Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1665 N.S. Complete

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28th. Up betimes and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and I
did most of the business there, God wot. Then to the 'Change, and thence
to the Coffee-house with Sir W. Warren, where much good discourse for us
both till 9 o'clock with great pleasure and content, and then parted and I
home to dinner, having eat nothing, and so to my office. At night supped
with my wife at Sir W. Pen's, who is to go back for good and all to the
fleete to-morrow. Took leave and to my office, where till 12 at night,
and then home to bed.

29th. Up betimes and to Povy's, where a good while talking about our
business; thence abroad into the City, but upon his tally could not get
any money in Lumbard Streete, through the disrepute which he suffers, I
perceive, upon his giving up his place, which people think was not choice,
but necessity, as indeed it was. So back to his house, after we had been
at my house to taste my wine, but my wife being abroad nobody could come
at it, and so we were defeated. To his house, and before dinner he and I
did discourse of the business of freight, wherein I am so much concerned,
above L100 for myself, and in my over hasty making a bill out for the rest
for him, but he resolves to move Creed in it. Which troubled me much, and
Creed by and by comes, and after dinner he did, but in the most cunning
ingenious manner, do his business with Creed by bringing it in by the by,
that the most subtile man in the world could never have done it better,
and I must say that he is a most witty, cunning man and one that I (am)
most afeard of in my conversation, though in all serious matters of
business the eeriest foole that ever I met with. The bill was produced
and a copy given Creed, whereupon he wrote his Intratur upon the
originall, and I hope it will pass, at least I am now put to it that I
must stand by it and justify it, but I pray God it may never come to that
test. Thence between vexed and joyed, not knowing what yet to make of it,
home, calling for my Lord Cooke's 3 volumes at my bookseller's, and so
home, where I found a new cook mayd, her name is-----that promises very
little. So to my office, where late about drawing up a proposal for
Captain Taylor, for him to deliver to the City about his building the new
ship, which I have done well, and I hope will do the business, and so home
to supper and to bed.

30th. Up, and to my Lord Ashly, but did nothing, and to Sir Ph. Warwicke
and spoke with him about business, and so back to the office, where all
the morning. At noon home to dinner, and thence to the Tangier Committee,
where, Lord! to see how they did run into the giving of Sir J. Lawson (who
is come to towne to-day to get this business done) L4000 about his Mole
business, and were going to give him 4s. per yarde more, which arises in
the whole Mole to L36,000, is a strange thing, but the latter by chance
was stopped, the former was given. Thence to see Mrs. Martin, whose
husband being it seems gone away, and as she is informed he hath another
woman whom he uses, and has long done, as a wife, she is mighty reserved
and resolved to keep herself so till the return of her husband, which a
pleasant thing to think of her. Thence home, and to my office, where
late, and to bed.

31st. Up betimes and walked to my Lord Ashly, and there with Creed after
long waiting spoke with him, and was civilly used by him; thence to Sir
Ph. Warwicke, and then to visit my Lord of Falmouth, who did also receive
me pretty civilly, but not as I expected; he, I perceive, believing that I
had undertaken to justify Povy's accounts, taking them upon myself, but I
rectified him therein. So to my Lady Sandwich's to dinner, and up to her
chamber after dinner, and there discoursed about Sir G. Carteret's son, in
proposition between us two for my Lady Jemimah. So to Povy, and with him
spent the afternoon very busy, till I was weary of following this and
neglecting my navy business. So at night called my wife at my Lady's, and
so home. To my office and there made up my month's account, which, God be
praised! rose to L1300. Which I bless God for. So after 12 o'clock home
to supper and to bed. I find Creed mightily transported by my Lord of
Falmouth's kind words to him, and saying that he hath a place in his
intention for him, which he believes will be considerable. A witty man he
is in every respect, but of no good nature, nor a man ordinarily to be
dealt with. My Lady Castlemayne is sicke again, people think, slipping
her filly.

