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CASSELL'S NATIONAL LIBRARY.
THE DIARY
OF
SAMUEL PEPYS.
1666.

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED,
739 & 741 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.

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From Dr. L. G. Doone
Dec, 1887
THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
1666.
INTRODUCTION.
THIS volume of Pepys's Diary begins with the 1st of
January, 1666, New Style. In Old Style it was 1665,
for legally a year then ended on the 24th of March, and
the new year began on the 25th, the day of the Concep-
tion. Usage went either way; but the 1st of January,
1752, was in this country the first legal January New
Year's Day. From the 1st of January, 1665, Old
Style, to the end of October, 1666, we have here the
main part of an eventful year, upon which Dryden
wrote a heroic poem, for it included war at sea with
the Dutch, and the Fire of London. It was the theme
of Dryden's Annus Mirabilis." Dryden sought to
weave its events into a piece of heroic tapestry-work,
whereof Pepys here shows us the seamy sido.
There is a great struggle at sea. France, joining
Holland, declares war against England in January,
and, observes Pepys, God knows how little fit we
are for it." The Plague has not wholly left London,
and bills of mortality are nervously watched; slowly
there is the return of citizens to town, and opening
of shops that were still closed by seven or eight to-
gether. Physicians and clergymen reappear and give
reasons for their early flight and late return. There
is dread of the churches, in which the returned families
**
(เ
6
INTRODUCTION.
sit in the midst of churchyards heaped high with new
graves of the plague-stricken. Into the churches on
one Snuday come, hauded from pew to pew, tidings of
victory over the Dutch at sea, that turn soon into
lament for a disastrous flight before the enemy. At last
nobody could tell whether it was a defeat or a victory.
The English fleet had been chased, but there was claim
for it that a very great number of Dutchmen had been
killed, and that the people of Amsterdam were in
tumult. Those were the days before newspapers, in
any modern sense, and long before the Special Corre-
spondent had been born. Surrounded by ill news, and
ordering an occasional public fast, the king and Court
were for some days a little ashamed to be seen gaming
and card-playing and, in the absence of other occupa-
tion, Pepys tells us that they lay in bed.
:
Again and again Pepys notes the need of check
over the robbery of public money. He himself is as a
one-eyed man who is king among the blind; his plate-
closet fills with gifts for private services. He secures
for one trader an Admiralty contract for supply of
material or stores in building or fitting ships during
the press of war. From five merchant brothers he
takes £200 for helping their ships out. But in all he
does he watches over the king's interests. If he takes
his bribe for a contract, he sees that the contract is
carried out. He prospers by maintaining general con-
fidence in his business habits, and by a fidelity to duty
very much beyond the average of public honesty in
those profligate times. One morning he is up before
the sun to write a long report on urgent matters, and
takos no food until, late in the day, the work is finished;
INTRODUCTION.
7
and he knows that he can conquer any difficulties if he
can keep clieck enough over his love of pleasure,
Yet he will enjoy himself. He is thirty-three,
and will gather rose-buds while he may; not wait to
enjoy life when his powers of enjoyment are decayed.
He counts his gains from time to time; is worth
£4,600 on the 4th of March; this has become
£5,200 by the end of April; and is £5,600 on the 3rd
of July. He is profiting by opportunities of war-time,
but what is that to the robbery everywhere about him
in the public service; beginning with the king, though
Pepys does not hint at that. Only he works a little
sum, counts up the money paid by the country for the
war, and money spent upon the war, then asks what
has become of the balance, £2,390,000. His Diary,
however, helps us to understand what had become
of it.
Then there is the cruelty of the impressment of men
to fill the ships which are to fight the Dutch at the
mouth of the Thames, in the four days' drawn battle on
the first four days of June. There is not cash even to-
pay the press-money. Men are illegally arrested and
herded in Bridewell, for days almost without food,
before they are carried down the river, bitterly resist-
ing, to the fleet. And there is a picturesque group of
the distracted wives and children, with eyes straining
after the departing boats, as seen by moonlight on the
Custom-house Quay.
Nobler touches of life blend with details of the
meanness of the life at Court, the cowardice of the
riband and feather captains who had been thrust in
the place of sturdier men. The incident after the
8
INTRODUCTION.
funeral of Sir Christopher Mings, on page 88 of this
volume, may serve as example.
And then there is the Fire of London, under which
Pepys himself, and the citizens generally, bore them-
selves like honest and true-hearted men, although
Pepys does not forget the very rich Alderman Starling
who gave half-a-crown among thirty men, who by hard
work had saved his home from being caught by the
fire that was next door to him. The best account of
the fire is Pepys's. His eye was quick for all signifi-
cant details. To himself, in his private Diary, there
was a significance that might touch his life, in a record
that for some months past he had taken to snoring.
The touches of affection for his father, quarrels and
reconcilements with his wife, that leave a large balance
of wholesome natural affection between them, bring
Samuel Pepys very near to us. His record is the
more human for its mixture of the threads of life:
occupation in the morning with historical events,
"and then home to a cold dinner because it is washing-
day."
H. M.
PEPYS'S DIARY.
January 1st, 1665-6. Called up by five o'clock by
Mr. Tooker, who wrote, while I dictated to him, my
business of the Pursers; and so, without eating of
drinking, till three in the afternoon, to my great con-
tent, finished it.
2nd. Up by candle-light again, and my business
being done, to my Lord Brouncker's, and there find
Sir J. Minnes and all his company, and Mr. Boreman
and Mrs. Turner, but, above all, my dear Mrs. Knipp,
with whom I sang, and in perfect pleasure I was to
hear her sing, and especially her little Scotch song of
Barbary Allen;" and to make our mirth the com-
pleter, Sir J. Minnes was in the highest pitch of mirth,
and his mimical tricks, that ever I saw, and most
excellent pleasant company he is, and the best musique
that ever I saw, and certainly would have made an
excellent actor, and now would be an excellent teacher
of actors. Then, it being past night, against my will,
took leave.
CC
3rd. I to the Duke of Albemarle and back again;
and, at the Duke's, with great joy, I received the good
Sad,
10
[January,
PEPYS S DIARY.
news of the decrease of the plague this week to 70, and
but 253 in all; which is the least Bill hath been known
these twenty years in the City, though the want of
people in London is it, that must make it so low, below
the ordinary number for Bills. So home, and find all
my good company I had bespoke, as Coleman and his
wife, and Laneare, Knipp and her surly husband; and
good music we had, and among other things, Mr. Cole-
man sang my words I set, of "Beauty, retire," and
they praise it mightily. Then to dancing and supper,
and mighty merry till Mr. Rolt come in, whose pain of
the toothache made him no company, and spoilt ours;
so he away, and then my wife's teeth fell of aching,
and she to bed. So forced to broak up all with a good
song, and so to bed.
5th. I with my Lord Brouncker and Mrs. Williams
by coach with four horses to London, to my Lord's
house in Covent Garden. But, Lord! what staring to
see a nobleman's coach come to town! And porters
everywhere bow to us; and such bogging of beggars!
And delightful it is to see the town full of people
again; and shops begin to open, though in many places
seven or eight together, and more, all shut; but yet tho
town is full, compared to what it used to be. I mean
the City end for Covent Garden and Westminster are
yet very empty of people, no court nor gentry being
there. Home, thinking to get Mrs. Knipp, but could
not, she being busy with company, but sent me 2.
:
1666.]
11
PEPYS'S DIARY.
(6
pleasant letter, writing herself, Barbary Allen.”
Reading a discourse about the river of Thames, the
reason of its being choked up in several places with
shelves: which is plain, is by the encroachments made
upon the river, and running out of causeways into the
river, at every wood-wharf: which was not heretofore,
when Westminster Hall and Whitehall were built, and
Redriffe Church, which now are sometimes overflown
with water.
6th. To a great dinner and much company. Mr.
Cuttle and his lady and I went, hoping to get Mrs.
Knipp to us, having wrote a letter to her in the morn-
ing, calling myself "Dapper Dicky," in auswor to hers
of "Barbary Allen," but could not, and am told by the
boy that carried my letter, that he found her crying;
and I fear she lives a sad life with that ill-natured
fellow her husband: so we had a great, but I a melan-
choly dinner. After dinner to cards, and then comes
notice that my wife is come unexpectedly to me to
town: so I to her. It is only to see what I do, and
why I come not home; and she is in the right that I
would have a little more of Mrs. Knipp's company
before I go away. My wife to fetch away my things
from Woolwich, and I back to cards, and after cards
to choose king and queen, and a good cake there was,
but no marks found; but I privately found the clove,
the mark of the knave, and privately put it into
Captain Cocke's piece, which made some mirth, because
12
[January,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
of his lately being known by his buying of clove and
mace of the East India prizes. At night home to my
lodging, where I find my wife returned with my things.
It being Twelfth Night, they had got the fiddler, and
mighty merry they were; and I, above, come not to
them, leaving them dancing, and choosing king and
queen.
7th. (Lord's Day.) The town talks of my Lord
Craven being to come into Sir G. Carteret's place;
but sure it cannot be true. But I do not fear those
two families, his and my Lord Sandwich's, are quite
broken; and I must now stand upon my own legs.
With my wife and Mercer took boat and away home;
but in the evening, before I went, comes Mrs. Knipp,
just to speak with me privately, to excuse her not
coming to see me yesterday, complaining how like a
devil her husband treats her, but will be with us in
town a week hence.
8th. To Bennett's in Paternoster Row, few shops
there being yet open, and there bought velvet for a coat,
and camelot for a cloak for myself; and thence to a
place to look over some fine counterfeit damasks to
hang my wife's closet, and pitched upon one.
9th. To the office, where we met first since the plague,
which God preserve us in! Pierce tells me how great
a difference hath been between the Duke and Duchess,
he suspecting her to be manght with Mr. Sydney. But
some way or other the matter is made up; but he
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
13
(Sydney) was banished the Court, and the Duke for
He
many days did not speak to the Duchess at all.
tells me that my Lord Sandwich is lost there at Court,
though the King is particularly his friend. But people
do speak everywhere slightly of him; which is a sad
story to me, but I hope it may be better again. And
that Sir G. Carteret is neglected, and hath great
enemies at work against him. That matters must
needs go bad, while all the town, and every boy in the
street, openly cries, "The King cannot go away till my
Lady Castlemaine be ready to come along with him;
she being lately put to bed. And that he visits her and
Mrs. Stewart every morning before he eats his breakfast.
1)
10th. I do find Sir G. Downing to be a mighty talker,
more than is true, which I now know to be so, and sus-
pected it before. To my Lord Brouncker's house in
Covent Garden. The plague is increased this week
from seventy to eighty-nine. We have also great fear
of our Hambrough fleet, of their meeting with the
Dutch; as also have certain news, that by storms Sir
Jer. Smith's fleet is scattered, and three of them come
without masts back to Plymouth. Seeing and saluting
Mrs. Stokes, my little goldsmith's wife in Paternoster
Row, and there bespoke a silver chafing-dish for warm-
ing plates. To the Duke of Albemarle. Here I saw
Sir W. Coventry's kind letter to him concerning my
paper, and among other of his letters, which I saw all,
and that is a strange thing, that whatever is writ to
14
[January
PEPYS'S DIARY.
this Duke Albemarle, all the world may see; for this
very night he did give me Mr. Coventry's letter to read
soon as it come to his hand, before he had read it him-
self, and bid me take out of it what concerned the navy.
And many things there was in it, which I should not
have thought fit for him to have let anybody so sud-
denly see: but, among other things, find him profess
himself to the Duko a friend into the inquiring further
into the business of prizes, and advises that it may be
public, for the righting the King, and satisfying the
people the blame to be rightly laid where it should be,
which strikes very hard upon my Lord Sandwich, and
troubles me to read it. Besides, the Duchess cried
mightily out against the having of gentlemen captains
with feathers and ribbons, and wished the King would
send her husband to sea with the old plain sea captains
that he served with formerly, that would make their
ships swim with blood, though they could not make
leagues as captains now-a-days can.
11th. At noon to dinner all of us by invitation to
Sir W. Pen's, and much company. Among others,
Lieutenant of the Tower, and Broome, his poet, and
Dr. Whistler, and his (Sir William Pen's) son-in-
law Lowther, servant to Mrs. Margaret Pen, and Sir
Edward Spragg, a merry man, that sang a pleasant
song pleasantly.
12th. I and my Lord Brouncker by coach a little
for discourse sake, till our coach broke, and
way,
1666.]
15
PEPYS'S DIARY.
tumbled me over him quite down the side of the coach,
falling on the ground about the stocks, but up again.
To my poor wife, who works all day at home like a
horse, at the making of her hangings for our chamber
and the bed.
13th. Home with his Lordship to Mrs. Williams's,
in Covent Garden, to dinner, the first time I ever
was there, and there met Captain Cocke; and pretty
merry, though not perfectly so, because of the fear
that there is of a great increase again of the plague
this week. And again my Lord Brouncker do tell us,
that he hath it from Sir John Baber, who is related to
my Lord Craven, that my Lord Craven do look after
Sir G. Carteret's place, and do reckon himself sure of it.
14th. (Lord's Day.) Long in bed, till raised by my
new tailor, Mr. Penny, who comes and brings me my
new velvet coat, very handsome, but plain. At noon
eat the second of the two cygnets Mr. Shepley sent us
for a new year's gift. This afternoon, after sermon,
comes my dear fair beauty of the Exchange, Mrs.
Batelier, brought by her sister, an acquaintance of
Mercer's, to see my wife. I saluted her with as much
pleasure as I had done any a great while. We sat and
talked together an hour, with infinite pleasure to me,
and so the fair creat, re went away, and proves one of
the modestest women, and pretty, that ever I saw in
my life, and my wife judges her so too.
15th. To Mrs. Pierce, to her new house in Covent
16
[January,
PEPYS´S DIARY.
Garden, a very fine place and fine house. Took her
thence home to my house, and so by water to Boreman's
by night, where the greatest disappointment that ever
I saw in my life-much company, a good supper pro-
vided, and all come with expectation of excess of mirth,
but all blank through the waywardness of Mrs. Knipp,
who, though she had appointed the night, could not be
got to come. Not so much as her husband could get
her to come; but, which was a pleasant thing in all
my anger, I asking him, while we were in expectation
what answer one of our many messengers would bring,
what he thought, whether she would come or no, he
answered that, for his part, he could not so much as
think. At last, very late, and supper done, she come
undressed, but it brought me no mirth at all; only,
after all being done, without singing, or very little,
and no dancing, Pierce and I to bed together, and he
and I very merry to find how little and thin clothes they
give us to cover us, so that we were fain to lie in our
stockings and drawers, and lay all our coats and clothes
upon the bed.
16th. Mightily troubled at the news of the plague's
being increased, and was much the saddest news that
the plague hath brought me from the beginning of it;
because of the lateness of the year, and the fear we may
with reason have of its continuing with us the next
summer. The total being now 375, and the plague 158.
17th. After dinner, late took horse, and I rode to
;
1666.]
17
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Dagenhams in the dark. It was my Lord Crewe's
desire that I should come, and chiefly to discourse
with me of my Lord Sandwich's matters, and therein
to persuade, what I had done already, that my Lord
should sue out a pardon for his business of the prizes,
as also for Bergen, and all he hath done this year past,
before he begins his embassy to Spain; for it is to be
feared that the Parliament will fly out against him,
and particular men, the next Session.
He is glad
also that my Lord is clear of his sea-employment,
though sorry, as I am, only in the manner of its
bringing about. After supper, up to wait on my Lady
Crewe, who is the same weak silly lady as ever, asking
such saintly questions.
18th. To Captain Cocke's, where Mrs. Williams
was, and Mrs. Knipp. I was not heartily merry,
though a glass of wine did a little cheer me. After
dinner to the office. Anon comes to me thither my
Lord Brouncker, Mrs. Williams, and Knipp. I brought
down my wife in her night-gown, she not being indeed
very well, to the office to them. My wife and I anon
and Mercer, by coach, to Pierce's, where mighty
merry, and sing and dance with great pleasure; and I
danced, who never did in company in my life.
19th. It is a remarkable thing how infinitely naked
all that end of the town, Covent Garden, is at this
day of people, while the City is almost as full again of
people as ever it was.
18
[January,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
20th. I sent my boy home for some papers, where,
he staying longer than I would have him, I become
angry, and boxed my boy when he come, that I do hurt
my thumb so much, that I was not able to stir all the
day after, and in great pain.
22nd. At noon my Lord Bronncker did come, but
left the keys of the chest we should open at Sir G.
Carteret's lodgings, of my Lord Sandwich's, wherein
Howe's supposed jewels are; so we could not, accord-
ing to my Lord Arlington's order, see them to-day;
but we parted, resolving to meet here at night; my
Lord Brouncker being going with Dr. Wilkins, Mr.
Hooke, and others, to Colonel Blunt's, to consider
again of the business of chariots, and to try their new
invention, which I saw here my Lord Brouncker ride
in; where the coachman sits astride upon a pole over
the horse, but do not touch the horse, which is a pretty
ddd thing; but it seems it is most easy for the horse,
and, as they say, for the man also. The first meeting
of Gresham College since the plague. Dr. Goddard
did fill us with talk, in defence of his and his fellow-
physicians' going out of town in the plague-time ;
saying that their particular patients were most gone
out of town, and they left at liberty; and a great deal
more. But what, among other fine discourse, pleased
me most, was Sir G. Eut, about respiration; that it
is not to this day known, or concluded on, among
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
19
1
physicians, nor to be done either, how the action is
managed by nature, or for what use is it.
23rd. Good news beyond all expectation of the
decrease of the plague, being now but 79, and the
whole but 272. So home with comfort to bed. A
most furious storm all night and morning.
24th. My Lord (Brouncker) and I, the weather
being a little fairer, by water to Deptford, to Sir G.
Carteret's house, where W. Howe met us, and there
we opened the chests and saw the poor sorry rubies
which have caused all this ado to the undoing of W.
Howe; though I am not much sorry for it, because of
his pride and ill nature. About 200 of these very
small stones, and a cod of musk, which it is strange I
was not able to smell, is all we could find; so locked
them up again, and my Lord and I, the wind being
again very furious, so as we durst not go by water,
walked to London quite round the bridge, no boat
being able to stir; and, Lord! what a dirty walk we
had, and so strong the wind, that in the fields we many
times could not carry our bodies against it, but were
driven backwards. We went through Horslydowne,
where I never was since a boy, that I went to enquire
after my father, whom we did give over for lost coming
from Holland. It was dangerous to walk the streets,
the bricks and tiles falling from the houses, that the
whole streets were covered with them; and whole
chimneys, nay, whole houses, in two or three places,
20
[January,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
blown down. But, above all, the pales of London
Bridge, on both sides, were blown away, so that we
were fain to stoop very low for fear of blowing off of
the bridge. We could see no boats in the Thames
afloat but what were broke loose, and carried through
the bridge, it being ebbing water. And the greatest
sight of all was, among other parcels of ships driven
here and there in clusters together, one was quite
overset, and lay with her masts all along in the water,
and keel above water.
25th. It is now certain that the King of France hath
publicly declared war against us, and God knows how
little fit we are for it.
26th. Pleased mightily with what my poor wife hath
been doing these eight or ten days with her own hands,
like a drudge, in fitting the new hangings of our bed-
chamber of blue, and putting the old red ones into my
dressing-room.
28th. (Lord's Day.) Took coach, and to Hampton
Court, where we find the King, and Duke, and Lords,
all in council; so we walked up and down: there being
none of the ladies come, and so much the more busi-
ness I hope will be done. The Council being up, out
comes the King, and I kissed his hand, and he grasped
me very kindly by the hand. The Duke also, I kissed
his, and he mighty kind, and Sir W. Coventry. I
found my Lord Sandwich there, poor man! I see with
a melancholy face, and suffers his beard to grow on his
1666. J
21
PEPYS'S DIARY.
upper lip more than usual. I took him a little aside
to know when I should wait on him, and where: he
told me that it would be best to meet at his lodgings,
without being seen to walk together, which I liked
very well and, Lord! to see in what difficulty I stand,
that I dare not walk with Sir W. Coventry, for fear
my Lord or Sir G. Carteret should see me; nor with
either of them, for fear Sir W. Coventry should. I
went down into one of the Courts, and there met the
King and Duke: and the Duke called me to him. And
the King come to me of himself, and told me: "Mr.
Pepys," says he, "I do give you thanks for your
good service all this year, and I assure you I am very
sensible of it." And the Duke of York did tell me
with pleasure that he had read over my discourse
about pursers, and would have it ordered in my way,
and so fell from one discourse to another. I walked
with them quite out of the Court into the fields, and
then back, and to my Lord Sandwich's chamber, where
I find him very melancholy, and not well satisfied, I
perceive, with my carriage to Sir G. Carteret; but I
did satisfy him that I have a very hard game to play;
and he told me that he was sorry to see it, and the in-
conveniences which likely may fall upon me with him;
but, for all that, I am not much afraid, if I can but
keep out of harm's way. He hath got over the busi-
ness of the prizes, so far as to have a privy seal passed
for all that was in his distribution to the officers, which
22
[January
PEPYS'S DIARY.
I am heartily glad of; and, for the rest, he must be
answerable for what he is proved to have. But for his
pardon for anything else, he thinks it not seasonable to
ask it, and not useful to him; because that will not
stop a Parliament's mouth, and for the King he is not
sure of him. Took boat, and by water to Kingston,
and so to our lodgings.
29th. Up, and to Court by coach, where to council
before the Duke of York, the Duke of Albemarle with
us. My Lord Sandwich come in, in the middle of the
business, and, poor man, very melancholy, methought,
and said little at all, or to the business, and sat at the
lower end, just as he come, no room being made for
him, only I did give him my stool, and another
was reached me. Mr. Evelyn and I into my Lord
Brouncker's coach, and rode together, with excellent
discourse till we come to Clapham, talking of the
vanity and vices of the Court, which makes it a most
contemptible thing; and, indeed, in all his discourse,
I find him a most worthy person. Particularly he
entertained me with discourse of an infirmary, which
he hath projected for the sick and wounded scamen
against the next year, which I mightily approve of, and
will endeavour to promote it, being a worthy thing, and
of use, and will save money. He set me down at Mr.
Gauden's, where I took a book and into the gardens,
and there walked and read till dark. Anon come in
Creed and Mr. Gauden, aud his sons. and then they
F
1666.j
PEPYS'S DIARY.

bring in three ladies, who were in the house,
not know them-his (Gauden's) daughter aud
nieces, daughters of Dr. Whistler's, with whom au
Creed mighty sport at supper, the ladies very pretty
and mirthful. After supper, I made the ladies sing,
yet it was the saddest stuff I ever heard. However,
we sat up late, and then I, in the best chamber, like a
prince, to bed, and Creed with me, and, being sleepy,
talked but little.
30th. Home, finding the town keeping the day
solemnly, it being the day of the King's murder; and
they being at church, I presently into the church.
This is the first time I have been in the church since I
left London for the plague, and it frightened me indeed
to go through the church-more than I thought it could
have done to see so many graves lie so high upon the
churchyards, where people have been buried of the
plague. I was much troubled at it, and do not think
to go through it again a good while.
31st. I find many about the City that live near the
churchyards solicitous to have the churchyards covered
with lime, and I think it is needful, and ours, I hope,
will be done. To my Lord Chancellor's new house,
which he is building, only to view it, hearing so much
from Mr. Evelyn of it; and, indeed, it is the finest
pile I ever did see in my life, and will be a glorious
house. To Whitehall, and, to my great joy, people
begin to bustle up and down there, the King holding
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[February,

don to be in town to-morrow, and hath good
agement, blessed be God! to do so, the plague
ng decreased this week to 56, and the total to 227.
February 2nd. My Lord Sandwich is come to town
with the King and Duke. To London, and there,
among other things, did look over some pictures at
Cade's for my house, and did carry home a silver
drudger for my cupboard of plate, and did call [at
Stokes's] for my silver chafing-dishes; and, with my
wife, looked over our plate, and picked out €10 worth,
I believe, to change for more useful plate, to our great
content, and then we shall have a very handsome
cupboard of plate.
4th. (Lord's Day.) My wife and I the first time
together at church since the plague, and now only be-
cause of Mr. Mills his coming home to preach his first
sermon-expecting a great excuse for his leaving the
parish before anybody went, and now staying till all are
come home; but he made but a very poor and short ex-
cuse and a bad sermon. It was a frost, and had snowed
last night, which covered the graves in the churchyard,
so as I was the less afraid for going through. My wife
tells me my aunt James is lately dead of the stone.
5th. To the "Sun," behind the Exchange, about seven
o'clock, where I find all the five brothers Houblon,
and mighty fine gentlemen they are all, and used me
mighty respectfully. We were mighty civilly merry,
and their discourses, having been all abroad, very fine.
1666.]
25
PEPYS'S DIARY.
7th. It being fast-day, I stayed at home all day long,
putting my chamber in the same condition it was
before the plague.
8th. Lord Brouncker with the King and Duke upon
the water to-day, to seo Greenwich house, and the
yacht Castle is building of.
9th. To Westminster, to the Exchequer about my
Tangier business, and so to Westminster Hall, where
the first day of the term, and the hall very full
of people, and much more than was expected, con-
sidering the plague that hath been. Anon the five
brothers Houblon come, and Mr. Hill, and a very
good supper we had, and good company, and discourse
with great pleasure. My new plate sets off my cup-
board very nobly. A fine sight it is to see these five
brothers thus loving one to another, and all industrious
merchants. Mr. Hill's going for them to Portugal
was the occasion of this entertainment.
10th. To the office. This day comes first Sir
Thomas Harvey after the plague, having been out of
town all this while. He was coldly received by us,
and he went away before we rose also, to make him-
self appear a man less necessary. To supper and to
bed, being now-a-days, for these four or five months, /
mightily troubled with my snoring in my sleep, and
know not how to remedy it.
11th. (Lord's Day.) Up, and put on a new black
cloth suit to an old coat, that I make to be in mourning
26
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[February,
at Court, where they are all, for the King of Spain.
I to the park, and walked two or three turns of the
Pall Mall with the company about the King and Duke,
the Duke speaking to me a good deal. There met
Lord Brouncker and Mr. Coventry, and discoursed
about the navy business; and all of us much at a loss
that we yet can hear nothing of Sir Jeremy Smith's
fleet, that went away to the Straits the middle of
December, through all the storms that we have had
since, that have driven back three or four of them,
with their masts by the board. Yesterday came out
the King's declaration of war against the French, but
with such mild invitations of both them and the Dutch
to come over here, with promise of their protection,
that everybody wonders at it.
12th. Comes Mr. Cæsar, my boy's lute master,
whom I have not seen since the plague before, but
he hath been in Westminster all this while, very
well;
and tells me in the height of it how bold
people there were, to go in sport to one another's
burials; and in spite, too, ill people would breathe
in the faces, out of their windows, of well people
going by.
M
13th. Ill news this night, that the plague is in-
creased this week, and in many places else about the
town, and at Chatham and elsewhere.
14th. (St. Valentine's Day.) This morning called up
by Mr. Hill, who, my wife thought, had come to be her
1
1666.]
27
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Valentine; she, it seems, having drawn him; but it
proved not. However, calling him up to our bedside,
my wife challenged him. I took Mr. Hill to my Lord
Chancellor's new house that is building, and went
with trouble up to the top of it; and there is the
noblest prospect that ever I saw in my life, Greenwich
being nothing to it; and in everything is a beautiful
house, and most strongly built in every respect; and as
if, as it hath, it had the Chancellor for its master. I
stayed at a meeting of the Duke of York and the officers
of the Navy and Ordnance. My Lord Treasurer lying
in bed of the gout.
15th. Mr. Hales began my wife's portrait in the
posture we saw one of my Lady Peters, like a St..
Catharine. While he painted, Knipp and Mercer
and I sang; and by-and-by comes Mrs. Pierce, with
my name in her bosom for her Valentine, which will
cost ine money. We hear this night of Sir Jeremy
Smith that he and his fleet have been seen at Malaga,
which is good news.
•
16th. To my Lord Sandwich, to talk of his affairs,
and particularly of his prize goods, wherein I find he
is weary of being troubled, and gives over the care of
it to let it come to what it will, having the King's
release for the dividend made, and for the rest he
thinks himself safe from being proved to have any-
thing more. To the coffee-house, the first time I have
been there, where very full; and company, it seems,
28
[February,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
hath been there all the plague-time. The Queen comes
to Hampton Court to-night. With Mr. Hater in the
garden, talking about a husband for my sister, and
reckoning up all our clerks about us, none of which he
thinks fit for her and her portion.
