The gates of London Wall were the subject of cigarette cards in 1907 (! - a historical note all by itself) -- pictures with short histories: https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023…
One thing we can do is find current websites to make up for the links that have been lost over time.
For instance, Suzanne 20 years ago knew about an illustration for the fashionable outfit that Pepys donned today. Here's an alternative site with similar information: https://twonerdyhistorygirls.blog…
A tip from an old blogger: Start your reading day by checking the "Recent Activity" box at the top. That way if you ask a question, you'll find out that someone responded. This is a blog, after all.
Happy New Year, bloggers and Phil. 2023 is off to a sterling start.
A contemporary view of London is given by Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin, who visited in the Spring of 1669.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly:
@@@
On 12/22 April, 1669 his highness, having first heard mass, went out to begin to view the city, and the most remarkable things contained in it. He took with him, Signors Castiglioni and Gascoyne, with only a single lackey, a form which he determined to continue for the future in order to preserve his incog, more strictly;
and having rode through London, he returned home; and there were at his highness' house, my Lord James Butler, Duke of Ormonde, lord steward of the king's household, who was also viceroy of Ireland; my Lord Andover, son of the Earl of Berkshire; my Lord Edward Montagu, Earl of Manchester; my Lord Baltimore; and Sir Gouldrie.
Signor Dante went the same morning to arrange an audience with the duke, which was fixed for after dinner at four o'clock.
As soon as he had dined, he took measures to have his audience in the evening, with the duchess, but finding her indisposed, it was fixed for the day following, at three, in case her indisposition should not oblige her to send notice to the contrary. His highness, therefore, waited upon the duke,
and then walked in Hyde Park, where were the king and queen. His highness went in a carriage and pair, that he might avoid, by this delicate caution, every appearance of publicity.
In Cosmo's travelogue, “incognito” is generally shortened to "incog." and I think the meaning was "unofficial, informal", as opposed to "having one's true identity concealed" which is more today's definition.
From: TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, THROUGH ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669) TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
Seventeenth-century political and juridical thinkers mined the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, and rabbinic literature for ideas, examples, and full-fledged political systems, with the idea of applying them to early modern Europe.
For over 100 years the Universities had Chairs funded by the wealthy for the study of Hebrew. The Duke of Suffolk made sure his daughter, Lady Jane Grey, studied Hebrew. At St. Paul’s School Pepys evidently learned the basics, and he owned a Hebrew Grammar book https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Men like John Maitland, Earl of Lauderdale spent his years in prison at Windsor Castle during the end of the Civil Wars studying Hebrew.
John Selden, James Harrington and his fellow English republicans, and John Locke were freed in their thinking by the execution of King Charles. The early modern Hebraists idealized their "Hebrew republic" with 3 clusters of ideas, reaped mainly from Hebraic sources, and interwoven into their political thought: (1) The importance of the rule of law within fixed borders: a concept of international borders underpinning a novel, natural-law-based theory of the state, law, and rights; (2) the idea of a federal republic, transformed from the tribal Israelite society to Dutch political thinking; and (3) the moral economy of republican social justice.
This helps explains why Cromwell wanted Jews readmitted formally to England and they were made welcome in the many British Plantations – everyone hoped they and the REAL Bible had some answers to how to run a country.
According to the notes to "the House and Farm Accounts of the Shuttleworths of Gawthorpe Hall, in the County of Lancaster, at Smithils and Gawthorpe, from September 1582 to October 1621", the “Waitts” were “minstrels or musical watchmen, who attended on great men and sounded the watch at night”. By the 16th century they had degenerated into itinerant musicians, who give notice of the approach of Christmas.
B. Dic. derives the name either of waiting (because they attend on magistrates, officers, &c.), or of guet a watch, guetter to watch, French, because they keep a sort of watch a-nights; and the signification is given as a sort of music or musicians.
B. Gloss, says that waits are musicians who parade and play by night in the streets about the time of Christmas and the new year; originally, watchmen or sentinels.
They used to be the privileged minstrels at weddings and feasts. The term would seem to be derived from the Moeso-Gothic Wahls, vigilia, excubiae; these waits being anciently viewed as a sort of watchmen.
Yes, it's a snapshot of early 17th century playgoing, but many of the details hold good for Pepys' experience and expectations. Of course, Pepys got to see the ladies in action, something Shakespeare could not dream of.
