Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1668 N.S. Complete

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15th. Up, and all the morning busy at the office to my great content,
attending to the settling of papers there that I may have the more rest in
winter for my eyes by how much I do the more in the settling of all things
in the summer by daylight. At noon home to dinner, where is brought home
the espinette I bought the other day of Haward; costs me L5. So to St.
James's, where did our ordinary business with the Duke of York. So to
Unthanke's to my wife, and with her and Deb. to visit Mrs. Pierce, whom I
do not now so much affect, since she paints. But stayed here a while, and
understood from her how my Lady Duchesse of Monmouth is still lame, and
likely always to be so, which is a sad chance for a young [lady] to get,
only by trying of tricks in dancing. So home, and there Captain Deane
come and spent the evening with me, to draw some finishing lines on his
fine draught of "The Resolution," the best ship, by all report, in the
world, and so to bed. Wonderful hot all day and night, and this the first
night that I remember in my life that ever I could lie with only a sheet
and one rug. So much I am now stronger than ever I remember myself, at
least since before I had the stone.

16th. Up, and to the office, where Yeabsly and Lanyon come to town and to
speak with me about a matter wherein they are accused of cheating the King
before the Lords' Commissioners of Tangier, and I doubt it true, but I
have no hand in it, but will serve them what I can. All the morning at
the office, and at noon dined at home, and then to the office again, where
we met to finish the draft of the Victualler's contract, and so I by water
with my Lord Brouncker to Arundell House, to the Royall Society, and there
saw an experiment of a dog's being tied through the back, about the spinal
artery, and thereby made void of all motion; and the artery being loosened
again, the dog recovers. Thence to Cooper's, and saw his advance on my
wife's picture, which will be indeed very fine. So with her to the
'Change, to buy some things, and here I first bought of the sempstress
next my bookseller's, where the pretty young girl is, that will be a great
beauty. So home, and to supper with my wife in the garden, it being these
two days excessively hot, and so to bed.

17th. Up, and fitted myself to discourse before the Council about
business of tickets. So to White Hall, where waited on the Duke of York,
and then the Council about that business; and I did discourse to their
liking, only was too high to assert that nothing could be invented to
secure the King more in the business of tickets than there is; which the
Duke of Buckingham did except against, and I could have answered, but
forbore; but all liked very well. Thence home, and with my wife and Deb.
to the King's House to see a play revived called The------, a sorry mean
play, that vexed us to sit in so much heat of the weather to hear it.
Thence to see Betty Michell newly lain in, and after a little stay we took
water and to Spring Garden, and there walked, and supped, and staid late,
and with much pleasure, and to bed. The weather excessive hot, so as we
were forced to lie in two beds, and I only with a sheet and rug, which is
colder than ever I remember I could bear.

18th. At the office all the morning. At noon dined at home and Creed
with me, who I do really begin to hate, and do use him with some
reservedness. Here was also my old acquaintance, Will Swan, to see me,
who continues a factious fanatick still, and I do use him civilly, in
expectation that those fellows may grow great again. Thence to the
office, and then with my wife to the 'Change and Unthanke's, after having
been at Cooper's and sat there for her picture, which will be a noble
picture, but yet I think not so like as Hales's is. So home and to my
office, and then to walk in the garden, and home to supper and to bed.
They say the King of France is making a war again, in Flanders, with the
King of Spain; the King of Spain refusing to give him all that he says was
promised him in the treaty. Creed told me this day how when the King was
at my Lord Cornwallis's when he went last to Newmarket, that being there
on a Sunday, the Duke of Buckingham did in the afternoon to please the
King make a bawdy sermon to him out of Canticles, and that my Lord
Cornwallis did endeavour to get the King a whore, and that must be a
pretty girl the daughter of the parson of the place, but that she did get
away, and leaped off of some place and killed herself, which if true is
very sad.

19th (Lord's day). Up, and to my chamber, and there I up and down in the
house spent the morning getting things ready against noon, when come Mr.
Cooper, Hales, Harris, Mr. Butler, that wrote Hudibras, and Mr. Cooper's
cozen Jacke; and by and by comes Mr. Reeves and his wife, whom I never saw
before: and there we dined: a good dinner, and company that pleased me
mightily, being all eminent men in their way. Spent all the afternoon in
talk and mirth, and in the evening parted, and then my wife and I to walk
in the garden, and so home to supper, Mrs. Turner and husband and daughter
with us, and then to bed.

