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Henry Seidel Canby - "Definitions"

Mr. Kin nosuke Natsume, trans. by Yasotaro Morri - "Botchan (Master Darling)"

Lewis Carroll - "Phantasmagoria and Other Poems"

William J. Locke - "The Fortunate Youth"

Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete

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




[Pepys gives some particulars about the Chest on November 13th,
1662. "The Chest at Chatham was originally planned by Sir Francis
Drake and Sir John Hawkins in 1588, after the defeat of the Armada;
the seamen voluntarily agreed to have 'defalked' out of their wages
certain sums to form a fund for relief. The property became
considerable, as well as the abuses, and in 1802 the Chest was
removed to Greenwich. In 1817, the stock amounted to L300,000
Consols."--Hist. of Rochester, p. 346.--B.]

and after my readiness to be informed did appear to him, he did produce a
paper, wherein he stated the government of the Chest to me; and upon the
whole did tell me how it hath ever been abused, and to this day is; and
what a meritorious act it would be to look after it; which I am resolved
to do, if God bless me; and do thank him very much for it. So home, and
after a turn or two upon the leads with my wife, who has lately had but
little of my company, since I begun to follow my business, but is
contented therewith since she sees how I spend my time, and so to bed.

4th. Up by five o'clock, and after my journall put in order, to my office
about my business, which I am resolved to follow, for every day I see what
ground I get by it. By and by comes Mr. Cooper, mate of the Royall
Charles, of whom I intend to learn mathematiques, and do begin with him
to-day, he being a very able man, and no great matter, I suppose, will
content him. After an hour's being with him at arithmetique (my first
attempt being to learn the multiplication-table); then we parted till
to-morrow. And so to my business at my office again till noon, about
which time Sir W. Warren did come to me about business, and did begin to
instruct me in the nature of fine timber and deals, telling me the nature
of every sort; and from that we fell to discourse of Sir W. Batten's
corruption and the people that he employs, and from one discourse to
another of the kind. I was much pleased with his company, and so staid
talking with him all alone at my office till 4 in the afternoon, without
eating or drinking all day, and then parted, and I home to eat a bit, and
so back again to my office; and toward the evening came Mr. Sheply, who is
to go out of town to-morrow, and so he and I with much ado settled his
accounts with my Lord, which, though they be true and honest, yet so
obscure, that it vexes me to see in what manner they are kept. He being
gone, and leave taken of him as of a man likely not to come to London
again a great while, I eat a bit of bread and butter, and so to bed. This
day I sent my brother Tom, at his request, my father's old Bass Viall
which he and I have kept so long, but I fear Tom will do little good at
it.

5th. To my office all the morning, to get things ready against our
sitting, and by and by we sat and did business all the morning, and at
noon had Sir W. Pen, who I hate with all my heart for his base treacherous
tricks, but yet I think it not policy to declare it yet, and his son
William, to my house to dinner, where was also Mr. Creed and my cozen
Harry Alcocke. I having some venison given me a day or two ago, and so I
had a shoulder roasted, another baked, and the umbles

[The umbles are the liver, kidneys, and other portions of the inside
of the deer. They were usually made into pies, and old cookery
books contain directions for the making of 'umble pies.']

baked in a pie, and all very well done. We were merry as I could be in
that company, and the more because I would not seem otherwise to Sir W.
Pen, he being within a day or two to go for Ireland. After dinner he and
his son went away, and Mr. Creed would, with all his rhetoric, have
persuaded me to have gone to a play; and in good earnest I find my nature
desirous to have gone, notwithstanding my promise and my business, to
which I have lately kept myself so close, but I did refuse it, and I hope
shall ever do so, and above all things it is considerable that my mind was
never in my life in so good a condition of quiet as it has been since I
have followed my business and seen myself to get greater and greater
fitness in my employment, and honour every day more than other. So at my
office all the afternoon, and then my mathematiques at night with Mr.
Cooper, and so to supper and to bed.

