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Title: Diary of Samuel Pepys, May/Jun 1666
Author: Samuel Pepys, Translator: Mynors Bright, Editor: Wheatley
Release Date: June, 2003 [Etext #4165]
[Yes, we are about one year ahead of schedule]
[The actual date this file first posted = 11/23/01]
Edition: 10
Language: English
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THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.
CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY
TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
(Unabridged)
WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES
EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY
HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
MAY & JUNE
1666
May 1st. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon, my cozen
Thomas Pepys did come to me, to consult about the business of his being
a justice of the Peace, which he is much against; and among other
reasons, tells me, as a confidant, that he is not free to exercise
punishment according to the Act against Quakers and other people, for
religion. Nor do he understand Latin, and so is not capable of the place
as formerly, now all warrants do run in Latin. Nor is he in Kent, though
he be of Deptford parish, his house standing in Surry. However, I did
bring him to incline towards it, if he be pressed to take it. I do think
it may be some repute to me to have my kinsman in Commission there,
specially if he behave himself to content in the country. He gone and my
wife gone abroad, I out also to and fro, to see and be seen, among others
to find out in Thames Streete where Betty Howlett is come to live, being
married to Mrs. Michell's son; which I did about the Old Swan, but did
not think fit to go thither or see them. Thence by water to Redriffe,
reading a new French book my Lord Bruncker did give me to-day,
"L'Histoire Amoureuse des Gaules,"
[This book, which has frequently been reprinted, was written by
Roger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy, for the amusement of his mistress,
Madame de Montglas, and consists of sketches of the chief ladies of
the court, in which he libelled friends and foes alike. These
circulated in manuscript, and were printed at Liege in 1665. Louis
XIV. was so much annoyed with the book that he sent the author to
the Bastille for over a year.]
being a pretty libel against the amours of the Court of France. I walked
up and down Deptford yarde, where I had not been since I come from living
at Greenwich, which is some months. There I met with Mr. Castle, and was
forced against my will to have his company back with me. So we walked
and drank at Halfway house and so to his house, where I drank a cupp of
syder, and so home, where I find Mr. Norbury newly come to town to see
us. After he gone my wife tells me the ill newes that our Susan is sicke
and gone to bed, with great pain in her head and back, which troubles us
all. However we to bed expecting what to-morrow would produce. She hath
we conceive wrought a little too much, having neither maid nor girle to
help her.
2nd. Up and find the girle better, which we are glad of, and with Sir W.
Batten to White Hall by coach. There attended the Duke as usual. Thence
with Captain Cocke, whom I met there, to London, to my office, to consult
about serving him in getting him some money, he being already tired of
his slavery to my Lord Bruncker, and the charge it costs him, and gets no
manner of courtesy from him for it. He gone I home to dinner, find the
girle yet better, so no fear of being forced to send her out of doors as
we intended. After dinner. I by water to White Hall to a Committee for
Tangier upon Mr. Yeabsly's business, which I got referred to a Committee
to examine. Thence among other stops went to my ruler's house, and there
staid a great while with Nan idling away the afternoon with pleasure. By
and by home, so to my office a little, and then home to supper with my
wife, the girle being pretty well again, and then to bed.
3rd. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon home, and contrary
to my expectation find my little girle Su worse than she was, which
troubled me, and the more to see my wife minding her paynting and not
thinking of her house business, this being the first day of her beginning
the second time to paynt. This together made me froward that I was angry
with my wife, and would not have Browne to think to dine at my table with
me always, being desirous to have my house to myself without a stranger
and a mechanique to be privy to all my concernments. Upon this my wife
and I had a little disagreement, but it ended by and by, and then to send
up and down for a nurse to take the girle home and would have given
anything. I offered to the only one that we could get 20s. per weeke,
and we to find clothes, and bedding and physique, and would have given
30s., as demanded, but desired an houre or two's time. So I away by
water to Westminster, and there sent for the girle's mother to
Westminster Hall to me; she came and undertakes to get her daughter a
lodging and nurse at next doore to her, though she dare not, for the
parish's sake, whose sexton her husband is, to [have] her into her owne
house. Thence home, calling at my bookseller's and other trifling
places, and in the evening the mother come and with a nurse she has got,
who demanded and I did agree at 10s. per weeke to take her, and so she
away, and my house mighty uncouth, having so few in it, and we shall want
a servant or two by it, and the truth is my heart was a little sad all
the afternoon and jealous of myself. But she went, and we all glad of
it, and so a little to the office, and so home to supper and to bed.
4th. Up and by water to Westminster to Charing Cross (Mr. Gregory for
company with me) to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, who was not within. So I took
Gregory to White Hall, and there spoke with Joseph Williamson to have
leave in the next Gazette to have a general pay for the Chest at Chatham
declared upon such a day in June. Here I left Gregory, and I by coach
back again to Sir Philip Warwicke's, and in the Park met him walking, so
discoursed about the business of striking a quarter's tallys for Tangier,
due this day, which he hath promised to get my Lord Treasurer's warrant
for, and so away hence, and to Mr. Hales, to see what he had done to Mrs.
Pierces picture, and whatever he pretends, I do not think it will ever be
so good a picture as my wife's. Thence home to the office a little and
then to dinner, and had a great fray with my wife again about Browne's
coming to teach her to paynt, and sitting with me at table, which I will
not yield to. I do thoroughly believe she means no hurte in it; but very
angry we were, and I resolved all into my having my will done, without
disputing, be the reason what it will; and so I will have it. After
dinner abroad again and to the New Exchange about play books, and to
White Hall, thinking to have met Sir G. Carteret, but failed. So to the
Swan at Westminster, and there spent a quarter of an hour with Jane, and
thence away home, and my wife coming home by and by (having been at her
mother's to pray her to look out for a mayde for her) by coach into the
fields to Bow, and so home back in the evening, late home, and after
supper to bed, being much out of order for lack of somebody in the room
of Su. This evening, being weary of my late idle courses, and the little
good I shall do the King or myself in the office, I bound myself to very
strict rules till Whitsunday next.
5th. At the office all the morning. After dinner upon a letter from the
fleete from Sir W. Coventry I did do a great deale of worke for the
sending away of the victuallers that are in the river, &c., too much to
remember. Till 10 at night busy about letters and other necessary matter
of the office. About 11 home, it being a fine moonshine and so my wife
and Mercer come into the garden, and, my business being done, we sang
till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure to ourselves and
neighbours, by their casements opening, and so home to supper and to bed.
6th (Lord's day). To church. Home, and after dinner walked to White
Hall, thinking to have seen Mr. Coventry, but failed, and therefore
walked clear on foot back again. Busy till night in fitting my
Victualling papers in order, which I through my multitude of business and
pleasure have not examined these several months. Walked back again home,
and so to the Victualling Office, where I met Mr. Gawden, and have
received some satisfaction, though it be short of what I expected, and
what might be expected from me. So after evened I have gone, and so to
supper and to bed.
7th. Up betimes to set my Victualling papers in order against Sir W.
Coventry comes, which indeed makes me very melancholy, being conscious
that I am much to seeke in giving a good answer to his queries about the
Victualling business. At the office mighty busy, and brought myself into
a pretty plausible condition before Sir W. Coventry come, and did give
him a pretty tolerable account of every thing and went with him into the
Victualling office, where we sat and examined his businesses and state of
the victualling of the fleete, which made me in my heart blushe that I
could say no more to it than I did or could. But I trust in God I shall
never be in that condition again. We parted, and I with pretty good
grace, and so home to dinner, where my wife troubled more and more with
her swollen cheek. So to dinner, my sister-in-law with us, who I find
more and more a witty woman; and then I to my Lord Treasurer's and the
Exchequer about my Tangier businesses, and with my content passed by all
things and persons without so much as desiring any stay or loss of time
with them, being by strong vowe obliged on no occasion to stay abroad but
my publique offices. So home again, where I find Mrs. Pierce and Mrs.
Ferrers come to see my wife. I staid a little with them, being full of
business, and so to the office, where busy till late at night and so
weary and a little conscious of my failures to-day, yet proud that the
day is over without more observation on Sir W. Coventry's part, and so to
bed and to sleepe soundly.
8th. Up, and to the office all the morning. At noon dined at home, my
wife's cheek bad still. After dinner to the office again and thither
comes Mr. Downing, the anchor-smith, who had given me 50 pieces in gold
the last month to speake for him to Sir W. Coventry, for his being smith
at Deptford; but after I had got it granted to him, he finds himself not
fit to go on with it, so lets it fall. So has no benefit of my motion.
I therefore in honour and conscience took him home the money, and, though
much to my grief, did yet willingly and forcibly force him to take it
again, the poor man having no mind to have it. However, I made him take
it, and away he went, and I glad to have given him so much cause to
speake well of me. So to my office again late, and then home to supper
to a good lobster with my wife, and then a little to my office again, and
so to bed.
9th. Up by five o'clock, which I have not a long time done, and down the
river by water to Deptford, among other things to examine the state of
Ironworke, in order to the doing something with reference to Downing that
may induce him to returne me the 50 pieces. Walked back again reading of
my Civill Law Book, and so home and by coach to White Hall, where we did
our usual business before the Duke, and heard the Duke commend Deane's
ship "The Rupert" before "The Defyance," built lately by Castle, in
hearing of Sir W. Batten, which pleased me mightily. Thence by water to
Westminster, and there looked after my Tangier order, and so by coach to
Mrs. Pierces, thinking to have gone to Hales's, but she was not ready, so
away home and to dinner, and after dinner out by coach to Lovett's to
have forwarded what I have doing there, but find him and his pretty wife
gone to my house to show me something. So away to my Lord Treasurer's,
and thence to Pierces, where I find Knipp, and I took them to Hales's to
see our pictures finished, which are very pretty, but I like not hers
half so well as I thought at first, it being not so like, nor so well
painted as I expected, or as mine and my wife's are. Thence with them to
Cornhill to call and choose a chimney-piece for Pierces closett, and so
home, where my wife in mighty pain and mightily vexed at my being abroad
with these women; and when they were gone called them whores and I know
not what, which vexed me, having been so innocent with them. So I with
them to Mrs. Turner's and there sat with them a while, anon my wife sends
for me, I come, and what was it but to scold at me and she would go
abroad to take the ayre presently, that she would. So I left my company
and went with her to Bow, but was vexed and spoke not one word to her all
the way going nor coming, or being come home, but went up straight to
bed. Half an hour after (she in the coach leaning on me as being
desirous to be friends) she comes up mighty sicke with a fit of the
cholique and in mighty pain and calls for me out of the bed; I rose and
held her, she prays me to forgive her, and in mighty pain we put her to
bed, where the pain ceased by and by, and so had some asparagus to our
bed side for supper and very kindly afterward to sleepe and good friends
in the morning.
10th. So up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to
dinner and there busy all the afternoon till past six o'clock, and then
abroad with my wife by coach, who is now at great ease, her cheeke being
broke inward. We took with us Mrs. Turner, who was come to visit my wife
just as we were going out. A great deale of tittle tattle discourse to
little purpose, I finding her, though in other things a very discreete
woman, as very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body. Going
out towards Hackney by coach for the ayre, the silly coachman carries us
to Shoreditch, which was so pleasant a piece of simplicity in him and us,
that made us mighty merry. So back again late, it being wondrous hot all
the day and night and it lightning exceeding all the way we went and
came, but without thunder. Coming home we called at a little ale-house,
and had an eele pye, of which my wife eat part and brought home the rest.
So being come home we to supper and to bed. This day come our new cook
maid Mary, commended by Mrs. Batters.
11th. Up betimes, and then away with Mr. Yeabsly to my Lord Ashly's,
whither by and by comes Sir H. Cholmly and Creed, and then to my Lord,
and there entered into examination of Mr. Yeabsly's accounts, wherein as
in all other things I find him one of the most distinct men that ever I
did see in my life. He raised many scruples which were to be answered
another day and so parted, giving me an alarme how to provide myself
against the day of my passing my accounts. Thence I to Westminster to
look after the striking of my tallys, but nothing done or to be done
therein. So to the 'Change, to speake with Captain Cocke, among other
things about getting of the silver plates of him, which he promises to
do; but in discourse he tells me that I should beware of my fellow-
officers; and by name told me that my Lord Bruncker should say in his
hearing, before Sir W. Batten, of me, that he could undo the man, if he
would; wherein I think he is a foole; but, however, it is requisite I be
prepared against the man's friendship. Thence home to dinner alone, my
wife being abroad. After dinner to the setting some things in order in
my dining-room; and by and by comes my wife home and Mrs. Pierce with
her, so I lost most of this afternoon with them, and in the evening
abroad with them, our long tour by coach, to Hackney, so to Kingsland,
and then to Islington, there entertaining them by candlelight very well,
and so home with her, set her down, and so home and to bed.
12th. Up to the office very betimes to draw up a letter for the Duke of
Yorke relating to him the badness of our condition in this office for
want of money. That being in good time done we met at the office and
there sat all the morning. At noon home, where I find my wife troubled
still at my checking her last night in the coach in her long stories out
of Grand Cyrus, which she would tell, though nothing to the purpose, nor
in any good manner.
[Sir Walter Scott observes, in his "Life of Dryden," that the
romances of Calprenede and Scuderi, those ponderous and unmerciful
folios, now consigned to oblivion, were, in their day, not only
universally read and admired, but supposed to furnish the most
perfect models of gallantry and heroism. Dr. Johnson read them all.
"I have," says Mrs. Chapone, "and yet I am still alive, dragged
through 'Le Grand Cyrus,' in twelve huge volumes; 'Cleopatra,' in
eight or ten; 'Ibrahim,' 'Clelie,' and some others, whose names, as
well as all the rest of them, I have forgotten" ("Letters to Mrs.
Carter"). No wonder that Pepys sat on thorns, when his wife began
to recite "Le Grand Cyrus" in the coach, "and trembled at the
impending tale."--B.]--[One is reminded of the 21st centuries'
bookstores full of "Romantic novels"--the modern era did not invent
trashy literature. D.W.]
