Diary of Samuel Pepys, June 1667
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, June 1667
25th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen in his new chariot (which indeed is plain,
but pretty and more fashionable in shape than any coach he hath, and yet
do not cost him, harness and all, above L32) to White Hall; where staid a
very little: and thence to St. James's to [Sir] W. Coventry, whom I have
not seen since before the coming of the Dutch into the river, nor did
indeed know how well to go see him, for shame either to him or me, or both
of us, to find ourselves in so much misery. I find that he and his
fellow-Treasurers are in the utmost want of money, and do find fault with
Sir G. Carteret, that, having kept the mystery of borrowing money to
himself so long, to the ruin of the nation, as [Sir] W. Coventry said in
words to [Sir] W. Pen and me, he should now lay it aside and come to them
for money for every penny he hath, declaring that he can raise no more:
which, I confess, do appear to me the most like ill-will of any thing that
I have observed of [Sir] W. Coventry, when he himself did tell us, on
another occasion at the same time, that the bankers who used to furnish
them money are not able to lend a farthing, and he knows well enough that
that was all the mystery [Sir] G. Carteret did use, that is, only his
credit with them. He told us the masters and owners of the two ships that
I had complained of, for not readily setting forth their ships, which we
had taken up to make men-of-war, had been yesterday with the King and
Council, and had made their case so well understood, that the King did owe
them for what they had earned the last year, that they could not set them
out again without some money or stores out of the King's Yards; the latter
of which [Sir] W. Coventry said must be done, for that they were not able
to raise money for them, though it was but L200 a ship: which do skew us
our condition to be so bad, that I am in a total despair of ever having
the nation do well. After talking awhile, and all out of heart with
stories of want of seamen, and seamen's running away, and their demanding
a month's advance, and our being forced to give seamen 3s. a-day to go
hence to work at Chatham, and other things that show nothing but
destruction upon us; for it is certain that, as it now is, the seamen of
England, in my conscience, would, if they could, go over and serve the
King of France or Holland rather than us. Up to the Duke of York to his
chamber, where he seems to be pretty easy, and now and then merry; but yet
one may perceive in all their minds there is something of trouble and
care, and with good reason. Thence to White Hall, and with Sir W. Pen, by
chariot; and there in the Court met with my Lord Anglesey: and he to talk
with [Sir] W. Pen, and told him of the masters of ships being with the
Council yesterday, and that we were not in condition, though the men were
willing, to furnish them with L200 of money, already due to them as earned
by them the last year, to enable them to set out their ships again this
year for the King: which he is amazed at; and when I told him, "My Lord,
this is a sad instance of the condition we are in," he answered, that it
was so indeed, and sighed: and so parted: and he up to the
Council-chamber, where I perceive they sit every morning, and I to
Westminster Hall, where it is Term time. I met with none I knew, nor did
desire it, but only past through the-Hall and so back again, and by coach
home to dinner, being weary indeed of seeing the world, and thinking it
high time for me to provide against the foul weather that is certainly
coming upon us. So to the office, and there [Sir] W. Pen and I did some
business, and then home to dinner, where my wife pleases me mightily with
what she can do upon the flageolet, and then I to the office again, and
busy all the afternoon, and it is worth noting that the King and Council,
in their order of the 23rd instant, for unloading three merchant-ships
taken up for the King's service for men-of-war, do call the late coming of
the Dutch "an invasion." I was told, yesterday, that Mr. Oldenburg, our
Secretary at Gresham College, is put into the Tower, for writing newes to
a virtuoso in France, with whom he constantly corresponds in philosophical
matters; which makes it very unsafe at this time to write, or almost do
any thing. Several captains come to the office yesterday and to-day,
complaining that their men come and go when they will, and will not be
commanded, though they are paid every night, or may be. Nay, this
afternoon comes Harry Russell from Gravesend, telling us that the money
carried down yesterday for the Chest at Chatham had like to have been
seized upon yesterday, in the barge there, by seamen, who did beat our
watermen: and what men should these be but the boat's crew of Sir
Fretcheville Hollis, who used to brag so much of the goodness and order of
his men, and his command over them. Busy all the afternoon at the office.
