Diary of Samuel Pepys, May 1668
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, May 1668
12th. Up, and to the office, where we sat, and sat all the morning. Here
Lord Anglesey was with us, and in talk about the late difference between
the two Houses, do tell us that he thinks the House of Lords may be in an
error, at least, it is possible they may, in this matter of Skinner; and
he doubts they may, and did declare his judgement in the House of Lords
against their proceedings therein, he having hindered 100 originall causes
being brought into their House, notwithstanding that he was put upon
defending their proceedings: but that he is confident that the House of
Commons are in the wrong, in the method they take to remedy an error of
the Lords, for no vote of theirs can do it; but, in all like cases, the
Commons have done it by petition to the King, sent up to the Lords, and by
them agreed to, and so redressed, as they did in the Petition of Right.
He says that he did tell them indeed, which is talked of, and which did
vex the Commons, that the Lords were "Judices nati et Conciliarii nati;"
but all other judges among us are under salary, and the Commons themselves
served for wages; and therefore the Lords, in reason, were the freer
judges. At noon to dinner at home, and after dinner, where Creed dined
with me, he and I, by water to the Temple, where we parted, and I both to
the King's and Duke of York's playhouses, and there went through the
houses to see what faces I could spy that I knew, and meeting none, I away
by coach to my house, and then to Mrs. Mercer's, where I met with her two
daughters, and a pretty-lady I never knew yet, one Mrs. Susan Gayet, a
very pretty black lady, that speaks French well, and is a Catholick, and
merchant's daughter, by us, and here was also Mrs. Anne Jones, and after
sitting and talking a little, I took them out, and carried them through
Hackney to Kingsland, and there walked to Sir G. Whitmore's house, where I
have not been many a day; and so to the old house at Islington, and eat,
and drank, and sang, and mighty merry; and so by moonshine with infinite
pleasure home, and there sang again in Mercer's garden. And so parted, I
having there seen a mummy in a merchant's warehouse there, all the middle
of the man or woman's body, black and hard. I never saw any before, and,
therefore, it pleased me much, though an ill sight; and he did give me a
little bit, and a bone of an arme, I suppose, and so home, and there to
bed.
13th. Up, and by water to White Hall, and so to Sir H. Cholmly's, who not
being up I made a short visit to Sir W. Coventry, and he and I through the
Park to White Hall, and thence I back into the Park, and there met Sir H.
Cholmly, and he and I to Sir Stephen Fox's, where we met and considered
the business of the Excise, how far it is charged in reference to the
payment of the Guards and Tangier. Thence he and I walked to Westminster
Hall and there took a turn, it being holyday, and so back again, and I to
the mercer's, and my tailor's about a stuff suit that I am going to make.
Thence, at noon, to Hercules Pillars, and there dined all alone, and so to
White Hall, some of us attended the Duke of York as usual, and so to
attend the Council about the business of Hemskirke's project of building a
ship that sails two feet for one of any other ship, which the Council did
agree to be put in practice, the King to give him, if it proves good,
L5000 in hand, and L15,000 more in seven years, which, for my part, I
think a piece of folly for them to meddle with, because the secret cannot
be long kept. So thence, after Council, having drunk some of the King's
wine and water with Mr. Chevins, my Lord Brouncker, and some others, I by
water to the Old Swan, and there to Michell's, and did see her and drink
there, but he being there je ne baiser la; and so back again by water to
Spring Garden all alone, and walked a little, and so back again home, and
there a little to my viall, and so to bed, Mrs. Turner having sat and
supped with me. This morning I hear that last night Sir Thomas Teddiman,
poor man! did die by a thrush in his mouth: a good man, and stout and
able, and much lamented; though people do make a little mirth, and say, as
I believe it did in good part, that the business of the Parliament did
break his heart, or, at least, put him into this fever and disorder, that
caused his death.
14th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon
home to dinner with my people, but did not stay to dine out with them, but
rose and straight by water to the Temple, and so to Penny's, my tailor's,
where by and by by agreement Mercer, and she, to my great content, brings
Mrs. Gayet, and I carried them to the King's house; but, coming too soon,
we out again to the Rose taverne, and there I did give them a tankard of
cool drink, the weather being very hot, and then into the playhouse again,
and there saw "The Country Captain," a very dull play, that did give us no
content, and besides, little company there, which made it very unpleasing.
