Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1664 N.S. Complete

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14th. Up and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon all of us,
viz., Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Batten at one end, and Mr. Coventry, Sir
J. Minnes and I (in the middle at the other end, being taught how to sit
there all three by my sitting so much the backwarder) at the other end, to
Sir G. Carteret's, and there dined well. Here I saw Mr. Scott, the
bastard that married his youngest daughter. Much pleasant talk at table,
and then up and to the office, where we sat long upon our design of
dividing the Controller's work into some of the rest of our hands for the
better doing of it, but he would not yield to it, though the simple man
knows in his heart that he do not do one part of it. So he taking upon
him to do it all we rose, I vexed at the heart to see the King's service
run after this manner, but it cannot be helped. Thence to the Old James
to the reference about Mr. Bland's business. Sir W. Rider being now added
to us, and I believe we shall soon come to some determination in it. So
home and to my office, did business, and then up to Sir W. Pen and did
express my trouble about this day's business, he not being there, and
plainly told him what I thought of it, and though I know him a false
fellow yet I adventured, as I have done often, to tell him clearly my
opinion of Sir W. Batten and his design in this business, which is very
bad. Hence home, and after a lecture to my wife in her globes, to prayers
and to bed.

15th. Up and to my office, where all the morning, and among other things
Mr. Turner with me, and I did tell him my mind about the Controller his
master and all the office, and my mind touching himself too, as he did
carry himself either well or ill to me and my clerks, which I doubt not
but it will operate well. Thence to the 'Change, and there met my uncle
Wight, who was very kind to me, and would have had me home with him, and
so kind that I begin to wonder and think something of it of good to me.
Thence home to dinner, and after dinner with Mr. Hater by water, and
walked thither and back again from Deptford, where I did do something
checking the iron business, but my chief business was my discourse with
Mr. Hater about what had passed last night and to-day about the office
business, and my resolution to do him all the good I can therein. So
home, and my wife tells me that my uncle Wight hath been with her, and
played at cards with her, and is mighty inquisitive to know whether she is
with child or no, which makes me wonder what his meaning is, and after all
my thoughts, I cannot think, unless it be in order to the making his will,
that he might know how to do by me, and I would to God my wife had told
him that she was.

16th. Up, and having paid some money in the morning to my uncle Thomas on
his yearly annuity, to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon
I to the 'Change about some pieces of eight for Sir J. Lawson. There I
hear that Collonell Turner is found guilty of felony at the Sessions in
Mr. Tryan's business, which will save his life. So home and met there J.
Hasper come to see his kinswoman our Jane. I made much of him and made
him dine with us, he talking after the old simple manner that he used to
do. He being gone, I by water to Westminster Hall, and there did see Mrs.
Lane. . . . So by coach home and to my office, where Browne of the
Minerys brought me an Instrument made of a Spyral line very pretty for all
questions in Arithmetique almost, but it must be some use that must make
me perfect in it. So home to supper and to bed, with my mind 'un peu
troubled pour ce que fait' to-day, but I hope it will be 'la dernier de
toute ma vie.'

17th (Lord's day). Up, and I and my wife to church, where Pembleton
appeared, which, God forgive me, did vex me, but I made nothing of it. So
home to dinner, and betimes my wife and I to the French church and there
heard a good sermon, the first time my wife and I were there ever
together. We sat by three sisters, all pretty women. It was pleasant to
hear the reader give notice to them, that the children to be catechized
next Sunday were them of Hounsditch and Blanche Chapiton. Thence home,
and there found Ashwell come to see my wife (we having called at her
lodging the other, day to speak with her about dressing my wife when my
Lord Sandwich dines here), and is as merry as ever, and speaks as
disconcerned for any difference between us on her going away as ever. She
being gone, my wife and I to see Sir W. Pen and there supped with him much
against my stomach, for the dishes were so deadly foule that I could not
endure to look upon them. So after supper home to prayers and to bed.