17th. News of Sir Jeremy Smith's being very well
with his fleet at Cales.
18th. (Lord's Day.) It being a brave day I walked
to Whitehall, where the Queen and ladies are all come:
I saw some few of them, but not the Queen, nor any
of the great beauties. Thence took coach and home,
calling by the way at my bookseller's for a book writ
about twenty years ago in prophecy of this year coming
on (1666), explaining it to be the mark of the beast.
19th. To see my Lord Hinchingbroke, which I did,
and I am mightily out of countenance in my great
expectation of him by others' report, though he is
indeed a pretty gentleman, yet nothing what I took
him for, methinks, either as to person or discourse.
I am told for certain, what I have heard once or twice
already, of a Jew in town that, in the name of the rest,
do offer to give any man £10, to be paid £100, if a
certain person now at Smyrna bo within these two
years owned by all the princes of the East, and par-
ticularly the Grand Signor, as the King of the World,
in the same manner we do the King of England here,
and that this man is the true Messiah. One named a
friend of his that had received ten pieces in gold upon
1666.J
PEPYS'S DIARY.
this score, and says that the Jew hath disposed of
£1,100 in this manner, which is very strange; and
certainly this year of 1666 will be a year of great
action; but what the consequences of it will be, God
knows! To the 'Change, and from my stationer's
thereabouts carried home by coach two books of
Ogilby's, his "Esop" and "Coronation," which fell to
my lot at his lottery. Cost me £4, besides the binding.
my Lord Treasurer's, where the state of our navy
debts was laid open, there being but £1,500,000 to
answer a certain expense and debt of £2,300,000. To
Whitehall, and there saw the Queen at cards with
many ladies, but none of our beauties were there. But
glad I was to see the Queen so well, who looks prettily,
and, methinks, bath more life than before, since it is
confossed of all that she miscarried lately-Dr. Clerke
telling me yesterday of it at Whitehall.
To
20th. Up and to the office, where, among other
businesses, Mr. Evelyn's proposition about public in-
firmaries was read and agreed on, he being there:
and at noon I took him home to dinner, being de-
sirous of keeping my acquaintance with him; and a
most excellent-humoured man I still find him, aud
mighty knowing. To my Lord Sandwich's, where,
bolting into the dining-room, I there found Captain
Ferrers going to christen a child of his, born yesterday,
and I como just pat to be a godfather, along with my
Lord Hinchingoroke and Madam Pierce, my Valeu-
30
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[February,
tine. A little vexed to see myself so beset with people
to spend me money. After that done, and gone and
kissed my mother in bed, I away to Westminster Hall,
and thence home, where little Mrs. Tooker stayed all
night with us, and a pretty child she is, and happens to
be niece to my beauty that is dead, that lived at the
"Jackanapes" in Cheapside.
21st. My brother John is shortly to be Master in
Arts, and writes me this week a Latin letter that he is
to go into Orders this Lent. To the Duke's chamber,
and here the Duke did bring out a book of great an-
tiquity of some of the customs of the navy about 100
years since, which he did lend us to read, and deliver
him back again. To Trinity House, being invited to
an Elder Brother's feast, and there met and sat by Mr.
Prin, and had good discourse about the privileges of
Parliament, which, he says, are few to the Commons'
House, and those not examinable by them, but only by
the House of Lords. Thence with my Lord Brouncker
to Gresham College, the first time after the sickness
that I was there, and the second time any met. And
here a good lecture of Mr. Hooke's about the trade of
felt-making, very pretty; and anon he, alone with me,
about the art of drawing pictures by Prince Rupert's
rule and machine, and another of Dr. Wren's; but he
says nothing do like squares, or, which is the best in
the world, like a dark room.
22nd. We are much troubled that the sickness in
1666. |
PEPYS'S DIARY.
general, the town being so full of people, should be
but three, and yet of the particular disease of the
plague there should be ten increase.
23rd. To my Lord Sandwich's, who did lie the last
night at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields. It being
fine walking in the morning, and the streets full of
people again. There I stayed, and the house full of
people come to take leave of my Lord, who this day
goes out of town upon his embassy towards Spain; and
I was glad to find Sir W. Coventry to come, though I
know it is only a piece of courtship. To Mr. Hales's,
and my wife's picture pleases me well, and I begin to
doubt the picture of my Lady Peters my wife takes
her posture from, and which is an excellent picture, is
not of his making-it is so master-like. Comes Mrs.
Knipp to see my wife, and I spent all the night
talking with this baggage, and teaching her my song
of "Beauty, retire," which she sings and makes go
most rarely, and a very fine song it seems to be. She
also entertained me with repeating many of her own
and others' parts of the play - house, which she do
most excellently; and tells me the whole practices of
the play-house and players, and is in every respect
most excellent company. So I supped, and was merry
at home all the evening, and the rather it being my
birthday thirty-three years, for which God be praised
that I am in so good a condition of health and estate,
and everything else, as I am, beyond expectation in all.
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[February
24th. At the office till past three o'clock. At that
hour home, and ate a bit alone, my wife being gone
out. So abroad by coach with Mr. Hill, who stayed
for me to speak about business, and he and I to Hales's,
where I find my wife and her woman, and Pierce and
Knipp. There sang, and was mighty merry, and 1
joyed myself in it; but vexed at first to find my wife's
picture not so like as I expected; but it was only his
having finished one part, and not another, of the face;
but, before I went, I was satisfied it will be an excel-
lent picture. Here we had ale and cakes, and mighty
merry, and sang my song, which she [Knipp] now
sings bravely, and makes me proud of myself. Thence
left my wife to go home with Mrs. Pierce, while I
home to the office, and there pretty late, and to bed,
after fitting myself for to-morrow's journey.
25th. (Lord's Day.) My wife up between three and
four of the clock in the morning to dress herself, and
I about five, and were all ready to take coach--she and
I and Mercer- a little past five, but, to our trouble, the
coach did not come till six. I hired it on purpose, and
Lechmere to ride by, through the City, it being clear
day, to Branford, and so with our coach of four horses
to Windsor, and so to Cranborne about eleven o'clock,
and found my Lord and the ladies at a sermon in the
house which being ended, we to them, and all the
company glad to see us, and mighty merry to dinner.
Here was my Lord, and Lord Hinchingbroke, and Mr.
1666.]
33
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Sidney, Sir Charles Herbert [Harbord], and Mr. Car-
teret, my Lady Carteret, my Lady Jemimah, and
Lady Slaning. After dinner to walk in the park, my
Lord and I alone; and he tells me my Lord of Suf-
folk, Lord Arlington, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord
Treasurer, Mr. Attorney Montagu, Sir Thomas Clifford
in the House of Commons, Sir G. Carteret, and some
others I cannot presently remember, are friends that I
may rely on for him. He dreads the issue of this year,
and fears there will be some very great revolutions be-
fore his coming back again. He doubts it is needful for
him to have a pardon for his last year's actions, all which
he did witho it commission, and at most but the King's.
private single word for that of Bergen; but he dares
not ask it at this time, lest it should make them think
that there is something more in it than yet they know;
and if it should be denied, it would be of very ill con-
sequence. He says also, if it should in Parliament
be inquired into the selling of Dunkirk, though the
Chancellor was the man that would have sold it to
France, saying the King of Spain had no money to
give for it, yet he will be found to have been the
greatest adviser of it, which, he is a little apprehensive,
may be called upon by this Parliament. He told me
it would not be necessary for him to tell me his debts,
because he thinks I know them so well.
He tells me
that for the match propounded of Mrs. Mallett for my
Lord Hinchingbroke, it hath been lately off, and now
34
[February,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
her friends bring it on again, and an overture hath
been made to him by a servant of hers to compass the
thing without consent of friends, she herself having a
respect to my Lord's family, but my Lord will not
listen to it but in a way of honour. Then I with the
young ladies and gentlemen, who played on the guitar,
and mighty merry, and anon to supper; and then, my
Lord going away to write, the young gentlemen to
flinging of cushions and other mad sports, till towards
twelve at night, and then, being sleepy, I and my wife
in a passage-room to bed, and slept not very well,
because of noise.
26th. Called up about five in the morning, and my
Lord up and took leave a little after six very kindly
of me and the whole company. So took coach and to
Windsor, to the Garter," and thither sent for Dr.
Childe, who come to us and carried us to St. George's
Chapel, and there placed us among the Knights' stalls;
and pretty the observation that no man, but a woman,
may sit in a Knight's place, where any brass plates are
set; and hither come cushions to us, and a young
singing-boy to bring us a copy of the anthem to be
sung. And here, for our sakes had this anthem and
the great service sung extraordinarily, only to entertain
us. It is a noble place, indeed, and a good choir of
voices. Great bowing by all the people, the poor
Knights in particular, to the altar. After prayers,
we to see the plate of the chapel and the robes of
66
1666.1
PEPYS'S DIARY.
35
Knights, and a man to show us the banners of the
several Knights in being, which hang up over the
stalls. And so to other discourse very pretty, about
the order. Was shown where the late King is buried,
and King Henry the Eighth, and my Lady Seymour.
This being done, to the King's house, and to observe
the neatness and contrivance of the house and gates;
it is the most romantic castle that is in the world.
But, Lord! the prospect that is in the balcony in
the Queen's lodgings, and the terrace and walk, are
strange things to consider, being the best in the world,
sure; and so, giving a great deal of money to this and
that man and woman, we to our tavern, and there
dined, the doctor with us; and so took coach and away
to Eton, the doctor with me. Before we went to
chapel this morning, Kate Joyce, in a stage-coach
going towards London, called to me. I went to her
and saluted her, but could not get her to stay with us,
having company. At Eton I left my wife in the
coach, and he and I to the College, and there find all
mighty fine. The school good, and the custom pretty
of boys cutting their names in the shutters of the win-
dow when they go to Cambridge, by which many a one
hath lived to see himself a Provost and Fellow that
hath his name in the window standing. To the Hall,
and there find the boys' verses, "De Peste:
De Peste:" it being
their custom to make verses at Shrove-tide. I read
several, and very good they were; better, I think, than
36
[March,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
ever I made when I was a boy, and in rolls as long
and longer than the whole Hall, by much. Here is a
picture of Venice hung up, and a monument made of
Sir H. Wotton's giving it to the College. Thence to
the porter's, in the absence of the butler, and did
drink of the College beer, which is very good; and
went into the back fields to see the scholars play.
And so to the chapel, and there saw, among other
things, Sir H. Wotton's stone with this epitaph :-
'Hic jacet primus hujus sententiæ Author :—
'Disputandi pruritus fit ecclesiæ scabies." "
But unfortunately the word "author" was wrong
writ, and now so basely altered that it disgraces the
stone. Thence took leave of the doctor, and so took
coach, and finely, but sleepy, away home, and got
thither about eight at night, and after a little at my
office I to bed, and an hour after was waked with my
wife's quarrelling with Mercer, at which I was angry,
and my wife and I fell out. But with much ado to
sleep again, I beginning to practise more temper, and
to give her her way.
28th. Mrs. Knipp and we dined together, she the
pleasantest company in the world. After dinner, I
did give my wife money to lay out on Knipp, 20s.
March 1st. Blessed be God! a good bill this week
we have; being but 237 in all, and 42 of the plague,
and of them but six in the City; though my Lord
1666.J
37
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Brouncker says that these six are most of them in new
parishes, where they were not the last week.
2nd. To Sir Philip Warwick's by appointment. He
showed me his house, which is yet all unhung, but
will be a very noble house indeed. Mr. James Houblon
told me in my ear this night that he and his brothers
have resolved to give me £200 for helping them out
with two or three ships. A good sum, and I did expect
little less.
3rd. To Hales's, and there saw my wife sit; and I
do like her picture mightily, and very like it will be,
and a brave piece of work; but he do complain that
her nose hath cost him as much work as another's
face, and he hath done it finely indeed.
4th. (Lord's Day.) All day at my Tangier and pri-
vate accounts, having neglected them since Christmas,
which I hope I shall never do again; for I find the
inconvenience of it, it being ten times the labour to
remember and settle things. But, I thank God, I did
it at last, and brought them all fine and right; and I
am, I think, by all appears to me and I am sure I
cannot be £10 wrong-worth about £4,600, for which
the Lord be praised, being the biggest sum I ever was
worth yet.
5th. I was at it till past two o'clock on Monday
morning, and then read my vows, and to bed with great
joy. News for certain of the King of Denmark's de-
claring for the Dutch and resolution to assist them.
38
[March,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
6th. In the evening, being at Sir W. Batten's, I find
my Lord Brouncker and Mrs. Williams, and they
would of their own accord-though I had never obliged
them, nor my wife either, with one visit for many of
theirs-go see my house and my wife; which I showed
them, and made them welcome with wine and China
oranges, now a great rarity since the war-none to be
had. My house happened to be mighty clean, and did me
great honour, and they mightily pleased with it.
7th. Up betimes and to St. James's, thinking Mr.
Coventry had lain there; but he do not, but at White-
hall; so thither I went to him. We walked an hour in
the Matted Gallery: he of himself began to discourse
of the unhappy differences between him and my Lord
of Sandwich, and from the beginning to the end did
run through all passages wherein my Lord hath at
any time gathered any dissatisfaction, and cleared him-
self to me most honourably; and, in truth, I do believe
he does as he says. I did afterwards purge myself of
all partiality in the business of Sir G. Carteret, whose
story Sir. W. Coventry did also run over-that I do
mind the King's interest, notwithstanding my relation
to him; all which he declares he firmly believes, and
assures me he hath the same kindness and opinion of
me as ever. And when I said I was jealous of myself
that, having now come to such an income as I am by
his favour, I should not be found to do as much service
as might deserve it, he did assure me he thinks it not
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
39
ار
too much for me, but thinks I deserve it as much as
any man in England. All this discourse did cheer my
heart, and sets me right again after a good deal of
melancholy, out of fears of his disinclination to me,
upon the difference with my Lord Sandwich and Sir G.
Carteret; but I am satisfied thoroughly, and so went
away quite another man, and, by the grace of God,
will never lose it again by my folly in not visiting and
writing to him, as I used heretofore to do. It being a
holiday (a fast-day), I to Greenwich, to Captain Cocke's,
where dined he and Lord Brouncker and Matt. Wren,
Boltele, and Major Cooper, who is also a very pretty
companion; but they all drink hard; and, after din-
ner, to gaming at cards. The King and Duke are to
go to-morrow to Audley End, in order to the seeing
and buying of it of my Lord Suffolk.
8th. To Hales's, where my wife is sitting; and,
indeed, her face and neck, which are now finished, do
so please me that I am not myself almost, in con-
sideration of the fine picture that I shall be master of.
9th. Made a visit to the Duke of Albemarle, and, to
my great joy, find him the same man to me he has
been heretofore, which I was in great doubt of, through
my negligence in not visiting of him a great while;
and, having now set all to rights there, I shall never
suffer matters to run so far backwards again as I have
done of late with reference to my neglecting him and
Sir W. Coventry.
40
[March,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
10th. I find at home Mrs. Pierce and Knipp, come
to dine with me. We were mighty merry; and after
dinner I carried them and my wife out by coach to
the New Exchange, and there I did give my Valentine
(Mrs. Pierce) a dozen pairs of gloves and a pair of silk
stockings, and Knipp for company, though my wife
had by my consent laid out 20s. on her the other day,
six pairs of gloves. The truth is, I do indulge myself
a little the more in pleasure, knowing that this is the
proper age of my life to do it, and out of my obser-
vation that most men that do thrive in the world do
forget to take pleasure during the time that they are
getting their estate, but reserve that till they have
got one, and then it is too late for them to enjoy it.
12th. My uncle, Talbot Pepys, died last week.
All the news now is that Sir Jeremy Smith is at
Cales with his fleet, and Mings in the Elbo. The
King is come this noon to town from Audley End,
with the Duke of York and a fine train of gentlemen.
13th. The plague increased this week 29 from 28,
though the total fallen from 238 to 207.
14th. With my Lord Brouncker towards London;
on our way called in Covent Garden, and took in Sir
John (formerly Dr.) Baber, who hath this humour—
that he will not enter into discourse while any
stranger is in company till he be told who he is that
seems a stranger to him. This he did declare openly
to me. and asked my Lord who I was. Thence to
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
41
Guildhall, on our way taking in Dr. Wilkins, and
there my Lord and I had full and large discourse with
Sir Thomas Player, the Chamberlain of the City, a
man I have much heard of, about the credit of our
tallies, which are lodged there for security to such as
should lend money thereon to the use of the navy.
I had great satisfaction therein: and, the truth is,
I find all our matters of credit to be in an ill condition.
To walk all alone in the fields behind Gray's Inn,
making an end of reading over my dear "Faber for-
tunæ," of my Lord Bacon. To Mrs. Pierce's, where
I find her, my wife, Mrs. Worshipp and her daughter,
and Harris the player, and Knipp and Mercer, and
Mrs. Barbary Shelden, who is come this day to spend
a week with my wife; and here with music we danced,
and sang, and supped, till past one in the morning;
and much mirth with Sir Anthony Apsley and one
Colonel Sidney, who lodge in the house; and, above
all, they are mightily taken with Mrs. Kuipp.
15th. To Hales's, where I met my wife and people,
and do find the picture, above all things, a most pretty
picture, and mighty like my wife; and I asked him
his price: he says £14; and, the truth is, I think he
do deserve it.
17th. To Hales's, and paid him £14 for the picture
and £1 5s. for the frame. This day I began to sit,
and he will make me, I think, a very fine picture. He
promises it shall be as good as my wife's, and I to
42
[March,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
sit to have it full of shadows, and do almost break my
neck looking over my shoulder to make the posture
for him to work by. Home, having a great cold: so
to bed, drinking butter-ale.
19th. After dinner we walked to the King's play-
house, all in dirt, they being altering of the stage to
make it wider. But God knows when they will begin
to act again; but my business here was to see the
inside of the stage and all the tiring-rooms and
machines; and, indeed, it was a sight worth seeing.
But to see their clothes and the various sorts, and
what a mixture of things there was-here a wooden
leg, there a ruff, here a hobby-horse, there a
crown—would make a man split himself to see with
laughing and particularly Lacy's wardrobe and
Shotrell's. But then, again, to think how fine they
show on the stage by candle-light, and how poor things
they are to look at too near hand, is not pleasant at
all. The machines are fine, and the paintings vory
pretty. With Sir W. Warren, talking of many
things belonging to us particularly, and I hope to get
something considerably by him before the year bo
over. He gives me good advice of circumspection
in my place, which I am now in great mind to im-
prove; for I think our office stands on very ticklish
terms, the Parliament likely to sit shortly, and likely
to be asked more money, and we be able to give a very
bad account of the expense, and of what we have dono
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
43
with what they did give before. Besides, the turning
out the prize officers may be an example for the King's
giving us up to Parliament's pleasure as easily, for
we deserve it as much. Besides, Sir G. Carteret did
tell me to-night how my Lord Brouncker, whose
good-will I could have depended as much on as any,
did himself to him take notice of the many places I
have; and, though I was a painful man, yet the navy
was enough for any man to go through with in his
own single place there, which much troubles me, and
yet shall provoke me to more and more care and dili-
gence than ever. My father propounds a match in the
country for Pall, which pleased me well, of one that
hath seven-score and odd pounds land per annum in
possession, and expects £1,000 in money by the deathr
of an old aunt. He hath neither father, mother, sister,
nor brother, but demands £600 down, and £100 on
the birth of first child, which I had some inclina-
tion to stretch to. He is kinsman to, and lives with,
Mr. Phillips; but my wife tells me he is a drunken,
ill-favoured, ill-bred country fellow.
21st. To the Duke of York, and did our usual
business with him; but, Lord! how anything is
yielded presently, even by Sir W. Coventry, that is
propounded by the Duke: as now to have Troutbecke,
his old surgeon (intended to go Surgeon-General to
the Fleet), to go Physician-General of the Fleet, of
which there never was any precedent in the world, and
44
[March
PEPYS S DIARY.
\
he for that to have £20 per month. Sir Robert Long
told us of the plenty of partridges in France, where he
says the King of France and his company killed with
their guns, in the Plain de Versailles, 300 and odd
partridges at one bout. With Sir W. Warren, who
tells me that at the Committee of the Lords for the
prizes to-day there passed very high words between
my Lord Ashley and Sir W. Coventry about our
business of the prize-ships; and that my Lord Ashley
did snuff and talk as high to him as he used to do to
any ordinary man; and that Sir W. Coventry did
take it very quietly, but yet, for all, did speak his
mind soberly and with reason, and went away, saying
that he had done his duty therein.
24th. After the committee up, I had occasion to
follow the Duke into his lodgings, into a chamber
where the Duchess was sitting to have her picture
drawn by Lilly, who was then at work. But I was
well pleased to see that there was nothing near so
much resemblance of her face in his work, which is
now the second, if not the third time, as there was of
my wife's at the very first time. Nor do I think at
last it can be like, the lines not being in proportion to
those of her face.
26th. My Lord Brouncker and I to the Tower, to
see the famous engraver, to get him to grave a seal
for the office. And did see some of the finest pieces of
work in embossed work that ever I did see in my life,
1666.7
PEPYS'S DIARY.
45
for fineness and smallness of the images thereon.
Here I also did see bars of gold melting, which was a
fine sight.
28th. With Sir W. Clerke into St. James's Park,
and met with Mr. Hayes, Prince Rupert's secretary,
who are mighty, both, brisk blades; but I fear they
promise themselves more than they expect. To the
"Cockpit," and dined with a great deal of company at
the Duke of Albemarle's, and a bad and dirty, nasty
dinner. This night I am told the Queen of Portugal,
the mother to our Queen, is lately dead, and news
brought of it hither this day.
29th. This day poor Jane, my old, little Jane, come
to us again, to my wife's and my great content, and we
hope to take mighty pleasure in her, she having all the
marks and qualities of a good and loving and honest
servant, she coming by force away from the other place,
where she hath lived ever since she went from us, and
at our desire, her lato mistress having used all the
stratagems she could to keep her.
30th. Up and away goes Alce, our cook-maid, a good
servant, whom we loved, and did well by her, and she
an excellent servant, but would not bear being told of
any fault in the fewest and kindest words, and would
go away of her own accord, after having given her
mistress warning fickly. I ont to Lombard Street and
there received £2,200, and brought it home; and,
contrary to expectation, received £35 for the use of
46
[April
PEPYS'S DIARY.
£2,000 of it for a quarter of a year, where it hath
produced me this profit, and hath been a convenience
to me, as to care and security, at my house, and
demandable at two days' warning, as this hath been.
To Hales's, and there sat till almost quite dark upon
working my gown, which I hired to be drawn in-an
Indian gown.
31st. To my accounts, but, Lord! what a deal of do
I have to understand any part of them, for I have sat
up these four nights till past twelve at night to master
them, but cannot. However, I do see that I must be
grown richer than I was by a good deal last month.
April 1st. (Lord's Day.) To Charing Cross, to wait
on Sir Philip Howard, whom I find in bed: and he do
receive me very civilly. My request was about suffer-
ing my wife's brother to go to sea, and to save his pay
in the Duke's guards; which, after a little difficulty,
he did with great respect agree to. I find him a very
fine-spoken gentleman, and one of great parts, and
very courteous. Meeting Dr. Allen, the physician, he
and I and another walked in the Park, a most pleasant,
warm day, and to the Queen's Chapel where I do not
so dislike the music. Here I saw on a post an invita-
tion to all good Catholics to pray for the soul of such
a one departed this life. The Queen, I hear, do not
yet hear of the death of her mother, she being in a
course of physic, that they dare not tell it her. Up
and down my Lord St. Albans his new building and
•
:
1666.1
47
PEPYS'S LIARY.
market-house, looking to and again into every place
building. I this afternoon made a visit to my Lady
Carteret, whom I understood newly come to town, and
she took it mighty kindly, but I see her face and heart
are dejected from the condition her husband's matters
stand in. But I hope they will do all well enough;
and I do comfort her as much as I can, for she is a
noble lady.
2nd. Walking with Mr. Gauden in Westminster
Hall, to talk of his son Benjamin; and I propounded
a match for him, and at last named my sister, which
he embraces heartily; and, full of it, did go with him
to London, to the 'Change; and there with Sir W.
Warren, who very wisely did show me that my
matching my sister with Mr. Gauden would undo me
in all my places, everybody suspecting me in all I do;
and I shall neither be able to serve him, nor free
myself from imputation of being of his faction, while
I am placed for his severest check. I was convinced
that it would be for neither of our interests to make
this alliance. To Westminster Hall, where I purposely
took my wife well dressed into the hall, to see and
be seen; and, among others, met Howlet's daughter,
who is newly married, and is she I call wife, and one I
love mightily.
4th. Home, and, being washing-day, dined upon cold……
meat.
5th. At Viner's was shown the silver plates made
-48
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[April,
for Captain Cocke to present to my Lord Brouncker,
and I chose a dozen of the same weight to be bespoke
for myself, which he told me yesterday he would give
me. The plague is, to our great grief, increased nine
this week, though decreased a few in the total. And
this increase runs through many parishes, which makes
us much fear the next year.
6th. Up mighty betimes upon my wife's going this
day towards Brampton. I could not go, but W. Hewer
hath leave from me to go the whole day's journey
with her. Met by agreement with Sir Stephen Fox
and Mr. [William] Ashburnham, and discoursed the
business of our excise tallies; the former being
Treasurer of the Guards, and the other, Cofferer of
the King's Household. This day great news of the
Swedes declaring for us against the Dutch, and, so far
as that, I believe it.
7th. To Hales's, and there find Mrs. Pierce. She
had done sitting the first time, and indeed her face is
mighty like at first dash. About ten of the clock W.
Hewer comes to me to tell me that he left my wife
well this morning at Bugden, which was great riding,
and brings me a letter from her.
8th. (Lord's Day.) To the Duke of York, where we
all met to hear the debate between Sir Thomas Allen
and Mr. Wayth, the former complaining of the
latter's ill-usage of him at the late pay of his ship;
but a very sorry poor occasion he had for it. The
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
49
•
Duke did determine it with great judgment, chiding
both, but encouraging Wayth to continue to be a
check to all captains in anything to the King's
right. And, indeed, I never did see the Duke do
anything more in order, nor with more judgment,
than he did pass the verdict in this business. The
Court full this morning of the news of Tom Cheffin's
death, the King's Closet-keeper. He was as well last
night as ever, playing at tables in the house, and not
very ill this morning at six o'clock, yet dead before
seven-they think, of an imposthume in his breast.
But it looks fearfully among people nowadays, the
plague, as we hear, increasing everywhere again. To
the chapel, but could not get in to hear well; but I
had the pleasure once in my life to see an archbishop,
this was of York, in a pulpit. Then at a loss how to
get home to dinner, having promised to carry Mrs.
Hunt thither. At last got my Lord Hinchingbroke's
coach, he staying at Court, and so took her up to Axe
Yard, and home and dined; and good discourse of the
old matters of the Protector and his family, she having
a relation to them. The Protector lives in France;
spends about £500 per annum. To St. James's Chapel,
thinking to have heard a Jesuit preach, but come too
late.
9th. By coach to Mrs. Pierce's, and with her and
Knipp, and Mrs. Pierce's boy and girl, abroad, think-
ing to have been merry at Chelsea; but being come
50
[April,
PEPYS S DIARY.
almost to the house by coach near the water-side, a
house alone-I think, the "Swan". a gentleman walk-
ing by called to us to tell us that the house was shut
up of the sickness. So we with great affright turned
back, being holden to the gentleman, and went away,
I, for my part, in great disorder, for Kensington.
10th. To the office, and again all the afternoon, the
first time of our resolution to sit both forenoons and
afternoons.
11th. My people to work about setting rails upon
the leads of my wife's closet, a thing I have long
designed. To Hales's, where there was nothing found
to be done more to my picture but the music, which
now pleases me mightily, it being painted true. Tc
Gresham College, where a great deal of do and for-
mality in choosing of the Council and officers. I had
three votes to be of the Council, who am but a stranger,
nor expected any, my Lord Brouncker being confirmed
President.
12th. My Lady Pen comes to me and takes me into
ker house, where I find her daughter and a pretty lady
of her acquaintance, one Mrs. Lowther-sister, I sup-
pose, of her servant Lowther-with whom I, notwith-
standing all my resolution to follow business close this
afternoon, did stay talking and playing the fool almost
all the afternoon. Mrs. Margaret Pen grows mighty
homely, and looks old. Thence to the office, where my
Lord Brouncker come: and he and I had a little fray,
1666.]
