"Live where you work" is a fine idea ... but jobs don't last these days, and spouses rarely work together. Plus urban planning is about separation of activities, not integration. The best answer is to be self-employed, or tele-commute. We are getting back to this idea from necessity.
A good theory, Elizabeth. Google reveals nothing. I wonder if they had an "official" compass installed at the Palace. Or did they just stand in the same place to make a reading? No other interpretation seems to make sense.
How interesting that we appear to be swinging back towards the 1580 reading. Any idea what this means in practical applications? I suppose it affects GPS and navigation.
1893 Text: "Thomas Pepys, of Hatcham Barnes, Surrey, Master of the Jewel House to Charles II. and James II."
Perhaps they had the wrong title. The Masters of the Jewel House were:
1595: Sir Edward Cary 1603: Sir Henry Cary 1618: Sir Henry Mildmay 1643: Sir Robert Howard (at Oxford) -- he died during the English Civil War (1642–51).
A successor was appointed at the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II in 1660. 1660: (June) Sir Gilbert Talbot 1665: Talbot Edwards 1674: Wythe Edwards 1676: Sir Martin Beckman 1690: Sir Francis Lawley 1697: Heneage Montagu 1698: Colonel Charles Godfrey 1702: Talbot Edwards (Jnr) 1704: John Charlton 1711: Heneage Finch
Gunfleet Sands, a shoal off the coast of Essex, between the Wallet and King's Channel. It is 12-½ miles long, and 2 miles wide, is partly dry at low water, and is marked by a beacon.
An early medieval record about the use of goys (a type of fish trap) on Gunfleet Sands indicates the goys trapped fish when the tide went out, meaning the bank dried during this period. 'Ganfletsond' was named in an official document in 1320 and was named for the Gan Fleet (the old name for the Holland Brook which divided Great Holland and Little Holland [Jarvis 1990]). The origin of the name 'Wallet' is unknown. Gunfleet Sands has long been known as a navigational hazard, whilst the Wallet is a well-documented navigational route for vessels approaching London, the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe, and travelling along the coast.
The proximity of these two navigational features and strong currents has often resulted in the loss of vessels and lives. Nelson is reputed to have said that, in terms of navigation, the Thames estuary is one of the worst areas around the UK, being as tricky as a tiger (Bowskill 1998, 159).
It must be breezy there, because there are plans to build a windfarm on the Gunfleet. For more information, see http://archaeologydataservice.ac.…
I looked at Friday, and there was nothing from the Hooke Folio, or explanation on what the needle at Whitehall was.
I clicked on the link which took me to the Physics Forum which requires registration (totally out of my depth there!), and poked around but no sign of the Hooke Folio.
Then I googled Robert Hooke Folio and was sent to http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/… which doesn't require a sign in, and has lots of interesting documents besides Hooke's Folio. Once you get used to forward arrowing through two years' worth of run-on diary entries, it's easy to use.
Bottom line: No entry for next Friday, and no explanation of what the Whitehall needle was.
It's possible, Louise. Pepys probably would mention it, especially if it were Pal. But he's omitted so much recently compared to earlier posts that anything is possible; remember when he used to tell us what he ate for dinner.
I’ve been meaning to get this list together for a while. According to the British Civil War Project, the following prisoners were sentenced to serve in Tangier – there may be more, people who do not have their biographies at http://bcw-project.org/ :
Although he supported the mayor of York in proclaiming Charles II in May 1660, George Fleetwood was brought to trial as a regicide. He claimed that he had been appointed to the High Court of Justice against his will and that Cromwell had intimidated him into signing the King's death warrant. With favorable testimony from Monck and others, Fleetwood's life was spared. He was imprisoned in the Tower until 1664 when a warrant was issued for his transportation to Tangier. According to some accounts, Fleetwood's wife Hester successfully pleaded for his release and he was allowed to emigrate to America. However, according to a report published in the London Gazette, Fleetwood died at Tangier in November 1672.
Augustine Garland MP was arrested and brought to trial as a regicide in October 1660. He was accused of having spat in King Charles' face as he was led away after being sentenced, a charge which Garland strenuously denied. Although he was condemned to death, the sentence was commuted. A warrant for his transportation to Tangier was issued in 1664, but it is not known whether this was ever carried out.
