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

the parliament for money. He was ridiculed by Shadwell as Sir Positive At-All in the Sullen Lovers. Four New Plays, by Sir R. Howard, was published in 1665, and Five New Plays in 1692. His Dramatic Works were published in 1722. He died September 3rd, 1698. ↩

Abraham Cowley, the poet, who died July 28th, 1667, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, August 3rd. ↩

A comedy by the Hon. James Howard, son of the Earl of Berkshire, printed in 4to., 1674. ↩

Nell Gwyn played Lady Wealthy, a rich widow. Her first appearance on the stage is supposed to have taken place in 1665 in the character of Cydaria, in Dryden’s Indian Emperor. ↩

Captain (afterwards Sir John) Chicheley commanded the Antelope, of fifty guns, in the Duke of York’s squadron in the victory of the 3rd of June, 1665 (Charnock’s Biographia Navalis, vol. i, p. 84). ↩

After the Great Fire the Excise Office for a time found a site in Southampton Fields, at the back of Southampton House (afterwards Bedford House), on the north side of Bloomsbury Square. ↩

John Turner, here alluded to, was the eldest son and heir of Sir William Turner, Lord Mayor of London in 1669, better known as the munificent founder of Kirkleatham Hospital, in Yorkshire, and whose monument is still to be seen in Kirkleatham Church, and in the hospital a likeness of him in waxwork, with the identical wig and band that he wore. In the east window of the hospital chapel also is a stained glass portrait of him in his mayoralty robes, and one of his eldest son. John Turner was brought up to the bar, and became a serjeant-at-law, and purchased an estate in the district of Cleveland. Besides his daughter Theophila, mentioned so often, he had issue two sons, Charles and William, from the eldest of whom descended the late Sir Charles Turner, of Kirkleatham, the second baronet of the family, and the last heir male of his race. He died in 1810. See an account of the family in The Genealogist and Topographer, part vi. —⁠B. ↩

Sir George Mordaunt, of Massingham, Norfolk, the fourth baronet of his family, espoused Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Nicholas Johnson, of London, niece to Sir W. Turner above-mentioned, who is the person here alluded to by Pepys. She remarried Francis Godolphin, of Colston, Wilts (Wotton’s Baronetage). —⁠B. ↩

Two thousand pounds of this sum went to Alderman Edward Bakewell for two diamond rings, severally charged £1,000 and £900, bought March 14th, 1665⁠–⁠66 (Second addenda to Steinman’s Memoir of the Duchess of Cleveland, privately printed, 1878, p. 4). ↩

Charles Porter was brother to Thomas Porter, who killed Sir H. Bellasis in a duel in 1667 (see note 1782). ↩

Probably John Temple, Sir R. Viner’s chief clerk. ↩

John Fenn, who is frequently referred to in the Diary. ↩

The Gazette of April 23rd⁠–⁠26th, 1666, which contains the following remarkable passage: “At the Sessions in the Old Bailey, John Rathbone, an old army colonel, William Saunders, Henry Tucker, Thomas Flint, Thomas Evans, John Myles, Will. Westcot, and John Cole, officers or soldiers in the late Rebellion, were indicted for conspiring the death of his Majesty and the overthrow of the Government. Having laid their plot and contrivance for the surprisal of the Tower, the killing his Grace the Lord General, Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, and Sir Richard Brown; and then to have declared for an equal division of lands, etc. The better to effect this hellish design, the City was to have been fired, and the portcullis let down to keep out all assistance; and the Horse Guards to have been surprised in the inns where they were quartered, several ostlers having been gained for that purpose. The Tower was accordingly viewed, and its surprise ordered by boats over the moat, and from thence to scale the wall. One Alexander, not yet taken, had likewise distributed money to these conspirators; and, for the carrying on the design more effectually, they were told of a Council of the great ones that sat frequently in London, from whom issued all orders; which Council received their directions from another in Holland, who sat with the States; and that the third of September was pitched on for the attempt, as being found by Lilly’s Almanac, and a scheme erected for that purpose, to be a lucky day, a planet then ruling which prognosticated the downfall of Monarchy. The evidence against these persons was very full and clear, and they were accordingly found guilty of High Treason.” See November 10th, 1666. —⁠B. ↩

William Ashburnham, younger brother of John Ashburnham, and first cousin of the Duke of Buckingham. He was an officer of distinction in the king’s army during the Civil War; and, after the Restoration, made Cofferer of the Household to Charles II. Died s.p. 1671. He married the “young, beautiful, and rich widow” of James Ley, Earl of Marlborough, Lord High Treasurer of England, to whom she was third wife. She was daughter of John, Lord Butler, of Bramfield, by Elizabeth Villiers, sister of the first Duke of Buckingham, and therefore nearly related to William Ashburnham. A splendid monument to William Ashburnham, and to the Countess of Marlborough, with whom he lived happily for nearly forty-five years, is in Ashburnham Church. —⁠B. ↩

The bibliography of the various “Advices” and “Instructions” to a Painter is somewhat extensive, and can only be shortly alluded to here. The poet Waller commenced the series with his