18th. Up, being troubled to find my wife so ready to have me go out of
doors. God forgive me for my jealousy! but I cannot forbear, though God
knows I have no reason to do so, or to expect her being so true to me as I
would have her. I abroad to White Hall, where the Court all in mourning
for the Duchesse of Savoy. We did our business with the Duke, and so I to
W. Howe at my Lord's lodgings, not seeing my Lord, he being abroad, and
there I advised with W. Howe about my having my Lord to dinner at my
house, who likes it well, though it troubles me that I should come to need
the advice of such a boy, but for the present it is necessary. Here I
found Mr. Mallard, and had from him a common tune set by my desire to the
Lyra Vyall, which goes most admirably. Thence home by coach to the
'Change, after having been at the Coffee-house, where I hear Turner is
found guilty of felony and burglary; and strange stories of his confidence
at the barr, but yet great indiscretion in his argueing. All desirous of
his being hanged. So home and found that Will had been with my wife.
But, Lord! why should I think any evil of that; and yet I cannot forbear
it. But upon enquiry, though I found no reason of doubtfulness, yet I
could not bring my nature to any quiet or content in my wife all day and
night, nor though I went with her to divert myself at my uncle Wight's,
and there we played at cards till 12 at night and went home in a great
shower of rain, it having not rained a great while before. Here was one
Mr. Benson, a Dutchman, played and supped with us, that pretends to sing
well, and I expected great matters but found nothing to be pleased with at
all. So home and to bed, yet troubled in my mind.

19th. Up, without any kindness to my wife, and so to the office, where we
sat all the morning, and at noon I to the 'Change, and thence to Mr.
Cutler's with Sir W. Rider to dinner, and after dinner with him to the Old
James upon our reference of Mr. Bland's, and, having sat there upon the
business half an hour, broke up, and I home and there found Madame Turner
and her sister Dike come to see us, and staid chatting till night, and so
away, and I to my office till very late, and my eyes began to fail me, and
be in pain which I never felt to now-a-days, which I impute to sitting up
late writing and reading by candle-light. So home to supper and to bed.

20th. Up and by coach to my Lord Sandwich's, and after long staying till
his coming down (he not sending for me up, but it may be he did not know I
was there), he came down, and I walked with him to the Tennis Court, and
there left him, seeing the King play. At his lodgings this morning there
came to him Mr. W. Montague's fine lady, which occasioned my Lord's
calling me to her about some business for a friend of hers preferred to be
a midshipman at sea. My Lord recommended the whole matter to me. She is a
fine confident lady, I think, but not so pretty as I once thought her. My
Lord did also seal a lease for the house he is now taking in Lincoln's Inn
Fields, which stands him in 250 per annum rent. Thence by water to my
brother's, whom I find not well in bed, sicke, they think, of a
consumption, and I fear he is not well, but do not complain, nor desire to
take anything. From him I visited Mr. Honiwood, who is lame, and to thank
him for his visit to me the other day, but we were both abroad. So to Mr.
Commander's in Warwicke Lane, to speak to him about drawing up my will,
which he will meet me about in a day or two. So to the 'Change and walked
home, thence with Sir Richard Ford, who told me that Turner is to be
hanged to-morrow, and with what impudence he hath carried out his trial;
but that last night, when he brought him newes of his death, he began to
be sober and shed some tears, and he hopes will die a penitent; he having
already confessed all the thing, but says it was partly done for a joke,
and partly to get an occasion of obliging the old man by his care in
getting him his things again, he having some hopes of being the better by
him in his estate at his death. Home to dinner, and after dinner my wife
and I by water, which we have not done together many a day, that is not
since last summer, but the weather is now very warm, and left her at Axe
Yard, and I to White Hall, and meeting Mr. Pierce walked with him an hour
in the Matted Gallery; among other things he tells me that my Lady
Castlemaine is not at all set by by the King, but that he do doat upon
Mrs. Stewart only; and that to the leaving of all business in the world,
and to the open slighting of the Queene; that he values not who sees him
or stands by him while he dallies with her openly; and then privately in
her chamber below, where the very sentrys observe his going in and out;
and that so commonly, that the Duke or any of the nobles, when they would
ask where the King is, they will ordinarily say, "Is the King above, or
below?" meaning with Mrs. Stewart: that the King do not openly disown my
Lady Castlemaine, but that she comes to Court; but that my Lord
FitzHarding and the Hambletons, and sometimes my Lord Sandwich, they say, have their snaps at her.

