Diary, Mar/Apr 1661/62 | Page 9

we fear.

22nd. At the office all the morning. At noon Sir Williams both and I by
water down to the Lewes, Captain Dekins, his ship, a merchantman,
where we met the owners, Sir John Lewes and Alderman Lewes, and
several other great merchants; among others one Jefferys, a merry man
that is a fumbler, and he and I called brothers, and he made all the mirth
in the company. We had a very fine dinner, and all our wives' healths,
with seven or nine guns apiece; and exceeding merry we were, and so
home by barge again, and I vexed to find Griffin leave the office door
open, and had a design to have carried away the screw or the carpet in
revenge to him, but at last I would not, but sent for him and chid him,
and so to supper and to bed, having drank a great deal of wine.

23rd (Lord's day). This morning was brought me my boy's fine livery,
which is very handsome, and I do think to keep to black and gold lace
upon gray, being the colour of my arms, for ever. To church in the
morning, and so home with Sir W. Batten, and there eat some boiled
great oysters, and so home, and while I was at dinner with my wife I
was sick, and was forced to vomit up my oysters again, and then I was
well. By and by a coach came to call me by my appointment, and so
my wife and I carried to Westminster to Mrs. Hunt's, and I to Whitehall,
Worcester House, and to my Lord Treasurer's to have found Sir G.
Carteret, but missed in all these places. So back to White Hall, and
there met with Captn. Isham, this day come from Lisbon, with letters
from the Queen to the King. And he did give me letters which speak
that our fleet is all at Lisbon;
[One of these letters was probably from John Creed. Mr. S. J. Davey, of
47, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, in 1889 had in his possession
nine long letters from Creed to Pepys. In the first of these, dated from
Lisbon, March, 1662, Creed wrote: "My Lord Embassador doth all he
can to hasten the Queen's Majestie's embarquement, there being reasons
enough against suffering any unnecessary delay." There appear to have
been considerable delays in the arrangements for the following
declaration of Charles II. was dated June 22nd, 1661: "Charles R.
Whereas his Maj. is resolved to declare, under his Royall hand and
seale, the most illustrious Lady Infanta of Portugall to be his lawfull
wife, before the Treaty shall be signed by the King of Portugall; which

is to be done only for the better expediting the marriage, without
sending to Rome for a dispensation, which the laws of Portugall would
require if the said most Illustrious Infanta were to be betrothed in that
Kingdome," &c.]
and that the Queen do not intend to embarque sooner than tomorrow
come fortnight. So having sent for my wife, she and I to my Lady
Sandwich, and after a short visit away home. She home, and I to Sir G.
Carteret's about business, and so home too, and Sarah having her fit we
went to bed.

24th. Early Sir G. Carteret, both Sir Williams and I on board the
Experiment, to dispatch her away, she being to carry things to the
Madeiras with the East Indy fleet. Here (Sir W. Pen going to Deptford
to send more hands) we staid till noon talking, and eating and drinking
a good ham of English bacon, and having put things in very good order
home, where I found Jane, my old maid, come out of the country, and I
have a mind to have her again. By and by comes La Belle Pierce to see
my wife, and to bring her a pair of peruques of hair, as the fashion now
is for ladies to wear; which are pretty, and are of my wife's own hair, or
else I should not endure them. After a good whiles stay, I went to see if
any play was acted, and I found none upon the post, it being Passion
week. So home again, and took water with them towards Westminster;
but as we put off with the boat Griffin came after me to tell me that Sir
G. Carteret and the rest were at the office, so I intended to see them
through the bridge and come back again, but the tide being against us,
when we were almost through we were carried back again with much
danger, and Mrs. Pierce was much afeard and frightened. So I carried
them to the other side and walked to the Beare, and sent them away,
and