Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1669 N.S. Complete

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[An olio is a mixed dish of meat and vegetables, and, secondarily,
mixture or medley.]

by a cook of his acquaintance that is there, that was with my Lord in
Spain: and without any other company, he did do it, and mighty nobly; and
the Olio was indeed a very noble dish, such as I never saw better, or any
more of. This, and the discourse he did give us of Spain, and description
of the Escuriall, was a fine treat. So we left other good things, that
would keep till night, for a collation; and, with much content, took coach
again, and went five or six miles towards Branford, the Prince of Tuscany,
who comes into England only to spend money and see our country, comes into
the town to-day, and is much expected; and we met him, but the coach
passing by apace, we could not see much of him but he seems a very jolly
and good comely man. By the way, we overtook Captain Ferrers upon his
fine Spanish horse, and he is a fine horse indeed; but not so good, I
think, as I have seen some. He did ride by us most of the way, and with
us to the Park, and there left us, where we passed the evening, and
meeting The. Turner, Talbot, W. Batelier, and his sister, in a coach, we
anon took them with us to the Mulberry Garden; and there, after a walk, to
supper upon what was left at noon; and very good; only Mr. Sheres being
taken suddenly ill for a while, did spoil our mirth; but by and by was
well again, and we mighty merry: and so broke up, and left him at Charing
Cross, and so calling only at my cozen Turner's, away home, mightily
pleased with the day's work, and this day come another new mayd, for a
middle mayd, but her name I know not yet; and, for a cookmaid, we have,
ever since Bridget went, used a blackmoore of Mr. Batelier's, Doll, who
dresses our meat mighty well, and we mightily pleased with her. So by and
by to bed.

6th. Up, and to the Office, and thence to the Excise Office about some
business, and so back to the office and sat till late, end thence to Mr.
Batelier's to dinner, where my cozen Turner and both her daughters, and
Talbot Pepys and my wife, and a mighty fine dinner. They at dinner before
I come; and, when I had dined, I away home, and thence to White Hall,
where the Board waited on the Duke of York to discourse about the
disposing of Sir Thomas Allen's fleete, which is newly come home to
Portsmouth; and here Middleton and I did in plain terms acquaint the Duke
of York what we thought and had observed in the late Court-martiall, which
the Duke did give ear to; and though he thinks not fit to revoke what is
already done in this case by a Court-martiall, yet it shall bring forth
some good laws in the behaviour of Captains to their under Officers for
the time to come. Thence home, and there, after a while at the Office, I
home, and there come home my wife, who hath been with Batelier's late, and
been dancing with the company, at which I seemed a little troubled, not
being sent for thither myself, but I was not much so, but went to bed well
enough pleased.

7th. Up, and by coach to my cozen Turner's, and invited them to dine at
the Cocke to-day, with my wife and me; and so to the Lords of the
Treasury, where all the morning, and settled matters to their liking about
the assignments on the Customes, between the Navy Office and Victualler,
and to that end spent most of the morning there with D. Gawden, and thence
took him to the Cocke, and there left him and my clerk Gibson together
evening their reckonings, while I to the New Exchange to talk with Betty,
my little sempstress; and so to Mrs. Turner's, to call them to dinner, but
my wife not come, I back again, and was overtaken by a porter, with a
message from my wife that she was ill, and could not come to us: so I back
again to Mrs. Turner's, and find them gone; and so back again to the
Cocke, and there find Mr. Turner, Betty, and Talbot Pepys, and they dined
with myself Sir D. Gawden and Gibson, and mighty merry, this house being
famous for good meat, and particularly pease-porridge and after dinner
broke up, and they away; and I to the Council-Chamber, and there heard the
great complaint of the City, tried against the gentlemen of the Temple,
for the late riot, as they would have it, when my Lord Mayor was there.
But, upon hearing the whole business, the City was certainly to blame to
charge them in this manner as with a riot: but the King and Council did
forbear to determine any thing it, till the other business of the title
and privilege be decided which is now under dispute at law between them,
whether Temple be within the liberty of the City or no. But I, sorry to
see the City so ill advised as to complain in a thing where their proofs
were so weak. Thence to my cousin Turner's, and thence with her and her
daughters, and her sister Turner, I carrying Betty in my lap, to Talbot's
chamber at the Temple, where, by agreement, the poor rogue had a pretty
dish of anchovies and sweetmeats for them; and hither come Mr. Eden, who
was in his mistress's disfavour ever since the other night that he come in
thither fuddled, when we were there. But I did make them friends by my
buffoonery, and bringing up a way of spelling their names, and making
Theophila spell Lamton, which The. would have to be the name of Mr. Eden's
mistress, and mighty merry we were till late, and then I by coach home,
and so to bed, my wife being ill of those, but well enough pleased with my
being with them. This day I do hear that Betty Turner is to be left at
school at Hackney, which I am mightily pleased with; for then I shall, now
and then, see her. She is pretty, and a girl for that, and her relations,
I love.

