Sunday 19 January 1667/68

(Lord’s day). My wife the last night very ill of those, and waked me early, and hereupon I up and to church, where a dull sermon by our lecturer, and so home to dinner in my wife’s chamber, which she is a little better. Then after dinner with Captain Perryman down to Redriffe, and so walked to Deptford, where I sent for Mr. Shish out of the Church to advise about my vessel, “The Maybolt,” and I do resolve to sell, presently, for any thing rather than keep her longer, having already lost 100l. in her value, which I was once offered and refused, and the ship left without any body to look to her, which vexes me. Thence Perryman and I back again, talking of the great miscarriages in the Navy, and among the principal that of having gentlemen commanders. I shall hereafter make use of his and others’ help to reckon up and put down in writing what is fit to be mended in the Navy after all our sad experience therein. So home, and there sat with my wife all the evening, and Mr. Pelling awhile talking with us, who tells me that my Lord Shrewsbury is likely to do well, after his great wound in the late duell. He gone, comes W. Hewer and supped with me, and so to talk of things, and he tells me that Mr. Jessop is made Secretary to the Commissions of Parliament for Accounts, and I am glad, and it is pretty to see that all the Cavalier party were not able to find the Parliament nine Commissioners, or one Secretary, fit for the business. So he gone, I to read a little in my chamber, and so to bed.

17 Annotations

First Reading

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Why Sam Pepys, you closet Roundhead, you. You'll be caught sporting a "Cromwell Rules!" button...Under your camelot coat...Next.

Nice to read you giving Bess some needed attention.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Make that "Cromwell Rules!...God, if only..."

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I shall hereafter make use of his and others’ help to reckon up and put down in writing what is fit to be mended in the Navy after all our sad experience therein."

L&M note next August Pepys will produce a scheme for the reform of the Navy Office. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Carl in Boston  •  Link

I am simply panting to find the scheme for the reform of the Navy Office, but the page can not be found. Perhaps it lies in the future.

Gary J. Bivin  •  Link

I think Sam is discovering that a boat is just a hole in the water into which you throw money.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I am simply panting to find the scheme for the reform of the Navy Office, but the page can not be found. Perhaps it lies in the future."

Carl in Boston, I too am eager to know what "one of Pepys's most masterly compositions" will say that it "proved to be the starting-point of several reforms" (L&M note 27 August); that page that will appear in the future may or may not help much.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"my vessel, “The Maybolt”...I do resolve to sell...rather than keep her longer"

L&M note there is no mention in the diary or elsewhere in Pepys's papers of the sale.

Carl in Boston  •  Link

The future that lies in the past lies ahead. Yes, the future lies ahead, and I am quite interested in the future. Things that lie in the future will affect me greatly, as I live my life in the future. And so I am simply panting to find out what Sam will do. However, I have in my hand a slim, and sly, volume "Samuel Pepys and the Royal Navy" by Tanner, 1971, definitive lectures given at Trinity College in Cambridge (England, of course) in 1919. It's easier than panting to flip open the book and go back to the past to find out what lies ahead.

Carl in Boston  •  Link

I just placed an order for "Memoires of the Royal Navy" by Samuel Pepys. I feel too much lack of Pepysian books in my library, and this will help.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"W. Hewer...tells me that Mr. Jessop is made Secretary to the Commissions of Parliament for Accounts, and I am glad, and it is pretty to see that all the Cavalier party were not able to find the Parliament nine Commissioners, or one Secretary, fit for the business."

L&M: William Jessop had been a distinguished public servant during the Civil War and Interregnum, serving as Secretary to the Admiralty Commissioners 1645-35; Clerk to the Council of State 1654-9 and 1660, and Assistant-Clerk to the Convention Parliament. He was described as a 'rigid' enemy to monarchy on the eve of the Restoration: CSPClar., iv. 675. For the appointment of Commonwealthsmen to the commission of accounts, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Pepys must have stirred up some action in Deptford today from his conversation with Shish. "Look, I'm losing money every day this hulk isn't at work, Shish. Can't you find anything for it to carry somewhere for someone? Men here need work.":

Jan. 16. 1668
J. Clapham, of the Spy, to Thos. Hayter.
Asks for 20 blank tickets for the Maybolt.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 232, No. 145.]

JayW  •  Link

SDS - today’s entry is dated 18 January, 2 days after the request for tickets. That suggests to me that the crew were being paid off, and maybe that is why Sam has decided the ship has to go too.

JayW  •  Link

Correction today’s entry is 19 January!

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Good point, Jay ... it was one of my notorious midnight posts. and my morning eyes agree it was Pepys pushed to action, not Shish and the Deptford staff.

Gerald Berg  •  Link

I see in the portrait of Buckingham by Lely that he doesn't look anything like Chas. girlfriends!

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