Thursday 5 November 1668

Up, and Willet come home in the morning, and, God forgive me! I could not conceal my content thereat by smiling, and my wife observed it, but I said nothing, nor she, but away to the office. Presently up by water to White Hall, and there all of us to wait on the Duke of York, which we did, having little to do, and then I up and down the house, till by and by the Duke of York, who had bid me stay, did come to his closet again, and there did call in me and Mr. Wren; and there my paper, that I have lately taken pains to draw up, was read, and the Duke of York pleased therewith; and we did all along conclude upon answers to my mind for the Board, and that that, if put in execution, will do the King’s business. But I do now more and more perceive the Duke of York’s trouble, and that he do lie under great weight of mind from the Duke of Buckingham’s carrying things against him; and particularly when I advised that he would use his interest that a seaman might come into the room of W. Pen, who is now declared to be gone from us to that of the Victualling, and did shew how the Office would now be left without one seaman in it, but the Surveyour and the Controller, who is so old as to be able to do nothing, he told me plainly that I knew his mind well enough as to seamen, but that it must be as others will. And Wren did tell it me as a secret, that when the Duke of York did first tell the King about Sir W. Pen’s leaving of the place, and that when the Duke of York did move the King that either Captain Cox or Sir Jer. Smith might succeed him, the King did tell him that that was a matter fit to be considered of, and would not agree to either presently; and so the Duke of York could not prevail for either, nor knows who it shall be. The Duke of York did tell me himself, that if he had not carried it privately when first he mentioned Pen’s leaving his place to the King, it had not been done; for the Duke of Buckingham and those of his party do cry out upon it, as a strange thing to trust such a thing into the hands of one that stands accused in Parliament: and that they have so far prevailed upon the King that he would not have him named in Council, but only take his name to the Board; but I think he said that only D. Gawden’s name shall go in the patent; at least, at the time when Sir Richard Browne asked the King the names of D. Gawden’s security, the King told him it was not yet necessary for him to declare them. And by and by, when the Duke of York and we had done, and Wren brought into the closet Captain Cox and James Temple about business of the Guiney Company, and talking something of the Duke of Buckingham’s concernment therein, and says the Duke of York, “I will give the Devil his due, as they say the Duke of Buckingham hath paid in his money to the Company,” or something of that kind, wherein he would do right to him. The Duke of York told me how these people do begin to cast dirt upon the business that passed the Council lately, touching Supernumeraries, as passed by virtue of his authority there, there being not liberty for any man to withstand what the Duke of York advises there; which, he told me, they bring only as an argument to insinuate the putting of the Admiralty into Commission, which by all men’s discourse is now designed, and I perceive the same by him. This being done, and going from him, I up and down the house to hear news: and there every body’s mouth full of changes; and, among others, the Duke of York’s regiment of Guards, that was raised during the late war at sea, is to be disbanded: and also, that this day the King do intend to declare that the Duke of Ormond is no more Deputy of Ireland, but that he will put it into Commission. This day our new Treasurers did kiss the King’s hand, who complimented them, as they say, very highly, that he had for a long time been abused in his Treasurer, and that he was now safe in their hands. I saw them walk up and down the Court together all this morning; the first time I ever saw Osborne, who is a comely gentleman. This day I was told that my Lord Anglesey did deliver a petition on Wednesday in Council to the King, laying open, that whereas he had heard that his Majesty had made such a disposal of his place, which he had formerly granted him for life upon a valuable consideration, and that, without any thing laid to his charge, and during a Parliament’s sessions, he prayed that his Majesty would be pleased to let his case be heard before the Council and the judges of the land, who were his proper counsel in all matters of right: to which, I am told, the King, after my Lord’s being withdrawn, concluded upon his giving him an answer some few days hence; and so he was called in, and told so, and so it ended.

