Chapter 34

24th. Up, and to the office, where Lord Bruncker, [Sir] J. Mimics, [Sir] W. Yen, and myself met, and there I did use my notes I took on Saturday night about tickets, and did come to a good settlement in the business of that office, if it be kept to, this morning being a meeting on purpose. At noon to prevent my Lord Bruncker's dining here I walked as if upon business with him, it being frost and dry, as far as Paul's, and so back again through the City by Guildhall, observing the ruines thereabouts, till I did truly lose myself, and so home to dinner. I do truly find that I have overwrought my eyes, so that now they are become weak and apt to be tired, and all excess of light makes them sore, so that now to the candlelight I am forced to sit by, adding, the snow upon the ground all day, my eyes are very bad, and will be worse if not helped, so my Lord Bruncker do advise as a certain cure to use greene spectacles, which I will do. So to dinner, where Mercer with us, and very merry. After dinner she goes and fetches a little son of Mr. Backeworth's, the wittiest child and of the most spirit that ever I saw in my life for discourse of all kind, and so ready and to the purpose, not above four years old. Thence to Sir Robert Viner's, and there paid for the plate I have bought to the value of L94, with the L100 Captain Cocke did give me to that purpose, and received the rest in money. I this evening did buy me a pair of green spectacles, to see whether they will help my eyes or no. So to the 'Change, and went to the Upper 'Change, which is almost as good as the old one; only shops are but on one side. Then home to the office, and did business till my eyes began to be bad, and so home to supper. My people busy making mince pies, and so to bed. No newes yet of our Gottenburgh fleete; which makes [us] have some fears, it being of mighty concernment to have our supply of masts safe. I met with Mr. Cade to-night, my stationer; and he tells me that he hears for certain that the Queene-Mother is about and hath near finished a peace with France, which, as a Presbyterian, he do not like, but seems to fear it will be a means to introduce Popery.

25th (Christmas day). Lay pretty long in bed, and then rose, leaving my wife desirous to sleep, having sat up till four this morning seeing her mayds make mince-pies. I to church, where our parson Mills made a good sermon. Then home, and dined well on some good ribbs of beef roasted and mince pies; only my wife, brother, and Barker, and plenty of good wine of my owne, and my heart full of true joy; and thanks to God Almighty for the goodness of my condition at this day. After dinner, I begun to teach my wife and Barker my song, "It is decreed," which pleases me mightily as now I have Mr. Hinxton's base. Then out and walked alone on foot to the Temple, it being a fine frost, thinking to have seen a play all alone; but there, missing of any bills, concluded there was none, and so back home; and there with my brother reducing the names of all my books to an alphabet, which kept us till 7 or 8 at night, and then to supper, W. Hewer with us, and pretty merry, and then to my chamber to enter this day's journal only, and then to bed. My head a little thoughtfull how to behave myself in the business of the victualling, which I think will be prudence to offer my service in doing something in passing the pursers' accounts, thereby to serve the King, get honour to myself, and confirm me in my place in the victualling, which at present yields not work enough to deserve my wages.

26th. Up, and walked all the way (it being a most fine frost), to White Hall, to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and thence with him up to the Duke of York, where among other things at our meeting I did offer my assistance to Sir J. Minnes to do the business of his office, relating to the Pursers' accounts, which was well accepted by the Duke of York, and I think I have and shall do myself good in it, if it be taken, for it will confirm me in the business of the victualling office, which I do now very little for. Thence home, carrying a barrel of oysters with me. Anon comes Mr. John Andrews and his wife by invitation from Bow to dine with me, and young Batelier and his wife with her great belly, which has spoiled her looks mightily already. Here was also Mercer and Creed, whom I met coming home, who tells me of a most bitter lampoone now out against the Court and the management of State from head to foot, mighty witty and mighty severe. By and by to dinner, a very good one, and merry. After dinner I put the women into a coach, and they to the Duke's house, to a play which was acted, "The--------." It was indifferently done, but was not pleased with the song, Gosnell not singing, but a new wench, that sings naughtily. Thence home, all by coach, and there Mr. Andrews to the vyall, who plays most excellently on it, which I did not know before. Then to dance, here being Pembleton come, by my wife's direction, and a fiddler; and we got, also, the elder Batelier to-night, and Nan Wright, and mighty merry we were, and I danced; and so till twelve at night, and to supper, and then to cross purposes, mighty merry, and then to bed, my eyes being sore. Creed lay here in Barker's bed.

