Pepy's Diary. 10 Jan 1660. Tuesday. Went out early, and in my way met with Greatorex (age 35), and at an alehouse he showed me the first sphere of wire that ever he made, and indeed it was very pleasant; thence to Mr. Crew's (age 62), and borrowed £10, and so to my office, and was able to pay my money. Thence into the Hall, and meeting the Quarter Master, Jenings, and Captain Rider, we four went to a cook's to dinner. Thence Jenings and I into London (it being through heat of the sun a great thaw and dirty) to show our bills of return, and coming back drank a pint of wine at the Star Tavern in Cheapside. So to Westminster, overtaking Captain Okeshott in his silk cloak, whose sword got hold of many people in walking. Thence to the Coffee-house [Map], where were a great confluence of gentlemen; viz. Mr. Harrington (age 49), Poultny (age 35), chairman, Gold, Dr. Petty (age 36); &c., where admirable discourse till at night. Thence with Doling to Mother Lams, who told me how this day Scott was made Intelligencer, and that the rest of the members that were objected against last night, their business was to be heard this day se'nnight. Thence I went home and wrote a letter, and went to Harper's, and staid there till Tom carried it to the postboy at Whitehall. So home to bed.

Evelyn's Diary. 20 Nov 1661. At the Royal Society, Sir William Petty (age 38) proposed divers things for the improvement of shipping; a versatile keel that should be on hinges and concerning sheathing ships with thin lead.

Pepy's Diary. 31 Jul 1663. Before I went to the office I went to the Coffee House, where Sir J. Cutler (age 60) and Mr. Grant (age 43) were, and there Mr. Grant (age 43) showed me letters of Sir William Petty's (age 40), wherein he says, that his vessel which he hath built upon two keeles (a modell whereof, built for the King (age 33), he showed me) hath this month won a wager of £50 in sailing between Dublin and Holyhead with the pacquett-boat, the best ship or vessel the King (age 33) hath there; and he offers to lay with any vessel in the world. It is about thirty ton in burden, and carries thirty men, with good accommodation, (as much more as any ship of her burden,) and so any vessel of this figure shall carry more men, with better accommodation by half, than any other ship. This carries also ten guns, of about five tons weight. In their coming back from Holyhead they started together, and this vessel came to Dublin by five at night, and the pacquett-boat not before eight the next morning; and when they came they did believe that, this vessel had been drowned, or at least behind, not thinking she could have lived in that sea. Strange things are told of this vessel, and he concludes his letter with this position, "I only affirm that the perfection of sayling lies in my principle, finde it out who can".

Pepy's Diary. 05 Aug 1663. All the morning at the office, whither Deane (age 29) of Woolwich came to me and discoursed of the body of ships, which I am now going about to understand, and then I took him to the coffee-house, where he was very earnest against Mr. Grant's (age 43) report in favour of Sir W. Petty's (age 40) vessel, even to some passion on both sides almost.

Pepy's Diary. 14 Oct 1663. Up and to my office, where all the morning, and part of it Sir J. Minnes (age 64) spent, as he do every thing else, like a fool, reading the Anatomy of the body to me, but so sillily as to the making of me understand any thing that I was weary of him, and so I toward the 'Change [Map] and met with Mr. Grant (age 43), and he and I to the Coffee-house, where I understand by him that Sir W. Petty (age 40) and his vessel are coming, and the King (age 33) intends to go to Portsmouth, Hampshire [Map] to meet it.

Pepy's Diary. 30 Dec 1663. So leaving him at the Guiny House I to the Coffee House, whither came Mr. Grant (age 43) and Sir W. Petty (age 40), with whom I talked, and so did many, almost all the house there, about his new vessel, wherein he did give me such satisfaction in every point that I am almost confident she will prove an admirable invention.

