Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1667 N.S. Complete

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17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning sitting. At noon home
to dinner, and then to the office busy also till very late, my heart joyed
with the effects of my following my business, by easing my head of cares,
and so home to supper and to bed.

18th. Up, and most of the morning finishing my entry of my journall
during the late fire out of loose papers into this book, which did please
me mightily when done, I, writing till my eyes were almost blind therewith
to make an end of it. Then all the rest of the morning, and, after a
mouthful of dinner, all the afternoon in my closet till night, sorting all
my papers, which have lain unsorted for all the time we were at Greenwich
during the plague, which did please me also, I drawing on to put my office
into a good posture, though much is behind. This morning come Captain.
Cocke to me, and tells me that the King comes to the House this day to
pass the poll Bill and the Irish Bill; he tells me too that, though the
Faction is very froward in the House, yet all will end well there. But he
says that one had got a Bill ready to present in the House against Sir W.
Coventry, for selling of places, and says he is certain of it, and how he
was withheld from doing it. He says, that the Vice-chamberlaine is now
one of the greatest men in England again, and was he that did prevail with
the King to let the Irish Bill go with the word "Nuisance." He told me,
that Sir G. Carteret's declaration of giving double to any man that will
prove that any of his people have demanded or taken any thing for
forwarding the payment of the wages of any man (of which he sent us a copy
yesterday, which we approved of) is set up, among other places, upon the
House of Lords' door. I do not know how wisely this is done. This
morning, also, there come to the office a letter from the Duke of York,
commanding our payment of no wages to any of the muster-masters of the
fleete the last year, but only two, my brother Balty, taking notice that
he had taken pains therein, and one Ward, who, though he had not taken so
much as the other, yet had done more than the rest. This I was exceeding
glad of for my own sake and his. At night I, by appointment, home, where
W. Batelier and his sister Mary, and the two Mercers, to play at cards and
sup, and did cut our great cake lately given us by Russell: a very good
one. Here very merry late. Sir W. Pen told me this night how the King
did make them a very sharp speech in the House of Lords to-day, saying
that he did expect to have had more Bills;

[On this day "An Act for raising Money by a Poll and otherwise
towards the maintenance of the present War," and "An Act prohibiting
the Importation of Cattle from Ireland and other parts beyond the
Sea, and Fish taken by Foreigners," were passed. The king.
complained of the insufficient supply, and said, "'Tis high time for
you to make good your promises, and 'tis high time for you to be in
the country" ("Journals of the House of Lords," vol xii., p. 81).]

that he purposes to prorogue them on Monday come se'nnight; that whereas
they have unjustly conceived some jealousys of his making a peace, he
declares he knows of no such thing or treaty: and so left them. But with
so little effect, that as soon as he come into the House, Sir W. Coventry
moved, that now the King hath declared his intention of proroguing them,
it would be loss of time to go on with the thing they were upon, when they
were called to the King, which was the calling over the defaults of
Members appearing in the House; for that, before any person could now come
or be brought to town, the House would be up. Yet the Faction did desire
to delay time, and contend so as to come to a division of the House;
where, however, it was carried, by a few voices, that the debate should be
laid by. But this shews that they are not pleased, or that they have not
any awe over them from the King's displeasure. The company being gone, to
bed.

19th. Up, and at the office all the morning. Sir W. Batten tells me to
my wonder that at his coming to my Lord Ashly, yesterday morning, to tell
him what prize-goods he would have saved for the Navy, and not sold,
according to the King's order on the 17th, he fell quite out with him in
high terms; and he says, too, that they did go on to the sale yesterday,
even of the very hempe, and other things, at which I am astonished, and
will never wonder at the ruine of the King's affairs, if this be suffered.
At noon dined, and Mr. Pierce come to see me, he newly come from keeping
his Christmas in the country. So to the office, where very busy, but with
great pleasure till late at night, and then home to supper and to bed.

