Biography of Robert Brooke 1637-1669

1660 Convention Parliament

1661 Cavalier Parliament

In 1637 Robert Brooke was born to Robert Brooke and Elizabeth Culpepper (age 35).

On 10 Jul 1646 [his father] Robert Brooke died.

In 1659 Robert Brooke (age 22) was appointed Justice of the Peace Suffolk.

On 26 Apr 1659 Robert Brooke (age 22) and Anne Mildmay were married.

Convention Parliament

In Apr 1660 Robert Brooke (age 23) was elected MP Aldeburgh during the Convention Parliament.

On 09 Jun 1660 Robert Brooke (age 23) was knighted.

Cavalier Parliament

On 08 May 1661 King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 30) summoned his second Parliament.

John Bennet 1st Baron Ossulston (age 44) was elected MP Wallingford.

James Thynne (age 56) was elected MP Wiltshire.

Adam Browne 2nd Baronet (age 35) was elected MP Surrey.

Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne (age 30) was elected MP Northumberland.

William Compton (age 36) was elected MP Cambridge.

Thomas Coventry 1st Earl Coventry (age 32) was elected MP Camelford.

Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge (age 61) was elected MP Bath and Heytesbury.

Edward Hungerford (age 28) was elected MP Chippenham.

Robert Pierrepont (age 24) was elected MP Nottingham.

John Melbury Sampford Strangeways (age 75) was elected MP Weymouth.

Giles Strangeways (age 45) was elected MP Dorset.

John Strangeways (age 24) was elected MP Bridport.

William Wyndham 1st Baronet (age 29) was elected MP Taunton.

James Herbert (age 38) was elected MP Queenborough.

William Alington 1st and 3rd Baron Alington (age 21) was elected MP Cambridge.

William Bowes of Streatlam (age 4) was elected MP Durham.

Robert Brooke (age 24) was elected MP Aldeburgh.

Josiah Child (age 30) was elected MP Dartmouth.

Gervase Clifton 1st Baronet (age 73) was elected MP Nottinghamshire.

Thomas Crew 2nd Baron Crew (age 37) was elected MP Brackley.

Richard Jennings (age 42) was elected MP St Albans.

Robert Kemp 2nd Baronet (age 33) was elected MP Norfolk.

Edward Phelips (age 48) was elected MP Somerset.

Robert Robartes (age 27) was elected MP Bossiney.

Hender Robartes (age 25) was elected MP Bodmin.

Clement Fisher 2nd Baronet (age 48) was elected MP Coventry.

William Portman 6th Baronet (age 17) was elected MP Taunton.

John Robinson 1st Baronet (age 46) was elected MP Rye.

In 1662 Robert Brooke (age 25) was appointed Justice of the Peace Essex.

Pepy's Diary. 14 May 1665. After dinner my wife and she and Mercer to Thomas Pepys's wife's christening of his first child, and I took a coach, and to Wanstead, the house where [his father-in-law] Sir H. Mildmay (age 72) died, and now Sir Robert Brookes (age 28) lives, having bought it of the Duke of Yorke (age 31), it being forfeited to him. A fine seat, but an old-fashioned house; and being not full of people looks desolately.

On 07 Jan 1666 [his wife] Anne Mildmay died.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Apr 1667. Set us down, so my wife and I into the garden, a fine moonshine evening, and there talking, and among other things she tells me that she finds by W. Hewer (age 25) that my people do observe my minding my pleasure more than usual, which I confess, and am ashamed of, and so from this day take upon me to leave it till Whit-Sunday. While we were sitting in the garden comes Mrs. Turner (age 44) to advise about her son, the Captain, when I did give her the best advice I could, to look out for some land employment for him, a peace being at hand, when few ships will be employed and very many, and these old Captains, to be provided for. Then to other talk, and among the rest about Sir W. Pen's (age 45) being to buy Wansted House of Sir Robert Brookes (age 30), but has put him off again, and left him the other day to pay for a dinner at a tavern, which she says our parishioner, Mrs. Hollworthy, talks of; and I dare be hanged if ever he could mean to buy that great house, that knows not how to furnish one that is not the tenth part so big.

