Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1665 N.S. Complete

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26th. Up by five o'clock and got post horses and so set out for
Greenwich, calling and drinking at Dartford. Being come to Greenwich and
shifting myself I to the office, from whence by and by my Lord Bruncker
and Sir J. Minnes set out toward Erith to take charge of the two East
India shipps, which I had a hand in contriving for the King's service and
may do myself a good office too thereby. I to dinner with Mr. Wright to
his father-in-law in Greenwich, one of the most silly, harmless, prating
old men that ever I heard in my life. Creed dined with me, and among
other discourses got of me a promise of half that he could get my Lord
Rutherford to give me upon clearing his business, which should not be
less, he says, than L50 for my half, which is a good thing, though
cunningly got of him. By and by Luellin comes, and I hope to get
something of Deering shortly. They being gone, Mr. Wright and I went into
the garden to discourse with much trouble for fear of losing all the
profit and principal of what we have laid out in buying of prize goods,
and therefore puts me upon thoughts of flinging up my interest, but yet I
shall take good advice first. Thence to the office, and after some
letters down to Woolwich, where I have not lain with my wife these eight
days I think, or more. After supper, and telling her my mind in my
trouble in what I have done as to buying' of these goods, we to bed.

27th. Up, and saw and admired my wife's picture of our Saviour,

[This picture by Mrs. Pepys may have given trouble when Pepys was
unjustifiably attacked for having Popish pictures in his house.]

now finished, which is very pretty. So by water to Greenwich, where with
Creed and Lord Rutherford, and there my Lord told me that he would give me
L100 for my pains, which pleased me well, though Creed, like a cunning
rogue, hath got a promise of half of it from me. We to the King's Head,
the great musique house, the first time I was ever there, and had a good
breakfast, and thence parted, I being much troubled to hear from Creed,
that he was told at Salsbury that I am come to be a great swearer and
drinker, though I know the contrary; but, Lord! to see how my late little
drinking of wine is taken notice of by envious men to my disadvantage. I
thence to Captain Cocke's, [and] (he not yet come from town) to Mr.
Evelyn's, where much company; and thence in his coach with him to the Duke
of Albemarle by Lambeth, who was in a mighty pleasant humour; there the
Duke tells us that the Dutch do stay abroad, and our fleet must go out
again, or to be ready to do so. Here we got several things ordered as we
desired for the relief of the prisoners, and sick and wounded men. Here I
saw this week's Bill of Mortality, wherein, blessed be God! there is above
1800 decrease, being the first considerable decrease we have had. Back
again the same way and had most excellent discourse of Mr. Evelyn touching
all manner of learning; wherein I find him a very fine gentleman, and
particularly of paynting, in which he tells me the beautifull Mrs.
Middleton is rare, and his own wife do brave things. He brought me to the
office, whither comes unexpectedly Captain Cocke, who hath brought one
parcel of our goods by waggons, and at first resolved to have lodged them
at our office; but then the thoughts of its being the King's house altered
our resolution, and so put them at his friend's, Mr. Glanvill's, and there
they are safe. Would the rest of them were so too! In discourse, we come
to mention my profit, and he offers me L500 clear, and I demand L600 for
my certain profit. We part to-night, and I lie there at Mr. Glanvill's
house, there being none there but a maydeservant and a young man; being in
some pain, partly from not knowing what to do in this business, having a
mind to be at a certainty in my profit, and partly through his having
Jacke sicke still, and his blackemore now also fallen sicke. So he being
gone, I to bed.

28th. Up, and being mightily pleased with my night's lodging, drank a cup
of beer, and went out to my office, and there did some business, and so
took boat and down to Woolwich (having first made a visit to Madam
Williams, who is going down to my Lord Bruncker) and there dined, and then
fitted my papers and money and every thing else for a journey to Nonsuch
to-morrow. That being done I walked to Greenwich, and there to the office
pretty late expecting Captain Cocke's coming, which he did, and so with me
to my new lodging (and there I chose rather to lie because of my interest
in the goods that we have brought there to lie), but the people were abed,
so we knocked them up, and so I to bed, and in the night was mightily
troubled with a looseness (I suppose from some fresh damp linen that I put
on this night), and feeling for a chamber-pott, there was none, I having
called the mayde up out of her bed, she had forgot I suppose to put one
there; so I was forced in this strange house to rise and shit in the
chimney twice; and so to bed and was very well again, and

