Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, May/June 1663

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3. They draw these plates between rollers to bring them to an even
thickness all along and every plate of the same thickness, and it is very
strange how the drawing it twice easily between the rollers will make it
as hot as fire, yet cannot touch it.

4. They bring it to another pair of rollers, which they call adjusting
it, which bring it to a greater exactness in its thickness than the first
could be.

5. They cut them into round pieces, which they do with the greatest ease,
speed, and exactness in the world.

6. They weigh these, and where they find any to be too heavy they file
them, which they call sizeing them; or light, they lay them by, which is
very seldom, but they are of a most exact weight, but however, in the
melting, all parts by some accident not being close alike, now and then a
difference will be, and, this filing being done, there shall not be any
imaginable difference almost between the weight of forty of these against
another forty chosen by chance out of all their heaps.

7. These round pieces having been cut out of the plates, which in passing
the rollers are bent, they are sometimes a little crooked or swelling out
or sinking in, and therefore they have a way of clapping 100 or 2 together
into an engine, which with a screw presses them so hard that they come out
as flat as is possible.

8. They blanch them.

9. They mark the letters on the edges, which is kept as the great secret
by Blondeau, who was not in the way, and so I did not speak with him
to-day.

[Professor W. C. Roberts-Austen, C.B., F.R.S., chemist to the Royal
Mint, refers to Pepys's Diary and to Blondeau's machine in his
Cantor Lectures on "Alloys used for Coinage," printed in the
"journal of the Society of Arts" (vol. xxxii.). He writes, "The
hammer was still retained for coining in the Mint in the Tower of
London, but the question of the adoption of the screw-press by the
Moneyers appears to have been revived in 1649, when the Council of
State had it represented to them that the coins of the Government
might be more perfectly and beautifully done, and made equal to any
coins in Europe. It was proposed to send to France for Peter
Blondeau, who had invented and improved a machine and method for
making all coins 'with the most beautiful polish and equality on the
edge, or with any proper inscription or graining.' He came on the
3rd of September, and although a Committee of the Mint reported in
favour of his method of coining, the Company of Moneyers, who appear
to have boasted of the success of their predecessors in opposing the
introduction of the mill and screw-press in Queen Elizabeth's reign,
prevented the introduction of the machinery, and consequently he did
not produce pattern pieces until 1653 . . . . It is certain that
Blondeau did not invent, but only improved the method of coining by
the screw-press, and I believe his improvements related chiefly to a
method for 'rounding the pieces before they are sized, and in making
the edges of the moneys with letters and graining,' which he
undertook to reveal to the king. Special stress is laid on the
engines wherewith the rims were marked, 'which might be kept secret
among few men.' I cannot find that there is any record in the Paris
mint of Blondeau's employment there, and the only reference to his
invention in the Mint records of this country refers to the
'collars,' or perforated discs of metal surrounding the 'blank'
while it was struck into a coin. There is, however, in the British
Museum a MS. believed to be in Blondeau's hand, in which he claims
his process, 'as a new invention, to make a handsome coyne, than can
be found in all the world besides, viz., that shall not only be
stamped on both flat sides, but shall even be marked with letters on
the thickness of the brim.' The letters were raised. The press
Blondeau used was, I believe, the ordinary screw-press, and I
suppose that the presses drawn in Akerman's well-known plate of the
coining-room of the Mint in the Tower, published in 1803 ['Microcosm
of London,' vol. ii., p. 202], if not actually the same machines,
were similar to those erected in 1661-62 by Sir William Parkhurst
and Sir Anthony St. Leger, wardens of the Mint, at a cost of L1400,
Professor Roberts-Austen shows that Benvenuto Cellini used a similar
press to that attributed to Blondeau, and he gives an illustration
of this in his lecture (p. 810). In a letter to the editor the
professor writes: "Pepys's account of the operations of coining, and
especially of assaying gold and silver, is very interesting and
singularly accurate considering that he could not have had technical
knowledge of the subject."]

