Diary, March 1667/68 | Page 4

OF SAMUEL PEPYS. MARCH 1667-1668
March 1st (Lord's day). Up very betimes, and by coach to Sir W.
Coventry's; and there, largely carrying with me all my notes and papers,
did run over our whole defence in the business of tickets, in order to the
answering the House on Thursday next; and I do think, unless they be

set without reason to ruin us, we shall make a good defence. I find him
in great anxiety, though he will not discover it, in the business of the
proceedings of Parliament; and would as little as is possible have his
name mentioned in our discourse to them; and particularly the business
of selling places is now upon his hand to defend himself in; wherein I
did help him in his defence about the flag-maker's place, which is
named in the House. We did here do the like about the complaint of
want of victuals in the fleete in the year 1666, which will lie upon me
to defend also. So that my head is full of care and weariness in my
employment. Thence home, and there my mind being a little lightened
by my morning's work in the arguments I have now laid together in
better method for our defence to the Parliament, I to talk with my wife;
and in lieu of a coach this year, I have got my wife to be contented with
her closet being made up this summer, and going into the country this
summer for a month or two, to my father's, and there Mercer and Deb.
and Jane shall go with her, which I the rather do for the entertaining my
wife, and preventing of fallings out between her and my father or Deb.,
which uses to be the fate of her going into the country. After dinner by
coach to Westminster, and there to St. Margaret's church, thinking to
have seen Betty Michell, but she was not there, but met her father and
mother and with them to her father's house, where I never was before,
but was mighty much made of, with some good strong waters, which
they have from their son Michell, and mighty good people they are.
Thence to Mrs. Martin's, where I have not been also a good while, and
with great difficulty, company being there, did get an opportunity to
hazer what I would con her, and here I was mightily taken with a
starling which she hath, that was the King's, which he kept in his
bedchamber; and do whistle and talk the most and best that ever I heard
anything in my life. Thence to visit Sir H. Cholmly, who continues still
sick of his cold, and thence calling, but in vain, to speak with Sir G.
Carteret at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where I spoke with
nobody, but home, where spent the evening talking with W. Hewer
about business of the House, and declaring my expectation of all our
being turned out. Hither comes Carcasse to me about business, and
there did confess to me of his own accord his having heretofore
discovered as a complaint against Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen and me
that we did prefer the paying of some men to man "The Flying

Greyhound" to others, by order under our hands. The thing upon
recollection I believe is true, and do hope no great matter can be made
of it, but yet I would be glad to have my name out of it, which I shall
labour to do; in the mean time it weighs as a new trouble on my mind,
and did trouble me all night. So without supper to bed, my eyes being
also a little overwrought of late that I could not stay up to read.

2nd. Up and betimes to the office, where I did much business, and
several come to me, and among others I did prepare Mr. Warren, and
by and by Sir D. Gawden, about what presents I have had from them,
that they may not publish them, or if they do, that in truth I received
none on the account of the Navy but Tangier, and this is true to the
former, and in both that I never asked any thing of them. I must do the
like with the rest. Mr. Moore was with me, and he do tell me, and so W.
Hewer tells me, he hears this morning that all the town is full of the
discourse that the Officers of the Navy shall be all turned out, but
honest Sir John Minnes, who, God knows, is fitter to have been turned
out himself than any of us, doing the King more hurt by his dotage and
folly than all the rest can do by their knavery,