29th. To sleep till 5 o'clock, when it is now very dark, and then rose,
being called up by order by Mr. Marlow, and so up and dressed myself, and
by and by comes Mr. Lashmore on horseback, and I had my horse I borrowed
of Mr. Gillthropp, Sir W. Batten's clerke, brought to me, and so we set
out and rode hard and was at Nonsuch by about eight o'clock, a very fine
journey and a fine day. There I come just about chappell time and so I
went to chappell with them and thence to the several offices about my
tallys, which I find done, but strung for sums not to my purpose, and so
was forced to get them to promise me to have them cut into other sums.
But, Lord! what ado I had to persuade the dull fellows to it, especially
Mr. Warder, Master of the Pells, and yet without any manner of reason for
their scruple. But at last I did, and so left my tallies there against
another day, and so walked to Yowell, and there did spend a peece upon
them, having a whole house full, and much mirth by a sister of the
mistresse of the house, an old mayde lately married to a lieutenant of a
company that quarters there, and much pleasant discourse we had and,
dinner being done, we to horse again and come to Greenwich before night,
and so to my lodging, and there being a little weary sat down and fell to
order some of my pocket papers, and then comes Captain Cocke, and after a
great deal of discourse with him seriously upon the disorders of our state
through lack of men to mind the public business and to understand it, we
broke up, sitting up talking very late. We spoke a little of my late
business propounded of taking profit for my money laid out for these
goods, but he finds I rise in my demand, he offering me still L500
certain. So we did give it over, and I to bed. I hear for certain this
night upon the road that Sir Martin Noell is this day dead of the plague
in London, where he hath lain sick of it these eight days.

30th. Up and to the office, where busy all the morning, and at noon with
Sir W. Batten to Coll. Cleggat to dinner, being invited, where a very
pretty dinner to my full content and very merry. The great burden we have
upon us at this time at the office, is the providing for prisoners and
sicke men that are recovered, they lying before our office doors all night
and all day, poor wretches. Having been on shore, the captains won't
receive them on board, and other ships we have not to put them on, nor
money to pay them off, or provide for them. God remove this difficulty!
This made us followed all the way to this gentleman's house and there are
waited for our coming out after dinner. Hither come Luellin to me and
would force me to take Mr. Deering's 20 pieces in gold he did offer me a
good while since, which I did, yet really and sincerely against my will
and content, I seeing him a man not likely to do well in his business, nor
I to reap any comfort in having to do with, and be beholden to, a man that
minds more his pleasure and company than his business. Thence mighty
merry and much pleased with the dinner and company and they with me I
parted and there was set upon by the poor wretches, whom I did give good
words and some little money to, and the poor people went away like lambs,
and in good earnest are not to be censured if their necessities drive them
to bad courses of stealing or the like, while they lacke wherewith to
live. Thence to the office, and there wrote a letter or two and
dispatched a little business, and then to Captain Cocke's, where I find
Mr. Temple, the fat blade, Sir Robert. Viner's chief man. And we three
and two companions of his in the evening by agreement took ship in the
Bezan and the tide carried us no further than Woolwich about 8 at night,
and so I on shore to my wife, and there to my great trouble find my wife
out of order, and she took me downstairs and there alone did tell me her
falling out with both her mayds and particularly Mary, and how Mary had to
her teeth told her she would tell me of something that should stop her
mouth and words of that sense. Which I suspect may be about Brown, but my
wife prays me to call it to examination, and this, I being of myself
jealous, do make me mightily out of temper, and seeing it not fit to enter
into the dispute did passionately go away, thinking to go on board again.
But when I come to the stairs I considered the Bezan would not go till the
next ebb, and it was best to lie in a good bed and, it may be, get myself
into a better humour by being with my wife. So I back again and to bed
and having otherwise so many reasons to rejoice and hopes of good profit,
besides considering the ill that trouble of mind and melancholly may in
this sickly time bring a family into, and that if the difference were
never so great, it is not a time to put away servants, I was resolved to
salve up the business rather than stir in it, and so become pleasant with
my wife and to bed, minding nothing of this difference. So to sleep with
a good deal of content, and saving only this night and a day or two about
the same business a month or six weeks ago, I do end this month with the
greatest content, and may say that these last three months, for joy,
health, and profit, have been much the greatest that ever I received in
all my life in any twelve months almost in my life, having nothing upon me
but the consideration of the sicklinesse of the season during this great
plague to mortify mee. For all which the Lord God be praised!

