The Diary of Samuel Pepys
by
Samuel Pepys
Part 17 out of 18
worse than any; no man knowing what the French intend to do next
summer.
17th. Spoke with my Lord Bellasses and Peterborough about the
business now in dispute about my deputing a Treasurer to pay the
garrison at Tangier; which I would avoid and not be accountable,
and they will serve me therein. Here I met Hugh May, and he
brings me to the knowledge of Sir Harry Capell, [Made K.B. at the
Coronation of Charles II. and created Lord Capel 1692; died at
Dublin, while Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1696.] a member of
Parliament and brother of my Lord Essex, [Arthur Capel, created
Earl of Essex 1661; found dead in the Tower 1683.] who hath a
great value it seems for me, and they appoint a day to come and
dine with me, and see my books and papers of the office; which I
shall be glad to show them, and have opportunity to satisfy them
therein. Here all the discourse is, that now the King is of
opinion to have the Parliament called, notwithstanding his late
resolutions for proroguing them; so unstable are his councils and
those about him.
18th. To Sir W. Coventry's, and there discourse the business of
my Treasurer's place at Tangier; wherein he consents to my
desire, and concurs therein: which I am glad of, that I may not
be accountable for a man so far off. And so I to my Lord
Sandwich's, and there walk with him through the garden to White
Hall; where he tells me what he hath done about this Treasurer's
place, (and I perceive the whole thing did proceed from him:)
that finding it would be best to have the Governor have nothing
to do with the pay of the garrison, he did propose to the Duke of
York alone that a paymaster should be there; and that being
desirous to do a courtesy to Sir Charles Harbord, [Sir Charles
Harbord, M.P. for Launceston.] and to prevent the Duke of York's
looking out for any body else, he did name him to the Duke of
York. That when be came the other day to move this to the board
of Tangier, the Duke of York it seems readily reply, that it was
fit to have Mr. Pepys satisfied therein first, an that it was not
good to make places for persons. This my Lord in great
confidence tells me that he do take very ill from the Duke of
York, though nobody knew the meaning of these words but him; and
that he did take no notice of them, but bit his lip, being
satisfied that the Duke of York's care of me was as desirable to
him as it could be to have Sir Charles Harbord; and did seem
industrious to let me see that he was glad that the Duke of York
and he might come to contend who shall be the kindest to me;
which I owned as his great love, and so I hope and believe it is;
though my Lord did go a little too far in this business, to move
it so far without consulting me. But I took no notice of that,
but was glad to see this competition come about, that my Lord
Sandwich is apparently jealous of my thinking that the Duke of
York do mean me more kindness than him. So we walked together,
and I took this occasion to invite him to dinner to my house, and
he readily appointed Friday next; which I shall be glad to have
over to his content, he having never yet eat a bit of my bread.
Thence to the Duke of York on the King's side, and meeting Mr.
Sidney Montagu and Sheres, a small invitation served their turn
to carry them to London, where I paid Sheres his 100l. given him
for his pains in drawing the plate of Tangier fortifications. At
White Hall, and there in the Queenes withdrawing-room invited my
Lord Peterborough to dine with me with my Lord Sandwich, who
readily accepted it.
19th. To the King's house, to see " Horace;" [There were two
translations about this period of the "Horace" of P. Corneille;
one by Charles Cotton, the other (which was performed at Court,)
by Catherine Phillips, the fifth act being added by Sir John
Denham.] this the third day of its acting: a silly tragedy; but
Lacy hath made a farce of several dances--between each act one:
but his words are but silly and invention not extraordinary as to
the dances; only some Dutchmen come out of the mouth and tail of
a Hamburgh sow.
20th. Heard at the Council-board the City, by their single
Counsel Symson, and the Company of Strangers Merchants, debate
the business of water-baylage; a tax demanded upon all goods, by
the City, imported and exported: which these merchants oppose;
and demanding leave to try the justice of the City's demand by a
Quo Warranto, which the City opposed, the Merchants did quite lay
the City on their backs with great triumph, the City's cause
being apparently too weak: but here I observed Mr. Gold, the
merchant, to speak very well and very sharply against the City.
This afternoon before the play I called with my wife at Dancre's,
[Henry Dankers, born at the Hague, employed by Charles II. to
paint views of his sea-ports and palaces. He followed his
profession for some years in London.] the great landscape-
painter, by Mr. Povy's advice; and have bespoke him to come to
take measure of my dining-room panels.
22nd. At the 'Change I met with Mr. Dancre, with whom I was on
Wednesday; and he took measure of my panels in my dining-room,
where, in the four, I intend to have the four houses of the King,
White Hall, Hampton Court, Greenwich, and Windsor, Mightily
pleased with the fellow that came to lay the cloth and fold the
napkins; which I like so well as that I am resolved to give him
40s. to teach my wife to do it.
23rd. To the office till noon, when word brought me that my Lord
Sandwich was come; so I presently rose, and there I found my
Lords Sandwich, Peterborough, and Sir Charles Harbord; and
presently after them comes my Lord Hichingbroke, Mr. Sidney, and
Sir William Godolphin. And after greeting them and some time
spent in talk, dinner was brought up, one dish after another, but
a dish at a time; but all so good: but, above all things, the
variety of wines and excellent of their kind I had for them, and
all in so good order, that they were mightily pleased, and myself
full of content at it: and indeed it was, of a dinner of about
six or eight dishes, as noble as any man need to have, I think;
at least, all was done in the noblest manner that ever I had any,
and I have rarely seen in my life better any where else, even at
the Court. After dinner my Lords to cards, and the rest of us
sitting about them and talking, and looking on my books and
pictures, and my wife's drawings, which they commended mightily:
and mighty merry all day long With exceeding great content, and
so till seven at night; and so took their leaves, it being dark
and foul weather. Thus was this entertainment over, the best of
its kind and the fullest of honour and content to me that ever I
had in my life; and I shall not easily have so good again.
24th (Lord's day). An order brought me in bed, for the principal
officers to attend the King at my Lord Keeper's this afternoon,
it being resolved late the last night; and by the warrant I find
my Lord Keeper did not then know the cause of it, the messenger
being ordered, to call upon him to tell it him by the way, as he
came to us. I to White Hall; and here I met Will. Batelier,
newly come post from France, his boots all dirty. He brought
letters to the King; and I glad to see him, it having been
reported that he was drowned for some days past. By and by the
King comes out, and so I took coach and followed his coaches to
my Lord Keeper's at Essex-house, where I never was before, since
I saw my old Lord Essex lie in state when he was dead. A large,
but ugly house. Here all the officers of the Navy attended, and
by and by were called in to the King and Cabinet, where my Lord,
who was ill, did lie upon the bed, as my old Lord Treasurer or
Chancellor heretofore used to do. And the business was to know
in what time all the King's ships might be repaired fit for
service. The Surveyor answered, in two years, and not sooner. I
did give them hopes that, with supplies of money suitable, we
might have them all fit for sea some part of the summer after
this. Then they demanded in what time we could set out forty
ships. It was answered, as they might be chosen of the newest
and most ready, we could with money get forty ready against May.
The King seemed mighty full that we should have money to do all
that we desired, and satisfied that without it nothing could be
done: and so without determining any thing we were dismissed;
and I doubt all will end in some little fleet this year, and that
of hired merchantmen, which would indeed be cheaper to the King
and have many conveniences attending it, more than to fit out the
King's own. And this, I perceive, is designed, springing from
Sir W. Coventry's counsel; and the King and most of the Lords, I
perceive, full of it, to get the King's fleet all at once in
condition for service. Thence with Mr. Wren in his coach, for
discourse' sake: and he told me how the business of the
Parliament is wholly laid aside, it being over-ruled now that
they shall not meet, but must be prorogued, upon this argument
chiefly: that all the differences between the two Houses, and
things on foot that were matters of difference and discontent,
may be laid aside, and must begin again if ever the House shall
have a mind to pursue them.
25th. My wife showed me many excellent prints of Nantueil's and
others, which W. Batelier hath at my desire brought me out of
France, of the King's and Colbert's and others, most excellent,
to my great content.
26th. To the office, and then to White Hall, leaving my wife at
Unthanke's; and I to the Secretary's chamber, where I was by
particular order this day summonsed to attend, as I find Sir D.
Gauden also was. And here was the King and the Cabinet met; and
being called in, among the rest I find my Lord Privy Seale, whom
I never before knew to be in so much play as to be of the
Cabinet. The business is that the Algerines have broke the peace
with us by taking out some Spaniards and goods out of an English
ship which had the Duke of York's pass, of which advice came this
day; and the King is resolved to stop Sir Thomas Allen's fleet
from coming home till he hath amends made him for this affront,
and therefore sent for us to advise about victuals to be sent to
that fleet, and some more ships: wherein I answered them to what
they demanded of me: which was but some few mean things; but I
see that on all these occasions they seem to rely most upon me.
27th. To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Five
Hours' Adventure," which hath not been acted a good while before,
but once, and is a most excellent play I must confess.
28th. Going home to supper with my wife, and to get her to read
to me, I did find that Mr. Sheres hath beyond his promise not
only got me a candlestick made me, after a form he remembers to
have seen in Spain, for keeping the light from one's eyes, but
hath got it done in silver very neat, and designs to give it me
in thanks for my paying him his 100l. in money for his service
at Tangier, which was ordered him; but I do intend to force him
to make me pay for it. But I yet, without his direction, cannot
tell how it is to be made use of.
29th. To the Duke of York, where I did give a severe account of
our proceedings, and what we found in the business of Sir W.
Jenings's demand of supernumeraries. I thought it a good
occasion to make an example of him, for he is a proud idle
fellow; and it did meet with the Duke of York's acceptance and
well-liking; and he did call him in after I had done, and did not
only give him a soft rebuke, but condemns him to pay both their
victuals and wages, or right himself of the purser. This I was
glad of, and so were all the rest of us; though I know I have
made myself an immortal enemy by it.
31st (Lord's day). To church and there did hear the Doctor that
is lately turned Divine, Dr. Waterhouse. He preaches in a devout
manner, not elegant nor very persuasive, but seems to mean well,
and that he would preach holily; and was mighty passionate
against people that make a scoff of religion.
1668-69. FEBRUARY 1. Meeting Mr. Povy, he and I away to
Dancre's to speak something touching the pictures I am getting
him to make for me, And thence he carried me to Mr. Streeter's
[Robert Streater appointed Serjeant Painter at the Restoration.
Ob. 1680.] the famous history-painter over the way, whom I have
often heard of, but did never see him before; and there I found
him and Dr. Wren and several virtuosos looking upon the paintings
which he is making for the new Theatre at Oxford: and indeed they
look as if they would be very fine, and the rest think better
than those of Rubens in the Banqueting house: at White Hall, but
I do not so fully think so. But they will certainly be very
noble; and I am mightily pleased to have the fortune to see this
man and his work, which is very famous. And he a very civil
little man, and lame, but lives very handsomely. So thence to my
Lord Bellasses, and met him within: my business only to see a
chimney-piece of Dancres doing in distemper, with egg to keep off
the glaring of the light, which I must have done for my room: and
indeed it is pretty, but I must confess I do think it is not
altogether so beautiful as the oyle pictures; but I will have
some of one and some of another. So to the King's playhouse,
thinking to have seen. "The Heyresse," first acted on Saturday
last: but when we come thither we find no play there; Kinaston,
that did act a part therein in abuse to Sir Charles Sedley, being
last night exceedingly beaten with sticks by two or three that
saluted him, so as he is mightily bruised and forced to keep his
bed.
2nd. To dinner at noon, where I find Mr. Sheres; and there made
a short dinner, and carried him with us to the King's playhouse,
where "The Heyresse," notwithstanding Kinaston's being beaten, is
acted: and they say the King is very angry with Sir Charles
Sedley for his being beaten, but he do deny it. But his part is
done by Beeston, who is fain to read it out of a book all the
while, and thereby spoils the part, and almost the play, it being
one of the best parts in it: and though the design is in the
first conception of it pretty good, yet it is but an indifferent
play; wrote, they say, by my Lord Newcastle. ["The Heiress" does
not appear in the list of the Duke of Newcastle's works, nor can
I find any mention of it elsewhere.] But it was pleasant to see
Beeston come in with others, supposing it to be dark, and yet he
is forced to read his part by the light of the candles: and this
I observing to a gentleman that sat by me, he was mightily
pleased therewith, and spread it up and down. But that that
pleased me most in the play is the first song that Knipp sings
(she singing three or four); and indeed it was very finely sung,
so as to make the whole house clap her.
