Produced by David Widger

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.
                                DECEMBER
                                  1667

December 1st (Lord's day). Up, and after entering my journal for 2 or 3days, I to church, where Mr. Mills, a dull sermon: and in our pew theresat a great lady, which I afterwards understood to be my Lady Carlisle,that made her husband a cuckold in Scotland, a very fine woman indeed inperson. After sermon home, where W. Hewer dined with us, and after dinnerhe and I all the afternoon to read over our office letters to see whatmatters can be got for our advantage or disadvantage therein. In theevening comes Mr. Pelling and the two men that were with him formerly, thelittle man that sings so good a base (Wallington) and another thatunderstands well, one Pigott, and Betty Turner come and sat and suppedwith us, and we spent the evening mighty well in good musique, to my greatcontent to see myself in condition to have these and entertain them for myown pleasure only. So they gone, we to bed.

2nd. Up, and then abroad to Alderman Backewell's (who was sick of a coldin bed), and then to the Excise Office, where I find Mr. Ball out ofhumour in expectation of being put out of his office by the change of thefarm of the excise. There comes Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I toWestminster, and there walked up and down till noon, where all thebusiness is that the Lords' answer is come down to the Commons, that theyare not satisfied in the Commons' Reasons: and so the Commons are hot, andlike to sit all day upon the business what to do herein, most thinkingthat they will remonstrate against the Lords. Thence to Lord Crew's, andthere dined with him; where, after dinner, he took me aside, and bewailedthe condition of the nation, how the King and his brother are at adistance about this business of the Chancellor, and the two Housesdiffering. And he do believe that there are so many about the King liketo be concerned and troubled by the Parliament, that they will get him todissolve or prorogue the Parliament; and the rather, for that the King islikely, by this good husbandry of the Treasury, to get out of debt, andthe Parliament is likely to give no money. Among other things, my LordCrew did tell me, with grief, that he hears that the King of late hath notdined nor supped with the Queen, as he used of late to do. After a littlediscourse, Mr. Caesar, he dining there, did give us some musique on hislute (Mr. John Crew being there) to my great content, and then away I, andMr. Caesar followed me and told me that my boy Tom hath this day declaredto him that he cared not for the French lute and would learn no more,which Caesar out of faithfulness tells me that I might not spend any moremoney on him in vain. I shall take the boy to task about it, though I amcontented to save my money if the boy knows not what is good for himself.So thanked him, and indeed he is a very honest man I believe, and awayhome, there to get something ready for the Lords Commissioners of theTreasury, and so took my wife and girle and set them at Unthanke's, a

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