Diary of Samuel Pepys, July 1665
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, July 1665
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.
JULY
1665
July 1st, 1665. Called up betimes, though weary and sleepy, by
appointment by Mr. Povy and Colonell Norwood to discourse about some
payments of Tangier. They gone, I to the office and there sat all the
morning. At noon dined at home, and then to the Duke of Albemarle's, by
appointment, to give him an account of some disorder in the Yarde at
Portsmouth, by workmen's going away of their owne accord, for lacke of
money, to get work of hay-making, or any thing else to earne themselves
bread.
[There are several letters among the State Papers from Commissioner
Thomas Middleton relating to the want of workmen at Portsmouth
Dockyard. On June 29th Middleton wrote to Pepys, "The ropemakers
have discharged themselves for want of money, and gone into the
country to make hay." The blockmakers, the joiners, and the sawyers
all refused to work longer without money ("Calendar," 1664-65, p.
453).]
Thence to Westminster, where I hear the sicknesse encreases greatly, and
to the Harp and Ball with Mary talking, who tells me simply her losing of
her first love in the country in Wales, and coming up hither unknown to
her friends, and it seems Dr. Williams do pretend love to her, and I have
found him there several times. Thence by coach and late at the office,
and so to bed. Sad at the newes that seven or eight houses in Bazing Hall
street, are shut up of the plague.
2nd (Sunday). Up, and all the morning dressing my closet at the office
with my plates, very neatly, and a fine place now it is, and will be a
pleasure to sit in, though I thank God I needed none before. At noon
dined at home, and after dinner to my accounts and cast them up, and find
that though I have spent above L90 this month yet I have saved L17, and am
worth in all above L1450, for which the Lord be praised! In the evening
my Lady Pen and daughter come to see, and supped with us, then a messenger
about business of the office from Sir G. Carteret at Chatham, and by word
of mouth did send me word that the business between my Lord and him is
fully agreed on,
[The arrangements for the marriage of Lady Jemimah Montagu to Philip
Carteret were soon settled, for the wedding took place on July 31st]
and is mightily liked of by the King and the Duke of Yorke, and that he
sent me this word with great joy; they gone, we to bed. I hear this night
that Sir J. Lawson was buried late last night at St. Dunstan's by us,
without any company at all, and that the condition of his family is but
very poor, which I could be contented to be sorry for, though he never was
the man that ever obliged me by word or deed.
3rd. Up and by water with Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes to White Hall
to the Duke of Albemarle, where, after a little business, we parted, and I
to the Harp and Ball, and there staid a while talking to Mary, and so home
to dinner. After dinner to the Duke of Albemarle's again, and so to the
Swan, and there 'demeurais un peu'de temps con la fille', and so to the
Harp and Ball, and alone 'demeurais un peu de temps baisant la', and so
away home and late at the office about letters, and so home, resolving
from this night forwards to close all my letters, if possible, and end all
my business at the office by daylight, and I shall go near to do it and
put all my affairs in the world in good order, the season growing so
sickly, that it is much to be feared how a man can escape having a share
with others in it, for which the good Lord God bless me, or to be fitted
to receive it. So after supper to bed, and mightily troubled in my sleep
all night with dreams of Jacke Cole, my old schoolfellow, lately dead, who
was born at the same time with me, and we reckoned our fortunes pretty
equal. God fit me for his condition!
4th. Up, and sat at the office all the morning. At noon to the 'Change
and thence to the Dolphin, where a good dinner at the cost of one Mr.
Osbaston, who lost a wager to Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Rider, and Sir R.
Ford, a good while since and now it is spent. The wager was that ten of
our ships should not have a fight with ten of the enemy's before
Michaelmas. Here was other very good company, and merry, and at last in
come Mr. Buckeworth, a very fine gentleman, and proves to be a
Huntingdonshire man. Thence to my office and there all the afternoon till
night, and so home to settle some accounts of Tangier and other papers. I
hear this day the Duke and Prince Rupert are both come back from sea, and
neither of them go back again. The latter I much wonder at, but it seems
the towne reports so, and I am very glad of it. This morning I did a good
piece of work with Sir W. Warren, ending the business of the lotterys,
wherein honestly I think I shall get above L100. Bankert, it seems, is
come home with the little fleete he hath been abroad with, without doing
any thing, so that there is nobody of an enemy at sea. We are in great
hopes of meeting with the Dutch East India fleete, which is mighty rich,
or with De Ruyter, who is so also. Sir Richard Ford told me this day, at
table, a fine account, how the Dutch were like to have been mastered by
the present Prince of Orange
[The period alluded to is 1650, when the States-General disbanded
part of the forces which the Prince of Orange (William) wished to
retain. The prince attempted, but unsuccessfully, to possess
himself of Amsterdam. In the same year he died, at the early age of
twenty-four; some say of the small-pox; others, with Sir Richard
Ford, say of poison.--B.]
