Monday 5 August 1661

Early to Huntingdon, but was fain to stay a great while at Stanton because of the rain, and there borrowed a coat of a man for 6d., and so he rode all the way, poor man, without any. Staid at Huntingdon for a little, but the judges are not come hither: so I went to Brampton, and there found my father very well, and my aunt gone from the house, which I am glad of, though it costs us a great deal of money, viz. 10l.

Here I dined, and after dinner took horse and rode to Yelling, to my cozen Nightingale’s, who hath a pretty house here, and did learn of her all she could tell me concerning my business, and has given me some light by her discourse how I may get a surrender made for Graveley lands.

Hence to Graveley, and there at an alehouse met with Chandler and Jackson (one of my tenants for Cotton closes) and another with whom I had a great deal of discourse, much to my satisfaction.

Hence back again to Brampton and after supper to bed, being now very quiet in the house, which is a content to us.

38 Annotations

First Reading

A. De Araujo  •  Link

"and there borrowed a coat of a man for 6d." Wouldn't it be rented more appropriate? because if he borrowed it and gave the man a tip and then felt sorry for the poor man,that would not say a lot about his character.

Alan Bedford  •  Link

"(one of my tenants for Cotton closes)"

"Close" as a noun can mean an enclosed piece of land, or in the law (check me on this, Nix): "The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not inclosed." (--Bouvier).

So, would there have been enclosed cotton fields in the area in those days? Is it possible - or would it have been - to cultivate cotton commercially in that region?

vicente  •  Link

Oh! which way did Sam ride, It certainly see that he did not follow the crow from Brampton. Must have come down the old bank[?]path of the Ouse. 'Tis peaceful

vicente  •  Link

need lots of SUN?.. Just maybe they were working Dutch cotton , as in this area, there are many Dutch connections?
"...In the fourteenth century cotton was grown in Mediterranean countries and shipped from there to mills in the Netherlands in western Europe for spinning and weaving...
Cotton is grown in about 80 countries, in a band that stretches around the world between latitudes 45 North to 30 South. For a good crop of cotton a long, sunny growing season with at least 160 frost-free days and ample water are required. Well drained, crumbly soils that can keep moisture well are the best. In most regions extra water must be supplied by irrigation. Because of it's long growing season it is best to plant early but not before the sun has warmed the soil enough.
..."

http://www.curlbros.com/cottinfo.…

vicente  •  Link

"...but was fain to stay a great while at Stanton because of the rain..." I wonder if Stanton is Fenstanton or Longstanton as both doth lie between his from to and go too.
re:[Sam ride] I was thinking of the Yellin ride to cotton close.
A tanner [6d, a silver coin too] would get a yokel, many good things,, it for a maid was worth 3 days slaving away, defleaing the old master or even a young one. 270 years later it would get ye a pint of best bitter.
Yet he doth begrudge giving 'is olde moaning Aunt, 20 times as much to have a bit of quiet.
A rental, ne'er it was pure bribery.
For those that have enjoyed a july soaker, it be not too bad but Sam must not spoil his luvely boots.

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Quite a day! A ride of at least four to five hours, I take it, not counting time out at Stanton for the
rain (Impington-Stanton-Huntingdon-Brampton- Yelling-Gravely-Brampton -- a distance of nearly 40 miles) and at least three fraught meetings (father at Brampton in re the aunt, cousin Nightingale at Yelling -- sur la plus haute branche un rossingnol chantait -- and a tenant for Cotton closes) before returning to the quiet house at Brampton, "which is a content to us," and so wearily, but happily, to bed.

Mary  •  Link

Cotton closes.

There is a village west of Cambridge that appears as Coton on modern maps. It is more likely that the closes mentioned here are located at Coton/Cotton, rather than that they had anything to do with the cotton trade.

Mary  •  Link

Arithmetic.

The aunt was actually paid off with 400 times as much cash as the coat was 'borrowed' for, not 20 times; there were 40 sixpences to a pound before we were decimalised.

andy  •  Link

"so he rode all the way, poor man, without any".

Presumably he was in Sam's party then, or how else would he have known, and how else given the coat back? Evidently deemed to be a lesser mortal, no doubt he rode in the rain cursing Sam under his breath all the while, having received "the offer you can't refuse". Maybe in "poor man" Sam felt a pang of guilt over what he had done - I hope so.

andy  •  Link

Reminds me of the old rhyme:

The rain it raineth all upon
the Just and Unjust both together;
But more upon the Just because
the Unjust hath the Just's umbrella

adam w  •  Link

Coton/Cotton
Coton (just W of Cambridge) is nowadays pronounced 'coe-ton' rather than 'cotton' - can anyone tell us how SP would have pronounced his spelling of 'cotton'?

