Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1664 N.S. Complete

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28th. This is the first morning that I have begun, and I hope shall
continue to rise betimes in the morning, and so up and to my office, and
thence about 7 o'clock to T. Trice, and advised with him about our
administering to my brother Tom, and I went to my father and told him what
to do; which was to administer and to let my cozen Scott have a letter of
Atturny to follow the business here in his absence for him, who by that
means will have the power of paying himself (which we cannot however
hinder) and do us a kindness we think too. But, Lord! what a shame,
methinks, to me, that, in this condition, and at this age, I should know
no better the laws of my owne country! Thence to Westminster Hall, and
spent till noon, it being Parliament time, and at noon walked with Creed
into St. James's Parke, talking of many things, particularly of the poor
parts and great unfitness for business of Mr. Povy, and yet what a show he
makes in the world. Mr. Coventry not being come to his chamber, I walked
through the house with him for an hour in St. James's fields' talking of
the same subject, and then parted, and back and with great impatience,
sometimes reading, sometimes walking, sometimes thinking that Mr.
Coventry, though he invited us to dinner with him, was gone with the rest
of the office without a dinner. At last, at past 4 o'clock I heard that
the Parliament was not up yet, and so walked to Westminster Hall, and
there found it so, and meeting with Sir J. Minnes, and being very hungry,
went over with him to the Leg, and before we had cut a bit, the House
rises, however we eat a bit and away to St. James's and there eat a second
part of our dinner with Mr. Coventry and his brother Harry, Sir W. Batten
and Sir W. Pen. The great matter today in the House hath been, that Mr.
Vaughan, the great speaker, is this day come to towne, and hath declared
himself in a speech of an houre and a half, with great reason and
eloquence, against the repealing of the Bill for Triennial Parliaments;
but with no successe: but the House have carried it that there shall be
such Parliaments, but without any coercive power upon the King, if he will
bring this Act. But, Lord! to see how the best things are not done
without some design; for I perceive all these gentlemen that I was with
to-day were against it (though there was reason enough on their side); yet
purely, I could perceive, because it was the King's mind to have it; and
should he demand any thing else, I believe they would give it him. But
this the discontented Presbyters, and the faction of the House will be
highly displeased with; but it was carried clearly against them in the
House. We had excellent good table-talke, some of which I have entered in
my book of stories. So with them by coach home, and there find (bye my
wife), that Father Fogourdy hath been with her to-day, and she is mightily
for our going to hear a famous Reule preach at the French Embassador's
house: I pray God he do not tempt her in any matters of religion, which
troubles me; and also, she had messages from her mother to-day, who sent
for her old morning-gown, which was almost past wearing; and I used to
call it her kingdom, from the ease and content she used to have in the
wearing of it. I am glad I do not hear of her begging any thing of more
value, but I do not like that these messages should now come all upon
Monday morning, when my wife expects of course I should be abroad at the
Duke's. To the office, where Mr. Norman came and showed me a design of
his for the storekeeper's books, for the keeping of them regular in order
to a balance, which I am mightily satisfied to see, and shall love the
fellow the better, as he is in all things sober, so particularly for his
endeavour to do something in this thing so much wanted. So late home to
supper and to bed, weary-with walking so long to no purpose in the Park
to-day.

29th. Was called up this morning by a messenger from Sir G. Carteret to
come to him to Sir W. Batten's, and so I rose and thither to him, and with
him and Sir J. Minnes to, Sir G. Carteret's to examine his accounts, and
there we sat at it all the morning. About noon Sir W. Batten came from
the House of Parliament and told us our Bill for our office was read the
second time to-day, with great applause, and is committed. By and by to
dinner, where good cheere, and Sir G. Carteret in his humour a very good
man, and the most kind father and pleased father in his children that ever
I saw. Here is now hung up a picture of my Lady Carteret, drawn by Lilly,
a very fine picture, but yet not so good as I have seen of his doing.
After dinner to the business again without any intermission till almost
night, and then home, and took coach to my father to see and discourse
with him, and so home again and to my office, where late, and then home to
bed.

