History of Tower Wharfe

Diary of Henry Machyn January 1553. 04 Jan 1553. The sam day a-ffor non landyd at the Towre w[harf] the Kynges lord of myssrulle, and ther mett with hym the [Shreyffes] lord of myssrulle with ys men, and every on havyng a reby[nd of blue] and whytt a-bowt ther nekes, and then ys trumpet, [druws,] mores dansse, and tabrett, and he toke a swaerd and bare yt a-fore the kynges lord of myssrulle, for the lord was gorgyusly a[rrayed in] purprelle welvet furyd with armyn, and ys robe braded with spangulls of selver full; and a-bowt ym syngers, and a-for hym on gret horses and in cottes and clokes of ... in-brodered with gold and with balderykes a-bowt ther nekes, whytt and blue sarsenets, and chynes of gold, and the rest of ys servands in bluw gardyd with whytt, and next a-for ys consell in bluw taffata and ther capes of whytt ... ys trumpeters, taburs, drumes, and flutes and fulles and ys mores dansse, gunes, mores-pykes, bagpypes; and ys mass .. and ys gayllers with pelere [pillory], stokes, and ys axe, gyffes, and boltes, sum fast by the leges and sum by the nekes, and so rod thrugh Marke lane, and so thrugh Grasyus strett and Cornhylle; and .... trompet blohyng, makyng a proclamasyon ... and so the kyng('s) lord was cared from the ... skaffold; and after the shreyffes lord; and the kynges [lord gave] the shreyffes lord a gowne with gold and sylver, and a[non] after he knelyd downe and he toke a sword and gayff [him three?] strokes and mad ym knyght, and after thay dran[k one to t]hodur a-pon the skaffold, and ys cofferer castyng gold and sylver in every plase as they rod, and [after his co]ffrer ys carege with hys cloth-saykes on horsseback; [and so went] a-bowt Chepe, with ys gayllers and ys presonars; and [afterwards] the ij lordes toke ther horssys and rode unto my [lord] mare to dener; and after he came bake thrugh [Chepe] to the crosse, and so done Wodstrett unto the shreyffes [house for] more (than) alff a nore, and so forthe the Olde Jury and Lo[ndon wall] unto my lord tresorer('s) plasse, and ther they had a [great] banket the spasse of alff a nore; and so don to Bysshopgate and to Ledenhall and thrughe Fanchyrche strett, and so to the Towre warffe; and the shreyff('s) lord gohyng with hym with torche-lyght, and ther the kynges lord toke ys pynnes with a grett shott of gonnes, and so the shreyffes lord toke ys leyff of ym and cam home merele with ys mores dansse danssyng and so forth.

Diary of Samuel Pepys 03 June 1662. 03 Jun 1662. Up by four o'clock and to my business in my chamber, to even accounts with my Lord and myself, and very fain I would become master of £1000, but I have not above £530 toward it yet. At the office all the morning, and Mr. Coventry (34) brought his patent and took his place with us this morning. Upon our making a contract, I went, as I use to do, to draw the heads thereof, but Sir W. Pen (41) most basely told me that the Comptroller (63) is to do it, and so begun to employ Mr. Turner about it, at which I was much vexed, and begun to dispute; and what with the letter of the Duke's orders, and Mr. Barlow's letter, and the practice of our predecessors, which Sir G. Carteret (52) knew best when he was Comptroller (63), it was ruled for me. What Sir J. Minnes (63) will do when he comes I know not, but Sir W. Pen (41) did it like a base raskall, and so I shall remember him while I live.

After office done, I went down to the Towre Wharf, where Mr. Creed and Shepley was ready with three chests of the crusados, being about £6000, ready to bring to shore to my house, which they did, and put it in my further cellar, and Mr. Shepley took the key. I to my father and Dr. Williams and Tom Trice, by appointment, in the Old Bayly, to Short's, the alehouse, but could come to no terms with T. Trice.

Thence to the Wardrobe, where I found my Lady come from Hampton Court, where the Queen (23) hath used her very civilly; and my Lady tells me is a most pretty woman, at which I am glad.

Yesterday (Sir R. Ford (48) told me) the Aldermen of the City did attend her in their habits, and did present her with a gold Cupp and £1000 in gold therein. But, he told me, that they are so poor in their Chamber, that they were fain to call two or three Aldermen to raise fines to make up this sum, among which was Sir W. Warren.

