Friday 14 June 1667

Up, and to the office; where Mr. Fryer comes and tells me that there are several Frenchmen and Flemish ships in the River, with passes from the Duke of York for carrying of prisoners, that ought to be parted from the rest of the ships, and their powder taken, lest they do fire themselves when the enemy comes, and so spoil us; which is good advice, and I think I will give notice of it; and did so. But it is pretty odd to see how every body, even at this high time of danger, puts business off of their own hands! He says that he told this to the Lieutenant of the Tower, to whom I, for the same reason, was directing him to go; and the Lieutenant of the Tower bade him come to us, for he had nothing to do with it; and yesterday comes Captain Crow, of one of the fireships, and told me that the officers of the Ordnance would deliver his gunner’s materials, but not compound them,1 but that we must do it; whereupon I was forced to write to them about it; and one that like a great many come to me this morning by and by comes Mr. Wilson, and by direction of his, a man of Mr. Gawden’s; who come from Chatham last night, and saw the three ships burnt, they lying all dry, and boats going from the men-of-war and fire them. But that, that he tells me of worst consequence is, that he himself, I think he said, did hear many Englishmen on board the Dutch ships speaking to one another in English; and that they did cry and say, “We did heretofore fight for tickets; now we fight for dollars!” and did ask how such and such a one did, and would commend themselves to them: which is a sad consideration. And Mr. Lewes, who was present at this fellow’s discourse to me, did tell me, that he is told that when they took “The Royall Charles,” they said that they had their tickets signed, and showed some, and that now they come to have them paid, and would have them paid before they parted. And several seamen come this morning to me, to tell me that, if I would get their tickets paid, they would go and do all they could against the Dutch; but otherwise they would not venture being killed, and lose all they have already fought for: so that I was forced to try what I could do to get them paid. This man tells me that the ships burnt last night did lie above Upnor Castle, over against the Docke; and the boats come from the ships of war and burnt them all which is very sad. And masters of ships, that we are now taking up, do keep from their ships all their stores, or as much as they can, so that we can despatch them, having not time to appraise them nor secure their payment; only some little money we have, which we are fain to pay the men we have with, every night, or they will not work. And indeed the hearts as well as affections of the seamen are turned away; and in the open streets in Wapping, and up and down, the wives have cried publickly, “This comes of your not paying our husbands; and now your work is undone, or done by hands that understand it not.” And Sir W. Batten told me that he was himself affronted with a woman, in language of this kind, on Tower Hill publickly yesterday; and we are fain to bear it, and to keep one at the office door to let no idle people in, for fear of firing of the office and doing us mischief. The City is troubled at their being put upon duty: summoned one hour, and discharged two hours after; and then again summoned two hours after that; to their great charge as well as trouble. And Pelling, the Potticary, tells me the world says all over, that less charge than what the kingdom is put to, of one kind or other, by this business, would have set out all our great ships. It is said they did in open streets yesterday, at Westminster, cry, “A Parliament! a Parliament!” and I do believe it will cost blood to answer for these miscarriages. We do not hear that the Dutch are come to Gravesend; which is a wonder. But a wonderful thing it is that to this day we have not one word yet from Bruncker, or Peter Pett, or J. Minnes, of any thing at Chatham. The people that come hither to hear how things go, make me ashamed to be found unable to answer them: for I am left alone here at the office; and the truth is, I am glad my station is to be here, near my own home and out of danger, yet in a place of doing the King good service. I have this morning good news from Gibson; three letters from three several stages, that he was safe last night as far as Royston, at between nine and ten at night. The dismay that is upon us all, in the business of the kingdom and Navy at this day, is not to be expressed otherwise than by the condition the citizens were in when the City was on fire, nobody knowing which way to turn themselves, while every thing concurred to greaten the fire; as here the easterly gale and spring-tides for coming up both rivers, and enabling them to break the chaine. D. Gawden did tell me yesterday, that the day before at the Council they were ready to fall together by the ears at the Council-table, arraigning one another of being guilty of the counsel that brought us into this misery, by laying up all the great ships. Mr. Hater tells me at noon that some rude people have been, as he hears, at my Lord Chancellor’s, where they have cut down the trees before his house and broke his windows; and a gibbet either set up before or painted upon his gate, and these three words writ: “Three sights to be seen; Dunkirke, Tangier, and a barren Queene.”2 It gives great matter of talk that it is said there is at this hour, in the Exchequer, as much money as is ready to break down the floor. This arises, I believe, from Sir G. Downing’s late talk of the greatness of the sum lying there of people’s money, that they would not