5th. Betimes to Sir W. Coventry's, meaning by my visit to keep
fresh my interest in him. And he tells me how it hath been
talked that he was to go one of the Commissioners to Ireland,
which he was resolved never to do unless directly commanded: for
that to go thither while the Chief Secretary of State was his
professed enemy, was to undo himself; and therefore it were
better for him to venture being unhappy here, than to go further
off to be undone by some obscure instructions, or whatever other
way of mischief his enemy should cut out for him. He mighty kind
to me; and so parted.
6th. To the King's playhouse, and there in an upper box (where
come in Colonell Poynton and Moll Stacey, who is very fine, and
by her wedding-ring I suppose he hath married her at last,) did
see "The Moor of Venice:" but ill acted in most parts, Moone
(which did a little surprise me) not acting Iago's part by much
so well as Clun used to do: nor another Hart's, which was
Cassio's; nor indeed Burt doing the Moor's so well as I once
thought he did. Thence home; and just at Holborne-conduit the
bolt broke that holds the fore-wheels to the perch, and so the
horses went away with them and left the coachman and us: but
being near our coach-maker's, and we staying in a little
ironmonger's shop, we were presently supplied with another.
8th. To visit my Lord Sandwich; and there, while my Lord was
dressing himself, did see a young Spaniard that he hath brought
over with him dance, which he is admired for as the best dancer
in Spain, and indeed he do with mighty mastery; but I do not like
his dancing as well as the English, though my Lord commends it
mightily. But I will have him to my house, and show it my wife,
Here I met with Mr. Moore, who tells me the state of my Lord's
accounts of his embassy, which I find not so good as I thought:
for though it be passed the King and his Caball the (Committee
for Foreign Affairs, as they are called,) yet they have cut off
from 19,000l. full 8000l. and have now sent it to the Lords of
the Treasury, who, though the Committee have allowed the rest,
yet they are not obliged to abide by it. So that I do fear this
account may yet be long ere it be passed,--much more ere that sum
be paid. I am sorry for the family.
9th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Island
Princesse," which I like mighty well as an excellent play: and
here we find Kinaston to be well enough to act again; which he do
very well, after his beating by Sir Charles Sedley's appointment.
10th. To the plaisterer's at Charing Cross that casts heads and
bodies in plaister; and there I had my whole face done; but I was
vexed first to be forced to daub all my face over with pomatum.
Thus was the mold made; but when it came off there was little
pleasure in it as it looks in the mold, nor any resemblance
whatever there will be in the figure when I come to see it cast
off. To White Hall, where I staid till the Duke of York came
from hunting, which he did by and by, and when dressed did come
out to dinner; and there I waited. And he did mightly magnify
his sauce, which he did then eat with every thing, and said it
was the best universal sauce in the world, it being taught him by
the Spanish Embassador; made of some parsley and a dry toast,
beat in a mortar together with vinegar, salt, and a little
pepper: he eats it with flesh, or fowl, or fish. And then he did
now mightily commend some new sort of wine lately found out,
called Navarr wine; which I tasted, and is, I think, good wine:
but I did like better the notion of the sauce, and by and by did
taste it, and liked it mightily. After dinner I did what I went
for; which was to get his consent that Balty might hold his
Muster-master's place by deputy in his new employment which I
design for him, about the Store-keeper's accounts; which the Duke
of York did grant me, and I was mightily glad of it.
12th. To wait on the Duke of York with the rest of us at the
Robes; where the Duke of York did tell us that the King would
have us prepare a draught of the present administration of the
Navy, and what it was in the late times, in order to his being
able to distinguish between the good and the bad; which I shall
do, but to do it well will give me a great deal of trouble. Here
we showed him Sir J. Minnes's propositions about balancing Store-
keeper's accounts; and I did show him Hosier's, which did please
him mightily, and he will have it showed the Council and King
anon to be put in practice. Thence to the Treasurer's and I and
Sir J. Minnes and Mr. Tippets down to the Lords Commissioners of
the Treasury, and there had a hot debate from Sir Thomas Clifford
and my Lord Ashly (the latter of whom, I hear, is turning about
as fast as he can to the Duke Buckingham's side, being in danger
it seems of being otherwise out of play, which would not be
convenient for him,) against Sir W. Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb;
who did uphold our office: against an accusation of our
Treasurers, who told the Lords that they found that we had run
the King in debt 50,000l. or more, more than the money appointed
for the year would defray; which they declared like fools, and
with design to hurt us, though the thing is in itself ridiculous.
But my Lord Ashly and Clifford did most horribly cry out against
the want of method in the office. At last it came that it should
be put in writing what they had to object; but I was devilish mad
at it, to see us thus wounded by our own members. Attended with
Lord Brouncker the King and Council about the proposition of
balancing Store-keeper's accounts; and there presented Hosier's
book, and it was mighty well resented [Resent, to take WELL or
ill,--Johnson.] and approved of. So the Council being up, we to
the Queene's side with the King and Duke of York: and the Duke of
York did take me out to talk of our Treasurers, whom he is mighty
angry with; and I perceive he is mighty desirous to bring in as
many good motions of profit and reformation in the Navy as he can
before the Treasurers do light upon them, they being desirous, it
seems, to be thought the great reformers; and the Duke of York do
well. But to my great joy he is mighty open to me in every
thing; and by this means I know his whole mind, and shall be able
to secure myself if he stands. Here to-night I understand by my
Lord Brouncker, that at last it is concluded on by the King and
Buckingham that my Lord of Ormond shall not hold his government
of Ireland; which is a great stroke to show the power of
Buckingham and the poor spirit of the King, and little hold that
any man can have of him. Home, and there Pelling hath got W.
Pen's book against the Trinity. I got my wife to read it to me;
and I find it so well writ as, I think, it is too good for him
ever to have writ it; and it is a serious sort of book, and not
fit for every body to read.
14th (Lord's day). Up, and by coach to Sir W. Coventry: and
there he tells me he takes no more care for any thing more than
in the Treasury; and that that being done, be goes to cards and
other delights, as plays, and in the summer-time to bowles. But
here he did show me two or three old books of the Navy of my Lord
Northumberland's [Algernon Percy, tenth Earl of Northumberland,
made Lord High Admiral 1635.] times, which he hath taken many
good notes out of, for justifying the Duke of York and us in many
things, wherein perhaps precedent will be necessary to produce.
Thence to White Hall, where the Duke of York expected me; and in
his closet Wren and I. He did tell me how the King hath been
acquainted with the Treasurers' discourse at the Lords
Commissioners of the Treasury the other day, and is dissatisfied
with our running him in debt; which I removed. And he did carry
me to the King, and I did satisfy him also: but his satisfaction
is nothing worth, it being easily got and easily removed. But I
do purpose to put it in writing, that shall make the Treasurers
ashamed. But the Duke of York is horrid angry against them; and
he hath cause, for they do work all they can to bring dishonour
upon his management, as do plainly appear in all they do. Having
done with the Duke of York, who do repose all in me, I with Mr.
Wren to his chamber to talk; where he observed, that these people
are all of them a broken sort of people that have not much to
lose, and therefore will venture all to make their fortunes
better: that Sir Thomas Osborne is a beggar, having 11 or 1200l.
a-year, but owes above 10,000l. The Duke of Buckingham's
condition is shortly this: that he hath about 19,600l. a-year, of
which he pays away about 7000l. a-year in interest, about 2000l.
in fee-farm rents to the King, about 6000l. in wages and
pensions, and the rest to live upon and pay taxes for the whole.
Wren says, that for the Duke of York to stir in this matter, as
his quality might justify, would but make all things worse, and
that therefore he must bend and suger all till time works it out:
that he fears they will sacrifice the Church, and that the King
will take any thing (and so he holds up his head a little
longer), and then break in pieces. But Sir W. Coventry did to-
day mightily magnify my late Lord Treasurer for a wise and solid,
though infirm man: and among other things, that when he hath said
it was impossible in nature to find this or that sum of money,
and my Lord Chancellor hath made sport of it, and told the King
that when my Lord hath said it was impossible, yet he hath made
shift to find it, and that was by Sir G. Carteret's getting
credit, my Lord did once in his hearing say thus, which he
magnifies as a great saying--that impossible would be found
impossible at last; meaning that the King would run himself out
beyond all his credit and funds, and then we should too late find
it impossible; which is, he says, now come to pass.
15th. To the plaisterer's, and there saw the figure of my face
taken from the mould; and it is most admirably like, and I will
have another made before I take it away. At the 'Change I did at
my bookseller's shop accidentally fall into talk with Sir Samuel
Tuke [Sir Samuel Tuke, of Cressing Temple, Essex, Bart. was a
Colonel in Charles the First's army, and cosen to Mr. Evelyn. He
died at Somerset-house, January, 1673.] about trees and Mr.
Evelyn's garden; and I do find him, I think, a little conceited,
but a man of very fine discourse as any I ever heard almost;
which I was mighty glad of. In Suffolk-street lives Moll Davies;
and we did see her coach come for her to her door, a mighty
pretty fine coach. To White Hall; and there, by means of Mr.
Cooling, did get into the play, the only one we have seen this
winter: it was "The Five Hours' Adventure:" but I sat so far I
could not hear well, nor was there any pretty woman that I did
see but my wife, who sat in my Lady Fox's pew with her. The
house very full; and late before done, so that it was past eleven
before we got home.
17th. The King dining yesterday at the Dutch Embassador's, after
dinner they drank and were pretty merry; and among the rest of
the King's company there was that worthy fellow my Lord of
Rochester, and Tom Killigrew, whose mirth and raillery offended
the former so much, that he did give Tom Killigrew a box on the
ear in the King's presence; which do give much offence to the
people here at Court to see how cheap the King makes himself, and
the more, for that the King hath not only passed by the thing and
pardoned it to Rochester already, but this very morning the King
did publicly walk up and down, and Rochester I saw with him as
free as ever, to the King's everlasting shame to have so idle a
rogue his companion. How Tom Killigrew takes it, I do not hear.
I do also this day hear that my Lord Privy-Seale do accept to go
Lieutenant into Ireland; but whether it be true or no, I cannot
tell. To Colonel Middleton's to the burial of his wife, where we
were all invited, and much more company, and had each of us a
ring. At church there was my Lord Brouncker and Mrs. Williams in
our pew, the first time they were ever there, or that I knew that
either of them would go to church.
19th. This morning, among other things, talking with Sir W.
Coventry, I did propose to him my putting in to serve in
Parliament, if there should, as the world begins to expect, be a
new one chose. He likes it mightily, both for the King's and
service's sake, and the Duke of York's, and will propound it to
the Duke of York: and I confess, if there be one, I would be glad
to be in.
22nd. In the evening to White Hall, and there did without much
trouble get into the playhouse, finding a good place among the
Ladies of Honour, and all of us sitting in the pit; and then by
and by came the King and Queene, and they began "Bartholomew-
fair." But I like no play here so well as at the common
playhouse; besides that, my eyes being very ill since last Sunday
and this day se'nnight, I was in mighty pain to defend myself now
from the light of the candles. after the play done, we met with
W. Batelier and W. Hewer and Talbot Pepys, [Of Impington, Ob.
1681, aet. suae 35.] and they followed us in a hackney-coach:
and we all stopped at Hercules' Pillars; and there I did give
them the best supper I could, and pretty merry; and so home
between eleven and twelve at night.
23rd. To Westminster Abbey, and there did see all the tombs very
finely, having one with us alone (there being other company this
day to see the tombs, it being Shrove-Tuesday:) and here we did
see, by particular favour, the body of Queen Katherine of Valois;
and I had the upper part of her body in my hands, and I did kiss
her mouth, reflecting upon it that I did kiss a queene, and that
this was my birth-day, thirty-six years old, that I did kiss a
queene. But here this man, who seems to understand well, tells
me that the saying is not true that she was never buried, for she
was buried; only when Henry the Seventh built his chapel, she was
taken up and laid in this wooden coffin; but I did there see that
in it the body was buried in a leaden one, which remains under
the body to this day.
