Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1665 N.S. Complete

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[On May 29th Sir William Coventry wrote to Lord Arlington: "Capt.
Langhorne has arrived with seven ships, and reports the taking of
the Hamburg fleet with the man of war their convoy; mistaking the
Dutch fleet for the English, he fell into it" ("Calendar of State
Papers," Domestic, 1664-65, p. 393)]

valued of the King's goods and the merchants' (though but little of the
former) to L200,000 [are lost]. By and by, about 11 at night, called into
the garden by my Lady Pen and daughter, and there walked with them and my
wife till almost twelve, and so in and closed my letters, and home to bed.

31st. Up, and to my office, and to Westminster, doing business till noon,
and then to the 'Change, where great the noise and trouble of having our
Hambrough ships lost; and that very much placed upon Mr. Coventry's
forgetting to give notice to them of the going away of our fleete from the
coast of Holland. But all without reason, for he did; but the merchants
not being ready, staid longer than the time ordered for the convoy to
stay, which was ten days. Thence home with Creed and Mr. Moore to dinner.
Anon we broke up, and Creed and I to discourse about our Tangier matters
of money, which vex me. So to Gresham College, staid a very little while,
and away and I home busy, and busy late, at the end of the month, about my
month's accounts, but by the addition of Tangier it is rendered more
intricate, and so (which I have not done these 12 months, nor would
willingly have done now) failed of having it done, but I will do it as
soon as I can. So weary and sleepy to bed. I endeavoured but missed of
seeing Sir Thomas Ingram at Westminster, so went to Houseman's the
Painter, who I intend shall draw my wife, but he was not within, but I saw
several very good pictures.

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
JUNE
1665

June 1st. Up and to the office, where sat all the morning, at noon to the
'Change, and there did some business, and home to dinner, whither Creed
comes, and after dinner I put on my new silke camelott sute; the best that
ever I wore in my life, the sute costing me above L24. In this I went
with Creed to Goldsmiths' Hall, to the burial of Sir Thomas Viner; which
Hall, and Haberdashers also, was so full of people, that we were fain for
ease and coolness to go forth to Pater Noster Row, to choose a silke to
make me a plain ordinary suit. That done, we walked to Cornehill, and
there at Mr. Cade's' stood in the balcon and saw all the funeral, which
was with the blue-coat boys and old men, all the Aldermen, and Lord Mayor,
&c., and the number of the company very great; the greatest I ever did see
for a taverne. Hither come up to us Dr. Allen, and then Mr. Povy and Mr.
Fox. The show being over, and my discourse with Mr. Povy, I took coach
and to Westminster Hall, where I took the fairest flower, and by coach to
Tothill Fields for the ayre till it was dark. I 'light, and in with the
fairest flower to eat a cake, and there did do as much as was safe with my
flower, and that was enough on my part. Broke up, and away without any
notice, and, after delivering the rose where it should be, I to the Temple
and 'light, and come to the middle door, and there took another coach, and
so home to write letters, but very few, God knows, being by my pleasure
made to forget everything that is. The coachman that carried [us] cannot
know me again, nor the people at the house where we were. Home to bed,
certain news being come that our fleete is in sight of the Dutch ships.

2nd. Lay troubled in mind abed a good while, thinking of my Tangier and
victualling business, which I doubt will fall. Up and to the Duke of
Albemarle, but missed him. Thence to the Harp and Ball and to Westminster
Hall, where I visited "the flowers" in each place, and so met with Mr.
Creed, and he and I to Mrs. Croft's to drink and did, but saw not her
daughter Borroughes. I away home, and there dined and did business. In
the afternoon went with my tallys, made a fair end with Colvill and Viner,
delivering them L5000 tallys to each and very quietly had credit given me
upon other tallys of Mr. Colvill for L2000 and good words for more, and of
Mr. Viner too. Thence to visit the Duke of Albemarle, and thence my Lady
Sandwich and Lord Crew. Thence home, and there met an expresse from Sir
W. Batten at Harwich, that the fleete is all sailed from Solebay, having
spied the Dutch fleete at sea, and that, if the calmes hinder not, they
must needs now be engaged with them. Another letter also come to me from
Mr. Hater, committed by the Council this afternoon to the Gate House, upon
the misfortune of having his name used by one, without his knowledge or
privity, for the receiving of some powder that he had bought. Up to Court
about these two, and for the former was led up to my Lady Castlemayne's
lodgings, where the King and she and others were at supper, and there I
read the letter and returned; and then to Sir G. Carteret about Hater, and
shall have him released to-morrow, upon my giving bail for his appearance,
which I have promised to do. Sir G. Carteret did go on purpose to the
King to ask this, and it was granted. So home at past 12, almost one
o'clock in the morning. To my office till past two, and then home to
supper and to bed.

