Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, July/August 1663

S >> Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, July/August 1663




9th (Lord's day). Up, and leaving my brother John to go somewhere else, I
to church, and heard Mr. Mills (who is lately returned out of the country,
and it seems was fetched in by many of the parishioners, with great
state,) preach upon the authority of the ministers, upon these words, "We
are therefore embassadors of Christ." Wherein, among other high
expressions, he said, that such a learned man used to say, that if a
minister of the word and an angell should meet him together, he would
salute the minister first; which methought was a little too high. This
day I begun to make use of the silver pen (Mr. Coventry did give me) in
writing of this sermon, taking only the heads of it in Latin, which I
shall, I think, continue to do. So home and at my office reading my
vowes, and so to Sir W. Batten to dinner, being invited and sent for, and
being willing to hear how they left things at Portsmouth, which I found
but ill enough, and are mightily for a Commissioner to be at seat there to
keep the yard in order. Thence in the afternoon with my Lady Batten,
leading her through the streets by the hand to St. Dunstan's Church, hard
by us (where by Mrs. Russell's means we were set well), and heard an
excellent sermon of one Mr. Gifford, the parson there, upon "Remember
Lot's wife." So from thence walked back to Mrs. Russell's, and there
drank and sat talking a great while. Among other things talked of young
Dawes that married the great fortune, who it seems has a Baronet's patent
given him, and is now Sir Thos. Dawes, and a very fine bred man they say
he is. Thence home, and my brother being abroad I walked to my uncle
Wight's and there staid, though with little pleasure, and supped, there
being the husband of Mrs. Anne Wight, who it seems is lately married to
one Mr. Bentley, a Norwich factor. Home, and staid up a good while
examining Will in his Latin below, and my brother along with him in his
Greeke, and so to prayers and to bed. This afternoon I was amused at the
tune set to the Psalm by the Clerke of the parish, and thought at first
that he was out, but I find him to be a good songster, and the parish
could sing it very well, and was a good tune. But I wonder that there
should be a tune in the Psalms that I never heard of.

10th. Up, though not so early this summer as I did all the last, for
which I am sorry, and though late am resolved to get up betimes before the
season of rising be quite past. To my office to fit myself to wait on the
Duke this day. By and by by water to White Hall, and so to St. James's,
and anon called into the Duke's chamber, and being dressed we were all as
usual taken in with him and discoursed of our matters, and that being
done, he walked, and I in the company with him, to White Hall, and there
he took barge for Woolwich, and, I up to the Committee of Tangier, where
my Lord Sandwich, pay Lord Peterborough, (whom I have not seen before
since his coming back,) Sir W. Compton, and Mr. Povy. Our discourse about
supplying my Lord Teviott with money, wherein I am sorry to see, though
they do not care for him, yet they are willing to let him for civility and
compliment only have money almost without expecting any account of it; but
by this means, he being such a cunning fellow as he is, the King is like
to pay dear for our courtiers' ceremony. Thence by coach with my Lords
Peterborough and Sandwich to my Lord Peterborough's house; and there,
after an hour's looking over some fine books of the Italian buildings,
with fine cuts; and also my Lord Peterborough's bowes and arrows, of which
he is a great lover, we sat down to dinner, my Lady coming down to dinner
also, and there being Mr. Williamson, that belongs to Sir H. Bennet, whom
I find a pretty understanding and accomplished man, but a little
conceited. After dinner I took leave and went to Greatorex's, whom I
found in his garden, and set him to work upon my ruler, to engrave an
almanac and other things upon the brasses of it, which a little before
night he did, but the latter part he slubbered over, that I must get him
to do it over better, or else I shall not fancy my rule, which is such a
folly that I am come to now, that whereas before my delight was in
multitude of books, and spending money in that and buying alway of other
things, now that I am become a better husband, and have left off buying,
now my delight is in the neatness of everything, and so cannot be pleased
with anything unless it be very neat, which is a strange folly. Hither
came W. Howe about business, and he and I had a great deal of discourse
about my Lord Sandwich, and I find by him that my Lord do dote upon one of
the daughters of Mrs. [Becke] where he lies, so that he spends his time
and money upon her. He tells me she is a woman of a very bad fame and
very impudent, and has told my Lord so, yet for all that my Lord do spend
all his evenings with her, though he be at court in the day time, and that
the world do take notice of it, and that Pickering is only there as a
blind, that the world may think that my Lord spends his time with him when
he do worse, and that hence it is that my Lord has no more mind to go into
the country than he has. In fine, I perceive my Lord is dabbling with
this wench, for which I am sorry, though I do not wonder at it, being a
man amorous enough, and now begins to allow himself the liberty that he
says every body else at Court takes. Here I am told that my Lord Bristoll
is either fled or concealed himself; having been sent for to the King, it
is believed to be sent to the Tower, but he is gone out of the way.
Yesterday, I am told also, that Sir J. Lenthall, in Southwarke, did
apprehend about one hundred Quakers, and other such people, and hath sent
some of them to the gaole at Kingston, it being now the time of the
Assizes. Hence home and examined a piece of, Latin of Will's with my
brother, and so to prayers and to bed. This evening I had a letter from
my father that says that my wife will come to town this week, at which I
wonder that she should come to town without my knowing more of it. But I
find they have lived very ill together since she went, and I must use all
the brains I have to bring her to any good when she do come home, which I
fear will be hard to do, and do much disgust me the thoughts of it.