30th. Up very betimes to my office, and thence at 7 o'clock to Sir G.
Carteret, and there with Sir J. Minnes made an end of his accounts, but
staid not dinner, my Lady having made us drink our morning draft there of
several wines, but I drank: nothing but some of her coffee, which was
poorly made, with a little sugar in it. Thence to the 'Change a great
while, and had good discourse with Captain Cocke at the Coffee-house about
a Dutch warr, and it seems the King's design is by getting underhand the
merchants to bring in their complaints to the Parliament, to make them in
honour begin a warr, which he cannot in honour declare first, for fear
they should not second him with money. Thence homewards, staying a pretty
while with my little she milliner at the end of Birchin Lane, talking and
buying gloves of her, and then home to dinner, and in the afternoon had a
meeting upon the Chest business, but I fear unless I have time to look
after it nothing will be done,, and that I fear I shall not. In the
evening comes Sir W. Batten, who tells us that the Committee have approved
of our bill with very few amendments in words, not in matter. So to my
office, where late with Sir W. Warren, and so home to supper and to bed.

31st. Up betimes, and to my office, where by and by comes Povy, Sir W.
Rider, Mr. Bland, Creed, and Vernatty, about my Lord Peterborough's
accounts, which we now went through, but with great difficulty, and many
high words between Mr. Povy and I; for I could not endure to see so many
things extraordinary put in, against truthe and reason. He was very
angry, but I endeavoured all I could to profess my satisfaction in my
Lord's part of the accounts, but not in those foolish idle things, they
say I said, that others had put in. Anon we rose and parted, both of us
angry, but I contented, because I knew all of them must know I was in the
right. Then with Creed to Deptford, where I did a great deal of business
enquiring into the business of canvas and other things with great content,
and so walked back again, good discourse between Creed and I by the way,
but most upon the folly of Povy, and at home found Luellin, and so we to
dinner, and thence I to the office, where we sat all the afternoon late,
and being up and my head mightily crowded with business, I took my wife by
coach to see my father. I left her at his house and went to him to an
alehouse hard by, where my cozen Scott was, and my father's new tenant,
Langford, a tailor, to whom I have promised my custom, and he seems a very
modest, carefull young man. Thence my wife coming with the coach to the
alley end I home, and after supper to the making up my monthly accounts,
and to my great content find myself worth above L900, the greatest sum I
ever yet had. Having done my accounts, late to bed. My head of late
mighty full of business, and with good content to myself in it, though
sometimes it troubles me that nobody else but I should bend themselves to
serve the King with that diligence, whereby much of my pains proves
ineffectual.

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Doubtfull of himself, and easily be removed from his own opinion
Drink a dish of coffee
Ill from my late cutting my hair so close to my head
Nothing of the memory of a man, an houre after he is dead!
She had got and used some puppy-dog water
Subject to be put into a disarray upon very small occasions
Very angry we were, but quickly friends again
Went against me to have my wife and servants look upon them

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.
APRIL & MAY
1664

April 1st. Up and to my office, where busy till noon, and then to the
'Change, where I found all the merchants concerned with the presenting
their complaints to the Committee of Parliament appointed to receive them
this afternoon against the Dutch. So home to dinner, and thence by coach,
setting my wife down at the New Exchange, I to White Hall; and coming too
soon for the Tangier Committee walked to Mr. Blagrave for a song. I left
long ago there, and here I spoke with his kinswoman, he not being within,
but did not hear her sing, being not enough acquainted with her, but would
be glad to have her, to come and be at my house a week now and then. Back
to White Hall, and in the Gallery met the Duke of Yorke (I also saw the
Queene going to the Parke, and her Mayds of Honour: she herself looks ill,
and methinks Mrs. Stewart is grown fatter, and not so fair as she was);
and he called me to him, and discoursed a good while with me; and after he
was gone, twice or thrice staid and called me again to him, the whole
length of the house: and at last talked of the Dutch; and I perceive do
much wish that the Parliament will find reason to fall out with them. He
gone, I by and by found that the Committee of Tangier met at the Duke of
Albemarle's, and so I have lost my labour. So with Creed to the 'Change,
and there took up my wife and left him, and we two home, and I to walk in
the garden with W. Howe, whom we took up, he having been to see us, he
tells me how Creed has been questioned before the Council about a letter
that has been met with, wherein he is mentioned by some fanatiques as a
serviceable friend to them, but he says he acquitted himself well in it,
but, however, something sticks against him, he says, with my Lord, at
which I am not very sorry, for I believe he is a false fellow. I walked
with him to Paul's, he telling me how my Lord is little at home, minds his
carding and little else, takes little notice of any body; but that he do
not think he is displeased, as I fear, with me, but is strange to all,
which makes me the less troubled. So walked back home, and late at the
office. So home and to bed. This day Mrs. Turner did lend me, as a
rarity, a manuscript of one Mr. Wells, writ long ago, teaching the method
of building a ship, which pleases me mightily. I was at it to-night, but
durst not stay long at it, I being come to have a great pain and water in
my eyes after candle-light.

