Sir John Robinson, Lord Mayor of London in 1662, and Constable of the Tower. He is said to have inspired the phrase ‘before you can say Jack Robinson’. Sir John held a judiciary appointment in the City of London and was known for being able to condemn a felon, have him transported to the Tower and command the execution ‘faster than you can say Jack Robinson’.
"... and he losing his way fell into the Tower ..."
The Lieutenant of the Tower by law owned anything that fell into the moat. That's good when it is a cow or a horse. It's a bit more difficult when it is an orphan boy.
"... it was an extraordinary day for the Readers of the Inns of Court and all the Students to come to church ..."
Okay Legal Beagles ... what is a reader of the Inns of Court? Would that be what we now call an Article Clerk who is reading the law before taking exams to become a solicitor?
And I'm guessing "all the Students" refers to all the students at St. Paul's School (which provides the choir about which Pepys was so bitterly complaining),
"A Bishop is Bishop of a Diocese and it is the Dean who is in control of a cathedral, so maybe Sam was expecting the Dean of St Pauls to give the blessing."
I have read somewhere that St. Paul's was a church until it was rebuilt after the fire, at which time it became a Cathedral. I've read so much on the fire recently I have no idea where to look for citation!
"... had a very pleasing and condescending answer from my poor father to-day in answer to my angry discontentful letter to him the other day, which pleases me mightily."
Pepys is gleeful that his letter has put his father on the defensive, and so there are no new direct demands for more money -- even though we all know that he knows he could well afford a few more pounds. Not your finest moment, Sam.
September 5, 1662 Pepys says, "I this day heard that Mr. Martin Noell is knighted by the King, which I much wonder at; but yet he is certainly a very useful man."
Noell is John Thurloe's brother-in-law and had thrived under the Commonwealth as a tax farmer, taking up farms of the excise or customs and advancing other sums, secure in the knowledge that he would get his money back. Charles II accepted Martin Noell as one of four London merchants — along with Thomas Povey, Nicholas Crispe and Andrew Riccard — to take their places with the Royalist courtiers on the Council for Plantations and as important councilors.
I'm not surprised Pepys says, "I this day heard that Mr. Martin Noell is knighted by the King, which I much wonder at; but yet he is certainly a very useful man."
Noell is John Thurloe's brother-in-law and had thrived under the Commonwealth as a tax farmer, taking up farms of the excise or customs and advancing other sums, secure in the knowledge that he would get his money back. Charles II accepted Martin Noell as one of four London merchants — along with Thomas Povey, Nicholas Crispe and Andrew Riccard — to take their places with the Royalist courtiers on the Council for Plantations and as important councilors.
It seems the Earl of Sandwich and family, plus maids and parson, William Howe and Mr. Povy are off to Hinchingbrooke. Some miles further on from Barnet, Sandwich owns an unnamed house at which they stop for the night. Despite being warmly welcomed by the Earl and Countess in their coach, and hearing he has been well-spoken of, Pepys leaves in a dudgeon and returns to London on Coventry's horse without saying goodbye.
What a peculiar outing. Why didn't Pepys -- in his finest riding outfit -- travel with the family from Lincoln's Inn, instead of the elaborate meet-up arrangements with Creed? Did Creed continue with the Montagus to Hinchingbrooke or go back to London with Pepys? Coventry must have thought the errand important, or he wouldn't have loaned Pepys the horse. I wonder if he took Towser with him, to be delivered to his father?
If old Uncle Wight hadn't been fondling Elizabeth, I bet this outing would have been explained better. I hope we can figure out the motivation in the next few days.
"I had a letter the last week from my Lady, who tells me that she has been ill from a pain at her stomach, and that she has been drinking Barnet Waters and has found herself better since. I thought they had been so lately found out, that nobody had known what they had been good for yet, or had ventured to take them. I could wish they were as proper for the spleen as Epsom or Tunbridge, they would lie much more conveniently for me."
Islington in the 17th century was a rural area made up almost entirely of fields and cow sheds.
