So Elizabeth is sporting fashionable new locks ... but six weeks ago Pepys was concerned that her hair was falling out. So maybe this wasn't entirely about fashion:
Tuesday 18 September 1666 "Betimes to bed, my wife also being all this day ill in the same manner. Troubled at my wife’s hair coming off so much." https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
19th century pictures of some old Kensington coaching inns, before they were demolished. It doesn't look anything like the Kensington we visit today: https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019…
Pictures of some old inns in Highgate about half way through these 19th century pictures ... the Spaniards Hotel, the Old Crow Inn, and the Gate House Tavern. But one shows the village green and the rutted roads as a reminder that Pepys saw a different Highgate than we see today.
Thank you, CGS, for writing something I understand (not that I don't enjoy many of your other offerings, but usually feel like I've missed the point).
I've never struggled through Thomas Hobbes' LEVIATHAN, but you have sparked my interest to try again. The relevant part covering "the First and Second Natural Laws and Contracts" can be found at https://www.bartleby.com/34/5/14.…
Meanwhile, in the House of Lords, Lord Butler is sent to the Tower of London for threatening to duel with George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham over the ban on the importation of Irish beef to England. George avoids the Tower, but is put into the hands of the Black Rod (I suspect that means he can't go home).
Black Rod, in full Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod or Lady Usher of the Black Rod, an office of the British House of Lords (the upper house in Parliament), instituted in 1350. Its holder is appointed by royal letters patent, and the title is derived from the staff of office, an ebony stick surmounted with a gold lion.
The Black Rod is a personal attendant of the sovereign in the upper house [AKA House of Lords] and there functions as a sergeant at arms. The most prominent duty of the office is the summoning of the members of the House of Commons (the lower house) to the upper house to hear a speech from the throne or the royal assent given to bills. On such occasions the House of Commons closes its doors at Black Rod’s approach, whereupon he [or she these days] must knock three times before being admitted. The origin of this curious ceremony dates from the indignation of the lower house at the famous attempt of Charles I to arrest John Hampden, John Pym, and three other members of the House of Commons in 1642.
Message from the King. Mr. Secretary Morice delivers a Message, in Writing, from his Majesty: Which was read by the Speaker. Resolved, &c. That this House [of Commons] do lay aside all other Business till That of the King's Supply be settled.
Good move, Elizabeth. This is not a good time for thinking about becoming a Roman Catholic. I expect to see you in church a lot more for quite some time to come.
I was reading the review for a new Stuart novel (which sounds excellent), and the author wrote this about the mind-set of Pepys and the inhabitants of London in particular at this time:
"Consider experiencing the politically divisive furore of five or six consecutive Brexits between now and 2040, plus a conflict that accounted for proportionally more of the country’s population than World War One, followed by a pandemic that wiped out a quarter of the people in London and a blaze that consumed much of city. Then take away the ability to know what was happening and why, and you begin to get an inkling."
"Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die." -- Isaiah 22:13, Ecclesiastes 8:15, 1 Corinthians 15:32, and Luke 12:19
Of course, he's not writing specifically of 1666 as we are, but to the above currently we can add the fear of invasion by the Dutch and French, and profound distrust of anyone suspected of being a Roman Catholic.
Does anyone know why we call the Queen "Catherine of Braganza," and not Catherine of Portugal? Jaoa VI was King of Portugal and she was the Infanta of Portugal when they wed.
It's Anne of Austria, Katherine of Aragon, Mary of Modena, Anne of Cleves ... I believe the Duke of Edinburgh is Philip of Greece.
“Our Towne” is Deptford, across the Thames from London. Evelyn's estate borders on the dockyards. That's where Mrs. Bagwell lives, and this may account for Pepys not wanting to see her recently.
No, but these working gals are her close friends, and here comes a man with enough money to bring a decent bottle or two of wine and some snacks, and one thing leads to another and there's lots of laughing and bawdy jokes on a winter Sunday afternoon.
