Wednesday 5 July 1665
Up, and advised about sending of my wife’s bedding and things to Woolwich, in order to her removal thither. So to the office, where all the morning till noon, and so to the ’Change, and thence home to dinner. In the afternoon I abroad to St. James’s, and there with Mr. Coventry a good while, and understand how matters are ordered in the fleete: that is, my Lord Sandwich goes Admiral; under him Sir G. Ascue, and Sir T. Teddiman; Vice-Admiral, Sir W. Pen; and under him Sir W. Barkeley, and Sir Jos. Jordan: Reere-Admiral, Sir Thomas Allen; and under him Sir Christopher Mings, and Captain Harman. We talked in general of business of the Navy, among others how he had lately spoken to Sir G. Carteret, and professed great resolution of friendship with him and reconciliation, and resolves to make it good as well as he can, though it troubles him, he tells me, that something will come before him wherein he must give him offence, but I do find upon the whole that Mr. Coventry do not listen to these complaints of money with the readiness and resolvedness to remedy that he used to do, and I think if he begins to draw in it is high time for me to do so too.
From thence walked round to White Hall, the Parke being quite locked up; and I observed a house shut up this day in the Pell Mell, where heretofore in Cromwell’s time we young men used to keep our weekly clubs. And so to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who is come this day from Chatham, and mighty glad he is to see me, and begun to talk of our great business of the match, which goes on as fast as possible, but for convenience we took water and over to his coach to Lambeth, by which we went to Deptford, all the way talking, first, how matters are quite concluded with all possible content between my Lord and him and signed and sealed, so that my Lady Sandwich is to come thither to-morrow or next day, and the young lady is sent for, and all likely to be ended between them in a very little while, with mighty joy on both sides, and the King, Duke, Lord Chancellor, and all mightily pleased.
Thence to newes, wherein I find that Sir G. Carteret do now take all my Lord Sandwich’s business to heart, and makes it the same with his owne.
He tells me how at Chatham it was proposed to my Lord Sandwich to be joined with the Prince in the command of the fleete, which he was most willing to; but when it come to the Prince, he was quite against it; saying, there could be no government, but that it would be better to have two fleetes, and neither under the command of the other, which he would not agree to. So the King was not pleased; but, without any unkindnesse, did order the fleete to be ordered as above, as to the Admirals and commands: so the Prince is come up; and Sir G. Carteret, I remember, had this word thence, that, says he, by this means, though the King told him that it would be but for this expedition, yet I believe we shall keepe him out for altogether. He tells me how my Lord was much troubled at Sir W. Pen’s being ordered forth (as it seems he is, to go to Solebay, and with the best fleete he can, to go forth), and no notice taken of my Lord Sandwich going after him, and having the command over him. But after some discourse Mr. Coventry did satisfy, as he says, my Lord, so as they parted friends both in that point and upon the other wherein I know my Lord was troubled, and which Mr. Coventry did speak to him of first thinking that my Lord might justly take offence at, his not being mentioned in the relation of the fight in the news book, and did clear all to my Lord how little he was concerned in it, and therewith my Lord also satisfied, which I am mightily glad of, because I should take it a very great misfortune to me to have them two to differ above all the persons in the world.
Being come to Deptford, my Lady not being within, we parted, and I by water to Woolwich, where I found my wife come, and her two mayds, and very prettily accommodated they will be; and I left them going to supper, grieved in my heart to part with my wife, being worse by much without her, though some trouble there is in having the care of a family at home in this plague time, and so took leave, and I in one boat and W. Hewer in another home very late, first against tide, we having walked in the dark to Greenwich.
Late home and to bed, very lonely.
12 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"Mr. Coventry did speak to [my Lord] of first thinking that my Lord might justly take offence at, his not being mentioned in the relation of the fight in the news book"
Sandwich was not mentioned in the first press accounts of the Battle of Lowestoft. Pepys relied on the press account referenced here in the part of the Diary entry of 8 June titled: "Victory over the Dutch, June 3rd, 1665" http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
What the King thinks matters more than what the press said, and Mr. Coventry was not their source, so all is well.
Patricia • Link
"Late home and to bed, very lonely."
All is forgiven, Sam: the womanizing, the lechery. Now we know they don't mean a thing. He is lonely without his wife. Very touching.
