The Diary

Pepys started to write his diary, using shorthand, on New Year’s Day 1660, at the age of 26. The opening sentences of the diary ran as follows:

Blessed be God, at the end of the last year I was in very good health, without any sense of my old pain but upon taking of cold. I lived in Axe yard, having my wife and servant Jane, and no more in family than us three. My wife, after the absence of her terms for seven weeks, gave me hopes of her being with child, but on the last day of the year she hath them again. The condition of the State was thus. Viz. the Rump, after being disturbed by my Lord Lambert, was lately returned to sit again. The officers of the army all forced to yield. Lawson lie still in the River and Monke is with his army in Scotland. Only my Lord Lambert is not yet come in to the Parliament; nor is it expected that he will, without being forced to it. The new Common Council of the City doth speak very high; and hath sent to Monke their sword-bearer to acquaint him with their desires for a free and full Parliament, which is at present the desires and the hopes and expectation of all.

Thus began a 9 year recording of his life and times, reflecting on many of the momentous changes taking place in the life and very fabric of the country as well as his own fame and fortunes. The diary has left a unique record for posterity, much of which resonates with aspects of life today, as the snippets given below illustrate.

Pepys almost certainly learned shorthand when he was an undergraduate at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He used a widely known type of shorthand which had been invented around 1626 by Thomas Shelton. Entitled “Zeiglographia, or a new art of shorthand writing”. It ran to many editions over the next 80 years.

Many of his contemporaries could have read it. When he wished to keep his philandering secret he used a mixture of foreign languages, which would not have been difficult for any educated person of his day to decipher.

Why he kept a diary at all no one really knows, it may have been because he sensed that the Commonwealth was coming to an end and that he wished to record public events. But right from the start he mixes affairs of state with personal entries about himself, his household, health, the weather and other day to day subjects. He wrote his journal in ordinary soft backed notebooks which he bought as required and he ruled a margin on each page. The notebooks were then bound together in 6 volumes, each of which was given a leather cover. They vary in size as there was no standard size for notebooks and the paper was cut to different sizes as required. The effect of the eyestrain which caused him to stop writing in 1669 is apparent when comparing the first page of the diary with the last, the shorthand symbols are larger and more widely spaced in 1669. He almost certainly suffered from astigmatism which needs cylindrical shaped lenses to correct it. These were not available in his lifetime and the spherical lenses which were prescribed would have only slightly helped to correct his eyesight problems. Working late at night in his office by candlelight  caused him to strain to try to focus, which aggravated the problem.

The diary was first published in 1825 by Lord Braybrooke who had employed a poor clergyman, John Smith, to translate the diaries. He struggled for seven years to achieve his task, having to work out what the shorthand symbols meant and sadly never knew that along the shelf on which the diary volumes were kept, was a copy of Shelton’s Tachygraphy, with which his task would have been vastly easier. Only part of the diary was produced as Braybrooke considered parts of it too obscene to publish. Various other editions were published over the years – including that in the 1880s by Henry B Wheatley founder and first President of the Club – until finally the complete diary, blots, crossings out and every word of text was edited by Professors Matthews and Latham and published, mostly by Bell & Sons & the last two volumes by Bell & Hyman. This is now viewed as the definitive version of the dairy, accompanied by scholarly text and a companion volume.

Interesting snippets of this and that

4 JANUARY 1660. . . It snowed hard all this morning and was very cold, and my nose was much swelled with cold . . . I went to Will’s again, where I found them still at cards and Spicer had won 14s. of Shaw and Vines. . .So home, and from thence to Mr.Hunt’s and sat with them and Mr.Hawley at cards till 10 at night, and were much made of by them. Home and so to bed; but much troubled with my nose, which was much swelled. . .

5 JANUARY 1660. . . Then my wife and I, it being a great frost, went to Mrs.Jem, in expectation to eat a sack-posset; but Mr.Edward not coming, it was put off; and so I left my wife playing at cards with her, and went myself with my lanthorn to Mr.Fage [an apothecary] to consult concerning my nose, who told me that it was nothing but cold . . .

8 JANUARY 1660. Sunday. . . . to my father’s to dinner; where I found my wife, who was forced to dine there, we not having one coal of fire in the house and it being very hard frosty weather.

15 JANUARY 1660. Having been exceedingly disturbed in the night with the barking of a dog of one of our neighbours, that I could not sleep for an hour or two, I slept late; and then in the morning took physic, and so stayed within all day. . . It being a cold day and a great snow, my physic did not work so well as it should have done.

16 JANUARY 1660. . . . Thence we went to the Greene Dragon on Lambeth hill, both the Mr.Pinkney, Smith, Harrison, Morris that sang the bass, Shipley and I, and there we sang of all sorts of things and I ventured with good success upon things at first sight and after that played on my flageolet; and stayed there till 9 a-clock, very merry and drawn on with one song after another till it came to be so late.

After that, Shipley, Harrison and myself, we went towards Westminster on foot, and at the Golden Lion, near Charing-cross, we went in and drank a pint of wine, and so parted; and thence home, where I found my wife and maid a-washing. I sat up till the bell-man came by with his bell, just under my window as I was writing of this very line, and cried, “Past one of the clock, and a cold, frosty, windy morning.”   I then went to bed and left my wife and the maid a-washing still.

26 JANUARY 1660. . . . Home from my office to my Lord’s lodgings, where my wife had got ready a very fine dinner: viz. a dish of marrow-bones. A leg of mutton. A loin of veal. A dish of fowl, three pullets, and two dozen of larks, all in a dish. A great tart. A neat’s tongue. A dish of anchovies. A dish of prawns; and cheese.

My company was my father, my uncle Fenner, his two sons, Mr.Pearse, and all their wives, and my brother Tom. We were as merry as I could frame myself to be in that company. W.Joyce, talking after the old rate and drinking hard, vexed his father and mother and wife. And I did perceive that Mrs.Pearse her coming so gallant, that it put the two young women quite out of courage. When it became dark, they all went away but Mr.Pearse and W.Joyce and their wives and Tom, and drank a bottle of wine afterwards, so that Will did heartily anger his father and mother by staying. At which I and my wife were very much pleased. Then they all went and I fell to writing . . .

8 FEBRUARY 1660. . . . about 9 a-clock I went away homewards, and in Fleet Street received a great jostle from a man that had a mind to take the wall, which I could not help. I came home and to bed. Went to bed with my head not well by my too much drinking today. And I had a boil under my chin which troubled me cruelly.

12 FEBRUARY 1660. . . . Hence home; and being near home, we missed our maid and was at a great loss and went back a great way to find her; but when we could not see her, we went homewards and found her there, got before us, which we wondered at greatly. So to bed, where my wife and I had some high words upon my telling her that I would fling the dog which her brother gave her out at the window if he pissed the house any more.

13 FEBRUARY 1660. To my office till noon; thence home to dinner, my mouth being very bad of the Canker and my left leg beginning to be sore again. After dinner . . . took my wife to my father’s. In my way I went to Playfords; and for two books that I had and 6s-6d to boot, I had my great book of songs, which he sells always for 14s. At my father’s I stayed a while, while my mother sent her maid Besse to Cheapside for some herbs to make a water for my mouth. . .

5 APRIL 1660. . . . I spent all the afternoon upon the deck, it being very pleasant weather. . .

6 APRIL 1660. . . . In the evening, it being fine moonshine, I stayed late, walking upon the Quarter-deck talking with Mr.Cuttance, learning of some sea terms; and so down to supper and to bed . . .

7 APRIL 1660.   This day, about 9 a-clock in the morning, the wind grew high; and we being among the sands, lay at anchor. I begin to be dizzy and squeamish. Before dinner, my Lord sent for me down to eat some oysters, the best my Lord said that ever he eat in his life, though I have eat as good at Bardsey. After dinner and all the afternoon I walked upon the deck to keep myself from being sick . . .

8 APRIL 1660.   Lords day. . . . About noon set sail; in our way I saw many wracks and masts, which are now the greatest guides for ships. We had a brave wind all the afternoon. And overtook two good merchantmen that overtook us yesterday, going to the East Indies, and the lieutenant and I lay out of his window with his glass, looking at the women that were on board them, being pretty handsome. . . .

23 MAY 1660. . . all the afternoon the King walking here and there, up and down (quite contrary to what I thought him to have been), very active and stirring.

Upon the Quarter-deck he fell in discourse of his escape from Worcester. where it made me ready to weep to hear the stories that he told of his difficulties that he had passed through. As his travelling four days and three nights on foot, every step up to the knees in dirt, with nothing but a green coat and a pair of country breeches on and a pair of country shoes, that made him so sore all over his feet that he could scarce stir. Yet he was forced to run away from a miller and other company that took them for rogues.   His sitting at table at one place, where the master of the house, that had not seen him in eight years, did know him but kept it private; when at the same table there was one that had been of his own Regiment at Worcester, could not know him but made him drink the Kings health and said that the King was at least four fingers higher then he. Another place, he was by some servants of the house made to drink, that they might know him not to be a Roundhead, which they swore he was.

In another place, at his Inn, the master of the house, as the King was standing with his hands upon the back of a chair by the fire-side, he kneeled down and kissed his hand privately, saying that he would not ask him who he was, but bid God bless him whither that he was going. Then the difficulty of getting a boat to get into France, where he was fain to plot with the master thereof to keep his design from the four men and a boy (which was all his ship’s company), and so got to Faecal in France.

At Roan he looked so poorly that the people went into the rooms before he went away, to see whether he had not stole something or other. . . .

13 JUNE 1660. . . .With Mr.Creed and Pearse the Purser to Rawlinsons, whither my uncle Wight came, and I spent 12s. upon them. So to Mr.Crews, where I blotted a new carpet that was hired, but got it out again with fair water. . .

19 JUNE 1660. . . . I dined with . . . Mr.Gallop, a parson (with whom afterwards I was much offended at his importunity and impertinence . . . and Mr.Butler, who complimented much after the same manner as the parson did. . . . [A] servant of my Lady Pickering . . . took me to her and she told me the story of her husband’s case and desired my assistance with my Lord, and did give me, wrapped up in paper, 5l in silver. . . My wife and the girl and dog came home today. . . . When I came home I found a Quantity of Chocolate left for me, but I know not from whom.

1 JULY 1660.   This morning came home my fine Camelott cloak with gold buttons, and a silk suit; which cost me much money and I pray God to make me to be able to pay for it. I went to the cook’s and got a good joint of meat, and my wife and I dined at home alone. In the afternoon to the Abbey, where a good sermon by a stranger . . .

18 JULY 1660. This morning the carpenter made an end of my door out of my chamber upon the leads. . .

I did also meet with Mr.Pearse the surgeon, with a porter with him with a barrel of Lemons which my man Burr sends me from sea.

I took all these people home to my house and did give them some drink . . . to my Lord about business; and being in talk, in comes one with half a Buck from Hinchingbrooke, and it smelling a little strong, my Lord did give it me, though it was as good as any could be.

I did carry it to my mother (where I had not been a great while, and indeed had no great mind to go . . . ) . . . but my father was not at home, and so I did leave the venison with her to dispose of as she pleased. . .

18 AUGUST 1660. This morning I took my wife toward Westminster by water and landed her at Whitefriars, with 50s. to buy her a petticoat. And I to the Privy Seale. By and by comes my wife to tell me that my father hath persuaded her to buy a most fine cloth of 26s. per yard and a rich lace, that the petticoat will come to 5l, at which I was somewhat troubled; but she doing it very innocently, I could not be angry.

I did give her more money and sent her away; and I and Creed and Captain Hayward . . . went and dined at the Leg in King’s Street . . . after dinner . . . to the Cockpit play . . . where one Kinaston, a boy, acted the Dukes sister but made the loveliest lady that ever I saw in my life, only, her voice not very good. After the play done, we three went to drink . . . Thence home by coach; and after being trimmed, leaving my wife to look after her little bitch, which was just now a-whelping, I to bed.

19 AUGUST 1660. Lords day. In the morning my wife tells me that the bitch hath whelped four young ones and is very well after it, my wife having had a great fear that she would the thereof, the dog that got them being very big. . . . Home to dinner, where my wife had on her new petticoat that she bought yesterday, which indeed is a very fine cloth and a fine lace; but that being of a light colour and the lace all silver, it makes no great show. . . . After dinner my wife went and fetched the little puppies to us, which are very pretty ones. . . .

4 OCTOBER 1660. Thursday. . . . by water to Whitehall; and from thence . . . to Westminster Abbey . . . Here I saw the Bishops of Winchester, Bangor, Rochester, Bath and Wells, and Salisbury, all in their habits, in King Henry the 7^ths chapel. But Lord, at their going out” how people did most of them look upon them as strange Creatures, and few with any kind of love or Respect. . .

13 OCTOBER 1660. To my Lord’s in the morning, where I met with Captain Cuttance. But my Lord not being up, I went out to Charing-cross to see Major-General Harrison hanged, drawn, and quartered, which was done there, he looking as cheerfully as any man could do in that condition. He was presently cut down and his head and his heart shown to the people, at which there was great shouts of joy. . . . Thus it was my chance to see the King beheaded at Whitehall and to see the first blood shed in revenge for the blood of the King at Charing-cross. . . .After that I went by water home, where I was angry with my wife for her things lying about, and in my passion kicked the little fine Basket which I bought her in Holland and broke it, which troubled me after I had done it. . . .

23 OCTOBER 1660. . . . So to Whitehall, where I met Mr.Spong [mathematical-instrument maker] and went home with him and played and sang, and eat with him and his mother.

After supper we looked over many books and instruments of his, especially his Wooden Jack in his Chimney that go with the Smoke; which indeed is very pretty. I find him to be as ingenious and good-natured a man as ever I met with in my life and cannot admire him enough, he being so plain and illiterate a man as he is.

From thence by Coach home and to bed, which was welcome to me after a night’s absence.

24 OCTOBER 1660. . . .I took occasion to be angry with my wife before I rise about her putting up of half a crown of mine in a pepper box, which she hath forgot where she hath lain it. But we were friends again, as we are always. . . .

1 NOVEMBER 1660.   This morning Sir W.Penn and I were mounted early. And have very merry discourse all the way, he being very good company.

We came to Sir Wm. Battens, where he lives like a prince, and we were made very welcome. Among other things, he showed us my Lady’s closet, where there was great store of rarities. As also a chairs which he calls King Harrys chair, where he that sits down is catched with two irons that come round about him, which makes good sport. Here dined with us two or three more country gentlemen; among the rest, Mr.Christmas my old Schoolfellow, with whom I had much talk. He did remember that I was a great roundhead when I was a boy, and I was much afeared that he would have remembered the words that I said the day that the King was beheaded (that were I to preach upon him, my text should be: “The memory of the wicked shall rot”); but I found afterward that he did go away from school before that time.

He did make us good sport in imitating Mr.Case, Ash, and Nye, the ministers, which he did very well. But a deadly drinker he is, and grown exceeding fat. From his house to an alehouse near the church, where we sat and drank and were merry; and so we mounted for London again, Sir W.Batten with us. We called at Bow and drank there, and took leave of Mr.Johnson of Blackwall, [shipbuilder] who dined with us and rode with us thus far. So home by moonlight, it being about 9 a-clock before we got home.

2 NOVEMBER 1660 . . . In the afternoon I went forth and saw some silver bosses put upon my new Bible, which cost me 6s-6d the making and 7s-6d the silver; which with 9s-6d the book, comes in all to 1l –3s-6d my Bible in all. From thence with Mr.Cooke, that made them, and Mr.Stephens the silversmith to the tavern and did give them a pint of wine. So to Whitehall, where when I came I saw the boats going very thick to Lambeth and all the stairs to be full of people: I was told the Queen was a-coming, so I got a sculler for sixpence to carry me thither and back again; but I could not get to see the Queen. . . .took coach at Whitehall and carried Mr.Childe as far as the Strand, and myself got as far as Ludgate by all the bonfires, but with a great deal of trouble, and there the Coachman desired that I would release him, for he durst not go further for the fires. So he would have had a shilling or 6d for bringing of me so far; but I had but 3d about me and did give him that. . . .

6 NOVEMBER 1660. . . . I took them to the Sun and did give them a barrel of oysters and have good discourse . . . From thence Mr.Creed and I to Wilkinsons and dined together; and in great haste thence to our office, where we met all commonly, for the sale of two ships by an inch of candle (the first time that ever I saw any of this kind), where I observed how they do invite one another and at last how they all do cry; and we have much to do to tell who did cry last. The ships were the Indian sold for 1300l, and the Halfe moon sold for 830l. . . . At night to bed; and my wife and I did fall out about the dog’s being put down into the Cellar, which I have a mind to have done because of his fouling the house; and I would have \’ my will. And so we went to bed and lay all night in a Quarrel. This night I was troubled all night with a dream that my wife was dead, which made me that I slept ill all night.

15 NOVEMBER 1660. . . . As dinner was coming to table, my wife came hither and I got her carried into my Lady (who took physique today and was just now hiring of a French maid that was with her, and could not understand one another till my wife came to interpret) : here I did leave my wife to dine with my Lord (the first time that ever he did take notice of her as my wife, and did seem to have a great esteem for her); and did myself walk homewards . . .

21 NOVEMBER 1660. . . . This morning my wife and I went to Paternoster-Rowe and there we bought some green watered Moyre for a morning waistcoat. And after that we went to Mr.Cades to choose some pictures for our house. After that my wife went home and I to Popes head and bought me an agate hefted knife which cost me 5s. So home to dinner; and so to the office all the afternoon. And at night to my violin (the first time that I have played on it since I came to this house) in my dining room; and afterwards to my Lute there, and I took much pleasure to have the neighbours come forth into the yard to hear me.

So down to supper and sent for the barber, who stayed so long with me that he was locked into the house and we were fain to call up Griffith to let him out. . . .

22 DECEMBER 1660. All the morning with my painters, who will make an end of all this day, I hope. At noon I went to the Sun tavern on Fish Street hill to a dinner of Captain Teddemans . . . good company; where we have a very fine dinner, good Musique and a great deal of Wine. We stayed here very late: at last, Sir W.Penn and I home together, he so overgone with wine that he could hardly go; I was forced to lead him through the street and he was in a very merry and kind mood. I home (found my house clear of the workmen and their work ended), my head troubled with wine; and I, very merry, went to bed, my head aching all night.

12 JANUARY 1661. . . Saturday.   With Colonel Slingsby and a friend of his, Major Waters (a deaf and most amorous melancholy gentleman, who is under a despair in love as the Colonel told me, which makes him bad company, though a most good-natured man), by water to Rotherhithe; and so on foot to Deptford, our servants by water. Where we fell to choosing four Captains to command the guards, and choosing the places where to keep them and other things in order thereunto. We dined at the globe, having our messenger with us to take care for us. Never till now did I see the great authority of my place, all the Captains of the fleet coming cap in hand to us. Having stayed very late there talking with the Colonel, I went home with Mr.Davis, storekeeper (whose wife is ill and so I could not see her), and was there most prince-like lodged, with so much respect and honour that I was almost at a loss how to behave myself.

16 JANUARY 1661. . . I went away to wait upon my Lady; but coming to her lodgings, I hear that she is gone this morning to Chatham by coach, thinking to meet me there. Which did trouble me exceedingly and did not know what to do, being loath to fallow her and yet could not imagine what she would do when she found me not there. . . so by boat home and put on my boots; and so over to Southwark to the posthouse and there took horse and guide to Dartford; and thence to Rochester (I having good horses and good way, came thither about half an hour after daylight, which was before 6 a-clock, and I set forth after 2); where I found my Lady and her daughter Jem and Mrs.Browne and five servants, all at a great loss not finding me here. But at my coming, she was overjoyed. . . In fine, we supped merry; and so to bed . . . The page lay with me.

19 JANUARY 1661. . . I went to the Legg in King Street and had a Rabbit for myself and my Will. . . .to the Theatre . . . Here I was troubled to be seen by four of our office Clerkes, which sat in the half-crown box and I in 1s-6d.   From hence by Link, and bought two mousetraps of Tho. Pepys the Turner; and so went and drank a cup of ale with him . . .

24 JANUARY 1661. . .At home all day. There dined with me Sir Wm. Batten and his Lady and daughter, Sir W.Penn, Mr.Fox (his lady being ill could not come) and Captain Cuttance. The first dinner I have made since I came hither. This cost me above 5l. And merry we were, only, my chimney smokes. In the afternoon Mr.Hayter brings me my last Quarter salary . . . And by and by Sir Wms. both, and my Lady Batten and daughter came again and supped with me and talked till late; and so to bed, being glad that that trouble is over.

28 JANUARY 1661. . .to the Theatre, where I saw again The Lost Lady, which doth now please me better then before. I And here, I sitting behind in a dark place, a lady spat backward upon me by a mistake, not seeing me. But after seeing her to be a very pretty lady, I was not troubled at it at all. . .Thence to see the Doctor at his lodgings at Mr.Holden’s, where I bought a hat, cost me 35s. So home by moonshine. . .

3 FEBRUARY   1661. Lords day. This day I first begun to go forth in my coat and sword, as the manner now among gentlemen is. To Whitehall. In my way heard Mr.Thomas Fuller preach at the Savoy upon our forgiving of other men’s trespasses, showing, among other things, that we are to go to law never to Revenge, but only to repair, which I think a good distinction. So to Whitehall, where I stayed to hear the trumpets and kettle-drums, and then the other drums; which is much cried up, though I think it dull, vulgar music. So to Mr.Foxes unbidden, where I have a good dinner . . .

13 FEBRUARY 1661. . .Dined at home; and poor Mr.Wood with me, who after dinner would have borrowed money of me, but I would lend none.

28 FEBRUARY 1661. . . I took boat at Whitehall for Rotherhithe; but in my way overtook Captain Cuttance and Teddeman in a boat; and so I ashore with them at Queenhithe and so to a tavern with them to a barrel of oysters, and so away. . . . we dined. And notwithstanding my resolution, yet for want of other victuals, I did eat flesh this Lent; but am resolved to eat as little as I can.

2 MARCH 1661. . .after dinner I went to the Theatre, where I find so few people (which is strange, and the reason I did not know) that I went out again; and so to Salisbury Court, where the house as full as could be; and it seems it was a new play, The Queens Maske. Wherein there is some good humours. Among others, a good jeer to the old story of the Siege of Troy, making it to be a common country tale. But above all, it was strange to see so little a boy as that was to act Cupid, which is one of the greatest parts in it.

8 MARCH 1661. . . by coach to the tower, to Sir John Robinson’s [Lieutenant of the Tower] to dinner. Where great good cheer. High company; among others, the Duchesse of Albemarle, who is ever a plain, homely dowdy.

After dinner, then to drink all the afternoon. Towards night the Duchess and ladies went away. Then we set to it again till it was very late. And at last in came Sir Wm. Wale, almost fuddled; and because I was set between him and another, only to keep them from talking and spoiling the company (as we did to others), he fell out with the Lieutenant of the Tower; but with much ado we made him understand His error. And then all quiet. And so he Carried Sir W.Batten and I home again in his coach. And so I, almost overcome with drink, went to bed.

I was much contented to ride in such state into the tower and be received among such high company, while Mr.Mount, my Lady Duchesses gentleman-usher, stood waiting at table, whom I ever thought a man so much above me in all respects.

Also, to hear the discourse of so many high Cavaliers of things past, it was of great content and joy to me.

17 MARCH 1661. . . So to church again. Then home and put some papers in order. Then to supper to Sir W.Batten again, where my wife by chance fell down and hurt her knees exceedingly.

18 MARCH 1661. . .   To bed with my head and mind full of business, which doth a little put me out of order. And I do find myself to become more and more thoughtful about getting of money then ever heretofore.

23 MARCH 1661. . . out to the Red Bull (where I have not been since plays came up again); but coming too soon, I went out again and walked all up and down the Charter-house yard and Aldersgate Street. At last came back again and went in, where I was led by a seaman that knew me, that is here as a servant, up to the tiring-room; where strange the confusion and disorder that there is among them in fitting themselfs; especially here, where the clothes are very poore and the actors but common fellows. At last into the pitt, where I think there was not above ten more then myself, and not 100 in the whole house, and the play (which is called All’s lost by Lust) poorly done, and with so much disorder; among others, that in the Musique-room, the boy that was to sing a song not singing it right, his master fell about his ears and beat him so, that put the whole house into an uproar. . .

25 MARCH 1661.     So homewards and took up a boy that had a lanthorn, that was picking up of rags, and got him to light me home. And had great discourse with him how he could get sometimes three or four bushels of rags in a day, and gat 3d a bushel for them. And many other discourses, what and how many ways there are for poor children to get their livings honestly. . .

1 APRIL 1661. . . to my father; and there finding a discontent between my father and mother about the maid (which my father likes and my mother dislikes), I stayed till 10 at night, persuading my mother to understand herself; and that in some high words,   which I was sorry for, but she is grown, poor woman, very froward. So leaving them in the same discontent, I went away home . . .

18 APRIL 1661. . . homewards again. And in our way met with two country fellows upon one horse, which I did without much ado give the way to; but Sir W.Penn would not, but stroke them and they him, and so passed away; but they giving him some high words, he went back again and stroke them off of their horse in a simple fury, and without much honour in my mind . .

30 APRIL 1661. . . my wife and I and Mr.Creed took Coach, and in fish Street took up Mr.Hayter and his wife, who, through her mask seemed to me at first an old woman, but afterward I find her to be a very pretty modest black woman. We got a small bate at Leatherhead; and so to Godalming, where we lay all night and were very merry, having this day no other extraordinary rencontre but my hat falling off of my head at Newington into the water, by which it was spoiled and I ashamed of it.   I am sorry that I was not at London, to be at Hyde Park tomorrow among the great gallants and ladies, which will be very fine.