This she took unkindly, and I think I was to blame indeed; but she do
find with reason, that in the company of Pierce, Knipp, or other women
that I love, I do not value her, or mind her as I ought. However very
good friends by and by, and to dinner, and after dinner up to the putting
our dining room in order, which will be clean again anon, but not as it
is to be because of the pictures which are not come home. To the office
and did much business, in the evening to Westminster and White Hall about
business and among other things met Sir G. Downing on White Hall bridge,
and there walked half an hour, talking of the success of the late new
Act; and indeed it is very much, that that hath stood really in the room
of L800,000 now since Christmas, being itself but L1,250,000. And so I
do really take it to be a very considerable thing done by him; for the
beginning, end, and every part of it, is to be imputed to him. So home
by water, and there hard till 12 at night at work finishing the great
letter to the Duke of Yorke against to-morrow morning, and so home to
bed. This day come home again my little girle Susan, her sicknesse
proving an ague, and she had a fit soon almost as she come home. The
fleete is not yet gone from the Nore. The plague encreases in many
places, and is 53 this week with us.
13th (Lord's day). Up, and walked to White Hall, where we all met to
present a letter to the Duke of Yorke, complaining solemnly of the want
of money, and that being done, I to and again up and down Westminster,
thinking to have spent a little time with Sarah at the Swan, or Mrs.
Martin, but was disappointed in both, so walked the greatest part of the
way home, where comes Mr. Symons, my old acquaintance, to dine with me,
and I made myself as good company as I could to him, but he was mighty
impertinent methought too yet, and thereby I see the difference between
myself now and what it was heretofore, when I reckoned him a very brave
fellow. After dinner he and I walked together as far as Cheapside, and I
quite through to Westminster again, and fell by chance into St.
Margett's' Church, where I heard a young man play the foole upon the
doctrine of purgatory. At this church I spied Betty Howlett, who indeed
is mighty pretty, and struck me mightily. After church time, standing in
the Church yarde, she spied me, so I went to her, her father and mother
and husband being with her. They desired and I agreed to go home with
Mr. Michell, and there had the opportunity to have saluted two or three
times Betty and make an acquaintance which they are pleased with, though
not so much as I am or they think I am. I staid here an houre or more
chatting with them in a little sorry garden of theirs by the Bowling
Alley, and so left them and I by water home, and there was in great pain
in mind lest Sir W. Pen, who is going down to the Fleete, should come to
me or send for me to be informed in the state of things, and particularly
the Victualling, that by my pains he might seem wise. So after spending
an houre with my wife pleasantly in her closett, I to bed even by
daylight.
14th. Comes betimes a letter from Sir W. Coventry, that he and Sir G.
Carteret are ordered presently down to the Fleete. I up and saw Sir W.
Pen gone also after them, and so I finding it a leisure day fell to
making cleane my closett in my office, which I did to my content and set
up my Platts again, being much taken also with Griffin's mayde, that did
cleane it, being a pretty mayde. I left her at it, and toward
Westminster myself with my wife by coach and meeting took up Mr. Lovett
the varnisher with us, who is a pleasant speaking and humoured man, so my
wife much taken with him, and a good deale of worke I believe I shall
procure him. I left my wife at the New Exchange and myself to the
Exchequer, to looke after my Tangier tallys, and there met Sir G.
Downing, who shewed me his present practise now begun this day to paste
up upon the Exchequer door a note of what orders upon the new Act are
paid and now in paying, and my Lord of Oxford coming by, also took him,
and shewed him his whole method of keeping his books, and everything of
it, which indeed is very pretty, and at this day there is assigned upon
the Act L804,000. Thence at the New Exchange took up my wife again, and
so home to dinner, and after dinner to my office again to set things in
order. In the evening out with my wife and my aunt Wight, to take the
ayre, and happened to have a pleasant race between our hackney-coach and
a gentleman's. At Bow we eat and drank and so back again, it being very
cool in the evening. Having set home my aunt and come home, I fell to
examine my wife's kitchen book, and find 20s. mistake, which made me
mighty angry and great difference between us, and so in the difference to
bed.--[Sam forgets that he is still out L50 on his own personal accounts
which is about $50,000 (ann. 2001) compared to his wife's $1000 D.W.]--
15th. Up and to the office, where we met and sat all the morning. At
noon home to dinner, and after dinner by coach to Sir Philip Warwicke's,
he having sent for me, but was not within, so I to my Lord Crew's, who is
very lately come to towne, and with him talking half an houre of the
business of the warr, wherein he is very doubtful, from our want of
money, that we shall fail. And I do concur with him therein. After some
little discourse of ordinary matters, I away to Sir Philip Warwicke's
again, and was come in, and gone out to my Lord Treasurer's; whither I
followed him, and there my business was, to be told that my Lord
Treasurer hath got L10,000 for us in the Navy, to answer our great
necessities, which I did thank him for; but the sum is not considerable.
So home, and there busy all the afternoon till night, and then home to
supper and to bed.
16th. Up very betimes, and so down the river to Deptford to look after
some business, being by and by to attend the Duke and Mr. Coventry, and
so I was wiling to carry something fresh that I may look as a man minding
business, which I have done too much for a great while to forfeit, and is
now so great a burden upon my mind night and day that I do not enjoy
myself in the world almost. I walked thither, and come back again by
water, and so to White Hall, and did our usual business before the Duke,
and so to the Exchequer, where the lazy rogues have not yet done my
tallys, which vexes me. Thence to Mr. Hales, and paid him for my
picture, and Mr. Hill's, for the first L14 for the picture, and 25s. for
the frame, and for the other L7 for the picture, it being a copy of his
only, and 5s. for the frame; in all, L22 10s. I am very well satisfied
in my pictures, and so took them in another coach home along with me, and
there with great pleasure my wife and I hung them up, and, that being
done, to dinner, where Mrs. Barbara Sheldon come to see us and dined with
us, and we kept her all the day with us, I going down to Deptford, and,
Lord! to see with what itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's
wife, but failed, for which I am glad, only I observe the folly of my
mind that cannot refrain from pleasure at a season above all others in my
life requisite for me to shew my utmost care in. I walked both going and
coming, spending my time reading of my Civill and Ecclesiastical Law
book. Being returned home, I took my wife and Mrs. Barbary and Mercer
out by coach and went our Grand Tour, and baited at Islington, and so
late home about 11 at night, and so with much pleasure to bed.
17th. Up, lying long, being wearied yesterday with long walking. So to
the office, where all the morning with fresh occasion of vexing at myself
for my late neglect of business, by which I cannot appear half so usefull
as I used to do. Home at noon to dinner, and then to my office again,
where I could not hold my eyes open for an houre, but I drowsed (so
little sensible I apprehend my soul is of the necessity of minding
business), but I anon wakened and minded my business, and did a great
deale with very great pleasure, and so home at night to supper and to
bed, mightily pleased with myself for the business that I have done, and
convinced that if I would but keepe constantly to do the same I might
have leisure enough and yet do all my business, and by the grace of God
so I will. So to bed.
18th. Up by 5 o'clock, and so down by water to Deptford and Blackewall
to dispatch some business. So walked to Dickeshoare, and there took boat
again and home, and thence to Westminster, and attended all the morning
on the Exchequer for a quarter's tallys for Tangier. But, Lord! to see
what a dull, heavy sort of people they are there would make a man mad.
At noon had them and carried them home, and there dined with great
content with my people, and within and at the office all the afternoon
and night, and so home to settle some papers there, and so to bed, being
not very well, having eaten too much lobster at noon at dinner with Mr.
Hollyard, he coming in and commending it so much.
19th. Up, and to the office all the morning. At noon took Mr. Deane
(lately come to towne) home with me to dinner, and there after giving him
some reprimands and good advice about his deportment in the place where
by my interest he is at Harwich, and then declaring my resolution of
being his friend still, we did then fall to discourse about his ship
"Rupert," built by him there, which succeeds so well as he hath got great
honour by it, and I some by recommending him; the King, Duke, and every
body saying it is the best ship that was ever built. And then he fell to
explain to me his manner of casting the draught of water which a ship
will draw before-hand: which is a secret the King and all admire in him;
and he is the first that hath come to any certainty before-hand, of
foretelling the draught of water of a ship before she be launched. I
must confess I am much pleased in his successe in this business, and do
admire at the confidence of Castle who did undervalue the draught Deane
sent up to me, that I was ashamed to owne it or him, Castle asking of me
upon the first sight of it whether he that laid it down had ever built a
ship or no, which made me the more doubtfull of him. He being gone, I to
the office, where much business and many persons to speake with me. Late
home and to bed, glad to be at a little quiett.
20th (Lord's day). With my wife to church in the morning. At noon dined
mighty nobly, ourselves alone. After dinner my wife and Mercer by coach
to Greenwich, to be gossip to Mrs. Daniel's child. I out to Westminster,
and straight to Mrs. Martin's, and there did what I would with her, she
staying at home all the day for me; and not being well pleased with her
over free and loose company, I away to Westminster Abbey, and there fell
in discourse with Mr. Blagrave, whom I find a sober politique man, that
gets money and increase of places, and thence by coach home, and thence
by water after I had discoursed awhile with Mr. Yeabsly, whom I met and
took up in my coach with me, and who hath this day presented my Lord
Ashly with L100 to bespeak his friendship to him in his accounts now
before us; and my Lord hath received it, and so I believe is as bad, as
to bribes, as what the world says of him. Calling on all the Victualling
ships to know what they had of their complements, and so to Deptford, to
enquire after a little business there, and thence by water back again,
all the way coming and going reading my Lord Bacon's "Faber Fortunae,"
which I can never read too often, and so back home, and there find my
wife come home, much pleased with the reception she had there, and she
was godmother, and did hold the child at the Font, and it is called John.
So back again home, and after setting my papers in order and supping, to
bed, desirous to rise betimes in the morning.
21st. Up between 4 and 5 o'clock and to set several papers to rights,
and so to the office, where we had an extraordinary meeting. But, Lord!
how it torments me to find myself so unable to give an account of my
Victualling business, which puts me out of heart in every thing else,
so that I never had a greater shame upon me in my owne mind, nor more
trouble as to publique business than I have now, but I will get out of it
as soon as possibly I can. At noon dined at home, and after dinner comes
in my wife's brother Balty and his wife, he being stepped ashore from the
fleete for a day or two. I away in some haste to my Lord Ashly, where it
is stupendous to see how favourably, and yet closely, my Lord Ashly
carries himself to Mr. Yeabsly, in his business, so as I think we shall
do his business for him in very good manner. But it is a most
extraordinary thing to observe, and that which I would not but have had
the observation of for a great deal of money. Being done there, and much
forwarded Yeabsly's business, I with Sir H. Cholmly to my Lord Bellassis,
who is lately come from Tangier to visit him, but is not within. So to
Westminster Hall a little about business and so home by water, and then
out with my wife, her brother, sister, and Mercer to Islington, our grand
tour, and there eat and drank. But in discourse I am infinitely pleased
with Balty, his deportment in his business of Muster-Master, and hope
mighty well from him, and am glad with all my heart I put him into this
business. Late home and to bed, they also lying at my house, he
intending to go away to-morrow back again to sea.
22nd. Up betimes and to my business of entering some Tangier payments in
my book in order, and then to the office, where very busy all the
morning. At noon home to dinner, Balty being gone back to sea and his
wife dining with us, whom afterward my wife carried home. I after dinner
to the office, and anon out on several occasions, among others to
Lovett's, and there staid by him and her and saw them (in their poor
conditioned manner) lay on their varnish, which however pleased me
mightily to see. Thence home to my business writing letters, and so at
night home to supper and to bed.
23rd. Up by 5 o'clock and to my chamber settling several matters in
order. So out toward White Hall, calling in my way on my Lord Bellassis,
where I come to his bedside, and did give me a full and long account of
his matters, how he left them at Tangier. Declares himself fully
satisfied with my care: seems cunningly to argue for encreasing the
number of men there. Told me the whole story of his gains by the Turky
prizes, which he owns he hath got about L5000 by. Promised me the same
profits Povy was to have had; and in fine, I find him a pretty subtle
man; and so I left him, and to White Hall before the Duke and did our
usual business, and eased my mind of two or three things of weight that
lay upon me about Lanyon's salary, which I have got to be L150 per annum.
Thence to Westminster to look after getting some little for some great
tallys, but shall find trouble in it. Thence homeward and met with Sir
Philip Warwicke, and spoke about this, in which he is scrupulous. After
that to talk of the wants of the Navy. He lays all the fault now upon
the new Act, and owns his owne folly in thinking once so well of it as to
give way to others' endeavours about it, and is grieved at heart to see
what passe things are like to come to. Thence to the Excise Office to
the Commissioners to get a meeting between them and myself and others
about our concernments in the Excise for Tangier, and so to the 'Change
awhile, and thence home with Creed, and find my wife at dinner with Mr.
Cooke, who is going down to Hinchinbrooke. After dinner Creed and I and
wife and Mercer out by coach, leaving them at the New Exchange, while I
to White Hall, and there staid at Sir G. Carteret's chamber till the
Council rose, and then he and I, by agreement this morning, went forth in
his coach by Tiburne, to the Parke; discoursing of the state of the Navy
as to money, and the state of the Kingdom too, how ill able to raise
more: and of our office as to the condition of the officers; he giving me
caution as to myself, that there are those that are my enemies as well as
his, and by name my Lord Bruncker, who hath said some odd speeches
against me. So that he advises me to stand on my guard; which I shall
do, and unless my too-much addiction to pleasure undo me, will be acute
enough for any of them. We rode to and again in the Parke a good while,
and at last home and set me down at Charing Crosse, and thence I to Mrs.
Pierces to take up my wife and Mercer, where I find her new picture by
Hales do not please her, nor me indeed, it making no show, nor is very
like, nor no good painting. Home to supper and to bed, having my right
eye sore and full of humour of late, I think, by my late change of my
brewer, and having of 8s. beer.
24th. Up very betimes, and did much business in my chamber. Then to the
office, where busy all the morning. At noon rose in the pleasantest
humour I have seen Sir W. Coventry and the whole board in this
twelvemonth from a pleasant crossing humour Sir W. Batten was in, he
being hungry, and desirous to be gone. Home, and Mr. Hunt come to dine
with me, but I was prevented dining till 4 o'clock by Sir H. Cholmly and
Sir J. Bankes's coming in about some Tangier business. They gone I to
dinner, the others having dined. Mr. Sheply is also newly come out of
the country and come to see us, whom I am glad to see. He left all well
there; but I perceive under some discontent in my Lord's behalfe,
thinking that he is under disgrace with the King; but he is not so at
all, as Sir G. Carteret assures me. They gone I to the office and did
business, and so in the evening abroad alone with my wife to Kingsland,
and so back again and to bed, my right eye continuing very ill of the
rheum, which hath troubled it four or five days.
