Mountbanke, please may I share the BBC show with the Pepys email group since it's timely? Or perhaps you'd like to do it? Sign up at https://pepysdiary.groups.io/g/di…
In Shakespeare’s in Henry IV, Part 2, Falstaff has the line: “his wit’s as thick as Tewkesbury Mustard” (Act 2, Scene 4). Falstaff is describing his friend Ned Poins, but it presents the question, what was Tewkesbury Mustard?
Turns out this type of mustard was developed in Tewkesbury, Gloucs., and it was not only popular in Shakespeare’s lifetime, but during the 17th century it was considered a staple condiment. And mustard is still being made the way it was made in Shakespeare’s lifetime at the Tewkesbury Mustard Company.
There are no written recipes on how to make Tewksbury Mustard prior to 1830, but we can tell from records like Shakespeare’s plays that mustard was used, and popular.
However, exactly how it was made in 16-17th century Tewksbury remains a bit of a mystery. There is one record which includes using an old canon ball to mash the mustard into a powder. (Tewksbury was the site of the last battle in the War of the Roses, and was therefore littered with canon balls.)
Tewksbury Mustard comes in balls, not jars. The mustard is ground up, dried, and formed into a tight ball that is “as hard as a canon ball.” Mustard balls allowed for efficient travel, allowed it to be carried along rough roads and in paniers, which were basically traveling backpacks for merchants delivering goods.
Tewksbury mustard is used to add flavor to breads, meats, or other edibles. To reconstitute the mustard, you break off a piece onto your plate using a knife. Then you mixed whatever liquid you have – water, ale, wine, etc. — and reconstitute the dried mustard into a paste which is then smeared over whatever you wanted to eat.
Presumably Shakespeare and 17th century travellers would have a ball in their pouch. Or maybe mustard balls were widely available in kitchens and diningrooms? We just don’t know.
There is some archival evidence of orders for mustard, like the 50 lbs. ordered by Arnie Hall, which suggest that mustard was second only to salt as an essential table item.
There are several references that indicate Tewksbury mustard was famous in 1597, when Shakespeare was writing about it, and it can be dated back to Henry VIII for popularity.
There is an anecdotal tale of Henry VIII visiting Tewksbury in 1535, with his new wife Anne Boleyn, and they were feasted at Tewksbury Abbey, where there were mustard balls wrapped in gold leaf served on the table. https://www.cassidycash.com/tewks…
This is the second night in a row he has been out drinking until 11 p.m., and then has to go home -- arrives around midnight? It does appear he is in no hurry to go home, and is blaming Elizabeth for that.
Presumably they are sharing a bed, which is less than great when the other person isn't well.
In 1612 Sir Henry, Lord Rich married Isabel Cope (d. 1655), daughter and heir of Sir Walter Cope, whose death 2 years later left him possessed of a substantial estate in Kensington and Cope Castle, a new mansion designed by John Thorpe, which Rich later enlarged and renamed Holland House. They had numerous children, including Frances (1617–1672), Robert (1619–1675), * Henry (1620–1669), Isabella (1623–1670), Susannah (1628–1649), Diana (d. 1659), Charles (d. 1645), Cope (1635–1676) and Mary (1636–1666). Several of the family tombs are at St. Mary Abbots Church, Kensington. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen…
"In 1612 he married the daughter and heiress of the master of the Wards, Sir Walter Cope, when property in Smithfield was settled on him, producing an income of £334 p.a. even before he developed the site. "By early 1613 Rich was regularly taking part in tilts and masques at Court. Clarendon described him as ‘a very handsome man, of a lovely and winning presence and a gentle conversation’ and Arthur Wilson stated that his looks ‘equalled the most beautiful of women’. His handsome features attracted the attentions of King James I, and although Rich is said to have turned aside and spat ‘after the king had slobbered his mouth’, this incident, which may have been apocryphal, does not seem to have marred his progress at Court. ... His son Robert succeeded as 5th earl of Warwick in 1675, but none of his descendants sat in the Commons."
His Parliamentary bio doesn't mention his marrying anyone else, or when Countess Isabel Cope Rich died. https://www.historyofparliamenton…
* Robert Rich became the 2nd Earl of Holland in 1649, and with the death of his cousin, Charles Rich in 1673 he became the 5th Earl of Warwick as well. His wife was Lady Anne Montagu (they were married before April 1668), who was buried July 9, 1689 in Kensington. https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
So who is the widow living at Holland House mentioned by Mr. Wheatley?
It might have been occupied by Robert and Anne Montagu Rich, Earl and Countess of Holland? But we don't know they were married yet. And why would they be renting out part of their house? On the other hand, perhaps one of the foreign ambassadors was staying with them -- or at his house if they were not married -- as it would have been an enormous establishment. There were in-coming and out-going ambassadors of several countries needing such accommodations, and such quarters would be prime real estate. I can see young Sam Hartlib having business with such people.
