Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1664 N.S. Complete

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27th. Up and to the office, where all the morning busy. At noon, Sir G.
Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, and myself, were
treated at the Dolphin by Mr. Foly, the ironmonger, where a good plain
dinner, but I expected musique, the missing of which spoiled my dinner,
only very good merry discourse at dinner. Thence with Sir G. Carteret by
coach to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, and thence back to London,
and 'light in Cheapside and I to Nellson's, and there met with a rub at
first, but took him out to drink, and there discoursed to my great content
so far with him that I think I shall agree with him for Bewpers to serve
the Navy with. So with great content home and to my office, where late,
and having got a great cold in my head yesterday home to supper and to
bed.

28th. Slept ill all night, having got a very great cold the other day at
Woolwich in [my] head, which makes me full of snot. Up in the morning,
and my tailor brings me home my fine, new, coloured cloth suit, my cloake
lined with plush, as good a suit as ever I wore in my life, and mighty
neat, to my great content. To my office, and there all the morning. At
noon to Nellson's, and there bought 20 pieces more of Bewpers, and hope to
go on with him to a contract. Thence to the 'Change a little, and thence
home with Luellin to dinner, where Mr. Deane met me by appointment, and
after dinner he and I up to my chamber, and there hard at discourse, and
advising him what to do in his business at Harwich, and then to discourse
of our old business of ships and taking new rules of him to my great
pleasure, and he being gone I to my office a little, and then to see Sir
W. Batten, who is sick of a greater cold than I, and thither comes to me
Mr. Holliard, and into the chamber to me, and, poor man (beyond all I ever
saw of him), was a little drunk, and there sat talking and finding
acquaintance with Sir W. Batten and my Lady by relations on both sides,
that there we staid very long. At last broke up, and he home much
overcome with drink, but well enough to get well home. So I home to
supper and to bed.

29th. Up, and it being my Lord Mayor's show, my boy and three mayds went
out; but it being a very foule, rainy day, from morning till night, I was
sorry my wife let them go out. All the morning at the office. At dinner
at home. In the afternoon to the office again, and about 9 o'clock by
appointment to the King's Head tavern upon Fish Street Hill, whither Mr.
Wolfe (and Parham by his means) met me to discourse about the Fishery, and
great light I had by Parham, who is a little conceited, but a very knowing
man in his way, and in the general fishing trade of England. Here I staid
three hours, and eat a barrel of very fine oysters of Wolfe's giving me,
and so, it raining hard, home and to my office, and then home to bed. All
the talke is that De Ruyter is come over-land home with six or eight of
his captaines to command here at home, and their ships kept abroad in the
Straights; which sounds as if they had a mind to do something with us.

30th (Lord's day). Up, and this morning put on my new, fine, coloured
cloth suit, with my cloake lined with plush, which is a dear and noble
suit, costing me about L17. To church, and then home to dinner, and after
dinner to a little musique with my boy, and so to church with my wife, and
so home, and with her all the evening reading and at musique with my boy
with great pleasure, and so to supper, prayers, and to bed.

31st. Very busy all the morning, at noon Creed to me and dined with me,
and then he and I to White Hall, there to a Committee of Tangier, where it
is worth remembering when Mr. Coventry proposed the retrenching some of
the charge of the horse, the first word asked by the Duke of Albemarle
was, "Let us see who commands them," there being three troops. One of
them he calls to mind was by Sir Toby Bridges. "Oh!" says he, "there is a
very good man. If you must reform

[Reform, i.e. disband. See "Memoirs of Sir John Reresby,"
September 2nd, 1651. "A great many younger brothers and reformed
officers of the King's army depended upon him for their meat and
drink." So reformado, a discharged or disbanded officer.--M. B.]

two of them, be sure let him command the troop that is left." Thence
home, and there came presently to me Mr. Young and Whistler, who find that
I have quite overcome them in their business of flags, and now they come
to intreat my favour, but I will be even with them. So late to my office
and there till past one in the morning making up my month's accounts, and
find that my expense this month in clothes has kept me from laying up
anything; but I am no worse, but a little better than I was, which is
L1205, a great sum, the Lord be praised for it! So home to bed, with my
mind full of content therein, and vexed for my being so angry in bad words
to my wife to-night, she not giving me a good account of her layings out
to my mind to-night. This day I hear young Mr. Stanly, a brave young
[gentleman], that went out with young Jermin, with Prince Rupert, is
already dead of the small-pox, at Portsmouth. All preparations against
the Dutch; and the Duke of Yorke fitting himself with all speed, to go to
the fleete which is hastening for him; being now resolved to go in the
Charles.

