Friday 15 May 1663

Up betimes and walked to St. James’s, where Mr. Coventry being in bed I walked in the Park, discoursing with the keeper of the Pell Mell, who was sweeping of it; who told me of what the earth is mixed that do floor the Mall, and that over all there is cockle-shells powdered, and spread to keep it fast; which, however, in dry weather, turns to dust and deads the ball. Thence to Mr. Coventry; and sitting by his bedside, he did tell me that he sent for me to discourse upon my Lord Sandwich’s allowances for his several pays, and what his thoughts are concerning his demands; which he could not take the freedom to do face to face, it being not so proper as by me: and did give me a most friendly and ingenuous account of all; telling me how unsafe, at this juncture, while every man’s, and his actions particularly, are descanted upon, it is either for him to put the Duke upon doing, or my Lord himself to desire anything extraordinary, ‘specially the King having been so bountifull already; which the world takes notice of even to some repinings. All which he did desire me to discourse with my Lord of; which I have undertook to do.

We talked also of our office in general, with which he told me that he was now-a-days nothing so satisfied as he was wont to be. I confess I told him things are ordered in that way that we must of necessity break in a little time a pieces.

After done with him about these things, he told me that for Mr. Hater the Duke’s word was in short that he found he had a good servant, an Anabaptist, and unless he did carry himself more to the scandal of the office, he would bear with his opinion till he heard further, which do please me very much.

Thence walked to Westminster, and there up and down in the Hall and the Parliament House all the morning; at noon by coach to my Lord Crew’s, hearing that Lord Sandwich did dine there; where I told him what had passed between Mr. Coventry and myself; with which he was contented, though I could perceive not very well pleased. And I do believe that my Lord do find some other things go against his mind in the House; for in the motion made the other day in the House by my Lord Bruce, that none be capable of employment but such as have been loyal and constant to the King and Church, the General [Monk] and my Lord were mentioned to be excepted; and my Lord Bruce did come since to my Lord, to clear himself that he meant nothing to his prejudice, nor could it have any such effect if he did mean it. After discourse with my Lord; to dinner with him; there dining there my Lord Montagu of Boughton, Mr. William Montagu his brother, the Queen’s Sollicitor, &c., and a fine dinner.

Their talk about a ridiculous falling-out two days ago at my Lord of Oxford’s house, at an entertainment of his, there being there my Lord of Albemarle, Lynsey, two of the Porters, my Lord Bellasses, and others, where there were high words and some blows, and pulling off of perriwiggs; till my Lord Monk took away some of their swords, and sent for some soldiers to guard the house till the fray was ended. To such a degree of madness the nobility of this age is come!

After dinner I went up to Sir Thomas Crew, who lies there not very well in his head, being troubled with vapours and fits of dizziness: and there I sat talking with. him all the afternoon from one discourse to another, the most was upon the unhappy posture of things at this time; that the King do mind nothing but pleasures, and hates the very sight or thoughts of business; that my Lady Castlemaine rules him, who, he says, hath all the tricks of Aretin1 that are to be practised to give pleasure. In which he is too able … [having a large —— – L&M], but what is the unhappiness in that, as the Italian proverb says, “lazzo dritto non vuolt consiglio.” If any of the sober counsellors give him good advice, and move him in anything that is to his good and honour, the other part, which are his counsellers of pleasure, take him when he is with my Lady Castlemaine, and in a humour of delight, and then persuade him that he ought not to hear nor listen to the advice of those old dotards or counsellors that were heretofore his enemies: when, God knows! it is they that now-a-days do most study his honour. It seems the present favourites now are my Lord Bristol, Duke of Buckingham, Sir H. Bennet, my Lord Ashley, and Sir Charles Barkeley; who, among them, have cast my Lord Chancellor upon his back, past ever getting up again; there being now little for him to do, and he waits at Court attending to speak to the King as others do: which I pray God may prove of good effects, for it is feared it will be the same with my Lord Treasurer shortly. But strange to hear how my Lord Ashley, by my Lord Bristol’s means (he being brought over to the Catholique party against the Bishopps, whom he hates to the death, and publicly rails against them; not that he is become a Catholique, but merely opposes the Bishopps; and yet, for aught I hear, the Bishopp of London keeps as great with the King as ever) is got into favour, so much that, being a man of great business and yet of pleasure, and drolling too, he, it is thought, will be made Lord Treasurer upon the death or removal of the good old man.

My Lord Albemarle, I hear, do bear through and bustle among them, and will not be removed from the King’s good opinion and favour, though none of the Cabinett; but yet he is envied enough.

It is made very doubtful whether the King do not intend the making of the Duke of Monmouth legitimate;2 but surely the Commons of England will never do it, nor the Duke of York suffer it, whose lady, I am told, is very troublesome to him by her jealousy. But it is wonderful that Sir Charles Barkeley should be so great still, not [only] with the King, but Duke also; who did so stiffly swear that he had lain with her.3 And another one Armour that he rode before her on horseback in Holland I think … [and she rid with her hand upon his —— – L&M]

No care is observed to be taken of the main chance, either for maintaining of trade or opposing of factions, which, God knows, are ready to break out, if any of them (which God forbid!) should dare to begin; the King and every man about him minding so much their pleasures or profits.

