SPOILER ALERT ... Pepys was probably targeted for membership as Charles II had intelligence from his sister and Sir Robert Moray that the Dutch intended to continue the war started by Cromwell.
In 1659 Moray was sent to spy on the Dutch through his Masonic connections, and then went to Paris to see what their reaction would be. After the Restoration Charles II welcomed Moray to Whitehall like a brother, set him up in an apartment, and gave him the job of modernizing the Navy with no funds.
Moray discovered fellow-Masons amongst the poor, unemployed scientific College professors (including John Wilkins, Cromwell's brother-in-law, and Seth Ward) at Gresham College. So he contacted other rich Royalist Masons who supported science and persuaded the two groups to cooperate to defend the nation.
Using Masonic rules of no politics or religion to be discussed during meetings, Moray spent the next 2 years guiding the discussions about ship technology, weapons and navigation. He showed his influence by getting Charles to agree to their Charter in one week. The Royal Society was able to leave its Masonic beginnings and under its first President after the Charter (15 July 1662), Viscount William Brouncker, went on to change science for ever.
I was pondering on why Thomas Povy would send Pepys a haunch of venison. Then I realized it is (a cold, admittedly) summer in London. If you had too much food, it's better to give it away quickly to a colleague (who will hopefully return the generosity at a later date) than let it go bad. Povy had a wealthy wife, and some very powerful connections, so would often find himself blessed with largess from others:
Highlights from a Wikipedia text copied on 10 September 2016 at 3:24AM. (it's only 9:25 p.m in California)
Thomas Povey was a London merchant-politician, active in colonial affairs from the 1650s, but neutral enough in his politics to be named a member from 1660 of Charles II's Council for Foreign Plantations, making him a powerful figure in the not-yet professionalized First English Empire, both "England's first colonial civil servant" and at the same time "a typical office holder of the Restoration".
Both Samuel Pepys and William Berkeley, Governor of Virginia, railed at times against Povey's incompetence and maladministration. [ I.E. Things fell off ships for him! ]
Thomas Povey was a cousin of Thomas Povey, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, and of Sir John Povey, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.
Following the Restoration he was appointed in July 1660 Treasurer to James, Duke of York.
He was First Treasurer to the Lords Commissioner for Tangier, a lucrative post ...
Povey family interests in the English Caribbean were extensive: Thomas' brother, Richard Povey, looked after the family interests in Jamaica, where he was officially Commissioner General for Provisions, while another brother, William, attended to affairs in Barbados, where he was officially Provost-General.
Povey was one of the original members of the Royal Society in May 1663 and had acted in the interests of its less formalized predecessor at Gresham College.
And he was a friend of John Evelyn.
I am sure a lot of things came Mr. Povy's way that could be "shared".
To be fair, Charles II sometimes used his Courtiers' money as a slush fund:
On 13 December 1662, Charles II ordered £20,000 of the Dunkirk money to be used to secure a navy debt raised by George Carteret on his own credit, and £30,000 to secure a further loan to the navy from Aldermen Vyner, Maynell and Backwell. -- (L&M note)
Yesterday: "I took coach to Sir Philip Warwick’s, but finding Sir G. Carteret there I did not go in, ..."
Now we know why. Pepys suspected he would be exposing his colleague for over-estimating his "cut" of the Navy money. Strange it was paid in advance, and not based on accounts, but I suppose Charles II had to make these jobs attractive, and past accounts under Cromwell would not be acceptable or realistic.
"... isn't Sam pleased with his networking - Sir Philip Warwick no less - he'll bask in this acquaintance no doubt. Our boy is ever so slowly making his way up the ladder ..." He's doing his job. He's the office wonk, the accountant, the numbers man. The CLERK of the Acts had the job of recording what the rest of the Navy Board did. And the Navy budget is controlled by Warwick/Southampton.
"Sir George Carteret, an impeccable royalist whose service at sea had begun under King Charles and who had held Jersey for him, was appointed Treasurer. He had official lodgings at Whitehall, a house in Pall Mall, another at Deptford and a country mansion near Windsor, and he was the highest paid, with L2,000 a year and the right to three pence in every pound he handled -- this was a remnant of the old way of doing things."
