Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

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13th. No sooner up but hear the sad news confirmed of the Royal
Charles being taken by them, and now in fitting by them, (which
Pett should have carried up higher by our several orders, and
deserves therefore to be hanged for not doing it,) and burning
several others; and that another fleet is come up into the Hope.
Upon which news the King and Duke of York have been below since
four o'clock in the morning, to command the sinking of ships at
Barking-Creeke and other places, to stop their coming up higher:
which put me into such a fear, that I presently resolved of my
father's and wife's going into the country; and at two hours'
warning they did go by the coach this day, with about 1300l. in
gold in their night-bag. Pray God give them good passage, and
good care to hide it when they come home! but my heart is full
of fear. They gone, I continued in frights and fear what to do
with the rest. W. Hewer hath been at the banker's, and hath got
500l. out of Blackwell's hands of his own money; but they are so
called upon that they will be all broke, hundreds coming to them
for money: and they answer him, "It is payable at twenty days--
when the days are out we will pay you;" and those that are not so
they make tell over their money, and make their bags false on
purpose to give cause to retell it, and so spend time. I cannot
have my 200 pieces or gold again for silver, all being bought up
last night that were to be had, and sold for 24 and 25s. a-piece.
Every minute some one or other calls for this or that order; and
so I forced to be at the office most of the day about the fire-
ships which are to be suddenly fitted out. And it's a most
strange thing that we hear nothing from any of my brethren at
Chatham: so that we are wholly in the dark, various being the
reports of what is done there; insomuch, that I sent Mr. Clapham
express thither to see how matters go. I did about noon resolve
to send Mr. Gibson away after my wife with another 1000 pieces,
under colour of an express to Sir Jeremy Smith, who is, as I
hear, with some ships at Newcastle; which I did really send to
him, and may possibly prove of good use to the King, for it is
possible in the hurry of business they may not think of it at
Court, and the charge of express is not considerable to the King.
The King and Duke of York up and down all the day here and there:
some time on Tower Hill, where the City militia was; where the
King did make a speech to them, that they should venture
themselves no further than he would himself. I also sent (my
mind being in pain) Saunders after my wife and father, to
overtake them at their night's lodging, to see how matters go
with them. In the evening I sent for my cousin Sarah and her
husband, who come; and I did deliver them my chest of writings
about Brampton, and my brother Tom's papers, and my journalls,
which I value much: and did send my two silver flagons to Kate
Joyce's: that so being scattered what I have, something might be
saved. I have also made a girdle, by which with some trouble I
do carry about me 300l. in gold about my body, that I may not be
without something in case I should be surprised; for I think, in
any nation but our's, people that appear (for we are not indeed
so) so faulty as we, would have their throats cut. In the
evening comes Mr. Pelling and several others to the office, and
tell me that never were people so dejected as they are in the
City all over at this day; and do talk most loudly, even treason;
as, that we are bought and sold, that we are betrayed by the
Papists and others about the King: cry out that the office of
the Ordnance hath been so backward as no powder to have been at
Chatham nor Upner Castle till such a time, and the carriages all
broken: Legg is a Papist; [William Legge, mentioned before, He
was Treasurer and Superintendent of the Ordnance, with General's
pay.] that Upner, the old good castle built by Queen Elizabeth,
should be lately slighted; that the ships at Chatham should not
be carried up higher. They look upon us as lost, and remove
their families and rich goods in the City; and do think verily
that the French being come down with an army to Dunkirke, it is
to invade us, and that we shall be invaded. Mr. Clerke, the
solicitor, comes to me about business, and tells me that he hears
that the King hath chosen Mr. Pierpoint and Vaughan of the West,
Privy-councillors; that my Lord Chancellor was affronted in the
Hall this day, by people telling him of his Dunkirke House; and
that there are regiments ordered to be got together, whereof to
be commanders my Lord Fairfax, Ingolsby, Bethell, Norton, and
Birch, and other Presbyterians; and that Dr. Bates will have
liberty to preach. Now, whether this be true or not, I know not;
but do think that nothing but this will unite us together. Late
at night comes Mr. Hudson the cooper, my neighbour, and tells me
that he come from Chatham this evening at five o'clock, and saw
this afternoon "The Royal James," "Oake," and "London," burnt by
the enemy with their fire-ships: that two or three men-of-war
come up with them, and made no more of Upner Castle's shooting
than of a fly; that those ships lay below Upner-Castle, (but
therein, I conceive, he is in an error;) that the Dutch are
fitting out "The Royall Charles;" that we shot; so far as from
the Yard thither, so that the shot did no good, for the bullets
grazed on the water; that Upner played hard with their guns at
first, but slowly afterwards, either from the men's being beat
off; or their powder spent. But we hear that the fleet in the
Hope is not come up any higher the last flood. And Sir W. Batten
tells me that ships are provided to sink in the River, about
Woolwich, that will prevent their coming up higher if they should
attempt it. I made my will also this day, and did give all I had
equally between my father and wife.

