Diary of Samuel Pepys, April 1668
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, April 1668
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.
APRIL
1668
April 1st. Up, and to dress myself, and call as I use Deb. to brush and
dress me . . . , and I to my office, where busy till noon, and then out
to bespeak some things against my wife's going into the country to-morrow,
and so home to dinner, my wife and I alone, she being mighty busy getting
her things ready for her journey, I all the afternoon with her looking
after things on the same account, and then in the afternoon out and all
alone to the King's house, and there sat in an upper box, to hide myself,
and saw "The Black Prince," a very good play; but only the fancy, most of
it, the same as in the rest of my Lord Orrery's plays; but the dance very
stately; but it was pretty to see how coming after dinner and with no
company with me to talk to, and at a play that I had seen, and went to now
not for curiosity but only idleness, I did fall asleep the former part of
the play, but afterward did mind it and like it very well. Thence called
at my bookseller's, and took Mr. Boyle's Book of Formes, newly reprinted,
and sent my brother my old one. So home, and there to my chamber till
anon comes Mr. Turner and his wife and daughter, and Pelting, to sup with
us and talk of my wife's journey to-morrow, her daughter going with my
wife; and after supper to talk with her husband about the Office, and his
place, which, by Sir J. Minnes's age and inability, is very uncomfortable
to him, as well as without profit, or certainty what he shall do, when Sir
J. Minnes dies, which is a sad condition for a man that hath lived so long
in the Office as Mr. Turner hath done. But he aymes, and I advise him to
it, to look for Mr. Ackworth's place, in case he should be removed. His
wife afterwards did take me into my closet, and give me a cellar
[A box to hold bottles. "Run for the cellar of strong waters
quickly"
--Ben Jonson, Magnetic Lady, act iii., sc. r.]
of waters of her own distilling for my father, to be carried down with my
wife and her daughter to-morrow, which was very handsome. So broke up and
to bed.
2nd. Up, after much pleasant talk with my wife, and upon some alterations
I will make in my house in her absence, and I do intend to lay out some
money thereon. So she and I up, and she got her ready to be gone, and by
and by comes Betty Turner and her mother, and W. Batelier, and they and
Deb., to whom I did give 10s. this morning, to oblige her to please her
mistress (and ego did baiser her mouche), and also Jane, and so in two
coaches set out about eight o'clock towards the carrier, there for to take
coach for my father's, that is to say, my wife and Betty Turner, Deb., and
Jane; but I meeting my Lord Anglesey going to the Office, was forced to
'light in Cheapside, and there took my leave of them (not baisado Deb.,
which je had a great mind to), left them to go to their coach, and I to
the office, where all the morning busy, and so at noon with my other
clerks (W. Hewer being a day's journey with my wife) to dinner, where Mr.
Pierce come and dined with me, and then with Lord Brouncker (carrying his
little kinswoman on my knee, his coach being full), to the Temple, where
my Lord and I 'light and to Mr. Porter's chamber, where Cocke and his
counsel, and so to the attorney's, whither the Sollicitor-Generall come,
and there, their cause about their assignments on the L1,250,000 Act was
argued, where all that was to be said for them was said, and so answered
by the Sollicitor-Generall beyond what I expected, that I said not one
word all my time, rather choosing to hold my tongue, and so mind my
reputation with the Sollicitor-Generall, who did mightily approve of my
speech in Parliament, than say anything against him to no purpose. This I
believe did trouble Cocke and these gentlemen, but I do think this best
for me, and so I do think that the business will go against them, though
it is against my judgment, and I am sure against all justice to the men to
be invited to part with their goods and be deceived afterward of their
security for payment. Thence with Lord Brouncker to the Royall Society,
where they were just done; but there I was forced to subscribe to the
building of a College, and did give L40; and several others did subscribe,
some greater and some less sums; but several I saw hang off: and I doubt
it will spoil the Society, for it breeds faction and ill-will, and becomes
burdensome to some that cannot, or would not, do it. Here, to my great
content, I did try the use of the Otacousticon,--[Ear trumpet.]--which was
only a great glass bottle broke at the bottom, putting the neck to my
eare, and there I did plainly hear the dashing of the oares of the boats
in the Thames to Arundell gallery window, which, without it, I could not
in the least do, and may, I believe, be improved to a great height, which
I am mighty glad of. Thence with Lord Brouncker and several of them to
the King's Head Taverne by Chancery Lane, and there did drink and eat and
talk, and, above the rest, I did hear of Mr. Hooke and my Lord an account
of the reason of concords and discords in musique, which they say is from
the equality of vibrations; but I am not satisfied in it, but will at my
leisure think of it more, and see how far that do go to explain it. So
late at night home with Mr. Colwell, and parted, and I to the office, and
then to Sir W. Pen to confer with him, and Sir R. Ford and Young, about
our St. John Baptist prize, and so home, without more supper to bed, my
family being now little by the departure of my wife and two maids.
