Diary, April 1668 | Page 4

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. APRIL 1668
April 1st. Up, and to dress myself, and call as I use Deb. to brush and
dress me . . . , and I to my office, where busy till noon, and then out to
bespeak some things against my wife's going into the country
to-morrow, and so home to dinner, my wife and I alone, she being

mighty busy getting her things ready for her journey, I all the afternoon
with her looking after things on the same account, and then in the
afternoon out and all alone to the King's house, and there sat in an
upper box, to hide myself, and saw "The Black Prince," a very good
play; but only the fancy, most of it, the same as in the rest of my Lord
Orrery's plays; but the dance very stately; but it was pretty to see how
coming after dinner and with no company with me to talk to, and at a
play that I had seen, and went to now not for curiosity but only idleness,
I did fall asleep the former part of the play, but afterward did mind it
and like it very well. Thence called at my bookseller's, and took Mr.
Boyle's Book of Formes, newly reprinted, and sent my brother my old
one. So home, and there to my chamber till anon comes Mr. Turner and
his wife and daughter, and Pelting, to sup with us and talk of my wife's
journey to-morrow, her daughter going with my wife; and after supper
to talk with her husband about the Office, and his place, which, by Sir J.
Minnes's age and inability, is very uncomfortable to him, as well as
without profit, or certainty what he shall do, when Sir J. Minnes dies,
which is a sad condition for a man that hath lived so long in the Office
as Mr. Turner hath done. But he aymes, and I advise him to it, to look
for Mr. Ackworth's place, in case he should be removed. His wife
afterwards did take me into my closet, and give me a cellar
[A box to hold bottles. "Run for the cellar of strong waters quickly"
--Ben Jonson, Magnetic Lady, act iii., sc. r.]
of waters of her own distilling for my father, to be carried down with
my wife and her daughter to-morrow, which was very handsome. So
broke up and to bed.

2nd. Up, after much pleasant talk with my wife, and upon some
alterations I will make in my house in her absence, and I do intend to
lay out some money thereon. So she and I up, and she got her ready to
be gone, and by and by comes Betty Turner and her mother, and W.
Batelier, and they and Deb., to whom I did give 10s. this morning, to
oblige her to please her mistress (and ego did baiser her mouche), and
also Jane, and so in two coaches set out about eight o'clock towards the
carrier, there for to take coach for my father's, that is to say, my wife
and Betty Turner, Deb., and Jane; but I meeting my Lord Anglesey
going to the Office, was forced to 'light in Cheapside, and there took

my leave of them (not baisado Deb., which je had a great mind to), left
them to go to their coach, and I to the office, where all the morning
busy, and so at noon with my other clerks (W. Hewer being a day's
journey with my wife) to dinner, where Mr. Pierce come and dined
with me, and then with Lord Brouncker (carrying his little kinswoman
on my knee, his coach being full), to the Temple, where my Lord and I
'light and to Mr. Porter's chamber, where Cocke and his counsel, and so
to the attorney's, whither the Sollicitor-Generall come, and there, their
cause about their assignments on the LI,250,000 Act was argued, where
all that was to be said for them was said, and so answered by the
Sollicitor-Generall beyond what I expected, that I said not one word all
my time, rather choosing to hold my tongue, and so mind my reputation
with the Sollicitor-Generall, who did mightily approve of my speech in
Parliament, than say anything against him to no purpose. This I believe
did trouble Cocke and these gentlemen, but I do think this best for me,
and so I do think that the business will go against them, though it is
against my judgment, and I am sure against all justice to the men to be
invited to part with their goods and be deceived afterward of their
security for payment. Thence with Lord Brouncker to the Royall
Society, where they were just done; but there I was forced to