Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1665 N.S. Complete

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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.

1665 N.S.

JANUARY
1664-1665

January 1st (Lord's day). Lay long in bed, having been busy late last
night, then up and to my office, where upon ordering my accounts and
papers with respect to my understanding my last year's gains and expense,
which I find very great, as I have already set down yesterday. Now this
day I am dividing my expense, to see what my clothes and every particular
hath stood me in: I mean all the branches of my expense. At noon a good
venison pasty and a turkey to ourselves without any body so much as
invited by us, a thing unusuall for so small a family of my condition: but
we did it and were very merry. After dinner to my office again, where
very late alone upon my accounts, but have not brought them to order yet,
and very intricate I find it, notwithstanding my care all the year to keep
things in as good method as any man can do. Past 11 o'clock home to
supper and to bed.

2nd. Up, and it being a most fine, hard frost I walked a good way toward
White Hall, and then being overtaken with Sir W. Pen's coach, went into
it, and with him thither, and there did our usual business with the Duke.
Thence, being forced to pay a great deale of money away in boxes (that is,
basins at White Hall), I to my barber's, Gervas, and there had a little
opportunity of speaking with my Jane alone, and did give her something,
and of herself she did tell me a place where I might come to her on Sunday
next, which I will not fail, but to see how modestly and harmlessly she
brought it out was very pretty. Thence to the Swan, and there did sport a
good while with Herbert's young kinswoman without hurt, though they being
abroad, the old people. Then to the Hall, and there agreed with Mrs.
Martin, and to her lodgings which she has now taken to lie in, in Bow
Streete, pitiful poor things, yet she thinks them pretty, and so they are
for her condition I believe good enough. Here I did 'ce que je voudrais
avec' her most freely, and it having cost 2s. in wine and cake upon her, I
away sick of her impudence, and by coach to my Lord Brunker's, by
appointment, in the Piazza, in Covent-Guarding; where I occasioned much
mirth with a ballet I brought with me, made from the seamen at sea to
their ladies in town; saying Sir W. Pen, Sir G. Ascue, and Sir J. Lawson
made them. Here a most noble French dinner and banquet, the best I have
seen this many a day and good discourse. Thence to my bookseller's and at
his binder's saw Hooke's book of the Microscope,

["Micrographia: or some physiological descriptions of minute bodies
made by Magnifying Glasses. London, 1665," a very remarkable work
with elaborate plates, some of which have been used for lecture
illustrations almost to our own day. On November 23rd, 1664, the
President of the Royal Society was "desired to sign a licence for
printing of Mr. Hooke's microscopical book." At this time the book
was mostly printed, but it was delayed, much to Hooke's disgust, by
the examination of several Fellows of the Society. In spite of this
examination the council were anxious that the author should make it
clear that he alone was responsible for any theory put forward, and
they gave him notice to that effect. Hooke made this clear in his
dedication (see Birch's "History," vol. i., pp. 490-491)]

which is so pretty that I presently bespoke it, and away home to the
office, where we met to do something, and then though very late by coach
to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, but having company with him could not speak with
him. So back again home, where thinking to be merry was vexed with my
wife's having looked out a letter in Sir Philip Sidney about jealousy for
me to read, which she industriously and maliciously caused me to do, and
the truth is my conscience told me it was most proper for me, and
therefore was touched at it, but tooke no notice of it, but read it out
most frankly, but it stucke in my stomach, and moreover I was vexed to
have a dog brought to my house to line our little bitch, which they make
him do in all their sights, which, God forgive me, do stir my jealousy
again, though of itself the thing is a very immodest sight. However, to
cards with my wife a good while, and then to bed.

3rd. Up, and by coach to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, the streete being full of
footballs, it being a great frost, and found him and Mr. Coventry walking
in St. James's Parke. I did my errand to him about the felling of the
King's timber in the forests, and then to my Lord of Oxford, Justice in
Eyre, for his consent thereto, for want whereof my Lord Privy Seale stops
the whole business. I found him in his lodgings, in but an ordinary
furnished house and roome where he was, but I find him to be a man of good
discreet replys. Thence to the Coffee-house, where certain newes that the
Dutch have taken some of our colliers to the North; some say four, some
say seven. Thence to the 'Change a while, and so home to dinner and to
the office, where we sat late, and then I to write my letters, and then to
Sir W. Batten's, who is going out of towne to Harwich to-morrow to set up
a light-house there, which he hath lately got a patent from the King to
set up, that will turne much to his profit. Here very merry, and so to my
office again, where very late, and then home to supper and to bed, but sat
up with my wife at cards till past two in the morning.

