Monday 10 February 1661/62
Musique practice a good while, then to Paul’s Churchyard, and there I met with Dr. Fuller’s “England’s Worthys,” the first time that I ever saw it; and so I sat down reading in it, till it was two o’clock before I, thought of the time going, and so I rose and went home to dinner, being much troubled that (though he had some discourse with me about my family and arms) he says nothing at all, nor mentions us either in Cambridgeshire or Norfolk. But I believe, indeed, our family were never considerable.
At home all the afternoon, and at night to bed.
12 Annotations
First Reading
A. De Araujo • Link
"England's Worthys"
Don't worry Sam,you will make the list to Who's Who in England.
Todd Bernhardt • Link
re: England's Worthys
And one of the reasons was because he worried about getting in!
Glyn • Link
I think that there is some plaintiveness and disappointment in this entry, that his family isn't featured in this book by one of his most-admired authors. Perhaps it didn't have an Index, so he opened it with eagerness and then spent ages turning the pages trying to find any mention, however small, of the Pepys family. If you click on the link to Dr Fuller and go to the dates at the bottom of the page, it seems to me that he did expect them to be mentioned in the book. For example the entry for 21 January last year,
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Incidentally, a while ago he met with a venison pasty and now he’s met with a book. I suppose it was a standard usage of the time.
Pauline • Link
But I believe, indeed, our family were never considerable
Sam seems realistic; was just led to believe his family would be in the book based on Dr. Fuller's fullsome knowledge of his family (see Glyn's link above).
vicenzo • Link
oh! sumtwhere theres, gota be a bit of blue blud in me vanes, doth not I doth be bled like a king, Doth not I put me long Johns like a king. Matey! it be all in the jeans.
Miss Ann • Link
Obviously Dr Fuller thinks the Pepys are interesting enough / accomplished enough to be considered for the "Worthys" listing, however, maybe our Sam hasn't achieved enough for Dr Fuller at this juncture, notwithstanding his initial research into the family. Maybe the next edition ... ... Not to worry, my family isn't in their either, and surprisingly still isn't!
Pauline • Link
"...much troubled that...he says nothing at all"
Looking at the Pepys Family Tree in Claire Tomalin's biography of Sam, it is hard to see a current representative of the Pepys family in a position to plead for his family's inclusion in Dr. Fuller's book. Sir Richard, of the Cambridge line, died in 1659 with one daughter; and John Pepys, father of the wonderful Jane Turner, of the Norfolk line died in 1652. It looks like Sam's Uncle Robert had some sense of how this all worked in choosing Sam to be his heir among so many others, but this will all play out after Dr. Fuller's current publication. Meanwhile the marriage of Paulina Pepys (Sam's great aunt?) in 1618 to Sir Sidney Montagu provides the most illustrious family connection. The Pepys family is at this time wanting in a strong male line of accomplishment and property.
Stolzi • Link
"so I sat down reading in it
till it was two o'clock before I thought of the time going..."
Sounds like me when I get into a bookshop.
The note of connection across the centuries is one of the things that make the Diary so intriguing.
JWB • Link
"Worthys"
Dr.Fuller was a royalist. Most distinqished Pepys, I'd think, was Talbot, MP Cambridge(recall Ld. Chancellor asking if Sam his son),and as such unlikely to rank in Fuller's estimate.
Second Reading
Simon • Link
I'm sure it's been discussed already, but can anyone clarify why these posts are all "1661/62" since January? A simple typo or some complicated calendar rearrangement in the centuries since the entries were written?
Terry Foreman • Link
Simon, Phil anticipated we would find this puzzling: it is #2 of his site FAQ:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/about/f…
Terry Foreman • Link
"(though he had some discourse with me about my family and arms) he says nothing at all, nor mentions us either in Cambridgeshire or Norfolk. But I believe, indeed, our family were never considerable."
L&M: Pepys knew almost nothing about the history of the medieval Pepyses: see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
They had been settled in and around Cottenham (Cambs.) from at least the 14th century -- in Bryant's words (i. 2, 3) 'villeins in breed and tenure' and occasionally 'rural bureaucrats' (e.g. Reeves of Crowland Abbey). Since Elizabethan times they had acquired more substance -- the main line, from the diarest's great-grandfather, John Pepys, onwards, being owners of Impington manor. John had a son and a grandson who served as recorders and M.P.'s for Cambridge. No Pepys had held high county office. In the marriage market the outstanding successes were the Elizabethan John who married a small fortune (with which he is said to have bought his manor), and the diarist's great aunt who married into the Mountagus. Arms had been confirmed to Thomas Pepys of South Creake, Norf. (cousin of Pepys's great-grandfather) in 1563.