Monday 8 February 1663/64
Up, and by coach called upon Mr. Phillips, and after a little talk with him away to my Lord Sandwich’s, but he being gone abroad, I staid a little and talked with Mr. Howe, and so to Westminster in term time, and there met Mr. Pierce, who told me largely how the King still do doat upon his women, even beyond all shame; and that the good Queen will of herself stop before she goes sometimes into her dressing-room, till she knows whether the King be there, for fear he should be, as she hath sometimes taken him, with Mrs. Stewart.
And that some of the best parts of the Queen’s joynture are, contrary to faith, and against the opinion of my Lord Treasurer and his Council, bestowed or rented, I know not how, to my Lord Fitz-Harding and Mrs. Stewart, and others of that crew.
That the King do doat infinitely upon the Duke of Monmouth, apparently as one that he intends to have succeed him. God knows what will be the end of it!
After he was gone I went and talked with Mrs. Lane about persuading her to Hawly, and think she will come on, which I wish were done, and so to Mr. Howlett and his wife, and talked about the same, and they are mightily for it, and I bid them promote it, for I think it will be for both their goods and my content. But I was much pleased to look upon their pretty daughter, which is grown a pretty mayd, and will make a fine modest woman.
Thence to the ’Change by coach, and after some business done, home to dinner, and thence to Guildhall, thinking to have heard some pleading, but there were no Courts, and so to Cade’s, the stationer, and there did look upon some pictures which he promised to give me the buying of, but I found he would have played the Jacke with me, but at last he did proffer me what I expected, and I have laid aside 10l. or 12l. worth, and will think of it, but I am loth to lay out so much money upon them.
So home a little vexed in my mind to think how to-day I was forced to compliment W. Howe and admit myself to an equality with Mr. Moore, which is come to challenge in his discourse with me, but I will admit it no more, but let me stand or fall, I will show myself as strange to them as my Lord do himself to me.
After at the office till 9 o’clock, I home in fear of some pain by taking cold, and so to supper and to bed.
25 Annotations
First Reading
Robert Gertz • Link
Methinks our boy is trying to cast off his darker recent actions, literally upon poor ole Hawly. Interesting his discussion of discard plans follows his ruminations on the King's folly.
Patricia • Link
Oh, Robert, that wasn't my thought at all: I supposed he wants Mrs. Lane to be married so that, if he gets her pregnant, they can pass the child off as her husband's.
Robert Gertz • Link
Actually Patricia...That's what I meant.
Ruben • Link
I find it natural that after writing down the King's monkey business, Samuel the citizen writes down his own...
As we already know from this week annotations, a married woman is in a better position than a single one.
May be, this is the way for Pepys to pay back to Mrs. Lane for the "favors" he "received" from her. He will not give her money, wouldn't he, but he can help her have a better position in London's society. This comes cheap, as he will not have to pay for the marriage.
Ruben • Link
Like in the Magic Flute, the prince is in love with the princess and the commoner with the commoner...
Benvenuto • Link
he would have played the Jacke with me
= a knavish trick?
Robert Gertz • Link
"So home a little vexed in my mind to think how to-day I was forced to compliment W. Howe and admit myself to an equality with Mr. Moore, which is come to challenge in his discourse with me, but I will admit it no more, but let me stand or fall, I will show myself as strange to them as my Lord do himself to me."
"What a pretty thing man is when he goes in his doublet and hose and leaves off his wit!" ("Much Ado About Nothing")
No doubt Howe and Moore will return the "strangeness".
"Howe." The curt acknowledgement.
"Pepys." The acknowledgement returned...With the minimal courtesy.
"Moore." The slighting nod.
"P..epyss." The sneeringly drawn out return.
"My Lord?" The quick cut to business.
"Within." The reply, soul of brevity. Moore in turn merely giving the wave of hand, comtemptuously dismissive, to stairs.
"Gentlemen." The termination, cutting.
