



Produced by David Widger





                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 & DECEMBER
                                  1663

November 1st (Lord's day).  This morning my brother's man brought me a new
black baize waistecoate, faced with silke, which I put on from this day,
laying by half-shirts for this winter.  He brought me also my new gowne of
purple shagg, trimmed with gold, very handsome; he also brought me as a
gift from my brother, a velvet hat, very fine to ride in, and the fashion,
which pleases me very well, to which end, I believe, he sent it me, for he
knows I had lately been angry with him.  Up and to church with my wife,
and at noon dined at home alone, a good calves head boiled and dumplings,
an excellent dinner methought it was.  Then to church again, whither Sir
W. Pen came, the first time he has been at church these several months, he
having been sicke all the while.  Home and to my office, where I taught my
wife some part of subtraction, and then fell myself to set some papers of
my last night's accounts in order, and so to supper home, and after supper
another bout at arithmetique with my wife, and then to my office again and
made an end of my papers, and so home to prayers, and then to read my
vowes, and to bed.

2d.  Up, and by coach to White Hall, and there in the long Matted Gallery
I find Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, and Sir W. Batten--and by and by
comes the King to walk there with three or four with him; and soon as he
saw us, says he, "Here is the Navy Office," and there walked twenty turns
the length of the gallery, talking, methought, but ordinary talke.  By and
by came the Duke, and he walked, and at last they went into the Duke's
lodgings.  The King staid so long that we could not discourse with the
Duke, and so we parted.  I heard the Duke say that he was going to wear a
perriwigg; and they say the King also will.  I never till this day
observed that the King is mighty gray.  Thence, meeting with Creed, walked
with him to Westminster Hall, and thence by coach took up Mrs. Hunt, and
carried her towards my house, and we light at the 'Change, and sent her to
my house, Creed and I to the Coffeehouse, and then to the 'Change, and so
home, and carried a barrel of oysters with us, and so to dinner, and after
a good dinner left Mrs. Hunt and my wife making marmalett of quinces, and
Creed and I to the perriwigg makers, but it being dark concluded of
nothing, and so Creed went away, and I with Sir W. Pen, who spied me in
the street, in his coach home.  There found them busy still, and I up to
my vyall.  Anon, the comfiture being well done, my wife and I took Mrs.
Hunt at almost 9 at night by coach and carried Mrs. Hunt home, and did
give her a box of sugar and a haunch of venison given me by my Lady the
other day.  We did not 'light, but saw her within doors, and straight
home, where after supper there happening some discourse where my wife
thought she had taken Jane in a lie, she told me of it mighty
triumphantly, but I, not seeing reason to conclude it a lie, was vexed,
and my wife and I to very high words, wherein I up to my chamber, and she
by and by followed me up, and to very bad words from her to me, calling me
perfidious and man of no conscience, whatever I pretend to, and I know not
what, which troubled me mightily, and though I would allow something to
her passion, yet I see again and again that she spoke but somewhat of what
she had in her heart.  But I tempered myself very well, so as that though
we went to bed with discontent she yielded to me and began to be fond, so
that being willing myself to peace, we did before we sleep become very
good friends, it being past 12 o'clock, and so with good hearts and joy to
rest.

3rd.  Up and to the office, where busy all the morning, and at noon to the
Coffee-house, and there heard a long and most passionate discourse between
two doctors of physique, of which one was Dr. Allen, whom I knew at
Cambridge, and a couple of apothecarys; these maintaining chymistry
against them Galenicall physique; and the truth is, one of the apothecarys
whom they charged most, did speak very prettily, that is, his language and
sense good, though perhaps he might not be so knowing a physician as to
offer to contest with them.  At last they came to some cooler terms, and
broke up.  I home, and there Mr. Moore coming by my appointment dined with
me, and after dinner came Mr. Goldsborough, and we discoursed about the
business of his mother, but could come to no agreement in it but parted
dissatisfied.  By and by comes Chapman, the periwigg-maker, and upon my
liking it, without more ado I went up, and there he cut off my haire,
which went a little to my heart at present to part with it; but, it being
over, and my periwigg on, I paid him L3 for it; and away went he with my
owne haire to make up another of, and I by and by, after I had caused all
my mayds to look upon it; and they conclude it do become me; though Jane
was mightily troubled for my parting of my own haire, and so was Besse, I
went abroad to the Coffeehouse, and coming back went to Sir W. Pen and
there sat with him and Captain Cocke till late at night, Cocke talking of
some of the Roman history very well, he having a good memory.  Sir W. Pen
observed mightily, and discoursed much upon my cutting off my haire, as he
do of every thing that concerns me, but it is over, and so I perceive
after a day or two it will be no great matter.

4th.  Up and to my office, shewing myself to Sir W. Batten, and Sir J.
Minnes, and no great matter made of my periwigg, as I was afeard there
would be.  Among other things there came to me Shales of Portsmouth, by my
order, and I began to discourse with him about the arrears of stores
belonging to the Victualling Office there, and by his discourse I am in
some hopes that if I can get a grant from the King of such a part of all I
discover I may chance to find a way to get something by the by, which do
greatly please me the very thoughts of.  Home to dinner, and very pleasant
with my wife, who is this day also herself making of marmalett of quince,
which she now do very well herself.  I left her at it and by coach I to
the New Exchange and several places to buy and bring home things, among
others a case I bought of the trunk maker's for my periwigg, and so home
and to my office late, and among other things wrote a letter to Will's
uncle to hasten his removal from me, and so home to supper and to bed.
This morning Captain Cocke did give me a good account of the Guinny trade.
The Queene is in a great way to recovery.  This noon came John Angier to
me in a pickle, I was sad to see him, desiring my good word for him to go
a trooper to Tangier, but I did schoole him and sent him away with good
advice, but no present encouragement. Presently after I had a letter from
his poor father at Cambridge, who is broke, it seems, and desires me to
get him a protection, or a place of employment; but, poor man, I doubt I
can helpe him, but will endeavour it.

5th.  Lay long in bed, then up, called by Captain Cocke about business of
a contract of his for some Tarre, and so to the office, and then to Sir W.
Pen and there talked, and he being gone came Sir W. Warren and discoursed
about our business with Field, and at noon by agreement to the Miter to
dinner upon T. Trice's 40s., to be spent upon our late agreement.  Here
was a very poor dinner and great company.  All our lawyers on both sides,
and several friends of his and some of mine brought by him, viz., Mr.
Moore, uncle Wight, Dr. Williams, and my cozen Angier, that lives here in
town, who t Captain John Shales after dinner carried me aside and showed
me a letter from his poor brother at Cambridge to me of the same contents
with that yesterday to me desiring help from me.  Here I was among a sorry
company without any content or pleasure, and at the last the reckoning
coming to above 40s. by 15s., he would have me pay the 10s. and he would
pay the 5s., which was so poor that I was ashamed of it, and did it only
to save contending with him. There, after agreeing a day for him and I to
meet and seal our agreement, I parted and home, and at the office by
agreement came Mr. Shales, and there he and I discourse till late the
business of his helping me in the discovery of some arrears of provisions
and stores due to the stores at Portsmouth, out of which I may chance to
get some money, and save the King some too, and therefore I shall
endeavour to do the fellow some right in other things here to his
advantage between Mr. Gauden and him. He gone my wife and I to her
arithmetique, in which she pleases me well, and so to the office, there
set down my Journall, and so home to supper and to bed.  A little troubled
to see how my family is out of order by Will's being there, and also to
hear that Jane do not please my wife as I expected and would have wished.

6th.  This morning waking, my wife was mighty-earnest with me to persuade
me that she should prove with child since last night, which, if it be, let
it come, and welcome.  Up to my office, whither Commissioner Pett came,
newly come out of the country, and he and I walked together in the garden
talking of business a great while, and I perceive that by our
countenancing of him he do begin to pluck up his head, and will do good
things I hope in the yard.  Thence, he being gone, to my office and there
dispatched many people, and at noon to the 'Change to the coffee-house,
and among other things heard Sir John Cutler say, that of his owne
experience in time of thunder, so many barrels of beer as have a piece of
iron laid upon them will not be soured, and the others will.  Thence to
the 'Change, and there discoursed with many people, and I hope to settle
again to my business and revive my report of following of business, which
by my being taken off for a while by sickness and, laying out of money has
slackened for a little while.  Home, and there found Mrs. Hunt, who dined
very merry, good woman; with us.  After dinner came in Captain Grove, and
he and I alone to talk of many things, and among many others of the
Fishery, in which he gives the such hopes that being at this time full of
projects how to get a little honestly, of which some of them I trust in
God will take, I resolved this afternoon to go and consult my Lord
Sandwich about it, and so, being to carry home Mrs. Hunt, I took her and
my wife by coach and set them at Axe Yard, and I to my Lord's and thither
sent for Creed and discoursed with him about it, and he and I to White
Hall, where Sir G. Carteret and my Lord met me very fortunately, and
wondered first to see me in my perruque, and I am glad it is over, and
then, Sir G. Carteret being gone, I took my Lord aside, who do give me the
best advice he can, and telling me how there are some projectors, by name
Sir Edward Ford, who would have the making of farthings,

     [Sir Edward Ford, son of Sir William Ford of Harting, born at Up
     Park in 1605.  "After the Restoration he invented a mode of coining
     farthings.  Each piece was to differ minutely from another to
     prevent forgery.  He failed in procuring a patent for these in
     England, but obtained one for Ireland.  He died in Ireland before he
     could carry his design into execution, on September 3rd, 1670"
     ("Dictionary of National Biography ").]

and out of that give so much to the King for the maintenance of the
Fishery; but my Lord do not like that, but would have it go as they
offered the last year, and so upon my desire he promises me when it is
seasonable to bring me into the commission with others, if any of them
take, and I perceive he and Mr. Coventry are resolved to follow it hard.
Thence, after walking a good while in the Long gallery, home to my Lord's
lodging, my Lord telling me how my father did desire him to speak to me
about my giving of my sister something, which do vex me to see that he
should trouble my Lord in it, but however it is a good occasion for me to
tell my Lord my condition, and so I was glad of it.  After that we begun
to talk of the Court, and he tells me how Mr. Edward Montagu begins to
show respect to him again after his endeavouring to bespatter him all was,
possible; but he is resolved never to admit him into his friendship again.
He tells me how he and Sir H. Bennet, the Duke of Buckingham and his
Duchesse, was of a committee with somebody else for the getting of Mrs.
Stewart for the King; but that she proves a cunning slut, and is advised
at Somerset House by the Queene-Mother, and by her mother, and so all the
plot is spoiled and the whole committee broke.  Mr. Montagu and the Duke
of Buckingham fallen a-pieces, the Duchesse going to a nunnery; and so
Montagu begins to enter friendship with my Lord, and to attend the
Chancellor whom he had deserted.  My Lord tells me that Mr. Montagu, among
other things, did endeavour to represent him to the Chancellor's sons as
one that did desert their father in the business of my Lord of Bristoll;
which is most false, being the only man that hath several times dined with
him when no soul hath come to him, and went with him that very day home
when the Earl impeached him in the Parliament House, and hath refused ever
to pay a visit to my Lord of Bristoll, not so much as in return to a visit
of his.  So that the Chancellor and my Lord are well known and trusted one
by another.  But yet my Lord blames the Chancellor for desiring to have it
put off to the next Session of Parliament, contrary to my Lord Treasurer's
advice, to whom he swore he would not do it: and, perhaps, my Lord
Chancellor, for aught I see by my Lord's discourse, may suffer by it when
the Parliament comes to sit.  My Lord tells me that he observes the Duke
of York do follow and understand business very well, and is mightily
improved thereby.  Here Mr. Pagett coming in I left my Lord and him, and
thence I called my wife and her maid Jane and by coach home and to my
office, where late writing some things against tomorrow, and so home to
supper and to bed.  This morning Mr. Blackburne came to me to let me know
that he had got a lodging very commodious for his kinsman, and so he is
ready at my pleasure to go when I would bid him, and so I told him that I
would in a day or two send to speak with him and he and I would talk and
advise Will what to do, of which I am very glad.

7th.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and Sir W. Pen
and I had a word or two, where by opposing him in not being willing to
excuse a mulct put upon the purser of the James, absent from duty, he
says, by his business and order, he was mighty angry, and went out of the
office like an asse discontented: At which I am never a whit sorry; I
would not have [him] think that I dare not oppose him, where I see reason
and cause for it.  Home to dinner, and then by coach abroad about several
businesses to several places, among others to Westminster Hall, where,
seeing Howlett's daughter going out of the other end of the Hall, I
followed her if I would to have offered talk to her and dallied with her a
little, but I could not overtake her.  Then calling at Unthank's for
something of my wife's not done, a pretty little gentlewoman, a lodger
there, came out to tell me that it was not yet done, which though it vexed
me yet I took opportunity of taking her by the hand with the boot, and so
found matter to talk a little the longer to her, but I was ready to laugh
at myself to see how my anger would not operate, my disappointment coming
to me by such a messenger.  Thence to Doctors' Commons and there consulted
Dr. Turner about some differences we have with the officers of the East
India ships about goods brought by them without paying freight, which we
demand of them.  So home to my office, and there late writing letters, and
so home to supper and to bed, having got a scurvy cold by lying cold in my
head the last night.  This day Captain Taylor brought me a piece of plate,
a little small state dish, he expecting that I should get him some
allowance for demorage

     ["'Demurrage' is the compensation due to a shipowner from a
     freighter for unduly decaying his vessel in port beyond the time
     specified in the charter-party or bill of lading.  It is in fact an
     extended freight.  A ship, unjustly detained as a prize is entitled
     to 'demurrage.'"--Smyth's Sailor's Word-Book, 1867.]

of his ship "William," kept long at Tangier, which I shall and may justly
do.

8th (Lord's day).  Up, and it being late, to church without my wife, and
there I saw Pembleton come into the church and bring his wife with him, a
good comely plain woman, and by and by my wife came after me all alone,
which I was a little vexed at.  I found that my coming in a perriwigg did
not prove so strange to the world as I was afear'd it would, for I thought
that all the church would presently have cast their eyes all upon me, but
I found no such thing.  Here an ordinary lazy sermon of Mr. Mill's, and
then home to dinner, and there Tom came and dined with us; and after
dinner to talk about a new black cloth suit that I have a making, and so
at church time to church again, where the Scott preached, and I slept most
of the time.  Thence home, and I spent most of the evening upon Fuller's
"Church History" and Barckly's "Argeny," and so after supper to prayers
and to bed, a little fearing my pain coming back again, myself continuing
as costive as ever, and my physic ended, but I had sent a porter to-day
for more and it was brought me before I went to bed, and so with pretty
good content to bed.

