Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

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27th. With my wife to the King's House to see "The Virgin
Martyr," [A Tragedy, by Massinger.] the first time it hath been
acted a great while: and it is mighty pleasant; not that the
play is worth much, but it is finely acted by Beck Marshall. But
that which did please me beyond any thing in the whole world, was
the wind-musique when the angel comes down; which is so sweet
that it ravished me, and indeed, in a word, did wrap up my soul
so that it made me really sick, just as I have formerly been when
in love with my wife; that neither then, nor all the evening
going home, and at home, I was able to think of any thing, but
remained all night transported, so as I could not believe that
ever any musique hath that real command over the soul of a man as
this did upon me; and makes me resolve to practice wind-musique,
and to make my wife do the like.

28th. After dinner with Sir W. Pen to White Hall, where we and
the rest of us presented a great letter of the state of our want
of money to his Royal Highness. I did also present a demand of
mine for consideration for my travelling-charges of coach and
boat-hire during the war: which, although his Royal Highness and
the company did all like of, yet, contrary to my expectation, I
find him so jealous now of doing any thing extraordinary, that he
desired the gentlemen that they would consider it, and report
their minds in it to him. This did unsettle my mind a great
while, not expecting this stop: but, however, I shall do as
well, I know, though it causes me a little stop. But that that
troubles me most is, that while we were thus together with the
Duke of York, comes in Mr. Wren from the House; where, he tells
us, another storm hath been all this day almost against the
officers of the Navy upon this complaint,--that though they have
made good rules for payment of tickets, yet that they have not
observed them themselves; which was driven so high as to have it
urged that we should presently be put out of our places: and so
they have at last ordered that we shall be heard at the bar of
the House upon this business on Thursday next. This did mightily
trouble me and us all; but me particularly, who am least able to
bear these troubles, though I have the least cause to be
concerned in it. Thence therefore to visit Sir H. Cholmly, who
hath for some time been ill of a cold; and thence walked towards
Westminster, and met Colonell Birch, who took me back to walk
with him, and did give me an account of this day's heat against
the Navy-officers, and an account of his speech on our behalf,
which was very good. And indeed we are much beholden to him, as
I, after I parted with him, did find by my cosen Roger, whom I
went to: and he and I to his lodgings. And there he did tell me
the same over again; and how Birch did stand up in our defence;
and that he do see that there are many desirous to have us out of
the office; and the House is so furious and passionate that he
thinks nobody can be secure, let him deserve never so well. But
now, he tells me, we shall have a fair hearing of the House, and
he hopes justice of them: but upon the whole, he do agree with
me that I should hold my hand as to making any purchase of land,
which I had formerly discoursed with him about, till we see a
little further how matters go. He tells me that what made them
so mad to-day first was, several letters in the House about the
Fanatickes in several places coming in great bodies and turning
people out of the churches, and there preaching themselves, and
pulling the surplice over the parsons' heads: this was confirmed
from several places; which makes them stark mad, especially the
hectors and bravadoes of the House, who show all the zeal on this
occasion.

29th. They tell me how Sir Thomas Allen hath taken the
Englishmen out of La Roche's ship, and taken from him an Ostend
prize which La Roche had fetched out of our harbours. And at
this day La Roche keeps upon our coasts; and had the boldness to
land some men and go a mile up into the country, and there took
some goods belonging to this prize out of a house there: which
our King resents, and, they say, hath wrote to the King of France
about. And every body do think a war will follow; and then in
what a case we shall be for want of money, nobody knows. Wrote
to my father, and sent him Colvill's note for 600l. for my
sister's portion.

MARCH 1, 1667-8. Lord's day. Up very betimes, and by coach to
Sir W. Coventry's; and there largely carrying with me all my
notes and papers, did run over our whole defence in the business
of tickets, in order to the answering the House on Thursday next;
and I do think, unless they be set without reason to ruin us, we
shall make a good defence. I find him in great anxiety, though
he will not discover it, in the business of the proceedings of
Parliament; and would as little as is possible have his name
mentioned in our discourse to them. And particularly the
business of selling places is now upon his hand to defend himself
in; wherein I did help him in his defence about the flag-maker's
place, which is named in the House. We did here do the like
about the complaint of want of victuals in the fleet in the year
1666, which will lie upon me to defend also.

