Annotations and comments

Terry Foreman has posted 16,447 annotations/comments since 28 June 2005.

Comments

First Reading

About Saturday 7 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

"all the afternoon with [Deane of Woolwich] about instructions which he gives me to understand the building of a ship, and I think I shall soon understand it."

"17th century shipbuilders did not produce construction drawings or calculations of stability. The art of shipbuilding was more like a well-kept secret." http://www.battleshipnc.com/6mhc/…

That from a web-page devoted to the wreck of the 17th century ship Vasa, which sank in the middle of Stockholm harbor on her maiden voyage in 1628: And: "The Anse aux Bouleaux shipwreck [1690] has several characteristics of tremendous historical and archaeological importance. In addition to being the oldest wreck in Québec, it is a source of extremely valuable data on 17th-century shipbuilding in America." http://www.mcc.gouv.qc.ca/phips/w…

I bet Pepys is the only Navy Office officer who has had such conversations.

About Robert Robartes

Terry F  •  Link

Robert Robartes, 'Viscount Bodmin' (b 1633, dvp bur 12.02.1681/2).

Son of Sir John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor, 2nd Baron Robartes, Lord Privy Seal. http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
Info on his father's page about Robert:
From Gwyn Howells: "Robert was page-boy at the Protector's Inauguration in 1657."
From Pauline, citing L&M: "Robert, styled Viscount Bodmin from 1679, whose marriage to Sara Bodville drew Pepy's attention, died before his father in 1682. He had been appointed ambassador to Denmark in 1681."

m. (before 1658) Sarah Bodvile (bur 20.09.1720, dau of John Bodvile of Bodvile Castle) http://www.stirnet.com/HTML/genie…

MP for Bossiney, 1661-1673. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss…

About Thursday 5 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

John Evelyn's Diary this day:

I went with some company a journey of Pleasur on the Water, in barge, with Musick & at Mortlack had a greate banquet, returning late: The occasion was Sir Robert Carr now Courting Mrs. Bennet, sister to the secretary of state &c:

ftp://ftp.cac.psu.edu/pub/humanit…

About Thursday 5 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

In the House of Commons

Dividing Parishes.

Ordered, That Leave be given for the bringing in a General Bill for dividing Parishes, and erecting new Churches or Chapels, where the Parish Churches are not of Capacity to receive the Inhabitants: But that Care be taken that Encouragement be not thereby given for further new Buildings.

From: 'House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 6 April 1664', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 8: 1660-1667 (1802), pp. 544-45. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/… Date accessed: 06 May 2007.

Extending the reach of observance/conformity -- "erect" without "building"?

About Thursday 5 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

JWB, a profound insight that explains SP's constant invocation of the interest of the King, whom I -- and perhapse not I alone, since the phrases have been much discussed -- have all too oft forgot stood in God;s stead -- as "The Last King"* of England with such unmitigated power. Thanks for that!!

*"The Last King" is the US title of the film that in the UK was titled "Charles II: The Power & the Passion" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt03648…

About Wednesday 4 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

"the 20 shillings"

Fortunately, L&M have an idea: this allowance for John while at Cambtidge is evidently provided by the Honywoods' rent of rooms at the Pepys's Salisbury Court house.

About Monday 2 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

Wedge for Tolerance: Jews and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy

State of Trade.

Mr. Clifford reports from the Committee for the Advance and improvement of Trade, That they had met several times; and taken much Pains in considering of Expedients for the Advance of Trade; and had agreed upon a Vote to be reported to the House; and did open the several Reasons which did induce the Committee to pass the Vote: And then read the Vote in his Place; and after, delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table: And the Vote, being read, was as followeth; viz.

Resolved, &c. That it be reported to the House, as the Opinion of the Committee, That, for the Increase of Trade, the House would admit of a Bill for the Naturalization of all Foreigners that shall take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; except Jews.

The House having entered upon the Debate of this Vote; and finding the same of Weight;
Resolved, That the further Debate of the Vote of the Committee for Advance of Trade be adjourned till Wednesday next, at Ten of the Clock

From: 'House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 2 May 1664', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 8: 1660-1667 (1802), pp. 554-55. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…. Date accessed: 28 May 2006.

About Wednesday 4 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

"my new Taylor, Langford, comes and takes measure of me for a new black cloth suit and cloake, and I think he will prove a very carefull fellow and will please me well."

If you know how suits are made (and Pepys does,) and have been measured for one by a careful tailor (as he has, more than once), then you'll know how to attend to the doing of it by someone new. (I've been there, and it's a delightful experience, though I'm not a tailor's son, but a suitmaking-seamstress's grandson.) A very nice sentence, and a pleasure to read: takes me back.

About Tuesday 3 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

"the cause of Mr. Roberts, my Lord Privy Seal's son, against Win"

Pepys's account many hours later is better than 'House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 3 May 1664', Journal of the House of Lords: volume 11: 1660-1666, pp. 605-06. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/… Date accessed: 03 May 2007.

About Tuesday 3 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

Today's "businesses 'pon the 'Change" told in some detail.

Mr. Hempson has been collecting evidence against Sir W. Batten. Pepys may get back to Hempson in the course of the review of the books of the Chatham Chest?

About Tuesday 3 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

"they being gone to the Parke and the Mulberry garden"

"Although the records of the Mulberry Garden are somewhat scanty, it had certainly a great vogue during the reigns of both Charleses and the Commonwealth, &c or half the dramatists of the Restoration make their characters move in its walks and arbours, and eat its tarts and cakes, and it was of sufficient importance as a place of public resort to give a title to one of Sedley's comedies. There is historical record of the place also. It was quite like Charles the Second to violate his own proclamation against the drinking of toasts during a debauch at the Mulberry Garden.

"Mr. Pepys too was there...."

http://www.gardenhistoryinfo.com/…

"A tea garden occupied the very site of the present underground railway station at King's Cross;" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King's_Cross_railway_station

Mr. Pepys himself will go and take us to the Mulberry garden in 1668.

About Monday 2 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

"met Mr. Rawlinson and by coach to the 'Change, where I did some business,"

So Pepys rns into the proprietor of his fave Mitre tavern, takes coach to the 'Change and does...what?!

We are told of this kind of thing very often. Does anyone else I wonder what, indeed, he did do?!

About Monday 2 May 1664

Terry F  •  Link

Paul, L&M think so too. The Index entry for "Mademoiselle" ID's the French governess to Sandwich's daughters, Mlle. LeBlanc.

About Wednesday 27 April 1664

Terry F  •  Link

Duties and responsibilities

"The Navy Board was in charge of the building and maintenance of ships and dockyards, the ordering of stores such as food, guns and ammunition as well as paying the sailors and dockyard workers. At this period the Navy was the biggest spending department of government, even in peacetime. Pepys's job as clerk to the Navy Board was to attend its meetings, record decisions and prepare letters for signing and despatch." http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/…

So the (British) National Maritime Museum. Pepys is involved in these all, no? He is not comptroller (Mennes), who cared for the flow of funds; surveyor (Batten), who oversees the runnibg of the yards; or commissioner (e.g., Penn), who has general oversight; but he (Pepys) does seem to be redefining larger the job of Clerk of the Acts.

About Maps of Britain

Terry F  •  Link

Per Paul Miller: maps of John Speed 1552?-1629
English historian and cartographer. He abandoned his trade as a tailor to engage in mapmaking. Many of his maps of parts of England and Wales were published in The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain (1611). His major work, The History of Great Britain, and his Genealogies Recorded in Sacred Scripture were published c.1611. A link that works.
http://faculty.oxy.edu/horowitz/h…