20th (Lord's day). Up betimes and down to the Old Swan, there called on
Michell and his wife, which in her night linen appeared as pretty almost
as ever to my thinking I saw woman. Here I drank some burnt brandy. They
shewed me their house, which, poor people, they have built, and is very
pretty. I invited them to dine with me, and so away to White Hall to Sir
W. Coventry, with whom I have not been alone a good while, and very kind
he is, and tells me how the business is now ordered by order of council
for my Lord Bruncker to assist Sir J. Minnes in all matters of accounts
relating to the Treasurer, and Sir W. Pen in all matters relating to the
victuallers' and pursers' accounts, which I am very glad of, and the more
for that I think it will not do me any hurt at all. Other discourse, much
especially about the heat the House was in yesterday about the ill
management of the Navy, which I was sorry to hear; though I think they
were well answered, both by Sir G. Carteret and [Sir] W. Coventry, as he
informs me the substance of their speeches. Having done with him, home
mightily satisfied with my being with him, and coming home I to church,
and there, beyond expectation, find our seat, and all the church crammed,
by twice as many people as used to be: and to my great joy find Mr.
Frampton in the pulpit; so to my great joy I hear him preach, and I think
the best sermon, for goodness and oratory, without affectation or study,
that ever I heard in my life. The truth is, he preaches the most like an
apostle that ever I heard man; and it was much the best time that ever I
spent in my life at church. His text, Ecclesiastes xi., verse 8th--the
words, "But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all, yet let him
remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is
vanity." He done, I home, and there Michell and his wife, and we dined
and mighty merry, I mightily taken more and more with her. After dinner I
with my brother away by water to White Hall, and there walked in the
Parke, and a little to my Lord Chancellor's, where the King and Cabinet
met, and there met Mr. Brisband, with whom good discourse, to White Hall
towards night, and there he did lend me "The Third Advice to a Paynter," a
bitter satyre upon the service of the Duke of Albemarle the last year. I
took it home with me, and will copy it, having the former, being also
mightily pleased with it. So after reading it, I to Sir W. Pen to
discourse a little with him about the business of our prizes, and so home
to supper and to bed.

21st. Up betimes, and with, Sir W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, [Sir] R. Ford,
by coach to the Swede's Resident's in the Piatza, to discourse with him
about two of our prizes, wherein he puts in his concernment as for his
countrymen. We had no satisfaction, nor did give him any, but I find him
a cunning fellow. He lives in one of the great houses there, but
ill-furnished; and come to us out of bed in his furred mittens and furred
cap. Thence to Exeter House to the Doctors Commons, and there with our
Proctors to Dr. Walker, who was not very well, but, however, did hear our
matters, and after a dull seeming hearing of them read, did discourse most
understandingly of them, as well as ever I heard man, telling us all our
grounds of pretence to the prize would do no good, and made it appear but
thus, and thus, it may be, but yet did give us but little reason to expect
it would prove, which troubled us, but I was mightily taken to hear his
manner of discourse. Thence with them to Westminster Hall, they setting
me down at White Hall, where I missed of finding Sir G. Carteret, up to
the Lords' House, and there come mighty seasonably to hear the Solicitor
about my Lord Buckingham's pretence to the title of Lord Rosse. Mr.
Atturny Montagu is also a good man, and so is old Sir P. Ball; but the
Solicitor and Scroggs after him are excellent men. Here spoke with my
Lord Bellasses about getting some money for Tangier, which he doubts we
shall not be able to do out of the Poll Bill, it being so strictly tied
for the Navy. He tells me the Lords have passed the Bill for the accounts
with some little amendments. So down to the Hall, and thence with our
company to Exeter House, and then did the business I have said before, we
doing nothing the first time of going, it being too early. At home find
Lovett, to whom I did give my Lady Castlemayne's head to do. He is talking
of going into Spayne to get money by his art, but I doubt he will do no
good, he being a man of an unsettled head. Thence by water down to
Deptford, the first time I have been by water a great while, and there did
some little business and walked home, and there come into my company three
drunken seamen, but one especially, who told me such stories, calling me
Captain, as made me mighty merry, and they would leap and skip, and kiss
what mayds they met all the way. I did at first give them money to drink,
lest they should know who I was, and so become troublesome to me. Parted
at Redriffe, and there home and to the office, where did much business,
and then to Sir W. Batten's, where [Sir] W. Pen, [Sir] R. Ford, and I to
hear a proposition [Sir] R. Ford was to acquaint us with from the Swedes
Embassador, in manner of saying, that for money he might be got to our
side and relinquish the trouble he may give us. Sir W. Pen did make a long
simple declaration of his resolution to give nothing to deceive any poor
man of what was his right by law, but ended in doing whatever any body
else would, and we did commission Sir R. Ford to give promise of not
beyond L350 to him and his Secretary, in case they did not oppose us in
the Phoenix (the net profits of which, as [Sir] R. Ford cast up before us,
the Admiral's tenths, and ship's thirds, and other charges all cleared,
will amount to L3,000) and that we did gain her. [Sir] R. Ford did pray
for a curse upon his family, if he was privy to anything more than he told
us (which I believe he is a knave in), yet we all concluded him the most
fit man for it and very honest, and so left it wholly to him to manage as
he pleased. Thence to the office a little while longer, and so home,
where W. Hewer's mother was, and Mrs. Turner, our neighbour, and supped
with us. His mother a well-favoured old little woman, and a good woman, I
believe. After we had supped, and merry, we parted late, Mrs. Turner
having staid behind to talk a little about her lodgings, which now my Lord
Bruncker upon Sir W. Coventry's surrendering do claim, but I cannot think
he will come to live in them so as to need to put them out. She gone, we
to bed all. This night, at supper, comes from Sir W. Coventry the Order
of Councill for my Lord Bruncker to do all the Comptroller's part relating
to the Treasurer's accounts, and Sir W. Pen, all relating to the
Victualler's, and Sir J. Minnes to do the rest. This, I hope, will do much
better for the King than now, and, I think, will give neither of them
ground to over-top me, as I feared they would; which pleases me mightily.
This evening, Mr. Wren and Captain Cocke called upon me at the office, and
there told me how the House was in better temper to-day, and hath passed
the Bill for the remainder of the money, but not to be passed finally till
they have done some other things which they will have passed with it;
wherein they are very open, what their meaning is, which was but doubted
before, for they do in all respects doubt the King's pleasing them.