2nd. Up and to my office, and afterwards sat, where great contest with
Sir W. Batten and Mr. Wood, and that doating fool Sir J. Minnes, that says
whatever Sir W. Batten says, though never minding whether to the King's
profit or not. At noon to the Coffee-house, where excellent discourse
with Sir W. Petty, who proposed it as a thing that is truly questionable,
whether there really be any difference between waking and dreaming, that
it is hard not only to tell how we know when we do a thing really or in a
dream, but also to know what the difference [is] between one and the
other. Thence to the 'Change, but having at this discourse long
afterwards with Sir Thomas Chamberlin, who tells me what I heard from
others, that the complaints of most Companies were yesterday presented to
the Committee of Parliament against the Dutch, excepting that of the East
India, which he tells me was because they would not be said to be the
first and only cause of a warr with Holland, and that it is very probable,
as well as most necessary, that we fall out with that people. I went to
the 'Change, and there found most people gone, and so home to dinner, and
thence to Sir W. Warren's, and with him past the whole afternoon, first
looking over two ships' of Captain Taylor's and Phin. Pett's now in
building, and am resolved to learn something of the art, for I find it is
not hard and very usefull, and thence to Woolwich, and after seeing Mr.
Falconer, who is very ill, I to the yard, and there heard Mr. Pett tell me
several things of Sir W. Batten's ill managements, and so with Sir W.
Warren walked to Greenwich, having good discourse, and thence by water, it
being now moonshine and 9 or 10 o'clock at night, and landed at Wapping,
and by him and his man safely brought to my door, and so he home, having
spent the day with him very well. So home and eat something, and then to
my office a while, and so home to prayers and to bed.

3rd (Lord's day). Being weary last night lay long, and called up by W.
Joyce. So I rose, and his business was to ask advice of me, he being
summonsed to the House of Lords to-morrow, for endeavouring to arrest my
Lady Peters

[Elizabeth, daughter of John Savage, second Earl Rivers, and first
wife to William, fourth Lord Petre, who was, in 1678, impeached by
the Commons of high treason, and died under confinement in the
Tower, January 5th, 1683, s. p.--B.]

for a debt. I did give him advice, and will assist him. He staid all the
morning, but would not dine with me. So to my office and did business.
At noon home to dinner, and being set with my wife in the kitchen my
father comes and sat down there and dined with us. After dinner gives me
an account of what he had done in his business of his house and goods,
which is almost finished, and he the next week expects to be going down to
Brampton again, which I am glad of because I fear the children of my Lord
that are there for fear of any discontent. He being gone I to my office,
and there very busy setting papers in order till late at night, only in
the afternoon my wife sent for me home, to see her new laced gowne, that
is her gown that is new laced; and indeed it becomes her very nobly, and
is well made. I am much pleased with it. At night to supper, prayers,
and to bed.