In Cosmo's travelogue, “incognito” is generally shortened to "incog." and I think the meaning was "unofficial, informal", as opposed to "having one's true identity concealed" which is more today's definition.
From: TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, THROUGH ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669) TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
@@@
"the interview till after his audience at the palace, and stating what had been his practice elsewhere, in regard to his incog., insinuated that his highness would have no objection to seeing him in a third place;"
Diplomats have a code they follow regarding who is recognized first, etc. Where they stand, who kisses, hugs, shakes hands, etc., are all details negotiated before the event so as to avoid any embarrassment. This holds, even when someone as important as Cosmo will be is travelling "incog.".
There came to congratulate his highness, my Lord Ashley Cooper, Baron Ashley; my Lord Henry Bennet, Baron Arlington, secretary of state to his majesty; my Lord Henry Howard, with his brothers, Bernard and Edward; my Lord Philip Howard, brother of the above-mentioned, grand almoner to the queen; my Lord Aubry de Vere, Earl of Oxford; my Lord Dutton Gerard; my Lord Joscelin Percy, Earl of Northumberland; my Lord Robert Spencer, Earl of Sunderland; and Sir Theodore de Vaux.
To these acts of respectful homage paid by these gentlemen, his highness replied in the most gracious manner; and thus he passed the day without leaving the house.
A contemporary view of London is given by Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin. I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly:
@@@
164
On the morning of 6/16 April, 1669, the person sent by the Venetian ambassador came again, and was admitted; he requested permission for his excellency to pay his respects to his highness;
the latter, in the evening, returned the compliment, through the Marquis Guadagno, who, alleging the necessity under which his highness lay, of first paying his respects to their majesties, deferred the interview till after his audience at the palace, and stating what had been his practice elsewhere, in regard to his incog., insinuated that his highness would have no objection to seeing him in a third place;
that same evening Count Lorenzo Magalotti stated the same to the ambassador of France, in return to a similar compliment paid to his highness, through the medium of one of the gentlemen of his suite, and added that his highness was impatient to pay his homage to the ambassador's lady, for he could not signify it to the ambassadress herself, in consequence of her being from home.
[ Charles Colbert, later the Marquis de Croissy, the French Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s – SEE https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… In 1664, he married Françoise Béraud, daughter of a rich banker, who brought with her the territory of Croissy, which name he took to be turned into a Marquisate in July 1676. ]
Another fabulous character, who blends into the woodwork while steering the ship. He was probably a paid representative of Spain for most of his life, and a Catholic if only be inclination until the very end when he was accepted into the Church of Rome. Yet he married a Dutch Protestant from the Orange party, and almost single handedly caused the Second Anglo-Dutch War. It's so much easier to say what he did than comprehend who he was. https://www.historyofparliamenton…
A man of huge significance, but hard to pin down in generalities. I think can agree that he saw the monarchy and establishment as corrupt, and that the country should be run to the benefit of the people, but being a political animal, he had to deal with the possible rather than ideals. He's the father of the Whig party, and was eventually out-foxed by Charles II so Shaftesbury ended his life in exile.
Possibly the greatest single achievement of his life was putting John Locke in charge of the education of his grandson, the 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, whose writings greatly influenced the Enlightenment.
I suspect both grandfather and grandson would agree that priests are too dangerous to be influential in politics, and they were probably deists in principles.
But you won't find any of that in the 1st Earl's Parliamentary biography which runs for several pages: https://www.historyofparliamenton…
His highness there understood that a great number of ladies of the province were assembled at the house of a lady, a widow of the family of Piatt, who said that they intended to come and see his highness sup; he therefore caused it to be signified to them, that, without taking that trouble, he would visit them at the place where they were.
[ Thomas Piatt served his highness as interpreter on his passage from Spain and in England. ]
This he did, and passed half an hour in their company, standing; during which time, two of them sang an English air very indifferently — the fault either of the music, or of the singers. Having taken leave of them, he returned home, retiring at his usual hour.
@@@
From: TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, THROUGH ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669) TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
These being dismissed, the mayor arrived with his aldermen and bailiffs, to congratulate his highness on his arrival. They were preceded by the macebearers as usual; one of whom, on a large ball of silver, bore a royal crown, gilt, with a cross on the top: their dress differed but little from those of Exeter.
