Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 44.djvu/373

Pepys the French church (28 March 1667) (, Life of Pepys, i. 146-53;, Samuel Pepys, 241-50). In 1656 Pepys entered the family of his father's first cousin, Sir Edward Montagu, who, as Mr. Wheatley suggests, may perhaps have enabled him to go to college. Pepys was employed as a kind of factotum in matters of business during Montagu's absences from London. On 26 March 1658 he underwent a successful operation for the stone, and commemorated the day ever afterwards. In June 1659 Sir Edward Montagu took him on the expedition to the Sound, but did not let him into the secret of the negotiations with Charles II. On his return he became clerk in the office of (Sir) George Downing (1623?-1684) [q. v.], one of the tellers of the exchequer ; and when he began his 'Diary' (1 Jan. 1659-60) was living in Axe Yard, Westminster, with his wife and one maid. His salary was 50l. a year, but he was erroneously 'esteemed rich.' On 19 Jan. Downing obtained his appointment to be a clerk of the council, in order, as Pepys thought, to escape paying his salary himself. In March Pepys was made secretary to Sir Edward Montagu, upon his taking command of the fleet which brought Charles II to England. Pepys was now an ardent loyalist, took part in all the ceremonials with infinite satisfaction, heard Charles tell the story ot his escape from Worcester, was civilly treated by the Duke of York, and got a share of the presents. Montagu showed much confidence in him, and on 23 June promised him appointment as 'clerk of the acts.'

The office of 'clerk of the king's ships,' or of the 'acts of the navy' ( Samuel Pepys, p. 279, &c.), is mentioned in the time of Edward IV. The clerk was a member of the 'navy board' constituted by Henry VIII ; and in Pepys's patent, dated 13 July 1660, he was entitled to the ancient fee of 33l. 6s. 8d. per annum. Pepys's salary, however, was fixed at 350l. (7 July 1660). The board included a treasurer, controller, surveyor, and four commissioners; and Pepys was not merely secretary, but had equal authority with other members of the board. The clerkship of the acts had been abolished under the Commonwealth, and a new set of regulations was issued by the Duke of York, as lord high admiral, in January 1661-2.

Pepys had some difficulty in securing the place. Monck brought forward a candidate of his own ; and Thomas Barlow, who had been clerk of the acts under Charles I, was still alive, and claimed the office. Pepys finally agreed to give Barlow 100l. a year, having observed that he was an 'old, consumptive man' (17 July 1660). Barlow lived till 1665, when Pepys had some trouble to reconcile his regret for the death of a 'worthy, honest man' with his thankfulness to God for a saving of 100l. a year (9 Feb. 1664-5). On 6 Aug. 1660 he had an offer of 1,000l. for his place, which 'made his mouth water,' but which he judiciously declined. On 23 July he also became a clerk of the privy seal by Montagu's influence. He did not expect much from this, but considered that it would be a convenient refuge if he lost his other post. On 10 Aug. 1660 he found that he was making about 3l. a day by it. As clerk of the acts Pepys had a house in the navy office, between Crutched Friars and Seething Lane (demolished after the removal of the office to Somerset House). He feared that the other officials might 'shuflle him out' of his lodgings, but was soon settled there, and on 17 Sept. got rid of his house in Axe Yard. He was sworn in as justice of the peace on 24 Sept., and 'mightily pleased,' though 'wholly ignorant' of the duties of his new position.

On 15 Feb. 1661-2 Pepys was sworn in as younger brother of the Trinity House. In the following August he was put on the Tangier commission, his colleague (Sir) William Coventry [q. v.] observing at the time that he was 'the life of the navy office' (20 Sept. 1662). On 10 March 1663-4 he was appointed an assistant of the 'corporation of the royal fishing,' of which the Duke of York was governor. The accounts of the Tangier commission having got into disorder, he was appointed, through the favour of the Duke of York, to succeed Pavy as treasurer (20 March 1664-5). No 'harsh words passed,' which was 'a good fortune beyond all imagination.' On the 27th of the following October he was appointed surveyor-general of the victualling office, in accordance with suggestions made by himself. An elaborate letter of 1 Jan. 1665-6, in which he describes his plan for regulating the pursers, is in the Harleian MSS. 'A purser,' he says, 'would not have twice what he got unless he cheated.' Pepys had apparently begun with no more knowledge of the navy or accounts than he had of the duties of a justice of the peace. He had engaged a mathematical tutor in July 1662, when his first business was to learn the multiplication table. This, however, was his only trouble in arithmetic. He applied vigorously to work, and took great trouble to acquire a thorough knowledge of all the details of his office. He was often at his office at four in the morning, looked