Saturday 11 April 1663

Up betimes and to my office, where we sat also all the morning till noon, and then home to dinner, my father being there but not very well. After dinner in comes Captain Lambert of the Norwich, this day come from Tangier, whom I am glad to see. There came also with him Captain Wager, and afterwards in came Captain Allen to see me, of the Resolution. All staid a pretty while, and so away, and I a while to my office, then abroad into the street with my father, and left him to go to see my aunt Wight and uncle, intending to lie at Tom’s to-night, or my cozen Scott’s, where it seems he has hitherto lain and is most kindly used there. So I home and to my office very late making up my Lord’s navy accounts, wherein I find him to stand debtor 1200l.. So home to supper and to bed.

16 Annotations

First Reading

A. Hamilton  •  Link

wherein I find him to stand debtor 1200l..

Bad news for Sandwich! Has text been omitted?

TerryF  •  Link

"Bad news for Sandwich! Has text been omitted?"

A. Hamilton, L&M say these are the ones pursuant to the voyage to Tangier and Lisbon in 1661-2. Old debts never die, if the accountants are good and honest.

TerryF  •  Link

Minor SPOILER abt. Lord Sandwich's accounts

They will be settled by SP's intervention and Sandwich's repute as a GOOD debtor at the end of this month, so not to worry.

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

I think Mr. Hamilton was confused by the multiple dots, which at first look like ellipses ... but in fact it looks as if the abbreviation for pound (l) is always followed by a period, even when it falls at the end of sentence.

As for Sam's father, it's so interesting to me that social protocol and lodgings could be so fluid. That would rarely happen today, in my neck of the woods, anyway. I guess family ties and social obligations were strong enough that Pepys senior could simply go with the flow and bed for the night wherever he ended up.

jeannine  •  Link

"Captain Lambert, Captain Wagner and Captain Allen" ...What amazes me is just HOW MANY people Sam knows and comes in contact with in regards to his work at the Navy. Every day he's off with a different crowd of characters. From someone who moved out of a company office to work at home several years ago (telecommuter, as it's called these days) , I sometimes miss the connection with the "regulars" around the office. In Sam's case, he really sees so many varied and interesting people. What a lucky person he is --even if some people are bothersome to him, cause him stress, more work,etc. the connection and interaction is fascinating. How sadly our society has moved into more and more ways to isolate people from face to face contact (cell phones, faxes, email, etc). He just steps outside each day and the world and people open up to him.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"Cousin John, welcome! I trust ye do mean to lie with us tonight."

"Cousin Scott, good den, good den. If it'd not be putting you and your good lady out, I would."

"Always a pleasure to have your company, John Pepys. So...How does your fine son Samuel? Making his way in the world we all hear. Praised by and Friend of the highest in the land, eh, eh?"

"Aye." John notes. Slight frown.

"John? No problems for the lad, I trust?"

"No." sour look.

Ummn...

"And that beautious little wife of his?"

Cold look.

"Fine." [the #@$#@ hussy @#$#@! without an ounce of regard for her father-in-law, he does not say.]

"I suppose the boy's a busy lad these days...Not much time to entertain?" a cautious feeling out...

"Uh huh. Yeah." [not for his worthless @#$#!ing old father, come to London at risk to life and limb to see him, oh, no, fob him off on brother Tom, leave him to go wander off over London in search of a place where he might have a hope of a little pleasant company...the #$#@@ing little...he does not say]"

Australian Susan  •  Link

Jeannine - I started part-time home-based work in 1979 and, yes, felt very lonely - one of the main things was not having anyone else to bounce ideas off. Nowadays, one would be in email contact and have user groups and all sorts of things, but not then! We had just moved too and had to wait A YEAR for an available phone line! Imagine that nowadays. I think if Sam was around today he would have all sorts of electronic networks going to keep in touch and up to date. As it is, he has walks in the Matted Gallery, visits to the Exchange, the Duke's Closet, the Tangier Committee and has a constant flow of people in and out the Navy Office, as well as visits to Deptford, Chatham, Woolwich, Portsmouth. Busy, busy, busy.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Sam reminds one of those fellows we see in television commercials (by Verizon? company) surrounded by his "network" of dozens, hundreds of people... Perhaps the most charming thing about him is his inability to be bored with it all...He clearly loves people and thrills to be in the thick of things and just as we respond to him those of his time must have.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Hmmn...One wonders how Sandwich could have gotten in such red ink in Tangier and Portugal? Trying too hard to impress the Portugese court perhaps? It was common for an ambassador or emissary to get into terrible debt in the service of their land when they'd have to provide gifts or a spectacle to impress their hosts and later their monarch or emperor or republic's senate would fail to compensate.

Nix  •  Link

“Captain Lambert, Captain Wagner and Captain Allen” --

I wonder if the good captains were stopping in to drop off some monetary appreciation or other gifts to keep those postings coming. Hearty fellowship and the latest gossip are all well and good, particularly after months at sea, but the custom of the times also required some grease for the wheels. Samuel has made a point of mentioning it in the past, so perhaps his silence means it was purely a social visit -- or perhaps it is by now so common is doesn't merit mention.

celtcahill  •  Link

" I wonder if the good captains were stopping in to drop off some monetary appreciation or other gifts to keep those postings coming."

I wonder whatever happened to Sam's ship models - not cheap even then, and of use to an unimaginative - or imaginative - enemy.

TerryF  •  Link

Might it have been S.O.P. for sea captains to report in to the Navy Office after returning from a voyage?

I note how glad Sam'l is to see "Captain Lambert of the Norwich, this day come from Tangier," a daunting voyage, and that "All staid a pretty while" - to compare sea-stories and debrief one another?

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

The appearance of the Three Captains also puts Samuell on guard that they will be looking for monies to pay off Tickets for all the tars.

David Wager  •  Link

This Captain Wager was the father of the famous Admiral and First sea lord Sir Charles Wager.

Second Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

What struck me was that the three captains all called on Sam at home, not in the office. Maybe they reported to the office first, found he was at lunch, and went over hoping to be fed? Or perhaps all the Captains expected to give Sam some money, and preferred not to do it in the office? Thank goodness it wasn't wash day!

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