"I am, Sir,
"Your most humble servant,
"SHAFTESBURY."

After reading this letter Sir William Coventry very justly remarked,
"There are a great many more Catholics than think themselves so, if having
a crucifix will make one." Mr. Christie resented the remarks on Lord
Shaftesbury's part in this persecution of Pepys made by Lord Braybrooke,
who said, "Painful indeed is it to reflect to what length the bad passions
which party violence inflames could in those days carry a man of
Shaftesbury's rank, station, and abilities." Mr. Christie observes, "It
is clear from the letter to Meres that Shaftesbury showed no malice and
much scrupulousness when a formal charge, involving important results, was
founded on his loose private conversations." This would be a fair
vindication if the above attack upon Pepys stood alone, but we shall see
later on that Shaftesbury was the moving spirit in a still more
unjustifiable attack.

Lord Sandwich died heroically in the naval action in Southwold Bay, and on
June 24th,1672, his remains were buried with some pomp in Westminster
Abbey. There were eleven earls among the mourners, and Pepys, as the
first among "the six Bannerolles," walked in the procession.

About this time Pepys was called from his old post of Clerk of the Acts to
the higher office of Secretary of the Admiralty. His first appointment
was a piece of favouritism, but it was due to his merits alone that he
obtained the secretaryship. In the summer of 1673, the Duke of York
having resigned all his appointments on the passing of the Test Act, the
King put the Admiralty into commission, and Pepys was appointed Secretary
for the Affairs of the Navy.