August 1st. All the morning at
the office. After dinner my wife, and Deb., and
I, to the King’s house again, coming too late
yesterday to hear the prologue, and do like the play
better now than before; and, indeed, there is a great
deal of true wit in it, more than in the common sort
of plays, and so home to my business, and at night
to bed, my eyes making me sad.
2nd. (Lord’s day). Up and
at home all the morning, hanging, and removing of
some pictures, in my study and house. At noon
Pelling dined with me. After dinner, I and Tom,
my boy, by water up to Putney, and there heard a sermon,
and many fine people in the church. Thence walked
to Barne Elmes, and there, and going and coming, did
make the boy read to me several things, being now-a-days
unable to read myself anything, for above two lines
together, but my eyes grow weary. Home about night,
and so to supper and then to bed.
3rd. Up, and by water to White
Hall and St. James’s, where I did much business,
and about noon meeting Dr. Gibbons, carried him to
the Sun taverne, in King Street, and there made
him, and some friends of his, drink; among others,
Captain Silas Taylor, and here did get Gibbons to
promise me some things for my flageolets.
So to the Old Exchange, and then home to dinner, and
so, Mercer dining with us, I took my wife and her
and Deb. out to Unthanke’s, while I to White
Hall to the Commissioners of the Treasury, and so
back to them and took them out to Islington, where
we met with W. Joyce and his wife and boy, and there
eat and drank, and a great deal of his idle talk, and
so we round by Hackney home, and so to sing a little
in the garden, and then to bed.
4th. Up, and to my office a little,
and then to White Hall about a Committee for Tangier
at my Lord Arlington’s, where, by Creed’s
being out of town, I have the trouble given me of
drawing up answers to the complaints of the Turks
of Algiers, and so I have all the papers put into
my hand. Here till noon, and then back to the
Office, where sat a little, and then to dinner, and
presently to the office, where come to me my Lord
Bellassis, Lieutenant-Colonell Fitzgerald, newly come
from Tangier, and Sir Arthur Basset, and there I received
their informations, and so, they being gone, I with
my clerks and another of Lord Brouncker’s, Seddon,
sat up till two in the morning, drawing up my answers
and writing them fair, which did trouble me mightily
to sit up so long, because of my eyes.
5th. So to bed about two o’clock,
and then up about seven and to White Hall, where read
over my report to Lord Arlington and Berkeley, and
then afterward at the Council Board with great good
liking, but, Lord! how it troubled my eyes, though
I did not think I could have done it, but did do it,
and was not very bad afterward. So home to dinner,
and thence out to the Duke of York’s playhouse,
and there saw “The Guardian;” formerly
the same, I find, that was called “Cutter of
Coleman Street;” a silly play. And thence
to Westminster Hall, where I met Fitzgerald; and with
him to a tavern, to consider of the instructions for
Sir Thomas Allen, against his going to Algiers; he
and I being designed to go down to Portsmouth by the
Council’s order, and by and by he and I went
to the Duke of York, who orders me to go down to-morrow
morning. So I away home, and there bespeak a
coach; and so home and to bed, my wife being abroad
with the Mercers walking in the fields, and upon the
water.
6th. Waked betimes, and my wife,
at an hour’s warning, is resolved to go with
me, which pleases me, her readiness. But, before
ready, comes a letter from Fitzgerald, that he is
seized upon last night by an order of the General’s
by a file of musqueteers, and kept prisoner in his
chamber. The Duke of York did tell me of it to-day:
it is about a quarrel between him and Witham, and
they fear a challenge: so I to him, and sent
my wife by the coach round to Lambeth. I lost
my labour going to his lodgings, and he in bed:
and, staying a great while for him, I at last grew
impatient, and would stay no longer; but to St. James’s
to Mr. Wren, to bid him “God be with you!”
and so over the water to Fox Hall; and there my wife
and Deb. come and took me up, and we away to Gilford,
losing our way for three or four mile, about Cobham.
At Gilford we dined; and, I shewed them the hospitall
there of Bishop Abbot’s, and his tomb in the
church, which, and the rest of the tombs there, are
kept mighty clean and neat, with curtains before them.
So to coach again, and got to Lippock,2 late over
Hindhead, having an old man, a guide, in the coach
with us; but got thither with great fear of being out
of our way, it being ten at night. Here good,
honest people; and after supper, to bed....
7th. Up, and to coach, and with
a guide to Petersfield, where I find Sir Thomas Allen
and Mr. Tippets come; the first about the business,
the latter only in respect to me; as also Fitzgerald,
who come post all last night, and newly arrived here.
We four sat down presently to our business, and in
an hour despatched all our talk; and did inform Sir
Thomas Allen well in it, who, I perceive, in serious
matters, is a serious man: and tells me he wishes
all we are told be true, in our defence; for he finds
by all, that the Turks have, to this day, been very
civil to our merchant-men everywhere; and, if they
would have broke with us, they never had such an opportunity
over our rich merchant-men, as lately, coming out
of the Streights. Then to dinner, and pretty
merry: and here was Mr. Martin, the purser, and
dined with us, and wrote some things for us.
