Wednesday 31 December 1662
Lay pretty long in bed, and then I up and to Westminster Hall, and so to the Swan, sending for Mr. W. Bowyer, and there drank my morning draft, and had some of his simple discourse. Among other things he tells me how the difference comes between his fair cozen Butler and Collonell Dillon, upon his opening letters of her brother’s from Ireland, complaining of his knavery, and forging others to the contrary; and so they are long ago quite broke off.
Thence to a barber’s and so to my wife, and at noon took her to Mrs. Pierces by invitacion to dinner, where there came Dr. Clerke and his wife and sister and Mr. Knight, chief chyrurgeon to the King and his wife. We were pretty merry, the two men being excellent company, but I confess I am wedded from the opinion either of Mrs. Pierces beauty upon discovery of her naked neck to-day, being undrest when we came in, or of Mrs. Clerke’s genius, which I so much admired, I finding her to be so conceited and fantastique in her dress this day and carriage, though the truth is, witty enough.
After dinner with much ado the doctor and I got away to follow our business for a while, he to his patients and I to the Tangier Committee, where the Duke of York was, and we staid at it a good while, and thence in order to the despatch of the boats and provisions for Tangier away, Mr. Povy, in his coach, carried Mr. Gauden and I into London to Mr. Bland’s, the merchant, where we staid discoursing upon the reason of the delay of the going away of these things a great while. Then to eat a dish of anchovies, and drink wine and syder, and very merry, but above all things pleased to hear Mrs. Bland talk like a merchant in her husband’s business very well, and it seems she do understand it and perform a great deal. Thence merry back, Mr. Povy and, I to White Hall; he carrying me thither on purpose to carry me into the ball this night before the King. All the way he talking very ingenuously, and I find him a fine gentleman, and one that loves to live nobly and neatly, as I perceive by his discourse of his house, pictures, and horses.
He brought me first to the Duke’s chamber, where I saw him and the Duchess at supper; and thence into the room where the ball was to be, crammed with fine ladies, the greatest of the Court. By and by comes the King and Queen, the Duke and Duchess, and all the great ones: and after seating themselves, the King takes out the Duchess of York; and the Duke, the Duchess of Buckingham; the Duke of Monmouth, my Lady Castlemaine; and so other lords other ladies: and they danced the Bransle. After that, the King led a lady a single Coranto —[swift and lively]— and then the rest of the lords, one after another, other ladies very noble it was, and great pleasure to see. Then to country dances; the King leading the first, which he called for; which was, says he, “Cuckolds all awry,” the old dance of England. Of the ladies that danced, the Duke of Monmouth’s mistress, and my Lady Castlemaine, and a daughter of Sir Harry de Vicke’s, were the best. The manner was, when the King dances, all the ladies in the room, and the Queen herself, stand up: and indeed he dances rarely, and much better that the Duke of York. Having staid here as long as I thought fit, to my infinite content, it being the greatest pleasure I could wish now to see at Court, I went out, leaving them dancing, and to Mrs. Pierces, where I found the company had staid very long for my coming, but all gone but my wife, and so I took her home by coach and so to my Lord’s again, where after some supper to bed, very weary and in a little pain from my riding a little uneasily to-night in the coach.
Thus ends this year with great mirth to me and my wife: Our condition being thus:— we are at present spending a night or two at my Lord’s lodgings at White Hall. Our home at the Navy-office, which is and hath a pretty while been in good condition, finished and made very convenient. My purse is worth about 650l., besides my goods of all sorts, which yet might have been more but for my late layings out upon my house and public assessment, and yet would not have been so much if I had not lived a very orderly life all this year by virtue of the oaths that God put into my heart to take against wine, plays, and other expenses, and to observe for these last twelve months, and which I am now going to renew, I under God owing my present content thereunto. My family is myself and wife, William, my clerk; Jane, my wife’s upper mayde, but, I think, growing proud and negligent upon it: we must part, which troubles me; Susan, our cook-mayde, a pretty willing wench, but no good cook; and Wayneman, my boy, who I am now turning away for his naughty tricks. We have had from the beginning our healths to this day very well, blessed be God! Our late mayde Sarah going from us (though put away by us) to live with Sir W. Pen do trouble me, though I love the wench, so that we do make ourselves a little strange to him and his family for it, and resolve to do so.
