Thursday 28 March 1661

Up early among my workmen, then Mr. Creed coming to see me I went along with him to Sir Robert Slingsby (he being newly maister of that title by being made a Baronett) to discourse about Mr. Creed’s accounts to be made up, and from thence by coach to my cozen Thomas Pepys, to borrow 1000l. for my Lord, which I am to expect an answer to tomorrow. So to my Lord’s, and there staid and dined, and after dinner did get my Lord to view Mr. Shepley’s accounts as I had examined them, and also to sign me a bond for my 500l.

Then with Mr. Shepley to the Theatre and saw “Rollo” ill acted. That done to drink a cup of ale and so by coach to London, and having set him down in Cheapside I went home, where I found a great deal of work done to-day, and also 70l. paid me by the Treasurer upon the bill of exchange that I have had hopes of so long, so that, my heart in great content; I went to bed.

19 Annotations

First Reading

Josh  •  Link

A cursory search reveals the play is another by John Fletcher: "The Bloody Brother; or, The Tragedy of Rollo, Duke of Normandy," 1639---or thereabouts. Anyone care to furnish particulars?

Emilio  •  Link

"to sign me a bond for my 500l."

L&M have an intersting footnote about this transaction: "This loan was increased to £700 on 24 August 1663. Pepys was in fact investing what were virtually his entire savings in this way: see his accounts below, at 8 September, 31 December 1661; 26 June, 31 December 1663. Of principal and interest just over £250 remained unpaid at 10 February 1665.”

This helps explain how he ultimately does so well through all the ups and downs of his later life, and also why he continues being anxious about cash despite the regular flow coming in right now.

Emilio  •  Link

The Bloody Brother; or, The Tragedy of Rollo

L&M footnote: "The bloody brother, or Rollo, Duke of Normandy, a tragedy by John Fletcher and several others, written c. 1617; published 1639. Now at the [Theatre Royal], Vere St. The cast listed by Downes (pp. 5-6) includes Hart as Rollo, Kynaston as Otto, Mrs Corey as the Duchess and Mrs Marshall as Edith."

And this from Bartleby (http://www.bartleby.com/216/0513.… ):
"The date of The Bloody Brother, or Rollo, Duke of Normandy is uncertain; but it was probably produced about the year 1616. It is an effective drama, and was reckoned by Rymer with Philaster, The Maides Tragedy and A King and no King, as among the most celebrated tragedies of its age. Four authors seem to have been concerned in this play, and it is probable that the remarkable political reflections in the first scene of the fourth act are to be ascribed to Jonson. A small part only is by Fletcher, to whom, however, are due the striking scenes between Rollo and Edith in the third and fifth acts. Of the former of these scenes, Coleridge remarks that it exhibits 'probably the grandest working of passion in all Beaumont and Fletcher's dramas'; the latter he criticises severely because of the momentary weakening of Edith's resolve, comparing her with lady Anne in Richard III."

dirk  •  Link

Big money today...

The sums of money mentioned in today's entry are huge! 1000£, 500£ …

The 1000£ Sam is borrowing from “cozen Thomas” is a small fortune - remember the factor x90 - today it would be almost the value of a small house (not in London!).

I’m somewhat confused about the Letter of Exchange for 70£. Is this the same one Sam mentioned yesterday for 60£, or am I missing something here?

Emilio  •  Link

Is this the same one Sam mentioned yesterday for 60£?

Seemingly, and also the same as the £60 he wanted for his service in the Restoration last year. L&M cross-reference today to Sam's hope for the £60 last Feb. 16--perhaps he received an unexpected gratuity as well?

Wim van der Meij  •  Link

I realize this is not the place for it, but I could not find a niche in the Background Info: in a secondhand bookshop I found an edition of Sam's Diary in three beautiful volumes published in the Everyman's Library. It is edited by John Warrington. Unfortunately the editor abridged it "guided by its human appeal and historic interest". Does anybody know something about this edition? As I said it is a beautiful publication in 3 bound volumes with some 500 pages each. It was first published in this series in 1906; revised and reset 1953 and the edition I found reprinted 1963.

Emilio  •  Link

Warrington

As far as I can tell (from Bookfinder), it's based on Bright's transcription of the diary, which our Wheatley ed. is also based on in large part. Per L&M, Bright published his version in the 1870s, and included about 4/5 of the diary altogether. Who knows how much of that Everyman might have further cut for their edition. He apparently also bowdlerized the text more than Wheatley and made a number of historical errors--in a 1667 entry the Queen of Sweden becomes the 'Queen of Sheba', for instance.

Phil  •  Link

Annotations like this are better suited to the discussion list: http://www.smartgroups.com/groups…

Annotations on diary entries should be relevant to the particular entry. Thanks.

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

Not sure I understand the £500 bond footnote…

Emilio, am I reading your post correctly in thinking that Sam is lending money to Montagu? And making money at it?

Josh  •  Link

Thanks, Emilio, for the Fletcher. My info came from Bartleby.com too, but I forgot that date of first publication (thus the "1639") for Renaissance plays can be decades after first performance. Nota bene, for future references.

Emilio  •  Link

the £500 bond

I interpret it as him loaning money to the government, in much the same way we invest in government bonds today, though my knowledge of 17th-century finance is pretty hazy. I doubt he would be loaning to Montagu, as I doubt My Lord would want (or need) to accept a loan from an underling.

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

re: the £500 bond

Thanks, Emilio. That makes more sense, though my concern was more with the creditworthiness of My Lord (given what bit of knowledge I have of his future) than with ML’s reticence to accept loans from underlings! Although, from what people here have written about the Crown’s financial dealings, lending to the government may not have been the safest thing to do, either…

Second Reading

Chester  •  Link

This is an amazing and truly interactive website and I have joined as a casual commentator after several months of avid reading. I must admit that most of the comments go over my head especially about Pepys' career in the Navy but I do have a good walking knowledge of the entire City of London so any comments in the future will be to locations only. I am happy to respond to any queries if you are planning a trip to Pepys' London. For example, in this example, to my best knowledge 'The Theatre' was located in Curtain Road, Shoreditch.

jude cooper  •  Link

Hi Chester. I am also new- like you been reading it every day for months. Most of the commentators are from ten years ago, so its nice to know there are some other current readers. I would love a wall-map of Pepys's london if anyone knows where I can buy one.

Bill  •  Link

Don't forget to click on the links in the diary entries, highlighted in blue. "the Theatre" above, for instance, has information about its location.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

jude, Volumes I-X of the Latham & Matthews edition of The Diary of Samuel Pepys has a four-page map of LONDON IN THE SIXTEEN-SIXTIES. It's not decorative, but it identifies where Pepys went in London, Westminster and Southwark..

http://books.google.com/books?id=…

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

I am going round for the second time - the first was interrupted so that I missed much of the middle - and enjoy reading comments from my brash younger self, Christo - oh to be a stripling of 59 again . .

jude cooper r emaps: have a look at http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… ' Here’s a chronological summary of the most useful historical London maps available online . . '

This website has become an encyclopedia about Pepys so it is the first place to look for background information.

TimJim  •  Link

Well it is now 2017. I have been reading this for 6 months mow and loving every day. My morning commute would not be the same without it. Are there still many sharing that experience with me?

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