wife, which shows her to be a mad, conceited, ridiculous woman, and he an asse to suffer her to write what she writes to him, and of him. So to bed, my eyes being very bad; and I know not how in the world to abstain from reading.

19th. Walked all along Thames Street, which I have not done since it was burned, as far as Billingsgate; and there do see a brave street likely to be, many brave houses being built, and of them a great many by Mr. Jaggard; but the raising of the street will make it mighty fine. I was surprised with a letter without a name to it, very well writ, in a good stile, giving me notice of my cozen Kate Joyce's being likely to ruin herself by marriage, and by ill reports already abroad of her, and I do fear that this keeping of a inne may spoil her, being a young and pretty comely woman, and thought to be left well. I did answer the letter with thanks and good liking, and am resolved to take the advice he gives, and go to see her, and find out what I can: but if she will ruin herself, I cannot help it.

1

20th. To Kate Joyce's to speak with her; but company being with her, I only invited her to come and dine with me on Sunday next, and so away. All the evening pricking down some things, and trying some conclusions upon my viall, in order to the inventing a better theory of musick than hath yet been abroad; and I think verily I shall do it. This day at Court I do hear that Sir W. Pen do command this summer's fleete: and Mr. Progers of the Bedchamber, as a secret, told me that the Prince Rupert is troubled at it, and several friends of his have been with him to know the reason of it; so that he do pity Sir W. Pen, whom he hath great kindness for, that he should not at any desire of his be put to the service, and thereby make the Prince his enemy, and contract more envy from other people.

21st. To the Office, and wrote my letters, and then abroad to do several things, and pay what little scores I had, and among others Mrs. Martin's, and there did give 20s. to Mrs. Cregg, her landlady, who was my Valentine in the house, as well as Doll Lane.

1i. e., the anonymous writer; but how Pepys directed the answer does not appear.

22d. (Easter day.) Walked to the Temple, and there got a coach, and to White Hall, where spoke with several people, and find by all that Pen is to go to sea this year with the fleete; and they excuse the Prince's going, by saying it is not a command great enough for him. Here I met with Brisband, and, after hearing the service at the King's chapel, where I heard the Bishop of Norwich, Dr. Reynolds, the old presbyterian, begin a very plain sermon, he and I to the Queen's chapel, and there did hear the Italians sing; and indeed their musick did appear most admirable to me, beyond anything of our's: I was never so well satisfied in my life with it. So home to dinner, where Kate Joyce was, as I invited her: and after dinner she and I alone to talk about her business, as I designed; and I find her very discreet, and she assures me she neither do nor will incline to the doing anything towards marriage, without my advice and did tell me that she had many offers, and that Harman and his friends would fain have her but he is poor, and so it will not be advisable: but that there is another, a tobacconist, one Holinshed, whom she speaks well of, to be a plain, sober man, and in good condition, that offers her very well, and submits to me by examining and inquiring after it. If I see good, it will be best for her to marry, I think, as soon as she can—at least, to be rid of this house; for the trade will not agree with a young widow, that is a little handsome.

:

23d. At noon come Mrs. Pierce, and Mrs. Manuel, the Jew's wife, and Mrs. Corbet, and Mrs. Pierce's boy and girl. But we are defeated of Knipp by her being forced to act to-day, and also of Harris, which did trouble me, they being my chief guests. However, I had an extraordinary good dinner, and the better because dressed by my own servants, and were mighty merry; and here was Pelling by chance come and dined with me; and after sitting long at dinner, I had a barge ready at Tower-wharfe, to take us in, and so we went all of us, up as high as Barne-Elms, a very fine day, and all the way sang; and Mrs. Manuel sings very finely, and is a mighty discreet, sober-carriaged woman, that both my wife and I are mightily taken with her. At Barne-Elms we walked round, and then to the barge again, and had much merry talk, and

good singing; and come before it was dark to the New Exchange stairs, and there landed, and walked up to Mrs. Pierce's, where we sat awhile, and then up to their diningroom. And so, having a violin and theorbo, did fall to dance, here being also Mrs. Floyd come hither, and by and by Mr. Harris. But there being so few of us that could dance, and my wife not being very well, we had not much pleasure in the dancing: there was Knipp also, by which with much pleasure we did sing a little, and so, about ten o'clock, I took coach with my wife and Deb., and so home.

24th. Comes to me Mr. Shish, to desire my appearing for him to succeed Mr. Christopher Pett,' lately dead, in his place of Master-Shipwright of Deptford and Woolwich, which I do resolve to promote what I can. To White Hall, and there to the Duke of York's chamber, where I understand it is already resolved by the King and the Duke of York that Shish shall have the place. From the Duke's chamber Sir W. Coventry and I to walk in the Matted Gallery; and there, among other things, he tells me of the wicked design that now is at last contrived against him, to get a petition presented from people that the money they have paid to him for their places may be repaid them back and that this is set on by Temple and Hollis of the Parliament, and, among other mean people in it, by Captain Tatnell; and he prays me that I will use some effectual way to sift Tatnell what he do, and who puts him on in this business, which I do undertake, and will do with all my skill for his service, being troubled that he is still under this difficulty. Thence back to White Hall, where great talk of the tumult at the other end of the town, about Moore-fields, among the 'prentices, taking the liberty of these holydays to pull down brothels. And, Lord! to see the apprehensions which this did give to all people

There is a monument to him in Deptford Church: see note to 16th May, 1660.

2 It was customary for the apprentices of the metropolis to avail themselves of their holidays, especially on Shrove Tuesday, to search after women of ill fame, and to confine them during the season of Lent. See a Satyre against Separatists, 1675.