Pepy's Diary. 28 Jan 1664. Up and to the office, where all the morning sitting, and at noon upon several things to the 'Change [Map], and thence to Sir G. Carteret's (age 54) to dinner of my own accord, and after dinner with Mr. Wayth down to Deptford, Kent [Map] doing several businesses, and by land back again, it being very cold, the boat meeting me after my staying a while for him at an alehouse by Redriffe [Map] stairs.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Apr 1664. I left them providing for his stay there to-night and getting a petition against tomorrow, and so away to Westminster Hall [Map], and meeting Mr. Coventry (age 36), he took me to his chamber, with Sir William Hickeman, a member of their House, and a very civill gentleman. Here we dined very plentifully, and thence to White Hall to the Duke's (age 30), where we all met, and after some discourse of the condition of the Fleete, in order to a Dutch warr, for that, I perceive, the Duke (age 30) hath a mind it should come to, we away to the office, where we sat, and I took care to rise betimes, and so by water to Halfway House, talking all the way good discourse with Mr. Wayth, and there found my wife, who was gone with her mayd Besse to have a walk. But, Lord! how my jealous mind did make me suspect that she might have some appointment to meet somebody. But I found the poor souls coming away thence, so I took them back, and eat and drank, and then home, and after at the office a while, I home to supper and to bed. It was a sad sight, me thought, to-day to see my Lord Peters (age 38) coming out of the House fall out with his lady (from whom he is parted) about this business; saying that she disgraced him. But she hath been a handsome woman, and is, it seems, not only a lewd woman, but very high-spirited.

Pepy's Diary. 01 May 1664. Lord's Day. Lay long in bed. Went not to church, but staid at home to examine my last night's accounts, which I find right, and that I am £908 creditor in the world, the same I was last month. Dined, and after dinner down by water with my wife and Besse with great pleasure as low as Greenwich, Kent [Map] and so back, playing as it were leisurely upon the water to Deptford, Kent [Map], where I landed and sent my wife up higher to land below Half-way house. I to the King's yard and there spoke about several businesses with the officers, and so with Mr. Wayth consulting about canvas, to Half-way house where my wife was, and after eating there we broke and walked home before quite dark.

Pepy's Diary. 22 May 1664. Thence, after staying and seeing the throng of people to attend the King (age 33) to Chappell (but, Lord! what a company of sad, idle people they are) I walked to St. James's with Colonell Remes, where staid a good while and then walked to White Hall with Mr. Coventry (age 36), talking about business. So meeting Creed, took him with me home and to dinner, a good dinner, and thence by water to Woolwich, Kent [Map], where mighty kindly received by Mrs. Falconer and her husband, who is now pretty well again, this being the first time I ever carried my wife thither. I walked to the Docke, where I met Mrs. Ackworth alone at home, and God forgive me! what thoughts I had, but I had not the courage to stay, but went to Mr. Pett's (age 53) and walked up and down the yard with him and Deane (age 30) talking about the dispatch of the ships now in haste, and by and by Creed and my wife and a friend of Mr. Falconer's came with the boat and called me, and so by water to Deptford, Kent [Map], where I landed, and after talking with others walked to Half-way house with Mr. Wayth talking about the business of his supplying us with canvas, and he told me in discourse several instances of Sir W. Batten's (age 63) cheats.

Pepy's Diary. 27 May 1664. After dinner to the office again, and thence with Mr. Wayth to St. Catherine's to see some variety of canvas's, which indeed was worth my seeing, but only I was in some pain, and so took not the delight I should otherwise have done.

