Sunday 7 March 1668/69

(Lord’s day). Up, and to the office, busy till church time, and then to church, where a dull sermon, and so home to dinner, all alone with my wife, and then to even my Journall to this day, and then to the Tower, to see Sir W. Coventry, who had H. Jermin and a great many more with him, and more, while I was there, come in; so that I do hear that there was not less than sixty coaches there yesterday, and the other day; which I hear also that there is a great exception taken at, by the King and the Duke of Buckingham, but it cannot be helped. Thence home, and with our coach out to Suffolk Street, to see my cozen Pepys, but neither the old nor young at home. So to my cozen Turner’s, and there staid talking a little, and then back to Suffolk Street, where they not being yet come home I to White Hall, and there hear that there are letters come from Sir Thomas Allen, that he hath made some kind of peace with Algiers; upon which the King and Duke of York, being to go out of town to-morrow, are met at my Lord Arlington’s: so I there, and by Mr. Wren was desired to stay to see if there were occasion for their speaking with me, which I did, walking without, with Charles Porter, talking of a great many things: and I perceive all the world is against the Duke of Buckingham his acting thus high, and do prophesy nothing but ruin from it: But he do well observe that the church lands cannot certainly come to much, if the King shall [be] persuaded to take them; they being leased out for long leases. By and by, after two hours’ stay, they rose, having, as Wren tells me, resolved upon sending six ships to the Streights forthwith, not being contented with the peace upon the terms they demand, which are, that all our ships, where any Turks or Moores shall be found slaves, shall be prizes; which will imply that they, must be searched. I hear that to-morrow the King and the Duke of York set out for Newmarket, by three in the morning; to some foot and horse-races, to be abroad ten or twelve days: So I away, without seeing the Duke of York; but Mr. Wren showed me the Order of Council about the balancing the Storekeeper’s accounts, passed the Council in the very terms I drew it, only I did put in my name as he that presented the book of Hosier’s preparing, and that is left out — I mean, my name — which is no great matter. So to my wife to Suffolk Streete, where she was gone, and there I found them at supper, and eat a little with them, and so home, and there to bed, my cold pretty well gone.

16 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"there are letters come from Sir Thomas Allen, that he hath made some kind of peace with Algiers"

"The business is, that the Algerines have broke the peace with us, by taking some Spaniards and goods out of an English ship, which had the Duke of York’s pass, of which advice come this day; and the King is resolved to stop Sir Thomas Allen’s fleete from coming home till he hath amends made him for this affront" http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"But...the church lands cannot certainly come to much, if the King shall [be] persuaded to take them"

See 4 November 1668: "The great discourse now is, that the Parliament shall be dissolved and another called, which shall give the King the Deane and Chapter lands; and that will put him out of debt. " http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Jesse  •  Link

"that there is a great exception taken at, by the King and the Duke of Buckingham"

And what, this whole thing started w/the DoB and friends attempting to take a cheap shot at Sir W. Look who's having the last laugh. Well, yes it's from the Tower, but amidst those sixty plus coaches that "cannot be helped." I wonder who's checking the guest list?

ONeville  •  Link

"so that I do hear that there was not less than sixty coaches there yesterday"

Sir W may have been sent to the Tower but not to Coventry

Joe Connell  •  Link

Having been born and still living [?] in Coventry, I continue to search the passing faces of pedestrians for all these folk who have been sent to join us ....

Steven Sutton  •  Link

Very nice Robert.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Jessie, ONeville and Joe -- thanks for great wit and laughs this AM!

***

RG, a lovely treatment of some poignant parallels. My heart goes out....

R Higer  •  Link

Thank you, Robert Gerst, I was reading as fast as I
could while being flooded with memories. Surely Elizabeth was more attractive than the bust. I picture her very beautiful, especially now, in her French gowns.

Andrew Hamilton  •  Link

RG: Charmant

Australian Susan  •  Link

Thanks, RG! A poignant tribute

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

""there are letters come from Sir Thomas Allen, that he hath made some kind of peace with Algiers; upon which the King and Duke of York, being to go out of town to-morrow, are met at my Lord Arlington’s"

A slave-trade constantly vexes these treaties. The Algerines will not have the English trade in Muslim slaves; the English will not have the Algerines or their Barbary neighbors hold or trade English captives: https://books.google.com/books?id…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"the King and the Duke of York set out for Newmarket, by three in the morning; to some foot and horse-races, to be abroad ten or twelve days"

They returned on the 20th: London Gazette, 22nd March. (L&M)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"the Order of Council about the balancing the Storekeeper’s accounts, passed the Council in the very terms I drew it, only I did put in my name as he that presented the book of Hosier’s preparing, and that is left out — I mean, my name — which is no great matter."

The order provided for the appointment of five extra clerks for the purpose -- one at the Navy Board to assist Mennes, and four at the yards. It referred to the 'method prepared by one Francis Hosier, a Navy Clerke'. Hosier presented a beautifully-written copy of his scheme to Pepys, who bound and preserved it: PL 1788. Cf. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

For those of us who think Pepys doesn't work enough ... this is Sunday. Hours waiting on the bosses because he needs to know what to do tomorrow morning to carry out their Lordships' wishes as they will be out of town. No one told him to be there ... he knew enough to make himself highly visible.

[Yes, it was also self-serving. The best defense is a good offense. Pepys is indispensible. He enjoys being one of the in-crowd.]

But I bet he remembered this time to send the boy with a message to Elizabeth telling her what he was doing and that he might be late.

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