During the Diary years Johannes Vermeer (1632 – 1675) was painting in Delft. This half hour film about his work shows how the Dutch people there lived. Enjoy. https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/joh…
"There is an encyclopedia entry for Mrs. Haselrigge" -- sorry Bill, not Sir Arthur's wife:
Sir Arthur Hesilrige’s second wife's name was Lady Dorothy Greville Hesilrige, and she died in January, 1650 at Noseley, Harborough District, Leicestershire. https://www.findagrave.com/memori…
They had 5 children: Frances Hesilrige Humble unknown–1693 Katharine Hesilrige Babington 1635–1670 Arthur Hesilrige 1638–1649, died aged 11, so no wife. Robert Hesilrige 1638–1713 -- he married Lady Bridget Rolle Hesilrige who died 26 July, 1697 at Noseley. Dorothy Hesilrige Douset 1643–1705
And there was a half brother named Thomas Hesilrige (presumably by Sir Arthur's first wife) 1625-1680. He married Lady Elizabeth Fenwick Hesilrige who died 30 May 1673, also at Noseley.
So Pepys’ story about a Mrs. Haselrigge may have referred to a daughter, daughter-in-law, niece or other unfortunate female relative -- or an unrelated someone named or posing as a Hesilrige. https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Sir Arthur Hesilrige also spelled his name Haselrig, Hazelrig, Haselrigge, etc. These things were not settled.
His second wife's name was Lady Dorothy Greville Hesilrige, and she died in January, 1650 at Noseley, Harborough District, Leicestershire. https://www.findagrave.com/memori…
They had 5 children: Frances Hesilrige Humble unknown–1693
Katharine Hesilrige Babington 1635–1670
Arthur Hesilrige 1638–1649, died aged 11, so no wife.
Robert Hesilrige 1638–1713 -- he married Lady Bridget Rolle Hesilrige who died 26 July, 1697 at Noseley.
Dorothy Hesilrige Douset 1643–1705
And there was a half brother named Thomas Hesilrige (presumably from Sir Arthur's first wife) 1625-1680. He married Lady Elizabeth Fenwick Hesilrige who died 30 May 1673, also at Noseley.
So this story's Mrs. Haselrigge may have been a daughter, daughter-in-law, niece or other unfortunate female relative -- or someone posing as a Hesilrige.
In 1656, Hesilrige was elected to the Second Protectorate Parliament but he was one of the members excluded from sitting in the first session by the Council of Officers. He refused Cromwell's offer of a seat in the new Upper House but was re-admitted to the Commons for the second session of parliament in Jan. 1658. Hesilrige was involved in the drafting of a petition calling for the abandonment of the Protectorate and the restoration of the Commonwealth which led Cromwell to dissolve Parliament in Feb. 1658.
After Cromwell's death in Sept. 1658, Hesilrige refused to support his successor Richard Cromwell. In the early sessions of the Third Protectorate Parliament, Hesilrige attempted to delay discussion of the Act of Recognition of the new Protector in the hope that Richard's authority would be compromised. When Richard was forced to recall the Rump Parliament in May 1659, Hesilrige hoped finally to establish a civilian republican government. His uncompromising efforts to bring the army under civilian control antagonised the military leaders and tended to alienate them from Parliament.
Hesilrige unwittingly set in motion the events which led to the Restoration by calling for the impeachment of Col. Lambert — with the result that Lambert threw an armed guard around the Palace of Westminster, ejected Parliament and dissolved the Council of State. Hesilrige was one of 9 members of the Council who refused to accept the dissolution and appealed to Gen. Monck for support against Lambert and the military junta that had seized power.
While Monck prepared to march south in Dec. 1659, Hesilrige went to secure the naval base at Portsmouth for Parliament where he was greeted warmly by the republican governor, Nathaniel Whelan. Forces sent by the junta to besiege Portsmouth were persuaded to join with the garrison and declare for Parliament.
Hesilrige returned to London at the end of December with 3 regiments to support the reinstatement of the Rump Parliament, which met again on 26 Dec. 1659. During the brief final revival of the Commonwealth, Hesilrige was the unofficial leader of Parliament. He was re-appointed to the Council of State and Army Commission and believed that he had finally achieved his goal of a civilian-led republican government in England.
Hesilrige realised too late that Monck intended to recall Charles Stuart and is said to have dropped his opposition to the Restoration when Monck promised his life would be spared. Nevertheless, he was excepted from the Act of Indemnity and imprisoned in the Tower in May 1660. He died there in Jan. 1661 before he could be brought to trial. He was succeeded by his son.
After participating in the second battle of Newbury in Oct. 1644, Hesilrige supported Cromwell's criticism of the Earl of Manchester's generalship. When Parliament adopted the Self-Denying Ordinance, Hesilrige resigned his commission in the army and became a political leader of the Independent faction in the House of Commons.
Hesilrige returned to military duties in Dec, 1647 when he was appointed governor of the strategic city of Newcastle amid rumors that a Scottish army was being raised for the invasion of England. He controlled Newcastle throughout the Second Civil War. In Aug. 1648, Hesilrige recaptured Tynemouth Castle from Henry Lilburne, who had defected to the Royalists.
Despite his republican sympathies, Hesilrige disapproved of Pride's Purge in Dec. 1648 and declined to sit as a judge at the King's trial. He stayed away from London until after the King's execution then resumed his seat in Parliament in Feb, 1649. Hesilrige became a leading figure in the Commonwealth and a member of the Council of State. He remained a powerful figure in Northumberland and Durham and amassed a fortune by dealing in sequestered Royalist estates and former church lands. He was often accused of corruption and of abusing his position for personal gain, notably by John Lilburne who claimed that Hesilrige was a worse tyrant than the Earl of Strafford had ever been.
