Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1665 N.S. Complete

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9th (Lord's day). Very pleasant with her and among my people, while she
made her ready, and, about 10 o'clock, by water to Sir G. Carteret, and
there find my Lady [Sandwich] in her chamber, not very well, but looks the
worst almost that ever I did see her in my life. It seems her drinking of
the water at Tunbridge did almost kill her before she could with most
violent physique get it out of her body again. We are received with most
extraordinary kindnesse by my Lady Carteret and her children, and dined
most nobly. Sir G. Carteret went to Court this morning. After dinner I
took occasion to have much discourse with Mr. Ph. Carteret, and find him a
very modest man; and I think verily of mighty good nature, and pretty
understanding. He did give me a good account of the fight with the Dutch.
My Lady Sandwich dined in her chamber. About three o'clock I, leaving my
wife there, took boat and home, and there shifted myself into my black
silke suit, and having promised Harman yesterday, I to his house, which I
find very mean, and mean company. His wife very ill; I could not see her.
Here I, with her father and Kate Joyce, who was also very ill, were
godfathers and godmother to his boy, and was christened Will. Mr. Meriton
christened him. The most observable thing I found there to my content,
was to hear him and his clerk tell me that in this parish of Michell's,
Cornhill, one of the middlemost parishes and a great one of the towne,
there hath, notwithstanding this sickliness, been buried of any disease,
man, woman, or child, not one for thirteen months last past; which [is]
very strange. And the like in a good degree in most other parishes, I
hear, saving only of the plague in them, but in this neither the plague
nor any other disease. So back again home and reshifted myself, and so
down to my Lady Carteret's, where mighty merry and great pleasantnesse
between my Lady Sandwich and the young ladies and me, and all of us mighty
merry, there never having been in the world sure a greater business of
general content than this match proposed between Mr. Carteret and my Lady
Jemimah. But withal it is mighty pretty to think how my poor Lady
Sandwich, between her and me, is doubtfull whether her daughter will like
of it or no, and how troubled she is for fear of it, which I do not fear
at all, and desire her not to do it, but her fear is the most discreet and
pretty that ever I did see. Late here, and then my wife and I, with most
hearty kindnesse from my Lady Carteret by boat to Woolwich, come thither
about 12 at night, and so to bed.

10th. Up, and with great pleasure looking over a nest of puppies of Mr.
Shelden's, with which my wife is most extraordinary pleased, and one of
them is promised her. Anon I took my leave, and away by water to the Duke
of Albemarle's, where he tells me that I must be at Hampton Court anon.
So I home to look over my Tangier papers, and having a coach of Mr. Povy's
attending me, by appointment, in order to my coming to dine at his country
house at Brainford, where he and his family is, I went and Mr. Tasbrough
with me therein, it being a pretty chariot, but most inconvenient as to
the horses throwing dust and dirt into one's eyes and upon one's clothes.
There I staid a quarter of an houre, Creed being there, and being able to
do little business (but the less the better). Creed rode before, and Mr.
Povy and I after him in the chariot; and I was set down by him at the
Parke pale, where one of his saddle horses was ready for me, he himself
not daring to come into the house or be seen, because that a servant of
his, out of his horse, happened to be sicke, but is not yet dead, but was
never suffered to come into his house after he was ill. But this
opportunity was taken to injure Povy, and most horribly he is abused by
some persons hereupon, and his fortune, I believe, quite broke; but that
he hath a good heart to bear, or a cunning one to conceal his evil. There
I met with Sir W. Coventry, and by and by was heard by my Lord Chancellor
and Treasurer about our Tangier money, and my Lord Treasurer had ordered
me to forbear meddling with the L15,000 he offered me the other day, but,
upon opening the case to them, they did offer it again, and so I think I
shall have it, but my Lord General must give his consent in it, this money
having been promised to him, and he very angry at the proposal. Here
though I have not been in many years, yet I lacke time to stay, besides
that it is, I perceive, an unpleasing thing to be at Court, everybody
being fearful one of another, and all so sad, enquiring after the plague,
so that I stole away by my horse to Kingston, and there with trouble was
forced, to press two sturdy rogues to carry me to London, and met at the
waterside with Mr. Charnocke, Sir Philip Warwicke's clerke, who had been
in company and was quite foxed. I took him with me in my boat, and so away
to Richmond, and there, by night, walked with him to Moreclacke, a very
pretty walk, and there staid a good while, now and then talking and
sporting with Nan the servant, who says she is a seaman's wife, and at
last bade good night.