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
NOVEMBER
1664

November 1st. Up and to the office, where busy all the morning, at noon
(my wife being invited to my Lady Sandwich's) all alone dined at home upon
a good goose with Mr. Wayth, discussing of business. Thence I to the
Committee of the Fishery, and there we sat with several good discourses
and some bad and simple ones, and with great disorder, and yet by the men
of businesse of the towne. But my report in the business of the
collections is mightily commended and will get me some reputation, and
indeed is the only thing looks like a thing well done since we sat. Then
with Mr. Parham to the tavern, but I drank no wine, only he did give me
another barrel of oysters, and he brought one Major Greene, an able
fishmonger, and good discourse to my information. So home and late at
business at my office. Then to supper and to bed.

2nd. Up betimes, and down with Mr. Castle to Redriffe, and there walked
to Deptford to view a parcel of brave knees--[Knees of timber]--of his,
which indeed are very good, and so back again home, I seeming very
friendly to him, though I know him to be a rogue, and one that hates me
with his heart. Home and to dinner, and so to my office all the
afternoon, where in some pain in my backe, which troubled me, but I think
it comes only with stooping, and from no other matter. At night to
Nellson's, and up and down about business, and so home to my office, then
home to supper and to bed.

3rd. Up and to the office, where strange to see how Sir W. Pen is flocked
to by people of all sorts against his going to sea. At the office did
much business, among other an end of that that has troubled me long, the
business of the bewpers and flags. At noon to the 'Change, and thence by
appointment was met with Bagwell's wife, and she followed me into
Moorfields, and there into a drinking house, and all alone eat and drank
together. I did there caress her, but though I did make some offer did
not receive any compliance from her in what was bad, but very modestly she
denied me, which I was glad to see and shall value her the better for it,
and I hope never tempt her to any evil more. Thence back to the town, and
we parted and I home, and then at the office late, where Sir W. Pen came
to take his leave of me, being to-morrow, which is very sudden to us, to
go on board to lie on board, but I think will come ashore again before the
ship, the Charles,

["The Royal Charles" was the Duke of York's ship, and Sir William
Penn, who hoisted his flag in the "Royal James" on November 8th,
shifted to the "Royal Charles" on November 30th. The duke gave Penn
the command of the fleet immediately under himself. On Penn's
monument he is styled "Great Captain Commander under His Royal
Highness" (Penn's "Memorials of Sir William Penn," vol. ii.,
p. 296).]

can go away. So home to supper and to bed. This night Sir W. Batten did,
among other things, tell me strange newes, which troubles me, that my Lord
Sandwich will be sent Governor to Tangier, which, in some respects,
indeed, I should be glad of, for the good of the place and the safety of
his person; but I think his honour will suffer, and, it may be, his
interest fail by his distance.

4th. Waked very betimes and lay long awake, my mind being so full of
business. Then up and to St. James's, where I find Mr. Coventry full of
business, packing up for his going to sea with the Duke. Walked with him,
talking, to White Hall, where to the Duke's lodgings, who is gone thither
to lodge lately. I appeared to the Duke, and thence Mr. Coventry and I an
hour in the Long Gallery, talking about the management of our office, he
tells me the weight of dispatch will lie chiefly on me, and told me freely
his mind touching Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes, the latter of whom, he
most aptly said, was like a lapwing; that all he did was to keepe a
flutter, to keepe others from the nest that they would find. He told me
an old story of the former about the light-houses, how just before he had
certified to the Duke against the use of them, and what a burden they are
to trade, and presently after, at his being at Harwich, comes to desire
that he might have the setting one up there, and gets the usefulness of it
certified also by the Trinity House. After long discoursing and
considering all our stores and other things, as how the King hath resolved
upon Captain Taylor

[Coventry, writing to Secretary Bennet (November 14th, 1664), refers
to the objections made to Taylor, and adds: "Thinks the King will
not easily consent to his rejection, as he is a man of great
abilities and dispatch, and was formerly laid aside at Chatham on
the Duchess of Albemarle's earnest interposition for another. He is
a fanatic, it is true, but all hands will be needed for the work cut
out; there is less danger of them in harbour than at sea, and profit
will convert most of them" ("Calendar of State Papers," Domestic,
1664-65, p. 68).]