Pepy's Diary. 01 May 1667. Sir W. Pen (age 46) did give me an account this afternoon of his design of buying Sir Robert Brooke's (age 30) fine house at Wansted; which I so wondered at, and did give him reasons against it, which he allowed of: and told me that he did intend to pull down the house and build a less, and that he should get £1500 by the old house, and I know not what fooleries. But I will never believe he ever intended to buy it, for my part; though he troubled Mr. Gawden to go and look upon it, and advise him in it.

Pepy's Diary. 29 May 1667. Up, and by coach to St. James's, where by and by up to the Duke of York (age 33), where, among other things, our parson Mills having the offer of another benefice by Sir Robert Brookes (age 30), who was his pupil, he by my Lord Barkeley (age 65) [of Stratton] is made one of the Duke's Chaplains, which qualifies him for two livings. But to see how slightly such things are done, the Duke of York (age 33) only taking my Lord Barkeley's (age 65) word upon saying, that we the officers of the Navy do say he is a good man and minister of our parish, and the Duke of York (age 33) admits him to kiss his hand, but speaks not one word to him; but so a warrant will be drawn from the Duke of York (age 33) to qualify him, and there's an end of it.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Oct 1667. After dinner, I away to Westminster, and up to the Parliament-house, and there did wait with great patience, till seven at night, to be called in to the Committee, who sat all this afternoon, examining the business of Chatham, Kent [Map]; and at last was called in, and told, that the least they expected from us Mr. Wren (age 38) had promised them, and only bade me to bring all my fellow-officers thitherto attend them tomorrow, afternoon. Sir Robert Brookes (age 30) in the chair: methinks a sorry fellow to be there, because a young man; and yet he seems to speak very well. I gone thence, my cozen Pepys comes out to me, and walks in the Hall with me, and bids me prepare to answer to every thing; for they do seem to lodge the business of Chatham, Kent [Map] upon the Commissioners of the Navy, and they are resolved to lay the fault heavy somewhere, and to punish it: and prays me to prepare to save myself, and gives me hints what to prepare against; which I am obliged to him for, and do begin to mistrust lest some unhappy slip or other after all my diligence and pains may not be found (which I can [not] foresee) that may prove as fatal to a man as the constant course of negligence and unfaithfulness of other men. Here we parted, and I to White Hall to Mr. Wren's (age 38) chamber, thereto advise with him about the list of ships and commanders which he is to present to the Parliament, and took coach (little Michell being with me, whom I took with me from Westminster Hall [Map]), and setting him down in Gracious street [Map] home myself, where I find my wife and the two Mercers and Willett and W. Batelier have been dancing, but without a fidler. I had a little pleasure in talking with these, but my head and heart full of thoughts between hope and fear and doubts what will become of us and me particularly against a furious Parliament. Then broke up and to bed, and there slept pretty well till about four o'clock, and from that time could not, but my thoughts running on speeches to the Parliament to excuse myself from the blame which by other men's negligence will 'light, it may be, upon the office.!

Pepy's Diary. 19 Nov 1667. So home and to dinner, where Mr. Shepley with me, newly come out of the country, but I was at little liberty to talk to him, but after dinner with two contracts to the Committee, with Lord Bruncker (age 47) and Sir T. Harvy (age 42), and there did deliver them, and promised at their command more, but much against my will. And here Sir R. Brookes (age 30) did take me alone, and pray me to prevent their trouble, by discovering the order he would have. I told him I would suppress none, nor could, but this did not satisfy him, and so we parted, I vexed that I should bring on myself this suspicion. Here I did stand by unseen, and did hear their impertinent yet malicious examinations of some rogues about the business of Bergen, wherein they would wind in something against my Lord Sandwich (age 42) (it was plain by their manner of examining, as Sir Thomas Crew (age 43) did afterwards observe to me, who was there), but all amounted to little I think. But here Sir Thomas Crew (age 43) and W. Hewer (age 25), who was there also, did tell me that they did hear Captain Downing give a cruel testimony against my Lord Bruncker (age 47), for his neglect, and doing nothing, in the time of straits at Chatham, Kent [Map], when he was spoke to, and did tell the Committee that he, Downing, did presently after, in Lord Bruncker's (age 47) hearing, tell the Duke of Albemarle (age 58), that if he might advise the King (age 37), he should hang both my Lord Bruncker (age 47) and Pett (age 57). This is very hard.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Nov 1667. To the office, and thence before noon I, by the Board's direction, to the Parliament House to speak with Sir R. Brookes (age 30) about the meaning of an order come to us this day to bring all the books of the office to the Committee. I find by him that it is only about the business of an order of ours for paying off the ships by ticket, which they think I on behalf of my Lord Bruncker (age 47) do suppress, which vexes me, and more at its occasioning the bringing them our books.