10. They mill them, that is, put on the marks on both sides at once with
great exactness and speed, and then the money is perfect. The mill is
after this manner: one of the dyes, which has one side of the piece cut,
is fastened to a thing fixed below, and the other dye (and they tell me a
payre of dyes will last the marking of L10,000 before it be worn out, they
and all other their tools being made of hardened steel, and the Dutchman
who makes them is an admirable artist, and has so much by the pound for
every pound that is coyned to find a constant supply of dyes) to an engine
above, which is moveable by a screw, which is pulled by men; and then a
piece being clapped by one sitting below between the two dyes, when they
meet the impression is set, and then the man with his finger strikes off
the piece and claps another in, and then the other men they pull again and
that is marked, and then another and another with great speed. They say
that this way is more charge to the King than the old way, but it is
neater, freer from clipping or counterfeiting, the putting of the words
upon the edges being not to be done (though counterfeited) without an
engine of the charge and noise that no counterfeit will be at or venture
upon, and it employs as many men as the old and speedier. They now coyne
between L16 and L24,000 in a week. At dinner they did discourse very
finely to us of the probability that there is a vast deal of money hid in
the land, from this:--that in King Charles's time there was near ten
millions of money coyned, besides what was then in being of King James's
and Queene Elizabeth's, of which there is a good deal at this day in
being. Next, that there was but L750,000 coyned of the Harp and Crosse
money,

[The Commonwealth coins (stamped with the cross and harp, and the
inscription, "The Commonwealth of England") were called in by
proclamation, September, 1660, and when brought to the Mint an equal
amount of lawful money was allowed for them, weight for weight,
deducting only for the coinage (Ruding's "Annals of the Coinage," 18
19, vol. iii., p. 293). The harp was taken out of the naval flags
in May, 1660.]

and of this there was L500,000 brought in upon its being called in. And
from very good arguments they find that there cannot be less of it in
Ireland and Scotland than L100,000; so that there is but L150,000 missing;
and of that, suppose that there should be not above 650,000 still
remaining, either melted down, hid, or lost, or hoarded up in England,
there will then be but L100,000 left to be thought to have been
transported. Now, if L750,000 in twelve years' time lost but a L100,000
in danger of being transported, then within thirty-five years' time will
have lost but L3,888,880 and odd pounds; and as there is L650,000
remaining after twelve years' time in England, so after thirty-five years'
time, which was within this two years, there ought in proportion to have
been resting L6,111,120 or thereabouts, beside King James's and Queen
Elizabeth's money. Now that most of this must be hid is evident, as they
reckon, because of the dearth of money immediately upon the calling-in of
the State's money, which was L500,000 that came in; and yet there was not
any money to be had in this City, which they say to their own observation
and knowledge was so. And therefore, though I can say nothing in it
myself, I do not dispute it.

20th. Up and to my office, and anon home and to see my wife dancing with
Pembleton about noon, and I to the Trinity House to dinner and after
dinner home, and there met Pembleton, who I perceive has dined with my
wife, which she takes no notice of, but whether that proceeds out of
design, or fear to displease me I know not, but it put me into a great
disorder again, that I could mind nothing but vexing, but however I
continued my resolution of going down by water to Woolwich, took my wife
and Ashwell; and going out met Mr. Howe come to see me, whose horse we
caused to be set up, and took him with us. The tide against us, so I went
ashore at Greenwich before, and did my business at the yard about putting
things in order as to their proceeding to build the new yacht ordered to
be built by Christopher Pett,

[In the minutes of the Royal Society is the following entry: "June
11, 1662. Dr. Pett's brother shewed a draught of the pleasure boat
which he intended to make for the king" (Birch's "History of the
Royal Society," vol. i., p. 85). Peter Pett had already built a
yacht for the king at Deptford.]

and so to Woolwich town, where at an alehouse I found them ready to attend
my coming, and so took boat again, it being cold, and I sweating, with my
walk, which was very pleasant along the green come and pease, and most of
the way sang, he and I, and eat some cold meat we had, and with great
pleasure home, and so he took horse again, and Pembleton coming, we danced
a country dance or two and so broke up and to bed, my mind restless and
like to be so while she learns to dance. God forgive my folly.

