DIARY

OF

SAMUEL PEPYS,

1662 (CONTINUED).

July 1st. Talking with my wife, who was afraid I did intend to go with my Lord to fetch the Queene hither over, in which I did clear her doubts. I went to bed by daylight, in order to my rising early.

2d. Up while the chimes went four, and so put down my journal. So to my office, to read over such instructions as concern the officers of the Yard; for I am much upon seeing into the miscarriages there. By and by, by appointment, comes Commissioner Pett; and then a messenger from Mr. Coventry, who sits in his boat expecting us. So we down to him at the Tower, and there took water all, and to Deptford, he in our passage taking notice how much difference there is between the old Captains for obedience and order, and the King's new Captains, which I am very glad to hear him confess; and there we went into the Store-house, and viewed first the provisions there, and then his books, but Mr. Davis himself was not there, he having

VOL. II.

B

a kinswoman in the house dead, for which, when by and by I saw him, he do trouble himself most ridiculously, as if there was never another woman in the world; in which so much laziness, as also in the Clerkes of the Cheque and Survey, as that I do not perceive that there is one-third of their duties performed; but I perceive, to my great content, Mr. Coventry will have things performed. To the Pay againe, where I did relieve several of my Lord Sandwiche's people, but was sorry to see them so peremptory, and at every word would complain to my Lord, as if they shall have such a command over my Lord. In the evening come Mr. Lewis to me, and very ingeniously did enquire whether I ever did look into the business of the Chest' at Chatham; and after my readiness to be informed did appear to him, he did produce a paper, wherein he stated the government of the Chest to me; and upon the whole did tell me how it hath ever been abused, and to this day is; and what a meritorious act it would be to look after it; which I am resolved to do, if God bless me; and do thank him very much for it.

3d. Dined with the officers of the Ordnance; where Sir W. Compton,2 Mr. O'Neal, and other great persons After dinner, was brought to Sir W. Compton a gun to discharge seven times; the best of all devices

were.

1 See Pepys's own account of the institution of the Chest, p. 66, post. 2 Noticed in v. i., p. 70. When only eighteen years of age, he charged with his gallant father at the battle of Edgehill. His mother was first cousin to George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, and to John Ashburnham; and his great uncle, Sir Thomas Compton, had been the third husband of the Duke's mother, Mary, Countess of Buckingham.

that ever I saw, and very serviceable, and not a bawble; for it is much approved of, and many thereof made.

4th. Up by five o'clock, and after my journall put in order, to my office about my business, which I am resolved to follow. Comes Mr. Cooper, mate of the Royall Charles, of whom I intend to learn mathematiques, and do begin with him to-day, he being a very able man, and no great matter, I suppose, will content him. After an houre's being with him at arithmetique, my first attempt being to learn the multiplication-table: then we parted till to-morrow.

5th. At noon, had Sir W. Pen, who I hate with all my heart, for his base treacherous tricks, but yet I think it not policy to declare it yet, and his son William, to my house to dinner, where' was also Mr. Creed, and my cousin Harry Alcocke. I having some venison given me a day or two ago, and so I had a shoulder roasted, another baked, and the umbles baked in a pie, and all very well done. well done. We were merry as I could be

in that company.

6th. (Lord's day.) Settled my accounts with my wife for housekeeping, and do see that my kitchen, besides wine, fire, candle, sope, and many other things, comes to about 30s. a week, or a little over. To church, where Mr. Mills made a lazy sermon. To supper with my Lady [Sandwich]; who tells me, with much trouble, that my Lady Castlemaine is still as great with the King, and that the King comes as often to her as ever he did. Jack Cole, my old friend, found me out at 、 the Wardrobe; and, among other things, he told me that certainly most of the chief ministers of London would fling up their livings; and that, soon or late,

the issue thereof would be sad to the King and Court.

7th. Comes Mr. Cooper: so he and I to our mathematiques.

8th. To the Wardrobe; where all alone with my Lord above an hour; and he do seem still to have his old confidence in me; and tells me, to boot, that Mr. Coventry hath spoke of me to him to great advantage; wherein I am much pleased. By and by comes in Mr. Coventry to visit my Lord; and so my Lord and he and I walked together in the great chamber a good while; and I found him a most ingenuous man and good company.

9th. Up by four o'clock, and at my multiplicaciontable hard, which is all the trouble I meet with [at] all in my arithmetique. Sir W. Pen come to my office to take his leave of me, and, desiring a turn in the garden, did commit the care of his building to me, and offered all his services to me in all matters of mine. I did, God forgive me! promise him all my service and love, though the rogue knows he deserves none from me, nor [do] I intend to show him any; but as he dissembles with me, so must I with him. Come Mr. Mills, the minister, to see me, which he hath rarely done to me, though every day almost to others of us; but he is a cunning fellow, and knows where the good victuals is, and the good drink, at Sir W. Batten's. However, I used him civilly, though I love him as I do the rest of his

coat.

11th. Up by four o'clock, and hard at my multiplicacion-table, which I am now almost master of. To Deptford first: then to Woolwich, and viewed well all

the houses and stores there, which lie in very great confusion, for want of storehouses. So by water back again, about five in the afternoon, to White Hall, and so to St. James's; and at Mr. Coventry's chamber, which is very neat and fine, we had a pretty neat dinner.

12th. Put things in order to be laid up, against my workmen come on Monday, to take down the top of my house. At night with Cooper at arithmetique.

13th. (Lord's day.) To Deptford, on purpose to sign and seal a couple of warrants, as justice of peace in Kent, against one Annis, who is to be tried next Tuesday, at Maidstone Assizes, for stealing some lead out of Woolwich Yard.

14th. Dr. T. Pepys come to me to dinner, where by chance comes Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon, and then Mr. Battersby, the minister, and then Mr. Dun, and it happened that I had a haunch of venison boiled, and so they were very wellcome and merry; but my simple Dr. do talk so like a fool, that I am weary of him. This night I found the pageant in Cornhill taken downe, which was pretty strange.

15th. About bed-time, it fell a-raining, and the house being all open at top, it vexed me, but there was no help for it.

16th. In the morning, I found all my ceilings spoiled with rain last night, so that I fear they must be all new whited when the work is done. Mr. Moore to me, drawing up a fair state of all my Lord's accounts, which being settled, he went away: at noon, to my Lord's with it, but found him at dinner, and some great company with him—Mr. Edward Montagu and his brother, and Mr. Coventry, and after dinner went out with