25th. Up betimes and to my chamber to do business, where the greatest
part of the morning. Then out to the 'Change to speake with Captain
[Cocke], who tells me my silver plates are ready for me, and shall be
sent me speedily; and proposes another proposition of serving us with a
thousand tons of hempe, and tells me it shall bring me 6500, if the
bargain go forward, which is a good word. Thence to Sir G. Carteret, who
is at the pay of the tickets with Sir J. Minnes this day, and here I sat
with them a while, the first time I ever was there, and thence to dinner
with him, a good dinner. Here come a gentleman over from France arrived
here this day, Mr. Browne of St. Mellos, who, among other things, tells
me the meaning of the setting out of doggs every night out of the towne
walls, which are said to secure the city; but it is not so, but only to
secure the anchors, cables, and ships that lie dry, which might otherwise
in the night be liable to be robbed. And these doggs are set out every
night, and called together in every morning by a man with a home, and
they go in very orderly. Thence home, and there find Knipp at dinner
with my wife, now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down. But my
head was full of business and so could have no sport. So I left them,
promising to return and take them out at night, and so to the Excise
Office, where a meeting was appointed of Sir Stephen Fox, the Cofferer,
and myself, to settle the business of our tallys, and it was so pretty
well against another meeting. Thence away home to the office and out
again to Captain Cocke (Mr. Moore for company walking with me and
discoursing and admiring of the learning of Dr. Spencer), and there he
and I discoursed a little more of our matters, and so home, and (Knipp
being gone) took out my wife and Mercer to take the ayre a little, and so
as far as Hackney and back again, and then to bed.
26th. Up betimes and to the office, where all the morning. At noon
dined at home. So to the office again, and a while at the Victualling
Office to understand matters there a little, and thence to the office and
despatched much business, to my great content, and so home to supper and
to bed.
27th (Lord's day). Rose betimes, and to my office till church time to
write two copies of my Will fair, bearing date this day, wherein I have
given my sister Pall L500, my father for his owne and my mother's support
L2,000, to my wife the rest of my estate, but to have L2500 secured to
her, though by deducting out of what I have given my father and my
sister. I dispatched all before church time and then to church, my wife
with me. Thence home to dinner, whither come my uncle Wight, and aunt
and uncle Norbury, and Mr. Shepley. A good dinner and very merry. After
dinner we broke up and I by water to Westminster to Mrs. Martin's, and
there sat with her and her husband and Mrs. Burrows, the pretty, an hour
or two, then to the Swan a while, and so home by water, and with my wife
by and by by water as low as Greenwich, for ayre only, and so back again
home to supper and to bed with great pleasure.
28th. Up and to my chamber to do some business there, and then to the
office, where a while, and then by agreement to the Excise Office, where
I waited all the morning for the Cofferer and Sir St. Foxe's coming, but
they did not, so I and the Commissioners lost their labour and
expectation of doing the business we intended. Thence home, where I find
Mr. Lovett and his wife came to see us. They are a pretty couple, and
she a fine bred woman. They dined with us, and Browne, the paynter, and
she plays finely on the lute. My wife and I were well pleased with her
company. After dinner broke up, I to the office and they abroad. All
the afternoon I busy at the office, and down by water to Deptford.
Walked back to Redriffe, and so home to the office again, being
thoughtfull how to answer Sir W. Coventry against to-morrow in the
business of the Victualling, but that I do trust to Tom Wilson, that he
will be ready with a book for me to-morrow morning. So to bed, my wife
telling me where she hath been to-day with my aunt Wight, and seen Mrs.
Margaret Wight, and says that she is one of the beautifullest women that
ever she saw in her life, the most excellent nose and mouth. They have
been also to see pretty Mrs. Batelier, and conclude her to be a prettier
woman than Mrs. Pierce, whom my wife led my aunt to see also this day.
29th (King's birth-day and Restauration day). Waked with the ringing of
the bells all over the towne; so up before five o'clock, and to the
office, where we met, and I all the morning with great trouble upon my
spirit to think how I should come off in the afternoon when Sir W.
Coventry did go to the Victualling office to see the state of matters
there, and methinks by his doing of it without speaking to me, and only
with Sir W. Pen, it must be of design to find my negligence. However, at
noon I did, upon a small invitation of Sir W. Pen's, go and dine with Sir
W. Coventry at his office, where great good cheer and many pleasant
stories of Sir W. Coventry; but I had no pleasure in them. However, I
had last night and this morning made myself a little able to report how
matters were, and did readily go with them after dinner to the
Victualling office; and there, beyond belief, did acquit myself very well
to full content; so that, beyond expectation, I got over this second rub
in this business; and if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone.
Being broke up there, I with a merry heart home to my office, and thither
my wife comes to me, to tell me, that if I would see the handsomest woman
in England, I shall come home presently; and who should it be but the
pretty lady of our parish, that did heretofore sit on the other side of
our church, over against our gallery, that is since married; she with
Mrs. Anne Jones, one of this parish, that dances finely, and Mrs. sister
did come to see her this afternoon, and so I home and there find Creed
also come to me. So there I spent most of the afternoon with them, and
indeed she is a pretty black woman, her name Mrs. Horsely. But, Lord!
to see how my nature could not refrain from the temptation; but I must
invite them to Foxhall, to Spring Gardens, though I had freshly received
minutes of a great deale of extraordinary business. However I could not
helpe it, but sent them before with Creed, and I did some of my business;
and so after them, and find them there, in an arbour, and had met with
Mrs. Pierce, and some company with her. So here I spent 20s. upon them,
and were pretty merry. Among other things, had a fellow that imitated
all manner of birds, and doggs, and hogs, with his voice, which was
mighty pleasant. Staid here till night: then set Mrs. Pierce in at the
New Exchange; and ourselves took coach, and so set Mrs. Horsely home, and
then home ourselves, but with great trouble in the streets by bonefires,
it being the King's birth-day and day of Restauration; but, Lord! to see
the difference how many there were on the other side, and so few ours,
the City side of the Temple, would make one wonder the difference between
the temper of one sort of people and the other: and the difference among
all between what they do now, and what it was the night when Monk come
into the City. Such a night as that I never think to see again, nor
think it can be. After I come home I was till one in the morning with
Captain Cocke drawing up a contract with him intended to be offered to
the Duke to-morrow, which, if it proceeds, he promises me L500.
30th. Up and to my office, there to settle some business in order .to
our waiting on the Duke to-day. That done to White Hall to Sir W.
Coventry's chamber, where I find the Duke gone out with the King to-day
on hunting. So after some discourse with him, I by water to Westminster,
and there drew a draught of an order for my Lord Treasurer to sign for my
having some little tallys made me in lieu of two great ones, of L2000
each, to enable me to pay small sums therewith. I shewed it to Sir R.
Long and had his approbation, and so to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, and did give
it him to get signed. So home to my office, and there did business. By
and by toward noon word is brought me that my father and my sister are
come. I expected them to-day, but not so soon. I to them, and am
heartily glad to see them, especially my father, who, poor man, looks
very well, and hath rode up this journey on horseback very well, only his
eyesight and hearing is very bad. I staid and dined with them, my wife
being gone by coach to Barnet, with W. Hewer and Mercer, to meet them,
and they did come Ware way. After dinner I left them to dress themselves
and I abroad by appointment to my Lord Ashly, who, it is strange to see,
how prettily he dissembles his favour to Yeabsly's business, which none
in the world could mistrust only I, that am privy to his being bribed.
Thence to White Hall, and there staid till the Council was up, with Creed
expecting a meeting of Tangier to end Yeabsly's business, but we could
not procure it. So I to my Lord Treasurer's and got my warrant, and then
to Lovett's, but find nothing done there. So home and did a little
business at the office, and so down by water to Deptford and back again
home late, and having signed some papers and given order in business,
home, where my wife is come home, and so to supper with my father, and
mighty pleasant we were, and my wife mighty kind to him and Pall, and so
after supper to bed, myself being sleepy, and my right eye still very
sore, as it has been now about five days or six, which puts me out of
tune. To-night my wife tells me newes has been brought her that Balty's
wife is brought to bed, by some fall or fit, before her time, of a great
child but dead. If the woman do well we have no reason to be sorry,
because his staying a little longer without a child will be better for
him and her.
31st. Waked very betimes in the morning by extraordinary thunder and
rain, which did keep me sleeping and waking till very late, and it being
a holiday and my eye very sore, and myself having had very little sleep
for a good while till nine o'clock, and so up, and so saw all my family
up, and my father and sister, who is a pretty good-bodied woman, and not
over thicke, as I thought she would have been, but full of freckles, and
not handsome in face. And so I out by water among the ships, and to
Deptford and Blackewall about business, and so home and to dinner with my
father and sister and family, mighty pleasant all of us; and, among other
things, with a sparrow that our Mercer hath brought up now for three
weeks, which is so tame that it flies up and down, and upon the table,
and eats and pecks, and do everything so pleasantly, that we are mightily
pleased with it. After dinner I to my papers and accounts of this month
to sett all straight, it being a publique Fast-day appointed to pray for
the good successe of the fleete. But it is a pretty thing to consider
how little a matter they make of this keeping of a Fast, that it was not
so much as declared time enough to be read in the churches the last
Sunday; but ordered by proclamation since: I suppose upon some sudden
newes of the Dutch being come out. To my accounts and settled them
clear; but to my grief find myself poorer than I was the last by near
L20, by reason of my being forced to return L50 to Downing, the smith,
which he had presented me with. However, I am well contented, finding
myself yet to be worth L5,200. Having done, to supper with my wife, and
then to finish the writing fair of my accounts, and so to bed. This day
come to town Mr. Homewood, and I took him home in the evening to my
chamber, and discoursed with him about my business of the Victualling,
which I have a mind to employ him in, and he is desirous of also, but do
very ingenuously declare he understands it not so well as other things,
and desires to be informed in the nature of it before he attempts it,
which I like well, and so I carried him to Mr. Gibson to discourse with
him about it, and so home again to my accounts. Thus ends this month,
with my mind oppressed by my defect in my duty of the Victualling, which
lies upon me as a burden, till I get myself into a better posture
therein, and hinders me and casts down my courage in every thing else
that belongs to me, and the jealousy I have of Sir W. Coventry's being
displeased with me about it; but I hope in a little time to remedy all.
As to publique business; by late tidings of the French fleete being come
to Rochelle (how true, though, I know not) our fleete is divided; Prince
Rupert being gone with about thirty ships to the Westward as is conceived
to meet the French, to hinder their coming to join with the Dutch. My
Lord Duke of Albemarle lies in the Downes with the rest, and intends
presently to sail to the Gunfleete.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
JUNE
1666
June 1st. Being prevented yesterday in meeting by reason of the fast
day, we met to-day all the morning. At noon I and my father, wife and
sister, dined at Aunt Wight's here hard by at Mr. Woolly's, upon sudden
warning, they being to go out of town to-morrow. Here dined the faire
Mrs. Margaret Wight, who is a very fine lady, but the cast of her eye,
got only by an ill habit, do her much wrong and her hands are bad; but
she hath the face of a noble Roman lady. After dinner my uncle and
Woolly and I out into their yarde, to talke about what may be done
hereafter to all our profits by prizegoods, which did give us reason to
lament the losse of the opportunity of the last yeare, which, if we were
as wise as we are now, and at the peaceable end of all those troubles
that we met with, all might have been such a hit as will never come again
in this age, and so I do really believe it. Thence home to my office and
there did much business, and at night home to my father to supper and to
bed.
2nd. Up, and to the office, where certain newes is brought us of a
letter come to the King this morning from the Duke of Albemarle, dated
yesterday at eleven o'clock, as they were sailing to the Gunfleete, that
they were in sight of the Dutch fleete, and were fitting themselves to
fight them; so that they are, ere this, certainly engaged; besides,
several do averr they heard the guns all yesterday in the afternoon.
This put us at the Board into a tosse. Presently come orders for our
sending away to the fleete a recruite of 200 soldiers. So I rose from
the table, and to the Victualling office, and thence upon the River among
several vessels, to consider of the sending them away; and lastly, down
to Greenwich, and there appointed two yachts to be ready for them; and
did order the soldiers to march to Blackewall. Having set all things in
order against the next flood, I went on shore with Captain Erwin at
Greenwich, and into the Parke, and there we could hear the guns from the
fleete most plainly. Thence he and I to the King's Head and there
bespoke a dish of steaks for our dinner about four o'clock. While that
was doing, we walked to the water-side, and there seeing the King and
Duke come down in their barge to Greenwich-house, I to them, and did give
them an account [of] what I was doing. They went up to the Parke to hear
the guns of the fleete go off. All our hopes now are that Prince Rupert
with his fleete is coming back and will be with the fleete this even: a
message being sent to him to that purpose on Wednesday last; and a return
is come from him this morning, that he did intend to sail from St.
Ellen's point about four in the afternoon on Wednesday [Friday], which
was yesterday; which gives us great hopes, the wind being very fair, that
he is with them this even, and the fresh going off of the guns makes us
believe the same. After dinner, having nothing else to do till flood, I
went and saw Mrs. Daniel, to whom I did not tell that the fleets were
engaged, because of her husband, who is in the R. Charles. Very pleasant
with her half an hour, and so away and down to Blackewall, and there saw
the soldiers (who were by this time gotten most of them drunk) shipped
off. But, Lord! to see how the poor fellows kissed their wives and
sweethearts in that simple manner at their going off, and shouted, and
let off their guns, was strange sport. In the evening come up the River
the Katharine yacht, Captain Fazeby, who hath brought over my Lord of
Alesbury and Sir Thomas Liddall (with a very pretty daughter, and in a
pretty travelling-dress) from Flanders, who saw the Dutch fleete on
Thursday, and ran from them; but from that houre to this hath not heard
one gun, nor any newes of any fight. Having put the soldiers on board, I
home and wrote what I had to write by the post, and so home to supper and
to bed, it being late.
3rd (Lord's-day; Whit-sunday). Up, and by water to White Hall, and there
met with Mr. Coventry, who tells me the only news from the fleete is
brought by Captain Elliott, of The Portland, which, by being run on board
by The Guernsey, was disabled from staying abroad; so is come in to
Aldbrough. That he saw one of the Dutch great ships blown up, and three
on fire. That they begun to fight on Friday; and at his coming into
port, he could make another ship of the King's coming in, which he judged
to be the Rupert: that he knows of no other hurt to our ships. With this
good newes I home by water again, and to church in the sermon-time, and
with great joy told it my fellows in the pew. So home after church time
to dinner, and after dinner my father, wife, sister, and Mercer by water
to Woolwich, while I walked by land, and saw the Exchange as full of
people, and hath been all this noon as of any other day, only for newes.
