Samuel Pepys @samuelpepys@mastodon.social

I talked with Creed, who tells me of Mr. Harry Howard’s giving the Royal Society a piece of ground next to his house, to build a College on, which is a most generous act.

This will make the world think that the King hath good councillors about him, when the Duke of Buckingham, the greatest man about him, is a fellow of no more sobriety than to fight about a whore.

Her husband challenged him, and they met yesterday in a close near Barne-Elmes: my Lord Shrewsbury is run through the body, from the right breast through the shoulder, and Sir John Talbot all along up one of his arms; and Jenkins killed upon the place, and the rest wounded.

From the house the discourse of the duell yesterday between the Duke of Buckingham, Holmes, and Jenkins, on one side, and my Lord of Shrewsbury, Sir John Talbot, and Bernard Howard, on the other side: and all about my Lady Shrewsbury, who is a whore to the Duke of Buckingham.

So little care there has been to this day to know or keep any history of the Navy.

My work this night with my clerks at the office was to examine my list of ships I am making for myself and their dimensions, and to see how it agrees or differs from other lists, and I do find so great a difference between them all that I am at a loss which to take.

Home to dinner with my gang of clerks, in whose society I am mightily pleased; Mr. Gibson telling me so many good stories relating to the warr, which I will find a time to recollect; and he will be an admirable help to my writing a history of the Navy, if ever I do.

To the office, where sat all the morning, and here Lord Anglesey tells us again that a fleet is to be set out; and that it is generally, he hears, said, that it is but a Spanish rhodomontado.

I did lose my labour, and so walked back again, but with pleasure by the walk, and I had the sport to see two boys swear, and stamp, and fret, for not being able to get their horse over a stile and ditch, one of them swearing and cursing most bitterly.

I walked by moonlight to Deptford, where I have not been a great while, and my business I did there was only to walk up and down above la casa of Bagwell, but could not see her, it being my intent to have spent a little time con her, she being newly come from her husband.

It is voted in Council to have a fleet of 50 ships out; but it is only a disguise for the Parliament to get some money by; but it will not take, and if it did, I do not think it will be such as he will get any of, nor such as will enable us to set out such a fleet.

I to my chamber, having a great many books brought me home from my bookbinder’s, and so I to the new setting of my books against the next year, which costs me more trouble than I expected.

It seems Mis Davis is a bastard of Colonell Howard, my Lord Berkshire, and that he do pimp to her for the King, and hath got her for him; but Pierce says that she is a most homely jade as ever she saw, though she dances beyond any thing in the world.

That she did sit near the players of the Duke’s house; among the rest, Mis Davis, who is the most impertinent slut, she says, in the world; and the more, now the King do show her countenance; and is reckoned his mistress, even to the scorne of the whole world.

To Mrs. Pierce’s, where my wife and Deb. is; and there they fell to discourse of the last night’s work at Court, where the ladies and Duke of Monmouth and others acted “The Indian Emperour,” wherein they told me these things most remarkable.

He says that one warehouse of books was saved under Paul’s; and that there were several dogs found burned among the goods in the church-yard, and but one man that said he would go and save a blanket which he had in the church and, being a weak old man, the fire overcome him.

He tells me that it took fire first upon the end of a board that was laid upon the roof instead of lead, the lead being broke off, and thence down lower and lower: but that the burning of the goods under St. Fayth’s arose from the goods taking fire in the church-yard.

Busy about my Tangier accounts against tomorrow, which I do get ready in good condition, and so with great content to bed.

Stopped at Martin’s, my bookseller, where I saw the French book which I did think to have had for my wife to translate, called “L’escholle des filles,” but when I come to look in it, it is the most bawdy, lewd book that ever I saw, so that I was ashamed of reading in it.

Went to church, where first I saw Alderman Backewell and his lady come to our church, they living in Mark Lane; and I could find in my heart to invite her to sit with us, she being a fine lady.