Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

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29th. Sir Martin Noell [He had been a Farmer of the Excise and
Customs before the Restoration. The messenger described in
Hudibras, Part III. Canto II. 1407, as disturbing the Cabal with
the account of the mobs burning Rumps, is said to have keen
intended for Sir Martin Noell.] is this day dead of the plague
in London.

October 1, 1665. Embarked on board the Bezan, and come to the
fleet about two of the clock. My Lord received us mighty kindly,
and did discourse to us of the Dutch fleet being abroad, eighty-
five of them still.

2nd. Having sailed all night, (and I do wonder how they in the
dark could find the way) we got by morning to Gillingham, and
thence all walked to Chatham; and there with Commissioner Pett
viewed the Yard; and among other things, a team of four horses
come close by us, he being with me, drawing a piece of timber
that I am confident one man could easily have carried upon his
back, I made the horses be taken away, and a man or two to take
the timber away with their hands.

3rd. Sir W. Batten is gone this day to meet to adjourne the
Parliament to Oxford. This night I hear that of our two watermen
that used to carry our letters, and were well on Saturday last,
one is dead, and the other dying sick of the plague; the plague,
though decreasing elsewhere, yet being greater about the Tower
and thereabouts.

4th. This night comes Sir George Smith to see me at the office,
and tells me how the plague is decreased this week 740, for which
God be praised! but that it encreases at our end of the town
still.

5th. Read a book of Mr. Evelyn's translating and sending me as a
present, about directions for gathering a Library; but the book
is above my reach, but his epistle to my Lord Chancellor is a
very fine piece. Then to Mr. Evelyn's to discourse of our
confounded business of prisoners, and sick and wounded seamen,
wherein he and we are so much put out of order. And here he
showed me his gardens, which are for variety of evergreens, and
hedge of holly, the finest things I ever saw in my life. Thence
in his coach to Greenwich, and there to my office, all the way
having fine discourse of trees and the nature of vegetables.

7th. Did business, though not much, at the office; because of
the horrible crowd and lamentable moan of the poor seamen that
lie starving in the streets for lack of money. Which do trouble
and perplex me to the heart; and more at noon when we were to go
through them, for then above a whole hundred of them followed us;
some cursing, some swearing, and some praying to us. At night
come two waggons from Rochester with more goods from Captain
Cocke; and in housing them come two of the Custom-house, and did
seize them: but I showed them my TRANSIRE. However, after some
angry words, we locked them up, and sealed up the key, and did
give it to the constable to keep till Monday, and so parted.
But, Lord! to think how the poor constable come to me in the
dark going home; "Sir," says he, "I have the key, and if you
would have me do any service for you, send for me betimes to-
morrow morning, and I will do what you would have me." Whether
the fellow do this out of kindness or knavery, I cannot tell; but
it is pretty to observe. Talking with him in the high way, come
close by the bearers with a dead corpse of the plague; but, Lord!
to see what custom is, that I am come almost to think nothing of
it.

8th. To the office, where ended my business with the Captains;
and I think of twenty-two ships we shall make shift to get out
seven. (God help us! men being sick, or provisions lacking.)

9th. Called upon by Sir John Shaw to whom I did give a civil
answer about our prize goods, that all his dues as one of the
Farmers of the Customes are paid, and showed him our TRANSIRE,
with which he was satisfied, and parted.

11th, We met Mr. Seamour, one of the Commissioners for Prizes,
and a Parliament-man, and he was mighty high, and had now seized
our goods on their behalf; and he mighty imperiously would have
all forfeited. But I could not but think it odd that a
Parliament-man, in a serious discourse before such persons as we
and my Lord Brouncker, and Sir John Minnes, should quote
Hudibras, as being the book I doubt he hath read most.

12th. Good news this week that there are about 600 less dead of
the plague than the last.

13th. Sir Jer. Smith; [A distinguished Naval Officer, made a
Commissioner of the Navy, vice Sir W. Pen, 1669.] to see me in
his way to Court, and a good man he is, and one that I must keep
fair with.

14th. My heart and head to-night is full of the Victualling
business, being overjoyed and proud at my success in my proposal
about it, it being read before the King, Duke, and the Caball
with complete applause and satisfaction. This Sir G. Carteret
and Sir W. Coventry both writ me. My own proper accounts are in
great disorder, having been neglected about a month. This, and
the fear of the sickness, and providing for my family, do fill my
head very full, besides the infinite business of the office, and
nobody here to look after it but myself.