Pepy's Diary. 30 Jun 1664. At noon home to dinner, Mr. Wayth with me, and by and by comes in Mr. Falconer and his wife and dined with us, the first time she was ever here. We had a pretty good dinner, very merry in discourse, sat after dinner an hour or two, then down by water to Deptford, Kent [Map] and Woolwich, Kent [Map] about getting of some business done which I was bound to by my oath this month, and though in some things I have not come to the height of my vow of doing all my business in paying all my petty debts and receipt of all my petty monies due to me, yet I bless God I am not conscious of any neglect in me that they are not done, having not minded my pleasure at all, and so being resolved to take no manner of pleasure till it be done, I doubt not God will forgive me for not forfeiting the £10 promised.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Nov 1664. Up and to the office, where busy all the morning, at noon (my wife being invited to my Lady Sandwich's (age 39)) all alone dined at home upon a good goose with Mr. Wayth, discussing of business.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Nov 1664. At noon dined with Sir W. Batten (age 63) and the Auditors of the Exchequer at the Dolphin by Mr. Wayth's desire, and after dinner fell to business relating to Sir G. Carteret's (age 54) account, and so home to the office, where Sir W. Batten (age 63) begins, too fast, to shew his knavish tricks in giving what price he pleases for commodities.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Nov 1664. There all the morning, at noon to the 'Change [Map], and so home to dinner, Mr. Wayth with me, and then to the office, where mighty busy till very late, but I bless God I go through with it very well and hope I shall.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Dec 1664. Back again, Mr. Wayth walking with me to Half-Way House talking about Mr. Castle's (age 35) fine knees lately delivered in. In which I am well informed that they are not as they should be to make them knees, and I hope shall make good use of it to the King's service.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Feb 1665. So to the 'Change [Map], and off of the 'Change [Map] with Mr. Wayth to a cook's shop, and there dined again for discourse with him about Hamaccos and the abuse now practised in tickets, and more like every day to be. Also of the great profit Mr. Fen makes of his place, he being, though he demands but 5 per cent. of all he pays, and that is easily computed, but very little pleased with any man that gives him no more.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Sep 1665. To dinner, having but a mean one, yet sufficient for him, and he well enough pleased, besides that I do not desire to vye entertainments with him or any else. Here was Captain Cocke (age 48) also, and Mr. Wayth. We staid together talking upon one business or other all the afternoon.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Apr 1666. Lord's Day. Up, and was in great trouble how to get a passage to White Hall, it raining, and no coach to be had. So I walked to the Old Swan [Map], and there got a scull. To the Duke of Yorke (age 32), where we all met to hear the debate between Sir Thomas Allen (age 33) and Mr. Wayth; the former complaining of the latter's ill usage of him at the late pay of his ship. But a very sorry poor occasion he had for it. The Duke (age 32) did determine it with great judgement, chiding both, but encouraging Wayth to continue to be a check to all captains in any thing to the King's right. And, indeed, I never did see the Duke (age 32) do any thing more in order, nor with more judgement than he did pass the verdict in this business.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Jun 1666. By and by comes Mr. Wayth to me; and discoursing of our ill successe, he tells me plainly from Captain Page's own mouth (who hath lost his arm in the fight), that the Dutch did pursue us two hours before they left us, and then they suffered us to go on homewards, and they retreated towards their coast: which is very sad newes. Then to my office and anon to White Hall, late, to the Duke of York (age 32) to see what commands he hath and to pray a meeting to-morrow for Tangier in behalf of Mr. Yeabsly, which I did do and do find the Duke (age 32) much damped in his discourse, touching the late fight, and all the Court talk sadly of it. The Duke (age 32) did give me several letters he had received from the fleete, and Sir W. Coventry (age 38) and Sir W. Pen (age 45), who are gone down thither, for me to pick out some works to be done for the setting out the fleete again; and so I took them home with me, and was drawing out an abstract of them till midnight. And as to newes, I do find great reason to think that we are beaten in every respect, and that we are the losers. The Prince upon the Galloper, where both the Royall Charles and Royall Katharine had come twice aground, but got off. The Essex carried into Holland; the Swiftsure missing (Sir William Barkeley (deceased)) ever since the beginning of the fight. Captains Bacon, Tearne, Wood, Mootham, Whitty, and Coppin, slayne. The Duke of Albemarle (age 57) writes, that he never fought with worse officers in his life, not above twenty of them behaving themselves like men. Sir William Clerke (deceased) lost his leg; and in two days died. The Loyall George, Seven Oakes, and Swiftsure, are still missing, having never, as the Generall writes himself, engaged with them. It was as great an alteration to find myself required to write a sad letter instead of a triumphant one to my Lady Sandwich (age 41) this night, as ever on any occasion I had in my life. So late home and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Sep 1666. To the office, and there busy now for good and all about my accounts. My Lord Brunck (age 46) come thither, thinking to find an office, but we have not yet met. He do now give me a watch, a plain one, in the roome of my former watch with many motions which I did give him. If it goes well, I care not for the difference in worth, though believe there is above £5. He and I to Sir G. Carteret (age 56) to discourse about his account, but Mr. Waith not being there nothing could be done, and therefore I home again, and busy all day.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Sep 1666. In the afternoon comes Anthony Joyce to see me, and with tears told me his losse, but yet that he had something left that he can live well upon, and I doubt it not. But he would buy some place that he could have and yet keepe his trade where he is settled in St. Jones's. He gone, I to the office again, and then to Sir G. Carteret (age 56), and there found Mr. Wayth, but, Lord! how fretfully Sir G. Carteret (age 56) do discourse with Mr. Wayth about his accounts, like a man that understands them not one word. I held my tongue and let him go on like a passionate foole. In the afternoon I paid for the two lighters that carried my goods to Deptford, Kent [Map], and they cost me £8. Till past midnight at our accounts, and have brought them to a good issue, so as to be ready to meet Sir G. Carteret (age 56) and Sir W. Coventry (age 38) to-morrow, but must work to-morrow, which Mr. T. Hater had no mind to, it being the Lord's day, but, being told the necessity, submitted, poor man!