4th. Up, and walked to my Lord Sandwich's; and there spoke with him about
W. Joyce, who told me he would do what was fit in so tender a point. I
can yet discern a coldness in him to admit me to any discourse with him.
Thence to Westminster, to the Painted Chamber, and there met the two
Joyces. Will in a very melancholy taking. After a little discourse I to
the Lords' House before they sat; and stood within it a good while, while
the Duke of York came to me and spoke to me a good while about the new
ship' at Woolwich. Afterwards I spoke with my Lord Barkeley and my Lord
Peterborough about it. And so staid without a good while, and saw my Lady
Peters, an impudent jade, soliciting all the Lords on her behalf. And at
last W. Joyce was called in; and by the consequences, and what my Lord
Peterborough told me, I find that he did speak all he said to his
disadvantage, and so was committed to the Black Rod: which is very hard,
he doing what he did by the advice of my Lord Peters' own steward. But
the Sergeant of the Black Rod did direct one of his messengers to take him
in custody, and so he was peaceably conducted to the Swan with two Necks,
in Tuttle Street, to a handsome dining-room; and there was most civilly
used, my uncle Fenner, and his brother Anthony, and some other friends
being with him. But who would have thought that the fellow that I should
have sworn could have spoken before all the world should in this be so
daunted, as not to know what he said, and now to cry like a child. I
protest, it is very strange to observe. I left them providing for his stay
there to-night and getting a petition against tomorrow, and so away to
Westminster Hall, and meeting Mr. Coventry, he took me to his chamber,
with Sir William Hickeman, a member of their House, and a very civill
gentleman. Here we dined very plentifully, and thence to White Hall to
the Duke's, where we all met, and after some discourse of the condition of
the Fleete, in order to a Dutch warr, for that, I perceive, the Duke hath
a mind it should come to, we away to the office, where we sat, and I took
care to rise betimes, and so by water to Halfway House, talking all the
way good discourse with Mr. Wayth, and there found my wife, who was gone
with her mayd Besse to have a walk. But, Lord! how my jealous mind did
make me suspect that she might have some appointment to meet somebody.
But I found the poor souls coming away thence, so I took them back, and
eat and drank, and then home, and after at the office a while, I home to
supper and to bed. It was a sad sight, me thought, to-day to see my Lord
Peters coming out of the House fall out with his lady (from whom he is
parted) about this business; saying that she disgraced him. But she hath
been a handsome woman, and is, it seems, not only a lewd woman, but very
high-spirited.

5th. Up very betimes, and walked to my cozen Anthony Joyce's, and thence
with him to his brother Will, in Tuttle Street, where I find him pretty
cheery over [what] he was yesterday (like a coxcomb), his wife being come
to him, and having had his boy with him last night. Here I staid an hour
or two and wrote over a fresh petition, that which was drawn by their
solicitor not pleasing me, and thence to the Painted chamber, and by and
by away by coach to my Lord Peterborough's, and there delivered the
petition into his hand, which he promised most readily to deliver to the
House today. Thence back, and there spoke to several Lords, and so did
his solicitor (one that W. Joyce hath promised L5 to if he be released).
Lord Peterborough presented a petition to the House from W. Joyce: and a
great dispute, we hear, there was in the House for and against it. At
last it was carried that he should be bayled till the House meets again
after Easter, he giving bond for his appearance. This was not so good as
we hoped, but as good as we could well expect. Anon comes the King and
passed the Bill for repealing the Triennial Act, and another about Writs
of Errour. I crowded in and heard the King's speech to them; but he
speaks the worst that ever I heard man in my life worse than if he read it
all, and he had it in writing in his hand. Thence, after the House was
up, and I inquired what the order of the House was, I to W. Joyce,' with
his brother, and told them all. Here was Kate come, and is a comely fat
woman. I would not stay dinner, thinking to go home to dinner, and did go
by water as far as the bridge, but thinking that they would take it kindly
my being there, to be bayled for him if there was need, I returned, but
finding them gone out to look after it, only Will and his wife and sister
left and some friends that came to visit him, I to Westminster Hall, and
by and by by agreement to Mrs. Lane's lodging, whither I sent for a
lobster, and with Mr. Swayne and his wife eat it, and argued before them
mightily for Hawly, but all would not do, although I made her angry by
calling her old, and making her know what herself is. Her body was out of
temper for any dalliance, and so after staying there 3 or 4 hours, but yet
taking care to have my oath safe of not staying a quarter of an hour
together with her, I went to W. Joyce, where I find the order come, and
bayle (his father and brother) given; and he paying his fees, which come
to above L2, besides L5 he is to give one man, and his charges of eating
and drinking here, and 10s. a-day as many days as he stands under bayle:
which, I hope, will teach him hereafter to hold his tongue better than he
used to do. Thence with Anth. Joyce's wife alone home talking of Will's
folly, and having set her down, home myself, where I find my wife dressed
as if she had been abroad, but I think she was not, but she answering me
some way that I did not like I pulled her by the nose, indeed to offend
her, though afterwards to appease her I denied it, but only it was done in
haste. The poor wretch took it mighty ill, and I believe besides wringing
her nose she did feel pain, and so cried a great while, but by and by I
made her friends, and so after supper to my office a while, and then home
to bed. This day great numbers of merchants came to a Grand Committee of
the House to bring in their claims against the Dutch. I pray God guide
the issue to our good!

