Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

S >> Samuel Pepys >> The Diary of Samuel Pepys

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76

23rd. About eight o'clock my Lord went; and going through the
garden, Mr. William Montagu told him of an estate of land lately
come into the King's hands, that he had a mind my Lord should
beg. To which end my Lord writ a letter presently to my Lord
Chancellor to do it for him, which (after leave taken of my Lord
at White Hall bridge) I did carry to Warwick House to him; and
had a fair promise of him, that he would do it this day for my
Lord. In my way thither I met the Lord Chancellor and all the
Judges riding on horseback and going to Westminster Hall, it
being the first day of the terme.

24th. Mr. Moore tells me, among other things, that the Duke of
York is now sorry for his amour with my Lord Chancellor's
daughter, who is now brought to bed of a boy. To Mr. Lilly's,
[William Lilly, the astrologer and almanack-maker.] where, not
finding Mr. Spong, I went to Mr. Greatorex, where I met him, and
where I bought of him a drawing pen; and he did show me the
manner of the lamp-glasses, which carry the light a great way,
good to read in bed by, and I intend to have one of them. So to
Mr. Lilly's with Mr. Spong, where well received, there being a
club to-night among his friends. Among the rest Esquire Ashmole,
[Elias Ashmole, the antiquarian.] who I found was a very
ingenious gentleman. With him we two sang afterwards in Mr.
Lilly's study. That done, we all parted; and I home by coach,
taking Mr. Rooker with me, who did tell me a great many
fooleries, which may be done by nativities, and blaming Mr. Lilly
for writing to please his friends and to keep in with the times
(as he did formerly to his own dishonour,) and not according to
the rules of art, by which he could not well erre, as he had
done.

26th. By Westminster to White Hall, where I saw the Duke de
Soissons go from his audience with a very great deal of state;
his own coach all red velvet covered with gold lace, and drawn by
six barbes, and attended by twenty pages very rich in clothes.
To Westminster Hall, and bought, among other books, one of the
Life of our Queen, which I read at home to my wife; but it was so
sillily writ, that we did nothing but laugh at it: among other
things it is dedicated to that paragon of virtue and beauty the
Duchess of Albemarle. Great talk as if the Duke of York do now
own the marriage between him and the Chancellor's daughter. To
Westminster Abbey, where with much difficulty, going round to the
cloysters, I got in; this day being a great day for the
consecrating of five Bishopps, which was done after sermon; but I
could not get into Henry the Seventh's chappel. After dinner to
White Hall chappel; my Lady and my Lady Jemimah and I up to the
King's closet, (who is now gone to meet the Queen). So meeting
with one Mr. Hill, that did know my lady, he did take us into the
King's closet, and there we did stay all service-time.

29th. I up early, it being my Lord Mayor's day (Sir Richd.
Browne,) and neglecting my office, I went to the Wardrobe, where
I met my Lady Sandwich, and all the children; and after drinking
of some strange and incomparable good clarett of Mr. Remball's,
he and Mr. Townsend [Officers of the Wardrobe.] did take us, and
set the young Lords at one Mr. Neville's, a draper in Paul's
church-yard; and my Lady and my Lady Pickering [Elizabeth
Montagu, sister to the Earl of Sandwich, who had married Sir
Gilbert Pickering, Bart. of Nova Scotia, and of Tichmersh, co.
Northampton.] and I to one Mr. Isaacson's, a linen-draper at the
Key in Cheapside; where there was a company of fine ladies, and
we were very civilly treated, and had a very good place to see
the pageants, which were many, and I believe good, for such kind
of things, but in themselves but poor and absurd.

30th. I went to the Cockpit all alone, and there saw a very fine
play called "The Tamer tamed:" very well acted. ["The Woman's
Prize, or Tamer Tamed," A comedy by John Fletcher.] I hear
nothing yet of my Lord, whether he be gone for the Queen from the
Downes or no; but I believe he is, and that he is now upon coming
back again.

NOVEMBER 1, 1660. This morning Sir W. Pen and I were mounted
early, and had very merry discourse all the way, he being very
good company. We come to Sir W. Batten's, where he lives like a
prince, and we were made very welcome. Among other things he
showed me my Lady's closet, wherein was great store of rarities;
as also a chair, which he calls King Harry's chaire, where he
that sits down is catched with two irons, that come round about
him, which makes good sport. Here dined with us two or three
more country gentlemen; among the rest Mr. Christmas, my old
school-fellow, with whom I had much talk. He did remember that I
was a great Roundhead when I was a boy, and I was much afraid
that he would have remembered the words that I said the day the
King was beheaded (that, were I to preach upon him, my text
should be--"The memory of the wicked shall rot"); But I found
afterwards that he did go away from school before that time.

