Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1668 N.S. Complete

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8th. Up, and it being dirty, I by coach (which I was forced to go to the
charge for) to White Hall, and there did deliver the Duke of York a
memorial for the Council about the case of Tangiers want of money; and I
was called in there and my paper was read. I did not think fit to say
much, but left them to make what use they pleased of my paper; and so went
out and waited without all the morning, and at noon hear that there is
something ordered towards our help, and so I away by coach home, taking up
Mr. Prin at the Court-gate, it raining, and setting him down at the
Temple: and by the way did ask him about the manner of holding of
Parliaments, and whether the number of Knights and Burgesses were always
the same? And he says that the latter were not; but that, for aught he
can find, they were sent up at the discretion, at first, of the Sheriffes,
to whom the writs are sent, to send up generally the Burgesses and
citizens of their county: and he do find that heretofore the
Parliament-men being paid by the country, several burroughs have
complained of the Sheriffes putting them to the charge of sending up
Burgesses; which is a very extraordinary thing to me, that knew not this,
but thought that the number had been known, and always the same. Thence
home to the office, and so with my Lord Brouncker and his mistress,
Williams, to Captain Cocke's to dinner, where was Temple and Mr. Porter,
and a very good dinner, and merry. Thence with Lord Brouncker to White
Hall to the Commissioners of the Treasury at their sending for us to
discourse about the paying of tickets, and so away, and I by coach to the
'Change, and there took up my wife and Mercer and the girl by agreement,
and so home, and there with Mercer to teach her more of "It is decreed,"
and to sing other songs and talk all the evening, and so after supper I to
even my journall since Saturday last, and so to bed. Yesterday Mr.
Gibson, upon his discovering by my discourse to him that I had a
willingness, or rather desire, to have him stay with me, than go, as he
designed, on Sir W. Warren's account, to sea, he resolved to let go the
design and wait his fortune with me, though I laboured hard to make him
understand the uncertainty of my condition or service, but however he will
hazard it, which I take mighty kindly of him, though troubled lest he may
come to be a loser by it, but it will not be for want of my telling him
what he was to think on and expect. However, I am well pleased with it,
with regard to myself, who find him mighty understanding and acquainted
with all things in the Navy, that I should, if I continue in the Navy,
make great use of him.

9th. Up, and to the office, having first been visited by my cozen Anthony
Joyce about the L350 which he desires me to lend him, and which I have a
mind enough to do, but would have it in my power to call it out again in a
little time, and so do take a little further time to consider it. So to
the office, where all the morning busy, and so home at noon to dinner with
my people, where Mr. Hollier come and dined with me, and it is still
mighty pleasant to hear him talk of Rome and the Pope, with what hearty
zeal and hatred he talks against him. After dinner to the office again,
where busy till night, very busy, and among other things wrote to my
father about lending Anthony Joyce the money he desires; and I declare
that I would do it as part of Pall's portion, and that Pall should have
the use of the money till she be married, but I do propose to him to think
of Mr. Cumberland rather than this Jackson that he is upon; and I confess
I have a mighty mind to have a relation so able a man, and honest, and so
old an acquaintance as Mr. Cumberland. I shall hear his answer by the
next [post]. At night home and to cards with my wife and girle, and to
supper late, and so to bed.

10th. Up, and with Sir Denis Gawden, who called me, to White Hall, and
there to wait on the Duke of York with the rest of my brethren, which we
did a little in the King's Greenroom, while the King was in Council: and
in this room we found my Lord Bristoll walking alone; which, wondering at,
while the Council was sitting, I was answered that, as being a Catholique,
he could not be of the Council, which I did not consider before. After
broke up and walked a turn or two with Lord Brouncker talking about the
times, and he tells me that he thinks, and so do every body else, that the
great business of putting out some of the Council to make room for some of
the Parliament men to gratify and wheedle them is over, thinking that it
might do more hurt than good, and not obtain much upon the Parliament
either. This morning there was a Persian in that country dress, with a
turban, waiting to kiss the King's hand in the Vane-room, against he come
out: it was a comely man as to features, and his dress, methinks, very
comely. Thence in Sir W. Pen's coach alone (he going with Sir D. Gawden)
to my new bookseller's, Martin's; and there did meet with Fournier,

[George Fournier, a Jesuit, born at Caen in 1569, was the author of
several nautical works. His chief one, "L'Hydrographie," was
published at Paris in folio in 1663. A second edition appeared in
1667.]

