Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1665 N.S. Complete

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17th. Up, and all day long busy at the office, mighty busy, only stepped
to my lodging and had a fowl for my dinner, and at night my wife and
Mercer comes to me, which troubled me a little because I am to be mighty
busy to-morrow all day seriously about my accounts. So late from my
office to her, and supped, and so to bed.

18th. Up, and after some pleasant discourse with my wife (though my head
full of business) I out and left her to go home, and myself to the office,
and thence by water to the Duke of Albemarle's, and so back again and find
my wife gone. So to my chamber at my lodgings, and to the making of my
accounts up of Tangier, which I did with great difficulty, finding the
difference between short and long reckonings where I have had occasion to
mix my moneys, as I have of late done my Tangier treasure upon other
occasions, and other moneys upon that. However, I was at it late and did
it pretty perfectly, and so, after eating something, to bed, my mind eased
of a great deal of figures and castings.

19th. Up, and to my accounts again, and stated them very clear and fair,
and at noon dined at my lodgings with Mr. Hater and W. Hewer at table with
me, I being come to an agreement yesterday with my landlady for L6 per
month, for so many rooms for myself, them, and my wife and mayde, when she
shall come, and to pay besides for my dyett. After dinner I did give them
my accounts and letters to write against I went to the Duke of Albemarle's
this evening, which I did; and among other things, spoke to him for my
wife's brother, Balty, to be of his guard, which he kindly answered that
he should. My business of the Victualling goes on as I would have it; and
now my head is full how to make some profit of it to myself or people. To
that end, when I came home, I wrote a letter to Mr. Coventry, offering
myself to be the Surveyor Generall, and am apt to think he will assist me
in it, but I do not set my heart much on it, though it would be a good
helpe. So back to my office, and there till past one before I could get
all these letters and papers copied out, which vexed me, but so sent them
away without hopes of saving the post, and so to my lodging to bed.

20th. Up, and had my last night's letters brought back to me, which
troubles me, because of my accounts, lest they should be asked for before
they come, which I abhorr, being more ready to give than they can be to
demand them: so I sent away an expresse to Oxford with them, and another
to Portsmouth, with a copy of my letter to Mr. Coventry about my
victualling business, for fear he should be gone from Oxford, as he
intended, thither. So busy all the morning and at noon to Cocke, and
dined there. He and I alone, vexed that we are not rid of all our trouble
about our goods, but it is almost over, and in the afternoon to my
lodging, and there spent the whole afternoon and evening with Mr. Hater,
discoursing of the business of the office, where he tells me that among
others Thomas Willson do now and then seem to hint that I do take too much
business upon me, more than I can do, and that therefore some do lie
undone. This I confess to my trouble is true, but it arises from my being
forced to take so much on me, more than is my proper task to undertake.
But for this at last I did advise to him to take another clerk if he
thinks fit, I will take care to have him paid. I discoursed also much
with him about persons fit to be put into the victualling business, and
such as I could spare something out of their salaries for them, but
without trouble I cannot, I see, well do it, because Thomas Willson must
have the refusal of the best place which is London of L200 per annum,
which I did intend for Tooker, and to get L50 out of it as a help to Mr.
Hater. How[ever], I will try to do something of this kind for them.
Having done discourse with him late, I to enter my Tangier accounts fair,
and so to supper and to bed.

21 st. Up, and to my office, where busy all the morning, and then with my
two clerks home to dinner, and so back again to the office, and there very
late very busy, and so home to supper and to bed.

22nd (Lord's day). Up, and after ready and going to Captain Cocke's,
where I find we are a little further safe in some part of our goods, I to
Church, in my way was meeting with some letters, which made me resolve to
go after church to my Lord Duke of Albemarle's, so, after sermon, I took
Cocke's chariott, and to Lambeth; but, in going and getting over the
water, and through White Hall, I spent so much time, the Duke had almost
dined. However, fresh meat was brought for me to his table, and there I
dined, and full of discourse and very kind. Here they are again talking
of the prizes, and my Lord Duke did speake very broad that my Lord
Sandwich and Pen should do what they would, and answer for themselves.
For his part, he would lay all before the King. Here he tells me the
Dutch Embassador at Oxford is clapped up, but since I hear it is not true.
Thence back again, it being evening before I could get home, and there
Cocke not being within, I and Mr. Salomon to Mr. Glanville's, and there we
found Cocke and sat and supped, and was mighty merry with only Madam
Penington, who is a fine, witty lady. Here we spent the evening late with
great mirth, and so home and to bed.