Wheatley: "Holland House, the fine old mansion still standing at Kensington, was greatly added to and improved by Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, who was beheaded, March 9, 1649. His house was afterwards successively occupied by Generals Fairfax and Lambert, but subsequently it was restored to the earl's widow. In 1660 she seems to have let a portion of the house."
In 1665 Ambassador Sir Richard and Lady Anne Harrison Fanshawe came back from Spain -- and with it came England's first recorded recipe for ICE CREAM!!!
It was flavored with orange flower water, and the successful version has an option of ambergris. It is almost identical to the earliest printed European ice cream recipe, published by Audiger in "La Maison Reglée" (Paris: 1692).
Lady Anne's is nearly 30 years older than his. Audiger's ice cream is also flavored with orange flower water. Don't let anyone tell you that England was a culinary backwater at this time! http://foodhistorjottings.blogspo…
An article about 17th century food in general, and Pepys reports of his likes and dislikes in particular, contains these details about venison pies:
"Sam does not seem to have had a great deal of luck with the venison at Sir William [PENN]'s table. He experienced another rotten pasty on 28 August 1668, 'Betimes at my business again, and so to the office, and dined with Brouncker and J. Minnes, at Sir W. Pen’s at a bad pasty of venison,'
"At yet another entertainment at the Penn household (Sunday 16 September 1666), he was displeased with the venison again, though this time it was baked in pans rather than in a pasty. 'At noon, with my wife, against her will, all undressed and dirty, dined at Sir W. Pen’s, where was all the company of our families in towne; but, Lord! so sorry a dinner: venison baked in pans, that the dinner I have had for his lady alone hath been worth four of it.' "He was more than likely complaining because it was dry. Baking venison, a meat with very little fat does not make sense. Indeed, according to his numerous records of the meat, the diarist only ever had it cooked this way on this one occasion. It was normally served to him in the form of a pasty, or more infrequently boiled.
"So why were some of Sam's pasties tainted? In one entry for 10th July 1666, he indicates that a pasty made in his kitchen was sent to the bakers: "At noon home to dinner and then to the office; the yarde being very full of women (I believe above three hundred) coming to get money for their husbands and friends that are prisoners in Holland; and they lay clamouring and swearing and cursing us, that my wife and I were afeard to send a venison-pasty that we have for supper to-night to the cook's to be baked, for fear of their offering violence to it: but it went, and no hurt done." "So it looks like Mrs Pepys [NOOOO, NOT ELIZABETH -- MAKE IT THE COOK!] occasionally tried her hand at making them herself. "But a venison pasty was more often made by a cook on the estate where the deer had been hunted. A whole boned side was encased in a pastry crust (usually rye paste) so these pasties were very large. When cool they were stored in a larder, where under cold conditions they could keep for months. The thick pastry casing prevented bacteria from entering and causing decay, at least for a while. It was a process equivalent to canning. "However, this technique of preservation sometimes failed, as Sam found out to his disgust at Penn's dinners. "Pasties were often sent from the country seats where the deer had been hunted, frequently to London, where they were much appreciated as gifts. Some travelled great distances. There are 16th century records of these great pasties being sent to France. "Sam and his neighbour William Penn probably got hold of them, as well as raw venison meat from noble friends who owned deer parks. Venison was not a meat you could normally buy from a butcher." http://foodhistorjottings.blogspo…
"If there were 6 traders, they would own 1/6 of each -- if one ship went down, no one would be bankrupted -- they would still own 1/6 of 5 more ships. If just one came home, they would be okay financially. If all 6 come home, they are wealthy. "Pepys knows lots of traders -- he'll have no trouble finding something profitably to do with his 1,000/."
Between these two paragraphs I omitted to give the rest of the trader's equation: Many traders would then syndicate out his investment. If the ship went down, he lost nothing -- his investors lost it all. If the ship came home, he kept 50 percent of his profit.
On August 4 the House of Commons read a Bill for the first time to reduce interest rates to 6 per cent -- so people were loaning each other money for interest. https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
Currently Pepys has 3 jobs: Clerk of the Acts at 350/. per year, secretary to Sandwich at 50/. per quarter, and clerk to one of the 4 Clerks of the Privy Seal (i.e. 3 months a year) at an unknown amount. No wonder he was stressed and impatient for Elizabeth to get out of bed and bring order to his new household. He's got Will Hewer in tow, but the little boy Will is probably running wild and giving Jane Booth all sorts of additional daily headaches. Jane has her hands full cooking, cleaning and waiting on Elizabeth, without monitoring a pre-teen.