25th. To the Duke of York's house, and there before one, but the
house infinite full; where by and by the King and Court come, it
being a new play, or an old one new vamped by Shadwell, called
"The Royall Shepherdesse;" [A tragi-comedy, altered by Thomas
Shadwell from a comedy written by Mr. Fountain, called "The
Rewards of Virtue."] but the silliest for words and design, and
every thing, that ever I saw in my whole life, there being
nothing in the world pleasing in it, but a good martiall dance of
pikemen, where Harris and another do handle their pikes in a
dance to admiration; but never less satisfied with a play in my
life.
26th. To the King's playhouse, and saw "The Faithfull
Shepherdesse." But, Lord! what an empty house, there not being,
as I could tell the people, so many as to make up above 10l. in
the whole house! But I plainly discern the musick is the better,
by how much the house the emptier.
1668-9. MARCH 1. I do hear that my Lady Paulina Montagu did die
yesterday! at which I went to my Lord's lodgings, but he is shut
up with sorrow, and so not to be spoken with: and therefore I
returned, and to Westminster Hall, where I have not been, I
think, in some months. And here the Hall was very full, the King
having by Commission to some Lords this day prorogued the
Parliament till the 19th of October next; at which I am glad,
hoping to have time to go over to France this year. But I was
most of all surprised this morning by my Lord Bellasses, who by
appointment met me at Auditor Wood's at the Temple, and tells me
of a duell designed between the Duke of Buckingham and my Lord
Halifax, or Sir W. Coventry; the challenge being carried by Harry
Saville, but prevented by my Lord Arlington, and the King told of
it: and this was all the discourse at Court this day. But I
meeting Sir W. Coventry in the Duke of York's chamber, he would
not own it to me, but told me he was a man of too much peace to
meddle with fighting; and so it rested: but the talk is full in
the town of the business. Thence, having walked some turns with
my cosen Pepys, and most people by their discourse believing that
this Parliament will never sit more, I away. I did bring home a
piece of my face cast in plaister, for to make a visard upon for
my eyes.
2nd. My wife this day put on first her French gown, called a
Sac, which becomes her very well.
3rd. To White Hall, where W. Hewer met me; and he and I took a
turn in St. James's Park, and in the Mall did meet Sir W.
Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb, and did speak, with them about some
business, before the Lords of the Treasury: but I did find them
more than usually busy, though I knew not then the reason of it,
though I guessed it by what followed next day. Thence to
Dancre's the painter's and there saw my picture of Greenwich,
finished to my very good content, though this manner of distemper
do make the figures not so pleasing as in oyle. To the Duke of
York's playhouse, and there saw an old play, the first time acted
these forty years, called "The Lady's Tryall," [A tragedy, by
John Ford.] acted only by the young people of the house but the
house very full. To the New Exchange, and so called at my cousin
Turner's, and there meeting Mr. Bellwood, did hear how my Lord
Mayor being invited this day to dinner at the Reader's at the
Temple, and endeavoring to carry his sword up, the students did
pull it down, and forced him to go and stay all the day in a
private Counsellor's chamber until the Reader himself could get
the young gentlemen to dinner; and then my Lord Mayor did retreat
out of the Temple by stealth, with his sword up. This do make
great heat among the students; and my Lord Mayor did send to the
King, and also I hear that Sir Richard Browne did cause the drums
to beat for the Train-bands; but all is over, only I hear that
the students do resolve to try the Charter of the City. So we
home, and betimes to bed, and slept well all night.
4th. To White Hall, where in the first Court I did meet Sir
Jeremy Smith, who did tell me that Sir W. Coventry was just now
sent to the Tower, about the business of the challenging the Duke
of Buckingham, and so was also Harry Saville to the Gate-house;
which, as he is a gentleman, and of the Duke of York's
Bedchamber, I heard afterwards that the Duke of York is mightily
incensed at, and do appear very high to the King that he might
not be sent thither, but to the Tower, this being done only in
contempt of him. This news of Sir W. Coventry did strike me to
the heart, and with reason, for by this and my Lord of Ormond's
business I do doubt that the Duke of Buckingham will be so
flushed that he will not stop at any thing, but be forced to do
any thing now, as thinking it not safe to end here; and, Sir W.
Coventry being gone, the King will have no good Counsellor left,
nor the Duke of York any sure friend to stick to him; nor any
good man will remain to advise what is good. This, therefore, do
heartily trouble me, as any thing that ever I heard. So up into
the House, and met with several people; but the Committee did not
meet. And the whole House I find full of the business of Sir W.
Coventry's, and most men very sensible of the cause and effects
of it. So, meeting with my Lord Bellasses, he told me the
particulars of this matter; that it arises about a quarrel which
Sir W. Coventry had with the Duke of Buckingham, about a design
between him and Sir Robert Howard to bring him into a play at the
King's house; which W. Coventry not enduring, did by H. Saville
send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to
speak with him. Upon which the Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes
(his champion ever since my Lord Shrewsbury's business) go to him
to do the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any but
himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of
Buckingham, and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of
honour, and was sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing
him, and that he had a desire of satisfaction, and would fight
with him. But that here they were interrupted by my Lord
Chamberlain's coming in, who was commanded to go to bid the Duke
of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having discovered it.
He told me that the King did last night at the Council ask the
Duke of Buckingham, upon his honour, whether he received any
challenge from W. Coventry? which he confessed that he had; and
then the King asking W. Coventry, he told him that he did not
owne what the Duke of Buckingham had said, though it was not fit
for him to give him a direct contradiction. But, being by the
King put upon declaring the truth upon his honour, be answered
that he had understood that many hard questions had upon this
business been moved to some lawyers, and that therefore he was
unwilling to declare any thing that might from his own mouth
render him obnoxious to his Majesty's displeasure, and therefore
prayed to be excused: which the King did think fit to interpret
to be a confession, and so gave warrant that night for his
commitment to the Tower. Being very much troubled at this, I
away by coach homewards, and directly to the Tower, where I find
him in one Mr. Bennet's house, son to Major Bayly, one of the
Officers of the Ordnance, in the Bricke Tower: where I find him
busy with my Lord Halifax and his brother; so I would not stay to
interrupt them, but only to give him comfort and offer my service
to him, which he kindly and cheerfully received, only owning his
being troubled for the King his master's displeasure, which I
suppose is the ordinary form and will of persons in this
condition. And so I parted with great content that I had so
earlily seen him there; and so, going out, did meet Sir Jer.
Smith going to meet me, who had newly been with Sir W. Coventry.
And so he and I by water to Redriffe, and so walked to Deptford,
where I have not been, I think, these twelve months: and there to
the Treasurer's house, where the Duke of York is, and his
Duchesse; and there we find them at dinner in the great room,
unhung: and there was with them my Lady Duchesse of Monmouth, the
Countess of Falmouth, Castlemaine, Henrietta Hide, [Henrietta,
fifth daughter to the Earl of Burlington, married Laurence Hyde
afterwards Earl of Rochester.] my Lady Hinchingbroke's sister,
and my Lady Peterborough. And after dinner Sir Jer. Smith and I
were invited down to dinner with some of the Maids of Honour,
namely, Mrs. Ogle, [Anne Ogle.] Blake, [Mary, daughter of
Colonel Blague, married Sir Thomas Yarborough. VID. "MEMOIRES DE
GRAMMONT."] and Howard, [Dorothy Howard.] (which did me good to
have the honour to dine with and look on); and the mother of the
Maids, and Mrs. Howard, the mother of the Maid of Honour of that
name, and the Duke's housekeeper here. Here was also Monsieur
Blancfort, Sir Richard Powell, Colonell Villers, Sir Jonathan
Trelawny, [Eldest son of Sir John Trelawney, who was created a
Baronet 1628. He served with credit in 1672 under Marshal
Turenne and was afterwards made Governor of Plymouth by King
William, for his good conduct in Ireland.] and others. And here
drank most excellent, and great variety, and plenty of wines,
more than I have drank at once these seven years, but yet did me
no great hurt. Having dined very merrily, and understanding by
Blancfort how angry the Duke of York was about their offering to
send Saville to the Gate-house among the rogues; and then,
observing how this company, both the ladies and all, are of a
gang, and did drink a health to the union of the two brothers,
and talking of others as their enemies, they parted, and so we
up: and there I did find the Duke of York and Duchesse with all
the great ladies sitting upon a carpet on the ground, there being
no chairs, playing at "I love my love with an A, because he is so
and so; and I hate him with an A, because of this and that:" and
some of them, but particularly the Duchesse herself and my Lady
Castlemaine, were very witty. This done, they took barge, and I
with Sir J. Smith to Captain Cox's; and there to talk, and left
them.
5th. After dinner I to the Tower, where I find Sir W. Coventry
with abundance of company with him; and after sitting awhile and
hearing some merry discourse, and, among others, of Mr.
Brouncker's being this day summoned to Sir William Morton [Made a
Justice of the King's Bench 1665. Ob. 1672.] one of the Judges,
to give in security for his good behaviour upon his words the
other day to Sir John Morton, [M.P. for Weymouth in 1680.] a
Parliament-man, at White Hall, who had heretofore spoke very
highly against Brouncker in the House, I away, and to Aldgate.
6th. Before the office I stepped to Sir W. Coventry at the
Tower, and there had a great deal of discourse with him; among
others, of the King's putting him out of the Council yesterday,
with which he is well contented, as with what else they can strip
him of, he telling me, and so hath long, that he is weary and
surfeited of business. But he joins with me in his fears that
all will go to naught, as matters are now managed. He told me
the matter of the play that was intended for his abuse, wherein
they foolishly and sillily bring in two tables like that which he
hath made with a round hole In the middle in his closet to turn
himself in; [Vide Diary, July 4, 1668, where Sir W. C.'s round
table is described.] and he is to be in one of them as master,
and Sir J. Duncomb in the other, as his man or imitator: and
their discourse in those tables about the disposing of their
books and papers very foolish. But that that he is offended
with, is his being made so contemptible, as that any should dare
to make a gentleman a subject for the mirth of the world: and
that therefore he had told Tom Killigrew that he should tell his
actors, whoever they were, that did offer at any thing like
representing him, that he would not complain to my Lord
Chamberlain, which was too weak, nor get him beaten, as Sir
Charles Sedley is said to have done; but that he would cause his
nose to be cut. He told me how that the Duke of Buckingham did
himself some time since desire to join with him, of all men in
England, and did bid him propound to himself to be Chief Minister
of State, saying that he would bring it about, but that he
refused to have any thing to do with any faction; and that the
Duke of Buckingham did, within these few days, say that, of all
men in England, he would have chosen Sir W. Coventry to have
joined entire with. He tells me that he fears their prevailing
against the Duke of York; and that their violence will force them
to it, as being already beyond his pardon. He repeated to me
many examples of challengings of Privy-counsellers and others;
but never any proceeded against with that severity which he is,
it never amounting with others to more than a little confinement.
He tells me of his being weary of the Treasury, and of the folly,
ambition, and desire of popularity of Sir Thomas Clifford; and
yet the rudeness of his tongue and passions, when angry.
7th (Lord's day). To the Tower to see Sir W. Coventry, who had
H. Jermin and a great many more with him, and more while I was
there came in: so that I do hear that there was not less than
sixty coaches there yesterday and the other day; which I hear
also that there is great exception taken at by the King, and the
Duke of Buckingham, but it cannot be helped. I to White Hall,
and there hear that there are letters come from Sir Thomas Allen,
that he hath made some kind of peace with Argier; upon which the
King and Duke of York, being to go out of town to-morrow, are met
at my Lord Arlington's: so I there, and by Mr. Wren was desired
to stay to see if there were occasion for their speaking with me,
which I did, walking without, with Charles Porter, talking of a
great many things: and I perceive all the world is against the
Duke of Buckingham's acting thus high, and do prophecy nothing
but ruin from it. But he do well observe that the church lands
cannot certainly come to much, if the King shall be persuaded to
take them, they being leased out for long leases. By and by
after two hours' stay they rose, having, as Wren tells me,
resolved upon sending six ships to the Streights forthwith, not
being contented with the peace upon the terms they demand; which
are, that all our ships, where any Turks or Moores shall be found
slaves, shall be prizes; which will imply that they must be
searched, I hear that to-morrow the King and Duke of York set out
for Newmarket, by three in the morning, to some foot and horse-
races; to be abroad ten or twelve days. So I without seeing the
Duke of York; but Mr. Wren showed me the order of Council about
the balancing Store-keeper's accounts, passed the Council in the
very terms I drew it, only I did put in my name as he that
presented the book of Hosier's preparing, and that is left out, I
mean my name; which is no great matter.