9th.  Up and found myself very well, and so by coach to White Hall and
there met all my fellow officers, and so to the Duke, where, when we came
into his closett, he told us that Mr. Pepys was so altered with his new
perriwigg that he did not know him.  So to our discourse, and among and
above other things we were taken up in talking upon Sir J. Lawson's coming
home, he being come to Portsmouth; and Captain Berkely is come to towne
with a letter from the Duana of Algier to the King, wherein they do demand
again the searching of our ships and taking out of strangers, and their
goods; and that what English ships are taken without the Duke's pass they
will detain (though it be flat contrary to the words of the peace) as
prizes, till they do hear from our King, which they advise him may be
speedy.  And this they did the very next day after they had received with
great joy the Grand Seignor's confirmation of the Peace from
Constantinople by Captain Berkely; so that there is no command nor
certainty to be had of these people.  The King is resolved to send his
will by a fleete of ships; and it is thought best and speediest to send
these very ships that are now come home, five sail of good ships, back
again after cleaning, victualling, and paying them.  But it is a pleasant
thing to think how their Basha, Shavan Aga, did tear his hair to see the
soldiers order things thus; for (just like his late predecessor) when they
see the evil of war with England, then for certain they complain to the
Grand Seignor of him, and cut his head off:  this he is sure of, and knows
as certain.  Thence to Westminster Hall, where I met with Mr. Pierce,
chyrurgeon; and among other things he asked me seriously whether I knew
anything of my Lord's being out of favour with the King; and told me, that
for certain the King do take mighty notice of my Lord's living obscurely
in a corner not like himself, and becoming the honour that he is come to.
I was sorry to hear, and the truth is, from my Lord's discourse among his
people (which I am told) of the uncertainty of princes' favours, and his
melancholy keeping from Court, I am doubtful of some such thing;  but I
seemed wholly strange to him in it, but will make my use of it.  He told
me also how loose the Court is, nobody looking after business, but every
man his lust and gain; and how the King is now become besotted upon Mrs.
Stewart, that he gets into corners, and will be with her half an houre
together kissing her to the observation of all the world; and she now
stays by herself and expects it, as my Lady Castlemaine did use to do; to
whom the King, he says, is still kind, so as now and then he goes to have
a chat with her as he believes;  but with no such fondness as he used to
do.  But yet it is thought that this new wench is so subtle, that she lets
him not do any thing than is safe to her, but yet his doting is so great
that, Pierce tells me, it is verily thought if the Queene had died, he
would have married her.  The Duke of Monmouth is to have part of the
Cockpitt new built for lodgings for him, and they say to be made Captain
of the Guards in the room of my Lord Gerard.  Having thus talked with him,
there comes into the Hall Creed and Ned Pickering, and after a turne or
two with them, it being noon, I walked with them two to the King's Head
ordinary, and there we dined; little discourse but what was common, only
that the Duke of Yorke is a very, desperate huntsman, but I was ashamed of
Pickering, who could not forbear having up my Lord Sandwich now and then
in the most paltry matters abominable.  Thence I took leave of them, and
so having taken up something at my wife's tailor's, I home by coach and
there to my office, whither Shales came and I had much discourse with him
about the business of the victualling, and thence in the evening to the
Coffee-house, and there sat till by and by, by appointment Will brought me
word that his uncle Blackburne was ready to speak with me.  So I went down
to him, and he and I to a taverne hard by, and there I begun to speak to
Will friendlily, advising him how to carry himself now he is going from
under my roof, without any reflections upon the occasion from whence his
removal arose.  This his uncle seconded, and after laying down to him his
duty to me, and what I expect of him, in a discourse of about a quarter of
an houre or more, we agreed upon his going this week, towards the latter
(end) of the week, and so dismissed him, and Mr. Blackburne and I fell to
talk of many things, wherein I did speak so freely to him in many things
agreeing with his sense that he was very open to me: first, in that of
religion, he makes it great matter of prudence for the King and Council to
suffer liberty of conscience; and imputes the losse of Hungary to the
Turke from the Emperor's denying them this liberty of their religion.  He
says that many pious ministers of the word of God, some thousands of them,
do now beg their bread: and told me how highly the present clergy carry
themselves every where, so as that they are hated and laughed at by
everybody; among other things, for their excommunications, which they send
upon the least occasions almost that can be.  And I am convinced in my
judgement, not only from his discourse, but my thoughts in general, that
the present clergy will never heartily go down with the generality of the
commons of England; they have been so used to liberty and freedom, and
they are so acquainted with the pride and debauchery of the present
clergy.  He did give me many stories of the affronts which the clergy
receive in all places of England from the gentry and ordinary persons of
the parish.  He do tell me what the City thinks of General Monk, as of a
most perfidious man that hath betrayed every body, and the King also; who,
as he thinks, and his party, and so I have heard other good friends of the
King say, it might have been better for the King to have had his hands a
little bound for the present, than be forced to bring such a crew of poor
people about him, and be liable to satisfy the demands of every one of
them.  He told me that to his knowledge (being present at every meeting at
the Treaty at the Isle of Wight), that the old King did confess himself
overruled and convinced in his judgement against the Bishopps, and would
have suffered and did agree to exclude the service out of the churches,
nay his own chappell; and that he did always say, that this he did not by
force, for that he would never abate one inch by any vyolence; but what he
did was out of his reason and judgement.  He tells me that the King by
name, with all his dignities, is prayed for by them that they call
Fanatiques, as heartily and powerfully as in any of the other churches
that are thought better: and that, let the King think what he will, it is
them that must helpe him in the day of warr.  For as they are the most, so
generally they are the most substantial sort of people, and the soberest;
and did desire me to observe it to my Lord Sandwich, among other things,
that of all the old army now you cannot see a man begging about the
street; but what?  You shall have this captain turned a shoemaker; the
lieutenant, a baker; this a brewer; that a haberdasher; this common
soldier, a porter; and every man in his apron and frock, &c., as if they
never had done anything else: whereas the others go with their belts and
swords, swearing and cursing, and stealing; running into people's houses,
by force oftentimes, to carry away something; and this is the difference
between the temper of one and the other; and concludes (and I think with
some reason,) that the spirits of the old parliament soldiers are so
quiett and contented with God's providences, that the King is safer from
any evil meant him by them one thousand times more than from his own
discontented Cavalier.  And then to the publique management of business:
it is done, as he observes, so loosely and so carelessly, that the kingdom
can never be happy with it, every man looking after himself, and his owne
lust and luxury; among other things he instanced in the business of money,
he do believe that half of what money the Parliament gives the King is not
so much as gathered.  And to the purpose he told me how the Bellamys (who
had some of the Northern counties assigned them for their debt for the
petty warrant victualling) have often complained to him that they cannot
get it collected, for that nobody minds, or, if they do, they won't pay it
in. Whereas (which is a very remarkable thing,) he hath been told by some
of the Treasurers at Warr here of late, to whom the most of the L120,000
monthly was paid, that for most months the payments were gathered so duly,
that they seldom had so much or more than 40s., or the like, short in the
whole collection; whereas now the very Commissioners for Assessments and
other publique payments are such persons, and those that they choose in
the country so like themselves, that from top to bottom there is not a man
carefull of any thing, or if he be, he is not solvent; that what between
the beggar and the knave, the King is abused the best part of all his
revenue.  From thence we began to talk of the Navy, and particularly of
Sir W. Pen, of whose rise to be a general I had a mind to be informed.  He
told me he was always a conceited man, and one that would put the best
side outward, but that it was his pretence of sanctity that brought him
into play.  Lawson, and Portman, and the Fifth-monarchy men, among whom he
was a great brother, importuned that he might be general; and it was
pleasant to see how Blackburne himself did act it, how when the
Commissioners of the Admiralty would enquire of the captains and admirals
of such and such men, how they would with a sigh and casting up the eyes
say, "Such a man fears the Lord," or, "I hope such a man hath the Spirit
of God," and such things as that.  But he tells me that there was a cruel
articling against Pen after one fight, for cowardice, in putting himself
within a coyle of cables, of which he had much ado to acquit himself: and
by great friends did it, not without remains of guilt, but that his
brethren had a mind to pass it by, and Sir H. Vane did advise him to
search his heart, and see whether this fault or a greater sin was not the
occasion of this so great tryall.  And he tells me, that what Pen gives
out about Cromwell's sending and entreating him to go to Jamaica, is very
false; he knows the contrary: besides, the Protector never was a man that
needed to send for any man, specially such a one as he, twice.  He tells
me that the business of Jamaica did miscarry absolutely by his pride, and
that when he was in the Tower he would cry like a child.  This he says of
his own personal knowledge, and lastly tells me that just upon the turne,
when Monk was come from the North to the City, and did begin to think of
bringing in the King, Pen was then turned Quaker.  This he is most certain
of.  He tells me that Lawson was never counted any thing but only a
seaman, and a stout man, but a false man, and that now he appears the
greatest hypocrite in the world.  And Pen the same.  He tells me that it
is much talked of, that the King intends to legitimate the Duke of
Monmouth; and that he has not, nor his friends of his persuasion, have any
hopes of getting their consciences at liberty but by God Almighty's
turning of the King's heart, which they expect, and are resolved to live
and die in quiett hopes of it; but never to repine, or act any thing more
than by prayers towards it.  And that not only himself but all of them
have, and are willing at any time to take the oaths of Allegiance and
Supremacy.  Thus far, and upon many more things, we had discoursed when
some persons in a room hard by began to sing in three parts very finely
and to play upon a flagilette so pleasantly that my discourse afterwards
was but troublesome, and I could not attend it, and so, anon, considering
of a sudden the time of night, we found it 11 o'clock, which I thought it
had not been by two hours, but we were close in talk, and so we rose, he
having drunk some wine and I some beer and sugar, and so by a fair
moonshine home and to bed, my wife troubled with tooth ache.  Mr.
Blackburne observed further to me, some certain notice that he had of the
present plot so much talked of; that he was told by Mr. Rushworth,  how
one Captain Oates, a great discoverer, did employ several to bring and
seduce others into a plot, and that one of his agents met with one that
would not listen to him, nor conceal what he had offered him, but so
detected the trapan.  This, he says, is most true.  He also, among other
instances how the King is served, did much insist upon the cowardice and
corruption of the King's guards and militia, which to be sure will fail
the King, as they have done already, when there will be occasion for them.

10th.  Up and to the office, where we sat till noon, and then to the
Exchange, where spoke with several and had my head casting about how to
get a penny and I hope I shall, and then hone, and there Mr. Moore by
appointment dined with me, and after dinner all the afternoon till night
drawing a bond and release against to-morrow for T. Trice, and I to come
to a conclusion in which I proceed with great fear and jealousy, knowing
him to be a rogue and one that I fear has at this time got too great a
hank--[hold]--over me by the neglect of my lawyers.  But among other
things I am come to an end with Mr. Moore for a L32, a good while lying in
my hand of my Lord Privy Seal's which he for the odd L7 do give me a bond
to secure me against, and so I got L25 clear.  Then, he being gone, to the
office and there late setting down yesterday's remarkable discourses, and
so home and to supper, late, and to bed.  The Queene, I hear, is now very
well again, and that she hath bespoke herself a new gowne.

11th.  Up and to my office all the morning, and at noon to the
Coffee-house, where with Dr. Allen some good discourse about physique and
chymistry.  And among other things, I telling him what Dribble the German
Doctor do offer of an instrument to sink ships; he tells me that which is
more strange, that something made of gold, which they call in chymistry
Aurum fulminans, a grain, I think he said, of it put into a silver spoon
and fired, will give a blow like a musquett, and strike a hole through the
spoon downward, without the least force upward; and this he can make a
cheaper experiment of, he says, with iron prepared.  Thence to the
'Change, and being put off a meeting with T. Trice, he not coming, I home
to dinner, and after dinner by coach with my wife to my periwigg maker's
for my second periwigg, but it is not done, and so, calling at a place or
two, home, and there to my office, and there taught my wife a new lesson
in arithmetique and so sent her home, and I to several businesses; and so
home to supper and to bed, being mightily troubled with a cold in my
stomach and head, with a great pain by coughing.

12th.  Lay long in bed, indeed too long, divers people and the officers
staying for me.  My cozen Thomas Pepys the executor being below, and I
went to him and stated reckonings about our debt, for his payments of
money to my uncle Thomas heretofore by the Captain's orders.  I did not
pay him but will soon do it if I can.  To the office and there all the
morning, where Sir W. Pen, like a coxcomb, was so ready to cross me in a
motion I made unawares for the entering a man at Chatham into the works,
wherein I was vexed to see his spleene, but glad to understand it, and
that it was in no greater a matter, I being not at all concerned here. To
the 'Change and did several businesses there and so home with Mr. Moore to
dinner, my wife having dined, with Mr. Hollyard with her to-day, he being
come to advise her about her hollow sore place.  After dinner Mr. Moore
and I discoursing of my Lord's negligence in attendance at Court, and the
discourse the world makes of it, with the too great reason that I believe
there is for it; I resolved and took coach to his lodgings, thinking to
speak with my Lord about it without more ado. Here I met Mr. Howe, and he
and I largely about it, and he very soberly acquainted me how things are
with my Lord, that my Lord do not do anything like himself, but follows
his folly, and spends his time either at cards at Court with the ladies,
when he is there at all, or else at Chelsy with the slut to his great
disgrace, and indeed I do see and believe that my Lord do apprehend that
he do grow less too at Court. Anon my Lord do come in, and I begun to fall
in discourse with him, but my heart did misgive me that my Lord would not
take it well, and then found him not in a humour to talk, and so after a
few ordinary words, my Lord not talking in the manner as he uses to do; I
took leave, and spent some time with W. Howe again, and told him how I
could not do what I had so great a mind and resolution to do, but that I
thought it would be as well to do it in writing, which he approves of, and
so I took leave of him, and by coach home, my mind being full of it, and
in pain concerning it.  So to my office busy very late, the nights running
on faster than one thinks, and so to supper and to bed.

13th.  Up and to my office, busy all the morning with Commissioner Pett;
at noon I to the Exchange, and meeting Shales, he and I to the
Coffee-house and there talked of our victualling matters, which I fear
will come to little.  However I will go on and carry it as far as I can.
So home to dinner where I expected Commissioner Pett, and had a good
dinner, but he came not.  After dinner came my perriwigg-maker, and brings
me a second periwigg, made of my own haire, which comes to 21s. 6d. more
than the worth of my own haire, so that they both come to L4 1s. 6d.,
which he sayth will serve me two years, but I fear it.  He being gone, I
to my office, and put on my new shagg purple gowne, with gold buttons and
loop lace, I being a little fearful of taking cold and of pain coming upon
me. Here I staid making an end of a troublesome letter, but to my
advantage, against Sir W. Batten, giving Sir G. Carteret an account of our
late great contract with Sir W. Warren for masts, wherein I am sure I did
the King L600 service.  That done home to my wife to take a clyster, which
I did, and it wrought very well and brought a great deal of wind, which I
perceive is all that do trouble me.  After that, about 9 or 10 o'clock, to
supper in my wife's chamber, and then about 12 to bed.

