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Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete

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




[Although fumage or smoke money was as old as the Conquest, the
first parliamentary levy of hearth or chimney money was by statute
13 and 14 Car. II., c. 10, which gave the king an hereditary revenue
of two shillings annually upon every hearth in all houses paying
church or poor rate. This act was repealed by statute I William and
Mary, c. 10, it being declared in the preamble as "not only a great
oppression to the poorer sort, but a badge of slavery upon the whole
people, exposing every man's house to be entered into and searched
at pleasure by persons unknown to him."]

4th. At the office all the morning, dined at home at noon, and then to
the office again in the afternoon to put things in order there, my mind
being very busy in settling the office to ourselves, I having now got
distinct offices for the other two. By and by Sir W. Pen and I and my
wife in his coach to Moore Fields, where we walked a great while, though
it was no fair weather and cold; and after our walk we went to the Pope's
Head, and eat cakes and other fine things, and so home, and I up to my
chamber to read and write, and so to bed.

5th. In the morning to the Painter's about my little picture. Thence to
Tom's about business, and so to the pewterer's, to buy a poore's-box to
put my forfeits in, upon breach of my late vows. So to the Wardrobe and
dined, and thence home and to my office, and there sat looking over my
papers of my voyage, when we fetched over the King, and tore so many of
these that were worth nothing, as filled my closet as high as my knees. I
staid doing this till 10 at night, and so home and to bed.

6th. Up early, my mind full of business, then to the office, where the
two Sir Williams and I spent the morning passing the victualler's
accounts, the first I have had to do withal. Then home, where my Uncle
Thomas (by promise and his son Tom) were come to give me his answer
whether he would have me go to law or arbitracon with him, but he is
unprovided to answer me, and desires two days more. I left them to dine
with my wife, and myself to Mr. Gauden and the two knights at dinner at
the Dolphin, and thence after dinner to the office back again till night,
we having been these four or five days very full of business, and I thank
God I am well pleased with it, and hope I shall continue of that temper,
which God grant. So after a little being at Sir W. Batten's with Sir G.
Carteret talking, I went home, and so to my chamber, and then to bed, my
mind somewhat troubled about Brampton affairs. This night my new camelott
riding coat to my coloured cloth suit came home. More news to-day of our
losses at Brampton by the late storm.

7th. Early to White Hall to the chappell, where by Mr. Blagrave's means I
got into his pew, and heard Dr. Creeton, the great Scotchman, preach
before the King, and Duke and Duchess, upon the words of Micah:--"Roule
yourselves in dust." He made a most learned sermon upon the words; but,
in his application, the most comical man that ever I heard in my life.
Just such a man as Hugh Peters; saying that it had been better for the
poor Cavalier never to have come with the King into England again; for he
that hath the impudence to deny obedience to the lawful magistrate, and to
swear to the oath of allegiance, &c., was better treated now-a-days in
Newgate, than a poor Royalist, that hath suffered all his life for the
King, is at White Hall among his friends. He discoursed much against a
man's lying with his wife in Lent, saying that he might be as incontinent
during that time with his own wife as at another time in another man's
bed. Thence with Mr. Moore to Whitehall and walked a little, and so to
the Wardrobe to dinner, and so home to the office about business till late
at night by myself, and so home and to bed.

8th. By coach with both Sir Williams to Westminster; this being a great
day there in the House to pass the business for chimney-money, which was
done. In the Hall I met with Serjeant Pierce; and he and I to drink a cup
of ale at the Swan, and there he told me how my Lady Monk hath disposed of
all the places which Mr. Edwd. Montagu hoped to have had, as he was Master
of the Horse to the Queen; which I am afraid will undo him, because he
depended much upon the profit of what he should make by these places. He
told me, also, many more scurvy stories of him and his brother Ralph,
which troubles me to hear of persons of honour as they are. About one
o'clock with both Sir Williams and another, one Sir Rich. Branes, to the
Trinity House, but came after they had dined, so we had something got
ready for us. Here Sir W. Batten was taken with a fit of coughing that
lasted a great while and made him very ill, and so he went home sick upon
it. Sir W. Pen. and I to the office, whither afterward came Sir G.
Carteret; and we sent for Sir Thos. Allen, one of the Aldermen of the
City, about the business of one Colonel Appesley, whom we had taken
counterfeiting of bills with all our hands and the officers of the yards,
so well counterfeited that I should never have mistrusted them. We staid
about this business at the office till ten at night, and at last did send
him with a constable to the Counter; and did give warrants for the seizing
of a complice of his, one Blinkinsopp. So home and wrote to my father,
and so to bed.

