Rafael Sabatini - "The Lion's Skin"

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Rex Beach - "The Ne'er Do Well"

Euripedes - "The Iphigenia in Tauris"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

S >> Samuel Pepys >> The Diary of Samuel Pepys




18th. Comes Mr. Moore to give me an account how Mr. Montagu
[Edward Montagu.] was gone away of a sudden with the fleet, in
such haste that he hath left behind some servants, and many
things of consequence; and among others, my Lord's commission for
Embassador. Whereupon he and I took coach, and to Whitehall to
my Lord's lodgings, to have spoke with Mr. Ralph Montagu [Ralph,
eldest son of Edward, second Baron Montagu, of Boughton; created
Duke of Montagu, and died 1709. His sister Elizabeth had married
Sir D. Harvey, Knt., Ambassador to Constantinople.] his brother;
(and here we staid talking with Sarah and the old man,) but by
and by hearing that he was in Covent Garden, we went thither:
and at my Lady Harvy's, his sister, I spoke with him, and he
tells me that the Commission is not left behind.

22nd. After musique-practice, to White Hall, and thence to
Westminster, in my way calling at Mr. George Montagu's, to
condole on the loss of his son, who was a fine gentleman. after
this discourse he told me, among other news, the great jealousys
that are now in the Parliament House. The Lord Chancellor, it
seems, taking occasion from this late plot to raise fears in the
people, did project the raising of an army forthwith, besides the
constant militia, thinking to make the Duke of York General
thereof. But the House did, in very open termes, say, they were
grown too wise to be fooled again into another army; and said
they had found how that man that hath the command of an army is
not beholden to any body to make him King. There are factions
(private ones at Court) about Madam Palmer; but what it is about
I know not. But it is something about the King's favour to her
now that the Queene is coming. He told me, too, what sport the
King and Court do make at Mr. Edwd. Montagu's leaving his things
behind him. But the Chancellor (taking it a little more
seriously) did openly say to my Lord Chamberlaine, that had it
been such a gallant as my Lord Mandeville his son, [Lord
Mandeville was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles II. He
became Earl of Manchester on his father's death, and died at
Paris in 1682.] it might have been taken as a frolique: but for
him that would be thought a grave coxcombe, it was very strange.
Thence to the Hall, where I heard the House had ordered all the
King's murderers, that remain, to be executed, but Fleetwood
[Charles, son of Sir Wm. Fleetwood, Knt., General and Commander
in Chief to the Protector Richard, whose sister, Bridget, widow
of Ireton, he had married. After the King's return he lived in
contemptible obscurity, and died circa 1689.] and Downes.

25th. At home and the office all the morning. Walking in the
garden to give the gardener directions what to do this year (for
I intend to have the garden handsome), Sir W. Pen come to me, and
did break a business to me about removing his son from Oxford to
Cambridge to some private college. I proposed Magdalene, but
cannot name a tutor at present; but I shall think and write about
it. Thence with him to the Trinity-house to dinner; where Sir
Richd. Brown, one of the clerkes of the Council, and who is much
concerned against Sir N. Crisp's project of making a great sasse
["Sasse, a sluice, or lock, used in water-works."--BAILEY'S
DICTIONARY. This project is mentioned by Evelyn, and Lysons,
ENVIRONS, VOL. iv. p. 392.] in the King's lands about Deptford,
to be a wett-dock to hold 200 sail of ships. But the ground, it
seems, was long since given by the King to Sir Richard. After
the Trinity-house men had done their business, the master, Sir
Wm. Rider, come to bid us welcome; and so to dinner. Comes
Mr.Moore with letters from my Lord Sandwich, speaking of his
lying still at Tangier, looking for the fleet; which, we hope, is
now in a good way thither.