I to St. Margaret's, Westminster, and there saw at church my pretty Betty
Michell, and thence to the Abbey, and so to Mrs. Martin, and there did
what 'je voudrais avec her . . . . So by and by he come in, and after
some discourse with him I away to White Hall, and there met with this bad
newes farther, that the Prince come to Dover but at ten o'clock last
night, and there heard nothing of a fight; so that we are defeated of all
our hopes of his helpe to the fleete. It is also reported by some
Victuallers that the Duke of Albemarle and Holmes their flags were shot
down, and both fain to come to anchor to renew their rigging and sails.
A letter is also come this afternoon, from Harman in the Henery; which is
she [that] was taken by Elliott for the Rupert; that being fallen into
the body of the Dutch fleete, he made his way through them, was set on by
three fire-ships one after another, got two of them off, and disabled the
third; was set on fire himself; upon which many of his men leapt into the
sea and perished; among others, the parson first. Have lost above 100
men, and a good many women (God knows what is become of Balty), and at
last quenched his own fire and got to Aldbrough; being, as all say, the
greatest hazard that ever any ship escaped, and as bravely managed by
him. The mast of the third fire-ship fell into their ship on fire, and
hurt Harman's leg, which makes him lame now, but not dangerous. I to Sir
G. Carteret, who told me there hath been great bad management in all
this; that the King's orders that went on Friday for calling back the
Prince, were sent but by the ordinary post on Wednesday; and come to the
Prince his hands but on Friday; and then, instead of sailing presently,
he stays till four in the evening. And that which is worst of all, the
Hampshire, laden with merchants' money, come from the Straights, set out
with or but just before the fleete, and was in the Downes by five in the
clock yesterday morning; and the Prince with his fleete come to Dover but
at ten of the clock at night. This is hard to answer, if it be true.
This puts great astonishment into the King, and Duke, and Court, every
body being out of countenance. So meeting Creed, he and I by coach to
Hide Parke alone to talke of these things, and do blesse God that my Lord
Sandwich was not here at this time to be concerned in a business like to
be so misfortunate. It was a pleasant thing to consider how fearfull I
was of being seen with Creed all this afternoon, for fear of people's
thinking that by our relation to my Lord Sandwich we should be making ill
construction of the Prince's failure. But, God knows, I am heartily
sorry for the sake of the whole nation, though, if it were not for that,
it would not be amisse to have these high blades find some checke to
their presumption and their disparaging of as good men. Thence set him
down in Covent Guarden and so home by the 'Change, which is full of
people still, and all talk highly of the failure of the Prince in not
making more haste after his instructions did come, and of our managements
here in not giving it sooner and with more care and oftener. Thence.
After supper to bed.
4th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Pen to White Hall in the
latter's coach, where, when we come, we find the Duke at St. James's,
whither he is lately gone to lodge. So walking through the Parke we saw
hundreds of people listening at the Gravel-pits,--[Kensington]--and to
and again in the Parke to hear the guns, and I saw a letter, dated last
night, from Strowd, Governor of Dover Castle, which says that the Prince
come thither the night before with his fleete, but that for the guns
which we writ that we heard, it is only a mistake for thunder;
[Evelyn was in his garden when he heard the guns, and be at once set
off to Rochester and the coast, but he found that nothing had been
heard at Deal (see his "Diary," June 1st, 1666).]
and so far as to yesterday it is a miraculous thing that we all Friday,
and Saturday and yesterday, did hear every where most plainly the guns go
off, and yet at Deale and Dover to last night they did not hear one word
of a fight, nor think they heard one gun. This, added to what I have set
down before the other day about the Katharine, makes room for a great
dispute in philosophy, how we should hear it and they not, the same wind
that brought it to us being the same that should bring it to them: but so
it is. Major Halsey, however (he was sent down on purpose to hear
newes), did bring newes this morning that he did see the Prince and his
fleete at nine of the clock yesterday morning, four or five leagues to
sea behind the Goodwin, so that by the hearing of the guns this morning
we conclude he is come to the fleete. After wayting upon the Duke, Sir
W. Pen (who was commanded to go to-night by water down to Harwich, to
dispatch away all the ships he can) and I home, drinking two bottles of
Cocke ale in the streete in his new fine coach, where no sooner come, but
newes is brought me of a couple of men come to speak with me from the
fleete; so I down, and who should it be but Mr. Daniel, all muffled up,
and his face as black as the chimney, and covered with dirt, pitch, and
tarr, and powder, and muffled with dirty clouts, and his right eye
stopped with okum. He is come last night at five o'clock from the
fleete, with a comrade of his that hath endangered another eye. They
were set on shore at Harwich this morning, and at two o'clock, in a catch
with about twenty more wounded men from the Royall Charles. They being
able to ride, took post about three this morning, and were here between
eleven and twelve. I went presently into the coach with them, and
carried them to Somerset-House-stairs, and there took water (all the
world gazing upon us, and concluding it to be newes from the fleete, and
every body's face appeared expecting of newes) to the Privy-stairs, and
left them at Mr. Coventry's lodging (he, though, not being there); and so
I into the Parke to the King, and told him my Lord Generall was well the
last night at five o'clock, and the Prince come with his fleete and
joyned with his about seven. The King was mightily pleased with this
newes, and so took me by the hand and talked a little of it. Giving him
the best account I could; and then he bid me to fetch the two seamen to
him, he walking into the house. So I went and fetched the seamen into
the Vane room to him, and there he heard the whole account.
THE FIGHT.
How we found the Dutch fleete at anchor on Friday half seas over, between
Dunkirke and Ostend, and made them let slip their anchors. They about
ninety, and we less than sixty. We fought them, and put them to the run,
till they met with about sixteen sail of fresh ships, and so bore up
again. The fight continued till night, and then again the next morning
from five till seven at night. And so, too, yesterday morning they begun
again, and continued till about four o'clock, they chasing us for the
most part of Saturday and yesterday, we flying from them. The Duke
himself, then those people were put into the catch, and by and by spied
the Prince's fleete coming, upon which De Ruyter called a little council
(being in chase at this time of us), and thereupon their fleete divided
into two squadrons; forty in one, and about thirty in the other (the
fleete being at first about ninety, but by one accident or other,
supposed to be lessened to about seventy); the bigger to follow the Duke,
the less to meet the Prince. But the Prince come up with the Generall's
fleete, and the Dutch come together again and bore towards their own
coast, and we with them; and now what the consequence of this day will
be, at that time fighting, we know not. The Duke was forced to come to
anchor on Friday, having lost his sails and rigging. No particular
person spoken of to be hurt but Sir W. Clerke, who hath lost his leg, and
bore it bravely. The Duke himself had a little hurt in his thigh, but
signified little. The King did pull out of his pocket about twenty
pieces in gold, and did give it Daniel for himself and his companion; and
so parted, mightily pleased with the account he did give him of the
fight, and the successe it ended with, of the Prince's coming, though it
seems the Duke did give way again and again. The King did give order for
care to be had of Mr. Daniel and his companion; and so we parted from
him, and then met the Duke [of York], and gave him the same account: and
so broke up, and I left them going to the surgeon's and I myself by water
to the 'Change, and to several people did give account of the business.
So home about four o'clock to dinner, and was followed by several people
to be told the newes, and good newes it is. God send we may hear a good
issue of this day's business! After I had eat something I walked to
Gresham College, where I heard my Lord Bruncker was, and there got a
promise of the receipt of the fine varnish, which I shall be glad to
have. Thence back with Mr. Hooke to my house and there lent some of my
tables of naval matters, the names of rigging and the timbers about a
ship, in order to Dr. Wilkins' book coming out about the Universal
Language. Thence, he being gone, to the Crown, behind the 'Change, and
there supped at the club with my Lord Bruncker, Sir G. Ent, and others of
Gresham College; and all our discourse is of this fight at sea, and all
are doubtful of the successe, and conclude all had been lost if the
Prince had not come in, they having chased us the greatest part of
Saturday and Sunday. Thence with my Lord Bruncker and Creed by coach to
White Hall, where fresh letters are come from Harwich, where the
Gloucester, Captain Clerke, is come in, and says that on Sunday night
upon coming in of the Prince, the Duke did fly; but all this day they
have been fighting; therefore they did face again, to be sure. Captain
Bacon of The Bristoll is killed. They cry up Jenings of The Ruby, and
Saunders of The Sweepstakes. They condemn mightily Sir Thomas Teddiman
for a coward, but with what reason time must shew. Having heard all this
Creed and I walked into the Parke till 9 or 10 at night, it being fine
moonshine, discoursing of the unhappinesse of our fleete, what it would
have been if the Prince had not come in, how much the Duke hath failed of
what he was so presumptuous of, how little we deserve of God Almighty to
give us better fortune, how much this excuses all that was imputed to my
Lord Sandwich, and how much more he is a man fit to be trusted with all
those matters than those that now command, who act by nor with any
advice, but rashly and without any order. How bad we are at intelligence
that should give the Prince no sooner notice of any thing but let him
come to Dover without notice of any fight, or where the fleete were, or
any thing else, nor give the Duke any notice that he might depend upon
the Prince's reserve; and lastly, of how good use all may be to checke
our pride and presumption in adventuring upon hazards upon unequal force
against a people that can fight, it seems now, as well as we, and that
will not be discouraged by any losses, but that they will rise again.
Thence by water home, and to supper (my father, wife, and sister having
been at Islington today at Pitt's) and to bed.
5th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, expecting every houre
more newes of the fleete and the issue of yesterday's fight, but nothing
come. At noon, though I should have dined with my Lord Mayor and
Aldermen at an entertainment of Commissioner Taylor's, yet it being a
time of expectation of the successe of the fleete, I did not go, but
dined at home, and after dinner by water down to Deptford (and Woolwich,
where I had not been since I lodged there, and methinks the place has
grown natural to me), and thence down to Longreach, calling on all the
ships in the way, seeing their condition for sayling, and what they want.
Home about 11 of the clock, and so eat a bit and to bed, having received
no manner of newes this day, but of The Rainbow's being put in from the
fleete, maimed as the other ships are, and some say that Sir W. Clerke is
dead of his leg being cut off.
6th. Up betimes, and vexed with my people for having a key taken out of
the chamber doors and nobody knew where it was, as also with my boy for
not being ready as soon as I, though I called him, whereupon I boxed him
soundly, and then to my business at the office and on the Victualling
Office, and thence by water to St. James's, whither he [the Duke of York]
is now gone, it being a monthly fast-day for the plague. There we all
met, and did our business as usual with the Duke, and among other things
had Captain Cocke's proposal of East country goods read, brought by my
Lord Bruncker, which I make use of as a monkey do the cat's foot. Sir W.
Coventry did much oppose it, and it's likely it will not do; so away goes
my hopes of L500. Thence after the Duke into the Parke, walking through
to White Hall, and there every body listening for guns, but none heard,
and every creature is now overjoyed and concludes upon very good grounds
that the Dutch are beaten because we have heard no guns nor no newes of
our fleete. By and by walking a little further, Sir Philip Frowde did
meet the Duke with an expresse to Sir W. Coventry (who was by) from
Captain Taylor, the Storekeeper at Harwich, being the narration of
Captain Hayward of The Dunkirke; who gives a very serious account, how
upon Monday the two fleetes fought all day till seven at night, and then
the whole fleete of Dutch did betake themselves to a very plain flight,
and never looked back again. That Sir Christopher Mings is wounded in
the leg; that the Generall is well. That it is conceived reasonably,
that of all the Dutch fleete, which, with what recruits they had, come to
one hundred sayle, there is not above fifty got home; and of them, few if
any of their flags. And that little Captain Bell, in one of the fire-
ships, did at the end of the day fire a ship of 70 guns. We were all so
overtaken with this good newes, that the Duke ran with it to the King,
who was gone to chappell, and there all the Court was in a hubbub, being
rejoiced over head and ears in this good newes. Away go I by coach to
the New Exchange, and there did spread this good newes a little, though I
find it had broke out before. And so home to our own church, it being
the common Fast-day, and it was just before sermon; but, Lord! how all
the people in the church stared upon me to see me whisper to Sir John
Minnes and my Lady Pen. Anon I saw people stirring and whispering below,
and by and by comes up the sexton from my Lady Ford to tell me the newes
(which I had brought), being now sent into the church by Sir W. Batten in
writing, and handed from pew to pew. But that which pleased me as much
as the newes, was, to have the fair Mrs. Middleton at our church, who
indeed is a very beautiful lady. Here after sermon comes to our office
40 people almost of all sorts and qualities to hear the newes, which I
took great delight to tell them. Then home and found my wife at dinner,
not knowing of my being at church, and after dinner my father and she out
to Hales's, where my father is to begin to sit to-day for his picture,
which I have a desire to have. I all the afternoon at home doing some
business, drawing up my vowes for the rest of the yeare to Christmas;
but, Lord! to see in what a condition of happiness I am, if I would but
keepe myself so; but my love of pleasure is such, that my very soul is
angry with itself for my vanity in so doing. Anon took coach and to
Hales's, but he was gone out, and my father and wife gone. So I to
Lovett's, and there to my trouble saw plainly that my project of
varnished books will not take, it not keeping colour, not being able to
take polishing upon a single paper. Thence home, and my father and wife
not coming in, I proceeded with my coach to take a little ayre as far as
Bow all alone, and there turned back and home; but before I got home, the
bonefires were lighted all the towne over, and I going through Crouched
Friars, seeing Mercer at her mother's gate, stopped, and 'light, and into
her mother's, the first time I ever was there, and find all my people,
father and all, at a very fine supper at W. Hewer's lodging, very neatly,
and to my great pleasure. After supper, into his chamber, which is
mighty fine with pictures and every thing else, very curious, which
pleased me exceedingly. Thence to the gate, with the women all about me,
and Mrs. Mercer's son had provided a great many serpents, and so I made
the women all fire some serpents. By and by comes in our faire
neighbour, Mrs. Turner, and two neighbour's daughters, Mrs. Tite, the
elder of whom, a long red-nosed silly jade; the younger, a pretty black
girle, and the merriest sprightly jade that ever I saw. With them idled
away the whole night till twelve at night at the bonefire in the streets.
