Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, May/June 1662
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, May/June 1662
[The dulcimer (or psaltery) consisted of a flat box, acting as a
resonating chamber, over which strings of wire were stretched: These
were struck by little hammers.]
played on with sticks knocking of the strings, and is very pretty. So by
water home, and supped with Sir William Pen very merry, and so to bed.
24th. To the Wardrobe, and there again spoke with my Lord, and saw W.
Howe, who is grown a very pretty and is a sober fellow. Thence abroad
with Mr. Creed, of whom I informed myself of all I had a mind to know.
Among other things, the great difficulty my Lord hath been in all this
summer for lack of good and full orders from the King; and I doubt our
Lords of the Councell do not mind things as the late powers did, but their
pleasures or profit more. That the Juego de Toros is a simple sport, yet
the greatest in Spain. That the Queen hath given no rewards to any of the
captains or officers, but only to my Lord Sandwich; and that was a bag of
gold, which was no honourable present, of about L1400 sterling. How
recluse the Queen hath ever been, and all the voyage never come upon the
deck, nor put her head out of her cabin; but did love my Lord's musique,
and would send for it down to the state-room, and she sit in her cabin
within hearing of it. That my Lord was forced to have some clashing with
the Council of Portugall about payment of the portion, before he could get
it; which was, besides Tangier and a free trade in the Indys, two millions
of crowns, half now, and the other half in twelve months. But they have
brought but little money; but the rest in sugars and other commoditys, and
bills of exchange. That the King of Portugall is a very fool almost, and
his mother do all, and he is a very poor Prince. After a morning draft at
the Star in Cheapside, I took him to the Exchange, thence home, but my
wife having dined, I took him to Fish Street, and there we had a couple of
lobsters, and dined upon them, and much discourse. And so I to the
office, and that being done, Sir W. Pen and I to Deptford by water to
Captain Rooth's to see him, he being very sick, and by land home, calling
at Halfway house, where we eat and drank. So home and to bed.
25th (Lord's day). To trimming myself, which I have this week done every
morning, with a pumice stone,--[Shaving with pumice stone.]--which I
learnt of Mr. Marsh, when I was last at Portsmouth; and I find it very
easy, speedy, and cleanly, and shall continue the practice of it. To
church, and heard a good sermon of Mr. Woodcocke's at our church; only in
his latter prayer for a woman in childbed, he prayed that God would
deliver her from the hereditary curse of child-bearing, which seemed a
pretty strange expression. Dined at home, and Mr. Creed with me. This
day I had the first dish of pease I have had this year. After discourse
he and I abroad, and walked up and down, and looked into many churches,
among others Mr. Baxter's at Blackfryers. Then to the Wardrobe, where I
found my Lord takes physic, so I did not see him, but with Captn. Ferrers
in Mr. George Montagu's coach to Charing Cross; and there at the Triumph
tavern he showed me some Portugall ladys, which are come to town before
the Queen. They are not handsome, and their farthingales a strange dress.
[Farthingales had gone out of fashion in England during the reign of
Charles I., and therefore their use by the Portuguese ladies
astonished the English. Evelyn also remarks in his Diary on this
ugly custom (May 30th, 1662).]
Many ladies and persons of quality come to see them. I find nothing in
them that is pleasing; and I see they have learnt to kiss and look freely
up and down already, and I do believe will soon forget the recluse
practice of their own country. They complain much for lack of good water
to drink. So to the Wardrobe back on foot and supped with my Lady, and so
home, and after a walk upon the leads with my wife, to prayers and bed.
The King's guards and some City companies do walk up and down the town
these five or six days; which makes me think, and they do say, there are
some plots in laying. God keep us.
26th. Up by four o'clock in the morning, and fell to the preparing of
some accounts for my Lord of Sandwich. By and by, by appointment comes
Mr. Moore, and, by what appears to us at present, we found that my Lord is
above L7,000 in debt, and that he hath money coming into him that will
clear all, and so we think him clear, but very little money in his purse.