51
PEPYS'S DIARY.
he being, I find, a very peevish man if he be denied
what he expects, and very simple in his arguments.
13th. Called up by my wife's brother, for whom I
have got a commission from the Duke of York for
Muster-Master of one of the divisions, of which Har-
man is Rear-Admiral. To the Queen's Chapel-it
being Good Friday-where people were all upon their
knees very silent; but, it seems, no mass this day. To
Mr. Hales's, where he and I presently resolved of
going to Whitehall, to spend an hour in the galleries
there among the pictures, and we did so, to my extra-
ordinary satisfaction, he showing me the difference in
the paintings, and I do not find so many good things
as I thought there was.
15th. (Lord's Day.) Walked into the Park, to the
Queen's Chapel, and there heard a good deal of their
mass, and some of their music, which is not so con-
temptible, I think, as our people would make it; it
pleasing me very well, and, indeed, better than the
anthem I heard afterwards at Whitehall, at my coming
back. I stayed till the King went down to receive the
sacrament, and stood in his closet with a great many
others, and thero saw him receive it, which I never
did see the manner of before. But I do see very little
difference between the degree of the ceremonies used
by our people in the administration thereof, and that
in the Roman Church, saving that, methought, our
chapel was not so fine, nor the manner of doing it so
52
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[April,
glorious, as it was in the Queen's Chapel. Thence
walked to Mr. Pierce's, and there dined; very good
company and good discourse, they being able to tell
me all the businesses of the Court: the amours and
the mad doings that are there: how for certain Mrs.
Stewart is become the King's mistress, and that the
King hath many bastard children that are known and
owned, besides the Duke of Monmouth. To the Park,
and thence home to Mr. Pierce's again; and he being
gone forth, she and I and the children out by coach
to' Kensington, to where we were the other day, and
with great pleasure stayed till night, and were mighty
late getting home, the horses tiring and stopping. The
horses at Ludgate Hill made a final stop; so there I
lighted, and with a link walked home.
16th. Comes Mrs. Mercer and fair Mrs. Turner, a
neighbour of hers, to visit me. I stayed a great while
with them, being taken with this pretty woman, though
a mighty silly, affected citizen woman she is.
17th. To the office, but, Lord! what a conflict I had
with myself, my heart tempting me a thousand times to
go abroad about some pleasure or other, notwithstand-
ing the weather foul. However, I did not budge, and,
to my great content, did a great deal of business.
18th. To Mr. Lilly's, the painter's; and thero saw
the heads-some finished, and all begun-of the Flag-
men in the late great fight with the Duke of York
against the Dutch. The Duke of York hath them
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
53
done to hang in his chamber, and very finely they are
done indeed. Here are the Prince's, Sir G. Ascue's,
Sir Thomas Teddiman's, Sir Christopher Mings's, Sir
Joseph Jordan's, Sir William Barkeley's, Sir Thomas
Allen's, and Captain Harman's, as also the Duke of
Albemarle's; and will be my Lord Sandwich's, Sir W.
Pen's, and Sir Jeremy Smith's. I was very well satis-
fied with this sight, and other good pictures hanging
in the house. To the Exchange, and there did see
great plenty of fine prints; but did buy only a print of
an old pillar in Rome made for a naval triumph,
which for the antiquity of the shape of the ships I
buy and keep.
X
21st. I down to walk in the garden at Whitehall, it
being a mighty hot and pleasant day; and there was
the King, who, among others, talked to us a little;
and, among other pretty things, he swore merrily that
he believed the ketch that Sir W. Batten bought the
last year at Colchester was of his own getting, it was
so thick to its length. Another pleasant thing he said
of Christopher Pett, commanding him that he will not
alter his moulds upon any man's advice, as," says
he, "Commissioner Taylor, I fear, do of his New
London, that he makes it differ, in hopes of mending
the Old London built by him.' "For," says he, "he
finds that God hath put him into the right, and so will
keep in it while he is in." And," says the King, "I
am sure it must be God put him in, for no art of
(C
CC
54
[April
PEPYS'S DIARY.
his own ever could have done it;" for, it seems, he
cannot give a good account of what he do as an
artist. Thence with my Lord Brouncker in his coach
Hyde Park, the first time I have been there this
year. There the King was; but I was sorry to see my
Lady Castlemaine; for, the mourning forcing all the
ladies to go in black, with their hair plain and without
spots, I find her to be a much more ordinary woman
than ever I durst have thought she was; and, indeed,
is not so pretty as Mrs. Stewart.
22nd. (Lord's Day.) Up and put on my new black
coat long down to my knees. To Whitehall, where all
in deep mourning for the Queen's mother. To the
Queen's Chapel at St. James's, and there saw a little
maid baptised: many parts and words whereof are the
same with that of our Liturgy, and little that is more
ceremonious than ours. To Worcester House, and
there stayed and saw the Council up. Back to the
Cockpit," and there took my leave of the Duke of
Albemarle, who is going to-morrow to sea.
He seems
mightily pleased with me, which I am glad of; but I
do find infinitely my concernment in being careful to
appear to the King and Duke to continue my care of
his business, and to be found diligent as I used to be.
Sat a great while with Will Joyce, who come to see me
the first time since the plague, and find him the same
impertinent, prating coxcomb that ever he was.
23rd. To Whitehall, where I had the opportunity to
(4
1666.1
55
PEPYS'S DIARY.
take leave of the Prince, and again of the Duke of
Albemarle; and saw them kiss the King's hand and
the Duke's; and much content, indeed, there seems to
be in all people at their going to sea, and they promise
themselves much good from them. This morning the
House of Parliament do meet, only to adjourn again
till winter. The plague, I hear, increases in the town
much, and exceedingly in the country everywhere.
Bonfires in the street, for being St. George's Day, and
the King's Coronation, and the day of the Prince's and
Duke's going to sea.
24th. Comes Mr. Bland to me, the first time since
his coming from Tangier; and tells me, in short, how
all things are out of order there and like to be, and
the place never likely to come to anything while the
soldiers govern all and do not encourage trado.
25th. I to the office, where Mr. Prin come to meet
about the Chest-business; and, till company come, did
discourse with me a good while in the garden about the
laws of England, telling me the main faults in them,
and, among others, their obscurity through multitude
of long statutes, which he is about to abstract out of all
of a sort, and, as he lives and Parliaments come, get
them put into laws, and the other statutes repealed, and
then it will be a short work to know the law. Having
supped upon the leads, to bed. The plague, blessed be
God! is decreased sixteen this week.
28th. My wife to her father's, to carry him some
56
[April,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
ruling work, which I have advised her to let him do.
It will get him some money. She was also to look after
a necklace of pearl, which she is mighty busy about, I
being contented to lay out £80 in one for her. Balty
took leave of us, going to sca, and upon very good
terins, to be Muster-Master of a squadron, which will
be worth £100 this year to him, besides keeping him
the benefit of his pay in the Guards.
29th. (Lord's Day.) To church, where Mr. Mills: a
lazy sermon upon the devil's having no right to any-
thing in this world. To Mr. Evelyn's, where I walked
in his garden till he come from church, with great
pleasure reading Ridley's Discourse, all my way going
and coming, upon the Civil and Ecclesiastical Law.
He being come home, he and I walked together in the
garden with mighty pleasure, he being a very ingenious
man; and the more I know him, the more I love him.
Weary to bed, after having the hair of my head cut
shorter, even close to my skull, for coolness, it being
mighty hot weather.
30th. I after dinner to even all my accounts of this
month; and, bless God! I find myself, notwithstanding
great expenses of late-viz., £80 now to pay for a
necklace, near £40 for a set of chairs and couch, near
£40 for my three pictures—yet I do gather and an
worth £5,200. My wife comes home by-and-by, and
hath pitched upon a necklace with three rows, which is
a very good one, and £80 is the price. So ends this
1666.]
57
PEPYS'S DIARY.
month with great layings-out. Good health and get-
tings, and advanced well in the whole of my estate,
for which God make me thankful!
May 1st. At noon my cousin, Thomas Pepys, did
come to me to consult about the business of his being
a Justice of the Peace, which he is much against; and,
among other reasons, tells me, as a confidant, that he is
not free to exercise punishment according to the Act
against Quakers and other people, for religion. Nor
do he understand Latin, and so is not capable of the
place as formerly, now all warrants run in Latin.
Nor is he in Kent, though he be of Deptford parish, his
house standing in Surrey. However, I did bring him
to incline towards it, if he he pressed to take it. I
think it may be some repute to me to have my kinsman
in Commission there, specially if he behave himself to
content in the country. To Redriffe, reading a new
French book my Lord Brouncker did give me to-day,
"L'Histoire Amoureuse des Gauls," being a pretty
libel against the amours of the Court of France. My
wife tells me the ill nows that our Susan is sick, and
gone to bed with great pain in her head and back,
which troubles us all.
2nd. With Captain Cocke to my office to consult
about serving him in getting him some money, he being
already tired of his slavery to my Lord Brouncker, and
the charge it costs him, and gets no manner of courtesy.
from him for it.
58
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[May,
J
3rd. Up, and to send up and down for a nurse to
take the girl home, and would have given anything.
I offered to the only one that we could get 20s. per
week, and we to find clothes and bedding and physic,
and would have given 30s., as demanded, but desired
an hour or two's time. Sent for the girl's mother; she
came, and undertakes to get her daughter a lodging
and nurse at next door to her, though she dare not for
the parish's sake, whose sexton her husband is, have
her into her own house.
4th. To Mr. Hales to see what he had done to Mrs.
Pierce's picture, and, whatever he pretends, I do not
think it will ever be so good a picture as my wife's.
Thence home to dinner, and had a great fray with my
wife about Browne's coming to teach her to paint, and
sitting with me at table, which I will not yield to. I
thoroughly believe she means no hurt in it; but
very angry we were, and I resolved all into my having
my will done, without disputing, be the reason what it
will; and so I will have it. This evening, being weary
of my late idle courses, I bound myself to very strict
rules till Whitsunday next.
5th. It being a very fine moonshine, my wife and
Mercer come into the garden, and, my business being
done, we sang till about twelve at night, with mighty
pleasure to ourselves and neighbours, by their case-
ments opening.
8th. Comes Mr. Downing, the anchor-smith, who
1
1666.
59
PEPYS'S DIARY.
had given me 50 pieces in gold the last month to speak
for him to Sir W. Coventry, for his being smith at
Deptford; but, after I had got it granted to him, he
finds himself not fit to go on with it, so lets it fall. I,
therefore, in honour and conscience took him home
and forced him to take the money again, and glad to
have given him so much cause to speak well of me.
9th. To Whitehall, and heard the Duke commend
Deane's ship, the Rupert, before the Defiance, built
by Castle, in hearing of Sir W. Batten, which pleased
me mightily. To Pierce's, where I find Knipp.
Thence with them to Cornhill, to call and choose a
chimney-piece for Pierce's closet. My wife mightily
vexed at my being abroad with these women; and,
when they were gone, called them I know not what,
which vexed me, having been so innocent with them.
10th. Going out towards Hackney by coach for the
air, the silly coachman carries us to Shoreditch, which
was so pleasant a piece of simplicity in him and us
that it made us mighty merry.
11th. To the 'Change to speak with Captain Cocke,
among other things, about the getting of the silver
plates of him, which he promises to do; but in dis-
course he tells me that I should beware of my fellow-
officers; and by name told me that my Lord Brouncker
should say in his hearing, before Sir W. Batten, of me,
that he could undo the man, if he would; wherein I
think he is a fool; but, however, it is requisite I be
60
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[May,
Thence home.
prepared against the man's friendship.
to dinner alone, my wife being abroad. After dinner
to the setting some things in order in my dining-room,
and by-and-by my wife comes home and Mrs. Pierce
with her, so I lost most of this afternoon with them,
and in the evening abroad with them—our long tour,
by coach to Hackney, so to Kingsland, and then to
Islington, there entertaining them by candle-light very
well, and so home with her, set her down, and so
home, and to bed.
12th. I find my wife troubled at my checking her
last night in a coach in her long stories out of Grand
Cyrus, which she would tell, though nothing to the
purpose, nor in any good manner. This she took
unkindly, and I think I was to blame indeed; but she
finds with reason that in the company of Pierce,
Knipp, or other women that I love, I do not value her,
or mind her as I ought. However, very good friends
by-and-by. Met Sir G. Downing on Whitehall Bridge,
and there walked half an hour, talking of the success
of the late new Act; and, indeed, it is very much that
hath stood really in the room of £800,000 now since
Christmas, being itself but £1,250,000. And so I do
really take it to be a very considerable thing done by
him; for the beginning, end, and every part of it is to be
imputed to him. This day come home again my little
girl Susan, her sickness proving an ague, and she had
a fit as soon almost as she come home. The fleet is not
[666.J
61
PEPYS'S DIARY.
yet gone from the Nore. The plague increases in many
places, and is 53 this week with us.
13th. (Lord's Day.) To Westminster and into St.
Margaret's Church, where I heard a young man play
the fool upon the doctrine of Purgatory.
14th. To the Exchequer, and there met Sir G. Down-
ing and my Lord of Oxford coming by, also took him
and showed him his whole method of keeping his books,
and everything of it, which indeed is very pretty. In
the evening out with my wife and my aunt Wight to
take the air, and happened to have a pleasant race
between our hackney-coach and a gentleman's.
15th. I to my Lord Crewe's, who is very lately come
to town, and he talked for half an hour of the business
of the war, wherein he is very doubtful, from our want
of money, that we shall fail; and I do concur with
him therein. After some little discourse of ordinary
matters I away to Sir Philip Warwick's again, and he
was come in and gone out to my Lord Treasurer's;
whither I followed him, and there my business was to
be told that my Lord Treasurer hath got £10,000 for
us in the navy, to answer great necessities, which I
did thank him for; but the sum is not considerable.
The five brothers Houblon came and Mr. Hill to
my house, and here they were till about cleven at
night.
16th. To the Exchequer, where the lazy rogues have
not yet done my tallies, which vexes me. To Mr. Hales
62
[May,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
and paid him for my picture; and Mr. Hill's for the
first, £14 for the picture and 25s. for the frame; and
for the other, £7 for the picture, it being a copy of his
only, and 5s. for the frame: in all, £22 10s. I am very
well satisfied in my pictures, and so took them in
another coach home: with great pleasure my wife and
I hung them.
19th. Mr. Deane and I did discourse about his ship
Rupert, built by him, which succeeds so well as he hath
got great honour by it, and I some by recommending
him; the King, Duke, and everybody saying it is the
best ship that was ever built. And then he fell to ex-
plain to me his manner of casting the draught of water
which a ship will draw beforehand; which is a secret
the King and all admire in him; and he is the first
that hath come to any certainty beforehand of foretell-
ing the draught of water of a ship before she be
launched.
20th. (Lord's Day.) With my wife to church. At
noon dined mighty nobly, ourselves alone. After din-
ner my wife and Mercer by coach to Greenwich, to
be gossip to Mrs. Daniel's child. I discoursed awhile
with Mr. Yeabsly, whom I met and took up in my coach
with me, and who hath this day presented my Lord
Ashley with £100 to bespeak his friendship to him in
his accounts now before us: and my Lord hath received
it, and so I believe is as bad as to bribes as what the
world says of him. My wife much pleased with the
1666.]
63
PEPYS'S DIARY.
reception she had, and she was godmother, and did
hold the child at the font, and it is called John.
21st. I away, in some haste, to my Lord Ashley,
where it is stupendous to see how favourably, and
yet closely, my Lord Ashley carries himself to Mr.
Yeabsly in his business, so as I think we shall do his
business for him in very good manner. But it is a
most extraordinary thing to observe, and that which I
would not but have had the observation of for a great
deal of money.
23rd. Towards Whitehall, calling in my way on my
Lord Bellasses, where I come to his bedside, and he
did give me a full and long account of his matters, how
he kept them at Tangier. Declares himself fully satis-
fied with my care: seems cunningly to argue for in-
creasing the number of men there. Told me the old
story of his gains by the Turkey prizes, which he owns
he hath got about £5,000 by. Promised me the same
profits Povy was to have had; and, in fine, I find him
a pretty subtle man; and so I left him. Stayed at Sir
G. Carteret's chamber till the Council rose, and then
he and I, by agreement this morning, went forth in his
coach by Tyburn to the Park; discoursing of the state
of the navy as to money, and the state of the kingdom,
too, how ill able to raise more and of our office, as to
the condition of the officers; he giving me caution as
to myself, that there are those that are my enemies as
well as his, and by name my Lord Bronucker, who hath
64
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[May,
said some odd speeches against me. So that he advises
me to stand on my guard, which I shall do, and, unless
my too much addiction to pleasure undo me, will be
acute enough for any of them. My right eye sore and
full of humour of late-I think, by my late change of
my brewer, and having of 8s. beer.
24th. Mr. Shepley is newly come out of the country,
and come to see us.
He left all well there; but I per-
ceive under some discontent in my Lord's behalf, think-
ing that he is under disgrace with the King; but he is
not so, as Sir G. Carteret assures me.
25th. Captain Cocke tells me my silver plates are
ready for me, and shall be sent me speedily; and pro-
poses another proposition of serving us with a thousand
tons of hemp, and tells me it shall bring me £500 if
the bargain go forward, which is a good word. A
gentleman arrived here this day, Mr. Brown, of St.
Maloes; among other things, tells me the meaning of
the setting out of dogs every night out of the town
walls, which are said to secure the city; but it is not
so, but only to secure the anchors, cables, and ships
that lie dry, which might otherwise in the night be
liable to be robbed. And these dogs are set out every
night, and called together in every morning, by a man
with a horn, and they go in very orderly.
27th. (Lord's Day.) To church, my wife with me.
Home to dinner, whither come my uncle Wight and
aunt and uncle Norbury.
1666.]
65.
PEPYS'S DIARY,
28th. Mr. Lovett and his wife come to see us. They
are a pretty couple, and she a fine-bred woman. They
dined with us, and Browne, the painter, and she plays
finely on the lute. My wife and I were well pleased
with her company. To bed, my wife telling me where
she hath been to-day with my aunt Wight, and seen
Mrs. Margaret Wight, and says that she is one of the
beautifullest women that ever she saw in her life-the
most excellent nose and mouth. They have been also
to see pretty Mrs. Batelier, and conclude her to be a
prettier woman than Mrs. Pierce, whom my wife led
my aunt to see also this day.
29th. King's Birth - day, and Restoration Day.
Waked with the ringing of bells all over the town; so
up before five o'clock, and to the office. At noon I did,
upon a small invitation of Sir W. Pen's, go and dine
with Sir W. Coventry at his office, where great good
chcer, and many pleasant stories of Sir W. Coventry.
After dinner, to the Victualling Office; and there, be-
yond belief, did acquit myself very well to full content; SP
so that, beyond expectation, I got over that second rub
in this business; and if ever I fall on it again, I de-
serve to be undone. My wife comes to me, to tell me
that if I would see the handsomest woman in England,
I shall come home presently; and who should it be but
the pretty lady of our parish, that did heretofore sit on
the other side of our church, over against our gallery,
that is since married-she with Mrs. Aune Jones, one
466
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[May,
of this parish, that dances finely. And so I home; and
indeed she is a pretty, black woman-her name Mrs.
Horsely. But, Lord! to see how my nature could not
refrain from the temptation, but I must invite them
to go to Foxhall, to Spring Gardens, though I had
freshly received minutes of a great deal of extraor-
dinary business. However, I sent them before with
Creed, and I did some of my business; and so after
them, and find them there in an arbour, and had met
with Mrs. Pierce, and some company with her. So
here I spent 20s. upon them, and were pretty merry.
Among other things, had a fellow that imitated all
manner of birds and dogs and hogs with his voice,
which was mighty pleasant. Stayed here till night;
then set Mrs. Pierce in at the New Exchange; and
ourselves took coach, and so set Mrs. Horsely home,
and then home ourselves, but with great trouble in the
streets, by bonfires, it being the King's Birthday and
Day of Restoration; but, Lord! to see the difference
how many there were on the other side, and so few on
ours, the City side of the Temple, would make one
wonder at the difference between the temper of one sort
of people and the other; and the difference among all
between what they do now, and what it was the night
when Monk come into the City. Such a night as that
I never think to see again, nor think it can be.
30th. I find the Duke gone out with the King to-
day on hunting. Word is brought me that my father
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
67
and my sister are come: he, poor man, looks very well,
and hath rode up this journey on horseback very well,
only his eyesight and hearing is very bad. I stayed
and dined with them, my wife being gone by coach to
Barnet, with W. Hewer and Mercer, to meet them,
and they did come Ware way. To Lord Ashley, who,
it is strange to see, how prettily he dissembles his
favour to Yeabsly's business, which none in the world
could mistrust, only I, that am privy to his being
bribed. My wife tells me that Balty's wife is brought
to bed, by some fall or fit, before her time, of a great
child, but dead. If the woman do well, we have no
reason to be sorry, because his staying a little longer
without a child will be better for him and her.
31st. Saw all my family up, and my father and
sister, who is a pretty good bodied woman, and not
over thick, as I thought she would have been, but full
of freckles, and not handsome in face. To dinner with
my father and sister and family, mighty pleasant all
of us; and, among other things, with a sparrow that
our Mercer hath brought up now for three weeks,
which is so tame that it flies up and down and upon
the table, and eats and pecks, and do everything so
pleasantly that we are mightily pleased with it. A
public fast-day, appointed to pray for the good success
of the fleet. But it is a pretty thing to consider how
little a matter they make of this keeping of a fast, that
"t was not so much as declared time enough to be read
68
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[June,
in the churches the last Sunday, but ordered by pro-
clamation since; I suppose, upon some sudden news of
the Dutch being come out. Thus ends this month,
with my mind oppressed by my defect in my duty of
the victualling, which lies upon me as a burden, till I
get myself into a better posture therein. As to public
business, by late tidings of the French fleet being come
to Rochelle-how true, though, I know not-our fleet is
divided; Prince Rupert being gone with about thirty
ships to the westward, as is conceived, to meet the
French, to hinder their coming to join with the Dutch.
My Lord Duke of Albemarle lies in the Downs with
thest, and intends presently to sail to the Gunfleet.
June 1st. Dined at aunt Wight's. Here dined the
fair Mrs. Margaret Wight, who is a very fine lady, but
the cast of her eye, got only by an ill habit, do her
much wrong, and her hands are bad; but she hath the
face of a noble Roman lady. My uncle and Woolly
and I out into their yard, to talk about what may be
done hereafter to all our profits by prize-goods, which
did give us reason to lament the loss of the opportunity
of the last year, which, if we were as wise as we are
now, and at the peaceable end of all those troubles
that we met with, all might have been such a hit as
will never come again in this ago.
2nd. Up and to the office, where certain news is
brought us of a letter come to the King this morn-
ing from the Duke of Albemarle, dated yesterday at
1666.]
69
PEPYS'S DIARY.
eleven o'clock, as they were sailing to the Gunfleet,
that they were in sight of the Dutch fleet, and were
fitting themselves to fight them; so that they are, ere
this, certainly engaged; besides, several do aver that
they heard the guns yesterday in the afternoon. This
put us at the Board into a toss. Presently come orders
for our sending away to the fleet a recruit of 200
soldiers. So I rose from the table, and to the Victual-
ling Office, and thence upon the river among several
vessels, to consider of the sending them away; and,
lastly, down to Greenwich, and there appointed two
yachts to be ready for them; and did order the
soldiers to march to Blackwall. Having set all things
in order against the next flood, I went on shore with
Captain Erwin at Greenwich, and into the Park, and
there we could hear the guns from the fleet most
plainly. We walked to the watersido, and there
seeing the King and Duke come down in their barge
to Greenwich House, I to them, and did give them
an account what I was doing. They went up to the
Park to hear the guns of the fleet go off. All our
hopes now are that Prince Rupert with his fleet is
coming back, and will be with the fleet this even: a
message being sent to him for that purpose on
Wednesday last; and a return is come from him this
morning, that he did intend to sail from St. Ellen's
Point about four in the afternoon yesterday; which
gives us great hopes, the wind being very fair, that he
70
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[June,
is with them this even, and the fresh going off of the
guns makes us believe the same. Down to Black wall
and there saw the soldiers, who were by this time
gotten most of them drunk, shipped off. But, Lord!
to see how the poor fellows kissed their wives and
sweethearts in that simple manner at their going off,
and shouted, and let off their guns, was strange sport.
In the evening come up the river in the Catharine
yacht, Captain Fazeby, who hath brought over my
Lord of Aylesbury and Sir Thomas Liddall, with a
very pretty daughter and in a pretty travelling dress
from Flanders, who saw the Dutch fleet on Thursday
and ran from them; but from that hour to this hath
not heard one gun, nor any news of any fight. Having
put the soldiers on board, I home.
3rd. (Lord's Day; Whit - Sunday.) Up, and by
water to Whitehall, and there met with Mr. Coventry,
who tells me the only news from the fleet is brought
by Captain Elliott, of the Portland, which, by being
run on board by the Guernsey, was disabled from
staying abroad, so is come into Aldbrough. That he
saw one of the Dutch great ships blown up, and
three on fire. That they began to fight on Friday;
and, at his coming into port, he could make another
ship of the King's coming in, which he judged to be
the Rupert; that he knows of no other hurt to our
ships. With this good news I home by water again,
and to church in the sermon time, and with great joy
1666.]
PEPYS DIARY.
71
told it my fellows in the pew. After church time to
the Exchange; as full of people, and hath been all this
noon, as of any other day, only for news. To White-
hall, and there met with this bad news farther, that
the Prince come to Dover but at ten o'clock last night
and there heard nothing of a fight; so that we are
defeated of all our hopes of his help to the fleet. I+
is also reported by some victuallers that the Duke of
Albemarle and Holmes their flags were shot down, and
both fain to come to anchor to renew their rigging and
sails. A letter is also come this afternoon, from
Harman in the Henry, which states that she was taken
by Elliott for the Rupert; that, being fallen into the
body of the Dutch fleet, he made his way through
them, was set on by three fire-ships, one after another,
got two of them off, and disabled the third; was set on
fire himself; upon which many of his men leaped into,
the sea and perished; among others, the parson first.
Have lost above 100 men and a good many women.
(God knows what is become of Balty), and at last.
quenched his own fire, and got to Aldbrough; being,
as all say, the greatest hazard that ever any ship.
escaped, and so bravely managed by him. The mast of
th third fire-ship fell into their ship on fire, and hurt
Harman's leg, which makes him lame now, but not
dangerous. I to Sir G. Carteret, who told me there
hath been great bad management in all this; that the
King's orders that went on Friday for calling back the
J
$
72
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Prince were sent but by the ordinary post on Wednes-
day, and come to the Prince his hands but on Friday;
and then, instead of sailing presently, he stays till four
in the evening. And that, which is worst of all, the
Hampshire, laden with merchants' money (come from
the Straits), set out with, or but just before, the fleet,
and was in the Dowus by five of the clock yesterday
morning, and the Prince with his fleet come to Dover
but at ten of the clock at night. This is hard to answer,
if it be true. This puts great astonishment into
the King and Duke and Court, everybody being out
of countenance. Home by the 'Change, which is full
of people still, and all talk highly of the failure of
the Prince, in not making more haste after his in-
structions did come, and of our managements here in
not giving it sooner, and with more care, and ofteuer.
A
4th. To Whitehall, where, when we come, we find
the Duke at St. James's, whither he is lately gone to
lodge. So, walking through the Park, we saw hundreds
of people listening at the Gravel-pits, and to and again
in the Park, to hear the guns. I saw a letter, dated
last night, from Stroud, Governor of Dover Castle,
which says that the Prince come thither the night
before with his fleet; but that for the guns which we
writ that we heard, it is only a mistake for thunder;
and, so far as to yesterday, it is a miraculous thing
that we all Friday and Saturday and yesterday did
hear everywhere most plainly the guns go off, and yet
1666.]
73
PEPYS'S DIARY.
at Deal and Dover, to last night, they did not hear
one word of a fight, nor think they heard one gun.
This, added to what I have set down before, the other
day, about the Catharine, makes room for a great
dispute in philosophy how we should hear it and they
not, the same wind that brought it to us being the
same that should bring it to them: but so it is.