8th. Up, and to White Hall, to the King's side, to find Sir T. Clifford,
where the Duke of York come and found me, which I was sorry for, for fear
he should think I was making friends on that side. But I did put it off
the best I could, my being there: and so, by and by, had opportunity alone
to shew Sir T. Clifford the fair account I had drawn up of the Customes,
which he liked, and seemed mightily pleased with me; and so away to the
Excise-Office, to do a little business there, and so to the Office, where
all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and then to the office again
till the evening, and then with my wife by coach to Islington, to pay what
we owe there, for the late dinner at Jane's wedding; and so round by
Kingsland and Hogsden home, pleased with my. wife's singing with me, by
the way, and so to the office again a little, and then home to supper and
to bed. Going this afternoon through Smithfield, I did see a coach run
over the coachman's neck, and stand upon it, and yet the man rose up, and
was well after it, which I thought a wonder.

9th. Up, and by water to White Hall, end there, with the Board, attended
the Duke of York, and Sir Thomas Allen with us (who come to town
yesterday); and it is resolved another fleete shall go to the Streights
forthwith, and he command it. But his coming home is mighty hardly talked
on by the merchants, for leaving their ships there to the mercy of the
Turks: but of this more in my White-Booke. Thence out, and slipped out by
water to Westminster Hall and there thought to have spoke with Mrs.
Martin, but she was not there, nor at home. So back again, and with W.
Hewer by coach home and to dinner, and then to the office, and out again
with W. Hewer to the Excise-Office, and to several places; among others,
to Mr. Faythorne's, to have seen an instrument which he was said to have,
for drawing perspectives, but he had it not: but here I did see his
work-house, and the best things of his doing he had by him, and so to
other places among others to Westminster Hall, and I took occasion to make
a step to Mrs. Martin's, the first time I have been with her since her
husband went last to sea, which is I think a year since . . . . But,
Lord! to hear how sillily she tells the story of her sister Doll's being
a widow and lately brought to bed; and her husband, one Rowland Powell,
drowned, sea with her husband, but by chance dead at sea, cast When God
knows she hath played the whore, and forced at this time after she was
brought to bed, this story. Thence calling at several places by the
home, and there to the office, and then home to supper and to bed.

10th. Up, and to the Excise-Office, and thence to White Hall a little,
and so back again to the 'Change, but nobody there, it being over, and so
walked home to dinner, and after dinner comes Mr. Seymour to visit me, a
talking fellow: but I hear by him that Captain Trevanion do give it out
every where, that I did overrule the whole Court-martiall against him, as
long as I was there; and perhaps I may receive, this time, some wrong by
it: but I care not, for what I did was out of my desire of doing justice.
So the office, where late, and then home to supper and to bed.

11th (Lord's day. Easter day). Up, and to Church; where Alderman
Backewell's wife, and mother, and boy, and another gentlewoman, did come,
and sit in our pew; but no women of our own there, and so there was room
enough. Our Parson made a dull sermon, and so home to dinner; and, after
dinner, my wife and I out by coach, and Balty with us, to Loton, the
landscape-drawer, a Dutchman, living in St. James's Market, but there saw
no good pictures. But by accident he did direct us to a painter that was
then in the house with him, a Dutchman, newly come over, one Evarelst, who
took us to his lodging close by, and did shew us a little flower-pot of
his doing, the finest thing that ever, I think, I saw in my life; the
drops of dew hanging on the leaves, so as I was forced, again and again,
to put my finger to it, to feel whether my eyes were deceived or no. He
do ask L70 for it: I had the vanity to bid him L20; but a better picture I
never saw in my whole life; and it is worth going twenty miles to see it.
Thence, leaving Balty there, I took my wife to St. James's, and there
carried her to the Queen's Chapel, the first time I ever did it; and heard
excellent musick, but not so good as by accident I did hear there
yesterday, as I went through the Park from White Hall to see Sir W.
Coventry, which I have forgot to set down in my journal yesterday. And
going out of the Chapel, I did see the Prince of Tuscany' come out, a
comely, black, fat man, in a mourning suit; and my wife and I did see him
this afternoon through a window in this Chapel. All that Sir W. Coventry
yesterday did tell me new was, that the King would not yet give him leave
to come to kiss his hand; and he do believe that he will not in a great
while do it, till those about him shall see fit, which I am sorry for.
Thence to the Park, my wife and I; and here Sir W. Coventry did first see
me and my wife in a coach of our own; and so did also this night the Duke
of York, who did eye my wife mightily. But I begin to doubt that my being
so much seen in my own coach at this time, may be observed to my
prejudice; but I must venture it now. So home, and by night home, and so
to my office, and there set down my journal, with the help of my left eye
through my tube, for fourteen days' past; which is so much, as, I hope, I
shall not run in arrear again, but the badness of my eyes do force me to
it. So home to supper and to bed.

