"Ashwell ... hasn’t tried to make Sam listen to her side" Actually, she did. From the entry for Thursday, 13 August: ... before going to bed Ashwell began to make her complaint, and by her I do perceive that she has received most base usage from my wife, which my wife sillily denies, but it is impossible the wench could invent words and matter so particularly, against which my wife has nothing to say but flatly to deny, which I am sorry to see, and blows to have past, and high words even at Hinchinbrooke House among my Lady’s people, of which I am mightily ashamed. I said nothing to either of them, but let them talk till she was gone and left us abed, and then I told my wife my mind with great sobriety of grief, and so to sleep.
"spent the afternoon in reading and ordering with a great deal of alteration, and yet methinks never a whit the better" My sympathies, Sam, I've been in many meetings like that.
"he’s able to take the ladies ... and show them around while Povey’s not there" Good point, Todd. He's been there before, and my guess is that the servants know him and admit him and his guests, and probably show them around as well. I doubt that a random citizen could show up and gain equal access.
Patricia, welcome. It's been fun watching you steadily approaching from the rear, at an amazing pace. I can imagine how much of your time it's taken to cover 3 1/2 years of diary in as many months, or less. Puff, puff indeed.
Cheating the King In describing this situation in the U.S. today we would say "cheating the government (or Uncle Sam)." Which leads me to wonder, what is the present-day usage in the U.K.? Is there still a reference to the monarch? What about elsewhere in the Commonwealth?
Apparently so. The OED equates the two words in its first two definitions: †1. = cabbala 1: The Jewish tradition as to the interpretation of the Old Testament. Obs. 1616 Bullokar, Cabal, the tradition of the Jewes doctrine of religion. 1660 Howell Lex. Tetragl., Words do involve the deepest Mysteries, By them the Jew into his Caball pries. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 530 For Mystick Learning, wondrous able In Magick, Talisman, and Cabal.
†2. = cabbala 2: a. Any tradition or special private interpretation. b. A secret. Obs. a1637 B. Jonson (O.) The measuring of the temple, a cabal found out but lately. 1635 D. Person Varieties i. Introd. 3 An insight in the Cabals and secrets of Nature. 1660–3 J. Spencer Prodigies (1665) 344 If the truth+had been still reserved as a Cabbal amongst men. 1663 J. Heath Flagellum or O. Cromwell 192 How the whole mystery and cabal of this business was managed by the+Committee. a1763 Shenstone Ess. 220 To suppose that He will regulate His government according to the cabals of human wisdom.
Here's what the OED has to say about the use of the term in Sam's time:
6. Applied in the reign of Charles II to the small committee or junto of the Privy Council, otherwise called the ‘Committee for Foreign Affairs’, which had the chief management of the course of government, and was the precursor of the modern cabinet. 1665 Pepys Diary 14 Oct., It being read before the King, Duke, and the Caball, with complete applause. 1667 Ibid. 31 Mar., Walked to my Lord Treasurer's, where the King, Duke of York, and the Cabal, and much company withal. 1667 Ibid. (1877) V. 128 The Cabal at present, being as he says the King, and the Duke of Buckingham, and Lord Keeper, the Duke of Albemarle and privy seale.
b. in Hist. applied spec. to the five ministers of Charles II, who signed the Treaty of Alliance with France for war against Holland in 1672: these were Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley (Earl of Shaftesbury), and Lauderdale, the initials of whose names thus arranged chanced to spell the word cabal. This was merely a witticism referring to sense 6; in point of fact these five men did not constitute the whole ‘Cabal’, or Committee for Foreign Affairs; nor were they so closely united in policy as to constitute a ‘cabal’ in sense 5, where quot. 1670 shows that three of them belonged to one ‘cabal’ or clique, and two to another. The name seems to have been first given to the five ministers in the pamphlet of 1673 ‘England's Appeal from the private Cabal at White-hall to the Great Council of the nation+by a true lover of his country.’ Modern historians often write loosely of the Buckingham-Arlington administration from the fall of Clarendon in 1667 to 1673 as the Cabal Cabinet or Cabal Ministry.
What Sir William Warren learned Re Australian Susan's question and suggested answer, methinks that perhaps what Sir W.W. learned was that Pepys knew more about the timber business than Sir W expected.
Did I miss something? Robert Gertz returns repeatedly to the idea that Lord Sandwich has a sexual interest in Elizabeth. Has there been anything in the diary, or any of the ancillary material, to support this notion, which seems to me extremely far-fetched?
Origin of 'cabal' I'm afraid I have to pull a LH here and disagree with Australian Susan. OED: [a. F. cabale (16th c. in Littré), used in all the English senses, ad. med.L. cab(b)ala (It., Sp., Pg. cabala), cabbala, q.v. In 17th c. at first pronounced "cabal (whence the abridged cab n.5); the current pronunciation was evidently reintroduced from Fr., perh. with sense 5 or 6.]
[...]
