The Diary of Samuel Pepys [418]
blades, where he was among them, and my Lady Bennet and her ladies; and there dancing naked, and all the roguish things in the world. But, Lord! what loose company was this that I was in to-night, though full of wit; and worth a man's being in for once to know the nature of it, and their manner of talk and lives.
31st. I hear that Mrs. Davis is quite gone from the Duke of York's house, and Gosnell comes in her room; which I am glad of. At the play at Court the other night Mrs. Davis was there; and when she was to come to dance her jigg, the Queene would not stay to see it; which people do think was out of displeasure at her being the King's mistress, that she could not bear it. My Lady Castlemaine is, it seems, now mightily out of request, the King coming little to her, and then she mighty melancholy and discontented.
JUNE 1, 1668. Alone to Fox Hall, and walked and saw young Newport and two more rogues of the town seize on two ladies, who walked with them an hour with their masks on; (perhaps civil ladies;) and there I left them.
3rd. To White Hall to the Council-chamber, where I did present the Duke of York with an account of the charge of the present fleet to his satisfaction; and this being done, did ask his leave for my going out of town five or six days, which he did give me, saying that my diligence in the King's business was such that I ought not to be denied when my own business called me any whither. To my Lord Crewe's to visit him; from whom I learn nothing but that there hath been some controversy at the Council- table about my Lord Sandwich's signing, where some would not have had him, in the treaty with Portugall; but all, I think, is over in it.
4th. Mr. Clerke the solicitor dined with me and my clerks. After dinner I carried and set him down at; the Temple, he observing to me how St. Sepulchre's church steeple is repaired already a good deal, and the Fleet-bridge is contracted for by the City to begin to be built this summer; which do please me mightily. I to White Hall, and walked through the Park for a little ayre; and so back to the Council-chamber to the Committee of the Navy, about the business of fitting the present fleet suitable to the money given; which, as the King orders it and by what appears, will be very little, and so as I perceive the Duke of York will have nothing to command, nor can intend to go abroad. But it is pretty to see how careful these great men are to do every thing so as they may answer it to the Parliament, thinking themselves safe in nothing but where the Judges (with whom they often advise) do say the matter is doubtful; and so they take upon themselves then to be the chief persons to interpret what is doubtful. Thence home, and all the evening to set matters in order against my going to Brampton to-morrow, being resolved upon my journey, and having the Duke of York's leave again to-day; though I do plainly see that I can very ill be spared now, there being much business, especially about this which I have attended the Council about, and I the man that am alone consulted with; and besides, my Lord Brouncker is at this time ill, and Sir W. Pen. So things being put in order at the office, I home to do the like there; and so to bed.
5th. [The Journal from this time to the 17th of June is contained on five leaves, inserted in the Book and after them follow several blank pages.] Friday. At Barnet for milk, 6d. On the highway, to menders of the highway, 6d. Dinner at Stevenage, 5s. 6d.
6th. Saturday. Spent at Huntingdon with Bowles and Appleyard, and Shepley, 2s.
7th. Sunday. My father, for money lent, and horse-hire, 1l. 11s.
8th. Monday. Father's servants (father having in the garden told me bad stories of my wife's ill words), 14s.; one that helped at the horses, 1s.; menders of the highway, 2s. Pleasant country to Bedford; where, while they stay, I rode through the town; and a good country town; and there drinking, 1s. We on to Newport; and there I and W. Hewer to the church, and there give the boy 1s. So to Buckingham, a good old
31st. I hear that Mrs. Davis is quite gone from the Duke of York's house, and Gosnell comes in her room; which I am glad of. At the play at Court the other night Mrs. Davis was there; and when she was to come to dance her jigg, the Queene would not stay to see it; which people do think was out of displeasure at her being the King's mistress, that she could not bear it. My Lady Castlemaine is, it seems, now mightily out of request, the King coming little to her, and then she mighty melancholy and discontented.
JUNE 1, 1668. Alone to Fox Hall, and walked and saw young Newport and two more rogues of the town seize on two ladies, who walked with them an hour with their masks on; (perhaps civil ladies;) and there I left them.
3rd. To White Hall to the Council-chamber, where I did present the Duke of York with an account of the charge of the present fleet to his satisfaction; and this being done, did ask his leave for my going out of town five or six days, which he did give me, saying that my diligence in the King's business was such that I ought not to be denied when my own business called me any whither. To my Lord Crewe's to visit him; from whom I learn nothing but that there hath been some controversy at the Council- table about my Lord Sandwich's signing, where some would not have had him, in the treaty with Portugall; but all, I think, is over in it.
4th. Mr. Clerke the solicitor dined with me and my clerks. After dinner I carried and set him down at; the Temple, he observing to me how St. Sepulchre's church steeple is repaired already a good deal, and the Fleet-bridge is contracted for by the City to begin to be built this summer; which do please me mightily. I to White Hall, and walked through the Park for a little ayre; and so back to the Council-chamber to the Committee of the Navy, about the business of fitting the present fleet suitable to the money given; which, as the King orders it and by what appears, will be very little, and so as I perceive the Duke of York will have nothing to command, nor can intend to go abroad. But it is pretty to see how careful these great men are to do every thing so as they may answer it to the Parliament, thinking themselves safe in nothing but where the Judges (with whom they often advise) do say the matter is doubtful; and so they take upon themselves then to be the chief persons to interpret what is doubtful. Thence home, and all the evening to set matters in order against my going to Brampton to-morrow, being resolved upon my journey, and having the Duke of York's leave again to-day; though I do plainly see that I can very ill be spared now, there being much business, especially about this which I have attended the Council about, and I the man that am alone consulted with; and besides, my Lord Brouncker is at this time ill, and Sir W. Pen. So things being put in order at the office, I home to do the like there; and so to bed.
5th. [The Journal from this time to the 17th of June is contained on five leaves, inserted in the Book and after them follow several blank pages.] Friday. At Barnet for milk, 6d. On the highway, to menders of the highway, 6d. Dinner at Stevenage, 5s. 6d.
6th. Saturday. Spent at Huntingdon with Bowles and Appleyard, and Shepley, 2s.
7th. Sunday. My father, for money lent, and horse-hire, 1l. 11s.
8th. Monday. Father's servants (father having in the garden told me bad stories of my wife's ill words), 14s.; one that helped at the horses, 1s.; menders of the highway, 2s. Pleasant country to Bedford; where, while they stay, I rode through the town; and a good country town; and there drinking, 1s. We on to Newport; and there I and W. Hewer to the church, and there give the boy 1s. So to Buckingham, a good old