14th.  Up and to the office, where we sat, and after we had almost done,
Sir W. Batten desired to have the room cleared, and there he did acquaint
the board how he was obliged to answer to something lately said which did
reflect upon the Comptroller and him, and to that purpose told how the
bargain for Winter's timber did not prove so bad as I had reported to the
board it would.  After he had done I cleared the matter that I did not
mention the business as a thing designed by me against them, but was led
to it by Sir J. Minnes, and that I said nothing but what I was told by
Mayers the surveyor as much as by Deane upon whom they laid all the fault,
which I must confess did and do still trouble me, for they report him to
be a fellow not fit to be employed, when in my conscience he deserves
better than any officer in the yard.  I thought it not convenient to
vindicate him much now, but time will serve when I will do it, and I am
bound to do it.  I offered to proceed to examine and prove what I said if
they please, but Mr. Coventry most discreetly advised not, it being to no
purpose, and that he did believe that what I said did not by my manner of
speaking it proceed from any design of reproaching them, and so it ended.
But my great trouble is for poor Deane.  At noon home and dined with my
wife, and after dinner Will told me if I pleased he was ready to remove
his things, and so before my wife I did give him good counsel, and that
his going should not abate my kindnesse for him, if he carried himself
well, and so bid "God bless him," and left him to remove his things, the
poor lad weeping, but I am apt to think matters will be the better both
for him and us.  So to the office and there late busy. In the evening Mr.
Moore came to tell me that he had no opportunity of speaking his mind to
my Lord yesterday, and so I am resolved to write to him very suddenly.  So
after my business done I home, I having staid till 12 o'clock at night
almost, making an end of a letter to Sir G. Carteret about the late
contract for masts, wherein I have done myself right, and no wrong to Sir
W. Batten.  This night I think is the first that I have lain without ever
a man in my house besides myself, since I came to keep any.  Will being
this night gone to his lodging, and by the way I hear to-day that my boy
Waynman has behaved himself so with Mr. Davis that they have got him put
into a Barbadoes ship to be sent away, and though he sends to me to get a
release for him I will not out of love to the boy, for I doubt to keep him
here were to bring him to the gallows.

15th (Lord's day).  Lay very long in bed with my wife and then up and to
my office there to copy fair my letter to Sir G. Carteret, which I did,
and by and by most opportunely a footman of his came to me about other
business, and so I sent it him by his own servant.  I wish good luck with
it.  At noon home to dinner, my wife not being up, she lying to expect Mr.
Holyard the surgeon.  So I dined by myself, and in the afternoon to my
office again, and there drew up a letter to my Lord, stating to him what
the world talks concerning him, and leaving it to him and myself to be
thought of by him as he pleases, but I have done but my duty in it. I wait
Mr. Moore's coming for his advice about sending it.  So home to supper to
my wife, myself finding myself by cold got last night beginning to have
some pain, which grieves me much in my mind to see to what a weakness I am
come.  This day being our Queene's birthday, the guns of the Tower went
all off; and in the evening the Lord Mayor sent from church to church to
order the constables to cause bonfires to be made in every streete, which
methinks is a poor thing to be forced to be commanded.  After a good
supper with my wife, and hearing of the mayds read in the Bible, we to
prayers, and to bed.

16th.  Up, and being ready then abroad by coach to White Hall, and there
with the Duke, where Mr. Coventry did a second time go to vindicate
himself against reports and prove by many testimonies that he brought,
that he did nothing but what had been done by the Lord Admiral's
secretaries heretofore, though he do not approve of it, nor since he had
any rule from the Duke hath he exceeded what he is there directed to take,
and the thing I think is very clear that they always did take and that now
he do take less than ever they did heretofore.  Thence away, and Sir G.
Carteret did call me to him and discourse with me about my letter
yesterday, and did seem to take it unkindly that I should doubt of his
satisfaction in the bargain of masts, and did promise me that hereafter
whatever he do hear to my prejudice he would tell me before he would
believe it, and that this was only Sir W. Batten's report in this
business, which he says he did ever approve of, in which I know he lies.
Thence to my Lord's lodgings thinking to find Mr. Moore, in order to the
sending away my letter of reproof to my Lord, but I do not find him, but
contrary do find my Lord come to Court, which I am glad to hear and should
be more glad to hear that he do follow his business that I may not have
occasion to venture upon his good nature by such a provocation as my
letter will be to him.  So by coach home, to the Exchange, where I talked
about several businesses with several people, and so home to dinner with
my wife, and then in the afternoon to my office, and there late, and in
the evening Mr. Hollyard came, and he and I about our great work to look
upon my wife's malady, which he did, and it seems her great conflux of
humours, heretofore that did use to swell there, did in breaking leave a
hollow which has since gone in further and further; till now it is near
three inches deep, but as God will have it do not run into the bodyward,
but keeps to the outside of the skin, and so he must be forced to cut it
open all along, and which my heart I doubt will not serve for me to see
done, and yet she will not have any body else to see it done, no, not her
own mayds, and so I must do it, poor wretch, for her.  To-morrow night he
is to do it.  He being gone, I to my office again a little while, and so
home to supper and to bed.

17th.  Up, and while I am dressing myself, Mr. Deane of Woolwich came to
me, and I did tell him what had happened to him last Saturday in the
office, but did encourage him to make no matter of it, for that I did not
fear but he would in a little time be master of his enemies as much as
they think to master him, and so he did tell me many instances of the
abominable dealings of Mr. Pett of Woolwich towards him.  So we broke up,
and I to the office, where we sat all the forenoon doing several
businesses, and at noon I to the 'Change where Mr. Moore came to me, and
by and by Tom Trice and my uncle Wight, and so we out to a taverne (the
New Exchange taverne over against the 'Change where I never was before,
and I found my old playfellow Ben Stanley master of it), and thence to a
scrivener to draw up a bond, and to another tavern (the King's Head) we
went, and calling on my cozen Angier at the India House there we eat a bit
of pork from a cookes together, and after dinner did seal the bond, and I
did take up the old bond of my uncle's to my aunt, and here T. Trice
before them do own all matters in difference between us is clear as to
this business, and that he will in six days give me it under the hand of
his attorney that there is no judgment against the bond that may give me
any future trouble, and also a copy of their letters of his Administration
to Godfrey, as much of it as concerns me to have.  All this being done
towards night we broke up, and so I home and with Mr. Moore to my office,
and there I read to him the letter I have wrote to send to my Lord to give
him an account how the world, both city and court, do talk of him and his
living as he do there in such a poor and bad house so much to his
disgrace.  Which Mr. Moore do conclude so well drawn: that he would not
have me by any means to neglect sending it, assuring me in the best of his
judgment that it cannot but endear me to my Lord instead of what I fear of
getting his offence, and did offer to take the same words and send them as
from, him with his hand to him, which I am not unwilling should come (if
they are at all fit to go) from any body but myself, and so, he being
gone, I did take a copy of it to keep by me in shorthand, and sealed them
up to send to-morrow by my Will. So home, Mr. Hollyard being come to my
wife, and there she being in bed, he and I alone to look again upon her
.  .  .  . and there he do find that, though it would not be much pain,
yet she is so fearful,  and the thing will be somewhat painful in the
tending, which I shall not be able to look after, but must require a nurse
and people about her; so that upon second thoughts he believes that a
fomentation will do as well, and though it will be troublesome yet no
pain, and what her mayd will be able to do without knowing directly what
it is for, but only that it may be for the piles.  For though it be
nothing but what is fiery honest, yet my wife is loth to give occasion of
discourse concerning it.  By this my mind and my wife's is much eased, for
I confess I should have been troubled to have had my wife cut before my
face, I could not have borne to have seen it.  I had great discourse with
him about my disease.  He tells me again that I must eat in a morning some
loosening gruel, and at night roasted apples, that I must drink now and
then ale with my wine, and eat bread and butter and honey, and rye bread
if I can endure it, it being loosening.  I must also take once a week a
clyster of his last prescription, only honey now and then instead of
butter, which things I am now resolved to apply myself to.  He being gone
I to my office again to a little business, and then home to supper and to
bed, being in, a little pain by drinking of cold small beer to-day and
being in a cold room at the Taverne I believe.

18th.  Up, and after being ready, and done a little business at the
office, I and Mr. Hater by water to Redriffe, and so walked to Deptford,
where I have not been a very great, while, and there paid off the Milford
in very good order, and all respect showed me in the office as much as
there used to be to any of the rest or the whole board.  That done at noon
I took Captain Terne, and there coming in by chance Captain Berkeley, him
also to dinner with me to the Globe.  Captain Berkeley, who was lately
come from Algier, did give us a good account of the place, and how the
Basha there do live like a prisoner, being at the mercy of the soldiers
and officers, so that there is nothing but a great confusion there.  After
dinner came Sir W. Batten, and I left him to pay off another ship, and I
walked home again reading of a little book of new poems of Cowley's, given
me by his brother.  Abraham do lie, it seems, very sicke, still, but like
to recover.  At my office till late, and then came Mr. Hollyard so full of
discourse and Latin that I think he hath got a cupp, but I do not know;
but full of talke he is in defence of Calvin and Luther.  He begun this
night the fomentation to my wife, and I hope it will do well with her.  He
gone, I to the office again a little, and so to bed.  This morning I sent
Will with my great letter of reproof to my Lord Sandwich, who did give it
into his owne hand.  I pray God give a blessing to it, but confess I am
afeard what the consequence may be to me of good or bad, which is
according to the ingenuity that he do receive it with.  However, I am
satisfied that it will do him good, and that he needs it:

     MY LORD,

     I do verily hope that neither the manner nor matter of this advice
     will be condemned by your Lordship, when for my defence in the first
     I shall alledge my double attempt, since your return from
     Hinchinbroke, of doing it personally, in both of which your
     Lordship's occasions, no doubtfulnesse of mine, prevented me, and
     that being now fearful of a sudden summons to Portsmouth, for the
     discharge of some ships there, I judge it very unbecoming the duty
     which every bit of bread I eat tells me I owe to your Lordship to
     expose the safety of your honour to the uncertainty of my return.
     For the matter, my Lord, it is such as could I in any measure think
     safe to conceal from, or likely to be discovered to you by any other
     hand, I should not have dared so far to owne what from my heart I
     believe is false, as to make myself but the relater of other's
     discourse; but, sir, your Lordship's honour being such as I ought to
     value it to be, and finding both in city and court that discourses
     pass to your prejudice, too generally for mine or any man's
     controllings but your Lordship's, I shall, my Lord, without the
     least greatening or lessening the matter, do my duty in laying it
     shortly before you.

     People of all conditions, my Lord, raise matter of wonder from your
     Lordship's so little appearance at Court: some concluding thence
     their disfavour thereby, to which purpose I have had questions asked
     me, and endeavouring to put off such insinuations by asserting the
     contrary, they have replied, that your Lordship's living so beneath
     your quality, out of the way, and declining of Court attendance,
     hath been more than once discoursed about the King.  Others, my
     Lord, when the chief ministers of State, and those most active of
     the Council have been reckoned up, wherein your Lordship never used
     to want an eminent place, have said, touching your Lordship, that
     now your turn was served, and the King had given you a good estate,
     you left him to stand or fall as he would, and, particularly in that
     of the Navy, have enlarged upon your letting fall all service there.

     Another sort, and those the most, insist upon the bad report of the
     house wherein your Lordship, now observed in perfect health again,
     continues to sojourne, and by name have charged one of the daughters
     for a common courtizan, alledging both places and persons where and
     with whom she hath been too well known, and how much her wantonnesse
     occasions, though unjustly, scandal to your Lordship, and that as
     well to gratifying of some enemies as to the wounding of more
     friends I am not able to tell.

     Lastly, my Lord, I find a general coldness in all persons towards
     your Lordship, such as, from my first dependance on you, I never yet
     knew, wherein I shall not offer to interpose any thoughts or advice
     of mine, well knowing your Lordship needs not any.  But with a most
     faithful assurance that no person nor papers under Heaven is privy
     to what I here write, besides myself and this, which I shall be
     careful to have put into your owne hands, I rest confident of your
     Lordship's just construction of my dutifull intents herein, and in
     all humility take leave, may it please your Lordship,

     Your Lordship's most obedient Servant, S. P.

The foregoing letter was sealed up, and enclosed in this that follows

     MY LORD,

     If this finds your Lordship either not alone, or not at leisure, I
     beg the suspending your opening of the enclosed till you shall have
     both, the matter very well bearing such a delay, and in all humility
     remain, may it please your Lordship,

     Your Lordship's most obedient Servant, S. P.

     November 17, 1663.

     My servant hath my directions to put this into your Lordship's owne
     hand, but not to stay for any answer.

19th.  Up, and to the office, where (Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten being
gone this morning to Portsmouth) the rest of us met, and rode at noon.  So
I to the 'Change, where little business, and so home to dinner, and being
at dinner Mr. Creed in and dined with us, and after dinner Mr. Gentleman,
my Jane's father, to see us and her.  And after a little stay with them, I
was sent for by Sir G. Carteret by agreement, and so left them, and to him
and with him by coach to my Lord Treasurer, to discourse with him about
Mr. Gauden's having of money, and to offer to him whether it would not be
necessary, Mr. Gauden's credit being so low as it is, to take security of
him if he demands any great sum, such as L20,000, which now ought to be
paid him upon his next year's declaration.  Which is a sad thing, that
being reduced to this by us, we should be the first to doubt his credit;
but so it is.  However, it will be managed with great tenderness to him.
My Lord Treasurer we found in his bed-chamber, being laid up of the goute.
I find him a very ready man, and certainly a brave servant to the King: he
spoke so quick and sensibly of the King's charge. Nothing displeased me in
him but his long nails, which he lets grow upon a pretty thick white short
hand, that it troubled me to see them.  Thence with Sir G. Carteret by
coach, and he set me down at the New Exchange. In our way he told me there
is no such thing likely yet as a Dutch war, neither they nor we being in
condition for it, though it will come certainly to that in some time, our
interests lying the same way, that is to say, in trade.  But not yet.
Thence to the Temple, and there visited my cozen Roger Pepys and his
brother Dr. John, a couple, methinks, of very ordinary men, and thence to
speak [with] Mr. Moore, and met him by the way, who tells me, to my great
content, that he believes my letter to my Lord Sandwich hath wrought well
upon him, and that he will look after himself and his business upon it,
for he begins already to do so.  But I dare not conclude anything till I
see him, which shall be to-morrow morning, that I may be out of my pain to
know how he takes it of me.  He and I to the Coffee-house, and there drank
and talked a little, and so I home, and after a little at my office home
to supper and to bed, not knowing how to avoid hopes from Mr. Moore's
words to-night, and yet I am fearful of the worst.