21st. Up, but cannot get up so early as I was wont, nor my mind to
business as it should be and used to be before this dancing. However, to
my office, where most of the morning talking of Captain Cox of Chatham
about his and the whole yard's difference against Mr. Barrow the
storekeeper, wherein I told him my mind clearly, that he would be upheld
against the design of any to ruin him, he being we all believed, but Sir
W. Batten his mortal enemy, as good a servant as any the King has in the
yard. After much good advice and other talk I home and danced with
Pembleton, and then the barber trimmed me, and so to dinner, my wife and I
having high words about her dancing to that degree that I did enter and
make a vow to myself not to oppose her or say anything to dispraise or
correct her therein as long as her month lasts, in pain of 2s. 6d. for
every time, which, if God pleases, I will observe, for this roguish
business has brought us more disquiett than anything [that] has happened a
great while. After dinner to my office, where late, and then home; and
Pembleton being there again, we fell to dance a country dance or two, and
so to supper and bed. But being at supper my wife did say something that
caused me to oppose her in, she used the word devil, which vexed me, and
among other things I said I would not have her to use that word, upon
which she took me up most scornfully, which, before Ashwell and the rest
of the world, I know not now-a-days how to check, as I would heretofore,
for less than that would have made me strike her. So that I fear without
great discretion I shall go near to lose too my command over her, and
nothing do it more than giving her this occasion of dancing and other
pleasures, whereby her mind is taken up from her business and finds other
sweets besides pleasing of me, and so makes her that she begins not at all
to take pleasure in me or study to please me as heretofore. But if this
month of her dancing were but out (as my first was this night, and I paid
off Pembleton for myself) I shall hope with a little pains to bring her to
her old wont. This day Susan that lived with me lately being out of
service, and I doubt a simple wench, my wife do take her for a little time
to try her at least till she goes into the country, which I am yet
doubtful whether it will be best for me to send her or no, for fear of her
running off in her liberty before I have brought her to her right temper
again.

22nd. Up pretty betimes, and shall, I hope, come to myself and business
again, after a small playing the truant, for I find that my interest and
profit do grow daily, for which God be praised and keep me to my duty. To
my office, and anon one tells me that Rundall, the house-carpenter of
Deptford, hath sent me a fine blackbird, which I went to see. He tells me
he was offered 20s. for him as he came along, he do so whistle. So to my
office, and busy all the morning, among other things, learning to
understand the course of the tides, and I think I do now do it. At noon
Mr. Creed comes to me, and he and I to the Exchange, where I had much
discourse with several merchants, and so home with him to dinner, and then
by water to Greenwich, and calling at the little alehouse at the end of
the town to wrap a rag about my little left toe, being new sore with
walking, we walked pleasantly to Woolwich, in our way hearing the
nightingales sing. So to Woolwich yard, and after doing many things
there, among others preparing myself for a dispute against Sir W. Pen in
the business of Bowyer's, wherein he is guilty of some corruption to the
King's wrong, we walked back again without drinking, which I never do
because I would not make my coming troublesome to any, nor would become
obliged too much to any. In our going back we were overtook by Mr.
Steventon, a purser, and uncle to my clerk Will, who told me how he was
abused in the passing of his accounts by Sir J. Minnes to the degree that
I am ashamed to hear it, and resolve to retrieve the matter if I can
though the poor man has given it over. And however am pleased enough to
see that others do see his folly and dotage as well as myself, though I
believe in my mind the man in general means well.

Took boat at Greenwich and to Deptford, where I did the same thing, and
found Davis, the storekeeper, a knave, and shuffling in the business of
Bewpers, being of the party with Young and Whistler to abuse the King, but
I hope I shall be even with them. So walked to Redriffe, drinking at the
Half-way house, and so walked and by water to White Hall, all our way by
water coming and going reading a little book said to be writ by a person
of Quality concerning English gentry to be preferred before titular
honours, but the most silly nonsense, no sense nor grammar, yet in as good
words that ever I saw in all my life, but from beginning to end you met
not with one entire and regular sentence. At White Hall Sir G. Carteret
was out of the way, and so returned back presently, and home by water and
to bed.