3rd. Up and to White Hall, where Sir G. Carteret did go with me to
Secretary Morris, and prevailed with him to let Mr. Hater be released upon
bail for his appearance. So I at a loss how to get another besides
myself, and got Mr. Hunt, who did patiently stay with me all the morning
at Secretary Morris's chamber, Mr. Hater being sent for with his keeper,
and at noon comes in the Secretary, and upon entering [into]
recognizances, he for L200, and Mr. Hunt and I for L100 each for his
appearance upon demand, he was released, it costing him, I think, above
L3. I thence home, vexed to be kept from the office all the morning,
which I had not been in many months before, if not some years. At home to
dinner, and all the afternoon at the office, where late at night, and much
business done, then home to supper and to bed. All this day by all people
upon the River, and almost every where else hereabout were heard the guns,
our two fleets for certain being engaged; which was confirmed by letters
from Harwich, but nothing particular: and all our hearts full of
concernment for the Duke, and I particularly for my Lord Sandwich and Mr.
Coventry after his Royall Highnesse.

4th (Sunday). Up and at my chamber all the forenoon, at evening my
accounts, which I could not do sooner, for the last month, and, blessed be
God! am worth L1400 odd money, something more than ever I was yet in the
world. Dined very well at noon, and then to my office, and there and in
the garden discoursed with several people about business, among others Mr.
Howell, the turner, who did give me so good a discourse about the
practices of the Paymaster J. Fenn that I thought fit to recollect all
when he was gone, and have entered it down to be for ever remembered.
Thence to my chamber again to settle my Tangier accounts against tomorrow
and some other things, and with great joy ended them, and so to supper,
where a good fowl and tansy, and so to bed. Newes being come that our
fleete is pursuing the Dutch, who, either by cunning, or by being worsted,
do give ground, but nothing more for certain. Late to bed upon my papers
being quite finished.

5th. Up very betimes to look some other papers, and then to White Hall to
a Committee of Tangier, where I offered my accounts with great
acceptation, and so had some good words and honour by it, and one or two
things done to my content in my business of Treasurer, but I do clearly
see that we shall lose our business of victualling, Sir Thomas Ingram
undertaking that it shall be done by persons there as cheap as we do it,
and give the seamen their full allowance and themselves give good security
here for performance of contract, upon which terms there is no opposing
it. This would trouble me, but that I hope when that fails to spend my
time to some good advantage other ways, and so shall permit it all to God
Almighty's pleasure. Thence home to dinner, after 'Change, where great
talke of the Dutch being fled and we in pursuit of them, and that our ship
Charity

[Sir William Coventry and Sir William Penn to the Navy
Commissioners, June 4th: "Engaged yesterday with the Dutch; they
began to stand away at 3 p.m. Chased them all the rest of the day
and night; 20 considerable ships are destroyed and taken; we have
only lost the Great Charity. The Earl of Marlborough, Rear-Admiral
Sansum, and Captain Kirby are slain, and Sir John Lawson wounded"
("Calendar of State Papers," Domestic, 1664-65, p. 406).]