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

And feeling for a chamber-pott, there was none
Discourse of Mr. Evelyn touching all manner of learning
Fell to sleep as if angry
King himself minding nothing but his ease
Not to be censured if their necessities drive them to bad
Ordered him L2000, and he paid me my quantum out of it
Sicke men that are recovered, they lying before our office doors
Told us he had not been in a bed in the whole seven years

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.
OCTOBER
1665

October 1st (Lord's day). Called up about 4 of the clock and so dressed
myself and so on board the Bezan, and there finding all my company asleep
I would not wake them, but it beginning to be break of day I did stay upon
the decke walking, and then into the Maister's cabbin and there laid and
slept a little, and so at last was waked by Captain Cocke's calling of me,
and so I turned out, and then to chat and talk and laugh, and mighty
merry. We spent most of the morning talking and reading of "The Siege of
Rhodes," which is certainly (the more I read it the more I think so) the
best poem that ever was wrote. We breakfasted betimes and come to the
fleete about two of the clock in the afternoon, having a fine day and a
fine winde. My Lord received us mighty kindly, and after discourse with
us in general left us to our business, and he to his officers, having
called a council of wary, we in the meantime settling of papers with Mr.
Pierce and everybody else, and by and by with Captain Cuttance. Anon
called down to my Lord, and there with him till supper talking and
discourse; among other things, to my great joy, he did assure me that he
had wrote to the King and Duke about these prize-goods, and told me that
they did approve of what he had done, and that he would owne what he had
done, and would have me to tell all the world so, and did, under his hand,
give Cocke and me his certificate of our bargains, and giving us full
power of disposal of what we have so bought. This do ease my mind of all
my fear, and makes my heart lighter by L100 than it was before. He did
discourse to us of the Dutch fleete being abroad, eighty-five of them
still, and are now at the Texell, he believes, in expectation of our
Eastland ships coming home with masts and hempe, and our loaden Hambrough
ships going to Hambrough. He discoursed against them that would have us
yield to no conditions but conquest over the Dutch, and seems to believe
that the Dutch will call for the protection of the King of France and come
under his power, which were to be wished they might be brought to do under
ours by fair means, and to that end would have all Dutch men and familys,
that would come hither and settled, to be declared denizens; and my Lord
did whisper to me alone that things here must break in pieces, nobody
minding any thing, but every man his owne business of profit or pleasure,
and the King some little designs of his owne, and that certainly the
kingdom could not stand in this condition long, which I fear and believe
is very true. So to supper and there my Lord the kindest man to me,
before all the table talking of me to my advantage and with tenderness too
that it overjoyed me. So after supper Captain Cocke and I and Temple on
board the Bezan, and there to cards for a while and then to read again in
"Rhodes" and so to sleep. But, Lord! the mirth which it caused me to be
waked in the night by their snoaring round about me; I did laugh till I
was ready to burst, and waked one of the two companions of Temple, who
could not a good while tell where he was that he heard one laugh so, till
he recollected himself, and I told him what it was at, and so to sleep
again, they still snoaring.

2nd. We having sailed all night (and I do wonder how they in the dark
could find the way) we got by morning to Gillingham, and thence all walked
to Chatham; and there with Commissioner Pett viewed the Yard; and among
other things, a teame of four horses come close by us, he being with me,
drawing a piece of timber that I am confident one man could easily have
carried upon his back. I made the horses be taken away, and a man or two
to take the timber away with their hands. This the Commissioner did see,
but said nothing, but I think had cause to be ashamed of. We walked, he
and I and Cocke, to the Hill-house, where we find Sir W. Pen in bed and
there much talke and much dissembling of kindnesse from him, but he is a
false rogue, and I shall not trust him, but my being there did procure his
consent to have his silk carried away before the money received, which he
would not have done for Cocke I am sure. Thence to Rochester, walked to
the Crowne, and while dinner was getting ready, I did there walk to visit
the old Castle ruines, which hath been a noble place, and there going up I
did upon the stairs overtake three pretty mayds or women and took them up
with me, and I did 'baiser sur mouches et toucher leur mains' and necks to
my great pleasure: but, Lord! to see what a dreadfull thing it is to look
down the precipices, for it did fright me mightily, and hinder me of much
pleasure which I would have made to myself in the company of these three,
if it had not been for that. The place hath been very noble and great and
strong in former ages. So to walk up and down the Cathedral, and thence
to the Crowne, whither Mr. Fowler, the Mayor of the towne, was come in his
gowne, and is a very reverend magistrate. After I had eat a bit, not
staying to eat with them, I went away, and so took horses and to
Gravesend, and there staid not, but got a boat, the sicknesse being very
much in the towne still, and so called on board my Lord Bruncker and Sir
John Minnes, on board one of the East Indiamen at Erith, and there do find
them full of envious complaints for the pillageing of the ships, but I did
pacify them, and discoursed about making money of some of the goods, and
do hope to be the better by it honestly. So took leave (Madam Williams
being here also with my Lord), and about 8 o'clock got to Woolwich and
there supped and mighty pleasant with my wife, who is, for ought I see,
all friends with her mayds, and so in great joy and content to bed.