fetch away, which he shewed me and a great many others. Most people that I speak with are in doubt how we shall do to secure our seamen from running over to the Dutch; which is a sad but very true consideration at this day. At noon I am told that my Lord Duke of Albemarle is made Lord High Constable; the meaning whereof at this time I know not, nor whether it, be true or no. Dined, and Mr. Hater and W. Hewer with me; where they do speak very sorrowfully of the posture of the times, and how people do cry out in the streets of their being bought and sold; and both they, and every body that come to me, do tell me that people make nothing of talking treason in the streets openly: as, that we are bought and sold, and governed by Papists, and that we are betrayed by people about the King, and shall be delivered up to the French, and I know not what. At dinner we discoursed of Tom of the Wood, a fellow that lives like a hermit near Woolwich, who, as they say, and Mr. Bodham, they tell me, affirms that he was by at the justice’s when some did accuse him there for it, did foretell the burning of the City, and now says that a greater desolation is at hand. Thence we read and laughed at Lilly’s prophecies this month, in his Almanack this year! So to the office after dinner; and thither comes Mr. Pierce, who tells me his condition, how he cannot get his money, about 500l., which, he says, is a very great part of what he hath for his family and children, out of Viner’s hand: and indeed it is to be feared that this will wholly undo the bankers. He says he knows nothing of the late affronts to my Lord Chancellor’s house, as is said, nor hears of the Duke of Albemarle’s being made High Constable; but says that they are in great distraction at White Hall, and that every where people do speak high against Sir W. Coventry: but he agrees with me, that he is the best Minister of State the King hath, and so from my heart I believe. At night come home Sir W. Batten and W. Pen, who only can tell me that they have placed guns at Woolwich and Deptford, and sunk some ships below Woolwich and Blackewall, and are in hopes that they will stop the enemy’s coming up. But strange our confusion! that among them that are sunk they have gone and sunk without consideration “The Franakin,” one of the King’s ships, with stores to a very considerable value, that hath been long loaden for supply of the ships; and the new ship at Bristoll, and much wanted there; and nobody will own that they directed it, but do lay it on Sir W. Rider. They speak also of another ship, loaden to the value of 80,000l., sunk with the goods in her, or at least was mightily contended for by him, and a foreign ship, that had the faith of the nation for her security: this Sir R. Ford tells us: And it is too plain a truth, that both here and at Chatham the ships that we have sunk have many, and the first of them, been ships completely fitted for fire-ships at great charge. But most strange the backwardness and disorder of all people, especially the King’s people in pay, to do any work, Sir W. Pen tells me, all crying out for money; and it was so at Chatham, that this night comes an order from Sir W. Coventry to stop the pay of the wages of that Yard; the Duke of Albemarle having related, that not above three of 1100 in pay there did attend to do any work there. This evening having sent a messenger to Chatham on purpose, we have received a dull letter from my Lord Bruncker and Peter Pett, how matters have gone there this week; but not so much, or so particularly, as we knew it by common talk before, and as true. I doubt they will be found to have been but slow men in this business; and they say the Duke of Albemarle did tell my Lord Bruncker to his face that his discharging of the great ships there was the cause of all this; and I am told that it is become common talk against my Lord Bruncker. But in that he is to be justified, for he did it by verbal order from Sir W. Coventry, and with good intent; and it was to good purpose, whatever the success be, for the men would have but spent the King so much the more in wages, and yet not attended on board to have done the King any service; and as an evidence of that, just now, being the 15th day in the morning that I am writing yesterday’s passages, one is with me, Jacob Bryan, Purser of “The Princesse,” who confesses to me that he hath about 180 men borne at this day in victuals and wages on that ship lying at Chatham, being lately brought in thither; of which 180 there was not above five appeared to do the King any service at this late business. And this morning also, some of the Cambridge’s men come up from Portsmouth, by order from Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who boasted to us the other day that he had sent for 50, and would be hanged if 100 did not come up that would do as much as twice the number of other men: I say some of them, instead of being at work at Deptford, where they were intended, do come to the office this morning to demand the payment of their tickets; for otherwise they would, they said, do no more work; and are, as I understand from every body that has to do with them, the most debauched, damning, swearing rogues that ever were in the Navy, just like their prophane commander. So to Sir W. Batten’s to sit and talk a little, and then home to my flageolet, my heart being at pretty good ease by a letter from my wife, brought by Saunders, that my father and wife got well last night to their Inne and out again this morning, and Gibson’s being got safe to Caxton at twelve last night. So to supper, and then to bed. No news to-day of any motion of the enemy either upwards towards Chatham or this way.

