Diary of Samuel Pepys, November 1666
S >>
Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, November 1666
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.
NOVEMBER
1666
November 1st. Up, and was presented by Burton, one of our smith's wives,
with a very noble cake, which I presently resolved to have my wife go with
to-day, and some wine, and house-warme my Betty Michell, which she readily
resolved to do. So I to the office and sat all the morning, where little
to do but answer people about want of money; so that there is little
service done the King by us, and great disquiet to ourselves; I am sure
there is to me very much, for I do not enjoy myself as I would and should
do in my employment if my pains could do the King better service, and with
the peace that we used to do it. At noon to dinner, and from dinner my
wife and my brother, and W. Hewer and Barker away to Betty Michell's, to
Shadwell, and I to my office, where I took in Mrs. Bagwell and did what I
would with her, and so she went away, and I all the afternoon till almost
night there, and then, my wife being come back, I took her and set her at
her brother's, who is very sicke, and I to White Hall, and there all alone
a pretty while with Sir W. Coventry at his chamber. I find him very
melancholy under the same considerations of the King's service that I am.
He confesses with me he expects all will be undone, and all ruined; he
complains and sees perfectly what I with grief do, and said it first
himself to me that all discipline is lost in the fleete, no order nor no
command, and concurs with me that it is necessary we do again and again
represent all things more and more plainly to the Duke of York, for a
guard to ourselves hereafter when things shall come to be worse. He says
the House goes on slowly in finding of money, and that the discontented
party do say they have not done with us, for they will have a further bout
with us as to our accounts, and they are exceedingly well instructed where
to hit us. I left him with a thousand sad reflections upon the times, and
the state of the King's matters, and so away, and took up my wife and
home, where a little at the office, and then home to supper, and talk with
my wife (with whom I have much comfort) and my brother, and so to bed.
2nd. Up betimes, and with Sir W. Batten to Woolwich, where first we went
on board the Ruby, French prize, the only ship of war we have taken from
any of our enemies this year. It seems a very good ship, but with
galleries quite round the sterne to walk in as a balcone, which will be
taken down. She had also about forty good brass guns, but will make
little amends to our loss in The Prince. Thence to the Ropeyarde and the
other yards to do several businesses, he and I also did buy some apples
and pork; by the same token the butcher commended it as the best in
England for cloath and colour. And for his beef, says he, "Look how fat
it is; the lean appears only here and there a speck, like beauty-spots."
Having done at Woolwich, we to Deptford (it being very cold upon the
water), and there did also a little more business, and so home, I reading
all the why to make end of the "Bondman" (which the oftener I read the
more I like), and begun "The Duchesse of Malfy;" which seems a good play.
At home to dinner, and there come Mr. Pierce, surgeon, to see me, and
after I had eat something, he and I and my wife by coach to Westminster,
she set us down at White Hall, and she to her brother's. I up into the
House, and among other things walked a good while with the Serjeant
Trumpet, who tells me, as I wished, that the King's Italian here is about
setting three parts for trumpets, and shall teach some to sound them, and
believes they will be admirable musique. I also walked with Sir Stephen
Fox an houre, and good discourse of publique business with him, who seems
very much satisfied with my discourse, and desired more of my
acquaintance. Then comes out the King and Duke of York from the Council,
and so I spoke awhile to Sir W. Coventry about some office business, and
so called my wife (her brother being now a little better than he was), and
so home, and I to my chamber to do some business, and then to supper and
to bed.
3rd. This morning comes Mr. Lovett, and brings me my print of the
Passion, varnished by him, and the frame black, which indeed is very fine,
though not so fine as I expected; however, pleases me exceedingly. This,
and the sheets of paper he prepared for me, come to L3, which I did give
him, and though it be more than is fit to lay out on pleasure, yet, it
being ingenious, I did not think much of it. He gone, I to the office,
where all the morning to little purpose, nothing being before us but
clamours for money: So at noon home to dinner, and after dinner to hang up
my new varnished picture and set my chamber in order to be made clean, and
then to; the office again, and there all the afternoon till late at night,
and so to supper and to bed.
4th (Lord's day). Comes my taylor's man in the morning, and brings my
vest home, and coate to wear with it, and belt, and silver-hilted sword.