Towards night I with Mr. Kinaston to White Hall about a Tangier order, but
lost our labour, only met Sir H. Cholmly there, and he tells me great
newes; that this day in Council the King hath declared that he will call
his Parliament in thirty days: which is the best newes I have heard a
great while, and will, if any thing, save the kingdom. How the King come
to be advised to this, I know not; but he tells me that it was against the
Duke of York's mind flatly, who did rather advise the King to raise money
as he pleased; and against the Chancellor's, who told the King that Queen
Elizabeth did do all her business in eighty-eight without calling a
Parliament, and so might he do, for anything he saw. But, blessed be God!
it is done; and pray God it may hold, though some of us must surely go to
the pot, for all must be flung up to them, or nothing will be done. So
back home, and my wife down by water, I sent her, with Mrs. Hewer and her
son, W. Hewer, to see the sunk ships, while I staid at the office, and in
the evening was visited by Mr. Roberts the merchant by us about the
getting him a ship cleared from serving the King as a man of war, which I
will endeavour to do. So home to supper and to bed.
26th. Up, and in dressing myself in my dressing chamber comes up Nell,
and I did play with her . . . . So being ready I to White Hall by
water, and there to the Lords Treasurers' chamber, and there wait, and
here it is every body's discourse that the Parliament is ordered to meet
the 25th of July, being, as they say, St. James's day; which every
creature is glad of. But it is pretty to consider how, walking to the Old
Swan from my house, I met Sir Thomas Harvy, whom, asking the newes of the
Parliament's meeting, he told me it was true, and they would certainly
make a great rout among us. I answered, I did not care for my part,
though I was ruined, so that the Commonwealth might escape ruin by it. He
answered, that is a good one, in faith; for you know yourself to be
secure, in being necessary to the office; but for my part, says he, I must
look to be removed; but then, says he, I doubt not but I shall have amends
made me; for all the world knows upon what terms I come in; which is a
saying that a wise man would not unnecessarily have said, I think, to any
body, meaning his buying his place of my Lord Barkely [of Stratton]. So
we parted, and I to White Hall, as I said before, and there met with Sir
Stephen Fox and Mr. Scawen, who both confirm the news of the Parliament's
meeting. Here I staid for an order for my Tangier money, L30,000, upon
the 11 months' tax, and so away to my Lord Arlington's office, and there
spoke to him about Mr. Lanyon's business, and received a good answer, and
thence to Westminster Hall and there walked a little, and there met with
Colonell Reames, who tells me of a letter come last night, or the day
before, from my Lord St. Albans, out of France, wherein he says, that the
King of France did lately fall out with him, giving him ill names, saying
that he had belied him to our King, by saying that he had promised to
assist our King, and to forward the peace; saying that indeed he had
offered to forward the peace at such a time, but it was not accepted of,
and so he thinks himself not obliged, and would do what was fit for him;
and so made him to go out of his sight in great displeasure: and he hath
given this account to the King, which, Colonell Reymes tells me, puts them
into new melancholy at Court, and he believes hath forwarded the
resolution of calling the Parliament. Wherewith for all this I am very
well contented, and so parted and to the Exchequer, but Mr. Burgess was
not in his office; so alone to the Swan, and thither come Mr. Kinaston to
me, and he and I into a room and there drank and discoursed, and I am
mightily pleased with him for a most diligent and methodical man in all
his business. By and by to Burgess, and did as much as we could with him
about our Tangier order, though we met with unexpected delays in it, but
such as are not to be avoided by reason of the form of the Act and the
disorders which the King's necessities do put upon it, and therefore away
by coach, and at White Hall spied Mr. Povy, who tells me, as a great
secret, which none knows but himself, that Sir G. Carteret hath parted
with his place of Treasurer of the Navy, by consent, to my Lord Anglesey,
and is to be Treasurer of Ireland in his stead; but upon what terms it is
I know not, but Mr. Povy tells it is so, and that it is in his power to
bring me to as great a friendship and confidence in my Lord Anglesey as
ever I was with [Sir] W. Coventry, which I am glad of, and so parted, and
I to my tailor's about turning my old silk suit and cloak into a suit and
vest, and thence with Mr. Kinaston (whom I had set down in the Strand and
took up again at the Temple gate) home, and there to dinner, mightily
pleased with my wife's playing on the flageolet, and so after dinner to
the office. Such is the want already of coals, and the despair of having
any supply, by reason of the enemy's being abroad, and no fleete of ours
to secure, that they are come, as Mr. Kinaston tells me, at this day to L5
10s. per chaldron. All the afternoon busy at the office. In the evening
with my wife and Mercer took coach and to Islington to the Old House, and
there eat and drank and sang with great pleasure, and then round by
Hackney home with great pleasure, and when come home to bed, my stomach
not being well pleased with the cream we had to-night.
