Tuesday 17 December 1661
Up and to the Paynter’s to see how he went forward in our picture. So back again to dinner at home, and then was sent for to the Privy Seal, whither I was forced to go and stay so long and late that I was much vexed. At last we got all done, and then made haste to the office, where they were sat, and there we sat late, and so home to supper and to Selden, “Mare Clausum,” and so to bed.
14 Annotations
First Reading
Glyn • Link
"our picture" singular, not "our pictures" plural. I'm still not convinced that L&M were correct.
vicenzo • Link
re Payntor: he states that he was not happy with his visage then at a latter date he mentions the first layer of prep. being done for Eliza. It is a little confusing, I don't believe that that there is a copy of the two Pepis being in the same frame. So the 's' maybe lost in the original text.
Bullus Hutton • Link
whither I was forced to go and stay so long and late that I was much vexed..
OK, now here we have it, for all you workniks who think Sam's life is one long pub crawl, he DOES have to put the time in when duty calls, oftentimes at the convenience of his evidently uncaring superiors.
On this slow day when he starts by checking out the progress of his portrait and then strolls home for some lunch, he's called upon to attend some required bureaucratic duty at the Privy Seal (excellent Background description by Paul Brewster, imagine how Sam must have been sitting there just saying Get ON with it!) he has to go immediately by the office and explain in tedious detail every possible outcome of those political maunderings.
Finally he gets to go home and visit the Mare Clausum thing (this I find the most fascinating bit, the formulation of territorial water policy, good Background stuff here too, by Dutchmen it would appear!)but I'm not clear if Sam was just reading about it or discussing it with some chums he brought home.
In any event he finally put in a good workday, no wonder his diary entry was relatively brief!
Ruben • Link
I can imagine Samuel sitting in his studio and reading his Selden book Mare Nostrum by the light of 2 candles. On the table some annotations he made of his conclusions and a draft of his future work on the matter.(If he ever concludes).
Robert Gertz • Link
"and so home to supper and to Selden, 'Mare Clausum,' and so to bed.”
Where Elisabeth heard his points and drawing on her many sea travels in youth and Dad Alex’s experience in such matters laid the whole thing out for him… “Ma chere petite, they so much as look at you sideways without dipping ze flag, you open fire!”
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
L&M transcribes "our pictures."
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
From Sandwich's log, at anchor in Tangier Bay:
December 17, Tuesday.
Mr. Myles and the Aidill of Tangier came and dined aboard with me.
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 -- the English merchant
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
The Aidill of Tangier -- later:
JohnT: The Portuguese officer seems to be called an Aidill. Derived from the Roman relatively junior rank of aedile?
Pedro: According to Richard Ollard in his biography of Sandwich, "the Aidill of Tangier was presumably the Chief Magistrate."
Language Hat: I think this is much more likely to represent the Arabic word adl 'juristic adjunct assigned to a cadi' than the Latin aedile. (And no, before anyone asks, the Arabic word is not borrowed from the Latin.)
Wiki and the Google Librarian are baffled.
Please take my word for it -- we will catch up with the Aidill again in 1662, so I'm not linking to a spoiler.
MartinVT • Link
>he finally put in a good workday, no wonder his diary entry was relatively brief!
Quite often when the entries are very brief like this, and we are in a string of such days, it's because he has skipped diary writing for a number of days and then writes a number of days all at once, sometimes mentioning that on the day he catches up. We might be losing some detail in the process, like how much drinking took place and where and with whom.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Bullus Hutton on 18 Dec 2004 hit the nail on the head: "... for all you workniks who think Sam's life is one long pub crawl, he DOES have to put the time in when duty calls, oftentimes at the convenience of his evidently uncaring superiors."
That's why Pepys lives where he works. You worked until the work is done, and then you're on call in case someone somewhere needs something. And then you jump: "How high Sir?"
No money in the Exchequer? -- no work can be done by the Navy Board, basically. Yes, they have to keep their carpenters and craftsmen busy, and those government employees sometimes waited years to get paid.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Two great examples of the Priviledge accorded to MPs and their families and servants today:
Privilege of a Member in a Suit.
Ordered, That one * Ferrers of Clifford's Inn, who, as Attorney for one Richard Gifford, hath obtained Judgment, and taken out Execution, against Sir William Fleetwood, one of the Members of this House, be forthwith apprehended, and taken in Custody, by the Serjeant at Arms attending this House, or his Deputy; to answer his Breach of Privilege: And that all Proceedings upon the said Judgment be stayed.
