Wednesday 23 October 1667

Up, and Sir W. Pen and I in his coach to White Hall, there to attend the Duke of York; but come a little too late, and so missed it: only spoke with him, and heard him correct my Lord Barkeley, who fell foul on Sir Edward Spragg, who, it seems, said yesterday to the House, that if the Officers of the Ordnance had done as much work at Shereness in ten weeks as “The Prince” did in ten days, he could have defended the place against the Dutch: but the Duke of York told him that every body must have liberty, at this time, to make their own defence, though it be to the charging of the fault upon any other, so it be true; so I perceive the whole world is at work in blaming one another. Thence Sir W. Pen and I back into London; and there saw the King, with his kettle-drums and trumpets, going to the Exchange, to lay the first stone of the first pillar of the new building of the Exchange; which, the gates being shut, I could not get in to see: but, with Sir W. Pen, to Captain Cocke’s to drink a dram of brandy, and so he to the Treasury office about Sir G. Carteret’s accounts, and I took coach and back again toward Westminster; but in my way stopped at the Exchange, and got in, the King being newly gone; and there find the bottom of the first pillar laid. And here was a shed set up, and hung with tapestry, and a canopy of state, and some good victuals and wine, for the King, who, it seems, did it; and so a great many people, as Tom Killigrew, and others of the Court there, and there I did eat a mouthful and drink a little, and do find Mr. Gawden in his gowne as Sheriffe, and understand that the King hath this morning knighted him upon the place, which I am mightily pleased with; and I think the other Sheriffe, who is Davis, the little fellow, my schoolfellow, — the bookseller, who was one of Audley’s Executors, and now become Sheriffe; which is a strange turn, methinks. Here mighty merry (there being a good deal of good company) for a quarter of an hour, and so I away and to Westminster Hall, where I come just as the House rose; and there, in the Hall, met with Sir W. Coventry, who is in pain to defend himself in the business of tickets, it being said that the paying of the ships at Chatham by ticket was by his direction, and he hath wrote to me to find his letters, and shew them him, but I find none; but did there argue the case with him, and I think no great blame can be laid on us for that matter, only I see he is fearfull. And he tells me his mistake in the House the other day, which occasions him much trouble, in shewing of the House the Duke of Albemarle’s letter about the good condition of Chatham, which he is sorry for, and, owns as a mistake, the thing not being necessary to have been done; and confesses that nobody can escape from such error, some times or other. He says the House was well satisfied with my Report yesterday; and so several others told me in the Hall that my Report was very good and satisfactory, and that I have got advantage by it in the House: I pray God it may prove so! And here, after the Hall pretty empty, I did walk a few turns with Commissioner Pett, and did give the poor weak man some advice for his advantage how to better his pleading for himself, which I think he will if he can remember and practise, for I would not have the man suffer what he do not deserve, there being enough of what he do deserve to lie upon him. Thence to Mrs. Martin’s, and there staid till two o’clock, and drank and talked, and did give her 3l. to buy my goddaughter her first new gowne … [and I did hazer algo con her; – L&M] and so away homeward, and in my way met Sir W. Pen in Cheapside, and went into his coach, and back again and to the King’s playhouse, and there saw “The Black Prince” again: which is now mightily bettered by that long letter being printed, and so delivered to every body at their going in, and some short reference made to it in heart in the play, which do mighty well; but, when all is done, I think it the worst play of my Lord Orrery’s. But here, to my great satisfaction, I did see my Lord Hinchingbroke and his mistress, with her father and mother; and I am mightily pleased with the young lady, being handsome enough — and, indeed, to my great liking, as I would have her. I could not but look upon them all the play; being exceeding pleased with my good hap to see them, God bring them together! and they are now already mighty kind to one another, and he is as it were one of their family. The play done I home, and to the office a while, and then home to supper, very hungry, and then to my chamber, to read the true story, in Speed, of the Black Prince, and so to bed.