27th. Wakened this morning, about three o'clock, by Mr. Griffin with a
letter from Sir W. Coventry to W. Pen, which W. Pen sent me to see, that
the Dutch are come up to the Nore again, and he knows not whether further
or no, and would have, therefore, several things done: ships sunk, and I
know not what--which Sir W. Pen (who it seems is very ill this night, or
would be thought so) hath directed Griffin to carry to the Trinity House;
so he went away with the letter, and I tried and with much ado did get a
little sleep more, and so up about six o'clock, full of thought what to do
with the little money I have left and my plate, wishing with all my heart
that that was all secured. So to the office, where much business all the
morning, and the more by my brethren being all out of the way; Sir W. Pen
this night taken so ill cannot stir; [Sir] W. Batten ill at Walthamstow;
Sir J. Minnes the like at Chatham, and my Lord Bruncker there also upon
business. Horrible trouble with the backwardness of the merchants to let
us have their ships, and seamen's running away, and not to be got or kept
without money. It is worth turning to our letters this day to Sir W.
Coventry about these matters. At noon to dinner, having a haunch of
venison boiled; and all my clerks at dinner with me; and mightily taken
with Mr. Gibson's discourse of the faults of this war in its management
compared [with] that in the last war, which I will get him to put into
writing. Thence, after dinner, to the office again, and there I saw the
proclamations come out this day for the Parliament to meet the 25th of
next month; for which God be praised! and another to invite seamen to
bring in their complaints, of their being ill-used in the getting their
tickets and money, there being a Committee of the Council appointed to
receive their complaints. This noon W. Hewer and T. Hater both tell me
that it is all over the town, and Mr. Pierce tells me also, this afternoon
coming to me, that for certain Sir G. Carteret hath parted with his
Treasurer's place, and that my Lord Anglesey is in it upon agreement and
change of places, though the latter part I do not think. This Povy told
me yesterday, and I think it is a wise act of [Sir] G. Carteret. Pierce
tells me that he hears for certain fresh at Court, that France and we
shall agree; and more, that yesterday was damned at the Council, the
Canary Company; and also that my Lord Mordaunt hath laid down his
Commission, both good things to please the Parliament, which I hope will
do good. Pierce tells me that all the town do cry out of our office, for
a pack of fools and knaves; but says that everybody speaks either well, or
at least the best of me, which is my great comfort, and think I do deserve
it, and shall shew I have; but yet do think, and he also, that the
Parliament will send us all going; and I shall be well contented with it,
God knows! But he tells me how Matt. Wren should say that he was told
that I should say that W. Coventry was guilty of the miscarriage at
Chatham, though I myself, as he confesses, did tell him otherwise, and
that it was wholly Pett's fault. This do trouble me, not only as untrue,
but as a design in some [one] or other to do me hurt; for, as the thing is
false, so it never entered into my mouth or thought, nor ever shall. He
says that he hath rectified Wren in his belief of this, and so all is
well. He gone, I to business till the evening, and then by chance home,
and find the fellow that come up with my wife, Coleman, last from
Brampton, a silly rogue, but one that would seem a gentleman; but I did
not stay with him. So to the office, where late, busy, and then to walk a
little in the garden, and so home to supper and to bed. News this tide,
that about 80 sail of the Dutch, great and small were seen coming up the
river this morning; and this tide some of them to the upper end of the
Hope.
