In the pit I met with Sir Ch. North, formerly Mr. North, who was with my Lord at sea; and he, of his own accord, was so silly as to tell me he is married; and for her quality (being a Lord’s daughter, my Lord Grey), and person, and beauty, and years, and estate, and disposition, he is the happiest man in the world. I am sure he is an ugly fellow; but a good scholar and sober gentleman; and heir to his father, now Lord North, the old Lord being dead.
31st. Up, without words to my wife, or few, and those not angry, and so to White Hall, and there waited a long time, while the Duke of York was with the King in the Caball, and there I and Creed stayed talking without, in the Vane-Room, and I perceive all people’s expectation is, what will be the issue of this great business of putting these great Lords out of the council and power, the quarrel, I perceive, being only their standing against the will of the King in the business of the Chancellor. Anon the Duke of York comes out, and then to a committee of Tangier, where my Lord Middleton did come to-day, and seems to me but a dull, heavy man; but he is a great soldier, and stout, and a needy Lord, which will still keep that poor garrison from ever coming to be worth anything to the King. Here, after a short meeting, we broke up, and I home to the office, where they are sitting, and so I to them, and having done our business rose, and I home to dinner with my people, and there dined with me my uncle Thomas, with a mourning hat-band on, for his daughter Mary, and here I and my people did discourse of the Act for the accounts,
[“An Act for taking the Accompts of the several sums of money therein
menconed, 19 and 20 Car. II., c. I. The commissioners were
empowered to call before them all Treasurers, Receivers,
Paymasters, Principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy and
Ordnance respectively, Pursers, Mustermasters and Clerks of the
Cheque, Accomptants, and all Officers and Keepers of his Majesties
Stores and Provisions for Warr as well for Land as Sea, and all
other persons whatsoever imployed in the management of the said Warr
or requisite for the discovery of any frauds relating thereunto,”
&c., &c. (“Statutes of the Realm,” vol. v., pp. 624,627).]
which do give the greatest power to these people, as they report that have read it (I having not yet read it, and indeed its nature is such as I have no mind to go about to read it, for fear of meeting matter in it to trouble me), that ever was given to any subjects, and too much also. After dinner with my wife and girl to Unthanke’s, and there left her, and I to Westminster, and there to Mrs. Martin’s, and did hazer con elle what I desired, and there did drink with her, and find fault with her husband’s wearing of too fine clothes, by which I perceive he will be a beggar, and so after a little talking I away and took up my wife again, and so home and to the office, where Captain Perryman did give me an account, walking in the garden, how the seamen of England are discouraged by want of money (or otherwise by being, as he says, but I think without cause, by their being underrated) so far as that he thinks the greatest part are gone abroad or going, and says that it is known that there are Irish in the town, up and down, that do labour to entice the seamen out of the nation by giving them L3 in hand, and promise of 40s. per month, to go into the King of France’s service, which is a mighty shame, but yet I believe is true. I did advise with him about my little vessel, “The Maybolt,” which he says will be best for me to sell, though my employing her to Newcastle this winter, and the next spring, for coles, will be a gainful trade, but yet make me great trouble, but I will think of it, and so to my office, ended my letters, and so home to supper and to bed, good friends with my wife. Thus ends the year, with great happiness to myself and family as to health and good condition in the world, blessed be God for it! only with great trouble to my mind in reference to the publick, there being little hopes left but that the whole nation must in a very little time be lost, either by troubles at home, the Parliament being dissatisfied, and the King led into unsettled councils by some about him, himself considering little, and divisions growing between the King and Duke of York; or else by foreign invasion, to which we must submit if any, at this bad point of time, should come upon us, which the King of France is well able to do. These thoughts, and some cares upon me, concerning my standing in this Office when the Committee of Parliament shall come to examine our Navy matters, which they will now shortly do. I pray God they may do the kingdom service therein, as they will have sufficient opportunity of doing it!
ETEXT EDITOR’S BOOKMARKS, DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS, 1667 N.S., COMPLETE:
20s. in money, and what wine she needed, for the burying him
A gainful trade, but yet make me great trouble
Act of Council passed, to put out all Papists in office
Advantage a man of the law hath over all other people
And a deal of do of which I am weary
Angling with a minikin, a gut-string varnished over
Anthem anything but instrumentall musique with the voice
Archbishop is a wencher, and known to be so
As he called it, the King’s seventeenth whore abroad
Baker’s house in Pudding Lane, where the late great fire begun
Beginnings of discontents take so much root between us
Being taken with a Psalmbook or Testament
Better now than never
Bill against importing Cattle from Ireland
Bold to deliver what he thinks on every occasion
Bring me a periwig, but it was full of nits
But do it with mighty vanity and talking
But my wife vexed, which vexed me
Buying his place of my Lord Barkely
Buying up of goods in case there should be war
Cast stones with his horne crooke
Certainly Annapolis must be defended,—where is Annapolis?