[The three brothers, George Hamilton, James Hamilton, and the Count
Antoine Hamilton, author of the "Memoires de Grammont."]

But he says my Lord Sandwich will lead her from her lodgings in the darkest
and obscurest manner, and leave her at the entrance into the Queene's
lodgings, that he might be the least observed; that the Duke of Monmouth
the King do still doat on beyond measure, insomuch that the King only, the
Duke of York, and Prince Rupert, and the Duke of Monmouth, do now wear
deep mourning, that is, long cloaks, for the Duchesse of Savoy; so that he
mourns as a Prince of the Blood, while the Duke of York do no more, and
all the nobles of the land not so much; which gives great offence, and he
says the Duke of York do consider. But that the Duke of York do give
himself up to business, and is like to prove a noble Prince; and so indeed
I do from my heart think he will. He says that it is believed, as well as
hoped, that care is taken to lay up a hidden treasure of money by the King
against a bad day, pray God it be so! but I should be more glad that the
King himself would look after business, which it seems he do not in the
least. By and by came by Mr. Coventry, and so we broke off; and he and I
took a turn or two and so parted, and then my Lord Sandwich came upon me,
to speak with whom my business of coming again to-night to this ende of
the town chiefly was, in order to the seeing in what manner he received
me, in order to my inviting him to dinner to my house, but as well in the
morning as now, though I did wait upon him home and there offered occasion
of talk with him, yet he treated me, though with respect, yet as a
stranger, without any of the intimacy or friendship which he used to do,
and which I fear he will never, through his consciousness of his faults,
ever do again. Which I must confess do trouble me above anything in the
world almost, though I neither do need at present nor fear to need to be
so troubled, nay, and more, though I do not think that he would deny me
any friendship now if I did need it, but only that he has not the face to
be free with me, but do look upon me as a remembrancer of his former
vanity, and an espy upon his present practices, for I perceive that
Pickering to-day is great with him again, and that he has done a great
courtesy for Mr. Pierce, the chirurgeon, to a good value, though both
these and none but these did I mention by name to my Lord in the business
which has caused all this difference between my Lord and me. However, I
am resolved to forbear my laying out my money upon a dinner till I see him
in a better posture, and by grave and humble, though high deportment, to
make him think I do not want him, and that will make him the readier to
admit me to his friendship again, I believe the soonest of anything but
downright impudence, and thrusting myself, as others do, upon him, which
yet I cannot do, not [nor] will not endeavour. So home, calling with my
wife to see my brother again, who was up, and walks up and down the house
pretty well, but I do think he is in a consumption. Home, troubled in
mind for these passages with my Lord, but am resolved to better my case in
my business to make my stand upon my owne legs the better and to lay up as
well as to get money, and among other ways I will have a good fleece out
of Creed's coat ere it be long, or I will have a fall. So to my office
and did some business, and then home to supper and to bed, after I had by
candlelight shaved myself and cut off all my beard clear, which will make
my worke a great deal the less in shaving.

21st. Up, and after sending my wife to my aunt Wight's to get a place to
see Turner hanged, I to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at
noon going to the 'Change; and seeing people flock in the City, I
enquired, and found that Turner was not yet hanged. And so I went among
them to Leadenhall Street, at the end of Lyme Street, near where the
robbery was done; and to St. Mary Axe, where he lived. And there I got
for a shilling to stand upon the wheel of a cart, in great pain, above an
houre before the execution was done; he delaying the time by long
discourses and prayers one after another, in hopes of a reprieve; but none
came, and at last was flung off the ladder in his cloake. A comely-looked
man he was, and kept his countenance to the end: I was sorry to see him.
It was believed there were at least 12 or 14,000 people in the street. So
I home all in a sweat, and dined by myself, and after dinner to the Old
James, and there found Sir W. Rider and Mr. Cutler at dinner, and made a
second dinner with them, and anon came Mr. Bland and Custos, and Clerke,
and so we fell to the business of reference, and upon a letter from Mr.
Povy to Sir W. Rider and I telling us that the King is concerned in it, we
took occasion to fling off the business from off our shoulders and would
have nothing to do with it, unless we had power from the King or
Commissioners of Tangier, and I think it will be best for us to continue
of that mind, and to have no hand, it being likely to go against the King.
Thence to the Coffee-house, and heard the full of Turner's discourse on
the cart, which was chiefly to clear himself of all things laid to his
charge but this fault, for which he now suffers, which he confesses. He
deplored the condition of his family, but his chief design was to lengthen
time, believing still a reprieve would come, though the sheriff advised
him to expect no such thing, for the King was resolved to grant none.
After that I had good discourse with a pretty young merchant with mighty
content. So to my office and did a little business, and then to my aunt
Wight's to fetch my wife home, where Dr. Burnett did tell me how poorly
the sheriffs did endeavour to get one jewell returned by Turner, after he
was convicted, as a due to them, and not to give it to Mr. Tryan, the true
owner, but ruled against them, to their great dishonour. Though they
plead it might be another jewell for ought they know and not Tryan's.
After supper home, and my wife tells me mighty stories of my uncle's fond
and kind discourses to her to-day, which makes me confident that he has
thoughts of kindness for us, he repeating his desire for her to be with
child, for it cannot enter into my head that he should have any unworthy
thoughts concerning her. After doing some business at my office, I home
to supper, prayers, and to bed.

