Saturday 9 June 1666

Up, and to St. James’s, there to wait on the Duke of Yorke, and had discourse with him about several businesses of the fleete. But, Lord! to see how the Court is divided about The Swiftsure and The Essex’s being safe. And wagers and odds laid on both sides. I did tell the Duke how Sir W. Batten did tell me this morning that he was sure the Swiftsure is safe. This put them all in a great joy and certainty of it, but this I doubt will prove nothing.

Thence to White Hall in expectation of a meeting of Tangier, and we did industriously labour to have it this morning; but we could not get a fifth person there, so after much pains and thoughts on my side on behalfe of Yeabsly, we were fain to breake up. But, Lord! to see with what patience Lord Ashly did stay all the morning to get a Committee, little thinking that I know the reason of his willingnesse. So I home to dinner and back again to White Hall, and, being come thither a little too soon, went to Westminster Hall, and bought a payre of gloves, and to see how people do take this late fight at sea, and I find all give over the thoughts of it as a victory and to reckon it a great overthrow.

So to White Hall, and there when we were come all together in certain expectation of doing our business to Yeabsly’s full content, and us that were his friends, my Lord Peterborough (whether through some difference between him and my Lord Ashly, or him and me or Povy, or through the falsenesse of Creed, I know not) do bring word that the Duke of Yorke (who did expressly bid me wait at the Committee for the dispatch of the business) would not have us go forward in this business of allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry were come to towne, which was the very thing indeed which we would have avoided. This being told us, we broke up doing nothing, to my great discontent, though I said nothing, and afterwards I find by my Lord Ashly’s discourse to me that he is troubled mightily at it, and indeed it is a great abuse of him and of the whole Commissioners that nothing of that nature can be done without Sir G. Carteret or Sir W. Coventry.

No sooner was the Committee up, and I going [through] the Court homeward, but I am told Sir W. Coventry is come to town; so I to his chamber, and there did give him an account how matters go in our office, and with some content I parted from him, after we had discoursed several things of the haste requisite to be made in getting the fleete out again and the manner of doing it. But I do not hear that he is at all pleased or satisfied with the late fight; but he tells me more newes of our suffering, by the death of one or two captains more than I knew before. But he do give over the thoughts of the safety of The Swiftsure or Essex.

Thence homewards, landed at the Old Swan, and there find my pretty Betty Michell and her husband at their doore in Thames Streete, which I was glad to find, and went into their shop, and they made me drink some of their strong water, the first time I was ever with them there. I do exceedingly love her. After sitting a little and talking with them about several things at great distance I parted and home to my business late. But I am to observe how the drinking of some strong water did immediately put my eyes into a fit of sorenesse again as they were the other day. I mean my right eye only.

Late at night I had an account brought me by Sir W. Warren that he has gone through four lighters for me, which pleases me very well. So home to bed, much troubled with our disappointment at the Tangier Committee.

22 Annotations

First Reading

cape henry  •  Link

"...do bring word that the Duke of Yorke (who did expressly bid me wait at the Committee for the dispatch of the business) would not have us go forward in this business of allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry were come to towne..." Forget the fog of war, this is the more stupefying fog of meetings. This entry gives a glimpse of the circular firing squad that must be forming in the wake of the defeat.

cgs  •  Link

Glassy eyed?
"...I am to observe how the drinking of some strong water did immediately put my eyes into a fit of sorenesse again as they were the other day..."

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"The Swiftsure and The Essex’s being safe"

They are, but in the hands of the Dutch since 2 June.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Does the Tangier Committee have problems defining a quorum?

Mary  •  Link

"Lord Ashly did stay ...... the reason of his willingness"

Sam still making allusion to the (false) rumour that Ashly has a £500 bribe in view.

Mary  •  Link

Tangier Committee

Not so much that it has a problem defining a quorum as a problem in gathering a quorum. Just another example of the number of times Pepys expects to be involved in a meeting of one sort or another when a necessary party fails to show up and the meeting has to be postponed.

Michael Robinson  •  Link

" ... allusion to the (false) rumour ..."

We have no actual knowledge of truth or falsity; only L&M inferring, on the basis of one biography, in their footnote to the entry of May 20th.,Vol vii p 128.
( http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… ) that Ashley was not bribed: "The story of the bribe is probably untrue ... Ashley (Shaftsbury) was not corrupt and in any case was too rich to be corrupted by a gift of L100."

What we do know is that there has been a complete change in Ashley's behavior to Yearsby's account, from oppositional on the May 11th.