11th. And so all night down by water, a most pleasant passage, and come
thither by two o'clock, and so walked from the Old Swan home, and there to
bed to my Will, being very weary, and he lodging at my desire in my house.
At 6 o'clock up and to Westminster (where and all the towne besides, I
hear, the plague encreases), and, it being too soon to go to the Duke of
Albemarle, I to the Harp and Ball, and there made a bargain with Mary to
go forth with me in the afternoon, which she with much ado consented to.
So I to the Duke of Albemarle's, and there with much ado did get his
consent in part to my having the money promised for Tangier, and the other
part did not concur. So being displeased with this, I back to the office
and there sat alone a while doing business, and then by a solemn
invitation to the Trinity House, where a great dinner and company, Captain
Dobbin's feast for Elder Brother. But I broke up before the dinner half
over and by water to the Harp and Ball, and thence had Mary meet me at the
New Exchange, and there took coach and I with great pleasure took the ayre
to Highgate, and thence to Hampstead, much pleased with her company,
pretty and innocent, and had what pleasure almost I would with her, and so
at night, weary and sweaty, it being very hot beyond bearing, we back
again, and I set her down in St. Martin's Lane, and so I to the evening
'Change, and there hear all the towne full that Ostend is delivered to us,
and that Alderman Backewell

[Among the State Papers is a letter from the king to the Lord
General (dated August 8th, 1665): "Alderman Backwell being in great
straits for the second payment he has to make for the service in
Flanders, as much tin is to be transmitted to him as will raise the
sum. Has authorized him and Sir George Carteret to treat with the
tin farmers for 500 tons of tin to be speedily transported under
good convoy; but if, on consulting with Alderman Backwell, this plan
of the tin seems insufficient, then without further difficulty he is
to dispose for that purpose of the L10,000 assigned for pay of the
Guards, not doubting that before that comes due, other ways will be
found for supplying it; the payment in Flanders is of such
importance that some means must be found of providing for it"
("Calendar," Domestic, 1664-65, pp. 508, 509)]

did go with L50,000 to that purpose. But the truth of it I do not know,
but something I believe there is extraordinary in his going. So to the
office, where I did what I could as to letters, and so away to bed,
shifting myself, and taking some Venice treakle, feeling myself out of
order, and thence to bed to sleep.

12th. After doing what business I could in the morning, it being a solemn
fast-day

["A form of Common Prayer; together with an order for fasting for
the averting of God's heavy visitation upon many places of this
realm. The fast to be observed within the cities of London and
Westminster and places adjacent, on Wednesday the twelfth of this
instant July, and both there and in all parts of this realm on the
first Wednesday in every month during the visitation" ("Calendar of
State Papers," Domestic, 1664-65, p. 466).]

for the plague growing upon us, I took boat and down to Deptford, where I
stood with great pleasure an houre or two by my Lady Sandwich's bedside,
talking to her (she lying prettily in bed) of my Lady Jemimah's being from
my Lady Pickering's when our letters come to that place; she being at my
Lord Montagu's, at Boughton. The truth is, I had received letters of it
two days ago, but had dropped them, and was in a very extraordinary
straite what to do for them, or what account to give my Lady, but sent to
every place; I sent to Moreclacke, where I had been the night before, and
there they were found, which with mighty joy come safe to me; but all
ending with satisfaction to my Lady and me, though I find my Lady Carteret
not much pleased with this delay, and principally because of the plague,
which renders it unsafe to stay long at Deptford. I eat a bit (my Lady
Carteret being the most kind lady in the world), and so took boat, and a
fresh boat at the Tower, and so up the river, against tide all the way, I
having lost it by staying prating to and with my Lady, and, from before
one, made it seven ere we got to Hampton Court; and when I come there all
business was over, saving my finding Mr. Coventry at his chamber, and with
him a good while about several businesses at his chamber, and so took
leave, and away to my boat, and all night upon the water, staying a while
with Nan at Moreclacke, very much pleased and merry with her, and so on
homeward, and come home by two o'clock, shooting the bridge at that time
of night, and so to bed, where I find Will is not, he staying at Woolwich
to come with my wife to dinner tomorrow to my Lady Carteret's. Heard Mr.
Williamson repeat at Hampton Court to-day how the King of France hath
lately set out a most high arrest against the Pope, which is reckoned very
lofty and high.

