Biography of William Sheldon Clerk

Pepy's Diary. 21 Jul 1662. Thence to the dock, where we walked in Mr. Shelden's garden, eating more fruit, and drinking, and eating figs, which were very good, and talking while The Royal James was bringing towards the dock, and then we went out and saw the manner and trouble of docking such a ship, which yet they could not do, but only brought her head into the Dock, and so shored her up till next tide. But, good God! what a deal of company was there from both yards to help to do it, when half the company would have done it as well. But I see it is impossible for the King (age 32) to have things done as cheap as other men.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Jul 1664. Thence to the Docke, and there in Sheldon's garden eat some fruit; so to Deptford, Kent [Map] a little, and thence home, it raining mightily, and being cold I doubted my health after it.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Oct 1664. Thence I to Mr. Ackworth, and there eat and drank with Commissioner Pett (age 54) and his wife, and thence to Shelden's, where Sir W. Batten (age 63) and his Lady were.

Pepy's Diary. 15 Jun 1665. Thence, wife and Mercer and I to the Old Exchange [Map], and there bought two lace bands more, one of my semstresse, whom my wife concurs with me to be a pretty woman. So down to Deptford, Kent [Map] and Woolwich, Kent [Map], my boy and I At Woolwich, Kent [Map], discoursed with Mr. Sheldon about my bringing my wife down for a month or two to his house, which he approves of, and, I think, will be very convenient.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Jun 1665. So down by water to Woolwich, Kent [Map], walking to and again from Greenwich, Kent [Map] thither and back again, my business being to speak again with Sheldon, who desires and expects my wife coming thither to spend the summer, and upon second thoughts I do agree that it will be a good place for her and me too.

Pepy's Diary. 30 Jun 1665. So to the 'Change [Map], and home to dinner. In the afternoon I down to Woolwich, Kent [Map] and after me my wife and Mercer, whom I led to Mr. Sheldon's to see his house, and I find it a very pretty place for them to be at.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Jul 1665. Up, and with great pleasure looking over a nest of puppies of Mr. Shelden's, with which my wife is most extraordinary pleased, and one of them is promised her.

Pepy's Diary. 28 Aug 1665. In the afternoon I sent down my boy to Woolwich, Kent [Map] with some things before me, in order to my lying there for good and all, and so I followed him. Just now comes newes that the fleete is gone, or going this day, out again, for which God be praised! and my Lord Sandwich (age 40) hath done himself great right in it, in getting so soon out again. I pray God, he may meet the enemy. Towards the evening, just as I was fitting myself, comes W. Hewer (age 23) and shows me a letter which Mercer had wrote to her mother about a great difference between my wife and her yesterday, and that my wife will have her go away presently. This, together with my natural jealousy that some bad thing or other may be in the way, did trouble me exceedingly, so as I was in a doubt whether to go thither or no, but having fitted myself and my things I did go, and by night got thither, where I met my wife walking to the waterside with her paynter, Mr. Browne, and her mayds. There I met Commissioner Pett (age 55), and my Lord Bruncker (age 45), and the lady at his house had been thereto-day, to see her. Commissioner Pett (age 55) staid a very little while, and so I to supper with my wife and Mr. Shelden, and so to bed with great pleasure.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Sep 1665. Up, and to visit my Lady Pen (age 41) and her daughter at the Ropeyarde [Map] where I did breakfast with them and sat chatting a good while. Then to my lodging at Mr. Shelden's, where I met Captain Cocke (age 48) and eat a little bit of dinner, and with him to Greenwich, Kent [Map] by water, having good discourse with him by the way.

Pepy's Diary. 14 Sep 1665. And, lastly, that both my servants, W. Hewer (age 23) and Tom Edwards, have lost their fathers, both in St. Sepulchre's parish, of the plague this week, do put me into great apprehensions of melancholy, and with good reason. But I put off the thoughts of sadness as much as I can, and the rather to keep my wife in good heart and family also. After supper (having eat nothing all this day) upon a fine tench of Mr. Shelden's taking, we to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 29 Oct 1665. Anon we parted, and back again, we hardly having a word all the way, he being so vexed at our not yielding to his persuasion. I was set down at Woolwich, Kent [Map] towne end, and walked through the towne in the darke, it being now night. But in the streete did overtake and almost run upon two women crying and carrying a man's coffin between them. I suppose the husband of one of them, which, methinks, is a sad thing. Being come to Shelden's, I find my people in the darke in the dining room, merry and laughing, and, I thought, sporting one with another, which, God helpe me! raised my jealousy presently. Come in the darke, and one of them touching me (which afterward I found was Susan) made them shreeke, and so went out up stairs, leaving them to light a candle and to run out. I went out and was very vexed till I found my wife was gone with Mr. Hill (age 35) and Mercer this day to see me at Greenwich, Kent [Map], and these people were at supper, and the candle on a sudden falling out of the candlesticke (which I saw as I come through the yarde) and Mrs. Barbary being there I was well at ease again, and so bethought myself what to do, whether to go to Greenwich, Kent [Map] or stay there; at last go I would, and so with a lanthorne, and 3 or 4 people with me, among others Mr. Browne, who was there, would go, I walked with a lanthorne and discoursed with him about paynting and the several sorts of it. I came in good time to Greenwich, Kent [Map], where I found Mr. Hill (age 35) with my wife, and very glad I was to see him.

