Sunday 20 October 1661
(Lord’s day). At home in bed all the morning to ease my late tumour, but up to dinner and much offended in mind at a proud trick my man Will hath got, to keep his hat on in the house, but I will not speak of it to him to-day; but I fear I shall be troubled with his pride and laziness, though in other things he is good enough. To church in the afternoon, where a sleepy Presbyter preached, and then to Sir W. Batten who is to go to Portsmouth to-morrow to wait upon the Duke of York, who goes to take possession and to set in order the garrison there. Supped at home and to bed.
26 Annotations
First Reading
Bob T • Link
Will's hat
Sam hasn't learned how to be the Boss yet; he knows what he should do, but is putting it off. When he sees inappropriate behavior, he should correct it immediately. Maybe he's not all that sure of himself yet. "Will. Get that (*&^%$ thing off your head, and don't let it happen again. Do you understand? You are easy to replace."
Robert Gertz • Link
What's interesting to me is that Will Hewer keeps formenting these little rebellions against Pepys while clearly excellent in performance of his duties. And they generally seem to involve him putting on a bit of swagger and dash (throwing his cloak back over the shoulder and so on)...I notice also that Elisabeth apparently didn't complain of it to Sam though I would think it should offend her as well.
And he and Beth are fairly close in age, he 19, she 21...
Hmmn...
vicente • Link
Sam did not become a prefect at St Pauls' to learn the lessons of correcting the lesser boys of their rebellious nature and swagger [Cock of the Walk trot]; It is a lot easier when the system is in support and have the minions down on their knees begging forgiveness. [Ah! for Tom Brown and the out of the round inflated leather flying object]
daniel • Link
insubordination
is Will's act insubordination or just sloppiness I wonder.
vicente • Link
'tis interesting that the one that preaches is not necessary from the same version or school of thought. There is still some open view points of Religious teaching.
vicente • Link
Daniel: not really insubordination, just young and flaunting his looks like most at his age { The power of attraction to be chosen by the female of the species is at work}: Like most, they try and find the borders of tolerance by the Alpha Male, or even if allowed to replace the Alpha ] Remember, the house holds other young impressionable wooable females.
vicente • Link
A possible sermon like one Evelyn records.4:Ephes [from Evelyn]
25: Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another
alt{: Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. }
Stolzi • Link
Will's hat
Probably a baseball cap with the bill turned backwards.
Mary • Link
Will's hat.
L&M Companion is silent on the matter of Will's religious upbringing, but memory prompts me to think that keeping oneself 'covered' (i.e. with hat on) was sometimes a Puritan practice, aimed at demonstrating that all men were equal in the sight of God. Probably a red herring in this particular case, but it may be a lurking irritation to Pepys for that reason.
Xjy • Link
Will's hat
He's just taking after the gaffer... No wonder Sam is pissed off. On the other hand, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...
Glyn • Link
Will's uncle is Robert Blackburne, who is a strong Puritan (and always will be) and who got him the job with Pepys. So, like uncle like nephew?
It might be a bit embarrassing for Pepys' bosses to see someone who is still a radical after they have turned their own opinions around as quickly as they could (and boasted of it to each other).
Didn't Pepys have an argument about this issue a few weeks ago?
malabar • Link
It'a a hat trick for Will!
The fans go wild.
JWB • Link
hat honor
Thomas Ellwood(1639-1714), secretary to Milton, on becoming a Quaker: "When they(Oxford quater sessions for the peace) were come up to me they all saluted me after the usual manner, pulling off their hats and bowing and saying "your humble servant,sir", expecting no doubt the like from me. But when they saw me stand still, not moving my cap, not bowing my knee in way of congee to them, they were amazed. ...a brisk young man who stood nearest to me, clapping his hand in a familiar way upon my shoulder, and smiling on me said,"What, Tom! a Quaker?"
JWB • Link
Wm. Penn on vain gestures:
"Not to respect persons was and is another of their doctrines and practices for which they are often buffeted and abused. They affirmed it to be sinful to give flattering titles or to use vain gestures and compliments of respect,...well remembering...the command of... Jesus Christ, Who forbade His followers to call him Rabbi, which implies Lord or Master..." Penn's preface to Geo. Fox "Journal"
Second Reading
Bill • Link
Following JWB above, here is an interesting anecdote concerning Sam's colleague Admiral William Penn and his famous Quaker son, also William. In any case, Will Hewer's hat may have had religious overtones.