Thence to the waterside, at Strand bridge, and so up by water and to
Fox-hall, where we walked a great while, and pleased mightily with the
pleasure thereof, and the company there, and then in, and eat and drank,
and then out again and walked, and it beginning to be dark, we to a corner
and sang, that everybody got about us to hear us; and so home, where I saw
them both at their doors, and, full of the content of this afternoon's
pleasure, I home and to walk in the garden a little, and so home to bed.
15th. Up, and betimes to White Hall, and there met with Sir H. Cholmly at
Sir Stephen Fox's, and there was also the Cofferer, and we did there
consider about our money and the condition of the Excise, and after much
dispute agreed upon a state thereof and the manner of our future course of
payments. Thence to the Duke of York, and there did a little navy
business as we used to do, and so to a Committee for Tangier, where God
knows how my Lord Bellasses's accounts passed; understood by nobody but my
Lord Ashly, who, I believe, was mad to let them go as he pleased. But
here Sir H. Cholmly had his propositions read, about a greater price for
his work of the Mole, or to do it upon account, which, being read, he was
bid to withdraw. But, Lord! to see how unlucky a man may be, by chance;
for, making an unfortunate minute when they were almost tired with the
other business, the Duke of York did find fault with it, and that made all
the rest, that I believe he had better have given a great deal, and had
nothing said to it to-day; whereas, I have seen other things more
extravagant passed at first hearing, without any difficulty. Thence I to
my Lord Brouncker's, at Mrs. Williams's, and there dined, and she did shew
me her closet, which I was sorry to see, for fear of her expecting
something from me; and here she took notice of my wife's not once coming
to see her, which I am glad of; for she shall not--a prating, vain, idle
woman. Thence with Lord Brouncker to Loriners'-hall,
[The Loriners, or Lorimers (bit-makers), of London are by reputation
an ancient mistery, but they were first incorporated by letters
patent of 10 Queen Anne (December 3rd, 1711). Their small hall was
at the corner of Basinghall Street in London Wall. The company has
no hall now.]
by Mooregate, a hall I never heard of before, to Sir Thomas Teddiman's
burial, where most people belonging to the sea were. And here we had
rings: and here I do hear that some of the last words that he said were,
that he had a very good King, God bless him! but that the Parliament had
very ill rewarded him for all the service he had endeavoured to do them
and his country; so that, for certain, this did go far towards his death.
But, Lord! to see among [the company] the young commanders, and Thomas
Killigrew and others that come, how unlike a burial this was, O'Brian
taking out some ballads out of his pocket, which I read, and the rest come
about me to hear! and there very merry we were all, they being new
ballets. By and by the corpse went; and I, with my Lord Brouncker, and
Dr. Clerke, and Mr. Pierce, as far as the foot of London-bridge; and there
we struck off into Thames Street, the rest going to Redriffe, where he is
to be buried. And we 'light at the Temple, and there parted; and I to the
King's house, and there saw the last act of "The Committee," thinking to
have seen Knepp there, but she did not act. And so to my bookseller's,
and there carried home some books-among others, "Dr. Wilkins's Reall
Character," and thence to Mrs. Turner's, and there went and sat, and she
showed me her house from top to bottom, which I had not seen before, very
handsome, and here supped, and so home, and got Mercer, and she and I in
the garden singing till ten at night, and so home to a little supper, and
then parted, with great content, and to bed. The Duchesse of Monmouth's
hip is, I hear, now set again, after much pain. I am told also that the
Countess of Shrewsbury is brought home by the Duke of Buckingham to his
house, where his Duchess saying that it was not for her and the other to
live together in a house, he answered, Why, Madam, I did think so, and,
therefore, have ordered your coach to be ready, to carry you to your
father's, which was a devilish speech, but, they say, true; and my Lady
Shrewsbury is there, it seems.
16th. Up; and to the Office, where we sat all the morning; and at noon,
home with my people to dinner; and thence to the Office all the afternoon,
till, my eyes weary, I did go forth by coach to the King's playhouse, and
there saw the best part of "The Sea Voyage," where Knepp I see do her part
of sorrow very well. I afterwards to her house; but she did not come
presently home; and there je did kiss her ancilla, which is so mighty
belle; and I to my tailor's, and to buy me a belt for my new suit against
to-morrow; and so home, and there to my Office, and afterwards late
walking in the garden; and so home to supper, and to bed, after Nell's
cutting of my hair close, the weather being very hot.
