of Salisbury, lately come to town, who I will go to. Thence home, where the streets full, at our end of the town, removing their wine against the Act begins, which will be two days hence, to raise the price.

23d. To Dr. Turberville about my eyes, whom I met with: and he did discourse, I thought, learnedly about them; and takes time before he did prescribe me any thing, to think of it.

24th. Creed and Colonel Atkins come to me about sending coals to Tangier; and upon that most of the morning. With wife, Mercer, Deb., and W. Hewer to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Impertinents," a pretty good play; and so by water to Spring Garden, and there supped, and so home.

26th. At noon, with my Fellow-Officers, to the Dolphin, at Sir G. Carteret's charge, to dinner, he having some accounts examined this morning.

27th. Dined at home, and then my wife, and Deb., and I to the King's playhouse, to see "The Indian Queene," but do not doat upon Nan Marshall's acting therein, as the world talks of her excellence. Thence with my wife to buy some linnen, £13 worth, for sheets, &c., at the new shop over against the New Exchange; and the master, who is come out of London1 since the fire, says his and other tradesmen's retail trade is so great here, and better than it was in London, that they believe they shall not return, nor the city be ever so great for retail as heretofore.2

28th. (Lord's day.) Much talk of the French setting out their fleete afresh; but I hear nothing that our King is alarmed at it, at all, but rather making his fleete less.3

29th. To Dr. Turberville's, and there did receive a direction for some physic, and also a glass of something to drop into my eyes: he gives me hopes that I may do well. Then to White Hall, where I find the Duke of York in the Council-chamber; and the Officers of the Navy were called in about Navy business,

was born at Wayford, co. Somerset, in 1612, and became an expert oculist; and probably Pepys received great benefit from his advice, as his vision does not appear to have failed during the many years that he lived, after discontinuing the Diary. The Doctor died rich, and subsequently to his decease his sister Mary, inheriting all his prescriptions and knowing how to use them, practised as an oculist in London, with good reputation.

1 To the Strand.

2 The trade still proceeds westward.

3 His Majesty and Prince Rupert returned to town the day before, after viewing the fleet in the Downs and the new fortifications at Sheerness.-The London Gazette, No. 273.

about calling in of more ships; the King of France having, as the Duke of York says, ordered his fleete to come in, notwithstanding what he had lately ordered for their staying abroad. Thence to the Chapel, it being St. Peter's day, and did hear an anthem of Silas Taylor's making; a dull, old-fashioned thing, of six and seven parts, that nobody could understand: and the Duke of York, when he came out, told me that he was a better store-keeper than anthem-maker, and that was bad enough, too. This morning Mr. May1 showed me the King's new buildings at White Hall, very fine; and, among other things, his cielings, and his houses of office. With my wife to the King's playhouse "The Mulberry Garden," which she had not seen.

30th. At the Office all the morning: then home to dinner, where a stinking leg of mutton, the weather being very wet and hot to keep meat in. Then to the Office again, all the afternoon : we met about the Victualler's new contract. And so up, and to walk all the evening with my wife and Mrs. Turner, in the garden, till supper, about eleven at night; and so, after supper, parted, and to bed, my eyes bad, but not worse, only weary with working. But, however, very melancholy under the fear of my eyes being spoiled, and not to be recovered; for I am come that I am not able to read out a small letter, and yet my sight good for the little while I can read, as ever it was, I think.

July 1st. My cozen Roger dined with us, and mighty importunate for our coming down to Impington, which I think to do, this Sturbridge fair. To White Hall, and so to St. James's, where we met; and much business with the Duke of York. And I find the Duke of York very hot for regulations in the Navy; and, I believe, is put on it by Sir W. Coventry; and I am glad of it: and particularly, he falls heavy on Chathamyard, and is vexed that Lord Anglesey did, the other day, complain at the Council-table of disorders in the Navy, and not to him. So I to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier; and there vexed with the importunity and clamours of Alderman Backewell, for my acquittance for money by him supplied to the garrison, before I have any order for paying it so home, calling at several places-among others, the 'Change, and on Cooper, to know when my wife shall come and sit for her picture.

3d. To the Commissioners of Accounts at Brooke House,2 the first time I was ever there, and found Sir W. Turner in the chair; and present, Lord Halifax, Thomas Gregory, Dunster, 1 Hugh May.

2 In Holborn, where Brooke Street and Greville Street now are.

2

and Osborne.1 I long with them, and see them hot set on this matter; but I did give them proper and safe answers. Halifax, I perceive, was industrious on my side, in behalf of his uncle Coventry, it being the business of Sir W. Warren. Vexed only at their denial of a copy of what I set my hand to, and swore. To an alehouse: met Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, and Dr. Clerke, Waldron,8 Turberville, my physician for the eyes, and Lowre, to dissect several eyes of sheep and oxen, with great pleasure, and to my great information. But strange that this Turberville should be so great a man, and yet, to this day, had seen no eyes dissected, or but once, but desired this Dr. Lowre to give him the opportunity to see him dissect some.

4th. Up, and to see Sir W. Coventry, and give him account of my doings yesterday, which he well liked of, and was told thereof by my Lord Halifax before; but I do perceive he is much concerned for this business. Gives me advice to write a smart letter to the Duke of York about the want of money in the Navy, and desire him to communicate it to the Commissioners of the Treasury; for he tells me he hath hot work sometimes to contend with the rest for the Navy, they being all concerned for some other part of the King's expenses, which they would prefer to this, of the Navy. He showed me his closet, with his round table, for him to sit in the middle, very convenient; and I borrowed several books of him, to collect things out of about the Navy, which I have not. All the afternoon busy, till night, and then to Mile-End with my wife and girl, and there drank and eat a jole of salmon, at the Rose and Crown, our old house; and so home to bed.