Pepy's Diary. 02 Dec 1665. Up, and discoursing with my wife, who is resolved to go to London for good and all this day, we did agree upon giving Mr. Sheldon £10, and Mrs. Barbary two pieces, and so I left her to go down thither to fetch away the rest of the things and pay him the money, and so I to the office, where very busy setting Mr. Poynter to write out my last night's worke, which pleases me this day, but yet it is pretty to reflect how much I am out of confidence with what I had done upon Gibson's discourse with me, for fear I should have done it sillily, but Poynter likes them, and Mr. Hater also, but yet I am afeard lest they should do it out of flattery, so conscious I am of my ignorance. Dined with my wife at noon and took leave of her, she being to go to London, as I said, for altogether, and I to the office, busy till past one in the morning.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Jan 1666. So home to dinner, where Mr. Sheldon come by invitation from Woolwich, Kent [Map], and as merry as I could be with all my thoughts about me and my wife still in pain of her tooth.

Pepy's Diary. 18 Jul 1666. At Woolwich, Kent [Map] saw Mr. Shelden, it being late, and there eat and drank, being kindly used by him and Bab, and so by water to Deptford, Kent [Map], it being 10 o'clock before I got to Deptford, Kent [Map], and dark, and there to Bagwell's (age 29), and, having staid there a while, away home, and after supper to bed. The Duke of Yorke (age 32) said this day that by the letters from the Generals they would sail with the Fleete this day or to-morrow.

Great Fire of London

Pepy's Diary. 04 Sep 1666. Now begins the practice of blowing up of houses in Tower-streete [Map], those next the Tower, which at first did frighten people more than anything, but it stopped the fire where it was done, it bringing down the1 houses to the ground in the same places they stood, and then it was easy to quench what little fire was in it, though it kindled nothing almost. W. Newer this day went to see how his mother did, and comes late home, telling us how he hath been forced to remove her to Islington [Map], her house in Pye-corner being burned; so that the fire is got so far that way, and all the Old Bayly, and was running down to Fleete-streete [Map]; and Paul's [Map] is burned, and all Cheapside [Map]. I wrote to my father this night, but the post-house being burned, the letter could not go2. 5th. I lay down in the office again upon W. Hewer's (age 24), quilt, being mighty weary, and sore in my feet with going till I was hardly able to stand. About two in the morning my wife calls me up and tells me of new cRye [Map]s of fire, it being come to Barkeing Church, which is the bottom of our lane. I up, and finding it so, resolved presently to take her away, and did, and took my gold, which was about £2350, W. Newer, and Jane, down by Proundy's boat to Woolwich, Kent [Map]; but, Lord! what sad sight it was by moone-light to see, the whole City almost on fire, that you might see it plain at Woolwich, Kent [Map], as if you were by it. There, when I come, I find the gates shut, but no guard kept at all, which troubled me, because of discourse now begun, that there is plot in it, and that the French had done it. I got the gates open, and to Mr. Shelden's, where I locked up my gold, and charged, my wife and W. Newer never to leave the room without one of them in it, night, or day. So back again, by the way seeing my goods well in the lighters at Deptford, Kent [Map], and watched well by people.

Note 1. A copy of this letter, preserved among the Pepys MSS. in the author's own handwriting, is subjoined: "SIR, The fire is now very neere us as well on Tower Streete as Fanchurch Street side, and we little hope of our escape but by this remedy, to ye want whereof we doe certainly owe ye loss of ye City namely, ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye fire. This way Sir W. Pen (age 45) and myself have so far concluded upon ye practising, that he is gone to Woolwich, Kent [Map] and Deptford, Kent [Map] to supply himself with men and necessarys in order to the doeing thereof, in case at his returne our condition be not bettered and that he meets with his R. Hs. approbation, which I had thus undertaken to learn of you. Pray please to let me have this night (at whatever hour it is) what his R. Hs. directions are in this particular; Sir J. Minnes (age 67) and Sir W. Batten (age 65) having left us, we cannot add, though we are well assured of their, as well as all ye neighbourhood's concurrence. "Yr. obedient servnt. "S. P. "Sir W. Coventry (age 38), "Septr. 4, 1666"..

Note 2. J. Hickes wrote to Williamson on September 3rd from the "Golden Lyon", Red Cross Street Posthouse. Sir Philip (Frowde) and his lady fled from the (letter) office at midnight for: safety; stayed himself till 1 am. till his wife and childrens' patience could stay, no longer, fearing lest they should be quite stopped up; the passage was so tedious they had much ado to get where they are. The Chester and Irish, mails have come-in; sends him his letters, knows not how to dispose of the business (Calendar of State Papers, 1666-67, p. 95).