Major Halsey, however, who was sent down on purpose
to hear the news, did bring news this morning that he
did see the Prince and his fleet at nine of the clock
yesterday morning, four or five leagues to sea behind
the Goodwin, so that, by the hearing of the guns this
morning, we conclude he is come to the fleet. After
waiting upon the Duke with Sir W. Pon, who was
commanded to go to-night, by water, down to
Harwich to despatch away all the ships he can, I
home; where no sooner come but news is brought me
of a couple of men come to speak with me from the
fleet; so I down, and who should it be but Mr.
Daniel, all muffled up, and his face as black as the
chimney, and covered with dirt, pitch, and tar, and
powder, and muffled with dirty clouts, and his right
eye stopped with oakum. He is come last night, at
five o'clock, from the fleet, with a comrade of his that
hath endangered another eye. They were set on shore
at Harwich this morning, and at two o'clock in a
catch, with about twenty more wounded men from
the Royal Charles. They being able to ride, took post
74
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
about three this morning, and were here between
eleven and twelve. I went presently into the coach
with them, and carried them to Somerset House stairs,
and there took water-all the world gazing upon us,
and concluding it to be news from the fleet, and
everybody's face appeared expecting of news-to the
Privy stairs, and left them at Mr. Coventry's lodging,
he, though, not being there; and so I into the Park to
the King, and told him my Lord General was well
the last night at five o'clock, and the Prince come
with his fleet and joined with his about seven. The
King was mightily pleased with this news, and so
took me by the hand and talked a little of it, 1 giving
him the best account I could; and then he bid ne
to fetch the two seamen to him, he walking into the
house. So I went and fetched the seamen into the
Vane Room to him, and there he heard the whole
account.
THE FIGHT.
How we found the Dutch fleet at anchor on Friday,
half seas over, between Dunkirk and Ostend, and
made them let slip their anchors. They about ninety,
and we less than sixty. We fought them, and put
them to the run, till they met with about sixteen sail
of fresh ships, and so bore up again.
The fight
continued till night, and then again the next morning,
from five till soven at night. And so, too, yesterday
morning they begun again, and continued till about
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
75
four o'clock, they chasing us for the most part of
Saturday and yesterday, we flying from them. The
Duke himself, and then those people who were put
into the catch, by-and-by espied the Prince's fleet
coming, upon which De Ruyter called a little council,
being in chase at this time of us, and thereupon their
fleet divided into two squadrons; forty in one, and
about thirty in the other, the fleet being at first about
ninety, but, by one accident or other, supposed to be
lessened to about seventy; the bigger to follow the
Duke, the less to meet the Prince. But the Prince
come up with the General's fleet, and the Dutch come
together again, and bore towards their own coast, and
we with them; and now what the consequence of
this day will be we know not. The Duke was forced
to come to anchor on Friday, having lost his sails and
rigging. No particular person spoken of to be hurt
but Sir W. Clerke, who hath lost his leg, and bore
it bravely. The Duke himself had a little hurt in his
thigh, but signified little. The King did pull out of
his pocket about twenty pieces in gold, and did give
it Daniel for himself and his companion; and so
parted, mightily pleased with the account he did give
him of the fight, and the success it ended with, of the
Prince's coming, though it seems the Duke did give
way again and again. The King did give order for
care to be had of Mr. Daniel and his companion; and
so we parted from him, and then met the Duke of
76
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[June,
York, and gave him the same account: and so broke
up, and I left them going to the surgeon's. So home,
about four o'clock, to dinner, and was followed by
several people to be told the news, and good news it
is. God send we may hear a good issue of this day's
business! To the Crown, behind the 'Change, and
there supped at the club with my Lord Brouncker,
Sir G. Ent, and others of Gresham College, and all
our discourse is of this fight at sea, and all are doubt-
ful of the success, and conclude all had been lost if
the Prince had not come in, they having chased us the
greatest part of Saturday and Sunday. Thence with
my Lord Brouncker and Creed by coach to Whitehall,
where fresh letters are come from Harwich, where the
Gloucester, Captain Clerke, is come in, and says that
on Sunday night, upon the coming in of the Prince,
the Duke did fly; but all this day they have been
fighting; therefore they did face again, to be sure.
Captain Bacon of the Bristol is killed. They cry up
Jenings of the Ruby, and Saunders of the Sweep-
stakes. They condemn mightily Sir Thomas Teddi-
man for a coward, but with what reason time must
show.
5th. At noon, though I should have dined with my
Lord Mayor and Aldermen at an entertainment of
Commissioner Taylor's, yet, it being a time of expec-
tation of the success of the fleet, I did not go. No
manner of news this day but of the Rainbow's
1666.]
77
PEPYS'S DIARY.
being put in from the fleet, maimed as the other
ships are.
6th. By water to St. James's, it being a monthly
fast-day for the plague. There we all met, and did
our business as usual with the Duke. By-and-by,
walking a little further, Sir Philip Frowde did meet
the Duke with an express to Sir W. Coventry, who
was by, from Captain Taylor, the storekeeper at
Harwich, being the narration of Captain Hayward of
the Dunkirk, who gives a very serious account how
upon Monday the two fleets fought all day, till seven
at night, and then the whole fleet of Dutch did betake
themselves to a very plain flight, and never looked
back again; that Sir Christopher Mings is wounded in
the leg; that the General is well. That it is conceived
reasonably that of all the Dutch fleet, which, with what
recruits they had, come to one hundred sail, there is
not above fifty got home; and of them, few, if any, of
their flags. And that little Captain Bell, in one of
the fire-ships, did at the end of the day firo a ship of
seventy guns. We were also so overtaken with this
good news that the Duke ran with it to the King,
who was gone to chapel, and there all the Court was
in a hubbub, being rejoiced over head and ears in
this good news. Away I go by coach to the New
Exchange, and there did spread this good news a
little, though I find it bad broke out before. And so
home to our own church, it being the common fast-
J
78
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[June,
day, and it was just before sermon; but, Lord! how
all the people in the church stared upon me to see me
whisper to Sir John Minnes and my Lady Pen.
Anon I saw people stirring and whispering below, and
by-and-by comes up the sexton from iny Lady Ford
to tell me the news, which I had brought, being now
sent into the church by Sir W. Batten in writing and
passed from pew to pew. But that which pleased me
as much as the news was to have the fair Mrs.
Middleton at our church, who indeed is a very
beautiful lady. My father to Hales's, where my
father is to begin to sit to-day for his picture,
which I have a desire to have. At home, drawing up.
my vows for the rest of the year, to Christmas; but,
Lord! to see in what a condition of happiness I am, if
I would but keep myself so; but my love of pleasure
is such that my very soul is angry with itself for its
vanity in so doing. Home, and my father and wife
not coming in, I proceeded with my coach to take a
little air as far as Bow all alone, and there turned
back; but, before I got home, the bonfires were lighted
all the town over, and I going through Crouched
Friars, seeing Mercer at her mother's gate, stopped,
and light, and into her mother's, the first time I
ever was there, and find all my people, father and all,
at a very fine supper at W. Hewer's lodging, very
neatly, and to my great pleasure. After supper, into
his chamber, which is mighty fine, with pictures and
1666.]
79
PEPYS'S DIARY.
everything else, very curious. Thence to the gate
with all the women about me, and Mrs. Mercer's son
had provided a great many serpents, and so I made
the women all fire some serpents. By-and-by comes
in our fair neighbour, Mrs. Turner, and two neigh-
bour's daughters-Mrs. Tite-the eldest of which, a
long, red-nosed, silly jade, the other a pretty black
girl, and the merriest, sprightly jade that ever I saw.
Idled away the whole night, till twelve at night, at
the bonfire in the streets. Some of the people there-
abouts going about with muskets, and did give me
two or three volleys of their muskets, I giving them a
crown to drink, and so home. Mightily pleased with
this happy day's news, and the more because confirmed
by Sir Daniel Harvey, who was in the whole fight
with the General, and tells me that there appear but
thirty-six in all of the Dutch fleet left at the end of
the voyage when they run home. The joy of the City
was this night exceeding great.
7th. Up betimes, and to my office about business,
Sir W. Coventry having sent me word that he is gone
down to the fleet to see how matters stand, and to be
back again speedily; and with the same expectation of
congratulating ourselves with the victory that I had
yesterday. But my Lord Brouncker and Sir T. H.,
that come from Court, tell me the contrary news,
which astonishes me, that is to say that we are beaten
-lost many ships and good commanders; have not
:80
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
taken one ship of the enemy's; and so can only report
ourselves a victory; nor is it certain that we were left
masters of the field. But, above all, that the Prince
run on shore upon the Galloper, and there stuck;
was endeavoured to be fetched off by the Dutch, but
could not, and so they burned her, and Sir G. Ascue is
taken prisoner and carried into Holland. This news
do much trouble me, and the thoughts of the ill
consequences of it, and the pride and presumption
that brought us to it. At noon to the 'Change, and
there find the discourse of town and their countenances
anuch changed, but yet not very plain. By-and-by
comes Mr. Wayth to me; and discoursing of our ill
success, he tells me plainly from Captain Page's own
mouth, who hath lost his arm in the fight, that the
Dutch did pursue us two hours before they left us, and
then they suffered us to go on homewards, and they
retreated towards their coast, which is very sad news.
The Duke much damped in his discourse touching
the late fight; and all the Court talk sadly of it.
The Duke did give me several letters he had received
from the fleet, and Sir W. Coventry and Sir W. Pen,
who are gone down thither for me to pick out some
works to be done for the setting out the fleet again;
and so I took them home with me, and was drawing
out an abstract of them till midnight. And as to
news, I do find great reason to think that we are
beaten in every respect, and that we are the losers.
1666.1
81
PEPYS'S DIARY.
The Prince upon the Galloper, where both the Royal
Charles and Royal Katharine had come twice aground,
but got off. The Essex carried into Holland; the
Swiftsure missing, Sir W. Barkeley, ever since the
beginning of the fight. Captains Bacon, Tearne,
Wood, Mootham, Whitty, and Coppin slain. The
Duke of Albemarle writes that he never fought with
worse officers in his life, not above twenty of them
behaving themselves like men. Sir William Clerke
lost his leg, and in two days died. The Loyal George,
Seven Oaks, and Swiftsure are still missing, and have
never, as the General writes himself, engaged with
them. It was as great an alteration to find myself
required to write a sad letter instead of a triumphant
one, to my Lady Sandwich this night, as ever on any
occasion I had in my life.
8th. To my very great joy, I find Balty come home
without any hurt, after the utmost imaginable danger
he hath gone through in the Henry, being upon the
quarter-deck with Harman all the time, and for which
service Harman I heard this day commended most
seriously and most eminently by the Duke of York.
As also the Duke did do most utmost right to Sir
Thomas Teddiman, of whom a scandal was raised, but
without cause, he having behaved himself most
eminently brave all the whole fight, and to extra-
ordinary great service and purpose, having given
Trump himself such a broadside as was hardly ever
82
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
1
given to any ship. Mings is shot through the face, and
into the shoulder, where the bullet is lodged. Young
Holmes is also ill wounded, and Atber in the Rupert.
Balty tells me the case of the Henry, and it was indeed
most extraordinary sad and desperate. After dinner
Balty and I to my office, and there talked a great deal
of this fight; and I am mightily pleased in him, and
have great content and hopes of his doing well.
Thence out to Whitehall, to a Committee for Tangier,
but it met not. But, Lord! to see how melancholy
the Court is under the thoughts of this last overthrow,
for so it is, instead of a victory, so much and so un-
reasonably expected. We hear the Swiftsure, Sir W.
Barkeley, is come in safe to the Nore, after her being
absent ever since the beginning of the fight, wherein
she did not appear at all from beginning to end.
9th. The Court is divided about the Swiftsure and
the Essex being safe; and wagers and odds laid on
both sides. Sir W. Coventry is come to town; so I to
his chamber. But I do not hear that he is at all
pleased or satisfied with the late fight; but he tells me
more news of our suffering, by the death of one or two
captains, more than I knew before. But he do give
over the thoughts of the safety of the Swiftsure or
Essex.
10th. (Lord's Day.) I met with Pierce, the surgeon,
who is lately come from the fleet, and tells me that all
the commanders, officers, and even the common seamen
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
*
83
:
do condemn every part of the late conduct of the Duke
of Albemarle both in his fighting at all, running
among them in his retreat, and running the ships on
ground; so as nothing can be worse spoken of. That
Holmes, Spragg, and Smith do all the business, and
the old and wiser commanders nothing: so as Sir
Thomas Teddiman, whom the King and all the world
speak well of, is mightily discontented, as being
wholly slighted. He says we lost more after the
Prince came than before, too. The Prince was so
maimed as to be forced to be towed home. He says all
the fleet confess their being chased home by the Dutch;
and yet the body of the Dutch that did it was not
above forty sail at most; and yet this put us into the
fright as to bring all our ships on ground.
He says,
however, that the Duke of Albemarle is as high almost
as ever, and pleases himself to think that he hath
given the Dutch their bellies full, without sense of
what he hath lost us; and talks how he knows now the
way to beat them. But he says that even Smith him-
self, one of his creatures, did himself condemn the late
conduct from the beginning to the end. He tells me,
further, how the Duke of York is wholly given up to
his new mistress, my Lady Denham, going at noon-
day with all his gentlemen with him to visit her in
Scotland Yard; she declaring she will not be his
mistress, as Mrs. Price, to go up and down the Privy
stairs, but will be owned publicly; and so she is. Mr.
84
[June,
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1
Brouncker, it seems, was the pimp to bring it about,
and my Lady Castlemaine, who designs thereby to
fortify herself by the Duke, there being a falling-out
the other day between the King and her. On this oc-
casion, the Queen, in ordinary talk before the ladies in
her drawing-room, did say to my Lady Castlemaine
that she feared the King did take cold by staying
so late abroad at her house. She answered, before
them all, that he did not stay so late abroad with her,
for he went betimes thence, though he do not before
one, two, or three in the morning, but must stay some-
where else. The King then coming in, and over-
hearing, did whisper in the ear aside, and told her she
was a bold, impertinent woman, and bid her to be gone
out of the Court, and not come again till he sent for
her; which she did presently, and went to a lodging
in the Pall Mall, and kept there two or three days,
and then sent to the King to know whether she might
send for her things away out of her house. The King
sent to her, she must first come and view them; and
so she come, and the King went to her, and all friends
again. He tells me she did, in her anger, say she
would be even with the King, and print his letters to
her; so, putting all together, we are, and are like to
be, in a sad condition. We are endeavouring to raise
money by borrowing it of the City; but I do not think
the City will lend a farthing. Sir G. Carteret and I
walked an hour in the churchyard, under Henry the
1666.7
85
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Seventh's Chapel, he being lately come from the fleet;
and tells me, as I hear from everybody else, that the
management in the late fight was bad, from top to
bottom; that several said that this would not have
been if my Lord Sandwich had had the ordering of it.
Nay, he tells me that certainly had my Lord Sand-
wich had the misfortune to have done as they have
done, the King could not have saved him. There is,
too, nothing but discontent among the officers; and all
the old, experienced men are slighted. He tells me, to
my question, but as a great secret, that the dividing of
the fleet did proceed first from a proposition from the
fleet, though agreed to hence; but he confesses it arose
from a want of due intelligence. He do, however,
call the fleet's retreat on Sunday a very honourable one,
and that the Duke of Albemarle did do well in it, and
it would have been well if he had done it sooner,
rather than venture the loss of the fleet and crown, as he
must have done, if the Princo had not come.
He was
surprised when I told him I heard that the King did
intend to borrow some money of the City, and would
know who had spoke of it to me; I told him Sir Ellis
Layton this afternoon. He says it is a dangerous dis-
course, for that the City certainly will not be invited
to do it; and then, for the King to ask it and be de-
nied will be the beginning of our sorrow.
He seems
to fear we shall all fall to pieces among ourselves.
This evening we hear that Sir Christopher Mings 18
ܘܕܫܣ 17
86
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
dead of his late wounds; and Sir W. Coventry did
commend him to me in a most extraordinary manner.
But this day, after three days' trial in vain, and the
hazard of the spoiling of the ship in lying till next
spring, besides the disgrace of it, news is brought that
the Loyal London is launched at Deptford.
11th. I, with my Lady Pen and her daughter, to see
Harman, whom we find lame in bed. His bones of
his ankle are broke, but he hopes to do well soon; and
a fine person, by his discourse, he seems to be; and he
·did plainly tell me that, at the council of war before
the fight, it was against his reason to begin the fight
then, and the reasons of most sober men there, the
wind being such, and we to windward, that we could
not use our lower tier of guns, which was a sad
thing for us to have the honour and weal of the nation
ventured so foolishly. Late comes Sir J. Bankes to
see me, who tells me that, coming up from Rochester,
he overtook three or four hundred seamen; and he be-
lieves every day they come flocking from the fleet in
like numbers; which is a sad neglect there, when it
will be impossible to get others; and we have little
reason to think these will return presently again.
Walking in the galleries at Whitehall, I find the
Ladies of Honour dressed in their riding garbs, with
coats and doubtlets with deep skirts, just for all the
world like mine; and buttoned their doubtlets up the
breast, with periwigs and with hats; so that, only for a
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
87
long petticoat dragging under their men's coats, no-
body could take them for women in any point what-
ever; which was an odd sight, and a sight did not
please me. It was Mrs. Wells and another fine lady
that I saw thus.
13th. Sir H. Cholmley tells me there are great jars
between the Duke of York and the Duke of Albemarle,
about the latter's turning out one or two of the com-
manders put in by the Duke of York. Among others,
Captain du Tell, a Frenchman, put in by the Duke of
York, and mightily defended by him; and is therein
led by Monsieur Blancford, that it seems hath the same
command over the Duke of York as Sir W. Coventry
hath; which raises ill blood between them. And I do,
in several little things, observe that Sir W. Coventry
hath of late, by-the-by, reflected on the Duke of
Albemarle and his captains, particularly in that of old
Teddiman, who did deserve to be turned out this fight,
and was so; but I heard Sir W. Coventry say that the
Duke of Albemarle put in one as bad as he is in his
room, and one that did as little. With Balty to
Hales's by coach. Here I find my father's picture
begun, and so much to my content, that it joys my
very heart to think that I should have his picture so
well done; who, besides that he is my father, and a
man that loves me, and hath ever done so, is also, at
this day, one of the most careful and innocent men in
the world. Invited to Sir Christopher Mings' funeral,
88
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
__
I
}
but find them gone to church. However, I into the
church, which is a fair large church, and a great
chapel, and there heard the service, and stayed till they
buried him, and then out; and there met with Sir
W. Coventry, who was there out of great generosity,
and no person of quality there but he, and went with
him into his coach; and, being in it with him, there
happened this extraordinary case-one of the most
romantic that ever I heard of in my life, and could not
have believed, but that I did see it; which was this:-
About a dozen able, lusty, proper men come to the
coach-side with tears in their eyes, and one of them
that spoke for the rest begun, and said to Sir W.
Coventry, "We are here a dozen of us, that have long
known and loved and served our dead commander, Sir
Christopher Mings, and have now done the last office
of laying him in the ground. We would be glad we
had any other to offer after him, and in revenge of him.
All we have is our lives; if you will please to get his
Royal Highness to give us a fire-ship among us all, here
are a dozen of us, out of all which choose you one to be
commander; and the rest of us, whoever he is, will serve
him; and, if possible, do that which shall show our
memory of our dead commander, and our revenge." Sir
W. Coventry was herewith much moved, as well as I,
who could hardly abstain from weeping, and took their
names, and so parted; telling me that he would move his
Royal Highness as in a thing very extraordinary, which
1666.]
89
PEPYS'S DIARY.
}
1
-
was done. The truth is, Sir Christopher Mings was
very stout man, and a man of great parts, and most
excellent tongue among ordinary men; and, as Sir W.
Coventry says, could have been the most useful man at
such a pinch of time as this. He was come into great
renown here at home, and more abroad, in the West
Indies. He had brought his family into a way of
being great; but, dying at this time, his memory and
name, his father being always, and at this day, a shoe-
maker, and his mother a hoyman's daughter, of which
he was used frequently to boast, will be quite forgot in
a few months as if he had never been, nor any of his
name be the better by it; he having not had time to
will any estate, but is dead poor rather than rich. So
we left the church and crowd. Walked to Mrs.
Bagwell's, and went into her house; but I was not a
little fearful of what she told me but now, which is
that her servant was dead of the plague, and that she
had new-
whitened the house all below stairs, but that
above stairs they are not so fit for me to go up to, they
being not so. So I parted thence, with a very good
will, but very civilly, and away to the water-side, and
sent for a pint of sack, and drank what I would, and
give the waterman the rest.
14th. With my wife and father to Hales's, and there
looked only on my father's picture, which is mighty
like; and so away to Whitehall, to a Committee for
Tangier, where the Duke of York was, and Sir W.
90
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[June,
Coventry, and a very full committee; and, instead of
having a very prejudiced meeting, they did, though
inclined against Yeabsly, yield to the greatest part of
his account, so as to allow of his demands to the value
of £7,000 and more, and only give time for him to
make good his pretence to the rest; which was mighty
joy to me and so we rose up. But I must observe
the force of money, which did make my Lord Ashley
to argue and behave himself in the business with the
greatest friendship, and yet with all the discretion
imaginable; and it will be a business of admonition
and instruction to me concerning him, and other men
too, for aught I know, as long as I live.
15th. Mr. Bland presented me yesterday with a very
fine African mat, to lay upon the ground under a bed
of state, being the first-fruits of our peace with Guy-
land. To the Exchequer, but could not persuade the
blockheaded fellows to do what I desire, of breaking
my great tallies into less, notwithstanding my Lord
Treasurer's order, which vexed me so much that I
would not bestow more time and trouble among a com-
pany of dunces. Creed come and dined with me; but,
Lord! to hear how he pleases himself in behalf of my
Lord Sandwich, in the miscarriage of the Duke of
Albemarle.
16th. The King, Duke of York, and Sir W. Coventry
are gone down to the fleet. To Woolwich and Dept-
ford, all the way down and up, reading of The Mayor
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
of Quinborough, a simple play. Comes Mr. William-
son, Sir Arthur Ingram, and Jack Fen, to see the new
ships, and a very fine gentleman Mr. Williamson is.
It seems, the Dutch do mightily insult of their vic-
tory, and they have great reason. Sir W. Barkeley
was killed before his ship taken; and there he lies
dead in a sugar-chest, for everybody to see, with his
flag standing up by him; and Sir George Ascue is
carried up and down the Hague for people to see.
17th. (Lord's Day.) To Christ Church, and there
heard a silly sermon. To Joyce's, where William
Joyce and his wife were, and had a good dinner; but,
Lord! how sick was I of the company; only hope I
shall have no more of it a good while; but am in-
vited to Will's this week; and his wifo, poor unhappy
woman! cried to hear mo say that I could not be there,
she thinking that I slight her so they got me to
promise to come. Down to the milk-house, and drank
three glasses of whey, and then up into the Strand
again.
18th. To the office, and so to Lombard Street, to
borrow a little money upon a tally, but cannot. To
my Lord Bellassis, by invitation, and there dined with
him, and his lady and daughter; and at dinner there
played to us a young boy, lately come from France,
where he had been learning a year or two on the violin,
and plays finely. But it was pretty to see how pas-
sionately my Lord's daughter loves music. Sir W.
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[June,
Coventry is returned this night from the fleet; he
being the activest man in the world, and we all, my-
self particularly, more afraid of him than of the King,
or his service, for aught I see; God forgive us! This
day the great news is come of the French, their taking
the island of St. Christopher's from us; and it is to be
feared they have done the like of all those islands
thereabouts: this makes me mad.
66
19th. I to Sir G. Carteret's by appointment; where,
I perceive by him, the King is going to borrow some
money of the City; but I fear it will do no good, but
hurt. He tells me how the General is displeased, and
there have been some high words between the General
and Sir W. Coventry. And it may be so; for I do
not find Sir W. Coventry so highly commending the
Duke as he used to be, but letting fall, now and then,
some little jerks: as this day, speaking of news from
Holland, he says, I find their victory begins to
shrink there, as well as ours here." Here I met with
Captain Cocke, and he tells me that the first thing the
Prince said to the King, upon his coming, was com-
plaining of the Commissioners of the Navy; that they
could have been abroad in three or four days but for
that we do not take care of them: which I am
troubled at, and do fear may, in violence, break out
upon this office some time or other; for we shall not
be able to carry on the business.
us;
20th. Up, but in some pain of the colic. I have of
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
93
late taken too much cold by washing my feet, and
going in a thin silk waistcoat, without any other coat
over it, and open-breasted. I did this morning give
my father some money to buy him a horse, and for
other things to himself and my mother and sister,
among them £20, which the poor man takes with
infinite kindness.
21st. Up, and at the office all the morning; where,
by several circumstances, I find Sir W. Coventry and
the Duke of Albemarle do not agree as they used to
do; Sir W. Coventry commending Aylett in some
reproach to the Duke, whom the Duke hath put out
for want of courage; and found fault with Steward,
whom the Duke keeps in, though as much in fault as
any commander in the fleet. At noon home to dinner
-my father, sister, and wife dining at Sarah Giles's,
poor woman! where I should have been, but my pride
would not suffor me. At Mr. Debasty's I saw, in a
gold frame, a picture of a fluter playing on his flute,
which, for a good while, I took for painting, but at
last observed it was a piece of tapestry, and is the
finest that ever I saw in my life for figures, and good,
natural colours, and a very fine thing it is indeed.
Sir George Smith tells me that this day my Lord
Chancellor, and some of the Court, have been with the
City, and that the City have voted to lend the King
£100,000; which, if soon paid, as he says he believes it
94
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
will, will be a greater service than I did ever expect at
this time from the City.
22nd. Up, and before I went out Mr. Peter Barr
sent me a tierce of claret, which is very welcome. All
day upon my Tangier accounts; my father, wife, and
sister late abroad on the water.
23rd. My father and sister very betimes took thoir
leave; and my wife with all possible kindness went
with them to the coach, I being mightily pleased with
their company so long, and my father with his being
here, and it rejoices my heart that I am in a condition
to do anything to comfort him, he is such innocent
company. To Tower Wharf, but could get no water-
men, they being now so scarce, by reason of the great
press; so to the Custom House, and there, with great
threats, got a couple to ferry me down to Deptford—
all the way reading Pompey the Great, a play trans-
lated from the French by several noble persons;
among others, my Lord Buckhurst; that to me is but a
mean play, and the words and sense not very extra-
ordinary. From Deptford I walked to Redriff, and in
my way was overtaken by Bagwell, lately come from
sea in the Providence, who did give me an account of
several particulars in the late fight, and how his ship
was deserted basely by the York, Captain Swanly
commander.
24th. (Lord's Day.) To Whitehall. There I hear that
Sir Francis Prujean is dead, after being married to a
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
95
widow about a year, or thereabouts. He died very rich,
and had, for the last year, lived very handsomely-his
lady bringing him to it. He was no great painstaker
in person, yet died very rich; and, as Dr. Clerke says,
was of a very great judgment, but hath writ nothing
to leave his name to posterity. In the gallery, among
others, met with Major Halsey, a great creature of the
Duke of Albemarle's; who tells me that the Duke, by
name, hath said that he expected to have the work
here up in the river done, having left Sir W. Batten
and Mr. Phipps there. He says that the Duke of
Albemarle do say that this is a victory we have had,
having, as he was sure, killed them 8,000 men, and
sunk about fourteen of their ships; but nothing lik
this appears true. He lays much of the little success
we have had, however, upon the fleet's being divided
by order from above, and the want of spirit in the
commanders; and that he was commanded, by order,
to go out of the Downs to the Gunfleet, and in the way
meeting the Dutch fleet, what should he do? Should
he not fight them, especially having beat them here-
tofore at a great disadvantage? He tells me further
that, having been down with the Duke of Albemarle,
he finds that Holmes and Spragge do govern most
business of the navy; and by others I understand
that Sir Thomas Allen is offended thereat, that he
is not so much advised with as he ought to be. He
tells me also, as he says, of his own knowledge, that
.96
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
P
several people, before the Duke went out, did offer to
supply the King with £100,000, provided he would be
treasurer of it, to see it laid out for the navy; which
he refused, and so it died; but I believe none of
this. This day I saw my Lady Falmouth, with whom
I remember now I have dined at my Lord Barkeley's
heretofore, a pretty woman; she was now in her
second or third mourning, and pretty pleasant in her
looks. By-and-by the Council rises, and Sir W.