4th. Lay long, and then up and to my Lord of Oxford's, but his Lordshipp
was in bed at past ten o'clock: and, Lord helpe us! so rude a dirty family
I never saw in my life. He sent me out word my business was not done, but
should against the afternoon. I thence to the Coffee-house, there but
little company, and so home to the 'Change, where I hear of some more of
our ships lost to the Northward. So to Sir W. Batten's, but he was set
out before I got thither. I sat long talking with my lady, and then home
to dinner. Then come Mr. Moore to see me, and he and I to my Lord of
Oxford's, but not finding him within Mr. Moore and I to "Love in a Tubb,"
which is very merry, but only so by gesture, not wit at all, which
methinks is beneath the House. So walked home, it being a very hard
frost, and I find myself as heretofore in cold weather to begin to burn
within and pimples and pricks all over my body, my pores with cold being
shut up. So home to supper and to cards and to bed.

5th. Up, it being very cold and a great snow and frost tonight. To the
office, and there all the morning. At noon dined at home, troubled at my
wife's being simply angry with Jane, our cook mayde (a good servant,
though perhaps hath faults and is cunning), and given her warning to be
gone. So to the office again, where we sat late, and then I to my office,
and there very late doing business. Home to supper and to the office
again, and then late home to bed.

6th. Lay long in bed, but most of it angry and scolding with my wife
about her warning Jane our cookemayde to be gone and upon that she desires
to go abroad to-day to look a place. A very good mayde she is and fully
to my mind, being neat, only they say a little apt to scold, but I hear
her not. To my office all the morning busy. Dined at home. To my office
again, being pretty well reconciled to my wife, which I did desire to be,
because she had designed much mirthe to-day to end Christmas with among
her servants. At night home, being twelfenight, and there chose my piece
of cake, but went up to my viall, and then to bed, leaving my wife and
people up at their sports, which they continue till morning, not coming to
bed at all.

7th. Up and to the office all the morning. At noon dined alone, my wife
and family most of them a-bed. Then to see my Lady Batten and sit with
her a while, Sir W. Batten being out of town, and then to my office doing
very much business very late, and then home to supper and to bed.

8th (Lord's day). Up betimes, and it being a very fine frosty day, I and
my boy walked to White Hall, and there to the Chappell, where one Dr.
Beaumont' preached a good sermon, and afterwards a brave anthem upon the
150 Psalm, where upon the word "trumpet" very good musique was made. So
walked to my Lady's and there dined with her (my boy going home), where
much pretty discourse, and after dinner walked to Westminster, and there
to the house where Jane Welsh had appointed me, but it being sermon time
they would not let me in, and said nobody was there to speak with me. I
spent the whole afternoon walking into the Church and Abbey, and up and
down, but could not find her, and so in the evening took a coach and home,
and there sat discoursing with my wife, and by and by at supper, drinking
some cold drink I think it was, I was forced to go make water, and had
very great pain after it, but was well by and by and continued so, it
being only I think from the drink, or from my straining at stool to do
more than my body would. So after prayers to bed.

9th. Up and walked to White Hall, it being still a brave frost, and I in
perfect good health, blessed be God! In my way saw a woman that broke her
thigh, in her heels slipping up upon the frosty streete. To the Duke, and
there did our usual worke. Here I saw the Royal Society bring their new
book, wherein is nobly writ their charter' and laws, and comes to be
signed by the Duke as a Fellow; and all the Fellows' hands are to be
entered there, and lie as a monument; and the King hath put his with the
word Founder. Thence I to Westminster, to my barber's, and found occasion
to see Jane, but in presence of her mistress, and so could not speak to
her of her failing me yesterday, and then to the Swan to Herbert's girl,
and lost time a little with her, and so took coach, and to my Lord Crew's
and dined with him, who receives me with the greatest respect that could
be, telling me that he do much doubt of the successe of this warr with
Holland, we going about it, he doubts, by the instigation of persons that
do not enough apprehend the consequences of the danger of it, and therein
I do think with him. Holmes was this day sent to the Tower,--[For taking
New York from the Dutch]--but I perceive it is made matter of jest only;
but if the Dutch should be our masters, it may come to be of earnest to
him, to be given over to them for a sacrifice, as Sir W. Rawly [Raleigh]
was. Thence to White Hall to a Tangier Committee, where I was accosted
and most highly complimented by my Lord Bellasses,

