Diary of Samuel Pepys, October 1665
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Samuel Pepys >> Diary of Samuel Pepys, October 1665
11th. Up, and so in my chamber staid all the morning doing something
toward my Tangier accounts, for the stating of them, and also comes up my
landlady, Mrs. Clerke, to make an agreement for the time to come; and I,
for the having room enough, and to keepe out strangers, and to have a
place to retreat to for my wife, if the sicknesse should come to Woolwich,
am contented to pay dear; so for three rooms and a dining-room, and for
linen and bread and beer and butter, at nights and mornings, I am to give
her L5 10s. per month, and I wrote and we signed to an agreement. By and
by comes Cocke to tell me that Fisher and his fellow were last night
mightily satisfied and promised all friendship, but this morning he finds
them to have new tricks and shall be troubled with them. So he being to go
down to Erith with them this afternoon about giving security, I advised
him to let them go by land, and so he and I (having eat something at his
house) by water to Erith, but they got thither before us, and there we met
Mr. Seymour, one of the Commissioners for Prizes, and a Parliament-man,
and he was mighty high, and had now seized our goods on their behalf; and
he mighty imperiously would have all forfeited, and I know not what. I
thought I was in the right in a thing I said and spoke somewhat earnestly,
so we took up one another very smartly, for which I was sorry afterwards,
shewing thereby myself too much concerned, but nothing passed that I
valued at all. But I could not but think [it odd] that a Parliament-man,
in a serious discourse before such persons as we and my Lord Bruncker, and
Sir John Minnes, should quote Hudibras, as being the book I doubt he hath
read most. They I doubt will stand hard for high security, and Cocke
would have had me bound with him for his appearing, but I did stagger at
it, besides Seymour do stop the doing it at all till he has been with the
Duke of Albemarle. So there will be another demurre. It growing late,
and I having something to do at home, took my leave alone, leaving Cocke
there for all night, and so against tide and in the darke and very cold
weather to Woolwich, where we had appointed to keepe the night merrily;
and so, by Captain Cocke's coach, had brought a very pretty child, a
daughter of one Mrs. Tooker's, next door to my lodging, and so she, and a
daughter and kinsman of Mrs. Pett's made up a fine company at my lodgings
at Woolwich, where my wife and Mercer, and Mrs. Barbara danced, and mighty
merry we were, but especially at Mercer's dancing a jigg, which she does
the best I ever did see, having the most natural way of it, and keeps time
the most perfectly I ever did see. This night is kept in lieu of
yesterday, for my wedding day of ten years; for which God be praised!
being now in an extreme good condition of health and estate and honour,
and a way of getting more money, though at this houre under some
discomposure, rather than damage, about some prize goods that I have
bought off the fleete, in partnership with Captain Cocke; and for the
discourse about the world concerning my Lord Sandwich, that he hath done a
thing so bad; and indeed it must needs have been a very rash act; and the
rather because of a Parliament now newly met to give money, and will have
some account of what hath already been spent, besides the precedent for a
General to take what prizes he pleases, and the giving a pretence to take
away much more than he intended, and all will lie upon him; and not giving
to all the Commanders, as well as the Flaggs, he displeases all them, and
offends even some of them, thinking others to be better served than
themselves; and lastly, puts himself out of a power of begging anything
again a great while of the King. Having danced with my people as long as
I saw fit to sit up, I to bed and left them to do what they would. I
forgot that we had W. Hewer there, and Tom, and Golding, my barber at
Greenwich, for our fiddler, to whom I did give 10s.
12th. Called up before day, and so I dressed myself and down, it being
horrid cold, by water to my Lord Bruncker's ship, who advised me to do so,
and it was civilly to show me what the King had commanded about the
prize-goods, to examine most severely all that had been done in the taking
out any with or without order, without respect to my Lord Sandwich at all,
and that he had been doing of it, and find him examining one man, and I do
find that extreme ill use was made of my Lord's order. For they did toss
and tumble and spoil, and breake things in hold to a great losse and shame
to come at the fine goods, and did take a man that knows where the fine
goods were, and did this over and over again for many days, Sir W.
