Diary of Samuel Pepys, December 1666
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, December 1666
THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.
CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY
TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
(Unabridged)
WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES
EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY
HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
DECEMBER
1666
December 1st. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At
home to dinner, and then abroad walking to the Old Swan, and in my way I
did see a cellar in Tower Streete in a very fresh fire, the late great
winds having blown it up.
[The fire continued burning in some cellars of the ruins of the city
for four months, though it rained in the month of October ten days
without ceasing (Rugge's "Diurnal").--B.]
It seemed to be only of log-wood, that Hath kept the fire all this while
in it. Going further, I met my late Lord Mayor Bludworth, under whom the
City was burned, and went with him by water to White Hall. But, Lord! the
silly talk that this fellow had, only how ready he would be to part with
all his estate in these difficult times to advance the King's service, and
complaining that now, as every body did lately in the fire, every body
endeavours to save himself, and let the whole perish: but a very weak man
he seems to be. I left him at White Hall, he giving 6d. towards the boat,
and I to Westminster Hall, where I was again defeated in my expectation of
Burroughs. However, I was not much sorry for it, but by coach home, in
the evening, calling at Faythorne's, buying three of my Lady Castlemayne's
heads, printed this day, which indeed is, as to the head, I think, a very
fine picture, and like her. I did this afternoon get Mrs. Michell to let
me only have a sight of a pamphlet lately printed, but suppressed and much
called after, called "The Catholique's Apology;" lamenting the severity of
the Parliament against them, and comparing it with the lenity of other
princes to Protestants; giving old and late instances of their loyalty to
their princes, whatever is objected against them; and excusing their
disquiets in Queen Elizabeth's time, for that it was impossible for them
to think her a lawfull Queen, if Queen Mary, who had been owned as such,
were so; one being the daughter of the true, and the other of a false
wife: and that of the Gunpowder Treason, by saying that it was only the
practice of some of us, if not the King, to trepan some of their religion
into it, it never being defended by the generality of their Church, nor
indeed known by them; and ends with a large Catalogue, in red letters, of
the Catholiques which have lost their lives in the quarrel of the late
King and this. The thing is very well writ indeed. So home to my
letters, and then to my supper and to bed.
2nd (Lord's day). Up, and to church, and after church home to dinner,
where I met Betty Michell and her husband, very merry at dinner, and after
dinner, having borrowed Sir W. Pen's coach, we to Westminster, they two
and my wife and I to Mr. Martin's, where find the company almost all come
to the christening of Mrs. Martin's child, a girl. A great deal of good
plain company. After sitting long, till the church was done, the Parson
comes, and then we to christen the child. I was Godfather, and Mrs.
Holder (her husband, a good man, I know well), and a pretty lady, that
waits, it seems, on my Lady Bath, at White Hall, her name, Mrs. Noble,
were Godmothers. After the christening comes in the wine and the
sweetmeats, and then to prate and tattle, and then very good company they
were, and I among them. Here was old Mrs. Michell and Howlett, and
several married women of the Hall, whom I knew mayds. Here was also Mrs.
Burroughs and Mrs. Bales, the young widow, whom I led home, and having
staid till the moon was up, I took my pretty gossip to White Hall with us,
and I saw her in her lodging, and then my owne company again took coach,
and no sooner in the coach but something broke, that we were fain there to
stay till a smith could be fetched, which was above an hour, and then it
costing me 6s. to mend. Away round by the wall and Cow Lane,
[Cow Lane, West Smithfield (now named King Street), was famous for
its coachmakers.]
for fear it should break again; and in pain about the coach all the way.
But to ease myself therein Betty Michell did sit at the same end with me .
. . . Being very much pleased with this, we at last come home, and so
to supper, and then sent them by boat home, and we to bed. When I come
home I went to Sir W. Batten's, and there I hear more ill newes still:
that all our New England fleete, which went out lately, are put back a
third time by foul weather, and dispersed, some to one port and some to
another; and their convoys also to Plymouth; and whether any of them be
lost or not, we do not know. This, added to all the rest, do lay us flat
in our hopes and courages, every body prophesying destruction to the
nation.
