Monday 29 April 1661

Up and with my father towards my house, and by the way met with Lieut. Lambert, and with him to the Dolphin in Tower Street and drank our morning draught, he being much troubled about his being offered a fourth rate ship to be Lieutenant of her now he has been two years Lieutenant in a first rate.

So to the office, where it is determined that I should go to-morrow to Portsmouth.

So I went out of the office to Whitehall presently, and there spoke with Sir W. Pen and Sir George Carteret and had their advice as to my going, and so back again home, where I directed Mr. Hater what to do in order to our going to-morrow, and so back again by coach to Whitehall and there eat something in the buttery at my Lord’s with John Goods and Ned Osgood.

And so home again, and gave order to my workmen what to do in my absence.

At night to Sir W. Batten’s, and by his and Sir W. Pen’s persuasion I sent for my wife from my father’s, who came to us to Mrs. Turner’s, where we were all at a collacion to-night till twelve o’clock, there being a gentlewoman there that did play well and sang well to the Harpsicon, and very merry we were.

So home and to bed, where my wife had not lain a great while.

34 Annotations

First Reading

A. De Araujo  •  Link

"where my wife had not lain a great while" Dyspareunia again I suppose,no wonder SP has to use " the strenght of my imagination"

daniel  •  Link

"collacion"

what was that again? i have forgotten. as i have friends that play the "harpsicon" i would like to let them know that this would be a possiblity for them!

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Dyspareunia again I suppose,

Disorder in a house under renovation is my reading of the cause of Elizabeth's absence from home.

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Collacion is well defined in the followning annotation.

Paul Miller on Wed 9 Jul 2003, 11:51 pm

"took me to a tavern and did give me a collation."
COLLATION was a light meal served cold with an emphasis on sweets. In the 16th century it was part of the French court. Themes often centered around classical mythology or allegories. In 1571 at a feast honoring Elizabeth of Austria, new bride of Charles IX, the dinner was followed by dancing. After dancing a collation was served with preserves, sweet biscuits, fruits, marzipan, sugar paste formed into meats and fish, with six large sugar sculptures of Minerva bringing peace to Athens.

There is reference by Pepys on April 10 1661 to another collacion being served at a muscial evening featuring a harpsicon. Do I detect an entertaining pattern? Shall we give a collacion? Anybody got a harpsicon?

john lauer  •  Link

"...where my wife had not lain a great while."
-- past perfect, not "has", so she lies with him this night?

dirk  •  Link

"where my wife had not lain a great while"

Not "lain WITH him". Simply "not been able to sleep in her own bed". At least that's the way I read this. (The most straightforward reading is often the most likely, no?)

Vicente  •  Link

Doth need Persuasion...Did not want to get into that discussion again, I doth think."...At night to Sir W. Batten's, and by his and Sir W. Pen's persuasion I sent for my wife from my father's,…”
Sorry L.H. but here is another titbit of reading between lines and making it 5, ala newscasters, and watching the frailities of the Male species. The Women folk of this time were at the mercy of the men, what Options did they really have. It was the law, that if they had no means of private support then they had be in service, become a maid again and the Mrs. had already done her apprenticeship in a “Grand Household” [Claire Tomlins words] before being rescued by her nite in shining suit.
It doth seem that they {Sam & his spouse ) did share the blanket, no bruises mentioned?

Rich Merne  •  Link

By the way, "had not *lien* a great while", a la L&M. I hold with Dirk, and think we need a little more Ockham from time to time; I include myself here.

Rich Merne  •  Link

Harpsicon; Cf. Phil and Daniel in *Background*, on "harpsicon: am I correct in thinking that it is also given with the varient spelling of "harpsichon" elsewhere in the diary?

Australian Susan  •  Link

Lambert's concern about being moved from a first rate ship to a fourth rate is not just because he was being downgraded, but also that 4th raters were not as well-maintained as 1st raters and he was more like to founder or wreck.

Harry  •  Link

"collacion"

This is a term quite commonly used in France nowadays for a cold light meal.Before a recent operation I had to provide three separate blood samples “just in case”. After each blood letting, before being let out again into the cold and cruel world (and driving my car in a weakened state), I was provided with a “collation” consisting of biscuits, butter and cheeese, ham, yoghurt, an apple and either tea, coffee or milk, all paid for by French Social Security. I felt like medieval monks who after their periodic blood lettings were allowed to recover in a special part of the monastery and provided with richer fare than that served up to their fellow monks in the main refectory. Of course the best modern equivalent of a collation was the airline meal, at least until we moved into the “no frills” era.

Wim van der Meij  •  Link

Here is a list of the different 'classes' of ships; I suppose the classifications were not very different from the ones in Sam's time: http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Navy_…

Lawrence  •  Link

Lieut Lambert's concern may also include the fact he'll get less ?SD. Per L&M His monthly pay would be reduced £4 4S. to £3 10S.:

A. De Araujo  •  Link

"where my wife had not lain a while" I misread it.

PeterD  •  Link

Collation is in fairly common usage in England today. A cold collation would be cold meats (possibly leftovers)and salad type things

helena murphy  •  Link

Women at the mercy of men, Vincent? Surely the king is at the mercy of Lady Castlemaine, not to mention Pepys senior at the mercy of his wife! La donna e mobile,ma forte. (woman is fickle but strong.)

Ruben  •  Link

Surely the king is at the mercy of Lady Castlemaine...
the following was taken from Internet:http://www.historic-uk.c…

Lady Castlemaine (Barbara Palmer) had been Charles' mistress for many years when he became enamoured of Nell.

The rivalry between Nell, Lady Castlemaine, Frances Stuart, Louise de Keroualle, Lucy Walters, Moll Davis and sundry others made the King's life difficult at times!