So to my Lord's, and after he was ready, we spent an hour with him, giving
him an account thereof; and he having some L6,000 in his hands, remaining
of the King's, he is resolved to make use of that, and get off of it as
well as he can, which I like well of, for else I fear he will scarce get
beforehand again a great while. Thence home, and to the Trinity House;
where the Brethren (who have been at Deptford choosing a new Maister;
which is Sir J. Minnes, notwithstanding Sir W. Batten did contend highly
for it: at which I am not a little pleased, because of his proud lady)
about three o'clock came hither, and so to dinner. I seated myself close
by Mr. Prin, who, in discourse with me, fell upon what records he hath of
the lust and wicked lives of the nuns heretofore in England, and showed me
out of his pocket one wherein thirty nuns for their lust were ejected of
their house, being not fit to live there, and by the Pope's command to be
put, however, into other nunnerys. I could not stay to end dinner with
them, but rose, and privately went out, and by water to my brother's, and
thence to take my wife to the Redd Bull, where we saw "Doctor Faustus,"
but so wretchedly and poorly done, that we were sick of it, and the worse
because by a former resolution it is to be the last play we are to see
till Michaelmas. Thence homewards by coach, through Moorefields, where we
stood awhile, and saw the wrestling. At home, got my lute upon the leads,
and there played, and so to bed.
27th. To my Lord this morning, and thence to my brother's, where I found
my father, poor man, come, which I was glad to see. I staid with him till
noon, and then he went to my cozen Scott's to dinner, who had invited him.
He tells me his alterations of the house and garden at Brampton, which
please me well. I could not go with him, and so we parted at Ludgate, and
I home to dinner, and to the office all the afternoon, and musique in my
chamber alone at night, and so to bed.
28th. Up early to put things in order in my chamber, and then to my
Lord's, with whom I spoke about several things, and so up and down in
several places about business with Mr. Creed, among others to Mr. Wotton's
the shoemaker, and there drank our morning draft, and then home about
noon, and by and by comes my father by appointment to dine with me, which
we did very merrily, I desiring to make him as merry as I can, while the
poor man is in town. After dinner comes my uncle Wight and sat awhile and
talked with us, and thence we three to the Mum House at Leadenhall, and
there sat awhile. Then I left them, and to the Wardrobe, where I found my
Lord gone to Hampton Court. Here I staid all the afternoon till late with
Creed and Captain Ferrers, thinking whether we should go to-morrow
together to Hampton Court, but Ferrers his wife coming in by and by to the
house with the young ladies (with whom she had been abroad), she was
unwilling to go, whereupon I was willing to put off our going, and so
home, but still my mind was hankering after our going to-morrow. So to
bed.
29th. At home all the morning. At noon to the Wardrobe, and dined with
my Lady, and after dinner staid long talking with her; then homeward, and
in Lumbard Street was called out of a window by Alderman Backwell, where I
went, and saluted his lady, a very pretty woman. Here was Mr. Creed, and
it seems they have been under some disorder in fear of a fire at the next
door, and had been removing their goods, but the fire was over before I
came. Thence home, and with my wife and the two maids, and the boy, took
boat and to Foxhall,
[Foxhall, Faukeshall, or Vauxhall, a manor in Surrey, properly
Fulke's. Hall, and so called from Fulke de Breaute, the notorious
mercenary follower of King John. The manor house was afterwards
known as Copped or Copt Hall. Sir Samuel Morland obtained a lease
of the place, and King Charles made him Master of Mechanics, and
here "he (Morland), anno 1667, built a fine room," says Aubrey, "the
inside all of looking-glass and fountains, very pleasant to behold."
The gardens were formed about 1661, and originally called the "New
Spring Gardens," to distinguish them from the "Old Spring Gardens"
at Charing Cross, but according to the present description by Pepys
there was both an Old and a New Spring Garden at Vauxhall.
Balthazar Monconys, who visited England early in the reign of
Charles II., describes the 'Jardins Printemps' at Lambeth as having
lawns and gravel walks, dividing squares of twenty or thirty yards
enclosed with hedges of gooseberry trees, within which were planted
roses.]
where I had not been a great while. To the Old Spring Garden, and there
walked long, and the wenches gathered pinks. Here we staid, and seeing
that we could not have anything to eat, but very dear, and with long stay,
we went forth again without any notice taken of us, and so we might have
done if we had had anything. Thence to the New one, where I never was
before, which much exceeds the other; and here we also walked, and the boy
crept through the hedge and gathered abundance of roses, and, after a long
walk, passed out of doors as we did in the other place, and here we had
cakes and powdered beef--[salt beef]--and ale, and so home again by water
with much pleasure. This day, being the King's birth-day, was very
solemnly observed; and the more, for that the Queen this day comes to
Hampton Court. In the evening, bonfires were made, but nothing to the
great number that was heretofore at the burning of the Rump. So to bed.