[John Belasyse, second son of Thomas, first Viscount Fauconberg,
created Baron Belasyse of Worlaby, January 27th, 1644, Lord
Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire, and Governor of Hull.
He was appointed Governor of Tangier, and Captain of the Band of
Gentlemen Pensioners. He was a Roman Catholic, and therefore was
deprived of all his appointments in 1672 by the provisions of the
Test Act, but in 1684 James II. made him First Commissioner of the
Treasury. He died 1689.]

our new governor, beyond my expectation, or measure I could imagine he
would have given any man, as if I were the only person of business that he
intended to rely on, and desires my correspondence with him. This I was
not only surprized at, but am well pleased with, and may make good use of
it. Our patent is renewed, and he and my Lord Barkeley, and Sir Thomas
Ingram put in as commissioners. Here some business happened which may
bring me some profit. Thence took coach and calling my wife at her
tailor's (she being come this afternoon to bring her mother some apples,
neat's tongues, and wine); I home, and there at my office late with Sir W.
Warren, and had a great deal of good discourse and counsel from him, which
I hope I shall take, being all for my good in my deportment in my office,
yet with all honesty. He gone I home to supper and to bed.

10th. Lay long, it being still very cold, and then to the office, where
till dinner, and then home, and by and by to the office, where we sat and
were very late, and I writing letters till twelve at night, and then after
supper to bed.

11th. Up, and very angry with my boy for lying long a bed and forgetting
his lute. To my office all the morning. At noon to the 'Change, and so
home to dinner. After dinner to Gresham College to my Lord Brunker and
Commissioner Pett, taking, Mr. Castle with me there to discourse over his
draught of a ship he is to build for us. Where I first found reason to
apprehend Commissioner Pett to be a man of an ability extraordinary in any
thing, for I found he did turn and wind Castle like a chicken in his
business, and that most pertinently and mister-like, and great pleasure it
was to me to hear them discourse, I, of late having studied something
thereof, and my Lord Brunker is a very able person also himself in this
sort of business, as owning himself to be a master in the business of all
lines and Conicall Sections: Thence home, where very late at my office
doing business to my content, though [God] knows with what ado it was that
when I was out I could get myself to come home to my business, or when I
was there though late would stay there from going abroad again. To supper
and to bed. This evening, by a letter from Plymouth, I hear that two of
our ships, the Leopard and another, in the Straights, are lost by running
aground; and that three more had like to have been so, but got off,
whereof Captain Allen one: and that a Dutch fleete are gone thither; which
if they should meet with our lame ships, God knows what would become of
them. This I reckon most sad newes; God make us sensible of it! This
night, when I come home, I was much troubled to hear my poor canary bird,
that I have kept these three or four years, is dead.

12th. Up, and to White Hall about getting a privy seal for felling of the
King's timber for the navy, and to the Lords' House to speak with my Lord
Privy Seale about it, and so to the 'Change, where to my last night's ill
news I met more. Spoke with a Frenchman who was taken, but released, by a
Dutch man-of-war of thirty-six guns (with seven more of the like or
greater ships), off the North Foreland, by Margett. Which is a strange
attempt, that they should come to our teeth; but the wind being easterly,
the wind that should bring our force from Portsmouth, will carry them away
home. God preserve us against them, and pardon our making them in our
discourse so contemptible an enemy! So home and to dinner, where Mr.
Hollyard with us dined. So to the office, and there late till 11 at night
and more, and then home to supper and to bed.