20th. Up, and to the office, where Mrs. Daniel comes. . . . All the
morning at the office. Dined at home, then with Mr. Colvill to the new
Excise Office in Aldersgate Street, and thence back to the Old Exchange,
to see a very noble fine lady I spied as I went through, in coming; and
there took occasion to buy some gloves, and admire her, and a mighty fine
fair lady indeed she was. Thence idling all the afternoon to Duck Lane,
and there saw my bookseller's moher, but get no ground there yet; and here
saw Mrs. Michell's daughter married newly to a bookseller, and she proves
a comely little grave woman. So to visit my Lord Crew, who is very sick,
to great danger, by an irisipulus;--[Erysipelas.]--the first day I heard
of it, and so home, and took occasion to buy a rest for my espinette at
the ironmonger's by Holborn Conduit, where the fair pretty woman is that I
have lately observed there, and she is pretty, and je credo vain enough.
Thence home and busy till night, and so to bed.

21st. Up, and to St. James's, but lost labour, the Duke abroad. So home
to the office, where all the morning, and so to dinner, and then all the
afternoon at the office, only went to my plate-maker's, and there spent an
hour about contriving my little plates,

[This passage has been frequently quoted as referring to Pepys's.
small bookplate, with his initials S. P. and two anchors and ropes
entwined; but if looked at carefully with the further reference on
the 27th, it will be seen that it merely describes the preparation
of engravings of the four dockyards.]

for my books of the King's four Yards. At night walked in the garden, and
supped and to bed, my eyes bad.

22nd. All the morning at the office. Dined at home, and then to White
Hall with Symson the joyner, and after attending at the Committee of the
Navy about the old business of tickets, where the only expedient they have
found is to bind the Commanders and Officers by oaths. The Duke of York
told me how the Duke of Buckingham, after the Council the other day, did
make mirth at my position, about the sufficiency of present rules in the
business of tickets; and here I took occasion to desire a private
discourse with the Duke of York, and he granted it to me on Friday next.
So to shew Symson the King's new lodgings for his chimnies, which I desire
to have one built in that mode, and so I home, and with little supper, to
bed. This day a falling out between my wife and Deb., about a hood lost,
which vexed me.

23rd. Up, and all day long, but at dinner, at the Office, at work, till I
was almost blind, which makes my heart sad.

24th. Up, and by water to St. James's, having, by the way, shewn Symson
Sir W. Coventry's chimney-pieces, in order to the making me one; and
there, after the Duke of York was ready, he called me to his closet; and
there I did long and largely show him the weakness of our Office, and did
give him advice to call us to account for our duties, which he did take
mighty well, and desired me to draw up what I would have him write to the
Office. I did lay open the whole failings of the Office, and how it was
his duty to find them, and to find fault with them, as Admiral, especially
at this time, which he agreed to, and seemed much to rely on what I said.
Thence to White Hall, and there waited to attend the Council, but was not
called in, and so home, and after dinner back with Sir J. Minnes by coach,
and there attended, all of us, the Duke of York, and had the hearing of
Mr. Pett's business, the Master-Shipwright at Chatham, and I believe he
will be put out. But here Commissioner. Middleton did, among others, shew
his good-nature and easiness to the Masters-Attendants, by mitigating
their faults, so as, I believe, they will come in again. So home, and to
supper and to bed, the Duke of York staying with us till almost night.

25th. Up, and at the Office all the morning; and at noon, after dinner,
to Cooper's, it being a very rainy day, and there saw my wife's picture go
on, which will be very fine indeed. And so home again to my letters, and
then to supper and to bed.

26th (Lord's day). Up, and all the morning and after dinner, the
afternoon also, with W. Hewer in my closet, setting right my Tangier
Accounts, which I have let alone these six months and more, but find them
very right, and is my great comfort. So in the evening to walk with my
wife, and to supper and to bed.