23rd. Waked this morning between four and five by my blackbird, which
whistles as well as ever I heard any; only it is the beginning of many
tunes very well, but there leaves them, and goes no further. So up and to
my office, where we sat, and among other things I had a fray with Sir J.
Minnes in defence of my Will in a business where the old coxcomb would
have put a foot upon him, which was only in Jack Davis and in him a
downright piece of knavery in procuring a double ticket and getting the
wrong one paid as well as the second was to the true party. But it
appeared clear enough to the board that Will was true in it. Home to
dinner, and after dinner by water to the Temple, and there took my Lyra
Viall book bound up with blank paper for new lessons. Thence to
Greatorex's, and there seeing Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Pen go by coach I
went in to them and to White Hall; where, in the Matted Gallery, Mr.
Coventry was, who told us how the Parliament have required of Sir G.
Carteret and him an account what money shall be necessary to be settled
upon the Navy for the ordinary charge, which they intend to report
L200,000 per annum. And how to allott this we met this afternoon, and
took their papers for our perusal, and so we parted. Only there was
walking in the gallery some of the Barbary company, and there we saw a
draught of the arms of the company, which the King is of, and so is called
the Royall Company, which is, in a field argent an elephant proper, with a
canton on which England and France is quartered, supported by two Moors.
The crest an anchor winged, I think it is, and the motto too tedious:
"Regio floret, patrocinio commercium, commercioque Regnum." Thence back by
water to Greatorex's, and there he showed me his varnish which he had
invented, which appears every whit as good, upon a stick which he hath
done, as the Indian, though it did not do very well upon my paper ruled
with musique lines, for it sunk and did not shine. Thence home by water,
and after a dance with Pembleton to my office and wrote by the post to Sir
W. Batten at Portsmouth to send for him up against next Wednesday, being
our triall day against Field at Guildhall, in which God give us good end.
So home: to supper and to bed.

24th (Lord's day). Having taken one of Mr. Holliard's pills last night it
brought a stool or two this morning, and so forebore going to church this
morning, but staid at home looking over my papers about Tom Trice's
business, and so at noon dined, and my wife telling me that there was a
pretty lady come to church with Peg Pen to-day, I against my intention had
a mind to go to church to see her, and did so, and she is pretty handsome.
But over against our gallery I espied Pembleton, and saw him leer upon my
wife all the sermon, I taking no notice of him, and my wife upon him, and
I observed she made a curtsey to him at coming out without taking notice
to me at all of it, which with the consideration of her being desirous
these two last Lord's days to go to church both forenoon and afternoon do
really make me suspect something more than ordinary, though I am loth to
think the worst, but yet it put and do still keep me at a great loss in my
mind, and makes me curse the time that I consented to her dancing, and
more my continuing it a second month, which was more than she desired,
even after I had seen too much of her carriage with him. But I must have
patience and get her into the country, or at least to make an end of her
learning to dance as soon as I can. After sermon to Sir W. Pen's, with
Sir J. Minnes to do a little business to answer Mr. Coventry to-night.
And so home and with my wife and Ashwell into the garden walking a great
while, discoursing what this pretty wench should be by her garb and
deportment; with respect to Mrs. Pen she may be her woman, but only that
she sat in the pew with her, which I believe he would not let her do. So
home, and read to my wife a fable or two in Ogleby's AEsop, and so to
supper, and then to prayers and to bed. My wife this evening discoursing
of making clothes for the country, which I seem against, pleading lack of
money, but I am glad of it in some respects because of getting her out of
the way from this fellow, and my own liberty to look after my business
more than of late I have done. So to prayers and to bed. This morning it
seems Susan, who I think is distracted, or however is since she went from
me taught to drink, and so gets out of doors 2 or 3 times a day without
leave to the alehouse, did go before 5 o'clock to-day, making Griffin rise
in his shirt to let her out to the alehouse, she said to warm herself, but
her mistress, falling out with her about it, turned her out of doors this
morning, and so she is gone like an idle slut. I took a pill also this
night.