8th. To White Hall, from whence the King and the Duke of York
went by three in the morning, and had the misfortune to be
overset with the Duke of York, the Duke of Monmouth, and the
Prince, [Rupert.] at the King's gate in Holborne; and the King
all dirty, but no hurt. How it come to pass I know not, but only
it was dark, and the torches did not, they say, light the coach
as they should do. I thought this morning to have seen my Lord
Sandwich before he went out of town, but I came half an hour too
late; which troubles me, I having not seen him since my Lady Pall
died. And so to the Privy-Seal office, to examine what records I
could find there for my help in the great business I am put upon
of defending the present constitution of the Navy; but there
could not have liberty without order from him that is in present,
waiting, Mr. Bickerstaffe, who is out of town.
9th. Up, and to the Tower; and there find Sir W. Coventry alone
writing down his journall, which, he tells me, he now keeps of
the material things; upon which I told him, (and he is the only
man I ever told it to, I think,) that I kept it most strictly
these eight or ten years; and I am sorry almost that I told it
him, it not being necessary, nor maybe convenient, to have it
known. Here he showed me the petition he had sent to the King by
my Lord Keeper; which was not to desire any admittance to
employment, but submitting himself therein humbly to his Majesty;
but prayed the removal of his displeasure, and that he might be
set free. He tells me that my Lord Keeper did acquaint the King
with the substance of it, not showing him the petition; who
answered, that he was disposing of his employments, and when that
was done he might be led to discharge him: and this is what he
expects, and what he seems to desire. But by this discourse he
was pleased to take occasion to show me and read to me his
account, which he hath kept by him under his own hand, of all his
discourse and the King's answers to him upon the great business
of my Lord Clarendon, and how he had first moved the Duke of York
with it twice at good distance, one after another, but without
success; showing me thereby the simplicity and reasons of his so
doing, and the manner of it; and the King's accepting it, telling
him that he was not satisfied in his management, and did discover
some dissatisfaction against him for his opposing the laying
aside of my Lord Treasurer at Oxford, which was a secret the King
had not discovered. And really I was mighty proud to be privy to
this great transaction, it giving me great conviction of the
noble nature and ends of Sir W. Coventry in it, and
considerations in general of the consequences of great men's
actions, and the uncertainty of their estates, and other very
serious considerations.
11th. Up, and to Sir W. Coventry to the Tower; who tells me that
he hears that the Commission is gone down to the King with a
blank to fill for his place in the Treasury: and he believes it
will be filled with one of our Treasurers of the Navy, but which
he knows not, but he believes it will be Osborne. We walked down
to the stone-walk, which is called, it seems, my Lord of
Northumberland's walk, being paved by some one of that title that
was prisoner there; and at the end of it there is a piece of iron
upon the wall with his arms upon it, and holes to put in a peg
for every turn they make upon that walk.
12th. With great content spent all the morning looking over the
Navy accounts of several years, and the several patents of the
Treasurers. W. Hewer carried me to Nott's, the famous bookbinder
that bound for my Lord Chancellor's library: and here I did take
occasion for curiosity to bespeak a book to be bound, only that I
might have one of his binding.
13th. That which put me in good humour both at noon and night,
is the fancy that I am this day made a captain of one of the
King's ships, Mr. Wren having this day sent me the Duke of York's
commission to be Captain of "The Jerzy," in order to my being of
a Court-martiall for examining the loss of "The Defyance" and
other things; which do give me occasion of much mirth, and may be
of some use to me, at least I shall get a little money for the
time I have it; it being designed that I must really be a captain
to be able to sit in this Court.
15th. Up, and by water with W. Hewer to the Temple; and thence
to the Rolls, where I made enquiry for several rolls, and was
soon informed in the manner of it: and so spent the whole
morning with W. Hewer, he taking little notes in short hand,
while I hired a clerk there to read to me about twelve or more
several rolls which I did call for. And it was great pleasure to
me to see the method wherein their rolls are kept; that when the
master of the office, one Mr. Case, do call for them, (who is a
man that I have heretofore known by coming to my Lord
Sandwich's,) he did most readily turn to them. At noon they shut
up; and W. Hewer and I did walk to the Cocke, at the end of
Suffolke-street, where I never was, a great ordinary mightily
cried up, and there bespoke a pullet: which, while dressing, he
and I walked into St. James's Park, and thence back and dined
very handsome with good soup and a pullet for 4s. 6d. the whole.
Thence back to the Rolls, and did a little more business: and so
by water to White Hall, whither I went to speak with Mr.
Williamson (that if he hath any papers relating to the Navy I
might see them, which he promises me.) And so by water home with,
great content for what I have this day found, having got almost
as much as I desire of the history of the Navy, from 1618 to
1642, when the King and Parliament fell out.
16th. Comes to me Mr. Evelyn of Deptford, a worthy good man, and
dined with me (but a bad dinner): who is grieved for and speaks
openly to me his thoughts of the times, and our ruin approaching;
and all by the folly of the King. His business to me was about
some ground of his at Deptford, next to the King's yard: and
after dinner we parted. To Woolwich, where I saw, but did not go
on board, my ship "The Jerzy," she lying at the wharf under
repair. But my business was to speak with Ackworth about some
old things and passages in the Navy, for my information therein,
in order to my great business now of stating the history of the
Navy. This I did; and upon the whole do find that the late
times, in all their management, were not more husbandly than we;
and other things of good content to me. Thence to Greenwich by
water, and there landed at the King's house, which goes on slow,
but is very pretty. I to the Park, there to see the prospect of
the hill, to judge of Dancre's picture which he hath made thereof
for me; and I do like it very well: and it is a very pretty
place. Thence to Deptford, but staid not, Unthwayte being out of
the way. And so home, and then to the King's Tavern (Morrice's)
and staid till W. Hewer fetched his uncle Blackburn by
appointment to me, to discourse of the business of the Navy in
the late times; and he did do it by giving me a most exact
account in writing of the several turns in the Admiralty and Navy
of the persons employed therein, from the beginning of the King's
leaving the Parliament to his son's coming in, to my great
content; and now I am fully informed in all I at present desire.
We fell to other talk; and I find by him that the Bishops must
certainly fall, and their hierarchy; these people have got so
much ground upon the King and kingdom as is not to be got again
from them: and the Bishops do well deserve it. But it is all
the talk, I find, that Dr. Wilkins, my friend, Bishop of Chester,
shall be removed to Winchester and be Lord Treasurer. Though
this be foolish talk, yet I do gather that he is a mighty rising
man, as being a Latitudinarian, and the Duke of Buckingham his
great friend.
18th. Up, and to see Sir W. Coventry, and walked with him a good
while in the stone-walk: and brave discourse about my Lord
Chancellor and his ill managements and mistakes, and several
things of the Navy.
19th. Sir Thomas Clifford did speak to me, as desirous that I
would some time come and confer with him about the Navy; which I
am glad of, but will take the direction of the Duke of York
before I do it, though I would be glad to do something to secure
myself, if I could, in my employment. Thence to the
plaisterer's, and took my face and my Lord Duke of Albemarle's
home with me by coach, they being done to my mind; and mighty
glad I am of understanding this way of having the pictures of any
friends. After dinner with Commissioner Middleton and Kempthorne
to a Court-martiall, to which, by virtue of my late captainship,
I am called, the first I was ever at; where many commanders, and
Kempthorne president. Here was tried a difference between Sir L.
Van Hemskirke, the Dutch captain who commands "The Nonsuch,"
built by his direction, and his lieutenant; a drunken kind of
silly business. We ordered the lieutenant to ask him pardon, and
have resolved to lay before the Duke of York what concerns the
captain, which was striking of his lieutenant and challenging him
to fight, which comes not within any article of the laws
martiall. But upon discourse the other day with Sir W. Coventry
I did advise Middleton, and he and I did forbear to give
judgment, but after the debate did withdraw into another cabin,
(the Court being held in one of the yachts, which was on purpose
brought up over against St. Katherine's) it being to be feared
that this precedent of our being made captains in order to the
trying of the loss of "The Defyance," wherein we are the proper
persons to enquire into the want of instructions while ships do
lie in harbour, might be hereafter made of evil use, by putting
the Duke of Buckingham, or any of these rude fellows that now are
uppermost, to make packed Courts by captains made on purpose to
serve their turns. The other cause was of the loss of the
Providence at Tangier, where the captain's being by chance on
shore may prove very inconvenient to him, for example's sake,
though the man be a good man, and one whom for Norwood's sake I
would be kind to; but I will not offer any thing to the excusing
such a miscarriage. He is at present confined till he can bring
better proofs on his behalf of the reasons of his being on shore.
So Middleton and I away to the office; and there I late busy,
making my people, as I have done lately, to read Mr. Holland's
Discourse of the Navy, and what other things I can get to inform
me fully in all. And here late, about eight at night, comes Mr.
Wren to me, who had been at the Tower to visit Sir W. Coventry.
He came only to see how matters go, and tells me as a secret,
that the last night the Duke of York's closet was broken open,
and his cabinets, and shut again one of them; that the rogue that
did it hath left plate and a watch behind him, and therefore they
fear that it was only for papers, which looks like a very
malicious business in design to hurt the Duke of York; but they
cannot know that till the Duke of York comes to town about the
papers, and therefore make no words of it. He gone, I to work
again, and then to supper home, and to bed.
20th. Up, and to the Tower to Sir W. Coventry, and there walked
with him alone on the stone-walk till company came to him; and
there about the business of the Navy discoursed with him, and
about my Lord Chancellor and Treasurer; that they were against
the war at first, declaring, as wise men and statesmen, at first
to the King, that they thought it fit to have a war with them at
some time or other, but that it ought not to be till we found the
Crowns of Spain and France together by the eares, the want of
which did ruin our war. But then he told me that a great while
before the war my Lord Chancellor did speak of a war with some
heat as a thing to be desired, and did it upon a belief that he
could with his own speeches make the Parliament give what money
he pleased, and do what he would, or would make the King desire;
but he found himself soon deceived of the Parliament, they having
a long time before his removal been cloyed with his speeches and
good words, and being come to hate him. Sir W. Coventry did tell
me it as the wisest thing that ever was said to the King by any
statesman of his time, and it was by my Lord Treasurer that is
dead, whom, I find, he takes for a very great statesman,--that
when the King did show himself forward for passing the Act of
Indemnity, he did advise the King that he would hold his hand in
doing it till he had got his power restored that had been
diminished by the late times, and his revenue settled in such a
manner as he might depend on himself without resting upon
Parliaments, and then pass it. But my Lord Chancellor, who
thought he could have the command of Parliaments for ever,
because for the King's sake they were awhile willing to grant all
the King desired, did press for its being done; and so it was,
and the King from that time able to do nothing with the
Parliament almost. Mightily pleased with the news brought me to-
night; that the King and Duke of York are come back this
afternoon, and no sooner come but a warrant was sent to the Tower
for the releasing Sir W. Coventry: which do put me in some hopes
that there may be in this absence some accommodation made between
the Duke of York and the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Arlington.
21st. To White Hall, in a scull; where to the Duke of York's
dressing-room, and there met Harry Saville, and do understand
that Sir W. Coventry is come to his house last night. I
understand by Mr. Wren that his friends having by Secretary
Trevor and my Lord Keeper applied to the King upon his first
coming home, and a promise made that he should be discharged this
day, my Lord Arlington did anticipate them by sending a warrant
presently for his discharge; which looks a little like kindness,
or a desire of it; which God send! though I fear the contrary.
However, my heart is glad that he is out. Thence up and down the
House. Met Mr. May, who tells me the story of his being put by
Sir John Denham's place (of Surveyor of the King's Works, who, it
seems, is lately dead) by the unkindness of the Duke of
Buckingham, who hath brought in Dr. Wren. Though, he tells me,
he hath been his servant for twenty years together in all his
wants and dangers, saving him from want of bread by his care and
management, and with a promise of having his help in his
advancement, and an engagement under his hand for 1000l. not yet
paid, and yet the Duke of Buckingham is so ungrateful as to put
him by: which is an ill thing though Dr. Wren is a worthy man.
