"As soon as they were assembled, they went forth, two and two, in the same order as we have named them, going directly to the King's lodging, which is separated from the Palace but by a Ditch, whose two sides are joined by a stone bridge.
"That Palace is named the Court, or the Court of Holland, because it served sometime for dwelling to the Counts; as it comprehends now in its enclosure the apartments, where the Estates General assembly; the Council of Estate of the United Provinces; the Estates of Holland; the Council of Estate of the same Province; the Reckoning-chambers of the Generality, and of the Province of Holland: The two Courts of Justice, and the apartments assigned for the lodging of the Princess Royal, and of the Prince of Orange."
From A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c. Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660. Rendered into English out of the Original French, By Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight. [Edited by SDS into modern English. Apologies for any errors.] Page 36. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…
"This done we went to a place we had taken to sup in, where a sallet and two or three bones of mutton were provided for a matter of ten of us which was very strange." -- Pepys dinner at The Hague on 14 May, 1660.
"... to see how to dispose thereof for himself and us that belong to him, to give order for our removal to-day."
An interesting comment, given our present-day conversations regarding slavery. I may consider the person/company that pays my salary worthy of my enlightened-self-interest support, but I would never say or think that that I "belong" to them.
"our removal" means that Pepys expects some assignments and projects to be required of him today. Hand kissing anyone? I bet he wears his new coat.
On 13 May Montagu had dismissed his step-uncle, Capt. Henry Isham who, until then, had been assigned to the Swiftsure. No wonder -- Isham had held a key position in keeping a key member of the Royal Family safe while aboard the fleet. https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
I can't find a list of ships who sailed in this fleet, nor their captains. The Google librarian is stumped. Any ideas who took over from Isham?
Apparently Montagu's efforts to ensure that the fleet was manned by royalists was a prudent move. Pepys doesn't record this, but
"... that there was found in the Fleet a man bold enough to have resolved to put fire to the powder when the King should go to see the Vessel, where he served in quality of Mariner, which obliged Admiral Montagu to seize himself on the key of the powder Magazine, and to ordain all the Captains of the other ships of the Fleet, to do the like aboard them, and to carry always the key with them; ..."
I wonder what happened to that unhappy tar.
Page 63 of A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c. Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660. Rendered into English out of the Original French, By Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight. [Edited by SDS into modern English.] https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…
"... to the cook’s room with Mr. Sheply, the first time that I was there this voyage."
This turns out to be one of Pepys' understatements. They are getting ready for the arrival of royalty, and this is the description of Montagu's personal kitchen and dining situation, as presented to Charles II. This is the record of Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight, when Charles was aboard:
"But that which was most rethanable [REMARKABLE?], was that in the Admiral’s Kitchen there were six Clarks that labored but for the mouth; and that his table was better served on the sea than those of many Princes are in their Dominions.
"The plate, which was all of silver, was of so prodigious a greatness, that they were seen to be laden with pieces of roast beef (whereof the English have reason to make one of their delicacies) which weighed near 100 lbs., and the other dishes of plate, which accompanied that, were without comparison, messier than the greatest washing basins that are ordinarily used, and so laden with meat that it seemed the whole Fleet was to be fed with the remains of that table, though they were intended but for the attendants of my Lord the Duke."
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo… A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c. Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660. Rendered into English out of the Original French -- and edited into modern English by SDS. Page 87.
2023 marks the 300th anniversary of the death of Sir Christopher Wren, and to mark the tricentenary, an exhibition has opened in the building most closely associated with him –- St. Paul’s Cathedral.
St. Paul’s is famously the first cathedral to be built in the lifetime of its designer and also seems to be the first therefore to be associated with its architect in a way that is familiar today but was very unusual at the time.
Although the exhibition, which is in the crypt, unsurprisingly looks at the work that Wren did to design and redesign the post Great Fire cathedral, it also looks at less well known aspects of his life, as a scientist. This was the time before too much specialisation had occurred in the white-collar professions, and Sir Christopher was as interested in the microscopic as he was in the massively huge churches he later built.