And so took coach again back; Fitzgerald with us,
whom I was pleased with all the day, with his discourse
of his observations abroad, as being a great soldier
and of long standing abroad: and knows all things
and persons abroad very well I mean, the
great soldiers of France, and Spain, and Germany; and
talks very well. Come at night to Gilford, where
the Red Lyon so full of people, and a wedding, that
the master of the house did get us a lodging over the
way, at a private house, his landlord’s, mighty
neat and fine; and there supped and talked with the
landlord and his wife: and so to bed with great
content, only Fitzgerald lay at the Inne.
So to bed.
8th. Up, and I walked out, and
met Uncle Wight, whom I sent to last night, and Mr.
Wight coming to see us, and I walked with them back
to see my aunt at Katherine Hill, and there walked
up and down the hill and places, about: but a
dull place, but good ayre, and the house dull.
But here I saw my aunt, after many days not seeing
her I think, a year or two; and she walked
with me to see my wife. And here, at the Red Lyon,
we all dined together, and mighty merry, and then parted:
and we home to Fox Hall, where Fitzgerald and I ’light,
and by water to White Hall, where the Duke of York
being abroad, I by coach and met my wife, who went
round, and after doing at the office a little, and
finding all well at home, I to bed. I hear that
Colbert, the French Ambassador, is come, and hath
been at Court incognito. When he hath his audience,
I know not.
9th (Lord’s day). Up, and
walked to Holborne, where got John Powell’s
coach at the Black Swan, and he attended me at St.
James’s, where waited on the Duke of York:
and both by him and several of the Privy-Council,
beyond expectation, I find that my going to Sir Thomas
Allen was looked upon as a thing necessary: and
I have got some advantage by it, among them.
Thence to White Hall, and thence to visit Lord Brouncker,
and back to White Hall, where saw the Queen and ladies;
and so, with Mr. Slingsby, to Mrs. Williams’s,
thinking to dine with Lord Brouncker there, but did
not, having promised my wife to come home, though here
I met Knepp, to my great content. So home; and,
after dinner, I took my wife and Deb. round by Hackney,
and up and down to take the ayre; and then home, and
made visits to Mrs. Turner, and Mrs. Mercer, and Sir
W. Pen, who is come from Epsom not well, and Sir J.
Minnes, who is not well neither. And so home
to supper, and to set my books a little right, and
then to bed. This day Betty Michell come and dined
with us, the first day after her lying in, whom I
was glad to see.
10th. Up, and by water to White
Hall, and thence to Sir W. Coventry, but he is gone
out of town this morning, so thence to my Lord Arlington’s
house, the first time I there since he come thither,
at Goring House, a very fine, noble place; and there
he received me in sight of several Lords with great
respect. I did give him an account of my journey;
and here, while I waited for him a little, my Lord
Orrery took notice of me, and begun discourse of hangings,
and of the improvement of shipping: I not thinking
that he knew me, but did then discover it, with a mighty
compliment of my abilities and ingenuity, which I am
mighty proud of; and he do speak most excellently.
Thence to Westminster Hall, and so by coach to the
old Exchange, and there did several businesses, and
so home to dinner, and then abroad to Duck Lane, where
I saw my belle femme of the book vendor, but had no
opportunity para hazer con her. So away to Cooper’s,
where I spent all the afternoon with my wife and girl,
seeing him-make an end of her picture, which he did
Jo my great content, though not so great as, I confess,
I expected, being not satisfied in the greatness of
the resemblance, nor in the blue garment: but
it is most certainly a most rare piece of work, as
to the painting. He hath L30 for his work and
the chrystal, and case, and gold case comes to L8 3d.; and which I sent him this night, that I might
be out of debt. Thence my people home, and I
to Westminster Hall about a little business, and so
by water home [to] supper, and my wife to read a ridiculous
book I bought today of the History of the Taylors’
Company,
[The title of this book was, “The
Honour of the Merchant Taylors.” Wherein
is set forth the noble acts, valliant deeds, and heroick
performances of Merchant Taylors in former ages;
their honourable loves, and knightly adventures,
their combating of foreign enemies and glorious
successes in honour of the English nation: together
with their pious....]
and all the while Deb. did comb my
head, and I did toker her with my main para very great
pleasure, and so to bed.
