The Diary by Samuel Pepys (children's ebooks online TXT) 📕

good fortune. Thence home, and then with my wife to Dorset House, to deliver a list of the names of the justices of the peace for Huntingdonshire. By coach, taking Mr. Fox part of the way with me, that was with us with the King on board the Nazeby, who I found to have married Mrs. Whittle,554 that lived at Mr. Geer’s so long. A very civil gentleman. At Dorset House I met with Mr. Kipps, my old friend, with whom the world is well changed, he being now sealbearer to the Lord Chancellor, at which my wife and I are well pleased, he being a very good natured man. Home and late writing letters. Then to my Lord’s lodging, this being the first night of his coming to Whitehall to lie since his coming from sea.

26th. My Lord dined at his lodgings all alone today. I went to Secretary Nicholas555 to carry him my Lord’s resolutions about his title, which he had chosen, and that is Portsmouth.556 I met with Mr. Throgmorton, a merchant, who went with me to the old Three Tuns,557 at Charing Cross, who did give me five pieces of gold for to do him a small piece of service about a convoy to Bilbo, which I did. In the afternoon, one Mr. Watts came to me, a merchant, to offer me £500 if I would desist from the Clerk of the Acts place. I pray God direct me in what I do herein. Went to my house, where I found my father, and carried him and my wife to Whitefriars, and myself to Puddlewharf,558 to the Wardrobe, to Mr. Townsend, who went with me to Backwell, the goldsmith’s, and there we chose £100 worth of plate for my Lord to give Secretary Nicholas. Back and stayed at my father’s, and so home to bed.

27th. With my Lord to the Duke, where he spoke to Mr. Coventry to despatch my business of the Acts, in which place everybody gives me joy, as if I were in it, which God send.559 Dined with my Lord and all the officers of his regiment, who invited my Lord and his friends, as many as he would bring, to dinner, at the Swan,560 at Dowgate, a poor house and ill dressed, but very good fish and plenty. Here Mr. Symons, the Surgeon, told me how he was likely to lose his estate that he had bought, at which I was not a little pleased. To Westminster, and with Mr. Howe by coach to the Speaker’s, where my Lord supped with the King, but I could not get in. So back again, and after a song or two in my chamber in the dark, which do (now that the bed is out) sound very well, I went home and to bed.

28th. My brother Tom came to me with patterns to choose for a suit. I paid him all to this day, and did give him £10 upon account. To Mr. Coventry, who told me that he would do me all right in my business. To Sir G. Downing, the first visit I have made him since he came. He is so stingy a fellow I care not to see him; I quite cleared myself of his office, and did give him liberty to take anybody in. Hawly and he are parted too, he is going to serve Sir Thos. Ingram.561 I went also this morning to see Mrs. Pierce, the chirurgeon[’s wife]. I found her in bed in her house in Margaret churchyard. Her husband returned to sea. I did invite her to go to dinner with me and my wife today. After all this to my Lord, who lay abed till eleven o’clock, it being almost five before he went to bed, they supped so late last night with the King. This morning I saw poor Bishop Wren562 going to Chappel, it being a thanksgiving-day563 for the King’s return. After my Lord was awake, I went up to him to the Nursery, where he do lie, and, having talked with him a little, I took leave and carried my wife and Mrs. Pierce to Clothworkers’-Hall,564 to dinner, where Mr. Pierce, the Purser, met us. We were invited by Mr. Chaplin,565 the Victualler, where Nich. Osborne was. Our entertainment very good, a brave hall, good company, and very good music. Where among other things I was pleased that I could find out a man by his voice, whom I had never seen before, to be one that sang behind the curtain formerly at Sir W. Davenant’s566 opera. Here Dr. Gauden and Mr. Gauden567 the victualler dined with us. After dinner to Mr. Rawlinson’s,568 to see him and his wife, and would have gone to my Aunt Wight,569 but that her only child, a daughter, died last night. Home and to my Lord, who supped within, and Mr. E. Montagu, Mr. Thos. Crew, and others with him sat up late. I home and to bed.

29th. This day or two my maid Jane570 has been lame, that we cannot tell what to do for want of her. Up and to Whitehall, where I got my warrant from the Duke to be Clerk of the Acts. Also I got my Lord’s warrant from the Secretary for his honour of Earl of Portsmouth, and Viscount Montagu of Hinchingbroke. So to my Lord, to give him an account of what I had done. Then to Sir Geffery Palmer,571 to give them to him to have bills drawn upon them, who told me that my Lord must have some good Latinist to make the preamble to his Patent, which must express his late service in