Wednesday 5 February 1667/68

Up, and I to Captain Cocke’s, where he and I did discourse of our business that we are to go about to the Commissioners of Accounts about our prizes, and having resolved to conceal nothing but to confess the truth, the truth being likely to do us most good, we parted, and I to White Hall, where missing of the Commissioners of the Treasury, I to the Commissioners of Accounts, where I was forced to stay two hours before I was called in, and when come in did take an oath to declare the truth to what they should ask me, which is a great power; I doubt more than the Act do, or as some say can, give them, to force a man to swear against himself; and so they fell to enquire about the business of prize-goods, wherein I did answer them as well as I could, answer them in everything the just truth, keeping myself to that. I do perceive at last, that, that they did lay most like a fault to me was, that I did buy goods upon my Lord Sandwich’s declaring that it was with the King’s allowance, and my believing it, without seeing the King’s allowance, which is a thing I will own, and doubt not to justify myself in. That that vexed me most was, their having some watermen by, to witness my saying that they were rogues that they had betrayed my goods, which was upon some discontent with one of the watermen that I employed at Greenwich, who I did think did discover the goods sent from Rochester to the Custom-House officer; but this can do me no great harm. They were inquisitive into the minutest particulars, and the evening great information; but I think that they can do me no hurt, at the worst, more than to make me refund, if it must be known, what profit I did make of my agreement with Captain Cocke; and yet, though this be all, I do find so poor a spirit within me, that it makes me almost out of my wits, and puts me to so much pain, that I cannot think of anything, nor do anything but vex and fret, and imagine myself undone, so that I am ashamed of myself to myself, and do fear what would become of me if any real affliction should come upon me. After they had done with me, they called in Captain Cocke, with whom they were shorter; and I do fear he may answer foolishly, for he did speak to me foolishly before he went in; but I hope to preserve myself, and let him shift for himself as well as he can. So I away, walked to my flageolet maker in the Strand, and there staid for Captain Cocke, who took me up and carried me home, and there coming home and finding dinner done, and Mr. Cooke, who come for my Lady Sandwich’s plate, which I must part with, and so endanger the losing of my money, which I lent upon my thoughts of securing myself by that plate. But it is no great sum — but 60l.: and if it must be lost, better that, than a greater sum. I away back again, to find a dinner anywhere else, and so I, first, to the Ship Tavern, thereby to get a sight of the pretty mistress of the house, with whom I am not yet acquainted at all, and I do always find her scolding, and do believe she is an ill-natured devil, that I have no great desire to speak to her. Here I drank, and away by coach to the Strand, there to find out Mr. Moore, and did find him at the Bell Inn, and there acquainted him with what passed between me and the Commissioners to-day about the prize goods, in order to the considering what to do about my Lord Sandwich, and did conclude to own the thing to them as done by the King’s allowance, and since confirmed. Thence to other discourse, among others, he mightily commends my Lord Hinchingbroke’s match and Lady, though he buys her 10,000l. dear, by the jointure and settlement his father makes her; and says that the Duke of York and Duchess of York did come to see them in bed together, on their wedding-night, and how my Lord had fifty pieces of gold taken out of his pocket that night, after he was in bed. He tells me that an Act of Comprehension is likely to pass this Parliament, for admitting of all persuasions in religion to the public observation of their particular worship, but in certain places, and the persons therein concerned to be listed of this, or that Church; which, it is thought, will do them more hurt than good, and make them not own, their persuasion. He tells me that there is a pardon passed to the Duke of Buckingham, my Lord of Shrewsbury, and the rest, for the late duell and murder;1 which he thinks a worse fault than any ill use my late Lord Chancellor ever put the Great Seal to, and will be so thought by the Parliament, for them to be pardoned without bringing them to any trial: and that my Lord Privy-Seal therefore would not have it pass his hand, but made it go by immediate warrant; or at least they knew that he would not pass it, and so did direct it to go by immediate warrant, that it might not come to him. He tells me what a character my Lord Sandwich hath sent over of Mr. Godolphin, as the worthiest man, and such a friend to him as he may be trusted in any thing relating to him in the world; as one whom, he says, he hath infallible assurances that he will remaine his friend which is very high, but indeed they say the gentleman is a fine man. Thence, after eating a lobster for my dinner, having eat nothing to-day, we broke up, here coming to us Mr. Townsend of the Wardrobe, who complains of the Commissioners of the Treasury as very severe against my Lord Sandwich, but not so much as they complain of him for a fool and a knave, and so I let him alone, and home, carrying Mr. Moore as far as Fenchurch Street, and I home, and there being vexed in my mind about my prize businesses I to my chamber, where my wife and I had much talk of W. Hewer, she telling me that he is mightily concerned for my not being pleased with him, and is herself mightily concerned, but I have much reason to blame him for his little assistance he gives me in my business, not being able to copy out a letter with sense or true spelling that makes me mad, and indeed he is in that regard of as little use to me as the boy, which troubles me, and I would have him know it, — and she will let him know it. By and by to supper, and so to bed, and slept but ill all night, my mind running like a fool on my prize business, which according to my reason ought not to trouble me at all.