The northern approaches to London, especially Holloway, between Islington and Highgate, were the haunt of the famous highwayman, Claude Duval. When travelling through rural areas on horseback or by coach you were in danger of being robbed by highwaymen. Travelling on foot presented another danger, that of being apprehended by the local watch as a "wandering rogue".
Duval was a Frenchman who came to England as a valet shortly after the Restoration, then took to the road, leading a gang of robbers.
He became a romantic figure due to a story circulated about him, that he had stopped a woman's coach in which there was a booty of four hundred pounds but only took one hundred, allowing "the fair owner to ransom the rest by dancing a coranto with him on the Heath".
Claude Duval was captured in 1669, at Mother Maberley's tavern in Chandos Street, "The-Hole-In-The-Wall", and was brought to trial. His hanging at Tyburn was the scene of much loud lamentation from the crowd in attendance. He was 27 at the time of his death.
Islington in the 17th century was a rural area made up almost entirely of fields and cow sheds.
The northern approaches to London, especially Holloway, between Islington and Highgate, were the haunt of the famous highwayman, Claude Duval. When travelling through rural areas on horseback or by coach you were in danger of being robbed by highwaymen. Travelling on foot presented another danger, that of being apprehended by the local watch as a "wandering rogue".
Duval was a Frenchman who came to England as a valet shortly after the Restoration, then took to the road, leading a gang of robbers.
He became a romantic figure due to a story circulated about him, that he had stopped a woman's coach in which there was a booty of four hundred pounds but only took one hundred, allowing "the fair owner to ransom the rest by dancing a coranto with him on the Heath".
Claude Duval was captured in 1669, at Mother Maberley's tavern in Chandos Street, "The-Hole-In-The-Wall", and was brought to trial. His hanging at Tyburn was the scene of much loud lamentation from the crowd in attendance. He was 27 at the time of his death.
SALTER, one who deals in Salt or Salt Fish -- An universal etymological English dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724. So not surprising that Abraham Jaggard served a dinner of “all fish”.
"thence with Mr. Coventry by coach to the glasshouse and there dined, and both before and after did my Lord Peterborough’s accounts. ... having got a horse of Mr. Coventry to-day."
Pepys and Coventry have spent a lot of time together recently. He is evidently being groomed for services the old Admirals cannot perform. I wonder where Pepys will be riding tomorrow.
I think we are all bothered by Sam not springing out of his coach and assaulting the abductors (Pepys included). Of course, he would have been beaten to a pulp for his troubles, and there was no police force to help. He chose discretion over valor, and to serve the King in a time of war, not a pretty girl. Hopefully it wasn't as bad an abduction as it appeared ... being someone's mistress could be a lifestyle improvement.
The British Civil War Project has a good article about Sandwich ... as you know, there is more than one Edward Montagu to select from at this time, and unfortunately the link is too long for this site, so I have to make a break in the middle so the important part doesn't get lost (i.e. you'll have to manually relink before pressing ENTER):
Ah the problem is that it gets shortened by this site, so I am cutting it in two, and hope you can link it back up ... http://bcw-project.org/biography/ edward-montagu-earl-of-sandwich
"... at noon to the ‘Change and there met with Sir W. Rider, ... and Mr. Cutler and Mr. Cooke, clerk to Mr. Secretary Morrice, a sober and pleasant man, and one that I knew heretofore, when he was my Lord ‘s secretary at Dunkirke."
So John Cooke is currently clerk to Secretary of State, Sir William Morice, and Pepys had known him when he was secretary to Sandwich in 1657-8 when he commanding the fleets that supported the joint Anglo-French attacks on Mardyke and Dunkirk. After the capture of Dunkirk in June 1658, General-at-Sea Edward Montagu was presented to Louis XIV, and entertained Cardinal Mazarin aboard his flagship, the Naseby. John Cooke might have seen it all, and have some tales to tell.