During the early 1650s, Hesilrige's influence in Parliament grew. He became a leader of the opposition to the Council of Officers as tension mounted between Parliament and the Army over the political and religious settlement of the nation. Hesilrige flaunted his personal wealth by acquiring a notoriously ornate coach and dressing his servants in velvet. He further provoked the radicals by persuading Parliament to abandon a debate on poor relief in Feb. 1653 and by scornfully dismissing Cromwell's scheme to appoint an interim government of godly men to replace the discredited Rump Parliament. It may have been Hesilrige's initiative to continue the parliamentary debate over the new representative that provoked Cromwell into forcibly expelling the Rump Parliament on 20 April 1653.
Hesilrige broke with Cromwell after the expulsion of the Rump. He was not appointed to the Nominated Assembly and vehemently opposed Cromwell's elevation to the office of Lord Protector in Dec, 1653, refusing to pay taxes not sanctioned by Parliament. In 1654, he was elected MP for Leicestershire in the First Protectorate Parliament during which he emerged as one of the severest critics of the Protectorate government. He withdrew from Parliament after refusing to subscribe to the "Recognition" of the Protectorate insisted upon by Cromwell.
Arthur Hesilrige was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Hesilrige MP (also spelt "Haselrig", "Hazelrig", Haselrigge", &c.), bart., of Noseley, Leics. His mother was Frances, daughter of William Gorges of Alderton, Northants. He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1623. When his father died in 1630, Hesilrige inherited his baronetcy and extensive estates in the Midlands.
Hesilrige held radical political and religious views and was an outspoken critic of King Charles' Personal Rule. He was brought before the court of High Commission several times for non-payment of fees and taxes and was briefly imprisoned in the Tower.
After his first wife died, Hesilrige married Dorothy Greville, the sister of Lord Brooke, in 1634. Through Brooke, he came into contact with the network of Puritan critics of the King headed by Lord Saye-and-Sele.
Hesilrige was elected one of the knights of the shire for Leicestershire in both the Short and Long Parliaments where he was associated with John Pym and the opponents of the King's government. He played a leading role in the impeachment of Lord Strafford and proposed the bill of attainder by which Strafford was condemned to death. Hesilrige was also active in instigating the Root and Branch Bill, aimed at the abolition of bishops, and the Militia Bill, which tried to wrest control of the armed forces from the King. Regarded as one of the King's leading opponents, Hesilrige was among the Five Members whom the King attempted to arrest in Jan. 1642.
When the First Civil War broke out, Hesilrige raised a troop of horse and fought at Edgehill. In late 1642, Hesilrige served as second-in-command to Sir William Waller in the southern England campaign, during which he was an enthusiastic participant in the desecration of Winchester and Chichester cathedrals.
In 1643, Hesilrige campaigned with Waller on the Welsh border but his cavalry troop suffered severe losses at Ripple Field. He returned to London where he raised a new regiment of horse which, unusually for the civil wars, he equipped as armoured cuirassiers. His regiment became known as the "Lobsters" and formed the heavy cavalry in Waller's army. He rejoined Waller in time to take part in the battle of Lansdown in July 1643, but the Lobsters were routed at Roundway Down 8 days later. Hesilrige was wounded in both battles and almost died from the injuries he sustained at Roundway Down. He continued to serve with Waller, and in March 1644, commanded the left wing of horse in the Parliamentarian victory at the battle of Cheriton.
Arthur Hesilrige was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Hesilrige MP (also spelt "Haselrig", "Hazelrig", Haselrigge", &c.), bart., of Noseley, Leics. His mother was Frances, daughter of William Gorges of Alderton, Northants. He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1623. When his father died in 1630, Hesilrige inherited his baronetcy and extensive estates in the Midlands.
Hesilrige held radical political and religious views and was an outspoken critic of King Charles' Personal Rule. He was brought before the court of High Commission several times for non-payment of fees and taxes and was briefly imprisoned in the Tower.
After his first wife died, Hesilrige married Dorothy Greville, the sister of Lord Brooke, in 1634. Through Brooke, he came into contact with the network of Puritan critics of the King headed by Lord Saye-and-Sele.
Hesilrige was elected one of the knights of the shire for Leicestershire in both the Short and Long Parliaments where he was associated with John Pym and the opponents of the King's government. He played a leading role in the impeachment of Lord Strafford and proposed the bill of attainder by which Strafford was condemned to death. Hesilrige was also active in instigating the Root and Branch Bill, aimed at the abolition of bishops, and the Militia Bill, which tried to wrest control of the armed forces from the King. Regarded as one of the King's leading opponents, Hesilrige was among the Five Members whom the King attempted to arrest in Jan. 1642.
When the First Civil War broke out, Hesilrige raised a troop of horse and fought at Edgehill. In late 1642, Hesilrige served as second-in-command to Sir William Waller in the southern England campaign, during which he was an enthusiastic participant in the desecration of Winchester and Chichester cathedrals.
In 1643, Hesilrige campaigned with Waller on the Welsh border but his cavalry troop suffered severe losses at Ripple Field. He returned to London where he raised a new regiment of horse which, unusually for the civil wars, he equipped as armoured cuirassiers. His regiment became known as the "Lobsters" and formed the heavy cavalry in Waller's army. He rejoined Waller in time to take part in the battle of Lansdown in July 1643, but the Lobsters were routed at Roundway Down 8 days later. Hesilrige was wounded in both battles and almost died from the injuries he sustained at Roundway Down. He continued to serve with Waller, and in March 1644, commanded the left wing of horse in the Parliamentarian victory at the battle of Cheriton.
whipcord in British English NOUN 1. a strong worsted or cotton fabric with a diagonally ribbed surface 2. a closely twisted hard cord used for the lashes of whips, etc Collins English Dictionary.
Sounds less lethal than the cat-o-nine-tails, but very unpleasant nevertheless.
“The ghost of Oliver Cromwell sat with the Founding Fathers as they wrote the Constitution in 1787.”
Correct, Ensign Tom. Quite a few annotations during the next 9-1/2 years will mention that this action resulted in such things. Kings were scoundrals -- or gang leaders in wigs, silk and velvet -- and the likes of Washington were done with them. The citizenship of the Rota Club and James Harrington's subsequent book "Oceana", insights from Leviathon, the wisdom of Milton, plus a whole lot more from the Enlightenment frame our world today. But we are way ahead of the Diary.