There’s a bust of a very young looking Sir Christopher, from long before he gained the knighthood, sitting next to a portrait also said to be of the man, and apart from ageing, he seemed to be a totally different person in the painting. Or maybe the bust is optimistic.
The bulk of the rest of the exhibition looks at some of his designs and later works, but possibly the most interesting thing to see is elsewhere — at this grave. The simple marble slab contains the epitaph “Reader, if you seek his memorial – look around you.”
But rather than looking around, look to one side, where a glass has appeared – which contains a death mask of the man himself as he looked at the time of his death 300 years ago, and a chunk of his coffin that was accidentally broken off at a later date.
They’re slightly macabre objects, but from a time when people were more exposed to death than we are these days and mementoes such as these would have been not overly unusual.
It’s less usual to see them today, so while the exhibition tells a story, it’s the glass case next to his tomb that really shows the man himself.
The exhibition, "Sir Christopher Wren: The Quest for Knowledge" is open until later in 2023. It’s included in the standard entry charge for St. Paul’s Cathedral.
A diary of Charles II's activities and the many people he met prior to sailing is at
A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c. Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660. Rendered into English out of the Original French, By Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight. HAGUE, Printed by ADRIAN VLACK, Anno M. DC. LX. with Privilege of the Estates of Holland and West-Friesland.
"... he brought divers letter and notes of most great importance, forasmuch as the King discovered there a part of the intricate plots of the interreign; and likewise the perfidiousness of some of those who owed him, without doubt the greatest fidelity of the world. ..."
Sir Samuel Morland cooked some geese that day! I'd love to know what he gave to Charles II.
Much discussion about the Union Jack, insignias, etc. at Sunday 13 May 1660, when they were making the Naseby pretty before bringing Charles II home: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
'"Capt. Isham went on shore, nobody showing of him any respect; so the old man very fairly took leave of my Lord, and my Lord very coldly bid him “God be with you,” which was very strange, but that I hear that he keeps a great deal of prating and talking on shore, on board, at the King’s Courts, what command he had with my Lord, &c."
'No one has attempted to explain this confusing passage over the course of three readings.'
Okay, I'll take a stab at it:
This must have been a difficult situation for both Montagu and Isham, as the Captain is a step in-law, and I'm guessing he was either a Puritan (family connections) or a Catholic at heart, as he had spent the last few decades in Catholic Portugal.
"This morn Sir J. Boys and Capt. Isham met us in the Nonsuch, the first of whom, after a word or two with my Lord, went forward, the other staid."
Presumably Isham was still the captain of the Swiftsure. So it sounds as if Sir John Boys was sent in the Nonsuch to pick him up and bring him to Montagu for a "meeting".
Apparently Montagu had heard reports of Isham badmouthing something -- enough to make him unwelcome on this trip to collect the incoming Court.
Judging by the number of times Pepys will meet with Capt. Isham in the future, we can know without any spoilers that the rift was temporary. It takes time for a change as big as the Restoration to take root in people's hearts. Carrots and sticks will be applied. Most people will see the light.
Middelburg, the capital of the Dutch province of Zeeland, possesses all the charms of a proud city steeped in tradition. With its historic canalside houses and twisty alleyways, the late Gothic town hall and the tower known as 'Lange Jan', Middelburg is full of things to see.
Middelburg was once one of the trading cities of the VOC (Dutch East India Company). You'll feel like you're travelling back in time as you wander through the old town centre. Take a walk to Koepoort, the only one of the 8 old city gates which is still standing, and visit the 'Kloveniersdoelen', the magnificent house, built in 1607, that once played home to the archers' guild.
In the heart of the city lies the Liebfrauen Abbey, founded in 1100, which now houses the Zeeuws Museum, amongst others, within its walls. Over 30,000 exhibits are used to display all aspects of Zeeland's history.
Another remarkable sight is the 90 m high abbey tower, 'Lange Jan', which can even be seen from a distance. The climb is especially rewarding on a sunny day, as you'll have a marvellous view of the Walcheren Peninsula.
