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Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete

S >> Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete




3rd. This day some of us Commissioners went down to Deptford to pay off
some ships, but I could not go, but staid at home all the morning setting
papers to rights, and this morning Mr. Howell, our turner, sent me two
things to file papers on very handsome. Dined at home, and then with my
wife to the Wardrobe, where my Lady's child was christened (my Lord Crew
and his Lady, and my Lady Montagu, my Lord's mother-in-law, were the
witnesses), and named Katherine

[Lady Katherine Montagu, youngest daughter of Lord Sandwich,
married, first, Nicholas Bacon, eldest son and heir of Sir Nicholas
Bacon, K.B., of Shrubland Hall, co. Suffolk; and, secondly, the
Rev. Balthazar Gardeman. She died January 15th, 1757, at ninety-six
years, four months.--B.]

(the Queen elect's name); but to my and all our trouble, the Parson of the
parish christened her, and did not sign the child with the sign of the
cross. After that was done, we had a very fine banquet, the best I ever
was at, and so (there being very little company) we by and by broke up,
and my wife and I to my mother, who I took a liberty to advise about her
getting things ready to go this week into the country to my father, and
she (being become now-a-days very simple) took it very ill, and we had a
great deal of noise and wrangling about it. So home by coach.

4th. In the morning to the Privy Seal to do some things of the last
month, my Lord Privy Seal having been some time out of town. Then my wife
came to me to Whitehall, and we went and walked a good while in St.
James's Park to see the brave alterations, and so to Wilkinson's, the
Cook's, to dinner, where we sent for Mrs. Sarah and there dined and had
oysters, the first I have eat this year, and were pretty good. After
dinner by agreement to visit Mrs. Symonds, but she is abroad, which I
wonder at, and so missing her my wife again to my mother's (calling at
Mrs. Pierce's, who we found brought to bed of a girl last night) and there
staid and drank, and she resolves to be going to-morrow without fail.
Many friends come in to take their leave of her, but a great deal of stir
I had again tonight about getting her to go to see my Lady Sandwich before
she goes, which she says she will do tomorrow. So I home.

5th. To the Privy Seal this morning about business, in my way taking
leave of my mother, who goes to Brampton to-day. But doing my business at
the Privy Seal pretty soon, I took boat and went to my uncle Fenner's, and
there I found my mother and my wife and Pall (of whom I had this morning
at my own house taken leave, and given her 20s. and good counsel how to
carry herself to my father and mother), and so I took them, it being late,
to Beard's, where they were staid for, and so I put them into the waggon,
and saw them going presently, Pall crying exceedingly. Then in with my
wife, my aunt Bell and Charles Pepys, whom we met there, and drank, and so
to my uncle Fenner's to dinner (in the way meeting a French footman with
feathers, who was in quest of my wife, and spoke with her privately, but I
could not tell what it was, only my wife promised to go to some place
to-morrow morning, which do trouble my mind how to know whither it was),
where both his sons and daughters were, and there we were merry and dined.
After dinner news was brought that my aunt Kite, the butcher's widow in
London, is sick ready to die and sends for my uncle and me to come to take
charge of things, and to be entrusted with the care of her daughter. But
I through want of time to undertake such a business, I was taken up by
Antony Joyce, which came at last to very high words, which made me very
angry, and I did not think that he would ever have been such a fool to
meddle with other people's business, but I saw he spoke worse to his
father than to me and therefore I bore it the better, but all the company
was offended with him, so we parted angry he and I, and so my wife and I
to the fair, and I showed her the Italians dancing the ropes, and the
women that do strange tumbling tricks and so by foot home vexed in my mind
about Antony Joyce.