God has seen fit to spare them from the plague and the fire, so they are letting off steam. Being in close proximity to death changes you, and these folk had seen things in the last 2 years you and I do not dream of. Widows and women whose husbands are out of town need to have fun too.
Besides, working gals see lots of gentlemen around these days. If they are good enough for the Court, why not play around with good ol' Pepys? The Church doesn't seem to be winning any arguments these days. It's 1666 -- God could take them all at any time. And England is clearly being punished. It's just a matter of time ... carpe diem.
Thomas Guy is a fairly unusual name -- but identical names ran in families as you've probably noticed.
David Quidnunc may be right that this refers to two different men. If Guy is documented to be in Tangier in 1666, they must be.
But if that fact is not documented, he could well be the same man as there wasn't thought to be much difference between being a warrior on land or sea. Plus Capt. Guy seems be totally comfortable with Pepys in 1666, and over lunch criticized his superiors as a stranger probably would not have done.
My guess is that that's why Phil has put both entries on one page. Might be relatives ... might be the same person.
L&M Companion -- Henry Muddiman (1629-1692). Journalist; he wrote most of the content of the government newspapers Apr. 1660-Aug. 1663, the earlier numbers of the *Oxford/London Gazette* 1665-6, and a remarkable run of newsletters 1660-1688, in which he gave correspondents both domestic and foreign news. He worked under successive secretaries of state, and in close association (until 1666) with Joseph Williamson, the Under-Secretary. Together they built up a system of news gathering and news distribution far superior to any previously known in England. In early 1660 he and Pepys belonged to a drinking "Club". (SP)
Sir EDWARD STRADLING, 4th Bart. (c. 1645 - 1685) took his degree of M.A., at Oxford in September 1661. His father and grandfather, the 2nd and 3rd baronets, both raised regiments and fought for King Charles in the Civil Wars. Our Sir Edward, the 4th Bart. was proposed as a knight of the Royal Oak at the Restoration (since he was about 20 at the time, this may have been recognition of his family's services, not his), and he was active as a deputy-lieutenant in the 1660s enforcing the Clarendon Code, and in 1685 he signed a warrant for the arrest of suspected rebels. The family lived in St. Donat’s Castle, Glamorganshire, and he married Elizabeth, daughter of Anthony Hungerford (not the MP) which was a prominent family.
Tonyel ... maybe. For "a change" I think James would go to Hampton Court where the hunting was better. The more I think about it, the more I'm in favor of hygiene. There were no bathrooms so people were doing their business in stair wells and behind doors, etc. Everything had to be scrubbed every six weeks or so. That requires moving people into temporary quarters quite regularly.
What we might politely describe as "wear and tear" -- good catch JB.
Another reason I thought of was that people were less likely to travel in winter. Therefore the Court required more guest rooms for visitors in the summer.
John G ... I am sure there was a shortage of everything.
During the Civil War it is estimated one-tenth of the population of the British Isles died from war, wounds, famine, etc. During the last 18 months, the plague has been and still is a factor. Many worker-types in the south of England have been impressed, killed, captured or wounded. The countryside has too many widows, orphans, halt, lame and elderly. And now refugees. Their displeasure with Parliament is reflected in the local election returns.
If you were rich, or in privileged circumstances like Pepys, you had access to workers. But for people like the Mitchells, they moved out of the City and in time developed the suburbs, but their circumstances must have been crowded at this time. We are not told where Michael Mitchell found supplies to rebuild part of The Swan, but if he can serve hot dinners, drinks and give workers somewhere to sit out of the rain, he'll make a good living.
Timber, nails, brick, stone, food, all would be in short supply. Anything landed at City wharves (wharfs? -- spellcheck doesn't like that) would have to be moved to somewhere secure since the warehouses burned. If it was landed outside the City, then it had to be trucked in. Charles II had organized alternative marketplaces.