You should also pay a visit to the late Gothic town hall (stadhuis) from the 15th century, and the marketplace.
With 1,200 landmarked buildings, Middelburg is a city with plenty to see. You breathe in the rich history of the former VOC trade city and the modern capital of Zeeland at every step.
Wander through the alleyways with the pretty old buildings, and take a look at the house names, such as 'Appelboom', which appear on the façades of about 300 houses. The reason: in the past, there were no house numbers in Holland.
And don't miss the white drawbridge known as Spijkerbrug (in Kinderdijk).
You have plenty of great opportunities to explore the city, on foot, on a boat tour or with a horse-drawn streetcar.
If you're travelling by car, you're best leaving it at one of the car parks (watch out for the P-route, which brings you to the Middelburg car parks).
The late Gothic town hall in the city centre, erected in 1452, is one of the crucial sightseeing opportunities in all of Zeeland, or in all of the Netherlands. With its lavishly decorated façade, it creates the perfect backdrop for the colorful market scenes in the town square.
Greenwich had a display from Sandwich's journals in 2017; their webpage showing his writing and a letter from Henry Bennet, Lord Arlington to Sandwich after the Great Fire is still available https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blo…
Montagu’s journal provides details of the various expeditions in which he was involved, during the period 1658/9 and 1665, notably a major deployment to the Baltic (the ‘Sound’) and operations in the Mediterranean against Algiers and in support of the acquisition of Tangiers, as well as (in the Second Dutch War) the battle of Lowestoft, the attack on Bergen and the Dutch East India fleet.
Throughout the account, there are interesting insights into the evolution of line of battle tactics and worries about whether merchant ships should be routinely grouped with warships in action (common practice up to that time). Most usefully, there are details of orders of battle and a variety of letters, minor journals and accounts that supplement the main journal narrative. This is also remarkable in reflecting the unusually close (for a nobleman) personal interest that Sandwich took in all aspects of navigation and seamanship, especially astronavigation, through the regular use of ‘my sea quadrant’.
To read the journals, please become a member of the Naval Records Society.
"liked it so well as to bid me give the tailors 20s. among them for doing of it."
Montagu gave them a gratuity for doing a good job, not a bribe.
I'm on my second reading, so my impatience that many annotators did not know the difference between gratuities and bribes will become evident to you too later. Pepys was no more corrupt than anyone else in his day: Where to draw the line -- and how to do it without offending the donor -- was of continual concern to him. (This is why politicians and civil servants should be decently paid -- and held to account for accepting either bribes or gratuities. "We the People" can't do one without the other. The Stuarts wanted it whichever way was most profitable for them, which led to no end of confusion.)
The Goodwin Sands lie in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and posing a serious threat to shipping. The lack of navigational aids in the early days of sail contributed to the toll of shipwrecks as ironically, did the presence of the calm anchorage called The Downs that is also created by the presence of these treacherous sandbanks.
The first markers warning mariners of the threat were the North and South Foreland lighthouses situated just north of Broadstairs and at St. Margaret’s Bay respectively. The first North Foreland light was mentioned in 1499 and consisted of a wooden pole with a basket at the top in which a fire was lit.
In 1634 two lighthouses were placed at South Foreland to create a transit light enabling ships to steer clear of the Sands.
The first chart was drawn in 1583 by Dutchman Lucas Janszoon Wagenaer but attempts to erect warning beacons did not happen until 1840.
The Goodwin Sands have earning the nickname of ‘the shippe swallower’. The glutinous, quicksand nature of the Goodwins means that a ship foundering on the Sands quickly ‘swaddle down’ to a watery grave, often breaking its back before disappearing.
In a 2015 report written by the Historic England, Wessex Archaeology the Goodwin Sands area was described as ‘archaeologically extraordinary’ as they ‘hold the highest density of heritage assets in UK waters with all these wrecks having the reputation of being abnormally well preserved’.