Sir Henry Mildmay attempted to escape abroad at the Restoration, but was arrested at Rye in Sussex in May 1660 and brought to trial for his part in the regicide. His plea that he had attended the High Court of Justice in the hope of saving the King's life was rejected. He was stripped of his knighthood and his estates, and sentenced to imprisonment for life. In March 1664, he was ordered to be transported to Tangier, but died before the order could be carried out.
More men served in Jersey, Plymouth and the Tower of London.
"1673 R. Ligon True & Exact Hist. Island of Barbadoes 120 The Sea-men, who were the greater number, resolv'd, the Passengers should be drest and eaten, before any of them should goe to the Pot . . ‘"
And, yes, Ligon reports that the ship he was on ran out of food and water near the Azores, and the crew were discussing which of the passengers they were going to eat first. The footnote says that there were many stories of cannibalism circulated to deter voluntary passengers. Does not say whether or not the stories were true. My guess is that it happened.
The Chamberlen family (1560–1728) and obstetric forceps -- by Professor Peter Dunn.
The invention of obstetrics forceps in the 17th century represented a technical advance in the management of childbirth. The story of the forceps concerns 5 generations of the Chamberlen family.
Peter Chamberlen the elder was born in Paris in 1560, the first son of a Huguenot surgeon, William Chamberlen. Forced to flee, the family reached Southampton in 1569 where a second son, also named Peter, was born. Both sons became practitioners of midwifery.
Peter Chamberlen the elder moved to London in 1596 and became accoucheur to Queen Anne. Both sons followed him, and joined the Barber Surgeons Company.
In 1628 Peter the elder attended Queen Henrietta Maria when she was in trouble with her first birth. The baby died, but against all odds, the Queen survived.
Following the Restoration another Peter Chamberen reminded Charles II he was the only surviving physician to their Majesties, and in 1661 was reappointed Physician in Ordinary to the King and Queen Catherine.
This Dr. Peter Chamberlen first married Jane Myddelton by whom he had 11 sons, three of whom, Hugh, Paul, and John practiced midwifery. After Jane’s death, Dr. Chamberlen married Ann Harrison by whom he had 5 more children.
Dr. Peter Chamberlen's obstetric instruments were found under the floorboards of his home, Woodham Mortimer Hall, where they were hidden by Ann on his death in 1683. The metal forceps blades were fenestrated, and well formed. Each blade was straight with a cranial curve for grasping the head. The blade edges were rounded. Each blade was separate to allow independent application. The lock was a fixed pivot on one blade which fitted into a hole in the other.
This Dr. Peter Chamberlen's eldest son, Hugh the elder, also practiced midwifery.
It is not known which Chamberlen invented the obstetric forceps which remained the family secret for more than 100 years. The Chamberlens went to great lengths to keep their secret. They arrived at the house of the woman in labor in a special carriage, accompanied by a huge wooden box. It took two men to carry the box, and everyone believed it contained a complicated machine. The laboring woman was blindfold lest she see the “secret.” Only the Chamberlens were allowed in the lying-in room, from which relatives heard peculiar sounds as the “secret” went to work.
For a century women died because the Chamberlens had no way to profit from the family invention, except by maintaining it as a trade secret. -- Extracted from “The Dictionary of National Biography”
I find it curious that Pepys never mentions the Regicides who were shipped off to Tangier in 1664, most never to be heard of again. Perhaps their destinies were state secrets at the time? Perhaps nobody cared, since seeing elderly men being put aboard doesn't have the theatrical appeal of an execution? Maybe people were bored of the Regicide conversation by now? Their detention must have been part of the budget.
After my appeal for help discovering when Anne Hyde and her bevy of ladies visit James, Duke of York aboard the fleet at Harwich, I did find this excerpt:
"The Duke of York’s work on behalf of the navy did not begin and end in St. James’s or in the Admiralty buildings near the Tower. Later we shall see him on board his flagship at grips with the Dutch, but meanwhile he took care to visit many ships, and Anne was often with him on these expeditions.
"On 19th May, 1665, Lord Peterborough, writing from Harwich, mentions that he is going on board "to compliment the Duchess.”2 2 Earl of Peterboro’ to Williams.
