The Diary · Chapter
October 1665 explained
Pepys travels to the fleet aboard the Bezan, enjoys reading 'The Siege of Rhodes', and receives Lord Sandwich's assurance regarding prize goods.
What happens
Pepys travels to the fleet aboard the Bezan, enjoys reading 'The Siege of Rhodes', and receives Lord Sandwich's assurance regarding prize goods. He visits Chatham dockyard, inspects timber handling, and deals with naval administration, prize goods, and the plague. He also manages his Tangier accounts, secures a position for his brother-in-law Balty, and writes to Mr. Coventry offering to become Surveyor General.
Themes in this chapter
Naval Administration and Corruption
Pepys inspects Chatham dockyard, criticizes waste (timber handling), and deals with prize goods and victualling.
Political Intrigue and Restoration
Lord Sandwich discusses the King's designs, the Dutch threat, and the kingdom's instability; Pepys navigates court politics.
Money, Debt, and Economy
Pepys calculates profits from services, manages Tangier accounts, and considers financial opportunities like the Surveyor General post.
Characters to notice
- Samuel Pepys
Narrator and protagonist; travels to the fleet, inspects dockyard, manages accounts, and seeks advancement.
- Captain Cocke
Travels with Pepys, shares in prize goods, and later faces seizure of his goods by Custom House men.
- Edward Montagu, Earl of Sandwich
Receives Pepys kindly, assures him about prize goods, discusses the Dutch fleet and political instability.
- Sir William Penn
Found in bed at Hill-house; Pepys distrusts him but secures his consent to move silk.
- Sir William Batten
Returns from Oxford, shows Pepys a bill about breaking bulk and a letter from the Bishop of Munster.
- Elizabeth Pepys
Visits Pepys at his lodging on the 17th, then returns home.
- Mr. Hewer
Dines with Pepys and Mr. Hater on the 19th, assists with accounts and letters.
- Mr. Creed
Mentioned in passing as part of the company; no specific action noted.
Key passages
“I did stay upon the decke walking, and then into the Maister’s cabin and there laid and slept a little, and so at last was waked by Captain Cocke’s calling of me, and so I turned out, and then to chat and talk and laugh, and mighty merry.”
Pepys walked on deck, then slept in the master's cabin until Captain Cocke woke him, after which they chatted and laughed merrily.
Shows Pepys's lighthearted camaraderie with Cocke aboard the Bezan.
“He did discourse to us of the Dutch fleet being abroad, eighty-five of them still, and are now at the Texell, he believes, in expectation of our Eastland ships coming home with masts and hemp, and our loaden Hambrough ships going to Hambrough.”
Lord Sandwich told them the Dutch fleet of 85 ships was at the Texel, waiting for English Eastland ships carrying masts and hemp, and for Hamburg ships.
Highlights the strategic naval situation and economic stakes.
“I made the horses be taken away, and a man or two to take the timber away with their hands. This the Commissioner did see, but said nothing, but I think had cause to be ashamed of.”
Pepys ordered the horses removed and had men carry the timber by hand, embarrassing Commissioner Pett.
Illustrates Pepys's criticism of waste and inefficiency at the dockyard.
“He did assure me that he had wrote to the King and Duke about these prize-goods, and told me that they did approve of what he had done, and that he would own what he had done, and would have me to tell all the world so.”
Lord Sandwich assured Pepys that the King and Duke approved of his handling of the prize goods and would publicly support him.
Relieves Pepys's anxiety about the legality of the prize transactions.
