‘Certainly my Lord, it’s a day I will never forget as long as I live. Having just crossed the ocean, the last thing I expected was to be attacked by the Dutch Navy. I didn’t even know we were at war with them… not until I found myself caught up in a battle that was not of my making. Had it not been for the brave seamen of the Royal Navy who came to my rescue I could be lying at the bottom of the sea with my ship… lost forever. However, and despite three of my crew losing their lives, I completed my voyage up the Hudson River to what is now New York. During the battle, I lost my mizzen-mast, some sails and rigging, a piece off the rudder and half the castle. As we were limping up river to safety, I passed a Dutch privateer that had lost its rudder… ran aground and was abandoned. So I decided to try and recover the ship and use parts to repair our own. It took us two weeks, using the tides to tow the wreck upstream to the quayside next to our own Tudor Queen. My crew spent the next four months dismantling the Dutchman and using its sails, rigging and timbers to repair our own ship. Unfortunately, its largest mast was not as big as the mizzen we had lost, so we had to improvise and use a smaller one, which meant losing some sail. While all this work was taking place, my own cargo was being removed, and a new cargo of 50 tons of tobacco was being loaded for the return voyage. Here are the documents,’ he said as he placed a folder on the table. James just pushed them aside without looking at them.
‘Can you explain Captain Gregory, why some of the cargo on the Dutch privateer seems to have disappeared, I believe it to be tobacco? The same cargo that you had acquired for your return voyage.’
‘You have all my documents in front of you my Lord, and as far as I know my 50 tons of tobacco are being unloaded as we speak. You could send your men down there to check the weight if you choose.’
‘That won’t be necessary Captain Gregory, I will take you at your word,’ said James.
‘We may have had to move some of the cargo around the hold of the Dutch ship to make it easier to remove timbers… but I find it hard to believe that anyone could have stolen any of its cargo. Not without any of us knowing about it. Perhaps some was lost at sea.’
‘You do know that any such prize must not be moved until it is declared free by the crown.’
‘Of course I do my Lord. But I would also like to respectfully remind you, that if my brave and valiant crew had not recovered the ship from certain destruction, there would not have been any cargo to be declared free in the first place.’
‘I take your point Captain. Tell me, was tobacco the only consignment you acquired while in New York?’
‘With so much chaos and turmoil there at the time, I was lucky to get that cargo my Lord. But in the end, it turned out for the best for me because some of the Royal Fleet were heading south to our British territories in the Caribbean… an area I know well. So I tagged along for safety… no Dutchman with any sense is going to attack me while I had the cover of our great navy my Lord.’
‘And did you find a cargo in the Caribbean Captain?’
‘Yes sir. A large consignment of spices and also white gold. Sugar my Lord.’
‘That was good timing Captain… considering the whole stock of spices from the Orient were destroyed in the fire.’
‘Quite so my Lord.’
‘I think it time to take a break,’ said James. ‘Could you all be back here at 2pm?’
I waited for Arthur and together we grabbed a bite to eat, and visited the Tower menagerie.
‘What do you think is going to be the outcome?’ I asked.
‘As far as I can see,’ he said, ‘you have no case to answer. But if I were a gambler I would say that your Captain Gregory has ten tons of tobacco stashed away somewhere. I know Gregory and he is a man of principle… he may consider that cheating the crown is fair game, but he wouldn’t cheat you, his employer.’
‘Are you sure you won’t come and work for me?’
‘Not yet. But don’t stop asking.’
When the meeting convened at 2pm, the whole mood in the room had changed from challenging to jovial.
‘Captain Gregory. Tell us more about your battle with the Dutch?’ asked the duke, ‘and how you thought our frigates performed?’
Like most sea captains, Gregory was more than happy to talk all day about his naval exploits. I just wanted to hear the result of the hearing, but it was almost an hour before he finally stopped talking.
‘Most interesting,’ said James, ‘perhaps you should consider writing your memoirs.’
‘I think I will wait until I retire,’ he answered.
‘Now… with regard to the missing Dutch cargo. It is clear to me that the accusations brought against you were spurious, I therefore conclude that all charges against you be dropped. I won’t keep you here any longer Captain. It has been a great pleasure talking to you, and I suggest in future you avoid the Dutch wherever possible.’
We shook hands, James leaving me to the last said, ‘I want to thank you personally for the efforts you and your team put in during the early days of the fire.’
‘I’m afraid our involvement was very little my Lord. Most of our time was used getting the poor refugees to safety.’
‘Essential and important work Toby and most appreciated. But now if I may… I want to impose on your valuable time once again. My brother and I are setting up a feeding station at Moorfield and other refugee camps outside the city walls. We need a team of responsible citizens like yourself to run them in an orderly way.’
‘You can count on me… and I am sure my brother-in-law Robert Huxley will want to help, who are your other volunteers?’
‘Charles has asked his band of courtiers to help, but you know as well as I do that most of them have not done a proper day’s work in their life.’
