Saturday 14 April 1660

[Continued from yesterday’s entry. P.G.] …rose and drank a good morning draught there with Mr. Sheply, which occasioned my thinking upon the happy life that I live now, had I nothing to care for but myself. The sea was this morning very high, and looking out of the window I saw our boat come with Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, in it in great danger, who endeavouring to come on board us, had like to have been drowned had it not been for a rope. This day I was informed that my Lord Lambert is got out of the Towers and that there is 100l. proffered to whoever shall bring him forth to the Council of State.1 My Lord is chosen at Waymouth this morning; my Lord had his freedom brought him by Captain Tiddiman of the port of Dover, by which he is capable of being elected for them. This day I heard that the Army had in general declared to stand by what the next Parliament shall do. At night supped with my Lord.

36 Annotations

First Reading

vincent  •  Link

".....my thinking upon the happy life that I live now, had I nothing to care for but myself."
I wonder how many out can be truly be at one with sam's feelings. I am lucky enough to say the same. but I do share that with my bride of 45 yrs.

Emilio  •  Link

Happy life
Hmm . . . it seems to me he's saying there he would have a happy life, if he wasn't worried about his wife out in the countryside in a time of political instability. It's a sweet sentiment, but not quite as happy as the previous post sounds.

j a gioia  •  Link

drank a good morning draught

either the beer was from a better barrel or all traces of homesickness have gone. maybe it was all that good sea air.

today's note got me wondering when coffee began taking the place of near beer in the morn. i am guessing it was the advent of machines in number (and victorians) that did it.

Alan Bedford  •  Link

"... my Lord had his freedom brought..."

If I read this correctly, Montagu became a "free man"; i.e, a citizen, of Weymouth (I think we discussed this earlier in reference to London citizens.) He was then eligible to be elected to Parliament, which he was, immediately. We have seen that Montagu desired a seat for himself and/or close allies, and was previously thwarted.

Success at last!

M.Stolzenbach  •  Link

"I saw our boat come with Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, in it in great danger, who endeavouring to come on board us, had like to have been drowned had it not been for a rope."

This passage is quite delicious to those of us who are readers of the sea-novels [mentioned just recently] of Patrick O'Brian (in which the ship's surgeon Dr Maturin is always coming to grief while endeavouring to come on board).

Pauline  •  Link

"To which a seeming voice replied, and prevented all further jealousies. "
(In the footnote.) Can anyone enlighten us about this use of "jealousies"?

Alan, thanks for opening up the meaning of "freedom brought." But it does come after the semicolon and seems to refer to the captain of the port of Dover and standing for "them." Almost as if Montagu has gained one seat (Waymouth)and is now going after a second (Dover).

Ann  •  Link

Regarding "Jealousies" I think the following from OED may help:

OED Says:
5. Suspicion; apprehension of evil; mistrust. Now dial. to have in jealousy: to be suspicious of, suspect, mistrust (obs.).

c1385 CHAUCER L.G.W. 722 (Thisbe) Maydenys been I-kept for gelosye Ful streyte lyst they dedyn sum folye. 1523 PACE Let. to Hen. VIII in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) I. App. xi. 22 Against such persons as are had in a jelosie of revolting. 1541 Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 24

Mary  •  Link

Mr. Pierce the surgeon?

The L&M edition presents 'Mr. Pierce, the purser' at this point and, indeed, we met Mr. Pierce the purser once before, on March 3rd, in company with Lieutenant Lambert.

There was a Pierce, who was personal surgeon to James, Duke of York, but it looks as if this was a different chap.

Phil  •  Link

L&M and the 1893 edition also vary on which Pierce is referred to the very first time we come across them, 19th January 1659/60. I'm sticking with the 1893 version, although I guess we'll never know either way exactly who was where when!

Nix  •  Link

"Freedom" --

My sense is that the "freedom" document is in the nature of a release from the powers that be at Dover which allows him to take the seat from "Waymouth" instead. If this refers to Weymouth, which is quite a distance from Dover and is not one of the Cinque Ports, then perhaps Montague, having secured his political control of the Cinque Ports, is expanding his power base to include Weymouth instead. (Or is there also a Waymouth?)

gerry  •  Link

Maybe a small Spoiler, but Montagu was chosen at both places per L&M but did not take either up on his elevation.

Glyn  •  Link

You could be MP for several places at once at this time. I had the impression that he was being given the "freedom of the city". If you became a Freeman of a town or city you got certain privileges, including perhaps the right to become an MP there. But I haven't checked any of this and am just guessing.

helena murphy  •  Link

John Lambert's dramatic escape from the tower is further testimony of his daring and valour, but a finer example of his lack of wisdom which Macaulay alludes too. In England, Ireland and Scotland the King's return is eagerly expected,sectaries and fanatics have been weeded out of the navy , and the militia is commanded by the royalists ,Lord Oxford and Horatio Townsend. The King's picture hangs in the streets and the Council of State is forwarding the King's cause. After his escape he collected a small force and appeared with it near Daventry in Northamptonshire. However, so great was his military reputation that his action led to momentary alarm throughout the country. Pursued by the regicide, Colonel Richard Ingoldsby ,and deserted by his own men he was soon captured and committed once again to the tower.With his political demise goes that of the sectaries.