3rd. Up, and to my great content visited betimes by Mr. Woolly, my uncle
Wight's cozen, who comes to see what work I have for him about these East
India goods, and I do find that this fellow might have been of great use,
and hereafter may be of very great use to me, in this trade of prize
goods, and glad I am fully of his coming hither. While I dressed myself,
and afterwards in walking to Greenwich we did discourse over all the
business of the prize goods, and he puts me in hopes I may get some money
in what I have done, but not so much as I expected, but that I may
hereafter do more. We have laid a design of getting more, and are to talk
again of it a few days hence. To the office, where nobody to meet me, Sir
W. Batten being the only man and he gone this day to meet to adjourne the
Parliament to Oxford. Anon by appointment comes one to tell me my Lord
Rutherford is come; so I to the King's Head to him, where I find his lady,
a fine young Scotch lady, pretty handsome and plain. My wife also, and
Mercer, by and by comes, Creed bringing them; and so presently to dinner
and very merry; and after to even our accounts, and I to give him tallys,
where he do allow me L100, of which to my grief the rogue Creed has
trepanned me out of L50. But I do foresee a way how it may be I may get a
greater sum of my Lord to his content by getting him allowance of interest
upon his tallys. That being done, and some musique and other diversions,
at last away goes my Lord and Lady, and I sent my wife to visit Mrs.
Pierce, and so I to my office, where wrote important letters to the Court,
and at night (Creed having clownishly left my wife), I to Mrs. Pierces and
brought her and Mrs. Pierce to the King's Head and there spent a piece
upon a supper for her and mighty merry and pretty discourse, she being as
pretty as ever, most of our mirth being upon "my Cozen" (meaning my Lord
Bruncker's ugly mistress, whom he calls cozen), and to my trouble she
tells me that the fine Mrs. Middleton is noted for carrying about her body
a continued sour base smell, that is very offensive, especially if she be
a little hot. Here some bad musique to close the night and so away and
all of us saw Mrs. Belle Pierce (as pretty as ever she was almost) home,
and so walked to Will's lodging where I used to lie, and there made shift
for a bed for Mercer, and mighty pleasantly to bed. This night I hear
that of our two watermen that use to carry our letters, and were well on
Saturday last, one is dead, and the other dying sick of the plague. The
plague, though decreasing elsewhere, yet being greater about the Tower and
thereabouts.

4th. Up and to my office, where Mr. Andrews comes, and reckoning with him
I get L64 of him. By and by comes Mr. Gawden, and reckoning with him he
gives me L60 in his account, which is a great mercy to me. Then both of
them met and discoursed the business of the first man's resigning and the
other's taking up the business of the victualling of Tangier, and I do not
think that I shall be able to do as well under Mr. Gawden as under these
men, or within a little as to profit and less care upon me. Thence to the
King's Head to dinner, where we three and Creed and my wife and her woman
dined mighty merry and sat long talking, and so in the afternoon broke up,
and I led my wife to our lodging again, and I to the office where did much
business, and so to my wife. This night comes Sir George Smith to see me
at the office, and tells me how the plague is decreased this week 740, for
which God be praised! but that it encreases at our end of the town still,
and says how all the towne is full of Captain Cocke's being in some ill
condition about prize-goods, his goods being taken from him, and I know
not what. But though this troubles me to have it said, and that it is
likely to be a business in Parliament, yet I am not much concerned at it,
because yet I believe this newes is all false, for he would have wrote to
me sure about it. Being come to my wife, at our lodging, I did go to bed,
and left my wife with her people to laugh and dance and I to sleep.

