Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1664 N.S. Complete

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7th. Up and to my office, where busy, and by and by comes Sir W. Warren
and old Mr. Bond in order to the resolving me some questions about masts
and their proportions, but he could say little to me to my satisfaction,
and so I held him not long but parted. So to my office busy till noon and
then to the 'Change, where high talke of the Dutch's protest against our
Royall Company in Guinny, and their granting letters of marke against us
there, and every body expects a warr, but I hope it will not yet be so,
nor that this is true. Thence to dinner, where my wife got me a pleasant
French fricassee of veal for dinner, and thence to the office, where vexed
to see how Sir W. Batten ordered things this afternoon (vide my office
book, for about this time I have begun, my notions and informations
encreasing now greatly every day, to enter all occurrences extraordinary
in my office in a book by themselves), and so in the evening after long
discourse and eased my mind by discourse with Sir W. Warren, I to my
business late, and so home to supper and to bed.

8th. Up betimes and to the office, and anon, it begunn to be fair after a
great shower this morning, Sir W. Batten and I by water (calling his son
Castle by the way, between whom and I no notice at all of his letter the
other day to me) to Deptford, and after a turn in the yard, I went with
him to the Almes'-house to see the new building which he, with some
ambition, is building of there, during his being Master of Trinity House;
and a good worke it is, but to see how simply he answered somebody
concerning setting up the arms of the corporation upon the door, that and
any thing else he did not deny it, but said he would leave that to the
master that comes after him. There I left him and to the King's yard
again, and there made good inquiry into the business of the poop lanterns,
wherein I found occasion to correct myself mightily for what I have done
in the contract with the platerer, and am resolved, though I know not how,
to make them to alter it, though they signed it last night, and so I took
Stanes

[Among the State Papers is a petition of Thomas Staine to the Navy
Commissioners "for employment as plateworker in one or two
dockyards. Has incurred ill-will by discovering abuses in the great
rates given by the king for several things in the said trade. Begs
the appointment, whereby it will be seen who does the work best and
cheapest, otherwise he and all others will be discouraged from
discovering abuses in future, with order thereon for a share of the
work to be given to him" ("Calendar," Domestic, 1663-64, p. 395)]

home with me by boat and discoursed it, and he will come to reason when I
can make him to understand it. No sooner landed but it fell a mighty
storm of rain and hail, so I put into a cane shop and bought one to walk
with, cost me 4s. 6d., all of one joint. So home to dinner, and had an
excellent Good Friday dinner of peas porridge and apple pye. So to the
office all the afternoon preparing a new book for my contracts, and this
afternoon come home the office globes done to my great content. In the
evening a little to visit Sir W. Pen, who hath a feeling this day or two
of his old pain. Then to walk in the garden with my wife, and so to my
office a while, and then home to the only Lenten supper I have had of
wiggs--[Buns or teacakes.]--and ale, and so to bed. This morning betimes
came to my office to me boatswain Smith of Woolwich, telling me a notable
piece of knavery of the officers of the yard and Mr. Gold in behalf of a
contract made for some old ropes by Mr. Wood, and I believe I shall find
Sir W. Batten of the plot (vide my office daybook).

[These note-books referred to in the Diary are not known to exist
now.]

9th. The last night, whether it was from cold I got to-day upon the water
I know not, or whether it was from my mind being over concerned with
Stanes's business of the platery of the navy, for my minds was mighty
troubled with the business all night long, I did wake about one o'clock in
the morning, a thing I most rarely do, and pissed a little with great
pain, continued sleepy, but in a high fever all night, fiery hot, and in
some pain. Towards morning I slept a little and waking found myself
better, but . . . . with some pain, and rose I confess with my clothes
sweating, and it was somewhat cold too, which I believe might do me more
hurt, for I continued cold and apt to shake all the morning, but that some
trouble with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten kept me warm. At noon home
to dinner upon tripes, and so though not well abroad with my wife by coach
to her Tailor's and the New Exchange, and thence to my father's and spoke
one word with him, and thence home, where I found myself sick in my
stomach and vomited, which I do not use to do. Then I drank a glass or two
of Hypocras, and to the office to dispatch some business, necessary, and
so home and to bed, and by the help of Mithrydate slept very well.