11th. Up, and by water to Sir
W. Coventry to visit him, whom I find yet troubled
at the Commissioners of Accounts, about this business
of Sir W. Warren, which is a ridiculous thing, and
can come to nothing but contempt, and thence to Westminster
Hall, where the Parliament met enough to adjourne,
which they did, to the 10th of November next, and so
by water home to the office, and so to dinner, and
thence at the Office all the afternoon till night,
being mightily pleased with a little trial I have
made of the use of a tube-spectacall of paper, tried
with my right eye. This day I hear that, to the
great joy of the Nonconformists, the time is out of
the Act against them, so that they may meet: and
they have declared that they will have a morning lecture
[During the troubled reign of Charles
I., the House of Commons gave parishioners the
right of appointing lecturers at the various churches
without the consent of rector or vicar, and this naturally
gave rise to many quarrels. In the early
period of the war between the king and the parliament,
a course of sermons or lectures was projected
in aid of the parliamentary cause. These lectures,
which were preached by eminent Presbyterian divines
at seven o’clock on the Sunday mornings,
were commenced in the church of St. Mary Magdalen
in Milk Street, but were soon afterwards removed to
St. Giles’s, Cripplegate. After the
Restoration the lectures were collected in four
volumes, and published under the title of the “Cripplegate
Morning Exercises,” vol. i. in 1661; vol.
ii. in 1674; vol. iii. in 1682; and vol.
iv. in 1690. In addition there were two volumes
which form a supplement to the work, viz., “The
Morning Exercises methodized,” preached
at St. Giles’s-in-the-Fields, edited by
the Rev. Thomas Case in 1660, and the “Exercises
against Popery,” preached in Southwark,
and published in 1675 (see Demon’s “Records
of St. Giles’s, Crinnlegate,” 1883,
pp. 55-56).]
up again, which is pretty strange;
and they are connived at by the King every where,
I hear, in City and country. So to visit W. Pen,
who is yet ill, and then home, where W. Batelier and
Mrs. Turner come and sat and supped with us, and so
they gone we to bed. This afternoon my wife, and
Mercer, and Deb., went with Pelting to see the gypsies
at Lambeth, and have their fortunes told; but what
they did, I did not enquire.
12th. Up, and all the morning
busy at my office. Thence to the Excise Office,
and so to the Temple to take counsel about Major Nicholls’s
business for the King. So to several places about
business, and among others to Drumbleby’s about
the mouths for my paper tubes, and so to the ’Change
and home. Met Captain Cocke, who tells me that
he hears for certain the Duke of York will lose the
authority of an Admiral, and be governed by a Committee:
and all our Office changed; only they are in dispute
whether I shall continue or no, which puts new thoughts
in me, but I know not whether to be glad or sorry.
Home to dinner, where Pelting dines with us, and brings
some partridges, which is very good meat; and, after
dinner, I, and wife, and Mercer, and Deb., to the Duke
of York’s house, and saw “Mackbeth,”
to our great content, and then home, where the women
went to the making of my tubes, and I to the office,
and then come Mrs. Turner and her husband to advise
about their son, the Chaplain, who is turned out of
his ship, a sorrow to them, which I am troubled for,
and do give them the best advice I can, and so they
gone we to bed.
13th. Up, and Greeting comes,
and there he and I tried some things of Mr. Locke’s
for two flageolets, to my great content, and this
day my wife begins again to learn of him; for I have
a great mind for her to be able to play a part with
me. Thence I to the Office, where all the afternoon
[morning??], and then to dinner, where W. Howe dined
with me, who tells me for certain that Creed is like
to speed in his match with Mrs. Betty Pickering.
Here dined with me also Mr. Hollier, who is mighty
vain in his pretence to talk Latin. So to the
Office again all the afternoon till night, very busy,
and so with much content home, and made my wife sing
and play on the flageolet to me till I slept with great
pleasure in bed.
14th. Up, and by water to White
Hall and St. James’s, and to see Sir W. Coventry,
and discourse about business of our Office, telling
him my trouble there, to see how things are ordered.
I told him also what Cocke told me the other day,
but he says there is not much in it, though he do
know that this hath been in the eye of some persons
to compass for the turning all things in the navy,
and that it looks so like a popular thing as that
he thinks something may be done in it, but whether
so general or no, as I tell it him, he knows not.
Thence to White Hall, and there wait at the Council-chamber
door a good while, talking with one or other, and
so home by water, though but for a little while, because
I am to return to White Hall. At home I find
Symson, putting up my new chimney-piece, in our great
chamber, which is very fine, but will cost a great
deal of money, but it is not flung away. So back
to White Hall, and after the council up, I with Mr.
Wren, by invitation, to Sir Stephen Fox’s to
dinner, where the Cofferer and Sir Edward Savage; where
many good stories of the antiquity and estates of
many families at this day in Cheshire, and that part
of the kingdom, more than what is on this side, near
London. My Lady [Fox] dining with us; a very good
lady, and a family governed so nobly and neatly as
do me good to see it. Thence the Cofferer, Sir
Stephen, and I to the Commissioners of the Treasury
about business: and so I up to the Duke of York,
who enquired for what I had promised him, about my
observations of the miscarriages of our Office;
[This refers to the
letter on the affairs of the office which Pepys
prepared, and respecting
which, and the proceedings which grew out
of it, so many references
are made in future pages of the Diary.]
and I told him he should have it next
week, being glad he called for it; for I find he is
concerned to do something, and to secure himself thereby,
I believe: for the world is labouring to eclipse
him, I doubt; I mean, the factious part of the Parliament.
