Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

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

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76

I met Sir W. Pen; he told me the day now was fixed for his going
into Ireland; and that whereas I had mentioned some service he
could do a friend of mine there, Saml. Pepys, [Mentioned
elsewhere as "My cousin in Ireland."] he told me he would most
readily do what I would command him.

28th. Great talk there is of a fear of a war with the Dutch; and
we have order to pitch upon twenty ships to be forthwith set out;
but I hope it is but; a scare-crow to the world, to let them see
that we can be ready for them; though, God knows! the King is
not able to set out five ships at this present without great
difficulty, we neither having money, credit, nor stores.

30th. Told my Lady (Carteret) how my Lady Fanshaw [Anne,
daughter of Sir John Harrison, wife of Sir Richard Fanshawe. She
wrote Memoirs of her life,--VIDE SEWARDS ANECDOTES.] is fallen
out with her only for speaking in behalf of the French, which my
Lady wonders at, they having been formerly like sisters. Thence
to my house, where I took great pride to lead her through the
Court by the hand, she being very fine, and her page carrying up
her train.

OBSERVATIONS.

This I take to be as bad a juncture as ever I observed. The King
and his new Queene minding their pleasures at Hampton Court. All
people discontented; some that the King do not gratify them
enough; and the others, Fanatiques of all sorts, that the King do
take away their liberty of conscience; and the height of the
Bishops, who I fear will ruin all again. They do much cry up the
manner of Sir H. Vane's death, and he deserves it. Much clamour
against the chimney-money; and the people say, they will not pay
it without force. And in the meantime, like to have war abroad;
and Portugall to assist, when we have not money to pay for any
ordinary layings-out at home.

JULY 2, 1662. Up while the chimes went four, and so put down my
journal. So to my office, to read over such instructions as
concern the officers of the Yard; for I am much upon seeing into
the miscarriages there. By and by, by appointment, comes
Commissioner Pett; and then a messenger from Mr. Coventry, who
sits in his boat expecting us. So we down to him at the Tower,
and there took water all, and to Deptford, (he in our passage
taking notice how much difference there is between the old
Captains for obedience and order, and the King's new Captains,
which I am very glad to hear him confess); and there we went into
the Store-house, and viewed first the provisions there, and then
his books, (but Mr. Davis himself was not there); and I do not
perceive that there is one-third of their duties performed; but
I perceive, to my great content, Mr. Coventry will have things
performed. In the evening come Mr. Lewis to me, and very
ingeniously did enquire whether I ever did look into the business
of the Chest at Chatham; and after my readiness to be informed
did appear to him, he did produce a paper, wherein he stated the
government of the Chest to me; and upon the whole did tell me how
it hath ever been abused, and to this day is; and what a
meritorious act it would be to look after it; which I am resolved
to do, if God bless me: and do thank him very much for it.

3rd. Dined with the Officers of the Ordnance; where Sir W.
Compton, Mr. O'Neale, and other great persons, were. After
dinner, was brought to Sir W. Compton a gun to discharge seven
times; the best of all devices that ever I saw, and very
serviceable, and not a bawble; for it is much approved of, and
many thereof made.

6th. To supper with my Lady (Sandwich); who tells me, with much
trouble, that my Lady Castlemaine is still as great with the
King, and that the King comes as often to her as ever he did.
Jack Cole, my old friend, found me out at the Wardrobe; and,
among other things, he told me that certainly most; of the chief
ministers of London would fling up their livings; and that, soon
or late, the issue thereof would be sad to the King and Court.

8th. To the Wardrobe; where, all alone with my Lord above an
hour; and he do seem still to have his old confidence in me; and
tells me to boot, that Mr. Coventry hath spoke of me to him to
great advantage; wherein I am much pleased. By and by comes in
Mr. Coventry to visit my Lord; and so my Lord and he and I walked
together in the great chamber a good while; and I found him a
most ingenuous man and good company.

16th. This day I was told that my Lady Castlemaine (being quite
fallen out with her husband) did yesterday go away from him, with
all her plate, jewels, and other best things; and is gone to
Richmond to a brother of hers; which, I am apt to think, was a
design to get out of town, that the King might come at her the
better.

17th. To my office, and by and by to our sitting; where much
business. Mr. Coventry took his leave, being to go with the Duke
over for the Queene-Mother.