The same we are for other reasons to my Lady Batten and hers.
We have lately had it in our thoughts, and I can hardly bring myself off of it, since Mrs. Gosnell cannot be with us, to find out another to be in the quality of a woman to my wife that can sing or dance, and yet finding it hard to save anything at the year’s end as I now live, I think I shall not be such a fool till I am more warm in my purse, besides my oath of entering into no such expenses till I am worth 1000l..
By my last year’s diligence in my office, blessed be God! I am come to a good degree of knowledge therein; and am acknowledged so by all the world, even the Duke himself, to whom I have a good access and by that, and my being Commissioner with him for Tangier, he takes much notice of me; and I doubt not but, by the continuance of the same endeavours, I shall in a little time come to be a man much taken notice of in the world, specially being come to so great an esteem with Mr. Coventry.
The only weight that lies heavy upon my mind is the ending the business with my uncle Thomas about my dead uncle’s estate, which is very ill on our side, and I fear when all is done I must be forced to maintain my father myself, or spare a good deal towards it out of my own purse, which will be a very great pull back to me in my fortune. But I must be contented and bring it to an issue one way or other.
Publique matters stand thus: The King is bringing, as is said, his family, and Navy, and all other his charges, to a less expence. In the mean time, himself following his pleasures more than with good advice he would do; at least, to be seen to all the world to do so. His dalliance with my Lady Castlemaine being publique, every day, to his great reproach; and his favouring of none at Court so much as those that are the confidants of his pleasure, as Sir H. Bennet and Sir Charles Barkeley; which, good God! put it into his heart to mend, before he makes himself too much contemned by his people for it!
The Duke of Monmouth is in so great splendour at Court, and so dandled by the King, that some doubt, if the King should have no child by the Queen (which there is yet no appearance of), whether he would not be acknowledged for a lawful son; and that there will be a difference follow upon it between the Duke of York and him; which God prevent!
My Lord Chancellor is threatened by people to be questioned, the next sitting of the Parliament, by some spirits that do not love to see him so great: but certainly he is a good servant to the King.
The Queen-Mother is said to keep too great a Court now; and her being married to my Lord St. Albans is commonly talked of; and that they had a daughter between them in France, how true, God knows.
The Bishopps are high, and go on without any diffidence in pressing uniformity; and the Presbyters seem silent in it, and either conform or lay down, though without doubt they expect a turn, and would be glad these endeavours of the other Fanatiques would take effect; there having been a plot lately found, for which four have been publickly tried at the Old Bayley and hanged.
My Lord Sandwich is still in good esteem, and now keeping his Christmas in the country; and I in good esteem, I think, as any man can be, with him.
Mr. Moore is very sickly, and I doubt will hardly get over his late fit of sickness, that still hangs on him.
In fine, for the good condition of myself, wife, family, and estate, in the great degree that it is, and for the public state of the nation, so quiett as it is, the Lord God be praised!
51 Annotations
First Reading
in Aqua Scripto • Link
interesting connection "...Mr. W. Bowyer, and there drank my morning draft, and had some of his simple discourse. Among other things he tells me how the difference comes between his fair cozen Butler and Collonell Dillon, upon his opening letters of her brother’s from Ireland, complaining of his knavery,..."
in Aqua Scripto • Link
"...the Duke of Monmouth’s mistress,..." Was this in the Original diary or be this Editorial help?
Terry F • Link
L&M vouch for this text as Wheatley has it -- save for minor differences in spelling and orthography, paragraphs, etc. (as far as I can tell).
daniel • Link
Happy New Year, Sam and one and all who read his diary!
Bradford • Link
Can anyone recall a longer entry, thus far? 1,657 words.
in Aqua Scripto • Link
No ? but it be an informative one.
slangist • Link
novo ordo calendorum...
may the deity of your several choices, if any, shed his or her or their blessings or disaster-avoidance or whatever is available from him or her or them, upon all pepysianists of whatsoever description, condition, or bearing, for any or all of the new calendrical period commencing henceforth...
Leslie Katz • Link
"Thus ends this year..."
I don't follow this reference. I understood that the last day of 1662 wouldn't be occurring until the following 24 March.
