and Mercer, and to Temple Bar to the Ordinary, and had a dish of meat for them, they having not dined, and thence to the King's house, and there saw "The Humerous Lieutenant : a silly play, I think; only the Spirit in it that grows very tall, and then sinks again to nothing, having two heads breeding upon one, and then Knipp's singing, did please us. Here, in a box above, we spied Mrs. Pierce; and, going out, they called us, and so we staid for them; and Knipp took us all in, and brought to us Nelly,1 a most pretty woman, who acted the great part of Coelia to-day very fine, and did it pretty well: I kissed her, and so did my wife; and a mighty pretty soul she is. We also saw Mrs. Hall,2 which is my little Roman-nose black girl, that is mighty pretty: she is usually called Betty. Knipp made us stay in a box and see the dancing preparatory to to-morrow for "The Goblins," a play of Suckling's, not acted these twenty-five years; which was pretty; and so away thence, pleased with this sight also, and specially kissing of Nell. In our way home, we find the Guards of horse in the street, and hear the occasion to be news that the seamen are in a mutiny; which put me into a great fright; and, when I come home, I hear of no disturbance there of the seamen, but that one of them, being arrested to-day, others do go and rescue him. 3 24th. At the office, we were frighted with news of fire at Sir W. Batten's by a chimney taking fire, and it put me into much fear and trouble, but with a great many hands and pains it was soon stopped. I home, where most of my company come of this end of the town-Mercer and her sister, Mr. Batelier and Pembleton, my Lady Pen, and Pegg, and Mr. Lowther, but did not stay long and I believe it was by Sir W. Pen's order; for they had a great mind to have staid, and also Captain Rolt. And anon, at about seven or eight o'clock, comes Mr. Harris, of the Duke's playhouse, and brings Mrs. Pierce with him, and also one dressed like a country-maid with a straw hat on; and, at first, I could not tell who it was, though I expected Knipp: 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. Harris I first took to my closet; and I find him a very curious and understanding person in all pictures and other things, and a man of fine conversation; and so is Rolt. So away with all my company down to the office, 1 Nell Gwynne. 2 Betty Hall. She was Sir Philip Howard's mistress. Compare 30th March, 1667, and 19th Dec., 1668. Sir John Suckling, the poet. : 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. Here was Mrs. Turner, also, and Mrs. Markham after supper to dancing again and singing, and so continued till almost three in the morning, and then, with extraordinary pleasure, broke up-only towards morning, Knipp fell a little ill, and so my wife home with her to put her to bed, and we continued dancing and singing; and, among other things, our Mercer unexpectedly did happen to sing an Italian song I know not, of which they two sung the other two parts-two that did almost ravish me, and made me in love with her more than ever with her singing. As late as it was, yet Rolt and Harris would go home to-night, and walked it, though I had a bed for them; and it proved dark, and a misty night, and very windy. The company being all gone to their homes, I up with Mrs. Pierce to Knipp, who was in bed; and we waked her, and sung a song, and then left my wife to see Mrs. Pierce in bed to her, in our best chamber, and so to bed myself, my mind mightily satisfied: only the musique did not please me, they not being contented with less than 30s. 25th. This afternoon I saw the Poll Bill, now printed; wherein I do fear I shall be very deeply concerned, being to be taxed for all my offices, and then for my money that I have, and my title, as well as my head. It is a very great tax; but yet I do think it is so perplexed, it will hardly ever be collected duly. The late invention of Sir G. Downing's is continued of bringing all the money into the Exchequer; and Sir G. Carteret's three pence is turned for all the money of this act into but a penny per pound, which I am sorry for. This day, the House hath passed the Bill for the Assessment; which I am glad of; and also our little Bill, for giving any of us in the office the power of justice of peace, is done as I would have it. 27th. (Lord's day.) To Sir Philip Warwick, by appointment, to meet Lord Bellassis, and up to his chamber, but find him unwilling to discourse of business on Sundays: so did not enlarge. Went down and sat in a low room, reading "Erasmus de Scribendis Epistolis," a very good book, especially one letter of advice to a courtier most true and good, which made me once resolve to tear out the two leaves that it was writ in, but I forbore it. Roger Pepys and I to walk in the Pell Mell. I find by him that the House of Parliament continues full of ill humours; and do say how, in their late Poll Bill, which cost so much time, the yeomanry, and indeed twothirds of the nation, are left out to be taxed, that there is not effectual provision enough made for collection of the money; and then, that after a man his goods are distrained and sold, and the overplus returned, I am to have ten days to make my complaints of being over-rated if there be cause, when my goods are sold, and that is too late. These things they are resolved to look into again, and mend them before they rise, which they expect at furthest on Thursday next. Here we met with Mr. May,1 and he and we to talk of several things, of building, and such like matters. Walked to White Hall, and there I showed my cozen Roger the Duchess of York sitting in state, while her own mother stands by her; and my Lady Castlemaine, whom he approves to be very handsome, and wonders that she cannot be as good within as she is fair without. Her little black boy come by him; and, a dog being in his way, the little boy swore at the dog: "How," says he, blessing himself, "would I whip this child till the blood come, if it were my child!" and I believe he would. But he do by no means like the liberty of the Court, and did come with expectation of finding them playing at cards to-night, though Sunday; for such stories he is told, but how true I know not.2 My wife tells me Mr. Frampton 3 is gone to sea, and so she lost her labour to-day in thinking to hear him preach. 