Tuesday 3 December 1667
Up, by candlelight, the only time I think I have done so this winter, and a coach being got over night, I to Sir W. Coventry’s, the first time I have seen him at his new house since he come to lodge there. He tells me of the vote for none of the House to be of the Commission for the Bill of Accounts; which he thinks is so great a disappointment to Birch and others that expected to be of it, that he thinks, could it have been [fore]seen, there would not have been any Bill at all. We hope it will be the better for all that are to account; it being likely that the men, being few, and not of the House, will hear reason. The main business I went about was about Gilsthrop, Sir W. Batten’s clerk; who, being upon his death-bed, and now dead, hath offered to make discoveries of the disorders of the Navy and of 65,000l. damage to the King: which made mighty noise in the Commons’ House; and members appointed to go to him, which they did; but nothing to the purpose got from him, but complaints of false musters, and ships being refitted with victuals and stores at Plymouth, after they come fitted from other ports; but all this to no purpose, nor more than we know, and will owne. But the best is, that this loggerhead should say this, that understands nothing of the Navy, nor ever would; and hath particularly blemished his master by name among us. I told Sir W. Coventry of my letter to Sir R. Brookes, and his answer to me. He advises me, in what I write to him, to be as short as I can, and obscure, saving in things fully plain; for all that he do is to make mischief; and that the greatest wisdom in dealing with the Parliament in the world is to say little, and let them get out what they can by force: which I shall observe. He declared to me much of his mind to be ruled by his own measures, and not to go so far as many would have him to the ruin of my Lord Chancellor, and for which they do endeavour to do what they can against [Sir] W. Coventry. “But,” says he, “I have done my do in helping to get him out of the administration of things, for which he is not fit; but for his life or estate I will have nothing to say to it: besides that, my duty to my master the Duke of York is such, that I will perish before I will do any thing to displease or disoblige him, where the very necessity of the kingdom do not in my judgment call me.”
Thence I home and to the office, where my Lord Anglesey, and all the discourse was yesterday’s vote in the Commons, wherein he told us that, should the Lords yield to what the Commons would have in this matter, it were to make them worse than any justice of Peace (whereas they are the highest Court in the Kingdom) that they cannot be judges whether an offender be to be committed or bailed, which every justice of Peace do do, and then he showed me precedents plain in their defence.
At noon home to dinner, and busy all the afternoon, and at night home, and there met W. Batelier, who tells me the first great news that my Lord Chancellor is fled this day. By and by to Sir W. Pen’s, where Sir R. Ford and he and I met, with Mr. Young and Lewes, about our accounts with my Lady Batten, which prove troublesome, and I doubt will prove to our loss. But here I hear the whole that my Lord Chancellor is gone, and left a paper behind him for the House of Lords, telling them the reason of him retiring, complaining of a design for his ruin. But the paper I must get: only the thing at present is great, and will put the King and Commons to some new counsels certainly. So home to supper and to bed.
Sir W. Pen I find in much trouble this evening, having been called to the Committee this afternoon, about the business of prizes.
Sir Richard Ford told us this evening an odd story of the basenesse of the late Lord Mayor, Sir W. Bolton, in cheating the poor of the City, out of the collections made for the people that were burned, of 1800l.; of which he can give no account, and in which he hath forsworn himself plainly, so as the Court of Aldermen have sequestered him from their Court till he do bring in an account, which is the greatest piece of roguery that they say was ever found in a Lord Mayor.
He says also that this day hath been made appear to them that the Keeper of Newgate, at this day, hath made his house the only nursery of rogues, and whores, and pickpockets, and thieves in the world; where they were bred and entertained, and the whole society met: and that, for the sake of the Sheriffes, they durst not this day committ him, for fear of making him let out the prisoners, but are fain to go by artifice to deal with him.
He tells me, also, speaking of the new street that is to be made from Guild Hall down to Cheapside, that the ground is already, most of it, bought. And tells me of one particular, of a man that hath a piece of ground lieing in the very middle of the street that must be; which, when the street is cut out of it, there will remain ground enough, of each side, to build a house to front the street. He demanded 700l. for the ground, and to be excused paying any thing for the melioration of the rest of his ground that he was to keep. The Court consented to give him 700l., only not to abate him the consideration: which the man denied; but told them, and so they agreed, that he would excuse the City the 700l., that he might have the benefit of the melioration without paying any thing for it. So much some will get by having the City burned! But he told me that in other cases ground, by this means, that was not 4d. a-foot before, will now, when houses are built, be worth 15s. a-foot. But he tells me that the common standard now reckoned on between man and man, in places where there is no alteration of circumstances, but only the houses burnt, there the ground, which, with a house on it, did yield 100l. a-year, is now reputed worth 33l. 6s. 8d.; and that this is the common market-price between one man and another, made upon a good and moderate medium.
