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Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete

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




4th. To Whitehall with both Sir Williams, thence by water, where I saw a
man lie dead upon Westminster Stairs that had been drowned yesterday. To
the Temple, and thence to Mr. Phillips and got my copy of Sturtlow lands.
So back to the 3 Tuns at Charing Cross, and there met the two Sir Williams
and Col. Treswell and Mr. Falconer, and dined there at Sir W. Pen's cost,
and after dinner by water to Cheapside to the painter's, and there found
my wife, and having sat a little she and I by coach to the Opera and
Theatre, but coming too late to both, and myself being a little out of
tune we returned, and I settled to read in "Mare Clausum "till bedtime,
and so to bed.

5th. This morning I went early to the Paynter's and there sat for my
picture the fourth time, but it do not yet please me, which do much
trouble me. Thence to the Treasury Office, where I found Sir W. Batten
come before me, and there we sat to pay off the St. George. By and by
came Sir W. Pen, and he and I staid while Sir W. Batten went home to
dinner, and then he came again, and Sir W. Pen and I went and dined at my
house, and had two mince pies sent thither by our order from the messenger
Slater, that had dressed some victuals for us, and so we were very merry,
and after dinner rode out in his coach, he to Whitehall, and my wife and I
to the Opera, and saw "Hamlett" well performed. Thence to the Temple and
Mrs. Turner's (who continues still very ill), and so home and to bed.

6th. Lay long in bed, and then to Westminster Hall and there walked, and
then with Mr. Spicer, Hawly, Washington, and little Mr. Ashwell (my old
friends at the Exchequer) to the Dog, and gave them two or three quarts of
wine, and so away to White Hall, where, at Sir G. Carteret's, Sir Williams
both and I dined very pleasantly; and after dinner, by appointment, came
the Governors of the East India Company, to sign and seal the contract
between us

[Charles II.'s charter to the Company, confirming and extending the
former charter, is dated April 3rd, 1661. Bombay, just acquired as
part of Queen Katherine's dowry, was made over to the Company by
Letters Patent dated March 27th, 1669.]

(in the King's name) and them. And that done, we all went to the King's
closet, and there spoke with the King and the Duke of York, who promise to
be very careful of the India trade to the utmost. So back to Sir G.
Carteret's and ended our business, and so away homewards, but Sir W.
Batten offering to go to the 3 Tuns at Charing Cross, where the pretty
maid the daughter of the house is; I was saying that, that tickled Sir W.
Pen, he seemed to take these words very captiously and angrily, which I
saw, and seemed indifferent to go home in his coach with them, and so took
leave to go to the Council Chamber to speak with my Lord Privy Seal, which
I did, but they did stay for me, which I was pleased at, but no words
passed between him and me in all our way home. So home and to bed.

7th. This morning comes Captain Ferrers and the German, Emanuel Luffe,
who goes as one of my Lord's footmen, though he deserves a much better
preferment, to take their leave of me, and here I got the German to play
upon my theorbo, which he did both below and in my wife's chamber, who was
in bed. He plays bravely. I find by him that my lute is a most excellent
lute. I did give them a mince pie and a collar of brawn and some wine for
their breakfast, and were very merry, and sent for Mr. Adamson's neighbour
to drink Mr. Shepley's health. At last we all parted, but within a
quarter of an hour after they were gone, and my wife and I were talking
about buying of a fine scallop which is brought her this morning by a
woman to be sold, which is to cost her 45s., in comes the German back
again, all in a goare of blood, which I wondered at, and tells me that he
is afeard that the Captain is killed by the watermen at Towre Stayres; so
I presently went thither, and found that upon some rude pressing of the
watermen to ply the Captain, he struck one of them with his cane, which
they would not take, but struck him again, and then the German drew his
sword and ran at one of them, but they were both soundly beaten.

[See a similar outrage, committed by Captain Ferrers, September
12th, 1662. Swords were usually worn by footmen. See May 4th,
1662, host.--B.]

