Tuesday 26 November 1661

[Unfortunately the entry for today is missing from the Project Gutenberg text, which may mean it’s missing from the 1893 edition of the diary we’re using. I’ve taken the liberty of using the entry from the Latham & Matthews edition of the diary instead, for this day only. P.G.]

Not well in the morning and lay long in bed. At last rise and at noon with my wife to my Uncle Wights, where we met Mr. Cole, Mr. Rawlinson, Norbury and his wife and her daughter, and other friends to the Chine of beef that I sent them the other day, and eat and were merry. By and by I am called to the office, whither I went and there we sat late; and after the office done, Sir Wms both and I and Captain Cock and Mr. Bence (who being drunk, showed himself by his talk a bold foole, and so we were fain to put him off and get him away) we sat till 9 a-clock by ourselfs in the office, talking and drinking three or four bottles of wine. And so home and to bed. My wife and her mayde Dorothé falling out, I was troubled at it.

19 Annotations

First Reading

daniel  •  Link

i see that the tradition of overindulging for the American holiday of Thanksgiving predates the inception of the said Republic entirely!

vicente  •  Link

He be sozzled, and upset about the new maid? might she be a leaving. Was this the lass? ["...This day a good pretty maid was sent my wife by Mary Bowyer, whom my wife has hired...."]
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Maids do seem to have a mind of their own, where as to-day, any back talk in California can get instant dismissal as they be a dime a dozen and according to one ref., there be a shortage of fresh hires in London town 1660's. "...My wife and her mayde Doroth

Mary  •  Link

Maids come and go.

According to an L&M footnote, the 'good pretty maid' who was hired on 22nd November was one Sarah, who was to stay in the household until late 1662. Dorothy is the maid whose sharp tongue and aggressive manner were noted recently.

Xjy  •  Link

Domestic help
Anything, including ulcers, seems better than acting the skivvy yourself... Marx has some interesting thoughts on domestic servants in his chapter on Productive and Unproductive Labour in Theories of Surplus Value...
http://www.marxists.org/archive/m…
In sum: pay peanuts, buy yourself a monkey...

A. De Araujo  •  Link

"Domestic help"
Marx got his maid pregnant,or better they had a child.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

The chine of beef
If you gave someone a substantial main dish (say a ham or turkey) they would be expected to share it with (among others) you? Or did this depend on the relationship? Or was there no regular rule -- as there seems to be now? (Or so I gather, speaking stateside.)

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Today is December 6th in the Gregorian Calendar, so, at the latitude of Seething lane (51°30'N - longitude 000°04'W), there would be just over eight hours of daylight, plus twilight depending upon the weather. So from about 3:30 - 4pm on, candles or lanterns would have been an absolute necessity for reading - or even for cutting bread or meat. BTW 04' means 4 minutes of arc, 4/60 = 1/15 degree west of Greenwich.

http://sunrisesunsetmap.com/

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Ha - I've just played with the link above: if it is to be believed, and I don't see why not, there was a full moon for Pepys today!

Third Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Anyone who's faithfully following the Diary may remember that last year I posted a rather interesting item about some very memorable Puritans being rounded and imprisoned today -- in the wrong year. [DUH!]
Rather than repost, here is the link
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Thomas Rumbold to Sandwich
Written from: Puerto de Santa Maria
Date: 26 November 1661
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 73, fol(s). 621
Document type: Holograph

Makes an offer of service. Expresses the gratitude of the English merchants for the convoy granted by his Lordship.

@@@

William Staines to Sandwich
Written from: Tetuan
Date: 26 November 1661
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 73, fol(s). 623
Document type: Holograph

Thanks his Lordship for the care he has taken of English interests in the Mediterranean, and reports various foreign and naval advices.

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…

@@@

So Henry Rumbold, English Consul at Cadiz and at Puerto Santa Maria, has a relative, Thomas, working with him.
CORRECTION: Henry is the nephew of William Rumbold of the Wardrobe. And Thomas turns out to be a family name.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

For Cadiz and Puerto de Santa Maria, see
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

I still don't know anything about William Stains, but Tetuan:
Tétouan, north-central Morocco. The city lies along the Martil River (Wadi Martil), 7 miles (11 km) from the Mediterranean Sea. In the 16th century Tétouan was populated by Moorish Andalusian refugees. Spanish troops captured it in 1860 ...
https://www.britannica.com/place/…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

The fall guy for the recent unrest was executed today:

Rev. John James was one of the first, if not the first, pastor of the Seventh-day Baptist Church worshipping in Bull Stake Alley, Whitechapel Road, London (since known as the Mill Yard Church).
He was born of poor parents, and became a ribbon weaver, afterwards a small coal man; but finding this business too much for his health, he returned to ribbon weaving.
On the Sabbath-day, October 19, 1661, while preaching to his people at their meeting place, he was twice rudely interrupted by officers of the law and commanded to come down. He was then dragged out of his pulpit. The charge of uttering treasonable words against the king was made by a journeyman tobacco-pipe maker, named Tipler; but so disreputable a person was Tipler that the justice refused to commit Mr. James on his testimony unless it was corroborated; this was done, and the good pastor was sent to Newgate prison.