"Puffed-up jackass." Howe and Moore...The insightful commentary, following.
jeannine • Link
"and that the good Queen will of herself stop before she goes sometimes into her dressing-room, till she knows whether the King be there, for fear he should be, as she hath sometimes taken him, with Mrs. Stewart"
Queen Catherine, who was well aware of her husband's philandering, actually caught him in "the act" several times throughout her life. Over the years, she learned to publicly take it in stride, but at this point in her life, where she really was in love with her husband, the hurt, embarrassment and public gossip must have been incredibly painful for her. Charles never had the consideration for his wife's feelings to at least keep his libertine ways private. Her life seemed one public humiliation after another.
What a far cry from him weeping at her bedside last October when he feared she would die.
Pedro • Link
"he would have played the Jacke with me"
Brewers Phrase and Fable has a host of sayings concerned with jack, some that caught my eye...
13) Jack-snip. A botching tailor.
16) Jack-straw. A peasant rebel.
18) Jack-in-office. A conceited official, or upstart, who presumes on his official appointment to give himself airs.
20) Jack-in-the-water. An attendant at the waterman's stairs, etc., willing to wet his feet, if needs be, for a "few coppers."
USED IN PROVERBIAL PHRASES.
A good Jack makes a good Jill. A good husband makes a good wife,
To play the Jack. To play the rogue or knave; to deceive or lead astray like Jack-o'- lantern, or ignis fatuus.
(ignis fatuus? Very similar to someone we know?)
http://www.bibliomania.com/2/3/25…
Robert Gertz • Link
"What a far cry from him weeping at her bedside last October when he feared she would die."
But there, Jeannine you have the mystery of so many relationships... Including our Diarist.
In Charles' case, like some modern royals and others, he doesn't take either the matrimony vows or the bedroom pledges to mistresses too seriously and I imagine he's a bit startled to find Catherine does. However when it came to something he regarded as important, her impending demise...He came through for her. I would guess Catherine hopes such moments express his real feelings.
Don't get me wrong, to me his behavior's abominable and often cruel but I think he would argue that since royals and the like are required to follow state interest he...And she...Didn't have a real choice in marriage and that while he's become fond of Catherine, it's foolish to pretend this is more than a social arrangement. That he does feel affection for her and was concerned at her illness is the real surprise.
Robert Gertz • Link
"A good Jack makes a good Jill. A good husband makes a good wife..."
Can't you just see that phrase turning endlessly in Sam's mind every time jealousy rears its green head. Yes, I deserve it...But oh, God,no...Yes if it were me, I'd run off with Pembleton the first chance...But please, please, no...
Jesse • Link
"the good Queen ..."
Not just 'consideration for his wife's feelings' as Jeannine notes but consideration for the crown. When, at minimum, some discretion is called for he behaves instead just like another loutish male "doat[ing] upon his women, even beyond all shame".
Pedro • Link
Ignis Fatuus? Very similar to someone we know?
Ignis Fatuus is in fact a rare species of Annotator, a summer visitor in 1663. (although it had been spotted in April 1661)
Pedro • Link
On this day.
Holmes writes a long letter to Coventry giving him a full account of actions since his first sighting of Cape Verde on Christmas Day. He concludes with the words...
"You now have all the trade in your owne hands from Cape de Verd to the Gould Coast...being the most considerable trade in Christendome. I hope you will take resolution to keepe it...if I go beyond my instructions I hope you and the Royall Company will mediate for mee"
(Man of War...by the late Richard Ollard)
Pedro • Link
"it's foolish to pretend this is more than a social arrangement."
I think that the sense of this needs changing a little, as although I am sure it is not meant, it follows on from the name of an annotator, and could be taken to refer to a specific person.