6th (Lord's day). Lay long in bed to-day with my wife merry and pleasant,
and then rose and settled my accounts with my wife for housekeeping, and
do see that my kitchen, besides wine, fire, candle, sope, and many other
things, comes to about 30s. a week, or a little over. To church, where
Mr. Mills made a lazy sermon. So home to dinner, where my brother Tom
dined with me, and so my wife and I to church again in the afternoon, and
that done I walked to the Wardrobe and spent my time with Mr. Creed and
Mr. Moore talking about business; so up to supper with my Lady [Sandwich],
who tells me, with much trouble, that my Lady Castlemaine is still as
great with the King, and that the King comes as often to her as ever he
did, at which, God forgive me, I am well pleased. It began to rain, and so
I borrowed a hat and cloak of Mr. Moore and walked home, where I found
Captain Ferrer with my wife, and after speaking a matter of an hour with
him he went home and we all to bed. Jack Cole, my old friend, found me out
at the Wardrobe; and, among other things, he told me that certainly most
of the chief ministers of London would fling up their livings; and that,
soon or late, the issue thereof would be sad to the King and Court.

7th. Up and to my office early, and there all the morning alone till
dinner, and after dinner to my office again, and about 3 o'clock with my
wife by water to Westminster, where I staid in the Hall while my wife went
to see her father and mother, and she returning we by water home again,
and by and by comes Mr. Cooper, so he and I to our mathematiques, and so
supper and to bed. My morning's work at the office was to put the new
books of my office into order, and writing on the backsides what books
they be, and transcribing out of some old books some things into them.

8th. At the office all the morning and dined at home, and after dinner in
all haste to make up my accounts with my Lord, which I did with some
trouble, because I had some hopes to have made a profit to myself in this
account and above what was due to me (which God forgive me in), but I
could not, but carried them to my Lord, with whom they passed well. So to
the Wardrobe, where alone with my Lord above an hour; and he do seem still
to have his old confidence in me; and tells me to boot, that Mr. Coventry
hath spoke of me to him to great advantage; wherein I am much pleased. By
and by comes in Mr. Coventry to visit my Lord; and so my Lord and he and I
walked together in the great chamber a good while; and I found him a most
ingenuous man and good company. He being gone I also went home by water,
Mr. Moore with me for discourse sake, and then parted from me, Cooper
being there ready to attend me, so he and I to work till it was dark, and
then eat a bit and by daylight to bed.

9th. Up by four o'clock, and at my multiplicacion-table hard, which is
all the trouble I meet withal in my arithmetique. So made me ready and to
the office, where all the morning busy, and Sir W. Pen came to my office
to take his leave of me, and desiring a turn in the garden, did commit the
care of his building to me, and offered all his services to me in all
matters of mine. I did, God forgive me! promise him all my service and
love, though the rogue knows he deserves none from me, nor do I intend to
show him any; but as he dissembles with me, so must I with him. Dined at
home, and so to the office again, my wife with me, and while I was for an
hour making a hole behind my seat in my closet to look into the office,
she was talking to me about her going to Brampton, which I would willingly
have her to do but for the cost of it, and to stay here will be very
inconvenient because of the dirt that I must have when my house is pulled
down. Then to my business till night, then Mr. Cooper and I to our
business, and then came Mr. Mills, the minister, to see me, which he hath
but rarely done to me, though every day almost to others of us; but he is
a cunning fellow, and knows where the good victuals is, and the good
drink, at Sir W. Batten's. However, I used him civilly, though I love him
as I do the rest of his coat. So to supper and to bed.

10th. Up by four o'clock, and before I went to the office I practised my
arithmetique, and then, when my wife was up, did call her and Sarah, and
did make up a difference between them, for she is so good a servant as I
am loth to part with her. So to the office all the morning, where very
much business, but it vexes me to see so much disorder at our table, that,
every man minding a several business, we dispatch nothing. Dined at home
with my wife, then to the office again, and being called by Sir W. Batten,
walked to the Victualler's office, there to view all the several offices
and houses to see that they were employed in order to give the Council an
account thereof. So after having taken an oath or two of Mr. Lewes and
Captain Brown and others I returned to the office, and there sat
despatching several businesses alone till night, and so home and by
daylight to bed.