the Frenchman, that hath wrote of the Sea and Navigation, and I could not
but buy him, and also bespoke an excellent book, which I met with there,
of China. The truth is, I have bought a great many books lately to a
great value; but I think to buy no more till Christmas next, and those
that I have will so fill my two presses that I must be forced to give away
some to make room for them, it being my design to have no more at any time
for my proper library than to fill them. Thence home and to the Exchange,
there to do a little business, where I find everybody concerned whether we
shall have out a fleete this next year or no, they talking of a peace
concluded between France and Spayne, so that the King of France will have
nothing to do with his army unless he comes to us; but I do not see in the
world how we shall be able to set out a fleete for want of money to buy
stores and pay men, for neither of which we shall be any more trusted. So
home to dinner, and then with my wife and Deb. to the King's house, to see
"Aglaura," which hath been always mightily cried up; and so I went with
mighty expectation, but do find nothing extraordinary in it at all, and
but hardly good in any degree. So home, and thither comes to us W.
Batelier and sat with us all the evening, and to cards and supper, passing
the evening pretty pleasantly, and so late at night parted, and so to bed.
I find him mightily troubled at the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury
opposing him in the business he hath a patent for about the business of
Impost on wine, but I do see that the Lords have reason for it, it being a
matter wherein money might be saved to his Majesty, and I am satisfied
that they do let nothing pass that may save money, and so God bless them!
So he being gone we to bed. This day I received a letter from my father,
and another from my cozen Roger Pepys, who have had a view of Jackson's
evidences of his estate, and do mightily like of the man, and his
condition and estate, and do advise me to accept of the match for my
sister, and to finish it as soon as I can; and he do it so as, I confess,
I am contented to have it done, and so give her her portion; and so I
shall be eased of one care how to provide for her, and do in many respects
think that it may be a match proper enough to have her married there, and
to one that may look after my concernments if my father should die and I
continue where I am, and there[fore] I am well pleased with it, and so to
bed.

11th. Lay some time, talking with my wife in bed about Pall's business,
and she do conclude to have her married here, and to be merry at it; and
to have W. Hewer, and Batelier, and Mercer, and Willet bridemen and
bridemaids, and to be very merry; and so I am glad of it, and do resolve
to let it be done as soon as I can. So up, and to the office, where all
the morning busy, and thence home to dinner, and from dinner with Mercer,
who dined with us, and wife and Deb. to the King's house, there to see
"The Wild-goose Chase," which I never saw, but have long longed to see it,
being a famous play, but as it was yesterday I do find that where I expect
most I find least satisfaction, for in this play I met with nothing
extraordinary at all, but very dull inventions and designs. Knepp come and
sat by us, and her talk pleased me a little, she telling me how Mis Davis
is for certain going away from the Duke's house, the King being in love
with her; and a house is taken for her, and furnishing; and she hath a
ring given her already worth L600: that the King did send several times
for Nelly, and she was with him, but what he did she knows not; this was a
good while ago, and she says that the King first spoiled Mrs. Weaver,
which is very mean, methinks, in a prince, and I am sorry for it, and can
hope for no good to the State from having a Prince so devoted to his
pleasure. She told me also of a play shortly coming upon the stage, of
Sir Charles Sidly's, which, she thinks, will be called "The Wandering
Ladys," a comedy that, she thinks, will be most pleasant; and also another
play, called "The Duke of Lerma;" besides "Catelin," which she thinks, for
want of the clothes which the King promised them, will not be acted for a
good while. Thence home, and there to the office and did some business,
and so with my wife for half an hour walking in the moonlight, and it
being cold, frosty weather, walking in the garden, and then home to
supper, and so by the fireside to have my head combed, as I do now often
do, by Deb., whom I love should be fiddling about me, and so to bed.