Coventry come out; and he and I went aside, and dis-
coursed of much business of the navy; and afterwards
took his coach, and to Hyde Park he and I alone: there
wo had much talk. First, he started a discourse of a
lk he hears about the town, which, says he, is a very
bad one, and fit to be suppressed, if we knew how;
which is the comparing of the success of the last year
with that of this; saying that that was good, and that
bad. I was as sparing in speaking as I could, being
jealous of him and myself also, but wished it could be
stopped; but said I doubted it could not otherwise
than by the fleet's being abroad again, aud so finding
other work for men's minds and discourse. Then to
discourse of himself, saying that he heard that he was
under the lash of people's discourse about the Prince's
not having notice of the Dutch being out, and for him
to come back again, nor the Duke of Albemarle notice
that the Prince was sent for back again; to which he
told me very particularly how careful he was the very
1666.J
97
PEPYS'S DIARY.
same night that it was resolved to send for the Prince
back, to cause orders to be writ, and waked the Duke,
who was then in bed, to sign them; and that they
went by express that very night, being the Wednesday
night before the fight, which began on the Friday; and
that for sending them by the post express, and not
by gentlemen on purpose, he made a sport of it, and
said, "I knew of none to send it with, but would at
least have lost more time in fitting themselves out than
any diligence of theirs beyond that of the ordinary
post would have recovered." I told him that this was
not so much the town talk as the reason of dividing
the flect. To this he told me he ought not to say
much; but did assure me, in general, that the pro-
position did first come from the fleet; and the resolu-
tion not being prosecuted with orders so soon as the
General thought fit, the General did send Sir Edward
Spraggo up on purpose for them; and that there was
nothing in the whole business which was not done
with the full consent and advice of the Duke of
Albemarle. But he did add, as the Catholics call le
secret de la Messe, that Sir Edward Spragge-who had,
even in Sir Christopher Mings' time, put in to be the
great favourite of the Prince, but much more now had
a mind to be the great man with him, and to that end
had a mind to have the Prince at a distance from the.
Duke of Albemarle, that they might be doing some-
thing alone-did, as he believed, put on this business
98
[June,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
of dividing the fleet, and that thence it came. He
tells me, as to the business of intelligence, the want
whereof the world did complain much of, that for that
it was not his business; and as he was, therefore, to
have no share in the blame, so he would not meddle to
lay it anywhere else. That De Ruyter was ordered
by the States not to make it his business to come into
much danger, but to preserve himself, as much as was
fit, out of harm's way, to be able to direct the fleet.
He do, I perceive, with some violence, forbear saying
anything to the reproach of the Duke of Albemarle ;
but, contrarily, speaks much of his courage; but I do
as plainly see that he do not like the Duke of Albe-
marle's proceedings: but contrarily, is displeased
therewith. And he do plainly diminish the commanders
put in by the Duke, and do lessen the miscarriages of
any that have been removed by him. Ho concurs with
me that the next bout will be a fatal one to ono side or
other; because, if we be beaten, we shall not be able to
set out our fleet again. He do confess with me that
the hearts of our seamen are much saddened: and for
that reason, among others, wishes Sir Christopher
Mings was alive, who might inspire courage and
spirit into them. Speaking of Holmes, how great a
man he is, and that he do for the present, and hath
done all the voyage, keep himself in good order and
within bounds; but, says he, a cat will be a cat still,
and some time or other out his humours must break
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
99
again. He do not disown but that the dividing of the
fleet, upon the presumptions that were then had, which,
I suppose, was the French fleet being come this way,
was a good resolution. Having had all this discourse,
he and I back to Whitehall; and there I left him,
being in a little doubt whether I had behaved myself
in my discourse with the policy and circumspection
which ought to be used to so great a courtier as he is,
and so wise and factious a man; and by water home,
and so, after supper, to bed.
25th. News from Sir W. Coventry that the Dutch
are certainly come out. All this day on the water en-
tertained myself with the play of Comenius. Mrs.
Pen carried us to two gardens at Hackney, which I
every day grow more and more in love with, Mr.
Drake's one, where the garden is good, and house and
the prospect admirable; the other my Lord Brooke's,
where the gardens are much better, but the house not
so good, nor the prospect good at all. But the gardens
are excellent; and here I first saw oranges grow: some
green, some half, some a quarter, and some full ripe, on
the same tree; and one fruit of the same tree do come
a year or two after the other. I pulled off a little one
by stealth, the man being mightily curious of them, and
ate it, and it was just as other little green small
oranges are; as big as half the end of my little finger.
Here were also great variety of other exotic plants,
and several labyrinths, and a pretty aviary. This being
100
[June,
PEPYS S DIARY.
the first day of my putting on my black stuff bombazine
suit.
26th. In the morning come Mr. Chichly to Sir W.
Coventry, to tell him the ill success of the guns made
for the Loyal London; which is, that in the trial every
one of the great guns, the whole cannon of seven, as I
take it, broke in pieces.
↓
27th. To Sir W. Coventry's chamber, where I saw
his father my Lord Coventry's picture hung up, done
by Stone, who then brought it home. It is a good
picture, drawn in his judge's robes, and the great seal
by him. And, while it was hanging up, "This," says
Sir W. Coventry, merrily, "is the use we make of our
fathers." But what I observed most from the discourse
was this of Sir W. Coventry, that he do look upon our-
selves in a desperate condition. The issue of all stand-
ing upon this one point, that, by the next fight, if we
beat, the Dutch will certainly be content to take eggs
for their money, that was his expression; or, if we be
beaten, we must be contented to make peace, and glad
if we can have it without paying too dear for it. And
withal we do rely wholly upon the Parliament's giving
us more money the next sitting, or else we are undone.
To Mr. Hales's, to pay for my father's picture, which
cost me £10 the picture, and 25s. the frame. I did
this afternoon visit my Lord Bellassis, who professes
all imaginable satisfaction in me. My Lord is going
down to his garrison to Hull, by the King's command,
1666.]
101
PEPYS'S DIARY.
to put it in order for fear of an invasion: which course,
I perceive, is taken upon the sea-coasts round; for we
have a real apprehension of the King of France's in-
vading us.
28th. The Dutch are now known to be out, and we
may expect them every hour upon our coast.
But our
fleet is in pretty good readiness for them.
29th. To the office; where I met with a letter from
Dover, which tells me, and it come by express, that
news is brought over by a gentleman from Callice, that
the Dutch fleet, 130 sail, are come upon the French coast;
and that the country is bringing in pickaxes, and
shovels, and wheel-barrows into Callice; that there are
6,000 men armed on head, back, and breast, Frenchmen,
ready to go on board the Dutch fleet, and will be
followed by 1,200 more. That they pretend they are
come to Dover; and that thereupon the Governor of
Dover Castle is getting the victuallers' provisions out
of the town into the Castle to secure it. But I do think
this a ridiculous conceit; but a little time will show.
30th. Mightily troubled all this morning with going
to my Lord Mayor, Sir Thomas Bludworth, a silly man,
I think, and other places, about getting shipped some
men that they have these two last nights pressed in the
City out of the houses: the persons wholly unfit for
sea, and many of them poople of very good fashion,
which is a shame to think of, and carried to Bridewell
they are, yet without being impressed with money
102
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[June,
legally as they ought to be. But to see how the King's
business is done! My Lord Mayor himself did scruple,
at this time of extremity, to do this thing, because he
had not money to pay the pressed-money to the men;
he told me so himself; nor to take up boats to carry
them down through bridge to the ships I had prepared
to carry them down in: insomuch that I was forced to
promise to be his paymaster, and he did send his City
Remembrancer afterwards to the office; and at the table,
in the face of the officers, I did out of my own purse
disburse £15 to pay for their pressing, and diet last
night and this morning; which is a thing worth record
of my Lord Mayor. Busy about this all the morning,
and about the getting off men pressed by our officers of
the fleet into the service; even our own men that arc
at the office, and the boats that carry us. So that it is
now become impossible to have so much as a letter
carried from place to place, or any message done for
us; nay, out of victualling ships full laden to go down
to the fleet, and out of the vessels of the officers of the
Ordnance, they press men, so that for want of discipline
in this respect I do fear all will be undone. Late to
bed; and, while I was undressing myself, our new
ugly maid, Luce, had like to have broke her neck in the
dark, going down our upper stairs; but, which I was
glad of, the poor girl did only bruise her head, but at
first did lie on the ground groaning, and drawing her
breath like one a-dying.
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
103
July 1st. (Lord's day.) Comes Sir W. Pen to town,
which I little expected, having invited my Lady and
her daughter Peg to dine with me to-day; which at
noon they did, and Sir W. Pen with them; and pretty
merry we were. And though I do not love him, yet I
find it necessary to keep in with him; his good service
at Sheerness, in getting out the fleet, heing much taken
notice of, and reported to the King and Duke, even
from the Prince and Duke of Albemarle themselves,
and made the most of to me and them by Sir W.
Coventry; therefore, I think it discretion, great and
necessary discretion, to keep in with him. To the
Tower several times, about the business of the pressed
men, and late at it till twelve at night, shipping them.
But, Lord! how some poor women did cry; and in my
life I never did see such natural expression of passion
as I did here, in some women's bewailing themselves, and
running to every parcel of men that were brought, one
after another, to look for their husbands, and wept
over every vessel that went off, thinking they might be
there, and looking after the ship as far as ever they
could by moonlight, that it grieved me to the heart to
hear them. Besides, to see poor, patient labouring
men and housekeepers, leaving poor wives and families,
taken up on a sudden by strangers, was very hard, and
that without press-money, but forced against all law to
be gone. It is a great tyranny.
2nd. Up betimes, and forced to go to my Lord
104
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[July,
Mayor's, about the business of the pressed men; and,
indeed, I find him a mean man of understanding and
despatch of any public business. Thence, out of
curiosity, to Bridewell, to see the pressed men, where
there are about 300; but so unruly, that I durst not
go among them: and they have reason to be so,
having been kept these three days prisoners, with
little or no victuals, and pressed out, and, contrary to
all course of law, without press-money, and men that
are not liable to it. Here I met with prating Colonel
Cox, one of the City colonels, heretofore a great pres-
byter but to hear how the fellow did commend him-
self, and the service he do the King; and, like an ass,
at Paul's did take me out of my way on purpose to
show me the gate, the little north gate, where he had
two men shot close by him on each side, and his own
hair burnt by a bullet-shot, in the insurrection of
Venner, and himself escaped. Called by Peg Pen to
her house, where her father and mother, and Mrs.
Norton, the second Roxalana, a fine woman, indifferent
handsome, good body and hand, and good mind, and
pretends to sing, but do it not excellently. I found
one of the vessels laden with the Bridewell birds, in a
great mutiny, and they would not sail, not they; but
with good words, and cajoling the ringleader into the
Tower, where, when he was come, he was clapped up
in the hole, they were got very quietly; but I think
it is much if they do not run the vessel on ground.
1665.]
105
PEPYS'S DIARY.
3rd. Mr. Finch, one of the Commissioners of Excise,
and I walked two hours together in the garden;
talking of many things; sometimes of Mr. Povy,
whose vanity, prodigality, neglect of his business, and
committing it to unfit hands, hath undone him, and
ousted him of all his public employments, and the
thing set on foot by a revival of a business wherein
he had, three or four years ago, by surprise, got the
Duke of York to sign to having a sum of money paid
out of the Excise, before some that was due to him,
and now the money is fallen short, and the Duke
never likely to be paid. This being revived hath
undone Povy. Then we fell to discourse of the
Parliament, and the great men there; and among
others, Mr. Vaughan, whom he reports as a man of
excellent judgment and learning, but most passionate
and opiniastre. He had done himself the most wrong,
though he values it not, that is, the displeasure of the
King, in his standing so long against the breaking
of the Act for a triennial Parliament; but yet do
believe him to be a most loyal gentleman. He told
me Mr. Prin's character; that he is a man of mighty
labour and reading and memory, but the worst judge
of matters, or layer together of what he hath read, in
the world; which I do not, however, believe him in;
that he believes him very true to the King in his
heart, but can never be reconciled to Episcopacy; that
the House do not lay much weight upon him or
106
[July,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
anything he says. Settling my last month's accounts,
and, to my great joy, find myself worth about £5,600.
News came yesterday from Harwich that the Dutch
had appeared on our coast with their fleet, and, we
believo, did go to the Gun-fleet, and they are supposed
to be there now; but I have heard nothing of them
to-day. Yesterday, Dr. Whistler, at Sir W. Pen's,
told me that Alexander Broome, the great song-maker,
is lately dead.
4th. Thanks be to God! the plague is, as I hear,
increased but two this week; but in the country, in
several places, it rages mightily, and particularly in
Colchester, where it hath long been, and is believed
will quite depopulate the place. With the Duke, all
of us, discoursing about the places where to build ten
great ships: the King and Council have resolved on
none to be under third-rates; but it is impossible to
do it, unless we have more money towards the doing it
than yet we have in any view. But, however, the
show must be made to the world. In the evening, Sir
W. Pen came to me, and we walked together, and
talked of the late fight. I find him very plain that
the whole conduct of the late fight was ill; that two-
thirds of tho co nmanders of the whole fleet have told
him so they all saying that they durst not oppose it
at the council of war for fear of being called
cowards, though it was wholly against their judgment
to fight that day, with the disproportion of force; and
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
107
then, we not being able to use one gun of our lower
tier, which was a greater disproportion than the
other. Besides, we might very well have stayed in
the Downs without fighting, or anywhere else, till the
Prince could have come up to them; or, at least, till
the weather was fair, that we might have the benefit
of our whole force in the ships that we had. He says,
three things must be remedied, or else we shall be
undone by this fleet :-(1) That we must fight in a
line, whereas we fight promiscuously, to our utter and
demonstrable ruin: the Dutch fighting otherwise; and
we, whenever we beat them; (2) We must not desert
ships of our own in distress, as we did, for that makes
a captain desperate, and he will fling away his ship,
when there are no hopes left him of succour; (3)
That ships, when they are a little shattered, must not
take the liberty to come in of themselves, but refit
themselves the best they can, and stay out-many of
our ships coming in with very small disableness. He
told me that our very commanders, nay, our very flag-
officers, do stand in need of exercising among them-
selves, and discoursing the business of commanding a
fleet; he telling me that even one of our flag-men in
the fleet did not know which tack lost the wind, or
kept it, in the last engagement. He says, it was pure
dismaying and fear that made them all run upon the
Galloper, not having their wits about them; and that
it was a miracle they were not all lost. He much
108
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PEPYS'S DIARY.
f
inveighs upon my discoursing of Sir John Lawson's
saying heretofore that sixty sail would do as much as
one hundred; and says that he was a man of no
counsel at all, but had got the confidence to say as the
gallants did, and did propose to himself to make him-
self great by them, and saying as they did; but was
no man of judgment in his business, but hath been out
in the greatest points that have come before them.
And then, in the business of forecastles, which he did
oppose, all the world sees now the use of them for
shelter of men. He did talk very rationally to me,
insomuch that I took more pleasure this night in hear-
ing him discourse than I ever did in my life in any-
thing that he had said.
5th. At noon dined, and Mr. Shepley with me, who
came to town the other day. I lent him £30 in silver
upon 30 pieces in gold. But to see how apt everybody
is to neglect old kindnesses! I must charge myself
with the ingratitude of being unwilling to lend him
so much money without pawn, if he should have asked
it, but he did not.
6th. To the Tower, about shipping of some more
pressed men, and that done, away to Broad Street, to
Sir G. Carteret, who is at a pay of tickets all alone;
and I believe not less than one thousand people in the
streets. But it is a pretty thing to observe that, both
there and everywhere else, a man shall see many
women nowadays of mean sort in the streets, but no
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
109
men; men being so afraid of the press. I dined with
Sir G. Carteret, and after dinner had much discourse
about our public business; and he do seem to fear every
day more and more what I do; which is a general
confusion in the State; plainly answering me to the
question, Who is it that the weight of the war depends
upon? that it is only Sir W. Coventry. He tells me,
too, the Duke of Albemarle is dissatisfied, and that
the Duchess do curse Coventry as the man that betrayed
her husband to the sea: though I believe that it is not
80. Thence to Lumbard Street, and received £2,000,
and carried it home: whereof £1,000 in gold. This I
do for security sake, and convenience of carriage;
though it cost me above £70 the change of it at 183d.
per piece. Being at home, I there met with a letter
from Bab Allen, to invite me to be godfather to her
boy, with Mrs. Williams, which I consented to, but
know not the time when it is to be.
7th. Creed tells me he finds all things mighty dull
at Court; and that they now begin to lie long in bed;
it being, as we suppose, not seemly for them to be
found playing and gaming as they used to be; nor
that their minds are at ease enough to follow those
sports, and yet not knowing how to employ them-
selves; though there be work enough for their
thoughts and councils and pains, they keep long in
bed. But he thinks with me, that there is nothing in
the world can help us but the King's personal looking
110
PEPYS S DIARY.
[July,
after his business and his officers, and that with that
we may yet do well, but otherwise must be undone;
nobody at this day taking care of anything, nor hath
anybody to call him to account for it. To bed; and it
proved the hottest night that ever I was in in my life,
and thundered and lightened all night long, and rained
hard. But, Lord! to see in what fear I lay a good
while, hearing of a little noise of somebody walking in
the house so rang the bell, and it was my maids
going to bed about one o'clock in the morning. But
the fear of being robbed, having so much money in:
the house, was very great, and is still so, and do much
disquiet me.
8th (Lord's day.) To church-wife and Mercer and
I, in expectation of hearing some mighty preacher
to-day, Mrs. Mary Batelier sending us word to; but it
proved an ordinary silly lecturer, which made me
merry, and she laughed upon us to see her mistake. I
expected to have had news sent me of Knipp's
christening to-day; but, hearing nothing of it, I did:
not go, though I fear it is but their forgetfulness, and
so I may disappoint them. To church, after dinner,
again—a thing I have not done a good while before,
go twice in one day.
9th. To my office, where busy till come to by Lovett
and his wife. Home with them, and there find my
aunt Wight with my wife, come to take her leave of
her, being going for the summer into the country; and:
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
11
there was also Mrs. Mary Batelier and her sister,
newly come out of France-a black, very black woman,
but mighty good-natured people both, as ever I saw.
Here I made the black one sing a French song, which
she did mighty innocently, and then Mrs. Lovett play
on the lute, which she do very well; and then Mercer
and I sang; and so, with great pleasure, I left them,
having showed them my chamber and £1,000 in gold,
which they wondered at, and given them sweetmeats,
and shown my aunt Wight my father's picture, which
she admires.
10th. To the office; the yard being very full of
women, I believe above three hundred, coming to get
money for their husbands and friends that are
prisoners in Holland; and they lay clamouring, and
swearing, and cursing us, that my wife and I were
afraid to send a venison-pasty that we have for supper
to-night to the cook's to be baked for fear of their
offering violence to it: but it went and no hurt done.
To the Tower to speak with Sir John Robinson about
the bad condition of the pressed men for want of
clothes. Home, and there find my wife and the two
Mrs. Bateliers walking in the garden; and then they
and we, and Mrs. Mercer, the mother, and her daughter
Anne, and our Mercer, to supper to a good venison-
pasty, and other good things, and had a good supper,
and very merry-Mistress Bateliers being both very
good-humoured. We sang and talked, and then led
112.
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[July,
them home, and there they made us drink; and, among
other things, did show us, in cages, some birds brought
from Bordeaux, that are all fat, and, examining one
of them, they are so-almost all fat. Their name
is ortolans, which are brought over to the King for
him to eat, and indeed are excellent things.
11th. I away by coach to St. James's, and there hear
that the Duchess is lately brought to bed of a boy.
By-and-by called to wait on the Duke, the King
being present, and there agreed, among other things,
on the places to build the ten new great ships ordered
to be built; and as to the relief of prisoners in
Holland. And then about several stories of the base-
ness of the King of Spain's being served with officers,
they in Flanders having as good common men as any
Prince in the world, but th veriest cowards for the
officers, nay, for the general officers, as the General
and Lieutenant-General, in the whole world. But,
above all things, the King did speak most in contempt
of the ceremoniousness of the King of Spain, that he
do nothing but under some ridiculous form or other.
I shall get in near £2,000 into my own hands, which is
in the King's, upon tallies; which will be a pleasure to
me, and satisfaction to have a good sum in my own.
hands, whatever evil disturbances should be in the
State; though it troubles me to lose so great a profit
as the King's interest of teu per cont. for that money.
To the office. I there met with a command from my
1666.]
113
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Lord Arlington, to go down to a galliot at Greenwich,
by the King's particular command, that is going to
carry the Savoy envoy over, and we fear there may be
many Frenchmen then on board; and so I have a
power and command to search for, and seize, all that
have not passes from one of the Secretaries of State,
and to bring them and their papers in custody. So I
to the Tower, and got a couple of musketeers with me,
and Griffen and my boy Tom, and so down; and,
being come, found none on board but two or three
servants, looking to horses and dogs, there on board.
On shore at Greenwich, the night being late, and the
tide against us: so, having sent before, to Mrs.
Clerke's, and there had a good bed, and well received,
the whole people rising to see me.
12th. Up again by five o'clock, and away to the
Tower, and thence, having shifted myself, to St.
James's, to Goring House, there to wait on my Lord
Arlington, to give him an account of my night's work,
but he was not up, being not long since married; so,
after walking up and down the house below, being the
house I was once at Hartlib's sister's wedding, and is
a very fine house, and finely furnished; and then I
away to St. James's, and with Sir W. Coventry into
London, to the office. And all the way I observed
him mightily to make mirth of the Duke of Albemarle
and his people about him, saying that he was the
happiest man in the world for doing of great things
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PEPYS'S DIARY.
by sorry instruments; and so particularised in Sir
W. Clerke, and Riggs, and Halsey, and others; and
then again said that the only quality eminent in him
was, that he did persevere; and indeed he is a very
drudge, and stands by the King's business. And this
he said, that one thing he was good at-that he never
would receive an excuse if the thing was not done;
listening to no reasoning for it, be it good or bad.
And then he begun to say what a great man Warcupp
was, and something else, and what was that but a great
liar? and told me a story how at table he did-they
speaking about antipathies-say that a rose touching
his skin anywhere would make it rise and pimple;
and, by-and-by, the dessert coming, with roses upon it,
the Duchess bid him try, and they did; but they
rubbed and rubbed, but nothing would do in the
world, by which his lie was found. He spoke con-
temptibly of Holmes and his myrmidons, that come
to take down the ships from hence, and have carried
them without any necessaries, or anything almost, that
they will certainly be longer getting ready than if
they had stayed here. In fine, I do observe he hath no
esteem nor kindness for the Duke's matters, but,
contrarily, do slight him and them; and I pray God
the kingdom do not pay too dear by this jarring;
though this blockheaded Duke I did never expect
better from.
14th. Up betimes to the office, to write fair a
1666.]
115
PEPYS'S DIARY.
laborious letter I wrote as from the Board, to the
Duke of York, laying out our want of money again ;
and particularly the business of Captain Cocke's
tender of hemp, which my Lord Brouncker brought in,
under an unknown hand, without name, wherein his
Lordship will have no great success, I doubt. That
being done, I down to Thames Street, and there agreed
for four or five tons of cork, to send this day to the
fleet, being a new device to make barricadoes with
instead of junk. After a song in the garden, which
is now the greatest pleasure I take, and indeed do
please me mightily, to bed. This evening I had
Davila brought home to me, and find it a most ex-
cellent history as ever I read.
15th. (Lord's day.) To church, where our lecturer
made a sorry, silly sermon, upon the great point of
proving the truth of the Christian religion. Walked
to the Park, and there, it being mighty hot and I
weary, lay down by the canal upon the grass and slept
awhile, and was thinking of a lampoon which hath run
in my head this week, to make up the late fight at sea,
and the miscarriages there; but other businesses put
it out of my head, and so home, and there drank a
great deal of small beer; and so took up my wife and
Betty Michell and her husband, and away into the
fields to take the air as far as beyond Hackney, and so
back again, in our way drinking a great deal of milk,
which I drank to take away my heartburn. Home,
116
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[July
and to bed in some pain and fear of more.
In mighty
pain all night long, which I impute to the milk that I
drank upon so much beer, and the cold to my washing
my feet the night before.
16th. A wonderful dark sky, and shower of rain
this morning. At Harwich a shower of hail as big as
walnuts.
18th. To St. James's, after my fellows; and here,
among other things, before us all, the Duke of York
did say, that now at length he is come to a sure know-
ledge that the Dutch did lose in the late engagements
twenty-nine captains and thirteen ships. Upon which
Sir W. Coventry did publicly move, that, if his Royal
Highness had this of a certainty, it would be of use to
send this down to the fleet and to cause it to be spread
about the fleet, for the recovering of the spirits of the
officers and seamen; who are under great dejectedness,
for want of knowing that they did do anything against
the enemy, notwithstanding all that they did to us,
which, though it be true, yet methought was one of the
most dishonourable motions to our countrymen that
ever was made, and is worth remembering. Thence
with Sir W. Pen home, calling at Lilly's, to have a
time appointed when to be drawn among the other
Commanders of Flags in the last year's fight; and so
full of work Lilly is, that he was fain to take his table-
book out to see how his time is appointed, and ap-
pointed six days honce for him (Sir W. Pen), to come,
1666.]
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PEPYS'S DIARY.
between seven and eight in the morning. Thence
with him home; and there by appointment I find Dr.
Fuller, now Bishop of Limerick, in Ireland; whom I
knew in his low condition at Twittenham, and find the
Bishop the same good man as ever; and, in a word,
kind to us, and, methinks, one of the comeliest and
most becoming prelates in all respects that ever I saw
in my life. During dinner, comes an acquaintance of
his, Sir Thomas Littleton, whom I knew not while he
was in my house, but liked his discourse; and after-
wards, by Sir W. Pen, do come to know that he is one
of the greatest speakers in the House of Commons, and
the usual second to the great Vaughan: so was sorry
I did observe him no more, and gain no more of his
acquaintance. Walked to Woolwich, reading The
Rival Ladies all the way, and find it a most pleasant
and fine written play.
19th. Full of wants of money, and much stores to
buy, for to replenish the stores, and no money to do it
with. Balty takes his leave of us, he going towards
the fleet, where he will pass through one great engage-
ment more before he be two days older, I believe.
The floet is sailed this morning; God send us good
news of them!
21st. At noon walked in the garden with Com-
missioner Pett, newly come to town, who tells me how
infinite the disorders are among the commanders and
all officers of the fleet. No discipline; nothing
118
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PEPYS'S DIARY.
but swearing and cursing, and everybody doing what
they please; and the Generals, understanding no
better, suffer it, to the reproaching of this Board, or
whoever it will be. He himself hath been challenged
twice to the field, or something as good, by Sir
Edward Spragge and Captain Seamons. He tells me
that captains carry, for all the late orders, what men
they please. So that he fears, and I do no less, that
God Almighty cannot bless us while we keep in this
disorder that we are in; he observing to me, too, that
there is no man of council or advice in the fleet; and
the truth is, that the gentlemen-captains will undo us,
for they are not to be kept in order; their friends
about the King and Duke, and their own houses, are
so free, that it is not for any person but the Duke
himself to have any command over them.
22nd. (Lord's day). Walked to Whitehall, where
saw nobody almost, but walked up and down with
Hugh May, who is a very ingenious man. Among
other things, discoursing of the present fashion of
gardens to make them plain, that we have the best
walks of gravel in the world, France having none, nor
Italy; and our green of our bowling alleys is better
than any they have. So our business here being air,
this is the best way, only with a little mixture of
statues, or pots, which may be handsome, and so filled
with another pot of such or such a flower or green, as
the season of the year will bear. And then for flowers,
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
119
use.
they are best seen in a little plat by themselves, be-
sides, their borders spoil the walks of another garden;
and then for fruit, the best way is to have walls built
circularly one within another, to the south, on purpose
for fruit, and leave the walking garden only for that
Thence walked through the house, where most
people mighty hush, and, methinks, melancholy. I see
not a smiling face through the whole Court; and, in
my conscience, they are doubtful of the conduct again
of the Generals, and I pray God they may not make
their fears reasonable. Sir Richard Fanshaw is lately
dead, at Madrid. The fleet cannot get clear of the
river, but expect the first wind to be out, and then to
be sure to fight. The queen and maids of honour are
at Tunbridge.
23rd. Comes Simpson, the joiner; and he and I,
with great pains, contriving presses to put my books
up in; they now growing numerous, and lying upon
one another on my chairs, I lose the use to avoid the
trouble of removing them, when I would open a book.
