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

13th. In my way to Brampton in this day's journey I met with Mr.
White, Cromwell's chaplin that was, and had a great deal of
discourse with him. Among others, he tells me that Richard is,
and hath long been, in France, and is now going into Italy. He
owns publickly that he do correspond, and return him all his
money. That Richard hath been in some straits in the beginning;
but relieved by his friends. That he goes by another name, but
do not disguise himself, nor deny himself to any man that
challenges him. He tells me, for certain, that offers had been
made to the old man, of marriage between the King and his
daughter, to have obliged him, but he would not. He thinks (with
me) that it never was in his power to bring in the King with the
consent of any of his officers about him; and that he scorned to
bring him in as Monk did, to secure himself and deliver every
body else. When I told him of what; I found writ in a French
book of one Monsieur Sorbiere, [Samuel Sorbiere, who, after
studying divinity and medicine at Paris, travelled in different
parts of Europe, and published his Voyage into England, described
by Voltaire as a dull, scurrilous satyr upon a nation of which
the author knew nothing.] that gives an account of his
observations here in England; among other things he says, that it
is reported that Cromwell did, in his life-time, transpose many
of the bodies of the Kings of England from one grave to another,
and that by that means it is not known certainly whether the head
that is now set up upon a post be that of Cromwell, or of one of
the Kings; Mr. White tells me that be believes he never had so
poor a low thought in him to trouble himself about it. He says
the hand of God is much to be seen; that all his children are in
good condition enough as to estate, and that their relations that
betrayed their family are all now either hanged or very
miserable.

15th. My father and I up and walked alone to Hinchingbroke; and
among the late chargeable works that my Lord hath done there, we
saw his water-works, which are very fine; and so is the house all
over, but I am sorry to think of the money at this time spent
therein.

16th (Lord's day). It raining, we set out betimes, and about
nine o'clock got to Hatfield in church-time; and I light and saw
my simple Lord Salsbury sit there in the gallery.

18th. At Somerset-House I saw the Queene's new rooms, which are
most stately and nobly furnished; and there I saw her and the
Duke of York and Duchesse. The Duke espied me, and come to me,
and talked with me a very great while.

24th. Into the galleries at White Hall to talk with my Lord
Sandwich; among other things, about the Prince's writing up to
tell us of the danger he and his fleet lie in at Portsmouth, of
receiving affronts from the Dutch; which, my Lord said, he would
never have done, had he lain there with one ship alone: nor is
there any great reason for it, because of the sands. However,
the fleet will be ordered to go and lay themselves up at the
Cowes. Much beneath the prowesse of the Prince, I think, and the
honour of the nation, at the first to be found to secure
themselves. My Lord is well pleased to think, that, if the Duke
and the Prince go, all the blame of any miscarriage will not
light on him: and that if any thing goes well, he hopes he shall
have the share of the glory, for the Prince is by no means well
esteemed of by any body. This day the great O'Neale died; I
believe, to the content of all the Protestant pretenders in
Ireland.

26th. At Woolwich; I there up to the King and Duke. Here I
staid above with them while the ship was launched, which was done
with great success, and the King did very much like the ship,
saying, she had the best bow that ever he saw. But Lord! the
sorry talk and discourse among the great courtiers round about
him, without any reverence in the world, but with so much
disorder. By and by the Queene comes and her Maids of Honour;
one whereof, Mrs. Boynton, [Daughter of Matthew, second son to
Sir Matthew Boynton, Bart., of Barnston, Yorkshire. She became
the first wife of Richard Talbot, afterwards Duke of Tyrconnel.]
and the Duchesse of Buckingham had been very sick coming by water
in the barge, (the water being very rough); but what silly sport
they made with them in very common terms, methought, was very
poor, and below what people think these great people say and do.
The launching being done, the King and company went down to take
barge; and I sent for Mr. Pett, [He had built the ship.] and put
the flaggon into the Duke's hand, and he, in the presence of the
King, did give it Mr. Pett, taking it upon his knee. The City
did last night very freely lend the King 100,000l. without any
security but the King's word, which was very noble.

