Annotations and comments

San Diego Sarah has posted 9,746 annotations/comments since 6 August 2015.

Comments

Second Reading

About Sunday 22 January 1659/60

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"Of course they went to church -- there wasn't anything else to do!" -- uh, no. We know Pepys went twice, but there is no mention of Elizabeth going in the afternoon and he specifically says she did not go in the morning. What was she doing? Not cooking lunch, that we know.

My current theory about Pepys' church going is that he wanted to see who went to Anglican and who to Presbyterian services. Intelligence is important when you know war could break out again -- and you have no idea who is probably going to win. Parliament and the Lord Mayor of London are currently not working together on the threat from Monck, who could attack any day, and Lawson lies still in the Thames, saying nothing.

About Tuesday 4 April 1665

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

I would be happy to, but there are two issues. Firstly, this annotation is not about Samuel Pepys. Secondly, the Pepys Encyclopedia's last listing offers "Jobs and Professions", subsections "Doctors", "Domestic Servants" and "Lawyers", where none of these professional women belong. I do not see an in-depth subject or catch-all where we can helpfully post random 17th century female work information. If Phil Gifford were to add a subsection like "Women Business Owners" that would be another matter. Thank you for thinking the information worthy of inclusion.

About Sunday 22 January 1659/60

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Pepys is out buying buckles for his shoes? ... they have no coal; he had to borrow money to pay the rent; he doesn't know where he will be working; Monck could attack Parliament any day now if the Lord Mayor's representatives negotiate badly. Bizarre -- totally bizarre.

About Tuesday 4 April 1665

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"I doubt there were many husband/wife operations in Pepys’ time."

Pepys knew/knew of many business women. According to J.D. Davies, the Navy and the dockyards were places of employment for women:

Elspeth Browne was one of the owners of the Scottish privateer Margaret,
while Anne and Mary Powlet received letters of marque and reprisal (authorizing them to fit out a privateer) to avenge their dead husbands and reclaim some of the £21,000 of losses that the Dutch had allegedly cost them.

In 1653 Joan Chudleigh ran her late husband’s shipwright’s business at Kinsale, and gave the navy estimates for warship repair;

Mary Harrison was a ship painter at Portsmouth for over 20 years from 1676.

Margaret Browne was the chief supplier of lead to the Deptford yard in 1659,
while in later years ‘widow Braman’ was the lockmaker at Deptford,

and Martha Bradford and ‘Widow Evans’ were the keeper and water-carrier of the payhouse at Chatham.

Susanna Beckford was the supplier of ships’ iron work to both Deptford and Woolwich dockyards, having carried on her husband’s business after his death in 1675; her letters show she was well educated.

Anne Pearson had the least ‘ladylike’ job of all – during the 1670s she had the official contract for poisoning the rats at Deptford and Woolwich dockyards,
see http://hoydensandfirebrands.blogs…

PLUS:
http://mercuriuspoliticus.wordpre…
Many women played a significant role in trades related to books and printing but their roles are obscured by the slender surviving evidence. Even where evidence survives, it has to be read carefully. The terms in which female printers are described by contemporaries underplay their importance. Jane Coe was no exception. The English Short Title Catalogue lists over 70 titles printed with either “Jane Coe”, “I. Coe” or “J. Coe” on the imprint. In the main, these were short quartos: printed versions of letters, satirical pieces accompanied by woodcuts, news pamphlets giving accounts of battles and negotiations, and above all newsbooks. However, we know little about Jane.

And don't forget Pepys' admiration for Sarah Green Bland, the wife of merchant John Bland to whom Pepys went in December 1662 to discuss supplies for Tangier. After business was over, Pepys stayed on to eat and drink 'very merrily'. He commented, 'but above all, pleased to hear Mrs. Bland talk like a merchant in her husband's business very well; and it seems she doth understand it and perform a great deal'.

In 1664 Pepys was once again 'fain to admire the knowledge and experience of Mrs. Bland, who I think as good a merchant as her husband" (p 380-381). http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Men took credit for their wives' work. Only when they became widows did they have any hope of being recognized.

About Thursday 19 January 1659/60

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

No, I'm wrong -- these notes refer to:

"Sir Arth. Haselrigge, ... Here he gave me a note to go and invite some other members to dinner tomorrow."

Sounds like he is hired to me.

About Thursday 19 January 1659/60

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... they do all tell me that my name was mentioned the last night, but that nothing was done in it.

"Hence I went and did leave some of my notes at the lodgings of the members and so home."

I wonder what these notes said. "Looking forward to working with you. Attached is my resume. I can write shorthand at 140 wpm, and I'm an ace at Latin and Greek."

About Tuesday 17 January 1659/60

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... and came about one of the clock to Mr. Fuller’s, but he was out of town, so we had a dinner there, and I gave the child 40s. to give to the two ushers.

"After that we parted and went homewards, it being market day at Brainford. I set my wife down and went with the coach to Mr. Crew’s, ..."