23rd. Up, and after doing some business I down by water, calling to see
my wife, with whom very merry for ten minutes, and so to Erith, where my
Lord Bruncker and I kept the office, and dispatched some business by
appointment on the Bezan. Among other things about the slopsellers, who
have trusted us so long, they are not able, nor can be expected to trust
us further, and I fear this winter the fleete will be undone by that
particular. Thence on board the East India ship, where my Lord Bruncker
had provided a great dinner, and thither comes by and by Sir John Minnes
and before him Sir W. Warren and anon a Perspective glasse maker, of whom
we, every one, bought a pocket glasse. But I am troubled with the much
talke and conceitedness of Mrs. Williams and her impudence, in case she be
not married to my Lord. They are getting themselves ready to deliver the
goods all out to the East India Company, who are to have the goods in
their possession and to advance two thirds of the moderate value thereof
and sell them as well as they can and the King to give them 6 per cent.
for the use of the money they shall so advance. By this means the company
will not suffer by the King's goods bringing down the price of their own.
Thence in the evening back again with Sir W. Warren and Captain Taylor in
my boat, and the latter went with me to the office, and there he and I
reckoned; and I perceive I shall get L100 profit by my services of late to
him, which is a very good thing. Thence to my lodging, where I find my
Lord Rutherford, of which I was glad. We supped together and sat up late,
he being a mighty wanton man with a daughter in law of my landlady's, a
pretty conceited woman big with child, and he would be handling her
breasts, which she coyly refused. But they gone, my Lord and I to
business, and he would have me forbear paying Alderman Backewell the money
ordered him, which I, in hopes to advantage myself, shall forbear, but do
not think that my Lord will do any thing gratefully more to me than he
hath done, not that I shall get any thing as I pretended by helping him to
interest for his last L7700, which I could do, and do him a courtesy too.
Discourse being done, he to bed in my chamber and I to another in the
house.

24th. Lay long, having a cold. Then to my Lord and sent him going to
Oxford, and I to my office, whither comes Sir William Batten now newly
from Oxford. I can gather nothing from him about my Lord Sandwich about
the business of the prizes, he being close, but he shewed me a bill which
hath been read in the House making all breaking of bulke for the time to
come felony, but it is a foolish Act, and will do no great matter, only is
calculated to my Lord Sandwich's case. He shewed me also a good letter
printed from the Bishopp of Munster to the States of Holland shewing the
state of their case. Here we did some business and so broke up and I to
Cocke, where Mr. Evelyn was, to dinner, and there merry, yet vexed again
at publique matters, and to see how little heed is had to the prisoners
and sicke and wounded. Thence to my office, and no sooner there but to my
great surprise am told that my Lord Sandwich is come to towne; so I
presently to Boreman's, where he is and there found him: he mighty kind to
me, but no opportunity of discourse private yet, which he tells me he must
have with me; only his business is sudden to go to the fleece, to get out
a few ships to drive away the Dutch. I left him in discourse with Sir W.
Batten and others, and myself to the office till about 10 at night and so,
letters being done, I to him again to Captain Cocke's, where he supped,
and lies, and never saw him more merry, and here is Charles Herbert, who
the King hath lately knighted.

[This person, erroneously called by Pepys Sir C. Herbert, will be
best defined by subjoining the inscription on his monument in
Westminster Abbey: "Sir Charles Harbord, Knight, third son of Sir
Charles Harbord, Knight, Surveyor-General, and First Lieutenant of
the Royall James, under the most noble and illustrious Captaine,
Edward, Earle of Sandwich, Vice-Admirall of England, which, after a
terrible fight, maintained to admiration against a squadron of the
Holland fleet, above six hours, neere the Suffolk coast, having put
off two fireships; at last, being utterly disabled, and few of her
men remaining unhurt, was, by a third, unfortunately set on fire.
But he (though he swome well) neglected to save himselfe, as some
did, and out of perfect love to that worthy Lord, whom, for many
yeares, he had constantly accompanyed, in all his honourable
employments, and in all the engagements of the former warre, dyed
with him, at the age of xxxii., much bewailed by his father, whom he
never offended; and much beloved by all for his knowne piety,
vertue, loyalty, fortitude, and fidelity."--B.]

