Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, May/June 1663

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[In 1664, there being a generall report all over the kingdom of Mr.
Monpesson his house being haunted, which hee himself affirming to
the King and Queene to be true, the King sent the Lord Falmouth, and
the Queene sent mee, to examine the truth of; but wee could neither
see nor heare anything that was extraordinary; and about a year
after, his Majesty told me that hee had discovered the cheat, and
that Mr. Monpesson, upon his Majesty sending for him, confessed it
to him. And yet Mr. Monpesson, in a printed letter, had afterwards
the confidence to deny that hee had ever made any such confession"
("Letters of the Second Earl of Chesterfield," p. 24, 1829, 8vo.).
Joseph Glanville published a relation of the famous disturbance at
the house of Mr. Monpesson, at Tedworth, Wilts, occasioned by the
beating of an invisible drum every night for a year. This story,
which was believed at the time, furnished the plot for Addison's
play of "The Drummer," or the "Haunted House." In the "Mercurius
Publicus," April 16-23, 1663, there is a curious examination on this
subject, by which it appears that one William Drury, of Uscut,
Wilts, was the invisible drummer.--B.]

in Wiltshire, much of late talked of, who beats a drum up and down. There
are books of it, and, they say, very true; but my Lord observes, that
though he do answer to any tune that you will play to him upon another
drum, yet one tune he tried to play and could not; which makes him suspect
the whole; and I think it is a good argument. Sometimes they talked of
handsome women, and Sir J. Minnes saying that there was no beauty like
what he sees in the country-markets, and specially at Bury, in which I
will agree with him that there is a prettiest women I ever saw. My Lord
replied thus: "Sir John, what do you think of your neighbour's wife?"
looking upon me. "Do you not think that he hath a great beauty to his
wife? Upon my word he hath." Which I was not a little proud of. Thence
by barge with my Lord to Blackfriars, where we landed and I thence walked
home, where vexed to find my boy (whom I boxed at his coming for it) and
Will abroad, though he was but upon Tower Hill a very little while. My
head akeing with the healths I was forced to drink to-day I sent for the
barber, and he having done, I up to my wife's closett, and there played on
my viallin a good while, and without supper anon to bed, sad for want of
my wife, whom I love with all my heart, though of late she has given me
some troubled thoughts.

16th. Up, but not so early as I intend now, and to my office, where doing
business all the morning. At noon by desire I dined with Sir W. Batten,
who tells me that the House have voted the supply, intended for the King,
shall be by subsidy. After dinner with Sir J. Minnes to see some pictures
at Brewer's, said to be of good hands, but I do not like them. So I to
the office and thence to Stacy's, his Tar merchant, whose servant with
whom I agreed yesterday for some tar do by combination with Bowyer and
Hill fall from our agreement, which vexes us all at the office, even Sir
W. Batten, who was so earnest for it. So to the office, where we sat all
the afternoon till night, and then to Sir W. Pen, who continues ill, and
so to bed about 10 o'clock.

17th. Up before 4 o'clock, which is the hour I intend now to rise at, and
to my office a while, and with great pleasure I fell to my business again.
Anon went with money to my tar merchant to pay for the tar, which he
refuses to sell me; but now the master is come home, and so he speaks very
civilly, and I believe we shall have it with peace. I brought back my
money to my office, and thence to White Hall, and in the garden spoke to
my Lord Sandwich, who is in his gold-buttoned suit, as the mode is, and
looks nobly. Captain Ferrers, I see, is come home from France. I only
spoke one word to him, my Lord being there. He tells me the young
gentlemen are well there; so my Lord went to my Lord Albemarle's to
dinner, and I by water home and dined alone, and at the office (after half
an hour's viallin practice after dinner) till late at night, and so home
and to bed. This day I sent my cozen Edward Pepys his Lady, at my cozen
Turner's, a piece of venison given me yesterday, and Madam Turner I sent
for a dozen bottles of her's, to fill with wine for her. This day I met
with Pierce the surgeon, who tells me that the King has made peace between
Mr. Edward Montagu and his father Lord Montagu, and that all is well
again; at which; for the family's sake, I am very glad, but do not think
it will hold long.

