Monday 27 January 1661/62

This morning, both Sir Williams and I by barge to Deptford-yard to give orders in businesses there; and called on several ships, also to give orders, and so to Woolwich, and there dined at Mr. Falconer’s of victuals we carried ourselves, and one Mr. Dekins, the father of my Morena, of whom we have lately bought some hemp. That being done we went home again.

This morning, going to take water upon Tower-hill, we met with three sleddes standing there to carry my Lord Monson and Sir H. Mildmay and another, to the gallows and back again, with ropes about their necks; which is to be repeated every year, this being the day of their sentencing the King.

19 Annotations

First Reading

A. De Araujo  •  Link

"the father of my Morena"
what is he refering to? in Portuguese and Spanish, that means tan skinned woman, derived from moorish cf Sierra Morena.

Glyn  •  Link

Morena was Pepys' nickname for a brown-haired little girl named Elizabeth Dickons:

http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…

It's interesting that it's of Spanish origin.

Glyn  •  Link

The gallows were on Tower Hill, i.e. outside the Tower of London itself, close to where the Underground station now is.

It was an exceptional privilege to be allowed to be executed inside the Tower on Tower Green, away from the view of the people.

Bradford  •  Link

Sleddes? To slow the procession? Must be a bumpy ride, sans snow.

gerry  •  Link

As to the sleddes, per L&M "Viscount Monson, Sir Henry Mildmay,and Robert Wallop had been members of the regicide tribunal, but had not attended its later meetings and did not sign the death-warrant. At their trial in July1681 their lives had been spared, butthey had suffered degradation from all offices, forfeiture of estates and life imprisonment, as well as the punishment here described."
Personally I have to say that Mildmay makes me think of my favorite author Trollope.

Australian Susan  •  Link

Persons to be executed were tied to a wooden frame on runners to prevent their running away as they were taken from their place of confinement to their place of execution. This punishment for the nearly-regicides highlights their degradation, offers the chance for street people to throw the customary rotten vegetables, or spit etc on them. All very nasty. But at least they escaped execution. How long did this go on for?

Australian Susan  •  Link

"my Morena"
Another instance of Sam's affection for children and enjoyment in their company - even when they are imperious little women, such as The Turner!

Mary House  •  Link

Am I reading this correctly? Are these almost-regicides to be taken up and down this hill in this manner every year? Were they imprisoned the rest of the year?

vicenzo  •  Link

see added info :Mildmay and Monson

Linda  •  Link

I'm doing an assignment on E.J. Pratt at the moment which needs some interpretation in reference to Pepys himself. In the poem: "The Witches Brew", Pratt uses famous names and has them say things that have hidden meanings in and of themselves according to the speaker. The quote I'm attempting to interpret is:
"Pepys:
What maddening impulse makes that shark,
Which ought, by its own nature, choose a
Mate of its own kind, to spark
With that gelatinous Medusa?"

I'm thinking the entire thing is concerning Pepys' marriage to Elizabeth, but what are your interpretations?

LCrichton  •  Link

there dined at Mr. Falconer's of victuals we carried ourselves
Taking a pack lunch to work - I hope they took enough to share with Mr Falconer

Wim van der Meij  •  Link

- and another -
The other is Robert Wallop, the direct ancestor of the present Earl of Portsmouth. He died in the Tower on November 16th 1667. (Warrington)

Pauline  •  Link

I'm doing an assignment
Linda, is Sam saying this or is it being said about him? If the first it could be his comment on King Charles II—or someone whose sparking hasn’t entered the diary yet (we still have eight years of reading and living to accumulate the information necessary to help with your assignment).

vicenzo  •  Link

No wonder Sir Wm: Pen be upset with his offspring: Quakers be in trouble again [poor Pen snr}.
The Hof L did

Hodie 3avice lecta est Billa, "An Act for preventing the Mischiefs and Dangers that may arise, by certain Persons called Quakers refusing to take lawful Oaths."

From: British History Online
Source: House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 28 January 1662. Journal of the House of Lords: volume 11, ().
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Date: 29/01/2005

vicenzo  •  Link

note: today in the House of Lords, discuss the privileges for offspring of toffs [The landed and spiritual few] .
Peers Children, Privilege.
Ly. Eliz. Wriouthsley.
ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That it is hereby referred to the Grand Committee of Privileges, to consider, at their next Meeting, how far the Privilege of Parliament extends to a Child of a Peer of this Realm, residing in the Father's House; and how far the Lady Elizabeth Wriothsley, Daughter to the Lord Treasurer, is to have Privilege in this Case; and afterwards to make Report to this House.

From: British History Online
Source: House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 31 January 1662. Journal of the House of Lords: volume 11, ().
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Date: 01/02/2005

Second Reading

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

OED has:

‘morena, n.1 < Spanish morena, feminine form corresponding to moreno moreno n.
1. A woman with dark-coloured hair; a brunette. Obs. rare.
1662 S. Pepys Diary 27 Jan. (1970) III. 19 One Mr. Dekins, the father of my Morena . . ‘

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"This morning, going to take water upon Tower-hill, we met with three sleddes standing there to carry my Lord Monson and Sir H. Mildmay and another, to the gallows and back again, with ropes about their necks; which is to be repeated every year, this being the day of their sentencing the King.

Viscount Monson, Sir Henry Mildmay, and Robert Wallop had been members of the regicide tribunal, but had not attended its later meetings and did not sign the death-warrant. At their trial in July 1661 their lives had been spared, but they had suffered degredation from all titles and offices, forfeiture of all estates and life imprisonment, as well as the punishment here described.
(L&M note)

Third Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"This morning, both Sir Williams and I by barge to Deptford-yard to give orders in businesses there; and called on several ships, also to give orders, ..."

Nonconformity was still an issue in Deptford (last year's tension is reported https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… ]

"In 1662, 'Concerned about meetings of armed dissidents near Deptford in January, the king directed a constable with a band of volunteers to seize all concealed weapons in Blackheath Hundred.
"In March, London authorities discovered that the grocer Thomas Bone had some 12 lbs. of powder and 6 bullets. Bone not only had ties to the Fifth Monarchist preacher Anthony Palmer, who told him "thes times cannot last long" but was also sending provision to men incarcerated in the Tower for treason'."

More information can be found in the book, 'Radical Underground in Britain, 1660-1663' by Richard Lee Greaves.

This excerpt is from
https://transpont.blogspot.com/20…

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