My Lord, to my great content, did tell me before them, that never anything
was read to the King and Council, all the chief Ministers of State being
there, as my letter about the Victualling was, and no more said upon it
than a most thorough consent to every word was said, and directed, that it
be pursued and practised. After much mirth, and my Lord having travelled
all night last night, he to bed, and we all parted, I home.

25th. Up and to my Lord Sandwich's, where several Commanders, of whom I
took the state of all their ships, and of all could find not above four
capable of going out. The truth is, the want of victuals being the whole
overthrow of this yeare both at sea, and now at the Nore here and
Portsmouth, where all the fleete lies. By and by comes down my Lord, and
then he and I an houre together alone upon private discourse. He tells me
that Mr. Coventry and he are not reconciled, but declared enemies: the
only occasion of it being, he tells me, his ill usage from him about the
first fight, wherein he had no right done him, which, methinks, is a poor
occasion, for, in my conscience, that was no design of Coventry's. But,
however, when I asked my Lord whether it were not best, though with some
condescension, to be friends with him, he told me it was not possible, and
so I stopped. He tells me, as very private, that there are great factions
at the Court between the King's party and the Duke of Yorke's, and that
the King, which is a strange difficulty, do favour my Lord in opposition
to the Duke's party; that my Lord Chancellor, being, to be sure, the
patron of the Duke's, it is a mystery whence it should be that Mr.
Coventry is looked upon by him [Clarendon] as an enemy to him; that if he
had a mind himself to be out of this employment, as Mr. Coventry, he
believes, wishes, and himself and I do incline to wish it also, in many
respects, yet he believes he shall not be able, because of the King, who
will keepe him in on purpose, in opposition to the other party; that
Prince Rupert and he are all possible friends in the world; that Coventry
hath aggravated this business of the prizes, though never so great
plundering in the world as while the Duke and he were at sea; and in Sir
John Lawson's time he could take and pillage, and then sink a whole ship
in the Streights, and Coventry say nothing to it; that my Lord Arlington
is his fast friend; that the Chancellor is cold to him, and though I told
him that I and the world do take my Lord Chancellor, in his speech the
other day, to have said as much as could be wished, yet he thinks he did
not. That my Lord Chancellor do from hence begin to be cold to him,
because of his seeing him and Arlington so great: that nothing at Court is
minded but faction and pleasure, and nothing intended of general good to
the kingdom by anybody heartily; so that he believes with me, in a little
time confusion will certainly come over all the nation. He told me how a
design was carried on a while ago, for the Duke of Yorke to raise an army
in the North, and to be the Generall of it, and all this without the
knowledge or advice of the Duke of Albemarle, which when he come to know,
he was so vexed, they were fain to let it fall to content him: that his
matching with the family of Sir G. Carteret do make the difference greater
between Coventry and him, they being enemies; that the Chancellor did, as
every body else, speak well of me the other day, but yet was, at the
Committee for Tangier, angry that I should offer to suffer a bill of
exchange to be protested. So my Lord did bid me take heed, for that I
might easily suppose I could not want enemies, no more than others. In
all he speaks with the greatest trust and love and confidence in what I
say or do, that a man can do. After this discourse ended we sat down to
dinner and mighty merry, among other things, at the Bill brought into the
House to make it felony to break bulke, which, as my Lord says well, will
make that no prizes shall be taken, or, if taken, shall be sunke after
plundering; and the Act for the method of gathering this last L1,250,000
now voted, and how paid wherein are several strange imperfections. After
dinner my Lord by a ketch down to Erith, where the Bezan was, it blowing
these last two days and now both night and day very hard southwardly, so
that it has certainly drove the Dutch off the coast. My Lord being gone I
to the office, and there find Captain Ferrers, who tells me his wife is
come to town to see him, having not seen him since 15 weeks ago at his
first going to sea last. She is now at a Taverne and stays all night, so
I was obliged to give him my house and chamber to lie in, which he with
great modesty and after much force took, and so I got Mr. Evelyn's coach
to carry her thither, and the coach coming back, I with Mr. Evelyn to
Deptford, where a little while with him doing a little business, and so in
his coach back again to my lodgings, and there sat with Mrs. Ferrers two
hours, and with my little girle, Mistress Frances Tooker, and very
pleasant. Anon the Captain comes, and then to supper very merry, and so I
led them to bed. And so to bed myself, having seen my pretty little girle
home first at the next door.

