Pepy's Diary. 06 May 1660. Lord's Day. This morning while we were at sermon comes in Dr. Clarges (age 42) and a dozen gentlemen to see my Lord, who, after sermon, dined with him; I remember that last night upon discourse concerning Clarges (age 42) my Lord told me that he was a man of small entendimiento. [Entendimiento, Spanish: the understanding.] This afternoon there was a gentleman with me, an officer of Dunkirk going over, who came to me for an order and told me he was lately with my uncle and Aunt Fenner and that Kate's fits of the convulsions did hold her still. It fell very well to-day, a stranger preached here for Mr. Ibbot, one Mr. Stanley, who prayed for King Charles, by the Grace of God, &c., which gave great contentment to the gentlemen that were on board here, and they said they would talk of it, when they come to Breda [Map], as not having it done yet in London so publickly. After they were gone from on board, my Lord writ a letter to the King and give it to me to carry privately to Sir William Compton (age 35) on board the Assistance, which I did, and after a health to his Majesty on board there, I left them under sail for Breda [Map]. Back again and found them at sermon. I went up to my cabin and looked over my accounts, and find that, all my debts paid and my preparations to sea paid for, I have £640 clear in my purse. After supper to bed.

In 1661 William Compton (age 36) was elected MP Cambridge.

Pepy's Diary. 03 Jul 1662. At noon we all by invitation dined at the Dolphin with the Officers of the Ordnance; where Sir Wm. Compton (age 37), Mr. O'Neale, and other great persons, were, and a very great dinner, but I drank as I still do but my allowance of wine.

Pepy's Diary. 03 Jul 1662. After dinner, was brought to Sir Wm. Compton (age 37) a gun to discharge seven times, the best of all devices that ever I saw, and very serviceable, and not a bawble; for it is much approved of, and many thereof made.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Sep 1662. Which I did, and by water betimes to the Tower and so home, where I shifted myself, being to dine abroad, and so being also trimmed, which is a thing I have very seldom done of late, I gat to my office and then met and sit all the morning, and at noon we all to the Trinity House, Deptford [Map], where we treated, very dearly, I believe, the officers of the Ordnance; where was Sir Wm. Compton (age 37) and the rest and the Lieutenant of the Tower. We had much and good music, which was my best entertainment. Sir Wm. Compton (age 37) I heard talk with great pleasure of the difference between the fleet now and in Queen Elisabeth's days; where, in 88, she had but 36 sail great and small, in the world; and ten rounds of powder was their allowance at that time against the Spaniard. After Sir Wm. Compton (age 37) and Mr. Coventry (age 34), and some of the best of the rest were gone, I grew weary of staying with Sir Williams both, and the more for that my Lady Batten and her crew, at least half a score, come into the room, and I believe we shall pay size for it; but 'tis very pleasant to see her in her hair under her hood, and how by little and little she would fain be a gallant; but, Lord! the company she keeps about her are like herself, that she may be known by them what she is.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Oct 1662. After dinner he and I into another room over a pot of ale and talked. He showed me our commission, wherein the Duke of York (age 29), Prince Rupert (age 42), Duke of Albemarle (age 53), Lord Peterborough (age 40), Lord Sandwich (age 37), Sir G. Carteret (age 52), Sir William Compton (age 37), Mr. Coventry (age 34), Sir R. Ford (age 48), Sir William Rider, Mr. Cholmley, Mr. Povy (age 48), myself, and Captain Cuttance, in this order are joyned for the carrying on the service of Tangier, which I take for a great honour to me.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Dec 1662. Thence I to my Lord Sandwich's (age 37), to Mr. Moore, to talk a little about business; and then over the Parke (where I first in my life, it being a great frost, did see people sliding with their skeates¹, which is a very pretty art), to Mr. Coventry's (age 34) chamber to St. James's, where we all met to a venison pasty, and were very merry, Major Norwood being with us, whom they did play upon for his surrendering of Dunkirk. Here we staid till three or four o'clock; and so to the Council Chamber, where there met the Duke of York (age 29), Prince Rupert (age 42), Duke of Albemarle (age 53), my Lord Sandwich (age 37), Sir Win. Compton (age 37), Mr. Coventry (age 34), Sir J. Minnes (age 63), Sir R. Ford (age 48), Sir W. Rider, myself, and Captain Cuttance, as Commissioners for Tangier. And after our Commission was read by Mr. Creed, who I perceive is to be our Secretary, we did fall to discourse of matters: as, first, the supplying them forthwith with victualls; then the reducing it to make way for the money, which upon their reduction is to go to the building of the Mole; and so to other matters, ordered as against next meeting.