2nd. Mr. Moore was with me, and do tell me, and so W. Hewer
tells me, he hears this morning that all the town is full of the
discourse that the officers of the Navy shall be all turned out,
but honest Sir John Minnes; who, God knows, is fitter to have
been turned out himself than any of us, doing the King more hurt;
by his dotage and folly than all the rest can do by their
knavery, if they had a mind to it. This day I have the news that
my sister was married on Thursday last to Mr. Jackson; so that
work is, I hope, well over.

3rd. Up betimes to work again, and then met at the office, where
to our great business of this answer to the Parliament; where to
my great vexation I find my Lord Brouncker prepared only to
excuse himself, while I, that have least reason to trouble
myself, am preparing with great pains to defend them all: and
more, I perceive he would lodge the beginning of discharging
ships by ticket upon me; but I care not, for I believe I shall
get more honour by it when the Parliament against my will shall
see how the whole business of the office was done by me. Down by
water to Deptford; where the King, Queene, and Court are to see
launched the new ship built by Mr. Shish, called "The Charles."
God send her better luck than the former! Here some of our
brethren, who went in a boat a little before my boat, did by
appointment take opportunity of asking the King's leave that we
might make full use of the want of money in our excuse to the
Parliament for the business of tickets and other things they will
lay to our charge, all which arise from nothing else: and this
the King did readily agree to, and did give us leave to make our
full use of it. The ship being well launched, I back again by
boat.

5th. To Westminster; where I found myself come time enough, and
my brethren all ready. But I full of thoughts and trouble
touching the issue of this day: and to comfort myself did go to
the Dog and drink half-a-pint of mulled sack, and in the hall did
drink a dram of brandy at Mrs. Hewlett's; and with the warmth of
this did find myself in better order as to courage, truly. So we
all up to the lobby; and between eleven and twelve o'clock were
called in, with the mace before us, into the House; where a
mighty full House: and we stood at the bar; namely, Brouncker,
Sir J. Minnes, Sir T. Harvey, and myself, W. Pen being in the
House as a Member. I perceive the whole House was full of
expectation of our defence what it would be, and with great
prejudice. After the Speaker had told us the dissatisfaction of
the House, and read the Report of the Committee, I began our
defence most acceptably and smoothly, and continued at it without
any hesitation or losse, but with full scope, and all my reason
free about me, as if it had been at my own table, from that, time
till past three in the afternoon; and so ended, without any
interruption from the Speaker; but we withdrew. And there all my
fellow officers, and all the world that was within hearing, did
congratulate me, and cry up my speech as the best thing they ever
heard; and my fellow-officers were overjoyed in it. And we were
called in again by and by to answer only one question touching
our paying tickets to ticket-mongers; and so out. And we were in
hopes to have had a vote this day in our favour, and so the
generality of the House was; but, my speech being so long many
had gone out to dinner and come in again half-drunk. And then
there are two or three that are professed enemies to us and every
body else; among others, Sir T. Littleton, Sir Thomas Lee, [Of
Hartwell, Bucks; created a Baronet 1660.] Mr. Wiles (the coxcomb
whom I saw heretofore at the cock-fighting), and a few others: I
say, these did rise up and speak against the coming to a vote
now, the House not being full by reason of several being at
dinner, but most because that the House was to attend the King
this afternoon about the business of religion (wherein they pray
him to in force all the laws against Nonconformists and Papists):
and this prevented it, so that they put it off to to-morrow come
se'nnight. However, it is plain we have got great ground; and
every body says I have got the most honour that any could have
had opportunity of getting: and so our hearts mightily overjoyed
at this success. After dinner to the King's house, and there saw
part of "The Discontented Colonell." [Brennoralt, or The
Discontented Colonel; a tragedy, by Sir John Suckling.]

