Monday 22 December 1662
[Continued from yesterday. P.G.] …six or seven o’clock and so up, and by the fireside read a good part of “The Advice to a Daughter,” which a simple coxcomb has wrote against Osborne, but in all my life I never did nor can expect to see so much nonsense in print. Thence to my Lord’s, who is getting himself ready for his journey to Hinchingbroke. And by and by, after eating something, and talking with me about many things, and telling me his mind, upon my asking about Sarah (who, it seems, only married of late, but is also said to be turned a great drunkard, which I am ashamed of), that he likes her service well, and do not love a strange face, but will not endure the fault, but hath bade me speak to her and advise her if she hath a mind to stay with him, which I will do.
My Lord and his people being gone, I walked to Mr. Coventry’s chamber, where I found him gone out into the Park with the Duke, so the boy being there ready with my things, I shifted myself into a riding-habitt, and followed him through White Hall, and in the Park Mr. Coventry’s people having a horse ready for me (so fine a one that I was almost afeard to get upon him, but I did, and found myself more feared than hurt) and I got up and followed the Duke, who, with some of his people (among others Mr. Coventry) was riding out. And with them to Hide Park. Where Mr. Coventry asking leave of the Duke, he bid us go to Woolwich. So he and I to the waterside, and our horses coming by the ferry, we by oars over to Lambeth, and from thence, with brave discourse by the way, rode to Woolwich, where we eat and drank at Mr. Pett’s, and discoursed of many businesses, and put in practice my new way of the Call-book, which will be of great use. Here, having staid a good while, we got up again and brought night home with us and foul weather. So over to Whitehall to his chamber, whither my boy came, who had staid in St. James’s Park by my mistake all day, looking for me. Thence took my things that I put off to-day, and by coach, being very wet and cold, on my feet home, and presently shifted myself, and so had the barber come; and my wife and I to read “Ovid’s Metamorphoses,” which I brought her home from Paul’s Churchyard to-night, having called for it by the way, and so to bed,… [Continued tomorrow. P.G.]
23 Annotations
First Reading
dirk • Link
Quite a day...
Asked by Sandwich to talk to Sarah. (As her employer, the old Lord couldn't have a word with her "off the record". -- Sam can.) Out riding with the Duke (Sam is rising in status indeed.) Then accompanying Mr Coventry to take care of "many businesses". Eventually all wet and miserable. Home, and then reading Ovid. And so to bed..
A. De Araujo • Link
"and my wife and I to read Ovid's Metamorphoses"
And what the two of you are going to do later on?
in Aqua Scripto • Link
I wander if this be the normal ferry, always available for those that be needing their nags to go south.
http://www.motco.com/map/81002/Se…
sorry " homonym " he wanders over, me wonders the question?
in Aqua Scripto • Link
"habitt," the insistance to sound ones final syllable, that it be transferred to the spelling, be it a mark of the London Grammar school system. I dothe remember the 'untin' fishin' and shooten', lessons.
I need a syllabub. 'tis ....
in Aqua Scripto • Link
May this will tell thee why: A. De Araujo asks what be next?
The The golden age was first; when Man yet new, Golden Age No rule but uncorrupted reason knew: And, with a native bent, did good pursue. Unforc'd by punishment, un-aw'd by fear, His words were simple, and his soul sincere; Needless was written law, where none opprest: The law of Man was written in his breast:
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu…
in Aqua Scripto • Link
"...whither my boy came, who had staid in St. James’s Park by my mistake all day, looking for me..."
He studied the poets, and the birds ....
Pauline • Link
"...a simple coxcomb..."
Had been "searching" the diary for Sam's use of 'simple' and here it is again today. In the past year he has used 'simple' in conjunction with 'coxcomb' three times, with 'tedious' once, 'dull' once, 'fool' once, and 'slut' once.
When used about discourse or conversation, 'simple' appears to have the sense of 'light' or 'gossipy' (in Sam's use in the past year).
It was looking like he was using the the word ('simple') more often on Sundays (having to do with sermons); but a closer look shows that Thursday were a popular day too. ??
Robert Gertz • Link
Hope they move on to the Elegies later... Neat to picture Sam doing the drunken lover at the door in VI.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/o…
Mary • Link
the horseferry.
L&M notes that this is the Westminster horse-ferry. For readers not familiar with London, Horseferry Road still leads through Westminster to what is now (but did not exist in Pepys' time) Lambeth Bridge.
language hat • Link
simple:
See my list of applicable meanings in yesterday's thread. I seriously doubt there's any sense in analyzing which words he uses on which days of the week.
doug • Link
"my new way of the Call-book" -- anyone know what this means?
Nate • Link
"... and presently shifted myself, and so had the barber come;"
I don't understand this. Is the barber come to let blood or a haircut? Is it not kind of late (and dark) for a haircut? If the barber is doing a bloodletting is "shifted" an error in transcription?
Nate
Pauline • Link
'I seriously doubt there’s any sense in analyzing which words...'
I do too. All in fun, all in fun. What noticed, noted. My discourse simple. And, yes, I saw the list of applicable meanings yesterday.
Mary • Link
"shifted myself"
To shift oneself is to get dressed or to change one's clothes.
Mary • Link
new way of the Call Book.
Call-books recorded the allocation of men to jobs. In this entry we see Pepys introducing his new system of call-books on a trial basis for the next quarter, initially in the Deptford Yards. The experiment was successful, Pepys' system replaced the older system from the summer of 1663 onwards and he took pride in this particular piece of administrative reorganisation. (per L&M).
in Aqua Scripto • Link
"...being very wet and cold, on my feet home, and presently shifted myself, and so had the barber come;..."
bin there - wet and cold, nutin quite like it, walking down Fenchurch street with wind driving the sleet thru u, the Macking tosh be as useful as swimming costume , thy boots holding enough water to wash away a months dirt. Getting home, stripping all that besoaked clothing and then a warming ones behind by that cosy hearth, so then into ones nite shift,[shifting for oneself, the new maid not broken in yet] making sure there be no one around to notice ones inadequate underpinnings. Then to top it off, having a toasty derriere, send for the barber to remove all that besoaked life, clinging on for "D* L*". The towel didnae remove all those steaming droplets of that delightful London smoke infested mist.
Bradford • Link
"in all my life I never did nor can expect to see so much nonsense in print."
Just wait, Sam, and envy OUR opportunities.
celtcahill • Link
The call books would also document who was working and who not. Prevent overbilling for wages of nonexistant staff, and prevent payment to those who didn't work, but might send the sister or wife 'round on the odd errand....
Patricia • Link
"...we got up again and brought night home with us and foul weather."
What a beautiful, expressive turn of phrase!
Second Reading
Bill • Link
"and found myself more feared than hurt"
She hath been then more feared than hurt, my lord,
--- Henry V. Shakespeare.
1Vikinggirl • Link
"...whither my boy came, who had staid in St. James’s Park by my mistake all day, looking for me..."
At least he took the responsibility, and did not blaime the boy. The reincarnation of Pepys I used to work for did.
Bridget Davis • Link
How awkward for Sam, that Sarah is drinking. It must look as though that is why he let her go. And poor Sarah...
Tonyel • Link
Two different Sarahs, Bridget. Sam's Sarah left with much regret and a glowing reference. Sandwich's Sarah is an old friend (maybe more) of Sam's from his days in my Lord's household.