9th (Lord's day). Church in the morning: dined at home, then to Church
again and heard Mr. Naylor, whom I knew formerly of Keye's College, make a
most eloquent sermon. Thence to Sir W. Batten's to see how he did, then
to walk an hour with Sir W. Pen in the garden: then he in to supper with
me at my house, and so to prayers and to bed.

10th. At the office doing business all the morning, and my wife being
gone to buy some things in the city I dined with Sir W. Batten, and in the
afternoon met Sir W. Pen at the Treasury Office, and there paid off the
Guift, where late at night, and so called in and eat a bit at Sir W.
Batten's again, and so home and to bed, to-morrow being washing day.

11th. At the office all the morning, and all the afternoon rummaging of
papers in my chamber, and tearing some and sorting others till late at
night, and so to bed, my wife being not well all this day. This afternoon
Mrs. Turner and The. came to see me, her mother not having been abroad
many a day before, but now is pretty well again and has made me one of the
first visits.

12th. At the office from morning till night putting of papers in order,
that so I may have my office in an orderly condition. I took much pains
in sorting and folding of papers. Dined at home, and there came Mrs.
Goldsborough about her old business, but I did give her a short answer and
sent away. This morning we had news from Mr. Coventry, that Sir G.
Downing (like a perfidious rogue, though the action is good and of service
to the King,

[("And hail the treason though we hate the traitor.") On the 21st
Charles returned his formal thanks to the States for their
assistance in the matter.--B.]

yet he cannot with any good conscience do it) hath taken Okey, Corbet, and
Barkestead at Delfe, in Holland, and sent them home in the Blackmore. Sir
W. Pen, talking to me this afternoon of what a strange thing it is for
Downing to do this, he told me of a speech he made to the Lords States of
Holland, telling them to their faces that he observed that he was not
received with the respect and observance now, that he was when he came
from the traitor and rebell Cromwell: by whom, I am sure, he hath got all
he hath in the world,--and they know it too.

[Charles, when residing at Brussels, went to the Hague at night to
pay a secret visit to his sister, the Princess of Orange. After his
arrival, "an old reverend-like man, with a long grey beard and
ordinary grey clothes," entered the inn and begged for a private
interview. He then fell on his knees, and pulling off his disguise,
discovered himself to be Mr. Downing, then ambassador from Cromwell
to the States-General. He informed Charles that the Dutch had
guaranteed to the English Commonwealth to deliver him into their
hands should he ever set foot in their territory. This warning
probably saved Charles's liberty.--M. B.]

13th. All day, either at the office or at home, busy about business till
late at night, I having lately followed my business much, I find great
pleasure in it, and a growing content.

14th. At the office all the morning. At noon Sir W. Pen and I making a
bargain with the workmen about his house, at which I did see things not so
well contracted for as I would have, and I was vexed and made him so too
to see me so critical in the agreement. Home to dinner. In the afternoon
came the German Dr. Kuffler,

[This is the secret of Cornelius van Drebbel (1572-1634), which is
referred to again by Pepys on November 11th, 1663. Johannes
Siberius Kuffler was originally a dyer at Leyden, who married
Drebbel's daughter. In the "Calendar of State Papers, Domestic,"
1661-62 (p. 327), is the following entry: "Request of Johannes
Siberius Kuffler and Jacob Drebble for a trial of their father
Cornelius Drebble's secret of sinking or destroying ships in a
moment; and if it succeed, for a reward of L10,000. The secret was
left them by will, to preserve for the English crown before any
other state." Cornelius van Drebbel settled in London, where he
died. James I. took some interest in him, and is said to have
interfered when he was in prison in Austria and in danger of
execution.]

to discourse with us about his engine to blow up ships. We doubted not
the matter of fact, it being tried in Cromwell's time, but the safety of
carrying them in ships; but he do tell us, that when he comes to tell the
King his secret (for none but the Kings, successively, and their heirs
must know it), it will appear to be of no danger at all. We concluded
nothing; but shall discourse with the Duke of York to-morrow about it. In
the afternoon, after we had done with him, I went to speak with my uncle
Wight and found my aunt to have been ill a good while of a miscarriage, I
staid and talked with her a good while. Thence home, where I found that
Sarah the maid had been very ill all day, and my wife fears that she will
have an ague, which I am much troubled for. Thence to my lute, upon which
I have not played a week or two, and trying over the two songs of "Nulla,
nulla," &c., and "Gaze not on Swans," which Mr. Berkenshaw set for me a
little while ago, I find them most incomparable songs as he has set them,
of which I am not a little proud, because I am sure none in the world has
them but myself, not so much as he himself that set them. So to bed.