15th. The Parliament, it seems, have voted the King 1,250,000l.
at 50,000l. per month, tax for the war; and voted to assist the
King against the Dutch, and all that shall adhere to them; and
thanks to be given him for his care of the Duke of York, which
last is a very popular vote on the Duke's behalf. The taxes of
the last assessment, which should have been in good part
gathered, are not yet laid, and that even in part of the City of
London; and the Chimny-money comes almost to nothing, nor any
thing else looked after.

16th. I walked to the Tower; but, Lord! how empty the streets
are and melancholy, so many poor sick people in the streets full
of sores; and so many sad stories overheard as I walk, every body
talking of this dead, and that man sick, and so many in this
place, and so many in that. And they tell me that, in
Westminster, there is never a physician and but one apothecary
left, all being dead; but that there are great hopes of a great
decrease this week: God send it! At the Tower found my Lord
Duke and Duchesse at dinner; so I sat down. And much good cheer,
the Lieutenant and his lady, and several officers with the Duke.
But, Lord! to hear the silly talk was there, would make one mad;
the Duke having none almost but fools about him. I have received
letters from my Lord Sandwich today, speaking very high about the
prize goods, that he would have us to fear nobody, but be very
confident in what we have done, and not to confess any fault or
doubt of what he hath done; for the King hath allowed it, and do
now confirm it, and send orders, as he says, for nothing to be
disturbed that his Lordshipp hath ordered therein as to the
division of the goods to the fleet which do comfort us. Much
talk there is of the Chancellor's speech and the King's at the
Parliament's meeting, which are very well liked; and that we
shall certainly, by their speeches, fall out with France at this
time, together with the Dutch, which will find us work.

26th. Sir Christopher Mings and I together by water to the
Tower; and I find him a very witty well-spoken fellow, and mighty
free to tell his parentage, being a shoemaker's son. I to the
'Change, where I hear how the French have taken two and sunk one
of our merchant-men in the Straights, and carried the ships to
Toulon: so that there is no expectation but we must fall out
with them. The 'Change pretty full, and the town begins to be
lively again, though the streets very empty, and most shops shut.

27th. The Duke of Albemarle proposed to me from Mr. Coventry,
that I should be Surveyor-Generall of the Victualling business,
which I accepted. But, indeed, the terms in which Mr. Coventry
proposes it for me are the most obliging that ever I could expect
from any man, and more; he saying that I am the fittest man in
England, and that he is sure, if I will undertake, I will perform
it: and that it will be also a very desirable thing that I might
have this encouragement, my encouragement in the Navy alone being
in no wise proportionable to my pains or deserts. This, added to
the letter I had three days since from Mr. Southerne, [Secretary
to Sir W. Coventry.] signifying that the Duke of York had in his
master's absence opened my letters, and commanded him to tell me
that he did approve of my being the Surveyor-General, do make me
joyful beyond myself that I cannot express it, to see that as I
do take pains, so God blesses me, and hath sent me masters that
do observe that I take pains.

28th. The Parliament hath given the Duke of York 120,000l., to
be paid him after 1,250,000l. is gathered upon the tax which they
have now given the King. He tells me that the Dutch have lately
launched sixteen new ships; all which is great news. The King
and Court, they say, have now finally resolved to spend nothing
upon clothes, but what is of the growth of England; which, if
observed, will be very pleasing to the people, and very good for
them.

29th. In the street did overtake and almost run upon two women
crying and carrying a man's coffin between them. I suppose the
husband, of one of them, which, methinks, is a sad thing.

31st. Meeting yesterday the Searchers with their rods in their
hands coming from Captain Cocke's house, I did overhear them say
that his Black did not die of the plague. About nine at night I
come home, and anon comes Mrs. Coleman [Probably the person
mentioned in the following extract from MALONE'S ACCOUNT OF THE
ENGLISH STAGE. "In 1659 or 60, in imitation of foreign theatres,
women were first introduced on the scene. In 1656, indeed, Mrs.
Coleman, wife to Mr. Edward Coleman, represented Ianthe in the
first part of the Siege of Rhodes: but the little she had to say
was spoken in recitative."] and her husband, and she sung very
finely, though her voice is decayed as to strength but mighty
sweet though soft, and a pleasant jolly woman, and in mighty good
humour. She sung part of the Opera, though she would not own she
did get any of it without book in order to the stage. Thus we
end the month. The whole number of deaths being 1388, and of
them of the plague, 1031. Want of money in the Navy puts every
thing out of order. Men grow mutinous; and nobody here to mind
the business of the Navy but myself. I in great hopes of my
place of Surveyor-General of the Victualling, which will bring me
300l. per annum.