12th (Lord's day). Up, and to dress myself, and then called into my
wife's chamber, and there she without any occasion fell to discourse of my
father's coming to live with us when my sister marries. This, she being
afeard of declaring an absolute hatred to him since his falling out with
her about Coleman's being with her, she declares against his coming
hither, which I not presently agreeing to, she declared, if he come, she
would not live with me, but would shame me all over the city and court,
which I made slight of, and so we fell very foul; and I do find she do
keep very bad remembrances of my former unkindness to her, and do mightily
complain of her want of money and liberty, which I will rather hear and
bear the complaint of than grant the contrary, and so we had very hot work
a great while: but at last I did declare as I intend, that my father shall
not come, and that he do not desire and intend it; and so we parted with
pretty good quiet, and so away, and being ready went to church, where
first I saw Alderman Backewell and his lady come to our church, they
living in Mark Lane; and I could find in my heart to invite her to sit
with us, she being a fine lady. I come in while they were singing the
19th Psalm, while the sexton was gathering to his box, to which I did give
5s., and so after sermon home, my wife, Deb., and I all alone and very
kind, full of good discourses, and after dinner I to my chamber, ordering
my Tangier accounts to give to the Auditor in a day or two, which should
have been long ago with him. At them to my great content all the
afternoon till supper, and after supper with my wife, W. Hewer and Deb.
pretty merry till 12 at night, and then to bed.

13th. Up, and Mr. Gibbs comes to me, and I give him instructions about
the writing fair my Tangier accounts against to-morrow. So I abroad with
Sir W. Pen to White Hall, and there did with the rest attend the Duke of
York, where nothing extraordinary; only I perceive there is nothing yet
declared for the next, year, what fleete shall be abroad. Thence homeward
by coach and stopped at Martin's, my bookseller, where I saw the French
book which I did think to have had for my wife to translate, called
"L'escholle des filles,"

["L'Escole des Filles," by Helot, was burnt at the foot of the
gallows in 1672, and the author himself was burnt in effigy.]

but when I come to look in it, it is the most bawdy, lewd book that ever I
saw, rather worse than "Putana errante," so that I was ashamed of reading
in it, and so away home, and there to the 'Change to discourse with Sir H.
Cholmly, and so home to dinner, and in the evening, having done some
business, I with my wife and girl out, and left them at Unthanke's, while
I to White Hall to the Treasury Chamber for an order for Tangier, and so
back, took up my wife, and home, and there busy about my Tangier accounts
against tomorrow, which I do get ready in good condition, and so with
great content to bed.

14th. At the office all the morning, and at noon home to dinner, and
after dinner with Mr. Clerke and Gibson to the Temple (my wife and girle
going further by coach), and there at the Auditor's did begin the
examining my Tangier accounts, and did make a great entry into it and with
great satisfaction, and I am glad I am so far eased. So appointing
another day for further part of my accounts, I with Gibson to my
bookseller, Martin, and there did receive my book I expected of China, a
most excellent book with rare cuts; and there fell into discourse with him
about the burning of Paul's when the City was burned; his house being in
the church-yard. And he tells me that it took fire first upon the end of
a board that, among others, was laid upon the roof instead of lead, the
lead being broke off, and thence down lower and lower: but that the
burning of the goods under St. Fayth's arose from the goods taking fire in
the church-yard, and so got into St. Fayth's Church; and that they first
took fire from the Draper's side, by some timber of the houses that were
burned falling into the church. He says that one warehouse of books was
saved under Paul's; and he says that there were several dogs found burned
among the goods in the church-yard, and but one man, which was an old man,
that said he would go and save a blanket which he had in the church, and,
being a weak old man, the fire overcome him, and was burned. He says that
most of the booksellers do design to fall a-building again the next year;
but he says that the Bishop of London do use them most basely, worse than
any other landlords, and says he will be paid to this day the rent, or
else he will not come to treat with them for the time to come; and will
not, on that condition either, promise them any thing how he will use
them; and, the Parliament sitting, he claims his privilege, and will not
be cited before the Lord Chief justice, as others are there, to be forced
to a fair dealing. Thence by coach to Mrs. Pierce's, where my wife and
Deb. is; and there they fell to discourse of the last night's work at
Court, where the ladies and Duke of Monmouth and others acted "The Indian
Emperour;" wherein they told me these things most remark able: that not
any woman but the Duchesse of Monmouth and Mrs. Cornwallis did any thing
but like fools and stocks, but that these two did do most extraordinary
well: that not any man did any thing well but Captain O'Bryan, who spoke
and did well, but, above all things, did dance most incomparably. That she
did sit near the players of the Duke's house; among the rest, Mis Davis,
who is the most impertinent slut, she says, in the world; and the more,
now the King do show her countenance; and is reckoned his mistress, even
to the scorne of the whole world; the King gazing on her, and my Lady
Castlemayne being melancholy and out of humour, all the play, not smiling
once. The King, it seems, hath given her a ring of L700, which she shews
to every body, and owns that the King did give it her; and he hath
furnished a house for her in Suffolke Street most richly, which is a most
infinite shame. It seems she is a bastard of Colonell Howard, my Lord
Berkshire, and that he do pimp to her for the King, and hath got her for
him; but Pierce says that she is a most homely jade as ever she saw,
though she dances beyond any thing in the world. She tells me that the
Duchesse of Richmond do not yet come to the Court, nor hath seen the King,
nor will not, nor do he own his desire of seeing her; but hath used means
to get her to Court, but they do not take. Thence home, and there I to my
chamber, having a great many books brought me home from my bookbinder's,
and so I to the new setting of my books against the next year, which costs
me more trouble than I expected, and at it till two o'clock in the
morning, and then to bed, the business not being yet done to my mind.
This evening come Mr. Mills and his wife to see and sit and talk with us,
which they did till 9 o'clock at night, and then parted, and I to my
books.

