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Georg Ebers - "Joshua, Volume 1."

Samuel Pepys - "Diary of Samuel Pepys, December 1666"

A. Conan Doyle - "A Duet"

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Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete

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




[Gilbert Sheldon, born July 19th, 1598; Fellow of All Souls, Oxford,
1622; Warden, 1635; Bishop of London, 1660-63; Archbishop of
Canterbury, 1663. Died November 9th, 1677.]

(who is now one of the most powerful men in England with the King), their
minds were wholly turned. And it is said that my Lord Albemarle did
oppose him most; but that I do believe is only in appearance. He told me
also that most of the Presbyters now begin to wish they had complied, now
they see that no Indulgence will be granted them, which they hoped for;
and that the Bishop of London hath taken good care that places are
supplied with very good and able men, which is the only thing that will
keep all quiet. I took him in the tavern at Puddle dock, but neither he
nor I drank any of the wine we called for, but left it, and so after
discourse parted, and Mr. Townsend not being at home I went to my
brother's, and there heard how his love matter proceeded, which do not
displease me, and so by water to White Hall to my Lord's lodgings, where
he being to go to Hinchingbroke to-morrow morning, I staid and fiddled
with Will. Howe some new tunes very pleasant, and then my Lord came in
and had much kind talk with him, and then to bed with Mr. Moore there
alone. So having taken my leave of my Lord before I went to bed, I
resolved to rise early and be gone without more speaking to him--

4th. Which I did, and by water betimes to the Tower and so home, where I
shifted myself, being to dine abroad, and so being also trimmed, which is
a thing I have very seldom done of late, I gat to my office and then met
and sit all the morning, and at noon we all to the Trinity House, where we
treated, very dearly, I believe, the officers of the Ordnance; where was
Sir W. Compton and the rest and the Lieutenant of the Tower. We had much
and good music, which was my best entertainment. Sir Wm. Compton I heard
talk with great pleasure of the difference between the fleet now and in
Queen Elisabeth's days; where, in 88, she had but 36 sail great and small,
in the world; and ten rounds of powder was their allowance at that time
against the Spaniard. After Sir W. Compton and Mr. Coventry, and some of
the best of the rest were gone, I grew weary of staying with Sir Williams
both, and the more for that my Lady Batten and her crew, at least half a
score, come into the room, and I believe we shall pay size for it; but
'tis very pleasant to see her in her hair under her hood, and how by
little and little she would fain be a gallant; but, Lord! the company she
keeps about her are like herself, that she may be known by them what she
is. Being quite weary I stole from them and to my office, where I did
business till 9 at night, and so to my lodgings to bed.

5th. Up by break of day at 5 o'clock, and down by water to Woolwich: in
my way saw the yacht lately built by our virtuosoes (my Lord Brunkard and
others, with the help of Commissioner Pett also) set out from Greenwich
with the little Dutch bezan, to try for mastery; and before they got to
Woolwich the Dutch beat them half-a-mile (and I hear this afternoon, that,
in coming home, it got above three miles); which all our people are glad
of. Here I staid and mustered the yard and looked into the storehouses;
and so walked all alone to Greenwich, and thence by water to Deptford, and
there examined some stores, and did some of my own business in hastening
my work there, and so walked to Redriffe, being by this time pretty weary
and all in a sweat; took boat there for the Tower, which made me a little
fearful, it being a cold, windy morning. So to my lodgings and there
rubbed myself clean, and so to Mr. Bland's, the merchant, by invitation, I
alone of all our company of this office; where I found all the officers of
the Customs, very grave fine gentlemen, and I am very glad to know them;
viz.--Sir Job Harvy, Sir John Wolstenholme, Sir John Jacob, Sir Nicholas
Crisp, Sir John Harrison, and Sir John Shaw: very good company. And among
other pretty discourse, some was of Sir Jerom Bowes, Embassador from
Queene Elizabeth to the Emperor of Russia;

[In 1583; the object of his mission being to persuade the Muscovite
(Ivan IV. the Terrible) to a peace with John, King of Sweden. He
was also employed to confirm the trade of the English with Russia,
and having incurred some personal danger, was received with favour
on his return by the Queen. He died in 1616.]