November 1, 1665. My Lord Brouncker with us to Mrs. William's
lodgings, and Sir W. Batten, Sir Edmund Pooly, [M.P. for Bury St.
Edmunds, and in the list of proposed Knights of the Royal Oak for
Suffolk.] and others; and there, it being my Lord's birth-day,
had every one a green riband tied in our hats very foolishly; and
methinks mighty disgracefully for my Lord to have his folly so
open to all the world with this woman.

5th. By water to Deptford, and there made a visit to Mr. Evelyn,
who, among other things, showed me most excellent painting in
little; in distemper, Indian incke, water colours: graveing;
and, above all, the whole secret of mezzo-tinto, and the manner
of it, which is very pretty, and good things done with it. He
read to me very much also of his discourse, he hath been many
years and now is about, about Gardenage; which will be a most
noble and pleasant piece. He read me part of a play or two of
his making, very good, but not as he conceits them, I think, to
be. He showed me his Hortus Hyemalis; leaves laid up in a book
of several plants kept dry, which preserve colour, however, and
look very finely, better than an herball. In fine, a most
excellent person he is, and must be allowed a little for a little
conceitedness; but he may well be so, being a man so much above
others. He read me, though with too much gusto, some little
poems of his own that were not transcendant, yet one or two very
pretty epigrams; among others, of a lady looking in at a grate,
and being pecked at by an eagle that was there.

6th. Sir G. Carteret and I did walk an hour in the garden before
the house, talking of my Lord Sandwich's business; what enemies
he hath, and how they have endeavoured to bespatter him: and
particularly about his leaving of 30 ships of the enemy, when Pen
would have gone, and my Lord called him back again: which is
most false. However, he says, it was purposed by some hot-heads
in the House of Commons, at the same time when they voted a
present to the Duke of York, to have voted 10,000l. to the
Prince, and half-a-crowne to my Lord of Sandwich; but nothing
come of it. But, for all this, the King is most firme to my
Lord, and so is my Lord Chancellor, and my Lord Arlington. The
Prince, in appearance, kind; the Duke of York silent, says no
hurt; but admits others to say it in his hearing. Sir W. Pen,
the falsest rascal that ever was in the world; and that this
afternoon the Duke of Albemarle did tell him that Pen was a very
cowardly rogue, and one that hath brought all these rogueish
fanatick Captains into the fleet, and swears he should never go
out with the fleet again. That Sir W. Coventry is most kind to
Pen still; and says nothing not do any thing openly to the
prejudice of my Lord. He agrees with me, that it is impossible
for the King to set out a fleet again the next year; and that he
fears all will come to ruine, there being no money in prospect
but these prizes, which will bring, it may be 20,000l., but that
will signify nothing in the world for it.

9th. The Bill of Mortality, to all our griefs, is encreased 399
this week, and the encrease generally through the whole City and
suburbs, which makes us all sad.

14th. Captain Cocke and I in his coach through Kent-streete, (a
sad place through the plague, people sitting sick and with
plaisters about them in the street begging.)

15th. The plague, blessed be God! is decreased 400; making the
whole this week but 1300 and odd: for which the Lord be praised!