The first recorded wreck was in 1298 when ship owner William Martyn appealed to Edward I for a jury to investigate a claim of plunder near Sandwich. Since then, over 2,000 shipwrecks have been recorded with the true number probably nearer 3,500. As many as 50,000 souls have drowned there.
Ironically, it is the safe anchorage of The Downs that often led to the loss of ships as they dragged their anchors onto the Sands during bad weather. One occasion was the Great Storm of 27 November 1703 when 130 ships and 1,200 sailors were lost in one night.
During the Great Storm, 4 warships, HMS Northumberland, Mary, Restoration and Stirling Castle all sank with the loss of most of their crews. The 4 warships are all listed as Protected Wrecks. (Protected Wrecks are the marine equivalent of Listed Buildings and are managed by Historic England.)
A number of Protected Wrecks lie around the Goodwins – including HMS London which lies in the Thames and is currently undergoing conservation work.
For more info on ships that went down on the Goodwin Sands see the website below.
It is surprising to think the town of Sandwich was an important port with an "enormous" harbor which could accommodate the fleet.
Two notable naval battles took place here were the 1457 Battle of Sandwich (against the French) and the 1639 Battle of the Downs (the Dutch against the Spanish, with England trying to remain neutral).
Comments
Third Reading
About Binnenhof (The Hague)
San Diego Sarah • Link
The Court at The Hague:
"As soon as they were assembled, they went forth, two and two, in the same order as we have named them, going directly to the King's lodging, which is separated from the Palace but by a Ditch, whose two sides are joined by a stone bridge.
"That Palace is named the Court, or the Court of Holland, because it served sometime for dwelling to the Counts; as it comprehends now in its enclosure the apartments, where the Estates General assembly; the Council of Estate of the United Provinces; the Estates of Holland; the Council of Estate of the same Province; the Reckoning-chambers of the Generality, and of the Province of Holland: The two Courts of Justice, and the apartments assigned for the lodging of the Princess Royal, and of the Prince of Orange."
From A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c.
Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660.
Rendered into English out of the Original French, By Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight. [Edited by SDS into modern English. Apologies for any errors.] Page 36.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…
About About fruit and vegetables
San Diego Sarah • Link
"This done we went to a place we had taken to sup in, where a sallet and two or three bones of mutton were provided for a matter of ten of us which was very strange." -- Pepys dinner at The Hague on 14 May, 1660.
There's discussion about what the word "sallet" entailed starting at
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… .
About Monday 14 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... to see how to dispose thereof for himself and us that belong to him, to give order for our removal to-day."
An interesting comment, given our present-day conversations regarding slavery.
I may consider the person/company that pays my salary worthy of my enlightened-self-interest support, but I would never say or think that that I "belong" to them.
"our removal" means that Pepys expects some assignments and projects to be required of him today. Hand kissing anyone? I bet he wears his new coat.
About The Hague
San Diego Sarah • Link
Pepys' first impressions of The Hague are at https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Tuesday 22 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... Henry went to the Swiftsure, ..."
On 13 May Montagu had dismissed his step-uncle, Capt. Henry Isham who, until then, had been assigned to the Swiftsure. No wonder -- Isham had held a key position in keeping a key member of the Royal Family safe while aboard the fleet.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
I can't find a list of ships who sailed in this fleet, nor their captains. The Google librarian is stumped. Any ideas who took over from Isham?
About Tuesday 22 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
Apparently Montagu's efforts to ensure that the fleet was manned by royalists was a prudent move. Pepys doesn't record this, but
"... that there was found in the Fleet a man bold enough to have resolved to put fire to the powder when the King should go to see the Vessel, where he served in quality of Mariner, which obliged Admiral Montagu to seize himself on the key of the powder Magazine, and to ordain all the Captains of the other ships of the Fleet, to do the like aboard them, and to carry always the key with them; ..."
I wonder what happened to that unhappy tar.
Page 63 of A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c.
Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660.
Rendered into English out of the Original French, By Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight. [Edited by SDS into modern English.]
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…
About Sunday 13 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... to the cook’s room with Mr. Sheply, the first time that I was there this voyage."
