Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, March/April 1661/62
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, March/April 1661/62
26th. Up early. This being, by God's great blessing, the fourth solemn
day of my cutting for the stone this day four years, and am by God's mercy
in very good health, and like to do well, the Lord's name be praised for
it. To the office and Sir G. Carteret's all the morning about business.
At noon come my good guests, Madame Turner, The., and Cozen Norton, and a
gentleman, one Mr. Lewin of the King's Life-Guard; by the same token he
told us of one of his fellows killed this morning in a duel. I had a
pretty dinner for them, viz., a brace of stewed carps, six roasted
chickens, and a jowl of salmon, hot, for the first course; a tanzy
[Tansy (tanacetum), a herb from which puddings were made. Hence any
pudding of the kind. Selden ("Table Talk") says: "Our tansies at
Easter have reference to the bitter herbs." See in Wordsworth's
"University Life in the Eighteenth Century" recipes for "an apple
tansey," "a bean tansey," and "a gooseberry tansey."--M. B.]
and two neats' tongues, and cheese the second; and were very merry all the
afternoon, talking and singing and piping upon the flageolette. In the
evening they went with great pleasure away, and I with great content and
my wife walked half an hour in the garden, and so home to supper and to
bed. We had a man-cook to dress dinner to-day, and sent for Jane to help
us, and my wife and she agreed at L3 a year (she would not serve under)
till both could be better provided, and so she stays with us, and I hope
we shall do well if poor Sarah were but rid of her ague.
27th. Early Sir G. Carteret, both Sir Williams and I by coach to
Deptford, it being very windy and rainy weather, taking a codd and some
prawnes in Fish Street with us. We settled to pay the Guernsey, a small
ship, but come to a great deal of money, it having been unpaid ever since
before the King came in, by which means not only the King pays wages while
the ship has lain still, but the poor men have most of them been forced to
borrow all the money due for their wages before they receive it, and that
at a dear rate, God knows, so that many of them had very little to receive
at the table, which grieved me to see it. To dinner, very merry. Then
Sir George to London, and we again to the pay, and that done by coach home
again and to the office, doing some business, and so home and to bed.
28th (Good Friday). At home all the morning, and dined with my wife, a
good dinner. At my office all the afternoon. At night to my chamber to
read and sing, and so to supper and to bed.
29th. At the office all the morning. Then to the Wardrobe, and there
coming late dined with the people below. Then up to my Lady, and staid
two hours talking with her about her family business with great content
and confidence in me. So calling at several places I went home, where my
people are getting the house clean against to-morrow. I to the office and
wrote several letters by post, and so home and to bed.
30th (Easter day). Having my old black suit new furbished, I was pretty
neat in clothes to-day, and my boy, his old suit new trimmed, very
handsome. To church in the morning, and so home, leaving the two Sir
Williams to take the Sacrament, which I blame myself that I have hitherto
neglected all my life, but once or twice at Cambridge.
[This does not accord with the certificate which Dr. Mines wrote in
1681, where he says that Pepys was a constant communicant. See Life
of Pepys in vol. i.]
Dined with my wife, a good shoulder of veal well dressed by Jane, and
handsomely served to table, which pleased us much, and made us hope that
she will serve our turn well enough. My wife and I to church in the
afternoon, and seated ourselves, she below me, and by that means the
precedence of the pew, which my Lady Batten and her daughter takes, is
confounded; and after sermon she and I did stay behind them in the pew,
and went out by ourselves a good while after them, which we judge a very
fine project hereafter to avoyd contention. So my wife and I to walk an
hour or two on the leads, which begins to be very pleasant, the garden
being in good condition. So to supper, which is also well served in. We
had a lobster to supper, with a crabb Pegg Pen sent my wife this
afternoon, the reason of which we cannot think; but something there is of
plot or design in it, for we have a little while carried ourselves pretty
strange to them. After supper to bed.
31st. This morning Mr. Coventry and all our company met at the office
about some business of the victualling, which being dispatched we parted.