29th. All the talk is that De Ruyter is come over-land home with
six or eight of his captaines to command here at home, and their
ships kept abroad in the Straights: which sounds as if they had
a mind to do something with us.

31st. This day I hear young Mr. Stanly, a brave young gentleman,
that went out with young Jermin, with Prince Rupert, is already
dead of the small-pox, at Portsmouth. All preparations against
the Dutch; and the Duke of York fitting himself with all speed to
go to the fleet which is hastening for him; being now resolved to
go in the Charles.

NOVEMBER 5, 1664. To the Duke's house to see "Macbeth," a pretty
good play, but admirably acted. Thence home; the coach being
forced to go round by London Wall home, because of the bonfires;
the day being mightily observed in the City.

8th. At noon, I and Sir J. Minnes and Lord Barkeley (who with
Sir J. Duncum, [M.P. for Bury St. Edmunds.] and Mr. Chichly, are
made Masters of the Ordnance), to the office of the Ordnance, to
discourse about wadding for guns. Thence to dinner, all of us to
the Lieutenant's of the Tower; where a good dinner, but disturbed
in the middle of it by the King's coming into the Tower: and so
we broke up, and to him, and went up and down the store-houses
and magazines; which are, with the addition of the new great
storehouse, a noble sight.

9th. To White Hall, and there the King being in his Cabinet
Council (I desiring to speak with Sir G. Carteret,) I was called
in, and demanded by the King himself many questions, to which I
did give him full answers. There were at this Council my Lord
Chancellor, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, the two
Secretarys, and Sir G. Carteret. Not a little contented at this
chance of being made known to these persons, and called often by
my name by the King. The Duke of York is this day gone away to
Portsmouth.

11th. A gentleman told us he saw the other day, (and did bring
the draught of it to Sir Francis Prigeon,) a monster born of an
hostler's wife at Salsbury, two women children perfectly made,
joyned at the lower part of their bellies, and every part perfect
as two bodies, and only one payre of legs coming forth on one
side from the middle where they were joined. It was alive 24
hours, and cried and did as all hopefull children do; but, being
showed too much to people, was killed. To the Council at White
Hall, where a great many lords: Annesly in the chair. But,
Lord! to see what work they will make us, and what trouble we
shall have to inform men in a business they are to begin to know,
when the greatest of our hurry is, is a thing to be lamented; and
I fear the consequence will be bad to us. Put on my new shaggy
purple gown with gold buttons and loop lace.

14th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, to the Lords of
the Admiralty, and there did our business betimes. Thence to Sir
Philip Warwick about Navy business: and my Lord Ashly; and
afterwards to my Lord Chancellor, who is very well pleased with
me, and my carrying of his business. And so to the 'Change,
where mighty busy; and so home to dinner, where Mr. Creed and
Moore: and after dinner I to my Lord Treasurer's, to Sir Philip
Warwick there, and then to White Hall, to the Duke of Albemarle,
about Tangier; and then homeward to the Coffee-house to hear
news. And it seems the Dutch, as I afterwards found by Mr.
Coventry's letters, have stopped a ship of masts of Sir W.
Warren's, coming for us in a Swede's ship, which they will not
release upon Sir G. Downing's claiming her: which appears as the
first act of hostility; and is looked upon as so by Mr. Coventry.
The Elias, coming from New England (Captain Hill, commander,) is
sunk; only the captain and a few men saved. She foundered in the
sea.

21st. This day for certain news is come that Teddiman hath
brought in eighteen or twenty Dutchmen, merchants, their
Bourdeaux fleet and two men of warr to Portsmouth. And I had
letters this afternoon, that three are brought into the Downes
and Dover: so that the warr is begun: God give a good end to
it!