"... at noon to the ‘Change and there met with Sir W. Rider, ... and Mr. Cutler and Mr. Cooke, clerk to Mr. Secretary Morrice, a sober and pleasant man, and one that I knew heretofore, when he was my Lord ‘s secretary at Dunkirke."
So John Cooke is currently clerk to Secretary of State, Sir William Morice, and Pepys had known him when he was secretary to Sandwich in 1657-8 when he commanding the fleets that supported the joint Anglo-French attacks on Mardyke and Dunkirk. After the capture of Dunkirk in June 1658, General-at-Sea Edward Montagu was presented to Louis XIV, and entertained Cardinal Mazarin aboard his flagship, the Naseby. John Cooke might have seen it all, and have some tales to tell.
"I'm guessing this is courage to accept the fear that a sudden change of circumstances - not for the better - is possible. Does Pepys position, rate of promotion and/or ambition put him in such a precarious position or is this a little political hypochondria?"
Just yesterday the King's brewer, Mr. Alsopp, has assured Pepys there is very little of the Dunkirk sale money left, and Charles II is spending generously on his children and limited court of friends. Pepys knows the Dutch are preparing for war, and knows England is not ready for the fight to come. If things turn out badly, he could well be amongst the fall guys. Carpe Diem.
Comments
Second Reading
About Ald. Sir John Robinson (Lord Mayor 1662-63, Lieutenant of the Tower 1660-80)
San Diego Sarah • Link
“Before you can say Jack Robinson …”
Sir John Robinson, Lord Mayor of London in 1662, and Constable of the Tower. He is said to have inspired the phrase ‘before you can say Jack Robinson’. Sir John held a judiciary appointment in the City of London and was known for being able to condemn a felon, have him transported to the Tower and command the execution ‘faster than you can say Jack Robinson’.
http://blog.hrp.org.uk/blog/the-c…
About Sunday 28 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... and he losing his way fell into the Tower ..."
The Lieutenant of the Tower by law owned anything that fell into the moat. That's good when it is a cow or a horse. It's a bit more difficult when it is an orphan boy.
About Sunday 28 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... it was an extraordinary day for the Readers of the Inns of Court and all the Students to come to church ..."
Okay Legal Beagles ... what is a reader of the Inns of Court? Would that be what we now call an Article Clerk who is reading the law before taking exams to become a solicitor?
And I'm guessing "all the Students" refers to all the students at St. Paul's School (which provides the choir about which Pepys was so bitterly complaining),
About Sunday 28 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"A Bishop is Bishop of a Diocese and it is the Dean who is in control of a cathedral, so maybe Sam was expecting the Dean of St Pauls to give the blessing."
I have read somewhere that St. Paul's was a church until it was rebuilt after the fire, at which time it became a Cathedral. I've read so much on the fire recently I have no idea where to look for citation!
About Saturday 27 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... had a very pleasing and condescending answer from my poor father to-day in answer to my angry discontentful letter to him the other day, which pleases me mightily."
Pepys is gleeful that his letter has put his father on the defensive, and so there are no new direct demands for more money -- even though we all know that he knows he could well afford a few more pounds. Not your finest moment, Sam.
About Saturday 27 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
September 5, 1662 Pepys says, "I this day heard that Mr. Martin Noell is knighted by the King, which I much wonder at; but yet he is certainly a very useful man."
Noell is John Thurloe's brother-in-law and had thrived under the Commonwealth as a tax farmer, taking up farms of the excise or customs and advancing other sums, secure in the knowledge that he would get his money back. Charles II accepted Martin Noell as one of four London merchants — along with Thomas Povey, Nicholas Crispe and Andrew Riccard — to take their places with the Royalist courtiers on the Council for Plantations and as important councilors.
About Friday 5 September 1662
San Diego Sarah • Link
I'm not surprised Pepys says, "I this day heard that Mr. Martin Noell is knighted by the King, which I much wonder at; but yet he is certainly a very useful man."