40 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

John Evelyn's Diary

14th June, 1667. I went to see the work at Woolwich, a battery to prevent [ the Dutch ] coming up to London, which Prince Rupert commanded, and sunk some ships in the river,

http://bit.ly/9S4cwR

Michael Robinson  •  Link

"Thence we read and laughed at Lilly’s prophecies this month, in his Almanack this year! "

L&M footnote: William Lilly ... had forecast for June 1667 'great expectation of Peace ... a most strange and unusual loss at Sea (for Holland), if they shall dare to fight His Majesties Forces ... strange news out of Holland, as if all were in an uproar; we believe they are now in a sad and fearful condition.'

MFR At the Restoration Lilly's parliamentary sympathies, clear in his 'prophecies,' had made his departure from London expedient.

Michael Robinson  •  Link

[And as an evidence of that, just now ... the most debauched, damning, swearing rogues that ever were in the Navy, just like their prophane commander.]

L&M note this portion of the text is in brackets in SP's hand, square altered from round.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Spoiler of sorts...

But the tragic irony still grips me…De Witt has scotched the snake, not killed it and in a mere five years the whole chessboard will change, with his Republic hopelessly outgunned, his hopes of putting monarchial forces to rest for good, dashed, and he himself brutally murdered with the likely connivance of his former charge/greatest enemy, who, in the greatest irony of all, will one day sit on the English throne, its welcomed and lauded conqueror and displacer of the Stuart dynasty.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

That den of iniquity…The Vatican…

Where, contrary to the usual gloomy atmosphere of cringing, light fills the great halls and corridors…Music soars to the highest rafters…

And a conga line of cardinals joyously sways past the Papal throne…

News from England...Very swift news...By incredible means known only to His H...And one day a nice Catholic boy named Marconi. Who will wisely be content merely being known as a father of wireless telegraphy and radio. And as hoped, very good news as well...

However, as always…There must be one foolish enough to question God’s blessings…

“Cardinal? I sense great disturbance in you. Speak…”

“Holiness…” ring kiss from obligatory kneeling posture… “I am troubled. Is the defeat of one heretic nation by another truly cause for celebration?”

Whoops…The conga line crashes…Fearful looks, the normal badge of the place, resume…

Idiot… Tis not the day to go questioning the Great Papa’s world view…

But then, no day is the day to go questioning Papa…Period…

“Cardinal. Do you perhaps question my judgment of the state of international affairs?”

“Holiness…I…”

“I fear Cardinal, I must remind you that Reginald Pole did not win election last century and this is not his liberalized, lets-reach-out-to-our-protestant-brothers'-kindly-church...There is no place for Doubt here..."

Ummn... "Holiness?..."

"I find your lack of Faith…Disturbing…”

Hapless cardinal drops through trap door…Usual screams of terror and pain.

“Secretary, note the vacancy.” Rises…Pleasant smile to the remaining bunch now nervously eyeing each other… “But, good question!”

“The point however being it hardly matters that the lesser heretic power has won the victory, even should our somewhat faithless son Louis fail to make the most of his allies’ victory. England must now seek a new ally, a powerful one, against the Dutch victors. As our dear agents inform us….” Raises head to view various portraits of certain various royal mistresses, cardinals likewise…But for their necessary service of duty to God, nice Catholic (at least in closeted secret) girls all…“Our feckless and humiliated King Charles will doubtless go where the power as well as money lies…But, should he choose the Dutch, our sadly defiant son Louis must of needs turn more to our own warm paternal bosom in his quest for allies. Thus, either way, the benefit falls upon us. Ha, ha...Ah, ha,ha..."

Papal secretary indicates a choral response is expected...

"Ha, ha, ha..." Dutiful joining in...

Suddenly cutting off as His H ceases... Enough...Papal secretary makes cut-off gesture.

Grimer smile at the cardinals renewed eyeing of each other… “…And the heretics will never maintain an alliance given their completing interests. And in the end, We shall triumph as our enemies destroy themselves...Yes, it is all as I have foreseen.”

…And this means…? Cardinals eye each other...

“Continue the praise for God’s beneficence!”