22nd. To my Lord Treasurer's; where with Sir Philip Warwick,
studying all we could to make the last year swell as high as we
could. And it is much to see how he do study for the King, to do
it to get all the money from the Parliament he can: and I shall
be serviceable to him therein, to help him to heads upon which to
enlarge the report of the expence. He did observe to me how
obedient this Parliament was for a while, and the last Session
how they began to differ, and to carp at the King's officers; and
what they will do now, he says, is to make agreement for the
money, for there is no guess to be made of it. He told me he was
prepared to convince the Parliament that the Subsidys are a most
ridiculous tax (the four last not rising to 40,000l.) and
unequall. He talks of a tax of assessment of 70,000l. for five
years; the people to be secured that it shall continue no longer
than there is really a warr; and the charges thereof to be paid.
He told me, that one year of the late Dutch war, cost 1,623,000l.
Thence to my Lord Chancellor's and there staid long with Sir W.
Batten, and Sir J. Minnes, to speak with my lord about our Prize
Office business; but, being sick and full of visitants, we could
not speak with him, and so away home. Where Sir Richard Ford did
meet us with letters from Holland this day, that it is likely the
Dutch fleet will not come out this year; they have not victuals
to keep them out, and it is likely they will be frozen before
they can get back. Captain Cocke is made Steward for sick and
wounded seamen.

23rd. Sir G. Carteret was here this afternoon; and strange to
see how we plot to make the charge of this war to appear greater
than it is, because of getting money.

25th. At my office all the morning, to prepare an account of the
charge we have been put to extraordinary by the Dutch already;
and I have brought it to appear 852,700l.: but God knows this is
only a scare to the Parliament, to make them give the more money.
Thence to the Parliament House, and there did give it to Sir
Philip Warwick; the House being hot upon giving the King a supply
of money. Mr. Jenings tells me the mean manner that Sir Samuel
Morland lives near him, in a house he hath bought and laid out
money upon, in all to the value of 1200l.; but is believed to be
a beggar. At Sir W. Batten's I hear that the House have given
the King 2,500,000l. to be paid for this war, only for the Navy,
in three years' time: which is a joyful thing to all the King's
party I see, but was much opposed by Mr. Vaughan and others, that
it should be so much.

28th. Certain news of our peace made by Captain Allen with
Argier; and that the Dutch have sent part of their fleet round by
Scotland; and resolve to pay off the rest half-pay, promising the
rest in the spring, hereby keeping their men. But how true this,
I know not.

DECEMBER 3, 1664. The Duke of York is expected to-night with
great joy from Portsmouth, after his having been abroad at sea,
three or four days with the fleet; and the Dutch are all drawn
into their harbours. But it seems like a victory: and a matter
of some reputation to us it is, and blemish to them; but in no
degree like what it is esteemed at, the weather requiring them to
do so.

5th. Up, and to White Hall with Sir J. Minnes; and there, among
an infinite crowd of great persons, did kiss the Duke's hand; but
had no time to discourse.

6th. To the Old Exchange, and there hear that the Dutch are
fitting their ships out again, which puts us to new discourse,
and to alter our thoughts of the Dutch, as to their want of
courage or force.

15th. It seems, of all mankind there is no man so led by another
as the Duke is by Lord Muskerry [Eldest son of the Earl of
Cloncarty. He had served with distinction in Flanders, as
colonel of an infantry regiment, and was killed on board the Duke
of York's ship, in the sea fight, 1665.] and this FitzHarding.
Insomuch, as when, the King would have him to be Privy-Purse, the
Duke wept, and said, "But, Sir, I must have your promise, if you
will have my dear Charles from me, that if ever you have an
occasion for an army again, I may have him with me; believing him
to be the best commander of an army in the world." But Mr.
Cholmly thinks, as all other men I meet with do, that he is a
very ordinary fellow. It is strange how the Duke also do love
naturally, and affect the Irish above the English. He, of the
company he carried with him to sea, took above two thirds Irish
and French. He tells me the King do hate my Lord Chancellor; and
that they, that is the King and Lord FitzHarding, do laugh at him
for a dull fellow; and in all this business of the Dutch war do
nothing by his advice, hardly consulting him. Only he is a good
minister in other respects, and the King cannot be without him;
but, above all, being the Duke's father-in-law, he is kept in;
otherwise FitzHarding were able to fling down two of him. This,
all the wise and grave lords see, and cannot help it; but yield
to it. But he bemoans what the end of it may be, the King being
ruled by these men, as he hath been all along since his coming to
the rasing all the strong-holds in Scotland, and giving liberty
to the Irish in Ireland, whom Cromwell had settled all in one
corner; who are now able, and it is feared every day a massacre
beginning among them.