Noell is John Thurloe's brother-in-law and had thrived under the Commonwealth as a tax farmer, taking up farms of the excise or customs and advancing other sums, secure in the knowledge that he would get his money back. Charles II accepted Martin Noell as one of four London merchants — along with Thomas Povey, Nicholas Crispe and Andrew Riccard — to take their places with the Royalist courtiers on the Council for Plantations and as important councilors.
About Friday 26 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
It seems the Earl of Sandwich and family, plus maids and parson, William Howe and Mr. Povy are off to Hinchingbrooke. Some miles further on from Barnet, Sandwich owns an unnamed house at which they stop for the night. Despite being warmly welcomed by the Earl and Countess in their coach, and hearing he has been well-spoken of, Pepys leaves in a dudgeon and returns to London on Coventry's horse without saying goodbye.
What a peculiar outing. Why didn't Pepys -- in his finest riding outfit -- travel with the family from Lincoln's Inn, instead of the elaborate meet-up arrangements with Creed? Did Creed continue with the Montagus to Hinchingbrooke or go back to London with Pepys? Coventry must have thought the errand important, or he wouldn't have loaned Pepys the horse. I wonder if he took Towser with him, to be delivered to his father?
If old Uncle Wight hadn't been fondling Elizabeth, I bet this outing would have been explained better. I hope we can figure out the motivation in the next few days.
About Barnet, Hertfordshire
San Diego Sarah • Link
Barnet was becoming another spa town as early as 1653:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/…
Assumed date Sunday, June 5, 1653. Dorothy Osborne to William Temple Letter 23:
"I had a letter the last week from my Lady, who tells me that she has been ill from a pain at her stomach, and that she has been drinking Barnet Waters and has found herself better since. I thought they had been so lately found out, that nobody had known what they had been good for yet, or had ventured to take them. I could wish they were as proper for the spleen as Epsom or Tunbridge, they would lie much more conveniently for me."
About Friday 26 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
Highgate at the time could have been a dangerous place for travelers:
from http://www.okima.com/tour/islingt…
Islington and beyond
Islington in the 17th century was a rural area made up almost entirely of fields and cow sheds.
The northern approaches to London, especially Holloway, between Islington and Highgate, were the haunt of the famous highwayman, Claude Duval. When travelling through rural areas on horseback or by coach you were in danger of being robbed by highwaymen. Travelling on foot presented another danger, that of being apprehended by the local watch as a "wandering rogue".
Duval was a Frenchman who came to England as a valet shortly after the Restoration, then took to the road, leading a gang of robbers.
He became a romantic figure due to a story circulated about him, that he had stopped a woman's coach in which there was a booty of four hundred pounds but only took one hundred, allowing "the fair owner to ransom the rest by dancing a coranto with him on the Heath".
Claude Duval was captured in 1669, at Mother Maberley's tavern in Chandos Street, "The-Hole-In-The-Wall", and was brought to trial. His hanging at Tyburn was the scene of much loud lamentation from the crowd in attendance. He was 27 at the time of his death.
About Highgate
San Diego Sarah • Link
Highgate at the time could have been a dangerous place for travellers:
from http://www.okima.com/tour/islingt…
Islington and beyond
Islington in the 17th century was a rural area made up almost entirely of fields and cow sheds.
The northern approaches to London, especially Holloway, between Islington and Highgate, were the haunt of the famous highwayman, Claude Duval. When travelling through rural areas on horseback or by coach you were in danger of being robbed by highwaymen. Travelling on foot presented another danger, that of being apprehended by the local watch as a "wandering rogue".
Duval was a Frenchman who came to England as a valet shortly after the Restoration, then took to the road, leading a gang of robbers.
He became a romantic figure due to a story circulated about him, that he had stopped a woman's coach in which there was a booty of four hundred pounds but only took one hundred, allowing "the fair owner to ransom the rest by dancing a coranto with him on the Heath".
Claude Duval was captured in 1669, at Mother Maberley's tavern in Chandos Street, "The-Hole-In-The-Wall", and was brought to trial. His hanging at Tyburn was the scene of much loud lamentation from the crowd in attendance. He was 27 at the time of his death.