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
APRIL
1665

April 1st. All the morning very busy at the office preparing a last
half-year's account for my Lord Treasurer. At noon eat a bit and stepped
to Sir Ph. Warwicke, by coach to my Lord Treasurer's, and after some
private conference and examining of my papers with him I did return into
the City and to Sir G. Carteret, whom I found with the Commissioners of
Prizes dining at Captain Cocke's, in Broad Streete, very merry. Among
other tricks, there did come a blind fiddler to the doore, and Sir G.
Carteret did go to the doore and lead the blind fiddler by the hand in.
Thence with Sir G. Carteret to my Lord Treasurer, and by and by come Sir
W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes, and anon we come to my Lord, and there did
lay open the expence for the six months past, and an estimate of the seven
months to come, to November next: the first arising to above L500,000, and
the latter will, as we judge, come to above L1,000,000. But to see how my
Lord Treasurer did bless himself, crying he could do no more than he
could, nor give more money than he had, if the occasion and expence were
never so great, which is but a sad story. And then to hear how like a
passionate and ignorant asse Sir G. Carteret did harangue upon the abuse
of Tickets did make me mad almost and yet was fain to hold my tongue.
Thence home, vexed mightily to see how simply our greatest ministers do
content themselves to understand and do things, while the King's service
in the meantime lies a-bleeding. At my office late writing letters till
ready to drop down asleep with my late sitting up of late, and running up
and down a-days. So to bed.

2nd (Lord's day). At my office all the morning, renewing my vowes in
writing and then home to dinner. All the afternoon, Mr. Tasborough, one
of Mr. Povy's clerks, with me about his master's accounts. In the evening
Mr. Andrews and Hill sang, but supped not with me, then after supper to
bed.

3rd. Up and to the Duke of Albemarle and White Hall, where much business.
Thence home and to dinner, and then with Creed, my wife, and Mercer to a
play at the Duke's, of my Lord Orrery's, called "Mustapha," which being
not good, made Betterton's part and Ianthe's but ordinary too, so that we
were not contented with it at all. Thence home and to the office a while,
and then home to supper and to bed. All the pleasure of the play was, the
King and my Lady Castlemayne were there; and pretty witty Nell,--[Nell
Gwynne]--at the King's house, and the younger Marshall sat next us; which
pleased me mightily.

4th. All the morning at the office busy, at noon to the 'Change, and then
went up to the 'Change to buy a pair of cotton stockings, which I did at
the husband's shop of the most pretty woman there, who did also invite me
to buy some linnen of her, and I was glad of the occasion, and bespoke
some bands of her, intending to make her my seamstress, she being one of
the prettiest and most modest looked women that ever I did see. Dined at
home and to the office, where very late till I was ready to fall down
asleep, and did several times nod in the middle of my letters.

5th. This day was kept publiquely by the King's command, as a fast day
against the Dutch warr, and I betimes with Mr. Tooker, whom I have brought
into the Navy to serve us as a husband to see goods timely shipped off
from hence to the Fleete and other places, and took him with me to
Woolwich and Deptford, where by business I have been hindered a great
while of going, did a very great deale of business, and home, and there by
promise find Creed, and he and my wife, Mercer and I by coach to take the
ayre; and, where we had formerly been, at Hackney, did there eat some
pullets we carried with us, and some things of the house; and after a game
or two at shuffle-board, home, and Creed lay with me; but, being sleepy,
he had no mind to talk about business, which indeed I intended, by
inviting him to lie with me, but I would not force it on him, and so to
bed, he and I, and to sleep, being the first time I have been so much at
my ease and taken so much fresh ayre these many weeks or months.

6th. At the office sat all the morning, where, in the absence of Sir W.
Batten, Sir G. Carteret being angry about the business of tickets, spoke
of Sir W. Batten for speaking some words about the signing of tickets, and
called Sir W. Batten in his discourse at the table to us (the clerks being
withdrawn) "shitten foole," which vexed me. At noon to the 'Change, and
there set my business of lighters' buying for the King, to Sir W. Warren,
and I think he will do it for me to very great advantage, at which I am
mightily rejoiced. Home and after a mouthfull of dinner to the office,
where till 6 o'clock, and then to White Hall, and there with Sir G.
Carteret and my Lord Brunkerd attended the Duke of Albemarle about the
business of money. I also went to Jervas's, my barber, for my periwigg
that was mending there, and there do hear that Jane is quite undone,
taking the idle fellow for her husband yet not married, and lay with him
several weeks that had another wife and child, and she is now going into
Ireland. So called my wife at the 'Change and home, and at my office
writing letters till one o'clock in the morning, that I was ready to fall
down asleep again. Great talke of a new Comett; and it is certain one do
now appear as bright as the late one at the best; but I have not seen it
myself.

