Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

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28th. By coach to Westminster Hall, and there do understand that
the business of religion and the Act against Conventicles have so
taken them up all this morning, and do still, that my Lord
Sandwich's business is not like to come on to-day; which I am
heartily glad of. This law against Conventicles is very severe;
but Creed, whom I meet here, do tell me that it being moved that
Papists' meetings might be included, the House was divided upon
it, and it was carried in the negative; which will give great
disgust to the people, I doubt. To the King's house, and there
did see "Love in a Maze;" wherein very good mirth of Lacy the
clown, and Wintershell the country-knight, his master.

29th. To White Hall, and there do hear how Sir W. Pen hath
delivered in his answer; and the Lords have sent it down to the
Commons, but they have not yet read it nor taken notice of it, so
as I believe they will by design defer it till they rise, that so
he by lying under an impeachment may be prevented in his going to
sea; which will vex him, and trouble the Duke of York. To
Westminster Hall, and there met Mr. G. Montagu, and walked and
talked; who tells me that the best fence against the Parliament's
present fury is delay, and recommended it to me in my friends'
business and my own, if I have any; and is that that Sir W.
Coventry do take, and will secure himself: that the King will
deliver up all to the Parliament; and being petitioned the other
day by Mr. Brouncker to protect him, with teares in his eyes the
King did say he could not, and bid him shift for himself, at
least till the House is up.

30th. To the Dolphin Tavern, there to meet on neighbours all of
the parish, this being Procession-day, to dine. And did: and
much very good discourse; they being most of them very able
merchants, as any in the City; Sir Andrew Rickard, Mr. Vandeputt,
Sir John Fredericke, Harrington, and others. They talked with
Mr. Mills about the meaning of this day, and the good uses of it;
and how heretofore, and yet in several places, they do whip a boy
at each place they stop at in their procession stopped to talk
with Mr. Brisband, who gives me an account of the rough usage Sir
G. Carteret and his Counsel, had the other day before the
Commissioners of Accounts, and what I do believe we shall all of
us have in a greater degree than any he hath had yet with them,
before their three years are out; which are not yet begun, nor
God knows when they will, this being like to be no session of
Parliament when they now rise. Thus ends this month; my wife in
the country, myself full of pleasure and expence; in some trouble
for my friends, and my Lord Sandwich by the Parliament, and more
for my eyes, which are daily worse and worse, that I dare not
write or read almost any thing. The Parliament going in a few
days to rise: myself so long without accounting now (for seven
or eight months, I think, or more,) that I know not what
condition almost I am in as to getting or spending for all that
time; which troubles me, but I will soon do it. The kingdom in
an ill state through poverty: a fleet going out, and no money to
maintain it or set it out; seamen yet unpaid, and mutinous when
pressed to go out again; our office able to do little, nobody
trusting us, nor we desiring any to trust us, and yet have not
money for any thing, but only what particularly belongs to this
fleet going out, and that but lamely too. The Parliament several
months upon an Act for 300,000l. but cannot or will not agree
upon it, but do keep it back, in spite of the King's desires to
hasten it, till they can obtain what they have a mind in revenge
upon some men for the late ill managements; and he is forced to
submit to what they please, knowing that without it he shall have
no money, and they as well that if they give the money the King
will suffer them to do little more: and then the business of
religion do disquiet every body, the Parliament being vehement
against the Nonconformists, while the King seems to be willing to
countenance them. So we are all poor and in pieces, God help us!
while the peace is like to go on between Spain and France; and
then the French may be apprehended able to attack us. So God
help us!

MAY 1, 1668. Met my cosen Thomas Pepys of Deptford, and took
some turns with him; and he is mightily troubled for this Act now
passed against Conventicles, and in few words and sober do lament
the condition we are in by a negligent prince and a mad
Parliament. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The
Surprizall;" and a disorder in the pit by its raining in from the
cupola, at top. I understand how the Houses of Commons and Lords
are like to disagree very much about the business of the East
India Company, and one Skinner; to the latter of which the Lords
have awarded 5000l. from the former, for some wrong done him
heretofore; and the former appealing to the Commons, the Lords
vote their petition a libell; and so there is like to follow very
hot work.