[ The mayor of Salisbury in 1668/9 was William Vyner, obviously not the one we’re familiar with. The Vyners seem to have been a large clan, and there is mention of a family home near Salisbury – ergo: probably a cousin. https://archive.org/stream/vynerf… ]
149
After this compliment, during which the mayor alone was covered, his highness took a walk through the city, and then retired.
The same evening Giles Lidyat, formerly a merchant at Leghorn, came to make his obeisance to him.
[ Ideas anyone? Probably a mis-spelling ]
@@@
From: TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, THROUGH ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669) TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
But you're getting ahead of the story of Cosmo, SDS. Today he's on his slow progress towards London.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly: I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused making the N.S./O.S. date conversions, so I apologize if they are wrong:
@@@
Early on the morning of 1/11 April, 1669, his highness departed from Dorchester, convoyed by a great many horse-soldiers belonging to the militia of the county to secure him from robbers, from which this district is not free.
The country is uneven, the greater part pastureland, with a prodigious number of sheep, and the rest under the plough.
We halted for rather more than half an hour at a small country inn.
148
Twelve miles from Dorchester, we came to Blandford, a little town of 4,000 souls, situated in a small valley watered by the river Stour; and as he passed through, his highness was saluted by the ringing of bells, which piece of respect was shewed at all the places we met with on the road.
The whole of this day's journey was 30 miles; and at the distance of about 6 miles from Salisbury, we entered the county of Wilts., of which that city is the capital.
Four miles from the city, a letter was given to Col. Gascoyne, from the Earl of Pembroke, Philip Herbert, who offered his highness the use of his house at Wilton, 3 miles from Salisbury, and begged the colonel to use his interest to obtain him this honor. He therefore told the messenger to follow him to Salisbury, where he should have an answer.
His highness found the earl at the inn, with my Lord Herbert, his son, who, not having been able to obtain the honor of lodging his highness, invited him to dinner the following morning, which invitation was accepted.
His highness walked about for a long time, conversing with him; and soon afterwards, other gentlemen of the county having arrived, he entertained them all in the same room, as if it had been a private drawing-room, rather than a hall of audience.
Pepys slept through the sermon! Be very happy you don't live in New England, Pepys, where the vergers were employed to wake people up -- sometimes with comic results, and sometimes painful results,
In 1662 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, they considered building a cage to imprison and shame churchgoers who fell asleep. https://newenglandhistoricalsocie…
His highness, on his return home, found the captain of a troop of horse belonging to the militia of the county, who had been called together to escort the person and baggage of his highness on the following day
He was admitted to pay his respects to his highness, who invited him to supper with the gentlemen of his train
Dorchester stands on an inclined plane; it is not large, nor surrounded with walls, nor a place of much trade, nor handsome: it contains altogether only from 10,000 to 12,000 inhabitants; so the county, of which it is the capital, would deserve a better.
The foundation of the soil may be said to be entirely of flint-stone, but so covered with earth, that perhaps more beautiful pasture cannot be found in all England. The cattle are in consequence innumerable; and from them the gentry of the county derive the chief part of their revenues.
The whole of the country is uneven, but open; and the meadows are not so naked, but that coppice-wood is frequently to be seen, particularly in the valleys, which, being almost all of them watered by frequent and copious pools, or rather by small rivulets, produce very green pastures, perpetually covered with cattle.
147
On this account, the dwellings seem more thinly scattered than in the counties of Devonshire and Somerset, in proof of the prodigious quantity of cattle, it is said, that, in a circuit of 3 miles round Dorchester, they reckon above 40,000 head of oxen and sheep.
My Lord Charles Stuart, Duke of Richmond, superintends the government of the county of Dorset, in the capacity of governor and lieutenant.
Dorchester is the residence of the sheriff, a royal minister; and, every 3 months, the judges and deputies of the parliament and of the county come thither. These together compose the judicature, after the same form as is universally adopted in each of the 52 counties into which the kingdom is divided, for the expediting both of civil and criminal affairs; such as appeals, &c. &c.; the common jurisdiction of the place being in the hands of its own magistracy, over which the mayor presides.
[ Dorchester’s history can be traced back to the Iron Age. Maiden Castle, the huge and complex Iron Age fort, is just outside the town. Marvel at the sheer scale of the earthworks which were built with primitive tools. The Romans built a town here in AD 43 (Durnovaria) and you can see reminders of Dorchester’s Roman past in the County Museum and the Roman Town House. For more info, see https://www.historic-uk.com/Histo… ]
@@@
From: TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, THROUGH ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669) TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT https://archive.org/stream/travel…
At last you reach the camp, which, instead of being composed of earth conveyed thither, appears very clearly to have been an isolated mountain, and cut all round into three tiers of very high entrenchments, distinct from each other, with wide ditches between.
