Europe, British Isles, South-East England, Kent, Erith
Erith is in Kent.
Pepy's Diary. 13 Jun 1661. So went and Captain Ferrers with me into our wherry, and my Lord did give five guns, all they had charged, which was the greatest respect my Lord could do me, and of which I was not a little proud. So with a sad and merry heart I left them sailing pleasantly from Erith, hoping to be in the Downs tomorrow early. We toward London in our boat. Pulled off our stockings and bathed our legs a great while in the river, which I had not done some years before.
Pepy's Diary. 04 Aug 1662. So took barge at the dock and to Rochester, Kent [Map], and there Captain Cocke (age 45) and I and our two men took coach about 8 at night and to Gravesend, Kent [Map], where it was very dark before we got thither to the Swan [Map]; and there, meeting with Doncaster, an old waterman of mine above bridge, we eat a short supper, being very merry with the drolling, drunken coachman that brought us, and so took water. It being very dark, and the wind rising, and our waterman unacquainted with this part of the river, so that we presently cast upon the Essex shore, but got off again, and so, as well as we could, went on, but I in such fear that I could not sleep till we came to Erith, and there it begun to be calm, and the stars to shine, and so I began to take heart again, and the rest too, and so made shift to slumber a little. Above Woolwich, Kent [Map] we lost our way, and went back to Blackwall [Map], and up and down, being guided by nothing but the barking of a dog, which we had observed in passing by Blackwall [Map], and so, [Continued tomorrow]
Pepy's Diary. 24 Dec 1663. Up betimes; and though it was a most foggy morning, and cold, yet with a gally down to Eriffe, several times being at a loss whither we went. There I mustered two ships of the King's, lent by him to the Guiny Company, which are manned better than ours at far less wages.
Pepy's Diary. 26 Sep 1665. Up by five o'clock and got post horses and so set out for Greenwich, Kent [Map], calling and drinking at Dartford. Being come to Greenwich, Kent [Map] and shifting myself I to the office, from whence by and by my Lord Bruncker (age 45) and Sir J. Minnes (age 66) set out toward Erith to take charge of the two East India shipps, which I had a hand in contriving for the King's service and may do myself a good office too thereby. I to dinner with Mr. Wright to his father-in-law in Greenwich, Kent [Map], one of the most silly, harmless, prating old men that ever I heard in my life. Creed dined with me, and among other discourses got of me a promise of half that he could get my Lord Rutherford to give me upon clearing his business, which should not be less, he says, than £50 for my half, which is a good thing, though cunningly got of him.
Evelyn's Diary. 29 Sep 1665. To Erith, to quicken the sale of the prizes lying there, with order to the commissioner who lay on board till they should be disposed of, £5,000 being proportioned for my quarter. Then I delivered the Dutch Vice-Admiral, who was my prisoner, to Mr. Lowman of the Marshalsea [Map], he giving me bond in £500 to produce him at my call. I exceedingly pitied this brave unhappy person, who had lost with these prizes £40,000 after twenty years' negotiation [trading] in the East Indies. I dined in one of these vessels, of 1,200 tons, full of riches.
Pepy's Diary. 02 Oct 1665. So to walk up and down the Cathedral [Map], and thence to the Crowne, whither Mr. Fowler, the Mayor of the towne, was come in his gowne, and is a very reverend magistrate. After I had eat a bit, not staying to eat with them, I went away, and so took horses and to Gravesend, Kent [Map], and there staid not, but got a boat, the sicknesse being very much in the towne still, and so called on board my Lord Bruncker (age 45) and Sir John Minnes (age 66), on board one of the East Indiamen at Erith, and there do find them full of envious complaints for the pillageing of the ships, but I did pacify them, and discoursed about making money of some of the goods, and do hope to be the better by it honestly.