3rd. To church, where I saw Sir A. Rickard, though he be under
the Black Rod, by order of the Lords' House, upon the quarrel
between the East India Company and Skinner; which is like to come
to a very great heat between the two Houses. To Old-street, to
see Sir Thomas Teddiman, who is very ill in bed of a fever, got,
I believe, by the fright the Parliament have put him into of
late.

3th. Creed and I to the Duke of York's playhouse; and there
coming late, up to the balcony-box, where we find my Lady
Castlemaine and several great ladies; and there we sat with them,
and I saw "The Impertinents" once more, now three times, and the
three only days it hath been acted. And to see the folly how the
house do this day cry up the play more than yesterday! and I for
that reason like it, I find, the better too. By Sir Positive At-
all, I understand is meant Sir Robert Howard. My Lady pretty
well pleased with it: but here I eat; close to her fine woman,
Willson, who indeed is very handsome, but, they say, with child
by the King. I asked, and she told me this was the first time
her Lady had seen it, I having a mind to say something to her.
One thing of familiarity I observed in my Lady Castlemaine: she
called to one of her women, another that sat by this, for a
little patch off of her face, and put it into her mouth and
wetted it, and so clapped it upon her own by the side of her
mouth, I suppose she feeling a pimple rising there. Thence with
Creed to Westminster Hall, and there met with cosen Roger, who
tells me of the great conference this day between the Lords and
Commons about the business of the East India Company, as being
one of the weightiest conferences that hath been, and maintained
as weightily. I am heartily sorry I was not there, it being upon
a mighty point of the privileges of the subjects of England in
regard to the authority of the House of Lords, and their being
condemned by them as the Supreme Court, which we say ought not to
be but by appeal from other Courts. And he tells me that the
Commons had much the better of them in reason and history there
quoted, and believes the Lords will let it fall.

6th. I understand that my Lord St. John is meant by Mr.
Woodrocke in "The Impertinents." Home to put up things against
to-morrow's carrier for my wife; and, among others, a very fine
salmon pie sent me by Mr. Steventon, W. Hewer's uncle.

7th. To the King's House; where going in for Knipp, the play
being done, I did see Beck Marshall come dressed off the stage,
and look mighty fine and pretty, and noble: and also Nell in her
boy's clothes, mighty pretty. Put Lord! their confidence, and
how many men do hover about them as soon as they come off the
stage, and how confident they are in their talk! Here was also
Haynes, the incomparable dancer of the King's house. Then we
abroad to Marrowbone, and there walked in the garden, the first
time I ever was there; and a pretty place it is.

8th. The Lords' House did sit till eleven o'clock last night
about the business of difference between them and the Commons in
the matter of the East India Company. To my Lord Crewe's, and
there dined; where Mr. Case the minister, a dull fellow in his
talk, and all in the Presbyterian manner; a great deal of noise
and a kind of religious tone, but very dull. After dinner my
Lord and I together. He tells me he hears that there are great
disputes like to be at Court between the factions of the two
women, my Lady Castlemaine and Mrs. Stewart, who is now well
again, (the King having made several public visits to her,) and
like to come to Court: the other is to go to Barkeshire-house,
which is taken for her, and they say a Privy-seal is passed for
5000l. for it. He believes all will come to ruin. Thence I to
White Hall; where the Duke of York gone to the Lords' House,
where there is to be a conference on thee Lords' side with the
Commons this afternoon, giving in their Reasons, which I would
have been at, but could not; for going by direction to the
Prince's chamber, there Brouncker, W. Pen, and Mr. Wren and I
met, and did our business with the Duke of York. But, Lord! to
see how this play of Sir Positive At-all in abuse of Sir Robert
Howard do take, all the Duke's and every body's talk being of
that, and telling more stories of him of the like nature, that it
is now the town and country talk, and, they say, is most exactly
true. The Duke of York himself said that of his playing at trap-
ball is true, and told several other stories of him. Then to
Brouncker's house, and there sat and talked, I asking many
questions in mathematics to my Lord, which he do me the pleasure
to satisfy me in.

