Diary of Samuel Pepys, July 1665
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, July 1665
[Arret. The rupture between Alexander VII. and Louis XIV. was
healed in 1664, by the treaty signed at Pisa, on February 12th. On
August 9th, the pope's nephew, Cardinal Chigi, made his entry into
Paris, as legate, to give the king satisfaction for the insult
offered at Rome by the Corsican guard to the Duc de Crequi, the
French ambassador; (see January 25th, 1662-63). Cardinal Imperiali,
Governor of Rome, asked pardon of the king in person, and all the
hard conditions of the treaty were fulfilled. But no arret against
the pope was set forth in 1665. On the contrary, Alexander, now
wishing to please the king, issued a constitution on February 2nd,
1665, ordering all the clergy of France, without any exception, to
sign a formulary condemning the famous five propositions extracted
from the works of Jansenius; and on April 29th, the king in person
ordered the parliament to register the bull. The Jansenist party,
of course, demurred to this proceeding; the Bishops of Alais,
Angers, Beauvais, and Pamiers, issuing mandates calling upon their
clergy to refuse. It was against these mandates, as being contrary
to the king's declaration and the pope's intentions, that the arret
was directed.--B.]
13th. Lay long, being sleepy, and then up to the office, my Lord Brunker
(after his sickness) being come to the office, and did what business there
was, and so I by water, at night late, to Sir G. Carteret's, but there
being no oars to carry me, I was fain to call a skuller that had a
gentleman already in it, and he proved a man of love to musique, and he
and I sung together the way down with great pleasure, and an incident
extraordinary to be met with. There come to dinner, they haveing dined,
but my Lady caused something to be brought for me, and I dined well and
mighty merry, especially my Lady Slaning and I about eating of creame and
brown bread, which she loves as much as I. Thence after long discourse
with them and my Lady alone, I and [my] wife, who by agreement met here,
took leave, and I saw my wife a little way down (it troubling me that this
absence makes us a little strange instead of more fond), and so parted,
and I home to some letters, and then home to bed. Above 700 died of the
plague this week.
14th. Up, and all the morning at the Exchequer endeavouring to strike
tallys for money for Tangier, and mightily vexed to see how people attend
there, some out of towne, and others drowsy, and to others it was late, so
that the King's business suffers ten times more than all their service is
worth. So I am put off to to-morrow. Thence to the Old Exchange, by
water, and there bespoke two fine shirts of my pretty seamstress, who, she
tells me, serves Jacke Fenn. Upon the 'Change all the news is that guns
have been heard and that news is come by a Dane that my Lord was in view
of De Ruyter, and that since his parting from my Lord of Sandwich he hath
heard guns, but little of it do I think true. So home to dinner, where
Povy by agreement, and after dinner we to talk of our Tangier matters,
about keeping our profit at the pay and victualling of the garrison, if
the present undertakers should leave it, wherein I did [not] nor will do
any thing unworthy me and any just man, but they being resolved to quit
it, it is fit I should suffer Mr. Povy to do what he can with Mr. Gauden
about it to our profit. Thence to the discoursing of putting some sums of
money in order and tallys, which we did pretty well. So he in the evening
gone, I by water to Sir G. Carteret's, and there find my Lady Sandwich and
her buying things for my Lady Jem.'s wedding; and my Lady Jem. is beyond
expectation come to Dagenhams, where Mr. Carteret is to go to visit her
to-morrow; and my proposal of waiting on him, he being to go alone to all
persons strangers to him, was well accepted, and so I go with him. But,
Lord! to see how kind my Lady Carteret is to her! Sends her most rich
jewells, and provides bedding and things of all sorts most richly for her,
which makes my Lady and me out of our wits almost to see the kindnesse she
treats us all with, as if they would buy the young lady. Thence away home
and, foreseeing my being abroad two days, did sit up late making of
letters ready against tomorrow, and other things, and so to bed, to be up
betimes by the helpe of a larum watch, which by chance I borrowed of my
watchmaker to-day, while my owne is mending.
