Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, June/July 1660
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, June/July 1660
24th. To White Hall, where I did acquaint Mr. Watkins with my being sworn
into the Privy Seal, at which he was much troubled, but put it up and did
offer me a kinsman of his to be my clerk, which I did give him some hope
of, though I never intend it. In the afternoon I spent much time in
walking in White Hall Court with Mr. Bickerstaffe, who was very glad of my
Lord's being sworn, because of his business with his brother Baron, which
is referred to my Lord Chancellor, and to be ended to-morrow. Baron had
got a grant beyond sea, to come in before the reversionary of the Privy
Seal. This afternoon Mr. Mathews came to me, to get a certificate of my
Lord's and my being sworn, which I put in some forwardness, and so home
and to bed.
25th. In the morning at the office, and after that down to Whitehall,
where I met with Mr. Creed, and with him and a Welsh schoolmaster, a good
scholar but a very pedagogue, to the ordinary at the Leg in King Street.'
I got my certificate of my Lord's and my being sworn. This morning my
Lord took leave of the House of Commons, and had the thanks of the House
for his great services to his country. In the afternoon (but this is a
mistake, for it was yesterday in the afternoon) Monsieur L'Impertinent and
I met and I took him to the Sun and drank with him, and in the evening
going away we met his mother and sisters and father coming from the
Gatehouse; where they lodge, where I did the first time salute them all,
and very pretty Madame Frances--[Frances Butler, the beauty.]--is indeed.
After that very late home and called in Tower Street, and there at a
barber's was trimmed the first time. Home and to bed.
26th. Early to White Hall, thinking to have a meeting of my Lord and the
principal officers, but my Lord could not, it being the day that he was to
go and be admitted in the House of Lords, his patent being done, which he
presented upon his knees to the Speaker; and so it was read in the House,
and he took his place. I at the Privy Seal Office with Mr. Hooker, who
brought me acquainted with Mr. Crofts of the Signet, and I invited them to
a dish of meat at the Leg in King Street, and so we dined there and I paid
for all and had very good light given me as to my employment there.
Afterwards to Mr. Pierces, where I should have dined but I could not, but
found Mr. Sheply and W. Howe there. After we had drunk hard we parted,
and I went away and met Dr. Castle, who is one of the Clerks of the Privy
Seal, and told him how things were with my Lord and me, which he received
very gladly. I was this day told how Baron against all expectation and
law has got the place of Bickerstaffe, and so I question whether he will
not lay claim to wait the next month, but my Lord tells me that he will
stand for it. In the evening I met with T. Doling, who carried me to St.
James's Fair,
[August, 1661: "This year the Fair, called St. James's Fair, was
kept the full appointed time, being a fortnight; but during that
time many lewd and infamous persons were by his Majesty's express
command to the Lord Chamberlain, and his Lordship's direction to
Robert Nelson, Esq., committed to the House of Correction."--Rugge's
Diurnal. St; James's fair was held first in the open space near St.
James's Palace, and afterwards in St. James's Market. It was
prohibited by the Parliament in 1651, but revived at the
Restoration. It was, however, finally suppressed before the close
of the reign of Charles II.]
and there meeting with W. Symons and his wife, and Luellin, and D.
Scobell's wife and cousin, we went to Wood's at the Pell Mell
[This is one of the earliest references to Pall Mall as an inhabited
street, and also one of the earliest uses of the word clubbing.]
(our old house for clubbing), and there we spent till 10 at night, at
which time I sent to my Lord's for my clerk Will to come to me, and so by
link home to bed. Where I found Commissioner Willoughby had sent for all
his things away out of my bedchamber, which is a little disappointment,
but it is better than pay too dear for them.
27th: The last night Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen came to their houses at
the office. Met this morning and did business till noon. Dined at home
and from thence to my Lord's where Will, my clerk, and I were all the
afternoon making up my accounts, which we had done by night, and I find
myself worth about L100 after all my expenses. At night I sent to W.
Bowyer to bring me L100, being that he had in his hands of my Lord's. in
keeping, out of which I paid Mr. Sheply all that remained due to my Lord
upon my balance, and took the rest home with me late at night. We got a
coach, but the horses were tired and could not carry us farther than St.
Dunstan's. So we 'light and took a link and so home weary to bed.
28th. Early in the morning rose, and a boy brought me a letter from Poet
Fisher, who tells me that he is upon a panegyrique of the King, and
desired to borrow a piece of me; and I sent him half a piece. To
Westminster, and there dined with Mr. Sheply and W. Howe, afterwards
meeting with Mr. Henson, who had formerly had the brave clock that went
with bullets (which is now taken away from him by the King, it being his
goods).