All full of expectation of the fleet's engagement, but it
is not yet. Sir W. Coventry says they are eighty-nine
men-of-war; but one fifth-rate, and that the Sweep-
stukes, which carries forty guns. They are most
infinitely manned. He tells me the Loyal London,
Sir J. Smith, which, by-the-by, he commends to be
the best ship in the world, large and small, hath about
eight hundred men; and, moreover, takes notice,
120
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[July,
which is worth notice, that the fleet hath lain now near
fourteen days without any demand for a farthingsworth
of anything of any kind, but only to get men. He
also observes, that, with this excess of men, neverthe-
less, they have thought fit to leave behind them sixteen.
ships, which they have robbed of their men, which
certainly might have been manned, and they have been
serviceable in the fight, and yet the fleet well manned,
according to the excess of supernumeraries, which we
hear they have. At least, two or three of them might
have been left manned, and sent away with the Gotten-
burg ships. They conclude this to be much the best
fleet, for force of guns, greatness and number of ships
and men, that ever England did see; being, as Sir W.
Coventry reckons, besides those left behind, eighty-
nine men-of-war and twenty fire-ships, though we
cannot hear that they have with them above eighteen.
The French are not yet joined with the Dutch, which
do dissatisfy the Hollauders; and, if they should have
a defeat, will undo De Witt. The people generally of
Holland do hate this league with France.
25th. At Whitehall; we find the Court gone to
chapel, it being St. James's Day. And, by-the-by,
while they are at chapel, and we waiting chapel being
done, come people out of the park, telling us that the
guns are heard plainly. And so everybody to the
park, and by-and-by the chapel done, and the King
and Duke into the bowling-green, and upon the leads,
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
121
whither I went, and there the guns were plain to be
heard; though it was pretty to hear how confident
some would be in the loudness of the guns, which it
was as much as ever I could do to hear them. By-and-
by the King to dinner, and I waited there his dining;
but, Lord! how little I should be pleased, I think, to
have so many people crowding about me; and, among
other things, it astonished me to see my Lord Berk-
shire waiting at table, and serving the King drink, in
that dirty pickle as I never saw man in my life. Here
I met Mr. Williams, who would have me to dine where
he was invited to dine, at the Backstairs. So, after
the King's meat was taken away, we thither; but he
could not stay, but left me there among two or three of
the King's servants, where we dined with the meat
that come from his table; which was most excellent,
with most brave drink cooled in ice, which, at this hot
time, was welcome; and I drinking no wine, had
metheglin, for the King's own drinking, which did
please me mightily.
27th. To Whitehall. The waterman tells me that
news is come that our ship Resolution is burnt, and
that we had sunk four or five of the enemy's ships.
To Sir W. Coventry's lodging, and there he showed
me Captain Talbot's letter, wherein he says that the
fight begun on the 25th; that our White squadron
begun with one of the Dutch squadrons, and then the
Red with another-so hot, that we put them both to
122
[July
PEPYS'S DIARY.
}
*
giving way; and so they continued in pursuit all the
day, and as long as he stayed with them; that the
blow fell to the Zealand squadron; and, after a long
dispute, he, against two or three great ships, received
eight or nine dangerous shots, and so come away; and
says, he saw the Resolution burned by one of their
fire-ships, and four or five of the enemy's; but says
that two or three of our great ships were in danger of
being fired by our fire-ships, which Sir W. Coventry
and I cannot understand. But, upon the whole, he and
I walked two or three turns in the park under the
great trees, and do doubt that this gallant is come
away a little too soon, having lost never a mast nor
sail. And then we did begin to discourse of the
young genteel captains, which he was very free with
ine in speaking his mind of the unruliness of them;
and what a loss the King hath of his old men; and
now of this Hannam, of the Resolution, if he be dead.
He told me how he is disturbed to hear the commanders
at sca called cowards here on shore, and that he was
yesterday concerned publicly at a dinner to defeud
them against somebody that said that not above
twenty of them fought as they should do; and indeed,
it is derived from the Duke of Albemarle himself
who wrote so to the King and Duke, and that he told
them how they fought four days-two of them with
great disadvantage. The Count de Guiche, who was
on board De Ruyter writing his narrative home in
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
123
French of the fight, do lay all the honour that may be
upon the English courage above the Dutch, and that he
himself was sent down from the King and Duke of
York after the fight to pray them to spare none that
they thought had not done their parts, and that they
had removed but four, whereof Du Tell is one, of
whom he would say nothing; but, it seems, the Duke
of York hath been much displeased at his removal, and
hath now taken him into his service, which is a plain
affront to the Duke of Albemarle; and two of the
others, Sir W. Coventry did speak very slenderly of
their faults. Only the last, which was old Teddiman,
he says, is in fault, and hath little to excuse himself
with; and that therefore we should not be forward in
condemning men of want of courage, when the
Generals, who are both men of mettle, and hate
cowards, and had the sense of our ill-success upon
them, thought fit to remove no more of them, when
desired by the King and Duke of York to do it, with-
out respect to any favour any of them can pretend to
in either of them.
28th. To my Lord Lauderdale's house to speak with
him, and find him and his lady, and some Scotch
people, at supper: pretty odd company; though, my
Lord Brouncker tells me, my Lord Lauderdale is
a man of mighty good reason and judgment. But at
supper there played one of their servants upon the
violin some Scotch tunes only: several, and the best of
124
PEPYS'S DIARY:
[July,
their country, as they seemed to esteem them, by their
praising and admiring them; but, Lord! the strangest
air that ever I heard in my life, and all of one cast.
But strange to hear my Lord Lauderdale say himself
that he had rather hear a cat mew than the best music
in the world; and the better the music, the more sick
it makes him; and that of all instruments he hates the
lute most, and next to that the bagpipe.
29th. (Lord's day.) Before sermon was done at
church comes news by a letter to Sir W. Batten, to
my hand, of the late fight, which I sent to his house,
he at church. But, Lord! with what impatience I
stayed till sermon was done, to know the issue of the
fight, with a thousand hopes and fears and thoughts
about the consequences of either. At last sermon is
done, and he come home, and the bells immediately
rung soon as the church was done. But coming to
Sir W. Batten to know the news, his letter said
nothing of it, but all the town is full of a victory. By-
and-by a letter from Sir W. Coventry tells me that
we have the victory.
Beat them into the Weelings;
had taken two of their great ships; but, by the orders of
the Generals, they are burned. This being, methought,
but a poor result after the fighting of two so great
fleets, and four days having no tidings of them, I was
still impatient, but could know no more. I to Sir W.
Batten, where the Lieutenant of the Tower was, and
Sir John Minnes, and the news I find is what I had
1666.]
125
PEPYS'S DIARY.
heard before; only that our Blue squadron, it seems.
was pursued the most of the time, having more ships,
a great many, than its number allotted to its share.
Young Seymour is killed, the only captain slain. The
Resolution burned, but, as they say, most of her crew
and commander saved. This is all, only we keep the
sea, which denotes a victory, or, at least, that we are
not beaten; but no great matters to brag of, God
knows.
30th. To Sir W. Coventry, at St. James's, where I
find him in his new closet, which is very fine, and well
supplied with handsome books. I find him speak very
slightly of the late victory: dislikes their staying with
the fleet up their coast, believing that the Dutch will
come out in fourteen days, and then we, with our
unready fleet, by reason of some of the ships being
maimed, shall be in bad condition to fight them upon
their coast: is much dissatisfied with the great number
of men, and their fresh demands of twenty-four
victualling-ships, they going out the other day as full
as they could stow. He spoke slightly of the Duke of
Albemarle, saying, when De Ruyter came to give him a
broadside-" Now," says he, chewing of tobacco the
while, "will this fellow come and give me two broad-
sides, and then he shall run; but it seems he held
him to it two hours, till the Duke himself was forced to
retreat to refit, and was towed off, and De Ruyter
stayed for him till he came back again to fight. One
19
126
[July,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
""
in the ship saying to the Duke, “Sir, methinks De
Ruyter hath given us more than two broadsides."
Well," says the Duke, "but you shall find him run
by-and-by ; and so he did, said Sir W. Coventry; but
after the Duke himself had been first made to fall off.
The Resolution had all brass guns, being the same that
Sir J. Lawson had in her in the Straits. It is
observed, that the two fleets were even in number to
one ship.
Thence home, and to sing with my wife and Mercer
in the garden; and coming in, I find my wife plainly
dissatisfied with me, that I can spend so much time
with Mercer, teaching her to sing, and could never take
the pains with her, which I acknowledge; but it is
because that the girl do take music mighty readily, and
she do not, and music is the thing of the world that I
love most, and all the pleasure almost that I can now
take. So to bed, in some little discontent, but no
words from me.
.:
31st. The Court empty, the King being gone to
Tunbridge, and the Duke of York a-hunting. I had
some discourse with Povy, who is mightily dis-
contented, I find, about his disappointments at Court;
and says, of all places, if there be hell, it is here; no
faith, no truth, no love, nor any agreement between man
and wife, nor friends. He would have spoke broader,
but I put it off to another time; and so parted. Povy
discoursed with me about my Lord Peterborough s
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1666.]
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PEPYS'S DIARY.
to have a nobleman's mouth open against a man may
do a man hurt; so I endeavoured to have found him
out and spoke with him, but could not. So to the
chapel, and heard a piece of the Dean of Westminster's
sermon, and a special good anthem before the King,
after sermon. After dinner, with my wife and Mercer
to the Bear Garden, where I have not been, I think, of
many years, and saw some good sport of the bull's
tossing the dogs-one into the very boxes. But it is a
very rude and nasty pleasure. We had a great many
hectors in the same box with us, and one very fine went
into the pit, and played his dog for a wager; which
was a strange sport for a gentleman, where they
drank wine, and drank Mercer's health first, which I
pledged with my hat off. We supped at home, and
very merry. And then about nine to Mrs. Mercer's
gate, where the fire and boys expected us, and her son
had provided abundance of serpents and rockets; and
there mighty merry, my Lady Pen and Pegg going
thither with us, and Nan Wright, till about twelve at
night, flinging our fireworks, and burning one another,
and the people over the way. And, at last, our business
being most spent, we went into Mrs. Mercer's, and
there mighty merry, smutting one another with candle-
grease and soot, till most of us were like devils. And
that being done, then we broke up, and to my house;
and there I made them drink, and upstairs we went,
and then fell into dancing, W. Batelier dancing well;
132
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[August,
and dressing, him and I, and one Mr. Banister, who,
with my wife, came over also with us, like women;
and Mercer put on a suit of Tom's, like a boy, and
mighty mirth we had, and Mercer danced a jig; and
Nan Wright and my wife and Pegg Pen put on peri-
wigs. Thus we spent till three or four in the morning,
mighty merry; and then parted, and to bed.
15th. Mighty sleepy; slept till past eight of the
clock, and was called up by a letter from Sir W.
Coventry, which, among other things, tells me how we
have burned one hundred and sixty ships of the enemy
within the Fly. I up, and with all possible haste, and
in pain for fear of coming late, it being our day of at-
tending the Duke of York, to St. James's, where they
are full of the particulars; how they are generally good
merchant-ships, some of them laden and supposed rich
ships. We spent five fire-ships upon them. We
landed on the Schelling, Sir Philip Howard with some
men, aud Holmes, I think, with others, about 1,000 in
all, and burned a town; and so come away. By-and-
by the Duke of York, with his books, showed us the
very place and manuer, and that it was not our design
and expectation to have done this, but only to have
landed on the Fly, and burned some of their stores,
but, being come in, we spied those ships, and with our
long boats, one by one, fired them, our ships running
all aground, it being so shoal water. We were led to
this by, it seems, a renegade captain of the Hollanders,
+
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
133
who found himself ill-used by De Ruyter for his good
service, and so come over to us, and hath done us good
service; so that now we trust him, and he himself did
go on this expedition. The service is very great, and
our joys as great for it. All this will make the Duke
of Albemarle in repute again, I doubt. Down the river,
reading The Adventures of Five Hours, which, the
more I read, the more I admire. The guns of the
Tower going off, and there being bonfires also in the
street for this late good success.
16th. This day Sir W. Batten did show us at the
Table a letter from Sir T. Allen, which says that we
have taken ten or twelve ships since the late great
expedition of burning their ships and town, laden with
hemp, flax, tar, deals, &c. This was good news, but
by-and-by comes in Sir G. Carteret, and he asked
us with full mouth what we would give for good news.
Says Sir W Batten, "I have better than you, for a
wager." They laid sixpence, and we that were by were
to give sixpence to him that told the best news. So
Sir W. Batten told his of the ten or twelve ships. Sir
G. Carteret did then tell us that, upon the news of the
burning of the ships and town, the common people of
Amsterdam did besiege De Witt's house, and he was
forced to flee to the Prince of Orange, who is gone to
Cleve, to the marriage of his sister. This we concluded
all the best news, and my Lord Brouncker and myself
did give Sir G. Carteret our sixpence apiece, which he
134
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[August
did give Mr. Smith to give to the poor. Thus we
made ourselves mighty merry.
17th. With Captain Erwin, discoursing about the
East Indies, where he hath often been. And, among
other things, he tells me how the King of Siam seldom
goes out without thirty or forty thousand people with
him, and not a word spoke, nor a hum or cough in the
whole company to be heard. He tells me the punish-
ment frequently there for malefactors is cutting off the
crown of their head, which they do very dexterously,
leaving their brains bare, which kills them presently.
He told me, what I remember he hath once done here-
tofore, that everybody is to lie flat down at the coming
by of the king, and nobody to look upon him upon
pain of death. And that he and his fellows, being
strangers, were invited to see the sport of taking a wild
elephant, and they did only kneel, and look towards
the king. Their druggerman did desire them to fall
down, for otherwise he should suffer for their contempt
of the king. The sport being ended, a messenger
comes from the king, which the druggerman thought
had been to take away his life, but it was to inquire
how the strangers liked the sport. The druggerman
answered, that they did cry it up to be the best that ever
they saw, and that they never heard of any prince so
great in everything as this king. The messenger being
gone back, Erwin and his company asked their drug-
german what he had said, which he told them. "But
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
135
why," they say, "would you say that without our leave,
it being not true ?". "It makes no matter for that,"
says he ;
I must have said it, or have been hanged,
for our king do not live by meat, nor drink, but by
having great lies told him." In our way back we
come by a little vessel that came into the river this
morning, and says she left the fleet in Sole Bay, and
that she hath not heard, she belonging to Sir W. Jen-
nings in the fleet, of any such prizes taken as the tem
or twelve I inquired about, and said by Sir W. Batten
yesterday to be taken, so I fear it is not true. I had
the good fortune to see Mrs. Stewart, who is grown a
little too tall, but is a woman of most excellent features,
The narrative of the late expedition in burning the
ships is in print, and makes it a great thing; and I
hope it is so. Sir Richard Ford did, very understand-
ingly, methought, give us an account of the original of ·
the Hollands Bank, and the nature of it, and how they
do never give any interest at all to any person that.
brings in their money, though what is brought in upon
the public faith interest is given by the State for..
The unsafe condition of a bank under a monarch, and
the little safety to a monarch to have any, or corpora-
tion alone, as London in answer to Amsterdam, to have
so great a wealth or credit, it is, that makes it hard to
have a bank here. And, as to the former, he did tell
us how it sticks in the memory of most merchants how
the late King, when, by the war between Holland and
Lalle
136
[August,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
France and Spain all the bullion of Spain was brought
hither, one-third of it to be coined; and, indeed, it was
found advantageous to the merchant to coin most of it,
was persuaded in a strait by my Lord Cottington to
seize upon the money in the Tower, which, though in
a few days the merchants concerned did prevail to get
it released, yet the thing will never be forgot. Sir
John Minnes come home to-night, not well, from Chat-
ham, where he hath been at a pay, holding it at Upnor
Castle, because of the plague so much in the town of
Chatham. He hath, they say, got an ague, being so
much on the water.
20th. To Deptford by water, reading Othello, Moor
of Venice, which I heretofore esteemed a mighty good
play; but having so lately read The Adventures of
Five Hours, it seems a mean thing. All the afternoon
upon my Tangier accounts, getting Tom Wilson to
help me in writing as I read; and I find myself right
to a farthing, in an account of £127,000. I visited Sir
J. Minnes, who is much impatient by this few days'
sickness, and I fear indeed it will kill him.
21st. Mr. Batelier told me how, being with some
others at Bordeaux, making a bargain with another
man at a tavern for some clarets, they did hire a
fellow to thunder, which he had the art of doing, upon
a deal board, and to rain and hail, that is, make the
noise of, so as did give them a pretence of under-
valuing their merchants' wines, by saying this thunder
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
137
would spoil and turn them, which was so reasonable to
the merchant, that he did abate two pistoles per tun
for the wine, in belief of that.
22nd. I to St. James's, and there with the Duke of
York. I had opportunity of much, talk with Sir W.
Pen to-day, he being newly come from the fleet; and
he do much undervalue the honour that is given to the
conduct of Holmes in burning the ships and town,
saying it was a great thing indeed, and of great profit
to us in being of great loss to the enemy, but that it
was wholly a business of chance. Mrs. Knipp tells
me my song of "Beauty Retire" is mightily cried
up, which I am not a little proud of, and do think I
have done "It is Decreed" better, but I have not
finished it. My closet is doing by an upholsterer,
which I am pleased with, for fear my purple will be
too sad for that melancholy room. My wife, Knipp,
and Mercer by coach to Moorfields, and there saw
Polichinello, which pleases me mightily.
23rd. Sir W. Coventry sent me word that the
Dutch fleet is certainly abroad, and so we are to
hasten all we have to send to our fleet with all speed.
But, Lord! to see how my Lord Brouncker under-
takes the despatch of the fire-ships, when he is no
more fit for it than a porter; and all the while Sir W.
Pen, who is the most fit, is unwilling to displease
him, and do not look after it; and so the King's
work is like to be well done.
138
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[August,
26th (Lord's Day.) I was a little disturbed with
news my Lord Brouncker brought me, that we are to
attend the King at Whitehall this afternoon, and that
it is about a complaint from the Generals against us.
Sir W. Pen and I by coach to Whitehall, and there
stayed till the King and Cabinet met in the Green
Chamber, and then we were called in, and there the
King began with me, to hear how the victuals of
the fleet stood. I did, in a long discourse, tell him
and the rest, the Duke of York, Lord Chancellor, Lord
Treasurer, both the Secretaries, Sir G. Carteret, and
Sir W. Coventry, how it stood, wherein they seemed
satisfied, but press mightily for more supplies; and
the letter of the Generals, which was read, did lay
their not going, or too soon returning from the Dutch
coast, this next bout, to the want of victuals. They
then proceeded to the inquiry after the fire-ships, and.
did all very superficially, and without any severity at
all. But, however, I was in pain, after we came out,
to know how I had done, and hear, well enough; but,
however, it shall be a caution to me to prepare myself
against a day of inquisition. Being come out, I met
with Mr. Moore; and he and I an hour together in the
Gallery, telling me how far they are gone in getting
my Lord Sandwich's pardon, so as the Chancellor is
prepared in it; and Sir H. Bennet do promote it, and
the warrant for the King's signing is drawn. The
business between my Lord Hinchingbroke and Mrs.
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
139
Mallet is quite broke off; he attended her at Tun-
bridge, and she declaring her affections to be settled;
and he not being fully pleased with the vanity and
liberty of her carriage. Thence to discourse of the
times; and he tells me he believes both my Lord
Arlington and Sir W. Coventry, as well as my Lord
Sandwich and Sir G. Carteret, have reason to fear,
and are afraid, of this Parliament now coming on.
He tells me that Bristoll's faction is getting ground
apace against my Lord Chancellor. He told me that
my Lord Coventry was a cunning, crafty man, and
did make as many bad decrees in Chancery as any
man; and that, in one case,
that occasioned many
years' dispute, at last when the King came in,
it was hoped, by the party grieved, to get my
Lord Chancellor to reverse a decree of his. Sir W.
Coventry took the opportunity of the business between
the Duke of York and the Duchess, and said to my
Lord Chancellor that he had rather be drawn up
Holborn to be hanged than live to see any decree of
his father's reversed; and so the Chancellor did not
think fit to do it. But it still stands, to the undoing
of one Norton, a printer, about his right to the printing
of the Bible, and Grammar, &c. Sir J. Minnes had
a very bad fit this day, and a hiccup do take him,
which is a very bad sign.
27th. Sir G. Carteret tells me what is done about
my Lord's pardon, and is not for letting the Duke
140
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[August,
of York know anything of it beforehand, but to
carry it as speedily and quietly as we can. He seems
to be very apprehensive that the Parliament will
be troublesome and inquisitive into faults; but seems
not to value them as to himself.
28th. At noon I, with my wife and Mercer, to Phil-
pot Lane, a great cookshop, to the wedding of Mr.
Longracke, our purveyor, a civil man, and hath married
a sober, serious maid. Here I met much ordinary com-
pany, I going thither at his great request; but there
was Mr. Madden and his lady, a fine, noble, pretty lady,
and he a fine gentleman seems to be. We four were
most together, but the whole company was very simple
and innocent. After dinner, the young women went to
dance; among others, Mr. Christopher Pett his
daughter, who is a very pretty, modest girl. I am
mightily taken with her. That being done, we broke
up mighty civilly, the bride and bridegroom going to
Greenwich. They keeping their dinner here only for
my sake. To the office, and anon, on a sudden, called
to meet Sir W. Pen and Sir W. Coventry, who did
read mo a letter from the Generals to the King, a most
scurvy letter, reflecting most upon him, and then upon
me for my accounts, not that they are not true, but
that we do not consider the expense of the flect; and
then upon the whole office, in neglecting them and the
King's service, and this in very plain, and sharp, and
1666.]
141
PEPYS'S DIARY.
menacing terms. But a great supply must be made,
·
and shall be, in grace of God!
29th. To St. James's, and there Sir W. Coventry
took Sir W. Pen and me apart, and read to us his
answer to the Generals' letter to the King, that he read
last night; wherein he is very plain, and states the
matter in full defence of himself, and of me with
him, which he could not avoid; which is a good com-
fort to me, that I happened to be involved with him in
the same cause. And then, speaking of the supplies
which have been made to this fleet, more than ever in
all kinds to any, even that wherein the Duke of York
himself was, “Well,” says he, "if this will not do, I
will say, as Sir J. Falstaff did to the Prince, “Tell
your father, that if he do not like this, let him kill the
next Piercy himself."
September 1st. My wife and I to Polichinello, but
were there horribly frighted to see young Killigrew
come in, with a great many more young sparks: but
we hid ourselves, so as we think they did not see us.
2nd. (Lord's Day.) Some of our maids sitting up
late last night to get things ready against our feast
to-day, Jane called us up about three in the morning
to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City; so I
rose and slipped on my nightgown and went to her
window, and thought it to be on the back side of Marke
Lane at the farthest; but being unused to such fires as
followed, I thought it far enough off, and so went to
142
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[September
bed again and to sleep. About seven, rose again to
dress myself, and there looked out at the window, and
saw the fire not so much as it was, and further off. So
to my closet to set things to rights after yesterday's
cleaning. By-and-by Jane comes and tells me that she
hears that above three hundred houses have been
burned down to-night by the fire we saw, and that it is
now burning down all Fish Street, by London Bridge.
So I made myself ready presently, and walked to the
Tower, and there got up upon one of the high places,
Sir J. Robinson's little son going up with me, and
there I did see the houses at that end of the bridge all
on fire, and an infinite great fire on this and the other
side the end of the bridge, which, among other people,
did trouble me for poor little Michell and our Sarah
on the bridge. So down, with my heart full of trouble,
to the Lieutenant of the Tower, who tells me that it
begun this morning in the King's baker's house in
Pudding Lane, and that it hath burned down St.
Magnus's Church and most part of Fish Street already.
So I down to the water-side, and there got a boat, and
through bridge, and there saw a lamentable fire.
Poor Michell's house, as far as the Old Swan, already
burned that way, and the fire running further, that, in
a very little time, it got as far as the Steele-yard while
I was there. Everybody endeavouring to remove
their goods, and flinging into the river, or bringing
them into lighters that lay off; poor people staying in
1666.]
143
PEPYS'S DIARY.
their houses as long as till the very fire ou 'hed them,
and then running into boats, or clambering from one
pair of stairs by the water-side to another. And,
among other things, the poor pigeons, I perceive, were
loth to leave their houses, but hovered about the
windows and balconies, till they burned their wings
and fell down. Having stayed, and in an hour's time
seen the fire rage every way, and nobody, to my sight,
endeavouring to quench it, but to remove their goods,
and leave all to the fire, and having seen it get as far
as the Steele-yard, and the wind mighty high, and
driving it into the City: and everything, after so long
a drought, proving combustible, even the very stones
of churches; and, among other things, the poor steeple
by which pretty Mrs.
lives, and whereof my
old schoolfellow Elborough is parson, taken fire in
the very top, and there burned till it fell down. I to
Whitehall, with a gentleman with me, who desired to
go off from the Tower to see the fire in my boat, and
there up to the King's closet in the Chapel, where
people came about me, and I did give them an account
dismayed them all, and word was carried in to the
King. So I was called for, and did tell the King and
Duke of York what I saw, and that, unless his
Majesty did command houses to be pulled down,
nothing could stop the fire. They seemed much
troubled, and the King commanded me to go to my
Lord Mayor from him, and command him to spare no
144
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
houses, but to pull down before the fire every way.
The Duke of York bid me tell him that if he would
have any more soldiers he shall, and so did my Lord
Arlington afterwards as a great secret. Here meeting
with Captain Cocke, I in his coach, which he lent me,
and Creed with me to Paul's; and there walked along
Watling Street, as well as I could, every creature
coming away laden with goods to save, and here and
there sick people carried away in beds. Extraordinary
good goods carried in carts and on backs. At last
met my Lord Mayor in Canning Street, like a man
spent, with a hankercher about his neck. To the
King's message he cried like a fainting woman,
'Lord! what can I do? I am spent: people will not
obey me. I have been pulling down houses, but the
fire overtakes us faster than we can do it." That he
needed no more soldiers, and that, for himself, he must
go and refresh himself, having been up all night. So
he left me and I him, and walked home, seeing people
almost distracted, and no manner of means used to
quench the fire. The houses, too, so very thick there-
abouts, and full of matter for burning, as pitch and
tar, in Thames Street; and warehouses of oil, and
wines, and braudy, and other things. Here I saw Mr.
Isaac Houblon, the handsome man, prettily dressed
and dirty at his door at Dowgate, receiving some of
his brother's things, whose houses were on fire, and, as
he says, have been removed twice already; and he
J
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
145
doubts, as it soon proved, that they must be in a little
time removed from his house also, which was a sad
consideration. And to see the churches all filling with
goods by people who themselves should have been
quietly there at this time. By this time it was about
twelve o'clock; and so home, and there find my
guests, who were Mr. Wood and his wife Barbary
Shelden, and also Mr. Moone, she mighty fine, and her
husband, for aught I see, a likely man. But Mr.
Moone's design and mine, which was to look over my
closet, and please him with the sight thereof, which he
hath long desired, was wholly disappointed; for we
were in great trouble and disturbance at this fire, not
knowing what to think of it. However, we had an
extraordinary good dinner, and as merry as at this
time we could be. While at dinner, Mrs. Batelier
came to inquire after Mr. Woolfe and Stanes, who, it
seems, are related to them, whose houses in Fish
Street are all burned, and they in a sad condition.
She would not stay in the fright. Soon as dined, I
and Moone away, and walked through the City, the
strects full of nothing but people, and horses and carts
laden with goods, ready to run over one another, and
removing goods from one burned house to another.
They now removing out of Canning Street, which
received goods in the morning, into Lumbard Street,
and further; and among others I now saw my
little goldsmith Stokes receiving some friend's goods,
146
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
whose house itself was burned the day after. We
parted at Paul's, he home and I to Paul's Wharf,
where I had appointed a boat to attend me, and took in
Mr. Carcasse and his brother, whom I met in the
street, and carried them below and above bridge too.
And again to see the fire, which was now got further,
both below and above, and no likelihood of stopping it.
Met with the King and Duke of York in their barge,
and with them to Queenhithe, and there called Sir
Richard Browne to them. Their order was only to
pull down houses apace, and so below bridge at
the water-side; but little was or could be done, the
fire coming upon them so fast. Good hopes there was
of stopping it at the “ Three Cranes " above, and at
Botolph's Wharf below bridge, if care be used; but
the wind carries it into the City, so as we know not,
by the water-side, what it do there. River full of
lighters and boats taking in goods, and good goods
swimming in the water; and only I observed that
hardly one lighter or boat in three that had the goods
of a house in, but there was a pair of virginals in it.