…Conga!... “La, la,la,la, la, la, la,la, la, la…La, la, la, la, la, la, la,la, la, la…” Cardinals’ conga line resumes passing a beaming and responsively swaying pope standing in throne…Grand Inquisitor making up rear of the line...

Chorus...

“And so the rule is in world affairs today…Give Papa sway…Give Papa sway…Or He make you go away!”

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"The dismay that is upon us all, in the business of the kingdom and Navy at this day, is not to be expressed otherwise than by the condition the citizens were in when the City was on fire, nobody knowing which way to turn themselves, while every thing concurred to greaten the fire..." Neat comparison...

Of course a great panic need not mean the battle or war is lost...Moscow panic of 1941...Voroshilov at Leningrad, 1941 going to the front lines, sure all is lost, hoping to be killed...Aftermath of First Bull Run, 1861 with the Federal army routed in complete disorder,Washington practically defenseless...Prussia after Jena/Auerstedt 1806 with Napoleon's cavalry roaring through Berlin...Aftermath of Cannae...

On the other hand...

Fall of Rome 410, Fall of Atlanta 1864, Breakthrough on the steppes, Stalingrad 1942, Byelorussian offensive, Bagration, 1944...Retreat of the Grande Armee, 1812, Russia...Sometimes panic and complete defeat do go hand in hand...

michael melick  •  Link

could this be the turning point of our mans career...???? Sam now sees the power of a strong Navy?????

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Certainly it must encourage that view toward strengthening the Navy. Though I think Sam already was solidly behind a strong and efficient force, this probably helped to focus him a bit on professionalization.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"...thither comes Mr. Pierce, who tells me his condition, how he cannot get his money, about 500l., which, he says, is a very great part of what he hath for his family and children..."

That's startling...Though of course James might prefer not to let Pepys know the extent of his true fortune. It certainly suggests that either Dr. Pierce's position while a fount of gossip is not nearly so lucrative as Sam's, despite Betty Pierce's demonstrated business abilities in the prize goods matter, perhaps because there is no medical supply system even a court physician like Pierce can "utilize" as a source of "gifts", or Pierce's approach to such things is somewhat different than Sam's. Of course Pierce has that huge family which must of necessity suck up quite a lot of his income.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

It's sounding like the average seaman and worker, for all the rumors of invasion, Papist plots, etc, doesn't, apart from a few areas actually facing attack, view the Dutch as such a terrible threat, humiliating as the Medway disaster may be. I get the impression it's the government's staffers and those tied into the government (suppliers and moneylenders facing ruin,etc) who are truly feeling fear, mainly fear of being blamed for the defeat. The grumblings and demands for pay first, then work or fight, seem to suggest that the man in the street doesn't believe that De Witt and co mean to conquer England. Given that the Dutch are using hired English pilots, etc, it may well be they have been and are letting it be known through these men and by word of mouth that their intent is to force a peace, not march on London.

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

"The City is troubled at their being put upon duty: summoned one hour, and discharged two hours after; and then again summoned two hours after that; to their great charge as well as trouble."

Could someone please explain? I'm not sure what/whom is meant by "The City" in this instance. Thanks.

Michael Robinson  •  Link

" ... The City is troubled at their being put upon duty: ..."

Since it comes in the context of office security (and mentions Tower Hill also) I assume SP has omitted 'Militia' when he re-copied his draft or notes and entered the final text of this, with several other entries, in July after the events.

c.f. yesterday
"The King and Duke of York up and down all the day here and there: some time on Tower Hill, where the City militia was; where the King did make a speech to them, that they should venture themselves no further than he would himself..."

language hat  •  Link

Damn this insolent rabble! They expect to be *paid* for their work!

A. De Araujo  •  Link

Best time to strike,when you are really needed.:)

martinb  •  Link

"Tom of the Wood, a fellow that lives like a hermit near Woolwich" [of all places]

I love this, because he sounds like a character straight out of Monty Python. Either that or King Lear. It really does seem like all of human life is in this diary sometimes.

Glyn  •  Link

Thanks for that Ruben. Made in China I see, like everything else. Perhaps we should get them to make a colour painting of the Elizabeth Pepys portrait, because we only have that in black and white.

cum salis grano  •  Link

Seeds that are sown now will become the future under the correct effluent.
[Spoiler of sorts]
(influence}

Robert Gertz  •  Link

“Tom of the Wood, a fellow that lives like a hermit near Woolwich”

"Hello, we're with Tom of the Forest..."

"...Wood. Poor Tom's a cold."

