Saturday 3 April 1669
Up, and to the Council of War again, with Middleton: but the proceedings of the Commanders so devilishly bad, and so professedly partial to the Captain, that I could endure it no longer, but took occasion to pretend business at the Office, and away, and Colonel Middleton with me, who was of the same mind, and resolved to declare our minds freely to the Duke of York about it. So to the office, where we sat all the morning. Then home to dinner, and so back to the office, where busy late till night, and so home to supper and to bed.
11 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"the proceedings of the Commanders so devilishly bad, and so professedly partial to the Captain"
A replay of the last meeting of the Court Martial: "what wretched doings there were among all the Commanders to ruin the Purser, and defend the Captain in all his rogueries": http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
ONeville • Link
Slightly off-topic, but there was an article on the BBC News (TV) about a new museum opening in Portsmouth with restored articles from the Mary Rose. What a wonderful job they have done! Should be of interest to all Pepysians and navy historians.
JWB • Link
"...and so professedly partial to the Captain..."
And could it not be said that the Colonel & Clerk of Acts were professionally, if not professedly, partial to the purser?
Terry Foreman • Link
Perhaps.
Terry Foreman • Link
“…and so professedly partial to the Captain…”
L&M note judgment was given this day -- the purser being fined and dismissed from the service, and the commander merely fined.
nix • Link
I have had the sense that Samuel is NOT particularly fond of pursers as a class -- he knows too much about corner-cotting and profiteering.
Second Reading
psw • Link
These are the "packed" courts (with commanders) Mr. Pepys worried on before.
San Diego Sarah • Link
'Venice: April 1669', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 36, 1669-1670, ed. Allen B Hinds (London, 1937), pp. 34-45.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
April 3 1669.
Senato, Secreta.
Dispacci, Francia.
Venetian Archives.
Letter 43.
Marc Antonio Giustinian, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate.
With the arrival recently of M. de Montagu, ambassador in ordinary of his Britannic Majesty, various rumors are going round the Court about approaching negotiations and proposals for exchanges of the new conquests made by the Most Christian king in Flanders against the county of Burgundy and other Spanish possessions more remote from the frontiers of Holland.
I learn from The Hague that at the last meeting of the States General about sending an ambassador here, they decided to wait; their intention being to force the British king to propose this exchange by his minister, in the hope of seeing the proposals very favorably received.
Paris, the 3rd April, 1669.
[in Italian.]
San Diego Sarah • Link
On 3/13 April, 1669, his highness sent the steward of his household to return thanks to the mayor [OF SALISBURY];
and afterwards went to see the cathedral church, where Dr. Brideoake, the dean, officiated, with another canon. This church is situated in a spacious meadow, the pleasantness of which is augmented by several rows of large elms, disposed with much judgment.
For Cosmo’s visit to Salisbury Cathedral see: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Having seen everything curious in the church, his highness was accompanied home by the dean and the canon, who had assisted him in the service.
For Cosmo's impressions of Salisbury town, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
157
Intending to sleep that night at Basingstoke, his highness departed for that place, and travelling through an open and desolate country, took refreshment at the small village of Sutton, then continuing his journey through a country chiefly devoted to pasture, and in some parts woody, he discovered, two miles from Basingstoke, a troop of horse consisting of 54 men, excellently mounted of the royal regiment of my Lord Aubry de Vere, Earl of Oxford, commanded by his lieutenant.
They came by the king's orders, to attend upon and be at the disposal of his highness, as was intimated to him by the commander, who, dismounting, came up to the carriage.
His highness in reply, accepted only a small party, whom he sent to meet the baggage, and dismissed the rest. He then alighted to examine the military more closely, inspecting every file of the company, the officers of which wore a red sash, with gold tassels.
This regiment of the Earl of Oxford is composed of 8 companies of 70 men each; they receive from the king half a ducat a day, this is paid them every two months, which being of 28 days each, they have 7 payments annually. In each of these companies the colonel has the privilege of keeping two places vacant, and of appropriating the emolument to himself, which amounts to more than 14/.s sterling every week.
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 2
158
His highness having arrived early at Basingstoke, walked on foot through the town, which is wretched, both in regard to the buildings, the greater part of which are of wood, and the total absence of trade; so that the gratification of his curiosity did not compensate for the fatigue of walking even a few paces.
Whilst his highness was viewing the church, which is a small and very indifferent building, the mayor and two other officers came with the insignia of magistracy, to wait upon him; but his highness civilly declined this public demonstration of respect.
@@@
Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford, was appointed Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse in 1661, so this is probably that regiment: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Basingstoke:
https://localhistories.org/a-hist…
I wonder why John Paulet, 5th Marquis of Winchester, didn’t invite Cosmo to stay? The Paulets no longer lived at Basing House (destroyed by Cromwell). Their home, Englefield House, Berks., is reasonably nearby; they were all good Catholics and usually looked out for each other: https://www.englefieldestate.co.u…
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
For more about the destruction of Basing House, the fortress/palace which had controlled the traffic on the Great Western Road for 600 years, read a blog based on Rev. Hugh Peters' first hand account of Cromwell's assault and victory at the end of the third seige.
The Fate of a Grand House in the English Civil War -- by Deborah Swift
http://englishhistoryauthors.blog…
Honora de Burgh Paulet, Marchioness of Winchester, is the name of the Roman Catholic lady reduced to her underwear, and later subjected to a couple of years in the Tower of London. She died 10 March, 1661/2.
The comments at the end ignor the Wars of the Roses! The Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1639 to 1653) were not Britain's first civil war. Arguably there are more than these two: the Brits are a warlike crowd once you get them going.
For more 17th century context, see
http://bcw-project.org/biography/…