16th. To Eriffe; where after making a little visit to Madam
Williams, she did give me information of W. How's having bought
eight bags of precious stones taken from about the Dutch Vice-
admirall's neck, of which there were eight dyamonds which cost
him 4000l. sterling, in India, and hoped to have made 12,000l.
here for them. And that this is told by one that sold him one of
the bags, which hath nothing but rubys in it, which he had for
35s.; and that it will be proved he hath made 125l., of one stone
that he bought. This she desired, and I resolved I would give my
Lord Sandwich notice of. So I on board my Lord Brouncker; and
there he and Sir Edmund Pooly carried me down into the hold of
the India shipp, and there did show me the greatest wealth lie in
confusion that a man can see in the world. Pepper scattered
through every chink, you trod upon it; and in cloves and nutmegs,
I walked above the knees: whole rooms full. And silk in bales,
and boxes of copper-plate, one of which I saw opened. Having
seen this, which was as noble a sight as ever I saw in my life, I
away on board the other ship in despair to get the pleasure-boat
of the gentlemen there to carry me to the fleet. They were Mr.
Ashburnham [John Ashburnham, a Groom of the Bedchamber to
Charles I. whom he attended during the whole of the Rebellion,
and afterwards filled the same post under Charles II. He was in
1661 M.P, for Sussex; and ob. 1671.] and Colonell Wyndham; but
pleading the King's business, they did presently agree I should
have it. So I presently on board, and got under sail, and had a
good bedd by the shift, of Wyndham's; and so sailed all night,
and got down to Quinbrough water, where all the great ships are
now come, and there on board my Lord, and was soon received with
great content. And after some little discourse, he and I on
board Sir W. Pen; and there held a council of Warr about many
wants of the fleet; and so followed my Lord Sandwich, who was
gone a little before me on board the Royall James. And there
spent an hour, my Lord playing upon the gittarr, which he now
commends above all musique in the world. As an infinite secret,
my Lord tells me, the factions are high between the King and the
Duke, and all the Court are in an uproar with their loose amours;
the Duke of York being in love desperately with Mrs. Stewart.
Nay, that the Duchesse herself is fallen in love with her new
Master of the Horse, one Harry Sidney, [Younger son of Robert
Earl of Leicester, created Earl of Romney, 1694. He was Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland, Master of the Ordnance, and Warden of the
Cinque Ports in the reign of King William. Ob. 1704, unmarried.]
and another, Harry Savill. [Henry Saville, some time one of the
Grooms of the Bedchamber to the Duke of York.] So that God knows
what will be the end of it. And that the Duke is not so
obsequious as he need to be, but very high of late; and would be
glad to be in the head of an army as Generall; and that it is
said that he do propose to go and command under the King of
Spayne, in Flanders. That his amours to Mrs. Stewart are told
the King. So that all is like to be nought among them.

22nd. I was very glad to hear that the plague is come very low;
that is, the whole under 1000, and the plague 800 and odd: and
great hopes of a further decrease, because of this day's being a
very exceeding hard frost, and continues freezing. This day the
first of the Oxford Gazettes come out, which is very pretty, full
of news, and no folly in it. Wrote by Williamson. It pleased me
to have it demonstrated, that a purser without professed cheating
is a professed loser, twice as much as he gets.

23rd. Captn. Cuttance tells me how W. How is laid by the heels,
and confined to the Royall Katharin, and his things all seized.

24th. To the 'Change, where very busy with several people, and
mightily glad to see the 'Change so full, and hopes of another
abatement still the next week. Visited Mr. Evelyn, where most
excellent discourse with him; among other things he showed me a
lieger of a Treasurer of the Navy, his great grandfather, just
100 years old; which I seemed mighty fond of, and he did present
me with it, which I take as a great rarity; and he hopes to find
me more, older than it. He also showed us several letters of the
old Lord of Leicester's [There are some letters and papers
answering to this description in the Pepysian Library, and
amongst them an account of the Coroner's Inquest held upon the
Countess of Leicester at Cumnor.] in Queen Elizabeth's time,
under the very hand-writing of Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Mary,
Queen of Scotts; and others, very venerable names. But, Lord!
how poorly, methinks, they wrote in those days, and in what plain
uncut paper.

27th. With Sir G. Carteret, who tells me that my Lord hath
received still worse and worse usage from some base people about
the Court. But the King is very kind, and the Duke do not appear
the contrary; and my Lord Chancellor swore to him "by -- I will
not forsake my Lord of Sandwich." I into London, it being dark
night, by a hackny coach; the first I have durst to go in many a
day, and with great pain now for fear. But it being unsafe to go
by water in the dark and frosty cold, and unable being weary with
my morning walk to go on foot, this was my only way. Few people
yet in the streets, nor shops open, here and there twenty in a
place almost; though not above five or six o'clock at night.

30th. Great joy we have this week in the weekly Bill, it being
come to 544 in all, and but 333 of the plague so that we are
encouraged to get to London soon as we can. And my father writes
as great news of joy to them, that he saw York's waggon go again
this week to London, and full of passengers; and tells me that my
aunt Bell hath been dead of the plague these seven weeks.