who, because some of the noblemen there would go up the stairs to the
Emperor before him, he would not go up till the Emperor had ordered those
two men to be dragged down stairs, with their heads knocking upon every
stair till they were killed. And when he was come up, they demanded his
sword of him before he entered the room. He told them, if they would have
his sword, they should have his boots too. And so caused his boots to be
pulled off, and his night-gown and night-cap and slippers to be sent for;
and made the Emperor stay till he could go in his night-dress, since he
might not go as a soldier. And lastly, when the Emperor in contempt, to
show his command of his subjects, did command one to leap from the window
down and broke his neck in the sight of our Embassador, he replied that
his mistress did set more by, and did make better use of the necks of her
subjects but said that, to show what her subjects would do for her, he
would, and did, fling down his gantlett before the Emperor; and challenged
all the nobility there to take it up, in defence of the Emperor against
his Queen: for which, at this very day, the name of Sir Jerom Bowes is
famous and honoured there. After dinner I came home and found Sir John
Minnes come this day, and I went to him to Sir W. Batten's, where it
pleased me to see how jealous Sir Williams both are of my going down to
Woolwich, &c., and doing my duty as I nowadays do, and of my dining with
the Commission of the Customs. So to my office, and there till 9 at
night, and so to my lodgings to bed. I this day heard that Mr. Martin
Noell is knighted by the King, which I much wonder at; but yet he is
certainly a very useful man.

6th. Lay long, that is, till 6 and past before I rose, in order to sweat
a little away the cold which I was afraid I might have got yesterday, but
I bless God I am well. So up and to my office, and then we met and sat
till noon, very full of business. Then Sir John Minnes, both Sir Williams
and I to the Trinity House, where we had at dinner a couple of venison
pasties, of which I eat but little, being almost cloyed, having been at
five pasties in three days, namely, two at our own feast, and one
yesterday, and two to-day. So home and at the office all the afternoon,
busy till nine at night, and so to my lodging and to bed. This afternoon
I had my new key and the lock of my office door altered, having lost my
key the other day, which vexed me.

7th (Lord's day). Up betimes and round about by the streets to my office,
and walked in the garden and in my office till my man Will rose, and then
sent to tell Sir J. Minnes that I would go with him to Whitehall, which
anon we did, in his coach, and to the Chapell, where I heard a good sermon
of the Dean of Ely's, upon returning to the old ways, and a most excellent
anthem, with symphonys between, sung by Captain Cooke. Then home with Mr.
Fox and his lady; and there dined with them, where much company come to
them. Most of our discourse was what ministers are flung out that will
not conform: and the care of the Bishop of London that we are here
supplied with very good men. Thence to my Lord's, where nobody at home
but a woman that let me in, and Sarah above, whither I went up to her and
played and talked with her . . . After I had talked an hour or two with
her I went and gave Mr. Hunt a short visit, he being at home alone, and
thence walked homewards, and meeting Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon, he took
me into Somersett House; and there carried me into the Queen-Mother's
presence-chamber, where she was with our own Queen sitting on her left
hand (whom I did never see before); and though she be not very charming,
yet she hath a good, modest, and innocent look, which is pleasing. Here I
also saw Madam Castlemaine, and, which pleased me most, Mr. Crofts, the
King's bastard, a most pretty spark of about 15 years old, who, I
perceive, do hang much upon my Lady Castlemaine, and is always with her;
and, I hear, the Queens both of them are mighty kind to him.

[James, the son of Charles II. by Lucy Walter, daughter of William
Walter, of Roch Castle, co. Pembroke. He was born April 9th, 1649,
and landed in England with the Queen-Mother, July 28th, 1662, when
he bore the name of Crofts, after Lord Crofts, his governor. He was
created Duke of Monmouth, February 14th, 1663, and married Lady Anne
Scott, daughter and heiress of Francis, second Earl of Buccleuch, on
April 20th following. In 1673 he took the name of Scott, and was
created Duke of Buccleuch.]

By and by in comes the King, and anon the Duke and his Duchess; so that,
they being all together, was such a sight as I never could almost have
happened to see with so much ease and leisure. They staid till it was
dark, and then went away; the King and his Queen, and my Lady Castlemaine
and young Crofts, in one coach and the rest in other, coaches. Here were
great store of great ladies, but very few handsome. The King and Queen
were very merry; and he would have made the Queen-Mother believe that his
Queen was with child, and said that she said so. And the young Queen
answered, "You lye;" which was the first English word that I ever heard
her say which made the King good sport; and he would have taught her to
say in English, "Confess and be hanged." The company being gone I walked
home with great content as I can be in for seeing the greatest rarity, and
yet a little troubled that I should see them before my wife's coming home,
I having made a promise that I would not, nor did I do it industriously
and by design, but by chance only. To my office, to fit myself for
waiting on the Duke to-morrow morning with the rest of our company, and so
to my lodgings and to bed.