17th (Lord's day). Up, and put on my new stuff-suit, with a
shoulder-belt, according to the new fashion, and the bands of my vest and
tunique laced with silk lace, of the colour of my suit: and so, very
handsome, to Church, where a dull sermon and of a stranger, and so home;
and there I find W. Howe, and a younger brother of his, come to dine with
me; and there comes Mercer, and brings with her Mrs. Gayet, which pleased
me mightily; and here was also W. Hewer, and mighty merry; and after
dinner to sing psalms. But, Lord! to hear what an excellent base this
younger brother of W. Howe's sings, even to my astonishment, and mighty
pleasant. By and by Gayet goes away, being a Catholick, to her devotions,
and Mercer to church; but we continuing an hour or two singing, and so
parted; and I to Sir W. Pen's, and there sent for a hackney-coach; and he
and she [Lady Pen] and I out, to take the gyre. We went to Stepney, and
there stopped at the Trinity House, he to talk with the servants there
against to-morrow, which is a great day for the choice of a new Master,
and thence to Mile End, and there eat and drank, and so home; and I supped
with them--that is, eat some butter and radishes, which is my excuse for
not eating any other of their victuals, which I hate, because of their
sluttery: and so home, and made my boy read to me part of Dr. Wilkins's
new book of the "Real Character;" and so to bed.
18th. Up, and to my office, where most of the morning doing business and
seeing my window-frames new painted, and then I out by coach to my Lord
Bellasses, at his new house by my late Lord Treasurer's, and there met him
and Mr. Sherwin, Auditor Beale, and Creed, about my Lord's accounts, and
here my Lord shewed me his new house, which, indeed, is mighty noble, and
good pictures--indeed, not one bad one in it. Thence to my tailor's, and
there did find Mercer come with Mrs. Horsfield and Gayet according to my
desire, and there I took them up, it being almost twelve o'clock, or a
little more, and carried them to the King's playhouse, where the doors
were not then open; but presently they did open; and we in, and find many
people already come in, by private ways, into the pit, it being the first
day of Sir Charles Sidly's new play, so long expected, "The Mullberry
Guarden," of whom, being so reputed a wit, all the world do expect great
matters. I having sat here awhile, and eat nothing to-day, did slip out,
getting a boy to keep my place; and to the Rose Tavern, and there got half
a breast of mutton, off of the spit, and dined all alone. And so to the
play again, where the King and Queen, by and by, come, and all the Court;
and the house infinitely full. But the play, when it come, though there
was, here and there, a pretty saying, and that not very many neither, yet
the whole of the play had nothing extraordinary in it, at all, neither of
language nor design; insomuch that the King I did not see laugh, nor
pleased the whole play from the beginning to the end, nor the company;
insomuch that I have not been less pleased at a new play in my life, I
think. And which made it the worse was, that there never was worse musick
played--that is, worse things composed, which made me and Captain Rolt,
who happened to sit near me, mad. So away thence, very little satisfied
with the play, but pleased with my company. I carried them to Kensington,
to the Grotto, and there we sang, to my great content, only vexed, in
going in, to see a son of Sir Heneage Finch's beating of a poor little dog
to death, letting it lie in so much pain that made me mad to see it, till,
by and by, the servants of the house chiding of their young master, one of
them come with a thong, and killed the dog outright presently. Thence to
Westminster palace, and there took boat and to Fox Hall, where we walked,
and eat, and drank, and sang, and very merry. But I find Mrs. Horsfield
one of the veriest citizen's wives in the world, so full of little silly
talk, and now and then a little sillily bawdy, that I believe if you had
her sola a man might hazer all with her. So back by water to Westminster
Palace, and there got a coach which carried us as far as the Minorys, and
there some thing of the traces broke, and we forced to 'light, and walked
to Mrs. Horsfield's house, it being a long and bad way, and dark, and
having there put her in a doors, her husband being in bed, we left her and
so back to our coach, where the coachman had put it in order, but could
not find his whip in the dark a great while, which made us stay long. At
last getting a neighbour to hold a candle out of their window Mercer found
it, and so away we home at almost 12 at night, and setting them both at
their homes, I home and to bed.
