Diary, May/Jun 1663 | 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. MAY & JUNE 1663
May 1st. Up betimes and my father with me, and he and I all the
morning and Will Stankes private, in my wife's closet above, settling
our matters concerning our Brampton estate, &c., and I find that there
will be, after all debts paid within L100, L50 per annum clear coming
towards my father's maintenance, besides L25 per annum annuities to
my Uncle Thomas and Aunt Perkins. Of which, though I was in my
mind glad, yet thought it not fit to let my father know it thoroughly, but
after he had gone out to visit my uncle Thomas and brought him to
dinner with him, and after dinner I got my father, brother Tom, and
myself together, I did make the business worse to them, and did
promise L20 out of my own purse to make it L50 a year to my father,
propounding that Stortlow may be sold to pay L200 for his satisfaction
therein and the rest to go towards payment of debts and legacies. The
truth is I am fearful lest my father should die before debts are paid, and
then the land goes to Tom and the burden of paying all debts will fall
upon the rest of the land. Not that I would do my brother any real hurt.
I advised my father to good husbandry and to living within the compass
of L50 a year, and all in such kind words, as not only made, them but
myself to weep, and I hope it will have a good effect. That being done,
and all things agreed on, we went down, and after a glass of wine we all
took horse, and I, upon a horse hired of Mr. Game, saw him out of
London, at the end of Bishopsgate Street, and so I turned and rode, with
some trouble, through the fields, and then Holborn, &c., towards Hide
Park, whither all the world, I think, are going, and in my going, almost
thither, met W. Howe coming galloping upon a little crop black nag; it
seems one that was taken in some ground of my Lord's, by some
mischance being left by his master, a thief; this horse being found with
black cloth ears on, and a false mayne, having none of his own; and I
back again with him to the Chequer, at Charing Cross, and there put up
my own dull jade, and by his advice saddled a delicate stone-horse of

Captain Ferrers's, and with that rid in state to the Park, where none
better mounted than I almost, but being in a throng of horses, seeing the
King's riders showing tricks with their managed horses, which were
very strange, my stone-horse was very troublesome, and begun to, fight
with other horses, to the dangering him and myself, and with much ado
I got out, and kept myself out of harm's way.. Here I saw nothing good,
neither the King, nor my Lady Castlemaine, nor any great ladies or
beauties being there, there being more pleasure a great deal at an
ordinary day; or else those few good faces that there were choked up
with the many bad ones, there being people of all sorts in coaches there,
to some thousands, I think. Going thither in the highway, just by the
Park gate, I met a boy in a sculler boat, carried by a dozen people at
least, rowing as hard as he could drive, it seems upon some wager. By
and by, about seven or eight o'clock, homeward; and changing my
horse again, I rode home, coaches going in great crowds to the further
end of the town almost. In my way, in Leadenhall Street, there was
morris-dancing which I have not seen a great while. So set my horse up
at Game's, paying 5s. for him. And so home to see Sir J. Minnes, who
is well again, and after staying talking with him awhile, I took leave
and went to hear Mrs. Turner's daughter, at whose house Sir J. Minnes
lies, play on the harpsicon; but, Lord! it was enough to make any man
sick to hear her; yet I was forced to commend her highly. So home to
supper and to bed, Ashwell playing upon the tryangle very well before I
went to bed. This day Captain Grove sent me a side of pork, which was
the oddest present, sure, that