The Office met this afternoon as usual, and waited
on him; where, among other things, he talked a great
while of his intentions of going to Dover soon, to
be sworn as Lord Warden, which is a matter of great
ceremony and state, and so to the Temple with Mr.
Wren, to the Attorney’s chamber, about business,
but he abroad, and so I home, and there spent the evening
talking with my wife and piping, and pleased with our
chimney-piece, and so to bed.
15th. Up, and to the office,
where all the morning busy, and after dinner with
my wife, Mercer, and Deb., to the King’s playhouse,
and there saw “Love’s Mistresse”
revived, the thing pretty good, but full of variety
of divertisement. So home and to my business at
the office, my eyes bad again, and so to bed.
16th (Lord’s day). All
the morning at my Office with W. Hewer, there drawing
up my Report to the Duke of York, as I have promised,
about the faults of this Office, hoping thereby to
have opportunity of doing myself [something].
At noon to dinner, and again with him to work all
the afternoon till night, till I was weary and had
despatched a good deal of business, and so to bed
after hearing my wife read a little.
17th. Up, and by water to White
Hall, and so to St. James’s, and thence with
Mr. Wren by appointment in his coach to Hampstead,
to speak with the Atturney-general, whom we met in
the fields, by his old route and house; and after
a little talk about our business of Ackeworth, went
and saw the Lord Wotton’s house and garden,
which is wonderfull fine: too good for the house
the gardens are, being, indeed, the most noble that
ever I saw, and brave orange and lemon trees.
Thence to Mr. Chichley’s by invitation, and
there dined with Sir John, his father not coming home.
And while at dinner comes by the French Embassador
Colbert’s mules, the first I eversaw, with their
sumpter-clothes mighty rich, and his coaches, he being
to have his entry to-day: but his things, though
rich, are not new; supposed to be the same his brother
[A mistake of Pepys’s.
Colbert de Croissy, then in England, had
himself been the French
Plenipotentiary at Aix-la-Chapelle. B.]
had the other day, at the treaty at
Aix-la-Chapelle, in Flanders. Thence to the Duke
of York’s house, and there saw “Cupid’s
Revenge,” under the new name of “Love
Despised,” that hath something very good in it,
though I like not the whole body of it. This
day the first time acted here. Thence home, and
there with Mr. Hater and W. Hewer late, reading over
all the principal officers’ instructions in order
to my great work upon my hand, and so to bed, my eyes
very ill.
18th. Up, and to my office about
my great business betimes, and so to the office, where
all the morning. At noon dined, and then to the
office all the afternoon also, and in the evening
to Sir W. Coventry’s, but he not within, I took
coach alone to the Park, to try to meet him there,
but did not; but there were few coaches, but among
the few there were in two coaches our two great beauties,
my Lady Castlemayne and Richmond; the first time I
saw the latter since she had the smallpox. I had
much pleasure to see them, but I thought they were
strange one to another. Thence going out I met
a coach going, which I thought had Knepp in it, so
I went back, but it was not she. So back to White
Hall and there took water, and so home, and busy late
about my great letter to the Duke of York, and so
to supper and to bed....
19th. Up betimes, and all day
and afternoon without going out, busy upon my great
letter to the Duke of York, which goes on to my content.
W. Hewer and Gibson I employ with me in it. This
week my people wash, over the water, and so I little
company at home. In the evening, being busy above,
a great cry I hear, and go down; and what should it
be but Jane, in a fit of direct raving, which lasted
half-an-hour. Beyond four or five of our strength
to keep her down; and, when all come to all, a fit
of jealousy about Tom, with whom she is in love.
So at night, I, and my wife, and W. Hewer called them
to us, and there I did examine all the thing, and
them, in league. She in love, and he hath got
her to promise him to marry, and he is now cold in
it, so that I must rid my hands of them, which troubles
me, and the more because my head is now busy upon
other greater things. I am vexed also to be told
by W. Hewer that he is summoned to the Commissioners
of Accounts about receiving a present of L30 from
Mr. Mason, the timber merchant, though there be no
harm in it, that will appear on his part, he having
done them several lawful kindnesses and never demanded
anything, as they themselves have this day declared
to the Commissioners, they being forced up by the discovery
of somebody that they in confidence had once told
it to. So to supper vexed and my head full of
care, and so to bed.
20th. Betimes at my business
again, and so to the office, and dined with Brouncker
and J. Minnes, at Sir W. Pen’s at a bad pasty
of venison, and so to work again, and at it till past
twelve at night, that I might get my great letter
[In the Pepysian Library is a Ms.
