Tuesday 9 July 1667
Up pretty betimes and to the office, where busy till office time, and then we sat, but nothing to do but receive clamours about money. This day my Lord Anglesey, our new Treasurer, come the first time to the Board, and there sat with us till noon; and I do perceive he is a very notable man, and understanding, and will do things regular, and understand them himself, not trust Fenn, as Sir G. Carteret did, and will solicit soundly for money, which I do fear was Sir G. Carteret’s fault, that he did not do that enough, considering the age we live in, that nothing will do but by solicitation, though never so good for the King or Kingdom, and a bad business well solicited shall, for peace sake, speed when a good one shall not. But I do confess that I do think it a very bold act of him to take upon himself the place of Treasurer of the Navy at this time, but when I consider that a regular accountant never ought to fear any thing nor have reason I then do cease to wonder. At noon home to dinner and to play on the flageolet with my wife, and then to the office, where very busy close at my office till late at night. At night walked and sang with my wife in the garden, and so home to supper and to bed. This evening news comes for certain that the Dutch are with their fleete before Dover, and that it is expected they will attempt something there. The business of the peace is quite dashed again, so as now it is doubtful whether the King will condescend to what the Dutch demand, it being so near the Parliament, it being a thing that will, it may be, recommend him to them when they shall find that the not having of a peace lies on his side by denying some of their demands.
This morning Captain Clerke (Robin Clerke) was at the table, now commands the Monmouth, and did when the enemy passed the chaine at Chatham the other day, who said publickly at the table that he did admire at the order when it was brought him for sinking of the Monmouth (to the endangering of the ship, and spoiling of all her provisions) when her number of men were upon her that he could have carried her up the River whither he pleased, and have been a guard to the rest, and could have sunk her at any time. He did carry some 100 barrels of powder out of the ship to save it after the orders come for the sinking her. He knew no reason at all, he declares, that could lead them to order the sinking her, nor the rest of the great ships that were sunk, but above all admires they would burn them on shore and sink them there, when it had been better to have sunk them long way in the middle of the River, for then they would not have burned them so low as now they did.
11 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Arlington to Ormond
Written from: London
Date: 9 July 1667
Mr Henry Coventry has been prevailed upon, by all the Ambassadors and treaters at Breda, to come over hither, in order to know his Majesty's resolution, upon certain points in difference amongst them. ...
The points will be debated in Council, when the Duke of York returns from Harwich.
http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…
JWB • Link
"...but when I consider that a regular accountant never ought to fear any thing..."
And in the end, Maurice Stans was acquitted.
Tony Eldridge • Link
he did admire at the order when it was brought him for sinking of the Monmouth
but above all admires they would burn them on shore and sink them there,
Strange use of "admire" for "protest" or "disagree".
Mary • Link
"he did admire at the order...."
'Admire' is here used in the 16th/17th century way that means 'to feel surprise, astonishment.'
Terry Foreman • Link
"This evening news comes for certain that the Dutch are with their fleete before Dover, and that it is expected they will attempt something there."
That the English would we know from "the provocation at Schelling," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holm…'_Bonfire .
L&M note the Dutch sailed south from Dover this day without firing a shot.
Robert Gertz • Link
"The business of the peace is quite dashed again, so as now it is doubtful whether the King will condescend to what the Dutch demand, it being so near the Parliament, it being a thing that will, it may be, recommend him to them when they shall find that the not having of a peace lies on his side by denying some of their demands."
Nothing like a good wartime emergency to allow knotty political problems to be set aside.
Tony Eldridge • Link
Thanks Mary, I hadn't come across that usage before.
Second Reading
Marquess • Link
A very sad business having to burn your own ships.
San Diego Sarah • Link
I wonder if Pepys and Anglesey remembered Llewellyn.
An L&M footnote of 9/2/1663 tells us that by 1663 Pepys' friend, Peter Llewellyn, was in the service of Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, Vice-Treasurer of Ireland, so Pepys must know a little about his reputation.
john • Link
"This day my Lord Anglesey, our new Treasurer, come the first time to the Board, and there sat with us till noon; and I do perceive he [...] will do things regular, and understand them himself, [...] and will solicit soundly for money, [...]"
Having a manager understand what is needed and willing to lobby for it higher up the chain should not be over-rated.
Timo • Link
Agreed Marquess. The Crown is really on the back foot here. Quivering as the Dutch fleet heaves in to Dover