5th. (Lord's day.) About four in the morning took four pills of Dr. Turberville's prescribing, for my eyes, and I did get my wife to spend the morning reading of Wilkins's Reall Character.5 At noon comes W. Hewer and Pelling, and young Michell and

1 Afterwards Sir Thomas Osborne, Viscount Dunblane, Earl of Danby, Marquis of Carmarthen, and Duke of Leeds. He became Lord High Treasurer and K.G.

2 Lord Halifax's mother was Anne, sister of Sir John and Sir William Coventry, and of Harry Coventry. She married, secondly, Sir Thomas Chichele, or Chicheley, of Wimpole, in Cambridgeshire, Master of the Ordnance, which circumstance explains many allusions made by Pepys.

3 Thomas Waldron of Baliol College; created M.D. at Oxford 1653: afterwards Physician in Ordinary to Charles II.

4 Richard Lower, of Christ Church; admitted Bachelor of Physic at Oxford, 1665, and afterwards a celebrated physician. He died in 1690. 5 An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language, with an Alphabetical Dictionary, London, 1668, folio, by John Wilkins, shortly afterwards made Bishop of Chester.

his wife, and dined with us, and most of the afternoon talking; and then at night my wife to read again, and to supper and to bed.

:

6th. Attended the Duke of York, and was there by himself told how angry he was, and did declare to my Lord Anglesey, about his complaining of things of the Navy to the King in Council, and not to him, and I perceive he is mightily concerned at it, and resolved to reform things therein. With Sir W. Coventry and we walked in the Park together a good while. He mighty kind to me; and hear many pretty stories of my Lord Chancellor's being heretofore made sport of by Peter Talbot the priest, in his story of the death of Cardinal Bleau;1 by Lord Cottington, in his Dolor de las Tripas; and Tom Killigrew, in his being bred in Ram Ally, and bound 'prentice to Lord Cottington, going to Spain with £1000, and two suits of clothes. Thence to Mr. Cooper's, and there met my wife and W. Hewer and Deb.; and there my wife first sat for her picture but he is a most admirable workman, and good company. Here comes Harris, and first told us how Betterton is come again upon the stage: whereupon my wife and company to the Duke's house to see "Henry the Fifth ;" while I to attend the Duke of York at the Committee of the Navy, at the Council, where some high dispute between him and W. Coventry about settling pensions upon all Flag-Officers, while unemployed: W. Coventry against it, and, I think, with reason. Thence I to the playhouse, and saw a piece of the play, and glad to see Betterton; and so with wife and Deb. to Springgarden, and eat a lobster. Great doings at Paris, I hear, with their triumphs for their late conquests.2 The Duchess of Richmond sworn last week of the Queen's Bedchamber, and the King minding little else but what he used to do-about his

women.

7th. Kate Joyce come to me, but took no notice to me of her being married, but seemed mighty pale, and doubtful what to say or do, expecting, I believe, that I should begin; and

1 It is probable these stories, in ridicule of Clarendon, are nowhere recorded. Cardinal Jean Balue was the minister of Louis XI. of France. The reader will remember him in Sir W. Scott's Quentin Durward. was confined for eleven years in an iron cage, invented by himself,

"Neque enim lex æquior ulla

Quam necis artifices arte perire suâ."-Art. Am.

in the Chateau de Loches, and died soon after he regained his liberty. 2 See April 27th and 30th, 1668, ante.

See 11th May, ante.

He

not finding me beginning, said nothing, but, with trouble in her face, went away. In the evening to Unthanke's; and we are fain to go round by Newgate, because of Fleet Bridge being under rebuilding. Home and supped: and Mrs. Turner, the mother, comes to us, and there late, and so to bed.

8th. To Sir W. Coventry, and there discoursed of several things; and I find him much concerned in the present enquiries now on foot of the Commissioners of Accounts, though he reckons himself and the rest very safe, but vexed to see us liable to these troubles, in things wherein we have laboured to do best. Thence, he being to go out of town to-morrow, to drink Banbury waters, I to the Duke of York to attend him about business of the Office; and find him mighty free to me, and how he is concerned to mend things in the Navy himself, and not leave it to other people. So home to dinner; and then with my wife to Cooper's, and there saw her sit; and he do extraordinary things indeed. So to White Hall; and there by and by the Duke of York comes to the Robe-chamber, and spent with us three hours till night, in hearing the business of the Masters-Attendants of Chatham, and the Store-keeper of Woolwich; and resolves to displace them all; so hot he is of giving proofs of his justice at this time, that it is their great fate now, to come to be questioned at such a time as this.

10th. To Cooper's; and there find my wife, and W. Hewer and Deb., sitting, and painting; and here he do work finely, though I fear it will not be so like as I expected: but now I understand his great skill in musick, his playing and setting to the French lute most excellently; and he speaks French, and indeed is an excellent man. Thence, in the evening, with my people in a glass hackney-coach to the park, but was ashamed to be seen. So to the lodge and drank milk, and so

home.

11th. To the King's playhouse, to see an old play of Shirly's, called "Hide Parke;" the first day acted; where horses are brought upon the stage: but it is but a very moderate play, only an excellent epilogue spoke by Beck Marshall.1

12th. (Lord's day.) This last night Betty Michell about midnight cries out, and my wife goes to her, and she brings forth a girl, and this afternoon the child is christened, and my wife godmother again to a Betty.

13th. Walked to Ducke Lane, and there to the bookseller's, at the Bible. I did there look upon and buy some books, and made way for coming again to the man. Thence to Reeves's, 1 Never printed.