Pepy's Diary. 20 Nov 1667. This afternoon Mr. Mills come and visited me, and stayed a little with me (my wife being to be godmother to his child to-morrow), and among other talk he told me how fully satisfactory my first Report was to the House in the business of Chatham, Kent [Map]: which I am glad to hear; and the more, for that I know that he is a great creature of Sir R. Brookes's (age 30).

Pepy's Diary. 21 Nov 1667. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home, where my wife not very well, but is to go to Mr. Mills's child's christening, where she is godmother, Sir J. Minnes (age 68) and Sir R. Brookes (age 30) her companions. I left her after dinner (my clerks dining with me) to go with Sir J. Minnes (age 68), and I to the office, where did much business till after candlelight, and then my eyes beginning to fail me, I out and took coach to Arundell House [Map], where the meeting of Gresham College was broke up; but there meeting Creed, I with him to the taverne in St. Clement's Churchyard, where was Deane Wilkins (age 53), Dr. Whistler, Dr. Floyd (age 40), a divine admitted, I perceive, this day, and other brave men; and there, among other things of news, I do hear, that upon the reading of the House of Commons's Reasons of the manner of their proceedings in the business of my Chancellor (age 58), the Reasons were so bad, that my Lord Bristoll (age 55) himself did declare that he would not stand to what he had, and did still, advise the Lords to concur to, upon any of the Reasons of the House of Commons; but if it was put to the question whether it should be done on their Reasons, he would be against them; and indeed it seems the Reasons-however they come to escape the House of Commons, which shews how slightly the greatest matters are done in this world, and even in Parliaments were none of them of strength, but the principle of them untrue; they saying, that where any man is brought before a judge, accused of Treason in general, without specifying the particular, the judge do there constantly and is obliged to commit him. Whereas the question being put by the Lords to my Lord Keeper, he said that quite the contrary was true: and then, in the Sixth Article (I will get a copy of them if I can) there are two or three things strangely asserted to the diminishing of the King's power, as is said, at least things that heretofore would not have been heard of. But then the question being put among the Lords, as my Lord Bristoll (age 55) advised, whether, upon the whole matter and Reasons that had been laid before them, they would commit my Lord Clarendon (age 58), it was carried five to one against it; there being but three Bishops against him, of whom Cosens (age 72) and Dr. Reynolds were two, and I know not the third. This made the opposite Lords, as Bristoll (age 55) and Buckingham (age 39), so mad, that they declared and protested against it, speaking very broad that there was mutiny and rebellion in the hearts of the Lords, and that they desired they might enter their dissents, which they did do, in great fury.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Nov 1667. From this we fell to other discourse, and very good; among the rest they discourse of a man that is a little frantic, that hath been a kind of minister, Dr. Wilkins (age 53) saying that he hath read for him in his church, that is poor and a debauched man, that the College' have hired for 20s. to have some of the blood of a sheep let into his body; and it is to be done on Saturday next1. They purpose to let in about twelve ounces; which, they compute, is what will be let in in a minute's time by a watch. They differ in the opinion they have of the effects of it; some think it may have a good effect upon him as a frantic man by cooling his blood, others that it will not have any effect at all. But the man is a healthy man, and by this means will be able to give an account what alteration, if any, he do find in himself, and so may be usefull. On this occasion, Dr. Whistler told a pretty story related by Muffet, a good author, of Dr. Caius, that built Keys College; that, being very old, and living only at that time upon woman's milk, he, while he fed upon the milk of an angry, fretful woman, was so himself; and then, being advised to take it of a good-natured, patient woman, he did become so, beyond the common temper of his age. Thus much nutriment, they observed, might do. Their discourse was very fine; and if I should be put out of my office, I do take great content in the liberty I shall be at of frequenting these gentlemen's company. Broke up thence and home, and there to my wife in her chamber, who is not well (of those), and there she tells me great stories of the gossiping women of the parish-what this, and what that woman was; and, among the rest, how Mrs. Hollworthy is the veriest confident bragging gossip of them all, which I should not have believed; but that Sir R. Brookes (age 30), her partner, was mighty civil to her, and taken with her, and what not. My eyes being bad I spent the evening with her in her chamber talking and inventing a cypher to put on a piece of plate, which I must give, better than ordinary, to the Parson's child, and so to bed, and through my wife's illness had a bad night of it, and she a worse, poor wretch!