December 3, 1665. To Captn. Cocke's, and there dined with him,
and Colonell Wyndham, a worthy gentleman, whose wife was nurse to
the present King, and one that while she lived governed him and
every thing else, as Cocke says, as a minister of state; the old
King putting mighty weight and trust upon her. They talked much
of matters of State and persons, and particularly how my Lord
Barkeley hath all along been a fortunate, though a passionate and
but weak man as to policy; but as a kinsman brought in and
promoted by my Lord of St. Alban's, and one that is the greatest
vapourer in the world, this Colonell Wyndham says; and to whom
only, with Jacke Ashburne [This should be Ashburnham.] and
Colonel Legg, [William Legge, Groom of the Bedchamber to Charles
I., and father to the first Lord Dartmouth. He was M.P. for
Southampton. Ob, 1672.] the King's removal to the Isle of Wight
from Hampton Court was communicated; and (though betrayed by
their knavery, or at best by their ignorance, insomuch that they
have all solemnly charged one another with their failures
therein, and have been at daggers-drawing publickly about it.)
yet now none greater friends in the world.

4th. Upon the 'Change to-day Colvill tells me, from Oxford, that
the King in person hath justified my Lord Sandwich to the highest
degree; and is right in his favour to the uttermost.

6th. Up betimes, it being fast-day; and by water to the Duke of
Albemarle, who come to town from Oxford last night. He is mighty
brisk, and very kind to me, and asks my advice principally in
every thing. He surprises me with the news that my Lord Sandwich
goes Embassador to Spayne speedily; though I know not whence this
arises, yet I am heartily glad of it. The King hath done my Lord
Sandwich all the right imaginable, by showing him his countenance
before all the world on every occasion, to remove thoughts of
discontent; and he is to go Embassador, and the Duke of York is
made generall of all forces by land and sea and the Duke of
Albemarle, lieutenant-generall.

8th. To White Hall, where we found Sir G. Carteret with the
Duke, and also Sir G. Downing, whom I had not seen in many years
before. He greeted me very kindly, and I him; though methinks I
am touched that it should be said that he was my master
heretofore, as doubtless he will.

9th. My Lord Brouncker and I dined with the Duke of Albemarle.
At table the Duchesse, a very ill-looked woman, complaining of
her Lord's going to sea the next year, said these cursed words:
"If my Lord had been a coward he had gone to sea no more: it may
be then he might have been excused, and made an embassador,"
(meaning my Lord Sandwich). This made me mad, and I believed she
perceived my countenance change, and blushed herself very much.
I was in hopes others had not minded it, but my Lord Brouncker,
after we were come away, took notice of the words to me; with
displeasure.

11th. That I may remember it the more particularly, I thought
fit to insert this memorandum of Temple's discourse this night
with me, which I took in writing from his mouth. Before the Harp
and Crosse money was cried down, he and his fellow goldsmiths did
make some particular trials what proportion that money bore to
the old King's money, and they found that generally it come to,
one with another, about 25l. in every 100l. Of this money there
was upon the calling of it in, 650,000l. at least brought into
the Tower; and from thence he computes that the whole money of
England must be full 16,250,000l. But for all this believes that
there is about 30,000,000l.; he supposing that about the King's
coming in (when he begun to observe the quantity of the new
money) people begun to be fearful of this money's being cried
down, and so picked it out and set it a-going as fast as they
could, to be rid of it; and he thinks 30,000,000l. the rather,
because if there were but 16,250,000l. the King having
2,000,000l. every year, would have the whole money of the kingdom
in his hands in eight years. He tells me about 350,000l.
sterling was coined out of the French money, the proceeds of
Dunkirke; so that, with what was coined of the Cross money, there
is new coined about 1,000,000l. besides the gold, which is
guessed at 500,000l. He tells me, that, though the King did
deposit the French money in pawn all the while for the 350,000l.
he was forced to borrow thereupon till the tools could be made
for the new Minting in the present form. Yet the interest he
paid for that time come to 35,000l. Viner having to his
knowledge 10,000l. for the use of 100,000l. of it.

13th. Away to the 'Change, and there hear the ill news, to my
great and all our great trouble, that the plague is encreased
again this week, notwithstanding there hath been a long day or
two great frosts; but we hope it is only the effects of the late
close warm weather, and if the frost continue the next week, may
fall again; but the towne do thicken so much with people, that it
is much if the plague do not grow again upon us.

15th. Met with Sir James Bunch; [Probably James Bunce, an
Alderman of London, 1660.] "This is the time for you," says he,
"that; were for Oliver heretofore; you are full of employment,
and we poor Cavaliers sit still and can get nothing;" which was a
pretty reproach I thought, but answered nothing to it, for fear
of making it worse.