"The ship on this occasion was the Royal Charles, and a few days later Sir William Coventry seems to be suffering acutely, for, addressing Arlington, he says “The Duchess and her beautiful Maids are departing, therefore long letters must not be expected from me under such a calamity, would visit their desperation on the Dutch were not the victualers as cruel as the ladies.”1 1 Calendar of Domestic State Papers, ed. By M.A.Everett-Green.
"There’s Geordie the drinker, There’s Annie the eater, There’s Mary the daughter, There’s Willie the cheater."
Page 197
Lord Peterborough = Gov. Sir Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough, who returned home after fortifying Tangier. He served in the Second Dutch War, at first as a volunteer in the fleet of Admiral Edward Montagu, Earl of Sandwich ...
No idea who Geordie, Annie, Mary or Willie are. The poem leaves me wondering if the water and beer Pepys was chasing down last week ever arrived.
From LAWSON LIES STILL IN THE THAMES by Gill Blanchard, Amberley Publishing 2017, ISBN 978 1 4456 6123 pages 31-33 - 161-165 - 189:
Vice Admiral Sir John Lawson probably had a tense relationship with Sir Hugh Chomley Jr. at the beginning of their task building The Mole at Tangier. Background:
Sir Hugh Chomley Sr. knew Captain John Lawson during the First Civil War, when they protected Scarborough together for Parliament -- but in March, 1643 Chomley unexpectedly defected to King Charles.
Chomley Sr.'s double-dealings continued, and he omits nearly all mention of his Parliamentary career in his memoirs, instead blaming Parliament for changing the rationale for war, failing to resupply him, and dishonoring his name.
Fast forward to 1662, and Hugh Chomley Jr. arrives in Tangier to work on The Mole. Vice Admiral John Lawson, Rear Admiral Sir Richard Stayner, and Sir Edward Mongagu, Earl of Sandwich are rebuilding and expanding the town, and had streets named after them.
York Castle and Whitby Fort were probably named for Chomley Jr. and his experienced miners and construction men who traveled through France and Spain from Yorkshire to get to Tangier.
Until now Admiral John Lawson had been unforgiving towards people who had betrayed The Cause. Now he had to work with the son of someone he had frequently dismissed as treacherous.
They must have grown to like and respect each other. Upon hearing of Vice Admiral Sir John Lawson's death, the now Sir Hugh Chomley said it was a great loss to the nation, but also to himself of a powerful, intelligent and worthy partner in their endeavor, and his dear friend.
In Sir John Lawson's will he asked Sir Hugh Chomley to give the Lawson family whatever consideration he wished for the value of the equipment, boats and material Lawson had invested in The Mole. A few months later Sir Hugh Chomley wrote the widowed Lady Isabelle saying that, much as he had affection for Sir John, he would have to take legal action if Lawson's executors didn't reimburse him for the money owed for their joint Tangier endeavors, and attached detailed accounts.
We do not know the resolution of this dispute, but when Sir Hugh Chomley later met with Pepys there was no mention of this disagreement.
Sir Hugh Chomley Jr. omits all mention of Sir John Lawson in his memoir of Tangier and building The Mole. The son must have learned his memoir-writing skills from his father.
From LAWSON LIES STILL IN THE THAMES by Gill Blanchard, Amberley Publishing 2017, ISBN 978 1 4456 6123 pages 177-178: “By the early 1660s, John’s [Vice-Admiral Lawson] relative Samuel Lawson was acting as his attorney. Samuel was the son of John’s cousin, also called John, a grocer living on Lyme Street in London. … [nephew] Samuel served an apprenticeship with his father. By the time he started signing documents on [Admiral] John’s behalf, he was a merchant, and at some point joined the East India Company. When the Vice-Admiral was in Tangier, Samuel met with Pepys on his behalf to arrange for bills to be paid and organize supplies.“
PLEASE NOTE: Admiral John Lawson also had a son named Samuel. (Samuel and John were very popular names in the Lawson family.) His biographer admits that he was confused as to which one did what by the end of Admiral John's life, so much so the index only has one entry for LAWSON, SAMUEL and it's up to the reader to figure out which one is referenced.