20th.  Up, and as soon as I could to my Lord Sandwich's lodgings, but he
was gone out before, and so I am defeated of my expectation of being eased
one way or other in the business of my Lord.  But I went up to Mr. Howe,
who I saw this day the first time in a periwigg, which becomes him very
well, and discoursed with him.  He tells me that my Lord is of a sudden
much changed, and he do believe that he do take my letter well. However,
we do both bless God that it hath so good an effect upon him. Thence I
home again, calling at the Wardrobe, where I found my Lord, but so busy
with Mr. Townsend making up accounts there that I was unwilling to trouble
him, and so went away.  By and by to the Exchange, and there met by
agreement Mr. Howe, and took him with a barrel of oysters home to dinner,
where we were very merry, and indeed I observe him to be a very hopeful
young man, but only a little conceited.  After dinner I took him and my
wife, and setting her in Covent Garden at her mother's, he and I to my
Lord's, and thence I with Mr. Moore to White Hall, there the King and
Council being close, and I thinking it an improper place to meet my Lord
first upon the business; I took coach, and calling my wife went home,
setting Mr. Moore down by the way, and having been late at the office
alone looking over some plates of the Northern seas, the White seas, and
Archangell river, I went home, and, after supper, to bed.  My wife tells
me that she and her brother have had a great falling out to-night, he
taking upon him to challenge great obligation upon her, and taxing her for
not being so as she ought to be to her friends, and that she can do more
with me than she pretends, and I know not what, but God be thanked she
cannot.  A great talke there is today of a crush between some of the
Fanatiques up in arms, and the King's men in the North; but whether true I
know not yet.

21st.  At the office all the morning and at noon I receive a letter from
Mr. Creed, with a token, viz., a very noble parti- Indian gowne
for my wife.  The letter is oddly writ, over-prizing his present, and
little owning any past service of mine, but that this was his genuine
respects, and I know not what: I confess I had expectations of a better
account from him of my service about his accounts, and so give his boy
12d., and sent it back again, and after having been at the pay of a ship
this afternoon at the Treasury, I went by coach to Ludgate, and, by
pricing several there, I guess this gowne may be worth about L12 or L15.
But, however, I expect at least L50 of him.  So in the evening I wrote him
a letter telling him clearly my mind, a copy of which I keep and of his
letter and so I resolve to have no more such correspondence as I used to
have but will have satisfaction of him as I do expect.  So to write my
letters, and after all done I went home to supper and to bed, my mind
being pretty well at ease from my letter to Creed, and more for my receipt
this afternoon of L17 at the Treasury, for the L17 paid a year since to
the carver for his work at my house, which I did intend to have paid
myself, but, finding others to do it, I thought it not amisse to get it
too, but I am afeard that we may hear of it to our greater prejudices
hereafter.

22nd (Lord's day).  Up pretty early, and having last night bespoke a
coach, which failed me this morning, I walked as far as the Temple, and
there took coach, and to my Lord's lodgings, whom I found ready to go to
chappell; but I coming, he begun, with a very serious countenance, to tell
me that he had received my late letter, wherein first he took notice of my
care of him and his honour, and did give me thanks for that part of it
where I say that from my heart I believe the contrary of what I do there
relate to be the discourse of others; but since I intended it not a
reproach, but matter of information, and for him to make a judgment of it
for his practice, it was necessary for me to tell him the persons of whom
I have gathered the several particulars which I there insist on.  I would
have made excuses in it; but, seeing him so earnest in it, I found myself
forced to it, and so did tell him Mr. Pierce; the chyrurgeon, in that of
his Lordship's living being discoursed of at Court; a mayd servant that-I
kept, that lived at Chelsy school; and also Mr. Pickering, about the
report touching the young woman; and also Mr. Hunt, in Axe Yard, near whom
she lodged.  I told him the whole city do discourse concerning his neglect
of business; and so I many times asserting my dutifull intention in all
this, and he owning his accepting of it as such.  That that troubled me
most in particular is, that he did there assert the civility of the people
of the house, and the young gentlewoman, for whose reproach he was sorry.
His saying that he was resolved how to live, and that though he was taking
a house, meaning to live in another manner, yet it was not to please any
people, or to stop report, but to please himself, though this I do believe
he might say that he might not seem to me to be so much wrought upon by
what I have writ; and lastly, and most of all, when I spoke of the
tenderness that I have used in declaring this to him, there being nobody
privy to it, he told me that I must give him leave to except one.  I told
him that possibly somebody might know of some thoughts of mine, I having
borrowed some intelligence in this matter from them, but nobody could say
they knew of the thing itself what I writ. This, I confess, however, do
trouble me, for that he seemed to speak it as a quick retort, and it must
sure be Will. Howe, who did not see anything of what I writ, though I told
him indeed that I would write; but in this, I think, there is no great
hurt.  I find him, though he cannot but owne his opinion of my good
intentions, and so, he did again and again profess it, that he is troubled
in his mind at it; and I confess, I think I may have done myself an injury
for his good, which, were it to do again, and that I believed he would
take it no better, I think I should sit quietly without taking any notice
of it, for I doubt there is no medium between his taking it very well or
very ill.  I could not forbear weeping before him at the latter end,
which, since, I am ashamed of, though I cannot see what he can take it to
proceed from but my tenderness and good will to him.  After this discourse
was ended, he began to talk very, cheerfully of other things, and I walked
with him to White Hall, and we discoursed of the pictures in the gallery,
which, it may be, he might do out of policy, that the boy might not see
any, strangeness in him; but I rather think that his mind was somewhat
eased, and hope that he will be to me as he was before.  But, however, I
doubt not when he sees that I follow my business, and become an honour to
him, and not to be like to need him, or to be a burden to him, and rather
able to serve him than to need him, and if he do continue to follow
business, and so come to his right witts again, I do not doubt but he will
then consider my faithfulnesse to him, and esteem me as he ought.  At
chappell I had room in the Privy Seale pew with other gentlemen, and there
heard Dr. Killigrew, preach, but my mind was so, I know not whether
troubled, or only full of thoughts of what had passed between my Lord and
me that I could not mind it, nor can at this hour remember three words.
The anthem was good after sermon, being the fifty-first psalme, made for
five voices by one of Captain Cooke's boys, a pretty boy.  And they say
there are four or five of them that can do as much.  And here I first
perceived that the King is a little musicall, and kept good time with his
hand all along the anthem.  Up into the gallery after sermon and there I
met Creed.  We saluted one another and spoke but not one word of what had
passed yesterday between us, but told me he was forced to such a place to
dinner and so we parted.  Here I met Mr. Povy, who tells me how Tangier
had like to have been betrayed, and that one of the King's officers is
come, to whom 8,000 pieces of eight were offered for his part.  Hence I to
the King's Head ordinary, and there dined, good and much company, and a
good dinner: most of their discourse was about hunting, in a dialect I
understand very little.  Thence by coach to our own church, and there my
mind being yet unsettled I could mind nothing, and after sermon home and
there told my wife what had passed, and thence to my office, where doing
business only to keep my mind employed till late; and so home to supper,
to prayers, and to bed.

23rd: Up and to Alderman Backwell's, where Sir W. Rider, by appointment,
met us to consult about the insuring of our hempe ship from Archangell, in
which we are all much concerned, by my Lord Treasurer's command.  That
being put in a way I went to Mr. Beacham, one of our jury, to confer with
him about our business with Field at our trial to-morrow, and thence to
St. Paul's Churchyarde, and there bespoke "Rushworth's Collections," and
"Scobell's Acts of the Long Parliament,"' &c., which I will make the King
pay for as to the office; and so I do not break my vow at all.  Back to
the Coffee-house, and then to the 'Change, where Sir W. Rider and I did
bid 15 per cent., and nobody will take it under 20 per cent., and the
lowest was 15 per cent.  premium, and 15 more to be abated in case of
losse, which we did not think fit without order to give, and so we parted,
and I home to a speedy, though too good a dinner to eat alone, viz., a
good goose and a rare piece of roast beef.  Thence to the Temple, but
being there too soon and meeting Mr. Moore I took him up and to my Lord
Treasurer's, and thence to Sir Ph. Warwick's, where I found him and did
desire his advice, who left me to do what I thought fit in this business
of the insurance, and so back again to the Temple all the way telling Mr.
Moore what had passed between my Lord and me yesterday, and indeed my
fears do grow that my Lord will not reform as I hoped he would nor have
the ingenuity to take my advice as he ought kindly.  But however I am
satisfied that the one person whom he said he would take leave to except
is not Mr. Moore, and so W. Howe I am sure could tell him nothing of my
letter that ever he saw it.  Here Mr. Moore and I parted, and I up to the
Speaker's chamber, and there met Mr. Coventry by appointment to discourse
about Field's business, and thence we parting I homewards and called at
the Coffeehouse, and there by great accident hear that a letter is come
that our ship is safe come to Newcastle.  With this news I went like an
asse presently to Alderman Backewell and, told him of it, and he and I
went to the African House in Broad Street to have spoke with Sir W. Rider
to tell him of it, but missed him.  Now what an opportunity had I to have
concealed this and seemed to have made an insurance and got L100 with the
least trouble and danger in the whole world.  This troubles me to think I
should be so oversoon.  So back again with Alderman Backewell talking of
the new money, which he says will never be counterfeited, he believes; but
it is deadly inconvenient for telling, it is so thick, and the edges are
made to turn up.  I found him as full of business, and, to speak the
truth, he is a very painfull man, and ever was, and now-a-days is well
paid for it.  So home and to my office, doing business late in order to
the getting a little money, and so home to supper and to bed.

24th.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon to
the 'Change, where everybody joyed me in our hemp ship's coming safe, and
it seems one man, Middleburgh, did give 20 per cent. in gold last night,
three or four minutes before the newes came of her being safe.  Thence
with Mr. Deane home and dined, and after dinner and a good deal of
discourse of the business of Woolwich Yard, we opened his draught of a
ship which he has made for me, and indeed it is a most excellent one and
that that I hope will be of good use to me as soon as I get a little time,
and much indebted I am to the poor man.  Toward night I by coach to
Whitehall to the Tangier committee, and there spoke with my Lord and he
seems mighty kind to me, but I will try him to-morrow by a visit to see
whether he holds it or no.  Then home by coach again and to my office,
where late with Captain Miners about the East India business.  So home to
supper and to bed, being troubled to find myself so bound as I am,
notwithstanding all the physic that I take.  This day our tryall was with
Field, and I hear that they have given him L29 damage more, which is a
strange thing, but yet not so much as formerly, nor as I was afeard of.

25th.  Up and to Sir G. Carteret's house, and with him by coach to
Whitehall.  He uses me mighty well to my great joy, and in our discourse
took occasion to tell me that as I did desire of him the other day so he
desires of me the same favour that we may tell one another at any time any
thing that passes among us at the office or elsewhere wherein we are
either dissatisfied one with another, and that I should find him in all
things as kind and ready to serve me as my own brother.  This methinks-was
very sudden and extraordinary and do please me mightily, and I am resolved
by no means ever to lose him again if I can.  He told me that he did still
observe my care for the King's service in my office.  He set me down in
Fleet Street and thence I by another coach to my Lord Sandwich's, and
there I did present him Mr. Barlow's "Terella," with which he was very
much pleased, and he did show me great kindnesse, and by other discourse I
have reason to think that he is not at all, as I feared he would be,
discontented against me more than the trouble of the thing will work upon
him.  I left him in good humour, and I to White Hall, to the Duke of York
and Mr. Coventry, and there advised about insuring the hempe ship at 12
per cent., notwithstanding her being come to Newcastle, and I do hope that
in all my three places which are now my hopes and supports I may not now
fear any thing, but with care, which through the Lord's blessing I will
never more neglect, I don't doubt but to keep myself up with them all.
For in the Duke, and Mr. Coventry, my Lord Sandwich and Sir G. Carteret I
place my greatest hopes, and it pleased me yesterday that Mr. Coventry in
the coach (he carrying me to the Exchange at noon from the office) did,
speaking of Sir W. Batten, say that though there was a difference between
them, yet he would embrace any good motion of Sir W. Batten to the King's
advantage as well as of Mr. Pepys' or any friend he had.   And when I
talked that I would go about doing something of the Controller's work when
I had time, and that I thought the Controller would not take it ill, he
wittily replied that there was nothing in the world so hateful as a dog in
the manger.  Back by coach to the Exchange, there spoke with Sir W. Rider
about insuring, and spoke with several other persons about business, and
shall become pretty well known quickly.  Thence home to dinner with my
poor wife, and with great joy to my office, and there all the afternoon
about business, and among others Mr. Bland came to me and had good
discourse, and he has chose me a referee for him in a business, and anon
in the evening comes Sir W. Warren, and he and I had admirable discourse.
He advised me in things I desired about, bummary,--[bottomry]--and other
ways of putting out money as in parts of ships, how dangerous they are,
and lastly fell to talk of the Dutch management of the Navy, and I think
will helpe me to some accounts of things of the Dutch Admiralty, which I
am mighty desirous to know.  He seemed to have been mighty privy with my
Lord Albemarle in things before this great turn, and to the King's
dallying with him and others for some years before, but I doubt all was
not very true. However, his discourse is very useful in general, though he
would seem a little more than ordinary in this.  Late at night home to
supper and to bed, my mind in good ease all but my health, of which I am
not a little doubtful.

26th.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon I
to the 'Change, and there met with Mr. Cutler the merchant, who would
needs have me home to his house by the Dutch Church, and there in an old
but good house, with his wife and mother, a couple of plain old women, I
dined a good plain dinner, and his discourse after dinner with me upon
matters of the navy victualling very good and worth my hearing, and so
home to my office in the afternoon with my mind full of business, and
there at it late, and so home to supper to my poor wife, and to bed,
myself being in a little pain.  .  .  .  . by a stroke .  .  .  .  in
pulling up my breeches yesterday over eagerly, but I will lay nothing to
it till I see whether it will cease of itself or no.  The plague, it
seems, grows more and more at Amsterdam; and we are going upon making of
all ships coming from thence and Hambrough, or any other infected places,
to perform their Quarantine (for thirty days as Sir Rd. Browne expressed
it in the order of the Council, contrary to the import of the word, though
in the general acceptation it signifies now the thing, not the time spent
in doing it) in Holehaven, a thing never done by us before.

27th.  Up and to my office, where busy with great delight all the morning,
and at noon to the 'Change, and so home to dinner with my poor wife, and
with great content to my office again, and there hard at work upon stating
the account of the freights due to the King from the East India Company
till late at night, and so home to supper and to bed.  My wife mightily
pleased with my late discourse of getting a trip over to Calais, or some
other port of France, the next summer, in one of the yachts, and I believe
I shall do it, and it makes good sport that my mayde Jane dares not go,
and Besse is wild to go, and is mad for joy, but yet will be willing to
stay if Jane hath a mind, which is the best temper in this and all other
things that ever I knew in my life.

28th.  Up and at the office sat all the morning, and at noon by Mr.
Coventry's coach to the 'Change, and after a little while there where I
met with Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon, who tells me for good newes that my
Lord Sandwich is resolved to go no more to Chelsy, and told me he believed
that I had been giving my Lord some counsel, which I neither denied nor
affirmed, but seemed glad with him that he went thither no more, and so I
home to dinner, and thence abroad to Paul's Church Yard, and there looked
upon the second part of Hudibras, which I buy not, but borrow to read, to
see if it be as good as the first, which the world cry so mightily up,
though it hath not a good liking in me, though I had tried by twice or
three times reading to bring myself to think it witty. Back again home and
to my office, and there late doing business and so home to supper and to
bed.  I have been told two or three times, but to-day for certain I am
told how in Holland publickly they have pictured our King with reproach.
One way is with his pockets turned the wrong side outward, hanging out
empty; another with two courtiers picking of his pockets; and a third,
leading of two ladies, while others abuse him; which amounts to great
contempt.

