Batten. Sir W. Batten and Mr. Coventry tell me that my
Lord Bristoll hath this day impeached my Lord Chancellor in the House of
Lords of High Treason. The chief of the articles are these: 1st. That he
should be the occasion of the peace made with Holland lately upon such
disadvantageous terms, and that he was bribed to it. 2d. That Dunkirke
was also sold by his advice chiefly, so much to the damage of England.
3d. That he had L6000 given him for the drawing-up or promoting of the
Irish declaration lately, concerning the division of the lands there.
4th. He did carry on the design of the Portugall match, so much to the
prejudice of the Crown of England, notwithstanding that he knew the Queen
is not capable of bearing children. 5th. That the Duke's marrying of his
daughter was a practice of his, thereby to raise his family; and that it
was done by indirect courses. 6th. That the breaking-off of the match
with Parma, in which he was employed at the very time when the match with
Portugall was made up here, which he took as a great slur to him, and so
it was; and that, indeed, is the chief occasion of all this fewde. 7th.
That he hath endeavoured to bring in Popery, and wrote to the Pope for a
cap for a subject of the King of England's (my Lord Aubigny ); and some
say that he lays it to the Chancellor, that a good Protestant Secretary
(Sir Edward Nicholas) was laid aside, and a Papist, Sir H. Bennet, put in
his room: which is very strange, when the last of these two is his own
creature, and such an enemy accounted to the Chancellor, that they never
did nor do agree; and all the world did judge the Chancellor to be falling
from the time that Sir H. Bennet was brought in. Besides my Lord Bristoll
being a Catholique himself, all this is very strange. These are the main
of the Articles. Upon which my Lord Chancellor desired that the noble
Lord that brought in these Articles, would sign to them with his hand;
which my Lord Bristoll did presently. Then the House did order that the
judges should, against Monday next, bring in their opinion, Whether these
articles are treason, or no? and next, they would know, Whether they were
brought in regularly or no, without leave of the Lords' House? After
dinner I took boat (H. Russell) and down to Gravesend in good time, and
thence with a guide post to Chatham, where I found Sir J. Minnes and Mr.
Wayth walking in the garden, whom I told all this day's news, which I left
the town full of, and it is great news, and will certainly be in the
consequence of it. By and by to supper, and after long discourse, Sir J.
Minnes and I, he saw me to my chamber, which not pleasing me, I sent word
so to Mrs. Bradford, that I should be crowded into such a hole, while the
clerks and boarders of her own take up the best rooms. However I lay
there and slept well.

11th. Up early and to the Dock, and with the Storekeeper and other
officers all the morning from one office to another. At noon to the
Hill-house in Commissioner Pett's coach, and after seeing the guard-ships,
to dinner, and after dining done to the Dock by coach, it raining hard, to
see "The Prince" launched, which hath lain in the Dock in repairing these
three years. I went into her and was launched in her. Thence by boat
ashore, it raining, and I went to Mr. Barrow's, where Sir J. Minnes and
Commissioner Pett; we staid long eating sweetmeats and drinking, and
looking over some antiquities of Mr. Barrow's, among others an old
manuscript Almanac, that I believe was made for some monastery, in
parchment, which I could spend much time upon to understand. Here was a
pretty young lady, a niece of Barrow's, which I took much pleasure to look
on. Thence by barge to St. Mary Creek; where Commissioner Pett (doubtful
of the growing greatness of Portsmouth by the finding of those creeks
there), do design a wett dock at no great charge, and yet no little one;
he thinks towards L10,000. And the place, indeed, is likely to be a very
fit place, when the King hath money to do it with. Thence, it raining as
hard as it could pour down, home to the Hillhouse, and anon to supper, and
after supper, Sir J. Minnes and I had great discourse with Captain Cox and
Mr. Hempson about business of the yard, and particularly of pursers'
accounts with Hempson, who is a cunning knave in that point. So late to
bed and, Mr. Wayth being gone, I lay above in the Treasurer's bed and
slept well. About one or two in the morning the curtains of my bed being
drawn waked me, and I saw a man stand there by the inside of my bed
calling me French dogg 20 times, one after another, and I starting, as if
I would get out of the bed, he fell a-laughing as hard as he could drive,
still calling me French dogg, and laid his hand on my shoulder. At last,
whether I said anything or no I cannot tell, but I perceived the man,
after he had looked wistly upon me, and found that I did not answer him to
the names that he called me by, which was Salmon, Sir Carteret's clerk,
and Robt. Maddox, another of the clerks, he put off his hat on a suddaine,
and forebore laughing, and asked who I was, saying, "Are you Mr. Pepys?"
I told him yes, and now being come a little better to myself, I found him
to be Tom Willson, Sir W. Batten's clerk, and fearing he might be in some
melancholy fit, I was at a loss what to do or say. At last I asked him
what he meant. He desired my pardon for that he was mistaken, for he
thought verily, not knowing of my coming to lie there, that it had been
Salmon, the Frenchman, with whom he intended to have made some sport. So
I made nothing of it, but bade him good night, and I, after a little
pause, to sleep again, being well pleased that it ended no worse, and
being a little the better pleased with it, because it was the Surveyor's
clerk, which will make sport when I come to tell Sir W. Batten of it, it
being a report that old Edgeborough, the former Surveyor, who died here,
do now and then walk.