145
The shape cannot be exactly ascertained, appearing for the most part circular; but in some places the angles may be clearly perceived, yet without one's being able accurately to distinguish the plan. There are in all 2 entrances; before each of which the three tiers of entrenchments are multiplied into numerous other fortifications, which served perhaps better to secure the ingress, as it is at present the custom to conceal the gates of fortresses behind a double halfmoon.
Hillocks of earth, which are reported to have been monuments of Roman soldiers and captains, are scattered all over the surrounding country, and extend to the distance of 30 miles in every direction.
From this fortification, his highness descended into the plain, through which runs the small river Frome, whose waters contain abundance of most excellent trout.
Their mode of angling here is very different from the common one; for, where our fishermen hold the hook still for a long time in the same place, these keep it in continual motion, darting the line into the water like the lash of a whip, then drawing it along a few paces, they throw it in afresh; repeating this operation till the fish is caught.
Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin, visits Dorchester on his way to London today.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly: I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused making the N.S./O.S. date conversions, so I apologize if they are wrong:
@@@
From Hinton St. George we went to dine, on March 31/10 April, 1669, at Dorchester, passing through the villages of Crewkerne, Southprad [SOUTH ROAD?], Maiden Newton and Frampton. Having passed Crewkerne, which is about 3 miles from Hinton St. George, they reentered the county of Dorset, of which Dorchester is the capital.
144
As soon as his highness rose from table, he was congratulated by the mayor and all the magistracy in black dresses, this being the distinction between the cities and towns, the former only having the privilege of using red gowns.
When the magistrates were gone, his highness mounted his horse with his attendants, and with a retinue composed of many of the inhabitants of the town, and was conducted by the mayor to see a celebrated antiquity, 2 miles distant, called the Roman Camp, and, by the English, Fossway, it being an ancient tradition that the Roman armies, who subdued this country, were there reduced to straits on a certain occasion.
A little more than 2 musket shots from the place is seen an elevated mound of earth, more than twice the height of a man, of an oval form, which served for a theatre, as the inhabitants have a notion, judging not only from the shape as before-mentioned, but from its having an inclination or declivity similar to that of theatres.
It appears rather that this might be an advanced post, it being betwixt the camp and the town, and having, as they say, a subterraneous passage, by which it communicates with it; moreover, another similar enclosure of a circular form, situated in another direction with respect to the larger fortification, appears to favor this supposition.
Comments
Third Reading
About London Wall
San Diego Sarah • Link
The gates of London Wall were the subject of cigarette cards in 1907 (! - a historical note all by itself) -- pictures with short histories: https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023…
About Sunday 1 January 1659/60
San Diego Sarah • Link
One thing we can do is find current websites to make up for the links that have been lost over time.
For instance, Suzanne 20 years ago knew about an illustration for the fashionable outfit that Pepys donned today. Here's an alternative site with similar information:
https://twonerdyhistorygirls.blog…
Cryssa Bazos' article on Rev. Ralph Josselin can now be found at
https://englishhistoryauthors.blo…
A tip from an old blogger: Start your reading day by checking the "Recent Activity" box at the top. That way if you ask a question, you'll find out that someone responded. This is a blog, after all.
Happy New Year, bloggers and Phil. 2023 is off to a sterling start.
Second Reading
About Monday 12 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
A contemporary view of London is given by Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin, who visited in the Spring of 1669.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly:
@@@
On 12/22 April, 1669 his highness, having first heard mass, went out to begin to view the city, and the most remarkable things contained in it. He took with him, Signors Castiglioni and Gascoyne, with only a single lackey, a form which he determined to continue for the future in order to preserve his incog, more strictly;
and having rode through London, he returned home; and there were at his highness' house, my Lord James Butler, Duke of Ormonde, lord steward of the king's household, who was also viceroy of Ireland; my Lord Andover, son of the Earl of Berkshire; my Lord Edward Montagu, Earl of Manchester; my Lord Baltimore; and Sir Gouldrie.