25th. Up, and my pill working a little I staid within most of the
morning, and by and by the barber came and Sarah Kite my cozen, poor
woman, came to see me and borrow 40s. of me, telling me she will pay it at
Michaelmas again to me. I was glad it was no more, being indifferent
whether she pays it me or no, but it will be a good excuse to lend her nor
give her any more. So I did freely at first word do it, and give her a
crown more freely to buy her child something, she being a good-natured and
painful wretch, and one that I would do good for as far as I can that I
might not be burdened. My wife was not ready, and she coming early did
not see her, and I was glad of it. She gone, I up and then hear that my
wife and her maid Ashwell had between them spilled the pot . . . . upon
the floor and stool and God knows what, and were mighty merry making of it
clean. I took no great notice, but merrily. Ashwell did by and by come
to me with an errand from her mistress to desire money to buy a country
suit for her against she goes as we talked last night, and so I did give
her L4, and believe it will cost me the best part of 4 more to fit her
out, but with peace and honour I am willing to spare anything so as to be
able to keep all ends together, and my power over her undisturbed. So to
my office and by and by home, where my wife and her master were dancing,
and so I staid in my chamber till they had done, and sat down myself to
try a little upon the Lyra viall, my hand being almost out, but easily
brought to again. So by and by to dinner, and then carried my wife and
Ashwell to St. James's, and there they sat in the coach while I went in,
and finding nobody there likely to meet with the Duke, but only Sir J.
Minnes with my Lord Barkely (who speaks very kindly, and invites me with
great compliments to come now and then and eat with him, which I am glad
to hear, though I value not the thing, but it implies that my esteem do
increase rather than fall), and so I staid not, but into the coach again,
and taking up my wife's taylor, it raining hard, they set me down, and who
should our coachman be but Carleton the Vintner, that should have had Mrs.
Sarah, at Westminster, my Lord Chancellor's, and then to Paternoster Row.
I staid there to speak with my Lord Sandwich, and in my staying, meeting
Mr. Lewis Phillips of Brampton, he and afterwards others tell me that news
came last night to Court, that the King of France is sick of the spotted
fever, and that they are struck in again; and this afternoon my Lord
Mandeville is gone from the King to make him a visit; which will be great
news, and of great import through Europe. By and by, out comes my Lord
Sandwich, and he and I talked a great while about his business, of his
accounts for his pay, and among other things he told me that this day a
vote hath passed that the King's grants of land to my Lord Monk and him
should be made good; which pleases him very well. He also tells me that
things don't go right in the House with Mr. Coventry; I suppose he means
in the business of selling of places; but I am sorry for it. Thence by
coach home, where I found Pembleton, and so I up to dance with them till
the evening, when there came Mr. Alsopp, the King's brewer, and Lanyon of
Plymouth to see me. Mr. Alsopp tells me of a horse of his that lately,
after four days' pain, voided at his fundament four stones, bigger than
that I was cut of, very heavy, and in the middle of each of them either a
piece of iron or wood. The King has two of them in his closett, and a
third the College of Physicians to keep for rarity, and by the King's
command he causes the turd of the horse to be every day searched to find
more. At night to see Sir W. Batten come home this day from Portsmouth.
I met with some that say that the King of France is poisoned, but how true
that is is not known. So home to supper and to bed pleasant.

26th. Lay long in bed talking and pleasing myself with my wife. So up and
to my office a while and then home, where I found Pembleton, and by many
circumstances I am led to conclude that there is something more than
ordinary between my wife and him, which do so trouble me that I know not
at this very minute that I now write this almost what either I write or am
doing, nor how to carry myself to my wife in it, being unwilling to speak
of it to her for making of any breach and other inconveniences, nor let it
pass for fear of her continuing to offend me and the matter grow worse
thereby. So that I am grieved at the very heart, but I am very unwise in
being so. There dined with me Mr. Creed and Captain Grove, and before
dinner I had much discourse in my chamber with Mr. Deane, the builder of
Woolwich, about building of ships. But nothing could get the business out
of my head, I fearing that this afternoon by my wife's sending every [one]
abroad and knowing that I must be at the office she has appointed him to
come. This is my devilish jealousy, which I pray God may be false, but it
makes a very hell in my mind, which the God of heaven remove, or I shall
be very unhappy. So to the office, where we sat awhile. By and by my
mind being in great trouble I went home to see how things were, and there
I found as I doubted Mr. Pembleton with my wife, and nobody else in the
house, which made me almost mad, and going up to my chamber after a turn
or two I went out again and called somebody on pretence of business and
left him in my little room at the door (it was the Dutchman, commander of
the King's pleasure boats, who having been beat by one of his men sadly,
was come to the office to-day to complain) telling him I would come again
to him to speak with him about his business. So in great trouble and
doubt to the office, and Mr. Coventry nor Sir G. Carteret being there I
made a quick end of our business and desired leave to be gone, pretending
to go to the Temple, but it was home, and so up to my chamber, and as I
think if they had any intention of hurt I did prevent doing anything at
that time, but I continued in my chamber vexed and angry till he went
away, pretending aloud, that I might hear, that he could not stay, and
Mrs. Ashwell not being within they could not dance. And, Lord! to see
how my jealousy wrought so far that I went softly up to see whether any of
the beds were out of order or no, which I found not, but that did not
content me, but I staid all the evening walking, and though anon my wife
came up to me and would have spoke of business to me, yet I construed it
to be but impudence, and though my heart full yet I did say nothing, being
in a great doubt what to do. So at night, suffered them to go all to bed,
and late put myself to bed in great discontent, and so to sleep.

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