15th. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning. At noon home to
dinner, and then to the Office again, where we met about some business of
D. Gawden's till candle-light; and then, as late as it was, I down to
Redriffe, and so walked by moonlight to Deptford, where I have not been a
great while, and my business I did there was only to walk up and down
above la casa of Bagwell, but could not see her, it being my intent to
have spent a little time con her, she being newly come from her husband;
but I did lose my labour, and so walked back again, but with pleasure by
the walk, and I had the sport to see two boys swear, and stamp, and fret,
for not being able to get their horse over a stile and ditch, one of them
swearing and cursing most bitterly; and I would fain, in revenge, have
persuaded him to have drove his horse through the ditch, by which I
believe he would have stuck there. But the horse would not be drove, and
so they were forced to go back again, and so I walked away homeward, and
there reading all the evening, and so to bed. This afternoon my Lord
Anglesey tells us that it is voted in Council to have a fleete of 50 ships
out; but it is only a disguise for the Parliament to get some money by;
but it will not take, I believe, and if it did, I do not think it will be
such as he will get any of, nor such as will enable us to set out such a
fleete.

16th. Up, after talking with my wife with pleasure, about her learning on
the flageolet a month or two again this winter, and all the rest of the
year her painting, which I do love, and so to the office, where sat all
the morning, and here Lord Anglesey tells us again that a fleete is to be
set out; and that it is generally, he hears, said, that it is but a
Spanish rhodomontado; and that he saying so just now to the Duke of
Albemarle, who come to town last night, after the thing was ordered, he
told him a story of two seamen: one wished all the guns of the ship were
his, and that they were silver; and says the other, "You are a fool, for,
if you can have it for wishing, why do you not wish them gold?"--"So,"
says he, "if a rhodomontado will do any good, why do you not say 100
ships?" And it is true; for the Dutch and French are said to make such
preparations as 50 sail will do no good. At noon home to dinner with my
gang of clerks, in whose society I am mightily pleased, and mightily with
Mr. Gibson's talking;

[Richard Gibson, so frequently noticed by Pepys, was a clerk in the
Navy Office. His collection of papers relating to the navy of
England A.D. 1650-1702, compiled, as he states, from the Admiralty
books in the Navy Office, are in the British Museum.--B.]

he telling me so many good stories relating to the warr and practices of
commanders, which I will find a time to recollect; and he will be an
admirable help to my writing a history of the Navy, if ever I do. So to
the office, where busy all the afternoon and evening, and then home. My
work this night with my clerks till midnight at the office was to examine
my list of ships I am making for myself and their dimensions, and to see
how it agrees or differs from other lists, and I do find so great a
difference between them all that I am at a loss which to take, and
therefore think mine to be as much depended upon as any I can make out of
them all. So little care there has been to this day to know or keep any
history of the Navy.

17th. Up, and by coach to White Hall to attend the Council there, and
here I met first by Mr. Castle the shipwright, whom I met there, and then
from the whole house the discourse of the duell yesterday between the Duke
of Buckingham, Holmes, and one Jenkins, on one side, and my Lord of
Shrewsbury, Sir John Talbot, and one Bernard Howard, on the other side:
and all about my Lady Shrewsbury,

[Anna Maria, daughter of Robert Brudenel, second Earl of Cardigan.
Walpole says she held the Duke of Buckingham's horse, in the habit
of a page, while he was fighting the duel with her husband. She
married, secondly, George Rodney Bridges, son of Sir Thomas Bridges
of Keynsham, Somerset, Groom of the Bedchamber to Charles IL, and
died April 20th, 1702. A portrait of the Countess of Shrewsbury, as
Minerva, by Lely.]