My Lord Hinchingbroke, I am told, hath had a mischance to kill his boy by his birding-piece going off as he was a-fowling. The gun was charged with small shot, and hit the boy in the face and about the temples, and he lived four days.

In Scotland, it seems, for all the newes-books tell us every week that they are all so quiett, and everything in the Church settled, the old women had like to have killed, the other day, the Bishop of Galloway, and not half the Churches of the whole kingdom conform.

Strange were the effects of the late thunder and lightning about a week since at Northampton, coming with great rain, which caused extraordinary floods in a few hours, bearing away bridges, drowning horses, men, and cattle. Two men passing over a bridge on horseback, the arches before and behind them were borne away, and that left which they were upon: but, however, one of the horses fell over, and was drowned. Stacks of faggots carried as high as a steeple, and other dreadful things; which Sir Thomas Crew showed me letters to him about from Mr. Freemantle and others, that it is very true.

The Portugalls have choused —[‘cheated’ D.W.]— us, it seems, in the Island of Bombay, in the East Indys; for after a great charge of our fleets being sent thither with full commission from the King of Portugall to receive it, the Governour by some pretence or other will not deliver it to Sir Abraham Shipman, sent from the King, nor to my Lord of Marlborough; which the King takes highly ill, and I fear our Queen will fare the worse for it.

The Dutch decay there exceedingly, it being believed that their people will revolt from them there, and they forced to give over their trade. This is talked of among us, but how true I understand not.

Sir Thomas showed me his picture and Sir Anthony Vandike’s, in crayon in little, done exceedingly well.

Having thus freely talked with him, and of many more things, I took leave, and by coach to St. James’s, and there told Mr. Coventry what I had done with my Lord with great satisfaction, and so well pleased home, where I found it almost night, and my wife and the dancing-master alone above, not dancing but talking. Now so deadly full of jealousy I am that my heart and head did so cast about and fret that I could not do any business possibly, but went out to my office, and anon late home again and ready to chide at every thing, and then suddenly to bed and could hardly sleep, yet durst not say any thing, but was forced to say that I had bad news from the Duke concerning Tom Hater as an excuse to my wife, who by my folly has too much opportunity given her with the man, who is a pretty neat black man, —[Brown or black hair, not skin. D.W.]— but married. But it is a deadly folly and plague that I bring upon myself to be so jealous and by giving myself such an occasion more than my wife desired of giving her another month’s dancing. Which however shall be ended as soon as I can possibly. But I am ashamed to think what a course I did take by lying to see whether my wife did wear drawers to-day as she used to do, —[How could Mr. Wheatley have missed censoring this? D.W.]— and other things to raise my suspicion of her, but I found no true cause of doing it.

64 Annotations

First Reading

TerryF  •  Link

"Aretin’s infamous letters and sonnets accompanying the as infamous 'Postures' engraved by Marc Antonio from the designs of Julio Romano (Steinman’s 'Memoir of Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland,' privately printed, 1871)."

Sonnets luxurieux, 2ème édition, by L' Aretin, Paul Larivaille; Rivages (1996)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/…

A memoir of Barbara, duchess of Cleveland, by G. Steinman Steinman http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/…

TerryF  •  Link

"In which he is too able . . . . but what is the unhappiness in that, as the Italian proverb says, 'lazzo dritto non vuolt consiglio.'"

L&M: "in which he is too able, hav[ing] a large ----------- [1] but that which is the unhappiness is that, as the Italian proverb says, *Cazzo dritto non vuolt consiglio*."[2]

[1] L&M: "sic in MS."

[2] "The stiff prick wants no counsel." L&M don't provide a translation, but this part of today's Diary entry is quoted and translated in the Introduction to *Schooling Sex : Libertine Literature and Erotic Education in Italy, France, and England 1534-1685* by James Grantham Turner http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/…

The Introduction entire, "Sex Talks: Libertine Texts and Erotic Philosophies" which contains SPOILERS, can be read online at http://www.oup.co.uk/pdf/0-19-925…

Australian Susan  •  Link

Is'nt this an amzing entry! There's so much in it! And displaying Sam's range - from being curious about the floor of the Pell Mell Court to Court politics to currents affairs and then the terrible attack of jealousy and suspicion - even recording the snippet about Elizabeth's underwear - incidently v. rare for women to wear drawers at this time and wearing of drawers was supposed to indicate being loose-lived not the other way around though I am not sure why.

TerryF  •  Link

"And another one Armour that he rode before her on horseback in Holland I think . . . . "

L&M: "and another, one Armorer, that he rid before her on horseback, in Holland I think, and she rid with her hand upon his -----------."[1]

[1] L&M: "sic in MS."

Australian Susan  •  Link

"Island of Bombay in the East Indys"
Sam's confused here, I think? Either he means Bombay in India or one of the islands comprising the current Indonesia. Was one of these islands also part of the marriage settlement?

