Clothes Maketh a Man Rich
In Week 24 of 1661, Lord Sandwich receives another royal commission from which Sam seeks to benefit. What could go wrong?
Well, how’s that then? One moment, I’m pausing to admire Elisabeth in her black silk gown, now laced over with black gimp lace (as is the latest fashion), the next I’m carrying 300£ in my pocket to spend on cloth…!
In truth, of course, these details have no real connection – but I like to pretend they do. After all, Elisabeth looked very pretty in her outfit during our dinner with my Lord Sandwich on the Sunday at the start of this week, and ‘twas the very next day that my Lord took me aside to make a very special request…
…and now I am to be the chief manager of my Lord’s estate for the next year!
That’s right: he doth intrust me with the seeing of all things done in his absence. Sure, I shall receive orders from my Lord Chancellor and Edward Montagu – but my heart is above measure glad for the great respect my Lord clearly hath for me.
My Lord himself will be away on his most important mission since retrieving the King: retrieving our new Queen! I understand there is to be a rather large dowry paid to England in return for us sending our naval support to her native Portugal against their dealings with the Spanish – including trading privileges in the regions around North Africa and India.
Indeed, one of my Lord’s duties will be to secure free passage for our ships around that region, either by force or by negotiation. For his dealings with the Turks, he plans to offer 300£ of our finest cloth.
Given that Princess Catherine’s dowry also includes some 300,000£, we can spare that 300£ – and my Lord can spare the occasion of me earning something by it…
So it was that, with the help of my father (who, being a tailor, was the finest of advisors in the matter), I arranged for 300£ of cloth to be couriered by my William in readiness for the voyage: two pieces of scarlet, two of purple, two of blacks, and 50£ of linen.
The money is with me currently, after I collected it from Alderman Backwell’s earlier today. Oh, how mighty rich I felt carrying that coin back to my house!
Indeed, the whole week has been one of merriment – and not just the liquid kind I enjoyed with William Howe and Captain Rolt et al during raucous singing aboard the Dutch yacht to Greenwich.
When I took leave of my Lord from that same yacht, he gave me his hand – and as I set off in our little wherry not long later, he arranged for the crew to fire five guns in my honour.
I thought it was the greatest respect my Lord could do me, of which I was not a little proud. But then, come Friday, my Lord gave the order for me to receive his model of the Royal James, his flagship – a beautiful decoration – and… and…
Ah, forgive my hesitation – the joy doth make the words hard to write without a shudder of abundant delight:
…his triangle virginal!
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The instrument hath such as exquisite sound! I’m sure I shall make much use of it.
My Lord’s family – my cousins all – also expanded my pride this week. My Lady Sandwich entertained me on Monday while my Lord was off accepting the invitation to be Master of Trinity House; and although my Lady had to beg her leave of me when persons of, let’s say, ‘greater condition’ arrived, I remained with her children for supper. We all got very merry, they professing to be mighty fond of me.
So it’s been a week of mirth. Wednesday morning, the bishops decreed a citywide fast to prevent the spread of disease following the bad weather. But the weather itself turned so quick that some church were receiving the same bishops’ proclamation that we should pray thanks for the fair weather in advance of the notice to fast!
That just went to show: something as droll as disease could never affect our fine city all that severely. God Himself seems to shine on it to prevent such a worry.
Ha – although, that said, part of my celebration involved pulling off my stockings and bathing my legs a great while in the Thames, which I had not done for years. While this was a cheerful way to spend the afternoon with Captain Ferrers, it was likely the cause of my painful cold the following day.
Nothing the warmth of bed and a good fart couldn’t ease, though. My spirits could not be dampened – not even knowing that, on Tuesday, I had to write to the Duke of York on behalf of my office for urgent funds, without which the Navy is losing men, and we officials are having to put up our own collateral to secure loans.
Nor even have my spirits been dampened by our needing to spend yet more time away from home for workmen – this time painters decorating our walls. In fact, this time Elisabeth and I spent a few nights with Sir Robert Slingsby, and when we were collected by my Lord on Thursday I overheard him thank Sir Robert for his kindness to me – to which Sir Robert answered much to my advantage…
Yes, it’s been a fine week all told. Father and Will have excelled themselves in arranging this cloth for me, and… would you believe it? The purser of the King’s Yacht stopped by for victuals earlier today, and I got him to promise stowage for the cloth… with him! On the King’s Yacht!
When that finest of ships arrives in Deal with the delivery for my Lord, how greater could his admiration for me climb?
In return for these words of mine, please pay just one word of yours. What one word means ‘excitement’ to you?
Speak with you again soon – and may the Lord bless you and keep you till then!
Like our Sam, I think one of the words which truly encapsulates 'excitement' for me is 'music'.
How about you?