Saturday 16 August 1662
[Today’s entry is missing from the Project Gutenberg text, so I’ve taken the liberty of using that from the Latham & Matthews edition. P.G.]
Up by 4 a-clock. And up looking over my work, what they did yesterday; and am pretty well pleased, but I find it will be long before they have done, though the house is cover-d and I free from the weather.
We met and sat all the morning, and at noon was sent for by my Uncle Wight to Mr. Rawlinson’s, and there we had a pigg, and Dr Fairebrother came to me to see me and dined with us. And after dinner he went away, and I by my uncles desire stayed; and there he begun to discourse about our difference with Mr. Young about Flaggs, pleading for him, which he did desire might be made up; but I told him how things was, and so he was satisfied and said no more. So home and above with my workmen, who I find busy and my work going on pretty well. And so to my office till night; and so to eat a bit and so to bed.
22 Annotations
First Reading
Terry F. • Link
"my uncle...begun to discourse about our difference with Mr. Young about Flaggs"
How did Mr. Young get to Sam's Uncle Wight?
Alan Bedford • Link
"How did Mr. Young get to Sam's Uncle Wight?”
This is just a guess, but Uncle William Wight was a very successful businessman (wholesale fish) and John Young was also a successful businessman (flagmaker to the Navy). London was not a huge city by our standards, and it’s certainly possible that they moved in the same social circle, or that they had some business dealings.
Sam clearly persuades his uncle that taking Young’s side is a bootless errand here.
JWB • Link
How did Mr. Young get to Sam's Uncle Wight?
I’ll take a guess. Grommets. Wight dealt in hardware.
Mary House • Link
Does anyone have a clear idea of what Sam's house looked like? I know that it was an attached dwelling, built around a courtyard, but how many stories? What was on the various levels? What, in addition to his wife's closet, will be on the upper level?
Robert Gertz • Link
Gee, Beth's getting a room of her own...four centuries ahead of Virginia.
Sam beams smug smile from Eternity...
Robert Gertz • Link
"Good day, Brigden. God be with ye."
"And you, Young."
A muffled howl from the third man in the room.
"And you, good Mr. Wight, how are you this fine morn?"
Mmmpff...mmmn... Poor Wight, arms tied behind back, tries to get a plea for mercy through his gag.
"Ah, glad to hear you're so well, my old friend." Brigden beams.
"Now, Wight, old fellow. Young here and I have been having a little bit of a problem recently in our dealings with the Naval Office."
"A minor thing...Though a bit troublesome." Young agrees.
Mmmmphf...Mmmmnn....
"Yes, exactly right, Wight. I'm afraid it is that bright nephew of yours. A fine lad, don't mistake me. Is he not, Mr. Young?"
"A credit to his family and his famed patron the Earl, Mr. Brigden."
"And yet..." Brigden sighs...
"A rather headstrong young man, eh Young?"
"Much too headstrong, Mr. Brigden."
"Yes, I fear so. And I am afraid, dear Wight that I found him sadly obstinate in refusing the good advice I wished to impart to him the other evening."
"Young men can be deaf to good counsel at times." Young nods solemnly.
"Well, I would say...That young Pepys is merely...Inexperienced in the ways of the world." Brigden smiles benevolently.
"A young man like that needs guidance, Mr. Brigden." Young nods.
"Exactly, Mr. Young. That which can best be provided by an older, more experienced man, say perhaps a successful uncle. Do you not agree, Mr. Wight?"
MMMMMPHHFFF!!...A strangling Wight tries to nod...
"I thought you would, sir." Brigden nods.
Terry F. • Link
"Does anyone have a clear idea of what Sam's house looked like?”
From David Quidnunc, in the Background info (aka Encyclopedia) “In the diary, Pepys sometimes used different names for the same room, but here's a list provided in Liza Picard's ‘Restoration London.’ In the order in which Pepys mentions them, ‘Pepys seems to have had’: http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
but, alas, no picture and no indication of which floor the rooms were on. My sense is that now there are 3 floors and a basement: what think y’all?
Terry F. • Link
(Lovely depiction, Robert Gertz -- the very measures of our men.)
Cumgranissalis • Link
Re: housing for Pepis and his navy clique: Typical building be 3 to 4 stories with cellars for roots and storage of coles and a place for the Jakes. Sample building be one in Newington Green, Islington [may be grander]or if one gets to see a copy of Liza Picard's book Pages 74/75 . My guess it would have simularities to the Royal Exchange but with a smaller quad and/ or garden.