(N, entitled, “Papers conteyning
my addresse to his Royall Highnesse James Duke of Yorke,
Lord High Admirall of England, &c., by letter
dated the 20th of August, 1668, humbly tendering
him my advice touching the present State of the
Office of the Navy, with his Royall Highness’s
proceedings upon the same, and their result.”]
to the Duke of York ready against
to-morrow, which I shall do, to my great content.
So to bed.
21st. Up betimes, and with my
people again to work, and finished all before noon:
and then I by water to White Hall, and there did tell
the Duke of York that I had done; and he hath to my
great content desired me to come to him at Sunday
next in the afternoon, to read it over, by which I
have more time to consider and correct it. So
back home and to the ‘Change, in my way calling
at Morris’, my vintner’s, where I love
to see su moher, though no acquaintance accostais
this day con her. Did several things at the ’Change,
and so home to dinner. After dinner I by coach
to my bookseller’s in Duck Lane, and there did
spend a little time and regarder su moher,
and so to St. James’s, where did a little ordinary
business; and by and by comes Monsieur Colbert, the
French Embassador, to make his first visit to the
Duke of York, and then to the Duchess: and I
saw it: a silly piece of ceremony, he saying only
a few formal words. A comely man, and in a black
suit and cloak of silk, which is a strange fashion,
now it hath been so long left off: This day I
did first see the Duke of York’s room of pictures
of some Maids of Honour, done by Lilly: good,
but not like.
[The set of portraits
known as “King Charles’s Beauties,”
formerly
in Windsor Castle, but
now at Hampton Court. B.]
Thence to Reeves’s, and bought
a reading-glass, and so to my bookseller’s again,
there to buy a Book of Martyrs,
[The popular name of
John Fox’s “Acts and Monuments,”
first
published in 1562-63.]
which I did agree for; and so, after
seeing and beginning acquaintance con his femme, but
very little, away home, and there busy very late at
the correcting my great letter to the Duke of York,
and so to bed.
22nd. Up betimes, at it again
with great content, and so to the Office, where all
the morning, and did fall out with W. Pen about his
slight performance of his office, and so home to dinner,
fully satisfied that this Office must sink or the
whole Service be undone. To the office all the
afternoon again, and then home to supper and to bed,
my mind being pretty well at ease, my great letter
being now finished to my full content; and I thank
God I have opportunity of doing it, though I know
it will set the Office and me by the ears for ever.
This morning Captain Cocke comes, and tells me that
he is now assured that it is true, what he told me
the other day, that our whole Office will be turned
out, only me, which, whether he says true or no, I
know not, nor am much concerned, though I should be
better contented to have it thus than otherwise.
This afternoon, after I was weary in my business of
the office, I went forth to the ’Change, thinking
to have spoke with Captain Cocke, but he was not within.
So I home, and took London-bridge in my way; walking
down Fish Street and Gracious Street, to see how very
fine a descent they have now made down the hill, that
it is become very easy and pleasant, and going through
Leaden-Hall, it being market-day, I did see a woman
catched, that had stolen a shoulder of mutton off of
a butcher’s stall, and carrying it wrapt up
in a cloth, in a basket. The jade was surprised,
and did not deny it, and the woman so silly, as to
let her go that took it, only taking the meat.
23rd (Lord’s day). Up betimes,
my head busy in my great letter, and I did first hang
up my new map of Paris in my green room, and changed
others in other places. Then to Captain Cocke’s,
thinking to have talked more of what he told me yesterday,
but he was not within. So back to church, and
heard a good sermon of Mr. Gifford’s at our church,
upon “Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven and
its righteousness, and all these things shall be added
to you.” A very excellent and persuasive,
good and moral sermon. Shewed, like a wise man,
that righteousness is a surer moral way of being rich,
than sin and villainy. Then home to dinner, where
Mr. Pelting, who brought us a hare, which we had at
dinner, and W. Howe. After dinner to the Office,
Mr. Gibson and I, to examine my letter to the Duke
of York, which, to my great joy, I did very well by
my paper tube, without pain to my eyes. And I
do mightily like what I have therein done; and did,
according to the Duke of York’s order, make
haste to St. James’s, and about four o’clock
got thither: and there the Duke of York was ready,
to expect me, and did hear it all over with extraordinary
content; and did give me many and hearty thanks, and
in words the most expressive tell me his sense of my
good endeavours, and that he would have a care of
me on all occasions; and did, with much inwardness, [i.e.,
intimacy.] tell me what was doing, suitable
almost to what Captain Cocke tells me, of designs to
make alterations in the Navy; and is most open to
me in them, and with utmost confidence desires my
further advice on all occasions: and he resolves
to have my letter transcribed, and sent forthwith to
the Office. So, with as much satisfaction as
I could possibly, or did hope for, and obligation
on the Duke of York’s side professed to me, I
away into the Park, and there met Mr. Pierce and his
wife, and sister and brother, and a little boy, and
with them to Mulberry Garden, and spent I 18s. on
them, and there left them, she being again with child,
and by it, the least pretty that ever I saw her.
