Diary, October 1665 | Page 5

of. We walked, he and I and Cocke, to the Hill-house, where
we find Sir W. Pen in bed and there much talke and much dissembling
of kindnesse from him, but he is a false rogue, and I shall not trust him,
but my being there did procure his consent to have his silk carried away
before the money received, which he would not have done for Cocke I
am sure. Thence to Rochester, walked to the Crowne, and while dinner
was getting ready, I did there walk to visit the old Castle ruines, which
hath been a noble place, and there going up I did upon the stairs
overtake three pretty mayds or women and took them up with me, and I
did 'baiser sur mouches et toucher leur mains' and necks to my great
pleasure: but, Lord! to see what a dreadfull thing it is to look down the
precipices, for it did fright me mightily, and hinder me of much

pleasure which I would have made to myself in the company of these
three, if it had not been for that. The place hath been very noble and
great and strong in former ages. So to walk up and down the Cathedral,
and thence to the Crowne, whither Mr. Fowler, the Mayor of the towne,
was come in his gowne, and is a very reverend magistrate. After I had
eat a bit, not staying to eat with them, I went away, and so took horses
and to Gravesend, and there staid not, but got a boat, the sicknesse
being very much in the towne still, and so called on board my Lord
Bruncker and Sir John Minnes, on board one of the East Indiamen at
Erith, and there do find them full of envious complaints for the
pillageing of the ships, but I did pacify them, and discoursed about
making money of some of the goods, and do hope to be the better by it
honestly. So took leave (Madam Williams being here also with my
Lord), and about 8 o'clock got to Woolwich and there supped and
mighty pleasant with my wife, who is, for ought I see, all friends with
her mayds, and so in great joy and content to bed.

3rd. Up, and to my great content visited betimes by Mr. Woolly, my
uncle Wight's cozen, who comes to see what work I have for him about
these East India goods, and I do find that this fellow might have been
of great use, and hereafter may be of very great use to me, in this trade
of prize goods, and glad I am fully of his coming hither. While I
dressed myself, and afterwards in walking to Greenwich we did
discourse over all the business of the prize goods, and he puts me in
hopes I may get some money in what I have done, but not so much as I
expected, but that I may hereafter do more. We have laid a design of
getting more, and are to talk again of it a few days hence. To the office,
where nobody to meet me, Sir W. Batten being the only man and he
gone this day to meet to adjourne the Parliament to Oxford. Anon by
appointment comes one to tell me my Lord Rutherford is come; so I to
the King's Head to him, where I find his lady, a fine young Scotch lady,
pretty handsome and plain. My wife also, and Mercer, by and by comes,
Creed bringing them; and so presently to dinner and very merry; and
after to even our accounts, and I to give him tallys, where he do allow
me L100, of which to my grief the rogue Creed has trepanned me out of
L50. But I do foresee a way how it may be I may get a greater sum of
my Lord to his content by getting him allowance of interest upon his

tallys. That being done, and some musique and other diversions, at last
away goes my Lord and Lady, and I sent my wife to visit Mrs. Pierce,
and so I to my office, where wrote important letters to the Court, and at
night (Creed having clownishly left my wife), I to Mrs. Pierces and
brought her and Mrs. Pierce to the King's Head and there spent a piece
upon a supper for her and mighty merry and pretty discourse, she being
as pretty as ever, most of our mirth being upon "my Cozen" (meaning
my Lord Bruncker's ugly mistress, whom he calls cozen), and to my
trouble she tells me that the fine Mrs. Middleton is noted for carrying
about her body a continued sour base smell, that is very offensive,
especially if she be a little hot. Here some bad