15th. Up, and after all business done, though late, I to Deptford, but
before I went out of the office saw there young Bagwell's wife returned,
but could not stay to speak to her, though I had a great mind to it, and
also another great lady, as to fine clothes, did attend there to have a
ticket signed; which I did do, taking her through the garden to my office,
where I signed it and had a salute--[kiss]--of her, and so I away by boat
to Redriffe, and thence walked, and after dinner, at Sir G. Carteret's,
where they stayed till almost three o'clock for me, and anon took boat,
Mr. Carteret and I to the ferry-place at Greenwich, and there staid an
hour crossing the water to and again to get our coach and horses over; and
by and by set out, and so toward Dagenhams. But, Lord! what silly
discourse we had by the way as to love-matters, he being the most awkerd
man I ever met with in my life as to that business. Thither we come, by
that time it begun to be dark, and were kindly received by Lady Wright and
my Lord Crew. And to discourse they went, my Lord discoursing with him,
asking of him questions of travell, which he answered well enough in a few
words; but nothing to the lady from him at all. To supper, and after
supper to talk again, he yet taking no notice of the lady. My Lord would
have had me have consented to leaving the young people together to-night,
to begin their amours, his staying being but to be little. But I advised
against it, lest the lady might be too much surprised. So they led him up
to his chamber, where I staid a little, to know how he liked the lady,
which he told me he did mightily; but, Lord! in the dullest insipid manner
that ever lover did. So I bid him good night, and down to prayers with my
Lord Crew's family, and after prayers, my Lord, and Lady Wright, and I, to
consult what to do; and it was agreed at last to have them go to church
together, as the family used to do, though his lameness was a great
objection against it. But at last my Lady Jem. sent me word by my Lady
Wright that it would be better to do just as they used to do before his
coming; and therefore she desired to go to church, which was yielded then
to.
16th (Lord's day). I up, having lain with Mr. Moore in the chaplin's
chamber. And having trimmed myself, down to Mr. Carteret; and he being
ready we down and walked in the gallery an hour or two, it being a most
noble and pretty house that ever, for the bigness, I saw. Here I taught
him what to do: to take the lady always by the hand to lead her, and
telling him that I would find opportunity to leave them two together, he
should make these and these compliments, and also take a time to do the
like to Lord Crew and Lady Wright. After I had instructed him, which he
thanked me for, owning that he needed my teaching him, my Lord Crew come
down and family, the young lady among the rest; and so by coaches to
church four miles off; where a pretty good sermon, and a declaration of
penitence of a man that had undergone the Churches censure for his wicked
life. Thence back again by coach, Mr. Carteret having not had the
confidence to take his lady once by the hand, coming or going, which I
told him of when we come home, and he will hereafter do it. So to dinner.
My Lord excellent discourse. Then to walk in the gallery, and to sit
down. By and by my Lady Wright and I go out (and then my Lord Crew, he
not by design), and lastly my Lady Crew come out, and left the young
people together. And a little pretty daughter of my Lady Wright's most
innocently come out afterward, and shut the door to, as if she had done
it, poor child, by inspiration; which made us without, have good sport to
laugh at. They together an hour, and by and by church-time, whither he
led her into the coach and into the church, and so at church all the
afternoon, several handsome ladies at church. But it was most
extraordinary hot that ever I knew it. So home again and to walk in the
gardens, where we left the young couple a second time; and my Lady Wright
and I to walk together, who to my trouble tells me that my Lady Jem. must
have something done to her body by Scott before she can be married, and
therefore care must be had to send him, also that some more new clothes
must of necessity be made her, which and other things I took care of.
Anon to supper, and excellent discourse and dispute between my Lord Crew
and the chaplin, who is a good scholler, but a nonconformist. Here this
evening I spoke with Mrs. Carter, my old acquaintance, that hath lived
with my Lady these twelve or thirteen years, the sum of all whose
discourse and others for her, is, that I would get her a good husband;
which I have promised, but know not when I shall perform. After Mr.
Carteret was carried to his chamber, we to prayers again and then to bed.
17th. Up all of us, and to billiards; my Lady Wright, Mr. Carteret,
myself, and every body. By and by the young couple left together. Anon
to dinner; and after dinner Mr. Carteret took my advice about giving to
the servants, and I led him to give L10 among them, which he did, by
leaving it to the chief man-servant, Mr. Medows, to do for him. Before we
went, I took my Lady Jem. apart, and would know how she liked this
gentleman, and whether she was under any difficulty concerning him. She
blushed, and hid her face awhile; but at last I forced her to tell me. She
answered that she could readily obey what her father and mother had done;
which was all she could say, or I expect. So anon I took leave, and for
London. But, Lord! to see, among other things, how all these great people
here are afeard of London, being doubtfull of anything that comes from
thence, or that hath lately been there, that I was forced to say that I
lived wholly at Woolwich. In our way Mr. Carteret did give me mighty
thanks for my care and pains for him, and is mightily pleased, though the
truth is, my Lady Jem. hath carried herself with mighty discretion and
gravity, not being forward at all in any degree, but mighty serious in her
answers to him, as by what he says and I observed, I collect. To London
to my office, and there took letters from the office, where all well, and
so to the Bridge, and there he and I took boat and to Deptford, where
mighty welcome, and brought the good newes of all being pleased to them.