29th (Lord's day).  This morning I put on my best black cloth suit,
trimmed with scarlett ribbon, very neat, with my cloake lined with
velvett, and a new beaver, which altogether is very noble, with my black
silk knit canons I bought a month ago.  I to church alone, my wife not
going, and there I found my Lady Batten in a velvet gown, which vexed me
that she should be in it before my wife, or that I am able to put her into
one, but what cannot be, cannot be.  However, when I came home I told my
wife of it, and to see my weaknesse, I could on the sudden have found my
heart to have offered her one, but second thoughts put it by, and indeed
it would undo me to think of doing as Sir W. Batten and his Lady do, who
has a good estate besides his office.  A good dinner we had of boeuf a la
mode, but not roasted so well as my wife used to do it. So after dinner I
to the French Church, but that being too far begun I came back to St.
Dunstan's by six and heard a good sermon, and so home and to my office
all, the evening making up my accounts of this month, and blessed be God I
have got up my crumb again to L770, the most that ever I had yet, and good
clothes a great many besides, which is a great mercy of God to me.  So
home to supper and to bed.

30th.  Was called up by a messenger from Sir W. Pen to go with him by
coach to White Hall.  So I got up and went with him, and by the way he
began to observe to me some unkind dealing of mine to him a weeke or two
since at the table, like a coxcomb, when I answered him pretty freely that
I would not think myself to owe any man the service to do this or that
because they would have it so (it was about taking of a mulct upon a
purser for not keeping guard at Chatham when I was there), so he talked
and I talked and let fall the discourse without giving or receiving any
great satisfaction, and so to other discourse, but I shall know him still
for a false knave.  At White Hall we met the Duke in the Matted Gallery,
and there he discoursed with us; and by and by my Lord Sandwich came and
stood by, and talked; but it being St. Andrew's, and a collar-day, he went
to the Chappell, and we parted.  From him and Sir W. Pen and I back again
and 'light at the 'Change, and to the Coffee-house, where I heard the best
story of a cheate intended by a Master of a ship, who had borrowed twice
his money upon the bottomary, and as much more insured upon his ship and
goods as they were worth, and then would have cast her away upon the coast
of France, and there left her, refusing any pilott which was offered him;
and so the Governor of the place took her and sent her over hither to find
an owner, and so the ship is come safe, and goods and all; they all worth
L500, and he had one way or other taken L3000. The cause is to be tried
to-morrow at Guildhall, where I intend to be. Thence home to dinner, and
then with my wife to her arithmetique.  In the evening came W. Howe to see
me, who tells me that my Lord hath been angry three or four days with him,
would not speak to him; at last did, and charged him with having spoken to
me about what he had observed concerning his Lordship, which W. Howe
denying stoutly, he was well at ease; and continues very quiett, and is
removing from Chelsy as fast as he can, but, methinks, both by my Lord's
looks upon me to-day, or it may be it is only my doubtfulness, and by W.
Howe's discourse, my Lord is not very well pleased, nor, it may be, will
be a good while, which vexes me; but I hope all will over in time, or else
I am but ill rewarded for my good service.  Anon he and I to the Temple
and there parted, and I to my cozen Roger Pepys, whom I met going to his
chamber; he was in haste, and to go out of town tomorrow.  He tells me of
a letter from my father which he will keep to read to me at his coming to
town again.  I perceive it is about my father's jealousys concerning my
wife's doing ill offices with me against him only from the differences
they had when she was there, which he very unwisely continues to have and
troubles himself and friends about to speak to me in, as my Lord Sandwich,
Mr. Moore, and my cozen Roger, which vexes me, but I must impute it to his
age and care for my mother and Pall and so let it go.  After little
discourse with him I took coach and home, calling upon my bookseller's for
two books, Rushworth's and Scobell's Collections.  I shall make the King
pay for them.  The first I spent some time at the office to read and it is
an excellent book.  So home and spent the evening with my wife in
arithmetique, and so to supper and to bed.  I end this month with my mind
in good condition for any thing else, but my unhappy adventuring to
disoblige my Lord by doing him service in representing to him the
discourse of the world concerning him and his affairs.

                          DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
                                 DECEMBER
                                   1663

December 1st.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning.  At
noon I home to dinner with my poor wife, with whom now-a-days I enjoy
great pleasure in her company and learning of Arithmetique.  After dinner
I to Guild Hall to hear a tryall at King's Bench, before Lord Chief
Justice Hide, about the insurance of a ship, the same I mention in my
yesterday's journall, where everything was proved how money was so taken
up upon bottomary and insurance, and the ship left by the master and
seamen upon rocks, where, when the sea fell at the ebb, she must perish.
The master was offered helpe, and he did give the pilotts 20 sols to drink
to bid them go about their business, saying that the rocks were old, but
his ship was new, and that she was repaired for L6 and less all the damage
that she received, and is now brought by one, sent for on purpose by the
insurers, into the Thames, with her cargo, vessels of tallow daubed over
with butter, instead of all butter, the whole not worth above L500, ship
and all, and they had took up, as appeared, above L2,400.  He had given
his men money to content them; and yet, for all this, he did bring some of
them to swear that it was very stormy weather, and [they] did all they
could to save her, and that she was seven feete deep water in hold, and
were fain to cut her main and foremast, that the master was the last man
that went out, and they were fain to force [him] out when she was ready to
sink; and her rudder broke off, and she was drawn into the harbour after
they were gone, as wrecke all broken, and goods lost: that she could not
be carried out again without new building, and many other things so
contrary as is not imaginable more.  There was all the great counsel in
the kingdom in the cause; but after one witnesse or two for the plaintiff,
it was cried down as a most notorious cheate; and so the jury, without
going out, found it for the plaintiff.  But it was pleasant to see what
mad sort of testimonys the seamen did give, and could not be got to speak
in order: and then their terms such as the judge could not understand; and
to hear how sillily the Counsel and judge would speak as to the terms
necessary in the matter, would make one laugh: and above all, a Frenchman
that was forced to speak in French, and took an English oathe he did not
understand, and had an interpreter sworn to tell us what he said, which
was the best testimony of all.  So home well satisfied with this
afternoon's work, purposing to spend an afternoon or two every term so,
and so to my office a while and then home to supper, arithmetique with my
wife, and to bed.  I heard other causes, and saw the course of pleading by
being at this trial, and heard and learnt two things: one is that every
man has a right of passage in, but not a title to, any highway.  The next,
that the judge would not suffer Mr. Crow, who hath fined for Alderman, to
be called so, but only Mister, and did eight or nine times fret at it, and
stop every man that called him so.

2nd.  My wife troubled all last night with the toothache and this morning.
I up and to my office, where busy, and so home to dinner with my wife, who
is better of her tooth than she was, and in the afternoon by agreement
called on by Mr. Bland, and with him to the Ship a neighbour tavern and
there met his antagonist Mr. Custos and his referee Mr. Clarke a merchant
also, and begun the dispute about the freight of a ship hired by Mr. Bland
to carry provisions to Tangier, and the freight is now demanded, whereas
he says that the goods were some spoiled, some not delivered, and upon the
whole demands L1300 of the other, and their minds are both so high, their
demands so distant, and their words so many and hot against one another
that I fear we shall bring it to nothing.  But however I am glad to see
myself so capable of understanding the business as I find I do, and shall
endeavour to do Mr. Bland all the just service I can therein.  Here we
were in a bad room, which vexed me most, but we. meet at another house
next.  So at noon I home and to my office till 9 o'clock, and so home to
my wife to keep her company, arithmetique, then to supper, and to bed, she
being well of her tooth again.

3rd.  Up and to the office, where all the forenoon, and then (by Mr.
Coventry's coach) to the 'Change, and so home to dinner, very pleasant
with my poor wife.  Somebody from Portsmouth, I know not who, has this day
sent me a Runlett of Tent.  So to my office all the afternoon, where much
business till late at night, and so home to my wife, and then to supper
and to bed.  This day Sir G. Carteret did tell us at the table, that the
Navy (excepting what is due to the Yards upon the quarter now going on,
and what few bills he hath not heard of) is quite out of debt; which is
extraordinary good newes, and upon the 'Change to hear how our creditt
goes as good as any merchant's upon the 'Change is a joyfull thing to
consider, which God continue!  I am sure the King will have the benefit of
it, as well as we some peace and creditt.

4th.  Up pretty betimes, that is about 7 o'clock, it being now dark then,
and so got me ready, with my clothes, breeches and warm stockings, and by
water with Henry Russell, cold and wet and windy to Woolwich, to a hempe
ship there, and staid looking upon it and giving direction as to the
getting it ashore, and so back again very cold, and at home without going
on shore anywhere about 12 o'clock, being fearful of taking cold, and so
dined at home and shifted myself, and so all the afternoon at my office
till night, and then home to keep my poor wife company, and so to supper
and to bed.

5th.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and then with
the whole board, viz., Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and myself along with
Captain Allen home to dinner, where he lives hard by in Mark Lane, where
we had a very good plain dinner and good welcome, in a pretty little house
but so smoky that it was troublesome to us all till they put out the fire,
and made one of charcoale.  I was much pleased with this dinner for the
many excellent stories told by Mr. Coventry, which I have put down in my
book of tales and so shall not mention them here.  We staid till night,
and then Mr. Coventry away, and by and by I home to my office till 9 or 10
at night, and so home to supper and to bed after some talke and
Arithmetique with my poor wife, with whom now-a-days I live with great
content, out of all trouble of mind by jealousy (for which God forgive
me), or any other distraction more than my fear of my Lord Sandwich's
displeasure.

6th (Lord's day).  Lay long in bed, and then up and to church alone, which
is the greatest trouble that I have by not having a man or, boy to wait on
me, and so home to dinner, my wife, it being a cold day, and it begun to
snow (the first snow we have seen this year) kept her bed till after
dinner, and I below by myself looking over my arithmetique books and
timber rule.  So my wife rose anon, and she and I all the afternoon at
arithmetique, and she is come to do Addition, Subtraction, and
Multiplicacion very well, and so I purpose not to trouble her yet with
Division, but to begin with the Globes to her now.  At night came Captain
Grove to discourse with me about Field's business and of other matters,
and so, he being gone, I to my office, and spent an houre or two reading
Rushworth, and so to supper home, and to prayers and bed, finding myself
by cold to have some pain begin with me, which God defend should increase.

7th.  Up betimes, and, it being a frosty morning, walked on foot to White
Hall, but not without some fear of my pain coming.  At White Hall I hear
and find that there was the last night the greatest tide that ever was
remembered in England to have been in this river: all White Hall having
been drowned, of which there was great discourse.  Anon we all met, and up
with the Duke and did our business, and by and by my Lord of Sandwich came
in, but whether it be my doubt or no I cannot tell, but I do not find that
he made any sign of kindnesse or respect to me, which troubles me more
than any thing in the world.  After done there Sir W. Batten and Captain
Allen and I by coach to the Temple, where I 'light, they going home, and
indeed it being my trouble of mind to try whether I could meet with my
Lord Sandwich and try him to see how he will receive me.  I took coach and
back again to Whitehall, but there could not find him.  But here I met Dr.
Clerke, and did tell him my story of my health; how my pain comes to me
now-a-days.  He did write something for me which I shall take when there
is occasion.  I then fell to other discourse of Dr. Knapp, who tells me he
is the King's physician, and is become a solicitor for places for people,
and I am mightily troubled with him.  He tells me he is the most impudent
fellow in the world, that gives himself out to be the King's physician,
but it is not so, but is cast out of the Court. From thence I may learn
what impudence there is in the world, and how a man may be deceived in
persons: Anon the King and Duke and Duchesse came to dinner in the
Vane-roome, where I never saw them before; but it seems since the tables
are done, he dines there all together.  The Queene is pretty well, and
goes out of her chamber to her little chappell in the house.  The King of
France, they say, is hiring of sixty sail of ships of the Dutch, but it is
not said for what design.  By and by, not hoping to see my Lord, I went to
the King's Head ordinary, where a good dinner but no discourse almost, and
after dinner by coach, home, and found my wife this cold day not yet out
of bed, and after a little good talk with her to my office, and there
spent my time till late.  Sir W. Warren two or three hours with me talking
of trade, and other very good discourse, which did please me very, well,
and so, after reading in Rushworth, home to supper and to bed.

8th.  Lay long in bed, and then up and to the office, where we sat all the
morning, and among other things my Lord Barkely called in question his
clerk Mr. Davy for something which Sir W. Batten and I did tell him
yesterday, but I endeavoured to make the least of it, and so all was put
up.  At noon to the 'Change, and among other businesses did discourse with
Captain Taylor, and I think I shall safely get L20 by his ship's freight
at present, besides what it may be I may get hereafter.  So home to
dinner, and thence by coach to White Hall, where a great while walked with
my Lord Tiviott, whom I find a most carefull, thoughtfull, and cunning
man, as I also ever took him to be.  He is this day bringing in an account
where he makes the King debtor to him L10,000 already on the garrison of
Tangier account; but yet demands not ready money to pay it, but offers
such ways of paying it out of the sale of old decayed provisions as will
enrich him finely.  Anon came my Lord Sandwich, and then we fell to our
business at the Committee about my Lord Tiviott's accounts, wherein I took
occasion to speak now and then, so as my Lord Sandwich did well seem to
like of it, and after we were up did bid me good night in a tone that,
methinks, he is not so displeased with me as I did doubt he is; however, I
will take a course to know whether he be or no.  The Committee done, I
took coach and home to my office, and there late, and so to supper at
home, and to bed, being doubtful of my pain through the very cold weather
which we have, but I will take all the care I can to prevent it.

9th.  Lay very long in bed for fear of my pain, and then rose and went to
stool (after my wife's way, who by all means would have me sit long and
upright) very well, and being ready to the office.  From thence I was
called by and by to my wife, she not being well.  So to her, and found her
in great pain. . . . . .  So by and by to my office again, and then abroad
to look out a cradle to burn charcoal in at my office, and I found one to
my mind in Newgate Market, and so meeting Hoby's man in the street, I
spoke to him to serve it in to the office for the King.  So home to
dinner, and after talk with my wife, she in bed and pain all day, I to my
office most of the evening, and then home to my wife.  This day Mrs.
Russell did give my wife a very fine St. George, in alabaster, which will
set out my wife's closett mightily.  This evening at the office, after I
had wrote my day's passages, there came to me my cozen Angier of
Cambridge, poor man, making his moan, and obtained of me that I would send
his son to sea as a Reformado, which I will take care to do.  But to see
how apt every man is to forget friendship in time of adversity.  How glad
was I when he was gone, for fear he should ask me to be bond for him, or
to borrow money of me.

