Henry Machyn's Diary. 04 Jan 1553. The iiij day of January was bered master Robyn, alderman of London, dwellyngin Marke lane [Map], and [buried at] Barkyng chyrche, and the strett hangyd with blake [and the ch]erche and with armes, and ther was a harold beyryng [his cote] armur and with iij penons of armes; and ther were the lord mere and the althermen at ys beryng, and ther [did] pryche doctur Borne, and ther was the compeny of [the fe]lowshyp of the Clarkes, and ther was gret compeny of morners, and he gayff a grett meyne of gownes .... ley for men to the nombur, and affter they whent to d[ener, for] thys was a-ffor none.

Note. Funeral of alderman Robinson. Not "Robyn," as our diarist has the name. "Hereunder lyeth Master William Robinson, alderman of London, citizen and mercer, and merchant of the staple at Callis, and Elizabeth his wife. He deceased the thirtieth of December, 1552." Epitaph in Allhallows Barking.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 07 Mar 1561. The vii day of Marche at nyght cam a servyngman in Towre stret, and toke from a cyld [child] neke (a ...) of sylver, and the pepull bad stope the theyffe, and he rane in-to Marke lane [Map], and stopyd and gayff ym a blowe that he never went farther, and ded.

Pepy's Diary. 28 Nov 1661. So to a tavern at the end of Mark Lane [Map], and there we staid till with much ado we got a coach, and so to my Lord Treasurer's and lost our labours, then to the Chancellor's, and there met with Mr. Dugdale, and with him and one Mr. Simons, I think that belongs to my Lord Hatton, and Mr. Kipps and others, to the Fountain tavern, and there staid till twelve at night drinking and singing, Mr. Simons and one Mr. Agar singing very well. Then Mr. Gawdon being almost drunk had the wit to be gone, and so I took leave too, and it being a fine moonshine night he and I footed it all the way home, but though he was drunk he went such a pace as I did admire how he was able to go. When I came home I found our new maid Sarah¹ come, who is a tall and a very well favoured wench, and one that I think will please us. So to bed.

Note 1. Sarah did not stay long with Mrs. Pepys, who was continually falling out with her. She left to enter Sir William Pen's (age 40) service.

Pepy's Diary. 05 Dec 1663. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and then with the whole board, viz., Sir J. Minnes (age 64), Sir W. Batten (age 62), and myself along with Captain Allen (age 51) home to dinner, where he lives hard by in Mark Lane [Map], where we had a very good plain dinner and good welcome, in a pretty little house but so smoky that it was troublesome to us all till they put out the fire, and made one of charcoale. I was much pleased with this dinner for the many excellent stories told by Mr. Coventry (age 35), which I have put down in my book of tales and so shall not mention them here.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Jan 1665. So away with Mr. Povy (age 51), he carrying me homeward to Mark Lane [Map] in his coach, a simple fellow I now find him, to his utter shame in his business of accounts, as none but a sorry foole would have discovered himself; and yet, in little, light, sorry things very cunning; yet, in the principal, the most ignorant man I ever met with in so great trust as he is.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Mar 1667. By and by sent for to Sir G. Carteret (age 57) to discourse of the business of the Navy, and our wants, and the best way of bestowing the little money we have, which is about £30,000, but, God knows, we have need of ten times as much, which do make my life uncomfortable, I confess, on the King's behalf, though it is well enough as to my own particular, but the King's service is undone by it. Having done with him, back again to the office, and in the streets, in Mark Lane [Map], I do observe, it being St. David's day, the picture of a man dressed like a Welchman, hanging by the neck upon one of the poles that stand out at the top of one of the merchants' houses, in full proportion, and very handsomely done; which is one of the oddest sights I have seen a good while, for it was so like a man that one would have thought it was indeed a man¹. Being returned home, I find Greeting, the flageolet-master, come, and teaching my wife; and I do think my wife will take pleasure in it, and it will be easy for her, and pleasant. So I, as I am well content with the charge it will occasion me.

Note 1. From "Poor Robin's Almanack" for 1757 it appears that, in former times in England, a Welshman was burnt in effigy on this anniversary. Mr. W. C. Hazlitt, in his edition of Brand's "Popular Antiquities", adds "The practice to which Pepys refers... was very common at one time; and till very lately bakers made gingerbread Welshmen, called taffies, on St. David's day, which were made to represent a man skewered" (vol. i., pp. 60,61).