2nd. To White Hall, where I saw the boats coming very thick to
Lambeth, and all the stairs to be full of people. I was told the
Queen was a-coming; so I got a sculler for sixpence to carry me
thither and back again, but I could not get to see the Queen; so
come back, and to my Lord's, where he was come: and I supt with
him, he being very merry, telling me stories of the country
mayors, how they entertained the King all the way as he come
along; and how the country gentlewomen did hold up their heads to
be kissed by the King, not taking his hand to kiss as they should
do. I took leave of my Lord and Lady, and so took coach at White
Hall and carried Mr. Childe as far as the Strand, and myself got
as far as Ludgate by all the bonfires, but with a great deal of
trouble; and there the coachman desired that I would release him,
for he durst not go further for the fires. In Paul's churchyard
I called at Kirton's, and there they had got a masse book for me,
which I bought and cost me twelve shillings; and, when I come
home, sat up late and read in it with great pleasure to my wife,
to hear that she was long ago acquainted with it. I observed
this night very few bonfires in the City, not above three in all
London, for the Queen's coming; whereby I guess that (as I
believed before) her coming do please but very few.

3rd. Saturday. In the afternoon to White Hall, where my Lord
and Lady were gone to kiss the Queen's hand.

4th (Lord's day). In the morn to our own church, where Mr. Mills
did begin to nibble at the Common Prayer, by saying "Glory be to
the Father, &c." after he had read the two psalms: but the
people had been so little used to it, that they could not tell
what to answer. [Daniel Milles, D.D., thirty-two years rector of
St. Olave's, Hart-Street, and buried there October 1689, aged
sixty-three. In 1667 Sir Robert Brooks presented him to the
rectory of Wanstead, which he also held till his death.] This
declaration of the King's do give the Presbyterians some
satisfaction, and a pretence to read the Common Prayer, which
they would not do before because of their former preaching
against it. After dinner to Westminster, where I went to my
Lord's, and, having spoken with him, I went to the Abbey, where
the first time that ever I heard the organs in a cathedral. My
wife seemed very pretty to-day, it being the first time I had
given her leave to weare a black patch.

5th. At the office at night, to make up an account of what the
debts of nineteen of the twenty-five ships that should have been
paid off, is increased since the adjournment of the Parliament,
they being to sit again to-morrow. This 5th day of November is
observed exceeding well in the City; and at night great bonfires
and fireworks.

6th. Mr. Chetwind told me that he did fear that this late
business of the Duke of York's would prove fatal to my Lord
Chancellor. To our office, where we met all, for the sale of two
ships by an inch of candle (the first time that ever I saw any of
this kind), where I observed how they do invite one another, and
at last how they all do cry, and we have much to do to tell who
did cry last. The ships were the Indian, sold for 1300l. and the
Half-moone, sold for 830l.

7th. Went by water to my Lord, where I dined with him, and he in
a very merry humour (present Mr. Borfett and Childe) at dinner:
he, in discourse of the great opinion of the virtue--gratitude,
(which he did account the greatest thing in the world to him, and
had, therefore, in his mind been often troubled in the late times
how to answer his gratitude to the King, who raised his father,)
did say it was that did bring him to his obedience to the King;
and did also bless himself with his good fortune, in comparison
to what it was when I was with him in the Sound, when he durst
not own his correspondence with the King; which is a thing that I
never did hear of to this day before; and I do from this raise an
opinion of him, to be one of the most secret men in the world,
which I was not so convinced of before. After dinner he bid all
go out of the room, and did tell me how the King had promised him
4000l. per annum for ever, and had already given him a bill under
his hand (which he showed me) for 4000l. that Mr. Fox is to pay
him. My Lord did advise with me how to get this received, and to
put out 3000l. into safe hands at use, and the other he will make
use for his present occasion. This he did advise with me about
with great secresy. After this he called for the fiddles and
books, and we two and W. Howe, and Mr. Childe, did sing and play
some psalmes of Will. Lawes's, and some songs; and so I went
away. [Brother to Henry Lawes the celebrated composer, and
himself a chamber musician to Charles I., in whose service he
took up arms, and was killed at the siege of Chester, 1645. The
King regretted his loss severely, and used to call him the father
of music.] Notwithstanding this was the first day of the King's
proclamation against hackney coaches coming into the streets to
stand to be hired, yet I got one to carry me home.

