Pepy's Diary. 15 Feb 1665. Thence with Creed to Gresham College, where I had been by Mr. Povy (age 51) the last week proposed to be admitted a member¹ and was this day admitted, by signing a book and being taken by the hand by the President, my Lord Brunkard (age 45), and some words of admittance said to me. But it is a most acceptable thing to hear their discourse, and see their experiments; which were this day upon the nature of fire, and how it goes out in a place where the ayre is not free, and sooner out where the ayre is exhausted, which they showed by an engine on purpose. After this being done, they to the Crowne Taverne, behind the 'Change [Map], and there my Lord and most of the company to a club supper; Sir P. Neale (age 52), Sir R. Murrey, Dr. Clerke, Dr. Whistler, Dr. Goddard, and others of most eminent worth. Above all, Mr. Boyle (age 38) to-day was at the meeting, and above him Mr. Hooke (age 29), who is the most, and promises the least, of any man in the world that ever I saw. Here excellent discourse till ten at night, and then home, and to Sir W. Batten's (age 64), where I hear that Sir Thos. Harvy intends to put Mr. Turner out of his house and come in himself, which will be very hard to them, and though I love him not, yet for his family's sake I pity him. So home and to bed.

Note 1. According to the minutes of the Royal Society for February 15th, 1664-65, "Mr. Pepys was unanimously elected and admitted". Notes of the experiments shown by Hooke and Boyle are given in Birch's "History of the Royal Society", vol. ii., p. 15.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Jan 1666. I back presently to the Crowne taverne behind the Exchange [Map] by appointment, and there met the first meeting of Gresham College since the plague. Dr. Goddard (age 49) did fill us with talke, in defence of his and his fellow physicians going out of towne in the plague-time; saying that their particular patients were most gone out of towne, and they left at liberty; and a great deal more, &c. But what, among other fine discourse pleased me most, was Sir G. Ent about Respiration; that it is not to this day known, or concluded on among physicians, nor to be done either, how the action is managed by nature, or for what use it is. Here late till poor Dr. Merriot was drunk, and so all home, and I to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 14 Feb 1666. So home, they set me down at the 'Change [Map], and I to the Crowne, where my Lord Bruncker (age 46) was come and several of the Virtuosi, and after a small supper and but little good discourse I with Sir W. Batten (age 65) (who was brought thither with my Lord Bruncker (age 46)) home, where I find my wife gone to Mrs. Mercer's to be merry, but presently come in with Mrs. Knipp, who, it seems, is in towne, and was gone thither with my wife and Mercer to dance, and after eating a little supper went thither again to spend the whole night there, being W. Howe there, at whose chamber they are, and Lawd Crisp by chance. I to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 03 Mar 1666. All the morning at the office, at noon to the Old James, being sent for, and there dined with Sir William Rider, Mr. Cutler, and others, to make an end with two Scots Maisters about the freight of two ships of my Lord Rutherford's. After a small dinner and a little discourse I away to the Crowne behind the Exchange [Map] to Sir W. Pen (age 44), Captain Cocke (age 49) and Fen, about getting a bill of Cocke's (age 49) paid to Pen, in part for the East India goods he sold us. Here Sir W. Pen (age 44) did give me the reason in my eare of his importunity for money, for that he is now to marry his daughter (age 15). God send her better fortune than her father deserves I should wish him for a false rogue.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Mar 1666. At noon to the 'Change [Map], and did several businesses, and thence to the Crowne behind the 'Change [Map] and dined with my Lord Bruncker (age 46) and Captain Cocke (age 49) and Fenn, and Madam Williams, who without question must be my Lord's wife, and else she could not follow him wherever he goes and kisse and use him publiquely as she do.

