THE KING GRANTS A PENSION TO THE RELICT OF A NAVAL CAPTAIN PEPYS (Samuel, 1633-1703, English Diarist, Secretary of the Admiralty) together with the Earl of ANGLESEY (Arthur Annesley, 1614-1686, later dismissed for adverse criticism of the King's government), Henry Bennet ARLINGTON (1618-1685, Baron, CABAL member), Sir George CARTERET (1610-1680, Controller and later Treasurer of the Navy, Royalist Naval Officer, Vice-Admiral in the French Navy) and the Hon. HENRY COVENTRY (1619-1686, Secretary of State for the Northern Department)

Fine Clerk Written Letter Signed from the “Office of Lord High Admiral of England” addressed to Sir Stephen FOX (1627-1716, Statesman, Commissioner of the Treasury, Royal Administrator and Courtier to King Charles II, Paymaster-General) saying that His Majesty “hath been graciously pleased by his Order in Councill dated the 10th of this instant December made upon the Peticon of Judith Connely Relict of Capt William Connely... to give directions unto you to Pay unto the Peticoner the Gratuity allowed by his Majy to the Widows of such Land Officers as have been slayne in his Mats Service at Sea according to the Quallity her Husband served in, at the tyme of his death. These are in pursuance of his Mats said orders to Pray require you forthwith to Pay unto the Widow of the said Capt William Connely his Mats Bounty...”, with a clerk written receipt on the verso signed by Judith Connely stating that she has received “one hundred twenty three pounds four shill. for an allowance of 11 months pay... in Consideration of my husbands being Slaine at Sea”, 2 sides folio, Whitehall, 17th December

In 1672 Pepys became an Elder Brother of Trinity House and served in this capacity until 1689; he was Master of Trinity House in 1676–1677 and again in 1685–1686. In 1673 he was promoted to Secretary of the Admiralty Commission and elected MP for Castle Rising in Norfolk. Also in 1673 he was involved with the establishment of the Royal Mathematical School at Christ's Hospital, which was to train 40 boys annually in navigation, for the benefit of the Royal Navy and the English Merchant Navy.
The Third Anglo-Dutch War, or Third Dutch War was a naval conflict between England, in alliance with France, and the Dutch Republic. It lasted from 7th April 1672 to 19th February 1674, and was a subsidiary of the wider 1672 to 1678 Franco-Dutch War. It is likely that Captain Connely was killed during one of these battles.
'IN CONSIDERATION OF MY HUSBANDS BEING SLAINE AT SEA': Pepys authorises payment to the widow of a casualty of the Anglo-Dutch wars in his position as Secretary of the newly formed Admiralty commission. The Admiralty was formed by Charles II after the resignation of the duke of York as Lord High Admiral and, in January 1674 moved to Derby House, the Admiralty's first dedicated premises - 'Pepys thereby inaugurated an institution which only the matching dynamism of Mountbatten could terminate' (C.S. Knighton, ODNB).

Item Date:  1673

Stock No:  42644      £3750

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