If any one would like to see them at the off site, I will copy and post. May be Eliza P. could truly enlighten us on the matter, if she be sneaking a peak on this site, as she has worked hard putting to-gether a great easy to read book..
Cumgranissalis • Link
P.S. Typical height for buildings be 4 stories with 15/ 18 ft ceilings. Ceiling height be necessary for keeping the smoke out of ones eyes.
dirk • Link
"Typical height for buildings be 4 stories with 15/ 18 ft ceilings"
O! Mysterious Salty One, do allow for some adjustment there: in a typical house only the floor (possibly two floors) with a fireplace would normally have the height you mention. The height of the other floor(s) would normally be around 10 ft only, as they would only receive radiated heat from the chimneys passing through, and no allowance had to be made for smoke.
Cumgranissalis • Link
Dirk, you are correct to point out that error in my calibration, the first floor be all of that, having had to reside in one 17 century left over during the war years, the fire place with the coal allowance of one month be 1 sackfull said to be 1 cwt, which any under weight successfull sciver could lift and bragg about it, the heat never ever kept the head or feet warm, even if ye be a giant. The Second storie be most 12 + ft. in the Elizabethan the floors would sink a bit. If ye can access Picard pix's the paintings tell the story.
Cumgranissalis • Link
here be some leads [not leds] to buildings and structure:
Inigo Jones (1573 - 1652)
Inigo Jones made a huge contribution to British architecture and is remembered for his innovation of a moveable set for the theatre stage. Many of his buildings have been destroyed, but the Queen's House (constructed between 1616 and 1619) was made part of the National Maritime Museum in 1937. The Banqueting House at Whitehall is considered his greatest achievement.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/hist…
Indigo jones Banqueting Hall Inside and out side.http://www.greatbuildings.co…
http://www.greatbuildings.com/bui…
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyc…
http://www.greatbuildings.com/bui…
Xjy • Link
how things was
The joy of meeting today's informal idiom 350 years ago! Things is great, Sam, just great!
Mary • Link
"there we had a pigg"
A whole, sucking pig, perhaps? If so, a real delicacy and doubtless expensive. Uncle Wight pushing the boat out before broaching the question of Mr. Young and the contract for flags?
A. Hamilton • Link
A whole, sucking pig weighs about 15 pounds or about the same as a mid-size turkey, and can be done in the oven. For larger piglets, up to about 60 pounds, I recommend La Caja Chia, a roasting box. See
http://www.lacajachina.com/
My friend Julia Watson describes her pig roastusing La Caja China in a Washington, D.C. back yard:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-…
Jeannine • Link
A. Hamilton--great article but as the author says of the preparation --"not for the sqeamish"! I, like Sam's "wench" Jane would have enough trouble pulling feathers from a chicken for a meal... but preparing a pig for the roast...a vegetarian lifestyle would be looking good to me.
On another note on preparation of a roasted pig or other foods-- the La Caja works on high heat and fast cooking. A barbeque smoker works on low heat and slow cooking. I'm curious as to the styles of cooking in Sam's time for these types of specialties.
Australian Susan • Link
Mr Rawlinson's cookmaid may have sent the piglet out to be cooked in the bread oven at a local baker's. This was a common practice. Not many houses had ovens - but they did roast joints by hanging them in front of a open fire. Not sure if one could do that with a piglet. They also had spits to turn - maybe a small piglet would have been skewered and turned.
Australian Susan • Link
"eat a bit" No mention of a proper supper - either the house is rather in disarray with the workmen or Sam is sated with pork!
Pauline • Link
Mr Rawlinson is the host of The Mitre in Fenchurch Street
He likely cooked the pigg in house. I wonder if it was what he decided to offer this day and Uncle Wight got wind of it or if Uncle Wight pre-requested something special?
Cumgranissalis • Link
Here be the going rate for those that must have THE Book
16. The apparitor at town with service books, he asked 8s. for them. so our Churchwarden bought none, and I saw him not. its a sad case that men are likely to be put in by this act of uniformity.
http://linux02.lib.cam.ac.uk/earl…
Second Reading
john • Link
Ah, the continual frustration of not having a good description of the work on his house. Having done a fair bit of work on century-old houses, I would love to read of this work.