19 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"He tells me of the vote for none of the House to be of the Commission for the Bill of Accounts; which he thinks is so great a disappointment to Birch and others that expected to be of it, that he thinks, could it have been [fore]seen, there would not have been any Bill at all."
See the Journal of the House of Commons for yesterday
Publick Accounts.
The House then resumed the Consideration of the Matter, upon the Amendments to the Bill for taking the publick Accounts; relating to the naming of Commissioners.
The Question being put, That any of the Commissioners for taking public Accounts be Members of the House;
It passed in the Negative.
Resolved, &c. That it be referred to the former Committee, to which the Bill for taking the publick Accounts, was committed, to consider of, and present to the House, the Names of Twenty Persons, out of which Commissioners may be appointed for taking the Accounts; and that the Committee be, for that Purpose, revived.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Terry Foreman • Link
"should the Lords yield to what the Commons would have in [the matter of Lord Clarendon], it were to make them worse than any justice of Peace (whereas they are the highest Court in the Kingdom) that they cannot be judges whether an offender be to be committed or bailed, which every justice of Peace do do, and then he showed me precedents plain in their defence."
See Grey's Debates http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
A struggle between the Houses takes place in official secret, but word gets around.
Terry Foreman • Link
House of Lords today
Message to H. C. that the E. of Clarendon is withdrawn:
A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Judge Twisden and Judge Browne:
To acquaint them, that the Lords have received a large Petition from the Earl of Clarendon, which intimates that he is withdrawn.
King to be acquainted with it.
_____
House of Commons today [ parliamentary sarcasm ]
[A message from the Lords, [by two Judges] That they have received a long petition from the Earl of Clarendon, intimating that he was withdrawn (fn. 1) .]
Sir Robert Howard.] The Lords said, There was no danger of his withdrawing—Withdrawn, we know not whither—May be, into the next chamber—Desires to know the reasons of it in his paper to the Lords—Moves to draw a narrative of our proceedings.
Mr Vaughan.] Would not have the House take notice of the Lords paper, for if it be of moment, the Lords will communicate it to the King or to us—Seconds the motion for a narrative.
Mr Waller.] The Lords have been civil to him—In three weeks we have not heard from them—Withdraw is a Parliament word; he desires to know what the Lords mean by the word Withdraw.
Mr Sollicitor.] When a delinquent sends his Judges word he is withdrawn, it can have no other meaning but fled—Shall we say, if he be gone, fare him well!—In Lord Finch's case the ports were stopped.
Address for preventing Escape of Earl of Clarendon.
Resolved, &c. That an Address be made to his Majesty, in the Name of this House, by the Members of this House of his Majesty's Privy Council, humbly to desire his Majesty to give order to stop all Sea Ports, to prevent the Escape of the Earl of Clarendon:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Terry Foreman • Link
"Sir W. Pen I find in much trouble this evening, having been called to the Committee this afternoon, about the business of prizes"
House of Commons today
Prize Ships.
Ordered, That Mr. Edward Seymour be desired to deliver in Papers of Examination, which are in his Hands, concerning the Two East India Prizes: And that Sir William Penn do attend the Committee, and give his Information concerning the Matter, before these Papers be made publick.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Michael L • Link
"[Coventry] advises me, in what I write to [Brookes], to be as short as I can, and obscure"
Excellent political advice from a master statesman.
Robert Gertz • Link
Nor is the implied advice from Clarendon to be scorned... "Run like Hell when the King joins with Parliament against you."
ONeville • Link
He advises me, in what I write to him, to be as short as I can, and obscure, saving in things fully plain;
The Civil Service maxim "Economical with the truth"
Terry Foreman • Link
"the new street that is to be made from Guild Hall down to Cheapside"
L&M note this was King Street. Before its construction, access to the Guildhall from the south was either by Ironmonger Lane or Lawrence Lane, both of them narrow.
Christopher Squire • Link
‘ . . that this loggerhead should say this, that understands nothing of the Navy, . . ’
loggerhead = ‘logger’ + ‘head’:
‘logger: apparently a word invented as expressing by its sound the notion of something heavy and clumsy. dial.
a. A heavy block of wood fastened to the leg of a horse to prevent it straying (1777 in Eng. Dial. Dict.).
b. Lumps of dirt on a ploughboy's feet ( Wiltsh. Gloss. 1893).
c. ‘Meat which is sinewy, skinny, lumpy, “chunky”, or not worth cooking’ ( Warwicksh. Gloss. 1896).’
‘loggerhead 1. a. A thick-headed or stupid person; a blockhead.
1595 Enq. Tripe-wife (1881) 168 That shee should sweare‥that she would neuer marrie with the Grocer he was such a logger-head.