Lastly, ships were usually owned by a conglomerate. Traders would pool their money and buy, say 6, ships. If there were 6 traders, they would own 1/6 of each -- if one ship went down, no one would be bankrupted -- they would still own 1/6 of 5 more ships. If just one came home, they would be okay financially. If all 6 come home, they are wealthy. Pepys knows lots of traders -- he'll have no trouble finding something profitably to do with his 1,000/.
"Does he have an eye to business? Tailoring like his father?" -- Pepys has an MA from Cambridge. He can read, write and debate current events in Latin. He's married to the daughter of a French aristocrat. While he appreciates good tailoring, I don't think he's picked up a pair of scissors or a needle in years.
I think you've nailed it, Stephane. There was probably a F.Y.I. memo sent to everyone by Sandwich announcing that, as of July X, the Navy Board would be Penn, Batten, Pepys and whoever. With the grateful thanks of the nation etc. etc. to the outgoing rebels.
Obviously the Surveyor doesn't open the mail -- the Clerk in charge does.
But Royalist Captains like Jowles said "Oh good, I know Pepys -- and he knows Sandwich. He can do something." And he fires off the appeal for help.
We are also forgetting the time lag -- it'll take a week or more for the letter we are discussing from Ireland to arrive. Pepys is already on the job looking for money to solve their problem. And once he finds it, sending the cash, Bill of Exchange, or food will take time to get to Ireland also.
"So to a Committee of Parliament (Sir Hen[eage] Finch, Chairman), to give them an answer to an order of theirs, “that we could not give them any account of the Accounts of the Navy in the years 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, as they desire.”
One thing I find a bit creepy about the Diary is that Pepys rarely tells us about his emotions. This must be the first time in his life he has had to appear before and speak on the record to a Parliamentary Committee, and while he could feel no guilt about not having the accounts from 25 years ago on hand, he must have felt elated - intimidated - excited. Something. This is his first taste of the responsibilities that go with that new house and salary.
Whitsun coincides with England's best weather, and is a perfect time for a holiday, often featuring strenuous outside activity.
One early proponent of sports -- inspired by King James' book, "The Book of Sports", first published in 1618 and reissued by King Charles in 1633, was Robert Dover, one of the Grand Company of Ancients of Gray's Inn.
In 1612 Dover became involved in organizing the games held on the hillside above Chipping Campden which subsequently became known as Robert Dover's Cotswold Olimpick games. Many contemporaries credit Dover with founding the games, but it is more likely he became involved with a traditional Cotswold Whit festivity and added his own ideas.
His games were held on the Thursday and Friday of Whitsun week. Shakespeare may have attended them.
The games had activities for all levels of society: horse-racing, backswords, wrestling, jumping, tumbling, spurning the bar, throwing the sledge-hammer, and pike exercises — with dancing for ladies, and feasting in tents.
A castle was built from which guns were fired to introduce events. Competitors and spectators came from 60 miles around, and as many as prizesm including Dover's yellow favors were awarded.
Detailed accounts of the games are to be found in "Annalia Dubrensia: upon the yeerely celebration of Mr. Robert Dover's Olimpick games upon the Cotswold Hills", published in London in 1636 by Matthew Walbancke. This included 33 poems by poets like Ben Jonson, Sir John Mennes, and Thomas Heywood. Many had attended the games, and all admired Dover's character, referring to him as jovial, generous, heroic, and noble-minded. The frontispiece shows the games, with Dover as master of ceremonies: an impressive figure, dressed ceremonially in hat with feather and ruff (which originally belonged to James I).
An early supporter was Sir Baptist Hicks (the city merchant who built the almshouses and the market hall in Chipping Campden). Later he was supported by Endymion Porter, groom of the bedchamber to King Charles, whose lived nearby at Aston-sub-Edge.
Prince Rupert attended the games in 1636.
The games conveyed the ideals of the original Greek Olympic games, and Dover, in referring to his sports as honest and harmless, criticized Puritan views of games.
Robert Dover oversaw the games until 1644 when they were cancelled by the vicar of St. James's, Chipping Campden.
Robert Dover died at Barton-on-the-Heath and was buried at St. Lawrence's Church, Barton, on 24 July, 1652.
Dover's Olimpick Games were revived after the Restoration and continued annually, their location becoming known as Dover's Hill. They were described by William Somervile in his poem "Hobbinol", first drafted as 'The Wicker Chair' in 1708.
"After that home, where W. Hewer now was, and did lie this night with us, the first night."
'“Will” Hewer ... is thought to have been born in about 1642.
'He was first introduced to Pepys when still a young man – about 17 – by his uncle Robert Blackborne in 1660. They obviously hit it off because Hewer, who was the son of a stationer, was soon working as a manservant and clerk for Pepys in his role as Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board.
