Tuesday 27 November 1666
Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and here I had a letter from Mr. Brisband on another occasion, which, by the by, intimates my Lord Hinchingbroke’s intention to come and dine with me to-morrow. This put me into a great surprise, and therefore endeavoured all I could to hasten over our business at the office, and so home at noon and to dinner, and then away by coach, it being a very foul day, to White Hall, and there at Sir G. Carteret’s find my Lord Hinchingbroke, who promises to dine with me to-morrow, and bring Mr. Carteret along with him. Here I staid a little while talking with him and the ladies, and then away to my Lord Crew’s, and then did by the by make a visit to my Lord Crew, and had some good discourse with him, he doubting that all will break in pieces in the kingdom; and that the taxes now coming out, which will tax the same man in three or four several capacities, as for lands, office, profession, and money at interest, will be the hardest that ever come out; and do think that we owe it, and the lateness of its being given, wholly to the unpreparedness of the King’s own party, to make their demand and choice; for they have obstructed the giving it by land-tax, which had been done long since. Having ended my visit, I spoke to Sir Thomas Crew, to invite him and his brother John to dinner tomorrow, at my house, to meet Lord Hinchingbroke; and so homewards, calling at the cook’s, who is to dress it, to bespeak him, and then home, and there set things in order for a very fine dinner, and then to the office, where late very busy and to good purpose as to dispatch of business, and then home. To bed, my people sitting up to get things in order against to-morrow. This evening was brought me what Griffin had, as he says, taken this evening off of the table in the office, a letter sealed and directed to the Principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy. It is a serious and just libel against our disorder in paying of our money, making ten times more people wait than we have money for, and complaining by name of Sir W. Batten for paying away great sums to particular people, which is true. I was sorry to see this way of reproach taken against us, but more sorry that there is true ground for it.
14 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
John Evelyn's Diary
November 27: Sir Hugh Pollard, Comptroller of the household died at W: Hall, & his Majestie Conferred the White-Staffe [ the badge of the lord high treasurer of England. ] on my bro: Commissioner for Sick & Wounded, on Sir Tho: Clifford
[ http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… ] , a bold young Gent: of a meane fortune in Devon: but advanc’d by my L: Arli[n]gton Sec: of State: to the greate astonishment of all the Court: This gent: was some what related to me, by the marriage of his mother, to my neerest Kindsman Greg: Coale, & was ever my noble friend; a valiant & daring person, but by no meanes fit for a soupple & flattering Courtier:...
***
http://www.gyford.com/archive/200…
Terry Foreman • Link
Conway to Ormond
Written from: Queen Street, London
Date: 27 November 1666
Resumes his report of the proceedings of the Parliament of England, and more particularly of the house of Lords ... Says of the latter, that the Duke may "guess at their temper, by their unkind & absolutely unjust proceedings between my Lord of Ossory, my Lord Ashley, & the Duke of Buckingham, for my Lord of Ossory did not transgress the written rules & standing-orders of our House, but they would overrule those orders to make him criminal" ...
Adds a notice of the insurrectionary movements in Scotland and of other political & public incidents.
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
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A News-Letter, addressed to Sir George Lane
Written from: [Whitehall]
Date: 27 November 1666
The Dutch, building their hopes upon the presumed exhaustion of English finance, refuse to enter on negotiations for peace.
Lady Fanshaw has returned from Spain, with the body of her late husband, our Ambassador at the Court of Madrid, in order to its internment in the country.
Mention is added of various domestic incidents, political, military, and juridical. ...
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
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Sir W. Coventry to Ormond
Written from: [Whitehall]
Date: 27 November 1666
The King desires much that there may be ships placed upon the Irish coast, betwixt Ireland & Scotland, - to prevent any correspondence between ill-affected persons; in which it is impossible to obey the King's commands, unless by the Lord Lieutenant's help ...
