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

24th (Lord's day). Up, in some pain all day from yesterday's passages,
having taken cold, I suppose. So staid within all day reading of two or
three good plays. At night to my office a little, and so home, after
supper to bed.

25th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten by coach to St.
James's, but there the Duke being gone out we to my Lord Berkeley's
chamber, Mr. Coventry being there, and among other things there met with a
printed copy of the King's commission for the repair of Paul's, which is
very large, and large power for collecting money, and recovering of all
people that had bought or sold formerly any thing belonging to the Church.
And here I find my Lord Mayor of the City set in order before the
Archbishopp or any nobleman, though all the greatest officers of state are
there. But yet I do not hear by my Lord Berkeley, who is one of them,
that any thing is like to come of it. Thence back again homewards, and
Sir W. Batten and I to the Coffee-house, but no newes, only the plague is
very hot still, and encreases among the Dutch. Home to dinner, and after
dinner walked forth, and do what I could I could not keep myself from
going through Fleet Lane, but had the sense of safety and honour not to go
in, and the rather being a holiday I feared I might meet with some people
that might know me. Thence to Charing Cross, and there called at
Unthanke's to see what I owed, but found nothing, and here being a couple
of pretty ladies, lodgers in the kitchen, I staid a little there. Thence
to my barber Gervas, who this day buries his child, which it seems was
born without a passage behind, so that it never voided any thing in the
week or fortnight that it has been born. Thence to Mr. Reeves, it coming
just now in my head to buy a microscope, but he was not within, so I
walked all round that end of the town among the loathsome people and
houses, but, God be thanked! had no desire to visit any of them. So
home, where I met Mr. Lanyon, who tells me Mr. Alsop is past hopes, which
will mightily disappoint me in my hopes there, and yet it may be not. I
shall think whether it will be safe for me to venture myself or no, and
come in as an adventurer. He gone, Mr. Cole (my old Jack Cole) comes to
see and speak with me, and his errand in short to tell me that he is
giving over his trade; he can do no good in it, and will turn what he has
into money and go to sea, his father being dead and leaving him little, if
any thing. This I was sorry to hear, he being a man of good parts, but, I
fear, debauched. I promised him all the friendship I can do him, which
will end in little, though I truly mean it, and so I made him stay with me
till 11 at night, talking of old school stories, and very pleasing ones,
and truly I find that we did spend our time and thoughts then otherwise
than I think boys do now, and I think as well as methinks that the best
are now. He supped with me, and so away, and I to bed. And strange to
see how we are all divided that were bred so long at school together, and
what various fortunes we have run, some good, some bad.

26th. All the morning at the office, at noon to Anthony Joyce's, to our
gossip's dinner. I had sent a dozen and a half of bottles of wine
thither, and paid my double share besides, which is 18s. Very merry we
were, and when the women were merry and rose from table, I above with
them, ne'er a man but I, I began discourse of my not getting of children,
and prayed them to give me their opinions and advice, and they freely and
merrily did give me these ten, among them (1) Do not hug my wife too hard
nor too much; (2) eat no late suppers; (3) drink juyce of sage; (4) tent
and toast; (5) wear cool holland drawers; (6) keep stomach warm and back
cool; (7) upon query whether it was best to do at night or morn, they
answered me neither one nor other, but when we had most mind to it; (8)
wife not to go too straight laced; (9) myself to drink mum and sugar; (10)
Mrs. Ward did give me, to change my place. The 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and
10th they all did seriously declare, and lay much stress upon them as
rules fit to be observed indeed, and especially the last, to lie with our
heads where our heels do, or at least to make the bed high at feet and low
at head. Very merry all, as much as I could be in such sorry company.
Great discourse of the fray yesterday in Moorefields, how the butchers at
first did beat the weavers (between whom there hath been ever an old
competition for mastery), but at last the weavers rallied and beat them.
At first the butchers knocked down all for weavers that had green or blue
aprons, till they were fain to pull them off and put them in their
breeches. At last the butchers were fain to pull off their sleeves, that
they might not be known, and were soundly beaten out of the field, and
some deeply wounded and bruised; till at last the weavers went out
tryumphing, calling L100 for a butcher. I to Mr. Reeves to see a
microscope, he having been with me to-day morning, and there chose one
which I will have. Thence back and took up young Mrs. Harman, a pretty
bred and pretty humoured woman whom I could love well, though not
handsome, yet for her person and carriage, and black. By the way met her
husband going for her, and set them both down at home, and so home to my
office a while, and so to supper and bed.