'Hewer, ... at first lived with Pepys at his Seething Lane home.'
"London street signs abounded at this time. Most advertised (sometimes cryptically) the trade or business that was carried on in a particular house or building ..."
The sign in this case would have been around the corner over the public Crutched Friars entrance to the Navy Board. I've seen pub signs advertising The Crown and Anchor, which would be appropriate here -- if they could find someone to paint it on credit. Oh, they have sailors who could paint artistically, but they haven't been paid either. Just an idea; no citation to back it up.
Seems I underestimated the immediacy of the Admiralty, Navy Board and Sandwich meeting a few days ago. Yesterday in the House of Commons:
Navy Debts. Mr. Holles reports the State of the Debts upon the Navy, as it was represented to his Majesty Yesterday at the Council Board; and that, among other Inconveniences lying upon the Navy, Twenty-four Ships do lie in Harbour at Wages and Victual, through Want of Money to pay them off; which amounts to Ninety-four thousand Pounds; by the not Payment whereof, there is a growing Charge of about Sixteen thousand Pounds monthly.
Navy and Army Debts. Ordered, That it be referred to a Committee to examine the Debts of the Navy and Army, and other publick Debts of the Kingdom, which concern the Parliament in Honour and Justice to take care of; and to state the same,
and report them to this House; viz. to Mr. Pryn, Sir George Browne, Col. Birch, Sir John Northcot, Mr. Annesley, Lord Angier, Mr. Powell, Mr. Swinfin, Mr. Sprey, Mr. Holles, Sir John Bowyer, Sir Anth. Irby, Sir Wm. Doyley, Sir Anth. Aucher, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Dowdeswell, Sir Solomon Swale, Sir Anth. Ashley Cooper, Lord Kildare, Mr. Secretary Morris, Sir Richard Browne, Sir John Lowther, Mr. Culliford, Mr. Rainsford, Mr. Mallet, Sir John Clobery, Sir John Holland, Mr. Elliot, Mr. Grove, Mr. Boderda, Mr. Reames, Sir John Marsham, Col. West, Mr. Lowther, Sir Edward Turner, Mr. Ennis, Colonel King, Mr. Knight, Sir John Carter, Mr. Clifford, Sir Wm. Lewis, Sir John Temple, Mr. Bampfeild, Mr. Whitehead, Col. Jones, Mr. Goodyeare, Sir John Dawney, Mr. Powell, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Mr. Charlton, Mr. Henley, or any Five of them: And all the Merchants, Members of this House, are of this Committee: And they are to meet in the Afternoon in the Queen's Court; and so de die in diem: And Col. Birch is to take care of it: And with Power to send for Accompts, Master Rolls, Persons, Papers, Witnesses, and what else may conduce to this Business.
@@@
So they are not waiting for the Chancellor to sort out the Supply revenues. They have declared an emergency. https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
"re: beer and the 9 green ones. heres a book that tells of the female participation in the brewing there of http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?act…"
Sadly Vincent's information at Questia disappeared as of 2020. That's why I share what I hope is the pertinent information here with the reference. I'd love to know more about the lady brewers of the mid-17th century.
"To Westminster by water with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen ... to the Admiralty; and from thence I went to my Lord’s to fetch him thither, where we stayed in the morning about ordering of money for the victuallers, and advising how to get a sum of money to carry on the business of the Navy."
The day before yesterday the Navy Board, Sandwich and the Admiralty met to discuss the Navy's 1660/61 budget request. The Admiralty clerks must have been refining and writing it up officially yesterday -- Pepys was making money at the Privy Seal office, so we know he didn't do it; and James and Sandwich were both at the House of Lords.
Today Penn, Batten and Pepys meet again with Sandwich and the Admiralty men to make sure they agree on this first draft. And to solve the immediate needs for Ireland and victualling. Sandwich excuses himself in time to get to the Lords. Those fines for missing sessions can mount up.
I'm pleased to see neither Pepys nor Blackborne are too proud for the Commonwealth man to mentor the Royalist newcomer. The exchange of information would be vital and in the national interest.
Comments
Third Reading
About Tuesday 7 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thanks for the recommendations.
We do have a page for "General literature reference"
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
And one for "Other general reference sites"
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
That way they won't get lost for posterity.
Mountbanke, please may I share the BBC show with the Pepys email group since it's timely? Or perhaps you'd like to do it?
Sign up at https://pepysdiary.groups.io/g/di…
About Mustard
San Diego Sarah • Link
In Shakespeare’s in Henry IV, Part 2, Falstaff has the line: “his wit’s as thick as Tewkesbury Mustard” (Act 2, Scene 4).
Falstaff is describing his friend Ned Poins, but it presents the question, what was Tewkesbury Mustard?
