Book: Diary of Samuel Pepys, November/December 1661
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, November/December 1661
14th. All the morning at home lying in bed with my wife till 11 o'clock.
Such a habit we have got this winter of lying long abed. Dined at home,
and in the afternoon to the office. There sat late, and so home and to
bed.
15th (Lord's day). To church in the morning, where our young Reader begun
the first day to read. Sir W. Pen dined with me and we were merry. Again
to church and so home, and all alone read till bedtime, and so to prayers
and to bed. I have been troubled this day about a difference between my
wife and her maid Nell, who is a simple slut, and I am afeard we shall
find her a cross-grained wench. I am now full of study about writing
something about our making of strangers strike to us at sea; and so am
altogether reading Selden and Grotius, and such other authors to that
purpose.
16th. Up by five o'clock this morning by candlelight (which I have not
done for many a day), being called upon by one Mr. Bollen by appointment,
who has business to be done with my Lord Privy Seal this morning, and so
by coach, calling Mr. Moore at the Wardrobe, to Chelsy, and there did get
my Lord to seal it. And so back again to Westminster Hall, and thence to
my Lord Sandwich's lodging, where I met my wife (who had been to see Mrs.
Hunt who was brought to bed the other day of a boy), and got a joint of
meat thither from the Cook's, and she and I and Sarah dined together, and
after dinner to the Opera, where there was a new play ("Cutter of Coleman
Street"),
[Cutter, an old word for a rough swaggerer: hence the title of
Cowley's play. It was originally called "The Guardian," when acted
before Prince Charles at Trinity College, Cambridge, on March 12th,
1641.]
made in the year 1658, with reflections much upon the late times; and it
being the first time, the pay was doubled, and so to save money, my wife
and I went up into the gallery, and there sat and saw very well; and a
very good play it is. It seems of Cowly's making. From thence by coach
home, and to bed.
17th. Up and to the Paynter's to see how he went forward in our picture.
So back again to dinner at home, and then was sent for to the Privy Seal,
whither I was forced to go and stay so long and late that I was much
vexed. At last we got all done, and then made haste to the office, where
they were sat, and there we sat late, and so home to supper and to Selden,
"Mare Clausum," and so to bed.
18th. At the office upon business extraordinary all the morning, then to
my Lady Sandwich's to dinner, whither my wife, who had been at the
painter's, came to me, and there dined, and there I left her, and to the
Temple my brother and I to see Mrs. Turner, who begins to be better, and
so back to my Lady's, where much made of, and so home to my study till
bed-time, and so to bed.
19th. This morning my wife dressed herself fine to go to the christening
of Mrs. Hunt's child, and so she and I in the way in the morning went to
the Paynter s, and there she sat till noon, and I all the while looking
over great variety of good prints which he had, and by and by comes my boy
to tell us that Mrs. Hunt has been at our house to tell us that the
christening is not till Saturday next. So after the Paynter had done I
did like the picture pretty well, and my wife and I went by coach home,
but in the way I took occasion to fall out with my wife very highly about
her ribbands being ill matched and of two colours, and to very high words,
so that, like a passionate fool, I did call her whore, for which I was
afterwards sorry. But I set her down at home, and went myself by
appointment to the Dolphin, where Sir W. Warren did give us all a good
dinner, and that being done, to the office, and there sat late, and so
home.
20th. Lay long in bed, and then up, and so to the Wardrobe to dinner, and
from thence out with Mr. Moore towards my house, and in our way met with
Mr. Swan (my old acquaintance), and we to a tavern, where we had enough of
his old simple religious talk, and he is still a coxcomb in these things
as he ever was, and tells me he is setting out a book called "The
unlawfull use of lawfull things;" but a very simple fellow he is, and so I
leave him. So we drank and at last parted, and Mr. Moore and I into
Cornhill, it being dark night, and in the street and on the Exchange
discoursed about Dominion of the Sea, wherein I am lately so much
concerned, and so I home and sat late up reading of Mr. Selden, and so to
bed.
21st. To White Hall to the Privy Seal, where my Lord Privy Seal did tell
us he could seal no more this month, for that he goes thirty miles out of
town to keep his Christmas. At which I was glad, but only afeard lest any
thing of the King's should force us to go after him to get a seal in the
country. Thence to Westminster Hall (having by the way drank with Mrs.
Sarah and Mrs. Betty at my Lord's lodgings), and thence taken by some
Exchequer men to the Dogg, where, being St. Thomas's day, by custom they
have a general meeting at dinner. There I was and all very merry, and
there I spoke to Mr. Falconberge to look whether he could out of Domesday
Book, give me any thing concerning the sea, and the dominion thereof;
which he says he will look after. Thence taking leave to my brother's,
and there by appointment met with Prior of Brampton who had money to pay
me, but desiring some advice he stays till Monday. So by coach home to
the office, where I was vexed to see Sir Williams both seem to think so
much that I should be a little out of the way, saying that without their
Register they were not a Committee, which I took in some dudgeon, and see
clearly that I must keep myself at a little distance with them and not
crouch, or else I shall never keep myself up even with them. So home and
wrote letters by the post. This evening my wife come home from
christening Mrs. Hunt's son, his name John, and a merchant in Mark Lane
came along with her, that was her partner. So after my business was done,
and read something in Mr. Selden, I went to bed.