Chief Court of judicature (House of Lords)
Clap of the pox which he got about twelve years ago
Come to us out of bed in his furred mittens and furred cap
Commons, where there is nothing done but by passion, and faction
Confidence, and vanity, and disparages everything
Consider that this is all the pleasure I live for in the world
Court full of great apprehensions of the French
Court is in a way to ruin all for their pleasures
Credit of this office hath received by this rogue’s occasion
Dash the brains of it out before the King’s face
Declared he will never have another public mistress again
Desk fastened to one of the armes of his chayre
Did take me up very prettily in one or two things that I said
Dinner, an ill and little mean one, with foul cloth and dishes
Disquiet all night, telling of the clock till it was daylight
Do outdo the Lords infinitely (debates in the Commons)
Dog, that would turn a sheep any way which
Dutch fleets being in so many places
Eat some of the best cheese-cakes that ever I eat in my life
Enough existed to build a ship (Pieces of the true Cross)
Enviously, said, I could not come honestly by them
Erasmus “de scribendis epistolis”
Every body leads, and nobody follows
Father, who to supper and betimes to bed at his country hours
Feared she hath from some [one] or other of a present
Fell a-crying for joy, being all maudlin and kissing one another
Fool’s play with which all publick things are done
For I will not be inward with him that is open to another
For I will be hanged before I seek to him, unless I see I need
Found to be with child, do never stir out of their beds
Give the King of France Nova Scotia, which he do not like
Gold holds up its price still
Good purpose of fitting ourselves for another war (A Peace)
Had his hand cut off, and was hanged presently!
Had the umbles of it for dinner
Hates to have any body mention what he had done the day before
Hath given her the pox, but I hope it is not so
Have not any awe over them from the King’s displeasure (Commons)
He was charged with making himself popular
He is not a man fit to be told what one hears
He will do no good, he being a man of an unsettled head
He is a man of no worth in the world but compliment
Heeling her on one side to make her draw little water
History of this day’s growth, we cannot tell the truth
House of Lords is the last appeal that a man can make
How do the children?
Hugged, it being cold now in the mornings....
Hunt up and down with its mouth if you touch the cheek
I would not enquire into anything, but let her talk
I am not a man able to go through trouble, as other men
I having now seen a play every day this week
I perceive no passion in a woman can be lasting long
I did get her hand to me under my cloak
I love the treason I hate the traitor
I find her painted, which makes me loathe her (cosmetics)
If the word Inquisition be but mentioned
Ill-bred woman, would take exceptions at anything any body said
Ill sign when we are once to come to study how to excuse
Just set down to dinner, and I dined with them, as I intended
King do resolve to declare the Duke of Monmouth legitimate
King is at the command of any woman like a slave
King the necessity of having, at least, a show of religion
King is offended with the Duke of Richmond’s marrying
King of France did think other princes fit for nothing
King governed by his lust, and women, and rogues about him
King’s service is undone, and those that trust him perish
Kingdom will fall back again to a commonwealth
Know yourself to be secure, in being necessary to the office
Lady Castlemayne’s nose out of joynt
Lady Castlemayne is compounding with the King for a pension
Liberty of speech in the House
Little content most people have in the peace
Little worth of this world, to buy it with so much pain
Looks to lie down about two months hence
Make a man wonder at the good fortune of such a fool
Mazer or drinking-bowl turned out of some kind of wood
Mean, methinks, and is as if they had married like dog and bitch
Mirrors which makes the room seem both bigger and lighter
Mr. William Pen a Quaker again
Mrs. Stewart’s sending the King his jewels again
Much difficulty to get pews, I offering the sexton money
Musique in the morning to call up our new-married people
Must yet pay to the Poll Bill for this pension (unreceived)
My wife will keep to one another and let the world go hang
My intention to learn to trill
My people do observe my minding my pleasure more than usual
My wife this night troubled at my leaving her alone so much
Necessary, and yet the peace is so bad in its terms
Never laughed so in all my life. I laughed till my head ached
Never was known to keep two mistresses in his life (Charles II.)
