Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
Up and to my office, where all the morning. At noon to ‘Change by coach with my Lord Brunkard, and thence after doing much business home to dinner, and so to my office all the afternoon till past 12 at night very busy. So home to bed.
H.R.H. the Lord Admiral and his assistant write letters to the Admiral-at-Sea
James, Duke of York, to Sandwich
Written from: St James’s
Date: 11 February 1665
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 75, fol(s). 155
Document type: Holograph
Has sent the ‘Fairfax’ and the ‘Newcastle’ to supply the place of the ‘London’ and the ‘Montagu’, in the Squadron. The former limit of time, as to his Lordship’s distance from the Downs when cruizing, is removed; leaving the matter wholly to his discretion.
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William Coventry to Sandwich
Written from: St James’s
Date: 11 February 1665
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 75, fol(s). 157
Document type: Holograph
The Archbishop of Canterbury is providing Chaplains for the Fleet, by appointing fitting men whether beneficed or not.
Mentions the frequency of reports of disasters to the ships’ masts, which may possibly arise from incaution in the setting up of the new shrouds.
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/projects/carte/carte41.html
How the Irish became firemen
Ormond to Ossory
Written from: [Whitehall]
Date: 11 February 1665
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 145, fol(s). 118-120
Document type: Copy [in Letter Book]
His Majesty, having taken into consideration the great want of seamen in his Fleet, and the consequent necessity of maintaining the same with good & able foot soldiers, directs the Lord Deputy to consider & to report whether 1,000 good firemen [i.e. good firelockmen], or at the least 500 such, officered only by serjeants and corporals, can be supplied from Ireland …
If they can be spared, the due orders are to be given forthwith in that behalf …
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/projects/carte/carte41.html
***
firelock - a muzzle loader that had a flintlock type of gunlock
flintlock - an obsolete gunlock that has flint embedded in the hammer; the flint makes a spark that ignites the charge
muzzle loader - an obsolete firearm that was loaded through the muzzle.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/firelock
“Journals of the Earl of Sandwich” edited by R.C. Anderson
11th. Saturday. Wind at W.S.W. fresh but little sea. Thick sleety weather, not cold. At noon S.W. cold and fresh. At 2 oclock in the afternoon weighed and anchored again in Southwold Bay in the evening. We ran this day W.N.W. ½ northerly, 7.5 leagues.
In the Southwold Bay a S.S.E. moon makes high water. It runs whole tide. The stream of the tide sets. S.S.W. and N. N.E.
copper ye cannai nick a lord’s ‘elp, they can do no wrong.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=14446
Intelligencer Latest.
Portsmouth…
“The Royal Charles has been careened afloat this week, and the Royal James is to follow on Monday next; which is an experiment of great use and never practised before.”
(Memorials of Sir William Pen by his grandson Granville Penn.)
We’ve all had days like Sam’s - low beat, hard work, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Wish we knew what was going on in the household across the Navy Office yard…….
Mercer continues to survive…A new record.
***
“Promotion, Mr. Bagwell? What promotion? I believe I merely told your wife when she came by that I would be happy to report favorably on your work so long as it continues well.”
For the meaning of careening (Pedro’s comment above) see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Careening
With Terry’s note, recall reading (think Pilbrick) that during King Philip’s War (1675), the Indians were better armed than the Puritan/Pilgrim militias having a greater percentage of flintlocks over matchlocks (firelocks). But then after Bellesiles, who ya gonna believe?
With Terry’s note, recall reading (think Philbrick) that during King Philip’s War (1675), the Indians were better armed than the Puritan/Pilgrim militias having a greater percentage of flintlocks over matchlocks (firelocks). But then after Bellesiles, who/what ya gonna believe?
The House of Lords this day — 11.2.1665 — and many other days is so like a court in which the offended hear their own causes, with matters decided both petty and touching upon contumely and affronts to some noble’s dignity or freedom (as cgs noted) taken “Upon Oath made at the Bar of this House….”
Just seems strange to this 21st-century Yank.
“Has sent the ‘Fairfax’ and the ‘Newcastle’ to supply the place of the ‘London’ and the ‘Montagu’, in the Squadron.”
Sandwich had gone to sea in July in the London, which is now called back and to be assigned to Lawson as his flagship for the fleet to be set out in the spring. Sandwich went to the Revenge.
“Just seems strange to this 21st-century Yank.”
‘twas why there be revolutions, Politics be very simple.
Get privileges without do re me.
The art of politics be
make non privilege be,
privilege not be.
be the fight, it be.
Thanks to that Eliza I for letting the Bard be.