Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

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6th. Mr. Williamson told me that Mr. Coventry is coming over
with a project of a peace; which, if the States agree to, and our
King when their Ministers on both sides have showed it them, we
shall agree, and that is all: but the King, I hear, do give it
out plain that the peace is concluded. This day with great
satisfaction I hear that my Lady Jemimah is brought to bed, at
Hinchingbroke, of a boy [In 1681 created Baron Carteret of
Hawnes, co. Bedford, in consideration of the eminent services
rendered by his grandfather and father to Charles II.]

7th (Lord's day). Mr. Moor tells me that the discontented
Parliament-men are fearful that the next sitting the King will
try for a general excise by which to raise him money, and then to
fling off the Parliament, and raise a land-army and keep them all
down like slaves; and it is gotten among them that Bab. May, the
Privy-purse, hath been heard to say that 300l. a-year is enough
for any country-gentleman; which makes them mad, and they do talk
of 6 or 800,000l. gone into the Privy-purse this war, when in
King James's time it arose but to 5000l., and in King Charles's
but 10,000l. in a year. He tells me that a goldsmith in town
told him, that being with some plate with my Lady Castlemaine
lately, she directed her woman (the great beauty,) "Willson,"
sayes she, "Make a note for this and for that to the Privy-purse
for money." He tells me a little more of the basenesse of the
courses taken at Court in the case of Mr. Moyer, who is at
liberty, and is to give 500l. for his liberty; but now the great
ones are divided who shall have the money, the Duke of Albemarle
on one hand, and another Lord on the other; and that it is fain
to be decided by having the person's name put into the King's
warrant for his liberty, at whose intercession the King shall own
that he is set at liberty: which is a most lamentable thing,
that we do professedly own that we do these things, not for right
and justice' sake, but only to gratify this or that person about
the King. God forgive us all!

8th. Mr. Coventry is come from Bredah, as was expected; but,
contrary to expectation, brings with him two or three articles
which do not please the King: as to retrench the Act of
Navigation, and then to ascertain what are contraband goods; and
then that those exiled persons, who are or shall take refuge in
their country, may be secure from any further prosecution.
Whether these will be enough to break the Peace upon, or no, he
cannot tell; but I perceive the certainty of peace is blown over.
To Charing Cross, there to see the great boy and girle that are
lately come out of Ireland, the latter eight, the former but four
years old, of most prodigious bigness for their age. I tried to
weigh them in my arms, and and them twice as heavy as people
almost twice their age; and yet I am apt to believe they are very
young. Their father a little sorry fellow, and their mother an
old Irish woman. They have had four children of this bigness,
and four of ordinary growth, whereof two of each are dead. If
(as my Lord Ormond certifies) it be true that they are no older,
it is very monstrous.

9th. This evening news comes for certain that the Dutch are with
their fleet before Dover, and that it is expected they will
attempt something there. The business of the peace is quite
dashed again.

12th. The Duke of Buckingham was before the Council the other
day, and there did carry it very submissively and pleasingly to
the King; but to my Lord Arlington, who do prosecute the
business, he was most bitter and sharp, and very slighting. As
to the letter about his employing a man to cast the King's
nativity, says he to the King, "Sir, this is none of my hand, and
I refer it to your Majesty whether you do not know this hand."
The King answered, that it was indeed none of his, and that he
knew whose it was, but could not recall it presently. "Why,"
says he, "it is my sister of Richmond's, [Mary, daughter of
George Villiers first Duke of Buckingham; married first, to
Charles Lord Herbert; secondly, to James Duke of Richmond and
Lenox; and thirdly, to Thomas Howard, brother to Charles Earl of
Carlisle. She left no issue by any of her husbands.] some
frolick or other of hers about some certain person: and there is
nothing of the King's name in it, but it is only said to be his
by supposition, as is said." The King, it seems, was not very
much displeased with what the Duke had said; but however, he is
still in the Tower, and no discourse of his being out in haste,
though my Lady Caatlemaine hath so far solicited for him that the
King and she are quite fallen out: he comes not to her, nor hath
for some three or four days; and parted with very foul words, the
King calling her a jade that meddled with things she had nothing
to do with at all: and she calling him fool; and told him if he
was not a fool he would not suffer his businesses to be carried
on by fools that did not understand them, and cause his best
subjects, and those best able to serve him, to be imprisoned;
meaning the Duke of Buckingham. And it seems she was not only
for his liberty, but to be restored to all his places; which, it
is thought, he will never be. It was computed that the
Parliament had given the King for this war only, besides all
prizes, and besides the 200,000l. which he was to spend of his
own revenue, to guard the sea above 5,000,000l. and odd
100,000l.; which is a most prodigious sum. It is strange how
everybody do now-a-days reflect upon Oliver, and commend him,
what brave things he did, and made all the neighbour princes fear
him; while here a prince, come in with all the love and prayers
and good liking of his people, who have given greater signs of
loyalty and willingness to serve him with their estates that ever
was done by any people, hath lost all so soon, that it is a
miracle what way a man could devise to lose so much in so little
time. Sir Thomas Crewe tells me how I am mightily in esteem with
the Parliament; there being harangues made in the House to the
Speaker, of Mr. Pepys's readiness and civility to show them
everything.