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
cape henry • Link
"...Lord Hinchingbroke, who promises to dine with me to-morrow..." This, for whatever reason, reminded me of those 1950's stock television sitcom situations where the boss announces he is coming to dinner and droll antics ensue. But, in reality for Pepys, this must have signaled his continued high standing in Hinchingbroke's esteem and been some comfort to him given the situation with the Navy Office.
Interesting riff on taxes in this entry as well.For many who read this, it will seem quite contemporary -- like so much in these pages.
CGS • Link
Keep thy cap in hand, their Lordships must never crossed.
They just want his body, head may not attached.
Upon Complaint made to this House, "That William Baud Esquire, menial Servant to the Marquis of Worcester, a Peer of this Realm, is detained in the Prison of the King's Bench, by Sir John Lenthall Knight, Keeper of the said Prison, or his Deputies, contrary to the Privilege of Parliament."
Baud, his Servant, to be brought to the Bar.
It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Sir John Lenthall, or his Deputies, shall bring the Body of the said William Baud unto the Bar of this House, on Thursday Morning next, at Ten of the Clock: And this shall be a sufficient Warrant in that Behalf.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
CGS • Link
Nowt in the Proceedings of the houses about taxes but in the closets off the hall, be where the action is, Sam has so many inside sources of information one being Lord Crew.
Mary • Link
"my people sitting up to get things in order against tomorrow"
I doubt that much sitting was being done. "Sitting up" appears as a stock expression that simply indicates staying up late for some purpose.
Andrew Hamilton • Link
"my Lord Crew ... doubting that all will break in pieces in the kingdom; and that the taxes now coming out, which will tax the same man in three or four several capacities, as for lands, office, profession, and money at interest, will be the hardest that ever come out; and do think that we owe it, and the lateness of its being given, wholly to the unpreparedness of the King’s own party"
I'm no historian of the era, but it seems to me that mismanagement of the exchequer through a combination of war and extravagance, combined with a reluctance of Parliament to raise revenue, must have been a contributing factor in the Glorious Revolution and the emergence of parliamentary rule. The events, if I am right, displayed a structural weakness in the institutions of governance that became intolerable. The United States, I fear, is rapidly approaching a similar crisis impelled by the fiscal irresponsibility of G.W. Bush and a Republican congress now followed in similar and even more extravagant vein by B. H. Obama and a Democratic congress. The outcome is highly uncertain. I can empathize with Sam and Baron Crew.
Terry Foreman • Link
"the King’s own party"
So people are talking. A. Hamilton is right to point out how the politics of the situation is lining up in anticipation of the emergence of the Tory and Whig political parties and the "Glorious Revolution."
CGS • Link
War is an easy answer, none the less, it bankrupts all that turn product into debris, Nation after Nation, even for the winning side, it takes lots of time to replenish the coffers but it does keep many, fully employed, short term thinking [prophets] versus long term planning [ no greed], instant food versus long term olives.
Life is but a see saw.
The passions that incline men to peace are: fear of death; desire of such things as are necessary to commodious living; and a hope by their industry to obtain them.
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/micke…
CGS • Link
War bankrupts all that turn product into debris, except when you get others to pay first before using.
Robert Gertz • Link
"I'm to stay up all night on a moment's notice to feed that smart-ass Frenchified son of Lord Sandwich's...'oh, me noble Lord Hinchingbroke'... And he's only coming cause he likes you, ma'am." Jane fumes.
"So he does...I mean these are Mr. Pepys' orders, Jane." Bess insists.
"That kid pinches me bum again and I'll whale him one so hard..." Jane, muttering...
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"that the taxes now coming out, which will tax the same man in three or four several capacities, as for lands, office, profession, and money at interest, will be the hardest that ever come out"
L&M: The Land Tax and Poll Tax bills, passed on 8 February 1667. For Pepys's poll tax , see 25 January, 5 April 1667.
john • Link
It was common to tip the servants after a good meal, Robert of the past, so Jane may actually be looking forward to the meal.
Timo • Link
Despite much discussion of the increasing tax burden, I cannot recall our tight-fisted hero having ever complained about how it affects him directly. Which begs the question, how much he personally contributes to the war effort?