12th. Up, and by water to White Hall, where I of the whole Office
attended the Duke of York at his meeting with Sir Thomas Allen and several
flag-officers, to consider of the manner of managing the war with Algiers;
and, it being a thing I was wholly silent in, I did only observe; and find
that; their manner of discourse on this weighty affair was very mean and
disorderly, the Duke of York himself being the man that I thought spoke
most to the purpose. Having done here, I up and down the house, talking
with this man and that, and: then meeting Mr. Sheres, took him to see the
fine flower-pot I saw yesterday, and did again offer L20 for it; but he
[Verelst] insists upon L50. Thence I took him to St. James's, but there
was no musique, but so walked to White Hall, and, by and by to my wife at
Unthanke's, and with her was Jane, and so to the Cocke, where they, and I,
and Sheres, and Tom dined, my wife having a great desire to eat of their
soup made of pease, and dined very well, and thence by water to the
Bear-Garden, and there happened to sit by Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is
still full of his vain-glorious and prophane talk. Here we saw a prize
fought between a soldier and country fellow, one Warrell, who promised the
least in his looks, and performed the most of valour in his boldness and
evenness of mind, and smiles in all he did, that ever I saw and we were
all both deceived and infinitely taken with him. He did soundly beat the
soldier, and cut him over the head. Thence back to White Hall, mightily
pleased, all of us, with this sight, and particularly this fellow, as a
most extraordinary man for his temper and evenness in fighting. And there
leaving Sheres, we by our own coach home, and after sitting an hour,
thrumming upon my viall, and singing, I to bed, and left my wife to do
something to a waistcoat and petticoat she is to wear to-morrow. This
evening, coming home, we overtook Alderman Backewell's coach and his lady,
and followed them to their house, and there made them the first visit,
where they received us with extraordinary civility, and owning the
obligation. But I do, contrary to my expectation, find her something a
proud and vain-glorious woman, in telling the number of her servants and
family and expences: he is also so, but he was ever of that strain. But
here he showed me the model of his houses that he is going to build in
Cornhill and Lumbard Street; but he hath purchased so much there, that it
looks like a little town, and must have cost him a great deal of money.

13th. Up, and at the Office a good while, and then, my wife going down
the River to spend the day with her mother at Deptford, I abroad, and
first to the milliner's in Fenchurch Street, over against Rawlinson's, and
there, meeting both him and her in the shop, I bought a pair of gloves,
and fell to talk, and found so much freedom that I stayed there the best
part of the morning till towards noon, with great pleasure, it being a
holiday, and then against my will away and to the 'Change, where I left W.
Hewer, and I by hackney-coach to the Spittle, and heard a piece of a dull
sermon to my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and thence saw them all take horse
and ride away, which I have not seen together many a-day; their wives also
went in their coaches; and, indeed, the sight was mighty pleasing. Thence
took occasion to go back to this milliner's [in Fenchurch Street], whose
name I now understand to be Clerke; and there, her husband inviting me up
to the balcony, to see the sight go by to dine at Clothworker's-Hall, I
did go up and there saw it go by: and then; there being a good piece of
cold roast beef upon the tables and one Margetts, a young merchant that
lodges there, and is likely to marry a sister of hers, I staid and eat,
and had much good conversation with her, who hath the vanity to talk of
her great friends and father, one Wingate, near Welling;, that hath been a
Parliament-man. Here also was Stapely: the rope-merchant, and dined with
us; and, after spending most of the afternoon also, I away home, and there
sent for W. Hewer, and he and I by water to White Hall to loop among other
things, for Mr. May, to unbespeak his dining with me to-morrow. But here
being in the court-yard, God would have it, I spied Deb., which made my
heart and head to work, and I presently could not refrain, but sent W.
Hewer away to look for Mr. Wren (W. Hewer, I perceive, did see her, but
whether he did see me see her I know not, or suspect my sending him away I
know not, but my heart could not hinder me), and I run after her and two
women and a man, more ordinary people, and she in her old clothes, and
after hunting a little, find them in the lobby of the chapel below stairs,
and there I observed she endeavoured to avoid me, but I did speak to her
and she to me, and did get her pour dire me ou she demeurs now, and did
charge her para say nothing of me that I had vu elle, which she did
promise, and so with my heart full of surprize and disorder I away, and
meeting with Sir H. Cholmley walked into the Park with him and back again,
looking to see if I could spy her again in the Park, but I could not. And
so back to White Hall, and then back to the Park with Mr. May, but could
see her, no more, and so with W. Hewer, who I doubt by my countenance
might see some disorder in me, we home by water, and there I find Talbot
Pepys, and Mrs. Turner, and Betty, come to invite us to dinner on
Thursday; and, after drinking, I saw them to the water-side, and so back
home through Crutched Friars, and there saw Mary Mercer, and put off my
hat to her, on the other side of the way, but it being a little darkish
she did not, I think, know me well, and so to my office to put my papers
in order, they having been removed for my closet to be made clean, and so
home to my wife, who is come home from Deptford. But, God forgive me, I
hardly know how to put on confidence enough to speak as innocent, having
had this passage to-day with Deb., though only, God knows, by accident.
But my great pain is lest God Almighty shall suffer me to find out this
girl, whom indeed I love, and with a bad amour, but I will pray to God to
give me grace to forbear it. So home to supper, where very sparing in my
discourse, not giving occasion of any enquiry where I have been to-day, or
what I have done, and so without any trouble to-night more than my fear,
we to bed.