27th. Busy all the morning at my office. At noon dined, and then I out
of doors to my bookseller in Duck Lane, but su moher not at home, and it
was pretty here to see a pretty woman pass by with a little wanton look,
and je did sequi her round about the street from Duck Lane to Newgate
Market, and then elle did turn back, and je did lose her. And so to see
my Lord Crew, whom I find up; and did wait on him; but his face sore, but
in hopes to do now very well again. Thence to Cooper's, where my wife's
picture almost done, and mighty fine indeed. So over the water with my
wife, and Deb., and Mercer, to Spring-Garden, and there eat and walked;
and observe how rude some of the young gallants of the town are become, to
go into people's arbours where there are not men, and almost force the
women; which troubled me, to see the confidence of the vice of the age:
and so we away by water, with much pleasure home. This day my plate-maker
comes with my four little plates of the four Yards, cost me L5, which
troubles me, but yet do please me also.

28th. All the morning at the office, and after dinner with my wife and
Deb. to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Slighted Maid,"
but a mean play; and thence home, there being little pleasure now in a
play, the company being but little. Here we saw Gosnell, who is become
very homely, and sings meanly, I think, to what I thought she did.

29th. Busy all the morning at the office. So home to dinner, where
Mercer, and there comes Mr. Swan, my old acquaintance, and dines with me,
and tells me, for a certainty, that Creed is to marry Betty Pickering, and
that the thing is concluded, which I wonder at, and am vexed for. So he
gone I with my wife and two girls to the King's house, and saw "The Mad
Couple," a mean play altogether, and thence to Hyde Parke, where but few
coaches, and so to the New Exchange, and thence by water home, with much
pleasure, and then to sing in the garden, and so home to bed, my eyes for
these four days being my trouble, and my heart thereby mighty sad.

30th. Up, and by water to White Hall. There met with Mr. May, who was
giving directions about making a close way for people to go dry from the
gate up into the House, to prevent their going through the galleries;
which will be very good. I staid and talked with him about the state of
the King's Offices in general, and how ill he is served, and do still find
him an excellent person, and so back to the office. So close at my office
all the afternoon till evening, and then out with my wife to the New
Exchange, and so back again.

31st. Up, and at my office all the morning. About noon with Mr.
Ashburnham to the new Excise Office, and there discoursed about our
business, and I made him admire my drawing a thing presently in shorthand:
but, God knows! I have paid dear for it, in my eyes. Home and to dinner,
and then my wife and Deb. and I, with Sir J. Minnes, to White Hall, she
going hence to the New Exchange, and the Duke of York not being in the
way, Sir J. Minnes and I to her and took them two to the King's house, to
see the first day of Lacy's "Monsieur Ragou," now new acted. The King and
Court all there, and mighty merry--a farce. Thence Sir J. Minnes giving
us, like a gentleman, his coach, hearing we had some business, we to the
Park, and so home. Little pleasure there, there being little company, but
mightily taken with a little chariot that we saw in the street, and which
we are resolved to have ours like it. So home to walk in the garden a
little, and then to bed. The month ends mighty sadly with me, my eyes
being now past all use almost; and I am mighty hot upon trying the late
printed experiment of paper tubes.

[An account of these tubulous spectacles ("An easy help for decayed
sight") is given in "The Philosophical Transactions," No. 37, pp.
727,731 (Hutton's Abridgment, vol. i., p. 266). See Diary, August
12th and 23rd, post.]

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

At work, till I was almost blind, which makes my heart sad
Bristol milk (the sherry) in the vaults
But get no ground there yet
Cannot be clean to go so many bodies together in the same water
City pay him great respect, and he the like to the meanest
Cost me L5, which troubles me, but yet do please me also
Espinette is the French term for a small harpsichord
Forced to change gold, 8s. 7d.; servants and poor, 1s. 6d.
Frequent trouble in things we deserve best in
How natural it is for us to slight people out of power
I could have answered, but forbore
Little pleasure now in a play, the company being but little
Made him admire my drawing a thing presently in shorthand
My wife hath something in her gizzard, that only waits
My wife's neglect of things, and impertinent humour
So out, and lost our way, which made me vexed
Suffered her humour to spend, till we begun to be very quiet
Troubled me, to see the confidence of the vice of the age
Up, finding our beds good, but lousy; which made us merry
Weather being very wet and hot to keep meat in.
When he was seriously ill he declared himself a Roman Catholic
Where a pedlar was in bed, and made him rise

THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.

CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY

TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE

(Unabridged)

WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES

EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY

HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
AUGUST
1668

August 1st. All the morning at the office. After dinner my wife, and
Deb., and I, to the King's house again, coming too late yesterday to hear
the prologue, and do like the play better now than before; and, indeed,
there is a great deal of true wit in it, more than in the common sort of
plays, and so home to my business, and at night to bed, my eyes making me
sad.

