Diary, Apr/May 1668 | Page 4

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. APRIL & MAY 1669
April 1st. Up, and with Colonel Middleton, at the desire of
Rear-Admiral Kempthorne, the President, for our assisting them, to the
Court-martiall on board a yacht in the River here, to try the business of
the Purser's complaints, Baker against Trevanion, his Commander, of

"The Dartmouth." But, Lord! to see what wretched doings there were
among all the Commanders to ruin the Purser, and defend the Captain
in all his rogueries, be it to the prejudice of the King or Purser, no good
man could bear! I confess I was pretty high, which did not at least the
young gentlemen Commander like; and Middleton did the like. But
could not bring it to any issue this day, sitting till two o'clock; and
therefore we being sent for, went to Sir W. Pen's by invitation to dine;
where my wife was, and my Lord Brouncker and his mistress, and Sir J.
Minnes and his niece; and here a bad dinner, and little mirth, I being
little pleased with my host. However, I made myself sociable; and so,
after dinner, my wife and I, with my Lord Brouncker and his mistress,
they set us down at my cozen Turner's, and there we staid awhile and
talked; and particularly here we met with Dr. Ball, the Parson of the
Temple, who did tell me a great many pretty stories about the manner
of the Parsons being paid for their preaching at Paul's heretofore, and
now, and the ground of the Lecture, and heretofore the names of the
founders thereof, which were many, at some 5s., some 6s. per annum
towards it: and had their names read in the pulpit every sermon among
those holy persons that the Church do order a collect for, giving God
thanks for. By and by comes by my desire Commissioner Middleton's
coach and horses for us, and we went with it towards the Park, thinking
to have met The. Turner and Betty, but did not; so turned back again to
their lodging, and there found them and Mr. Batelier, and there, after a
little talk, we took leave, and carry Batelier home with us. So to supper,
and so to bed.

2nd. Up, and by water to White Hall, and there with the Office attended
the Duke of York, and staid in White Hall till about noon, and so with
W. Hewer to the Cocke, and there he and I dined alone with great
content, he reading to me, for my memory's sake, my late collections of
the history of the Navy, that I might represent the same by and by to the
Duke of York; and so, after dinner, he and I to White Hall, and there to
the Duke of York's lodgings, whither he, by and by, by his appointment
come: and alone with him an hour in his closet, telling him mine and W.
Coventry's advice touching the present posture of the Navy, as the
Duke of Buckingham and the rest do now labour to make changes
therein; and that it were best for him to suffer the King to be satisfied

with the bringing in of a man or two which they desire. I did also give
the Duke of York a short account of the history of the Navy, as to our
Office, wherewith he was very well satisfied: but I do find that he is
pretty stiff against their bringing in of men against his mind, as the
Treasures were, and particularly against Child's' coming in, because he
is a merchant. After much discourse with him, we parted; and [he to]
the Council, while I staid waiting for his telling me when I should be
ready to give him a written account of the administration of the Navy.
This caused me to wait the whole afternoon, till night. In the mean time,
stepping to the Duchess of York's side to speak with Lady
Peterborough; I did see the young Duchess,
[The Princess Mary, afterwards Queen of England.]
a little child in hanging sleeves; dance most finely, so as almost to
ravish me, her ears were so good: taught by a Frenchman that did
heretofore teach the King, and all the King's children, and the Queen-
Mother herself, who do still dance well. Thence to the council door and
Mr. Chevins took me into the back stairs, and they with his friend, Mr.
Fowkes, for whom he is very solicitous in some things depending in
this Office, he did make me, with some others that he took in (among
others, Alderman Back well), eat a pickled herring, the largest I ever
saw, and drink variety of wines till I was almost merry; but I did keep
in good tune; and so, after the Council was up,