and Colonell Middleton, the first to be Commissioner for Harwich and the
latter for Portsmouth, I away to the 'Change, and there did very much
business, so home to dinner, and Mr. Duke, our Secretary for the Fishery,
dined with me. After dinner to discourse of our business, much to my
content, and then he away, and I by water among the smiths on the other
side, and to the alehouse with one and was near buying 4 or 5 anchors, and
learned something worth my knowing of them, and so home and to my office,
where late, with my head very full of business, and so away home to supper
and to bed.

5th. Up and to the office, where all the morning, at noon to the 'Change,
and thence home to dinner, and so with my wife to the Duke's house to a
play, "Macbeth," a pretty good play, but admirably acted. Thence home;
the coach being forced to go round by London Wall home, because of the
bonefires; the day being mightily observed in the City. To my office late
at business, and then home to supper, and to bed.

6th (Lord's day). Up and with my wife to church. Dined at home. And I
all the afternoon close at my office drawing up some proposals to present
to the Committee for the Fishery to-morrow, having a great good intention
to be serviceable in the business if I can. At night, to supper with my
uncle Wight, where very merry, and so home. To prayers and to bed.

7th. Up and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, where mighty thrusting
about the Duke now upon his going. We were with him long. He advised us
to follow our business close, and to be directed in his absence by the
Committee of the Councell for the Navy. By and by a meeting of the
Fishery, where the Duke was, but in such haste, and things looked so
superficially over, that I had not a fit opportunity to propose my paper
that I wrote yesterday, but I had chewed it to Mr. Gray and Wren before,
who did like it most highly, as they said, and I think they would not
dissemble in that manner in a business of this nature, but I see the
greatest businesses are done so superficially that I wonder anything
succeeds at all among us, that is publique. Thence somewhat vexed to see
myself frustrated in the good I hoped to have done and a little reputation
to have gained, and thence to my barber's, but Jane not being in the way I
to my Lady Sandwich's, and there met my wife and dined, but I find that I
dine as well myself, that is, as neatly, and my meat as good and
well-dressed, as my good Lady do, in the absence of my Lord. Thence by
water I to my barber's again, and did meet in the street my Jane, but
could not talk with her, but only a word or two, and so by coach called my
wife, and home, where at my office late, and then, it being washing day,
to supper and to bed.

8th. Up and to the office, where by and by Mr. Coventry come, and after
doing a little business, took his leave of us, being to go to sea with the
Duke to-morrow. At noon, I and Sir J. Minnes and Lord Barkeley (who with
Sir J. Duncum, and Mr. Chichly, are made Masters of the Ordnance), to the
office of the Ordnance, to discourse about wadding for guns. Thence to
dinner, all of us to the Lieutenant's of the Tower; where a good dinner,
but disturbed in the middle of it by the King's coming into the Tower: and
so we broke up, and to him, and went up and down the store-houses and
magazines; which are, with the addition of the new great store-house, a
noble sight. He gone, I to my office, where Bagwell's wife staid for me,
and together with her a good while, to meet again shortly. So all the
afternoon at my office till late, and then to bed, joyed in my love and
ability to follow my business. This day, Mr. Lever sent my wife a pair of
silver candlesticks, very pretty ones. The first man that ever presented
me, to whom I have not only done little service, but apparently did him
the greatest disservice in his business of accounts, as Purser-Generall,
of any man at the board.

