Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1664 N.S. Complete

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[Many attempts to produce a satisfactory revolver were made in
former centuries, but it was not till the present one that Colt's
revolver was invented. On February 18th, 1661, Edward, Marquis of
Worcester, obtained Letters Patent for "an invencon to make certeyne
guns or pistolls which in the tenth parte of one minute of an houre
may, with a flaske contrived to that purpose, be re-charged the
fourth part of one turne of the barrell which remaines still fixt,
fastening it as forceably and effectually as a dozen thrids of any
scrue, which in the ordinary and usual way require as many turnes."
On March 3rd, 1664, Abraham Hill obtained Letters Patent for a "gun
or pistoll for small shott, carrying seaven or eight charges of the
same in the stocke of the gun."]

Thence to the Temple, and there taking White's boat down to Woolwich,
taking Mr. Shish at Deptford in my way, with whom I had some good
discourse of the Navy business. At Woolwich discoursed with him and Mr.
Pett about iron worke and other businesses, and then walked home, and at
Greenwich did observe the foundation laying of a very great house for
the King, which will cost a great deale of money.

[Building by John Webb; now a part of Greenwich Hospital. Evelyn
wrote in his Diary, October 19th, 1661: "I went to London to visite
my Lord of Bristoll, having been with Sir John Denham (his Mates
surveyor) to consult with him about the placing of his palace at
Greenwich, which I would have had built between the river and the
Queene's house, so as a large cutt should have let in ye Thames like
a bay; but Sir John was for setting it in piles at the very brink of
the water, which I did not assent to and so came away, knowing Sir
John to be a better poet than architect, tho' he had Mr. Webb (Inigo
Jones's man) to assist him."]

So home to dinner, and my uncle Wight coming in he along with my wife and
I by coach, and setting him down by the way going to Mr. Maes we two to my
Lord Sandwich's to visit my Lady, with whom I left my wife discoursing,
and I to White Hall, and there being met by the Duke of Yorke, he called
me to him and discoursed a pretty while with me about the new ship's
dispatch building at Woolwich, and talking of the charge did say that he
finds always the best the most cheape, instancing in French guns, which in
France you may buy for 4 pistoles, as good to look to as others of 16, but
not the service. I never had so much discourse with the Duke before, and
till now did ever fear to meet him. He found me and Mr. Prin together
talking of the Chest money, which we are to blame not to look after.
Thence to my Lord's, and took up my wife, whom my Lady hath received with
her old good nature and kindnesse, and so homewards, and she home, I
'lighting by the way, and upon the 'Change met my uncle Wight and told him
my discourse this afternoon with Sir G. Carteret in Maes' business, but
much to his discomfort, and after a dish of coffee home, and at my office
a good while with Sir W. Warren talking with great pleasure of many
businesses, and then home to supper, my wife and I had a good fowle to
supper, and then I to the office again and so home, my mind in great ease
to think of our coming to so good a respect with my Lord again, and my
Lady, and that my Lady do so much cry up my father's usage of her
children, and the goodness of the ayre there, found in the young ladies'
faces at their return thence, as she says, as also my being put into the
commission of the Fishery,

[There had been recently established, under the Great Seal of
England, a Corporation for the Royal Fishing, of which the Duke of
York was Governor, Lord Craven Deputy-Governor, and the Lord Mayor
and Chamberlain of London, for the time being, Treasurers, in which
body was vested the sole power of licensing lotteries ("The Newes,"
October 6th, 1664). The original charter (dated April 8th, 1664),
incorporating James, Duke of York, and thirty-six assistants as
Governor and Company of the Royal Fishing of Great Britain and
Ireland, is among the State Papers. The duke was to be Governor
till February 26th, 1665]

for which I must give my Lord thanks, and so home to bed, having a great
cold in my head and throat tonight from my late cutting my hair so close
to my head, but I hope it will be soon gone again.

5th. Up and to the office, where, though I had a great cold, I was forced
to speak much upon a publique meeting of the East India Company, at our
office; where our own company was full, and there was also my Lord George
Barkeley, in behalfe of the company of merchants (I suppose he is on that
company), who, hearing my name, took notice of me, and condoled my cozen
Edward Pepys's death, not knowing whose son I was, nor did demand it of
me. We broke up without coming to any conclusion, for want of my Lord
Marlborough. We broke up and I to the 'Change, where with several people
and my uncle Wight to drink a dish of coffee, and so home to dinner, and
then to the office all the afternoon, my eye and my throat being very bad,
and my cold increasing so as I could not speak almost at all at night. So
at night home to supper, that is a posset, and to bed.