This turns out to be one of Pepys' understatements. They are getting ready for the arrival of royalty, and this is the description of Montagu's personal kitchen and dining situation, as presented to Charles II. This is the record of Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight, when Charles was aboard:
"But that which was most rethanable [REMARKABLE?], was that in the Admiral’s Kitchen there were six Clarks that labored but for the mouth; and that his table was better served on the sea than those of many Princes are in their Dominions.
"The plate, which was all of silver, was of so prodigious a greatness, that they were seen to be laden with pieces of roast beef (whereof the English have reason to make one of their delicacies) which weighed near 100 lbs., and the other dishes of plate, which accompanied that, were without comparison, messier than the greatest washing basins that are ordinarily used, and so laden with meat that it seemed the whole Fleet was to be fed with the remains of that table, though they were intended but for the attendants of my Lord the Duke."
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…
A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c.
Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660.
Rendered into English out of the Original French -- and edited into modern English by SDS. Page 87.
About Christopher Wren
San Diego Sarah • Link
2023 marks the 300th anniversary of the death of Sir Christopher Wren, and to mark the tricentenary, an exhibition has opened in the building most closely associated with him –- St. Paul’s Cathedral.
St. Paul’s is famously the first cathedral to be built in the lifetime of its designer and also seems to be the first therefore to be associated with its architect in a way that is familiar today but was very unusual at the time.
Although the exhibition, which is in the crypt, unsurprisingly looks at the work that Wren did to design and redesign the post Great Fire cathedral, it also looks at less well known aspects of his life, as a scientist. This was the time before too much specialisation had occurred in the white-collar professions, and Sir Christopher was as interested in the microscopic as he was in the massively huge churches he later built.
There’s a bust of a very young looking Sir Christopher, from long before he gained the knighthood, sitting next to a portrait also said to be of the man, and apart from ageing, he seemed to be a totally different person in the painting. Or maybe the bust is optimistic.
The bulk of the rest of the exhibition looks at some of his designs and later works, but possibly the most interesting thing to see is elsewhere — at this grave. The simple marble slab contains the epitaph “Reader, if you seek his memorial – look around you.”
But rather than looking around, look to one side, where a glass has appeared – which contains a death mask of the man himself as he looked at the time of his death 300 years ago, and a chunk of his coffin that was accidentally broken off at a later date.
They’re slightly macabre objects, but from a time when people were more exposed to death than we are these days and mementoes such as these would have been not overly unusual.
It’s less usual to see them today, so while the exhibition tells a story, it’s the glass case next to his tomb that really shows the man himself.
The exhibition, "Sir Christopher Wren: The Quest for Knowledge" is open until later in 2023. It’s included in the standard entry charge for St. Paul’s Cathedral.
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/artic…
About Sunday 13 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
A diary of Charles II's activities and the many people he met prior to sailing is at
A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL, OF THE VOYAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c.
Hath made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660.
Rendered into English out of the Original French, By Sir WILLIAM LOWER, Knight.
HAGUE, Printed by ADRIAN VLACK, Anno M. DC. LX. with Privilege of the Estates of Holland and West-Friesland.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…
It's too long to post. Enjoy!
Thank you, Paul Brewster, for the lead.
Note the use of the term Great Britain.
About Sunday 13 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... he brought divers letter and notes of most great importance, forasmuch as the King discovered there a part of the intricate plots of the interreign; and likewise the perfidiousness of some of those who owed him, without doubt the greatest fidelity of the world. ..."
Sir Samuel Morland cooked some geese that day! I'd love to know what he gave to Charles II.
About Sunday 13 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
Flags and bunting were called bewpers in Pepys' Navy days. We have a page for that:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
About Bewpers
San Diego Sarah • Link
Much discussion about the Union Jack, insignias, etc. at Sunday 13 May 1660, when they were making the Naseby pretty before bringing Charles II home:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Sunday 13 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
'"Capt. Isham went on shore, nobody showing of him any respect; so the old man very fairly took leave of my Lord, and my Lord very coldly bid him “God be with you,” which was very strange, but that I hear that he keeps a great deal of prating and talking on shore, on board, at the King’s Courts, what command he had with my Lord, &c."
