Diary, 1663 N.S. Complete | Page 4

making
an entire meal of them. D.W.]

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
1663 N.S. COMPLETE
JANUARY & FEBRUARY 1662-1663
January 1st, 1662-63.
Lay with my wife at my Lord's lodgings, where I have been these two
nights, till 10 o'clock with great pleasure talking, then I rose and to
White Hall, where I spent a little time walking among the courtiers,
which I perceive I shall be able to do with great confidence, being now
beginning to be pretty well known among them. Then to my wife again,
and found Mrs. Sarah with us in the chamber we lay in. Among other
discourse, Mrs. Sarah tells us how the King sups at least four or [five]
times every week with my Lady Castlemaine; and most often stays till
the morning with her, and goes home through the garden all alone
privately, and that so as the very centrys take notice of it and speak of it.
She tells me, that about a month ago she [Lady Castlemaine] quickened
at my Lord Gerard's at dinner, and cried out that she was undone; and
all the lords and men were fain to quit the room, and women called to
help her. In fine, I find that there is nothing almost but bawdry at Court
from top to bottom, as, if it were fit, I could instance, but it is not
necessary; only they say my Lord Chesterfield, groom of the stole to
the Queen, is either gone or put away from the Court upon the score of
his lady's having smitten the Duke of York, so as that he is watched by
the Duchess of York, and his lady is retired into the country upon it.
How much of this is true, God knows, but it is common talk. After
dinner I did reckon with Mrs. Sarah for what we have eat and drank
here, and gave her a crown, and so took coach, and to the Duke's House,
where we saw "The Villaine" again; and the more I see it, the more I
am offended at my first undervaluing the play, it being very good and
pleasant, and yet a true and allowable tragedy. The house was full of
citizens, and so the less pleasant, but that I was willing to make an end
of my gaddings, and to set to my business for all the year again

tomorrow. Here we saw the old Roxalana in the chief box, in a velvet
gown, as the fashion is, and very handsome, at which I was glad. Hence
by coach home, where I find all well, only Sir W. Pen they say ill again.
So to my office to set down these two or three days' journall, and to
close the last year therein, and so that being done, home to supper, and
to bed, with great pleasure talking and discoursing with my wife of our
late observations abroad.
2nd. Lay long in bed, and so up and to tie office, where all the morning
alone doing something or another. So dined at home with my wife, and
in the afternoon to the Treasury office, where Sir W. Batten was paying
off tickets, but so simply and arbitrarily, upon a dull pretence of doing
right to the King, though to the wrong of poor people (when I know
there is no man that means the King less right than he, or would trouble
himself less about it, but only that he sees me stir, and so he would
appear doing something, though to little purpose), that I was weary of it.
At last we broke up, and walk home together, and I to see Sir W. Pen,
who is fallen sick again. I staid a while talking with him, and so to my
office, practising some arithmetique, and so home to supper and bed,
having sat up late talking to my poor wife with great content.
3rd. Up and to the office all the morning, and dined alone with my wife
at noon, and then to my office all the afternoon till night, putting
business in order with great content in my mind. Having nothing now
in my mind of trouble in the world, but quite the contrary, much joy,
except only the ending of our difference with my uncle Thomas, and
the getting of the bills well over for my building of my house here,
which however are as small and less than any of the others. Sir W.