Thursday 4 October 1666

Up, and mighty betimes, to [Sir] W. Coventry, to give him an account of yesterday’s work, which do give him good content. He did then tell me his speech lately to the House in his owne vindication about the report of his selling of places, he having a small occasion offered him by chance, which he did desire, and took, and did it to his content, and, he says, to the House’s seeming to approve of it by their hum. He confessed how long he had done it, and how he desired to have something else; and, since then, he had taken nothing, and challenged all the world. I was glad of this also. Thence up to the Duke of York, by appointment, with fellow officers, to complaine, but to no purpose, of want of money, and so away. I to Sir G. Carteret, to his lodging, and here discoursed much of the want of money and our being designed for destruction. How the King hath lost his power, by submitting himself to this way of examining his accounts, and is become but as a private man. He says the King is troubled at it, but they talk an entry shall be made, that it is not to be brought into example; that the King must, if they do not agree presently, make them a courageous speech, which he says he may do, the City of London being now burned, and himself master of an army, better than any prince before him, and so I believe. Thence home, about noon, to dinner. After dinner the book binder come, and I sent by him some more books to gild. I to the office all day, and spent most of it with Sir W. Warren, whom I have had no discourse with a great while, and when all is done I do find him a mighty wise man as any I know, and his counsel as much to be followed. Late with Mr. Hater upon comparing the charge and husbandry of the last Dutch war with ours now, and do find good roome to think we have done little worse than they, whereof good use may and will be made. So home to supper, and to bed.

22 Annotations

First Reading

Margaret  •  Link

"...to the House’s seeming to approve of it by their hum."

I love the image this brings to mind.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"...the House’s seeming to approve of it by their hum."

To hum used to signify " to applaud," " to pretend admiration," hence " to natter," " to cajole for an end," "to deceive."

" He threatened, hut behold ! 'twas all a hum." Peter Pindar, i. 430.

"'Gentlemen, this humming [expression of applause] ia not at all becoming the gravity of tbis court."—State Trial* (10»).

Dictionary of phrase and fable By Ebenezer Cobham Brewer Edition: 4 - 1894 P635

Michael Robinson  •  Link

“…to the House’s seeming to approve of it by their hum.”

Anachronistic perhaps, but The Navy Office, City, Whitehall nexus often seem to be a part of the 'Hundred Acre Wood.'

Pathology in the Hundred Acre Wood: a neurodevelopmental perspective on A.A. Milne. Sarah E. Shea, Kevin Gordon, Ann Hawkins, Janet Kawchuk and Donna Smith

Abstract
Somewhere at the top of the Hundred Acre Wood a little boy and his bear play. On the surface it is an innocent world, but on closer examination by our group of experts we find a forest where neurodevelopmental and psychosocial problems go unrecognized and untreated.
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/fu…

Michael Robinson  •  Link

" ... spent most of it with Sir W. Warren, whom I have had no discourse with a great while, and when all is done I do find him a mighty wise man as any I know, and his counsel as much to be followed."

One wonders if it were Warren's idea that the cost of the wartime navy as run by the Stuarts be compared directly with the similar costs incurred by the puritan 'saints' at the start of the First Dutch war, especially when it is the 'saints' or their ideological allies that are conducting the Commons inquiry.

arby  •  Link

"...do find good roome to think we have done little worse than they, whereof good use may and will be made." Is he talking about "spin" here? rb

Don McCahill  •  Link

> After dinner the book binder come, and I sent by him some more books to gild.

Ah yes, the old Misers trick. When the tradesman comes for payment, you give him more work to do instead. He can't demand the cash while you are offering more income. I wonder how long Pepys' supply of books will hold out.

classicist  •  Link

'the King hath lost his power, by submitting himself to this way of examining his accounts, and is become but as a private man. . .the King is troubled at it, but they talk an entry shall be made, that it is not to be brought into example; that the King must, if they do not agree presently, make them a courageous speech, which he says he may do, the City of London being now burned, and himself master of an army . . .'
So the king is outraged that Parliament is enquiring as to what he did with the money they gave him? But it's OK because the City has its own problems, and he has control of the army? This sounds uncomfortably like the start of the Civil War!

JWB  •  Link

...and mighty betimes, indeed, classicist. We see here why early US found anathema a standing army.

JKM  •  Link

"Thence up to the Duke of York, by appointment, with fellow officers, to complaine, but to no purpose, of want of money, and so away."