2nd. (Lord's day). Up and at home all the morning, hanging, and removing
of some pictures, in my study and house. At noon Pelling dined with me.
After dinner, I and Tom, my boy, by water up to Putney, and there heard a
sermon, and many fine people in the church. Thence walked to Barne Elmes,
and there, and going and coming, did make the boy read to me several
things, being now-a-days unable to read myself anything, for above two
lines together, but my eyes grow weary. Home about night, and so to
supper and then to bed.

3rd. Up, and by water to White Hall and St. James's, where I did much
business, and about noon meeting Dr. Gibbons, carried him to the Sun
taverne, in King Street, and there made him, and some friends of his,
drink; among others, Captain Silas Taylor, and here did get Gibbons to
promise me some things for my flageolets. So to the Old Exchange, and
then home to dinner, and so, Mercer dining with us, I took my wife and her
and Deb. out to Unthanke's, while I to White Hall to the Commissioners of
the Treasury, and so back to them and took them out to Islington, where we
met with W. Joyce and his wife and boy, and there eat and drank, and a
great deal of his idle talk, and so we round by Hackney home, and so to
sing a little in the garden, and then to bed.

4th. Up, and to my office a little, and then to White Hall about a
Committee for Tangier at my Lord Arlington's, where, by Creed's being out
of town, I have the trouble given me of drawing up answers to the
complaints of the Turks of Algiers, and so I have all the papers put into
my hand. Here till noon, and then back to the Office, where sat a little,
and then to dinner, and presently to the office, where come to me my Lord
Bellassis, Lieutenant-Colonell Fitzgerald, newly come from Tangier, and
Sir Arthur Basset, and there I received their informations, and so, they
being gone, I with my clerks and another of Lord Brouncker's, Seddon, sat
up till two in the morning, drawing up my answers and writing them fair,
which did trouble me mightily to sit up so long, because of my eyes.

5th. So to bed about two o'clock, and then up about seven and to White
Hall, where read over my report to Lord Arlington and Berkeley, and then
afterward at the Council Board with great good liking, but, Lord! how it
troubled my eyes, though I did not think I could have done it, but did do
it, and was not very bad afterward. So home to dinner, and thence out to
the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Guardian;" formerly the
same, I find, that was called "Cutter of Coleman Street;" a silly play.
And thence to Westminster Hall, where I met Fitzgerald; and with him to a
tavern, to consider of the instructions for Sir Thomas Allen, against his
going to Algiers; he and I being designed to go down to Portsmouth by the
Council's order, and by and by he and I went to the Duke of York, who
orders me to go down to-morrow morning. So I away home, and there bespeak
a coach; and so home and to bed, my wife being abroad with the Mercers
walking in the fields, and upon the water.

6th. Waked betimes, and my wife, at an hour's warning, is resolved to go
with me, which pleases me, her readiness. But, before ready, comes a
letter from Fitzgerald, that he is seized upon last night by an order of
the General's by a file of musqueteers, and kept prisoner in his chamber.
The Duke of York did tell me of it to-day: it is about a quarrel between.
him and Witham, and they fear a challenge: so I to him, and sent my wife
by the coach round to Lambeth. I lost my labour going to his lodgings,
and he in bed: and, staying a great while for him, I at last grew
impatient, and would stay no longer; but to St. James's to Mr. Wren, to
bid him "God be with you!" and so over the water to Fox Hall; and there my
wife and Deb. come and took me up, and we away to Gilford, losing our way
for three or four mile, about Cobham. At Gilford we dined; and, I shewed
them the hospitall there of Bishop Abbot's, and his tomb in the church,
which, and the rest of the tombs there, are kept mighty clean and neat,
with curtains before them. So to coach again, and got to Lippock,2 late
over Hindhead, having an old man, a guide, in the coach with us; but got
thither with great fear of being out of our way, it being ten at night.
Here good, honest people; and after supper, to bed . . . .

