Martha's reading is the right one. Reeve not only needs the money, his need is present, i.e. urgent and immediate.
Sam's wit would seem to lie in his being able to think up an entirely plausible and reasonable excuse on the spur of the moment for not advancing this sum.
If Sam has got used to wearing a long house-gown when at home, then his lower legs will indeed feel chilly when he ventures out of doors - and we all know how wary he has become of getting chilled; that way lies the route to his 'old pain.' A knee-length jacket of some sort will, he hopes, render his lower extremities less sensitive and liable to chilling. At least, that's how I read it.
Indeed, it could have been a shoe-maker's window. On the other hand, if such were the case I should have expected Sam to comment on the use of such a handy device. Maybe the candle was a short-ish object simply set to one side of the work so that the surface was illuminated obliquely. Illumination of this sort can be a help with very fine, monochrome needlework, so perhaps also with engraving.
No doubt the hired animals that Sam normally has to use on the infrequent occasions when he makes this sort of journey are pretty humdrum beasts, more notable for stolidity than his present mount. Having been ridden by horsemen good, bad and indifferent they are likely to have hard mouths and, whilst presumably durable, yet less than willing rides. Hard work for the rider.
An L&M footnote states that there were in fact three stones, not two. When Charles showed them to the French Ambassador, the latter thought them to be of no very great value.
The donor of the jewels, the self-styled Governor of Maliapur, was asking for a ship in return for his present, so the gift came with loose strings attached. The subsequent history of the stones is not mentioned, so perhaps they weren't terribly good after all.
This noun can derive its form from both 'ingenious' and from 'ingenuous'
In this particular instance, it would look as though the latter derivation is the one in question and, according to OED sense 3, could mean 'freedom from reserve, openness, candour'.
In other words, Pepys is saying that the group feels under some restraint when the Master of Music is with them.
It sounds as if, failing Alsop, Sam is considering buying himself a share in any replacement contract by going into some kind of partnership with the successful bidders. There is surely no way that he can raise enough cash himself to undertake the whole enterprise, even if such a move were to pass muster with the other members of the Navy Board. But a small 'interest' might be feasible.
Can we have found yet another possible origin for the English phrase "all my eye and Betty Martin"?
What's this I hear, Samuel, about you spending a suspicious amount of time at that linen draper's stall in Westminster while I've been away in the country?
What a silly tale, Elizabeth. That's all my eye! (sotto voce) and Betty Martin.
What is not clear is the origin of the goods that were available for winning. Some of these prizes were plainly very valuable. Presumably some folk sought to gain kudos by giving them. Or perhaps they simply had their arms twisted?
This was Eltham Lodge, built in the grounds of the then largely ruined Eltham Palace. The Eltham estate had been leased to Shaw by Charles II for a virtually peppercorn rent in thanks for Shaw's support of him during his exile. Eltham Lodge was designed by a colleague of Wren's and still stands today as the clubhouse of the Royal Blackheath Golf Club. The Shaw family remained in Eltham until the 1820s.
One of George IV's reported objections to Caroline of Brunswick was that she was negligent about personal hygiene and, presumably, this rhyme alludes to that. Another version of the rhyme substitutes 'face' for 'hair'.
Does it strike anyone else as odd that this time of year should be chosen for embarking on a war with another seafaring nation? The North Sea is not noted for its benign weather during the winter months.
According to an L&M footnote for this entry, whereas the Crown had reserved the right to felled timber on the estate to itself, Clarendon objects to Deane's marking of standing timber for the navy. Clarendon regards the standing timber as his own property.
However, according to an earlier note, Clarendon never did obtain full ownership of the estate (which had originally been mortgaged by Charles I, together with other lands, for the sum of £27,400). Although Sam notes that "he (Clarendon) seems to have bought [it] of my Lord Albemarle" that "seems" may be significant.
SMALL SPOILER:The estate reverted to Albemarle after Clarendon's disgrace in 1667.
Fame now sadly diminished. The extensive cherry orchards of my youth have vanished. Too difficult to find pickers and anyway the long ladders that were used are now deemed unsafe by the Health & Safety bods. It should now be the height of the cherry season here in Kent, but the only ones available in my local shops come from Turkey.
Comments
First Reading
About Friday 19 August 1664
Mary • Link
Lady Pen.
This is the former Margriet Jaspers, who was about 41 or 42 at this date. Old indeed!
About Thursday 18 August 1664
Mary • Link
"present occasion for 6l."
Martha's reading is the right one. Reeve not only needs the money, his need is present, i.e. urgent and immediate.
Sam's wit would seem to lie in his being able to think up an entirely plausible and reasonable excuse on the spur of the moment for not advancing this sum.
About Saturday 13 August 1664
Mary • Link
".... to come no lower than my knees."
If Sam has got used to wearing a long house-gown when at home, then his lower legs will indeed feel chilly when he ventures out of doors - and we all know how wary he has become of getting chilled; that way lies the route to his 'old pain.' A knee-length jacket of some sort will, he hopes, render his lower extremities less sensitive and liable to chilling. At least, that's how I read it.
About Wednesday 10 August 1664
Mary • Link
candle set to advantage.