is lost upon our Captain's, Wilkinson, and Lieutenant's yielding, but of
this there is no certainty, save the report of some of the sicke men of
the Charity, turned adrift in a boat out of the Charity and taken up and
brought on shore yesterday to Sole Bay, and the newes hereof brought by
Sir Henry Felton. Home to dinner, and Creed with me. Then he and I down
to Deptford, did some business, and back again at night. He home, and I
to my office, and so to supper and to bed. This morning I had great
discourse with my Lord Barkeley about Mr. Hater, towards whom from a great
passion reproaching him with being a fanatique and dangerous for me to
keepe, I did bring him to be mighty calme and to ask me pardons for what
he had thought of him and to desire me to ask his pardon of Hater himself
for the ill words he did give him the other day alone at White Hall (which
was, that he had always thought him a man that was no good friend to the
King, but did never think it would breake out in a thing of this nature),
and did advise him to declare his innocence to the Council and pray for
his examination and vindication. Of which I shall consider and say no
more, but remember one compliment that in great kindness to me he did give
me, extolling my care and diligence, that he did love me heartily for my
owne sake, and more that he did will me whatsoever I thought for Mr.
Coventry's sake, for though the world did think them enemies, and to have
an ill aspect, one to another, yet he did love him with all his heart,
which was a strange manner of noble compliment, confessing his owning me
as a confidant and favourite of Mr. Coventry's.

6th. Waked in the morning before 4 o'clock with great pain to piss, and
great pain in pissing by having, I think, drank too great a draught of
cold drink before going to bed. But by and by to sleep again, and then
rose and to the office, where very busy all the morning, and at noon to
dinner with Sir G. Carteret to his house with all our Board, where a good
pasty and brave discourse. But our great fear was some fresh news of the
fleete, but not from the fleete, all being said to be well and beaten the
Dutch, but I do not give much belief to it, and indeed the news come from
Sir W. Batten at Harwich, and writ so simply that we all made good mirth
of it. Thence to the office, where upon Sir G. Carteret's accounts, to my
great vexation there being nothing done by the Controller to right the
King therein. I thence to my office and wrote letters all the afternoon,
and in the evening by coach to Sir Ph. Warwicke's about my Tangier
business to get money, and so to my Lady Sandwich's, who, poor lady,
expects every hour to hear of my Lord; but in the best temper, neither
confident nor troubled with fear, that I ever did see in my life. She
tells me my Lord Rochester is now declaredly out of hopes of Mrs. Mallett,
and now she is to receive notice in a day or two how the King stands
inclined to the giving leave for my Lord Hinchingbroke to look after her,
and that being done to bring it to an end shortly. Thence by coach home,
and to my office a little, and so before 12 o'clock home and to bed.

7th. This morning my wife and mother rose about two o'clock; and with
Mercer, Mary, the boy, and W. Hewer, as they had designed, took boat and
down to refresh themselves on the water to Gravesend. Lay till 7 o'clock,
then up and to the office upon Sir G. Carteret's accounts again, where
very busy; thence abroad and to the 'Change, no news of certainty being
yet come from the fleete. Thence to the Dolphin Taverne, where Sir J.
Minnes, Lord Brunkard, Sir Thomas Harvy, and myself dined, upon Sir G.
Carteret's charge, and very merry we were, Sir Thomas Harvy being a very
drolle. Thence to the office, and meeting Creed away with him to my Lord
Treasurer's, there thinking to have met the goldsmiths, at White Hall, but
did not, and so appointed another time for my Lord to speak to them to
advance us some money. Thence, it being the hottest day that ever I felt
in my life, and it is confessed so by all other people the hottest they
ever knew in England in the beginning of June, we to the New Exchange, and
there drunk whey, with much entreaty getting it for our money, and [they]
would not be entreated to let us have one glasse more. So took water and
to Fox-Hall, to the Spring garden, and there walked an houre or two with
great pleasure, saving our minds ill at ease concerning the fleete and my
Lord Sandwich, that we have no newes of them, and ill reports run up and
down of his being killed, but without ground. Here staid pleasantly
walking and spending but 6d. till nine at night, and then by water to
White Hall, and there I stopped to hear news of the fleete, but none come,
which is strange, and so by water home, where, weary with walking and with
the mighty heat of the weather, and for my wife's not coming home, I
staying walking in the garden till twelve at night, when it begun to
lighten exceedingly, through the greatness of the heat. Then despairing
of her coming home, I to bed. This day, much against my will, I did in
Drury Lane see two or three houses marked with a red cross upon the doors,
and "Lord have mercy upon us" writ there; which was a sad sight to me,
being the first of the kind that, to my remembrance, I ever saw. It put
me into an ill conception of myself and my smell, so that I was forced to
buy some roll-tobacco to smell to and chaw, which took away the
apprehension.