22nd. To church in the morning, where the Reader made a boyish young
sermon. Home to dinner, and there I took occasion, from the blacknesse of
the meat as it came out of the pot, to fall out with my wife and my maid
for their sluttery, and so left the table, and went up to read in Mr.
Selden till church time, and then my wife and I to church, and there in
the pew, with the rest of the company, was Captain Holmes, in his
gold-laced suit, at which I was troubled because of the old business which
he attempted upon my wife. So with my mind troubled I sat still, but by
and by I took occasion from the rain now holding up (it raining when we
came into the church) to put my wife in mind of going to the christening
(which she was invited to) of N. Osborne's child, which she did, and so
went out of the pew, and my mind was eased. So home after sermon and
there came by appointment Dr. T. Pepys, Will. Joyce, and my brother Tom,
and supped with me, and very merry they were, and I seemed to be, but I
was not pleased at all with their company. So they being gone we went to
bed.
23rd. Early up and by coach (before daylight) to the Wardrobe, and took
up Mr. Moore, and he and I to Chelsy to my Lord Privy Seal, and there
sealed some things, he being to go out of town for all Christmas
to-morrow. So back again to Westminster, and from thence by water to the
Treasury Office, where I found Sir W. Pen paying off the Sophia and
Griffen, and there I staid with him till noon, and having sent for some
collar of beef and a mince pie, we eat and drank, and so I left him there
and to my brother's by appointment to meet Prior, but he came not, so I
went and saw Mrs. Turner who continues weak, and by and by word was
brought me that Prior's man was come to Tom's, and so I went and told out
L128 which I am to receive of him, but Prior not coming I went away and
left the money by his desire with my brother all night, and they to come
to me to-morrow morning. So I took coach, and lighting at my bookseller's
in Paul's Churchyard, I met with Mr. Crumlum and the second master of
Paul's School, and thence I took them to the Starr, and there we sat and
talked, and I had great pleasure in their company, and very glad I was of
meeting him so accidentally, I having omitted too long to go to see him.
Here in discourse of books I did offer to give the school what books he
would choose of L5. So we parted, and I home, and to Mr. Selden, and then
to bed.
24th. Home all the morning and dined at home, and in the afternoon to the
office. So home.
25th. In the morning to church, where at the door of our pew I was fain
to stay, because that the sexton had not opened the door. A good sermon
of Mr. Mills. Dined at home all alone, and taking occasion from some
fault in the meat to complain of my maid's sluttery, my wife and I fell
out, and I up to my chamber in a discontent. After dinner my wife comes
up to me and all friends again, and she and I to walk upon the leads, and
there Sir W. Pen called us, and we went to his house and supped with him,
but before supper Captain Cock came to us half drunk, and began to talk,
but Sir W. Pen knowing his humour and that there was no end of his
talking, drinks four great glasses of wine to him, one after another,
healths to the king, and by that means made him drunk, and so he went
away, and so we sat down to supper, and were merry, and so after supper
home and to bed.
26th. This morning Sir W. Pen and I to the Treasury office, and there we
paid off the Amity (Captain Stokes's ship that was at Guinny) and another
ship, and so home, and after dinner Sir William came to me, and he and his
son and Aaugliter, and I and my wife, by coach to Moorfields to walk; but
it was most foul weather, and so we went into an alehouse and there eat
some cakes and ale, and a washeallbowle
["The wenches with their wassall bowls
About the streets are singing."
--Wither's Christmas Carol.
The old custom of carrying the wassail bowl from door to door, with
songs and merriment, in Christmas week, is still observed in some of
our rural districts.--B.]
woman and girl came to us and sung to us. And after all was done I called
my boy (Wayneman) to us to eat some cake that was left, and the woman of
the house told us that he had called for two cakes and a pot of ale for
himself, at which I was angry, and am resolved to correct him for it. So
home, and Sir W. Pen and his son and daughter to supper to me to a good
turkey, and were merry at cards, and so to bed.
27th. In the morning to my Bookseller's to bespeak a Stephens's
Thesaurus, for which I offer L4, to give to Paul's School; and from thence
to Paul's Church; and there I heard Dr. Gunning preach a good sermon upon
the day (being St. John's day), and did hear him tell a story, which he
did persuade us to believe to be true, that St. John and the Virgin Mary
did appear to Gregory, a Bishopp, at his prayer to be confirmed in the
faith, which I did wonder to hear from him. Here I met with Mr. Crumlum
(and told him of my endeavour to get Stephens's Thesaurus for the school),
and so home, and after dinner comes Mr. Faulconberge to see me, and at his
desire I sent over for his kinsman Mr. Knightly, the merchant, and so he
came over and sat and drank with us, and at his request I went over with
him, and there I sat till the evening, and till both Mr. Knightly and Mr.