12th (Lord's day). Up, and meeting Tom Willson he asked my pardon again,
which I easily did give him, telling him only that it was well I was not a
woman with child, for it might have made me miscarry. With Sir J. Minnes
to church, where an indifferent good sermon. Here I saw Mrs. Becky Allen,
who hath been married, and is this day churched, after her bearing a
child. She is grown tall, but looks very white and thin, and I can find
no occasion while I am here to come to have her company, which I desire
and expected in my coming, but only coming out of the church I kissed her
and her sister and mother-in-law. So to dinner, Sir J. Minnes,
Commissioner Pett, and I, &c., and after dinner walked in the garden, it
being a very fine day, the best we have had this great while, if not this
whole summer. To church again, and after that walked through the
Rope-ground to the Dock, and there over and over the Dock and grounds
about it, and storehouses, &c., with the officers of the Yard, and then to
Commissioner Pett's and had a good sullybub and other good things, and
merry. Commissioner Pett showed me alone his bodys as a secrett, which I
found afterwards by discourse with Sir J. Minnes that he had shown them
him, wherein he seems to suppose great mystery in the nature of Lynes to
be hid, but I do not understand it at all. Thence walked to the
Hill-house, being myself much dissatisfied, and more than I thought I
should have been with Commissioner Pett, being, by what I saw since I came
hither, convinced that he is not able to exercise the command in the Yard
over the officers that he ought to do, or somebody else, if ever the
service be well looked after there. Sat up and with Sir J. Minnes
talking, and he speaking his mind in slighting of the Commissioner, for
which I wish there was not so much reason. For I do see he is but a man
of words, though indeed he is the ablest man that we have to do service if
he would or durst. Sir J. Minnes being gone to bed, I took Mr. Whitfield,
one of the clerks, and walked to the Dock about eleven at night, and there
got a boat and a crew, and rowed down to the guard-ships, it being a most
pleasant moonshine evening that ever I saw almost. The guard-ships were
very ready to hail us, being no doubt commanded thereto by their Captain,
who remembers how I surprised them the last time I was here. However, I
found him ashore, but the ship in pretty good order, and the arms well
fixed, charged, and primed. Thence to the Soveraign, where I found no
officers aboard, no arms fixed, nor any powder to prime their few guns,
which were charged, without bullet though. So to the London, where
neither officers nor any body awake; I boarded her, and might have done
what I would, and at last could find but three little boys; and so spent
the whole night in visiting all the ships, in which I found, for the most
part, neither an officer aboard, nor any men so much as awake, which I was
grieved to find, specially so soon after a great Larum, as Commissioner
Pett brought us word that he [had] provided against, and put all in a
posture of defence but a week ago, all which I am resolved to represent to
the Duke.

