Biography of James Temple

Pepy's Diary. 30 Sep 1665. Thence to the office, and there wrote a letter or two and dispatched a little business, and then to Captain Cocke's (age 48), where I find Mr. Temple, the fat blade, Sir Robert. Viner's (age 34) chief man. And we three and two companions of his in the evening by agreement took ship in the Bezan and the tide carried us no further than Woolwich, Kent [Map] about 8 at night, and so I on shore to my wife, and there to my great trouble find my wife out of order, and she took me downstairs and there alone did tell me her falling out with both her mayds and particularly Mary, and how Mary had to her teeth told her she would tell me of something that should stop her mouth and words of that sense. Which I suspect may be about Brown, but my wife prays me to call it to examination, and this, I being of myself jealous, do make me mightily out of temper, and seeing it not fit to enter into the dispute did passionately go away, thinking to go on board again. But when I come to the stairs I considered the Bezan would not go till the next ebb, and it was best to lie in a good bed and, it may be, get myself into a better humour by being with my wife. So I back again and to bed and having otherwise so many reasons to rejoice and hopes of good profit, besides considering the ill that trouble of mind and melancholly may in this sickly time bring a family into, and that if the difference were never so great, it is not a time to put away servants, I was resolved to salve up the business rather than stir in it, and so become pleasant with my wife and to bed, minding nothing of this difference.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Oct 1665. So after supper Captain Cocke (age 48) and I and Temple on board the Bezan, and there to cards for a while and then to read again in "Rhodes" and so to sleep. But, Lord! the mirth which it caused me to be waked in the night by their snoaring round about me; I did laugh till I was ready to burst, and waked one of the two companions of Temple, who could not a good while tell where he was that he heard one laugh so, till he recollected himself, and I told him what it was at, and so to sleep again, they still snoaring.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Nov 1665. So to Viner's (age 34), and there heard of Cocke (age 48), and found him at the Pope's Head, drinking with Temple. I to them, where the Goldsmiths do decry the new Act, for money to be all brought into the Exchequer, and paid out thence, saying they will not advance one farthing upon it; and indeed it is their interest to say and do so.

Pepy's Diary. 11 Dec 1665. Then late met Cocke (age 48) and Temple at the Pope's Head, and there had good discourse with Temple [Map], who tells me that of the £80,000 advanced already by the East India Company, they have had £5000 out of their hands. He discoursed largely of the quantity of money coyned, and what may be thought the real sum of money in the Kingdom. He told me, too, as an instance of the thrift used in the King's business, that the tools and the interest of the money-using to the King (age 35) for the money he borrowed while the new invention of the mill money was perfected, cost him £35,000, and in mirthe tells me that the new fashion money is good for nothing but to help the Prince (age 45) if he can secretly get copper plates shut up in silver it shall never be discovered, at least not in his age.

Pepy's Diary. 14 Dec 1665. Up, and to the office a while with my Lord Bruncker (age 45), where we directed Sir W. Warren in the business of the insurance as I desired, and ended some other businesses of his, and so at noon I to London, but the 'Change [Map] was done before I got thither, so I to the Pope's Head Taverne, and there find Mr. Gawden and Captain Beckford and Nick Osborne going to dinner, and I dined with them and very exceeding merry we were as I had [not] been a great while, and dinner being done I to the East India House and there had an assignment on Mr. Temple for the £2,000 of Cocke's (age 48), which joyed my heart; so, having seen my wife in the way, I home by water and to write my letters and then home to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1666. From the 'Change [Map] to Captain Cocke's (age 49), and there, by agreement, dined, and there was Charles Porter (age 35), Temple, Fenn, Debasty, whose bad English and pleasant discourses was exceeding good entertainment, Matt. Wren (age 37), Major Cooper, and myself, mighty merry and pretty discourse.

Pepy's Diary. 23 Jun 1667. After dinner they all to church, and I by water alone to Woolwich, Kent [Map], and there called on Mr. Bodham: and he and I to see the batterys newly raised; which, indeed, are good works to command the River below the ships that are sunk, but not above them. Here I met with Captain Cocke (age 50) and Matt. Wren (age 38), Fenn, and Charles Porter (age 35), and Temple and his wife. Here I fell in with these, and to Bodham's with them, and there we sat and laughed and drank in his arbour, Wren making much and kissing all the day of Temple's wife.

Pepy's Diary. 30 Dec 1667. Thence to the Old Exchange [Map] together, he telling me that he believes there will be no such turning out of great men as is talked of, but that it is only to fright people, but I do fear there may be such a thing doing. He do mightily inveigh against the folly of the King (age 37) to bring his matters to wrack thus, and that we must all be undone without help. I met with Cooling at the Temple-gate, after I had been at both my booksellers and there laid out several pounds in books now against the new year. From the 'Change [Map] (where I met with Captain Cocke (age 50), who would have borrowed money of me, but I had the grace to deny him, he would have had 3 or £400) I with Cocke and Mr. Temple (whose wife was just now brought to bed of a boy, but he seems not to be at all taken with it, which is a strange consideration how others do rejoice to have a child born), to Sir G. Carteret's (age 57), in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and there did dine together, there being there, among other company, Mr. Attorney Montagu (age 49), and his fine lady, a fine woman.

Pepy's Diary. 29 Mar 1669. Thence home; and after dinner by water with Tom down to Greenwich, Kent [Map], he reading to me all the way, coming and going, my collections out of the Duke of York's (age 35) old manuscript of the Navy, which I have bound up, and do please me mightily. At Greenwich, Kent [Map] I come to Captain Cocke's (age 52), where the house full of company, at the burial of James Temple who, it seems, hath been dead these five days here I had a very good ring, which I did give my wife as soon as I come home. I spent my time there walking in the garden, talking with James Pierce, who tells me that he is certain that the Duke of Buckingham (age 41) had been with his wenches all the time that he was absent, which was all the last week, nobody knowing where he was. The great talk is of the King's being hot of late against Conventicles, and to see whether the Duke of Buckingham's being returned will turn the King (age 38), which will make him very popular: and some think it is his plot to make the King thus, to shew his power in the making him change his mind. But Pierce did tell me that the King did certainly say, that he that took one stone from the Church, did take two from his Crown.