1598 Shakespeare Loves Labours Lost iv. iii. 202 Ah you whoreson loggerhead, you were borne to do me shame . . ‘
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"He tells me of the vote for none of the House to be of the Commission for the Bill of Accounts; which he thinks is so great a disappointment to Birch and others that expected to be of it, that he thinks, could it have been [fore]seen, there would not have been any Bill at all."
The Bill for taking Public Accompts was passed on 19 December
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
(19-20 Car. II c. i) and established a Committee of nine under Lord Brereton -- later known as the Brooke House Committee from its place of meeting -- to enquire into the administration of finances during the late war. Its report was published on 25 October 1669. Its criticisms felt mainly on the Navy Board, the principal spending department. Pepys's reply (27 November 1669) was a crushing documemt, answering in turm each of the Committee's eighteen 'Observations'. The Privy Council considered both the report and Pepys's answers in January-February 1670, and Pepys dictated to the clerk 'A Journall of what passed between the Commissioners of Accompts and myselfe before His Majesty in Council' (Per L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"to the office, where my Lord Anglesey, and all the discourse was yesterday’s vote in the Commons"
Yesterday Anglesey had been a manager for the Lords in the conference betrwen the two Houses in this matter. (L&M)
Terry Foreman • Link
"at night home, and there met W. Batelier, who tells me the first great news that my Lord Chancellor is fled this day"
He had fled to France on 30 November. (L&M)
Terry Foreman • Link
"But the paper I must get:"
One version:
To the Right Honourable, the Lords spiritual and temporal, in Parliament assembled, the hvmble petition and address of Edward, Earl of Clarendon
Clarendon, Edward Hyde, Earl of, 1609-1674.
London: [s.n.], 1667?
Early English Books Online
[Full text]
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/…
Terry Foreman • Link
"I to Sir W. Coventry’s, the first time I have seen him at his new house"
L&M: In Pall Mall: see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Terry Foreman • Link
"By and by to Sir W. Pen’s, where Sir R. Ford and he and I met, with Mr. Young and Lewes, about our accounts with my Lady Batten,"
L&M: Sir William Batten had died in October, and John Young (with Ford himself) was an overseer of of his will. Together with Thomas Lewis of the Victualing Office they acted on the widow's behalf: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Terry Foreman • Link
"Sir Richard Ford told us this evening an odd story of the basenesse of the late Lord Mayor, Sir W. Bolton, in cheating the poor of the City, out of the collections made for the people that were burned, of 1800l.; of which he can give no account, and in which he hath forsworn himself plainly, so as the Court of Aldermen have sequestered him from their Court till he do bring in an account, which is the greatest piece of roguery that they say was ever found in a Lord Mayor."
L&M: Bolton had been Lord Mayor in 1666-7; he surrendered his place as alderman in May 1668, and was eventually convicted in 1675 of misappropriation of funds by the Commissioners for Charitable Uses. Both he and his widow -- quite ruined by the affair -- were given a small pension by the city. CSPD 1667-8. p. 416. A, B. Beaven, Aldermen of London, i. 95: Sharpe, ii. 432, n. 2.
Terry Foreman • Link
"the Keeper of Newgate, at this day, hath made his house the only nursery of rogues, and whores, and pickpockets, and thieves in the world; where they were bred and entertained, and the whole society met: and that, for the sake of the Sheriffes, they durst not this day committ him, for fear of making him let out the prisoners, but are fain to go by artifice to deal with him."
L&M: The Keeper (Walter Cowdrey) was dismissed by the Court of Aldermen in February 1668 and died shortly afterwards. He had been guilty og cruelty to his prisoners as well as of other offenses. HMC., Rep., 15/7/102.
Terry Foreman • Link
"And tells me of one particular, of a man that hath a piece of ground lieing in the very middle of the street that must be; which, when the street is cut out of it, there will remain ground enough, of each side, to build a house to front the street. He demanded 700l. for the ground, and to be excused paying any thing for the melioration of the rest of his ground that he was to keep. The Court consented to give him 700l., only not to abate him the consideration: which the man denied; but told them, and so they agreed, that he would excuse the City the 700l., that he might have the benefit of the melioration without paying any thing for it. "
L&M: The general effect of the clause providing for melioration (seect. 24 of the Rebuilding Act, 18-19 Car. II c. 7) is discussed in T. F. Reddaway, Rebuilding of London, pp. 165-7. For a somewhat similar case, concerning a property in the same street, see Philip E. Jones (ed.), Fire Court, i. 63-4.
john • Link
ONeville, I take objection to your comment. It is your opinion whether you perceive your civil service to be "economical with the truth". Here, Parliament is out for blood and will latch onto anything. Coventry is advising Pepys not to write down anything that may appear to be a target.