18th. Up by four o'clock and to my office, where all the morning writing
out in my Navy collections the ordinary estimate of the Navy, and did it
neatly. Then dined at home alone, my mind pleased with business, but sad
for the absence of my wife. After dinner half an hour at my viallin, and
then all the afternoon sitting at the office late, and so home and to bed.
This morning Mr. Cutler came and sat in my closet half an hour with me,
his discourse very excellent, being a wise man, and I do perceive by him
as well as many others that my diligence is taken notice of in the world,
for which I bless God and hope to continue doing so. Before I went into
my house this night I called at Sir W. Batten's, where finding some great
ladies at table at supper with him and his lady, I retreated and went
home, though they called to me again and again, and afterwards sent for
me. So I went, and who should it be but Sir Fr. Clerke and his lady and
another proper lady at supper there, and great cheer, where I staid till
11 o'clock at night, and so home and to bed.

19th. Lay till 6 o'clock, and then up and to my office, where all the
morning, and at noon to the Exchange, and coming home met Mr. Creed, and
took him back, and he dined with me, and by and by came Mr. Moore, whom I
supplied with L30, and then abroad with them by water to Lambeth,
expecting to have seen the Archbishop lie in state; but it seems he is not
laid out yet. And so over to White Hall, and at the Privy Seal Office
examined the books, and found the grant of increase of salary to the
principall officers in the year 1639, L300 among the Controller, Surveyor,
and Clerk of the Shippes. Thence to Wilkinson's after a good walk in the
Park, where we met on horseback Captain Ferrers; who tells us that the
King of France is well again, and that he saw him train his Guards, all
brave men, at Paris; and that when he goes to his mistress, Madame la
Valiere, a pretty little woman, now with child by him, he goes with his
guards with him publiquely, and his trumpets and kettle-drums with him,
who stay before the house while he is with her; and yet he says that, for
all this, the Queen do not know of it, for that nobody dares to tell her;
but that I dare not believe. Thence I to Wilkinson's, where we had
bespoke a dish of pease, where we eat them very merrily, and there being
with us the little gentleman, a friend of Captain Ferrers, that was with
my wife and I at a play a little while ago, we went thence to the Rhenish
wine-house, where we called for a red Rhenish wine called Bleahard, a
pretty wine, and not mixed, as they say. Here Mr. Moore showed us the
French manner, when a health is drunk, to bow to him that drunk to you,
and then apply yourself to him, whose lady's health is drunk, and then to
the person that you drink to, which I never knew before; but it seems it
is now the fashion. Thence by water home and to bed, having played out of
my chamber window on my pipe before I went to bed, and making Will read a
part of a Latin chapter, in which I perceive in a little while he will be
pretty ready, if he spends but a little pains in it.

20th. Up and to my office, where all the morning, and dined at home, Mr.
Deane, of Woolwich, with me, and he and I all the afternoon down by water,
and in a timber yard, measuring of timber, which I now understand
thoroughly, and shall be able in a little time to do the King great
service. Home in the evening, and after Will's reading a little in the
Latin Testament, to bed.

21st (Lord's day). Up betimes, and fell to reading my Latin grammar,
which I perceive I have great need of, having lately found it by my
calling Will to the reading of a chapter in Latin, and I am resolved to go
through it. After being trimmed, I by water to White Hall, and so over
the Park, it raining hard, to Mr. Coventry's chamber, where I spent two
hours with him about business of the Navy, and how by his absence things
are like to go with us, and with good content from my being with him he
carried me by coach and set me down at Whitehall, and thence to right home
by water. He shewed me a list, which he hath prepared for the
Parliament's view, if the business of his selling of offices should be
brought to further hearing, wherein he reckons up, as I remember, 236
offices of ships which have been disposed of without his taking one
farthing. This, of his own accord, he opened his cabinet on purpose to
shew me, meaning, I suppose, that I should discourse abroad of it, and
vindicate him therein, which I shall with all my power do. At home, being
wet, shifted my band and things, and then to dinner, and after dinner went
up and tried a little upon my tryangle, which I understand fully, and with
a little use I believe could bring myself to do something. So to church,
and slept all the sermon, the Scot, to whose voice I am not to be
reconciled, preaching. Thence with Sir J. Minnes (who poor man had forgot
that he carried me the other day to the painter's to see some pictures
which he has since bought and are brought home) to his Jodgings to see
some base things he calls them of great masters of painting. So I said
nothing that he had shown me them already, but commended them, and I think
they are indeed good enough. Thence to see Sir W. Pen, who continues ill
of the gout still. Here we staid a good while, and then I to my office,
and read my vows seriously and with content, and so home to supper, to
prayers, and to bed.

