Henry Machyn's Diary. 09 Dec 1556. The ix day of Desember was berd at Hyslyngton [Map] ser Recherd Brutun knyght, with a dosen torchys, and ij whytt branchys, sum tyme of the preve chambur unto kyng Henry the viijth.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 07 Dec 1557. [The xij day of December, being Sunday, there met certain persons that were Gospellers, and some pretended players, at] Yslyngtun [Map], takyng serten men, [and one Ruffe,] a Skott and a frere, for the redyng of [a lecture, and] odur matters; and the communyon was play[ed, and should] have byne butt the gard cam to sune [too soon], or ever [the chief] matter was begone.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 22 Sep 1561. The xxij day of September the Quen('s) (age 28) grace cam from Enfeld [Map] unto Sant James beyond Charyng crosse, and from Ellyngtun [Map] unto Sant James was heges and dyches was cutt done the next way, and ther was a-boyff x M. pepull for to se her grace, butt yt was nyght or her grace cam over beyond Sent Gylles in the feld by Colman('s?) hege.

Pepy's Diary. 12 May 1661. From thence homewards, but met with Mr. Creed, with whom I went and walked in Grayes-Inn-walks, and from thence to Islington [Map], and there eat and drank at the house my father and we were wont of old to go to; and after that walked homeward, and parted in Smithfield [Map]: and so I home, much wondering to see how things are altered with Mr. Creed, who, twelve months ago, might have been got to hang himself almost as soon as go to a drinking-house on a Sunday.

Pepy's Diary. 23 Jun 1661. Lord's Day. In the morning to church, and my wife not being well, I went with Sir W. Batten (age 60) home to dinner, my Lady being out of town, where there was Sir W. Pen (age 40), Captain Allen and his daughter Rebecca, and Mr. Hempson and his wife. After dinner to church all of us and had a very good sermon of a stranger, and so I and the young company to walk first to Graye's Inn Walks, where great store of gallants, but above all the ladies that I there saw, or ever did see, Mrs. Frances Butler (Monsieur L'Impertinent's sister) is the greatest beauty. Then we went to Islington [Map], where at the great house I entertained them as well as I could, and so home with them, and so to my own home and to bed. Pall, who went this day to a child's christening of Kate Joyce's, staid out all night at my father's, she not being well.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Apr 1662. After dinner he and I and the two young ladies and my wife to the playhouse, the Opera, and saw "The Mayd in ye Mill", a pretty good play. In the middle of the play my Lady Paulina (age 13), who had taken physique this morning, had need to go forth, and so I took the poor lady out and carried her to the Grange, and there sent the maid of the house into a room to her, and she did what she had a mind to, and so back again to the play; and that being done, in their coach I took them to Islington [Map], and then, after a walk in the fields, I took them to the great cheese-cake house and entertained them, and so home, and after an hour's stay with my Lady, their coach carried us home, and so weary to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 05 Apr 1662. After dinner my wife and the two ladies to see my aunt Wight, and thence met me at home. From thence (after Sir W. Batten (age 61) and I had viewed our houses with a workman in order to the raising of our roofs higher to enlarge our houses) I went with them by coach first to Moorfields [Map] and there walked, and thence to Islington [Map] and had a fine walk in the fields there, and so, after eating and drinking, home with them, and so by water with my wife home, and after supper to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Mar 1664. Thence walked through the ducking-pond fields; but they are so altered since my father used to carry us to Islington [Map], to the old man's, at the King's Head, to eat cakes and ale (his name was Pitts) that I did not know which was the ducking-pond nor where I was. So through F[l]ee[t] lane to my father's, and there met Mr. Moore, and discoursed with him and my father about who should administer for my brother Tom (deceased), and I find we shall have trouble in it, but I will clear my hands of it, and what vexed me, my father seemed troubled that I should seem to rely so wholly upon the advice of Mr. Moore, and take nobody else, but I satisfied him, and so home; and in Cheapside, both coming and going, it was full of apprentices, who have been here all this day, and have done violence, I think, to the master of the boys that were put in the pillory yesterday. But, Lord! to see how the train-bands are raised upon this: the drums beating every where as if an enemy were upon them; so much is this city subject to be put into a disarray upon very small occasions. But it was pleasant to hear the boys, and particularly one little one, that I demanded the business. He told me that that had never been done in the city since it was a city, two prentices put in the pillory, and that it ought not to be so.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Apr 1664. Thence to Islington [Map], and so to St. John's to the Red Bull, and there: saw the latter part of a rude prize fought, but with good pleasure enough; and thence back to Islington, and at the King's Head, where Pitts lived, we 'light and eat and drunk for remembrance of the old house sake, and so through Kingsland again, and so to Bishopsgate, and so home with great pleasure. The country mighty pleasant, and we with great content home, and after supper to bed, only a little troubled at the young ladies leaving my wife so to-day, and from some passages fearing my Lady might be offended. But I hope the best.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Apr 1665. Up and to my office about business. Anon comes Creed and Povy (age 51), and we treat about the business of our lending money, Creed and I, upon a tally for the satisfying of Andrews, and did conclude it as in papers is expressed, and as I am glad to have an opportunity of having 10 per cent. for my money, so I am as glad that the sum I begin this trade with is no more than £350. We all dined at Andrews' charge at the Sun behind the 'Change a good dinner the worst dressed that ever I eat any, then home, and there found Kate Joyce and Harman (age 28) come to see us. With them, after long talk, abroad by coach, a tour in the fields, and drunk at Islington [Map], it being very pleasant, the dust being laid by a little rain, and so home very well pleased with this day's work.

