Friday 4 October 1667

Up, and to White Hall to attend the Council about Commissioner Pett’s business, along with my Lord Bruncker and Sir W. Pen, and in the Robe-chamber the Duke of York come to us, the officers of the Navy, and there did meet together about Navy business, where Sir W. Coventry was with us, and among other things did recommend his Royal Highness, now the prizes were disposing, to remember Sir John Harman to the King, for some bounty, and also for my Lady Minnes, which was very nobly done of him. Thence all of us to attend the Council, where we were anon called on, and there was a long hearing of Commissioner Pett, who was there, and there were the two Masters Attendant of Chatham called in, who do deny their having any order from Commissioner Pett about bringing up the great ships, which gives the lie to what he says; but, in general, I find him to be but a weak, silly man, and that is guilty of horrid neglect in this business all along. Here broke off without coming to an issue, but that there should be another hearing on Monday next. So the Council rose, and I staid walking up and down the galleries till the King went to dinner, and then I to my Lord Crew’s to dinner; but he having dined, I took a very short leave, confessing I had not dined; and so to an ordinary hard by the Temple-gate, where I have heretofore been, and there dined — cost me 10d. And so to my Lord Ashly’s, where after dinner Sir H. Cholmly, Creed and I, with his Lordship, about Mr. Yeabsly’s business, where having come to agreement with him abating him 1000l. of what he demands for ships lost, I to Westminster, to Mrs. Martin’s lodging, whither I sent for her, and there hear that her husband is come from sea, which is sooner than I expected; and here I staid and drank, and so did toucher elle and away, and so by coach to my tailor’s, and thence to my Lord Crew’s, and there did stay with him an hour till almost night, discoursing about the ill state of my Lord Sandwich, that he can neither be got to be called home, nor money got to maintain him there; which will ruin his family. And the truth is, he do almost deserve it, for by all relation he hath, in a little more than a year and a half, spent 20,000l. of the King’s money, and the best part of 10,000l. of his own; which is a most prodigious expence, more than ever Embassador spent there, and more than these Commissioners of the Treasury will or do allow. And they demand an account before they will give him any more money; which puts all his friends to a loss what to answer. But more money we must get him, or to be called home. I offer to speak to Sir W. Coventry about it; but my Lord will not advise to it, without consent of Sir G. Carteret. So home, and there to see Sir W. Batten, who fell sick yesterday morning: He is asleep: and so I could not see him; but in an hour after, word is brought me that he is so ill, that it is believed he cannot live till to-morrow, which troubles me and my wife mightily, partly out of kindness, he being a good neighbour and partly because of the money he owes me, upon our bargain of the late prize. So home and to supper and to bed.

18 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

The Duke of York to Sandwich
Written from: St James's
Date: 4 October 1667

Acknowledges the Ambassador's letter of May 14; and congratulates him on the conclusion of the Treaty with Spain.
_____

Arlington to Sandwich
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 4 October 1667

The writer's illness has in part contributed to the delay of the Spanish business. He now communicates the particulars of two matters, each of which has given rise to much talk in London, and may probably attract notice at Madrid. The first is the return of the Scottish Regiment, under Lord Douglas, into France. It had been recalled when the war with France broke out. But its employment at home created murmurs, and, when Peace was made, Lord Douglas besought His Majesty's permission to return. The second matter is the sending into France of certain Romanist "reformadoes" of the Horse Guards, under command of Mr George Hamilton. They were dismissed at the request of Parliament, and the King gave them leave to seek their fortune.
_____

Lord Manchester to Sandwich
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 4 October 1667

The taking of the Great Seal from Lord Clarendon has surprised very many. "It is hoped that it will go no further." Adds that the intended marriage of Lord Hinchinbroke should be brought to some conclusion; and expresses his opinion that it would be well if Lord Sandwich would signify his resolution thereupon.

http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

"word is brought me that he is so ill, that it is believed he cannot live till to-morrow, which troubles me and my wife mightily, partly out of kindness, he being a good neighbour and partly because of the money he owes me, upon our bargain of the late prize."

