Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1664 N.S. Complete
S >>
Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1664 N.S. Complete
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 | 12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25
30th. Lay long, the bells ringing, it being holiday, and then up and all
the day long in my study at home studying of shipmaking with great content
till the evening, and then came Mr. Howe and sat and then supped with me.
He is a little conceited, but will make a discreet man. He being gone, a
little to my office, and then home to bed, being in much pain from
yesterday's being abroad, which is a consideration of mighty sorrow to me.
31st. Up, and called upon Mr. Hollyard, with whom I advised and shall
fall upon some course of doing something for my disease of the wind, which
grows upon me every day more and more. Thence to my Lord Sandwich's, and
while he was dressing I below discoursed with Captain Cooke, and I think
if I do find it fit to keep a boy at all I had as good be supplied from
him with one as any body. By and by up to my Lord, and to discourse about
his going to sea, and the message I had from Mr. Coventry to him. He
wonders, as he well may, that this course should be taken, and he every
day with the Duke, who, nevertheless, seems most friendly to him, who hath
not yet spoke one word to my Lord of his desire to have him go to sea. My
Lord do tell me clearly that were it not that he, as all other men that
were of the Parliament side, are obnoxious to reproach, and so is forced
to bear what otherwise he would not, he would never suffer every thing to
be done in the Navy, and he never be consulted; and it seems, in the
naming of all these commanders for this fleete, he hath never been asked
one question. But we concluded it wholly inconsistent with his honour not
to go with this fleete, nor with the reputation which the world hath of
his interest at Court; and so he did give me commission to tell Mr.
Coventry that he is most willing to receive any commands from the Duke in
this fleete, were it less than it is, and that particularly in this
service. With this message I parted, and by coach to the office, where I
found Mr. Coventry, and told him this. Methinks, I confess, he did not
seem so pleased with it as I expected, or at least could have wished, and
asked me whether I had told my Lord that the Duke do not expect his going,
which I told him I had. But now whether he means really that the Duke, as
he told me the other day, do think the Fleete too small for him to take or
that he would not have him go, I swear I cannot tell. But methinks other
ways might have been used to put him by without going in this manner about
it, and so I hope it is out of kindness indeed. Dined at home, and so to
the office, where a great while alone in my office, nobody near, with
Bagwell's wife of Deptford, but the woman seems so modest that I durst not
offer any courtship to her, though I had it in my mind when I brought her
in to me. But I am resolved to do her husband a courtesy, for I think he
is a man that deserves very well. So abroad with my wife by coach to St.
James's, to one Lady Poultny's, where I found my Lord, I doubt, at some
vain pleasure or other. I did give him a short account of what I had done
with Mr. Coventry, and so left him, and to my wife again in the coach, and
with her to the Parke, but the Queene being gone by the Parke to
Kensington, we staid not but straight home and to supper (the first time I
have done so this summer), and so to my office doing business, and then to
my monthly accounts, where to my great comfort I find myself better than I
was still the last month, and now come to L930. I was told to-day, that
upon Sunday night last, being the King's birth-day, the King was at my
Lady Castlemayne's lodgings (over the hither-gates at Lambert's lodgings)
dancing with fiddlers all night almost; and all the world coming by taking
notice of it, which I am sorry to hear. The discourse of the town is only
whether a warr with Holland or no, and we are preparing for it all we can,
which is but little. Myself subject more than ordinary to pain by winde,
which makes me very sad, together with the trouble which at present lies
upon me in my father's behalf, rising from the death of my brother, which
are many and great. Would to God they were over!
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Bath at the top of his house
Fear all his kindness is but only his lust to her
Fetch masts from New England
Find myself to over-value things when a child
Generally with corruption, but most indeed with neglect
I slept soundly all the sermon
In a hackney and full of people, was ashamed to be seen
In my dining-room she was doing something upon the pott
Methought very ill, or else I am grown worse to please
Mrs. Lane was gone forth, and so I missed of my intent
Saw "The German Princess" acted, by the woman herself
Slabbering my band sent home for another
That hair by hair had his horse's tail pulled off indeed
THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.
CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY
TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
(Unabridged)
WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES
EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY
HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
JUNE & JULY
1664
June 1st. Up, having lain long, going to bed very late after the ending
of my accounts. Being up Mr. Hollyard came to me, and to my great sorrow,
after his great assuring me that I could not possibly have the stone
again, he tells me that he do verily fear that I have it again, and has
brought me something to dissolve it, which do make me very much troubled,
and pray to God to ease me. He gone, I down by water to Woolwich and
Deptford to look after the dispatch of the ships, all the way reading Mr.
Spencer's Book of Prodigys, which is most ingeniously writ, both for
matter and style. Home at noon, and my little girl got me my dinner, and
I presently out by water and landed at Somerset stairs, and thence through
Covent Garden, where I met with Mr. Southwell (Sir W. Pen's friend), who
tells me the very sad newes of my Lord Tiviott's and nineteen more
commission officers being killed at Tangier by the Moores, by an ambush of
the enemy upon them, while they were surveying their lines; which is very
sad, and, he says, afflicts the King much. Thence to W. Joyce's, where by
appointment I met my wife (but neither of them at home), and she and I to
the King's house, and saw "The Silent Woman;" but methought not so well
done or so good a play as I formerly thought it to be, or else I am
nowadays out of humour. Before the play was done, it fell such a storm of
hayle, that we in the middle of the pit were fain to rise;
[The stage was covered in by a tiled roof, but the pit was open to
the sky. "The pit lay open to the weather for sake of light, but
was subsequently covered in with a glazed cupola, which, however,
only imperfectly protected the audience, so that in stormy weather
the house was thrown into disorder, and the people in the pit were
fain to rise" (Cunningham's "Story of Nell Gwyn," ed. 1893, p. 33).]
and all the house in a disorder, and so my wife and I out and got into a
little alehouse, and staid there an hour after the play was done before we
could get a coach, which at last we did (and by chance took up Joyce
Norton and Mrs. Bowles, and set them at home), and so home ourselves, and
I, after a little to my office, so home to supper and to bed.
2nd. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and then to the
'Change, where after some stay by coach with Sir J. Minnes and Mr.
Coventry to St. James's, and there dined with Mr. Coventry very finely,
and so over the Parke to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier about
providing provisions, money, and men for Tangier. At it all the
afternoon, but it is strange to see how poorly and brokenly things are
done of the greatest consequence, and how soon the memory of this great
man is gone, or, at least, out of mind by the thoughts of who goes next,
which is not yet knowne. My Lord of Oxford, Muskerry, and several others
are discoursed of. It seems my Lord Tiviott's design was to go a mile and
half out of the towne, to cut down a wood in which the enemy did use to
lie in ambush. He had sent several spyes; but all brought word that the
way was clear, and so might be for any body's discovery of an enemy before
you are upon them. There they were all snapt, he and all his officers,
and about 200 men, as they say; there being left now in the garrison but
four captains. This happened the 3d of May last, being not before that
day twelvemonth of his entering into his government there: but at his
going out in the morning he said to some of his officers, "Gentlemen, let
us look to ourselves, for it was this day three years that so many brave
Englishmen were knocked on the head by the Moores, when Fines made his
sally out." Here till almost night, and then home with Sir J. Minnes by
coach, and so to my office a while, and home to supper and bed, being now
in constant pain in my back, but whether it be only wind or what it is the
Lord knows, but I fear the worst.
3rd. Up, still in a constant pain in my back, which much afflicts me with
fear of the consequence of it. All the morning at the office, we sat at
the office extraordinary upon the business of our stores, but, Lord! what
a pitiful account the Surveyor makes of it grieves my heart. This morning
before I came out I made a bargain with Captain Taylor for a ship for the
Commissioners for Tangier, wherein I hope to get L40 or L50. To the
'Change, and thence home and dined, and then by coach to White Hall,
sending my wife to Mrs. Hunt's. At the Committee for Tangier all the
afternoon, where a sad consideration to see things of so great weight
managed in so confused a manner as it is, so as I would not have the
buying of an acre of land bought by the Duke of York and Mr. Coventry, for
ought I see, being the only two that do anything like men; Prince Rupert
do nothing but swear and laugh a little, with an oathe or two, and that's
all he do. Thence called my wife and home, and I late at my office, and
so home to supper and to bed, pleased at my hopes of gains by to-day's
work, but very sad to think of the state of my health.