his father to be besieged in Amsterdam, having drawn an army of foot into
the towne, and horse near to the towne by night, within three miles of the
towne, and they never knew of it; but by chance the Hamburgh post in the
night fell among the horse, and heard their design, and knowing the way,
it being very dark and rainy, better than they, went from them, and did
give notice to the towne before the others could reach the towne, and so
were saved. It seems this De Witt and another family, the Beckarts, were
among the chief of the familys that were enemys to the Prince, and were
afterwards suppressed by the Prince, and continued so till he was, as they
say, poysoned; and then they turned all again, as it was, against the
young Prince, and have so carried it to this day, it being about 12 and 14
years, and De Witt in the head of them.
5th. Up, and advised about sending of my wife's bedding and things to
Woolwich, in order to her removal thither. So to the office, where all
the morning till noon, and so to the 'Change, and thence home to dinner.
In the afternoon I abroad to St. James's, and there with Mr. Coventry a
good while, and understand how matters are ordered in the fleete: that is,
my Lord Sandwich goes Admiral; under him Sir G. Ascue, and Sir T.
Teddiman; Vice-Admiral, Sir W. Pen; and under him Sir W. Barkeley, and Sir
Jos. Jordan: Reere-Admiral, Sir Thomas Allen; and under him Sir
Christopher Mings,
[The son of a shoemaker, bred to the sea-service; he rose to the
rank of an admiral, and was killed in the fight with the Dutch,
June, 1666.--B. See post, June 10th, 1666.]
and Captain Harman. We talked in general of business of the Navy, among
others how he had lately spoken to Sir G. Carteret, and professed great
resolution of friendship with him and reconciliation, and resolves to make
it good as well as he can, though it troubles him, he tells me, that
something will come before him wherein he must give him offence, but I do
find upon the whole that Mr. Coventry do not listen to these complaints of
money with the readiness and resolvedness to remedy that he used to do,
and I think if he begins to draw in it is high time for me to do so too.
From thence walked round to White Hall, the Parke being quite locked up;
and I observed a house shut up this day in the Pell Mell, where heretofore
in Cromwell's time we young men used to keep our weekly clubs. And so to
White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who is come this day from Chatham, and
mighty glad he is to see me, and begun to talk of our great business of
the match, which goes on as fast as possible, but for convenience we took
water and over to his coach to Lambeth, by which we went to Deptford, all
the way talking, first, how matters are quite concluded with all possible
content between my Lord and him and signed and sealed, so that my Lady
Sandwich is to come thither to-morrow or next day, and the young lady is
sent for, and all likely to be ended between them in a very little while,
with mighty joy on both sides, and the King, Duke, Lord Chancellor, and
all mightily pleased. Thence to newes, wherein I find that Sir G.
Carteret do now take all my Lord Sandwich's business to heart, and makes
it the same with his owne. He tells me how at Chatham it was proposed to
my Lord Sandwich to be joined with the Prince in the command of the
fleete, which he was most willing to; but when it come to the Prince, he
was quite against it; saying, there could be no government, but that it
would be better to have two fleetes, and neither under the command of the
other, which he would not agree to. So the King was not pleased; but,
without any unkindnesse, did order the fleete to be ordered as above, as
to the Admirals and commands: so the Prince is come up; and Sir G.
Carteret, I remember, had this word thence, that, says he, by this means,
though the King told him that it would be but for this expedition, yet I
believe we shall keepe him out for altogether. He tells me how my Lord
was much troubled at Sir W. Pen's being ordered forth (as it seems he is,
to go to Solebay, and with the best fleete he can, to go forth), and no
notice taken of my Lord Sandwich going after him, and having the command
over him. But after some discourse Mr. Coventry did satisfy, as he says,
my Lord, so as they parted friends both in that point and upon the other
wherein I know my Lord was troubled, and which Mr. Coventry did speak to
him of first thinking that my Lord might justly take offence at, his not
being mentioned in the relation of the fight in the news book, and did
clear all to my Lord how little he was concerned in it, and therewith my
Lord also satisfied, which I am mightily glad of, because I should take it
a very great misfortune to me to have them two to differ above all the
persons in the world. Being come to Deptford, my Lady not being within,
we parted, and I by water to Woolwich, where I found my wife come, and her
two mayds, and very prettily accommodated they will be; and I left them
going to supper, grieved in my heart to part with my wife, being worse by
much without her, though some trouble there is in having the care of a
family at home in this plague time, and so took leave, and I in one boat
and W. Hewer in another home very late, first against tide, we having
walked in the dark to Greenwich. Late home and to bed, very lonely.