TerryF  •  Link

“Island of Bombay in the East Indys”

"Sam’s confused here, I think? &c." Aus. Susan, I wondered that too, but then reflected that (1) The Island of Bombay, indeed part of Catherine of Braganza's dowry, was to fall within the domain of the East India Company, so (2) the sense of "East Indies" may have been evolved over time, just as the "Indies" in the Caribbean were dislocated for a while.

Ebo  •  Link

"How could Mr. Wheatley have missed censoring this? D.W."

What's this about censoring? Is this an expurgated version of the diary? Is there somewhere else, say in the hypothetical .xxx domain, where I could find an uncensored version?

jeannine  •  Link

Ebo,

Oh those Victorian translators....

There once was a man named Wheatley
Who preferred his translations done sweetly
So if words were found
With an indelicate sound
He deleted those words completely….

Stolzi  •  Link

"My Lord Hinchingbroke, I am told,
hath had a mischance to kill his boy by his birding-piece going off as he was a- fowling. The gun was charged with small shot, and hit the boy in the face and about the temples, and he lived four days."

Cf. Vice President Cheney... what goes around comes around...

Michael Robinson  •  Link

"hath all the tricks of Aretin that are to be practised to give pleasure."

Aretino wrote the 16 sonets as a geture of solidarity with Marcantonio Raimondi who was imprisoned for publishing a set of 16 engravings on copper of sexual positions after Giulio Romano. The two, illustrations (in the form of wood engravings)and sonnets, were published together in 1525.

Interesting to see Pepys' aluding to an erotic work infamous at the time and of legendary rarity amongst book collectors -- there is only one uniquely surviving copy of any of the editions published in the lifetime of Aretino, d. 1556.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Hmmn...Day starts off well, our eager beaver Sam catching the boss in bed. Calm discussion of the news at court, the usual sighing over Charles' misgovernment and lackadaisical attitude...A nod to global affairs (though I doubt the Dutch see their situation in such gloomy terms)...And then...

"Now so deadly full of jealousy I am that my heart and head did so cast about and fret that I could not do any business possibly, but went out to my office, and anon late home again and ready to chide at every thing, and then suddenly to bed and could hardly sleep, yet durst not say any thing..."

You get the feeling despite real torment, Sam's rather enjoying this dip into Othelloian drama? It's later, probably a day or two later...He's sitting back, thinking the whole scene over...

"Beware, my lord...Of jealousy..." It really screws office efficiency.

***
Tomorrow...The office...

"But sir...I..."

"Hater...I did a favor for you."

"But sir, to follow your wife about."

"You are a perfect choice, Hater. Bess expects you to be hanging round the house, seeking any chance to continue pleading for my assistance."

"Besides...You're not my only operative in this matter." Narrow look...
***

"Wayneman, quick...Go to Mr. Pepys at the office at once. Tell him 'the black bird is circling round the nest'. Have you got that?" Hewer watching Pemberton's jaunty approach to the Pepys' frontway from a secure corner eyes the staring Wayneman...Who takes a long look at the dancing master.

"Lor' is that dancing fellow cuckoldin' ole Pepys?"

"Shut up and do as I said."

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself. -Pietro Aretino, satirist and dramatist (1492-1556)

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"My wife and the dancing master? How could I have failed to see it? I, who developed the contracts book...And had the instinctual awareness that Riga hemp wasn't worth a tinker's damn."

Well...He never caught on to me or Capt Ferrers, Hewer thinks.

dirk  •  Link

Things have been happening in Portugal, the Queen's home country...

"The beginning of May 1663 [no precise date], there happened in Lisbon an insurrection of the people of the town, about a suspicion, as they pretended, of some persons disaffected to the public; upon which they plundered the Archbishop's house, and the Marquis of Marialva's house, and broke into the treasury; but after about ten thousand of these ordinary people had run for six or seven hours about the town, crying 'Kill all that is for the Castile,' they were appeased by their Priests, who carried the Sacrament amongst them, threatening excommunication, which, with the night, made them depart with their plunder. Some few persons were lost, but not many."
From Lady Fanshawe's Memoirs
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/ete…

From a letter with political advice to the Duke of Ormond -- dated Paris, 23 May 1663 (new style = 13 May 1663 according to the British calendar):
"The Spanish army is expected to take the field, in Gallicia, nearly 20,000 strong; of which number, 7,000 are cavalry. In Estremadura, there has been a sharp conflict between Spaniards and Portuguese, in which the latter are said to have had the advantage."

In the same letter:
"Letters from England mention an improvement in the health of the Queen Mother, and the probability of her return to France; with which intention some of the English are said to be discontented, because her pensions go with her."

Source:
The Carte Papers, Bodleian Library
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…

Roy Feldman  •  Link

Jeannine, that limerick was sheer brilliance. Author, author!

Paul Chapin  •  Link

Another "her" to decode
L&M: “and another, one Armorer, that he rid before her on horseback, in Holland I think, and she rid with her hand upon his —————-.”[1]

I think from its position in the entry, this sentence must refer to Anne Hyde, and be another of the calumnies that were visited upon her in the vain attempt by several courtiers to dissuade James from marrying her. See http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… for a fuller version of the story - which does not, however, mention this tale.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Enter Pepys, with a light, Bess in bed...

