



Produced by David Widger





                THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.

            CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY

    TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY
 MAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW
                      AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE

                              (Unabridged)

                      WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES

                        EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY

                        HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.

                          DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
                           NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
                                  1665

November 1st.  Lay very long in bed discoursing with Mr. Hill of most
things of a man's life, and how little merit do prevail in the world, but
only favour; and that, for myself, chance without merit brought me in; and
that diligence only keeps me so, and will, living as I do among so many
lazy people that the diligent man becomes necessary, that they cannot do
anything without him, and so told him of my late business of the
victualling, and what cares I am in to keepe myself having to do with
people of so different factions at Court, and yet must be fair with them
all, which was very pleasant discourse for me to tell, as well as he
seemed to take it, for him to hear.  At last up, and it being a very foule
day for raine and a hideous wind, yet having promised I would go by water
to Erith, and bearing sayle was in danger of oversetting, but ordered them
take down their sayle, and so cold and wet got thither, as they had ended
their dinner.  How[ever], I dined well, and after dinner all on shore, my
Lord Bruncker with us to Mrs. Williams's lodgings, and Sir W. Batten, Sir
Edmund Pooly, and others; and there, it being my Lord's birth-day, had
every one a green riband tied in our hats very foolishly; and methinks
mighty disgracefully for my Lord to have his folly so open to all the
world with this woman.  But by and by Sir W. Batten and I took coach, and
home to Boreman, and so going home by the backside I saw Captain Cocke
'lighting out of his coach (having been at Erith also with her but not on
board) and so he would come along with me to my lodging, and there sat and
supped and talked with us, but we were angry a little a while about our
message to him the other day about bidding him keepe from the office or
his owne office, because of his black dying.  I owned it and the reason of
it, and would have been glad he had been out of the house, but I could not
bid him go, and so supped, and after much other talke of the sad condition
and state of the King's matters we broke up, and my friend and I to bed.
This night coming with Sir W. Batten into Greenwich we called upon Coll.
Cleggatt, who tells us for certaine that the King of Denmark hath declared
to stand for the King of England, but since I hear it is wholly false.

2nd.  Up, left my wife and to the office, and there to my great content
Sir W. Warren come to me to settle the business of the Tangier boates,
wherein I shall get above L100, besides L100 which he gives me in the
paying for them out of his owne purse.  He gone, I home to my lodgings to
dinner, and there comes Captain Wagers newly returned from the Streights,
who puts me in great fear for our last ships that went to Tangier with
provisions, that they will be taken.  A brave, stout fellow this Captain
is, and I think very honest.  To the office again after dinner and there
late writing letters, and then about 8 at night set out from my office and
fitting myself at my lodgings intended to have gone this night in a Ketch
down to the Fleete, but calling in my way at Sir J. Minnes's, who is come
up from Erith about something about the prizes, they persuaded me not to
go till the morning, it being a horrible darke and a windy night. So I
back to my lodging and to bed.

3rd.  Was called up about four o'clock and in the darke by lanthorne took
boat and to the Ketch and set sayle, sleeping a little in the Cabbin till
day and then up and fell to reading of Mr. Evelyn's book about Paynting,

     [This must surely have been Evelyn's "Sculptura, or the History and
     Art of Chalcography and Engraving in Copper," published in 1662.
     The translation of Freart's "Idea of the Perfection of Painting
     demonstrated" was not published until 1668.]

which is a very pretty book.  Carrying good victuals and Tom with me I to
breakfast about 9 o'clock, and then to read again and come to the Fleete
about twelve, where I found my Lord (the Prince being gone in) on board
the Royall James, Sir Thomas Allen commander, and with my Lord an houre
alone discoursing what was my chief and only errand about what was
adviseable for his Lordship to do in this state of things, himself being
under the Duke of Yorke's and Mr. Coventry's envy, and a great many more
and likely never to do anything honourably but he shall be envied and the
honour taken as much as can be from it.  His absence lessens his interest
at Court, and what is worst we never able to set out a fleete fit for him
to command, or, if out, to keepe them out or fit them to do any great
thing, or if that were so yet nobody at home minds him or his condition
when he is abroad, and lastly the whole affairs of state looking as if
they would all on a sudden break in pieces, and then what a sad thing it
would be for him to be out of the way.  My Lord did concur in every thing
and thanked me infinitely for my visit and counsel, telling me that in
every thing he concurs, but puts a query, what if the King will not think
himself safe, if any man should go but him.  How he should go off then? To
that I had no answer ready, but the making the King see that he may be of
as good use to him here while another goes forth.  But for that I am not
able to say much.  We after this talked of some other little things and so
to dinner, where my Lord infinitely kind to me, and after dinner I rose
and left him with some Commanders at the table