Right now Dr. John Locke hasn't even met Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Lord Ashley, never mind gone to live in his house as secretary (they cooked up a Constitution for the Carolinas that involved serfs and a feudal way of life in the late 1660's -- fortunately never implemented).
Jeremiah Tolhurst MP did not stand again and resumed his business interests on Tyneside.
After a brief spell as excise commissioner in Cumberland and Westmorland he was given a post in the customs, which brought him into conflict with Sir Horatio, Lord Townshend MP over the fraudlent measurement of coal imports.
On behalf of the Newcastle hostmen he submitted a memorandum to the commission for balancing trade with Scotland in 1668. After clearing his excise account at the Exchequer, he emigrated to the West Indies.
Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, Lord Ashley MP wrote to him in July 1671: "Had I known of your intentions of going to America before you left England, I should have proposed an employment in a country like to afford you greater advantages. ... To carry out so promising a beginning I know no man fitter than yourself, nor to whose care I could with more confidence commit the management of those people."
Tolhurst died intestate in Jamaica 3 months later.
In January 1663 Pepys says: "Hither comes Major Tolhurst, one of my old acquaintance in Cromwell’s time, and sometimes of our clubb, ..." He doesn't sound like someone who would have participated in the Rota Club to me, so Pepys probably belong to some other clubs???
Born in Nov. 1615, the only son of Jeremy Tolherst, yeoman, of Icklesham, Sussex by Elizabeth, daughter of Paul Wymond, attorney of Winchelsea, Sussex.
Jeremiah Tolhurst married in 1636, Elizabeth, the daughter and heir of Robert Soule, tailor, of Rye, Sussex, They had a daughter before the mother died. By 1661, he had remarried, and had a son and 3 daughters.
His father died in 1623, and Tolhurst received at least £100 when he came of age. Through his mother he was connected with the leading families in the Cinque Ports, and his first wife brought him 3 houses in Rye.
A tailor by trade, Tolhurst served in a Kentish regiment during the Civil Wars before transferring to the New Model Army.
After defending the regimental pay-chest in a Leveller mutiny, Major Tolhurst went north as a follower of Sir Arthur Hesilrige MP. He acquired interests in coal and salt, and helped to supply Cromwell's army during the Scottish campaign. But one of his daughters married the son of a Cumbrian Cavalier, so he came under suspicion.
As deputy to Charles Howard MP at Carlisle, Major Tolhurst wrote to George Monck MP after the return of the secluded Members: "I shall be very vigilant to secure this garrison and the country for the service of the present Parliament, for whom I first took up arms, ... All men in these parts, except Anabaptists, Independents, and Quakers, are well pleased, and I believe you will find that party adverse everywhere. I am sorry to say so, for I bear respect to some of them."
On his promotion to governor of Newcastle in 1660, Tolhurst was described as one 'not enamoured' of the republican form of government.
Tolhurst was returned for Carlisle at the general election of 1660, on Charles Howard MP's interest, and marked as a friend on Lord Wharton's list. He was appointed to 4 committees; his only speech, in defence of Hesilige, did him no harm, as he soon received an order to reimburse him out of the excise for £100 spent on the Newcastle garrison.
At 4 o'clock in the morning of 1/11 May, 1669, the king, with the Duke of York, Prince Robert [RUPERT], and the other attendants of his court, departed from Newmarket for London, in very windy and boisterous weather;
220
and his highness having heard mass, gave audience to my Lords Blandford, Thomond, Bernard Howard, and others, who had come to pay their respects to him;
and at 7 set off in his carriage, with all his suite, for Cambridge, which is 11 miles from Newmarket.
The whole of the country for the first 5 miles was a level plain, and for the most part pasture land; it then changed into a well-cultivated corn country, divided into fields, surrounded with hedges, and encircled with willows, which, from the humidity of the soil, grow there in great abundance, and so it continued all the way to Cambridge, where his highness, on his arrival, went to the Rose Inn.
@@@
BLANDFORD = Google seems unable to understand there was a Lord Blandford before John Churchill who became the Marquis of Blandford 40 years after this. A search on the House of Commons site is also unhelpful. Maybe this Blandford was a Scottish or Irish peer? Ideas anyone???
From: TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, THROUGH ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669) TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
"This opening sentence leaves me with the mental image of Mr. Moore arriving at the Pepys’ residence early in the morning, knocking at the door, receiving no answer, and then feeling free to let himself in and halloo up the stairs to see if anyone was at home. One wonders where the servants were and why Mr. Moore had to announce himself in this fashion."
You've seen pictures of those wonderful gabled houses, where each floor extends further over the road, and you wonder why they don't tip over? Pepys is currently living in one of those, but it's no longer a single family dwelling.
On January 1 of this year Pepys describes his situation: "I lived in Axe Yard having my wife, and servant Jane, and no more in family than us three. ... (we living lately in the garret) ..."
I.E. they have a few rooms (my guess is about 4 - a bedroom, a kitchen where Jane sleeps by the fire, a living room, and his dressing room/study) at the top of the house. The rooms are on two floors or levels.
So yes, Mr. Moore would have had to come up the stairs to find Pepys, but I doubt he would be yelling for Pepys ahead of his arrival. Jane would be up already, preparing the stove to heat the water and the house, and showed him into Pepys' presence.
Elizabeth was in the bedroom and heard Moore and Pepys talking in his dressing room. Moore is an old friend, and totally appropriate and safe to be her valentine. Husbands were not eligible for the role in those days. She would have to chose someone who would not excite jelousy in Pepys, which is an on-going problem as you'll read later.
There's no currying of favor here, just a bit of domestic fun.
On January 25, 1660 there are several excellent annotations about the role of Hebrew in education and philosophy in the 17th century -- plus speculation that Pepys wrote a cypher in Hebrew for Downing. Downing didn't think much of his scholarship and told him to redo it. https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Along with the churchwarden, the constable was supposed to keep an eye on the moral compass of the neighborhood.