6th. This morning my uncle Fenner by appointment came and drank his
morning draft with me, and from thence he and I go to see my aunt Kite (my
wife holding her resolution to go this morning as she resolved yesterday,
and though there could not be much hurt in it, yet my own jealousy put a
hundred things into my mind, which did much trouble me all day), whom we
found in bed and not like to live as we think, and she told us her mind
was that if she should die she should give all she had to her daughter,
only L5 apiece to her second husband's children, in case they live to come
out of their apprenticeships, and that if her daughter should die before
marrying, then L10 to be divided between Sarah Kite's children and the
rest as her own daughter shall dispose of it, and this I set down that I
may be able to swear in case there should be occasion. From thence to an
alehouse while it rained, which kept us there I think above two hours, and
at last we were fain to go through the rainy street home, calling on his
sister Utbeck and drank there. Then I home to dinner all alone, and
thence my mind being for my wife's going abroad much troubled and unfit
for business, I went to the Theatre, and saw "Elder Brother" ill acted;
that done, meeting here with Sir G. Askew, Sir Theophilus Jones, and
another Knight, with Sir W. Pen, we to the Ship tavern, and there staid
and were merry till late at night, and so got a coach, and Sir Wm. and I
home, where my wife had been long come home, but I seemed very angry, as
indeed I am, and did not all night show her any countenance, neither
before nor in bed, and so slept and rose discontented.

7th. At the office all the morning. At noon Mr. Moore dined with me, and
then in comes Wm. Joyce to answer a letter of mine I wrote this morning to
him about a maid of his that my wife had hired, and she sent us word that
she was hired to stay longer with her master, which mistake he came to
clear himself of; and I took it very kindly. So I having appointed the
young ladies at the Wardrobe to go with them to a play to-day, I left him
and my brother Tom who came along with him to dine, and my wife and I took
them to the Theatre, where we seated ourselves close by the King, and Duke
of York, and Madame Palmer, which was great content; and, indeed, I can
never enough admire her beauty. And here was "Bartholomew Fayre," with
the puppet-show, acted to-day, which had not been these forty years (it
being so satyricall against Puritanism, they durst not till now, which is
strange they should already dare to do it, and the King do countenance
it), but I do never a whit like it the better for the puppets, but rather
the worse. Thence home with the ladies, it being by reason of our staying
a great while for the King's coming, and the length of the play, near nine
o'clock before it was done, and so in their coach home, and still in
discontent with my wife, to bed, and rose so this morning also.

8th (Lord's day). To church, it being a very wet night last night and
to-day, dined at home, and so to church again with my wife in the
afternoon, and coming home again found our new maid Doll asleep, that she
could not hear to let us in, so that we were fain to send the boy in at a
window to open the door to us. So up to my chamber all alone, and
troubled in mind to think how much of late I have addicted myself to
expense and pleasure, that now I can hardly reclaim myself to look after
my great business of settling Gravely business, until now almost too late.
I pray God give me grace to begin now to look after my business, but it
always was, and I fear will ever be, my foible that after I am once got
behind-hand with business, I am hard to set to it again to recover it. In
the evening I begun to look over my accounts and upon the whole I do find
myself, by what I can yet see, worth near L600, for which God be blessed,
which put me into great comfort. So to supper and to bed.

9th. To the Privy Seal in the morning, but my Lord did not come, so I
went with Captain Morrice at his desire into the King's Privy Kitchen to
Mr. Sayres, the Master Cook, and there we had a good slice of beef or two
to our breakfast, and from thence he took us into the wine cellar where,
by my troth, we were very merry, and I drank too much wine, and all along
had great and particular kindness from Mr. Sayres, but I drank so much
wine that I was not fit for business, and therefore at noon I went and
walked in Westminster Hall a while, and thence to Salisbury Court play
house, where was acted the first time "'Tis pity Shee's a Whore," a
simple play and ill acted, only it was my fortune to sit by a most pretty
and most ingenious lady, which pleased me much. Thence home, and found
Sir Williams both and much more company gone to the Dolphin to drink the
30s. that we got the other day of Sir W. Pen about his tankard. Here was
Sir R. Slingsby, Holmes, Captn. Allen, Mr. Turner, his wife and daughter,
my Lady Batten, and Mrs. Martha, &c., and an excellent company of
fiddlers; so we exceeding merry till late; and then we begun to tell Sir
W. Pen the business, but he had been drinking to-day, and so is almost
gone, that we could not make him understand it, which caused us more
sport. But so much the better, for I believe when he do come to
understand it he will be angry, he has so talked of the business himself
and the letter up and down that he will be ashamed to be found abused in
it. So home and to bed.

10th. At the office all the morn, dined at home; then my wife into Wood
Street to buy a chest, and thence to buy other things at my uncle Fenner's
(though by reason of rain we had ill walking), thence to my brother Tom's,
and there discoursed with him about business, and so to the Wardrobe to
see my Lady, and after supper with the young ladies, bought a link and
carried it myself till I met one that would light me home for the link.
So he light me home with his own, and then I did give him mine. This
night I found Mary, my cozen W. Joyce's maid, come to me to be my cook
maid, and so my house is full again. So to bed.

