"The Henry, shattered as she was, her Commander disabled, and great part of her crew killed or wounded was carried safely into Harwich. Sir John Harman, having the next day refitted her, as well as the time and circumstances would permit him, and hoping to share in the honor of the last day's engagement, put to sea (notwithstanding his broken leg) but unfortunately, as Sir John thought, the action was over before he reached the fleet." -- Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.
Good to know Pepys' old friend, Capt. John Taylor, is earning his keep as Navy Commissioner to Harwich. See http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
"... and thence to the Abbey, and so to Mrs. Martin, and there did what ‘je voudrais avec her … So by and by he come in, and after some discourse with him ..."
This is a first ... we have gotten through 26 annotations without any comments on Pepys and Mrs. Martin having an adventurous romp (sounds like his first time for one position) ... possibly at Westminster Abbey.
And no one has speculated on the conversation between Pepys and "he" (presumably Mr. Martin) who almost walked in on their tryst ... so it probably wasn't at the Abbey after all.
Pepys was still under the impression it was a good day when all this happened; since he wrote the Diary after he found out it was a lousy day, I'm surprised he included the interlude at all. He's obviously very fond of her by now, despite her bad housekeeping and other "friends" and wanton behavior.
L&M: The Four Days' Battle -- the sharpest engagement of the war fought between the N. Foreland and the Essex coast during 1-4 June, 1666. See https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… .
It was a victory for the Dutch, although its effects were to some extent offset by the English victory in the Battle of St. James's Day (25 July, 1666) see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Aldeburgh was an important little town on the crumbling coast of Suffolk. There was a shipbuilding tradition there, with a population of fewer than 300 people. Apparently Capt. Thomas Elliott came from there, and when he retired from the Navy he lived there.
SPOILER: When Pepys runs for Parliament after the Diary, James, Duke of York wants him to represent Aldeburgh. And his local campaign manager was Capt. Elliott.
For more information about their relationship and the election, see the 1660-1690 History of the Aldeburgh seat.
Although Pepys doesn't give Capt. Elliott much Diary space, they must have been on good terms because, SPOILER, when Pepys runs for Parliament for Aldeburgh in 1669, Capt. Elliott is his local campaign manager.
For more information about their relationship and that election, see the 1660-1690 History of the Aldeburgh seat (it was what would be called a Rotten Borough years later -- although it was a ship building town, an inflated estimate of how many people lived there in 1688 was 300).
Let us not forget what Pepys said about Chancellor of the Exchequer Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Lord Ashley MP: “Lord Ashly will rob the Devil and the Alter, but he will get money if it be to be got.” – Diary, September 9, 1665
Fund raising is the function of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I have not seen any historical reports that the already wealthy Lord Ashley engaged in personal enrichment that way. Maybe Yeabsley brought flowers?
I was so confused by the Yeabsley business I read all the Diary entries about him in order. This entry seems to refer to some Tangier supply ships that had sunk. This reference is to those ships, not the fleet currently in the Thames. As to whose credit this reverts to, I don't know. Perhaps insurance was involved? Too many unknowns here to answer your question.
I was confused as to what to make of Mr. Yeabsley. From 1664 - 1668 he and various friends were victualers to Tangier. Pepys does not give us enough information about the many shipments that must have been made to follow the details.
Next thing to remember is that Pepys did not have a high opinion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Lord Ashley. In my opinion, Pepys was right about that: Ashley started the Civil War as a wealthy young Royalist; after a year switched to Parliament because he didn't think King Charles would win; got himself onto the Commission which went to The Hague to invite Charles II, King of the Scots to return to England, and was given plum appointments ending up as the Earl of Shaftsbury in the CABAL administration and founder of the Whigs (anti-monarchists political party). A true opportunist if ever there was one.
In order to get paid, Yeabsley came to London a number of times to facilitate events. On his first visit he offered Pepys 300l. per annum to grease the wheels. A couple of days later Yeabsley mentions to Pepys that he's bribed Ashley for 100l., and sure enough Pepys sees Yeabsley is given more consideration by Ashley.
By 1667 Pepys notes that he hasn't been paid by Yeabsley in a while.
And by 1668 Pepys says Yeabsley has cheated the King and deserves whatever's coming, and never mentions him again.
Along the way there's mention of ships being lost, and billing discrepancies. It takes years to sort things out (second Dutch war, plague, fire, Commissioners out of town so no quorum to sign payment authorizations, Creed as Treasurer of the Tangier Committee is another knave, but Pepys doesn't always specify why). You had to be independently wealthy to do business with the Navy in those days.
So if you find yourself confused by the Yeabsley stories, you have company. Maybe he bribed Lord Ashley, and maybe he didn't. I do think he did something to gain Ashley's respect and attention. Ashley didn't need the money. So a favor? Blackmail? Who knows.