3rd. Up, and Captain Perryman come to me to tell me how Tatnell told him
that this day one How is to charge me before the Commissioners of Prizes
to the value of L8000 in prizes, which I was troubled to hear, so fearful
I am, though I know that there is not a penny to be laid to my charge that
I dare not own, or that I have not owned under my hand, but upon
recollection it signifies nothing to me, and so I value it not, being sure
that I can have nothing in the world to my hurt known from the business.
So to the office, where all the morning to despatch business, and so home
to dinner with my clerks, whose company is of great pleasure to me for
their good discourse in any thing of the navy I have a mind to talk of.
After dinner by water from the Tower to White Hall, there to attend the
Duke of York as usual, and particularly in a fresh complaint the
Commissioners of the Treasury do make to him, and by and by to the Council
this day of our having prepared certificates on the Exchequer to the
further sum of near L50,000, and soon as we had done with the Duke of York
we did attend the Council; and were there called in, and did hear Mr.
Sollicitor [General] make his Report to the Council in the business; which
he did in a most excellent manner of words, but most cruelly severe
against us, and so were some of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury,
as men guilty of a practice with the tradesmen, to the King's prejudice. I
was unwilling to enter into a contest with them; but took advantage of two
or three words last spoke, and brought it to a short issue in good words,
that if we had the King's order to hold our hands, we would, which did end
the matter: and they all resolved we should have it, and so it ended: and
so we away; I vexed that I did not speak more in a cause so fit to be
spoke in, and wherein we had so much advantage; but perhaps I might have
provoked the Sollicitor and the Commissioners of the Treasury, and
therefore, since, I am not sorry that I forbore. Thence my Lord Brouncker
and I to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw the latter part of
"The Master and the Man," and thence by coach to Duck Lane, to look out
for Marsanne, in French, a man that has wrote well of musique, but it is
not to be had, but I have given order for its being sent for over, and I
did here buy Des Cartes his little treatise of musique, and so home, and
there to read a little, and eat a little, though I find that my having so
little taste do make me so far neglect eating that, unless company invite,
I do not love to spend time upon eating, and so bring emptiness and the
Cholique. So to bed. This day I hear that Prince Rupert and Holmes do go
to sea: and by this there is a seeming friendship and peace among our
great seamen; but the devil a bit is there any love among them, or can be.