And so I away, and got a coach, and home, and there
with my wife and W. Hewer, talking all the evening,
my mind running on the business of the Office, to
see what more I can do to the rendering myself acceptable
and useful to all and to the King. We to supper,
and to bed.
24th. Up, and to the office,
where all the morning upon considerations on the Victualler’s
contract, and then home to dinner, where my wife is
upon hanging the long chamber where the girl lies,
with the sad stuff that was in the best chamber, in
order to the hanging that with tapestry. So to
dinner, and then to the office again, where all the
afternoon till night, we met to discourse upon the
alterations which are propounded to be made in the
draft of the victualler’s contract which we
did lately make, and then we being up comes Mr. Child,
Papillion and Littleton, his partners, to discourse
upon the matter with me, which I did, and spent all
the evening with them at the office, and so, they
being gone, I to supper and talk with my wife, and
so to bed.
25th. Up, and by water to St.
James’s, and there, with Mr. Wren, did discourse
about my great letter, which the Duke of York hath
given him: and he hath set it to be transcribed
by Billings, his man, whom, as he tells me, he can
most confide in for secresy, and is much pleased with
it, and earnest to have it be; and he and I are like
to be much together in the considering how to reform
the Office, and that by the Duke of York’s command.
Thence I, mightily pleased with this success, away
to the Office, where all the morning, my head full
of this business. And it is pretty how Lord Brouncker
this day did tell me how he hears that a design is
on foot to remove us out of the Office: and proposes
that we two do agree to draw up a form of a new constitution
of the Office, there to provide remedies for the evils
we are now under, so that we may be beforehand with
the world, which I agreed to, saying nothing of my
design; and, the truth is, he is the best man of them
all, and I would be glad, next myself, to save him;
for, as he deserves best, so I doubt he needs his
place most. So home to dinner at noon, and all
the afternoon busy at the office till night, and then
with my mind full of business now in my head, I to
supper and to bed.
26th. Up, and to the office,
where all the morning almost, busy about business
against the afternoon, and we met a little to sign
two or three things at the Board of moment, and thence
at noon home to dinner, and so away to White Hall
by water. In my way to the Old Swan, finding a
great many people gathered together in Cannon Street
about a man that was working in the ruins, and the
ground did sink under him, and he sunk in, and was
forced to be dug out again, but without hurt.
Thence to White Hall, and it is strange to say with
what speed the people employed do pull down Paul’s
steeple, and with what ease: it is said that it,
and the choir are to be taken down this year, and
another church begun in the room thereof, the next.
At White Hall we met at the Treasury chamber, and
there before the Lords did debate our draft of the
victualling contract with the several bidders for it,
which were Sir D. Gawden, Mr. Child and his fellows,
and Mr. Dorrington and his, a poor variety in a business
of this value. There till after candle-lighting,
and so home by coach with Sir D. Gawden, who, by the
way, tells me how the City do go on in several things
towards the building of the public places, which I
am glad to hear; and gives hope that in a few years
it will be a glorious place; but we met with several
stops and new troubles in the way in the streets,
so as makes it bad to travel in the dark now through
the City. So I to Mr. Batelier’s by appointment,
where I find my wife, and Deb., and Mercer; Mrs. Pierce
and her husband, son, and daughter; and Knepp and
Harris, and W. Batelier, and his sister Mary, and
cozen Gumbleton, a good-humoured, fat young gentleman,
son to the jeweller, that dances well; and here danced
all night long, with a noble supper; and about two
in the morning the table spread again for a noble
breakfast beyond all moderation, that put me out of
countenance, so much and so good. Mrs. Pierce
and her people went home betimes, she being big with
child; but Knepp and the rest staid till almost three
in the morning, and then broke up.
27th. Knepp home with us, and
I to bed, and rose about six, mightily pleased with
last night’s mirth, and away by water to St.
James’s, and there, with Mr. Wren, did correct
his copy of my letter, which the Duke of York hath
signed in my very words, without alteration of a syllable.
[A copy of this letter is in the British
Museum, Harl. Ms. 6003. See July
24th, ante, and August 29th, Post. In the Pepysian
Collection are the following: An Inquisition,
by his Royal Highness the Duke of York, when
Lord High Admiral of England, into the Management
of the Navy, 1668, with his Regulations thereon, fol.
Also Mr. Pepys’s Defence of the same upon
an Inquisition thereunto by Parliament, 1669,
fol. B.]
