Wednesday 8 July 1668
Betimes by water to Sir W. Coventry, and there discoursed of several things; and I find him much concerned in the present enquiries now on foot of the Commissioners of Accounts, though he reckons himself and the rest very safe, but vexed to see us liable to these troubles, in things wherein we have laboured to do best. Thence, he being to go out of town to-morrow, to drink Banbury waters, I to the Duke of York, to attend him about business of the Office; and find him mighty free to me, and how he is concerned to mend things in the Navy himself, and not leave it to other people. So home to dinner; and then with my wife to Cooper’s, and there saw her sit; and he do do extraordinary things indeed. So to White Hall; and there by and by the Duke of York comes to the Robe-chamber, and spent with us three hours till night, in hearing the business of the Master-Attendants of Chatham, and the Store-keeper of Woolwich; and resolves to displace them all; so hot he is of giving proofs of his justice at this time, that it is their great fate now, to come to be questioned at such a time as this. Thence I to Unthanke’s, and took my wife and Deb. home, and to supper and to bed.
8 Annotations
First Reading
Robert Gertz • Link
While all this talk of reform must please Coventry no doubt he's heard it from Jamie before...
Terry Foreman • Link
Robert, that's about it: L&M note the men suspended in July were restored in August, due in part to the influence of Middleton, Commissioner at Chatham, This was not the first time the Storekeeper was up on charges of malfeasance, but he escaped unscathed.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Sir W. Coventry...to go out of town to-morrow, to drink Banbury waters"
L&M note there was a sulfur well at Banbury, Oxon., and another at nearby Astrop, Northants. Both were recently discovered and both recommended by Oxford physicians; Coventry had a house at Minster Lovell, Oxon.
Jesse • Link
"resolves to displace them all"
I wonder if the suspension was originally to be permanent or whether it was intended to be 'temporary'.
arby • Link
There is a sulphur well not too far away from me in Kentucky in, wait for it, Sulphur Well. Still reputed to have medicinal properties. Smells horrible, so it must be true.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"hearing the business of the Master-Attendants of Chatham, and the Store-keeper of Woolwich; and resolves to displace them all; so hot he is of giving proofs of his justice at this time, that it is their great fate now, to come to be questioned at such a time as this. "
L&M: The Master-Attendants (John Brooke and William Rand), charged with malpractices, were suspended by the Duke's order on 9 July, but restored on 15 August. They had escaped further punishment through the influence of Middleton, Commissioner at Chatham. The Storekeeper (william Acworth), in trouble not for the first time, faced an inquiry and trial, but came off unscvathed.
San Diego Sarah • Link
July 8. 1668
Bristol.
James Baskerville to Williamson.
A flyboat has arrived from London, with the guns and other necessaries for his Majesty's great ship on the stocks, which will be soon ready to launch;
also the Golden Lion from Virginia,
a Bristol vessel from Morlaix,
and another from Nevis, which brings news that that island yet feels the smart of the late war;
this is also evident by the scarcity of the commodities grown in that place.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 242, No. 176.]
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Murlace, Morlaise, aka Morlaix, refer to the port in Brittany 100 miles or so west of St. Malo now known as Morlaix.
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July 8. 1668
Coventry
Ralph Hope to Williamson.
The Earl of Denbigh, having erected a chapel adjoining his house at Newnham Padox, the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, attended by several persons of worth, performed the ceremony of consecration,
after which the Earl of Denbigh entertained the whole number, which was very considerable –– the novelty of the thing inviting many –– at a very costly and magnificent dinner, where nothing seemed wanting to proclaim how highly his lordship was affected with the business, presenting the Bishop with a very fair double gilt piece of plate of considerable value.
After all was done, the Bishop came to Coventry, preached, and held his visitation.
The Earl of Denbigh, who sent him a buck, and many other persons of quality met him there, and dined and spent most of the day together.
The Bishop intends holding a visitation at Coleshill on his way home.
A poor woman having a lame gosling, which got into a pit, desired her son to strip and go in for it, which he did, but found the pit unexpectedly deep;
the mother, seeing her son in imminent danger, and being transported with affection, leaped in to relieve him, and both were drowned together.
[1-¼ pages. S.P. Dom., Car. II. 242, No. 177.]
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I presume this would be Coleshill Hall, Warks., which is currently being excavated:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/sm…
It was a center of non-conformity.
john • Link
"and find him mighty free to me"
Pepys is becoming a confidant of the high and mighty.