Diary, September 1667 | Page 4

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. SEPTEMBER 1667
September 1st (Lord's day). Up, and betimes by water from the Tower,
and called at the Old Swan for a glass of strong water, and sent word to

have little Michell and his wife come and dine with us to-day; and so,
taking in a gentleman and his lady that wanted a boat, I to Westminster.
Setting them on shore at Charing Cross, I to Mrs. Martin's, where I had
two pair of cuffs which I bespoke, and there did sit and talk with
her . . . . . and here I did see her little girle my goddaughter, which will
be pretty, and there having staid a little I away to Creed's chamber, and
when he was ready away to White Hall, where I met with several
people and had my fill of talk. Our new Lord-keeper, Bridgeman, did
this day, the first time, attend the King to chapel with his Seal. Sir H.
Cholmly tells me there are hopes that the women will also have a rout,
and particularly that my Lady Castlemayne is coming to a composition
with the King to be gone; but how true this is, I know not. Blancfort is
made Privy-purse to the Duke of York; the Attorney-general is made
Chief justice, in the room of my Lord Bridgeman; the Solicitor- general
is made Attorney-general; and Sir Edward Turner made Solicitor-
general. It is pretty to see how strange every body looks, nobody
knowing whence this arises; whether from my Lady Castlemayne, Bab.
May, and their faction; or from the Duke of York, notwithstanding his
great appearance of defence of the Chancellor; or from Sir William
Coventry, and some few with him. But greater changes are yet expected.
So home and by water to dinner, where comes Pelting and young
Michell and his wife, whom I have not seen a great while, poor girle,
and then comes Mr. Howe, and all dined with me very merry, and spent
all the afternoon, Pelting, Howe, and I, and my boy, singing of Lock's
response to the Ten Commandments, which he hath set very finely, and
was a good while since sung before the King, and spoiled in the
performance, which occasioned his printing them for his vindication,
and are excellent good. They parted, in the evening my wife and I to
walk in the garden and there scolded a little, I being doubtful that she
had received a couple of fine pinners (one of point de Gesne), which I
feared she hath from some [one] or other of a present; but, on the
contrary, I find she hath bought them for me to pay for them, without
my knowledge. This do displease me much; but yet do so much please
me better than if she had received them the other way, that I was not
much angry, but fell to other discourse, and so to my chamber, and got
her to read to me for saving of my eyes, and then, having got a great
cold, I know not how, I to bed and lay ill at ease all the night.

2nd. This day is kept in the City as a publick fast for the fire this day
twelve months: but I was not at church, being commanded, with the
rest, to attend the Duke of York; and, therefore, with Sir J. Minnes to St.
James's, where we had much business before the Duke of York, and
observed all things to be very kind between the Duke of York and W.
Coventry, which did mightily joy me. When we had done, Sir W.
Coventry called me down with him to his chamber, and there told me
that he is leaving the Duke of York's service, which I was amazed at.
But he tells me that it is not with the least unkindness on the Duke of
York's side, though he expects, and I told him he was in the right, it
will be interpreted otherwise, because done just at this time; "but," says
he, "I did desire it a good while since, and the Duke of York did, with
much entreaty, grant it, desiring that I would say nothing of it, that he
might have time and liberty to choose his successor, without being
importuned for others whom he should not like:" and that he hath
chosen Mr. Wren, which I am glad of, he being a very ingenious man;
and so Sir W. Coventry says of him, though he knows him little; but
particularly commends him for the book he writ in answer to
"Harrington's Oceana," which, for that reason, I intend to buy. He tells
me the true reason is, that he, being a man not willing to undertake
more business than he can go through, and being