“It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul.
Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars.
It is the...”

“Sam’l? That you?”

“Aye, Bess.” Cold tone...Hard stare.

“What was keeping you? Anyway, you’re just in time, Raoul just broke into Lady Delia’s castle and killed fifty men blocking his lithe yet muscular way to her door....Can you camere and tell me what this word means...Met...empsychosis?”

Hmmn?

“Met...em...”

“I heard you. Metempsychosis. It refers to the transmigration of...Wait a mo...” he blinks...

Getting off the track here...

“Transmigration of...What?...”

“Souls...And speaking of that...Have you prayed tonight, Elisabeth?”

“Oh, souls, eh?...Hmmn? Sam’l you didn’t have prayers tonight, remember? Now come on and read this chapter with me...” she waves him over.

“Speaking of prayers I was a little worried when you skipped tonight. I’m glad you weren’t...You know...” she makes a bottoms-up pantomime... “I’d really hate to think you’d taken up the heavy drinkin’ again, honey.”

Damnit, girl...

“Bess, if you bethink yourself of any crime unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace...”

“What? Sam’l?”

“Well, solicit for it straight, I’ll walk by...I would not kill thy unprepared spirit. I would not kill thy...”

Stare...Hmmn...Oh...Sudden beam...I get it...

“Sam’l? Is Betterton doing ‘Othello’ again? Will Mr. Kynaston do his Desdemona?”

“What? Bess...”

“Sorry...” Grin..Ok,.I can play along...Ummn... “Talk you of killing, my lord?”

“Ay, I do.”

Ummn... “Sorry, honey I forget the next...”

Sam pulls out pillow...

Hearty chuckle... “Sam’l...The look on your face. Betterton has got to make you...Ummn, Sam’l?”

“Humh.”

“You’re making me nervous, ma petite...Come on, lets do this roleplaying thing here...” she pats bed...

“Think on thy sins...”

Oh, merde...He’s been checking the kitchen accounts again... “Sam’l...I can explain. That 10s was for...”

“Peace and be still! 10s? What 10s?”

“See, Mr. Pemberton has a new book of easy dance st...”

“Arrrrgggghhh! PEACEANDBESTILL!!!!”

“What’s the matter?”

“You weren’t wearing drawers today, were you? When He was here?!”

“Drawers? Of course I was wearing...”

“Strumpet!! Liest to my face!! I saw both pairs in the wash!”

“You looked for my drawers in the wash? And will you put down that stupid pillow? I’m wearing the ones I had today now...The ones I’ve had to mend four times cause you were too cheap to buy me more pairs, remember?”

Hmmn...

“In any case...He hath used thee...”

“What the hell does that mean? How? Unlawfully? ”

“Ay!” Waves pillow...

“Sam’l, ma petite...Fun is fun and you’re doing a great job but you’re getting a little carried...”

“Down, strumpet!!”

“Hey! Get that stupid thing out of my face!!” shoves him back...

“Sam’l?! What the hell’s the matter with you? Say...” sly grin... “Did all that flirting with that idiot fop of a dancing master finally pay off?...Are you actually...?”

Oh, yeah...she nods at his raging face...

“Sam’l...It sure took you long enough...Hey!” He hops on bed, shoving pillow again at her face...

Rather unsuccessfully...However many times Betterton’s done Kynaston in, it really ain’t easy to smother a person with a little hand pillow, he notes...She shoves him off the bed...Ooof...

“Sam’l, knock it off!...If you push that thing in my face one more time!!”

A final try...A quick instinctive knee to where it hurts...Really hurts...

“OHHHH...” Sam groans on the floor...

“Sweetheart, I thought we talked about this after our last spat. We agreed to no more getting physical with our anger, remember? Now if you have something to complain about regarding a few measly dance lessons...”

OOOOHHHHH!!!...

“Sam’l? Oh, are you all right?!”

“Ohhhh...Bess...My...Stone...”

“Mary!! Quick! Go and fetch the doctor!!! Oh, Sam’l you stupid little idiot! What were you thinking?”

“Bessss...”

“Oh, my darling...”

“Besssss...Promise...Me...”

“Anything, oh Sam’l.”

“No...More...Dance...Lessonssss...”

“No more, darling...Don’t worry...Damnit, Mary!! Go and fetch the doctor!!”

“Sweearrr...Voww...”

“As binding as one of yours, ma petite...I swear on my soul!”

“Really?” he sits up, beaming...

“You son of a louse pricking...!!!”

Pedro  •  Link

“The Portugalls have choused us, it seems, in the Island of Bombay,”

For a short account see background under Shipman…

http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…

Bombay (now known as Mumbai), then consisting of seven islands, must have given the Portuguese plenty of scope for argument. Casimiro says in his biography of Catherine that the English Government was asking for more than the treaty, beyond Bombay, the close Islands of Salzeada and Taan (Salsette and Thane?).