27th. This morning, both Sir Williams and I by barge to
Deptford-yard to give orders in business there; and called on
several ships, also to give orders. Going to take water upon
Tower-hill, we met with three sleddes standing there to carry my
Lord Monson [William, second son of Sir Thomas Monson, Bart.;
created by Charles I. Viscount Castlemaine of the kingdom of
Ireland; notwithstanding which, he was instrumental in his
Majesty's death: and in 1661, being degraded of his honours, was
sentenced, with Sir Henry Mildmay and Mr. Robert Wallop, to be
drawn on sledges, with ropes round their necks, to Tyburn, and
back to the Tower, there to remain prisoners for life. None of
their names were subscribed to the King's sentence.] and Sir H.
Mildmay [Sir H. Mildmay had enjoyed the confidence of Charles I.,
who made him Master of the Jewels; but he sat a few days as one
of the King's Judges. He died at Antwerp.] and another, to the
gallows and back again, with ropes about their necks; which is to
be repeated every year, this being the day of their sentencing
the King.

FEBRUARY 1, 1661-62 This morning with Commissioner Pett to the
office; and he staid there writing, while I and Sir W. Pen walked
in the garden talking about his business of putting his son to
Cambridge; and to that end I intend to write to-night to Dr.
Fairebrother, to give me an account of Mr. Burton [Hezekiah
Burton, S. T. B. 1661.] of Magdalene. Thence with Mr. Pett to
the Paynter's; and he likes our pictures very well, and so do I.
Thence he and I to the Countesse of Sandwich, to lead him to her
to kiss her hands: and dined with her, and told her the news
(which Sir W. Pen told me to do) that expresse is come from my
Lord with letters, that by a great storm and tempest the mole of
Argier is broken down, and many of their ships sunk into the
mole. So that God Almighty hath now ended that unlucky business
for us; which is very good news.

4th. To Westminster Hall, where it was full terme. Here all the
morning, and at noon to my Lord Crewe's, where one Mr. Templer
(an ingenious man and a person of honour he seems to be) dined;
and, discoursing of the nature of serpents, he told us some in
the waste places of Lancashire do grow to a great bigness, and do
feed upon larkes, which they take thus:--They observe when the
lark is soared to the highest, and do crawl till they come to be
just underneath them; and there they place themselves with their
mouth uppermost, and there, as is conceived, they do eject poyson
upon the bird; for the bird do suddenly come down again in its
course of a circle, and falls directly into the mouth of the
serpent; which is very strange. He is a great traveller; and,
speaking of the tarantula, he says that all the harvest long
(about which times they are most busy) there are fidlers go up
and down the fields every where, in expectation of being hired by
those that are stung. This afternoon, going into the office, one
met me and did serve a subpoena upon me for one Field, whom we
did commit to prison the other day for some ill words he did give
the office. The like he had for others, but we shall scoure him
for it.

5th. To the Playhouse, and there saw "Rule a wife and have a
Wife;" [A comedy by J. Fletcher.] very well done. And here also
I did look long upon my Lady Castlemaine, who, notwithstanding
her sickness, continues a great beauty.

7th. I hear the prisoners in the Tower that are to die are come
to the Parliament-house this morning. To the Wardrobe to dinner
with my Lady; where a civitt cat, parrot, apes, and many other
things, are come from my Lord by Captain Hill, who dined with my
Lady with us to-day. Thence to the Paynter's, and am well
pleased with our pictures.

10th. To Paul's Church-yard, and there I met with Dr. Fuller's
"England's Worthys," the first time that I ever saw it; and so I
sat down reading in it; being much troubled that (though he had
some discourse with me about my family and armes) he says nothing
at all, nor mentions us either in Cambridgeshire or Norfolke.
But I believe, indeed, our family were never considerable.

13th. Mr. Blackburne do tell me plain of the corruption of all
our Treasurer's officers, and that they hardly pay any money
under ten per cent.; and that the other day for a mere
assignation of 200l. to some counties, they took 15l. which is
very strange. Last night died the Queene of Bohemia.