Why is Pepys using a twelve month period that ends on 31 December 1662?
Paul Chapin • Link
And thus ends this year ...
for our small but ubiquitous band of Pepysians, our third. Good health and happiness to all in 2006 (or 1663), and three cheers and a tiger to Phil for making it happen.
dirk • Link
Why is Pepys using a twelve month period that ends on 31 December 1662?
Because by the time Sam is writing his diary the 1st of January has been generally accepted as the beginning of the year. The old "style" -- i.e. the rules for the change in year number -- is only preserved in some "time relics" like the old financial year starting ob 25 March etc...
See also background info on "Calendar":
http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
Kent Kelly • Link
Dang! Mr. Pepys, I do wish you'd been more specific on those dance names (or the tunes). I don't remember the bransle being any great shakes but those country dances? Now, there's some good fun.
Terry F • Link
It isn't just Pepys who's observing New Year's eve -- the whole court is doing it, doing it, doing it - in 3/4 time, a Coronto ("—[swift and lively]—" is added by Wheatley or his editor).
Lea • Link
The dance "Cuckolds all awry" seems to be the same as the Playford tune "Cuckolds all a-row." Playford's instructions, with the tune, can be found here: http://www.pryanksters.org/dances…
There's a modern set of instructions (which I find likewise incomprehensible, but I'm no dancer) here: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/del/s…
Pedro • Link
Adding to Lea above...
The "old dance of England" is, no doubt, identical with Playford's "Cuckolds all a row," and, under its alternative title, "Hey boys, up go we," is given in the text. It is a dance "for foure," that is, one of the old forms of the Cuntry Dance, and is pretty certain to have been familiar to Pepyes; for on Nov. 22nd, 1662, he records: "This day I bought the book of country dances against my wife's woman Gosnell comes, who dances finely; and there, meeting Mr. Playford, ..."
http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/ro…
J A Gioia • Link
thence into the room where the ball was to be, crammed with fine ladies...
splendid entry, one senses that as sam gains in the world, the diary itself becomes more important to him as a way of keeping track, and score, of a life as complex as any lived in england until then.
a prety fine new year to all, and to sam, our brave companion and guide.
Mary • Link
"our late mayde, Sarah..."
No wonder Sam is bothered. He has made no secret of his distrust/dislike of Penn though has contrived to remain on 'workable'terms with him. It must be very uncomfortable to find that a former member of his own household, dismissed on what Sam himself feels inappropriate grounds, has now become a member of the 'enemy' household. What tales will be told?
jeannine • Link
Lady Castlemaine’s Glowing Jewels… Davidson reports that (p 168) “It was at this New Year’s Eve ball that Lady Castlemaine’s blaze of costly jewels far outshone those worn by the Queen and the Duchess of York together, and that people told each other she had coaxed the King to hand over to her all the Christmas presents given in the usual custom by the peers. This old custom was soon after discontinued. Perhaps the peers hardly appreciated being made this involuntarily to contribute to the possessions of ‘the Lady”.”
Pedro • Link
syder…for tonight we merry be.
"What follows is the true tale of this mythic beverage, loved by millions of Englishmen, which explains why, for over a decade, I have dreamed about introducing it to Americans…dreams have power."
http://www.dryblackthorncider.com…
Jesse • Link
"pleased to hear Mrs. Bland talk like a merchant in her husband’s business very well"
Is this unusual for his time to support a role for women in business? Or perhaps it's okay for merchants but not for (what Thorstein Veblen some 200 years later would call) the 'honourable employments', e.g. government, military & church.
jeannine • Link
"pleased to hear Mrs. Bland talk like a merchant in her husband’s business very well". Jesse, although it is unusual for a woman to partake in business in this time, it's hardly rare. In her book, the Weaker Vessel" Antonia Fraser devotes a chapter to this called "The Delight of Business" and brings forth a variety of examples of women in business. There is a reference to Mrs. Bland, and other women that Sam will point out during the course of the diary as good business women. As long as the woman's role was basically an "extension" of her husband and household, then this was an admired phenomenon. For instance, if a woman ventured to learn arithmetic in order to do the accounts, etc. for her husband's business then this would be admired, whereas if she ventured to learn the classics for instance, this would no doubt bring forth criticism (not practical, not supporting the household, etc.). Many widows also picked up the businesses left behind by their departed husbands out of necessity and did admirably with these roles. Finally, and a little touchy here no doubt, there were some women that were just plain "smarter" or better at business than were their partners so picking up the slack or taking over in some cases ensured a cash flow into the household. If egos could be somehow kept in check along the way, then maritial harmony could also prevail if a woman took more of a lead position. More of there types of entries should be forthcoming and fun to note as Sam partakes more in equipping the Navy.
