Читать книгу Diary of Samuel Pepys - Samuel Pepys - Страница 24

[Richard Pepys, eldest son of Richard Pepys, Lord Chief Justice of

Ireland. He went to Boston, Mass., in 1634, and returned to England

about 1646.]

their elder brother, whom I had not seen these fourteen years, ever since he came from New England. It was strange for us to go a gossiping to her, she having newly buried her child that she was brought to bed of. I rose from table and went to the Temple church, where I had appointed Sir W. Batten to meet him; and there at Sir Heneage Finch Sollicitor General’s chambers, before him and Sir W. Wilde,

[William Wilde, elected Recorder on November 3rd, 1659, and

appointed one of the commissioners sent to Breda to desire Charles

II. to return to England immediately. He was knighted after the

King’s return, called to the degree of Serjeant, and created a

baronet, all in the same year. In 1668 he ceased to be Recorder,

and was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas. In 1673 he

was removed to the King’s Bench. He was turned out of his office in

1679 on account of his action in connection with the Popish Plot,

and died November 23rd of the same year.]

Recorder of London (whom we sent for from his chamber) we were sworn justices of peace for Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and Southampton; with which honour I did find myself mightily pleased, though I am wholly ignorant in the duty of a justice of peace. From thence with Sir William to Whitehall by water (old Mr. Smith with us) intending to speak with Secretary Nicholas about the augmentation of our salaries, but being forth we went to the Three Tuns tavern, where we drank awhile, and then came in Col. Slingsby and another gentleman and sat with us. From thence to my Lord’s to enquire whether they have had any thing from my Lord or no. Knocking at the door, there passed me Mons. L’Impertinent [Mr. Butler] for whom I took a coach and went with him to a dancing meeting in Broad Street, at the house that was formerly the glass-house, Luke Channel, Master of the School, where I saw good dancing, but it growing late, and the room very full of people and so very hot, I went home.

25th. To the office, where Sir W. Batten, Colonel Slingsby, and I sat awhile, and Sir R. Ford

[Sir Richard Ford was one of the commissioners sent to Breda to

desire Charles II. to return to England immediately.]

coming to us about some business, we talked together of the interest of this kingdom to have a peace with Spain and a war with France and Holland; where Sir R. Ford talked like a man of great reason and experience. And afterwards I did send for a cup of tee’

[That excellent and by all Physicians, approved, China drink, called

by the Chineans Tcha, by other nations Tay alias Tee, is sold at the

Sultaness Head Coffee-House, in Sweetings Rents, by the “Royal

Exchange, London.” “Coffee, chocolate, and a kind of drink called

tee, sold in almost every street in 1659.”—Rugge’s Diurnal. It is

stated in “Boyne’s Trade Tokens,” ed. Williamson, vol. i., 1889,

p. 593 “that the word tea occurs on no other tokens than those

issued from ‘the Great Turk’ (Morat ye Great) coffeehouse in

Exchange Alley. The Dutch East India Company introduced tea into

Europe in 1610, and it is said to have been first imported into

England from Holland about 1650. The English “East India Company”

purchased and presented 2 lbs. of tea to Charles II. in 1660, and 23

lbs. in 1666. The first order for its importation by the company

was in 1668, and the first consignment of it, amounting to 143 lbs.,

was received from Bantam in 1669 (see Sir George Birdwood’s “Report

on the Old Records at the India Office,” 1890, p. 26). By act 12

Car. II., capp. 23, 24, a duty of 8d. per gallon was imposed upon

the infusion of tea, as well as on chocolate and sherbet.]

(a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away. Then came Col. Birch and Sir R. Browne by a former appointment, and with them from Tower wharf in the barge belonging to our office we went to Deptford to pay off the ship Success, which (Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Pen coming afterwards to us) we did, Col. Birch being a mighty busy man and one that is the most indefatigable and forward to make himself work of any man that ever I knew in my life. At the Globe we had a very good dinner, and after that to the pay again, which being finished we returned by water again, and I from our office with Col. Slingsby by coach to Westminster (I setting him down at his lodgings by the way) to inquire for my Lord’s coming thither (the King and the Princess

[“The Princess Royall came from Gravesend to Whitehall by water,

attended by a noble retinue of about one hundred persons, gentry,

and servants, and tradesmen, and tirewomen, and others, that took

that opportunity to advance their fortunes, by coming in with so

excellent a Princess as without question she is.”--Rugge’s Diurnal.

A broadside, entitled “Ourania, the High and Mighty Lady the

Princess Royal of Aurange, congratulated on her most happy arrival,

September the 25th, 1660,” was printed on the 29th.]

coming up the river this afternoon as we were at our pay), and I found him gone to Mr. Crew’s, where I found him well, only had got some corns upon his foot which was not well yet. My Lord told me how the ship that brought the Princess and him (The Tredagh) did knock six times upon the Kentish Knock,

[A shoal in the North Sea, off the Thames mouth, outside the Long

Sand, fifteen miles N.N.E. of the North Foreland. It measures seven

miles north-eastward, and about two miles in breadth. It is partly

dry at low water. A revolving light was set up in 1840.]

which put them in great fear for the ship; but got off well. He told me also how the King had knighted Vice-Admiral Lawson and Sir Richard Stayner. From him late and by coach home, where the plasterers being at work in all the rooms in my house, my wife was fain to make a bed upon the ground for her and me, and so there we lay all night.

26th. Office day. That done to the church, to consult about our gallery. So home to dinner, where I found Mrs. Hunt, who brought me a letter for me to get my Lord to sign for her husband, which I shall do for her. At home with the workmen all the afternoon, our house being in a most sad pickle. In the evening to the office, where I fell a-reading of Speed’s Geography for a while. So home thinking to have found Will at home, but he not being come home but gone somewhere else I was very angry, and when he came did give him a very great check for it, and so I went to bed.

27th. To my Lord at Mr. Crew’s, and there took order about some business of his, and from thence home to my workmen all the afternoon. In the evening to my Lord’s, and there did read over with him and Dr. Walker my lord’s new commission for sea, and advised thereupon how to have it drawn. So home and to bed.

28th (Office day). This morning Sir W. Batten and Col. Slingsby went with Col. Birch and Sir Wm. Doyly to Chatham to pay off a ship there. So only Sir W. Pen and I left here in town. All the afternoon among my workmen till 10 or 11 at night, and did give them drink and very merry with them, it being my luck to meet with a sort of drolling workmen on all occasions. To bed.

29th. All day at home to make an end of our dirty work of the plasterers, and indeed my kitchen is now so handsome that I did not repent of all the trouble that I have been put to, to have it done. This day or yesterday, I hear, Prince Rupert

[This is the first mention in the Diary of this famous prince, third

son of Frederick, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, and Elizabeth,

daughter of James I., born December 17th, 1619. He died at his

house in Spring Gardens, November 29th, 1682.]

is come to Court; but welcome to nobody.

30th (Lord’s day). To our Parish church both forenoon and afternoon all alone. At night went to bed without prayers, my house being every where foul above stairs.