Pedro.  •  Link

"one of my tenants for Cotton closes"

Sam would probably have no interests around Cambrige except for those left in his uncle's estate. I cannot see mention in the background info of Cotton in the will, and so maybe Jackson was a local to the Graveley area and the "closes" might refer to "small enclosed fields"

Mary  •  Link

the 'poor' man and his coat.

Perhaps the man was riding homewards and so would have an opportunity of changing into dry clothes within a reasonably short space of time. Sam, being only part way through his day's tour, was likely to stay wetter for longer; thus persuaded his travelling companion to 'lend' him the coat for at least part of his own journey. Who knows, the rain might have ceased by the time that Sam was ready to leave Huntingdon again.

JWB  •  Link

The Wet Rider
Watch your back, wet or dry, when third parties make claims on justice.

Nix  •  Link

Cotton Closes --

Alan is correct on this usage of "close". Black's Law Dictionary, citing Blackstone, gives the definition as "a portion of land, as a field, inclosed, as by a hedge, fence, or other visible inclosure".

Mary's suggestion that this refers to property near the village of Cotton seems very plausible. It may also be property connected (by proximity, or by prior ownership) with a family named Cotton.

The Cottons were a prominent Cambridgeshire family, with numerous substantial properties.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~engcam/P…

Sir Robert Cotton (1570-1631) established "the richest private collection of manuscripts ever amassed", which "now resides at the British Library". Of special Pepysian significance, he "entered Parliament as a member for Huntingdon in 1601".

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictio…

Either of these explanations strikes me as more likely than agricultural cotton.

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Cotton Closes

The discussion above gives a new meaning to the phrase "deep cotton."

A Hamilton  •  Link

Cotton

It seems I have mixed up "high cotton" and "deep clover." Oh, well. The discussion of Cotton above is, nonetheless, deep.

vicente  •  Link

Mary Arithmetic : Thanks no wander i failed the eleven plus, 60 yrs past.

vicente  •  Link

Interesting discovery Coton, [coeton cotton]: re: growing of cotton, I'm sure it was attempted[see requiments above, labour intensive and very short picking period, sun sun and more sun and a pith helmet. Even in the 1940's, many attempted to grow 'Baccy. Grew nice leaves fit for stogies, but drying costs were outragesly expensive, investment costs yield a negative return. Mildew [Fungus] grew faster, needed large insulated barns [with out owls] for drying and hanging;
Coton due east {ese} of Yellin: Coton off the A 1303 /A428; west of M11 north of Barton south of the American Cemetary at Madingly:
Best explanation, Land part of the Cotton family Estates.

Pedro.  •  Link

Jackson.

From the background Jackson was a farmer in his own right, with land in the hands of tenants, in and around uncle Robert's area, and yet he becomes a tenant of Sam.
How do we move out of Sam's usual area, and over to Cotton, that has not been previously mentioned? Sam has travelled to all the other areas left to him.

A long shot. Perhaps it is a local name. I have come across an area called "cotton fields" (Closes?) named after the Cotton Grass plants (Eriophorom virginicum) that grow in damp areas, and in the late summer the fields look a little similar to a cotton field.

Pauline  •  Link

'no doubt he rode in the rain cursing Sam'
Or it was a business transaction and the man was glad for the money. The "poor man" was probably dressed in fabrics that recovered more quickly from a drenching (throw them over the hob) than those making up Sam's city clothes.

vicente  •  Link

If ye have not 'ad the pleasure of getting a moisturising fen application that will give ye old cheeks a peachy glow, you have missed one of the finer moments of life. From the Brampton to Cambridge city Line, to the north east, it is open to the north seas indulging soakers, there only be a hillocks like the Isle of Ely to slow down that penetrating invigorating heads down kind of skin cleansing washing. Only Oilskins will hold out that penetrating refreshment. Then no doubt the garment for keeping the woolens dry [and weighing a ton] would be a Tar soaked Poncho like covering. Sam's description of travel to Yelling , says to me, he not knowing the shortcuts [Cow paths] from place a to place b:as some are noted on the maps.
[Tanner]Like all those from the old village school, would enjoy the Income and to see a City ladd suffer[ them there ferriners]

vicente  •  Link

There be a Cotton farm N/W of Gravely on the way from Offord D'Arcy.[see Gravely and map
Name 'Cotton' be lost in Cottenham and Pepys motto " Cottenham Mens cujusque is est quisque " 'As the mind of each, so is the man'
Cotten ham 2 1/2 miles north of Impington on the B 1049.

