Pepy's Diary. 24 Dec 1662. So to my brother's and shoemaker, and so to my Lord Crew's, and dined alone with him, and after dinner much discourse about matters. Upon the whole, I understand there are great factions at Court, and something he said that did imply a difference like to be between the King (age 32) and the Duke (age 29), in case the Queen (age 24) should not be with child. I understand, about this bastard (age 13)¹. He says, also, that some great man will be aimed at when Parliament comes to sit again; I understand, the Chancellor (age 53) and that there is a bill will be brought in, that none that have been in arms for the Parliament shall be capable of office. And that the Court are weary of my Lord Albemarle (age 54) and Chamberlin (age 60). He wishes that my [his father] Lord Sandwich (age 37) had some good occasion to be abroad this summer which is coming on, and that my [his brother] Lord Hinchingbroke (age 14) were well married, and Sydney (age 12) had some place at Court. He pities the poor ministers that are put out, to whom, he says, the King is beholden for his coming in, and that if any such thing had been foreseen he had never come in.

Note 1. James Crofts, son of Charles II by Lucy Walter, created Duke of Monmouth in 1663, Duke of Buccleuch in 1673, when he took the name of Scott.

Pepy's Diary. 20 Jun 1664. After dinner came in [his uncle] Sir Thomas Crew (age 40) and Mr. Sidney (age 13), lately come from France, who is growne a little, and a pretty youth he is; but not so improved as they did give him out to be, but like a child still. But yet I can perceive he hath good parts and good inclinations.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Feb 1666. Lord's Day. My wife up between three and four of the clock in the morning to dress herself, and I about five, and were all ready to take coach, she and I and Mercer, a little past five, but, to our trouble, the coach did not come till six. Then with our coach of four horses I hire on purpose, and Leshmore to ride by, we through the City to Branford [Map] and so to Windsor, Berkshire [Map], Captain Ferrers overtaking us at Kensington, being to go with us, and here drank, and so through, making no stay, to Cranborne, about eleven o'clock, and found my Lord and the ladies at a sermon in the house; which being ended we to them, and all the company glad to see us, and mighty merry to dinner. Here was my Lord, and [his brother] Lord Hinchingbrooke (age 18), and Mr. Sidney (age 15), Sir Charles Herbert (age 26), and Mr. Carteret (age 25), my Baroness Carteret (age 64), my [his sister] Lady Jemimah, and Lady Slaning.

Pepy's Diary. 28 Sep 1668. Thence to my Lord Burlington's (age 55) houses the first time I ever was there, it being the house built by Sir John Denham (age 53), next to Clarendon House; and here I visited my [his brother] Lord Hinchingbrooke (age 20) and his lady; Mr. Sidney Montagu (age 18) being come last night to town unexpectedly from Mount's Bay, where he left my Lord well, eight days since, so as we may now hourly expect to hear of his arrival at Portsmouth, Hampshire [Map]. Sidney is mighty grown; and I am glad I am here to see him at his first coming, though it cost me dear, for here I come to be necessitated to supply them with £500 for my Lord. He sent him up with a declaration to his friends, of the necessity of his being presently supplied with £2000; but I do not think he will get one. However, I think it becomes my duty to my Lord to do something extraordinary in this, and the rather because I have been remiss in writing to him during this voyage, more than ever I did in my life, and more indeed than was fit for me.

Pepy's Diary. 18 Jan 1669. Thence to the Duke of York (age 35) on the King's side, with our Treasurers of the Navy, to discourse some business of the Navy, about the pay of the yards, and there I was taken notice of, many Lords being there in the room, of the Duke of York's conference with me; and so away, and meeting Mr. Sidney Montagu (age 18) and Sheres, a small invitation served their turn to carry them to London, where I paid Sheres his £100, given him for his pains in drawing the plate of Tangier fortifications, &c., and so home to my house to dinner, where I had a pretty handsome sudden dinner, and all well pleased; and thence we three and my wife to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Witts", a medley of things, but some similes mighty good, though ill mixed; and thence with my wife to the Exchange [Map] and bought some things, and so home, after I had been at White Hall, and there in the Queen's (age 30) withdrawing-room invited my Lord Peterborough (age 47) to dine with me, with my [his father] Lord Sandwich (age 43), who readily accepted it.

Pepy's Diary. 23 Jan 1669. So to the office, where all the morning till noon, when word brought me to the Board that my [his father] Lord Sandwich (age 43) was come; so I presently rose, leaving the Board ready to rise, and there I found my Lord Sandwich, Peterborough, and Sir Charles Harbord (age 29); and presently after them comes my [his brother] Lord Hinchingbrooke (age 21), Mr. Sidney (age 18), and Sir William Godolphin (age 33). And after greeting them, and some time spent in talk, dinner was brought up, one dish after another, but a dish at a time, but all so good; but, above all things, the variety of wines, and excellent of their kind, I had for them, and all in so good order, that they were mightily pleased, and myself full of content at it: and indeed it was, of a dinner of about six or eight dishes, as noble as any man need to have, I think; at least, all was done in the noblest manner that ever I had any, and I have rarely seen in my life better anywhere else, even at the Court.

Pepy's Diary. 02 May 1669. Lord's Day. Up, and by water to White Hall, and there visit my [his father] Lord Sandwich (age 43), who, after about two months' absence at Hinchingbroke [Map], come to town last night. I saw him, and very kind; and I am glad he is so, I having not wrote to him all the time, my eyes indeed not letting me. Here with Sir Charles Herbert [Harbord] (age 29), and my [his brother] Lord Hinchingbrooke (age 21), and Sidney (age 18), we looked upon the picture of Tangier, designed: by Charles Herbert [Harbord], and drawn by Dancre (age 44), which my Lord Sandwich admires, as being the truest picture that ever he's saw in his life: and it is indeed very pretty, and I will be at the cost of having one of them.

Pepy's Diary. 12 May 1669. Thence to my [his father] Lord Sandwich's (age 43), and there had a promise from Sidney (age 18) to come and dine with me to-morrow; and so my wife and I home in our coach, and there find my brother John (age 28), as I looked for, come to town from Ellington, where, among other things, he tell me the first news that my [sister Jackson (age 28)] is with child, and fat gone, which I know not whether it did more trouble or please me, having no great care for my friends to have children; though I love other people's. So, glad to see him, we to supper, and so to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 12 May 1669. Up, and to Westminster Hall [Map], where the term is, and this the first day of my being there, and here by chance met Roger Pepys (age 52), come to town the last night: I was glad to see him. After some talk with him and others, and among others Sir Charles Harbord (age 29) and Sidney Montagu (age 18), the latter of whom is to set out to-morrow towards Flanders and Italy, I invited them to dine with me to-morrow, and so to Mrs. Martin's lodging, who come to town last night, and there je did hazer her, she having been a month, I think, at Portsmouth, Hampshire [Map] with her husband, newly come home from the Streights. But, Lord! how silly the woman talks of her great entertainment there, and how all the gentry come to visit her, and that she believes her husband is worth £6 or £700, which nevertheless I am glad of, but I doubt they will spend it a fast.

Pepy's Diary. 13 May 1669. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, it being a rainy foul day. But at noon comes my [his brother] Lord Hinchingbrooke (age 21), and Sidney (age 18), and Sir Charles Harbord (age 29), and Roger Pepys (age 52), and dined with me; and had a good dinner, and very merry with; us all the afternoon, it being a farewell to Sidney; and so in the evening they away, and I to my business at the Office and so to supper, and talk with my brother, and so to bed.