‘Well you can count on me and Robert. But where are you going to find the produce… the fresh food and the bread? There’s thousands of people out there to be fed.’
‘That is where we have been extremely lucky Toby. The farmers have all had a good crop this year, and produce is already flooding into London. The national appeal through the churches has also been amazing, with donations large and small arriving from the most unlikely areas. Yorkshire and the West Country have so far been the most generous.’
‘Where will I find you?’
‘We are meeting at North Gate every morning at 10am.’
***
My father and Captain Gregory were waiting for me in the courtyard.
‘We are returning to the Queen where we won’t be disturbed. I would like you to come too.’
We walked with Gregory the short distance from the Tower, to our berth, then followed him on board ship to his cabin.
‘I need an itemised list of the damage done to the ship and repairs that are needed,’ I said.
‘I have it ready for you sir,’ he said. ‘It’s here in my cabin.’
My father started by saying, ‘I would like first of all to sort out compensation for the dead and injured.’
‘Before we do sir,’ said Gregory as he unlocked a large chest in the corner of his cabin. ‘I would like to tell you of an unscheduled stop we made on the way home from America. It was on the west coast of Ireland to unload 10 tons of tobacco.’
‘And were you able to sell it?’ asked my father.
‘Yes sir, I have a contact in Cork who I knew would give me a fair price.’
‘What is the break-up?’
‘If you are happy with the arrangement… the same as always sir. One third to the officers, one third to the crew and one third to the company,’ he said handing my father two large bags of gold coins.
‘I take it that the next of kin of the dead will get their share.’
‘Yes sir, and also the three injured crew members, they all have broken bones and will not be able to return to the ship for at least one voyage. Those men, and the wives of
the three dead, will get an equal share, plus ten percent which has been donated by the officers and crew.’
‘You must take ten percent from our share too,’ said my father pointing to the bags of coins.
***
I had spent years exposing greedy men for taking what I believed belonged to the crown, and I was slightly shocked that my father should be so matter of fact about the 10 tons of tobacco Gregory had misappropriated. On the other hand, I was now seeing things from another perspective, and it all seemed different. Why should these brave men not get some reward? They were the ones facing death, away from their families and loved ones for months at a time, unlike the king who was at home with his women, his hunting and his sport, enjoying his privileged life.
None of the officers and crew of the Queen were corrupt or greedy… not like William Batten. So although I was a little uneasy knowing what had happened, I accepted that it had, and put it to the back of my mind.
‘Here is the list you asked me for sir,’ said Captain Gregory as he handed me a folded document. ‘All the damages caused to the Queen by the Dutch are listed in black. Repairs we have carried out are in blue and the ones in red are improvised repairs that you may want to redo. I see you have already replaced the mizzen.’
‘Yes captain, and thank you for the list,’ I said as I added a footnote to add a couple more guns to the armoury.
My father closed the meeting, and we left Captain Gregory filling in his log.
‘Perhaps we should give ourselves a dividend at Christmas now we have so much money,’ said my father.
‘I would rather it be put towards another Bilander or something similar,’ said I.
***
Robert and I turned up as promised to help feed the poor at Moorfield Park, my father came too. The Duke of York was there and Charles with a handful of his courtiers… but just as James predicted, after a few days there was not a single courtier left. They had all evaporated like an early morning mist on a sunny day.
King Charles, however, worked hard from dawn till dusk, no job seemingly too menial or humbling.
During the year of the plague, Charles lost what little respect he had from his citizens by fleeing London. His debauched hedonistic pleasure-seeking lifestyle had long since lost him the respect of the aristocracy and landed gentry. But the Great Fire was a chance for him to recover, not only the respect of his subjects, but also his own self-respect.
Surprisingly to most people, he succeeded by working hard with passion and enthusiasm. From the very first day, he was there with his brother working every daylight hour, setting up command points, guiding what volunteers there were and directing his troops, he was even seen carrying pails of water during the fire, and it was on his orders that black powder was eventually used to check the fire in the east, saving St Olave’s Church and possibly even the Tower.
In four days, the fire destroyed the homes of at least 80,000 people, and 87 churches including St Paul’s Cathedral. Very few deaths were recorded but it is hard to believe that all the old and the sick survived.
The difficulties created by the fire were enormous, and the logistic problems of rehousing thousands of people overwhelming… but within weeks, and with the generosity of the British people, new homes and villages were springing up at an amazing rate outside the city walls.
Despite numerous radical proposals by parliament, they decided to reconstruct London on basically the same plan as before. They also agreed with the king that a monument should be erected as near as possible to where the fire started on Pudding Lane.
The fire did little to change relationships with our neighbours France and Holland. The Dutch calling the fire divine retribution… and so the war rumbled on, albeit at a slower pace, probably because both countries were fast running out of money.
Everyone was tiring of war, only the most radical wanting to frustrate peace talks.