Some of the people thereabouts going about with musquets, and did give me
two or three vollies of their musquets, I giving them a crowne to drink;
and so home. Mightily pleased with this happy day's newes, and the more,
because confirmed by Sir Daniel Harvy, who was in the whole fight with
the Generall, and tells me that there appear but thirty-six in all of the
Dutch fleete left at the end of the voyage when they run home. The joy
of the City was this night exceeding great.
7th. Up betimes, and to my office about business (Sir W. Coventry having
sent me word that he is gone down to the fleete to see how matters stand,
and to be back again speedily); and with the same expectation of
congratulating ourselves with the victory that I had yesterday. But my
Lord Bruncker and Sir T. H. that come from Court, tell me quite contrary
newes, which astonishes me: that is to say, that we are beaten, lost many
ships and good commanders; have not taken one ship of the enemy's; and so
can only report ourselves a victory; nor is it certain that we were left
masters of the field. But, above all, that The Prince run on shore upon
the Galloper, and there stuck; was endeavoured to be fetched off by the
Dutch, but could not; and so they burned her; and Sir G. Ascue is taken
prisoner, and carried into Holland. This newes do much trouble me, and
the thoughts of the ill consequences of it, and the pride and presumption
that brought us to it. At noon to the 'Change, and there find the
discourse of towne, and their countenances much changed; but yet not very
plain. So home to dinner all alone, my father and people being gone all
to Woolwich to see the launching of the new ship The Greenwich, built by
Chr. Pett. I left alone with little Mrs. Tooker, whom I kept with me in
my chamber all the afternoon, and did what I would with her. By and by
comes Mr. Wayth to me; and discoursing of our ill successe, he tells me
plainly from Captain Page's own mouth (who hath lost his arm in the
fight), that the Dutch did pursue us two hours before they left us, and
then they suffered us to go on homewards, and they retreated towards
their coast: which is very sad newes. Then to my office and anon to
White Hall, late, to the Duke of York to see what commands he hath and to
pray a meeting to-morrow for Tangier in behalf of Mr. Yeabsly, which I
did do and do find the Duke much damped in his discourse, touching the
late fight, and all the Court talk sadly of it. The Duke did give me
several letters he had received from the fleete, and Sir W. Coventry and
Sir W. Pen, who are gone down thither, for me to pick out some works to
be done for the setting out the fleete again; and so I took them home
with me, and was drawing out an abstract of them till midnight. And as
to newes, I do find great reason to think that we are beaten in every
respect, and that we are the losers. The Prince upon the Galloper, where
both the Royall Charles and Royall Katharine had come twice aground, but
got off. The Essex carried into Holland; the Swiftsure missing (Sir
William Barkeley) ever since the beginning of the fight. Captains Bacon,
Tearne, Wood, Mootham, Whitty, and Coppin, slayne. The Duke of Albemarle
writes, that he never fought with worse officers in his life, not above
twenty of them behaving themselves like men. Sir William Clerke lost his
leg; and in two days died. The Loyall George, Seven Oakes, and
Swiftsure, are still missing, having never, as the Generall writes
himself, engaged with them. It was as great an alteration to find myself
required to write a sad letter instead of a triumphant one to my Lady
Sandwich this night, as ever on any occasion I had in my life. So late
home and to bed.
8th. Up very betimes and to attend the Duke of York by order, all of us
to report to him what the works are that are required of us and to divide
among us, wherein I have taken a very good share, and more than I can
perform, I doubt. Thence to the Exchequer about some Tangier businesses,
and then home, where to my very great joy I find Balty come home without
any hurt, after the utmost imaginable danger he hath gone through in the
Henery, being upon the quarterdeck with Harman all the time; and for
which service Harman I heard this day commended most seriously and most
eminently by the Duke of Yorke. As also the Duke did do most utmost
right to Sir Thomas Teddiman, of whom a scandal was raised, but without
cause, he having behaved himself most eminently brave all the whole
fight, and to extraordinary great service and purpose, having given Trump
himself such a broadside as was hardly ever given to any ship. Mings is
shot through the face, and into the shoulder, where the bullet is lodged.
Young Holmes' is also ill wounded, and Atber in The Rupert. Balty tells
me the case of The Henery; and it was, indeed, most extraordinary sad and
desperate. After dinner Balty and I to my office, and there talked a
great deal of this fight; and I am mightily pleased in him and have great
content in, and hopes of his doing well. Thence out to White Hall to a
Committee for Tangier, but it met not. But, Lord! to see how melancholy
the Court is, under the thoughts of this last overthrow (for so it is),
instead of a victory, so much and so unreasonably expected. Thence, the
Committee not meeting, Creed and I down the river as low as Sir W.
Warren's, with whom I did motion a business that may be of profit to me,
about buying some lighters to send down to the fleete, wherein he will
assist me. So back again, he and I talking of the late ill management of
this fight, and of the ill management of fighting at all against so great
a force bigger than ours, and so to the office, where we parted, but with
this satisfaction that we hear the Swiftsure, Sir W. Barkeley, is come in
safe to the Nore, after her being absent ever since the beginning of the
fight, wherein she did not appear at all from beginning to end. But
wherever she has been, they say she is arrived there well, which I pray
God however may be true. At the office late, doing business, and so home
to supper and to bed.
9th. Up, and to St. James's, there to wait on the Duke of Yorke, and had
discourse with him about several businesses of the fleete. But, Lord!
to see how the Court is divided about The Swiftsure and The Essex's being
safe. And wagers and odds laid on both sides. I did tell the Duke how
Sir W. Batten did tell me this morning that he was sure the Swiftsure is
safe. This put them all in a great joy and certainty of it, but this I
doubt will prove nothing. Thence to White Ball in expectation of a
meeting of Tangier, and we did industriously labour to have it this
morning; but we could not get a fifth person there, so after much pains
and thoughts on my side on behalfe of Yeabsly, we were fain to breake up.
But, Lord! to see with what patience Lord Ashly did stay all the morning
to get a Committee, little thinking that I know the reason of his
willingnesse. So I home to dinner and back again to White Hall, and,
being come thither a little too soon, went to Westminster Hall, and
bought a payre of gloves, and to see how people do take this late fight
at sea, and I find all give over the thoughts of it as a victory and to
reckon it a great overthrow. So to White Hall, and there when we were
come all together in certain expectation of doing our business to
Yeabsly's full content, and us that were his friends, my Lord
Peterborough (whether through some difference between him and my Lord
Ashly, or him and me or Povy, or through the falsenesse of Creed, I know
not) do bring word that the Duke of Yorke (who did expressly bid me wait
at the Committee for the dispatch of the business) would not have us go
forward in this business of allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G.
Carteret and Sir W. Coventry were come to towne, which was the very thing
indeed which we would have avoided. This being told us, we broke up
doing nothing, to my great discontent, though I said nothing, and
afterwards I find by my Lord Ashly's discourse to me that he is troubled
mightily at it, and indeed it is a great abuse of him and of the whole
Commissioners that nothing of that nature can be done without Sir G.
Carteret or Sir W. Coventry. No sooner was the Committee up, and I going
[through] the Court homeward, but I am told Sir W. Coventry is come to
town; so I to his chamber, and there did give him an account how matters
go in our office, and with some content I parted from him, after we had
discoursed several things of the haste requisite to be made in getting
the fleete out again and the manner of doing it. But I do not hear that
he is at all pleased or satisfied with the late fight; but he tells me
more newes of our suffering, by the death of one or two captains more
than I knew before. But he do give over the thoughts of the safety of
The Swiftsure or Essex. Thence homewards, landed at the Old Swan, and
there find my pretty Betty Michell and her husband at their doore in
Thames Streete, which I was glad to find, and went into their shop, and
they made me drink some of their strong water, the first time I was ever
with them there. I do exceedingly love her. After sitting a little and
talking with them about several things at great distance I parted and
home to my business late. But I am to observe how the drinking of some
strong water did immediately put my eyes into a fit of sorenesse again as
they were the other day. I mean my right eye only. Late at night I had
an account brought me by Sir W. Warren that he has gone through four
lighters for me, which pleases me very well. So home to bed, much
troubled with our disappointment at the Tangier Committee.
10th (Lord's day). Up very betimes, and down the river to Deptford, and
did a good deale of business in sending away and directing several things
to the Fleete. That being done, back to London to my office, and there
at my office till after Church time fitting some notes to carry to Sir W.
Coventry in the afternoon. At noon home to dinner, where my cozen
Joyces, both of them, they and their wives and little Will, come by
invitation to dinner to me, and I had a good dinner for them; but, Lord!
how sicke was I of W. Joyce's company, both the impertinencies of it and
his ill manners before me at my table to his wife, which I could hardly
forbear taking notice of; but being at my table and for his wife's sake,
I did, though I will prevent his giving me the like occasion again at my
house I will warrant him. After dinner I took leave and by water to
White Hall, and there spent all the afternoon in the Gallery, till the
Council was up, to speake with Sir W. Coventry. Walking here I met with
Pierce the surgeon, who is lately come from the fleete, and tells me that
all the commanders, officers, and even the common seamen do condemn every
part of the late conduct of the Duke of Albemarle: both in his fighting
at all, in his manner of fighting, running among them in his retreat, and
running the ships on ground; so as nothing can be worse spoken of. That
Holmes, Spragg, and Smith do all the business, and the old and wiser
commanders nothing. So as Sir Thomas Teddiman (whom the King and all the
world speak well of) is mightily discontented, as being wholly slighted.
He says we lost more after the Prince come, than before too. The Prince
was so maimed, as to be forced to be towed home. He says all the fleete
confess their being chased home by the Dutch; and yet the body of the
Dutch that did it, was not above forty sayle at most. And yet this put
us into the fright, as to bring all our ships on ground. He says,
however, that the Duke of Albemarle is as high almost as ever, and
pleases himself to think that he hath given the Dutch their bellies full,
without sense of what he hath lost us; and talks how he knows now the way
to beat them. But he says, that even Smith himself, one of his
creatures, did himself condemn the late conduct from the beginning to the
end. He tells me further, how the Duke of Yorke is wholly given up to
his new mistresse, my Lady Denham, going at noon-day with all his
gentlemen with him to visit her in Scotland Yard; she declaring she will
not be his mistresse, as Mrs. Price, to go up and down the Privy-stairs,
but will be owned publicly; and so she is. Mr. Bruncker, it seems, was
the pimp to bring it about, and my Lady Castlemaine, who designs thereby
to fortify herself by the Duke; there being a falling-out the other day
between the King and her: on this occasion, the Queene, in ordinary talke
before the ladies in her drawing-room, did say to my Lady Castlemaine
that she feared the King did take cold, by staying so late abroad at her
house. She answered before them all, that he did not stay so late abroad
with her, for he went betimes thence (though he do not before one, two,
or three in the morning), but must stay somewhere else. The King then
coming in and overhearing, did whisper in the eare aside, and told her
she was a bold impertinent woman, and bid her to be gone out of the
Court, and not come again till he sent for, her; which she did presently,
and went to a lodging in the Pell Mell, and kept there two or three days,
and then sent to the King to know whether she might send for her things
away out of her house. The King sent to her, she must first come and
view them: and so she come, and the King went to her, and all friends
again. He tells me she did, in her anger, say she would be even with the
King, and print his letters to her. So putting all together, we are and
are like to be in a sad condition. We are endeavouring to raise money by
borrowing it of the City; but I do not think the City will lend a
farthing. By and by the Council broke up, and I spoke with Sir
W. Coventry about business, with whom I doubt not in a little time to be
mighty well, when I shall appear to mind my business again as I used to
do, which by the grace of God I will do. Gone from him I endeavoured to
find out Sir G. Carteret, and at last did at Mr. Ashburnham's, in the Old
Palace Yarde, and thence he and I stepped out and walked an houre in the
church-yarde, under Henry the Seventh's Chappell, he being lately come
from the fleete; and tells me, as I hear from every body else, that the
management in the late fight was bad from top to bottom. That several
said this would not have been if my Lord Sandwich had had the ordering of
it. Nay, he tells me that certainly had my Lord Sandwich had the
misfortune to have done as they have done, the King could not have saved
him. There is, too, nothing but discontent among the officers; and all
the old experienced men are slighted. He tells me to my question (but as
a great secret), that the dividing of the fleete did proceed first from a
proposition from the fleete, though agreed to hence. But he confesses it
arose from want of due intelligence, which he confesses we do want. He
do, however, call the fleete's retreat on Sunday a very honourable
retreat, and that the Duke of Albemarle did do well in it, and would have
been well if he had done it sooner, rather than venture the loss of the
fleete and crown, as he must have done if the Prince had not come. He
was surprised when I told him I heard that the King did intend to borrow
some money of the City, and would know who had spoke of it to me; I told
him Sir Ellis Layton this afternoon. He says it is a dangerous
discourse; for that the City certainly will not be invited to do it, and
then for the King to ask it and be denied, will be the beginning of our
sorrow. He seems to fear we shall all fall to pieces among ourselves.
This evening we hear that Sir Christopher Mings is dead of his late
wounds; and Sir W. Coventry did commend him to me in a most extraordinary
manner. But this day, after three days' trial in vain, and the hazard of
the spoiling of the ship in lying till next spring, besides the disgrace
of it, newes is brought that the Loyall London is launched at Deptford.
Having talked thus much with Sir G. Carteret we parted there, and I home
by water, taking in my boat with me young Michell and my Betty his wife,
meeting them accidentally going to look a boat. I set them down at the
Old Swan and myself, went through bridge to the Tower, and so home, and
after supper to bed.