The Captain is, however, got to the boy that carries him and the pages to
the Downs, and I went into the alehouse at the Stayres and got them to
deliver the Captain's feathers, which one from the Captain was come to
demand, and went home again, and there found my wife dressing of the
German's head, and so did [give] him a cravett for his neck, and a crown
in his purse, and sent him away again. Then came Mr. Moore, and he and I
to Westminster and to Worcester House to see Mr. Montagu before he goes
away (this night), but could not see him, nor do I think he has a mind to
see us for fear of our demanding of money of him for anything. So back to
Whitehall, and eat a bit of meat at Wilkinson's, and then to the Privy
Seal, and sealed there the first time this month; and, among other things
that passed, there was a patent for Roger Palmer (Madam Palmer's husband)
to be Earl of Castlemaine and Baron of Limbricke in Ireland; but the
honour is tied up to the males got of the body of this wife, the Lady
Barbary: the reason whereof every body knows. That done, by water to the
office, when I found Sir W. Pen had been alone all the night and was just
rose, and so I to him, and with him I found Captain Holmes, who had wrote
his case, and gives me a copy, as he hath many among his friends, and
presented the same to the King and Council. Which I shall make use of in
my attempt of writing something concerning the business of striking sail,
which I am now about. But he do cry out against Sir John Minnes, as the
veriest knave and rogue and coward in the world, which I was glad to hear,
because he has given out bad words concerning my Lord, though I am sorry
it is so. Here Captain Cox then came in, and he and I staid a good while
and so good night. Home and wrote by the post to my father, and so to
bed.

8th (Lord's day). In bed all the morning thinking to take physique, but
it being a frost my wife would not have me. So to dinner at the Wardrobe,
and after a great deal of good discourse with my Lady after dinner, and
among other things of the great christening yesterday at Mr. Rumbell's,
and courtiers and pomp that was there, which I wonder at, I went away up
and down into all the churches almost between that place and my house, and
so home. And then came my brother Tom, and staid and talked with me, and
I hope he will do very well and get money. So to supper and to bed. This
morning as I was in bed, one brings me T. Trice's answer to my bill in
chancery from Mr. Smallwood, which I am glad to see, though I am afraid it
will do me hurt.

9th. To Whitehall, and thence to the Rhenish wine-house, where I met
Mons. Eschar and there took leave of him, he being to go this night to the
Downs towards Portugall, and so spent all the morning. At noon to dinner
to the Wardrobe; where my Lady Wright was, who did talk much upon the
worth and the desert of gallantry; and that there was none fit to be
courtiers, but such as have been abroad and know fashions. Which I
endeavoured to oppose; and was troubled to hear her talk so, though she be
a very wise and discreet lady in other things. From thence Mr. Moore and
I to the Temple about my law business with my cozen Turner, and there we
read over T. Trice's answer to my bill and advised thereupon what to do in
his absence, he being to go out of town to-morrow. Thence he and I to Mr.
Walpole, my attorney, whom I never saw before, and we all to an alehouse
hard by, and there we talked of our business, and he put me into great
hopes, but he is but a young man, and so I do not depend so much upon his
encouragement. So by coach home, and to supper, and to bed, having staid
up till 12 at night writing letters to my Lord Sandwich and all my friends
with him at sea, to send to-morrow by Mons. Eschar, who goes tomorrow post
to the Downs to go along with the fleet to Portugall.

10th. To Whitehall, and there finding Mons. Eschar to be gone, I sent my
letters by a porter to the posthouse in Southwark to be sent by despatch
to the Downs. So to dinner to my Lord Crew's by coach, and in my way had
a stop of above an hour and a half, which is a great trouble this
Parliament time, but it cannot be helped. However I got thither before my
Lord come from the House, and so dined with him, and dinner done, home to
the office, and there sat late and so home.

11th. My brother Tom and then Mr. Moore came to me this morning, and
staid a while with me, and then I went out, and in my way met with Mr.
Howell the Turner, who invited me to dine this day at Mr. Rawlinson's with
some friends of his, officers of the Towre, at a venison pasty, which I
promised him, and so I went to the Old Bayly, and there staid and drank
with him, who told me the whole story how Pegg Kite has married herself to
a weaver, an ugly fellow, to her undoing, of which I am glad that I have
nothing to do in it. From thence home and put on my velvet coat, and so
to the Mitre to dinner according to my promise this morning, but going up
into the room I found at least 12 or more persons, and knew not the face
of any of them, so I went down again, and though I met Mr. Yong the
upholster yet I would not be persuaded to stay, but went away and walked
to the Exchequer, and up and down, and was very hungry, and from thence
home, when I understand Mr. Howell was come for me to go thither, but I am
glad I was not at home, and my wife was gone out by coach to Clerkenwell
to see Mrs. Margaret Pen, who is at school there. So I went to see Sir W.
Pen, who for this two or three days has not been well, and he and I after
some talk took a coach and went to Moorfields, and there walked, though it
was very cold, an hour or two, and went into an alehouse, and there I
drank some ale and eat some bread and cheese, but he would not eat a bit,
and so being very merry we went home again. He to his lodgings and I by
promise to Sir W. Batten's, where he and my lady have gone out of town,
and so Mrs. Martha was at home alone, and Mrs. Moore and there I supped
upon some good things left of yesterday's dinner there, where dined a
great deal of company--Sir R. Browne and others--and by and by comes in
Captain Cox who promised to be here with me, but he staid very late, and
had been drinking somewhere and was very drunk, and so very capricious,
which I was troubled to see in a man that I took for a very wise and wary
man. So I home and left him there, and so to bed.