My understanding of this passage from all the annotations is that Sam and Elizabeth probably took Edward Montagu to Mr. Fuller's Latin school at Twickenham. Fuller wasn't there, so they had lunch, met a couple of the teachers, and Sam gave Edward a lot of money for a 13-year-old. Then Elizabeth and Sam left in the coach, went to the market at Brentford, and took their groceries home where Sam dropped off Elizabeth, and Sam returned the coach to Crew. A nice outing for Elizabeth.

My uncle dropped me off at boarding school in the chauffeur-driven company limo once as well. Made the other girls pay attention for a hot second.

Incidentally, I only got one pound for spending money per semester/term ... young Edward was given a lot of money. Maybe he was paying for his tuition, laundry, food and housing up front? Robert and Francis Boyle (youngest sons of the 1st Earl of Cork) were at Eton about 10 years before this, and they had personal menservants to care for them who handled their money.

About Twickenham

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

WILLIAM FULLER (1608–1675), dean of St. Patrick’s (1660), bishop of Limerick (1663), and bishop of Lincoln (1667) was friendly with Pepys. There is a reference to him having given Edward, Viscount Hinchingbrooke, instruction in Latin, so perhaps he was running a school in Twickenham in 1660?

About William Syndenham

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Col. William Sydenham MP 1593 – 1661

"WE LIVE AS PARLIAMENT MEN BUT FOR A TIME, BUT WE LIVE AS ENGLISH MEN ALWAYS. I WOULD NOT HAVE US SO TENDER OF THE PRIVILEGE OF PARLIAMENT AS TO FORGET THE LIBERTIES OF ENGLISHMEN" -- William Sydenham speech to parliament 1656.

First son of William Sydenham of Wynford Eagle and Mary, daughter of Sir John Jeffrey of Catherstone, Dorset. Brother to John, Francis and the famous Dr. Thomas.

Captain of Troop in Sir Walter Erle’s regiment of horse, at least Apr. 1643-Aug. 1643. By Apr. 1644 a colonel. Appointed governor of Weymouth by Robert Devereaux, 3rd Earl of Essex on 17 June 1644. A leading figure on the Dorset county committee, elected MP for Melcombe Regis and Weymouth, Nov. 1645. Colonel, regiment of foot, New Model Army, 13 Feb.-June 1649; Joint Governor (with Charles Fleetwood), Isle of Wight, Aug. 1649-Jan. 1660; colonel of foot, June 1659-Jan. 1660. MP for Dorset 1653, 1654, 1656, raised to Cromwell’s Other House as Lord Sydenham, 1657.

After the death of Oliver Cromwell, Sydenham became one of Richard Cromwell's council; but in April 1659 he acted with Fleetwood, Desborough, and what was termed the Wallingford House party to force Richard to dissolve the third Protectorate Parliament. According to Ludlow, Sydenham was one of the chief agents in the negotiation between the army leaders and the republicans which led to Richard's fall. On the restoration of the Rump Parliament, Sydenham became a member of the Committee of Safety on 7 May 1659 and of the Council of State on 16 May, although he had scruples against taking the oath required from members of the latter. He was also given the command of a regiment of foot.

When John Lambert turned out the Rump Parliament again, Sydenham took part with the army, and was made a member of their Committee of Safety. Sydenham attempted to justify the violence of the army to the Council of State, "undertaking to prove that they were necessitated to make use of this last remedy by a particular call of divine Providence".

When the Rump Parliament was again restored, Sydenham was called to answer for his conduct. Failing to give a satisfactory explanation, he was expelled from Parliament on 17 January 1660. His regiment was also given to the speaker's son.

At the restoration of the monarchy, the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion included Sydenham in the 18 people perpetually banned from holding any office for life on 29 August 1660, and he was also obliged to enter into a bond not to disturb the peace of the kingdom. Col. William Sydenham died in July 1661.

References: Oxford DNB; HoP: The Commons, 1640-1660 (forthcoming).

About Saturday 14 January 1659/60

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"From the number of times Mr. Pepys has taken a dish home it seems these women never learned to cook."

No mention of buying coal yet, in which case there could be no cooking. Cook houses were a very useful service. Prepare your own pie, and have it cooked by them. Since they fed the neighborhood, presumably they either got first dibs on the depleted coal supplies, or had a larger supply on hand in the first place. Lawson lies still in the Thames.

About James Harrington

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

James Harrington (1611-1677), author of "The Commonwealth of Oceana" and founder of the Rota Club:

King Charles I liked Harrington, but it wasn't just monarchists who disliked "Oceana," according to the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica:
"By order of Cromwell [Oceana] was seized when passing through the press. Harrington, however managed to secure the favour of the Protector's favourite daughter, Mrs. Claypole; the work was restored to him, and appeared in 1656, dedicated to Cromwell.

"The views embodied in Oceana, particularly that bearing on vote by ballot and rotation of magistrates and legislators, Harrington and others (who in 1659 formed a club called the 'Rota') endeavoured to push practically, but with no success. In November 1661, by order of Charles II, Harrington was arrested, apparently without sufficient cause, on a charge of conspiracy, and was thrown into the Tower. ...

