Pepy's Diary. 03 Aug 1664. Thence to the 'Change [Map], and thence home to dinner, and down by water to Woolwich, Kent [Map] to the rope yard, and there visited Mrs. Falconer, who tells me odd stories of how Sir W. Pen (age 43) was rewarded by her husband with a gold watch (but seems not certain of what Sir W. Batten (age 63) told me, of his daughter having a life given her in £80 per ann.) for his helping him to his place, and yet cost him £150 to Mr. Coventry (age 36) besides. He did much advise it seems [her former husband] Mr. Falconer not to marry again, expressing that he would have him make his daughter his heire, or words to that purpose, and that that makes him, she thinks, so cold in giving her any satisfaction, and that W. Boddam hath publickly said, since he came down thither to be Clerk of the Ropeyard of Woolwich that it hath this week cost him £100, and would be glad that it would cost him but half as much more for the place, and that he was better before than now, and that if he had been to have bought it, he would not have given so much for it. Now I am sure that Mr. Coventry (age 36) hath again and again said that he would take nothing, but would give all his part in it freely to him, that so the widow might have something. What the meaning of this is I know not, but that Sir W. Pen (age 43) do get something by it.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Aug 1664. Up and abroad with Sir W. Batten (age 63), by coach to St. James's, where by the way he did tell me how Sir J. Minnes (age 65) would many times arrogate to himself the doing of that that all the Board have equal share in, and more that to himself which he hath had nothing to do in, and particularly the late paper given in by him to the Duke (age 30), the translation of a Dutch print concerning the quarrel between us and them, which he did give as his own when it was Sir Richard Ford's (age 50) wholly. Also he told me how Sir W. Pen (age 43) (it falling in our discourse touching Mrs. Falconer) was at first very great for Mr. Coventry (age 36) to bring him in guests, and that at high rates for places, and very open was he to me therein.

Pepy's Diary. 20 Aug 1664. By and by came Mr. Coventry (age 36), and so we met at the office, to hire ships for Guinny, and that done broke up. I to Sir W. Batten's (age 63), there to discourse with Mrs. Falconer, who hath been with Sir W. Pen (age 43) this evening, after Mr. Coventry (age 36) had promised her half what W. Bodham had given him for his place, but Sir W. Pen (age 43), though he knows that, and that Mr. Bodham hath said that his place hath cost him £100 and would £100 more, yet is he so high against the poor woman that he will not hear to give her a farthing, but it seems do listen after a lease where he expects [her former husband] Mr. Falconer hath put in his daughter's life, and he is afraid that that is not done, and did tell Mrs. Falconer that he would see it and know what is done therein in spite of her, when, poor wretch, she neither do nor can hinder him the knowing it. Mr. Coventry (age 36) knows of this business of the lease, and I believe do think of it as well as I But the poor woman is gone home without any hope, but only Mr. Coventry's (age 36) own nobleness. So I to my office and wrote many letters, and so to supper and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Aug 1664. So home to supper, prayers, and to bed. Mr. Coventry (age 36) told us the Duke (age 30) was gone ill of a fit of an ague to bed; so we sent this morning to see how he do¹. 22nd. Up and abroad, doing very many errands to my great content which lay as burdens upon my mind and memory.

Note 1. Elizabeth Falkener, wife of [her former husband] John Falkener, announced to Pepys the death of "her dear and loving husband" in a letter dated July 19th, 1664 "begs interest that she may be in something considered by the person succeeding her husband in his employment, which has occasioned great expenses". ("Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1663-64, p. 646).

Pepy's Diary. 26 Aug 1664. Thence to the Ropeyard [Map], and there among other things discoursed with Mrs. Falconer, who tells me that she has found the writing, and Sir W. Pen's (age 43) daughter is not put into the lease for her life as he expected, and I am glad of it.