9th. I hear that the Queene hath miscarryed of a perfect child,
being gone about ten weeks; which do show that she can conceive,
though it be unfortunate that she cannot bring forth. We are
told also that last night the Duchesse of Monmouth dancing at her
lodgings, hath sprained her thigh. We are told also that the
House of Commons sat till five o'clock this morning upon the
business of the difference between the Lords and them, resolving
to do something therein before they rise to assert their
privileges. So I at noon by water to Westminster, and there find
the King hath waited in the Prince's chamber these two hours, and
the Houses are not ready for him. The Commons having sent this
morning, after their long debate therein the last night, to the
Lords, that they do think the only expedient left to preserve
unity between the two Houses is, that they do put a stop to any
proceedings upon their late judgement against the East India
Company, till their next meeting; to which the Lords returned
answer, that they would return answer to them by a messenger of
their own; which they not presently doing, they were all
inflamed, and thought it was only a trick to keep them in
suspense till the King come to adjourne them; and so rather than
lose the opportunity of doing themselves right, they presently
with great fury come to this vote: "That whoever should assist
in the execution of the Judgement of the Lords against the
Company should be held betrayers of the liberties of the people
of England, and of the privileges of that House." This the Lords
had notice of, and were mad at it; and so continued debating
without any design to yield to the Commons, till the King came in
and sent for the Commons: where the Speaker made a short but
silly speech about their giving him 300,000l.; and then the
several Bills their titles were read, and the King's assent
signified in the proper terms, according to the nature of the
Bills; of which about three or four were public Bills, and seven
or eight private ones, (the additional Bills for the building of
the City and the Bill against Conventicles being none of them.)
The King did make a short silly speech, which he read, giving
them thanks for the money, which now, he said, he did believe
would be sufficient, because there was peace between his
neighbours; which was a kind of a slur, methought, to the
Commons: and that he was sorry for what he heard of difference
between the two Houses, but that he hoped their recesse would put
them into a way of accommodation; and so adjourned them to the
9th of August, and then recollected himself and told them the
11th; so imperfect a speaker he is. So the Commons went to their
House, and forthwith adjourned; and the Lords resumed their
House, the King being gone, and sat an hour or two after: but
what they did, I cannot tell; but every body expected they would
commit Sir Andrew Rickard, Sir Samuel Barnardiston, [Wood
mentions Sir S. Barnadiston as a leading Fanatic, CIRC. 1683.]
Mr. Boone, and Mr. Wynne, who were all there, and called in upon
their knees to the bar of the House: and Sir John Robinson I
left there, endeavouring to prevent their being committed to the
Tower, lest he should thereby be forced to deny their order,
because of this vote of the Commons, whereof he is one; which is
an odde case.

12th. Lord Anglesy, in talk about the late difference between
the two Houses, do tell us that he thinks the House of Lords may
be in an error, at least it is possible they may, in this matter
of Skinner; and did declare his judgement in the House of Lords
against their proceedings therein, he having hindered 100
originall causes being brought into their House, notwithstanding
that he was put upon defending their proceedings: but that he is
confident that the House of Commons are in the wrong, in the
method they take to remedy an error of the Lords, for no vote of
theirs can do it; but in all like cases the Commons have done it
by petition to the King, sent up to the Lords, and by them agreed
to and so redressed, as they did in the petition of Right. He
says that he did tell them indeed, which is talked of, and which
did vex the Commons, that the Lords were "JUDICES NATI ET
CONCILIARII NATI;" but all other Judges among us are under
salary, and the Commons themselves served for wages; and
therefore the Lords, in reason, the freer Judges.

13th. To attend the Council about the business of Hemskirke's
project of building a ship that sails two feet for one of any
other ship; which the Council did agree to be put in practice,
the King to give him, if it proves good, 5000l. in hand, and
15,000l. more in seven years: which for my part I think a piece
of folly for them to meddle with, because the secret cannot be
long kept. This morning I hear that last night Sir Thomas
Teddiman, poor man! did die by a thrush in his mouth: a good
man, and stout and able, and much lamented; though people do make
a little mirth, and say, as I believe it did in good part, that
the business of the Parliament did break his heart, or at least
put him into this fever and disorder that; caused his death.