"... in her discourse, through age and some trouble in her family."
Margaret was out with her family, taking care of her/their trouble, by my guess. This does explain to my satisfaction why Pepys didn't try to stop her from visiting when the plague is active. This is probably the last time she will see some of her family.
Sunday, 7 May, 1665 (Lord’s day). Rev. Josselin, "I began to expound things out of the church catechism for the information of youth, ..." You started those classes just in time!
'I think "ancient" is somehow synonymous with "ensign."'
That makes sense: en·sign -- NOUN a flag or standard, especially a military or naval one indicating nationality. synonyms: flag · standard · color (s) · jack · banner · pennant · [more] archaic a sign or emblem of a particular thing. "all the ensigns of our greatness" a commissioned officer of the lowest rank in the US Navy and Coast Guard, ranking above chief warrant officer and below lieutenant.
Perhaps the 'Holland ancient' flag was used by the Dutch to signify that they were not going to fight, and maybe this was the ship the British "found that the Hollanders had gone aboard the man of war." A very nice prize, by the sound of it.
"After dinner to Hide Park; my aunt, Mrs. Wight and I in one coach, and all the rest of the women in Mrs. Turner’s; … At the Park was the King, and in another coach my Lady Castlemaine, they greeting one another at every tour.1 Here about an hour, ..."
1. The company drove round and round the Ring in Hyde Park. The following two extracts illustrate this, and the second one shows how the circuit was called the Tour:
Here (1697) the people of fashion take the diversion of the Ring. In a pretty high place, which lies very open, they have surrounded a circumference of two or three hundred paces diameter with a sorry kind of balustrade, or rather with postes placed upon stakes but three feet from the ground; and the coaches drive round this. When they have turned for some time round one way they face about and turn t’other: so rowls the world! — Wilson’s Memoirs, 1719, p. 126.
It is in this Park where the Grand Tour or Ring is kept for the Ladies to take the air in their coaches, and in fine weather I have seen above three hundred at a time. — [Macky’s] Journey through England, 1724, vol. i., p. 75.
We will shortly find out why Pepys has been leaving his periwigg off. All my guesses were wrong.
&&&
"A ketch from Colchester brought us 19 soldiers…They had victuals that day, although came late. Another ketch came with them took another steigerschuit with fish."
What is a steigerschuit you may ask (as I did).
Steigerschuit is a modern postal area located in Breskens, within the municipality of Sluis, in the province of Zeeland. If this is the correct interpretation, then this note may mean that another ketch from Colchester had captured another boat from Steigerschuit which was full of fish.
I was thinking about the Sunday, 30 April, 1665 (Lord’s day) cliffhanger:
"Great fears of the sickenesse here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are already shut up. God preserve us all!"
Has Pepys taken any precautions -- gone to Church to ask for forgiveness -- sent Elizabeth out of town? Hell no -- he's running around looking at John Evelyn's bee hives, frustrated that his water mast storage unit is rejected, testing coach springs with the Royal Society, worrying about whether or not to keep on wearing his periwiggs, and musing about how beautiful his varnish purveyor's wife is, so he will give them business. Oh ... and his mom is coming in from the country for a visit, and he doesn't tell her not to come.
I don't understand Pepys. Why even mention that Sunday is the Lord's Day? Clearly he doesn't care one whit about anything except money and power at this time. Even Elizabeth has stopped trying to get his attention by her passive-aggressive tactics of last year (besides over-tipping the delivery men).
Comments
Second Reading
About Wednesday 10 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thanks Sjoerd22. Navigation is definitely On Topic.
About Thursday 11 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Live where you work" is a fine idea ... but jobs don't last these days, and spouses rarely work together. Plus urban planning is about separation of activities, not integration. The best answer is to be self-employed, or tele-commute. We are getting back to this idea from necessity.
About Wednesday 10 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
A good theory, Elizabeth. Google reveals nothing. I wonder if they had an "official" compass installed at the Palace. Or did they just stand in the same place to make a reading? No other interpretation seems to make sense.
How interesting that we appear to be swinging back towards the 1580 reading. Any idea what this means in practical applications? I suppose it affects GPS and navigation.