11th. Up by four o'clock, and hard at my multiplicacion-table, which I am
now almost master of, and so made me ready and to my office, where by and
by comes Mr. Pett, and then a messenger from Mr. Coventry, who stays in
his boat at the Tower for us. So we to him, and down to Deptford first,
and there viewed some deals lately served in at a low price, which our
officers, like knaves, would untruly value in their worth, but we found
them good. Then to Woolwich, and viewed well all the houses and stores
there, which lie in very great confusion for want of storehouses, and then
to Mr. Ackworth's and Sheldon's to view their books, which we found not to
answer the King's service and security at all as to the stores. Then to
the Ropeyard, and there viewed the hemp, wherein we found great
corruption, and then saw a trial between Sir R. Ford's yarn and our own,
and found great odds. So by water back again. About five in the
afternoon to Whitehall, and so to St. James's; and at Mr. Coventry's
chamber, which is very neat and fine, we had a pretty neat dinner, and
after dinner fell to discourse of business and regulation, and do think of
many things that will put matters into better order, and upon the whole my
heart rejoices to see Mr. Coventry so ingenious, and able, and studious to
do good, and with much frankness and respect to Mr. Pett and myself
particularly. About 9 o'clock we broke up after much discourse and many
things agreed on in order to our business of regulation, and so by water
(landing Mr. Pett at the Temple) I went home and to bed.

12th. Up by five o'clock, and put things in my house in order to be laid
up, against my workmen come on Monday to take down the top of my house,
which trouble I must go through now, but it troubles me much to think of
it. So to my office, where till noon we sat, and then I to dinner and to
the office all the afternoon with much business. At night with Cooper at
arithmetique, and then came Mr. Creed about my Lord's accounts to even
them, and he gone I to supper and to bed.

13th (Lord's day) . . . . I had my old pain all yesterday and this
morning, and so kept my bed all this morning. So up and after dinner and
some of my people to church, I set about taking down my books and papers
and making my chamber fit against to-morrow to have the people come to
work in pulling down the top of my house. In the evening I walked to the
garden and sent for Mr. Turner (who yesterday did give me occasion of
speaking to him about the difference between him and me), and I told him
my whole mind, and how it was in my power to do him a discourtesy about
his place of petty purveyance, and at last did make him see (I think) that
it was his concernment to be friendly to me and what belongs to me. After
speaking my mind to him and he to me, we walked down and took boat at the
Tower and to Deptford, on purpose to sign and seal a couple of warrants,
as justice of peace in Kent, against one Annis, who is to be tried next
Tuesday, at Maidstone assizes, for stealing some lead out of Woolwich
Yard. Going and coming I did discourse with Mr. Turner about the faults
of our management of the business of our office, of which he is sensible,
but I believe is a very knave. Come home I found a rabbit at the fire,
and so supped well, and so to my journall and to bed.

14th. Up by 4 o'clock and to my arithmetique, and so to my office till 8,
then to Thames Street along with old Mr. Green, among the tarr-men, and
did instruct myself in the nature and prices of tarr, but could not get
Stockholm for the use of the office under L10 15s. per last, which is a
great price. So home, and at noon Dr. T. Pepys came to me, and he and I
to the Exchequer, and so back to dinner, where by chance comes Mr. Pierce,
the chyrurgeon, and then Mr. Battersby, the minister, and then Mr. Dun,
and it happened that I had a haunch of venison boiled, and so they were
very wellcome and merry; but my simple Dr. do talk so like a fool that I
am weary of him. They being gone, to my office again, and there all the
afternoon, and at night home and took a few turns with my wife in the
garden and so to bed. My house being this day almost quite untiled in
order to its rising higher. This night I began to put on my waistcoat
also. I found the pageant in Cornhill taken down, which was pretty
strange.

15th. Up by 4 o'clock, and after doing some business as to settling my
papers at home, I went to my office, and there busy till sitting time. So
at the office all the morning, where J. Southern, Mr. Coventry's clerk,
did offer me a warrant for an officer to sign which I desired, claiming it
for my clerk's duty, which however did trouble me a little to be put upon
it, but I did it. We broke up late, and I to dinner at home, where my
brother Tom and Mr. Cooke came and dined with me, but I could not be merry
for my business, but to my office again after dinner, and they two and my
wife abroad. In the evening comes Mr. Cooper, and I took him by water on
purpose to tell me things belonging to ships, which was time well spent,
and so home again, and my wife came home and tells me she has been very
merry and well pleased with her walk with them. About bedtime it fell
a-raining, and the house being all open at top, it vexed me; but there was
no help for it.