8th. About five o'clock my wife come home, it having lightened all night
hard, and one great shower of rain. She come and lay upon the bed; I up
and to the office, where all the morning. Alone at home to dinner, my
wife, mother, and Mercer dining at W. Joyce's; I giving her a caution to
go round by the Half Moone to his house, because of the plague. I to my
Lord Treasurer's by appointment of Sir Thomas Ingram's, to meet the
Goldsmiths; where I met with the great news at last newly come, brought by
Bab May' from the Duke of Yorke, that we have totally routed the Dutch;
that the Duke himself, the Prince, my Lord Sandwich, and Mr. Coventry are
all well: which did put me into such joy, that I forgot almost all other
thoughts. The particulars I shall set down by and by. By and by comes
Alderman Maynell and Mr. Viner, and there my Lord Treasurer did intreat
them to furnish me with money upon my tallys, Sir Philip Warwicke before
my Lord declaring the King's changing of the hand from Mr. Povy to me,
whom he called a very sober person, and one whom the Lord Treasurer would
owne in all things that I should concern myself with them in the business
of money. They did at present declare they could not part with money at
present. My Lord did press them very hard, and I hope upon their
considering we shall get some of them. Thence with great joy to the
Cocke-pitt; where the Duke of Albemarle, like a man out of himself with
content, new-told me all; and by and by comes a letter from Mr. Coventry's
own hand to him, which he never opened (which was a strange thing), but
did give it me to open and read, and consider what was fit for our office
to do in it, and leave the letter with Sir W. Clerke; which upon such a
time and occasion was a strange piece of indifference, hardly pardonable.
I copied out the letter, and did also take minutes out of Sir W. Clerke's
other letters; and the sum of the newes is:

VICTORY OVER THE DUTCH, JUNE 3RD, 1665.

This day they engaged; the Dutch neglecting greatly the opportunity of the
wind they had of us, by which they lost the benefit of their fire-ships.
The Earl of Falmouth, Muskerry, and Mr. Richard Boyle killed on board the
Duke's ship, the Royall Charles, with one shot: their blood and brains
flying in the Duke's face; and the head of Mr. Boyle striking down the
Duke, as some say. Earle of Marlborough, Portland, Rear-Admirall Sansum
(to Prince Rupert) killed, and Capt. Kirby and Ableson. Sir John Lawson
wounded on the knee; hath had some bones taken out, and is likely to be
well again. Upon receiving the hurt, he sent to the Duke for another to
command the Royall Oake. The Duke sent Jordan

[Afterwards Sir Joseph Jordan, commander of the "Royal Sovereign,"
and Vice-Admiral of the Red, 1672. He was knighted on July 1st,
1665.--B.]

out of the St. George, who did brave things in her. Capt. Jer. Smith of
the Mary was second to the Duke, and stepped between him and Captain
Seaton of the Urania (76 guns and 400 men), who had sworn to board the
Duke; killed him, 200 men, and took the ship; himself losing 99 men, and
never an officer saved but himself and lieutenant. His master indeed is
saved, with his leg cut off: Admirall Opdam blown up, Trump killed, and
said by Holmes; all the rest of their admiralls, as they say, but Everson
(whom they dare not trust for his affection to the Prince of Orange), are
killed: we having taken and sunk, as is believed, about 24 of their best
ships; killed and taken near 8 or 10,000 men, and lost, we think, not
above 700. A great[er] victory never known in the world. They are all
fled, some 43 got into the Texell, and others elsewhere, and we in pursuit
of the rest. Thence, with my heart full of joy; home, and to my office a
little; then to my Lady Pen's, where they are all joyed and not a little
puffed up at the good successe of their father;