19th. Up, and called on Mr. Pierce, who tells me that after all this ado
Ward is come to town, and hath appeared to the Commissioners of Accounts
and given such answers as he thinks will do every body right, and let the
world see that their great expectations and jealousies have been vain in
this matter of the prizes. The Commissioners were mighty inquisitive
whether he was not instructed by letters or otherwise from hence from my
Lord Sandwich's friends what to say and do, and particularly from me,
which he did wholly deny, as it was true, I not knowing the man that I
know of. He tells me also that, for certain, Mr. Vaughan is made Lord
Chief justice, which I am glad of. He tells me, too; that since my Lord
of Ormond's coming over, the King begins to be mightily reclaimed, and
sups every night with great pleasure with the Queene: and yet, it seems,
he is mighty hot upon the Duchess of Richmond; insomuch that, upon Sunday
was se'nnight, at night, after he had ordered his Guards and coach to be
ready to carry him to the Park, he did, on a sudden, take a pair of oars
or sculler, and all alone, or but one with him, go to Somersett House, and
there, the garden-door not being open, himself clamber over the walls to
make a visit to her, which is a horrid shame. He gone, I to the office,
where we sat all the morning, Sir W. Pen sick of the gout comes not out.
After dinner at home, to White Hall, it being a very rainy day, and there
a Committee for Tangier, where I was mightily pleased to see Sir W.
Coventry fall upon my Lord Bellasses' business of the 3d. in every piece
of it which he would get to himself, making the King pay 4s. 9d, while he
puts them off for 4s. 6d., so that Sir W. Coventry continues still the
same man for the King's good. But here Creed did vex me with saying that
I ought first to have my account past by the Commissioners of Tangier
before in the Exchequer. Thence W. Coventry and I in the Matted gallery,
and there he did talk very well to me about the way to save the credit of
the officers of the Navy, and their places too, by making use of this
interval of Parliament to be found to be mending of matters in the Navy,
and that nothing but this will do it, and gives an instance in themselves
of the Treasury, whereof himself and Sir John Duncombe all the world knows
have enemies, and my Lord Ashly a man obnoxious to most, and Sir Thomas
Clifford one that as a man suddenly rising and a creature of my Lord
Arlington's hath enemies enough (none of them being otherwise but the Duke
of Albemarle), yet with all this fault they hear nothing of the business
of the Treasury, but all well spoken of there. He is for the removal of
Sir John Minnes, thinking that thereby the world will see a greater change
in the hands than now they do; and I will endeavour it, and endeavour to
do some good in the office also. So home by coach, and to the office,
where ended my letters, and then home, and there got Balty to read to me
out of Sorbiere's Observations in his Voyage into England, and then to
bed.
20th. Up, and with Colonell Middleton, in a new coach he hath made him,
very handsome, to White Hall, where the Duke of York having removed his
lodgings for this year to St. James's, we walked thither; and there find
the Duke of York coming to White Hall, and so back to the Council-chamber,
where the Committee of the Navy sat; and here we discoursed several
things; but, Lord! like fools; so as it was a shame to see things of this
importance managed by a Council that understand nothing of them: and,
among other things, one was about this building of a ship with Hemskirke's
secret, to sail a third faster than any other ship; but he hath got Prince
Rupert on his side, and by that means, I believe, will get his conditions
made better than he would otherwise, or ought indeed. Having done there, I
met with Sir Richard Browne, and he took me to dinner with him to a new
tavern, above Charing Cross, where some clients of his did give him a good
dinner, and good company; among others, one Bovy, a solicitor, and lawyer
and merchant all together, who hath travelled very much, did talk some
things well; but only he is a "Sir Positive:" but the talk of their
travels over the Alps very fine. Thence walked to the King's playhouse,
and saw "The Mulberry Garden" again, and cannot be reconciled to it, but
only to find here and there an independent sentence of wit, and that is
all. Here met with Creed; and took him to Hales's, and there saw the
beginnings of Harris's head which he draws for me, which I do not yet
like. So he and I down to the New Exchange, and there cheapened ribbands
for my wife, and so down to the Whey house and drank some and eat some
curds, which did by and by make my belly ake mightily. So he and I to
White Hall, and walked over the Park to the Mulberry-Garden,
[On the site of the present Buckingham Palace and gardens.
Originally a garden of mulberry trees, planted by James I. in 1609
with the intention of cultivating the manufacture of English silks.]
where I never was before; and find it a very silly place, worse than
Spring-garden, and but little company, and those a rascally, whoring,
roguing sort of people, only a wilderness here, that is somewhat pretty,
but rude. Did not stay to drink, but walked an hour and so away to
Charing Cross, and there took coach and away home, in my way going into
Bishopsgate Street, to bespeak places for myself and boy to go to
Cambridge in the coach this week, and so to Brampton, to see my wife. So
home, and to supper and to bed.