Mighty mirth at my giving them an account of all; but the young man could
not be got to say one word before me or my Lady Sandwich of his
adventures, but, by what he afterwards related to his father and mother
and sisters, he gives an account that pleases them mightily. Here Sir G.
Carteret would have me lie all night, which I did most nobly, better than
ever I did in my life, Sir G. Carteret being mighty kind to me, leading me
to my chamber; and all their care now is, to have the business ended, and
they have reason, because the sicknesse puts all out of order, and they
cannot safely stay where they are.
18th. Up and to the office, where all the morning, and so to my house and
eat a bit of victuals, and so to the 'Change, where a little business and
a very thin Exchange; and so walked through London to the Temple, where I
took water for Westminster to the Duke of Albemarle, to wait on him, and
so to Westminster Hall, and there paid for my newes-books, and did give
Mrs. Michell, who is going out of towne because of the sicknesse, and her
husband, a pint of wine, and so Sir W. Warren coming to me by appointment
we away by water home, by the way discoursing about the project I have of
getting some money and doing the King good service too about the mast
docke at Woolwich, which I fear will never be done if I do not go about
it. After dispatching letters at the office, I by water down to Deptford,
where I staid a little while, and by water to my wife, whom I have not
seen 6 or 5 days, and there supped with her, and mighty pleasant, and saw
with content her drawings, and so to bed mighty merry. I was much
troubled this day to hear at Westminster how the officers do bury the dead
in the open Tuttle-fields, pretending want of room elsewhere; whereas the
New Chappell churchyard was walled-in at the publick charge in the last
plague time, merely for want of room and now none, but such as are able to
pay dear for it, can be buried there.
19th. Up and to the office, and thence presently to the Exchequer, and
there with much trouble got my tallys, and afterwards took Mr. Falconer,
Spicer, and another or two to the Leg and there give them a dinner, and so
with my tallys and about 30 dozen of bags, which it seems are my due,
having paid the fees as if I had received the money I away home, and after
a little stay down by water to Deptford, where I find all full of joy, and
preparing to go to Dagenhams to-morrow. To supper, and after supper to
talk without end. Very late I went away, it raining, but I had a design
'pour aller a la femme de Bagwell' and did so . . . . So away about
12, and it raining hard I back to Sir G. Carteret and there called up the
page, and to bed there, being all in a most violent sweat.
20th. Up, in a boat among other people to the Tower, and there to the
office, where we sat all the morning. So down to Deptford and there
dined, and after dinner saw my Lady Sandwich and Mr. Carteret and his two
sisters over the water, going to Dagenhams, and my Lady Carteret towards
Cranburne.
[The royal lodge of that name in Windsor Forest, occupied by Sir
George Carteret as Vice-Chamberlain to the King.--B.]
So all the company broke up in most extraordinary joy, wherein I am mighty
contented that I have had the good fortune to be so instrumental, and I
think it will be of good use to me. So walked to Redriffe, where I hear
the sickness is, and indeed is scattered almost every where, there dying
1089 of the plague this week. My Lady Carteret did this day give me a
bottle of plague-water home with me. So home to write letters late, and
then home to bed, where I have not lain these 3 or 4 nights. I received
yesterday a letter from my Lord Sandwich, giving me thanks for my care
about their marriage business, and desiring it to be dispatched, that no
disappointment may happen therein, which I will help on all I can. This
afternoon I waited on the Duke of Albemarle, and so to Mrs. Croft's, where
I found and saluted Mrs. Burrows, who is a very pretty woman for a mother
of so many children. But, Lord! to see how the plague spreads. It being
now all over King's Streete, at the Axe, and next door to it, and in other
places.
21st. Up and abroad to the goldsmiths, to see what money I could get upon
my present tallys upon the advance of the Excise, and I hope I shall get
L10,000. I went also and had them entered at the Excise Office. Alderman
Backewell is at sea. Sir R. Viner come to towne but this morning. So
Colvill was the only man I could yet speak withal to get any money of.
