February 1662–63 explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Naval Administration and Corruption

  Pepys confronts Mr. Gawden over delayed provisions, discusses Navy errors with Parliament-men, and works on Tangier victualling and the Mole contract.

• Political Intrigue and Restoration

  Court gossip about Lady Castlemaine's frolic with Mrs. Stuart, the King's secret visits, and Lord Sandwich's secret about embassy money.

• Religion and Sectarian Conflict

  Parliament debates whether Presbyterians will accept liberty for Papists; a priest is arrested for officiating in Holborn.

• Daily Life and Domesticity

  Pepys dismisses maid Jane with regret, enjoys a good dinner with his wife, and teaches her astronomy.

Characters to notice

• Samuel Pepys

  Dismisses maid Jane with regret, discusses naval corruption with strangers, suffers from skin inflammation, and learns a secret from Lord Sandwich.

• Elizabeth Pepys

  Dines with Pepys, goes to Chelsea to see the wassail at school, and is taught astronomy by Pepys.

• Edward Montagu, Earl of Sandwich

  Convalescing at home, discusses Tangier victualling and borrowing money, and shares a secret about refusing to sign embassy money books.

• Sir William Batten

  Accompanies Pepys to Whitehall for Duke's business.

• Sir John Minnes

  Accompanies Pepys to Whitehall for Duke's business.

• Mr. Povy

  Hosts a dinner for Pepys and Mr. Gawden, discusses Tangier victualling.

• Mr. Creed

  Walks with Pepys in Whitehall Garden, sees the King coming from Lady Castlemaine's, and discusses Tangier contract.

• Sir William Coventry

  Discusses his philosophy of doing business justly and living contentedly.

Key passages

• “This day Creed and I walking in Whitehall Garden did see the King coming privately from my Lady Castlemaine's; which is a poor thing for a Prince to do; and I expressed my sense of it to Creed in terms which I should not have done, but that I believe he is trusty in that point.”

  Pepys and Creed saw the King sneaking out of Lady Castlemaine's house, which Pepys thought was unbecoming for a monarch, and he spoke freely to Creed about it, trusting his discretion.

  Highlights the King's illicit relationship and Pepys's candid opinion.

• “he did tell me how he did make it not only his desire, but as his greatest pleasure, to make himself an interest by doing business truly and justly, though he thwarts others greater than himself, not striving to make himself friends by addresses; and by this he thinks and observes he do live as contentedly (now he finds himself secured from fear of want), and, take one time with another, as void of fear or cares, or more, than they that (as his own termes were) have quicker pleasures and sharper agonies than he.”

  Coventry told Pepys that his greatest pleasure came from doing business honestly, even if it meant opposing powerful people, and that this approach gave him a contented life free from fear.

  Reflects Coventry's philosophy of integrity over ambition.

• “Another story was how my Lady Castlemaine, a few days since, had Mrs. Stuart to an entertainment, and at night began a frolic that they two must be married, and married they were, with ring and all other ceremonies of church service, and ribbons and a sack posset in bed, and flinging the stocking; but in the close, it is said that my Lady Castlemaine, who was the bridegroom, rose, and the King came and took her place with pretty Mrs. Stuart.”

  Lady Castlemaine staged a mock wedding with Mrs. Stuart, complete with a ring and church ceremony, but the King eventually replaced Castlemaine in bed with Stuart.

  Illustrates the scandalous and theatrical nature of court life.