27th. Up; and called up by the King's trumpets, which cost me 10s. So to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon, by invitation, my wife, who had not been there these to months, I think, and I, to meet all our families at Sir W. Batten's at dinner, whither neither a great dinner for so much company nor anything good or handsome. In the middle of dinner I rose, and my wife, and by coach to the King's playhouse, and meeting Creed took him up, and there saw "The Scornfull Lady" well acted; Doll Common doing Abigail most excellently, and Knipp the widow very well, and will be an excellent actor, I think. In other parts the play not so well done as used to be, by the old actors. Anon to White Hall by coach, thinking to have seen a play there to-night, but found it a mistake, so back again, and missed our coach[man], who was gone, thinking to come time enough three hours hence, and we could not blame him. So forced to get another coach, and all three home to my house, and there to Sir W. Batten's, and eat a bit of cold chine of beef, and then staid and talked, and then home and sat and talked a little by the fireside with my wife and Creed, and so to bed, my left eye being very sore. No business publick or private minded all these two days. This day a house or two was blown up with powder in the Minorys, and several people spoiled, and many dug out from under the rubbish.

28th. Up, and Creed and I walked (a very fine walk in the frost) to my Lord Bellasses, but missing him did find him at White Hall, and there spoke with him about some Tangier business. That done, we to Creed's lodgings, which are very pretty, but he is going from them. So we to Lincoln's Inne Fields, he to Ned Pickering's, who it seems lives there, keeping a good house, and I to my Lord Crew's, where I dined, and hear the newes how my Lord's brother, Mr. Nathaniel Crew, hath an estate of 6 or L700 per annum, left him by the death of an old acquaintance of his, but not akin to him at all. And this man is dead without will, but had, above ten years since, made over his estate to this Mr. Crew, to him and his heirs for ever, and given Mr. Crew the keeping of the deeds in his own hand all this time; by which, if he would, he might have taken present possession of the estate, for he knew what they were. This is as great an act of confident friendship as this latter age, I believe, can shew. From hence to the Duke's house, and there saw "Macbeth" most excellently acted, and a most excellent play for variety. I had sent for my wife to meet me there, who did come, and after the play was done, I out so soon to meet her at the other door that I left my cloake in the playhouse, and while I returned to get it, she was gone out and missed me, and with W. Hewer away home. I not sorry for it much did go to White Hall, and got my Lord Bellasses to get me into the playhouse; and there, after all staying above an hour for the players, the King and all waiting, which was absurd, saw "Henry the Fifth" well done by the Duke's people, and in most excellent habits, all new vests, being put on but this night. But I sat so high and far off, that I missed most of the words, and sat with a wind coming into my back and neck, which did much trouble me. The play continued till twelve at night; and then up, and a most horrid cold night it was, and frosty, and moonshine. But the worst was, I had left my cloak at Sir G. Carteret's, and they being abed I was forced to go home without it. So by chance got a coach and to the Golden Lion Taverne in the Strand, and there drank some mulled sack, and so home, where find my poor wife staying for me, and then to bed mighty cold.

29th. Up, called up with newes from Sir W. Batten that Hogg hath brought in two prizes more: and so I thither, and hear the particulars, which are good; one of them, if prize, being worth L4,000: for which God be thanked! Then to the office, and have the newes brought us of Captain Robinson's coming with his fleete from Gottenburgh: dispersed, though, by foul weather. But he hath light of five Dutch men-of-war, and taken three, whereof one is sunk; which is very good newes to close up the year with, and most of our merchantmen already heard of to be safely come home, though after long lookings-for, and now to several ports, as they could make them. At noon home to dinner, where Balty is and now well recovered. Then to the office to do business, and at night, it being very cold, home to my chamber, and there late writing, but my left eye still very sore. I write by spectacles all this night, then to supper and to bed. This day's good news making me very lively, only the arrears of much business on my hands and my accounts to be settled for the whole year past do lie as a weight on my mind.