7th. Up, and to coach, and with a guide to Petersfield, where I find Sir
Thomas Allen and Mr. Tippets come; the first about the business, the
latter only in respect to me; as also Fitzgerald, who come post all last
night, and newly arrived here. We four sat down presently to our
business, and in an hour despatched all our talk; and did inform Sir
Thomas Allen well in it, who, I perceive, in serious matters, is a serious
man: and tells me he wishes all we are told be true, in our defence; for
he finds by all, that the Turks have, to this day, been very civil to our
merchant-men everywhere; and, if they would have broke with us, they never
had such an opportunity over our rich merchant-men, as lately, coming out
of the Streights. Then to dinner, and pretty merry: and here was Mr.
Martin, the purser, and dined with us, and wrote some things for us. And
so took coach again back; Fitzgerald with us, whom I was pleased with all
the day, with his discourse of his observations abroad, as being a great
soldier and of long standing abroad: and knows all things and persons
abroad very well--I mean, the great soldiers of France, and Spain, and
Germany; and talks very well. Come at night to Gilford, where the Red Lyon
so full of people, and a wedding, that the master of the house did get us
a lodging over the way, at a private house, his landlord's, mighty neat
and fine; and there supped and talked with the landlord and his wife: and
so to bed with great content, only Fitzgerald lay at the Inne. So to bed.

8th. Up, and I walked out, and met Uncle Wight, whom I sent to last
night, and Mr. Wight coming to see us, and I walked with them back to see
my aunt at Katherine Hill, and there walked up and down the hill and
places, about: but a dull place, but good ayre, and the house dull. But
here I saw my aunt, after many days not seeing her--I think, a year or
two; and she walked with me to see my wife. And here, at the Red Lyon, we
all dined together, and mighty merry, and then parted: and we home to Fox
Hall, where Fitzgerald and I 'light, and by water to White Hall, where the
Duke of York being abroad, I by coach and met my wife, who went round, and
after doing at the office a little, and finding all well at home, I to
bed. I hear that Colbert, the French Ambassador, is come, and hath been
at Court incognito. When he hath his audience, I know not.

9th (Lord's day). Up, and walked to Holborne, where got John Powell's
coach at the Black Swan, and he attended me at St. James's, where waited
on the Duke of York: and both by him and several of the Privy-Council,
beyond expectation, I find that my going to Sir Thomas Allen was looked
upon as a thing necessary: and I have got some advantage by it, among
them. Thence to White Hall, and thence to visit Lord Brouncker, and back
to White Hall, where saw the Queen and ladies; and so, with Mr. Slingsby,
to Mrs. Williams's, thinking to dine with Lord Brouncker there, but did
not, having promised my wife to come home, though here I met Knepp, to my
great content. So home; and, after dinner, I took my wife and Deb. round
by Hackney, and up and down to take the ayre; and then home, and made
visits to Mrs. Turner, and Mrs. Mercer, and Sir W. Pen, who is come from
Epsom not well, and Sir J. Minnes, who is not well neither. And so home
to supper, and to set my books a little right, and then to bed. This day
Betty Michell come and dined with us, the first day after her lying in,
whom I was glad to see.

10th. Up, and by water to White Hall, and thence to Sir W. Coventry, but
he is gone out of town this morning, so thence to my Lord Arlington's
house, the first time I there since he come thither, at Goring House, a
very fine, noble place; and there he received me in sight of several Lords
with great respect. I did give him an account of my journey; and here,
while I waited for him a little, my Lord Orrery took notice of me, and
begun discourse of hangings, and of the improvement of shipping: I not
thinking that he knew me, but did then discover it, with a mighty
compliment of my abilities and ingenuity, which I am mighty proud of; and
he do speak most excellently. Thence to Westminster Hall, and so by coach
to the old Exchange, and there did several businesses, and so home to
dinner, and then abroad to Duck Lane, where I saw my belle femme of the
book vendor, but had no opportunity para hazer con her. So away to
Cooper's, where I spent all the afternoon with my wife and girl, seeing
him-make an end of her picture, which he did Jo my great content, though
not so great as, I confess, I expected, being not satisfied in the
greatness of the resemblance, nor in the blue garment: but it is most
certainly a most rare piece of work, as to the painting. He hath L30 for
his work--and the chrystal, and case, and gold case comes to L8 3s. 4d.;
and which I sent him this night, that I might be out of debt. Thence my
people home, and I to Westminster Hall about a little business, and so by
water home [to] supper, and my wife to read a ridiculous book I bought
today of the History of the Taylors' Company,

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