Robert Gertz • Link
"After dinner with much ado the doctor and I got away to follow our business for a while, he to his patients and I to the Tangier Committee..."
I dunno Sam...You really want to leave poor Bess in the company of Pierce and Clerke?
"My God, Bess! What are you wearing?!"
"Mrs. Clerke made them herself, it's a form of pantaloon for women. Nice, huh?"
Sam dutifully drags his eyes away from the allure of shapely leg.
Hmmn. Rather...No, no...No!
"For the love of God, girl put something respectable on before we leave! You can't go out like that!"
"Mrs. Clerke says it'll be the fashion soon...She hopes to have Lady Castlemaine in them by spring."
"She'll be in the Tower by spring if she keeps trying to promote...Those." Sam glares, covering offending eyes.
"Mrs. Clerke
***
gerry • Link
At the very end of the entry as opposed to the summary a couple of words have been removed:...and in a little pain fom my riding a little uneasily tonight (for my testicles) in the coach.
dirk • Link
Dancing, balls & Queen Catherine
Comments on Queen Catherine's dancing.
From "Sinais de controvérsia: D. Catarina de Bragança em dois poemas seiscentistas ingleses", by the Portuguese author Maria da Conceição Emiliano Castel-Branco, discussing “The Queen’s Ball”, a contemporary satirical poem (1670) by Andrew Marvell (?):
Background info:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
Nix • Link
"in a little pain fom my riding a little uneasily tonight (for my testicles) in the coach" --
Oh, Samuel, you must have overimbibed at the ... er ... ball. You're supposed to ride inside the coach, not straddle it!
A.Hamilton • Link
"but I confess I am wedded from the opinion either of Mrs. Pierces beauty upon discovery of her naked neck to-day, being undrest when we came in, or of Mrs. Clerke’s genius, which I so much admired, I finding her to be so conceited and fantastique in her dress this day and carriage, though the truth is, witty enough."
Ah, poor Sam. The disillusionment of 10 o'clock. Curious phrasing, "I am wedded from" when the sense seems to be,"I am freed from."
language hat • Link
"Curious phrasing, 'I am wedded from'"
Indeed, and unknown to the OED. I wonder if it's Pepys' own idiosyncrasy?
in Aqua Scripto • Link
“Curious phrasing, ‘I am wedded from’” could it be 'I am weeded from" a phrase quite common at one time?
Mary • Link
"weeded from" common at one time?
Which time? When? Passive or active mood? In which region/dialectal area?
in Aqua Scripto • Link
'weeded out', 'weeded from' the influence of the toffs or other bad influences, whether it be in a book of note, I do not know, but for us lesser than Hoi Polloi it be used in East Angle/Saxon, in there thar 'ills. Now we be Beebed.
Pedro • Link
"other bad influences"
At this present time certain "Influences" are trying to debeeb our language.
in Aqua Scripto • Link
OED: to take out of wed: to redeem (something pledged). Obs
"...but I confess I am wedded from the opinion either of Mrs. Pierces beauty upon discovery of her naked neck to-day, being undrest when we came in, or of Mrs. Clerke’s genius, which I so much admired, I finding her to be so conceited and fantastique in her dress this day and carriage, though the truth is, witty enough..."
I Wonder If Samuell be having us on?
He being in hock because of the beauty,
another if the spelling be as random it could be this
OED : "wede v b. Phrase. to wede (out) of, but wit. "
Did Samuell write ?
'but I confess I am weded from the opinion"
Just a guess by a nut not a macadamian.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
L&M confirm Henry B. Wheatley.'s transcription here: there is no "weed" in this text. There is a older "wedded from":
Enter Horatio's Page.
Pa[ge]. I bring your honor comfortable newes; Your sonne's return'd from Pisa.
