Diary of Samuel Pepys, August 1667
S >>
Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, August 1667
THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.
CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY
TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
(Unabridged)
WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES
EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY
HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
AUGUST
1667
August 1st. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon my wife and I
dined at Sir W. Pen's, only with Mrs. Turner and her husband, on a damned
venison pasty, that stunk like a devil. However, I did not know it till
dinner was done. We had nothing but only this, and a leg of mutton, and a
pullet or two. Mrs. Markham was here, with her great belly. I was very
merry, and after dinner, upon a motion of the women, I was got to go to
the play with them-the first I have seen since before the Dutch coming
upon our coast, and so to the King's house, to see "The Custome of the
Country." The house mighty empty--more than ever I saw it--and an ill
play. After the play, we into the house, and spoke with Knipp, who went
abroad with us by coach to the Neat Houses in the way to Chelsy; and
there, in a box in a tree, we sat and sang, and talked and eat; my wife
out of humour, as she always is, when this woman is by. So, after it was
dark, we home. Set Knepp down at home, who told us the story how Nell is
gone from the King's house, and is kept by my Lord Buckhurst. Then we
home, the gates of the City shut, it being so late: and at Newgate we find
them in trouble, some thieves having this night broke open prison. So we
through, and home; and our coachman was fain to drive hard from two or
three fellows, which he said were rogues, that he met at the end of
Blow-bladder Street, next Cheapside. So set Mrs. Turner home, and then we
home, and I to the Office a little; and so home and to bed, my wife in an
ill humour still.
2nd. Up, but before I rose my wife fell into angry discourse of my
kindness yesterday to Mrs. Knipp, and leading her, and sitting in the
coach hand in hand, and my arm about her middle, and in some bad words
reproached me with it. I was troubled, but having much business in my
head and desirous of peace rose and did not provoke her. So she up and
come to me and added more, and spoke basely of my father, who I perceive
did do something in the country, at her last being there, that did not
like her, but I would not enquire into anything, but let her talk, and
when ready away to the Office I went, where all the morning I was, only
Mr. Gawden come to me, and he and I home to my chamber, and there
reckoned, and there I received my profits for Tangier of him, and L250 on
my victualling score. He is a most noble-minded man as ever I met with,
and seems to own himself much obliged to me, which I will labour to make
him; for he is a good man also: we talked on many good things relating to
the King's service, and, in fine, I had much matter of joy by this
morning's work, receiving above L400 of him, on one account or other; and
a promise that, though I lay down my victualling place, yet, as long as he
continues victualler, I shall be the better by him. To the office again,
and there evened all our business with Mr. Kinaston about Colonel
Norwood's Bill of Exchange from Tangier, and I am glad of it, for though
he be a good man, yet his importunity tries me. So home to dinner, where
Mr. Hater with me and W. Hewer, because of their being in the way after
dinner, and so to the office after dinner, where and with my Lord Bruneker
at his lodgings all the afternoon and evening making up our great account
for the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, but not so as pleased me yet.
So at 12 at night home to supper and to bed, my wife being gone in an ill
humour to bed before me. This noon my wife comes to me alone, and tells
me she had those upon her and bid me remember it. I asked her why, and
she said she had a reason. I do think by something too she said to-day,
that she took notice that I had not lain with her this half-year, that she
thinks that I have some doubt that she might be with child by somebody
else. Which God knows never entered into my head, or whether my father
observed any thing at Brampton with Coleman I know not. But I do not do
well to let these beginnings of discontents take so much root between us.
3rd. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning. Then at noon to
dinner, and to the office again, there to enable myself, by finishing our
great account, to give it to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury;
which I did, and there was called in to them, to tell them only the total
of our debt of the Navy on the 25th of May last, which is above L950,000.
Here I find them mighty hot in their answer to the Council-board about our
Treasurer's threepences of the Victualling, and also against the present
farm of the Customes, which they do most highly inveigh against. So home
again by coach, and there hard to work till very late and my eyes began to
fail me, which now upon very little overworking them they do, which
grieves me much. Late home, to supper, and to bed.