Pepy's Diary. 11 Jan 1664. Thence to the Coffee-house, whither comes Sir W. Petty (age 40) and Captain Grant (age 43), and we fell in talke (besides a young gentleman, I suppose a merchant, his name Mr. Hill (age 34), that has travelled and I perceive is a master in most sorts of musique and other things) of musique; the universal character; art of memory; Granger's counterfeiting of hands and other most excellent discourses to my great content, having not been in so good company a great while, and had I time I should covet the acquaintance of that Mr. Hill (age 34). This morning I stood by the King (age 33) arguing with a pretty Quaker woman, that delivered to him a desire of hers in writing. The King (age 33) showed her Sir J. Minnes (age 64), as a man the fittest for her quaking religion, saying that his beard was the stiffest thing about him, and again merrily said, looking upon the length of her paper, that if all she desired was of that length she might lose her desires; she modestly saying nothing till he begun seriously to discourse with her, arguing the truth of his spirit against hers; she replying still with these words, "O King!" and thou'd him all along.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Jan 1664. Up, and it being a brave morning, with a gaily to Woolwich, Kent [Map], and there both at the Ropeyard [Map]e and the other yarde did much business, and thence to Greenwich, Kent [Map] to see Mr. Pett (age 53) and others value the carved work of the "Henrietta" (God knows in an ill manner for the King (age 33)), and so to Deptford, Kent [Map], and there viewed Sir W. Petty's (age 40) vessel; which hath an odd appearance, but not such as people do make of it, for I am of the opinion that he would never have discoursed so much of it, if it were not better than other vessels, and so I believe that he was abused the other day, as he is now, by tongues that I am sure speak before they know anything good or bad of her. I am sorry to find his ingenuity discouraged so.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Jan 1664. Thence to the 'Change [Map], and after doing much business, home, taking Commissioner Pett (age 53) with me, and all alone dined together. He told me many stories of the yard, but I do know him so well, and had his character given me this morning by Hempson, as well as my own too of him before, that I shall know how to value any thing he says either of friendship or other business. He was mighty serious with me in discourse about the consequence of Sir W. Petty's (age 40) boat, as the most dangerous thing in the world, if it should be practised by endangering our losse of the command of the seas and our trade, while the Turkes and others shall get the use of them, which, without doubt, by bearing more sayle will go faster than any other ships, and, not being of burden, our merchants cannot have the use of them and so will be at the mercy of their enemies. So that I perceive he is afeard that the honour of his trade will down, though (which is a truth) he pretends this consideration to hinder the growth of this invention.

Pepy's Diary. 29 Jan 1664. Up, and after shaving myself (wherein twice now, one after another, I have cut myself much, but I think it is from the bluntness of the razor) there came Deane (age 30) to me and staid with me a while talking about masts, wherein he prepared me in several things against Mr. Wood, and also about Sir W. Petty's (age 40) boat, which he says must needs prove a folly, though I do not think so unless it be that the King (age 33) will not have it encouraged.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Feb 1664. Thence to White Hall; where, in the Duke's chamber, the King (age 33) came and stayed an hour or two laughing at Sir W. Petty (age 40), who was there about his boat; and at Gresham College in general; at which poor Petty was, I perceive, at some loss; but did argue discreetly, and bear the unreasonable follies of the King's objections and other bystanders with great discretion; and offered to take oddes against the King's best boates; but the King (age 33) would not lay, but cried him down with words only. Gresham College he mightily laughed at, for spending time only in weighing of ayre, and doing nothing else since they sat.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Feb 1664. After dinner he and I to Deptford, Kent [Map], walking all the way, where we met Sir W. Petty (age 40) and I took him back, and I got him to go with me to his vessel and discourse it over to me, which he did very well, and then walked back together to the waterside at Redriffe [Map], with good discourse all the way.

Evelyn's Diary. 24 Feb 1664. My Lord George Berkeley (age 36), of Durdans, and Sir Samuel Tuke (age 49) came to visit me. We went on board Sir William Petty's (age 40) double-bottomed vessel, and so to London.

Pepy's Diary. 02 Apr 1664. At noon to the Coffee-house, where excellent discourse with Sir W. Petty (age 40), who proposed it as a thing that is truly questionable, whether there really be any difference between waking and dreaming, that it is hard not only to tell how we know when we do a thing really or in a dream, but also to know what the difference [is] between one and the other.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Jun 1664. At noon to dinner, and then to my office busy, and by and by home with Deane (age 30) to a lesson upon raising a Bend of Timbers¹, and he being gone I to the office, and there came Captain Taylor, and he and I home, and I have done all very well with him as to the business of the last trouble, so that come what will come my name will be clear of any false dealing with him. So to my office again late, and then to bed.