17th. Mighty talk there is of this Comet that is seen a'nights;
and the King and Queene did sit up last night to see it, and did,
it seems. And to-night I thought to have done so too; but it is
cloudy, and so no stars appear. But I will endeavour it. Mr.
Gray did tell me to-night, for certain, that the Dutch, as high
as they seem, do begin to buckle; and that one man in this
kingdom did tell the King that he is offered 40,000l. to make a
peace, and others have been offered money also. It seems the
taking of their Bourdeaux fleet thus, arose from a printed
Gazette of the Dutch's boasting of fighting, and having beaten
the English: in confidence whereof, (it coming to Bourdeaux,)
all the fleet comes out, and so falls into our hands.

19th. With Sir J. Minnes to White Hall, and there we waited on
the Duke. And among other things Mr. Coventry took occasion to
vindicate himself before the Duke and us, being ill there, about
the choosing of Taylor for Harwich. [Silas Taylor, Storekeeper
at Harwich.] Upon which the Duke did clear him, and did tell us
that he did expect, that, after he had named a man, none of us
shall then oppose or find fault with the man; but if we had any
thing to say, we ought to say it before he had chose him. Sir G.
Carteret thought himself concerned, and endeavoured to clear
himself: and by and by Sir W. Batten did speak, knowing himself
guilty, and did confess, that being pressed by the Council he did
say what he did, that he was accounted a fanatique; but did not
know that at that time he had been appointed by his Royal
Highness. To which the Duke: that it was impossible but he must
know that he had appointed him; and so it did appear that the
Duke did mean all this while Sir W. Batten.

21st. My Lord Sandwich this day writes me word that he hath seen
(at Portsmouth) the Comet, and says it is the most extraordinary
thing he ever saw.

22nd. Met with a copy of verses, mightily commended by some
gentlemen there, of my Lord Mordaunt's, [Vide Note, Nov. 26,
1666.] in excuse of his going to sea this late expedition, with
the Duke of York. But Lord! they are sorry things; only a Lord
made them. Thence to the 'Change; and there, among the
merchants, I hear fully the news of our being beaten to dirt at
Guinny, by De Ruyter with his fleet. The particulars, as much as
by Sir G. Carteret afterwards I heard, I have said in a letter to
my Lord Sandwich this day at Portsmouth; it being meet wholly to
the utter ruine of our Royall Company, and reproach and shame to
the whole nation, as well as justification to them in their doing
wrong to no man as to his private property, only taking whatever
is found to belong to the Company, and nothing else. To
Redriffe; and just in time within two minutes, and saw the new
vessel of Sir William Petty's launched, the King and Duke being
there. It swims and looks finely, and I believe will do well.

24th. At noon to the 'Change, to the Coffee-house; and there
heard Sir Richard Ford tell the whole story of our defeat at
Guinny. Wherein our men are guilty of the most horrid cowardice
and perfidiousness, as he says and tells it, that ever Englishmen
were. Captain Reynolds, that was the only commander of any of
the King's ships there, was shot at by De Ruyter, with a bloody
flag flying. He, instead of opposing (which, indeed, had been to
no purpose, but only to maintain honour) did poorly go on board
himself, to ask what De Ruyter would have; and so yield to
whatever Ruyter would desire. The King and Duke are highly vexed
at it, it seems, and the business deserves it. I saw the Comet,
which is now, whether worn away or no I know not, but appears not
with a tail, but only is larger and duller than any other star,
and is come to rise betimes, and to make a great arch, and is
gone quite to a new place in the heavens than it was before: but
I hope in a clearer night something more will be seen.