Many businesses were destroyed, including my friend John Martin the bookseller who lost everything. But some survived and prospered. We at BH Shipping considered ourselves to be among the lucky ones. The Tudor Queen had survived and brought home a valuable cargo from across the Atlantic Ocean, the Tudor Rose had now completed two voyages to Calcutta and the Tudor Breeze continued to amaze me with unusual, diverse and varied cargoes… adding new venues to every voyage.
The Exchange being one of the most important buildings in London was one of the first to be rebuilt. Anne was pregnant again and plans were already in place for Christmas.
I was slightly concerned about my grandfather’s health, but he seemed happy enough surrounded by four generations of his family.
***
Early on a Sunday morning just two weeks before Christmas, I received a message from Thomas inviting me to call at the house in Barnes on a matter of some urgency… preferably before morning service. He also added that I should bring Anne and baby John too.
Slightly concerned that one of them was unwell, we went immediately.
‘Thank you for coming so quickly, we have some important news, and we want you to be the first to hear it.’ They were both smiling, and holding hands.
‘Veronica and I are to be married at St Matthias Church on Boxing Day. We are to be married by the Bishop, and I would like you to be my witness.’
Veronica was wearing a full length modern dress, her once long blonde hair now streaked with silver threads, cut short and styled, the heavy beaded necklace she was well-known for, now replaced by a single string of pearls, and the large rings that once adorned her ears, substituted with expensive drop pearl earrings. She looked beautiful and I wanted to take her in my arms.
Thomas had been my father, my tutor, my friend and my spiritual guide for almost twenty years, and the one person who I respected and valued above all men.
I was delighted and overjoyed that two of the most important people in my life were to be married, but taken totally and completely by surprised at the announcement.
‘Are you not a little old to be thinking about marriage?’
Anne ran into their arms. ‘Of course they’re not too old,’ she said. ‘I for one am delighted.’
‘I am only sixty-one and Veronica fifty-nine,’ said Thomas, ‘hopefully we will have many years together as man and wife.’
‘Of course they will,’ said Anne. ‘Twenty or thirty years I reckon. Come and give them a hug.’
‘Why now? What made you decide Christmas?’ I asked.
‘I have always admired Veronica, from the very first time I saw her when you were just nine years old. But I lost my heart completely while she was nursing me back to health after being stabbed and left for dead on Black Friars steps. Are you not pleased for us?’
‘Of course I am. I am delighted to be your witness. But why now? And why such a hurry. And if I am to be your best man; who will walk my grandmother down the aisle?’
‘We thought perhaps Edward, your father.’
‘A splendid idea,’ I said.
‘It was the Bishop who suggested we marry,’ said Thomas, ‘he did not think it right for one of his preachers to be unmarried and living in the same house with a woman, living in sin is how he described us.’
‘And are you living in sin?’
‘Come now Toby. I cannot discuss that kind of thing with my step-grandson.’
‘So you are to be my new grandfather, and I am to be stuck with you for the rest of my life?’
‘It seems so my son.’
Seeing him standing there resplendent in his ecclesiastic regalia… his surplice, his cassock and his rather splendid velvet tippet, I was mindful of one of the last exercises he set me before the restoration. It was to prepare a mock news report on the death of Thomas a Becket, including the infamous words spoken by Henry II which resulted in his violent and untimely death.
I threw my arms up in the air and repeated K
ing Henry’s words. ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?’
Veronica looked puzzled, but Thomas threw back his head, put his hands on his belly and burst into a fit of laughter. I joined him and together we laughed like a couple of children. Eventually he came and put his hands on my shoulders. ‘I am not a priest, nor am I an Archbishop… and you my boy are not a king.’
‘I have no wish to be a king. But I am delighted you are to become my kin, and I will consider it a pleasure and an honour to be by your side when you marry my beautiful grandmother,’ said I.
Historical characters
of the period featured
King Charles I. (1600–1649)
Queen Henrietta Maria. (1609–1669)
King Charles II. (1630–1685)
Queen Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II. (1662–1685)
Lucy Walter, Catherine Pegge, Lady Castlemaine and Nell Gwynn. All courtesans of Charles II.
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth (1649–1685), illegitimate son of Charles II and Lucy Walter.
Henry, Duke of Gloucester. (1640–1660)
James, Duke of York. (1633–1701)
Anne Hyde, Duchess of York.
Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, father of Anne.
Princess Mary of Orange. (1631–1660)
William II Prince of Orange. (1626–1650)
William III, son of Mary.
Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels.
Elizabeth of Bohemia. Sister of Charles I.
William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven and lover of Elizabeth of Bohemia.
Lord Montagu. Earl of Sandwich, Councillor of State and Treasury Commissioner, member of the Privy Council.
George Monck. Duke of Albemarle. Master of the Horse. Order of the Garter.
Percy Algernon, 10th Earl of Northumberland.
Sir Christopher Hatton. Courtier to Queen Elizabeth I.
William Batten. Surveyor of Ships. MP for Rochester.
John Martin: Bookseller.
Courtier in the Royal House of Stuart Page 46
