Sunday 19 July 1663

… till November next of any sort or quantity, by which I shall … illy play writ by a person of honour (which is, I find, as much as to say a …

Tuesday 8 May 1660

… dinner come several persons of honour, as my Lord St. John and others, for co … g, and great giving of them salutes. My Lord and we at nine-pi … Cook brings me word of my wife. He went to Huntsmore to see he … nd speaks very well of her love to me. My letters to-day tell … , with a great deal of pomp. I had also news who they are that are chosen of the Lords and Commons to attend the Kin … lso the whole story of what we did the other day in the fleet, at reading of the King's declaration, and my name at the bottom of it. After supper some musique and to be …

Friday 20 April 1660

… Lord using him as a person of honour. This evening too came Mr. John Pickeri … mbridge for knights of the shire, Wendby and Thornton by decla … and the settlement of the Church, did carry it against all ex …

Thursday 4 March 1668/69

… about the business of his challenging the Duke of Buckingham, and so was also Harry Savil … s] a gentleman, and of the Duke of York's bedchamber, I heard afterwards that the Duke of York is mightily incensed at, and do ap … t to him. This news of Sir W. Coventry did strike me to the he … by this and my Lord of Ormond's business, I do doubt that the Duke of Buckingham will be so flushed, that he … ellor, nor the Duke of York any sure friend to stick to him; n … e House I find full of this business of Sir W. Coventry's, and most men very sensible of the cause and effects of it. So, meeting with my Lord Bellassis, … me the particulars of this matter; that it arises about a qua … y had with the Duke of Buckingham about a design between the D … letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to spe … pon which, the Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes, his champion … and 23 more.

Wednesday 23 January 1660/61

… ent and drank a pot of ale. He told me that he was upon a desi … and saw the manner of the house, and found great company of persons of honour there. Thence to my bookseller's, and f … l things in a hurry of business, Slater, our messenger, being … to-day but a piece of bread and cheese at the ale-house with …

Tuesday 22 January 1660/61

… for the regulating of the officers of the Navy, in which he hath taken much p … ve too good opinion of them himself. From thence in his coach … upon some proposals of theirs for settling convoys for the who … very finely by many persons of honour and merchants that were there. It pleas … , where he tells me of his last and great book that is coming … hat is, his History of all the Families in England; and could tell me more of my own, than I knew myself. And also to … now brought the art of memory; that he did lately to four emin … different subjects of their proposing, faster than they were … e that the best way of beginning a sentence, if a man should b …

Sunday 10 May 1663

… several businesses of the Navy, and afterwards, the Duke bein … ament-men; and most of their talk was about the news from Scot … nd, that the Bishop of Galloway was besieged in his house by s … id in the beginning of the late troubles. From thence they talked of rebellion; and I perceive they make it … to master the City of London, whatever comes of it or from it. After that to some other … her things, talking of the way of ordinaries, that it is very convenient, … arn two good things of France, which were that we would not th … w the gentleman, or person of honour at a tavern, to bargain for his meat be … friend or gentleman of his good behaviour and abilities. Hence …

Thursday 24 May 1660

… Extraordinary press of noble company, and great mirth all the … on the decks, where persons of honour all the afternoon, among others, Thomas … ll, but a gentleman of great esteem with the King), who told u … out a Queen Dowager of Judaea and Palestine, that was at the H … pper the three Drs. of Physic again at my cabin; where I put D … Scarborough in mind of what I heard him say about the use of the eyes, which he owned, that children … ed, coming in sight of land a little before night. This right of purveyance was abolished in Charles's r …

Wednesday 23 May 1660

… rning came infinity of people on board from the King to go alo … d with a great deal of affection kiss my Lord upon his first m … two Dukes and Queen of Bohemia, Princess Royal, and Prince of Orange, came on board, where I in their … finite shooting off of the guns, and that in a disorder on pur … thing but Lords and persons of honour on board, that we were exceeding full. … ned in a great deal of state, the Royall company by themselves … hom and his company of the King's Guard in another ship my Lor … id give three dozen of bottles of wine. He made friends between Mr. Pierc … ke altered the name of some of the ships, viz. the Nazeby into Charles … s Royal, and Prince of Orange, took leave of the King, and the Duke of York went on board the London, and the Duke of Gloucester, the Swiftsure. Which done, … and 22 more.