14th. Up, and to the office; where Mr. Fryer comes and tells me
that there are several Frenchman and Flemish ships in the River
with passes from the Duke of York for carrying of prisoners, that
ought to be parted from the rest of the ships, and their powder
taken, lest they do fire themselves when the enemy comes, and so
spoil us; which is good advice, and I think I will give notice of
it; and did so. But it is pretty odd to see how every body, even
at this high time of danger, puts business off of their own
hands! He says that he told this to the Lieutenant of the Tower,
(to whom I, for the same reason, was directing him to go); and
the Lieutenant of the Tower bade him come to us, for he had
nothing to do with it. And yesterday comes Captain Crew, of one
of the fire-ships, and told me that the officers of the Ordnance
would deliver his gunner's materials, but not compound them, but
that we must do it; whereupon I was forced to write to them about
it: and one that like a great many come to me this morning. By
and by comes Mr. Willson, and, by direction of his, a man of Mr.
Gauden's; who are come from Chatham last night, and saw the three
ships burnt, they lying all dry, and boats going from the men-of-
war to fire them. But that that he tells me of worst consequence
is, that he himself (I think he said) did hear many Englishmen on
board the Dutch ships speaking to one another in English; and
that they did cry and say, "We did heretofore fight for tickets;
now we fight for dollars!" and did ask how such and such a one
did, and would commend themselves to them: which is a sad
consideration. And Mr. Lewes (who was present at this fellow's
discourse to me) did tell me, that he is told that when they took
"The Royal Charles," they said that they had their tickets signed
(and showed some), and that now they come to have them paid, and
would have them paid before they parted. And several seamen come
this morning to me, to tell me that if I would get their tickets
paid they would go and do all they could against the Dutch; but
otherwise they would not venture being killed, and lose all they
have already fought for: so that I was forced to try what I
could do to get them paid. This man tells me that the ships
burnt last night did lie above Upner Castle, over against the
Docke; and the boats come from the ships of war and burnt them:
all which is very sad. And masters of ships that are lately
taken up, do keep from their ships all their stores, or as much
as they can, so that we can dispatch them, having not time to
appraise them, nor secure their payment. Only some little money
we have, which we are fain to pay the men we have with every
night, or they will not work. And indeed the hearts as well as
affections of the seamen are turned away; and in the open streets
in Wapping, and up and down, the wives have cried publickly,
"This comes of your not paying our husbands; and now your work is
undone, or done by hands that understand it not." And Sir W.
