Diary, Mar/Apr 1665/66 | Page 4

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. MARCH & APRIL 1665-1666
March 1st. Up, and to the office and there all the morning sitting and at
noon to dinner with my Lord Bruncker, Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen
at the White Horse in Lumbard Streete, where, God forgive us! good
sport with Captain Cocke's having his mayde sicke of the plague a day
or two ago and sent to the pest house, where she now is, but he will not
say anything but that she is well. But blessed be God! a good Bill this
week we have; being but 237 in all, and 42 of the plague, and of them
but six in the City: though my Lord Bruneker says, that these six are
most of them in new parishes where they were not the last week. Here
was with us also Mr. Williamson, who the more I know, the more I
honour. Hence I slipt after dinner without notice home and there close
to my business at my office till twelve at night, having with great
comfort returned to my business by some fresh vowes in addition to my
former, and-more severe, and a great joy it is to me to see myself in a
good disposition to business. So home to supper and to my Journall and
to bed.

2nd. Up, as I have of late resolved before 7 in the morning and to the
office, where all the morning, among other things setting my wife and
Mercer with much pleasure to worke upon the ruling of some paper for
the making of books for pursers, which will require a great deale of
worke and they will earn a good deale of money by it, the hopes of
which makes them worke mighty hard. At noon dined and to the office
again, and about 4 o'clock took coach and to my Lord Treasurer's and
thence to Sir Philip Warwicke's new house by appointment, there to
spend an houre in talking and we were together above an hour, and
very good discourse about the state of the King as to money, and
particularly in the point of the Navy. He endeavours hard to come to a
good understanding of Sir G. Carteret's accounts, and by his discourse I

find Sir G. Carteret must be brought to it, and what a madman he is that
he do not do it of himself, for the King expects the Parliament will call
upon him for his promise of giving an account of the money, and he
will be ready for it, which cannot be, I am sure, without Sir G.
Carteret's accounts be better understood than they are. He seems to
have a great esteem of me and my opinion and thoughts of things. After
we had spent an houre thus discoursing and vexed that we do but grope
so in the darke as we do, because the people, that should enlighten us,
do not helpe us, we resolved fitting some things for another meeting,
and so broke up. He shewed me his house, which is yet all unhung, but
will be a very noble house indeed. Thence by coach calling at my
bookseller's and carried home L10 worth of books, all, I hope, I shall
buy a great while. There by appointment find Mr. Hill come to sup and
take his last leave of me, and by and by in comes Mr. James Houbland
to bear us company, a man I love mightily, and will not lose his
acquaintance. He told me in my eare this night what he and his brothers
have resolved to give me, which is L200, for helping them out with two
or three ships. A good sum and that which I did believe they would
give me, and I did expect little less. Here we talked and very good
company till late, and then took leave of one another, and indeed I am
heartily sorry for Mr. Hill's leaving us, for he is a very worthy
gentleman, as most I know. God give him a good voyage and successe
in his business. Thus we parted and my wife and I to bed, heavy for the
losse of our friend.

3rd. All the morning at the office, at noon to the Old James, being sent
for, and there dined with Sir William Rider, Cutler, and others, to make
an end with two Scots Maisters about the freight