22nd. Up, and there come to me Darnell the fiddler, one of the Duke's
house, and brought me a set of lessons, all three parts, I heard them play
to the Duke of York after Christmas at his lodgings, and bid him get me
them. I did give him a crowne for them, and did enquire after the musique
of the "Siege of Rhodes," which, he tells me, he can get me, which I am
mighty glad of. So to the office, where among other things I read the
Councill's order about my Lord Bruncker and Sir W. Pen to be assistants to
the Comptroller, which quietly went down with Sir J. Minnes, poor man,
seeming a little as if he would be thought to have desired it, but yet
apparently to his discontent; and, I fear, as the order runs, it will
hardly do much good. At noon to dinner, and there comes a letter from
Mrs. Pierce, telling me she will come and dine with us on Thursday next,
with some of the players, Knipp, &c., which I was glad of, but my wife
vexed, which vexed me; but I seemed merry, but know not how to order the
matter, whether they shall come or no. After dinner to the office, and
there late doing much business, and so home to supper, and to bed.

23rd. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen to White Hall, and there
to the Duke of York, and did our usual business. Having done there, I to
St. James's, to see the organ Mrs. Turner told me of the other night, of
my late Lord Aubigney's; and I took my Lord Bruncker with me, he being
acquainted with my present Lord Almoner, Mr. Howard, brother to the Duke
of Norfolke; so he and I thither and did see the organ, but I do not like
it, it being but a bauble, with a virginal! joining to it: so I shall not
meddle with it. Here we sat and talked with him a good while, and he
seems a good-natured gentleman: here I observed the deske which he hath,
[made] to remove, and is fastened to one of the armes of his chayre. I do
also observe the counterfeit windows there was, in the form of doors with
looking-glasses instead of windows, which makes the room seem both bigger
and lighter, I think; and I have some thoughts to have the like in one of
my rooms. He discoursed much of the goodness of the musique in Rome, but
could not tell me how long musique had been in any perfection in that
church, which I would be glad to know. He speaks much of the great
buildings that this Pope,

[Fabio Chigi, of Siena, succeeded Innocent X. in 1655 as Alexander
VII. He died May, 1667, and was succeeded by Clement IX.]

whom, in mirth to us, he calls Antichrist, hath done in his time. Having
done with the discourse, we away, and my Lord and I walking into the Park
back again, I did observe the new buildings: and my Lord, seeing I had a
desire to see them, they being the place for the priests and fryers, he
took me back to my Lord Almoner; and he took us quite through the whole
house and chapel, and the new monastery, showing me most excellent pieces
in wax-worke: a crucifix given by a Pope to Mary Queen of Scotts, where a
piece of the Cross is;