11th. Up and to my office, whither, by and by, my brother Tom came, and I
did soundly rattle him for his neglecting to see and please the Joyces as
he has of late done. I confess I do fear that he do not understand his
business, nor will do any good in his trade, though he tells me that he do
please every body and that he gets money, but I shall not believe it till
I see a state of his accounts, which I have ordered him to bring me before
he sees me any more. We met and sat at the office all the morning, and at
noon I to the 'Change, where I met Dr. Pierce, who tells me that the King
comes to towne this day, from Tunbridge, to stay a day or two, and then
fetch the Queen from thence, who he says is grown a very debonnaire lady,
and now hugs him, and meets him gallopping upon the road, and all the
actions of a fond and pleasant lady that can be, that he believes has a
chat now and then of Mrs. Stewart, but that there is no great danger of
her, she being only an innocent, young, raw girl; but my Lady Castlemaine,
who rules the King in matters of state, and do what she list with him, he
believes is now falling quite out of favour. After the Queen is come back
she goes to the Bath; and so to Oxford, where great entertainments are
making for her. This day I am told that my Lord Bristoll hath warrants
issued out against him, to have carried him to the Tower; but he is fled
away, or hid himself. So much the Chancellor hath got the better of him.
Upon the 'Change my brother, and Will bring me word that Madam Turner
would come and dine with me to-day, so I hasted home and found her and
Mrs. Morrice there (The. Joyce being gone into the country), which is the
reason of the mother rambling. I got a dinner for them, and after dinner
my uncle Thomas and aunt Bell came and saw me, and I made them almost
foxed with wine till they were very kind (but I did not carry them up to
my ladies). So they went away, and so my two ladies and I in Mrs.
Turner's coach to Mr. Povy's, who being not within, we went in and there
shewed Mrs. Turner his perspective and volary,

[A large birdcage, in which the birds can fly about; French
'voliere'. Ben Jonson uses the word volary.]

and the fine things that he is building of now, which is a most neat
thing. Thence to the Temple and by water to Westminster; and there
Morrice and I went to Sir R. Ling's to have fetched a niece of his, but
she was not within, and so we went to boat again and then down to the
bridge, and there tried to find a sister of Mrs. Morrice's, but she was
not within neither, and so we went through bridge, and I carried them on
board the King's pleasure-boat, all the way reading in a book of Receipts
of making fine meats and sweetmeats, among others to make my own sweet
water, which made us good sport. So I landed them at Greenwich, and there
to a garden, and gave them fruit and wine, and so to boat again, and
finally, in the cool of the evening, to Lyon Kee,