28th. Up, and hear Sir W. Batten is come to town: I to see him; he is
very ill of his fever, and come to town only for advice. Sir J. Minnes, I
hear also, is very ill all this night, worse than before. Thence I going
out met at the gate Sir H. Cholmly coming to me, and I to him in the
coach, and both of us presently to St. James's, by the way discoursing of
some Tangier business about money, which the want of I see will certainly
bring the place into a bad condition. We find the Duke of York and [Sir]
W. Coventry gone this morning, by two o'clock, to Chatham, to come home
to-night: and it is fine to observe how both the King and Duke of York
have, in their several late journeys to and again, done them in the night
for coolnesse. Thence with him to the Treasury Chamber, and then to the
Exchequer to inform ourselves a little about our warrant for L30,000 for
Tangier, which vexes us that it is so far off in time of payment. Having
walked two or three turns with him in the Hall we parted, and I home by
coach, and did business at the office till noon, and then by water to
White Hall to dinner to Sir G. Carteret, but he not at home, but I dined
with my Lady and good company, and good dinner. My Lady and the family in
very good humour upon this business of his parting with his place of
Treasurer of the Navy, which I perceive they do own, and we did talk of it
with satisfaction. They do here tell me that the Duke of Buckingham hath
surrendered himself to Secretary Morrice, and is going to the Tower. Mr.
Fenn, at the table, says that he hath been taken by the watch two or three
times of late, at unseasonable hours, but so disguised that they could not
know him: and when I come home, by and by, Mr. Lowther tells me that the
Duke of Buckingham do dine publickly this day at Wadlow's, at the Sun
Tavern; and is mighty merry, and sent word to the Lieutenant of the Tower,
that he would come to him as soon as he had dined. Now, how sad a thing
it is, when we come to make sport of proclaiming men traitors, and
banishing them, and putting them out of their offices, and Privy Council,
and of sending to and going to the Tower: God have mercy on us! At table,
my Lady and Sir Philip Carteret have great and good discourse of the
greatness of the present King of France--what great things he hath done,
that a man may pass, at any hour in the night, all over that wild city
[Paris], with a purse in his hand and no danger: that there is not a
beggar to be seen in it, nor dirt lying in it; that he hath married two of
Colbert's daughters to two of the greatest princes of France, and given
them portions--bought the greatest dukedom in France, and given it to
Colbert;
[The Carterets appear to have mystified Pepys, who eagerly believed
all that was told him. At this time Paris was notoriously unsafe,
infested with robbers and beggars, and abominably unclean. Colbert
had three daughters, of whom the eldest was just married when Pepys
wrote, viz., Jean Marie Therese, to the Duc de Chevreuse, on the 3rd
February, 1667. The second daughter, Henriette Louise, was not
married to the Duc de St. Aignan till January 21st, 1671; and the
third, Marie Anne, to the Duc de Mortemart, February 14th, 1679.
Colbert himself was never made a duke. His highest title was
Marquis de Seignelay.--B.]
and ne'er a prince in France dare whisper against it, whereas here our
King cannot do any such thing, but everybody's mouth is open against him
for it, and the man that hath the favour also. That to several commanders
that had not money to set them out to the present campagne, he did of his
own accord--send them L1000 sterling a-piece, to equip themselves. But
then they did enlarge upon the slavery of the people--that they are taxed
more than the real estates they have; nay, it is an ordinary thing for
people to desire to give the King all their land that they have, and
themselves become only his tenants, and pay him rent to the full value of
it: so they may have but their earnings, But this will not be granted; but
he shall give the value of his rent, and part of his labour too. That
there is not a petty governor of a province--nay, of a town, but he will
take the daughter from the richest man in the town under him, that hath
got anything, and give her to his footman for a wife if he pleases, and
the King of France will do the like to the best man in his kingdom--take
his daughter from him, and give her to his footman, or whom he pleases.