And so pleased therewith, I to my
Lord Brouncker, who I find within, but hath business,
and so comes not to the Office to-day. And so
I by water to the Office, where we sat all the morning;
and, just as the Board rises, comes the Duke of York’s
letter, which I knowing, and the Board not being full,
and desiring rather to have the Duke of York deliver
it himself to us, I suppressed it for this day, my
heart beginning to falsify in this business, as being
doubtful of the trouble it may give me by provoking
them; but, however, I am resolved to go through it,
and it is too late to help it now. At noon to
dinner to Captain Cocke’s, where I met with
Mr. Wren; my going being to tell him what I have done,
which he likes, and to confer with Cocke about our
Office; who tells me that he is confident the design
of removing our Officers do hold, but that he is sure
that I am safe enough. Which pleases me, though
I do not much shew it to him, but as a thing indifferent.
So away home, and there met at Sir Richard Ford’s
with the Duke of York’s Commissioners about
our Prizes, with whom we shall have some trouble before
we make an end with them, and hence, staying a little
with them, I with my wife, and W. Batelier, and Deb.;
carried them to Bartholomew Fayre, where we saw the
dancing of the ropes and nothing else, it being late,
and so back home to supper and to bed, after having
done at my office.
28th. Busy at the office till
toward 10 o’clock, and then by water to White
Hall, where attending the Council’s call all
the morning with Lord Brouncker, W. Pen, and the rest,
about the business of supernumeraries in the fleete,
but were not called in. But here the Duke of York
did call me aside, and told me that he must speak
with me in the afternoon, with Mr. Wren, for that
now he hath got the paper from my Lord Keeper about
the exceptions taken against the management of the
Navy; and so we are to debate upon answering them.
At noon I home with W. Coventry to his house; and
there dined with him, and talked freely with him; and
did acquaint him with what I have done, which he is
well pleased with, and glad of: and do tell me
that there are endeavours on foot to bring the Navy
into new, but, he fears, worse hands. After much
talk with great content with him, I walked to the
Temple, and staid at Starky’s, my bookseller’s
(looking over Dr. Heylin’s new book of the Life
of Bishop Laud, a strange book of the Church History
of his time), till Mr. Wren comes, and by appointment
we to the Atturney General’s chamber, and there
read and heard the witnesses in the business of Ackeworth,
most troublesome and perplexed by the counter swearing
of the witnesses one against the other, and so with
Mr. Wren away thence to St. [James’s] for his
papers, and so to White Hall, and after the Committee
was done at the Council chamber about the business
of Supernumeraries, wherein W. Pen was to do all and
did, but like an ignorant illiterate coxcomb, the
Duke of York fell to work with us, the Committee being
gone, in the Council-chamber; and there, with his
own hand, did give us his long letter, telling us
that he had received several from us, and now did
give us one from him, taking notice of our several
duties and failures, and desired answer to it, as
he therein desired; this pleased me well; and so fell
to other business, and then parted. And the Duke
of York, and Wren, and I, it being now candle-light,
into the Duke of York’s closet in White Hall;
and there read over this paper of my Lord Keeper’s,
wherein are laid down the faults of the Navy, so silly,
and the remedies so ridiculous, or else the same that
are now already provided, that we thought it not to
need any answer, the Duke of York being able himself
to do it: that so it makes us admire the confidence
of these men to offer things so silly, in a business
of such moment. But it is a most perfect instance
of the complexion of the times! and so the Duke of
York said himself, who, I perceive, is mightily concerned
in it, and do, again and again, recommend it to Mr.
Wren and me together, to consider upon remedies fit
to provide for him to propound to the King, before
the rest of the world, and particularly the Commissioners
of Accounts, who are men of understanding and order,
to find our faults, and offer remedies of their own,
which I am glad of, and will endeavour to do something
in it. So parted, and with much difficulty, by
candle-light, walked over the Matted Gallery, as it
is now with the mats and boards all taken up, so that
we walked over the rafters. But strange to see
what hard matter the plaister of Paris is, that is
there taken up, as hard as stone! And pity to
see Holben’s work in the ceiling blotted on,
and only whited over! Thence; with much ado, by
several coaches home, to supper and to bed. My
wife having been this day with Hales, to sit for her
hand to be mended, in her picture.
29th. Up, and all the morning
at the Office, where the Duke of York’s long
letter was read, to their great trouble, and their
suspecting me to have been the writer of it.
And at noon comes, by appointment, Harris to dine
with me and after dinner he and I to Chyrurgeon’s-hall,
where they are building it new, very fine; and there
to see their theatre; which stood all the fire, and,
which was our business, their great picture of Holben’s,
thinking to have bought it, by the help of Mr. Pierce,
for a little money: I did think to give L200
for it, it being said to be worth L1000; but it is
so spoiled that I have no mind to it, and is not a
pleasant, though a good picture. Thence carried
Harris to his playhouse, where, though four o’clock,
so few people there at “The Impertinents,”
as I went out; and do believe they did not act, though
there was my Lord Arlington and his company there.
