Diary of Samuel Pepys, December 1666
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, December 1666
14th. Up, and very well again of my pain in my back, it having been
nothing but cold. By coach to White Hall, seeing many smokes of the fire
by the way yet, and took up into the coach with me a country gentleman,
who asked me room to go with me, it being dirty--one come out of the North
to see his son, after the burning his house: a merchant. Here endeavoured
to wait on the Duke of York, but he would not stay from the Parliament.
So I to Westminster Hall, and there met my good friend Mr. Evelyn, and
walked with him a good while, lamenting our condition for want of good
council, and the King's minding of his business and servants. I out to
the Bell Taverne, and thither comes Doll to me . . . ., and after an
hour's stay, away and staid in Westminster Hall till the rising of the
house, having told Mr. Evelyn, and he several others, of my Gazette which
I had about me that mentioned in April last a plot for which several were
condemned of treason at the Old Bayly for many things, and among others
for a design of burning the city on the 3rd of September. The house sat
till three o'clock, and then up: and I home with Sir Stephen Fox to his
house to dinner, and the Cofferer with us. There I find Sir S. Fox's lady,
a fine woman, and seven the prettiest children of theirs that ever I knew
almost. A very genteel dinner, and in great state and fashion, and
excellent discourse; and nothing like an old experienced man and a
courtier, and such is the Cofferer Ashburnham. The House have been mighty
hot to-day against the Paper Bill, showing all manner of averseness to
give the King money; which these courtiers do take mighty notice of, and
look upon the others as bad rebells as ever the last were. But the
courtiers did carry it against those men upon a division of the House, a
great many, that it should be committed; and so it was: which they reckon
good news. After dinner we three to the Excise Office, and there had long
discourse about our monies, but nothing to satisfaction, that is, to shew
any way of shortening the time which our tallies take up before they
become payable, which is now full two years, which is 20 per, cent. for
all the King's money for interest, and the great disservice of his Majesty
otherwise. Thence in the evening round by coach home, where I find
Foundes his present, of a fair pair of candlesticks, and half a dozen of
plates come, which cost him full L50, and is a very good present; and here
I met with, sealed up, from Sir H. Cholmly, the lampoone, or the
Mocke-Advice to a Paynter,
[In a broadside (1680), quoted by Mr. G. T. Drury in his edition of
Waller's Poems, 1893, satirical reference is made to the fashionable
form of advice to the painters
"Each puny brother of the rhyming trade
At every turn implores the Painter's aid,
And fondly enamoured of own foul brat
Cries in an ecstacy, Paint this, draw that."
The series was continued, for we find "Advice to a Painter upon the
Defeat of the Rebels in the West and the Execution of the late Duke
of Monmouth" ("Poems on Affairs of State," vol. ii., p. 148);
"Advice to a Painter, being a Satire on the French King," &c., 1692,
and "Advice to a Painter," 1697 ("Poems on Affairs of State," vol.
ii., p. 428).]
abusing the Duke of York and my Lord Sandwich, Pen, and every body, and
the King himself, in all the matters of the navy and warr. I am sorry for
my Lord Sandwich's having so great a part in it. Then to supper and
musique, and to bed.
15th. Up and to the office, where my Lord Bruncker newly come to town,
from his being at Chatham and Harwich to spy enormities: and at noon I
with him and his lady Williams, to Captain Cocke's, where a good dinner,
and very merry. Good news to-day upon the Exchange, that our Hamburgh
fleete is got in; and good hopes that we may soon have the like of our
Gottenburgh, and then we shall be well for this winter. Very merry at
dinner. And by and by comes in Matt. Wren from the Parliament-house; and
tells us that he and all his party of the House, which is the Court party,
are fools, and have been made so this day by the wise men of the other
side; for, after the Court party had carried it yesterday so powerfully
for the Paper-Bill,
[It was called "A Bill for raising part of the supply for his
Majesty by an imposition on Sealed Paper and Parchment"--B.]
yet now it is laid aside wholly, and to be supplied by a land-tax; which
it is true will do well, and will be the sooner finished, which was the
great argument for the doing of it. But then it shews them fools, that
they would not permit this to have been done six weeks ago, which they
might have had. And next, they have parted with the Paper Bill, which,
when once begun, might have proved a very good flower in the Crowne, as
any there. So do really say that they are truly outwitted by the other
side. Thence away to Sir R. Viner's, and there chose some plate besides
twelve plates which I purpose to have with Captain Cocke's gift of L100,
and so home and there busy late, and then home and to bed.