And there, my lords and ladies, do we have Samuel Pepys summed up in one short sentence.

Spin2Win  •  Link

"...and so did toucher elle..."

Anyone know if the French phrases are Sam's, or the publisher's?

Did he write them as French in his shorthand, or was the publisher being polite, and rewording Sam's writings?

Paul Chapin  •  Link

Sam consistently resorts to French (or Spanish or Latin or an unholy combination of all of them) when he is describing his sexual exploits. The editor of the edition we are reading (Wheatley) often replaces these passages with ellipses, which some of our annotators are good enough to fill in with the original text, as represented in the newer, definitive edition (Latham and Matthews).

Paul E  •  Link

" ...and partly because of the money he owes me, upon our bargain of the late prize.”

Don't judge SP to harshly. His candor is what makes the diary so astonishing. His is a natural thought, its just that no decent person would utter it.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

I'd say many would in heart have harsher things to say about dying colleagues and neighbors who owe them money. Sam is truly fond of Batten but Batten is secure, so far as we know and Sam is a man whose whole life and wife's life depends on a few thousand pounds squirreled away. This is potentially a huge blow to Sam's savings and retirement fund, not to mention the money still awaiting recovery buried out at Brampton. No doubt thoughts of Lord Sandwich's increasingly desperate situation weigh heavily as well. One might suspect many similar thoughts circulate round family tables in these rough economic times. "We love dear old Uncle Abe, but we better see how much Enron robbed from his pension fund before he dies", etc.

Phoenix  •  Link

Actually I think TB pretty well hits the mark and I don't see it as particularly harsh. Sam expresses a good heart and a natural self interest and does so with exquisite honesty - perhaps with a bias toward interest.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"to attend the Council about Commissioner Pett’s business"

This was an inquiry into the loss of the ships in the Medway disaster in the previous June. Pett had already been dismissed from his post as a Navy Commissioner in the same month. (L&M note)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

" Sir W. Coventry...did recommend his Royal Highness, now the prizes were disposing, to remember Sir John Harman to the King, for some bounty, and also for my Lady Minnes, which was very nobly done of him. "

Presumably becaus of Harman's service this year as Commander-in-Chief, West Indies: he had beaten the French fleet off Martinique on 25 June, and on 15 September had taken Cayenne.

Lady Myngs was the widow of Sir Christopher Myngs, the admiral, killed in action in 1666. (L&M notes)

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"He now communicates the particulars of two matters, each of which has given rise to much talk in London, and may probably attract notice at Madrid. The first is the return of the Scottish Regiment, under Lord Douglas, into France. It had been recalled when the war with France broke out. But its employment at home created murmurs, and, when Peace was made, Lord Douglas besought His Majesty's permission to return. The second matter is the sending into France of certain Romanist "reformadoes" of the Horse Guards, under command of Mr George Hamilton. They were dismissed at the request of Parliament, and the King gave them leave to seek their fortune."

I presume the Scots and the Catholics will be fighting with, and paid for by Louis XIV in his attacks on the Spanish Netherlands.

This is a clever way for Charles II not to disband his standing army, but for it to "disappear" while learning tactics over there, helping his unpopular, rich cousin who is attacking two of England's traditional enemies. WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN.

Pepys had seen George Hamilton, one of the Catholic sons of the Earl of Abercorn, dancing at a ball last September 15, 1666, and the three Hamilton brothers were helpful to Barbara Villiers Palmer when Charles first wed Catherine.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Information from:
http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geo…
and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

The Régiment de Douglas was formed in 1633 and recruited in Scotland; it had served with the French army, apart from quick emergency trips to England.

Regiments were the personal property of their Colonel, and valuable assets. In 1645, ownership of the Douglas Regiment passed to the Earl of Angus, who lived in Scotland; he made George Douglas the Colonel in 1653.