About Thomas Pepys (a, cousin, "The Executor")
San Diego Sarah • Link
1893 Text: "Thomas Pepys, of Hatcham Barnes, Surrey, Master of the Jewel House to Charles II. and James II."
Perhaps they had the wrong title. The Masters of the Jewel House were:
1595: Sir Edward Cary
1603: Sir Henry Cary
1618: Sir Henry Mildmay
1643: Sir Robert Howard (at Oxford) -- he died during the English Civil War (1642–51).
A successor was appointed at the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II in 1660.
1660: (June) Sir Gilbert Talbot
1665: Talbot Edwards
1674: Wythe Edwards
1676: Sir Martin Beckman
1690: Sir Francis Lawley
1697: Heneage Montagu
1698: Colonel Charles Godfrey
1702: Talbot Edwards (Jnr)
1704: John Charlton
1711: Heneage Finch
see: https://www.geni.com/projects/Tow…
About Gunfleet Sand
San Diego Sarah • Link
Gunfleet Sands, a shoal off the coast of Essex, between the Wallet and King's Channel. It is 12-½ miles long, and 2 miles wide, is partly dry at low water, and is marked by a beacon.
An early medieval record about the use of goys (a type of fish trap) on Gunfleet Sands indicates the goys trapped fish when the tide went out, meaning the bank dried during this period. 'Ganfletsond' was named in an official document in 1320 and was named for the Gan Fleet (the old name for the Holland Brook which divided Great Holland and Little Holland [Jarvis 1990]). The origin of the name 'Wallet' is unknown. Gunfleet Sands has long been known as a navigational hazard, whilst the Wallet is a well-documented navigational route for vessels approaching London, the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe, and travelling along the coast.
The proximity of these two navigational features and strong currents has often resulted in the loss of vessels and lives. Nelson is reputed to have said that, in terms of navigation, the Thames estuary is one of the worst areas around the UK, being as tricky as a tiger (Bowskill 1998, 159).
It must be breezy there, because there are plans to build a windfarm on the Gunfleet. For more information, see http://archaeologydataservice.ac.…
About Wednesday 10 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Friday next ordered to observe the variation of the needle at Whitehall. http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…... "
I looked at Friday, and there was nothing from the Hooke Folio, or explanation on what the needle at Whitehall was.
I clicked on the link which took me to the Physics Forum which requires registration (totally out of my depth there!), and poked around but no sign of the Hooke Folio.
Then I googled Robert Hooke Folio and was sent to
http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/…
which doesn't require a sign in, and has lots of interesting documents besides Hooke's Folio.
Once you get used to forward arrowing through two years' worth of run-on diary entries, it's easy to use.
Bottom line: No entry for next Friday, and no explanation of what the Whitehall needle was.
About Wednesday 10 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
It's possible, Louise. Pepys probably would mention it, especially if it were Pal. But he's omitted so much recently compared to earlier posts that anything is possible; remember when he used to tell us what he ate for dinner.
About Friday 9 December 1664
San Diego Sarah • Link
I’ve been meaning to get this list together for a while. According to the British Civil War Project, the following prisoners were sentenced to serve in Tangier – there may be more, people who do not have their biographies at http://bcw-project.org/ :
Although he supported the mayor of York in proclaiming Charles II in May 1660, George Fleetwood was brought to trial as a regicide. He claimed that he had been appointed to the High Court of Justice against his will and that Cromwell had intimidated him into signing the King's death warrant. With favorable testimony from Monck and others, Fleetwood's life was spared. He was imprisoned in the Tower until 1664 when a warrant was issued for his transportation to Tangier. According to some accounts, Fleetwood's wife Hester successfully pleaded for his release and he was allowed to emigrate to America. However, according to a report published in the London Gazette, Fleetwood died at Tangier in November 1672.
Augustine Garland MP was arrested and brought to trial as a regicide in October 1660. He was accused of having spat in King Charles' face as he was led away after being sentenced, a charge which Garland strenuously denied. Although he was condemned to death, the sentence was commuted. A warrant for his transportation to Tangier was issued in 1664, but it is not known whether this was ever carried out.