So I rose and dressed myself, and I like myself mightily in it, and so do
my wife. Then, being dressed, to church; and after church pulled my Lady
Pen and Mrs. Markham into my house to dinner, and Sir J. Minnes he got
Mrs. Pegg along with him. I had a good dinner for them, and very merry;
and after dinner to the waterside, and so, it being very cold, to White
Hall, and was mighty fearfull of an ague, my vest being new and thin, and
the coat cut not to meet before upon my breast. Here I waited in the
gallery till the Council was up, and among others did speak with Mr.
Cooling, my Lord Chamberlain's secretary, who tells me my Lord Generall is
become mighty low in all people's opinion, and that he hath received
several slurs from the King and Duke of York. The people at Court do see
the difference between his and the Prince's management, and my Lord
Sandwich's. That this business which he is put upon of crying out against
the Catholiques and turning them out of all employment, will undo him,
when he comes to turn-out the officers out of the Army, and this is a
thing of his own seeking. That he is grown a drunken sot, and drinks with
nobody but Troutbecke, whom nobody else will keep company with. Of whom
he told me this story: That once the Duke of Albemarle in his drink taking
notice as of a wonder that Nan Hide should ever come to be Duchesse of
York, "Nay," says Troutbecke, "ne'er wonder at that; for if you will give
me another bottle of wine, I will tell you as great, if not greater, a
miracle." And what was that, but that our dirty Besse (meaning his
Duchesse) should come to be Duchesse of Albemarle? Here we parted, and so
by and by the Council rose, and out comes Sir G. Carteret and Sir W.
Coventry, and they and my Lord Bruncker and I went to Sir G. Carteret's
lodgings, there to discourse about some money demanded by Sir W. Warren,
and having done that broke up. And Sir G. Carteret and I alone together a
while, where he shows a long letter, all in cipher, from my Lord Sandwich
to him. The contents he hath not yet found out, but he tells me that my
Lord is not sent for home, as several people have enquired after of me.
He spoke something reflecting upon me in the business of pursers, that
their present bad behaviour is what he did foresee, and had convinced me
of, and yet when it come last year to be argued before the Duke of York I
turned and said as the rest did. I answered nothing to it, but let it go,
and so to other discourse of the ill state of things, of which all people
are full of sorrow and observation, and so parted, and then by water,
landing in Southwarke, home to the Tower, and so home, and there began to
read "Potter's Discourse upon 1666," which pleases me mightily, and then
broke off and to supper and to bed.
5th (A holyday). Lay long; then up, and to the office, where vexed to
meet with people come from the fleete at the Nore, where so many ships are
laid up and few going abroad, and yet Sir Thomas Allen hath sent up some
Lieutenants with warrants to presse men for a few ships to go out this
winter, while every day thousands appear here, to our great trouble and
affright, before our office and the ticket office, and no Captains able to
command one-man aboard. Thence by water to Westminster, and there at the
Swan find Sarah is married to a shoemaker yesterday, so I could not see
her, but I believe I shall hereafter at good leisure. Thence by coach to
my Lady Peterborough, and there spoke with my Lady, who had sent to speak
with me. She makes mighty moan of the badness of the times, and her
family as to money. My Lord's passionateness for want thereof, and his
want of coming in of rents, and no wages from the Duke of York. No money
to be had there for wages nor disbursements, and therefore prays my
assistance about his pension. I was moved with her story, which she
largely and handsomely told me, and promised I would try what I could do
in a few days, and so took leave, being willing to keep her Lord fair with
me, both for his respect to my Lord Sandwich and for my owne sake
hereafter, when I come to pass my accounts. Thence to my Lord Crew's, and
there dined, and mightily made of, having not, to my shame, been there in
8 months before. Here my Lord and Sir Thomas Crew, Mr. John, and Dr.