6th. Up betimes, and with Sir D. Gauden to Sir W. Coventry's
chamber; where the first word he said to me was, "Good-morrow,
Mr. Pepys, that must be Speaker of the Parliament-house:" and did
protest I had got honour for ever in Parliament. He said that
his brother, that sat by him, admires me; and another gentleman
said that I could not get less than 1000l. a-year, if I would put
on a gown and plead at the Chancery-bar. But, what pleases me
most, he tells me that the Solicitor-generall did protest that he
thought I spoke the best of any man in England. After several
talks with him alone touching his own businesses, he carried me
to White Hall; and there parted. And I to the Duke of York's
lodgings, and find him going to the Parke, it being a very fine
morning; and I after him: and as soon as he saw me, he told me
with great satisfaction that I had converted a great many
yesterday, and did with great praise of me go on with the
discourse with me. And by and by overtaking the King, the King
and Duke of York came to me both; and he [The King.] said, "Mr.
Pepys, I am very glad of your success yesterday:" and fell to
talk of my well speaking. And many of the Lords there. My Lord
Barkeley did cry me up for what they had heard of it; and others,
Parliament-men there about the King, did say that they never
heard such a speech in their lives delivered in that manner.
Progers of the Bedchamber swore to me afterwards before
Brouncker, in the afternoon, that he did tell the King that he
thought I might match the Solicitor-generall. Every body that
saw me almost came to me, as Joseph Williamson and others, with
such eulogys as cannot be expressed. From thence I went to
Westminster Hall; where I met Mr. G. Montagu, who came to me and
kissed me, and told me that he had often heretofore kissed my
hands, but now he would kiss my lips; protesting that I was
another Cicero, and said, all the world said the same of me. Mr.
Ashburnham, and every creature I met there of the Parliament, or
that knew any thing of the Parliament's actings, did salute me
with this honour: Mr. Godolphin; Mr. Sands, who swore he would
go twenty miles at any time to hear the like again, and that he
never saw so many sit four hours together to hear any man in his
life as there did to hear me, Mr. Chichly, Sir John Duncomb, and
every body do say that the kingdom will ring of my abilities, and
that I have done myself right for my whole life; and so Captain
Cocke and others of my friends say that no man had ever such an
opportunity of making his abilities known. And that I may cite
all at once, Mr. Lieutenant of the Tower did tell me that Mr.
Vaughan did protest to him, and that in his hearing it said so to
the Duke of Albemarle, and afterwards to Sir W. Coventry, that he
had sat twenty-six years in Parliament and never heard such a
speech there before: for which the Lord God make me thankful;
and that I may make use of it, not to pride and vain-glory, but
that, now I have this esteem, I may do nothing that may lessen
it! To White Hall to wait on the Duke of York; where he again
and all the company magnified me, and several in the Gallery:
among others, my Lord Gerard, who never knew me before nor spoke
to me, desires his being better acquainted with me: and that, at
table where he was, he never heard so much said of any man as of
me in his whole life. So waited on the Duke of York, and thence
into the Gallery, where the House of Lords waited the King's
coming out of the Park; which he did by and by. And there in the
Vane-roome my Lord Keeper delivered a Message to the King, the
Lords being about him, wherein the Barons of England, from many
good arguments very well expressed in the part he read out of, do
demand precedence in England of all noblemen of either of the
King's other two kingdoms, be their title what it will; and did
show that they were in England reputed but as Commoners, and sat
in the House of Commons and at conferences with the Lords did
stand bare. It was mighty worth my hearing; but the King did say
only that he would consider of it, and so dismissed them.

8th. With Sir W. Coventry, who I find full of care in his own
business, how to defend himself against those that have a mind to
cheque him; and though I believe not for honour and for the
keeping his employment, but for safety and reputation's sake, is
desirous to preserve himself free from blame.

9th. By coach to White Hall, and there met Lord Brouncker: and
he and I to the Commissioners of the Treasury; where I find them
mighty kind to me, more, I think, than was wont. And here I also
met Colvill the goldsmith; who tells me, with great joy, how the
world upon the 'Change talks of me; and how several Parliament-
men, viz. Boscawen [Edward Boscawen, M.P for Truro.] and Major
Walden of Huntingdon, who it seems do deal with him, do say how
bravely I did speak, and that the House was ready to have given
me thanks for it: but that, I think, is a vanity.

10th. With Sir D. Gauden homewards, calling at Lincolne's Inn-
fields. But my Lady Jemimah was not within: and so to Newgate,
where he stopped to give directions to the jaylor about a Knight,
one Sir Thomas Halford, [Of Welham, Leicestershire, Baronet.]
brought in yesterday for killing one Colonell Temple, falling out
at a taverne. Home; and there comes Mr. Moore to me; who tells
me that he fears my Lord Sandwich will meet with very great
difficulties to go through about the prizes, it being found that
he did give orders for more than the King's letter do justify;
and then for the Act of Resumption, which he fears will go on,
and is designed only to do him hurt; which troubles me much. He
tells me he believes the Parliament will not be brought to do any
thing in matters of religion, but will adhere to the Bishops.

