Diary, August 1665 | Page 4

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. AUGUST 1665
August 1st. Slept, and lay long; then up and my Lord [Crew] and Sir G.

Carteret being gone abroad, I first to see the bridegroom and bride, and
found them both up, and he gone to dress himself. Both red in the face,
and well enough pleased this morning with their night's lodging.
Thence down and Mr. Brisband and I to billiards: anon come my Lord
and Sir G. Carteret in, who have been looking abroad and visiting some
farms that Sir G. Carteret hath thereabouts, and, among other things,
report the greatest stories of the bigness of the calfes they find there,
ready to sell to the butchers, as big, they say, as little Cowes, and that
they do give them a piece of chalke to licke, which they hold makes
them white in the flesh within. Very merry at dinner, and so to talk and
laugh after dinner, and up and down, some to [one] place, some to
another, full of content on all sides. Anon about five o'clock, Sir G.
Carteret and his lady and I took coach with the greatest joy and
kindnesse that could be from the two familys or that ever I saw with so
much appearance, and, I believe, reality in all my life. Drove hard
home, and it was night ere we got to Deptford, where, with much
kindnesse from them to me, I left them, and home to the office, where I
find all well, and being weary and sleepy, it being very late, I to bed.

2nd. Up, it being a publique fast, as being the first Wednesday of the
month, for the plague; I within doors all day, and upon my monthly
accounts late, and there to my great joy settled almost all my private
matters of money in my books clearly, and allowing myself several
sums which I had hitherto not reckoned myself sure of, because I would
not be over sure of any thing, though with reason I might do it, I did
find myself really worth L1900, for which the great God of Heaven and
Earth be praised! At night to the office to write a few letters, and so
home to bed, after fitting myself for tomorrow's journey.

3rd. Up, and betimes to Deptford to Sir G. Carteret's, where, not liking
the horse that had been hired by Mr. Uthwayt for me, I did desire Sir G.
Carteret to let me ride his new L40 horse, which he did, and so I left
my 'hacquenee'--[Haquenee = an ambling nag fitted for ladies' riding.]--
behind, and so after staying a good while in their bedchamber while
they were dressing themselves, discoursing merrily, I parted and to the

ferry, where I was forced to stay a great while before I could get my
horse brought over, and then mounted and rode very finely to
Dagenhams; all the way people, citizens, walking to and again to
enquire how the plague is in the City this week by the Bill; which by
chance, at Greenwich, I had heard was 2,020 of the plague, and 3,000
and odd of all diseases; but methought it was a sad question to be so
often asked me. Coming to Dagenhams, I there met our company
coming out of the house, having staid as long as they could for me; so I
let them go a little before, and went and took leave of my Lady
Sandwich, good woman, who seems very sensible of my service in this
late business, and having her directions in some things, among others,
to get Sir G. Carteret and my Lord to settle the portion, and what Sir G.
Carteret is to settle, into land, soon as may be, she not liking that it
should lie long undone, for fear of death on either side. So took leave of
her, and then down to the buttery, and eat a piece of cold venison pie,
and drank and took some bread and cheese in my hand; and so mounted
after them, Mr. Marr very kindly staying to lead me the way. By and by
met my Lord Crew returning, after having accompanied them a little
way, and so after them, Mr. Marr telling me by the way how a mayde
servant of Mr. John Wright's (who lives thereabouts) falling sick of the
plague, she was removed to an out-house, and a nurse