4th (Lord's day). Busy at my Office from morning till night, in writing
with my own hand fair our large general account of the expence and debt of
the Navy, which lasted me till night to do, that I was almost blind, and
Mr. Gibson with me all day long, and dined with me, and excellent
discourse I had with him, he understanding all the business of the Navy
most admirably. To walk a little with my wife at night in the garden, it
being very hot weather again, and so to supper and to bed.
5th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten in the morning to St. James's, where we
did our ordinary business with the Duke of York, where I perceive they
have taken the highest resolution in the world to become good husbands,
and to retrench all charge; and to that end we are commanded to give him
an account of the establishment in the seventh year of the late King's
reign, and how offices and salaries have been increased since; and I hope
it will end in the taking away some of our Commissioners, though it may be
to the lessening of some of our salaries also. After done with the Duke
of York, and coming out through his dressing-room, I there spied Signor
Francisco tuning his gittar, and Monsieur de Puy with him, who did make
him play to me, which he did most admirably--so well as I was mightily
troubled that all that pains should have been taken upon so bad an
instrument. Walked over the Park with Mr. Gawden, end with him by coach
home, and to the Exchange, where I hear the ill news of our loss lately of
four rich ships, two from Guinea, one from Gallipoly, all with rich oyles;
and the other from Barbadoes, worth, as is guessed, L80,000. But here is
strong talk, as if Harman had taken some of the Dutch East India ships,
but I dare not yet believe it, and brought them into Lisbon.
["Sept. 6, 1667. John Clarke to James Hickes. A vessel arrived
from Harwich brings news that the English lost 600 to 700 men in the
attempt on St. Christopher; that Sir John Harman was not then there,
but going with 11 ships, and left a ketch at Barbadoes to bring more
soldiers after him; that the ketch met a French sloop with a packet
from St. Christopher to their fleet at Martinico, and took her,
whereupon Sir John Harman sailed there and fell upon their fleet of
27 sail, 25 of which he sank, and burnt the others, save two which
escaped; also that he left three of his fleet there, and went with
the rest to Nevis, to make another attempt on St. Christopher.
"Calendar of State Payers, 1667, p. 447]
Home, and dined with my wife at Sir W. Pen's, where a very good pasty of
venison, better than we expected, the last stinking basely, and after
dinner he and my wife and I to the Duke of York's house, and there saw
"Love Trickes, or the School of Compliments;" a silly play, only Miss
[Davis's] dancing in a shepherd's clothes did please us mightily. Thence
without much pleasure home and to my Office, so home, to supper, and to
bed. My wife mighty angry with Nell, who is turned a very gossip, and
gads abroad as soon as our backs are turned, and will put her away
tomorrow, which I am not sorry for.
6th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning very full of business.
A full Board. Here, talking of news, my Lord Anglesey did tell us that
the Dutch do make a further bogle with us about two or three things, which
they will be satisfied in, he says, by us easily; but only in one, it
seems, they do demand that we shall not interrupt their East Indiamen
coming home, and of which they are in some fear; and we are full of hopes
that we have 'light upon some of them, and carried them into Lisbon, by
Harman; which God send! But they, which do shew the low esteem they have
of us, have the confidence to demand that we shall have a cessation on our
parts, and yet they at liberty to take what they will; which is such an
affront, as another cannot be devised greater. At noon home to dinner,
where I find Mrs. Wood, formerly Bab. Shelden, and our Mercer, who is
dressed to-day in a paysan dress, that looks mighty pretty. We dined and
sang and laughed mighty merry, and then I to the Office, only met at the
door with Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Burroughs, who I took in and drank with,
but was afraid my wife should see them, they being, especially the first,
a prattling gossip, and so after drinking with them parted, and I to the
Office, busy as long as my poor eyes would endure, which troubles me
mightily and then into the garden with my wife, and to Sir W. Batten's
with [Sir] W. Pen and [Sir] J. Minnes, and there eat a melon and talked,
and so home to supper and to bed. My wife, as she said last night, hath
put away Nell to-day, for her gossiping abroad and telling of stories.
Sir W. Batten did tell me to-night that the Council have ordered a hearing
before them of Carcasses business, which do vex me mightily, that we
should be troubled so much by an idle rogue, a servant of our own, and all
my thoughts to-night have been how to manage the matter before the
Council.
