Wednesday 22 January 1661/62
After musique-practice, to White Hall, and thence to Westminster, in my way calling at Mr. George Montagu’s, to condole him the loss of his son, who was a fine gentleman, and it is no doubt a great discomfort to our two young gentlemen, his companions in France. After this discourse he told me, among other news, the great jealousys that are now in the Parliament House. The Lord Chancellor, it seems, taking occasion from this late plot to raise fears in the people, did project the raising of an army forthwith, besides the constant militia, thinking to make the Duke of York General thereof. But the House did, in very open terms, say, they were grown too wise to be fooled again into another army; and said they had found how that man that hath the command of an army is not beholden to any body to make him King. There are factions (private ones at Court) about Madam Palmer; but what it is about I know not. But it is something about the King’s favour to her now that the Queen is coming.
He told me, too, what sport the King and Court do make at Mr. Edward Montagu’s leaving his things behind him. But the Chancellor (taking it a little more seriously) did openly say to my Lord Chamberlain, that had it been such a gallant as my Lord Mandeville his son, it might have; been taken as a frolique; but for him that would be thought a grave coxcomb, it was very strange.
Thence to the Hall, where I heard the House had ordered all the King’s murderers, that remain, to be executed, but Fleetwood and Downes.
So to the Wardrobe and there dined, meeting my wife there, who went after dinner with my Lady to see Mr. George Montagu’s lady, and I to have a meeting by appointment with Tho. Trice and Dr. Williams in order to a treating about the difference between us, but I find there is no hopes of ending it but by law, and so after a pint or two of wine we parted.
So to the Wardrobe for my wife again, and so home, and after writing and doing some things to bed.
14 Annotations
First Reading
Pedro. • Link
Sam has mentioned recently the Days of St.Thomas and St.John.
Although he has not recorded it, I am sure he knows that the 22nd is the Day of St.Vincent.
A. De Araujo • Link
"St. Vincent"
In 1662 St Vincent de Paul had been dead only 2 years,so he probably wasn't a Saint yet; unless you are talking about that rabble rouser St.Vincent Ferrer.
Stolzi • Link
This St. Vincent, he of Jan. 22,
was a martyr in Spain in 304.
JWB • Link
"...occassion of this late plot..."
Ballad: THE CARRION CROW.
"[This still popular song is quoted by Grose in his Olio, where it
is made the subject of a burlesque commentary, the covert political
allusions having evidently escaped the penetration of the
antiquary. The reader familiar with the annals of the Commonwealth
and the Restoration, will readily detect the leading points of the
allegory. The 'Carrion Crow' in the oak is Charles II., who is
represented as that bird of voracious appetite, because he deprived
the puritan clergy of their livings; perhaps, also, because he
ordered the bodies of the regicides to be exhumed--as Ainsworth
says in one of his ballads:-
The carrion crow is a sexton bold,
He raketh the dead from out of the mould.
The religion of the 'old sow,' whoever she may be, is clearly
pointed out by her little pigs praying for her soul. The 'tailor'
is not easily identified. It is possibly intended for some puritan
divine of the name of Taylor, who wrote and preached against both
prelacy and papacy, but with an especial hatred of the latter. In
the last verse he consoles himself by the reflection that,
notwithstanding the deprivations, his party will have enough
remaining from the voluntary contributions of their adherents. The
'cloak' which the tailor is engaged in cutting out, is the Genevan
gown, or cloak; the 'spoon' in which he desires his wife to bring
treacle, is apparently an allusion to the 'spatula' upon which the
wafer is placed in the administration of the Eucharist; and the
introduction of 'chitterlings and black-puddings' into the last
verse seems to refer to a passage in Rabelais, where the same
dainties are brought in to personify those who, in the matter of
fasting, are opposed to Romish practices. The song is found in
collections of the time of Charles II.]
The carrion crow he sat upon an oak,
And he spied an old tailor a cutting out a cloak.
Heigho! the carrion crow.
