Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, May/June 1663

S >> Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, May/June 1663




[Paternoster Row, now famous as the headquarters of the publishing
houses, was at this time chiefly inhabited by mercers. "This
street, before the Fire of London, was taken up by eminent Mercers,
Silkmen and Lacemen; and their shops were so resorted to by the
nobility and gentry in their coaches, that oft times the street was
so stop'd up that there was no passage for foot passengers"
(Strype's "Stow," book iii., p. 195)].

I discoursed of going to Oxford this Commencement, Mr. Nathaniel Crew
being Proctor and Mr. Childe commencing Doctor of Musique this year, which
I have a great mind to do, and, if I can, will order my matters so that I
may do it. By and by, he and I to the Temple, it raining hard, my cozen
Roger being got out, he and I walked a good while among the Temple trees
discoursing of my getting my Lord to let me have security upon his estate
for L100 per ann. for two lives, my own and my wife, for my money. But
upon second thoughts Mr. Moore tells me it is very likely my Lord will
think that I beg something, and may take it ill, and so we resolved not to
move it there, but to look for it somewhere else. Here it raining hard he
and I walked into the King's Bench Court, where I never was before, and
there staid an hour almost, till it had done raining, which is a sad
season, that it is said there hath not been one fair day these three
months, and I think it is true, and then by water to Westminster, and at
the Parliament House I spoke with Roger Pepys. The House is upon the
King's answer to their message about Temple, which is, that my Lord of
Bristoll did tell him that Temple did say those words; so the House are
resolved upon sending some of their members to him to know the truth, and
to demand satisfaction if it be not true. So by water home, and after a
little while getting me ready, Sir W. Batten, Sir J. Minnes, my Lady
Batten, and I by coach to Bednall Green, to Sir W. Rider's to dinner,
where a fine place, good lady mother, and their daughter, Mrs. Middleton,
a fine woman. A noble dinner, and a fine merry walk with the ladies alone
after dinner in the garden, which is very pleasant; the greatest quantity
of strawberrys I ever saw, and good, and a collation of great mirth, Sir
J. Minnes reading a book of scolding very prettily. This very house

[Sir William Rider's house was known as Kirby Castle, and was
supposed to have been built in 1570 by John Thorpe for John Kirby.
It was associated in rhyme with other follies of the time in bricks
and mortar, as recorded by Stow

"Kirkebyes Castell, and Fisher's Follie,
Spinila's pleasure, and Megse's glorie."

The place was known in Strype's time as the "Blind Beggar's House,"
but he knew nothing of the ballad, "The Beggar's Daughter of Bednall
Green," for he remarks, "perhaps Kirby beggared himself by it." Sr.
William Rider died at this house in 1669.]

was built by the Blind Beggar of Bednall Green, so much talked of and sang
in ballads; but they say it was only some of the outhouses of it. We drank
great store of wine, and a beer glass at last which made me almost sick.
At table, discoursing of thunder and lightning, they told many stories of
their own knowledge at table of their masts being shivered from top to
bottom, and sometimes only within and the outside whole, but among the
rest Sir W. Rider did tell a story of his own knowledge, that a Genoese
gaily in Leghorn Roads was struck by thunder, so as the mast was broke
a-pieces, and the shackle upon one of the slaves was melted clear off of
his leg without hurting his leg. Sir William went on board the vessel,
and would have contributed towards the release of the slave whom Heaven
had thus set free, but he could not compass it, and so he was brought to
his fetters again. In the evening home, and a little to my Tryangle, and
so to bed.

27th. Up by 4 o'clock and a little to my office. Then comes by agreement
Sir W. Warren, and he and I from ship to ship to see deals of all sorts,
whereby I have encreased my knowledge and with great pleasure. Then to his
yard and house, where I staid two hours or more discoursing of the expense
of the navy and the corruption of Sir W. Batten and his man Wood that he
brings or would bring to sell all that is to be sold by the Navy. Then
home to the office, where we sat a little, and at noon home to dinner,
alone, and thence, it raining hard, by water to the Temple, and so to
Lincoln's Inn, and there walked up and down to see the new garden which
they are making, and will be very pretty, and so to walk under the
Chappell by agreement, whither Mr. Clerke our Solicitor came to me, and he
fetched Mr. Long, our Attorney in the Exchequer in the business against
Field, and I directed him to come to the best and speediest composition he
could, which he will do. So home on foot, calling upon my brother's and
elsewhere upon business, and so home to my office, and there wrote letters
to my father and wife, and so home to bed, taking three pills overnight.

