The Diary of Samuel Pepys [455]
me) not acting Iago's part by much so well as Clun used to do: nor another Hart's, which was Cassio's; nor indeed Burt doing the Moor's so well as I once thought he did. Thence home; and just at Holborne-conduit the bolt broke that holds the fore-wheels to the perch, and so the horses went away with them and left the coachman and us: but being near our coach-maker's, and we staying in a little ironmonger's shop, we were presently supplied with another.
8th. To visit my Lord Sandwich; and there, while my Lord was dressing himself, did see a young Spaniard that he hath brought over with him dance, which he is admired for as the best dancer in Spain, and indeed he do with mighty mastery; but I do not like his dancing as well as the English, though my Lord commends it mightily. But I will have him to my house, and show it my wife, Here I met with Mr. Moore, who tells me the state of my Lord's accounts of his embassy, which I find not so good as I thought: for though it be passed the King and his Caball the (Committee for Foreign Affairs, as they are called,) yet they have cut off from 19,000l. full 8000l. and have now sent it to the Lords of the Treasury, who, though the Committee have allowed the rest, yet they are not obliged to abide by it. So that I do fear this account may yet be long ere it be passed,--much more ere that sum be paid. I am sorry for the family.
9th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Island Princesse," which I like mighty well as an excellent play: and here we find Kinaston to be well enough to act again; which he do very well, after his beating by Sir Charles Sedley's appointment.
10th. To the plaisterer's at Charing Cross that casts heads and bodies in plaister; and there I had my whole face done; but I was vexed first to be forced to daub all my face over with pomatum. Thus was the mold made; but when it came off there was little pleasure in it as it looks in the mold, nor any resemblance whatever there will be in the figure when I come to see it cast off. To White Hall, where I staid till the Duke of York came from hunting, which he did by and by, and when dressed did come out to dinner; and there I waited. And he did mightly magnify his sauce, which he did then eat with every thing, and said it was the best universal sauce in the world, it being taught him by the Spanish Embassador; made of some parsley and a dry toast, beat in a mortar together with vinegar, salt, and a little pepper: he eats it with flesh, or fowl, or fish. And then he did now mightily commend some new sort of wine lately found out, called Navarr wine; which I tasted, and is, I think, good wine: but I did like better the notion of the sauce, and by and by did taste it, and liked it mightily. After dinner I did what I went for; which was to get his consent that Balty might hold his Muster-master's place by deputy in his new employment which I design for him, about the Store-keeper's accounts; which the Duke of York did grant me, and I was mightily glad of it.
12th. To wait on the Duke of York with the rest of us at the Robes; where the Duke of York did tell us that the King would have us prepare a draught of the present administration of the Navy, and what it was in the late times, in order to his being able to distinguish between the good and the bad; which I shall do, but to do it well will give me a great deal of trouble. Here we showed him Sir J. Minnes's propositions about balancing Store- keeper's accounts; and I did show him Hosier's, which did please him mightily, and he will have it showed the Council and King anon to be put in practice. Thence to the Treasurer's and I and Sir J. Minnes and Mr. Tippets down to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and there had a hot debate from Sir Thomas Clifford and my Lord Ashly (the latter of whom, I hear, is turning about as fast as he can to the Duke Buckingham's side, being in danger it seems of being otherwise out of play, which would not be convenient for him,) against Sir W. Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb; who did uphold our office: against an
8th. To visit my Lord Sandwich; and there, while my Lord was dressing himself, did see a young Spaniard that he hath brought over with him dance, which he is admired for as the best dancer in Spain, and indeed he do with mighty mastery; but I do not like his dancing as well as the English, though my Lord commends it mightily. But I will have him to my house, and show it my wife, Here I met with Mr. Moore, who tells me the state of my Lord's accounts of his embassy, which I find not so good as I thought: for though it be passed the King and his Caball the (Committee for Foreign Affairs, as they are called,) yet they have cut off from 19,000l. full 8000l. and have now sent it to the Lords of the Treasury, who, though the Committee have allowed the rest, yet they are not obliged to abide by it. So that I do fear this account may yet be long ere it be passed,--much more ere that sum be paid. I am sorry for the family.
9th. To the King's playhouse, and there saw "The Island Princesse," which I like mighty well as an excellent play: and here we find Kinaston to be well enough to act again; which he do very well, after his beating by Sir Charles Sedley's appointment.
10th. To the plaisterer's at Charing Cross that casts heads and bodies in plaister; and there I had my whole face done; but I was vexed first to be forced to daub all my face over with pomatum. Thus was the mold made; but when it came off there was little pleasure in it as it looks in the mold, nor any resemblance whatever there will be in the figure when I come to see it cast off. To White Hall, where I staid till the Duke of York came from hunting, which he did by and by, and when dressed did come out to dinner; and there I waited. And he did mightly magnify his sauce, which he did then eat with every thing, and said it was the best universal sauce in the world, it being taught him by the Spanish Embassador; made of some parsley and a dry toast, beat in a mortar together with vinegar, salt, and a little pepper: he eats it with flesh, or fowl, or fish. And then he did now mightily commend some new sort of wine lately found out, called Navarr wine; which I tasted, and is, I think, good wine: but I did like better the notion of the sauce, and by and by did taste it, and liked it mightily. After dinner I did what I went for; which was to get his consent that Balty might hold his Muster-master's place by deputy in his new employment which I design for him, about the Store-keeper's accounts; which the Duke of York did grant me, and I was mightily glad of it.
12th. To wait on the Duke of York with the rest of us at the Robes; where the Duke of York did tell us that the King would have us prepare a draught of the present administration of the Navy, and what it was in the late times, in order to his being able to distinguish between the good and the bad; which I shall do, but to do it well will give me a great deal of trouble. Here we showed him Sir J. Minnes's propositions about balancing Store- keeper's accounts; and I did show him Hosier's, which did please him mightily, and he will have it showed the Council and King anon to be put in practice. Thence to the Treasurer's and I and Sir J. Minnes and Mr. Tippets down to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and there had a hot debate from Sir Thomas Clifford and my Lord Ashly (the latter of whom, I hear, is turning about as fast as he can to the Duke Buckingham's side, being in danger it seems of being otherwise out of play, which would not be convenient for him,) against Sir W. Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb; who did uphold our office: against an