Jenny Doughty  •  Link

Many people from this area around Cambridge moved over to Massachusetts earlier in the seventeenth century, as part of the first great wave of migration from Britain to America. The Cottons were a large and influential family in Massachusetts, and originated in the Cambridge area, so I would guess the name was associated with their family. The famous Cotton Mather descended from them, deriving his first name from his mother's family name.

Second Reading

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The Pepys family tree and place-names have often made me think of Tolkien's fictional hobbit family trees: never more than today, when I was put in mind of the Gamgee-Cotton family tree of Master Samwise! (Though perhaps the Pepyses were more like the Bagginses! :) )

http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Ga…

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

'close n. . . 2. In many senses more or less specific: as, An enclosed field (now chiefly local, in the English midlands) . .
. . 1564 N. Haward tr. Eutropius Briefe Chron. i. sig. C.viii, Seized of a close or field.
1712 J. Arbuthnot John Bull Still in Senses vi. 24 We measur'd the Corn Fields Close by Close . . ‘

[OED]

Third Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Meanwhile, Algiers has turned out to be stubborn.

Capt. Richard Beachy to Sandwich
Written from:
Date: 5 August 1661
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 75, fol(s). 61
Document type: Holograph. Endorsed: "Advice from Captain Beachye, in the Baye of Algiers, August 5, 1661".

Recommends that speedy advices be sent to the Newfoundland ships of the war with Algiers; that certain frigates of a specified armament be better manned than they are at present; and that certain others, that are good sailors, be speedily sent to Lisbon to refit and re-victual.
Adds other suggestions for the greater efficiency of the Fleet.

@@@

Algiers
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

FROM:
Carte Calendar Volume 32, June - December 1661
Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
Edward Edwards, 2005
Shelfmark: MS. Carte Calendar 32
Extent: 464 pages
https://wayback.archive-it.org/or…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

From Sandwich's log, off Algiers:

August 5. Monday. Wind S.S.W. At evening a Council of War was called and the question put whether we should continue our resolution to attempt the ships in the mole and it was carried in the negative. In the debate these were the chief reasons urged:
That we had waited 7 days for an opportunity of wind and weather and had none presented. In which time the enemy had perfected and strengthened their boom and made other defenses and mounted more guns, whereby the attempt was rendered much more difficult and the damage to the fleet certainly to be greater, to make them unserviceable for any future prosecution of the war.

Copied from
The Journal of Edward Mountagu,
First Earl of Sandwich
Admiral and General-at-Sea 1659 - 1665

Edited by RC Anderson
Printed for the Navy Records Society
MDCCCCXXIX

Section III - Mediterranean 1661/62

Jan Kemp  •  Link

COTON - “(place at) the cottages or huts”, from Old English ‘cot’, in the dative plural form ‘cotum’:
COTON Cambs, Cotis 1086 Domesday Book. -Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names 1998

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

'Venice: Aug. 1661', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 33, 1661-1664, British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk…

The Venetian Ambassadors Extraordinary, Angelo Correr and Michiel Morosini, both wrote to the Doge and Senate today:
Amb. Angelo Correr 1605-1678 – no bio, but Pepys bought and read his book in 1667 https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Amb. Michiel Morosini 1611 – 1678 (older brother of Francesco Morosini, who later became the 108th doge of Venice) https://www.britannica.com/topic/… - has SPOILERS

On Saturday last, as arranged, we made our public entry into this city. The Master of the Ceremonies came with the king's barges to fetch us from Greenwich and at the Tower we were met by the earl of Peterborough, the same who introduced the Spanish ambassador

Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

He took us in the royal coaches to Westminster, a house of his Majesty where, as is customary, he caused us to be lodged and entertained for three days. Immediately on our arrival Lord Bellasis came in the king's name to offer his services, to which we replied suitably, and asked him to be our interpreter. He expressed his delight at renewing the acquaintance of two persons whom he had known before, one here and the other in France

Thomas Belasyse, Earl Fauconberg https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

On Tuesday the earl of Hemby, who as Lord Feldin was ambassador at Venice, conducted us to audience of the king, who received us in the Great Hall, which was lined with guards, with every mark of honour

Basil Feilding, 2nd Earl of Denbigh, Amb. to Venice 1634-9 https://dev.historyofparliamenton…

In conformity with our instructions we expressed your Serenity's satisfaction at his happy restoration. We thanked God for this provision of so great a monarch's aid at the moment of Christendom's greatest troubles, as his power could easily put down the pride of the infidel and so forth, ending with congratulations on his marriage

