Diary, February 1667/68 | Page 4

OF SAMUEL PEPYS. FEBRUARY 1667-1668
February 1st. Up, and to the office pretty betimes, and the Board not
meeting as soon as I wished, I was forced to go to White Hall in
expectation of a Committee for Tangier, but when I come it was put off,
and so home again to the office, and sat till past two o'clock; where at

the Board some high words passed between Sir W. Pen and I, begun by
me, and yielded to by him, I being in the right in finding fault with him
for his neglect of duty. At noon home to dinner, and after dinner out
with my wife, thinking to have gone to the Duke of York's playhouse,
but was, to my great content in the saving my vow, hindered by coming
a little too late; and so, it being a fine day, we out to Islington, and
there to the old house and eat cheese-cakes and drank and talked, and
so home in the evening, the ways being mighty bad, so as we had no
pleasure in being abroad at all almost, but only the variety of it, and so
to the office, where busy late, and then home to supper and to bed, my
head mighty full of business now on my hands: viz., of finishing my
Tangier Accounts; of auditing my last year's Accounts; of preparing
answers to the Commissioners of Accounts; of drawing up several
important letters to the Duke of York and the Commissioners of the
Treasury; the marrying of my sister; the building of a coach and stables
against summer, and the setting many things in the Office right; and the
drawing up a new form of Contract with the Victualler of the Navy, and
several other things, which pains, however, will go through with,
among others the taking care of Kate Joyce in that now she is in at
present for saving her estate.

2nd (Lord's day). Wife took physick this day, I all day at home, and all
the morning setting my books in order in my presses, for the following
year, their number being much increased since the last, so as I am fain
to lay by several books to make room for better, being resolved to keep
no more than just my presses will contain. At noon to dinner, my wife
coming down to me, and a very good dinner we had, of a powdered leg
of pork and a loin of lamb roasted, and with much content she and I and
Deb. After dinner, my head combed an hour, and then to work again,
and at it, doing many things towards the setting my accounts and
papers in order, and so in the evening Mr. Pelling supping with us, and
to supper, and so to bed.

3rd. Up, and to the office, where with my clerks all the morning very
busy about several things there wherein I was behindhand. At noon
home to dinner, and thence after dinner to the Duke of York's house, to
the play, "The Tempest," which we have often seen, but yet I was

pleased again, and shall be again to see it, it is so full of variety, and
particularly this day I took pleasure to learn the tune of the seaman's
dance, which I have much desired to be perfect in, and have made
myself so. So home with my wife and Deb., and there at the office met
to my trouble with a warrant from the Commissioners of Accounts for
my attending them and Cocke two days hence, which I apprehend by
Captain Cocke's being to go also, to be about the prizes. But, however,
there is nothing of crime can be laid to my charge, and the worst that
can be is to refund my L500 profit, and who can help it. So I resolve
not to be troubled at it, though I fear I cannot bear it so, my spirit being
very poor and mean as to the bearing with trouble that I do find of
myself. So home, and there to my chamber and did some business,--and
thence to supper and to bed.

4th. Up, and to the office, where a full Board sat all the morning, busy
among other things concerning a solemn letter we intend to write to the
Duke of York about the state of the things of the Navy, for want of
money, though I doubt it will be to little purpose. After dinner I abroad
by coach to Kate Joyce's, where the jury did sit where they did before,
about her husband's death, and their verdict put off for fourteen days
longer, at the suit of somebody, under pretence of the King; but it is
only to get money out of her