[In the royal charter granted by Charles II. in 1680 to William Penn
for the government of his American province, to be styled
Pennsylvania, special reference is made to "the memory and merits of
Sir William Penn in divers services, and particularly his conduct,
courage, and discretion under our dearest brother, James, Duke of
York, in that signal battle and victory fought and obtained against
the Dutch fleet commanded by Heer van Opdam in 1665" ("Penn's
Memorials of Sir W. Penn," vol. ii., p. 359).]

and good service indeed is said to have been done by him. Had a great
bonefire at the gate; and I with my Lady Pen's people and others to Mrs.
Turner's great room, and then down into the streete. I did give the boys
4s. among them, and mighty merry. So home to bed, with my heart at great
rest and quiett, saving that the consideration of the victory is too great
for me presently to comprehend.

[Mrs. Ady (Julia Cartwright), in her fascinating life of Henrietta,
Duchess of Orleans, gives an account of the receipt of the news of
the great sea-fight in Paris, and quotes a letter of Charles II. to
his sister, dated, "Whitehall, June 8th, 1665" The first report
that reached Paris was that "the Duke of York's ship had been blown
up, and he himself had been drowned." "The shock was too much for
Madame . . . she was seized with convulsions, and became so
dangerously ill that Lord Hollis wrote to the king, 'If things had
gone ill at sea I really believe Madame would have died.'" Charles
wrote: "I thanke God we have now the certayne newes of a very
considerable victory over the Duch; you will see most of the
particulars by the relation my Lord Hopis will shew you, though I
have had as great a losse as 'tis possible in a good frinde, poore
C. Barckely. It troubles me so much, as I hope you will excuse the
shortnesse of this letter, haveing receaved the newes of it but two
houres agoe" ("Madame," 1894, pp. 215, 216).]

9th. Lay long in bed, my head akeing with too much thoughts I think last
night. Up and to White Hall, and my Lord Treasurer's to Sir Ph. Warwicke,
about Tangier business, and in my way met with Mr. Moore, who eases me in
one point wherein I was troubled; which was, that I heard of nothing said
or done by my Lord Sandwich: but he tells me that Mr. Cowling, my Lord
Chamberlain's secretary, did hear the King say that my Lord Sandwich had
done nobly and worthily. The King, it seems, is much troubled at the fall
of my Lord of Falmouth; but I do not meet with any man else that so much
as wishes him alive again, the world conceiving him a man of too much
pleasure to do the King any good, or offer any good office to him. But I
hear of all hands he is confessed to have been a man of great honour, that
did show it in this his going with the Duke, the most that ever any man
did. Home, where my people busy to make ready a supper against night for
some guests, in lieu of my stonefeast. At noon eat a small dinner at home,
and so abroad to buy several things, and among others with my taylor to
buy a silke suit, which though I had one lately, yet I do, for joy of the
good newes we have lately had of our victory over the Dutch, which makes
me willing to spare myself something extraordinary in clothes; and after
long resolution of having nothing but black, I did buy a coloured silk
ferrandin. So to the Old Exchange, and there at my pretty seamstresses
bought a pair of stockings of her husband, and so home, where by and by
comes Mr. Honiwood and Mrs. Wilde, and Roger Pepys and, after long time
spent, Mrs. Turner, The. and Joyce. We had a very good venison pasty, this
being instead of my stone-feast the last March, and very merry we were,
and the more I know the more I like Mr. Honiwood's conversation. So after
a good supper they parted, walking to the 'Change for a coach, and I with
them to see them there. So home and to bed, glad it was over.