Charles had 13 children by these 'ladies' and agreed to support the children he believed were his. He had doubts about some of Lady Castlemaine's children as he had caught her in a compromising position with John Churchill, later Duke of Marlborough!

poor woman

Mary  •  Link

the buttery.

A room where provisions are stored. Originally the name was applied to a store-room for liquor (OF boterie from bouteillerie) but very early came to be used for the room where provisions in general were stored.

Vicente  •  Link

"Women at the mercy of men,"...'Tis true that a few of the female of the species[those with the weapons that make the blud rush and brains cease[hormones don't have brains]] doth rule the rooster, that is nature at it's best, as it was said that Anne Hide is said to let Jamie keep his Cod piece. RE: Palmer et al: poor Braganza had no such devices to remove CII from circulation.

daniel  •  Link

richard merne:

harpsicon, harpsichon, harpiscord, harpsichord are all varient spellings of the same instrument. indeed these varients are rather divers but they all refer to the same keyboard instrument. note that violin also comes as viallin, vialin, violyn etc.....

Hic retearius  •  Link

Sam the Classicist!

Lectimus-
“A spaniel, a woman, and a walnut tree,
The more they’re beaten the better they be,”
A MM (2,000) year old principle?
Martial dixit. Vincente?

Australian Susan  •  Link

I have been around here for quite some time, but just as "Susan". However, as someone suddenly appeared as "susan" lower case, but just the single name also, I though I had better alter my nom de plume. Adding my present country of residence (I'm English) seemed the easiest thing to do.

Laura K  •  Link

"a spaniel, a woman, and a walnut tree.."

Wow, is this ever offensive. I'm glad I've never come across it before, and I hope I never hear or read it again.

Pauline  •  Link

"...by his and Sir W. Pen's persuasion I sent for my wife….”
I wonder if this just means that they suggested it and Sam records it because he is pleased that they want her included in the evening’s party?

Or they may have pointed out that if he gathers his wife this evening he can stay out late and not have to fetch her in the morning for the journey.

Mary  •  Link

persuasion.

I interpreted this in the same way as Pauline; Sam was quite pleased to have his wife specifically included in the evening's gathering and it also made good sense in simplifying arrangements for the following morning.

Nigel Pond  •  Link

Note to John Lauer:

"where my wife had not lain a great while."

That’s actually the pluperfect tense isn’t it? At least it was when I was a classicist 25 years ago!

john lauer  •  Link

Nigel: Yes,
the very same, by another name, according to Webster, and American Heritage.

Second Reading

Bill  •  Link

"and there eat something in the buttery at my Lord’s"

BUTTERY, Butlery, a Place where Victuals is set up.
---An Universal Etymological English Dictionary. N. Bailey, 1675.

BUTTERY, in the Houses of Noblemen and Gentlemen, is the Room belonging to the Butler; where he deposites the Utensils belonging to his Office; as Table-Linnen, Napkins, Pots, Tankards, Glasses, Cruets, Salvers, Spoons, Knives, Forks, Pepper, Mustard, &c.; As to its Position, Sir Henry Wotton, says, it ought to be placed on the North Side of the Building, which is designed for the Offices. We, in England, generally place it near the Cellar, viz. the Room commonly just on the Top of the Cellar-Stairs.
---The Builder's Dictionary. 1734.

Louise Hudson  •  Link

"BUTTERY, in the Houses of Noblemen and Gentlemen, is the Room belonging to the Butler; where he deposites the Utensils belonging to his Office; as Table-Linnen, Napkins, Pots, Tankards, Glasses, Cruets, Salvers, Spoons, Knives, Forks, Pepper, Mustard, &c.; As to its Position, Sir Henry Wotton, says, it ought to be placed on the North Side of the Building, which is designed for the Offices. We, in England, generally place it near the Cellar, viz. the Room commonly just on the Top of the Cellar-Stairs."
---The Builder's Dictionary. 1734.

In other words a "Butler's Pantry."

"A butler's pantry or serving pantry is a utility room in a large house, primarily used to store serving items, rather than food. Traditionally, a butler's pantry was used for storage, cleaning and counting of silver; European butlers often slept in the pantry, as their job was to keep the silver under lock and key. The wine log and merchant's account books may also have been kept in there. The room would be used by the butler and other domestic staff; it is often called a butler's pantry even in households where there is no butler.

"In modern homes, butler's pantries are usually located in transitional spaces between kitchens and dining rooms, and used as staging areas for serving meals. They commonly contain countertops, and storage for tableware, serving pieces, table linens, candles, wine, and other dining-room articles. More elaborate versions may include refrigerators, sinks, or dishwashers."

Wikipedia

Third Reading

LKvM  •  Link

Feeling sorry for Lieutenant Lambert.

Neville  •  Link

As a Lieutenant on a first rate Lambert would probably have felt he was going somewhere, then gets shunted down the pecking order. I assume he would be regarded as a "tarpaulin " and although a competent seaman, having given good service, he had come up against the glass ceiling.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

LKvM and Neville -- I have to assume you both missed the bit in the Encyclopedia which speculates:
"This gentleman might probably be a relation of the celebrated General Lambert's, and, possibly, be treated coldly in the service on that ground. This is only given as a conjectural reason for his having continued for such a number of years unemployed." -- Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

I agree it must have been frustrating for Lt. Lambert as he clearly was in the Sandwich circle, and must have expected to be given recognition based on his proven ability, not that of his uncle's.
Possibly this is an early example of The Lord High Admiral James over-ruling his most senior admiral, signalling that Royalists be given the plumb jobs, not Commonwealth men.

Log in to post an annotation.

If you don't have an account, then register here.