15th. To a Committee for Tangier; where God knows how my Lord
Bellasses' accounts passed: understood by nobody but my Lord
Ashly, who, I believe, was allowed to let them go as he pleased.
But here Sir H. Cholmly had his propositions read about a greater
price for his work of the Molle, or to do it upon account; which
being read, he was bid to withdraw. But, Lord! to see how
unlucky a man may be by chance! for, making an unfortunate
motion when they were almost tired with the other business, the
Duke of York did find fault with it, and that made all the rest,
that I believe he had better have given a great deal and had
nothing said to it to-day; whereas I have seen other things more
extravagant passed at first hearing, without any difficulty. To
Loriner's-hall, by Mooregate, (a hall I never heard of before,)
to Sir Thomas Teddiman's burial, where most people belonging to
the sea, were. And here we had rings: and here I do hear that
some of the last words that he said were, that he had a, very
good King, God bless him! but that the Parliament had very ill
rewarded him for all the service he had endeavoured to do them
and his country: so that for certain this did go far towards his
death. But, Lord! to see among the company the young
commanders, and Thomas Killigrew and others that came, how unlike
a burial this was, O'Brian taking out some ballads out of his
pocket, which I read, and the rest come about me to hear! And
there very merry we were all, they being new ballads. By and by
the corpse went; and I, with my Lord Brouncker, and Dr. Clerke,
and Mr. Pierce, as far as the foot of London-bridge; and there we
struck off into Thames-street, the rest going to Redriffe, where
he is to be buried. The Duchesse of Monmouth's hip is, I hear,
now set again, after much pain. I am told also that the
Countesse of Shrewsbery is brought home by the Duke of Buckingham
to his house; where his Duchesse saying that it was not for her
and the other to live together in a house, he answered, "Why,
Madam, I did think so, and therefore have ordered your coach to
be ready to carry you to your father's;" which was a devilish
speech, but, they say, true; and my Lady Shrewsbery is there,
it seems.

18th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw the best part of
"The Sea Voyage," [A comedy, by Beaumont and Fletcher.] where
Knipp did her part of sorrow very well.

17th (Lord's day). Up, and put on my new stuff-suit, with a
shoulder-belt according to the new fashion, and the hands of my
vest and tunique laced with silk-lace of the colour of my suit:
and so very handsome to church.

18th. To my Lord Bellasses, at his new house by my late Lord
Treasurer's; which indeed is mighty noble, and good pictures,
indeed not one bad one in it. It being almost twelve o'clock, or
little more, to the King's playhouse, where the doors were not
then open; but presently they did open; and we in, and find many
people already come in by private ways into the pit, it being the
first day of Sir Charles Sedley's new play so long expected, "The
Mulbery Garden;" of whom, being so reputed a wit, all the world
do expect great matters. I having sat here awhile and eat
nothing to-day, did slip out, getting a boy to keep my place; and
to the Rose Tavern, and there got half a breast of mutton off of
the spit, and dined all alone. And so to the play again; where
the King and Queene by and by come, and all the Court; and the
house infinitely full. But the play, when it come, though there
was here and there a pretty saying, and that not very many
neither, yet the whole of the play had nothing extraordinary in
it all, neither of language nor design; insomuch that the King I
did not see laugh nor pleased from the beginning to the end, nor
the company; insomuch that I have not been less pleased at a new
play in my life, I think.

19th. Pierce tells me that for certain Mr. Vaughan is made Lord
Chief Justice; which I am glad of. He tells me too, that since
my Lord of Ormond's coming over, the King begins to be mightily
reclaimed, and sups every night with great pleasure with the
Queene: and yet, it seems, he is mighty hot upon the Duchesse of
Richmond; insomuch that, upon Sunday was se'nnight at night,
after he had ordered his Guards and coach to be ready to carry
him to the Park, he did on a sudden take a pair of oars or
sculler, and all alone, or but one with him, go to Somerset
House, and there, the garden-door not being open, himself clamber
over the wall to make a visit to her; which is a horrid shame.

20th. To the Council-chamber, where the Committee of the Navy
sat; and here we discoursed several things, but, Lord! like
fools, so as it was a shame to see things of this importance
managed by a Council that understand nothing of them. And, among
other things, one was about this building of a ship with
Hemskirke's secret, to sail a third faster than any other ship;
but he hath got Prince Rupert on his side, and by that means, I
believe, will get his conditions made better than he would
otherwise, or ought indeed. To the Mulbery-garden, [On the site
of which Buckingham-House was erected.] where I never was
before; and find it a very silly place, worse than Spring-garden,
and but little company, only a wilderness here that is somewhat
pretty.