16th. In the morning I found all my ceilings, spoiled with rain last
night, so that I fear they must be all new whited when the work is done.
Made me ready and to my office, and by and by came Mr. Moore to me, and so
I went home and consulted about drawing up a fair state of all my Lord's
accounts, which being settled, he went away, and I fell to writing of it
very neatly, and it was very handsome and concisely done. At noon to my
Lord's with it, but found him at dinner, and some great company with him,
Mr. Edward Montagu and his brother, and Mr. Coventry, and after dinner he
went out with them, and so I lost my labour; but dined with Mr. Moore and
the people below, who after dinner fell to talk of Portugall rings, and
Captain Ferrers offered five or six to sell, and I seeming to like a ring
made of a coco-nutt with a stone done in it, he did offer and would give
it me. By and by we went to Mr. Creed's lodging, and there got a dish or
two of sweetmeats, and I seeing a very neat leaden standish to carry
papers, pen, and ink in when one travels I also got that of him, and that
done I went home by water and to finish some of my Lord's business, and so
early to bed. This day I was told that my Lady Castlemaine (being quite
fallen out with her husband) did yesterday go away from him, with all her
plate, jewels, and other best things; and is gone to Richmond to a brother
of her's; which, I am apt to think, was a design to get out of town, that
the King might come at her the better. But strange it is how for her
beauty I am willing to construe all this to the best and to pity her
wherein it is to her hurt, though I know well enough she is a whore.

17th. To my office, and by and by to our sitting; where much business.
Mr. Coventry took his leave, being to go with the Duke over for the
Queen-Mother. I dined at home, and so to my Lord's, where I presented him
with a true state of all his accounts to last Monday, being the 14th of
July, which did please him, and to my great joy I continue in his great
esteem and opinion. I this day took a general acquittance from my Lord to
the same day. So that now I have but very few persons to deal withall for
money in the world. Home and found much business to be upon my hands, and
was late at the office writing letters by candle light, which is rare at
this time of the year, but I do it with much content and joy, and then I
do please me to see that I begin to have people direct themselves to me in
all businesses. Very late I was forced to send for Mr. Turner, Smith,
Young, about things to be sent down early to-morrow on board the King's
pleasure boat, and so to bed with my head full of business, but well
contented in mind as ever in my life.

18th. Up very early, and got a-top of my house, seeing the design of my
work, and like it very well, and it comes into my head to have my
dining-room wainscoated, which will be very pretty. By-and-by by water to
Deptford, to put several things in order, being myself now only left in
town, and so back again to the office, and there doing business all the
morning and the afternoon also till night, and then comes Cooper for my
mathematiques, but, in good earnest, my head is so full of business that I
cannot understand it as otherwise I should do. At night to bed, being
much troubled at the rain coming into my house, the top being open.

19th. Up early and to some business, and my wife coming to me I staid
long with her discoursing about her going into the country, and as she is
not very forward so am I at a great loss whether to have her go or no
because of the charge, and yet in some considerations I would be glad she
was there, because of the dirtiness of my house and the trouble of having
of a family there. So to my office, and there all the morning, and then
to dinner and my brother Tom dined with me only to see me. In the
afternoon I went upon the river to look after some tarr I am sending down
and some coles, and so home again; it raining hard upon the water, I put
ashore and sheltered myself, while the King came by in his barge, going
down towards the Downs to meet the Queen: the Duke being gone yesterday.
But methought it lessened my esteem of a king, that he should not be able
to command the rain. Home, and Cooper coming (after I had dispatched
several letters) to my mathematiques, and so at night to bed to a chamber
at Sir W. Pen's, my own house being so foul that I cannot lie there any
longer, and there the chamber lies so as that I come into it over my leads
without going about, but yet I am not fully content with it, for there
will be much trouble to have servants running over the leads to and fro.