Having heard all this I took coach and to Mr. Povy’s, where I hear he is gone to the Swedes Resident in Covent Garden, where he is to dine. I went thither, but he is not come yet, so I to White Hall to look for him, and up and down walking there I met with Sir Robert Holmes, who asking news I told him of Sir W. Pen’s going from us, who ketched at it so as that my heart misgives me that he will have a mind to it, which made me heartily sorry for my words, but he invited me and would have me go to dine with him at the Treasurer’s, Sir Thomas Clifford, where I did go and eat some oysters; which while we were at, in comes my Lord Keeper and much company; and so I thought it best to withdraw. And so away, and to the Swedes Agent’s, and there met Mr. Povy; where the Agent would have me stay and dine, there being only them, and Joseph Williamson, and Sir Thomas Clayton; but what he is I know not. Here much extraordinary noble discourse of foreign princes, and particularly the greatness of the King of France, and of his being fallen into the right way of making the kingdom great, which [none] of his ancestors ever did before. I was mightily pleased with this company and their discourse, so as to have been seldom so much in all my life, and so after dinner up into his upper room, and there did see a piece of perspective, but much inferior to Mr. Povy’s. Thence with Mr. Povy spent all the afternoon going up and down among the coachmakers in Cow Lane, and did see several, and at last did pitch upon a little chariott, whose body was framed, but not covered, at the widow’s, that made Mr. Lowther’s fine coach; and we are mightily pleased with it, it being light, and will be very genteel and sober: to be covered with leather, and yet will hold four. Being much satisfied with this, I carried him to White Hall; and so by coach home, where give my wife a good account of my day’s work, and so to the office, and there late, and so to bed.

21 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

The Royal Society today at Arundel House — from the Hooke Folio Online

Nouemb: 5. 1668. Dr. Wrens letter about motion)

expt. of macassar poyson [ http://www.bartleby.com/81/16994.… ] tryd on a dog.)

the curator made an expt. of letting a feather fall in a glasse cane about 7 foot long with a head on it which being well exhausted the feather fell from top to bottom in about 3" of time. but filled againe wth. air the same fell down in 7 1/2". both were seuerall times repeated. the same proposd the trying Expts. to determine the businesse of the comunicatio

Of motion for which purpose some tryalls had been made formerly wth 3 or more aequall wooded balls of which of the Lateralls had been Let fall against the middle most & impelled the other Laterall one to the like height from whence the first was fallen soe as the middle stirred very little vid. Oct. 17 & 24. 1666 he promisd to promised these expt. the next day. /74/ by imploying more balls and Letting the Exterior fall against the Intermediats

(capn. Salters turnd work) Auzouts obseruat in Italy of variation of needle 1 1/2 degree westward.) discourse of of Bonds theory Auzout at Septalys Study saw a magnet weigh . . 1 1/4 ounce which tooke vp. 77. ounces)

wallis to Heuelius about new starr in Cete) It was recomended to mr Hooke and others to take notice of this phenomen

(of telescopick glasses made at Paris wth. a turn lathe.)

http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"wallis to Heuelius about new starr in Cete) It was recomended to mr Hooke and others to take notice of this phenomen "

"omicron Ceti or Mira was the first variable star to be found in the night sky. It is a red giant approximately 420 light-years distant from Earth. Its maximum magnitude can reach 2.0, making it one of the brightest stars in the sky, and then drop to 10.1 and make the star invisible to the naked eye. When German theologian David Fabricius discovered it in 1596, this put a new dent in the notion of unchangeability of the heavens, undermining the Ptolemaic model and shifting in favour of the Copernican Revolution and the heliocentric model. Mira was named by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius. The name means "wonderful" or "astonishing" in Latin. The star is a model for the category of stars known as Mira variables. Mira variables are pulsating variable stars, usually red giants, with pulsation periods longer than 100 days and light amplitudes exceeding one magnitude." http://www.topastronomer.com/Star…