Never, while he lives, truckle under any body or any faction
Never to keep a country-house, but to keep a coach
New medall, where, in little, there is Mrs. Steward’s face
Night the Dutch burned our ships the King did sup with Castlemayne
No man knowing what to do, whether to sell or buy
Nobody knows which side will be uppermost
Nobody being willing to trust us for anything
Nor offer anything, but just what is drawn out of a man
Not more than I expected, nor so much by a great deal as I ought
Not thinking them safe men to receive such a gratuity
Now above six months since (smoke from the cellars)
Officers are four years behind-hand unpaid
Only because she sees it is the fashion (She likes it)
Outdo for neatness and plenty anything done by any of them
Painful to keep money, as well as to get it
Pit, where the bears are baited
Poll Bill
Pressing in it as if none of us had like care with him
Prince’s being trepanned, which was in doing just as we passed
Proud that she shall come to trill
Receive the applications of people, and hath presents
Reparation for what we had embezzled
Run over their beads with one hand, and point and play and talk
Said to die with the cleanest hands that ever any Lord Treasurer
Saying, that for money he might be got to our side
Says of wood, that it is an excrescence of the earth
Seems she hath had long melancholy upon her
Sermon ended, and the church broke up, and my amours ended also
Sermon upon Original Sin, neither understood by himself
Sermon without affectation or study
Shame such a rogue should give me and all of us this trouble
She has this silly vanity that she must play
Sick of it and of him for it
Silence; it being seldom any wrong to a man to say nothing
Singing with many voices is not singing
So every thing stands still for money
Some ends of my own in what advice I do give her
Sorry thing to be a poor King
Spares not to blame another to defend himself
Sparrowgrass
Speaks rarely, which pleases me mightily
Spends his time here most, playing at bowles
Sport to me to see him so earnest on so little occasion
Street ordered to be continued, forty feet broad, from Paul’s
Supper and to bed without one word one to another
Suspect the badness of the peace we shall make
Swear they will not go to be killed and have no pay
Take pins out of her pocket to prick me if I should touch her
The pleasure of my not committing these things to my memory
The world do not grow old at all
The gates of the City shut, it being so late
Their condition was a little below my present state
Then home, and merry with my wife
They are all mad; and thus the kingdom is governed!
They want where to set their feet, to begin to do any thing
Think never to see this woman—at least, to have her here more
Though he knows, if he be not a fool, that I love him not
Through my wife’s illness had a bad night of it, and she a worse
To my joy, I met not with any that have sped better than myself
Troubled to think what trouble a rogue may without cause give
Uncertainty of all history
Used to make coal fires, and wash my foul clothes
Very great tax; but yet I do think it is so perplexed
Voyage to Newcastle for coles
We find the two young ladies come home, and their patches off
Weary of it; but it will please the citizens
Weigh him after he had done playing
What way a man could devise to lose so much in so little time
What I said would not hold water
Whatever I do give to anybody else, I shall give her
Where a piece of the Cross is
Which he left him in the lurch
Whip this child till the blood come, if it were my child!
Who continues so ill as not to be troubled with business
Whom, in mirth to us, he calls Antichrist
Whose red nose makes me ashamed to be seen with him
Wise man’s not being wise at all times
Wise men do prepare to remove abroad what they have
Wonders that she cannot be as good within as she is fair without
Wretch, n., often used as an expression of endearment
Yet let him remember the days of darkness
Young fellow, with his hat cocked like a fool behind
JANUARY 1667-1668
January 1st. Up, and all the morning in my chamber making up some accounts against this beginning of the new year, and so about noon abroad with my wife, who was to dine with W. Hewer and Willet at Mrs. Pierces, but I had no mind to be with them, for I do clearly find that my wife is troubled at my friendship with her and Knepp, and so dined with my Lord Crew, with whom was Mr. Browne, Clerk of the House of Lords, and Mr. John Crew. Here was mighty good discourse, as there is always: and among other things my Lord Crew did turn to a place in the Life of Sir Philip Sidney, wrote by Sir Fulke Greville, which do foretell the present condition of this nation, in relation to the Dutch, to the very degree of a prophecy; and is so remarkable that I am resolved to buy one of them, it being, quite throughout, a good discourse. Here they did talk much of the present cheapness of corne, even to a miracle; so as their farmers can pay no rent, but do fling up their lands; and would pay in corne: but, which I did observe to my Lord, and he liked well of it, our gentry are grown so ignorant in every thing of good husbandry, that they know not how to bestow this corne: which, did they understand but a little trade, they would be able to joyne together, and know what markets there are abroad, and send it thither, and thereby ease their tenants and be able to pay themselves. They did talk