The Diary Samuel Pepys (love books to read .TXT) 📖

with the same title has been attributed to Shirley. The Rev. T. Morrice, n his memoirs of Lord Orrery, says that Charles II “was the first to put my Lord upon writing plays, which his Majesty did on occasion of a dispute that arose in his royal presence about writing plays in rhyme; some affirmed it was not to be done, others said it would spoil the fancy to be so confined, but Lord Orrery was of another opinion, and his Majesty being willing a trial should be made, commanded his Lordship to employ some of his leisure that way, which my Lord readily did, and upon that occasion composed the Black Prince” (Orrery’s State Letters, vol. i, p. 81). ↩

Austin Friars, Old Broad Street. At the dissolution of the monasteries the house and grounds of the Augustine Friars were bestowed on William Paulet, first Marquis of Winchester. In 1602 the necessities of William, fourth marquis, compelled him to sell his property to John Swinnerton, afterwards Lord Mayor. ↩

Captain (afterwards Sir Robert) Holmes’ expedition to attack the Dutch settlements in Africa eventuated in an important exploit. Holmes suddenly left the coast of Africa, sailed across the Atlantic, and reduced the Dutch settlement of New Netherlands to English rule, under the title of New York. “The short and true state of the matter is this: the country mentioned was part of the province of Virginia, and, as there is no settling an extensive country at once, a few Swedes crept in there, who surrendered the plantations they could not defend to the Dutch, who, having bought the charts and papers of one Hudson, a seaman, who, by the commission from the crown of England, discovered a river, to which he gave his name, conceited they had purchased a province. Sometimes, when we had strength in those parts, they were English subjects; at others, when that strength declined, they were subjects of the United Provinces. However, upon King Charles’s claim the States disowned the title, but resumed it during our confusions. On March 12th, 1663⁠–⁠64, Charles II granted it to the Duke of York⁠ ⁠… The King sent Holmes, when he returned, to the Tower, and did not discharge him; till he made it evidently appear that he had not infringed the law of nations.” (Campbell’s Naval History, vol. ii, p. 89). How little did the King or Holmes himself foresee the effects of the capture. —⁠B. ↩

Dry = hard, as “hard cash.” ↩

There were several houses in the neighbourhood of the Navy House with the sign of the Horseshoe; one was in St. Dunstan’s in the East and another on Great Tower Hill. ↩

See Poems on State Affairs, vol. i, p. 32. —⁠B. ↩

“The picture usually placed before the king’s book, which Pepys says he saw ‘put up in Bishopsgate church,’ was not engraved for the Είκων Βασιλική, but relates to the frontispiece of the large folio Common Prayer Book of 1661, which consists of a sort of pattern altarpiece, which it was intended should generally be placed in the churches. The design is a sort of classical affair, derived in type from the ciborium of the ancient and continental churches; a composition of two Corinthian columns, engaged or disengaged, with a pediment. It occurs very frequently in the London churches, and may be occasionally remarked in country-town churches, especially those restored at the king’s coming in. Anyone who has ever seen the great Prayer Book of 1661, will at once recognize the allusion; and it is a well-known fact that the frontispiece was drawn and engraved for the purpose mentioned above.”

Gentleman’s Magazine, March, 1849, p. 226

—⁠B. ↩

There is a token, “At the Mouth Tavern without Bishop Gate. R.K.S.” (Boyne’s Trade Tokens, ed. Williamson, vol. i, 1889, p. 540). ↩

This refers to the buildings erected by Lord Treasurer Southampton in what is now Bloomsbury Square. His mansion, afterwards known as Bedford House, occupied the whole north side of that square. ↩

Nan Wright, afterwards Mrs. Markham (see August 16th, 1666). ↩

The witty Sir Charles Sedley is frequently referred to by Pepys in the Diary. ↩

There does not appear to have been any play with this title. It evidently was the Parson’s Wedding, referred to October 11th. ↩

Henry Oldenburg was secretary of the Royal Society from 1663 to 1677. Mr. Herbert Rix, assistant-secretary to the Royal Society, has contributed to Nature, November 2nd, 1893 (vol. xlix, p. 9), an interesting account of Oldenburg. ↩

“There seems to be a curious fate reigning over the instruments which have the word ‘arch’ prefixed to their name. They have no vitality, and somehow or other come to grief. Even the famous archlute, which was still a living thing in the time of Handel, has now disappeared from the concert room and joined Mr. Pepys’s ‘Arched Viall’ in the limbo of things forgotten.⁠ ⁠… Mr. Pepys’s verdict that it would never do⁠ ⁠… has been fully confirmed by the event, as his predictions usually were, being indeed always founded on calm judgment and close observation.”

Hueffer’s Italian and Other Studies, 1883, p. 263

—⁠B. ↩

Rupert. ↩

There is a token of the “Beare tavern in Cornhill, 1656. R.W.D.” (Boyne’s Trade Tokens, ed. Williamson, vol. i, p. 573). ↩

The church of Allhallows Barking, situated at the east end of Great Tower Street. ↩

“The duke had decided that the English fleet should consist of three squadrons to be commanded by himself, Prince Rupert, and Lord Sandwich, from which arrangement the two last, who