11th. Meeting Mr. Colvill I walked with him to his building,
where he is building a fine house, where he formerly lived, in
Lumbard-street: and it will be a very fine street. So to
Westminster; and there walked, till by and by comes Sir W.
Coventry, and with him Mr. Chichly and Mr. Andrew Newport. I to
dinner with them to Mr. Chichly's in Queens-street, in Covent
Garden. A very fine house, and a man that lives in mighty great
fashion, with all things in a most extraordinary manner noble and
rich about him, and eats in the French fashion all; and mighty
nobly served with his servants, and very civilly; that I was
mighty pleased with it: and good discourse. He is a great
defender of the Church of England, and against the Act for
Comprehension; which is the work of this day, about which the
House is like to sit till night. After dinner with them back to
Westminster. Captain Cocke told me that the Speaker says he
never heard such a defence made in all his life in the House, and
that the Solicitor-generall do commend me even to envy.

12th. To Gresham College, there to show myself; and was there
greeted by Dr. Wilkins, Whistler, and others, as the patron of
the Navy-office, and one that got great fame by my late speech to
the Parliament.

13th. At noon, all of us to Chatelin, the French house in Covent
Garden, to dinner; Brouncker, J. Minnes, W. Pen, T. Harvey, and
myself; and there had a dinner cost us 8s. 6d. a-piece, a base
dinner, which did not please us at all. My head being full of
to-morrow's dinner, I to my: Lord Crewe's, there to invite Sir
Thomas Crewe; and there met with my Lord Hinchingbroke and his
lady, the first time I spoke to her. I saluted her; and she
mighty civil: and, with my Lady Jemimah, do all resolve to be
very merry to-morrow at my house. My Lady Hinchingbroke I cannot
say is a beauty, nor ugly; but is altogether a comely lady
enough, and seems very good-humoured. Thence home; and there I
find one laying of my napkins against to-morrow in figures of all
sorts; which is mighty pretty, and it seems it is his trade, and
he gets much money by it.

14th. Up very betimes, and with Jane to Lovett's, there to
conclude upon our dinner; and thence to the pewterer's, to buy a
pewter sesterne, which I have ever hitherto been without. Anon
comes my company, viz, my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady, Sir
Philip Carteret and his lady, Godolphin and my cosen Roger, and
Creed: and mighty merry; and by and by to dinner, which was very
good and plentifull: (and I should have said, and Mr. George
Montagu, who came at a very little warning, which was exceeding
kind of him.) And there, among other things, my Lord had Sir
Samuel Morland's late invention for casting up of sums of L. S.
D.; which is very pretty, but not very useful. Most of our
discourse was of my Lord Sandwich and his family, as being all of
us of the family. And with extraordinary pleasure all the
afternoon, thus together eating and looking over my closet; and
my Lady Hinchingbroke I find a very sweet-natured and well-
disposed lady, a lover of books and pictures, and, of good
understanding. About five o'clock they went; and then my wife
and I abroad by coach into Moore-fields, only for a little ayre.

15th. Walked with Sir W. Coventry into the Park, and there met
the King and the Duke of York, and walked a good while with them:
and here met Sir Jer. Smith, who tells me he is like to get the
better of Holmes, and that when he is come to an end of that he
will do Hollis's business for him in the House for his
blasphemies; which I shall be glad of. So to White Hall, and
there walked with this man and that man till chapel done and the
King dined: and then Sir Thomas Clifford the Comptroller took me
with him to dinner to his lodgings, where my Lord Arlington and a
great deal of good and great company; where I very civilly used
by them, and had a most excellent dinner. And good discourse of
Spain, Mr. Godolphin being there; particularly of the removal of
the bodies of all the dead kings of Spain that could be got
together, and brought to the Pantheon at the Escuriall (when it
was finished) and there placed before the altar, there to lie for
ever: and there was a sermon made to them upon this text, "Arida
ossa, audite verbum Dei;" and a most eloquent sermon, as they
say.