Berkeley being the chief hand that did it, but others did the like at
other times, and they did say in doing it that my Lord Sandwich's back was
broad enough to bear it. Having learned as much as I could, which was,
that the King and Duke were very severe in this point, whatever order they
before had given my Lord in approbation of what he had done, and that all
will come out and the King see, by the entries at the Custome House, what
all do amount to that had been taken, and so I took leave, and by water,
very cold, and to Woolwich where it was now noon, and so I staid dinner
and talking part of the afternoon, and then by coach, Captain Cocke's, to
Greenwich, taking the young lady home, and so to Cocke, and he tells me
that he hath cajolled with Seymour, who will be our friend; but that,
above all, Seymour tells him, that my Lord Duke did shew him to-day an
order from Court, for having all respect paid to the Earle of Sandwich,
and what goods had been delivered by his order, which do overjoy us, and
that to-morrow our goods shall be weighed, and he doubts not possession
to-morrow or next day. Being overjoyed at this I to write my letters, and
at it very late. Good newes this week that there are about 600 less dead
of the plague than the last. So home to bed.
13th. Lay long, and this morning comes Sir Jer. Smith
[Captain Jeremiah Smith (or Smyth), knighted June, 1665; Admiral of
the Blue in 1666. He succeeded Sir William Penn as Comptroller of
the Victualling Accounts in 1669, and held the office until 1675.]
to see me in his way to Court, and a good man he is, and one that I must
keep fair with, and will, it being I perceive my interest to have
kindnesse with the Commanders. So to the office, and there very busy till
about noon comes Sir W. Warren, and he goes and gets a bit of meat ready
at the King's Head for us, and I by and by thither, and we dined together,
and I am not pleased with him about a little business of Tangier that I
put to him to do for me, but however, the hurt is not much, and his other
matters of profit to me continue very likely to be good. Here we spent
till 2 o'clock, and so I set him on shore, and I by water to the Duke of
Albemarle, where I find him with Lord Craven and Lieutenant of the Tower
about him; among other things, talking of ships to get of the King to
fetch coles for the poore of the city, which is a good worke. But, Lord!
to hear the silly talke between these three great people! Yet I have no
reason to find fault, the Duke and Lord Craven being my very great
friends. Here did the business I come about, and so back home by water,
and there Cocke comes to me and tells me that he is come to an
understanding with Fisher, and that he must give him L100, and that he
shall have his goods in possession to-morrow, they being all weighed
to-day, which pleases me very well. This day the Duke tells me that there
is no news heard of the Dutch, what they do or where they are, but
believes that they are all gone home, for none of our spyes can give us
any tideings of them. Cocke is fain to keep these people, Fisher and his
fellow, company night and day to keep them friends almost and great
troubles withal. My head is full of settling the victualling business
also, that I may make some profit out of it, which I hope justly to do to
the King's advantage. To-night come Sir J. Bankes to me upon my letter to
discourse it with him, and he did give me the advice I have taken almost
as fully as if I had been directed by him what to write. The business
also of my Tangier accounts to be sent to Court is upon my hands in great
haste; besides, all my owne proper accounts are in great disorder, having
been neglected now above a month, which grieves me, but it could not be
settled sooner. These together and the feare of the sicknesse and
providing for my family do fill my head very full, besides the infinite
business of the office, and nobody here to look after it but myself. So
late from my office to my lodgings, and to bed.
14th. Up, and to the office, where mighty busy, especially with Mr.
Gawden, with whom I shall, I think, have much to do, and by and by comes
the Lieutenant of the Tower by my invitation yesterday, but I had got
nothing for him, it is to discourse about the Cole shipps. So he went
away to Sheriffe Hooker's, and I staid at the office till he sent for me
at noon to dinner, I very hungry. When I come to the Sheriffe's he was
not there, nor in many other places, nor could find him at all, so was
forced to come to the office and get a bit of meat from the taverne, and
so to my business. By and by comes the Lieutenant and reproaches me with
my not treating him as I ought, but all in jest, he it seemed dined with
Mr. Adrian May. Very late writing letters at the office, and much
satisfied to hear from Captain Cocke that he had got possession of some of
his goods to his own house, and expected to have all to-night. The towne,
I hear, is full of talke that there are great differences in the fleete
among the great Commanders, and that Mings at Oxford did impeach my Lord
of something, I think about these goods, but this is but talke. But my
heart and head to-night is full of the Victualling business, being
overjoyed and proud at my success in my proposal about it, it being read
before the King, Duke, and the Caball with complete applause and
satisfaction. This Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry both writ me,
besides Sir W. Coventry's letter to the Duke of Albemarle, which I read
yesterday, and I hope to find my profit in it also. So late home to bed.
15th (Lord's day). Up, and while I staid for the barber, tried to compose
a duo of counterpoint, and I think it will do very well, it being by Mr.