[Arret. The rupture between Alexander VII. and Louis XIV. was
healed in 1664, by the treaty signed at Pisa, on February 12th. On
August 9th, the pope's nephew, Cardinal Chigi, made his entry into
Paris, as legate, to give the king satisfaction for the insult
offered at Rome by the Corsican guard to the Duc de Crequi, the
French ambassador; (see January 25th, 1662-63). Cardinal Imperiali,
Governor of Rome, asked pardon of the king in person, and all the
hard conditions of the treaty were fulfilled. But no arret against
the pope was set forth in 1665. On the contrary, Alexander, now
wishing to please the king, issued a constitution on February 2nd,
1665, ordering all the clergy of France, without any exception, to
sign a formulary condemning the famous five propositions extracted
from the works of Jansenius; and on April 29th, the king in person
ordered the parliament to register the bull. The Jansenist party,
of course, demurred to this proceeding; the Bishops of Alais,
Angers, Beauvais, and Pamiers, issuing mandates calling upon their
clergy to refuse. It was against these mandates, as being contrary
to the king's declaration and the pope's intentions, that the arret
was directed.--B.]

13th. Lay long, being sleepy, and then up to the office, my Lord Brunker
(after his sickness) being come to the office, and did what business there
was, and so I by water, at night late, to Sir G. Carteret's, but there
being no oars to carry me, I was fain to call a skuller that had a
gentleman already in it, and he proved a man of love to musique, and he
and I sung together the way down with great pleasure, and an incident
extraordinary to be met with. There come to dinner, they haveing dined,
but my Lady caused something to be brought for me, and I dined well and
mighty merry, especially my Lady Slaning and I about eating of creame and
brown bread, which she loves as much as I. Thence after long discourse
with them and my Lady alone, I and [my] wife, who by agreement met here,
took leave, and I saw my wife a little way down (it troubling me that this
absence makes us a little strange instead of more fond), and so parted,
and I home to some letters, and then home to bed. Above 700 died of the
plague this week.

14th. Up, and all the morning at the Exchequer endeavouring to strike
tallys for money for Tangier, and mightily vexed to see how people attend
there, some out of towne, and others drowsy, and to others it was late, so
that the King's business suffers ten times more than all their service is
worth. So I am put off to to-morrow. Thence to the Old Exchange, by
water, and there bespoke two fine shirts of my pretty seamstress, who, she
tells me, serves Jacke Fenn. Upon the 'Change all the news is that guns
have been heard and that news is come by a Dane that my Lord was in view
of De Ruyter, and that since his parting from my Lord of Sandwich he hath
heard guns, but little of it do I think true. So home to dinner, where
Povy by agreement, and after dinner we to talk of our Tangier matters,
about keeping our profit at the pay and victualling of the garrison, if
the present undertakers should leave it, wherein I did [not] nor will do
any thing unworthy me and any just man, but they being resolved to quit
it, it is fit I should suffer Mr. Povy to do what he can with Mr. Gauden
about it to our profit. Thence to the discoursing of putting some sums of
money in order and tallys, which we did pretty well. So he in the evening
gone, I by water to Sir G. Carteret's, and there find my Lady Sandwich and
her buying things for my Lady Jem.'s wedding; and my Lady Jem. is beyond
expectation come to Dagenhams, where Mr. Carteret is to go to visit her
to-morrow; and my proposal of waiting on him, he being to go alone to all
persons strangers to him, was well accepted, and so I go with him. But,
Lord! to see how kind my Lady Carteret is to her! Sends her most rich
jewells, and provides bedding and things of all sorts most richly for her,
which makes my Lady and me out of our wits almost to see the kindnesse she
treats us all with, as if they would buy the young lady. Thence away home
and, foreseeing my being abroad two days, did sit up late making of
letters ready against tomorrow, and other things, and so to bed, to be up
betimes by the helpe of a larum watch, which by chance I borrowed of my
watchmaker to-day, while my owne is mending.