9th. Called up, as I had appointed, by H. Russell, between two and three
o'clock, and I and my boy Tom by water with a gally down to the Hope, it
being a fine starry night. Got thither by eight o'clock, and there, as
expected, found the Charles, her mainmast setting. Commissioner Pett
aboard. I up and down to see the ship I was so well acquainted with, and
a great worke it is, the setting so great a mast. Thence the Commissioner
and I on board Sir G. Ascue, in the Henery, who lacks men mightily, which
makes me think that there is more believed to be in a man that hath
heretofore been employed than truly there is; for one would never have
thought, a month ago, that he would have wanted 1000 men at his heels.
Nor do I think he hath much of a seaman in him: for he told me, says he,
"Heretofore, we used to find our ships clear and ready, everything to our
hands in the Downes. Now I come, and must look to see things done like a
slave, things that I never minded, nor cannot look after." And by his
discourse I find that he hath not minded anything in her at all. Thence
not staying, the wind blowing hard, I made use of the Jemmy yacht and
returned to the Tower in her, my boy being a very droll boy and good
company. Home and eat something, and then shifted myself, and to White
Hall, and there the King being in his Cabinet Council (I desiring to speak
with Sir G. Carteret), I was called in, and demanded by the King himself
many questions, to which I did give him full answers. There were at this
Council my Lord Chancellor, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, the
two Secretarys, and Sir G. Carteret. Not a little contented at this
chance of being made known to these persons, and called often by my name
by the King, I to Mr. Pierces to take leave of him, but he not within, but
saw her and made very little stay, but straight home to my office, where I
did business, and then to supper and to bed. The Duke of York is this day
gone away to Portsmouth.

10th. Up, and not finding my things ready, I was so angry with Besse as
to bid my wife for good and all to bid her provide herself a place, for
though she be very good-natured, she hath no care nor memory of her
business at all. So to the office, where vexed at the malice of Sir W.
Batten and folly of Sir J. Minnes against Sir W. Warren, but I prevented,
and shall do, though to my own disquiet and trouble. At noon dined with
Sir W. Batten and the Auditors of the Exchequer at the Dolphin by Mr.
Wayth's desire, and after dinner fell to business relating to Sir G.
Carteret's account, and so home to the office, where Sir W. Batten begins,
too fast, to shew his knavish tricks in giving what price he pleases for
commodities. So abroad, intending to have spoke with my Lord Chancellor
about the old business of his wood at Clarendon, but could not, and so
home again, and late at my office, and then home to supper and bed. My
little girle Susan is fallen sicke of the meazles, we fear, or, at least,
of a scarlett feavour.

11th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten to the Council Chamber
at White Hall, to the Committee of the Lords for the Navy, where we were
made to wait an houre or two before called in. In that time looking upon
some books of heraldry of Sir Edward Walker's making, which are very fine,
there I observed the Duke of Monmouth's armes are neatly done, and his
title, "The most noble and high-born Prince, James Scott, Duke of
Monmouth, &c.;" nor could Sir J. Minnes, nor any body there, tell whence
he should take the name of Scott? And then I found my Lord Sandwich, his
title under his armes is, "The most noble and mighty Lord, Edward, Earl of
Sandwich, &c." Sir Edward Walker afterwards coming in, in discourse did
say that there was none of the families of princes in Christendom that do
derive themselves so high as Julius Caesar, nor so far by 1000 years, that
can directly prove their rise; only some in Germany do derive themselves
from the patrician familys of Rome, but that uncertainly; and, among other
things, did much inveigh against the writing of romances, that 500 years
hence being wrote of matters in general, true as the romance of Cleopatra,
the world will not know which is the true and which the false. Here was a
gentleman attending here that told us he saw the other day (and did bring
the draught of it to Sir Francis Prigeon) of a monster born of an
hostler's wife at Salisbury, two women children perfectly made, joyned at
the lower part of their bellies, and every part perfect as two bodies, and
only one payre of legs coming forth on one side from the middle where they
were joined. It was alive 24 hours, and cried and did as all hopefull
children do; but, being showed too much to people, was killed. By and by
we were called in, where a great many lords: Annesly in the chair. But,
Lord! to see what work they will make us, and what trouble we shall have
to inform men in a business they are to begin to know, when the greatest
of our hurry is, is a thing to be lamented; and I fear the consequence
will be bad to us. Thence I by coach to the 'Change, and thence home to
dinner, my head akeing mightily with much business. Our little girl
better than she was yesterday. After dinner out again by coach to my Lord
Chancellor's, but could not speak with him, then up and down to seek Sir
Ph. Warwicke, Sir G. Carteret, and my Lord Berkely, but failed in all, and
so home and there late at business. Among other things Mr. Turner making
his complaint to me how my clerks do all the worke and get all the profit,
and he hath no comfort, nor cannot subsist, I did make him apprehend how
he is beholding to me more than to any body for my suffering him to act as
Pourveyour of petty provisions, and told him so largely my little value of
any body's favour, that I believe he will make no complaints again a good
while. So home to supper and to bed, after prayers, and having my boy and
Mercer give me some, each of them some, musique.