16th (Lord's day). Lay long talking with my wife in bed, then up with
great content and to my chamber to set right a picture or two, Lovett
having sent me yesterday Sancta Clara's head varnished, which is very
fine, and now my closet is so full stored, and so fine, as I would never
desire to have it better. Dined without any strangers with me, which I do
not like on Sundays. Then after dinner by water to Westminster to see
Mrs. Martin, whom I found up in her chamber and ready to go abroad. I sat
there with her and her husband and others a pretty while, and then away to
White Hall, and there walked up and down to the Queen's side, and there
saw my dear Lady Castlemayne, who continues admirable, methinks, and I do
not hear but that the King is the same to her still as ever. Anon to
chapel, by the King's closet, and heard a very good anthemne. Then with
Lord Bruncker to Sir W. Coventry's chamber; and there we sat with him and
talked. He is weary of anything to do, he says, in the Navy. He tells us
this Committee of Accounts will enquire sharply into our office. And,
speaking of Sir J. Minnes, he says he will not bear any body's faults but
his own. He discoursed as bad of Sir W. Batten almost, and cries out upon
the discipline of the fleete, which is lost, and that there is not in any
of the fourth rates and under scarce left one Sea Commander, but all young
gentlemen; and what troubles him, he hears that the gentlemen give out
that in two or three years a Tarpaulin shall not dare to look after being
better than a Boatswain. Which he is troubled at, and with good reason,
and at this day Sir Robert Holmes is mighty troubled that his brother do
not command in chief, but is commanded by Captain Hannum, who, Sir W.
Coventry says, he believes to be at least of as good blood, is a longer
bred seaman, an elder officer, and an elder commander, but such is Sir R.
Holmes's pride as never to be stopt, he being greatly troubled at my Lord
Bruncker's late discharging all his men and officers but the standing
officers at Chatham, and so are all other Commanders, and a very great cry
hath been to the King from them all in my Lord's absence. But Sir W.
Coventry do undertake to defend it, and my Lord Bruncker got ground I
believe by it, who is angry at Sir W. Batten's and Sir W. Pen's bad words
concerning it, and I have made it worse by telling him that they refuse to
sign to a paper which he and I signed on Saturday to declare the reason of
his actions, which Sir W. Coventry likes and would have it sent him and he
will sign it, which pleases me well. So we parted, and I with Lord
Bruncker to Sir P. Neale's chamber, and there sat and talked awhile, Sir
Edward Walker being there, and telling us how he hath lost many fine
rowles of antiquity in heraldry by the late fire, but hath saved the most
of his papers. Here was also Dr. Wallis, the famous scholar and
mathematician; but he promises little. Left them, and in the dark and cold
home by water, and so to supper and to read and so to bed, my eyes being
better to-day, and I cannot impute it to anything but by my being much in
the dark to-night, for I plainly find that it is only excess of light that
makes my eyes sore. This after noon I walked with Lord Bruncker into the
Park and there talked of the times, and he do think that the King sees
that he cannot never have much more money or good from this Parliament,
and that therefore he may hereafter dissolve them, that as soon as he has
the money settled he believes a peace will be clapped up, and that there
are overtures of a peace, which if such as the Lord Chancellor can excuse
he will take. For it is the Chancellor's interest, he says, to bring peace
again, for in peace he can do all and command all, but in war he cannot,
because he understands not the nature of the war as to the management
thereof. He tells me he do not believe the Duke of York will go to sea
again, though there are a great many about the King that would be glad of
any occasion to take him out of the world, he standing in their ways; and
seemed to mean the Duke of Monmouth, who spends his time the most
viciously and idly of any man, nor will be fit for any thing; yet bespeaks
as if it were not impossible but the King would own him for his son, and
that there was a marriage between his mother and him; which God forbid
should be if it be not true, nor will the Duke of York easily be gulled in
it. But this put to our other distractions makes things appear very sad,
and likely to be the occasion of much confusion in a little time, and my
Lord Bruncker seems to say that nothing can help us but the King's making
a peace soon as he hath this money; and thereby putting himself out of
debt, and so becoming a good husband, and then he will neither need this
nor any other Parliament, till he can have one to his mind: for no
Parliament can, as he says, be kept long good, but they will spoil one
another, and that therefore it hath been the practice of kings to tell
Parliaments what he hath for them to do, and give them so long time to do
it in, and no longer. Harry Kembe, one of our messengers, is lately dead.
