Wednesday 10 February 1663/64
Up, and by coach to my Lord Sandwich, to his new house, a fine house, but deadly dear, in Lincoln’s Inne Fields, where I found and spoke a little to him. He is high and strange still, but did ask me how my wife did, and at parting remembered him to his cozen, which I thought was pretty well, being willing to flatter myself that in time he will be well again.
Thence home straight and busy all the forenoon, and at noon with Mr. Bland to Mr. Povy’s, but he being at dinner and full of company we retreated and went into Fleet Street to a friend of his, and after a long stay, he telling me the long and most perplexed story of Coronell and Bushell’s business of sugars, wherein Parke and Green and Mr. Bland and 40 more have been so concerned about the King of Portugal’s duties, wherein every party has laboured to cheat another, a most pleasant and profitable story to hear, and in the close made me understand Mr. Maes’ business better than I did before. By and by dinner came, and after dinner and good discourse that and such as I was willing for improvement sake to hear, I went away too to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, where I took occasion to demand of Creed whether he had received my letter, and he told me yes, and that he would answer it, which makes me much wonder what he means to do with me, but I will be even with him before I have done, let him make as light of it as he will.
Thence to the Temple, where my cozen Roger Pepys did show me a letter my Father wrote to him last Terme to shew me, proposing such things about Sturtlow and a portion for Pall, and I know not what, that vexes me to see him plotting how to put me to trouble and charge, and not thinking to pay our debts and legacys, but I will write him a letter will persuade him to be wiser.
So home, and finding my wife abroad (after her coming home from being with my aunt Wight to-day to buy Lent provisions) gone with Will to my brother’s, I followed them by coach, but found them not, for they were newly gone home from thence, which troubled me. I to Sir Robert Bernard’s chamber, and there did surrender my reversion in Brampton lands to the use of my will, which I was glad to have done, my will being now good in all parts. Thence homewards, calling a little at the Coffee- house, where a little merry discourse, and so home, where I found my wife, who says she went to her father’s to be satisfied about her brother, who I found at my house with her. He is going this next tide with his wife into Holland to seek his fortune. He had taken his leave of us this morning. I did give my wife 10s. to give him, and a coat that I had by me, a close-bodied light-coloured cloth coat, with a gold edgeing in each seam, that was the lace of my wife’s best pettycoat that she had when I married her. I staid not there, but to my office, where Stanes the glazier was with me till to at night making up his contract, and, poor man, I made him almost mad through a mistake of mine, but did afterwards reconcile all, for I would not have the man that labours to serve the King so cheap above others suffer too much.
He gone I did a little business more, and so home to supper and to bed, being now pretty well again, the weather being warm. My pain do leave me without coming to any great excesse, but my cold that I had got I suppose was not very great, it being only the leaving of my wastecoat unbuttoned one morning.
34 Annotations
First Reading
Pedro • Link
Parke.
This link goes to John Packer who according to L&M died in 1649, but may be John Parker of whom it says...
Merchant of Mark Lane. Probably John Parker, who in 1660 was lodging there with John Bland. He was appointed to the Council of Trade in 1660.
Firenze • Link
I am hearing the the tailor's son in the description of the close-bodied light-coloured cloth coat with the recycled petticoat trim.
Prior to the era of mass-production - and even after it, particularly in times of austerity - people had fairly few clothes, and the fancy bits - lace, embroidery, beading, buttons etc - would be carried forward, possibly for years (how long have the Pepys been married?)
Lawrence • Link
Lord Sandwich's new House "Deadly dear"
I suppose he means expensive to rent?
J A Gioia • Link
Off Topic: Apologies
The actor in this news story, used to do a remarkable one man Pepys show, reading diary entries (his rendering of Sam's latinate gibberish to describe coitus was hilarious.)
He has advanced some 200 years, but I thought the English Majors here would enjoy this:
ST PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Slam poetry got a fresh twist when three Victorian-era re-enactors read from such poets as William Wordsworth and Emily Dickinson in a setting that was fitting for the event - a 19th-century stone mansion.
Actor Craig Johnson, wearing a gray frock coat typical of the period, said at the Saturday night event that there were two reasons for holding a slam - more typically the venue of rappers and hipsters - involving Victorian era poets.
"One is just that we really love the literature," he said. "The other is that it gives us a chance to do something we otherwise wouldn't get to do at the Hill House." Johnson manages the James J. Hill mansion for the Minnesota Historical Society.
More at: http://apnews.myway.com/article/2…
Robert Gertz • Link
"...but did ask me how my wife did, and at parting remembered him to his cozen, which I thought was pretty well, being willing to flatter myself that in time he will be well again."
Hmmn...A hint that Sandwich's coolness has stemmed from thinking Sam's letter was actually a cautious, roundabout hint to keep away from Bess? And this a feeler to see if Sam reacts? Maybe his boys have persuaded him that the letter had nothing to do with any suspicion on Sam's part and this was just a little test? Be interesting to see if now Sandwich begins to thaw towards him.