This day, it was moved in the House that a day might be appointed to bring in an, impeachment against the Chancellor, but it was decried as being irregular; but that, if there was ground for complaint, it might be brought to the Committee for miscarriages, and, if they thought good, to present it to the House; and so it was carried. They did also vote this day thanks to be given to the Prince and Duke of Albemarle, for their care and conduct in the last year’s war, which is a strange act; but, I know not how, the blockhead Albemarle hath strange luck to be loved, though he be, and every man must know it, the heaviest man in the world, but stout and honest to his country.

This evening late, Mr. Moore come to me to prepare matters for my Lord Sandwich’s defence; wherein I can little assist, but will do all I can; and am in great fear of nothing but the damned business of the prizes, but I fear my Lord will receive a cursed deal of trouble by it.

25 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

What Pepys did in the ellipsis above

"Thence to Mrs. Martins, and there staid till 2 a-clock and drank and talked, and did give her 3l to buy my god-daughter her first new gowne -- and I did hazer algo con her; and so away homeward...."

L&M text.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"the true story...of the Black Prince"

The Black Prince

Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376) was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, and father to King Richard II of England.

He was called Edward of Woodstock in his early life, after his birthplace, and has more recently been popularly known as The Black Prince.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwa…

Martin  •  Link

I've been AWOL for some time, but I'm just wondering if we have discussed here the question of what kind of credentials were needed for Pepys to get into various places and events. Today he goes to White Hall to "attend" the future king — this being a regular stop, he's probably well-known to the doorkeeps there; then to the Exchange, where at first they could not get in, so they went and had a drink, tried again and got in; then to the House at Westminster, where he has no difficulty entering. What kind of security arrangements were in place in these places? How did Pepys and others prove they were entitled to entry?

JWB  •  Link

John Speed

"He (Speed) was first bred to a handicraft, and as I take it to a Taylor. I write not this for his but my own disgrace, when I consider how far his industry hath outstript my ingenuous education. Sir Fulk Grevill, a great favourer of Learning, perceiving how his wide soul was stuffed with too narrow an occupation,..." Thomas Fuller, 1662, 'The Worthies of England'

Michael Robinson  •  Link

"And here, after the Hall pretty empty, I did walk a few turns with Commissioner Pett, and did give the poor weak man some advice for his advantage how to better his pleading for himself, which I think he will if he can remember and practise, for I would not have the man suffer what he do not deserve, there being enough of what he do deserve to lie upon him. ..."

SP is being very politic about even being seen with Pett 'after the Hall pretty empty' though perhps feeling guilty 'for I would not have the man suffer what he do not deserve.' How does Commissioner 'scapegoat' Pett takes this advice, I wonder, being advised today how to conduct himself by SP who yesterday, on the Board's behalf, dumped all the blame for Chatham on his shoulders?

Michael Robinson  •  Link

" Thence Sir W. Pen and I back into London; and there saw the King, with his kettle-drums and trumpets, going to the Exchange, ..."

"So to White Hall; where I staid to hear the trumpets and kettle-drums, and then the other drums, which are much cried up, though I think it dull, vulgar musique."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Michael Robinson  •  Link

" ... saw the King, with his kettle-drums and trumpets, ..."

Dress remains basically unchanged:
the embroidered trumpet and drum banners:
http://www.householdcavalry.info/…
the State Dress:
http://www.householdcavalry.info/…

Spoiler. The separate corps of household trumpeters and kettle-drums were disbanded in 1667, when Charles had to retrench expenditure, and ever since have been drawn from the Life Guards.

Mary  •  Link

"Davis, the little fellow, my schoolfellow..... which is a strange turn, methinks"

Not entirely delighted with this turn of events, Sam? Just a bit jealous, perhaps?

Carl in Boston  •  Link

Gimme that dull, vulgar musique, Gimme that dull, vulgar musique, Played by a real vulgar band.
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has a pair of these same kettledrums on display in the hall of silver. They were made at the same time as what the Blues and Royals now play on. I have DVDs of the mounted bands playing on Horse Guards Parade, done by my friend at Valentine Music in London. Very useful for swiping hot licks to play in Masonic Lodges. I like their take on Ein Feste Burg and O God Our Help .. , both are 8 bar fanfares.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

With even the dauntless Coventry running a bit scared one can't be too hard on Pepys who, apart from the occassional kickback and that one moment of panic after Medway (and even then he did see to the fireships as best he could), has labored diligently in the Navy's interest. He would sincerely like to help Pett but is pretty much powerless and knows all too well what a fine secondary target he would be should the titles get too alarmed by Parliament's inquiries.