22nd. Up betimes and to my office, reading over all our letters of the
office that we have wrote since I came into the Navy, whereby to bring the
whole series of matters into my memory, and to enter in my manuscript some
of them that are needful and of great influence. By and by with Sir W.
Batten by coach to Westminster, where all along I find the shops evening
with the sides of the houses, even in the broadest streets; which will
make the City very much better than it was. I walked in the Hall from one
man to another. Hear that the House is still divided about the manner of
levying the subsidys which they intend to give the King, both as to the
manner, the time, and the number. It seems the House do consent to send
to the King to desire that he would be graciously pleased to let them know
who it was that did inform him of what words Sir Richard Temple should
say, which were to this purpose: "That if the King would side with him, or
be guided by him and his party, that he should not lack money:" but
without knowing who told it, they do not think fit to call him to any
account for it. Thence with Creed and bought a lobster, and then to an
alehouse, where the maid of the house is a confident merry lass, and if
modest is very pleasant to the customers that come thither. Here we eat
it, and thence to walk in the Park a good while. The Duke being gone
a-hunting, and by and by came in and shifted himself; he having in his
hunting, rather than go about, 'light and led his horse through a river up
to his breast, and came so home: and when we were come, which was by and
by, we went on to him, and being ready he retired with us, and we had a
long discourse with him. But Mr. Creed's accounts stick still through the
perverse ignorance of Sir G. Carteret, which I cannot safely control as I
would. Thence to the Park again, and there walked up and down an hour or
two till night with Creed, talking, who is so knowing, and a man of that
reason, that I cannot but love his company, though I do not love the man,
because he is too wise to be made a friend of, and acts all by interest
and policy, but is a man fit to learn of. So to White Hall, and by water
to the Temple, and calling at my brother's and several places, but to no
purpose, I came home, and meeting Strutt, the purser, he tells me for a
secret that he was told by Field that he had a judgment against me in the
Exchequer for L400. So I went to Sir W. Batten, and taking Mr. Batten,
his son the counsellor, with me, by coach, I went to Clerke, our
Solicitor, who tells me there can be no such thing, and after conferring
with them two together, who are resolved to look well after the business,
I returned home and to my office, setting down this day's passages, and
having a letter that all is well in the country I went home to supper, and
then a Latin chapter of Will and to bed.

23rd. Up by four o'clock, and so to my office; but before I went out,
calling, as I have of late done, for my boy's copybook, I found that he
had not done his task; so I beat him, and then went up to fetch my rope's
end, but before I got down the boy was gone. I searched the cellar with a
candle, and from top to bottom could not find him high nor low. So to the
office; and after an hour or two, by water to the Temple, to my cozen
Roger; who, I perceive, is a deadly high man in the Parliament business,
and against the Court, showing me how they have computed that the King
hath spent, at least hath received, about four millions of money since he
came in: and in Sir J. Winter's case, in which I spoke to him, he is so
high that he says he deserves to be hanged, and all the high words he
could give, which I was sorry to see, though I am confident he means well.
Thence by water home, and to the 'Change; and by and by comes the King and
the Queen by in great state, and the streets full of people. I stood in
Mr.--------'s balcone. They dine all at my Lord Mayor's; but what he do
for victuals, or room for them, I know not. So home to dinner alone, and
there I found that my boy had got out of doors, and came in for his hat
and band, and so is gone away to his brother; but I do resolve even to let
him go away for good and all. So I by and by to the office, and there had
a great fray with Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes, who, like an old
dotard, is led by the nose by him. It was in Captain Cocke's business of
hemp, wherein the King is absolutely abused; but I was for peace sake
contented to be quiet and to sign to his bill, but in my manner so as to
justify myself, and so all was well; but to see what a knave Sir W. Batten
is makes my heart ake. So late at my office, and then home to supper and
to bed, my man Will not being well.

