Pepys, Samuel & Latham, Robert (ed): & 1660=1669: Diaries of Samuel Pepys

...

So to the office - where it was determined that I shall go tomorrow to Portsmouth.

So I went out of the office to White-hall presently; and there spoke to Sir W. Pen and Sir George Carteret and had their advice as to my going. And so back again home - where I directed Mr. Hater what to do in order to our going tomorrow. ...

...

This morning, after order given to my workmen, my wife and I and Mr. Creed took coach, and in fish-street took up Mr. Hater and his wife - who, through her maske, seemed to me first an old woman - but afterward I find her to be a very pretty modest black woman.

We got a small bayte at Letherhead; and so to Godlyman, where we lay all night and were very merry - having no other extraordinary rancontre but my hat falling off my head at Newington into the water, by which it was spoiled and I am ashamed of it.

Up earely and baited at Petersfield, in the room which the King lay in lately at his being there.

Here very merry and played, us and our wifes, at bowles. Then we set forth again; and so to portsmouth, seeming to me a very pleasant and strong place. And we lay at the Red lyon, where Haslerigg and Scott and Walton did hold their Councell when they were here, against Lambert and the Committee of safety.

...

Up; and Mr. Creed and I to walk round the town upon the Walls. Then to our Inne; and there all the officers of the Yard to see me with great respect and I walked with them to the Dock and saw all the Stores, and much pleased with the sight of the place.

Back, and brought them all to dinner with me and treated them handsomely; and so after dinner by water to the Yard, and there we made the Sale of the old provisions. Then we and our wifes all to see the Mountagu, which is a fine ship. And so to the Towne again by water; and then to see the room where the Duke of Buckingham was killed by Felton.

So to our lodgings and to supper and to bed.

Tonight came Mr. Stevens to town, to help us pay off the Fox.

earely to walk with Mr. Creed up and down the Towne; and it was in his and some others' thoughts to have got me made free of the towne; but the Mayor was it seems unwilling, and so they could not do it.

Then to the pay:house and there paid off the ship. And so to a short dinner and then took Coach, leaving Mrs. Hater there to stay with her husbands friends, and we to Petersfield - having nothing more of trouble in all my Journy but the exceeding unmannerly and most epicurelike palate of Mr. Creed.

Here my wife and I lay in the room the Queene lately lay at her going into france.

Up in the morning and took Coach; and so to Gilford ...

...

Journey to Portsmouth 1662

This morning I attempted to persuade my wife in bed to go to Brampton this week; but she would not, which troubles me. And seeing that I could keep it no longer from her, I told her that I was resolved to go to Portsmouth tomorrow. Sir W. Batten goes to Chatham today and will be back again to come for Portsmouth after us on Thursday next.

...

After taking leave of my wife, which we could hardly do kindly, because of her mind to go along with me - Sir W. Penn and I took coach and so over the bridge to Lambeth ... to Gilford ...

Up earely and to Petersfield, and there dined well; and thence got a contry-man to guide us by Havan, to avoid going through the forrest; but he carried us much out of the way. And upon our coming, we sent away an express to Sir W. Batten to stop his coming, which I did project to make good my oath that my wife should come if any of our wifes came, which my Lady Batten did entend to do with her husband. The Doctor and I lay together at Wiards the Chyrurgeons in Portsmouth - his wife a very pretty woman. ...

Up and to Sir George Carterets lodging at Mrs. Stephens, where we keep our table all the time we are here. Thence all of us to the pay-house; but the books not being ready, we went to church to the Lecture, where there was my Lord Ormond and Manchester and much London company, though not so much as I expected. Here we had a very good sermon ...

... So to dinner and then to the pay all the afternoon: then Sir W. Penn and I walked to the Kings-yard, and there lay at Mr. Tippets's, where exceeding well treated.

All the morning at Portsmouth at the pay; and then to dinner and again to the pay; and at night got the Doctor to go lie with me, and much pleased with his company; but I was much troubled in my eyes, by reason of the healths I have been this day been forced to drink.