Well paid indeed. And the system is set up to reward over-charging and corruption at every level.
The victualler who seemed to need the most help with his accounts was Alderman Sir Denis Gauden. There's a past Diary entry saying Sir Denis had treated Pepys to lunch at the Dolphin before. Just a guess since Pepys just refers to "him" today.
In 1596, cartographer Abraham Ortelius noticed something: The coasts of the continents looked as if they had once fit together. Ortelius wrote in his journal: "The vestiges of the rupture reveal themselves." Three hundred years and a great deal of science later, Ortelius was proven correct.
" ... to the Exchange, where I met Dr. Pierce, who tells me ... my Lord hath lost much honor in standing so long and so much for that coxcomb Pickering, and at last not carrying it for him; but hath his name struck out by the King and Queen themselves after he had been in ever since the Queen’s coming,"
In 1663 Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine used her house as a rendezvous for those at court who disliked Chancellor Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon (think of the recent Earl of Bristol entries). Her annual income consisted of 4,700 pounds a year from the Post Office, and amounts taken from customs and excise. She also took money from people seeking to advance at court and in offices. Even the French and Italian ambassadors sought her influence with Charles II. Notes from: http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.c…...
Postmaster General Daniel O'Neil used codes to give information to James Butler, Duke of Ormond, on Castlemaine's behavior and the financial mismanagement of the country.
"... no monies left to run the system, as Palmer has purloined all the loose change." O'Neil keeps Ormond informed about Court affairs.
Around this time Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine used her house as a rendezvous for those at court who disliked Chancellor Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon (think of the recent Earl of Bristol entries). Her annual income consisted of 4,700 pounds a year from the Post Office, and amounts taken from customs and excise. She also took money from people seeking to advance at court and in offices. Even the French and Italian ambassadors sought her influence with Charles II. Notes from: http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.c…
Does anyone have information about O'Neil's codes? I've poked around and found nothing enlightening. From the above I don't know if we have samples but are unable to decipher them, or if the documents were destroyed so we are left to guess they communicated with codes.
Also the link above on Moreland does not say how they unsealed and resealed letters ... just how he forged a key to get into the safe to see the secret correspondence within. Fascinating.
Ahhhh, just found something else Charles II had to attend to before going on his summer holidays at Bath: "a Proclamation for calling in and commanding everybody to apprehend my Lord Bristol." Dated 25 August, 1663. A copy of it is in the British Museum.
I almost feel sorry for George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol. See the annotations to http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… for more details than can be summarized here.
Yesterday "... the Lords called us in, being appointed four days ago to attend them with an account of the riott among the seamen the other day, when Sir J. Minnes did as like a coxcomb as ever I saw any man speak in my life, and so we were dismissed, they making nothing almost of the matter." Later Pepys left Mennes with the Lord Mayor to write an indictment ... I wouldn't want to be involved with it either!
And today Pepys checks in with Mennes in Deptford for a word or two to make sure everything's proceeding. Isn't this the scene of the crime of short-paying the sailors?
Thanks, Terry, for the timing of the Lord Mayor's tenure. This means, of course, that Ald. Sir John Robinson (Lord Mayor 1662-63, Lieutenant of the Tower 1660-80) was still Mayor.
Terry continues on the trail of the diligent Capt. William Hickes ... on Sept, 1 1663 in the Diary: "... Captain Hickes, who brought my wife some shells, very pretty."
Terry's find: The letter is in the National Archives. (L&M note): On 9 September 1663 Captain William Hicks wrote to Pepys promising to 'plunder abroad for more rarities' to share with Elizabeth Pepys.
The Navy owns the property, and Pepys authorized something special done to a prominent fixture, like a fireplace or staircase ... it's not as if he authorized some removable statue. By having all these renovations done at the same time, the Navy saved money. So I judge his discomfort to be a sign Pepys does not yet feeling completely comfortable in his elevated status on a par with these old Admirals, much as he might fancy those fashionable hats and periwigs ... It's a matter of self-esteem.