3. A secret or private intrigue of a sinister character formed by a small body of persons; ‘something less than conspiracy’ (J.). 1646–7 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (1702) I. v. 439 The King+asked him, whether he were engaged in any Cabal concerning the army? 1663 J. Heath Flagellum or O. Cromwell, He was no sooner rid of the danger of this but he was puzzled with Lambert's cabal. 1707 Freind Peterboro's Cond. Sp. 171 The contrivances and cabals of others have too often prevail'd. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. II. 30 There were cabals breaking out in the company. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. VI. xlvi. 299 The cabal against Washington found supporters exclusively in the north.
Note that the first citation in this sense is from 1646-7, almost two decades before the events now under discussion.
Castlemaine and the accusations against Clarendon (correction) Sorry, got my sequence wrong, should have said "Charles will soon declare to Parliament"
Castlemaine and the accusations against Clarendon If Pedro is right, that might explain why "the King is grown colder to my Lady Castlemaine than ordinary," since Charles has declared to Parliament that from his own knowledge a number of the accusations are false.
The French Perspective Jeannine's interesting account of the views of Ambassador Cominges reminds me of a scene in the film "The Libertine", no doubt utterly fictitious. Sitting beside the king at one of Rochester's savagely satirical (and scatological) plays, the French ambassador leans over to Charles and says, "This is most interesting. In France he would be executed." Incidentally, "The Libertine" is now available on DVD.
"Commissioner Pett (doubtful of the growing greatness of Portsmouth by the finding of those creeks there)" Can anyone explain this? Why would the creeks diminish the importance of Portsmouth? Or is this another case of "doubt" meaning 'suspect'? OED does not include such a meaning in its entry for "doubtful".
Robert Spencer was an ancestor of Princess Di (born Diana Spencer) ... as was Henry Fitzroy, illegitimate son of Charles II and Barbara Villiers Palmer, Lady Castlemaine. See http://worldroots.com/brigitte/di…
Comments
First Reading
About Monday 17 August 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Too bad about Hannah.
I was hoping she would work out. A maid is a maid, but a great cook is hard to find.
About Friday 14 August 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
"Ashwell ... hasn’t tried to make Sam listen to her side"
Actually, she did. From the entry for Thursday, 13 August:
... before going to bed Ashwell began to make her complaint, and by her I do perceive that she has received most base usage from my wife, which my wife sillily denies, but it is impossible the wench could invent words and matter so particularly, against which my wife has nothing to say but flatly to deny, which I am sorry to see, and blows to have past, and high words even at Hinchinbrooke House among my Lady’s people, of which I am mightily ashamed. I said nothing to either of them, but let them talk till she was gone and left us abed, and then I told my wife my mind with great sobriety of grief, and so to sleep.
About Annotations should be working now
Paul Chapin • Link
As do I.
About Wednesday 12 August 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
"spent the afternoon in reading and ordering with a great deal of alteration, and yet methinks never a whit the better"
My sympathies, Sam, I've been in many meetings like that.
About Tuesday 11 August 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
"he’s able to take the ladies ... and show them around while Povey’s not there"
Good point, Todd. He's been there before, and my guess is that the servants know him and admit him and his guests, and probably show them around as well. I doubt that a random citizen could show up and gain equal access.
About Tuesday 28 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Sam's House of Office
Today we can say that it was full of Pepys' E. coli. [sorry]
About Sunday 26 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Patricia, welcome.
It's been fun watching you steadily approaching from the rear, at an amazing pace. I can imagine how much of your time it's taken to cover 3 1/2 years of diary in as many months, or less. Puff, puff indeed.
About Thursday 23 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Cheating the King
In describing this situation in the U.S. today we would say "cheating the government (or Uncle Sam)." Which leads me to wonder, what is the present-day usage in the U.K.? Is there still a reference to the monarch? What about elsewhere in the Commonwealth?
About Friday 17 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
"And that’s why the Carolinas are named for Charley-boy"
Actually, for his dad (assuming you're referring to "our" Charley-boy):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caro…
As was the Charles River, between Boston and Cambridge:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char…
About Friday 10 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Any link with the Jewish Kabbala?
Apparently so. The OED equates the two words in its first two definitions:
†1. = cabbala 1: The Jewish tradition as to the interpretation of the Old Testament. Obs.
1616 Bullokar, Cabal, the tradition of the Jewes doctrine of religion. 1660 Howell Lex. Tetragl., Words do involve the deepest Mysteries, By them the Jew into his Caball pries. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 530 For Mystick Learning, wondrous able In Magick, Talisman, and Cabal.
†2. = cabbala 2: a. Any tradition or special private interpretation. b. A secret. Obs.
a1637 B. Jonson (O.) The measuring of the temple, a cabal found out but lately. 1635 D. Person Varieties i. Introd. 3 An insight in the Cabals and secrets of Nature. 1660–3 J. Spencer Prodigies (1665) 344 If the truth+had been still reserved as a Cabbal amongst men. 1663 J. Heath Flagellum or O. Cromwell 192 How the whole mystery and cabal of this business was managed by the+Committee. a1763 Shenstone Ess. 220 To suppose that He will regulate His government according to the cabals of human wisdom.