Met with Mr. Povy, and I with him and dined at the Custom House Taverne,
there to talk of our Tangier business, and Stockedale and Hewet with us.
So abroad to several places, among others to Anthony Joyce's, and there
broke to him my desire to have Pall married to Harman, whose wife, poor
woman, is lately dead, to my trouble, I loving her very much, and he will
consider it. So home and late at my chamber, setting some papers in
order; the plague growing very raging, and my apprehensions of it great.
So very late to bed.
22nd. As soon as up I among my goldsmiths, Sir Robert Viner and Colvill,
and there got L10,000 of my new tallys accepted, and so I made it my work
to find out Mr. Mervin and sent for others to come with their bills of
Exchange, as Captain Hewett, &c., and sent for Mr. Jackson, but he was not
in town. So all the morning at the office, and after dinner, which was
very late, I to Sir R. Viner's, by his invitation in the morning, and got
near L5000 more accepted, and so from this day the whole, or near,
L15,000, lies upon interest. Thence I by water to Westminster, and the
Duke of Albemarle being gone to dinner to my Lord of Canterbury's, I
thither, and there walked and viewed the new hall, a new old-fashion hall
as much as possible. Begun, and means left for the ending of it, by
Bishop Juxon. Not coming proper to speak with him, I to Fox-hall, where
to the Spring garden; but I do not see one guest there, the town being so
empty of any body to come thither. Only, while I was there, a poor woman
come to scold with the master of the house that a kinswoman, I think, of
hers, that was newly dead of the plague, might be buried in the
church-yard; for, for her part, she should not be buried in the commons,
as they said she should. Back to White Hall, and by and by comes the Duke
of Albemarle, and there, after a little discourse, I by coach home, not
meeting with but two coaches, and but two carts from White Hall to my own
house, that I could observe; and the streets mighty thin of people. I met
this noon with Dr. Burnett, who told me, and I find in the newsbook this
week that he posted upon the 'Change, that whoever did spread the report
that, instead of the plague, his servant was by him killed, it was
forgery, and shewed me the acknowledgment of the master of the pest-house,
that his servant died of a bubo on his right groine, and two spots on his
right thigh, which is the plague. To my office, where late writing
letters, and getting myself prepared with business for Hampton Court
to-morrow, and so having caused a good pullet to be got for my supper, all
alone, I very late to bed. All the news is great: that we must of
necessity fall out with France, for He will side with the Dutch against
us. That Alderman Backewell is gone over (which indeed he is) with money,
and that Ostend is in our present possession. But it is strange to see
how poor Alderman Backewell is like to be put to it in his absence, Mr.
Shaw his right hand being ill. And the Alderman's absence gives doubts to
people, and I perceive they are in great straits for money, besides what
Sir G. Carteret told me about fourteen days ago. Our fleet under my Lord
Sandwich being about the latitude 55 (which is a great secret) to the
Northward of the Texell. So to bed very late. In my way I called upon
Sir W. Turner, and at Mr. Shelcrosse's (but he was not at home, having
left his bill with Sir W. Turner), that so I may prove I did what I could
as soon as I had money to answer all bills.
23rd (Lord's day). Up very betimes, called by Mr. Cutler, by appointment,
and with him in his coach and four horses over London Bridge to Kingston,
a very pleasant journey, and at Hampton Court by nine o'clock, and in our
way very good and various discourse, as he is a man, that though I think
he be a knave, as the world thinks him, yet a man of great experience and
worthy to be heard discourse. When we come there, we to Sir W. Coventry's
chamber, and there discoursed long with him, he and I alone, the others
being gone away, and so walked together through the garden to the house,
where we parted, I observing with a little trouble that he is too great
now to expect too much familiarity with, and I find he do not mind me as
he used to do, but when I reflect upon him and his business I cannot think
much of it, for I do not observe anything but the same great kindness from
him. I followed the King to chappell, and there hear a good sermon; and
after sermon with my Lord Arlington, Sir Thomas Ingram and others, spoke
to the Duke about Tangier, but not to much purpose. I was not invited any
whither to dinner, though a stranger, which did also trouble me; but yet I
must remember it is a Court, and indeed where most are strangers; but,
however, Cutler carried me to Mr. Marriott's the house-keeper, and there
we had a very good dinner and good company, among others Lilly, the
painter. Thence to the councill-chamber, where in a back room I sat all
the afternoon, but the councill begun late to sit, and spent most of the
time upon Morisco's Tarr businesse. They sat long, and I forced to follow
Sir Thomas Ingram, the Duke, and others, so that when I got free and come
to look for Cutler, he was gone with his coach, without leaving any word
with any body to tell me so; so that I was forced with great trouble to
walk up and down looking of him, and at last forced to get a boat to carry
me to Kingston, and there, after eating a bit at a neat inne, which
pleased me well, I took boat, and slept all the way, without intermission,
from thence to Queenhive, where, it being about two o'clock, too late and
too soon to go home to bed, I lay and slept till about four,
24th. And then up and home, and there dressed myself, and by appointment
to Deptford, to Sir G. Carteret's, between six and seven o'clock, where I
found him and my Lady almost ready, and by and by went over to the ferry,
and took coach and six horses nobly for Dagenhams, himself and lady and
their little daughter, Louisonne, and myself in the coach; where, when we
come, we were bravely entertained and spent the day most pleasantly with
the young ladies, and I so merry as never more. Only for want of sleep,
and drinking of strong beer had a rheum in one of my eyes, which troubled
me much. Here with great content all the day, as I think I ever passed a
day in my life, because of the contentfulnesse of our errand, and the
noblenesse of the company and our manner of going. But I find Mr.
