Thursday 4 July 1667
Up, and, in vain expecting Sir R. Ford’s calling on me, I took coach and to the Sessions-house, where I have a mind to hear Bazill Fielding’s case —[See May 9th, 1667]— tried; and so got up to the Bench, my Lord Chief-Justice Keeling being Judge. Here I stood bare, not challenging, though I might well enough, to be covered. But here were several fine trials; among others, several brought in for making it their trade to set houses on fire merely to get plunder; and all proved by the two little boys spoken of yesterday by Sir R. Ford, who did give so good account of particulars that I never heard children in my life. And I confess, though I was unsatisfied with the force given to such little boys, to take away men’s lives, yet, when I was told that my Lord Chief-Justice did declare that there was no law against taking the oath of children above twelve years old, and then heard from Sir R. Ford the good account which the boys had given of their understanding the nature and consequence of an oath, and now my own observation of the sobriety and readiness of their answers, further than of any man of any rank that come to give witness this day, though some men of years and learning, I was a little amazed, and fully satisfied that they ought to have as much credit as the rest. They proved against several, their consulting several times at a bawdy-house in Moore-Fields, called the Russia House, among many other rogueries, of setting houses on fire, that they might gather the goods that were flung into the streets; and it is worth considering how unsafe it is to have children play up and down this lewd town. For these two boys, one is my Lady Montagu’s (I know not what Lady Montagu) son, and the other of good condition, were playing in Moore-Fields, and one rogue, Gabriel Holmes, did come to them and teach them to drink, and then to bring him plate and clothes from their fathers’ houses, and carry him into their houses, and leaving open the doors for him, and at last were made of their conspiracy, and were at the very burning of this house in Aldersgate Street, on Easter Sunday at night last, and did gather up goods, as they had resolved before and this Gabriel Holmes did advise to have had two houses set on fire, one after another, that, while they were quenching of one, they might be burning another. And it is pretty that G. Holmes did tell his fellows, and these boys swore it, that he did set fire to a box of linen in the Sheriffe, Sir Joseph Shelden’s house, while he was attending the fire in Aldersgate Street, and the Sheriffe himself said that there was a fire in his house, in a box of linen, at the same time, but cannot conceive how this fellow should do it. The boys did swear against one of them, that he had made it his part to pull the plug out of the engine while it was a-playing; and it really was so. And goods they did carry away, and the manner of the setting the house on fire was, that Holmes did get to a cockpit; where, it seems, there was a publick cockpit, and set fire to the straw in it, and hath a fire-ball at the end of the straw, which did take fire, and so it prevailed, and burned the house; and, among other things they carried away, he took six of the cocks that were at the cockpit; and afterwards the boys told us how they had one dressed, by the same token it was so hard they could not eat it. But that which was most remarkable was the impudence of this Holmes, who hath been arraigned often, and still got away; and on this business was taken and broke loose just at Newgate Gate; and was last night luckily taken about Bow, who got loose, and run into the river, and hid himself in the rushes; and they pursued him with a dog, and the dog got him and held him till he was taken. But the impudence of this fellow was such, that he denied he ever saw the boys before, or ever knew the Russia House, or that the people knew him; and by and by the mistress of the Russia House was called in, being indicted, at the same time, about another thing; and she denied that the fellow was of her acquaintance, when it was pretty to see how the little boys did presently fall upon her, and ask her how she durst say so, when she was always with them when they met at her house, and particularly when she come in in her smock before a dozen of them, at which the Court laughed, and put the woman away. Well, this fellow Holmes was found guilty of the act of burning the house, and other things, that he stood indicted for. And then there were other good cases, as of a woman that come to serve a gentlewoman, and in three days run away, betimes in the morning, with a great deal of plate and rings, and other good things. It was time very well spent to be here. Here I saw how favourable the judge was to a young gentleman that struck one of the officers, for not making him room: told him he had endangered the loss of his hand, but that he hoped he had not struck him, and would suppose that he had not struck him. About that the Court rose, and I to dinner with my Lord Mayor and Sheriffs; where a good dinner and good discourse; the judge being there. There was also tried this morning Fielding, which I thought had been Bazilll — but it proved the other, and Bazill was killed; that killed his brother, who was found guilty of murder, and nobody pitied him. The judge seems to be a worthy man, and able: and do intend, for these rogues that burned this house to be hung in some conspicuous place in the town, for an example. After dinner to the Court again, where I heard some more causes, but with so much trouble because of the hot weather that I had no pleasure in it. Anon the Court rose, and I walked to Fleet streete for my belt at the beltmaker’s, and so home and to the office, wrote some letters, and then home to supper and to bed.