13th. Up betimes and walked to my Lord Bellasses's lodgings in Lincolne's
Inne Fieldes, and there he received and discoursed with me in the most
respectfull manner that could be, telling me what a character of my
judgment, and care, and love to Tangier he had received of me, that he
desired my advice and my constant correspondence, which he much valued,
and in my courtship, in which, though I understand his designe very well,
and that it is only a piece of courtship, yet it is a comfort to me that I
am become so considerable as to have him need to say that to me, which, if
I did not do something in the world, would never have been. Here well
satisfied I to Sir Ph. Warwicke, and there did some business with him;
thence to Jervas's and there spent a little idle time with him, his wife,
Jane, and a sweetheart of hers. So to the Hall awhile and thence to the
Exchange, where yesterday's newes confirmed, though in a little different
manner; but a couple of ships in the Straights we have lost, and the Dutch
have been in Margaret [Margate] Road. Thence home to dinner and so abroad
and alone to the King's house, to a play, "The Traytor," where,
unfortunately, I met with Sir W. Pen, so that I must be forced to confess
it to my wife, which troubles me. Thence walked home, being ill-satisfied
with the present actings of the House, and prefer the other House before
this infinitely. To my Lady Batten's, where I find Pegg Pen, the first
time that ever I saw her to wear spots. Here very merry, Sir W. Batten
being looked for to-night, but is not yet come from Harwich. So home to
supper and to bed.

14th. Up and to White Hall, where long waited in the Duke's chamber for a
Committee intended for Tangier, but none met, and so I home and to the
office, where we met a little, and then to the 'Change, where our late ill
newes confirmed in loss of two ships in the Straights, but are now the
Phoenix and Nonsuch! Home to dinner, thence with my wife to the King's
house, there to see "Vulpone," a most excellent play; the best I think I
ever saw, and well, acted. So with Sir W. Pen home in his coach, and then
to the office. So home, to supper, and bed, resolving by the grace of God
from this day to fall hard to my business again, after some weeke or
fortnight's neglect.

15th (Lord's day). Up, and after a little at my office to prepare a fresh
draught of my vowes for the next yeare, I to church, where a most insipid
young coxcomb preached. Then home to dinner, and after dinner to read in
"Rushworth's Collections" about the charge against the late Duke of
Buckingham, in order to the fitting me to speak and understand the
discourse anon before the King about the suffering the Turkey merchants to
send out their fleete at this dangerous time, when we can neither spare
them ships to go, nor men, nor King's ships to convoy them. At four
o'clock with Sir W. Pen in his coach to my Lord Chancellor's, where by and
by Mr. Coventry, Sir W. Pen, Sir J. Lawson, Sir G. Ascue, and myself were
called in to the King, there being several of the Privy Council, and my
Lord Chancellor lying at length upon a couch (of the goute I suppose); and
there Sir W. Pen begun, and he had prepared heads in a paper, and spoke
pretty well to purpose, but with so much leisure and gravity as was
tiresome; besides, the things he said were but very poor to a man in his
trade after a great consideration, but it was to purpose, indeed to
dissuade the King from letting these Turkey ships to go out: saying (in
short) the King having resolved to have 130 ships out by the spring, he
must have above 20 of them merchantmen. Towards which, he in the whole
River could find but 12 or 14, and of them the five ships taken up by
these merchants were a part, and so could not be spared. That we should
need 30,000 [sailors] to man these 130 ships, and of them in service we
have not above 16,000; so we shall need 14,000 more. That these ships
will with their convoys carry above 2,000 men, and those the best men that
could be got; it being the men used to the Southward that are the best men
for warr, though those bred in the North among the colliers are good for
labour. That it will not be safe for the merchants, nor honourable for
the King, to expose these rich ships with his convoy of six ships to go,
it not being enough to secure them against the Dutch, who, without doubt,
will have a great fleete in the Straights. This, Sir J. Lawson enlarged
upon. Sir G. Ascue he chiefly spoke that the warr and trade could not be
supported together, and, therefore, that trade must stand still to give
way to them. This Mr. Coventry seconded, and showed how the medium of the
men the King hath one year with another employed in his Navy since his
coming, hath not been above 3,000 men, or at most 4,000 men; and now
having occasion of 30,000, the remaining 26,000 must be found out of the
trade of the nation. He showed how the cloaths, sending by these
merchants to Turkey, are already bought and paid for to the workmen, and
are as many as they would send these twelve months or more; so the poor do
not suffer by their not going, but only the merchant, upon whose hands
they lit dead; and so the inconvenience is the less. And yet for them he
propounded, either the King should, if his Treasure would suffer it, buy
them, and showed the losse would not be so great to him: or, dispense with
the Act of Navigation, and let them be carried out by strangers; and
ending that he doubted not but when the merchants saw there was no remedy,
they would and could find ways of sending them abroad to their profit.
All ended with a conviction (unless future discourse with the merchants
should alter it) that it was not fit for them to go out, though the ships
be loaded. The King in discourse did ask me two or three questions about
my newes of Allen's loss in the Streights, but I said nothing as to the
business, nor am not much sorry for it, unless the King had spoke to me as
he did to them, and then I could have said something to the purpose I
think. So we withdrew, and the merchants were called in. Staying
without, my Lord Fitz Harding come thither, and fell to discourse of
Prince Rupert, and made nothing to say that his disease was the pox and
that he must be fluxed, telling the horrible degree of the disease upon
him with its breaking out on his head. But above all I observed how he
observed from the Prince, that courage is not what men take it to be, a
contempt of death; for, says he, how chagrined the Prince was the other
day when he thought he should die, having no more mind to it than another
man. But, says he, some men are more apt to think they shall escape than
another man in fight, while another is doubtfull he shall be hit. But
when the first man is sure he shall die, as now the Prince is, he is as
much troubled and apprehensive of it as any man else; for, says he, since
we told [him] that we believe he would overcome his disease, he is as
merry, and swears and laughs and curses, and do all the things of a [man]
in health, as ever he did in his life; which, methought, was a most
extraordinary saying before a great many persons there of quality. So by
and by with Sir W. Pen home again, and after supper to the office to
finish my vows, and so to bed.