Note 1. This seems to refer to knee timber, of which there was not a sufficient supply. A proposal was made to produce this bent wood artificially: "June 22, 1664. Sir William Petty (age 41) intimated that it seemed by the scarcity and greater rate of knee timber that nature did not furnish crooked wood enough for building: wherefore he thought it would be fit to raise by art, so much of it in proportion, as to reduce it to an equal rate with strait timber" (Birch's "History of the Royal Society",).

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Dec 1664. I went to the launching of a new ship of two bottoms, invented by Sir William Petty (age 41), on which were various opinions; his Majesty (age 34) being present, gave her the name of the "Experiment": so I returned home, where I found Sir Humphry Winch (age 42), who spent the day with me.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Dec 1664. But coming a little too soon, I out again, and tooke boat down to Redriffe [Map]; and just in time within two minutes, and saw the new vessel of Sir William Petty's (age 41) launched, the King (age 34) and Duke (age 31) being there¹. It swims and looks finely, and I believe will do well. The name I think is Twilight, but I do not know certainly.

Note 1. Pepys was wrong as to the name of Sir William Petty's (age 41) new doublekeeled boat. On February 13th, 1664-65, he gives the correct title, which was "The Experiment".

Pepy's Diary. 09 Feb 1665. Up and to my office, where all the morning very busy. At noon home to dinner, and then to my office again, where Sir William Petty (age 41) come, among other things to tell me that Mr. Barlow¹ is dead; for which, God knows my heart, I could be as sorry as is possible for one to be for a stranger, by whose death he gets £100 per annum, he being a worthy, honest man; but after having considered that when I come to consider the providence of God by this means unexpectedly to give me £100 a year more in my estate, I have cause to bless God, and do it from the bottom of my heart. So home late at night, after twelve o'clock, and so to bed.

Note 1. Thomas Barlow, Pepys's predecessor as Clerk of the Acts, to whom he paid part of the salary. Barlow held the office jointly with Dennis Fleeting.

Pepy's Diary. 13 Feb 1665. Thence I to Westminster and by water (taking Mr. Stapely the rope-maker by the way), to his rope-ground and to Limehouse [Map], there to see the manner of stoves and did excellently inform myself therein, and coming home did go on board Sir W. Petty's (age 41) "The Experiment", which is a brave roomy vessel, and I hope may do well. So went on shore to a Dutch House to drink some mum, and there light upon some Dutchmen, with whom we had good discourse touching stoveing¹ and making of cables. But to see how despicably they speak of us for our using so many hands more to do anything than they do, they closing a cable with 20, that we use 60 men upon.

Note 1. Stoveing, in sail-making, is the heating of the bolt-ropes, so as to make them pliable. B.

Pepy's Diary. 18 Feb 1665. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning; at noon to the 'Change [Map], and thence to the Royall Oake taverne in Lombard Street, where Sir William Petty (age 41) and the owners of the double-bottomed boat (The Experiment) did entertain my Lord Brunkard (age 45), Sir R. Murrey, myself, and others, with marrow bones and a chine of beefe of the victuals they have made for this ship; and excellent company and good discourse: but, above all, I do value Sir William Petty (age 41).

Pepy's Diary. 22 Mar 1665. Thence to Mr. Povy's (age 51), and with Creed to the 'Change [Map] and to my house, but, it being washing day, dined not at home, but took him (I being invited) to Mr. Hubland's, the merchant, where Sir William Petty (age 41), and abundance of most ingenious men, owners and freighters of "The Experiment", now going with her two bodies to sea. Most excellent discourse. Among others, Sir William Petty (age 41) did tell me that in good earnest he hath in his will left such parts of his estate to him that could invent such and such things. As among others, that could discover truly the way of milk coming into the breasts of a woman; and he that could invent proper characters to express to another the mixture of relishes and tastes. And says, that to him that invents gold, he gives nothing for the philosopher's stone; for (says he) they that find out that, will be able to pay themselves. But, says he, by this means it is better than to give to a lecture; for here my executors, that must part with this, will be sure to be well convinced of the invention before they do part with their money.

Evelyn's Diary. 04 Aug 1665. I went to Wotton, Surrey [Map] with my Son and his tutor, Mr. Bohun, Fellow of New College (recommended to me by Dr. Wilkins (age 51), and the President of New College, Oxford), for fear of the pestilence, still increasing in London and its environs. On my return, I called at Durdans, where I found Dr. Wilkins (age 51), Sir William Petty (age 42), and Mr. Hooke (age 30), contriving chariots, new rigging for ships, a wheel for one to run races in, and other mechanical inventions; perhaps three such persons together were not to be found elsewhere in Europe, for parts and ingenuity.