Crew, and two strangers. The best family in the world for goodness and
sobriety. Here beyond my expectation I met my Lord Hinchingbroke, who is
come to towne two days since from Hinchingbroke, and brought his sister
and brother Carteret with him, who are at Sir G. Carteret's. After dinner
I and Sir Thomas Crew went aside to discourse of public matters, and do
find by him that all the country gentlemen are publickly jealous of the
courtiers in the Parliament, and that they do doubt every thing that they
propose; and that the true reason why the country gentlemen are for a
land-tax and against a general excise, is, because they are fearful that
if the latter be granted they shall never get it down again; whereas the
land-tax will be but for so much; and when the war ceases, there will be
no ground got by the Court to keep it up. He do much cry out upon our
accounts, and that all that they have had from the King hath been but
estimates both from my Lord Treasurer and us, and from all people else, so
that the Parliament is weary of it. He says the House would be very glad
to get something against Sir G. Carteret, and will not let their inquiries
die till they have got something. He do, from what he hath heard at the
Committee for examining the burning of the City, conclude it as a thing
certain that it was done by plots; it being proved by many witnesses that
endeavours were made in several places to encrease the fire, and that both
in City and country it was bragged by several Papists that upon such a day
or in such a time we should find the hottest weather that ever was in
England, and words of plainer sense. But my Lord Crew was discoursing at
table how the judges have determined in the case whether the landlords or
the tenants (who are, in their leases, all of them generally tied to
maintain and uphold their houses) shall bear the losse of the fire; and
they say that tenants should against all casualties of fire beginning
either in their owne or in their neighbour's; but, where it is done by an
enemy, they are not to do it. And this was by an enemy, there having been
one convicted and hanged upon this very score. This is an excellent salvo
for the tenants, and for which I am glad, because of my father's house.
After dinner and this discourse I took coach, and at the same time find my
Lord Hinchingbroke and Mr. John Crew and the Doctor going out to see the
ruins of the City; so I took the Doctor into my hackney coach (and he is a
very fine sober gentleman), and so through the City. But, Lord! what
pretty and sober observations he made of the City and its desolation; till
anon we come to my house, and there I took them upon Tower Hill to shew
them what houses were pulled down there since the fire; and then to my
house, where I treated them with good wine of several sorts, and they took
it mighty respectfully, and a fine company of gentlemen they are; but
above all I was glad to see my Lord Hinchingbroke drink no wine at all.
Here I got them to appoint Wednesday come se'nnight to dine here at my
house, and so we broke up and all took coach again, and I carried the
Doctor to Chancery Lane, and thence I to White Hall, where I staid walking
up and down till night, and then got almost into the play house, having
much mind to go and see the play at Court this night; but fearing how I
should get home, because of the bonefires and the lateness of the night to
get a coach, I did not stay; but having this evening seen my Lady Jemimah,
who is come to towne, and looks very well and fat, and heard how Mr. John
Pickering is to be married this week, and to a fortune with L5000, and
seen a rich necklace of pearle and two pendants of dyamonds, which Sir G.
Carteret hath presented her with since her coming to towne, I home by
coach, but met not one bonefire through the whole town in going round by
the wall, which is strange, and speaks the melancholy disposition of the
City at present, while never more was said of, and feared of, and done
against the Papists than just at this time. Home, and there find my wife
and her people at cards, and I to my chamber, and there late, and so to
supper and to bed.
6th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning sitting. At noon home
to dinner, and after dinner down alone by water to Deptford, reading
"Duchesse of Malfy," the play, which is pretty good, and there did some
business, and so up again, and all the evening at the office. At night
home, and there find Mr. Batelier, who supped with us, and good company he
is, and so after supper to bed.
7th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, where we attended as usual
the Duke of York and there was by the folly of Sir W. Batten prevented in
obtaining a bargain for Captain Cocke, which would, I think have [been] at
this time (during our great want of hempe), both profitable to the King
and of good convenience to me; but I matter it not, it being done only by
the folly, not any design, of Sir W. Batten's. Thence to Westminster Hall,
and, it being fast day, there was no shops open, but meeting with Doll
Lane, did go with her to the Rose taverne, and there drank and played with
her a good while. She went away, and I staid a good while after, and was
seen going out by one of our neighbours near the office and two of the
Hall people that I had no mind to have been seen by, but there was no hurt
in it nor can be alledged from it. Therefore I am not solicitous in it,
but took coach and called at Faythorne's, to buy some prints for my wife
to draw by this winter, and here did see my Lady Castlemayne's picture,
done by him from Lilly's, in red chalke and other colours, by which he
hath cut it in copper to be printed. The picture in chalke is the finest
thing I ever saw in my life, I think; and did desire to buy it; but he
says he must keep it awhile to correct his copper-plate by, and when that
is done he will sell it me. Thence home and find my wife gone out with my
brother to see her brother. I to dinner and thence to my chamber to read,
and so to the office (it being a fast day and so a holiday), and then to
Mrs. Turner's, at her request to speake and advise about Sir Thomas
Harvy's coming to lodge there, which I think must be submitted to, and
better now than hereafter, when he gets more ground, for I perceive he
intends to stay by it, and begins to crow mightily upon his late being at
the payment of tickets; but a coxcombe he is and will never be better in
the business of the Navy. Thence home, and there find Mr. Batelier come
to bring my wife a very fine puppy of his mother's spaniel, a very fine
one indeed, which my wife is mighty proud of. He staid and supped with
us, and they to cards. I to my chamber to do some business, and then out
to them to play and were a little merry, and then to bed. By the Duke of
York his discourse to-day in his chamber, they have it at Court, as well
as we here, that a fatal day is to be expected shortly, of some great
mischiefe to the remainder of this day; whether by the Papists, or what,
they are not certain. But the day is disputed; some say next Friday,
others a day sooner, others later, and I hope all will prove a foolery.