"Pardon, Wood. Philsopher and special political commentator to the London Gazette. Tom, your keen insight on London's poor fire code legislation predicted the Great Fire in '66. Any thoughts on the recent attack?"

"When Dutchmen come...A greater desolation awaits...Poor Tom's a cold."

"So you're seeing a slow recovery for England out of this?"

"Cum fall, my forest goes brown, the leaves fall and all goes gray and brown..."

"Indeed, we spoke with Chancellor Clarendon who supports your view that the economy may take a severe hit in the fall as a result."

"Then in spring, my forest grows and all goes green...Poor Tom's a...Ah, my latte, thanks love."

"So you agree with the Duke of York that both our navy and the economy should fully recover by spring."

"There will be growth in the spring."

"You heard it first, here. Chins up, England! Good night and hopefully, better news!

Brian  •  Link

"there are several Frenchmen and Flemish ships in the River, with passes from the Duke of York for carrying of prisoners, that ought to be parted from the rest of the ships, and their powder taken, lest they do fire themselves when the enemy comes, and so spoil us"

Beware the foreigner in our midst! Sounds like an earlier version of the Japanese internment of World War II, or any of a multitude of similar episodes in human history . . .

Andrew Hamilton  •  Link

"Damn this insolent rabble! They expect to be *paid* for their work!"

LH's comment calls to mind the following dialogue:

"The peasants are revolting."

"Indeed."

cum salis grano  •  Link

"let them eat effluent " 'tis the cry of the affluent,

Palmer got her allowance this week , PO monies,

Priorities must trickle down.

just like now,
Karl is grinning from ear to ear at the foot of Cain House hideaway.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

The following letter tells its own tale.

"Gentlemen—We are very unwilling either to put the Kinge to the charge or you to the trouble of supplying us in these necessitous times with eithei shipwrights, calkers, or seamen, but soe heavy now is the hand of God upon this place, that (we feare) as well as the hand of man does now apparently fight against us. It was the opinion of all sortes of persons here that the whole navy dock and stores would have been burned upp on Wednesday, and for the prevention of the enemies being possessed of the Shipps, the Generall gave express orders that all the ships should be sunke were they ridd; but at length 'twas resolved that their cables should be cutt at the haulse, and they turned on shoare and then sunk as the lesser evill of the two; it hath put the Ships to a very great hazard, some of them, especially the I'ictory, we feare will scarce be gott off, and this afternoon the Henry and Vanguard gott loose from the place where they were on shore, and drove up farther into the river, where they lie dangerously enough; therefore, we cannot doe tess than begg yor present assistance in it, and desire that all possible meanes may be used for sending down boo calkers, shipwrights, and seamen, viz.— fjo shipwrights, 50 calkers, and 40o seamen and watermen, without which we feare some of the ships may miscarry. This we thought our duty to represent to the Board, and desire your services and sudden consideration of it.

(Signed) Brouncker,

Peter Pbtt. Chatham, I4th June, 1667.

We shall also wante halfe-a-dozen able masters and fower shipwrights, whereof one of them to be Mr. Shish.

"The Dutch Invasion of the Medway, *History of Strood* By Henry Smetham, p. 195 http://books.google.com/books?id=…

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"yesterday comes Captain Crow, of one of the fireships, and told me that the officers of the Ordnance would deliver his gunner’s materials, but not compound them"

L&M: The Ordnance normally supplied ready-mixed gunpowder. The Navy Office supplied the gun-wadding.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Mr. Hater tells me at noon that some rude people have been, as he hears, at my Lord Chancellor’s, where they have cut down the trees before his house and broke his windows; and a gibbet either set up before or painted upon his gate, and these three words writ: “Three sights to be seen; Dunkirke, Tangier, and a barren Queene.”"

L&M: Clarendon was accused of having been responsible for selling Dunkirk to the French and for acquiring a useless colony in Tangier. He had also allegedly arranged that the King should marry a barrem Queen so that the sucession should pass to the Duke of York who was married to the Chancellor's daughter.
The report about his windows and trees is confirmed by CSPD 1667, p. 189.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I am told that my Lord Duke of Albemarle is made Lord High Constable; the meaning whereof at this time I know not, nor whether it, be true or no."