28th. To Sir W. Pen's to his Lady, [Margaret, daughter of John
Jasper, a merchant at Rotterdam.] who is a well-looked, fat,
short, old Dutch woman; but one that hath been heretofore pretty
handsome, and is I believe very discreet, and hath more wit than
her husband.

31st. Public matters are all in a hurry about a Dutch warr. Our
preparations great; our provocations against them great; and
after all our presumption, we are now afraid as much of them, as
we lately contemned them. Every thing else in the State quiet,
blessed be God! My Lord Sandwich at sea with the fleet at
Portsmouth; sending some about to cruise for taking of ships,
which we have done to a great number. This Christmas I judged it
fit to look over all my papers and books; and to tear all that I
found either boyish or not to be worth keeping, or fit to be
seen, if it should please God to take me away suddenly among
others, I found these two or three notes, which I thought fit to
keep.

AGE OF MY GRANDFATHER'S CHILDREN

Thomas, 1595.
Mary, March 16, 1597.
Edith, October 11, 1599.
John, (my Father,) January 14, 1601.
My father and mother marryed at Newington, in Surry, Oct, 15,
1626

THEYR CHILDREN'S AGES.
Mary, July 24, 1627. mort.
[The word "mort" must have been in some instances added long
after the entry was first made.]
Paulina, Sept. 18, 1628. mort.
Esther, March 27, 1630. mort.
John, January 16, 1631. mort.
Samuel, Feb. 23, 1632.
[To this name is affixed the following note:--Went to reside in
Magd. Coll. Camb, and did put on my gown first, March 5 1650-1.]
Thomas, June 18, 1634. mort.
Sarah, August 25, 1635. mort.
Jacob, May 1, 1637. mort.
Robert, Nov. 18, 1638. mort.
Paulina, Oct. 18, 1640.
John, Nov. 26, 1641. mort.
December 31, 1664.

CHARMES.

FOR STENCHING OF BLOOD.

Sanguis mane in te,
Sicut Christus fuit in se;
Sanguis mane in tua vena
Sicut Christus in sua poena;
Sanguis mane fixus,
Sicut Christus quando fuit crucifixus,

2. A THORNE.

Jesus, that was of a Virgin born,
Was pricked both with nail and thorn;
It neither wealed nor belled, rankled nor boned
In the name of Jesus no more shall this.

Or, thus:--

Christ was of a Virgin born;
And he was pricked with a thorn;
And it did neither bell, nor swell,
And I trust in Jesus this never will.

3. A CRAMP.

Cramp be thou faintless,
As our Lady was sinless,
When she bare Jesus.

4. A BURNING.

There came three Angells out of the East;
The one brought fire, the other brought frost--
Out fire; in frost.
In the name of the Father and Son, and Holy Ghost.
AMEN.

1664-5. (JANUARY 2.) To my Lord Brouncker's, by appointment, in
the Piazza, in Covent-Garden; where I occasioned much mirth with
a ballet [The Earl of Dorset's song, "To all ye ladies now at
land," &c.] I brought with me, made from the seamen at sea to
their ladies in town; saying Sir W. Pen, Sir G. Ascue, and Sir J.
Lawson made them. Here a most noble French dinner and banquet.
The street full of footballs, it being a great frost.

4th. To my Lord of Oxford's, but his Lordship was in bed at past
ten o'clock: and, Lord help us! so rude a dirty family I never
saw in my life.