Once Charles II was restored, many new rules appeared, including persecution of religious dissenters such as the Quakers.
A constable could call upon the local trained band to help quell a disturbance, and was responsible for enforcing that the men of the parish trained in pike duty or other defensive arts as stipulated by law: “Allowed our trayne soldiers their charges when thery apprehended some Quakers in our town and conveyed them to prison 13/-“ -- From the Upton Constable’s Account Book 1661.
The constable had to administer the 1662 Hearth Tax, where the number of chimneys had to be assessed: "There is not one old dame in ten, and search the nation through, but if you talk of chimney men will spare a curse or two.” -- Macauley 1662
The constables were in charge of keeping the roads passable, and the bridges mended.
Vagrants were required to return to their place of origin, which resulted in many a beggar being shunted from parish to parish, sleeping in barns and depending on charity. More often than not the charity was supplied by the parish constable. No travelling was allowed on Sundays, so canny travelers would arrive at a village on a Saturday night, knowing they would have to be accommodated there until the Monday: “'Given to a man that had been a footman to the King, and who was in great want whose wife was with him 4d' “'Given to a soldier the 12th of May that was maimed at Woster and had been under the surgon's hand 2d'” -- Upton Constable's record.
Depending on where the sympathies of the constable lay, supporters or soldiers of King Charles after the end of the first Civil War could be treated with kindness and respect, or they could be moved on as beggars.
The duties of the constable made him the heart of the community. His house was taken over for a year as a gaol, a minor court, a meeting house, and a soup kitchen.
The constable also had to be a record-holder and thus was required to be literate and numerate. It is from constables' records that we know so much about the workings of the law in this period.
Deborah Swift is the author of some 17th century novels. In 2022 she posted about the unenviable role of the local constable during the 1600s. Obviously some of these duties were more common in the country, but roughly speaking, they applied throughout the nation.
In the 17th century the responsibility for law and order fell on the community constables, but only a section of the community was eligible for the job – householders. Tenants were not allowed to be constables. The office was rotated annually by the wealthiest householders who were obliged to serve, or to provide a deputy.
The dangerous and cumbersome position was strictly amateur, with the constable receiving no pay for his services. This promotes a shared experience of citizenship, but also left the way open for abuse without accountability.
Once a year, the constables from neighboring parishes were sworn in at the local Justice’s office or residence by the High Constable of the County.
Their duties were primarily in disputes over land and territory, particularly with regard to tenancies, but also after the Excise Act of 1642 they were also charged with collecting tax and duty on goods. A duty was put on provisions coming into the cities from the country, on beer and cider and soap, salt, hats, starch, and copper goods. This law was extremely unpopular, as these were not imported items from abroad, as before, but everyday necessities, and the enforcing of this law, and the collection of these monthly excise duties must have been a great burden on the elected constables.
The constables were constantly ‘on call’, meaning they often had to leave their dinner or their sleep to deal with the drunk and disorderly, street fights, or criminal activities.
If a murder or robbery was committed, or a criminal had escaped, the Constable was responsible for recruiting a search party. The pay for chasing a criminal was anything from one penny to one shilling, depending on the perceived danger. The constable could call upon the villagers or townspeople for help, and anyone who refused to give chase or lend his horse to the party, was fined. These chases were known as Hue and Cry: ‘given to Richard Taylor for going to Aram with a Huincri in ye night 2d’ -- Upton Constable's Account Book.
When the miscreant was caught, if no gaol or lock-up was available, the constable had to provide suitable premises and a watchman to keep the wrong-doer confined. Usually the prisoner was charged for his lodgings and food and security.
Minor offences could be punished by a stay in the stocks, but more serious crimes had to wait for the Justice at the Quarterly Assizes, known as the Quarter Sessions.
Justice could be compromised as the constable was often responsible for choosing the jurymen, to his own advantage in disputes.
Prynne was a strong partisan of Clarendon, whose downfall he ascribed to foreign intrigue. He was appointed to the committee of inquiry into the miscarriages of the second Anglo-Dutch war (17 Oct. 1667); ... In the impeachment debates, he ridiculed the charge of treason over the sale of Dunkirk, to which Charles II had been privy, and denied that there was a sufficient ground for imprisonment. ... He declared the banishment bill contrary to Magna Carta, in condemning a man unheard, and reminded the House that Cicero’s banishment had earned him more honour than those who had imposed the penalty.
On the embezzlement of prize goods he moved to impeach all the flag officers who had advised Lord Sandwich to break bulk, and was appointed to the committee to draw up the charges against Sir William Penn.
When Parliament reassembled on 19 Oct. 1669, he was too ill to attend, and he died in his chambers 5 days later. He was buried in the chapel of Lincoln’s Inn, to which he bequeathed his historical manuscripts, while many of his books went to Oriel.
Such bravery -- a life spent speaking truth to power as he saw it.
Comments
Third Reading
About Delft, Netherlands
San Diego Sarah • Link
During the Diary years Johannes Vermeer (1632 – 1675) was painting in Delft. This half hour film about his work shows how the Dutch people there lived. Enjoy.
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/joh…
About Sir Arthur Haselrigge
San Diego Sarah • Link
"There is an encyclopedia entry for Mrs. Haselrigge" -- sorry Bill, not Sir Arthur's wife:
Sir Arthur Hesilrige’s second wife's name was Lady Dorothy Greville Hesilrige, and she died in January, 1650 at Noseley, Harborough District, Leicestershire.
https://www.findagrave.com/memori…
They had 5 children:
Frances Hesilrige Humble unknown–1693
Katharine Hesilrige Babington 1635–1670
Arthur Hesilrige 1638–1649, died aged 11, so no wife.
Robert Hesilrige 1638–1713 -- he married Lady Bridget Rolle Hesilrige who died 26 July, 1697 at Noseley.