5th. Lay long in bed talking among other things of my sister Pall, and my
wife of herself is very willing that I should give her L400 to her
portion, and would have her married soon as we could; but this great
sicknesse time do make it unfit to send for her up. I abroad to the
office and thence to the Duke of Albemarle, all my way reading a book of
Mr. Evelyn's translating and sending me as a present, about directions for
gathering a Library;

[Instructions concerning erecting of a Library, presented to my
Lord the President De Mesme by Gilbert Naudeus, and now interpreted
by Jo. Evelyn, Esquire. London, 1661: This little book was
dedicated to Lord Clarendon by the translator. It was printed while
Evelyn was abroad, and is full of typographical errors; these are
corrected in a copy mentioned in Evelyn's "Miscellaneous Writings,"
1825, p. xii, where a letter to Dr. Godolphin on the subject is
printed.]

but the book is above my reach, but his epistle to my Lord Chancellor is a
very fine piece. When I come to the Duke it was about the victuallers'
business, to put it into other hands, or more hands, which I do advise in,
but I hope to do myself a jobb of work in it. So I walked through
Westminster to my old house the Swan, and there did pass some time with
Sarah, and so down by water to Deptford and there to my Valentine.

[A Mrs. Bagwell. See ante, February 14th, 1664-65]

Round about and next door on every side is the plague, but I did not value
it, but there did what I would 'con elle', and so away to Mr. Evelyn's to
discourse of our confounded business of prisoners, and sick and wounded
seamen, wherein he and we are so much put out of order.

[Each of the Commissioners for the Sick and Wounded was appointed to
a particular district, and Evelyn's district was Kent and Sussex.
On September 25th, 1665, Evelyn wrote in his Diary: "My Lord Admiral
being come from ye fleete to Greenewich, I went thence with him to
ye Cockpit to consult with the Duke of Albemarle. I was peremptory
that unlesse we had L10,000 immediately, the prisoners would starve,
and 'twas proposed it should be rais'd out of the E. India prizes
now taken by Lord Sandwich. They being but two of ye Commission,
and so not impower'd to determine, sent an expresse to his Majesty
and Council to know what they should do."]

And here he showed me his gardens, which are for variety of evergreens,
and hedge of holly, the finest things I ever saw in my life.

[Evelyn purchased Sayes Court, Deptford, in 1653, and laid out his
gardens, walks, groves, enclosures, and plantations, which
afterwards became famous for their beauty. When he took the place
in hand it was nothing but an open field of one hundred acres, with
scarcely a hedge in it.]

Thence in his coach to Greenwich, and there to my office, all the way
having fine discourse of trees and the nature of vegetables. And so to
write letters, I very late to Sir W. Coventry of great concernment, and so
to my last night's lodging, but my wife is gone home to Woolwich. The
Bill, blessed be God! is less this week by 740 of what it was the last
week. Being come to my lodging I got something to eat, having eat little
all the day, and so to bed, having this night renewed my promises of
observing my vowes as I used to do; for I find that, since I left them
off, my mind is run a'wool-gathering and my business neglected.

6th. Up, and having sent for Mr. Gawden he come to me, and he and I
largely discoursed the business of his Victualling, in order to the adding
of partners to him or other ways of altering it, wherein I find him ready
to do anything the King would have him do. So he and I took his coach and
to Lambeth and to the Duke of Albemarle about it, and so back again, where
he left me. In our way discoursing of the business and contracting a
great friendship with him, and I find he is a man most worthy to be made a
friend, being very honest and gratefull, and in the freedom of our
discourse he did tell me his opinion and knowledge of Sir W. Pen to be,
what I know him to be, as false a man as ever was born, for so, it seems,
he hath been to him. He did also tell me, discoursing how things are
governed as to the King's treasure, that, having occasion for money in the
country, he did offer Alderman Maynell to pay him down money here, to be
paid by the Receiver in some county in the country, upon whom Maynell had
assignments, in whose hands the money also lay ready. But Maynell refused
it, saying that he could have his money when he would, and had rather it
should lie where it do than receive it here in towne this sickly time,
where he hath no occasion for it. But now the evil is that he hath lent
this money upon tallys which are become payable, but he finds that nobody
looks after it, how long the money is unpaid, and whether it lies dead in
the Receiver's hands or no, so the King he pays Maynell 10 per cent. while
the money lies in his Receiver's hands to no purpose but the benefit of
the Receiver. I to dinner to the King's Head with Mr. Woolly, who is come
to instruct me in the business of my goods, but gives me not so good
comfort as I thought I should have had. But, however, it will be well
worth my time though not above 2 or L300. He gone I to my office, where
very busy drawing up a letter by way of discourse to the Duke of Albemarle
about my conception how the business of the Victualling should be ordered,
wherein I have taken great pains, and I think have hitt the right if they
will but follow it. At this very late and so home to our lodgings to bed.

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