12th. We lay long in bed, then up and made me ready, and by and by come
Will Bowyer and Mr. Gregory, my old Exchequer friend, to see me, and I
took them to the Dolphin and there did give them a good morning draft, and
so parted, and invited them and all my old Exchequer acquaintance to come
and dine with me there on Wednesday next. From thence to the Wardrobe and
dined with my Lady, where her brother, Mr. John Crew, dined also, and a
strange gentlewoman dined at the table as a servant of my Lady's; but I
knew her not, and so I am afeard that poor Madamoiselle was gone, but I
since understand that she is come as housekeeper to my Lady, and is a
married woman. From thence to Westminster to my Lord's house to meet my
Lord Privy Seal, who appointed to seal there this afternoon, but by and by
word is brought that he is come to Whitehall, and so we are fain to go
thither to him, and there we staid to seal till it was so late that though
I got leave to go away before he had done, yet the office was done before
I could get thither, and so to Sir W. Pen's, and there sat and talked and
drank with him, and so home.

13th. At home all the morning, being by the cold weather, which for these
two days has been frost, in some pain in my bladder. Dined at home and
then with my wife to the Paynter's, and there she sat the first time to be
drawn, while I all the while stood looking on a pretty lady's picture,
whose face did please me extremely. At last, he having done, I found that
the dead colour of my wife is good, above what I expected, which pleased
me exceedingly. So home and to the office about some special business,
where Sir Williams both were, and from thence with them to the Steelyard,
where my Lady Batten and others came to us, and there we drank and had
musique and Captain Cox's company, and he paid all, and so late back again
home by coach, and so to bed.

14th. All the morning at home lying in bed with my wife till 11 o'clock.
Such a habit we have got this winter of lying long abed. Dined at home,
and in the afternoon to the office. There sat late, and so home and to
bed.

15th (Lord's day). To church in the morning, where our young Reader begun
the first day to read. Sir W. Pen dined with me and we were merry. Again
to church and so home, and all alone read till bedtime, and so to prayers
and to bed. I have been troubled this day about a difference between my
wife and her maid Nell, who is a simple slut, and I am afeard we shall
find her a cross-grained wench. I am now full of study about writing
something about our making of strangers strike to us at sea; and so am
altogether reading Selden and Grotius, and such other authors to that
purpose.

16th. Up by five o'clock this morning by candlelight (which I have not
done for many a day), being called upon by one Mr. Bollen by appointment,
who has business to be done with my Lord Privy Seal this morning, and so
by coach, calling Mr. Moore at the Wardrobe, to Chelsy, and there did get
my Lord to seal it. And so back again to Westminster Hall, and thence to
my Lord Sandwich's lodging, where I met my wife (who had been to see Mrs.
Hunt who was brought to bed the other day of a boy), and got a joint of
meat thither from the Cook's, and she and I and Sarah dined together, and
after dinner to the Opera, where there was a new play ("Cutter of Coleman
Street"),

[Cutter, an old word for a rough swaggerer: hence the title of
Cowley's play. It was originally called "The Guardian," when acted
before Prince Charles at Trinity College, Cambridge, on March 12th,
1641.]

made in the year 1658, with reflections much upon the late times; and it
being the first time, the pay was doubled, and so to save money, my wife
and I went up into the gallery, and there sat and saw very well; and a
very good play it is. It seems of Cowly's making. From thence by coach
home, and to bed.

17th. Up and to the Paynter's to see how he went forward in our picture.
So back again to dinner at home, and then was sent for to the Privy Seal,
whither I was forced to go and stay so long and late that I was much
vexed. At last we got all done, and then made haste to the office, where
they were sat, and there we sat late, and so home to supper and to Selden,
"Mare Clausum," and so to bed.

18th. At the office upon business extraordinary all the morning, then to
my Lady Sandwich's to dinner, whither my wife, who had been at the
painter's, came to me, and there dined, and there I left her, and to the
Temple my brother and I to see Mrs. Turner, who begins to be better, and
so back to my Lady's, where much made of, and so home to my study till
bed-time, and so to bed.

