Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1669 N.S. Complete

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19th. Up, and at the office all the morning. At noon eat a mouthful, and
so with my wife to Madam Turner's, and find her gone, but The. staid for
us; and so to the King's house, to see "Horace;" this the third day of its
acting--a silly tragedy; but Lacy hath made a farce of several
dances--between each act, one: but his words are but silly, and invention
not extraordinary, as to the dances; only some Dutchmen come out of the
mouth and tail of a Hamburgh sow. Thence, not much pleased with the play,
set them at home in the Strand; and my wife and I home, and there to do a
little business at the Office, and so home to supper and to bed.

20th. Up; and my wife, and I, and W. Hewer to White Hall, where she set
us down; and there I spoke with my Lord Peterborough, to tell him of the
day for his dining with me being altered by my Lord Sandwich from Friday
to Saturday next. And thence heard at the Council-board the City, by
their single counsel Symson, and the company of Strangers Merchants, a
debate the business of water-baylage; a tax demanded upon all goods, by
the City, imported and exported: which these Merchants oppose, and
demanding leave to try the justice of the City's demand by a Quo Warranto,
which the City opposed, the Merchants did quite lay the City on their
backs with great triumph, the City's cause being apparently too weak: but
here I observed Mr. Gold, the merchant, to speak very well, and very
sharply, against the City. Thence to my wife at Unthanke's, and with her
and W. Hewer to Hercules Pillars, calling to do two or three things by the
way, end there dined, and thence to the Duke of York's house, and saw
"Twelfth Night," as it is now revived; but, I think, one of the weakest
plays that ever I saw on the stage. This afternoon, before the play, I
called with my wife at Dancre's, the great landscape-painter, by Mr.
Povy's advice; and have bespoke him to come to take measure of my
dining-room panels, and there I met with the pretty daughter of the
coalseller's, that lived in Cheapside, and now in Covent Garden, who hath
her picture drawn here, but very poorly; but she is a pretty woman, and
now, I perceive, married, a very pretty black woman. So, the play done, we
home, my wife letting fall some words of her observing my eyes to be
mightily employed in the playhouse, meaning upon women, which did vex me;
but, however, when we come home, we were good friends; and so to read, and
to supper, and so to bed.

21st. Up, and walked to the Temple, it being frosty, and there took coach,
my boy Tom with me, and so to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, where
they met, and by and by and till twelve at noon upon business, among
others mine, where my desire about being eased of appointing and standing
accountable for a Treasurer there was well accepted, and they will think
of some other way. This I was glad of, finding reason to doubt that I
might in this (since my Lord Sandwich made me understand what he had said
to the Duke of York herein) fear to offend either the Duke of York by
denying it, for he seemed on Sunday night last, when I first made known my
desire to him herein to be a little amused at it, though I knew not then
the reason, or else offend my Lord Sandwich by accepting it, or denying it
in a manner that might not forward his desire for Sir Charles Harbord, but
I thank God I did it to my great content without any offence, I think, to
either. Thence in my own coach home, where I find Madam Turner, Dyke, and
The., and had a good dinner for them, and merry; and so carried them to
the Duke of York's house, all but Dyke, who went away on other business;
and there saw "The Tempest;" but it is but ill done by Gosnell, in lieu of
Moll Davis. Thence set them at home, and my wife and I to the 'Change, and
so home, where my wife mighty dogged, and I vexed to see it, being
mightily troubled, of late, at her being out of humour, for fear of her
discovering any new matter of offence against me, though I am conscious of
none; but do hate to be unquiet at home. So, late up, silent, and not
supping, but hearing her utter some words of discontent to me with
silence, and so to bed, weeping to myself for grief, which she discerning,
come to bed, and mighty kind, and so with great joy on both sides to
sleep.