Note 1. Iron skates appear to have been introduced by the Dutch, as the name certainly was; but we learn from Fitzstephen that bone skates (although not so called) were used in London in the twelfth century.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Jan 1663. We went to St. Dunstan's in the East church, where a sermon, but I staid not, but went home, and, after writing letters, I took coach to Mr. Povy's (age 49), but he not within I left a letter there of Tangier business, and so to my Lord's, and there find him not sick, but expecting his fit to-night of an ague. Here was Sir Wm. Compton (age 38), Mr. Povy (age 49), Mr. Bland, Mr. Gawden and myself; we were very busy about getting provisions sent forthwith to Tangier, fearing that by Mr. Gawden's neglect they might want bread. So among other ways thought of to supply them I was empowered by the Commissioners of Tangier that were present to write to Plymouth and direct Mr. Lanyon to take up vessels great or small to the quantity of 150 tons, and fill them with bread of Mr. Gawden's lying ready there for Tangier, which they undertake to bear me out in, and to see the freight paid. This I did.

Pepy's Diary. 24 Jan 1663. So to dinner at home, and then down to Redriffe [Map], to see a ship hired for Tangier, what readiness she was in, and found her ready to sail. Then home, and so by coach to Mr. Povy's (age 49), where Sir Wm. Compton (age 38), Mr. Bland, Gawden, Sir J. Lawson (age 48) and myself met to settle the victualling of Tangier for the time past, which with much ado we did, and for a six months' supply more.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Aug 1663. By and by by water to White Hall, and so to St. James's, and anon called into the Duke's (age 29) chamber, and being dressed we were all as usual taken in with him and discoursed of our matters, and that being done, he walked, and I in the company with him, to White Hall, and there he took barge for Woolwich, Kent [Map], and, I up to the Committee of Tangier, where my Lord Sandwich (age 38), pay Lord Peterborough (age 41), (whom I have not seen before since his coming back,) Sir Wm. Compton (age 38), and Mr. Povy (age 49). Our discourse about supplying my Lord Teviott with money, wherein I am sorry to see, though they do not care for him, yet they are willing to let him for civility and compliment only have money almost without expecting any account of it; but by this means, he being such a cunning fellow as he is, the King (age 33) is like to pay dear for our courtiers' ceremony.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Oct 1663. So up; and going by coach with Sir W. Batten (age 62) and Sir J. Minnes (age 64) to St. James's, they tell me that Sir Wm. Compton (deceased), who it is true had been a little sickly for a week or fortnight, but was very well upon Friday at night last at the Tangier Committee with us, was dead-died yesterday: at which I was most exceedingly surprised, he being, and so all the world saying that he was, one of the worthyest men and best officers of State now in England; and so in my conscience he was: of the best temper, valour, abilities of mind, integrity, birth, fine person, and diligence of any one man he hath left behind him in the three kingdoms; and yet not forty years old, or if so, that is all¹. I find the sober men of the Court troubled for him; and yet not so as to hinder or lessen their mirth, talking, laughing, and eating, drinking, and doing every thing else, just as if there was no such thing, which is as good an instance for me hereafter to judge of death, both as to the unavoidableness, suddenness, and little effect of it upon the spirits of others, let a man be never so high, or rich, or good; but that all die alike, no more matter being made of the death of one than another, and that even to die well, the praise of it is not considerable in the world, compared to the many in the world that know not nor make anything of it, nor perhaps to them (unless to one that like this poor gentleman, who is one of a thousand, there nobody speaking ill of him) that will speak ill of a man.

Note 1. Sir William Compton (1625-1663) (deceased) was knighted at Oxford, December 12th, 1643. He was called by Cromwell "the sober young man and the godly cavalier". After the Restoration he was M.P. for Cambridge (1661), and appointed Master of the Ordnance. He died in Drury Lane, suddenly, as stated in the text, and was buried at Compton Wynyates, Warwickshire [Map].