28 Annotations

First Reading

Australian Susan  •  Link

"...having resolved to conceal nothing but to confess the truth, the truth being likely to do us most good, ..."

Sir Humphery springs to mind.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Yes,…

"....I do find so poor a spirit within me, that it makes me almost out of my wits, and puts me to so much pain, that I cannot think of anything, nor do anything but vex and fret, and imagine myself undone, so that I am ashamed of myself to myself, and do fear what would become of me if any real affliction should come upon me..."

This is really quite insightful and was obviously the result of reflection (see end of entry) and has been written up from notes a day or so later; it shows how good Sam is at writing up an entry as if truly spontaneous, yet incorporates reflections without losing the immediacy of the narrative. It's bits like this which make the diary so good and also unique. This entry ranges so widely : it's a splendid example to show why this is such a great read!

Regarding the insight - his resolve will be tested post diary both in personal and public office afflictions.

"...and the evening great information..." Is this a scanning error? It does not seem to make sense as read.

Jesse  •  Link

"not being able to copy out a letter with sense or true spelling"

Okay. Can't exactly look it up. Here's an interesting note about how "true spelling" may have been determined http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozidea…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Keen eye, Susan.

L&M read "They were inquisitive into the meanest perticulars, and had had great information; but I think that it can do me no hurt, at the worst more then to make me refund, if it must be known, what profit I did make of my agreement with Captain Cocke."

This was the £500 mentioned two days ago. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Paul E  •  Link

"...the Duke of York and Duchess of York did come to see them in bed together, on their wedding-night, and how my Lord had fifty pieces of gold taken out of his pocket that night, after he was in bed."

LOL, now we know how the funds the Navy needs will be obtained.

Australian Susan  •  Link

Having Royalty come and see the Bridal pair bedded was a great honour which is presumably why Sam reports this to show that Sandwich was rehabilitated in the eyes of,at least the heir to the throne, if not the King himself. One wonders if the bag of money was filched by a light-fingered royal flunkey attendant on the D of Y ; royalty being unable to proceed anywhere without followers enough to show one's greatness. (much in the same way those who grace the pages of Hello! need bodyguards, and personal assistants and media consultants and make-up artists and........)

JWB  •  Link

"...which is a great power...to force a man to swear against himself..."

"The trials of John Lilburn (1637-1645),(49) the trials of the twelve Bishops (1641),(50) King Charles Trial (1649),(51) and Scroop's trial (1660)(52) all illustrate how the privilege against self-incrimination settled into the bed rock of the English common law. In the early 1650's this privilege was so well established in the customary law of England that it was never even thought necessary by any English Parliament to pass an act or resolution touching the matter"

'The Colonial and Constitutional History
of the Privilege Against Self-
Incrimination in America'
By R. Carter Pittman

http://www.rcarterpittman.org/ess…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"in bed together, on their wedding-night"

i.e., in the nuptial bed n. the bed in which a newly married couple sleep.