[The Ottoman–Venetian wars between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice 1396 - 1718. In 1661 they have been defending Crete since 1645. It’s called the Battle of Candia later in the Diary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cre… ]

The king listened with every sign of friendliness and said he never feared that the republic would withdraw its love from a family which for so many centuries had borne it a singular amity. He expressed his satisfaction that your Serenity through us had given him an assurance that your grief for his misfortunes was matched by your joy at his felicity and asked us to testify to his cordial reciprocation

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

PART 2

We then thanked him for the honours received, referring to our pleasure in renewing an ancient obeisance to him

Upon this he embraced us, saying he had given special orders for our entertainment

After a suitable acknowledgment we went to the apartments of the duke of York, to whom we presented your Serenity's letters and performed our office.
The duke said he deeply regretted the troubles of the republic and was most anxious to relieve them, to which we replied that the Signory would greatly value his courteous remarks in the assurance that the proofs would not be less when the opportunity came

We found the Chancellor suffering from gout. After compliments we discoursed at great length about the present emergencies of Christendom and of our confidence that through his good counsel the king might be encouraged to undertake its defence.
We showed how easily this could be done from the number of troops he could collect and transport to the necessary spot by his numerous ships. He listened attentively, but his replies were very brief and utterly devoid of spirit, merely expressing good will after which he changed the subject and tried to stop our rejoinder

This minister, being vastly inferior in birth to the office he now enjoys, seeks nothing but its increase and confirmation and accordingly applies himself exclusively to the country's internal affairs.
From what we learn he does not wish the king to undertake any foreign engagements, save those connected with Dunkirk, which are inevitable

Dunkirk – https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… SPOILERS!

His Majesty, having scarce the means to maintain himself and being unable to raise money save through parliament, cannot depart from its wishes, and as many of the members of the Lower House are deeply interested in the Turkey trade, they would with difficulty consent to measures, not less costly than repugnant and hazardous, from the confusion they would entail in maritime affairs; indeed these gentlemen are so obviously averse from all interference that no one can mistake them

Levant India Company https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

To make more sure of the king's intentions we made enquiries through a confidant and are confirmed in the belief that no important undertaking can be determined by him without the consent of parliament. Nevertheless at our private audience we shall not neglect to make the most earnest representations.
London, the 5th August, 1661
[Italian]

@@@
The Same to the Same.

The ambassadors of France and Spain proposed to honour us in the usual way by sending their coaches, but as the question of precedence between them is insoluble, and it began to be whispered that they would take this opportunity of disputing it, we decided not to announce our entry to any of the foreign ministers, reserving it until we were in London, after the example of the last ambassadors extraordinary from France and Spain.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

PART 3

In spite of this M. d'Estrades persisted in his intention to send and blusteringly made a levy not only of Frenchmen but of their dependants, while Batteville did the like, so that there would have been over 3,000 men under arms, with danger of some serious outrage among the parties concerned and of starting worse disturbance, since there are many eagerly watching for such opportunities.
The king, learning that our expedient, which he approved, had not sufficed to stay them, prevented the contest by his own authority sending word to both that he wished them not to stir, and so it fell out.

French Ambassador Godefroi, Comte d'Estrades was Marshal of France and Viceroy of America https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Spanish Ambassador Carlos, Baron de Vatteville, or Watteville, or Batteville https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

In the evening they sent their compliments, saying they had been prevented from sending their coaches.

We recently received your Serenity's letters of the 9th and 15th ult. We note the requests of our merchants for relief for the fraud practised on them over the goods unloaded at Algiers.
Here also the parties injured keep complaining of the perfidy of the captains, and with their consent we have decided to speak strongly to the king to-morrow, leaving a memorial, although the captains urge many excuses in their favour.

[Adm. Sir John Lawson started plying before Algiers on August 8, and we’ve established that it takes a month for a ship to sail from the Med. to London. So this “fraud” must have happened almost as soon as he arrived. https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… ]

We hope that a remedy will be applied for the future since it is certain that the fleet now gone into the Mediterranean in making arrangements with these pirates has orders to stipulate that English ships shall henceforward pass free, whatever their cargoes may be.
The king is now well aware how prejudicial the former stipulations were, which merely compelled the pirates to respect English ships and English goods; whence the irregularities complained of.
The Signory will understand from these facts how anxious this country is to keep on good terms with the Turks, subordinating all pious considerations to the safety of its trade, on which the wealth of these kingdoms depends, as well as the entire subsistence of countless persons.