[Pieces of "the Cross" were formerly held in such veneration, and
were so common, that it has been often said enough existed to build
a ship. Most readers will remember the distinction which Sir W.
Scott represents Louis XI. (with great appreciation of that
monarch's character), as drawing between an oath taken on a false
piece and one taken on a piece of the true cross. Sir Thomas More,
a very devout believer in relics, says ("Works," p. 119), that
Luther wished, in a sermon of his, that he had in his hand all the
pieces of the Holy Cross; and said that if he so had, he would throw
them there as never sun should shine on them:--and for what
worshipful reason would the wretch do such villainy to the cross of
Christ? Because, as he saith, that there is so much gold now
bestowed about the garnishing of the pieces of the Cross, that there
is none left for poore folke. Is not this a high reason? As though
all the gold that is now bestowed about the pieces of the Holy Cross
would not have failed to have been given to poor men, if they had
not been bestowed about the garnishing of the Cross! and as though
there were nothing lost, but what is bestowed about Christ's Cross!"
"Wolsey, says Cavendish, on his fall, gave to Norris, who brought
him a ring of gold as a token of good will from Henry, "a little
chaine of gold, made like a bottle chain, with a cross of gold,
wherein was a piece of the Holy Cross, which he continually wore
about his neck, next his body; and said, furthermore, 'Master
Norris, I assure you, when I was in prosperity, although it seem but
small in value, yet I would not gladly have departed with the same
for a thousand pounds.'" Life, ed. 1852, p. 167. Evelyn mentions,
"Diary," November 17th, 1664, that he saw in one of the chapels in
St. Peter's a crucifix with a piece of the true cross in it.
Amongst the jewels of Mary Queen of Scots was a cross of gold, which
had been pledged to Hume of Blackadder for L1000 (Chalmers's "Life,"
vol. i., p. 31 ).--B.]

two bits set in the manner of a cross in the foot of the crucifix: several
fine pictures, but especially very good prints of holy pictures. I saw the
dortoire--[dormitory]--and the cells of the priests, and we went into one;
a very pretty little room, very clean, hung with pictures, set with books.
The Priest was in his cell, with his hair clothes to his skin,
bare-legged, with a sandal! only on, and his little bed without sheets,
and no feather bed; but yet, I thought, soft enough. His cord about his
middle; but in so good company, living with ease, I thought it a very good
life. A pretty library they have. And I was in the refectoire, where
every man his napkin, knife, cup of earth, and basin of the same; and a
place for one to sit and read while the rest are at meals. And into the
kitchen I went, where a good neck of mutton at the fire, and other
victuals boiling. I do not think they fared very hard. Their windows all
looking into a fine garden and the Park; and mighty pretty rooms all. I
wished myself one of the Capuchins. Having seen what we could here, and
all with mighty pleasure, so away with the Almoner in his coach, talking
merrily about the difference in our religions, to White Hall, and there we
left him. I in my Lord Bruncker's coach, he carried me to the Savoy, and
there we parted. I to the Castle Tavern, where was and did come all our
company, Sir W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, [Sir] R. Ford, and our Counsel Sir
Ellis Layton, Walt Walker, Dr. Budd, Mr. Holder, and several others, and
here we had a bad dinner of our preparing, and did discourse something of
our business of our prizes, which was the work of the day. I staid till
dinner was over, and there being no use of me I away after dinner without
taking leave, and to the New Exchange, there to take up my wife and
Mercer, and to Temple Bar to the Ordinary, and had a dish of meat for
them, they having not dined, and thence to the King's house, and there saw
"The Numerous Lieutenant," a silly play, I think; only the Spirit in it
that grows very tall, and then sinks again to nothing, having two heads
breeding upon one, and then Knipp's singing, did please us. Here, in a
box above, we spied Mrs. Pierce; and, going out, they called us, and so we
staid for them; and Knipp took us all in, and brought to us Nelly; a most
pretty woman, who acted the great part of Coelia to-day very fine, and did
it pretty well: I kissed her, and so did my wife; and a mighty pretty soul
she is. We also saw Mrs. Halls which is my little Roman-nose black girl,
that is mighty pretty: she is usually called Betty. Knipp made us stay in
a box and see the dancing preparatory to to-morrow for "The Goblins," a
play of Suckling's, not acted these twenty-five years; which was pretty;
and so away thence, pleased with this sight also, and specially kissing of
Nell. We away, Mr. Pierce and I, on foot to his house, the women by coach.
In our way we find the Guards of horse in the street, and hear the
occasion to be news that the seamen are in a mutiny, which put me into a
great fright; so away with my wife and Mercer home preparing against
to-morrow night to have Mrs. Pierce and Knipp and a great deal more
company to dance; and, when I come home, hear of no disturbance there of
the seamen, but that one of them, being arrested to-day, others do go and
rescue him. So to the office a little, and then home to supper, and to my
chamber awhile, and then to bed.