Robert Gertz • Link
Of course the "it's foolish to pretend..." refers only to Charles' view of the marriage, Pedro, not to anyone else's.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"some of the best parts of the Queen’s joynture are...bestowed or rented...to my Lord Fitz-Harding and Mrs. Stewart, and others of that crew"
On 4 February three warrants had passed for the grant to Fitz-Hardinge of leases of land in Northamptonshire: CSPD 1663-4, p. 468. (L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
ig·nis fat·u·us
ˌiɡnəs ˈfaCHəwəs/
A will-o'-the-wisp, or ignis fatuus (Medieval Latin for "foolish fire") is an atmospheric ghost light seen by travellers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes. It resembles a flickering lamp and is said to recede if approached, drawing travellers from the safe paths. The phenomenon is known by a variety of names, including jack-o'-lantern, friar's lantern, hinkypunk, and hobby lantern in English. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil…
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... against the opinion of my Lord Treasurer and his Council, ..."
The Privy Council, I guess. Anyone know who was on that Council?
San Diego Sarah • Link
Jack Hawly had had lunch with Sam and Elizabeth Pepys on January 23, where Pepys presumably told him Betty Lane wasn't interested. Apparently Hawly decided to persist.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"So home a little vexed in my mind to think how today I was forced to compliment W. Howe and admit myself to an equality with Mr. Moore, which is come to challenge in his discourse with me, but I will admit it no more, but let me stand or fall, I will show myself as strange to them as my Lord do himself to me."
Pepys keeps asking Mr. Moore and Mr. Howe to report on Sandwich's mood and behavior, and/or cover his backside for having the guts to write that unwanted letter. They now sense Pepys' vulnerability, and it's straining their relationships. Pepys is right to stop acting nervous around his old colleagues, What will be, will be.
Bill • Link
"I found he would have played the Jacke with me"
To play the Jack with one.
To attempt to domineer over one, I suppose, is here the intended sense.
---English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases Collected from the Most Authentic Sources. J. Russell Smith, 1869.
StanB • Link
"... against the opinion of my Lord Treasurer and his Council, ..."
The Privy Council, I guess. Anyone know who was on that Council?
Sarah, As you will know when elected to the Privy Council it was for life unless you were expelled or a Monarch died, Records are quite difficult to locate since the reorganisation in 1679, However i have managed to find the minutes from a case heard on November 20th 1663 against a one John Furly who was a Quaker
So he was summoned before the Board
Present there were
King Charles
The Duke of York
Prince Rupert
The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Lord Chancellor
The Earl of Bath
The Earl of Lauderdale
Lord Wentworth
Also in Attendance and the bit that may interest you were
The Lord Privy Seal
The Duke of Albemarle
The Lord Chamberlain
The Marquis of Dorchester
The Earl of Berkshire
The Earl of St Albans
Lord Ashley
Mr Treasurer
Mr Vice Chamberlain
Mr Secretary Morrice
Mr Secretary Bennet
Sir Edward Nicolas
Sir Richard Fanshawe
Furlys case got quite complicated but the upshot was he was sent to Newgate Prison
Hope this helps
San Diego Sarah • Link
Stan, that is an awesome list ... and no, I had no idea why I was having trouble finding a list. Thank you.
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . who told me largely how the King still do doat upon his women . . ’
‘largely, adv.. .
. . 5. With reference to speech or writing: at (great) length; fully. Now rare.
. . 1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. i. 109 The feast is largely described by Plutarch . . ‘
or
‘ . . 7. Freely, without restraint. Obs.
. . 1645 E. W. Life & Death William Lawd 17 He should have cleared himself of that Crime before he spake so largely of the King . . ‘
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Re: ‘ . . he would have played the Jacke with me . . ’
‘Jack, n.1 < A pet-name or by-name, used as a familiar equivalent of John . .
. . 2. b. Phr. to play the jack: to play the knave, to do a mean trick. Obs.
. . 1668 S. Pepys Diary 23 Feb. (1976) IX. 88 Sir R. Brookes overtook us coming to town; who hath played the Jacke with us all and is a fellow that I must trust no more . . ‘
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