7th. Up betimes to the Duke of Albemarle about money to be got for the
Navy, or else we must shut up shop. Thence to Westminster Hall and up and
down, doing not much; then to London, but to prevent Povy's dining with me
(who I see is at the 'Change) I went back again and to Herbert's at
Westminster, there sent for a bit of meat and dined, and then to my Lord
Treasurer's, and there with Sir Philip Warwicke, and thence to White Hall
in my Lord Treasurer's chamber with Sir Philip Warwicke till dark night,
about fower hours talking of the business of the Navy Charge, and how Sir
G. Carteret do order business, keeping us in ignorance what he do with his
money, and also Sir Philip did shew me nakedly the King's condition for
money for the Navy; and he do assure me, unless the King can get some
noblemen or rich money-gentlemen to lend him money, or to get the City to
do it, it is impossible to find money: we having already, as he says,
spent one year's share of the three-years' tax, which comes to L2,500,000.
Being very glad of this day's discourse in all but that I fear I shall
quite lose Sir G. Carteret, who knows that I have been privately here all
this day with Sir Ph. Warwicke. However, I will order it so as to give
him as little offence as I can. So home to my office, and then to supper
and to bed.

8th. Up, and all the morning full of business at the office. At noon
dined with Mr. Povy, and then to the getting some business looked over of
his, and then I to my Lord Chancellor's, where to have spoke with the Duke
of Albemarle, but the King and Council busy, I could not; then to the Old
Exchange and there of my new pretty seamstress bought four bands, and so
home, where I found my house mighty neat and clean. Then to my office
late, till past 12, and so home to bed. The French Embassadors

[The French ambassadors were Henri de Bourbon, Duc de Verneuil,
natural son of Henry IV. and brother of Henrietta Maria, and M. de
Courtin.--B.]

are come incognito before their train, which will hereafter be very
pompous. It is thought they come to get our King to joyne with the King
of France in helping him against Flanders, and they to do the like to us
against Holland. We have laine a good while with a good fleete at
Harwich. The Dutch not said yet to be out. We, as high as we make our
shew, I am sure, are unable to set out another small fleete, if this
should be worsted. Wherefore, God send us peace! I cry.

9th (Lord's day). To church with my wife in the morning, in her new
light-coloured silk gowne, which is, with her new point, very noble. Dined
at home, and in the afternoon to Fanchurch, the little church in the
middle of Fanchurch Streete, where a very few people and few of any rank.
Thence, after sermon, home, and in the evening walking in the garden, my
Lady Pen and her daughter walked with my wife and I, and so to my house to
eat with us, and very merry, and so broke up and to bed.

10th. Up, and to the Duke of Albemarle's, and thence to White Hall to a
Committee for Tangier, where new disorder about Mr. Povy's accounts, that
I think I shall never be settled in my business of Treasurer for him. Here
Captain Cooke met me, and did seem discontented about my boy Tom's having
no time to mind his singing nor lute, which I answered him fully in, that
he desired me that I would baste his coate. So home and to the 'Change,
and thence to the "Old James" to dine with Sir W. Rider, Cutler, and Mr.
Deering, upon the business of hemp, and so hence to White Hall to have
attended the King and Lord Chancellor about the debts of the navy and to
get some money, but the meeting failed. So my Lord Brunkard took me and
Sir Thomas Harvy in his coach to the Parke, which is very troublesome with
the dust; and ne'er a great beauty there to-day but Mrs. Middleton, and so
home to my office, where Mr. Warren proposed my getting of L100 to get him
a protection for a ship to go out, which I think I shall do. So home to
supper and to bed.

11th. Up and betimes to Alderman Cheverton to treat with him about hempe,
and so back to the office. At noon dined at the Sun, behind the 'Change,
with Sir Edward Deering and his brother and Commissioner Pett, we having
made a contract with Sir Edward this day about timber. Thence to the
office, where late very busy, but with some trouble have also some hopes
of profit too. So home to supper and to bed.