Carteret yet as backward almost in his caresses, as he was the first day.
At night, about seven o'clock, took coach again; but, Lord! to see in what
a pleasant humour Sir G. Carteret hath been both coming and going; so
light, so fond, so merry, so boyish (so much content he takes in this
business), it is one of the greatest wonders I ever saw in my mind. But
once in serious discourse he did say that, if he knew his son to be a
debauchee, as many and, most are now-a-days about the Court, he would tell
it, and my Lady Jem. should not have him; and so enlarged both he and she
about the baseness and looseness of the Court, and told several stories of
the Duke of Monmouth, and Richmond, and some great person, my Lord of
Ormond's second son, married to a lady of extraordinary quality (fit and
that might have been made a wife for the King himself), about six months
since, that this great person hath given the pox to------; and discoursed
how much this would oblige the Kingdom if the King would banish some of
these great persons publiquely from the Court, and wished it with all
their hearts. We set out so late that it grew dark, so as we doubted the
losing of our way; and a long time it was, or seemed, before we could get
to the water-side, and that about eleven at night, where, when we come,
all merry (only my eye troubled me, as I said), we found no ferryboat was
there, nor no oares to carry us to Deptford. However, afterwards oares
was called from the other side at Greenwich; but, when it come, a
frolique, being mighty merry, took us, and there we would sleep all night
in the coach in the Isle of Doggs. So we did, there being now with us my
Lady Scott, and with great pleasure drew up the glasses, and slept till
daylight, and then some victuals and wine being brought us, we ate a bit,
and so up and took boat, merry as might be; and when come to Sir G.
Carteret's, there all to bed.
25th. Our good humour in every body continuing, and there I slept till
seven o'clock. Then up and to the office, well refreshed, my eye only
troubling me, which by keeping a little covered with my handkercher and
washing now and then with cold water grew better by night. At noon to the
'Change, which was very thin, and thence homeward, and was called in by
Mr. Rawlinson, with whom I dined and some good company very harmlessly
merry. But sad the story of the plague in the City, it growing mightily.
This day my Lord Brunker did give me Mr. Grant's' book upon the Bills of
Mortality, new printed and enlarged. Thence to my office awhile, full of
business, and thence by coach to the Duke of Albemarle's, not meeting one
coach going nor coming from my house thither and back again, which is very
strange. One of my chief errands was to speak to Sir W. Clerke about my
wife's brother, who importunes me, and I doubt he do want mightily, but I
can do little for him there as to employment in the army, and out of my
purse I dare not for fear of a precedent, and letting him come often to me
is troublesome and dangerous too, he living in the dangerous part of the
town, but I will do what I can possibly for him and as soon as I can.
Mightily troubled all this afternoon with masters coming to me about Bills
of Exchange and my signing them upon my Goldsmiths, but I did send for
them all and hope to ease myself this weeke of all the clamour. These two
or three days Mr. Shaw at Alderman Backewell's hath lain sick, like to
die, and is feared will not live a day to an end. At night home and to
bed, my head full of business, and among others, this day come a letter to
me from Paris from my Lord Hinchingbroke, about his coming over; and I
have sent this night an order from the Duke of Albemarle for a ship of 36
guns to [go] to Calais to fetch him.