15th. With Sir G. Carteret and both the Sir Williams at Whitehall to wait
on the Duke in his chamber, which we did about getting money for the Navy
and other things. So back again to the office all the morning. Thence to
the Exchange to hire a ship for the Maderas, but could get none. Then
home to dinner, and Sir G. Carteret and I all the afternoon by ourselves
upon business in the office till late at night. So to write letters and
home to bed. Troubled at my maid's being ill.

16th (Lord's day). This morning, till churches were done, I spent going
from one church to another and hearing a bit here and a bit there. So to
the Wardrobe to dinner with the young Ladies, and then into my Lady's
chamber and talked with her a good while, and so walked to White Hall, an
hour or two in the Park, which is now very pleasant. Here the King and
Duke came to see their fowl play. The Duke took very civil notice of me.
So walked home, calling at Tom's, giving him my resolution about my boy's
livery. Here I spent an hour walking in the garden with Sir W. Pen, and
then my wife and I thither to supper, where his son William is at home not
well. But all things, I fear, do not go well with them; they look
discontentedly, but I know not what ails them. Drinking of cold small beer
here I fell ill, and was forced to go out and vomit, and so was well again
and went home by and by to bed. Fearing that Sarah would continue ill,
wife and I removed this night to our matted chamber and lay there.

17th. All the morning at the office by myself about setting things in
order there, and so at noon to the Exchange to see and be seen, and so
home to dinner and then to the office again till night, and then home and
after supper and reading a while to bed. Last night the Blackmore pink

[A "pink" was a form of vessel now obsolete, and had a very narrow
stern. The "Blackmoor" was a sixth-rate of twelve guns, built at
Chatham by Captain Tayler in 1656.]

brought the three prisoners, Barkestead, Okey, and Corbet, to the Tower,
being taken at Delfe in Holland; where, the Captain tells me, the Dutch
were a good while before they could be persuaded to let them go, they
being taken prisoners in their land. But Sir G. Downing would not be
answered so: though all the world takes notice of him for a most
ungrateful villain for his pains.

18th. All the morning at the office with Sir W. Pen. Dined at home, and
Luellin and Blurton with me. After dinner to the office again, where Sir
G. Carteret and we staid awhile, and then Sir W. Pen and I on board some
of the ships now fitting for East Indys and Portugall, to see in what
forwardness they are, and so back home again, and I write to my father by
the post about Brampton Court, which is now coming on. But that which
troubles me is that my Father has now got an ague that I fear may endanger
his life. So to bed.

19th. All the morning and afternoon at my office putting things in order,
and in the evening I do begin to digest my uncle the Captain's papers into
one book, which I call my Brampton book, for the clearer understanding
things how they are with us. So home and supper and to bed. This noon
came a letter from T. Pepys, the turner, in answer to one of mine the
other day to him, wherein I did cheque him for not coming to me, as he had
promised, with his and his father's resolucion about the difference
between us. But he writes to me in the very same slighting terms that I
did to him, without the least respect at all, but word for word as I did
him, which argues a high and noble spirit in him, though it troubles me a
little that he should make no more of my anger, yet I cannot blame him for
doing so, he being the elder brother's son, and not depending upon me at
all.

20th. At my office all the morning, at noon to the Exchange, and so home
to dinner, and then all the afternoon at the office till late at night,
and so home and to bed, my mind in good ease when I mind business, which
methinks should be a good argument to me never to do otherwise.

