In 1615 George Smith Merchant was born.
Pepy's Diary. 08 Aug 1665. At noon I home to dinner alone, and after dinner Bagwell's wife waited at the door, and went with me to my office.... So parted, and I to Sir W. Batten's (age 64), and there sat the most of the afternoon talking and drinking too much with my Lord Bruncker (age 45), Sir G. Smith (age 50), G. Cocke (age 48) and others very merry. I drunk a little mixed, but yet more than I should do.
Pepy's Diary. 10 Aug 1665. We sat late, and then by invitation my Lord Bruncker (age 45), Sir J. Minnes (age 66), Sir W. Batten (age 64) and I to Sir G. Smith's (age 50) to dinner, where very good company and good cheer. Captain Cocke (age 48) was there and Jacke Fenn, but to our great wonder Alderman Bence, and tells us that not a word of all this is true, and others said so too, but by his owne story his wife hath been ill, and he fain to leave his house and comes not to her, which continuing a trouble to me all the time I was there.
Pepy's Diary. 16 Aug 1665. Thence to the Exchange [Map], where I have not been a great while. But, Lord! how sad a sight it is to see the streets empty of people, and very few upon the 'Change [Map]. Jealous of every door that one sees shut up, lest it should be the plague; and about us two shops in three, if not more, generally shut up. From the 'Change [Map] to Sir G. Smith's (age 50) with Mr. Fenn, to whom I am nowadays very complaisant, he being under payment of my bills to me, and some other sums at my desire, which he readily do. Mighty merry with Captain Cocke (age 48) and Fenn at Sir G. Smith's (age 50), and a brave dinner, but I think Cocke is the greatest epicure that is, eats and drinks with the greatest pleasure and liberty that ever man did.
Pepy's Diary. 28 Aug 1665. Up, and being ready I out to Mr. Colvill, the goldsmith's, having not for some days been in the streets; but now how few people I see, and those looking like people that had taken leave of the world. I there, and made even all accounts in the world between him and I, in a very good condition, and I would have done the like with Sir Robert Viner (age 34), but he is out of towne, the sicknesse being every where thereabouts. I to the Exchange [Map], and I think there was not fifty people upon it, and but few more like to be as they told me, Sir G. Smith (age 50) and others. Thus I think to take adieu to-day of the London streets, unless it be to go again to Viner's (age 34).
Pepy's Diary. 20 Sep 1665. I find here a design in my Lord Bruncker (age 45) and Captain Cocke (age 48) to have had my Lord Bruncker (age 45) chosen as one of us to have been sent aboard one of the East Indiamen, and Captain Cocke (age 48) as a merchant to be joined with him, and Sir J. Minnes (age 66) for the other, and Sir G. Smith (age 50) to be joined with him. But I did order it so that my Lord Bruncker (age 45) and Sir J. Minnes (age 66) were ordered, but I did stop the merchants to be added, which would have been a most pernicious thing to the King (age 35) I am sure. In this I did, I think, a very good office, though I cannot acquit myself from some envy of mine in the business to have the profitable business done by another hand while I lay wholly imployed in the trouble of the office.
Pepy's Diary. 08 Oct 1665. Lord's Day. Up and, after being trimmed, to the office, whither I upon a letter from the Duke of Albemarle (age 56) to me, to order as many ships forth out of the river as I can presently, to joyne to meet the Dutch; having ordered all the Captains of the ships in the river to come to me, I did some business with them, and so to Captain Cocke's (age 48) to dinner, he being in the country. But here his brother Solomon was, and, for guests, myself, Sir G. Smith (age 50), and a very fine lady, one Mrs. Penington, and two more gentlemen. But, both [before] and after dinner, most witty discourse with this lady, who is a very fine witty lady, one of the best I ever heard speake, and indifferent handsome.
Pepy's Diary. 05 Nov 1665. Then the lady and I to very serious discourse and, among other things, of what a bonny lasse my Lady Robinson (age 53) is, who is reported to be kind to the prisoners, and has said to Sir G. Smith (age 50), who is her great crony, "Look! there is a pretty man, I would be content to break a commandment with him", and such loose expressions she will have often.
Pepy's Diary. 15 Nov 1665. After dinner who comes in but my Lady Batten, and a troop of a dozen women almost, and expected, as I found afterward, to be made mighty much of, but nobody minded them; but the best jest was, that when they saw themselves not regarded, they would go away, and it was horrible foule weather; and my Lady Batten walking through the dirty lane with new spicke and span white shoes, she dropped one of her galoshes in the dirt, where it stuck, and she forced to go home without one, at which she was horribly vexed, and I led her; and after vexing her a little more in mirth, I parted, and to Glanville's (age 47), where I knew Sir John Robinson (age 50), Sir G. Smith (age 50), and Captain Cocke (age 48) were gone, and there, with the company of Mrs. Penington, whose father, I hear, was one of the Court of justice, and died prisoner, of the stone, in the Tower [Map], I made them, against their resolutions, to stay from houre to houre till it was almost midnight, and a furious, darke and rainy, and windy, stormy night, and, which was best, I, with drinking small beer, made them all drunk drinking wine, at which Sir John Robinson (age 50) made great sport.
Pepy's Diary. 24 Nov 1665. So to the 'Change [Map], where very busy with several people, and mightily glad to see the 'Change [Map] so full, and hopes of another abatement still the next week. Off the 'Change [Map] I went home with Sir G. Smith (age 50) to dinner, sending for one of my barrels of oysters, which were good, though come from Colchester [Map], where the plague hath been so much. Here a very brave dinner, though no invitation; and, Lord! to see how I am treated, that come from so mean a beginning, is matter of wonder to me. But it is God's great mercy to me, and His blessing upon my taking pains, and being punctual in my dealings.
Pepy's Diary. 27 Nov 1665. Thence Cocke (age 48) and I to Sir G. Smith's (age 50), it being now night, and there up to his chamber and sat talking, and I barbing [shaving] against to-morrow; and anon, at nine at night, comes to us Sir G. Smith (age 50) and the Lieutenant of the Tower (age 50), and there they sat talking and drinking till past midnight, and mighty merry we were, the Lieutenant of the Tower (age 50) being in a mighty vein of singing, and he hath a very good eare and strong voice, but no manner of skill. Sir G. Smith (age 50) shewed me his lady's closett, which was very fine; and, after being very merry, here I lay in a noble chamber, and mighty highly treated, the first time I have lain in London a long time.
Pepy's Diary. 05 Jan 1666. So my Lord and he and I much talke about the Act, what credit we find upon it, but no private talke between him and I So I to the 'Change [Map], and there met Mr. Povy (age 52), newly come to town, and he and I to Sir George Smith's (age 51) and there dined nobly. He tells me how my Lord Bellases (age 51) complains for want of money and of him and me therein, but I value it not, for I know I do all that can be done. We had no time to talk of particulars, but leave it to another day, and I away to Cornhill [Map] to expect my Lord Bruncker's (age 46) coming back again, and I staid at my stationer's house, and by and by comes my Lord, and did take me up and so to Greenwich, Kent [Map], and after sitting with them a while at their house, home, thinking to get Mrs. Knipp, but could not, she being busy with company, but sent me a pleasant letter, writing herself "Barbary Allen".
In 1667 George Smith Merchant (age 52) died.
