Tuesday 13 June 1665

Up and to the office, where all the morning doing business. At noon with Sir G. Carteret to my Lord Mayor’s to dinner, where much company in a little room, and though a good, yet no extraordinary table. His name, Sir John Lawrence, whose father, a very ordinary old man, sat there at table, but it seems a very rich man. Here were at table three Sir Richard Brownes, viz.: he of the Councill, a clerk, and the Alderman, and his son; and there was a little grandson also Richard, who will hereafter be Sir Richard Browne. The Alderman did here openly tell in boasting how he had, only upon suspicion of disturbances, if there had been any bad newes from sea, clapped up several persons that he was afeard of; and that he had several times done the like and would do, and take no bail where he saw it unsafe for the King. But by and by he said that he was now sued in the Exchequer by a man for false imprisonment, that he had, upon the same score, imprisoned while he was Mayor four years ago, and asked advice upon it. I told him I believed there was none, and told my story of Field, at which he was troubled, and said that it was then unsafe for any man to serve the King, and, I believed, knows not what to do therein; but that Sir Richard Browne, of the Councill, advised him to speak with my Lord Chancellor about it.

My Lord Mayor very respectfull to me; and so I after dinner away and found Sir J. Minnes ready with his coach and four horses at our office gate, for him and me to go out of towne to meet the Duke of Yorke coming from Harwich to-night, and so as far as Ilford, and there ’light. By and by comes to us Sir John Shaw and Mr. Neale, that married the rich widow Gold, upon the same errand. After eating a dish of creame, we took coach again, hearing nothing of the Duke, and away home, a most pleasant evening and road. And so to my office, where, after my letters wrote, to supper and to bed. All our discourse in our way was Sir J. Minnes’s telling me passages of the late King’s and his father’s, which I was mightily pleased to hear for information, though the pride of some persons and vice of most was but a sad story to tell how that brought the whole kingdom and King to ruine.

15 Annotations

First Reading

Australian Susan  •  Link

"...and his father’s, which I was mightily pleased to hear for information, though the pride of some persons and vice of most was but a sad story to tell how that brought the whole kingdom and King to ruine...."

Part of this "ruine"is exemplified by information uncovered at the recently restored Apethorpe Hall - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_new…
for detailed information - a secret passage connecting the bedrooms of James Villiers and his King has been found. JI was distracted by this handsome, but reprobate favourite to the detriment of good governance. The accompanying video in this link is a fascinating watch for those interested in history from a slightly earlier period than the Diary.

dirk  •  Link

John Evelyn's diary

"next day [= today 13 June], hearing the Fleete was at Sold-bay, I went homeward, lay at Chattham, in which journey, my Coach, by a rude justle against a Cart, was dangerously brused:"

Bryan M  •  Link

Apethorpe Hall

Thanks Susan for the great link. The story might also throw some light on a much discussed topic from earlier days, namely Sam’s walks on “the leads” at the Navy Office. In the video tour of Apethorpe Hall, Nick Hill discusses the restoration of the roof (7’00” to 7’30” of the video) from the vantage point of the roof walk and mentions the extensive lead work done as part of the restoration. Some good shots of the lead-lined roof walk at around 7’25” on the video.

PHE  •  Link

Great link Susan. It also gives a feel for the Royal decadence and reverance that Charles II so expertly re-established with the Restoration. Charming to see how the presenter is delicately emabarassed to refer to the 'very close relationship' between James I and the Duke of Buckingham when showing the secret link between their bedrooms.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

No doubt Alderman Browne's descendants work for the current US administration.

***
"...we took coach again, hearing nothing of the Duke, and away home, a most pleasant evening and road."

One would think Sam would be miffed at losing so much office time on a failed errand. Of course if it was a summons from the Duke and he'd expected to be trapped in a long line of anxious-to-fawn courtiers for several days, he may have gotten off much easier than hoped for.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"Don't worry about it. Ya doin' a great job, Brownie."

"Thank ye, my Lord Chancellor."

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"...though the pride of some persons and vice of most was but a sad story to tell how that brought the whole kingdom and King to ruine."

Thank God the Stuarts have learned from their mistakes, eh Sam?

CGS  •  Link

Never say an ill word about thy leader, where thee be can be heard by officialdom, otherwise it be the klink for thee.[where have I heard that before.?]
"...if there had been any bad newes from sea, clapped up several persons that he was afeard of; and that he had several times done the like and would do, and take no bail where he saw it unsafe for the King...."

When King George speaks to his oak tree, beware, especially when he gives the nod.

Ruben  •  Link

thank you A. Susan for the link. Very interesting.
But.
From the Wikipedia: "Elizabeth I... Apethorpe was one of the queen's favourite overnight stops on the Great North Road. The queen, James I and later Charles I between them made some thirteen visits to the house,.."
If this is true, the BBC presentation, concerning the secret passage reason d'etre is stretching the imagination behind logic.

Douglas Haney  •  Link

Thanks for link Susan. Re Ruben: According to the presenter Jame's & Buckingham's rooms were in the wing constructed in the early 1620s at James request. Moreover, the firepalces were customized to their stations eg the ship for Buckingham as admiral.

CGS  •  Link

"...After eating a dish of creame,..."
I wonder if he be punning.
OED:
1672 E. MONTAGUE tr. Barra's Art of Mettals II. xii. (1674) 38 Let it stand awhile, and if there arise a scum or cream, that is gross, or oily, scum it off.

dirk  •  Link

Some Dutch prisoners trying to escape...

From the Carte Papers (Bodleian Library)
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…

Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland to Ormond

Written from: Dublin
Date: 14 June 1665

"Communicate naval intelligence forwarded to the Council by Robert Southwell partly concerning endeavours, made by the Dutch prisoners confined in Cork Castle to effect an escape; and measures of precaution taken thereupon."

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Sir J. Minnes’s telling me passages of the late King’s and his father’s"

Mennes had served as a naval officer under James I as well as under Charles I.
(L&M note)

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