much of the disgrace the Archbishop is fallen under with the King, and the rest of the Bishops also. Thence I after dinner to the Duke of York’s playhouse, and there saw “Sir Martin Mar-all;” which I have seen so often, and yet am mightily pleased with it, and think it mighty witty, and the fullest of proper matter for mirth that ever was writ; and I do clearly see that they do improve in their acting of it. Here a mighty company of citizens, ‘prentices, and others; and it makes me observe, that when I begun first to be able to bestow a play on myself, I do not remember that I saw so many by half of the ordinary ‘prentices and mean people in the pit at 2s. 6d. a-piece as now; I going for several years no higher than the 12d. and then the 18d. places, though, I strained hard to go in then when I did: so much the vanity and prodigality of the age is to be observed in this particular. Thence I to White Hall, and there walked up and down the house a while, and do hear nothing of anything done further in this business of the change of Privy-counsellors: only I hear that Sir G. Savile, one of the Parliament Committee of nine, for examining the Accounts, is by the King made a Lord, the Lord Halifax; which, I believe, will displease the Parliament. By and by I met with Mr. Brisband; and having it in my mind this Christmas to (do what I never can remember that I did) go to see the manner of the gaming at the Groome-Porter’s, I having in my coming from the playhouse stepped into the two Temple-halls, and there saw the dirty ‘prentices and idle people playing; wherein I was mistaken, in thinking to have seen gentlemen of quality playing there, as I think it was when I was a little child, that one of my father’s servants, John Bassum, I think, carried me in his arms thither. I did tell Brisband of it, and he did lead me thither, where, after staying an hour, they begun to play at about eight at night, where to see how differently one man took his losing from another, one cursing and swearing, and another only muttering and grumbling to himself, a third without any apparent discontent at all: to see how the dice will run good luck in one hand, for half an hour together, and another have no good luck at all: to see how easily here, where they play nothing but guinnys, a L100 is won or lost: to see two or three gentlemen come in there drunk, and putting their stock of gold together, one 22 pieces, the second 4, and the third 5 pieces; and these to play one with another, and forget how much each of them brought, but he that brought the 22 thinks that he brought no more than the rest: to see the different humours of gamesters to change their luck, when it is bad, how ceremonious they are as to call for new dice, to shift their places, to alter their manner of throwing, and that with great industry, as if there was anything in it: to see how some old gamesters, that have no money now to spend as formerly, do come and sit and look on, as among others, Sir Lewis Dives, who was here, and hath been a great gamester in his time: to hear their cursing and damning to no purpose, as one man being to throw a seven if he could, and, failing to do it after a great many throws, cried he would be damned if ever he flung seven more while he lived, his despair of throwing it being so great, while others did it as their luck served almost every throw: to see how persons of the best quality do here sit down, and play with people of any, though meaner; and to see how people in ordinary clothes shall come hither, and play away 100, or 2 or 300 guinnys, without any kind of difficulty: and lastly, to see the formality of the groome-porter, who is their judge of all disputes in play and all quarrels that may arise therein, and how his under-officers are there to observe true play at each table, and to give new dice, is a consideration I never could have thought had been in the world, had I not now seen it. And mighty glad I am that I did see it, and it may be will find another evening, before Christmas be over, to see it again, when I may stay later, for their heat of play begins not till about eleven or twelve o’clock; which did give me another pretty observation of a man, that did win mighty fast when I was there. I think he won L100 at single pieces in a little time. While all the rest envied him his good fortune, he cursed it, saying, “A pox on it, that it should come so early upon me, for this fortune two hours hence would be worth something to me, but then, God damn me, I shall have no such luck.” This kind of prophane, mad entertainment they give themselves. And so I, having enough for once, refusing to venture, though Brisband pressed me hard, and tempted me with saying that no man was ever known to lose the first time, the devil being too cunning to discourage a gamester; and he offered me also to lend me ten pieces to venture; but I did refuse, and so went away, and took coach and home about 9 or to at night, where not finding my wife come home, I took the same coach again, and leaving my watch behind me for fear of robbing, I did go back and to Mrs. Pierces, thinking they might not have broken up yet, but there I find my wife newly gone, and not going out of my coach spoke only to Mr. Pierce in his nightgown in the street, and so away back again home, and there to supper with my wife and to talk about their dancing and doings at Mrs. Pierces to-day, and so to bed.