Pepy's Diary. 11 Oct 1665. By and by comes Cocke (age 48) to tell me that Fisher and his fellow were last night mightily satisfied and promised all friendship, but this morning he finds them to have new tricks and shall be troubled with them. So he being to go down to Erith with them this afternoon about giving security, I advised him to let them go by land, and so he and I (having eat something at his house) by water to Erith, but they got thither before us, and there we met Mr. Seymour (age 32), one of the Commissioners for Prizes, and a Parliament-man, and he was mighty high, and had now seized our goods on their behalf; and he mighty imperiously would have all forfeited, and I know not what. I thought I was in the right in a thing I said and spoke somewhat earnestly, so we took up one another very smartly, for which I was sorry afterwards, shewing thereby myself too much concerned, but nothing passed that I valued at all. But I could not but think [it odd] that a Parliament-man, in a serious discourse before such persons as we and my Lord Bruncker (age 45), and Sir John Minnes (age 66), should quote Hudibras, as being the book I doubt he hath read most. They I doubt will stand hard for high security, and Cocke (age 48) would have had me bound with him for his appearing, but I did stagger at it, besides Seymour (age 32) do stop the doing it at all till he has been with the Duke of Albemarle (age 56).
Pepy's Diary. 23 Oct 1665. Up, and after doing some business I down by water, calling to see my wife, with whom very merry for ten minutes, and so to Erith, where my Lord Bruncker (age 45) and I kept the office, and dispatched some business by appointment on the Bezan. Among other things about the slopsellers, who have trusted us so long, they are not able, nor can be expected to trust us further, and I fear this winter the fleete will be undone by that particular.
Pepy's Diary. 25 Oct 1665. After dinner my Lord by a ketch down to Erith, where the Bezan was, it blowing these last two days and now both night and day very hard southwardly, so that it has certainly drove the Dutch off the coast.
Pepy's Diary. 28 Oct 1665. Thence by horsebacke with Deane (age 31) to Erith, and so aboard my Lord Bruncker (age 45) and dined, and very merry with him and good discourse between them about ship building, and, after dinner and a little pleasant discourse, we away and by horse back again to Greenwich, Kent [Map], and there I to the office very late, offering my persons for all the victualling posts much to my satisfaction.
Pepy's Diary. 29 Oct 1665. Lord's Day. Up, and being ready set out with Captain Cocke (age 48) in his coach toward Erith, Deane (age 31) riding along with us, where we dined and were very merry.
Pepy's Diary. 01 Nov 1665. At last up, and it being a very foule day for raine and a hideous wind, yet having promised I would go by water to Erith, and bearing sayle was in danger of oversetting, but ordered them take down their sayle, and so cold and wet got thither, as they had ended their dinner. How[ever], I dined well, and after dinner all on shore, my Lord Bruncker (age 45) with us to Mrs. Williams's lodgings, and Sir W. Batten (age 64), Sir Edmund Pooly (age 46), and others; and there, it being my Lord's birth-day, had every one a green riband tied in our hats very foolishly; and methinks mighty disgracefully for my Lord to have his folly so open to all the world with this woman.
Pepy's Diary. 01 Nov 1665. But by and by Sir W. Batten (age 64) and I took coach, and home to Boreman, and so going home by the backside I saw Captain Cocke (age 48) 'lighting out of his coach (having been at Erith also with her but not on board) and so he would come along with me to my lodging, and there sat and supped and talked with us, but we were angry a little a while about our message to him the other day about bidding him keepe from the office or his owne office, because of his black dying. I owned it and the reason of it, and would have been glad he had been out of the house, but I could not bid him go, and so supped, and after much other talke of the sad condition and state of the King's matters we broke up, and my friend and I to bed.
Pepy's Diary. 02 Nov 1665. To the office again after dinner and there late writing letters, and then about 8 at night set out from my office and fitting myself at my lodgings intended to have gone this night in a Ketch down to the Fleete, but calling in my way at Sir J. Minnes's (age 66), who is come up from Erith about something about the prizes, they persuaded me not to go till the morning, it being a horrible darke and a windy night. So I back to my lodging and to bed.