19th. In the afternoon I went upon the river: it raining hard
upon the water, I put ashore and sheltered myself, while the King
come by in his barge, going down towards the Downes to meet the
Queene: the Duke being gone yesterday. But methought it
lessened my esteem of a king, that he should not be able to
command the rain.

21st. To Woolwich to the Rope-yard; and there looked over
several sorts of hemp, and did fall upon my great survey of
seeing the working and experiments of the strength and the charge
in the dressing of every sort; and I do think have brought it to
so great a certainty, as I have done the King some service in it;
and do purpose to get it ready against the Duke's coming to towne
to present to him. I see it is impossible for the King to have
things done as cheap as other men.

22nd. I had letters from the Downes from Mr. Coventry; who tells
me of the foul weather they had last Sunday, that drove them back
from near Bologne, whither they were going for the Queene, back
again to the Downes, with the loss of their cables, sayles, and
masts; but are all safe, only my Lord Sandwich, who went before
with the yacht: they know not what is become of him, which do
trouble me much; but I hope he got ashore before the storm begun;
which God grant!

23rd. Much disturbed, by reason of the talk up and downe the
towne, that my Lord Sandwich is lost: but I trust in God the
contrary.

24th. I hear, to my great content, that my Lord Sandwich is safe
landed in France.

26th. I had a letter from Mr. Creed, who hath escaped narrowly
in the King's yacht, and got safe to the Downes after the late
storm; and he says that there the King do tell him, that he is
sure my Lord is landed in Callis safe. This afternoon I went to
Westminster: and there hear that the King and Queene intend to
come to White Hall from Hampton Court next week, for all winter.
Thence to Mrs. Sarah, [Lord Sandwich's Housekeeper.] and there
looked over my Lord's lodgings, which are very pretty; and White
Hall garden and the Bowling-ally (where lords and ladies are now
at bowles), in brave condition. Mrs. Sarah told me how the
falling out between my Lady Castlemaine and her Lord was about
christening of the child lately, which he would have, and had
done by a priest: and some days after, she had it again
christened by a minister; the King, and Lord of Oxford, [Aubrey
de Vere, twentieth and last Earl of Oxford. Ob. 1702-3. s. p.]
and Duchesse of Suffolk [Perhaps a mistake for Countess, as there
was no Duchess of Suffolk at that period.] being witnesses: and
christened with a proviso, that it had not already been
christened. Since that she left her Lord, carrying away every
thing in the house; so much as every dish, and cloth, and servant
but the porter. He is gone discontented into France, they say,
to enter a monastery; and now she is coming back again to her
house in King-streete. But I hear that the Queene did prick her
out of the list presented her by the King; desiring that she
might have that favour done her, or that he would send her from
whence she come: and that the King was angry and the Queene
discontented a whole day and night upon it; but that the King
hath promised to have nothing to do with her hereafter. But I
cannot believe that the King can fling her off so, he loving her
too well: and so I writ this night to my Lady to be my opinion;
she calling her my lady, and the lady I admire. Here I find that
my Lord hath lost the garden to his lodgings, and that it is
turning into a tennis-court.

27th. I to walk in the Parke, which is now every day more and
more pleasant, by the new works upon it.

28th. Walked to the water-side, and there took boat for the
Tower; hearing that the Queene-Mother is come this morning
already as high as Woolwich: and that my Lord Sandwich was with
her; at which my heart was glad.

30th. By water to White Hall, and there waited upon my Lord
Sandwich; and joyed him, at his lodgings, of his safe coming home
after all his danger, which he confesses to be very great. And
his people do tell me how bravely my Lord did carry himself,
while my Lord Crofts [William Crofts, created Baron Crofts of
Saxham in Suffolk 1658 and died s.p. 1677.] did cry; and I
perceive all the town talk how poorly he carried himself. But
the best was one of Mr. Rawlins, a courtier, that was with my
Lord; and in the greatest danger cried, "My Lord I won't give you
three-pence for your place now." But all ends in the honour of
the pleasure-boats; which, had they not been very good boats,
they could never have endured the sea as they did.

31st. At noon Mr. Coventry and I by his coach to the Exchange
together; and in Lombard-Streete met Captn. Browne of the
Rosebush: at which he was cruel angry; and did threaten to go
to-day to the Duke at Hampton Court, and get him turned out
because he was not sailed.