20th (Lord's day). My wife and I lay talking long in bed, and at last she
is come to be willing to stay two months in the country, for it is her
unwillingness to stay till the house is quite done that makes me at a loss
how to have her go or stay. But that which troubles me most is that it
has rained all this morning so furiously that I fear my house is all over
water, and with that expectation I rose and went into my house and find
that it is as wet as the open street, and that there is not one
dry-footing above nor below in my house. So I fitted myself for dirt, and
removed all my books to the office and all day putting up and restoring
things, it raining all day long as hard within doors as without. At last
to dinner, we had a calf's head and bacon at my chamber at Sir W. Pen's,
and there I and my wife concluded to have her go and her two maids and the
boy, and so there shall be none but Will and I left at home, and so the
house will be freer, for it is impossible to have anybody come into my
house while it is in this condition, and with this resolution all the
afternoon we were putting up things in the further cellar against next
week for them to be gone, and my wife and I into the office and there
measured a soiled flag that I had found there, and hope to get it to
myself, for it has not been demanded since I came to the office. But my
wife is not hasty to have it, but rather to stay a while longer and see
the event whether it will be missed or no. At night to my office, and
there put down this day's passages in my journall, and read my oaths, as I
am obliged every Lord's day. And so to Sir W. Pen's to my chamber again,
being all in dirt and foul, and in fear of having catched cold today with
dabbling in the water. But what has vexed me to-day was that by carrying
the key to Sir W. Pen's last night, it could not in the midst of all my
hurry to carry away my books and things, be found, and at last they found
it in the fire that we made last night. So to bed.

21st. Up early, and though I found myself out of order and cold, and the
weather cold and likely to rain, yet upon my promise and desire to do what
I intended, I did take boat and down to Greenwich, to Captain Cocke's, who
hath a most pleasant seat, and neat. Here I drank wine, and eat some
fruit off the trees; and he showed a great rarity, which was two or three
of a great number of silver dishes and plates, which he bought of an
embassador that did lack money, in the edge or rim of which was placed
silver and gold medalls, very ancient, and I believe wrought, by which, if
they be, they are the greatest rarity that ever I saw in my life, and I
will show Mr. Crumlum them. Thence to Woolwich to the Rope-yard; and
there looked over several sorts of hemp, and did fall upon my great survey
of seeing the working and experiments of the strength and the charge in
the dressing of every sort; and I do think have brought it to so great a
certainty, as I have done the King great service in it: and do purpose to
get it ready against the Duke's coming to town to present to him. I
breakfasted at Mr. Falconer's well, and much pleased with my inquiries.
Thence to the dock, where we walked in Mr. Shelden's garden, eating more
fruit, and drinking, and eating figs, which were very good, and talking
while the Royal James was bringing towards the dock, and then we went out
and saw the manner and trouble of docking such a ship, which yet they
could not do, but only brought her head into the Dock, and so shored her
up till next tide. But, good God! what a deal of company was there from
both yards to help to do it, when half the company would have done it as
well. But I see it is impossible for the King to have things done as
cheap as other men. Thence by water, and by and by landing at the
riverside somewhere among the reeds, we walked to Greenwich, where to
Cocke's house again and walked in the garden, and then in to his lady, who
I find is still pretty, but was now vexed and did speak very discontented
and angry to the Captain for disappointing a gentleman that he had invited
to dinner, which he took like a wise man and said little, but she was very
angry, which put me clear out of countenance that I was sorry I went in.
So after I had eat still some more fruit I took leave of her in the garden
plucking apricots for preserving, and went away and so by water home, and
there Mr. Moore coming and telling me that my Lady goes into the country
to-morrow, I carried my wife by coach to take her leave of her father, I
staying in Westminster Hall, she going away also this week, and thence to
my Lady's, where we staid and supped with her, but found that my Lady was
truly angry and discontented with us for our neglecting to see her as we
used to do, but after a little she was pleased as she was used to be, at
which we were glad. So after supper home to bed.

22d. Among my workmen early: then to the office, and there I had letters
from the Downs from Mr. Coventry; who tells me of the foul weather they
had last Sunday, that drove them back from near Boulogne, whither they
were going for the Queen, back again to the Downs, with the loss of their
cables, sayles, and masts; but are all safe, only my Lord Sandwich, who
went before with the yachts; they know not what is become of him, which do
trouble me much; but I hope he got ashore before the storm begun; which
God grant! All day at the office, only at home at dinner, where I was
highly angry with my wife for her keys being out of the way, but they were
found at last, and so friends again. All the afternoon answering letters
and writing letters, and at night to Mr. Coventry an ample letter in
answer to all his and the Duke's business. Late at night at the office,
where my business is great, being now all alone in town, but I shall go
through it with pleasure. So home and to bed.

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