[Lion Key, Lower Thames Street, where the famous Duchess of Suffolk
in the time of Bishop Gardiner's persecution took boat for the
continent. James, Duke of York, also left the country from this
same place on the night of April 20th, 1648, when he escaped from
St. James's Palace.]

the tide against us, and so landed and walked to the Bridge, and there
took a coach by chance passing by, and so I saw them home, and there eat
some cold venison with them, and drunk and bade them good night, having
been mighty merry with them, and I think it is not amiss to preserve,
though it cost me a little, such a friend as Mrs. Turner. So home and to
bed, my head running upon what to do to-morrow to fit things against my
wife's coming, as to buy a bedstead, because my brother John is here, and
I have now no more beds than are used.

12th. A little to my office, to put down my yesterday's journall, and so
abroad to buy a bedstead and do other things. So home again, and having
put up the bedstead and done other things in order to my wife's coming, I
went out to several places and to Mrs. Turner's, she inviting me last
night, and there dined; with her and Madam Morrice and a stranger we were
very merry and had a fine dinner, and thence I took leave and to White
Hall, where my Lords Sandwich, Peterborough, and others made a Tangier
Committee; spent the afternoon in reading and ordering with a great deal
of alteration, and yet methinks never a whit the better, of a letter drawn
by Creed to my Lord Rutherford. The Lords being against anything that
looked to be rough, though it was in matter of money and accounts, wherein
their courtship may cost the King dear. Only I do see by them, that
speaking in matters distasteful to him that we write to, it is best to do
it in the plainest way and without ambages or reasoning, but only say
matters of fact, and leave the party to collect your meaning. Thence by
water to my brother's, and there I hear my wife is come and gone home, and
my father is come to town also, at which I wondered. But I discern it is
to give my brother advice about his business, and it may be to pacify me
about the differences that have been between my wife and him and my mother
at her late being with them. Though by and by he coming to Mr. Holden's
(where I was buying a hat) he took no notice to me of anything. I talked
to him a little while and left him to lie at the end of the town, and I
home, where methought I found my wife strange, not knowing, I believe, in
what temper she could expect me to be in, but I fell to kind words, and so
we were very kind, only she could not forbear telling me how she had been
used by them and her mayde, Ashwell, in the country, but I find it will be
best not to examine it, for I doubt she's in fault too, and therefore I
seek to put it off from my hearing, and so to bed and there entertained
her with great content, and so to sleep.