14th. Up, and with W. Hewer to White Hall, and there I did speak with the
Duke of York, the Council sitting in the morning, and it was to direct me
to have my business ready of the Administration of the Office against
Saturday next, when the King would have a hearing of it. Thence home, W.
Hewer with me, and then out with my own coach to the Duke of York's
play-house, and there saw "The Impertinents," a play which pleases me well
still; but it is with great trouble that I now see a play, because of my
eyes, the light of the candles making it very troublesome to me. After
the play, my wife and I towards the Park, but it being too late we to
Creed's, and there find him and her [his wife] together alone, in their
new house, where I never was before, they lodging before at the next door,
and a pretty house it is; but I do not see that they intend to keep any
coach. Here they treat us like strangers, quite according to the
fashion--nothing to drink or eat, which is a thing that will spoil our
ever having any acquaintance with them; for we do continue the old freedom
and kindness of England to all our friends. But they do here talk
mightily of my Lady Paulina making a very good end, and being mighty
religious in her lifetime; and hath left many good notes of sermons and
religion; wrote with her own hand, hand, which nobody ever knew of; which
I am glad of: but she was always a peevish lady. Thence home, and there
to talk and to supper and to bed, all being very safe as to my seeing of
poor Deb. yesterday.

15th. Up, and to the office, and thence before the office sat to the
Excise Office with W. Hewer, but found some occasion to go another way to
the Temple upon business, and I by Deb.'s direction did know whither in
Jewen Street to direct my hackney coachman, while I staid in the coach in
Aldgate Street, to go thither just to enquire whether Mrs. Hunt, her aunt,
was in town, who brought me word she was not; thought this was as much as
I could do at once, and therefore went away troubled through that I could
do no more but to the office I must go and did, and there all the morning,
but coming thither I find Bagwell's wife, who did give me a little note
into my hand, wherein I find her para invite me para meet her in
Moorfields this noon, where I might speak with her, and so after the
office was up, my wife being gone before by invitation to my cozen
Turner's to dine, I to the place, and there, after walking up and down by
the windmills, I did find her and talk with her, but it being holiday and
the place full of people, we parted, leaving further discourse and doing
to another time. Thence I away, and through Jewen Street, my mind, God
knows, running that way, but stopped not, but going down Holborne hill, by
the Conduit, I did see Deb. on foot going up the hill. I saw her, and she
me, but she made no stop, but seemed unwilling to speak to me; so I away
on, but then stopped and 'light, and after her and overtook her at the end
of Hosier lane in Smithfield, and without standing in the street desired
her to follow me, and I led her into a little blind alehouse within the
walls, and there she and I alone fell to talk and baiser la and toker su
mammailles, but she mighty coy, and I hope modest . . . . I did give
her in a paper 20s., and we did agree para meet again in the Hall at
Westminster on Monday next; and so giving me great hopes by her carriage
that she continues modest and honest, we did there part, she going home
and I to Mrs. Turner's, but when I come back to the place where I left my
coach it was gone, I having staid too long, which did trouble me to abuse
the poor fellow, so that taking another coach I did direct him to find out
the fellow and send him to me. At my cozen Turner's I find they are gone
all to dinner to Povy's, and thither I, and there they were all, and W.
Batelier and his sister, and had dined; but I had good things brought me,
and then all up and down the house, and mightily pleased to see the fine
rooms: but, the truth is, there are so many bad pictures, that to me make
the good ones lose much of the pleasure in seeing them. The. and Betty
Turner in new flowered tabby gowns, and so we were pretty merry, only my
fear upon me for what I had newly done, do keep my content in. So, about
five or six o'clock, away, and I took my wife and the two Bateliers, and
carried them homeward, and W. Batelier 'lighting, I carried the women
round by Islington, and so down Bishopsgate Street home, and there to talk
and sup, and then to bed.