Note 1. This was Arthur Coga, who had studied at Cambridge, and was said to be a bachelor of divinity. He was indigent, and "looked upon as a very freakish and extravagant man". Dr. King, in a letter to the Hon. Robert Boyle (age 40), remarks "that Mr. Coga was about thirty-two years of age; that he spoke Latin well, when he was in company, which he liked, but that his brain was sometimes a little too warm". The experiment was performed on November 23rd, 1667, by Dr. King, at Arundel House, in the presence of many spectators of quality, and four or five physicians. Coga wrote a description of his own case in Latin, and when asked why he had not the blood of some other creature, instead of that of a sheep, transfused into him, answered, "Sanguis ovis symbolicam quandam facultatem habet cum sanguine Christi, quia Christus est agnus Dei" [Note. "Sheep's blood has some symbolic power, like the blood of Christ, for Christ is the Lamb of God."] (Birch's "History of the Royal Society", vol. ii., pp. 214-16). Coga was the first person in England to be experimented upon; previous experiments were made by the transfusion of the blood of one dog into another. See November 14th, 1666 (vol. vi., p. 64).

Pepy's Diary. 24 Nov 1667. After dinner, he being gone, I to the office, and there for want of other of my clerks, sent to Mr. Gibbs, whom I never used till now, for the writing over of my little pocket Contract-book; and there I laboured till nine at night with him, in drawing up the history of all that hath passed concerning tickets, in order to the laying the whole, and clearing myself and Office, before Sir R. Brookes (age 30); and in this I took great pains, and then sent him away, and proceeded, and had W. Hewer (age 25) come to me, and he and I till past twelve at night in the Office, and he, which was a good service, did so inform me in the consequences of my writing this report, and that what I said would not hold water, in denying this Board to have ever ordered the discharging out of the service whole ships by ticket, that I did alter my whole counsel, and fall to arme myself with good reasons to justify the Office in so doing, which hath been but rare, and having done this, I went, with great quiet in my mind, home, though vexed that so honest a business should bring me so much trouble; but mightily was pleased to find myself put out of my former design; and so, after supper, to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Nov 1667. Up, and all the morning finishing my letter to Sir Robert Brookes (age 30), which I did with great content, and yet at noon when I come home to dinner I read it over again after it was sealed and delivered to the messenger, and read it to my clerks who dined with me, and there I did resolve upon some alteration, and caused it to be new writ, and so to the office after dinner, and there all the afternoon mighty busy, and at night did take coach thinking to have gone to Westminster, but it was mighty dark and foul, and my business not great, only to keep my eyes from reading by candle, being weary, but being gone part of my way I turned back, and so home, and there to read, and my wife to read to me out of Sir Robert Cotton's book about warr, which is very fine, showing how the Kings of England have raised money by the people heretofore upon the people, and how they have played upon the Kings also. So after supper I to bed. This morning Sir W. Pen (age 46) tells me that the House was very hot on Saturday last upon the business of liberty of speech in the House, and damned the vote in the beginning of the Long Parliament against it; I so that he fears that there may be some bad thing which they have a mind to broach, which they dare not do without more security than they now have. God keep us, for things look mighty ill!