" ...I find him one of the most distinct men that ever I did see in my life. He raised many scruples which were to be answered another day and so parted, ..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

to facilitatory on the 21st.:
" ... I away in some haste to my Lord Ashly, where it is stupendous to see how favourably, and yet closely, my Lord Ashly carries himself to Mr. Yeabsly, in his business, so as I think we shall do his business for him in very good manner. But it is a most extraordinary thing to observe, and that which I would not but have had the observation of for a great deal of money. ..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

and that on the 20th. SP reports not only being told of a bribe but that this is direct confirmation of Ashley's contemporary reputation as corrupt:

" ... discoursed awhile with Mr. Yeabsly, whom I met and took up in my coach with me, and who hath this day presented my Lord Ashly with 100l. to bespeak his friendship to him in his accounts now before us; and my Lord hath received it, and so I believe is as bad, as to bribes, as what the world says of him."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Tony Eldridge  •  Link

Ashley (Shaftsbury) was not corrupt and in any case was too rich to be corrupted by a gift of L100.”
Then, as now, many men became rich via corruption - and once they were/are rich, it doesn't stop them being greedy.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"So to White Hall, and there when we were come all together in certain expectation of doing our business to Yeabsly’s full content, and us that were his friends, my Lord Peterborough (whether through some difference between him and my Lord Ashly, or him and me or Povy, or through the falsenesse of Creed, I know not) do bring word that the Duke of Yorke (who did expressly bid me wait at the Committee for the dispatch of the business) would not have us go forward in this business of allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry were come to towne, which was the very thing indeed which we would have avoided."

Seems the loss of the ships somehow would have rebounded to Yeasbly's (and therefore Sam's, Petersborough's, Ashley's, etc, etc) credit)? Meaning Yeasbly could have claimed the loss of the supplies on board? Or, would have been the favored choice to resupply?

Spoiler...

Wonder if perhaps Ashley's going to be nursing a grudge against Sam as a result of these transactions in future when he targets him for a Papist, going to no little amount of deliberate smearing to destroy him. Perhaps Sam has or will make the mistake of hinting they're both tarred with Yeasbly's brush. A small thing perhaps...And one Sam himself might not realize had gotten him on the wrong side of wrath, but one that might rankle with a fellow like Shaftsbury. Or could be he will keep the memory that the fair-haired boy of the Naval Office, Mr. Pepys, is not above graft...So why not get the corrupt little fellow on a Papist charge?

Australian Susan  •  Link

Back to Sam's day in London with the Tube strike: river shuttle ferries have been introduced.

Mary  •  Link

River boats.
Yes, and very long queues there were, too ...... up to an hour's wait for some.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"But, Lord! to see how the Court is divided about The Swiftsure and The Essex’s being safe. And wagers and odds laid on both sides. "

L&M: Neither returned: both had been taken by the Dutch on the 2nd.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"after we had discoursed several things of the haste requisite to be made in getting the fleete out again and the manner of doing it. "

L&M: In a letter to Coventry, dated this day (Longleat, Coventry 97, MSS F. 21r). Pepys referred to their meeting in the afternoon, snd detailed the stepsx he was taking to victual the fleet. He kept a note of these preparations: Rawl. A195a, pp. 247-8.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I am to observe how the drinking of some strong water did immediately put my eyes into a fit of sorenesse again as they were the other day. "

L&M note on 23 May strong beer had caused him similar discomfort.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"Seems the loss of the ships somehow would have rebounded to Yeasbly's (and therefore Sam's, Petersborough's, Ashley's, etc, etc) credit)? Meaning Yeasbly could have claimed the loss of the supplies on board? Or, would have been the favored choice to resupply?"

I believe this is a stalled meeting of the Tangier Committee, and they are trying to get supplies to North Africa, not to the fleet (a different nightmare for Pepys which does not include the troublesome Lord Ashley so far as I know).

The fleet has been in the mouth of the Thames for the last month; Yeasbly comes either from Portsmouth or Plymouth, according to which L&M annotation you believe. It wouldn't be economical to supply the fleet from either of those ports.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

I was so confused by the Yeabsley business I read all the Diary entries about him in order. This entry seems to refer to some Tangier supply ships that had sunk. This reference is to those ships, not the fleet currently in the Thames. As to whose credit this reverts to, I don't know. Perhaps insurance was involved? Too many unknowns here to answer your question.

David G  •  Link

I picture Sam knocking back a glass of "strong water" and chocking, having learned the important lesson that one does not drink spirits the way one drinks wine. Are there any other instances in the diary in which he drinks spirits (rather than wine or beer)? I haven't done a word search, but none come to mind.

Bryan  •  Link

"the Duke of Yorke ... would not have us go forward in this business of allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry were come to towne"
SDS, this comment most likely refers to the Tangier supply ships waiting to sail. "Allowing the losse" means letting them sail to Tangier so they are not available as replacements for the ships lost in the Four Days Battle. The DoY wants the Tangier Committee to wait before making a decision until Carteret and Coventry, who are down inspecting the fleet, return with more accurate information about recent losses to the English fleet.

Gerald Berg  •  Link

I doubt the distillation process was yielding a pure distilled spirit. Somewhere down market from pure spirit distillation the process yields wood alcohol. Drinking such products brings blindness and death. Good luck with that Sam!

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