Sunday 9 December 1660

… led), was by a gust of wind sunk down to the bottom. Twenty me … am sent to the Duke of York to tell him, and by boat with some … r, and had infinite of talk of all kind of things, especially of beauty of men and women, with which she seems to … uch pleased to talk of. From thence at night to Mr. Kennard an … ) did give us a cup of good sack. From thence with Mr. Kennard … , and after a glass of sack there; we parted, having taken ord … showed me a design of his, by the King's making an Order of Knights of the Seal to give an encouragement for persons of honour to undertake the service of the sea, and he had done it with great …

Saturday 8 March 1661/62

… nd I to drink a cup of ale at the Swan, and there he told me h … Monk hath disposed of all the places which Mr. Edwd. Montagu … d, as he was Master of the Horse to the Queen; which I am afra … uch upon the profit of what he should make by these places. He … more scurvy stories of him and his brother Ralph, which troubles me to hear of persons of honour as they are. About one o'clock with bot … as taken with a fit of coughing that lasted a great while and … ir Thos. Allen, one of the Aldermen of the City, about the business of one Colonel Appesley, whom we had taken counterfeiting of bills with all our hands and the officers of the yards, so well counterfeited that I … nts for the seizing of a complice of his, one Blinkinsopp. So home and wrote …

Wednesday 9 May 1660

… om the two Generals of the fleet, in answer to his letter to t … St. John and other persons of honour were here to see my Lord, and so away t … irous to go because of seeing my wife before she went out of town. As we were sitting down to dinner … tter from the House of Lords to my Lord, to desire him to prov … nd brought down one of the Proclamations, with great joy to us … that writ the story of the King, hither, who is going over to …

Monday 31 December 1660

… d I bought the play of "Henry the Fourth," and so went to the … Lauderdale and some persons of honour. So Mr. Shepley and I over to Harper's, …

Tuesday 5 February 1660/61

… aring made me weary of his company and so I went away. Into th … ith a great company of Lords and persons of honour to attend him) go up to the Treasury Of … also saw the heads of Cromwell, Bradshaw, and Ireton, set up … pon the further end of the Hall. Then at Mrs. Michell's in the … ery hungry for want of dinner, and so to bed.

Tuesday 4 February 1661/62

… ingenious man and a person of honour he seems to be) dined; and, discoursing of the nature of serpents, he told us some that in the waste places of Lancashire do grow to a great bigness, … again in its course of a circle, and falls directly into the mouth of the serpent; which is very strange. He … ller; and, speaking of the tarantula, he says that all the har … ere, in expectation of being hired by those that are stung. Th … ely sent to us, and of which we are to treat at the office to- …

Friday 16 June 1665

… ormed that the Duke of Yorke is come, and hath appointed us to … e the Court is full of the Duke and his courtiers returned fro … , from all the rest of the company, walked into the Matted Gal … er many expressions of love, we fell to talk of business. Among other things, how my Lo … will be, turned out of his ship. Captain Holmes1 expecting upo … who first told him of Holmes's intention, that he should diss … sought an occasion of leaving the service. Several of our captains have done ill. The great s … run away upon sight of "The Prince."3 It is strange to see how … ce, was the delight of the Court. Captain Smith of "The Mary" the Duke talks mightily of; and some great thing will be done for … estoffe, in hearing of the guns, and could not (as others) be … and 5 more.

Thursday 3 November 1664

… locked to by people of all sorts against his going to sea. At … among other an end of that that has troubled me long, the business of the bewpers and flags. At noon to the ' … e to take his leave of me, being to-morrow, which is very sudd … d, I should be glad of, for the good of the place and the safety of his person; but I think his honour will suffer, and, it may be, his intere … arles" was the Duke of York's ship, and Sir William Penn, who … ve Penn the command of the fleet immediately under himself. On … (Penn's "Memorials of Sir William Penn," vol. ii., p. 296). & …

Wednesday 9 September 1663

Up by break of day, and then to my vials a while, and so to Si … ine cupp turned out of Lignum Vitae, which the poor child conf … the whole business of my Lord's folly with this Mrs. Becke, at Chelsey, of all which I am ashamed to see my Lord s … to the flinging off of all honour, friends, servants, and every thing and person that is good, and only will have his pr … privacy beneath his honour, and with his carrying her abroad and p … cience and thoughts of his lady and family do it. So after lon …