Fer[neze]. A comes ill,
And yet I hope his blest arriue will kill
This monster griefe.
Hor[atio]. He is a toward Prince.
Fer. Toward inough, and yet most strangely wean'd
And wedded from this world's societie.
The Plays of John Day, Part 4, p. 9:
LAW-TRICKES OR, WHO WOVLD HAVE THOVGHT IT.
As it hath bene diuers times Acted by the Children of the Reuele.
LONDON Printed for Richard More,and are to be solde at his Shop in S.Dunstanes Church-yard in Fleetestreete. 1608
http://books.google.com/books?id=…
The idiom seems to mean one leaves due to being joined ("wedded") to another person or point of view.
Terry Foreman • Link
"in order to the despatch of the boats [ordered in August] and provisions for Tangier away, Mr. Povy, in his coach, carried Mr. Gauden and I into London to Mr. Bland’s, the merchant, where we staid discoursing upon the reason of the delay of the going away of these things a great while."
See Bland to Pepys, 29 December: CSPD 1661-2, p. 605. Ice in the river appears to have been the latest reason for the delay.
Bill • Link
“The Duke of Monmouth is in so great splendour at Court, and so dandled by the King”
To DANDLE, to fondle or make much of.
---An Universal English Dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.
She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby
2 Henry VI. W. Shakespeare.
arby • Link
Your dream of ten years ago did come true, Pedro. Mass produced cider is widely available now in the US, and just recently Congress passed a cider bill lowering taxes on craft cider makers.
Happy New Year everyone, perhaps a glass of sparkling cider to celebrate?
San Diego Sarah • Link
West Country farmer Christopher Merrett used techniques from the cider industry to control the second fermentation which makes wine fizzy and - crucially - invented the stronger glass needed to prevent the bottle exploding. He gave a paper to the Royal Society in 1662 describing how adding 'vast quantities of sugar and molasses' to French wine made it taste 'brisk and sparkling'. That was more than 30 years before Dom Perignon's work at the Abbey of Hautvillers at Epernay marked the 'official' beginning of a multi-million-pound industry which the French have jealously protected ever since.
Christopher Merrett also carried out experiments which led to his masterwork, The Art of Glass, explaining how stronger bottles could be blown by adding iron, manganese or carbon to the molten mixture. Tough glass was essential to prevent the pressure created by the fermenting wine causing the bottles to explode. Early French accounts of champagne production describe the revolutionary bottles as being made of 'verre anglais', or English glass.
Bryan • Link
A small correction above: " William, my clerk" links to William Howe. It should link to Will Hewer.
A very happy new year to Phil and all annotators and lurkers.
Tonyel • Link
"Mr. Povy and, I to White Hall; he carrying me thither on purpose to carry me into the ball this night before the King. All the way he talking very ingenuously, and I find him a fine gentleman."
Should this not read "ingeniously"? I can't imagine Sam being so impressed by naivete.
Sasha Clarkson • Link
Fascinating! San Diego Sarah! :)
Bill • Link
@Tonyel, SP's use of the words ingenious/ingenuous has been discussed in annotations in the past and will be in once and future annotations. They seem to have distinct meanings for him. Or maybe not.
john • Link
"A very happy new year to Phil and all annotators and lurkers."
Thank you on behalf of us all. This is my second round, which I resolve to be complete. (I read L&M first and then the annotations on this wonderful site.)
Lex Lector • Link
I second John: thank you, Phil, for building and maintaining this fulgency, this civilised site, this cleverness; thanks to annotators old and new. I'm a once, present and future "lurker": joy and fulfilment to you all, actives and passives, for the coming year. And a kinder World.
Chris Squire UK • Link
I think ‘wedded’ = ‘weeded’; OED has:
‘weed, v. < Old English wéod ,
. . 3.c. fig. To eradicate (errors, faults, sins, etc.); to remove (things or persons) as noxious or useless. Also with away, out.
. . a1568 R. Ascham Scholemaster (1570) i. f. 16, If wise fathers, be not as well waare in weeding from their Children ill thinges.
1598 Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost v. ii. 833 To weede this wormewood from your fructfull braine.
. . a1616 Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) iii. i. 526 Twice trebble shame on Angelo, To weede my vice, and let his grow.