17th. To the Excise-office, where I met Mr. Ball, and did
receive my paper I went for; and there fell in talk with him, who
being an old cavalier do swear and curse at the present state of
things, that we should be brought to this, that we must be undone
and cannot be saved; that the Parliament is sitting now, and will
till midnight, to find how to raise this 300,000l. and doubts
they will not do it so as to be seasonable for the King: but do
cry out against all our great men at Court; how it is a fine
thing for a Secretary of State to dance a jigg, and that it was
not so heretofore; and, above all, do curse my Lord of Bristoll,
saying the worst news that ever he heard in his life, or that the
Devil could ever bring us, was this Lord's coming to prayers the
other day in the House of Lords, by which he is coming about
again from being a Papist, which will undo this nation; and he
says he ever did say at the King's first coming in, that this
nation could not be safe while that man was alive. The house, I
hear, have this day concluded upon raising 100,000l. of the
300,0001. by wine, and the rest by poll, and have resolved to
excuse the Church, in expectation that they will do the more of
themselves at this juncture; and I do hear that Sir W. Coventry
did make a speech in behalf of the clergy.

18th. To White Hall, where we and my Lord Brouncker attended the
Council, to discourse about the fitness of entering of men
presently for the manning of the fleet, before one ship is in
condition to receive them. Sir W. Coventry did argue against it:
I was wholly silent, because I saw the King upon the earnestness
of the Prince was willing to it, crying very civilly, "If ever
you intend to man the fleet without being cheated by the captains
and pursers, you may go to bed and resolve never to have it
manned." And so it was, like other things, over-ruled that all
volunteers should be presently entered. Then there was another
great business about our signing of certificates to the Exchequer
for goods upon the 1,250,000l. Act; which the Commissioners of
the Treasury did all oppose, and to the laying fault upon us.
But I did then speak to the justifying what we had done even to
the angering of Duncomb and Clifford; which I was vexed at: but
for all that, I did set the office and myself right, and went
away with the victory, my Lord Keeper saying that he would not
advise the Council to order us to sign more certificates. But
before I began to say any thing in this matter, the King and the
Duke of York talking at the Council-table before all the Lords of
the Committee of Miscarriages, how this entering of men before
the ships could be ready would be reckoned a miscarriage; "Why,"
says the King, "it is then but Mr. Pepys making of another speech
to them;" which made all the Lords (and there were by also the
Atturny and Solicitor-generall) look upon me. Thence Sir W.
Coventry, W. Pen, and I by hackney-coach to take a little ayre in
Hyde Parke, the first time that I have been there this year; and
we did meet many coaches going and coming, it being mighty
pleasant weather. And so coming back again I light in the Pell
Mell; and there went to see Sir H. Cholmly, who continues very
ill of his cold. And there came in Sir H. Yelverton, and Sir H.
Cholmly commended to me his acquaintance; which the other
received, but without remembering to me, or I him, of our being
school-fellows together; and I said nothing of it. But he took
notice of my speech the other day at the bar of the House; and
indeed I perceive he is a wise men. Here he do say that the town
is full of it; that now the Parliament hath resolved upon
300,000l.; the King instead of fifty will set out but twenty-five
ships, and the Dutch as many; and that Smith is to command them,
who is allowed to have the better of Holmes in the late dispute,
and is in good esteem in the Parliament above the other, Thence
home, and there in favour to my eyes staid at home reading the
ridiculous History of my Lord Newcastle, wrote by his wife; which
shows her to be a mad, conceited, ridiculous woman, and he an
asse to suffer her to write what she writes to him and of him.
So to bed, my eyes being very bad; and I know not how in the
world to abstain from reading.

19th. Walked all along Thames-street, which I have not done
since it was burned, as far as Billingsgate; and there do see a
brave street likely to be, many brave houses being built, and of
them a great many by Mr. Jaggard; but the raising of the street
will make it mighty fine.

20th. All the evening pricking down some things and trying some
conclusions upon my viall, in order to the inventing a better
theory of musique than hath yet been abroad; and I think verily I
shall do it. This day at Court I do hear that Sir W. Pen do
command this summer's fleet; and Mr. Progers of the Bedchamber as
a secret told me that the Prince Rupert is troubled at it, and
several friends of his have been with him to know the reason of
it; so that he do pity Sir W. Pen, whom he hath a great kindness
for, that he should not at any desire of his be put to this
service, and thereby make the Prince his enemy and contract more
envy from other people.