I to my Lord Crew's to dinner (in my way calling upon my brother Tom, with
whom I staid a good while and talked, and find him a man like to do well,
which contents me much), where used with much respect, and talking with
him about my Lord's debts, and whether we should make use of an offer of
Sir G. Carteret's to lend my Lady 4 or L500, he told me by no means, we
must not oblige my Lord to him, and by the by he made a question whether
it was not my Lord's interest a little to appear to the King in debt, and
for people to clamor against him as well as others for their money, that
by that means the King and the world may see that he do lay out for the
King's honour upon his own main stock, which many he tells me do, that in
fine if there be occasion he and I will be bound for it. Thence to Sir
Thomas Crew's lodgings. He hath been ill, and continues so, under fits of
apoplexy. Among other things, he and I did discourse much of Mr.
Montagu's base doings, and the dishonour that he will do my Lord, as well
as cheating him of 2 or L3,000, which is too true. Thence to the play,
where coming late, and meeting with Sir W. Pen, who had got room for my
wife and his daughter in the pit, he and I into one of the boxes, and
there we sat and heard "The Little Thiefe," a pretty play and well done.
Thence home, and walked in the garden with them, and then to the house to
supper and sat late talking, and so to bed.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
APRIL 1662
April 1st. Within all the morning and at the office. At noon my wife and
I (having paid our maid Nell her whole wages, who has been with me half a
year, and now goes away for altogether) to the Wardrobe, where my Lady and
company had almost dined. We sat down and dined. Here was Mr. Herbert,
son to Sir Charles Herbert, that lately came with letters from my Lord
Sandwich to the King. After some discourse we remembered one another to
have been together at the tavern when Mr. Fanshaw took his leave of me at
his going to Portugall with Sir Richard. After dinner he and I and the
two young ladies and my wife to the playhouse, the Opera, and saw "The
Mayde in the Mill," a pretty good play. In the middle of the play my Lady
Paulina, who had taken physique this morning, had need to go forth, and so
I took the poor lady out and carried her to the Grange, and there sent the
maid of the house into a room to her, and she did what she had a mind to,
and so back again to the play; and that being done, in their coach I took
them to Islington, and then, after a walk in the fields, I took them to
the great cheese-cake house and entertained them, and so home, and after
an hour's stay with my Lady, their coach carried us home, and so weary to
bed.
2nd. Mr. Moore came to me, and he and I walked to the Spittle an hour or
two before my Lord Mayor and the blewcoat boys come, which at last they
did, and a fine sight of charity it is indeed. We got places and staid to
hear a sermon; but, it being a Presbyterian one, it was so long, that
after above an hour of it we went away, and I home and dined; and then my
wife and I by water to the Opera, and there saw "The Bondman" most
excellently acted; and though we had seen it so often, yet I never liked
it better than to-day, Ianthe acting Cleora's part very well now Roxalana
is gone. We are resolved to see no more plays till Whitsuntide, we having
been three days together. Met Mr. Sanchy, Smithes; Gale, and Edlin at the
play, but having no great mind to spend money, I left them there. And so
home and to supper, and then dispatch business, and so to bed.
3rd. At home and at the office all day. At night to bed.
4th. By barge Sir George, Sir Williams both and I to Deptford, and there
fell to pay off the Drake and Hampshire, then to dinner, Sir George to his
lady at his house, and Sir Wm. Pen to Woolwich, and Sir W. Batten and I to
the tavern, where much company came to us and our dinner, and somewhat
short by reason of their taking part away with them. Then to pay the rest
of the Hampshire and the Paradox, and were at it till 9 at night, and so
by night home by barge safe, and took Tom Hater with some that the clerks
had to carry home along with us in the barge, the rest staying behind to
pay tickets, but came home after us that night. So being come home, to
bed. I was much troubled to-day to see a dead man lie floating upon the
waters, and had done (they say) these four days, and nobody takes him up
to bury him, which is very barbarous.
5th. At the office till almost noon, and then broke up. Then came Sir G.
Carteret, and he and I walked together alone in the garden, taking notice
of some faults in the office, particularly of Sir W. Batten's, and he
seemed to be much pleased with me, and I hope will be the ground of a
future interest of mine in him, which I shall be glad of. Then with my
wife abroad, she to the Wardrobe and there dined, and I to the Exchange
and so to the Wardrobe, but they had dined. After dinner my wife and the
two ladies to see my aunt Wight, and thence met me at home. From thence
(after Sir W. Batten and I had viewed our houses with a workman in order
to the raising of our roofs higher to enlarge our houses) I went with them
by coach first to Moorfields and there walked, and thence to Islington and
had a fine walk in the fields there, and so, after eating and drinking,
home with them, and so by water with my wife home, and after supper to
bed.
