Biography of Thomas Andrews Merchant 1632-1684

In 1632 Thomas Andrews Merchant was born.

In 1656 Thomas Andrews Merchant (age 24) and Hester Young were married.

Pepy's Diary. 03 Sep 1665. Lord's Day. Up; and put on my coloured silk suit very fine, and my new periwigg, bought a good while since, but durst not wear, because the plague was in Westminster when I bought it; and it is a wonder what will be the fashion after the plague is done, as to periwiggs, for nobody will dare to buy any haire, for fear of the infection, that it had been cut off of the heads of people dead of the plague. Before church time comes Mr. Hill (age 35) (Mr. Andrews (age 33) failing because he was to receive the Sacrament), and to church, where a sorry dull parson, and so home and most excellent company with Mr. Hill (age 35) and discourse of musique. I took my Lady Pen (age 41) home, and her daughter Pegg, and merry we were; and after dinner I made my wife show them her pictures, which did mad Pegg Pen, who learns of the same man and cannot do so well.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Sep 1665. Lord's Day. Walked home; being forced thereto by one of my watermen falling sick yesterday, and it was God's great mercy I did not go by water with them yesterday, for he fell sick on Saturday night, and it is to be feared of the plague. So I sent him away to London with his fellow; but another boat come to me this morning, whom I sent to Blackewall for Mr. Andrews (age 33). I walked to Woolwich, Kent [Map], and there find Mr. Hill (age 35), and he and I all the morning at musique and a song he hath set of three parts, methinks, very good.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Sep 1665. Anon comes Mr. Andrews (age 33), though it be a very ill day, and so after dinner we to musique and sang till about 4 or 5 o'clock, it blowing very hard, and now and then raining, and wind and tide being against us, Andrews and I took leave and walked to Greenwich, Kent [Map]. My wife before I come out telling me the ill news that she hears that her father is very ill, and then I told her I feared of the plague, for that the house is shut up. And so she much troubled she did desire me to send them something; and I said I would, and will do so.

1665 Battle of Vågen

Pepy's Diary. 10 Sep 1665. But before I come out there happened newes to come to the by an expresse from Mr. Coventry (age 37), telling me the most happy news of my Lord Sandwich's (age 40) meeting with part of the Dutch; his taking two of their East India ships, and six or seven others, and very good prizes and that he is in search of the rest of the fleet, which he hopes to find upon the Wellbancke, with the loss only of the Hector, poor Captain Cuttle. This newes do so overjoy me that I know not what to say enough to express it, but the better to do it I did walk to Greenwich, Kent [Map], and there sending away Mr. Andrews (age 33), I to Captain Cocke's (age 48), where I find my Lord Bruncker (age 45) and his mistress, and Sir J. Minnes (age 66). Where we supped (there was also Sir W. Doyly (age 51) and Mr. Evelyn (age 44)); but the receipt of this newes did put us all into such an extacy of joy, that it inspired into Sir J. Minnes (age 66) and Mr. Evelyn (age 44) such a spirit of mirth, that in all my life I never met with so merry a two hours as our company this night was. Among other humours, Mr. Evelyn's (age 44) repeating of some verses made up of nothing but the various acceptations of may and can, and doing it so aptly upon occasion of something of that nature, and so fast, did make us all die almost with laughing, and did so stop the mouth of Sir J. Minnes (age 66) in the middle of all his mirth (and in a thing agreeing with his own manner of genius), that I never saw any man so out-done in all my life; and Sir J. Minnes's (age 66) mirth too to see himself out-done, was the crown of all our mirth. In this humour we sat till about ten at night, and so my Lord (age 45) and his mistress home, and we to bed, it being one of the times of my life wherein I was the fullest of true sense of joy.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Sep 1665. He being gone (after I had ordered him £2000, and he paid me my quantum out of it) I also walked to the office, and there to my business; but find myself, through the unfitness of my place to write in, and my coming from great dinners, and drinking wine, that I am not in the good temper of doing business now a days that I used to be and ought still to be.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Sep 1665. After dinner, by appointment, comes Mr. Andrews (age 33), and he and I walking alone in the garden talking of our Tangier business, and I endeavoured by the by to offer some encouragements for their continuing in the business, which he seemed to take hold of, and the truth is my profit is so much concerned that I could wish they would, and would take pains to ease them in the business of money as much as was possible.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Oct 1665. Up and to my office, where Mr. Andrews (age 33) comes, and reckoning with him I get £64 of him.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Dec 1665. Lord's Day. Lay long talking, Hill (age 35) and I, with great pleasure, and then up, and being ready walked to Cocke's (age 48) for some newes, but heard none, only they would have us stay their dinner, and sent for my wife, who come, and very merry we were, there being Sir Edmund Pooly (age 46) and Mr. Evelyn (age 45). Before we had dined comes Mr. Andrews (age 33), whom we had sent for to Bow, and so after dinner home, and there we sang some things, but not with much pleasure, Mr. Andrews (age 33) being in so great haste to go home, his wife looking every hour to be brought to bed. He gone Mr. Hill (age 35) and I continued our musique, one thing after another, late till supper, and so to bed with great pleasure.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Dec 1665. After dinner I forced to take leave of them by being called upon by Mr. Andrews (age 33), I having sent for him, and by a fine glosse did bring him to desire tallys for what orders I have to pay him and his company for Tangier victualls, and I by that means cleared to myself £210 coming to me upon their two orders, which is also a noble addition to my late profits, which have been very considerable of late, but how great I know not till I come to cast up my accounts, which burdens my mind that it should be so backward, but I am resolved to settle to nothing till I have done it.