15th. With the two Sir Williams to the Trinity-house; and there
in their society had the business debated of Sir Nicholas Crisp's
sasse at Deptford. After dinner I was sworn a Younger Brother;
Sir W. Rider being Deputy-Master for my Lord of Sandwich; and
after I was sworn, all the Elder Brothers shake me by the hand:
it is their custom, it seems. No news yet of our fleet gone to
Tangier, which we now begin to think long.

17th. This morning, both Sir Williams, myself, and Captn. Cock,
and Captn. Tinker of the Covertine, which we are going to look
upon, (being intended with these ships fitting for the East
Indys) down to Deptford; and thence, after being on ship-board,
to Woolwich, and there eat something. The Sir Williams being
unwilling to eat flesh, Captn. Cock and I had a breast of veale
roasted.

18th. Having agreed with Sir Wm. Pen to meet him at the Opera,
and finding by my walking in the streets, which were every where
full of brick-bates and tyles flung down by the extraordinary
winde the last night (such as hath not been in memory before,
unless at the death of the late Protector,) that it was dangerous
to go out of doors; and hearing how several persons had been
killed to-day by the fall of things in the streets, and that the
pageant in Fleet-streete is most of it blown down, and hath broke
down part of several houses, among others Dick Brigden's; and
that one Lady Sanderson, a person of quality in Covent-Garden,
was killed by the fall of the house, in her bed, last night; I
sent my boy to forbid him to go forth, But he bringing me word
that he is gone, I went thither and saw "The Law against Lovers,"
[A tragi-comedy by Sir William Davenant; taken from "Measure for
Measure," and "Much Ado about Nothing."] a good play and well
performed, especially the little girl's (whom I never saw act
before) dancing and singing; and were it not for her, the losse
of Roxalana would spoil the house.

20th. Letters from Tangier from my Lord, telling me how, upon a
Great defete given to the Portuguese there by the Moors, he had
put in 300 men into the towne, and so he is in possession, of
which we are very glad, because now the Spaniards' designs of
hindering our getting the place are frustrated. I went with the
letter inclosed to my Lord Chancellor to the House of Lords, and
did give it him in the House. Went by promise to Mr. Savill's,
and there sat the first time for my picture in little, which
pleaseth me well.

22nd. This evening I wrote letters to my father; among other
things acquainted him with the unhappy accident which hath
happened lately to my Lord of Dorset's two oldest sons, who, with
two Belasses and one Squire Wentworth, were lately apprehended
for killing and robbing of a tanner about Newington on Wednesday
last, and are all now in Newgate. I am much troubled for it, and
for the grief and disgrace it brings to their familys and
friends. [The following account of this transaction is abridged
from the MERCURIUS PUBLICUS of the day:--"Charles Lord
Brockhurst, Edward Sackville, Esq., his brother; Sir Henry
Belasyse, K.B., eldest son of Lord Belasyse; John Belasyse,
brother to Lord Faulconberg; and Thomas Wentworth, Esq., only son
of Sir G. Wentworth, whilst in pursuit of thieves near Waltham
Cross, mortally wounded an innocent tanner named Hoppy, whom they
had endeavoured to secure, suspecting him to have been one of the
robbers; and as they took away the money found on his person,
under the idea that it was stolen property they were soon after
apprehended on the charges of robbery and murder; but the Grand
Jury found a bill for manslaughter only." By a subsequent
allusion in the Diary to their trial, it seems probable that a
verdict of acquittal was pronounced.]

23rd. This day by God's mercy I am 29 years of age, and in very
good health, and like to live and get an estate; and if I have a
heart to be contented, I think I may reckon myself as happy a man
as any in the world, for which God be praised. So to prayers and
to bed.