6th (Lord's day). Up, and my cold continuing in great extremity I could
not go out to church, but sat all day (a little time at dinner excepted)
in my closet at the office till night drawing up a second letter to Mr.
Coventry about the measure of masts to my great satisfaction, and so in
the evening home, and my uncle and aunt Wight came to us and supped with
us, where pretty merry, but that my cold put me out of humour. At night
with my cold, and my eye also sore still, to bed.

7th. Up betimes, and the Duke being gone abroad to-day, as we heard by a
messenger, I spent the morning at my office writing fair my yesterday's
work till almost 2 o'clock (only Sir G. Carteret coming I went down a
little way by water towards Deptford, but having more mind to have my
business done I pretended business at the 'Change, and so went into
another boat), and then, eating a bit, my wife and I by coach to the
Duke's house, where we saw "The Unfortunate Lovers;" but I know not
whether I am grown more curious than I was or no, but I was not much
pleased with it, though I know not where to lay the fault, unless it was
that the house was very empty, by reason of a new play at the other house.
Yet here was my Lady Castlemayne in a box, and it was pleasant to hear an
ordinary lady hard by us, that it seems did not know her before, say,
being told who she was, that "she was well enough." Thence home, and I
ended and sent away my letter to Mr. Coventry (having first read it and
had the opinion of Sir W. Warren in the case), and so home to supper and
to bed, my cold being pretty well gone, but my eye remaining still snare
and rhumey, which I wonder at, my right eye ayling nothing.

8th. Up with some little discontent with my wife upon her saying that she
had got and used some puppy-dog water, being put upon it by a desire of my
aunt Wight to get some for her, who hath a mind, unknown to her husband,
to get some for her ugly face. I to the office, where we sat all the
morning, doing not much business through the multitude of counsellors, one
hindering another. It was Mr. Coventry's own saying to me in his coach
going to the 'Change, but I wonder that he did give me no thanks for my
letter last night, but I believe he did only forget it. Thence home,
whither Luellin came and dined with me, but we made no long stay at
dinner; for "Heraclius" being acted, which my wife and I have a mighty
mind to see, we do resolve, though not exactly agreeing with the letter of
my vowe, yet altogether with the sense, to see another this month, by
going hither instead of that at Court, there having been none conveniently
since I made my vowe for us to see there, nor like to be this Lent, and
besides we did walk home on purpose to make this going as cheap as that
would have been, to have seen one at Court, and my conscience knows that
it is only the saving of money and the time also that I intend by my
oaths, and this has cost no more of either, so that my conscience before
God do after good consultation and resolution of paying my forfeit, did my
conscience accuse me of breaking my vowe, I do not find myself in the
least apprehensive that I have done any violence to my oaths. The play
hath one very good passage well managed in it, about two persons
pretending, and yet denying themselves, to be son to the tyrant Phocas,
and yet heire of Mauritius to the crowne. The garments like Romans very
well. The little girle is come to act very prettily, and spoke the
epilogue most admirably. But at the beginning, at the drawing up of the
curtaine, there was the finest scene of the Emperor and his people about
him, standing in their fixed and different pastures in their Roman
habitts, above all that ever I yet saw at any of the theatres. Walked
home, calling to see my brother Tom, who is in bed, and I doubt very ill
of a consumption. To the office awhile, and so home to supper and to bed.

9th. Up pretty betimes to my office, where all day long, but a little at
home at dinner, at my office finishing all things about Mr. Wood's
contract for masts, wherein I am sure I shall save the King L400 before I
have done. At night home to supper and to bed.

10th. Up and to the office, where all the morning doing business, and at
noon to the 'Change and there very busy, and so home to dinner with my
wife, to a good hog's harslet,

[Harslet or haslet, the entrails of an animal, especially of a hog,
as the heart, liver, &c.]

a piece of meat I love, but have not eat of I think these seven years, and
after dinner abroad by coach set her at Mrs. Hunt's and I to White Hall,
and at the Privy Seale I enquired, and found the Bill come for the
Corporation of the Royall Fishery; whereof the Duke of Yorke is made
present Governor, and several other very great persons, to the number of
thirty-two, made his assistants for their lives: whereof, by my Lord
Sandwich's favour, I am one; and take it not only as a matter of honour,
but that, that may come to be of profit to me, and so with great content
went and called my wife, and so home and to the office, where busy late,
and so home to supper and to bed.