27th. Up, and after some discourse with Mr. Duke, who is to be Secretary
to the Fishery, and is now Secretary to the Committee for Trade, who I
find a very ingenious man, I went to Mr. Povy's, and there heard a little
of his empty discourse, and fain he would have Mr. Gauden been the
victualler for Tangier, which none but a fool would say to me when he
knows he hath made it his request to me to get him something of these men
that now do it. Thence to St. James's, but Mr. Coventry being ill and in
bed I did not stay, but to White Hall a little, walked up and down, and so
home to fit papers against this afternoon, and after dinner to the 'Change
a little, and then to White Hall, where anon the Duke of Yorke came, and a
Committee we had of Tangier, where I read over my rough draught of the
contract for Tangier victualling, and acquainted them with the death of
Mr. Alsopp, which Mr. Lanyon had told me this morning, which is a sad
consideration to see how uncertain a thing our lives are, and how little
to be presumed of in our greatest undertakings. The words of the contract
approved of, and I home and there came Mr. Lanyon to me and brought my
neighbour, Mr. Andrews, to me, whom he proposes for his partner in the
room of Mr. Alsopp, and I like well enough of it. We read over the
contract together, and discoursed it well over and so parted, and I am
glad to see it once over in this condition again, for Mr. Lanyon and I had
some discourse to-day about my share in it, and I hope if it goes on to
have my first hopes of L300 per ann. They gone, I to supper and to bed.
This afternoon came my great store of Coles in, being to Chaldron, so that
I may see how long they will last me.

28th. At the office all the morning, dined, after 'Change, at home, and
then abroad, and seeing "The Bondman" upon the posts, I consulted my
oaths and find I may go safely this time without breaking it; I went
thither, notwithstanding my great desire to have gone to Fleet Alley, God
forgive me, again. There I saw it acted. It is true, for want of
practice, they had many of them forgot their parts a little; but Betterton
and my poor Ianthe outdo all the world. There is nothing more taking in
the world with me than that play. Thence to Westminster to my barber's,
and strange to think how when I find that Jervas himself did intend to
bring home my periwigg, and not Jane his maid, I did desire not to have it
at all, for I had a mind to have her bring it home. I also went to Mr.
Blagrave's about speaking to him for his kinswoman to come live with my
wife, but they are not come to town, and so I home by coach and to my
office, and then to supper and to bed. My present posture is thus: my
wife in the country and my mayde Besse with her and all quiett there. I
am endeavouring to find a woman for her to my mind, and above all one that
understands musique, especially singing. I am the willinger to keepe one
because I am in good hopes to get 2 or L300 per annum extraordinary by the
business of the victualling of Tangier, and yet Mr. Alsopp, my chief
hopes, is dead since my looking after it, and now Mr. Lanyon, I fear, is,
falling sicke too. I am pretty well in health, only subject to wind upon
any cold, and then immediate and great pains. All our discourse is of a
Dutch warr and I find it is likely to come to it, for they are very high
and desire not to compliment us at all, as far as I hear, but to send a
good fleete to Guinny to oppose us there. My Lord Sandwich newly gone to
sea, and I, I think, fallen into his very good opinion again, at least he
did before his going, and by his letter since, show me all manner of
respect and confidence. I am over-joyed in hopes that upon this month's
account I shall find myself worth L1000, besides the rich present of two
silver and gilt flaggons which Mr. Gauden did give me the other day. I do
now live very prettily at home, being most seriously, quietly, and neatly
served by my two mayds Jane and the girle Su, with both of whom I am
mightily well pleased. My greatest trouble is the settling of Brampton
Estate, that I may know what to expect, and how to be able to leave it
when I die, so as to be just to my promise to my uncle Thomas and his son.
The next thing is this cursed trouble my brother Tom is likely to put us
to by his death, forcing us to law with his creditors, among others Dr.
Tom Pepys, and that with some shame as trouble, and the last how to know
in what manner as to saving or spending my father lives, lest they should
run me in debt as one of my uncle's executors, and I never the wiser nor
better for it. But in all this I hope shortly to be at leisure to
consider and inform myself well.