13th. Lay long in bed with my wife talking of family matters, and so up
and to the office, where we sat all the' morning, and then home to dinner,
and after dinner my wife and I to talk again about getting of a couple of
good mayds and to part with Ashwell, which troubles me for her father's
sake, though I shall be glad to have the charge taken away of keeping a
woman. Thence a little to the office, and so abroad with my wife by water
to White Hall, and there at my Lord's lodgings met my Lady Jemimah, with
whom we staid a good while. Thence to Mrs. Hunt's, where I left my wife,
and I to walk a little in St. James's Park, while Mrs. Harper might come
home, with whom we came to speak about her kinswoman Jane Gentleman to
come and live with us as a chamber mayde, and there met with Mr. Hoole my
old acquaintance of Magdalen, and walked with him an hour in the Parke,
discoursing chiefly of Sir Samuel Morland, whose lady is gone into France.
It seems he buys ground and a farm in the country, and lays out money upon
building, and God knows what! so that most of the money he sold his
pension of L500 per annum for, to Sir Arthur Slingsby, is believed is
gone. It seems he hath very great promises from the King, and Hoole hath
seen some of the King's letters, under his own hand, to Morland, promising
him great things (and among others, the order of the Garter, as Sir Samuel
says); but his lady thought it below her to ask any thing at the King's
first coming, believing the King would do it of himself, when as Hoole do
really think if he had asked to be Secretary of State at the King's first
coming, he might have had it. And the other day at her going into France,
she did speak largely to the King herself, how her husband hath failed of
what his Majesty had promised, and she was sure intended him; and the King
did promise still, as he is a King and a gentleman, to be as good as his
word in a little time, to a tittle: but I never believe it. Here in the
Park I met with Mr. Coventry, where he sent for a letter he had newly writ
to me, wherein he had enclosed one from Commissioner Pett complaining of
his being defeated in his attempt to suspend two pursers, wherein the
manner of his doing it, and complaint of our seeing him (contrary to our
promises the other day), deserted, did make us laugh mightily, and was
good sport to think how awkwardly he goes about a thing that he has no
courage of his own nor mind to do. Mr. Coventry answered it very
handsomely, but I perceive Pett has left off his corresponding with me any
more. Thence to fetch my wife from Mrs. Hunt's, where now he was come in,
and we eat and drunk, and so away (their child being at home, a very
lively, but not pretty at all), by water to Mrs. Turner's, and there made
a short visit, and so home by coach, and after supper to prayers and to
bed, and before going to bed Ashwell began to make her complaint, and by
her I do perceive that she has received most base usage from my wife,
which my wife sillily denies, but it is impossible the wench could invent
words and matter so particularly, against which my wife has nothing to say
but flatly to deny, which I am sorry to see, and blows to have past, and
high words even at Hinchinbrooke House among my Lady's people, of which I
am mightily ashamed. I said nothing to either of them, but let them talk
till she was gone and left us abed, and then I told my wife my mind with
great sobriety of grief, and so to sleep.

14th. Awake, and to chide my wife again, and I find that my wife has got
too great head to be brought down soon, nor is it possible with any
convenience to keep Ashwell longer, my wife is so set and convinced, as
she was in Sarah, to make her appear a Lyer in every small thing that we
shall have no peace while she stays. So I up and to my office doing
several businesses in my study, and so home to dinner. The time having
outslipt me and my stomach, it being past, two a-clock, and yet before we
could sit down to dinner Mrs. Harper and her cousin Jane came, and we
treated and discoursed long about her coming to my wife for a chamber
mayd, and I think she will do well. So they went away expecting notice
when she shall come, and so we sat down to dinner at four a-clock almost,
and then I walked forth to my brother's, where I found my father very
discontented, and has no mind to come to my house, and would have begun
some of the differences between my wife and him, but I desired to hear
none of them, and am sorry at my folly in forcing it and theirs in not
telling me of it at the beginning, and therefore am resolved to make the
best of a bad market, and to bring my wife to herself again as soon and as
well as I can. So we parted very kindly, and he will dine with me
to-morrow or next day. Thence walked home, doing several errands by the
way, and at home took my wife to visit Sir W. Pen, who is still lame, and
after an hour with him went home and supped, and with great content to
bed.

15th. Lay pretty long in bed, being a little troubled with some pain got
by wind and cold, and so up with good peace of mind, hoping that my wife
will mind her house and servants, and so to the office, and being too soon
to sit walked to my viail, which is well nigh done, and I believe I may
have it home to my mind next week. So back to my office, and there we sat
all the morning, I till 2 o'clock before I could go to dinner again.
After dinner walked forth to my instrument maker, and there had my rule he
made me lay now so perfected, that I think in all points I have never need
or desire a better, or think that any man yet had one so good in all the
several points of it for my use. So by water down to Deptford, taking
into my boat with me Mr. Palmer, one whom I knew and his wife when I was
first married, being an acquaintance of my wife's and her friends lodging
at Charing Cross during our differences. He joyed me in my condition, and
himself it seems is forced to follow the law in a common ordinary way, but
seems to do well, and is a sober man, enough by his discourse. He landed
with me at Deptford, where he saw by the officers' respect to me a piece
of my command, and took notice of it, though God knows I hope I shall not
be elated with that, but rather desire to be known for serving the King
well, and doing my duty. He gone I walked up and down the yard a while
discoursing with the officers, and so by water home meditating on my new
Rule with great pleasure. So to my office, and there by candle light
doing business, and so home to supper and to bed.

