The Diary of Samuel Pepys | Page 7

obtained from Knight's Life of Dean Colet; Chalmers's
Biographical Dictionary; Cole's MSS. in the British Museum: the MSS
in the Bodleian and Pepysian Libraries, and the Cockerell Papers.
BRAYBROOKE. Audley End, May 14th, 1825

MEMOIR OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
Samuel Pepys, the author of the Diary here presented to the reader was
descended from the family of Pepys originally seated at Diss, in
Norfolk, and who settled at Cottenham, in Cambridgeshire, early in the
sixteenth century. His father, John Pepys, followed for some time the
trade of a tailor; and the reader may hereafter notice the influence
which this genealogy seems to have exercised over the style and
sentiments of his son's Diary. The father retired to Brampton, in
Huntingdonshire, where he ended his days in 1680. His wife, Margaret,
died in 1666-7, having had a family of six sons and five daughters.
Samuel was born February 23, 1632, most probably in London, but by
some it is thought at Brampton; he certainly passed his boyish days in
the Metropolis, and was educated regularly at St. Paul's School; and
afterwards at the University of Cambridge, and probably went through
his studies with success. But little is known of him as an undergraduate.
One record, however, remains which proves that in his early life, as in
later years, he was a BON VIVANT. The following appears in the
register book of the college respecting his pranks when
there:--"October 21, 1653. Mem. That Peapys and Hind were solemnly
admonished by myself and Mr. Hill for having been scandalously
over-served with drink ye night before. This was done in the presence
of all the fellows then resident, in Mr. Hill's chamber (Signed) John
Wood, Registrar." Early in life, Pepys took one of those decided steps
which tend, according to circumstances, to a man's marring or making.
He appears to have married Elizabeth St. Michel, a beautiful girl of
fifteen, when he himself was only about twenty- three. She was of good
family her mother being descended from the Cliffords of Cumberland,
and her daughter had only just quitted the convent in which she was
educated. She brought her husband no fortune; but the patronage of
Pepys's relation, Sir Edward Montagu, afterwards first Earl of
Sandwich, prevented the ill consequences with such a step might

naturally have been attended, and young Pepys's aptitude for business
soon came to render him useful. The distresses of the young couple at
this period were subjects of pleasant reflexion during their
prosperity--as recorded in the Diary, 25th February, 1667.
But better times were approaching Mr. Pepys: he accompanied Sir
Edward Montagu upon his Expedition to the Sound, in March, 1658,
and upon his return obtained a clerkship in the Exchequer. Through the
interest of the Earl of Sandwich, Mr. Pepys was nominated Clerk of the
Acts: this was the commencement of his connexion with a great
national establishment, to which in the sequel his diligence and
acuteness were of the highest service. From his Papers, still extant
(says Lord Braybrooke), we gather that he never lost sight of the public
good; that he spared no pains to check the rapacity of contractors, by
whom the naval stores were then supplied; that he studied order and
economy in the dockyards, advocated the promotion of old-established
officers in the Navy; and resisted to the utmost the infamous system of
selling places, then most unblushingly practised. His zeal and industry
acquired for him the esteem of the Duke of York, with whom, as Lord
High Admiral, he had almost daily intercourse. At the time of his
entering upon this employment, he resided in Seething-lane, Crutched
Friars. He continued in this office till 1673; and during those great
events, the Plague, the Fire of London, and the Dutch War, the care of
the Navy in a great measure rested upon Pepys alone. He behaved with
calm and deliberate courage and integrity. Nevertheless, he had the
misfortune to experience some part of the calumnies of the time of "the
Popish Plot." The Earl of Shaftesbury, the foster-father of this most
wicked delusion, showed a great desire to implicate Pepys in a charge
of Catholicism, and went so far as to spread a report that the Clerk of
the Acts had in his house an altar and a crucifix. The absence not only
of evidence, but even of ground of suspicion, did not prevent Pepys
being committed to the Tower on the charge of being an aider and
abettor of the plot, and he was, for a time, removed from the Navy
Board. He was afterwards allowed, with Sir Anthony Deane, who had
been committed with him, to find security in 30,000l.; and upon the
withdrawal of the deposition against him, he was discharged. He was
soon, by the special command of Charles II., replaced