Home and to the office, where about 8 at night comes Sir G. Carteret (52) and Sir W. Batten (61), and so we did some business, and then home and to bed, my mind troubled about Sir W. Pen (41), his playing the rogue with me to-day, as also about the charge of money that is in my house, which I had forgot; but I made the maids to rise and light a candle, and set it in the dining-room, to scare away thieves, and so to sleep.

Diary of Samuel Pepys 23 June 1666. 23 Jun 1666. My father and sister very betimes took their leave; and my wife, with all possible kindnesse, went with them to the coach, I being mightily pleased with their company thus long, and my father with his being here, and it rejoices my heart that I am in condition to do any thing to comfort him, and could, were it not for my mother, have been contented he should have stayed always here with me, he is such innocent company.

They being gone, I to my papers, but vexed at what I heard but a little of this morning, before my wife went out, that Mercer and she fell out last night, and that the girle is gone home to her mother's for all-together: This troubles me, though perhaps it may be an ease to me of so much charge. But I love the girle, and another we must be forced to keepe I do foresee and then shall be sorry to part with her. At the office all the morning, much disquiett in my mind in the middle of my business about this girle.

Home at noon to dinner, and what with the going away of my father today and the losse of Mercer, I after dinner went up to my chamber and there could have cried to myself, had not people come to me about business.

In the evening down to Tower Wharfee thinking to go by water, but could not get watermen; they being now so scarce, by reason of the great presse; so to the Custome House, and there, with great threats, got a couple to carry me down to Deptford, all the way reading Pompey the Great (a play translated from the French by several noble persons; among others, my Lord Buckhurst (23)), that to me is but a mean play, and the words and sense not very extraordinary.

From Deptford I walked to Redriffe, and in my way was overtaken by Bagwell, lately come from sea in the Providence, who did give me an account of several particulars in the late fight, and how his ship was deserted basely by the York, Captain Swanly, commander.

So I home and there after writing my letters home to supper and to bed, fully resolved to rise betimes, and go down the river to-morrow morning, being vexed this night to find none of the officers in the yarde at 7 at night, nor any body concerned as if it were a Dutch warr. It seems Mercer's mother was here in the morning to speak with my wife, but my wife would not.

In the afternoon I and my wife in writing did instruct W. Hewer (24) in some discourse to her, and she in the evening did come and satisfy my wife, and by and by Mercer did come, which I was mighty glad of and eased of much pain about her.

Diary of Samuel Pepys 18 November 1666. 18 Nov 1666. Lord's Day. Up by candle-light and on foote to White Hall, where by appointment I met Lord Bruncker (46) at Sir W. Coventry's (38) chamber, and there I read over my great letter, and they approved it: and as I do do our business in defence of the Board, so I think it is as good a letter in the manner, and believe it is the worst in the matter of it, as ever come from any office to a Prince.

Back home in my Lord Bruncker's (46) coach, and there W. Hewer (24) and I to write it over fair; dined at noon, and Mercer with us, and mighty merry, and then to finish my letter; and it being three o'clock ere we had done, when I come to Sir W. Batten (65); he was in a huffe, which I made light of, but he signed the letter, though he would not go, and liked the letter well. Sir W. Pen (45), it seems, he would not stay for it: so, making slight of Sir W. Pen's (45) putting so much weight upon his hand to Sir W. Batten (65), I down to the Tower Wharfe, and there got a sculler, and to White Hall, and there met Lord Bruncker (46), and he signed it, and so I delivered it to Mr. Cheving (64)¹, and he to Sir W. Coventry (38), in the cabinet, the King (36) and councill being sitting, where I leave it to its fortune, and I by water home again, and to my chamber, to even my Journall; and then comes Captain Cocke (49) to me, and he and I a great deal of melancholy discourse of the times, giving all over for gone, though now the Parliament will soon finish the Bill for money. But we fear, if we had it, as matters are now managed, we shall never make the best of it, but consume it all to no purpose or a bad one. He being gone, I again to my Journall and finished it, and so to supper and to bed.

Note 1. William Chiffinch (64), pimp to Charles II and receiver of the secret pensions paid by the French Court. He succeeded his brother, Thomas Chiffinch (66) (who died in April, 1666), as Keeper of the King's Private Closet (see note, vol. v., p. 265). He is introduced by Scott into his "Peveril of the Peak"..