30th (Lord's day). Lay long, however up and to church, where Mills made a good sermon. Here was a collection for the sexton; but it come into my head why we should be more bold in making the collection while the psalm is singing, than in the sermon or prayer. Home, and, without any strangers, to dinner, and then all the afternoon and evening in my chamber preparing all my accounts in good condition against to-morrow, to state them for the whole year past, to which God give me a good issue when I come to close them! So to supper and to bed.

31st. Rising this day with a full design to mind nothing else but to make up my accounts for the year past, I did take money, and walk forth to several places in the towne as far as the New Exchange, to pay all my debts, it being still a very great frost and good walking. I staid at the Fleece Tavern in Covent Garden while my boy Tom went to W. Joyce's to pay what I owed for candles there. Thence to the New Exchange to clear my wife's score, and so going back again I met Doll Lane (Mrs. Martin's sister), with another young woman of the Hall, one Scott, and took them to the Half Moon Taverne and there drank some burnt wine with them, without more pleasure, and so away home by coach, and there to dinner, and then to my accounts, wherein, at last, I find them clear and right; but, to my great discontent, do find that my gettings this year have been L573 less than my last: it being this year in all but L2,986; whereas, the last, I got L3,560. And then again my spendings this year have exceeded my spendings the last by L644: my whole spendings last year being but L509; whereas this year, it appears, I have spent L1154, which is a sum not fit to be said that ever I should spend in one year, before I am master of a better estate than I am. Yet, blessed be God! and I pray God make me thankful for it, I do find myself worth in money, all good, above L6,200; which is above L1800 more than I was the last year. This, I trust in God, will make me thankfull for what I have, and carefull to make up by care next year what by my negligence and prodigality I have lost and spent this year. The doing of this, and entering of it fair, with the sorting of all my expenses, to see how and in what points I have exceeded, did make it late work, till my eyes become very sore and ill, and then did give over, and supper, and to bed. Thus ends this year of publick wonder and mischief to this nation, and, therefore, generally wished by all people to have an end. Myself and family well, having four mayds and one clerk, Tom, in my house, and my brother, now with me, to spend time in order to his preferment. Our healths all well, only my eyes with overworking them are sore as candlelight comes to them, and not else; publick matters in a most sad condition; seamen discouraged for want of pay, and are become not to be governed: nor, as matters are now, can any fleete go out next year. Our enemies, French and Dutch, great, and grow more by our poverty. The Parliament backward in raising, because jealous of the spending of the money; the City less and less likely to be built again, every body settling elsewhere, and nobody encouraged to trade. A sad, vicious, negligent Court, and all sober men there fearful of the ruin of the whole kingdom this next year; from which, good God deliver us! One thing I reckon remarkable in my owne condition is, that I am come to abound in good plate, so as at all entertainments to be served wholly with silver plates, having two dozen and a half.

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS, PEPY'S DIARY, 1966 N.S., COMPLETE:

