Chapter 79

28th. Knipp's maid comes to me to tell me that the women's day at the playhouse is to-day, and that therefore I must be there to encrease their profit. By water to St. James's, and there had good opportunity of speaking with the Duke of York; who desires me again talking on that matter, to prepare something for him to do for the better managing of our office; telling me that my Lord Keeper and he talking about it yesterday, my Lord Keeper did advise him to do so, it being better to come from him than otherwise; which I have promised to do. Thence to my Lord Burlington's house, the first time I ever was there, it being the house built by Sir John Denham, next to Clarendon-house, And here I visited my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady; Mr. Sidney Montagu being last night come to town unexpectedly from Mount's-bay, where he left my Lord well eight days since, so as we now hourly expect to hear of his arrivall at Portsmouth. Sidney is mighty grown; and I am glad I am here to see him at his first coming, though it cost me dear, for here I come to be necessitated to supply them with 500l. for my Lord. [VIDE Mr. Pepys's letter to Lord Sandwich on this subject in the Appendix.] He sent him up with a declaration to his friends, of the necessity of his being presently supplied with 2000l.; but I do not think he will get 1000l.: however, I think it becomes my duty to my Lord to do something extraordinary in this, and the rather because I have been remiss in writing to him during this voyage, more than ever I did in my life and more indeed than was fit for me. By and by comes Sir W. Godolphin to see Mr. Sidney, who, I perceive, is much dissatisfied that he should come to town last night, and not yet be with my Lord Arlington; who, and all the town, hear of his being come, and he did it seems, take notice of it to Godolphin this morning. So that I perceive this remissness in affairs do continue in my Lord's managements still: which I am sorry for; but, above all, to see in what a condition my Lord is for money, that I dare swear he do not know where to take up 500l. of any man in England at this time upon his word but or myself, as I believe by the sequel hereof it will appear. Here I first saw and saluted my Lady Burlington, [Elizabeth, sole daughter and heir to Henry Earl of Cumberland, wife of Richard first Earl of Burlington.] a very fine-speaking lady, and a good woman, but old and not handsome; but a brave woman. Here I also, standing by a candle that was brought for sealing a letter, do set my periwigg a-fire; which made such an odd noise nobody could tell what it was till they saw the flame, my back being to the candle. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The City Match," [A comedy, by Jasper Mayne, D.D.] not acted these thirty years, and but a silly play: the King and Court there; the house for the women's sake mighty full. So I to White Hall, and there all the evening on the Queene's side; and it being a most summer-like day, and a fine warm evening, the Italians came in a barge under the leads before the Queene's drawing-room; and so the Queene and ladies went out and heard them for almost an hour: and the singing was indeed very good together; but yet there was but one voice that alone did appear considerable, and that was Signior Joanni. This done, by and by they went in: and here I saw Mr. Sidney Montagu kiss the Queene's hand, who was mighty kind to him, and the ladies looked mightily on him; and the King came by and by, and did talk to him. So I away by coach with Alderman Backewell home, who is mighty kind to me, more than ordinary, in his expressions. But I do hear this day what troubles me, that Sir W. Coventry is quite out of play, the King seldom speaking to him; and that there is a design of making a Lord Treasurer, and that my Lord Arlington shall be the man; but I cannot believe it. But yet the Duke of Buckingham hath it in his mind, and those with him, to make a thorough alteration in things; and, among the rest, Coventry to be out.

[A HIATUS occurs in the Diary at this period for thirteen days; during which Mr. Pepys went into the country, as he subsequently alludes to his having been at Saxham whilst the King was there. He had probably been to Impington to fetch his wife, and perhaps omitted copying his rough notes into the blank pages evidently left for them in the Journal.]

OCTOBER 12, 1668. To White Hall to enquire when the Duke of York will be in town, in order to Mr. Turner's going down to Audley End about his place; and here I met in St. James's Park with one that told me that the Duke of York would be in town to-morrow. Home, where I find Sir H. Cholmly come to town; and is come hither to see me: and he is a man that I love mightily, as being of a gentleman the most industrious that ever I saw. He staid with me awhile talking and telling me his obligations to my Lord Sandwich, which I was glad of; and that the Duke of Buckingham is now chief of all men in this kingdom, which I knew before; and that he do think the Parliament will hardly ever meet again; which is a great many men's thoughts and I shall not be sorry for it. Read a ridiculous nonsensical book set out by Will. Pen for the Quakers; but so full of nothing but nonsense, that I was ashamed to read in it.