21st. To the office, where meets me Sir Richard Ford; who among
other things congratulates me, as one or two did yesterday, on my
great purchase; and he advises me rather to forbear if it be not
done, as a thing that the world will envy me in: and what is it
but my cosen Tom Pepys's buying of Martin Abbey, [In 1668 the
site of Murton, ALIAS Martin Priory, was conveyed by Ellis Crispe
to Thomas Pepys, Esq., of Hatcham Barns, Master of the Jewel-
office to Charles II. and James II.--MANNING'S SURREY.] in
Surry? All the town is full of the talk of a meteor, or some
fire, that did on Saturday last fly over the City at night; which
do put me in mind that, being then walking in the dark an hour or
more myself in the garden after I had done writing, I did see a
light before me come from behind me, which made me turn back my
head; and I did see a sudden fire or light running in the sky, as
it were towards Cheapside-ward, And vanished very quick; which
did make me bethink myself what holyday it was, and took it for
some rocket, though it was much brighter: and the world do make
much discourse of it, their apprehensione being mighty full of
the rest of the City to be burned, and the Papists to cut our
throats.

22nd. I fitted myself for my journey to Brampton to-morrow,
which I fear will not be pleasant because of the wet weather, it
rained very hard all this day; but the less it troubles me,
because the King and Duke of York and Court are at this day at
Newmarket at a great horse-race, and proposed great pleasure for
two or three days, but are in the same wet.

23rd. To the Bull in Bishopsgate-street; and, there about six
took coach, and so away to Bishop's Stafford, [Bishop Stortford,
in Herts.] The ways are mighty full of water, so as hardly to be
passed. After dinner to Cambridge, about nine at night: and
there I met my father's horses.

24th. We set out by three o'clock to Brampton. Here I saw my
brother and sister Jackson. After dinner my Lady Sandwich
sending to see whether I was come, I presently took horse, and
find her and her family at chapel: and, thither I went in to
them, and sat out the sermon; where I heard Jervas Fulwood, now
their chaplain, preach a very good and civantick kind of sermon,
too good for an ordinary congregation. After sermon I with my
Lady, and my Lady Hinchingbroke, and Paulina, and Lord
Hinchingbroke.

25th. To Cambridge, the waters not being now so high as before.
Here lighting, I took my boy and two brothers, and walked to
Magdalene College; and there into the butterys as a stranger, and
there drank of their beer, which pleased me, as the best I ever
drank; and hear by the Butler's man, who was son to Goody
Mulliner over-against the College, that we used to buy stewed
prunes of, concerning the College and persons in it; and find
very few, only Mr. Hollins [John Hollins of Medley, in Yorkshire;
admitted a Pensioner of Magdalene College, March 1651.] and
Pechell, I think, that were of my time.

26th. To the coach; where about six o'clock we set out, and got
to Bishopsgate-street before eight o'clock, the waters being now
most of them down, and we avoiding the bad way in the forest by a
privy way, which brought us to Hodsden; and so to Tibald's that
road; which was mighty pleasant.

27th. Met Mr. Sawyer, my old chamber-fellow; and he and I by
water together to the Temple, he giving me an account of the
base, rude usage which he and Sir G. Carteret had lately before
the Commissioners of Accounts, where he was as Counsel to Sir G.
Carteret; which I was sorry to hear, they behaving themselves
like most insolent and ill-mannered men. To see Sir W. Pen; whom
I find still very ill of the gout, sitting in his great chair,
made on purpose for persons sick of that disease for their ease;
and this very chair, he tells me, was made for my Lady Lambert.

29th. Received some directions from the Duke of York and the
Committee of the Navy about casting up the charge of the present
summer's fleet, that so they may come within the bounds of the
sum given by the Parliament. But it is pretty to see how Prince
Rupert and other mad silly people are for setting out but a
little fleet, there being no occasion for it; and say it will be
best to save the money for better uses. But Sir G. Carteret did
declare that in wisdom it was better to do so; but that, in
obedience to the Parliament, he was for setting out the fifty
sail talked on, though it spent all the money, and to little
purpose; and that this was better than to leave it to the
Parliament to make bad constructions of their thrift, if any
trouble should happen. Thus wary the world is grown! Thence
back again presently home, and did business till noon. And then
to Sir G. Carteret's to dinner with much good company, it being
the King's birthday, and many healths drunk. And here I did
receive another letter from my Lord Sandwich; which troubles me
to see how I have neglected him in not writing, or but once, all
this time of his being abroad and I see he takes notice, but yet
gently, of it.