Sunday 27 May 1660

… ontagu, Knight, one of our Generals at sea, and our Companion elect of our Noble Order of the Garter. The contents of the letter is to show that the Kings of England have for many years made use of this honour, as a special mark of favour, to persons of good extraction and virtue (and that ma … , Kings and Princes of other countries have borne this honour), and that whereas my Lord is of a noble family, and hath now done the K … r to wear as Knight of the Order, with a dispensation for the other ceremonies of the habit of the Order, and other things, till herea … with joy as Knight of the Garter, and that was all. After tha … my Lord was writing of a letter, he took his leave of my Lord, and so to shore again to the K … erday gave the like honour to General Monk,1 who are the only two … fore they had other honours of Earldom, or the like, excepting only the Duke of Buckingham, who was only Sir George Vil … he was made Knight of the Garter. A while after Mr. Thos. Cre … from London in lieu of that that my Lord had of me. The officers being all on board, th … obster and a bottle of oil, instead of a bottle of vinegar, whereby I spoiled my dinner. M … and 3 more.

Monday 4 July 1664

… and very much made of there by him. He offered me the selling of some land of his in Cambridgeshire, a purchase of about 1000l., and if I can compass it I … nd my wife this day of her owne accord to have lain out 25s. upon a pair of pendantes for her eares, which did vex … that resolution out of doors; the poor wretch afterwards in a … I could not get out of my mind, and so went to bed at night di … ry Hope by the Earl of Sandwich, returning the same day, abund … he dutiful respects of that honourable person and with the excellent condition of all matters committed to his charge" (" …

Wednesday 20 August 1662

… a great many great persons in the business of Tangier, which is a very great honour to me, and may be of good concernment to me. By and by comes … nd that I am there, of which he said he was glad; and did tell … was indeed the life of this office, and much more to my commen … e is yet good hopes of peace with Guyland,1 which is of great concernment to Tangier. And many … bout the drawing up of this Commission, I went to Westminster … ishes; the mistress of the house a pretty, well-carriaged woma … ck to my old course of drinking wine and staying from my busin … about the business of the Chest, which I have now a mind to p … atten, which is one of the ends (God forgive me) that I have i … himself at the head of an army for the purpose of attacking Tangier. -- B. ↩

Friday 22 May 1663

… the house-carpenter of Deptford, hath sent me a fine blackbird … derstand the course of the tides, and I think I do now do it. … alehouse at the end of the town to wrap a rag about my little … Pen in the business of Bowyer's, wherein he is guilty of some corruption to the King's wrong, we … used in the passing of his accounts by Sir J. Minnes to the de … ing in the business of Bewpers, being of the party with Young and Whistler to ab … aid to be writ by a person of Quality concerning English gentry to be … rred before titular honours, but the most silly nonsense, no sense … G. Carteret was out of the way, and so returned back presently …

Sunday 7 April 1667

… but yet the voices of eunuchs I do not like like our women, n … rse, so as the tone of one not to agree with or please the oth … ore can the fashion of singing to words, for that the better t … e more they take in of the ordinary tone of the country whose language the song spe … w the King come out of chapel after prayers in the afternoon, … ceive, is quite out of mourning; and some very fine; among oth … l story he tells me of his leaving, his place upon the death of my Lord Cleveland, by which he is become Captain of the Pensioners; and that the King did l … Deputy Lieutenants of Yorkshire, who have desired to lay down … sions upon pretence of having no profit by their places but ch … ed is upon the Duke of Buckingham's being under a cloud (of whom there is yet nothing heard), so th … and 6 more.