[ Lord Steward JAMES BUTLER, 1st DUKE OF ORMONDE https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ CHARLES HOWARD, later 2nd Earl of Berkshire KB, was styled Viscount Andover from 1626 to 1669. See https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/e…
[ Chamberlain EDWARD MONTAGU, 2nd EARL OF MANCHESTER, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ CHARLES CALVERT, 2rd BARON BALTIMORE https://www.britannica.com/biogra…
[ and Sir Gouldrie???? any nominations? ]
174
Signor Dante went the same morning to arrange an audience with the duke, which was fixed for after dinner at four o'clock.
As soon as he had dined, he took measures to have his audience in the evening, with the duchess, but finding her indisposed, it was fixed for the day following, at three, in case her indisposition should not oblige her to send notice to the contrary. His highness, therefore, waited upon the duke,
and then walked in Hyde Park, where were the king and queen. His highness went in a carriage and pair, that he might avoid, by this delicate caution, every appearance of publicity.
For Cosmo’s first visit to The Ring in Hyde Park, see: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
@@@
In Cosmo's travelogue, “incognito” is generally shortened to "incog." and I think the meaning was "unofficial, informal", as opposed to "having one's true identity concealed" which is more today's definition.
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
About Hebrew
San Diego Sarah • Link
Seventeenth-century political and juridical thinkers mined the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, and rabbinic literature for ideas, examples, and full-fledged political systems, with the idea of applying them to early modern Europe.
For over 100 years the Universities had Chairs funded by the wealthy for the study of Hebrew. The Duke of Suffolk made sure his daughter, Lady Jane Grey, studied Hebrew. At St. Paul’s School Pepys evidently learned the basics, and he owned a Hebrew Grammar book https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Men like John Maitland, Earl of Lauderdale spent his years in prison at Windsor Castle during the end of the Civil Wars studying Hebrew.
John Selden, James Harrington and his fellow English republicans, and John Locke were freed in their thinking by the execution of King Charles. The early modern Hebraists idealized their "Hebrew republic" with 3 clusters of ideas, reaped mainly from Hebraic sources, and interwoven into their political thought:
(1) The importance of the rule of law within fixed borders: a concept of international borders underpinning a novel, natural-law-based theory of the state, law, and rights;
(2) the idea of a federal republic, transformed from the tribal Israelite society to Dutch political thinking; and
(3) the moral economy of republican social justice.
This helps explains why Cromwell wanted Jews readmitted formally to England and they were made welcome in the many British Plantations – everyone hoped they and the REAL Bible had some answers to how to run a country.
For more information see (you may need a subscription, which I find very worthwhile):
https://www.academia.edu/1805488/…
About We're on a new server
San Diego Sarah • Link
You are amazing -- three sites! Aren't we enough trouble? Happy 2023 to you and your family.
About Waytes
San Diego Sarah • Link
According to the notes to "the House and Farm Accounts of the Shuttleworths of Gawthorpe Hall, in the County of Lancaster, at Smithils and Gawthorpe, from September 1582 to October 1621", the “Waitts” were “minstrels or musical watchmen, who attended on great men and sounded the watch at night”. By the 16th century they had degenerated into itinerant musicians, who give notice of the approach of Christmas.
B. Dic. derives the name either of waiting (because they attend on magistrates, officers, &c.), or of guet a watch, guetter to watch, French, because they keep a sort of watch a-nights; and the signification is given as a sort of music or musicians.
B. Gloss, says that waits are musicians who parade and play by night in the streets about the time of Christmas and the new year; originally, watchmen or sentinels.
They used to be the privileged minstrels at weddings and feasts. The term would seem to be derived from the Moeso-Gothic Wahls, vigilia, excubiae; these waits being anciently viewed as a sort of watchmen.
For the full on-line text, see https://archive.org/stream/housef…
About William Shakespeare
San Diego Sarah • Link
For a primer in Shakespearian theatre I highly recommend
https://www.shakespearesglobe.com…
Yes, it's a snapshot of early 17th century playgoing, but many of the details hold good for Pepys' experience and expectations. Of course, Pepys got to see the ladies in action, something Shakespeare could not dream of.
About Tuesday 6 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 3
In Cosmo's travelogue, “incognito” is generally shortened to "incog." and I think the meaning was "unofficial, informal", as opposed to "having one's true identity concealed" which is more today's definition.