12th. Up, and to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, where, contrary to
all expectation, my Lord Ashly, being vexed with Povy's accounts, did
propose it as necessary that Povy should be still continued Treasurer of
Tangier till he had made up his accounts; and with such arguments as, I
confess, I was not prepared to answer, but by putting off of the
discourse, and so, I think, brought it right again; but it troubled me so
all the day after, and night too, that I was not quiet, though I think it
doubtfull whether I shall be much the worse for it or no, if it should
come to be so. Dined at home and thence to White Hall again (where I lose
most of my time now-a-days to my great trouble, charge, and loss of time
and benefit), and there, after the Council rose, Sir G. Carteret, my Lord
Brunkard, Sir Thomas Harvy, and myself, down to my Lord Treasurer's
chamber to him and the Chancellor, and the Duke of Albemarle; and there I
did give them a large account of the charge of the Navy, and want of
money. But strange to see how they held up their hands crying, "What
shall we do?" Says my Lord Treasurer, "Why, what means all this, Mr.
Pepys? This is true, you say; but what would you have me to do? I have
given all I can for my life. Why will not people lend their money? Why
will they not trust the King as well as Oliver? Why do our prizes come to
nothing, that yielded so much heretofore?" And this was all we could get,
and went away without other answer, which is one of the saddest things
that, at such a time as this, with the greatest action on foot that ever
was in England, nothing should be minded, but let things go on of
themselves do as well as they can. So home, vexed, and going to my Lady
Batten's, there found a great many women with her, in her chamber merry,
my Lady Pen and her daughter, among others; where my Lady Pen flung me
down upon the bed, and herself and others, one after another, upon me, and
very merry we were, and thence I home and called my wife with my Lady Pen
to supper, and very merry as I could be, being vexed as I was. So home to
bed.

13th. Lay long in bed, troubled a little with wind, but not much. So to
the office, and there all the morning. At noon to Sheriff Waterman's to
dinner, all of us men of the office in towne, and our wives, my Lady
Carteret and daughters, and Ladies Batten, Pen, and my wife, &c., and very
good cheer we had and merry; musique at and after dinner, and a fellow
danced a jigg; but when the company begun to dance, I came away lest I
should be taken out; and God knows how my wife carried herself, but I left
her to try her fortune. So home, and late at the office, and then home to
supper and to bed.

14th. Up, and betimes to Mr. Povy, being desirous to have an end of my
trouble of mind touching my Tangier business, whether he hath any desire
of accepting what my Lord Ashly offered, of his becoming Treasurer again;
and there I did, with a seeming most generous spirit, offer him to take it
back again upon his owne terms; but he did answer to me that he would not
above all things in the world, at which I was for the present satisfied;
but, going away thence and speaking with Creed, he puts me in doubt that
the very nature of the thing will require that he be put in again; and did
give me the reasons of the auditors, which, I confess, are so plain, that
I know not how to withstand them. But he did give me most ingenious
advice what to do in it, and anon, my Lord Barkeley and some of the
Commissioners coming together, though not in a meeting, I did procure that
they should order Povy's payment of his remain of accounts to me; which
order if it do pass will put a good stop to the fastening of the thing
upon me. At noon Creed and I to a cook's shop at Charing Cross, and there
dined and had much discourse, and his very good upon my business, and upon
other things, among the rest upon Will Howe's dissembling with us, we
discovering one to another his carriage to us, present and absent, being a
very false fellow. Thence to White Hall again, and there spent the
afternoon, and then home to fetch a letter for the Council, and so back to
White Hall, where walked an hour with Mr. Wren, of my Lord Chancellor's,
and Mr. Ager, and then to Unthanke's and called my wife, and with her
through the city to Mile-End Greene, and eat some creame and cakes and so
back home, and I a little at the office, and so home to supper and to bed.
This morning I was saluted with newes that the fleetes, ours and the
Dutch, were engaged, and that the guns were heard at Walthamstow to play
all yesterday, and that Captain Teddiman's legs were shot off in the
Royall Katherine. But before night I hear the contrary, both by letters
of my owne and messengers thence, that they were all well of our side and
no enemy appears yet, and that the Royall Katherine is come to the fleete,
and likely to prove as good a ship as any the King hath, of which I am
heartily glad, both for Christopher Pett's sake and Captain Teddiman that
is in her.

15th. Up, and to White Hall about several businesses, but chiefly to see
the proposals of my warrants about Tangier under Creed, but to my trouble
found them not finished. So back to the office, where all the morning,
busy, then home to dinner, and then all the afternoon till very late at my
office, and then home to supper and to bed, weary.