Turns out this type of mustard was developed in Tewkesbury, Gloucs., and it was not only popular in Shakespeare’s lifetime, but during the 17th century it was considered a staple condiment.
And mustard is still being made the way it was made in Shakespeare’s lifetime at the Tewkesbury Mustard Company.
There are no written recipes on how to make Tewksbury Mustard prior to 1830, but we can tell from records like Shakespeare’s plays that mustard was used, and popular.
However, exactly how it was made in 16-17th century Tewksbury remains a bit of a mystery. There is one record which includes using an old canon ball to mash the mustard into a powder.
(Tewksbury was the site of the last battle in the War of the Roses, and was therefore littered with canon balls.)
Tewksbury Mustard comes in balls, not jars.
The mustard is ground up, dried, and formed into a tight ball that is “as hard as a canon ball.”
Mustard balls allowed for efficient travel, allowed it to be carried along rough roads and in paniers, which were basically traveling backpacks for merchants delivering goods.
Tewksbury mustard is used to add flavor to breads, meats, or other edibles.
To reconstitute the mustard, you break off a piece onto your plate using a knife. Then you mixed whatever liquid you have – water, ale, wine, etc. — and reconstitute the dried mustard into a paste which is then smeared over whatever you wanted to eat.
Presumably Shakespeare and 17th century travellers would have a ball in their pouch. Or maybe mustard balls were widely available in kitchens and diningrooms? We just don’t know.
There is some archival evidence of orders for mustard, like the 50 lbs. ordered by Arnie Hall, which suggest that mustard was second only to salt as an essential table item.
There are several references that indicate Tewksbury mustard was famous in 1597, when Shakespeare was writing about it, and it can be dated back to Henry VIII for popularity.
There is an anecdotal tale of Henry VIII visiting Tewksbury in 1535, with his new wife Anne Boleyn, and they were feasted at Tewksbury Abbey, where there were mustard balls wrapped in gold leaf served on the table.
https://www.cassidycash.com/tewks…
About Tuesday 7 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
This is the second night in a row he has been out drinking until 11 p.m., and then has to go home -- arrives around midnight? It does appear he is in no hurry to go home, and is blaming Elizabeth for that.
Presumably they are sharing a bed, which is less than great when the other person isn't well.
About Bull Head (New Palace Yard)
San Diego Sarah • Link
L&M has no information about the Bull Head Inn.
About Robert Rich (2nd Earl Holland)
San Diego Sarah • Link
In 1612 Sir Henry, Lord Rich married Isabel Cope (d. 1655), daughter and heir of Sir Walter Cope, whose death 2 years later left him possessed of a substantial estate in Kensington and Cope Castle, a new mansion designed by John Thorpe, which Rich later enlarged and renamed Holland House.
They had numerous children, including
Frances (1617–1672),
Robert (1619–1675), *
Henry (1620–1669),
Isabella (1623–1670),
Susannah (1628–1649),
Diana (d. 1659),
Charles (d. 1645),
Cope (1635–1676)
and Mary (1636–1666).
Several of the family tombs are at St. Mary Abbots Church, Kensington.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen…
"In 1612 he married the daughter and heiress of the master of the Wards, Sir Walter Cope, when property in Smithfield was settled on him, producing an income of £334 p.a. even before he developed the site.
"By early 1613 Rich was regularly taking part in tilts and masques at Court. Clarendon described him as ‘a very handsome man, of a lovely and winning presence and a gentle conversation’ and Arthur Wilson stated that his looks ‘equalled the most beautiful of women’.
His handsome features attracted the attentions of King James I, and although Rich is said to have turned aside and spat ‘after the king had slobbered his mouth’, this incident, which may have been apocryphal, does not seem to have marred his progress at Court. ...
His son Robert succeeded as 5th earl of Warwick in 1675, but none of his descendants sat in the Commons."
His Parliamentary bio doesn't mention his marrying anyone else, or when Countess Isabel Cope Rich died.
https://www.historyofparliamenton…
* Robert Rich became the 2nd Earl of Holland in 1649, and with the death of his cousin, Charles Rich in 1673 he became the 5th Earl of Warwick as well.
His wife was Lady Anne Montagu (they were married before April 1668), who was buried July 9, 1689 in Kensington.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
So who is the widow living at Holland House mentioned by Mr. Wheatley?
It might have been occupied by Robert and Anne Montagu Rich, Earl and Countess of Holland? But we don't know they were married yet. And why would they be renting out part of their house?
On the other hand, perhaps one of the foreign ambassadors was staying with them -- or at his house if they were not married -- as it would have been an enormous establishment. There were in-coming and out-going ambassadors of several countries needing such accommodations, and such quarters would be prime real estate.
I can see young Sam Hartlib having business with such people.
Oh, for UBER time travel.
