Buoy of the Nore is in The Nore.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th March 1665. Though a bitter cold day, yet I rose, and though my pain and tenderness in my testicle remains a little, yet I do verily think that my pain yesterday was nothing else, and therefore I hope my disease of the stone may not return to me, but void itself in pissing, which God grant, but I will consult my physitian. This morning is brought me to the office the sad newes of "The London", in which Sir J. Lawson's [aged 50] men were all bringing her from Chatham, Kent [Map] to the Hope, and thence he was to go to sea in her; but a little a'this side the buoy of the Nower, she suddenly blew up. About 24 [men] and a woman that were in the round-house and coach saved; the rest, being above 300, drowned: the ship breaking all in pieces, with 80 pieces of brass ordnance. She lies sunk, with her round-house above water. Sir J. Lawson hath a great loss in this of so many good chosen men, and many relations among them. I went to the 'Change [Map], where the news taken very much to heart.
Calendar of State Papers Charles II 1665 13 Jun 1665. 13th June 1665. Royal Charles. Southwold Bay [Map]. 7. Sir William Coventry [aged 37] to Lord Arlington [aged 47]. The sea there causing delay in refitting the ships, some are to be sent to Ousley Bay, the Rolling Grounds, Harwich, Essex [Map], and the buoy of the Nore, to be in smoother water. The Duke [aged 31] is sailing for London. Capt. Holmes asked to be rear-admiral of the white squadron, in place of Sansum who was killed, but the Duke gave the place to Capt. Harman [aged 40], on which Holmes delivered up his commission, which the Duke received, and put Capt. Langhorne in his stead. [2 pages.]
John Evelyn's Diary. 30th June 1665. To Chatham, Kent [Map]; and, 1st July, to the fleet with Lord Sandwich [aged 39], now Admiral, with whom I went in a pinnace to the Buoy of the Nore, where the whole fleet rode at anchor; went on board the Prince, of ninety brass ordnance, haply the best ship in the world, both for building and sailing; she had 700 men. They made a great huzza, or shout, at our approach, three times. Here we dined with many noblemen, gentlemen, and volunteers, served in plate and excellent meat of all sorts. After dinner, came his Majesty, the Duke [aged 31], and Prince Rupert [aged 45]. Here I saw the King [aged 35] knight Captain Custance for behaving so bravely in the late fight. It was surprising to behold the good order, decency, and plenty of all things in a vessel so full of men. The ship received a hundred cannon shot in her body. Then I went on board the Charles, to which after a gun was shot off, came all the flag officers to his Majesty, who there held a General Council, which determined that his Royal Highness should adventure himself no more this summer. I came away late, having seen the most glorious fleet that ever spread sails. We returned in his Majesty's yacht with my Lord Sandwich and Mr. Vice-Chamberlain, landing at Chatham, Kent [Map] on Sunday morning.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 12th August 1665. So he gone, I down to Greenwich, Kent [Map] and sent away the Bezan, thinking to go with my wife to-night to come back again to-morrow night to the Soveraigne at the buoy off the Nore.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 18th August 1665. Up about 5 o'clock and dressed ourselves, and to sayle again down to the Soveraigne at the buoy of the Nore, a noble ship, now rigged and fitted and manned; we did not stay long, but to enquire after her readinesse and thence to Sheernesse [Map], where we walked up and down, laying out the ground to be taken in for a yard to lay provisions for cleaning and repairing of ships, and a most proper place it is for the purpose.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 16th September 1665. Up, and walked to Greenwich, Kent [Map] reading a play, and to the office, where I find Sir J. Minnes [aged 66] gone to the fleete, like a doating foole, to do no good, but proclaim himself an asse; for no service he can do there, nor inform my Lord, who is come in thither to the buoy of the Nore, in anything worth his knowledge.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 14th November 1665. Back by water, it raining hard, and so to the office, and stopped my going, as I intended, to the buoy of the Nore, and great reason I had to rejoice at it, for it proved the night of as great a storme as was almost ever remembered.
John Evelyn's Diary. 8th May 1666. To Queensborough [Map], where finding the Richmond frigate, I sailed to the buoy of the Nore to my Lord-General [aged 57] and Prince Rupert [aged 46], where was the Rendezvous of the most glorious fleet in the world, now preparing to meet the Hollander.
John Evelyn's Diary. 15th June 1666. I went to Chatham, Kent [Map]. 16th. In the Jemmy yacht (an incomparable sailer) to sea, arrived by noon at the fleet at the Buoy at the Nore, dined with Prince Rupert [aged 46] and the General [aged 57].