10th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed, and then up and my wife dressed
herself, it being Easter day, but I not being so well as to go out, she,
though much against her will, staid at home with me; for she had put on
her new best gowns, which indeed is very fine now with the lace; and this
morning her taylor brought home her other new laced silks gowns with a
smaller lace, and new petticoats, I bought the other day both very pretty.
We spent the day in pleasant talks and company one with another, reading
in Dr. Fuller's book what he says of the family of the Cliffords and
Kingsmills, and at night being myself better than I was by taking a
glyster, which did carry away a great deal of wind, I after supper at
night went to bed and slept well.

11th. Lay long talking with my wife, then up and to my chamber preparing
papers against my father comes to lie here for discourse about country
business. Dined well with my wife at home, being myself not yet thorough
well, making water with some pain, but better than I was, and all my fear
of an ague gone away. In the afternoon my father came to see us, and he
gone I up to my morning's work again, and so in the evening a little to
the office and to see Sir W. Batten, who is ill again, and so home to
supper and to bed.

12th. Up, and after my wife had dressed herself very fine in her new
laced gown, and very handsome indeed, W. Howe also coming to see us, I
carried her by coach to my uncle Wight's and set her down there, and W.
Howe and I to the Coffee-house, where we sat talking about getting of him
some place under my Lord of advantage if he should go to sea, and I would
be glad to get him secretary and to out Creed if I can, for he is a crafty
and false rogue. Thence a little to the 'Change, and thence took him to
my uncle Wight's, where dined my father, poor melancholy man, that used to
be as full of life as anybody, and also my aunt's brother, Mr. Sutton, a
merchant in Flanders, a very sober, fine man, and Mr. Cole and his lady;
but, Lord! how I used to adore that man's talke, and now methinks he is
but an ordinary man, his son a pretty boy indeed, but his nose unhappily
awry. Other good company and an indifferent, and but indifferent dinner
for so much company, and after dinner got a coach, very dear, it being
Easter time and very foul weather, to my Lord's, and there visited my
Lady, and leaving my wife there I and W. Howe to Mr. Pagett's, and there
heard some musique not very good, but only one Dr. Walgrave, an Englishman
bred at Rome, who plays the best upon the lute that I ever heard man.
Here I also met Mr. Hill

[Thomas Hill, a man whose taste for music caused him to be a very
acceptable companion to Pepys. In January, 1664-65, he became
assistant to the secretary of the Prize Office.]

the little merchant, and after all was done we sung. I did well enough a
Psalm or two of Lawes; he I perceive has good skill and sings well, and a
friend of his sings a good base. Thence late walked with them two as far
as my Lord's, thinking to take up my wife and carry them home, but there
being no coach to be got away they went, and I staid a great while, it
being very late, about 10 o'clock, before a coach could be got. I found
my Lord and ladies and my wife at supper. My Lord seems very kind. But I
am apt to think still the worst, and that it is only in show, my wife and
Lady being there. So home, and find my father come to lie at our house;
and so supped, and saw him, poor man, to bed, my heart never being fuller
of love to him, nor admiration of his prudence and pains heretofore in the
world than now, to see how Tom hath carried himself in his trade; and how
the poor man hath his thoughts going to provide for his younger children
and my mother. But I hope they shall never want. So myself and wife to
bed.

13th. Though late, past 12, before we went to bed, yet I heard my poor
father up, and so I rang up my people, and I rose and got something to eat
and drink for him, and so abroad, it being a mighty foul day, by coach,
setting my father down in Fleet Streete and I to St. James's, where I
found Mr. Coventry (the Duke being now come thither for the summer) with a
goldsmith, sorting out his old plate to change for new; but, Lord! what a
deale he hath! I staid and had two or three hours discourse with him,
talking about the disorders of our office, and I largely to tell him how
things are carried by Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes to my great grief.
He seems much concerned also, and for all the King's matters that are done
after the same rate every where else, and even the Duke's household
matters too, generally with corruption, but most indeed with neglect and
indifferency. I spoke very loud and clear to him my thoughts of Sir J.
Minnes and the other, and trust him with the using of them. Then to talk
of our business with the Dutch; he tells me fully that he believes it will
not come to a warr; for first, he showed me a letter from Sir George
Downing, his own hand, where he assures him that the Dutch themselves do
not desire, but above all things fear it, and that they neither have given
letters of marke against our shipps in Guinny, nor do De Ruyter