About Holland House, Kensington
San Diego Sarah • Link
Wheatley: "Holland House, the fine old mansion still standing at Kensington, was greatly added to and improved by Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, who was beheaded, March 9, 1649. His house was afterwards successively occupied by Generals Fairfax and Lambert, but subsequently it was restored to the earl's widow. In 1660 she seems to have let a portion of the house."
About Cream
San Diego Sarah • Link
In 1665 Ambassador Sir Richard and Lady Anne Harrison Fanshawe came back from Spain -- and with it came England's first recorded recipe for ICE CREAM!!!
It was flavored with orange flower water, and the successful version has an option of ambergris. It is almost identical to the earliest printed European ice cream recipe, published by Audiger in "La Maison Reglée" (Paris: 1692).
Lady Anne's is nearly 30 years older than his. Audiger's ice cream is also flavored with orange flower water.
Don't let anyone tell you that England was a culinary backwater at this time!
http://foodhistorjottings.blogspo…
About Venison pasty
San Diego Sarah • Link
An article about 17th century food in general, and Pepys reports of his likes and dislikes in particular, contains these details about venison pies:
"Sam does not seem to have had a great deal of luck with the venison at Sir William [PENN]'s table. He experienced another rotten pasty on 28 August 1668, 'Betimes at my business again, and so to the office, and dined with Brouncker and J. Minnes, at Sir W. Pen’s at a bad pasty of venison,'
"At yet another entertainment at the Penn household (Sunday 16 September 1666), he was displeased with the venison again, though this time it was baked in pans rather than in a pasty. 'At noon, with my wife, against her will, all undressed and dirty, dined at Sir W. Pen’s, where was all the company of our families in towne; but, Lord! so sorry a dinner: venison baked in pans, that the dinner I have had for his lady alone hath been worth four of it.'
"He was more than likely complaining because it was dry. Baking venison, a meat with very little fat does not make sense. Indeed, according to his numerous records of the meat, the diarist only ever had it cooked this way on this one occasion. It was normally served to him in the form of a pasty, or more infrequently boiled.
"So why were some of Sam's pasties tainted? In one entry for 10th July 1666, he indicates that a pasty made in his kitchen was sent to the bakers: "At noon home to dinner and then to the office; the yarde being very full of women (I believe above three hundred) coming to get money for their husbands and friends that are prisoners in Holland; and they lay clamouring and swearing and cursing us, that my wife and I were afeard to send a venison-pasty that we have for supper to-night to the cook's to be baked, for fear of their offering violence to it: but it went, and no hurt done."
"So it looks like Mrs Pepys [NOOOO, NOT ELIZABETH -- MAKE IT THE COOK!] occasionally tried her hand at making them herself.
"But a venison pasty was more often made by a cook on the estate where the deer had been hunted. A whole boned side was encased in a pastry crust (usually rye paste) so these pasties were very large. When cool they were stored in a larder, where under cold conditions they could keep for months. The thick pastry casing prevented bacteria from entering and causing decay, at least for a while. It was a process equivalent to canning.
"However, this technique of preservation sometimes failed, as Sam found out to his disgust at Penn's dinners.
"Pasties were often sent from the country seats where the deer had been hunted, frequently to London, where they were much appreciated as gifts. Some travelled great distances. There are 16th century records of these great pasties being sent to France.
"Sam and his neighbour William Penn probably got hold of them, as well as raw venison meat from noble friends who owned deer parks. Venison was not a meat you could normally buy from a butcher."
http://foodhistorjottings.blogspo…
About Monday 6 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"If there were 6 traders, they would own 1/6 of each -- if one ship went down, no one would be bankrupted -- they would still own 1/6 of 5 more ships. If just one came home, they would be okay financially. If all 6 come home, they are wealthy.
"Pepys knows lots of traders -- he'll have no trouble finding something profitably to do with his 1,000/."
Between these two paragraphs I omitted to give the rest of the trader's equation:
Many traders would then syndicate out his investment. If the ship went down, he lost nothing -- his investors lost it all. If the ship came home, he kept 50 percent of his profit.
They weren't stupid.
About Monday 6 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
A few points:
On August 4 the House of Commons read a Bill for the first time to reduce interest rates to 6 per cent -- so people were loaning each other money for interest.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
Currently Pepys has 3 jobs:
Clerk of the Acts at 350/. per year,
secretary to Sandwich at 50/. per quarter,
and clerk to one of the 4 Clerks of the Privy Seal (i.e. 3 months a year) at an unknown amount.
No wonder he was stressed and impatient for Elizabeth to get out of bed and bring order to his new household.
He's got Will Hewer in tow, but the little boy Will is probably running wild and giving Jane Booth all sorts of additional daily headaches.