Dorothy Hesilrige Douset 1643–1705
And there was a half brother named Thomas Hesilrige (presumably by Sir Arthur's first wife) 1625-1680. He married Lady Elizabeth Fenwick Hesilrige who died 30 May 1673, also at Noseley.
So Pepys’ story about a Mrs. Haselrigge may have referred to a daughter, daughter-in-law, niece or other unfortunate female relative -- or an unrelated someone named or posing as a Hesilrige.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
About Mrs Haslerigge
San Diego Sarah • Link
Sir Arthur Hesilrige also spelled his name Haselrig, Hazelrig, Haselrigge, etc. These things were not settled.
His second wife's name was Lady Dorothy Greville Hesilrige, and she died in January, 1650 at Noseley, Harborough District, Leicestershire.
https://www.findagrave.com/memori…
They had 5 children:
Frances Hesilrige Humble unknown–1693
Katharine Hesilrige Babington 1635–1670
Arthur Hesilrige 1638–1649, died aged 11, so no wife.
Robert Hesilrige 1638–1713 -- he married Lady Bridget Rolle Hesilrige who died 26 July, 1697 at Noseley.
Dorothy Hesilrige Douset 1643–1705
And there was a half brother named Thomas Hesilrige (presumably from Sir Arthur's first wife) 1625-1680. He married Lady Elizabeth Fenwick Hesilrige who died 30 May 1673, also at Noseley.
So this story's Mrs. Haselrigge may have been a daughter, daughter-in-law, niece or other unfortunate female relative -- or someone posing as a Hesilrige.
About Sir Arthur Haselrigge
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 3
In 1656, Hesilrige was elected to the Second Protectorate Parliament but he was one of the members excluded from sitting in the first session by the Council of Officers.
He refused Cromwell's offer of a seat in the new Upper House but was re-admitted to the Commons for the second session of parliament in Jan. 1658.
Hesilrige was involved in the drafting of a petition calling for the abandonment of the Protectorate and the restoration of the Commonwealth which led Cromwell to dissolve Parliament in Feb. 1658.
After Cromwell's death in Sept. 1658, Hesilrige refused to support his successor Richard Cromwell.
In the early sessions of the Third Protectorate Parliament, Hesilrige attempted to delay discussion of the Act of Recognition of the new Protector in the hope that Richard's authority would be compromised.
When Richard was forced to recall the Rump Parliament in May 1659, Hesilrige hoped finally to establish a civilian republican government.
His uncompromising efforts to bring the army under civilian control antagonised the military leaders and tended to alienate them from Parliament.
Hesilrige unwittingly set in motion the events which led to the Restoration by calling for the impeachment of Col. Lambert — with the result that Lambert threw an armed guard around the Palace of Westminster, ejected Parliament and dissolved the Council of State.
Hesilrige was one of 9 members of the Council who refused to accept the dissolution and appealed to Gen. Monck for support against Lambert and the military junta that had seized power.
While Monck prepared to march south in Dec. 1659, Hesilrige went to secure the naval base at Portsmouth for Parliament where he was greeted warmly by the republican governor, Nathaniel Whelan.
Forces sent by the junta to besiege Portsmouth were persuaded to join with the garrison and declare for Parliament.
Hesilrige returned to London at the end of December with 3 regiments to support the reinstatement of the Rump Parliament, which met again on 26 Dec. 1659.
During the brief final revival of the Commonwealth, Hesilrige was the unofficial leader of Parliament.
He was re-appointed to the Council of State and Army Commission and believed that he had finally achieved his goal of a civilian-led republican government in England.
Hesilrige realised too late that Monck intended to recall Charles Stuart and is said to have dropped his opposition to the Restoration when Monck promised his life would be spared.
Nevertheless, he was excepted from the Act of Indemnity and imprisoned in the Tower in May 1660.
He died there in Jan. 1661 before he could be brought to trial. He was succeeded by his son.
From http://bcw-project.org/biography/…
About Sir Arthur Haselrigge
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 2
After participating in the second battle of Newbury in Oct. 1644, Hesilrige supported Cromwell's criticism of the Earl of Manchester's generalship.
When Parliament adopted the Self-Denying Ordinance, Hesilrige resigned his commission in the army and became a political leader of the Independent faction in the House of Commons.
Hesilrige returned to military duties in Dec, 1647 when he was appointed governor of the strategic city of Newcastle amid rumors that a Scottish army was being raised for the invasion of England.
He controlled Newcastle throughout the Second Civil War.
In Aug. 1648, Hesilrige recaptured Tynemouth Castle from Henry Lilburne, who had defected to the Royalists.
Despite his republican sympathies, Hesilrige disapproved of Pride's Purge in Dec. 1648 and declined to sit as a judge at the King's trial.
He stayed away from London until after the King's execution then resumed his seat in Parliament in Feb, 1649.
Hesilrige became a leading figure in the Commonwealth and a member of the Council of State.
He remained a powerful figure in Northumberland and Durham and amassed a fortune by dealing in sequestered Royalist estates and former church lands.
He was often accused of corruption and of abusing his position for personal gain, notably by John Lilburne who claimed that Hesilrige was a worse tyrant than the Earl of Strafford had ever been.
During the early 1650s, Hesilrige's influence in Parliament grew. He became a leader of the opposition to the Council of Officers as tension mounted between Parliament and the Army over the political and religious settlement of the nation.
Hesilrige flaunted his personal wealth by acquiring a notoriously ornate coach and dressing his servants in velvet.
He further provoked the radicals by persuading Parliament to abandon a debate on poor relief in Feb. 1653 and by scornfully dismissing Cromwell's scheme to appoint an interim government of godly men to replace the discredited Rump Parliament.
It may have been Hesilrige's initiative to continue the parliamentary debate over the new representative that provoked Cromwell into forcibly expelling the Rump Parliament on 20 April 1653.
Hesilrige broke with Cromwell after the expulsion of the Rump.
He was not appointed to the Nominated Assembly and vehemently opposed Cromwell's elevation to the office of Lord Protector in Dec, 1653, refusing to pay taxes not sanctioned by Parliament.