3rd. Up, and, among a great many people that come to speak with me, one
was my Lord Peterborough's gentleman, who comes to me to dun me to get
some money advanced for my Lord; and I demanding what newes, he tells me
that at Court they begin to fear the business of Scotland more and more;
and that the Duke of York intends to go to the North to raise an army, and
that the King would have some of the Nobility and others to go and assist;
but they were so served the last year, among others his Lord, in raising
forces at their own charge, for fear of the French invading us, that they
will not be got out now, without money advanced to them by the King, and
this is like to be the King's case for certain, if ever he comes to have
need of any army. He and others gone, I by water to Westminster, and
there to the Exchequer, and put my tallys in a way of doing for the last
quarter. But my not following it the last week has occasioned the clerks
some trouble, which I am sorry for, and they are mad at. Thence at noon
home, and there find Kate Joyce, who dined with me: Her husband and she
are weary of their new life of being an Innkeeper, and will leave it, and
would fain get some office; but I know none the foole is fit for, but
would be glad to help them, if I could, though they have enough to live
on, God be thanked! though their loss hath been to the value of L3000 W.
Joyce now has all the trade, she says, the trade being come to that end of
the towne. She dined with me, my wife being ill of her months in bed. I
left her with my wife, and away myself to Westminster Hall by appointment
and there found out Burroughs, and I took her by coach as far as the Lord
Treasurer's and called at the cake house by Hales's, and there in the
coach eat and drank and then carried her home . . . . So having set
her down in the palace I to the Swan, and there did the first time
'baiser' the little sister of Sarah that is come into her place, and so
away by coach home, where to my vyall and supper and then to bed, being
weary of the following of my pleasure and sorry for my omitting (though
with a true salvo to my vowes) the stating my last month's accounts in
time, as I should, but resolve to settle, and clear all my business before
me this month, that I may begin afresh the next yeare, and enjoy some
little pleasure freely at Christmasse. So to bed, and with more
cheerfulness than I have done a good while, to hear that for certain the
Scott rebells are all routed; they having been so bold as to come within
three miles of Edinburgh, and there given two or three repulses to the
King's forces, but at last were mastered. Three or four hundred killed or
taken, among which their leader, one Wallis, and seven ministers, they
having all taken the Covenant a few days before, and sworn to live and die
in it, as they did; and so all is likely to be there quiet again. There
is also the very good newes come of four New-England ships come home safe
to Falmouth with masts for the King; which is a blessing mighty
unexpected, and without which, if for nothing else, we must have failed
the next year. But God be praised for thus much good fortune, and send us
the continuance of his favour in other things! So to bed.
4th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon dined
at home. After dinner presently to my office, and there late and then
home to even my Journall and accounts, and then to supper much eased in
mind, and last night's good news, which is more and more confirmed with
particulars to very good purpose, and so to bed.
5th. Up, and by water to White Hall, where we did much business before
the Duke of York, which being done, I away home by water again, and there
to my office till noon busy. At noon home, and Goodgroome dined with us,
who teaches my wife to sing. After dinner I did give him my song, "Beauty
retire," which he has often desired of me, and without flattery I think is
a very good song. He gone, I to the office, and there late, very busy
doing much business, and then home to supper and talk, and then scold with
my wife for not reckoning well the times that her musique master hath been
with her, but setting down more than I am sure, and did convince her, they
had been with her, and in an ill humour of anger with her to bed.
6th. Up, but very good friends with her before I rose, and so to the
office, where we sat all the forenoon, and then home to dinner, where
Harman dined with us, and great sport to hear him tell how Will Joyce
grows rich by the custom of the City coming to his end of the towne, and
how he rants over his brother and sister for their keeping an Inne, and
goes thither and tears like a prince, calling him hosteller and his sister
hostess. Then after dinner, my wife and brother, in another habit; go out
to see a play; but I am not to take notice that I know of my brother's
going. So I to the office, where very busy till late at night, and then
home. My wife not pleased with the play, but thinks that it is because
she is grown more critical than she used to be, but my brother she says is
mighty taken with it. So to supper and to bed. This day, in the Gazette,
is the whole story of defeating the Scotch rebells, and of the creation of
the Duke of Cambridge, Knight of the Garter.
