Biography of Thomas Bludworth 1620-1682
On or before 13 Mar 1620 Thomas Bludworth was born. He was baptised on 13 Mar 1620.
Pepy's Diary. 30 Jun 1666. Up, and to the office, and mightily troubled all this morning with going to my Lord Mayor (Sir Thomas Bludworth (age 46)1, a silly man, I think), and other places, about getting shipped some men that they have these two last nights pressed in the City out of houses: the persons wholly unfit for sea, and many of them people of very good fashion, which is a shame to think of, and carried to Bridewell they are, yet without being impressed with money legally as they ought to be. But to see how the King's business is done; my Lord Mayor himself did scruple at this time of extremity to do this thing, because he had not money to pay the pressed-money to the men, he told me so himself; nor to take up boats to carry them down through bridge to the ships I had prepared to carry them down in; insomuch that I was forced to promise to be his paymaster, and he did send his City Remembrancer afterwards to the office, and at the table, in the face of the officers, I did there out of my owne purse disburse £15 to pay for their pressing and diet last night and this morning; which is a thing worth record of my Lord Mayor. Busy about this all the morning, at noon dined and then to the office again, and all the afternoon till twelve at night full of this business and others, and among these others about the getting off men pressed by our officers of the fleete into the service; even our owne men that are at the office, and the boats that carry us. So that it is now become impossible to have so much as a letter carried from place to place, or any message done for us: nay, out of Victualling ships full loaden to go down to the fleete, and out of the vessels of the officers of the Ordnance, they press men, so that for want of discipline in this respect I do fear all will be undone.
Note 1. As his conduct during the Great Fire fully proved, when he is said to have boasted that he would extinguish the flames by the same means to which Swift tells us Gulliver had recourse at Lilliput. B.
Pepy's Diary. 02 Jul 1666. Up betimes, and forced to go to my Lord Mayor's (age 46), about the business of the pressed men; and indeed I find him a mean man of understanding and dispatch of any publique business.
Pepy's Diary. 02 Sep 1666. So I was called for, and did tell the King (age 36) and Duke of Yorke (age 32) what I saw, and that unless his Majesty did command houses to be pulled down nothing could stop the fire. They seemed much troubled, and the King (age 36) commanded me to go to my Lord Mayor (age 46)1 from him, and command him to spare no houses, but to pull down before the fire every way. The Duke of York (age 32) bid me tell him that if he would have any more soldiers he shall; and so did my Lord Arlington (age 48) afterwards, as a great secret2.
Note 1. Sir Thomas Bludworth (age 46). See June 30th, 1666.
Note 2. Sir William Coventry wrote to Lord Arlington on the evening of this day, "The Duke of York (age 32) fears the want of workmen and tools to-morrow morning, and wishes the deputy lieutenants and justices of peace to summon the workmen with tools to be there by break of day. In some churches and chapels are great hooks for pulling down houses, which should be brought ready upon the place to-night against the morning" (Calendar of State Papers, 1666-66, p. 95).
Pepy's Diary. 02 Sep 1666. Here meeting, with Captain Cocke (age 49), I in his coach, which he lent me, and Creed with me to Paul's, and there walked along Watlingstreet, as well as I could, every creature coming away loaden with goods to save, and here and there sicke people carried away in beds. Extraordinary good goods carried in carts and on backs. At last met my Lord Mayor (age 46) in Canningstreet, like a man spent, with a handkercher about his neck. To the King's message he cried, like a fainting woman, "Lord! what can I do? I am spent: people will not obey me. I have been pulling down houses; but the fire overtakes us faster than we can do it". That he needed no more soldiers; and that, for himself, he must go and refresh himself, having been up all night.
Pepy's Diary. 01 Dec 1666. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At home to dinner, and then abroad walking to the Old Swan [Map], and in my way I did see a cellar in Tower Streete [Map] in a very fresh fire, the late great winds having blown it up1. It seemed to be only of log-wood, that Hath kept the fire all this while in it. Going further, I met my late Lord Mayor Bludworth (age 46), under whom the City was burned, and went with him by water to White Hall. But, Lord! the silly talk that this fellow had, only how ready he would be to part with all his estate in these difficult times to advance the King's service, and complaining that now, as every body did lately in the fire, every body endeavours to save himself, and let the whole perish: but a very weak man he seems to be. I left him at White Hall, he giving 6d. towards the boat, and I to Westminster Hall [Map], where I was again defeated in my expectation of Burroughs.
Note 1. The fire continued burning in some cellars of the ruins of the city for four months, though it rained in the month of October ten days without ceasing (Rugge's "Diurnal"). B.
On 12 May 1682 Thomas Bludworth (age 62) died.