In 1654, he was elected MP for Leicestershire in the First Protectorate Parliament during which he emerged as one of the severest critics of the Protectorate government.
He withdrew from Parliament after refusing to subscribe to the "Recognition" of the Protectorate insisted upon by Cromwell.
About Sir Arthur Haselrigge
San Diego Sarah • Link
Arthur Hesilrige was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Hesilrige MP (also spelt "Haselrig", "Hazelrig", Haselrigge", &c.), bart., of Noseley, Leics. His mother was Frances, daughter of William Gorges of Alderton, Northants.
He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1623.
When his father died in 1630, Hesilrige inherited his baronetcy and extensive estates in the Midlands.
Hesilrige held radical political and religious views and was an outspoken critic of King Charles' Personal Rule. He was brought before the court of High Commission several times for non-payment of fees and taxes and was briefly imprisoned in the Tower.
After his first wife died, Hesilrige married Dorothy Greville, the sister of Lord Brooke, in 1634. Through Brooke, he came into contact with the network of Puritan critics of the King headed by Lord Saye-and-Sele.
Hesilrige was elected one of the knights of the shire for Leicestershire in both the Short and Long Parliaments where he was associated with John Pym and the opponents of the King's government.
He played a leading role in the impeachment of Lord Strafford and proposed the bill of attainder by which Strafford was condemned to death. Hesilrige was also active in instigating the Root and Branch Bill, aimed at the abolition of bishops, and the Militia Bill, which tried to wrest control of the armed forces from the King.
Regarded as one of the King's leading opponents, Hesilrige was among the Five Members whom the King attempted to arrest in Jan. 1642.
When the First Civil War broke out, Hesilrige raised a troop of horse and fought at Edgehill.
In late 1642, Hesilrige served as second-in-command to Sir William Waller in the southern England campaign, during which he was an enthusiastic participant in the desecration of Winchester and Chichester cathedrals.
In 1643, Hesilrige campaigned with Waller on the Welsh border but his cavalry troop suffered severe losses at Ripple Field.
He returned to London where he raised a new regiment of horse which, unusually for the civil wars, he equipped as armoured cuirassiers. His regiment became known as the "Lobsters" and formed the heavy cavalry in Waller's army.
He rejoined Waller in time to take part in the battle of Lansdown in July 1643, but the Lobsters were routed at Roundway Down 8 days later. Hesilrige was wounded in both battles and almost died from the injuries he sustained at Roundway Down.
He continued to serve with Waller, and in March 1644, commanded the left wing of horse in the Parliamentarian victory at the battle of Cheriton.
About Sir Arthur Haselrigge
San Diego Sarah • Link
Arthur Hesilrige was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Hesilrige MP (also spelt "Haselrig", "Hazelrig", Haselrigge", &c.), bart., of Noseley, Leics. His mother was Frances, daughter of William Gorges of Alderton, Northants.
He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1623.
When his father died in 1630, Hesilrige inherited his baronetcy and extensive estates in the Midlands.
Hesilrige held radical political and religious views and was an outspoken critic of King Charles' Personal Rule. He was brought before the court of High Commission several times for non-payment of fees and taxes and was briefly imprisoned in the Tower.
After his first wife died, Hesilrige married Dorothy Greville, the sister of Lord Brooke, in 1634. Through Brooke, he came into contact with the network of Puritan critics of the King headed by Lord Saye-and-Sele.
Hesilrige was elected one of the knights of the shire for Leicestershire in both the Short and Long Parliaments where he was associated with John Pym and the opponents of the King's government.
He played a leading role in the impeachment of Lord Strafford and proposed the bill of attainder by which Strafford was condemned to death. Hesilrige was also active in instigating the Root and Branch Bill, aimed at the abolition of bishops, and the Militia Bill, which tried to wrest control of the armed forces from the King.
Regarded as one of the King's leading opponents, Hesilrige was among the Five Members whom the King attempted to arrest in Jan. 1642.
When the First Civil War broke out, Hesilrige raised a troop of horse and fought at Edgehill.
In late 1642, Hesilrige served as second-in-command to Sir William Waller in the southern England campaign, during which he was an enthusiastic participant in the desecration of Winchester and Chichester cathedrals.
In 1643, Hesilrige campaigned with Waller on the Welsh border but his cavalry troop suffered severe losses at Ripple Field.
He returned to London where he raised a new regiment of horse which, unusually for the civil wars, he equipped as armoured cuirassiers. His regiment became known as the "Lobsters" and formed the heavy cavalry in Waller's army.
He rejoined Waller in time to take part in the battle of Lansdown in July 1643, but the Lobsters were routed at Roundway Down 8 days later. Hesilrige was wounded in both battles and almost died from the injuries he sustained at Roundway Down.
He continued to serve with Waller, and in March 1644, commanded the left wing of horse in the Parliamentarian victory at the battle of Cheriton.
About Saturday 18 February 1659/60
San Diego Sarah • Link
whipcord in British English
NOUN
1. a strong worsted or cotton fabric with a diagonally ribbed surface
2. a closely twisted hard cord used for the lashes of whips, etc
Collins English Dictionary.
Sounds less lethal than the cat-o-nine-tails, but very unpleasant nevertheless.
About Saturday 18 February 1659/60
San Diego Sarah • Link
Bon voyage, Stephane. Hurry back.
About Mitre (Fleet St)
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... he took me to the Mitre in Fleet Street, where we heard (in a room over the music room) very plainly through the ceiling."
How surprising Pepys didn't go there more often: it had a music room!
About Friday 3 February 1659/60
San Diego Sarah • Link
“The ghost of Oliver Cromwell sat with the Founding Fathers as they wrote the Constitution in 1787.”
Correct, Ensign Tom. Quite a few annotations during the next 9-1/2 years will mention that this action resulted in such things. Kings were scoundrals -- or gang leaders in wigs, silk and velvet -- and the likes of Washington were done with them. The citizenship of the Rota Club and James Harrington's subsequent book "Oceana", insights from Leviathon, the wisdom of Milton, plus a whole lot more from the Enlightenment frame our world today. But we are way ahead of the Diary.