29th. At the office all the morning dispatching of business, at noon to
the 'Change after dinner, and thence to Tom Trice about Dr. Pepys's
business, and thence it raining turned into Fleet Alley, and there was
with Cocke an hour or so. The jade, whether I would not give her money or
not enough; she would not offer to invite to do anything, but on the
contrary saying she had no time, which I was glad of, for I had no mind to
meddle with her, but had my end to see what a cunning jade she was, to see
her impudent tricks and ways of getting money and raising the reckoning by
still calling for things, that it come to 6 or 7 shillings presently. So
away home, glad I escaped without any inconvenience, and there came Mr.
Hill, Andrews and Seignor Pedro, and great store of musique we had, but I
begin to be weary of having a master with us, for it spoils, methinks, the
ingenuity of our practice. After they were gone comes Mr. Bland to me,
sat till 11 at night with me, talking of the garrison of Tangier and
serving them with pieces of eight. A mind he hath to be employed there,
but dares not desire any courtesy of me, and yet would fain engage me to
be for him, for I perceive they do all find that I am the busy man to see
the King have right done him by inquiring out other bidders. Being quite
tired with him, I got him gone, and so to bed.

30th. All the morning at the office; at noon to the 'Change, where great
talke of a rich present brought by an East India ship from some of the
Princes of India, worth to the King L70,000 in two precious stones. After
dinner to the office, and there all the afternoon making an end of several
things against the end of the month, that I may clear all my reckonings
tomorrow; also this afternoon, with great content, I finished the
contracts for victualling of Tangier with Mr. Lanyon and the rest, and to
my comfort got him and Andrews to sign to the giving me L300 per annum, by
which, at least, I hope to be a L100 or two the better. Wrote many
letters by the post to ease my mind of business and to clear my paper of
minutes, as I did lately oblige myself to clear every thing against the
end of the month. So at night with my mind quiet and contented to bed.
This day I sent a side of venison and six bottles of wine to Kate Joyce.

31st (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where I have not been these many
weeks. So home, and thither, inviting him yesterday, comes Mr. Hill, at
which I was a little troubled, but made up all very well, carrying him
with me to Sir J. Minnes, where I was invited and all our families to a
venison pasty. Here good cheer and good discourse. After dinner Mr. Hill
and I to my house, and there to musique all the afternoon. He being gone,
in the evening I to my accounts, and to my great joy and with great thanks
to Almighty God, I do find myself most clearly worth L1014, the first time
that ever I was worth L1000 before, which is the height of all that ever I
have for a long time pretended to. But by the blessing of God upon my
care I hope to lay up something more in a little time, if this business of
the victualling of Tangier goes on as I hope it will. So with praise to
God for this state of fortune that I am brought to as to wealth, and my
condition being as I have at large set it down two days ago in this book,
I home to supper and to bed, desiring God to give me the grace to make
good use of what I have and continue my care and diligence to gain more.

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

All divided that were bred so long at school together
Began discourse of my not getting of children
Came to bed to me, but all would not make me friends
Feared I might meet with some people that might know me
Had no mind to meddle with her
Her impudent tricks and ways of getting money
How little to be presumed of in our greatest undertakings
Mind to have her bring it home
My wife made great means to be friends, coming to my bedside
Never to trust too much to any man in the world
Not well, and so had no pleasure at all with my poor wife
Not when we can, but when we list
Now against her going into the country (lay together)
Periwigg he lately made me cleansed of its nits
Presse seamen, without which we cannot really raise men
Shakespeare's plays
She had the cunning to cry a great while, and talk and blubber
There eat and drank, and had my pleasure of her twice
These Lords are hard to be trusted
Things wear out of themselves and come fair again
To my Lord Sandwich, thinking to have dined there
Upon a very small occasion had a difference again broke out
Very high and very foule words from her to me
What wine you drinke, lett it bee at meales