Pedro  •  Link

“The Portugalls have choused us, it seems, in the Island of Bombay,”

Sir Henry Bennett had written to Sir Richard Fanshawe in Lisbon...

"The mistake and disappointment of such a thing as this, the expenses of His Majesty for Bombay, had profoundly hurt the King and I can confirm to your Excellency that unless the head of the Viceroy of India and a compensation for all the damages and expenses of His Majesty, nothing will manage to compensate for such an affront."

L.M.E.Shaw (Anglo-Portuguese Alliance) says that the agreed cost of the fleet was £229,862.14.0d, and that Charles was said to be in " the last resentments in this usage that can be imagined."

Pedro  •  Link

"and that over all there is cockle-shells powdered, and spread to keep it fast; which, however, in dry weather, turns to dust and deads the ball."

Time to bring on the Leg Spinner?

J A Gioia  •  Link

To Mr. Gertz:

Oh, rocks.

R. O. Curtis  •  Link

"...deads the ball..."
Yet another lovely turn of phrase... anyone out there care to try an explanation? (I'm seeing unhappy dancers raising little counds of cockleshell dust with their Corantos.)

Pedro  •  Link

“…deads the ball…”

Pell Mell from the background info…

“The game was played on a huge strip of land, in this case about 1000 yards long…players took great swings at the balls in an effort to hoof them as far along the pitch as possible.”

The ball, in this case, may not run on after bouncing. In an analogy to a “dead wicket” in cricket, the bounce would be slow and predictable. After a defeat in a home series against India, Pakistan was accused of trying to avoid a repeat defeat by preparing dead pitches!

TerryF  •  Link

Several words used today for the first time in the Diary

"his actions particularly, are descanted upon"

des-cant
intr.v. (des'kant, de-skant') des·cant·ed, des·cant·ing, des·cants
1. To comment at length; discourse: "He used to descant critically on the dishes which had been at table" James Boswell.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/…

* * *

"the world takes notice of even to some repinings."

re·pine
intr.v. re·pined, re·pin·ing, re·pines
1. To be discontented or low in spirits; complain or fret.
2. To yearn after something: Immigrants who repined for their homeland.

[Middle English repinen, to be aggrieved : re- + pinen, to yearn; see pine ]
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/…

* * *
"Stacks of faggots carried as high as a steeple"

faggot
A faggot or fagot is a bundle of sticks or branches, usually meant for use as firewood. It derives ([1]) through the Old French fagot and the Italian diminutive faggotto from the Latin facus ("bundle", itself from fasces), coming into Middle English no later than 1279. It has also been used on occasion to refer more specifically (attested from 1555 in English) to wood for funeral pyres or a burning at the stake, and recanting heretics had to wear an embroidered figure of a faggot on their sleeve.
When a faggot is wrapped in only one band or withe, instead of the traditional two, it is also referred to as a bavin.

Quotations
What fool hath added water to the sea,
Or brought a faggot to bright-burning Troy?
—William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus, Act II, scene III

Other uses
Faggot may also refer to:
· Faggot (epithet), a derogatory slang term for a homosexual or "unmanly" male
· Faggots (novel), a novel by Larry Kramer
· Faggot (unit of measurement), an archaic unit of measurement
· "Fagot", the NATO reporting name for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 airplane
· Faggot (food), a British pork meatball.
· Fagot(to) is the name in many languages of the musical instrument bassoon
· In BDSM, it is also used in a meaning returning to the fasces-principle: a bundle of bound twigs/sticks as a spanking implement.
http://www.answers.com/topic/fagg…

in Aqua Scripto  •  Link

Ye forgot one: To fag or be a fag : A fag be one that be a gopher to the lads in the 6th,, it be called fagging.
Then when that was banned , one use to have a fag by smoking a wrapped up dried lettice leaf, then puff up a storm, all in the boiler room.

andy  •  Link

at Northampton,

Just 12 miles from me! Not raining tonight though.

as for Bess and whether she wears drawers or not, am a bit gobsmacked at the detail ;>)

Australian Susan  •  Link

Drawers

Sorry to disillusion all you sweaty-palmed males, *but* it was thought *unchaste* to *wear* drawers at that time, not the other way around! I am not sure why, but Sam would have been concerned to make sure his wife was *not* wear the offensive garment. Seeing ladies' drawers was an erotic turnon par excellence for years: even as late as the end of the 19th century, the French can-can was based on this predilection. One of the most famous can-can dancers at the 1890s Moulin Rouge embroidered a little heart right in the crotch of her drawers for her audience to catch a glimpse of. Bring on the cold showers.

Australian Susan  •  Link

Historical accuracy or not - Mr Gertz's dialogues are delicious! many thanks.

Sean  •  Link

"the Duke’s word was in short that he found he had a good servant"-- almost lost in the excitement of this day's entry was the indication that James would do the right thing by Mr Hater.

Jacqueline Gore  •  Link

Boffo bits, Robert! Your Bess-Desdemona only makes me long all the more for Bess to have been in "Stage Beauty".

I think you're right that Sam is relishing the scene himself a little.