28th (Lord's day). Early in the morning my last night's physic worked and
did give me a good stool, and then I rose and had three or four stools,
and walked up and down my chamber. Then up, my maid rose and made me a
posset, and by and by comes Mr. Creed, and he and I spent all the morning
discoursing against to-morrow before the Duke the business of his pieces
of eight, in which the Treasurer makes so many queries. At noon, my
physic having done working, I went down to dinner, and then he and I up
again and spent most of the afternoon reading in Cicero and other books of
good discourse, and then he went away, and then came my brother Tom to see
me, telling me how the Joyces do make themselves fine clothes against Mary
is brought to bed. He being gone I went to cast up my monthly accounts,
and to my great trouble I find myself L7 worse than I was the last month,
but I confess it is by my reckoning beforehand a great many things, yet
however I am troubled to see that I can hardly promise myself to lay up
much from month's end to month's end, about L4 or L5 at most, one month
with another, without some extraordinary gettings, but I must and I hope I
shall continue to have a care of my own expenses. So to the reading my
vows seriously and then to supper. This evening there came my boy's
brother to see for him, and tells me he knows not where he is, himself
being out of town this week and is very sorry that he is gone, and so am
I, but he shall come no more. So to prayers, and to bed.

29th. Up betimes and to my office, and by and by to the Temple, and there
appointed to meet in the evening about my business, and thence I walked
home, and up and down the streets is cried mightily the great victory got
by the Portugalls against the Spaniards, where 10,000 slain, 3 or 4,000
taken prisoners, with all the artillery, baggage, money, &c., and Don John
of Austria

[He was natural son of Philip IV., King of Spain, who, after his
father's death in 1665, exerted his whole influence to overthrow the
Regency appointed during the young king's minority.--B.]

forced to flee with a man or two with him, which is very great news.
Thence home and at my office all the morning, and then by water to St.
James's, but no meeting to-day being holy day, but met Mr. Creed in the
Park, and after a walk or two, discoursing his business, took leave of him
in Westminster Hall, whither we walked, and then came again to the Hall
and fell to talk with Mrs. Lane, and after great talk that she never went
abroad with any man as she used heretofore to do, I with one word got her
to go with me and to meet me at the further Rhenish wine-house, where I
did give her a Lobster and do so touse her and feel her all over, making
her believe how fair and good a skin she has, and indeed she has a very
white thigh and leg, but monstrous fat. When weary I did give over and
somebody, having seen some of our dalliance, called aloud in the street,
"Sir! why do you kiss the gentlewoman so?" and flung a stone at the
window, which vexed me, but I believe they could not see my touzing her,
and so we broke up and I went out the back way, without being observed I
think, and so she towards the Hall and I to White Hall, where taking water
I to the Temple with my cozen Roger and Mr. Goldsborough to Gray's Inn to
his counsel, one Mr. Rawworth, a very fine man, where it being the
question whether I as executor should give a warrant to Goldsborough in my
reconveying her estate back again, the mortgage being performed against
all acts of the testator, but only my own, my cozen said he never heard it
asked before; and the other that it was always asked, and he never heard
it denied, or scrupled before, so great a distance was there in their
opinions, enough to make a man forswear ever having to do with the law; so
they agreed to refer it to Serjeant Maynard. So we broke up, and I by
water home from the Temple, and there to Sir W. Batten and eat with him,
he and his lady and Sir J. Minnes having been below to-day upon the East
India men that are come in, but never tell me so, but that they have been
at Woolwich and Deptford, and done great deal of business. God help them.
So home and up to my lute long, and then, after a little Latin chapter
with Will, to bed. But I have used of late, since my wife went, to make a
bad use of my fancy with whatever woman I have a mind to, which I am
ashamed of, and shall endeavour to do so no more. So to sleep.