'No one has attempted to explain this confusing passage over the course of three readings.'
Okay, I'll take a stab at it:
This must have been a difficult situation for both Montagu and Isham, as the Captain is a step in-law, and I'm guessing he was either a Puritan (family connections) or a Catholic at heart, as he had spent the last few decades in Catholic Portugal.
"This morn Sir J. Boys and Capt. Isham met us in the Nonsuch, the first of whom, after a word or two with my Lord, went forward, the other staid."
Presumably Isham was still the captain of the Swiftsure. So it sounds as if Sir John Boys was sent in the Nonsuch to pick him up and bring him to Montagu for a "meeting".
Apparently Montagu had heard reports of Isham badmouthing something -- enough to make him unwelcome on this trip to collect the incoming Court.
Judging by the number of times Pepys will meet with Capt. Isham in the future, we can know without any spoilers that the rift was temporary. It takes time for a change as big as the Restoration to take root in people's hearts. Carrots and sticks will be applied. Most people will see the light.
About Middleburg, Zeeland
San Diego Sarah • Link
Middelburg, the capital of the Dutch province of Zeeland, possesses all the charms of a proud city steeped in tradition. With its historic canalside houses and twisty alleyways, the late Gothic town hall and the tower known as 'Lange Jan', Middelburg is full of things to see.
Middelburg was once one of the trading cities of the VOC (Dutch East India Company). You'll feel like you're travelling back in time as you wander through the old town centre. Take a walk to Koepoort, the only one of the 8 old city gates which is still standing, and visit the 'Kloveniersdoelen', the magnificent house, built in 1607, that once played home to the archers' guild.
In the heart of the city lies the Liebfrauen Abbey, founded in 1100, which now houses the Zeeuws Museum, amongst others, within its walls. Over 30,000 exhibits are used to display all aspects of Zeeland's history.
Another remarkable sight is the 90 m high abbey tower, 'Lange Jan', which can even be seen from a distance. The climb is especially rewarding on a sunny day, as you'll have a marvellous view of the Walcheren Peninsula.
You should also pay a visit to the late Gothic town hall (stadhuis) from the 15th century, and the marketplace.
With 1,200 landmarked buildings, Middelburg is a city with plenty to see. You breathe in the rich history of the former VOC trade city and the modern capital of Zeeland at every step.
Wander through the alleyways with the pretty old buildings, and take a look at the house names, such as 'Appelboom', which appear on the façades of about 300 houses. The reason: in the past, there were no house numbers in Holland.
And don't miss the white drawbridge known as Spijkerbrug (in Kinderdijk).
You have plenty of great opportunities to explore the city, on foot, on a boat tour or with a horse-drawn streetcar.
If you're travelling by car, you're best leaving it at one of the car parks (watch out for the P-route, which brings you to the Middelburg car parks).
The late Gothic town hall in the city centre, erected in 1452, is one of the crucial sightseeing opportunities in all of Zeeland, or in all of the Netherlands. With its lavishly decorated façade, it creates the perfect backdrop for the colorful market scenes in the town square.
https://www.holland.com/global/to…
About Sir Edward Mountagu ("my Lord," Earl of Sandwich)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Greenwich had a display from Sandwich's journals in 2017; their webpage showing his writing and a letter from Henry Bennet, Lord Arlington to Sandwich after the Great Fire is still available
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blo…
About Sir Edward Mountagu ("my Lord," Earl of Sandwich)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Montagu’s journal provides details of the various expeditions in which he was involved, during the period 1658/9 and 1665, notably a major deployment to the Baltic (the ‘Sound’) and operations in the Mediterranean against Algiers and in support of the acquisition of Tangiers, as well as (in the Second Dutch War) the battle of Lowestoft, the attack on Bergen and the Dutch East India fleet.