Pepy's Diary. 30 May 1665. Lay long, and very busy all the morning, at noon to the 'Change [Map], and thence to dinner to Sir G. Carteret's (age 55), to talk upon the business of insuring our goods upon the Hambrough [ships]. Here a very fine, neat French dinner, without much cost, we being all alone with my Lady and one of the house with her; thence home and wrote letters, and then in the evening, by coach, with my wife and mother and Mercer, our usual tour by coach, and eat at the old house at Islington [Map]; but, Lord! to see how my mother found herself talk upon every object to think of old stories. Here I met with one that tells me that Jack Cole, my old schoolefellow, is dead and buried lately of a consumption, who was a great crony of mine. So back again home, and there to my closet to write letters. Hear to my great trouble that our Hambrough ships¹, valued of the King's goods and the merchants' (though but little of the former) to £200,000 [are lost].

Note 1. On May 29th Sir William Coventry wrote to Lord Arlington: "Capt. Langhorne has arrived with seven ships, and reports the taking of the Hamburg fleet with the man of war their convoy; mistaking the Dutch fleet for the English, he fell into it" (Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1664-65, p. 393).

Pepy's Diary. 23 Apr 1666. Dined at home and took Balty (age 26) with me to Hales's (age 66) to show him his sister's picture, and thence to Westminster, and there I to the Swan [Map] and drank, and so back again alone to Hales's (age 66) and there met my wife and Mercer, Mrs. Pierce being sitting, and two or three idle people of her acquaintance more standing by. Her picture do come on well. So staid until she had done and then set her down at home, and my wife and I and the girle by coach to Islington [Map], and there eat and drank in the coach and so home, and there find a girle sent at my desire by Mrs. Michell of Westminster Hall [Map], to be my girle under the cooke-mayde, Susan. But I am a little dissatisfied that the girle, though young, is taller and bigger than Su, and will not, I fear, be under her command, which will trouble me, and the more because she is recommended by a friend that I would not have any unkindness with, but my wife do like very well of her.

Pepy's Diary. 11 May 1666. Thence home to dinner alone, my wife being abroad. After dinner to the setting some things in order in my dining-room; and by and by comes my wife home and Mrs. Pierce with her, so I lost most of this afternoon with them, and in the evening abroad with them, our long tour by coach, to Hackney, so to Kingsland, and then to Islington [Map], there entertaining them by candlelight very well, and so home with her, set her down, and so home and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 16 May 1666. Thence to Mr. Hales (age 66), and paid him for my picture, and Mr. Hill's (age 36), for the first £14 for the picture, and 25s. for the frame, and for the other £7 for the picture, it being a copy of his only, and 5s. for the frame; in all, £22 10s. I am very well satisfied in my pictures, and so took them in another coach home along with me, and there with great pleasure my wife and I hung them up, and, that being done, to dinner, where Mrs. Barbara Sheldon come to see us and dined with us, and we kept her all the day with us, I going down to Deptford, Kent [Map], and, Lord! to see with what itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell's wife, but failed, for which I am glad, only I observe the folly of my mind that cannot refrain from pleasure at a season above all others in my life requisite for me to shew my utmost care in. I walked both going and coming, spending my time reading of my Civill and Ecclesiastical Law book. Being returned home, I took my wife and Mrs. Barbary and Mercer out by coach and went our Grand Tour, and baited at Islington [Map], and so late home about 11 at night, and so with much pleasure to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 21 May 1666. So to Westminster Hall [Map] a little about business and so home by water, and then out with my wife, her brother, sister, and Mercer to Islington [Map], our grand tour, and there eat and drank. But in discourse I am infinitely pleased with Balty (age 26), his deportment in his business of Muster-Master, and hope mighty well from him, and am glad with all my heart I put him into this business. Late home and to bed, they also lying at my house, he intending to go away to-morrow back again to sea.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Jun 1666. Thence by water home, and to supper (my father, wife, and sister having been at Islington [Map] today at Pitt's) and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 17 Jun 1666. So down to the Milke-house, and drank three glasses of whay, and then up into the Strand again, and there met with a coach, and so to Joyce's and took up my father, wife, sister, and Mercer, and to Islington [Map], where we drank, and then our tour by hackney home, where, after a little, business at my office and then talke with my Lady and Pegg Pen in the garden, I home and to bed, being very weary.