4th. Up betimes, and by coach towards White Hall, and took Aldgate Street
in my way, and there called upon one Hayward, that makes virginalls, and
did there like of a little espinette, and will have him finish it for me;
for I had a mind to a small harpsichon, but this takes up less room, and
will do my business as to finding out of chords, and I am very well
pleased that I have found it. Thence to White Hall, and after long
waiting did get a small running Committee of Tangier, where I staid but
little, and little done but the correcting two or three egregious faults
in the Charter for Tangier after it had so long lain before the Council
and been passed there and drawn up by the Atturney Generall, so slightly
are all things in this age done. Thence home to the office by water,
where we sat till noon, and then I moved we might go to the Duke of York
and the King presently to get out their order in writing that was ordered
us yesterday about the business of certificates, that we might be secure
against the tradesmen who (Sir John Banks by name) have told me this day
that they will complain in Parliament against us for denying to do them
right. So we rose of a sudden, being mighty sensible of this
inconvenience we are liable to should we delay to give them longer, and
yet have no order for our indemnity. I did dine with Sir W. Pen, where my
Lady Batten did come with desire of meeting me there, and speaking with me
about the business of the L500 we demand of her for the Chest. She do
protest, before God, she never did see the account, but that it was as her
husband in his life-time made it, and he did often declare to her his
expecting L500, and that we could not deny it him for his pains in that
business, and that he hath left her worth nothing of his own in the world,
and that therefore she could pay nothing of it, come what will come, but
that he hath left her a beggar, which I am sorry truly for, though it is a
just judgment upon people that do live so much beyond themselves in
housekeeping and vanity, as they did. I did give her little answer, but
generally words that might not trouble her, and so to dinner, and after
dinner Sir W. Pen and I away by water to White Hall, and there did attend
the Duke of York, and he did carry us to the King's lodgings: but he was
asleep in his closet; so we stayed in the Green-Roome, where the Duke of
York did tell us what rules he had, of knowing the weather, and did now
tell us we should have rain before to-morrow, it having been a dry season
for some time, and so it did rain all night almost; and pretty rules he
hath, and told Brouncker and me some of them, which were such as no reason
seems ready to be given. By and by the King comes out, and he did easily
agree to what we moved, and would have the Commissioners of the Navy to
meet us with him to-morrow morning: and then to talk of other things;
about the Quakers not swearing, and how they do swear in the business of a
late election of a Knight of the Shire of Hartfordshire in behalf of one
they have a mind to have; and how my Lord of Pembroke says he hath heard
him (the Quaker) at the tennis-court swear to himself when he loses: and
told us what pretty notions my Lord Pembroke hath of the first chapter of
Genesis, how Adam's sin was not the sucking (which he did before) but the
swallowing of the apple, by which the contrary elements begun to work in
him, and to stir up these passions, and a great deal of such fooleries,
which the King made mighty mockery at. Thence my Lord Brouncker and I
into the Park in his coach, and there took a great deal of ayre, saving
that it was mighty dusty, and so a little unpleasant. Thence to Common
Garden with my Lord, and there I took a hackney and home, and after having
done a few letters at the office, I home to a little supper and so to bed,
my eyes being every day more and more weak and apt to be tired.
5th (Lord's day). Up, and to my chamber, and there to the writing fair
some of my late musique notions, and so to church, where I have not been a
good while, and thence home, and dined at home, with W. Hewer with me; and
after dinner, he and I a great deal of good talk touching this Office, how
it is spoiled by having so many persons in it, and so much work that is
not made the work of any one man, but of all, and so is never done; and
that the best way to have it well done, were to have the whole trust in
one, as myself, to set whom I pleased to work in the several businesses of
the Office, and me to be accountable for the whole, and that would do it,
as I would find instruments: but this is not to be compassed; but
something I am resolved to do about Sir J. Minnes before it be long. Then
to my chamber again, to my musique, and so to church; and then home, and
thither comes Captain Silas Taylor to me, the Storekeeper of Harwich,
where much talk, and most of it against Captain Deane, whom I do believe
to be a high, proud fellow; but he is an active man, and able in his way,
and so I love him. He gone, I to my musique again, and to read a little,
and to sing with Mr. Pelling, who come to see me, and so spent the
evening, and then to supper and to bed. I hear that eight of the
ringleaders in the late tumults of the 'prentices at Easter are condemned
to die.
[Four were executed on May 9th, namely, Thomas Limmerick, Edward
Cotton, Peter Massenger, and Richard Beasley. They were drawn,
hanged, and quartered at Tyburn, and two of their heads fixed upon
London Bridge ("The London Gazette," No. 259). See "The Tryals of
such persons as under the notion of London Apprentices were
tumultuously assembled in Moore Fields, under colour of pulling down
bawdy-houses," 4to., London, 1668. "It is to be observed," says
"The London Gazette," "to the just vindication of the City, that
none of the persons apprehended upon the said tumult were found to
be apprentices, as was given out, but some idle persons, many of
them nursed in the late Rebellion, too readily embracing any
opportunity of making their own advantages to the disturbance of the
peace, and injury of others."]