I found this summary confusing until I discovered Dr. Thomas Plume was Vicar of Greenwich for 45 years. He held these other posts as well as Greenwich, not instead of. That's what had to happen after 2,000 clergymen were fired after the Restoration. Not enough Church of England-educated vicars to go around, so they had to double up.
Sam took a day off essentially. Of course, he didn't have to prepare for a Monday afternoon meeting with the Duke of York, since he's gone to Bath. But there are still some soldiers to dispatch to Ireland.
Sam might have noted Will's toothache as the reason for not going to Church in the morning, just in case he needed a reminder for an alibi later on, and in the heat of things forgot what had happened.
I can see how magistrates would have known who attended - or didn't attend - a church in an Essex village, but in London where you could listen to lots of good preachers in walking distance of your home, I don't think there could be general enforcement -- someone would have to be specifically monitored for evidence.
Elizabeth's apparent non-attendance doesn't seem to worry Pepys, or cause comment from the Navy community who would have noticed. Perhaps she attends a French-speaking church, and Pepys didn't think it worth mentioning. No ... Pemberton would be watching for her there instead. Rules out that theory.
Comments
Second Reading
About Sunday 13 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
SPOILER ALERT ... Pepys was probably targeted for membership as Charles II had intelligence from his sister and Sir Robert Moray that the Dutch intended to continue the war started by Cromwell.
In 1659 Moray was sent to spy on the Dutch through his Masonic connections, and then went to Paris to see what their reaction would be. After the Restoration Charles II welcomed Moray to Whitehall like a brother, set him up in an apartment, and gave him the job of modernizing the Navy with no funds.
Moray discovered fellow-Masons amongst the poor, unemployed scientific College professors (including John Wilkins, Cromwell's brother-in-law, and Seth Ward) at Gresham College. So he contacted other rich Royalist Masons who supported science and persuaded the two groups to cooperate to defend the nation.
Using Masonic rules of no politics or religion to be discussed during meetings, Moray spent the next 2 years guiding the discussions about ship technology, weapons and navigation. He showed his influence by getting Charles to agree to their Charter in one week. The Royal Society was able to leave its Masonic beginnings and under its first President after the Charter (15 July 1662), Viscount William Brouncker, went on to change science for ever.
For more, see http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures…
About Sunday 13 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
I was pondering on why Thomas Povy would send Pepys a haunch of venison. Then I realized it is (a cold, admittedly) summer in London. If you had too much food, it's better to give it away quickly to a colleague (who will hopefully return the generosity at a later date) than let it go bad. Povy had a wealthy wife, and some very powerful connections, so would often find himself blessed with largess from others:
Highlights from a Wikipedia text copied on 10 September 2016 at 3:24AM. (it's only 9:25 p.m in California)
Thomas Povey was a London merchant-politician, active in colonial affairs from the 1650s, but neutral enough in his politics to be named a member from 1660 of Charles II's Council for Foreign Plantations, making him a powerful figure in the not-yet professionalized First English Empire, both "England's first colonial civil servant" and at the same time "a typical office holder of the Restoration".
Both Samuel Pepys and William Berkeley, Governor of Virginia, railed at times against Povey's incompetence and maladministration. [ I.E. Things fell off ships for him! ]
Thomas Povey was a cousin of Thomas Povey, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, and of Sir John Povey, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.
Following the Restoration he was appointed in July 1660 Treasurer to James, Duke of York.
He was First Treasurer to the Lords Commissioner for Tangier, a lucrative post ...
Povey family interests in the English Caribbean were extensive: Thomas' brother, Richard Povey, looked after the family interests in Jamaica, where he was officially Commissioner General for Provisions, while another brother, William, attended to affairs in Barbados, where he was officially Provost-General.
Povey was one of the original members of the Royal Society in May 1663 and had acted in the interests of its less formalized predecessor at Gresham College.
