jeannine

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jeannine has written 14 articles:

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jeannine has posted 1,236 annotations/comments since 16 June 2004.

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First Reading

About Monday 7 November 1664

jeannine  •  Link

P.S.

Susan, Glad you can find time out for Sam amidst the wedding plans! Always great to read your annotations!

About Monday 7 November 1664

jeannine  •  Link

And now to todays voting reminder! (Just rejoice, in a day or so the voting will be over and so will these tacky reminders!).

In today's episode, we hear of a secret meeting on a deserted island where the Dutch are taking a break as they prepare for war. We now flash to see the intricate details of the ship signals to be used by Obdam and de Ruyter in the event of war.....

http://www.jibjab.com/starring_yo…

About Monday 7 November 1664

jeannine  •  Link

"I find that I dine as well myself, that is, as neatly, and my meat as good and well-dressed, as my good Lady do, in the absence of my Lord."

God love Lady Sandwich. Lord Sandwich was horrible with money and spent far more than he had, but, being the Lord, when he was home meals were served at a level that fit his status. When he was away Lady S. would scrimp and save in order to try to "balance the scale" (which never quite happened). Although all indications in their letters were that the couple was truly devoted to each other, his spending habits and expectations must have been hard for her to live with as the uncertainties of life at that time (and even today) would have made saving a safer way of life. He was also very generous to her and in his journals is a drawing that he made of a jewel he designed for her, so he was not a tight wad or self centered in his spending.

About Friday 4 November 1664

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"Does there ever coming an endpoint, when one has gossip-complained to the last iota about the shortcomings of one’s office-mates and nothing remains to be said?"

I think not Bradford because then a majority of the world's population would have no reason to show up at the office each day as they'd have nothing better to talk about!

Actually, I think it all depends on the people. In my past I worked with a horrific gossip and was SO delighted to move on to a new job far away from that person. It's so draining to just hear negative stuff over and over and over again. Life is too short to waste on that kind of activity.

About Thursday 3 November 1664

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"and I hope never tempt her to any evil more."

My guess is that he'll be walking down the road to temptation fairly soon. What is interesting is that Sam usually writes what he did in a day but doesn't usually record any upcoming appointments he has made. Here he clearly states that he'd made an appointment so today's meeting was premeditated. I would guess he also set up a follow up appointment so there's no way Mrs. B is off the hook and Sam knows it.

About Thursday 3 November 1664

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Sam’s to Mr. Coventry (from “Further Correspondence of Samuel Pepys” edited by Tanner)

3 November, 1664

. . . Tar rises mightily in the town, and besides what we have we are to expect but 200 lasts or thereabouts from Sir William Rider and Mr Cutler. Would to God Sir George Carteret could by ready money enable us to tempt merchants to sell, which I perceive everybody now desire to avoid at any price almost, in confidence of gaining by keeping their goods in their hands.

About Monday 24 October 1664

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“for the Prince is by no means well esteemed of by any body”

Sam is incorrect here. The King, for one, does esteem Rupert. In his book, “Prince Rupert”, Frank Kitson gives some additional background around this time. Although he doesn’t quote Sam’s exact entry today, he does summarize some information about Rupert as a person and his activity through October. He also adds one important note that isn’t tied to any date, but that definitely affects what is going on in Rupert’s fleet. {Slight spoilers may follow}

“It was eleven years and seven months since Rupert had returned to the mouth of the Loire at the end of his epic voyage. He was fit and relaxed and over the past four years had built up a secure position in the inner circle of those trusted by the King, which was essential for anyone aspiring to the chief command of the fleet at war. A century later, when the direction and administration of the navy was properly staffed and formalized, it would become possible to separate the functions of forming national policy from the exercise of command, but while these processes were in their infancy the commander of the fleet had to be someone who was fully acquainted with the King’s most innermost thinking and someone the King would trust to promote his ideas.

Of the three professional qualifications thought to be needed by an admiral, Rupert possessed two in good measure, namely a knowledge of seamanship and of naval logistics. He was also an artillery expert who understood the scientific and practical problems of producing guns and gunpowder. Only in the matter of fleet tactics did he need more practical experience, and this he seemed well placed to acquire in the near future. Altogether his prospects of becoming as famous a commander at sea as he had once been on land seemed set fair.