13th. With my Lord Brouncker, and did get his ready assent to T. Hater's having of Mr. Turner's place, and so Sir J. Minnes's also: but when we come to sit down at the Board comes to us Mr. Wren this day to town, and tells me that James Southern do petition the Duke of York for the Store-keeper's place of Deptford; which did trouble me much, and also the Board; though upon discourse after he was gone we did resolve to move hard for our Clerks, and that places of preferment may go according to seniority and merit at my Lord Middleton's; and I did this day find by discourse with somebody that this gentleman was the great Major-general Middleton that was of the Scots army in the beginning of the late war against the King.

14th. To White Hall, and there walked to St. James's, where I find the Court mighty full, it being the Duke of York's birthday; and he mighty fine, and all the musick, one after another, to my great content. Here I met with Sir H. Cholmly; and he and I to walk, and to my Lord Barkeley's new house, there to see a new experiment of a cart, which, by having two little wheeles fastened to the axle-tree, is said to make it go with half the ease and more than another cart; but we did not see the trial made. To the King's playhouse, and saw "The Faithful Shepherdess," [A dramatic pastoral, by J. Fletcher.] that I might hear the French eunuch sing; which I did to my great content; though I do admire his action as much as his singing, being both beyond all I ever saw or heard.

15th. This day at the Board came unexpected the warrants from the Duke of York for Mr. Turner and Hater, for the places they desire; which contents me mightily.

17th. Mr. Moore and Seamour were, with me this afternoon; who tell me that my Lord Sandwich was received mighty kindly by the King, and is in exceeding great esteem with him and the rest about him; but I doubt it will be hard for him to please both the King and the Duke of York, which I shall be sorry for. Mr. Moore tells me the sad condition my Lord is in in his estate and debts; and the way he now lives in so high, and so many vain servants about him, that he must be ruined if he do not take up; which, by the grace of God, I will put him upon when I come to see him.

18th. With Lord Brouncker to Lincolne's Inn, and Mr. Ball, to visit Dr. Wilkins, now newly Bishop of Chester: and he received us mighty kindly; and had most excellent discourse from him about his book of Reall Character. And so I with Lord Brouncker to White Hall, and there saw the Queene and some ladies.

19th. To the Duke of York's playhouse; and there saw, the first time acted, "The Queene of Aragon," [A tragi-comedy, by William Habington. Upon its revival, the prologue and epilogue were written by Butler, the author of Hudibras.] an old Blackfriars' play, but an admirable one, so good that I am astonished at it, and wonder where it hath lain asleep all this while that I have never heard of it before.

20th. At this time my wife and I mighty busy laying out money in dressing up our best chamber, and thinking of a coach and coachman and horses, &c.; and the more because of Creed's being now married to Mrs. Pickering; [Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Gilbert Pickering, Bart., became the wife of John Creed Esq., of Oundle, and had issue by him: Major Richard Creed, killed at the battle of Blenheim.] a thing I could never have expected, but it is done about seven or ten days since. I walked out to look for a coach, and saw many; and did light on one for which I bid 50l. which do please me mightily.

21st. Dining with Mr. Batelier, I rose from table before the rest, because under an obligation to go to my Lord Brouncker's, where to meet several gentlemen of the Royal Society, to go and make a visit to the French Embassador Colbert at Leicester-house, he having endeavoured to make one or two to my Lord Brouncker as our President: but he was not within, but I came too late. To my Lord Sandwich's lodgings; who came to town the last night, and is come thither to lie: and met with him within: and among others my new cosen Creed, who looks mighty soberly; and he and I saluted one another with mighty gravity, till we came to a little more freedom of talk about it. But here I hear that Sir Gilbert Pickering is lately dead, about three days since; which makes some sorrow there, though not much, because of his being long expected to die, having been in a lethargy long. So waited on my Lord to Court, and there staid and saw the ladies awhile: and thence to my wife, and took them up; and so home, and to supper and bed.