1578 G. Whetstone Promos & Cassandra ii. iii, He hath defilde no *nuptial bed, nor forced rape hath mou'd.

nuptial, adj. and n.
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈnʌpʃl/ , /ˈnʌptʃ(ə)l/ , U.S. /ˈnəp(t)ʃ(ə)l/
Forms: lME nupcyalle, 15 nuptiale, 15–16 nuptiall, 15–16 nvptiall, 15– nuptial, 16 numptiall , 16 nvptial; Sc. pre-17 nuptiale, pre-17 nuptiall, pre-17 17– nuptial. ...
Etymology: < Middle French, French nuptial of or relating to marriage or a wedding (beginning of the 13th cent. in Old French; also attested in Middle French as †nupcial (14th cent.); also attested in Middle French as noun in sense ‘a marriage, a wedding’ (second half of the 16th cent.)) or its etymon classical Latin nuptiālis of or relating to marriage or a wedding, in post-classical Latin also as noun in neuter plural nuptialia a marriage, a wedding (late second or early 3rd cent. in Tertullian) < nuptiae wedding ( < nupt-, past participial stem of nūbere to marry (see nubile adj.1) + -iae, plural of -ia-ia suffix1) + -ālis-al suffix1. Compare Catalan nupcial (1272), Italian nuziale (a1342; attested slightly earlier as †nupziale (a1340); also attested as †nuptiale (1399 or earlier)), Spanish nupcial (1515), Portuguese nupcial (17th cent.).

A. adj.

1. Of or relating to marriage or a wedding. Also fig.
1490 Caxton tr. Eneydos xv. 56 The goddesse Iuno, quene and patronesse of the commocyons nupcyalle.
1566 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure I. Ded. sig. ⁋1, And see the luck, when he thought best to signifie his good will, to honor Hymeneus bed, at Nuptiall night, a clap of that he neuer feared did ende his lyfe.
1583 A. Nowell & W. Day True Rep. Disput. with E. Campion sig. L2, He that had not the nuptial garment, maketh this claime to be the sonne of God.
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xxiii. 37 Those to celebrate marriages were called songs nuptiall or Epithalamies.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. iv. 154 Now I come to their nuptiall rites, their custome and manner of marriage is thus.
1649 C. Wase in tr. Sophocles Electra 3 While like the froward Miltonist, We our old Nuptiall knot untwist.
1671 Milton Samson Agonistes 1194, I chose a Wife,‥And in your City held my Nuptial Feast.
1700 Dryden tr. Boccaccio Sigismonda & Guiscardo in Fables 124 For this, when ripe for Marriage, he delay'd Her nuptial Bands, and kept her long a Maid.
1751 Johnson Rambler No. 182. ⁋9 She‥at last fixed the nuptial day. (OED)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"did take an oath to declare the truth to what they should ask me, which is a great power"

Parliament debated hard whether to vest that power in the Committee of Accounts

Fern  •  Link

"and the evening great information"

Could this be "and having great information"? In shorthand, "having" and "evening" would presumably both contain the essential consonant "v" and the "-ing" ending.

Mary  •  Link

"and the evening great information"

The L&M text reads, "and had had great information." We tend to accept the L&M reading as authoritative.

Fern  •  Link

Oops, no disrespect to L&M. I was just thinking aloud.

Mary  •  Link

Will Hewer.