19 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
The Royal Society today at Arundel House — from the Hooke Folio Online
Iuly. 4. 1667. mr Hooke was desired (Dr. King being absent) to Ioyne wth any physitians of the Society and make it
without faile next Day.
http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…
64
(Ld Brereton that mines did run indifferently euery way. of mireans book of the alps in High Dutch mr Haak VZ)
Rair weauer increased of Late. Roman pavement & coynes. a stagg at 21 foot vnder ground. at 3 foot deep a Roman Caus[ewa]y. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma… ] Sea in Lincolnsh: has left the shore. also at Exmouth. Parisian account of transfusion
mr. Hooke excused the want of Expts. this Day in regard he had spent great part of his time in Examining an Instrument wherby to produce air out of water which did not proceed whereby he was of opinion that little. air is made out of water but what may rush into the pipes together with it as in the bellows at Fiall. mr Hooke was orderd to bring in a description of this Instrument and an account of the Expts. in writing against next Day)
(mr Hooke & mr Ball were desired to obserue the conuexity of the Riuer in St Iames Park . and to giue an account thereof to the Society at their next meeting.
http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…
Robert Gertz • Link
What a tale! Even a "Russia House" included. This Holmes seems quite a character.
Nice the Clerk of the Acts can take a day off to listen to court cases...Medway aftermath fears fading fast, I guess.
I take it it's not the two boys of "gentle" birth to be hung but only the men they'd accused of being involved in the 'rogueries'. Still, nice Sam shows an honest concern about the caliber of their testimonies with men's lives at stake. One can assume the court and jury did as well.
Robert Gertz • Link
Sam seems calm for a man facing seriously compromising circumstances ala Betty Martin's terrifying pronouncement yesterday. But I suppose he feels he's done all that can be done and must await his fate.
There's always time to take her for a boat ride on the Thames later...
language hat • Link
"One can assume the court and jury did as well."
I don't think one can assume that at all. (Unless you were being ironic?)
Robert Gertz • Link
Sam's love for a good story showing here...
Spoiler...
As it will in the case of the man who nearly destroyed him, Captain Scott.
Ruben • Link
" Here I stood bare, not challenging, though I might well enough, to be covered."
If your position in society is low you have to take your hat off, as a sign of respect. If your position is Clerk of the Acts at the Naval Office you probably can stay covered, but Pepys does not take these kind of risks. Who knows?
May be all the Naval Office will stand next, bare headed at the dock. May be Pepys, always practical, wanted to see how Justice works before he and his friends are charged...
Tony Eldridge • Link
"After dinner to the Court again, where I heard some more causes, but with so much trouble because of the hot weather that I had no pleasure in it."
I believe that High Court judges still carry a posy of sweet smelling herbs and flowers which were provided to ward off the stench of the mass of unwashed people in the court.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Here I stood bare, not challenging, though I might well enough, to be covered."
L&M note Pepys had the right to be covered since he was himself a Justice of the Peace.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Here I saw how favourable the judge was to a young gentleman that struck one of the officers, for not making him room: told him he had endangered the loss of his hand, but that he hoped he had not struck him, and would suppose that he had not struck him."
Deferring to the social rank of the young cad, the judge is willing to invent a legal fiction to preclude the usual punishment for such an assault. L&M instance a more severe incident on 8 September. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
L&M note
-- Gabriel Holmes and Thomas Arnold were both sentenced to death; the former will be hanged 11 July.
-- Christopher Fielding was sentenced to death for the murder (by stabbing) of his brother Basil.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"mr. Hooke excused the want of Expts. this Day in regard he had spent great part of his time in Examining an Instrument wherby to produce air out of water which did not proceed whereby he was of opinion that little. air is made out of water"
339 years later: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/scienc…
Terry Foreman • Link
"And it is pretty that G. Holmes did tell his fellows, and these boys swore it, that he did set fire to a box of linen in the Sheriffe, Sir Joseph Shelden’s house."
L&M : Sheldon seems at this date to have lived in the house of his uncle the Archbishop of Canterbury on the w. side of Aldersgate St, opposite Thanet House, having moved there after the Fire from st Paul's Churchyard, s. side.