4th. Up and to St. James's by coach, after a good deal of talk before I
went forth with J. Noble, who tells me that he will secure us against
Cave, that though he knows, and can prove it, yet nobody else can prove
it, to be Tom's child; that the bond was made by one Hudson, a scrivener,
next to the Fountaine taverne, in the Old Bayly; that the children were
born, and christened, and entered in the parish-book of St. Sepulchre's,
by the name of Anne and Elizabeth Taylor and he will give us security
against Cave if we pay him the money. And then up to the Duke, and was
with him giving him an account how matters go, and of the necessity there
is of a power to presse seamen, without which we cannot really raise men
for this fleete of twelve sayle, besides that it will assert the King's
power of pressing, which at present is somewhat doubted, and will make the
Dutch believe that we are in earnest. Thence by water to the office,
where we sat till almost two o'clock. This morning Captain Ferrer came to
the office to tell me that my Lord hath given him a promise of Young's
place in the Wardrobe, and hearing that I pretend a promise to it he comes
to ask my consent, which I denied him, and told him my Lord may do what he
pleases with his promise to me, but my father's condition is not so as
that I should let it go if my Lord will stand to his word, and so I sent
him going, myself being troubled a little at it. After office I with Mr.
Coventry by water to St. James's and dined with him, and had excellent
discourse from him. So to the Committee for Tangier all afternoon, where
still the same confused doings, and my Lord Fitz-Harding now added to the
Committee; which will signify much. It grieves me to see how brokenly
things are ordered. So by coach home, and at my office late, and so to
supper and to bed, my body by plenty of breaking of wind being just now
pretty well again, having had a constant akeing in my back these 5 or 6
days. Mr. Coventry discoursing this noon about Sir W. Batten (what a sad
fellow he is!) told me how the King told him the other day how Sir W.
Batten, being in the ship with him and Prince Rupert when they expected to
fight with Warwick, did walk up and down sweating with a napkin under his
throat to dry up his sweat; and that Prince Rupert being a most jealous
man, and particularly of Batten, do walk up and down swearing bloodily to
the King, that Batten had a mind to betray them to-day, and that the
napkin was a signal; "but, by God," says he, "if things go ill, the first
thing I will do is to shoot him." He discoursed largely and bravely to me
concerning the different sort of valours, the active and passive valour.
For the latter, he brought as an instance General Blake; who, in the
defending of Taunton and Lime for the Parliament, did through his stubborn
sort of valour defend it the most 'opiniastrement' that ever any man did
any thing; and yet never was the man that ever made any attaque by land or
sea, but rather avoyded it on all, even fair occasions. On the other
side, Prince Rupert, the boldest attaquer in the world for personal
courage; and yet, in the defending of Bristol, no man ever did anything
worse, he wanting the patience and seasoned head to consult and advise for
defence, and to bear with the evils of a siege. The like he says is said
of my Lord Tiviott, who was the boldest adventurer of his person in the
world, and from a mean man in few years was come to this greatness of
command and repute only by the death of all his officers, he many times
having the luck of being the only survivor of them all, by venturing upon
services for the King of France that nobody else would; and yet no man
upon a defence, he being all fury and no judgment in a fight. He tells me
above all of the Duke of Yorke, that he is more himself and more of
judgement is at hand in him in the middle of a desperate service, than at
other times, as appeared in the business of Dunkirke, wherein no man ever
did braver things, or was in hotter service in the close of that day,
being surrounded with enemies; and then, contrary to the advice of all
about him, his counsel carried himself and the rest through them safe, by
advising that he might make his passage with but a dozen with him; "For,"
says he, "the enemy cannot move after me so fast with a great body, and
with a small one we shall be enough to deal with them;" and though he is a
man naturally martiall to the highest degree, yet a man that never in his
life talks one word of himself or service of his owne, but only that he
saw such or such a thing, and lays it down for a maxime that a Hector can
have no courage. He told me also, as a great instance of some men, that
the Prince of Condo's excellence is, that there not being a more furious
man in the world, danger in fight never disturbs him more than just to
make him civill, and to command in words of great obligation to his
officers and men; but without any the least disturbance in his judgment or
spirit.