8th. Up betimes and to my office preparing an account to give the Duke
this morning of what we have of late done at the office. About 7 o'clock
I went forth thinking to go along with Sir John Minnes and the rest, and I
found them gone, which did vex me, so I went directly to the old Swan and
took boat before them to Sir G. Carteret's lodgings at Whitehall, and
there staying till he was dressed talking with him, he and I to St.
James's, where Sir Williams both and Sir John were come, and so up with
Mr. Coventry to the Duke; who, after he was out of his bed, did send for
us in; and, when he was quite ready, took us into his closet, and there
told us that he do intend to renew the old custom for the Admirals to have
their principal officers to meet them once a-week, to give them an account
what they have done that week; which I am glad of: and so the rest did
tell his Royal Highness that I could do it best for the time past. And so
I produced my short notes, and did give him an account of all that we have
of late done; and proposed to him several things for his commands, which
he did give us, and so dismissed us. The rest to Deptford, I to the
Exchequer to meet Mr. Townsend, where I hear he is gone to the Sun tavern,
and there found him with some friends at breakfast, which I eat with him,
and so we crossed the water together, and in walking I told him my brother
Tom's intentions for a wife, which he would do me all favour in to Mr.
Young, whose kinswoman he do look after. We took boat again at the
Falcon, and there parted, and I to the old Swan, and so to the Change, and
there meeting Sir W. Warren did step to a tavern, and there sat and talked
about price of masts and other things, and so broke up and to my office to
see what business, and so we took water again, and at the Tower I over to
Redriffe, and there left him in the boat and walked to Deptford, and there
up and down the yard speaking with people, and so Sir W. Pen coming out of
the payhouse did single me out to tell me Sir J. Minnes' dislike of my
blinding his lights over his stairs (which indeed is very bad) and
blocking up the house of office on the leads. Which did trouble me. So I
went into the payhouse and took an occasion of speaking with him alone,
and did give him good satisfaction therein, so as that I am well pleased
and do hope now to have my closet on the leads without any more trouble,
for he do not object against my having a door upon the leads, but that all
my family should not make it a thoroughfare, which I am contented with.
So to the pay, and in the evening home in the barge, and so to my office,
and after doing some business there to my lodgings, and so to bed.

9th. At my office betimes, and by and by we sat, and at noon Mr.
Coventry, Sir J. Minnes, Mr. Pett, and myself by water to Deptford, where
we met Sir G. C., Sir W. B., and Sir W. P. At the pay of a ship, and we
dined together on a haunch of good venison boiled, and after dinner
returned again to the office, and there met several tradesmen by our
appointment to know of them their lowest rates that they will take for
their several provisions that they sell to us, for I do resolve to know
that, and to buy no dearer, that so when we know the lowest rate, it shall
be the Treasurer's fault, and not ours, that we pay dearer. This
afternoon Sir John Minnes, Mr. Coventry, and I went into Sir John's
lodgings, where he showed us how I have blinded all his lights, and
stopped up his garden door, and other things he takes notice of that he
resolves to abridge me of, which do vex me so much that for all this
evening and all night in my bed, so great a fool I am, and little master
of my passion, that I could not sleep for the thoughts of my losing the
privilege of the leads, and other things which in themselves are small and
not worth half the trouble. The more fool am I, and must labour against
it for shame, especially I that used to preach up Epictetus's rule:

["Some things are in our power, others are not" Pepys means,
"I ought not to vex myself about what I cannot control."]

Late at my office, troubled in mind, and then to bed, but could hardly
sleep at night.

