The Diary of Samuel Pepys

by Samuel Pepys

4th. To the fair to see the play "Bartholomew-fair," with puppets. and it is an excellent play; the more I see it, the more I love the wit of it; only the business of abusing the Puritans begins to grow stale and of no use, they being the people that at last will be found the wisest. This night Knipp tells us that there is a Spanish woman lately come over that pretends to sing as well as Mrs. Knight; [A celebrated singer and favourite of Charles Il. Her portrait was engraved in 1749 by Faber, after Kneller. There is in Waller's Poems a song, sung by Mrs. Knight to the Queen on her birthday.] both of whom I must endeavour to hear.

5th. To Mr. Hales's new house, where I find he hath finished my wife's hand, which is better than the other. And here I find Harris's picture done in his habit of "Henry the Fifth;" mighty like a player, but I do not think the picture near so good as any yet he hath made for me; however, it is pretty well.

7th. With my Lord Brouncker (who was this day in unusual manner merry, I believe with drink), J. Minnes, and W. Pen to Bartholomew-fair; and there saw the dancing mare again (which to- day I find to act much worse than the other day, she forgetting many things, which her master beat her for, and was mightily vexed,) and then the dancing of the ropes, and also the little stage-play, which is very ridiculous.

8th. This day I received so earnest an invitation again from Roger Pepys to come to Stourbridge-fair, that I resolve to let my wife go; which she shall do the next week.

9th. To the Duke of Richmond's lodgings by his desire by letter yesterday. I find him at his lodgings in the little building in the bowling-green at White Hall, that was begun to be built by Captain Rolt. They are fine rooms. I did hope to see his lady; but she, I hear, is in the country. His business was about his yacht; and he seems a mighty good-natured man, and did presently write me a warrant for a doe from Cobham, when the season comes, buck season being past. I shall make much of this acquaintance, that I may live to see his lady near. Thence to Westminster, to Sir R. Long's office; and going, met Mr. George Montagu, who talked and complimented me mightily; and a long discourse I had with him: who, for news, tells me for certain that Trevor do come to be Secretary at Michaelmas, and that Morrice goes out, and, he believes, without any compensation. He tells me that now Buckingham do rule all; and the other day, in the King's journey he is now in, at Bagshot and that way, he caused Prince Rupert's horses to be turned out of an inne, and caused his own to be kept there; which the Prince complained of to the King, and the Duke of York seconded the complaint; but the King did over-rule it for Buckingham, by which there are high displeasures among them: and Buckingham and Arlington rule all. To White Hall; where Brouncker, W. Pen, and I attended the Commissioners of the Treasury about the victualling contract; where high words between Sir Thomas Clifford and us, and myself more particularly, who told him that something, that he said was told him about this business, was a flat untruth. However, we went on to our business in the examination of the draught, and so parted, and I vexed at what happened.

13th (Lord's day). By coach to St. James's, and met, to my wish, the Duke of York and Mr. Wren: and understand the Duke of York hath received answers from Brouncker, W. Pen, and J. Minnes; and as soon as he saw me, he bid Mr. Wren read them over with me. So having no opportunity of talk with the Duke of York, and Mr. Wren some business to do, he put them into my hands like an idle companion, to take home with me before himself had read them; which do give me great opportunity of altering my answer, if there was cause. After supper made my wife to read them all over, wherein she is mighty useful to me: and I find them all evasions, and in many things false, and in few to the full purpose. Little said reflective on me; though W. Pen and J. Minnes do mean me in one or two places, and J. Minnes a little more plainly would lead the Duke of York to question the exactness of my keeping my records; but all to no purpose. My mind is mightily pleased by this, if I can but get time to have a copy taken of them for my future use; but I must return them tomorrow. So to bed.

14th. Up betimes, and walked to the Temple, and stopped, viewing the Exchange and Paul's and St. Fayth's; where strange how the very sight of the stones falling from the top of the steeple do make me sea-sick! But no hurt, I hear, hath yet happened in all this work of the steeple; which is very much. So from the Temple I by coach to St. James's; where I find Sir W. Pen and Lord Anglesy, who delivered this morning his answer to the Duke of York, but I could not see it. But after being above with the Duke of York, I down with Mr. Wren; and he and I read all over that I had, and I expounded them to him, and did so order it that I had them home with me, so that I shall to my heart's wish be able to take a copy of them. After dinner I by water to White Hall; and there, with the Cofferer and Sir Stephen Fox, attended the Commissioners of the Treasury about bettering our fund; and are promised it speedily.

15th. To the King's playhouse to see a new play, acted but yesterday, a translation out of French by Dryden, called "The Ladys a la Mode:" so mean a thing as, when they come to say it would be acted again to-morrow, both he that said it (Beeson [Probably Beeston, who had been Manager of the Cockpit Theatre.]) and the pit fell a-laughing.

18th. Walking it to the Temple, and in my way observe that the stockes are now pulled quite down: and it will make the coming into Cornhill and Lumber-street mighty noble. I stopped too at; Paul's, and there did go into St. Fayth's church, and also in the body of the west part of the church; and do see a hideous sight of the walls of the church ready to fall, that I was in fear as long as I was in it; and here I saw the great vaults underneath the body of the church. No hurt, I hear, is done yet, since their going to pull down the church and steeple; but one man, one Mound, this week fell from the top of the roof of the east end that stands next the steeple, and there broke himself all to pieces. It is pretty here to see how the late church was but a case wrought over the old church; for you may see the very old pillars standing whole within the wall of this. When I come to St. James's, I find the Duke of York gone with the King to see the muster of the Guards in Hide Park; and their Colonell, the Duke of Monmouth, to take his command this day of the King's Life-guard, by surrender of my Lord Gerard. So I took a hackney- coach and saw it all: and indeed it was mighty noble, and their firing mighty fine, and the Duke of Monmouth in mighty rich clothes; but the well ordering of the men I understand not. Here, among a thousand coaches that were there, I saw and spoke to Mrs. Pierce: and by and by Mr. Wren hunts me out and gives me my Lord Anglesy's answer to the Duke of York's letter: where, I perceive, he do do what he can to hurt me, by bidding the Duke of York call for my books: but this will do me all the right in the world, and yet I am troubled at it. So away out of the Park, and home; and there Mr. Gibson and I to dinner: and all the afternoon with him writing over anew and a little altering my answer to the Duke of York, which I have not yet delivered, and so have the opportunity of doing it after seeing all their answers, though this do give me occasion to alter very little. This done, he to write it over, and I to the office; where late, and then home, and he had finished it. And then he to read to me the Life of Archbishop Laud, wrote by Dr. Heylin; which is a shrewd book, but that which I believe will do the Bishops in general no great good, but hurt, it pleads so much for Popery.

18th. To St. James's, and there took a turn or two in the Park; and then up to the Duke of York, and there had opportunity of delivering my answer to his late letter, which he did not read, but give to Mr. Wren, as looking on it as a thing I needed not have done, but only that I might not give occasion to the rest to suspect my communication with the Duke of York against them. So now I am at rest in that matter, and shall be more when my copies are finished of their answers.