Monday 15 December 1662

Up and to my Lord’s and thence to the Duke, and followed him into the Park, where, though the ice was broken and dangerous, yet he would go slide upon his scates, which I did not like, but he slides very well. So back and to his closett, whither my Lord Sandwich comes, and there Mr. Coventry and we three had long discourse together about the matters of the Navy; and, indeed, I find myself more and more obliged to Mr. Coventry, who studies to do me all the right he can in every thing to the Duke.

Thence walked a good while up and down the gallerys; and among others, met with Dr. Clerke, who in discourse tells me, that Sir Charles Barkeley’s greatness is only his being pimp to the King, and to my Lady Castlemaine. And yet for all this, that the King is very kind to the Queen; who, he says, is one of the best women in the world. Strange how the King is bewitched to this pretty Castlemaine.

Thence to my Lord’s, and there with Mr. Creed, Moore, and Howe to the Crown and dined, and thence to Whitehall, where I walked up and down the gallerys, spending my time upon the pictures, till the Duke and the Committee for Tangier met (the Duke not staying with us), where the only matter was to discourse with my Lord Rutherford, who is this day made Governor of Tangier, for I know not what reasons; and my Lord of Peterborough to be called home; which, though it is said it is done with kindness, yet all the world may see it is done otherwise, and I am sorry to see a Catholick Governor sent to command there, where all the rest of the officers almost are such already. But God knows what the reason is! and all may see how slippery places all courtiers stand in.

Thence by coach home, in my way calling upon Sir John Berkenheade, to speak about my assessment of 42l. to the Loyal Sufferers; which, I perceive, I cannot help; but he tells me I have been abused by Sir R. Ford, which I shall hereafter make use of when it shall be fit.

Thence called at the Major-General’s, Sir R. Browne, about my being assessed armes to the militia; but he was abroad; and so driving through the backside of the Shambles in Newgate Market, my coach plucked down two pieces of beef into the dirt, upon which the butchers stopped the horses, and a great rout of people in the street, crying that he had done him 40s. and 5l. worth of hurt; but going down, I saw that he had done little or none; and so I give them a shilling for it and they were well contented, and so home.

And there to my Lady Batten’s to see her, who tells me she hath just now a letter from Sir William, how that he and Sir J. Minnes did very narrowly escape drowning on the road, the waters are so high; but is well. But, Lord! what a hypocrite-like face she made to tell it me.

Thence to Sir W. Pen and sat long with him in discourse, I making myself appear one of greater action and resolution as to publique business than I have hitherto done, at which he listens, but I know is a rogue in his heart and likes not, but I perceive I may hold up my head, and the more the better, I minding of my business as I have done, in which God do and will bless me. So home and with great content to bed, and talk and chat with my wife while I was at supper, to our great pleasure.

35 Annotations

First Reading

Bradford  •  Link

For what motive, and in what sense, did Lady Batten make a "hypocrite-like face" in telling Pepys of the accident?

And just how old a noun is "pimp"?

Miss Ann  •  Link

Hasn't our Sam changed his mine about Lady Castlemaine, ever so slowly, but surely, he is now seeing the conniving, cunning woman that she is (or as history shows her) and the more enlightened he is about the Queen - I think our boy is growing up!

jeannine  •  Link

"the Duke, and followed him into the Park, where, though the ice was broken and dangerous, yet he would go slide upon his scates" is Darwin's theory being tested here?-yet the witless James survives, oops that was survival of the fittest...
lots to think about in this entry--- a busy day!

jeannine  •  Link

"and the more enlightened he is about the Queen" (Spoiler from a much later time period)-- Miss Ann --in the biographies of Catherine one of the most touching moments is years from now (1700) when she has lived her life in England with all of its pain and returned to Portugal, where she is finally given the dignity and respect she deserves. Sam will send a very wonderful letter to his nephew who is in Portugal telling him to "wait on Lady Tuke, and if the honour of kissing the hand the the Queen-Dowager were offered him, to be sure to present to that royal lady, whom Pepys held in great honour, his profoundest duty" (Davidson, p 481).
Like most people as they get older and have felt the heartaches, etc. that life has to offer they tend to grow in their appreciation of others who they may have passed over when they were younger while looking for a more "hip" crowd. Sam's passage today regarding the queen reflects a view that shows him maturing in a nice fashion and seeing beyond the face value of beauty.