But matters did not run as smoothly as he would have wished. His first problem was with his Chaplin, specially selected by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who became unhinged by life at sea. Instead of fulfilling his duties, he ran around the ship abusing the captain until Rupert ordered him in his cabin and told him to prepare himself to lead the prayers next morning. He was soon sent ashore, and in a letter to Bennet [Lord Arlington] written on 11 October Rupert reported that ‘the ship without the chaplain was a quiet place. God sent us another of better temper, he added; hitherto we have not troubled Him much with our prayers!’ Next day, thanks to favourable winds, Rupert was still in the Downs, and it was not until a week later that his ships arrived in Portsmouth, where they had to be stocked for the voyage to Africa.

Before Rupert had even left London a decision had been taken to set out another thirty-seven ships for the Duke of York to command., On 16 October, while Rupert was at sea, a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee put some radical proposals to the King. These were that Rupert’s voyage to West Africa should be held up for the time being and that once a sufficiently powerful fleet was assembled at Spithead, orders should be given to seize all Dutch ships in the Channel, which would be held to compensate for any injury that might be done by De Ruyter in West Africa. In addition, Allin who had taken some of Sandwich’s ships to replace Lawson’s squadron in the Mediterranean, should make peace with Algiers, sail for Tangier and try to seize the Dutch fleet returning from Smyrna. Once at Tangier Allin was to take any Dutch ships wherever he could find them and return to Portsmouth by the end of the year.

At some stage after leaving the Downs Rupert met with an accident. Whether he fell and knocked his head or whether, as has been suggested, some rigging gave way and he was struck by a block is not clear. Rupert himself did not initially think it was serious, but the injury stirred up his old wound [a bullet to the head, which will plague him for the rest of his life]. He evidently mentioned it in a letter to Will Legge, who told the Duke of York, as a result of which the Duke sent Choqueux post-haste to Portsmouth. Soon after his arrival Choqueux decided to carry out a minor operation on Rupert’s skull, assuring him that he would be up and about within a few days. {Spoiler} on 6 November Rupert wrote to the King saying that he had not been able to push forward the preparations for his departure to Africa as fast as he would have liked because Choqueux insisted that he lay up for a few more days but that he would soon be in good shape.” (p 149-151)

About Friday 21 October 1664

jeannine  •  Link

To Language Hat
(a translation of your annotation for any OED drop outs among us)

Mr. Martin’s a fool you see
But he’s married to our Betty
Though the OED parse
He’s an asse not an arse
As transcribed by Mr Wheatley

About Friday 21 October 1664

jeannine  •  Link

"We’ll see if Sam does so well with the all-too-clever Mr. Bagwell."

So Robert, based on your comment yesterday and today that Mr. Bagwell may be somewhat pushing his wife towards Sam, it seems we now have a case of 2 creepy guys and one manipulated woman. Once again, I am grateful to be living in a time and place that affords more females (albeit FAR from all) the ability to earn their own living with some protection from the Sams of the world.

About Thursday 20 October 1664

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Bagwell's wife and Mrs. Lane. Although these are 2 very different ladies what is intriguing about both is that they are interested in helping their husbands find work. Sam is a man in a position to find them a job. Where Mrs. Lane was 'open' to sexual involvement with Sam prior to being married, he seems to be blowing her off now that she has a husband of her choice (not his) and Sam doesn't seem to want to help her.The sex there didn't seem to be a trade off as it was before any request of employment and there weren't any real 'strings attached" except for the small purchases Sam made from her. With Mrs. Bagwell it could appear that Sam is starting to dangle the carrot before the horse (perhaps I'll find him a job)and my guess is he'll just keep that carrot out there until the horse is so desperate that it starts moving in the direction he wants.

How sad the state of women when they are out job hunting for their husbands and facing whatever 'trade-offs' would have to come along with the request. If there is a family to feed, or children to support, or just living expenses, it's a tough situation when you're the party solely relying on another party to bring home the bacon. Although many women did work in these times, after marriage it was often a different situation and they were expected to be home running the house and having children (like Elizabeth).

About Wednesday 19 October 1664

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The ladies adventure with Will. We have to remember that Will knew Mary Mercer before she came to Sam's house, so I am sure that he was delighted to go along with the ladies. It reminds me of a male friend from work days long ago who would always blow off going places with the guys and go out to lunch with me and another of my female friends. One day he was driving us somewhere in his truck and I was crammed in the middle and chatting with my female friend (aka gossiping for all I know). He was silent and looked like he was SO intently following the road that I looked over and asked him if he was okay. He simply replied that he was sitting there so silently and intently because he didn't want to miss a word of what we were saying. He explained that the guys never talked about the stuff that we chatted about so freely. I felt like I was being examined for some anthropologic study.