Faulconberge (for whom I sent my boy to get a coach to carry him to
Westminster) were both drunk, and so home, but better wine I never drank
in all my life. So home, and finding my wife gone to Sir W. Pen's, I went
thither, and there I sat and played at cards and supped, and so home and
to bed.
28th. At home all the morning; and in the afternoon all of us at the
office, upon a letter from the Duke for the making up of a speedy estimate
of all the debts of the Navy, which is put into good forwardness. I home
and Sir W. Pen to my house, who with his children staid playing cards
late, and so to bed.
29th (Lord's day). Long in bed with my wife, and though I had determined
to go to dine with my wife at my Lady's, (chiefly to put off dining with
Sir W. Pen to-day because Holmes dined there), yet I could not get a coach
time enough to go thither, and so I dined at home, and my brother Tom with
me, and then a coach came and I carried my wife to Westminster, and she
went to see Mrs. Hunt, and I to the Abbey, and there meeting with Mr.
Hooper, he took me in among the quire, and there I sang with them their
service, and so that being done, I walked up and down till night for that
Mr. Coventry was not come to Whitehall since dinner again. At last I went
thither and he was come, and I spoke with him about some business of the
office, and so took leave of him, and sent for my wife and the coach, and
so to the Wardrobe and supped, and staid very long talking with my Lady,
who seems to doat every day more and more upon us. So home and to prayers,
and to bed.
30th. At the office about this estimate and so with my wife and Sir W.
Pen to see our pictures, which do not much displease us, and so back
again, and I staid at the Mitre, whither I had invited all my old
acquaintance of the Exchequer to a good chine of beef, which with three
barrels of oysters and three pullets, and plenty of wine and mirth, was
our dinner, and there was about twelve of us, among others Mr. Bowyer, the
old man, and Mr. Faulconberge, Shadwell, Taylor, Spicer, Woodruffe (who by
reason of some friend that dined with him came to us after dinner),
Servington, &c., and here I made them a foolish promise to give them one
this day twelvemonth, and so for ever while I live, but I do not intend
it. Mere I staid as long as I could keep them, and so home to Sir W. Pen,
who with his children and my wife has been at a play to-day and saw
"D'Ambois," which I never saw. Here we staid late at supper and playing
at cards, and so home and
31st. My wife and I this morning to the Paynter's, and there she sat the
last time, and I stood by and did tell him some little things to do, that
now her picture I think will please me very well; and after her, her
little black dogg sat in her lap; and was drawn, which made us very merry;
so home to dinner, and so to the office; and there late finishing our
estimate of the debts of the Navy to this day; and it come to near
L374,000. So home, and after supper, and my barber had trimmed me, I sat
down to end my journell for this year, and my condition at this time, by
God's blessing, is thus: my health (only upon catching cold, which brings
great pain in my back . . . as it used to be when I had the stone) is
very good, and so my wife's in all respects: my servants, W. Hewer, Sarah,
Nell, and Wayneman: my house at the Navy Office. I suppose myself to be
worth about L500 clear in the world, and my goods of my house my own, and
what is coming to me from Brampton, when my father dies, which God defer.
But, by my uncle's death, the whole care and trouble of all, and settling
of all lies upon me, which is very great, because of law-suits, especially
that with T. Trice, about the interest of L200, which will, I hope, be
ended soon. My chiefest thought is now to get a good wife for Tom, there
being one offered by the Joyces, a cozen of theirs, worth L200 in ready
money. I am also upon writing a little treatise to present to the Duke,
about our privilege in the seas, as to other nations striking their flags
to us. But my greatest trouble is, that I have for this last half year
been a very great spendthrift in all manner of respects, that I am afeard
to cast up my accounts, though I hope I am worth what I say above. But I
will cast them up very shortly. I have newly taken a solemn oath about
abstaining from plays and wine, which I am resolved to keep according to
the letter of the oath which I keep by me. The fleet hath been ready to
sail for Portugall, but hath lacked wind this fortnight, and by that means
my Lord is forced to keep at sea all this winter, till he brings home the
Queen, which is the expectation of all now, and the greatest matter of
publique talk.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
After dinner my wife comes up to me and all friends again
Ambassador--that he is an honest man sent to lie abroad
As all things else did not come up to my expectations
Coming to lay out a great deal of money in clothes for my wife
Did extremely beat him, and though it did trouble me to do it
Dominion of the Sea
Exclaiming against men's wearing their hats on in the church
From some fault in the meat to complain of my maid's sluttery
Gamester's life, which I see is very miserable, and poor
Get his lady to trust herself with him into the tavern
Good wine, and anchovies, and pickled oysters (for breakfast)
Like a passionate fool, I did call her whore
My wife and I fell out
Oliver Cromwell as his ensign
Seemed much glad of that it was no more
Sir W. Pen was so fuddled that we could not try him to play
Strange the folly of men to lay and lose so much money
The unlawfull use of lawfull things
Took occasion to fall out with my wife very highly
Took physique, and it did work very well
Tory--The term was not used politically until about 1679
We had a good surloyne of rost beefe