jeannine  •  Link

"that Sir Charles Barkeley’s greatness is only his being pimp to the King, and to my Lady Castlemaine" a VERY honest and accurate statement about the value of Sir Charles as recorded by Sam and others.

jeannine  •  Link

"So home and with great content to bed, and talk and chat with my wife while I was at supper, to our great pleasure" Over the past few days (with the departure of Gosnell) seems like the couple has been spending more time together and enjoying it.

dirk  •  Link

And just how old a noun is "pimp"?

pimp

1607, perhaps from M.Fr. pimper "to dress elegantly" (16c.), prp. of pimpant "alluring in dress, seductive." Weekley suggests M.Fr. pimpreneau, defined in Cotgrave (1611) as "a knave, rascall, varlet, scoundrell." The word also means "informer, stool pigeon" in Australia and New Zealand and in S.Africa, where by early 1960s it existed in Swahili form impimpsi. The verb is attested from 1636. Pimpmobile first recorded 1973.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.p…

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

Thanks to David Ross McIrvine for a lead to the naval problems that may have been discussed, surely be the Bills that Merchants had provided goods and services, but did not get satisfaction. [down to the last farthing]one of the debtees [creditor] be
Sir George Carterett Baronet , Treasurer of his Majestie's Navy was still owed L14,854 - 9- 91/4. as of 28 jan 1665 as outlined by Sir Ford
from http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
[a good argument neither be a lender or borrower]
Sir Ford be one to watch.

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

Where be the Lawyers :"...so driving through the backside of the Shambles in Newgate Market, my coach plucked down two pieces of beef into the dirt, upon which the butchers stopped the horses, and a great rout of people in the street, crying that he had done him 40s. and 5l. worth of hurt; but going down, I saw that he had done little or none; and so I give them a shilling for it and they were well contented..." "oH! me poor bleeding neck? Oh! Great sir. Me kids will be hungry?"............

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

"did very narrowly escape drowning on the road, the waters are so high" , I'm sure there be torrents of water cascading down from the hills around town, from Highgate, Hampstead and the others. The snow melt would cause a few unusual problems, the normal streams and rivers could not handle the extra moisture..

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

"...the backside of the Shambles in Newgate Market..." There was area known as St Nicholas's Shambles that lay between Smithfield and Cheapside. Found in a great source for conditions of London Town "Elizabeth's London by Liza Picard". See tells of the areas that be paved or sanded.

Australian Susan  •  Link

Lovely picture at the end of the two of them tucked up snug in bed against the cold chatting contentedly and eating chicken legs.(or some other portable food)
Drowning on the road:
I recently read about roads in Hampshire in winter in the 18th century when the ruts could be deep enough to be "higher than a child". You could be in danger of drowning in a water-filled rut that deep, if your carriage turned over.

Jesse  •  Link

"go slide upon his scates"

Skate not yet a verb? "In 1859 Michael Faraday postulated that a thin film of liquid covers the surface of ice—even at temperatures well below freezing." From this month's 'Physics Today', 'Why Is Ice Slippery?'

Marc  •  Link

Sam is in very good humour today, isn't he?

andy  •  Link

all may see how slippery places all courtiers stand in. ... (he tells me) I have been abused by Sir R. Ford, which I shall hereafter make use of when it shall be fit.

Yep, it's tough at the top, but Sam has his survival skills well honed.

Miss Ann fr Home  •  Link

Thank you Jeanine, now that I know there are books about Queen Catherine I'll go looking for them, I thought there were only books in Portuguese. QC seems to be an extraordinary royal, everything I've read about her so far commands respect, quite a lady worth finding out more about.
This new fangled thing of skating sounds wonderful, as we head into another hot, hot, hot Sydney (Australia) evening - oh for some cool!