The carrion crow he began for to rave,
And he called the tailor a lousy knave!
Heigho! the carrion crow.
'Wife, go fetch me my arrow and my bow,
I'll have a shot at that carrion crow.'
Heigho! the carrion crow.
The tailor he shot, and he missed his mark,
But he shot the old sow through the heart.
Heigho! the carrion crow.
'Wife, go fetch me some treacle in a spoon,
For the old sow's in a terrible swoon!'
Heigho! the carrion crow.
The old sow died, and the bells they did toll,
And the little pigs prayed for the old sow's soul!
Heigho! the carrion crow.
'Never mind,' said the tailor, 'I don't care a flea,
There'll be still black-puddings, souse, and chitterlings for me.'
Heigho! the carrion crow." Robert Bell
http://www.fullbooks.com/Ancient-…
Mary • Link
"this late plot"
See Pepys entry for December 1st 1661. This refers to the so-called Yaranton (or Baxter) Plot; the government claimed to have uncovered a dangerous rebel movement planning to provoke a serious uprising. Sam was not inclined to believe that such a group/plot had actually existed nor is Parliament sufficiently impressed with the evidence to risk agreeing to the establishment of a standing army
JWB • Link
Fleetwood and Downes
Fleetwood signed Chas I's death warrant but later supported Gen'l Monk's march on London. For this I suppose he was spared. Downes said Cromwell bullied him into signing. Anyone who would say that of himself must have been bulliable & so likely to have told the truth.
vicenzo • Link
Fleetwoods: there be two: George Fleetwood -- A relative of Major-General Charles Fleetwood.
Geo: Brought to trial as a regicide, his life was spared. Imprisoned in the Tower until 1664 then transported to Tangier where he died 1672.
And Charles was allowed to live to old age, as long he did stayed far away and tended his roses or whatever.
Pedro. • Link
And the Rev Ralph today says..
22. A public fast to seek god in respect of the warm moist unkindly winter threatening a greater famine and pestilential diseases. oh how few lay any of gods judgements to heart.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"But the House did, in very open terms, say, they were grown too wise to be fooled again into another army; and said they had found how that man that hath the command of an army is not beholden to any body to make him King."
L&M note Mountagu as MP for Dover here reports on a debate on the militia bill held this day.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/… It had been proposed in committee to raise a new army under the Duke. A similar rumor will be reported 6 December 1665. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Clarendon's enemies (quite unjustly) accused him of attempting to introduce a sort of militarism into government -- a charge revived at his impeachment in 1667, and made plausible by his being the father-in-law to the Duke.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Mr. Edward Montagu’s leaving his things behind him. " http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
"I heard the House had ordered all the King’s murderers, that remain, to be executed, but Fleetwood and Downes."
L&M note by a vote of 21 January; Charles Fleetwood was reprieved because he had taken no part the the King's trial, and John Downes because he had acted under duress. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Sasha Clarkson • Link
To dot this particular "i", Charles Fleetwood was not a regicide: he did not have any role in the trial of Charles I and did not sign the death warrant. As Cromwell's son-in law, and a senior and popular army commander, he was too prominent to leave free but, like all of the very closest of Cromwell's surviving family and friends, he was allowed to live out his life.
The bodies of the deceased regicides were ritually punished and humiliated, but, apart from a few high profile examples, the living were treated with relative circumspection compared with the savage regime changes under the Tudors. That's why history speaks of a 'Bloody Mary', but not of a 'Bloody Charles'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List…
John G • Link
Madam Palmer and Samuel's wife are very much alike in facial features, aren't they. No wonder Samuel is enamoured.
Nick Hedley • Link
"But the House did, in very open terms, say, they were grown too wise to be fooled again into another army; and said they had found how that man that hath the command of an army is not beholden to any body to make him King."
This is the reason, I believe, why the UK has a Royal Navy and a Royal Air Force but no Royal Army to the present day. There are regiments with "Royal" titles, e.g. Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, but not the army as a whole