April 1668 explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Naval Administration and Corruption

  The Office is unable to do much due to lack of money and trust; the fleet's fitting out is hampered by financial rubs.

• Money, Debt, and Economy

  Pepys is troubled by not having accounted for seven or eight months; the kingdom is in an ill state through poverty.

• Theatre and Public Entertainment

  Pepys attends plays including 'The English Monsieur' and 'The Black Prince', and visits Knipp after the play.

• Political Intrigue and Restoration

  Parliament holds back money from the King to exact revenge; the King is forced to submit to their demands.

Characters to notice

• Samuel Pepys

  Records the kingdom's financial distress, attends plays, and subscribes to the Royal Society.

• Elizabeth Pepys

  Prepares for her journey into the country with Betty Turner, Deb., and Jane.

• Sir John Minnes

  Accompanies Pepys to Whitehall; his age and inability cause discomfort for Mr. Turner.

• Lord Brouncker

  Attends the Duke of York's playhouse and the Royal Society with Pepys.

• Mr. Creed

  Pepys sets him down at Whitehall after a ride.

• Mrs. Turner

  Gives Pepys a cellar of waters for his father and discusses her husband's position.

• Captain Cocke

  Involved in the legal argument about assignments on the £1,250,000 Act.

• Mr. Hewer

  A day's journey with Pepys's wife; Pepys dines with other clerks in his absence.

Key passages

• “The kingdom in an ill state through poverty; a fleet going out, and no money to maintain it, or set it out; seamen yet unpaid, and mutinous when pressed to go out again; our Office able to do little, nobody trusting us, nor we desiring any to trust us, and yet have not money for anything, but only what particularly belongs to this fleet going out, and that but lamely too.”

  The kingdom is impoverished: a fleet is being sent out but there is no money to support or launch it; sailors remain unpaid and become mutinous when forced to re-embark; our Office can accomplish little because no one trusts us and we don't want anyone to trust us, and we lack funds for anything except what is specifically allocated to this fleet, and even that is insufficient.

  Pepys summarizes the dire financial and administrative state of the navy and kingdom.

• “I hear Sir W. Davenant is just now dead; and so who will succeed him in the mastership of the house is not yet known.”

  I hear that Sir William Davenant has just died; it is not yet known who will succeed him as manager of the theater.

  Pepys notes the death of the prominent playwright and theater manager.

• “She tells me mighty news, that my Lady Castlemayne is mightily in love with Hart of their house: and he is much with her in private, and she goes to him, and do give him many presents; and that the thing is most certain, and Becke Marshall only privy to it, and the means of bringing them together, which is a very odd thing; and by this means she is even with the King's love to Mrs. Davis.”

  She tells me great news: Lady Castlemaine is deeply in love with Hart, an actor at their theater; he spends much private time with her, she visits him, and gives him many gifts; the affair is certain, and only Becke Marshall knows about it and arranged their meetings, which is very strange; thus Castlemaine gets back at the King for his love of Mrs. Davis.

  Pepys relays gossip about Lady Castlemaine's affair with actor Hart.