21st. With Sir W. Batten by water to Whitehall, and he to Westminster. I
went to see Sarah and my Lord's lodgings, which are now all in dirt, to be
repaired against my Lord's coming from sea with the Queen. Thence to
Westminster Hall; and there walked up and down and heard the great
difference that hath been between my Lord Chancellor and my Lord of
Bristol, about a proviso that my Lord Chancellor would have brought into
the Bill for Conformity, that it shall be in the power of the King, when
he sees fit, to dispense with the Act of Conformity; and though it be
carried in the House of Lords, yet it is believed it will hardly pass in
the Commons. Here I met with Chetwind, Parry, and several others, and
went to a little house behind the Lords' house to drink some wormwood ale,
which doubtless was a bawdy house, the mistress of the house having the
look and dress: Here we staid till noon and then parted, I by water to the
Wardrobe to meet my wife, but my Lady and they had dined, and so I dined
with the servants, and then up to my Lady, and there staid and talked a
good while, and then parted and walked into Cheapside, and there saw my
little picture, for which I am to sit again the next week. So home, and
staid late writing at my office, and so home and to bed, troubled that now
my boy is also fallen sick of an ague we fear.

22nd. At the office all the morning. At noon Sir Williams both and I by
water down to the Lewes, Captain Dekins, his ship, a merchantman, where we
met the owners, Sir John Lewes and Alderman Lewes, and several other great
merchants; among others one Jefferys, a merry man that is a fumbler, and
he and I called brothers, and he made all the mirth in the company. We
had a very fine dinner, and all our wives' healths, with seven or nine
guns apiece; and exceeding merry we were, and so home by barge again, and
I vexed to find Griffin leave the office door open, and had a design to
have carried away the screw or the carpet in revenge to him, but at last I
would not, but sent for him and chid him, and so to supper and to bed,
having drank a great deal of wine.

23rd (Lord's day). This morning was brought me my boy's fine livery,
which is very handsome, and I do think to keep to black and gold lace upon
gray, being the colour of my arms, for ever. To church in the morning,
and so home with Sir W. Batten, and there eat some boiled great oysters,
and so home, and while I was at dinner with my wife I was sick, and was
forced to vomit up my oysters again, and then I was well. By and by a
coach came to call me by my appointment, and so my wife and I carried to
Westminster to Mrs. Hunt's, and I to Whitehall, Worcester House, and to my
Lord Treasurer's to have found Sir G. Carteret, but missed in all these
places. So back to White Hall, and there met with Captn. Isham, this day
come from Lisbon, with letters from the Queen to the King. And he did
give me letters which speak that our fleet is all at Lisbon;

[One of these letters was probably from John Creed. Mr. S. J.
Davey, of 47, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, in 1889 had in his
possession nine long letters from Creed to Pepys. In the first of
these, dated from Lisbon, March, 1662, Creed wrote: "My Lord
Embassador doth all he can to hasten the Queen's Majestie's
embarquement, there being reasons enough against suffering any
unnecessary delay." There appear to have been considerable delays
in the arrangements for the following declaration of Charles II.
was dated June 22nd, 1661: "Charles R. Whereas his Maj. is resolved
to declare, under his Royall hand and seale, the most illustrious
Lady Infanta of Portugall to be his lawfull wife, before the Treaty
shall be signed by the King of Portugall; which is to be done only
for the better expediting the marriage, without sending to Rome for
a dispensation, which the laws of Portugall would require if the
said most Illustrious Infanta were to be betrothed in that
Kingdome," &c.]

and that the Queen do not intend to embarque sooner than tomorrow come
fortnight. So having sent for my wife, she and I to my Lady Sandwich, and
after a short visit away home. She home, and I to Sir G. Carteret's about
business, and so home too, and Sarah having her fit we went to bed.

24th. Early Sir G. Carteret, both Sir Williams and I on board the
Experiment, to dispatch her away, she being to carry things to the
Madeiras with the East Indy fleet. Here (Sir W. Pen going to Deptford to
send more hands) we staid till noon talking, and eating and drinking a
good ham of English bacon, and having put things in very good order home,
where I found Jane, my old maid, come out of the country, and I have a
mind to have her again. By and by comes La Belle Pierce to see my wife,
and to bring her a pair of peruques of hair, as the fashion now is for
ladies to wear; which are pretty, and are of my wife's own hair, or else I
should not endure them. After a good whiles stay, I went to see if any
play was acted, and I found none upon the post, it being Passion week. So
home again, and took water with them towards Westminster; but as we put
off with the boat Griffin came after me to tell me that Sir G. Carteret
and the rest were at the office, so I intended to see them through the
bridge and come back again, but the tide being against us, when we were
almost through we were carried back again with much danger, and Mrs.
Pierce was much afeard and frightened. So I carried them to the other
side and walked to the Beare, and sent them away, and so back again myself
to the office, but finding nobody there I went again to the Old Swan, and
thence by water to the New Exchange, and there found them, and thence by
coach carried my wife to Bowes to buy something, and while they were there
went to Westminster Hall, and there bought Mr. Grant's book of
observations upon the weekly bills of mortality, which appear to me upon
first sight to be very pretty. So back again and took my wife, calling at
my brother Tom's, whom I found full of work, which I am glad of, and
thence at the New Exchange and so home, and I to Sir W. Batten's, and
supped there out of pure hunger and to save getting anything ready at
home, which is a thing I do not nor shall not use to do. So home and to
bed.