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.
AUGUST & SEPTEMBER
1664

August 1st. Up, my mind very light from my last night's accounts, and so
up and with Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and Sir W. Pen to St. James's,
where among other things having prepared with some industry every man a
part this morning and no sooner (for fear they should either consider of
it or discourse of it one to another) Mr. Coventry did move the Duke and
obtain it that one of the clerkes of the Clerke of the Acts should have an
addition of L30 a year, as Mr. Turner hath, which I am glad of, that I may
give T. Hater L20 and keep L10 towards a boy's keeping. Thence Mr.
Coventry and I to the Attorney's chamber at the Temple, but not being
there we parted, and I home, and there with great joy told T. Hater what I
had done, with which the poor wretch was very glad, though his modesty
would not suffer him to say much. So to the Coffee-house, and there all
the house full of the victory Generall Soushe

[General Soushe was Louis Ratuit, Comte de Souches. The battle was
fought at Lewenz (or Leva), in Hungary.--B.]

(who is a Frenchman, a soldier of fortune, commanding part of the German
army) hath had against the Turke; killing 4,000 men, and taking most
extraordinary spoil. Thence taking up Harman and his wife, carried them
to Anthony Joyce's, where we had my venison in a pasty well done; but,
Lord! to see how much they made of, it, as if they had never eat any
before, and very merry we were, but Will most troublesomely so, and I find
he and his wife have a most wretched life one with another, but we took no
notice, but were very merry as I could be in such company. But Mrs.
Harman is a very pretty-humoured wretch, whom I could love with all my
heart, being so good and innocent company. Thence to Westminster to Mr.
Blagrave's, and there, after singing a thing or two over, I spoke to him
about a woman for my wife, and he offered me his kinswoman, which I was
glad of, but she is not at present well, but however I hope to have her.
Thence to my Lord Chancellor's, and thence with Mr. Coventry, who
appointed to meet me there, and with him to the Attorney General, and
there with Sir Ph. Warwicke consulted of a new commission to be had
through the Broad Seale to enable us to make this contract for Tangier
victualling. So home, and there talked long with Will about the young
woman of his family which he spoke of for to live with my wife, but though
she hath very many good qualitys, yet being a neighbour's child and young
and not very staid, I dare not venture of having her, because of her being
able to spread any report of our family upon any discontent among the
heart of our neighbours. So that my dependance is upon Mr. Blagrave, and
so home to supper and to bed. Last night, at 12 o'clock, I was waked
with knocking at Sir W. Pen's door; and what was it but people's running
up and down to bring him word that his brother,

[George Penn, the elder brother of Sir W. Penn, was a wealthy
merchant at San Lucar, the port of Seville. He was seized as a
heretic by the Holy Office, and cast into a dungeon eight feet
square and dark as the grave. There he remained three years, every
month being scourged to make him confess his crimes. At last, after
being twice put to the rack, he offered to confess whatever they
would suggest. His property, L12,000, was then confiscated, his
wife, a Catholic, taken from him, and he was banished from Spain for
ever.--M. B.]

who hath been a good while, it seems, sicke, is dead.

2nd. At the office all the morning. At noon dined, and then to, the
'Change, and there walked two hours or more with Sir W. Warren, who after
much discourse in general of Sir W. Batten's dealings, he fell to talk how
every body must live by their places, and that he was willing, if I
desired it, that I should go shares with him in anything that he deals in.
He told me again and again, too, that he confesses himself my debtor too
for my service and friendship to him in his present great contract of
masts, and that between this and Christmas he shall be in stocke and will
pay it me. This I like well, but do not desire to become a merchant, and,
therefore, put it off, but desired time to think of it. Thence to the
King's play-house, and there saw "Bartholomew Fayre," which do still
please me; and is, as it is acted, the best comedy in the world, I
believe. I chanced to sit by Tom Killigrew, who tells me that he is
setting up a Nursery; that is, is going to build a house in Moorefields,
wherein he will have common plays acted. But four operas it shall have in
the year, to act six weeks at a time; where we shall have the best scenes
and machines, the best musique, and every thing as magnificent as is in
Christendome; and to that end hath sent for voices and painters and other
persons from Italy. Thence homeward called upon my Lord Marlborough, and
so home and to my office, and then to Sir W. Pen, and with him and our
fellow officers and servants of the house and none else to Church to lay
his brother in the ground, wherein nothing handsome at all, but that he
lays him under the Communion table in the chancel, about nine at night?
So home and to bed.