7th. Up, and by water to the Exchequer, where I got my tallys finished
for the last quarter for Tangier, and having paid all my fees I to the
Swan, whither I sent for some oysters, and thither comes Mr. Falconbridge
and Spicer and many more clerks; and there we eat and drank, and a great
deal of their sorry discourse, and so parted, and I by coach home, meeting
Balty in the streete about Charing Crosse walking, which I am glad to see
and spoke to him about his mustering business, I being now to give an
account how the several muster-masters have behaved themselves, and so
home to dinner, where finding the cloth laid and much crumpled but clean,
I grew angry and flung the trenchers about the room, and in a mighty heat
I was: so a clean cloth was laid, and my poor wife very patient, and so to
dinner, and in comes Mrs. Barbara Sheldon, now Mrs. Wood, and dined with
us, she mighty fine, and lives, I perceive, mighty happily, which I am
glad [of] for her sake, but hate her husband for a block-head in his
choice. So away after dinner, leaving my wife and her, and by water to
the Strand, and so to the King's playhouse, where two acts were almost
done when I come in; and there I sat with my cloak about my face, and saw
the remainder of "The Mayd's Tragedy;" a good play, and well acted,
especially by the younger Marshall, who is become a pretty good actor, and
is the first play I have seen in either of the houses since before the
great plague, they having acted now about fourteen days publickly. But I
was in mighty pain lest I should be seen by any body to be at a play.
Soon as done I home, and then to my office awhile, and then home and spent
the night evening my Tangier accounts, much to my satisfaction, and then
to supper, and mighty good friends with my poor wife, and so to bed.
8th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon
home to dinner, and there find Mr. Pierce and his wife and Betty, a pretty
girle, who in discourse at table told me the great Proviso passed the
House of Parliament yesterday; which makes the King and Court mad, the
King having given order to my Lord Chamberlain to send to the playhouses
and bawdy houses, to bid all the Parliament-men that were there to go to
the Parliament presently. This is true, it seems; but it was carried
against the Court by thirty or forty voices. It is a Proviso to the Poll
Bill, that there shall be a Committee of nine persons that shall have the
inspection upon oath, and power of giving others, of all the accounts of
the money given and spent for this warr. This hath a most sad face, and
will breed very ill blood. He tells me, brought in by Sir Robert Howard,
who is one of the King's servants, at least hath a great office, and hath
got, they say, L20,000 since the King come in. Mr. Pierce did also tell me
as a great truth, as being told it by Mr. Cowly, who was by, and heard it,
that Tom Killigrew should publiquely tell the King that his matters were
coming into a very ill state; but that yet there was a way to help all,
which is, says he, "There is a good, honest, able man, that I could name,
that if your Majesty would employ, and command to see all things well
executed, all things would soon be mended; and this is one Charles Stuart,
who now spends his time in employing his lips . . . . about the Court,
and hath no other employment; but if you would give him this employment,
he were the fittest man in the world to perform it." This, he says, is
most true; but the King do not profit by any of this, but lays all aside,
and remembers nothing, but to his pleasures again; which is a sorrowful
consideration. Very good company we were at dinner, and merry, and after
dinner, he being gone about business, my wife and I and Mrs. Pierce and
Betty and Balty, who come to see us to-day very sick, and went home not
well, together out, and our coach broke the wheel off upon Ludgate Hill.
So we were fain to part ourselves and get room in other people's coaches,
and Mrs. Pierce and I in one, and I carried her home and set her down, and
myself to the King's playhouse, which troubles me since, and hath cost me
a forfeit of 10s., which I have paid, and there did see a good part of
"The English Monsieur," which is a mighty pretty play, very witty and
pleasant. And the women do very well; but, above all, little Nelly; that
I am mightily pleased with the play, and much with the House, more than
ever I expected, the women doing better than ever I expected, and very
fine women. Here I was in pain to be seen, and hid myself; but, as God
would have it, Sir John Chichly come, and sat just by me. Thence to Mrs.
Pierce's, and there took up my wife and away home, and to the office and
Sir W. Batten's, of whom I hear that this Proviso in Parliament is
mightily ill taken by all the Court party as a mortal blow, and that, that
strikes deep into the King's prerogative, which troubles me mightily.
Home, and set some papers right in my chamber, and then to supper and to
bed, we being in much fear of ill news of our colliers. A fleete of two
hundred sail, and fourteen Dutch men-of-war between them and us and they
coming home with small convoy; and the City in great want, coals being at
L3 3s. per chaldron, as I am told. I saw smoke in the ruines this very
day.