Sir Henry Mildmay attempted to escape abroad at the Restoration, but was arrested at Rye in Sussex in May 1660 and brought to trial for his part in the regicide. His plea that he had attended the High Court of Justice in the hope of saving the King's life was rejected. He was stripped of his knighthood and his estates, and sentenced to imprisonment for life. In March 1664, he was ordered to be transported to Tangier, but died before the order could be carried out.
More men served in Jersey, Plymouth and the Tower of London.
About Friday 21 April 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
"1673 R. Ligon True & Exact Hist. Island of Barbadoes 120 The Sea-men, who were the greater number, resolv'd, the Passengers should be drest and eaten, before any of them should goe to the Pot . . ‘"
A full text edition of Richard Ligon's History of Barbados can be found at www.davidchansmith.net/the-richar…
And, yes, Ligon reports that the ship he was on ran out of food and water near the Azores, and the crew were discussing which of the passengers they were going to eat first. The footnote says that there were many stories of cannibalism circulated to deter voluntary passengers. Does not say whether or not the stories were true. My guess is that it happened.
About Sunday 7 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
Lack of copyright protection wasn't the only problem. Lack of a way to register and profit from inventions cost lives:
http://fn.bmj.com/content/81/3/F2…
The Chamberlen family (1560–1728) and obstetric forceps -- by Professor Peter Dunn.
The invention of obstetrics forceps in the 17th century represented a technical advance in the management of childbirth. The story of the forceps concerns 5 generations of the Chamberlen family.
Peter Chamberlen the elder was born in Paris in 1560, the first son of a Huguenot surgeon, William Chamberlen. Forced to flee, the family reached Southampton in 1569 where a second son, also named Peter, was born. Both sons became practitioners of midwifery.
Peter Chamberlen the elder moved to London in 1596 and became accoucheur to Queen Anne. Both sons followed him, and joined the Barber Surgeons Company.
In 1628 Peter the elder attended Queen Henrietta Maria when she was in trouble with her first birth. The baby died, but against all odds, the Queen survived.
Following the Restoration another Peter Chamberen reminded Charles II he was the only surviving physician to their Majesties, and in 1661 was reappointed Physician in Ordinary to the King and Queen Catherine.
This Dr. Peter Chamberlen first married Jane Myddelton by whom he had 11 sons, three of whom, Hugh, Paul, and John practiced midwifery. After Jane’s death, Dr. Chamberlen married Ann Harrison by whom he had 5 more children.
Dr. Peter Chamberlen's obstetric instruments were found under the floorboards of his home, Woodham Mortimer Hall, where they were hidden by Ann on his death in 1683. The metal forceps blades were fenestrated, and well formed. Each blade was straight with a cranial curve for grasping the head. The blade edges were rounded. Each blade was separate to allow independent application. The lock was a fixed pivot on one blade which fitted into a hole in the other.
This Dr. Peter Chamberlen's eldest son, Hugh the elder, also practiced midwifery.
It is not known which Chamberlen invented the obstetric forceps which remained the family secret for more than 100 years. The Chamberlens went to great lengths to keep their secret. They arrived at the house of the woman in labor in a special carriage, accompanied by a huge wooden box. It took two men to carry the box, and everyone believed it contained a complicated machine. The laboring woman was blindfold lest she see the “secret.” Only the Chamberlens were allowed in the lying-in room, from which relatives heard peculiar sounds as the “secret” went to work.
For a century women died because the Chamberlens had no way to profit from the family invention, except by maintaining it as a trade secret. -- Extracted from “The Dictionary of National Biography”
About Friday 9 December 1664
San Diego Sarah • Link
I find it curious that Pepys never mentions the Regicides who were shipped off to Tangier in 1664, most never to be heard of again. Perhaps their destinies were state secrets at the time? Perhaps nobody cared, since seeing elderly men being put aboard doesn't have the theatrical appeal of an execution? Maybe people were bored of the Regicide conversation by now? Their detention must have been part of the budget.
About Friday 19 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
After my appeal for help discovering when Anne Hyde and her bevy of ladies visit James, Duke of York aboard the fleet at Harwich, I did find this excerpt:
https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en…
"The Duke of York’s work on behalf of the navy did not begin and end in St. James’s or in the Admiralty buildings near the Tower. Later we shall see him on board his flagship at grips with the Dutch, but meanwhile he took care to visit many ships, and Anne was often with him on these expeditions.