10th.  Up, pretty well, the weather being become pretty warm again, and to
the office, where we sat all the morning, and I confess having received so
lately a token from Mrs. Russell, I did find myself concerned for our not
buying some tallow of her (which she bought on purpose yesterday most
unadvisedly to her great losse upon confidence of putting it off to us).
So hard it is for a man not to be warped against his duty and master's
interest that receives any bribe or present, though not as a bribe, from
any body else.  But she must be contented, and I to do her a good turn
when I can without wrong to the King's service.  Then home to dinner (and
did drink a glass of wine and beer, the more for joy that this is the
shortest day in the year,--[Old Style]--which is a pleasant consideration)
with my wife.  She in bed but pretty well, and having a messenger from my
brother, that he is not well nor stirs out of doors, I went forth to see
him, and found him below, he has not been well, but is not ill.  I found
him taking order for the distribution of Mrs. Ramsey's coals, a thing my
father for many years did, and now he after him, which I was glad to see,
as also to hear that Mr. Wheatly begins to look after him.  I hope it is
about his daughter.  Thence to St. Paul's Church Yard, to my bookseller's,
and having gained this day in the office by my stationer's bill to the
King about 40s. or L3, I did here sit two or three hours calling for
twenty books to lay this money out upon, and found myself at a great losse
where to choose, and do see how my nature would gladly return to laying
out money in this trade.  I could not tell whether to lay out my money for
books of pleasure, as plays, which my nature was most earnest in; but at
last, after seeing Chaucer, Dugdale's History of Paul's, Stows London,
Gesner, History of Trent, besides Shakespeare, Jonson, and Beaumont's
plays, I at last chose Dr. Fuller's Worthys, the Cabbala or Collections of
Letters of State, and a little book, Delices de Hollande, with another
little book or two, all of good use or serious pleasure: and Hudibras,
both parts, the book now in greatest fashion for drollery, though I
cannot, I confess, see enough where the wit lies.  My mind being thus
settled, I went by linke home, and so to my office, and to read in
Rushworth; and so home to supper and to bed.  Calling at Wotton's, my
shoemaker's, today, he tells me that Sir H. Wright is dying; and that
Harris is come to the Duke's house again; and of a rare play to be acted
this week of Sir William Davenant's: the story of Henry the Eighth with
all his wives.

11th.  Up and abroad toward the Wardrobe, and going out Mr. Clerke met me
to tell me that Field has a writ against me in this last business of L30
10s., and that he believes he will get an execution against me this
morning, and though he told me it could not be well before noon, and that
he would stop it at the Sheriff's, yet it is hard to believe with what
fear I did walk and how I did doubt at every man I saw and do start at the
hearing of one man cough behind my neck.  I to, the Wardrobe and there
missed Mr. Moore.  So to Mr. Holden's and evened all reckonings there for
hats, and then walked to Paul's Churchyard and after a little at my
bookseller's and bought at a shop Cardinall Mazarin's Will in French.  I
to the Coffeehouse and there among others had good discourse with an Iron
Merchant, who tells me the great evil of discouraging our natural
manufacture of England in that commodity by suffering the Swede to bring
in three times more than ever they did and our owne Ironworks be lost, as
almost half of them, he says, are already.  Then I went and sat by Mr.
Harrington, and some East country merchants, and talking of the country
about Quinsborough, and thereabouts, he told us himself that for fish,
none there, the poorest body, will buy a dead fish, but must be alive,
unless it be in winter; and then they told us the manner of putting their
nets into the water.  Through holes made in the thick ice, they will
spread a net of half a mile long; and he hath known a hundred and thirty
and a hundred and seventy barrels of fish taken at one draught.  And then
the people come with sledges upon the ice, with snow at the bottome, and
lay the fish in and cover them with snow, and so carry them to market.
And he hath seen when the said fish have been frozen in the sledge, so as
that he hath taken a fish and broke a-pieces, so hard it hath been; and
yet the same fishes taken out of the snow, and brought into a hot room,
will be alive and leap up and down.  Swallows are often brought up in
their nets out of the mudd from under water, hanging together to some
twigg or other, dead in ropes, and brought to the fire will come to life.
Fowl killed in December.  (Alderman Barker said) he did buy, and putting
into the box under his sledge, did forget to take them out to eate till
Aprill next, and they then were found there, and were through the frost as
sweet and fresh and eat as well as at first killed.  Young beares are
there; their flesh sold in market as ordinarily as beef here, and is
excellent sweet meat.  They tell us that beares there do never hurt any
body, but fly away from you, unless you pursue and set upon them; but
wolves do much mischief.  Mr. Harrington told us how they do to get so
much honey as they send abroad.  They make hollow a great fir-tree,
leaving only a small slitt down straight in one place, and this they close
up again, only leave a little hole, and there the bees go in and fill the
bodys of those trees as full of wax and honey as they can hold; and the
inhabitants at times go and open the slit, and take what they please
without killing the bees, and so let them live there still and make more.
Fir trees are always planted close together, because of keeping one
another from the violence of the windes; and when a fell is made, they
leave here and there a grown tree to preserve the young ones coming up.
The great entertainment and sport of the Duke of Corland, and the princes
thereabouts, is hunting; which is not with dogs as we, but he appoints
such a day, and summons all the country-people as to a campagnia; and by
several companies gives every one their circuit, and they agree upon a
place where the toyle is to be set; and so making fires every company as
they go, they drive all the wild beasts, whether bears, wolves, foxes,
swine, and stags, and roes, into the toyle; and there the great men have
their stands in such and such places, and shoot at what they have a mind
to, and that is their hunting.  They are not very populous there, by
reason that people marry women seldom till they are towards or above
thirty; and men thirty or forty years old, or more oftentimes.  Against a
publique hunting the Duke sends that no wolves be killed by the people;
and whatever harm they do, the Duke makes it good to the person that
suffers it: as Mr. Harrington instanced in a house where he lodged, where
a wolfe broke into a hog-stye, and bit three or four great pieces off the
back of the hog, before the house could come to helpe it (it calling, and
that did give notice to the people of the house); and the man of the house
told him that there were three or four wolves thereabouts that did them
great hurt; but it was no matter, for the Duke was to make it good to him,
otherwise he would kill them.  Hence home and upstairs, my wife keeping
her bed, and had a very good dinner, and after dinner to my office, and
there till late busy.  Among other things Captain Taylor came to me about
his bill for freight, and besides that I found him contented that I have
the L30 I got, he do offer me to give me L6 to take the getting of the
bill paid upon me, which I am ready to do, but I am loath to have it said
that I ever did it.  However, I will do him the service to get it paid if
I can and stand to his courtesy what he will give me.  Late to supper
home, and to my great joy I have by my wife's good advice almost brought
myself by going often and leisurely to the stool that I am come almost to
have my natural course of stool as well as ever, which I pray God continue
to me.

12th.  Up and to the office where all the morning, and among other things
got Sir G. Carteret to put his letters to Captain Taylor's bill by which I
am in hopes to get L5, which joys my heart.  We had this morning a great
dispute between Mr. Gauden, Victualler of the Navy, and Sir J. Lawson, and
the rest of the Commanders going against Argier, about their fish and
keeping of Lent; which Mr. Gauden so much insists upon to have it
observed, as being the only thing that makes up the loss of his dear
bargain all the rest of the year.  At noon went home and there I found
that one Abrahall, who strikes in for the serving of the King with Ship
chandlery ware, has sent my wife a Japan gowne, which pleases her very
well and me also, it coming very opportune, but I know not how to carry
myself to him, I being already obliged so far to Mrs. Russell, so that I
am in both their pays.  To the Exchange, where I had sent Luellin word I
would come to him, and thence brought him home to dinner with me.  He
tells me that W. Symon's wife is dead, for which I am sorry, she being a
good woman, and tells me an odde story of her saying before her death,
being in good sense, that there stood her uncle Scobell.  Then he began to
tell me that Mr. Deering had been with him to desire him to speak to me
that if I would get him off with these goods upon his hands, he would give
me 50 pieces, and further that if I would stand his friend to helpe him to
the benefit of his patent as the King's merchant, he could spare me L200
per annum out of his profits.  I was glad to hear both of these, but
answered him no further than that as I would not by any thing be bribed to
be unjust in my dealings,

     [Edward Dering was granted, August, 1660, "the office of King's
     merchant in the East, for buying and providing necessaries for
     apparelling the Navy" ("Calendar," Domestic, 1660-61, p.  212).
     There is evidence among the State Papers of some dissatisfaction
     with the timber, &c., which he supplied to the Navy, and at this
     time he appears to have had some stores left on his hands.]

so I was not so squeamish as not to take people's acknowledgment where I
had the good fortune by my pains to do them good and just offices, and so
I would not come to be at any agreement with him, but I would labour to do
him this service and to expect his consideration thereof afterwards as he
thought fit.  So I expect to hear more of it.  I did make very much of
Luellin in hopes to have some good by this business, and in the evening
received some money from Mr. Moore, and so went and settled accounts in my
books between him and me, and I do hope at Christmas not only to find
myself as rich or more than ever I was yet, but also my accounts in less
compass, fewer reckonings either of debts or moneys due to me, than ever I
have been for some years, and indeed do so, the goodness of God bringing
me from better to a better expectation and hopes of doing well. This day I
heard my Lord Barkeley tell Sir G. Carteret that he hath letters from
France that the King hath unduked twelve Dukes, only to show his power and
to crush his nobility, who he said he did see had heretofore laboured to
cross him.  And this my Lord Barkeley did mightily magnify, as a sign of a
brave and vigorous mind, that what he saw fit to be done he dares do.  At
night, after business done at my office, home to supper and to bed.  I
have forgot to set down a very remarkable passage that, Lewellen being
gone, and I going into the office, and it begun to be dark, I found nobody
there, my clerks being at the burial of a child of W. Griffin's, and so I
spent a little time till they came, walking in the garden, and in the mean
time, while I was walking Mrs. Pen's pretty maid came by my side, and went
into the office, but finding nobody there I went in to her, being glad of
the occasion.  She told me as she was going out again that there was
nobody there, and that she came for a sheet of paper.  So I told her I
would supply her, and left her in the office and went into my office and
opened my garden door, thinking to have got her in, and there to have
caressed her, and seeming looking for paper, I told her this way was as
near a way for her, but she told me she had left the door open and so did
not come to me.  So I carried her some paper and kissed her, leading her
by the hand to the garden door and there let her go.  But, Lord! to see
how much I was put out of order by this surprisal, and how much I could
have subjected my mind to have treated and been found with this wench, and
how afterwards I was troubled to think what if she should tell this and
whether I had spoke or done any thing that might be unfit for her to tell.
But I think there was nothing more passed than just what I here write.

13th (Lord's day).  Up and made me ready for Church, but my wife and I had
a difference about her old folly that she would fasten lies upon her
mayds, and now upon Jane, which I did not see enough to confirm me in it,
and so would not consent to her.  To church, where after sermon home, and
to my office, before dinner, reading my vowes, and so home to dinner,
where Tom came to me and he and I dined together, my wife not rising all
day, and after dinner I made even accounts with him, and spent all the
afternoon in my chamber talking of many things with him, and about
Wheately's daughter for a wife for him, and then about the Joyces and
their father Fenner, how they are sometimes all honey one with another and
then all turd, and a strange rude life there is among them.  In the
evening, he gone, I to my office to read Rushworth upon the charge and
answer of the Duke of Buckingham, which is very fine, and then to do a
little business against to-morrow, and so home to supper to my wife, and
then to bed.

14th.  Up by candlelight, which I do not use to do, though it be very
late, that is to say almost 8 o'clock, and out by coach to White Hall,
where we all met and to the Duke, where I heard a large discourse between
one that goes over an agent from the King to Legorne and thereabouts, to
remove the inconveniences his ships are put to by denial of pratique;
which is a thing that is now-a-days made use of only as a cheat, for a man
may buy a bill of health for a piece of eight, and my enemy may agree with
the Intendent of the Sante for ten pieces of eight or so; that he shall
not give me a bill of health, and so spoil me in my design, whatever it
be.  This the King will not endure, and so resolves either to have it
removed, or to keep all ships from coming in, or going out there, so long
as his ships are stayed for want hereof.  Then, my Lord Sandwich being
there, we all went into the Duke's closet and did our business. But among
other things, Lord! what an account did Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten
make of the pulling down and burning of the head of the Charles, where
Cromwell was placed with people under his horse, and Peter, as the Duke
called him, is praying to him; and Sir J. Minnes would needs infer the
temper of the people from their joy at the doing of this and their
building a gibbet for the hanging of his head up, when God knows, it is
even the flinging away of L100 out of the King's purse, to the building of
another, which it seems must be a Neptune.  Thence I through White Hall
only to see what was doing, but meeting none that I knew I went through
the garden to my Lord Sandwich's lodging, where I found my Lord got before
me (which I did not intend or expect) and was there trying some musique,
which he intends for an anthem of three parts, I know not whether for the
King's chapel or no, but he seems mighty intent upon it.  But it did
trouble me to hear him swear before God and other oathes, as he did now
and then without any occasion, which methinks did so ill become him, and I
hope will be a caution for me, it being so ill a thing in him.  The
musique being done, without showing me any good or ill countenance, he did
give me his hat and so adieu, and went down to his coach without saying
anything to me.  He being gone I and Mr. Howe talked a good while.  He
tells me that my Lord, it is true, for a while after my letter, was
displeased, and did shew many slightings of me when he had occasion of
mentioning me to his Lordship, but that now my Lord is in good temper and
he do believe will shew me as much respect as ever, and would have me not
to refrain to come to him.  This news I confess did much trouble me, but
when I did hear how he is come to himself, and hath wholly left Chelsy,
and the slut, and that I see he do follow his business, and becomes in
better repute than before, I am rejoiced to see it, though it do cost me
some disfavour for a time, for if not his good nature and ingenuity, yet I
believe his memory will not bear it always in his mind.  But it is my
comfort that this is the thing that after so many years good service that
has made him my enemy.  Thence to the King's Head ordinary, and there
dined among a company of fine gentlemen; some of them discoursed of the
King of France's greatness, and how he is come to make the Princes of the
Blood to take place of all foreign Embassadors, which it seems is granted
by them of Venice and other States, and expected from my Lord.  Hollis,
our King's Embassador there; and that either upon that score or something
else he hath not had his entry yet in Paris, but hath received several
affronts, and among others his harnesse cut, and his gentlemen of his
horse killed, which will breed bad blood if true.  They say also that the
King of France hath hired threescore ships of Holland, and forty of the
Swede, but nobody knows what to do; but some great designs he hath on foot
against the next year.  Thence by coach home and to my office, where I
spent all the evening till night with Captain Taylor discoursing about
keeping of masts, and when he was gone, with Sir W. Warren, who did give
me excellent discourse about the same thing, which I have committed to
paper, and then fell to other talk of his being at Chatham lately and
there discoursing of his masts.  Commissioner Pett did let fall several
scurvy words concerning my pretending to know masts as well as any body,
which I know proceeds ever since I told him I could measure a piece of
timber as well as anybody employed by the King.  But, however, I shall
remember him for a black sheep again a good while, with all his fair words
to me, and perhaps may let him know that my ignorance does the King as
much good as all his knowledge, which would do more it is true if it were
well used.  Then we fell to talk of Sir J. Minnes's and Sir W. Batten's
burning of Oliver's head, while he was there; which was done with so much
insulting and folly as I never heard of, and had the Trayned Band of
Rochester to come to the solemnity, which when all comes to all,
Commissioner Pett says it never was made for him; but it troubles me the
King should suffer L100 losse in his purse, to make a new one after it was
forgot whose it was, or any words spoke of it.  He being gone I mightily
pleased with his discourse, by which I always learn something, I to read a
little in Rushworth, and so home to supper to my wife, it having been
washing day, and so to bed, my mind I confess a little troubled for my
Lord Sandwich's displeasure.  But God will give me patience to bear since
it rises from so good an occasion.

