Sasha Clarkson

Annotations and comments

Sasha Clarkson has posted 752 annotations/comments since 16 February 2013.

Comments

Second Reading

About Friday 18 April 1662

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Unlike many, including some teachers of my own childhood, Sam doesn't enjoy cruelty. If he were to beat Elizabeth, it would certainly trouble him enough to mention it in his diary, because what troubles him he DOES record.

There is no more point in hoping for Sam to be a 21st century man than there is expecting Lord of the Rings to be a work of socialist realism. The diary is important precisely because it IS a (remarkably frank) record of attitudes and behaviour in a very different era.

About Wednesday 16 April 1662

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The above comments by Cumgranissalis are misleading. Hayter is an experienced official employee of the Navy Board, though subordinate to Pepys. Will Hewer is employed by Pepys in a personal capacity, with a status very similar to an apprentice, probably not unlike a modern intern in some ways. At this early stage of his career (he is barely 20) Will is likely to be involved in many things without being specifically mentioned.

About Saturday 12 April 1662

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

It should be remembered that although the Sir Williams are senior in terms of age and naval experience, they are not Pepys' bosses. They all report directly to Sir John Mennes as Comptroller of the Navy, and informally to Sir George Carteret, who as Treasurer of the Navy controlled the purse strings and was close to the King and Duke.

About Saturday 12 April 1662

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Batten "What are you fussing your head over now young Pepys? You're spending far more time in the office than your predecessors did!"

Pepys: "I'm looking over the vitualler's account Sir William. I'm sure the rogue is cheating us!"

Batten: "Take it from me Pepys, in my experience no one above us is interested in these things: the Duke won't thank you."

Pepys (sanctimoniously) : "But it's our duty to save his Majesty's money Sir William!"

Batten: "His Majesty won't care about a few hundred pounds on the Navy, when he's lavishing thousands on that Palmer whore - and Sir Denis is an old friend of mine!"

Pepys: "Sir - you are unreasonable!"

Batten: "And you're an interfering upstart dammit!" (He flounces out, slamming the door.)

Pepys sighs and puts the papers away - for now.

About Friday 11 April 1662

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Re Glyn's guess about the morning tide: according to my sources, it's about 2½ days since the new moon, which would mean that high tide in Deptford would be about 4-5 am. It would also be a spring (high) tide, so by 7am the ebbing tide would be perfect for giving the ships a good boost out of the Thames estuary.

High and low tides in any location can be timed by the phase of the moon. In Pembrokeshire, where I live, high tide is 6 o'clock ish at the new and full moons, at 12 ish at the half moons. The tidal range at new/full moons is 2-3 times that of half moons. The differences are less dramatic on the Thames.

Tide graphs for any registered port in the world can be found at the link below:

http://www.ukho.gov.uk/Easytide/e…

About Philip Carteret

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Montagues and Carterets - a happier ending with an arranged marriage than with the love-match in Romeo and Juliet!

About Sunday 6 April 1662

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The Commonwealth and Protectorate are gone. The Carterets and Montagues may have been on opposite sides during the Civil wars, but now it a time of political realignment. The new struggles are within the new regime.

All sought riches, recognition and personal advancement, but Sandwich and Sir George are among the more honourable types who were also interested in good governance and the common good. The families are eventually united by the marriage of daughter and son. I wonder how much this social relationship was facilitated by Sam reporting good of his patron to his superior and vice-versa?

About Tuesday 25 March 1662

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Sir George Lane was a Clerk in Ordinary to the Privy Council, so "an order of the Councells" would have been either an "Order in Council" (signed by the King), or an "Order of Council" (signed on its behalf by another member.)

Although now largely ceremonial, the Privy Council was (and is) the senior official branch of the government of the UK¹. Officially, the Cabinet is merely one of its committees. PC members are normally appointed for life and have the appendage "right honourable"²

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priv…

¹also of several ex-colonies.
²“The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.” (Emerson)

About Monday 24 March 1661/62

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Perruque is the French word for wig; it spread from French into several other European languages, including English periwig, German Perücke, and Dutch pruik. It even spread to Russian as "parik" (парик). The word "wig" is a typically English contraction of periwig, just as "winkle" is for "periwinkle".

When Hamlet warns his hired players against overacting he says "Oh, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters ..." (Pate is head.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spea…

About Tuesday 18 March 1661/62

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

"Luellin": English speakers always found the "khl" sound of the Welsh double "L" difficult. Shakespeare called his Henry V character "Fluellen". Even today, one old native of South Pembrokeshire of my acquaintance determinedly calls Llanelli "Lanelthy" - and he actually played rugby for their team in his youth!