19th. This morning my wife dressed herself fine to go to the christening
of Mrs. Hunt's child, and so she and I in the way in the morning went to
the Paynter s, and there she sat till noon, and I all the while looking
over great variety of good prints which he had, and by and by comes my boy
to tell us that Mrs. Hunt has been at our house to tell us that the
christening is not till Saturday next. So after the Paynter had done I
did like the picture pretty well, and my wife and I went by coach home,
but in the way I took occasion to fall out with my wife very highly about
her ribbands being ill matched and of two colours, and to very high words,
so that, like a passionate fool, I did call her whore, for which I was
afterwards sorry. But I set her down at home, and went myself by
appointment to the Dolphin, where Sir W. Warren did give us all a good
dinner, and that being done, to the office, and there sat late, and so
home.

20th. Lay long in bed, and then up, and so to the Wardrobe to dinner, and
from thence out with Mr. Moore towards my house, and in our way met with
Mr. Swan (my old acquaintance), and we to a tavern, where we had enough of
his old simple religious talk, and he is still a coxcomb in these things
as he ever was, and tells me he is setting out a book called "The
unlawfull use of lawfull things;" but a very simple fellow he is, and so I
leave him. So we drank and at last parted, and Mr. Moore and I into
Cornhill, it being dark night, and in the street and on the Exchange
discoursed about Dominion of the Sea, wherein I am lately so much
concerned, and so I home and sat late up reading of Mr. Selden, and so to
bed.

21st. To White Hall to the Privy Seal, where my Lord Privy Seal did tell
us he could seal no more this month, for that he goes thirty miles out of
town to keep his Christmas. At which I was glad, but only afeard lest any
thing of the King's should force us to go after him to get a seal in the
country. Thence to Westminster Hall (having by the way drank with Mrs.
Sarah and Mrs. Betty at my Lord's lodgings), and thence taken by some
Exchequer men to the Dogg, where, being St. Thomas's day, by custom they
have a general meeting at dinner. There I was and all very merry, and
there I spoke to Mr. Falconberge to look whether he could out of Domesday
Book, give me any thing concerning the sea, and the dominion thereof;
which he says he will look after. Thence taking leave to my brother's,
and there by appointment met with Prior of Brampton who had money to pay
me, but desiring some advice he stays till Monday. So by coach home to
the office, where I was vexed to see Sir Williams both seem to think so
much that I should be a little out of the way, saying that without their
Register they were not a Committee, which I took in some dudgeon, and see
clearly that I must keep myself at a little distance with them and not
crouch, or else I shall never keep myself up even with them. So home and
wrote letters by the post. This evening my wife come home from
christening Mrs. Hunt's son, his name John, and a merchant in Mark Lane
came along with her, that was her partner. So after my business was done,
and read something in Mr. Selden, I went to bed.

22nd. To church in the morning, where the Reader made a boyish young
sermon. Home to dinner, and there I took occasion, from the blacknesse of
the meat as it came out of the pot, to fall out with my wife and my maid
for their sluttery, and so left the table, and went up to read in Mr.
Selden till church time, and then my wife and I to church, and there in
the pew, with the rest of the company, was Captain Holmes, in his
gold-laced suit, at which I was troubled because of the old business which
he attempted upon my wife. So with my mind troubled I sat still, but by
and by I took occasion from the rain now holding up (it raining when we
came into the church) to put my wife in mind of going to the christening
(which she was invited to) of N. Osborne's child, which she did, and so
went out of the pew, and my mind was eased. So home after sermon and
there came by appointment Dr. T. Pepys, Will. Joyce, and my brother Tom,
and supped with me, and very merry they were, and I seemed to be, but I
was not pleased at all with their company. So they being gone we went to
bed.

23rd. Early up and by coach (before daylight) to the Wardrobe, and took
up Mr. Moore, and he and I to Chelsy to my Lord Privy Seal, and there
sealed some things, he being to go out of town for all Christmas
to-morrow. So back again to Westminster, and from thence by water to the
Treasury Office, where I found Sir W. Pen paying off the Sophia and
Griffen, and there I staid with him till noon, and having sent for some
collar of beef and a mince pie, we eat and drank, and so I left him there
and to my brother's by appointment to meet Prior, but he came not, so I
went and saw Mrs. Turner who continues weak, and by and by word was
brought me that Prior's man was come to Tom's, and so I went and told out
L128 which I am to receive of him, but Prior not coming I went away and
left the money by his desire with my brother all night, and they to come
to me to-morrow morning. So I took coach, and lighting at my bookseller's
in Paul's Churchyard, I met with Mr. Crumlum and the second master of
Paul's School, and thence I took them to the Starr, and there we sat and
talked, and I had great pleasure in their company, and very glad I was of
meeting him so accidentally, I having omitted too long to go to see him.
Here in discourse of books I did offer to give the school what books he
would choose of L5. So we parted, and I home, and to Mr. Selden, and then
to bed.

