In 1613 John Turner was born.
In 1650 John Turner [aged 37] and Jane Pepys [aged 27] were married.
In 1652 [his daughter] Theophila Turner was born to John Turner [aged 39] and [his wife] Jane Pepys [aged 29].
In or after 1653 [his daughter] Betty Turner was born to John Turner [aged 40] and [his wife] Jane Pepys [aged 30].
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 3rd February 1665. Up, and walked with my boy (whom, because of my wife's making him idle, I dare not leave at home) walked first to Salsbury Court, there to excuse my not being at home at dinner to Mrs. Turner [aged 42], who I perceive is vexed, because I do not serve her in something against the great feasting for her husband's [aged 52] Reading1 in helping her to some good penn'eths, but I care not. She was dressing herself by the fire in her chamber, and there took occasion to show me her leg, which indeed is the finest I ever saw, and she not a little proud of it.
Note 1. On his appointment as Reader in Law.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 3rd March 1665. Thence to see [his wife] Mrs. Turner [aged 42], who takes it mighty ill I did not come to dine with the Reader, her husband [aged 52], which, she says, was the greatest feast that ever was yet kept by a Reader, and I believe it was well. But I am glad I did not go, which confirms her in an opinion that I am growne proud.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 11th December 1666. After dinner my wife and I by coach to St. Clement's Church [Map], to Mrs. Turner's [aged 43] lodgings, hard by, to take our leaves of her. She is returning into the North to her children, where, I perceive, her husband [aged 53] hath clearly got the mastery of her, and she is likely to spend her days there, which for her sake I am a little sorry for, though for his it is but fit she should live where he hath a mind. Here were several people come to see and take leave of her, she going to-morrow: among others, my Lady Mordant [aged 28], which was Betty Turner [aged 13], a most homely widow, but young, and pretty rich, and good natured.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th January 1667. At noon home to dinner, and after dinner to the office again, and there all the afternoon, and at night poor [his wife] Mrs. Turner [aged 44] come and walked in the garden for my advice about her husband [aged 54] and her relating to my Lord Bruncker's [aged 47] late proceedings with them. I do give her the best I can, but yet can lay aside some ends of my own in what advice I do give her. So she being gone I to make an end of my letters, and so home to supper and to bed, Balty [aged 27] lodging here with my brother, he being newly returned from mustering in the river.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 1st August 1667. At noon my wife and I dined at Sir W. Pen's [aged 46], only with Mrs. Turner [aged 44] and her husband [aged 54], on a damned venison pasty, that stunk like a devil. However, I did not know it till dinner was done. We had nothing but only this, and a leg of mutton, and a pullet or two. Mrs. Markham was here, with her great belly. I was very merry, and after dinner, upon a motion of the women, I was got to go to the play with them-the first I have seen since before the Dutch coming upon our coast, and so to the King's house, to see "The Custome of the Country". The house mighty empty-more than ever I saw it-and an ill play. After the play, we into the house, and spoke with Knipp, who went abroad with us by coach to the Neat Houses in the way to Chelsy; and there, in a box in a tree, we sat and sang, and talked and eat; my wife out of humour, as she always is, when this woman is by. So, after it was dark, we home. Set Knepp down at home, who told us the story how Nell is gone from the King's house, and is kept by my Lord Buckhurst [aged 24].
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 18th August 1667. Walk back home and to our own church, where a dull sermon and our church empty of the best sort of people, they being at their country houses, and so home, and there dined with me Mr. Turner and his daughter Betty [aged 14]1. Her mother should, but they were invited to Sir J. Minnes [aged 68], where she dined and the others here with me. Betty is grown a fine lady as to carriage and discourse. I and my wife are mightily pleased with her. We had a good haunch of venison, powdered and boiled, and a good dinner and merry.
Note 1. Betty Turner, who is frequently mentioned after this date, appears to have been a daughter of Serjeant John Turner [aged 54] and his wife Jane [aged 44], and younger sister of Theophila Turner [aged 15] (see January 4th, 6th, 1668-69).
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 27th January 1668. Thence to my Lady Peterborough's [aged 46], she desiring to speak with me. She loves to be taken dressing herself, as I always find her; and there, after a little talk, to please her, about her husband's [aged 46] pension, which I do not think he will ever get again, I away thence home, and all the afternoon mighty busy at the office, and late, preparing a letter to the Commissioners of Accounts, our first letter to them, and so home to supper, where [his daughter] Betty Turner [aged 15] was (whose brother Frank did set out toward the East Indies this day, his father [aged 55] and [his wife] mother [aged 45] gone down with him to Gravesend, Kent [Map]), and there was her little brother Moses, whom I examined, and he is a pretty good scholar for a child, and so after supper to talk and laugh, and to bed.
In 1686 [his wife] Jane Pepys [aged 63] died.
In 1686 [his daughter] Theophila Turner [aged 34] died.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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In 1689 John Turner [aged 76] died.