It is said that he do make a sport of us now; and says, that he knows no
reason why his cozen, the King of England, should not be as willing to let
him have his kingdom, as that the Dutch should take it from him, which is
a most wretched thing that ever we should live to be in this most
contemptible condition. After dinner Sir G. Carteret come in, and I to
him and my Lady, and there he did tell me that the business was done
between him and my Lord Anglesey; that himself is to have the other's
place of Deputy Treasurer of Ireland, which is a place of honour and great
profit, being far better, I know not for what reason, but a reason there
is, than the Treasurer's, my Lord of Corke's, and to give the other his,
of Treasurer of the Navy; that the King, at his earnest entreaty, did,
with much unwillingness, but with owning of great obligations to him, for
his faithfulness and long service to him and his father, and therefore was
willing to grant his desire. That the Duke of York hath given him the
same kind words, so that it is done with all the good manner that could
be, and he I perceive do look upon it, and so do I, I confess, as a great
good fortune to him to meet with one of my Lord Anglesey's quality willing
to receive it at this time. Sir W. Coventry he hath not yet made
acquainted with it, nor do intend it, it being done purely to ease himself
of the many troubles and plagues which he thinks the perverseness and
unkindness of Sir W. Coventry and others by his means have and is likely
every day to bring upon him, and the Parliament's envy, and lastly to put
himself into a condition of making up his accounts, which he is, he says,
afeard he shall never otherwise be. My Lord Chancellor, I perceive, is
his friend in it. I remember I did in the morning tell Sir H. Cholmly of
this business: and he answered me, he was sorry for it; for, whatever Sir
G. Carteret was, he is confident my Lord Anglesey is one of the greatest
knaves in the world, which is news to me, but I shall make my use of it.
Having done this discourse with Sir G. Carteret, and signified my great
satisfaction in it, which they seem to look upon as something, I went away
and by coach home, and there find my wife making of tea, a drink which Mr.
Pelling, the Potticary, tells her is good for her cold and defluxions. I
to the office (whither come Mr. Carcasse to me to sue for my favour to
him), and Sir W. Pen's, where I find Mr. Lowther come to town after the
journey, and after a small visit to him, I to the office to do much
business, and then in the evening to Sir W. Batten's, to see how he did;
and he is better than he was. He told me how Mrs. Lowther had her train
held up yesterday by her page, at his house in the country; which is so
ridiculous a piece of pride as I am ashamed of. He told me also how he
hears by somebody that my Lord Bruncker's maid hath told that her lady
Mrs. Williams had sold her jewels and clothes to raise money for something
or other; and indeed the last night a letter was sent from her to me, to
send to my Lord, with about five pieces of gold in it, which methought at
the time was but a poor supply. I then to Sir W. Pen, who continues a
little ill, or dissembles it, the latter of which I am apt to believe.
Here I staid but little, not meaning much kindness in it; and so to the
office, and dispatched more business; and then home at night, and to
supper with my wife, and who should come in but Mr. Pelling, and supped
with us, and told us the news of the town; how the officers of the Navy
are cried out upon, and a great many greater men; but do think that I
shall do well enough; and I think, if I have justice, I shall. He tells
me of my Lord Duke of Buckingham, his dining to-day at the Sun, and that
he was mighty merry; and, what is strange, tells me that really he is at
this day a very popular man, the world reckoning him to suffer upon no
other account than that he did propound in Parliament to have all the
questions that had to do with the receipt of the taxes and prizes; but
they must be very silly that do think he can do any thing out of good
intention. After a great deal of tittle-tattle with this honest man, he
gone we to bed. We hear that the Dutch are gone down again; and thanks be
to God! the trouble they give us this second time is not very
considerable.
29th. Up, having had many ugly dreams to-night of my father and my sister
and mother's coming to us, and meeting my wife and me at the gate of the
office going out, they all in laced suits, and come, they told me, to be
with me this May day. My mother told me she lacked a pair of gloves, and
I remembered a pair of my wife's in my chamber, and resolved she should
have them, but then recollected how my mother come to be here when I was
in mourning for her, and so thinking it to be a mistake in our thinking
her all this while dead, I did contrive that it should be said to any that
enquired that it was my mother-in-law, my wife's mother, that was dead,
and we in mourning for. This dream troubled me and I waked . . . .
These dreams did trouble me mightily all night. Up, and by coach to St.