19 MAY 1661. . . Then to my Lord’s, where we went and sat talking and laughing in the drawing-room a great while. . . I giving him some hopes [of going to sea], he grew so mad with joy that he fell a-dancing and leaping like a madman. . . Now it fell out so that the balcony windows were open; and he went to the rail and made an offer to leap over and asked what if he should leap over there. I told him I would give him 40l if he did not go to sea. With that, though I shut the door and W.Howe hindered him all we could, yet he opened them again and with a vault leaps down into the garden, the greatest and most desperate frolic that ever I saw in my life. I run to see what was become of him, and we find him crawled upon his knees, but could not rise. So we went down into the garden and dragged him to the bench, where he looked like a dead man,   but could not stir. And though he had broke nothing, yet his pain in his back was such as he could not endure. With this, my Lord (who was in the little new room) came to us in an amaze and bid us carry him up; which by our strength we did and so laid him in Easts bed by the door, where he lay in great pain. We sent for Doctor and Chyrurgeon, but none to be found; till by and by, by chance comes in Dr Clerk . . . {he was walking again by the 27^th after a week’s convalescence}

. . . I am troubled to see my father so much decay of a sudden as he doth, both in his seeing and hearing, and as much, to hear of him how my Brother Tom doth grow disrespectful to him and my mother.

29 MAY 1661. . . I did give the midwife 10s and the nurse 5s and the maid of the house 2s: but for as much as I expected to give the name to the Childe [at this christening], but did not, it being called John, I forbore then to give my plate. . . . . All being done, we went to Mrs.Shipmans, who is a great butterwoman; and I did see there the most of milk and cream, and the cleanest, that ever I saw in my life. After we had filled our bellies with cream, we took our leaves and away. In our way we had great sport to try who should drive fastest, Sir W.Batten’s coach or Sir W.Penn’s chariot, they having four and we two horses, and we beat them. But it cost me the spoiling of my clothes and velvet coat with dirt. Being come home, I to bed; and gave my breeches to be dried by the fire against tomorrow.

6 JULY 1661. . . Waked this morning with news, brought me by a messenger on purpose, that my Uncle Robert is dead, and died yesterday. So I rose, sorry in some respect; glad in my expectations in another respect. So I made myself ready. . . . bought me a pair of boots in St. Martins and got myself ready; and then to the post-house and set out about 11 or 12 a-clock, taking the messenger with me that came to me; and so we rode and got well by 9 a-clock to Brampton, where I find my father well. My Uncles corps in a coffin, standing upon joint-stools in the chimney in the hall; but it begun to smell, and so I caused it to be set forth in the yard all night and watched by two men. My aunt I find in bed in a most nasty ugly Fickle, made me sick to see it. My father and I lay together tonight, I greedy to see the Will but did not ask to see it till tomorrow. . .

7 JULY 1661. . . Lords day. In the morning my father and I walked in the garden and read the Will; where though he gives me nothing at present till my father’s death, or at least very little, yet I am glad to see that he hath done so well for us all, and well to the rest of his kindred.   After that done, we went about getting things, as ribbands and gloves, ready for the burial. Which in the afternoon was done; where it being Sunday, all people far and near came in and in the greatest disorder that ever I saw; we made shift to serve them what we had of wine and other things . . .

24 JULY 1661. . . This morning in bed my wife tells me of our being robbed of our silver tankard; which vexed me all day for the negligence of my people to leave the door open. . . This afternoon I hear that my man Will hath lost his cloak with my tankard, at which I am very glad.

28 JULY 1661. . . This evening my wife gives me all my linen, which I have put up and intend to keep it now in my own custody. . .

7 AUGUST 1661. . . Called up at 3 a-clock and was a-horseback by 4. And as I was eating my breakfast, I saw a man riding by that rode a little way with me upon the road last night; so I called to him, and he being going with a venison in his panyards [panniers] to London, I called him in and did give him his breakfast with me. And so we went together all the way. At Hatfield we bated and walked into the great House through all the Courts; and I would fain have stolen a pretty dog that fallowed me, but I could not, which troubled me. . . To horse again; and by degrees, with much ado got to London; where I find all well

28 AUGUST 1661. . . (This day I counterfeited a letter to Sir W.Penn, as from the thief that stole his tankard lately, only to abuse and laugh at him.)

11 SEPTEMBER 1661 . . . to Dr.Williams, who did carry me into his garden, where he hath abundance of grapes. And did show me how a dog that he hath doth kill all the Cats that come thither to kill his pigeons, and doth afterwards bury them. And doth it with so much care that they shall be quite covered, that if but the tip of the tail hangs out, he will take up the cat again and dig the hole deeper, which is very strange. And he tells me he doth believe that he hath killed above 100 cats. . .

29 OCTOBER 1661 . . .This day I put on my half-Cloth black stockings and my new Coat of the fashion, which pleases me well; and with my beaver I was (after office was done) ready to go to my Lord Mayors feast, as we are all invited; but the Sir Wms. were both loath to go because of the Crowd, and so none of us went; and I stayed and dined with them, and so home; and in the evening, by consent, we met at the Dolphin, where other company came to us and would have been merry; but their wine was so naught and all other things out of order, that we were not so; but stayed long at night and so home and to bed. My mind not pleased with the spending of this day, because I had proposed a great deal of pleasure to myself this day at Guild hall.

7 NOVEMBER 1661 . . . This morning came one Mr.Hill (sent by Mr.Hunt the instrument maker) to teach me to play on the Theorbo; but I do not like his play nor singing, and so I found a way to put him off. . . Coming home, I called at my Uncle Fenners, who tells me that Pegg Kite hath now declared that she will have the beggarly rogue, the Weaver; and so we are resolved neither to meddle nor make with her . . . TO 11 DECEMBER . . .Pegg Kite hath married herself to a Weaver, an ugly fellow, to her undoing, of which I am glad that I have nothing to do in it. . .

27 NOVEMBER 1661 . . . This morning our maid Dorothy and my wife parted,   which though she be a wench for her tongue not to be borne with, yet I was loath to part with her. But I took my leave kindly of her; and went out to Savill’s the painter and there sat the first time for my face with him . . .

25 DECEMBER 1661. Christmas day. In the morning to church; where at the door of our pew I was fain to stay, because that the Sexton had not opened the door. A good sermon of Mr.Mills. Dined at home all alone. And taking occasion, from some fault in the meat, to complain of my maid’s Sluttery, my wife and I fell out, and I up to my Chamber in a discontent. After dinner my wife comes up to me and all friends again; and she and I to walk upon the Leads; and there Sir W.Penn called us and we went to his house and supped with him. But before supper, Captain Cock came to us half-drunk and begun to talk; but Sir W.Penn, knowing his humour and that there was no end of his talking, drinks four great glasses of wine to him one after another, healths to the King &c., and by that means made him drunk, and so he went away; and so we sat down to supper and were merry; and so after supper home and to bed. [whole entry]

1 JANUARY 1662. Waking this morning out of my sleep on a sudden, I did with my elbow hit my wife a great blow over her face and nose, which waked her with pain, at which I was sorry. And to sleep again. . . . thence home, and they sat with us till late at night at Cards, very merry. But the jest was, Mr.Penn had left his sword in the Coach; and so my boy and he run out after the Coach, and by very great chance did at the Exchange meet with the Coach and got his sword again. . .

27 FEBRUARY 1662. . . This morning came Mr.Birchensha to me; and in our discourse, I finding that he cries up his rules for most perfect (though I do grant them to be very good, and the best I believe that ever yet were made) and that I could not persuade him to grant wherein they were somewhat lame, we fell to angry words, so that in a pet he flung out of my chamber and I never stopped him, being intended to have put him off today whether this had happened or no, because I think I have all the rules that he hath to give, and so there remains nothing but practice now to do me good, and it is not for me to continue with him at 5l per mensem. . . So I settled to put his rules all in fair order in a book, which was my work all the morning till dinner. . .

30 MARCH 1662. Easter day . . . My wife and I to church in the afternoon and seated ourselves, she below me; and by that means the precedence of the pew which my Lady Batten and her daughter takes, is confounded. And after sermon she and I did stay behind them in the pew and went out by ourselves a good while after them— which we judge a very fine project hereafter, to avoid contention. So my wife and I to walk an hour or two on the leads; which begins to be very pleasant, the garden being in good condition. . . We had a lobster to supper, with a crab Pegg Penn sent my wife this afternoon; the reason of which we cannot think, but something there is of plot or design in it, for we have a little while carried ourselves pretty strange to them. . .

4 APRIL 1662. . .   I was much troubled today to see a dead man lie floating upon the waters; and had done (they say) these four days and nobody takes him up to bury him, which is very barbarous.

20 MAY  1662. . . Sir W.Penn and I did a little business at the office, and so home again. Then comes Deane Fuller after we had dined, but I got something for him; and very merry we were for an hours or two, and I am most pleased with his company and goodness. At last parted, and my wife and I by coach to the Opera and there saw the second part of Siege of Rhodes . . . Thence to tower wharf and there took boat; and we all walked to half-way-house and there eat and drunk, and were pleasant; and so finally home again in the evening, and so good-night, this being a very pleasant life that we now lead, and have long done; the Lord be blessed and make us thankful. But though I am much against too much spending, yet I do think it best to enjoy some degree of pleasure, now that we have health, money and opportunities, rather then to leave pleasures to old age or poverty, when we cannot have them so properly.

31 MAY 1662. . . had Sarah to comb my head clean, which I find so foul with powdering and other troubles, that I am resolved to try how I can keep my head dry without powder. And I did also in a sudden fit cut off all my beard, which I have been a great while bringing up, only that I may with my pumice-stone do my whole face, as I now do my chin, and so save time, which I find a very easy way and genteel. So she also washed my feet in a bath of herbs; and so to bed. . .

18 JUNE 1662. . . My windows at my office are made clean today, and a casement in my closet. So home; and after some merry discourse in the kitchen with my wife and maids, as I nowadays often do (I being well pleased with both my maids) to bed.

20 JULY 1662. Lords day. . . . my wife and I went into the office and there measured a silk flag that I have found there, and hope to get it to myself, for it hath not been demanded since I came to the office. But my wife is not hasty to have it, but rather to stay a while longer and see the event, whether it will be missed or no. . .

6 AUGUST 1662. . . At night, writing in my Study, a mouse run over my table, which I shut up fast under my shelves’s upon my table till tomorrow.

22 AUGUST 1662. About 3 a-clock this morning I waked with the noise of the rain, having never in my life heard a more violent shower. And then the Cat was locked in the chamber and kept a great mewing, and leapt upon the bed, which made me I could not sleep a great while. Then to sleep, and about 5 a-clock rose and up to my office. And about 8 a-clock went down to Deptford and there with Mr.Davis did look over most of his stores; by the same token, in the great storehouse, while Captain Badiley was talking to us, one from a trap-door above let fall unawares a coil of cable, that it was 10000 to one it had not broke Captain Badiley’s neck, it came so near him, but did him no hurt. . . .

1 SEPTEMBER 1662. . . So to my office; but missing my key, which I had in my hand just now, makes me very angry and out of order, it being a thing that I hate in others and more in myself, to be careless of keys, I thinking another not fit to be trusted that leaves a key behind their heels [to 6 Sept . . .   This afternoon I had my new key and the lock of my office door altered, having lost my key the other day, which vexed me. ]   . . . One thing more vexes me, my wife writes me from the country that her boy plays the rogue there and she is weary of him; and complains also of her maid Sarah, of which I am also very sorry. Being thus out of temper. I could do little at my office; but went home and eat a bit and so to my lodgings to bed.

19 SEPTEMBER 1662. . . I went alone to Deptford and there went on where they left last night to pay Woolwich yard; and so at noon dined well, being chief at the table, and do not see but everybody begins to give me as much respect and honour as any of the rest. After dinner to pay again and so till 9 at night,   . . . At night, after I had eaten a cold pullet, I walked by brave Moonshine, with three or four armed men to guard me, to Rotherhithe, it being a joy to my heart to think of the condition that I am now in, that people should of themselfs provide this for me, unspoke to. I hear this walk is dangerous to walk alone by night, and much robbery committed here. . .

24 OCTOBER 1662. After with great pleasure lying a great while, talking and sporting in bed with my wife (for we have been for some years now, and at present more and more, a very happy couple, blessed be God),   I got up and to my office; and having done there some business, and by water and then walked to Deptford . . . So home and dined there with my wife upon a most excellent dish of tripes of my own directing, covered with mustard, as I have heretofore seen them done . . . of which I made a very great meal and sent for a glass of wine for myself. . .

27 NOVEMBER 1662. At my waking, I find the tops of the houses covered with snow, which is a rare sight, that I have not seen these three years. . . we all went to the next house upon Tower hill to see the coming by of the Russia Embassador . . . and most of the wealthy citizens in their black velvet coats and gold chains . . .stayed so long that we went down again home to dinner. And after I had dined, I heard [again] that they were coming, and so I walked to the Conduit in the quarrefour at the end of Gracechurch Street and Cornhill; and there (the spouts thereof running, very near me, upon all the people that were under it) I saw them pretty well go by. I could not see the Embassador in his coach, but his attendants in their habits and fur-caps very handsome comely men, and most of them with Hawks upon their fists to present to the King. But Lord, to see the absurd nature of Englishmen, that cannot forbear laughing and jeering at everything that looks strange. . .

12 DECEMBER 1662. From a very hard frost, when I wake I find a very great thaw and my house overflown with it, which vexed me. At the office and home doing business all the morning. Then dined with my wife and sat talking with her all the afternoon . . .

15 DECEMBER 1662. . . to the Duke and fallowed him into the park; where, though the ice was broken and dangerous, yet he would go slide upon his Skates; which I did not like, but he slides very well. . . so driving through the backside of the Shambles in Newgate Market, my coach plucked down two pieces of beef into the Dirt; upon which the butchers stopped the horses, and a great rout of people in the street, crying that he had done him 40s. and 51 worth of hurt; but going down, I saw that he had done little or none; and so I gave them a Shilling for it and they were well contented, and so home. . .

22^nd DECEMBER 1662 . . .I walked to Mr.Coventrys chamber, where I find him gone out into the park with the Duke; so my boy being there ready with my things, I shifted myself into a riding habit and fallowed him through Whitehall; and in the park, Mr.Coventry’s people having a horse ready for me (so fine a one that I was almost afeared to get upon him, but I did and found myself more feared then hurt), and I got up and fallowed the Duke, who with some of his people (among others, Mr.Coventry) was riding out. And with them to Hyde Park,   where Mr.Coventry asking leave of the Duke, he bid us go to Woolwich; so he and I to the water-side, and our horses coming by the [horse-]ferry, we by oars over to Lambeth and from thence, with brave discourse by the way, rode to Woolwich, where we eat and drank at Mr.Petts and discoursed of many businesses . . . Here having stayed a good while, we got up again and brought night home with us, and foul weather. So over to Whitehall to his chamber, whither my boy came, who had stayed in St James’s Park (by my mistake) all day, looking for me. Thence took my things that I put off today, and by coach, being very wet and cold on my feet, home; and presently shifted myself. And so had the barber come; and my wife and I to read . . . and so to bed. . . and slept hard till 8 a-clock.

29 DECEMBER 1662. . . I went to Westminster-hall, where I stayed reading at Mrs.Mitchells shop and sent for half-pint of sack for her. Here she told me what I heard not of before, the strange burning of Mr.Delaune a merchant’s house in Lothbury and his lady (Sir Thomas Allens daughter) and her whole family; not one thing, dog nor cat, escaping, nor any of the neighbours almost hearing of it till the house was quite down and burnt. How this should come to pass, God knows, but a most strange thing it is. Hither came Jack Spicers to me and I took him to the Swan, where Mr.Herbert did give me my breakfast of cold chine of pork . . .

19 JANUARY 1663. . . I singled out Mr.Coventry into the Matted Gallery and there I told him the complaints I meet every day about our Treasurers or his people’s paying no money but at the goldsmiths shops, where they are forced to pay 15, or 20 sometimes, per cent for their money—which is a most horrid shame and that which must not be suffered. Nor is it likely that the Treasurer (at least his people) will suffer Maynell the goldsmith to go away with l0000l per annum, as he doth now get by making people pay after this manner for their money. . . by coach to Mr.Poveys being invited thither by a messenger this morning from him—where really, he made a most excellent and large dinner of their variety, even to admiration; he bidding us in a frolic to call for what we had a mind and he would undertake to give it us-and we did, for prawns-Swan-venison after I had thought the dinner was quite done, and he did immediately produce it, which I thought great plenty. And he seems to set off his rest in this plenty and the neatness of his house; which he after dinner showed me from room to room, so beset with delicate pictures, and above all, a piece of perspective in his closet in the low parlour. His stable, where was some most delicate horses, and the very racks painted, and mangers, with a neat leaden painted cistern and the walls done with Dutch tiles like my chimneys. But still, above all things, he bid me go down into his wine-cellar, where upon several shelves there stood bottles of all sorts of wine, new and old, with lab ells pasted upon each bottle, and in that order and plenty as I never saw books in a bookseller’s shop. And herein, I observe, he puts his highest content and will accordingly commend all that he hath, but still they deserve to be so. . .

28 JANUARY 1663. . . Thence to Wottons the shoemaker and there bought another pair of new boots for the other I bought my last journey, that would not fit me.   And here I drank with him and his wife, a pretty woman, they broaching a vessel of Cyder a-purpose for me. So home, and there find my wife come home and seeming to cry; for bringing home in a coach her new Ferrandin waistcoat (a silk cloth with wool or hair mixed in), in Cheapside a man asked her whether that was the way to the tower, and while she was answering him, another on the other side snatched away her bundle out of her lap, and could not be recovered—but ran away with it—which vexes me cruelly, but it cannot be helped.

29 JANUARY 1663. Lay chiding and then pleased with my wife in bed, and did consent to her having a new waistcoat made her for that which she lost yesterday. So to the office and sat all the morning. At noon dined with Mr.Coventry at Sir J. Mennes his lodgings, the first time that ever I did yet; and am sorry for doing it now, because of obliging me to do the like to him again. . .

30 JANUARY 1663. A solemn Fast for the King’s murder. And we were forced to keep it more then we would have done, having forgot to take any victuals into the house. I to church in the forenoon . . . Home and whiled away some of the afternoon at home, talking with my wife. . . In the evening my manuscript is brought home, handsomely bound to my full content; and now I think I have a better collection in reference to the Navy, and shall have by the time I have filled it, then any of my predecessors. So home to eat something, such as we have, bread and butter and milk; and so to bed.

4 MAY 1663. . . took boat, intending to have gone down to Woolwich; but seeing I could not get back time enough to dinner, I returned and home, whither by and by the Dancing Maister came; whom standing by seeing him instructing my wife, when he had done with her he would needs have me try the steps of a Coranto; and what with his desire and my wife’s importunity, I did begin, and then was obliged to give him entry-money, 10s, and am become his Scholar. The truth is, I think it is a thing very useful for any gentleman and sometimes I may have occasion of using it; and though it cost me, which I am heartily sorry it should, besides that I must by my oath give half as much more to the poor, yet I am resolved to get it up some other way; and then it will not be above a month or two in a year. So though it be against my stomach, yet I will try it a little while; if I see it comes to any great inconvenience or charge, I will fling it off: after I had begun with the steps of half a coranto, which I think I shall learn well enough, he went away and we to dinner. . . .

8 MAY 1663. . . Thence to my brother’s, and there took up my wife and Ashwell to the Theatre Royal, being the second day of its being opened. The house is made with extraordinary good contrivance; and yet hath some faults, as the narrowness of the passages in and out of the pit, and the distance from the stage to the boxes, which I am confident cannot hear.   But for all other things it is well. Only, above all, the Musique being below, and most of it sounding under the very stage, there is no hearing of the bases at all, nor very well of the trebles, which sure must be mended. The play was The Humorous Lieutenant, a play that hath little good in it, nor much in that very part which, by the King’s command, Lacey now acts instead of Clun. . . The play being done, we home by water, having been a little ashamed that my wife and woman were in such a pickle, all the ladies being finer and better dressed in the pit then they use I think to be. . .

11 MAY 1663. Up betimes and by water to Woolwich on board the Royal James to see in what despatch she is to be carried about to Chatham. So to the yard a little and thence on foot to Greenwich; where going, I was set upon by a great dog, who got hold of my garters and might have done me hurt; but Lord, to see in what a maze I was, that having a sword about me, I never thought of it or had the heart to make use of it . . .

13 JUNE 1663. . . to Thames-street among the tar men to look the price of tar; and so by water to Whitehall . . . so home to dinner, where I find my wife’s brother; and thence after dinner by water to the Royal Theatre, where I am resolved to bid farewell, as shall appear by my oaths tomorrow, against all plays, either at public houses or Court, till Christmas be over . . . Thence to see Mrs.Hunt, which we did and were much made of; and in our way saw my Lady Castlemaine, who I fear is not so handsome as I have taken her for, and now she begins to decay something. This is my wife’s opinion also, for which I am sorry. Thence by coach with a mad coachman that drove like mad, and down byways through Bucklersbury home, everybody through the street cursing him, being ready to run over them. So home. . .

4 JULY 1663. Up by 4 a-clock and sent him to get matters ready. And I to my office, looking over papers and mending my Manuscript by scraping out the blots and other things; which is now a very fine book. . . Thence with Creed to hire a coach to carry us to Hyde Park, today there being a general muster of the King’s Guards, horse and foot; but they demand so high, that I spying Mr.Cutler the merchant, did take notice of him; and he going into his coach and telling me that he was going to show a couple of Swedish strangers the Muster, I asked and went along with him. . . yet methought all these gay men are not the soldiers that must do the King’s business, it being such as these that lost the old King all he had and were beat by the most ordinary fellows that could be.
Thence with much ado out of the park; and I lighted and through St. James down the waterside over to Lambeth to see the Archbishops corps (who is to be carried away to Oxford on Monday); but came too late and so walked over the fields and bridge home (calling by the way at old Georges, but find that he is dead) . . .

3 AUGUST 1663. Up, both of us, very betimes; and to the yard and saw the men called over, and chose some to be discharged. Then to the rope-houses and viewed them all and made an experiment which was the stronger, English or Riga hemp. The latter proved the stronger, but the other is very good and much better we believe then any but Riga.   We did many other things this morning, and I caused the Timber measurer to measure some timber, where I found much fault and with reason; which we took public notice of and did give them admonition for the time to come.   At noon Mr.Pett did give us a very great dinner, too big in all conscience, so that most of it was left untouched. . . Commissioner Pett, Mr.Coventry and I sat close to our business all the afternoon in his parlour, and there run through much business and answered several people. And then in the evening walked in the garden, where we conjured him to look after the yard . . . He having made good promises, though I fear his performance, we parted (though I spoke so freely that he could have been angry) good friends, and in some hopes that matters will be the better for the time to come. . .

11 SEPTEMBER 1663. This morning, about 2 or 3 a-clock, knocked up in our backyard; and rising to the window, being moonshine, I find it was the Constable and his watch, who had found our backyard door open and so came in to see what the matter was. So I desired them to shut the door and bid them good-night. And so to bed again. . .

17 SEPTEMBER 1663. Up; and my father being gone to bed ill last night, and continuing so this morning, I was forced to come to a new consideration, whether it was fit for to let my uncle and his son go to Wisbech about my uncle Days estate alone or no, and concluded it unfit and so resolved to go with them myself; and so leaving my wife there, I begun a journey with them; and with much ado through the Fens, along Dikes, where sometimes we were ready to have our horses sink to the belly, we got by night, with great deal of stir and hard riding, to Parsons drove, a heathen place—where I found my uncle and aunt Perkins and their daughters, poor wretches, in a sad poor thatched cottage, like a poor barn or stable, peeling of Hemp (in which I did give myself good content to see their manner of preparing of hemp) and in a poor condition of habit; took them to our miserable Inn and there, after long stay and hearing of Frank their son, the miller, play upon his Trebles (as he calls it), with which he earns part of his living, and singing of a country bawdy song, we set down to supper: the whole Crew and Franks wife and children (a sad company, of which I was ashamed) supped with us. . . By and by news is brought us that one of our horses is stole out of the Stable; which proves my uncles, at which I was inwardly glad; I mean, that it was not mine. And at this we were at a great loss; and they doubting a person that lay at next door, a Londoner, some lawyer’s clerk, we caused him to be secured in his bed and made care to be taken to seize the horse; and so, about 12 at night or more, to bed in a sad, cold, nasty chamber; only, the maid was indifferent handsome, and so I had a kiss or two of her, and I to bed. And a little after I was asleep, they waked me to tell me that the horse was found, which was good news; and so to sleep till the morning—but was bit cruelly (and nobody else of our company, which I wonder at) by the gnats.

18 SEPTEMBER 1663. Up, and got our people together as soon as we could; and after eating a dish of cold Cream, which was my supper last night too, we took leave of our beggarly company, though they seem good people too, and over most sad Fenns (all the way observing the sad life that the people of that place (which if they be born there, they call the “Breedlings” of the place) do live, sometimes rowing from one spot to another, and then wading) to Wisbech, a pretty town and a fine church and library, where sundry very old Abbey manuscripts—and a fine house, built on the church ground by Secretary Thurloe, and a fine gallery built for him in the church, but now all in the Bishop of Elys hands. After visiting the church &c., we out of the town by the help of a stranger, to find out one Blinkehorne a miller. . .

19 SEPTEMBER 1663. Up pretty betimes; and after eating something, we set out; and I (being willing thereto) went by a mistake with them to St. Ives, and there, it being known that it was their nearer way to London, I took leave of them there, they going straight to London and I to Brampton; where I find my father ill in bed still, and Madam Norbury (whom and her fair daughter and sister I was ashamed to kiss, but did, my lip being sore with riding in the wind and bit with the gnats)a lately come to town, come to see my father and mother; and they after a little stay being gone, I told my father my success. And after dinner my wife and I took horse and rode, with marvellous and the first and only hour of pleasure that ever I had in this estate since I had to do with it, to Brampton woods, and through the wood rode and gathered nuts in my way; and then at Grafham to an old woman’s house to drink, where my wife used to go; and being in all Circumstances highly pleased and in my wife’s riding and good company at this time, I rode and she showed me the River behind my father’s house, which is very pleasant; and so saw her home, and I straight to Huntingdon; and there met Mr.Shipley and to the Crown (having sent home my horse by Stankes) and there a barber came and trimmed me; and thence walked to Hinchingbrooke, where my Lord and ladies all are just alighted. And so I in among them and my Lord glad to see me, and the whole company; here I stayed and supped with them, and after a good stay talking . . .I took leave of them; and after a walk in the Court-yard in the dark with W.Howe . . .I took horse, there being one appointed for me, and a groom to attend me, and so home, where my wife stayed up and sister for me. And so to bed . . .