-------
Thanet House in Aldersgate Street
https://www.britishmuseum.org/res…
Terry Foreman • Link
"where, it seems, there was a publick cockpit"
L&M: On the n. side of Horn Alley (now Edmund Place) east of Aldersgate St: LRO, Hustings Rolls 341, mb. 115.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Nice the Clerk of the Acts can take a day off to listen to court cases..."
Basil had been a page to Lady Sandwich: "And who should they be but the two Fieldings; one whereof, Bazill, was page to my Lady Sandwich; and he hath killed the other, himself being very drunk, and so is sent to Newgate."
And they were the sons of the Earl of Desmond, to whom no doubt Lady Sandwich will have to write a letter of condolence for this tragedy. I think Pepys attended in his old role of family retainer. He made the most of his day, of course, but it wasn't really "a day off".
Nicolas • Link
Terry Foreman states on 5 July 2010 on this page
“L&M note -- Christopher Fielding was sentenced to death for the murder (by stabbing) of his brother Basil.”
But the link to “Bazill Fielding” 4 July 2010 states
“Basil Fielding
Page to Lady Sandwich; stabbed to death his drunken brother Christopher May 9 1667.“
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
And the link to Christopher Fielding dated 26 May 2012
states
“Christopher Fielding
Was drunk in a brawl with his brother Basil, Page to Lady Sandwich, and was stabbed to death by him May 9 1667.“
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
There is a conflict here. Who stabbed whom?
San Diego Sarah • Link
"There was also tried this morning Fielding, which I thought had been Bazilll — but it proved the other, and Bazill was killed; that killed his brother, who was found guilty of murder, and nobody pitied him."
So, according to Pepys (about half way through this entry), he realizes he had the story wrong, and it was Bazil who died at Christopher Fielding's hand.
I am always stumped by Pepys' ability to write the narrative in the present, even when he later discovers he's wrong BEFORE he writes down the story. If it were me, I'd have recorded the beginning of this entry as being about Christopher's trial and gone back to correct the May 9th entries. But Pepys enjoys playing this game with our minds!
Nicolas • Link
“So, according to Pepys (about half way through this entry), he realizes he had the story wrong, and it was Bazil who died at Christopher Fielding's hand.”
So the encyclopedia entries are wrong as they have it backwards. Can someone correct them?
San Diego Sarah • Link
Nicolas, if you read the annotations on 9 May 1667 you will find this:
✹ Terry Foreman on 4 Jul 2010 • Link • Flag
Basil Fielding
Was in fact stabbed to death by his drunken brother Christopher. (L&M note)
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Basil's encyclopedia annotation correctly says he was stabbed by his brother
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
I have add a clarification annotation to Christopher's encyclopedia entry. This is OUR blog, so feel free to make corrections yourself when you spot something.
Our hero behind the scenes making all this work -- free of charge! -- is Phil Gyford. It's worth reading https://www.pepysdiary.com/about/ etc.
San Diego Sarah • Link
This is the only day in 1667 that Pepys documents being on Fleet Street. Obviously he rolled through many more times, but since we know he was here on this day, perhaps he saw the tavern we know as Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was under construction. Yes, it reopened in 1667.
A candidate as one of the oldest businesses in London, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was rebuilt a year after the Great Fire, but on its site used to be a pub called the Horn which was built in 1538.
A unique feature of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is its cellar which dates to a 13th-century monastery. Of course, there are a few older pubs that managed not to get burned down by the Fire, but this is one of the oldest to reopen afterward that is still in operation today. The pub’s patrons over the years include literature’s greatest names, like Dr. Samuel Johnson, Voltaire, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain. Its lack of natural lighting gives it that dingy feel that appeals to tourists and locals alike.
https://londontopia.net/guides/te…
There are some great pictures at the bottom of the following site, showing the now worn steps and cellars, plus the cellar cat that guards the vintage wines. Almost under Fleet St. is a well, now unused, but pure and always full, from some unknown source. To raise the iron trap door which keeps the secret and to light a match and stoop down over this profound hole and watch the small light flickering uncertainly over the black water is to leave modern London and go back to history.
https://spitalfieldslife.com/2020…
I greatly appreciated 21st century hot air blowers in the Ladies' Room, where I dried by feet after being caught in a downpour. It may be old, but it doesn't lack modern amenities.