. . 1690 J. Locke Some Thoughts conc. Educ. §147 Where you may..gently correct and weed out any Bad Inclinations, and settle in him good Habits . . ‘
which fits the context very well.
Chris Squire UK • Link
This was the main established meaning of ‘ingenuous’ in Pepys’ world:
‘ingenuous, adj. < Latin ingenuus native, inborn, free-born, having the qualities of a freeman, noble, frank
. . 2. a. Noble in nature, character, or disposition; generous, high-minded. (Of persons, or their dispositions, actions, etc.) Obs. or arch.
. . 1616 J. Bullokar Eng. Expositor Ingenuous, gentleman-like.
1619 J. Denison Heauenly Banquet 178 They scoffe him; an iniury hardly indured by any ingenuous man.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Chesh. 180 His having a Princes mind imprison'd in a poor mans purse, rendred him to the contempt of such who were not ingenuous . . ‘ [OED]
This is the sense SP intended; but it was transmuting via:
‘4. a. Honourably straightforward; open, frank, candid.
1610 Bp. J. Hall Common Apol. against Brownists xxv. 63 You beginne to be ingenuous; while you confesse a reformation in the Church of England.
1616 [implied in: 1616 B. Jonson Every Man in his Humor (rev. ed.) iv. v, in Wks. I. 51 Tell me, ingenuously, dost thou affect my sister Bridget, as thou pretend'st? (at ingenuously adv. 1)].
1621 H. Elsynge Notes Deb. House of Lords (1870) 21 Yf he wyll make an ingenuous confession.
1649 Milton Εικονοκλαστης xxi. 184 The Damsell of Burgundie, at sight of her own letter, was soon blank, and more ingenuous then to stand outfacing . . ‘
into:
‘4. b. Innocently frank or open; guileless, innocent; artless. (= French ingénu)
a1662 P. Heylyn Cosmographie (1674) iv. ii. 142/1 The People generally of a modest and ingenuous countenance.
1751 T. Gray Elegy xviii. 8 To quench the blushes of ingenuous Shame . . ‘
Which is the current sense.
Bill • Link
INGENUITY, INGENUOUSNESS, Freedom, Frankness, Sincerity.
INGENUOUS, frank, free, open, sincere, plain.
---An Universal English Dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.
Ingenu, ingenuous, free, open-hearted
---A short dictionary English and French. G. Miège, 1684.
San Diego Sarah • Link
This Georgian ball was in a country house, but has much in common with a Court ball:
The article at http://englishhistoryauthors.blog…...
A Ball was the most important event of the social season. The hostess planned it with her housekeeper, cook and staff.
Typically balls began at 8pm and could end at sunrise.
Picking a date involved scheduling it during the week of a full moon, as moonlight was necessary for travel. Torches were placed up the driveway to the house.
A ball requires space: Twenty couples dancing plus musicians requires at least a 20x60 foot floor (roughly 7x20 meters) plus a supper room, two dressing rooms (where ladies and gentlemen changed their shoes and remove their wraps), and a card room.
Guests from far away needed overnight accommodations -- plus inevitable one or two were too drunk to send home safely.
Invitations must be delivered. These could be printed or handwritten (with a quill). The host and hostess would deliver them, which required at least a full day.
Inside lighting required wax candles, which were expensive. Tallow (rendered animal fat) smelled, unsuitable for a ball. Beeswax candles were produced in 4, 6, and 8 hour lengths. A hostess purchased the most expensive to last the entire event. A big event used 300 candles, costing around 15 pounds -- a year's wages for a maid!
Mirrors usually lined rooms used for formal events. Mirrors multiply candlelight, as do shiny glass, crystal and polished metals. But shiny things need polishing which usually meant hiring additional maids.
Flowers were the primary decorations, adding color and fragrance to help mask the aroma of people dancing for hours in a relatively small space.
An artist would be hired to decorate the dance floor with chalk images. The chalk provided the dancers with traction on the slippery floor.
A ball requires professional musicians. How many depended on the wealth of the hostess.
In some houses and assembly rooms, musicians played from balconies, stair landings or niches. In less noble settings, they might share a crowded floor with the dancers.
