Tuesday 18 September 1660
At home all the morning looking over my workmen in my house. After dinner Sir W. Batten, Pen, and myself by coach to Westminster Hall, where we met Mr. Wayte the lawyer to the Treasurer, and so we went up to the Committee of Parliament, which are to consider of the debts of the Army and Navy, and did give in our account of the twenty-five ships. Col. Birch was very impertinent and troublesome. But at last we did agree to fit the accounts of our ships more perfectly for their view within a few days, that they might see what a trouble it is to do what they desire. From thence Sir Williams both going by water home, I took Mr. Wayte to the Rhenish winehouse, and drank with him and so parted.
Thence to Mr. Crew’s and spoke with Mr. Moore about the business of paying off Baron our share of the dividend. So on foot home, by the way buying a hat band and other things for my mourning to-morrow. So home and to bed. This day I heard that the Duke of York, upon the news of the death of his brother yesterday, came hither by post last night.
11 Annotations
First Reading
Paul Miller • Link
"by the way buying a hat band and other things for my mourning to-morrow".
-- weeper's hat: heavy hatband of black worn at funeral's
Paul Brewster • Link
Mr. Wayte that belongs to the Treasurer
L&M: "that belongs" replaces "the lawyer"
Paul Brewster • Link
paying of Baron
L&M: "of" replaces "off" and add the footnote: "Privy seal fees, divided between the clerks and the Lord Privy Seal."
Paul Brewster • Link
Collonell Birch was very impertinent and troublesome
L&M footnote: "John Birch long remained a vigorous critic of Pepys and of the government's naval administration (e.g. in the debates of 1677-8)."
vincent • Link
"This day I heard that the Duke of York, upon the news of the death of his brother yesterday, came hither by post last night." 'post', by horse. we now use(maybe) poste haste - in A RUSH
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
The Duke apparently used whatever post horses he could find.
post′ horse`
n.
(formerly) a horse kept for the use of persons carrying the post or for hire by travelers.
[1520–30] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/…
Dick Wilson • Link
I believe Vincent was on the right track. Mail was delivered to a post office which frequently was at the bar of a local tavern or some such establishment. There it would sit until the next time the addressee happened to visit. But if a sender wrote HASTE-HASTE-HASTE above the address, then the landlord might send a boy to tell the addressee that he had important mail to be collected, or he might send a boy to deliver it, in hopes of a modest tip.
Gerald Berg • Link
"Those Post-horses will seem too slow,
though they should fly as swiftly as the gods,
when they ride behind that postboy,
Opportunity."
Henry Fielding Tom Thumb the Great
Chris Squire UK • Link
‘post-horse, n. A horse kept at a post-house or inn for the use of post-riders*, or for hire by travellers.
. . 1617 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. 61 In England.., Post-horses are established at every ten miles or thereabouts, which they ride a false gallop after some ten miles an hower.
. . 1688 T. D'Urfey Fool's Preferment iii. iv. 47 Tell 'em, I expect their Attendance. Go, take up Post-Horses, and make haste . . ‘
* ‘n. now hist. a person who carries letters and other mail by horseback; one who rides express with news.’
[OED]
Terry Foreman • Link
Post riders and post horses in England and the mail
It was in England, during the Elizabethan period where the post rider truly began to serve all comers almost in spite of the declared restrictive policy of the Government as regards to their public use. Merchants and farmers, constables and innkeepers, soldiers and sailors were using the Posts, attesting to the remarkable standard of literacy of the ordinary people.
A huge number of horses was involved in this operation as each stage was only about 10 miles, after which a fresh horse was used. In most cases the horses were kept at Inns or Hostelries. There was also for the first time, a system of Post Roads although the original usage referred more to the fixed routes of the service than the thoroughfares themselves. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pos…
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Robert Waith -- L&M Companion: "Appointed Paymaster to the Navy Treasurer [CARTERET] 1660, and possibly the 'Wayte' who was a royalist financial agent in Brussels in 1659. As paymaster he was distrusted ..."
I wonder why Sir George wasn't standing by his colleagues today, but delegated a Parliamentary Committee hearing to someone who was a Royalist financial agent in Brussels last year. At least Sir George could speak with authority about what makes a ship "ship-shape and Bristol fashion" and probable costs of such work.
Of course, Penn and Batten can do that as well.