7 NOVEMBER 1663. . . Then calling at Unthanks for something of my wife’s not done, a pretty little gentlewoman, a lodger there, came out to tell me that it was not yet done—which though it vexed me, yet I took opportunity of taking her by the hand over the boot [of the coach], and so found matters to talk a little the longer to her; but I was ready to laugh at myself to see how my anger could not operate, my disappointment coming to me by such a messenger . . .

27 NOVEMBER 1663. . . My wife mightily pleased with my late discourse of getting a trip over to Calais or some other port of France the next summer, in one of the Yachts; and I believe I shall do it. And it makes good sport that my maid Jane dares not go and Besse is wild to go and is mad for joy—but yet will be willing to stay if Jane hath a mind, which is the best temper in this and all other things that ever I knew in my life. . .

29 NOVEMBER 1663. Lords day. This morning I put on my best black cloth-suit trimmed with Scarlet ribbon, very neat, with my cloak lined with Velvet and a new Beaver, which altogether is very noble, with my black silk knit canons I bought a month ago.
I to church alone, my wife not going; and there I find my Lady Batten in a velvet gown, which vexed me that she should be in it before my wife, or that I am able to put her into one; but what cannot be, cannot be. However, when I came home I told my wife of it; and to see my weakness, I could on the sudden have found my heart to have offered her one, but second thoughts put it by; and indeed, it would undo me to think of doing as Sir W.Batten and his Lady do, who hath a good estate besides his office.

11 DECEMBER 1663. . . Then I went and sat by Mr.Harrington and some East Country merchants; and talking of the country about Konigsberg and thereabouts—he told us himself that for fish, none there, the poorest body, will buy a dead fish; but must be alive, unless it be in winter; and then they told us the manner of putting their nets into the water through holes made in the thick Ice; they will spread a net of half a mile long, and he hath known a 130 and 170 barrels of fish taken at one draught. And then the people comes with Sledges upon the Ice, with snow at the Bot tome, and lay the fish in and cover them with snow, and so carry them to market. And he hath seen when the said fish have been frozen in the sled, so as that he hath taken a fish and broke a-pieces, so hard it hath been; and yet the same fishes, taken out of the snow and brought into a hot room, will be alive and leap up and down. . . Fowl killed in December (Alderman Barker said) he did buy; and putting into the box under his sled, did forget to take them out to eat till April next, and they then were found there and were, through the frost, as sweet and fresh and eat as well as at first killed. Young Bears are there; their flesh sold in market as ordinarily as beef here, and is excellent sweet meat. They tell us that Bears there do never hurt anybody, but flyaway from you unless you pursue and set upon them, but Wolves do much mischief Mr.Harrington told us how they do to get so much honey as they send abroad. They make hallow a great Fir tree, leaving only a small slit down straight in one place; and this they close up again, only leave a little hole and there the Bees go in and fill the bodies of these trees as full of wax and honey as they can hold; and the inhabitants at their times go and open that slit and take what they please, without killing the bees, and so let them live there still and make more. Fir trees are always planted close together, because of keeping one another from the violence of the winds . . .

12 DECEMBER 1663 . . . I have forgot to set down a very remarkable passage: that Llewellyn being gone and I going into the office and it begin to be dark, I found nobody there, my clerks being at a burial of a child of W.Griffiths; and so I spent a little time till they came, walking in the garden; and in the meantime, while I was walking, Mrs.Penn’s pretty maid came by my side and went into the office; but finding nobody there, I went in to her, being glad of the occasion; she told me, as she was going out again, that there was nobody there and that she came for a sheet of paper; so I told her I would supply her, and left her in the office and went into my office and opened my garden door, thinking to have got her in and there to have caressed her; and seeming looking for paper, I told her this was asa near a way for her; but she told me she had left the door open and so did not come to me; so I carried her some paper and kissed her, leading her by the hand to the garden door and there let her go. But Lord, to see how much I was put out of order by this surprisal, and how much I could have subjected my mind to have treated and been fond with this wench, and how afterward I was troubled to think what if she should tell this, and whether I had spoke or done anything that might be unfit for her to tell. But I think there was nothing more passed then just what I here write.

21 DECEMBER 1663. . . took Coach, and being directed by sight of bills upon the walls, did go to Shoe lane to see a Cocke-fighting at a new pit there—a sport I was never at in my life.   But Lord, to see the strange variety of people, from Parliament-man (by name Wildes, that was Deputy-governor of the Tower when Robinson was Lord Mayor) to the poorest prentices, bakers, brewers, butchers, draymen, and what not; and all these fellows one with another in swearing, cursing, and betting. I soon had enough of it; and yet I would not but have seen it once, it being strange to observe the nature of those poor creatures, how they will fight till they drop down dead upon the table and strike after they are ready to give up the ghost—not offering to run away when they are weary or wounded past doing further. Whereas, where a Dunghill brood comes, he will, after a sharp stroke that pricks him, run off the stage, and then they wring off his neck without more ado. Whereas the other they preserve, though their eyes be both out, for breed only of a true cock of the game.
Sometimes, a cock that hath had ten to one against him will by chance give an unlucky blow will strike the other stark-dead in a moment, that he never stirs more. But the common rule is, that though a cock neither run nor dies, yet if any man will bet 10l to a Crown and nobody take the bet, the game is given over, and not sooner. One thing more it is strange to see, how people of this poor rank, that look as if they had not bread to put in their mouths, shall bet 3 or 4l at one bet and lose it, and yet bet as much the next battle, as they call every make of two cocks, so that one of them will lose 10 or 20l at a meeting. . . .

6 JANUARY 1664 . . .This morning I begun a practice which I find, by the ease I do it with, that I shall continue, it saving me money and time, that is to Trim myself with a Razor, which pleases me mightily.

8 JANUARY 1664 . . . Upon the Change, a great talk there was of one Mr.Tryon, an old man, a merchant in Lyme street, robbed last night (his man and maid being gone out after he was a-bed) and gagged and robbed of 1050l in money and about 4000l in Jewels which he had in his house as security for money. It is believed that his man, by many circumstances, is guilty of confederacy, by their ready going to his secret Till in his desk wherein the key of his cash-chest lay. . . (10^th Jan: All our discourse tonight was about Mr.Tryon’s late being robbed and that Colonel Turner (a mad, swearing, confident fellow, well known by all and by me), one much indebted to this man for his very livelihood, was the man that either did or plotted it; and the money and things are found in his hand and he and his wife now in Newgate for it, of which we are all glad, so very a known rogue he was. . . (18^th Jan: at the Coffee-house, where I hear Turner is found guilty of Felony and Burglary; and strange stories of his confidence at the Barr, but yet great indiscretion in his arguing. All desirous of his being hanged. . . (20^th Jan: So to the Change and walked home thence with Sir Rd. Ford, who told me that Turner is to be hanged tomorrow and with what impudence he hath carried out his trial; but that last night, when he brought him news of his death, he begin to be sober and shed some tears, and he hopes will the a penitent, he having already confessed all the thing; but says it was partly done for a Joke . . . (21^st Jan: at noon, going to the Change and seeing people flock in that, I enquired and found that Turner was not yet hanged; and so I went among them to Leadenhall Street at the end of Lyme Street, near where the robbery was done, and to St. Mary Axe, where he lived; and there I got for a shilling to stand upon the wheel of a Cart, in great pain, above an hour before the execution was done, he delaying the time by long discourses and prayers one after another, in hopes of a reprieve; but none came, and at last was flung off the lather in his cloak. A comely-looked man he was, and kept his countenance to the end— I was sorry to see him. It was believed there was at least 12 or 14000 people in the street. So I home all in a sweat, and dined by myself . . .))))

23 JANUARY 1664. . . after we had dined came Mr.Mallard; and after he had eat something, I brought down my viol, which he played on, the first Master that ever touched her yet, and she proves very well and will be, I think, an admirable instrument. He played some very fine things of his own, but I was afeared to enter too far in their commendation for fear he should offer to copy them for me out, and so I be forced to give or lend him something . . .

4 FEBRUARY 1664. Up and to the office, where after a while setting, I left the board upon pretence of serious business and by coach to Paul’s school, where I heard some good speeches of the boys that were to be elected this year. Thence by and by . . .with several other of my old acquaintance to the Nags-head tavern and there did give them a bottle of sack; and away again and I to the school and up to hear the upper-form examined; and there was kept by very many of the Mercers, Clutterbucke, Barker, Harrington, and others, and with great respect used by them all and had a noble dinner. . . After great pleasure there, and especially to hear Mr.Cromleholme so often to tell of my being a benefactor to the school— I to my booksellers and there spent an hour . . .

14 FEBRUARY 1664. Lords day. Up and to church alone, where a lazy sermon of Mr.Mills . . . So home and very pleasant with my wife at dinner. All the afternoon at my office alone, doing business; and then in the evening, after a walk with my wife in the garden, she and I to my Uncle Wight’s to supper . . .but my Uncle out of tune. And after supper he seemed displeased mightily at my aunts desiring to put off a Copper kettle, which it seems with great study he had provided to boil meat in and now she is put in the head that it is not wholesome, which vexed him, but we were very merry about it . . .

24 FEBRUARY 1664. Ash Wednesday . . . down to the garden of Somerset House and up and down the new building, which in every respect will be mighty magnificent and costly. I stayed a great while talking with a man in the garden that was sawing of a piece of marble— and did give him 6d to drink. He told me much of the nature and labour of that work; how he could not saw above 4 inch of the stone in a day; and of a greater, not above one or two. And after it is sawed, then it is rubbed with coarse and then with finer and finer sand till they come to putty, and so polish it as smooth as glass. Their saws have no teeth, but it is the sand only which the saw rubs up and down that doth the thing. Thence by water to the Coffee-house and there sat long with Alderman Barker, talking of Hemp and that trade. And thence to the Change a little; and so home and dined with my wife, and then to the office till the evening, and then walked a while merrily with my wife in the garden; and so she gone, I to work again till late . . .

13 MARCH 1664. Lords day. I lay long in bed, talking with my wife . . . so to my office and there all the morning reading some Common law, to which I will allot a little time now and then, for I much want it. At noon home to dinner; and then after some discourse with my wife, to the office again; and by and by Sir W.Penn came to me after sermon and walked with me in the garden, and then one comes to tell me that Anth. and Will Joyce were come to see me; so I in to them and made mighty much of them, and very pleasant we were. And most of their business I find to be to advise about getting some woman to attend my Brother Tom, whom they say is very ill and seems much to want one, to which I agreed, and desired them to get their wives to enquire out one. By and by they bid me good-night; but immediately as they were gone out of doors comes Mrs.Turner’s boy with a note to me, to tell me that my brother Tom was so ill as they feared he could not long live and that it would be fit I should come and see him. So I sent for them back, and they came; and will Joyce desiring to speak with me alone, I took him up and there he did plainly tell me, to my great astonishment, that my brother is deadly ill and that their chief business of coming was to tell me so; and which is worse, that his disease is the pox . . . This troubled me mightily; but however, I thought fit to go see him for speech of people’s sake, and so walked along with them . . . to my brother, who lies in bed talking idle. He could only say that he knew me and then fell to other discourse, and his face like a dying man . . . so walked home, greatly troubled to think of my brother’s condition and the trouble that would arise to me by his death or continuing sick . . . (14^th Mar: Up, and walked to my brother’s, where I find he hath continued talking idle all night and now knows me not, which troubles me mightily. So I walked down and discoursed a great while alone with the maid, who tells me many passages of her master’s practices and how she concludes that he hath run behind-hand a great while and owes money and hath been dunned by several people . . .So that upon the whole, I do find he is, whether he lives or dies, a ruined man. And what trouble will befall me by it, I know not. . . to my brother’s, who I find in the same or worse condition. The Doctors give him over and so do all that see him. He talks no sense two words together now. And I confess it made me weep to see that he should not be able when I asked him, to say who I was. . . (15^th Mar: I to my brother again, where Madam Turner and her company, and Mrs.Croxton, my wife, and Mrs.Holden. About 8 a-clock my brother begun to fetch his spittle with more pain and to speak as much, but not so distinctly; till at last, the phlegm getting the mastery of him and he beginning as we thought to rattle, I had no mind to see him the, as we thought he presently would, and so withdrew and led Mrs.Turner home. But before I came back, which was in a quarter of an hour, my brother was dead. I went up and found the nurse holding his eyes shut; and he, poor wretch, lying with his chops fallen, a most sad sight and that which put me into a present very great transport of grief and cries. And indeed, it was a most sad sight to see the poor wretch lie now still and dead and pale like a stone. I stayed till he was almost cold, while Mrs.Croxton, Holden, and the rest did strip and lay him out, they observing his corps, as they told me afterwards, to be as clear as any they ever saw. And so this was the end of my poor brother, continuing talking idle and his lips working even to his last, that his phlegm hindered his breathing; and at last his breath broke out, bringing a flood of phlegm and stuff out with it, and so he died.))

14 MARCH 1664. . . Thence to Whitehall; and in the Dukes chamber, while he was dressing, two persons of quality that were there did tell his Royal Highness how the other night in Holborne about midnight, being at cards, a link-boy came by and run into the house and told the people the house was a-falling; upon this, the whole family was frighted, concluding that the boy had said that the house was a-fire; so they left their cards above, and one would have got out of the balcony, but it was not open; the other went up to fetch down his children that were in bed. So all got clear out of the house; and no sooner so, but the house fell down indeed, from top to bottom. It seems my Lord Southamptons canal [probably, sewer] did come too near their foundation and so weakened the house, and down it came, which in every respect is a most extraordinary passage . . .

22 MARCH 1664. . . my wife being at my aunt Wights, I went thither; calling at my own house, going out found the parlour curtains drawn; and enquiring the reason of it, they told me that their mistress had got Mr.Buggins’s fine little dog and our little bitch . . . and going home, I found the little dog so little that of himself he could not reach our bitch; which I am sorry for— for it is the finest dog that ever I saw in my life, as if he were painted, the colours are so finely mixed and shaded. God forgive me, it went against me to have my wife and servants look upon them while they endeavoured to do something, and yet it provoked me to pleasure with my wife more then usual tonight. . .

21 APRIL 1664. . . to the office; we sat all the afternoon but no sooner sat but news comes my Lady Sandwich was come to see us; so I went out, and running up (her friend however before me) I perceive by my dear Lady’s blushing that in my dining-room she was doing something upon the pott; which I also was ashamed of and so fell to some discourse, but without pleasure, through very pity to my Lady. . .

25 APRIL 1664. . . In the Duke’s chamber there is a bird, given him by Mr.Pearse the surgeon, comes from the East Indies., black the greatest part, with the finest collar of white about the neck. But talks many things, and neighs like the horse and other things, the best almost that ever I heard bird in my life {probably a mynah] . . . then walked over the park and in Mr.Cutler’s coach . . . to my Lord Sandwich’s, where by agreement I met my wife and there dined with the young ladies . . . Much simple discourse at table among the young ladies . . .Thence, the young ladies going out to visit, I took my wife by coach out through the City, discoursing how to spend the afternoon . . . took her out at Whitechapel and to Bethnal-green; so to Hackney, where I have not been many a year, since a little child I boarded there. Thence to Kingsland by my nurse’s house, Goody Lawrence, where my brother Tom and I was kept when young. Then to Newington-green and saw the outside of Mrs.Herberts house where she lived, and my aunt Ellen with her. But Lord, how in every point I find myself to over-value things when a child. Thence to Islington, and so to St.John’s to the Red bull and there saw the latter part of a rude Prize fight,   but with good pleasure enough. And thence back to Islington and at the Kings head, where Pitts lived, we light and eat and drunk for remembrance of the old house sake. And so through Kingsland again and so to Bishopsgate, and so home with great pleasure, the country mighty pleasant; and we with great content home, and after supper to bed. . .

3 MAY 1664. Up; and being ready, went by agreement to Mr.Blands and there drank my morning draught in good Chocolate, and slabbering my band sent home for another.

15 JUNE 1664. . . anon at noon comes Mr.Creed by chance, and by and by the three young ladies, and very merry we were with our pasty, very well baked— and a good dish of roasted chickens, pease, lobsters, strawberries. And after dinner to cards; and about 5 a-clock by water down to Greenwich and up to the top of the hill and there played upon the ground at Cards; and so to the Cherry-garden and then by water, singing finely, to the Bridge and there landed; and so took boat again and to Somerset House. And by this time, the tide being against us, it was past 10 of the clock; and such a troublesome passage in regard of my Lady Paulina’s fearfulness, that in all my life I never did see any poor wretch in that condition. Being come hither, there waited for them their coach; but it being so late, I doubted what to do how to get them home. After half an hour’s stay in the street, I sent my wife home by coach with Mr.Creed’s boy, and myself and Creed in the coach home with them; but Lord, the fear that my Lady Paulina was in every step of the way; and indeed, at this time of the night it was no safe thing to go that road, so that I was even afeared myself, though I appeared otherwise. We came safe, however, to their house, where all were abed. We knocked them up, my Lady and all the family being in bed. So put them into doors; and leaving them with the maids, bade them goodnight and then into the town, he and I, it being about 12 a-clock and past; . . .      (16^th Jun: . . . and to several houses, Inns, but could get no lodging, all being in bed; at the last house, at last we found some people drinking and roaring, and there got in; and after drinking, got an ill bed, where I lay in my drawers and stockings and waistcoat till 5 of the clock; and so up, and being well pleased with our frolic, walked to Knightsbridge and there eat a mess of cream; and so to St. James’s and there walked a little; and so I to Whitehall and took coach, and found my wife well got home last night and now in bed.

30 JUNE 1664. . . Walked back from Woolwich to Greenwich all alone, save a man that had a cudgel in his hand; and though he told me he laboured in the King’s yards and many other good arguments that he is an honest man, yet God forgive me, I did doubt he might knock me on the head behind with his club, but I got safe home. . .

4 JULY 1664. . . at home find my wife this day of her own accord to have lain out 25s upon a pair of pen dances for her ears; which did vex me and brought both me and her to very high, and very foul words from her to me, such as trouble me to think she should have in her mouth, and reflecting upon our old differences, which I hate to have remembered. I vowed to break them, or that she should go and get what she could for them again. I went with that resolution out of doors. The poor wretch afterward, in a little while, did send out to change them for her money again. I fallowed Besse her messenger at the Change and there did consult and sent her back; I would not have them changed, being satisfied that she yielded. So went home, and friends again as to that business; but the words I could not get out of my mind, and so went to bed at night discontented; and she came to bed to me, but all would not make me friends, but sleep and rise in the morning angry. . .

11 JULY 1664 . . .betimes up this morning; and getting ready, we by coach to Holborn, where at 9 a-clock they set out, and I and my man Will on horse by her to Barnet, a very pleasant day, and there dined with her company, which was very good, a pretty gentlewoman with her that goes but to Huntingdon, and a neighbour to us in town. Here we stayed two hours and then parted for altogether, and my poor wife I shall soon want, I am sure.

Thence I and Will to see the Wells, half a mile off; and there I drunk three glasses and went and walked, and came back and drunk two more. The woman would have had me drunk three more; but I could not, my belly being full— but this wrought very well; and so we rode home round by Kingsland, Hackney, and Mile end, till we were quite weary, and my water working at least seven or eight times upon the road, which pleased me well. And so home, weary; and not being very well, I betimes to bed.

And there fell into a most mighty sweat in the night, about 11 a-clock; and there, knowing what money I have in the house and hearing a noise, I begin to sweat worse and worse, till I melted almost to water. I rung, and could not in half an hour make either of the wenches hear me; and this made me fear the more, lest they might be gagged; and then I begin to think that there was some design in a stone being flung at the window over our stairs this evening, by which the thieves meant to try what looking there would be after them and know our company. These thoughts and fears I had, and do hence apprehend the fears of all rich men that are covetous and have much money by them. At last Jane rose and then I understand it was only the dog wants a lodging and so made a noise. So to bed, but hardly slept; at last did, and so till morning.

20 JULY 1664. . . Dined together with a good pig. And then out by coach to Whitehall to the Committee for Fishing; but nothing done, it being a great day today there, upon drawing at the Lottery of Sir Arth. Slingsby. I got in and stood by the two Queens and the Duchesse of York, and just behind my Lady Castlemaine, whom I do heartily adore; and good sport it was to see how most that did give their ten pounds did go away with a pair of gloves only for their lot, and one gentlewoman, one Mrs.Fish, with the only blank. And one I stayed to see drew a suit of hangings valued at 430l; and they say are well worth the money, or near it. One other suit there is better then that, but very many lots of three and four score pounds. I observed the King and Queens did get but as poor lots as any else. But the wisest man I met with was Mr.Cholmley, who insured as many as would from drawing of the one blank for 12d— in which case there was the whole number of persons to one, which I think was 3 or 400. And so he insured about 200 for 200 shillings, so that he could not have lost if one of them had drawn it— for there was enough to pay the 10l; but it happened another drew it, and so he got all the money he took . . .

26 JULY 1664. . . Very merry we were, and when the women were merry and rose from table, I above with them, ne’ er a man but I; I begin discourse of my not getting of children and prayed them to give me their opinions and advice; and they freely and merrily did give me these ten among them.   1. Do not hug my wife too hard nor too much.     2. Eat no late suppers.   3. Drink Juice of sage.   4. Tent and toast.           5.Wear cool Holland-drawers.   6.Keep stomach warm and back cool.   7. Upon my query whether it was best to do at night or morn, they answered me neither one nor other, but when we have most mind to it.         8. Wife not to go too strait-laced.      9. Myself to drink Mum and sugar. 10. Mrs.Ward did give me to change my plat.       The 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and l0th they all did seriously declare and lay much stress upon them, as rules fit to be observed indeed, and especially the last: to lie with our heads where our heels do, or at least to make the bed high at feet and low at head. . . .

5 AUGUST 1664. Up very betimes and set my plasterer to work about whiting and colouring my Musique room; which having with great pleasure seen done, about 10 a-clock I dressed myself, and so mounted upon a very pretty Mare, sent me by Sir W.Warren according to his promise yesterday, and so through the City, not a little proud, God knows, to be seen upon so pretty a beast; and to my Cousin W.Joyces, who presently mounted too, and he and I out of town toward Highgate . . . Thence forward to Barnet and there drank, and so by night to Stevenage, it raining a little but not much; and there to my great trouble find that my wife was not come, nor any Stamford coach gone down this week, so that she cannot come . . And after a little sleep, W.Joyce comes in his shirt into my chamber, with a note and a messenger from my wife that she was come by York coach to Biggleswade, and would be with us tomorrow morning. So, I mightily pleased at her discreet action in this business, I with peace to sleep again till next morning. (6^th Aug: So up . . .W.Joyce and I to a game at Bowls on the green there,   till 8 a-clock; and then comes my wife in the coach, and a coach full of women, only one man riding by, gone down last night to meet a sister of his coming to town. So, very joyful, drank there, not lighting; and we mounted and away with them to Welwyn, and there light and dined very well, and merry and glad to see my poor wife. Here very merry as being weary I could be; and after dinner out again and to London. In our way, all the way the mightiest merry, at a couple of young gentlemen come down to meet the same gentlewoman, that ever I was in my life, and so W.Joyce too, to see how one of them was horsed upon a hard-trotting Sorrell horse, and both of them soundly weary and galled. But it is not to be set down how merry we were all the way.)

7 AUGUST 1664. Lords day. Lay long, caressing my wife and talking— she telling me sad stories of the ill, improvident, disquiet, and sluttish manner that my father and mother and Pall live in the country; which troubles me mightily and I must seek to remedy it. So up and ready— and my wife also; and then down and I showed my wife, to her great admiration and joy, Mr.Gaudens present of plate, the two Flagons; which indeed are so noble that I hardly can think that they are yet mine. So blessing God for it, we down to dinner, mighty pleasant; and so up after dinner for a while and I then to Whitehall; walked thither . . .walked homeward and met with Mr.Spong [optical instrument maker]; and he with me as far as the Old Exchange, talking of many ingenuous things, Musique, and at last of Glasses, and I find him still the same ingenuous man that ever he was; and doth, among other fine things, tell me that by his Microscope of his own making he doth discover that the wings of a Moth is made just as the feathers of the wing of a bird, and that most plainly and certainly. While we were talking, came by several poor creatures, carried by Constables for being at a conventicle. They go like lambs, without any resistance.   would to God they would either conform, or be more wise and not be ketched. Thence parted with him, mightily pleased with his company, and away homeward . . .

5 SEPTEMBER 1664. . . after cutting out work for that committee, we rose; and I to my wife to Unthanks, and with her from shop to shop, laying out near 10l this morning in clothes for her. And so I to the Change, where a while, and so home and to dinner, and thither came W.Bowyer and dined with us; but strange to see how he could not endure onions in sauce to lamb, but was overcome with the sight of it and so was forced to make his dinner of an egg or two. He tells us how Mrs.Lane is undone by her marrying so bad, and desires to speak with me; which I know is wholly to get me to do something for her to get her husband a place which he is in no wise fit for. After dinner I down to Woolwich with a galley, and then to Deptford and so home— all the way reading . . .

6 SEPTEMBER 1664. . . [the Change milliner], [Doll] is so pretty, that, God forgive me, I could not think it too much; which is a strange slavery that I stand in to beauty, that I value nothing near it. So going home and my coach stopping in Newgate-market over against a poulterer’s shop, I took occasion to buy a rabbit; but it proved a deadly old one when I came to eat it, as I did do after an hour’s being at my office . . .