6th. Up and to my office, whither by and by came John Noble, my father's
old servant, to speake with me. I smelling the business, took him home;
and there, all alone, he told me how he had been serviceable to my brother
Tom, in the business of his getting his servant, an ugly jade, Margaret,
with child. She was brought to bed in St. Sepulchre's parish of two
children; one is dead, the other is alive; her name Elizabeth, and goes by
the name of Taylor, daughter to John Taylor. It seems Tom did a great
while trust one Crawly with the business, who daily got money of him; and
at last, finding himself abused, he broke the matter to J. Noble, upon a
vowe of secresy. Tom's first plott was to go on the other side the water
and give a beggar woman something to take the child. They did once go,
but did nothing, J. Noble saying that seven years hence the mother might
come to demand the child and force him to produce it, or to be suspected
of murder. Then I think it was that they consulted, and got one Cave, a
poor pensioner in St. Bride's parish to take it, giving him L5, he thereby
promising to keepe it for ever without more charge to them. The parish
hereupon indite the man Cave for bringing this child upon the parish, and
by Sir Richard Browne he is sent to the Counter. Cave thence writes to Tom
to get him out. Tom answers him in a letter of his owne hand, which J.
Noble shewed me, but not signed by him, wherein he speaks of freeing him
and getting security for him, but nothing as to the business of the child,
or anything like it: so that forasmuch as I could guess, there is nothing
therein to my brother's prejudice as to the main point, and therefore I
did not labour to tear or take away the paper. Cave being released,
demands L5 more to secure my brother for ever against the child; and he
was forced to give it him and took bond of Cave in L100, made at a
scrivener's, one Hudson, I think, in the Old Bayly, to secure John Taylor,
and his assigns, &c. (in consideration of L10 paid him), from all
trouble, or charge of meat, drink, clothes, and breeding of Elizabeth
Taylor; and it seems, in the doing of it, J. Noble was looked upon as the
assignee of this John Taylor. Noble says that he furnished Tom with this
money, and is also bound by another bond to pay him 20s. more this next
Easter Monday; but nothing for either sum appears under Tom's hand. I
told him how I am like to lose a great sum by his death, and would not pay
any more myself, but I would speake to my father about it against the
afternoon. So away he went, and I all the morning in my office busy, and
at noon home to dinner mightily oppressed with wind, and after dinner took
coach and to Paternoster Row, and there bought a pretty silke for a
petticoate for my wife, and thence set her down at the New Exchange, and I
leaving the coat at Unthanke's, went to White Hall, but the Councell
meeting at Worcester House I went thither, and there delivered to the Duke
of Albemarle a paper touching some Tangier business, and thence to the
'Change for my wife, and walked to my father's, who was packing up some
things for the country. I took him up and told him this business of Tom,
at which the poor wretch was much troubled, and desired me that I would
speak with J. Noble, and do what I could and thought fit in it without
concerning him in it. So I went to Noble, and saw the bond that Cave did
give and also Tom's letter that I mentioned above, and upon the whole I
think some shame may come, but that it will be hard from any thing I see
there to prove the child to be his. Thence to my father and told what I
had done, and how I had quieted Noble by telling him that, though we are
resolved to part with no more money out of our own purses, yet if he can
make it appear a true debt that it may be justifiable for us to pay it, we
will do our part to get it paid, and said that I would have it paid before
my own debt. So my father and I both a little satisfied, though vexed to
think what a rogue my brother was in all respects. I took my wife by
coach home, and to my office, where late with Sir W. Warren, and so home
to supper and to bed. I heard to-day that the Dutch have begun with us by
granting letters of marke against us; but I believe it not.

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