Thursday 31 October 1661
This morning comes Prior of Brampton to me about the house he has to buy of me, but I was forced to be at the office all the morning, and so could not talk with him. And so, after the office was done, and dined at home, I went to my brother Tom’s, and there met him. He demanded some abatement, he having agreed with my father for Barton’s house, at a price which I told him I could not meddle with, but that as for anything to secure his title to them I was ready, and so we parted.
Thence to Sir Robert Bernard, and as his client did ask his advice about my uncle Thomas’s case and ours as to Gravely, and in short he tells me that there is little hopes of recovering it or saving his annuity, which do trouble me much, but God’s will be done. Hence, with my mind full of trouble, to my uncle Fenner’s, when at the alehouse I found him drinking and very jolly and youthsome, and as one that I believe will in a little time get a wife. So home.
18 Annotations
First Reading
vicente • Link
so he has some constraints, so he has some rules that he doth follow. "...but I was forced to be at the office all the morning, and so could not talk with him..."
vicente • Link
'Be reasonably my dear Squire [esq], I be but a poor preacher, please show some mercy?'. "...He demanded some abatement..."
vicente • Link
Mistress be gone, long live the mistress."...I believe will in a little time get a wife..."
Mary • Link
Poor preacher?
This is not a religious gentleman, but Mr. William Prior of Brampton. The house that Prior seeks to buy is occupied by Barton.
vicente • Link
Prior to posting, I should never ASS u ME that the prior of Brampton is the same as prior from St Neots or Huntington: I will try not to priortize or make a prior claim before a prior examination of the underlined Item.. from one who jumps......
dirk • Link
Evelyn's birthday!
His diary:
"I was this day [41] yeares of age: for which I render thanks to Almighty God, & implore his favour for the yeare to come."
dirk • Link
Halloween
In case you were wondering...
"By the fourteenth century a custom called 'souling' had developed in England in which the poor would go from house to house asking for soul-cakes. The better-off would give out small cakes or loaves in exchange for prayers for their dead relatives. [= the origin of "Trick of Treat"] (...) During the mid sixteenth century the Protestant Reformation put a stop to All Souls Day rituals in England --or at least drove them underground. (...) After the Protestants had driven Halloween away from the church, people were free to attach their own meanings and customs to it. It is not surprising that the holiday took on associations with the occult or demonic given the strong link to the dead and the strong disapproval of the Church of England."
From:
http://www.ipc.paganearth.com/dia…
Would anything have survived (disapproved by the Church as it might have been) of the "souling" custom in Sam's days?
Wim van der Meij • Link
In the Catholic Church there are still 'All Saints' and 'All Souls' taking place these two days in November; 'All Souls' is to commemorate the dead.
In the western part of Holland on November 11 the feast of St.Martin is celebrated by children, who, in the evenings go around the houses with lanterns and singing a special song to collect sweets and cakes. Maybe this got mixed up with the old Catholic All Souls earlier in the month.
Carolina • Link
Wim
St. Martin's in the Achterhoek too.
Much nicer than trick or treating, especially for the elderly.
Second Reading
TMN • Link
Excuse me but, are all references to his sexual dalliances excised from this series? When I read the Diary in book form he was always fooling around thus the inflammation of vesicles on one of his, ahem, privy parts.
Bill • Link
I think it's early days. He'll get around to it.
Weavethe hawk • Link
Not in this version , he won't. All sexual references have been expurgated.
Chris Squire UK • Link
Jane Clements, Director of Council of Christians and Jews: ;All Saints Day is traditionally called ‘All Hallows Day’ and is celebrated on November 1st. This is why 31st October is known as ‘All Hallows Eve’ or ‘Halloween’. It is a day for Christians to remember and celebrate those who lived before us and contributed to the life of the church and society . . All Souls Day, which follows on Nov 2nd, is usually a more solemn occasion. It’s an opportunity to remember together those who have died more recently, especially those we have loved and miss . . The modern date of All Souls' Day was first popularised in the early eleventh century after Abbot Odilo established it as a day for the monks of Cluny and associated monasteries to pray for the souls believed to be in purgatory (that is, between heaven and hell, paying for their sins before entering heaven).’
http://www.itv.com/news/london/20…
Chris Squire UK • Link
TMN: Someone usually publishes the expurgated text in the comments.
jimmigee • Link
I suggest using the Latham & Matthews editions for unexpurgated text.
Terry Foreman • Link
"This morning comes Prior of Brampton to me about the house he has to buy of me"
The property included a 'little house' or 'cottage' (part of Robert Pepys's Brampton estate), occupied by one Barton, which Pepys was to sell with some land to William Prior a year later: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… The sale provoked some difficulties with Pepys's uncle Thomas, who had a reversionary interest in the estate: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… There would appear to have been further difficulty (not resolved by 1676) in determining Robert Pepys's title -- if this is the 'Barton business' referred to in Family Letters , pp. 12, 24, 45. Prior paid £268 in installments by 1664. (L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"to my uncle Fenner’s, when at the alehouse I found him drinking and very jolly and youthsome, and as one that I believe will in a little time get a wife. ""
His first wife had died in August. He was married again within a few months to an 'old and ugly' midwife: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
(L&M note)
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
From Sandwich's log, at anchor in Tangier Bay:
October 31, Thursday.
I stood in for Tangier Bay and in the way had a letter from Mr. Myles which signified that the Prince of Spain to be dead: and being at anchor in Tangier Bay at night Mr. Rolt came to me from Tarifa in the Martin and presently went off again for Gibraltar.
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
@@@
Mr. Myles -- he came aboard Sandwich's ship on September 22
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
The Prince of Spain
Prince Philip, the infant son of Philip IV
Mr. Rolt
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Tarifa
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
The Martin
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Gibraltar
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…