23rd. To my Lord Sandwich's, where I find my Lord within, but busy private; and so I staid a little talking with the young gentlemen, and so away with Mr. Pierce the surgeon towards Tyburne, to see the people executed; but came too late, it being done: two men and a woman hanged. Pierce do tell me, among other news, the late frolick and debauchery of Sir Charles Sedley and Buckhurst running up and down all the night, almost naked, through the streets; and at last fighting, and being beat by the watch and clapped up all night; and how the King takes their parts; and my Lord Chief Justice Keeling hath laid the constable by the heels to answer it next Sessions: which is a horrid shame. How the King and these gentlemen did make the fiddlers of Thetford this last progress to sing them all the obscene songs they could think of. How Sir W. Coventry was brought the other day to the Duchesse of York by the Duke of York, to kiss her hand; who did acknowledge his unhappiness to occasion her so much sorrow, declaring his intentions in it, and praying her pardon; which she did give him upon his promise to make good his pretences of innocence to her family by his faithfulness to his master the Duke of York. That the Duke of Buckingham is now all in all, and will ruin Coventry, if he can: and that W. Coventry do now rest wholly upon the Duke of York for his standing; which is a great turn. He tells me that my Lady Castlemaine, however, is a mortal enemy to the Duke of Buckingham: which I understand not, but it seems she is disgusted with his greatness and his ill usage of her. That the King was drunk at Saxam [Saxham, near Newmarket, in Suffolk, a seat of William Baron Crofts, long since pulled down.] with Sedley, Buckhurst, &c. the night that my Lord Arlington came thither, and would not give him audience, or could not which is true, for it was the night that I was there and saw the King go up to his chamber, and was told that the King had been drinking. He tells me too that the Duke of York did the next day chide Bab. May for his occasioning the King's giving himself up to these gentlemen, to the neglecting of my Lord Arlington: to which he answered merrily, that there was no man in England that had a head to lose durst do what they do every day with the King, and asked the Duke of York's pardon: which is a sign of a mad world; God bless us out of it!

24th. This morning comes to me the coachmaker, and agreed with me for 53l. and to stand to the courtesy of what more I should give him upon the finishing of it. He is likely also to fit me with a coachman.

26th. I was obliged to attend the Duke of York, thinking to have had a meeting of Tangier to-day but had not: but he did take me and Mr. Wren into his closet, and there did press me to prepare what I had to say upon the answers of my fellow-officers to his great letter; which I promised to do against his coming to town again the next week: and so to other discourse, finding plainly that he is in trouble and apprehensions of the Reformers, and would be found to do what he can towards reforming himself. And so thence to my Lord Sandwich's; where after long stay, he being in talk with others privately, I to him; and there, he taking physic and keeping his chamber, I had an hour's talk with him about the ill posture of things at this time, while the King gives countenance to Sir Charles Sedley and Lord Buckhurst. He tells me that he thinks his matters do stand well with the King, and hopes to have dispatch to his mind; but I doubt it, and do see that he do fear it too. He told me of my Lady Carteret's trouble about my writing of that letter of the Duke of York's lately to the office; which I did not own, but declared to be of no injury to G. Carteret, and that I would write a letter to him to satisfy him therein. But this I am in pain how to do without doing myself wrong, and the end I had of preparing a justification to myself hereafter, when the faults of the Navy come to be found out: however, I will do it in the best manner I can.

29th. Mr. Wren first tells us of the order from the King, come last night to the Duke of York, for signifying his pleasure to the Solicitor-generall for drawing up a Commission for suspending of my Lord Anglesy, and putting in Sir Thomas Littleton and Sir Thomas Osborne [Eldest son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart.; made a Privy-counsellor 1672, and the following year constituted Lord High Treasurer, and elected K.G. in 1677. He was created Baron Kiveton and Viscount Latimer 1678, Earl Of Danby 1674, Marquis of Caermarthen 1689, and Duke of Leeds 1694. Ob. 1712, AET.SUAE 81.] (the former a creature of Arlington's, and the latter of the Duke of Buckingham's) during the suspension. The Duke of York was forced to obey, and did grant it, he being to go to Newmarket this day with the King, and so the King pressed for it. But Mr. Wren do own that the Duke of York is the most wounded in this in the world, for it is done and concluded without his privity, after his appearing for him; and that it is plain that they do ayme to bring the Admiralty into Commission too, and lessen the Duke of York. This do put strange apprehensions into all our Board; only I think I am the least troubled at it, for I care not at all for it: but my Lord Brouncker and Pen do seem to think much of it.