Terry Foreman • Link
"it was proposed to my Lord Sandwich to be joined with the Prince in the command of the fleete, which he was most willing to; but when it come to the Prince, he was quite against it; saying, there could be no government, but that it would be better to have two fleetes, and neither under the command of the other, which he would not agree to."
Sandwich is the "he" who "would not agree to" (so L&M) an arrangement other than only one admiral in charge of a unified fleet; and the King concurs, though knowing Rupert's not a happy camper.
Robert Gertz • Link
I don't think it's for us to forgive nor is the man asking for Posterity's forgiveness; it's his commitment to breathtaking honesty about himself in all his faults and flaws that is impressive. What we learn here is that when alone, in his heart of hearts he is compelled to state that he is very attached to his wife...No 'hooray, I'm free to chase girls'...Yet. Many a man or woman who professes utter devotion to the spouse and bears his- or herself beyond reproach in daily life hides bitter hatred and resentment or worse, utter indifference toward their mate.
Besides, though I generally take Bess' part (and agree that Sam does not deserve her-though I suspect that he knows that better than any of us), it may turn out in some afterlife that we will find the Diary of Elisabeth Pepys has some interesting moments. Just to learn say that she never cared for him and regarded him as nothing more than a source of funds and protection would probably hurt Sam far worse than any quick-thrill affair with Pembleton or Sandwich.
Actually I'm still more troubled by the Uncle Wight affair than most of the Betty/Sarah/Mary/flower silliness...I know you can't choose what your family's genes spawn but how he can let that fellow into the house or visit with him? Makes my flesh crawl at the coldness of it however pathetic and silly the old would-be Lothario might be...Bess' comments on Wight and Sam's behavior I would definitely like to read.
And of course Mrs. Bagwell...And the little girls, Griffin and Tooker. True abuse of power, apart from the infidelity, and regardless of whether or not Mrs. B or others did any maneuvering themselves. Surely Sam there were enough willing Dianas and Bettys about.
Pedro • Link
“What the King thinks matters more than what the press said, and Mr. Coventry was not their source, so all is well.”
Terry I think we may have to read between the lines here. I believe that what the King thinks is what matters, and as we have seen he has personally thanked Sandwich in a letter. However, during the time running up to the Dutch War the Duke of York with his bias against Sandwich had sent Coventry, Secretary to the Lord High Admiral, to sound out Sandwich about going to sea.
If my memory serves me rightly Coventry is also anti Sandwich and he used Sam as a go between, and was a little annoyed that Sandwich had said that he would go in any capacity.
The Press I take to be The Intelligencer and written by Roger L’Estrange. In Granville Penn’s Memorials (p333) to his grandfather he observes that the Second Narrative published on June the 10th written by L’Estrange is “no other than Coventry’s letter to Monck”.
There is also the timing of the letter to send Penn out with the Fleet while Sandwich makes a quick visit to his sick wife, knowing that he only has a brief period of around a day or so to travel back to the Fleet.
I think that on this day Sam is much more satisfied than his Lord.
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... his [Sandwich] not being mentioned in the relation of the fight in the news book, ..."
For Sandwich's discussion of his concern with SP see:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... but when it come to the Prince, he was quite against it; ..."
Sandwich's comments on Rupert's conduct at Lowestoft:
"he hath been with them both [The Duke and Coventry] when they have made sport of the Prince and laughed at him: ... he assuring me, that though by accident the Prince was in the van the beginning of the fight for the first pass, yet all the rest of the day my Lord was in the van, and continued so. That notwithstanding all this noise of the Prince, he had hardly a shot in his side nor a man killed, ..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"how matters are ordered in the fleete"
Cf. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Sandwich commanded the Red; Penn (although senior) taking the inferior command, that of the White: Penn, ii. 361-2. (L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"I observed a house shut up this day in the Pell Mell, where heretofore in Cromwell’s time we young men used to keep our weekly clubs."
L&M: At Wood's: cf. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
These clubs were a common feature of tavern life in London.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Late home and to bed -- very alonely."
Methinks this L&M transcription puts a slightly different spin on it.
"
Tonyel • Link
" so that my Lady Sandwich is to come thither to-morrow or next day, and the young lady is sent for,"
Do we know if Jemima has actually met her husband-to-be? Not, of course, that it matters as long as the King and others approve of the match.
Gerald Berg • Link
Lonely Peeps: it’s been a long time since Pepys has had anything to say to his diary about Liz. The last comment I can recall was where he wasn’t sure he made a good deal with regards marrying Elizabeth. Was that really the last time?