11th. Up and by coach to my Lord Sandwich's, who not being up I staid
talking with Mr. Moore till my Lord was ready and come down, and went
directly out without calling for me or seeing any body. I know not
whether he knew I was there, but I am apt to think not, because if he
would have given me that slighting yet he would not have done it to others
that were there. So I went back again doing nothing but discoursing with
Mr. Moore, who I find by discourse to be grown rich, and indeed not to use
me at all with the respect he used to do, but as his equal. He made me
known to their Chaplin, who is a worthy, able man. Thence home, and by and
by to the Coffee-house, and thence to the 'Change, and so home to dinner,
and after a little chat with my wife to the office, where all the
afternoon till very late at the office busy, and so home to supper and to
bed, hoping in God that my diligence, as it is really very useful for the
King, so it will end in profit to myself. In the meantime I have good
content in mind to see myself improve every day in knowledge and being
known.

12th. Lay long pleasantly entertaining myself with my wife, and then up
and to the office, where busy till noon, vexed to see how Sir J. Minnes
deserves rather to be pitied for his dotage and folly than employed at a
great salary to ruin the King's business. At noon to the 'Change, and
thence home to dinner, and then down to Deptford, where busy a while, and
then walking home it fell hard a raining. So at Halfway house put in, and
there meeting Mr. Stacy with some company of pretty women, I took him
aside to a room by ourselves, and there talked with him about the several
sorts of tarrs, and so by and by parted, and I walked home and there late
at the office, and so home to supper and to bed.

13th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed talking with my wife, and then up in
great doubt whether I should not go see Mr. Coventry or no, who hath not
been well these two or three days, but it being foul weather I staid
within, and so to my office, and there all the morning reading some Common
Law, to which I will allot a little time now and then, for I much want it.
At noon home to dinner, and then after some discourse with my wife, to the
office again, and by and by Sir W. Pen came to me after sermon and walked
with me in the garden and then one comes to tell me that Anthony and Will
Joyce were come to see me, so I in to them and made mighty much of them,
and very pleasant we were, and most of their business I find to be to
advise about getting some woman to attend my brother Tom, whom they say is
very ill and seems much to want one. To which I agreed, and desired them
to get their wives to enquire out one. By and by they bid me good night,
but immediately as they were gone out of doors comes Mrs. Turner's boy
with a note to me to tell me that my brother Tom was so ill as they feared
he would not long live, and that it would be fit I should come and see
him. So I sent for them back, and they came, and Will Joyce desiring to
speak with me alone I took him up, and there he did plainly tell me to my
great astonishment that my brother is deadly ill, and that their chief
business of coming was to tell me so, and what is worst that his disease
is the pox, which he hath heretofore got, and hath not been cured, but is
come to this, and that this is certain, though a secret told his father
Fenner by the Doctor which he helped my brother to. This troubled me
mightily, but however I thought fit to go see him for speech of people's
sake, and so walked along with them, and in our way called on my uncle
Fenner (where I have not been these 12 months and more) and advised with
him, and then to my brother, who lies in bed talking idle. He could only
say that he knew me, and then fell to other discourse, and his face like a
dying man, which Mrs. Turner, who was here, and others conclude he is.
The company being gone, I took the mayde, which seems a very grave and
serious woman, and in W. Joyce's company' did inquire how things are with
her master. She told me many things very discreetly, and said she had all
his papers and books, and key of his cutting house, and showed me a bag
which I and Wm. Joyce told, coming to L5 14s. 0d., which we left with her
again, after giving her good counsel, and the boys, and seeing a nurse
there of Mrs. Holden's choosing, I left them, and so walked home greatly
troubled to think of my brother's condition, and the trouble that would
arise to me by his death or continuing sick. So at home, my mind
troubled, to bed.