Diary of Samuel Pepys 24 February 1667. 24 Feb 1667. Lord's Day. Up, and with Sir W. Batten (66), by coach; he set me down at my Lord Bruncker's (47) (his feud there not suffering him to 'light himself), and I with my Lord by and by when ready to White Hall, and by and by up to the Duke of York (33), and there presented our great letter and other papers, and among the rest my report of the victualling, which is good, I think, and will continue my pretence to the place, which I am still afeard Sir W. Coventry's (39) employment may extinguish. We have discharged ourselves in this letter fully from blame in the bad success of the Navy, if money do not come soon to us, and so my heart is at pretty good rest in this point.

Having done here, Sir W. Batten (66) and I home by coach, and though the sermon at our church was begun, yet he would 'light to go home and eat a slice of roast beef off the spit, and did, and then he and I to church in the middle of the sermon. My Lady Pen (43) there saluted me with great content to tell me that her daughter (16) and husband (26) are still in bed, as if the silly woman thought it a great matter of honour, and did, going out of the church, ask me whether we did not make a great show at Court today, with all our favours in our hats.

After sermon home, and alone with my wife dined. Among other things my wife told me how ill a report our Mercer hath got by her keeping of company, so that she will not send for her to dine with us or be with us as heretofore; and, what is more strange, tells me that little Mis. Tooker hath got a clap as young as she is, being brought up loosely by her mother.... [Note. Missing text 'having been in bed with her mother when her mother hath had a man come into bed and lay with her.']

In the afternoon away to White Hall by water, and took a turn or two in the Park, and then back to White Hall, and there meeting my Lord Arlington (49), he, by I know not what kindness, offered to carry me along with him to my Lord Treasurer's (59), whither, I told him, I was going. I believe he had a mind to discourse of some Navy businesses, but Sir Thomas Clifford (36) coming into the coach to us, we were prevented; which I was sorry for, for I had a mind to begin an acquaintance with him. He speaks well, and hath pretty slight superficial parts, I believe.

He, in our going, talked much of the plain habit of the Spaniards; how the King (36) and Lords themselves wear but a cloak of Colchester bayze, and the ladies mantles, in cold weather, of white flannell: and that the endeavours frequently of setting up the manufacture of making these stuffs there have only been prevented by the Inquisition: the English and Dutchmen that have been sent for to work, being taken with a Psalmbook or Testament, and so clapped up, and the house pulled down by the Inquisitors; and the greatest Lord in Spayne dare not say a word against it, if the word Inquisition be but mentioned.

At my Lord Treasurer's (59) 'light and parted with them, they going into Council, and I walked with Captain Cocke (50), who takes mighty notice of the differences growing in our office between Lord Bruncker (47) and Sir W. Batten (66), and among others also, and I fear it may do us hurt, but I will keep out of them.

By and by comes Sir S. Fox (39), and he and I walked and talked together on many things, but chiefly want of money, and the straits the King (36) brings himself and affairs into for want of it. Captain Cocke (50) did tell me what I must not forget: that the answer of the Dutch, refusing The Hague for a place of treaty, and proposing the Boysse, Bredah, Bergen-op-Zoome, or Mastricht, was seemingly stopped by the Swede's Embassador (though he did show it to the King (36), but the King (36) would take no notice of it, nor does not) from being delivered to the King (36); and he hath wrote to desire them to consider better of it: so that, though we know their refusal of the place, yet they know not that we know it, nor is the King (36) obliged to show his sense of the affront. That the Dutch are in very great straits, so as to be said to be not able to set out their fleete this year.