who is a whore, and is at this time, and hath for a great while been, a
whore to the Duke of Buckingham. And so her husband challenged him, and
they met yesterday in a close near Barne-Elmes, and there fought: and my
Lord Shrewsbury is run through the body, from the right breast through the
shoulder: and Sir John Talbot all along up one of his armes; and Jenkins
killed upon the place, and the rest all, in a little measure, wounded.
This will make the world think that the King hath good councillors about
him, when the Duke of Buckingham, the greatest man about him, is a fellow
of no more sobriety than to fight about a whore. And this may prove a very
bad accident to the Duke of Buckingham, but that my Lady Castlemayne do
rule all at this time as much as ever she did, and she will, it is
believed, keep all matters well with the Duke of Buckingham: though this
is a time that the King will be very backward, I suppose, to appear in
such a business. And it is pretty to hear how the King had some notice of
this challenge a week or two ago, and did give it to my Lord Generall to
confine the Duke, or take security that he should not do any such thing as
fight: and the Generall trusted to the King that he, sending for him,
would do it, and the King trusted to the Generall; and so, between both,
as everything else of the greatest moment do, do fall between two stools.
The whole House full of nothing but the talk of this business; and it is
said that my Lord Shrewsbury's case is to be feared, that he may die too;
and that may make it much the worse for the Duke of Buckingham: and I
shall not be much sorry for it, that we may have some sober man come in
his room to assist in the Government. Here I waited till the Council
rose, and talked the while, with Creed, who tells me of Mr. Harry
Howard's' giving the Royal Society a piece of ground next to his house, to
build a College on, which is a most generous act. And he tells me he is a
very fine person, and understands and speaks well; and no rigid Papist
neither, but one that would not have a Protestant servant leave his
religion, which he was going to do, thinking to recommend himself to his
master by it; saying that he had rather have an honest Protestant than a
knavish Catholique. I was not called into the Council; and, therefore,
home, first informing myself that my Lord Hinchingbroke hath been married
this week to my Lord Burlington's daughter; so that that great business is
over; and I mighty glad of it, though I am not satisfied that I have not a
Favour sent me, as I see Attorney Montagu and the Vice-Chamberlain have.
But I am mighty glad that the thing is done. So home, and there alone
with my wife and Deb. to dinner, and after dinner comes Betty Turner, and
I carried them to the New Exchange, and thence I to White Hall and did a
little business at the Treasury, and so called them there, and so home and
to cards and supper, and her mother come and sat at cards with us till
past 12 at night, and then broke up and to bed, after entering my
journall, which made it one before I went to bed.

18th. At the office all the morning busy sitting. At noon home to
dinner, where Betty Turner dined with us, and after dinner carried my
wife, her and Deb. to the 'Change, where they bought some things, while I
bought "The Mayden Queene," a play newly printed, which I like at the
King's house so well, of Mr. Dryden's, which he himself, in his preface,
seems to brag of, and indeed is a good play. So home again, and I late at
the office and did much business, and then home to supper and to bed.

19th (Lord's day). My wife the last night very ill of those, and waked me
early, and hereupon I up and to church, where a dull sermon by our
lecturer, and so home to dinner in my wife's chamber, which she is a
little better. Then after dinner with Captain Perryman down to Redriffe,
and so walked to Deptford, where I sent for Mr. Shish out of the Church to
advise about my vessel, "The Maybolt," and I do resolve to sell,
presently, for any thing rather than keep her longer, having already lost
L100 in her value, which I was once offered and refused, and the ship left
without any body to look to her, which vexes me. Thence Perryman and I
back again, talking of the great miscarriages in the Navy, and among the
principal that of having gentlemen commanders. I shall hereafter make use
of his and others' help to reckon up and put down in writing what is fit
to be mended in the Navy after all our sad experience therein. So home,
and there sat with my wife all the evening, and Mr. Pelting awhile talking
with us, who tells me that my Lord Shrewsbury is likely to do well, after
his great wound in the late dwell. He gone, comes W. Hewer and supped
with me, and so to talk of things, and he tells me that Mr. Jessop is made
Secretary to the Commissions of Parliament for Accounts, and I am glad,
and it is pretty to see that all the Cavalier party were not able to find
the Parliament nine Commissioners, or one Secretary, fit for the business.
So he gone, I to read a little in my chamber, and so to bed.

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