Friday 22 November 1661
Within all the morning, and at noon with my wife, by appointment to dinner at the Dolphin, where Sir W. Batten, and his lady and daughter Matt, and Captain Cocke and his lady, a German lady, but a very great beauty, and we dined together, at the spending of some wagers won and lost between him and I; and there we had the best musique and very good songs, and were very merry and danced, but I was most of all taken with Madam Cocke and her little boy, which in mirth his father had given to me. But after all our mirth comes a reckoning of 4l., besides 40s. to the musicians, which did trouble us, but it must be paid, and so I took leave and left them there about eight at night. And on foot went to the Temple, and then took my cozen Turner’s man Roger, and went by his advice to Serjeant Fountaine and told him our case, who gives me good comfort in it, and I gave him 30s. fee. So home again and to bed. This day a good pretty maid was sent my wife by Mary Bowyer, whom my wife has hired.
18 Annotations
First Reading
Eric Walla • Link
Oh Lord, why must you tempt your servant so? Did the maid have to be pretty as well as good? Could good not have sufficed?
And I'm not clear on the Musician business: Sam says what they must be paid, that it must be done, and that he must leave before the party breaks up. So does he pay or not?
daniel • Link
40s.
my God! as a professional musician this is a real eye-opener! how much, out of curiosity, would this amount be in today's circumstances?
dirk • Link
£194.32 (in 2002)
according to
http://eh.net/hmit/ppowerbp/
(Take this as a sound *approximation* of present value.)
Check
Background Info / Money / Values today
for further comments on present value of 17th c currency.
Mary • Link
An expensive evening out.
Now Sam and party have spent as much on one evening's entertainment as he gritted his teeth over spending on Elizabeth's lace for the kerchief. Will a vow against wagering follow, and have as mcuh success as his frequent vows against theatre-going?
andy • Link
But after all our mirth comes a reckoning
absolutely, Sam! Look forward to the sermon on Sunday.
Pedro. • Link
"a German lady, but a very great beauty"
Would this infer that Sam did not normally find that German women were attractive?
Simon • Link
So, if I'm reading that site correctly, the whole evening's entertainment cost about £4,100 in today’s money!? Wow, the boy can party…
Alan Bedford • Link
"about £4,100 in today's money!?”
Using the site that Dirk referenced, it’s about £583 as of 2002 (where that site’s calculations end), but that probably fails to take into account that the values of different services and commodities change at different rates over the years.
But it is a party of seven adults and one child, eight hours’ food, drink and entertainment, so perhaps the bill is not out of line (although it’s well outside my budget!)
Glyn • Link
"and her little boy, which in mirth his father had given to me."
Is this a joke about his childlessness?
Glyn • Link
I haven't been counting, but there seems to have been a big turnover of female servants in the Pepys' household since Jane left. (In contrast, the male servants - Will and Wayneman - hasn't seen any changes.) Is it just one of those things, is it because Samuel is a better boss to the boys than Elizabeth is to the girls, or could there be any other reasons?
guye ffalkes • Link
partying: A party of five with muscians {"...there we had the best musique and very good songs..."} and "'ors dervis", champers, Lobster [maine of course ]selection of vin blanc et rouge. Ask ye monied friends? how much change, would one get from 5.0GL's.
Grahamt • Link
"and her little boy, which in mirth his father had given to me."
I don’t think this is a jest at Samual and Elizabeth’s childlessness, but one of those cruel jokes we parents play on our children (after a bottle or two of wine) “Here take you take him, we don’t need him…” Which our children remind us of for years right into our dotage. After all, what is parenthood without the guilt?
Conrad • Link
Pedro, I think he means, that even though this man's lady is not English, ie., not one of 'us' she is acceptable because she is a great beauty. I wonder what Captain Cocke & Sam were betting on, & did Sam win or lose 4 pounds. The business hours of Serjeant Fountaine seem to be excessive, but then again he receives 30 shillings for his services. It would appear to have been an expensive day for Sam. Thank goodness the maid is pretty.
David A. Smith • Link
"a German lady, but a very great beauty"
I think Sam's modest 'but' signals something about the way he (and Restoration society) view women:
* Ladies are married.
* Great beauties are not -- or if married, the husband is safely stashed elsewhere (e.g. My Lady Castlemaine).
There may also be something about how ladies dress versus beauties (I happily muse about differences in hairdo, diamond necklaces, cleavage ...).
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
How expensive?!
40s. to the musicians
30s. fee to John Fountaine, the Commissioner or the Great Seal.
Terry Foreman • Link
Justice grinds on in Commons
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Executing Regicides.
A Bill for executing certain Persons which are attainted for High Treason, was this Day read the First time.
Resolved, upon the Question, That this Bill be read again the Second time on Monday Morning next, at Ten of the Clock, when the House is full: And that such of the Persons attainted, named in the Bill, as are now in the Tower, do then appear, and have Liberty to offer what they can for themselves. And Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, is to give Notice hereof to the Persons before-mentioned; and to cause them to be brought on Monday, at Ten of the Clock, to attend this House.
Ordered, That the King's Majesty be desired to send for John Lambert and Sir Henry Vane, back again to the Tower of London, in order to their Trial: And that his Majesty be further desired to send for Hardress Waller, lately called Sir Hardress Waller, and such other Persons attainted of High Treason, as were lately sent away, back again to the Tower; to the end they may be in Readiness to attend this House, when they shall be called: And Sir Richard Everard, Mr. Tompkins, Sir Thomas Leigh, Colonel Legg, Sir George Ryve, Sir Solomon Swale, Mr. John Ashburnham, Mr. Winston Churchill, Mr. Henry Seymour, Mr. Prynn, are to attend his Majesty from this House, with this Message.
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
As Terry reports above, the House of Commons is picking up where they left off.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
In the meantime, Charles II and his ministers had "off-shored" some of the most popular Regicides (hoping they would be forgotten?) when events heated up a few weeks back while Parliament was prorogued (in recess -- a word you'll hear a lot later on):
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Which makes it hard for me to agree with Charles, Earl Spencer that Charles II was responsible for the bloodthirsty revenge on the killers of the King, his father. I think the historical record shows that he left it up to Parliament to decide who was responsible, having made it clear that some people must be held responsible and pay the price. The Cavalier Parliament doesn't seem to be dragging their heals or applying for mercy here. They could have left Vane, Waller and Lambert in their island purgatories.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
And in the House of Lords:
Bill concerning the Dutchy of Cornwall.
Hodie 2a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act to enable the King's Majesty to make Leases, Grants, and Copies of Offices, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, Parcel of His Highness' Dutchy of Cornwall, or annexed to the same, and Confirmation of Leases and Grants already made.
Today the Duchy of Cornwall's rents and leaseholds provide the income of William, Prince of Wales.
Presumable the same was true in Stuart times? Since Charles II had no heir yet, perhaps this was a way of raising his 1,200,000l.?