10th. The Comtroller [Sir R. Slingsby.] and I to the coffee-
house, where he showed me the state of his case; how the King did
owe him above 6000l. But I do not see great likelihood for them
to be paid, since they begin already in Parliament to dispute the
paying off the just sea-debts, which were already promised to be
paid, and will be the undoing of thousands if they be not paid.

15th. My Lord did this day show me the King's picture which was
done in Flanders, that the King did promise my Lord before he
ever saw him, and that we did expect to have had at sea before
the King come to us; but it come but to-day, and indeed it is the
most pleasant and the most like him that ever I saw picture in my
life. To Sir W. Batten's to dinner, he having a couple of
servants married to-day; and so there was a great number of
merchants, and others of good quality on purpose after dinner to
make an offering, which, when dinner was done, we did, and I did
give ten shillings and no more, though I believe most of the rest
did give more, and did believe that I did so too.

19th. I went with the Treasurer in his coach to White Hall, and
in our way, in discourse, do find him a very good-natured man;
and, talking of those men who now stand condemned for murdering
the King, he says that he believes, that, if the law would give
leave, the King is a man of so great compassion that he would
wholly acquit them.

20th. Mr. Shepley and I to the new play-house near Lincoln's-
Inn-Fields (which was formerly Gibbon's tennis-court), where the
play of "Beggar's Bush" [The "Beggar's Bush," a comedy by
Beaumont and Fletcher.] was newly begun; and so we went in and
saw it well acted: and here I saw the first time one Moone, who
is said to be the best actor in the world, lately come over with
the King, and indeed it is the finest play-house, I believe, that
ever was in England. [Mohun, or Moone, the celebrated actor who
had borne a Major's commission in the King's Army. The period of
his death is uncertain.] This morning I found my Lord in bed
late, he having been with the King, Queen, and Princesse, at the
Cockpit all night, where General Monk treated them; and after
supper a play, where the King did put a great affront upon
Singleton's musique, he bidding them stop and made the French
musique play, which, my Lord says, do much outdo all ours.

22nd. This morning come the carpenters, to make me a door at the
other side of my house, going into the entry. To Mr. Fox's,
where we found Mrs. Fox within and an alderman of London paying
1000l. or 1400l. in gold upon the table for the King. [Elizabeth
daughter of William Whittle, Esq., of Lancashire, wife of Stephen
Fox, Esq., who was knighted in 1665.] Mr. Fox come in presently
and did receive us with a great deal of respect; and then did
take my wife and I to the Queen's presence-chamber, where he got
my wife placed behind the Queen's chaire, and the two Princesses
come to dinner. The Queen a very little plain old woman, and
nothing more in her presence in any respect nor garbe than any
ordinary woman. The Princesse of Orange I had often seen before.
The Princesse Henrietta is very pretty, but much below my
expectation; and her dressing of herself with her haire frized
short up to her eares, did make her seem so much the less to me.
But my wife standing near her with two or three black patches on,
and well dressed, did seem to me much handsomer than she.

To White Hall at about nine at night, and there, with Laud the
page that went with me, we could not get out of Henry the
Eighth's gallery into the further part of the boarded gallery,
where my Lord was walking with my Lord Ormond; and we had a key
of Sir S. Morland's, but all would not do; till at last, by
knocking, Mr. Harrison the door-keeper did open us the door, and,
after some talk with my Lord about getting a catch to carry my
Lord St. Alban's goods to France, I parted and went home on foot.
[Henry Jermyn, created Lord Jermyn 1614, advanced to the Earldom
of St. Alban's 1660 K.G. Ob. 1683, s.p. He was supposed to be
married to the Queen Dowager.]

25th. I had a letter brought me from my Lord to get a ship ready
to carry the Queen's things over to France, she being to go
within five or six days.

27th. To Westminster Hall, and in King Street there being a
great stop of coaches, there was a falling out between a drayman
and my Lord Chesterfield's coachman, and one of his footmen
killed. Mr. Moore told me how the House had this day voted the
King to have all the Excise for ever. This day I do also hear
that the Queen's going to France is stopt, which do like me well,
because then the King will be in town the next month, which is my
month again at the Privy Seale.

30th. Sir G. Carteret did give us an account how Mr. Holland do
intend to prevail with the Parliament to try his project of
discharging the seamen all at present by ticket, and so promise
interest to all men that will lend money upon them at eight per
cent., for so long as they are unpaid; whereby he do think to
take away the growing debt, which do now lie upon the kingdom for
lack of present money to discharge the seamen.

