William Brereton, 3rd Baron Brereton

In that capacity he clashed repeatedly with Samuel Pepys, whose description of Brereton in his Second Diary, or Brooke House Journal, although no doubt biased, is the best portrait we have of the man.

He studied mathematics and Greek at the Orange College of Breda,[3] where he was tutored by John Pell.

He faced a formidable opponent in Samuel Pepys, who defended the record of the Navy Office with great eloquence.

[12] Brereton was hampered by the fact that King Charles II and his brother James, Duke of York, were present for most of the hearings and made their support for Pepys evident.

[13] When the committee was dissolved, having produced no lasting results, Brereton effectively retired from public life.