Phoenix  •  Link

"I see he (Coventry) is fearfull. And he tells me his mistake in the House the other day, which occasions him much trouble, in shewing of the House the Duke of Albemarle’s letter about the good condition of Chatham, which he is sorry for, and, owns as a mistake, the thing not being necessary to have been done."

So often with these kinds of inquiries simply establishing where true responsibility lies can be hazardous. Somewhat surprising that Coventry didn't see how the wind was blowing - or did - and despite that proffered the letter anyway, which would seem more in keeping with his character. Hard, even after centuries, not to respect the man.

language hat  •  Link

"And here was a shed set up, and hung with tapestry, and a canopy of state, and some good victuals and wine, for the King, who, it seems, did it; and so a great many people, as Tom Killigrew, and others of the Court there, and there I did eat a mouthful and drink a little, and do find Mr. Gawden in his gowne as Sheriffe, and understand that the King hath this morning knighted him upon the place, which I am mightily pleased with; and I think the other Sheriffe, who is Davis, the little fellow, my schoolfellow, — the bookseller, who was one of Audley’s Executors, and now become Sheriffe; which is a strange turn, methinks."

What a wonderful sentence: long but lively and comfortably flowing, with a zinger at the end.

Australian Susan  •  Link

The mounted kettle drummers from the Life Guards always ride skewbald horses. I would love to know where that came from. Skewbalds and piebalds are usually disparaged as "gypsy horses" by horsy folk and I recall someone being told off by the MFH for bringing a skewbald to a meet, so why have they become the norm for the lifeguards drummers? Anyone know?

Michael Robinson  •  Link

@ Australian Susan

More on the horses and drum horses, including a list so far as is known:
http://www.householdcavalry.info/…
The most recent recruit & reasons for selection for training:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/ne…
(includes links to other stories about the drum horses)
Video on the band of the Blues, showing turnout etc., includes sections on the drum horse:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_…

For what it's worth, in my experience MFH's, and hunts, vary in their rules (or local customs) about what is or is not 'customary and acceptable' in completely arbitrary ways, the color of one's breaches for one example.

pepfie  •  Link

"if the Officers of the Ordnance had done as much work at Shereness in ten weeks as “The Prince” did in ten days"

The link to HMS "The Royal Prince" doesn't help me to understand this statement. SP's MS would have the Prince (Rupert), wouldn't it?

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Commons "did also vote this day thanks to be given to the Prince and Duke of Albemarle, for their care and conduct in the last year’s war, which is a strange act;"

Commons seem to have swapped official praise of them by name in exchange for their cooperation in ratting out the malfeasance of others.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

Doug Quixote  •  Link

Credentials: in a stratified society like 17th century England, how one dressed indicated one's standing in society. If a suitably dressed person presented himself and stated that he was an officer of the Navy Board, that would gain him access just about anywhere.

(And woe betide anyone caught out impersonating one of their betters!)

Marquess  •  Link

I was most amused with Pepys's words concerning Pett. " I would not have the man suffer what he do not deserve, there being enough of what he do deserve to lie upon him." On first reading one got the impression that Sam was being sympathetic towards Pett.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

I agree Marquess ... Pepys has documented pretty well the Navy Board's growing frustration with Pett all year. I think the saving of the model ships was the last straw, and as good an excuse to fire him as any. It's a story that will play well with the masses and be easily understood.

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Mighty merry for 15 minutes! Me, hilarious.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... and do find Mr. Gawden in his gowne as Sheriffe, and understand that the King hath this morning knighted him upon the place, which I am mightily pleased with; ..."

I wonder how much that cost him.

RSGII  •  Link

The model ships were the jewels in the crown. They contained the secrets of British ship building. No blueprints in those days. He should have commended for keeping them from the Dutch..

Michaela  •  Link

I wonder if Pepys has bought a new watch recently? Today he seems fairly precise in mentioning the time: “ there staid till two o’clock” and “ Here mighty merry (there being a good deal of good company) for a quarter of an hour”

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