By and by comes Sir Robert Viner (36) and my Lord Mayor to ask the King's directions about measuring out the streets according to the new Act for building of the City, wherein the King (36) is to be pleased¹. But he says that the way proposed in Parliament, by Colonel Birch (51), would have been the best, to have chosen some persons in trust, and sold the whole ground, and let it be sold again by them, with preference to the old owner, which would have certainly caused the City to be built where these Trustees pleased; whereas now, great differences will be, and the streets built by fits, and not entire till all differences be decided. This, as he tells it, I think would have been the best way. I enquired about the Frenchman² that was said to fire the City, and was hanged for it, by his own confession, that he was hired for it by a Frenchman of Roane, and that he did with a stick reach in a fire-ball in at a window of the house: whereas the master of the house, who is the King's baker, and his son, and daughter, do all swear there was no such window, and that the fire did not begin thereabouts. Yet the fellow, who, though a mopish besotted fellow, did not speak like a madman, did swear that he did fire it: and did not this like a madman; for, being tried on purpose, and landed with his keeper at the Tower Wharfe, he could carry the keeper to the very house. Asking Sir R. Viner (36) what he thought was the cause of the fire, he tells me, that the baker, son, and his daughter, did all swear again and again, that their oven was drawn by ten o'clock at night; that, having occasion to light a candle about twelve, there was not so much fire in the bakehouse as to light a match for a candle, so that they were fain to go into another place to light it; that about two in the morning they felt themselves almost choked with smoke, and rising, did find the fire coming upstairs; so they rose to save themselves; but that, at that time, the bavins³ were not on fire in the yard. So that they are, as they swear, in absolute ignorance how this fire should come; which is a strange thing, that so horrid an effect should have so mean and uncertain a beginning.

By and by called in to the King (36) and Cabinet, and there had a few insipid words about money for Tangier, but to no purpose.

Thence away walked to my boat at White Hall, and so home and to supper, and then to talk with W. Hewer (25) about business of the differences at present among the people of our office, and so to my journall and to bed. This night going through bridge by water, my waterman told me how the mistress of the Beare tavern, at the bridge-foot, did lately fling herself into the Thames, and drowned herself; which did trouble me the more, when they tell me it was she that did live at the White Horse tavern in Lombard Street, which was a most beautiful woman, as most I have seen. It seems she hath had long melancholy upon her, and hath endeavoured to make away with herself often.

Note 1. See Sir Christopher Wren's (43) "Proposals for rebuilding the City of London after the great fire, with an engraved Plan of the principal Streets and Public Buildings", in Elmes's "Memoirs of Sir Christopher Wren", Appendix, p.61. The originals are in All Souls' College Library, Oxford. B.

Note 2. "One Hubert, a French papist, was seized in Essex, as he was getting out of the way in great confusion. He confessed he had begun the fire, and persisted in his confession to his death, for he was hanged upon no other evidence but that of his own confession. It is true he gave so broken an account of the whole matter that he was thought mad. Yet he was blindfolded, and carried to several places of the city, and then his eyes being opened, he was asked if that was the place, and he being carried to wrong places, after he looked round about for some time, he said that was not the place, but when he was brought to the place where it first broke out, he affirmed that was the true place. "Burnet's Own Time", book ii. Archbishop Tillotson (36), according to Burnet, believed that London was burnt by design.

Note 3. brushwood, or faggots used for lighting fires.

Diary of Samuel Pepys 10 May 1668. 10 May 1668. Lord's Day. Up, and to the office, there to do, business till church time, when Mr. Shepley, newly come to town, come to see me, and we had some discourse of all matters, and particularly of my Lord Sandwich's (42) concernments, and here did by the by as he would seem tell me that my Lady [Lady Sandwich (43).] had it in her thoughts, if she had occasion, to, borrow £100 of me, which I did not declare any opposition to, though I doubt it will be so much lost. But, however, I will not deny my Lady, if she ask it, whatever comes of it, though it be lost; but shall be glad that it is no bigger sum. And yet it vexes me though, and the more because it brings into my head some apprehensions what trouble I may here after be brought to when my Lord comes home, if he should ask me to come into bonds with him, as I fear he will have occasions to make money, but I hope I shall have the wit to deny it. He being gone, I to church, and so home, and there comes W. Hewer (26) and Balty (28), and by and by I sent for Mercer to come and dine with me, and pretty merry, and after dinner I fell to teach her "Canite Jehovae", which she did a great part presently, and so she away, and I to church, and from church home with my Lady Pen (44); and, after being there an hour or so talking, I took her, and Mrs. Lowther, and old Mrs. Whistler, her mother-in-law, by water with great pleasure as far as Chelsy, and so back to Spring Garden, at Fox-Hall, and there walked, and eat, and drank, and so to water again, and set down the old woman at home at Durham Yard:' and it raining all the way, it troubled us; but, however, my cloak kept us all dry, and so home, and at the Tower Wharfe there we did send for a pair of old shoes for Mrs. Lowther, and there I did pull the others off and put them on, elle being peu shy, but do speak con mighty kindness to me that she would desire me pour su mari if it were to be done.... Here staid a little at Sir W. Pen's (47), who was gone to bed, it being about eleven at night, and so I home to bed.