[Michael De Ruyter, the Dutch admiral, was born 1607. He served
under Tromp in the war against England in 1653, and was Lieutenant
Admiral General of Holland in 1665. He died April 26th, 1676, of
wounds received in a battle with the French off Syracuse. Among the
State Papers is a news letter (dated July 14th, 1664) containing
information as to the views of the Dutch respecting a war with
England. "They are preparing many ships, and raising 6,000 men, and
have no doubt of conquering by sea." "A wise man says the States
know how to master England by sending moneys into Scotland for them
to rebel, and also to the discontented in England, so as to place
the King in the same straits as his father was, and bring him to
agree with Holland" ("Calendar," 1663-64, p. 642).]

stay at home with his fleet with an eye to any such thing, but for want of
a wind, and is now come out and is going to the Streights. He tells me
also that the most he expects is that upon the merchants' complaints, the
Parliament will represent them to the King, desiring his securing of his
subjects against them, and though perhaps they may not directly see fit,
yet even this will be enough to let the Dutch know that the Parliament do
not oppose the King, and by that means take away their hopes, which was
that the King of England could not get money or do anything towards a warr
with them, and so thought themselves free from making any restitution,
which by this they will be deceived in. He tells me also that the Dutch
states are in no good condition themselves, differing one with another,
and that for certain none but the states of Holland and Zealand will
contribute towards a warr, the others reckoning themselves, being inland,
not concerned in the profits of warr or peace. But it is pretty to see
what he says, that those here that are forward for a warr at Court, they
are reported in the world to be only designers of getting money into the
King's hands, they that elsewhere are for it have a design to trouble the
kingdom and to give the Fanatiques an opportunity of doing hurt, and
lastly those that are against it (as he himself for one is very cold
therein) are said to be bribed by the Dutch. After all this discourse he
carried me in his coach, it raining still, to, Charing Cross, and there
put me into another, and I calling my father and brother carried them to
my house to dinner, my wife keeping bed all day . . . . All the
afternoon at the office with W. Boddam looking over his particulars about
the Chest of Chatham, which shows enough what a knave Commissioner Pett
hath been all along, and how Sir W. Batten hath gone on in getting good
allowance to himself and others out of the poors' money. Time will show
all. So in the evening to see Sir W. Pen, and then home to my father to
keep him company, he being to go out of town, and up late with him and my
brother John till past 12 at night to make up papers of Tom's accounts fit
to leave with my cozen Scott. At last we did make an end of them, and so
after supper all to bed.

14th. Up betimes, and after my father's eating something, I walked out
with him as far as Milk Streete, he turning down to Cripplegate to take
coach; and at the end of the streete I took leave, being much afeard I
shall not see him here any more, he do decay so much every day, and so I
walked on, there being never a coach to be had till I came to Charing
Cross, and there Col. Froud took me up and carried me to St. James's,
where with Mr. Coventry and Povy, &c., about my Lord Peterborough's
accounts, but, Lord! to see still what a puppy that Povy is with all his
show is very strange. Thence to Whitehall and W. C[oventry] and I and Sir
W. Rider resolved upon a day to meet and make an end of all the business.
Thence walked with Creed to the Coffee-house in Covent Garden, where no
company, but he told me many fine experiments at Gresham College; and some
demonstration that the heat and cold of the weather do rarify and condense
the very body of glasse, as in a bolt head' with cold water in it put into
hot water, shall first by rarifying the glasse make the water sink, and
then when the heat comes to the water makes that rise again, and then put
into cold water makes the water by condensing the glass to rise, and then
when the cold comes to the water makes it sink, which is very pretty and
true, he saw it tried. Thence by coach home, and dined above with my wife
by her bedside, she keeping her bed . . . . So to the office, where
a great conflict with Wood and Castle about their New England masts? So
in the evening my mind a little vexed, but yet without reason, for I shall
prevail, I hope, for the King's profit, and so home to supper and to bed.

