Sunday 20 April 1662
(Lord’s day). My intention being to go this morning to White Hall to hear South, my Lord Chancellor’s chaplain, the famous preacher and oratour of Oxford, (who the last Lord’s day did sink down in the pulpit before the King, and could not proceed,) it did rain, and the wind against me, that I could by no means get a boat or coach to carry me; and so I staid at Paul’s, where the judges did all meet, and heard a sermon, it being the first Sunday of the term; but they had a very poor sermon. So to my Lady’s and dined, and so to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, and so to the Chappell, where I challenged my pew as Clerk of the Privy Seal and had it, and then walked home with Mr. Blagrave to his old house in the Fishyard, and there he had a pretty kinswoman that sings, and we did sing some holy things, and afterwards others came in and so I left them, and by water through the bridge (which did trouble me) home, and so to bed.
9 Annotations
First Reading
MC Sludge • Link
Is that a euphemism for masturbation?
A. De Araujo • Link
"who the last Lord's day did sink down in the pulpit before the King"
Stage fright no doubt,nowadays a little propanolol would have helped.
Cumgranissalis • Link
sink down, i.e. genuflect before ones l[L]iege , nice old prerevolution habit by fawning. Done by those that believe in the Divine Right of Kings, Temporals or Heavanly.
Rev. South; Famous for his "which leanings" before the age of 30, sounds like a master Politico.
Australian Susan • Link
"sink down"
As the preacher then "could not proceed", I think this is a faint not a genuflection. Besides, you don't genuflect to a King; you would make a proper formal bow and scrape with much flourishing of head gear if in the appropriate place.
Sam had a good day, didn't he (apart from the diappointment of the poor sermon) good company, good food (at someone else's expense), the assertion of his rights at the Chapel Royal and some excellent music with a professional at the end of the day. But where was Elizabeth in all this? He usually spends part of Sunday with her and usually dines at home. No mention of her at all. Looks to me as though there is still tension and domestic sulking over the Portsmouth affair. Which is not mentioned today.
Cumgranissalis • Link
I be ye olde cinic; the weather be a blowing hard, 'nough to lose ones decency, decorum 'Tis rough to get in and out of coach when the winds give rise to a nice calf. It be a good excuse to hop over to 'Me ladi' for nice discussion.
Douglas Robertson • Link
L&M: "A puritan pamphleteer, reporting the occasion, noted that the preacher, (handling the text 'Say not what is the cause that the former days were better than these...?) was struck dumb just as he was about to prove that the days of the rebellion were worse than the present." So this would appear to be a case of stage fright ("induced, no doubt, by political scruples," I would be tempted to add were it not for the fact that South is an Oxonian).
hoss • Link
Ah'm with the little lady from kangarooville on the faint vs. the kneebend, but with the old salt on the weather -- twasn't a fit day out for a lady.
Stolzi • Link
"by water through the bridge
which did trouble me"
Shooting the arches by boat was a frightening procedure, and would be more so on a day of stormy weather.
Glyn • Link
His mid-day meal may not have been anything better than he could have got at home. Lady Montagu is having to guard her expenses while her husband is away, and we know that she's had to borrow money from various people. She doesn't seem to go to many grand events, or at least Sam doesn't mention any, so perhaps she also prefers simple meals to rich ones anyway.