25th. Great talk of the effects of this late great wind; and I
heard one say that he had five great trees standing together
blown down; and, beginning to lop them, one of them, as soon as
the lops were cut off, did, by the weight of the root, rise again
and fasten. We have letters from the forest of Deane, that above
1000 oakes and as many beeches are blown down in one walke there.
And letters from my father tell me of 20l. hurt done to us at
Brampton. This day in the news-booke I find that my Lord
Buckhurst [Charles Lord Buckhurst, eldest son of Richard, fifth
Earl of Dorset; created Earl of Middlesex soon after his uncle's
death, in 1675, and succeeded his father in 1677. Ob. 1705-6.]
and his fellows have printed their case as they did give it in
upon examination to a Justice of Peace, wherein they make
themselves a very good tale that they were in pursuit of thieves,
and that they took this man for one of them, and so killed him;
and that he himself confessed it was the first time of his
robbing; and that he did pay dearly for it, for he was a dead
man. But I doubt things will be proved otherwise than they say.

MARCH 1, 1661-62. To the Opera, and there saw "Romeo and
Juliet," the first time it was ever acted. I am resolved to go
no more to see the first time of acting, for they were all of
them out more or less.

3rd. I am told that this day the Parliament hath voted 2s. per
annum for every chimney in England, as a constant revenue for
ever to the Crowne.

7th. Early to White Hall to the chapel, where by Mr. Blagrave's
means I got into his pew, and heard Mr. Creeton, the great
Scotchman, and chaplain in ordinary to the King, preach before
the King, and Duke and Duchesse, upon the words of Micah:--"Roule
yourselves in dust." He made a most learned sermon upon the
words; but in his application, the most comical man that ever I
heard in my life. Just such a man as Hugh Peters; saying that it
had been better for the poor Cavalier never to have come with the
King into England again; for he that hath the impudence to deny
obedience to the lawful magistrate, and to swear to the oath of
allegiance, &c., was better treated now-a-days in Newgate, than a
poor Royalist that hath suffered all his life for the King, is at
White Hall among his friends.

8th. By coach with both Sir Williams to Westminster; this being
a great day there in the House to pass the business for chimney-
money, which was done. In the Hall I met with Surgeon Pierce:
and he told me how my Lady Monk hath disposed of all the places
which Mr. Edwd. Montagu hoped to have had as he was Master of the
Horse to the Queene; which I am afraid will undo him, because he
depended much upon the profit of what he should make by these
places. He told me, also, many more scurvy stories of him and
his brother Ralph, which troubles me to hear of persons of honour
as they are. Sir W. Pen and I to the office, whither afterward
come Sir G. Carteret; and we sent for Sir Thos. Allen, one of the
Aldermen of the City, [Probably Sheriff of London, 1654.] about
the business of one Colonel Appesly, whom we had taken
counterfeiting of bills with all our hands and the officers of
the yards, so well that I should never have mistrusted them. We
staid about this business at the office till ten at night, and at
last did send him with a constable to the Counter; and did give
warrants for the seizing of a complice of his, one Blenkinsopp.

12th. This morning we had news from Mr. Coventry, that Sir G.
Downing (like a perfidious rogue, though the action is good and
of service to the King, yet he cannot with a good conscience do
it) hath taken Okey, Corbet, and Barkestead at Delfe, in Holland,
and sent them home in the Blackmore. [According to Hume, Downing
had once been chaplain to Okey's regiment. John Okey, Miles
Corbet, and John Barkstead, three of the regicides; executed
April 19th following.] Sir W. Pen, talking to me this afternoon
of what a strange thing it is for Downing to do this, he told me
of a speech he made to the Lords States of Holland, telling them
to their faces that he observed that he was not received with the
respect and observance now that he was when he came from the
traitor and rebell Cromwell: by whom, I am sure, he hath got all
he hath in the world,--and they know it too.

14th. Home to dinner. In the afternoon come the German Dr.
Knuffler, to discourse with us about his engine to blow up ships.
We doubted not the matter of fact, it being tried in Cromwell's
time, but the safety of carrying them in ships; but he do tell
us, that when he comes to tell the King his secret, (for none but
the Kings, successively, and their heirs must know it,) it will
appear to be of no danger at all. We concluded nothing: but
shall discourse with the Duke of York to-morrow about it.