Pepy's Diary. 02 Apr 1666. Thence to the Crowne tavern behind the Exchange [Map] to meet with Cocke (age 49) and Fenn and did so, and dined with them, and after dinner had the intent of our meeting, which was some private discourse with Fenn, telling him what I hear and think of his business, which he takes very kindly and says he will look about him. It was about his giving of ill language and answers to people that come to him about money and some other particulars. This morning Mrs. Barbary and little Mrs. Tooker went away homeward.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Jun 1666. Thence, he being gone, to the Crown, behind the 'Change, and there supped at the club with my Lord Bruncker (age 46), Sir G. Ent, and others of Gresham College; and all our discourse is of this fight at sea, and all are doubtful of the successe, and conclude all had been lost if the Prince had not come in, they having chased us the greatest part of Saturday and Sunday.

Pepy's Diary. 30 Nov 1662. Lord's Day. To church in the morning, and Mr. Mills made a pretty good sermon. It is a bitter cold frost to-day. Dined alone with my wife to-day with great content, my house being quite clean from top to bottom. In the afternoon I to the French church here¹ in the city, and stood in the aisle all the sermon, with great delight hearing a very admirable sermon, from a very young man, upon the article in our creed, in order of catechism, upon the Resurrection.

Note 1. The French Protestant Church was founded by Edward VI in the church of St. Anthony's Hospital in Threadneedle Street. This was destroyed in the Great Fire, and rebuilt, but demolished for the approaches of the new Royal Exchange [Map]. The church was then removed to St. Martin's-le-Grand, but this was also removed in 1888 to make room for the new Post Office buildings.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Dec 1662. So home, and we dined above in our dining room, the first time since it was new done, and in the afternoon I thought to go to the French church; but finding the Dutch congregation there, and then finding the French congregation's sermon begun in the Dutch, I returned home, and up to our gallery, where I found my wife and Gosnell, and after a drowsy sermon, we all three to my aunt Wight's, where great store of her usuall company, and here we staid a pretty while talking, I differing from my aunt, as I commonly do, in our opinion of the handsomeness of the Queen (age 24), which I oppose mightily, saying that if my nose be handsome, then is her's, and such like. After much discourse, seeing the room full, and being unwilling to stay all three, I took leave, and so with my wife only to see Sir W. Pen (age 41), who is now got out of his bed, and sits by the fireside. And after some talk, home and to supper, and after prayers to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 28 Dec 1662. After dinner my wife to church again, and I to the French church, where I heard an old man make a tedious, long sermon, till they were fain to light candles to baptize the children by.

Pepy's Diary. 29 Nov 1663. So after dinner I to the French church, but that being too far begun I came back to St. Dunstan's [Map] by six and heard a good sermon, and so home and to my office all, the evening making up my accounts of this month, and blessed be God I have got up my crumb again to £770, the most that ever I had yet, and good clothes a great many besides, which is a great mercy of God to me.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Dec 1663. Up and to church alone and so home to dinner with my wife very pleasant and pleased with one another's company, and in our general enjoyment one of another, better we think than most other couples do. So after dinner to the French church, but came too late, and so back to our owne church, where I slept all the sermon the Scott preaching, and so home, and in the evening Sir J. Minnes (age 64) and I met at Sir W. Pen's (age 42) about ordering some business of the Navy, and so I home to supper, discourse, prayers, and bed.

Pepy's Diary. 17 Jan 1664. So home to dinner, and betimes my wife and I to the French church and there heard a good sermon, the first time my wife and I were there ever together. We sat by three sisters, all pretty women. It was pleasant to hear the reader give notice to them, that the children to be catechized next Sunday were them of Hounsditch and Blanche Chapiton.

Pepy's Diary. 11 Dec 1664. Dined at home, mighty pleasantly. In the afternoon I to the French church, where much pleased with the three sisters of the parson, very handsome, especially in their noses, and sing prettily. I heard a good sermon of the old man, touching duty to parents. Here was Sir Samuel Morland (age 39) and his lady very fine, with two footmen in new liverys (the church taking much notice of them), and going into their coach after sermon with great gazeing.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Dec 1664. Thence to the French church, but coming too late I returned and to Mr. Rawlinson's (age 50) church, where I heard a good sermon of one that I remember was at Paul's with me, his name Maggett; and very great store of fine women there is in this church, more than I know anywhere else about us.