AUGUST 3, 1662. This day Commissioner Pett told me how
despicable a thing it is to be a hangman in Poland, although it
be a place of credit. And that, in his time, there was some
repairs to be made of the gallows there, which was very fine of
stone; but nobody could be got to mend it till the Burgo-master,
or Mayor of the towne, with all the companies of those trades
which were necessary to be used about those repairs, did go in
their habits with flags, in solemn procession to the place, and
there the Burgo-master did give the first blow with the hammer
upon the wooden work; and the rest of the Masters of the Companys
upon the works belonging to their trades; that so workmen might
not be ashamed to be employed upon doing of the gallows works.

6th. By water to White Hall; and so to St. James's; but there
found Mr. Coventry gone to Hampton Court. So to my Lord's; and
he is also gone: this being a great day at the Council about
some business before the King. Here Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon,
told me how Mr. Edward Montagu hath lately had a duell with Mr.
Cholmely, that is first gentleman-usher to the Queene, and was a
messenger to her from the King of Portugall, and is a fine
gentleman; but had received many affronts from Mr. Montagu, and
some unkindness from my Lord, upon his score, (for which I am
sorry.) He proved too hard for Montagu, and drove him so far
backward that he fell into a ditch, and dropt his sword, but with
honour would take no advantage over him; but did give him his
life: and the world says Mr. Montagu did carry himself very
poorly in the business, and hath lost his honour for ever with
all people in it. This afternoon Mr. Waith was with me, and did
tell me much concerning the Chest, which I am resolved to look
into; and I perceive he is sensible of Sir W. Batten's carriage;
and is pleased to see any thing work against him.

8th. Dined with Mr. Falconer; thence we walked talking all the
way to Greenwich, and I do find excellent discourse from him.
Among other things, his rule of suspecting every man that
proposes any thing to him to be a knave; or, at least, to have
some ends of his own in it. Being led thereto by the story of
Sir John Millicent, that would have had a patent from King James
for every man to have had leave to have gives him a shilling; and
that he might take it of every man that had a mind to give it;
and what he would do to them that would not give him. He
answered, he would not force them; but that they should come to
the Council of State, to give a reason why they would not.
Another rule is a proverb that he hath been taught, which is that
a man that cannot sit still in his chamber, (the reason of which
I did not understand,) and he that cannot say no, (that is, that
is of so good a nature that he cannot deny any thing, or cross
another in doing any thing) is not fit for business. The last of
which is a very great fault of mine, which I must amend in.

9th. Mr. Coventry and I alone eat at the office all the morning
upon business. And so to dinner to Trinity House, and thence by
his coach towards White Hall; but there being a stop at the
Savoy, we light and took water, and my Lord Sandwich being out of
towne, we parted there.

10th. I walked to St. Dunstan's, the church being now finished;
and here I heard Dr. Bates, [Dr. Bates, a celebrated
Nonconformist divine.] who made a most eloquent sermon; and I am
sorry I have hitherto had so low an opinion of the man, for I
have not heard a neater sermon a great while, and more to my
content. My uncle Fenner told me the new service-booke (which is
now lately come forth) was laid upon their deske at St.
Sepulchre's for Mr. George to read; but he laid it aside, and
would not meddle with it: and I perceive the Presbyters do all
prepare to give over all against Bartholomewtide. Mr. Herring,
being lately turned out at St. Bride's, did read the psalme to
the people while they sung at Dr. Bates's, which methought is a
strange turn. After dinner to St, Bride's, and there heard one
Carpenter, an old man, who, they say, hath been a Jesuite priest,
and is come over to us; but he preached very well. Mr. Calamy
hath taken his farewell this day of his people, and others will
do so the next Sunday. Mr. Turner, [Sir William Turner, Lord
Mayor of London, 1669.] the draper, I hear, is knighted, made
Alderman, and pricked for Sheriffe, with Sir Thomas Bluddel, [A
mistake for Bludworth.] for the next year, by the King, and so
are called with great honour the King's Sheriffes.

13th. Up early, and to my office. By and by we met on purpose
to enquire into the business of flag-makers, where I am the
person that do chiefly manage the business against them on the
King's part; and I do find it the greatest cheat that I have yet
found; they having eightpence per yard allowed them by pretence
of a contract, where no such thing appears; and it is threepence
more than was formerly paid, and than I now offer the board to
have them done. To Lambeth; and there saw the little pleasure-
boat in building by the King, my Lord Brunkard, [William, second
Lord Brouncker, Viscount of castle Lyons; created M.D. in 1642 at
Oxford: Keeper of the Great Seal to the Queen; a Commissioner of
the Admiralty; and Master of St. Catherine's Hospital. He was a
man of considerable talents, and some years President of the
Royal Society. Ob. 1684, aged 64.] and the virtuosoes of the
towne, according to new lines, which Mr. Pett cries up mightily,
but how it will prove we shall soon see.