12 SEPTEMBER 1664. . . Thence by coach to St. James and there did our business as usual with the Duke. And saw him with great pleasure play with his little girl [the Princess Mary, later Queen Mary II], like an ordinary private father of a child. . . went to the Abbey and there went in to see the tombs with great pleasure. . . Anon took boat and by water to the neat-houses over against Fox-hall to have seen Greatorex dive, which Jervas and his wife were gone to see; and there I found them . . . so I to Mr.Creed’s lodgings and with him walked up and down in the New Exchange, talking mightily of the convenience and necessity of a man’s wearing good clothes. And so after eating a mess of Cream, I took leave of him, he walking with me as far as Fleet Conduit; he offering me, upon my request, to put out some money for me into Backwells hand at 6 per cent interest, which he seldom gives, which I will consider of, being doubtful of trusting any of these great dealers because of their mortality; but then the convenience of having one’s money at an hour’s call is very great.   Thence to Uncle Wights and there supped with my wife, having given them a brave barrel of oysters of Poveys giving me. . .

26 OCTOBER 1664. Up, my people rising mighty betimes to fit themselfs to go by water; and my boy, he could not sleep, but wakes about 4 a-clock and in bed lay playing on his lute till daylight, and it seems did the like last night till 12 a-clock. About 8 a-clock, my wife, she and her woman and Besse and Jane and W.Hewer and the boy, to the water-side and there took boat. . . fitted myself and took a hackney-coach I hired (it being a very cold and fowl day) to Woolwich, all the way reading in a good book . . . At Woolwich, I there up to the King and Duke . . . Here I stayed above with them while the ship was launched; which was done with great success . . . The launching being done, the King and company went down to take barge . . . Thence I to Mr.Ackworths and there eat and drank with Commissioner Pett and his wife. . .By and by I took coach, after I had enquired for my wife or her boat but found none. Going out of the gate, an ordinary woman prayed me to give her room to London; which I did, but spoke not to her all the way, but read as long as I could see my book again. Dark when we came to London, and a stop of coaches in Southwark; I stayed above half an hour and . . . into the Beare at the Bridge-foot . . . Presently, the stop is removed; and then going out to find my coach, I could not find it, for it was gone with the rest. So I fain to go through the dark and dirt over the bridge, and my leg fell in a hole broke on the bridge; but the constable standing there to keep people from it, I was ketched up, otherwise I had broke my leg, for which mercy the Lord be praised. So at Fenchurch I find my coach staying for me, and so home . . .

5 NOVEMBER 1664. . . home to dinner; and so with my wife to the Duke’s house to a play, Macbeth; a pretty good play, but admirably acted. Thence home, the coach being forced to go round by London-wall home because of the Bonefires, the day being mightily observed in the City . . .

11 NOVEMBER 1664. . . Here was a gentleman attending here that told us he saw the other day . . .a monster born of an hostlers wife at Salisbury; two women— children perfectly made, joined at the lower part of their bellies, and every part perfect as two bodies, and only one pair of legs, coming forth on one side from the middle where they were joined. It was alive 24 hours, and cried and did as all hopeful children do; but being showed too much to people, was killed. . .

17 NOVEMBER 1664. . . This day I received from Mr.Foley, but for me to pay for if I like it, an Iron chest, having now received back some money I have laid out for the King; and I hope to have a good sum of money by me thereby in a few days, I think above 800l But when I came home at night, I could not find the way to open it,   but which is a strange thing, my little girl Susan could carry it alone from one table clear from the ground and set upon another, when neither I nor anyone in my house but Jane the cook-maid could do it.

11 DECEMBER 1664. Lords day. Up and to church alone in the morning. Dined at home mighty pleasantly; in the afternoon I to the French church, where much pleased with the three sisters of the parson, very handsome; especially in their noses, and sing prettily. I hear a good sermon of the old man, touching duty to parents. . .

23 DECEMBER 1664. . . This day Sir W.Batten sent, and afterward spoke to me, to have me and my wife come and dine with them on Monday next, which is a mighty condescension in them, and for some great reason I am sure; or else it pleases God, by my late care of business, to make me more considerable even with them then I am sure they would willingly own me to be. God make me thankful and careful to preserve myself so, for I am sure they hate me, and it is hope or fear that makes them flatter me. . . It being a bright night, which it hath not been a great while, I purpose to endeavour to be called in the morning to see the Comet; though I fear we shall not see it, because it rises at the highest but 16 degrees, and then the houses will hinder us. (24^th Dec: Having sat up all night, to past 2 a-clock this morning, our porter, being appointed, comes and tells us that the Bell-man tells him that the star is seen upon Tower Hill. So I, that had been all night setting in order all my old papers in my chamber, did leave off all; and my boy and I to Tower hill, it being a most fine bright moonshine night and a great frost, but no Comet to be seen; so after running once round the Hill, I and Tom, we home and then to bed. . . . This evening, I being informed, did look and saw the Comet, which is now, whether worn away or no I know not, but appears not with a tail; but only is larger and duller then any other star, and is come to rise betimes and to make a great arch, and is gone quite to a new place in the heavens then it was before, but I hope, in a clearer night something more will be seen.)

31 DECEMBER 1664. . . home to eat a little, and so to bed. As soon as ever the clock struck one, I kissed my wife in the kitchen by the fireside, wishing her a merry New year, observing that I believe la was the first proper wisher of it this year, for I did it as soon as ever the clock struck one.So ends the old year, I bless God with great joy to me . . .I bless God, I never have been in so good plight as to my health in so very cold weather as this is, nor indeed in any hot weather these ten years, as I am at this day and have been these four or five months. But am at a great loss to know whether it be my Hare’s foot, or taking every morning of a pill of Turpentine, or my having left off the wearing of a gown. My family is my wife, in good health, and happy with her, her woman Mercer, a pretty modest quiet maid, her chambermaid Besse, her cook-maid Jane, the little girl Susan, and my boy which I have had about half a year, Tom Edwards, which I took from the King’s Chapel. And a pretty and loving quiet family I have as any man in England. My credit in the world and my office grows daily, and I am in good esteem with everybody I think . . . This Christmas I judged it fit to look over all my papers and books, and to tear all that I found either boyish or not to be worth keeping, or fit to be seen if it should please God to take me away suddenly. . .

2 JANUARY 1665. . . by coach to . . . the piazza in Covent-Garden—where I occasioned much mirth with a ballad I brought with me, made from the seamen at sea to their ladies in town . . . Here a most noble French dinner and banquet, the best I have seen these many a day, and good discourse. Thence to my bookseller’s and at his binders saw Hookes book of the Microscope, which is so pretty that I presently bespoke it; and away home to the office . . . and then, though very late, by coach to Sir Ph. Warwicks; but having company with him, could not speak with him. So back again home, where, thinking to be merry, was vexed with my wife’s having looked out a letter in Sir Ph. Sidney about jealousy for me to read, which she industriously and maliciously caused me to do; and the truth is, my conscience told me it was most proper for me, and therefore was touched at it; but took no notice of it, but read it out most frankly. But it stuck in my stomach; and moreover, I was vexed to have a dog brought to my house to lime our little bitch, which they make him do in all their sights; which God forgive me, doth stir my Jealousy again, though of itself the thing is a very immodest sight.
However, to Cards with my wife a good while, and then to bed.

20 JANUARY 1665. . . So homeward, in my way buying a hare and taking it home, which arose upon my discourse today with Mr.Batten in Westminster-hall, who showed me my mistake, that my hares-foot hath not the joint to it, and assures me he never had his Colic since he carried it about him. And it is a strange thing how fancy works, for I no sooner almost handled his foot but my belly begin to be loose and to break wind; and whereas I was in some pain yesterday and t’other day, and in fear of more today, I became very well, and so continue.

21 FEBRUARY 1665. Up, and to the office (having a mighty pain in my fore-finger of my left hand, from a strain that it received last night in struggling [with a woman that I mentioned yesterday] where busy till noon; and then, my wife being busy in going with her woman to a hot-housel to bath herself, after her long being within doors in the dirt, so that she now pretends to a resolution of being hereafter very clean—how long it will hold, I can guess— . . . (22 Feb: Lay last night alone, my wife after her bathing lying alone in another bed—so cold all night. . . . )

19 MARCH 1665. Lords day   . . . we went to Creeds new lodging in the Mews and there we found Creed with his parrot upon his shoulder, which struck Mr.Povey, coming by, just by the eye, very deep; which had it hit his eye, had put it out. This a while troubled us; but not proving very bad—we to our business . . .

5 APRIL 1665. . . . to Woolwich and Deptford, where by business I have been hindered a great while of going. Did a very great deal of business. And then home, and there by promise find Creed, and he and my wife, Mercer and I, by coach to take the air; and where we have formerly been, at Hackney, did there eat some pullets we carried with us and some other things of the house; and after a game or two at shuffleboard, home; and Creed lay with me but being sleepy, he had no mind to talk about business, which en deed I intended by inviting him to lie with me. But I would not force it on him, and so to bed, he and I, and to sleep—being the first time I have been so much at my ease and taken so much fresh air these many weeks or months.

12 APRIL 1665. . . .to my Lord Treasurer’s chamber to him and the Chancellor and the Duke of Albemarle. And there I did give them a large account of the charge of the Navy, and want of money. I But strange, to see how they held up their hands, crying, “What shall we do?” Says my Lord Treasurer, “Why, what means all this, Mr.Pepys ? This is true, you say, but what would you have me to do ? I have given all I can for my life. Why will not people lend their money? Why will they not trust the King as well as Oliver? Why do our prizes come to nothing, that yielded so much heretofore?” And this was all we could get, and went away without other answer, which is one of the saddest things, that at such a time as this, with the greatest action on foot that ever was in England, nothing should be minded, but let things go on of themselfs—do as well as they can.
So home, vexed. And going to my Lady Battens, there found a great many women with her in her chamber, merry—my Lady Penn and her daughter, among others; where my Lady Penn flung me down upon the bed, and herself and others, one after another, upon me, and very merry we were; and thence I home and called my wife with my Lady Penn to supper, and very merry as I could be, being vexed as I was. . .

23 APRIL 1665. . . to Mr.Povey’s, where mightily treated, and Creed with us. But Lord, to see how Povey overdoes everything in commending ita doth make it nauseous to me, and was not (by reason of my large praise of his house) over-acceptable to my wife. Thence after dinner Creed and we by coach; took the air in the fields beyond St. Pancras, it raining now and then; which it seems is most welcome weather. And then all to my house, where comes Mr.Hill, Andrews, and Captain Tailor, and good Musique; but at supper, to hear the arguments we had against Tailor concerning a Courant—he saying that the law of a dancing Courant is to have every barr to end in a pricked Crochet and quaver, which I did deny, was very strange. It proceeded till I vexed him; but all parted friends, for Creed and I to laugh at when he was gone. After supper Creed and I together to bed in Mercer’s bed—and so to sleep.

5 MAY 1665. . . . After dinner to Mr.Evelyns; he being abroad, we walked in his garden, and a lovely noble ground he bath indeed.   And among other rarities, a hive of Bees; so, as being hived in glass, you may see the Bees making their honey and Combs mighty pleasantly. Thence home, and I by and by to Mr.Povey’s to see him, who is yet in his chamber, not well. And thence by his advice to one Lovetts, a Varnisher, to see his manner of new varnish, but found not him at home; but his wife a very beautiful woman, who showed me much variety of admirable work; and is in order to my having of some papers fitted with lines, for my use for Tables and the like. I know not whether I was more pleased with the thing, or that I was showed it by her. But resolved I am to have some made. So home to my office late, and then to supper and to bed. My wife tells me that she hears that my poor aunt James hath had her breast cut off here in town, her breast having long been out of order.
This day, after I had suffered my own hair to grow long, in order to wearing it, I find the convenience of Periwigs is so great, that I have cut off all short again, and will keep to periwigs.

13 MAY 1665. . . to my Watchmaker, where he has put it in order; and a good and brave piece it is, and he tells me worth 14l, which is a greater present then I valued it. . . . and a very fine one it is—given me by Briggs the Scrivener. . . . But Lord, to see how much of my old folly and childishness hangs upon me still, that I cannot forbear carrying my watch in my hand in the coach all this afternoon, and seeing what a-clock it is 100 times [there was an hour-hand only]. And am apt to think with myself: how could I be so long without one—though I remember since, I had one and found it a trouble, and resolved to carry one no more about me while I lived. . .

17 JUNE 1665. . . It stroke me very deep this afternoon, going with a Hackney-coach from my Lord Treasurer’s down Holborne—the coachman I found to drive easily and easily; at last stood still, and came down hardly able to stand; and told me that he was suddenly stroke very sick and almost blind, he could not see. So I light and went into another coach, with a sad heart for the poor man and trouble for myself, lest he should have been stroke with the plague—being at that end of the town that I took him up. But God have mercy upon us all.
Sir Jo. Lawson, I hear, is worse then yesterday, the King went to see him today, most kindly. It seems his wound is not very bad, but he hath a fever—a thrush and a Hiccup, all three together; which are, it seems, very bad symptoms.

11 JULY 1665. . . At 6 a-clock up, and to Westminster (where, and all the town besides I hear, the plague increases); and it being too soon to go to the Duke of Albemarle, I to the Harp and Ball and there made a bargain with Mary to go forth with me in the afternoon, which she with much ado consented to. . . then by a solemn invitation, to the Trinity-house, where a great dinner and company . . . But I broke up before the dinner half-over, and by agreement by water to the Harp and Ball; and thence had Mary meet me at the New Exchange, and there took coach and I with great pleasure took the air to Highgate and thence to Hampstead. Much pleased with her company, pretty and innocent . . .and so at night, weary and sweaty, it being very hot beyond bearing, we back again and I set her down in St. Martins Lane . . .so away to bed, shifting myself and taking some Venice Treacle, feeling myself out of order, and there to bed to sleep.

13 JULY 1665. . . I by water, at night late . . .But there being no oars to carry me, I was fain to call a Sculler that had a gentleman already in it; and he proved a man of love to Musique and he and I sung together the way down—with great pleasure, and an accident extraordinary to be met with. . .

31 JULY 1665. Up, and very betimes, by 6 a-clock, at Deptford; and there find Sir G. Carteret and my Lady ready to go—I being in my new coloured-silk suit and coat, trimmed with gold buttons and gold broad lace round my hands, very rich and fine. By water to the Ferry, where, when we came, no coach there, and tide of ebb so far spent as the horse-boat could not get off on the other side the river to bring away the coach. So we were fain to stay there in the unlucky Isle of Dogs—in a chill place, the morning cool and wind fresh, above two if not three hours, to our great discontent. Yet being upon a pleasant errand, and seeing that could not be helped, we did bear it very patiently . . . Anon the coach comes—in the meantime there coming a citizen thither with his horse to go over, that told us he did come from Islington this morning, and that Proctor the vintner of the Miter in Wood Street, and his son, is dead this morning there—of the plague. . . We fearing the canonical hour would be past before we got thither, did with a great deal of unwillingness send away the Licence and wedding-ring. So that when we came, though we drove hard with six horses, yet we found them gone from home; and going toward the church, met them coming from church, which troubled us. But however, that trouble was soon over-hearing it was well done—they being both in their old Clothes. My Lord Crew giving her—there being three coach-fulls of them. The young lady mighty sad, which troubled me; but yet I think it was only her gravity, in a little greater degree then usual. All saluted her, but I did not till my Lady (Sandwich) did ask me whether I had not saluted her or no. So to dinner, and very merry we were; but yet in such a Sober way as never almost any wedding was in so great families—but it was much better. After dinner, company divided, some to cards, others to talk. My Lady Sandwich and I up to settle accounts and pay her some money—and mighty kind she is to me . . .At night to supper, and so to talk and, which methought was the most extraordinary thing, all of us to prayers as usual, and the young Bride and bridegroom too. And so after prayers, Soberly to bed; only, I got into the bridegroom’s chamber while he undressed himself, and there was very merry—till he was called to the bride’s chamber and into bed they went. I kissed the bride in bed, and so the curtains drawn with the greatest gravity that could be, and so good-night.
But the modesty and gravity of this business was so decent, that it was to me, indeed, ten times more delightful then if it had been twenty times more merry and jovial. . .

14 AUGUST 1665. . . And after dinner beat Captain Cocke at Billiards; won about 8s of him and my Lord Brouncker. . . by water to Woolwich, where supped with my wife; and then to bed betimes, because of rising tomorrow at 4 of the clock . . . This night I did present my wife with the Diamond ring a while since given me by . . . Dicke Vines’s brother, for helping him to be a purser, valued at about 10l, the first thing of that nature I did ever give her. . .

13 SEPTEMBER 1665. . . my Lord Brouncker, Sir J. Mennes and I took boat; and in my Lord’s coach to Sir W.Hickes’s, whither by and by my Lady Batten and Sir Wm. comes. It is a good seat, with a fair grove of trees by it, and the remains of a good garden. But so let to run to mine, both house and everything in and about it, so ill furnished and miserably looked after, I never did see in all my life. Not so much as a latch to his dining-room door-which saved him nothing, for the wind blowing into the room for want thereof, flung down a great Bowpott that stood upon the side table, and that fell upon some Venice-glasses and did him a crown’s worth of hurt.
He did give us the meanest dinner, of beef-shoulder and umbles of venison which he takes away from the keeper of the Forest, and a few pigeons; and all in the meanest manner that ever I did see, to the basest degree. . . . Thence in the afternoon home . . .and so to my [Pepys’s lodging] house, where I find my wife abroad and hath been all this day, nobody 3 knew where; which troubled me, it being late and a cold evening. . .by and by comes my wife and Mercer, and had been with Captain Cocke all day, he coming and taking her out to go see his boy at school at Bromley, and brought her home again with great respect. . .

25 SEPTEMBER 1665. . . we, to make haste, took our Wherry toward Chatham; but it growing dark, we were put to great difficulties, our simple yet confident waterman not knowing a step of the way; and we found ourselves to go backward and forward, which, in that dark night and a wild place, did vex us mightily. At last we got a fisher-boy by chance and took him into the boat; and being an odd kind of boy, did vex us too, for he would not answer us aloud when we spoke to him; but did carry us safe thither, though with a mistake or two, but I wonder they were not more. In our way I was surprised, and so we were all, at the strange nature of the Sea-water in a dark night; that it seemed like fire upon every stroke of the Oar, and they say is a sign of Wind. We went to the Crown Inn at Rochester, and there to supper and made ourselves merry with our poor fisher-boy, who told us he had not been in a bed in the whole seven year since he came to prentice, and hath two or three year more to serve. . .

 

1 OCTOBER 1665. Lords day. So after supper Captain Cocke and I and Temple on board the Bezan, and there to Cards for a while, and then to read again in Rhodes and so to sleep. But Lord, the mirth which it caused to me to be waked in the night by their Snoring round about me, I did laugh till I was ready to burst, and waked one of the two companions of Temple, who could not a good while tell where he was, that he heard one laugh so, till he recollected himself and I told him what it was at; and so to sleep again, they still Snoring. [then follows immediately:            2 OCTOBER 1665. We having sailed all night (and I do wonder how they in the dark could find the way), we got by morning to Gillingham; and thence all walked to Chatham, and there with Commissioner Pett viewed the Yard; and among other things, a Team of four horses came close by us,   he being with me, drawing a piece of timber that I am confident one man would easily have carried upon his back; I made the horses be taken away and a man or two take the timber away with their hands. . .

5 NOVEMBER 1665. Lords day. . . I hear that the plague increases much at Lambeth, St. Martins, and Westminster, and fear it will all over the City. . . by water to Deptford, and there made a visit to Mr.Evelyns, who, among other things, showed me most excellent painting in little, in distemper, Indian Ink-water colours, graveing; and above all, the whole secret of Mezzo Tinto and the manner of it, which is very pretty, and good things done with it. He read to me very much also of his discourse he hath been many years and now is about, about Guardenage [gardening]; which will be a most noble and pleasant piece. He read me part of a play or two of his making, very good, but not as he conceits them, I think, to be. He showed me his Rortus hyemalis; leaves laid up in a book of several plants, kept dry, which preserve Colour however, and look very finely, better than any herball. In fine, a most excellent person he is, and must be allowed a little for a little conceitedness; but he may well be so, being a man so much above others. He read me, though with too much gusto, some little poems of his own, that were not transcendent, yet one or two very pretty Epigrams : among others, of a lady looking in at a grate and being pecked at by an Eagle that was there.

28 NOVEMBER 1665. Up before day, and Cocke and I took a hackney-coach, appointed with four horses to take us up, and so carried us over London-bridge. But there thinking of some business, I did light at the foot of the bridge, and by help of a candle at a Stall where some pavers were at work, I wrote a letter to Mr.Hayter; and never knew so great an instance of the usefulness of carrying pen and ink and wax about one. . .

13 DECEMBER 1665. Up betimes, and finished my journal for five days back . . . [then] did go to Mr.Pearse’s, where he and his wife made me drink some Tea . . .and so away to the Change, and there hear the ill news, to my great and all our great trouble, that the plague is increased again this week, notwithstanding there hath been a day or two great frosts; but we hope it is only the effects of the late close warm weather, and if the frosts continue the next week, may fall again; but the town doth thicken so much with people, that it is much if the plague do not grow again upon us. Off the Change, invited by Sheriff Hooker, who keeps the poorest mean dirty table, in a dirty house, that ever I did see any sheriff of London, and a plain ordinary silly man I think he is, but rich. Only, his son . . .I like, for a pretty civil understanding merchant, and the more, by much, because he happens to be husband to our noble fat brave lady in our parish that I and my wife admire so. . .He gone, I to my Lord Brouncker and there spent the evening, by my desire, in seeing his Lordship open to pieces and make up again his Watch, thereby being taught what I never knew before; and it is a thing very well worth my having seen, and am mightily pleased and satisfied with it. So I sat talking with him till late at night, somewhat vexed at a snappish answer Madam Williams did give me to herself, upon my speaking a free word to her in mirth, calling her a mad Jade. She answered, we were not so well acquainted yet. . .

15 JANUARY 1666. Busy all the morning in my chamber in my old cloth suit, while my usual one is to my tailor’s to mend; which I had at noon again, and an answer to a letter I had sent this morning to Mrs.Pearse to go along with my wife and I down to Greenwich tonight, upon an invitation to Mr.Boreman’s to be merry, to dance and sing with Mrs.Knepp. Being dressed and having dined, I took coach and to Mrs.Pearse, to her new house in Covent-garden, a very fine place and fine house. Took her thence home to my house, and so by water to Boremans by night, where the greatest disappointment that ever I saw in my life: much company, a good supper provided, and all come with expectation of excess of mirth; but all blank through the waywardnesse of Mrs.Knepp, who, though she had appointed the night, could not be got to come, not so much as her husband could get her to come; but, which was a pleasant thing in all my anger, I asking him (while we were in expectation what answer one of our many messengers would bring) what he thought, whether she would come or no, he answered that for his part he could not so much as think. By and by we all to supper, which the silly master of the feast commanded; but what with my being out of humour, and the badness of the meat dressed, I did never eat a worse supper in my life. At last, very late and supper done, she came undressed; but it brought me no mirth at all; only, after all being done, without singing, or very little, and no dancing,   Pearse and I to bed together; and he and I very merry to find how little and thin clothes they give us to cover us, so that we were fain to lie in our stockings and drawers and lay all our coats and clothes upon the bed. So to sleep.

20 JANUARY 1666. To the office, where upon Mr.Kinaston’s coming to me about some business of Colonel Norwood’s, I sent my boy [Tom] home for some papers; where, he staying longer then I would have him and being vexed at the business and to be kept from my fellows in the office longer then was fit, I became angry and boxed my boy when he came, that I do hurt my Thumb so much, that I was not able to stir all a the day after and in great pain.

7 FEBRUARY 1666. It being fast-day, I stayed at home all day long to set things to rights in my chamber, by taking out all my books and putting my chamber in the same condition it was before the plague. But in the morning, doing of it and knocking up a nail, I did bruise my left thumb, so as broke a great deal of my flesh off, that it hung by a little. It was a sight frighted my wife, but I put some balsam of Mrs.Turners to it, and though in great pain, yet went on with my business; and did it to my full content, setting everything in order, in hopes now that the worst of our fears are over as to the plague for the next year. Interrupted I was by two or three occasions this day, to my great vexation, having this the only day I have been able to set apart for this work since my coming to town. At night to supper, weary, and to bed, having had the plasterers and joiners also to do some jobs.

7 MARCH 1666. . . . . . I to Mr.Cottles and met Mrs.Williams (without whom he cannot stir out of doors), and there took coach and away home. They carry me to London and set me down at the Temple; where my mind changed, and I home and to writing and hear my boy play on the lute, and a turn with my wife pleasantly in the garden by moonshine, my heart being in great peace.

19 MARCH 1666. . . . . . and after dinner we walked to the King’s play-house, all in dirt, they being altering of the Stage to make it wider . . . . .But my business here was to see the inside of the Stage and all the tiring rooms and Machines; and indeed it was a sight worthy seeing. But to see their clothes and the various sorts, and what a mixture of things there was, here a wooden leg, there a ruff, here a hobby-horse, there a Crown, would make a man split himself to see with laughing . . . . . But then again, to think how fine they show on the stage by candle-light, and how poor things they are to look now too near-hand, is not pleasant at all. The Machines are fine, and the paintings [scenery] very pretty. . . . . Thence, mightily satisfied in my curiosity, I away . . . . . .