6th (Lord's day). By water to White Hall, to Sir G. Carteret, to give him
an account of the backwardness of the ships we have hired to Portugall: at
which he is much troubled. Thence to the Chappell, and there, though
crowded, heard a very honest sermon before the King by a Canon of Christ
Church, upon these words, "Having a form of godliness, but denying," &c.
Among other things, did much insist upon the sin of adultery: which
methought might touch the King, and the more because he forced it into his
sermon, methinks, besides his text. So up and saw the King at dinner; and
thence with Sir G. Carteret to his lodgings to dinner, with him and his
lady, where I saluted her, and was well received as a stranger by her; she
seems a good lady, and all their discourse, which was very much, was upon
their sufferings and services for the King. Yet not without some trouble,
to see that some that had been much bound to them, do now neglect them;
and others again most civil that have received least from them: and I do
believe that he hath been a good servant to the King. Thence to walk in
the Park, where the King and Duke did walk round the Park. After I was
tired I went and took boat to Milford stairs, and so to Graye's Inn walks,
the first time I have been there this year, and it is very pleasant and
full of good company. When tired I walked to the Wardrobe, and there
staid a little with my Lady, and so by water from Paul's Wharf (where my
boat staid for me), home and supped with my wife with Sir W. Pen, and so
home and to bed.
7th. By water to Whitehall and thence to Westminster, and staid at the
Parliament-door long to speak with Mr. Coventry, which vexed me. Thence
to the Lords' House, and stood within the House, while the Bishops and
Lords did stay till the Chancellor's coming, and then we were put out, and
they to prayers. There comes a Bishop; and while he was rigging himself,
he bid his man listen at the door, whereabout in the prayers they were but
the man told him something, but could not tell whereabouts it was in the
prayers, nor the Bishop neither, but laughed at the conceit; so went in:
but, God forgive me! I did tell it by and by to people, and did say that
the man said that they were about something of saving their souls, but
could not tell whereabouts in the prayers that was. I sent in a note to
my Lord Privy Seal, and he came out to me; and I desired he would make
another deputy for me, because of my great business of the Navy this
month; but he told me he could not do it without the King's consent, which
vexed me. So to Dr. Castle's, and there did get a promise from his clerk
that his master should officiate for me to-morrow. Thence by water to
Tom's, and there with my wife took coach and to the old Exchange, where
having bought six large Holland bands, I sent her home, and myself found
out my uncle Wight and Mr. Rawlinson, and with them went to the tatter's
house to dinner, and there had a good dinner of cold meat and good wine,
but was troubled in my head after the little wine I drank, and so home to
my office, and there did promise to drink no more wine but one glass a
meal till Whitsuntide next upon any score. Mrs. Bowyer and her daughters
being at my house I forbore to go to them, having business and my head
disturbed, but staid at my office till night, and then to walk upon the
leads with my wife, and so to my chamber and thence to bed. The great
talk is, that the Spaniards and the Hollanders do intend to set upon the
Portuguese by sea, at Lisbon, as soon as our fleet is come away; and by
that means our fleet is not likely to come yet these two months or three;
which I hope is not true.
8th. Up very early and to my office, and there continued till noon. So
to dinner, and in comes uncle Fenner and the two Joyces. I sent for a
barrel of oysters and a breast of veal roasted, and were very merry; but I
cannot down with their dull company and impertinent. After dinner to the
office again. So at night by coach to Whitehall, and Mr. Coventry not
being there I brought my business of the office to him, it being almost
dark, and so came away and took up my wife. By the way home and on
Ludgate Hill there being a stop I bought two cakes, and they were our
supper at home.
9th. Sir George Carteret, Sir Williams both and myself all the morning at
the office passing the Victualler's accounts, and at noon to dinner at the
Dolphin, where a good chine of beef and other good cheer. At dinner Sir
George showed me an account in French of the great famine, which is to the
greatest extremity in some part of France at this day, which is very
strange.
[On the 5th of June following, Louis, notwithstanding the scarcity,
gave that splendid carousal in the court before the Tuileries, from
which the place has ever since taken its name.--B.]
So to the Exchange, Mrs. Turner (who I found sick in bed), and several
other places about business, and so home. Supper and to bed.