But he tells me that the King is kind to him, and hath promised
him a pension of 300l. a year out of the Works; which will be of
more content to him than the place, which under their present
wants of money is a place that disobliges most people, being not
able to do what they desire to their lodgings. Here meeting with
Sir R. Cholmly and Povy, they tell me that my Lord Middleton is
resolved in the caball that he shall not go to Tangier; and that
Sir Edward Harlow, whom I know not, is propounded to go, who was
Governor of Dunkirke, and, they say, a most worthy brave man;
which I shall be very glad of. News lately come of the Algerines
taking 13,000l. in money out of one of our Company's East India
ships outward-bound, which will certainly make the war last;
which I am sorry for, being so poor as we are, and broken in
pieces.
22nd. Up, and by water with W. Hewer to White Hall, there to
attend the Lords of the Treasury; but before they sat, I did make
a step to see Sir W. Coventry at his house, where, I bless God,
he is come again; but in my way I met him, and so he took me into
his coach and carried me to White Hall, and there set me down,
where he ought not, at least he hath not yet leave to come, nor
hath thought fit yet to ask it, hearing that Harry Saville is not
only denied to kiss the King's hand, but the King being asked it
by the Duke of York, the King did deny it, and directed that he
shall not receive him to wait upon him in his chamber till
further orders. Sir W. Coventry told me that he was going to
visit Sir John Trevor, who hath been kind to him; and he showed
me a long list of all his friends that he must this week make
visits to, that came to visit him in the Tower: and seems mighty
well satisfied with his being out of business, but I hope he will
not long be so; at least, I do believe that all must go to rack
if the King do not come to see the want of such a servant.
Thence to the Treasury-chamber, and there all the morning to my
great grief put to do Sir G. Downing's work of dividing the
Customes for this year between the Navy, the Ordnance, and
Tangier: but it did so trouble my eyes, that I had rather have
given 20l. than have had it to do; but I did thereby oblige Sir
Thomas Clifford and Sir J. Duncomb, and so am glad of the
opportunity to recommend myself to the former, for the latter I
need not, he loving me well already: at it till noon, here being
several of my brethren with me, but doing nothing, but I all.
But this day I did also represent to our Treasurers, which was
read here, a state of the charge of the Navy, and what the
expence of it this year would likely be; which is done so as will
appear well done and to my honour, for so the Lords did take it;
and I oblige the Treasurers by doing it at their request. I to
look over my papers for the East India Company against the
afternoon: which done, I with them to White Hall, and there to
the Treasury-chamber, where the East India Company and three
Counsellors pleaded against me alone for three or four hours,
till seven at night, before the Lords; and the Lords did give me
the conquest on behalf of the King, but could not come to any
conclusion, the Company being stiff; and so I think we shall go
to law with them. This done, and my eyes mighty bad with this
day's work, I to Mr. Wren's, and then up to the Duke of York, and
there with Mr. Wren did propound to him my going to Chatham to-
morrow with Commissioner Middleton, and so this week to make the
pay there, and examine the business of "The Defyance" being lost.
23rd. I took coach with Commissioner Middleton, Captain Tinker,
and Mr. Huchinson, and out towards Chatham, and dined at
Dartford, where we staid an hour or two, it being a cold day; and
so on, and got to Chatham just at night, with very good discourse
by the way, but mostly of matters of religion, wherein Huchinson
his vein lies.
24th. To the Hill house, and there did give order for a coach to
be made ready; and got Mr. Gibson, whom I carried with me, to go
with me and Mr. Coney, the surgeon, towards Maydstone; which I
had a mighty mind to see. A mighty cold and windy, but clear
day; and had the pleasure of seeing the Medway running winding up
mightily, and a very fine country: and I went a little out of
the way to have visited Sir John Bankes, but he at London; but
here I had a sight of his seat and house, [The Friary in
Aylesford parish, now the property of the Earl of Aylesford,
whose ancestor Heneage Finch married the eldest daughter and co-
heiress of Sir John Bankes.] the outside, which is an old abbey
just like Hinchingbroke, and as good at least, and mightily
finely placed by the river; and he keeps the grounds about it,
and walls and the house, very handsome: I was mightily pleased
with the sight of it. Thence to Maydstone, which I had a mighty
mind to see, having never been there; and walked all up and down
the town, and up to the top of the steeple and had a noble view,
and then down again: and in the town did see an old man beating
of flax, and did step into the barn and give him money, and saw
that piece of husbandry, which I never saw; and it is very
pretty. In the street also I did buy and send to our inne, the
Bell, a dish of fresh fish. And so having walked all round the
town, and found it very pretty as most towns I ever saw, though
not very big, and people of good fashion in it, we to our inne
and had a good dinner; and a barber came to me and there trimmed
me, that I might be clean against night to go to Mrs. Allen. And
so staying till four o'clock we set out, I alone in the coach
going and coming: and in our way back I light out of the way to
see a Saxon monument, as they say, of a King, which is of three
stones standing upright, and a great round one lying on them, of
great bigness, although not so big as those on Salisbury Plain.
But certainly it is a thing of great antiquity, and I am mightily
glad to see it: it is near to Alesford, where Sir John Bankes
lives. So homeward to Chatham, Captain Allen's, and there light.
25th. Up, and by and by, about eight o'clock, came Rear-Admirall
Kempthorne and seven captains more, by the Duke of York's order,
as we expected, to hold the Court-martiall about the loss of "The
Defyance." And so presently we by boat to "The Charles," which
lies over-against Upner Castle; and there I did manage the
business, the Duke of York having by special order directed them
to take the assistance of Commissioner Middleton and me,
forasmuch as there might be need of advice in what relates to the
government of the ships in harbour. And so I did lay the law
open to them, and rattle the master-attendants out of their wits
almost; and made the trial last till seven at night, not eating a
bit all the day; only when he had done examination, and I given
my thoughts that the neglect of the gunner of the ship was as
great as I thought any neglect could be, which might by the law
deserve death, but Commissioner Middleton did declare that he was
against giving the sentence of death, we withdrew, as not being
of the Court, and so left them to do what they pleased: and
while they were debating it, the boatswain of the ship did bring
us out of the kettle a piece of hot salt beef, and some brown
bread and brandy; and there we did make a little meal, but so
good as I never would desire to eat better meat while I live,
only I would have cleaner dishes. By and by they had, done, and
called us down from the quarterdeck; and there we find they do
sentence that the gunner of "The Defyance" should stand upon "The
Charles" three hours with his fault writ upon his breast, and
with a halter about his neck, and so be made incapable of any
service. The truth is, the man do seem, and is, I believe, a good
man; but his neglect, in trusting a girl to carry fire into his
cabin, is not to be pardoned. This being done, we took boat and
home; and there a good supper was ready for us, which should have
been our dinner. The captains, desirous to be at London, went
away presently for Gravesend, to get thither by this night's
tide. And so we to supper, it having been a great snowy and
mighty cold, foul day; and so after supper to bed.
26th. Up, and with Middleton all the morning at the Docke,
looking over the store-houses and Commissioner Pett's house, in
order to Captain Cox's coming to live there in his stead as
Commissioner. But it is a mighty pretty house; and pretty to see
how every thing is said to be out of repair for this new man,
though 10l. would put it into as good condition in every thing as
it ever was in, so free every body is of the King's money! And
so to dinner at the Hill-house; and after dinner till eight at
night close, Middleton and I, examining the business of Mr. Pett
about selling a boat; and we find him a very knave; and some
other quarrels of his, wherein to justify himself he hath made
complaints of others. This being done, we to supper, and so to
talk, Commissioner Middleton being mighty good company upon a
journey; and so to bed.
27th. We took coach again, and got home about six at night.
29th. Up, and by water to White Hall; and there to the Duke of
York to show myself after my journey to Chatham, but did no
business to-day with him: only after gone from him, I to Sir T.
Clifford's; and there, after an hour's waiting, he being alone in
his closet, I did speak with him, and give him the account he
gave me to draw up, and he did like it very well: and then fell
to talk of the business of the Navy; and giving me good words,
did fall foul of the constitution, and did then discover his
thoughts, that Sir J. Minnes was too old, and so was Colonell
Middleton, and that my Lord Brouncker did mind his mathematics
too much. I did not give much encouragement to that of finding
fault with my fellow-officers; but did stand up for the
constitution, and did say that what faults there were in our
office would be found not to arise from the constitution, but
from the failures of the officers in whose hands it was. This he
did seem to give good ear to; but did give me of myself very good
words, which pleased me well, though I shall not build upon them
any thing. Thence home; and after dinner by water with Tom down
to Greenwich, he reading to me all the way coming and going my
collections out of the Duke of York's old manuscript of the Navy,
which I have bound up, and do please me mightily. At Greenwich I
came to Captain Cocke's, where the house full of company at the
burial of James Temple, who it seems hath been dead these five
days. Here I had a very good ring, which I did give my wife as
soon as I came home. I spent my time there walking in the garden
talking with James Pierce; who tells me that he is certain that
the Duke of Buckingham had been with his wenches all the time
that he was absent, which was all the last week, nobody knowing
where he was. The great talk is of the King's being hot of late
against Conventicles, and to see whether the Duke of Buckingham's
being returned will turn the King, which will make him very
popular; and some think it is his plot to make King thus, to show
his power in the making him change his mind. But Pierce did tell
me that the King did certainly say, that he that took one stone
from the Church did take two from his Crown. By and by the
corpse came out; and I with Sir Richard Browne and Mr. Evelyn in
their coach to the church, where Mr. Plume preached. [Thomas
Plume, D.D., Vicar of Greenwich 1662, and installed Archdeacon of
Rochester 1679. Ob, 1704.]
30th. Up, and to Sir W. Coventry, to see and discourse with him;
and he tells me that he hath lately been with my Lord Keeper, and
had much discourse about the Navy: and particularly he tells me
that he finds they are divided touching me and my Lord Brouncker;
some are for removing, and some for keeping us. He told my Lord
Keeper that it should cost the King 10,000l. before he had made
another as fit to serve him in the Navy as I am; which though I
believe it is true, yet I am much pleased to have that character
given me by Sir W. Coventry, whatever be the success of it. But
I perceive they do think that I know too much, and shall impose
upon whomever shall come next, and therefore must be removed;
though he tells me that Sir T. Clifford is inclined well enough
to me, and Sir T. Osborne, by what I have lately done, I suppose.
This news is but what I ought not to be much troubled for,
considering my incapacity, in regard to my eyes, to continue long
at this work.
31st. Up, and by water to Sir W. Coventry's, there to talk with
him about business of the Navy, and received from him direction
what to advise the Duke of York at this time; which was to submit
and give way to the King's naming a man or two that the people
about him have a mind should be brought into the Navy, and
perhaps that may stop their fury in running further against the
whole: and this, he believes, will do it. After much discourse
with him, I walked out with him into St. James's Park; where,
being afraid to be seen with him, (he having not leave yet to
kiss the King's hand, but notice taken, as I hear, of all that go
to him,) I did take the pretence of my attending the Tangier
Committee to take my leave, though to serve him I should, I
think, stick at nothing. At the Committee this morning my Lord
Middleton declares at last his being ready to go, as soon as ever
money can be made ready to pay the garrison: and so I have
orders to get money, but how soon I know not. Thence to
Dancre's, and there saw our pictures which are in doing: and I
did choose a view of Rome instead of Hampton Court; and mightily
pleased I shall be in them. Here were Sir Charles Cotterell and
his son bespeaking something: both ingenious men, I hear.
Thence my wife and I to the Park; and pretty store of company;
and so home with great content. And so ends the month, my mind
in pretty good content for all things but the designs on foot to
bring alterations in the office, which trouble me.
APRIL 1. 1669. Up, and with Colonell Middleton (at the desire of
Rear-Admiral Kempthorne the president, for our assisting them) to
the Court-Martiall on board a yacht in the River here to try the
business of the purser's complaints, (Baker against Trevanion,
his commander, of "The Dartmouth.") But, Lord! to see what
wretched doings there were among all the commanders to ruin the
purser, and defend the captain in all his rogueries, be it to the
prejudice of the King or purser, no good man could bear! I
confess I was pretty high, which the young gentlemen commanders
did not like: and Middleton did the same. But could not bring
it to any issue this day, sitting till two o'clock; and therefore
we, being sent for, went to Sir W. Pen's by invitation to dine.