Rev. Josselin complains the recent rains meant they have missed the planting season -- meaning low grain yields next year. That rain also fell on London and the poor displaced masses -- colds, pneumonia, and influenza inevitably follow.
Pepys' focus on accounting, reports and Parliamentary hearings is misleading. His coach daily goes through desolation between the office and Westminster. Having lived through two big fires, I can tell you the place stinks and there's soot and rubble everywhere for months.
Fortunately the Dutch are also in a mess. The Admirals and the States-General are dealing with their own uproars, so they do not invade ... which was fortunate as England was in no position to defend itself from the planned French-Dutch invasion from Scotland and Ireland. I've posted a few memos about rebuilding forts on remote islands, problems moving bullion around, and the logistics of housing Dutch prisoners in Ireland, etc., to give you an idea of Charles II and the Duke of York's concerns.
Feeding Tangiers was not top of their list of easy and cheap things to do. Pepys was on his own, and his personal gold was safely out of circulation. Hoarding is always a problem during disasters.
Comments
Second Reading
About Monday 29 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
So Elizabeth is sporting fashionable new locks ... but six weeks ago Pepys was concerned that her hair was falling out. So maybe this wasn't entirely about fashion:
Tuesday 18 September 1666
"Betimes to bed, my wife also being all this day ill in the same manner. Troubled at my wife’s hair coming off so much."
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Kensington
San Diego Sarah • Link
19th century pictures of some old Kensington coaching inns, before they were demolished. It doesn't look anything like the Kensington we visit today:
https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019…
About Highgate
San Diego Sarah • Link
Pictures of some old inns in Highgate about half way through these 19th century pictures ... the Spaniards Hotel, the Old Crow Inn, and the Gate House Tavern. But one shows the village green and the rutted roads as a reminder that Pepys saw a different Highgate than we see today.
https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019…
About Saracen's Head
San Diego Sarah • Link
A picture of the Saracen's Head shortly before demolition is half way through these pictures:
https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019…
About Tuesday 30 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thank you, CGS, for writing something I understand (not that I don't enjoy many of your other offerings, but usually feel like I've missed the point).
I've never struggled through Thomas Hobbes' LEVIATHAN, but you have sparked my interest to try again. The relevant part covering "the First and Second Natural Laws and Contracts" can be found at
https://www.bartleby.com/34/5/14.…
About Monday 29 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Meanwhile, in the House of Lords, Lord Butler is sent to the Tower of London for threatening to duel with George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham over the ban on the importation of Irish beef to England. George avoids the Tower, but is put into the hands of the Black Rod (I suspect that means he can't go home).
Black Rod, in full Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod or Lady Usher of the Black Rod, an office of the British House of Lords (the upper house in Parliament), instituted in 1350. Its holder is appointed by royal letters patent, and the title is derived from the staff of office, an ebony stick surmounted with a gold lion.
The Black Rod is a personal attendant of the sovereign in the upper house [AKA House of Lords] and there functions as a sergeant at arms. The most prominent duty of the office is the summoning of the members of the House of Commons (the lower house) to the upper house to hear a speech from the throne or the royal assent given to bills. On such occasions the House of Commons closes its doors at Black Rod’s approach, whereupon he [or she these days] must knock three times before being admitted. The origin of this curious ceremony dates from the indignation of the lower house at the famous attempt of Charles I to arrest John Hampden, John Pym, and three other members of the House of Commons in 1642.
The Black Rod is ex officio an officer of the Order of the Garter.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/…
About Monday 29 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Message from the King.
Mr. Secretary Morice delivers a Message, in Writing, from his Majesty: Which was read by the Speaker.
Resolved, &c. That this House [of Commons] do lay aside all other Business till That of the King's Supply be settled.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
Pepys isn't the only one stuck in limbo.
About Monday 29 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Pepys last saw LOVE IN A TUB on January 4, 1664/5
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
He didn't think much of the play then, either. But the company wasn't as glittering.
