Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete 1660 N.S. Samuel Pepys

his memory of accepting mourning from him, as a

       small instance of his most affectionate respect and honour for you.

       I have thought myself extremely unfortunate to be out of the way at

       that only time when you were pleased lately to touch here, and

       express so great a desire of taking your leave of my Uncle; which

       could not but have been admitted by him as a most welcome exception

       to his general orders against being interrupted; and I could most

       heartily wish that the circumstances of your health and distance did

       not forbid me to ask the favour of your assisting in the holding up

       of the pawll at his interment, which is intended to be on Thursday

       next; for if the manes are affected with what passes below, I am

       sure this would have been very grateful to his.

       "I must not omit acquainting you, sir, that upon opening his body,

       (which the uncommonness of his case required of us, for our own

       satisfaction as well as public good) there was found in his left

       kidney a nest of no less than seven stones, of the most irregular,

       figures your imagination can frame, and weighing together four

       ounces and a half, but all fast linked together, and adhering to his

       back; whereby they solve his having felt no greater pains upon

       motion, nor other of the ordinary symptoms of the stone. Some other

       lesser defects there also were in his body, proceeding from the same

       cause. But his stamina, in general, were marvellously strong, and

       not only supported him, under the most exquisite pains, weeks beyond

       all expectations; but, in the conclusion, contended for nearly forty

       hours (unassisted by any nourishment) with the very agonies of

       death, some few minutes excepted, before his expiring, which were

       very calm.

       "There remains only for me, under this affliction, to beg the

       consolation and honour of succeeding to your patronage, for my

       Uncle's sake; and leave to number myself, with the same sincerity he

       ever did, among your greatest honourers, which I shall esteem as one

       of the most valuable parts of my inheritances from him; being also,

       with the faithfullest wishes of health and a happy long life to you,

       "Honoured Sir,

       "Your most obedient and

       "Most humble Servant,

       "J. JACKSON.

       "Mr. Hewer, as my Uncle's Executor, and equally your faithful

       Servant, joins with me in every part hereof.

       "The time of my Uncle's departure was about three-quarters past

       three on Wednesday morning last."

      Evelyn alludes in his Diary to Pepys's death and the present to him of a suit of mourning. He speaks in very high terms of his friend:—

      "1703, May 26th. This day died Mr. Sam Pepys, a very worthy,

       industrious, and curious person, none in England exceeding him in

       knowledge of the navy, in which he had passed thro' all the most

       considerable offices, Clerk of the Acts and Secretary of the

       Admiralty, all which he performed with great integrity. When K.

       James II. went out of England, he laid down his office, and would

       serve no more, but withdrawing himselfe from all public affaires, he

       liv'd at Clapham with his partner Mr. Hewer, formerly his clerk, in

       a very noble and sweete place, where he enjoy'd the fruits of his

       labours in greate prosperity. He was universally belov'd,

       hospitable, generous, learned in many things, skilfd in music, a

       very greate cherisher of learned men of whom he had the conversation

      . … Mr. Pepys had been for neere 40 yeeres so much my

       particular friend that Mr. Jackson sent me compleat mourning,

       desiring me to be one to hold up the pall at his magnificent

       obsequies, but my indisposition hinder'd me from doing him this last

       office."

      The body was brought from Clapham and buried in St. Olave's Church, Hart Street, on the 5th June, at nine o'clock at night, in a vault just beneath the monument to the memory of Mrs. Pepys. Dr. Hickes performed the last sad offices for his friend.

      Pepys's faithful friend, Hewer, was his executor, and his nephew, John Jackson, his heir. Mourning was presented to forty persons, and a large number of rings to relations, godchildren, servants, and friends, also to representatives of the Royal Society, of the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, of the Admiralty, and of the Navy Office. The bulk of the property was bequeathed to Jackson, but the money which was left was much less than might have been expected, for at the time of Pepys's death there was a balance of £28,007 2s. 1d. due to him from the Crown, and none of this was ever paid. The books and other collections were left to Magdalene College, Cambridge, but Jackson was to have possession of them during his lifetime. These were the most important portion of Pepys's effects, for with them was the manuscript of the immortal Diary. The following are the directions for the disposition of the library, taken from Harl. MS., No. 7301:

      "For the further settlement and preservation of my said library,

       after the death of my nephew. John Jackson, I do hereby declare,

       That could I be sure of a constant succession of heirs from my said

       nephew, qualified like himself for the use of such a library, I

       should not entertain a thought of its ever being alienated from

       them. But this uncertainty considered, with the infinite pains, and

       time, and cost employed in my collecting, methodising and reducing

       the same to the state it now is, I cannot but be greatly solicitous

       that all possible provision should be made for its unalterable

       preservation and perpetual security against the ordinary fate of

       such collections falling into the hands of an incompetent heir, and

       thereby being sold, dissipated, or embezzled. And since it has

       pleased God to visit me in a manner that leaves little appearance of

       being myself restored to a condition of concerting the necessary

       measures for attaining these ends, I must and do with great

       confidence rely upon the sincerity and direction of my executor and

       said nephew for putting in execution the powers given them, by my

       forementioned will relating hereto, requiring that the same be

       brought to a determination in twelve months after my decease, and

       that special regard be had therein to the following particulars

       which I declare to be my present thoughts and prevailing

       inclinations in this matter, viz.:

       "1. That after the death of my said nephew, my said library be

       placed and for ever settled in one of our universities, and rather

       in that