Saturday 7 December 1667
All the morning at the office, and at noon home to dinner with my clerks, and while we were at dinner comes Willet’s aunt to see her and my wife; she is a very fine widow and pretty handsome, but extraordinary well carriaged and speaks very handsomely and with extraordinary understanding, so as I spent the whole afternoon in her company with my wife, she understanding all the things of note touching plays and fashions and Court and everything and speaks rarely, which pleases me mightily, and seems to love her niece very well, and was so glad (which was pretty odde) that since she came hither her breasts begin to swell, she being afeard before that she would have none, which was a pretty kind of content she gave herself. She tells us that Catelin is likely to be soon acted, which I am glad to hear, but it is at the King’s House. But the King’s House is at present and hath for some days been silenced upon some difference [between] Hart and Moone. She being gone I to the office, and there late doing business, and so home to supper and to bed. Only this evening I must remember that my Lady Batten sent for me, and it was to speak to me before her overseers about my bargain with Sir W. Batten about the prize, to which I would give no present answer, but am well enough contented that they begin the discourse of it, and so away to the office again, and then home to supper and to bed. Somebody told me this, that they hear that Thomson, with the wooden leg, and Wildman, the Fifth-Monarchy man, a great creature of the Duke of Buckingham’s, are in nomination to be Commissioners, among others, upon the Bill of Accounts.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Letters from London - Dated: 7 December 1667
Arlington to Ormond
Written from: Whitehall
It is now confidently said that Lord Clarendon is arrived at Calais; "though others will not believe but [that] he lies concealed in the town to see what will be the consequence of his idle paper sent to the House of Lords, at his retreat". ...
... "The whispers go still up & down that they will impeach your Grace, but I see little ground or matter thrown up whereupon it can be founded. Therefore I would not advise you hastily to entertain the belief of it, since no skill of yours, from thence can divert it." ...
_____
Ossory to Ormond
The writer has seen a Petition of certain Adventurers [for lands in Ireland] which is shortly to be presented [to Parliament]. In the copy so seen, the Duke's name was not mentioned, but occasion will probably be taken thereupon to bring about a more general discussion of the affairs of Ireland.
Barker's Case [ http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… ] is now to be brought before a Committee of Parliament. It is likely, however, that the decision of the Privy Council will be approved.
http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…
Terry Foreman • Link
"my Lady Batten sent for me, and it was to speak to me before her overseers about my bargain with Sir W. Batten about the prize"
L&M note Sir Richard Ford, William Wood (mastmaker) and John Young (upholsterer and flagmaker) were overseers of her late husband's will. In July when "news [came] of Hogg’s bringing a rich Canary prize to Hull...Sir W. Batten do offer me 1000l. down for my particular share, beside Sir Richard Ford’s part, which do tempt me; but yet I would not take it, but will stand and fall with the company [sc. all who had shares in this ship]." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
For the final settlement see 14 August http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Todd Bernhardt • Link
"and was so glad (which was pretty odde) that since she came hither her breasts begin to swell, she being afeard before that she would have none, which was a pretty kind of content she gave herself."
If Wikipedia is to be believed, Deb is about 16 at this point.
Terry Foreman • Link
Deb Willet's age
The L&M Companion says she was baptised at St Stephen's parish, Bristol, on 12 Sept. 1650. (The Wikipedia article needs correcting.)
Terry Foreman • Link
Wildman
L&M note John Wildman was not a Fifth-Monarchy man but a Leveller associated with Buckingham since the 1650's. He had just been released from prison (again) in October. He was not appointed a Treasury Commissioner, but Col. John Thomson, a prominent Rumper known to Pepys as an Admiralty Commissioner in 1659-60.
Tony Eldridge • Link
"and was so glad (which was pretty odde) that since she came hither her breasts begin to swell"
Impossible to avoid the thought that Sam's ministrations might be involved.
"Oh sir, my aunt thinks they may never grow!"
