Kate Joyce's situation and status are entirely different from that of these other women, of course. In the first place she is related to Sam and in the second place she stands to lose financially by an injudicious marriage - and that, too, could affect both Sam and his pocket.
Perhaps we shall never know how this picture came into Will's possession. Borrowed? Provided as a sample of what the artist could do? His own? These trompe l'oeil paintings were to become quite fashionable in the late 17th/early 18th centuries and presumably fairly expensive. Does this evening's demonstration illustrate the fact that Will is already on his way to amassing wealth?
Does Sam mean that he has never had a pewter cistern before, or that he has never had a cistern at all before? On 7th September 1667 he went to price a copper cistern (told that it would cost him £6 or £7 to buy one) and immediately resolved to have one, but he doesn't appear to have gone through with the purchase.
What is also interesting is that Pepys makes the rounds of no fewer than seven caterers before securing Mr. Levett's personal services. Apparently this was a flourishing trade.
The New Exchange, for those who are very familiar with The Strand, stood approximately where Top Shop is situated today, roughly halfway between Shell Mex House and Charing Cross Station.
Sam apparently picks his wife up from Unthankes and conveys her to the New Exchange, the one at Charing Cross and the other a short way up The Strand (a position opposite present day Bedford Street). The distance between the two points cannot have been above half a mile and was probably closer to 500 yards. Perhaps the streets were particularly nasty this morning, or perhaps it simply wasn't done for ladies to be seen walking, especially when one of them is the wife of the Man of the Moment.
This was to have one's meal served course by course (as we do today) rather than with all the dishes laid upon the table at the same time, for people to pick and choose at what took their fancy and in what order or combination of dishes. This latter fashion persisted well into the 19th century before giving way to the French fashion entirely. (Except, I suppose, for buffet meals, but that's another matter).
Serving a formal meal course by course required the attention of more servants than the all-at-once style if everyone was to be served promptly and this fact alone probably limited its appeal to all but the very comfortably off (or pretentious).
This presumably refers to the inn that her husband was keeping in Clerkenwell immediately before his death in January 1668. Pepys went to considerable trouble to assist Kate in the aftermath of that event and is now called upon for help again. I'm not sure how far he actually 'liked' Kate, but he evidently felt that ties of blood placed him under obligation to help when possible. He seems to have had a fairly poor opinion of both brothers, Anthony and William Joyce, though is prepared to concede that the latter sings well - and that usually counts for something with our musical friend.
Well, it's a bit difficult to be aroused from sleep in the early morning and then be expected to offer sympathetic and constructive advice about a crisis in one's husband's career. Pepys has perhaps been churning this over and over in his mind for some time but Elizabeth may have been peacefully sleeping until wakened and put on the spot.
Pepys is complaining of a persistently weepy eye, but mentions no pain. Blocked tear duct caused by a minor infection, perhaps. He doesn't seem to be brewing a streaming cold, otherwise he would surely have made a note of that.
Sam's approach to Pall's marriage can hardly be said to rise above the purely practical. He's met Jackson, found him dull but unobjectionable, reached a satisfactory agreement about Pall's portion and despatched the necessary banker's note for £600. Nothing more to say.
Comments
First Reading
About Sunday 22 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
Barry.
Try using the Search box (top right-hand side of the page).
About Sunday 22 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
"a young widow that is a little handsome, at least ordinary people think her so."
Though of course no-one, Sam implies, could mistake her for a woman of breeding and consequence - but she has some appeal for the lower sort.
About Thursday 19 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
Kate Joyce's situation and status are entirely different from that of these other women, of course. In the first place she is related to Sam and in the second place she stands to lose financially by an injudicious marriage - and that, too, could affect both Sam and his pocket.
About Monday 16 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
Michael.
Thank you for chasing this down. It will be interesting to see how Sam's speculative deal has worked out.
About Sunday 15 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
the picture that Will Hewer brought.