Here's what the OED has to say about the use of the term in Sam's time:
6. Applied in the reign of Charles II to the small committee or junto of the Privy Council, otherwise called the ‘Committee for Foreign Affairs’, which had the chief management of the course of government, and was the precursor of the modern cabinet.
1665 Pepys Diary 14 Oct., It being read before the King, Duke, and the Caball, with complete applause. 1667 Ibid. 31 Mar., Walked to my Lord Treasurer's, where the King, Duke of York, and the Cabal, and much company withal. 1667 Ibid. (1877) V. 128 The Cabal at present, being as he says the King, and the Duke of Buckingham, and Lord Keeper, the Duke of Albemarle and privy seale.
b. in Hist. applied spec. to the five ministers of Charles II, who signed the Treaty of Alliance with France for war against Holland in 1672: these were Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley (Earl of Shaftesbury), and Lauderdale, the initials of whose names thus arranged chanced to spell the word cabal.
This was merely a witticism referring to sense 6; in point of fact these five men did not constitute the whole ‘Cabal’, or Committee for Foreign Affairs; nor were they so closely united in policy as to constitute a ‘cabal’ in sense 5, where quot. 1670 shows that three of them belonged to one ‘cabal’ or clique, and two to another. The name seems to have been first given to the five ministers in the pamphlet of 1673 ‘England's Appeal from the private Cabal at White-hall to the Great Council of the nation+by a true lover of his country.’ Modern historians often write loosely of the Buckingham-Arlington administration from the fall of Clarendon in 1667 to 1673 as the Cabal Cabinet or Cabal Ministry.
About Friday 17 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
What Sir William Warren learned
Re Australian Susan's question and suggested answer, methinks that perhaps what Sir W.W. learned was that Pepys knew more about the timber business than Sir W expected.
About Friday 17 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Did I miss something?
Robert Gertz returns repeatedly to the idea that Lord Sandwich has a sexual interest in Elizabeth. Has there been anything in the diary, or any of the ancillary material, to support this notion, which seems to me extremely far-fetched?
About Friday 10 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Origin of 'cabal'
I'm afraid I have to pull a LH here and disagree with Australian Susan.
OED:
[a. F. cabale (16th c. in Littré), used in all the English senses, ad. med.L. cab(b)ala (It., Sp., Pg. cabala), cabbala, q.v. In 17th c. at first pronounced "cabal (whence the abridged cab n.5); the current pronunciation was evidently reintroduced from Fr., perh. with sense 5 or 6.]
[...]
3. A secret or private intrigue of a sinister character formed by a small body of persons; ‘something less than conspiracy’ (J.).
1646–7 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (1702) I. v. 439 The King+asked him, whether he were engaged in any Cabal concerning the army? 1663 J. Heath Flagellum or O. Cromwell, He was no sooner rid of the danger of this but he was puzzled with Lambert's cabal. 1707 Freind Peterboro's Cond. Sp. 171 The contrivances and cabals of others have too often prevail'd. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. II. 30 There were cabals breaking out in the company. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. VI. xlvi. 299 The cabal against Washington found supporters exclusively in the north.
Note that the first citation in this sense is from 1646-7, almost two decades before the events now under discussion.
About Friday 10 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Castlemaine and the accusations against Clarendon (correction)
Sorry, got my sequence wrong, should have said "Charles will soon declare to Parliament"
About Friday 10 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Castlemaine and the accusations against Clarendon
If Pedro is right, that might explain why "the King is grown colder to my Lady Castlemaine than ordinary," since Charles has declared to Parliament that from his own knowledge a number of the accusations are false.
About Monday 13 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
The French Perspective
Jeannine's interesting account of the views of Ambassador Cominges reminds me of a scene in the film "The Libertine", no doubt utterly fictitious. Sitting beside the king at one of Rochester's savagely satirical (and scatological) plays, the French ambassador leans over to Charles and says, "This is most interesting. In France he would be executed."
Incidentally, "The Libertine" is now available on DVD.
About Saturday 11 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
"Commissioner Pett (doubtful of the growing greatness of Portsmouth by the finding of those creeks there)"
Can anyone explain this? Why would the creeks diminish the importance of Portsmouth? Or is this another case of "doubt" meaning 'suspect'? OED does not include such a meaning in its entry for "doubtful".
About Friday 10 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Why does Pepys judge the “impeachment” of Clarendon “good news”?
He doesn't. He calls it "great news", meaning big news, which it surely is.
About Tuesday 7 July 1663
Paul Chapin • Link
Thank you, Terry,
for clarifying that confusing passage about Mr. Turner's house.
About Robert Spencer (2nd Earl of Sunderland)
Paul Chapin • Link
Robert Spencer was an ancestor of Princess Di (born Diana Spencer)
... as was Henry Fitzroy, illegitimate son of Charles II and Barbara Villiers Palmer, Lady Castlemaine.
See http://worldroots.com/brigitte/di…