6th. Betimes I to Alderman Backewell, and with him to my Lord Ashly's,
where did a little business about Tangier, and to talk about the business
of certificates, wherein, contrary to what could be believed, the King and
Duke of York themselves, in my absence, did call for some of the
Commissioners of the Treasury, and give them directions about the business
[of the certificates], which I, despairing to do any thing on a Sunday,
and not thinking that they would think of it themselves, did rest
satisfied, and stayed at home all yesterday, leaving it to do something in
this day; but I find that the King and Duke of York had been so pressing
in it, that my Lord Ashly was more forward with the doing of it this day,
than I could have been. And so I to White Hall with Alderman Backewell in
his coach, with Mr. Blany; my Lord's Secretary: and there did draw up a
rough draught of what order I would have, and did carry it in, and had it
read twice and approved of, before my Lord Ashly and three more of the
Commissioners of the Treasury, and then went up to the Council-chamber,
where the Duke of York, and Prince Rupert, and the rest of the Committee
of the Navy were sitting: and I did get some of them to read it there: and
they would have had it passed presently, but Sir John Nicholas desired
they would first have it approved by a full Council: and, therefore, a
Council Extraordinary was readily summoned against the afternoon, and the
Duke of York run presently to the King, as if now they were really set to
mind their business, which God grant! So I thence to Westminster, and
walked in the Hall and up and down, the House being called over to-day,
and little news, but some talk as if the agreement between France and
Spain were like to be, which would be bad for us, and at noon with Sir
Herbert Price to Mr. George Montagu's to dinner, being invited by him in
the hall, and there mightily made of, even to great trouble to me to be so
commended before my face, with that flattery and importunity, that I was
quite troubled with it. Yet he is a fine gentleman, truly, and his lady a
fine woman; and, among many sons that I saw there, there was a little
daughter that is mighty pretty, of which he is infinite fond: and, after
dinner, did make her play on the gittar and sing, which she did mighty
prettily, and seems to have a mighty musical soul, keeping time with most
excellent spirit. Here I met with Mr. Brownlow, my old schoolfellow, who
come thither, I suppose, as a suitor to one of the young ladies that were
there, and a sober man he seems to be. But here Mr. Montagu did tell me
how Mr. Vaughan, in that very room, did say that I was a great man, and
had great understanding, and I know not what, which, I confess, I was a
little proud of, if I may believe him. Here I do hear, as a great secret,
that the King, and Duke of York and Duchesse, and my Lady Castlemayne, are
now all agreed in a strict league, and all things like to go very current,
and that it is not impossible to have my Lord Clarendon, in time, here
again. But I do hear that my Lady Castlemayne is horribly vexed at the
late libell,
["The Poor Whores' Petition to the most splendid, illustrious,
serene and eminent Lady of Pleasure the Countess of Castlemayne,
&c., signed by us, Madam Cresswell and Damaris Page, this present
25th day of March, 1668." This sham petition occasioned a pretended
answer, entitled, "The Gracious Answer of the Most Illustrious Lady
of Pleasure, the Countess of Castlem . . . . to the Poor Whores'
Petition." It is signed, "Given at our Closset, in King Street,
Westminster, die Veneris, April 24, 1668. Castlem . . . ."
Compare Evelyn, April 2nd, 1668.]
the petition of the poor whores about the town, whose houses were pulled
down the other day. I have got one of them, but it is not very witty, but
devilish severe against her and the King and I wonder how it durst be
printed and spread abroad, which shews that the times are loose, and come
to a great disregard of the King, or Court, or Government. Thence I to
White Hall to attend the Council, and when the Council rose we find my
order mightily enlarged by the Sollicitor Generall, who was called
thither, making it more safe for him and the Council, but their order is
the same in the command of it that I drew, and will I think defend us
well. So thence, meeting Creed, he and I to the new Cocke-pitt by the
King's gate, and there saw the manner of it, and the mixed rabble of
people that come thither; and saw two battles of cocks, wherein is no
great sport, but only to consider how these creatures, without any
provocation, do fight and kill one another, and aim only at one another's
heads, and by their good will not leave till one of them be killed; and
thence to the Park in a hackney coach, so would not go into the tour, but
round about the Park, and to the House, and there at the door eat and
drank; whither come my Lady Kerneagy, of whom Creed tells me more
particulars; how her Lord, finding her and the Duke of York at the King's
first coming in too kind, did get it out of her that he did dishonour him,
and so bid her continue . . . , which is the most pernicious and full
piece of revenge that ever I heard of; and he at this day owns it with
great glory, and looks upon the Duke of York and the world with great
content in the ampleness of his revenge. Thence (where the place was now
by the last night's rain very pleasant, and no dust) to White Hall, and
set Creed down, and I home and to my chamber, and there about my musique
notions again, wherein I take delight and find great satisfaction in them,
and so, after a little supper, to bed. This day, in the afternoon,
stepping with the Duke of York into St. James's Park, it rained: and I was
forced to lend the Duke of York my cloak, which he wore through the Park.
