Produced by David Widger
(Unabridged)
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
MARCH
1667-1668
March 1st (Lord's day). Up very betimes, and by coach to Sir W.Coventry's; and there, largely carrying with me all my notes and papers,did run over our whole defence in the business of tickets, in order to theanswering the House on Thursday next; and I do think, unless they be setwithout reason to ruin us, we shall make a good defence. I find him ingreat anxiety, though he will not discover it, in the business of theproceedings of Parliament; and would as little as is possible have hisname mentioned in our discourse to them; and particularly the business ofselling places is now upon his hand to defend himself in; wherein I didhelp him in his defence about the flag-maker's place, which is named inthe House. We did here do the like about the complaint of want ofvictuals in the fleete in the year 1666, which will lie upon me to defendalso. So that my head is full of care and weariness in my employment.Thence home, and there my mind being a little lightened by my morning'swork in the arguments I have now laid together in better method for ourdefence to the Parliament, I to talk with my wife; and in lieu of a coachthis year, I have got my wife to be contented with her closet being madeup this summer, and going into the country this summer for a month or two,to my father's, and there Mercer and Deb. and Jane shall go with her,which I the rather do for the entertaining my wife, and preventing offallings out between her and my father or Deb., which uses to be the fateof her going into the country. After dinner by coach to Westminster, andthere to St. Margaret's church, thinking to have seen Betty Michell, butshe was not there, but met her father and mother and with them to herfather's house, where I never was before, but was mighty much made of,with some good strong waters, which they have from their son Michell, andmighty good people they are. Thence to Mrs. Martin's, where I have notbeen also a good while, and with great difficulty, company being there,did get an opportunity to hazer what I would con her, and here I wasmightily taken with a starling which she hath, that was the King's, whichhe kept in his bedchamber; and do whistle and talk the most and best thatever I heard anything in my life. Thence to visit Sir H. Cholmly, whocontinues still sick of his cold, and thence calling, but in vain, tospeak with Sir G. Carteret at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where Ispoke with nobody, but home, where spent the evening talking with W. Hewerabout business of the House, and declaring my expectation of all our beingturned out. Hither comes Carcasse to me about business, and there didconfess to me of his own accord his having heretofore discovered as acomplaint against Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen and me that we did prefer thepaying of some men to man "The Flying Greyhound" to others, by order underour hands. The thing upon recollection I believe is true, and do hope nogreat matter can be made of it, but yet I would be glad to have