11th. Early to my cozen Thomas Trice to discourse about our affairs, and
he did make demand of the L200 and the interest thereof. But for the L200
I did agree to pay him, but for the other I did desire to be advised. So
from him to Dr. Williams, who did carry me into his garden, where he hath
abundance of grapes; and did show me how a dog that he hath do kill all
the cats that come thither to kill his pigeons, and do afterwards bury
them; and do it with so much care that they shall be quite covered; that
if but the tip of the tail hangs out he will take up the cat again, and
dig the hole deeper. Which is very strange; and he tells me that he do
believe that he hath killed above 100 cats. After he was ready we went up
and down to inquire about my affairs and then parted, and to the Wardrobe,
and there took Mr. Moore to Tom Trice, who promised to let Mr. Moore have
copies of the bond and my aunt's deed of gift, and so I took him home to
my house to dinner, where I found my wife's brother, Balty, as fine as
hands could make him, and his servant, a Frenchman, to wait on him, and
come to have my wife to visit a young lady which he is a servant to, and
have hope to trepan and get for his wife. I did give way for my wife to
go with him, and so after dinner they went, and Mr. Moore and I out again,
he about his business and I to Dr. Williams: to talk with him again, and
he and I walking through Lincoln's Fields observed at the Opera a new
play, "Twelfth Night"

[Pepys seldom liked any play of Shakespeare's, and he sadly
blundered when he supposed "Twelfth Night" was a new play.]

was acted there, and the King there; so I, against my own mind and
resolution, could not forbear to go in, which did make the play seem a
burthen to me, and I took no pleasure at all in it; and so after it was
done went home with my mind troubled for my going thither, after my
swearing to my wife that I would never go to a play without her. So that
what with this and things going so cross to me as to matters of my uncle's
estate, makes me very much troubled in my mind, and so to bed. My wife was
with her brother to see his mistress today, and says she is young, rich,
and handsome, but not likely for him to get.

12th. Though it was an office day, yet I was forced to go to the Privy
Seal, at which I was all the morning, and from thence to my Lady's to
dinner at the Wardrobe; and in my way upon the Thames, I saw the King's
new pleasure-boat that is come now for the King to take pleasure in above
bridge; and also two Gundaloes

["Two long boats that were made in Venice, called gondolas, were by
the Duke of Venice (Dominico Contareni) presented to His Majesty; ,
and the attending watermen, being four, were in very rich clothes,
crimson satin; very big were their breeches and doublets; they wore
also very large shirts of the same satin, very richly laced."
--Rugge's Diurnal.--B.]

that are lately brought, which are very rich and fine. After dinner I
went into my Lady's chamber where I found her up now out of her childbed,
which I was glad to see, and after an hour's talk with her I took leave
and to Tom Trice again, and sat talking and drinking with him about our
business a great while. I do find I am likely to be forced to pay
interest for the L200. By and by in comes my uncle Thomas, and as he was
always a close cunning fellow, so he carries himself to me, and says
nothing of what his endeavours are, though to my trouble I know that he is
about recovering of Gravely, but neither I nor he began any discourse of
the business. From thence to Dr. Williams (at the little blind alehouse
in Shoe Lane, at the Gridiron, a place I am ashamed to be seen to go
into), and there with some bland counsel of his we discuss our matters,
but I find men of so different minds that by my troth I know not what to
trust to. It being late I took leave, and by link home and called at Sir
W. Batten's, and there hear that Sir W. Pen do take our jest of the
tankard very ill, which Pam sorry for.

13th. This morning I was sent for by my uncle Fenner to come and advise
about the buriall of my aunt, the butcher, who died yesterday; and from
thence to the Anchor, by Doctor's Commons, and there Dr. Williams and I
did write a letter for my purpose to Mr. Sedgewick, of Cambridge, about
Gravely business, and after that I left him and an attorney with him and
went to the Wardrobe, where I found my wife, and thence she and I to the
water to spend the afternoon in pleasure; and so we went to old George's,
and there eat as much as we would of a hot shoulder of mutton, and so to
boat again and home. So to bed, my mind very full of business and
trouble.