Berckenshaw's rule. By and by by appointment comes Mr. Povy's coach, and,
more than I expected, him himself, to fetch me to Brainford: so he and I
immediately set out, having drunk a draft of mulled sacke; and so rode
most nobly, in his most pretty and best contrived charriott in the world,
with many new conveniences, his never having till now, within a day or
two, been yet finished; our discourse upon Tangier business, want of
money, and then of publique miscarriages, nobody minding the publique, but
every body himself and his lusts. Anon we come to his house, and there I
eat a bit, and so with fresh horses, his noble fine horses, the best
confessedly in England, the King having none such, he sent me to Sir
Robert Viner's, whom I met coming just from church, and so after having
spent half-an-hour almost looking upon the horses with some gentlemen that
were in company, he and I into his garden to discourse of money, but none
is to be had, he confessing himself in great straits, and I believe it.
Having this answer, and that I could not get better, we fell to publique
talke, and to think how the fleete and seamen will be paid, which he
protests he do not think it possible to compass, as the world is now: no
money got by trade, nor the persons that have it by them in the City to be
come at. The Parliament, it seems, have voted the King L1,250,000 at
L50,000 per month, tax for the war; and voted to assist the King against
the Dutch, and all that shall adhere to them; and thanks to be given him
for his care of the Duke of Yorke, which last is a very popular vote on
the Duke's behalf. He tells me how the taxes of the last assessment,
which should have been in good part gathered, are not yet laid, and that
even in part of the City of London; and the Chimny-money comes almost to
nothing, nor any thing else looked after. Having done this I parted, my
mind not eased by any money, but only that I had done my part to the
King's service. And so in a very pleasant evening back to Mr. Povy's, and
there supped, and after supper to talke and to sing, his man Dutton's wife
singing very pleasantly (a mighty fat woman), and I wrote out one song
from her and pricked the tune, both very pretty. But I did never heare one
sing with so much pleasure to herself as this lady do, relishing it to her
very heart, which was mighty pleasant.
16th. Up about seven o'clock; and, after drinking, and I observing Mr.
Povy's being mightily mortifyed in his eating and drinking, and coaches
and horses, he desiring to sell his best, and every thing else, his
furniture of his house, he walked with me to Syon,
[Sion House, granted by Edward VI. to his uncle, the Duke of
Somerset. After his execution, 1552, it was forfeited, and given to
John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. The duke being beheaded in
1553, it reverted to the Crown, and was granted in 1604 to Henry
Percy, Earl of Northumberland. It still belongs to the Duke of
Northumberland.]
and there I took water, in our way he discoursing of the wantonnesse of
the Court, and how it minds nothing else, and I saying that that would
leave the King shortly if he did not leave it, he told me "No," for the
King do spend most of his time in feeling and kissing them naked . . .
But this lechery will never leave him. Here I took boat (leaving him
there) and down to the Tower, where I hear the Duke of Albemarle is, and I
to Lumbard Streete, but can get no money. So upon the Exchange, which is
very empty, God knows! and but mean people there. The newes for certain
that the Dutch are come with their fleete before Margett, and some men
were endeavouring to come on shore when the post come away, perhaps to
steal some sheep. But, Lord! how Colvill talks of the businesse of
publique revenue like a madman, and yet I doubt all true; that nobody
minds it, but that the King and Kingdom must speedily be undone, and rails
at my Lord about the prizes, but I think knows not my relation to him.
Here I endeavoured to satisfy all I could, people about Bills of Exchange
from Tangier, but it is only with good words, for money I have not, nor
can get. God knows what will become of all the King's matters in a little
time, for he runs in debt every day, and nothing to pay them looked after.