30th. This morning I made up my accounts, and find myself 'de claro'
worth about L530, and no more, so little have I increased it since my last
reckoning; but I confess I have laid out much money in clothes. Upon a
suddaine motion I took my wife, and Sarah and Will by water, with some
victuals with us, as low as Gravesend, intending to have gone into the
Hope to the Royal James, to have seen the ship and Mr. Shepley, but
meeting Mr. Shepley in a hoy, bringing up my Lord's things, she and I went
on board, and sailed up with them as far as half-way tree, very glad to
see Mr. Shepley. Here we saw a little Turk and a negroe, which are
intended for pages to the two young ladies. Many birds and other pretty
noveltys there was, but I was afeard of being louzy, and so took boat
again, and got to London before them, all the way, coming and going,
reading in the "Wallflower" with great pleasure. So home, and thence to
the Wardrobe, where Mr. Shepley was come with the things. Here I staid
talking with my Lady, who is preparing to go to-morrow to Hampton Court.
So home, and at ten o'clock at night Mr. Shepley came to sup with me. So
we had a dish of mackerell and pease, and so he bid us good night, going
to lie on board the hoy, and I to bed.
31st. Lay long in bed, and so up to make up my Journall for these two or
three days past. Then came Anthony Joyce, who duns me for money for the
tallow which he served in lately by my desire, which vexes me, but I must
get it him the next by my promise. By and by to White Hall, hearing that
Sir G. Carteret was come to town, but I could not find him, and so back to
Tom's, and thence I took my father to my house, and there he dined with
me, discoursing of our businesses with uncle Thomas and T. Trice. After
dinner he departed and I to the office where we met, and that being done I
walked to my Brother's and the Wardrobe and other places about business,
and so home, and had Sarah to comb my head clean, which I found so foul
with powdering and other troubles, that I am resolved to try how I can
keep my head dry without powder; and I did also in a suddaine fit cut off
all my beard, which I had been a great while bringing up, only that I may
with my pumice-stone do my whole face, as I now do my chin, and to save
time, which I find a very easy way and gentile. So she also washed my
feet in a bath of herbs, and so to bed. This month ends with very fair
weather for a great while together. My health pretty well, but only wind
do now and then torment me . . . extremely. The Queen is brought a few
days since to Hampton Court; and all people say of her to be a very fine
and handsome lady, and very discreet; and that the King is pleased enough
with her which, I fear, will put Madam Castlemaine's nose out of joynt.
The Court is wholly now at Hampton. A peace with Argier is lately made;
which is also good news. My father is lately come to town to see us, and
though it has cost and will cost more money, yet I am pleased with the
alteraeons on my house at Brampton. My Lord Sandwich is lately come with
the Queen from sea, very well and in good repute. Upon an audit of my
estate I find myself worth about L530 'de claro'. The Act for Uniformity
is lately printed,
["An Act for the Uniformity of public prayers and administration of
sacraments and other rites and ceremonies, and for establishing the
form of making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests, and
deacons in the Church of England."]
which, it is thought, will make mad work among the Presbyterian ministers.
People of all sides are very much discontented; some thinking themselves
used, contrary to promise, too hardly; and the other, that they are not
rewarded so much as they expected by the King. God keep us all. I have
by a late oath obliged myself from wine and plays, of which I find good
effect.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
JUNE
1662
June 1st (Lord's day). At church in the morning. A stranger made a very
good sermon. Dined at home, and Mr. Spong came to see me; so he and I sat
down a little to sing some French psalms, and then comes Mr. Shepley and
Mr. Moore, and so we to dinner, and after dinner to church again, where a
Presbyter made a sad and long sermon, which vexed me, and so home, and so
to walk on the leads, and supper and to prayers and bed.
2nd. Up early about business and then to the Wardrobe with Mr. Moore, and
spoke to my Lord about the exchange of the crusados
[Cruzado, a Portuguese coin of 480 reis. It is named from a cross
which it bears on one side, the arms of Portugal being on the other.
It varied in value at different periods from 2s. 3d. to 4s.]
into sterling money, and other matters. So to my father at Tom's, and
after some talk with him away home, and by and by comes my father to
dinner with me, and then by coach, setting him down in Cheapside, my wife
and I to Mrs. Clarke's at Westminster, the first visit that ever we both
made her yet. We found her in a dishabille, intending to go to Hampton
Court to-morrow. We had much pretty discourse, and a very fine lady she
is. Thence by water to Salisbury Court, and Mrs. Turner not being at
home, home by coach, and so after walking on the leads and supper to bed.