5th (Lord's day). About one in the morning I was knocked up by my mayds
to come to my wife who is very ill. I rose, and from some cold she got
to-day, or from something else, she is taken with great gripings, a
looseness, and vomiting. I lay a while by her upon the bed, she being in
great pain, poor wretch, but that being a little over I to bed again, and
lay, and then up and to my office all the morning, setting matters to
rights in some accounts and papers, and then to dinner, whither Mr.
Shepley, late come to town, came to me, and after dinner and some pleasant
discourse he went his way, being to go out of town to Huntington again
to-morrow. So all the afternoon with my wife discoursing and talking, and
in the evening to my office doing business, and then home to supper and to
bed.
6th. Up and found my wife very ill again, which troubles me, but I was
forced to go forth. So by water with Mr. Gauden and others to see a ship
hired by me for the Commissioners of Tangier, and to give order therein.
So back to the office, and by coach with Mr. Gauden to White Hall, and
there to my Lord Sandwich, and here I met Mr. Townsend very opportunely
and Captain Ferrer, and after some discourse we did accommodate the
business of the Wardrobe place, that he shall have the reversion if he
will take it out by giving a covenant that if Mr. Young' dyes before my
father my father shall have the benefit of it for his life. So home, and
thence by water to Deptford, and there found our Trinity Brethren come
from their election to church, where Dr. Britton made, methought, an
indifferent sermon touching the decency that we ought to observe in God's
house, the church, but yet to see how ridiculously some men will carry
themselves. Sir W. Batten did at open table anon in the name of the whole
Society desire him to print his sermon, as if the Doctor could think that
they were fit judges of a good sermon. Then by barge with Sir W. Batten
to Trinity House. It seems they have with much ado carried it for Sir G.
Carteret against Captain Harrison, poor man, who by succession ought to
have been it, and most hands were for him, but only they were forced to
fright the younger Brethren by requiring them to set their hands (which is
an ill course) and then Sir G. Carteret carryed it. Here was at dinner my
Lord Sandwich, Mr. Coventry, my Lord Craven, and others. A great dinner,
and good company. Mr. Prin also, who would not drink any health, no, not
the King's, but sat down with his hat on all the while;
[William Prynne had published in 1628 a small book against the
drinking of healths, entitled, "Healthes, Sicknesse; or a
compendious and briefe Discourse, prouing, the Drinking and Pledging
of Healthes to be sinfull and utterly unlawfull unto Christians
. . . wherein all those ordinary objections, excuses or pretences,
which are made to justifie, extenuate, or excuse the drinking or
pledging of Healthes are likewise cleared and answered." The
pamphlet was dedicated to Charles I. as "more interessed in the
theame and subject of this compendious discourse then any other that
I know," and "because your Majestie of all other persons within your
owne dominions, are most dishonoured, prejudiced, and abused by
these Healthes."]
but nobody took notice of it to him at all; but in discourse with the
Doctor he did declare himself that he ever was, and has expressed himself
in all his books for mixt communion against the Presbyterian examination.
Thence after dinner by water, my Lord Sandwich and all us Tangier men,
where at the Committee busy till night with great confusion, and then by
coach home, with this content, however, that I find myself every day
become more and more known, and shall one day hope to have benefit by it.
I found my wife a little better. A little to my office, then home to
supper and to bed.
7th. Up and to the office (having by my going by water without any thing
upon my legs yesterday got some pain upon me again), where all the
morning. At noon a little to the 'Change, and thence home to dinner, my
wife being ill still in bed. Thence to the office, where busy all the
afternoon till 9 at night, and so home to my wife, to supper, and to bed.
8th. All day before dinner with Creed, talking of many things, among
others, of my Lord's going so often to Chelsy, and he, without my speaking
much, do tell me that his daughters do perceive all, and do hate the
place, and the young woman there, Mrs. Betty Becke; for my Lord, who sent
them thither only for a disguise for his going thither, will come under
pretence to see them, and pack them out of doors to the Parke, and stay
behind with her; but now the young ladies are gone to their mother to
Kensington. To dinner, and after dinner till 10 at night in my study
writing of my old broken office notes in shorthand all in one book, till
my eyes did ake ready to drop out. So home to supper and to bed.