9th (Lord's day). Up, not to church, but to my chamber, and there begun
to enter into this book my journall of September, which in the fire-time I
could not enter here, but in loose papers. At noon dined, and then to my
chamber all the afternoon and night, looking over and tearing and burning
all the unnecessary letters, which I have had upon my file for four or
five years backward, which I intend to do quite through all my papers,
that I may have nothing by me but what is worth keeping, and fit to be
seen, if I should miscarry. At this work till midnight, and then to
supper and to bed.
10th. Up, and at my office all the morning, and several people with me,
Sir W. Warren, who I do every day more and more admire for a miracle of
cunning and forecast in his business, and then Captain Cocke, with whom I
walked in the garden, and he tells me how angry the Court is at the late
Proviso brought in by the House. How still my Lord Chancellor is, not
daring to do or say any thing to displease the Parliament; that the
Parliament is in a very ill humour, and grows every day more and more so;
and that the unskilfulness of the Court, and their difference among one
another, is the occasion of all not agreeing in what they would have, and
so they give leisure and occasion to the other part to run away with what
the Court would not have. Then comes Mr. Gawden, and he and I in my
chamber discoursing about his business, and to pay him some Tangier orders
which he delayed to receive till I had money instead of tallies, but do
promise me consideration for my victualling business for this year, and
also as Treasurer for Tangier, which I am glad of, but would have been
gladder to have just now received it. He gone, I alone to dinner at home,
my wife and her people being gone down the river to-day for pleasure,
though a cold day and dark night to come up. In the afternoon I to the
Excise Office to enter my tallies, which I did, and come presently back
again, and then to the office and did much business, and then home to
supper, my wife and people being come well and hungry home from Erith.
Then I to begin the setting of a Base to "It is Decreed," and so to bed.
11th. Up, and to the office, where we sat, and at noon home to dinner, a
small dinner because of a good supper. After dinner my wife and I by
coach to St. Clement's Church, to Mrs. Turner's lodgings, hard by, to take
our leaves of her. She is returning into the North to her children,
where, I perceive, her husband hath clearly got the mastery of her, and
she is likely to spend her days there, which for her sake I am a little
sorry for, though for his it is but fit she should live where he hath a
mind. Here were several people come to see and take leave of her, she
going to-morrow: among others, my Lady Mordant, which was Betty Turner, a
most homely widow, but young, and pretty rich, and good natured. Thence,
having promised to write every month to her, we home, and I to my office,
while my wife to get things together for supper. Dispatching my business
at the office. Anon come our guests, old Mr. Batelier, and his son and
daughter, Mercer, which was all our company. We had a good venison pasty
and other good cheer, and as merry as in so good, innocent, and
understanding company I could be. He is much troubled that wines, laden
by him in France before the late proclamation was out, cannot now be
brought into England, which is so much to his and other merchants' loss.
We sat long at supper and then to talk, and so late parted and so to bed.
This day the Poll Bill was to be passed, and great endeavours used to take
away the Proviso.
12th. Up, and to the office, where some accounts of Mr. Gawden's were
examined, but I home most of the morning to even some accounts with Sir H.
Cholmly, Mr. Moone, and others one after another. Sir H. Cholmly did with
grief tell me how the Parliament hath been told plainly that the King hath
been heard to say, that he would dissolve them rather than pass this Bill
with the Proviso; but tells me, that the Proviso is removed, and now
carried that it shall be done by a Bill by itself. He tells me how the
King hath lately paid about L30,000
[Two thousand pounds of this sum went to Alderman Edward Bakewell
for two diamond rings, severally charged L1000 and L900, bought
March 14th, 1665-66 (Second addenda to Steinman's "Memoir of the
Duchess of Cleveland," privately printed, 1878, p. 4.).]