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 3rd August 1666. At noon home to dinner, and then abroad to Sir Philip Warwicke's [aged 56] at White Hall about Tangier one quarter tallys, and there had some serious discourse touching money, and the case of the Navy, wherein all I could get of him was that we had the full understanding of the treasure as much as my Lord Treasurer [aged 59] himself, and knew what he can do, and that whatever our case is, more money cannot be got till the Parliament. So talked of getting an account ready as soon as we could to give the Parliament, and so very melancholy parted. So I back again, calling my wife [aged 25] at her sister's, from whose husband [aged 26] we do now hear that he was safe this week, and going in a ship to the fleete from the buoy of the Nore, where he has been all this while, the fleete being gone before he got down.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 2nd October 1666. So away home, and eat a short dinner, and then with Sir W. Pen [aged 45] to White Hall, and do give his boy my book of papers to hold while he went into the Committee Chamber in the Inner Court of Wards, and I walked without with Mr. Slingsby [aged 45], of the Tower, who was there, and who did in walking inform me mightily in several things; among others, that the heightening or lowering of money is only a cheat, and do good to some particular men, which, if I can but remember how, I am now by him fully convinced of. Anon Sir W. Pen went away, telling me that Sir W. Coventry [aged 38] that was within had told him that the fleete is all come into the buoy of the Nore, and that he must hasten down to them, and so went away, and I into the Committee Chamber before the Committee sat, and there heard Birch [aged 51] discourse highly and understandingly about the Navy business and a proposal made heretofore to farm the Navy; but Sir W. Coventry did abundantly answer him, and is a most excellent person.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 20th October 1666. Up, and all the morning at the office, where none met but myself. So I walked a good while with Mr. Gawden in the garden, who is lately come from the fleete at the buoy of the Nore, and he do tell me how all the sober commanders, and even Sir Thomas Allen [aged 33] himself, do complain of the ill government of the fleete. How Holmes [aged 44] and Jennings have commanded all the fleete this yeare, that nothing is done upon deliberation, but if a sober man give his opinion otherwise than the Prince would have it the Prince would cry, "Damn him, do you follow your orders, and that is enough for you". He tells me he hears of nothing but of swearing and drinking and whoring, and all manner of profaneness, quite through the whole fleete.
John Evelyn's Diary. 28th June 1667. I went to Chatham, Kent [Map], and thence to view not only what mischief the Dutch had done; but how triumphantly their whole fleet lay within the very mouth of the Thames, all from the North Foreland, Margate, Kent [Map], even to the buoy of the Nore - a dreadful spectacle as ever Englishmen saw, and a dishonor never to be wiped off! Those who advised his Majesty [aged 37] to prepare no fleet this spring deserved-I know what-but-.
John Evelyn's Diary. 19th July 1667. I went to Gravesend, Kent [Map]; the Dutch fleet still at anchor before the river, where I saw five of his Majesty's [aged 37] men-at-war encounter above twenty of the Dutch, in the bottom of the Hope, chasing them with many broadsides given and returned toward the Buoy of the Nore, where the body of their fleet lay, which lasted till about midnight. One of their ships was fired, supposed by themselves, she being run on ground. Having seen this bold action, and their braving us so far up the river, I went home the next day, not without indignation at our negligence, and the nation's reproach. It is well known who of the Commissioners of the Treasury gave advice that the charge of setting forth a fleet this year might be spared, Sir W. C. (William Coventry [aged 39]) by name.
John Evelyn's Diary. 2nd June 1672. Next day I sailed to the fleet, now riding at the buoy of the "Nore", where I met his Majesty [aged 42], the Duke [aged 38], Lord Arlington [aged 54], and all the great men, in the "Charles", lying miserably shattered; but the miss of Lord Sandwich [deceased] redoubled the loss to me, and showed the folly of hazarding so brave a fleet, and losing so many good men, for no provocation but that the Hollanders exceeded us in industry, and in all things but envy.
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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John Evelyn's Diary. 18th August 1672. Sir James Hayes [aged 35], Secretary to Prince Rupert [aged 52], dined with me; after dinner I was sent to Gravesend, Kent [Map] to dispose of no fewer than 800 sick men. That night I got to the fleet at the Buoy of the Nore, where I spoke with the King [aged 42] and the Duke [aged 38]; and, after dinner next day, returned to Gravesend, Kent [Map].