The politics of the times required both political and military skills: During the 1648-1653 Fronde Civil War, as a foreign, Catholic-officered unit, the Douglas Regiment was one of the few Louis XIV could rely upon.

Charles II recalled them during the 1661 Venner Uprising; the revolt was quickly crushed so they returned to France as the Cavalier Parliament refused to finance replacements for the New Model Army. The need for a standing army was an issue throughout Charles' reign.

On March 1, 1666 Col. George Douglas obtained permission to return to England to support Charles II in the Second Anglo-Dutch War.
They landed at Rye in June 1666, and were billeted in Chatham.

According to Pepys on 30 June, 1667, their behavior wasn't good during the Dutch attack. “it is said that the country soldiers did first run at Sheerness, but that then my Lord Douglas’s men did run also; but it is excused that there was no defense for them towards the sea, that so the very beach did fly in their faces as the bullets come, and annoyed them, they having, after all this preparation of the officers of the ordnance, only done something towards the land, and nothing at all towards the sea.”
And
“It seems very remarkable to me, and of great honor to the Dutch, that those of them that did go on shore to Gillingham, though they went in fear of their lives, and were some of them killed; and, notwithstanding their provocation at Schelling, yet killed none of our people nor plundered their houses, but did take some things of easy carriage, and left the rest, and not a house burned; and, which is to our eternal disgrace, that what my Lord Douglas’ men, who come after them, found there, they plundered and took all away; ...”

On October 12, 1667 the Douglas regiment embarked at Rye to return to France; while waiting transport more than 700 of the 1,500 men deserted.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

PART 2

Under the 1670 Treaty of Dover, England agreed to an alliance with France against the Dutch Republic, including 6,000 troops for the French army. It also contained secret provisions specifying the payment to Charles II of £230,000 per year for these troops.

Under the French, the English Brigade fought in the Rhineland, avoiding clashes with English and Scots soldiers serving with the Dutch against the French; much of the English Brigade was the Douglas Regiment which had grown to 33 companies or 3,432 men.

Charles II raised George Douglas as the Earl of Dumbarton and Lord of Ettrick in 1675 -- but title neither came with estates so they cost Dumbarton a fortune.

In 1677, Louis XIV made him a Lt. Gen. in the French Army.

The 1678 Battle of Saint-Denis ended the Franco-Dutch War, and in June Dumbarton and his regiment's employment ended with Louis XIV.

In 1678, concerns over James succeeding Charles II resulted in the Popish Plot and this was followed by the 1678-1681 Exclusion Crisis.

In January 1679, the Dumbarton Regiment was reformed and listed on the English military establishment as the 'First Foot.' This was a temporary answer to the unsettled political climate and to reduce Parliamentary scrutiny.

The regiment was sent to Ireland in 1680, joining the Tangier Garrison (both were largely made up of Catholics).

And we are now 10 years out from the Diary. There's so much more ...

Carmichael  •  Link

Today's meal cost 10d. I've searched around but can't find conversions and abbreviations ... any comment on how to think about that today? I'm in the US, so say a lunch at Chipotle is around $10 USD.

Nick Hedley  •  Link

A scholarly and interesting summary. Thank you San Diego Sarah.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"Today's meal cost 10d."

There are many ways to figure out an equivalent cost today. Some of them are summarized in the Encyclopedia.
Go to the top of this page and click on the icon.
Scroll down and click on Business and Money
At the bottom of the 8 Topics list is a Today's Values link. Voila ...

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Nick Hedley ... let's all give thanks for the millions of people who cooperated for decades to develop computers, the Internet, websites and blogs, Google, and Wikipedia, to Sam Pepys for being inspired to write down his adventures 350 years ago, and to Phil Gyford who pulls together all the above as a gift to us -- and we get to play, free of charge.
My way of thanking all the above is by sharing my understanding of what happened.
But whenever I press ENTER I worry that I got it all wrong and will send some future High School senior off on completely the wrong track ... which makes blogging here exciting.
I'm glad you and the rest of the gang are along for the ride the second time around. Blogging alone is boring.

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