DECEMBER 4, 1660. This day the Parliament voted that the bodies
of Oliver, Ireton, Bradshaw, &c., should be taken up out of their
graves in the Abbey, and drawn to the gallows, and there hanged
and buried under it: which (methinks) do trouble me that a man
of so great courage as he was, should have that dishonour, though
otherwise he might deserve it enough.

9th. I went to the Duke. And first calling upon Mr. Coventry at
his chamber, I went to the Duke's bed-side, who had sat up late
last night, and lay long this morning. This being done, I went
to chapel, and sat in Mr. Blagrave's pew, and there did sing my
part along with another before the King, and with much ease.

10th. It is expected that the Duke will marry the Lord
Chancellor's daughter at last; which is likely to be the ruine of
Mr. Davis and my Lord Barkley, who have carried themselves so
high against the Chancellor; Sir Chas. Barkley swearing that he
and others had intrigued with her often, which all believe to be
a lie.

16th. In the afternoon I went to White Hall, where I was
surprised with the news of a plot against the King's person and
my Lord Monk's; and that since last night there were about forty
taken up on suspicion; and, amongst others, it was my lot to meet
with Simon Beale, the Trumpeter, who took me and Tom Doling into
the Guard in Scotland Yard, and showed us Major-General Overton.
[One of Oliver Cromwell's Major-Generals: a high Republican.]
Here I heard him deny that he is guilty of any such things: but
that whereas it is said that he is found to have brought many
armes to towne, he says it is only to sell them, as he will prove
by oath.

21st. They told me that this is St. Thomas's, and that by an old
custome, this day the Exchequer men had formerly, and do intend
this night to have a supper; which if I could I promised, to come
to, but did not. To my Lady's, and dined with her: she told me
how dangerously ill the Princesse Royal is: and that this
morning she was said to be dead. But she hears that she hath
married herself to young Jermyn, [Henry Jermyn, Master of the
Horse to the Duke of York.] which is worse than the Duke of
York's marrying the Chancellor's daughter, which is now publicly
owned.

26th. To White Hall by water, and dined with my Lady Sandwich,
who at table did tell me how much fault was laid upon Dr. Frazer
and the rest of the Doctors, for the death of the Princesse. My
Lord, did dine this day with Sir Henry Wright, in order to his
going to sea with the Queen.

31st. In Paul's Church-yard I bought the play of Henry the
Fourth, and so went to the new Theatre and saw it acted; but my
expectation being too great, it did not please me, as otherwise I
believe it would: and my having a book, I believe did spoil it a
little. That being done I went to my Lord's, where I found him
private at cards with my Lord Lauderdale and some persons of
honour.

1660-61. At the end of the last and the beginning of this year,
I do live in one of the houses belonging to the Navy Office, as
one of the principal officers, and have done now about half-a-
year: my family being, myself, my wife, Jane, Will. Hewer, and
Wayneman, my girl's brother. Myself in constant good health, and
in a most handsome and thriving condition. Blessed be Almighty
God for it. As to things of State.--The King settled, and loved
of all. The Duke of York matched to my Lord Chancellor's
daughter, which do not please many. The Queen upon her returne
to France with the Princesse Henrietta. [Youngest daughter of
Charles I., married soon after to Philip Duke of Orleans, only
brother of Louis XIV. She died suddenly in 1670, not without
suspicion of having been poisoned.] The Princesse of Orange
lately dead, and we into new mourning for her. We have been
lately frighted with a great plot, and many taken up on it, and
the fright not quite over. The Parliament, which had done all
this great good to the King, beginning to grow factious, the King
did dissolve it December 29th last, and another likely to be
chosen speedily.

1660-61. JANUARY 1. Moore and I went to Mr. Pierce's; in our
way seeing the Duke of York bring his Lady to-day to wait upon
the Queen, the first time that ever she did since that business;
and the Queen is said to receive her now with much respect and
love.