13th. Mr. Pierce tells us what troubles me, that my Lord
Buckhurst hath got Nell away from the King's house, and gives her
100l. a-year, so as she hath sent her parts to the house, and
will act no more and yesterday Sir Thomas Crewe told me that Lacy
lies a-dying; nor will receive any ghostly advice from a bishop,
an old acquaintance of his, that went to see him. It is an odd
and sad thing to say, that though this be a peace worse than we
had before, yet everybody's fear almost is, that the Dutch will
not stand by their promise, now the King hath consented to all
they would have. And yet no wise man that I meet with, when he
comes to think of it, but wishes with all his heart a war; but
that the King is not a man to be trusted with the management of
it. It was pleasantly said by a man in this City, a stranger, to
one that told him the peace was concluded, "Well," says he, "and
have you a peace?" "Yes," says the other. "Why then," says he,
"hold your peace!" Partly reproaching us with the disgracefulness
of it, that it is not fit to be mentioned; and next, that we are
not able to make the Dutch keep it, when they have a mind to
break it.

14th. To Epsum, by eight o'clock, to the well; where much
company. And to the towne to the King's Head; and hear that my
Lord Buckhurst and Nelly are lodged at the next house, and Sir
Charles Sedley with them: and keep a merry house. Poor girl!
I pity her; but more the loss of her at the King's house. Here
Tom Wilson come to see me, and sat and talked an hour: and I
perceive he hath been much acquainted with Dr. Fuller (Tom) and
Dr. Pierson, and several of the great cavalier parsons during the
late troubles; and I was glad to hear him talk of them, which he
did very ingenuously, and very much of Dr. Fuller's art of
memory, which he did tell me several instances of. By and by he
parted, and I talked with the two women that farm the well at
12l. per annum of the lord of the manor. Mr. Evelyn with his
lady, and also my Lord George Barkeley's lady, [Elizabeth,
daughter and co-heir of John Maasingberd, Esq.] and their fine
daughter, that the King of France liked so well, and did dance so
rich in jewells before the King at the Ball I was at at our Court
last winter, and also their son, a Knight of the Bath, [Charles,
eldest son, summoned to Parliament as Baron Berkeley, VITA
PATRIS, 1680, Ob. 1710, having succeeded his father in the
Earldom 1698.] were at church this morning. I walked upon the
Downes, where a flock of sheep was; and the most pleasant and
innocent sight that ever I saw in my life. We found a shepherd
and his little boy reading, far from any houses or sight of
people, the Bible to him; and we took notice of his wooling knit
stockings, of two colours mixed. Mrs. Turner mightily pleased
with my resolution, which, I tell her, is never to keep a
country-house, but to keep a coach, and with my wife on the
Saturday to go sometimes for a day to this place, and then quit
to another place; and there is more variety and as little charge,
and no trouble, as there is in a country-house.