Thence I walked to the Tower; but, Lord! how empty the streets are and
melancholy, so many poor sick people in the streets full of sores; and so
many sad stories overheard as I walk, every body talking of this dead, and
that man sick, and so many in this place, and so many in that. And they
tell me that, in Westminster, there is never a physician and but one
apothecary left, all being dead; but that there are great hopes of a great
decrease this week: God send it! At the Tower found my Lord Duke and
Duchesse at dinner; so I sat down. And much good cheer, the Lieutenant
and his lady, and several officers with the Duke. But, Lord! to hear the
silly talk that was there, would make one mad; the Duke having none almost
but fools about him. Much of their talke about the Dutch coming on shore,
which they believe they may some of them have been and steal sheep, and
speak all in reproach of them in whose hands the fleete is; but, Lord
helpe him, there is something will hinder him and all the world in going
to sea, which is want of victuals; for we have not wherewith to answer our
service; and how much better it would have been if the Duke's advice had
been taken for the fleete to have gone presently out; but, God helpe the
King! while no better counsels are given, and what is given no better
taken. Thence after dinner receiving many commands from the Duke, I to
our office on the Hill, and there did a little business and to Colvill's
again, and so took water at the Tower, and there met with Captain Cocke,
and he down with me to Greenwich, I having received letters from my Lord
Sandwich to-day, speaking very high about the prize goods, that he would
have us to fear nobody, but be very confident in what we have done, and
not to confess any fault or doubt of what he hath done; for the King hath
allowed it, and do now confirm it, and sent orders, as he says, for
nothing to be disturbed that his Lordshipp hath ordered therein as to the
division of the goods to the fleete; which do comfort us, but my Lord
writes to me that both he and I may hence learn by what we see in this
business. But that which pleases me best is that Cocke tells me that he
now understands that Fisher was set on in this business by the design of
some of the Duke of Albemarle's people, Warcupp and others, who lent him
money to set him out in it, and he has spent high. Who now curse him for
a rogue to take L100 when he might have had as well L1,500, and they are
mightily fallen out about it. Which in due time shall be discovered, but
that now that troubles me afresh is, after I am got to the office at
Greenwich that some new troubles are come, and Captain Cocke's house is
beset before and behind with guards, and more, I do fear they may come to
my office here to search for Cocke's goods and find some small things of
my clerk's. So I assisted them in helping to remove their small trade,
but by and by I am told that it is only the Custome House men who came to
seize the things that did lie at Mr. Glanville's, for which they did never
yet see our Transire, nor did know of them till to-day. So that my fear
is now over, for a transire is ready for them. Cocke did get a great many
of his goods to London to-day. To the Still Yarde, which place, however,
is now shut up of the plague; but I was there, and we now make no bones of
it. Much talke there is of the Chancellor's speech and the King's at the
Parliament's meeting, which are very well liked; and that we shall
certainly, by their speeches, fall out with France at this time, together
with the Dutch, which will find us work. Late at the office entering my
Journall for 8 days past, the greatness of my business hindering me of
late to put it down daily, but I have done it now very true and
particularly, and hereafter will, I hope, be able to fall into my old way
of doing it daily. So to my lodging, and there had a good pullet to my
supper, and so to bed, it being very cold again, God be thanked for it!
17th. Up, and all day long busy at the office, mighty busy, only stepped
to my lodging and had a fowl for my dinner, and at night my wife and
Mercer comes to me, which troubled me a little because I am to be mighty
busy to-morrow all day seriously about my accounts. So late from my
office to her, and supped, and so to bed.
18th. Up, and after some pleasant discourse with my wife (though my head
full of business) I out and left her to go home, and myself to the office,
and thence by water to the Duke of Albemarle's, and so back again and find
my wife gone. So to my chamber at my lodgings, and to the making of my
accounts up of Tangier, which I did with great difficulty, finding the
difference between short and long reckonings where I have had occasion to
mix my moneys, as I have of late done my Tangier treasure upon other
occasions, and other moneys upon that. However, I was at it late and did
it pretty perfectly, and so, after eating something, to bed, my mind eased
of a great deal of figures and castings.
19th. Up, and to my accounts again, and stated them very clear and fair,
and at noon dined at my lodgings with Mr. Hater and W. Hewer at table with
me, I being come to an agreement yesterday with my landlady for L6 per
month, for so many rooms for myself, them, and my wife and mayde, when she
shall come, and to pay besides for my dyett. After dinner I did give them
my accounts and letters to write against I went to the Duke of Albemarle's
this evening, which I did; and among other things, spoke to him for my
wife's brother, Balty, to be of his guard, which he kindly answered that
he should. My business of the Victualling goes on as I would have it; and
now my head is full how to make some profit of it to myself or people. To
that end, when I came home, I wrote a letter to Mr. Coventry, offering
myself to be the Surveyor Generall, and am apt to think he will assist me
in it, but I do not set my heart much on it, though it would be a good
helpe. So back to my office, and there till past one before I could get
all these letters and papers copied out, which vexed me, but so sent them
away without hopes of saving the post, and so to my lodging to bed.