"But it is a deadly folly and plague that I bring upon myself to be so jealous and by giving myself such an occasion more than my wife desired of giving her another month’s dancing" It sounds like he's tried to reason with himself and to convince himself and Bess that he wasn't jealous by allowing more dance time.

Pedro  •  Link

Bombay (Mumbai)

The city of Bombay originally consisted of seven islands…for short history see…

http://www.mumbainet.com/cityinfo…

They named their new possession as "Bom Baia" which in Portuguese means "Good Bay".

The name Bombay, in several texts, is said to be a corruption of “Bom Baia.” But Hobson Jobson (Anglo-Indian Words) casts doubt see…

http://www.bibliomania.com/2/3/26…

A Hamilton  •  Link

Coventry delivers the bad news

"he sent for me to discourse upon my Lord Sandwich’s allowances for his several pays... telling me how unsafe, at this juncture, ...for him to put the Duke upon doing, or my Lord himself to desire anything extraordinary, ‘specially the King having been so bountifull already; which the world takes notice of even to some repinings."

Another 50l down the drain.

Pedro  •  Link

Bombay…”Governour by some pretence or other will not deliver it to Sir Abraham Shipman”

The Portuguese Governer of Bombay, António de Melo de Castro, was actually conveyed to Bombay to effect the transfer of the island to England in an English five ship squadron, which sailed from Lisbon on the 20th April 1662 under James Ley. En route, Melo de Castro quarreled bitterly with the English commanders and on arrival in Bombay he did everything possible to antagonize the Portuguese allies. He refused to transfer the sovereignty of the island, saying Marlborough’s credentials were not in order, even though they had the broad seal on them. Further he actually boasted of his policy in his letters to Portugal.

(LME Shaw…Trade, Inquisition and the English Nation in Portugal 1650-1690.)

Pedro  •  Link

Bombay…further information on strained relations.

In her biography of Catherine, Mackay adds a little more than the Portuguese biographer to the ending of the letter quoted above, from Bennett to Fanshawe…

“…affront; it being expected that what be done of this kind and the possessing us of the aforesaid island (which, by the way, is found to be far inferior to what was represented) come from Portugal itself.”

Clarendon also added his threat “if some sudden satisfaction be not given, there will soon be an end to our alliance with Portugal.”

On the advice of the East India Company Charles now demanded more than the treaty, as Bombay would be of no use without the surrounding islands.

Portugal’s reply was that the East India Company had already unjustly kept and possessed places that in no way belonged to them, and “never such insolences were committed in the world as by the English.”

Patricia  •  Link

"But I am ashamed to think what a course I did take by lying to see whether my wife did wear drawers to-day as she used to do.."
Susan, I believe what you say, but I still don't get that out of Pepys' sentence. It sounds to me as if she "used to" wear drawers, and he wanted to be sure she wore them today.

Patricia  •  Link

Today's entry sounds like a news broadcast: Court gossip, speculation about the succession, Hinchingbroke's hunting accident AND IN OTHER NEWS, two men narrowly escaped death recently when a flash flood washed away sections of the bridge they were crossing. Details at 11. And now, Samuel Pepys, with the International News...

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

" for Mr. Hater the Duke’s word was in short that he found he had a good servant, an Anabaptist, and unless he did carry himself more to the scandal of the office, he would bear with his opinion till he heard further..."

The Duke of York often showed toleration of this sort. Military men in all; European states at this period were more inclined than other pubic servants to judge of loyalty by actions rather than beliefs: armed forces often included men of different nationalities and creeds. Moreover, in England the Catholics and their friends (James was to become an open Catholic in 1673) supported toleration as long as it protected their rights as a minority. (L&M footnote)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"It seems the present favourites now are my Lord Bristol, Duke of Buckingham, Sir H. Bennet, my Lord Ashley, and Sir Charles Barkeley; who, among them, have cast my Lord Chancellor [Clarendon] upon his back...and ..it is feared it will be the same with my Lord Treasurer [Southampton] shortly. But strange to hear how my Lord Ashley, by my Lord Bristol’s means...is got into favour, so much that, being a man of great business and yet of pleasure, and drolling too, he, it is thought, will be made Lord Treasurer upon the death or removal of the good old man."

This is contrary to Clarendon's view (recorded in 1671-2) that Ashley by now had now had 'got no ground'. (Life, ii, 351) Southampton was just 55, and ill with gout and the stone. Rumours of his resignation or dismissal were current throughout 1662-4, partly because he had delegated most of his work to his secretary, Sir Philip Warwick. But Southampton retained office until his death in 1667. (Per L&M footnote)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

'I am ashamed to think what a course I did take by lying to see whether my wife did wear drawers to-day as she used to do"

Drawers were not commonly worn by Englishwomen, but had been 'habitually worn by French ladies from the middle of the 16th century....Mrs Pepys, however, was a French woman and may have acquired the habit before her marriage.'
https://books.google.com/books?id…
(Per L&M footnote)

Bill  •  Link

Here's a sonnet of Aretin with the pornography toned down a bit:

He Struts the Field

A knight, it seems to me, may be right proud
That kings and emperors do not possess
A pike or shaft of greater comeliness,
Or one with greater deadliness endowed.
I know that, till they wrap me in my shroud,
I’ll tourney with my lady and her dress;
I cast no puny dart, as you may guess,
For darts like those are by decorum cowed.
And you, my lady, like them quite as little —
Indeed, I know the counter-move you’d make,
If I were such a craven cannoneer.
But the arms I wield are neither small nor brittle;
And so, they may assail the front, or take
— Let’s say, their choice, though that’s too mild, I fear.