14th. Up, and walked to my brother's, where I find he hath continued
talking idly all night, and now knows me not; which troubles me mightily.
So I walked down and discoursed a great while alone with the mayde, who
tells me many passages of her master's practices, and how she concludes
that he has run behind hand a great while and owes money, and has been
dunned by several people, among others by one Cave, both husband and wife,
but whether it was for--[See April 6th]--money or something worse she
knows not, but there is one Cranburne, I think she called him, in Fleete
Lane with whom he hath many times been mighty private, but what their
dealings have been she knows not, but believes these were naught, and then
his sitting up two Saturday nights one after another when all were abed
doing something to himself, which she now suspects what it was, but did
not before, but tells me that he hath been a very bad husband as to
spending his time, and hath often told him of it, so that upon the whole I
do find he is, whether he lives or dies, a ruined man, and what trouble
will befall me by it I know not. Thence to White Hall; and in the Duke's
chamber, while he was dressing, two persons of quality that were there did
tell his Royal Highness how the other night, in Holborne, about midnight,
being at cards, a link-boy come by and run into the house, and told the
people the house was a-falling. Upon this the whole family was frighted,
concluding that the boy had said that the house was a-fire: so they deft
their cards above, and one would have got out of the balcone, but it was
not open; the other went up to fetch down his children, that were in bed;
so all got clear out of the house. And no sooner so, but the house fell
down indeed, from top to bottom. It seems my Lord Southampton's
canaille--[sewer]--did come too near their foundation, and so weakened the
house, and down it came; which, in every respect, is a most extraordinary
passage. By and by into his closet and did our business with him. But I
did not speed as I expected in a business about the manner of buying hemp
for this year, which troubled me, but it proceeds only from my pride, that
I must needs expect every thing to be ordered just as I apprehend, though
it was not I think from my errour, but their not being willing to hear and
consider all that I had to propose. Being broke up I followed my Lord
Sandwich and thanked him for his putting me into the Fishery, which I
perceive he expected, and cried "Oh!" says he, "in the Fishery you mean.
I told you I would remember you in it," but offered no other discourse.
But demanding whether he had any commands for me, methought he cried "No!"
as if he had no more mind to discourse with me, which still troubles me
and hath done all the day, though I think I am a fool for it, in not
pursuing my resolution of going handsome in clothes and looking high, for
that must do it when all is done with my Lord. Thence by coach with Sir
W. Batten to the city, and his son Castle, who talks mighty highly against
Captain Tayler, calling him knave, and I find that the old Boating father
is led and talks just as the son do, or the son as the father would have
him. 'Light and to Mr. Moxon's, and there saw our office globes in doing,
which will be very handsome but cost money. So to the Coffee-house, and
there very fine discourse with Mr. Hill the merchant, a pretty, gentile,
young, and sober man. So to the 'Change, and thence home, where my wife
and I fell out about my not being willing to have her have her gowne
laced, but would lay out the same money and more on a plain new one. At
this she flounced away in a manner I never saw her, nor which I could ever
endure. So I away to the office, though she had dressed herself to go see
my Lady Sandwich. She by and by in a rage follows me, and coming to me
tells me in spitefull manner like a vixen and with a look full of rancour
that she would go buy a new one and lace it and make me pay for it, and
then let me burn it if I would after she had done it, and so went away in
a fury. This vexed me cruelly, but being very busy I had, not hand to
give myself up to consult what to do in it, but anon, I suppose after she
saw that I did not follow her, she came again to the office, where I made
her stay, being busy with another, half an houre, and her stomach coming
down we were presently friends, and so after my business being over at the
office we out and by coach to my Lady Sandwich's, with whom I left my
wife, and I to White Hall, where I met Mr. Delsety, and after an hour's
discourse with him met with nobody to do other business with, but back
again to my Lady, and after half an hour's discourse with her to my
brother's, who I find in the same or worse condition. The doctors give
him over and so do all that see him. He talks no sense two, words together
now; and I confess it made me weepe to see that he should not be able,
when I asked him, to say who I was. I went to Mrs. Turner's, and by her
discourse with my brother's Doctor, Mr. Powell, I find that she is full
now of the disease which my brother is troubled with, and talks of it
mightily, which I am sorry for, there being other company, but methinks
it should be for her honour to forbear talking of it, the shame of this
very thing I confess troubles me as much as anything. Back to my
brother's and took my wife, and carried her to my uncle Fenner's and there
had much private discourse with him. He tells me of the Doctor's thoughts
of my brother's little hopes of recovery, and from that to tell me his
thoughts long of my brother's bad husbandry, and from that to say that he
believes he owes a great deal of money, as to my cozen Scott I know not
how much, and Dr. Thos. Pepys L30, but that the Doctor confesses that he
is paid L20 of it, and what with that and what he owes my father and me I
doubt he is in a very sad condition, that if he lives he will not be able
to show his head, which will be a very great shame to me. After this I
went in to my aunt and my wife and Anthony Joyce and his wife, who were by
chance there, and drank and so home, my mind and head troubled, but I hope
it will [be] over in a little time one way or other. After doing a little
at my office of business I home to supper and to bed. From notice that my
uncle Fenner did give my father the last week of my brother's condition,
my mother is coming up to towne, which also do trouble me. The business
between my Lords Chancellor and Bristoll, they say, is hushed up; and the
latter gone or going, by the King's licence, to France.