At my cosen Turner's, and there we staid awhile and talked: and
particularly here we met with Dr. Ball, the parson of the Temple,
who did tell me a great many pretty stories about the manner of
the parsons being paid for their preaching at Paul's heretofore
and now, and the ground of the lecture; and heretofore for the
names of the founders thereof, which were many, at some 5s. some
8s. per annum towards it: and had their names read in the pulpit
every sermon among those holy persons that the Church do order a
collect for giving God thanks for.
2nd. To White Hall, and there to the Duke of York's lodgings;
whither he, by and by, by his appointment came: and alone with
him an hour in his closet, telling him mine and Sir W. Coventry's
advice touching the present posture of the Navy, as the Duke of
Buckingham and the rest do now labour to make changes therein;
and that it were best for him to suffer the King to be satisfied
with the bringing in of a man or two whom they desire. I did
also give the Duke of York a short account of the history of the
Navy as to our office, wherewith he was very well satisfied: but
I do find that he is pretty stiff against their bringing in of
men against his mind, as the Treasurers were, and particularly
against Child's coming in, because he is a merchant. After much
discourse with him we parted: and the Council sat while I staid
waiting for his telling me when I should be ready to give him a
written account of the administration of the Navy, which caused
me to wait the whole afternoon, till night. In the mean time,
stepping to the Duchesse of York's side to speak with Lady
Peterborough, I did see the young Duchesse, a little child in
hanging sleeves, dance most finely, so as almost to ravish me,
her ears were so good. Taught by a Frenchman that did heretofore
teach the King, and all the King's children, and the Queene-
Mother herself, who do still dance well.
3rd. Up, and to the Council of War again with Middleton: but
the proceedings of the commanders so devilishly bad, and so
professedly partial to the captain, that I could endure it no
longer, but took occasion to pretend business at the office,
and away, and Colonell Middleton with me, who was of the same
mind, and resolved to declare our minds freely to the Duke of
York about it.
4th. After dinner with Sir J. Minnes and T. Middleton to White
Hall, by appointment; and at my Lord Arlington's the office did
attend the King and caball, to discourse of the further quantity
of victuals fit to be declared for, which was 2000 men for six
months; and so without more ado or stay there, hearing no news
but that Sir Thomas Allen is to be expected every hour at home
with his fleet, or news of his being gone back to Algier. The
Queene-Mother hath been of late mighty ill, and some fears of her
death.
5th. Went five or six miles towards Branford, where the Prince
of Tuscany, [Cosmo de' Medici, who succeeded his father Ferdinand
in the Dukedom of Tuscany 1670. His Tour in England has been
recently published.] who comes into England only to spend money
and see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much
expected; and we met him, but the coach passing by apace we could
not see much of him, but he seems a very jolly and good comely
man.
6th. Middleton and I did in plain terms acquaint the Duke of
York what we thought and had observed in the late Court-martiall;
which the Duke of York did give ear to, and though he thinks not
fit to revoke what is already done in this case by a Court-
martiall, yet it shall bring forth some good laws in the
behaviour of captains to their under-officers for the time to
come.
7th. To the Lords of the Treasury, where all the morning, and
settled matters to their liking about the assignments on the
Customes between the Navy-office and Victualler, and to that end
spent most of the morning there with D. Gauden. I to the
Council-chamber, and there heard the great complaint of the City,
tried against the gentlemen of the Temple for the late riot, as
they would have it, when my Lord Mayor was there. But, upon
hearing the whole business, the City was certainly to blame to
charge them in this manner as with a riot; but; the King and
Council did forbear to determine any thing in it, till the other
business of the title and privilege be decided, which is now
under dispute at law between them,--whether the Temple be within
the liberty of the City or no. But I was sorry to see the City
so ill advised as to complain in a thing where their proofs were
so weak.
8th. Up, and to White Hall to the King's side to find Sir T.
Clifford, where the Duke of York came and found me; which I was
sorry for, for fear he should think I was making friends on that
side. But I did put it off the best I could, my being there; and
so by and by had opportunity alone to show Sir T. Clifford the
fair account I had drawn up of the Customes, which he liked, and
seemed mightily pleased with me; and so away to the Excise-
office, to do a little business there: and so to the office,
where all the morning.
9th. Up, and by water to White Hall, and there with the Board
attended the Duke of York, and Sir Thomas Allen with us (who came
to town yesterday;) and it is resolved another fleet shall go to
the Streights forthwith, and he command it. But his coming home
is mighty hardly talked on by the merchants, for leaving their
ships there to the mercy of the Turks: but of this more in my
White-book. To the Excise-office, and to several places; among
others to Mr. Faythorne's, to have seen an instrument which he
was said to have of drawing perspectives, but he had it not; but
here I did see his work house, and the best things of his doing
he had by him.
10th. After dinner comes Mr. Seamour to visit me, a talking
fellow; but I hear by him that Captain Trevanion do give it out
every where that I did over-rule the whole Court-martiall against
him, so long as I was there. And perhaps I may receive at this
time some wrong by it; but I care not, for what I did was out of
my desire to do justice.
11th. To Loton the landscape-drawer, a Dutchman, living in St.
James's Market; but there saw no good pictures. But by accident
he did direct us to a painter that was then in the house with
him, a Dutchman, newly come over, one Evereest, [Probably Simon
Varelst a Dutch flower-painter, who practised his art with much
success in England about this time.] who took us to his lodging
close by, and did show us a little flower-pot of his drawing, the
finest thing that ever, I think, I saw in my life; the drops of
dew hanging on the leaves, so as I was forced again and again to
put my finger to it, to feel whether my eyes were deceived or no.
He do ask 70l. for it: I had the vanity to bid him 20l. But a
better picture I never saw in my whole life; and it is worth
going twenty miles to see it. Thence, leaving Balty there, I
took my wife to St. James's, and there carried her to the
Queene's chapel, the first time I ever did it; and heard
excellent musick, but not so good as by accident I did hear there
yesterday as I went through the Park from White Hall to see Sir
W. Coventry, which I have forgot to set down in my Journal
yesterday. And going out of the chapel I did see the Prince of
Tuscany come out, a comely black fat man, in a mourning-suit; and
my wife and I did see him this afternoon through a window in this
chapel. All that Sir W. Coventry yesterday did tell me new was,
that the King would not yet give him leave to come to kiss his
hand; and he do believe that he will not in a great while do it,
till those about him shall see fit: which I am sorry for.
Thence to the Park, my wife and I: and here Sir W. Coventry did
first see me and my wife in a coach of our own; and so did also
this night the Duke of York, who did eye my wife mightily. But I
begin to doubt that my being so much seen in my own coach at this
time may be observed to my prejudice; but I must venture it now.
So home, and so set down my Journal, with the help of my left eye
through my tube, for fourteen days past; which is so much as I
hope I shall not run in arrear again, but the badness of my eyes
do force me to it.
12th. The whole office attended the Duke of York at his meeting
with Sir Thomas Allen and several flag-officers, to consider of
the manner of managing the war with Algier; and it being a thing
I was wholly silent in, I did only observe; and find that their
manner of discourse on this weighty affair was very mean and
disorderly, the Duke of York himself being the man that I thought
spoke most to the purpose. By water to the Bear-garden, and
there happened to sit by Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is still
full of his vain-glorious and prophane talk. Here we saw a prize
fought between a soldier and a country-fellow, one Warrel, who
promised the least in his looks, and performed the most of valour
in his boldness and evenness of mind, and smiles in all he did,
that ever I saw; and we were all both deceived and infinitely
taken with him. He did soundly beat the soldier, and cut him
over the head. Thence back to White Hall, mightily pleased all
of us with this sight, and particularly this fellow, as a most
extraordinary man for his temper and evenness in fighting. This
evening coming home we overtook Alderman Backewell's coach and
his lady, and followed them to their house, and there made them
the first visit, where they received us with extraordinary
civility, and owning the obligation. But I do, contrary to my
expectation, find her something a proud and vain-glorious woman,
in telling the number of her servants and family and expences.
He is also so, but he was ever of that strain. But here he
showed me the model of his houses that he is going to build in
Cornhill and Lumbard-street; but he hath purchased so much there
that it looks like a little town, and must have cost him a great
deal of money.
13th. I by hackney-coach to the Spittle, and heard a piece of a
dull sermon to my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and thence saw them
all take horse and ride away, which I have not seen together many
a day: their wives also went in their coaches. And indeed the
sight was mighty pleasing. Thence took occasion to go back to a
milliner's in Fenchurch-street, whose name I understand to be
Clerke; and there her husband inviting me up to the balcony to
see the show go by to dinner at Clothworkers'-hall I did go up,
and there saw it go by.
14th. To the Duke of Yorks playhouse, and there saw "The
Impertinents," a play which pleases me well still; but it is with
great trouble that I now see a play because of my eyes, the light
of the candles making it very troublesome to me. After the play
to Creed's. They do here talk mightily of my Lady Paulina making
a very good end, and being mightily religious in her life-time;
and she hath left many good notes of sermons and religion wrote
with her own hand, which nobody ever knew of: which I am glad
of; but she was always a peevish lady.
17th. To Sir W. Coventry's, reading over first my draught of the
administration of the Navy, which he do like very well; and so
fell to talk of his late disgrace, and how basely and in what a
mean manner the Duke of Buckingham hath proceeded against him,--
not like a man of honour. He tells me that the King will not
give other answer, about his coming to kiss his hands, than "Not
yet." But he says that this that he desires of kissing the
King's hand is only to show to the world that he is not a
discontent, and not in any desire to come again into play, though
I do perceive that he speaks this with less earnestness than
heretofore; and this it may be is, from what he told me lately,
that the King is offended at what is talked, that he hath
declared himself desirous not to have to do with any employment
more. But he do tell me that the leisure he hath yet had do not
at all begin to be burden some to him, he knowing how to spend
his time with content to himself; and that he hopes shortly to
contract his expence, so as that he shall not be under any
straits in that respect neither; and so seems to be in very good
condition of content. Thence I away over the Park it being now
night, to White Hall: and there in the Duchesse's chamber do
find the Duke of York; and upon my offer to speak with him, he
did come to me and withdrew to his closet, and there did hear and
approve my paper of the Administration of the Navy, only did bid
me alter these words, "upon the rupture between the late King and
the Parliament," to these, "the beginning of the late Rebellion;"
giving it me as but reason to show that it was with the Rebellion
that the Navy was put by out of its old good course into that of
a Commission. Having done this, we fell to other talk; he with
great confidence telling me how matters go among our adversaries,
in reference to the Navy, and that he thinks they do begin to
flag: but then beginning to talk in general of the excellency of
old constitutions, he did bring out of his cabinet, and made me
read it, an extract out of a book of my late Lord of
Northumberland's, so prophetic of the business of Chatham as is
almost miraculous. I did desire, and he did give it me to copy
out; which pleased me mightily.
18th. To my office again to examine the fair draught; and so
borrowing Sir J. Minnes's coach, he going with Colonell
Middleton, I to White Hall, where we all met and did sign it.
And then to my Lord Arlington's, where the King and the Duke of
York and Prince Rupert, as also Ormond and the two secretaries,
with my Lord Ashly and Sir T. Clifford, were. And there by and
by being called in, Mr. Williamson did read over our paper, which
was in a letter to the Duke of York, bound up in a book with the
Duke of York's Book of Instructions. He read it well; and after
read, we were bid to withdraw, nothing being at all said to it.
And by and by we were called in again, and nothing said to that
business; but another begun about the state of this year's action
and our wants of money, as I had stated the same lately to our
Treasurers; which I was bid, and did largely, and with great
content open. And having so done, we all withdrew, and left them
to debate our supply of money; to which being called in, and
referred to attend on the Lords of the Treasury, we all departed.
And I only staid in the House till the Council rose; and then to
the Duke of York in the Duchesse's chamber, where he told me that
the book was there left with my Lord Arlington for any of the
Lords to view that had a mind, and to prepare and present to the
King what they had to say in writing to any part of it; which is
all we can desire, and so that rested. The Duke of York then
went to other talk; and by and by comes the Prince of Tuscany to
visit him and the Duchesse; and find that he do still remain
incognito, and so intends to do all the time he stays here, for
avoiding trouble to the King and himself, and expence also to
both.