Pepy's Diary. 23 Sep 1666. Soon as eat a bit Mr. Wayth and I by water to White Hall, and there at Sir G. Carteret's (age 56) lodgings Sir W. Coventry (age 38) met, and we did debate the whole business of our accounts to the Parliament; where it appears to us that the charge of the war from September 1st, 1664, to this Michaelmas, will have been but £3,200,000, and we have paid in that time somewhat about £2,200,000; so that we owe above £900,000: but our method of accounting, though it cannot, I believe, be far wide from the mark, yet will not abide a strict examination if the Parliament should be troublesome. Here happened a pretty question of Sir W. Coventry (age 38), whether this account of ours will not put my Lord Treasurer (age 59) to a difficulty to tell what is become of all the money the Parliament have 'give' in this time for the war, which hath amounted to about £4,000,000, which nobody there could answer; but I perceive they did doubt what his answer could be. Having done, and taken from Sir W. Coventry (age 38) the minutes of a letter to my Lord Treasurer (age 59), Wayth and I back again to the office, and thence back down to the water with my wife and landed him in Southwarke [Map], and my wife and I for pleasure to Fox-Hall, and there eat and drank, and so back home, and I to the office till midnight drawing the letter we are to send with our accounts to my Lord Treasurer (age 59), and that being done to my mind, I home to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 23 Sep 1666. Lord's Day. Up, and after being trimmed, all the morning at the office with my people about me till about one o'clock, and then home, and my people with me, and Mr. Wayth and I eat a bit of victuals in my old closet, now my little dining-room, which makes a pretty room, and my house being so clean makes me mightily pleased, but only I do lacke Mercer or somebody in the house to sing with.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Nov 1668. Up, and she with me as heretofore, and so I to the Office, where all the morning, and at noon to dinner, and Mr. Wayth, who, being at my office about business, I took him with me to talk and understand his matters, who is in mighty trouble from the Committee of Accounts about his contracting with this Office for sayle-cloth, but no hurt can be laid at his door in it, but upon us for doing it, if any, though we did it by the Duke of York's (age 35) approval, and by him I understand that the new Treasurers do intend to bring in all new Instruments, and so having dined we parted, and I to my wife and to sit with her a little, and then called her and Willet to my chamber, and there did, with tears in my eyes, which I could not help, discharge her and advise her to be gone as soon as she could, and never to see me, or let me see her more while she was in the house, which she took with tears too, but I believe understands me to be her friend, and I am apt to believe by what my wife hath of late told me is a cunning girle, if not a slut.