9th. Up and at my office all the morning. At noon dined at home, Mr.
Hunt and his kinswoman (wife in the country), after dinner I to the
office, where we sat all the afternoon. Then at night by coach to attend
the Duke of Albemarle about the Tangier ship. Coming back my wife spied
me going home by coach from Mr. Hunt's, with whom she hath gained much in
discourse to-day concerning W. Howe's discourse of me to him. That he was
the man that got me to be secretary to my Lord; and all that I have
thereby, and that for all this I never did give him 6d. in my life. Which
makes me wonder that this rogue dare talk after this manner, and I think
all the world is grown false. But I hope I shall make good use of it. So
home to supper and to bed, my eyes aching mightily since last night.
10th. Up and by water to White Hall, and there to a Committee of Tangier,
and had occasion to see how my Lord Ashworth--[Lord Ashworth is probably a
miswriting for Lord Ashley (afterwards Earl of Shaftesbury).]--deports
himself, which is very fine indeed, and it joys my heart to see that there
is any body looks so near into the King's business as I perceive he do in
this business of my Lord Peterborough's accounts. Thence into the Parke,
and met and walked with Captain Sylas Taylor, my old acquaintance while I
was of the Exchequer, and Dr. Whore, talking of musique, and particularly
of Mr. Berckenshaw's way, which Taylor magnifies mightily, and perhaps but
what it deserves, but not so easily to be understood as he and others make
of it. Thence home by water, and after dinner abroad to buy several
things, as a map, and powder, and other small things, and so home to my
office, and in the evening with Captain Taylor by water to our Tangier
ship, and so home, well pleased, having received L26 profit to-day of my
bargain for this ship, which comforts me mightily, though I confess my
heart, what with my being out of order as to my health, and the fear I
have of the money my Lord oweth me and I stand indebted to him in, is much
cast down of late. In the evening home to supper and to bed.
11th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, where some
discourse arose from Sir G. Carteret and Mr. Coventry, which gives me
occasion to think that something like a war is expected now indeed, though
upon the 'Change afterwards I hear too that an Embassador is landed from
Holland, and one from their East India Company, to treat with ours about
the wrongs we pretend to. Mr. Creed dined with me, and thence after
dinner by coach with my wife only to take the ayre, it being very warm and
pleasant, to Bowe and Old Ford; and thence to Hackney. There 'light, and
played at shuffle-board, eat cream and good churies; and so with good
refreshment home. Then to my office vexed with Captain Taylor about the
delay of carrying down the ship hired by me for Tangier, and late about
that and other things at the office. So home to supper and to bed.
12th (Lord's day). All the morning in my chamber consulting my lesson of
ship building, and at noon Mr. Creed by appointment came and dined with
us, and sat talking all the afternoon till, about church time, my wife and
I began our great dispute about going to Griffin's child's christening,
where I was to have been godfather, but Sir J. Minnes refusing, he wanted
an equal for me and my Lady Batten, and so sought for other. Then the
question was whether my wife should go, and she having dressed herself on
purpose, was very angry, and began to talk openly of my keeping her within
doors before Creed, which vexed me to the guts, but I had the discretion
to keep myself without passion, and so resolved at last not to go, but to
go down by water, which we did by H. Russell--[a waterman]--to the
Half-way house, and there eat and drank, and upon a very small occasion
had a difference again broke out, where without any the least cause she
had the cunning to cry a great while, and talk and blubber, which made me
mighty angry in mind, but said nothing to provoke her because Creed was
there, but walked home, being troubled in my mind also about the knavery
and neglect of Captain Fudge and Taylor, who were to have had their ship
for Tangier ready by Thursday last, and now the men by a mistake are come
on board, and not any master or man or boy of the ship's company on board
with them when we came by her side this afternoon, and also received a
letter from Mr. Coventry this day in complaint of it. We came home, and
after supper Creed went home, and I to bed. My wife made great means to
be friends, coming to my bedside and doing all things to please me, and at
last I could not hold out, but seemed pleased, and so parted, and I with
much ado to sleep, but was easily wakened by extraordinary great rain, and
my mind troubled the more to think what the soldiers would do on board
tonight in all this weather.
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 | 12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25