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"Oh, come on Mr. Pepys!" Jamie calls, sliding off and then up to him. "Grab a pair and join me!"

Uh...Sam watches a large woman slide uncontrolled across the broken ice toward and into several others.

"A knighthood for you if you manage it!" Jamies teases, heading off.

Hmmn. Pleasing the Duke...Certain death. He watches the woman and her victims slide toward a milkmaid and her cow, the milkmaid making it out of the way. The cow, sadly...

Career advancement...Severed limbs...

Jamie happily turning figure eights...

Ah! An out! "Sorry, Your Highness, we must be off to meet Mr. Coventry and Lord Sandwich!"

***

Actually I rather like James...in his rigid, dunderheaded at times, way he does try to do his job as will show (minor spoiler, sorry), (Though he might have been better off with more of Charles' laziness and charm) and it's cute that he picked up something fun in his time in Holland.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

I see Sir Richard has not forgotten the hemp business... Kudos to Sam for taking a public-spirited gamble in opposing him, though with Coventry and behind him, the Duke, on his side I think he has little to fear.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Lady Batten...Are we getting a suggestion that some of Sam's and Bess' dislike of her stems from them sensing her devotion to Sir Will is not all that deep? Or was he merely sneering at her overacting with too much pleasure the part of distraught wife.

"Oh, Mr. Pepys, is it not horrible! Oh, the fear that has clutched at my heart since I heard the news! What should I do if Sir Will miscarry?"

"Oh, hello...Mingo." she gives sidelong glance at her rather handsome black servant as he enters.

"Mingo is such a comfort when such terrible things occur, Mr. Pepys."

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Lady Batten

Delicious, Mr. Gertz.

jeannine  •  Link

"Actually I rather like James…in his rigid, dunderheaded at times, way... like when he skates on "BROKEN AND DANGEROUS ICE????" You do know Robert that before there were "blonde jokes", there were "Duke jokes"......

THE DUKE AND THE LORD

Disclaimer: not exactly historically accurate

The Duke wanted to go ice fishing. He'd seen many books on the subject, and finally getting all the necessary tools together, he made for the ice. After positioning his comfy footstool, he started to make a circular cut in the ice. Suddenly, from the sky, a voice boomed, "THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE."

Startled, the Duke moved further down the ice, poured a cup of warmed chocolate, and began to cut yet another hole. Again from the heavens the voice bellowed, "THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE."

The Duke, now worried, moved away, clear down to the opposite end of the ice. He set up his stool once more and tried again to cut his hole. The voice came once more, "THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE."

The Duke stopped, looked skyward, and said, "IS THAT YOU LORD?"

The voice replied, "NO, THIS IS THE MANAGER OF THE HOCKEY RINK!"

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

Sam read ye earlier entries "...Strange how the King is bewitched to this pretty Castlemaine. ..." how ye forget the bloomers on the washing line.

dirk  •  Link

Calendars and other things...

Interesting to note that on this day all the others across the Channel (including Portugal -- the Queen's home country) will be celebrating Christmas... [Remember the 10 days' difference between the British Julian calendar and the continental Gregorian calendar.]

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

St Nicholas Shambles was a mediaeval church in the City of London. It was on the corner of Butcher Hall Lane (now King Edward Street) and Newgate Street. [ http://www.motco.com/Map/81002/Se… ]
It took its name from the Shambles, the butchers area in the west of Newgate Street. The site was extensively excavated in 1975–9 in preparation for the GPO headquarters, now the BT Centre, the headquarters of BT Group.

The church is first mentioned as St. Nicholas de Westrnacekaria. In 1253 Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester granted indulgences to its parishioners.