This expression of dissatisfaction with Will comes as something of a surprise. We're more used to seeing the young man as an efficient and completely trustworthy employee. Has Hewer been presuming too much on Sam's good will (no pun intended) or is the latter just having one of those days?

nix  •  Link

"immediate warrant" -

I haven't had much success trying to find an explanation of what an "immediate warrant" is, but from context I infer that it means it was issued directly by the King, without going through an established formal process of application and review by court officials. "Immediate" would be used in its original sense: "1. Said of a person or thing in its relation to another: That has no intermediary or intervening member, medium, or agent; that is in actual contact or direct personal relation."

Here is one mention Google turned up --

"From as early as 1444 the use of the signet at an early stage on the passage of grants under the great seal was regulated by the Privy Council and also involved the Privy Seal Office. However, this system of a chain of official responsibility in the making of royal grants was not established by Parliament until the Clerks of the Signet and Privy Seal Act of 1535 laid down that all grants by the King (or in his name) should be brought to the Secretary or one of the clerks of the signet and that a warrant from a Clerk of the Signet to the Keeper of the Privy Seal, to be followed by one from a Clerk of the Privy Seal to the Keeper of the Great Seal, should be the authority in ordinary cases for affixing the great seal to a grant. A scale of fees for the clerks of the Signet and Privy Seal Offices was fixed by the act and provision was made for the payment of these fees in cases where the grant was passed by immediate warrant and did not go through the two offices."

http://www2.nau.edu/~eng121-c/Eng…

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"...having resolved to conceal nothing but to confess the truth, the truth being likely to do us most good..."

Yes, but there is your truth and perhaps there is Cocke's truth...

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"my Lord Privy-Seal therefore would not have it pass his hand, but made it go by immediate warrant; or at least they knew that he would not pass it, and so did direct it to go by immediate warrant, that it might not come to him."

Immediate warrants were authorized to Chancery by the King's sign-manual
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy… alone, thus by-passing the Signet and Privy Seal and its Keeper, Lord Robartes. (L&M)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"he mightily commends my Lord Hinchingbroke’s match and Lady, though he buys her 10,000l. dear, by the jointure and settlement his father makes her;"

L&M: For the current ratio of jointure to settlement, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"He tells me that an Act of Comprehension is likely to pass this Parliament, for admitting of all persuasions in religion to the public observation of their particular worship, but in certain places, and the persons therein concerned to be listed of this, or that Church;"

L&M: For the bill (which provided for toleration as well as for 'comprehension') see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
An unusual clause requiring registration of members of congregations, as well as of their ministers, was included in an original draft put forward by Dr John Owen, the Independent leader: G. F. Nuttall and O. Chadwick (eds), From uniformity to unity, 1662-1962, p. 200.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"He tells me what a character my Lord Sandwich hath sent over of Mr. Godolphin, as the worthiest man, and such a friend to him as he may be trusted in any thing relating to him in the world; as one whom, he says, he hath infallible assurances that he will remaine his friend which is very high, but indeed they say the gentleman is a fine man."

L&M: William Godolphin (after an apprenticeship as secretary to Arlington) had served Sandwich as secretary to the Madrid embassy, taking a leading part in the conclusion of the recent Anglo-Spanish treaty. He was knighted in 1668 and became envoy-extraordinary to Spain in 1669 and ambassador there in 1671.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... and I do always find her scolding, and do believe she is an ill-natured devil ..."

Your reputation precedes you, Pepys, and she put on a show to turn you off.
OR she was a good business woman and kept the staff moving.

Either way, if she were a man, you'd think she assertive and attending to business.

JayW  •  Link

‘my Lord had fifty pieces of gold taken out of his pocket that night, after he was in bed’
Would this be wedding gifts slipped into my Lord’s pocket during the celebrations in the same way that modern Greek brides have notes pinned to their dress? Theft as suggested by Australian Susan seems unlikely.