And he was a friend of John Evelyn.
I am sure a lot of things came Mr. Povy's way that could be "shared".
About Saturday 12 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
To be fair, Charles II sometimes used his Courtiers' money as a slush fund:
On 13 December 1662, Charles II ordered £20,000 of the Dunkirk money to be used to secure a navy debt raised by George Carteret on his own credit, and £30,000 to secure a further loan to the navy from Aldermen Vyner, Maynell and Backwell. -- (L&M note)
About Saturday 12 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
Yesterday: "I took coach to Sir Philip Warwick’s, but finding Sir G. Carteret there I did not go in, ..."
Now we know why. Pepys suspected he would be exposing his colleague for over-estimating his "cut" of the Navy money. Strange it was paid in advance, and not based on accounts, but I suppose Charles II had to make these jobs attractive, and past accounts under Cromwell would not be acceptable or realistic.
"... isn't Sam pleased with his networking - Sir Philip Warwick no less - he'll bask in this acquaintance no doubt. Our boy is ever so slowly making his way up the ladder ..." He's doing his job. He's the office wonk, the accountant, the numbers man. The CLERK of the Acts had the job of recording what the rest of the Navy Board did. And the Navy budget is controlled by Warwick/Southampton.
From Claire Tomalin's "Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self" pp 49-50
http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
"Sir George Carteret, an impeccable royalist whose service at sea had begun under King Charles and who had held Jersey for him, was appointed Treasurer. He had official lodgings at Whitehall, a house in Pall Mall, another at Deptford and a country mansion near Windsor, and he was the highest paid, with L2,000 a year and the right to three pence in every pound he handled -- this was a remnant of the old way of doing things."
Well paid indeed. And the system is set up to reward over-charging and corruption at every level.
About Friday 11 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
The victualler who seemed to need the most help with his accounts was Alderman Sir Denis Gauden. There's a past Diary entry saying Sir Denis had treated Pepys to lunch at the Dolphin before. Just a guess since Pepys just refers to "him" today.
About Friday 11 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
No-one saw Pembleton hiding in the bushes, petting the dog on his knee.
About Wagenaer's 'Spieghel der zeevaerdt'
San Diego Sarah • Link
In 1596, cartographer Abraham Ortelius noticed something: The coasts of the continents looked as if they had once fit together. Ortelius wrote in his journal: "The vestiges of the rupture reveal themselves." Three hundred years and a great deal of science later, Ortelius was proven correct.
About Tuesday 8 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
Deborah Swift did a wonderful blog about wash day, based on 1677's The Compleat Servant-Maid:
http://englishhistoryauthors.blog…
About Monday 7 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
Sandwich apparently stood up for Ned Pickering for a long time, to his own detriment. Apparently he's had enough:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Friday 31 July 1663 ...
" ... to the Exchange, where I met Dr. Pierce, who tells me ... my Lord hath lost much honor in standing so long and so much for that coxcomb Pickering, and at last not carrying it for him; but hath his name struck out by the King and Queen themselves after he had been in ever since the Queen’s coming,"
About General Post Office
San Diego Sarah • Link
In 1663 Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine used her house as a rendezvous for those at court who disliked Chancellor Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon (think of the recent Earl of Bristol entries). Her annual income consisted of 4,700 pounds a year from the Post Office, and amounts taken from customs and excise. She also took money from people seeking to advance at court and in offices. Even the French and Italian ambassadors sought her influence with Charles II. Notes from: http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.c…...
Postmaster General Daniel O'Neil used codes to give information to James Butler, Duke of Ormond, on Castlemaine's behavior and the financial mismanagement of the country.
About Sunday 6 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... no monies left to run the system, as Palmer has purloined all the loose change." O'Neil keeps Ormond informed about Court affairs.