In 1546, Henry VIII gave the church, along with that of St Ewin (also known as St Audoen) and the dissolved Christ Church priory to the City corporation. A new parish was created for Christ Church, out of those of St Nicholas and St Ewin, and part of that of St Sepulchre. St Nicholas' was demolished in 1547.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"my Lord Rutherford...is this day made Governor of Tangier...and my Lord of Peterborough to be called home"

Peterborough was now given a pension of £1000 p.a. (from Tangier funds) after obly a few months' service. Rutherford (cr. Earl of Teviot, February 1663) arrived in Tangier the following April. His instructions were dated 27 April and his patent 2 May 1663. (L&M note)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I am sorry to see a Catholick Governor sent to command there, where all the rest of the officers almost are such already. "

The Irish regiment had been transferred from Dunkirk, and Fitzgerald, its commander, was lieutenant-governor. Complaints of the Catholicism of the garrison mounted in the 1670s. The cathedral built by the Portuguese -- many of the poorer or whom now remained there -- was still reserved for Catholic use. Its registers record the burials of many Irishmen. (L&M note)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"calling upon Sir John Berkenheade, to speak about my assessment of 42l. to the Loyal Sufferers; which, I perceive, I cannot help; but he tells me I have been abused by Sir R. Ford, which I shall hereafter make use of when it shall be fit."

Birkenhead and Ford were commissioners appointed under the act [ An Act for the Relief of poor and maimed Soldiers and Officers, who have faithfully served His Majesty and His Royal Father in the late Wars http://www.british-history.ac.uk/… ]. Office-holders were to pay not more than 8% of their annual income. In October Pepys had complained that Ford had over-assessed him (at £36 for an office worth £ p.a.). Pepys's rating seems to have been increased since then: both assessments seem to have taken account of fees as well as salaries. (L&M note)

Bill  •  Link

‘and so driving through the backside of the Shambles in Newgate Market, my coach plucked down two pieces of beef into the dirt”

SHAMBLES, a Place where Butchers sit and sell Meat
---An Universal English Dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.

Bill  •  Link

"my assessment of 42l. to the Loyal Sufferers"

On 30 September 1662 SP was assessed 30l. for the Sufferers"

JayW  •  Link

Here's Sam going to bed 'with great content' after spending the previous night away from home. Is this more evidence of his code for conjugal relations, as suspected by some of yesterday's commentators?

Bridget Davis  •  Link

I agree completely, JayW. Now I'm wondering if he was simply capturing a tender moment on paper, or keeping score. ;)

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

OED has:

‘pimp, n.1 Of unknown origin.
. . 1. a. Originally: a person who arranges opportunities for (illicit) sexual intercourse; a procurer. Now: a man who takes a proportion of the earnings of a prostitute, usually in return for arranging clients, providing protection, etc.
. . 1666 S. Pepys Diary 10 June (1972) VII. 159 The Duke of York is wholly given up to his new mistress... Mr. Brouncker it seems was the pimp to bring it about . . ‘

‘skate, v.
1. a. intr. To glide over ice upon skates; to use skates as a means of exercise or pastime . .
1696 S. Sewall Diary 30 Nov. (1973) I. 360 Many Scholars go in the Afternoon to Scate on Fresh-pond . . ‘

‘skate, n.2 < Dutch schaats < Old Northern French escache . .
1. a. (a) A device consisting of a steel blade mounted in a wooden sole, and fixed to the boot by means of a screw and straps, used for the purpose of gliding over ice; in later use a similar device made entirely of steel and clamped, strapped, or otherwise attached to the boot. Chiefly used in pl. The blades are of varying length and curved or rounded at the toe.
. . 1662 S. Pepys Diary 1 Dec. (1970) III. 272 Over the parke (where I first in my life..did see people sliding with their sckeates, which is a very pretty art) . . ‘

‘Shamble < Old English sc(e)amel
. . 3. a. pl. A place where meat (or occas. fish) is sold, a flesh- or meat-market.
. . 1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto Voy. & Adventures xxxiv. 137 This City hath an hundred and three score Butchers shambles, and in each of them an hundred stalls.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 292/2 At the Shambles, where they [sc. Butchers] sell their meat . . ‘

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