Diary, Sep/Oct 1661 | Page 4

before making
an entire 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. SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 1661
September 1st (Lord's day). Last night being very rainy [the rain] broke
into my house, the gutter being stopped, and spoiled all my ceilings
almost. At church in the morning, and dined at home with my wife.
After dinner to Sir W. Batten's, where I found Sir W. Pen and Captain
Holmes. Here we were very merry with Sir W. Pen about the loss of his
tankard, though all be but a cheat, and he do not yet understand it; but
the tankard was stole by Sir W. Batten, and the letter, as from the thief,
wrote by me, which makes: very good sport. Here I staid all the
afternoon, and then Captain Holmes and I by coach to White Hall; in
our way, I found him by discourse, to be a great friend of my Lord's,
and he told me there was many did seek to remove him; but they were
old seamen, such as Sir J. Minnes (but he would name no more, though
I do believe Sir W. Batten is one of them that do envy him), but he says
he knows that the King do so love him, and the Duke of York too, that
there is no fear of him. He seems to be very well acquainted with the
King's mind, and with all the several factions at Court, and spoke all
with so much frankness, that I do take him to be my Lord's good friend,
and one able to do him great service, being a cunning fellow, and one
(by his own confession to me) that can put on two several faces, and
look his enemies in the face with as much love as his friends. But, good
God! what an age is this, and what a world is this! that a man cannot
live without playing the knave and dissimulation. At Whitehall we
parted, and I to Mrs. Pierce's, meeting her and Madam Clifford in the
street, and there staid talking and laughing with them a good while, and
so back to my mother's, and there supped, and so home and to bed.

2nd. In the morning to my cozen Thos. Pepys, executor, and there
talked with him about my uncle Thomas, his being in the country, but
he could not advise me to anything therein, not knowing what the other
has done in the country, and so we parted. And so to Whitehall, and
there my Lord Privy Seal, who has been out of town this week, not
being yet come, we can have no seal, and therefore meeting with Mr.
Battersby the apothecary in Fenchurch Street to the King's
Apothecary's chamber in Whitehall, and there drank a bottle or two of
wine, and so he and I by water towards London. I landed at Blackfriars
and so to the Wardrobe and dined, and then back to Whitehall with
Captain Ferrers, and there walked, and thence to Westminster Hall,
where we met with Mr. Pickering, and so all of us to the Rhenish wine
house (Prior's), where the master of the house is laying out some
money in making a cellar with an arch in his yard, which is very
convenient for him. Here we staid a good while, and so Mr. Pickering
and I to Westminster Hall again, and there walked an hour or two
talking, and though he be a fool, yet he keeps much company, and will
tell all he sees or hears, and so a man may understand what the
common talk of the town is, and I find by him that there are endeavours
to get my Lord out of play at sea, which I believe Mr. Coventry and the
Duke do think will make them more absolute; but I hope, for all this,
they will not be able to do it. He tells me plainly of the vices of the
Court, and how the pox is so common there, and so I hear on all hands
that it is as common as eating and swearing. From him by water to the
bridge, and thence to the Mitre, where I met my uncle and aunt Wight
come to see Mrs. Rawlinson (in her husband's absence out of town),
and so I staid with them and Mr. Lucas and other company, very merry,
and so home, Where my wife has been busy all the day making of