2nd. My Lord did give me many commands in his business. As to
write to my uncle that Mr. Barnewell's papers should be locked
up, in case he should die, he being now suspected to be very ill.
Also about consulting with Mr. W. Montagu [William third son to
Lord Montagu of Boughton; afterwards Attorney-General to the
Queen; and made Chief Baron to the Exchequer, 1676.] for the
settling of the 4000l. a-year that the King had promised my Lord.
As also about getting Mr. George Montagu to be chosen at
Huntingdon this next Parliament, &c. That done, he to White Hall
stairs with much company, and I with him; where we took water for
Lambeth, and there coach for Portsmouth. The Queen's things were
all in White Hall Court ready to be sent away, and her Majesty
ready to be gone an hour after to Hampton Court to night, and so
to be at Portsmouth on Saturday next. This day I left Sir W.
Batten and Captn. Rider my chine of beefe for to serve to-morrow
at Trinity House, the Duke of Albemarle being to be there, and
all the rest of the Brethren, it being a great day for the
reading over of their new Charter, which the King hath newly
given them.

3rd. To the Theatre, where was acted "Beggars' Bush," it being
very well done; and here the first time that ever I saw women
come upon the stage.

4th. I had been early this morning at White Hall, at the Jewell
Office, to choose a piece of gilt plate for my Lord, in returne
of his offering to the King (which it seems is usual at this time
of year, and an Earle gives twenty pieces in gold in a purse to
the King). I chose a gilt tankard, weighing 31 ounces and a
half, and he is allowed 30; so I paid 12s. for the ounce and half
over what he is to have: but strange it was for me to see what a
company of small fees I was called upon by a great many to pay
there, which, I perceive, is the manner that courtiers do get
their estates.

7th. This morning, news was brought to me to my bed-side, that
there had been a great stir in the City this night by the
Fanatiques, who had been up and killed six or seven men, but all
are fled. My Lord Mayor and the whole City had been in armes,
above 40,000. Tom and I and my wife to the Theatre, and there
saw "The Silent Woman." Among other things here, Kinaston the boy
had the good turn to appear in three shapes: first, as a poor
woman in ordinary clothes, to please Morose; then in fine
clothes, as a gallant; and in them was clearly the prettiest
woman in the whole house: and lastly, as a man; and then
likewise did appear the handsomest man in the house. In our way
home we were in many places strictly examined, more than in the
worst of times, there being great fears of the Fanatiques rising
again: for the present I do not hear that any of them are taken.

8th. Some talk to-day of a head of Fanatiques that do appear
about, but I do not believe it. However, my Lord Mayor, Sir
Richd. Browne, hath carried himself honourably, and hath caused
one of their meeting-houses in London to be pulled down.

9th. Waked in the morning about six o'clock, by people running
up and down in Mr. Davis's house, talking that the Fanatiques
were up in armes in the City. And so I rose and went forth;
where in the street I found every body in armes at the doors. So
I returned and got my sword and pistol, which, however, I had no
powder to charge; and went to the door, where I found Sir R.
Ford, [Lord Mayor of London, 1671.] and with him I walked up and
down as far as the Exchange, and there I left him. In our way,
the streets full of train-bands, and great stir. What mischief
these rogues have done! and I think near a dozen had been killed
this morning on both sides. The shops shut, and all things in
trouble.

10th. After dinner Will. comes to tell me that he had presented
my piece of plate to Mr. Coventry, who takes it very kindly, and
sends me a very kind letter, and the plate back again; of which
my heart is very glad. Mr. Davis told us the particular
examinations of these Fanatiques that are taken: and in short it
is this, these Fanatiques that have routed all the train-bands
that they met with, put the King's life-guards to the run, killed
about twenty men, broke through the City gates twice; and all
this in the day-time, when all the City was in armes are not in
all above 31. Whereas we did believe them (because they were
seen up and down in every place almost in the City, and had been
in Highgate two or three days, and in several other places) to be
at least 500. A thing that never was heard of, that so few men
should dare and do so much mischief. Their word was, "The King
Jesus, and their heads upon the gates." Few of them would
receive any quarter, but such as were taken by force and kept
alive; expecting Jesus to come here and reign in the world
presently, and will not believe yet. The King this day come to
towne.

11th (Office day). This day comes news, by letters from
Portsmouth, that the Princesse Henrietta is fallen sick of the
measles on board the London, after the Queen and she was under
sail. And so was forced to come back again into Portsmouth
harbour; and in their way, by negligence of the pilot, run upon
the Horse sand. The Queen and she continue aboard, and do not
intend to come on shore till she sees what will become of the
young Princesse. This newes do make people think something
indeed, that three of the Royal Family should fall sick of the
same disease, one after another. This morning likewise, we had
order to see guards set in all the King's yards; and so Sir Wm.
Batten goes to Chatham, Colonel Slingsby and I to Deptford and
Woolwich. Portsmouth being a garrison, needs none.