6th. Up and forth to give order to my pretty grocer's wife's house, who,
her husband tells me, is going this day for the summer into the country. I
bespoke some sugar, &c., for my father, and so home to the office, where
all the morning. At noon dined at home, and then by water to White Hall
to Sir G. Carteret about money for the office, a sad thought, for in a
little while all must go to wracke, winter coming on apace, when a great
sum must be ready to pay part of the fleete, and so far we are from it
that we have not enough to stop the mouths of poor people and their hands
from falling about our eares here almost in the office. God give a good
end to it! Sir G. Carteret told me one considerable thing: Alderman
Backewell is ordered abroad upon some private score with a great sum of
money; wherein I was instrumental the other day in shipping him away. It
seems some of his creditors have taken notice of it, and he was like to be
broke yesterday in his absence; Sir G. Carteret telling me that the King
and the kingdom must as good as fall with that man at this time; and that
he was forced to get L4000 himself to answer Backewell's people's
occasions, or he must have broke; but committed this to me as a great
secret and which I am heartily sorry to hear. Thence, after a little
merry discourse of our marrying business, I parted, and by coach to
several places, among others to see my Lord Brunkerd, who is not well, but
was at rest when I come. I could not see him, nor had much mind, one of
the great houses within two doors of him being shut up: and, Lord! the
number of houses visited, which this day I observed through the town quite
round in my way by Long Lane and London Wall. So home to the office, and
thence to Sir W. Batten, and spent the evening at supper; and, among other
discourse, the rashness of Sir John Lawson, for breeding up his daughter
so high and proud, refusing a man of great interest, Sir W. Barkeley, to
match her with a melancholy fellow, Colonell Norton's' son, of no interest
nor good nature nor generosity at all, giving her L6000, when the other
would have taken her with two; when he himself knew that he was not worth
the money himself in all the world, he did give her that portion, and is
since dead, and left his wife and two daughters beggars, and the other
gone away with L6000, and no content in it, through the ill qualities of
her father-in-law and husband, who, it seems, though a pretty woman,
contracted for her as if he had been buying a horse; and, worst of all, is
now of no use to serve the mother and two little sisters in any stead at
Court, whereas the other might have done what he would for her: so here is
an end of this family's pride, which, with good care, might have been what
they would, and done well. Thence, weary of this discourse, as the act of
the greatest rashness that ever I heard of in all my little conversation,
we parted, and I home to bed. Sir W. Pen, it seems, sailed last night from
Solebay with, about sixty sail of ship, and my Lord Sandwich in "The
Prince" and some others, it seems, going after them to overtake them, for
I am sure my Lord Sandwich will do all possible to overtake them, and will
be troubled to the heart if he do it not.
7th. Up, and having set my neighbour, Mr. Hudson, wine coopers, at work
drawing out a tierce of wine for the sending of some of it to my wife, I
abroad, only taking notice to what a condition it hath pleased God to
bring me that at this time I have two tierces of Claret, two quarter casks
of Canary, and a smaller vessel of Sack; a vessel of Tent, another of
Malaga, and another of white wine, all in my wine cellar together; which,
I believe, none of my friends of my name now alive ever had of his owne at
one time. To Westminster, and there with Mr. Povy and Creed talking of
our Tangier business, and by and by I drew Creed aside and acquainted him
with what Sir G. Carteret did tell me about Backewell the other day,
because he hath money of his in his hands. So home, taking some new
books, L5 worth, home to my great content. At home all the day after
busy. Some excellent discourse and advice of Sir W. Warren's in the
afternoon, at night home to look over my new books, and so late to bed.
8th. All day very diligent at the office, ended my letters by 9 at night,
and then fitted myself to go down to Woolwich to my wife, which I did,
calling at Sir G. Carteret's at Deptford, and there hear that my Lady
Sandwich is come, but not very well. By 12 o'clock to Woolwich, found my
wife asleep in bed, but strange to think what a fine night I had down, but
before I had been one minute on shore, the mightiest storm come of wind
and rain that almost could be for a quarter of an houre and so left. I to
bed, being the first time I come to her lodgings, and there lodged well.