We shall punctually follow the other instructions.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

PART 4

In the matter of coaches our searches in Holland and France proved fruitless, so we had decided to buy them here, but by good fortune and the favour of some gentlemen of rank we succeeded in obtaining those of the king, though they had been refused to France and Spain and latterly to Florence.
The king said he made a distinction between other ambassadors and those of Venice, who coming from a distance could not have sufficient notice of his new decrees.
The confidant added that this reason was given to prevent the concession being urged as a precedent. We were much cheered by this favour both for the honour and being relieved of the expense.

Even the Spanish ambassador now admits that the marriage with the Infanta is established, in spite of his efforts to prevent it.
He complains openly of having been deceived in his negotiations for the marriage of the princess of Parma and says that the earl of Bristol's commissions were changed, while his own remained fixed and clear.

George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

However he says he has orders to remain and that Count Strozzi, if not prevented by the king's ministers, would have arrived to carry out his instructions, and would have aided us, both in order to help the emperor against the Turks and to show his devotion to your Excellencies.

Count Peter Strozzi (1626–1664), Austrian general???? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Str…

But he also thinks that we shall get nothing but hope from this quarter for the present, as they are too fixed in their determination against any infraction of the good understanding with the Turk.
He even delivered the opinion that the English, as a consequence of our mission, will claim great merit with the Turks for having resisted our importunities, in order not to interrupt their good understanding with the Porte, and possibly the will is wanting and the reason given touching trade may be an obvious pretext, though, if the king is inclined to neglect such considerations, he cannot, as stated, so easily supply a lack of money, and we see that even the Portuguese, when they want to levy troops enjoy no other advantage than the bare permission to take them, and should your Serenity desire this, at great cost, it would not be difficult to obtain a grant.

[This use of this “the Porte” : the government of the Ottoman empire https://www.merriam-webster.com/d… ]

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

PART 5:

His Majesty was to attend parliament this morning, so the present session is supposed to be over and it will soon be known what acts are passed.

It was desired that for the future the king and not the counties should appoint the members. This project originated with the Upper House for his Majesty's advantage; but the House of Commons, would have received too severe a blow and refused its consent.

So ill humour is reappearing and these last days a scandalous libel against the parliament's proceedings has been circulating, as too complaisant towards the king.
Enquiries were made and its author discovered, who proved one of the most perverse Presbyterians. He would have been punished as he deserved had he not confessed his error and promised utter fidelity to the royal name and party, whereupon his Majesty dispensed with the penalty. (fn. 4)

FOOTNOTE 4. On 12 July a pamphlet entitled “Sundry reasons humbly tendered to the most honourable House of Peers by some citizens and members of London and other cities, boroughs, corporations and ports against the new intended bill for governing and reforming Corporations” was brought to the notice of the House of Commons.
Three days later William Prynne confessed himself the author. He submitted to the judgment of the House, that it was an illegal, false, scandalous and seditious libel, and was duly admonished. Mercurius Politicus July 11–18. Journals of the House of Commons, Vol. viii., pp. 301–2.
William Prynne MP https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

Last week the Scottish parliament made pressing application to the king for the complete removal from that country of all the troops in garrison there, as they thought it strange to be guarded by the English in time of peace.
As the matter was of importance his Majesty sought the opinion of this parliament, but before hearing it he decided to satisfy the Scots, a decision that may be regretted since as the first disturbance proceeded from Scotland it seemed only right that they should be the last to enjoy the complete liberty which they demand.

The governor of Dunkirk is here by the king's order, with whom and with the chancellor he has had several private conferences, which excite curiosity at Court, especially as it is reported that they have begun to levy the taxes which were disputed, which was the very thing that seemed likely to start trouble again.

[The Gov. of Dunkirk was Col. Edward Harley; he’s in London to discuss the secret future -- catches you up with SPOILERS: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl… ]

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

CONCLUSION:

The enclosed memorial (fn. 5) has been presented to us by a colonel of some experience concerning offers, which your Excellencies may care to examine. We send them as they are, that you may be able to give such orders to the Resident Giavarina as you see fit.
FOOTNOTE 5. The enclosure is lacking; the text being from the letter book.

London, the 5th August, 1661.
[Italian.]

Perhaps we can better judge how stressed Pepys was by the combination of the will complexity and by his parents/Pall/John's needs from his actions: that he thought leaving town while so much unrest was happening, much with naval involvement, was clearly not a good idea. My theory that the other Commissioners were keeping him in the dark increasingly seems correct.

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