22nd. Up, and with W. Hewer to White Hall, and there attended the Duke of
York, and thence to the Exchange, in the way calling at several places on
occasions relating to my feast to-morrow, on which my mind is now set; as
how to get a new looking-glass for my dining-room, and some pewter, and
good wine, against to-morrow; and so home, where I had the looking-glass
set up, cost me L6 7s. 6d. And here at the 'Change I met with Mr.
Dancre, the famous landscape painter, with whom I was on Wednesday; and he
took measure of my panels in my dining-room, where, in the four, I intend
to have the four houses of the King, White Hall, Hampton Court, Greenwich,
and Windsor. He gone, I to dinner with my people, and so to my office to
dispatch a little business, and then home to look after things against
to-morrow, and among other things was mightily pleased with the fellow
that come to lay the cloth, and fold the napkins, which I like so well, as
that I am resolved to give him 40s. to teach my wife to do it. So to
supper, with much kindness between me and my wife, which, now-a-days, is
all my care, and so to bed.

23rd. Up, and again to look after the setting things right against
dinner, which I did to very good content. So to the office, where all the
morning till noon, when word brought me to the Board that my Lord Sandwich
was come; so I presently rose, leaving the Board ready to rise, and there
I found my Lord Sandwich, Peterborough, and Sir Charles Harbord; and
presently after them comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, Mr. Sidney, and Sir
William Godolphin. And after greeting them, and some time spent in talk,
dinner was brought up, one dish after another, but a dish at a time, but
all so good; but, above all things, the variety of wines, and excellent of
their kind, I had for them, and all in so good order, that they were
mightily pleased, and myself full of content at it: and indeed it was, of
a dinner of about six or eight dishes, as noble as any man need to have, I
think; at least, all was done in the noblest manner that ever I had any,
and I have rarely seen in my life better anywhere else, even at the Court.
After dinner, my Lords to cards, and the rest of us sitting about them and
talking, and looking on my books and pictures, and my wife's drawings,
which they commend mightily; and mighty merry all day long, with exceeding
great content, and so till seven at night; and so took their leaves, it
being dark and foul weather. Thus was this entertainment over, the best
of its kind, and the fullest of honour and content to me, that ever I had
in my life: and shall not easily have so good again. The truth is, I have
some fear that I am more behind-hand in the world for these last two
years, since I have not, or for some time could not, look after my
accounts, which do a little allay my pleasure. But I do trust in God I am
pretty well yet, and resolve, in a very little time, to look into my
accounts, and see how they stand. So to my wife's chamber, and there
supped, and got her cut my hair and look my shirt, for I have itched
mightily these 6 or 7 days, and when all comes to all she finds that I am
lousy, having found in my head and body about twenty lice, little and
great, which I wonder at, being more than I have had I believe these 20
years. I did think I might have got them from the little boy, but they
did presently look him, and found none. So how they come I know not, but
presently did shift myself, and so shall be rid of them, and cut my hair
close to my head, and so with much content to bed.

24th (Lord's day). An order brought me in bed, for the Principal Officers
to attend the King at my Lord Keeper's this afternoon, it being resolved
late the last night; and, by the warrant, I find my Lord Keeper did not
then know the cause of it, the messenger being ordered to call upon him,
to tell it him by the way, as he come to us. So I up, and to my Office to
set down my Journall for yesterday, and so home, and with my wife to
Church, and then home, and to dinner, and after dinner out with my wife by
coach, to cozen Turner's, where she and The. gone to church, but I left my
wife with Mrs. Dyke and Joyce Norton, whom I have not seen till now since
their coming to town: she is become an old woman, and with as cunning a
look as ever, and thence I to White Hall, and there walked up and down
till the King and Duke of York were ready to go forth; and here I met
Will. Batelier, newly come post from France, his boots all dirty. He
brought letters to the King, and I glad to see him, it having been
reported that he was drowned, for some days past, and then, he being gone,
I to talk with Tom Killigrew, who told me and others, talking about the
playhouse, that he is fain to keep a woman on purpose at 20s. a week to
satisfy 8 or 10 of the young men of his house, whom till he did so he
could never keep to their business, and now he do. By and by the King
comes out, and so I took coach, and followed his coaches to my Lord
Keeper's, at Essex House, where I never was before, since I saw my old
Lord Essex lie in state when he was dead; a large, but ugly house. Here
all the Officers of the Navy attended, and by and by were called in to the
King and Cabinet, where my Lord, who was ill, did lie upon the bed, as my
old Lord Treasurer, or Chancellor, heretofore used to; and the business
was to know in what time all the King's ships might be repaired, fit for
service. The Surveyor answered, in two years, and not sooner. I did give
them hopes that, with supplies of money suitable, we might have them all
fit for sea some part of the summer after this. Then they demanded in
what time we could set out forty ships. It was answered, as they might be
chosen of the newest and most ready, we could, with money, get forty ready
against May. The King seemed mighty full that we should have money to do
all that we desired, and satisfied that, without it, nothing could be
done: and so, without determining any thing, we were dismissed; and I
doubt all will end in some little fleete this year, and those of hired
merchant-men, which would indeed be cheaper to the King, and have many
conveniences attending it, more than to fit out the King's own; and this,
I perceive, is designed, springing from Sir W. Coventry's counsel; and the
King and most of the Lords, I perceive, full of it, to get the King's
fleete all at once in condition for service. Thence I with Mr. Wren in
his coach to my cozen Turner's for discourse sake, and in our way he told
me how the business of the Parliament is wholly laid aside, it being
overruled now, that they shall not meet, but must be prorogued, upon this
argument chiefly, that all the differences between the two Houses, and
things on foot, that were matters of difference and discontent, may be
laid aside, and must begin again, if ever the House shall have a mind to
pursue them. They must begin all anew. Here he set me down, and I to my
cozen Turner, and stayed and talked a little; and so took my wife, and
home, and there to make her read, and then to supper, and to bed. At
supper come W. Batelier and supped with us, and told us many pretty things
of France, and the greatness of the present King.