16th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed, then up and to my chamber and my
office, looking over some plates which I find necessary for me to
understand pretty well, because of the Dutch warr. Then home to dinner,
where Creed dined with us, and so after dinner he and I walked to the
Rolls' Chappell, expecting to hear the great Stillingfleete preach, but he
did not; but a very sorry fellow, which vexed me. The sermon done, we
parted, and I home, where I find Mr. Andrews, and by and by comes Captain
Taylor, my old acquaintance at Westminster, that understands musique very
well and composes mighty bravely; he brought us some things of two parts
to sing, very hard; but that that is the worst, he is very conceited of
them, and that though they are good makes them troublesome to one, to see
him every note commend and admire them. He supped with me, and a good
understanding man he is and a good scholler, and, among other things, a
great antiquary, and among other things he can, as he says, show the very
originall Charter to Worcester, of King Edgar's, wherein he stiles
himself, Rex Marium Brittanniae, &c.; which is the great text that Mr.
Selden and others do quote, but imperfectly and upon trust. But he hath
the very originall, which he says he will shew me. He gone we to bed.
This night I am told that newes is come of our taking of three Dutch
men-of-warr, with the loss of one of our Captains.

17th. Up and to the Duke of Albemarle's, where he shewed me Mr.
Coventry's letters, how three Dutch privateers are taken, in one whereof
Everson's' son is captaine. But they have killed poor Captaine Golding in
The Diamond. Two of them, one of 32 and the other of 20 odd guns, did
stand stoutly up against her, which hath 46, and the Yarmouth that hath 52
guns, and as many more men as they. So that they did more than we could
expect, not yielding till many of their men were killed. And Everson,
when he was brought before the Duke of Yorke, and was observed to be shot
through the hat, answered, that he wished it had gone through his head,
rather than been taken. One thing more is written: that two of our ships
the other day appearing upon the coast of Holland, they presently fired
their beacons round the country to give notice. And newes is brought the
King, that the Dutch Smyrna fleete is seen upon the back of Scotland; and
thereupon the King hath wrote to the Duke, that he do appoint a fleete to
go to the Northward to try to meet them coming home round: which God send!
Thence to White Hall; where the King seeing me, did come to me, and
calling me by name, did discourse with me about the ships in the River:
and this is the first time that ever I knew the King did know me
personally; so that hereafter I must not go thither, but with expectation
to be questioned, and to be ready to give good answers. So home, and
thence with Creed, who come to dine with me, to the Old James, where we
dined with Sir W. Rider and Cutler, and, by and by, being called by my
wife, we all to a play, "The Ghosts," at the Duke's house, but a very
simple play. Thence up and down, with my wife with me, to look [for] Sir
Ph. Warwicke (Mr. Creed going from me), but missed of him and so home, and
late and busy at my office. So home to supper and to bed. This day was
left at my house a very neat silver watch, by one Briggs, a scrivener and
sollicitor, at which I was angry with my wife for receiving, or, at least,
for opening the box wherein it was, and so far witnessing our receipt of
it, as to give the messenger 5s. for bringing it; but it can't be helped,
and I will endeavour to do the man a kindnesse, he being a friend of my
uncle Wight's.

18th. Up and to Sir Philip Warwicke, and walked with him an houre with
great delight in the Parke about Sir G. Carteret's accounts, and the
endeavours that he hath made to bring Sir G. Carteret to show his accounts
and let the world see what he receives and what he pays. Thence home to
the office, where I find Sir J. Minnes come home from Chatham, and Sir W.
Batten both this morning from Harwich, where they have been these 7 or 8
days. At noon with my wife and Mr. Moore by water to Chelsey about my
Privy Seale for Tangier, but my Lord Privy Seale was gone abroad, and so
we, without going out of the boat, forced to return, and found him not at
White Hall. So I to Sir Philip Warwicke and with him to my Lord
Treasurer, who signed my commission for Tangier-Treasurer and the docquet
of my Privy Seale, for the monies to be paid to me. Thence to White Hall
to Mr. Moore again, and not finding my Lord I home, taking my wife and
woman up at Unthanke's. Late at my office, then to supper and to bed.

19th. Up by five o'clock, and by water to White Hall; and there took
coach, and with Mr. Moore to Chelsy; where, after all my fears what doubts
and difficulties my Lord Privy Seale would make at my Tangier Privy Seale,
he did pass it at first reading, without my speaking with him. And then
called me in, and was very civil to me. I passed my time in contemplating
(before I was called in) the picture of my Lord's son's lady, a most
beautiful woman, and most like to Mrs. Butler. Thence very much joyed to
London back again, and found out Mr. Povy; told him this; and then went
and left my Privy Seale at my Lord Treasurer's; and so to the 'Change, and
thence to Trinity-House; where a great dinner of Captain Crisp, who is
made an Elder Brother. And so, being very pleasant at dinner, away home,
Creed with me; and there met Povy; and we to Gresham College, where we saw
some experiments upon a hen, a dogg, and a cat, of the Florence poyson.

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