Thursday 20 September 1660

At home, and at the office, and in the garden walking with both Sir Williams all the morning. After dinner to Whitehall to Mr. Dalton, and with him to my house and took away all my papers that were left in my closet, and so I have now nothing more in the house or to do with it. We called to speak with my Landlord Beale, but he was not within but spoke with the old woman, who takes it very ill that I did not let her have it, but I did give her an answer. From thence to Sir G. Downing and staid late there (he having sent for me to come to him), which was to tell me how my Lord Sandwich had disappointed him of a ship to bring over his child and goods, and made great complaint thereof; but I got him to write a letter to Lawson, which it may be may do the business for him, I writing another also about it. While he was writing, and his Lady and I had a great deal of discourse in praise of Holland.

By water to the Bridge, and so to Major Hart’s lodgings in Cannon-street, who used me very kindly with wine and good discourse, particularly upon the ill method which Colonel Birch and the Committee use in defending of the army and the navy; promising the Parliament to save them a great deal of money, when we judge that it will cost the King more than if they had nothing to do with it, by reason of their delays and scrupulous enquirys into the account of both.

So home and to bed.

11 Annotations

First Reading

Paul Brewster  •  Link

disbanding of the army -- and the navy
L&M: Make the more believable choice of "disbanding" instead of "defending"

Paul Brewster  •  Link

spoke with the old woman, who takes it very ill that I did not let her have it
L&M identify "it" as "the lease which Pepys just sold to Dalton" and "the old woman" as "Alice, wife of Frances Beale."

vincent  •  Link

"...We called to speak with my Landlord Beale, but he was not within but spoke with the old woman, who takes it very ill that I did not let her have it, but I did give her an answer. ..." I wonder what he said to the poor old dear? Was it unfit to put to pen?

vincent  •  Link

"...disbanding of the army - and the navy …” No! I think defending, so they could keep charging for the victals etc., There is a method to the thinking, always watch the cash flow,watch those pennies.

Second Reading

Ivan  •  Link

On September 15th Mr Pepys wrote: "Mr Dalton and I over the water to our Landlord Vanly, with whom we agreed as to Daltons becoming his tenant." On the 17th he writes of meeting Vanly by appointment in the Wine Seller in Whitehall and of going to the house in Axe Yard where documents were "signed and sealed" and then returns to the Wine Seller, receives £41 for his interest in the house "out of which I paid my landlord [Vanly] to Michaelmas next; and so all is even between him and I, and I freed of my poor little house."
And yet today, September 20th he writes: "We called to speak with my landlord Beale, but he was not within.." How many landlords were there? If Beale was the landlord who was Vanly? Is it something to do with leases?

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"How many landlords were there? If Beale was the landlord who was Vanly? Is it something to do with leases?"

Indeed it does, and keenly noticed! The L&M Companion says Beale (Francis) was Pepys's landlord (1658-60) in Axe Yard. Beale had lived there since at least 1627-8, in a house whose freehold was owned by Valentine Wanley. Sometime before the diary opens, Beale moved to the Axe tavern. He died in 1662, and his widow Alice (b. Whitney), lived on till 1666.

Third Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... how my Lord Sandwich had disappointed him of a ship to bring over his child and goods, ..."

At this time the Downings only have one son:
his eldest son and heir George (c. 1656 – 15 April 1740).
I can understand Sandwich not wanting to have a 4-year-old to entertain and keep safe while he has Princess Mary on board.
If any old ship will do, contact Pepys or Coventry, not Sandwich.

Wikipedia says Downing was Ambassador to the Dutch Republic from 1657–1665 -- we have seen that the position almost involved commuting to The Hague when necessary, so I wonder why the Downings don't leave their goods there? Things were ruined by being shipped at sea.
Yes, bring the child, but leave the beds and linen, etc.

Better still, the Embassy should be furnished -- didn't we hear about The Wardrobe furnishing 2 houses for the Spanish Ambassador recently?

RLB  •  Link

One thing we still haven't explained after all these years: the old woman took it very ill that our boy Sam didn't let her have *what*, exactly? Given that he calls her "the old woman" - and also for linguistic reasons - I don't think he meant the old in-and-out. The only spelled-out antecedent for "it" is the house, but that's already owned by Beale, so how could he "let" her have it?

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

I don't think we can explain it, RLB. Maybe she wanted the sublease so she could escape from living with the old man at the Inn -- or sublet it herself to suppliment her income -- or they had 6 daughters parked at another relatives? We don't have enough info to get to the bottom of this one.

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