20th. At noon comes my guest Mr. Hugh May, and with him Sir
Henry Capell, my old Lord Capell's son, and Mr. Parker. And I
had a pretty dinner for them; and both before and after dinner
had excellent discourse; and showed them my closet and my office,
and the method of it, to their great content: and more
extraordinary manly discourse and opportunity of showing myself,
and learning from others, I have not in ordinary discourse had in
my life, they being all persons of worth, but especially Sir H.
Capell, whose being a Parliament-man, and hearing my discourse in
the Parliament-house, hath, as May tells me, given him a long
desire to know and discourse with me. In the afternoon we walked
to the Old Artillery-ground near the Spitalfields, where I never
was before, but now by Captain Deane's invitation did go to see
his new gun tryed, this being the place where the officers of the
Ordnance do try all their great guns: and when we came, did find
that the trial had been made, and they going away, with
extraordinary report of the proof of his gun, which, from the
shortness and bigness, they do call Punchinello. But I desired
Colonell Legg to stay and give us a sight of her performance;
which he did, and there, in short, against a gun more than as
long and as heavy again, and charged with as much powder again,
she carried the same bullet as strong to the mark, and nearer and
above the mark at a point blank than theirs, and is more easily
managed, and recoyles no more than that; which is a thing so
extraordinary as to be admired for the happiness of his
invention, and to the great regret of the old gunners and
officers of the Ordnance that were there, only Colonell Legg did
do her much right in his report of her, and so having seen this
great and first experiment we all parted, I seeing my guests into
a hackney-coach, and myself, with Captain Deane, taking a
hackney-coach, did go out towards Bow, and went as far as
Stratford, and all the way talking of this invention, and he
offering me a third of the profit of it; which, for aught I know,
or do at present think, may prove matter considerable to us; for
either the King will give him a reward for it if he keeps it to
himself, or he will give us a patent to make our profit of it;
and no doubt but it will be of profit to merchantmen and others
to have guns of the same force at half the charge. This was our
talk; and then to talk of other things, of the Navy in general:
and, among other things, he did tell me that he do hear how the
Duke of Buckingham hath a spite at me, which I knew before, but
value it not; and he tells me that Sir T. Allen is not my friend:
but for all this I am not much troubled, for I know myself so
usefull that, as I believe, they will not part with me; so I
thank God my condition is such that I can retire and be able to
live with comfort, though not with abundance.
21st. To Auditor Wood's, and met my Lord Bellasses upon some
business of his accounts. Attended the Duke of York a little,
being the first time of my waiting on him at St. James's this
summer, whither he is now newly gone. And thence walked to White
Hall; and so by and by to the Council-chamber, and heard a
remarkable cause pleaded between the Farmers of the Excise of
Wiltshire, in complaint against the Justices of Peace of
Salisbury: and Sir H. Finch was for the former. But, Lord! to
see how he did with his admirable eloquence order the matter, is
not to be conceived almost: so pleasant a thing it is to hear
him plead! after dinner by water to White Hall, where the Duke
of York did meet our office, and went with us to the Lords
Commissioners of the Treasury: and there we did go over all the
business of the state I had drawn up of this year's action and
expence; which I did do to their satisfaction, and convincing
them of the necessity of providing more money, if possible, for
us. Thence the Duke of York being gone, I did there stay walking
with Sir H. Cholmly in the Court, talking of news; where he told
me that now the great design of the Duke of Buckingham is to
prevent the meeting, since he cannot bring about with the King
the dissolving of this Parliament, that the King may not need it;
and therefore my Lord St. Alban's is hourly expected with great
offers of a million of money to buy our breach with the Dutch;
and this, they do think, may tempt the King to take the money,
and thereby be out of a necessity of calling the Parliament
again, which these people dare not suffer to meet again: but
this he doubts, and so do I, that it will be the ruin of the
nation if we fall out with Holland.
22nd. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon
home to dinner, and Captain Deane with us; and very good
discourse, and particularly about my getting a book for him to
draw up his whole theory of shipping; which at my desire he hath
gone far in, and hath shown me what he hath done therein to
admiration. I did give him a parallelogram, which he is mightily
taken with. And so after dinner to the office, where all the
afternoon till night late, and then home.
23rd. To the Council-chamber, and heard two or three causes;
among others that of the complaint of Sir Philip Howard and
Watson, the inventors, as they pretend, of the business of
varnishing and lacker-worke, against the Company of Painters, who
take upon them to do the same thing; where I saw a great instance
of the weakness of a young Counsel they used to such an audience,
against the Solicitor-generall and two more able Counsel used to
it. Though he had the right of his side, and did prevail for
what he pretended to against the rest, yet it was with much
disadvantage and hazard. Here I also heard Mr. Papillion make
his defence to the King against some complaints of the Farmers of
Excise; but it was so weak, and done only by his own seeking,
that it was to his injury more than profit, and made his case the
worse, being ill-managed, and in a cause against the King.
25th (Lord's day). Up, and to my office awhile, and thither
comes Lead with my vizard, with a tube fastened within both eyes;
which, with the help which he prompts me to, of a glass in the
tube, do content me mightily. W. How came and dined with us; and
then I to my office, he being gone, to write down my Journal for
the last twelve days: and did it with the help of my vizard and
tube fixed to it, and do find it mighty manageable, but how
helpfull to my eyes this trial will show me. So abroad with my
wife in the afternoon to the Park, where very much company, and
the weather very pleasant. I carried my wife to the Lodge, the
first time this year, and there in our coach eat a cheesecake and
drank a tankard of milk. I showed her this day also first the
Prince of Tuscany, who was in the Park, and many very fine
ladies.
26th, after dinner comes Colonell Macknachan, one that I see
often at Court, a Scotchman, but know him not; only he brings me
a letter from my Lord Middleton, who, he says, is in great
distress for 500l. to relieve my Lord Morton [William, ninth Earl
of Morton, who had married Lord Middleton's daughter Grizel.]
with (but upon what account I know not;) and he would have me
advance it without order upon his pay for Tangier; which I was
astonished at, but had the grace to deny him with an excuse. And
so he went away, leaving me a little troubled that I was thus
driven on a sudden to do any thing herein: but Creed coming just
now to see me, be approves of what I have done. A great fire
happened in Durham-yard last night, burning the house of one Lady
Hungerford, who was to come to town to it this night; and so the
house is burned, new furnished, by carelessness of the girl sent
to take off a candle from a bunch of candles, which she did by
burning it off and left the rest, as is supposed, on fire. The
King and Court were here, it seems;, and stopped the fire by
blowing up of the next house. The King and Court; went out of
town to Newmarket this morning betimes, for a week.
28th. Up, and was called upon by Sir H. Cholmly to discourse
about some accounts of his of Tangier: and then to other talk.
And I find by him that it is brought almost to effect, the late
endeavours of the Duke of York and Duchesse, the Queene-Mother,
and my Lord St. Alban's together with some of the contrary
faction, as my Lord Arlington, that for a sum of money we shall
enter into a league with the King of France, wherein, he says, my
Lord Chancellor is also concerned; and that he believes that in
the doing hereof it is meant that he shall come in again, and
that this sum of money will so help the King as that he will not
need the Parliament; and that in that regard it will be forwarded
by the Duke of Buckingham and his faction, who dread the
Parliament. But hereby must leave the Dutch, and that I doubt
will undo us; and Sir H. Cholmly says he finds W. Coventry do
think the like. My Lady Castlemaine is instrumental in this
matter, and, he says, never more great with the King than she is
now. But this is a thing that will make the Parliament and
kingdom mad, and will turn to our ruine; for with this money the
King shall wanton away his time in pleasures, and think nothing
of the main till it be too late. This morning Mr. Sheres sent me
in two volumes, Marian his History of Spaine in Spanish, an
excellent book; and I am much obliged to him for it.
30th. Up, and by coach to the coachmaker's; and there I do find
a great many ladies sitting in the body of a coach that must be
ended by to-morrow, (they were my Lady Marquess of Winchester,
[Isabella, daughter of William Viscount Stafford, third wife to
James fifth Marquis of Winchester.] Bellasses, [John Lord
Bellassis was thrice married: first, to Jane, daughter of Sir
Robert Boteler, of Woodhall, Knt.; secondly, to Ann, daughter of
Sir Robert Crane, of Chilton, Suffolk; thirdly, to Lady Anne
Powlet, daughter of John, fourth Marquis of Winchester. The lady
here mentioned was the second or third wife; probably the
latter.] and other great ladies,) eating of bread and butter,
and drinking ale. I to my coach, which is silvered over, but no
varnish yet laid on, so I put it in a way of doing; and my self
about other business, and particularly to see Sir W. Coventry,
with whom I talked a good while to my great content: and so to
other places, among others, to my tailor's; and then to the
belt-maker's, where my belt cost me 55s. of the colour of my new
suit; and here understanding that the mistress of the house, an
oldish woman in a hat, hath some water good for the eyes, she did
dress me, making my eyes smart most horribly, and did give me a
little glass of it, which I will use, and hope it will do me
good. So to the cutler's, and there did give Tom, who was with
me all day, a sword cost me 12s. and a belt of my owne ; and sent
my own silver-hilt sword agilding against to-morrow. This
morning I did visit Mr. Oldenburgh, and did see the instrument
for perspective made by Dr. Wren, of which I have one making by
Browne; and the sight of this do please me mightily. At noon my
wife came to me at my tailor's, and I sent her home, and myself
and Tom dined at Hercules Pillars; and so about our business
again, and particularly to Lilly's, the varnisher, about my
prints, whereof some of them are pasted upon the boards, and to
my full content. Thence to the frame-maker's, one Norris, in
Long Acre; who showed me several forms of frames, which were
pretty, in little bits of mouldings to choose patterns by. This
done, I to my coachmaker's; and there vexed to see nothing yet
done to my coach, at three in the afternoon; but I set it in
doing, and stood by till eight at night, and saw the painter
varnish it, which is pretty to see how every doing it over do
make it more and more yellow: and it dries as fast in the sun as
it can be laid on almost; and most coaches are now-a-days done
so, and it is very pretty when laid on well, and not too pale as
some are, even to show the silver. Here I did make the workmen
drink, and saw my coach cleaned and oyled; and staying among poor
people there in the ally, did hear them call their fat child
Punch, which pleased me mightily, that word being become a word
of common use for all that is thick and short.
May 1, 1669. Up betimes. My wife extraordinary fine with her
flowered tabby gown that she made two years ago, now laced
exceeding pretty; and indeed was fine all over. And mighty
earnest to go, though the day was very lowering; and she would
have me put on my fine suit, which I did. And so anon we went
alone through the town with our new liveries of serge, and the
horses' manes and tails tied with red ribbons, and the standards
thus gilt with varnish, and all clean, and green reines, that
people did mightily look upon us; and the truth is, I did not see
any coach more pretty, though more gay, than ours all the day;
the day being unpleasing, though the Park full of coaches, but
dusty, and windy, and cold, and now and then a little dribbling
of rain; and what made it worse, there were so many hackney
coaches as spoiled the sight of the gentlemen's; and so we had
little pleasure.
2nd (Lord's day). Up, and by water to White Hall, and there
visited my Lord Sandwich, who, after about two months' absence at
Hinchingbroke, came to town last night. I saw him; and he was
very kind: and I am glad he is so, I having not wrote to him all
the time, my eyes indeed not letting me. Here with Sir Charles
Harbord and my Lord Hinchingbroke and Sidney, and we looked upon
the picture of Tangier, designed by Charles Harbord and drawn by
Dancre, which my Lord Sandwich admires, as being the truest
picture that ever he saw in his life: and it is indeed very
pretty, and I will be at the cost of having one of them. Thence
with them to White Hall, and there walked out the sermon with one
or other; and then saw the Duke of York, and he talked to me a
little; and so away back by water home.
