Thursday 8 October 1668

[In this part of the “Diary” no entry occurs for thirteen days, though there are several pages left blank. During the interval Pepys went into the country, as he subsequently mentions his having been at Saxham, in Suffolk, during the king’s visit to Lord Crofts, which took place at this time (see October 23rd, host). He might also probably have gone to Impington to fetch his wife. The pages left blank were never filled up. — B.]

[Either this day or the next, Pepys visited his wife, Mercer, Deb. and Will Hewer, who had all been staying with his cousin Roger Pepys in Impington. — P.G.]

10 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Oct. 8. Thursday

Write the Commissioners of the Navy giving notice of the money to be paid to the Treasurer of the Navy by Mr. Wadlow, and that they immediately pay off such ships with it as are ready for it, and with the remainder to pay off the yards because this is the money of the Wine Act. What shall not be laid out on the extraordinary fleet shall be discounted out of such money as hath been already disbursed out of His Majesty's ordinary revenue.

As to the 5,000l. which His Majesty intimated to my Lords that he must have for a secret service, resolved that the Treasurer of the Household give notice to Lord Arlington that there must be a privy seal under the head of secret service. /

Warrant for 50,000l. more for the Treasurer of the Navy: on the Wine Act. Mr. Fenn also moves for a warrant for the monthly assignments for stores. Warrant for 2,500l. for the present October part of the 200,000l. for the Navy as by Order of Council, and 3,500l. on the November part: to be accounted as from Michaelmas last. Write the Commissioners of the Navy giving notice hereof, and that the said moneys are to be employed in buying stores.

[Treasury Minute Book II. p. 455/457.]
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"As to the 5,000l. which His Majesty intimated to my Lords that he must have for a secret service, resolved that the Treasurer of the Household give notice to Lord Arlington that there must be a privy seal under the head of secret service."

*Intelligence and Espionage In the Reign of Charles II, 1550-1685* Alan Marshall (Cambridge, 1994) http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samp…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

John Evelyn's Diary

8th November, 1668. Being at dinner, my sister [ in-law ] Evelyn sent for me to come up to London to my continuing sick brother.

http://goo.gl/8p5zq

Second Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

'Entry Book: October 1668', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 2, 1667-1668, ed. William A Shaw (London, 1905), pp. 623-630. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

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Oct. 8 1668
Signature by the Treasury Lords of orders for
10/. to Joseph Williamson for gratuity for lending 500/. to the King:
24/. and 16/. to Lord Ashley for the like:
4/. to Sir John Knivett for the like:
15/. 13s. 4d. to Lord Berkeley for the like:
3/. 18s. 6d. to John Loup for the like:
19/. 17s. 10d. to John Harvey for the like:
3/. 16s. 4d. to William Hynton for the like:
1/. 15s. 7d. to Robert Hall for the like:
1/. and 2l. to Thomas Ruddiard for the like:
19/. 9s. 6d. to the Countess of Thomond for the like:
0/. 18s. 11d. to Thomas Gaywood for the like:
1/. 17s. 8d. to Bullyn Reymes for the like:
3/. 19s. 5d. to Francis Finch for the like:
3/. 17s. 4d. to Sir John Nicholas for the like:
19/. 12s. 10d. to Sir Richard Brown for the like:
5/. 13s. 8d. to Sir Denny Ashburnham for the like:
7/. 11s. 8d. to Capt. Wingate for the like:
0/. 18s. 11d. to Thomas Lownes for the like:
17/. 16s. 8d. to John Ashburnham for the like:
2/. 14s. 6d. to Henry Firebrasse for the like:
15/. 8s. 1d. to Francis Finch for the like:
3/. 14s. 2d. to John Fitzherbert for the like:
3/. 3s. 6d. to Edm. Woodroffe for the like:
3/. 10s. 8d. to Nich. Deereing for the like:
3/. 1s. 4d. to _ for the like:
370/. 10s. 0d. to Edward Backwell for repayment of loan on the Eleven Months' tax:
18/. to the Farmers of the London Excise for reward for loan:
500/. to Geo. Kirke, Groom of the Bedchamber to the late King:
100/. to Dr. Thomas Gorges in reward for services in Ireland.
Treasury Order Book XXXV. pp. 165–6.
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I think this is interest on loans to Charles II.
If they knew how much Pepys has hidden away, his name would be on this list as well.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

In 1668, on information being received that the French fleet, under François de Vendôme, Duc de Beaufort, was at sea, Admiral Sir Thomas Allin was sent, with a discretionary power, to observe their motions; but nothing material took place during a long cruise at the entrance of the Channel.

In the middle of August 1668 Admiral Sir Thomas Allin sailed for the Streights;

and having arrived off Algiers on 8 October, 1668 by his peremptory behavior he quickly disposed the government to propose equitable terms of accommodation, which were immediately drawn up, and executed.