16th. Walked to White Hall; and an houre or two in the Parke,
which is now very pleasant. Here the King and Duke come to see
their fowle play. The Duke took very civil notice of me.

17th. Last night the Blackmore pinke brought the three prisoners
Barkestead, Okey, and Corbet, to the Tower, being taken at Delfe
in Holland; where, the Captain tells me, the Dutch were a good
while before they could be persuaded to let them go, they being
taken prisoners in their land. But Sir G. Downing would not be
answered so: though all the world takes notice of him for a most
ungrateful villaine for his pains.

21st. To Westminster Hall; and there walked up and down and
heard the great difference that hath been between my Lord
Chancellor and my Lord of Bristol, about a proviso that my Lord
Chancellor would have brought into the Bill for Conformity, that
it shall be in the power of the King, when he sees fit to
dispense with the Act of Conformity; and though it be carried in
the House of Lords, yet it is believed it will hardly pass in the
Commons.

23rd. To White Hall, and there met with Captn. Isham, this day
come from Lisbone, with letters from the Queene to the King and
he did give me letters which speak that our fleet is all at
Lisbone; and that the Queene do not intend to embarque sooner
than to-morrow come fortnight.

24th. By and by comes La Belle Pierce to see my wife, and to
bring her a pair of peruques of hair, as the fashion now is for
ladies to wear; which are pretty, and are of my wife's own hair,
or else I should not endure them.

APRIL 6, 1662. (Lord's day). By water to White Hall, to Sir G.
Carteret, to give him an account of the backwardnesse of the
ships we have hired to Portugall: at which he is much troubled.
Thence to the Chapel, and there, though crowded, heard a very
honest sermon before the King by a Canon of Christ Church, upon
these words, "Having a form of godlinesse, but denying," &c.
Among other things he did much insist upon the sin of adultery:
which methought might touch the King, and the more because he
forced it into his sermon, besides his text. So up and saw the
King at dinner; and thence with Sir G. Carteret to his lodgings
to dinner, with him and his lady. All their discount, which was
very much, was upon their sufferings and services for the King.
Yet not without some trouble, to see that some that had been much
bound to them, do now neglect them; and others again most civil
that have received least from them: and I do believe that he
hath been a, good servant to the King. Thence to the Parke,
where the King and Duke did walk.

7th. To the Lords' House, and stood within the House, while the
Bishops and Lords did stay till the Chancellor's coming and then
we were put out. I sent in a note to my Lord Privy Seale and he
come out to me; and I desired he would make another deputy for
me, because of my great business of the Navy this month; but he
told me he could not do it without the King's consent, which
vexed me. The great talk is, that the Spaniards and the
Hollanders do intend to set upon the Portugais by sea, at
Lisbone, as soon as our fleet is come away; and by that means our
fleet is not likely to come yet these two months or three; which
I hope is not true.

9th. Sir George [Carteret.] showed me an account in French of
the great famine, which is to the greatest extremity in some part
of France at this day; which is very strange.

10th. Yesterday come Col. Talbot with letters from Portugall,
that the Queene is resolved to embarque for England this week.
Thence to the office all the afternoon. My Lord Windsor come to
us to discourse of his affaire, and to take his leave of us; he
being to go Governor of Jamaica with this fleet that is now
going. [Thomas Baron Windsor, Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire;
advanced to the Earldom of Plymouth, 1682. Ob. 1687.]

11th. With Sir W. Pen by water to Deptford; and among the ships
now going to Portugall with men and horse, to see them
dispatched. So to Greenwich; and had a fine pleasant walk to
Woolwich, having in our company Captn. Minnes, whom I was much
pleased to hear talk. Among other things, he and the Captains
that were with us told me that negroes drowned looked white and
lose their blackness, which I never heard before. At Woolwich up
and down to do the same business; and so back to Greenwich by
water. Sir William and I walked into the Parke, where the King
hath planted trees and made steps in the hill up to the Castle,
which is very magnificent. So up and down the house, which is
now repayring in the Queens's lodgings.