Pepy's Diary. 11 Jul 1666. Thence to Westminster, doing several things by the way, and there failed of meeting Mrs. Lane, and so by coach took up my wife at her sister's, and so away to Islington [Map], she and I alone, and so through Hackney, and home late, our discourse being about laying up of some money safe in prevention to the troubles I am afeard we may have in the state, and so sleepy (for want of sleep the last night, going to bed late and rising betimes in the morning) home, but when I come to the office, I there met with a command from my Lord Arlington (age 48), to go down to a galliott at Greenwich, Kent [Map], by the King's particular command, that is going to carry the Savoy Envoye over, and we fear there may be many Frenchmen there on board; and so I have a power and command to search for and seize all that have not passes from one of the Secretarys of State, and to bring them and their papers and everything else in custody some whither. So I to the Tower, and got a couple of musquetiers with me, and Griffen and my boy Tom and so down; and, being come, found none on board but two or three servants, looking to horses and doggs, there on board, and, seeing no more, I staid not long there, but away and on shore at Greenwich, Kent [Map], the night being late and the tide against us; so, having sent before, to Mrs. Clerke's and there I had a good bed, and well received, the whole people rising to see me, and among the rest young Mrs. Daniel, whom I kissed again and again alone, and so by and by to bed and slept pretty well,

Pepy's Diary. 26 Jul 1666. Thence to Islington [Map] to our old house and eat and drank, and so round by Kingsland home, and there to the office a little and Sir W. Batten's (age 65), but no newes at all from the fleete, and so home to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Jul 1666. At last we concluded that we never can hope to beat the Dutch with such advantage as now in number and force and a fleete in want of nothing, and he hath often repeated now and at other times industriously that many of the Captains have: declared that they want nothing, and again, that they did lie ten days together at the Nore without demanding of any thing in the world but men, and of them they afterward, when they went away, the generalls themselves acknowledge that they have permitted several ships to carry supernumeraries, but that if we do not speede well, we must then play small games and spoile their trade in small parties. And so we parted, and I, meeting Creed in the Parke again, did take him by coach and to Islington [Map], thinking to have met my Lady Pen (age 42) and wife, but they were gone, so we eat and drank and away back, setting him down in Cheapside and I home, and there after a little while making of my tune to "It is decreed", to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Sep 1666. By and by, they went away, and then we were at rest again; and so, the play being done, we to Islington [Map], and there eat and drank and mighty merry; and so home singing, and, after a letter or two at the office, to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Oct 1666. So to the Swan [Map], and 'baise la fille' [Note. kissed the girl], and drank, and then home by coach, and took father, wife, brother, and W. Hewer (age 24) to Islington [Map], where I find mine host dead. Here eat and drank, and merry; and so home, and to the office a while, and then to Sir W. Batten (age 65) to talk a while, and with Captain Cocke (age 49) into the office to hear his newes, who is mighty conversant with Garraway (age 49) and those people, who tells me what they object as to the maladministration of things as to money. But that they mean well, and will do well; but their reckonings are very good, and show great faults, as I will insert here. They say the King (age 36) hath had towards this war expressly thus much

Pepy's Diary. 21 Apr 1667. So, church done, we to coach and away to Kingsland and Islington [Map], and there eat and drank at the Old House, and so back, it raining a little, which is mighty welcome, it having not rained in many weeks, so that they say it makes the fields just now mighty sweet.