15th. Up, and after all business done, though late, I to Deptford, but
before I went out of the office saw there young Bagwell's wife returned,
but could not stay to speak to her, though I had a great mind to it, and
also another great lady, as to fine clothes, did attend there to have a
ticket signed; which I did do, taking her through the garden to my office,
where I signed it and had a salute--[kiss]--of her, and so I away by boat
to Redriffe, and thence walked, and after dinner, at Sir G. Carteret's,
where they stayed till almost three o'clock for me, and anon took boat,
Mr. Carteret and I to the ferry-place at Greenwich, and there staid an
hour crossing the water to and again to get our coach and horses over; and
by and by set out, and so toward Dagenhams. But, Lord! what silly
discourse we had by the way as to love-matters, he being the most awkerd
man I ever met with in my life as to that business. Thither we come, by
that time it begun to be dark, and were kindly received by Lady Wright and
my Lord Crew. And to discourse they went, my Lord discoursing with him,
asking of him questions of travell, which he answered well enough in a few
words; but nothing to the lady from him at all. To supper, and after
supper to talk again, he yet taking no notice of the lady. My Lord would
have had me have consented to leaving the young people together to-night,
to begin their amours, his staying being but to be little. But I advised
against it, lest the lady might be too much surprised. So they led him up
to his chamber, where I staid a little, to know how he liked the lady,
which he told me he did mightily; but, Lord! in the dullest insipid manner
that ever lover did. So I bid him good night, and down to prayers with my
Lord Crew's family, and after prayers, my Lord, and Lady Wright, and I, to
consult what to do; and it was agreed at last to have them go to church
together, as the family used to do, though his lameness was a great
objection against it. But at last my Lady Jem. sent me word by my Lady
Wright that it would be better to do just as they used to do before his
coming; and therefore she desired to go to church, which was yielded then
to.

16th (Lord's day). I up, having lain with Mr. Moore in the chaplin's
chamber. And having trimmed myself, down to Mr. Carteret; and he being
ready we down and walked in the gallery an hour or two, it being a most
noble and pretty house that ever, for the bigness, I saw. Here I taught
him what to do: to take the lady always by the hand to lead her, and
telling him that I would find opportunity to leave them two together, he
should make these and these compliments, and also take a time to do the
like to Lord Crew and Lady Wright. After I had instructed him, which he
thanked me for, owning that he needed my teaching him, my Lord Crew come
down and family, the young lady among the rest; and so by coaches to
church four miles off; where a pretty good sermon, and a declaration of
penitence of a man that had undergone the Churches censure for his wicked
life. Thence back again by coach, Mr. Carteret having not had the
confidence to take his lady once by the hand, coming or going, which I
told him of when we come home, and he will hereafter do it. So to dinner.
My Lord excellent discourse. Then to walk in the gallery, and to sit
down. By and by my Lady Wright and I go out (and then my Lord Crew, he
not by design), and lastly my Lady Crew come out, and left the young
people together. And a little pretty daughter of my Lady Wright's most
innocently come out afterward, and shut the door to, as if she had done
it, poor child, by inspiration; which made us without, have good sport to
laugh at. They together an hour, and by and by church-time, whither he
led her into the coach and into the church, and so at church all the
afternoon, several handsome ladies at church. But it was most
extraordinary hot that ever I knew it. So home again and to walk in the
gardens, where we left the young couple a second time; and my Lady Wright
and I to walk together, who to my trouble tells me that my Lady Jem. must
have something done to her body by Scott before she can be married, and
therefore care must be had to send him, also that some more new clothes
must of necessity be made her, which and other things I took care of.
Anon to supper, and excellent discourse and dispute between my Lord Crew
and the chaplin, who is a good scholler, but a nonconformist. Here this
evening I spoke with Mrs. Carter, my old acquaintance, that hath lived
with my Lady these twelve or thirteen years, the sum of all whose
discourse and others for her, is, that I would get her a good husband;
which I have promised, but know not when I shall perform. After Mr.
Carteret was carried to his chamber, we to prayers again and then to bed.