Pepy's Diary. 03 Dec 1667. Up, by candlelight, the only time I think I have done so this winter, and a coach being got over night, I to Sir W. Coventry's (age 39), the first time I have seen him at his new house since he come to lodge there. He tells me of the vote for none of the House to be of the Commission for the Bill of Accounts; which he thinks is so great a disappointment to Birch (age 52) and others that expected to be of it, that he thinks, could it have been [fore]seen, there would not have been any Bill at all. We hope it will be the better for all that are to account; it being likely that the men, being few, and not of the House, will hear reason. The main business I went about was about. Gilsthrop, Sir W. Batten's clerk; who, being upon his death-bed, and now dead, hath offered to make discoveries of the disorders of the Navy and of £65,000 damage to the King (age 37): which made mighty noise in the Commons' House; and members appointed to go to him, which they did; but nothing to the purpose got from him, but complaints of false musters, and ships being refitted with victuals and stores at Plymouth, Devon [Map], after they come fitted from other ports; but all this to no purpose, nor more than we know, and will owne. But the best is, that this loggerhead should say this, that understands nothing of the Navy, nor ever would; and hath particularly blemished his master by name among us. I told Sir W. Coventry (age 39) of my letter to Sir R. Brookes (age 30), and his answer to me. He advises me, in what I write to him, to be as short as I can, and obscure, saving in things fully plain; for all that he do is to make mischief; and that the greatest wisdom in dealing with the Parliament in the world is to say little, and let them get out what they can by force: which I shall observe. He declared to me much of his mind to be ruled by his own measures, and not to go so far as many would have him to the ruin of my Chancellor (age 58), and for which they do endeavour to do what they can against Sir W. Coventry (age 39). "But", says he, "I have done my do in helping to get him out of the administration of things, for which he is not fit; but for his life or estate I will have nothing to say to it: besides that, my duty to my master the Duke of York (age 34) is such, that I will perish before I will do any thing to displease or disoblige him, where the very necessity of the Kingdom do not in my judgment call me". Thence I home and to the office, where my Lord Anglesey (age 53), and all the discourse was yesterday's vote in the Commons, wherein he told us that, should the Lords yield to what the Commons would have in this matter, it were to make them worse than any justice of Peace (whereas they are the highest Court in the Kingdom) that they cannot be judges whether an offender be to be committed or bailed, which every justice of Peace do do, and then he showed me precedents plain in their defence.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Dec 1667. At noon to dinner, where W. How with us, and after dinner, he being gone, I to my chamber again till almost night, and then took boat, the tide serving, and so to White Hall, where I saw the Duchesse of York (age 30), in a fine dress of second mourning for her mother, being black, edged with ermine, go to make her first visit to the Queene (age 58) since the Duke of York (age 34) was sick; and by and by, she being returned, the Queene (age 58) come and visited her. But it was pretty to observe that Sir W. Coventry (age 39) and I, walking an hour and more together in the Matted Gallery, he observed, and so did I, how the Duchesse, as soon as she spied him, turned her head a one side. Here he and I walked thus long, which we have not done a great while before. Our discourse was upon everything: the unhappiness of having our matters examined by people that understand them not; that it was better for us in the Navy to have men that do understand the whole, and that are not passionate; that we that have taken the most pains are called upon to answer for all crimes, while those that, like Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes (age 68), did sit and do nothing, do lie still without any trouble; that, if it were to serve the King (age 37) and kingdom again in a war, neither of us could do more, though upon this experience we might do better than we did; that the commanders, the gentlemen that could never be brought to order, but undid all, are now the men that find fault and abuse others; that it had been much better for the King (age 37) to have given Sir J. Minnes (age 68) and Sir W. Batten £1000 a-year to have sat still, than to have had them in his business this war: that the serving a Prince that minds not his business is most unhappy for them that serve him well, and an unhappiness so great that he declares he will never have more to do with a war, under him. That he hath papers which do flatly contradict the Duke of Albemarle's (age 59) Narrative; and that he hath been with the Duke of Albemarle (age 59) and shewed him them, to prevent his falling into another like fault: that the Duke of Albemarle (age 59) seems to be able to answer them; but he thinks that the Duke of Albemarle (age 59) and the Prince are contented to let their Narratives sleep, they being not only contradictory in some things (as he observed about the business of the Duke of Albemarle's (age 59) being to follow the Prince upon dividing the fleete, in case the enemy come out), but neither of them to be maintained in others. That the business the other night of my Lord Anglesey (age 53) at the Council was happily got over for my Lord, by his dexterous silencing it, and the rest, not urging it further; forasmuch as, had the Duke of Buckingham (age 39) come in time enough, and had got it by the end, he, would have toused him in it; Sir W. Coventry (age 39) telling me that my Lord Anglesey (age 53) did, with such impudence, maintain the quarrel against the Commons and some of the Lords, in the business of my Lord Clarendon (age 58), that he believes there are enough would be glad but of this occasion to be revenged of him. He tells me that he hears some of the Thomsons (age 60) are like to be of the Commission for the Accounts, and Wildman (age 46), which he much wonders at, as having been a false fellow to every body, and in prison most of the time since the King's coming in. But he do tell me that the House is in such a condition that nobody can tell what to make of them, and, he thinks, they were never in before; that every body leads, and nobody follows; and that he do now think that, since a great many are defeated in their expectation of being of the Commission, now they would put it into such hands as it shall get no credit from: for, if they do look to the bottom and see the King's case, they think they are then bound to give the King (age 37) money; whereas, they would be excused from that, and therefore endeavour to make this business of the Accounts to signify little. I spoke with him about my Lord Sandwich's (age 42) business, in which he is very friendly, and do say that the unhappy business of the prizes is it that hath brought all this trouble upon him, and the only thing that made any thing else mentioned, and it is true. So having discoursed with him, I spent some time with Sir Stephen Fox (age 40) about the business of our adjusting the new method of the Excise between the Guards household and Tangier, the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury being now resolved to bring all their management into a course of payment by orders, and not by tallies, and I am glad of it, and so by water home late, and very dark, and when come home there I got my wife to read, and then come Captain Cocke (age 50) to me; and there he tells me, to my great satisfaction, that Sir Robert Brookes (age 30) did dine with him today; and that he told him, speaking of me, that he would make me the darling of the House of Commons, so much he is satisfied concerning me. And this Cocke (age 50) did tell me that I might give him thanks for it; and I do think it may do me good, for he do happen to be held a considerable person, of a young man, both for sobriety and ability. Then to discourse of business of his own about some hemp of his that is come home to receive it into the King's stores, and then parted, and by and by my wife and I to supper, she not being well, her flux being great upon her, and so to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 09 Dec 1667. Then home to dinner, and then a little abroad, thinking to have gone to the other end of the town, but it being almost night I would not, but home again, and there to my chamber, and all alone did there draw up my answer to Sir Rob. Brookes's (age 30) letter, and when I had done it went down to my clerks at the office for their opinion which at this time serves me to very good purpose, they having many things in their heads which I had not in the businesses of the office now in dispute. Having done with this, then I home and to supper very late, and to bed. My [wife] being yet very ill of her looseness, by which she is forced to lie from me to-night in the girl's chamber.

