Thursday 9 July 1663
Up. Making water this morning, which I do every morning as soon as I am awake, with greater plenty and freedom than I used to do, which I think I may impute to last night’s drinking of elder spirits. Abroad, it raining, to Blackfriars, and there went into a little alehouse and staid while I sent to the Wardrobe, but Mr. Moore was gone out. Here I kissed three or four times the maid of the house, who is a pretty girl, but very modest, and, God forgive me, had a mind to something more. Thence to my lawyer’s; up and down to the Six Clerks’ Office, where I found my bill against Tom Trice dismissed, which troubles me, it being through my neglect, and will put me to charges. So to Mr. Phillips, and discoursed with him about finding me out somebody that will let me have for money an annuity of about 100l. per annum for two lives. So home, and there put up my riding things against the evening, in case Mr. Moore should continue his mind to go to Oxford, which I have little mind to do, the weather continuing so bad and the waters high. Dined at home, and Mr. Moore in the afternoon comes to me and concluded not to go. Sir W. Batten and I sat a little this afternoon at the office, and thence I by water to Deptford, and there mustered the Yard, purposely, God forgive me, to find out Bagwell, a carpenter, whose wife is a pretty woman, that I might have some occasion of knowing him and forcing her to come to the office again, which I did so luckily that going thence he and his wife did of themselves meet me in the way to thank me for my old kindness, but I spoke little to her, but shall give occasion for her coming to me. Her husband went along with me to show me Sir W. Pen’s lodging, which I knew before, but only to have a time of speaking to him and sounding him. So left and I went in to Sir W. Pen, who continues ill, and worse, I think, than before. He tells me my Lady Castlemaine was at Court, for all this talk this week, which I am glad to hear; but it seems the King is stranger than ordinary to her.
Thence walked home as I used to do, and to bed presently, having taken great cold in my feet by walking in the dirt this day in thin shoes or some other way, so that I begun to be in pain, and with warm clothes made myself better by morning, but yet in pain.
24 Annotations
First Reading
Pedro • Link
“which I think I may impute to last night’s drinking of elder spirits.”
Elder spirits, sounds spooky, for the spirit of the elder tree see…
http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/art…
Bradford • Link
Two indiscretions in one day, and an altered disposition to Lady C.'s standing at court, and Elizabeth writing coldly from the country: a nice mixture of items. Perhaps the pain at day's end was partly poetic justice, or psychosomatic?
TerryF • Link
Beverages and Potions from the Elder
Elderflower wine is traditionally the most popular of Britain's country wines, having a clean and distinctive 'nose'. Connoisseurs say that it has a hint of Muscadelle in the finish. It should be served well-chilled and is a good accompaniment to light meals and salads.
Method and recipe; Elderberry wine, &c.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A37…
Robert Gertz • Link
Bagwell...
God or the Universe really does have a sense of humor at times.
***
"...sounding him..." As in, would this eager young carpenter be likely to happily hand his wife over?
Gee, Sam and what did you get from Sandwich for Bess? Or did you miss out on that deal by catching on to his interest too slow. What a pity.
alta turpis fossa or caput • Link
Elderberry wine from ancient experience can pack a very nice buzz, good for an Adrenalin pickup [epinephrine style ]was used as a countrymans pickme up and go and so thee did.
in aqua pustula • Link
the elder leaf be for tealike drink then using the berries to hide thy blonde hairs and giving that rugged roman look, it was used for many cures. see Culpepper
http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/art…
"...Elderberry wine has curative powers of established repute. Taken hot at night it will help in the early stages of a cold or 'flu, and is excellent for a sore throat and catarrh. This is due to the viburnic acid contained in the berries which induces perspiration and helps to "bring the cold out". It also had a reputation in the past as an excellent remedy for asthma...."
in aqua pustula • Link
he 'Sam" dothe know what he dreams of,"...purposely, God forgive me, to find out ..."
Probitas laudatur et algeo
a misuse of Juvenal Satirae,I, 74
I be praised for honesty while I starve
TerryF • Link
The bill against Tom Trice
L&M reference an action in late 1661. Since I lack their Vol. 2, I cannot look up the exact page, but think it perhaps 14 November 1661 - "to Mr. Turner about drawing up my bill in Chancery against T. Trice, "
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Can someone bring us up to date on where things stand today in this aspect of Uncle Rober's Will? - http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
dirk • Link
The Trices vs. Robert Pepys estate
Sam's uncle Robert had married Anne, widow Trice, in 1630. At the time Robert had apparently agreed to provide for her two sons to the amount of £200 -- on the assumption that the "jointure" Mrs Trice brought with her would be sufficient to cover this. In fact what this came down to was that Robert was to return his wife's share in the marriage to her family after his death.