26th. Up early. This being, by God's great blessing, the fourth solemn
day of my cutting for the stone this day four years, and am by God's mercy
in very good health, and like to do well, the Lord's name be praised for
it. To the office and Sir G. Carteret's all the morning about business.
At noon come my good guests, Madame Turner, The., and Cozen Norton, and a
gentleman, one Mr. Lewin of the King's Life-Guard; by the same token he
told us of one of his fellows killed this morning in a duel. I had a
pretty dinner for them, viz., a brace of stewed carps, six roasted
chickens, and a jowl of salmon, hot, for the first course; a tanzy

[Tansy (tanacetum), a herb from which puddings were made. Hence any
pudding of the kind. Selden ("Table Talk") says: "Our tansies at
Easter have reference to the bitter herbs." See in Wordsworth's
"University Life in the Eighteenth Century" recipes for "an apple
tansey," "a bean tansey," and "a gooseberry tansey."--M. B.]

and two neats' tongues, and cheese the second; and were very merry all the
afternoon, talking and singing and piping upon the flageolette. In the
evening they went with great pleasure away, and I with great content and
my wife walked half an hour in the garden, and so home to supper and to
bed. We had a man-cook to dress dinner to-day, and sent for Jane to help
us, and my wife and she agreed at L3 a year (she would not serve under)
till both could be better provided, and so she stays with us, and I hope
we shall do well if poor Sarah were but rid of her ague.

27th. Early Sir G. Carteret, both Sir Williams and I by coach to
Deptford, it being very windy and rainy weather, taking a codd and some
prawnes in Fish Street with us. We settled to pay the Guernsey, a small
ship, but come to a great deal of money, it having been unpaid ever since
before the King came in, by which means not only the King pays wages while
the ship has lain still, but the poor men have most of them been forced to
borrow all the money due for their wages before they receive it, and that
at a dear rate, God knows, so that many of them had very little to receive
at the table, which grieved me to see it. To dinner, very merry. Then
Sir George to London, and we again to the pay, and that done by coach home
again and to the office, doing some business, and so home and to bed.

28th (Good Friday). At home all the morning, and dined with my wife, a
good dinner. At my office all the afternoon. At night to my chamber to
read and sing, and so to supper and to bed.

29th. At the office all the morning. Then to the Wardrobe, and there
coming late dined with the people below. Then up to my Lady, and staid
two hours talking with her about her family business with great content
and confidence in me. So calling at several places I went home, where my
people are getting the house clean against to-morrow. I to the office and
wrote several letters by post, and so home and to bed.

30th (Easter day). Having my old black suit new furbished, I was pretty
neat in clothes to-day, and my boy, his old suit new trimmed, very
handsome. To church in the morning, and so home, leaving the two Sir
Williams to take the Sacrament, which I blame myself that I have hitherto
neglected all my life, but once or twice at Cambridge.

[This does not accord with the certificate which Dr. Mines wrote in
1681, where he says that Pepys was a constant communicant. See Life
of Pepys in vol. i.]

Dined with my wife, a good shoulder of veal well dressed by Jane, and
handsomely served to table, which pleased us much, and made us hope that
she will serve our turn well enough. My wife and I to church in the
afternoon, and seated ourselves, she below me, and by that means the
precedence of the pew, which my Lady Batten and her daughter takes, is
confounded; and after sermon she and I did stay behind them in the pew,
and went out by ourselves a good while after them, which we judge a very
fine project hereafter to avoyd contention. So my wife and I to walk an
hour or two on the leads, which begins to be very pleasant, the garden
being in good condition. So to supper, which is also well served in. We
had a lobster to supper, with a crabb Pegg Pen sent my wife this
afternoon, the reason of which we cannot think; but something there is of
plot or design in it, for we have a little while carried ourselves pretty
strange to them. After supper to bed.

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