But it is observable how every body's fears are busy at this time.
8th. Up, and before I went to the office I spoke with Mr. Martin for his
advice about my proceeding in the business of the private man-of-war, he
having heretofore served in one of them, and now I have it in my thoughts
to send him purser in ours. After this discourse I to the office, where I
sat all the morning, Sir W. Coventry with us, where he hath not been a
great while, Sir W. Pen also, newly come from the Nore, where he hath been
some time fitting of the ships out. At noon home to dinner and then to
the office awhile, and so home for my sword, and there find Mercer come to
see her mistresse. I was glad to see her there, and my wife mighty kind
also, and for my part, much vexed that the jade is not with us still.
Left them together, designing to go abroad to-morrow night to Mrs. Pierces
to dance; and so I to Westminster Hall, and there met Mr. Grey, who tells
me the House is sitting still (and now it was six o'clock), and likely to
sit till midnight; and have proceeded fair to give the King his supply
presently; and herein have done more to-day than was hoped for. So to
White Hall to Sir W. Coventry, and there would fain have carried Captain
Cocke's business for his bargain of hemp, but am defeated and
disappointed, and know hardly how to carry myself in it between my
interest and desire not to offend Sir W. Coventry. Sir W. Coventry did
this night tell me how the business is about Sir J. Minnes; that he is to
be a Commissioner, and my Lord Bruncker and Sir W. Pen are to be
Controller joyntly, which I am very glad of, and better than if they were
either of them alone; and do hope truly that the King's business will be
better done thereby, and infinitely better than now it is. Thence by
coach home, full of thoughts of the consequence of this alteration in our
office, and I think no evil to me. So at my office late, and then home to
supper and to bed. Mr. Grey did assure me this night, that he was told
this day, by one of the greater Ministers of State in England, and one of
the King's Cabinet, that we had little left to agree on between the Dutch
and us towards a peace, but only the place of treaty; which do astonish me
to hear, but I am glad of it, for I fear the consequence of the war. But
he says that the King, having all the money he is like to have, we shall
be sure of a peace in a little time.
9th. Up and to the office, where did a good deale of business, and then
at noon to the Exchange and to my little goldsmith's, whose wife is very
pretty and modest, that ever I saw any. Upon the 'Change, where I seldom
have of late been, I find all people mightily at a losse what to expect,
but confusion and fears in every man's head and heart. Whether war or
peace, all fear the event will be bad. Thence home and with my brother to
dinner, my wife being dressing herself against night; after dinner I to my
closett all the afternoon, till the porter brought my vest back from the
taylor's, and then to dress myself very fine, about 4 or 5 o'clock, and by
that time comes Mr. Batelier and Mercer, and away by coach to Mrs.
Pierces, by appointment, where we find good company: a fair lady, my Lady
Prettyman, Mrs. Corbet, Knipp; and for men, Captain Downing, Mr. Lloyd,
Sir W. Coventry's clerk, and one Mr. Tripp, who dances well. After some
trifling discourse, we to dancing, and very good sport, and mightily
pleased I was with the company. After our first bout of dancing, Knipp
and I to sing, and Mercer and Captain Downing (who loves and understands
musique) would by all means have my song of "Beauty, retire." which Knipp
had spread abroad; and he extols it above any thing he ever heard, and,
without flattery, I know it is good in its kind. This being done and
going to dance again, comes news that White Hall was on fire; and
presently more particulars, that the Horse-guard was on fire;
["Nov. 9th. Between seven and eight at night, there happened a fire
in the Horse Guard House, in the Tilt Yard, over against Whitehall,
which at first arising, it is supposed, from some snuff of a candle
falling amongst the straw, broke out with so sudden a flame, that at
once it seized the north-west part of that building; but being so
close under His Majesty's own eye, it was, by the timely help His
Majesty and His Royal Highness caused to be applied, immediately
stopped, and by ten o'clock wholly mastered, with the loss only of
that part of the building it had at first seized."--The London
Gazette, No. 103.--B.]