7th. Up, and at the office very busy, and did much business all the
morning. My wife abroad with her maid Jane and Tom all the afternoon,
being gone forth to eat some pasties at "The Bottle of Hay," in St. John's
Street, as you go to Islington, of which she is mighty fond, and I dined
at home alone, and at the office close all the afternoon, doing much
business to my great content. This afternoon Mr. Pierce, the surgeon,
comes to me about business, and tells me that though the King and my Lady
Castlemayne are friends again, she is not at White Hall, but at Sir D.
Harvy's, whither the King goes to her; and he says she made him ask her
forgiveness upon his knees, and promised to offend her no more so: that,
indeed, she did threaten to bring all his bastards to his closet-door, and
hath nearly hectored him out of his wits. I at my office till night, and
then home to my pipe, my wife not coming home, which vexed me. I then
into the garden, and there walked alone in the garden till 10 at night,
when she come home, having been upon the water and could not get home
sooner. So to supper, and to bed.
8th. Up, and all the morning at the office, where busy, and at noon home
to dinner, where Creed dined with us, who tells me that Sir Henry
Bellasses is dead of the duell he fought about ten days ago, with Tom
Porter; and it is pretty to see how the world talk of them as a couple of
fools, that killed one another out of love. After dinner to the office a
while, and then with my wife to the Temple, where I light and sent her to
her tailor's. I to my bookseller's; where, by and by, I met Mr. Evelyn,
and talked of several things, but particularly of the times: and he tells
me that wise men do prepare to remove abroad what they have, for that we
must be ruined, our case being past relief, the kingdom so much in debt,
and the King minding nothing but his lust, going two days a-week to see my
Lady Castlemayne at Sir D. Harvy's. He gone, I met with Mr. Moore, who
tells me that my Lord Hinchingbroke is now with his mistress, but not that
he is married, as W. Howe come and told us the other day. So by coach to
White Hall, and there staid a little, thinking to see Sir G. Carteret, but
missed him, and so by coach took up my wife, and so home, and as far as
Bow, where we staid and drank, and there, passing by Mr. Lowther and his
lady, they stopped and we talked a little with them, they being in their
gilt coach, and so parted; and presently come to us Mr. Andrews, whom I
had not seen a good while, who, as other merchants do, do all give over
any hopes of things doing well, and so he spends his time here most,
playing at bowles. After dining together at the coach-side, we with great
pleasure home, and so to the office, where I despatched my business, and
home to supper, and to bed.
9th. Up, and betimes with Sir H. Cholmly upon some accounts of Tangier,
and then he and I to Westminster, to Mr. Burges, and then walked in the
Hall, and he and I talked, and he do really declare that he expects that
of necessity this kingdom will fall back again to a commonwealth, and
other wise men are of the same mind: this family doing all that silly men
can do, to make themselves unable to support their kingdom, minding their
lust and their pleasure, and making their government so chargeable, that
people do well remember better things were done, and better managed, and
with much less charge under a commonwealth than they have been by this
King, and do seem to resolve to wind up his businesses and get money in
his hand against the turn do come. After some talk I by coach and there
dined, and with us Mr. Batelier by chance coming in to speak with me, and
when I come home, and find Mr. Goodgroome, my wife's singing-master, there
I did soundly rattle him for neglecting her so much as he hath done--she
not having learned three songs these three months and more. After dinner
my wife abroad with Mrs. Turner, and I to the office, where busy all the
afternoon, and in the evening by coach to St. James's, and there met Sir
W. Coventry; and he and I walked in the Park an hour. And then to his
chamber, where he read to me the heads of the late great dispute between
him and the rest of the Commissioners of the Treasury, and our new
Treasurer of the Navy where they have overthrown him the last Wednesday,
in the great dispute touching his having the payment of the Victualler,
which is now settled by Council that he is not to have it and, indeed,
they have been most just, as well as most severe and bold, in the doing
this against a man of his quality; but I perceive he do really make no
difference between any man. He tells me this day it is supposed the peace
is ratified at Bredah, and all that matter over. We did talk of many
retrenchments of charge of the Navy which he will put in practice, and
every where else; though, he tells me, he despairs of being able to do
what ought to be done for the saving of the kingdom, which I tell him, as
indeed all the world is almost in hopes of, upon the proceeding of these
gentlemen for the regulating of the Treasury, it being so late, and our
poverty grown so great, that they want where to set their feet, to begin
to do any thing. He tells me how weary he hath for this year and a half