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"The Duke of York did tell me himself, that if he had not carried it privately when first he mentioned Pen’s leaving his place to the King, it had not been done; for the Duke of Buckingham and those of his party do cry out upon it, as a strange thing to trust such a thing into the hands of one that stands accused in Parliament: and that they have so far prevailed upon the King that he would not have him named in Council, but only take his name to the Board;"
So I take it, it's the Penn appointment in Victualling that's being blocked in the power struggle here. Interesting involvement of the Guinea Company...Which according to the reference link here and several sources should be in a state of extreme disorganization/reorganization right now, owing to its collapse during the Dutch war and the fighting in Africa. Perhaps Buckingham (or Charles?) sees an opportunity? I wonder if the key here might be that Charles, ever casting about for new sources of income, is using Buckingham to generate a secret tap into naval funds that Parliament can't follow...I can't see Charlie quite so casually abandoning control to Buckingham on such a cash cow unless he sees a chance to get more personally than Jamie in his bluff attempts to reform would make available. Whereas if Buckingham has promised Charles a generous cut in anything obtained...? This would suggest the Court is well aware of the sort of deals with various suppliers generating Sam's impressive rise in funds and is now out to get a larger piece (or, more likely all) of the pie. If so, Sam could be in serious danger, being an excellent fall guy to paint with all the faults since Buckingham seems determined to clothe his efforts in "assisting Parliament in reforming abuses" attire. Fortunately, for the moment, Penn seems the goat, Sam having won credit with Parliament for his ability and perhaps being too low profile...For the moment.

Mary  •  Link

Fifth of November

The Great Fire of 1666 had probably put a bit of a damper on the idea of lighting fires in the streets of London.

Yak  •  Link

I love this description:

"... some tryalls had been made formerly wth 3 or more aequall wooded balls of which of the Lateralls had been Let fall against the middle most & impelled the other Laterall one to the like height from whence the first was fallen soe as the middle stirred very little"

It's basically describing a 17th Century Newton's cradle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt…'s_cradle

The RS notes are an excellent adjunct to Pepys' diaries. I really appreciate being able to read them here in the annotations.

Chris Squire  •  Link

‘ . . I met with Sir Robert Holmes, . . I told him of Sir W. Pen’s going from us, who ketched at it so . .’

‘ketch’ here = ‘catch’:
‘catch v. . . 23. to catch at : to snatch at; to make a quick or eager attempt to lay hold of; often fig. (Also with indirect passive.) Cf. 25b.
. . 1721–33 J. Strype Eccl. Mem. III. App. xx. 57 We hunted for praise from impiety, and catched at commendation from al kind of wickednes.

. . 25. b. intr. with at. Cf. 23.
c1680 W. Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 202 You catch at all opportunities.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

""they have so far prevailed upon the King that he would not have him named in Council, but only take his name to the Board;"
So I take it, it's the Penn appointment in Victualling that's being blocked in the power struggle here...."

Not quite, Robert: L&M say Penn's name and that of Gauden's son, Benjamin, were added to the patent appointing the victualers.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

L&M also say the Royal African Company, founded under the aegis of the Duke of York in 1663 -- a Stuart investment venture -- was now virtually bankrupt, and had to be refounded in 1672. Yes, they are trying to collect subscriptions at this time; Buckingham had subscribed £500. See G.F. Zook, Company of R. Adventurers trading into Africa, pp. 12, 22.; K.G. Davies, R. African Co., p. 65.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"The Duke of York told me how these people do begin to cast dirt upon the business that passed the Council lately, touching Supernumeraries...."

Should this surprise James? On 18 September the Council, say L&M, had at the Duke's request approved the payment of certain supernumeraries in the summer fleet beyond those authorised by the Navy board, which acted under a regulation of 10 May 1666. As Pepys reports the Duke saying this was apparently "as passed by virtue of his authority [at the Board], there being not liberty for any man to withstand what the Duke of York advises there; which, he told me, they bring only as an argument to insinuate the putting of the Admiralty into Commission".