"On 19th May, 1665, Lord Peterborough, writing from Harwich, mentions that he is going on board "to compliment the Duchess.”2
2 Earl of Peterboro’ to Williams.
"The ship on this occasion was the Royal Charles, and a few days later Sir William Coventry seems to be suffering acutely, for, addressing Arlington, he says “The Duchess and her beautiful Maids are departing, therefore long letters must not be expected from me under such a calamity, would visit their desperation on the Dutch were not the victualers as cruel as the ladies.”1
1 Calendar of Domestic State Papers, ed. By M.A.Everett-Green.
"There’s Geordie the drinker,
There’s Annie the eater,
There’s Mary the daughter,
There’s Willie the cheater."
Page 197
Lord Peterborough = Gov. Sir Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough, who returned home after fortifying Tangier. He served in the Second Dutch War, at first as a volunteer in the fleet of Admiral Edward Montagu, Earl of Sandwich ...
No idea who Geordie, Annie, Mary or Willie are.
The poem leaves me wondering if the water and beer Pepys was chasing down last week ever arrived.
About Hugh Cholmley
San Diego Sarah • Link
From LAWSON LIES STILL IN THE THAMES by Gill Blanchard, Amberley Publishing 2017, ISBN 978 1 4456 6123 pages 31-33 - 161-165 - 189:
Vice Admiral Sir John Lawson probably had a tense relationship with Sir Hugh Chomley Jr. at the beginning of their task building The Mole at Tangier. Background:
Sir Hugh Chomley Sr. knew Captain John Lawson during the First Civil War, when they protected Scarborough together for Parliament -- but in March, 1643 Chomley unexpectedly defected to King Charles.
Chomley Sr.'s double-dealings continued, and he omits nearly all mention of his Parliamentary career in his memoirs, instead blaming Parliament for changing the rationale for war, failing to resupply him, and dishonoring his name.
Fast forward to 1662, and Hugh Chomley Jr. arrives in Tangier to work on The Mole.
Vice Admiral John Lawson, Rear Admiral Sir Richard Stayner, and Sir Edward Mongagu, Earl of Sandwich are rebuilding and expanding the town, and had streets named after them.
York Castle and Whitby Fort were probably named for Chomley Jr. and his experienced miners and construction men who traveled through France and Spain from Yorkshire to get to Tangier.
Until now Admiral John Lawson had been unforgiving towards people who had betrayed The Cause. Now he had to work with the son of someone he had frequently dismissed as treacherous.
They must have grown to like and respect each other. Upon hearing of Vice Admiral Sir John Lawson's death, the now Sir Hugh Chomley said it was a great loss to the nation, but also to himself of a powerful, intelligent and worthy partner in their endeavor, and his dear friend.
In Sir John Lawson's will he asked Sir Hugh Chomley to give the Lawson family whatever consideration he wished for the value of the equipment, boats and material Lawson had invested in The Mole. A few months later Sir Hugh Chomley wrote the widowed Lady Isabelle saying that, much as he had affection for Sir John, he would have to take legal action if Lawson's executors didn't reimburse him for the money owed for their joint Tangier endeavors, and attached detailed accounts.
We do not know the resolution of this dispute, but when Sir Hugh Chomley later met with Pepys there was no mention of this disagreement.
Sir Hugh Chomley Jr. omits all mention of Sir John Lawson in his memoir of Tangier and building The Mole. The son must have learned his memoir-writing skills from his father.
About Samuel Lawson
San Diego Sarah • Link
From LAWSON LIES STILL IN THE THAMES by Gill Blanchard, Amberley Publishing 2017, ISBN 978 1 4456 6123 pages 177-178:
“By the early 1660s, John’s [Vice-Admiral Lawson] relative Samuel Lawson was acting as his attorney. Samuel was the son of John’s cousin, also called John, a grocer living on Lyme Street in London. … [nephew] Samuel served an apprenticeship with his father. By the time he started signing documents on [Admiral] John’s behalf, he was a merchant, and at some point joined the East India Company. When the Vice-Admiral was in Tangier, Samuel met with Pepys on his behalf to arrange for bills to be paid and organize supplies.“
PLEASE NOTE: Admiral John Lawson also had a son named Samuel. (Samuel and John were very popular names in the Lawson family.) His biographer admits that he was confused as to which one did what by the end of Admiral John's life, so much so the index only has one entry for LAWSON, SAMUEL and it's up to the reader to figure out which one is referenced.