14th. Commissioner Pett and I being invited, went by Sir John
Winter's coach sent for us, to the Miter, in Fanchurch-street, to
a venison-pasty; where I found him a very worthy man; and good
discourse. Most of which was concerning the Forest of Deane, and
the timber there, and iron-workes with their great antiquity, and
the vast heaps of cinders, which they find, and are now of great
value, being necessary for the making of Iron at this day ; and
without which they cannot work: with the age of many trees there
left at a great fall in Edward the Third's time, by the name of
forbid-trees, which at this day, are called vorbid trees.

15th. I went to Paul's Church Yard to my bookseller's; and there
I hear that next Sunday will be the last of a great many
Presbyterian ministers in towne, who, I hear, will give up all.
I pray God the issue may be good, for the discontent is great.
My mind well pleased with a letter that I found at home from Mr.
Coventry, expressing his satisfaction in a letter I writ last
night, and sent him this morning, to be corrected by him in order
to its sending down to all the Yards as a charge to them.

17th. This being the last Sunday that the Presbyterians are to
preach, unless they read the new Common Prayer and renounce the
Covenant, I had a mind to hear Dr. Bates's farewell sermon; and
walked to St Dunstan's, where, it not being seven o'clock yet,
the doors were not open; and so I walked an hour in the Temple-
garden. At eight o'clock I went, and crowded in at a back door
among others, the church being half-full almost before any doors
were open publicly; and so got into the gallery, beside the
pulpit, and heard very well. His text was, "Now the God of
Peace--;" the last Hebrews, and the 20th verse: he making a very
good sermon, and very little reflections in it to any thing of
the times. To Madam Turner's, and dined with her. She had heard
Parson Herring take his leave; tho' he, by reading so much of the
Common Prayer as he did, hath cast himself out of the good
opinion of both sides. After dinner to St. Dunstan's again; and
the church quite crowded before I come, which was just at one
o'clock; but I got into the gallery again, but stood in a crowd.
He [Dr. Bates.] pursued his text again very well; and only at
the conclusion told us, after this manner: "I do believe that
many of you do expect that I should say something to you in
reference to the time, this being the last time that possibly I
may appear here. You know not it is not my manner to speak
anything in the pulpit that is extraneous to my text and
business; yet this I shall say, that it is not my opinion,
fashion, or humour that keeps me from complying with what is
required of us; but something after much prayer, discourse, and
study yet remains unsatisfied, and commands me herein.
Wherefore, if it is my unhappinesse not to receive such an
illuminacion as should direct me to do otherwise, I know no
reason why men should not pardon me in this world, as I am
confident God will pardon me for it in the next." And so he
concluded. Parson Herring read a psalme and chapters before
sermon; and one was the chapter in the Acts, where the story of
Ananias and Sapphira is. And after he had done, says he, "This
is just the case of England at present. God he bids us to
preach, and men bid us not to preach; and if we do, we are to be
imprisoned and further punished. All that I can say to it is,
that I beg your prayers, and the prayers of all good Christians,
for us." This was all the exposition be made of the chapter in
these very words, and no more. I was much pleased with Bates's
manner of bringing in the Lord's Prayer after his owne; thus, "In
whose comprehensive words we sum up all our imperfect desires;
saying, 'Our Father,'" &c. I hear most of the Presbyters took
their leaves to-day, and that the City is much dissatisfied with
it. I pray God keep peace among men in their rooms, or else all
will fly a-pieces; for bad ones will not go down with the City.

18th. Mr. Deane [Anthony Deane, afterwards knighted and M.P. for
Harwich; a commissioner of the Navy, 1672.] of Woolwich and I
rid into Waltham Forest, and there we saw many trees of the
King's a-hewing; and he showed me the whole mystery of off
square, wherein the King is abused in the timber that he buys,
which I shall with much pleasure be able to correct. We rode to
Illford, and there, while dinner was getting ready, he and I
practised measuring of the tables and other things till I did
understand measure of timber and board very well.