About Abraham Jaggard
San Diego Sarah • Link
SALTER, one who deals in Salt or Salt Fish -- An universal etymological English dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724. So not surprising that Abraham Jaggard served a dinner of “all fish”.
About Thursday 25 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"thence with Mr. Coventry by coach to the glasshouse and there dined, and both before and after did my Lord Peterborough’s accounts. ... having got a horse of Mr. Coventry to-day."
Pepys and Coventry have spent a lot of time together recently. He is evidently being groomed for services the old Admirals cannot perform. I wonder where Pepys will be riding tomorrow.
About Tuesday 16 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
I think we are all bothered by Sam not springing out of his coach and assaulting the abductors (Pepys included). Of course, he would have been beaten to a pulp for his troubles, and there was no police force to help. He chose discretion over valor, and to serve the King in a time of war, not a pretty girl. Hopefully it wasn't as bad an abduction as it appeared ... being someone's mistress could be a lifestyle improvement.
About Sir Edward Mountagu ("my Lord," Earl of Sandwich)
San Diego Sarah • Link
The British Civil War Project has a good article about Sandwich ... as you know, there is more than one Edward Montagu to select from at this time, and unfortunately the link is too long for this site, so I have to make a break in the middle so the important part doesn't get lost (i.e. you'll have to manually relink before pressing ENTER):
http://bcw-project.org/ biography/edward-montagu-earl-of-sandwich
About Tuesday 23 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
Ah the problem is that it gets shortened by this site, so I am cutting it in two, and hope you can link it back up ... http://bcw-project.org/biography/ edward-montagu-earl-of-sandwich
About Tuesday 23 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
The whole link is
http://bcw-project.org/biography/…
Hope that works for you. I hate those pesky 404 notifications.
About Tuesday 23 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... at noon to the ‘Change and there met with Sir W. Rider, ... and Mr. Cutler and Mr. Cooke, clerk to Mr. Secretary Morrice, a sober and pleasant man, and one that I knew heretofore, when he was my Lord ‘s secretary at Dunkirke."
So John Cooke is currently clerk to Secretary of State, Sir William Morice, and Pepys had known him when he was secretary to Sandwich in 1657-8 when he commanding the fleets that supported the joint Anglo-French attacks on Mardyke and Dunkirk. After the capture of Dunkirk in June 1658, General-at-Sea Edward Montagu was presented to Louis XIV, and entertained Cardinal Mazarin aboard his flagship, the Naseby. John Cooke might have seen it all, and have some tales to tell.
From: http://bcw-project.org/biography/…...
About John Cooke
San Diego Sarah • Link
Tuesday 23 February 1663/64
"... at noon to the ‘Change and there met with Sir W. Rider, ... and Mr. Cutler and Mr. Cooke, clerk to Mr. Secretary Morrice, a sober and pleasant man, and one that I knew heretofore, when he was my Lord ‘s secretary at Dunkirke."
So John Cooke is currently clerk to Secretary of State, Sir William Morice, and Pepys had known him when he was secretary to Sandwich in 1657-8 when he commanding the fleets that supported the joint Anglo-French attacks on Mardyke and Dunkirk. After the capture of Dunkirk in June 1658, General-at-Sea Edward Montagu was presented to Louis XIV, and entertained Cardinal Mazarin aboard his flagship, the Naseby. John Cooke might have seen it all, and have some tales to tell.
From: http://bcw-project.org/biography/…
About Tuesday 23 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"I'm guessing this is courage to accept the fear that a sudden change of circumstances - not for the better - is possible. Does Pepys position, rate of promotion and/or ambition put him in such a precarious position or is this a little political hypochondria?"
Just yesterday the King's brewer, Mr. Alsopp, has assured Pepys there is very little of the Dunkirk sale money left, and Charles II is spending generously on his children and limited court of friends. Pepys knows the Dutch are preparing for war, and knows England is not ready for the fight to come. If things turn out badly, he could well be amongst the fall guys. Carpe Diem.