9th. I saw the Royal Society bring their new book, wherein is
nobly writ their charter and laws, and comes to be signed by the
Duke as a Fellow; and all the Fellows' hands are to be entered
there, and lie as a monument; and the King hath put his with the
word Founder. Holmes was this day sent to the Tower, but I
perceive it is made matter of jest only; but if the Dutch should
be our masters, it may come to be of earnest to him, to be given
over to them for a sacrifice, as Sir W. Rawly was. To a Tangier
committee, where I was accosted and most highly complimented by
my Lord Bellasses, our new governor, beyond my expectation; and I
may make good use of it. Our patent is renewed, and he and my
Lord Barkeley, and Sir Thomas Ingram [Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster, and a Privy Counsellor. Ob. 1671.] put in as
commissioners.

11th. This evening, by a letter from Plymouth, I hear that two
of our ships, the Leopard and another, in the Straights, are lost
by running aground; and that three more had like to have been so,
but got off, whereof Captain Allen one: and that a Dutch fleet
are gone thither; and if they should meet with our lame ships,
God knows what would become of them. This I reckon most sad
news; God make us sensible of it!

12th. Spoke with a Frenchman who was taken, but released, by a
Dutch man-of-war of thirty-six guns, (with seven more of the
King's or greater ships), off the North Foreland, by Margett.
Which is a strange attempt, that they should come to our teeth;
but the wind being easterly, the wind that should bring our force
from Portsmouth, will carry them away home.

13th. Yesterday's news confirmed, though a little different; but
a couple of ships in the Straights we have lost, and the Dutch
have been in Margret Road. [QUERY Margate.]

14th. To the King's house, there to see Vulpone, [A Comedy by
Ben Jonson.] a most excellent play: the best I think I ever
saw, and well acted.

15th. With Sir W. Pen in his coach to my Lord Chancellor's,
where by and by Mr. Coventry, Sir W. Pen, Sir J. Lawson, Sir G.
Ascue, and myself were called in to the King, there being several
of the Privy Council, and my Lord Chancellor lying at length upon
a couch (of the goute I suppose); and there Sir W. Pen spoke
pretty well to dissuade the King from letting the Turkey ships go
out: saying (in short) the King having resolved to have 130
ships out by the spring, he must have above 20 of them
merchantmen. Towards which, he in the whole River could find but
12 or 14, and of them the five ships taken up by these merchants
were a part, and so could not be spared. That we should need
30,000 sailors to man these 130 ships, and of them in service we
have not above 16,000: so that we shall need 14,000 more. That
these ships will with their convoys carry about 2000 men, and
those the best men that could be got; it being the men used to
the Southward that are the best men of warr, though those bred in
the North among the colliers are good for labour. That it will
not be safe for the merchants, nor honourable for the King, to
expose these rich ships with his convoy of six ships to go, it
not being enough to secure them against the Dutch, who, without
doubt, will have a great fleet in the Straights. This, Sir
J.Lawson enlarged upon. Sir G. Ascue chiefly spoke that the warr
and trade could not be supported together. Mr. Coventry showed
how the medium of the men the King hath one year with another
employed in his Navy since his coming, hath not been above 3000
men, or at most 4000 men; and now having occasion of 30,000, the
remaining 26,000 must be found out of the trade of the nation.
He showed how the cloaths, sending by these merchants to Turkey,
are already bought and paid for to the workmen, and are as many
as they would send these twelve months or more; so the poor do
not suffer by their not going, but only the merchant, upon whose
hands they lie dead; and so the inconvenience is the less. And
yet for them he propounded, either the King should, if his
Treasurer would suffer it, buy them, and showed the loss would
not be so great to him: or, dispense with the Act of Navigation,
and let them be carried out by strangers; and ending that he
doubted not but when the merchants saw there was no remedy, they
would and could find ways of sending them abroad to their profit.
All ended with a conviction (unless future discourse with the
merchants should alter it,) that it was not fit for them to go
out, though the ships be loaded. So we withdrew, and the
merchants were called in. Staying without, my Lord FitzHarding
come thither, and fell to discourse of Prince Rupert's disease,
[Morbus, scil, Gallicus.] telling the horrible degree of its
breaking out on his head. He observed also from the Prince, that
courage is not what men take it to be, a contempt of death; for,
says he, how chagrined the Prince was the other day when he
thought he should die.