Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, May 1660
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, May 1660
The town is a little small village which answers much to one of our small
villages, such a one as Chesterton in all respects, and one could have
thought it in England but for the language of the people. We went into a
little drinking house where there were a great many Dutch boors eating of
fish in a boorish manner, but very merry in their way. But the houses
here as neat as in the great places. From thence to the Hague again
playing at crambo--[Crambo is described as "a play at short verses in
which a word is given, and the parties contend who can find most rhymes to
it."]--in the waggon, Mr. Edward, Mr. Ibbott, W. Howe, Mr. Pinkney, and I.
When we were come thither W. Howe, and Mr. Ibbott, and Mr. Pinckney went
away for Scheveling, while I and the child to walk up and down the town,
where I met my old chamber-fellow, Mr. Ch. Anderson, and a friend of his
(both Physicians), Mr. Wright, who took me to a Dutch house, where there
was an exceeding pretty lass, and right for the sport, but it being
Saturday we could not have much of her company, but however I staid with
them (having left the child with my uncle Pickering, whom I met in the
street) till 12 at night. By that time Charles was almost drunk, and then
broke up, he resolving to go thither again, after he had seen me at my
lodging, and lie with the girl, which he told me he had done in the
morning. Going to my lodging we met with the bellman, who struck upon a
clapper, which I took in my hand, and it is just like the clapper that our
boys frighten the birds away from the corn with in summer time in England.
To bed.
20th. Up early, and with Mr. Pickering and the child by waggon to
Scheveling, where it not being yet fit to go off, I went to lie down in a
chamber in the house, where in another bed there was a pretty Dutch woman
in bed alone, but though I had a month's-mind
[Month's-mind. An earnest desire or longing, explained as alluding
to "a woman's longing." See Shakespeare, "Two Gentlemen of Verona,"
act i. sc. 2:
"I see you have a month's mind to them."--M. B.]
I had not the boldness to go to her. So there I slept an hour or two. At
last she rose, and then I rose and walked up and down the chamber, and saw
her dress herself after the Dutch dress, and talked to her as much as I
could, and took occasion, from her ring which she wore on her first
finger, to kiss her hand, but had not the face to offer anything more. So
at last I left her there and went to my company. About 8 o'clock I went
into the church at Scheveling, which was pretty handsome, and in the
chancel a very great upper part of the mouth of a whale, which indeed was
of a prodigious bigness, bigger than one of our long boats that belong to
one of our ships. Commissioner Pett at last came to our lodging, and
caused the boats to go off; so some in one boat and some in another we all
bid adieu to the shore. But through badness of weather we were in great
danger, and a great while before we could get to the ship, so that of all
the company not one but myself that was not sick. I keeping myself in the
open air, though I was soundly wet for it. This hath not been known four
days together such weather at this time of year, a great while. Indeed
our fleet was thought to be in great danger, but we found all well, and
Mr. Thos. Crew came on board. I having spoke a word or two with my Lord,
being not very well settled, partly through last night's drinking and want
of sleep, I lay down in my gown upon my bed and slept till the 4 o'clock
gun the next morning waked me, which I took for 8 at night, and rising
. . . mistook the sun rising for the sun setting on Sunday night.
21st. So into my naked bed
[This is a somewhat late use of an expression which was once
universal. It was formerly the custom for both sexes to sleep in
bed without any nightlinen.
"Who sees his true love in her naked bed,
Teaching the sheets a whiter hue than white."
Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis.
Nares ("Glossary") notes the expression so late as in the very odd
novel by T. Amory, called "John Bunde," where a young lady declares,
after an alarm, "that she would never go into naked bed on board
ship again." Octavo edition, vol. i. p. 90.]
and slept till 9 o'clock, and then John Goods waked me, [by] and by the
captain's boy brought me four barrels of Mallows oysters, which Captain
Tatnell had sent me from Murlace.--[Apparently Mallows stands for St. Malo
and Murlace for Morlaise.]--The weather foul all this day also. After
dinner, about writing one thing or other all day, and setting my papers in
order, having been so long absent. At night Mr. Pierce, Purser (the other
Pierce and I having not spoken to one another since we fell out about Mr.