22nd. Up, and it being a brave morning, with a gaily to Woolwich, and
there both at the Ropeyarde and the other yarde did much business, and
thence to Greenwich to see Mr. Pett and others value the carved work of
the "Henrietta" (God knows in an ill manner for the King), and so to
Deptford, and there viewed Sir W. Petty's vessel; which hath an odd
appearance, but not such as people do make of it, for I am of the opinion
that he would never have discoursed so much of it, if it were not better
than other vessels, and so I believe that he was abused the other day, as
he is now, by tongues that I am sure speak before they know anything good
or bad of her. I am sorry to find his ingenuity discouraged so. So home,
reading all the way a good book, and so home to dinner, and after dinner a
lesson on the globes to my wife, and so to my office till 10 or 11 o'clock
at night, and so home to supper and to bed.

23rd. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon home
to dinner, where Mr. Hawly came to see us and dined with us, and after we
had dined came Mr. Mallard, and after he had eat something, I brought down
my vyall which he played on, the first maister that ever touched her yet,
and she proves very well and will be, I think, an admirable instrument.
He played some very fine things of his owne, but I was afeard to enter too
far in their commendation for fear he should offer to copy them for me
out, and so I be forced to give or lend him something. So to the office in
the evening, whither Mr. Commander came to me, and we discoursed about my
will, which I am resolved to perfect the next week by the grace of God.
He being gone, I to write letters and other business late, and so home to
supper and to bed.

24th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed, and then up, and being desirous to
perform my vowes that I lately made, among others, to be performed this
month, I did go to my office, and there fell on entering, out of a
bye-book, part of my second journall-book, which hath lain these two years
and more unentered. Upon this work till dinner, and after dinner to it
again till night, and then home to supper, and after supper to read a
lecture to my wife upon the globes, and so to prayers and to bed. This
evening also I drew up a rough draught of my last will to my mind.

25th. Up and by coach to Whitehall to my Lord's lodgings, and seeing that
knowing that I was in the house, my Lord did not nevertheless send for me
up, I did go to the Duke's lodgings, and there staid while he was making
ready, in which time my Lord Sandwich came, and so all into his closet and
did our common business, and so broke up, and I homeward by coach with Sir
W. Batten, and staid at Warwicke Lane and there called upon Mr. Commander
and did give him my last will and testament to write over in form, and so
to the 'Change, where I did several businesses. So home to dinner, and
after I had dined Luellin came and we set him something to eat, and I left
him there with my wife, and to the office upon a particular meeting of the
East India Company, where I think I did the King good service against the
Company in the business of their sending our ships home empty from the
Indies contrary to their contract, and yet, God forgive me! I found that
I could be willing to receive a bribe if it were offered me to conceal my
arguments that I found against them, in consideration that none of my
fellow officers, whose duty it is more than mine, had ever studied the
case, or at this hour do understand it, and myself alone must do it. That
being done Mr. Povy and Bland came to speak with me about their business
of the reference, wherein I shall have some more trouble, but cannot help
it, besides I hope to make some good use of Mr. Povy to my advantage. So
home after business done at my office, to supper, and then to the globes
with my wife, and so to bed. Troubled a little in mind that my Lord
Sandwich should continue this strangeness to me that methinks he shows me
now a days more than while the thing was fresh.