Throughout the account, there are interesting insights into the evolution of line of battle tactics and worries about whether merchant ships should be routinely grouped with warships in action (common practice up to that time). Most usefully, there are details of orders of battle and a variety of letters, minor journals and accounts that supplement the main journal narrative. This is also remarkable in reflecting the unusually close (for a nobleman) personal interest that Sandwich took in all aspects of navigation and seamanship, especially astronavigation, through the regular use of ‘my sea quadrant’.
To read the journals, please become a member of the Naval Records Society.
https://www.navyrecords.org.uk/th…
About Sunday 13 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"liked it so well as to bid me give the tailors 20s. among them for doing of it."
Montagu gave them a gratuity for doing a good job, not a bribe.
I'm on my second reading, so my impatience that many annotators did not know the difference between gratuities and bribes will become evident to you too later.
Pepys was no more corrupt than anyone else in his day: Where to draw the line -- and how to do it without offending the donor -- was of continual concern to him.
(This is why politicians and civil servants should be decently paid -- and held to account for accepting either bribes or gratuities. "We the People" can't do one without the other. The Stuarts wanted it whichever way was most profitable for them, which led to no end of confusion.)
About Saturday 12 May 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Also a question on cards. What games did they play?"
Check out our accumulated knowledge to date:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
About Cards
San Diego Sarah • Link
We also have Encyclopedia pages for card games:
Beast https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… and
Gleek https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Basset was another popular game, but I know nothing about it.
About The Downs
San Diego Sarah • Link
The Goodwin Sands lie in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and posing a serious threat to shipping. The lack of navigational aids in the early days of sail contributed to the toll of shipwrecks as ironically, did the presence of the calm anchorage called The Downs that is also created by the presence of these treacherous sandbanks.
The first markers warning mariners of the threat were the North and South Foreland lighthouses situated just north of Broadstairs and at St. Margaret’s Bay respectively.
The first North Foreland light was mentioned in 1499 and consisted of a wooden pole with a basket at the top in which a fire was lit.
In 1634 two lighthouses were placed at South Foreland to create a transit light enabling ships to steer clear of the Sands.
The first chart was drawn in 1583 by Dutchman Lucas Janszoon Wagenaer but attempts to erect warning beacons did not happen until 1840.
The Goodwin Sands have earning the nickname of ‘the shippe swallower’.
The glutinous, quicksand nature of the Goodwins means that a ship foundering on the Sands quickly ‘swaddle down’ to a watery grave, often breaking its back before disappearing.
In a 2015 report written by the Historic England, Wessex Archaeology the Goodwin Sands area was described as ‘archaeologically extraordinary’ as they ‘hold the highest density of heritage assets in UK waters with all these wrecks having the reputation of being abnormally well preserved’.
The first recorded wreck was in 1298 when ship owner William Martyn appealed to Edward I for a jury to investigate a claim of plunder near Sandwich.
Since then, over 2,000 shipwrecks have been recorded with the true number probably nearer 3,500. As many as 50,000 souls have drowned there.
Ironically, it is the safe anchorage of The Downs that often led to the loss of ships as they dragged their anchors onto the Sands during bad weather. One occasion was the Great Storm of 27 November 1703 when 130 ships and 1,200 sailors were lost in one night.
During the Great Storm, 4 warships, HMS Northumberland, Mary, Restoration and Stirling Castle all sank with the loss of most of their crews. The 4 warships are all listed as Protected Wrecks. (Protected Wrecks are the marine equivalent of Listed Buildings and are managed by Historic England.)
A number of Protected Wrecks lie around the Goodwins – including HMS London which lies in the Thames and is currently undergoing conservation work.
For more info on ships that went down on the Goodwin Sands see the website below.
It is surprising to think the town of Sandwich was an important port with an "enormous" harbor which could accommodate the fleet.
Two notable naval battles took place here were the 1457 Battle of Sandwich (against the French) and the 1639 Battle of the Downs (the Dutch against the Spanish, with England trying to remain neutral).
Highlights from https://goodwinsands.org.uk/why-s…