Edward), and Mr. Cook sat with me in my cabin and supped with me, and then
I went to bed. By letters that came hither in my absence, I understand
that the Parliament had ordered all persons to be secured, in order to a
trial, that did sit as judges in the late King's death, and all the
officers too attending the Court. Sir John Lenthall moving in the House,
that all that had borne arms against the King should be exempted from
pardon, he was called to the bar of the House, and after a severe reproof
he was degraded his knighthood. At Court I find that all things grow
high. The old clergy talk as being sure of their lands again, and laugh
at the Presbytery; and it is believed that the sales of the King's and
Bishops' lands will never be confirmed by Parliament, there being nothing
now in any man's, power to hinder them and the King from doing what they
have a mind, but every body willing to submit to any thing. We expect
every day to have the King and Duke on board as soon as it is fair. My
Lord do nothing now, but offers all things to the pleasure of the Duke as
Lord High Admiral. So that I am at a loss what to do.
22nd. Up very early, and now beginning to be settled in my wits again, I
went about setting down my last four days' observations this morning.
After that, was trimmed by a barber that has not trimmed me yet, my
Spaniard being on shore. News brought that the two Dukes are coming on
board, which, by and by, they did, in a Dutch boats the Duke of York in
yellow trimmings, the Duke of Gloucester
[Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the youngest child of Charles L, born
July 6th, 16--, who, with his sister Elizabeth, was allowed a
meeting with his father on the night before the King's execution.
Burnet says: "He was active, and loved business; was apt to have
particular friendships, and had an insinuating temper which was
generally very acceptable. The King loved him much better than the
Duke of York." He died of smallpox at Whitehall, September 13th,
1660, and was buried in Henry VII's Chapel.]
in grey and red. My Lord went in a boat to meet them, the Captain,
myself, and others, standing at the entering port. So soon as they were
entered we shot the guns off round the fleet. After that they went to
view the ship all over, and were most exceedingly pleased with it. They
seem to be both very fine gentlemen. After that done, upon the
quarter-deck table, under the awning, the Duke of York and my Lord, Mr.
Coventry,
[William Coventry, to whom Pepys became so warmly attached
afterwards, was the fourth son of Thomas, first Lord Coventry, the
Lord Keeper. He was born in 1628, and entered at Queen's College,
Oxford, in 1642; after the Restoration he became private secretary
to the Duke of York, his commission as Secretary to the Lord High
Admiral not being conferred until 1664; elected M.P. for Great
Yarmouth in 1661. In 1662 he was appointed an extra Commissioner of
the Navy, an office he held until 1667; in 1665, knighted and sworn
a Privy Councillor, and, in 1667, constituted a Commissioner of the
Treasury; but, having been forbid the court on account of his
challenging the Duke of Buckingham, he retired into the country, nor
could he subsequently be prevailed upon to accept of any official
employment. Burnet calls Sir William Coventry the best speaker in
the House of Commons, and "a man of the finest and best temper that
belonged to the court," and Pepys never omits an opportunity of
paying a tribute to his public and private worth. He died, 1686, of
gout in the stomach.]
and I, spent an hour at allotting to every ship their service, in their
return to England; which having done, they went to dinner, where the table
was very full: the two Dukes at the upper end, my Lord Opdam next on one
side, and my Lord on the other. Two guns given to every man while he was
drinking the King's health, and so likewise to the Duke's health. I took
down Monsieur d'Esquier to the great cabin below, and dined with him in
state alone with only one or two friends of his. All dinner the harper
belonging to Captain Sparling played to the Dukes. After dinner, the
Dukes and my Lord to see the Vice and Rear-Admirals; and I in a boat after
them. After that done, they made to the shore in the Dutch boat that
brought them, and I got into the boat with them; but the shore was so full
of people to expect their coming, as that it was as black (which otherwise
is white sand), as every one could stand by another. When we came near
the shore, my Lord left them and came into his own boat, and General Pen
and I with him; my Lord being very well pleased with this day's work. By
the time we came on board again, news is sent us that the King is on
shore; so my Lord fired all his guns round twice, and all the fleet after
him, which in the end fell into disorder, which seemed very handsome. The
gun over against my cabin I fired myself to the King, which was the first
time that he had been saluted by his own ships since this change; but
holding my head too much over the gun, I had almost spoiled my right eye.
Nothing in the world but going of guns almost all this day. In the
evening we began to remove cabins; I to the carpenter's cabin, and Dr.