I find it hard to guess what Pepys is recalling. He didn't place himself to see the troop movements (dangerous? possible riots? those apprentices drinking too much? Royalist conspirators?), but heard about them and reported what happened. On February 9, 1659/60 he was woken by the sound of the Parliamentary troops saddling up to leave London so Monck's troops could come in unopposed.
"Seems the loss of the ships somehow would have rebounded to Yeasbly's (and therefore Sam's, Petersborough's, Ashley's, etc, etc) credit)? Meaning Yeasbly could have claimed the loss of the supplies on board? Or, would have been the favored choice to resupply?"
I believe this is a stalled meeting of the Tangier Committee, and they are trying to get supplies to North Africa, not to the fleet (a different nightmare for Pepys which does not include the troublesome Lord Ashley so far as I know).
The fleet has been in the mouth of the Thames for the last month; Yeasbly comes either from Portsmouth or Plymouth, according to which L&M annotation you believe. It wouldn't be economical to supply the fleet from either of those ports.
Let us not forget what Pepys said about Chancellor of the Exchequer Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Lord Ashley MP: “Lord Ashly will rob the Devil and the Alter, but he will get money if it be to be got.” – Diary, September 9, 1665
Fund raising is the function of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I have not seen any reports that it was to further enrich the already wealthy Lord Ashley. But Pepys appears to have thought it was for personal enrichment, as you'll see in the future.
"In 1520, the Kingdom of Bohemia began minting coins using silver from a mine in Joachimsthal – which roughly translates from German into English as Joachim’s valley. Logically if unimaginatively, the coin was dubbed the joachimsthaler, which was then shortened to thaler, the word that proceeded to spread around the world.
"It was the Dutch variation, the daler, that made its way across the Atlantic in the pockets and on the tongues of early immigrants, and today’s American-English pronunciation of the word dollar retains its echoes."
"The British pound sign has a history going back 1,200 years, when it was first used by the Romans as an abbreviation for ‘libra pondo’, the empire’s basic unit of weight. As any amateur astrologer will tell you, libra means scales in Latin, and libra pondo literally translates as ‘a pound by weight’.
"In Anglo-Saxon England, the pound became a unit of currency, equivalent to – surprise, surprise – a pound of silver. Vast riches, in other words. But along with the Roman name, the Anglo-Saxons borrowed the sign, an ornate letter ‘L’.
"The crossbar came along later, indicating that it’s an abbreviation, and a [document] in London’s Bank of England Museum shows that the pound sign had assumed its current form by 1661, even if it took a little longer for it to become universally adopted."
If word got around, people might break into his house and carry away the silver. There are no banks, and parking the money safely was always a problem. I think his colleagues know he's doing well (they would lose respect if he were not). It's probably the servants and their 'friends' he's more worried about.
Louise -- you are forgetting weekends, vacation time, sick time, and there are quite a few days Pepys has breakfast (presumably a small beer) around 6 a.m. and doesn't eat again until late afternoon.
Mind you, I'm old school ... the current generation with their lives run by cell phones, work more hours than Sam, from their homes, and forget the modern "benefits" I mention above. I hope they don't burn out young.
And they do it without a house full of servants, as you say. It took Elizabeth and about three people to do the monthly wash, which lasted two days. Now we throw in the wash between conference calls. Take out services seems to be about the same, though.
'John, son of John Daniel. Mrs Daniel was the daughter of Pepys's Greenwich landlady, Mrs Clerke.'
There are 8 links saying that Samuel Daniel is married to Mrs. Daniel.
John Daniel is mentioned once, on June 4, 1666 and may well have been related to Samuel Daniel, but nowhere is that stated in the Diary that I have found.
Comments
Second Reading
About Sunday 3 June 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
"The Henry, shattered as she was, her Commander disabled, and great part of her crew killed or wounded was carried safely into Harwich. Sir John Harman, having the next day refitted her, as well as the time and circumstances would permit him, and hoping to share in the honor of the last day's engagement, put to sea (notwithstanding his broken leg) but unfortunately, as Sir John thought, the action was over before he reached the fleet." -- Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.
Good to know Pepys' old friend, Capt. John Taylor, is earning his keep as Navy Commissioner to Harwich. See http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
About Sunday 3 June 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... and thence to the Abbey, and so to Mrs. Martin, and there did what ‘je voudrais avec her … So by and by he come in, and after some discourse with him ..."
This is a first ... we have gotten through 26 annotations without any comments on Pepys and Mrs. Martin having an adventurous romp (sounds like his first time for one position) ... possibly at Westminster Abbey.