28th. To Westminster, where I spent the morning at the Lords' House door, to hear the conference between the two Houses about my Lord Mordaunt, of which there was great expectation, many hundreds of people coming to hear it. But, 1 Hugh May. 2 There is little reason to doubt that it was such as Evelyn describes it at a later time. "I can never forget the inexpressible luxury and prophaneness, gaming and all dissoluteness, and, as it were, total forgetfulness of God (it being Sunday evening) which this day se'nnight I was witness of: the King sitting and toying with his concubines, Portsmouth, Cleveland [Castlemaine], Mazarin, &c. A French boy singing love songs in that glorious gallery, whilst about twenty of the great courtiers and other dissolute persons were at basset round a large table, a bank of at least £2,000 in gold before them; upon which two gentlemen who were with me made reflexions with astonishment. Six days after was all in the dust." -Diary, Feb., 1685. 8 See note, Jan. 20, 1666-7, ante. when they come, the Lords did insist upon my Lord Mordaunt's having leave to sit upon a stool uncovered within their barr, and that he should have counsel, which the Commons would not suffer, but desired leave to report their Lordships' resolution to the House of Commons; and so parted for this day, which troubled me, I having by this means lost the whole day. Here I hear from Mr. Hayes that Prince Rupert is very bad still, and so bad, that he do now yield to be trepanned. Much work I find there is to do in the two Houses in a little time, and much difference there is between them in many things to be reconciled; as in the Bill for examining our accounts, Lord Mordaunt's Bill for building the city, and several others. The goldsmith home with me, and I paid him £15 15s. for my silver standish. He tells me gold holds up its price still, and did desire me to let him have what old 20s. pieces I have, and he would give me 3s. 2d. change for each. Comes Mr. Gauden at my desire to me, and tomorrow I shall pay him some money, and shall see what present he will make me, the hopes of which do make me part with my money out of my chest, which I should not otherwise do. After supper and reading a little, and my wife's cutting off my hair short, which is grown too long upon my crown of my head, I to bed. 29th. To the office, where Sir W. Pen and I look much askewe one upon another, though afterward business made us speak friendly enough, but yet we hate one another. Sir W. Batten come to me, and tells me that there is news upon the Exchange to-day, that my Lord Sandwich's coach and the French Embassador's at Madrid, meeting and contending for the way, they shot my Lord's postillion and another man dead; 2 and that we have killed 25 of theirs, and that my Lord is well. How true this is I cannot tell. Comes Mrs. Turner to me, to make her complaint of her sad usage from my Lord Brouncker, that he thinks much she hath not already got another house, though he himself hath employed her night and day ever since his first naming of the matter, to make part of her house ready for him, as he ordered, and promised she should stay till she had fitted herself; by which I perceive he is a rotten-hearted, false man, and, therefore, I must beware of him accordingly. I did pity the woman, and gave her the best council I could; and so, falling to other discourse, I made her laugh and merry, 1 The editor can remember when a guinea was worth 275. 2 Intended as retaliation, perhaps for the humiliation experienced by Dr. Estrades in London. See 4th October, 1661, ante. as sad as she come to me; so that I perceive no passion in a woman can be lasting long.1 30th. Fast-day for the King's death. At night, it being a little moonshine and fair weather, into the garden, and with Mercer sang till my wife put me in mind of its being a fast-day; and so I was sorry for it, and stopped, and home to cards.2 31st. Mr. Osborne comes from Mr. Gauden, and takes money and notes for £4,000, and leaves me acknowledgment for £4,800 and odd; implying as if D. Gauden would give the £800 between Povy and myself, but how he will divide it I know not. The Parliament is not yet up, being finishing some bills. Thus the month ends: myself in very good health and content of mind in my family. All our heads full in the office at this dividing of the Comptroller's duty. Parliament, upon breaking up, having given the King money with much ado, and great heats, and neither side pleased, neither King nor them. The imperfection of the Poll Bill, which must be mended before they rise, there being several horrible oversights to the prejudice of the King, is a certain sign of the care anybody hath of the King's business. Nobody knows who commands the fleete next year, or, indeed, whether we shall have a Fleete or no. Great preparations in Holland and France, and the French have lately taken Antigo (Antigua) from us, which vexes us.3 February 1st. Much surprised to hear this day at Deptford that Mrs. Batters is going already to be married to him, that is now the Captain of her husband's ship. She seemed the most passionate mourner in the world. 2d. This night comes home my new silver snuffe-dish, which I do give myself for my closet. I am very well pleased this night with reading a poem I brought home with me last night from Westminster Hall, of Dryden's, upon the present war; a very good poem. 4 3d. (Lord's day.) To White Hall, and there to Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and there staid till he was ready, talking, and among other things of the Prince's being trepanned, which was in doing just as we passed through the Stone Gallery, we 1 Pepys might be thinking of Francis I.'s "Souvent femme varie 2 The distinctions without a difference which Pepys draws, are often very ludicrous. 3 It is now not only English, but also the seat of a colonial bishoprick. 4 Annus Mirabilis. |