Having seen as much as I could now, I away to White-
hall by appointment, and there walked to St. James's
Park, and there met my wife and Creed, and Wood
and his wife, and walked to my boat; and there upon
the water again, and to the fire up and down, it still
increasing and the wind great. So near the fire as we
could for smoke; and all over the Thames, with one's
1666.J
PEPYS'S DIARY.
147
faces in the wind, you were almost burned with a
shower of fire-drops. This is very true: so as houses
were burned by these drops and flakes of fire, three or
four, nay, five or six houses, one from another. When
we could endure no more upon the water, we to a little
alehouse on the bankside, over against the "Three
Cranes," and there stayed till it was dark almost, and
saw the fire grow; and as it grew darker appeared
more and more; and in corners and upon steeples, and
between churches and houses, as far as we could see
up the hill of the City, in a most horrid, malicious,
bloody flame, not like the fine flame of an ordinary
fire. Barbary and her hand away before us.
We
stayed till, it being darkish, we saw the fire as only
one entire arch of fire from this to the other side the
bridge, and in a bow up the hill for an arch of above a
mile long it made me weep to see it. The churches,
houses, and all on fire, and flaming at once; and a
horrid noise the flames made, and the cracking of
houses at their ruin. So home with a sad heart, and
there find everybody discoursing and lamenting the
fire; and poor Tom Hater came with some few of his
goods saved out of his house, which was burned upon
Fish Street Hill. I invited him to lie at my house,
and did receive his goods, but was deceived in his
lying there, the news coming every moment of the
growth of the fire, so as we were forced to begin to
pack up our own goods, and prepare for their removal ;
148
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
and did by moonshine, it being brave, dry, and moon-
shine and warm weather, carry much of my goods into
the garden; and Mr. Hater and I did remove my
money and iron chests into my cellar, as thinking that
the safest place. And got my bags of gold into my
office ready to carry away, and my chief papers of
accounts also there, and my tallies into a box by them-
selves. So great was our fear that Sir W. Batten hath
carts come out of the country to fetch away his goods
this night. We did put Mr. Hater, poor man, to bed a
little; but he got but very little rest, so much noise
being in my house taking down of goods.
3rd. About four o'clock in the morning my Lady
Batten sent me a cart to carry away all my money, and
plate, and best things, to Sir W. Rider's, at Bednall
Green, which I did, riding myself in my nightgown,
in the cart; and Lord! to see how the streets and the
highways are crowded with people running and riding,
and getting of carts at any rate to fetch away things.
I find Sir W. Rider tired with being called up all
night, and receiving things from several friends. His
house full of goods, and much of Sir W. Batten's and
Sir W. Pen's. I am eased at my heart to have my
treasure so well secured. Then home, and with much
ado to find a way, nor any sleep all this night to me
nor my poor wife. But then all this day she and I and
all my people labouring to get away the rest of our
things, and did get Mr. Tooker to get me a lighter to
1666.j
PEPYS'S DIARY.
149
take them in, and we did carry them, myself some,
over Tower Hill, which was by this time full of
people's goods, bringing their goods thither: and down
to the lighter, which lay at the next quay, above the
Tower Dock. And here was my neighbour's wife, Mrs.
with her pretty child, and some few of her
things, which I did willingly give way to be saved with
mine but there was no passing with anything through
the postern, the crowd was so great. The Duke of
York came this day by the office, and spoke to us, and
did ride with his guard up and down the City to keep
all quiet, he being now General, and having the care
of all. This day, Mercer being not at home, but
against her mistress's order gone to her mother's, and
my wife going thither to speak with W. Hewer, beat
her there, and was angry, and her mother saying that
she was not a 'prentice girl, to ask leave every time
she goes abroad, my wife with good reason was angry;
and, when she came home, did bid her begone again.
And so she went away, which troubled me, but yet less
than it would, because of the condition we are in, in
fear of coming in a little time to being less able to
keep one in her quality. At night, lay down a little
upon a quilt of W. Hewer's in the office, all my own
things being packed up or gone; and after me, my
poor wife did the like, we having fed upon the remains
of yesterday's dinner, having no fire nor dishes, nor
any opportunity of dressing anything.
150
[September
PEPYS S DIARY.
4th. Up by break of day, to get away the remainder
of my things, which I did by a lighter at the Iron
gate, and my hands so full, that it was the afternoon
before we could get them all away. Sir W. Pen and
I to the Tower Street, and there met the fire burning,
three or four doors beyond Mr. Howell's, whose goods,
poor man, his trays, and dishes, shovels, &c., were
flung all along Tower Street in the kennels, and people
working wherewith from one end to the other, the fire
coming on in that narrow street, on both sides, with
infinite fury. Sir W. Batten, not knowing how to
remove his wine, did dig a pit in his garden, and laid
it in there; and I took the opportunity of laying all
the papers of my office that I could not otherwise dis-
pose of. And in the evening Sir W. Pen and I did
dig another, and put our wine in it; and I my Par-
mesan cheese, as well as my wine and some other
things. The Duke of York was at the office this day,
at Sir W. Pen's, but I happened not to be within.
This afternoon, sitting melancholy with Sir W. Pen in
our garden, and thinking of the certain burning of this
office, without extraordinary means, I did propose for
the sending up of all our workmen from the Woolwich
and Deptford yards, none whereof yet appeared, and
to write to Sir W. Coventry to have the Duke of
York's permission to pull down houses, rather than lose
this office, which would much hinder the King's busi-
ness. So Sir W. Pen went down this night, in order
1666.]
151
PEPYS'S DIARY.
to the sending them up to-morrow morning; and 1
wrote to Sir W. Coventry about the business, but re-
ceived no answer. This night, Mrs. Turner, who, poor
woman, was removing her goods all this day, good
'goods, into the garden, and knows not how to dispose
of them, and her husband supped with my wife and
me at night, in the office, upon a shoulder of mutton
from the cook's without any napkin, or anything, in a
sad manner, but were merry. Only now and then,
walking into the garden, saw how horribly the sky
looks, all on a fire in the night, was enough to put us
out of our wits; and, indeed, it was extremely dread-
ful, for it looks just as if it was at us, and the whole
heaven on fire. I after supper walked in the dark
down Tower Street, and there saw it all on fire, at the
Trinity House on that side, and the Dolphin Tavern
on this side, which was very near us, and the fire with
extraordinary vehemence. Now begins the practice of
blowing up of houses in Tower Street, those next the
Tower, which at first did frighten people more than
anything; but it stopped the fire where it was done,
it bringing down the houses to the ground in the same
places they stood, and then it was easy to quench what
little fire was in it, though it kindled nothing almost.
W. Hewer this day went to see how his mother did
and comes late home, telling us how he hath been forced
to remove her to Islington, her house in Pye Corner
being burned; so that the fire has got so far that way,
152
[September
PEPYS'S DIARY.
and to the Old Bailey, and was running down to Fleet
Street; and Paul's is burned, and all Cheapside. I
wrote to my father this night, but the post-house being
burned, the letter could not go.
5th. I lay down in the office again upon W. Hewer's
quilt, being mighty weary, and sore in my feet with
going till I was hardly able to stand. About two in
the morning my wife calls me up, and tells me of new
cries of fire, it being come to Barking Church, which
is the bottom of our lane. I up, and finding it so,
resolved presently to take her away, and did, and took
my gold, which was about £2,350, W. Hewer, and Jane
down by Proundy's boat to Woolwich; but, Lord!
what a sad sight it was by moonlight, to see the
whole city almost on fire, that you might see it as plain
at Woolwich as if you were by it. There, when I
came, I find the gates shut, but no guard kept at all,
which troubled me, because of discourses now bogun,
that there is a plot in it, and that the French had done
it. I got the gates open, and to Mr. Shelden's, where I
locked up my gold, and charged my wife and W.
Hewer never to leave the room without one of them in
it, night or day. So back again, by the way seeing my
goods well in the lighters at Deptford, and watched
well by people. Home, and whereas I expected to
have seen our house on fire, it being now about seven
o'clock, it was not. But to the fire, and there find
greater hopes than I expected, for my confidence of
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
153
finding our office on fire was such, that I durst not ask
anybody how it was with us, till I came and saw it
was not burned. But, going to the fire, I find, by the
blowing up of houses and the great help given by the
workmen out of the King's yards, sent up by Sir W.
Pen, there is a good stop given to it, as well at Marke
Lane end as ours, it having only burned the dial of
Barking Church, and part of the porch, and was there
quenched. I up to the top of Barking steeple, and
there saw the saddest sight of desolation that ever I
saw; everywhere great fires, oil-cellars, and briinstone,
and other things burning. I became afraid to stay
there long, and therefore down again as fast as I could,
the fire being spread as far as I could see; and to Sir
W. Pen's, and there ate a piece of cold meat, having
eaten nothing since Sunday but the remains of
Sunday's dinner. Here I met with Mr. Young and
Whistler; and, having removed all my things, and
received good hopes that the fire at our end is
stopped, they and I walked into the town, and find
Fenchurch Street, Gracious Street, and Lumbard
Street all in dust. The Exchange a sad sight, nothing
standing there, of all the statues or pillars, but Sir
Thomas Gresham's picture in the corner. Into Moore-
fields, our feet ready to burn, walking through the
town among the hot coals, and find that full of people,
and poor wretches carrying their goods there, and
everybody keeping his goods together by themselves,
154
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[September,
and a great blessing it is to them that it is fair weather
for them to keep abroad night and day; drunk there,
and paid twopence for a plain penny loaf. Thence
homeward, having passed through Cheapside and
Newgate Market, all burned; and seen Anthony
Joyce's house on fire; and took up, which I keep by
me, a piece of glass of the Mercer's Chapel in the
street, where much more was, so melted and buckled
with the heat of the fire like parchment. I also did
see a poor cat taken out of a hole in a chimney, joining
to the wall of the Exchange, with the hair all burned
off the body, and yet alive. So home at night, and
find there good hopes of saving our office; but great
endeavours of watching all night, and having men
ready, and so wo lodged them in the office, and had
drink and bread and cheese for them. And I lay down
and slept a good night about midnight, though,
when I rose, I heard that there had been a great alarm
of French and Dutch being risen, which proved nothing.
But it is a strange thing to see how long this time did
look since Sunday, having been always full of variety of
actions, and little sleep, that it looked like a week or
more, and I had forgot almost the day of the week.
6th. Up about five o'clock, and met Mr. Gauden at
the gate of the office, I intending to go out, as I used,
every now and then to-day, to see how the fire is, to
call our men to Bishopsgate, where no fire had yet
been near, and there is now one broke out, which did
1666. I
155
PEPYS'S DIARY.
give great grounds to people, and to me too, to think
that there is some kind of plot in this, on which many
by this time have been taken, and it hath been
dangerous for any stranger to walk in the streets, but
I went with the men, and we did put it out in a little
time, so that that was well again. It was pretty to
see how hard the women did work in the kennels,
sweeping of water: but then they would scold for
drink, and be as drunk as devils. I saw good butts of
sugar broke open in the street, and people give and take
handfuls out, and put into beer and drink it. And
now all being pretty well, I took boat, and over to
Southwarke, and took boat on the other side the bridge,
and so to Westminster, thinking to shift myself, being
all in dirt from top to bottom, but could not there
find any place to buy a shirt or a pair of gloves. West-
minster Hall being full of people's goods, those in
Westminster having removed all their goods, and the
Exchequer money put into vessels to carry to Nonsuch,
but to the "Swan," and there was trimmed; and then to
Whitehall, but saw nobody, and so home. A sad
sight to see how the river looks: no houses nor church
near it, to the Temple, where it stopped. At home,
did go with Sir W. Batten, and our neighbour
Knightly, who, with one more, was the only man of
any fashion left in all the neighbourhood thereabouts,
they all removing their goods, and leaving their houses
to the mercy of the fire. To Sir R. Ford's, and there
1
156
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
dined in an earthen platter-a fried breast of mutton;
a great many of us, but very merry, and indeed as good
a meal, though as ugly a one as ever I had in my life.
Thence down to Deptford, and there with great
satisfaction landed all my goods at Sir G. Carteret's
safe, and nothing missed I could see or hear. This
being done to my great content, I home, and to Sir W.
Batten's, and there with Sir R. Ford, Mr. Knightly,
and one Withers, a professed lying rogue, supped
well, and mighty merry, and our fears over. From
them to the office, and there slept with the office full
of labourers, who talked, and slept, and walked all
night long there. But strange it is to see Cloth workers'
Hall on fire these three days and nights in one body of
flame, it being the cellar full of oil.
7th. Up by five o'clock, and, blessed be God! find
all well, and by water to Pane's Wharf. Walked
thence, and saw all the town burned, and a miserable
sight of Paul's Church, with all the roofs fallen,
and the body of the choir fallen into St. Fayth's; Paul's
School also, Ludgate, and Fleet Street. My father's
house, and the church, and a good part of the Temple
the like. So to Creed's lodging, near the New Ex-
change, and there find him laid down upon a bed, the
house all unfurnished, there being fears of the fire's
coming to them. There borrowed a shirt of him, and
washed. To Sir W. Coventry at St. James's, who lay
without curtains, having removed all his goods; as the
1666.]
157
PEPYS S DIARY.
King at Whitehall, and everybody had done, and was
doing. He hopes we shall have no public distractions
upon this fire, which is what everybody fears, because
of the talk of the French having a hand in it. And it
is a proper time for discontents; but all men's minds
are full of care to protect themselves and save their
goods. The Militia is in arms everywhere. Our
fleets, he tells me, have been in sight one of another,
and most unhappily by foul weather were parted, to
our great loss, as in reason they do conclude, the
Dutch being come out only to make a show, and pleaso
their people, but in a very bad condition as to stores,
victuals, and men. They are at Boulogne, and our
fleet come to St. Ellen's. We have got nothing, but
have lost ono ship, but he knows not what. Thence to
the "Swan," and there drank; and so home, aud find
all well. My Lord Brouncker, at Sir W. Batten's,
tells us the General is sent for up, to come to adviso
with the King about business at this juncture, and to
keep all quiet, which is great honour to him, but I am
sure is but a piece of dissimulation. So home, and did
give orders for my house to be made clean; and then
down to Woolwich, and there find all well. Dined,
and Mrs. Markham come to see my wife. This day
our merchants first met at Gresham College, which, by
proclamation, is to be their Exchange. Strange to
hear what is bid for houses all up and down here, a
friend of Sir W. Rider's having £150 for what he
158
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
used to let for £40 per annum. Much dispute where
the Custom House shall be, thereby the growth of the
City again to be foreseen. My Lord Treasurer, they
say, and others, would have it at the other end of the
town. I home late to Sir W. Pen's, who did give me
a bed, but without curtains or hangings, all being
down. So here I went the first time into a naked bed,
only my drawers on, and did sleep pretty well, but
still both sleeping and waking had a fear of fire in my
heart, that I took little rest. People do all the world
over cry out of the simplicity of my Lord Mayor in
general, and more particularly in this business of the
fire, laying it all upon him. A proclamation is come
out for markets to be kept at Leadenhall and Mile End
Green, and several other places about the town; and
Tower Hill, and all churches to be set open to receive
poor people.
8th. I stopped with Sir G. Carteret to desire him to
go with us, and to inquire after money.
But the first
he cannot do, and the other as little, or says, when
we can get any, or what shall we do for it?" He, it
seems, is employed in the correspondence between the
City and the King every day, in settling of things. I
find him full of trouble, to think how things will go.
I left him, and to St. James's, where we met first at
Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and there did what busi-
ness we could, without any books. Our discourse, as
everything else, was confused. The fleet is at Ports-
+6
1666.]
159
PEPYS'S DIARY.
mouth, there staying a wind to carry them to the
Downs, or towards Boulogne, where they say the
Dutch fleet is gone, and stays. We concluded upon
private meetings for a while, not having any money to
satisfy any people that may come to us. I bought two
eels upon the Thames, cost me six shillings. Thence
with Sir W. Batten to the Cockpit, whither the Duke
of Albemarle is come. It seems the King holds him so
necessary at this time that he hath sent for him, and
will keep him here. Indeed, his interest in the City,
being acquainted, and his care in keeping things quiet,
is reckoned that, wherein he will be very serviceable.
We to him he is courted in appearance by everybody.
He is very kind to us, and I perceive he lays by all
business of the fleet at present, and minds the City,
and is now hastoning to Gresham College, to discourse
with the Alderman. Sir W. Batten and I home,
where met my brother John, come to town to see how
things are done with us, and then presently he with
me to Gresham College, where infinity of people,
partly through novelty to see the now place, and partly
to find out and hear what is become one man of another.
I met with many people undone, and more that have
extraordinary great losses. People speaking their
thoughts variously about the beginning of the fire, and
the rebuilding of the City. Then to Sir W. Batton's,
and took my brother with me, and there dined with a
great company of neighbours, and much good discourse,
160
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
among others, of the low spirits of some rich men in
the City, in sparing any encouragement to the poor
people that wrought for the saving their houses.
Among others, Alderman Starling, a very rich man,
without children, the fire at next door to him in our
lane, after our men had saved his house, did give
2s. 6d. among thirty of them, and did quarrel with
some that would remove the rubbish out of the way of
the fire, saying that they came to steal. Sir W.
Coventry told me of another this morning in Holborn,
which he showed the King: that when it was offered
to stop the fire near his house for such a reward that
came to but 2s. 6d. a man, among the neighbours, he
would give but Is. 6d. Thence to Bednall Green by
coach, my brother with me, and saw all well there, and
fetched away my journal-book, to enter for five days
past. I was much frighted and kept awake in my
bed, by some noise I heard a great while below stairs ;
and the boy's not coming up to me when I knocked.
It was by their discovery of some people stealing of
some neighbour's wine that lay in vessels in the streets.
So to sleep; and all well all night.
9th. (Sunday.) Up, and was trimmed, and sent my
brother to Woolwich to my wife, to dine with her. I
to church, where our parson made a melancholy but
good sermon; and many and most in the church cried,
specially the women. The church mighty full, but
few of fashion, and most strangers. I walked to
1
1666.]
161
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Bethnal Green, and there dined well, but a bad venison
pasty, at Sir W. Rider's. Good people they are, and
good discourse, and his daughter, Middleton, a fine
woman, discreet. Thence home, and to church again,
and there preached Dean Harding; but, methinks, a
bad, poor sermon, though proper for the time; nor
eloquent, in saying at this time that the city is re-
duced from a large folio to a decimo-tertio. So to my
office, there to write down my journal and take leave
of my brother, whom I send back this afternoon,
though raining, which it hath not done a good while
before. But I had no room or convenience for him
here till my house was fitted; but I was very kind
to him, and do take very well of him his journey. I
did give him 40s. for his pocket, and so, he being
gone, and it presently raining, I was troubled for
him, though it is good for the fire. Anon to Sir
W. Pen's to bed, and made my boy Tom to read me
asleep.
10th. All the morning clearing our cellars, and
breaking in pieces all my old lumber, to make room,
and to prevent fire. And then to Sir W. Batten's and
dined; and there hear that Sir W. Rider says that the
town is full of the report of the wealth that is in his
house, and he would be glad that his friends would
provide for the safety of their goods there. This
made me get a cart, and thither, and there brought
my money all away. Took a hackney-coach myself,
162
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
the hackney-coaches now standing at Aldgate. Much
wealth, indeed, there is at his house. Blessed be God!
I got all mine well thence and lodged it in my office,
but vexed to have all the world see it, and with Sir W.
Batten, who would have taken away my hands before
they were stowed. By-and-by comes brother Balty
from sea, which I was glad of; and so got him and Mr.
Tooker and the boy to watch with them all in the
office all night, while I went down to my wife to
Woolwich.
11th. By water with my gold, and laid it with the
rest in my office. In the evening, at Sir W. Pen's, at
supper: he in a mad, ridiculous, drunken humour;
and it seems there have been some late distances
between his lady and him, as my wife tells me. After
supper I home, and with Mr. Hater, Gibson, and Tom
alone, got all my chests and money into the further
cellar with much pains, but great content to me when
done. So very late and weary to bed.
12th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen
to St. James's by water, and there did our usual busi-
ness with the Duke of York.
13th. Up, and down to Tower Wharf, and there,
with Balty and labourers from Deptford, did get my
goods housed well at home. So down to Deptford
again to fetch the rest, and there ate a bit of dinner at
the Globe with the master of the Bezan with me, while
the labourers went to dinner. Here I hear that this
1666.]
163
PEPYS'S DIARY.
poor town do bury still of the plague seven or eight
in a day. So to Sir G. Carteret's to work, and there
did to my content ship off in the Bezan all the rest
of my goods, saving my pictures and fine things, that
I will bring home in wherries when the house is fit to
receive them; and so home and unload them by carts
and hands before night, to my exceeding satisfaction,
and so after supper to bed in my house, the first time
I have lain there, and lay with my wife in my old
closet upon the ground, and Balty and his wife in the
best chamber upon the ground also.
14th. Up and to work, having carpenters come to
help in setting up bedsteads and hangings, and at that
trade my people and I all the morning, till pressed by
public business to leave them against my will in the
afternoon, and yet I was troubled at being at home, to
see all my goods lie up and down in the house in a bad
condition, and strange workmen going to and fro
might take what they would almost. All the afternoon
busy; and Sir W. Coventry came to me, and found me,
as God would have it, in my office, and people about
me setting my papers to rights, and there discoursed
about getting an account ready against the Parliament,
and thereby did create me infinity of business, and to
be done on a sudden, which troubled me, but however,
he being gone I about it late, and to good purpose.
And so home, having this day also got my wine out of
the ground again, and set it in my cellar, but with
164
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[September,
great pain to keep the porters that carried it in from
observing the money chests there.
15th. Captain Cocke says he hath computed that the
rents of the houses lost by this fire in the City comes
to £600,000 per annum; that this will make the Parlia-
ment more quiet than otherwise they would have been,
and give the King a more ready supply; that the
supply must be by excise, as it is in Holland; that the
Parliament will see it necessary to carry on the war;
that the late storm hindered our beating the Dutch
fleet, who were gone out only to satisfy the people,
having no business to do but to avoid us; that the
French, as late in the year as it is, are coming; that
the Dutch are really in bad condition, but that this
unhappiness of ours do give them heart; that there
was a late difference between my Lord Arlington and
Sir W. Coventry about neglect in the latter to send
away an express of the other's in time; that it came
before the King, and the Duke of York concerned
himself in it; but this fire hath stopped it. The
Dutch fleet is not gone home, but rather to the North,
and so dangerous to our Gottenburgh fleet. That the
Parliament is likely to fall foul upon some persons,
and, among others on the Vice-Chamberlain, though,
we both believe, with little ground. That certainly
never so great a loss as this was borno so well by
citizens in the world, he believing that not one
merchant upon the 'Change will break upon it. That
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
165
he does not apprehend there will be any disturbance in
State upon it, for that all men are busy in looking
after their own business to save themselves. He gone,
I to finish my letters, and home to bed, to find, to my
infinite joy, many rooms clean, and myself and wife
lie in our own chamber again. But much terrified in
the nights, nowadays, with dreams of fire, and falling
down of houses.
17th. Up betimes, and shaved myself after a week's
growth: but, Lord! how ugly I was yesterday, and
how fine to-day! By water, seeing the City all the
way-a sad sight indeed, much fire being still in.
Sir W. Coventry was in great pain lest the French
fleet should be passed by our fleet, who had notice
of them on Saturday, and were preparing to go meet
them; but their minds altered, and judged them
merchant-men; when, the same day, the Success,
Captain Ball, made their whole fleet, and came to
Brighthelmstone, and thence at five o'clock afternoon,
Saturday, wrote Sir W. Coventry news thereof, so
that we do much fear our missing them. Here came
in and talked with him, Sir Thomas Clifford, who ap-
pears a very fine gentleman, and much set by at Court
for his activity in going to sca, and stoutness every-
where, and stirring up and down.
10
18th. This day the Parliament met, and adjourned
till Friday, when the King will be with them.
19th. To St. James's, and did our usual business
166
[September
PEPYS'S DIARY.
before the Duke of York, which signified little, our
business being only complaints of lack of money.
Here I saw a bastard of the late King of Sweden's
come to kiss his hands, a mighty modish, French-like
gentleman. Thence to Whitehall, with Sir W.
Batten and Sir W. Pen, to Wilkes's, and there did
hear many stories of Sir Henry Wood, about Lord
Norwich drawing a tooth at a health. Another time,
he, and Pinchback, and Dr. Goffe, now a religious man,
Pinchback did begin a frolic to drink out of a glass
with a toad in it: he did it without harm. Goffe,
who knew sack would kill the toad, called for sack;
and, when he saw it dead, says he, "I will have a
quick toad, and will not drink from a dead toad.”
By that means, no other being to be found, he escaped
the health.
20th. The fleet is come into the Downs. Nothing
done, nor French fleet seen: we drove all from our
anchors. But Sir G. Carteret says news is come that
De Ruyter is dead, or very near it, of a hurt in his
mouth, upon the discharge of one of his own guns,
which put him into a fever, and he likely to die, if not
already dead.
21st. The Parliament meet to-day, and the King to
be with them. At the office, about our accounts,
which now draw near the time they should be ready,
the House having ordered Sir G. Carteret, upon his
ordering them, to bring them in on Saturday next.
1666.]
167
PEPYS'S DIARY.
i
23rd. (Lord's day.) Mr. Wayth and I by water to
Whitehall, and there at Sir G. Carteret's lodgings
Sir W. Coventry met, and we did debate the whole
business of our accounts to the Parliament, where it
appears to us that the charge of the war from Sep-
tember 1st, 1664, to this Michaelmas, will have been
but £3,200,000; and we have paid, in that time, some-
what about £2,200,000, so that we owe above £900,000,
but our method of accounting, though it cannot, I
believe, be far wide from the mark, yet will not abide
a strict examination if the Parliament should be
troublesome. Here happened a pretty question of Sir
W. Coventry, whether this account of ours will not put
my Lord Treasurer to a difficulty to tell what is become
of all the money the Parliament have given in this time
for the war, which hath amounted to about £4,000,000,
which nobody there could answer; but I perceive they
did doubt what his answer could be.
24th. Up and down to look for Sir W. Coventry,
and at last found him and Sir G. Carteret with the
Lord Treasurer at Whitehall, consulting how to make
up my Lord Treasurer's general account, as well as
that of the Navy particularly.
25th. With all my people to get the letter writ over
about the Navy's accounts, and by coach to my Lord
Brouncker's, and got his hand to it, and then to the
Parliament House, and got it signed by the rest, and
hen delivered it at the House door to Sir Philip
168
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Warwick, Sir G. Carteret being gone into the House
with his book of accounts under his arm, to present to
the House. All night still mightily troubled in my
sleep, with fires and houses pulling down.
26th. By coach home, calling at Bennett's, our late
mercer, who is come into Covent Garden to a fine
house, looking down upon the Exchange, and I per-
ceive many Londoners every day come; and Mr.
Pierce hath let his wife's closet, and the little blind
bedchamber, and a garrot, to a silk-man for £50 fine,
and £30 per annum, and £40 per annum more for
dieting the master and two apprentices. By Mr.
Dugdale I hear the great loss of books in St. Paul's
Churchyard, and at their Hall also, which they value
at about £150,000, some booksellers being wholly un-
done, and among others, they say, my poor Kirton.
And Mr. Crumlum, all his books and household stuff
burned, they trusting to St. Faith's, and, the roof of
the church falling, broke the arch down into the lower
church, and so all the goods burned. A very great loss.
His father hath lost above £1,000 in books, one book
newly printed, a Discourse, it seems, of Courts. Here
I had the hap to see my Lady Denham, and at night
went into the dining-room, and saw several fino ladies,
among others, Castlemaine, but chiefly Denham again,
and the Duke of York, taking her aside and talking to
her in the sight of all the world, all alone, which was
strange, and what I also did not like. Here I met
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
169
with good Mr. Evelyn, who cries out against it, and
calls it bickering, for the Duke of York talks a little
to her, and then she goes away, and then he follows her
again like a dog. He observes that none of the nobility
come out of the country at all, to help the King, or
comfort him, or prevent commotions at this fire, but do
as if the King were nobody, nor ne'er a priest comes
to give the King and Court good counsel, or to com-
fort the poor people that suffer: but all is dead,
nothing of good in any of their minds. He bemoans it,
and says he fears more ruin hangs over our heads. My
wife tells me that she hath bought a gown of 15s. a
yard; the same, before her face, my Lady Castlemaine
this day bought also, which I seemed vexed for, though
I do not grudge it her, but to incline her to have Mercer
again. Our business was tendered to the House to-
day, and a Committee of the whole House chosen to
examine our accounts, and a great many Hotspurs in-
quiring into it. Sir W. Pen proposes his and my
looking out into Scotland about timber, and to use
Pett there; for timber will be a good commodity this
time of building the City. Our fleet abroad, and the
Dutch too, for all we know—the weather very bad, and
under the command of an unlucky man, I fear. God
bless him, and the fleet under him!