Batten told me that he was himself affronted with a woman, in
language of this kind, on Tower Hill publickly yesterday; and we
are fain to bear it, and to keep one at the office door to let no
idle people in, for fear of firing of the office and doing us
mischief. The City is troubled at their being put upon duty:
summoned one hour, and discharged two hours after: and then
again summoned two hours after that; to their great charge as
well as trouble. And Pelling, the Potticary, tells me the world
says all over, that less charge than what the kingdom is put to,
of one kind or other, by this business, would have set out all
our great ships. It is said they did in open streets yesterday,
at Westminster, cry, " A Parliament! a Parliament!" and I do
believe it will cost blood to answer for these miscarriages. We
do not hear that the Dutch are come to Gravesend; which is a
wonder. But a wonderful thing it is that to this day we have not
one word yet from Brouncker, or Peter Pett, or J. Minnes, of any
thing at Chatham. The people that come hither to hear how things
go, make me ashamed to be found unable to answer them: for I am
left alone here at the office; and the truth is, I am glad my
station is to be here, near my own home and out of danger, yet in
a place of doing the King good service. I have this morning good
news from Gibson; three letters from three several stages, that
we was safe last night as far as Royston at between nine and ten
at night. The dismay that is upon us all, in the business of the
kingdom and Navy at this day, is not to be expressed otherwise
than by the condition the citizens were in when the City was on
fire, nobody knowing which way to turn themselves, while
everything concurred to greaten the fire; as here the easterly
gale and spring-tides for coming up both rivers, and enabling
them to break the chaine. D. Gauden did tell me yesterday, that
the day before at the Council they were ready to fall together by
the ears at the Council-table, arraigning one another of being
guilty of the counsel that brought us into this misery, by laying
up all the great ships. Mr. Hater tells me at noon that some
rude people have been, as he hears, at my Lord Chancellor's,
where they have cut down the trees before his house and broke his
windows; and a gibbet either set up before or painted upon his
gate, and these three words writ: "Three sights to be seen;
Dunkirke, Tangier, and a barren Queene." It gives great matter
of talk that it is said there is at this hour, in the Exchequer,
as much money as is ready to break down the floor. This arises,
I believe, from Sir G. Downing's late talk of the greatness of
the sum lying there of people's money that, they would not fetch
away, which he showed me and a great many others. Most people
that I speak with are in doubt how we shall do to secure our
seamen from running over to the Dutch; which is a sad but very
true consideration at this day. At noon I am told that my Lord
Duke of Albemarle is made Lord High Constable; the meaning
whereof at this time I know not, nor whether it be true or no.
Dined, and Mr. Hater and Mr. Hewer with me; where they do speak
very sorrowfully of the posture of the times, and how people do
cry out in the streets of their being bought and sold; and both
they and every body that come to me do tell me that people make
nothing of talking treason in the streets openly; as, that they
are bought and sold, and governed by Papists, and that we are
betrayed by people about the King, and shall be delivered up to
the French, and I know not what. At dinner we discoursed of Tom
of the Wood, a fellow that lives like a hermit near Woolwich,
who, as they say (and Mr. Bodham, they tell me, affirms that he
was by at the Justice's when some did accuse him there for it)
did foretell the burning of the City, and now says that a greater
desolation is at hand. Thence we read and laughed at Lilly's
prophecies this month, in his Almanack this year. So to the
office after dinner; and thither comes Mr. Pierce, who tells me
his condition, how he cannot get his money (about 500l. which, he
says, is a very great part of what he hath for his family and
children) out of Viner's hand: and indeed it is to be feared
that this will wholly undo the bankers. He says he knows nothing
of the late affronts to my Lord Chancellor's house, as is said,
nor hears of the Duke of Albemarle's being made High Constable;
but says that they are in great distraction at White Hall, and
that every where people do speak high against Sir W. Coventry:
[Evelyn says it was owing to Sir W. C. that no fleet was fitted
out in 1667.] but he agrees with me, that he is the best
Minister of State the King hath, and so from my heart I believe.
At night come home Sir W. Batten and W. Ben, who only can tell me
that they have placed guns at Woolwich and Deptford, and sunk
some ships below Woolwich and Blackwall, and are in hopes that
they stop the enemy's coming up. But strange our confusion!
that among them that are sunk they have gone and sunk without
consideration "The Franclin," one of the King's ships with stores
to a very considerable value, that hath been long loaded for
supply of the ships; and the new ship at Bristoll, and much
wanted there. And nobody will own that they directed it, but do
lay it on Sir W. Rider. They speak also of another ship loaded
to the value of 80,000l. sunk with the goods in her, or at least
was mightily contended for by him and a foreign ship that had the
faith of the nation for her security: this Sir R. Ford tells us.