Pepy's Diary. 12 May 1667. Against noon we had a coach ready for us, and she and I to White Hall, where I went to see whether Sir G. Carteret (age 57) was at dinner or no, our design being to make a visit there, and I found them set down, which troubled me, for I would not then go up, but back to the coach to my wife, and she and I homeward again, and in our way bethought ourselves of going alone, she and I, to go to a French house to dinner, and so enquired out Monsieur Robins, my perriwigg-maker, who keeps an ordinary, and in an ugly street in Covent Garden [Map], did find him at the door, and so we in; and in a moment almost had the table covered, and clean glasses, and all in the French manner, and a mess of potage first, and then a couple of pigeons a la esterve, and then a piece of boeuf-a-la-mode, all exceeding well seasoned, and to our great liking; at least it would have been anywhere else but in this bad street, and in a perriwigg-maker's house; but to see the pleasant and ready attendance that we had, and all things so desirous to please, and ingenious in the people, did take me mightily. Our dinner cost us 6s., and so my wife and I away to Islington [Map], it being a fine day, and thence to Sir G. Whitmore's house, where we 'light, and walked over the fields to Kingsland, and back again; a walk, I think, I have not taken these twenty years; but puts me in mind of my boy's time, when I boarded at Kingsland, and used to shoot with my bow and arrows in these fields. A very pretty place it is; and little did any of my friends think I should come to walk in these fields in this condition and state that I am.

Pepy's Diary. 18 Jul 1667. Home to dinner, and then to the office again, where very well employed at the office till evening; and then being weary, took out my wife and Will Batelier by coach to Islington [Map], but no pleasure in our going, the way being so dusty that one durst not breathe. Drank at the old house, and so home, and then to the office a little, and so home to supper and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Aug 1667. Up, and at the office very busy, and did much business all the morning. My wife abroad with her maid Jane and Tom all the afternoon, being gone forth to eat some pasties at "The Bottle of Hay", in St. John's Street, as you go to Islington [Map], of which she is mighty fond, and I dined at home alone, and at the office close all the afternoon, doing much business to my great content.

Pepy's Diary. 18 Aug 1667. After dinner comes Mr. Pelling the Potticary, whom I had sent for to dine with me, but he was engaged. After sitting an hour to talk we broke up, all leaving Pelling to talk with my wife, and I walked towards White Hall, but, being wearied, turned into St. Dunstan's Church [Map], where I heard an able sermon of the minister of the place; and stood by a pretty, modest maid, whom I did labour to take by the hand and the body; but she would not, but got further and further from me; and, at last, I could perceive her to take pins out of her pocket to prick me if I should touch her again-which seeing I did forbear, and was glad I did spy her design. And then I fell to gaze upon another pretty maid in a pew close to me, and she on me; and I did go about to take her by the hand, which she suffered a little and then withdrew. So the sermon ended, and the church broke up, and my amours ended also, and so took coach and home, and there took up my wife, and to Islington [Map] with her, our old road, but before we got to Islington [Map], between that and Kingsland, there happened an odd adventure: one of our coach-horses fell sick of the staggers, so as he was ready to fall down. The coachman was fain to 'light, and hold him up, and cut his tongue to make him bleed, and his tail. The horse continued shaking every part of him, as if he had been in an ague, a good while, and his blood settled in his tongue, and the coachman thought and believed he would presently drop down dead; then he blew some tobacco in his nose, upon which the horse sneezed, and, by and by, grows well, and draws us the rest of our way, as well as ever he did; which was one of the strangest things of a horse I ever observed, but he says it is usual. It is the staggers. Staid and eat and drank at Islington [Map], at the old house, and so home, and to my chamber to read, and then to supper and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Feb 1668. At noon home to dinner, and after dinner out with my wife, thinking to have gone to the Duke of York's playhouse, but was, to my great content in the saving my vow, hindered by coming a little too late; and so, it being a fine day, we out to Islington [Map], and there to the old house and eat cheese-cakes and drank and talked, and so home in the evening, the ways being mighty bad, so as we had no pleasure in being abroad at all almost, but only the variety of it, and so to the office, where busy late, and then home to supper and to bed, my head mighty full of business now on my hands: viz., of finishing my Tangier Accounts; of auditing my last year's Accounts; of preparing answers to the Commissioners of Accounts; of drawing up several important letters to the Duke of York (age 34) and the Commissioners of the Treasury; the marrying of my sister (age 27); the building of a coach and stables against summer, and the setting many things in the Office right; and the drawing up a new form of Contract with the Victualler of the Navy, and several other things, which pains, however, will go through with, among others the taking care of Kate Joyce in that now she is in at present for saving her estate.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Mar 1668. Thence with my wife and Deb. by coach to Islington [Map], to the old house, and there eat and drank till it was almost night, and then home, being in fear of meeting the 'prentices, who are many of them yet, they say, abroad in the fields, but we got well home, and so I to my chamber a while, and then to supper and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 03 May 1668. Thence Pen and I to Islington [Map], and there, at the old house, eat, and drank, and merry, and there by chance giving two pretty fat boys each of them a cake, they proved to be Captain Holland's children, whom therefore I pity. So round by Hackney home, having good discourse, he [Pen] being very open to me in his talk, how the King (age 37) ought to dissolve this Parliament, when the Bill of Money is passed, they being never likely to give him more; how he [the King (age 37)] hath great opportunity of making himself popular by stopping this Act against Conventicles; and how my Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (age 57), if the Parliament continue, will undoubtedly fall, he having managed that place with so much self-seeking, and disorder, and pleasure, and some great men are designing to overthrow (him), as, among the rest, my Lord Orrery (age 47); and that this will try the King (age 37) mightily, he being a firm friend to my Lord Lieutenant.