to clear debts of my Lady Castlemayne's; and that she and her husband are
parted for ever, upon good terms, never to trouble one another more. He
says that he hears L400,000 hath gone into the Privypurse since this warr;
and that that hath consumed so much of our money, and makes the King and
Court so mad to be brought to discover it. He gone, and after him the
rest, I to the office, and at noon to the 'Change, where the very good
newes is just come of our four ships from Smyrna, come safe without convoy
even into the Downes, without seeing any enemy; which is the best, and
indeed only considerable good newes to our Exchange, since the burning of
the City; and it is strange to see how it do cheer up men's hearts. Here
I saw shops now come to be in this Exchange, and met little Batelier, who
sits here but at L3 per annum, whereas he sat at the other at L100, which
he says he believes will prove of as good account to him now as the other
did at that rent. From the 'Change to Captain Cocke's, and there, by
agreement, dined, and there was Charles Porter, Temple, Fern, Debasty,
whose bad English and pleasant discourses was exceeding good
entertainment, Matt. Wren, Major Cooper, and myself, mighty merry and
pretty discourse. They talked for certain, that now the King do follow
Mrs. Stewart wholly, and my Lady Castlemayne not above once a week; that
the Duke of York do not haunt my Lady Denham so much; that she troubles
him with matters of State, being of my Lord Bristoll's faction, and that
he avoids; that she is ill still. After dinner I away to the office,
where we sat late upon Mr. Gawden's accounts, Sir J. Minnes being gone
home sick. I late at the office, and then home to supper and to bed,
being mightily troubled with a pain in the small of my back, through cold,
or (which I think most true) my straining last night to get open my plate
chest, in such pain all night I could not turn myself in my bed. Newes
this day from Brampton, of Mr. Ensum, my sister's sweetheart, being dead:
a clowne.
13th. Up, and to the office, where we sat. At noon to the 'Change and
there met Captain Cocke, and had a second time his direction to bespeak
L100 of plate, which I did at Sir R. Viner's, being twelve plates more,
and something else I have to choose. Thence home to dinner, and there W.
Hewer dined with me, and showed me a Gazette, in April last, which I
wonder should never be remembered by any body, which tells how several
persons were then tried for their lives, and were found guilty of a design
of killing the King and destroying the Government; and as a means to it,
to burn the City; and that the day intended for the plot was the 3rd of
last September.
[The "Gazette" of April 23rd-26th, 1666, which contains the
following remarkable passage: "At the Sessions in the Old Bailey,
John Rathbone, an old army colonel, William Saunders, Henry Tucker,
Thomas Flint, Thomas Evans, John Myles, Will. Westcot, and John
Cole, officers or soldiers in the late Rebellion, were indicted for
conspiring the death of his Majesty and the overthrow of the
Government. Having laid their plot and contrivance for the
surprisal of the Tower, the killing his Grace the Lord General, Sir
John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, and Sir Richard Brown; and
then to have declared for an equal division of lands, &c. The
better to effect this hellish design, the City was to have been
fired, and the portcullis let down to keep out all assistance; and
the Horse Guards to have been surprised in the inns where they were
quartered, several ostlers having been gained for that purpose. The
Tower was accordingly viewed, and its surprise ordered by boats over
the moat, and from thence to scale the wall. One Alexander, not yet
taken, had likewise distributed money to these conspirators; and,
for the carrying on the design more effectually, they were told of a
Council of the great ones that sat frequently in London, from whom
issued all orders; which Council received their directions from
another in Holland, who sat with the States; and that the third of
September was pitched on for the attempt, as being found by Lilly's
Almanack, and a scheme erected for that purpose, to be a lucky day,
a planet then ruling which prognosticated the downfall of Monarchy.
The evidence against these persons was very full and clear, and they
were accordingly found guilty of High Treason." See November 10th,
1666--B.]
And the fire did indeed break out on the 2nd of September, which is very
strange, methinks, and I shall remember it. At the office all the
afternoon late, and then home to even my accounts in my Tangier book,
which I did to great content in all respects, and joy to my heart, and so
to bed. This afternoon Sir W. Warren and Mr. Moore, one after another,
walked with me in the garden, and they both tell me that my Lord Sandwich
is called home, and that he do grow more and more in esteem everywhere,
and is better spoken of, which I am mighty glad of, though I know well
enough his deserving the same before, and did foresee that it will come to
it. In mighty great pain in my back still, but I perceive it changes its
place, and do not trouble me at all in making of water, and that is my
joy, so that I believe it is nothing but a strain, and for these three or
four days I perceive my overworking of my eyes by candlelight do hurt them
as it did the last winter, that by day I am well and do get them right,
but then after candlelight they begin to be sore and run, so that I intend
to get some green spectacles.