This day my wife put on her slasht wastecoate, which is very pretty.
3rd. Up by four o'clock and to my business in my chamber, to even
accounts with my Lord and myself, and very fain I would become master of
L1000, but I have not above L530 toward it yet. At the office all the
morning, and Mr. Coventry brought his patent and took his place with us
this morning. Upon our making a contract, I went, as I use to do, to draw
the heads thereof, but Sir W. Pen most basely told me that the Comptroller
is to do it, and so begun to employ Mr. Turner about it, at which I was
much vexed, and begun to dispute; and what with the letter of the Duke's
orders, and Mr. Barlow's letter, and the practice of our predecessors,
which Sir G. Carteret knew best when he was Comptroller, it was ruled for
me. What Sir J. Minnes will do when he comes I know not, but Sir W. Pen
did it like a base raskall, and so I shall remember him while I live.
After office done, I went down to the Towre Wharf, where Mr. Creed and
Shepley was ready with three chests of the crusados, being about L6000,
ready to bring to shore to my house, which they did, and put it in my
further cellar, and Mr. Shepley took the key. I to my father and Dr.
Williams and Tom Trice, by appointment, in the Old Bayly, to Short's, the
alehouse, but could come to no terms with T. Trice. Thence to the
Wardrobe, where I found my Lady come from Hampton Court, where the Queen
hath used her very civilly; and my Lady tells me is a most pretty woman,
at which I am glad. Yesterday (Sir R. Ford told me) the Aldermen of the
City did attend her in their habits, and did present her with a gold Cupp
and L1000 in gold therein. But, he told me, that they are so poor in
their Chamber, that they were fain to call two or three Aldermen to raise
fines to make up this sum, among which was Sir W. Warren. Home and to the
office, where about 8 at night comes Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Batten,
and so we did some business, and then home and to bed, my mind troubled
about Sir W. Pen, his playing the rogue with me to-day, as also about the
charge of money that is in my house, which I had forgot; but I made the
maids to rise and light a candle, and set it in the dining-room, to scare
away thieves, and so to sleep.
4th. Up early, and Mr. Moore comes to me and tells me that Mr. Barnwell
is dead, which troubles me something, and the more for that I believe we
shall lose Mr. Shepley's company. By and by Sir W. Batten and I by water
to Woolwich; and there saw an experiment made of Sir R. Ford's Holland's
yarn (about which we have lately had so much stir; and I have much
concerned myself for our ropemaker, Mr. Hughes, who has represented it as
bad), and we found it to be very bad, and broke sooner than, upon a fair
triall, five threads of that against four of Riga yarn; and also that some
of it had old stuff that had been tarred, covered over with new hemp,
which is such a cheat as hath not been heard of. I was glad of this
discovery, because I would not have the King's workmen discouraged (as Sir
W. Batten do most basely do) from representing the faults of merchants'
goods, where there is any. After eating some fish that we had bought upon
the water at Falconer's, we went to Woolwich, and there viewed our frames
of our houses, and so home, and I to my Lord's, who I find resolved to buy
Brampton Manor of Sir Peter Ball,
[Sir Peter Ball was the Queen's Attorney-General, and Evelyn
mentions, in his Diary (January 11th, 1661-62), having received from
him the draft of an act against the nuisance of the smoke of
London.]
at which I am glad. Thence to White Hall, and showed Sir G. Carteret the
cheat, and so to the Wardrobe, and there staid and supped with my Lady. My
Lord eating nothing, but writes letters to-night to several places, he
being to go out of town to-morrow. So late home and to bed.
5th. To the Wardrobe, and there my Lord did enquire my opinion of Mr.
Moore, which I did give to the best advantage I could, and by that means
shall get him joined with Mr. Townsend in the Wardrobe business. He did
also give me all Mr. Shepley's and Mr. Moore's accounts to view, which I
am glad of, as being his great trust in me, and I would willingly keep up
a good interest with him. So took leave of him (he being to go this day)
and to the office, where they were just sat down, and I showed them
yesterday's discovery, and have got Sir R. Ford to be my enemy by it; but
I care not, for it is my duty, and so did get his bill stopped for the
present. To dinner, and found Dr. Thos. Pepys at my house; but I was
called from dinner by a note from Mr. Moore to Alderman Backwell's, to see
some thousands of my Lord's crusados weighed, and we find that 3,000 come
to about L530 or 40 generally. Home again and found my father there; we
talked a good while and so parted. We met at the office in the afternoon
to finish Mr. Gauden's accounts, but did not do them quite. In the
evening with Mr. Moore to Backwell's with another 1,200 crusados and saw
them weighed, and so home and to bed.