Sir G. and I and his clerk, Mr. Stephens, and Mr. Holt our guide, over to Gosport, and so rode to Southampton. In our way, besides my Lord Southamptons parks and lands, which in one viewe we could see 6000l per annum, we observed a little churchyard, where the graves are all accustomed to be all Sowed with Sage. At Southampton we went to the Mayors and there dined, and had Sturgeon of their own catching the last week, which doth not happen in 20 year, and it was well ordered. They brought us also some Caveare, which I attempted to order, but all to no purpose, for they had neither given it salt enough nor are the seedes of the roe broke, but are all in berryes. The towne is one most gallant street - and is walled round with stone, and Bevis's picture upon one of the gates. Many old walls of religious houses, and the Keye well worth seeing. After dinner to horse again, being in nothing troubled but the badness of my hat, which I borrowed to save my beaver. Home by night and wrote letters to London, and so with Sir W. Penn to the docke to bed.

Sunday. Sir W. Penn got trimmed before me, and so took the coach to Portsmouth to wait on my Lord Steward to church. And sent the coach for me back again; so I rode to church and met my Lord Chamberlaine upon the walls of the Garrison, who owned and spoke to me. ... Thence took Ned Pickering to dinner with us, and the two Marshes, father and son, dined with us, and very merry. After dinner, Sir W. Penn and I, the Doctor, and Ned Pickering by coach to the Yard; and there, on board the Swallow in the Dock, hear our Navy Chaplin preach a sad sermon, full of nonsense and false Latin - but prayed for the Right Honourable the Principal Officers: after sermon took him to Mr. Tippets to drink a glass of wine. And so we four back again by coach to Portsmouth, and there visited the Mayor, Mr. Timbrell our Anchorsmith, who showed us the present they have for the Queene; which is a salt-cellar of silver, the walls Christall, with four Eagles and four greyhounds standing up at top to bear up a dish - which endeed is one of the neatest pieces of plate that ever I saw - and the case is very pretty also.

This evening came a Merchantman in the harbour, which we hired at London to carry horse to Portugall; but Lord, what running there was to the seaside to hear what news, thinking it had come from the Queene. In the evening, Sir George, Sir W. Penn and I walked round the walls; and thence we two with the Doctor to the yard; and so to supper and to bed.

... By coach to the Pay-house, and so to work again. And then to dinner. And to it again, and so in the evening to the yard and supper and bed.

At the pay all the morning, and so to dinner and then to it again in the afternoon. And after our work was done, Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Penn and I walked forth, and I spied Mrs. Pierce and another lady passing by; so I left them and went to the ladies, and walked with them up and down and took them to Mrs. Stephens's, and there give them wine and sweetmeats and were very merry; and then comes the Doctor and we carried them by coach to their lodging; which was very poor, but the best they could get and such as made much mirth among us. So I appointed one to watch when the gates of the towne were ready to be shut and to give us notice; and so the Doctor and I stayed with them, playing and laughing; and at last was forced to bid good-night, for fear of being locked into the towne all night. So we walked to the yard, designing how to prevent our going to London tomorrow, that we might be merry with these ladies, which I did. So to supper, and merrily to bed.

This morning Sir G came down to the yard, and there we mustered over all the men and determined of some regulacions in the yard. And then to dinner, all the officers of the yard with us; and after dinner walk to Portsmouth - there to pay off the Successe, which we did pretty earely; and so I took leave of Sir W. Penn - he desiring whither I went, but I could not tell him. I went to the ladies, and there took them and walked to the Mayors to show them the present, and then to the Dock, where Mrs. Tippets made much of them; and thence back again, the Doctor being come to us to their Lodgeings, whither came our supper by my appointment, and we very merry, playing at Cards and laughing very merry, till 12 a-clock at night. ...

This afternoon, after dinner, comes Mr. Stephenton, one of the Burgesses of the towne, to tell me that the Mayor and burgesses did desire my acceptance of a Burgessshipp and were ready at the Mayor's to make me one. So I went and there they were all ready and did with much civility give me my oath; and after the oath, did by custom shake me all by the hand. So I took them to a taverne and made them drink; and paying the reckoning, went away - they having first in the taverne made Mr. Waith also a burgesse, he coming in while we were drinking. It cost me a piece in gold to the Towne Clerke and 10s to the bayliffes, and spent 6s.

Sir G.Carteret, Sir W. Pen, and myself, with our clerks, set out this morning from Portsmouth very early and got by noon to Petersfield, several of the officers of the yard accompanying us so far. Here we dined and were merry.

At dinner comes my Lord Carlingford from London, going to Portsmouth; ...

...

To horse again after dinner, and got to Gilford - where after supper I to bed, ...

...

early to coach again and to Kingston, where we baited a little; and presently to coach again and got earely to London; and I find all well at home, ...