15th. Up and all the morning with Captain Taylor at my house talking
about things of the Navy, and among other things I showed him my letters
to Mr. Coventry, wherein he acknowledges that nobody to this day did ever
understand so much as I have done, and I believe him, for I perceive he
did very much listen to every article as things new to him, and is
contented to abide by my opinion therein in his great contest with us
about his and Mr. Wood's masts. At noon to the 'Change, where I met with
Mr. Hill, the little merchant, with whom, I perceive, I shall contract a
musical acquaintance; but I will make it as little troublesome as I can.
Home and dined, and then with my wife by coach to the Duke's house, and
there saw "The German Princess" acted, by the woman herself; but never was
any thing so well done in earnest, worse performed in jest upon the stage;
and indeed the whole play, abating the drollery of him that acts her
husband, is very simple, unless here and there a witty sprinkle or two. We
met and sat by Dr. Clerke. Thence homewards, calling at Madam Turner's,
and thence set my wife down at my aunt Wight's and I to my office till
late, and then at to at night fetched her home, and so again to my office
a little, and then to supper and to bed.

16th. Up and to the office, where all the morning upon the dispute of Mr.
Wood's masts, and at noon with Mr. Coventry to the African House; and
after a good and pleasant dinner, up with him, Sir W. Rider, the simple
Povy, of all the most ridiculous foole that ever I knew to attend to
business, and Creed and Vernatty, about my Lord Peterborough's accounts;
but the more we look into them, the more we see of them that makes
dispute, which made us break off, and so I home, and there found my wife
and Besse gone over the water to Half-way house, and after them, thinking
to have gone to Woolwich, but it was too late, so eat a cake and home, and
thence by coach to have spoke with Tom Trice about a letter I met with
this afternoon from my cozen Scott, wherein he seems to deny proceeding as
my father's attorney in administering for him in my brother Tom's estate,
but I find him gone out of town, and so returned vexed home and to the
office, where late writing a letter to him, and so home and to bed.

17th (Lord's day). Up, and I put on my best cloth black suit and my
velvet cloake, and with my wife in her best laced suit to church, where we
have not been these nine or ten weeks. The truth is, my jealousy hath
hindered it, for fear she should see Pembleton. He was here to-day, but I
think sat so as he could not see her, which did please me, God help me!
mightily, though I know well enough that in reason this is nothing but my
ridiculous folly. Home to dinner, and in the afternoon, after long
consulting whether to go to Woolwich or no to see Mr. Falconer, but indeed
to prevent my wife going to church, I did however go to church with her,
where a young simple fellow did preach: I slept soundly all the sermon,
and thence to Sir W. Pen's, my wife and I, there she talking with him and
his daughter, and thence with my wife walked to my uncle Wight's and there
supped, where very merry, but I vexed to see what charges the vanity of my
aunt puts her husband to among her friends and nothing at all among ours.
Home and to bed. Our parson, Mr. Mills, his owne mistake in reading of
the service was very remarkable, that instead of saying, "We beseech thee
to preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth," he cries,
"Preserve to our use our gracious Queen Katherine."

18th. Up and by coach to Westminster, and there solicited W. Joyce's
business again; and did speake to the Duke of Yorke about it, who did
understand it very well. I afterwards did without the House fall in
company with my Lady Peters, and endeavoured to mollify her; but she told
me she would not, to redeem her from hell, do any thing to release him;
but would be revenged while she lived, if she lived the age of Methusalem.
I made many friends, and so did others. At last it was ordered by the
Lords that it should be referred to the Committee of Privileges to
consider. So I, after discoursing with the Joyces, away by coach to the
'Change; and there, among other things, do hear that a Jew hath put in a
policy of four per cent. to any man, to insure him against a Dutch warr
for four months; I could find in my heart to take him at this offer, but
however will advise first, and to that end took coach to St. James's, but
Mr. Coventry was gone forth, and I thence to Westminster Hall, where Mrs.
Lane was gone forth, and so I missed of my intent to be with her this
afternoon, and therefore meeting Mr. Blagrave, went home with him, and
there he and his kinswoman sang, but I was not pleased with it, they
singing methought very ill, or else I am grown worse to please than
heretofore. Thence to the Hall again, and after meeting with several
persons, and talking there, I to Mrs. Hunt's (where I knew my wife and my
aunt Wight were about business), and they being gone to walk in the parke
I went after them with Mrs. Hunt, who staid at home for me, and finding
them did by coach, which I had agreed to wait for me, go with them all and
Mrs. Hunt and a kinswoman of theirs, Mrs. Steward, to Hide Parke, where I
have not been since last year; where I saw the King with his periwigg, but
not altered at all; and my Lady Castlemayne in a coach by herself, in
yellow satin and a pinner on; and many brave persons. And myself being in
a hackney and full of people, was ashamed to be seen by the world, many of
them knowing me. Thence in the evening home, setting my aunt at home, and
thence we sent for a joynt of meat to supper, and thence to the office at
11 o'clock at night, and so home to bed.