20th. Up, and had my last night's letters brought back to me, which
troubles me, because of my accounts, lest they should be asked for before
they come, which I abhorr, being more ready to give than they can be to
demand them: so I sent away an expresse to Oxford with them, and another
to Portsmouth, with a copy of my letter to Mr. Coventry about my
victualling business, for fear he should be gone from Oxford, as he
intended, thither. So busy all the morning and at noon to Cocke, and
dined there. He and I alone, vexed that we are not rid of all our trouble
about our goods, but it is almost over, and in the afternoon to my
lodging, and there spent the whole afternoon and evening with Mr. Hater,
discoursing of the business of the office, where he tells me that among
others Thomas Willson do now and then seem to hint that I do take too much
business upon me, more than I can do, and that therefore some do lie
undone. This I confess to my trouble is true, but it arises from my being
forced to take so much on me, more than is my proper task to undertake.
But for this at last I did advise to him to take another clerk if he
thinks fit, I will take care to have him paid. I discoursed also much
with him about persons fit to be put into the victualling business, and
such as I could spare something out of their salaries for them, but
without trouble I cannot, I see, well do it, because Thomas Willson must
have the refusal of the best place which is London of L200 per annum,
which I did intend for Tooker, and to get L50 out of it as a help to Mr.
Hater. How[ever], I will try to do something of this kind for them.
Having done discourse with him late, I to enter my Tangier accounts fair,
and so to supper and to bed.
21 st. Up, and to my office, where busy all the morning, and then with my
two clerks home to dinner, and so back again to the office, and there very
late very busy, and so home to supper and to bed.
22nd (Lord's day). Up, and after ready and going to Captain Cocke's,
where I find we are a little further safe in some part of our goods, I to
Church, in my way was meeting with some letters, which made me resolve to
go after church to my Lord Duke of Albemarle's, so, after sermon, I took
Cocke's chariott, and to Lambeth; but, in going and getting over the
water, and through White Hall, I spent so much time, the Duke had almost
dined. However, fresh meat was brought for me to his table, and there I
dined, and full of discourse and very kind. Here they are again talking
of the prizes, and my Lord Duke did speake very broad that my Lord
Sandwich and Pen should do what they would, and answer for themselves.
For his part, he would lay all before the King. Here he tells me the
Dutch Embassador at Oxford is clapped up, but since I hear it is not true.
Thence back again, it being evening before I could get home, and there
Cocke not being within, I and Mr. Salomon to Mr. Glanville's, and there we
found Cocke and sat and supped, and was mighty merry with only Madam
Penington, who is a fine, witty lady. Here we spent the evening late with
great mirth, and so home and to bed.
23rd. Up, and after doing some business I down by water, calling to see
my wife, with whom very merry for ten minutes, and so to Erith, where my
Lord Bruncker and I kept the office, and dispatched some business by
appointment on the Bezan. Among other things about the slopsellers, who
have trusted us so long, they are not able, nor can be expected to trust
us further, and I fear this winter the fleete will be undone by that
particular. Thence on board the East India ship, where my Lord Bruncker
had provided a great dinner, and thither comes by and by Sir John Minnes
and before him Sir W. Warren and anon a Perspective glasse maker, of whom
we, every one, bought a pocket glasse. But I am troubled with the much
talke and conceitedness of Mrs. Williams and her impudence, in case she be
not married to my Lord. They are getting themselves ready to deliver the
goods all out to the East India Company, who are to have the goods in
their possession and to advance two thirds of the moderate value thereof
and sell them as well as they can and the King to give them 6 per cent.
for the use of the money they shall so advance. By this means the company
will not suffer by the King's goods bringing down the price of their own.
Thence in the evening back again with Sir W. Warren and Captain Taylor in
my boat, and the latter went with me to the office, and there he and I
reckoned; and I perceive I shall get L100 profit by my services of late to
him, which is a very good thing. Thence to my lodging, where I find my
Lord Rutherford, of which I was glad. We supped together and sat up late,
he being a mighty wanton man with a daughter in law of my landlady's, a
pretty conceited woman big with child, and he would be handling her
breasts, which she coyly refused. But they gone, my Lord and I to
business, and he would have me forbear paying Alderman Backewell the money
ordered him, which I, in hopes to advantage myself, shall forbear, but do
not think that my Lord will do any thing gratefully more to me than he
hath done, not that I shall get any thing as I pretended by helping him to
interest for his last L7700, which I could do, and do him a courtesy too.
Discourse being done, he to bed in my chamber and I to another in the
house.