About Sunday 28 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Up, and to church with my wife, ..."
Good move, Elizabeth. This is not a good time for thinking about becoming a Roman Catholic. I expect to see you in church a lot more for quite some time to come.
About Sunday 28 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
I was reading the review for a new Stuart novel (which sounds excellent), and the author wrote this about the mind-set of Pepys and the inhabitants of London in particular at this time:
"Consider experiencing the politically divisive furore of five or six consecutive Brexits between now and 2040, plus a conflict that accounted for proportionally more of the country’s population than World War One, followed by a pandemic that wiped out a quarter of the people in London and a blaze that consumed much of city. Then take away the ability to know what was happening and why, and you begin to get an inkling."
"Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die." -- Isaiah 22:13, Ecclesiastes 8:15, 1 Corinthians 15:32, and Luke 12:19
https://englishhistoryauthors.blo…
Of course, he's not writing specifically of 1666 as we are, but to the above currently we can add the fear of invasion by the Dutch and French, and profound distrust of anyone suspected of being a Roman Catholic.
About Catherine of Braganza (Queen)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Does anyone know why we call the Queen "Catherine of Braganza," and not Catherine of Portugal? Jaoa VI was King of Portugal and she was the Infanta of Portugal when they wed.
It's Anne of Austria, Katherine of Aragon, Mary of Modena, Anne of Cleves ... I believe the Duke of Edinburgh is Philip of Greece.
About Sunday 28 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
John Evelyn's Diary has moved:
October 28 ... The Pestilence now through God’s mercy, began now to abate in our Towne considerably.
http://brittlebooks.library.illin…
“Our Towne” is Deptford, across the Thames from London. Evelyn's estate borders on the dockyards. That's where Mrs. Bagwell lives, and this may account for Pepys not wanting to see her recently.
About Friday 26 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
I'm guessing this was the painting Terry linked back in 2009 as the Dog Tavern
http://collections.soane.org/obje…
About Sunday 28 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
That makes perfect sense, Mary K. It's so out-of-character for what I've heard about Rupert and Holmes that that never occurred to me.
About Sunday 28 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Is Betty Martin running some kind of bordello?"
No, but these working gals are her close friends, and here comes a man with enough money to bring a decent bottle or two of wine and some snacks, and one thing leads to another and there's lots of laughing and bawdy jokes on a winter Sunday afternoon.
God has seen fit to spare them from the plague and the fire, so they are letting off steam. Being in close proximity to death changes you, and these folk had seen things in the last 2 years you and I do not dream of. Widows and women whose husbands are out of town need to have fun too.
Besides, working gals see lots of gentlemen around these days. If they are good enough for the Court, why not play around with good ol' Pepys? The Church doesn't seem to be winning any arguments these days. It's 1666 -- God could take them all at any time. And England is clearly being punished. It's just a matter of time ... carpe diem.
About Sunday 28 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
"He says that in the July fight, both the Prince and Holmes had their belly-fulls, and were fain to go aside; ..."
Is Capt. Guy saying that Rupert and Holmes were drunk, but refused to stand aside?
Nothing in my on-line dictionaries seems to fit.
About Capt. Thomas Guy
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thomas Guy is a fairly unusual name -- but identical names ran in families as you've probably noticed.
David Quidnunc may be right that this refers to two different men. If Guy is documented to be in Tangier in 1666, they must be.
But if that fact is not documented, he could well be the same man as there wasn't thought to be much difference between being a warrior on land or sea. Plus Capt. Guy seems be totally comfortable with Pepys in 1666, and over lunch criticized his superiors as a stranger probably would not have done.
My guess is that that's why Phil has put both entries on one page. Might be relatives ... might be the same person.