24th. Up, and to the office, full of thoughts how to order the business
of our merry meeting to-night. So to the office, where busy all the
morning. [While we were sitting in the morning at the office, we were
frighted with news of fire at Sir W. Batten's by a chimney taking fire,
and it put me into much fear and trouble, but with a great many hands and
pains it was soon stopped.] At noon home to dinner, and presently to the
office to despatch my business, and also we sat all the afternoon to
examine the loss of The Bredagh, which was done by as plain negligence as
ever ship was. We being rose, I entering my letters and getting the
office swept and a good fire made and abundance of candles lighted, I
home, where most of my company come of this end of the town-Mercer and her
sister, Mr. Batelier and Pembleton (my Lady Pen, and Pegg, and Mr.
Lowther, but did not stay long, and I believe it was by Sir W. Pen's
order; for they had a great mind to have staid), and also Captain Rolt.
And, anon, at about seven or eight o'clock, comes Mr. Harris, of the
Duke's playhouse, and brings Mrs. Pierce with him, and also one dressed
like a country-mayde with a straw hat on; which, at first, I could not
tell who it was, though I expected Knipp: but it was she coming off the
stage just as she acted this day in "The Goblins;" a merry jade. Now my
house is full, and four fiddlers that play well. Harris I first took to
my closet; and I find him a very curious and understanding person in all
pictures and other things, and a man of fine conversation; and so is Rolt.
So away with all my company down to the office, and there fell to dancing,
and continued at it an hour or two, there coming Mrs. Anne Jones, a
merchant's daughter hard by, who dances well, and all in mighty good
humour, and danced with great pleasure; and then sung and then danced, and
then sung many things of three voices--both Harris and Rolt singing their
parts excellently. Among other things, Harris sung his Irish song--the
strangest in itself, and the prettiest sung by him, that ever I heard.
Then to supper in the office, a cold, good supper, and wondrous merry.
Here was Mrs. Turner also, but the poor woman sad about her lodgings, and
Mrs. Markham: after supper to dancing again and singing, and so continued
till almost three in the morning, and then, with extraordinary pleasure,
broke up only towards morning, Knipp fell a little ill, and so my wife
home with her to put her to bed, and we continued dancing and singing;
and, among other things, our Mercer unexpectedly did happen to sing an
Italian song I know not, of which they two sung the other two parts to,
that did almost ravish me, and made me in love with her more than ever
with her singing. As late as it was, yet Rolt and Harris would go home
to-night, and walked it, though I had a bed for them; and it proved dark,
and a misly night, and very windy. The company being all gone to their
homes, I up with Mrs. Pierce to Knipp, who was in bed; and we waked her,
and there I handled her breasts and did 'baiser la', and sing a song,
lying by her on the bed, and then left my wife to see Mrs. Pierce in bed
to her, in our best chamber, and so to bed myself, my mind mightily
satisfied with all this evening's work, and thinking it to be one of the
merriest enjoyment I must look for in the world, and did content myself
therefore with the thoughts of it, and so to bed; only the musique did not
please me, they not being contented with less than 30s.

25th. Lay pretty long, then to the office, where Lord Bruncker and Sir J.
Minnes and I did meet, and sat private all the morning about dividing the
Controller's work according to the late order of Council, between them two
and Sir W. Pen, and it troubled me to see the poor honest man, Sir J.
Minnes, troubled at it, and yet the King's work cannot be done without it.
It was at last friendlily ended, and so up and home to dinner with my
wife. This afternoon I saw the Poll Bill, now printed; wherein I do fear
I shall be very deeply concerned, being to be taxed for all my offices,
and then for my money that I have, and my title, as well as my head. It
is a very great tax; but yet I do think it is so perplexed, it will hardly
ever be collected duly. The late invention of Sir G. Downing's is
continued of bringing all the money into the Exchequer; and Sir G.
Carteret's three pence is turned for all the money of this act into but a
penny per pound, which I am sorry for. After dinner to the office again,
where Lord Bruncker, [Sir] W. Batten, and [Sir] W. Pen and I met to talk
again about the Controller's office, and there [Sir] W. Pen would have a
piece of the great office cut out to make an office for him, which I
opposed to the making him very angry, but I think I shall carry it against
him, and then I care not. So a little troubled at this fray, I away by
coach with my wife, and left her at the New Exchange, and I to my Lord
Chancellor's, and then back, taking up my wife to my Lord Bellasses, and
there spoke with Mr. Moone, who tells me that the peace between us and
Spayne is, as he hears, concluded on, which I should be glad of, and so
home, and after a little at my office, home to finish my journall for
yesterday and to-day, and then a little supper and to bed. This day the
House hath passed the Bill for the Assessment, which I am glad of; and
also our little Bill, for giving any one of us in the office the power of
justice of peace, is done as I would have it.