been of the war; and how in the Duke of York's bedchamber, at Christ
Church, at Oxford, when the Court was there, he did labour to persuade the
Duke to fling off the care of the Navy, and get it committed to other
hands; which, if he had done, would have been much to his honour, being
just come home with so much honour from sea as he did. I took notice of
the sharp letter he wrote, which he sent us to read yesterday, to Sir
Edward Spragg, where he is very plain about his leaving his charge of the
ships at Gravesend, when the enemy come last up, and several other things:
a copy whereof I have kept. But it is done like a most worthy man; and he
says it is good, now and then, to tell these gentlemen their duties, for
they need it. And it seems, as he tells me, all our Knights are fallen
out one with another, he, and Jenings, and Hollis, and (his words were)
they are disputing which is the coward among them; and yet men that take
the greatest liberty of censuring others! Here, with him, very late, till
I could hardly get a coach or link willing to go through the ruines; but I
do, but will not do it again, being, indeed, very dangerous. So home and
to supper, and bed, my head most full of an answer I have drawn this noon
to the Committee of the Council to whom Carcasses business is referred to
be examined again.
10th. Up, and to the Office, and there finished the letter about
Carcasse, and sent it away, I think well writ, though it troubles me we
should be put to trouble by this rogue so much. At the office all the
morning, and at noon home to dinner, where I sang and piped with my wife
with great pleasure, and did hire a coach to carry us to Barnett
to-morrow. After dinner I to the office, and there wrote as long as my
eyes would give me leave, and then abroad and to the New Exchange, to the
bookseller's there, where I hear of several new books coming out--Mr.
Spratt's History of the Royal Society, and Mrs. Phillips's' poems. Sir
John Denham's poems are going to be all printed together; and, among
others, some new things; and among them he showed me a copy of verses of
his upon Sir John Minnes's going heretofore to Bullogne to eat a pig.
[The collected edition of Denham's poems is dated 1668. The verses
referred to are inscribed "To Sir John Mennis being invited from
Calice to Bologne to eat a pig," and two of the lines run
"Little Admiral John
To Bologne is gone."]
Cowley, he tells me, is dead; who, it seems, was a mighty civil, serious
man; which I did not know before. Several good plays are likely to be
abroad soon, as Mustapha and Henry the 5th. Here having staid and
divertised myself a good while, I home again and to finish my letters by
the post, and so home, and betimes to bed with my wife because of rising
betimes to-morrow.
11th (Lord's day). Up by four o'clock, and ready with Mrs. Turner to take
coach before five; which we did, and set on our journey, and got to the
Wells at Barnett by seven o'clock, and there found many people a-drinking;
but the morning is a very cold morning, so as we were very cold all the
way in the coach. Here we met Joseph Batelier, and I talked with him, and
here was W. Hewer also, and his uncle Steventon: so, after drinking three
glasses and the women nothing, we back by coach to Barnett, where to the
Red Lyon, where we 'light, and went up into the great Room, and there
drank, and eat some of the best cheese-cakes that ever I eat in my life,
and so took coach again, and W. Hewer on horseback with us, and so to
Hatfield, to the inn, next my Lord Salisbury's house, and there rested
ourselves, and drank, and bespoke dinner; and so to church, it being just
church-time, and there we find my Lord and my Lady Sands and several fine
ladies of the family, and a great many handsome faces and genteel persons
more in the church, and did hear a most excellent good sermon, which
pleased me mightily, and very devout; it being upon, the signs of saving
grace, where it is in a man, and one sign, which held him all this day,
was, that where that grace was, there is also the grace of prayer, which
he did handle very finely. In this church lies the former Lord of
Salisbury, Cecil, buried in a noble tomb. So the church being done, we to
our inn, and there dined very well, and mighty merry; and as soon as we
had dined we walked out into the Park through the fine walk of trees, and
to the Vineyard, and there shewed them that, which is in good order, and
indeed a place of great delight; which, together with our fine walk
through the Park, was of as much pleasure as could be desired in the world
for country pleasure and good ayre. Being come back, and weary with the
walk, for as I made it, it was pretty long, being come back to our inne,
there the women had pleasure in putting on some straw hats, which are much
worn in this country, and did become them mightily, but especially my
wife. So, after resting awhile, we took coach again, and back to Barnett,
where W. Hewer took us into his lodging, which is very handsome, and there
did treat us very highly with cheesecakes, cream, tarts, and other good
things; and then walked into the garden, which was pretty, and there
filled my pockets full of filberts, and so with much pleasure. Among
other things, I met in this house with a printed book of the Life of O.