About Wednesday 24 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
L&M Companion -- Henry Muddiman (1629-1692). Journalist; he wrote most of the content of the government newspapers Apr. 1660-Aug. 1663, the earlier numbers of the *Oxford/London Gazette* 1665-6, and a remarkable run of newsletters 1660-1688, in which he gave correspondents both domestic and foreign news. He worked under successive secretaries of state, and in close association (until 1666) with Joseph Williamson, the Under-Secretary. Together they built up a system of news gathering and news distribution far superior to any previously known in England. In early 1660 he and Pepys belonged to a drinking "Club". (SP)
Sir EDWARD STRADLING, 4th Bart. (c. 1645 - 1685) took his degree of M.A., at Oxford in September 1661. His father and grandfather, the 2nd and 3rd baronets, both raised regiments and fought for King Charles in the Civil Wars. Our Sir Edward, the 4th Bart. was proposed as a knight of the Royal Oak at the Restoration (since he was about 20 at the time, this may have been recognition of his family's services, not his), and he was active as a deputy-lieutenant in the 1660s enforcing the Clarendon Code, and in 1685 he signed a warrant for the arrest of suspected rebels. The family lived in St. Donat’s Castle, Glamorganshire, and he married Elizabeth, daughter of Anthony Hungerford (not the MP) which was a prominent family.
details from: http://www.historyofparliamentonl… and
https://biography.wales/article/s…
About Thursday 25 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
Tonyel ... maybe. For "a change" I think James would go to Hampton Court where the hunting was better. The more I think about it, the more I'm in favor of hygiene. There were no bathrooms so people were doing their business in stair wells and behind doors, etc. Everything had to be scrubbed every six weeks or so. That requires moving people into temporary quarters quite regularly.
What we might politely describe as "wear and tear" -- good catch JB.
Another reason I thought of was that people were less likely to travel in winter. Therefore the Court required more guest rooms for visitors in the summer.
About Wednesday 24 October 1666
San Diego Sarah • Link
John G ... I am sure there was a shortage of everything.
During the Civil War it is estimated one-tenth of the population of the British Isles died from war, wounds, famine, etc. During the last 18 months, the plague has been and still is a factor. Many worker-types in the south of England have been impressed, killed, captured or wounded. The countryside has too many widows, orphans, halt, lame and elderly. And now refugees. Their displeasure with Parliament is reflected in the local election returns.
If you were rich, or in privileged circumstances like Pepys, you had access to workers. But for people like the Mitchells, they moved out of the City and in time developed the suburbs, but their circumstances must have been crowded at this time. We are not told where Michael Mitchell found supplies to rebuild part of The Swan, but if he can serve hot dinners, drinks and give workers somewhere to sit out of the rain, he'll make a good living.
Timber, nails, brick, stone, food, all would be in short supply. Anything landed at City wharves (wharfs? -- spellcheck doesn't like that) would have to be moved to somewhere secure since the warehouses burned. If it was landed outside the City, then it had to be trucked in. Charles II had organized alternative marketplaces.
Rev. Josselin complains the recent rains meant they have missed the planting season -- meaning low grain yields next year. That rain also fell on London and the poor displaced masses -- colds, pneumonia, and influenza inevitably follow.
Pepys' focus on accounting, reports and Parliamentary hearings is misleading. His coach daily goes through desolation between the office and Westminster. Having lived through two big fires, I can tell you the place stinks and there's soot and rubble everywhere for months.
Fortunately the Dutch are also in a mess. The Admirals and the States-General are dealing with their own uproars, so they do not invade ... which was fortunate as England was in no position to defend itself from the planned French-Dutch invasion from Scotland and Ireland. I've posted a few memos about rebuilding forts on remote islands, problems moving bullion around, and the logistics of housing Dutch prisoners in Ireland, etc., to give you an idea of Charles II and the Duke of York's concerns.
Feeding Tangiers was not top of their list of easy and cheap things to do. Pepys was on his own, and his personal gold was safely out of circulation. Hoarding is always a problem during disasters.