12th. Up, being frighted that Mr. Coventry was come to towne and now at
the office, so I run down without eating or drinking or washing to the
office and it proved my Lord Berkeley. There all the morning, at noon to
the 'Change, and so home to dinner, Mr. Wayth with me, and then to the
office, where mighty busy till very late, but I bless God I go through
with it very well and hope I shall.

13th (Lord's day). This morning to church, where mighty sport, to hear
our clerke sing out of tune, though his master sits by him that begins and
keeps the tune aloud for the parish. Dined at home very well, and spent
all the afternoon with my wife within doors, and getting a speech out of
Hamlett, "To bee or not to bee,"' without book. In the evening to sing
psalms, and in come Mr. Hill to see me, and then he and I and the boy
finely to sing, and so anon broke up after much pleasure, he gone I to
supper, and so prayers and to bed.

14th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, to the Lords of the
Admiralty, and there did our business betimes. Thence to Sir Philip
Warwicke about Navy business: and my Lord Ashly; and afterwards to my Lord
Chancellor, who is very well pleased with me, and my carrying of his
business. And so to the 'Change, where mighty busy; and so home to
dinner, where Mr. Creed and Moore: and after dinner I to my Lord
Treasurer's, to Sir Philip Warwicke there, and then to White Hall, to the
Duke of Albemarle, about Tangier; and then homeward to the Coffee-house to
hear newes. And it seems the Dutch, as I afterwards found by Mr.
Coventry's letters, have stopped a ship of masts of Sir W. Warren's,
coming for us in a Swede's ship, which they will not release upon Sir G.
Downing's claiming her: which appears as the first act of hostility; and
is looked upon as so by Mr. Coventry. The Elias,' coming from New England
(Captain Hill, commander), is sunk; only the captain and a few men saved.
She foundered in the sea. So home, where infinite busy till 12 at night,
and so home to supper and to bed.

15th. That I might not be too fine for the business I intend this day, I
did leave off my fine new cloth suit lined with plush and put on my poor
black suit, and after office done (where much business, but little done),
I to the 'Change, and thence Bagwell's wife with much ado followed me
through Moorfields to a blind alehouse, and there I did caress her and eat
and drink, and many hard looks and sooth the poor wretch did give me, and
I think verily was troubled at what I did, but at last after many
protestings by degrees I did arrive at what I would, with great pleasure,
and then in the evening, it raining, walked into town to where she knew
where she was, and then I took coach and to White Hall to a Committee of
Tangier, where, and every where else, I thank God, I find myself growing
in repute; and so home, and late, very late, at business, nobody minding
it but myself, and so home to bed, weary and full of thoughts. Businesses
grow high between the Dutch and us on every side.

16th. My wife not being well, waked in the night, and strange to see how
dead sleep our people sleep that she was fain to ring an hour before any
body would wake. At last one rose and helped my wife, and so to sleep
again. Up and to my business, and then to White Hall, there to attend the
Lords Commissioners, and so directly home and dined with Sir W. Batten and
my Lady, and after dinner had much discourse tending to profit with Sir W.
Batten, how to get ourselves into the prize office

[The Calendars of State Papers are full of references to
applications for Commissionerships of the Prize Office. In
December, 1664, the Navy Committee appointed themselves the
Commissioners for Prize Goods, Sir Henry Bennet being appointed
comptroller, and Lord Ashley treasurer.]

or some other fair way of obliging the King to consider us in our
extraordinary pains. Then to the office, and there all the afternoon very
busy, and so till past 12 at night, and so home to bed. This day my wife
went to the burial of a little boy of W. Joyce's.

17th. Up and to my office, and there all the morning mighty busy, and
taking upon me to tell the Comptroller how ill his matters were done, and
I think indeed if I continue thus all the business of the office will come
upon me whether I will or no. At noon to the 'Change, and then home with
Creed to dinner, and thence I to the office, where close at it all the
afternoon till 12 at night, and then home to supper and to bed. This day
I received from Mr. Foley, but for me to pay for it, if I like it, an iron
chest, having now received back some money I had laid out for the King,
and I hope to have a good sum of money by me, thereby, in a few days, I
think above L800. But when I come home at night, I could not find the way
to open it; but, which is a strange thing, my little girle Susan could
carry it alone from one table clear from the ground and set upon another,
when neither I nor anyone in my house but Jane the cook-mayde could do it.

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