Cromwell, to his honour as a soldier and politician, though as a rebell,
the first of that kind that ever I saw, and it is well done. Took coach
again, and got home with great content, just at day shutting in, and so as
soon as home eat a little and then to bed, with exceeding great content at
our day's work.
12th. My wife waked betimes to call up her maids to washing, and so to
bed again, whom I then hugged, it being cold now in the mornings . . . .
Up by and by, and with Mr. Gawden by coach to St. James's, where we find
the Duke gone a-hunting with the King, but found Sir W. Coventry within,
with whom we discoursed, and he did largely discourse with us about our
speedy falling upon considering of retrenchments in the expense of the
Navy, which I will put forward as much as I can. So having done there I
to Westminster Hall to Burges, and then walked to the New Exchange, and
there to my bookseller's, and did buy Scott's Discourse of Witches; and do
hear Mr. Cowley mightily lamented his death, by Dr. Ward, the Bishop of
Winchester, and Dr. Bates, who were standing there, as the best poet of
our nation, and as good a man. Thence I to the printseller's, over
against the Exchange towards Covent Garden, and there bought a few more
prints of cittys, and so home with them, and my wife and maids being gone
over the water to the whitster's
[A bleacher of linen. "The whitsters of Datchet Mead" are referred
to by Mrs. Ford ("Merry Wives of Windsor," act iii., sc. 3).]
with their clothes, this being the first time of her trying this way of
washing her linen, I dined at Sir W. Batten's, and after dinner, all alone
to the King's playhouse, and there did happen to sit just before Mrs.
Pierce, and Mrs. Knepp, who pulled me by the hair; and so I addressed
myself to them, and talked to them all the intervals of the play, and did
give them fruit. The play is "Brenoralt," which I do find but little in,
for my part. Here was many fine ladies-among others, the German Baron,
with his lady, who is envoye from the Emperour, and their fine daughter,
which hath travelled all Europe over with them, it seems; and is
accordingly accomplished, and indeed, is a wonderful pretty woman. Here
Sir Philip Frowde, who sat next to me, did tell me how Sir H. Belasses is
dead, and that the quarrel between him and Tom Porter, who is fled, did
arise in the ridiculous fashion that I was first told it, which is a
strange thing between two so good friends. The play being done, I took
the women, and Mrs. Corbett, who was with them, by coach, it raining, to
Mrs. Manuel's, the Jew's wife, formerly a player, who we heard sing with
one of the Italians that was there; and, indeed, she sings mightily well;
and just after the Italian manner, but yet do not please me like one of
Mrs. Knepp's songs, to a good English tune, the manner of their ayre not
pleasing me so well as the fashion of our own, nor so natural. Here I sat
a little and then left them, and then by coach home, and my wife not come
home, so the office a little and then home, and my wife come; and so,
saying nothing where I had been, we to supper and pipe, and so to bed.
13th. Up, and to the office, where we sat busy all the morning. At noon
home to dinner all alone, my wife being again at the whitster's. After
dinner with Sir W. Pen to St. James's, where the rest come and attended
the Duke of York, with our usual business; who, upon occasion, told us
that he did expect this night or to-morrow to hear from Breda of the
consummation of the peace. Thence Sir W. Pen and I to the King's house,
and there saw "The Committee," which I went to with some prejudice, not
liking it before, but I do now find it a very good play, and a great deal
of good invention in it; but Lacy's part is so well performed that it
would set off anything. The play being done, we with great pleasure home,
and there I to the office to finish my letters, and then home to my
chamber to sing and pipe till my wife comes home from her washing, which
was nine at night, and a dark and rainy night, that I was troubled at her
staying out so long. But she come well home, and so to supper and to bed.