11th. Up, and down by water to Sir W. Warren's (the first time I was in
his new house on the other side the water since he enlarged it) to
discourse about our lighters that he hath bought for me, and I hope to
get L100 by this jobb. Having done with him I took boat again (being
mightily struck with a woman in a hat, a seaman's mother,--[Mother or
mauther, a wench.]--that stood on the key) and home, where at the office
all the morning with Sir W. Coventry and some others of our board hiring
of fireships, and Sir W. Coventry begins to see my pains again, which I
do begin to take, and I am proud of it, and I hope shall continue it. He
gone, at noon I home to dinner, and after dinner my father and wife out
to the painter's to sit again, and I, with my Lady Pen and her daughter,
to see Harman; whom we find lame in bed. His bones of his anckle are
broke, but he hopes to do well soon; and a fine person by his discourse
he seems to be and my hearty [friend]; and he did plainly tell me that at
the Council of War before the fight, it was against his reason to begin
the fight then, and the reasons of most sober men there, the wind being
such, and we to windward, that they could not use their lower tier of
guns, which was a very sad thing for us to have the honour and weal of
the nation ventured so foolishly. I left them there, and walked to
Deptford, reading in Walsingham's Manual, a very good book, and there met
with Sir W. Batten and my Lady at Uthwayt's. Here I did much business
and yet had some little mirthe with my Lady, and anon we all come up
together to our office, where I was very late doing much business. Late
comes Sir J. Bankes to see me, and tells me that coming up from Rochester
he overtook three or four hundred seamen, and he believes every day they
come flocking from the fleete in like numbers; which is a sad neglect
there, when it will be impossible to get others, and we have little
reason to think that these will return presently again. He gone, I to
end my letters to-night, and then home to supper and to bed.
12th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon to
dinner, and then to White Hall in hopes of a meeting of Tangier about
Yeabsly's business, but it could not be obtained, Sir G. Carteret nor Sir
W. Coventry being able to be there, which still vexes [me] to see the
poor man forced still to attend, as also being desirous to see what my
profit is, and get it. Walking here in the galleries I find the Ladies
of Honour dressed in their riding garbs, with coats and doublets with
deep skirts, just for all the world like mine, and buttoned their
doublets up the breast, with perriwigs and with hats; so that, only for a
long petticoat dragging under their men's coats, nobody could take them
for women in any point whatever; which was an odde sight, and a sight did
not please me. It was Mrs. Wells and another fine lady that I saw thus.
Thence down by water to Deptford, and there late seeing some things
dispatched down to the fleete, and so home (thinking indeed to have met
with Bagwell, but I did not) to write my letters very late, and so to
supper and to bed.
13th. Up, and by coach to St. James's, and there did our business before
the Duke as usual, having, before the Duke come out of his bed, walked in
an ante-chamber with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me there are great jarrs
between the Duke of Yorke and the Duke of Albemarle, about the later's
turning out one or two of the commanders put in by the Duke of Yorke.
Among others, Captain Du Tell, a Frenchman, put in by the Duke of Yorke,
and mightily defended by him; and is therein led by Monsieur Blancford,
that it seems hath the same command over the Duke of Yorke as Sir W.
Coventry hath; which raises ill blood between them. And I do in several
little things observe that Sir W. Coventry hath of late, by the by,
reflected on the Duke of Albemarle and his captains, particularly in that
of old Teddiman, who did deserve to be turned out this fight, and was so;
but I heard Sir W. Coventry say that the Duke of Albemarle put in one as
bad as he is in his room, and one that did as little. After we had done
with the Duke of Yorke, I with others to White Hall, there to attend
again a Committee of Tangier, but there was none, which vexed me to the
heart, and makes me mighty doubtfull that when we have one, it will be
prejudiced against poor Yeabsly and to my great disadvantage thereby, my
Lord Peterborough making it his business, I perceive (whether in spite to
me, whom he cannot but smell to be a friend to it, or to my Lord Ashly,
I know not), to obstruct it, and seems to take delight in disappointing
of us; but I shall be revenged of him. Here I staid a very great while,
almost till noon, and then meeting Balty I took him with me, and to
Westminster to the Exchequer about breaking of two tallys of L2000 each
into smaller tallys, which I have been endeavouring a good while, but to
my trouble it will not, I fear, be done, though there be no reason
against it, but only a little trouble to the clerks; but it is nothing to
me of real profit at all. Thence with Balty to Hales's by coach, it
being the seventh day from my making my late oathes, and by them I am at
liberty to dispense with any of my oathes every seventh day after I had
for the six days before going performed all my vowes. Here I find my
father's picture begun, and so much to my content, that it joys my very
heart to thinke that I should have his picture so well done; who, besides
that he is my father, and a man that loves me, and hath ever done so, is
also, at this day, one of the most carefull and innocent men, in the
world. Thence with mighty content homeward, and in my way at the Stockes
did buy a couple of lobsters, and so home to dinner, where I find my wife
and father had dined, and were going out to Hales's to sit there, so
Balty and I alone to dinner, and in the middle of my grace, praying for a
blessing upon (these his good creatures), my mind fell upon my lobsters:
upon which I cried, Odd zooks! and Balty looked upon me like a man at a
losse what I meant, thinking at first that I meant only that I had said
the grace after meat instead of that before meat. But then I cried, what
is become of my lobsters? Whereupon he run out of doors to overtake the
coach, but could not, so came back again, and mighty merry at dinner to
thinke of my surprize. After dinner to the Excise Office by appointment,
and there find my Lord Bellasses and the Commissioners, and by and by the
whole company come to dispute the business of our running so far
behindhand there, and did come to a good issue in it, that is to say, to
resolve upon having the debt due to us, and the Household and the Guards
from the Excise stated, and so we shall come to know the worst of our
condition and endeavour for some helpe from my Lord Treasurer. Thence
home, and put off Balty, and so, being invited, to Sir Christopher
Mings's funeral, but find them gone to church. However I into the church
(which is a fair, large church, and a great chappell) and there heard the
service, and staid till they buried him, and then out. And there met
with Sir W. Coventry (who was there out of great generosity, and no
person of quality there but he) and went with him into his coach, and
being in it with him there happened this extraordinary case, one of the
most romantique that ever I heard of in my life, and could not have
believed, but that I did see it; which was this:--About a dozen able,
lusty, proper men come to the coach-side with tears in their eyes, and
one of them that spoke for the rest begun and says to Sir W. Coventry,
"We are here a dozen of us that have long known and loved, and served our
dead commander, Sir Christopher Mings, and have now done the last office
of laying him in the ground. We would be glad we had any other to offer
after him, and in revenge of him. All we have is our lives; if you will
please to get His Royal Highness to give us a fireship among us all, here
is a dozen of us, out of all which choose you one to be commander, and
the rest of us, whoever he is, will serve him; and, if possible, do that
that shall show our memory of our dead commander, and our revenge." Sir
W. Coventry was herewith much moved (as well as I, who could hardly
abstain from weeping), and took their names, and so parted; telling me
that he would move His Royal Highness as in a thing very extraordinary,
which was done. Thereon see the next day in this book. So we parted.
The truth is, Sir Christopher Mings was a very stout man, and a man of
great parts, and most excellent tongue among ordinary men; and as Sir W.
Coventry says, could have been the most useful man at such a pinch of
time as this. He was come into great renowne here at home, and more
abroad in the West Indys. He had brought his family into a way of being
great; but dying at this time, his memory and name (his father being
always and at this day a shoemaker, and his mother a Hoyman's daughter;
of which he was used frequently to boast) will be quite forgot in a few
months as if he had never been, nor any of his name be the better by it;
he having not had time to will any estate, but is dead poor rather than
rich. So we left the church and crowd, and I home (being set down on
Tower Hill), and there did a little business and then in the evening went
down by water to Deptford, it being very late, and there I staid out as
much time as I could, and then took boat again homeward, but the officers
being gone in, returned and walked to Mrs. Bagwell's house, and there (it
being by this time pretty dark and past ten o'clock) went into her house
and did what I would. But I was not a little fearfull of what she told
me but now, which is, that her servant was dead of the plague, that her
coming to me yesterday was the first day of her coming forth, and that
she had new whitened the house all below stairs, but that above stairs
they are not so fit for me to go up to, they being not so. So I parted
thence, with a very good will, but very civil, and away to the waterside,
and sent for a pint of sacke and so home, drank what I would and gave the
waterman the rest; and so adieu. Home about twelve at night, and so to
bed, finding most of my people gone to bed. In my way home I called on a
fisherman and bought three eeles, which cost me three shillings.
14th. Up, and to the office, and there sat all the morning. At noon
dined at home, and thence with my wife and father to Hales's, and there
looked only on my father's picture (which is mighty like); and so away to
White Hall to a committee for Tangier, where the Duke of York was, and
Sir W. Coventry, and a very full committee; and instead of having a very
prejudiced meeting, they did, though indeed inclined against Yeabsly,
yield to the greatest part of his account, so as to allow of his demands
to the value of L7,000 and more, and only give time for him to make good
his pretence to the rest; which was mighty joy to me: and so we rose up.
But I must observe the force of money, which did make my Lord Ashly to
argue and behave himself in the business with the greatest friendship,
and yet with all the discretion imaginable; and [it] will be a business
of admonition and instruction to me concerning him (and other men, too,
for aught I know) as long as I live. Thence took Creed with some kind of
violence and some hard words between us to St. James's, to have found out
Sir W. Coventry to have signed the order for his payment among others
that did stay on purpose to do it (and which is strange among the rest my
Lord Ashly, who did cause Creed to write it presently and kept two or
three of them with him by cunning to stay and sign it), but Creed's ill
nature (though never so well bribed, as it hath lately in this case by
twenty pieces) will not be overcome from his usual delays. Thence
failing of meeting Sir W. Coventry I took leave of Creed (very good
friends) and away home, and there took out my father, wife, sister, and
Mercer our grand Tour in the evening, and made it ten at night before we
got home, only drink at the doore at Islington at the Katherine Wheel,
and so home and to the office a little, and then to bed.
15th. Up betimes, and to my Journall entries, but disturbed by many
businesses, among others by Mr. Houblon's coming to me about evening
their freight for Tangier, which I did, and then Mr. Bland, who presented
me yesterday with a very fine African mat, to lay upon the ground under a
bed of state, being the first fruits of our peace with Guyland. So to
the office, and thither come my pretty widow Mrs. Burrows, poor woman, to
get her ticket paid for her husband's service, which I did her myself,
and did 'baisser her moucher', and I do hope may thereafter have some day
'sa' company. Thence to Westminster to the Exchequer, but could not
persuade the blockheaded fellows to do what I desire, of breaking my
great tallys into less, notwithstanding my Lord Treasurer's order, which
vexed [me] so much that I would not bestow more time and trouble among a
company of dunces, and so back again home, and to dinner, whither Creed
come and dined with me and after dinner Mr. Moore, and he and I abroad,
thinking to go down the river together, but the tide being against me
would not, but returned and walked an houre in the garden, but, Lord!
to hear how he pleases himself in behalf of my Lord Sandwich, in the
miscarriage of the Duke of Albemarle, and do inveigh against Sir W.
Coventry as a cunning knave, but I thinke that without any manner of
reason at all, but only his passion. He being gone I to my chamber at
home to set my Journall right and so to settle my Tangier accounts, which
I did in very good order, and then in the evening comes Mr. Yeabsly to
reckon with me, which I did also, and have above L200 profit therein to
myself, which is a great blessing, the God of heaven make me thankfull
for it. That being done, and my eyes beginning to be sore with overmuch
writing, I to supper and to bed.
16th. Up betimes and to my office, and there we sat all the morning and
dispatched much business, the King, Duke of Yorke, and Sir W. Coventry
being gone down to the fleete. At noon home to dinner and then down to
Woolwich and Deptford to look after things, my head akeing from the
multitude of businesses I had in my head yesterday in settling my
accounts. All the way down and up, reading of "The Mayor of
Quinborough," a simple play. At Deptford, while I am there, comes Mr.
Williamson, Sir Arthur Ingram and Jacke Fen, to see the new ships, which
they had done, and then I with them home in their boat, and a very fine
gentleman Mr. Williamson is. It seems the Dutch do mightily insult of
their victory, and they have great reason.
[This treatment seems to have been that of the Dutch populace alone,
and there does not appear to have been cause of complaint against
the government. Respecting Sir W. Berkeley's body the following
notice was published in the "London Gazette" of July 15th, 1666 (No.
69) "Whitehall, July 15. This day arrived a trumpet from the States
of Holland, who came over from Calais in the Dover packet-boat, with
a letter to his Majesty, that the States have taken order for the
embalming the body of Sir William Berkeley, which they have placed
in the chapel of the great church at the Hague, a civility they
profess to owe to his corpse, in respect to the quality of his
person, the greatness of his command, and of the high courage and
valour he showed in the late engagement; desiring his Majesty to
signify his pleasure about the further disposal of it." "Frederick
Ruysch, the celebrated Dutch anatomist, undertook, by order of the
States-General, to inject the body of the English Admiral Berkeley,
killed in the sea-fight of 1666; and the body, already somewhat
decomposed, was sent over to England as well prepared as if it had
been the fresh corpse of a child. This produced to Ruysch, on the
part of the States-General, a recompense worthy of their liberality,
and the merit of the anatomist," "James's Medical Dictionary."]
Sir William Barkeley was killed before his ship taken; and there he lies
dead in a sugar-chest, for every body to see, with his flag standing up
by him. And Sir George Ascue is carried up and down the Hague for people
to see. Home to my office, where late, and then to bed.
17th (Lord's day). Being invited to Anthony Joyce's to dinner, my wife
and sister and Mercer and I walked out in the morning, it being fine
weather, to Christ Church, and there heard a silly sermon, but sat where
we saw one of the prettiest little boys with the prettiest mouth that
ever I saw in [my] life. Thence to Joyce's, where William Joyce and his
wife were, and had a good dinner; but, Lord! how sicke was I of the
company, only hope I shall have no more of it a good while; but am
invited to Will's this week; and his wife, poor unhappy woman, cried to
hear me say that I could not be there, she thinking that I slight her: so
they got me to promise to come. Thence my father and I walked to Gray's
Inne Fields, and there spent an houre or two walking and talking of
several businesses; first, as to his estate, he told me it produced about
L80 per ann., but then there goes L30 per. ann. taxes and other things,
certain charge, which I do promise to make good as far as this L30, at
which the poor man was overjoyed and wept. As to Pall he tells me he is
mightily satisfied with Ensum, and so I promised to give her L500
presently, and to oblige myself to 100 more on the birth of her first
child, he insuring her in L10 per ann. for every L100, and in the
meantime till she do marry I promise to allow her L10 per ann. Then as
to John I tell him I will promise him nothing, but will supply him as so
much lent him, I declaring that I am not pleased with him yet, and that
when his degree is over I will send for him up hither, and if he be good
for any thing doubt not to get him preferment. This discourse ended to
the joy of my father and no less to me to see that I am able to do this,
we return to Joyce's and there wanting a coach to carry us home I walked
out as far as the New Exchange to find one, but could not. So down to
the Milke-house, and drank three glasses of whay, and then up into the
Strand again, and there met with a coach, and so to Joyce's and took up
my father, wife, sister, and Mercer, and to Islington, where we drank,
and then our tour by Hackney home, where, after a little, business at my
office and then talke with my Lady and Pegg Pen in the garden, I home and
to bed, being very weary.