and so we run up to the garret, and find it so; a horrid great fire; and
by and by we saw and heard part of it blown up with powder. The ladies
begun presently to be afeard: one fell into fits. The whole town in an
alarme. Drums beat and trumpets, and the guards every where spread,
running up and down in the street. And I begun to have mighty
apprehensions how things might be at home, and so was in mighty pain to
get home, and that that encreased all is that we are in expectation, from
common fame, this night, or to-morrow, to have a massacre, by the having
so many fires one after another, as that in the City, and at same time
begun in Westminster, by the Palace, but put out; and since in Southwarke,
to the burning down some houses; and now this do make all people conclude
there is something extraordinary in it; but nobody knows what. By and by
comes news that the fire has slackened; so then we were a little cheered
up again, and to supper, and pretty merry. But, above all, there comes in
the dumb boy that I knew in Oliver's time, who is mightily acquainted
here, and with Downing; and he made strange signs of the fire, and how the
King was abroad, and many things they understood, but I could not, which I
wondering at, and discoursing with Downing about it, "Why," says he, "it
is only a little use, and you will understand him, and make him understand
you with as much ease as may be." So I prayed him to tell him that I was
afeard that my coach would be gone, and that he should go down and steal
one of the seats out of the coach and keep it, and that would make the
coachman to stay. He did this, so that the dumb boy did go down, and,
like a cunning rogue, went into the coach, pretending to sleep; and, by
and by, fell to his work, but finds the seats nailed to the coach. So he
did all he could, but could not do it; however, stayed there, and stayed
the coach till the coachman's patience was quite spent, and beat the dumb
boy by force, and so went away. So the dumb boy come up and told him all
the story, which they below did see all that passed, and knew it to be
true. After supper, another dance or two, and then newes that the fire is
as great as ever, which put us all to our wit's-end; and I mightily
[anxious] to go home, but the coach being gone, and it being about ten at
night, and rainy dirty weather, I knew not what to do; but to walk out
with Mr. Batelier, myself resolving to go home on foot, and leave the
women there. And so did; but at the Savoy got a coach, and come back and
took up the women; and so, having, by people come from the fire,
understood that the fire was overcome, and all well, we merrily parted,
and home. Stopped by several guards and constables quite through the
town, round the wall, as we went, all being in armes. We got well home
. . . . Being come home, we to cards, till two in the morning, and
drinking lamb's-wool.
[A beverage consisting of ale mixed with sugar, nutmeg, and the pulp
of roasted apples. "A cupp of lamb's-wool they dranke unto him
then." The King and the Miller of Mansfield (Percy's "Reliques,"
Series III., book ii., No. 20).]
So to bed.
10th. Up and to the office, where Sir W. Coventry come to tell us that
the Parliament did fall foul of our accounts again yesterday; and we must
arme to have them examined, which I am sorry for: it will bring great
trouble to me, and shame upon the office. My head full this morning how
to carry on Captain Cocke's bargain of hemp, which I think I shall by my
dexterity do, and to the King's advantage as well as my own. At noon with
my Lord Bruncker and Sir Thomas Harvy, to Cocke's house, and there Mrs.
Williams and other company, and an excellent dinner. Mr. Temple's wife;
after dinner, fell to play on the harpsicon, till she tired everybody,
that I left the house without taking leave, and no creature left standing
by her to hear her. Thence I home and to the office, where late doing of
business, and then home. Read an hour, to make an end of Potter's
Discourse of the Number 666, which I like all along, but his close is most
excellent; and, whether it be right or wrong, is mighty ingenious. Then
to supper and to bed. This is the fatal day that every body hath
discoursed for a long time to be the day that the Papists, or I know not
who, had designed to commit a massacre upon; but, however, I trust in God
we shall rise to-morrow morning as well as ever. This afternoon Creed
comes to me, and by him, as, also my Lady Pen, I hear that my Lady Denham
is exceeding sick, even to death, and that she says, and every body else
discourses, that she is poysoned; and Creed tells me, that it is said that
there hath been a design to poison the King. What the meaning of all
these sad signs is, the Lord knows; but every day things look worse and
worse. God fit us for the worst!