Pepy's Diary. 12 May 1668. At noon to dinner at home, and after dinner, where Creed dined with me, he and I, by water to the Temple [Map], where we parted, and I both to the King's and Duke of York's playhouses, and there went through the houses to see what faces I could spy that I knew, and meeting none, I away by coach to my house, and then to Mrs. Mercer's, where I met with her two daughters, and a pretty-lady I never knew yet, one Mrs. Susan Gayet, a very pretty black lady, that speaks French well, and is a Catholick, and merchant's daughter, by us, and here was also Mrs. Anne Jones, and after sitting and talking a little, I took them out, and carried them through Hackney to Kingsland, and there walked to Sir G. Whitmore's house, where I have not been many a day; and so to the old house at Islington [Map], and eat, and drank, and sang, and mighty merry; and so by moonshine with infinite pleasure home, and there sang again in Mercer's garden. And so parted, I having there seen a mummy in a merchant's Ware, Hertfordshire [Map]house there, all the middle of the man or woman's body, black and hard. I never saw any before, and, therefore, it pleased me much, though an ill sight; and he did give me a little bit, and a bone of an arme, I suppose, and so home, and there to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 29 Jun 1668. So home to dinner, and then with my wife to the King's playhouse-"The Mulberry Garden", which she had not seen. So by coach to Islington [Map], and round by Hackney home with much pleasure, and to supper and bed.

Pepy's Diary. 03 Aug 1668. So to the Old Exchange [Map], and then home to dinner, and so, Mercer dining with us, I took my wife and her and Deb. out to Unthanke's, while I to White Hall to the Commissioners of the Treasury, and so back to them and took them out to Islington [Map], where we met with W. Joyce and his wife and boy, and there eat and drank, and a great deal of his idle talk, and so we round by Hackney home, and so to sing a little in the garden, and then to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Mar 1669. Up, and did a little business, Middleton and I, then; after drinking a little buttered ale, he and Huchinson and: I took coach, and, exceeding merry in talk, to Dartford: Middleton finding stories of his own life at Barbadoes, and up and down at Venice, and elsewhere, that are mighty pretty, and worth hearing; and he is a strange good companion, and; droll upon the road, more than ever I could have thought to have been in him. Here we dined and met Captain Allen (age 57) of Rochester, Kent [Map], who dined with us, and so went on his journey homeward, and we by and by took coach again and got home about six at night, it being all the morning as cold, snowy, windy, and rainy day, as any in the whole winter past, but pretty clear in the afternoon. I find all well, but my wife abroad with Jane, who was married yesterday, and I to the office busy, till by and by my wife comes home, and so home, and there hear how merry they were yesterday, and I glad at it, they being married, it seems, very handsomely, at Islington [Map]; and dined at the old house, and lay in our blue chamber, with much company, and wonderful merry. The Turner and Mary Batelier bridesmaids, and Talbot Pepys and W. Hewer (age 27) bridesmen. Anon to supper and to bed, my head a little troubled with the muchness of the business I have upon me at present.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Apr 1669. At noon home to dinner, and then to the office again till the evening, and then with my wife by coach to Islington [Map], to pay what we owe there, for the late dinner at Jane's wedding; and so round by Kingsland and Hogsden home, pleased with my wife's singing with me, by the way, and so to the office again a little, and then home to supper and to bed. Going this afternoon through Smithfield [Map], I did see a coach run over the coachman's neck, and stand upon it, and yet the man rose up, and was well after it, which I thought a wonder.

Evelyn's Diary. 13 Mar 1700. I was at the funeral of my Lady Temple, who was buried at Islington [Map], brought from Addiscombe, near Croydon. She left my son-in-law Draper (her nephew) the mansion house of Addiscombe, very nobly and completely furnished, with the estate about it, with plate and jewels, to the value in all of about £20,000. She was a very prudent lady, gave many great legacies, with £500 to the poor of Islington [Map], where her husband, Sir Purbeck Temple, was buried, both dying without issue.