[Some clocks are still made with a small ball, or bullet, on an
inclined plane, which turns every minute. The King's clocks
probably dropped bullets. Gainsborough the painter had a brother
who was a dissenting minister at Henley-on-Thames, and possessed a
strong genius for mechanics. He invented a clock of a very peculiar
construction, which, after his death, was deposited in the British
Museum. It told the hour by a little bell, and was kept in motion
by a leaden bullet, which dropped from a spiral reservoir at the top
of the clock, into a little ivory bucket. This was so contrived as
to discharge it at the bottom, and by means of a counter-weight was
carried up to the top of the clock, where it received another
bullet, which was discharged as the former. This seems to have been
an attempt at the perpetual motion.--Gentleman's Magazine, 1785,
p. 931.--B.]
I went with him to the Swan Tavern and sent for Mr. Butler, who was now
all full of his high discourse in praise of Ireland, whither he and his
whole family are going by Coll. Dillon's persuasion, but so many lies I
never heard in praise of anything as he told of Ireland. So home late at
night and to bed.
29th. Lord's day. I and my boy Will to Whitehall, and I with my Lord to
White Hall Chappell, where I heard a cold sermon of the Bishop of
Salisbury's, and the ceremonies did not please me, they do so overdo them.
My Lord went to dinner at Kensington with my Lord Camden. So I dined and
took Mr. Birfett, my Lord's chaplain, and his friend along with me, with
Mr. Sheply at my Lord's. In the afternoon with Dick Vines and his brother
Payton, we walked to Lisson Green and Marybone and back again, and finding
my Lord at home I got him to look over my accounts, which he did approve
of and signed them, and so we are even to this day. Of this I was glad,
and do think myself worth clear money about L120. Home late, calling in at
my father's without stay. To bed.
30th. Sat at our office to-day, and my father came this day the first
time to see us at my new office. And Mrs. Crisp by chance came in and sat
with us, looked over our house and advised about the furnishing of it.
This afternoon I got my L50, due to me for my first quarter's salary as
Secretary to my Lord, paid to Tho. Hater for me, which he received and
brought home to me, of which I am full glad. To Westminster and among
other things met with Mr. Moore, and took him and his friend, a bookseller
of Paul's Churchyard, to the Rhenish Winehouse, and drinking there the
sword-bearer of London (Mr. Man) came to ask for us, with whom we sat
late, discoursing about the worth of my office of Clerk of the Acts, which
he hath a mind to buy, and I asked four years' purchase. We are to speak
more of it to-morrow. Home on foot, and seeing him at home at Butler's
merry, he lent me a torch, which Will carried, and so home.
31st. To White Hall, where my Lord and the principal officers met, and
had a great discourse about raising of money for the Navy, which is in
very sad condition, and money must be raised for it. Mr. Blackburne, Dr.
Clerke, and I to the Quaker's and dined there. I back to the Admiralty,
and there was doing things in order to the calculating of the debts of the
Navy and other business, all the afternoon. At night I went to the Privy
Seal, where I found Mr. Crofts and Mathews making up all their things to
leave the office tomorrow, to those that come to wait the next month. I
took them to the Sun Tavern and there made them drink, and discoursed
concerning the office, and what I was to expect tomorrow about Baron, who
pretends to the next month. Late home by coach so far as Ludgate with Mr.
Mathews, and thence home on foot with W. Hewer with me, and so to bed.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
A good handsome wench I kissed, the first that I have seen
Among all the beauties there, my wife was thought the greatest
An offer of L500 for a Baronet's dignity
Court attendance infinite tedious
Did not like that Clergy should meddle with matters of state
Dined upon six of my pigeons, which my wife has resolved to kill
Five pieces of gold for to do him a small piece of service
God help him, he wants bread.
Had no more manners than to invite me and to let me pay
How the Presbyterians would be angry if they durst
I pray God to make me able to pay for it.
I went to the cook's and got a good joint of meat
King's Proclamation against drinking, swearing, and debauchery
L100 worth of plate for my Lord to give Secretary Nicholas
Most of my time in looking upon Mrs. Butler
My new silk suit, the first that ever I wore in my life
Offer me L500 if I would desist from the Clerk of the Acts place
Sceptic in all things of religion
She had six children by the King
Strange how civil and tractable he was to me
The ceremonies did not please me, they do so overdo them
This afternoon I showed my Lord my accounts, which he passed
To see the bride put to bed
We cannot tell what to do for want of her (the maid)
Where I find the worst very good
Which I did give him some hope of, though I never intend it
Woman that they have a fancy to, to make her husband a cuckold