25th. Up, and to the Committee of Tangier, where little done, and thence
I home by my own coach, and busy after dinner at my office all the
afternoon till late at night, that my eyes were tired. So home, and my
wife shewed me many excellent prints of Nanteuil's and others, which W.
Batelier hath, at my desire, brought me out of France, of the King, and
Colbert, and others, most excellent, to my great content. But he hath
also brought a great many gloves perfumed, of several sorts; but all too
big by half for her, and yet she will have two or three dozen of them,
which vexed me, and made me angry. So she, at last, to please me, did
come to take what alone I thought fit, which pleased me. So, after a
little supper, to bed, my eyes being very bad.

26th. Up, and to the office, where busy sitting all the morning. Then to
the Office again, and then to White Hall, leaving my wife at Unthanke's;
and I to the Secretary's chamber, where I was, by particular order, this
day summoned to attend, as I find Sir D. Gawden also was. And here was the
King and the Cabinet met; and, being called in, among the rest I find my
Lord Privy Seale, whom I never before knew to be in so much play, as to be
of the Cabinet. The business is, that the Algerines have broke the peace
with us, by taking some Spaniards and goods out of an English ship, which
had the Duke of York's pass, of which advice come this day; and the King
is resolved to stop Sir Thomas Allen's fleete from coming home till he
hath amends made him for this affront, and therefore sent for us to advise
about victuals to be sent to that fleete, and some more ships; wherein I
answered them to what they demanded of me, which was but some few mean
things; but I see that on all these occasions they seem to rely most upon
me. And so, this being done, I took coach and took up my wife and
straight home, and there late at the office busy, and then home, and there
I find W. Batelier hath also sent the books which I made him bring me out
of France. Among others, L'Estat, de France, Marnix, &c., to my great
content; and so I was well pleased with them, and shall take a time to
look them over: as also one or two printed musick-books of songs; but my
eyes are now too much out of tune to look upon them with any pleasure,
therefore to supper and to bed.

27th. Up, and with Sir John Minnes in his coach to White Hall, where
first we waited on the Lords of the Treasury about finishing the
Victualling Contract; and there also I was put to it to make good our
letter complaining against my Lord Anglesey's failing us in the payment of
the moneys assigned us upon the Customs, where Mr. Fenn was, and I know
will tell my Lord; but it is no matter, I am over shy already, and
therefore must not fear. Then we up to a Committee of the Council for the
Navy, about a business of Sir D. Gawden's relating to the Victualling, and
thence I by hackney to the Temple to the Auditor's man, and with him to a
tavern to meet with another under-auditor to advise about the clearing of
my Lord Bellasses' accounts without injuring myself and perplexing my
accounts, and so thence away to my cozen Turner's, where I find Roger
Pepys come last night to town, and here is his mistress, Mrs. Dickenson,
and by and by comes in Mr. Turner, a worthy, sober, serious man--I honour
him mightily. And there we dined, having but an ordinary dinner; and so,
after dinner, she, and I, and Roger, and his mistress, to the Duke of
York's playhouse, and there saw "The Five Hours' Adventure," which hath
not been acted a good while before, but once, and is a most excellent
play, I must confess. My wife and The. come after us, after they had been
to buy some things abroad, and so after the play done we to see them home,
and then home ourselves, and my wife to read to me, and so to supper and
to bed.