Jenny Doughty  •  Link

Regarding 'jealousies' - the word is still used in Scotland in the sense it is used in the footnote.

jalouse - To jalouse is to suspect or infer: 'I jaloused ye'd be wantin your tea.'

http://www.bcrockies.com/golf/sco…

Alan Bedford  •  Link

Thanks to Gerry and Glyn. That certainly clarifies Montagu's situation.

And I love the Scottish usage of the word "jalouse" as a verb. "Jealousy" certainly implies suspicion, even in modern usage. Thanks, Jenny.

vincent  •  Link

"FREEMAN" How this has changed. Then it was a true priveledge, it meant you could do limited thinks like work for yourself. If you google Freeman-in-the-city 1659 In Dublin for instance you got freeman as follows.There were 6 main categories of admission to the ancient Freedom of Dublin:

1. Admission by service (S) was granted to those who completed an apprenticeship in one of the Trade Guilds of Dublin.
2. Admission by Birth (B) was granted to sons, and sometimes daughters of Free Citizens.
3. Admission by Marriage (M) was granted to sons-in-law of Free Citizens.
4. Admission by Fine (F) was confined to prosperous professional men who were required to pay a substantial sum of money into the city treasury. Sometimes the Fine consisted of the presentation of a pair of gloves to the Lady Mayoress.
5. Admission by Grace Especial (G.E.) also known as Special Grace (sp. gr.) was the equivalent of the modern Honorary Freedom, and was reserved for dignitaries, and for craftsmen who were not in a trade guild.
6. Admission by an Act of Parliament (A.P.) to 'Encourage Protestant Strangers to settle in Ireland', was granted to French Huguenots and Quakers from England.
One Simon Hadly was a blacksmith. He was admitted as a Freeman, with the right to vote in municipal elections in Dublin City, by special grace. There is no indication of why he was admitted er special grace in the records.
thanks to :- http://www.hadleysociety.org/inde…

vincent  •  Link

"chosen" by whom: In Norwich for example : the voting went 1653 June 6th. Yarmouth sent five members to the "Little" Parliament, summoned, by Cromwell. Resigned December 12th.
Aug; 29th. General Monk granted a warrant to free Yarmouth fishermen in the herring fair from being pressed into the service of the State.
Lord Henry Cromwell, youngest son of Oliver, High Steward of the Borough.
1653 and 1654 - Norfolk sent ten members to Parliament.
1654 Dec. 16th. Oliver Cromwell proclaimed in the Market Place Proteetor of the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom.
Colonel William Goffe and. Thomas Dunne, Esq., were elected Burgesses to Parliament by three Aldermen and twenty-six Common Councilmenthus:
thanks to :- http://www.ean.co.uk/Data/Bygones…

vk  •  Link

An MP could not sit for more than one borough. If he was elected for more than one, he picked the one he wanted to sit for. The boroughs he turned down would have a by-election.

Some boroughs would compete to have an influential man represent them, because he had a greater chance of getting that borough's business attended to. Each borough had local problems it wanted addressed, but there were so many of these petty local concerns that Parliament could not address all of them.

I do not know what the special requirement to sit for Dover was, but it is important to remember that every borough had the right to choose members in its own way and almost every one had a unique system.

vk  •  Link

For example, here are the various methods of the Somerset boroughs.
http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archiv…

The varying methods of electing MPs in Somerset boroughs until the reforms of the nineteenth century were as follows:

Bath - The Mayor, Aldermen and Common Councillors chose the members. How far they were influenced by the wishes of the citizens will never be known.

Bridgwater - The Town Council of 24 members chose the representatives until 1768, when all those paying a special tax—scot and lot— were allowed to vote. The town became so notorious for corrupt practices that it was deprived of its representation in 1869.

Ilminster - The burgesses had the right to vote. This in effect meant all householders within the boundaries of the ancient town. Bribery and corruption were common, and elections were frequently challenged by petitions to Parliament.

Milborne Port - The town officers and the inhabitants who paid ‘scot and lot’ had the right to vote. The officers included nine capital bailiffs and their two deputies as well as two commonalty stewards. Most of the town property, however, was owned by two families, the Medlycotts and the Walters, who had considerable influence over the electors.

Minehead - All householders had the right to vote, but the town was part of the estate of the Luttrell family of Dunster. Considerable sums of money were spent in entertaining voters with banquets and great quantities of drink. Those who opposed the Luttrell candidates were threatened with eviction from their homes.