30th. Up betimes; and Mr. Povy comes to even accounts with me; which we did, and then fell to other talk. He tells me, in short, how the King is made a child of by Buckingham and Arlington, to the lessening of the Duke of York, whom they cannot suffer to be great, for fear of my Lord Chancellor's return, which therefore they make the King violent against. That he believes it is impossible these two great men can hold together long; or, at least, that the ambition of the former is so great that he will endeavour to master all, and bring into play as many as he can. That Anglesy will not lose his place easily, but will contend in law with whoever comes to execute it. That the Duke of York, in all things but in his amours, is led by the nose by his wife. That Sir W. Coventry is now by the Duke of York made friends with the Duchesse; and that he is often there, and waits on her. That he do believe that these present great men will break in time, and that Sir W. Coventry will be a great man again; for he do labour to have nothing to do in matters of the State, and is so usefull to the side that he is on, that he will stand, though at present he is quite out of play. That my Lady Castlemaine hates the Duke of Buckingham. That the Duke of York hath expressed himself very kind to my Lord Sandwich; which I am mighty glad of. That we are to expect more changes if these men stand.

31st. This day my Lord Anglesy was at the office, and do seem to make nothing of this business of his suspension, resolving to bring it into Council; where he seems not to doubt to have right, he standing upon his defence and patent; and hath put in his caveats to the several offices; so as soon as the King comes back again, which will be on Tuesday next, he will bring it into the Council.

NOVEMBER 2, 1668. To Mr. Povy's; and there I find my Lords Sandwich, Peterborough, and Hinchingbroke, Charles Harbord, and Sidney Montagu; and there I was stopped, and dined mighty nobly at a good table with one little dish at a time upon it; but mighty merry. I was glad to see it; but sorry, methought, to see my Lord have so little reason to be merry, and yet glad for his sake to have him cheerful. After dinner up, and looked up and down the house, and so to the cellar; and thence I slipt away without taking leave.

4th. To White Hall; and there I find the King and Duke of York came the last night, and every body's mouth full of my Lord Anglesy's suspension being sealed, which it was, it seems, yesterday; so that he is prevented in his remedy at the Council. And, it seems, the two new Treasurers did kiss the King's hand this morning, brought in by my Lord Arlington. They walked up and down together in the Court this day, and several people joyed them; but I avoided it, that I might not be seen to look either way. This day also I hear that my Lord Ormond is to be declared in Council no more Deputy Governor of Ireland, his commission being expired: and the King is prevailed with to take it out of his hands; which people do mightily admire, saying that he is the greatest subject of any prince in Christendome, and hath more acres of land than any, and hath done more for his Prince than ever any yet did. But all will not do; he must down, it seems, the Duke of Buckingham carrying all before him. But that that troubles me most is that they begin to talk that the Duke of York's regiment is ordered to be disbanded; and more that undoubtedly his Admiralty will follow: which do shake me mightily, and I fear will have ill consequences in the nation, for these counsels are very mad. The Duke of York do by all men's report, carry himself wonderfull submissive to the King in the most humble manner in the world; but yet, it seems, nothing must be spared that tends to the keeping out the Chancellor; and that is the reason of all this. The great discourse now is, that the Parliament shall be dissolved and another called, which shall give the King the Dean and Chapter's lands; and that will put him out of debt. And it is said that Buckingham do knowingly meet daily with Wildman and other Commonwealth-men; and that when he is with them he makes the King believe that he is with his wenches. And something looks like the Parliament's being dissolved, by Harry Brouncker's being now come back, and appearing this day the first day at White Hall; but he hath not been yet with the King, but is secure that he shall be well received, I hear. God bless us when such men as he shall be restored! But that that pleases me most is, that several do tell me that Pen is to be removed; and others that he hath resigned his place; and particularly Spragg tells me for certain that he hath resigned it, and is become a partner with Gauden in the Victualling: in which I think he hath done a very cunning thing; but I am sure I am glad of it; and it will be well for the King to have him out of this office. Sir John Talbot talks mighty high for my Lord of Ormond: and I perceive this family of the Talbots hath been raised by my Lord.