28th. Up, and to the office, where all the afternoon, also after dinner,
and there late dispatching much business, and then home to supper with my
wife, and to get her to read to me, and here I did find that Mr. Sheres
hath, beyond his promise, not only got me a candlestick made me, after a
form he remembers to have seen in Spain, for keeping the light from one's
eyes, but hath got it done in silver very neat, and designs to give it me,
in thanks for my paying him his L100 in money, for his service at Tangier,
which was ordered him; but I do intend to force him to make me [pay] for
it. But I yet, without his direction, cannot tell how it is to be made
use of. So after a little reading to bed.

29th. Up, and with W. Hewer in Colonel Middleton's coach to White Hall,
and there to the Duke of York, to attend him, where among other things I
did give a severe account of our proceedings, and what we found, in the
business of Sir W. Jenings's demand of Supernumeraries. I thought it a
good occasion to make an example of him, for he is a proud, idle fellow;
and it did meet with the Duke of York's acceptance and well-liking; and he
did call him in, after I had done, and did not only give him a soft
rebuke, but condemns him to pay both their victuals and wages, or right
himself of the purser. This I was glad of, and so were all the rest of
us, though I know I have made myself an immortal enemy by it. Thence home
by hackney, calling Roger Pepys at the Temple gate in the bookseller's
shop, and to the Old Exchange, where I staid a little to invite my uncle
Wight, and so home, and there find my aunt Wight and her husband come
presently, and so to dinner; and after dinner Roger, and I, and my wife,
and aunt, to see Mr. Cole; but he nor his wife was within, but we looked
upon his picture of Cleopatra, which I went principally to see, being so
much commended by my wife and aunt; but I find it a base copy of a good
originall, that vexed me to hear so much commended. Thence to see Creed's
wife, and did so, and staid a while, where both of them within; and here I
met Mr. Bland, newly come from Gales [Cadiz] after his differences with
Norwood. I think him a foolish, light-headed man; but certainly he hath
been abused in this matter by Colonel Norwood. Here Creed shewed me a copy
of some propositions, which Bland and others, in the name of the
Corporation of Tangier, did present to Norwood, for his opinion in, in
order to the King's service, which were drawn up very humbly, and were
really good things; but his answer to them was in the most shitten proud,
carping, insolent, and ironically-prophane stile, that ever I saw in my
life, so as I shall never think the place can do well, while he is there.
Here, after some talk, and Creed's telling us that he is upon taking the
next house to his present lodgings, which is next to that that my cozen
Tom Pepys once lived in, in Newport Street, in Covent Garden; and is in a
good place, and then, I suppose, he will keep his coach. So, setting
Roger down at the Temple, who tells me that he is now concluded in all
matters with his widow, we home, and there hired my wife to make an end of
Boyle's Book of Formes, to-night and to-morrow; and so fell to read and
sup, and then to bed. This day, Mr. Ned Pickering brought his lady to see
my wife, in acknowledgment of a little present of oranges and olives,
which I sent her, for his kindness to me in the buying of my horses, which
was very civil. She is old, but hath, I believe, been a pretty comely
woman:

30th. Lay long in bed, it being a fast-day for the murder of the late
King; and so up and to church, where Dr. Hicks made a dull sermon; and so
home, and there I find W. Batelier and Balty, and they dined with us, and
I spent all the afternoon with my wife and W. Batelier talking, and then
making them read, and particularly made an end of Mr. Boyle's Book of
Formes, which I am glad to have over, and then fell to read a French
discourse, which he hath brought over with him for me, to invite the
people of France to apply themselves to Navigation, which it do very well,
and is certainly their interest, and what will undo us in a few years, if
the King of France goes on to fit up his Navy, and encrease it and his
trade, as he hath begun. At night to supper, and after supper, and W.
Batelier gone, my wife begun another book I lately bought, called "The
State of England," which promises well, and is worth reading, and so after
a while to bed.