Jane has her hands full cooking, cleaning and waiting on Elizabeth, without monitoring a pre-teen.
Lastly, ships were usually owned by a conglomerate. Traders would pool their money and buy, say 6, ships. If there were 6 traders, they would own 1/6 of each -- if one ship went down, no one would be bankrupted -- they would still own 1/6 of 5 more ships. If just one came home, they would be okay financially. If all 6 come home, they are wealthy.
Pepys knows lots of traders -- he'll have no trouble finding something profitably to do with his 1,000/.
"Does he have an eye to business? Tailoring like his father?" -- Pepys has an MA from Cambridge. He can read, write and debate current events in Latin. He's married to the daughter of a French aristocrat. While he appreciates good tailoring, I don't think he's picked up a pair of scissors or a needle in years.
About Thursday 2 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
I think you've nailed it, Stephane.
There was probably a F.Y.I. memo sent to everyone by Sandwich announcing that, as of July X, the Navy Board would be Penn, Batten, Pepys and whoever. With the grateful thanks of the nation etc. etc. to the outgoing rebels.
Obviously the Surveyor doesn't open the mail -- the Clerk in charge does.
But Royalist Captains like Jowles said "Oh good, I know Pepys -- and he knows Sandwich. He can do something." And he fires off the appeal for help.
We are also forgetting the time lag -- it'll take a week or more for the letter we are discussing from Ireland to arrive. Pepys is already on the job looking for money to solve their problem. And once he finds it, sending the cash, Bill of Exchange, or food will take time to get to Ireland also.
They would envy our inter-continental exchange!
About Hampton Court Palace
San Diego Sarah • Link
Take an on-line tour of this beautiful Palace:
https://artsandculture.google.com…
About Saturday 4 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"So to a Committee of Parliament (Sir Hen[eage] Finch, Chairman), to give them an answer to an order of theirs, “that we could not give them any account of the Accounts of the Navy in the years 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, as they desire.”
One thing I find a bit creepy about the Diary is that Pepys rarely tells us about his emotions.
This must be the first time in his life he has had to appear before and speak on the record to a Parliamentary Committee, and while he could feel no guilt about not having the accounts from 25 years ago on hand, he must have felt elated - intimidated - excited. Something.
This is his first taste of the responsibilities that go with that new house and salary.
About Whitsun
San Diego Sarah • Link
Whitsun coincides with England's best weather, and is a perfect time for a holiday, often featuring strenuous outside activity.
One early proponent of sports -- inspired by King James' book, "The Book of Sports", first published in 1618 and reissued by King Charles in 1633, was Robert Dover, one of the Grand Company of Ancients of Gray's Inn.
In 1612 Dover became involved in organizing the games held on the hillside above Chipping Campden which subsequently became known as Robert Dover's Cotswold Olimpick games.
Many contemporaries credit Dover with founding the games, but it is more likely he became involved with a traditional Cotswold Whit festivity and added his own ideas.
His games were held on the Thursday and Friday of Whitsun week. Shakespeare may have attended them.
The games had activities for all levels of society: horse-racing, backswords, wrestling, jumping, tumbling, spurning the bar, throwing the sledge-hammer, and pike exercises — with dancing for ladies, and feasting in tents.
A castle was built from which guns were fired to introduce events.
Competitors and spectators came from 60 miles around, and as many as prizesm including Dover's yellow favors were awarded.
Detailed accounts of the games are to be found in "Annalia Dubrensia: upon the yeerely celebration of Mr. Robert Dover's Olimpick games upon the Cotswold Hills", published in London in 1636 by Matthew Walbancke.
This included 33 poems by poets like Ben Jonson, Sir John Mennes, and Thomas Heywood.
Many had attended the games, and all admired Dover's character, referring to him as jovial, generous, heroic, and noble-minded.
The frontispiece shows the games, with Dover as master of ceremonies: an impressive figure, dressed ceremonially in hat with feather and ruff (which originally belonged to James I).
An early supporter was Sir Baptist Hicks (the city merchant who built the almshouses and the market hall in Chipping Campden).
Later he was supported by Endymion Porter, groom of the bedchamber to King Charles, whose lived nearby at Aston-sub-Edge.
Prince Rupert attended the games in 1636.
The games conveyed the ideals of the original Greek Olympic games, and Dover, in referring to his sports as honest and harmless, criticized Puritan views of games.
Robert Dover oversaw the games until 1644 when they were cancelled by the vicar of St. James's, Chipping Campden.
Robert Dover died at Barton-on-the-Heath and was buried at St. Lawrence's Church, Barton, on 24 July, 1652.
Dover's Olimpick Games were revived after the Restoration and continued annually, their location becoming known as Dover's Hill.
They were described by William Somervile in his poem "Hobbinol", first drafted as 'The Wicker Chair' in 1708.