13th. So, it being high day, I put in to shore and to bed for two hours
just, and so up again, and with the Storekeeper and Clerk of the Rope-yard
up and down the Dock and Rope-house, and by and by mustered the Yard, and
instructed the Clerks of the Cheque in my new way of Callbook, and that
and other things done, to the Hill-house, and there we eat something, and
so by barge to Rochester, and there took coach hired for our passage to
London, and Mrs. Allen, the clerk of the Rope-yard's wife with us,
desiring her passage, and it being a most pleasant and warm day, we got by
four o'clock home. In our way she telling us in what condition Becky
Allen is married against all expectation a fellow that proves to be a
coxcomb and worth little if any thing at all, and yet are entered into a
way of living above their condition that will ruin them presently, for
which, for the lady's sake, I am much troubled. Home I found all well
there, and after dressing myself, I walked to the Temple; and there, from
my cozen Roger, hear that the judges have this day brought in their answer
to the Lords, That the articles against my Lord Chancellor are not
Treason; and to-morrow they are to bring in their arguments to the House
for the same. This day also the King did send by my Lord Chamberlain to
the Lords, to tell them from him, that the most of the articles against my
Lord Chancellor he himself knows to be false. Thence by water to
Whitehall, and so walked to St. James's, but missed Mr. Coventry. I met
the Queen-Mother walking in the Pell Mell, led by my Lord St. Alban's. And
finding many coaches at the Gate, I found upon enquiry that the Duchess is
brought to bed of a boy; and hearing that the King and Queen are rode
abroad with the Ladies of Honour to the Park, and seeing a great crowd of
gallants staying here to see their return, I also staid walking up and
down, and among others spying a man like Mr. Pembleton (though I have
little reason to think it should be he, speaking and discoursing long with
my Lord D'Aubigne), yet how my blood did rise in my face, and I fell into
a sweat from my old jealousy and hate, which I pray God remove from me.
By and by the King and Queen, who looked in this dress (a white laced
waistcoat and a crimson short pettycoat, and her hair dressed ci la
negligence) mighty pretty; and the King rode hand in hand with her. Here
was also my Lady Castlemaine rode among the rest of the ladies; but the
King took, methought, no notice of her; nor when they 'light did any body
press (as she seemed to expect, and staid for it) to take her down, but
was taken down by her own gentleman. She looked mighty out of humour, and
had a yellow plume in her hat (which all took notice of), and yet is very
handsome, but very melancholy: nor did any body speak to her, or she so
much as smile or speak to any body. I followed them up into White Hall,
and into the Queen's presence, where all the ladies walked, talking and
fiddling with their hats and feathers, and changing and trying one
another's by one another's heads, and laughing. But it was the finest
sight to me, considering their great beautys and dress, that ever I did
see in all my life. But, above all, Mrs. Stewart in this dress, with her
hat cocked and a red plume, with her sweet eye, little Roman nose, and
excellent taille, is now the greatest beauty I ever saw, I think, in my
life; and, if ever woman can, do exceed my Lady Castlemaine, at least in
this dress nor do I wonder if the King changes, which I verily believe is
the reason of his coldness to my Lady Castlemaine. Here late, with much
ado I left to look upon them, and went away, and by water, in a boat with
other strange company, there being no other to be had, and out of him into
a sculler half to the bridge, and so home and to Sir W. Batten, where I
staid telling him and Sir J. Minnes and Mrs. Turner, with great mirth, my
being frighted at Chatham by young Edgeborough, and so home to supper and
to bed, before I sleep fancying myself to sport with Mrs. Stewart with
great pleasure.

14th. Up a little late, last night recovering my sleepiness for the night
before, which was lost, and so to my office to put papers and things to
right, and making up my journal from Wednesday last to this day. All the
morning at my office doing of business; at noon Mr. Hunt came to me, and
he and I to the Exchange, and a Coffee House, and drank there, and thence
to my house to dinner, whither my uncle Thomas came, and he tells me that
he is going down to Wisbech, there to try what he can recover of my uncle
Day's estate, and seems to have good arguments for what he do go about, in
which I wish him good speed. I made him almost foxed, the poor man having
but a bad head, and not used I believe nowadays to drink much wine. So
after dinner, they being gone, I to my office, and so home to bed. This
day I hear the judges, according to order yesterday, did bring into the
Lords' House their reasons of their judgment in the business between my
Lord Bristoll and the Chancellor; and the Lords do concur with the Judges
that the articles are not treason, nor regularly brought into the House,
and so voted that a Committee should be chosen to examine them; but
nothing to be done therein till the next sitting of this Parliament (which
is like to be adjourned in a day or two), and in the mean time the two
Lords to, remain without prejudice done to either of them.

15th. Up and all the morning at the office, among other things with
Cooper the Purveyor, whose dullness in his proceeding in his work I was
vexed at, and find that though he understands it may be as much as other
men that profess skill in timber, yet I perceive that many things, they do
by rote, and very dully. Thence home to dinner, whither Captain Grove
came and dined with me, he going into the country to-day; among other
discourse he told me of discourse very much to my honour, both as to my
care and ability, happening at the Duke of Albemarle's table the other
day, both from the Duke, and the Duchess themselves; and how I paid so
much a year to him whose place it was of right, and that Mr. Coventry did
report thus of me; which was greatly to my content, knowing how against
their minds I was brought into the Navy. Thence by water to Westminster,
and there spent a good deal of time walking in the Hall, which is going to
be repaired, and, God forgive me, had a mind to have got Mrs. Lane abroad,
or fallen in with any woman else (in that hot humour). But it so happened
she could not go out, nor I meet with any body else, and so I walked
homeward, and in my way did many and great businesses of my own at the
Temple among my lawyers and others to my great content, thanking God that
I did not fall into any company to occasion spending time and money. To
supper, and then to a little viall and to bed, sporting in my fancy with
the Queen.