And it is too plain a truth, that both here and at Chatham the
ships that we have sunk have many, and the first of them, been
ships completely fitted for fire-ships at great charge. But most
strange the backwardness and disorder of all people, especially
the King's people in pay, to do any work, (Sir W. Pen tells me),
all crying out for money. And it was so at Chatham that this
night comes an order from Sir W. Coventry to stop the pay of the
wages of that Yard, the Duke of Albemarle having related, that
not above three of 1100 in pay there, did attend to do any work
there. This evening having sent a messenger to Chatham on
purpose, we have received a dull letter from my Lord Brouncker
and Peter Pett, how matters have gone there this week; but not so
much, or so particularly as we knew it by common talk before, and
as true. I doubt they will be found to have been but slow men in
this business; and they say the Duke of Albemarle did tell my
Lord Brouncker to his face that his discharging of the great
ships there was the cause of all this; and I am told that it is
become common talk against my Lord Brouncker. But in that; he is
to be justified, for he did it by verbal order from Sir W.
Coventry, and with good intent; and it was to good purpose,
whatever the success be, for the men would have but spent the
King so much the more in wages, and yet not attended on board to
have done the King any service. And as an evidence of that, just
now, being the 15th day in the morning that I am writing
yesterday's passages, one is with me, Jacob Bryan, Purser of the
Princesse, who confesses to me that he hath but 180 men borne at
this day in victuals and wages on that ship lying at Chatham,
being lately brought in thither; of which 180 there was not above
five appeared to do the King any service at this late business.
And this morning also, some of the Cambridge's men come up from
Portsmouth by order from Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who boasted to
us the other day that he had sent for 50, and would be hanged if
100 did not come up that would do as much as twice the number of
other men: I say some of them, instead of being at work at
Deptford, where they were intended, do come to the office this
morning to demand the payment of their tickets; for otherwise
they would, they said, do no more work; and are, as I understand
from every body that has to do with them, the most debauched,
damning, swearing rogues that ever were in the Navy, just like
their prophane commander.

15th. All the morning at the office. No news more than last
night; only Purser Tyler comes and tells me that he being at all
the passages in this business at Chatham, he says there have been
horrible miscarriages, such as we shall shortly hear of: that
the want of boats hath undone us: and it is commonly said, and
Sir J. Minnes under his hand tells us, that they were employed by
the men of the Yard to carry away their goods; and I hear that
Commissioner Pett will be found the first man that began to
remove: he is much spoken against, and Brouncker is complained
of, and reproached for discharging the men of the great ships
heretofore. At noon Mr. Hater dined with me; and tells me he
believes that it will hardly be the want of money alone that will
excuse to the Parliament the neglect of not setting out a fleet,
it having never been done in our greatest straits, but however
unlikely it appeared, yet when it was gone about, the State or
King did compass it; and there is something in it.

18th. Roger Pepys told me, that when I come to his house he will
show me a decree in Chancery, wherein there was 26 men all house-
keepers in the town of Cottenham, in Queene Elizabeth's time, of
our name. By and by occasion offered for my writing to Sir W.
Coventry a plain bold letter touching lack of money; which, when
it was gone, I was afraid might give offence; but upon two or
three readings over again the copy of it, I was satisfied it was
a good letter; only Sir W. Batten signed it with me, which I
could wish I had done alone.

17th. Every moment business of one kind or other about the fire-
ships and other businesses, most of them vexatious for want of
money, the commanders all complaining that if they miss to pay
their men a night, they run away; seamen demanding money of them
by way of advance, and some of Sir Fretcheville Hollis's men,
that he so bragged of, demanding their tickets to be paid, or
they would not work: this Hollis, Sir W. Batten and W. Pen say,
proves a conceited, idle, prating, lying fellow. Captain Cocke
tells me there have been great endeavours of bringing in the
Presbyterian interest, but that it will not do. He named to me
several of the insipid lords that are to command the armies that
are to be raised. He says the King and Court are all troubled,
and the gates of the Court were shut up upon the first coming of
the Dutch to us, but they do mind the business no more than ever:
that the bankers, he fears, are broke as to ready-money, though
Viner had 100,000l. by him when our trouble begun: that he and
the Duke of Albemarle have received into their own hands, of
Viner, the former 10,000l., and the latter 12,000l., in tallies
or assignments to secure what was in his hands of theirs; and
many other great men of our masters have done the like; which is
no good sign, when they begin to fear the main. He and every
body cries out of the office of the Ordnance, for their neglects,
both at Gravesend and Upner, and every where else.