Indeed, it could have been a shoe-maker's window. On the other hand, if such were the case I should have expected Sam to comment on the use of such a handy device. Maybe the candle was a short-ish object simply set to one side of the work so that the surface was illuminated obliquely. Illumination of this sort can be a help with very fine, monochrome needlework, so perhaps also with engraving.
About Friday 5 August 1664
Mary • Link
the very pretty horse.
No doubt the hired animals that Sam normally has to use on the infrequent occasions when he makes this sort of journey are pretty humdrum beasts, more notable for stolidity than his present mount. Having been ridden by horsemen good, bad and indifferent they are likely to have hard mouths and, whilst presumably durable, yet less than willing rides. Hard work for the rider.
About Saturday 30 July 1664
Mary • Link
"I hope to be 100l or two the better"
Presumably Pepys foresees that up to two-thirds of this £300 may have to be laid out in payments to others further down the supply chain.
About Saturday 30 July 1664
Mary • Link
precious stones.
An L&M footnote states that there were in fact three stones, not two. When Charles showed them to the French Ambassador, the latter thought them to be of no very great value.
The donor of the jewels, the self-styled Governor of Maliapur, was asking for a ship in return for his present, so the gift came with loose strings attached. The subsequent history of the stones is not mentioned, so perhaps they weren't terribly good after all.
About Friday 29 July 1664
Mary • Link
ingenuity.
This noun can derive its form from both 'ingenious' and from 'ingenuous'
In this particular instance, it would look as though the latter derivation is the one in question and, according to OED sense 3, could mean 'freedom from reserve, openness, candour'.
In other words, Pepys is saying that the group feels under some restraint when the Master of Music is with them.
About Monday 25 July 1664
Mary • Link
"come in as an adventurer"
It sounds as if, failing Alsop, Sam is considering buying himself a share in any replacement contract by going into some kind of partnership with the successful bidders. There is surely no way that he can raise enough cash himself to undertake the whole enterprise, even if such a move were to pass muster with the other members of the Navy Board. But a small 'interest' might be feasible.
About Thursday 21 July 1664
Mary • Link
Betty Lane/Martin.
Can we have found yet another possible origin for the English phrase "all my eye and Betty Martin"?
What's this I hear, Samuel, about you spending a suspicious amount of time at that linen draper's stall in Westminster while I've been away in the country?
What a silly tale, Elizabeth. That's all my eye!
(sotto voce) and Betty Martin.
About Wednesday 20 July 1664
Mary • Link
The lottery.
What is not clear is the origin of the goods that were available for winning. Some of these prizes were plainly very valuable. Presumably some folk sought to gain kudos by giving them. Or perhaps they simply had their arms twisted?
About Thursday 14 July 1664
Mary • Link
Sir John Shaw's new house.
This was Eltham Lodge, built in the grounds of the then largely ruined Eltham Palace. The Eltham estate had been leased to Shaw by Charles II for a virtually peppercorn rent in thanks for Shaw's support of him during his exile. Eltham Lodge was designed by a colleague of Wren's and still stands today as the clubhouse of the Royal Blackheath Golf Club. The Shaw family remained in Eltham until the 1820s.
Eltham Palace itself merits a google.
About Sunday 17 July 1664
Mary • Link
"Queen, Queen Caroline...."
One of George IV's reported objections to Caroline of Brunswick was that she was negligent about personal hygiene and, presumably, this rhyme alludes to that. Another version of the rhyme substitutes 'face' for 'hair'.
About Monday 18 July 1664
Mary • Link
war with Holland to begin about winter.
Does it strike anyone else as odd that this time of year should be chosen for embarking on a war with another seafaring nation? The North Sea is not noted for its benign weather during the winter months.
About Thursday 14 July 1664
Mary • Link
the problem of the Clarendon Park timber.
According to an L&M footnote for this entry, whereas the Crown had reserved the right to felled timber on the estate to itself, Clarendon objects to Deane's marking of standing timber for the navy. Clarendon regards the standing timber as his own property.
However, according to an earlier note, Clarendon never did obtain full ownership of the estate (which had originally been mortgaged by Charles I, together with other lands, for the sum of £27,400). Although Sam notes that "he (Clarendon) seems to have bought [it] of my Lord Albemarle" that "seems" may be significant.
SMALL SPOILER:The estate reverted to Albemarle after Clarendon's disgrace in 1667.
About Sunday 10 July 1664
Mary • Link
"..begin I will not."
I think this means, "I will not raise the matter." A bit more weighty than just reference to starting a conversation.
About Tuesday 5 July 1664
Mary • Link
ref: Aesop re-told.
"china" = china plate = mate. Cockney rhyming slang.
About Monday 4 July 1664
Mary • Link
compass.
Yes, Pepys means, "if I can manage it, find a way to do it, I will".
About Sunday 3 July 1664
Mary • Link
food in thundery weather.
Thundery weather was certainly supposed to sour the milk when I was a child.
About Sunday 26 June 1664
Mary • Link
The fame of Kentish cherries.
Fame now sadly diminished. The extensive cherry orchards of my youth have vanished. Too difficult to find pickers and anyway the long ladders that were used are now deemed unsafe by the Health & Safety bods. It should now be the height of the cherry season here in Kent, but the only ones available in my local shops come from Turkey.