About Thursday 11 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... in her discourse, through age and some trouble in her family."
Margaret was out with her family, taking care of her/their trouble, by my guess. This does explain to my satisfaction why Pepys didn't try to stop her from visiting when the plague is active. This is probably the last time she will see some of her family.
About Monday 8th May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
Sunday, 7 May, 1665 (Lord’s day). Rev. Josselin, "I began to expound things out of the church catechism for the information of youth, ..." You started those classes just in time!
About Thursday 4 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
'I think "ancient" is somehow synonymous with "ensign."'
That makes sense:
en·sign -- NOUN
a flag or standard, especially a military or naval one indicating nationality.
synonyms: flag · standard · color (s) · jack · banner · pennant · [more]
archaic
a sign or emblem of a particular thing.
"all the ensigns of our greatness"
a commissioned officer of the lowest rank in the US Navy and Coast Guard, ranking above chief warrant officer and below lieutenant.
Perhaps the 'Holland ancient' flag was used by the Dutch to signify that they were not going to fight, and maybe this was the ship the British "found that the Hollanders had gone aboard the man of war." A very nice prize, by the sound of it.
Pepys knew how important that bunting was.
About Hyde Park
San Diego Sarah • Link
Every Spring a social event known as The Tour took place. In 1663 Pepys described it thus:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
"After dinner to Hide Park; my aunt, Mrs. Wight and I in one coach, and all the rest of the women in Mrs. Turner’s; … At the Park was the King, and in another coach my Lady Castlemaine, they greeting one another at every tour.1 Here about an hour, ..."
1. The company drove round and round the Ring in Hyde Park. The following two extracts illustrate this, and the second one shows how the circuit was called the Tour:
Here (1697) the people of fashion take the diversion of the Ring. In a pretty high place, which lies very open, they have surrounded a circumference of two or three hundred paces diameter with a sorry kind of balustrade, or rather with postes placed upon stakes but three feet from the ground; and the coaches drive round this. When they have turned for some time round one way they face about and turn t’other: so rowls the world!
— Wilson’s Memoirs, 1719, p. 126.
It is in this Park where the Grand Tour or Ring is kept for the Ladies to take the air in their coaches, and in fine weather I have seen above three hundred at a time.
— [Macky’s] Journey through England, 1724, vol. i., p. 75.
About Monday 24 April 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
We will shortly find out why Pepys has been leaving his periwigg off. All my guesses were wrong.
&&&
"A ketch from Colchester brought us 19 soldiers…They had victuals that day, although came late. Another ketch came with them took another steigerschuit with fish."
What is a steigerschuit you may ask (as I did).
Steigerschuit is a modern postal area located in Breskens, within the municipality of Sluis, in the province of Zeeland. If this is the correct interpretation, then this note may mean that another ketch from Colchester had captured another boat from Steigerschuit which was full of fish.
About Saturday 6 May 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
I was thinking about the Sunday, 30 April, 1665 (Lord’s day) cliffhanger:
"Great fears of the sickenesse here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are already shut up. God preserve us all!"
Has Pepys taken any precautions -- gone to Church to ask for forgiveness -- sent Elizabeth out of town? Hell no -- he's running around looking at John Evelyn's bee hives, frustrated that his water mast storage unit is rejected, testing coach springs with the Royal Society, worrying about whether or not to keep on wearing his periwiggs, and musing about how beautiful his varnish purveyor's wife is, so he will give them business. Oh ... and his mom is coming in from the country for a visit, and he doesn't tell her not to come.
I don't understand Pepys. Why even mention that Sunday is the Lord's Day? Clearly he doesn't care one whit about anything except money and power at this time. Even Elizabeth has stopped trying to get his attention by her passive-aggressive tactics of last year (besides over-tipping the delivery men).
Que sera, sera.