Diary, Sep/Oct 1662 | 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 1662
September 1st. Up betimes at my lodging and to my office and among
my workmen, and then with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen by coach to
St. James's, this being the first day of our meeting there by the Duke's
order; but when we come, we found him going out by coach with his
Duchess, and he told us he was to go abroad with the Queen to-day (to
Durdans, it seems, to dine with my Lord Barkeley, where I have been
very merry when I was a little boy); so we went and staid a little at Mr.
Coventry's chamber, and I to my Lord Sandwich's, who is gone to wait
upon the King and Queen today. And so Mr. Paget being there, Will
Howe and I and he played over some things of Locke's that we used to
play at sea, that pleased us three well, it being the first music I have
heard a great while, so much has my business of late taken me off from
all my former delights. By and by by water home, and there dined
alone, and after dinner with my brother Tom's two men I removed all
my goods out of Sir W. Pen's house into one room that I have with
much ado got ready at my house, and so I am to be quit of any further
obligation to him. So to my office, but missing my key, which I had in
my hand just now, makes me very angry and out of order, it being a
thing that I hate in others, and more in myself, to be careless of keys, I
thinking another not fit to be trusted that leaves a key behind their hole.
One thing more vexes me: my wife writes me from the country that her
boy plays the rogue there, and she is weary of him, and complains also
of her maid Sarah, of which I am also very sorry. Being thus out of
temper, I could do little at my office, but went home and eat a bit, and
so to my lodging to bed.

2nd. Up betimes and got myself ready alone, and so to my office, my
mind much troubled for my key that I lost yesterday, and so to my
workmen and put them in order, and so to my office, and we met all the
morning, and then dined at Sir W. Batten's with Sir W. Pen, and so to
my office again all the afternoon, and in the evening wrote a letter to
Mr. Cooke, in the country, in behalf of my brother Tom, to his mistress,
it being the first of my appearing in it, and if she be as Tom sets her out,
it may be very well for him. So home and eat a bit, and so to my
lodging to bed.

3rd. Up betimes, but now the days begin to shorten, and so whereas I
used to rise by four o'clock, it is not broad daylight now till after five
o'clock, so that it is after five before I do rise. To my office, and about
8 o'clock I went over to Redriffe, and walked to Deptford, where I
found Mr. Coventry and Sir W. Pen beginning the pay, it being my
desire to be there to-day because it is the first pay that Mr. Coventry
has been at, and I would be thought to be as much with Mr. Coventry
as I can. Here we staid till noon, and by that time paid off the Breda,
and then to dinner at the tavern, where I have obtained that our
commons is not so large as they used to be, which I am glad to see.
After dinner by water to the office, and there we met and sold the
Weymouth, Successe, and Fellowship hulkes, where pleasant to see
how backward men are at first to bid; and yet when the candle is going
out, how they bawl and dispute afterwards who bid the most first. And
here I observed one man cunninger than the rest that was sure to bid the
last man, and to carry it; and inquiring the reason, he told me that just
as the flame goes out the smoke descends, which is a thing I never
observed before, and by that he do know the