3rd. Up betimes and set some joyners on work to new lay my floor in our
wardrobe, which I intend to make a room for musique. Thence abroad to
Westminster, among other things to Mr. Blagrave's, and there had his
consent for his kinswoman to come to be with my wife for her woman, at
which I am well pleased and hope she may do well. Thence to White Hall to
meet with Sir G. Carteret about hiring some ground to make our mast docke
at Deptford, but being Council morning failed, but met with Mr. Coventry,
and he and I discoursed of the likeliness of a Dutch warr, which I think
is very likely now, for the Dutch do prepare a fleet to oppose us at
Guinny, and he do think we shall, though neither of us have a mind to it,
fall into it of a sudden, and yet the plague do increase among them, and
is got into their fleet, and Opdam's own ship, which makes it strange they
should be so high. Thence to the 'Change, and thence home to dinner, and
down by water to Woolwich to the rope yard, and there visited Mrs.
Falconer, who tells me odd stories of how Sir W. Pen was rewarded by her
husband with a gold watch (but seems not certain of what Sir W. Batten
told me, of his daughter having a life given her in L80 per ann.) for his
helping him to his place, and yet cost him L150 to Mr. Coventry besides.
He did much advise it seems Mr. Falconer not to marry again, expressing
that he would have him make his daughter his heire, or words to that
purpose, and that that makes him, she thinks, so cold in giving her any
satisfaction, and that W. Boddam hath publickly said, since he came down
thither to be clerke of the ropeyard, that it hath this week cost him
L100, and would be glad that it would cost him but half as much more for
the place, and that he was better before than now, and that if he had been
to have bought it, he would not have given so much for it. Now I am sure
that Mr. Coventry hath again and again said that he would take nothing,
but would give all his part in it freely to him, that so the widow might
have something. What the meaning of this is I know not, but that Sir W.
Pen do get something by it. Thence to the Dockeyard, and there saw the
new ship in great forwardness. So home and to supper, and then to the
office, where late, Mr. Bland and I talking about Tangier business, and so
home to bed.

4th. Up betimes and to the office, fitting myself against a great dispute
about the East India Company, which spent afterwards with us all the
morning. At noon dined with Sir W. Pen, a piece of beef only, and I
counterfeited a friendship and mirth which I cannot have with him, yet out
with him by his coach, and he did carry me to a play and pay for me at the
King's house, which is "The Rivall Ladys," a very innocent and most pretty
witty play. I was much pleased with it, and it being given me, I look
upon it as no breach to my oathe. Here we hear that Clun, one of their
best actors, was, the last night, going out of towne (after he had acted
the Alchymist, wherein was one of his best parts that he acts) to his
country-house, set upon and murdered; one of the rogues taken, an Irish
fellow. It seems most cruelly butchered and bound. The house will have a
great miss of him. Thence visited my Lady Sandwich, who tells me my Lord
FitzHarding is to be made a Marquis. Thence home to my office late, and
so to supper and to bed.

5th. Up very betimes and set my plaisterer to work about whiting and
colouring my musique roome, which having with great pleasure seen done,
about ten o'clock I dressed myself, and so mounted upon a very pretty
mare, sent me by Sir W. Warren, according to his promise yesterday. And
so through the City, not a little proud, God knows, to be seen upon so
pretty a beast, and to my cozen W. Joyce's, who presently mounted too, and
he and I out of towne toward Highgate; in the way, at Kentish-towne,
showing me the place and manner of Clun's being killed and laid in a
ditch, and yet was not killed by any wounds, having only one in his arm,
but bled to death through his struggling. He told me, also, the manner of
it, of his going home so late [from] drinking with his whore, and manner
of having it found out. Thence forward to Barnett, and there drank, and
so by night to Stevenage, it raining a little, but not much, and there to
my great trouble, find that my wife was not come, nor any Stamford coach
gone down this week, so that she cannot come. So vexed and weary, and not
thoroughly out of pain neither in my old parts, I after supper to bed, and
after a little sleep, W. Joyce comes in his shirt into my chamber, with a
note and a messenger from my wife, that she was come by Yorke coach to
Bigglesworth, and would be with us to-morrow morning. So, mightily
pleased at her discreete action in this business, I with peace to sleep
again till next morning. So up, and

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