17th. Home, where I was saluted with the news of Hogg's bringing
a rich Canary prize to Hull: and Sir W. Batten do offer me
1000l. down for my particular share, beside Sir Richard Ford's
part; which do tempt me; but yet I would not take it;, but will
stand and fall with the company. He and two more, the Panther
and Fanfan, did enter into consortship; and so they have all
brought in each a prize, though ours worth as much as both
theirs, and more. However, it will be well worth having, God be
thanked for it! This news makes us all very glad. I at Sir W.
Batten's did hear the particulars of it; and there for joy he did
give the company that were there a bottle or two of his own last
year's wine growing at Walthamstow, than which the whole company
said they never drank better foreign wine in their lives. The
Duke of Buckingham is, it seems, set at liberty without any
further charge against him or other clearing of him, but let to
go out; which is one of the strangest instances of the fool's
play, with which all publick things are done in this age, that is
to be apprehended. And it is said that when he was charged with
making himself popular, (as indeed he is, for many of the
discontented Parliament, Sir Robert Howard, and Sir Thomas Meres,
and others, did attend at the Council-chamber when he was
examined,) he should answer, that whoever was committed to prison
by my Lord Chancellor or my Lord Arlington, could not want being
popular. But it is worth considering the ill state a Minister of
State is in, under such a Prince as ours is; for, undoubtedly,
neither of those two great men would have been so fierce against
the Duke of Buckingham at the Council-table the other day, had
they not been assured of the King's good liking, and supporting
them therein: whereas, perhaps at the desire of my Lady
Castlemaine, (who I suppose, hath at last overcome the King,) the
Duke of Buckingham is well received again, and now these men
delivered up to the interest he can make for his revenge. He
told me over the story of Mrs. Stewart, much after the manner
which I was told it by Mr. Evelyn: only he says it is verily
believed that the King did never intend to marry her to any but
himself, and that the Duke of York and Lord Chancellor were
jealous of it: and that Mrs. Stewart might be got with child by
the King, or somebody else, and the King own a marriage before
his contract (for it is but a contract, as he tells me to this
day,) with the Queene, and so wipe their noses of the Crown; and
that, therefore, the Duke of York and Chancellor did do all they
could to forward the match with my Lord Duke of Richmond, that
she might be married out of the way: but above all, it is a
worthy part that this good lady hath acted. My sister Michell
[The wife of Balthazar St. Michel, Mrs. Pepys's brother.] come
from Lee to see us; but do tattle so much of the late business of
the Dutch coming thither that I am weary of it. Yet it is worth
remembering what she says: that she hath heard both seamen and
soldiers swear they would rather serve the Dutch than the King,
for they should be better used. She saw "The Royal Charles"
brought into the river by them; and how they shot off their great
guns for joy, when they got her out of Chatham river.

19th. One tells me that, by letter from Holland, the people
there are made to believe that our condition in England is such
as they may have whatever they will ask; and that so they are
mighty high, and despise us, or a peace with us: and there is
too much reason for them to do so. The Dutch fleet are in great
squadrons everywhere still about Harwich, and were lately at
Portsmouth; and the last letters say at Plymouth, and now gone to
Dartmouth to destroy our Streights' fleet lately got in thither:
but God knows whether they can do it any hurt, or no.

22nd. Up to my Lord Chancellor's, where was a Committee of
Tangier in my Lord's roome, where he sits to hear causes, and
where all the Judges' pictures hung up, very fine. But to see
how Sir W. Coventry did oppose both my Lord Chancellor and the
Duke of York himself, about the Order of the Commissioners of the
Treasury to me for not paying of pensions, and with so much
reason, and eloquence so natural, was admirable. And another
thing, about his pressing for the reduction of the charge of
Tangier, which they would have put off to another time; "But,"
says he, "the King suffers so much by the putting off of the
consideration of reductions of charge, that he is undone; and
therefore I do pray you, Sir, (to his Royal Highness,) that when
any thing offers of the kind, you will not let it escape you."
Here was a great bundle of letters brought hither, sent up from
sea, from a vessel of ours that hath taken them after they had
been flung over by a Dutchman; wherein, among others, the Duke of
York did read superscription of one to De Witt, thus--"To the
most wise, foreseeing, and discreet, These, &c.;" which, I
thought with myself, I could have been glad might have been duly
directed to any one of them at the table, though the greatest men
in this kingdom. The Duke of York, the Lord Chancellor, my Lord
Duke of Albemarle, Arlington, Ashly, Peterborough, and Coventry,
(the best of them all for parts,) I perceive they do all profess
their expectation of a peace, and that suddenly. Sir W. Coventry
did declare his opinion that if Tangier were offered us now, as
the King's condition is; he would advise against the taking it;
saying, that the King's charge is too great, and must be brought
down, it being like the fire of this City, never to be mastered
till you have brought it under you; and that these places abroad
are but so much charge to the King, and we do rather herein
strive to greaten them than lessen them; and then the King is
forced to part with them "as," says he, "he did with Dunkirke, by
my Lord Tiviott's making it so chargeable to the King as he did
that, and would have done Tangier, if he had lived." I perceive
he is the only man that do seek the King's profit, and is bold to
deliver what he thinks on every occasion. With much pleasure
reflecting upon our discourse to-day at the Tangier meeting, and
crying up the worth of Sir W. Coventry. Creed tells me of the
fray between the Duke of Buckingham at the Duke's playhouse the
last Saturday, (and it is the first day I have heard that they
have acted at either the King's or Duke's houses this month or
six weeks), and Henry Killigrew, whom the Duke of Buckingham did
soundly beat and take away his sword, and make a fool of, till
the fellow prayed him to spare his life; and I am glad of it, for
it seems in this business the Duke of Buckingham did carry
himself very innocently and well, and I wish he had paid this
fellow's coat well. I heard something of this at the 'Change to-
day: and it is pretty to hear how people do speak kindly of the
Duke of Buckingham, as one that will enquire into faults; and
therefore they do mightily favour him. And it puts me in mind
that, this afternoon, Billing the Quaker meeting me in the Hall,
come to me, and after a little discourse did say, "Well," says
he, "now you will be all called to an account;" meaning the
Parliament is drawing near.