Pepy's Diary. 23 Feb 1668. Thence with G. Carteret (age 58) to White Hall, where I, finding a meeting of the Committee of the Council for the Navy, his Royal Highness there, and Sir W. Pen (age 46), and, some of the Brethren of the Trinity House, Deptford [Map] to attend, I did go in with them; and it was to be informed of the practice heretofore, for all foreign nations, at enmity one with another, to forbear any acts of hostility to one another, in the presence of any of the King (age 37) of England's ships, of which several instances were given: and it is referred to their further enquiry, in order to the giving instructions accordingly to our ships now, during the war between Spain and France. Would to God we were in the same condition as heretofore, to challenge and maintain this our dominion! Thence with W. Pen homeward, and quite through to Mile End [Map], for a little ayre; the days being now pretty long, but the ways mighty dirty, and here we drank at the Rose, the old house, and so back again, talking of the Parliament and our trouble with them and what passed yesterday. Going back again, Sir R. Brookes (age 31) overtook us coming to town; who hath played the jacke with us all, and is a fellow that I must trust no more, he quoting me for all he hath said in this business of tickets; though I have told him nothing that either is not true, or I afeard to own. But here talking, he did discourse in this stile: "We",-and "We" all along,-"will not give any money, be the pretence never so great, nay, though the enemy was in the River of Thames again, till we know what is become of the last money given"; and I do believe he do speak the mind of his fellows, and so let them, if the King (age 37) will suffer it. He gone, we home, and there I to read, and my belly being full of my dinner to-day, I anon to bed, and there, as I have for many days, slept not an hour quietly, but full of dreams of our defence to the Parliament and giving an account of our doings. This evening, my wife did with great pleasure shew me her stock of jewells, encreased by the ring she hath made lately as my Valentine's gift this year, a Turky stone' set with diamonds: and, with this and what she had, she reckons that she hath above £150 worth of jewells, of one kind or other; and I am glad of it, for it is fit the wretch should have something to content herself with.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Mar 1668. At noon home to dinner with my clerks, and after dinner comes Kate Joyce, who tells me she is putting off her house, which I am glad of, but it was pleasant that she come on purpose to me about getting a ticket paid, and in her way hither lost her ticket, so that she is at a great loss what to do.-There comes in then Mrs. Mercer, the mother, the first time she has been here since her daughter lived with us, to see my wife, and after a little talk I left them and to the office, and thence with Sir Prince to Westminster Hall [Map], thinking to have attended the Committee about the Victualling business, but they did not meet, but here we met Sir R. Brookes (age 31), who do mightily cry up my speech the other day, saying my fellow-officers are obliged to me, as indeed they are.