About Saturday 15 October 1664

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"Touching moment with Margaret".... in many ways I think that Margaret was just expressing some basic maternal feelings and perhaps without a lot of issues behind it. I see it in my own mother-no matter how lousy some of her children have treated her, they are still 'her children' and she'd like them all to get along, to take care of each other, etc. With aging comes the inevitable knowledge that one won't be here forever, and, if one has concerns for a child's ability to survive without them, then they would want to ensure that someone in the family would do that. The feeling of protecting one's children doesn't necessarily end when they become adults.

About Sunday 9 October 1664

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Of course he dogged her home, he'd just come from Barking Church! Now I suppose he would have galloped behind her if he'd just come from Horse's Chapel. Perhap's he would have slithered after her had he come from a sermom on the serpent....(and I am sure that my fellow pals can think of some better examples than mine!)

About Saturday 8 October 1664

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From "The Navy White Book" edited by Robert Latham

Octobr 8. 1664. A most disgraceful charge brought by Sir W. Batten against some deals of Sir W. Warren. But most effectually removed. This day, after some months of having had them received into the yard at Deptford, Sir W. Warren came to the Board to desire that Mr Shish might have an order to call Mr. Chr. Pett to his assistance in the valuing some deals and other goods that were along with his last ship of masts. Sir W.B. was mightily against it, that Mr Pett should not go. That it was better to [employ] somebody that is a stranger and that buys deals in the town. Which I told him is not only a new case, but argues the King's offices unfit to be trusted in anything, if not in this. At last he told us the reason, and that is that Mr Pett did value the same deals served in another ship at Woolwich at 5£. 5s. and were paid for so by this Board in his absence, which are not worth 3£., being all white deals and bad woods. And therefore Pett must for his honour rate these so too. Now, that there is a folly, for we pay not absolutely because we value things, but because the quality being sent us, along with the opinion of the price, we think things worth is. And he said that Sir G. Carteret and Sir J Mennes and he had seen them in the yard and wondered to see so bad good received in, and that somebody that understands deals as well as any man in England said they were not worth 3£. per centum. Sir W. Warren was called for in, and I told him what was said against his deals. He said that one known very well to the Board had given himself, to sell again, 5£. 5s. per centum for the very same deals out of the same ship. This was so thundering an answer, that I took it up; and though he would have long concealed his name, yet I did urge him to tell, and it was Mr Wood, and promises to give us the deals if this be not true. Sir W.B. would have gathered some argument from their being the master's deals, and so he could pick out the best. To that Sir W.W. answered they were indeed the master's deals, but sold with his knowledge and by his directions, and were his own very deals, and no better in any sort, but the very same. This struck all dead, and Sir W.B. quite mad, and Mr Coventry and myself did declare very ill doings and intentions to be meant to Sir W.W. if this be so -as he puts the value of all his goods upon the truth of it.

About Saturday 8 October 1664

jeannine  •  Link

"so I hope to get a little for my pains and venture of my own money myself" and later "and I hope to get a little money, some small matter by it". Do I detect a little theme in today's Diary entry?? Perhaps a little area of concern running through Sam's mind?

This entry brings to my mind those old cartoon characters whose eyes would open and close to the 'cha-ching" of a cash register and dollar signs would take the place of the pupils in their eyes. In today's "new age" world, Sam could be a lesson in creative visualization-focus on the objective and it will come to you! He's got his eyes focused firmly on the almighty pound (with a slight glance to the side every now and then when a good looking lady walks by) and he's ringing up the profits.

About Friday 7 October 1664

jeannine  •  Link

Hmm, I don't get it. Yesterday Sam said

"At noon by promise Mr. Pierce and his wife and Madam Clerke and her niece came and dined with me to a rare chine of beefe and spent the afternoon very pleasantly all the afternoon" so all looked pretty pleasant and he didn't have any complaints.

Today his comment about "Lay pretty while with some discontent abed, even to the having bad words with my wife, and blows too, about the ill-serving up of our victuals yesterday" seems totally unrelated to yesterday's report. Also, I am assuming that "blows" means what it does today (actually stiking her?), but if I'm misinterpreting it can someone please clear that up. Hard to think of Sam hitting Elizabeth as it's not clear that anything went wrong yesterday. If things did end up with actual hits being delivered I'll naively be believing that they were delivered from Elizabeth to Sam! It would be nice to have him show up at the office with 2 blacks eyes and have to tell the men it was because he was such a "horse's arse"!

About Tuesday 4 October 1664

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"Journal of the Earl of Sandwich" edited by R.C. Anderson

4th. Tuesday. My Lord Culpeper went into the Island and Capt Herbert and Sydney with him. I took a vomit of oximel squills.

(Let's hope that your day goes a little bit better than My Lord's!)