10th. Lay long in bed, and then up and at the office all the morning. At
noon dined at home, and then to the office busy all the afternoon. In the
evening home to supper; and there, to my great trouble, hear that the
plague is come into the City (though it hath these three or four weeks
since its beginning been wholly out of the City); but where should it
begin but in my good friend and neighbour's, Dr. Burnett, in Fanchurch
Street: which in both points troubles me mightily. To the office to
finish my letters and then home to bed, being troubled at the sicknesse,
and my head filled also with other business enough, and particularly how
to put my things and estate in order, in case it should please God to call
me away, which God dispose of to his glory!

11th (Lord's day). Up, and expected long a new suit; but, coming not,
dressed myself in my late new black silke camelott suit; and, when fully
ready, comes my new one of coloured ferrandin, which my wife puts me out
of love with, which vexes me, but I think it is only my not being used to
wear colours which makes it look a little unusual upon me. To my chamber
and there spent the morning reading. At noon, by invitation, comes my two
cozen Joyces and their wives, my aunt James and he-cozen Harman, his wife
being ill. I had a good dinner for them, and as merry as I could be in
such company. They being gone, I out of doors a little, to shew,
forsooth, my new suit, and back again, and in going I saw poor Dr.
Burnett's door shut; but he hath, I hear, gained great goodwill among his
neighbours; for he discovered it himself first, and caused himself to be
shut up of his own accord: which was very handsome. In the evening comes
Mr. Andrews and his wife and Mr. Hill, and staid and played, and sung and
supped, most excellent pretty company, so pleasant, ingenious, and
harmless, I cannot desire better. They gone we to bed, my mind in great
present ease.

12th. Up, and in my yesterday's new suit to the Duke of Albemarle, and
after a turne in White Hall, and then in Westminster Hall, returned, and
with my taylor bought some gold lace for my sleeve hands in Pater Noster
Row. So home to dinner, and then to the office, and down the River to
Deptford, and then back again and to my Lord Treasurer's, and up and down
to look after my Tangier business, and so home to my office, then to
supper and to bed. The Duke of Yorke is sent for last night and expected
to be here to-morrow.

13th. Up and to the office, where all the morning doing business. At
noon with Sir G. Carteret to my Lord Mayor's to dinner, where much company
in a little room, and though a good, yet no extraordinary table. His name,
Sir John Lawrence, whose father, a very ordinary old man, sat there at
table, but it seems a very rich man. Here were at table three Sir Richard
Brownes, viz.: he of the Councill, a clerk, and the Alderman, and his son;
and there was a little grandson also Richard, who will hereafter be Sir
Richard Browne. The Alderman did here openly tell in boasting how he had,
only upon suspicion of disturbances, if there had been any bad newes from
sea, clapped up several persons that he was afeard of; and that he had
several times done the like and would do, and take no bail where he saw it
unsafe for the King. But by and by he said that he was now sued in the
Exchequer by a man for false imprisonment, that he had, upon the same
score, imprisoned while he was Mayor four years ago, and asked advice upon
it. I told him I believed there was none, and told my story of Field, at
which he was troubled, and said that it was then unsafe for any man to
serve the King, and, I believed, knows not what to do therein; but that
Sir Richard Browne, of the Councill, advised him to speak with my Lord
Chancellor about it. My Lord Mayor very respectfull to me; and so I after
dinner away and found Sir J. Minnes ready with his coach and four horses
at our office gate, for him and me to go out of towne to meet the Duke of
Yorke coming from Harwich to-night, and so as far as Ilford, and there
'light. By and by comes to us Sir John Shaw and Mr. Neale, that married
the rich widow Gold, upon the same errand. After eating a dish of creame,
we took coach again, hearing nothing of the Duke, and away home, a most
pleasant evening and road. And so to my office, where, after my letters
wrote, to supper and to bed. All our discourse in our way was Sir J.
Minnes's telling me passages of the late King's and his father's, which I
was mightily pleased to hear for information, though the pride of some
persons and vice of most was but a sad story to tell how that brought the
whole kingdom and King to ruine.

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