However, uncle Robert soon found out that his new wife's jointure had been overvalued, and he even had to pay some £200 of legal expenses related to her former husband's will out of his own pocket. When Robert died, July 1660, his will made no mention of the £200 he had been supposed to leave to his wife's family.
Mrs Trice (now widow Robert Pepys) died three months after her husband. Her two sons, Jasper and Thomas wanted the money back, and eventually Sam agreed to pay them the original £200 out of Robert's inheritance. However the Trice brothers in the meantime had increased their demands to some £400 -- claiming an additional 13 years of interest on the original £200. Sam rejected these demands, and the case went to court (Chancery)...
The "bill in Chancery against T. Trice" Sam mentions in today's entry is part of the legal proceedings. The final settlement is still to come...
Summary based on the annotations at:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
Michael Robinson • Link
Pepys V Trice
The papers survive, at least in part, and are held in the UK National Archives at Kew, catalogue Chancery "C 10/63/77"
graybo • Link
I think that, given the time of year, Sam was more likely to be drinking elderflower wine than elderberry, as the new season's elderflower wine would now be ready to drink.
It's a lovely thing, perfect with summer picnics or as a base for a spritzer. If you make your own, be sure to collect flowers from trees growing well away from roads, as they tend to pick up the flavour of diesel fuel very effectively.
Mary • Link
Elderberry or elderflower.
Assuming that it was, indeed, a wine of this kind, elderberry is not ruled out; it could well be elderberry wine that was made last autumn and has been maturing nicely over the past nine months. Well-made 'country' wine will keep for years.
Robert Gertz • Link
"...forcing her to come to the office again..."
So Ms. Bagwell (I will never be able to say that with a straight face) has been to the Navy Office before? Too bad we don't know if with the hubs or no...
It's always possible that however clever our boy portrays himself he's being taken for a ride. Perhaps the conversation at chez Bagwell later was simply happy pleasure that the great Clerk of the Acts, known for his high standards, was taking an interest in young Bagwell.
Or perhaps it was more like the conservation one might imagine offscreen in "Vertigo" between the sinister Gavin Elster and Judy Barton regards poor Scotty Ferguson...
"Well?..."
"Hooked... Now we just wait."
TerryF • Link
Dirk, thanks for the summary of the Trice's biz.
Still puzzling are the L&M note that in 1661, Pepys's affadavit (his "bill") charged that the defenant [T. Trice?] had failed to give proler notice to the plaintiffs [the Pepyses?] and that ther were further witnesses in Hunts. to "examine"; and now this: "I found my bill against Tom Trice dismissed, which troubles me, it being through my neglect, and will put me to charges." - i.e., that it will cost him because there was a time limit on examining further witnesses?
dirk • Link
The Trices vs. Robert Pepys estate
Erratum:
"When Robert died, July 1660" of course has to be "July 1661".
Xjy • Link
Horny Sam, and secure in his position, too
He likes it... Once by chance and, more interestingly, once by design. I can't remember any similar manoeuvre before. Mustering a whole yard to create a future opportunity for himself, with someone else's wife.
And now he's after an annuity! Feeling more and more at ease among the well-enough-off.
Patricia • Link
Sam never used to be allowed (by Wheatley) to "make water", did he? Or was it just "piss" that freaked Wheatley out? Anyway, I'm glad to see Sam able to relieve himself when he needs to, without recourse to L & M's version.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
" I found my bill against Tom Trice dismissed, which troubles me, it being through my neglect, and will put me to charges. "
For the next episode of this drama see http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
"So to Mr. Phillips, and discoursed with him about finding me out somebody that will let me have for money an annuity of about 100l. per annum for two lives."
No further trace of this proposal has been found. For an earlier proposal of this kind see http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… (Per L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"Sir W. Pen’s lodging [at Deptford], which I knew before"
See http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Abroad, it raining, ... Thence walked home ..., having taken great cold in my feet by walking in the dirt this day in thin shoes ..." What were you thinking? Did you get dressed up to impress Mrs. Bagwell?
Sasha Clarkson • Link
The wonderful British summer: we're set for a couple of solid days of rain now - at least the rain's warmer this time of year!
I wonder what else was in the "elder spirits"? It seems to have done something to Sam's libido!
Weavethe hawk • Link
vicente, alta turpis fossa or caput, lutum stercusin, altae fossae, in Aqua epistula, in Aqua Scripto, in aqua pustula. And so it continues.
Terry Foreman • Link
" I found my bill against Tom Trice dismissed, which troubles me, it being through my neglect, and will put me to charges. "
L&M: On this day Pepys swore an affidavit alleging that the defendant had not given proper notice to the plaintiffs, anbd deposing that he had further witnesses in Huntingdonshire to examine: Whitear, p. 160.