17th. Up, and several people to speak with me, and then comes Mr. Caesar,
and then Goodgroome, and, what with one and the other, nothing but musique
with me this morning, to my great content; and the more, to see that God
Aimighty hath put me into condition to bear the charge of all this. So
out to the 'Change, and did a little business, and then home, where they
two musicians and Mr. Cooke come to see me, and Mercer to go along with my
wife this afternoon to a play. To dinner, and then our company all broke
up, and to my chamber to do several things. Among other things, to write
a letter to my Lord Sandwich, it being one of the burdens upon my mind
that I have not writ to him since he went into Spain, but now I do intend
to give him a brief account of our whole year's actions since he went,
which will make amends. My wife well home in the evening from the play;
which I was glad of, it being cold and dark, and she having her necklace
of pearl on, and none but Mercer with her. Spent the evening in fitting
my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an
alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me. This day Captain
Batters come from sea in his fireship and come to see me, poor man, as his
patron, and a poor painful wretch he is as can be. After supper to bed.
18th. Up, and to the office, where I hear the ill news that poor Batters,
that had been born and bred a seaman, and brought up his ship from sea but
yesterday, was, going down from me to his ship, drowned in the Thames,
which is a sad fortune, and do make me afeard, and will do, more than ever
I was. At noon dined at home, and then by coach to my Lord Bellasses, but
not at home. So to Westminster Hall, where the Lords are sitting still, I
to see Mrs. Martin, who is very well, and intends to go abroad to-morrow
after her childbed. She do tell me that this child did come is 'meme jour
that it ought to hazer after my avoir ete con elle before her marid did
venir home . . . . Thence to the Swan, and there I sent for Sarah,
and mighty merry we were . . . . So to Sir Robert Viner's about my
plate, and carried home another dozen of plates, which makes my stock of
plates up 2 1/2 dozen, and at home find Mr. Thomas Andrews, with whom I
staid and talked a little and invited him to dine with me at Christmas,
and then I to the office, and there late doing business, and so home and
to bed. Sorry for poor Batters.
19th. Up, and by water down to White Hall, and there with the .Duke of
York did our usual business, but nothing but complaints of want of money
[without] success, and Sir W. Coventry's complaint of the defects of our
office (indeed Sir J. Minnes's) without any amendment, and he tells us so
plainly of the Committee of Parliament's resolution to enquire home into
all our managements that it makes me resolve to be wary, and to do all
things betimes to be ready for them. Thence going away met Mr. Hingston
the organist (my old acquaintance) in the Court, and I took him to the Dog
Taverne and got him to set me a bass to my "It is decreed," which I think
will go well, but he commends the song not knowing the words, but says the
ayre is good, and believes the words are plainly expressed. He is of my
mind against having of 8ths unnecessarily in composition. This did all
please me mightily. Then to talk of the King's family. He says many of
the musique are ready to starve, they being five years behindhand for
their wages; nay, Evens, the famous man upon the Harp having not his equal
in the world, did the other day die for mere want, and was fain to be
buried at the almes of the parish, and carried to his grave in the dark at
night without one linke, but that Mr. Hingston met it by chance, and did
give 12d. to buy two or three links. He says all must come to ruin at
this rate, and I believe him. Thence I up to the Lords' House to enquire
for Lord Bellasses; and there hear how at a conference this morning
between the two Houses about the business of the Canary Company, my Lord
Buckingham leaning rudely over my Lord Marquis Dorchester, my Lord
Dorchester removed his elbow. Duke of Buckingham asked him whether he was
uneasy; Dorchester replied, yes, and that he durst not do this were he any
where else: Buckingham replied, yes he would, and that he was a better man
than himself; Dorchester answered that he lyed. With this Buckingham
struck off his hat, and took him by his periwigg, and pulled it aside, and
held him. My Lord Chamberlain and others interposed, and, upon coming
into the House, the Lords did order them both to the Tower, whither they
are to go this afternoon. I down into the Hall, and there the Lieutenant
of the Tower took me with him, and would have me to the Tower to dinner;
where I dined at the head of his table, next his lady,' who is comely and
seeming sober and stately, but very proud and very cunning, or I am
mistaken, and wanton, too. This day's work will bring the Lieutenant of
the Tower L350. But a strange, conceited, vain man he is that ever I met
withal, in his own praise, as I have heretofore observed of him. Thence
home, and upon Tower Hill saw about 3 or 400 seamen get together; and one,
standing upon a pile of bricks, made his sign, with his handkercher, upon
his stick, and called all the rest to him, and several shouts they gave.