Around this time Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine used her house as a rendezvous for those at court who disliked Chancellor Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon (think of the recent Earl of Bristol entries). Her annual income consisted of 4,700 pounds a year from the Post Office, and amounts taken from customs and excise. She also took money from people seeking to advance at court and in offices. Even the French and Italian ambassadors sought her influence with Charles II. Notes from: http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.c…
Does anyone have information about O'Neil's codes? I've poked around and found nothing enlightening. From the above I don't know if we have samples but are unable to decipher them, or if the documents were destroyed so we are left to guess they communicated with codes.
Also the link above on Moreland does not say how they unsealed and resealed letters ... just how he forged a key to get into the safe to see the secret correspondence within. Fascinating.
About Tuesday 25 August 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
Ahhhh, just found something else Charles II had to attend to before going on his summer holidays at Bath: "a Proclamation for calling in and commanding everybody to apprehend my Lord Bristol." Dated 25 August, 1663. A copy of it is in the British Museum.
I almost feel sorry for George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol. See the annotations to http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… for more details than can be summarized here.
About Friday 4 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
The tosting of Mrs. Lane took place in July: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
About Thursday 3 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
Yesterday "... the Lords called us in, being appointed four days ago to attend them with an account of the riott among the seamen the other day, when Sir J. Minnes did as like a coxcomb as ever I saw any man speak in my life, and so we were dismissed, they making nothing almost of the matter." Later Pepys left Mennes with the Lord Mayor to write an indictment ... I wouldn't want to be involved with it either!
And today Pepys checks in with Mennes in Deptford for a word or two to make sure everything's proceeding. Isn't this the scene of the crime of short-paying the sailors?
About Tuesday 25 August 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thanks, Terry, for the timing of the Lord Mayor's tenure. This means, of course, that Ald. Sir John Robinson (Lord Mayor 1662-63, Lieutenant of the Tower 1660-80) was still Mayor.
Sir Anthony Bateman comes next 1663-64.
About Capt. William Hickes
San Diego Sarah • Link
Terry continues on the trail of the diligent Capt. William Hickes ...
on Sept, 1 1663 in the Diary: "... Captain Hickes, who brought my wife some shells, very pretty."
Terry's find: The letter is in the National Archives. (L&M note):
On 9 September 1663 Captain William Hicks wrote to Pepys promising to 'plunder abroad for more rarities' to share with Elizabeth Pepys.
I wonder what he wants???
About Tuesday 1 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
I wonder what Capt. William Hickes wants. He's going to a lot of trouble to butter Sam up for something.
About Tuesday 1 September 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
The Navy owns the property, and Pepys authorized something special done to a prominent fixture, like a fireplace or staircase ... it's not as if he authorized some removable statue. By having all these renovations done at the same time, the Navy saved money. So I judge his discomfort to be a sign Pepys does not yet feeling completely comfortable in his elevated status on a par with these old Admirals, much as he might fancy those fashionable hats and periwigs ... It's a matter of self-esteem.
About Thomas Plume (Vicar of Greenwich)
San Diego Sarah • Link
I found this summary confusing until I discovered Dr. Thomas Plume was Vicar of Greenwich for 45 years. He held these other posts as well as Greenwich, not instead of. That's what had to happen after 2,000 clergymen were fired after the Restoration. Not enough Church of England-educated vicars to go around, so they had to double up.
About Sunday 30 August 1663
San Diego Sarah • Link
Sam took a day off essentially. Of course, he didn't have to prepare for a Monday afternoon meeting with the Duke of York, since he's gone to Bath. But there are still some soldiers to dispatch to Ireland.
Sam might have noted Will's toothache as the reason for not going to Church in the morning, just in case he needed a reminder for an alibi later on, and in the heat of things forgot what had happened.
I can see how magistrates would have known who attended - or didn't attend - a church in an Essex village, but in London where you could listen to lots of good preachers in walking distance of your home, I don't think there could be general enforcement -- someone would have to be specifically monitored for evidence.
Elizabeth's apparent non-attendance doesn't seem to worry Pepys, or cause comment from the Navy community who would have noticed. Perhaps she attends a French-speaking church, and Pepys didn't think it worth mentioning. No ... Pemberton would be watching for her there instead. Rules out that theory.