"Come here my dear, let me see what I can do...."
Robert Gertz • Link
Interesting friends Buckingham wishes to promote.
Ominous portents Willet-ward... That was an odd thing for Auntie to bring up with strangers. I can't help imagining Bess sneaking off to find a mirror.
classicist • Link
John Wildman the Leveller: 'all power is originally and essentially in the whole body of the people of this nation, and . . .their free choice or consent by their representers is the only original or foundation of just government.' (The Case of the Armie Truly Stated)
Of King Charles I, in 'Putney Projects':
'The degrees of oppression, injustice and cruelty are the turning stairs by which he ascends to his absolute stately majesty and greatness.'
He called for the King's trial, he conspired against Cromwell; he conspired against Charles II; and, what is most surprising, he survived to conspire successfully against James II, and was rewarded by William III with the office of Postmaster General.
Terry Foreman • Link
The L&M Companion also observes that in 1679 Wildman was an accomplice of Scott in what the Longs later wrote up as *The Plot Against Pepys.* http://www.pepysdiary.com/indepth…
Buckingham may have called him (in a 19 December newsletter) "the wisest statesman in England" (L&M note), and he may have been the absolute Leveller, but scheming and treachery were his stock in trade.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"they hear that Thomson, with the wooden leg, and Wildman, the Fifth-Monarchy man, a great creature of the Duke of Buckingham’s, are in nomination to be Commissioners, among others, upon the Bill of Accounts."
L&M say both were nominated, but only Col. George Thompson appointed. He was a Rumper who Pepys had known in 1659-60 when Thompson was an Admiralty Commissioner.
Terry Foreman • Link
"The L&M Companion says she was baptised at St Stephen's parish, Bristol, on 12 Sept. 1650. (The Wikipedia article needs correcting.)"
The Wikipedia claim's footnote links to a correction of L&M by Loveman, Kate (2011). "Further Information on Samuel Pepys and Deb Willet after the Diary". Notes & Queries. 58 (3) https://academic.oup.com/nq/artic…
Terry Foreman • Link
"they hear that Thomson, with the wooden leg, and Wildman, the Fifth-Monarchy man, a great creature of the Duke of Buckingham’s, are in nomination to be Commissioners, among others, upon the Bill of Accounts."
L&M: Wildman was not a fifth-Monarchy man but a Leveller. He had been released from prison in October. For his connection to Buckingham (going back to the 1650's), see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Terry Foreman • Link
"they hear that Thomson, with the wooden leg, and Wildman, the Fifth-Monarchy man, a great creature of the Duke of Buckingham’s, are in nomination to be Commissioners, among others, upon the Bill of Accounts."
L&M: Wildman was not a fifth-Monarchy man but a Leveller. He had been released from prison in October. For his connection to Buckingham (going back to the 1650's), see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
"John Wildman was ... associated with Buckingham since the 1650's."
In 1657 Buckingham left his best friend, Charles II, to finish his exile alone. George returned to England to find a way to protect his estates, which had been given to Gen. Thomas, Lord Fairfax by Cromwell. Buckingham's solution was to break up Mary Fairfax's engagement, and marry her as she was Gen. Thomas' heir.
That must be when George Villiers met Wildman, who made a tidy fortune by trading in Royalist estates during the 1650's. (So much for all that lovely Leveller philosophy.) Wildman is mentioned in the article (below) which unravels the lengths Royalists went to hiding their properties with straw buyers and conveying estates to their children, etc.
Marrying into the family was a win-win for Buckingham-Fairfax. Whichever side won, they had honorably hedged their bets. And there were no fees or shady people to pay off.
https://thehistoryofparliament.fi…
Harry R • Link
(which was pretty odde)
This had me chuckling to myself for a few minutes. A "More tea, vicar?" moment. Contemplating what thoughts came into Sam's and Betty's heads adds to my amusement, especially after Sam's first impressions of the handsome and esoteric Mrs Hunt.