Pepy's Diary. 18 Dec 1666. So to Sir Robert Viner's (age 35) about my plate, and carried home another dozen of plates, which makes my stock of plates up 2 1/2 dozen, and at home find Mr. Thomas Andrews (age 34), with whom I staid and talked a little and invited him to dine with me at Christmas, and then I to the office, and there late doing business, and so home and to bed. Sorry for poor Batters.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Dec 1666. Thence home, all by coach, and there Mr. Andrews (age 34) to the vyall, who plays most excellently on it, which I did not know before. Then to dance, here being Pembleton come, by my wife's direction, and a fiddler; and we got, also, the elder Batelier to-night, and Nan Wright, and mighty merry we were, and I danced; and so till twelve at night, and to supper, and then to cross purposes, mighty merry, and then to bed, my eyes being sore. Creed lay here in Barker's bed.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Feb 1667. At noon home to dinner, and there find Mr. Andrews (age 35), and Pierce and Hollyard (age 58), and they dined with us and merry, but we did rise soon for saving of my wife's seeing a new play this afternoon, and so away by coach, and left her at Mrs. Pierce's, myself to the Excise Office about business, and thence to the Temple [Map] to walk a little only, and then to Westminster to pass away time till anon, and here I went to Mrs. Martin's to thank her for her oysters..[Note. Missing text: 'and there yo did hazer tout ce que je would con her, and she grown la plus bold moher of the orbis ­ so that I was almost defessus of the pleasure que ego was used para tener with ella.']

Pepy's Diary. 08 May 1667. Thence with Sir H. Cholmly (age 34) to find out Creed from one lodging to another, which he hath changed so often that there is no finding him, but at last do come to his lodging that he is entering into this day, and do find his goods unlading at the door, by Scotland Yard, and there I set down Sir H. Cholmly (age 34), and I away to the 'Change [Map], where spoke about several things, and then going home did meet Mr. Andrews (age 35) our neighbour, and did speak with him to enquire about the ground behind our house, of which I have a mind to buy enough to make a stable and coach-house; for I do see that my condition do require it, as well as that it is more charge to my purse to live as I do than to keep one, and therefore I am resolved before winter to have one, unless some extraordinary thing happens to hinder me. He promises me to look after it for me, and so I home to dinner, where I find my wife's flageolette master, and I am so pleased with her proceeding, though she hath lost time by not practising, that I am resolved for the encouragement of the man to learn myself a little for a month or so, for I do foresee if God send my wife and I to live, she will become very good company for me. He gone, comes Lovett with my little print of my dear Baroness Castlemayne (age 26) varnished, and the frame prettily done like gold, which pleases me well. He dined with me, but by his discourse I do still see that he is a man of good wit but most strange experience, and acquaintance with all manner of subtleties and tricks, that I do think him not fit for me to keep any acquaintance with him, lest he some time or other shew me a slippery trick.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Aug 1667. So by coach to White Hall, and there staid a little, thinking to see Sir G. Carteret (age 57), but missed him, and so by coach took up my wife, and so home, and as far as Bow, where we staid and drank, and there, passing by Mr. Lowther (age 26) and his lady (age 16), they stopped and we talked a little with them, they being in their gilt coach, and so parted; and presently come to us Mr. Andrews (age 35), whom I had not seen a good while, who, as other merchants do, do all give over any hopes of things doing well, and so he spends his time here most, playing at bowles. After dining together at the coach-side, we with great pleasure home, and so to the office, where I despatched my business, and home to supper, and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Jun 1668. So to dinner, and then with Sir J. Minnes (age 69) to White Hall, and there attended the Lords of the Treasury and also a committee of Council with the Duke of York (age 34) about the charge of this year's fleete, and thence I to Westminster and to Mrs. Martin's, and did hazer what je would con her, and did once toker la thigh de su landlady, and thence all alone to Fox Hall, and walked and saw young Newport (age 23), and two more rogues of the town, seize on two ladies, who walked with them an hour with their masks on; perhaps civil ladies; and there I left them, and so home, and thence to Mr. Mills's, where I never was before, and here find, whom I indeed saw go in, and that did make me go thither, Mrs. Hallworthy and Mrs. Andrews, and here supped, and, extraordinary merry till one in the morning, Mr. Andrews (age 36) coming to us: and mightily pleased with this night's company and mirth I home to bed. Mrs. Turner (age 45), too, was with us.

Pepy's Diary. 30 Dec 1668. After dinner, my wife and I to the Duke's playhouse, and there did see King Harry the Eighth; and was mightily pleased, better than I ever expected, with the history and shows of it. We happened to sit by Mr. Andrews (age 36), our neighbour, and his wife, who talked so fondly to his little boy.

In 1684 Thomas Andrews Merchant (age 52) died.