25 MARCH 1666. Lady day and Sunday. . . . . .After dinner, to my papers and Tangier accounts again till supper, and after supper, again to them; but by my mixing them, I know not how, my private and public accounts, it makes me mad to see how hard it is to bring them to be understood; and my head is confounded, that though I did swear to sit up till one a-clock upon them, yet I fear it will be to no purpose, for I cannot understand what I do or have been doing of them today. . . . . [ . .26 MARCH   1666]. . . .Thence home to the office, where busy late; and so home a little to my accounts public and private, but could not get myself rightly to know how to dispose of them in order to passing. . . . . . [27 MARCH   1666]. . . . .home to my public account of Tangier; which it is strange, by meddling with evening reckonings with Mr.Povey lately, how I myself am become entangled therein so that after all I could do, ready to break my head and brains, I thought of another way, though not so perfect . . . . . [30 MARCH   1666]. . . . Thus home, and to my private accounts in my chamber till past one in the morning; and so to bed, with my head full of thoughts for my evening of all my accounts tomorrow, the latter end of the month; in which God give me good issue, for I never was in such a confusion in my life, and that in great sums. . . . . [31 MARCH   1666] . . . . . . At noon to dinner, and thence to the office and did my business there as soon as I could, and then home and to my accounts, where very late at them. But Lord, what a deal of do I have to understand any part of them. And in short, do what I could, I could not come to an understanding of them; but after I had thoroughly wearied myself, I was forced to go to bed and leave them, much against my will, and vow too; but I hope God will forgive me in it, for I have sat up these four nights till past 12 at night to master them, but cannot. . . . . . . . .[2 APRIL 1666] . . . . . . so home and to my accounts, which I cannot get through with. But at it till I grow drowsy; and so to bed, mightily vexed that I can come to no better issue in my accounts. . . . . . . [3 APRIL 1666] . . . . . After dinner . . . . I to my accounts hard all the afternoon till it was quite dark; and I thank God I do come to bring them very fairly to make me worth 5000l stock in the world, which is a great mercy to me; . . . . . —the greatest sum I ever was in my life yet . . . . . At night a while to the office, and then home and supped and to my accounts again till I was ready to have slept, there being no pleasure to handle them if they are not kept in good order. So to bed.

{{also . . .       25 MARCH 1666. . . . . At noon to dinner, where my wife’s brother, whom I sent for to offer making him a muster-master and send to sea; which the poor man likes well of and will go, and it will be a good preferment to him, only hazardous. I hope he will prove a good discreet man. . . . }}

6 APRIL 1666. Up mighty betimes, upon my wife’s going this day toward Brampton. I could not go to the coach with her, but W.Hewer did, and hath leave from me to go the whole day’s journey with her. . . . All the morning upon business at the office, and at noon dined; and Mrs.Hunt coming, lent her 5l on her occasions, and so carried her to Axe-yard-end at Westminster and there left her, a good and understanding woman . . . . . Thence to Mr.Hawles, and there sat and my picture almost finished . . . . . and I home, where all things methinks melancholy in the absence of my wife. . . . .

15 APRIL 1666.   Easter day. . . . . walked to Mr.Pearse’s and there dined, I alone with him and her and their children. Very good company, and good discourse, they being able to tell me all the businesses of the Court . . . . . After a great deal of this discourse, I walked thence into the park, with her little boy James with me, who is the wittiest boy, and the best company in the world. And so back again through Whitehall both coming and going. And people did generally take him to be my boy, and some would ask me. . . . . Thence home to Mr.Pearse again; and he being gone forth, she and I and the children out by coach to Kensington, . . . . . and with great pleasure stayed till night; and were mighty late getting home, the horses tiring and stopping at every twenty steps. . . . . . Seeing them well at home, I homeward; but the horses at Ludgate-hill made a final stop, so there I lighted and with a link, it being about 10 a-clock, walked home. . .

29 APRIL 1666. Lords day. . . . . after dinner I and my boy down by water to Rotherhithe; and thence walked to Mr.Evelyn’s, where I walked in his garden till he came from church . . . . . He being come home, he and I walked together in the garden with mighty pleasure, he being a very ingenious man, and the more I know him, the more I love him. . . . Thence walked back again, reading; and so took water and home, where I find my Uncle and Aunt Wight and supped with them upon my leads with mighty pleasure and mirth. And they being gone, I mighty weary to bed, after having my hair of my head cut shorter, even close to my skull, for coolness, it being mighty hot weather.

30 APRIL 1666. . . . .At noon dined alone, my wife gone abroad to conclude about her necklace of pearl. . . . . . In the evening with my wife and Mercer by coach to take the air as far as Bow, and eat and drank in the coach by the way, and with much pleasure and [I ] pleased with my company: at night home and up to the leads; but were, contrary to expectation, driven down again with a stink, by Sir W.Penn’s emptying of a shitten pot in their house of office close by; which doth trouble me, for fear it do hereafter annoy me.

13 MAY 1666. . . . . . walked the greatest part of the way home, where comes Mr.Symons, my old acquaintance, to dine with me; and I made myself as good company as I could to him, but he was mighty impertinent methought too, yet; and thereby I see the difference between myself now and what it was heretofore, when I reckoned him a very brave fellow.

After dinner he and I walked out together as far as Cheapside, and I quite through to Westminster again, and fell by chance into St. Margaret’s Church, where I heard a young man play the fool upon the doctrine of purgatory. At this church I spied Betty Howlett [now Mrs Mitchell], who indeed is mighty pretty, and struck me mightily. I after church time standing in the churchyard, she spied me; so I went to her, her fathers and mothers and husband being with her. They desired, and I agreed, to go home with Mr.Mitchell; and there had the opportunity to have saluted two or three times Betty and make an acquaintance; which they are pleased with, though not so much as I am or they think I am. I stayed here an hour or more, chatting with them in a little sorry garden of theirs by the Bowling Alley; and so left them and I by water home . . . . so after spending an hour with my wife pleasantly in her closet, I to bed, even by daylight.

31 MAY 1666. Waked very betimes in the morning by extraordinary Thunder and rain, which did keep me sleeping and waking till very late; and it being a holiday, and my eye very sore, and myself having had very little sleep for a good while till 9 a-clock,   and so up, and so saw all my family up, and my father and sister (who is a pretty good-bodied woman and not over-thick, as I thought she would have been; but full of Freckles and not handsome in face); and so I out by water among the ships, and to Deptford and Blackwall about business; and so home and to dinner with my father and sister and family, mighty pleasant all of us, and among other things, with a Sparrow that our Mercer hath brought up now for three weeks, which is so tame, that it flies up and down and upon the table and eats and pecks, and doth everything so pleasantly, that we are mightily pleased with it.

13 JUNE 1666. . . . . at the Stocks, did buy a couple of lobsters, and so home to dinner. Where I find my wife and father had dined . . . . So Balty and I alone to dinner; and in the middle of my grace, praying for a blessing upon (these his good creatures), my mind fell upon my Lobsters, upon which I cried, “Gadzooks!” And Balty looked upon me like a man at a loss what I meant, thinking at first that I meant only that I had said the grace after meat, instead of that before meat; but then I cried, “What is become of my lobsters?”, whereupon he run out of doors to overtake the coach, but could not, and so came back again, and mighty merry at dinner to think of my Surprise. . . . .

20 JUNE 1666. Up, but in some pain of the Colic, having of late taken too much cold by washing my feet and going in a thin silk waistcoat, without any other coat over it, and open-breasted. But I hope it will go over. I did this morning (my father being to go away tomorrow) give my father some money to buy him a horse, and for other things, to himself and my mother and sister, among them, 20l— besides undertaking to pay for other things for them to about 3l —which the poor man takes with infinite kindness, and I do not think I can bestow it better. . . .

15 JULY 1666. Lords day. . . . . I to Whitehall; but met with nobody to discourse with, having no great mind to be found idling there . . . . so walked only through to the park, and there, it being mighty hot, and I weary, lay down by the Canal upon the grass and slept awhile . . . . Having lain there a while . . . walked in great pain, having new shoes on, as far as Fleet-street; and there got a coach, and so in some little ease home, and there drank a great deal of small beer. And so took up my wife and Betty Mitchell and her husband, and away into the fields to take the air, as far as beyond Hackney, and so back again. In our way drinking a great deal of Milk, which I drank to take away my Heartburn, wherewith I have been of late mightily troubled. But all the way home I did break abundance of wind behind, which did presage no good, but a great deal of cold gotten. So home and supped . . . . And so to bed, in some pain and in fear of more, which accordingly I met with, for I was in mighty pain all night long, of the Wind griping of my belly and making of me shit often, and vomit too, which is a thing not usual with me. But this I impute to the milk that I drank, after so much beer. But the cold, to my washing my feet the night before.

28 JULY 1666. . . . .And at noon to dinner to the Popes head, where . . . . very pretty discourse of Dr.Charleton concerning Nature’s fashioning every creature’s teeth according to the food she intends them. And that man’s, it is plain, was not for flesh, but for fruit. And that he can at any time tell the food of a beast unknown, by the teeth. My Lord Brouncker made one or two objections to it; that creatures find their food proper for their teeth, rather then that the teeth was fitted for the food. But the Doctor, I think, did well observe that creatures do naturally, and from the first, before they have had experience to try, do love such a food rather then another. And that all children love fruit, and none brought to flesh but against their wills at first. . . . . . Thence with my Lord to his Coach-house, and there put in six horses into his coach and he and I alone to Highgate, all the way, going and coming, I learning of him the principles of Optics, and what it is that makes an object seem less or bigger. And how much distance doth lessen an object. And that it is not the eye at all, or any rule in optics, that can tell distance; but it is only an act of reason, comparing of one mark with another. Which did both please and inform me mightily. . . . .

8 AUGUST 1666. . . . . discoursed with Mr.Hooke a little, whom we met in the street, about the nature of Sounds, and he did make me understand the nature of Musical sounds made by Strings, mighty prettily; and told me that having cornea to a certain Number of Vibrations proper to make any tone, he is able to tell how many strokes a fly makes with her wings (those flies that hum in their flying) by the note that it answers to in Musique during their flying. That, I suppose, is a little too much refined; but his discourse in general of sound was mighty fine . . . . to the Duke, whom I found with two or three patches upon his nose and about his right eye, which came from his being struck with the bow of a tree the other day in his hunting; and it is a wonder it did not strike out his eye . . . .

21 AUGUST 1666. . . . . . Dined at home . . . . my wife snappish because I denied her money to layout this afternoon. However, good friends again . . . . and I to Exchequer and there . . . . I passed down into the hall, and there hear that Mr.Bowles the grocer, after four or five days’ sickness, is dead, and this day buried. So away, and taking up my wife, went homewards. I light, and with Harman to my Mercers in Lombard street and there agreed for our purple Serge for my closet; and so I away home. So home and late at the office; and then home and there find Mr.Batelier and his sister Mary, and we sat chatting a great while, talking of Witches and Spirits; and he told me of his own knowledge, being with some others at Bordeaux, making a bargain with another man at a tavern for some Clarets, they did hire a fellow to thunder (which he had the art of doing upon a deal board) and to rain and hail; that is, make the noise of—so as did give them a pretence of undervaluing their Merchants wines, by saying this thunder would spoil and turn them, which was so reasonable to the Merchant that he did abate two pistols per Ton for the wine, in belief of that . . . .

16 SEPTEMBER 1666. Lords day. Lay with much pleasure in bed, talking with my wife . . . . To the office . . . . . and there busy all the morning. At noon with my wife (against her will, all undressed and dirty) dined at Sir W.Penn, where was all the company of our families in town. But Lord, so sorry a dinner— venison baked in pans, that the dinner I have had for his lady alone hath been worth four of it. Thence after dinner, displeased with our entertainment, to my office again, and there till almost midnight . . . .And then home, my head mightily aching about our accounts. {17 SEPTEMBER 1666}. Up betimes, and shaved myself after a week’s growth; but Lord, how ugly I was yesterday and how fine today. By water, seeing the City all the way, a sad sight indeed, much fire being still in . . . . .

11   NOVEMBER 1666. Lords . . . . . my wife and brother and I to my Uncle Wights, where my aunt is grown so ugly, and their entertainment so bad, that I am in pain to be there, nor will go thither again a good while if sent for,   for we were sent for tonight; we had not gone else. Woolly’s wife a silly woman and not very handsome, but no spirit in her at all— and their discourse mean. And the fear of the troubles of the times hath made them not to bring their plate to town since it was carried out upon the business of the Fire, so that they drink in earth and a wooden can, which I do not like. . . . .

27   NOVEMBER 1666. . . . . .I spoke to Sir Thomas Crew to invite him and his brother John to dinner tomorrow at my house to meet Lord Hinchingbrooke; and so homeward, calling at the cook’s who is to dress it to bespeak him; and then home, and there set things in order for a very fine dinner; and then to the office, where late, very busy and to good purpose as to despatch of business; and then home— to bed, my people sitting up to get things in order against tomorrow. . . . . .

2 DECEMBER 1666. Lords day. . . . . after dinner, having borrowed Sir W.Pen’s coach, we to Westminster, they two and my wife and I, to Mr.Martins, where find the company almost all come to the christening of Mrs.Martin’s child, a girl. . . . . After the christening comes in the wine and the sweetmeats, and then to prate and tattle, and then very good company they were . . . . . then my own company again took coach; and no sooner in the coach but something broke, that we were fain there to stay till a smith could be fetched, which was above an hour, and then it costing me 6s to mend . . . .

 

7 DECEMBER 1666. . . . . . so home to dinner, where finding the cloth laid, and much crumpled but clean, I grew angry and flung the trenchers about the room, and in a mighty heat I was; so a clean cloth was laid, and my poor wife very patient; and so to dinner . . . .

17 DECEMBER 1666. . . . . My wife well home in the evening from the play; which I was glad of, it being cold and dark, and she having her necklace of pearl on, and none but Mercer with her. Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon each in order to my having an Alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me. This day Captain Batters came from sea in his Fire ship, and came to see me, poor man, as his patron, and a poor painful wretch he is as can be. . . .{next day: Up and to the office, where I hear the ill news that poor Batters, that hath been born and bred a seaman, and brought up his ship from sea but yesterday, was, going down from me to his ship, drowned in the Thames, which is a sad fortune, and doth make me afeared, and will do, more then ever I was . . . }

19 DECEMBER 1666. . . . I up to the Lords’ House to enquire for Lord Belasyse; and there hear It how at a conference this morning between the two Houses, about the business of the Canary Company, my Lord Buckingham leaning rudely over my Lord Marquis of Dorchester, my Lord Dorchester removed his elbow. Duke of Buckingham asked whether he was uneasy. Dorchester replied, “Yes”, and that he durst not do this, were he anywhere else. Buckingham replied, yes he would, and that he was a better man then himself. Dorchester answered that he lied. With this, Buckingham struck off his hat, and took him by his periwig and pulled it a-t’other-side, and held him. My Lord chamberlain and others interposed. And upon coming into the House, the Lords did order them both to the Tower, whither they are to go this afternoon. . . . . . The Lieutenant of the Tower took me with him and would have me to the Tower to dinner; where I dined, at the head of his table next his lady, who is comely, and seeming sober and stately, but very proud and very cunning, or I am mistaken— and wanton too. This day’s work will bring the Lieutenant of the Tower 350l But a strange conceited, vain man he is, that ever I met withal, in his own praise. . .

27 DECEMBER 1666. . . . . At noon, by invitation, my wife . . . and I to meet, all our families, at Sir W.Batten’s at dinner; where neither a great dinner for so much company, nor anything good or handsome. In 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 . . . . . Anon to Whitehall by coach, thinking to have seen a play there tonight—but found it a mistake; so back again, and missed our coach, 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 stayed and talked; and then home, and sat and talked a little by the fire’s side with wife and Creed; and so to bed, my left eye being very sore. . . . .

5 JANUARY 1667. At the office all the morning, thinking at noon to have been taken home, and my wife (according to appointment yesterday), by my Lord Brouncker to dinner and then to a play, but he had forgot it; at which I was glad, being glad of avoiding the occasion of inviting him again and being forced to invite his doxy, Mrs.Williams. So home and took a small snap of victuals, and away with my wife to the Duke’s House and there saw Mustapha, a most excellent play for words and design as ever I did see. I had seen it before but forgot it, so it was wholly new to me, which is the pleasure of my not committing these things to my memory. . . . .

7 JANUARY 1667 . . . At noon (my wife being gone to Westminster) I with my Lord Brouncker by coach as far as the Temple, in the way, he telling me that my Lady Denham is at last dead. Some suspect her poisoned, but it will be best known when her body is opened; which will be today, she dying yesterday morning. The Duke of York is troubled for her; but hath declared he will never have another public mistress again, which I shall be glad of, and would the King would do the like. . .

20 JANUARY 1667. Lords day. . . . I to church, and there beyond expectation find our seat and all the church crammed by twice as many people as used to be; and to my great joy find Mr.Frampton in the pulpit. So to my great joy I hear him preach, and I think the best sermon, for goodness, oratory,   without affectation or study, that ever I heard in my life. The truth is, he preaches the most like an Apostle that ever I heard man. And was much the best time that ever I spent in my life at church. His text, Ecclesiastes 11, verse 8th-the words, “But if a man live many years and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, which shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.”. . .

21 JANUARY 1667. . . .Thence by water down to Deptford, the first time I have been by water a great while, and there did some little business, and walked home; and there came into my company three drunken Seamen, but one especially, who told me such stories, calling me Captain, as made me mighty merry; and they would leap and skip, and kiss what maids they met all the way. I did at first give them money to drink, lest they should know who I was and so become troublesome to me. Parted at Rotherhithe . . .

24 JANUARY 1667. . . .Up, and to the office, full of thoughts how to order the business of our merry meeting tonight. . . . At noon home to dinner and presently to the office to despatch my business betimes . . .We being rose and I ending my letters and getting the office swept and a good fire made and abundance of candles lighted, I home, where most of my company come of this end of the town . . . and anon, at about 7 or 8 a-clock comes Mr.Harris of the Duke’s playhouse and brings Mrs.Pearse with him, and also one dressed like a country-maid, with a straw hat on, which at first I could not tell who it was, though I expected Knepp, but it was she, coming off the stage just as she acted this day in The Goblins—a merry jade. Now my house is full, and four fiddlers that play well.. . . away with all my company down to the office, and there fell to dancing and continued at it an hour or two, there coming Mrs.Anne Jones, a merchant’s daughter hard by, who dances well. And all in mighty good humour; and danced with great pleasure, and then sung, and then danced, and then sung many things of three voices, both Harris and Rolt singing their parts excellently. Among other things, Harris sung his Irish song, the strangest in itself and the prettiest sung by him that ever I heard. Then to supper in the office, a cold good supper and wondrous merry. . . . After supper to dancing again and singing, and so continued till almost 3 in the morning and then with extraordinary pleasure broke up . . . and among other things, our Mercer unexpectedly did happen to sing an Italian song I knew not, of which they two sung the other two parts too, that did almost ravish me and made me in love with her more then ever with her singing. As late as it was, yet Rolt and Harris would go home tonight, and walked it, though I had a bed for them; and it proved dark, and a misly night, and very windy. . .

9 FEBRUARY 1667. . . This noon came my wife’s Watchmaker and received 121 of me for her watch; but Captain Rolt coming to speak with me about a little business, he did judge of the work to be very good work, and so I am well contented . . .

19 FEBRUARY 1667. . . At noon home, and there find old Mr.Mitchell and Howlett come to desire mine and my wife’s company to dinner to their son’s; and so away by coach with them, it being Betty’s wedding-day a year,   as also Shrove Tuesday. Here I made myself mighty merry, the two old women being there also; and a mighty pretty dinner we had in this little house, to my exceeding great content and my wife’s, and my heart pleased to see Betty. But I have not been so merry a very great while as with them, everything pleasing me there as much as among so mean company I could be pleased. After dinner I fell to read the Acts about the building of the City again; and indeed, the laws seem to be very good, and I pray God I may live to see it built in that manner. Anon, with much content home, walking with my wife and her woman; and there to my office, where late doing much business; and then home to supper and to bed. . .

22 FEBRUARY 1667. . . home to the office and to my business till dinner . . . At dinner all of us . . . to Sir W.Penn’s house to dinner, where some other company; it is instead of a wedding dinner for his daughter, whom I saw in paltry clothes, nothing new but a bracelet that her servant hath given her, and ugly she is as heart can wish. A sorry dinner, not anything handsome nor clean but some silver plates they borrowed of me. My wife was here too. So a great deal of talk, and I seemingly merry, but took no pleasure at all. We had favours given us all and we put them in our hats, I against my will . . . After dinner, to talk a little; and then I away to my office . . . and then home to supper and to bed, talking with my wife of the poorness and meanness of all that Sir W.Penn and the people about us do, compared with what we do.

9 MARCH 1667. . .by and by comes in her husband and a brother-in-law of his, a parson, one of the tallest biggest men that ever I saw in my life. . . mighty merry; only, I have got a great cold, and the scolding this day at the office with my Lord Brouncker hath made it worse, that I am not able to speak. . . So home late and drank some buttered ale, and so to bed and to sleep. This cold did most certainly come by my staying a little too long bare-legged yesterday morning when I rose while I looked out fresh socks and thread stockings, yesterday’s having in the night, lying near the window, been covered with Snow within the window, which made me I durst not put them on.
10 MARCH 1667. Lords day. Having my cold still grown more upon me, so as I am not able to speak, I lay in bed till noon; and then up and to my chamber with a good fire and there spent an hour on Morley’s Introduction to Music, a very good but unmethodical book. . .

17 MARCH 1667. Lords day. . . I to walk in the park, where to the Queens chapel [St.James’s] and there heard a Fryer preach, with his Cord about his middle, in Portuguese, something I could understand, showing that God did respect the meek and humble as well as the high and rich. He was full of action; but very decent and good I thought, and his manner of delivery very good. . . With my wife to Sir George Carteret’s, where we dined; and mightily made of, and most extraordinary people they are to continue friendship with, for goodness, virtue, and nobleness and interest. . .

24 MARCH 1667. . . and so home to dinner, where Balty come very fine and dined with us, and after dinner with me by water to Whitehall; and there he and I did walk round the park, I giving him my thoughts about the difficulty of getting employment for him this year, but advised him how to employ himself, and I would do what I could. So he and I parted . . .

25 MARCH 1667. . . home, and there I find letters from my brother which tell me that yesterday, when he wrote, my mother did rattle in the throat, so as they did expect every moment her death, which though I have a good while expected, did much surprise me; yet was obliged to sup at Sir W.Penn’s, and my wife; and there counterfeited some little mirth, but my heart was sad; and so home after supper and to bed, and much troubled in my sleep with dreams of my being crying by my mother’s bedside, laying my head over hers and crying, she almost dead and dying, and so waked; but which is strange, me thought she had hair on her face, and not the same kind of face as my mother really has; but yet did not consider that, but did weep over her as my mother— whose soul God have mercy of.

27 MARCH 1667. . .Having seen the end of this, I being desirous to be at home to see the issue of my country letters about my mother, which I expect shall give me tidings of her death, I directly home and there to the office, where find no letter from my father or brother; but by and by the boy tells me that his mistress sends me word that she hath opened my letter, and that she is loath to send me any more news. So I home, and there up to my wife in our chamber; and there received from my brother the news of my mother’s dying on Monday, about 5 or 6 a-clock in the afternoon, and that the last time she spoke of her children was on Friday last, and her last words was, “God bless my poor Sam!” The reading hereof did set me a-weeping heartily; and so, weeping to myself a while and my wife also to herself, I then spoke to my wife, recollecting myself, and indeed having some thoughts how much better, both for her and us, it is then it might have been had she outlived my father and me or my happy present condition in the world, she being helpless, I was the sooner at ease in my mind; and then found it necessary to go abroad with my wife to look after the providing mourning to send into the country, some tomorrow and more against Sunday, for my family, being resolved to put myself and wife, and Barker and Jane, W.Hewer and Tom, in mourning; and my two under-maids, to give them hoods and scarfs and gloves. So to my tailor’s and up and down; and then home . . .

4 APRIL 1667. . . home by coach and there took up my wife and Mercer (who had been today at Whitehall to the Maundy, it being Maundy Thursday; but the King did not wash the poor people’s feet himself, but the Bishop of London did it for him; but I did not see it) . . .and so to take the air to Hackney, where good neat’s tongue and things to eat and drink, and very merry, the weather being mighty pleasant . . . so, very pleasant and hugging of Mercer in our going home, we home; and there I to the office to do a little business, and so to supper at home and to bed.

12 APRIL 1667. Up; and when ready, la to my office to do a little business; and coming homeward again, saw my door and hatch open, left so by Luce our cookmaid; which so vexed me, that I did give her a kick in our entry and offered a blow at her, and was seen doing so by Sir W.Penn’s footboy, which did vex me to the heart because I know he will be telling their family of it, though I did put on presently a very pleasant face to the boy and spoke kindly to him as one without passion, so as it may be he might not think I was angry; but yet I was troubled at it. . .

28 APRIL 1667. Lords day. Lay long, my pain in my back being still great, though not so great as it was. However, up and to church, where a lazy sermon; and then home and to dinner, my wife and I alone, and Barker. After dinner by water, the day being mighty pleasant and the tide serving finely-I up (reading in Boyles book of Colours) as high as Barn Elms; and there took one turn alone and then back to Putney church, where I saw the girls of the schools, few of which pretty. And there I came into a pew and met with little James Pearse; which I was much pleased at, the little rogue being very glad to see me, his master, Reader to the church. Here was a good sermon and much company, but I sleepy and a little out of order for my hat falling down through a hole underneath the pulpit; which however, after sermon, by a stick and the help of the clerk, I got up again. . .

12 MAY 1667. Lords day. . . . and in our way bethought ourselves of going alone, she and I, to a French house to dinner, and so enquired out Monsieur Robins my periwig-maker, who keeps an ordinary, and in an ugly street in Covent-garden did find him at the door, and so we in; and in a moment almost have the table covered, and clean glasses, and all in the French manner, and a mess of potage first and then a couple of pigeons l’esteuvé, and then a piece of boeuf-a-la-mode, all exceeding well seasoned and to our great liking; at least, it would have been anywhere else but in this bad street and in a periwig-maker’s house; but to see the pleasant and ready attendance that we had, and all things so desirous to please and ingenious in the people, did take me mightily, our dinner cost us 6s; and so my wife and I away and by coach to Islington, it being a fine day, and thence to Sir G. Whitmore’s house, where we light and walked over the fields to Kingsland and back again, a walk I think I have not taken these twenty years but puts me in mind of my boy’s time, when I boarded at Kingsland and used to shoot with my bow and arrows in these fields. A very pretty place it is, and little did any of my friends think I should come to walk in these fields in this condition and state that I am. Then took coach again and home through Shoreditch; and at home my wife finds Barker to have been abroad, and telling her so many lies about it, that she struck her, and the wench said she would not stay with her; so I examined the wench, and found her in so many lies myself, that I was glad to be rid of her, and so resolved of having her go away tomorrow. . . (13 May >>) Up; and when ready, to the office (my wife rising to send away Barker according to our resolution last night; and she did do it with more clothes then have cost us 10l and 20s. in her purse which I did for the respect I bear Mr.Falconbridge, otherwise she had not deserved half of it, but I am the more willing to do it to be rid of one that made work and trouble in the house and had not qualities of any honour or pleasure to me or my family . . .