16th (Lord's day). Up and with my wife to church, and finding her
desirous to go to church, I did suspect her meeting of Pembleton, but he
was not there, and so I thought my jealousy in vain, and treat the sermon
with great quiet. And home to dinner very pleasant, only some angry,
notwithstanding my wife could not forbear to give Ashwell, and after
dinner to church again, and there, looking up and down, I found Pembleton
to stand in the isle against us, he coming too late to get a pew. Which,
Lord! into what a sweat did it put me! I do not think my wife did see
him, which did a little satisfy me. But it makes me mad to see of what a
jealous temper I am and cannot helpe it, though let him do what he can I
do not see, as I am going to reduce my family, what hurt he can do me,
there being no more occasion now for my wife to learn of him. Here
preached a confident young coxcomb. So home, and I staid a while with Sir
J. Minnes, at Mrs. Turner's, hearing his parrat talk, laugh, and crow,
which it do to admiration. So home and with my wife to see Sir W. Pen,
and thence to my uncle Wight, and took him at supper and sat down, where
methinks my uncle is more kind than he used to be both to me now, and my
father tell me to him also, which I am glad at. After supper home, it
being extraordinary dark, and by chance a lanthorn came by, and so we
hired it to light us home, otherwise were we no sooner within doors but a
great showre fell that had doused us cruelly if we had not been within, it
being as dark as pitch. So to prayers and to bed.

17th. Up, and then fell into discourse, my wife and I to Ashwell, and
much against my will I am fain to express a willingness to Ashwell that
she should go from us, and yet in my mind I am glad of it, to ease me of
the charge. So she is to go to her father this day. And leaving my wife
and her talking highly, I went away by coach with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W.
Batten to St. James's, and there attended of course the Duke. And so to
White Hall, where I met Mr. Moore, and he tells me with great sorrow of my
lord's being debauched he fears by this woman at Chelsey, which I am
troubled at, and resolve to speak to him of it if I can seasonably. Thence
home, where I dined, and after dinner comes our old mayde Susan to look
for a gorgett that she says she has lost by leaving it here, and by many
circumstances it being clear to me that Hannah, our present cook-mayde,
not only has it, but had it on upon her necke when Susan came in, and
shifted it off presently upon her coming in, I did charge her so home with
it (having a mind to have her gone from us), that in a huff she told us
she would be gone to-night if I would pay her her wages, which I was glad
and my wife of, and so fetched her her wages, and though I am doubtful
that she may convey some things away with her clothes, my wife searching
them, yet we are glad of her being so gone, and so she went away in a
quarter of an hour's time. Being much amused at this to have never a maid
but Ashwell, that we do not intend to keep, nor a boy, and my wife and I
being left for an hour, till my brother came in, alone in the house, I
grew very melancholy, and so my brother being come in I went forth to Mrs.
Holden's, to whom I formerly spoke about a girle to come to me instead of
a boy, and the like I did to Mrs. Standing and also to my brother Tom,
whom I found at an alehouse in Popinjay ally drinking, and I standing with
him at the gate of the ally, Ashwell came by, and so I left Tom and went
almost home with her, talking of her going away. I find that she is
willing to go, and told her (though behind my back my wife has told her
that it was more my desire than hers that she should go, which was not
well), that seeing my wife and she could not agree I did choose rather
(was she my sister) have her gone, it would be better for us and for her
too. To which she willing agreed, and will not tell me anything but that
she do believe that my wife would have some body there that might not be
so liable to give me information of things as she takes her to be. But,
however, I must later to prevent all that. I parted with her near home,
agreeing to take no notice of my coming along with her, and so by and by
came home after her. Where I find a sad distracted house, which troubles
me. However, to supper and prayers and to bed. And while we were getting
to bed my wife began to discourse to her, and plainly asked whether she
had got a place or no. And the other answered that she could go if we
would to one of our own office, to which we agreed if she would. She
thereupon said no; she would not go to any but where she might teach
children, because of keeping herself in use of what things she had earnt,
which she do not here nor will there, but only dressing. By which I
perceive the wench is cunning, but one very fit for such a place, and
accomplished to be woman to any lady in the land. So quietly to sleep, it
being a cold night. But till my house is settled, I do not see that I can
mind my business of the office, which grieves me to the heart. But I hope
all will over in a little time, and I hope to the best. This day at Mrs.
Holden's I found my new low crowned beaver according to the present
fashion made, and will be sent home to-morrow.