7th. Up, and at the office all the morning, where great hurry to be made
in the fitting forth of this present little fleet, but so many rubs by
reason of want of money, and people's not believing us in cases where we
had money unless (which in several cases, as in hiring of vessels, cannot
be) they be paid beforehand, that every thing goes backward instead of
forward. At noon comes Mr. Clerke, my solicitor, and the Auditor's men
with my account drawn up in the Exchequer way with their queries, which
are neither many nor great, or hard to answer upon it, and so dined with
me, and then I by coach to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The
English Monsieur;"' sitting for privacy sake in an upper box: the play
hath much mirth in it as to that particular humour. After the play done,
I down to Knipp, and did stay her undressing herself; and there saw the
several players, men and women go by; and pretty to see how strange they
are all, one to another, after the play is done. Here I saw a wonderful
pretty maid of her own, that come to undress her, and one so pretty that
she says she intends not to keep her, for fear of her being undone in her
service, by coming to the playhouse. Here I hear Sir W. Davenant is just
now dead; and so who will succeed him in the mastership of the house is
not yet known. The eldest Davenport is, it seems, gone from this house to
be kept by somebody; which I am glad of, she being a very bad actor. I
took her then up into a coach and away to the Park, which is now very fine
after some rain, but the company was going away most, and so I took her to
the Lodge, and there treated her and had a deal of good talk, and now and
then did baiser la, and that was all, and that as much or more than I had
much mind to because of her paint. She tells me mighty news, that my Lady
Castlemayne is mightily in love with Hart of their house: and he is much
with her in private, and she goes to him, and do give him many presents;
and that the thing is most certain, and Becke Marshall only privy to it,
and the means of bringing them together, which is a very odd thing; and by
this means she is even with the King's love to Mrs. Davis. This done, I
carried her and set her down at Mrs. Manuel's, but stayed not there
myself, nor went in; but straight home, and there to my letters, and so
home to bed.
8th. Up, and at my office all the morning, doing business, and then at
noon home to dinner all alone. Then to White Hall with Sir J. Minnes in
his coach to attend the Duke of York upon our usual business, which was
this day but little, and thence with Lord Brouncker to the Duke of York's
playhouse, where we saw "The Unfortunate Lovers," no extraordinary play,
methinks, and thence I to Drumbleby's, and there did talk a great deal
about pipes; and did buy a recorder, which I do intend to learn to play
on, the sound of it being, of all sounds in the world, most pleasing to
me. Thence home, and to visit Mrs. Turner, where among other talk, Mr.
Foly and her husband being there, she did tell me of young Captain
Holmes's marrying of Pegg Lowther last Saturday by stealth, which I was
sorry for, he being an idle rascal, and proud, and worth little, I doubt;
and she a mighty pretty, well-disposed lady, and good fortune. Her mother
and friends take on mightily; but the sport is, Sir Robert Holmes do seem
to be mad too with his brother, and will disinherit him, saying that he
hath ruined himself, marrying below himself, and to his disadvantage;
whereas, I said, in this company, that I had married a sister lately, with
little above half that portion, that he should have kissed her breech
before he should have had her, which, if R. Holmes should hear, would make
a great quarrel; but it is true I am heartily sorry for the poor girl that
is undone by it. So home to my chamber, to be fingering of my Recorder,
and getting of the scale of musique without book, which I at last see is
necessary for a man that would understand musique, as it is now taught to
understand, though it be a ridiculous and troublesome way, and I know I
shall be able hereafter to show the world a simpler way; but, like the old
hypotheses in philosophy, it must be learned, though a man knows a better.
Then to supper, and to bed. This morning Mr. Christopher Pett's widow and
daughter come to me, to desire my help to the King and Duke of York, and I
did promise, and do pity her.