James's, and there find Sir W. Coventry and Sir W. Pen above stairs, and
then we to discourse about making up our accounts against the Parliament;
and Sir W. Coventry did give us the best advice he could for us to provide
for our own justification, believing, as everybody do, that they will fall
heavily upon us all, though he lay all upon want of money, only a little,
he says (if the Parliament be in any temper), may be laid upon themselves
for not providing money sooner, they being expressly and industriously
warned thereof by him, he says, even to the troubling them, that some of
them did afterwards tell him that he had frighted them. He says he do
prepare to justify himself, and that he hears that my Lord Chancellor, my
Lord Arlington, the Vice Chamberlain and himself are reported all up and
down the Coffee houses to be the four sacrifices that must be made to
atone the people. Then we to talk of the loss of all affection and
obedience, now in the seamen, so that all power is lost. He told us that
he do concur in thinking that want of money do do the most of it, but that
that is not all, but the having of gentlemen Captains, who discourage all
Tarpaulins, and have given out that they would in a little time bring it
to that pass that a Tarpaulin should not dare to aspire to more than to be
a Boatswain or a gunner. That this makes the Sea Captains to lose their
own good affections to the service, and to instil it into the seamen also,
and that the seamen do see it themselves and resent it; and tells us that
it is notorious, even to his bearing of great ill will at Court, that he
hath been the opposer of gentlemen Captains; and Sir W. Pen did put in,
and said that he was esteemed to have been the man that did instil it into
Sir W. Coventry, which Sir W. Coventry did owne also, and says that he
hath always told the Gentlemen Captains his opinion of them, and that
himself who had now served to the business of the sea 6 or 7 years should
know a little, and as much as them that had never almost been at sea, and
that yet he found himself fitter to be a Bishop or Pope than to be a
Sea-Commander, and so indeed he is. I begun to tell him of the experience
I had of the great brags made by Sir F. Hollis the other day, and the
little proof either of the command or interest he had in his men, which
Sir W. Pen seconded by saying Sir Fr. Hollis had told him that there was
not a pilot to be got the other day for his fire-ships, and so was forced
to carry them down himself, which Sir W. Coventry says, in my conscience,
he knows no more to do and understand the River no more than he do Tiber
or Ganges. Thence I away with Sir W. Pen to White Hall, to the Treasury
Chamber, but to no purpose, and so by coach home, and there to my office
to business, and then home to dinner, and to pipe with my wife, and so to
the office again, having taken a resolution to take a turn to Chatham
to-morrow, indeed to do business of the King's, but also to give myself
the satisfaction of seeing the place after the Dutch have been here. I
have sent to and got Creed to go with me by coach betimes to-morrow
morning. After having done my business at the office I home, and there I
found Coleman come again to my house, and with my wife in our great
chamber, which vexed me, there being a bed therein. I staid there awhile,
and then to my study vexed, showing no civility to the man. But he comes
on a compliment to receive my wife's commands into the country, whither he
is going, and it being Saturday my wife told me there was no other room
for her to bring him in, and so much is truth. But I staid vexed in my
closet till by and by my cozen Thomas Pepys, of Hatcham, come to see me,
and he up to my closet, and there sat talking an hour or two of the sad
state of the times, whereof we did talk very freely, and he thinks nothing
but a union of religious interests will ever settle us; and I do think
that, and the Parliament's taking the whole management of things into
their hands, and severe inquisitions into our miscarriages; will help us.
After we had bewailed ourselves and the kingdom very freely one to another
(wherein I do blame myself for my freedom of speech to anybody), he gone,
and Coleman gone also before, I to the office, whither Creed come by my
desire, and he and I to my wife, to whom I now propose the going to
Chatham, who, mightily pleased with it, sent for Mercer to go with her,
but she could not go, having friends at home, which vexed my wife and me;
and the poor wretch would have had anybody else to have gone, but I would
like nobody else, so was contented to stay at home, on condition to go to
Ispsum next Sunday, which I will do, and so I to the office to dispatch my
business, and then home to supper with Creed, and then Creed and I
together to bed, very pleasant in discourse. This day talking with Sir W.
Batten, he did give me an account how ill the King and Duke of York was
advised to send orders for our frigates and fire-ships to come from
Gravesend, soon as ever news come of the Dutch being returned into the
river, wherein no seamen, he believes, was advised with; for, says he, we
might have done just as Warwicke did, when he, W. Batten; come with the
King and the like fleete, in the late wars, into the river: for Warwicke
did not run away from them, but sailed before them when they sailed, and
come to anchor when they come to anchor, and always kept in a small
distance from them: so as to be able to take any opportunity of any of
their ships running aground, or change of wind, or any thing else, to his
advantage. So might we have done with our fire-ships, and we have lost an
opportunity of taking or burning a good ship of their's, which was run
aground about Holehaven, I think he said, with the wind so as their ships
could not get her away; but we might have done what we would with her,
and, it may be, done them mischief, too, with the wind. This seems very
probable, and I believe was not considered.