16th. Up and dispatched things into the country and to my father's, and
two keggs of Sturgeon and a dozen bottles of wine to Cambridge for my
cozen Roger Pepys, which I give him. By and by down by water on several
Deall ships, and stood upon a stage in one place seeing calkers sheathing
of a ship. Then at Wapping to my carver's about my Viall head. So home,
and thence to my Viall maker's in Bishops, gate Street; his name is Wise,
who is a pretty fellow at it. Thence to the Exchange, and so home to
dinner, and then to my office, where a full board, and busy all the
afternoon, and among other things made a great contract with Sir W. Warren
for 40,000 deals Swinsound, at L3 17s. od. per hundred. In the morning
before I went on the water I was at Thames Street about some pitch, and
there meeting Anthony Joyce, I took him and Mr. Stacy, the Tarr merchant,
to the tavern, where Stacy told me many old stories of my Lady Batten's
former poor condition, and how her former husband broke, and how she came
to her state. At night, after office done, I went to Sir W. Batten's,
where my Lady and I [had] some high words about emptying our house of
office, where I did tell her my mind, and at last agreed that it should be
done through my office, and so all well. So home to bed.

17th. Up, and after doing some business at my office, Creed came to me,
and I took him to my viall maker's, and there I heard the famous Mr.
Stefkins play admirably well, and yet I found it as it is always, I over
expected. I took him to the tavern and found him a temperate sober man,
at least he seems so to me. I commit the direction of my viall to him.
Thence to the Change, and so home, Creed and I to dinner, and after dinner
Sir W. Warren came to me, and he and I in my closet about his last night's
contract, and from thence to discourse of measuring of timber, wherein I
made him see that I could understand the matter well, and did both learn
of and teach him something. Creed being gone through my staying talking
to him so long, I went alone by water down to Redriffe, and so to sit and
talk with Sir W. Pen, where I did speak very plainly concerning my
thoughts of Sir G. Carteret and Sir J. Minnes. So as it may cost me some
trouble if he should tell them again, but he said as much or more to me
concerning them both, which I may remember if ever it should come forth,
and nothing but what is true and my real opinion of them, that they
neither do understand to this day Creed's accounts, nor do deserve to be
employed in their places without better care, but that the King had better
give them greater salaries to stand still and do nothing. Thence coming
home I was saluted by Bagwell and his wife (the woman I have a kindness
for), and they would have me into their little house, which I was willing
enough to, and did salute his wife. They had got wine for me, and I
perceive live prettily, and I believe the woman a virtuous modest woman.
Her husband walked through to Redriffe with me, telling me things that I
asked of in the yard, and so by water home, it being likely to rain again
to-night, which God forbid. To supper and to bed.

18th. Up and to my office, where all the morning, and Sir J. Minnes and I
did a little, and but a little business at the office. So I eat a bit of
victuals at home, and so abroad to several places, as my bookseller's, and
then to Thomson the instrument maker's to bespeak a ruler for my pocket
for timber, &c., which I believe he will do to my mind. So to the Temple,
Wardrobe, and lastly to Westminster Hall, where I expected some bands made
me by Mrs. Lane, and while she went to the starchers for them, I staid at
Mrs. Howlett's, who with her husband were abroad, and only their daughter
(which I call my wife) was in the shop, and I took occasion to buy a pair
of gloves to talk to her, and I find her a pretty spoken girl, and will
prove a mighty handsome wench. I could love her very well. By and by
Mrs. Lane comes, and my bands not being done she and I posted and met at
the Crown in the Palace Yard, where we eat a chicken I sent for, and
drank, and were mighty merry, and I had my full liberty of towzing her and
doing what I would, but the last thing of all . . . . Of which I am
heartily ashamed, but I do resolve never to do more so. But, Lord! to see
what a mind she has to a husband, and how she showed me her hands to tell
her her fortune, and every thing that she asked ended always whom and when
she was to marry. And I pleased her so well, saying as. I know she would
have me, and then she would say that she had been with all the artists in
town, and they always told her the same things, as that she should live
long, and rich, and have a good husband, but few children, and a great fit
of sickness, and 20 other things, which she says she has always been told
by others. Here I staid late before my bands were done, and then they
came, and so I by water to the Temple, and thence walked home, all in a
sweat with my tumbling of her and walking, and so a little supper and to
bed, fearful of having taken cold.

19th (Lord's day). Lay very long in pleasant dreams till Church time, and
so up, and it being foul weather so that I cannot walk as I intended to
meet my Cozen Roger at Thomas Pepys's house (whither he rode last night),
to Hatcham, I went to church, where a sober Doctor made a good sermon. So
home to dinner alone, and then to read a little, and so to church again,
where the Scot made an ordinary sermon, and so home to my office, and
there read over my vows and increased them by a vow against all strong
drink till November next of any sort or quantity, by which I shall try how
I can forbear it. God send it may not prejudice my health, and then I
care not. Then I fell to read over a silly play writ by a person of
honour (which is, I find, as much as to say a coxcomb), called "Love a la
Mode,"' and that being ended, home, and played on my lute and sung psalms
till bedtime, then to prayers and to bed.

20th. Up and to my office, and then walked to Woolwich, reading Bacon's
"Faber fortunae,"

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