Pepy's Diary. 16 Nov 1665. Up, and fitted myself for my journey down to the fleete, and sending my money and boy down by water to Eriffe, [Erith] I borrowed a horse of Mr. Boreman's son, and after having sat an houre laughing with my Lady Batten and Mrs. Turner (age 42), and eat and drank with them, I took horse and rode to Eriffe, where, after making a little visit to Madam Williams, who did give me information of W. Howe's having bought eight bags of precious stones taken from about the Dutch Vice-Admirall's neck, of which there were eight dyamonds which cost him £60,000 sterling, in India, and hoped to have made £2000 here for them. And that this is told by one that sold him one of the bags, which hath nothing but rubys in it, which he had for 35s.; and that it will be proved he hath made £125 of one stone that he bought. This she desired, and I resolved I would give my Lord Sandwich (age 40) notice of.
Pepy's Diary. 17 Nov 1665. After he had given thanks to me for my kind visit and good counsel, on which he seems to set much by, I left him, and so away to my Bezan againe, and there to read in a pretty French book, "La Nouvelle Allegorique", upon the strife between rhetorique and its enemies, very pleasant. So, after supper, to sleepe, and sayled all night, and came to Erith before break of day.
Pepy's Diary. 19 Nov 1665. Lord's Day. Up, and after being trimmed, alone by water to Erith, all the way with my song book singing of Mr. Lawes's long recitative song in the beginning of his book. Being come there, on board my Lord Bruncker (age 45), I find Captain Cocke (age 48) and other company, the lady not well, and mighty merry we were; Sir Edmund Pooly (age 46) being very merry, and a right English gentleman, and one of the discontented Cavaliers, that think their loyalty is not considered.
Pepy's Diary. 26 Nov 1665. Lord's Day. Up, though very late abed, yet before day to dress myself to go toward Erith, which I would do by land, it being a horrible cold frost to go by water: so borrowed two horses of Mr. Hovell and his friend, and with much ado set out, after my horses being frosted1 (which I know not what it means to this day), and my boy having lost one of my spurs and stockings, carrying them to the smith's; but I borrowed a stocking, and so got up, and Mr. Tooker with me, and rode to Erith, and there on board my Lord Bruncker (age 45), met Sir W. Warren upon his business, among others, and did a great deale, Sir J. Minnes (age 66), as God would have it, not being there to hinder us with his impertinences.
Note 1. Frosting means, having the horses' shoes turned up by the smith.
Pepy's Diary. 09 Dec 1665. Called up betimes by my Lord Bruncker (age 45), who is come to towne from his long water worke at Erith last night, to go with him to the Duke of Albemarle (age 57), which by his coach I did. Our discourse upon the ill posture of the times through lacke of money. At the Duke's did some business, and I believe he was not pleased to see all the Duke's discourse and applications to me and everybody else. Discoursed also with Sir G. Carteret (age 55) about office business, but no money in view. Here my Lord and I staid and dined, the Vice-Chamberlain taking his leave. At table the Duchesse (age 46), a damned ill-looked woman, complaining of her Lord's going to sea the next year, said these cursed words: "If my Lord had been a coward he had gone to sea no more: it may be then he might have been excused, and made an Embassador" (meaning my Lord Sandwich (age 40))1. This made me mad, and I believed she perceived my countenance change, and blushed herself very much. I was in hopes others had not minded it, but my Lord Bruncker (age 45), after we were come away, took notice of the words to me with displeasure.
Note 1. When Lord Sandwich (age 40) was away a new commander had to be chosen, and rank and long service pointed out Prince Rupert (age 45) for the office, it having been decided that the heir presumptive should be kept at home. It was thought, however, that the same confidence could not be placed in the prince's discretion as in his courage, and therefore the Duke of Albemarle (age 57) was induced to take a joint command with him, "and so make one admiral of two persons" (see Lister's "Life of Clarendon", vol. ii., pp. 360,361).
Pepy's Diary. 10 Dec 1666. He gone, I alone to dinner at home, my wife and her people being gone down the river to-day for pleasure, though a cold day and dark night to come up. In the afternoon I to the Excise Office to enter my tallies, which I did, and come presently back again, and then to the office and did much business, and then home to supper, my wife and people being come well and hungry home from Erith. Then I to begin the setting of a Base to "It is Decreed", and so to bed.
Evelyn's Diary. 13 May 1668. Invited by that expert commander, Captain Cox, master of the lately built "Charles II" now the best vessel of the fleet, designed for the Duke of York (age 34), I went to Erith, where we had a great dinner.