16 MAY 1667. . . This day Mr.Shipley is come to town and to see me; and he tells me my father is very well, only for this pain; so that he is not able to stir, but is in great pain; I would to God he were in town, that I might have what help can be got for him, for it troubles me to have him live in that condition of misery if I can help it. (next day >>) . . . After dinner to my house, where Mr.Shipley dined and we drank and talked together. He, poor man, hath had his arm broke the last frost, slipping in going over Huntingdon bridge. . . came the Flageolet-maister; who having had a bad bargain of teaching my wife by the year, she not practising so much as she should do, I did think the man did deserve some more consideration, and so will give him a opportunity of 20s a month more and he shall teach me; and this afternoon I begin, and I think it will be a few shillings well spent. . . and so to my house, and with my wife to practice on the flageolet a little, and with great pleasure I see she can readily hit her notes; but only want of practice makes her she cannot go through a whole tune readily. . . (next day (18 May 1667) >>) . . .I to the office, finished my letters, and then to walk an hour in the garden talking with my wife, whose growth in music doth begin to please me mightily; and by and by home and there find our Luce drunk, and when her mistress told her of it, would be gone; and so put up some of her things and did go away of her accord, nobody pressing her to it; and the truth is, though she be the dirtiest and homeliest servant that ever I kept, yet I was sorry to have her go, partly through my love to my servants and partly because she was a very drudging, working wench; only, she would be drunk. . .

24 MAY 1667. . . home, where my wife not well; but yet, engaged by invitation to go with Sir W.Penn, I got her to go with him by coach to Islington to the old house, where his lady and Madam Lowther (with her exceeding fine coach and mean horses) and her mother-in-law did meet us and two of Mr.Lowther’s brothers; and here dined upon nothing but pigeon pies, which was such a thing for him to invite all that company to, that I was ashamed of it; but after dinner was all our sport, when there came in a Juggler, who indeed did show us so good tricks as I have never seen in my life, I think, of legerdemain, and such as my wife hath since seriously said that she would not believe but that he did them by the help of the devil. Here, after a bad dinner and but ordinary company (saving that I discern good parts in one of the sons, who methought did take me up very prettily in one or two things that I said . . .

26 MAY 1667. Lords day. . . After dinner, I by water alone to Westminster, where not finding Mrs.Martin within, did go toward the parish church I and in the way did overtake her, who resolved to go into the church with her that she was going with (Mrs.Hargrave, the little crooked woman, the vintner’s wife of the Dog) and then go out again; and so I to the church; and seeing her return, did go to go out again myself, but met with Mr.Howlett, who offering me a pew in the gallery, I had no excuse but up with him I must go, and there, much against my will, stayed out the whole church in pain, while she expected me at home; but I did entertain myself with my perspective glass up and down the church, by which I had the great pleasure of seeing and gazing a great many very fine women; and what with that and sleeping, I passed away the time till sermon was done . . . away to my boat, and up with it as far as Barn Elms, reading of Mr.Evelyn’s late new book against Solitude, in which I do not find much excess of good matter, though it be pretty for a by-discourse.   I walked the length of the Elms, and with great pleasure saw some gallant ladies and people, come with their bottles and baskets and chairs and forms to sup under the trees by the waterside, which was mighty pleasant. I to boat again and to my book; and having done that, I took another book, Mr.Boyles of Colours, and there read where I left [off reading last time], finding many fine things worthy observation. And so landed at the Old Swan and so home, where I find my poor father newly come out of an unexpected fit of his pain, that they feared he would have died. They had sent for me to Whitehall and all up and down, and for Mr.Hollier also, who did come. But W.Hewer being here did I think do the business, in getting my father’s bowel, that was fallen down, into his body again. And that which made me the more sensible of it was that he this morning did show me the place where his bowels did use to fall down and swell, which did trouble me to see. But above all things, the poor man’s patience under it, and his good heart and humour as soon as he was out of it, did so work upon me, that my heart was sad to think of his condition; but do hope that a way will be found by a steel truss to relieve him. . .

 

28 MAY 1667. . . After dinner, my wife away down with Jane and W.Hewer to Woolwich in order to a little air, and to lie there tonight and so to gather May dew tomorrow morning, which Mrs.Turner hath taught her as the only thing in the world to wash her face with, and I am contented with it. Presently comes Creed, and he and I by water to Fox hall and there walked in Spring-garden; a great deal of company, and the weather and garden pleasant; that it is very pleasant and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what he will, or nothing, all as one,   but to hear the nightingale and other birds, and here fiddles and there a harp, and here a jews trump, and here laughing, and there fine people walking, is mighty divertising. Among others, there were two pretty women alone, that walked a great while; which being discovered by some idle gentlemen, they would needs take them up; but to see the poor ladies, how they were put to it to run from them, and they after them; and sometimes the ladies put themselfs along with other company, then the others drew back; at last, the ladies did get off out of the house and took boat and away. I was troubled to see them abused so; and could have found my heart, as little desire of fighting as I have, to have protected the ladies. . .

3 JULY 1667. . . After a deal of this bibble babble, I to Mrs.Martins and there she was gone in before; but when I came, contrary to my expectation, I find her all in trouble, and what was it for but that I have got her with child, for those do not venir upon her as they should have done; and is in exceeding grief, and swears that the child is mine; which I do not believe, but yet do comfort her that either it cannot be so; or if it be, that I will take care to send for her husband, though I do hardly see how I can be sure of that, the ship I being at sea and as far as Scotland; but however, I must do it, and shall find some way or other of doing it, though it doth trouble me not a little. Thence, not pleased, away to Whitehall to Mr.Williamson and by and by my Lord Arlington about Mr.Lanyon’s business; and it is pretty to see how Mr.Williamson did altogether excuse himself that my business was not done, and when I came to my Lord and told him my business, “Why,” says my Lord, “it hath been done, and the King signed it several days ago;” and so it was, and was in Mr.Williamson’s hand, which made us both laugh; and I in innocent mirth, I remember, said, “It is pretty to see in what a condition we are, that all our matters nowadays are undone we know not how, and done we know not when.” He laughed at it, but I have since reflected on it and find it a severe speech, as it might be taken by a chief minister of state, as indeed Mr.Williamson is, for he is indeed the Secretary. But we fell to other pleasant talk, and a fine gentleman he is; and so gave him 51 for his fee, and away home and to Sir W.Batten’s to talk a little; and then to the office to do a little business, and so home to supper and to read myself asleep, and then to bed. (then, 6 July >> . . . by coach to Westminster, where to the Swan and drank; and then to the Hall and there talked a little, with great joy of the peace; and then to Mrs.Martins, where I met with the good news she is not with child (she having those upon her), the fear of which, which she did give me the other day, had troubled me much. My joy in this made me send for wine, and thither came her sister and Mrs.Cragg and I stayed a good while there. But here happened the best instance of a woman’s falseness in the world; that her sister Doll, who went for a bottle of wine, did come home all blubbering and swearing against one Captain Vandena, a Dutchman of the Rhenish wine-house, that pulled her into a stable by the Dog tavern and there did tumble her and toss her; calling him all the rogues and toads in the world, when she knows that she hath suffered me to do anything with her a hundred times. Thence with joyful heart to Whitehall . . .

8 JULY 1667. . . So called on my wife and met Creed by the way, and they two and I to Charing-cross, there to see the great Boy and Girl that are lately come out of Ireland; the latter, eight, the former but four years old, of most prodigious bigness for their age. [The boy was 4ft6ins and the girl almost 6ft tall] I tried to weigh them in my arms, and find them twice as heavy as people almost twice their age; and yet I am apt to believe they are very young, their father a little sorry fellow, and their mother an old Irish woman. They have had four children of this bigness and four of ordinary growth, whereof two of each are dead. . . At noon home to dinner and to play on the flageolet with my wife; and then to the office, where very busy, close at my office till late at night; at night walked and sang with my wife in the garden, and so home to supper and to bed. . .

14 JULY 1667. Lords day. . . Here W.Hewer’s horse broke loose, and we had the sport to see him taken again. Then I carried them to see my Cousin Pepys’s house; and light and walked round about it, and they like it (as indeed it deserves) very well, and is a pretty place; and then I walked them to the wood hard by and there got them in in the thickets, till they had lost themselfs and I could not find the way into any of the walks in the wood, which indeed are very pleasant if I could have found them. At last got out of the wood again; and I, by leaping down the little bank coming out of the wood, did sprain my right foot, which brought me great present pain; but presently, with walking, it went away for the present, and so the women and W.Hewer and I walked upon the Downes, where a flock of sheep was, and the most pleasant and innocent sight that ever I saw in my life; we find a shepherd and his little boy reading, far from any houses or sight of people, the Bible to him. So I made the boy read to me, which he did with the forced Tone that children do usually read, that was mighty pretty; and then I did give him something and went to the father and talked with him; and I find he had been a servant in my Cousin Pepys’s house, and told me what was become of their old servants. He did content himself mightily in my liking his boy’s reading and did bless God for him, the most like one of the old Patriarchs that ever I saw in my life, and it brought those thoughts of the old age of the world in my mind for two or three days after. We took notice of his woollen knit stockings of two colours mixed, and of his shoes shod with Iron shoes, both at the toe and heels, and with great nails in the soles of his feet, which was mighty pretty; and taking notice of them, “Why,” says the poor man, “the Downes, you see, are full of stones, and we are fain to shoe ourselves thus; and these,” says he, “will make the stones fly till they sing before me.” I did give the poor man something, for which he was mighty thankful, and I tried to cast stones with his Home Crooke. He values his dog mightily, that would turn a sheep any way which he would have him when he goes to fold them. Told me there was about 18 Score sheep in his flock, and that he hath 4s a week the year round for keeping of them. So we parted thence, with mighty pleasure in the discourse we had with this poor man . . .

30 JULY 1667. . . Having done my business, I to Creeds chamber and thence out to Whitehall with him, in our way meeting with Mr.Coling, my Lord Chamberlains secretary, on horseback, who stopped to speak to us; and he proved very drunk and did talk and would have talked all night with us, I not being able to break loose from him, he holding me so by the hand. . . .

16 AUGUST 1667. . . after dinner, my wife and I to the Duke’s play-house, where we saw the new play acted yesterday, The Feign Innocence or Sir Martin Marr-all, a play made by my Lord Duke of Newcastle, but as everybody says corrected by Dryden. It is the most entire piece of Mirth, a complete Farce from one end to the other, that certainly was ever writ. I never laughed so in all my life; I laughed till my head ached all the evening and night with my laughing, and at very good wit therein, not fooling. The house full, and in all things of mighty content to me. . .

18 AUGUST 1667. Lords day. . . I walked toward Whitehall; but being weary, turned into St. Dunstan’s church, where I hear an able sermon of the Minister of the place. And stood by a pretty, modest maid, whom I did labour to take by the hand and the body; but she would not, but got further and further from me, and at last I could perceive her to take pins out of her pocket to prick me if I should touch her again; which seeing, I did forbear, and was glad I did espy her design. And then I fell to gaze upon another pretty maid in a pew close to me, and Shea on me; and I did go about to take her by the hand, which she suffered a little and then withdrew. So the sermon ended and the church broke up, and my amours ended also; and so took coach and home, and there took up my wife and to Islington with her, our old road; but before we got to Islington, between that and Kingsland, there happened an odd adventure; one of our coach-horses fell sick of the staggers, so as he was ready to fall down. The coachman was fain to light and hold him up and cut his tongue to make him bleed, and his tail — the horse continued shaking every part of him, as if he had been in an ague a good while, and his blood settled in his tongue, and the coachman thought and believed he would presently drop down dead. Then he blew some tobacco in his nose; upon which the horse sneezed, and by and by grows well and draws us the rest of our way as well as ever he did; which was one of the strangest things of a horse I ever observed, but he says it is usual. It is the staggers.
Stayed and eat and drank at Islington at the old house, and so home and to my chamber to read; and then to supper and to bed.

23 AUGUST 1667. Up; and Greeting comes, who brings me a tune for two flageolets, which we played, and is a tune played at the King’s playhouse; which goes so well that I will have more of them, and it will be a mighty pleasure for me to have my wife able to play a part with me, which she will easily, I find, do. Then abroad to Whitehall in a hackney-coach with Sir W.Penn; and in our way, in the narrow street near Pauls (going the back-way by tower-street) and the coach being forced to put back, he was turning himself into a cellar [what remained of a house after the fire’s dereliction]; which made people cry out to us, and so we were forced to leap out; he out of one and I out of the other boat [door] (Question: whether a glass-coach [ie:with glass windows], would have permitted us to have made that escape), neither of us getting any hurt; nor could the coach have got much hurt had we been in it; but however, there was cause enough for us two to do what we could to save ourselves. So being all dusty, we put into the Castle tavern by the Savoy and there brushed ourselves . . .

28 AUGUST 1667. Up; and stayed undressed till my tailor’s boy did mend my vest, in order to my going to the christening anon. Then out and to Whitehall to attend the Council by their order . . . so when they rose, I into the House and saw the King and Queen at dinner and heard a little of their violins music; and so home and there to dinner; and in the afternoon with my Lady Bat tin, Penn and her daughter, and my wife to Mrs.Poole’s, where I mighty merry among the women, and christened the child, a girl, Elizabeth; which though a girl, yet my Lady Batten would have me to give the name. After christening comes Sir W.Batten, W.Penn and Mr.Lowther, and mighty merry there, and I forfeited for not kissing the two godmothers presently after the christening, before I kissed the mother—which made good mirth. And so anon away, and my wife and I took coach and went round twice Bartholomew fayre, which I was glad to see again, after two years missing it by the plague. And so home and to my chamber a little, and so to supper and to bed.

2 SEPTEMBER 1667. . . From him I went to see a great match at tennis between Prince Rupert and one Captain Cooke against Bab. May and the elder Chicheley, where the King was and Court, and it seems are the best players at tennis in the nation. But this puts me in mind of what I observed in the morning; that the King, playing at tennis, had a Steel yard carried to him, and I was told it was to weigh him after he had done playing; and at noon Mr.Ashburnham told me that it is only the King’s curiosity, which he usually hath, of weighing himself before and after his play, to see how much he loses in weight by playing; and this day he lost 4½lb. . .

6 SEPTEMBER 1667. . . At Aldgate I took my wife into our coach, and so to Bartholomew-fair and there, it being very dirty and now night, we saw a poor fellow, whose legs were tied behind his back, dance upon his hands with his arse above his head, and also dance upon his crutches, without any legs upon the ground to help him; which he did with that pain, that I was sorry to see it, and did pity him and give him money after he had done. Then we to see a piece of Clock-work made by an Englishman; indeed, very good, wherein all the several states of man’s age, to 100 year old, is shown very pretty and solemn, and several other things more cheerful; and so we ended and took a link, the women resolving to be dirty, and walked up and down to get a coach; and my wife, being a little before me, had been like to be taken up by one, whom we saw to be Sam Hartlibb. My wife had her vizard on, yet we cannot say that he meant any hurt, for it was as she was just by a coach-side; which he had or had a mind to take up; and he asked her, “Madam, do you go in this coach?” but as soon as heft saw man come to her (I know not whether he knew me) but he departed away apace. By and by did get a coach, and so away home and there to supper and to bed.

16 SEPTEMBER 1667. . .at the New Exchange, where I stayed reading Mrs.Phillips’s poems till my wife and Mercer called me to Mrs.Pearse’s by invitation to dinner; where I find her painted (which makes me loathe her) and the nastiest poor dinner, that made me sick. . . After dinner she showed us her closet, which is pretty with her James’s picture, done by Hayls but with a mighty bad hand, which is his great fault, that he doth do negligently, and the drapery also not very good.   Being tired of being here, and sick of their damned sluttish dinner, my wife and Mercer and I away to the King’s playhouse to see The Scornful Lady; but it being now 3 a-clock, [performances generally began at 3.30pm] there was not one soul in the pit; whereupon, for shame we would not go in, but against our wills went all to see Tu quoque again, where there is pretty store of company; and going with a prejudice, the play appeared better to us. Here we saw Madam Morland, who is grown mighty fat but is (very) comely. But one of the best parts of our sport was a mighty pretty lady that sat behind us, that did laugh so heartily and constantly that it did me good to hear her. Thence to the King’s House, upon a wager of mine with my wife that there would be no acting there today, there being no company: so I went in and found a pretty good company there, and saw their dance at the end of the play; and so to the coach again and to the Cock ale-house and there drank in our coach; and so home and I to the office; and then home and my wife read to me as last night, and so to bed, vexed with our dinner today . . .

27 SEPTEMBER 1667. . .While I was busy at the office, my wife sends for me to come to home, and what was it but to see the pretty girl which she is taking to wait upon her; and though she seems not altogether so great a beauty as she had before told me, yet indeed she is mighty pretty; and so pretty, that I find I shall be too much pleased with it, and therefore could be contented as to my judgment, though not to my passion, that she might not come, lest I may be found too much minding her, to the discontent of my wife. She is to come next week. She seems by her discourse to be grave beyond her bigness and age, and exceeding well-bred as to her deportment, having been a scholar in a school at Bow these seven or eight year. To the office again, my mind running on this pretty girl. [this was to be his downfall: Deb]

5 OCTOBER 1667. . . to the Duke of York’s playhouse; but the House so full, it being a new play The Coffee-House, that we could not get in, and so to the King’s House; and there going in, met with Knepp and she took us up into the Tiring-rooms and to the women’s Shift, where Nell was dressing herself and was all unready; and is very pretty, prettier then I thought; and so walked all up and down the House above, and then below into the Scene-room, and there sat down and she gave us fruit; and here I read the Qu’s to Knepp while she answered me, through all her part of Flora’s Figarys, which was acted today. But Lord, to see how they were both painted would make a man mad, and did make me loath them 6— and what base company of men comes among them, and how lewdly they talk, and how poor the men are in clothes, and yet what a show they make on the stage by candle-light, is very observable. But to see how Nell cursed for having so few people in the pit was pretty, the other House carrying away all the people at the new play, and is said nowadays to have generally most company, as being better players. By and by into the pit and there saw the play; which is pretty good, but my belly was full of what I had seen in the House; and so after the play done . . .

24 OCTOBER 1667. . .we in to see a Frenchman . . . one Monsieur Prin, play on the Trump Marine, which he doth beyond belief; and the truth is, it doth so far out-do a Trumpet as nothing more, and he doth play anything very true and it is most remarkable; and at first was a mystery to me that I should hear a whole consort of chords together at the end of a pause, but he showed me that it was only when the last notes were fifths or thirds one to another, and then their sounds like an Echo did last, so as they seemed to sound all together. The instrument is open at the end I discovered, but he would not let me look into it; but I was mightily pleased with it, and he did take great pains to show me all he could do on it, which was very much, and would make an excellent consort, two or three of them, better then trumpets can ever do because of their want of compass. . .

1 NOVEMBER 1667. . . after eating a short dinner, I away home and there took out my wife, and she and I alone to the King’s playhouse and there saw a silly play, and an old one, The Taming of a Shrew; and so home, and I to my office a little and then home to supper and to bed. [next day >> ] Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon home; and after dinner, my wife and Willet and I to the King’s House and there saw Henry the Fourth; and contrary to expectation, was pleased in nothing more then in Cartwright’s speaking of Falstaff ‘s speech about What is Honour? The house full of parliament-men, it being holiday with them.   And it was observable how a gentleman of good habit, sitting just before us eating of some fruit, in the midst of the play did drop down as dead, being choked; but with much ado, Orange Mall did thrust her finger down his throat and brought him to life again. After the play, we home and I busy at the office late; and then home to supper and to bed.

21 NOVEMBER 1667. . . From this we fall to other discourse, and very good. Among the rest, they discourse of a man that is a little frantic (that hath been a kind of minister, Dr.Wilkins saying that he hath read for him in his church) that is poor and a debauched man, that the College have hired for 20s to have some of the blood of a Sheep let into his body; and it is to be done on Saturday next.   They purpose to let in about twelve ounces, which they compute is what will be let in in a minutes time by a watch. They differ in the opinion they have of the effects of it; some think that it may have a good effect upon him as a frantic man, by cooling his blood; others, that it will not have any effect at all. But the man is a healthy man, and by this means will be able to give an account what alteration, if any, he doth find in himself, and so may be useful. On this occasion Dr.Whistler told a pretty story related by Moffett, a good author, of Dr.Caius that built Key’s-College: that being very old and lived only at that time upon woman’s milk, he, while he fed upon the milk of a angry fretful woman, was so himself; and then being advised to take of a good-natured patient woman, he did become so, beyond the common temper of his age. Thus much nutriment, they observed, might do. Their discourse was very fine; and if I should be put out of my office, I do take great content in the liberty I shall be at of frequenting these gentlemen’s companies. Broke up thence and home, and there to my wife in her chamber, who is not well (of those); and there she tells me great stories of the gossiping women of the parish, what this and what that woman was; and among the rest, how Mrs.Hollworthy is the veriest confident bragging gossip of them all, which I should not have believed, but that Sir R. Brookes, her partner, was mighty civil to her and taken with her and what not. My eyes being bad, I spent the evening with her in her chamber, talking and inventing a Cypher to put on a piece of plate which I must give, better then ordinary, to the parson’s child; and so to bed, and through my wife’s illness had a bad night of it, and she a worse, poor wretch.

29 NOVEMBER 1667. Waked about 7 a-clock this morning with a noise I supposed I heard near our chamber, of knocking, which by and by increased, and I more awake, could distinguish it better; I then waked my wife and both of us wondered at it, and lay so a great while, while that increased; and at last heard it plainer, knocking as if it were breaking down a window for people to get out, and then removing of stools and chairs, and plainly by and by going up and down our stairs. We lay both of us afeared; yet I would have rose, but my wife would not let me; besides, I could not do it without making noise; and we did both conclude that thieves were in the house, but wondered what our people did, whom we thought either killed or afeared as we were. Thus we lay till the clock struck 8, and high day. At last I removed my gown and slippers safely to the other side the bed over my wife, and there safely rose and put on my gown and breeches, and then with a firebrand in my hand safely opened the door, and saw nor heard anything. Then (with fear, I confess) went to the maid’s chamber-door, and all quiet and safe. Called Jane up, and went down safely and opened my chamber, where all well. Then more freely about, and to the kitchen, where the cook-maid up and all safe. So up again, and when Jane came and we demanded whether she heard no noise, she said, ‘Yes, and was afeared,” but rose with the other maid and found nothing, but heard a noise in the great stack of chimneys that goes from Sir J. Mennes’s through our house; and so we sent, and their chimneys have been swept this morning, and the noise was that and nothing else. It is one of the most extraordinary accidents in my life, and gives ground to think of Don Quixote’s adventures how people may be surprised, and the more from an accident last night, that our young gibb-cat [tomcat] did leap down our stairs from top to bottom at two leaps and frighted us, that we could not tell well whether it was the cat or a spirit, and do sometimes think this morning that the house might be haunted. Glad to have this so well over, and indeed really glad in my mind, for I was much afeared. . .

3 DECEMBER 1667. Up by candlelight, the only time I think I have done so this winter . . . Sir R Ford . . .says . . . that this day it hath been made appear to them that the Keeper of Newgate at this day hath made his house the only nursery of rogues and whores and pickpockets and thieves in the world, where they were bred and entertained and the whole society met; and that for the sake of the Sheriffs they durst not this day commit him, for fear of making him let out the prisoners, but are fain to go by artifice to deal with him.
He tells me also, speaking of the new street that is to be made from Guild Hall down to Cheapside, that the ground is already most of it bought, and tells me of one particular, of a man that hath a piece of ground lie in the very middle of the street that must be; which, when the street is cut out of it, there will remain ground enough of each side to build a house to front the street. He demanded 700l for the ground, and to be excused paying anything for the melioration of the rest of his ground that he was to keep. The Court consented to give him 700l; only, not to abate him the consideration-which the man denied; but told them, and so they agreed, that he would excuse the City the 7001, that he might have the benefit of the melioration without paying anything for it. So much some will get by having the City burned. But he told me that in other cases, ground by this means, that was not worth 4d a foot before, will now, when houses are built, be worth 15s a foot. But he tells me that the common Standard now reckoned on between man and man, in places where there is no alteration of circumstances, but only the houses burnt, there the ground, which with a house on it did yield 100l a year, is now reputed worth 33l-6s-8d; and that this is the common market-price between one man and another, made upon a good and moderate Medium.

18 DECEMBER 1667. I to my business and home to my wife, who is troubled with the tooth-ache; and there however I got her to read to me the History of Algiers, which I find a very pretty book. And so to supper with much pleasure, talking, and to bed.

28 DECEMBER 1667. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon home, and there to dinner with my clerks . . . and had a very good dinner; among others, a haunch of venison boiled, and merry we were. And I rose soon from dinner, and with my wife and girl to The King’s House and there saw The Mad Couple, which is but an ordinary play; but only, Nells and Hearts mad parts are most excellently done, but especially hers; which makes it a miracle to me to think how ill she doth any serious part, as the other day, just like a fool or changeling; and in a mad part, doth beyond all imitation almost. Many fine faces here today. (It pleased us mightily to see the natural affection of a poor woman, the mother of one of the children brought on the stage, the child crying, she by force got upon the stage, and took up her child and carried it away off of the stage . . .