9th (Lord's day). Very pleasant with her and among my people, while she
made her ready, and, about 10 o'clock, by water to Sir G. Carteret, and
there find my Lady [Sandwich] in her chamber, not very well, but looks the
worst almost that ever I did see her in my life. It seems her drinking of
the water at Tunbridge did almost kill her before she could with most
violent physique get it out of her body again. We are received with most
extraordinary kindnesse by my Lady Carteret and her children, and dined
most nobly. Sir G. Carteret went to Court this morning. After dinner I
took occasion to have much discourse with Mr. Ph. Carteret, and find him a
very modest man; and I think verily of mighty good nature, and pretty
understanding. He did give me a good account of the fight with the Dutch.
My Lady Sandwich dined in her chamber. About three o'clock I, leaving my
wife there, took boat and home, and there shifted myself into my black
silke suit, and having promised Harman yesterday, I to his house, which I
find very mean, and mean company. His wife very ill; I could not see her.
Here I, with her father and Kate Joyce, who was also very ill, were
godfathers and godmother to his boy, and was christened Will. Mr. Meriton
christened him. The most observable thing I found there to my content,
was to hear him and his clerk tell me that in this parish of Michell's,
Cornhill, one of the middlemost parishes and a great one of the towne,
there hath, notwithstanding this sickliness, been buried of any disease,
man, woman, or child, not one for thirteen months last past; which [is]
very strange. And the like in a good degree in most other parishes, I
hear, saving only of the plague in them, but in this neither the plague
nor any other disease. So back again home and reshifted myself, and so
down to my Lady Carteret's, where mighty merry and great pleasantnesse
between my Lady Sandwich and the young ladies and me, and all of us mighty
merry, there never having been in the world sure a greater business of
general content than this match proposed between Mr. Carteret and my Lady
Jemimah. But withal it is mighty pretty to think how my poor Lady
Sandwich, between her and me, is doubtfull whether her daughter will like
of it or no, and how troubled she is for fear of it, which I do not fear
at all, and desire her not to do it, but her fear is the most discreet and
pretty that ever I did see. Late here, and then my wife and I, with most
hearty kindnesse from my Lady Carteret by boat to Woolwich, come thither
about 12 at night, and so to bed.
10th. Up, and with great pleasure looking over a nest of puppies of Mr.
Shelden's, with which my wife is most extraordinary pleased, and one of
them is promised her. Anon I took my leave, and away by water to the Duke
of Albemarle's, where he tells me that I must be at Hampton Court anon.
So I home to look over my Tangier papers, and having a coach of Mr. Povy's
attending me, by appointment, in order to my coming to dine at his country
house at Brainford, where he and his family is, I went and Mr. Tasbrough
with me therein, it being a pretty chariot, but most inconvenient as to
the horses throwing dust and dirt into one's eyes and upon one's clothes.
There I staid a quarter of an houre, Creed being there, and being able to
do little business (but the less the better). Creed rode before, and Mr.
Povy and I after him in the chariot; and I was set down by him at the
Parke pale, where one of his saddle horses was ready for me, he himself
not daring to come into the house or be seen, because that a servant of
his, out of his horse, happened to be sicke, but is not yet dead, but was
never suffered to come into his house after he was ill. But this
opportunity was taken to injure Povy, and most horribly he is abused by
some persons hereupon, and his fortune, I believe, quite broke; but that
he hath a good heart to bear, or a cunning one to conceal his evil. There
I met with Sir W. Coventry, and by and by was heard by my Lord Chancellor
and Treasurer about our Tangier money, and my Lord Treasurer had ordered
me to forbear meddling with the L15,000 he offered me the other day, but,
upon opening the case to them, they did offer it again, and so I think I
shall have it, but my Lord General must give his consent in it, this money
having been promised to him, and he very angry at the proposal. Here
though I have not been in many years, yet I lacke time to stay, besides
that it is, I perceive, an unpleasing thing to be at Court, everybody
being fearful one of another, and all so sad, enquiring after the plague,
so that I stole away by my horse to Kingston, and there with trouble was
forced, to press two sturdy rogues to carry me to London, and met at the
waterside with Mr. Charnocke, Sir Philip Warwicke's clerke, who had been
in company and was quite foxed. I took him with me in my boat, and so away
to Richmond, and there, by night, walked with him to Moreclacke, a very
pretty walk, and there staid a good while, now and then talking and
sporting with Nan the servant, who says she is a seaman's wife, and at
last bade good night.
