The Diary by Samuel Pepys (children's ebooks online TXT) 📕

the year 1842, in removing the foundation of an old wall, adjoining a mansion at Brampton, always considered the quondam residence of the Pepys family, an iron pot, full of silver coins, was discovered, and taken to the Earl of Sandwich, the owner of the house, in whose possession they still remain. The pot was so much corroded, that a small piece of it only could be preserved. The coins were chiefly half-crowns of Elizabeth and the two elder Stuarts, and all of a date anterior to the Restoration. Although Pepys states that the treasure which he caused to be buried was gold exclusively, it is very probable that, in the confusion, a pot full of silver money was packed up with the rest; but, at all events, the coincidence appeared too singular to pass over without notice. —⁠B. ↩

At the meeting of Parliament on October 10th, 1667, the king made a speech of about ten lines, in which he said,

“The other reasons of that prorogation [eleven weeks before], and some other matters with which I would acquaint you, I have commanded my Lord Keeper to declare unto you.”

Journals of the House of Lords, vol. xii, p. 115

↩

See October 5th, 1667. ↩

He seems to have forgotten his visit on the 12th. —⁠B. ↩

“At the Cambridge Assizes, held before Justice Kelynge, March 9th, 1664, Roger Pepys, the Recorder, was bound over to his good behaviour for speaking slightly of Lord Chief Justice Hyde at the Town Sessions, on an appeal by Dr. Eade against a poor-rate.”

Cooper’s Cambridge Annals, vol. iii, p. 516

See December 13th, 1667. —⁠B. ↩

Sir John Kelyng, Serjeant, 1660, and engaged on the part of the crown to advise with the judges relative to the proceedings to be adopted against the regicides. Returned as Member of Parliament for Bedford in May, 1661, he prepared the Act of Uniformity passed in 1662. Appointed judge of the King’s Bench in 1663 and Chief Justice in 1665. No special record of the “high proceedings” referred to by Pepys is to be found in the Parliamentary History; but his conduct was complained of, and the House of Commons voted his proceedings to be illegal and tending to the introduction of arbitrary government. His conduct as a judge was considered to be harsh and insulting. He died at his home in Hatton Garden, May 9th, 1671 (Foss’s Judges). See December 13th. ↩

Captain Henry Nicoll petitioned the king, October 17th, 1667, “for an abatement in the price of the Sea Fortune, of Amsterdam, and the Wild Boar, which was purchased for £1,000, to bring timber from Ireland for the rebuilding of London” (Calendar of State Papers, 1667, p. 531). Petition of Major Heniy Nicoll to the king, “for a grant of the Golden Hand flyboat, with all her furniture and apparel, at the same price as he paid for the Wildboar, and for orders to the Duke of York and the Navy Commissioners to give him possession thereof forthwith, they taking the same security as was ordered for the Wildboar⁠ ⁠… [he] asked for the Wildboar prize-ship at a reasonable price and convenient time for payment, which was granted, but after being at great charge in rigging and setting her forth to sea, she foundered on her voyage, and 15 men perished in her, whereby he was deprived of the means of bringing over the timber, or of paying his debts” (Calendar of State Papers, 1667⁠–⁠68, p. 110). ↩

Captain John Hubbard. ↩

The Black Prince, by Roger, Earl of Orrery, is styled a tragedy, although the play ends happily. It was first published in 1669. ↩

Lady Berkeley was Christiana, daughter of Sir Andrew Rickard, and widow of Henry Rich, Lord Kensington. —⁠B. ↩

It occurs in the fifth act, and is certainly very long. It was read by Hart, but was afterwards omitted in the acting. See October 23rd, 1667. —⁠B. ↩

This question of the division of the fleet in May, 1666, was one over which endless controversy as to responsibility was raised. When Prince Rupert, with twenty ships, was detached to prevent the junction of the French squadron with the Dutch, the Duke of Albemarle was left with fifty-four ships against eighty belonging to the Dutch. Albemarle’s tactics are praised by Captain Mahan. ↩

Captain Ch. O’Brien. “Warrant to the Duke of York to deliver to Capt. O’Brian the prize-ship St. Mary of St. Jean de Luz, as a free gift in consideration of service, Nov. 20, 1667” (Calendar of State Papers, 1667⁠–⁠68, p. 31). ↩

The slackening of sail owing to the directions of Henry Brouncker, in contravention of the Duke of York’s order, is commented upon and discussed in the Rev. J. S. Clarke’s Life of James II (1816, vol. i, pp. 415⁠–⁠17, 421). It is there stated that Brouncker’s arguments to Cox and Harman were at first rejected, but Harman at last shortened sail, being imposed upon by Brouncker’s false message from the duke. The duke was kept in ignorance of what had been done, and it is said that a strange concurrence of accidents kept the duke in ignorance. Brouncker was expelled from the House of Commons on account of his conduct, but he does not appear to have lost the favour of the king or of the duke. ↩

The Duke of York’s shortening sail in the Dutch fight is attributed, ironically, by Sir John Denham, to his Duchess’s anxiety for his safety:

“She therefore the Duke’s person recommends
To Brouncker, Penn, and Coventry, her friends;
To Penn much,