Sir Thomas sailed from thence for Naples, where such honours were shewn him as proved so highly disagreeable to a Dutch squadron then lying there, that they left the place in the greatest disgust.
The same respect was also shewn him at Leghorn.
From thence he returned to Algiers, where, having received every assurance that the treaty of peace he had lately concluded with them would be faithfully observed, he returned to England in the month of April.
-- Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

On Saturday last we had left Capt. Silas Taylor (in https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…) frantically searching for a boat that his Majestie could use to cross from Harwich to Landguard Fort, on his inspection of the eastern provinces. Today he has a happier report to Sam (now State Paper No. 127 at https://books.google.fr/books?id=…), in which he tells at length how the royal visit went. "Not having any boat or barge fit to receive him, I made a stage to run into the water, upon which he landed"; that's a bit puzzling, given that today it's a 2-kilometer crossing (see a map at https://www.bing.com/maps/?mkt=en…), but perhaps in 1668 the river Stour was narrower.

Anyway. The color we get on Charles' expedition is that it's pretty big, also involving York, Monmouth, Buckingham, Richmond, three other bigwigs big enough to be named, "&c." and their army of servants and hangers-on. Charles didn't sleep at the captain's house after all, he stayed aboard the yacht Henrietta (profile at https://threedecks.org/index.php?…). Along the way, discussing the house, yard property which Silas had amiably told him was really the king's and the object of much admiration, Charles is quoted as proudly telling York, "brother, this house is my house". Or maybe Charles calls Jamie "bro" but Silas doesn't say.

Then the king gets to visiting the fort. "He landed alone the next day, Sunday, at 6 o'clock", and walks 5 miles (8 km). Then we catch him "[e]xamining some drafts [plans of the fortifications] offered by Sir Bernard [de Gomme, a top military engineer, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ber…], which he rectified in the field at 2 or 3 stations, with his own hand, by a black lead pen and ruler".

That's pretty hands-on. Charles the popinjay king, criticized for being all pleasure, whips out his black lead pen (let's hope he didn't chew on it) and corrects De Gomme's blueprints, a bit like Kim Jong-un giving "on-the-spot guidance" at a missile factory (for anyone unfamiliar with North Korea, he does that a lot, also correcting blueprints in his own hand while sycophants around him nod in approval and take notes). Maybe De Gomme winced, enthusing, "ooh, an excellent improvement your Majestie, how did we miss that?" while giving a kick to his fellow Dutch aide-de-camp (yea, de Gomme was Dutch) who whispered "nu gaat het instorten [now it's gonna collapse], imbeciel".

Charles & Co. also had a few drinks. The king declined wine "because it was supper time", a show of temperance that shows how he's not debauched everyday; later he had chocolate while "his Royal Highness and others drank Canary".

James Morgan  •  Link

"For want of a boat": perhaps there was something for the crossing, but it was too large to approach, so the captain was looking for a suitable small boat to bring the king ashore (and presumable not a smelly fishing skiff), and he built a wharf (that he called a stage) instead. That's really fast action.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Good solution, James. They often used pontoon boats to make temporary bridges ... a version of that would be quicker and cheaper to make, and could be dismantled easily afterwards. Instead of anchoring it physically to both shores, one end would literally use anchors.

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…

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Oct. 8 1668.
Ann Harper to the Navy Commissioners.

Desires they will move his Royal Highness that her husband may resign the appointment of storekeeper at Chatham in favour of his eldest son, whom he has brought up under him.
His health was much impaired by being at the water early and late during the war, and he has received small encouragement, as his salary for the last two years has not been paid.
S.P. Dom., Car. 11. 247, No. 125.]

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Oct. 8 1668.
Jas. Hayes, Secretary to Prince Rupert, to the Navy Commissioners.

Asks for an order to the master attendant at Deptford to receive the Eaglet ketch, lent to the Prince, Duke of Albemarle, and others, for an expedition to Hudson's Bay, which has been abandoned through the violence of the weather.
S.P. Dom., Car. 11. 247, No. 126.]
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More about the story of this adventure to Hudson Bay, see
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

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Since Stephane has given such a good summary of Charles II’s visit to Harwich today, I’ve posted the original letter under “Harwich” in the Encyclopedia.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

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Oct. 8 1668.
Sir Phil. Musgrave to [Williamson].
I have seen your letter to my son Christopher.

Thank you for your advice not to have my business with Mr. Aglionby heard at the Council table, till his Majesty is present.
I have written to Lord Arlington; pray second me in it.

I hope to make it appear, notwithstanding all the aspersions cast upon me, that I am as honest as I have been accounted.
S.P. Dom., Car. 11. 247, No. 130.]

Annexing,

Sir P. Musgrave to Lord Arlington.
Upon my petition to Council against Mr. Aglionby,
for a scandalous order procured by him from the Corporation of Carlisle against the garrison, Aglionby was ordered to appear before Council on the 21st instant.
Hearing that his Majesty is not likely to be then in town, I request that the hearing may be respited until his return.
His Majesty should hear any objection against a person whom he has thought worthy of trust.
If any crime can be proved against me, let it be as publicly known as is possible.
I shall not be there myself, as I would not leave my duty upon private concernment; but my son Christopher will come, prepared to vindicate my reputation.
If his Majesty grants my request, pray certify the same to the Lord Keeper or some other of the Privy Council in London.
[Copy] Oct. 8, 1668.
S.P. Dom., Car. 11. 247, No. 1301.]

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Oct. 8 1668.
Portsmouth
Hugh Salesbury to Williamson.

The ship built by the Dutch knight will be launched the end of the month;
the Milford is here, to be fitted for sea for the winter guard.
S.P. Dom., Car. 11. 247, No. 131.]

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