Having left college, at his return home to the vice-admiral his father, instead of kneeling to ask his blessing, as is the custom with the English, he went up to him with his hat on, and accosted him thus; "Friend, I am glad to see thee in good health." The vice-admiral thought his son crazy; but soon discovered he was turned Quaker.
---The Works of M. de Voltaire. T.G. Smollett, 1762.
Upon his Arrival in England (He was then two and twenty Years old), he waited on his Father like a true Quaker, with his Hat on, without bowing to him, Theeing and Thouing him, and calling him Friend. The Reception he met with was not very gracious, he was looked looked upon as a Visionary and a Madman. His afflicted and angry Father tried all Means, Prayers, Threats, Arguments, Punishments to bring him back from his Errors, and despairing at last to overcome his inflexible Stubbornness, turned him out of his House.
---The Ceremonies and Religious Customs of the Various Nations of the Known World. C. Du Bosc, 1737.
Terry Foreman • Link
Somewhere (I posted it there) L&M note it was the general custom (no mention of religious differences) for men to wear hats at meals. Will must have worn his when and where courtesy would normally have impelled men to doff it.
Terry Foreman • Link
"to Sir W. Batten who is to go to Portsmouth to-morrow to wait upon the Duke of York, who goes to take possession and to set in order the garrison there."
The Duke had been appointed Governor of Portsmouth on 31 May 1661. He acted by means od a deputy. (L&M note)
Liz • Link
Will’s hat: could it simply be that he was cold? After all, it is October and no central heating...
Third Reading
Eric the Bish • Link
“… a sleepy Presbyter preached“
Not a Presbyterian but an Anglican priest - following the Restoration and the re-establishment of the Church of England, the term “priest”became more standard within the Anglican tradition. However, "presbyter" would still have been understood and used in theological discussions or to emphasise the role of ministers as "elders" within the church. Here Pepys is perhaps indicating the sleepy clergyman was in the reformed tradition of the C of E.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... a proud trick my man Will hath got, to keep his hat on in the house, but I will not speak of it to him to-day; but I fear I shall be troubled with his pride and laziness, ..."
Hats on and off: This has much significance, as we will find out later when Pepys has to hear a petition from his old boss, Downing. Who then wears the hat?
Yes, Hewer could have been wearing his hat in the house to indicate that he was a Quaker, and did not recognize that he was inferior to Pepyses. (Just because his family were Non-Conformists did not mean they were Quakers. I suspect that they, being very wealthy, would have insisted on their servants and tradesmen being bare-headed during conversations, even if it was cold outside. It was a way of establishing and maintaining power by the ruling class.)
I'm amazed Pepys didn't knock the hat off Hewer's head the moment he saw it. What was he thinking? Teenage insolence must be confronted immediately, not ignored. (If you break the office dress code, expect to hear about it publicly on the spot -- oh, that's very old school and sexist, isn't it.)
Pepys calls the hat wearing 'pride', twice. I think that means Pepys thought Hewer was reminding the Pepyses that he out-ranked them socially, and so the hat was not a religious statement.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... and then to Sir W. Batten who is to go to Portsmouth to-morrow to wait upon the Duke of York, who goes to take possession and to set in order the garrison there."
My guess is these are the new Tangier garrison. This would allow the fleet to have a shakedown cruise before loading all the landlubbers.
San Diego Sarah • Link
From Sandwich's log, in the bay of Tangier:
October 20. Sunday.
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon the Forester came in from Lagos.
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
@@@
The Forester
and
Lagos, Portugal
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
LKvM • Link
Re Stolzi's comment about Will's hat:
"Probably a baseball cap with the bill turned backwards."
That silly "look" has been almost universal in the USA for decades (including at table and among not only adolescents but also mature men). For what it's worth, columnist George Will noted that its first known written occurrence was in the American classic of adolescent life "Catcher in the Rye."
I agree that Will's wearing of his cover in the house is just adolescent bravado, since he is still a teen.
Matt Newton • Link
re titfer wearing; I believe Sam thinks he himself has been caught out over this issue when out and about in a park. he fails to doff his hat in the presence of the king and aids run up to him, putting Sam in a tizz. It turns out the aids just want Sam to come over for a chat with Mr. King.
Phew, a lucky break for SP.
San Diego Sarah • Link
For those interested in the weather, the Rev. Ralph says "the season now wet, which is a mercy after so much drought." Obviously it's too late in the season for this year's crop, which must have been a worry for all.
San Diego Sarah • Link
L&M: In Clarendon’s Essay, “On the decay of respect paid to Age,” he says that in his younger days he never kept his hat on before those older than himself, except at dinner. Men normally wore hats at meals.