18th. Up betimes and in my chamber most of the morning setting things to
rights there, my Journall and accounts with my father and brother, then
to the office a little, and so to Lumbard Streete, to borrow a little
money upon a tally, but cannot. Thence to the Exchequer, and there after
much wrangling got consent that I should have a great tally broken into
little ones. Thence to Hales's to see how my father's picture goes on,
which pleases me mighty well, though I find again, as I did in Mrs.
Pierce's, that a picture may have more of a likeness in the first or
second working than it shall have when finished, though this is very well
and to my full content, but so it is, and certainly mine was not so like
at the first, second, or third sitting as it was afterward. Thence to my
Lord Bellasses, by invitation, and there dined with him, and his lady and
daughter; and at dinner there played to us a young boy, lately come from
France, where he had been learning a yeare or two on the viallin, and
plays finely. But impartially I do not find any goodnesse in their ayres
(though very good) beyond ours when played by the same hand, I observed
in several of Baptiste's'
[Jean Baptiste Lulli, son of a Tuscan peasant, born 1633, died 1687.
He invented the dramatic overture. "But during the first years of
Charles II. all musick affected by the beau mond run in the french
way; and the rather because at that time the master of the court
musick in France, whose name was Baptista (an Italian frenchifyed)
had influenced the french style by infusing a great portion of the
Italian harmony into it, whereby the ayre was exceedingly improved"
(North's "Memoires of Musick," ed. Rimbault, 1846, p, 102).]
(the present great composer) and our Bannister's. But it was pretty to
see how passionately my Lord's daughter loves musique, the most that ever
I saw creature in my life. Thence after dinner home and to the office
and anon to Lumbard Streete again, where much talke at Colvill's, he
censuring the times, and how matters are ordered, and with reason enough;
but, above all, the thinking to borrow money of the City, which will not
be done, but be denied, they being little pleased with the King's
affairs, and that must breed differences between the King and the City.
Thence down by water to Deptford, to order things away to the fleete and
back again, and after some business at my office late home to supper and
to bed. Sir W. Coventry is returned this night from the fleete, he being
the activest man in the world, and we all (myself particularly) more
afeard of him than of the King or his service, for aught I see; God
forgive us! This day the great newes is come of the French, their taking
the island of St. Christopher's' from us; and it is to be feared they
have done the like of all those islands thereabouts this makes the city
mad.
19th. Up, and to my office, there to fit business against the rest meet,
which they did by and by, and sat late. After the office rose (with
Creed with me) to Wm. Joyce's to dinner, being invited, and there find my
father and sister, my wife and Mercer, with them, almost dined. I made
myself as complaisant as I could till I had dined, but yet much against
my will, and so away after dinner with Creed to Penny's, my Tailor, where
I bespoke a thin stuff suit, and did spend a little time evening some
little accounts with Creed and so parted, and I to Sir. G. Carteret's by
appointment; where I perceive by him the King is going to borrow some
money of the City; but I fear it will do no good, but hurt. He tells me
how the Generall--[The Duke of Albemarle.]--is displeased, and there
have been some high words between the Generall and Sir W. Coventry. And
it may be so; for I do not find Sir W. Coventry so highly commending the
Duke as he used to be, but letting fall now and then some little jerkes:
as this day, speaking of newes from Holland, he says, "I find their
victory begins to shrinke there, as well as ours here." Here I met with
Captain Cocke, and he tells me that the first thing the Prince said to
the King upon his coming, was complaining of the Commissioners of the
Navy; that they could have been abroad in three or four days but for us;
that we do not take care of them which I am troubled at, and do fear may
in violence break out upon this office some time or other; for we shall
not be able to carry on the business. Thence home, and at my business
till late at night, then with my wife into the garden and there sang with
Mercer, whom I feel myself begin to love too much by handling of her
breasts in a' morning when she dresses me, they being the finest that
ever I saw in my life, that is the truth of it. So home and to supper
with beans and bacon and to bed.
20th. Up, but in some pain of the collique. I have of late taken too
much cold by washing my feet and going in a thin silke waistcoate,
without any other coate over it, and open-breasted, but I hope it will go
over. I did this morning (my father being to go away to-morrow) give my
father some money to buy him a horse, and for other things to himself and
my mother and sister, among them L20, besides undertaking to pay for
other things for them to about L3, which the poor man takes with infinite
kindnesse, and I do not thinke I can bestow it better. Thence by coach
to St. James's as usual to wait on the Duke of York, after having
discoursed with Collonell Fitzgerald, whom I met in my way and he
returned with me to Westminster, about paying him a sum of 700 and odd
pounds, and he bids me defalk L25 for myself,--[Abate from an amount.]--
which is a very good thing; having done with the Duke I to the Exchequer
and there after much ado do get my business quite over of the difficulty
of breaking a great tally into little ones and so shall have it done
tomorrow. Thence to the Hall and with Mrs. Martin home and staid with
her a while, and then away to the Swan and sent for a bit of meat and
dined there, and thence to Faythorne, the picture-seller's, and there
chose two or three good Cutts to try to vernish, and so to Hales's to see
my father's picture, which is now near finished and is very good, and
here I staid and took a nap of an hour, thinking my father and wife would
have come, but they did not; so I away home as fast as I could, fearing
lest my father this day going abroad to see Mr. Honiwood at Major
Russell's might meet with any trouble, and so in great pain home; but to
spite me, in Cheapside I met Mrs. Williams in a coach, and she called me,
so I must needs 'light and go along with her and poor Knipp (who is so
big as she can tumble and looks-every day to lie down) as far as
Paternoster Row, which I did do and there staid in Bennett's shop with
them, and was fearfull lest the people of the shop, knowing me, should
aske after my father and give Mrs. Williams any knowledge of me to my
disgrace. Having seen them done there and accompanied them to Ludgate I
'light and into my owne coach and home, where I find my father and wife
had had no intent of coming at all to Hales's. So I at home all the
evening doing business, and at night in the garden (it having been these
three or four days mighty hot weather) singing in the evening, and then
home to supper and to bed.
21st. Up, and at the office all the morning; whereby several
circumstances I find Sir W. Coventry and the Duke of Albemarle do not
agree as they used to do; Sir W. Coventry commending Aylett (in some
reproach to the Duke), whom the Duke hath put out for want of courage;
and found fault with Steward, whom the Duke keeps in, though as much in
fault as any commander in the fleete. At noon home to dinner, my father,
sister, and wife dining at Sarah Giles's, poor woman, where I should have
been, but my pride would not suffer me. After dinner to Mr. Debasty's to
speake with Sir Robert Viner, a fine house and a great many fine ladies.
He used me mighty civilly. My business was to set the matter right about
the letter of credit he did give my Lord Belassis, that I may take up the
tallys lodged with Viner for his security in the answering of my Lord's
bills, which we did set right very well, and Sir Robert Viner went home
with me and did give me the L5000 tallys presently. Here at Mr.
Debasty's I saw, in a gold frame, a picture of a Outer playing on his
flute which, for a good while, I took for paynting, but at last observed
it a piece of tapestry, and is the finest that ever I saw in my life for
figures, and good natural colours, and a very fine thing it is indeed.
So home and met Sir George Smith by the way, who tells me that this day
my Lord Chancellor and some of the Court have been with the City, and the
City have voted to lend the King L100,000; which, if soon paid (as he
says he believes it will), will be a greater service than I did ever
expect at this time from the City. So home to my letters and then with
my wife in the garden, and then upon our leades singing in the evening
and so to supper (while at supper comes young Michell, whose wife I love,
little Betty Howlet, to get my favour about a ticket, and I am glad of
this occasion of obliging him and give occasion of his coming to me, for
I must be better acquainted with him and her), and after supper to bed.
22nd. Up, and before I went out Mr. Peter Barr sent me a tierce of
claret, which is very welcome. And so abroad down the river to Deptford
and there did some business, and then to Westminster, and there did with
much ado get my tallys (my small ones instead of one great one of
L2,000), and so away home and there all day upon my Tangier accounts with
Creed, and, he being gone, with myself, in settling other accounts till
past twelve at night, and then every body being in bed, I to bed, my
father, wife, and sister late abroad upon the water, and Mercer being
gone to her mother's and staid so long she could not get into the office,
which vexed me.
23rd. My father and sister very betimes took their leave; and my wife,
with all possible kindnesse, went with them to the coach, I being
mightily pleased with their company thus long, and my father with his
being here, and it rejoices my heart that I am in condition to do any
thing to comfort him, and could, were it not for my mother, have been
contented he should have stayed always here with me, he is such innocent
company. They being gone, I to my papers, but vexed at what I heard but
a little of this morning, before my wife went out, that Mercer and she
fell out last night, and that the girle is gone home to her mother's for
all-together: This troubles me, though perhaps it may be an ease to me of
so much charge. But I love the girle, and another we must be forced to
keepe I do foresee and then shall be sorry to part with her. At the
office all the morning, much disquiett in my mind in the middle of my
business about this girle. Home at noon to dinner, and what with the
going away of my father today and the losse of Mercer, I after dinner
went up to my chamber and there could have cried to myself, had not
people come to me about business. In the evening down to Tower Wharfe
thinking to go by water, but could not get watermen; they being now so
scarce, by reason of the great presse; so to the Custome House, and
there, with great threats, got a couple to carry me down to Deptford, all
the way reading Pompey the Great (a play translated from the French by
several noble persons; among others, my Lord Buckhurst), that to me is
but a mean play, and the words and sense not very extraordinary. From
Deptford I walked to Redriffe, and in my way was overtaken by Bagwell,
lately come from sea in the Providence, who did give me an account of
several particulars in the late fight, and how his ship was deserted
basely by the York, Captain Swanly, commander. So I home and there after
writing my letters home to supper and to bed, fully resolved to rise
betimes, and go down the river to-morrow morning, being vexed this night
to find none of the officers in the yarde at 7 at night, nor any body
concerned as if it were a Dutch warr. It seems Mercer's mother was here
in the morning to speak with my wife, but my wife would not. In the
afternoon I and my wife in writing did instruct W. Hewer in some
discourse to her, and she in the evening did come and satisfy my wife,
and by and by Mercer did come, which I was mighty glad of and eased of
much pain about her.
24th. Sunday. Midsummer Day. Up, but, being weary the last night, not
so soon as I intended. Then being dressed, down by water to Deptford,
and there did a great deale of business, being in a mighty hurry, Sir W.
Coventry writing to me that there was some thoughts that the Dutch fleete
were out or coming out. Business being done in providing for the
carrying down of some provisions to the fleete, I away back home and
after dinner by water to White Hall, and there waited till the councill
rose, in the boarded gallery, and there among other things I hear that
Sir Francis Prujean is dead, after being married to a widow about a yeare
or thereabouts. He died very rich, and had, for the last yeare, lived
very handsomely, his lady bringing him to it. He was no great painstaker
in person, yet died very rich; and, as Dr. Clerke says, was of a very
great judgment, but hath writ nothing to leave his name to posterity. In
the gallery among others met with Major Halsey, a great creature of the
Duke of Albemarle's; who tells me that the Duke, by name, hath said that
he expected to have the worke here up in the River done, having left Sir
W. Batten and Mr. Phipps there. He says that the Duke of Albemarle do
say that this is a victory we have had, having, as he was sure, killed
them 8000 men, and sunk about fourteen of their ships; but nothing like
this appears true. He lays much of the little success we had, however,
upon the fleete's being divided by order from above, and the want of
spirit in the commanders; and that he was commanded by order to go out
of the Downes to the Gun-fleete, and in the way meeting the Dutch fleete,
what should he do? should he not fight them? especially having beat
them heretofore at as great disadvantage. He tells me further, that
having been downe with the Duke of Albemarle, he finds that Holmes and
Spragge do govern most business of the Navy; and by others I understand
that Sir Thomas Allen is offended thereat; that he is not so much advised
with as he ought to be. He tells me also, as he says, of his own
knowledge, that several people before the Duke went out did offer to
supply the King with L100,000 provided he would be treasurer of it, to
see it laid out for the Navy; which he refused, and so it died. But I
believe none of this. This day I saw my Lady Falmouth, with whom I
remember now I have dined at my Lord Barkeley's heretofore, a pretty
woman: she was now in her second or third mourning, and pretty pleasant
in her looks. By and by the Council rises, and Sir W. Coventry comes
out; and he and I went aside, and discoursed of much business of the
Navy; and afterwards took his coach, and to Hide-Parke, he and I alone:
there we had much talke. First, he started a discourse of a talke he
hears about the towne, which, says he, is a very bad one, and fit to be
suppressed, if we knew how which is, the comparing of the successe of the
last year with that of this; saying that that was good, and that bad.
I was as sparing in speaking as I could, being jealous of him and myself
also, but wished it could be stopped; but said I doubted it could not
otherwise than by the fleete's being abroad again, and so finding other
worke for men's minds and discourse. Then to discourse of himself,
saying, that he heard that he was under the lash of people's discourse
about the Prince's not having notice of the Dutch being out, and for him
to comeback again, nor the Duke of Albemarle notice that the Prince was
sent for back again: to which he told me very particularly how careful he
was the very same night that it was resolved to send for the Prince back,
to cause orders to be writ, and waked the Duke, who was then in bed, to
sign them; and that they went by expresse that very night, being the
Wednesday night before the fight, which begun on the Friday; and that for
sending them by the post expresse, and not by gentlemen on purpose, he
made a sport of it, and said, I knew of none to send it with, but would
at least have lost more time in fitting themselves out, than any
diligence of theirs beyond that of the ordinary post would have
recovered. I told him that this was not so much the towne talke as the
reason of dividing the fleete. To this he told me he ought not to say
much; but did assure me in general that the proposition did first come
from the fleete, and the resolution not being prosecuted with orders so
soon as the Generall thought fit, the Generall did send Sir Edward
Spragge up on purpose for them; and that there was nothing in the whole
business which was not done with the full consent and advice of the Duke
of Albemarle.
But he did adde (as the Catholiques call 'le secret de la Masse'), that
Sir Edward Spragge--who had even in Sir Christopher Mings's time put in
to be the great favourite of the Prince, but much more now had a mind to
be the great man with him, and to that end had a mind to have the Prince
at a distance from the Duke of Albemarle, that they might be doing
something alone--did, as he believed, put on this business of dividing
the fleete, and that thence it came.