19th. Up and to St. James's, where long with Mr. Coventry, Povy, &c., in
their Tangier accounts, but such the folly of that coxcomb Povy that we
could do little in it, and so parted for the time, and I to walk with
Creed and Vernaty in the Physique Garden in St. James's Parke; where I
first saw orange-trees, and other fine trees. So to Westminster Hall, and
thence by water to the Temple, and so walked to the 'Change, and there
find the 'Change full of news from Guinny, some say the Dutch have sunk
our ships and taken our fort, and others say we have done the same to
them. But I find by our merchants that something is done, but is yet a
secret among them. So home to dinner, and then to the office, and at
night with Captain Tayler consulting how to get a little money by letting
him the Elias to fetch masts from New England. So home to supper and to
bed.

20th. Up and by coach to Westminster, and there solicited W. Joyce's
business all the morning, and meeting in the Hall with Mr. Coventry, he
told me how the Committee for Trade have received now all the complaints
of the merchants against the Dutch, and were resolved to report very
highly the wrongs they have done us (when, God knows! it is only our owne
negligence and laziness that hath done us the wrong) and this to be made
to the House to-morrow. I went also out of the Hall with Mrs. Lane to the
Swan at Mrs. Herbert's in the Palace Yard to try a couple of bands, and
did (though I had a mind to be playing the fool with her) purposely stay
but a little while, and kept the door open, and called the master and
mistress of the house one after another to drink and talk with me, and
showed them both my old and new bands. So that as I did nothing so they
are able to bear witness that I had no opportunity there to do anything.
Thence by coach with Sir W. Pen home, calling at the Temple for Lawes's
Psalms, which I did not so much (by being against my oath) buy as only lay
down money till others be bound better for me, and by that time I hope to
get money of the Treasurer of the Navy by bills, which, according to my
oath, shall make me able to do it. At home dined, and all the afternoon
at a Committee of the Chest, and at night comes my aunt and uncle Wight
and Nan Ferrers and supped merrily with me, my uncle coming in an hour
after them almost foxed. Great pleasure by discourse with them, and so,
they gone, late to bed.

21st. Up pretty betimes and to my office, and thither came by and by Mr.
Vernaty and staid two hours with me, but Mr. Gauden did not come, and so
he went away to meet again anon. Then comes Mr. Creed, and, after some
discourse, he and I and my wife by coach to Westminster (leaving her at
Unthanke's, her tailor's) Hall, and there at the Lords' House heard that
it is ordered, that, upon submission upon the knee both to the House and
my Lady Peters, W. Joyce shall be released. I forthwith made him submit,
and aske pardon upon his knees; which he did before several Lords. But my
Lady would not hear it; but swore she would post the Lords, that the world
might know what pitifull Lords the King hath; and that revenge was sweeter
to her than milk; and that she would never be satisfied unless he stood in
a pillory, and demand pardon there. But I perceive the Lords are ashamed
of her, and so I away calling with my wife at a place or two to inquire
after a couple of mayds recommended to us, but we found both of them bad.
So set my wife at my uncle Wight's and I home, and presently to the
'Change, where I did some business, and thence to my uncle's and there
dined very well, and so to the office, we sat all the afternoon, but no
sooner sat but news comes my Lady Sandwich was come to see us, so I went
out, and running up (her friend however before me) I perceive by my dear
Lady blushing that in my dining-room she was doing something upon the
pott, which I also was ashamed of, and so fell to some discourse, but
without pleasure through very pity to my Lady. She tells me, and I find
true since, that the House this day have voted that the King be desired to
demand right for the wrong done us by the Dutch, and that they will stand
by him with their lives fortunes: which is a very high vote, and more than
I expected. What the issue will be, God knows! My Lady, my wife not being
at home, did not stay, but, poor, good woman, went away, I being mightily
taken with her dear visitt, and so to the office, where all the afternoon
till late, and so to my office, and then to supper and to bed, thinking to
rise betimes tomorrow.

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