Tuesday 12 August 1662
Up early at my office, and I find all people beginning to come to me. Among others Mr. Deane, the Assistant of Woolwich, who I find will discover to me the whole abuse that his Majesty suffers in the measuring of timber, of which I shall be glad. He promises me also a modell of a ship, which will please me exceedingly, for I do want one of my own. By and by we sat, and among other things Sir W. Batten and I had a difference about his clerk’s making a warrant for a Maister, which I would not suffer, but got another signed, which he desires may be referred to a full board, and I am willing to it. But though I did get another signed of my own clerk’s, yet I will give it to his clerk, because I would not be judged unkind, and though I will stand upon my privilege. At noon home and to dinner alone, and so to the office again
Where busy all the afternoon till 10 o’clock at night, and so to supper and to bed, my mind being a little disquieted about Sir W. Batten’s dispute to-day, though this afternoon I did speak with his man Norman at last, and told him the reason of my claim.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Terry F. • Link
"I will stand upon my privilege."
L&M refer to Thursday 12 June 1662: "I did get a vote signed by all, concerning my issuing of warrants, which they did not smell the use I intend to make of it; but it is to plead for my clerks to have their right of giving out all warrants, at which I am not a little pleased." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
and see Cumgranissalis' annotation:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Robert Gertz • Link
"... I would not be judged unkind, and though I will stand upon my privilege."
Sam's taken the next step in any successful career-be gracious to your defeated enemies when possible, they may be useful allies-or minions one day.
Terry F. • Link
"I did what I could to keep myself unconcerned in it, having some things of my own to do before I would appear high in anything." -- 12 June again.
This concered a difference that got angry between "Sir G. Carteret and Mr. Coventry, about...whether Sir George is to pay the Victualler his money, or the Exchequer" -- which is what Cumgranissalis' annotation was about (sorry about the miscue above).
Even before Mr. Coventry’s recent lessons, Sam showed a sense of time and “place” — a virtue of the sort on which the sagacious Robert Gertz remarks.
Mark Pearson • Link
"...that his Majesty suffers in the measuring of timber..." I am wondering if the issue here is the amount of timber purchased prior to harvest and the amount actually milled and delivered? I and a fellow ranger are in the process of replacing the old steps of a foot bridge that was made of "true measure " timber. We find we'll have to pay a bit more for a few lengths of true cut 8 by 12 oak.
Cumgranissalis • Link
Be there some one taking his vigorish for book ends? "We find we'll have to pay a bit more for a few lengths of true cut 8 by 12 oak.”
Alan Bedford • Link
O salty one - take a tape measure and hie thee to thy local lumberyard.
Measure the dimensions of a 2 by 4 and a 1 by 12 (just for a couple of examples) and see how far they are from "true measure". The lengths are just fine. It's the cross section that's lacking.
Robert Gertz • Link
What's also interesting is the number of decent, honest folk Sam keeps running into in his work. People at serious risk for losing their jobs (and risk starvation, or even worse if a Sir W. Batten or some other of the type who does not take whistleblowers kindly wins out), who yet who give a damn and are eager to step forward and tell Sam what's what in part at least out of sheer desire to do the right thing. And that kind of thing continues to our day.
Heartening really...And maybe one of the things that makes you want to stick around and have hope.
Robert Gertz • Link
who yet who? Hmmn...watch those shifts of thought in midsentence
David A. Smith • Link
"I find all people beginning to come to me"
True sense of wonder, and not a little self-satisfaction, in that phrase.
I am somebody now, all people begin to come to me ...
Terry F. • Link
"I find all people beginning to come to me"
Yes, David A. Smith, a change of perspective in less than a week, perhaps as reality changes too (I’m thinking Sam’s candor doesn’t mean he always sees what is there, which can also be true of us). Cp. last Thursday when he was able to assign a ship to Cooper: “one good effect of my being constant at the office, that nothing passes without me; and I have the choice of my own time to propose anything I would have.” http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Spoken like a college registrar: IF HE is there, HE gets to decide what to assign to whoever shows up.
Today he SEES and APPRECIATES that he is sought out even when others are there. As Robert Gertz said of yesterday’s entry, “Our boy is now ‘the man to see’...and Sam comes to that view just today….
(I hope I’m being clear: often we come to understand the significance of events only afterwards, sometimes LONG afterwards ….)
A. Hamilton • Link
"busy all the afternoon till to o'clock at night”
In the interst of keeping an eye on Sam’s hours, can L&M elicidate?
Mary • Link
"till 10 o'clock at night"
is the L&M reading. Presumably a scanning error in the on-line edition.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"Mr. Deane... promises me also a modell of a ship, which will please me exceedingly, for I do want one of my own."
Deane delivered it on 29 September. Pepys went on to assemble a fine collection of models (in handsome glass cases) which he bequeathed to William Hewer 'recommending it to him to consider these also together with his own may be preserved for publick benefit'. The fate or this collection is unknown. John Aubrey reports it was seen a few years after Pepys's death, but was dispersed thereafter, some finding their way into at least one America collection. (L&M note)
Third Reading
Ruslan • Link
I found this entry a tad difficult to parse, so I had ChatGPT "modernize" the text:
I woke up early and went to my office. I noticed that many people are starting to come to me. Among them was Mr. Deane from Woolwich. He told me he would reveal the problems related to measuring timber. Additionally, he promised to provide me with a model of a ship, something I've always wanted. Later, Sir W. Batten and I had a disagreement about his clerk drafting a warrant for a Ship's Captain. I didn't accept it, so I had my own clerk prepare a different one. Sir W. Batten suggested we discuss the matter at a full board meeting, and I agreed to this. But, even though I had my own version drafted, I'll hand over the new warrant to Batten's clerk to keep the peace. However, I will still assert my rights in the matter. I ate lunch by myself and then went back to my office.
I worked until 10 o'clock at night. I had supper and then went to bed, but the disagreement with Sir W. Batten was still on my mind. Before ending the day, I spoke to Norman, Batten's assistant, to explain my side of the story.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Evidently AI is not a Royalist -- but other than that, I think it did a good job.