L&M: Cf. the similar report (news-letter, 15 June) in CSPD 1667, p. 189. It was not true. The office of Constable (once the greatest military office of the kingdom) had been extinct since the reign of Henry VIII, and was by this time revived only at coronation, and for the constitution of Courts of Chivalry.
-----------
The office of Lord High Constable, one of the Great Officers of State, was established in the kingdoms of England and Scotland during the reigns of King Stephen (1135–1154) and King David (1124–1154) respectively, and was responsible for the command of the army. The term was also used at the local level within the feudal system however, describing an officer appointed to keep order. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Con…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"At dinner we discoursed of Tom of the Wood, a fellow that lives like a hermit near Woolwich, who, as they say, and Mr. Bodham, they tell me, affirms that he was by at the justice’s when some did accuse him there for it, did foretell the burning of the City, and now says that a greater desolation is at hand."

L&M: William Bodham was Clerk of the Ropeyard, Woolwich. The story of Tom of the Wood has not been traced elsewhere.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Thence we read and laughed at Lilly’s prophecies this month, in his Almanack this year!"

L&M: William Lilly, in his Merlini Anglici Ephemeris (1666) had forecast for June, 1667: 'great expectations of Peace...a most strange and unusual loss at Sea (for Holland), if they shall dare to fight His Majesties Forces.... Strange news out of Holland, as if all were in an uproar; we believe they are now in a sad and fearful condition.' (Pepys preserved in his library four of Lilly' miscellaneous works on astrology, but none of his almanacks.)
------------
William Lilly's Influence and Works
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil…
------------
Almanack publishers were also controversialists (duelling predictions), e.g. The works of that late most excellent philosopher and astronomer, Sir George Wharton, bar. collected into one volume, has this section:
The Errors, Mistakes, and Mis-applica∣tions of Mr. Lilly's New Ephemeris, &c.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Mr. Pierce...tells me...that every where people do speak high against Sir W. Coventry:"

L&M: Coventry was (unfairly) blamed for the decision not to fit out a battle-fleet this year: Evelyn, 29 July.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"But strange our confusion! that among them that are sunk they have gone and sunk without consideration “The Franakin,” one of the King’s ships, with stores to a very considerable value, that hath been long loaden for supply of the ships; and the new ship at Bristoll, and much wanted there"

L&M: The ship now sunk was one of the three put in charge of the river defenses: CSPD 1667, p. 193. The new ship at Bristol was probably the Edgar: see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"and it was so at Chatham, that this night comes an order from Sir W. Coventry to stop the pay of the wages of that Yard; the Duke of Albemarle having related, that not above three of 1100 in pay there did attend to do any work there."

L&M: Coventry to Navy Board, 14 June: PRO, SP 29/205, no. 59; summary in CSPD 1667, p. 185. Coventry reported Albemarle's words in this letter.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"This evening having sent a messenger to Chatham on purpose, we have received a dull letter from my Lord Bruncker and Peter Pett, how matters have gone there this week;"

Summary in CSPD Add. 1660-85, p. 593 (Chatham, 14 June).

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"And this morning also, some of the Cambridge’s men come up from Portsmouth, by order from Sir Frecheville Hollis"

L&M: Sir Frescheville Holles, recently placed in command of the river defenses. For his order see CSPD 1667, p. 204. The Cambridge had just been paid off: ib., pp. 164, 294.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Gibson’s being got safe to Caxton"

L&M: Nine miles west of Cambridge.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Saltpetre was typically generated by collecting vegetable and animal waste into heaps and mixing it with limestone, mortar, earth and ashes. These heaps were kept moist from time to time with urine or other waste from stables.
Digging for ingredients in outbuildings such as dovecotes and stables was thus an important part of ensuring adequate supplies of gunpowder for the navy.
From the reign of Queen Elizabeth onwards, official saltpetre men were deputized to requisition any suitable deposits they came across.102
102 Charles Edelmen,
Shakespeare’s military language: a dictionary
(London and New Yotk, 2000),295-297.

This was the source of their potential for alienating communities. In 1630, for example, Sir Francis Seymour complained to Sir John Coke that ‘the saltpetre men care not in whose houses they dig … they dig up the entries and halls of divers men. If any oppose them they breakup men’s houses and dig by force. They make men carry their saltpetre at a groat a mile, and take their carriages in sowing time and harvest, with many other oppressions’.103
103 CSPD: Charles I, 1629-31
(1860), 188.
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/… Date accessed: 10 December 2009

https://www.academia.edu/545381/T…

Jonathan V  •  Link

A little late, and no one will probably see this for another ten years, but I wanted to mention that this is the only time Pepys uses the word "dollar" in the Diary. I was surprised to come across the word, and it prompted me to look up its history.

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