Right now Dr. John Locke hasn't even met Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Lord Ashley, never mind gone to live in his house as secretary (they cooked up a Constitution for the Carolinas that involved serfs and a feudal way of life in the late 1660's -- fortunately never implemented).
Just enjoy the Ah-Ha moments as they come along.
About Maj. Jeremiah Tolhurst
San Diego Sarah • Link
continued
Jeremiah Tolhurst MP did not stand again and resumed his business interests on Tyneside.
After a brief spell as excise commissioner in Cumberland and Westmorland he was given a post in the customs, which brought him into conflict with Sir Horatio, Lord Townshend MP over the fraudlent measurement of coal imports.
On behalf of the Newcastle hostmen he submitted a memorandum to the commission for balancing trade with Scotland in 1668. After clearing his excise account at the Exchequer, he emigrated to the West Indies.
Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, Lord Ashley MP wrote to him in July 1671:
"Had I known of your intentions of going to America before you left England, I should have proposed an employment in a country like to afford you greater advantages. ... To carry out so promising a beginning I know no man fitter than yourself, nor to whose care I could with more confidence commit the management of those people."
Tolhurst died intestate in Jamaica 3 months later.
For more details, see https://www.historyofparliamenton… .
In January 1663 Pepys says: "Hither comes Major Tolhurst, one of my old acquaintance in Cromwell’s time, and sometimes of our clubb, ..." He doesn't sound like someone who would have participated in the Rota Club to me, so Pepys probably belong to some other clubs???
About Maj. Jeremiah Tolhurst
San Diego Sarah • Link
Born in Nov. 1615, the only son of Jeremy Tolherst, yeoman, of Icklesham, Sussex by Elizabeth, daughter of Paul Wymond, attorney of Winchelsea, Sussex.
Jeremiah Tolhurst married in 1636, Elizabeth, the daughter and heir of Robert Soule, tailor, of Rye, Sussex, They had a daughter before the mother died. By 1661, he had remarried, and had a son and 3 daughters.
His father died in 1623, and Tolhurst received at least £100 when he came of age. Through his mother he was connected with the leading families in the Cinque Ports, and his first wife brought him 3 houses in Rye.
A tailor by trade, Tolhurst served in a Kentish regiment during the Civil Wars before transferring to the New Model Army.
After defending the regimental pay-chest in a Leveller mutiny, Major Tolhurst went north as a follower of Sir Arthur Hesilrige MP.
He acquired interests in coal and salt, and helped to supply Cromwell's army during the Scottish campaign.
But one of his daughters married the son of a Cumbrian Cavalier, so he came under suspicion.
As deputy to Charles Howard MP at Carlisle, Major Tolhurst wrote to George Monck MP after the return of the secluded Members: "I shall be very vigilant to secure this garrison and the country for the service of the present Parliament, for whom I first took up arms, ... All men in these parts, except Anabaptists, Independents, and Quakers, are well pleased, and I believe you will find that party adverse everywhere. I am sorry to say so, for I bear respect to some of them."
On his promotion to governor of Newcastle in 1660, Tolhurst was described as one 'not enamoured' of the republican form of government.
Tolhurst was returned for Carlisle at the general election of 1660, on Charles Howard MP's interest, and marked as a friend on Lord Wharton's list. He was appointed to 4 committees; his only speech, in defence of Hesilige, did him no harm, as he soon received an order to reimburse him out of the excise for £100 spent on the Newcastle garrison.
About Friday 30 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
Cosmo's description of Newmarket is at https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
About Newmarket, Suffolk
San Diego Sarah • Link
Cosmo's narrative continued the next day:
At 4 o'clock in the morning of 1/11 May, 1669, the king, with the Duke of York, Prince Robert [RUPERT], and the other attendants of his court, departed from Newmarket for London, in very windy and boisterous weather;
220
and his highness having heard mass, gave audience to my Lords Blandford, Thomond, Bernard Howard, and others, who had come to pay their respects to him;
and at 7 set off in his carriage, with all his suite, for Cambridge, which is 11 miles from Newmarket.
The whole of the country for the first 5 miles was a level plain, and for the most part pasture land; it then changed into a well-cultivated corn country, divided into fields, surrounded with hedges, and encircled with willows, which, from the humidity of the soil, grow there in great abundance, and so it continued all the way to Cambridge, where his highness, on his arrival, went to the Rose Inn.
@@@
BLANDFORD = Google seems unable to understand there was a Lord Blandford before John Churchill who became the Marquis of Blandford 40 years after this. A search on the House of Commons site is also unhelpful. Maybe this Blandford was a Scottish or Irish peer? Ideas anyone???
THORMOND = Henry O'Brien, 7th Earl of Thomond PC (Ire) (1620 – 1691) an Irish peer, styled Lord Ibrackan from 1639 to 1657. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen…
BERNARD HOWARD, possibly https://www.geni.com/people/Berna…
@@@
The description of the day now moves to Cambridge: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
About Tuesday 14 February 1659/60
San Diego Sarah • Link
"This opening sentence leaves me with the mental image of Mr. Moore arriving at the Pepys’ residence early in the morning, knocking at the door, receiving no answer, and then feeling free to let himself in and halloo up the stairs to see if anyone was at home. One wonders where the servants were and why Mr. Moore had to announce himself in this fashion."
You've seen pictures of those wonderful gabled houses, where each floor extends further over the road, and you wonder why they don't tip over? Pepys is currently living in one of those, but it's no longer a single family dwelling.
On January 1 of this year Pepys describes his situation: "I lived in Axe Yard having my wife, and servant Jane, and no more in family than us three. ... (we living lately in the garret) ..."
I.E. they have a few rooms (my guess is about 4 - a bedroom, a kitchen where Jane sleeps by the fire, a living room, and his dressing room/study) at the top of the house. The rooms are on two floors or levels.