Friday 26 August 1664

… stopped the receipt of it. Thence to the ropeyard, and there a … cted, and I am glad of it. Thence to the Dockyarde, and there … house and eat a bit of bread and cheese. There I could not get … he King hath forbid of late anybody's coming, to watch his com … , and there instead of meeting with one that was handsome and … ndeed there is both of the Queenes and Mayds of Honour (particularly Mrs. Stewart's in a buff … to renew the lease of his house, which I did give eare to the … her. A most modish person, grown, she says, a fine gentleman. Wil … s: "I remember your honour very well, when you newly came out of France and wore pantaloon breeches." &# …

Thursday 10 March 1663/64

… 's harslet, a piece of meat I love, but have not eat of I think these seven years, and after di … for the Corporation of the Royall Fishery; whereof the Duke of Yorke is made present Governor, and sev … al other very great persons, to the number of thirty-two, made his assistants for the … ot only as a matter of honour, but that, that may come to be of profit to me, and so with great content …

Monday 5 June 1665

… Hall to a Committee of Tangier, where I offered my accounts wi … some good words and honour by it, and one or two things done to my … tent in my business of Treasurer, but I do clearly see that we … l lose our business of victualling, Sir Thomas Ingram undertak … it shall be done by persons there as cheap as we do it, and give th … ere for performance of contract, upon which terms there is no … , where great talke of the Dutch being fled and we in pursuit of them, and that our ship Charity1 is los … ant's yielding, but of this there is no certainty, save the report of some of the sicke men of the Charity, turned adrift in a boat out of the Charity and taken up and brought on … what he had thought of him and to desire me to ask his pardon of Hater himself for the ill words he did … eake out in a thing of this nature), and did advise him to dec … and 6 more.

Saturday 24 October 1663

… by pleasant stories of Mr. Coventry's and Sir J. Minnes's, whi … have put down some of in my book of tales. Just as I was going out my uncle … the with a draught of a bond for him and his sons to sign to … e about the payment of the 20l. legacy, which I agreed to, but … ad from me the copy of the deed, which he had forged and did b … red me not to speak of it, for he did it innocently. Now I con … eep from me a sight of the true original deed, wherein perhaps … touch this business of the legacy which he would keep from me, … me that by the Duke of York's persuasion Harris is come again … re bought me a pair of shoes, and so walked home and to my off … and 6 more.

Wednesday 29 January 1667/68

… bout several things of the Navy, and our want of money, which they indeed do supply us w … his was in the time of the late Chancellor and the Treasurer, … othing in the world of it minded. He tells me that there are s … k at nothing nor no person that stands in his way against bringing the King out of debt, be it to retrench any man's place … e in this condition of indigence, he desires to be put out fro … hem, thinking it no honour to be a minister in such a government. … reduced the charges of Ireland above 70,000l. a-year, and ther … s me that Townsend, of the Wardrobe, is the veriest knave and … saved a great deal of money in the King's liverys, and buy li … . He do not approve of my letter I drew and the office signed … and 4 more.

Wednesday 18 November 1663

… e used to be to any of the rest or the whole board. That done … e us a good account of the place, and how the Basha there do l … being at the mercy of the soldiers and officers, so that ther … home again reading of a little book of new poems of Cowley's, given me by his brother. Abra … r. Hollyard so full of discourse and Latin that I think he hat … not know; but full of talke he is in defence of Calvin and Luther. He begun this night … ith my great letter of reproof to my Lord Sandwich, who did gi … quence may be to me of good or bad, which is according to the … e manner nor matter of this advice will be condemned by your L … from Hinchinbroke, of doing it personally, in both of which your Lordship's occasions, no doubtfulnesse of mine, prevented me, and that being now fearful of a sudden summons to Portsmouth, for the discharge of some ships there, I judge it very unbec … and 16 more.

Sunday 22 November 1663

… irst he took notice of my care of him and his honour, and did give me thanks for that part of it where I say that from my heart I believe the contrary of what I do there relate to be the discourse of others; but since I intended it not a reproach, but matter of information, and for him to make a judgment of it for his practice, it was necessary f … me to tell him the persons of whom I have gathered the several partic … chyrurgeon, in that of his Lordship's living being discoursed of at Court; a mayd servant that I kept, t … cerning his neglect of business; and so I many times asserting … wning his accepting of it as such. That that troubled me most … assert the civility of the people of the house, and the young gentlewoman, f … nd lastly, and most of all, when I spoke of the tenderness that I have used in decl … somebody might know of some thoughts of mine, I having borrowed some intelligen … could say they knew of the thing itself what I writ. This, I c … id not see anything of what I writ, though I told him indeed t … and 13 more.

The Diary of Samuel Pepys

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