23rd. By and by comes sudden news to me by letter from the
Clerke of the Cheque at Gravesend, that there were thirty sail of
Dutch men-of-war coming up into the Hope this last tide: which I
told Sir W. Pen of; but he would not believe it, but laughed, and
said it was a fleet of Billanders, and that the guns that were
heard was the salutation of the Swede's Embassador that comes
over with them. But within half an hour comes another letter
from Captain Proud, that eight of them were come into the Hope,
and thirty more following them, at ten this morning. By and by
comes an order from White Hall to send down one of our number to
Chatham, fearing that, as they did before, they may make a show
first up hither, but then go to Chatham: so my Lord Brouncker do
go, and we here are ordered to give notice to the merchant men-
of-war, gone below the barricado at Woolwich, to come up again.

24th. Betimes this morning comes a letter from the Clerk of the
Cheque at Gravesend to me, to tell me that the Dutch fleet did
come all into the Hope yesterday noon, and held a fight with our
ships from thence till seven at night; that they had burned
twelve fire-ships, and we took one of theirs, and burned five of
our fire-ships. But then rising and going to Sir W. Batten, he
tells me that we have burned one of their men-of-war, and another
of theirs is blown up: but how true this is, I know not. But
these fellows are mighty bold, and have had the fortune of the
wind easterly this time to bring them up, and prevent our
troubling them with our fire-ships; and, indeed, have had the
winds at their command from the beginning, and now do take the
beginning of the spring, as if they had some great design to do.
About five o'clock down to Gravesend; and as we come nearer
Gravesend, we hear the Dutch fleet and ours a-firing their guns
most distinctly and loud. So I landed and discoursed with the
landlord of the Ship, who undeceives me in what I heard this
morning about the Dutch having lost two men-of-war, for it is not
so, but several of their fire-ships. He do say, that this
afternoon they did force our ships to retreat, but that now they
are gone down as far as Shield-haven: but what the event hath
been of this evening's guns they know not, but suppose not much
for they have all this while shot at good distance one from
another. They seem confident of the security of this town and
the River above it, if ever the enemy should come up so high;
their fortifications being so good, and guns many. But he do say
that people do complain of Sir Edward Spragg, that he hath not
done extraordinary; and more of Sir W. Jenings, that he came up
with his tamkins [Tamkin or Tompion, the stopple of a great gun.]
in his guns.