15th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon
comes Madam Turner and her daughter The., her chief errand to tell me that
she had got Dr. Wiverly, her Doctor, to search my brother's mouth, where
Mr. Powell says there is an ulcer, from thence he concludes that he hath
had the pox. But the Doctor swears that there is not, nor ever was any,
and my brother being very sensible, which I was glad to hear, he did talk
with him about it, and he did wholly disclaim that ever he had the
disease, or that ever he said to Powell that he had it. All which did put
me into great comfort as to the reproach which was spread against him. So
I sent for a barrel of oysters, and they dined, and we were very merry, I
being willing to be so upon this news. After dinner we took coach and to
my brother's, where contrary to my expectation he continues as bad or
worse, talking idle, and now not at all knowing any of us as before. Here
we staid a great while, I going up and down the house looking after
things. In the evening Dr. Wiverley came again, and I sent for Mr. Powell
(the Doctor and I having first by ourselves searched my brother again at
his privities, where he was as clear as ever he was born, and in the
Doctor's opinion had been ever so), and we three alone discoursed the
business, where the coxcomb did give us his simple reasons for what he had
said, which the Doctor fully confuted, and left the fellow only saying
that he should cease to report any such thing, and that what he had said
was the best of his judgment from my brother's words and a ulcer, as he
supposed, in his mouth. I threatened him that I would have satisfaction
if I heard any more such discourse, and so good night to them two, giving
the Doctor a piece for his fee, but the other nothing. I to my brother
again, where Madam Turner and her company, and Mrs. Croxton, my wife, and
Mrs. Holding. About 8 o'clock my brother began to fetch his spittle with
more pain, and to speak as much but not so distinctly, till at last the
phlegm getting the mastery of him, and he beginning as we thought to
rattle, I had no mind to see him die, as we thought he presently would,
and so withdrew and led Mrs. Turner home, but before I came back, which
was in half a quarter of an hour, my brother was dead. I went up and
found the nurse holding his eyes shut, and he poor wretch lying with his
chops fallen, a most sad sight, and that which put me into a present very
great transport of grief and cries, and indeed it was a most sad sight to
see the poor wretch lie now still and dead, and pale like a stone. I
staid till he was almost cold, while Mrs. Croxton, Holden, and the rest
did strip and lay him out, they observing his corpse, as they told me
afterwards, to be as clear as any they ever saw, and so this was the end
of my poor brother, continuing talking idle and his lips working even to
his last that his phlegm hindered his breathing, and at last his breath
broke out bringing a flood of phlegm and stuff out with it, and so he
died. This evening he talked among other talk a great deal of French very
plain and good, as, among others: 'quand un homme boit quand il n'a poynt
d'inclination a boire il ne luy fait jamais de bien.' I once begun to
tell him something of his condition, and asked him whither he thought he
should go. He in distracted manner answered me--"Why, whither should I
go? there are but two ways: If I go, to the bad way I must give God thanks
for it, and if I go the other way I must give God the more thanks for it;
and I hope I have not been so undutifull and unthankfull in my life but I
hope I shall go that way." This was all the sense, good or bad, that I
could get of him this day. I left my wife to see him laid out, and I by
coach home carrying my brother's papers, all I could find, with me, and
having wrote a letter to, my father telling him what hath been said I
returned by coach, it being very late, and dark, to my brother's, but all
being gone, the corpse laid out, and my wife at Mrs. Turner's, I thither,
and there after an hour's talk, we up to bed, my wife and I in the little
blue chamber, and I lay close to my wife, being full of disorder and grief
for my brother that I could not sleep nor wake with satisfaction, at last
I slept till 5 or 6 o'clock.

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