Privilege.
Upon Information given to this House, That John Grove, John Pointz, Francis Poyntz, John Marren, and John Greene, had arrested one James Lyde, menial Servant of Sir Henry Herbert, a Member of this House; and had caused him to be imprisoned, and detained in the Poultry Compter; notwithstanding they were informed, before they carried him to Prison, that he was menial Servant to the said Sir Henry Herbert;
Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do send his Order for Discharge of the said James Lyde out of Prison, without any Fees or Charges: And that he do also send for the said Grove, John and Francis Poyntz, John Marren, and John Greene; and examine whether they be guilty of this wilful Breach of Privilege; and make Report of it to this House.
Talk about a get-out-of-jail-free card!
San Diego Sarah • Link
The house of Lords appears to have done so much work today, they sat into the afternoon.
That may explain why the Navy Board was sitting late, although none of them are peers -- but James was acting as Speaker, so ...?
The Lords talked about, amongst other things:
D. of Norfolk's Bill.
Hodie 2a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for confirming of Thomas Earl of Arundell, Surrey, and Norfolke, to the Dignity and Title of Duke of Norfolke."
D. of Somerset's Bill.
Hodie 2a vice lecta est Billa, "An Act for confirming an Act for restoring of the Marquis of Hertford to the Dukedom of Somersett."
Bill to prevent melting Silver Coin.
The Earl of Bridgwater reported the Bill against melting of Silver Coin, wherein the Committee have thought fit to make some Amendments, which are offered to the Consideration of the House.
Bill concerning Quakers.
The Earl of Bridgwater reported the Bill concerning the Quakers, with some Amendments, which are offered to their Lordships Consideration; which Amendments were read Twice.
New Bill to prevent disorderly Printing.
ORDERED, That His Majesty's Attorney General do bring in a new Bill for regulating of Printing; which is to be presented to this House at the Meeting immediately after the Adjournment.
You think there's too much drinking and singing in the Printing House? Naaah. It's what's being printed that has His Majesty upset. Anyone know of some examples?
Stephane Chenard • Link
Disorderly books, why, there has to be a few. But while a quick riffling of the Bodleian's holdings of 1661 imprints turns up large piles of "panegyricks to His Sacred Majesty" and the like, in the frankly subversive category we only find "An epitaph upon the Solemn League and Covenant". It had the honor of being "Condemned to be burnt by the common hangman", but it seems at least one copy slipped through (and lives at https://ota.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/rep…) Of course there could be a hundred more hiding under less explicit titles.
The State Papers did mention, in an "Examination of Thomas Creake" dated June 29, that the fiend had printed and delivered 660 copies of "The Phoenix of the Solemn League and Covenant", and was printing 2,000 of "Several Prodigies and Apparitions seen in the Heavens, from Aug. 1, 1660, to the end of May, 1661". The hunt for the Prodigies has been going on for months (it's around this time that L'Estrange is lobbying to be created Surveyor of the Press) and is explained by secretary Nicholas in a letter of October 4 to the Keeper of the Gatehouse, as he sends in yet another printer, that they "prognosticat[e] mischievous events to the King (...) instilling into the hearts of subjects a superstitious belief thereof, and a dislike and hatred of His Majesty's person and government".
The UCSB ballads collection (at https://ebba.english.ucsb.edu) has only four that are unambiguously from 1661. However one of them is the quite prominent "Cavaleers Complaint" (at https://ebba.english.ucsb.edu/bal…) it's about an old cavalier, who visits at Court and finds none of the king's true friends of olde, but only "swarmes of Those/Who lately were our chiefest Foes/Of Pantaloons and Muffes/Whilst the Old rusty Cavaleer/Retires, or dares not once appear/For want of Coyne, and Cuffes". Disorderly, that one? We'll let the publick judge.
Peter Johnson • Link
In the third comment above, Bullus Hutton refers to “ an excellent Background description by Paul Brewster” of the Privy Seal office. Could some kind person please tell this aged simpleton how to find it.
And Jolly Festivities and a Happy New Year to All.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Hi Peter -- you find Paul Brewster's info by clicking on the blue words "the Privy Seal" and it takes you to our Encyclopedia page called The Privy Seal Office where we have been collecting information on the subject.
Sometimes Phil Gyford has been very creative with the links. For instance "the Forbes family" may be linked through each of the 3 words to 3 different people.
Seasons Greetings and happy 2025 annotations to you too.