"The Oceana is a hard, prolix, and in many respects heavy exposition of an ideal constitution ... the main ideas are two in number, each with a practical corollary. The first is that the determining element of power in a state is property generally, property in land in particular; the second is that the executive power ought not to be vested for any considerable time in the same men or class of men. ...

"Oceana contains many valuable ideas, but it is irretrievably dull."
The full text of "Oceana" is here: http://www.khamkoo.com/uploads/9/…

Aubrey's note on James Harrington in his Brief Lives:
"... Anno 1659, the beginning of the Michaelmas-terme, [Harrington] had every night a meeting at the (then) Turke's head, in the New Pallace-yard, where they take water, the next house to the staires, at one Miles's, where was made purposely a large ovall-table, with a passage in the middle for Miles to deliver his Coffee. ... The Discourses in this kind were the most ingeniose, and smart, that ever I heard, or expect to heare, and bandyd with great eagernesse: the Arguments in the Parliament howse were but flatt to it."

Aubrey goes on to say that the Rota "was given over upon General Monck's coming-in."

"After the Restoration, Harrington was put in the Tower, and then removed to Portsea Castle. His imprisonment turned him mad, so that he fancied his perspiration turned sometimes to flies and sometimes to bees, but all his hallucinations were inoffensive." -- "Samuel Pepys and his World," by Henry B. Wheatley (1889) p. 20

About Thursday 23 March 1664/65

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Good point, Tonyel, and yes they would warrant a gun salute. The Hope isn't that close to Deal, but allowing for echoes and atmospherics, who knows. Perhaps the Royal Navy could test your theory some time?

About Friday 13 January 1659/60

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

No mention of any coal being procured, so maybe Elizabeth didn't want to be left at home in the dark and cold, and she suspected he was going somewhere fun and warm ... I don't think she had any concerns about Mrs. Jem beyond the smallpox, but maybe she worried about another woman. If he was spying, he wouldn't be able to tell her much about his activities.

About Sir Thomas Player (City Chamberlain 1651-72)

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

In the following note, I believe "his father" is the Thomas Player referred to:

"Player was the grandson of a linen draper in Canterbury. His father was captain in the trained bands sent by Parliament to the relief of Gloucester in 1643, and became Chamberlain of London for life in 1651. He and his father were knighted together by [Charles II] in recognition of his father’s services in the collection of the loans granted by the City to the crown at the Restoration."

(The biographies for 1640-1660 are still being written, so hopefully more info. will be available soon.)

From: http://www.historyofparliamentonl…

About Ald. Sir Thomas Aleyn/Allen (1st Baronet)

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Lord Mayor Thomas Allen (1633 – 15 December 1690) also spelt Aleyn or Alleyn, was an English politician and grocer. Allen was appointed Sheriff of London in 1654 and Lord Mayor of London in 1659. He is remembered as the Lord Mayor who welcomed Charles II into the City of London on 29 May 1660 after his exile, regarded by many as the pivotal episode in the Restoration of the monarchy. Lord Mayor Allen was knighted on the king's arrival and two weeks later, on 14 June, 1660 he was created a baronet, of London, in the County of Middlesex.

About Col. Herbert Morley

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Col. Herbert Morley was an active Parliamentarian in the first Civil War, principally in defense of Sussex.

Although considered an Independent in religion, and conforming after Pride’s Purge, he refused to take part in the King’s trial, and opposed both Cromwell and Lambert’s coup d’etat in 1659.

By November he was in touch with his old school-fellow Evelyn, whom he begged to intercede with Charles II both for himself and his brother-in-law John Fagg. He was important in the overthrow of the military regime by helping to secure Portsmouth, and was made lieutenant of the Tower. Evelyn asked him to declare for the King: ‘had he taken my advice in time, he had been duke, and I God knows what’.

He was absent from the Tower when Lambert escaped on 10 Apr. 1660, having ‘gone down into Sussex to be chosen a Parliament man’. He was returned for Rye, where he had established a strong interest during the Interregnum.4

Morley was a moderately active Member of the Convention. He and John Gurdon ‘durst not speak’, but ‘expressed their dislike of things by the shaking of their heads’.

On 24 May he took steps to procure his pardon. Evelyn, lamenting ‘the sottish indifference of this gentleman’, referred him to Lord Mordaunt, who, he later heard, exacted £1,000 for his services. Two days later Morley showed his zeal against the regicides by informing the House of a book ‘found about’ Gregory Clement which might be serviceable to discover his estate. But he was replaced as lieutenant of the Tower by John Robinson.

Morley retained his seat in 1661 after a contest, but he was never reappointed to the commission of the peace. He was an inactive Member of the Cavalier Parliament.

He retained enough sympathy for the nonconformists to take an ejected minister into his household. His last parliamentary committee was at Oxford, on the plague bill, and he died on 29 Sept. 1667

Highlights from: http://www.historyofparliamentonl…