Wednesday 28 November 1660
This morning went to Whitehall to my Lord’s, where Major Hart did pay me; 23l. 14s. 9d., due to me upon my pay in my Lord’s troop at the time of our disbanding, which is a great blessing to have without taking any law in the world for. But now I must put an end to any hopes of getting any more, so that I bless God for this.
From thence with Mr. Shepley and Pinkney to the Sun, and did give them a glass of wine and a peck of oysters for joy of my getting this money.
So home, where I found that Mr. Creed had sent me the 11l. 5s. that is due to me upon the remains of account for my sea business, which is also so much clear money to me, and my bill of impresse1 for 30l. is also cleared, so that I am wholly clear as to the sea in all respects. To the office, and was there till late at night, and among the officers do hear that they may have our salaries allowed by the Treasurer, which do make me very glad, and praise God for it.
Home to supper, and Mr. Hater supped with me, whom I did give order to take up my money of the Treasurer to-morrow if it can be had.
So to bed.
19 Annotations
First Reading
language hat • Link
"without taking any law in the world for":
In other words, without having to go to court for it. From the OED (s.v. "law"):
8 a The action of the courts of law, as a means of procuring redress of grievances or enforcing claims; judicial remedy. Frequent in phrases to go to (†the) law, to have or take the law of or on (a person), … Hence occas. used = recourse to the courts, litigation.
1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xii. 11 That she and her sonne shulde take ryght and lawe on them, accordyng to theyr desertis. 1711 Addison Spect. No 122 p.4 A Fellow famous for taking the Law of every Body.
vincent • Link
In one day he collects 34L 19s ,9d Plus he will get more {30L} and he did not have to sue. Oysters all, for every one, and he never mentions any one finding Pearls {Bede did say that Pearls of the of all colors [altho mainly white] were found in Whitstable oysters } or breaking of tooth on the stone of oyster.
Paul Chapin • Link
"my bill of impresse is cleared"
I don't understand this bit, and the footnote doesn't help. Is Sam still to receive another 30L, as Vincent says, or did he have to pay someone 30L to pay off a loan and clear the bill, or did he have a 30L debt forgiven?
vincent • Link
My take is that the government owes him 30L for expenses etc. I have never known a "government" to advance funds to it's employees. One has to supply documented proof that {in quadruplicate} that said expenses were spent.
Dave P • Link
The term "impress account" is still occasionally used to describe an office's petty cash. I suggest Sam drew the 30L to pay local bills, and having given a satisfactory account of where the money went the matter is now closed.
Lawrence • Link
Sorry everyone I'm new to this but regards Sam's impress, where exactly would he have drawn the Money? and from whom?
Stan • Link
'Mr. Hater supped with me, whom I did give order to take up my money of the Treasurer to-morrow if it can be had'
Is this Sam asking Mr Hater to try and get the 30L from the treasury for him or is it some other money due to him?
J A Gioia • Link
and my bill of impresse for 30l. is also cleared
yesterday parliament okayed a complete royal fiat over the excise. today the government appears to be paying off like a slot machine. life under the new order seems steadily improving.
David A. Smith • Link
"But now I must put an end to any hopes of getting any more"
Among the many pressures with which our boy Sam must cope is this: At work (in Montagu's service) he flings about pounds by the hundreds; yet at home (when buying for hiw wife, or even in settling accounts with Montagu) he counts himself luck to capture them by the dozens.
I can sympathize with his disorientation and stress; when in my mid-20's I got my first serious job, I used to remind myself there were two kinds of money -- that which I used at work, and that which I brought home for myself -- and the currency-conversion rate was 100 to 1. I'd put the same thought into a business decision involving $1,000 as I would put into a personal one involving $10.
Eventually, Sam will become ever more comfortable and his conversion-rate gap will gap, but for now I should think every time he sets foot into the street bearing a huge sum, his subconscious is worrying him, What if you lose it, or are set upon by rogues?
Peter • Link
Lawrence, you'll find that Sam received the £30 imprest (advance for expenses) on the 5th of April when he was going away to sea.
Pauline • Link
Thank you, Peter! The very day they set sail.
"...Creed brought me 30l., which my Lord had ordered him to pay me upon account..."
Barbara • Link
One of the most charming aspects of Pepys' character is that he bubbles over with happiness when he's had a stroke of good fortune, and on this occasion shares his pleasure with friends in the pub. It would please his orderly mind to have everything resulting from his sea voyage so tidily agreed.
Ruben • Link
From the Latin Radio Site:
"The EU Commission's recent initiative to bolster the status of minority languages has been given an enthusiastic reception by several broadcasters, including the only three that regularly transmit programmes in Latin. Radio Vatican, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) and WWCR in Nashville, Tennessee. The only station with daily services in Latin is Radio Vatican - which transmits in this "dead language" for a total of nearly 40 hours each week."
Sjoerd • Link
Royal Society
The first meeting of the founding twelve men was on Wednesday 28 November 1660 following Wren's astronomy lecture in Gresham College. They decided to invite forty further members and a list was drawn up. Lyons writes :-
"The response to this appeal was very satisfactory, for of those whose names appear on the list only five did not become Fellows of the Society. Of the remaining thirty-five candidates, nineteen may be considered as men of science while the other sixteen included statesmen, soldiers, antiquarians, administrators, and one or two literary men."
So Samuel is not considered "Royal Society Material" just yet.
http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~…
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
" Major Hart did pay me; 23l. 14s. 9d., due to me upon my pay in my Lord’s troop at the time of our disbanding, which is a great blessing to have without taking any law in the world for. But now I must put an end to any hopes of getting any more..." -- since "my Lord's troop" is disbanded and paid off, as are many others: no standing military here!
Third Reading
MartinVT • Link
"In one day he collects 34L 19s ,9d Plus he will get more {30L} and he did not have to sue." (Vincent, 2003)
So to be clear, based on Peter and Pauline's later comments: He is NOT getting the 30l., because he already received it. Technically, until until his bill of impress was cleared, he owed that money back to the state. But not anymore. So this improves his balance sheet, but doesn't put cash into his pocket.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Is this Pepys asking Hater to try and get the 30/. from the treasury for him or is it some other money due to him?"
I think Pepys is asking Hater to pick up his annual salary as Clerk of the Acts from the Treasury since "... among the officers do hear that they may have our salaries allowed by the Treasurer," and Pepys will be even more "... very glad, and praise God for it" when that cash is also in his pocket.
You get your money when it is available. Strike while the iron is hot, Pepys. First come, first served.
LKvM • Link
A peck of oysters:
"How many are in a peck of oysters?
"A basic rule of thumb for most American oysters is that there are roughly 100 oysters per bushel; 25 per peck. A bushel of oysters will feed, on average, between 4 and 6 people."
Per Wiki
Neville • Link
Oysters were clearly plentiful, fresh and clean. Today I think you struggle to find them from our the polluted waters around our coast. The water companies have seen to that.