Perhaps we shall never know how this picture came into Will's possession. Borrowed? Provided as a sample of what the artist could do? His own? These trompe l'oeil paintings were to become quite fashionable in the late 17th/early 18th centuries and presumably fairly expensive. Does this evening's demonstration illustrate the fact that Will is already on his way to amassing wealth?
About Saturday 14 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
"which I have ever hitherto been without"
Does Sam mean that he has never had a pewter cistern before, or that he has never had a cistern at all before? On 7th September 1667 he went to price a copper cistern (told that it would cost him £6 or £7 to buy one) and immediately resolved to have one, but he doesn't appear to have gone through with the purchase.
About Friday 13 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
What is also interesting is that Pepys makes the rounds of no fewer than seven caterers before securing Mr. Levett's personal services. Apparently this was a flourishing trade.
About Thursday 12 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
postscript to the above.
The New Exchange, for those who are very familiar with The Strand, stood approximately where Top Shop is situated today, roughly halfway between Shell Mex House and Charing Cross Station.
About Tuesday 10 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
Bottles, of course, had their value at this date; they weren't the ubiquitous articles that we treat lightly today.
About Thursday 12 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
ladies don't walk.
Sam apparently picks his wife up from Unthankes and conveys her to the New Exchange, the one at Charing Cross and the other a short way up The Strand (a position opposite present day Bedford Street). The distance between the two points cannot have been above half a mile and was probably closer to 500 yards. Perhaps the streets were particularly nasty this morning, or perhaps it simply wasn't done for ladies to be seen walking, especially when one of them is the wife of the Man of the Moment.
About Wednesday 11 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
The French fashion.
This was to have one's meal served course by course (as we do today) rather than with all the dishes laid upon the table at the same time, for people to pick and choose at what took their fancy and in what order or combination of dishes. This latter fashion persisted well into the 19th century before giving way to the French fashion entirely. (Except, I suppose, for buffet meals, but that's another matter).
Serving a formal meal course by course required the attention of more servants than the all-at-once style if everyone was to be served promptly and this fact alone probably limited its appeal to all but the very comfortably off (or pretentious).
About Thursday 15 September 1664
Mary • Link
Let's keep asking. RG, what's IC?
About Tuesday 10 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
Yes, I had also taken it as Georgiana and Phoenix do. I caught no hint of schadenfreude at all.
About Tuesday 10 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
Kate Joyce "putting off her house"
This presumably refers to the inn that her husband was keeping in Clerkenwell immediately before his death in January 1668. Pepys went to considerable trouble to assist Kate in the aftermath of that event and is now called upon for help again. I'm not sure how far he actually 'liked' Kate, but he evidently felt that ties of blood placed him under obligation to help when possible. He seems to have had a fairly poor opinion of both brothers, Anthony and William Joyce, though is prepared to concede that the latter sings well - and that usually counts for something with our musical friend.
About Monday 19 September 1664
Mary • Link
Thank you for this little gem.
About Thursday 5 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
Well, it's a bit difficult to be aroused from sleep in the early morning and then be expected to offer sympathetic and constructive advice about a crisis in one's husband's career. Pepys has perhaps been churning this over and over in his mind for some time but Elizabeth may have been peacefully sleeping until wakened and put on the spot.
About Thursday 5 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
"getting my wife to talk to me to comfort me"
A rare glimpse into the relationship between Sam and Elizabeth that goes beyond the mundane, day-to-day ups and downs.
About Thursday 24 May 1666
Mary • Link
right eye ...very ill of the rheum
Pepys is complaining of a persistently weepy eye, but mentions no pain. Blocked tear duct caused by a minor infection, perhaps. He doesn't seem to be brewing a streaming cold, otherwise he would surely have made a note of that.
About Monday 2 March 1667/68
Mary • Link
"so that work is, I hope, well over."
Sam's approach to Pall's marriage can hardly be said to rise above the purely practical. He's met Jackson, found him dull but unobjectionable, reached a satisfactory agreement about Pall's portion and despatched the necessary banker's note for £600. Nothing more to say.
About Saturday 29 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
La Roche.
This entry enlarges on the happenings in the West Country that Sam mentioned on 19th February 1668