10th. Up and to my house, and there contrived a way how Sir John Minnes
shall come into the leads, and yet I save part of the closet I hoped for,
which, if it will not please him, I am a madman to be troubled at it. To
my office, and then at my house among my lazy workmen all day. In the
afternoon to the Wardrobe to speak with Mr. Townsend, who tells me that he
has spoke with Mr. Young about my brother Tom's business, and finds that
he has made enquiry of him, and do hear him so well spoken of that he
doubts not that the business will take with ordinary endeavours. So to my
brother's, and there finding both door and hatch open, I went in and
knocked 3 or 4 times, and nobody came to me, which troubled me mightily;
at last came Margaret, who complained of Peter, who by and by came in, and
I did rattle him soundly for it. I did afterwards take occasion to talk
seriously alone with Margaret, who I find a very discreet, good woman, and
tells me, upon my demand, that her master is a very good husband, and
minds his business well, but his fault is that he has not command over his
two men, but they do what they list, and care not for his commands, and
especially on Sundays they go whither they please, and not to church,
which vexes me mightily, and I am resolved to school [him] soundly for it,
it being so much unlike my father, that I cannot endure it in myself or
him. So walked home and in my way at the Exchange found my uncle Wight,
and he and I to an alehouse to drink a cup of beer, and so away, and I
home and at the office till 9 o'clock and past, and so to my lodgings. I
forgot that last night Mr. Cooke came to me to make his peace for inviting
my brother lately out of town without my leave, but he do give me such a
character of the lady that he has found out for him that I do much rejoice
at, and did this night write a letter to her, which he enclosed in one of
his, and by the report that I hear of her I confess I am much pleased with
the match.

11th. Up, but not so soon as I have of late practised, my little trouble
of mind and the shortness of the days making me to lie a little longer
than I used to do, but I must make it up by sitting up longer of nights.
To my office, whither my brother Tom, whom I chide sufficiently for
yesterday's work. So we sat at the office all the morning, some of us at
Deptford paying the ordinary there; at noon Sir W. Pen took me to his
lodgings to dinner, and after dinner I to my office again, and now and
then to see how my work goes on, and so to my office late, and so to my
lodgings, and after staying up till past 12 at night, at my musique upon
my lute, to bed. This night Tom came to show me a civil letter sent him
from his mistress. I am pleased well enough with the business.

12th. Up betimes and to my office, and up to my workmen, which goes on
slowly and troubles me much. Besides, my mind is troubled till I see how
Sir John Minnes will carry himself to me about my lodgings, for all my
fear is that he will get my best chamber from me, for as for the leads I
care not a farthing for them. At my office all the morning, Mr. Lewes
teaching me to understand the method of making up Purser's accounts, which
is very needful for me and very hard. Dined at home all in dirt, and my
mind weary of being thus out of order, but I hope in God it will away, but
for the present I am very melancholy, as I have been a great while. All
the afternoon till 9 at night at my office, and then home and eat an egg
or two, and so to my lodgings and to bed. This day, by letters from my
father, I hear that Captain Ferrers, who is with my Lord in the country,
was at Brampton (with Mr. Creed) to see him; and that a day or two ago,
being provoked to strike one of my Lord's footmen, the footman drew his
sword, and hath almost cut the fingers of one of his hands off; which I am
sorry for: but this is the vanity of being apt to command and strike.

13th. Up betimes and to my office, and we sat all the morning, and then
at noon dined alone at home, and so among my work folks studying how to
get my way sure to me to go upon the leads, which I fear at last I must be
contented to go without, but, however, my mind is troubled still about it.
We met again in the afternoon to set accounts even between the King and
the masters of ships hired to carry provisions to Lisbon, and in the
evening Mr. Moore came to me and did lie with me at my lodgings. It is
great pleasure to me his company and discourse, and did talk also about my
law business, which I must now fall upon minding again, the term coming on
apace. So to bed.

14th (Lord's day). Up very early, and Mr. Moore taking leave of me the
barber came and trimmed me (I having him now to come to me again after I
have used a pumice-stone a good while, not but what I like this where I
cannot conveniently have a barber, but here I cannot keep my hair dry
without one), and so by water to White Hall, by the way hearing that the
Bishop of London had given a very strict order against boats going on
Sundays, and as I come back again, we were examined by the masters of the
company in another boat; but I told them who I was. But the door not
being open to Westminster stairs there, called in at the Legg and drank a
cup of ale and a toast, which I have not done many a month before, but it
served me for my two glasses of wine to-day. Thence to St. James's to Mr.
Coventry, and there staid talking privately with him an hour in his
chamber of the business of our office, and found him to admiration good
and industrious, and I think my most true friend in all things that are
fair. He tells me freely his mind of every man and in every thing. Thence
to White Hall chapel, where sermon almost done, and I heard Captain
Cooke's new musique. This the first day of having vialls and other
instruments to play a symphony between every verse of the anthem; but the
musique more full than it was the last Sunday, and very fine it is.