16th. Up, and to my chamber, where with Mr. Gibson all the morning, and
there by noon did almost finish what I had to write about the
Administration of the Office to present to the Duke of York, and my wife
being gone abroad with W. Hewer, to see the new play to-day, at the Duke
of York's house, "Guzman," I dined alone with my people, and in the
afternoon away by coach to White Hall; and there the Office attended the
Duke of York; and being despatched pretty soon, and told that we should
not wait on the King, as intended, till Sunday, I thence presently to the
Duke of York's playhouse, and there, in the 18d. seat, did get room to see
almost three acts of the play; but it seemed to me but very ordinary.
After the play done, I into the pit, and there find my wife and W. Hewer;
and Sheres got to them, which, so jealous is my nature, did trouble me,
though my judgment tells me there is no hurt in it, on neither side; but
here I did meet with Shadwell, the poet, who, to my great wonder, do tell
me that my Lord of [Orrery] did write this play, trying what he could do
in comedy, since his heroique plays could do no more wonders. This do
trouble me; for it is as mean a thing, and so he says, as hath been upon
the stage a great while; and Harris, who hath no part in it, did come to
me, and told me in discourse that he was glad of it, it being a play that
will not take. Thence home, and to my business at the office, to finish
it, but was in great pain about yesterday still, lest my wife should have
sent her porter to enquire anything, though for my heart I cannot see it
possible how anything could be discovered of it, but yet such is fear as
to render me full of doubt and disgust. At night to supper and to bed.

17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon at home to
dinner, and there find Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, and he dined with us; and
there hearing that "The Alchymist" was acted, we did go, and took him with
us to the King's house; and it is still a good play, having not been acted
for two or three years before; but I do miss Clun, for the Doctor. But
more my eyes will not let me enjoy the pleasure I used to have in a play.
Thence with my wife in hackney to Sir W. Coventry's, who being gone to the
Park we drove after him, and there met him coming out, and followed him
home, and there sent my wife to Unthanke's while I spent on hour with him
reading over first my draught of the Administration of the Navy, which he
do like very well; and so fell to talk of other things, and among the rest
of the story of his late disgrace, and how basely and in what a mean
manner the Duke of Buckingham hath proceeded against him--not like a man
of honour. He tells me that the King will not give other answer about his
coming to kiss his hands, than "Not yet." But he says that this that he
desires, of kissing the King's hand, is only to show to the world that he
is not discontented, and not in any desire to come again into play, though
I do perceive that he speaks this with less earnestness than heretofore:
and this, it may be, is, from what he told me lately, that the King is
offended at what is talked, that he hath declared himself desirous not to
have to do with any employment more. But he do tell me that the leisure he
hath yet had do not at all begin to be burdensome to him, he knowing how
to spend his time with content to himself; and that he hopes shortly to
contract his expence, so as that he shall not be under any straits in that
respect neither; and so seems to be in very good condition of content.
Thence I away over the Park, it being now night, to White Hall, and there,
in the Duchess's chamber, do find the Duke of York; and, upon my offer to
speak with him, he did come to me, and withdrew to his closet, and there
did hear and approve my paper of the Administration of the Navy, only did
bid me alter these words, "upon the rupture between the late King and the
Parliament," to these, "the beginning of the late Rebellion;" giving it me
as but reason to shew that it was with the Rebellion that the Navy was put
by out of its old good course, into that of a Commission. Having done
this, we fell to other talk; he with great confidence telling me how
matters go among our adversaries, in reference to the Navy, and that he
thinks they do begin to flag; but then, beginning to talk in general of
the excellency of old constitutions, he did bring out of his cabinet, and
made me read it, an extract out of a book of my late Lord of
Northumberland's, so prophetic of the business of Chatham, as is almost
miraculous. I did desire, and he did give it me to copy out, which
pleased me mightily, and so, it being late, I away and to my wife, and by
hackney; home, and there, my eyes being weary with reading so much: but
yet not so much as I was afeard they would, we home to supper and to bed.

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