Pepy's Diary. 31 Mar 1668. Up pretty betimes and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon I home to dinner, where uncle Thomas dined with me, as he do every quarter, and I paid him his pension; and also comes Mr. Hollier (age 59) a little fuddled, and so did talk nothing but Latin, and laugh, that it was very good sport to see a sober man in such a humour, though he was not drunk to scandal. At dinner comes a summons for this office and the Victualler to attend a Committee of Parliament this afternoon, with Sir Prince, which I accordingly did, with my papers relating to the sending of victuals to Sir John Harman's (age 43) fleete; and there, Sir R. Brookes (age 31) in the chair, we did give them a full account, but, Lord! to see how full they are and immoveable in their jealousy that some means are used to keep Harman (age 43) from coming home, for they have an implacable desire to know the bottom of the not improving the first victory, and would lay it upon Brouncker (age 48). Having given them good satisfaction I away thence, up and down, wanting a little to see whether I could get Mrs. Burroughes out, but elle being in the shop ego did speak con her much, she could not then go far, and so I took coach and away to Unthanke's, and there took up my wife and Deb., and to the Park, where, being in a Hackney, and they undressed, was ashamed to go into the tour, but went round the park, and so with pleasure home, where Mr. Pelting come and sat and talked late with us, and he being gone, I called Deb. to take pen, ink, and paper and write down what things come into my head for my wife to do in order to her going into the country, and the girl, writing not so well as she would do, cried, and her mistress construed it to be sullenness, and so away angry with her too, but going to bed she undressed me, and there I did give her good advice and baiser la, elle weeping still.

On 05 Jun 1669 Robert Brooke (age 32) drowned at Avignon [Map].

In 1673 Josiah Child (age 41) purchased Wanstead Manor from the executors of Robert Brooke.

[his father] Robert Brooke and [his mother] Elizabeth Culpepper were married.

Ancestors of Robert Brooke 1637-1669

Father: Robert Brooke

Robert Brooke

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Culpepper

Great x 3 Grandfather: Walter Culpepper

Great x 4 Grandmother: Agnes Gaynsford

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Culpepper

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Culpepper

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Barrett

Great x 2 Grandmother: Cicely Barrett

GrandFather: Thomas Culpepper

Mother: Elizabeth Culpepper

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Slaney

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Slaney

Great x 1 Grandfather: Stephen Slaney

GrandMother: Anne Slaney

Great x 2 Grandfather: Jasper Pheasant

Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Pheasant