14th. At the office all the morning, at noon to the Change, and then home
again. To dinner, where my uncle Fenner by appointment came and dined
with me, thinking to go together to my aunt Kite's that is dead; but
before we had dined comes Sir R. Slingsby and his lady, and a great deal
of company, to take my wife and I out by barge to shew them the King's and
Duke's yachts. So I was forced to leave my uncle and brother Tom at
dinner and go forth with them, and we had great pleasure, seeing all four
yachts, viz., these two and the two Dutch ones. And so home again, and
after writing letters by post, to bed.

15th (Lord's day). To my aunt Kite's in the morning to help my uncle
Fenner to put things in order against anon for the buriall, and at noon
home again; and after dinner to church, my wife and I, and after sermon
with my wife to the buriall of my aunt Kite, where besides us and my uncle
Fenner's family, there was none of any quality, but poor rascally people.
So we went to church with the corps, and there had service read at the
grave, and back again with Pegg Kite who will be, I doubt, a troublesome
carrion to us executors; but if she will not be ruled, I shall fling up my
executorship. After that home, and Will Joyce along with me where we sat
and talked and drank and ate an hour or two, and so he went away and I up
to my chamber and then to prayers and to bed.

16th. This morning I was busy at home to take in my part of our freight
of Coles, which Sir G. Carteret, Sir R. Slingsby, and myself sent for,
which is 10 Chaldron, 8 of which I took in, and with the other to repay
Sir W. Pen what I borrowed of him a little while ago. So that from this
day I should see how long 10 chaldron of coals will serve my house, if it
please the Lord to let me live to see them burned. In the afternoon by
appointment to meet Dr. Williams and his attorney, and they and I to Tom
Trice, and there got him in discourse to confess the words that he had
said that his mother did desire him not to see my uncle about her L200
bond while she was alive. Here we were at high words with T. Trice and
then parted, and we to Standing's, in Fleet Street, where we sat and drank
and talked a great while about my going down to Gravely Court,

[The manorial court of Graveley, in Huntingdonshire, to which
Impington owed suit or service, and under which the Pepys's copyhold
estates were held. See July 8th, 1661, ante.--B.]

which will be this week, whereof the Doctor had notice in a letter from
his sister this week. In the middle of our discourse word was brought me
from my brother's that there is a fellow come from my father out of the
country, on purpose to speak to me, so I went to him and he made a story
how he had lost his letter, but he was sure it was for me to go into the
country, which I believed, and thought it might be to give me notice of
Gravely Court, but I afterwards found that it was a rogue that did use to
play such tricks to get money of people, but he got none of me. At night
I went home, and there found letters-from my father informing me of the
Court, and that I must come down and meet him at Impington, which I
presently resolved to do,

17th. And the next morning got up, telling my wife of my journey, and she
with a few words got me to hire her a horse to go along with me. So I
went to my Lady's and elsewhere to take leave, and of Mr. Townsend did
borrow a very fine side-saddle for my wife; and so after all things were
ready, she and I took coach to the end of the town towards Kingsland, and
there got upon my horse and she upon her pretty mare that I hired for her,
and she rides very well. By the mare at one time falling she got a fall,
but no harm; so we got to Ware, and there supped, and to bed very merry
and pleasant.

18th. The next morning up early and begun our march; the way about
Puckridge--[Puckeridge, a village in Hertfordshire six and a half miles
N.N.E, of Ware.]--very bad, and my wife, in the very last dirty place of
all, got a fall, but no hurt, though some dirt. At last she begun, poor
wretch, to be tired, and I to be angry at it, but I was to blame; for she
is a very good companion as long as she is well. In the afternoon we got
to Cambridge, where I left my wife at my cozen Angier's while I went to
Christ's College, and there found my brother in his chamber, and talked
with him; and so to the barber's, and then to my wife again, and remounted
for Impington, where my uncle received me and my wife very kindly. And by
and by in comes my father, and we supped and talked and were merry, but
being weary and sleepy my wife and I to bed without talking with my father
anything about our business.

