Wednesday 19 September 1660

(Office day). I put on my mourning and went to the office. At noon thinking to have found my wife in hers, I found that the tailor had failed her, at which I was vexed because of an invitation that we have to a dinner this day, but after having waited till past one o’clock I went, and left her to put on some other clothes and come after me to the Mitre tavern in Wood-street (a house of the greatest note in London), where I met W. Symons, and D. Scobell, and their wives, Mr. Samford, Luellin, Chetwind, one Mr. Vivion, and Mr. White, formerly chaplin to the Lady Protectresse¹ (and still so, and one they say that is likely to get my Lady Francess for his wife). Here we were very merry and had a very good dinner, my wife coming after me hither to us.

Among other pleasures some of us fell to handycapp, a sport that I never knew before, which was very good. We staid till it was very late; it rained sadly, but we made shift to get coaches. So home and to bed.

Elizabeth, wife of Oliver Cromwell.

Thursday 20 September 1660Tuesday 18 September 1660

Also on this day

Temperature: 13°C / 55°F

(Average for September 1660)

In Earls Colne, Essex

Diary of Ralph Josselin

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N Paul Brewster on Fri 19 Sep 2003, 11:17pm

my Lady Francesse for his wife
per L&M: “The Lady Protectresse” was Elizabeth, widow of Oliver Cromwell; at her death in 1665 she left her property in the hands of Jeremiah White, who had been chaplain both to her and to her husband…. Frances was her fourth daughter, who from 1658 until her marriage in 1663 to Sir John Russell was the widow of Robert Rich. Pepys’s story is at variance with that given by Oldmixon, who knew White well. According to him … White had paid court to Lady Frances some years before. Discovered on his knees before her by the Protector (who planned to break off the affair), he quickly explained that he was asking to marry her gentlewoman, whereupon Oliver had him married to the gentlewoman immediately. The marriage, says Oldmixon, was not very happy and lasted for fifty years.”
N J A Gioia on Sun 21 Sep 2003, 01:08pm. Flag this

the Lady Protectresse

can anyone explain the status of the cromwell women after the restoration? it seems high enough for sam to be impressed meeting their chaplain here. (has the old man been dug up yet? is junior in irons somewhere?) lacking any presumptive male heirs, was the family allowed a comfortable retirement?
N Mary on Sun 21 Sep 2003, 05:27pm. Flag this

The status of the Cromwell women

After the death of the Protector is well outlined by Antonia Fraser in her “Cromwell, Our Chief of Men” p. 687ff. The treatment of the Cromwell family after the Restoration was broadly very humane. “The King, ever courteous to the female sex, suffered her [the widow, Elizabeth] to live without molestation….. she was able to spend her last days in peace at the home of her son-in-law …. Northborough Manor in Northamptonshire, where she died in 1665. ….. The truth was that the Cromwell family, in the absence of their august head, were considered harmless.”
N vincent on Mon 6 Oct 2003, 09:40pm. Flag this

“it rained sadly, but we made shift to get coaches.” so nicely put (Londons be smogged drizzle, one being washed by soot,white linen becomes wonderfully grey.)