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"every body’s mouth full of changes; and, among others, the Duke of York’s regiment of Guards, that was raised during the late war at sea, is to be disbanded"

L&M note the Duke's Maritime Regiment continued in being until disbanded in 1698. The practice of raising and maintaining military regiments for wartime service with the fleet was again adoped under Wiliam III and Anne, when they were given the title of 'Marines'.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"my Lord Anglesey did deliver a petition on Wednesday in Council to the King, laying open, that whereas he had heard that his Majesty had made such a disposal of his place, which he had formerly granted him for life upon a valuable consideration, and that, without any thing laid to his charge, and during a Parliament’s sessions"

L&M note Anglesey was here pleading his privilege as a peer.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

The volume of Domestic State Papers covering correspondence from Oct. 1668 to Dec. 1669 is at
https://play.google.com/books/rea…

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Account by Thos. Lownes of tallies struck in the Exchequer upon the Excise, and alleged to be either burnt or lost in the fire of London,
amounting to 52,161/. 15s. 2d.
Sworn before C. Spelman, and attested by him.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 25.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
M. Wren to the Navy Commissioners.

Desires them to supply with small stores the Success, appointed to carry victuals to Tangier.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 26.]

@@@
Nov. 5 1668.
Col. Walter Slingsby to Williamson.

I send you a copy of our patent, attested by Mr. Marsh, underlining the words upon which we ground our rule;
having ample latitude in the patent; we only wish for a rule from respect to the King and Lord (Arlington).
Be pleased to make and keep an abstract, that it may be a little guide to the Lords in their resolution upon the rule.

I have lost or mislaid the copy of our contract with you, and want another, with the new clause that you desire.

Endorsed [by Williamson], “The lottery."
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 2.]

@@@
Nov. 5? 1667
Declaration by the King of his grant to Jos. Williamson
of a fifth in all lotteries hereafter to be granted, except plate lotteries, in lieu of shares in other lotteries given up by him.
[Draft. S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 3.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Note of a grant of a lottery, “Royal Oak,” in which
Lord Arlington has half,
Sir Jas. Dillon a fourth,
and Mr. Williamson and others the remaining fourth.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 4.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Proviso excepting from a warrant prohibiting lotteries that for loyal indigent officers, lately ordered to be set up for as long as they shall desire.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 5.]

Following are a collection of documents about the Royal Oak lottery:

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Nov. ? 1668
R. Gillingham to Williamson.

In answer to your query, I have taken learned opinion, but do not think the trustees for the lottery for indigent officers have power to dispose of
any part of the profits, even with consent of the officers, without a new grant.

The specious recitals of what the King declared about the “Royal Oak” will not bear them out against his plain prohibition of other lotteries for 6 years.
I cannot say how far it stops the former grant of the “Royal Oak.”

With queries prefixed [by Williamson] about the powers of the trustees,
and proposal for half the money to be retained by them, on giving a reasonable value to erect therewith a “Royal Oak“ lottery,
in which Sir A. [Des Marces] and [Lawrence] Dupuy shall be declared to have the sole right, but that, during these 6 years, they will content themselves with half the profits.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 6.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
The trustees for the lottery for indigent officers to Lord [Arlington].

We humbly desire that as the King has referred the difference between the party and us trustees, he will hear no suggestions, but leave them and us to the referees.
[10 signatures. S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 7.]
Nov. ? 1668
Long list of names of widows and daughters of those officers of the army who fell in the late King's service [fit to have the benefit of the plate lottery].
[2 pages. S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 8.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Cary Heydon to Lord [Arlington].

Prince Rupert spoke to the King at Oxford for me for a copse of underwood,
for the sake of my father, Sir John Heydon, Master of Ordnance to the late King,
but it proved no benefit.
The Prince has lately spoken to some of the Commissioners for indigent officers to give me a share in the lottery, for my father's great merit, and I find them willing.
I beg your lordship to write to them on my behalf, for my father and my brother, Col. Neville's sake.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 9.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Cary Heydon to Williamson.