15th.  Before I was up, my brother's man came to tell me that my cozen,
Edward Pepys, was dead, died at Mrs. Turner's, for which my wife and I are
very sorry, and the more for that his wife was the only handsome woman of
our name.  So up and to the office, where the greatest business was Sir J.
Minnes and Sir W. Batten against me for Sir W. Warren's contract for
masts, to which I may go to my memorandum book to see what past, but came
off with conquest, and my Lord Barkely and Mr. Coventry well convinced
that we are well used.  So home to dinner, and thither came to me Mr.
Mount and Mr. Luellin, I think almost foxed, and there dined with me and
very merry as I could be, my mind being troubled to see things so ordered
at the Board, though with no disparagement to me at all.  At dinner comes
a messenger from the Counter with an execution against me for the L30
10s., given the last verdict to Field.  The man's name is Thomas, of the
Poultry Counter.  I sent Griffin with him to the Dolphin, where Sir W.
Batten was at dinner, and he being satisfied that I should pay the money,
I did cause the money to be paid him, and Griffin to tell it out to him in
the office.  He offered to go along with me to Sir R. Ford, but I thought
it not necessary, but let him go with it, he also telling me that there is
never any receipt for it given, but I have good witness of the payment of
it.  They being gone, Luellin having again told me by myself that Deering
is content to give me L50 if I can sell his deals for him to the King, not
that I did ever offer to take it, or bid Luellin bargain for me with him,
but did tacitly seem to be willing to do him what service I could in it,
and expect his thanks, what he thought good.  Thence to White Hall by
coach, by the way overtaking Mr. Moore, and took him into the coach to me,
and there he could tell me nothing of my Lord, how he stands as to his
thoughts or respect to me, but concludes that though at present he may be
angry yet he will come to be pleased again with me no doubt, and says that
he do mind his business well, and keeps at Court.  So to White Hall, and
there by order found some of the Commissioners of Tangier met, and my Lord
Sandwich among the rest, to whom I bowed, but he shewed me very little if
any countenance at all, which troubles me mightily.  Having soon done
there, I took up Mr. Moore again and set him down at Pauls, by the way he
proposed to me of a way of profit which perhaps may shortly be made by
money by fines upon houses at the Wardrobe, but how I did not understand
but left it to another discourse.  So homeward, calling upon Mr. Fen, by
Sir G. Carteret's desire, and did there shew him the bill of Captain
Taylor's whereby I hope to get something justly.  Home and to my office,
and there very late with Sir W. Warren upon very serious discourse,
telling him how matters passed to-day, and in the close he and I did fall
to talk very openly of the business of this office, and (if I was not a
little too open to tell him my interest, which is my fault) he did give me
most admirable advice, and such as do speak him a most able and worthy
man, and understanding seven times more than ever I thought to be in him.
He did particularly run over every one of the officers and commanders, and
shewed me how I had reason to mistrust every one of them, either for their
falsenesse or their over-great power, being too high to fasten a real
friendship in, and did give me a common but a most excellent saying to
observe in all my life.  He did give it in rhyme, but the sense was this,
that a man should treat every friend in his discourse and opening his mind
to him as of one that may hereafter be his foe.  He did also advise me how
I should take occasion to make known to the world my case, and the pains
that I take in my business, and above all to be sure to get a thorough
knowledge in my employment, and to that add all the interest at Court that
I can, which I hope I shall do.  He staid talking with me till almost 12
at night, and so good night, being sorry to part with him, and more sorry
that he should have as far as Wapping to walk to-night. So I to my
Journall and so home, to supper and to bed.

16th.  Up, and with my head and heart full of my business, I to my office,
and there all the morning, where among other things to my great content
Captain Taylor brought me L40, the greater part of which I shall gain to
myself after much care and pains out of his bill of freight, as I have at
large set down in my book of Memorandums.  At noon to the 'Change and
there met with Mr. Wood by design, and got out of him to my advantage a
condition which I shall make good use of against Sir W. Batten (vide my
book of Memorandums touching the contract of masts of Sir W. Warren about
which I have had so much trouble).  So home to dinner and then to the Star
Tavern hard by to our arbitration of Mr. Bland's business, and at it a
great while, but I found no order like to be kept in our inquiry, and Mr.
Clerke, the other arbitrator, one so far from being fit (though able as to
his trade of a merchant) to inquire and to take pains in searching out the
truth on both sides, that we parted without doing anything, nor do I
believe we shall at all ever attain to anything in it.  Then home and till
12 at night making up my accounts with great account of this day's receipt
of Captain Taylor's money and some money reimbursed me which I have laid
out on Field's business.  So home with my mind in pretty good quiet, and
to Supper and to bed.

17th.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning.  At noon home
to my poor wife and dined, and then by coach abroad to Mrs. Turner's where
I have not been for many a day, and there I found her and her sister Dike
very sad for the death of their brother.  After a little common expression
of sorrow, Mrs. Turner told me that the trouble she would put me to was,
to consult about getting an achievement prepared, scutcheons were done
already, to set over the door.  So I did go out to Mr. Smith's, where my
brother tells me the scutcheons are made, but he not being within, I went
to the Temple, and there spent my time in a Bookseller's shop, reading in
a book of some Embassages into Moscovia, &c., where was very good reading,
and then to Mrs. Turner's, and thither came Smith to me, with whom I did
agree for L4 to make a handsome one, ell square within the frame.  After
he was gone I sat an houre talking of the suddennesse of his death within
7 days, and how by little and little death came upon him, neither he nor
they thinking it would come to that. He died after a day's raveing,
through lightness in his head for want of sleep.  His lady did not know of
his sickness, nor do they hear yet how she takes it.  Hence home, taking
some books by the way in Paul's Churchyard by coach to my office, where
late doing business, and so home to supper and to bed.

18th.  Up, and after being ready and done several businesses with people,
I took water (taking a dram of the bottle at the waterside) with a gaily,
the first that ever I had yet, and down to Woolwich, calling at Ham
Creeke, where I met Mr. Deane, and had a great deal of talke with him
about business, and so to the Ropeyarde and Docke, discoursing several
things, and so back again and did the like at Deptford, and I find that it
is absolutely necessary for me to do thus once a weeke at least all the
yeare round, which will do me great good, and so home with great ease and
content, especially out of the content which I met with in a book I bought
yesterday, being a discourse of the state of Rome under the present Pope,
Alexander the 7th, it being a very excellent piece.  After eating
something at home, then to my office, where till night about business to
dispatch.  Among other people came Mr. Primate, the leather seller, in
Fleete Streete, to see me, he says, coming this way; and he tells me that
he is upon a proposal to the King, whereby, by a law already in being, he
will supply the King, without wrong to any man, or charge to the people in
general, so much as it is now, above L200,000 per annum, and God knows
what, and that the King do like the proposal, and hath directed that the
Duke of Monmouth, with their consent, be made privy, and go along with him
and his fellow proposer in the business, God knows what it is; for I
neither can guess nor believe there is any such thing in his head.  At
night made an end of the discourse I read this morning, and so home to
supper and to bed.

19th.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and I laboured
hard at Deering's business of his deals more than I would if I did not
think to get something, though I do really believe that I did what is to
the King's advantage in it, and yet, God knows, the expectation of profit
will have its force and make a man the more earnest.  Dined at home, and
then with Mr. Bland to another meeting upon his arbitration, and seeing we
were likely to do no good I even put them upon it, and they chose Sir W.
Rider alone to end the matter, and so I am rid of it.  Thence by coach to
my shoemaker's and paid all there, and gave something to the boys' box
against Christmas.  To Mrs. Turner's, whom I find busy with Sir W. Turner,
about advising upon going down to Norfolke with the corps, and I find him
in talke a sober, considering man.  So home to my office late, and then
home to supper and to bed.  My head full of business, but pretty good
content.

20th (Lord's day).  Up and alone to church, where a common sermon of Mr.
Mills, and so home to dinner in our parler, my wife being clean, and the
first time we have dined here a great while together, and in the afternoon
went to church with me also, and there begun to take her place above Mrs.
Pen, which heretofore out of a humour she was wont to give her as an
affront to my Lady Batten.  After a dull sermon of the Scotchman, home,
and there I found my brother Tom and my two cozens Scotts, he and she, the
first time they were ever here.  And by and by in comes my uncle.  Wight
and Mr. Norbury, and they sat with us a while drinking, of wine, of which
I did give them plenty.  But the two would not stay supper, but the other
two did.  And we were as merry as I could be with people that I do wish
well to, but know not what discourse either to give them or find from
them.  We showed them our house from top to bottom, and had a good Turkey
roasted for our supper, and store of wine, and after supper sent them home
on foot, and so we to prayers and to bed.

21st.  Up betimes, my wife having a mind to have gone abroad with me, but
I had not because of troubling me, and so left her, though against my
will, to go and see her father and mother by herself, and I straight to my
Lord Sandwich's, and there I had a pretty kind salute from my Lord, and
went on to the Duke's, where my fellow officers by and by came, and so in
with him to his closet, and did our business, and so broke up, and I with
Sir W. Batten by coach to Salisbury Court, and there spoke with Clerk our
Solicitor about Field's business, and so parted, and I to Mrs. Turner's,
and there saw the achievement pretty well set up, and it is well done.
Thence I on foot to Charing Crosse to the ordinary, and there, dined,
meeting Mr. Gauden and Creed.  Here variety of talk but to no great
purpose.  After dinner won a wager of a payre of gloves of a crowne of Mr.
Gauden upon some words in his contract for victualling. There parted in
the street with them, and I to my Lord's, but he not being within, took
coach, and, being directed by sight of bills upon the walls, I did go to
Shoe Lane to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there, a sport I was never
at in my life; but, Lord! to see the strange variety of people, from
Parliament-man (by name Wildes, that was Deputy Governor of the Tower when
Robinson was Lord Mayor) to the poorest 'prentices, bakers, brewers,
butchers, draymen, and what not; and all these fellows one with another in
swearing, cursing, and betting.  I soon had enough of it, and yet I would
not but have seen it once, it being strange to observe the nature of these
poor creatures, how they will fight till they drop down dead upon the
table, and strike after they are ready to give up the ghost, not offering
to run away when they are weary or wounded past doing further, whereas
where a dunghill brood comes he will, after a sharp stroke that pricks
him, run off the stage, and then they wring off his neck without more ado,
whereas the other they preserve, though their eyes be both out, for breed
only of a true cock of the game.  Sometimes a cock that has had ten to one
against him will by chance give an unlucky blow, will strike the other
starke dead in a moment, that he never stirs more; but the common rule is,
that though a cock neither runs nor dies, yet if any man will bet L10 to a
crowne, and nobody take the bet, the game is given over, and not sooner.
One thing more it is strange to see how people of this poor rank, that
look as if they had not bread to put in their mouths, shall bet three or
four pounds at one bet, and lose it, and yet bet as much the next battle
(so they call every match of two cocks), so that one of them will lose L10
or L20 at a meeting.  Thence, having enough of it, by coach to my Lord
Sandwich's, where I find him within with Captain Cooke and his boys, Dr.
Childe, Mr. Madge, and Mallard, playing and singing over my Lord's anthem
which he hath made to sing in the King's Chappell: my Lord saluted me
kindly and took me into the withdrawing-room, to hear it at a distance,
and indeed it sounds very finely, and is a good thing, I believe, to be
made by him, and they all commend it.  And after that was done Captain
Cooke and his two boys did sing some Italian songs, which I must in a word
say I think was fully the best musique that I ever yet heard in all my
life, and it was to me a very great pleasure to hear them.  After all
musique ended, my Lord going to White Hall, I went along with him, and
made a desire for to have his coach to go along with my cozen Edward
Pepys's hearse through the City on Wednesday next, which he granted me
presently, though he cannot yet come to speak to me in the familiar stile
that he did use to do, nor can I expect it.  But I was the willinger of
this occasion to see whether he would deny me or no, which he would I
believe had he been at open defyance against me.  Being not a little
pleased with all this, though I yet see my Lord is not right yet, I
thanked his Lordship and parted with him in White Hall.  I back to my
Lord's, and there took up W. Howe in a coach, and carried him as far as
the Half Moone, and there set him down. By the way, talking of my Lord,
who is come another and a better man than he was lately, and God be
praised for it, and he says that I shall find my Lord as he used to be to
me, of which I have good hopes, but I shall beware of him, I mean W. Howe,
how I trust him, for I perceive he is not so discreet as I took him for,
for he has told Captain Ferrers (as Mr. Moore tells me) of my letter to my
Lord, which troubles me, for fear my Lord should think that I might have
told him.  So called with my coach at my wife's brother's lodging, but she
was gone newly in a coach homewards, and so I drove hard and overtook her
at Temple Bar, and there paid off mine, and went home with her in her
coach.  She tells me how there is a sad house among her friends.  Her
brother's wife proves very unquiet, and so her mother is, gone back to be
with her husband and leave the young couple to themselves, and great
trouble, and I fear great want, will be among them, I pray keep me from
being troubled with them.  At home to put on my gowne and to my office,
and there set down this day's Journall, and by and by comes Mrs. Owen,
Captain Allen's daughter, and causes me to stay while the papers relating
to her husband's place, bought of his father, be copied out because of her
going by this morning's tide home to Chatham.  Which vexes me, but there
is no help for it.  I home to supper while a young [man] that she brought
with her did copy out the things, and then I to the office again and
dispatched her, and so home to bed.