30th. Up betimes yesterday and to-day, the sun rising very bright and
glorious; and yet yesterday, as it hath been these two months and more,
was a foul day the most part of the day. By and by by water to White
Hall, and there to my Lord's lodgings by appointment, whither Mr. Creed
comes to me, having been at Chelsey this morning to fetch my Lord to St.
James's. So he and I to the Park, where we understand that the King and
Duke are gone out betimes this morning on board the East India ships
lately come in, and so our meeting appointed is lost. But he and I walked
at the further end of the Park, not to be observed, whither by and by
comes my Lord Sandwich, and he and we walked two hours and more in the
Park and then in White Hall Gallery, and lastly in White Hall garden,
discoursing of Mr. Creed's accounts, and how to answer the Treasurer's
objections. I find that the business is L500 deep, the advantage of
Creed, and why my Lord and I should be concerned to promote his profit
with so much dishonour and trouble to us I know not, but however we shall
do what we can, though he deserves it not, for there is nothing even to
his own advantage that can be got out of him, but by mere force. So full
of policy he is in the smallest matters, that I perceive him to be made up
of nothing but design. I left him here, being in my mind vexed at the
trouble that this business gets me, and the distance that it makes between
Sir G. Carteret and myself, which I ought to avoyd. Thence by water home
and to dinner, and afterwards to the office, and there sat till evening,
and then I by water to Deptford to see Sir W. Pen, who lies ill at Captain
Rooth's, but in a way to be well again this weather, this day being the
only fair day we have had these two or three months. Among other
discourse I did tell him plainly some of my thoughts concerning Sir W.
Batten. and the office in general, upon design for him to understand that
I do mind things and will not balk to take notice of them, that when he
comes to be well again he may know how to look upon me. Thence homeward
walked, and in my way met Creed coming to meet me, and then turned back
and walk a while, and so to boat and home by water, I being not very
forward to talk of his business, and he by design the same, to see how I
would speak of it, but I did not, but in general terms, and so after
supper with general discourse to bed and sleep. Thus, by God's blessing,
ends this book of two years; I being in all points in good health and a
good way to thrive and do well. Some money I do and can lay up, but not
much, being worth now above L700, besides goods of all sorts. My wife in
the country with Ashwell, her woman, with my father; myself at home with
W. Hewer and my cooke-maid Hannah, my boy Wayneman being lately run away
from me. In my office, my repute and understanding good, especially with
the Duke and Mr. Coventry; only the rest of the officers do rather envy
than love me, I standing in most of their lights, specially Sir W. Batten,
whose cheats I do daily oppose to his great trouble, though he appears
mighty kind and willing to keep friendship with me, while Sir J. Minnes,
like a dotard, is led by the nose by him. My wife and I, by my late
jealousy, for which I am truly to be blamed, have not the kindness between
us which we used and ought to have, and I fear will be lost hereafter if I
do not take course to oblige her and yet preserve my authority. Publique
matters are in an ill condition; Parliament sitting and raising four
subsidys for the King, which is but a little, considering his wants; and
yet that parted withal with great hardness. They being offended to see so
much money go, and no debts of the publique's paid, but all swallowed by a
luxurious Court: which the King it is believed and hoped will retrench in
a little time, when he comes to see the utmost of the revenue which shall
be settled on him: he expecting to have his L1,200,000 made good to him,
which is not yet done by above L150,000, as he himself reports to the
House. My differences with my uncle Thomas at a good quiett, blessed be
God! and other matters. The town full of the great overthrow lately
given to the Spaniards by the Portugalls, they being advanced into the
very middle of Portugall. The weather wet for two or three months
together beyond belief, almost not one fair day coming between till this
day, which has been a very pleasant [day] and the first pleasant [day]
this summer. The charge of the Navy intended to be limited to L200,000
per annum, the ordinary charge of it, and that to be settled upon the
Customs. The King yet greatly taken up with Madam Castlemaine and Mrs.
Stewart, which God of Heaven put an end to! Myself very studious to learn
what I can of all things necessary for my place as an officer of the Navy,
reading lately what concerns measuring of timber and knowledge of the
tides. I have of late spent much time with Creed, being led to it by his
business of his accounts, but I find him a fellow of those designs and
tricks, that there is no degree of true friendship to be made with him,
and therefore I must cast him off, though he be a very understanding man,
and one that much may be learned of as to cunning and judging of other
men. Besides, too, I do perceive more and more that my time of pleasure
and idleness of any sort must be flung off to attend to getting of some
money and the keeping of my family in order, which I fear by my wife's
liberty may be otherwise lost.




ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

A woman sober, and no high-flyer, as he calls it
After awhile I caressed her and parted seeming friends
Book itself, and both it and them not worth a turd
But a woful rude rabble there was, and such noises
Did find none of them within, which I was glad of
Did so watch to see my wife put on drawers, which (she did)
Duodecimal arithmetique
Employed by the fencers to play prizes at
Enquiring into the selling of places do trouble a great many
Every small thing is enough now-a-days to bring a difference
Give her a Lobster and do so touse her and feel her all over
God knows that I do not find honesty enough in my own mind
Goes with his guards with him publiquely, and his trumpets
Great plot which was lately discovered in Ireland
He hoped he should live to see her "ugly and willing"
He is too wise to be made a friend of
I calling her beggar, and she me pricklouse, which vexed me
I slept most of the sermon
In some churches there was hardly ten people in the whole church
It must be the old ones that must do any good
Jealous, though God knows I have no great reason
John has got a wife, and for that he intends to part with him
Keep at interest, which is a good, quiett, and easy profit
Lay long in bed talking and pleasing myself with my wife
My wife and her maid Ashwell had between them spilled the pot
No sense nor grammar, yet in as good words that ever I saw
Nor would become obliged too much to any
Nothing is to be got without offending God and the King
Nothing of any truth and sincerity, but mere envy and design
Reading my Latin grammar, which I perceive I have great need
Sad for want of my wife, whom I love with all my heart
Saw his people go up and down louseing themselves
See whether my wife did wear drawers to-day as she used to do
Sent me last night, as a bribe, a barrel of sturgeon
She begins not at all to take pleasure in me or study to please
She used the word devil, which vexed me
So home, and after supper did wash my feet, and so to bed
Softly up to see whether any of the beds were out of order or no
Statute against selling of offices
The goldsmith, he being one of the jury to-morrow
Thence by coach, with a mad coachman, that drove like mad
Therefore ought not to expect more justice from her
They say now a common mistress to the King
Through the Fleete Ally to see a couple of pretty [strumpets]
Upon a small temptation I could be false to her
Waked this morning between four and five by my blackbird
Whose voice I am not to be reconciled
Wife and the dancing-master alone above, not dancing but talking
Would not make my coming troublesome to any

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