11th. And so all night down by water, a most pleasant passage, and come
thither by two o'clock, and so walked from the Old Swan home, and there to
bed to my Will, being very weary, and he lodging at my desire in my house.
At 6 o'clock up and to Westminster (where and all the towne besides, I
hear, the plague encreases), and, it being too soon to go to the Duke of
Albemarle, I to the Harp and Ball, and there made a bargain with Mary to
go forth with me in the afternoon, which she with much ado consented to.
So I to the Duke of Albemarle's, and there with much ado did get his
consent in part to my having the money promised for Tangier, and the other
part did not concur. So being displeased with this, I back to the office
and there sat alone a while doing business, and then by a solemn
invitation to the Trinity House, where a great dinner and company, Captain
Dobbin's feast for Elder Brother. But I broke up before the dinner half
over and by water to the Harp and Ball, and thence had Mary meet me at the
New Exchange, and there took coach and I with great pleasure took the ayre
to Highgate, and thence to Hampstead, much pleased with her company,
pretty and innocent, and had what pleasure almost I would with her, and so
at night, weary and sweaty, it being very hot beyond bearing, we back
again, and I set her down in St. Martin's Lane, and so I to the evening
'Change, and there hear all the towne full that Ostend is delivered to us,
and that Alderman Backewell
[Among the State Papers is a letter from the king to the Lord
General (dated August 8th, 1665): "Alderman Backwell being in great
straits for the second payment he has to make for the service in
Flanders, as much tin is to be transmitted to him as will raise the
sum. Has authorized him and Sir George Carteret to treat with the
tin farmers for 500 tons of tin to be speedily transported under
good convoy; but if, on consulting with Alderman Backwell, this plan
of the tin seems insufficient, then without further difficulty he is
to dispose for that purpose of the L10,000 assigned for pay of the
Guards, not doubting that before that comes due, other ways will be
found for supplying it; the payment in Flanders is of such
importance that some means must be found of providing for it"
("Calendar," Domestic, 1664-65, pp. 508, 509)]
did go with L50,000 to that purpose. But the truth of it I do not know,
but something I believe there is extraordinary in his going. So to the
office, where I did what I could as to letters, and so away to bed,
shifting myself, and taking some Venice treakle, feeling myself out of
order, and thence to bed to sleep.
12th. After doing what business I could in the morning, it being a solemn
fast-day
["A form of Common Prayer; together with an order for fasting for
the averting of God's heavy visitation upon many places of this
realm. The fast to be observed within the cities of London and
Westminster and places adjacent, on Wednesday the twelfth of this
instant July, and both there and in all parts of this realm on the
first Wednesday in every month during the visitation" ("Calendar of
State Papers," Domestic, 1664-65, p. 466).]
for the plague growing upon us, I took boat and down to Deptford, where I
stood with great pleasure an houre or two by my Lady Sandwich's bedside,
talking to her (she lying prettily in bed) of my Lady Jemimah's being from
my Lady Pickering's when our letters come to that place; she being at my
Lord Montagu's, at Boughton. The truth is, I had received letters of it
two days ago, but had dropped them, and was in a very extraordinary
straite what to do for them, or what account to give my Lady, but sent to
every place; I sent to Moreclacke, where I had been the night before, and
there they were found, which with mighty joy come safe to me; but all
ending with satisfaction to my Lady and me, though I find my Lady Carteret
not much pleased with this delay, and principally because of the plague,
which renders it unsafe to stay long at Deptford. I eat a bit (my Lady
Carteret being the most kind lady in the world), and so took boat, and a
fresh boat at the Tower, and so up the river, against tide all the way, I
having lost it by staying prating to and with my Lady, and, from before
one, made it seven ere we got to Hampton Court; and when I come there all
business was over, saving my finding Mr. Coventry at his chamber, and with
him a good while about several businesses at his chamber, and so took
leave, and away to my boat, and all night upon the water, staying a while
with Nan at Moreclacke, very much pleased and merry with her, and so on
homeward, and come home by two o'clock, shooting the bridge at that time
of night, and so to bed, where I find Will is not, he staying at Woolwich
to come with my wife to dinner tomorrow to my Lady Carteret's. Heard Mr.
Williamson repeat at Hampton Court to-day how the King of France hath
lately set out a most high arrest against the Pope, which is reckoned very
lofty and high.