13th. To Grayes Inn walkes; and there met Mr. Pickering. His
discourse most about the pride of the Duchesse of York; and how
all the ladies envy my Lady Castlemaine. He intends to go to
Portsmouth to meet the Queene this week; which is now the
discourse and expectation of the towne.

15th. With my wife, by coach, to the New Exchange, to buy her
some things; where we saw some new-fashion pettycoats of
sarcenett, with a black broad lace printed round the bottom and
before, very handsome, and my wife had a mind to one of them.

19th. This morning, before we sat, I went to Aldgate; and at the
corner shop, a draper's, I stood, and, did see Barkestead, Okey,
and Corbet, drawne towards the gallows at Tyburne; and there they
were hanged and quartered. They all looked very cheerful; but I
hear they all die defending what they did to the King to be just;
which is very strange.

20th. (Lord's-day). My intention being to go this morning to
White Hall to hear Louth, my Lord Chancellor's chaplain, the
famous preacher and oratour of Oxford, (who the last Lord's-day
did sink down in the pulpit before the King, and could not
proceed,) it did rain, and the wind against me, that I could by
no means get a boat or coach to carry me; and so I staid at
Paul's, where the Judges did all meet, and heard a sermon, it
being the first Sunday of the terme; but they had a very poor
sermon.

21st. At noon dined with my Lord Crewe; and after dinner went up
to Sir Thos. Crewe's chamber, who is still ill. He tells me how
my Lady Duchesse of Richmond [Mary, daughter to George Duke of
Buckingham wife of James, fourth Duke of Lennox and third Duke of
Richmond.] and Castlemaine had a falling out the other day; and
she calls the latter Jane Shore, and did hope to see her come to
the same end. Coming down again to my Lord, he told me that news
was come that the Queene is landed; at which I took leave, and by
coach hurried to White Hall, the bells ringing in several places;
but I found there no such matter, nor anything like it.

22nd. We come to Gilford.

23rd. Up early, and to Petersfield; and thence got a countryman
to guide us by Havant, to avoid going through the Forest; but he
carried us much out of the way. I lay at Wiard's, the
chyrurgeon's, in Portsmouth.

24th. All of us to the Pay-house; but the books not being ready,
we went to church to the lecture, where there was my Lord Ormond
and Manchester, and much London company, though not so much as I
expected. Here we had a very good sermon upon this text: "In
love serving one another;" which pleased me very well. No news
of the Queene at all. So to dinner; and then to the Pay all the
afternoon. Then W. Pen and I walked to the King's Yard.

26th. Sir George and I, and his clerk Mr. Stephens, and Mr. Holt
our guide, over to Gosport; and so rode to Southampton. In our
way, besides my Lord Southampton's parks and lands, which in one
viewe we could see 6000l. per annum, [Tichfield House, erected by
Sir Thomas Wriothesley, on the site of an Abbey of
Premonstratenses, granted to him with their estates, 29th Henry
VIII. Upon the death of his descendant, Thomas, Earl of
Southampton, and Lord Treasurer, without issue male, the house
and manor were allotted to his eldest daughter Elizabeth, wife of
Edmund, 1st Earl of Gainsborough; and their only son dying
S.P.M., the property devolved to his sister Elizabeth, married to
Henry, Duke of Portland whose grandson, the 3rd Duke, alienated
it to Mr. Delme.] we observed a little church-yard, where the
graves are accustomed to be all sowed with sage. At Southampton.
The towne is one most gallant street, and is walled round with
stone, &c., and Bevis's picture upon one of the gates; many old
walls of religious houses, and the keye, well worth seeing.