[This division of the fleet was the original cause of the disaster,
and at a later period the enemies of Clarendon charged him with
having advised this action, but Coventry's communication to Pepys in
the text completely exonerates Clarendon.]
He tells me as to the business of intelligence, the want whereof the
world did complain much of, that for that it was not his business, and as
he was therefore to have no share in the blame, so he would not meddle to
lay it any where else. That de Ruyter was ordered by the States not to
make it his business to come into much danger, but to preserve himself as
much as was fit out of harm's way, to be able to direct the fleete. He
do, I perceive, with some violence, forbear saying any thing to the
reproach of the Duke of Albemarle; but, contrarily, speaks much of his
courage; but I do as plainly see that he do not like the Duke of
Albemarle's proceedings, but, contrarily, is displeased therewith. And
he do plainly diminish the commanders put in by the Duke, and do lessen
the miscarriages of any that have been removed by him. He concurs with
me, that the next bout will be a fatal one to one side or other, because,
if we be beaten, we shall not be able to set out our fleete again. He do
confess with me that the hearts of our seamen are much saddened; and for
that reason, among others, wishes Sir Christopher Mings was alive, who
might inspire courage and spirit into them. Speaking of Holmes, how
great a man he is, and that he do for the present, and hath done all the
voyage, kept himself in good order and within bounds; but, says he, a cat
will be a cat still, and some time or other out his humour must break
again. He do not disowne but that the dividing of the fleete upon the
presumptions that were then had (which, I suppose, was the French fleete
being come this way), was a good resolution. Having had all this
discourse, he and I back to White Hall; and there I left him, being [in]
a little doubt whether I had behaved myself in my discourse with the
policy and circumspection which ought to be used to so great a courtier
as he is, and so wise and factious a man, and by water home, and so,
after supper, to bed.
25th. Up, and all the morning at my Tangier accounts, which the chopping
and changing of my tallys make mighty troublesome; but, however, I did
end them with great satisfaction to myself. At noon, without staying to
eat my dinner, I down by water to Deptford, and there coming find Sir W.
Batten and Sir Jeremy Smith (whom the dispatch of the Loyall London
detained) at dinner at Greenwich at the Beare Taverne, and thither I to
them and there dined with them. Very good company of strangers there
was, but I took no great pleasure among them, being desirous to be back
again. So got them to rise as soon as I could, having told them the
newes Sir W. Coventry just now wrote me to tell them, which is, that the
Dutch are certainly come out. I did much business at Deptford, and so
home, by an old poor man, a sculler, having no oares to be got, and all
this day on the water entertained myself with the play of Commenius, and
being come home did go out to Aldgate, there to be overtaken by Mrs.
Margot Pen in her father's coach, and my wife and Mercer with her, and
Mrs. Pen carried us to two gardens at Hackny, (which I every day grow
more and more in love with,) Mr. Drake's one, where the garden is good,
and house and the prospect admirable; the other my Lord Brooke's, where
the gardens are much better, but the house not so good, nor the prospect
good at all. But the gardens are excellent; and here I first saw oranges
grow: some green, some half, some a quarter, and some full ripe, on the
same tree, and one fruit of the same tree do come a year or two after the
other. I pulled off a little one by stealth (the man being mighty
curious of them) and eat it, and it was just as other little green small
oranges are; as big as half the end of my little finger. Here were also
great variety of other exotique plants, and several labarinths, and a
pretty aviary. Having done there with very great pleasure we away back
again, and called at the Taverne in Hackny by the church, and there drank
and eate, and so in the Goole of the evening home. This being the first
day of my putting on my black stuff bombazin suit, and I hope to feel no
inconvenience by it, the weather being extremely hot. So home and to
bed, and this night the first night of my lying without a waistcoat,
which I hope I shall very well endure. So to bed. This morning I did
with great pleasure hear Mr. Caesar play some good things on his lute,
while he come to teach my boy Tom, and I did give him 40s. for his
encouragement.
26th. Up and to my office betimes, and there all the morning, very busy
to get out the fleete, the Dutch being now for certain out, and we shall
not, we thinke, be much behindhand with them. At noon to the 'Change
about business, and so home to dinner, and after dinner to the setting my
Journall to rights, and so to the office again, where all the afternoon
full of business, and there till night, that my eyes were sore, that I
could not write no longer. Then into the garden, then my wife and Mercer
and my Lady Yen and her daughter with us, and here we sung in the darke
very finely half an houre, and so home to supper and to bed. This
afternoon, after a long drowth, we had a good shower of rain, but it will
not signify much if no more come. This day in the morning come Mr.
Chichly to Sir W. Coventry, to tell him the ill successe of the guns made
for the Loyall London; which is, that in the trial every one of the great
guns, the whole cannon of seven (as I take it), broke in pieces, which is
a strange mishap, and that which will give more occasion to people's
discourse of the King's business being done ill. This night Mary my
cookemayde, that hath been with us about three months, but find herself
not able to do my worke, so is gone with great kindnesse away, and
another (Luce) come, very ugly and plaine, but may be a good servant for
all that.
27th. Up, and to my office awhile, and then down the river a little way
to see vessels ready for the carrying down of 400 land soldiers to the
fleete. Then back to the office for my papers, and so to St. James's,
where we did our usual attendance on the Duke. Having done with him, we
all of us down to Sir W. Coventry's chamber (where I saw his father my
Lord Coventry's picture hung up, done by Stone, who then brought it home.
It is a good picture, drawn in his judge's robes, and the great seale by
him. And while it was hanging up, "This," says Sir W. Coventry, merrily,
"is the use we make of our fathers,") to discourse about the proposition
of serving us with hempe, delivered in by my Lord Brouncker as from an
unknown person, though I know it to be Captain Cocke's. My Lord and Sir
William Coventry had some earnest words about it, the one promoting it
for his private ends, being, as Cocke tells me himself, to have L500 if
the bargain goes on, and I am to have as much, and the other opposing it
for the unseasonableness of it, not knowing at all whose the proposition
is, which seems the more ingenious of the two. I sat by and said
nothing, being no great friend to the proposition, though Cocke intends
me a convenience by it. But what I observed most from the discourse was
this of Sir W. Coventry, that he do look upon ourselves in a desperate
condition. The issue of all standing upon this one point, that by the
next fight, if we beat, the Dutch will certainly be content to take eggs
for their money (that was his expression); or if we be beaten, we must be
contented to make peace, and glad if we can have it without paying too
dear for it. And withall we do rely wholly upon the Parliament's giving
us more money the next sitting, or else we are undone. Being gone hence,
I took coach to the Old Exchange, but did not go into it, but to Mr.
Cade's, the stationer, stood till the shower was over, it being a great
and welcome one after so much dry weather. Here I understand that Ogleby
is putting out some new fables of his owne, which will be very fine and
very satyricall. Thence home to dinner, and after dinner carried my wife
to her sister's and I to Mr. Hales's, to pay for my father's picture,
which cost me L10 the head and 25s. the frame. Thence to Lovett's, who
has now done something towards the varnishing of single paper for the
making of books, which will do, I think, very well. He did also carry me
to a Knight's chamber in Graye's Inne, where there is a frame of his
making, of counterfeite tortoise shell, which indeed is most excellently
done. Then I took him with me to a picture shop to choose a print for
him to vernish, but did not agree for one then. Thence to my wife to
take her up and so carried her home, and I at the office till late, and
so to supper with my wife and to bed. I did this afternoon visit my Lord
Bellasses, who professes all imaginable satisfaction in me. He spoke
dissatisfiedly with Creed, which I was pleased well enough with. My Lord
is going down to his garrison to Hull, by the King's command, to put it
in order for fear of an invasion which course I perceive is taken upon
the sea-coasts round; for we have a real apprehension of the King of
France's invading us.
28th. Up, and at the office all the morning. At noon home to dinner,
and after dinner abroad to Lumbard Streete, there to reckon with Sir
Robert Viner for some money, and did sett all straight to my great
content, and so home, and all the afternoon and evening at the office, my
mind full at this time of getting my accounts over, and as much money in
my hands as I can, for a great turne is to be feared in the times, the
French having some great design (whatever it is) in hand, and our
necessities on every side very great. The Dutch are now known to be out,
and we may expect them every houre upon our coast. But our fleete is in
pretty good readinesse for them.
29th. Up, and within doors most of the morning, sending a porter
(Sanders) up and down to several people to pay them money to clear my
month's debts every where, being mighty desirous to have all clear so
soon as I can, and to that end did so much in settling my Tangier
accounts clear. At noon dined, having first been down at Deptford and
did a little business there and back again. After dinner to White Hall
to a Committee of Tangier, but I come a little too late, they were up, so
I to several places about business, among others to Westminster Hall, and
there did meet with Betty Michell at her own mother's shop. I would fain
have carried her home by water, but she was to sup at that end of the
town. So I away to White Hall, and thence, the Council being up, walked
to St. James's, and there had much discourse with Sir W. Coventry at his
chamber, who I find quite weary of the warr, decries our having any warr
at all, or himself to have been any occasion of it, that he hopes this
will make us shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it,
believes that one overthrow on the Dutch side would make them desire
peace, and that one on ours will make us willing to accept of one: tells
me that Commissioner Pett is fallen infinitely under the displeasure of
the Prince and Duke of Albemarle, not giving them satisfaction in the
getting out of the fleete, and that the complaint he believes is come to
the King, and by Sir W. Coventry's discourse I find he do concur in it,
and speaks of his having of no authority in the place where he is, and I
do believe at least it will end in his being removed to some other yarde,
and I am not sorry for it, but do fear that though he deserves as bad,
yet at this time the blame may not be so well deserved. Thence home and
to the office; where I met with a letter from Dover, which tells me (and
it did come by expresse) that newes is brought over by a gentleman from
Callice that the Dutch fleete, 130 sail, are come upon the French coast;
and that the country is bringing in picke-axes, and shovells, and wheel-
barrows into Callice; that there are 6,000 men armed with head, back, and
breast (Frenchmen) ready to go on board the Dutch fleete, and will be
followed by 12,000 more. That they pretend they are to come to Dover;
and that thereupon the Governor of Dover Castle is getting the
victuallers' provision out of the towne into the Castle to secure it.
But I do think this is a ridiculous conceit; but a little time will show.
At night home to supper and to bed,
30th. Up, and to the office, and mightily troubled all this morning with
going to my Lord Mayor (Sir Thomas Bludworth,
[As his conduct during the Great Fire fully proved, when he is said
to have boasted that he would extinguish the flames by the same
means to which Swift tells us Gulliver had recourse at Lilliput.--B.]
a silly man, I think), and other places, about getting shipped some men
that they have these two last nights pressed in the City out of houses:
the persons wholly unfit for sea, and many of them people of very good
fashion, which is a shame to think of, and carried to Bridewell they are,
yet without being impressed with money legally as they ought to be. But
to see how the King's business is done; my Lord Mayor himself did scruple
at this time of extremity to do this thing, because he had not money to
pay the pressed-money to the men, he told me so himself; nor to take up
boats to carry them down through bridge to the ships I had prepared to
carry them down in; insomuch that I was forced to promise to be his
paymaster, and he did send his City Remembrancer afterwards to the
office, and at the table, in the face of the officers, I did there out of
my owne purse disburse L15 to pay for their pressing and diet last night
and this morning; which is a thing worth record of my Lord Mayor. Busy
about this all the morning, at noon dined and then to the office again,
and all the afternoon till twelve at night full of this business and
others, and among these others about the getting off men pressed by our
officers of the fleete into the service; even our owne men that are at
the office, and the boats that carry us. So that it is now become
impossible to have so much as a letter carried from place to place, or
any message done for us: nay, out of Victualling ships full loaden to go
down to the fleete, and out of the vessels of the officers of the
Ordnance, they press men, so that for want of discipline in this respect
I do fear all will be undone. Vexed with these things, but eased in mind
by my ridding of a great deale of business from the office, I late home
to supper and to bed. But before I was in bed, while I was undressing
myself, our new ugly mayde, Luce, had like to have broke her necke in the
darke, going down our upper stairs; but, which I was glad of, the poor
girle did only bruise her head, but at first did lie on the ground
groaning and drawing her breath, like one a-dying. This month I end in
much hurry of business, but in much more trouble in mind to thinke what
will become of publique businesses, having so many enemys abroad, and
neither force nor money at all, and but little courage for ourselves, it
being really true that the spirits of our seamen and commanders too are
really broke by the last defeate with the Dutch, and this is not my
conjecture only, but the real and serious thoughts of Sir G. Carteret and
Sir W. Coventry, whom I have at distinct times heard the same thing come
from with a great deale of grief and trouble. But, lastly, I am
providing against a foule day to get as much money into my hands as I
can, at least out of the publique hands, that so, if a turne, which I
fear, do come, I may have a little to trust to. I pray God give me good
successe in my choice how to dispose of what little I have, that I may
not take it out of publique hands, and put it into worse.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
A cat will be a cat still
And if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone
Apprehension of the King of France's invading us
As very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body
Baited at Islington, and so late home about 11 at night
Called at a little ale-house, and had an eele pye
Checking her last night in the coach in her long stories
Foretelling the draught of water of a ship before she be launche
Great deale of tittle tattle discourse to little purpose
He is such innocent company
Here I first saw oranges grow
I do not value her, or mind her as I ought
I to bed even by daylight
Long petticoat dragging under their men's coats
Mightily pleased with myself for the business that I have done
Mightily vexed at my being abroad with these women
Never fought with worse officers in his life
Not being well pleased with her over free and loose company
Now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down
Out also to and fro, to see and be seen
Providing against a foule day to get as much money into my hands
Rejoiced over head and ears in this good newes
Requisite I be prepared against the man's friendship
Sang till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure
Send up and down for a nurse to take the girle home
Shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it
So back again home to supper and to bed with great pleasure
So home and to supper with beans and bacon and to bed
That I may look as a man minding business
There did what I would with her
There did what 'je voudrais avec' her . . . .
Think that we are beaten in every respect
This is the use we make of our fathers
Took him home the money, and, though much to my grief
Unless my too-much addiction to pleasure undo me
What itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's wife
Young man play the foole upon the doctrine of purgatory
End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, v49
by Samuel Pepys, Unabridged, transcribed by Bright, edited by Wheatley