6th. At my office all alone all the morning, and the smith being with me
about other things, did open a chest that hath stood ever since I came to
the office, in my office, and there we found a modell of a fine ship,
which I long to know whether it be the King's or Mr. Turner's. At noon to
the Wardrobe by appointment to meet my father, who did come and was well
treated by my Lady, who tells me she has some thoughts to send her two
little boys to our house at Brampton, but I have got leave for them to go
along with me and my wife to Hampton Court to-morrow or Sunday. Thence to
my brother Tom's, where we found a letter from Pall that my mother is
dangerously ill in fear of death, which troubles my father and me much,
but I hope it is otherwise, the letter being four days old since it was
writ. Home and at my office, and with Mr. Hater set things in order till
evening, and so home and to bed by daylight. This day at my father's
desire I lent my brother Tom L20, to be repaid out of the proceeds of
Sturtlow when we can sell it. I sent the money all in new money by my boy
from Alderman Backwell's.
7th. To the office, where all the morning, and I find Mr. Coventry is
resolved to do much good, and to enquire into all the miscarriages of the
office. At noon with him and Sir W. Batten to dinner at Trinity House;
where, among others, Sir J. Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, was, who
says that yesterday Sir H. Vane had a full hearing at the King's Bench,
and is found guilty; and that he did never hear any man argue more simply
than he in all his life, and so others say. My mind in great trouble
whether I should go as I intended to Hampton Court to-morrow or no. At
last resolved the contrary, because of the charge thereof, and I am afraid
now to bring in any accounts for journeys, and so will others I suppose
be, because of Mr. Coventry's prying into them. Thence sent for to Sir G.
Carteret's, and there talked with him a good while. I perceive, as he
told me, were it not that Mr. Coventry had already feathered his nest in
selling of places, he do like him very well, and hopes great good from
him. But he complains so of lack of money, that my heart is very sad,
under the apprehension of the fall of the office. At my office all the
afternoon, and at night hear that my father is gone into the country, but
whether to Richmond as he intended, and thence to meet us at Hampton Court
on Monday, I know not, or to Brampton. At which I am much troubled. In
the evening home and to bed.
8th (Lord's day). Lay till church-time in bed, and so up and to church,
and there I found Mr. Mills come home out of the country again, and
preached but a lazy sermon. Home and dined with my wife, and so to church
again with her. Thence walked to my Lady's, and there supped with her,
and merry, among other things, with the parrott which my Lord hath brought
from the sea, which speaks very well, and cries Pall so pleasantly, that
made my Lord give it my Lady Paulina; but my Lady, her mother, do not like
it. Home, and observe my man Will to walk with his cloak flung over his
shoulder, like a Ruffian, which, whether it was that he might not be seen
to walk along with the footboy, I know not, but I was vexed at it; and
coming home, and after prayers, I did ask him where he learned that
immodest garb, and he answered me that it was not immodest, or some such
slight answer, at which I did give him two boxes on the ears, which I
never did before, and so was after a little troubled at it.
9th. Early up and at the office with Mr. Hater, making my alphabet of
contracts, upon the dispatch of which I am now very intent, for that I am
resolved much to enquire into the price of commodities. Dined at home,
and after dinner to Greatorex's, and with him and another stranger to the
Tavern, but I drank no wine. He recommended Bond, of our end of the town,
to teach me to measure timber, and some other things that I would learn,
in order to my office. Thence back again to the office, and there T.
Hater and I did make an end of my alphabet, which did much please me. So
home to supper and to bed.
10th. At the office all the morning, much business; and great hopes of
bringing things, by Mr. Coventry's means, to a good condition in the
office. Dined at home, Mr. Hunt with us; to the office again in the
afternoon, but not meeting, as was intended, I went to my brother's and
bookseller's, and other places about business, and paid off all for books
to this day, and do not intend to buy any more of any kind a good while,
though I had a great mind to have bought the King's works, as they are new
printed in folio, and present it to my Lord; but I think it will be best
to save the money. So home and to bed.