2nd. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes by coach to White Hall, and there attended the King and the Duke of York in the Duke of York’s lodgings, with the rest of the Officers and many of the Commanders of the fleete, and some of our master shipwrights, to discourse the business of having the topmasts of ships made to lower abaft of the mainmast; a business I understand not, and so can give no good account; but I do see that by how much greater the Council, and the number of Counsellors is, the more confused the issue is of their councils; so that little was said to the purpose regularly, and but little use was made of it, they coming to a very broken conclusion upon it, to make trial in a ship or two. From this they fell to other talk about the fleete’s fighting this late war, and how the King’s ships have been shattered; though the King said that the world would not have it that about ten or twenty ships in any fight did do any service, and that this hath been told so to him himself, by ignorant people. The Prince, who was there, was mightily surprised at it, and seemed troubled: but the King told him that it was only discourse of the world. But Mr. Wren whispered me in the eare, and said that the Duke of Albemarle had put it into his Narrative for the House, that not above twenty-five ships fought in the engagement wherein he was, but that he was advised to leave it out; but this he did write from sea, I am sure, or words to that effect: and did displease many commanders, among others, Captain Batts, who the Duke of York said was a very stout man, all the world knew; and that another was brought into his ship that had been turned out of his place when he was a boatswain, not long before, for being a drunkard. This the Prince took notice of, and would have been angry, I think, but they let their discourse fall: but the Duke of York was earnest in it. And the Prince said to me, standing by me, “God damn me, if they will turn out every man that will be drunk, they must turn out all the commanders in the fleete. What is the matter if he be drunk, so when he comes to fight he do his work? At least, let him be punished for his drunkenness, and not put out of his command presently.” This he spoke, very much concerned for this idle fellow, one Greene. After this the King began to tell stories of the cowardice of the Spaniards in Flanders, when he was there, at the siege of Mardike and Dunkirke; which was very pretty, though he tells them but meanly. This being done I to Westminster Hall, and there staid a little: and then home, and by the way did find with difficulty the Life of Sir Philip Sidney (the book I mentioned yesterday). And the bookseller told me that he had sold four, within this week or two, which is more than ever he sold in all his life of them; and he could not imagine what should be the reason of it: but I suppose it is from the same reason of people’s observing of this part therein, touching his prophesying our present condition here in England in relation to the Dutch, which is very remarkable. So home to dinner, where Balty’s wife is come to town; she come last night and lay at my house, but being weary was gone to bed before I come home, and so I saw her not before. After dinner I took my wife and her girl out to the New Exchange, and there my wife bought herself a lace for a handkercher, which I do give her, of about L3, for a new year’s gift, and I did buy also a lace for a band for myself, and so home, and there to the office busy late, and so home to my chamber, where busy on some accounts, and then to supper and to bed. This day my wife shows me a locket of dyamonds worth about L40, which W. Hewer do press her to accept, and hath done for a good while, out of his gratitude for my kindness and hers to him. But I do not like that she should receive it, it not being honourable for me to do it; and so do desire her to force him to take it back again, he leaving it against her will yesterday with her. And she did this evening force him to take it back, at which she says he is troubled; but, however, it becomes me more to refuse it, than to let her accept of it. And so I am well pleased with her returning it him. It is generally believed that France is endeavouring a firmer league with us than the former, in order to his going on with his business against Spayne the next year; which I am, and so everybody else is, I think, very glad of, for all our fear is, of his invading us. This day, at White Hall, I overheard Sir W. Coventry propose to the King his ordering of some particular thing in the Wardrobe, which was of no great value; but yet, as much as it was, it was of profit to the King and saving to his purse. The King answered to it with great indifferency, as a thing that it was no great matter whether it was done or no. Sir W. Coventry answered: “I see your Majesty do not remember the old English proverb, ‘He that will not stoop for a pin, will never be worth a pound.’” And so they parted, the King bidding him do as he would; which, methought, was an answer not like a King that did intend ever to do well.
3rd. At the office all the morning with Mr. Willson and my clerks, consulting again about a new contract with the Victualler of the Navy, and at noon home to dinner, and then to the office again, where busy all the afternoon preparing something for the Council about Tangier this evening. So about five o’clock away with it to the Council, and there do find that the Council hath altered its times of sitting to the mornings, and so I lost my labour, and back again by coach presently round by the city wall, it being dark, and so home, and there to the office, where till midnight with Mr. Willson and my people to go through with the Victualler’s contract and the considerations about the new one, and so home to supper and to bed, thinking my time very well spent.