Pepy's Diary. 14 Mar 1667. Thence Sir W. Batten (age 66), Sir W. Pen (age 45), and I, back again; I mightily pleased with what I had said and done, and the success thereof. But, it being a fine clear day, I did, 'en gayete de coeur', propose going to Bow for ayre sake, and dine there, which they embraced, and so Sir W. Batten (age 66) and I (setting Sir W. Pen (age 45) down at Mark Lane [Map] end) straight to Bow, to the Queen's Head, and there bespoke our dinner, carrying meat with us from London; and anon comes Sir W. Pen (age 45) with my wife and Lady Batten, and then Mr. Lowder (age 26) with his mother and wife (age 16). While Sir W. Batten (age 66) and I were alone, we had much friendly discourse, though I will never trust him far; but we do propose getting "The Flying Greyhound", our privateer, to us and Sir W. Pen (age 45) at the end of the year when we call her home, by begging her of the King (age 36), and I do not think we shall be denied her. They being come, we to oysters and so to talk, very pleasant I was all day, and anon to dinner, and I made very good company. Here till the evening, so as it was dark almost before we got home (back again in the same method, I think, we went), and spent the night talking at Sir W. Batten's (age 66), only a little at my office, to look over the Victualler's contract, and draw up some arguments for him to plead for his charges in transportation of goods beyond the ports which the letter of one article in his contract do lay upon him. This done I home to supper and to bed. Troubled a little at my fear that my Lord Bruncker (age 47) should tell Sir W. Coventry (age 39) of our neglecting the office this afternoon (which was intended) to look after our pleasures, but nothing will fall upon me alone about this.

Pepy's Diary. 20 Jul 1667. Up and to the office, where all the morning, and then towards the 'Change [Map], at noon, in my way observing my mistake yesterday in Mark Lane [Map], that the woman I saw was not the pretty woman I meant, the line-maker's wife, but a new-married woman, very pretty, a strong-water seller: and in going by, to my content, I find that the very pretty daughter at the Ship [Map] tavern, at the end of Billiter Lane, is there still, and in the bar: and, I believe, is married to him that is new come, and hath new trimmed the house.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Jan 1668. Lord's Day. Up, and to dress myself, and then called into my wife's chamber, and there she without any occasion fell to discourse of my father's (age 66) coming to live with us when my sister (age 27) marries. This, she being afeard of declaring an absolute hatred to him since his falling out with her about Coleman's being with her, she declares against his coming hither, which I not presently agreeing to, she declared, if he come, she would not live with me, but would shame me all over the city and court, which I made slight of, and so we fell very foul; and I do find she do keep very bad remembrances of my former unkindness to her, and do mightily complain of her want of money and liberty, which I will rather hear and bear the complaint of than grant the contrary, and so we had very hot work a great while: but at last I did declare as I intend, that my father shall not come, and that he do not desire and intend it; and so we parted with pretty good quiet, and so away, and being ready went to church, where first I saw Alderman Backewell (age 50) and his lady come to our church, they living in Mark Lane [Map]; and I could find in my heart to invite her to sit with us, she being a fine lady. I come in while they were singing the 19th Psalm, while the sexton was gathering to his box, to which I did give 5s., and so after sermon home, my wife, Deb., and I all alone and very kind, full of good discourses, and after dinner I to my chamber, ordering my Tangier accounts to give to the Auditor in a day or two, which should have been long ago with him. At them to my great content all the afternoon till supper, and after supper with my wife, W. Hewer (age 26) and Deb. pretty merry till 12 at night, and then to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Jun 1668. When between two and three in the morning we were waked with my maids crying out, "Fire, fire, in Markelane [Map]!" So I rose and looked out, and it was dreadful; and strange apprehensions in me, and us all, of being presently burnt. So we all rose; and my care presently was to secure my gold, and plate, and papers, and could quickly have done it, but I went forth to see where it was; and the whole town was presently in the streets; and I found it in a new-built house that stood alone in Minchin-lane, over against the Cloth-workers'-hall, which burned furiously: the house not yet quite finished; and the benefit of brick was well seen, for it burnt all inward, and fell down within itself; so no fear of doing more hurt.

Pepy's Diary. 27 May 1669. Thence to her husband, at Gresham College, upon some occasions of Tangier; and so home, with Sir John Bankes (age 42) with me, to Mark Lane [Map].