So yes, Mr. Moore would have had to come up the stairs to find Pepys, but I doubt he would be yelling for Pepys ahead of his arrival. Jane would be up already, preparing the stove to heat the water and the house, and showed him into Pepys' presence.
Elizabeth was in the bedroom and heard Moore and Pepys talking in his dressing room. Moore is an old friend, and totally appropriate and safe to be her valentine. Husbands were not eligible for the role in those days. She would have to chose someone who would not excite jelousy in Pepys, which is an on-going problem as you'll read later.
There's no currying of favor here, just a bit of domestic fun.
About Hebrew
San Diego Sarah • Link
On January 25, 1660 there are several excellent annotations about the role of Hebrew in education and philosophy in the 17th century -- plus speculation that Pepys wrote a cypher in Hebrew for Downing. Downing didn't think much of his scholarship and told him to redo it.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Constable
San Diego Sarah • Link
continued:
Along with the churchwarden, the constable was supposed to keep an eye on the moral compass of the neighborhood.
Once Charles II was restored, many new rules appeared, including persecution of religious dissenters such as the Quakers.
A constable could call upon the local trained band to help quell a disturbance, and was responsible for enforcing that the men of the parish trained in pike duty or other defensive arts as stipulated by law: “Allowed our trayne soldiers their charges when thery apprehended some Quakers in our town and conveyed them to prison 13/-“ -- From the Upton Constable’s Account Book 1661.
The constable had to administer the 1662 Hearth Tax, where the number of chimneys had to be assessed: "There is not one old dame in ten, and search the nation through, but if you talk of chimney men will spare a curse or two.” -- Macauley 1662
The constables were in charge of keeping the roads passable, and the bridges mended.
Vagrants were required to return to their place of origin, which resulted in many a beggar being shunted from parish to parish, sleeping in barns and depending on charity. More often than not the charity was supplied by the parish constable.
No travelling was allowed on Sundays, so canny travelers would arrive at a village on a Saturday night, knowing they would have to be accommodated there until the Monday: “'Given to a man that had been a footman to the King, and who was in great want whose wife was with him 4d'
“'Given to a soldier the 12th of May that was maimed at Woster and had been under the surgon's hand 2d'” -- Upton Constable's record.
Depending on where the sympathies of the constable lay, supporters or soldiers of King Charles after the end of the first Civil War could be treated with kindness and respect, or they could be moved on as beggars.
The duties of the constable made him the heart of the community. His house was taken over for a year as a gaol, a minor court, a meeting house, and a soup kitchen.
The constable also had to be a record-holder and thus was required to be literate and numerate. It is from constables' records that we know so much about the workings of the law in this period.
About Constable
San Diego Sarah • Link
Deborah Swift is the author of some 17th century novels. In 2022 she posted about the unenviable role of the local constable during the 1600s. Obviously some of these duties were more common in the country, but roughly speaking, they applied throughout the nation.
I'm only highlighting the activities Pepys would have known. Read her article at https://aspectsofhistory.com/law-…
In the 17th century the responsibility for law and order fell on the community constables, but only a section of the community was eligible for the job – householders. Tenants were not allowed to be constables. The office was rotated annually by the wealthiest householders who were obliged to serve, or to provide a deputy.
The dangerous and cumbersome position was strictly amateur, with the constable receiving no pay for his services. This promotes a shared experience of citizenship, but also left the way open for abuse without accountability.
Once a year, the constables from neighboring parishes were sworn in at the local Justice’s office or residence by the High Constable of the County.
Their duties were primarily in disputes over land and territory, particularly with regard to tenancies, but also after the Excise Act of 1642 they were also charged with collecting tax and duty on goods. A duty was put on provisions coming into the cities from the country, on beer and cider and soap, salt, hats, starch, and copper goods. This law was extremely unpopular, as these were not imported items from abroad, as before, but everyday necessities, and the enforcing of this law, and the collection of these monthly excise duties must have been a great burden on the elected constables.
The constables were constantly ‘on call’, meaning they often had to leave their dinner or their sleep to deal with the drunk and disorderly, street fights, or criminal activities.
If a murder or robbery was committed, or a criminal had escaped, the Constable was responsible for recruiting a search party. The pay for chasing a criminal was anything from one penny to one shilling, depending on the perceived danger. The constable could call upon the villagers or townspeople for help, and anyone who refused to give chase or lend his horse to the party, was fined.
These chases were known as Hue and Cry: ‘given to Richard Taylor for going to Aram with a Huincri in ye night 2d’ -- Upton Constable's Account Book.
When the miscreant was caught, if no gaol or lock-up was available, the constable had to provide suitable premises and a watchman to keep the wrong-doer confined. Usually the prisoner was charged for his lodgings and food and security.
Minor offences could be punished by a stay in the stocks, but more serious crimes had to wait for the Justice at the Quarterly Assizes, known as the Quarter Sessions.
Justice could be compromised as the constable was often responsible for choosing the jurymen, to his own advantage in disputes.
About William Prynne (MP Bath, Somerset)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Continued:
Prynne was a strong partisan of Clarendon, whose downfall he ascribed to foreign intrigue.
He was appointed to the committee of inquiry into the miscarriages of the second Anglo-Dutch war (17 Oct. 1667); ... In the impeachment debates, he ridiculed the charge of treason over the sale of Dunkirk, to which Charles II had been privy, and denied that there was a sufficient ground for imprisonment. ... He declared the banishment bill contrary to Magna Carta, in condemning a man unheard, and reminded the House that Cicero’s banishment had earned him more honour than those who had imposed the penalty.
On the embezzlement of prize goods he moved to impeach all the flag officers who had advised Lord Sandwich to break bulk, and was appointed to the committee to draw up the charges against Sir William Penn.
When Parliament reassembled on 19 Oct. 1669, he was too ill to attend, and he died in his chambers 5 days later. He was buried in the chapel of Lincoln’s Inn, to which he bequeathed his historical manuscripts, while many of his books went to Oriel.
Such bravery -- a life spent speaking truth to power as he saw it.