1 JANUARY 1668. . . . Thence I after dinner to the Duke of York’s playhouse, and there saw Sir Martin Marrall,which I have seen so of ten;^#2 and yet am mightily pleased with it and think it mighty witty, and the fullest of proper matter for mirth that ever was writ. And I do clearly see that they do improve in their acting of it. Here a mighty company of citizens, prentices and others; and it makes me observe that when I begin first to be able to bestow a play on myself, I do not remember that I saw so many by half of the ordinary prentices and mean people in the pit, at 2s-6d apiece, as now; I going for several years no higher then the 12d, and then the 18d places,^#3 and though I strained hard to go in then when I did, so much the vanity and prodigality of the age is to be observed in this particular . . .

2   JANUARY 1668.   . . .This day at Whitehall I overheard (Sir W.Coventry) propose to the King his ordering of some perticular thing in the Wardrobe; which was of no great value, but yet, as much as it was, it was of profit to the King and saving to his purse. The King answered to it with great indifferency, as a thing that it was no great matter whether it was done or no. Sir W.Coventry answered: “I see your Majesty doth not remember the old English proverb, ‘He that will not stoop for a pin, will never be worth a pound’ “, and so they parted, the King bidding him do as he would, which methought was an answer not like a King that did intend ever to do well.

5 JANUARY 1668. Lords-day.  Up; and being ready, and disappointed of a coach, it breaking a wheel just as it was coming for me, I walked as far as the Temple, it being dirty. And as I went out of my doors, my cousin Anth. Joyce met me and so walked part of the way with me; and it was to see what I would do upon what his wife a little while since did desire, which was to supply him with 350l, to enable him to give to build his house again:^#3 I (who in my nature am mighty unready to answer No to anything, and thereby wonder that I have suffered no more in my life by my easiness in that kind then I have) answered him that I would do it; and so I will, he offering me good security. And so it being left for me to consider the manner of doing it, we parted,   taking coach, as I said before, at the Temple; I to Charing-cross, and there went into Unthanks to have my shoes wiped, dirty with walking; and so to Whitehall . . .

6 JANUARY 1668.   Twelfth-night. . . . among others, met with Mr.Pearse, by whom I find (as I was afeared from the folly of my wife) that he understood that he and his wife was to dine at my house today, whereas it was to sup; and therefore I having done my business at Court, did go home to dinner, and there find Mr.Harris^#1 by the like mistake come to dine with me. However, we did get a pretty dinner ready for him; and there he and I to discourse of many things, and I do find him a very excellent person, such as in my whole life I do not know another better qualified for converse, whether in things of his own trade or of other kinds, a man of great understanding and observation, and very agreeable in the manner of his discourse, and civil as far as is possible. I was mightily pleased with his company . . .all by coaches home, where we find my house with good fires and candles ready, and our office the like, and the two Mercers, and Betty Turner, Pembleton, and W.Batelier; and so with much pleasure we into the house and there fell to dancing, having extraordinary music, two violins and a bass violin and Theorbo (four hands), the Duke of Buckingham’s Musique, the best in Town, sent me by Greeting;^#1 and there we set in to dancing. By and by to my house to a very good supper, and mighty merry and good music playing; and after supper to dancing and singing till about 12 at night; and then we had a good sack-posset for them and an excellent Cake,^#2 cost me near 20s. of our Jane’s making, which was cut into twenty pieces, there being by this time so many of our company by the coming in of young Goodyear and some others of our neighbours, young men that could dance, hearing of our dancing; and anon comes in Mrs.Turner the mother and brings with her Mrs.Hollworthy,^#3 which pleased me mightily; and so to dancing again and singing with extraordinary great pleasure, till about 2 in the morning; and then broke up . . .they being gone, I paid the fiddler 31 among the four, and so away to bed, weary and mightily pleased; and have the happiness to reflect upon it as I do sometimes on other things, as going to a play or the like, to be the greatest real comforts that I am to expect in the world, and that it is that that we do really labour in the hopes of; and so I do really enjoy myself, and understand that if I do not do it now, I shall not hereafter, it may be, be able to pay for it or have health to take pleasure in it, and so fool myself with vain expectation of pleasure and go without it.

8 JANUARY 1668. . . .Yesterday, Mr.Gibson, upon his discerning by my discourse to him that I had a willingness, or rather do desire to have him stay with me than go, as he designed, on Sir W.Warren’s account to sea, he resolved to let go that design and wait his fortune with me, though I laboured to make him understand the uncertainty of my condition or service; but however, he will hazard it, which I take mighty kindly of him, though troubled lest he may come to be a loser by it; but it will not be for want of my telling him what he was to think on and expect. However, I am well pleased with it with regard to myself, who find him mighty understanding and acquainted with all things in the Navy, that I should, if I continue in the Navy, make great use of him.

15 JANUARY 1668. . . . so walked back again, but with pleasure by the walk; and I had the sport to see two boys swear and stamp and fret for not being able to get their horse over a stile and ditch, one of them swearing and cursing most bitterly; and I would fain, in revenge, have persuaded him to have drove his horse through the ditch, by which I believe he would have stuck there. But the horse would not be drove, and so they were forced to go back again; and so I walked away homeward . . .

17 JANUARY 1668. . . . by coach to Whitehall to attend the Council there; and here I met . . . all the discourse of the Duel yesterday between the Duke of Buckingham, Holmes, and one Jenkins on one side, and my Lord of Shrewsbury, Sir Jo. Talbot, and one Bernard Howard, on the other side . . . they met yesterday in a close near Barn Elms and there fought; and my Lord Shrewsbury is run through the body from the right breast through the shoulder, and Sir Jo.Talbot all along up one of his arms, and Jenkins killed upon the place, and the rest all in a little measure wounded. . . .

22 JANUARY 1668.. . . home, and there to cards with my wife, Deb, and Betty Turner and Batelier; and after, supper and late to sing; but Lord, how did I please myself to make Betty Turner sing, to see what a beast she is as to singing, not knowing how to sing one note in tune; but only for the experiment I would not for 40s hear her sing a tune, Worse then my wife a thousand times, So that it doth a little reconcile me to her. . . .

31 JANUARY 1668. . . . This day Griffith did in discourse in the coach put me in the head of the little house by our garden, where old goodman Tailor [in effect, he was a handyman/messenger] puts his brooms and dirt, to make me a stable of; which I shall improve, so as I think to be able to get me a stable without much charge; which doth please me mightily. He did also in discourse tell me that it is observed, and is true, in the late Fire of London, that the fire burned just as many parish-churches as there were hours from the beginning to the end of the fire; and next, that there were just as many churches left standing as there were taverns left standing in the rest of the City that was not burned; being, I think he told me, thirteen in all of each, which is pretty to observe.

5 FEBRUARY 1668. . . . coming home and finding dinner done and Creed there (and Mr.Cooke, who came for my Lady Sandwichs plate, which I must part with and so endanger the losing of my money, which I lent upon my thoughts of securing myself by that plate: (on 19^th Dec 1667 Pepys hard lent money to Lord Sandwich) but it is no great sum, but 60l; and if it must be lost, better that then a greater sum), I away back again to find a dinner anywhere else; and so I first to the Ship tavern, thereby to get a sight of the pretty mistress of the house, with whom I am not yet acquainted at all; and I do always find her scolding, and do believe she is an ill-natured devil, that I have no great desire to speak to her. Here I drank, and away by coach to the Strand . . .

6 FEBRUARY 1668. . . .The play being done, I into the pit to look my wife; and it being dark and raining, I to look my wife out, but could not find her; and so stayed, going between the two doors^#3 and through the pit an hour and half I think, after the play was done, the people staying there till the rain was over and to talk one with another; and . . .at last I did find my wife staying for me in the entry, and with her was Betty Turner, Mercer, and Deb; so I got a coach, and a humour took us and I carried them to Hercules Pillars and there did give them a kind of a supper of about 7s, and very merry; and home round the town, not through the mines; and it was pretty how the coachman by mistake drives us into the ruins from London-wall into Coleman-street, and would persuade me that I lived there; and the truth is, I did think that he and the linkman had contrived some roguery, but it proved only a mistake of the coachman; but it was asa cunning a plot to have done us a mischief in as any I know, to drive us out of the road into the ruins and there stop, while nobody could be called to help us. But we came safe home . . .

 

8 FEBRUARY 1668. . . away to the Strand to my bookseller’s, and there stayed an hour and bought that idle, roguish book, L ‘escholle des Filles;^#1 which I have bought in plain binding (avoiding the buying of it better bound) because I resolve, as soon as I have read it, to burn it, that it may not stand in the list of books, nor among them, to disgrace them if it should be found. . . . [ 9 FEBRUARY 1668. Lords day.] Up, and at my chamber all the morning and the office, doing business and also reading a little of L‘escholle des Filles, which is a mighty lewd book, but yet not amiss for a sober man once to read over to inform himself in the villainy of the world. . . .

11 FEBRUARY 1668. . . . This morning, my wife in bed told me the story of our Tom and Jane; how the rogue did first demand her consent to love and marry him and then, with pretence of displeasing me, did slight her; but both he and she have confessed the matter to her, and she hath charged him to go on with his love to her and be true to her, and so I think the business will go on; which, for my love to her because she is in love with him, I am pleased with, but otherwise I think she will have no good bargain of it; at least, if I should not do well in my place. But if I do stand, I do intend to give her 50l in money and do them all the good I can in my way.

14 FEBRUARY 1668. Valentine’s-day. . . . Thence I attended the King and Council, and some of the rest of us, in a business to be heard about the value of a ship of one Dorrington’s.^#1   And it was pretty to observe how, Sir W.Penn making use of this argument against the validity of one Oath against the King, being made by the Masters mate of the ship, who was but a fellow of about 23 years of age, the Master of the ship against whom we pleaded did say that he did think himself at that age capable of being master’s mate of any ship at that age; and doth know that he himself, Sir W.Penn, was so himself, and in no better degree at that age himself-which word did strike Sir W.Penn dumb and made him open his mouth no more; and I saw the King and Duke of York wink at one another at it. . . .

15 FEBRUARY 1668. . . . after dinner, all the afternoon and evening till midnight almost, and till I had tired my own back and my wife’s and Deb’s, in titling of my books for the present year and in setting them in order;^#1 which is now done to my very good satisfaction . . . So about midnight to bed, where my wife taking some physic overnight it wrought with her; and those coming upon her with great gripes, she was in mighty pain all night long; yet God forgive me, I did find that I was more desirous to take my rest then to ease her; but there was nothing I could do to do her any good with.

18 FEBRUARY 1668. . . I to the Hall and there met Sir W.Penn; and he and I to the Beare in Drury-lane, an excellent ordinary after the French manner,^#2 but of Englishmen, and there had a little fricassee, our dinner coming to 8s; which was mighty pretty, to my great content; and thence he and I to the King’s House, and there in one of the upper boxes saw Flora’s vagarys,^#3 which is a very silly play; and the more, I being out of humour, being at a play without my wife and she ill at home, and having no desire also to be seen and therefore could not look about me. Thence to the Temple and there we parted . . .

24 FEBRUARY 1668. . . . I was prettily served this day at the playhouse-door; where giving six shillings into the fellow’s hand for us three, the fellow by legerdemain did convey one away, and with so much grace face me down that I did give him but five, that though I knew the contrary, yet I was overpowered by his so grave and serious demanding the other shilling that I could not deny him, but was forced by myself to give it him. . . .

27 FEBRUARY 1668. All the morning at the office, and at noon home to dinner; and thence with my wife and Deb to the King’s House to see Virgin Martyr, the first time it hath been acted a great while, and it is mighty pleasant; not that the play is worth much, but it is finely Acted by Becke Marshall; but that which did please me beyond anything in the whole world was the wind-musique when the Angel comes down, which is so sweet that it ravished me; and indeed, in a word, did wrap up my soul so that it made me really sick, just as I have formerly been when in love with my wife; that neither then, nor all the evening going home and at home, I was able to think of anything, but remained all night transported, so as I could not believe that ever any music hath that real command over the soul of man as this did upon me; and makes me resolve to practise wind-music and to make my wife do the like.

5   MARCH 1668. . . . full of thoughts and trouble touching the issue of this day; and to comfort myself did go to the Dog and drink half a pint of mulled sack, and in the Hall did drink a dram of brandy at Mrs.Howletts, and with the warmth of this did find myself in better order as to courage, truly. . . .

13 MARCH 1668. . . . there met with my Lord Hinchingbrooke and his Lady, the first time I spoke to her.^#3 I saluted her, and she mighty civil; and with my Lady Jem do all resolve to be very merry tomorrow at my house. My Lady Hinchingbrooke I cannot say is a beauty, nor ugly; but is altogether a comely lady enough, and seems very good-humoured, and I mighty glad of this occasion of seeing her before tomorrow. Thence home; and there find one laying of my napkins against tomorrow in figures of all sorts, which is mighty pretty; and it seems it is his trade and gets much money by it, and doth now and then furnish tables with plate and linen for a feast at so much,   which is mighty pretty, and a trade I could not have thought of. . . . .

23 MARCH 1668. Up, and after discoursing with my wife about many things touching this day’s dinner, I abroad; and first to the tavern to pay what I owe there, but missed of seeing the mistress of the house. And there bespoke wine for dinner; and so away thence and to Bishopsgate-street, thinking to have found a Harpsicon-maker that used to live there before the fire,^#1 but he is gone; and I have a mind forthwith to have a little Harpsicon made me,   to confirm and help me in my music notions, which my head is nowadays full of, and I do believe will come to something that is very good . . .

26 MARCH 1668. . . . Thence by agreement, we all of us to the Blue Balls hard by . . . And after much difficulty in getting of Musique, we to dancing and then to a supper of some French dishes (which yet did not please me) and then to dance and sing; and mighty merry we were till about 11 or 12 at night, with mighty great content in all my company; and I did, as I love to do, enjoy myself in my pleasure, as being the height of what we take pains for and can hope for in this world, and therefore to be enjoyed while we are young and capable of these joys. My wife extraordinary fine today in her Flower tabby suit, bought a year and more ago, before my mother’s death put her into mourning, and so not worn till this day, and everybody in love with it; and indeed, she is very fine and handsome in it. I having paid the reckoning, which came to almost 4l, we parted: my company and Wm. Batelier, who was also with us, home in a coach round by the Wall, where we met so many stops by the Watches that it cost us much time and some trouble, and more money to every watch to them to drink, this being increased by the trouble the prentices did lately give the City, so that the militia and watches are very strict at this time; and we had like to have met with a stop for all night at the Constables watch at Moorgate, by a pragmatical Constable. But we came well home at about 2 in the morning, and so to bed.

2 APRIL 1668. . . . with Lord Brouncker to the Royal Society, where they were just done; but there I was forced to subscribe to the building of a College, and did give 40l And several others did subscribe, some greater and some less sums;^#2 but several I saw hang off, and I doubt it will spoil the Society, for it breeds faction and ill will, and becomes burdensome to some that cannot or would not do it. Here to my great content I did try the use of the Otacousticon,^#3 which was only a great glass bottle broke at the bottom, putting the neck to my ear; and there I did plainly hear the dashing of the oars of the boats in the Thames to Arundel gallery window; which without it I could not in the least do, and may I believe be improved to a great height, which I was mighty glad of. . . .

25 APRIL 1668. . . . This day I did first put off my Waistcoat, the weather being very hot; but yet lay in it at night, and shall for a little time. . .

29 APRIL 1668. . . . I away to Whitehall and there took coach home with a stranger I let into the coach, to club with me for it, he going into London; and set him down at the lower end of Cheapside and I home and to Sir W.Penn’s and there sat; and by and by, it being now about 9 a-clock at night, I heard Mercer’s voice and my boy Tom’s singing in the garden; which pleased me mightily, I longing to see the girl, having not seen her since my wife went [to Brampton]; and so into the garden to her and sang and then home to supper, and mightily pleased with her company in talking and singing; and so parted and to bed.

5 MAY 1668. . . .One thing of familiarity I observed in my Lady Castlemaine; she called to one of her women, another that sat by this, for a little patch off of her face, and put it into her mouth and wetted it and so clapped it upon her own by the side of her mouth, I suppose she feeling a pimple rising there. . . .

18 MAY 1668. . . . back by water to Westminster Palace and there got a coach who carried us as far as the Minorys, and there something of the traces broke, and we forced to light and walked to Mrs.Horsleys house, it being a long and bad way, and dark; and having there put her in a-doors, her husband being in bed, we left her; and so back to our coach, where the coachman had put it in order, but could not find his whip in the dark a great while, which made us stay long; at last, getting a neighbour to hold a candle out of their window, Mercer found it, and so away; we home at almost 12 at night . . .

21 MAY 1668. . . . All the morning at the office, and at noon my clerks dined with me; and there do hear from them how all the town is full of the talk of Meteor, or some fire that did on Saturday last to fly over the City at night;^#3 which doth put me in mind that being then walking in the dark an hour or more myself in the garden after I had done writing, I did see a light before me come from behind me, which made me turn back my head and I did see a sudden fire or light running in the sky, as it were toward Cheapside-ward, and vanished very quick; which did make me bethink myself what holiday it was; and took it for some Rocket, though it was much brighter then any rocket, and so thought no more of it; but it seems Mr.Hayter and Gibson, going home that night, did meet with many clusters of people talking of it, and many people of the towns about the City did see it, and the world doth make much discourse of it . . .

23 MAY 1668. Up by 4 a-clock; and getting my things ready and recommending the care of my house to W.Hewer, I with the boy Tom, whom I take with me, to the Bull in Bishopsgate-street and there about 6 took coach, he and I and a gentleman and his man . . . away to Bishops Stortford, and there dine and changed horses and coach at Mrs.Aynsworth’s . . . Here I hear Mrs.Aynsworth is going to live at London; but I believe will be mistaken in it, for it will be found better for her to be chief where she is then to have little to do at London, there being many finer then she there. After dinner, away again and came to Cambridge, after much bad way, about 9 at night; and there at the Rose^#1 I met my (father’s) horses, with a man staying for me; but it is so late, and the waters so deep, that I durst not go tonight; but after supper to bed and lay very ill by reason of some drunken scholars making a noise all night, and vexed for fear that the horses should not be taken up from grass time enough for the morning. (Well pleased all this journey with the conversation of him that went with me, who I think is a lawyer . . . (24 MAY 1668. Lords day. ) . .I up at between 2 and 3 in the morning; and calling up my boy and father’s boy, we set out by 3 a-clock, it being high day; and so through the waters with very good success, though very deep almost all the way . . .

15 JULY 1668. Up, and all the morning busy at the office to my great content, tending to the settling of papers there, that I may have the more rest in winter for my eyes by how much I do the more in the settling of all things in the summer by daylight. . . Wonderful hot all day and night, and this the first night that I remember in my life that ever I could lie with only a sheet and one rug; so much I am now stronger then ever I remember myself to be . . .

2 AUGUST 1668. Lords day. Up and at home all the morning, hanging and removing of some pictures in my study and house. At noon Pelling dined with me. After dinner, I and Tom my boy by water up to Putney and there heard a sermon, and many fine people in the church. Thence walked to Barn elms; and there, and going and coming, did make the boy read to me several things, being nowadays unable to read myself anything for above two lines together but my eyes grow weary. Home about night, and so to supper and then to bed.

22 AUGUST 1668. . . . This afternoon, after I was weary in my business of the office, I went forth to the Change, thinking to have spoke with Captain Cocke, but he was not within. So I home, and took London-bridge in my way, walking down Fish-street and Gracechurch-street to see how very fine a descent they have now made down the hill, that it is become very easy and pleasant. And going through Leaden-hall, it being market-day, I did see a woman ketched that had stolen a shoulder of mutton off of a butcher’s stall, and carrying it wrapped up in a cloth in a basket. The jade was surprised, and did not deny it; and the woman so silly that took it as to let her go, only taking the meat. . . .

30 AUGUST 1668. Lords day. . . . So I to the park and there walk an hour or two; and in the King’s garden and saw the Queen and ladies walk; and I did steal some apples off the trees . . .

16 SEPTEMBER 1668. . . . to St. James’s to the Duke of York,   walking it to the Temple; and in my way observe that the Stockes^#3 are now pulled quite down, and it will make the coming into Cornhill and Lombard-street mighty noble. I stopped too at Paul’s, and there did go into St. Faith’s church and also into the body of the west part of the church, and do see a hideous sight, of the walls of the church ready to fall, that I was in fear as long as I was in it. And here I saw the great vaults underneath the body of the church. No hurt, I hear, is done yet, since their going to pull down the church and steeple; but one man, on Monday this week, fell from the top to a piece of the roof of the east end that stands next the steeple, and there broke himself all to pieces. It is pretty here, to see how the last church was but a case brought over the old church; for you may see the very old pillars standing whole within the wall of this.^#1   When I came to St. James’s, I find the Duke of York gone with the King to see the muster of the Guards in Hyde Park; and their colonel, the Duke of Monmouth, to take his command this day of the King’s Life-Guard, by surrender of my Lord Gerard’s.^#2 So I took a hackney-coach and saw it all; and indeed, it was mighty noble and their firing mighty fine, and the Duke of Monmouth in mighty rich clothes; but the well-ordering of the men I understand not. . .

21 SEPTEMBER 1668. . . .out again and by water to Somerset-house; but when come hither, I turned back and to Southwark-Fair, I very dirty, and there saw the Puppet-show of Whittington,^#2 which was pretty to see; and how that idle thing doth work upon people that see it, and even myself too. And thence to Jacob Hall’s dancing on the ropes, where I saw such action as I never saw before, and mightily worth seeing. And here took acquaintance with a fellow that carried me to a tavern, whither came the music of this booth, and by and by Jacob Hall himself, with whom I had a mind to speak to hear whether he had ever any mischief by falls in his time; he told me, “Yes, many; but never to the breaking of a limb.” He seems a mighty strong man.
So giving them a bottle or two of wine, I away with Paine the waterman; he, seeing me at the play, did get a link to light me, and so light me to the ‘Beare, where Bland my waterman waited for me with gold and other things he kept for me, to the value of 40l and more, which I had about me for fear of my pockets being cut. So by link-light through the Bridge, it being mighty dark, but still water; and so home . . .

28 SEPTEMBER 1668. Up betimes, and Knipp’s maid comes to me to tell me that the women’s day at the playhouse is today, and that therefore I must be there to increase their profit.[This was a benefit performance, where takings went to the actresses] I did give the pretty maid Betty that comes to me half-a-crown for coming, and had a kiss or two, she being mighty pretty; and so I about my business by water to St. James’s . . .Thence to my Lord Burlington’s house, [in Piccadilly] the first time I ever was there . . . And here I visited my Lord Hinchingbrooke and his Lady, Mr.Sidney Mountagu being come last night, come to town unexpectedly from Mounts bay . . . Sidney is mightily 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 . . . 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 then ever I did in my life, and more indeed then was fit for me. . . .to see in what a condition my Lord is for money, that I dare swear he doth not know where to take up 500l of any man in England at this time upon his word, but of myself, as I believe by the sequel hereof it will appear. . . .Here I also, standing by a candle that was brought for sealing of a letter, do set my periwig 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. . . And so to my glove and ribbon shop in Fenchurch-street and did the like there; and there stopping against the door of the shop Mrs.Horsfall, now a late Widow, in a coach, I to her and shook her by the hand . . . So I to Whitehall, and there all the evening . . .it being a most summerlike day and a fine warm evening, the Italians came in a barge under the leads before the Queen’s drawing-room, and so the Queen and ladies went out and heard it for almost an hour; and it was indeed very good together but yet there was but one voice that alone did appear considerable . . .

22 NOVEMBER 1668. Lords day. My wife and I lay long, with mighty content, and so rose, and she spent the whole day making herself clean, after four or five weeks being in continued dirt. And I knocking up nails and making little settlements in my house, till noon; and then eat a bit of meat in the kitchen, I all alone, and so to the office to set down my journal, for some days leaving it imperfect, the matter being mighty grievous to me and my mind from the nature of it. And so in to solace myself with my wife, whom I got to read to me, and so W.Hewer and the boy; and so after supper, to bed.     This day, my boy’s Livery is come home, the first I ever had of Greene lined with red;^#1 and it likes me well enough.

6 DECEMBER 1668. Lords day. Up, and with my wife to church; which pleases me mightily, I being full of fear that she would never go to church again after she had declared to me that she was a Roman Catholic.^#4 But though I do verily think she fears God, and is truly and sincerely virtuous, yet I do see she is not so strictly so a Catholic as not to go to church with me; which pleases me mightily. Here Mills made a lazy sermon-upon Moses’s meekness; and so home, and my wife and I alone to dinner; and then she to read a little book concerning Speech in general, a translation late out of French,^#5 a most excellent piece as ever I read, proving a soul in man and all the ways and secrets by which Nature teaches speech in man, which doth please me most infinitely to read. By and by my wife to church, and I to my office to complete my journal for the last three days; and so home to my chamber to settle some papers, and so to spend the evening with my wife and W.Hewer, talking over the business of the office, and particularly my own office, how I will make it; and it will become in a little time an office of ease, and not slavery, as it hath for so many years been. So to supper and to bed.

21 DECEMBER 1668. My own coach carrying me and my boy . . . to the Temple and there set me down, the first time (my fine horses) ever carried me, and I am mighty proud of them; and there took a hackney and to Whitehall . . .but little to do; and so away home, calling at the Exchange and buying several little things; and so home and there dined with my wife and people; and then she and W.Hewer and I by appointment out with our coach . . .went into Holborn and there saw the woman that is to be seen with a Beard;^#2 she is a little plain woman, a Dane, her name, Ursula Dyan, about forty years old, her voice like a little girl’s, with a beard as much as any man I ever saw, as black almost, and grizzly. They offered to show my wife further satisfaction if she desired it, refusing it to men that desired it there. But there is no doubt but by her voice she is a woman; it begun to grow at about seven years old, and was shaved not above seven months ago, and is now so big as any man almost that ever I saw, I say, bushy and thick. It was a strange sight to me, I confess, and what pleased me mightily. Thence to the Duke’s playhouse and saw Macbeth;^#3 the King and Court there, and we sat just under them and my Lady Castlemaine, and close to the woman that comes into the pit, a kind of a loose gossip, that pretends to be like her, and is so something. And my wife, by my troth, appeared I think as pretty as any of them, I never thought so much before; and so did Talbot and W.Hewer, as they said, I heard, to one another. . . .