22nd.  Up and there comes my she cozen Angier, of Cambridge, to me to
speak about her son.  But though I love them, and have reason so to do,
yet, Lord!  to consider how cold I am to speak to her, for fear of giving
her too much hopes of expecting either money or anything else from me
besides my care of her son.  I let her go without drinking, though that
was against my will, being forced to hasten to the office, where we sat
all the morning, and at noon I to Sir R. Ford's, where Sir R. Browne (a
dull but it seems upon action a hot man), and he and I met upon setting a
price upon the freight of a barge sent to France to the Duchess of
Orleans.  And here by discourse I find them greatly crying out against the
choice of Sir J. Cutler to be Treasurer for Paul's upon condition that he
give L1500 towards it, and it seems he did give it upon condition that he
might be Treasurer for the work, which they say will be worth three times
as much money, and talk as if his being chosen to the office will make
people backward to give, but I think him as likely a man as either of
them, or better.  The business being done we parted, Sir R. Ford never
inviting me to dine with him at all, and I was not sorry for it.  Home and
dined.  I had a letter from W. Howe that my Lord hath ordered his coach
and six horses for me to-morrow, which pleases me mightily to think that
my Lord should do so much, hoping thereby that his anger is a little over.
After dinner abroad with my wife by coach to Westminster, and set her at
Mrs. Hunt's while I about my business, having in our way met with Captain
Ferrers luckily to speak to him about my coach, who was going in all haste
thither, and I perceive the King and Duke and all the Court was going to
the Duke's playhouse to see "Henry VIII."  acted, which is said to be an
admirable play.  But, Lord! to see how near I was to have broken my oathe,
or run the hazard of 20s. losse, so much my nature was hot to have gone
thither; but I did not go, but having spoke with W. Howe and known how my
Lord did do this kindly as I would have it, I did go to Westminster Hall,
and there met Hawley, and walked a great while with him.  Among other
discourse encouraging him to pursue his love to Mrs. Lane, while God knows
I had a roguish meaning in it.  Thence calling my wife home by coach,
calling at several places, and to my office, where late, and so home to
supper and to bed.  This day I hear for certain that my Lady Castlemaine
is turned <DW7>, which the Queene for all do not much like, thinking that
she do it not for conscience sake.  I heard to-day of a great fray lately
between Sir H. Finch's coachman, who struck with his whip a coachman of
the King's to the losse of one of his eyes; at which the people of the
Exchange seeming to laugh and make sport with some words of contempt to
him, my Lord Chamberlin did come from the King to shut up the 'Change, and
by the help of a justice, did it; but upon petition to the King it was
opened again.

23rd.  Up betimes and my wife; and being in as mourning a dress as we
could, at present, without cost, put ourselves into, we by Sir W. Pen's
coach to Mrs. Turner's, at Salisbury Court, where I find my Lord's coach
and six horses.  We staid till almost eleven o'clock, and much company
came, and anon, the corps being put into the hearse, and the scutcheons
set upon it, we all took coach, and I and my wife and Auditor Beale in my
Lord Sandwich's coach, and went next to Mrs. Turner's mourning coach, and
so through all the City and Shoreditch, I believe about twenty coaches,
and four or five with six and four horses.  Being come thither, I made up
to the mourners, and bidding them a good journey, I took leave and back
again, and setting my wife into a hackney out of Bishopsgate Street, I
sent her home, and I to the 'Change and Auditor Beale about his business.
Did much business at the 'Change, and so home to dinner, and then to my
office, and there late doing business also to my great content to see God
bless me in my place and opening honest ways, I hope to get a little money
to lay up and yet to live handsomely.  So to supper and to bed.  My wife
having strange fits of the toothache, some times on this, and by and by on
that side of her tooth, which is not common.

24th.  Up betimes; and though it was a most foggy morning, and cold, yet
with a gally down to Eriffe, several times being at a loss whither we
went.  There I mustered two ships of the King's, lent by him to the Guiny
Company, which are manned better than ours at far less wages.  Thence on
board two of the King's, one of them the "Leopard," Captain Beech, who I
find an able and serious man.  He received me civilly, and his wife was
there, a very well bred and knowing woman, born at Antwerp, but speaks as
good English as myself, and an ingenious woman.  Here was also Sir G.
Carteret's son, who I find a pretty, but very talking man, but good
humour.  Thence back again, entertaining myself upon my sliding rule with
great content, and called at Woolwich, where Mr. Chr. Pett having an
opportunity of being alone did tell me his mind about several things he
thought I was offended with him in, and told me of my kindness to his
assistant.  I did give him such an answer as I thought was fit and left
him well satisfied, he offering to do me all the service, either by
draughts or modells that I should desire.  Thence straight home, being
very cold, but yet well, I thank God, and at home found my wife making
mince pies, and by and by comes in Captain Ferrers to see us, and, among
other talke, tells us of the goodness of the new play of "Henry VIII.,"
which makes me think [it] long till my time is out; but I hope before I go
I shall set myself such a stint as I may not forget myself as I have
hitherto done till I was forced for these months last past wholly to
forbid myself the seeing of one.  He gone I to my office and there late
writing and reading, and so home to bed.

25th (Christmas day).  Lay long talking pleasantly with my wife, but among
other things she begun, I know not whether by design or chance, to enquire
what she should do if I should by any accident die, to which I did give
her some slight answer; but shall make good use of it to bring myself to
some settlement for her sake, by making a will as soon as I can.  Up and
to church, where Mr. Mills made an ordinary sermon, and so home and dined
with great pleasure with my wife, and all the afternoon first looking out
at window and seeing the boys playing at many several sports in our back
yard by Sir W. Pen's, which reminded me of my own former times, and then I
began to read to my wife upon the globes with great pleasure and to good
purpose, for it will be pleasant to her and to me to have her understand
these things.  In the evening at the office, where I staid late reading
Rushworth, which is a most excellent collection of the beginning of the
late quarrels in this kingdom, and so home to supper and to bed, with good
content of mind.

26th.  Up and walked forth first to the Minerys to Brown's, and there with
great pleasure saw and bespoke several instruments, and so to Cornhill to
Mr. Cades, and there went up into his warehouse to look for a map or two,
and there finding great plenty of good pictures, God forgive me! how my
mind run upon them, and bought a little one for my wife's closett
presently, and concluded presently of buying L10 worth, upon condition he
would give me the buying of them.  Now it is true I did still within me
resolve to make the King one way or other pay for them, though I saved it
to him another way, yet I find myself too forward to fix upon the expense,
and came away with a resolution of buying them, but do hope that I shall
not upon second thoughts do it without a way made out before I buy them to
myself how to do [it] without charge to my main stock.  Thence to the
Coffee-house, and sat long in good discourse with some gentlemen
concerning the Roman Empire.  So home and found Mr. Hollyard there, and he
stayed and dined with us, we having a pheasant to dinner.  He gone, I all
the afternoon with my wife to cards, and, God forgive me! to see how the
very discourse of plays, which I shall be at liberty to see after New
Year's Day next, do set my mind upon them, but I must be forced to stint
myself very strictly before I begin, or else I fear I shall spoil all.  In
the evening came my aunt Wight's kinswoman to see how my wife do, with a
compliment from my aunt, which I take kindly as it is unusual for her to
do it, but I do perceive my uncle is very kind to me of late.  So to my
office writing letters, and then to read and make an end of Rushworth,
which I did, and do say that it is a book the most worth reading for a man
of my condition or any man that hopes to come to any publique condition in
the world that I do know.  So home to supper and to bed.

27th.  Up and to church alone and so home to dinner with my wife very
pleasant and pleased with one another's company, and in our general
enjoyment one of another, better we think than most other couples do.  So
after dinner to the French church, but came too late, and so back to our
owne church, where I slept all the sermon the Scott preaching, and so
home, and in the evening Sir J. Minnes and I met at Sir W. Pen's about
ordering some business of the Navy, and so I home to supper, discourse,
prayers, and bed.

28th.  Up and by coach to my Lord's lodgings, but he was gone abroad, so I
lost my pains, but, however, walking through White Hall I heard the King
was gone to play at Tennis, so I down to the new Tennis Court; and saw him
and Sir Arthur Slingsby play against my Lord of Suffolke and my Lord
Chesterfield.  The King beat three, and lost two sets, they all, and he
particularly playing well, I thought.  Thence went and spoke with the Duke
of Albemarle about his wound at Newhall, but I find him a heavy dull man,
methinks, by his answers to me.  Thence to the King's Head ordinary and
there dined, and found Creed there, but we met and dined and parted
without any thing more than "How do you?"  After dinner straight on foot
to Mr. Hollyard's, and there paid him L3 in full for his physic and work
to my wife .  .  .  .  but whether it is cured for ever or no I cannot
tell, but he says it will never come to anything, though it may be it may
ooze now and then a little.  So home and found my wife gone out with Will
(whom she sent for as she do now a days upon occasion) to have a tooth
drawn, she having it seems been in great pain all day, and at night came
home with it drawn, and pretty well.  This evening I had a stove brought
me to the office to try, but it being an old one it smokes as much as if
there was nothing but a hearth as I had before, but it may be great new
ones do not, and therefore I must enquire further.  So at night home to
supper and to bed.  The Duchesse of York is fallen sicke of the meazles.

29th.  Up and to the office, where all the morning sitting, at noon to the
'change, and there I found and brought home Mr. Pierse the surgeon to
dinner.  Where I found also Mr. Luellin and Mount, and merry at dinner,
but their discourse so free .  .  .  .  that I was weary of them.  But
after dinner Luellin took me up to my chamber to give me L50 for the
service I did him, though not so great as he expected and I intended. But
I told him that I would not sell my liberty to any man.  If he would give
me any thing by another's hand I would endeavour to deserve it, but I will
never give him himself thanks for it, not acknowledging the receiving of
any, which he told me was reasonable.  I did also tell him that neither
this nor any thing should make me to do any thing that should not be for
the King's service besides.  So we parted and left them three at home with
my wife going to cards, and I to my office and there staid late.  Sir W.
Pen came like a cunning rogue to sit and talk with me about office
business and freely about the Comptroller's business of the office, to
which I did give him free answers and let him make the best of them.  But
I know him to be a knave, and do say nothing that I fear to have said
again.  Anon came Sir W. Warren, and after talking of his business of the
masts and helping me to understand some foul dealing in the business of
Woods we fell to other talk, and particularly to speak of some means how
to part this great familiarity between Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes,
and it is easy to do by any good friend of Sir J. Minnes to whom it will
be a good service, and he thinks that Sir J. Denham will be a proper man
for it, and so do I. So after other discourse we parted, and I home and to
bed.

30th.  Up betimes and by coach to my Lord Sandwich, who I met going out,
and he did aske me how his cozen, my wife; did, the first time he hath
done so since his being offended, and, in my conscience, he would be glad
to be free with me again, but he knows not how to begin.  So he went out,
and I through the garden to Mr. Coventry, where I saw Mr. Ch. Pett
bringing him a modell, and indeed it is a pretty one, for a New Year's
gift; but I think the work not better done than mine.  With him by coach
to London, with good and friendly discourse of business and against Sir W.
Batten and his foul dealings.  So leaving him at the Guiny House I to the
Coffee House, whither came Mr. Grant and Sir W. Petty, with whom I talked,
and so did many, almost all the house there, about his new vessel, wherein
he did give me such satisfaction in every point that I am almost confident
she will prove an admirable invention.  So home to dinner, and after being
upon the 'Change awhile I dined with my wife, who took physique to-day,
and so to my office, and there all the afternoon till late at night about
office business, and so to supper and to bed.

31st.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and among other
things Sir W. Warren came about some contract, and there did at the open
table, Sir W. Batten not being there; openly defy him, and insisted how
Sir W. Batten did endeavour to oppose him in everything that he offered.
Sir W. Pen took him up for it, like a counterfeit rogue, though I know he
was as much pleased to hear him talk so as any man there.  But upon his
speaking no more was said but to the business.  At noon we broke up and I
to the 'Change awhile, and so home again to dinner, my head aching
mightily with being overcharged with business.  We had to dinner, my wife
and I, a fine turkey and a mince pie, and dined in state, poor wretch, she
and I, and have thus kept our Christmas together all alone almost, having
not once been out, but to-morrow my vowes are all out as to plays and
wine, but I hope I shall not be long before I come to new ones, so much
good, and God's blessing, I find to have attended them. Thence to the
office and did several businesses and answered several people, but my head
aching and it being my great night of accounts, I went forth, took coach,
and to my brother's, but he was not within, and so I back again and sat an
hour or two at the Coffee [house], hearing some simple discourse about
Quakers being charmed by a string about their wrists, and so home, and
after a little while at my office, I home and supped, and so had a good
fire in my chamber and there sat till 4 o'clock in the morning making up
my accounts and writing this last Journall of the year.  And first I bless
God I do, after a large expense, even this month, by reason of Christmas,
and some payments to my father, and other things extraordinary, find that
I am worth in money, besides all my household stuff, or any thing of
Brampton, above L800, whereof in my Lord Sandwich's hand, L700, and the
rest in my hand.  So that there is not above L5 of all my estate in money
at this minute out of my hands and my Lord's.  For which the good God be
pleased to give me a thankful heart and a mind careful to preserve this
and increase it.  I do live at my lodgings in the Navy Office, my family
being, besides my wife and I, Jane Gentleman, Besse, our excellent,
good-natured cookmayde, and Susan, a little girle, having neither man nor
boy, nor like to have again a good while, living now in most perfect
content and quiett, and very frugally also; my health pretty good, but
only that I have been much troubled with a costiveness which I am
labouring to get away, and have hopes of doing it.  At the office I am
well, though envied to the devil by Sir William Batten, who hates me to
death, but cannot hurt me.  The rest either love me, or at least do not
show otherwise, though I know Sir W. Pen to be a false knave touching me,
though he seems fair.  My father and mother well in the country; and at
this time the young ladies of Hinchingbroke with them, their house having
the small-pox in it.  The Queene after a long and sore sicknesse is become
well again; and the King minds his mistresse a little too much, if it
pleased God!  but I hope all things will go well, and in the Navy
particularly, wherein I shall do my duty whatever comes of it.  The great
talke is the designs of the King of France, whether against the Pope or
King of Spayne nobody knows; but a great and a most promising Prince he
is, and all the Princes of Europe have their eye upon him.  My wife's
brother come to great unhappiness by the ill-disposition, my wife says, of
his wife, and her poverty, which she now professes, after all her
husband's pretence of a great fortune, but I see none of them, at least
they come not to trouble me.  At present I am concerned for my cozen
Angier, of Cambridge, lately broke in his trade, and this day am sending
his son John, a very rogue, to sea.  My brother Tom I know not what to
think of, for I cannot hear whether he minds his business or not; and my
brother John at Cambridge, with as little hopes of doing good there, for
when he was here he did give me great cause of dissatisfaction with his
manner of life.  Pall with my father, and God knows what she do there, or
what will become of her, for I have not anything yet to spare her, and she
grows now old, and must be disposed of one way or other.  The Duchesse of
York, at this time, sicke of the meazles, but is growing well again.  The
Turke very far entered into Germany, and all that part of the world at a
losse what to expect from his proceedings.  Myself, blessed be God!  in a
good way, and design and resolution of sticking to my business to get a
little money with doing the best service I can to the King also; which God
continue!  So ends the old year.




     ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

     Again that she spoke but somewhat of what she had in her heart
     Better we think than most other couples do
     Compliment from my aunt, which I take kindly as it is unusual
     Did go to Shoe Lane to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there
     Dined at home alone, a good calves head boiled and dumplings
     Every man looking after himself, and his owne lust and luxury
     Excommunications, which they send upon the least occasions
     Expectation of profit will have its force
     King was gone to play at Tennis
     Opening his mind to him as of one that may hereafter be his foe
     Pen was then turned Quaker
     Persuade me that she should prove with child since last night
     Pride and debauchery of the present clergy
     Quakers being charmed by a string about their wrists
     Taught my wife some part of subtraction
     To bed with discontent she yielded to me and began to be fond





End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Diary of Samuel Pepys,
November/December 1663, by Samuel Pepys

*** 