17th. Up all of us, and to billiards; my Lady Wright, Mr. Carteret,
myself, and every body. By and by the young couple left together. Anon
to dinner; and after dinner Mr. Carteret took my advice about giving to
the servants, and I led him to give L10 among them, which he did, by
leaving it to the chief man-servant, Mr. Medows, to do for him. Before we
went, I took my Lady Jem. apart, and would know how she liked this
gentleman, and whether she was under any difficulty concerning him. She
blushed, and hid her face awhile; but at last I forced her to tell me. She
answered that she could readily obey what her father and mother had done;
which was all she could say, or I expect. So anon I took leave, and for
London. But, Lord! to see, among other things, how all these great people
here are afeard of London, being doubtfull of anything that comes from
thence, or that hath lately been there, that I was forced to say that I
lived wholly at Woolwich. In our way Mr. Carteret did give me mighty
thanks for my care and pains for him, and is mightily pleased, though the
truth is, my Lady Jem. hath carried herself with mighty discretion and
gravity, not being forward at all in any degree, but mighty serious in her
answers to him, as by what he says and I observed, I collect. To London
to my office, and there took letters from the office, where all well, and
so to the Bridge, and there he and I took boat and to Deptford, where
mighty welcome, and brought the good newes of all being pleased to them.
Mighty mirth at my giving them an account of all; but the young man could
not be got to say one word before me or my Lady Sandwich of his
adventures, but, by what he afterwards related to his father and mother
and sisters, he gives an account that pleases them mightily. Here Sir G.
Carteret would have me lie all night, which I did most nobly, better than
ever I did in my life, Sir G. Carteret being mighty kind to me, leading me
to my chamber; and all their care now is, to have the business ended, and
they have reason, because the sicknesse puts all out of order, and they
cannot safely stay where they are.

18th. Up and to the office, where all the morning, and so to my house and
eat a bit of victuals, and so to the 'Change, where a little business and
a very thin Exchange; and so walked through London to the Temple, where I
took water for Westminster to the Duke of Albemarle, to wait on him, and
so to Westminster Hall, and there paid for my newes-books, and did give
Mrs. Michell, who is going out of towne because of the sicknesse, and her
husband, a pint of wine, and so Sir W. Warren coming to me by appointment
we away by water home, by the way discoursing about the project I have of
getting some money and doing the King good service too about the mast
docke at Woolwich, which I fear will never be done if I do not go about
it. After dispatching letters at the office, I by water down to Deptford,
where I staid a little while, and by water to my wife, whom I have not
seen 6 or 5 days, and there supped with her, and mighty pleasant, and saw
with content her drawings, and so to bed mighty merry. I was much
troubled this day to hear at Westminster how the officers do bury the dead
in the open Tuttle-fields, pretending want of room elsewhere; whereas the
New Chappell churchyard was walled-in at the publick charge in the last
plague time, merely for want of room and now none, but such as are able to
pay dear for it, can be buried there.

19th. Up and to the office, and thence presently to the Exchequer, and
there with much trouble got my tallys, and afterwards took Mr. Falconer,
Spicer, and another or two to the Leg and there give them a dinner, and so
with my tallys and about 30 dozen of bags, which it seems are my due,
having paid the fees as if I had received the money I away home, and after
a little stay down by water to Deptford, where I find all full of joy, and
preparing to go to Dagenhams to-morrow. To supper, and after supper to
talk without end. Very late I went away, it raining, but I had a design
'pour aller a la femme de Bagwell' and did so . . . . So away about
12, and it raining hard I back to Sir G. Carteret and there called up the
page, and to bed there, being all in a most violent sweat.

20th. Up, in a boat among other people to the Tower, and there to the
office, where we sat all the morning. So down to Deptford and there
dined, and after dinner saw my Lady Sandwich and Mr. Carteret and his two
sisters over the water, going to Dagenhams, and my Lady Carteret towards
Cranburne.

[The royal lodge of that name in Windsor Forest, occupied by Sir
George Carteret as Vice-Chamberlain to the King.--B.]

So all the company broke up in most extraordinary joy, wherein I am mighty
contented that I have had the good fortune to be so instrumental, and I
think it will be of good use to me. So walked to Redriffe, where I hear
the sickness is, and indeed is scattered almost every where, there dying
1089 of the plague this week. My Lady Carteret did this day give me a
bottle of plague-water home with me. So home to write letters late, and
then home to bed, where I have not lain these 3 or 4 nights. I received
yesterday a letter from my Lord Sandwich, giving me thanks for my care
about their marriage business, and desiring it to be dispatched, that no
disappointment may happen therein, which I will help on all I can. This
afternoon I waited on the Duke of Albemarle, and so to Mrs. Croft's, where
I found and saluted Mrs. Burrows, who is a very pretty woman for a mother
of so many children. But, Lord! to see how the plague spreads. It being
now all over King's Streete, at the Axe, and next door to it, and in other
places.

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