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
@@@
"the interview till after his audience at the palace, and stating what had been his practice elsewhere, in regard to his incog., insinuated that his highness would have no objection to seeing him in a third place;"
Diplomats have a code they follow regarding who is recognized first, etc. Where they stand, who kisses, hugs, shakes hands, etc., are all details negotiated before the event so as to avoid any embarrassment. This holds, even when someone as important as Cosmo will be is travelling "incog.".
About Tuesday 6 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 2
There came to congratulate his highness, my Lord Ashley Cooper, Baron Ashley; my Lord Henry Bennet, Baron Arlington, secretary of state to his majesty; my Lord Henry Howard, with his brothers, Bernard and Edward; my Lord Philip Howard, brother of the above-mentioned, grand almoner to the queen; my Lord Aubry de Vere, Earl of Oxford; my Lord Dutton Gerard; my Lord Joscelin Percy, Earl of Northumberland; my Lord Robert Spencer, Earl of Sunderland; and Sir Theodore de Vaux.
[ Secretary of State Henry Bennet, Baron Arlington see https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ Anthony Ashley Cooper, Baron Ashley see https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ Baron Henry Howard of Norfolk, https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ Hon. Edward and Hon. Bernard Howard, https://royaldescent.blogspot.com…
[ Grand Almoner Sir Philip Thomas Howard supervised, amongst other things, the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ Lord Dutton Gerard seems to have died in 1640 – there is a Digby Gerard, 5th Baron Gerard (1662–1684) married his cousin Lady Elizabeth Gerard (1664-1700), 3rd daughter and coheiress in her issue of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield. But he’s too young. So this must be Charles Gerard, 6th Baron Gerard -- he was born in 1634. http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk…
[ Joscelin Percy succeeded as 11th earl of Northumberland age 16 on his father’s death in 1668. Unfortunately, the young man died of a fever in Turin, presumably while on the "Grand Tour" on 21/31 May 1670. https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]
[ Robert Spencer, 2ND Earl of Sunderland - https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ Theodore de Vaux MD FRS https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]
165
To these acts of respectful homage paid by these gentlemen, his highness replied in the most gracious manner; and thus he passed the day without leaving the house.
@@@
About Tuesday 6 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
A contemporary view of London is given by Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly:
@@@
164
On the morning of 6/16 April, 1669, the person sent by the Venetian ambassador came again, and was admitted; he requested permission for his excellency to pay his respects to his highness;
[ Piero Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in England – SEE https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… ]
the latter, in the evening, returned the compliment, through the Marquis Guadagno, who, alleging the necessity under which his highness lay, of first paying his respects to their majesties, deferred the interview till after his audience at the palace, and stating what had been his practice elsewhere, in regard to his incog., insinuated that his highness would have no objection to seeing him in a third place;
that same evening Count Lorenzo Magalotti stated the same to the ambassador of France, in return to a similar compliment paid to his highness, through the medium of one of the gentlemen of his suite, and added that his highness was impatient to pay his homage to the ambassador's lady, for he could not signify it to the ambassadress herself, in consequence of her being from home.
[ Charles Colbert, later the Marquis de Croissy, the French Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s – SEE https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… In 1664, he married Françoise Béraud, daughter of a rich banker, who brought with her the territory of Croissy, which name he took to be turned into a Marquisate in July 1676. ]
About Sir Henry Bennet (Baron Arlington, Secretary of State)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Another fabulous character, who blends into the woodwork while steering the ship. He was probably a paid representative of Spain for most of his life, and a Catholic if only be inclination until the very end when he was accepted into the Church of Rome. Yet he married a Dutch Protestant from the Orange party, and almost single handedly caused the Second Anglo-Dutch War. It's so much easier to say what he did than comprehend who he was.
https://www.historyofparliamenton…
About Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper (Baron Ashley, Chancellor of the Exchequer)
San Diego Sarah • Link
A man of huge significance, but hard to pin down in generalities. I think can agree that he saw the monarchy and establishment as corrupt, and that the country should be run to the benefit of the people, but being a political animal, he had to deal with the possible rather than ideals. He's the father of the Whig party, and was eventually out-foxed by Charles II so Shaftesbury ended his life in exile.
Possibly the greatest single achievement of his life was putting John Locke in charge of the education of his grandson, the 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, whose writings greatly influenced the Enlightenment.
I suspect both grandfather and grandson would agree that priests are too dangerous to be influential in politics, and they were probably deists in principles.