Clerke with me, who came on board this afternoon, having been twice ducked
in the sea to-day coming from shore, and Mr. North and John Pickering the
like. Many of the King's servants came on board to-night; and so many
Dutch of all sorts came to see the ship till it was quite dark, that we
could not pass by one another, which was a great trouble to us all. This
afternoon Mr. Downing (who was knighted yesterday by the King') was here
on board, and had a ship for his passage into England, with his lady and
servants.
["About midnight arrived there Mr. Downing, who did the affairs of
England to the Lords the Estates, in quality of Resident under
Oliver Cromwell, and afterward under the pretended Parliament, which
having changed the form of the government, after having cast forth
the last Protector, had continued him in his imploiment, under the
quality of Extraordinary Envoy. He began to have respect for the
King's person, when he knew that all England declared for a free
parliament, and departed from Holland without order, as soon as he
understood that there was nothing that could longer oppose the re-
establishment of monarchal government, with a design to crave
letters of recommendation to General Monk. This lord considered
him, as well because of the birth of his wife, which is illustrious,
as because Downing had expressed some respect for him in a time when
that eminent person could not yet discover his intentions. He had
his letters when he arrived at midnight at the house of the Spanish
Embassador, as we have said. He presented them forthwith to the
King, who arose from table a while after, read the letters, receiv'd
the submissions of Downing, and granted him the pardon and grace
which he asked for him to whom he could deny nothing. Some daies
after the King knighted him, and would it should be believed, that
the strong aversions which this minister of the Protector had made
appear against him on all occasions, and with all sorts of persons
indifferently, even a few daies before the publick and general
declaration of all England, proceeded not from any evil intention,
but only from a deep dissimulation, wherewith he was constrained to
cover his true sentiments, for fear to prejudice the affairs of his
Majesty."--Sir William Lowers Relation . . . of the Voiage and
Residence which . . . Charles the II. hath made in Holland,
Hague, 1660, folio, pp. 72-73.]
By the same token he called me to him when I was going to write the order,
to tell me that I must write him Sir G. Downing. My Lord lay in the
roundhouse to-night. This evening I was late writing a French letter
myself by my Lord's order to Monsieur Kragh, Embassador de Denmarke a la
Haye, which my Lord signed in bed. After that I to bed, and the Doctor,
and sleep well.
23rd. The Doctor and I waked very merry, only my eye was very red and ill
in the morning from yesterday's hurt. In the morning came infinity of
people on board from the King to go along with him. My Lord, Mr. Crew,
and others, go on shore to meet the King as he comes off from shore, where
Sir R. Stayner bringing His Majesty into the boat, I hear that His Majesty
did with a great deal of affection kiss my Lord upon his first meeting.
The King, with the two Dukes and Queen of Bohemia, Princess Royal, and
Prince of Orange, came on board, where I in their coming in kissed the
King's, Queen's, and Princess's hands, having done the other before.
Infinite shooting off of the guns, and that in a disorder on purpose,
which was better than if it had been otherwise. All day nothing but Lords
and persons of honour on board, that we were exceeding full. Dined in a
great deal of state, the Royall company by themselves in the coach, which
was a blessed sight to see. I dined with Dr. Clerke, Dr. Quarterman, and
Mr. Darcy in my cabin. This morning Mr. Lucy came on board, to whom and
his company of the King's Guard in another ship my Lord did give three
dozen of bottles of wine. He made friends between Mr. Pierce and me.
After dinner the King and Duke altered the name of some of the ships, viz.
the Nazeby into Charles; the Richard, James; the Speakers Mary; the Dunbar
(which was not in company with us), the Henry; Winsly, Happy Return;
Wakefield, Richmond; Lambert; the Henrietta; Cheriton, the Speedwell;
Bradford, the Success. That done, the Queen, Princess Royal, and Prince of
Orange, took leave of the King, and the Duke of York went on board the
London, and the Duke of Gloucester, the Swiftsure. Which done, we weighed
anchor, and with a fresh gale and most happy weather we set sail for
England. All the afternoon the King walked here and there, up and down
(quite contrary to what I thought him to have been), very active and
stirring. Upon the quarterdeck he fell into discourse of his escape from
Worcester,
[For the King's own account of his escape dictated to Pepys, see
"Boscobel" (Bohn's "Standard Library").]
where it made me ready to weep to hear the stories that he told of his
difficulties that he had passed through, as his travelling four days and
three nights on foot, every step up to his knees in dirt, with nothing but
a green coat and a pair of country breeches on, and a pair of country
shoes that made him so sore all over his feet, that he could scarce stir.