On I4 November Rev. James was brought before Chief Justice Forster, and 3 other judges, at Westminster Hall, where he was charged with "endeavouring to levy war against the king, with seeking a change in government, with saying that the king was a bloody tyrant, a blood sucker and a bloodthirsty man, and that his nobles were the same; and that the king and his nobles had shed the blood of the saints at Charing Cross, and in Scotland."
There was no evidence to substantiate any of the charges.
Mr. James was remanded to Newgate for 4 days, when his trial came off. Previous to this he received a letter from a friend of distinction, informing him that for many years there had not been such efforts to pack a jury, and that his only hope of safety lay in challenging them, or "most of the chief men of them."

When Mr. James was brought into court, the chief justice exclaimed, "Oh, Oh, are you come?" and this was a typical of the way in which his trial was conducted.
He was condemned in accordance with the plot of those who planned his murder, and was sentenced to be hanged at Tyburn, near Hyde Park, and while still alive to have his entrails drawn and his heart taken out and burned; his head to be taken off and placed first on London Bridge, and afterward set up on a pole in Whitechapel Road opposite to the meeting place in Bull Stake Alley; his body to be cut in quarters and placed on four of the seven gates of the city.

The next day after sentence was pronounced against him, his wife presented a petition to Charles II, proving his innocence and appealing for mercy; but the only reply of his majesty was, "Oh! Mr. James, he is sweet gentleman!" and the door was shut against her.
The next morning she made another appeal to the king, and his response was, "He is a rogue, and shall be hanged."

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

CONCLUSION:

When asked if Rev. James had anything to say why sentence of death should not pronounced against him, he said: "As for me, behold, I am in your hands: do with me as it seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of this saints. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye."
And when Mr. James heard his sentence, he immediately added, "Blessed be God: whom man hath condemned, God hath justified."

The sentence was executed November 26, 1661. He was bound to a sled and drawn through the slush of the streets to Tyburn where he spoke with such power and prayed with such fervor that the hangman would not execute the full sentence, but permitted life to be fully extinct before he was drawn and quartered.

On the same sled which brought him to the place of execution, his quarters were taken back to Newgate and then upon Aldgate, Bishopgate, Moorgate, and Aldergate - the 4 gates nearest to the meeting-place in Bull Stake Alley, in front of which his head was exposed upon a pole.

Elder James gained great sympathy and respect for his devotion and submission to God. At the place of execution his remarks were gentle and loving, and his soul brave and full of hope. He was an inoffensive and benevolent man, free from any blemish in his character, and guiltless of every charge in the indictment.
He was savagely murdered by Charles II, his courtiers and his tools (the judges) to terrify the Dissenters, and especially the Baptists, into loyalty. And undoubtedly the vengeance of God, invoked by the innocent blood of John James had something to do with driving the Stuarts from the throne of England.

Reprinted from "Seventh Day Baptists in Europe and America" Vol 1 (pp. 78-79) Published by the American Sabbath Tract Society, Plainfield, New Jersey 1910.
https://www.friendsofsabbath.org/…

David G  •  Link

Putting the day into chronological order:
(a) having drunk way too much yesterday, Sam slept very late and woke "not well";
(b) at noon, i.e., not long after waking up, he and Elizabeth went to his uncle's house, where a fairly large party ate roast beef and were "merry";
(c) "By and by," he is called to the office, which suggests that he must have spent at least a few hours at the party and that someone from the office went looking for him around the time it was getting dark (one can picture the Sir Williams glowering at Sam when he finally rolled into the office, hours late);
(d) Sam then worked a couple of hours until maybe 6:00 pm (given the amount they drank after work ceased, it's reasonable to assume that the Naval Office group spent at least three hours drinking); and
(e) in the course of that conversation, he shared "three or four bottles of wine," i.e., four bottles of wine, not finishing until 9:00 pm.

It's surprising that tomorrow's entry doesn't start once more with "not well."

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

The Commons continued the Regicide debate:

The House then resumed the Debate of the Bill for Execution of the Persons attainted of High Treason.
And his Majesty's Proclamation, pleaded by such of the said Persons as were Yesterday brought to the Bar, being read; after a long Debate,

The Question being put, That, upon Consideration of the King's Majesty's Proclamation, pleaded by the Prisoners brought Yesterday to the Bar, the Bill for their Execution should be laid aside.