So I out, and met my wife in a coach, and stopped
her going thither to meet me; and took her, and Mercer,
and Deb., to Bartholomew Fair, and there did see a
ridiculous, obscene little stage-play, called “Marry
Andrey;” a foolish thing, but seen by every
body; and so to Jacob Hall’s dancing of the ropes;
a thing worth seeing, and mightily followed, and so
home and to the office, and then to bed. Writing
to my father to-night not to unfurnish our house in
the country for my sister, who is going to her own
house, because I think I may have occasion myself
to come thither; and so I do, by our being put out
of the Office, which do not at all trouble me to think
of.
30th (Lord’s day). Walked
to St. James’s and Pell Mell, and read over,
with Sir W. Coventry, my long letter to the Duke of
York, and which the Duke of York hath, from mine,
wrote to the Board, wherein he is mightily pleased,
and I perceive do put great value upon me, and did
talk very openly on all matters of State, and how
some people have got the bit into their mouths, meaning
the Duke of Buckingham and his party, and would likely
run away with all. But what pleased me mightily
was to hear the good character he did give of my Lord
Falmouth for his generosity, good-nature, desire of
public good, and low thoughts of his own wisdom; his
employing his interest in the King to do good offices
to all people, without any other fault than the freedom
he, do learn in France of thinking himself obliged
to serve his King in his pleasures: and was W.
Coventry’s particular friend: and W. Coventry
do tell me very odde circumstances about the fatality
of his death, which are very strange. Thence
to White Hall to chapel, and heard the anthem, and
did dine with the Duke of Albemarle in a dirty manner
as ever. All the afternoon, I sauntered up and
down the house and Park. And there was a Committee
for Tangier met, wherein Lord Middleton would, I think,
have found fault with me for want of coles; but I
slighted it, and he made nothing of it, but was thought
to be drunk; and I see that he hath a mind to find
fault with me and Creed, neither of us having yet
applied ourselves to him about anything: but
do talk of his profits and perquisites taken from
him, and garrison reduced, and that it must be increased,
and such things, as; I fear, he will be just such
another as my Lord Tiviott and the rest, to ruin that
place. So I to the Park, and there walk an hour
or two; and in the King’s garden, and saw the
Queen and ladies walk; and I did steal some apples
off the trees; and here did see my Lady Richmond,
who is of a noble person as ever I saw, but her face
worse than it was considerably by the smallpox:
her sister’ is also very handsome. Coming
into the Park, and the door kept strictly, I had opportunity
of handing in the little, pretty, squinting girl of
the Duke of York’s house, but did not make acquaintance
with her; but let her go, and a little girl that was
with her, to walk by themselves. So to White
Hall in the evening, to the Queen’s side, and
there met the Duke of York; and he did tell me and
W. Coventry, who was with me, how that Lord Anglesey
did take notice of our reading his long and sharp letter
to the Board; but that it was the better, at least
he said so. The Duke of York, I perceive, is
earnest in it, and will have good effects of it; telling
W. Coventry that it was a letter that might have come
from the Commissioners of Accounts, but it was better
it should come first from him. I met Lord Brouncker,
who, I perceive, and the rest, do smell that it comes
from me, but dare not find fault with it; and I am
glad of it, it being my glory and defence that I did
occasion and write it. So by water home, and
did spend the evening with W. Hewer, telling him how
we are all like to be turned out, Lord Brouncker telling
me this evening that the Duke of Buckingham did, within
few hours, say that he had enough to turn us all out
which I am not sorry for at all, for I know the world
will judge me to go for company; and my eyes are such
as I am not able to do the business of my Office as
I used, and would desire to do, while I am in it.
So with full content, declaring all our content in
being released of my employment, my wife and I to bed,
and W. Hewer home, and so all to bed.
31st. Up, and to my office, there
to set my journal for all the last week, and so by
water to Westminster to the Exchequer, and thence to
the Swan, and there drank and did baiser la
fille there, and so to the New Exchange and paid
for some things, and so to Hercules Pillars,’
and there dined all alone, while I sent my shoe to
have the heel fastened at Wotton’s, and thence
to White Hall to the Treasury chamber, where did a
little business, and thence to the Duke of York’s
playhouse and there met my wife and Deb. and Mary
Mercer and Batelier, where also W. Hewer was, and
saw “Hamlet,” which we have not seen this
year before, or more; and mightily pleased with it;
but, above all, with Betterton, the best part I believe,
that ever man acted. Thence to the Fayre, and
saw “Polichinelle,” and so home,
and after a little supper to bed. This night
lay the first night in Deb.’s chamber, which
is now hung with that that hung our great chamber,
and is now a very handsome room. This day Mrs.
Batelier did give my wife a mighty pretty Spaniel bitch
[Flora], which she values mightily, and is pretty;
but as a new comer, I cannot be fond of her.