But you won't find any of that in the 1st Earl's Parliamentary biography which runs for several pages: https://www.historyofparliamenton…
About Friday 2 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
Today Cosmo woke up in Salisbury, and took a side trip to Stonehenge:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
From there he went to Wilton House for lunch:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
... as evening now drew near, went back to Salisbury, accompanied by the same persons who had attended him in the morning.
[ Salisbury see https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]
His highness there understood that a great number of ladies of the province were assembled at the house of a lady, a widow of the family of Piatt, who said that they intended to come and see his highness sup; he therefore caused it to be signified to them, that, without taking that trouble, he would visit them at the place where they were.
[ Thomas Piatt served his highness as interpreter on his passage from Spain and in England. ]
This he did, and passed half an hour in their company, standing; during which time, two of them sang an English air very indifferently — the fault either of the music, or of the singers.
Having taken leave of them, he returned home, retiring at his usual hour.
@@@
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
About Thursday 1 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 2
These being dismissed, the mayor arrived with his aldermen and bailiffs, to congratulate his highness on his arrival. They were preceded by the macebearers as usual; one of whom, on a large ball of silver, bore a royal crown, gilt, with a cross on the top: their dress differed but little from those of Exeter.
[ The mayor of Salisbury in 1668/9 was William Vyner, obviously not the one we’re familiar with. The Vyners seem to have been a large clan, and there is mention of a family home near Salisbury – ergo: probably a cousin. https://archive.org/stream/vynerf… ]
149
After this compliment, during which the mayor alone was covered, his highness took a walk through the city, and then retired.
The same evening Giles Lidyat, formerly a merchant at Leghorn, came to make his obeisance to him.
[ Ideas anyone? Probably a mis-spelling ]
@@@
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
About Thursday 1 April 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
But you're getting ahead of the story of Cosmo, SDS. Today he's on his slow progress towards London.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly:
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused making the N.S./O.S. date conversions, so I apologize if they are wrong:
@@@
Early on the morning of 1/11 April, 1669, his highness departed from Dorchester, convoyed by a great many horse-soldiers belonging to the militia of the county to secure him from robbers, from which this district is not free.
The country is uneven, the greater part pastureland, with a prodigious number of sheep, and the rest under the plough.
We halted for rather more than half an hour at a small country inn.
148
Twelve miles from Dorchester, we came to Blandford, a little town of 4,000 souls, situated in a small valley watered by the river Stour; and as he passed through, his highness was saluted by the ringing of bells, which piece of respect was shewed at all the places we met with on the road.
The whole of this day's journey was 30 miles; and at the distance of about 6 miles from Salisbury, we entered the county of Wilts., of which that city is the capital.
[ Salisbury: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]
Four miles from the city, a letter was given to Col. Gascoyne, from the Earl of Pembroke, Philip Herbert, who offered his highness the use of his house at Wilton, 3 miles from Salisbury, and begged the colonel to use his interest to obtain him this honor. He therefore told the messenger to follow him to Salisbury, where he should have an answer.
[ Philip Herbert, 5th Earl of Pembroke; https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
[ Wilton House https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]
His highness found the earl at the inn, with my Lord Herbert, his son, who, not having been able to obtain the honor of lodging his highness, invited him to dinner the following morning, which invitation was accepted.
[ William Herbert, https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]
His highness walked about for a long time, conversing with him; and soon afterwards, other gentlemen of the county having arrived, he entertained them all in the same room, as if it had been a private drawing-room, rather than a hall of audience.
About Sunday 2 November 1662
San Diego Sarah • Link
Pepys slept through the sermon! Be very happy you don't live in New England, Pepys, where the vergers were employed to wake people up -- sometimes with comic results, and sometimes painful results,
In 1662 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, they considered building a cage to imprison and shame churchgoers who fell asleep.
https://newenglandhistoricalsocie…
About Sunday 1 January 1659/60
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thank you! Great idea.
About Wednesday 31 March 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 3 - 146
His highness, on his return home, found the captain of a troop of horse belonging to the militia of the county, who had been called together to escort the person and baggage of his highness on the following day
He was admitted to pay his respects to his highness, who invited him to supper with the gentlemen of his train
Dorchester stands on an inclined plane; it is not large, nor surrounded with walls, nor a place of much trade, nor handsome: it contains altogether only from 10,000 to 12,000 inhabitants; so the county, of which it is the capital, would deserve a better.
The foundation of the soil may be said to be entirely of flint-stone, but so covered with earth, that perhaps more beautiful pasture cannot be found in all England. The cattle are in consequence innumerable; and from them the gentry of the county derive the chief part of their revenues.