26th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon to the
'Change, after being at the Coffee-house, where I sat by Tom Killigrew,
who told us of a fire last night in my Lady Castlemaine's lodging, where
she bid L40 for one to adventure the fetching of a cabinet out, which at
last was got to be done; and the fire at last quenched without doing much
wrong. To 'Change and there did much business, so home to dinner, and
then to the office all the afternoon. And so at night my aunt Wight and
Mrs. Buggin came to sit with my wife, and I in to them all the evening, my
uncle coming afterward, and after him Mr. Benson the Dutchman, a frank,
merry man. We were very merry and played at cards till late and so broke
up and to bed in good hopes that this my friendship with my uncle and aunt
will end well.

27th. Up and to the office, and at noon to the Coffeehouse, where I sat
with Sir G. Ascue

[Sir George Ayscue or Askew. After his return from his imprisonment
he declined to go to sea again, although he was twice afterwards
formally appointed. He sat on the court-martial on the loss of the
"Defiance" in 1668.]

and Sir William Petty, who in discourse is, methinks, one of the most
rational men that ever I heard speak with a tongue, having all his notions
the most distinct and clear, and, among other things (saying, that in all
his life these three books were the most esteemed and generally cried up
for wit in the world ("Religio Medici," "Osborne's Advice to a Son,"

[Francis Osborne, an English writer of considerable abilities and
popularity, was the author of "Advice to a Son," in two parts,
Oxford, 1656-8, 8vo. He died in 1659. He is the same person
mentioned as "My Father Osborne," October 19th, 1661.--B.]

and "Hudibras "), did say that in these--in the two first principally--the
wit lies, and confirming some pretty sayings, which are generally like
paradoxes, by some argument smartly and pleasantly urged, which takes with
people who do not trouble themselves to examine the force of an argument,
which pleases them in the delivery, upon a subject which they like;
whereas, as by many particular instances of mine, and others, out of
Osborne, he did really find fault and weaken the strength of many of
Osborne's arguments, so as that in downright disputation they would not
bear weight; at least, so far, but that they might be weakened, and better
found in their rooms to confirm what is there said. He shewed finely
whence it happens that good writers are not admired by the present age;
because there are but few in any age that do mind anything that is
abstruse and curious; and so longer before any body do put the true
praise, and set it on foot in the world, the generality of mankind
pleasing themselves in the easy delights of the world, as eating,
drinking, dancing, hunting, fencing, which we see the meanest men do the
best, those that profess it. A gentleman never dances so well as the
dancing master, and an ordinary fiddler makes better musique for a
shilling than a gentleman will do after spending forty, and so in all the
delights of the world almost. Thence to the 'Change, and after doing much
business, home, taking Commissioner Pett with me, and all alone dined
together. He told me many stories of the yard, but I do know him so well,
and had his character given me this morning by Hempson, as well as my own
too of him before, that I shall know how to value any thing he says either
of friendship or other business. He was mighty serious with me in
discourse about the consequence of Sir W. Petty's boat, as the most
dangerous thing in the world, if it should be practised by endangering our
losse of the command of the seas and our trade, while the Turkes and
others shall get the use of them, which, without doubt, by bearing more
sayle will go faster than any other ships, and, not being of burden, our
merchants cannot have the use of them and so will be at the mercy of their
enemies. So that I perceive he is afeard that the honour of his trade
will down, though (which is a truth) he pretends this consideration to
hinder the growth of this invention. He being gone my wife and I took
coach and to Covent Garden, to buy a maske at the French House, Madame
Charett's, for my wife; in the way observing the streete full of coaches
at the new play, "The Indian Queene;" which for show, they say, exceeds
"Henry the Eighth." Thence back to Mrs. Turner's and sat a while with
them talking of plays and I know not what, and so called to see Tom, but
not at home, though they say he is in a deep consumption, and Mrs. Turner
and Dike and they say he will not live two months to an end. So home and
to the office, and then to supper and to bed.

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