Samuel Putnam, trans.
http://elfinspell.com/PutnamAreti…

Louise Hudson  •  Link

There is a good history of woman's undergarments, including during Pepys time here.http://www.historyextra.com/…

The diary is quoted regarding women wearing "drawers"

As Australian Susan points out, women wearing drawers was roundly criticized by men for the usual reasons.

"Paintings, woodcuts and book illustrations both of sacral and secular themes show only men wearing this type of underpants . . . . When women are shown wearing pants it’s always in the context of ‘a world turned upside down’. Trousers and underpants were considered a symbol of male power and women wearing them were pugnacious wives trying to usurp the authority of their husbands, or women of low morality."

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Of course, we can never know who Mr. Armourer was, but here's a guess:

http://www.unofficialroyalty.com/…
In 1654, Anne Hyde was appointed a maid of honor to Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, the eldest daughter of King Charles of England, the widow of William II, Prince of Orange and the mother of the young William III, Prince of Orange who would marry Anne’s daughter Mary. Given the situation, it was natural that Anne should come into contact with members of the exiled English royal family including King Charles’ second surviving son, James, Duke of York. Anne was very attractive and stylish, and attracted many men, including James, Duke of York.

http://archive.org/stream/travels…

says that Henry, Duke of Gloucester was conducted by Nicholas Armorer to Teylingen, where he joined his sister on January 26, 1654.

It's possible ... any other ideas?

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Of course, we can never know who Mr. Armourer was, but here's a guess: "

Very possibly, San Diego Sarah! The L&M Companion says this individual may be Sir William Arnourer (d. c. 1676) Equerry of the Great Horse to the King http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… or (more likely, because younger) his relative Sir Nicholas (d. 1686), also an equerry to Charles II.

Bill  •  Link

“No care is observed to be taken of the main chance”

To look to the main chance, prendre garde à ses affaires. [to heed his business]
---A short dictionary English and French. G. Miège, 1684.

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Sam's man, and office ally, Hayter is off the hook. I suspect that this decision by the Duke contributed to/reinforced Pepys' strong loyalty to James. This would cause Sam great problems and eventually bring a premature end to his career in 1688.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Hi Terry -- referring to our exchange a couple of weeks ago about the location of the Countess of Sandwich, it appears quite a few courtiers are in town, even if the action has moved into Castlemaine's apartment. My current theory is that the Sandwiches are lying low ... the Earl has been sick for about 4 months, and when you're not feeling well you lose a lot of money at cards, and may say something unwise ... they have a low profile because the House of Lords are discussing punishing Puritans who have only-lately come to love the monarchy ... and the Countess has had to deal with their son the Viscount who just killed someone. The Viscount and the villagers would be upset about that, even if it was an accident. So instead I'm wondering why she has come to London now. It seems staying at Hinchinbrooke would be wiser. As a writer, I am fascinated by motive. I love Pepys' diary because he is so transparent about motive most of the time. The Countess' motive may be as simple as she left her summer clothes at The Wardrobe ... or she needs some new shoes. Or perhaps she's heard reports on the Earl's behavior ... we shall see ...

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Loathe to add to 51 annotations but there were so many Lords mentioned and all preceded by "my". I thought that the "my" was related to family but apparently not. Where does this tick come from?

On other notes. 4 days to die with you face blown off? Horrible! I wonder when the safety switch was developed for guns?

Aretin's poem had all the braggadocio of blues/rap lyric and even some of the rhythm.

Clark Kent  •  Link

Speaking of Lord Hinchingbroke's hunting accident--has anyone researched Dick Cheney's genealogy?

Bill  •  Link

Gerald, good question about "my". But it was widely used as these few examples from Shakespeare attest.

my lord
my lords
my lord fool
my good lord
my sweet lord
my gracious lord
my good sweet honey lord
my noble lord
my lady
my liege
my sovereign liege
my sweet creature of bombast
my learn'd lord cardinal
my good lord cardinal

Christopher  •  Link

Now so deadly full of jealousy I am that my heart and head did so cast about and fret that I could not do any business possibly, but went out to my office, and anon late home again...

Clearly very late if wrote this lengthiest of all entries so far (I believe) at the office. Venting his jealously in feverishly setting down a day full of events before returning home? The process of remembering the day tempering his jealously?

Terry Foreman  •  Link

In the 17th century "my lord" and "my Lady" were respectful forms of address AND REFERENCE used to a judge, bishop or nobility.

This is confirmed by the Diary of John Evelyn 1677:

5th August. I went to visit my Lord Brouncker,
now taking the waters at Dulwich.