About Sir George Downing

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

When Downing employed Pepys as a clerk in the Exchequer, it was as a favour to Pepys' patron Montagu, later Lord Sandwich. It may have also have pleased Pepys' father's cousin Sir Richard (d 1659), who had been Baron of the Exchequer, and was Chief Justice in Ireland where Downing had many interests.

Many people changed sides during the Civil Wars and aftermath, for a variety of reasons, and were usually not regarded as contemptible turncoats. But Col John Oakey, one of those Downing had apprehended, had been Downing's patron and sponsor. Indeed, Downing had been chaplain to Oakey's regiment. Downing's extraordinarily zealous delivery of Oakey to suffer the "vile death of traitors" might well have been seen generally as a betrayal too far even in those callous times.

About Monday 17 March 1661/62

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Sam never liked Sir George Downing. Downing employed Pepys as a clerk in the Exchequer, as a favour to Pepys' patron Montagu, later Lord Sandwich, though Pepys' father's cousin Sir Richard (d 1659) had been Baron of the Exchequer too, and was Chief Justice in Ireland where Downing had many interests.

Many people changed sides during the Civil Wars and aftermath, for a variety of reasons, and were usually not regarded as contemptible turncoats. But Col John Oakey, one of those Downing had apprehended, had been Downing's patron and sponsor. Indeed, Downing had been chaplain to Oakey's regiment. Downing's extraordinarily zealous delivery of Oakey to suffer the "vile death of traitors" might well have been seen generally as a betrayal too far, even in those callous times.

About Saturday 15 March 1661/62

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Re Australian Susan's frustration at the lack of info on the meeting with James: Kuffel is never mentioned again in the diary, so one can assume that there was no further official interest in his proposals.

About Cornelis van Drebbel

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn…

There is also a short article on Drebbel in Britannica, including that

"In 1620 he completed his "diving boat." Propelled by oars and sealed against the
water by a covering of greased leather, the wooden vessel travelled the River Thames at a depth of 12 to 15 feet (about 4 metres) from Westminster to Greenwich. Air was supplied by two
tubes with floats to maintain one end above water."

About Johannes Siberius Kuffler

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Kuffler and the "Emperor's New Weapon": there's an entry for him in Wikipedia as "Johannes Sibertus Kuffler"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joha…

There's a longer article on Kuffler's father-in-law Cornelis Drebbel, who built a "submarine" (not a contemporary term) for James I, and actually took him on a trip in it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn…

Although Kuffler gets no mention, there is also a short article on Drebbel in Britannica, including that

"In 1620 he completed his "diving boat." Propelled by oars and sealed against the
water by a covering of greased leather, the wooden vessel travelled the River Thames at a depth of 12 to 15 feet (about 4 metres) from Westminster to Greenwich. Air was supplied by two
tubes with floats to maintain one end above water."

About Friday 14 March 1661/62

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Kuffler and the "Emperor's New Weapon": there's an entry for him in Wikipedia as "Johannes Sibertus Kuffler"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joha…

There's a longer article on Kuffler's father-in-law Cornelis Drebbel, who built a "submarine" (not a contemporary term) for James I, and actually took him on a trip in it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn…

Although Kuffler gets no mention, there is also a short article on Drebbel in Britannica, including that

"In 1620 he completed his "diving boat." Propelled by oars and sealed against the
water by a covering of greased leather, the wooden vessel travelled the River Thames at a depth of 12 to 15 feet (about 4 metres) from Westminster to Greenwich. Air was supplied by two
tubes with floats to maintain one end above water."

About Tuesday 11 March 1661/62

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

I notice that Vincent annotated the entry on Theophila Turner to mention that her mother Jane had married her husband John in Kirkleatham, in the North Riding of Yorkshire.

This means that Pepys' Turners are related to Mr Turner the draper mentioned on 11th January, who was in fact Alderman Sir William Turner, later Lord Mayor of London. I would guess that John is Sir William's brother as their father bought the Kirkleatham estate. Sir William was a great philanthropist, both in London and Yorkshire. He died without issue, but his collateral heirs built upon his wealth. Sir Charles Turner, possibly Jane's descendent, gained a baronetcy in 1782. The Turners, like the Pepyses, were a yeoman family on the rise. This is another example of why Lord Braybrooke's snidery, quoted on 2nd March, was so misplaced.

http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk…

About Jane Turner (b. Pepys, Pepys' cousin)

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The Kirkleatham connection means that means that Pepys' Turners are related to Mr Turner the draper (mentioned on 11th January1662 and in other places), who was in fact Alderman Sir William Turner, later Lord Mayor of London. I would guess that John is Sir William's brother as their father bought the Kirkleatham estate. Sir William was a great philanthropist, both in London and Yorkshire. He died without issue, but his collateral heirs built upon his wealth. Sir Charles Turner, possibly Jane's descendent, gained a baronetcy in 1782. The Turners, like the Pepyses, were a yeoman family on the rise.

http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_…