16th. Up and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to White Hall, where we
did our business with the Duke. Thence I to Westminster Hall and walked
up and down. Among others Ned Pickering met me and tells me how active my
Lord is at sea, and that my Lord Hinchingbroke is now at Rome, and, by all
report, a very noble and hopefull gentleman. Thence to Mr. Povy's, and
there met Creed, and dined well after his old manner of plenty and
curiosity. But I sat in pain to think whether he would begin with me
again after dinner with his enquiry after my bill, but he did not, but
fell into other discourse, at which I was glad, but was vexed this morning
meeting of Creed at some bye questions that he demanded of me about some
such thing, which made me fear he meant that very matter, but I perceive
he did not. Thence to visit my Lady Sandwich and so to a Tangier
Committee, where a great company of the new Commissioners, Lords, that in
behalfe of my Lord Bellasses are very loud and busy and call for Povy's
accounts, but it was a most sorrowful thing to see how he answered to
questions so little to the purpose, but to his owne wrong. All the while
I sensible how I am concerned in my bill of L100 and somewhat more. So
great a trouble is fear, though in a case that at the worst will bear
enquiry. My Lord Barkeley was very violent against Povy. But my Lord
Ashly, I observe, is a most clear man in matters of accounts, and most
ingeniously did discourse and explain all matters. We broke up, leaving
the thing to a Committee of which I am one. Povy, Creed, and I staid
discoursing, I much troubled in mind seemingly for the business, but
indeed only on my own behalf, though I have no great reason for it, but so
painfull a thing is fear. So after considering how to order business,
Povy and I walked together as far as the New Exchange and so parted, and I
by coach home. To the office a while, then to supper and to bed. This
afternoon Secretary Bennet read to the Duke of Yorke his letters, which
say that Allen

[Among the State Papers is a letter from Captain Thomas Allin to Sir
Richard Fanshaw, dated from "The Plymouth, Cadiz Bay," December
25th, 1664, in which he writes: "On the 19th attacked with his seven
ships left, a Dutch fleet of fourteen, three of which were men-of-
war; sunk two vessels and took two others, one a rich prize from
Smyrna; the others retired much battered. Has also taken a Dutch
prize laden with iron and planks, coming from Lisbon." (Calendar
Domestic, 1664-65, p. 122).]

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