3rd. Up, and coach to my Lord Brouncker's, where Sir G. Carteret
did meet Sir J. Minnes and me, to discourse upon Mr. Deering's
business, who was directed in the time of the war to provide
provisions at Hamburgh, by Sir G. Carteret's direction; and now
Sir G. Carteret is afraid to own it, it being done without
written order. But by our meeting we do all begin to recollect
enough to preserve Mr. Deering, which I think, poor silly man! I
shall be glad of, it being too much he should suffer for
endeavouring to serve us. Thence to St. James's, where the Duke
of York was playing in the Pell Mell; and so he called me to him
most part of the time that he played, which was an hour, and
talked alone to me; and, among other things, tells me how the
King will not yet be got to name any body in the room of Pen, but
puts it off for three or four days: from whence he do collect
that they are brewing something for the Navy, but what he knows
not; but I perceive is vexed that things should go so, and he
hath reason; for he told me that it is likely they will do in
this as in other things--resolve first, and consider it and the
fitness of it afterwards. Thence to White Hall, and met with
Creed, and discoursed of matters; and I perceive by him that he
makes no doubt but that all will turn to the old religion, for
these people cannot hold things in their hands, nor prevent its
coming to that; and by his discourse he fits himself for it, and
would have my Lord Sandwich do so too, and me. After a little
talk with him, and particularly about the ruinous condition of
Tangier, which I have a great mind to lay before the Duke of
York, but dare not because of his great kindness to Lord
Middleton, before it be too late, we parted, and I homeward; but
called at Povy's, and there he stopped me to dinner, there being
Mr. Williamson, the Lieutenant of the Tower, Mr. Child, and
several others. And after dinner Povy and I together to talk of
Tangier; and he would have me move the Duke of York in it, for
it concerns him particularly more than any, as being the head of
us; and I do think to do it.
5th. To St. James's, and thence with the Duke of York to White
Hall, where the Board waited on him all the morning; and so at
noon with Sir Thomas Allen, and Sir Edward Scott [Sir Edward
Scott, made LL.D, at Oxford 1677.] and Lord Carlingford, to the
Spanish Embassador's, where I dined the first time. The olio not
so good as Shere's. There was at the table himself and a Spanish
Countess, a good, comely, and witty lady; three Fathers, and us.
Discourse good and pleasant. And here was an Oxford scholar, in
Doctor of Laws' gowne, sent from the College where the Embassador
lay when the Court was there, to salute him before his return to
Spain. This man, though a gentle sort of scholar, yet sat like a
fool for want of French or Spanish, but knew only Latin, which he
spoke like an Englishman, to one of the Fathers. And by and by
he and I to talk; and the company very merry at my defending
Cambridge against Oxford; and I made much use of my French and
Spanish here, to my great content. But the dinner not
extraordinary at all, either quantity or quality.
7th. Up, and by coach to Sir W. Coventry's; and there to talk
with him a great deal with great content. And so to the Duke of
York, having a great mind to speak to him about Tangier; but when
I came to it, his interest for my Lord Middleton is such that I
dared not.
8th. After dinner all the afternoon within, with Mr. Hater,
Gibson, and W. Hewer, reading over and drawing up new things in
the Instructions of Commanders, which will be good, and I hope to
get them confirmed by the Duke of York; though I perceive nothing
will effectually perfect them but to look over the whole body of
the Instructions of all the officers of a ship, and make them all
perfect together. This being done, comes my bookseller, and
brings me home hound my collection of papers, about my Addresse
to the Duke of York in August, which makes me glad, it being that
which shall do me more right many years hence than perhaps all I
ever did in my life: and therefore I do, both for my own and the
King's sake, value it much. By and by also comes Browne, the
mathematical instrument-maker, and brings me home my instrument
for perspective, made according to the description of Dr. Wren's
in the late Transactions; and he hath made it, I think, very
well, and that I believe will do the thing, and therein gives me
great content; but I have, I fear, all the content that must be
received by my eyes, which are almost lost.
10th. To White Hall, where the Duke of York met the office, and
there discoursed of several things, particularly the Instructions
of Commanders of ships. But here happened by chance a discourse
of the Council of Trade, against which the Duke of York is
mightily displeased, and particularly Mr. Child, against whom he
speaking hardly, Captain Cox did second the Duke of York, by
saying that he was talked on for an unfayre dealer with masters
of ships about freight: to which Sir T. Littleton very hotly and
foolishly replied presently, that he never heard any honest man
speak ill of Child; to which the Duke of York did make a smart
reply, and was angry: so as I was sorry to hear it come so far,
and that I, by seeming to assent to Cox, might be observed too
much by Littleton, though I said nothing aloud, for this must
breed great heart-burnings. After this meeting done, the Duke of
York took the Treasurers into his closet to chide them, as Mr.
Wren tells me; for that my Lord Keeper did last night at the
Council say, when nobody was ready to say anything against the
constitution of the Navy, that he did believe the Treasurers of
the Navy had something to say; which was very foul on their part,
to be parties against us. They being gone, Mr. Wren took boat,
thinking to dine with my Lord of Canterbury; [Gilbert Sheldon.]
but when we came to Lambeth, the gate was shut, which is strictly
done at twelve o'clock, and nobody comes in afterwards; so we
lost our labour, and therefore back to White Hall, and thence
walked to my Lord Crewe, whom I have not seen since he was sick,
which is eight months ago, I think; and there dined with him. He
is mightily broke. A stranger, a country gentleman, was with
him; and he pleased with my discourse accidentally about the
decay of gentlemen's families in the country, telling us that the
old rule was, that a family might remain fifty miles from London
one hundred years, one hundred miles from London two hundred
years, and so farther or nearer London more or less years. He
also told us that he hath heard his father say, that in his time
it was so rare for a country gentleman to come to London, that
when he did come, he used to make his will before he set out.
Thence to St. James's, and there met the Duke of York; who told
me with great content that he did now think he should master our
adversaries, for that; the King did tell him that he was
satisfied in the constitution of the Navy, but that it was well
to give these people leave to object against it, which they
having not done, he did give order to give warrant to the Duke of
York to direct Sir Jeremy Smith to be a Commissioner of the Navy
in the room of Pen; which, though he be an impertinent fellow,
yet I am glad of it, it showing that the other side is not so
strong as it was: and so in plain terms the Duke of York did
tell me, that they were every day losing ground; and particularly
that he would take care to keep out Child: at all which I am
glad, though yet I dare not think myself secure: but the King
may yet be wrought upon by these people to bring changes in our
office, and remove us ere it be long. To White Hall to a
Committee of Tangier, where I see all things going to rack in the
business of the Corporation, and consequently in the place, by
Middleton's going. Thence walked a little with Creed, who tells
me he hears how fine my horses and coach are, and advises me to
avoid being noted for it; which I was vexed to hear taken notice
of, being what I feared; and Povy told me of my gold-laced
sleeves in the Park yesterday which vexed me also, so as to
resolve never to appear in Court with them, but presently to have
them taken off, as it is fit I should.
11th. My wife up by four o'clock, to go to gather May-dew. Some
trouble at-Court for fear of the Queene's miscarrying; she being,
as they all conclude, far gone with child.
12th. My brother John tells me the first news that my sister
Jackson is with child and far gone.
13th. At noon comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, and Sidney, and Sir
Charles Harbord, and Roger Pepys, and dined with me; and had a
good dinner, and very merry with us all the afternoon, it being a
farewell to Sidney.
14th. At noon to dinner with Mr. Wren to Lambeth, with the
Archbishop of Canterbury; the first time I was ever there, and I
have long longed for it. Where a noble house, and well furnished
with good pictures and furniture, and noble attendance in good
order, and a great deal of company though an ordinary day; and
exceeding great cheer, no where better, or so much, that ever I
think I saw for an ordinary table: and the Bishop mighty kind to
me particularly, desiring my company another time when less
company there. Most of the company gone, and I going, I heard by
a gentleman of a sermon that was to be there; and so I staid to
hear it, thinking it serious, till by and by the gentleman told
me it was a mockery, by one Cornet Bolton a very gentleman-like
man, that behind a chair did pray and preach like a Presbyter
Scot, with all the possible imitation in grimaces and voice. And
his text about the hanging up their harps upon the willows: and
a serious good sermon too, exclaiming against Bishops, and crying
up of my good Lord Eglington, till it made us all burst; but I
did wonder to have the Bishop at this time to make himself sport
with things of this kind, but I perceive it was shown him as a
rarity. And he took care to have the room-door shut, but there
were about twenty gentlemen there: and myself infinitely pleased
with the novelty. So over to White Hall to a little Committee of
Tangier; and thence walking in the Gallery, I met Sir Thomas
Osborne, who, to my great content did of his own accord fall into
discourse with me, with such professions of value and respect,
placing the whole virtue of the office of the Navy upon me, and
that for the Controller's place no man in England was fit for it
but me, when Sir J. Minnes, as he says it is necessary, is
removed: but then knows not what to do for a man in my place;
and in discourse, though I have no mind to the other, did bring
in Tom Hater to be the fittest man in the world for it, which, he
took good notice of. But in the whole I was mightily pleased,
reckoning myself fifty per cent. securer in my place than I did
before think myself to be. By water with my brother as high as
Fulham, talking and singing, and playing the rogue with the
Western bargemen about the women of Woolwich; which mads them.
16th. I all the afternoon drawing up a foul draught of my
petition to the Duke of York about my eyes, for leave to spend
three or four months out of the office, drawing it so as to give
occasion to a voyage abroad; which I did to my pretty good
liking. And then with my wife to Hyde Park, where a good deal of
company and good weather.
17th. Great news now of the French taking St. Domingo, in
Spaniola, from the Spaniards; which troubles us, that they should
have got it, and have the honour of taking it, when we could not.
19th. With my coach to St. James's; and there finding the Duke
of York gone to muster his men in Hyde Park, I alone with my boy
thither, and there saw more, walking out of my coach as other
gentlemen did, of a soldier's trade than ever I did in my life:
the men being mighty fine, and their Commanders, particularly the
Duke of Monmouth; but methought their trade but very easy as to
the mustering of their men, and the men but indifferently ready
to perform what was commanded in the handling of their arms.
Here the news was first talked of Harry Killigrew's being wounded
in nine places last night by footmen in the highway, going from
the Park in a hackney coach towards Hammersmith, to his house at
Turnham Greene; they being supposed to be my Lady Shrewsbury's
men, she being by in her coach with six horses; upon an old
grudge of his saying openly that he had intrigued with her.
Thence by and by to White Hall, and there I waited upon the King
and Queene all dinner time in the Queene's lodgings, she being in
her white pinner, and appearing like a woman with child; and she
seemed handsomer plain so than dressed. And by and by dinner
done, I out and to walk in the Gallery, for the Duke of York's
coming out; and there meeting Mr. May, he took me down about four
o'clock to Mr. Chevin's lodgings, and all alone did get me a dish
of cold chickens and good wine; and I dined like a prince, being
before very hungry and empty. By and by the Duke of York comes,
and readily took me to his closet, and received my petition, and
discoursed about my eyes, and pitied me, and with much kindness
did give me his consent to be absent, and approved of my
proposition to go into Holland to observe things there of the
Navy; but would first ask the King's leave, which he anon did,
and did tell me that the King would be a good master to me,
(these were his words about my eyes,) and do like of my going
into Holland, but do advise that nobody should know of my going
thither, and that I should pretend to go into the country
somewhere; which I liked well. In discourse this afternoon, the
Duke of York did tell me that he was the most amazed at one thing
just now that ever he was in his life; which was, that the Duke
of Buckingham did just now come into the Queene's bed-chamber,
where the King was, with much mixed company, and, among others,
Tom Killigrew, the father of Harry, who was last night wounded so
as to be in danger of death, and his man is quite dead; and there
did say that he had spoke with some one that was by, (which
person all the world must know must be his mistress, my Lady
Shrewsbury,) who says that they did not mean to hurt, but beat
him, and that he did run first at them with his sword; so that he
do hereby clearly discover that he knows who did it, and is of
conspiracy with them, being of known conspiracy with her; which
the Duke of York did seem to be pleased with, and said it might
perhaps cost him his life in the House of Lords; and I find was
mightily pleased with it, saying it was the most impudent thing,
as well as the most foolish, that ever he knew man do in all his
life.
20th. With my eyes mighty weary, and my head full of care how to
get my accounts and business settled against my journey, home to
supper, and to bed.
24th. To White Hall, where I attended the Duke of York, and was
by him led to the King, who expressed great sense of my
misfortune in my eyes, and concernment for their recovery; and
accordingly signified, not only his assent to my desire therein,
but; commanded me to give them rest this summer, according to my
late petition to the Duke of York.
26th. To White Hall, where all the morning. Dined with Mr.
Chevins, with Alderman Backewell, and Spragg. The Court full of
the news from Captain Hubbert of "The Milford," touching his
being affronted in the Streights, shot at, and having eight men
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