25th. I demanded of Sir R. Ford and the rest, what passed to-day
at the meeting of Parliament: who told me that, contrary to all
expectation by the King that there would be but a thin meeting,
there met above 300 this first day, and all the discontented
party; and, indeed, the whole House seems to be no other almost.
The Speaker told them, as soon as they were sat, that he was
ordered by the King to let them know he was hindered by some
important business to come to them and speak to them, as he
intended; and, therefore, ordered him to move that they would
adjourn themselves till Monday next, (it being very plain to all
the House that he expects to hear by that time of the sealing of
the peace, which by letters, it seems, from my Lord Hollis was to
be sealed the last Sunday.) But before they would come to the
question whether they would adjourn, Sir Thomas Tomkins steps up
and tells them, that all the country is grieved at this new-
raised standing-army; and that they thought themselves safe
enough in their trayn-bands: and that, therefore, he desired the
King might be moved to disband them. Then rises Garraway and
seconds him, only with this explanation, (which he said he
believed the other meant;) that, as soon as peace should be
concluded, they might be disbanded. Then rose Sir W. Coventry,
and told them that he did approve of what the last gentleman
said; but also, that at the same time he did no more than what he
durst be bold to say he knew to be the King's mind, that as soon
as peace was concluded he would do it of himself. Then rose Sir
Thomas Littleton, and did give several reasons from the
uncertainty of their meeting again but to adjourne, (in case news
comes of the peace being ended before Monday next,) and the
possibility of the King's having some about him that may
endeavour to alter his own, and the good part of his Council's
advice, for the keeping up of the land-army: and, therefore, it
was fit that they did present it to the King as their desire,
that as soon as peace was concluded the land-army might be laid
down, and that this their request might be carried to the King by
them of their House that were Privy-councillors; which was put to
the vote, and carried NEMINE CONTRADICENTE. So after this vote
passed, they adjourned: but it is plain what the effects of this
Parliament will be, if they be suffered to sit, that they will
fall foul upon the faults of the Government; and I pray God they
may be permitted to do it, for nothing else, I fear, will save
the King and kingdom than the doing it betimes.

27th. To the office, where I hear that Sir John Coventry [Nephew
to Sir William and Henry Coventry; created K.B. at Charles II.'s
coronation, and M.P. for Weymouth in several Parliaments. The
outrage committed on his person by Sir Thomas Sandys, O'Bryan,
and others, who cut his nose to the bone, gave rise to the
passing a Bill still known by the name of "THE COVENTRY ACT."]
is come over from Bredagh, (a nephew, I think, of Sir W.
Coventry's); but what message he brings I know not. This morning
news is come that Sir Jos. Jordan is come from Harwich, with
sixteen fire-ships and four other little ships of war; and did
attempt to do some execution upon the enemy, but did, it without
discretion, as most do say, so as they have been able to do no
good, but have lost four of their fire-ships. They attempted
this, it seems, when the wind was too strong, that our grapplings
could not hold: others say we came to leeward of them, but all
condemn it as a foolish management. They are come to Sir Edward
Spragg about Lee, and the Dutch are below at the Nore. At the
office all the morning: and at noon to the 'Change, where I met
Fenn. And he tells me that Sir John Coventry do bring the
confirmation of the peace; but I do not find the 'Change at all
glad of it, but rather the worse, they looking upon it as a peace
made only to preserve the King for a time in his lusts and ease,
and to sacrifice trade and his kingdoms only to his own
pleasures; so that the hearts of merchants are quite down. He
tells me that the King and my Lady Castlemaine are quite broke
off, and she is gone away, and is with child, and swears the King
shall own it; and she will have it christened in the Chapel at
White Hall so, and owned for the King's, as other Kings have
done; or she will bring it into White Hall gallery, and dash the
brains of it out before the King's face. He tells me that the
King and Court were never in the world so bad as they are now for
gaming, swearing, women, and drinking, and the most abominable
vices that ever were in the world; so that all must come to
nought. He told me that Sir G. Carteret was at this end of the
town: so I went to visit; him in Broad-street. And there he and
I together: and he is mightily pleased with my Lady Jem's having
a son; and a mighty glad man he is. He tells me, as to news,
that; the peace is now confirmed, and all that over. He says it
was a very unhappy motion in the House the other day about the
land-army; for whether the King hath a mind of his own to do the
thing desired, or no, his doing it will be looked upon as a thing
done only in fear of the Parliament. He says that the Duke of
York is suspected to be the great man that is for raising this
army, and bringing things to be commanded by an army; but that he
do know that he is wronged therein. He do say that the Court is
in a way to ruin all for their pleasures; and says that he
himself hath once taken the liberty to tell the King the
necessity of having at least a show of religion in the
Government, and sobriety; and that it was that that did set up
and keep up Oliver, though he was the greatest rogue in the
world. He tells me the King adheres to no man, but this day
delivers himself up to this and the next to that, to the ruin of
himself and business: that he is at the command of any woman
like a slave, though he be the best man to the Queene in the
world, with so much respect, and never lies a night from her; but
yet cannot command himself in the presence of a woman he likes.
It raining this day all day to our great joy, it having not
rained, I think, this month before, so as the ground was every
where so burned and dry as could be; and no travelling in the
road or streets in London, for dust.