[Charles II. determined to form his own chapel on the model of that
at Versailles. Twenty-four instrumentalists were engaged, and this
was the first day upon which they were brought into requisition.
Evelyn alludes to the change in his Diary, but he puts the date down
as the 21st instead of the 14th. "Instead of the antient, grave and
solemn wind musiq accompanying the organ, was introduc'd a concert
of 24 violins between every pause after the French fantastical light
way, better suiting a tavern or playhouse than a church. This was
the first time of change, and now we no more heard the cornet which
gave life to the organ, that instrument quite left off in which the
English were so skilful." A list of the twenty-four fiddlers in
1674, taken from an Exchequer document, "The names of the Gents of
his Majesties Private Musick paid out of the Exchequer," is printed
in North's "Memoires of Musick," ed. Rimbault, 1846, p. 98 (note).]

But yet I could discern Captain Cooke to overdo his part at singing, which
I never did before. Thence up into the Queen's presence, and there saw
the Queen again as I did last Sunday, and some fine ladies with her; but,
my troth, not many. Thence to Sir G. Carteret's, and find him to have
sprained his foot and is lame, but yet hath been at chappell, and my Lady
much troubled for one of her daughters that is sick. I dined with them,
and a very pretty lady, their kinswoman, with them. My joy is, that I do
think I have good hold on Sir George and Mr. Coventry. Sir George told me
of a chest of drawers that were given Sir W. B. by Hughes the rope-maker,
whom he has since put out of his employment, and now the fellow do cry out
upon Sir W. for his cabinet. So home again by water and to church, and
from church Sir Williams both and Sir John Minnes into the garden, and
anon Sir W. Pen and I did discourse about my lodgings and Sir J. Minnes,
and I did open all my mind to him, and he told me what he had heard, and I
do see that I shall hardly keep my best lodging chamber, which troubles
me, but I did send for Goodenough the plasterer, who tells me that it did
ever belong to my lodgings, but lent by Mr. Payles to Mr. Smith, and so I
will strive hard for it before I lose it. So to supper with them at Sir
W. Batten's, and do counterfeit myself well pleased, but my heart is
troubled and offended at the whole company. So to my office to prepare
notes to read to the Duke to-morrow morning, and so to my lodgings and to
bed, my mind a little eased because I am resolved to know the worst
concerning my lodgings tomorrow. Among other things Sir W. Pen did tell
me of one of my servants looking into Sir J. Minnes' window when my Lady
Batten lay there, which do much trouble them, and me also, and I fear will
wholly occasion my loosing the leads. One thing more he told me of my
Jane's cutting off a carpenter's long mustacho, and how the fellow cried,
and his wife would not come near him a great while, believing that he had
been among some of his wenches. At which I was merry, though I perceive
they discourse of it as a crime of hers, which I understand not.

15th. Up betimes to meet with the plasterer and bricklayer that did first
divide our lodgings, and they do both tell me that my chamber now in
dispute did ever belong to my lodgings, which do put me into good quiet of
mind. So by water with Sir Wm. Pen to White Hall; and, with much ado, was
fain to walk over the piles through the bridge, while Sir W. Batten and
Sir J. Minnes were aground against the bridge, and could not in a great
while get through. At White Hall we hear that the Duke of York is gone
a-hunting to-day; and so we returned: they going to the Duke of
Albemarle's, where I left them (after I had observed a very good picture
or two there), and so home, and there did resolve to give up my endeavours
for access to the leads, and to shut up my doors lest the being open might
give them occasion of longing for my chamber, which I am in most fear
about. So to Deptford, and took my Lady Batten and her daughter and Mrs.
Turner along with me, they being going through the garden thither, they to
Mr. Unthwayte's and I to the Pay, and then about 3 o'clock went to dinner
(Sir W. Pen and I), and after dinner to the Pay again, and at night by
barge home all together, and so to my lodgings and to bed, my mind full of
trouble about my house.

16th. Up and to my workmen, and then to the office, and there we sat till
noon; then to the Exchange, and in my way met with the housekeeper of this
office, and he did give me so good an account of my chamber in my house
about which I am so much troubled that I am well at ease in my mind. At
my office all the afternoon alone. In the evening Sir J. M. and I walked
together a good while in the garden, very pleasant, and takes no notice
that he do design any further trouble to me about my house. At night eat
a bit of bread and cheese, and so to my lodgings and to bed, my mind ill
at ease for these particulars: my house in dirt, and like to lose my best
chamber. My wife writes me from the country that she is not pleased there
with my father nor mother, nor any of her servants, and that my boy is
turned a very rogue. I have L30 to pay to the cavaliers: then a doubt
about my being forced to leave all my business here, when I am called to
the court at Brampton; and lastly, my law businesses, which vex me to my
heart what I shall be able to do next term, which is near at hand.

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