Information from https://www.oxforddnb.com/display…
About Wednesday 18 July 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"After that home, where W. Hewer now was, and did lie this night with us, the first night."
'“Will” Hewer ... is thought to have been born in about 1642.
'He was first introduced to Pepys when still a young man – about 17 – by his uncle Robert Blackborne in 1660. They obviously hit it off because Hewer, who was the son of a stationer, was soon working as a manservant and clerk for Pepys in his role as Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board.
'Hewer, ... at first lived with Pepys at his Seething Lane home.'
Edited for spoilers from
https://exploring-london.com/tag/…
About Saturday 4 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"London street signs abounded at this time. Most advertised (sometimes cryptically) the trade or business that was carried on in a particular house or building ..."
The sign in this case would have been around the corner over the public Crutched Friars entrance to the Navy Board.
I've seen pub signs advertising The Crown and Anchor, which would be appropriate here -- if they could find someone to paint it on credit. Oh, they have sailors who could paint artistically, but they haven't been paid either.
Just an idea; no citation to back it up.
About Friday 3 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
Seems I underestimated the immediacy of the Admiralty, Navy Board and Sandwich meeting a few days ago. Yesterday in the House of Commons:
Navy Debts.
Mr. Holles reports the State of the Debts upon the Navy, as it was represented to his Majesty Yesterday at the Council Board; and that, among other Inconveniences lying upon the Navy,
Twenty-four Ships do lie in Harbour at Wages and Victual, through Want of Money to pay them off; which amounts to Ninety-four thousand Pounds;
by the not Payment whereof, there is a growing Charge of about Sixteen thousand Pounds monthly.
Navy and Army Debts.
Ordered, That it be referred to a Committee to examine the Debts of the Navy and Army, and other publick Debts of the Kingdom, which concern the Parliament in Honour and Justice to take care of; and to state the same,
and report them to this House; viz. to Mr. Pryn, Sir George Browne, Col. Birch, Sir John Northcot, Mr. Annesley, Lord Angier, Mr. Powell, Mr. Swinfin, Mr. Sprey, Mr. Holles, Sir John Bowyer, Sir Anth. Irby, Sir Wm. Doyley, Sir Anth. Aucher, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Dowdeswell, Sir Solomon Swale, Sir Anth. Ashley Cooper, Lord Kildare, Mr. Secretary Morris, Sir Richard Browne, Sir John Lowther, Mr. Culliford, Mr. Rainsford, Mr. Mallet, Sir John Clobery, Sir John Holland, Mr. Elliot, Mr. Grove, Mr. Boderda, Mr. Reames, Sir John Marsham, Col. West, Mr. Lowther, Sir Edward Turner, Mr. Ennis, Colonel King, Mr. Knight, Sir John Carter, Mr. Clifford, Sir Wm. Lewis, Sir John Temple, Mr. Bampfeild, Mr. Whitehead, Col. Jones, Mr. Goodyeare, Sir John Dawney, Mr. Powell, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Mr. Charlton, Mr. Henley, or any Five of them:
And all the Merchants, Members of this House, are of this Committee: And they are to meet in the Afternoon in the Queen's Court; and so de die in diem: And Col. Birch is to take care of it: And with Power to send for Accompts, Master Rolls, Persons, Papers, Witnesses, and what else may conduce to this Business.
@@@
So they are not waiting for the Chancellor to sort out the Supply revenues. They have declared an emergency.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
About Thursday 2 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"re: beer and the 9 green ones. heres a book that tells of the female participation in the brewing there of
http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?act…"
Sadly Vincent's information at Questia disappeared as of 2020.
That's why I share what I hope is the pertinent information here with the reference. I'd love to know more about the lady brewers of the mid-17th century.
About Thursday 2 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
"To Westminster by water with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen ... to the Admiralty; and from thence I went to my Lord’s to fetch him thither, where we stayed in the morning about ordering of money for the victuallers, and advising how to get a sum of money to carry on the business of the Navy."
The day before yesterday the Navy Board, Sandwich and the Admiralty met to discuss the Navy's 1660/61 budget request. The Admiralty clerks must have been refining and writing it up officially yesterday -- Pepys was making money at the Privy Seal office, so we know he didn't do it; and James and Sandwich were both at the House of Lords.
Today Penn, Batten and Pepys meet again with Sandwich and the Admiralty men to make sure they agree on this first draft. And to solve the immediate needs for Ireland and victualling.
Sandwich excuses himself in time to get to the Lords. Those fines for missing sessions can mount up.
About Thursday 2 August 1660
San Diego Sarah • Link
I'm pleased to see neither Pepys nor Blackborne are too proud for the Commonwealth man to mentor the Royalist newcomer. The exchange of information would be vital and in the national interest.