28 DECEMBER 1668. Up, called up by drums and trumpets; these things and boxes having cost me much money this Christmas already, and will do more. My wife down by water to see her mother,^#1 and I with W.Hewer all day together in my closet, making some advance in the settling of my accounts, which have been so long unevened that it troubles me how to set them right, having not the use of my eyes to help me. My wife at night home, and tells me how much her mother prays for me and is troubled for my eyes; and I am glad to have friendship with them, and believe they are truly glad to see their daughter come to live so well as she doth. So spent the night in talking, and so to supper and to bed.
29 DECEMBER 1668. Up, and at the office all the morning; and at noon to dinner, and there by a pleasant mistake find my uncle and aunt Wight, and three more of their company, come to dine with me today, thinking that they had been invited; which they were not, but yet we did give them a pretty good dinner, and mighty merry at the mistake. They sat most of the afternoon with us, and then parted; and my wife and I out, thinking to have gone to a play, but it was too far begun; and so to the Change, and there she and I bought several things; and so home, with much pleasure talking, and then to reading; and so to supper and to bed.
30 DECEMBER 1668. Up, and vexed a little to be forced to pay 40s for a glass of my coach which was broke the other day, nobody knows how, within the door while it was down; but I do doubt that I did break it myself, with my knees. After dinner, my wife and I to the Duke’s playhouse and there did see King Harry the 8th,^#2 and was mightily pleased, better then I ever expected, with the history and shows of it. We happened to sit by Mr.Andrews our neighbour and his wife, who talked so fondly to his little boy. Thence my wife and I to the Change; but in going, our near-horse did fling himself, kicking of the coachbox over the pole; and a great deal of trouble it was to get him right again, and we forced to light and in great fear of spoiling the horse, but there was no hurt. So to the Change and then home and there spent the evening talking; and so to supper and to bed.

           3 JANUARY 1669. Lords day. Up, and busy all the morning, getting rooms and dinner ready for my guests; which were my uncle and aunt Wight and two of their cousins, and an old woman and Mr.Mills and his wife; and a good dinner and all our plate out, and mighty fine and merry, only I a little vexed at burning a new table-cloth myself, with one of my trencher-salts. . . this day the first and very hard frost that hath come this year, and very cold it is. . . . my wife and I treating about coming to an allowance to my wife for clothes, and there I, out of my natural backwardness, did hang off; which vexed her and did occasion some discontented talk in bed when we went to bed, and also in the morning; but I did recover all in the morning.
4   JANUARY 1669. Lay long talking with my wife, and did of my own accord come to an allowance of her of 30l a year for all expenses, clothes and everything; which she was mightily pleased with, it being more then ever she asked or expected . . .

to my wife, and so set out for home in our coach, it being very cold weather; and so to the office to do a little business, and then home to my wife’s chamber, my people having laid the cloth and got the rooms all clean above-stairs tonight for our dinner tomorrow, and therefore I to bed.
9 JANUARY 1669. Up, and at the office all the morning; and at noon . . . I had a neat dinner, and all in so good manner and fashion and with so good company and everything to my mind, as I never had more in my life, the company being to my heart’s content, and they all well pleased. So continued looking over my books and closet till the evening, and so I to the office and did a good deal of business; and so home to supper and to bed, with my mind mightily pleased with this day’s management, as one of the days of my life of fullest content.

12 JANUARY 1669. . . . This evening I observed my wife mighty dull; and I myself was not mighty fond, because of some hard words she did give me at noon, out of a jealousy at my being abroad this morning; when, God knows, it was upon the business of the office unexpectedly; but I to bed, not thinking but she would come after me; but waking by and by out of a slumber, which I usually fall into presently after my coming into the bed, I found she did not prepare to come to bed, but got fresh candles and more wood for her fire, it being mighty cold too. At this being troubled, I after a while prayed her to come to bed, all my people being gone to bed; so after an hour or two, she silent, and I now and then praying her to come to bed, she fell out into a fury, that I was a rogue and false to her; but yet I could perceive that she was to seek what to say; only, she invented, I believe, a business that I was seen in a hackney-coach with the glasses up with Deb, but could not tell the time, nor was sure I was he. I did, as I might truly, deny it, and was mightily troubled; but all would not serve. At last, about one a-clock, she came to my side of the bed and drew my curtain open, and with the tongs, red hot at the ends, made as if she did design to pinch me with them; at which in dismay I rose up, and with a few words she laid them down and did by little and little, very sillily, let all the discourse fall; and about 2, but with much seeming difficulty, came to bed and there lay well all night, and long in bed talking together with much pleasure; it being, I know, nothing but her doubt of my going out yesterday without telling her of my going which did vex her, poor wretch, last night: and I cannot blame her jealousy, though it doth vex me to the heart.

18 JANUARY 1669. . . . I to my Lord Sandwichs and there walk with him through the garden to Whitehall, where he tells me . . . That when he come the other day to . . . the Board of Tangier, the Duke of York, it seems, did readily reply that it was fit to have Mr.Pepys satisfied therein first, and that it was not good to make places for persons. This my Lord in great confidence tells me . . .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 . . . which I owned as his great love, and so I hope and believe it is . . . So we walked together and I took this occasion to invite him to dinner one day 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. . . .

21 JANUARY 1669. . . . so home, where my wife mighty dogged; and vexed to see it, being mightily troubled of late at her being out of humour, for fear of her discovering any new matter of offence against me; though I am conscious of none, but do hate to be unquiet at home. So late up, silent and not supping, but hearing her utter some words of discontent to me with silence; and so to bed weeping to myself for grief, which she discerning, came to bed and mighty kind; and so, with great joy on both sides, to sleep.

22 JANUARY 1669. . . . calling at several places on occasions relating to my feast tomorrow, on which my mind is now set, as, how to get a new looking-glass for my dining-room, and some pewter and good wine against tomorrow. And so home, where I had the looking-glass set up; cost me 6l-7s-6d. . . . home to look after things against tomorrow. And among other things, was 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. So to supper, with much kindness between me and my wife, which nowadays is all my care; and so to bed.
23 JANUARY 1669. Up, and again to look after the setting things right against dinner, which I did to very good content; and so to the office, where all the morning till noon, when word brought me to the Board that my Lord Sandwich was come; so I presently rose, leaving the Board ready to rise, and there I found my Lord Sandwich, Peterborough, and Sir Ch. Harbord; and presently after them come my Lord Hinchingbrooke, Mr.Sidney, and Sir Wm. 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;^#2 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 anywhere 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 commend mightily; and mighty merry all day long, with exceeding great content, and so till 7 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 shall not easily have so good again. The truth is, I have some fear that I am run behind-hand in the world for these last two years, since I have not, or for some time could not, look after my accounts; which doth a little allay my pleasure, but I do trust in God I am pretty well yet, and resolve in a very little time to look into my accounts and see how they stand. So to my wife’s chamber, and there supped and got her cut my hair and look my shirt, for I have itched mightily these six or seven days; and when all came to all, she finds that I am lousy, having found in my head and body above 20 lice, little and great; which I wonder at, being more then I have had I believe almost these 20 years. I did think I might have got them from the little boy, but they did presently look him, and found none, so how they came, I know not; but presently did shift myself, and so shall be rid of them, and cut my hair close to my head. And so, with much content to bed.

6    FEBRUARY 1669. . . . 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-makers, and we staying in a little ironmonger’s shop, we were presently supplied with another; and so home . . .

7 FEBRUARY 1669. Lords day. My wife mighty peevish in the morning about my lying unquietly a-nights, and she will have it that it is a late practice, from my evil thoughts in my dreams; and I do often find that in my dreams she doth lay her hand upon my cockerel to observe what she can. And mightily she is troubled about it, but all blew over; and I up and to church . . .

10 FEBRUARY 1669. . . . after I had done a little business there, I to my wife, and with her to the Plasterer’s at Charing-cross that casts heads and bodies in plaster, and there I had my whole face done;^#2 but I was vexed first to be forced to dau all my face over with Pomatum, but it was pretty to feel how soft and easily it is done on the face, and by and by, by degrees, how hard it becomes, that you cannot break it, and sits so close that you cannot pull it off, and yet so easy that it is as soft as a pillow, so safe is everything where many parts of the body do bear alike. Thus was the mould made; but when it came off, there was little pleasure in it as it looks in the mould, nor any resemblance whatever there will be in the figure when I come to see it cast off, which I am to call for a day or two hence; which I shall long to see. . . So to Whitehall, where I stayed 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 . . . Here he dined, and did mightily magnify his Sauce which he did then eat with everything, and said it was the best universal sauce in the world, it being taught him by the Spanish Ambassador, 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. . . . I did like . . . 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-maister’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 mighty glad of it. . .

17 FEBRUARY 1669. . . .home, where W.Batelier was and supped with us; and I did reckon this night what I owed him, and I do find that the things my wife, of her own head, hath taken (together with my own, which comes not to above 5l) comes to above 22l But it is the last, and so I am the better contented, and they are things that are not trifles, but clothes, gloves, shoes, hoods, &c; so after supper, to bed.

26 FEBRUARY 1669. Was forced to send my excuse to the Duke of York for my not attending him with my fellows this day, because of my cold . . . So lay long in bed, and then up and to my office; and so to dinner, and then, though I could not speak, yet I went with my wife and girls to the King’s playhouse to show them that, and there saw The Faythfull Shepherdess;^#2 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, the being of a new play at the other House, I suppose, being the cause; though it be so silly a play, that I wonder how there should be enough people to go thither two days together and not leave more to fill this house. The emptiness of the house took away our pleasure a great deal, though I liked it the better; for that I plainly discern the music is the better, by how much the House the emptier. Thence home, and again to W.Hewer’s; and had a pretty little treat and spent an hour or two my voice being wholly taken away with my cold; and so home and to bed.

28 FEBRUARY 1669. . . so to church, where God forgive me, I did most of the time gaze on the fine milliner’s wife in Fenchurch-street, who was at our church today; and so home to dinner. And after dinner, to write down my journal and then abroad by coach with my cousins to their father’s, where we are kindly received; but he is in great pain for his Man Arthur, who he fears is now dead, having been desperately sick, and speaks so much of him, that my Cozen his wife and I did make mirth of it . . . . staying here a little, and eat and drank, and she gave me some ginger-bread made in cakes like chocolate, very good, made by a friend . . . I away home; and there spent the evening talking and reading with my wife and Mr.Pelling, and yet much troubled with my cold, it hardly suffering me to speak . . .

9 MARCH 1669. . . . to my Cousin Strudwickes, where I have not been ever since my brother Tom died . . . And I was glad of this opportunity of seeing them, they being good and substantial people, and kind. . . and here, which I never did before, I drank a glass, of a pint I believe, at one draught, of the juice of Oranges . . . they drink the juice as wine, with sugar, and it is very fine drink; but it being new, I was doubtful whether it might not do me hurt . . .

13 MARCH 1669. . . . there all the afternoon till night, when comes by mistake my cousin Turner and her two daughters (which loves such freaks) to eat some anchovies and ham of bacon with me, by mistake instead of noon at dinner, when I expected them; but however, I had done my business before they came and so was ill good humour enough to be with them; and so home to them to supper, and pretty merry, being pleased to see Betty Turner, which hath something mighty pretty. But 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 Jersey, in order to my being of a Court Martial for examining the loss of the Defiance, and other things^#1, which doth give me occasion of much mirth, and may be of some use to me; at least, I shall get a little money by it for the time I have it, it being designed that I must really be a Captain to be able to sit in this Court. . . .

18 MARCH 1669. Up, and to see Sir W.Coventry, and walked with him a good while in the Stone Walk; and brave discourse . . . home to dinner, where my wife mighty finely dressed, by a maid that she hath taken [Matt] and is to come to her when Jane goes, and the same she the other day told me of to be so handsome.   I therefore longed to see her, but did not till after dinner, that my wife and I going by coach, she went with us to Holborne, where we set her down. She is a mighty proper maid and pretty comely, but so-so, but hath a most pleasing tone of a voice and speaks handsomely, but hath most great hands, and I believe ugly, but very well dressed in good clothes; and the maid I believe will please me well enough. . . .So my wife and I to . . . Hyde Park, the first time we were there this year, or ever in our own coach, where with mighty pride rode up and down; and many coaches there, and I thought our horses and coach as pretty as any there, and observed so to be by others. Here stayed till night, and so home . . .

23 MARCH 1669. . . I took coach with Commissioner Middleton, Captain Tinker, and Mr.Hutchinson, a hackney-coach, and over the bridge, and so out towards Chatham; and dined at Dartford, where we stayed 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 Hutchinson his vein lies. After supper we fell to talk of spirits and apparitions, whereupon many pretty particular stories were told, so as to make me almost afeared to lie alone, but for shame I could not help it; and so to bed, and being sleepy, fell soon to rest and so rested well.
24 MARCH 1669. . . . walked to the yard . . . and there I only walked up and down the yard, and then to the Hill-house and there did give order for the coach to be made ready and got Mr.Gibson, whom I carried with me, to go with me and Mr.Coney the surgeon towards Maidstone, which I had a mighty mind to see . . .and so away, it being a mighty cold and windy, but clear day, and had the pleasure of seeing the Medway running, winding up and down mightily, and a very fine country . . . Thence to Maidstone, 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. . . and after dinner a barber came to me and there trimmed me . . . we set out . . . and in our way back, I light out of the way to see a Saxon monument,^#4 as they say, of a king; which is three stones staying 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 mightily glad to see it; it is near to Alresford . . .

27 MARCH 1669. . . .it being all the morning as cold, snowy, windy, and rainy day as any in the whole winter past, but pretty clear in the afternoon. I find all well, but my wife abroad with Jane, who was married yesterday; and I to the office busy, till by and by my wife comes home; so home and there hear how merry they were yesterday; and I glad at it, they being married it seems very handsomely, at Islington, and dined at the old house^#2 and lay in our blue chamber, with much company and wonderful merry. The Turner and Mary Batelier bride maids, and Talb. Pepys and W.Hewer bride men. Anon to supper and to bed, my head a little troubled with the muchness of business I have upon me at present. So to bed.

29 MARCH 1669. . . .This day our new chamber-maid that comes in the room of Jane, is come, Jane and Tom lying at their own lodging this night. The new maid’s name is Matt, a proper and very comely maid; so as when I was in bed, the thoughts de ella does make me para hazer in mi mano. This day also, our cook-maid Bridget went away, which I was sorry for; but just at her going, she was found to be a thief, and so I was the less troubled for it. But now our whole house will in a manner be new; which, since Jane is gone, I am not at all sorry for, for that my late differences with my wife about poor Deb will not be remembered. So to bed after supper, I to sleep with great content.

2 APRIL 1669. Up and by water to Whitehall, and there . . .attended the Duke of York, and stayed in Whitehall till about noon; and so with W.Hewer to the Cock, and there he and I dined alone with great content, he reading to me, for my memory sake, my late collections of the history of the Navy . . . and so after dinner he and I to Whitehall 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 . . . a short account of the history of the Navy, as to our Office, wherewith he was very well satisfied . . . After much discourse with him, we parted; and he to the Council, while I stayed, I waiting for his telling me when I should be ready to give him a written account of the administration of the Navy. This caused me to wait the whole afternoon till night. In the meantime, stepping to the Duchesse of York’s side to speak with Lady Peterborough, I did see the young Duchess [she was almost 7yrs at this time], a little child in hanging sleeves, dance most finely, so as almost to ravish me, her airs were so good, taught by a Frenchman that did heretofore teach the King and all the King’s children, and the Queen-Mother herself, who doth still dance well. Thence to the Council-door, and Mr.Chiffinch took me into the back-stairs, and there . . . did make me, with some others that he took in, . . . eat a pickled herring, the largest I ever saw, and drink variety of wines, till I was almost merry; but I did keep in good tune, and so . . . I home and there find my wife not yet come home from Deptford, where she hath been all this day to see her mother, but she came by and by. And so to talk and supper, and to bed. This night I did bring home from the King’s apothecary’s in Whitehall, by Mr.Coling’s direction, a water that he says did him mighty good for his eyes; I pray God it may do me good, but by his description, his disease was the same as mine, and this doth encourage me to use it.

8 APRIL 1669. . . . to the office again till the evening; and then with my wife by coach to Islington to pay what we owe there for the late dinner at Jane’s wedding; and so round by Kingsland and Hoxton home, pleased with my wife’s singing with me by the way . . . (Going this afternoon through Smithfield, I did see a coach run over the coachman’s neck and stand upon it, and yet the man rose up and was well after it, which I thought a wonder.)

11 APRIL 1669. Lords day. Easter day. . . . after dinner my wife and I out by coach, and Balty with us, to Looten 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 Verelst, who took us to his lodging close by and did show us a little flower-pott of his doing, 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 doth 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. . . .

12 APRIL 1669. . . .walked to Whitehall, and by and by to my wife at Unthanks, and with her was Jane, and so to the Cocke, where they and I and Sheeres and Tom dined, my wife having a great desire to eat of their Soup made of pease, and dined very well; and thence by water to the Bear-Garden . . .Here we saw a prize fought between a soldier and a country fellow, one Warrell, 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 Whitehall, mightily pleased all of us with this sight, and particularly this fellow, as a most extraordinary man for his temper and evenness in fighting; and there leaving Sheeres, we by our coach home; and after sitting an hour thrumming upon my viol and singing, I to bed, and left my wife to do something to a waistcoat and petticoat she is to wear tomorrow. . . .

13 APRIL 1669. Up, and at the office a good while; and then my wife going down the River to spend the day with her mother at Deptford, I abroad, and first to the milliner’s in Fenchurch-street over against Rawlinsons; and there meeting both him and her in the shop, I bought a pair of gloves and fell to talk, and found so much freedom that I stayed there the best part of the morning till towards noon, with great pleasure, it being a holiday; and then against my will away and to the Change, where I left W.Hewer, and I by hackney-coach to the Spittle and heard a piece of a dull sermon to my Lord Mayor and Aldermen and then 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 this milliner’s, whose name I now understand to be Clerk; and there, her husband inviting me up to the Balcony to see the sight go by to dine at Clothworker’s-hall, I did go up, and there saw it go by; and then, there being a good piece of cold roast-beef upon the table, and one Margetts, a young merchant that lodges there and is likely to marry a sister of hers, I stayed and eat and had much good conversation with her, who hath the vanity to talk of her great friends and father, one Wingate, near Welwyn, that hath been a Parliament-man. Here also was Stapely the rope-merchant, and dined with us. And after spending most of the afternoon also, I away home; and there sent for W.Hewer and he and I by water to Whitehall to look, among other things, Mr.May, to unbespeake his dining with me tomorrow. But here, being with him in the Court-yard, as God would have it I spied Deb. which made my heart and head to work; and I presently could not refrain, but sent W.Hewer away to look for Mr.Wren (W.Hewer, I perceive, did see her, but whether he did see me see her I know not, or suspect my sending him away I know not) but my heart could not hinder me. And I run after her and two women and a man, more ordinary people, and she in her old clothes; and after hunting a little, find them in the lobby of the Chapel below-stairs; and there I observed she endeavoured to avoid me, but I did speak to her and she to me, and did get her para docere me ou she demeures now. And did charge her para say nothing of me that I had vu elle, which she did promise; and so, with my heart full of surprise and disorder, I away; and meeting with Sir H. Cholmley, walked into the park with him and back again, looking to see if I could spy her again in the park, but I could not. And so back to Whitehall, and then back to the park with Mr.May, but could see her no more; and so with W.Hewer, who I doubt by my countenance might see some disorder in me, we home by water; and there I find Talb. Pepys and Mrs.Turner, and Betty too, come to invite us to dinner on Thursday; and after drinking, I saw them to the water-side, and so back home through Crutched-Friars, and there saw Mary Mercer and put off my hat to her on the other side the way; but it being a little darkish, she did not, I think, know me well. And so to my office to put my papers in order, they having been removed for my closet to be made clean; and so home to my wife, who is come home from Deptford. But, God forgive me, I hardly know how to put on confidence enough to speak as innocent, having had this passage today with Deb, though only, God knows, by accident. But my great pain is lest God Almighty shall suffer me to find out this girl, whom indeed I love, and with a bad amour; but I will pray to God to give me grace to forbear it.
So home to supper, where very sparing in my discourse, not giving occasion of any enquiry where I have been today, or what I have done; and so, without any trouble tonight more then my fear, we to bed.

26 APRIL 1669. Up, having lain long; and then by coach with W.Hewer to the Excise Office, and so to Lilly’s the varnisher, who is lately dead and his wife and brother keep up the trade, and there I left my French prints^#1 to be put on boards; and while I was there, a fire burst out in a chimney of a house just over against his house, but it was with a gun quickly put out. So to Whitehall and did a little business there at the Treasury-chamber; and so homeward, calling at the laceman’s for some lace for my new suit, and at my tailor’s. And so home, where to dinner, and Mr.Sheeres dined with us, who came hither today to teach my wife the rules of perspective; but I think, upon trial, he thinks it too hard to teach her, being ignorant of the principles of lines. After dinner comes one Colonel Macnachan, 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 . . . and he would have me advance it, without order, upon his pay . . . which I was astonished at, but had the grace to deny him with an excuse. . . So my wife and I to the Change about things for her; and here at Mrs.Barnett’s shop I am told by Betty, who was all undressed, of 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 was here, it seems, and stopped the fire by blowing up of the next house. . . .

30 APRIL 1669. . . . I to my coachmaker’s, and there vexed to see nothing yet done to my coach at 3 in the afternoon; but I set it in doing, and stood by it till 8 at night and saw the painter varnish it; which is pretty, to see how every doing it over doth 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 nowadays 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 oiled; 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 . . . And late as it was, I did send my coachman and horses to fetch home the coach tonight. . . .

1 MAY 1669. Up betimes, called up by my tailor, and there first put on a summer suit this year, but it was not my fine one of flowered tabby vest and coloured camelott tunic, because it was too fine with the gold lace at the hands, that I was afeared to be seen in it, but put on the stuff-suit I made the last year, which is now repaired; and so did go to the office in it and sat all the morning, the day looking as if it would be fowl. At noon home to dinner, and there find 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 ribbon and the standards thus gilt with varnish and all clean, and green reins, that people did mightily look upon us; and the truth is, I did not see any coach more pretty, or more gay, then ours all the day. But we set (out) out of humour; I because Betty, whom I expected, was not come to go with us; and my wife, that I would sit on the same seat with her, which she liked not, being so fine; and then expected to meet Sheeres, which we did in the Pell Mell, and against my will I was forced to take him into the coach, but was sullen all day almost, and little complaisant; the day also being unpleasing, though the park full of coaches; but dusty and windy and cold, and now and then a little dribbling rain; and what made it worst, there were so many hackney-coaches as spoiled the sight of the gentlemen’s, and so we had little pleasure. But here was W.Batelier and his sister in a borrowed coach by themselfs, and I took them and we to the Lodge, and at the door did give them a syllabub and other things, cost me 12s, and pretty merry; and so back to the coaches and there till the evening; and then home, leaving Mr.Sheeres at St. James’s gate, where he took leave of us for altogether, he being this night to set out for Portsmouth post, in his way to Tangier, which troubled my wife mightily, who is mighty, though not I think too fond of him. But she was out of humour all the evening, and I vexed at her for it; and she did not rest almost all the night, so as in the night I was forced to take her and hug her to put her to rest. So home, and after a little supper, to bed.

8 MAY 1669. Up, and to the office and there comes Lead to me; and at last my vizards are done, and glasses got to put in and out as I will; and I think I have brought it to the utmost, both for easiness of using and benefit, that I can; and so I paid him 15s for what he hath done now last in the finishing them, and they, I hope, will do me a great deal of ease.
At the office all the morning; and this day the first time did alter my side of the table, after above eight years sitting on that next the fire. But now I am not able to bear the light of the windows in my eyes, I do go there; and I did sit with much more content then I had done on the other side for a great while, and in winter the fire will not trouble my back. . . .

9 MAY 1669. Lords day. . . . Thence toward the park, but too soon to go in; so went on to Knightsbridge, and there eat and drank at the Worlds-end, where we had good things; and then back to the park and there till night, being fine weather and much company; and so home, and after supper, to bed. This day I first left off both my waistcoats by day, and my waistcoat by night, it being very hot weather, so hot as to make me break out here and there in my hands, which vexes me to see, but is good for me.
10 MAY 1669. Troubled, about 3 in the morning, with my wife’s calling her maid up, and rising herself, to go with her coach abroad to gather May-dew, which she did; and I troubled for it, for fear of any hurt, going abroad so betimes, happening to her. But I to sleep again, and she came home about 6 and to bed again, all well. . . .

12 MAY 1669. . . . my wife and I home in our coach, and there find my Brother John, as I looked for, come to town from Ellington; where, among other things, he tells me the first news that my sister is with child and far gone; which I know not whether it did more trouble or please me, having no great care for my friends to have children, though I love other people’s. . . .

14 MAY 1669. Up, and to St. James’s to the Duke of York and thence to Whitehall, where we met about office business; and then 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 great deal of company, though an ordinary day, and exceeding great cheer, nowhere 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 stayed 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 that ever I heard in my life, 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 Eglinton, 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 was about twenty gentlemen there, and myself infinitely pleased with the novelty. . . . to Unthanks and there find my wife, but not dressed; which vexed me, because of going to the park, it being a most pleasant day after yesterday’s rain, which lays all the dust, and most people going out thither, which vexed me. So home, sullen; but then my wife and I 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. . . .

18 MAY 1669. . . . At noon home and dined in my wife’s chamber, she being much troubled with the tooth-ache; and I stayed till a surgeon of hers came, one Leeson, who hath formerly drawn her mouth. And he advised her to draw it; so I to the office, and by and by word is come that she hath drawn it, which pleased me, it being well done; so I home to comfort her, and so back to the office till night, busy, and so home to supper and to bed.