10th. To Westminster with the two Sir Williams by water, and did several
businesses, and so to the Wardrobe with Mr. Moore to dinner. Yesterday
came Col. Talbot with letters from Portugall, that the Queen is resolved
to embarque for England this week. Thence to the office all the
afternoon. My Lord Windsor came to us to discourse of his affairs, and to
take his leave of us; he being to go Governor of Jamaica with this fleet
that is now going. Late at the office. Home with my mind full of
business. So to bed.
11th. Up early to my lute and a song, then about six o'clock with Sir W.
Pen by water to Deptford; and among the ships now going to Portugall with
men and horse, to see them dispatched. So to Greenwich; and had a fine
pleasant walk to Woolwich, having in our company Captn. Minnes, with whom
I was much pleased to hear him talk in fine language, but pretty well for
all that. Among other things, he and the other Captains that were with us
tell me that negros drowned look white and lose their blackness, which I
never heard before. At Woolwich, up and down to do the same business; and
so back to Greenwich by water, and there while something is dressing for
our dinner, Sir William and I walked into the Park, where the King hath
planted trees and made steps in the hill up to the Castle, which is very
magnificent. So up and down the house, which is now repayring in the
Queen's lodgings. So to dinner at the Globe, and Captain Lambert of the
Duke's pleasure boat came to us and dined with us, and were merry, and so
home, and I in the evening to the Exchange, and spoke with uncle Wight,
and so home and walked with my wife on the leads late, and so the barber
came to me, and so to bed very weary, which I seldom am.
12th. At the office all the morning, where, among other things, being
provoked by some impertinence of Sir W. Batten's, I called him
unreasonable man, at which he was very angry and so was I, but I think we
shall not much fall out about it. After dinner to several places about
business, and so home and wrote letters at my office, and one to Mr.
Coventry about business, and at the close did excuse my not waiting on him
myself so often as others do for want of leisure. So home and to bed.
13th (Lord's day). In the morning to Paul's, where I heard a pretty good
sermon, and thence to dinner with my Lady at the Wardrobe; and after much
talk with her after dinner, I went to the Temple to Church, and there
heard another: by the same token a boy, being asleep, fell down a high
seat to the ground, ready to break his neck, but got no hurt. Thence to
Graye's Inn walkes; and there met Mr. Pickering and walked with him two
hours till 8 o'clock till I was quite weary. His discourse most about the
pride of the Duchess of York; and how all the ladies envy my Lady
Castlemaine. He intends to go to Portsmouth to meet the Queen this week;
which is now the discourse and expectation of the town. So home, and no
sooner come but Sir W. Warren comes to me to bring me a paper of Field's
(with whom we have lately had a great deal of trouble at the office),
being a bitter petition to the King against our office for not doing
justice upon his complaint to us of embezzlement of the King's stores by
one Turpin. I took Sir William to Sir W. Pen's (who was newly come from
Walthamstow), and there we read it and discoursed, but we do not much fear
it, the King referring it to the Duke of York. So we drank a glass or two
of wine, and so home and I to bed, my wife being in bed already.
14th. Being weary last night I lay very long in bed to-day, talking with
my wife, and persuaded her to go to Brampton, and take Sarah with her,
next week, to cure her ague by change of ayre, and we agreed all things
therein. We rose, and at noon dined, and then we to the Paynter's, and
there sat the last time for my little picture, which I hope will please
me. Then to Paternoster Row to buy things for my wife against her going.
So home and walked upon the leads with my wife, and whether she suspected
anything or no I know not, but she is quite off of her going to Brampton,
which something troubles me, and yet all my design was that I might the
freer go to Portsmouth when the rest go to pay off the yards there, which
will be very shortly. But I will get off if I can. So to supper and to
bed.
15th. At the office all the morning. Dined at home. Again at the office
in the afternoon to despatch letters and so home, and with my wife, by
coach, to the New Exchange, to buy her some things; where we saw some
new-fashion pettycoats of sarcenett, with a black broad lace printed round
the bottom and before, very handsome, and my wife had a mind to one of
them, but we did not then buy one. But thence to Mr. Bowyer's, thinking
to have spoke to them for our Sarah to go to Huntsmore for a while to get
away her ague, but we had not opportunity to do it, and so home and to
bed.
