Wednesday 29 July 1663
Up about 6 o’clock, and found the people to have just done, and Hannah not gone to bed yet, but was making clean of the yard and kitchen. Will newly gone to bed. So I to my office.
And having given some order to Tom Hater, to whom I gave leave for his recreation to go down to Portsmouth this Pay, I went down to Wapping to Sir W. Warren, and there staid an hour or two discoursing of some of his goods and then things in general relating to this office, &c., and so home, and there going to Sir William Batten (having no stomach to dine at home, it being yet hardly clean of last night’s [mess]) and there I dined with my Lady and her daughter and son Castle, and mighty kind she is and I kind to her, but, Lord! how freely and plainly she rails against Commissioner Pett, calling him rogue, and wondering that the King keeps such a fellow in the Navy.
Thence by and by walked to see Sir W. Pen at Deptford, reading by the way a most ridiculous play, a new one, called “The Politician Cheated.” After a little sitting with him I walked to the yard a little and so home again, my Will with me, whom I bade to stay in the yard for me, and so to bed.
This morning my brother Tom was with me, and we had some discourse again concerning his country mistress, but I believe the most that is fit for us to condescend to, will not content her friends.
15 Annotations
First Reading
TerryF • Link
"last night’s turds" ~ transscribe L&M.
Telling it as it is/was.
TerryF • Link
*The Politician Cheated" -
a nice ambiguity as to who cheated whom -
Too bad the play itself was not as witty as its title. It was apparently never performed (though it might have been rehearsed and judged a flop in the making).
Of course the first post should say 'transcribed'.
Patricia • Link
No wonder Pepys' neighbours were complaining about his house of office--it took all night to empty it! That must have been a very large vault, and very full.
Aqua • Link
When Turners waste matter dothe over flow, Sam gets the message, time to unload. NB. it be 30 months in the corruption stage, ready for the making into Fireworks. Remember, Turning nite soil into gunpowder be Mr Evelyns Family Income and wealth.
"...This night Mr. Turner’s house being to be emptied out of my cellar, and therefore I think to sit up a little longer than ordinary..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
"...by which I found that Mr. Turner’s house of office is full and comes into my cellar, which do trouble me, but I shall have it helped..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Miss Ann fr Home • Link
Looks like poor Tom's love life is on the skids again - when will he find a bird that pleases his brother! If it's not one thing it's another - this country wench sounds just fine for our Tom (with the speech impediment) - he'll end up an old batchelor thanks to Sam.
Robert Gertz • Link
I think Sam's view on Tom's love affair is that of a modern brother warning another not to take on a mortgage he can't really fit into his budget. Sure, he might the initial approval- talk the lady into marriage with a settlement up front with help from Sam- but the long term costs would kill him in the end. To some degree it may be tough love...He can see Tom and his lady drowning in bitter recriminations within a year. He can see the lady is a nice, conventional match and that it will fail, given Tom's limited means.
Of course he may simply be acting to protect his own purse from assault but I can't help thinking that if he felt it was anything like him and Bess-a real love and willingness to risk the future together- he'd reluctantly go along.
Robert Gertz • Link
Poor Hannah...Poor Will.
Robert Gertz • Link
"July 29. 1663...
Dearest Wife,
If you think you've been living in Hell in Brampton..."
language hat • Link
"a nice ambiguity as to who cheated whom"
Not really -- in the 17th century it would clearly have meant "the politician [who was] cheated."
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"Tom Hater, to whom I gave leave...to go down to Portsmouth this Pay"
The dockyards were paid quarterly. (L&M footnote)
Bill • Link
“I believe the most that is fit for us to condescend to, will not content her friends”
To CONDESCEND, to comply, submit, or yield to.
---An universal etymological English dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Tom Hater, to whom I gave leave ... to go down to Portsmouth this Pay." The dockyards were paid quarterly. (L&M footnote)
http://www.historic-uk.com/Cultur…
As Quarter Days fall near the solstices or equinoxes, the days are associated with the beginning of a new season.
There are traditionally four “quarter days” in a year [Lady Day on 25 March, Midsummer on 24 June, Michaelmas on 29 September, and Christmas on 25 December].
They are spaced three months apart, on religious festivals. They were the four dates on which servants were hired, rents due, or leases begun.
Apparently the Navy didn't follow this tradition, or the Pay would have been done last month. Does L&M give us any enlightenment on that?
Terry Foreman • Link
"Apparently the Navy didn't follow this tradition, or the Pay would have been done last month. Does L&M give us any enlightenment on that?"
No
Terry Foreman • Link
"No"
At least not here.
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . the most that is fit for us to condescend to . . ’
‘condescend, v. < French
. . 5. To give one's consent, to accede or agree to (a proposal, request, measure, etc.); to acquiesce.
, , b. intr. Const. to a thing. Obs.
. . 1649 Milton Εικονοκλαστης iv. 28 The King..having both call'd this Parlament unwillingly, and as unwillingly..condescended to thir several acts.
1737 W. Whiston tr. Josephus Jewish Antiq. i. xxi. §4, in tr. Josephus Genuine Wks. To which desire he condescended . . ‘
(OED)