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Mar 1675. The Map of Ireland made by Sir William Petty (age 51) is believed to be the most exact that ever yet was made of any country. He did promise to publish it; and I am told it has cost him near £1,000 to have it engraved at Amsterdam. There is not a better Latin poet living, when he gives himself that diversion; nor is his excellence less in Council and prudent matters of state; but he is so exceedingly nice in sifting and examining all possible contingencies, that he adventures at nothing which is not demonstration. There was not in the whole world his equal for a superintendent of manufacture and improvement of trade, or to govern a plantation. If I were a Prince, I should make him my second Counsellor, at least. There is nothing difficult to him. He is, besides, courageous; on which account, I cannot but note a true story of him, that when Sir Aleyn Brodrick sent him a challenge upon a difference between them in Ireland, Sir William (age 51), though exceedingly purblind, accepted the challenge, and it being his part to propound the weapon, desired his antagonist to meet him with a hatchet, or axe, in a dark cellar; which the other, of course, refused.

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Mar 1675. Sir William (age 51), among other inventions, was author of the double-bottomed ship, which perished, and he was censured for rashness, being lost in the Bay of Biscay in a storm, when, I think, fifteen other vessels miscarried. This vessel was flat-bottomed, of exceeding use to put into shallow ports, and ride over small depths of water. It consisted of two distinct keels cramped together with huge timbers, etc., so as that a violent stream ran between; it bore a monstrous broad sail, and he still persists that it is practicable, and of exceeding use; and he has often told me he would adventure himself in such another, could he procure sailors, and his Majesty's (age 44) permission to make a second Experiment; which name the King (age 44) gave the vessel at the launching.

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Mar 1675. Supped at Sir William Petty's (age 51), with the Bishop of Salisbury, and divers honorable persons. We had a noble entertainment in a house gloriously furnished; the master (age 51) and [his wife] mistress (age 39) of it were extraordinary persons. Sir William (age 51) was the son of a mean man somewhere in Sussex, and sent from school to Oxford, where he studied Philosophy, but was most eminent in Mathematics and Mechanics; proceeded Doctor of Physic, and was grown famous, as for his learning so for his recovering a poor wench that had been hanged for felony; and her body having been begged (as the custom is) for the anatomy lecture, he bled her, put her to bed to a warm woman, and, with spirits and other means, restored her to life. The young scholars joined and made a little portion, and married her to a man who had several children by her, she living fifteen years after, as I have been assured. Sir William (age 51) came from Oxford to be tutor to a neighbor of mine; thence, when the rebels were dividing their conquests in Ireland, he was employed by them to measure and set out the land, which he did on an easy contract, so much per acre. This he effected so exactly, that it not only furnished him with a great sum of money; but enabled him to purchase an estate worth £4,000 a year. He afterward married the daughter of Sir Hardress Waller; she was an extraordinary wit as well as beauty, and a prudent woman.

Evelyn's Diary. 28 Feb 1676. [Note. Date adjusted to 28 Feb since original entry stated 29 Feb when it isn't a leap year.] I dined with Mr. Povey (age 62), one of the Masters of Requests, a nice contriver of all elegancies, and exceedingly formal. Supped with Sir J. Williamson, where were of our Society Mr. Robert Boyle (age 49), Sir Christopher Wren (age 52), Sir William Petty (age 52), Dr. Holden, subdean of his Majesty's (age 45) Chapel, Sir James Shaen, Dr. Whistler, and our Secretary, Mr. Oldenburg (age 57).

Evelyn's Diary. 29 Jan 1683. Supped at Sir Joseph Williamson's (age 49), where was a select company of our Society, Sir William Petty (age 59), Dr. Gale (age 48) (that learned schoolmaster of St. Paul's), Dr. Whistler, Mr. Hill, etc. The conversation was philosophical and cheerful, on divers considerable questions proposed; as of the hereditary succession of the Roman Emperors; the Pica mentioned in the preface to our Common Prayer, which signifies only the Greek Kalendarium. These were mixed with lighter subjects.