18th. To the office, and by and by word was brought me that
Commissioner Pett is brought to the Tower, and there laid up
close prisoner; which puts me into a fright, lest they may do the
same with us as they do with him. Great news to-night of the
blowing up of one of the Dutch's greatest ships, while a Council
of War was on board: the latter part, I doubt, is not so, it not
being confirmed since; but the former, that they had a ship blown
up, is said to be true. This evening comes Sir G. Carteret to
the office, to talk of business at Sir W. Batten's; where all to
be undone for want of money, there being none to pay the chest at
their public pay the 24th of this month, which will make us a
scorn to the world. After he had done there, he and I into the
garden, and walked; and the greatest of our discourse is, his
sense of the requisiteness of his parting with his being
Treasurer of the Navy, if he can on any good terms. He do harp
upon getting my Lord Brouncker to take it on half profit, but
that he is not able to secure him in paying him so much. He
tells me now the great question is, whether a Parliament or no
Parliament; and says the Parliament itself cannot be thought able
at present to raise money, and therefore it will be to no purpose
to call one.

19th. Comes an order from Sir R. Browne, commanding me this
afternoon to attend the Council-board with all my books and
papers, touching the Medway. I was ready to fear some mischief
to myself, though it appears most reasonable that it is to inform
them about Commissioner Pett. I am called in to a large
Committee of the Council: present, the Duke of Albemarle,
Anglesy, Arlington, Ashly, Carteret, Duncomb, Coventry, Ingram,
Clifford, Lauderdale, Morrice, Manchester, Craven, Carlisle,
Bridgewater. [John, second Earl of Bridgewater, Ob. 1686.] And
after Sir W. Coventry's telling them what orders his Royal
Highness had made for the safety of the Medway, I told them to
their full content what we had done, and showed them our letters.
Then was Peter Pett called in, with the Lieutenant of the Tower.
He is in his old clothes, and looked most sillily. His charge
was chiefly the not carrying up of the great ships, and the using
of the boats in carrying away his goods; to which he answered
very sillily, though his faults to me seem only great omissions.
Lord Arlington and Coventry very severe against him; the former
saying that, if he was not guilty the world would think them all
guilty. The latter urged, that there must be some faults, and
that the Admiral must be found to have done his part. I did say
an unhappy word, which I was sorry for, when he complained of
want of oares for the boats: and there was, it seems, enough,
and good enough, to carry away all the boats with from the King's
occasions. He said he used never a boat till they were all gone
but one; and that was to carry away things of great value, and
these were his models of ships; which, when the Council, some of
them, had said they wished that the Dutch had had them instead of
the King's ships, he answered, he did believe the Dutch would
have made more advantage of the models than of the ships, and
that the King had had greater loss thereby: this they all
laughed at. After having heard him for an hour or more, they bid
him withdraw. He being gone, they caused Sir Richard Browne to
read over his minutes; and then my Lord Arlington moved that they
might be put into my hands to put into form, I being more
acquainted with such business; and they were so. So I away back
with my books and papers; and when I got into the Court it was
pretty to see how people gazed upon me, that I thought myself
obliged to salute people and to smile, lest they should think I
was a prisoner too: but afterwards I found that most did take me
to be there to bear evidence against P. Pett. My wife did give
me so bad an account of her and my father's method in burying of
our gold, that made me mad: and she herself is not pleased with
it, she believing that my sister knows of it. My father and she
did it on Sunday, when they were gone to church, in open
daylight, in the midst of the garden; where, for aught they knew,
many eyes might see them: which put me into trouble, and
presently cast about how to have it back again to secure it here,
the times being a little better now.

20th. Mr. Barber told me that all the discourse yesterday, about
that part of the town where he was, was that Mr. Pett and I were
in the Tower; and I did hear the same before. Busy all the
afternoon: in the evening did treat with, and in the end agree,
but by some kind of compulsion, with the owners of six merchant-
ships, to serve the King as men-of-war. But, Lord! to see how
against the hair it is with these men, and everybody, to trust us
and the King; and how unreasonable it is to expect they should be
willing to lend their ships, and lay out 2 or 300l. a man to fit
their ships for the new voyages, when we have not paid them half
of what we owe them for their old services! I did write so to
Sir W. Coventry this night.