I have no friend among the lottery trustees but Mr. Slingsby, employed on my behalf by the Prince.
I entreat you and Lord Arlington to procure me a share in the lotteries.
I have nothing but what I receive from the King to keep me from starving, which is below my station as daughter of Sir John Heydon, who performed so many eminent services for the King.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 10.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Cary Heydon to Williamson.

I implore you, when the list of indigent officers comes in, to remember me for a share, the Prince having requested it from the Commissioners.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 11.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Cary Heydon to Lord Arlington.

I entreat you, for the sake of my father and my brother, Col. Neville, to give orders to Mr. Williamson for my share in the lottery.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 12.]

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Nov. ? 1668
Petition of Honoria, widow of Capt. John Ball, to the King,

for a recommendation to a share in the lottery on behalf of her husband,
who served as captain of horse under the late King, and was imprisoned;
he was again in his Majesty's service at Worcester.
Has 4 children, and no provision for them.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 13.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Petition of Anna, widow of Sir Thos. Sherley, to the King,

for an order to place her in the list of indigent people who have a share in the plate lottery.
Her busband spent blood and fortune in the late King's cause, and lost his right arm at the battle of Newbury.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 16.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Margaret Holloway to Lord [Arlington].

I am the poor widow recommended by the Earl of Northampton, and by my uncle, Sir Edw. Savage, for admittance into the lottery.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 17.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Petition of Dame Elizabeth, widow of Sir Thos. Ryves, to the King,

for a share in the plate lottery designed for suffering subjects.
Her husband was Advocate-General of the late King, served him in the wars, and died broken-hearted.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 18.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Petition of Col. Mathew Wise and Capt. John Guillim to the King,

for an equal share in the plate lottery for indigent officers, which is arbitrarily denied them by the Commissioners, though they have served equally with others.
Have experienced many favours from his Majesty, and are sensible that he is not weary of assisting them.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 19.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Petition of the commission officers of the late King, now brethren in Sutton's Hospital, to Lord Arlington,

to prevent their exclusion from the benefit of the plate lottery, on the ground of their being sufficiently provided for, since out of the 7/. a year allowed them, they have to pay 4/. for minor house expenses, and have only 3/. left for clothes and other necessaries.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 20.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
List of 11 additional officers' widows to be received into the lottery (including Cary Heydon, Mrs. Ball, and Lady Sherley).
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 21.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
Cary Heydon to Lord Arlington.
Thanks for your noble favour in seconding the recommendation of Prince Rupert, so that I am put into the list of ladies and gentlewomen to be benefited by the lottery.
I request you, for the sake of my children and of my father's merits, to interpose in any difficulty that may arise.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 23.]

@@@
Nov. ? 1668
List received from Col. Grey of 11 distressed officers who have served the late and present King, and are now private soldiers in the regiment of Guards, under Col. John Russell, doing duty at Whitehall.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 249, No. 24.]

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"I met with Sir Robert Holmes, who asking news I told him of Sir W. Pen’s going from us, who ketched at it so as that my heart misgives me that he will have a mind to it, which made me heartily sorry for my words,"

L&M Companion: "Pepys had a particular animus against him ["Major" Robert Holmes] in the early diary years because of the 'old business' -- whatever that was -- he [Holmes] had attempted on his [Pepys] wife. But the two men drew together in later life ..." (very small excerpt from long entry).

This exchange gives us an idea of how far the "drawing together" had been achieved by 1668. Pepys spoke without considering the possible consequences. There were so many other subjects he could have thrown out for conversation.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Sir Robert Holmes "invited me and would have me go to dine with him at the Treasurer’s, Sir Thomas Clifford, where I did go and eat some oysters; which while we were at, in comes my Lord Keeper and much company; and so I thought it best to withdraw."

A politically astute move, Pepys; why open yourself up to contraversial questions over oysters if that can be politely avoided?

I wonder why Mr. Gertz didn't give us a list of probable excuses: I forgot I have a periwig fitting in 15 minutes ... I need to see a man about a horse ... Lord Keeper Bridgeman's gout remedy brings on my hayfever ...?

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