Diary, December 1667 | Page 4

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. DECEMBER 1667
December 1st (Lord's day). Up, and after entering my journal for 2 or 3
days, I to church, where Mr. Mills, a dull sermon: and in our pew there

sat a great lady, which I afterwards understood to be my Lady Carlisle,
that made her husband a cuckold in Scotland, a very fine woman indeed
in person. After sermon home, where W. Hewer dined with us, and
after dinner he and I all the afternoon to read over our office letters to
see what matters can be got for our advantage or disadvantage therein.
In the evening comes Mr. Pelling and the two men that were with him
formerly, the little man that sings so good a base (Wallington) and
another that understands well, one Pigott, and Betty Turner come and
sat and supped with us, and we spent the evening mighty well in good
musique, to my great content to see myself in condition to have these
and entertain them for my own pleasure only. So they gone, we to bed.

2nd. Up, and then abroad to Alderman Backewell's (who was sick of a
cold in bed), and then to the Excise Office, where I find Mr. Ball out of
humour in expectation of being put out of his office by the change of
the farm of the excise. There comes Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to
Westminster, and there walked up and down till noon, where all the
business is that the Lords' answer is come down to the Commons, that
they are not satisfied in the Commons' Reasons: and so the Commons
are hot, and like to sit all day upon the business what to do herein, most
thinking that they will remonstrate against the Lords. Thence to Lord
Crew's, and there dined with him; where, after dinner, he took me aside,
and bewailed the condition of the nation, how the King and his brother
are at a distance about this business of the Chancellor, and the two
Houses differing.: and he do believe that there are so many about the
King like to be concerned and troubled by the Parliament, that they will
get him to dissolve or prorogue the Parliament; and the rather, for that
the King is likely, by this good husbandry of the Treasury, to get out of
debt, and the Parliament is likely to give no money. Among other
things, my Lord Crew did tell me, with grief, that he hears that the
King of late hath not dined nor supped with the Queen, as he used of
late to do. After a little discourse, Mr. Caesar, he dining there, did give
us some musique on his lute (Mr. John Crew being there) to my great
content, and then away I, and Mr. Caesar followed me and told me that
my boy Tom hath this day declared to him that he cared not for the
French lute and would learn no more, which Caesar out of faithfulness
tells me that I might not spend any more money on him in vain. I shall

take the boy to task about it, though I am contented to save my money
if the boy knows not what is good for himself. So thanked him, and
indeed he is a very honest man I believe, and away home, there to get
something ready for the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and so
took my wife and girle and set them at Unthanke's, and I to White Hall,
and there with the Commissioners of the Treasury, who I find in
mighty good condition to go on in payment of the seamen off, and
thence I to Westminster Hall, where I met with my cozen Roger and
walked a good while with him; he tells me of the high vote of the
Commons this afternoon, which I also heard at White Hall, that the
proceedings of the Lords in the case of my Lord Clarendon are an
obstruction to justice, and of ill precedent to future times. This makes
every body wonder what will be the effect of it, most thinking that the
King will try him by his own Commission. It seems they were mighty
high to have remonstrated, but some said that was too great an appeale
to the people. Roger is mighty full of fears of the consequence of it, and
wishes the King would dissolve them. So we parted, and I bought some
Scotch cakes at Wilkinson's in King Street, and called my wife, and
home, and there to supper, talk, and to bed. Supped upon these cakes,
of which I have eat none since we lived at Westminster. This night our
poor little dogg Fancy was in a strange fit, through age, of which she
has