This made me afeard; so I got home as fast as I could. And hearing of no
present hurt did go to Sir Robert Viner's about my plate again, and coming
home do hear of 1000 seamen said in the streets to be in armes. So in
great fear home, expecting to find a tumult about my house, and was
doubtful of my riches there. But I thank God I found all well. But by
and by Sir W. Batten and Sir R. Ford do tell me, that the seamen have been
at some prisons, to release some seamen, and the Duke of Albemarle is in
armes, and all the Guards at the other end of the town; and the Duke of
Albemarle is gone with some forces to Wapping, to quell the seamen; which
is a thing of infinite disgrace to us. I sat long talking with them; and,
among other things, Sir R. Ford did make me understand how the House of
Commons is a beast not to be understood, it being impossible to know
beforehand the success almost of any small plain thing, there being so
many to think and speak to any business, and they of so uncertain minds
and interests and passions. He did tell me, and so did Sir W. Batten, how
Sir Allen Brodericke and Sir Allen Apsly did come drunk the other day
into the House, and did both speak for half an hour together, and could
not be either laughed, or pulled, or bid to sit down and hold their peace,
to the great contempt of the King's servants and cause; which I am grieved
at with all my heart. We were full in discourse of the sad state of our
times, and the horrid shame brought on the King's service by the just
clamours of the poor seamen, and that we must be undone in a little time.
Home full of trouble on these considerations, and, among other things, I
to my chamber, and there to ticket a good part of my books, in order to
the numbering of them for my easy finding them to read as I have occasion.
So to supper and to bed, with my heart full of trouble.
20th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and here among
other things come Captain Cocke, and I did get him to sign me a note for
the L100 to pay for the plate he do present me with, which I am very glad
of. At noon home to dinner, where was Balty come, who is well again, and
the most recovered in his countenance that ever I did see. Here dined with
me also Mrs. Batters, poor woman! now left a sad widow by the drowning of
her husband the other day. I pity her, and will do her what kindness I
can; yet I observe something of ill-nature in myself more than should be,
that I am colder towards her in my charity than I should be to one so
painful as he and she have been and full of kindness to their power to my
wife and I. After dinner out with Balty, setting him down at the Maypole
in the Strand, and then I to my Lord Bellasses, and there spoke with Mr.
Moone about some business, and so away home to my business at the office,
and then home to supper and to bed, after having finished the putting of
little papers upon my books to be numbered hereafter.
21st. Lay long, and when up find Mrs. Clerk of Greenwich and her daughter
Daniel, their business among other things was a request her daughter was
to make, so I took her into my chamber, and there it was to help her
husband to the command of a little new pleasure boat building, which I
promised to assist in. And here I had opportunity 'para baiser elle, and
toucher ses mamailles' . . . . Then to the office, and there did a
little business, and then to the 'Change and did the like. So home to
dinner, and spent all the afternoon in putting some things, pictures
especially, in order, and pasting my Lady Castlemayne's print on a frame,
which I have made handsome, and is a fine piece. So to the office in the
evening to marshall my papers of accounts presented to the Parliament,
against any future occasion to recur to them, which I did do to my great
content. So home and did some Tangier work, and so to bed.
22nd. At the office all the morning, and there come news from Hogg that
our shipp hath brought in a Lubecker to Portsmouth, likely to prove prize,
of deals, which joys us. At noon home to dinner, and then Sir W. Pen, Sir
R. Ford, and I met at Sir W. Batten's to examine our papers, and have
great hopes to prove her prize, and Sir R. Ford I find a mighty
yare--[Quick or ready, a naval term frequently used by Shakespeare.]--man
in this business, making exceeding good observations from the papers on
our behalf. Hereupon concluded what to write to Hogg and Middleton, which
I did, and also with Mr. Oviatt (Sir R. Ford's son, who is to be our
solicitor), to fee some counsel in the Admiralty, but none in town. So
home again, and after writing letters by the post, I with all my clerks
and Carcasse and Whitfield to the ticket-office, there to be informed in
the method and disorder of the office, which I find infinite great, of
infinite concernment to be mended, and did spend till 12 at night to my
great satisfaction, it being a point of our office I was wholly
unacquainted in. So with great content home and to bed.