Pepy's Diary. 29 Mar 1667. So to the Council chamber, but staid not there, but to a periwigg-maker's of his acquaintance, and there bought two periwiggs, mighty fine; indeed, too fine, I thought, for me; but he persuaded me, and I did buy them for £4 10s. The two. Then to the Exchange [Map] and bought gloves, and so to the Bull-Head Taverne [Map], whither he brought my French gun; and one Truelocke, the famous gunsmith, that is a mighty ingenious man, and he did take my gun in pieces, and made me understand the secrets thereof and upon the whole I do find it a very good piece of work, and truly wrought; but for certain not a thing to be used much with safety: and he do find that this very gun was never yet shot off: I was mighty satisfied with it and him, and the sight of so much curiosity of this kind. Here he brought also a haberdasher at my desire, and I bought a hat of him, and so away and called away my wife from his house, and so home and to read, and then to supper and to bed, my head full in behalf of Balty (age 27), who tells me strange stories of his mother. Among others, how she, in his absence in Ireland, did pawne all the things that he had got in his service under Oliver, and run of her own accord, without her husband's leave, into Flanders, and that his purse, and 4s. a week which his father receives of the French church, is all the subsistence his father and mother have, and that about £20 a year maintains them; which, if it please God, I will find one way or other to provide for them, to remove that scandal away.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 04 Oct 1558. The sam day at after-non was bered in sant Martens [Map] with the well and ij bokettes, mastores Altham (age 30), the wyff of master Altham (age 29) altherman, the wych ded in chyld-bed; he gayff mony gownes to pore women of roset cloth brod, and ij grett whyt branches, and iiij men held iiij gret tapurs, and had gownes; and mony morners, and no harold of armes. .... .. torchys .... of fyne mantylle fryse, and mony morners .... men and women, and a xvj clarkes of .... whent to the plasse to drynke, and wyne and spyse [bread; and the] morow masse.

Note. P. 175. Saint Martin's with the well and two bokettes. This was the name by which the church of St. Martin Outwich [Map] was commonly known in the time of our diarist; and he mentions it again in pp. 211, 215, 302. Stowe says, after noticing Three Needle street (now Threadneedle street), "On the south side of which street, beginning at the east, by the Well with two buckets, now turned to a pumpe, is the parish church of S. Martin, called Oteswich, of Martin de Oteswich, Nicholas de Oteswich, William Oteswich, and John Oteswich, founders thereof," &c. The antiquities of this church have been excellently illustrated by engravings in a 4to volume of plates, published by Mr. Robert Wilkinson in 1797.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 12 Sep 1559. The xij day of September was bered at sant Martens [at] the welles [Map] with ij [2] bokettes [buckets] (blank) a barber-surgan, with clarkes syngyng and a lx [60] chylderyn, xxx [30] boys and xxx [30] wemen[-children], and evere chyld had ij d [2 pence] a pesse.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 09 Oct 1559. The ix day of October was master Row altherman('s) dowthur mared in santt Martens [Map] with well with ij bokettes, to a marchand, and ther wher mony worshype-full men and women ther; and ther was a sermon, and after to ys plasse to dener; and he gayff ij C. payre of glovys, and at nyght ther cam ij goodly maskes as has bene.

Note. P. 215. Alderman Rowe's daughter married. The alderman had two daughters, Mary married to Thomas Randall, and Elizabeth to sir William Garrard, of Dorney, Bucks. (See Lipscomb's Buckinghamshire, iii. 274, 276.)

Henry Machyn's Diary. 17 Mar 1563. The sam day at the Well with ij [2] bokettes in sant Martens [Map] ther was (a) woman dwellyng ther toke a pere of sherers for to have cutt here throwtt, butt she myssyd the pype in here syknes and madnes, and with a day after she ded and was bered ther in the parryche.... and to the Masselsay [Map] to the .... that he had a lysens for to kyll fl[esh.]