Qth. Dined at the Earl of Peterborough's the
day after the marriage of my Lord of Arundel to
Lady Mary Mordaunt, daughter to the Earl of
Peterborough.*

2%th. To visit my Lord Chamberlain,*^ in
Suffolk ; he sent his coach and six to meet and
bring me from St. Edmund's Bury to Euston."
https://archive.org/stream/cu3192…

By the nineteenth century, milord (also milor) (French pronunciation [milɔʁ]) was well known as a word that continental Europeans (especially French), whose jobs often brought them into contact with travellers (innkeepers, guides, etc.), commonly used to address Englishmen or male English-speakers who seemed to be upper-class (or whom they wished to flatter) – even though the English-language phrase "my Lord" (the source of "milord") played a somewhat minor role in the British system of honorific forms of address, and most of those addressed as "milord" were not in fact proper "lords" (members of the nobility) at all. The word "milord" was occasionally borrowed back into the English language in order to be used as a sarcastic or jocular reference to British travellers abroad.....

(Most English-speaking tourists in the 18th century had to be rich to undertake the "Grand Tour".)

The most famous usage in recent years has been the 1959 French song "Milord" by Edith Piaf.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"And I do believe that my Lord do find some other things go against his mind in the House; for in the motion made the other day in the House by my Lord Bruce, that none be capable of employment but such as have been loyal and constant to the King and Church, the General [Monk] and my Lord were mentioned to be excepted;"

L&M: Bruce had moved the order for drafting of this (abortive) bill. See https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
The Commons Journals (having no information about proceedings in committee) do not report the proposal to make exceptions for Sandwich and Albemarle. But they were exempted under another bill (also abortive) which aimed at cancelling the grant of certain Crown lands: CJ, viii. 487.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"But strange to hear how my Lord Ashley, by my Lord Bristol’s means (he being brought over to the Catholique party against the Bishopps, whom he hates to the death, and publicly rails against them; not that he is become a Catholique, but merely opposes the Bishopps; and yet, for aught I hear, the Bishopp of London"

L&M: Gilbert Sheldon. The bishops (together with Clarendon and Southampton,the Lord Treasurer) had been out of favour with the King since February, when they had opposed an indulgence bill for the relief of Catholics which both Buckingham and Ashley had supported. 'From that time, Clarendon wrote,' the King never treated any of them [the bishops] with that respect as he had done formerly, and often spake of them too slightly; which easily encouraged others not only to mention their persons very negligently, but their function and religion itself': Life, ii. 351. It is possible that Ashley had been sarcastic at the expense of the bishops in the debate (8 May) on the fees they paid in translation: LJ, xi. 519.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I hear, the Bishopp of London keeps as great with the King as ever) is got into favour, so much that, being a man of great business and yet of pleasure, and drolling too, he, it is thought, will be made Lord Treasurer upon the death or removal of the good old man."

L&M: This is contrary to Clarendon's view (recoded in 1671-2) that Ashley by now had 'got no ground': Life, ii. 351. Southampton was 55, and ill with gout and the stone. Rumours of his resignation or dismissal were current throughout 1662-4, partly because he had delegated most of his work to his secretary, Sir Philip Warwick. Cf. https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… The French ambassador, de Cominges noted the rising reputation of Ashley as Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a dispatch of 30 March/9 April: PRO, PRO 3 1/3, no. iii, f. 91r. But Southampton retained office until his death in 1667.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Strange were the effects of the late thunder and lightning about a week since at Northampton, coming with great rain, which caused extraordinary floods in a few hours, bearing away bridges, drowning horses, men, and cattle. Two men passing over a bridge on horseback, the arches before and behind them were borne away, and that left which they were upon: but, however, one of the horses fell over, and was drowned. Stacks of faggots carried as high as a steeple, and other dreadful things; which Sir Thomas Crew showed me letters to him about from Mr. Freemantle and others, that it is very true."

L&M: The storm occurred on 6 May: both the west bridge and the south bridge were badly damaged. . . . The Crews' country house was near Brackley, Northanta. . . .

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Bombay (further)

L&M: The extent of the boundaries was also a matter of dispute, since the English claimed the two neighbouring islands as well as Bombay itself. Charles II made a strong protest against the refusal of the Portuguese Governor, D. Antonio de Mello de Castro to recognize England;s claims. The whole territory was ceded in 1665. See Shafaat Ahmed Khan in Journ. Indian Hist., 1/419=.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Sir Thomas showed me his picture and Sir Anthony Vandike’s, in crayon in little, done exceedingly well."

L&M: Crew's portrait in chalk does not survive; the portrait of van Dyck was presumably a small copy of one of the painter's self-portraits. The taste for portrait-drawing in pastel was developing rapidly at this period: J. Woodward, Tudor and Stuart drawings, pp. 27+; Whinney and Millar, pp. 99-102.

Third Reading

Ruslan  •  Link

"… where I found it almost night, and my wife and the dancing-master alone above, not dancing but talking."

L&M have:

"… not dancing but walking."

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