Yet he was forced to run away from a miller and other company, that took
them for rogues. His sitting at table at one place, where the master of
the house, that had not seen him in eight years, did know him, but kept it
private; when at the same table there was one that had been of his own
regiment at Worcester, could not know him, but made him drink the King's
health, and said that the King was at least four fingers higher than he.
At another place he was by some servants of the house made to drink, that
they might know him not to be a Roundhead, which they swore he was. In
another place at his inn, the master of the house,
[This was at Brighton. The inn was the "George," and the innkeeper
was named Smith. Charles related this circumstance again to Pepys
in October, 1680. He then said, "And here also I ran into another
very great danger, as being confident I was known by the master of
the inn; for, as I was standing after supper by the fireside,
leaning my hand upon a chair, and all the rest of the company being
gone into another room, the master of the inn came in and fell a-
talking with me, and just as he was looking about, and saw there was
nobody in the room, he upon a sudden kissed my hand that was upon
the back of the chair, and said to me, 'God bless you wheresoever
you go! I do not doubt before I die, but to be a lord, and my wife
a lady.' So I laughed, and went away into the next room."]
as the King was standing with his hands upon the back of a chair by the
fire-side, kneeled down and kissed his hand, privately, saying, that he
would not ask him who he was, but bid God bless him whither he was going.
Then the difficulty of getting a boat to get into France, where he was
fain to plot with the master thereof to keep his design from the four men
and a boy (which was all his ship's company), and so got to Fecamp in
France.
[On Saturday, October 11th, 1651, Colonel Gunter made an agreement
at Chichester with Nicholas Tettersell, through Francis Mansell (a
French merchant), to have Tettersell's vessel ready at an hour's
warning. Charles II., in his narrative dictated to Pepys in 1680,
said, "We went to a place, four miles off Shoreham, called
Brighthelmstone, where we were to meet with the master of the ship,
as thinking it more convenient to meet there than just at Shoreham,
where the ship was. So when we came to the inn at Brighthelmstone
we met with one, the merchant Francis Mansell] who had hired the
vessel, in company with her master [Tettersell], the merchant only
knowing me, as having hired her only to carry over a person of
quality that was escaped from the battle of Worcester without naming
anybody."
The boat was supposed to be bound for Poole, but Charles says in his
narrative: "As we were sailing the master came to me, and desired me
that I would persuade his men to use their best endeavours with him
to get him to set us on shore in France, the better to cover him
from any suspicion thereof, upon which I went to the men, which were
four and a boy."
After the Restoration Mansell was granted a pension of L200 a year,
and Tettersell one of L100 a year. (See "Captain Nicholas
Tettersell and the Escape of Charles II.," by F. E. Sawyer, F.S.A.,
"Sussex Archaeological Collections," vol. xxxii. pp. 81-104).)
At Rouen he looked so poorly, that the people went into the rooms before
he went away to see whether he had not stole something or other. In the
evening I went up to my Lord to write letters for England, which we sent
away with word of our coming, by Mr. Edw. Pickering. The King supped
alone in the coach; after that I got a dish, and we four supped in my
cabin, as at noon. About bed-time my Lord Bartlett
[A mistake for Lord Berkeley of Berkeley, who had been deputed, with
Lord Middlesex and four other Peers, by the House of Lords to
present an address of congratulation to the King.--B.]
(who I had offered my service to before) sent for me to get him a bed, who
with much ado I did get to bed to my Lord Middlesex in the great cabin
below, but I was cruelly troubled before I could dispose of him, and quit
myself of him. So to my cabin again, where the company still was, and
were talking more of the King's difficulties; as how he was fain to eat a
piece of bread and cheese out of a poor boy's pocket; how, at a Catholique
house, he was fain to lie in the priest's hole a good while in the house
for his privacy. After that our company broke up, and the Doctor and I to
bed. We have all the Lords Commissioners on board us, and many others.
Under sail all night, and most glorious weather.