24th. Up before 4 o'clock, and so to my lute an hour or more, and then by
water, drinking my morning draft alone at an alehouse in Thames Street, to
the Temple, and thence after a little discourse with my cozen Roger about
some business, away by water to St. James's, and there an hour's private
discourse with Mr. Coventry, where he told me one thing to my great joy,
that in the business of Captain Cocke's hemp, disputed before him the
other day, Mr. Coventry absent, the Duke did himself tell him since, that
Mr. Pepys and he did stand up and carry it against the rest that were
there, Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Batten, which do please me much to see
that the Duke do take notice of me. We did talk highly of Sir W. Batten's
corruption, which Mr. Coventry did very kindly say that it might be only
his heaviness and unaptness for business, that he do things without advice
and rashly, and to gratify people that do eat and drink and play with him,
and that now and then he observes that he signs bills only in anger and
fury to be rid of men. Speaking of Sir G. Carteret, of whom I perceive he
speaks but slightly, and diminishing of him in his services for the King
in Jersey; that he was well rewarded, and had good lands and rents, and
other profits from the King, all the time he was there; and that it was
always his humour to have things done his way. He brought an example how
he would not let the Castle there be victualled for more than a month,
that so he might keep it at his beck, though the people of the town did
offer to supply it more often themselves, which, when one did propose to
the King, Sir George Carteret being by, says Sir George, "Let me know who
they are that would do it, I would with all my heart pay them." "Ah, by
God," says the Commander that spoke of it, "that is it that they are
afeard of, that you would hug them," meaning that he would not endure
them. Another thing he told me, how the Duke of York did give Sir G.
Carteret and the Island his profits as Admirall, and other things, toward
the building of a pier there. But it was never laid out, nor like to be.
So it falling out that a lady being brought to bed, the Duke was to be
desired to be one of the godfathers; and it being objected that that would
not be proper, there being no peer of the land to be joyned with him, the
lady replied, "Why, let him choose; and if he will not be a godfather
without a peer, then let him even stay till he hath made a pier of his
own."

[In the same spirit, long after this, some question arising as to
the best material to be used in building Westminster Bridge, Lord
Chesterfield remarked, that there were too many wooden piers (peers)
at Westminster already.--B.]

He tells me, too, that he hath lately been observed to tack about at
Court, and to endeavour to strike in with the persons that are against the
Chancellor; but this he says of him, that he do not say nor do anything to
the prejudice of the Chancellor. But he told me that the Chancellor was
rising again, and that of late Sir G. Carteret's business and employment
hath not been so full as it used to be while the Chancellor stood up.
From that we discoursed of the evil of putting out men of experience in
business as the Chancellor, and from that to speak of the condition of the
King's party at present, who, as the Papists, though otherwise fine
persons, yet being by law kept for these fourscore years out of
employment, they are now wholly uncapable of business; and so the
Cavaliers for twenty years, who, says he, for the most part have either
given themselves over to look after country and family business, and those
the best of them, and the rest to debauchery, &c.; and that was it that
hath made him high against the late Bill brought into the House for the
making all men incapable of employment that had served against the King.
Why, says he, in the sea-service, it is impossible to do any thing without
them, there being not more than three men of the whole King's side that
are fit to command almost; and these were Captain Allen, Smith, and Beech;
and it may be Holmes, and Utber, and Batts might do something. I desired
him to tell me if he thought that I did speak anything that I do against
Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes out of ill will or design. He told me
quite the contrary, and that there was reason enough. After a good deal
of good and fine discourse, I took leave, and so to my Lord Sandwich's
house, where I met my Lord, and there did discourse of our office
businesses, and how the Duke do show me kindness, though I have
endeavoured to displease more or less of my fellow officers, all but Mr.
Coventry and Pett; but it matters not. Yes, says my Lord, Sir J. Minnes,
who is great with the Chancellor; I told him the Chancellor I have thought
was declining, and however that the esteem he has among them is nothing
but for a jester or a ballad maker; at which my Lord laughs, and asks me
whether I believe he ever could do that well. Thence with Mr. Creed up and
down to an ordinary, and, the King's Head being full, went to the other
over against it, a pretty man that keeps it, and good and much meat,
better than the other, but the company and room so small that he must
break, and there wants the pleasure that the other house has in its
company. Here however dined an old courtier that is now so, who did bring
many examples and arguments to prove that seldom any man that brings any
thing to Court gets any thing, but rather the contrary; for knowing that
they have wherewith to live, will not enslave themselves to the
attendance, and flattery, and fawning condition of a courtier, whereas
another that brings nothing, and will be contented to cog, and lie, and
flatter every man and woman that has any interest with the persons that
are great in favour, and can cheat the King, as nothing is to be got
without offending God and the King, there he for the most part, and he
alone, saves any thing. Thence to St. James Park, and there walked two or
three hours talking of the difference between Sir G. Carteret and Mr.
Creed about his accounts, and how to obviate him, but I find Creed a
deadly cunning fellow and one that never do any thing openly, but has
intrigues in all he do or says. Thence by water home to see all well, and
thence down to Greenwich, and there walked into a pretty common garden and
there played with him at nine pins for some drink, and to make the fellows
drink that set up the pins, and so home again being very cold, and taking
a very great cold, being to-day the first time in my tabby doublet this
year. Home, and after a small supper Creed and I to bed. This day I
observed the house, which I took to be the new tennis-court, newly built
next my Lord's lodgings, to be fallen down by the badness of the
foundation or slight working, which my cozen Roger and his discontented
party cry out upon, as an example how the King's work is done, which I am
sorry to see him and others so apt to think ill of things. It hath beaten
down a good deal of my Lord's lodgings, and had like to have killed Mrs.
Sarah, she having but newly gone out of it.