The House was divided:
And the Noes went forth.

Sir Henry North, Tellers for the Yeas: 109.
Mr. Higgons, With the Yeas,
Lord Cornebury, Tellers for the Noes: 124.
Mr. Mountague. With the Noes,
So it passed in the Negative: And

Resolved, upon the Question, That the said Bill, for Execution of the Persons attainted of High Treason, be committed to ... [20-odd members] ... And they are to meet in the Star Chamber To-morrow, at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon: And to take into Consideration the Petitions, Affidavits, and other Papers, tendered by the Prisoners: And to send for Papers, Persons, and Records.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

The Lords concerned themselves with current problems:

"An Act for preventing the Mischiefs and Dangers that may arise by certain Persons called Quakers, and others, refusing to take the lawful Oaths."
ORDERED, That the Consideration of this Bill is committed to these Lords following: ... [20-odd names] ...
Their Lordships, or any Five; to meet on Thursday next, at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon, in the Prince's Lodgings; and to adjourn themselves from Time to Time.

Order that Bishops are only Lords of Parliament and not Peers, to be considered.
ORDERED, That the Committee for Privileges do consider of an Order in the Standing Orders of this House, which mentions the Lords the Bishops to be only Lords of Parliament, and not Peers, whereas several Acts of Parliament mentions them to be Peers; and the Committee is to make Report thereof to this House, whether the said Order may not be repealed.

And all Records, both in The Tower and elsewhere, concerning this Business, are to be brought to the Committee, to be perused as their Lordships shall think fit; and to adjourn themselves from Time to Time as they please.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

This must be the day referred to by the Venetian Ambassador in his report of December 2, 1661 N.S. -- so maybe it's not N.S. after all, and the BHO have been kind enough to change their dates back to O.S.?:

Parliament has also devoted its earnest attention to the means of repressing turbulent spirits, as recommended by the king in his speech, and of destroying the rebellions which seem to be breaking out in several parts of the country before they get a firmer hold. Upon this they remark that some who are in the Tower, justly condemned to execution as guilty of the blood of the late king, but reprieved so far, no one knows why, can only serve while they live as an encouragement and stimulus to their confederates, who are too numerous in this kingdom, to attempt fresh disturbances. These have all been summoned before parliament to hear from their mouths what they have to say why the sentence pronounced against them should remain without effect. Some of them tried to clear themselves by asserting their innocence and that they were wrongfully condemned; others confessed they were blinded by the devil and besought pardon; others again tried in other ways to escape death. But nothing availed to suggest such an indulgence in the minds of the judges, and it is believed that before long the sentence against them will be carried out, it being now confirmed by the authority of parliament.

Not being pleased with the removal of Lambert, Vene and the other sectaries from the Tower to adjacent islands they have petitioned his Majesty to have them brought back to England, and this being granted ships have been sent to fetch them. It is believed that when they arrive parliament will make them pay with their lives for their crimes, and this will be a good example for the numerous fanatics who survive in this country, especially as they are the leaders of the sects and of the false doctrines which dominate England.

A minister who preached last October in some corner of this metropolis and published libels full of sedition, ended his life on the gallows the day before yesterday, without any repentance, indeed with horrid blasphemies, so great was the power of the Tempter over him. His quarters were hung in the usual places and his intestines burned, and it may be hoped that the example will check others who seek to fish in troubled waters.
Some books have recently been burned by the hangman which were found in the house of a sectary, full of biting lies against the present political government and raging against the ecclesiastical.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

CONCLUSION:

From all these things parliament is seen to have nothing but an intense desire to serve the king and to preserve him and protect him against any peril that may remain. He will be completely delivered if they reform the Privy Council, which is discussed and seems to be desired by parliament and by all sincere servants of his Majesty by purging it of the numerous Presbyterians who not only have seats in it but the greatest power and authority, although they behaved as irreconcileable enemies to the present king and his father, being accommodated by his Majesty when he returned to England with such elevated posts for pure convenience and good governance as it did not then suit him to offend them, but that he may gradually get rid of them for the absolute security of himself, his house and dominions.

'Venice: December 1661', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 33, 1661-1664, ed. Allen B Hinds (London, 1932), British History Online
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…

He says Parliament wants to purge the Privy Council -- the elder statesmen I said were keeping Charles II on the rails of good governance for the time being! Maybe Charles should let a few of the MPs or Lords know what he's doing behind the scenes to balance the budget ... a leak or two might be useful.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

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