27th. A very furious blowing night all the night;
and my mind still mightily perplexed with dreams,
and burning the rest of the town; and waking in much
170
[September,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
pain for the fleet. I to look out Penny, my tailor, to
speak for a cloak and cassock for my brother, who is
coming to town: and I will have him in a canonical
dress, that he may be the fitter to go abroad with me.
To Sir W. Coventry's, and there dined with him and
Sir W. Batten, the Lieutenant of the Tower, and Mr.
Thin, a pretty gentleman, going to Gottenburgh. No
news of the fleet yet, but that they went by Dover on
the 25th towards the Gun-fleet: but whether the Dutch
be yet abroad or no we hear not. De Ruyter is not
dead, but like to do well. Most think that the gross
of the French fleet are gone home again.
28th. Comes the bookbinder to gild the backs of my
books. Sir W. Pen broke to me a proposition of his
and my joining in a design of fetching timber and deals
from Scotland, by the help of Mr. Pett upon the place,
which, while London is building, will yield good money.
approve it.
I
29th. Sir W. Coventry and I find, to our great joy,
that the wages, victuals, wear and tear, cast by the
medium of the men, will come to above £3,000,000;
and that the extraordinaries, which all the world will
allow us, will arise to more than will justify the ex-
pense we have declared to have been at since the war,
viz., £320,000.
30th. (Lord's Day.) Up and to church, where I have
not been a good while, and there the church infinitely
thronged with strangers, since the fire came into our
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
171
parish, but not one handsome face in all of them, as if,
indeed, there was a curse, as Bishop Fuller heretofore
said, upon our parish. Here I saw Mercer come into
the church, but she avoided looking up. Home, and a
good dinner; and then to have my hair cut against
winter close to my head, and then to church again. A
sorry sermon, and away home. This month ends with
my mind full of business and concernment how this
office will speed with the Parliament, which begins to be
mighty severe in the examining our accounts, and the
expense of the navy this war.
October 1st. All the morning at the office, getting
the list of all the ships and vessels employed since the
war, for the Committee of Parliament.
2nd. Sir G. Carteret tolls me how our lists are re-
ferred to a sub-committee to consider and examine,
and that I am ordered to be there. By-and-by the
Committee met, and appointed me to attend them to-
morrow to examine our lists.
3rd. Waked betimes, mightily troubled in mind,
and in the most true trouble that I ever was in my
life, saving in the business last year of the East India
prizes. So up, and by-and-by, by eight o'clock, comes
Birch the first with the list and books of accounts
delivered in. He calls me to work, and there he and
I begun; when by-and-by comes Garraway, the first
time I ever saw him, and Sir W. Thompson, and Mr.
Boscawen. Thoy to it, and I did make shift to
172
[October,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
answer them better than I expected. Sir W. Batten,
Lord Brouncker, and W. Pen come in, but presently
went out, and J. Minnes came in and said two or three
words from the purpose but to do hurt; and so away
he went also, and left me all the morning with them
alone to stand or fall. After dinner to work again,
only the Committee and I, till dark night; and it
ended with good peace and much seeming satisfaction,
but I find them wise and reserved, and instructed to
hit all our blots.
4th. To Sir G. Carteret, and there discoursed much
of the want of money, and our being designed for de-
Istruction. How the King hath lost his power, by sub-
mitting himself to this way of examining his accounts,
and is become but as a private man. He says the King
is troubled at it, but they talk an entry shall be made;
that it is not to be brought into example; that the
King must, if they do not agree presently, make them
a courageous speech, which, he says, he may do, the City
of London being now burned, and himself master of
an army better than any prince before him. After
dinner the bookbinder came, and I send by him some
more books to gild.
5th. The Sub-committee have made their report toʻ
the Grand Committee, and in pretty kind terms. Cap-
tain Cocke told me of a wild motion made in the House
of Lords, by the Duke of Buckingham, for all mon
that have cheated the King to be declared traitors and
1666.J
PEPYS'S DIARY.
173
felons; and that my Lord Sandwich was named. This
had put me into great pain: so the Vice-Chamberlain,
who had heard nothing of it, having been all day in
the City, away with me to Whitehall, and there told
me that, upon my Lord Ashley's asking their direction
whether, being a peer, he should bring in his accounts
to the Commons, which they did give way to, the Duke
of Buckingham did move that, for the time to come,
what I have written above might be declared by some
fuller law than heretofore. Lord Ashley answered,
that it was not the fault of present laws, but want of
proper ones; and the Lord Chancellor said, tha a
better law he thought might be made: so, the House
laughing, did refer it to him to bring in a Bill for that
purpose. Mr. Kirton's kinsman, my bookseller, came
in my way, and so I am told by him that Mr. Kirton
is utterly undone, and made £2,000 or £3,000 worse than
nothing, from being worth £7,000 or £8,000. That the
goods laid in the churchyard fired through the windows
those in St. Faith's Church, and those coming to the
warehouses' doors fired them, and burned all the books
and pillars of the church, so as the roof, falling down,
broke quite down, which it did not do in the other
places of the church, which is alike pillared, which I
knew not before; but, being not burned, they stood
still. He believes there is above £150,000 of books
burned; all the great booksellers almost undone: not
only these, but their warehouses at their Hall and
174
[October,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
under Christ Church, and elsewhere, being all burned.
A great want, therefore, there will be of books,
especially Latin books and foreign books; and, among
others, the Polyglots and new Bible, which he be-
lieves will be presently worth £40 apiece.
6th. Sir W. Coventry and I discoursed of our sad con-
dition by want of a Comptroller, and it was his words, that
he believes, besides all the shame and trouble he hath
brought on the office, the King had better have given
£100,000 than ever have had him there. He did dis-
course about some of these discontented Parliament-
men, and says that Birch is a false rogue, but that
Garraway is a man that hath not been well used by the
Court, though very stout to death, and hath suffered all
that is possible for the King from the beginning. But,
discontented as he is, yet he never know a Session of
Parliament but that he hath done some good deed for
the King before it rose. I told him the passage Cocke
told me of his having begged a brace of bucks of the
Lord Arlington for him, and, when they came to him,
he sent them back again. Sir W. Coventry told me, it
is much to be pitied that the King should lose the
service of a man so able and faithful, and that he
ought to be brought over, but that it is always observed,
that, by bringing over one discontented man, you raise
up three in his room, which is a state lesson I never
knew before. But when others discover your fear, and
that discontent procures fear, they will be discontented
1666. |
PEPYS'S DIARY.
175
too, and impose on you. This morning my wife told
me of à fine gentlewoman my Lady Pen tells her of,
for £20 per annum, that sings, dances, plays on four or
five instruments, and many other fine things, which
pleases me mightily, and she sent to have her see her,
which she did this afternoon, but sings basely, and is a
tawdry wench that would take £8-but (neither) my
wife nor I think her fit to come.
7th. (Lord's day.) To Whitehall, where met by Sir
W. Batten and Lord Brouncker, to attend the King
and Duke of York at the Cabinet, but nobody had
determined what to speak of, but only in general to ask
for money. So I was forced immediately to prepare
in my mind a method of discoursing And auon we
wero called into the Green Room, where the King,
Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Lord Chancellor, Lord
Treasurer, Duke of Albemarle, Sirs G. Carteret, W.
Coventry, Morrice. Nobody beginning, I did, and
made a current, and I thought, a good speech, laying
open the ill state of the Navy, by the greatness of the
debt, greatness of the work to do against next year,
the time and materials it would take, and our in-
capacity through a total want of money.
I had no
sooner done, but Prince Rupert roso up, and told the
King, in a heat, that whatever the gentleman had said,
he had brought home his fleet in as good a condition as
ever any fleet was brought home; that twenty boats
would be as many as the fleet would want; and all
176
[October,
PEPYS S DIARY.
the anchors and cables left in the storm might be
taken up again. This arose from my saying, among
other things we had to do, that the fleet was come in
—the greatest fleet that ever his Majesty had yet
together, and that in as bad condition as the enemy
or weather could put it; and to use Sir W. Pen's words,
who is upon the place taking a survey, he dreads the
report he is to receive from the surveyors of its defects.
I therefore did only answer, that I was sorry for his
Highness's offence, but that what I said was but the
report we received from those entrusted in the flect
to inform us. He muttered and repeated what he had
said, and so, after a long silence on all hands, nobody,
not so much as the Duke of Albemarle, seconding the
Prince, nor taking notice of what he said, we withdrew.
I was not a little troubled at this passage, and the
more when speaking with Jack Fenn about it, he told
me that the Prince will be asking who this Pepys is,
and find him to be a creature of my Lord Sandwich's,
and therefore this was done only to disparage him.
Anon they broke up, and Sir W. Coventry came out;
so I asked his advice. He told me he had said some-
thing to salve it, which was, that his Highness had, he
believed, rightly informed the King that the fleet is
come in good condition to have stayed out yet longer,
and have fought the enemy, but yet that Mr. Pepys'
meaning might be that, though in so good a con-
dition, if they should come in and lie all the winter
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
177
we shall be very loth to send them to sea for another
year's service without great repairs. He said it would
be no hurt if I went to him, and showed him the re-
port himself brought up from the fleet, where every
ship, by the Commander's report, do need more or less,
and not to mention more of Sir W. Pen for doing him
a mischief. So I said I would, but do not think that
all this will redound to my heart, because the truth of
what I said will soon appear. Thence having been in-
formed that after all this pains the King hath found out
how to supply us with £5,000 or £6,000, when £100,000
were at this time but absolutely necessary, and we
mention £50,000. This is every day a greater and
greater omen of ruin. God fit us for it! I made my
brother, in his cassock, to say his grace this day, but
I like his voice so ill that I begin to be sorry he hath
taken Orders.
8th. Towards noon by water to Westminster Hall
and there by several hear that the Parliament do re-
solve to do something to retrench Sir G. Carteret's
great salary, but cannot hear of anything bad they
can lay to his charge. The House did this day order
to be engrossed the Bill against importing Irish cattle,
a thing, it seems, carried on by the Western Parlia-
ment-men, wholly against the sense of most of the rest
of the House, who think, if you do this, you give the
Irish again cause to rebel. Mr. Pierce says the Duke
of York and Duke of Albemarle do not agree. The
178
PEPYS S DIARY.
[October,
:
Duke of York is wholly given up to his Lady Denham.
The Duke of Albemarle and Prince Rupert do less
agree. The King hath yesterday, in Council, declared
his resolution of setting a fashion for clothes, which
he will never alter. It will be a vest, I know not well
how but it is to teach the nobility thrift, and will do
good. By-and-by comes down from the Committee Sir
W. Coventry, and I find him troubled at several things
happened this afternoon, which vexes me also, our
businesses looking worse and worse, and our work
growing on our hands. Time spending and no
money to set anything in hand with; the end thereof
must be speedy ruin. The Dutch insult and have
taken off Bruant's head, which they had not dared do-
though found guilty of the fault he did die for, of
something of the Prince of Orange's faction, till just
now, which speaks more confidence in our being worse
than before. Alderman Maynell, I hear, is dead.
Thence returned in the dark by coach all alone, full of
thoughts of the consequences of this ill complexion
of affairs, and how to save the little I have, which,
if I can do, I have cause to bless God that I amı
so well, and shall be well contented to retreat to
Brampton, and spend the rest of my days there. To
my office, and finished my Journal, with resolutions,
if God bless me, to apply myself soberly to settle
all matters myself, and expect the event of all with
comfort.
1666.]
179
PEPYS'S DIARY.
9th. To the office, where we sat the first day since
the fire, I think. Home, and my uncle Thomas was
there, and dined with my brother and I.
10th. (Fast-day for the fire.) With Sir W. Batten,
by water to Whitehall, and anon had a meeting before
the Duke of York, where pretty to see how Sir W.
Batten, that carried the surveys of all the fleet with
him, to show their ill condition to the Duke of York,
when he found the Prince there, did not speak one
word, though the meeting was of his asking, for no-
thing else; and when I asked him, he told me he knew
the Prince too well to anger him, so that he was afraid
to do it. Thence with him to Westminster, to the
parish church, where the Parliament-men; and
Stillingfleet in the pulpit. So full, no standing
there; so he and I to eat herrings at the "Dog"
Tavern; and then to church again, and there was Mr.
Frampton in the pulpit, whom they cry up so much, a
young man, and of a mighty ready tongue. I heard a
little of his sermon, and liked it, but the crowd so
great I could not stay. Captain Cocke, who is mighty
conversant with Garraway and those people, tells me
what they object as to the mal-administration of
things as to money. But that they mean well, and
will do well; but their reckonings are very good, and
show great faults, as I will insert here. They say the
King hath had towards this war expressly thus
much :-
180
[October,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
Royal aid
More
Three months' tax given the King by a power
of raising a month's tax of £70,000 every
year for three years
Costumes, out of which the King did promise
to pay £240,000, which, for two years, come
to
Prizes, which they moderately reckon at
A debt declared by the navy, by us
•
·
The whole charge of the navy, as we state it
for two years and a month, hath been but
£2,450,000
1,250,000
210,000
480,000
300,000
900,000
5,590,000
3,200,000
So what has become of all this sum? £2,390,000
He and I did bemoan our public condition. He tells
me the Duke of Albemarle is under a cloud, and they
have a mind at Court to lay him aside. This I know
not, but all things are not right with him, and I am
glad of it, but sorry for the time. So home to supper,
it being my wedding night, but how many years I
cannot tell, but my wife says ten.
11th. Memorandum. I had taken my Journal,
during the fire, and the disorders following, in loose
papers, until this very day, and could not get time to
enter them in my book till January 18, in the morning,
having made my eyes sore by frequent attempts this
winter to do it. But now it is done for which I thank
God! and pray never the like occasion may happen.
12th. Taking leave of my poor father, who is setting
1666.]
181
PEPYS'S DIARY.
out this day for Brampton, in the Cambridge coach, he
having taken a journey to see the City burned, and to
bring my brother to town. To St. James's, and there,
from Sir W. Coventry, do hear how the House have
cut us off £150,000 of our wear and tear, for that which
was saved by the King while the fleet lay in harbour
in winter. However, he seems pleased, and so am I,
that they have abated no more; and do intend to allow
of 28,000 men for the next year; and this day have ap-
pointed to declare the sum they will give the King,
and to propose the way of raising it, so that this is
likely to be the great day.
13th. To Whitehall, and there the Duke of York-
who is gone over to all his pleasures again, and leaves
off care of business, what with his woman, my
Lady Denham, and his hunting three times a week-
was just come in from hunting. So I stood and saw
him dress himself, and try on his vest, which is the
King's new fashion, and he will be in it for good and
all on Monday next, and the whole Court; it is a
fashion, the King says, he will never change. He
being ready, he and my Lord Chancellor, and Duke of
Albemarle, and Prince Rupert, Lord Bellassis, Sir H.
Cholmly, Povy, and myself, met at a Committee for
Tangier. My Lord Bellassis's propositions were read
and discoursed of, about reducing the garrison to less.
charge; and, indeed, I am mad in love with my Lord
Chancellor, for he comprehends and speaks out well,
182
[October
PEPYS'S DIARY.
and with the greatest easiness and authority that ever I
saw man in my life. I did never observe how much easier
a man does speak, when he knows all the company to
be below him, than in him; for though he spoke, in-
deed, excellently well, yet his manner and freedom of
doing it, as if he played with it, and was informing
only all the rest of the company, was mighty pretty.
He did call again and again upon Mr. Povy for his
accounts. I did think fit to make the solemn tender of
my accounts that I intended. I said something that
was liked, touching the want of money, and the bad
credit of our tallies. My Lord Chancellor moved that,
without any trouble to any of the rest of the Lords, I
might alone attend the King, when he was with
his private Council, and open the state of the
garrison's want of credit; and all that could be done,
should. Most things moved were referred to Com-
mittees, and so we broke up; and, at the end, Sir W.
Coventry came; so I away with him, and he discoursed
with me something of the Parliament's business.
They have voted giving the King for the next year
£1,800,000; which, were it not for his debts, were a
great sum.
14th. (Lord's day.) I met with Sir Stephen Fox, who
told me how much right I had done myself, and how
well it is represented by the Committee to the House my
readiness to give them satisfaction in everything, when
they were at the office. I was glad of this. He did
1666.]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
183
further discourse of Sir W. Coventry's great abilities,
and how necessary it was that I was of the House to
assist him. I did not own it, but do myself think it
was not unnecessary, if either he should die, or be re-
moved to the Lords, or anything happen to hinder his
doing the like service the next trial; which makes me
think that it was not a thing very unfit; but I will
not move in it.
15th. This day the King begins to put on his vest,
and I did see several persons of the House of Lords
and Commons too, great courtiers, who are in it; being
a long cassock close to the body of black cloth, and
pinked with white silk under it, and a coat over it, and
the legs ruffled with black riband like a pigeon's leg;
and, upon the whole, I wish the King may keep it,
for it is a very fine and handsome garment. I fear
that Pen will be Comptroller, which I shall grudge a
little. The Duke of Buckingham called Sir W.
Coventry aside, and spoke a good while with him. I
did presently fear it might be to discourse something
of his design to blemish my Lord of Sandwich, in
pursuance of the wild motion ho made the other day
in the House. Sir W. Coventry, when he came to me
again, told me that he had wrought a miracle, which
was the convincing the Duke of Buckingham that
something, he did not name what, that he had intended
to do was not fit to be done, and that the Duke is gone
away of that opinion. By-and-by the House rose:
1
184
LOctober,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
* \$#@%
and then I, with Sir G. Carteret, and walked in the
Exchequer Court. I observing to him how friendly
Sir W. Coventry carried himself to him in these late
inquiries, when, if he had borne him a spleen, he could
have had what occasion he pleased offered him, he did
confess he found the same thing, and would thank him
for it. Away with him to his lodgings at Whitehall
to dinner, where my Lady Carteret is, and mighty
kind, both of them, to me. Their son and my Lady
Jemima will be here very speedily.
She tells me
the ladies are to go into a new fashion shortly, and
that is to wear short coats above their aukles; which
she and I do not like, but conclude this long train to
be mighty graceful. But she cries out of the vices of
the Court, and how they are going to set up plays
already; and how, the next day after the late great
fast, the Duchess of York did give the King and
Queen a play. Nay, she told me that they have here-
tofore had plays at Court, the very nights before the
fast for the death of the late King. She do much cry
out upon these things, and that which she believes will
undo the whole nation; and I fear so too. This day
the great debate was in Parliament, the manner of
raising the £1,800,000 they voted the King on Friday;
and, at last, after many proposals, one moved that the
chimney-money might be taken from the King, and an
equal revenue of something else might be found for
the King; and people be enjoined to buy off this tax
1666.]
185
PEPYS'S DIARY.
of chimney-money for ever at eight years' purchase,
which will raise present money, as they think,
£1,600,000, and the State be eased of an ill burthen,
and the King be supplied of something as good or
better for his use. The House seems to like this, and
put off the debate to to-morrow.
17th. The Court is all full of vests, only my Lord
St. Albans not pinked, but plain black; and they say
the King says the pinking upon whites makes them
look too much like magpies, and, therefore, hath be-
spoken one of plain velvet.
18th. To Lovett's house, where I stood godfather.
But it was pretty, that, being a Protestant, a man
stood by and was my proxy to answer for me. A priest
christened it, and the boy's name is Samuel. The
ceremonies many, and some foolish. The priest in a
gentleman's dress, more than my own; but is a Capu-
chin, one of the Queen-mother's priests. He did give
my proxy and the woman proxy-my Lady Bills, ab-
sent, had a proxy also-good advice to bring up the
child, and, at the end, that he ought never to marry
the child nor the godmother, nor the godmother the
child or the godfather; but, which is strauge, they say
the mother of the child and the godfather may
marry. By-and-by the Lady Bills comes in, a well-
bred but crooked woman. The poor people of the
house had good wine, and a good cake, and she a
pretty woman in her lying-in dress. It cost me near
186
PEPYS S DIARY.
[October,
40s. the whole christening. To midwife 20s., nurse
10s., maid 2s. 6d., and the coach 5s. The business of
buying off the chimney-money is passed in the House,
and so the King to be satisfied some other way, and
the King supplied with the money raised by this pur-
chasing off of the chimnies.
19th. Nothing but distraction and confusion in the
affairs of the Navy, which makes me wish, with all my
heart, that I were well and quietly settled, with what
little I have got, at Brampton, where I might live
peaceably, and study, and pray for the good of the
King and my country.
20th. Commissioner Middleton says that the fleet
was in such a condition as to discipline as if the devil
had commanded it, so much wickedness of all sorts.
Inquiring how it came to pass that so many ships had
miscarried this year, he tells me that he inquired, and
the pilots do say that they dare not do nor go but as
the captains will have them; and, if they offer to do
otherwise, the captains swear they will run them
through. He says that he heard Captain Digby, my
Lord of Bristol's son, a young fellow that never was
but one year, if that, in the fleet, say that he did hope
he should not see a tarpaulin have the command of
a ship within this twelve months. He observed, while
he was on board the Admiral, when the fleet was at
Portsmouth, that there was a faction there. Holmes
commanded all on the Prince's side, and Sir Jeremy
1666.1
PEPYS'S DIARY.
187
Smith on the Duke's, and everybody that .came did
apply themselves to one side or other; and when the
Duke of Albemarle was gone away to come hither,
then Sir Jeremy Smith did hang his head, and walked
in the General's ship but like a private commander.
He says he was on board the Prince when the news
came of the burning of London, and all the Prince said
was that now Shipton's prophecy was out; and he
heard a young commander presently swear
that a
citizen's wife that would not take under half-a-piece
before, would be contented with half-a-crown, and
made mighty sport of it. My Lord Chancellor, the
other day, did ask Sir G. Carteret how it came to pass
that his friend Pepys does so much magnify the bad
condition of the fleet. Sir G. Carteret tells me that
he answered him that I was but the mouth of the rest,
and spoke what they have dictated to me; which did,
as he says, presently take off his displeasure. They
talk that the Queen hath a great mind to alter her
fashion, and to have the feet scen; which she loves
mightily.
21st. (Lord's day.) Sir H. Cholmly tells me how
Mr. Williamson stood in a little place to have come
into the House of Commons, and they would not choose
him; they said, "No courtier." And, which is worse,
Bab May went down in great state to Winchelsea with
the Duke of York's letters, not doubting to be chosen;
and there the people chose a private gentleman in spite
188
PEPYS'S DIARY.
[October
of him, and cried out they would have no court pimp
to be their burgess; which are things that bode very
ill.
24th. Holmes did last Sunday deliver in his articles
to the King and Cabinet against [Sir Jeremy] Smith,
and Smith hath given in his answer, and lays his not
accompanying the fleet to his pilot, who would not
undertake to carry the ship further, which the pilot
acknowledges. The thing is not accommodated, but
only taken up, and both sides commanded to be quiet,
but no peace like to be. The Duke of Albemarle is
Smith's friend, and hath publicly swore that he would
never go to sea again, unless Holmes's commission
were taken from him. I find by Hayes that they did
expect great glory in coming home in so good con-
dition as they did with the fleet; and therefore I the
less wonder that the Prince was distasted with my dis-
course the other day about the sad state of the fleet.
But it pleases me to hear that he did expect great
thanks, and lays the fault of the want of it upon the
fire, which deadened everything, and the glory of his
services.
25th. To Mrs. Pierce's, where she was making herself
mighty fine to go to a great ball to-night at Court,
being the Queen's birthday; so the ladies for this one
day wear lace, but are to put them off again to-morrow.
To Mrs. Williams's, where we met Knipp. I was glad
to see the jade. Made her sing; and she told us they
1666. ]
PEPYS'S DIARY.
189
begin at both houses to act on Monday next. But I
fear, after all this sorrow, their gains will be but little.
Mrs. Williams says the Duke's house will now be
much the better of the two, because of their women;
which I was glad to hear.
27th. The two Houses begin to be troublesome; the
Lords to have quarrels one with another. My Lord
Duke of Buckingham having said to the Lord Chan-
cellor, who is against the passing of the Bill for pro-
hibiting the bringing over of Irish cattle, that whoever
was against the Bill was there led to it by an Irish
interest, or an Irish understanding, which is as much
as to say he is a fool. This bred heat from my Lord
Chancellor, and something he [Buckingham] said did
offend my Lord of Ossory, my Lord Duke of Ormond's
son, and they two had hard words, upon which the
latter sends a challenge to the former, of which the
former complains to the House, and so the business is
to be heard on Monday next. Then as to the Com-
mons, some ugly knives, like poiguards, to stab people
with, about two or three hundred of them, were
brought in yesterday to the House, found in one of the
house's rubbish that was burned, and said to be the
house of a Catholic. This and several letters out of
the country saying how high the Catholics are every-
where, and bold in the owning their religion, have
made the Commons mad, and they presently voted
that the King be desired to put all Catholics out of
190
| October,
PEPYS'S DIARY.
employment, and other high things; while the business
of money hangs in the hedge.
28th. (Lord's day.) Captain Guy to dine with me,
and he and I much talk together. He cries out of the
discipline of the fleet, and confesses really that the
true English valour we talk of is almost spent and worn
out, few of the commanders doing what they should do,
and he much fears we shall therefore be beaten the next
year. He assures me we were beaten home the last
June fight, and that the whole fleet was ashamed to
hear of our bonfires. He commends Smith, and cries out
of Holmes for an idle, proud, conceited, though stout
fellow. He tells me we are to owe the loss of so many
ships on the sands, not to any fault of the pilots, but
to the weather; but in this I have good authority to
fear there was something more. He says the Dutch
do fight in very good order, and we in none at all. Ho
says that in the July fight both the Prince and Holmes
had their bellyfuls, and were fain to go aside; though
if the wind had continued, we had utterly beaten them.
He does confess the whole to be governed by a company
of fools, and fears our ruin. The Revenge having her
forecastle blown up with powder, to the killing of some
men in the river, and the Diamond's being overset
in the careening at Sheerness, are further marks of the
method all the King's work is now done in. The
Foresight, also, and another come to disasters in the
same place this week, in the cleaning, which is strange.
1666.]
191
PEPYS'S DIARY.
29th. Up, and to the office to do business, and thither
comes to me Sir Thomas Teddiman, and he and I
walked a good while in the garden together, discours-
ing of the disorder and discipline of the fleet, wherein
he told me how bad everything is, but was very wary
in speaking anything to the dishonour of the Prince or
Duke of Albemarle, but does magnify my Lord Sand-
wich much before them both, for ability to serve the
King, and does heartily wish for him here; for he fears
that we shall be undone the next year, but that he will,
however, see an end of it. To Westminster; and I
find the new Lord Mayor Bolton a-swearing at the
Exchequer, with some of the Aldermen and Livery;
but, Lord! to see how meanly they now look, who upon
this day used to be all little lords, is a sad sight, and
worthy consideration; and everybody did reflect with
pity upon the poor City, to which they are now coming
to choose and swear their Lord Mayor, compared with
what it heretofore was. To my goldsmith, to bid him
look out for some gold for me; and he tells me that
guineas, which I bought 2,000 of not long ago, and cost
me but 18 d. change, will now cost me 22d.; and but
very few to be had at any price. However, some more
I will have, for they are very convenient, and of easy,
disposal. To Whitehall, and into the new playhouse
there, the first time I ever was there, and the first play
I have seen since before the great plague. By-and-by,
Mr. Pierce comes, bringing my wife and his, and Kuipp.
192
[October, 1666
PEPYS'S DIARY.
By-and-by, the King and Queen, Duke and Duchess,
and all the great ladies of the Court; which, indeed,
was a fine sight. But the play being Love in a Tub,
a silly play, and though done by the Duke's people, yet
having neither Betterton nor his wife, and the whole
thing done ill, and being ill also, I had no manner of
pleasure in the play. Besides the house, though very
fine, yet bad for the voice for hearing. The sight of
the ladies, indeed, was exceedingly noble; and, above
all, my Lady Castlemaine. The play done by ten
o'clock.
Ten


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