18th. Up and to my office, where we sat all the morning. And at noon
home, and my father came and dined with me, Susan being come and helped my
wife to dress dinner. After dinner my father and I talked about our
country-matters, and in fine I find that he thinks L50 per ann. will go
near to keep them all, which I am glad of. He having taken his leave of
me and my wife without any mention of the differences between them and my
wife in the country, I went forth to several places about businesses, and
so home again, and after prayers to bed.

19th. Up betimes, and my wife up and about the house, Susan beginning to
have her drunken tricks, and put us in mind of her old faults and folly
and distractednesse, which we had forgot, so that I became mightily
troubled with her. This morning came my joyners to new lay the floors,
and begun with the dining room. I out and see my viall again, and it is
very well, and to Mr. Hollyard, and took some pills of him and a note
under his hand to drink wine with my beere, without which I was obliged,
by my private vowe, to drink none a good while, and have strictly observed
it, and by my drinking of small beere and not eating, I am so mightily
troubled with wind, that I know not what to do almost. Thence to White
Hall, and there met Mr. Moore, and fell a-talking about my Lord's folly at
Chelsey, and it was our discourse by water to London and to the great
coffee house against the Exchange, where we sat a good while talking; and
I find that my lord is wholly given up to this wench, who it seems has
been reputed a common strumpett. I have little encouragement from Mr.
Moore to meddle with it to tell my Lord, for fear it may do him no good,
but me hurt. Thence homewards, taking leave of him, and met Tom Marsh, my
old acquaintance at Westminster, who talks mightily of the honour of his
place, being Clerke Assistant to the Clerke of the House of Commons, and I
take him to be a coxcombe, and so did give him half a pint of wine, but
drink none myself, and so got shut of him. So home, and there found my
wife almost mad with Susan's tricks, so as she is forced to let her go and
leave the house all in dirt and the clothes all wet, and gets Goody
Taylour to do the business for her till another comes. Here came Will
Howe, and he and I alone in my chamber talking of my Lord, who drives me
out of love to my Lord to tell my Lord of the matter we discoursed of,
which tend so much to the ruin of his state, and so I resolved to take a
good heart and do whatever comes of it. He gone, we sat down and eat a
bit of dinner fetched from the cooke's, and so up again and to my joyners,
who will make my floors very handsome. By and by comes in Pembleton,
which begun to make me sweat, but I did give him so little countenance,
and declared at one word against dancing any more, and bid him a short
(God be with you) myself, and so he took as short a leave of my wife and
so went away, and I think without any time of receiving any great
satisfaction from my wife or invitation to come again. To my office till
it was dark doing business, and so home by candle light to make up my
accounts for my Lord and Mr. Moore. By and by comes Mr. Moore to me, and
staid a good while with me making up his accounts and mine, and we did not
come to any end therein for want of his papers, and so put it off to
another time. He supped with me in all my dirt and disorder, and so went
away and we to bed. I discoursed with him a great while about my speaking
to my Lord of his business, and I apprehend from him that it is likely to
prove perhaps of bad effect to me and no good to him, and therefore I
shall even let it alone and let God do his will, at least till my Lord is
in the country, and then we shall see whether he resolves to come to
Chelsey again or no, and so order the stopping of him therein if we can.

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