16th. Up early and took my physique; it wrought all the morning well. At
noon dined, and all the afternoon, Mr. Hater to that end coming to me, he
and I did go about my abstracting all the contracts made in the office
since we came into it. So at night to bed.
17th. To Mr. Holliard's in the morning, thinking to be let blood, but he
was gone out. So to White Hall, thinking to have had a Seal at Privy
Seal, but my Lord did not come, and so I walked back home and staid within
all the afternoon, there being no office kept to-day, but in the evening
Sir W. Batten sent for me to tell me that he had this day spoke to the
Duke about raising our houses, and he hath given us leave to do it, at
which, being glad, I went home merry, and after supper to bed.
18th. This morning sending the boy down into the cellar for some beer I
followed him with a cane, and did there beat him for his staying of awards
and other faults, and his sister came to me down and begged for him. So I
forebore, and afterwards, in my wife's chamber, did there talk to Jane how
much I did love the boy for her sake, and how much it do concern to
correct the boy for his faults, or else he would be undone. So at last
she was well pleased. This morning Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Batten and I
met at the office, and did conclude of our going to Portsmouth next week,
in which my mind is at a great loss what to do with my wife, for I cannot
persuade her to go to Brampton, and I am loth to leave her at, home. All
the afternoon in several places to put things in order for my going. At
night home and to bed.
19th. This morning, before we sat, I went to Aldgate; and at the corner
shop, a draper's, I stood, and did see Barkestead, Okey, and Corbet, drawn
towards the gallows at Tiburne; and there they were hanged and quartered.
They all looked very cheerful; but I hear they all die defending what they
did to the King to be just; which is very strange. So to the office and
then home to dinner, and Captain David Lambert came to take his leave of
me, he being to go back to Tangier there to lie. Then abroad about
business, and in the evening did get a bever, an old one, but a very good
one, of Sir W. Batten, for which I must give him something; but I am very
well pleased with it. So after writing by the post to bed.
20th (Lord's day). My intention being to go this morning to White Hall to
hear South, my Lord Chancellor's chaplain, the famous preacher and oratour
of Oxford, (who the last Lord's day did sink down in the pulpit before the
King, and could not proceed,) it did rain, and the wind against me, that I
could by no means get a boat or coach to carry me; and so I staid at
Paul's, where the judges did all meet, and heard a sermon, it being the
first Sunday of the term; but they had a very poor sermon. So to my Lady's
and dined, and so to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, and so to the
Chappell, where I challenged my pew as Clerk of the Privy Seal and had it,
and then walked home with Mr. Blagrave to his old house in the Fishyard,
and there he had a pretty kinswoman that sings, and we did sing some holy
things, and afterwards others came in and so I left them, and by water
through the bridge (which did trouble me) home, and so to bed.
21st: This morning I attempted to persuade my wife in bed to go to
Brampton this week, but she would not, which troubles me, and seeing that
I could keep it no longer from her, I told her that I was resolved to go
to Portsmouth to-morrow. Sir W. Batten goes to Chatham to-day, and will
be back again to come for Portsmouth after us on Thursday next. I went to
Westminster and several places about business. Then at noon dined with my
Lord Crew; and after dinner went up to Sir Thos. Crew's chamber, who is
still ill. He tells me how my Lady Duchess of Richmond and Castlemaine
had a falling out the other day; and she calls the latter Jane Shore, and
did hope to see her come to the same end that she did. Coming down again
to my Lord, he told me that news was come that the Queen is landed; at
which I took leave, and by coach hurried to White Hall, the bells ringing
in several places; but I found there no such matter, nor anything like it.
So I went by appointment to Anthony Joyce's, where I sat with his wife and
Matt. Joyce an hour or two, and so her husband not being at home, away I
went and in Cheapside spied him and took him into the coach. Home, and
there I found my Lady Jemimah, and Anne, and Madamoiselle come to see my
wife, whom I left, and to talk with Joyce about a project I have of his
and my joyning, to get some money for my brother Tom and his kinswoman to
help forward with her portion if they should marry. I mean in buying of
tallow of him at a low rate for the King, and Tom should have the profit;
but he tells me the profit will be considerable, at which I was troubled,
but I have agreed with him to serve some in my absence. He went away, and
then came Mr. Moore and sat late with me talking about business, and so
went away and I to bed.