31st (Lord's day). Lay long talking with pleasure, and so up and I to
church, and there did hear the Doctor that is lately turned Divine, I have
forgot his name, I met him a while since at Sir D. Gawden's at dinner, Dr.
Waterhouse! He preaches in a devout manner of way, not elegant nor very
persuasive, but seems to mean well, and that he would preach holily; and
was mighty passionate against people that make a scoff of religion. And,
the truth is, I did observe Mrs. Hollworthy smile often, and many others
of the parish, who, I perceive, have known him, and were in mighty
expectation of hearing him preach, but could not forbear smiling, and she
particularly upon me, and I on her. So home to dinner: and before dinner
to my Office, to set down my journal for this week, and then home to
dinner; and after dinner to get my wife and boy, one after another, to
read to me: and so spent the afternoon and the evening, and so after
supper to bed. And thus endeth this month, with many different days of
sadness and mirth, from differences between me and my wife, from her
remembrance of my late unkindness to her with Willet, she not being able
to forget it, but now and then hath her passionate remembrance of it as
often as prompted to it by any occasion; but this night we are at present
very kind. And so ends this month.

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Dine with them, at my cozen Roger's mistress's
Dutchmen come out of the mouth and tail of a Hamburgh sow
Fain to keep a woman on purpose at 20s. a week
Find it a base copy of a good originall, that vexed me
Found in my head and body about twenty lice, little and great
I have itched mightily these 6 or 7 days
I know I have made myself an immortal enemy by it
Lady Castlemayne is now in a higher command over the King
Mighty fond in the stories she tells of her son Will
Observing my eyes to be mightily employed in the playhouse
Proud, carping, insolent, and ironically-prophane stile
She finds that I am lousy
Unquiet which her ripping up of old faults will give me
Up, and with W. Hewer, my guard, to White Hall
Weeping to myself for grief, which she discerning, come to bed

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.
FEBRUARY & MARCH
1668-1669

February 1st. Up, and by water from the Tower to White Hall, the first
time that I have gone to that end of the town by water, for two or three
months, I think, since I kept a coach, which God send propitious to me;
but it is a very great convenience. I went to a Committee of Tangier, but
it did not meet, and so I meeting Mr. Povy, he and I away to Dancre's, to
speak something touching the pictures I am getting him to make for me.
And thence he carried me to Mr. Streeter's, the famous history-painter
over the way, whom I have often heard of, but did never see him before;
and there I found him, and Dr. Wren, and several Virtuosos, looking upon
the paintings which he is making for the new Theatre at Oxford: and,
indeed, they look as if they would be very fine, and the rest think better
than those of Rubens in the Banqueting-house at White Hall, but I do not
so fully think so. But they will certainly be very noble; and I am
mightily pleased to have the fortune to see this man and his work, which
is very famous; and he a very civil little man, and lame, but lives very
handsomely. So thence to my Lord Bellassis, and met him within: my
business only to see a chimney-piece of Dancre's doing, in distemper, with
egg to keep off the glaring of the light, which I must have done for my
room: and indeed it is pretty, but, I must confess, I do think it is not
altogether so beautiful as the oyle pictures; but I will have some of one,
and some of another. Thence set him down at Little Turnstile, and so I
home, and there eat a little dinner, and away with my wife by coach to the
King's playhouse, thinking to have seen "The Heyresse," first acted on
Saturday last; but when we come thither, we find no play there; Kinaston,
that did act a part therein, in abuse to Sir Charles Sedley, being last
night exceedingly beaten with sticks, by two or three that assaulted him,
so as he is mightily bruised, and forced to keep his bed. So we to the
Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "She Would if She Could," and so
home and to my office to business, and then to supper and to bed. This
day, going to the play, The. Turner met us, and carried us to her mother,
at my Lady Mordaunt's; and I did carry both mother and daughter with us to
the Duke of York's playhouse, at next door.

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