19th. At the office; and Mr. Coventry did tell us of the duell
between Mr. Jermyn, [He became Baron Jermyn on the death of his
uncle, the Earl of St. Alban's, 1683; and died unmarried, 1703.]
nephew to my Lord St. Alban's, and Colonel Giles Rawlins, the
latter of whom is killed, and the first mortally wounded, as it
is thought. They fought against Captain Thomas Howard,
[According to Collins, Lord Carlisle's brother's name was
Charles.] my Lord Carlisle's brother, and another unknown; who,
they say, had armor on that they could not be hurt, so that one
of their swords went up to the hilt against it. They had horses
ready, and are fled. But what is most strange, Howard sent one
challenge before, but they could not meet till yesterday at the
old Pall Mall at St. James's, and he would not to the last tell
Jermyn what the quarrel was; nor do any body know. The Court is
much concerned in this fray, and I am glad of it; hoping that it
will cause some good laws against it. After sitting, Sir G.
Carteret did tell me how he had spoke of me to my Lord
Chancellor, and that if my Lord Sandwich would ask my Lord
Chancellor, he should know what he had said of me to him to my
advantage.

20th. To my Lord Sandwich, whom I found in bed. Among other
talk, he do tell me that he hath put me into commission with a
great many great persons in the business of Tangier, which is a
very great honour to me, and may be of good concernment to me.
By and by comes in Mr. Coventry to us, whom my Lord tells that he
is also put into the commission, and that I am there, of which he
said he was glad; and did tell my Lord that I was indeed the life
of this office, and much more to my commendation beyond measure.
And that, whereas before he did bear me respect for his sake, so
he do it now much more for my own; which is a great blessing to
me. Sir G. Carteret having told me what he did yesterday
concerning his speaking to my Lord Chancellor about me. So that
on all hands, by God's blessing, I find myself a very rising man.
By and by comes my Lord Peterborough in, with whom we talked a
good while, and he is going to-morrow toward Tangier again. I
perceive there is yet good hopes of peace with Guyland [A Moorish
usurper, who had put himself at the head of an army for the
purpose of attacking Tangier.] which is of great concernment to
Tangier.

23rd. Mr. Coventry and I did walk together a great while in the
Garden, where he did tell me his mind about Sir G. Carteret's
having so much the command of the money, which must be removed.
And indeed it is the bane of all our business. He observed to
me also how Sir W. Batten begins to struggle and to look after
his business. I also put him upon getting an order from the Duke
for our inquiries into the Chest, which he will see done.

Mr. Creed and I walked down to the Tylt Yard, and so all along
Thames-street, but could not get a boat: I offered eight
shillings for a boat to attend me this afternoon, and they would
not, it being the day of the Queene's coming to town from Hampton
Court. So we fairly walked in to White Hall, and through my
Lord's lodgings we got into White Hall garden, and so to the
Bowling-greene, and up to the top of the new Banqueting House
there, over the Thames, which was a most pleasant place as any I
could have got; and all the show consisted chiefly in the number
of boats and barges; and two pageants, one of a King, and another
of a Queene, with her Maydes of Honour sitting at her feet very
prettily; and they tell me the Queene is Sir Richard Ford's
daughter. Anon come the King and Queene in a barge under a
canopy with 1000 barges and boats I know, for we could see no
water for them, nor discern the King nor Queene. And so they
landed at White Hall Bridge, and the great guns on the other side
went off. But that which pleased me best was, that my Lady
Castlemaine stood over against us upon a piece of White Hall.
But methought it was strange to see her Lord and her upon the
same place walking up and down without taking notice one of
another, only at first entry he put off his hat, and she made him
a very civil salute, but afterwards took no notice one of
another; but both of them now and then would take their child,
which the nurse held in her armes, and dandle it. One thing
more; there happened a scaffold below to fall, and we feared some
hurt, but there was none, but she of all the great ladies only
run down among the common rabble to see what hurt was done, and
did take care of a child that received some little hurt, which
methought was so noble. Anon there come one there booted and
spurred that she talked along with. And by and by, she being in
her haire, she put on his hat, which was but an ordinary one, to
keep the wind off. But it become her mightily, as every thing
else do.

24th. Walked to my uncle Wight's: here I staid supper, and much
company there was; among others, Dr. Burnett, Mr. Cole the
lawyer, Mr. Rawlinson, and Mr. Sutton. Among other things they
tell me that there hath been a disturbance in a church in Friday-
street; a great many young people knotting together and crying
out "Porridge" often and seditiously in the Church, and they took
the Common Prayer Book, they say, away; and, some say, did tear
it; but it is a thing which appears to me very ominous. I pray
God avert it.