26th. Up, and, leaving my guests to make themselves ready, I to the
office, and thither comes Sir Jer. Smith and Sir Christopher Mings to see
me, being just come from Portsmouth and going down to the Fleete. Here I
sat and talked with them a good while and then parted, only Sir
Christopher Mings and I together by water to the Tower; and I find him a
very witty well-spoken fellow, and mighty free to tell his parentage,
being a shoemaker's son, to whom he is now going, and I to the 'Change,
where I hear how the French have taken two and sunk one of our
merchant-men in the Streights, and carried the ships to Toulon; so that
there is no expectation but we must fall out with them. The 'Change
pretty full, and the town begins to be lively again, though the streets
very empty, and most shops shut. So back again I and took boat and called
for Sir Christopher Mings at St. Katharine's, who was followed with some
ordinary friends, of which, he says, he is proud, and so down to
Greenwich, the wind furious high, and we with our sail up till I made it
be taken down. I took him, it being 3 o'clock, to my lodgings and did give
him a good dinner and so parted, he being pretty close to me as to any
business of the fleete, knowing me to be a servant of my Lord Sandwich's.
He gone I to the office till night, and then they come and tell me my wife
is come to towne, so I to her vexed at her coming, but it was upon
innocent business, so I was pleased and made her stay, Captain Ferrers and
his lady being yet there, and so I left them to dance, and I to the office
till past nine at night, and so to them and there saw them dance very
prettily, the Captain and his wife, my wife and Mrs. Barbary, and Mercer
and my landlady's daughter, and then little Mistress Frances Tooker and
her mother, a pretty woman come to see my wife. Anon to supper, and then
to dance again (Golding being our fiddler, who plays very well and all
tunes) till past twelve at night, and then we broke up and every one to
bed, we make shift for all our company, Mrs. Tooker being gone.

27th. Up, and after some pleasant discourse with my wife, I out, leaving
her and Mrs. Ferrers there, and I to Captain Cocke's, there to do some
business, and then away with Cocke in his coach through Kent Streete, a
miserable, wretched, poor place, people sitting sicke and muffled up with
plasters at every 4 or 5 doors. So to the 'Change, and thence I by water
to the Duke of Albemarle's, and there much company, but I staid and dined,
and he makes mighty much of me; and here he tells us the Dutch are gone,
and have lost above 160 cables and anchors, through the last foule
weather. Here he proposed to me from Mr. Coventry, as I had desired of
Mr. Coventry, that I should be Surveyor-Generall of the Victualling
business, which I accepted. But, indeed, the terms in which Mr. Coventry
proposes it for me are the most obliging that ever I could expect from any
man, and more; it saying me to be the fittest man in England, and that he
is sure, if I will undertake, I will perform it; and that it will be also
a very desirable thing that I might have this encouragement, my
encouragement in the Navy alone being in no wise proportionable to my
pains or deserts. This, added to the letter I had three days since from
Mr. Southerne, signifying that the Duke of Yorke had in his master's
absence opened my letter, and commanded him to tell me that he did approve
of my being the Surveyor-General, do make me joyful beyond myself that I
cannot express it, to see that as I do take pains, so God blesses me, and
hath sent me masters that do observe that I take pains. After having done
here, I back by water and to London, and there met with Captain Cocke's
coach again, and I went in it to Greenwich and thence sent my wife in it
to Woolwich, and I to the office, and thence home late with Captain
Taylor, and he and I settled all accounts between us, and I do find that I
do get above L129 of him for my services for him within these six months.
At it till almost one in the morning, and after supper he away and I to
bed, mightily satisfied in all this, and in a resolution I have taken
to-night with Mr. Hater to propose the port of London for the victualling
business for Thomas Willson, by which it will be better done and I at more
ease, in case he should grumble.

[The Duke of York's letter appointing Thomas Wilson Surveyor of the
Victualling of His Majesty's Navy in the Port of London, and
referring to Pepys as Surveyor-General of the Victualling Affairs,
is printed in "Memoirs of the English Affairs, chiefly Naval, 1660-
73," by James, Duke of York, 1729, p. 131.]