I love this sentence--it even *sounds* like weary feet plodding up to York's office and away again--with "to no purpose" inserted even before the substance of the too-familiar complaint.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"...that the King must, if they do not agree presently, make them a courageous speech, which he says he may do, the City of London being now burned, and himself master of an army, better than any prince before him, and so I believe."

Sounds suspiciously like past history...And Chancellor Palpatine's scheme. Sam has come a long way from his schoolboy enthusiasm for the Commonwealth. Charles is a clever, even brilliant politician but his ends, Sam? He has none, except basically to hold his throne and regain authority over Parliament. With no real purpose or plan but a desire to re-establish the King's divine right as a sort of vengeance for Dad. Coventry of course with his ability and his dream of an efficiently run absolutist technocracy covers some of the flaws but it seems such a waste for his as well as Sam's ability.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"[Sir] W. Coventry['s]...selling of places, he having a small occasion offered him by chance, which he did desire, and took it....He confessed how he desired to have something else; and, since then, he had taken nothing, and challenged all the world. I was glad of this also."

L&M notes say that, while Coventry had had the right to sell places, he was willing to trade that for a salary ("something else").

CGS  •  Link

H of C
Atheism, &c.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to look into the former Laws against Atheism, Profaneness, Debauchery, and Swearing; and to examine, Whether they are defective, and wherein; and whether there be any Neglect in putting the Laws in Execution; and to report the Matter, and their Opinions therein, to the House: And that it be referred to the Masters of the Rolls, Sir Thom. Tompkins, Sir Robert Atkins, Sir Richard Temple, Colonel Reames, Sir Edw. Massey, Sir Anthony Irby, Sir Job. Charlton, Sir Phill Musgrave, Mr. Pepis, Sir Wm. Lewis, Colonel Strangwaies, Serjeant Seis, Sir Thom. Allen, Mr. Prynn, Sir Jo. Birkenhead; or any Five of them: And they are to meet at Two of the Clock this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber: And to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

CGS  •  Link

Remuneration : How? in kind, swop, gold, skim , baksheesh, from lobbyist help, bonus by taxpayer,check, brown envelope, bribe or by any means.

Man needs means to eat, be clothed [keep tyhe body at 97.5 Deg's], and rest a weary head to repair the damages of the day.

money is the common denominator?
So all's fair when legal or even moral?

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"an entry shall be made"

In the Commons Journal. (L&M)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Oct. 4 Portsmouth. 47. John Shales to the Navy Comrs. Peas are generally sold at 3s. per bushel, at which price Mr. Gauden's son agreed to purchase them. Seized several casks of peas sold by the purser of the Loyal Merchant to Mr. Ransted. Was forced to entreat a file of musqueteers from the Guard to keep the peace until the peas could be removed into safe custody, the purser being so abusive and making a party. The same purser has unlawfully seized 7 tons of beer intended for another ship. -- Calendar of State Papers Domestic.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"comparing the charge and husbandry of the last Dutch war with ours now"

A copy of this calculation, and of Coventry's letter of 3 October asking for it (in Pepys's hand) is in PL 2589, pp. 117-18. According to these figures, the Commonwealth government paid, in the opening year of the First Dutch War, £171,785 more than was paid by the restoration government for similar goods and services during the opening year of the Second War. (L&M footnote)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"[Sir] W. Coventry['s]...selling of places, he having a small occasion offered him by chance, which he did desire, and took it....He confessed how he desired to have something else; and, since then, he had taken nothing, and challenged all the world. I was glad of this also."

L&M notes say that, while Coventry had had the right to sell places, he was willing to trade that for a salary ("something else"). He had been given a salary since September 1664. He made a similar defense against these charges in 1668: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

Peach  •  Link

"...our being designed for destruction." Pepys feeling the righteous anger of an innocent* man set up to fail? Scapegoating during wartime tends to work up the chain rather than trickle down. As my mom told me before I enlisted, "It's always best to be second in command."

*if not innocent then at least no more guilty than the accusers...

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Speaking to the hum in Pooh’s woods are D. Parker’s immortal words:

“And it is that word “hummy,” my darlings, that marks the first place in The House at Pooh Corner at which Tonstant Weader Fwowed up.”

john  •  Link

I have never thought of Pepys being miserly but rather prudent. He pays his bills and spends lavishly when socially or personally acceptable. We should remember that he is essentially the sole source of income in his household.

Also, I think that the first guilded books were a test. He is pleased with the result and thus gave Richardson more to guild.

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