And no one has speculated on the conversation between Pepys and "he" (presumably Mr. Martin) who almost walked in on their tryst ... so it probably wasn't at the Abbey after all.
Pepys was still under the impression it was a good day when all this happened; since he wrote the Diary after he found out it was a lousy day, I'm surprised he included the interlude at all. He's obviously very fond of her by now, despite her bad housekeeping and other "friends" and wanton behavior.
About Four Days Battle
San Diego Sarah • Link
L&M: The Four Days' Battle -- the sharpest engagement of the war fought between the N. Foreland and the Essex coast during 1-4 June, 1666. See https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… .
It was a victory for the Dutch, although its effects were to some extent offset by the English victory in the Battle of St. James's Day (25 July, 1666) see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Aldeburgh, Suffolk
San Diego Sarah • Link
Aldeburgh was an important little town on the crumbling coast of Suffolk. There was a shipbuilding tradition there, with a population of fewer than 300 people. Apparently Capt. Thomas Elliott came from there, and when he retired from the Navy he lived there.
SPOILER: When Pepys runs for Parliament after the Diary, James, Duke of York wants him to represent Aldeburgh. And his local campaign manager was Capt. Elliott.
For more information about their relationship and the election, see the 1660-1690 History of the Aldeburgh seat.
https://www.historyofparliamenton…
About Capt. Thomas Elliott
San Diego Sarah • Link
Although Pepys doesn't give Capt. Elliott much Diary space, they must have been on good terms because, SPOILER, when Pepys runs for Parliament for Aldeburgh in 1669, Capt. Elliott is his local campaign manager.
For more information about their relationship and that election, see the 1660-1690 History of the Aldeburgh seat (it was what would be called a Rotten Borough years later -- although it was a ship building town, an inflated estimate of how many people lived there in 1688 was 300).
https://www.historyofparliamenton…
About Thomas Yeabsley
San Diego Sarah • Link
Let us not forget what Pepys said about Chancellor of the Exchequer Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Lord Ashley MP:
“Lord Ashly will rob the Devil and the Alter, but he will get money if it be to be got.” – Diary, September 9, 1665
Fund raising is the function of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I have not seen any historical reports that the already wealthy Lord Ashley engaged in personal enrichment that way. Maybe Yeabsley brought flowers?
About Saturday 9 June 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
I was so confused by the Yeabsley business I read all the Diary entries about him in order. This entry seems to refer to some Tangier supply ships that had sunk. This reference is to those ships, not the fleet currently in the Thames. As to whose credit this reverts to, I don't know. Perhaps insurance was involved? Too many unknowns here to answer your question.
About Thomas Yeabsley
San Diego Sarah • Link
I was confused as to what to make of Mr. Yeabsley. From 1664 - 1668 he and various friends were victualers to Tangier. Pepys does not give us enough information about the many shipments that must have been made to follow the details.
Next thing to remember is that Pepys did not have a high opinion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Lord Ashley. In my opinion, Pepys was right about that: Ashley started the Civil War as a wealthy young Royalist; after a year switched to Parliament because he didn't think King Charles would win; got himself onto the Commission which went to The Hague to invite Charles II, King of the Scots to return to England, and was given plum appointments ending up as the Earl of Shaftsbury in the CABAL administration and founder of the Whigs (anti-monarchists political party). A true opportunist if ever there was one.
In order to get paid, Yeabsley came to London a number of times to facilitate events. On his first visit he offered Pepys 300l. per annum to grease the wheels. A couple of days later Yeabsley mentions to Pepys that he's bribed Ashley for 100l., and sure enough Pepys sees Yeabsley is given more consideration by Ashley.
By 1667 Pepys notes that he hasn't been paid by Yeabsley in a while.
And by 1668 Pepys says Yeabsley has cheated the King and deserves whatever's coming, and never mentions him again.
Along the way there's mention of ships being lost, and billing discrepancies. It takes years to sort things out (second Dutch war, plague, fire, Commissioners out of town so no quorum to sign payment authorizations, Creed as Treasurer of the Tangier Committee is another knave, but Pepys doesn't always specify why). You had to be independently wealthy to do business with the Navy in those days.
So if you find yourself confused by the Yeabsley stories, you have company. Maybe he bribed Lord Ashley, and maybe he didn't. I do think he did something to gain Ashley's respect and attention. Ashley didn't need the money. So a favor? Blackmail? Who knows.
About Tuesday 29 May 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
"What exactly is Pepys referring to here? ..."