21st. Up, and busy to send some things into the country, and then to the
Office, where meets me Sir Richard Ford, who among other things
congratulates me, as one or two did yesterday, [on] my great purchase; and
he advises me rather to forbear, if it be not done, as a thing that the
world will envy me in: and what is it but my cozen Tom Pepys's buying of
Martin Abbey, in Surry! which is a mistake I am sorry for, and yet do fear
that it may spread in the world to my prejudice. All the morning at the
office, and at noon my clerks dined with me, and there do hear from them
how all the town is full of the talk of a meteor, or some fire, that did
on Saturday last fly over the City at night, which do put me in mind that,
being then walking in the dark an hour or more myself in the garden, after
I had done writing, I did see a light before me come from behind me, which
made me turn back my head; and I did see a sudden fire or light running in
the sky, as it were towards Cheapside ward, and it vanished very quick,
which did make me bethink myself what holyday it was, and took it for some
rocket, though it was much brighter than any rocket, and so thought no
more of it, but it seems Mr. Hater and Gibson going home that night did
meet with many clusters of people talking of it, and many people of the
towns about the city did see it, and the world do make much discourse of
it, their apprehensions being mighty full of the rest of the City to be
burned, and the Papists to cut our throats. Which God prevent! Thence
after dinner I by coach to the Temple, and there bought a new book of
songs set to musique by one Smith of Oxford, some songs of Mr. Cowley's,
and so to Westminster, and there to walk a little in the Hall, and so to
Mrs. Martin's, and there did hazer cet que je voudrai mit her, and drank
and sat most of the afternoon with her and her sister, and here she
promises me her fine starling, which was the King's, and speaks finely,
which I shall be glad of, and so walked to the Temple, meeting in the
street with my cozen Alcocke, the young man, that is a good sober youth, I
have not seen these four or five years, newly come to town to look for
employment: but I cannot serve him, though I think he deserves well, and
so I took coach and home to my business, and in the evening took Mrs.
Turner and Mercer out to Mile End and drank, and then home, and sang; and
eat a dish of greene pease, the first I have seen this year, given me by
Mr. Gibson, extraordinary young and pretty, and so saw them at home, and
so home to bed. Sir W. Pen continues ill of the gout.
22nd. Up, and all the morning at the office busy. At noon home with my
people to dinner, where good discourse and merry. After dinner comes Mr.
Martin, the purser, and brings me his wife's starling, which was formerly
the King's bird, that do speak and whistle finely, which I am mighty proud
of and shall take pleasure in it. Thence to the Duke of York's house to a
play, and saw Sir Martin Marr-all, where the house is full; and though I
have seen it, I think, ten times, yet the pleasure I have is yet as great
as ever, and is undoubtedly the best comedy ever was wrote. Thence to my
tailor's and a mercer's for patterns to carry my wife of cloth and silk
for a bed, which I think will please her and me, and so home, and fitted
myself for my journey to-morrow, which I fear will not be pleasant,
because of the wet weather, it raining very hard all this day; but the
less it troubles me because the King and Duke of York and Court are at
this day at Newmarket, at a great horse-race, and proposed great pleasure
for two or three days, but are in the same wet. So from the office home
to supper, and betimes to bed.
23rd. Up by four o'clock; and, getting my things ready, and recommending
the care of my house to W. Hewer, I with my boy Tom, whom I take with me,
to the Bull, in Bishopsgate Street, and there, about six, took coach, he
and I, and a gentleman and his man, there being another coach also, with
as many more, I think, in it; and so away to Bishop's Stafford, and there
dined, and changed horses and coach, at Mrs. Aynsworth's; but I took no
knowledge of her. Here the gentleman and I to dinner, and in comes
Captain Forster, an acquaintance of his, he that do belong to my Lord
Anglesey, who had been at the late horse-races at Newmarket, where the
King now is, and says that they had fair weather there yesterday, though
we here, and at London, had nothing but rain, insomuch that the ways are
mighty full of water, so as hardly to be passed. Here I hear Mrs.
Aynsworth is going to live at London: but I believe will be mistaken in
it; for it will be found better for her to be chief where she is, than to
have little to do at London. There being many finer than she there. After
dinner away again and come to Cambridge, after much bad way, about nine at
night; and there, at the Rose, I met my father's horses, with a man,
staying for me. But it is so late, and the waters so deep, that I durst
not go to-night; but after supper to bed; and there lay very ill, by
reason of some drunken scholars making a noise all night, and vexed for
fear that the horses should not be taken up from grass, time enough for
the morning. Well pleased all this journey with the conversation of him
that went with me, who I think is a lawyer, and lives about Lynne, but his
name I did not ask.