The whole of the country is uneven, but open; and the meadows are not so naked, but that coppice-wood is frequently to be seen, particularly in the valleys, which, being almost all of them watered by frequent and copious pools, or rather by small rivulets, produce very green pastures, perpetually covered with cattle.
147
On this account, the dwellings seem more thinly scattered than in the counties of Devonshire and Somerset, in proof of the prodigious quantity of cattle, it is said, that, in a circuit of 3 miles round Dorchester, they reckon above 40,000 head of oxen and sheep.
My Lord Charles Stuart, Duke of Richmond, superintends the government of the county of Dorset, in the capacity of governor and lieutenant.
[ Charles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox – see https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]
Dorchester is the residence of the sheriff, a royal minister; and, every 3 months, the judges and deputies of the parliament and of the county come thither. These together compose the judicature, after the same form as is universally adopted in each of the 52 counties into which the kingdom is divided, for the expediting both of civil and criminal affairs; such as appeals, &c. &c.; the common jurisdiction of the place being in the hands of its own magistracy, over which the mayor presides.
[ Dorchester’s history can be traced back to the Iron Age. Maiden Castle, the huge and complex Iron Age fort, is just outside the town. Marvel at the sheer scale of the earthworks which were built with primitive tools. The Romans built a town here in AD 43 (Durnovaria) and you can see reminders of Dorchester’s Roman past in the County Museum and the Roman Town House. For more info, see https://www.historic-uk.com/Histo… ]
@@@
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
About Wednesday 31 March 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 2
At last you reach the camp, which, instead of being composed of earth conveyed thither, appears very clearly to have been an isolated mountain, and cut all round into three tiers of very high entrenchments, distinct from each other, with wide ditches between.
145
The shape cannot be exactly ascertained, appearing for the most part circular; but in some places the angles may be clearly perceived, yet without one's being able accurately to distinguish the plan. There are in all 2 entrances; before each of which the three tiers of entrenchments are multiplied into numerous other fortifications, which served perhaps better to secure the ingress, as it is at present the custom to conceal the gates of fortresses behind a double halfmoon.
Hillocks of earth, which are reported to have been monuments of Roman soldiers and captains, are scattered all over the surrounding country, and extend to the distance of 30 miles in every direction.
From this fortification, his highness descended into the plain, through which runs the small river Frome, whose waters contain abundance of most excellent trout.
Their mode of angling here is very different from the common one; for, where our fishermen hold the hook still for a long time in the same place, these keep it in continual motion, darting the line into the water like the lash of a whip, then drawing it along a few paces, they throw it in afresh; repeating this operation till the fish is caught.
About Wednesday 31 March 1669
San Diego Sarah • Link
Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin, visits Dorchester on his way to London today.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. I apologize if I guessed incorrectly:
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused making the N.S./O.S. date conversions, so I apologize if they are wrong:
@@@
From Hinton St. George we went to dine, on March 31/10 April, 1669, at Dorchester, passing through the villages of Crewkerne, Southprad [SOUTH ROAD?], Maiden Newton and Frampton.
Having passed Crewkerne, which is about 3 miles from Hinton St. George, they reentered the county of Dorset, of which Dorchester is the capital.
144
As soon as his highness rose from table, he was congratulated by the mayor and all the magistracy in black dresses, this being the distinction between the cities and towns, the former only having the privilege of using red gowns.
[ The mayor of Dorchester 1668/9 was Joseph Seward https://www.opcdorset.org/fording… ]
When the magistrates were gone, his highness mounted his horse with his attendants, and with a retinue composed of many of the inhabitants of the town, and was conducted by the mayor to see a celebrated antiquity, 2 miles distant, called the Roman Camp, and, by the English, Fossway, it being an ancient tradition that the Roman armies, who subdued this country, were there reduced to straits on a certain occasion.
A little more than 2 musket shots from the place is seen an elevated mound of earth, more than twice the height of a man, of an oval form, which served for a theatre, as the inhabitants have a notion, judging not only from the shape as before-mentioned, but from its having an inclination or declivity similar to that of theatres.
It appears rather that this might be an advanced post, it being betwixt the camp and the town, and having, as they say, a subterraneous passage, by which it communicates with it; moreover, another similar enclosure of a circular form, situated in another direction with respect to the larger fortification, appears to favor this supposition.