The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete

by Samuel Pepys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ETEXT EDITOR’S BOOKMARKS FOR PEPY’S DIARY 1963 COMPLETE:
A woman sober, and no high-flyer, as he calls it
Academy was dissolved by order of the Pope
After oysters, at first course, a hash of rabbits, a lamb
After some pleasant talk, my wife, Ashwell, and I to bed
After awhile I caressed her and parted seeming friends
Again that she spoke but somewhat of what she had in her heart
And there, did what I would with her
And so to sleep till the morning, but was bit cruelly
And so to bed and there entertained her with great content
And so to bed, my father lying with me in Ashwell’s bed
Apprehend about one hundred Quakers
At last we pretty good friends
Before I sent my boy out with them, I beat him for a lie
Being cleansed of lice this day by my wife
Better we think than most other couples do
Book itself, and both it and them not worth a turd
But a woful rude rabble there was, and such noises
Compliment from my aunt, which I take kindly as it is unusual
Conceited, but that’s no matter to me
Content as to be at our own home, after being abroad awhile
Dare not oppose it alone for making an enemy and do no good
Did so watch to see my wife put on drawers, which (she did)
Did go to Shoe Lane to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there
Did find none of them within, which I was glad of
Dined at home alone, a good calves head boiled and dumplings
Dinner was great, and most neatly dressed
Dog attending us, which made us all merry again
Dr. Calamy is this day sent to Newgate for preaching
Duodecimal arithmetique
Eat a mouthful of pye at home to stay my stomach
Employed by the fencers to play prizes at
Enquiring into the selling of places do trouble a great many
Every man looking after himself, and his owne lust and luxury
Every small thing is enough now-a-days to bring a difference
Excommunications, which they send upon the least occasions
Expectation of profit will have its force
Familiarity with her other servants is it that spoils them all
Fear it may do him no good, but me hurt
Fearful that I might not go far enough with my hat off
Feverish, and hath sent for Mr. Pierce to let him blood
Found guilty, and likely will be hanged (for stealing spoons)
Found him a fool, as he ever was, or worse
Galileo’s air thermometer, made before 1597
Give her a Lobster and do so touse her and feel her all over
God knows that I do not find honesty enough in my own mind
Goes with his guards with him publiquely, and his trumpets
Goes down the wind in honour as well as every thing else
Great plot which was lately discovered in Ireland
Had a good supper of an oxe’s cheek
Half a pint of Rhenish wine at the Still-yard, mixed with beer
Hanged with a silken halter
He is too wise to be made a friend of
He hoped he should live to see her “ugly and willing”
He having made good promises, though I fear his performance
His readiness to speak spoilt all
How highly the Presbyters do talk in the coffeehouses still
I calling her beggar, and she me pricklouse, which vexed me
I and she never were so heartily angry in our lives as to-day
I do not find other people so willing to do business as myself
I slept most of the sermon
I was very angry, and resolve to beat him to-morrow
Ill humour to be so against that which all the world cries up
In some churches there was hardly ten people in the whole church
Insurrection of the Catholiques there
It must be the old ones that must do any good
Jealous, though God knows I have no great reason
John has got a wife, and for that he intends to part with him
Justice of proceeding not to condemn a man unheard
Keep at interest, which is a good, quiett, and easy profit
King was gone to play at Tennis
Lady Castlemaine hath all the King’s Christmas presents
Lay long in bed talking and pleasing myself with my wife
Lay very long with my wife in bed talking with great pleasure
Lay chiding, and then pleased with my wife in bed
Liability of a husband to pay for goods supplied his wife
Many thousands in a little time go out of England
Matters in Ireland are full of discontent
Money, which sweetens all things
Most flat dead sermon, both for matter and manner of delivery
Much discourse, but little to be learned
My maid Susan ill, or would be thought so
My wife has got too great head to be brought down soon
My wife and her maid Ashwell had between them spilled the pot....
No more matter being made of the death of one than another
No sense nor grammar, yet in as good words that ever I saw
Nor will yield that the Papists have any ground given them
Nor would become obliged too much to any
Nothing in the world done with true integrity
Nothing of any truth and sincerity, but mere envy and design
Nothing is to be got without offending God and the King
Once a week or so I know a gentleman must go....
Opening his mind to him as of one that may hereafter be his foe
Out of an itch to look upon the sluts there
Pain of the stone, and makes bloody water with great pain
Parliament do agree to throw down Popery
Pen was then turned Quaker
Persuade me that she should prove with child since last night
Plague is much in Amsterdam, and we in fears of it here
Pride and debauchery of the present clergy
Pride himself too much in it
Quakers being charmed by a string about their wrists
Rabbit not half roasted, which made me angry with my wife
Railed bitterly ever and anon against John Calvin
Reading my Latin grammar, which I perceive I have great need
Reckon nothing money but when it is in the bank
Resolve to live well and die a beggar
Sad for want of my wife, whom I love with all my heart
Saw his people go up and down louseing themselves
Scholler, that would needs put in his discourse (every occasion)
Scholler, but, it may be, thinks himself to be too much so
See how time and example may alter a man
See whether my wife did wear drawers to-day as she used to do
Sent me last night, as a bribe, a barrel of sturgeon
Servant of the King’s pleasures too, as well as business
She was so ill as to be shaved and pidgeons put to her feet
She is conceited that she do well already
She used the word devil, which vexed me
She begins not at all to take pleasure in me or study to please
So home, and mighty friends with my wife again
So much is it against my nature to owe anything to any body
So home to supper and bed with my father
So home, and after supper did wash my feet, and so to bed
So neat and kind one to another
Softly up to see whether any of the beds were out of order or no
Sorry for doing it now, because of obliging me to do the like
Sporting in my fancy with the Queen
Statute against selling of offices
Talk very highly of liberty of conscience
Taught my wife some part of subtraction
That I might say I saw no money in the paper
That he is not able to live almost with her
The plague is got to Amsterdam, brought by a ship from Argier
The goldsmith, he being one of the jury to-morrow
The house was full of citizens, and so the less pleasant
Thence by coach, with a mad coachman, that drove like mad
There is no passing but by coach in the streets, and hardly that
There is no man almost in the City cares a turd for him
Therefore ought not to expect more justice from her
These young Lords are not fit to do any service abroad
They were so false spelt that I was ashamed of them
They say now a common mistress to the King
Things being dear and little attendance to be had we went away
Though it be but little, yet I do get ground every month
Through the Fleete Ally to see a couple of pretty [strumpets]
To bed with discontent she yielded to me and began to be fond
Towzing her and doing what I would, but the last thing of all
Upon a small temptation I could be false to her
Vexed at my wife’s neglect in leaving of her scarf
Waked this morning between four and five by my blackbird
We having no luck in maids now-a-days
Who is over head and eares in getting her house up
Whose voice I am not to be reconciled
Wife and the dancing-master alone above, not dancing but talking
Wine, new and old, with labells pasted upon each bottle
With much ado in an hour getting a coach home
Would not make my coming troublesome to any
Yet it was her fault not to see that I did take them