Dance sets lasted up to an hour. Both dancers and musicians took breaks between sets, when servants circulated with trays of ices and iced punch to help them fortify for the next set. The punch contained rum, brandy and wine. The hostess needed a large stock of both ice and alcohol for the evening.
Ice? That's a whole other problem.
Dinner was served between 11 pm and 1 am. Soup, especially white soup (made from veal or chicken stock, egg yolks, ground almonds and cream) served with negus (sugar mixed with water and wine, served hot) were staples at ball suppers. A ball could easily require 60 dishes, both sweet and savory.
No wonder private balls were considered the highlight of the social season, and preferable to public events.
Terry Foreman • Link
"above all things pleased to hear Mrs. Bland talk like a merchant in her husband’s business very well, and it seems she do understand it and perform a great deal."
For the work of women (widows and sometimes wives) as merchants, See Alice Clark, Working life of women in 17th cent., ch. ii. Pepys often dealt with Mrs Pley (canvass-merchant) of Plymouth and Mrs Russell (tallow-chandler) of London: e.g. CSPD Add. 1660-85, p. 171; http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… Cf. James Howell's remark (1622) on the work of Dutchwomen as merchants: Epist.Ho-Elianae (ed. Jacobs, i. 128. (L&M note)
Liz • Link
A pity Elizabeth wasn’t taken to the ball. I wonder what she said when she found out Sam had gone without her?
Terry Foreman • Link
"I wonder what she said when she found out Sam had gone [to the ball] without her?"
I suspect she'd appreciate his report on Povy's introduction of her husband to the spectacle at the heart of the celebration of New Year's eve at the court (she was not in a social position to be invited or to see it).
"Mr. Povy and, I to White Hall; he carrying me thither on purpose to carry me into the ball this night before the King. All the way he talking very ingenuously, and I find him a fine gentleman, and one that loves to live nobly and neatly, as I perceive by his discourse of his house, pictures, and horses.
"He brought me first to the Duke’s chamber, where I saw him and the Duchess at supper; and thence into the room where the ball was to be, crammed with fine ladies, the greatest of the Court. By and by comes the King and Queen, the Duke and Duchess, and all the great ones: and after seating themselves, the King takes out the Duchess of York; and the Duke, the Duchess of Buckingham; the Duke of Monmouth, my Lady Castlemaine; and so other lords other ladies: and they danced the Bransle. After that, the King led a lady a single Coranto —[swift and lively]— and then the rest of the lords, one after another, other ladies very noble it was, and great pleasure to see. Then to country dances; the King leading the first, which he called for; which was, says he, “Cuckolds all awry,” the old dance of England. Of the ladies that danced, the Duke of Monmouth’s mistress, and my Lady Castlemaine, and a daughter of Sir Harry de Vicke’s, were the best. The manner was, when the King dances, all the ladies in the room, and the Queen herself, stand up: and indeed he dances rarely, and much better that the Duke of York. Having staid here as long as I thought fit, to my infinite content, it being the greatest pleasure I could wish now to see at Court, I went out, leaving them dancing, and to Mrs. Pierces, where I found the company had staid very long for my coming, but all gone but my wife, and so I took her home by coach and so to my Lord’s again, where after some supper to bed, very weary and in a little pain from my riding a little uneasily to-night in the coach."
Next year Pepys will hire a dancing master for his wife, a Mr. Pembleton: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
In three years Povy nominates Pepys to the Royal Society and he is admitted{ https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
I think Terry's point is that climbing the social ladder takes time, even with connections. Pepys wasn't invited TO the ball; he was invited to discreetly VIEW the ball.
Pepys seems quite happy to keep his beautiful wife at home, safely away from the leches. And I think he aspired only to be a Gentleman. To make a claim based on Elizabeth's French aristocracy would have incurred invasive scrutiny and risk possible humiliation, and -- if successful -- many expenditures Pepys could never afford. (Clarendon refused a Dukedom because he couldn't afford it.)
So I think she said, "Well done, dear. Sit here by the fire and tell me all about it." ... "When can I have that pearl necklace?"
Terry Foreman • Link
'yet would not have been so much if I had not lived a very orderly life all this year by virtue of the oaths that God put into my heart to take against wine, plays, and other expenses,"
L&M: He had visited theatres 22 times in 1662, whereas in 1661 he had attended 79 performances, in whole or in part.