25th. Up both of us pretty early and to my chamber, where he and I did
draw up a letter to Sir G. Carteret in excuse and preparation for Creed
against we meet before the Duke upon his accounts, which I drew up and it
proved very well, but I am pleased to see with what secret cunning and
variety of artifice this Creed has carried on his business even unknown to
me, which he is now forced by an accident to communicate to me. So that
taking up all the papers of moment which lead to the clearing of his
accounts unobserved out of the Controller's hand, which he now makes great
use of; knowing that the Controller has not wherewith to betray him.
About this all the morning, only Mr. Bland came to me about some business
of his, and told me the news, which holds to be true, that the Portuguese
did let in the Spaniard by a plot, and they being in the midst of the
country and we believing that they would have taken the whole country,
they did all rise and kill the whole body, near 8,000 men, and Don John of
Austria having two horses killed under him, was forced with one man to
flee away. Sir George Carteret at the office (after dinner, and Creed
being gone, for both now and yesterday I was afraid to have him seen by
Sir G. Carteret with me, for fear that he should increase his doubt that I
am of a plot with Creed in the business of his accounts) did tell us that
upon Tuesday last, being with my Lord Treasurer, he showed him a letter
from Portugall speaking of the advance of the Spaniards into their
country, and yet that the Portuguese were never more courageous than now;
for by an old prophecy, from France, sent thither some years, though not
many since, from the French King, it is foretold that the Spaniards should
come into their country, and in such a valley they should be all killed,
and then their country should be wholly delivered from the Spaniards.
This was on Tuesday last, and yesterday came the very first news that in
this very valley they had thus routed and killed the Spaniards, which is
very strange but true. So late at the office, and then home to supper and
to bed. This noon I received a letter from the country from my wife,
wherein she seems much pleased with the country; God continue that she may
have pleasure while she is there. She, by my Lady's advice, desires a new
petticoat of the new silk striped stuff, very pretty. So I went to
Paternoster Row' presently, and bought her one, with Mr. Creed's help, a
very fine rich one, the best I did see there, and much better than she
desires or expects, and sent it by Creed to Unthanke to be made against
tomorrow to send by the carrier, thinking it had been but Wednesday
to-day, but I found myself mistaken, and also the taylor being out of the
way, it could not be done, but the stuff was sent me back at night by
Creed to dispose of some other way to make, but now I shall keep it to
next week.

26th. Up betimes, and Mr. Moore coming to see me, he and

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