19th. Up early, and my father and I alone into the garden, and there
talked about our business, and what to do therein. So after I had talked
and advised with my coz Claxton, and then with my uncle by his bedside, we
all horsed away to Cambridge, where my father and I, having left my wife
at the Beare with my brother, went to Mr. Sedgewicke, the steward of
Gravely, and there talked with him, but could get little hopes from
anything that he would tell us; but at last I did give him a fee, and then
he was free to tell me what I asked, which was something, though not much
comfort. From thence to our horses, and with my wife went and rode
through Sturbridge

[Sturbridge fair is of great antiquity. The first trace of it is
found in a charter granted about 1211 by King John to the Lepers of
the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen at Sturbridge by Cambridge, a fair
to be held in the close of the hospital on the vigil and feast of
the Holy Cross (see Cornelius Walford's "Fairs Past and Present,"
1883, p. 54).]

but the fair was almost done. So we did not 'light there at all, but went
back to Cambridge, and there at the Beare we had some herrings, we and my
brother, and after dinner set out for Brampton, where we come in very good
time, and found all things well, and being somewhat weary, after some talk
about tomorrow's business with my father, we went to bed.

20th. Will Stankes and I set out in the morning betimes for Gravely,
where to an ale-house and drank, and then, going towards the Court House,
met my uncle Thomas and his son Thomas, with Bradly, the rogue that had
betrayed us, and one Young, a cunning fellow, who guides them. There
passed no unkind words at all between us, but I seemed fair and went to
drink with them. I said little till by and by that we come to the Court,
which was a simple meeting of a company of country rogues, with the
Steward, and two Fellows of Jesus College, that are lords of the town
where the jury were sworn; and I producing no surrender, though I told
them I was sure there is and must be one somewhere, they found my uncle
Thomas heir at law, as he is, and so, though I did tell him and his son
that they would find themselves abused by these fellows, and did advise
them to forbear being admitted this Court (which they could have done, but
that these rogues did persuade them to do it now), my uncle was admitted,
and his son also, in reversion after his father, which he did well in to
secure his money. The father paid a year and a half for his fine, and the
son half a year, in all L48, besides about L3 fees; so that I do believe
the charges of his journeys, and what he gives those two rogues, and other
expenses herein, cannot be less than L70, which will be a sad thing for
them if a surrender be found. After all was done, I openly wished them
joy in it, and so rode to Offord with them and there parted fairly without
any words. I took occasion to bid them money for their half acre of land,
which I had a mind to do that in the surrender I might secure Piggott's,
which otherwise I should be forced to lose. So with Stankes home and
supped, and after telling my father how things went, I went to bed with my
mind in good temper, because I see the matter and manner of the Court and
the bottom of my business, wherein I was before and should always have
been ignorant.

21st. All the morning pleasing myself with my father, going up and down
the house and garden with my father and my wife, contriving some
alterations. After dinner (there coming this morning my aunt Hanes and
her son from London, that is to live with my father) I rode to Huntingdon,
where I met Mr. Philips, and there put my Bugden

[Bugden, or Buckden, a village and parish in the St. Neots district
of Huntingdonshire, four miles S.W. of Huntingdon.]

matter in order against the Court, and so to Hinchingbroke, where Mr.
Barnwell shewed me the condition of the house, which is yet very backward,
and I fear will be very dark in the cloyster when it is done. So home and
to supper and to bed, very pleasant and quiet.

22nd (Lord's day). Before church time walking with my father in the
garden contriving. So to church, where we had common prayer, and a dull
sermon by one Mr. Case, who yet I heard sing very well. So to dinner, and
busy with my father about his accounts all the afternoon, and people came
to speak with us about business. Mr. Barnwell at night came and supped
with us. So after setting matters even with my father and I, to bed.

23rd. Up, and sad to hear my father and mother wrangle as they used to do
in London, of which I took notice to both, and told them that I should
give over care for anything unless they would spend what they have with
more love and quiet. So (John Bowles coming to see us before we go) we
took horse and got early to Baldwick; where there was a fair, and we put
in and eat a mouthfull of pork, which they made us pay 14d. for, which
vexed us much. And so away to Stevenage, and staid till a showre was
over, and so rode easily to Welling, where we supped well, and had two
beds in the room and so lay single, and still remember it that of all the
nights that ever I slept in my life I never did pass a night with more
epicurism of sleep; there being now and then a noise of people stirring
that waked me, and then it was a very rainy night, and then I was a little
weary, that what between waking and then sleeping again, one after
another, I never had so much content in all my life, and so my wife says
it was with her.

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