Taunton - ‘Potwallers’ had the right to vote in Taunton. These were men living within the ancient boundaries of the town, having a hearth on which they cooked their food. Lodgers were included. but not those who had received alms or charity. This appears to be a democratic form of election, but it led to considerable corruption and bribery. There was no important local family with influence in the town.

Wells - The mayor, masters and burgesses of the city had the right to vote. The masters were the senior officers of the craft guilds. As in the other parliamentary boroughs, there were frequent disputes about the qualifications of voters, as well as complaints about bribery.

vk  •  Link

Freeman
Just before being elected member for Cambridge in 1640, Oliver Cromwell had to pay a penny to the poor in order to be considered a freeman of the city.

jeannine  •  Link

Sandwich's Journal Entry today

"Saturday. Today Capt. Tiddeman and Mr. Kentall came from the town of Dover to present me the freedom of that Corporation, the which I accepted and accordingly took my oath as a freeman."

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

The etymology of "scot and lot," the franchise tax vk cited @ http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Scot and lot (from Old French escot, Old English sceot, a payment; lot, a portion or share) is a phrase common in the records of English medieval boroughs, applied to householders who were assessed for a tax (such as tallage) paid to the borough for local or national purposes.

They were usually members of a merchant guild.

Before the Reform Act 1832, those who paid scot and bore lot were often entitled to the franchise. The expression used today originated from this time period. Those who did not pay their taxes "got off 'scot-free'".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scot…

(Charming etymology of "scot-free"!)

Bill  •  Link

BARDOLPH
Sir John, there's one Master Brook below would fain
speak with you, and be acquainted with you; and hath
sent your worship a morning's draught of sack.
--The Merry Wives of Windsor. Act 2, Scene 2

Adam  •  Link

One wonders why the bed maker didn't climb out the window after fooling the jailer. It's doubtful they would even think her involved given that they would believe Lambert to have escaped in the early hours of the morning.

john  •  Link

"had like to have been drowned had it not been for a rope" is probably not merely a turn of phrase. I dimly recall that swimming then was not common and sailors overboard were typically considered lost. A reference to support or refute my memory would be appreciated.

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

Adam; probably the bedmaker was too weak to escape. A fit & desperate man in the prime of life [he was 41] like Lambert can easily climb down a rope - or in this case slide down it but a middle aged or indeed elderly woman cannot.

He was imprisoned on a Guernsey island until his death in 1684.

He was not a regicide but had been a leading man in the protectorate.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"My Lord is chosen at Waymouth this morning; my Lord had his freedom brought him by Captain Tiddiman of the port of Dover, by which he is capable of being elected for them. "

Note concerning Weymouth and Dover, Pepys writes "My Lord is capable of being elected for them": Mountagu was chosen for both places, but on being raised to the peerage resigned both nefore taking his seat..

Capt. Thomas Teddiman (a Dover man) acted as his agent there. For correspondence to and from Mountagu concerning these elections see Carte 73, ff, 357, 382, 394, 395. (Per L&M note)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

To correc t a typo.

L&M note concerning Weymouth and Dover: Pepys writes "My Lord is capable of being elected for them": Mountagu was chosen for both places, but on being raised to the peerage resigned both before taking his seat..

Third Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"My Lord is chosen at Waymouth this morning; [IE Montagu was elected as an MP for Weymouth today] SEMI-COLON
"my Lord had his freedom brought him by Captain Tiddiman of the port of Dover, by which he is capable of being elected for them." [IE as a freeman of the city of Dover, Montagu can now stand in their election, which is what he did].
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

Tonyel  •  Link

Does anyone know what happened to Joan who slept in for Lambert? I would imagine such a blatant act would have been a hanging offence.

Scube  •  Link

Yes. Wonder about Joan too. And I wonder if Patrick O'Brian drew inspiration from Pepy's diary. Fascinating that poor Lord Lambert spent the rest of his life in prison when so many others were pardoned either formally or informally.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Scube, in my readings I came across a back story about Lambert, and one reason he didn't earn a reprieve. I posted it at
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

It contains no spoilers of any consequence. It is an insight into how complicated people's relationships were during these difficult years.

3Lamps  •  Link

"...which occasioned my thinking upon the happy life that I live now, had I nothing to care for but myself."

I suspect here that Pepys may be referring to a feeling that comes during military or naval deployments, when one only needs to focus on the task at hand in the next day or two. Both day-to-day and longer term challenges faced routinely during 'normal' life at home, such as paying the rent, shopping for clothes, figuring out where your next meal is coming from, managing your schedule, making and adhering to social commitments, etc., all disappear from view while deployed. All that remains is to look after yourself and your team, and to complete the short-term and well-defined tasks that are immediately in front of you. Even with all the correspondence Pepys is sending and receiving, the 'usual' problems of daily life no doubt continue to seem far off and much less immediately significant. Once again, Pepys' observations from 363 years ago are so relatable that they may as well be contemporary.

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