23rd (Lord's day). Up and alone to church, and meeting Nan Wright at the
gate had opportunity to take two or three 'baisers', and so to church,
where a vain fellow with a periwigg preached, Chaplain, as by his prayer
appeared, to the Earl of Carlisle? Home, and there dined with us Betty
Michell and her husband. After dinner to White Hall by coach, and took
them with me. And in the way I would have taken 'su main' as I did the
last time, but she did in a manner withhold it. So set them down at White
Hall, and I to the Chapel to find Dr. Gibbons, and from him to the Harp
and Ball to transcribe the treble which I would have him to set a bass to.
But this took me so much time, and it growing night, I was fearful of
missing a coach, and therefore took a coach and to rights to call Michell
and his wife at their father Howlett's, and so home, it being cold, and
the ground all snow . . . . They gone I to my chamber, and with my
brother and wife did number all my books in my closet, and took a list of
their names, which pleases me mightily, and is a jobb I wanted much to
have done. Then to supper and to bed.
24th. Up, and to the office, where Lord Bruncker, [Sir] J. Mimics, [Sir]
W. Yen, and myself met, and there I did use my notes I took on Saturday
night about tickets, and did come to a good settlement in the business of
that office, if it be kept to, this morning being a meeting on purpose. At
noon to prevent my Lord Bruncker's dining here I walked as if upon
business with him, it being frost and dry, as far as Paul's, and so back
again through the City by Guildhall, observing the ruines thereabouts,
till I did truly lose myself, and so home to dinner. I do truly find that
I have overwrought my eyes, so that now they are become weak and apt to be
tired, and all excess of light makes them sore, so that now to the
candlelight I am forced to sit by, adding, the snow upon the ground all
day, my eyes are very bad, and will be worse if not helped, so my Lord
Bruncker do advise as a certain cure to use greene spectacles, which I
will do. So to dinner, where Mercer with us, and very merry. After
dinner she goes and fetches a little son of Mr. Backeworth's, the wittiest
child and of the most spirit that ever I saw in my life for discourse of
all kind, and so ready and to the purpose, not above four years old.
Thence to Sir Robert Viner's, and there paid for the plate I have bought
to the value of L94, with the L100 Captain Cocke did give me to that
purpose, and received the rest in money. I this evening did buy me a pair
of green spectacles, to see whether they will help my eyes or no. So to
the 'Change, and went to the Upper 'Change, which is almost as good as the
old one; only shops are but on one side. Then home to the office, and did
business till my eyes began to be bad, and so home to supper. My people
busy making mince pies, and so to bed. No newes yet of our Gottenburgh
fleete; which makes [us] have some fears, it being of mighty concernment
to have our supply of masts safe. I met with Mr. Cade to-night, my
stationer; and he tells me that he hears for certain that the
Queene-Mother is about and hath near finished a peace with France, which,
as a Presbyterian, he do not like, but seems to fear it will be a means to
introduce Popery.
25th (Christmas day). Lay pretty long in bed, and then rose, leaving my
wife desirous to sleep, having sat up till four this morning seeing her
mayds make mince-pies. I to church, where our parson Mills made a good
sermon. Then home, and dined well on some good ribbs of beef roasted and
mince pies; only my wife, brother, and Barker, and plenty of good wine of
my owne, and my heart full of true joy; and thanks to God Almighty for the
goodness of my condition at this day. After dinner, I begun to teach my
wife and Barker my song, "It is decreed," which pleases me mightily as now
I have Mr. Hinxton's base. Then out and walked alone on foot to the
Temple, it being a fine frost, thinking to have seen a play all alone; but
there, missing of any bills, concluded there was none, and so back home;
and there with my brother reducing the names of all my books to an
alphabet, which kept us till 7 or 8 at night, and then to supper, W. Hewer
with us, and pretty merry, and then to my chamber to enter this day's
journal only, and then to bed. My head a little thoughtfull how to behave
myself in the business of the victualling, which I think will be prudence
to offer my service in doing something in passing the pursers' accounts,
thereby to serve the King, get honour to myself, and confirm me in my
place in the victualling, which at present yields not work enough to
deserve my wages.