A cat will be a cat still About the nature of sounds About my new closet, for my mind is full of nothing but that After a harsh word or two my wife and I good friends All the innocent pleasure in the world Amending of bad blood by borrowing from a better body And if ever I fall on it again, I deserve to be undone And for his beef, says he, "Look how fat it is" Angry, and so continued till bed, and did not sleep friends Apprehension of the King of France's invading us As very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body Ashamed at myself for this losse of time Baited at Islington, and so late home about 11 at night Beare-garden Begun to write idle and from the purpose Being there, and seeming to do something, while we do not Being examined at Allgate, whether we were husbands and wives Being five years behindhand for their wages (court musicians) Better the musique, the more sicke it makes him Bill against importing Irish cattle Bringing over one discontented man, you raise up three But pretty! how I took another pretty woman for her But fit she should live where he hath a mind But how many years I cannot tell; but my wife says ten By and by met at her chamber, and there did what I would Called at a little ale-house, and had an eele pye Catholiques are everywhere and bold Checking her last night in the coach in her long stories Contempt of the ceremoniousnesse of the King of Spayne Counterfeit mirthe and pleasure with them, but had but little Did tumble them all the afternoon as I pleased Did drink of the College beer, which is very good Did dig another, and put our wine in it; and I my Parmazan cheese Discoursing upon the sad condition of the times Do bury still of the plague seven or eight in a day Driven down again with a stinke by Sir W. Pen's shying of a pot Durst not ask any body how it was with us Evelyn, who cries out against it, and calls it bitchering Exceeding kind to me, more than usual, which makes me afeard Fashion, the King says; he will never change Fire grow; and, as it grew darker, appeared more and more First their apes, that they may be afterwards their slaves For a land-tax and against a general excise Foretelling the draught of water of a ship before she be launche Gladder to have just now received it (than a promise) Good sport of the bull's tossing of the dogs Got her upon my knee (the coach being full) and played with her Great fire they saw in the City Great deale of tittle tattle discourse to little purpose Great newes of the Swedes declaring for us against the Dutch He is such innocent company He has been inconvenienced by being too free in discourse Here I first saw oranges grow Horrid malicious bloody flame I to bed even by daylight I do not value her, or mind her as I ought I did what I would, and might have done anything else I never did observe so much of myself in my life I had six noble dishes for them, dressed by a man-cook In opposition to France, had made us throw off their fashion King hath lost his power, by submitting himself to this way King be desired to put all Catholiques out of employment Lady Duchesse the veryest slut and drudge Last act of friendship in telling me of my faults also Listening to no reasoning for it, be it good or bad Long petticoat dragging under their men's coats Magnifying the graces of the nobility and prelates Many women now-a-days of mean sort in the streets, but no men Mass, and some of their musique, which is not so contemptible Mightily pleased with myself for the business that I have done Mightily vexed at my being abroad with these women Milke, which I drank to take away, my heartburne Most homely widow, but young, and pretty rich, and good natured Never fought with worse officers in his life No Parliament can, as he says, be kept long good No manner of means used to quench the fire No money to do it with, nor anybody to trust us without it Not being well pleased with her over free and loose company Not permit her begin to do so, lest worse should follow Now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down Offered to stop the fire near his house for such a reward Origin in the use of a plane against the grain of the wood Out also to and fro, to see and be seen Pain to ride in a coach with them, for fear of being seen Peace with France, which, as a Presbyterian, he do not like Play on the harpsicon, till she tired everybody Plot in it, and that the French had done it Providing against a foule day to get as much money into my hands Put up with too much care, that I have forgot where they are Rather hear a cat mew, than the best musique in the world Reading over my dear "Faber fortunae," of my Lord Bacon's Reading to my wife and brother something in Chaucer Rejoiced over head and ears in this good newes Removing goods from one burned house to another Requisite I be prepared against the man's friendship Sad sight it was: the whole City almost on fire Said that there hath been a design to poison the King Sang till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure Says, of all places, if there be hell, it is here Scotch song of "Barbary Allen" Send up and down for a nurse to take the girle home Shy of any warr hereafter, or to prepare better for it So home to supper, and to bed, it being my wedding night So back again home to supper and to bed with great pleasure So to bed in some little discontent, but no words from me So home and to supper with beans and bacon and to bed Staying out late, and painting in the absence of her husband Tax the same man in three or four several capacities That I may have nothing by me but what is worth keeping That I may look as a man minding business The gentlemen captains will undo us The very rum man must have L200 Thence to Mrs. Martin's, and did what I would with her There did what 'je voudrais avec' her.... There did 'tout ce que je voudrais avec' her There I did lay the beginnings of a future 'amour con elle' There did what I would with her Think that we are beaten in every respect This is the use we make of our fathers This unhappinesse of ours do give them heart Through want of money and good conduct Time spending, and no money to set anything in hand To bed, after washing my legs and feet with warm water Too late for them to enjoy it with any pleasure Too much ill newes true, to afflict ourselves with uncertain Took him home the money, and, though much to my grief Tooke my wife well dressed into the Hall to see and be seen Tooth-ake made him no company, and spoilt ours Unless my too-much addiction to pleasure undo me Venison-pasty that we have for supper to-night to the cook's Weary of the following of my pleasure What I had writ foule in short hand What itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's wife Wherewith to give every body something for their pains Who must except against every thing and remedy nothing With a shower of hail as big as walnuts World sees now the use of them for shelter of men (fore-castles) Ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye fire Young man play the foole upon the doctrine of purgatory

End of Project Gutenberg's Diary of Samuel Pepys, 1666, by Samuel Pepys