So to bed.

28th. Up, and sent for Thomas Willson, and broke the victualling business
to him and he is mightily contented, and so am I that I have bestowed it
on him, and so I to Mr. Boreman's, where Sir W. Batten is, to tell him
what I had proposed to Thomas Willson, and the newes also I have this
morning from Sir W. Clerke, which is, that notwithstanding all the care
the Duke of Albemarle hath taken about the putting the East India prize
goods into the East India Company's hands, and my Lord Bruncker and Sir J.
Minnes having laden out a great part of the goods, an order is come from
Court to stop all, and to have the goods delivered to the
Sub-Commissioners of prizes. At which I am glad, because it do vex this
simple weake man, and we shall have a little reparation for the disgrace
my Lord Sandwich has had in it. He tells me also that the Parliament hath
given the Duke of Yorke L120,000, to be paid him after the L1,250,000 is
gathered upon the tax which they have now given the King.

[This sum was granted by the Commons to Charles, with a request that
he would bestow it on his brother.--B.]

He tells me that the Dutch have lately launched sixteen new ships; all
which is great news. Thence by horsebacke with Mr. Deane to Erith, and so
aboard my Lord Bruncker and dined, and very merry with him and good
discourse between them about ship building, and, after dinner and a little
pleasant discourse, we away and by horse back again to Greenwich, and
there I to the office very late, offering my persons for all the
victualling posts much to my satisfaction. Also much other business I did
to my mind, and so weary home to my lodging, and there after eating and
drinking a little I to bed. The King and Court, they say, have now
finally resolved to spend nothing upon clothes, but what is of the growth
of England; which, if observed, will be very pleasing to the people, and
very good for them.

29th (Lord's day). Up, and being ready set out with Captain Cocke in his
coach toward Erith, Mr. Deane riding along with us, where we dined and
were very merry. After dinner we fell to discourse about the Dutch, Cocke
undertaking to prove that they were able to wage warr with us three years
together, which, though it may be true, yet, not being satisfied with his
arguments, my Lord and I did oppose the strength of his arguments, which
brought us to a great heate, he being a conceited man, but of no Logique
in his head at all, which made my Lord and I mirth. Anon we parted, and
back again, we hardly having a word all the way, he being so vexed at our
not yielding to his persuasion. I was set down at Woolwich towne end, and
walked through the towne in the darke, it being now night. But in the
streete did overtake and almost run upon two women crying and carrying a
man's coffin between them. I suppose the husband of one of them, which,
methinks, is a sad thing. Being come to Shelden's, I find my people in
the darke in the dining room, merry and laughing, and, I thought, sporting
one with another, which, God helpe me! raised my jealousy presently. Come
in the darke, and one of them touching me (which afterward I found was
Susan) made them shreeke, and so went out up stairs, leaving them to light
a candle and to run out. I went out and was very vexed till I found my
wife was gone with Mr. Hill and Mercer this day to see me at Greenwich,
and these people were at supper, and the candle on a sudden falling out of
the candlesticke (which I saw as I come through the yarde) and Mrs.
Barbary being there I was well at ease again, and so bethought myself what
to do, whether to go to Greenwich or stay there; at last go I would, and
so with a lanthorne, and 3 or 4 people with me, among others Mr. Browne,
who was there, would go, I walked with a lanthorne and discoursed with him
about paynting and the several sorts of it. I came in good time to
Greenwich, where I found Mr. Hill with my wife, and very glad I was to see
him. To supper and discourse of musique and so to bed, I lying with him
talking till midnight about Berckenshaw's musique rules, which I did to
his great satisfaction inform him in, and so to sleep.

30th. Up, and to my office about business. At noon to dinner, and after
some discourse of musique, he and I to the office awhile, and he to get
Mr. Coleman, if he can, against night. By and by I back again home, and
there find him returned with Mr. Coleman (his wife being ill) and Mr.
Laneare, with whom with their Lute we had excellent company and good
singing till midnight, and a good supper I did give them, but Coleman's
voice is quite spoiled, and when he begins to be drunk he is excellent
company, but afterward troublesome and impertinent. Laneare sings in a
melancholy method very well, and a sober man he seems to be. They being
gone, we to bed. Captain Ferrers coming this day from my Lord is forced
to lodge here, and I put him to Mr. Hill.

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