I find it hard to guess what Pepys is recalling. He didn't place himself to see the troop movements (dangerous? possible riots? those apprentices drinking too much? Royalist conspirators?), but heard about them and reported what happened. On February 9, 1659/60 he was woken by the sound of the Parliamentary troops saddling up to leave London so Monck's troops could come in unopposed.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Saturday 9 June 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Seems the loss of the ships somehow would have rebounded to Yeasbly's (and therefore Sam's, Petersborough's, Ashley's, etc, etc) credit)? Meaning Yeasbly could have claimed the loss of the supplies on board? Or, would have been the favored choice to resupply?"
I believe this is a stalled meeting of the Tangier Committee, and they are trying to get supplies to North Africa, not to the fleet (a different nightmare for Pepys which does not include the troublesome Lord Ashley so far as I know).
The fleet has been in the mouth of the Thames for the last month; Yeasbly comes either from Portsmouth or Plymouth, according to which L&M annotation you believe. It wouldn't be economical to supply the fleet from either of those ports.
About Sunday 20 May 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Let us not forget what Pepys said about Chancellor of the Exchequer Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Lord Ashley MP:
“Lord Ashly will rob the Devil and the Alter, but he will get money if it be to be got.” – Diary, September 9, 1665
Fund raising is the function of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I have not seen any reports that it was to further enrich the already wealthy Lord Ashley. But Pepys appears to have thought it was for personal enrichment, as you'll see in the future.
About Thomas Yeabsley
San Diego Sarah • Link
According to L&M Yeabsly is based at Portsmouth (Hampshire) and Lanyon at Plymouth (Devon).
About Sunday 20 May 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thanks for the clarifications, Terry. Another case of "we will never know for sure."
About Guilder
San Diego Sarah • Link
Talking about Dutch money ...
"In 1520, the Kingdom of Bohemia began minting coins using silver from a mine in Joachimsthal – which roughly translates from German into English as Joachim’s valley. Logically if unimaginatively, the coin was dubbed the joachimsthaler, which was then shortened to thaler, the word that proceeded to spread around the world.
"It was the Dutch variation, the daler, that made its way across the Atlantic in the pockets and on the tongues of early immigrants, and today’s American-English pronunciation of the word dollar retains its echoes."
http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/…
About Currency units
San Diego Sarah • Link
"The British pound sign has a history going back 1,200 years, when it was first used by the Romans as an abbreviation for ‘libra pondo’, the empire’s basic unit of weight. As any amateur astrologer will tell you, libra means scales in Latin, and libra pondo literally translates as ‘a pound by weight’.
"In Anglo-Saxon England, the pound became a unit of currency, equivalent to – surprise, surprise – a pound of silver. Vast riches, in other words. But along with the Roman name, the Anglo-Saxons borrowed the sign, an ornate letter ‘L’.
"The crossbar came along later, indicating that it’s an abbreviation, and a [document] in London’s Bank of England Museum shows that the pound sign had assumed its current form by 1661, even if it took a little longer for it to become universally adopted."
www.bbc.com/capital/story/2019052…
About Sunday 27 May 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
If word got around, people might break into his house and carry away the silver. There are no banks, and parking the money safely was always a problem. I think his colleagues know he's doing well (they would lose respect if he were not). It's probably the servants and their 'friends' he's more worried about.
About Monday 28 May 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Louise -- you are forgetting weekends, vacation time, sick time, and there are quite a few days Pepys has breakfast (presumably a small beer) around 6 a.m. and doesn't eat again until late afternoon.
Mind you, I'm old school ... the current generation with their lives run by cell phones, work more hours than Sam, from their homes, and forget the modern "benefits" I mention above. I hope they don't burn out young.
And they do it without a house full of servants, as you say. It took Elizabeth and about three people to do the monthly wash, which lasted two days. Now we throw in the wash between conference calls. Take out services seems to be about the same, though.
I miss the water cooler conversations.
About Sunday 20 May 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
'"Mrs. Daniel’s child"
'John, son of John Daniel. Mrs Daniel was the daughter of Pepys's Greenwich landlady, Mrs Clerke.'
There are 8 links saying that Samuel Daniel is married to Mrs. Daniel.
John Daniel is mentioned once, on June 4, 1666 and may well have been related to Samuel Daniel, but nowhere is that stated in the Diary that I have found.
About Mrs Daniel
San Diego Sarah • Link
On further exploration, I find there is a John Daniel, a Lt. from the Royal Charles, mentioned on June 4, 1666, the only time in the Diary.
However, there re 8 links saying Samuel Daniel is the Lt. married to Mrs. Daniel. So I think Terry is mistaken.
About Mrs Daniel
San Diego Sarah • Link
On May 20, 1666 "After dinner my wife and Mercer by coach to Greenwich, to be gossip to Mrs. Daniel’s child."
A gossip is an old-fashioned word for godmother.
Terry Foreman gives an annotation that the boy's name is John, and Lt. Daniel's name is also John, but gives no citation.