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

Tallys or Tally Sticks
Samuel mentions 'tallys' or 'tally sticks' several times over the years. Youtube now has a detailed explanation of their construction and usage. Search for 'notched sticks' or visit
https://support.apple.com/en-us/H…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

‘my Lord had fifty pieces of gold taken out of his pocket that night, after he was in bed’

JayW ... My Lord refers to the Duke of York in this context, Pepys' employer. Young Hinchingbrooke might be referred to as Lord H., but to Pepys his father is still the My Lord of the Sandwich family.

So this story says that after the Yorks left the lucky pair, and went to bed, some knave ducked into the Duke's clothing closet and nicked 50 gold pieces from his pocket.
How that can be, I don't know ... 50 gold pieces would have been heavy, noisy and bulky. I can't imagine James wandering through the corridors of power, with his extended jacket banging against the furniture, sounding like a change machine. He had lackeys like Sir Allan Apsley for that sort of thing.

If he did have 50 gold pieces in his possession for some reason, he wouldn't leave them in his clothes over night ... they would be locked in a safe box either in his room, or under the care of a sentry/body guard on night duty.

Perhaps part of the story is missing: James wasn't sleeping in his own bed, and had taken a gift to a lady friend's house. He intended to give the money to her when he left, but someone beat him to it. No guards in the immediate vicinity. No Sir Allen Apsley. Difficult circumstances to make a fuss about.

Or maybe someone who didn't like the Royals made up the story to make them look stupid. I have never seen this story told elsewhere.

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

While Sam wanders from tavern to tavern, worrying that maybe Cocke this and maybe the plate that, and before he vents all this tension at poor Hewer and ultimately in today's slightly long, long and slightly rambling Journall entry, our spy at the Savoy brought us a dispatch, dated this day from Whitehall, which will appear in the next issue (No. 222) of the Gazette, dated February 3-6.

It says His Majesty told the Council board last week (on January 31) that four standing committees would henceforth manage the biggest chunks of its daily business. There is to be one for Foreign Affairs, one for Trade, one for "Complaints and Grievances" (good luck with that one) and a "Committee for such matters as concern the Admiralty and Navy, as also all Military affairs, Fortifications, &c.", chaired by HRH.

So, it looks like someone has invented the Ministry of Defence. Sam, who hates shambolic meetings where incompetents toss problems around with no agenda or results, should be all for it and could thrive in this new world of efficiency and planning. Except it's one more committee on top of him, and possibly a new layer between him and the Top, isn't it.

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

Sam was kind enough on February 13 (in https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…) to answer me on how he feels about this new Committee, formally the Committee of the Council for Navy Affairs, after Carteret was called to it. What a surprise: he doesn't like. It is made up of "men wholly improper", incompetent and unknown even to the Lord Admiral.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"not being able to copy out a letter with sense or true spelling that makes me mad"

We hear you, Pepys.

Spoken English emerged regionally over the centuries from Old English mixed with French, Saxon, Danish, Celtic, etc.; Latin remained the legal language, and French was the Courtly language.
This worked until the Reformation when the reformers started translating and printing the Bible in local languages. But how do you spell a spoken language?

A couple of centuries go by with people trying to "upgrade" English by looking for the root words in Greek, French, Latin, Hebrew, etc. and composing and printing the original dictionaries. They didn't always guess correctly, nor did the guess consistently.
Pepys is living in the middle of this transformation.

https://historynewsnetwork.org/ar…

Know who "invented" what we consider paragraphs today? None other than Envoy Extraordinary Sir William Temple, MP.:
"As a writer, apart from a weakness for Gallicisms, which he admitted and tried to correct, his prose marked a development in the direction of refinement, rhythmical finish, and emancipation from the pedantry of long parentheses and superfluous quotations. He was also a pioneer in the judicious use of the paragraph."

Not a moment too soon. Something Pepys needed desperately.

From the Dictionary of National Biography:
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Tem…

Third Reading

Trevor M Randall  •  Link

and so to bed, and slept but ill all night, my mind running like a fool on my prize business

Even the soporific effect of a lobster couldn’t ease poor Sam’s ruminating.

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