24th. Home all the morning and dined at home, and in the afternoon to the
office. So home.

25th. In the morning to church, where at the door of our pew I was fain
to stay, because that the sexton had not opened the door. A good sermon
of Mr. Mills. Dined at home all alone, and taking occasion from some
fault in the meat to complain of my maid's sluttery, my wife and I fell
out, and I up to my chamber in a discontent. After dinner my wife comes
up to me and all friends again, and she and I to walk upon the leads, and
there Sir W. Pen called us, and we went to his house and supped with him,
but before supper Captain Cock came to us half drunk, and began to talk,
but Sir W. Pen knowing his humour and that there was no end of his
talking, drinks four great glasses of wine to him, one after another,
healths to the king, and by that means made him drunk, and so he went
away, and so we sat down to supper, and were merry, and so after supper
home and to bed.

26th. This morning Sir W. Pen and I to the Treasury office, and there we
paid off the Amity (Captain Stokes's ship that was at Guinny) and another
ship, and so home, and after dinner Sir William came to me, and he and his
son and Aaugliter, and I and my wife, by coach to Moorfields to walk; but
it was most foul weather, and so we went into an alehouse and there eat
some cakes and ale, and a washeallbowle

["The wenches with their wassall bowls
About the streets are singing."
--Wither's Christmas Carol.

The old custom of carrying the wassail bowl from door to door, with
songs and merriment, in Christmas week, is still observed in some of
our rural districts.--B.]

woman and girl came to us and sung to us. And after all was done I called
my boy (Wayneman) to us to eat some cake that was left, and the woman of
the house told us that he had called for two cakes and a pot of ale for
himself, at which I was angry, and am resolved to correct him for it. So
home, and Sir W. Pen and his son and daughter to supper to me to a good
turkey, and were merry at cards, and so to bed.

27th. In the morning to my Bookseller's to bespeak a Stephens's
Thesaurus, for which I offer L4, to give to Paul's School; and from thence
to Paul's Church; and there I heard Dr. Gunning preach a good sermon upon
the day (being St. John's day), and did hear him tell a story, which he
did persuade us to believe to be true, that St. John and the Virgin Mary
did appear to Gregory, a Bishopp, at his prayer to be confirmed in the
faith, which I did wonder to hear from him. Here I met with Mr. Crumlum
(and told him of my endeavour to get Stephens's Thesaurus for the school),
and so home, and after dinner comes Mr. Faulconberge to see me, and at his
desire I sent over for his kinsman Mr. Knightly, the merchant, and so he
came over and sat and drank with us, and at his request I went over with
him, and there I sat till the evening, and till both Mr. Knightly and Mr.
Faulconberge (for whom I sent my boy to get a coach to carry him to
Westminster) were both drunk, and so home, but better wine I never drank
in all my life. So home, and finding my wife gone to Sir W. Pen's, I went
thither, and there I sat and played at cards and supped, and so home and
to bed.

28th. At home all the morning; and in the afternoon all of us at the
office, upon a letter from the Duke for the making up of a speedy estimate
of all the debts of the Navy, which is put into good forwardness. I home
and Sir W. Pen to my house, who with his children staid playing cards
late, and so to bed.

29th (Lord's day). Long in bed with my wife, and though I had determined
to go to dine with my wife at my Lady's, (chiefly to put off dining with
Sir W. Pen to-day because Holmes dined there), yet I could not get a coach
time enough to go thither, and so I dined at home, and my brother Tom with
me, and then a coach came and I carried my wife to Westminster, and she
went to see Mrs. Hunt, and I to the Abbey, and there meeting with Mr.
Hooper, he took me in among the quire, and there I sang with them their
service, and so that being done, I walked up and down till night for that
Mr. Coventry was not come to Whitehall since dinner again. At last I went
thither and he was come, and I spoke with him about some business of the
office, and so took leave of him, and sent for my wife and the coach, and
so to the Wardrobe and supped, and staid very long talking with my Lady,
who seems to doat every day more and more upon us. So home and to prayers,
and to bed.

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