In 1615 George Smith was born.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th August 1665. At noon I home to dinner alone, and after dinner Bagwell's wife waited at the door, and went with me to my office.... So parted, and I to Sir W. Batten's [aged 64], and there sat the most of the afternoon talking and drinking too much with my Lord Bruncker [aged 45], Sir G. Smith [aged 50], G. Cocke [aged 48] and others very merry. I drunk a little mixed, but yet more than I should do.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 10th August 1665. We sat late, and then by invitation my Lord Bruncker [aged 45], Sir J. Minnes [aged 66], Sir W. Batten [aged 64] and I to Sir G. Smith's [aged 50] to dinner, where very good company and good cheer. Captain Cocke [aged 48] was there and Jacke Fenn, but to our great wonder Alderman Bence, and tells us that not a word of all this is true, and others said so too, but by his owne story his wife hath been ill, and he fain to leave his house and comes not to her, which continuing a trouble to me all the time I was there.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 16th August 1665. Thence to the Exchange [Map], where I have not been a great while. But, Lord! how sad a sight it is to see the streets empty of people, and very few upon the 'Change [Map]. Jealous of every door that one sees shut up, lest it should be the plague; and about us two shops in three, if not more, generally shut up. From the 'Change [Map] to Sir G. Smith's [aged 50] with Mr. Fenn, to whom I am nowadays very complaisant, he being under payment of my bills to me, and some other sums at my desire, which he readily do. Mighty merry with Captain Cocke [aged 48] and Fenn at Sir G. Smith's, and a brave dinner, but I think Cocke is the greatest epicure that is, eats and drinks with the greatest pleasure and liberty that ever man did.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 28th August 1665. Up, and being ready I out to Mr. Colvill, the goldsmith's, having not for some days been in the streets; but now how few people I see, and those looking like people that had taken leave of the world. I there, and made even all accounts in the world between him and I, in a very good condition, and I would have done the like with Sir Robert Viner [aged 34], but he is out of towne, the sicknesse being every where thereabouts. I to the Exchange [Map], and I think there was not fifty people upon it, and but few more like to be as they told me, Sir G. Smith [aged 50] and others. Thus I think to take adieu to-day of the London streets, unless it be to go again to Viner's.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 20th September 1665. I find here a design in my Lord Bruncker [aged 45] and Captain Cocke [aged 48] to have had my Lord Bruncker chosen as one of us to have been sent aboard one of the East Indiamen, and Captain Cocke as a merchant to be joined with him, and Sir J. Minnes [aged 66] for the other, and Sir G. Smith [aged 50] to be joined with him. But I did order it so that my Lord Bruncker and Sir J. Minnes were ordered, but I did stop the merchants to be added, which would have been a most pernicious thing to the King [aged 35] I am sure. In this I did, I think, a very good office, though I cannot acquit myself from some envy of mine in the business to have the profitable business done by another hand while I lay wholly imployed in the trouble of the office.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th October 1665. Lord's Day. Up and, after being trimmed, to the office, whither I upon a letter from the Duke of Albemarle [aged 56] to me, to order as many ships forth out of the river as I can presently, to joyne to meet the Dutch; having ordered all the Captains of the ships in the river to come to me, I did some business with them, and so to Captain Cocke's [aged 48] to dinner, he being in the country. But here his brother Solomon was, and, for guests, myself, Sir G. Smith [aged 50], and a very fine lady, one Mrs. Penington, and two more gentlemen. But, both [before] and after dinner, most witty discourse with this lady, who is a very fine witty lady, one of the best I ever heard speake, and indifferent handsome.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 5th November 1665. Then the lady and I to very serious discourse and, among other things, of what a bonny lasse my Lady Robinson [aged 53] is, who is reported to be kind to the prisoners, and has said to Sir G. Smith [aged 50], who is her great crony, "Look! there is a pretty man, I would be content to break a commandment with him", and such loose expressions she will have often.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th November 1665. After dinner who comes in but my Lady Batten, and a troop of a dozen women almost, and expected, as I found afterward, to be made mighty much of, but nobody minded them; but the best jest was, that when they saw themselves not regarded, they would go away, and it was horrible foule weather; and my Lady Batten walking through the dirty lane with new spicke and span white shoes, she dropped one of her galoshes in the dirt, where it stuck, and she forced to go home without one, at which she was horribly vexed, and I led her; and after vexing her a little more in mirth, I parted, and to Glanville's [aged 47], where I knew Sir John Robinson [aged 50], Sir G. Smith [aged 50], and Captain Cocke [aged 48] were gone, and there, with the company of Mrs. Penington, whose father, I hear, was one of the Court of justice, and died prisoner, of the stone, in the Tower [Map], I made them, against their resolutions, to stay from houre to houre till it was almost midnight, and a furious, darke and rainy, and windy, stormy night, and, which was best, I, with drinking small beer, made them all drunk drinking wine, at which Sir John Robinson made great sport.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 24th November 1665. So to the 'Change [Map], where very busy with several people, and mightily glad to see the 'Change [Map] so full, and hopes of another abatement still the next week. Off the 'Change [Map] I went home with Sir G. Smith [aged 50] to dinner, sending for one of my barrels of oysters, which were good, though come from Colchester, Essex [Map], where the plague hath been so much. Here a very brave dinner, though no invitation; and, Lord! to see how I am treated, that come from so mean a beginning, is matter of wonder to me. But it is God's great mercy to me, and His blessing upon my taking pains, and being punctual in my dealings.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 27th November 1665. Thence Cocke [aged 48] and I to Sir G. Smith's [aged 50], it being now night, and there up to his chamber and sat talking, and I barbing [shaving] against to-morrow; and anon, at nine at night, comes to us Sir G. Smith and the Lieutenant of the Tower [aged 50], and there they sat talking and drinking till past midnight, and mighty merry we were, the Lieutenant of the Tower being in a mighty vein of singing, and he hath a very good eare and strong voice, but no manner of skill. Sir G. Smith shewed me his lady's closett, which was very fine; and, after being very merry, here I lay in a noble chamber, and mighty highly treated, the first time I have lain in London a long time.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 5th January 1666. So my Lord and he and I much talke about the Act, what credit we find upon it, but no private talke between him and I So I to the 'Change [Map], and there met Mr. Povy [aged 52], newly come to town, and he and I to Sir George Smith's [aged 51] and there dined nobly. He tells me how my Lord Bellases [aged 51] complains for want of money and of him and me therein, but I value it not, for I know I do all that can be done. We had no time to talk of particulars, but leave it to another day, and I away to Cornhill [Map] to expect my Lord Bruncker's [aged 46] coming back again, and I staid at my stationer's house, and by and by comes my Lord, and did take me up and so to Greenwich, Kent [Map], and after sitting with them a while at their house, home, thinking to get Mrs. Knipp, but could not, she being busy with company, but sent me a pleasant letter, writing herself "Barbary Allen".
In 1667 George Smith [aged 52] died.