24th. Up, and made myself as fine as I could, with the Tinning stockings
on and wide canons--["Cannions, boot hose tops; an old-fashioned ornament
for the legs." That is to say, a particular addition to breeches.]--that
I bought the other day at Hague. Extraordinary press of noble company,
and great mirth all the day. There dined with me in my cabin (that is,
the carpenter's) Dr. Earle
[John Earle, born about 1601; appointed in 1643 one of the
Westminster Assembly of Divines, but his principles did not allow
him to act. He accompanied Charles II. when he was obliged to fly
from England. Dean of Westminster at the Restoration, Bishop of
Worcester, November 30th, 1662, and translated to Salisbury,
September 28th, 1663. He was tender to the Nonconformists, and
Baxter wrote of him, "O that they were all such!" Author of
"Microcosmography." Died November 17th, 1665, and was buried in the
chapel of Merton College, of which he had been a Fellow. Charles
II. had the highest esteem for him.]
and Mr. Hollis,
[Denzil Holles, second son of John, first Earl of Clare, born at
Houghton, Notts, in 1597. He was one of the five members charged
with high treason by Charles I. in 1641. He was a Presbyterian, and
one of the Commissioners sent by Parliament to wait on Charles II.
at the Hague. Sir William Lower, in his "Relation," 1660, writes:
"All agreed that never person spake with more affection nor
expressed himself in better terms than Mr. Denzil Hollis, who was
orator for the Deputies of the Lower House, to whom those of London
were joined." He was created Baron Holles on April 20th, 1661, on
the occasion of the coronation of Charles II.]
the King's Chaplins, Dr. Scarborough,
[Charles Scarburgh, M.D., an eminent physician who suffered for the
royal cause during the Civil Wars. He was born in London, and
educated at St. Paul's School and Caius College, Cambridge. He was
ejected from his fellowship at Caius, and withdrew to Oxford. He
entered himself at Merton College, then presided over by Harvey,
with whom he formed a lifelong friendship. He was knighted by
Charles II. in 1669, and attended the King in his last illness. He
was also physician to James II. and to William III., and died
February 26th, 1693-4.]
Dr. Quarterman, and Dr. Clerke, Physicians, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Fox
[Stephen Fox, born 1627, and said to have been a choir-boy in
Salisbury Cathedral. He was the first person to announce the death
of Cromwell to Charles II., and at the Restoration he was made Clerk
of the Green Cloth, and afterwards Paymaster of the Forces. He was
knighted in 1665. He married Elizabeth, daughter of William Whittle
of Lancashire. (See June 25th, 1660.) Fox died in 1716. His sons
Stephen and Henry were created respectively Earl of Ilchester and
Lord Holland.]
(both very fine gentlemen), the King's servants, where we had brave
discourse. Walking upon the decks, where persons of honour all the
afternoon, among others, Thomas Killigrew (a merry droll, but a gentleman
of great esteem with the King), who told us many merry stories: one, how
he wrote a letter three or four days ago to the Princess Royal, about a
Queen Dowager of Judaea and Palestine, that was at the Hague incognita,
that made love to the King, &c., which was Mr. Cary (a courtier's) wife
that had been a nun, who are all married to Jesus. At supper the three
Drs. of Physic again at my cabin; where I put Dr. Scarborough in mind of
what I heard him say about the use of the eyes, which he owned, that
children do, in every day's experience, look several ways with both their
eyes, till custom teaches them otherwise. And that we do now see but with
one eye, our eyes looking in parallel lines. After this discourse I was
called to write a pass for my Lord Mandeville to take up horses to London,
which I wrote in the King's name,--[This right of purveyance was abolished
in Charles's reign.]--and carried it to him to sign, which was the first
and only one that ever he signed in the ship Charles. To bed, coming in
sight of land a little before night.
25th. By the morning we were come close to the land, and every body made
ready to get on shore. The King and the two Dukes did eat their breakfast
before they went, and there being set some ship's diet before them, only
to show them the manner of the ship's diet, they eat of nothing else but
pease and pork, and boiled beef. I had Mr. Darcy in my cabin and Dr.
Clerke, who eat with me, told me how the King had given L50 to Mr. Sheply
for my Lord's servants, and L500 among the officers and common men of the
ship. I spoke with the Duke of York about business, who called me Pepys
by name, and upon my desire did promise me his future favour. Great
expectation of the King's making some Knights, but there was none. About
noon (though the brigantine that Beale made was there ready to carry him)
yet he would go in my Lord's barge with the two Dukes. Our Captain
steered, and my Lord went along bare with him. I went, and Mr. Mansell,
and one of the King's footmen, with a dog that the King loved,