Great Britain and British Commonwealth LONDON POSTAL HISTORY
Sale No: 835
Lot No:1463
Symbol:
PLAGUE YEAR BISHOP MARK COVER ADDRESSED TO THE FAMOUS DIARIST "SAMUEL PEPYS ESQR."; Remarkable 21 Nov. 1665 EL (overall light dusting and filing folds - clear of postal marks - with very minor wear) from "Fort of Plym[out]h" addressed "For Samuell Pepys Esqr., one of the Principall Commissioners for his Maj[est]ty's navye at the Navye Office, London" charged "6" (double rate with mention of an enclosure - no longer present) with a very fine rare Plague Year London "NO/24" Bishop Mark nicely placed on the top flap. The letter asks Pepys to agree to a young man becoming "...pursser of the Caper which is going from hence for Portsmouth... if Securitie be required hee hath friends here that [are] able & willing to give it... Joe Skelton". The letter folds neatly to show the filing note - "21 9ber 65. Plymouth. Sir John Skelton" - to be seen alongside the Bishop mark and address; this note is believed to have been written by Pepys himself. Pepys' famous diary notes (30 Nov. 1665) that; "Great joy we have this week in the weekly Bill, it being come to 544 in all, and but 333 of the plague; so that we are encouraged to get to London soon as we can." The Plague deaths figure for the previous week in London was 652, so Pepys was hoping that the worst was over; he and his family had been in expensive rented accommodation in Greenwich. His diary entry for the day this letter reached London (24 Nov.) noted that he had been to the City, bought 2 barrels of oysters there, and then visited "Mr. [John] Evelyn" who "shewed us several letters of the old Lord of Leicester’s, in Queen Elizabeth’s time, under the very hand-writing of Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Mary, Queen of Scotts; and others, very venerable names. But, Lord! how poorly, methinks, they wrote in those days, and in what plain uncut paper."! Fabulous Exhibition Item with a great story. [Ex Geoff Manton, 2002 and acquired by him in our Sale 155 (1965).] Cross Reference: AUTOGRAPHS, DEVON, EARLY LETTERS, EARLY LETTERS (Image)