***
"...gone with Will to my brother's, I followed them by coach, but found them not, for they were newly gone home from thence, which troubled me."
Will could have her at some little out-of-the-way ale house right now, Sam. Tousing her, bending her over a chair...And even...
Ok, we're talking about Will Hewer here. At worst Bess is just giving him an intensive quizzing on Sam's activities.
Oh-oh...That could be worse for our boy.
Robert Gertz • Link
Nice he has consideration for poor Stanes.
Martin • Link
He is going this next tide with his wife into Holland to seek his fortune
During this century many Huguenots fled France and settled in the Netherlands (as well as in Prussia, England, America, South Africa and elsewhere). By 1700, about a quarter of the population of Amsterdam were French,and there were French churches and pubs. Balthasar was born in England but has now decided, apparently, to follow the Huguenot tide to Holland.
Glyn • Link
Lawrence - I think he means 'Deadly Dear' to build and to furnish a new house rather than rent an old one, but don't know for sure. They were just beginning to build around Lincoln's Inn Fields, it was a new fashionable place to live. Sandwich is splashing out his money anyway, especially as his puritan wife prefers to live in the country,
Andrew Hamilton • Link
I notice a nice change of pace in Sam's prose in this entry, from what are for him two relatively short opening sentences touching on a mater of deep concern (his relationship with Lord Sandwich and his concern about holding the debt of a man whose life style is "deadly dear,") into a tumble of words to get in all the activities of a busy day, encounters, gossip etc.
Pedro • Link
"my Lord Sandwich, to his new house"
From the biography of Sandwich by the late Richard Ollard...
"...Sandwich took lease on 20th January 1664 of a house in Lincoln Fields, a neighbourhood familiar to him as the home of his father-in-law Lord Crew."
Michiel van der Leeuw • Link
Balthasar was born in England but has now decided, apparently, to follow the Huguenot tide to Holland.
This can not be the case. The "Huguenot tide to Holland" started in 1685 after Louis XIV revoked the treaty of Nantes. Before that the Huguenots enjoyed could -to a certain degree- practise their protestant beliefs in France. In Balty's case it's more a question of "Go east, young man! (and make a fortune in a prosperous country)"
cumsalisgrano • Link
Most of the property I dothe believe be lease hold, i.e. purchase of building for 99 years , then it be taken over by the man that holds title to the ground and its minerals. This is why the names of property owners still be the same to-day as then, to own outright one had to purchase the ground lease. Lease hold still be name of the game, rent be short term.
London land still be owned by a few, the stones be owned by others. Ground rents be a nice income.
For clarification we need a lurking legal beaver for the real[?] estate .
Pedro • Link
"for I would not have the man that labours to serve the King so cheap above others suffer too much."
L&M says of Sta(i)nes, Thomas...
"Appointed glazier and plater, Chathan 1664. He appears to have earned his place by giving information about abuses in the work of the government glaziers.
alanB • Link
Seems to me that Sam readily identifies the common cold with an unbuttoned wastecoat but what are his fears for an unbuttoned fly?
Ruben • Link
"Seems to me that Sam readily identifies the common cold with an unbuttoned wastecoat but what are his fears for an unbuttoned fly?"
I think the answer is included in the question. An unbuttoned wastecoat means trouble tomorrow. An unbuttoned fly means trouble in 9 months...
jeannine • Link
"Balthasar was born in England ..."
Balty was born in England but to a man who knew nothing but "the sword", therefore he never learned any useful skill, etc. to practice. At least with Sam, if he hadn't gone the way of Sandwich, he had his father's tailoring skills to fall back on and could have taken over the family trade (in his case Thomas did that). In some ways the poorer workmen were better off because at least many of them learned a family skill/business that would allow them to at least feed themselves. Alexandre basically did unskilled work, albeit for Henrietta Marie for awhile, but he was basically a soldier for hire from time to time when money ran out, so Balty is somewhat following the family path.
Many people of title and/or relation to the upper crust (even insignificant titles/ties) didn't have any skill to impart upon their children and hoped that they were granted a job by some friend in the upper ranks (ie. all of Charles II's useless appointments to his lackluster buddies, etc.). So, for this case, as far as Balty goes, at least he is doing something to earn money, which is a plus for Sam as he will get him off of his list of needy friends/relatives, at least for a little while (we hope!).
P.S. AlanB and Ruben -you get the prize of the week for best back and forth annotation! You gave me a great laugh!
Bradford • Link
Pursuant to J. A. Gioia's note above: Sandwich himself would find it "deadly dear" to emulate and maintain a residence such as Hill House, which Pepys would declare one of the finest he had ever seen in his life, furnished as it is with its own two-tiered art gallery (complete with pipe organ) and numerous other wonders of the age of railway barons. Should you ever find yourself in St. Paul, il vaut le détour, as Balty might say.
Andrew hamilton • Link
The "Huguenot tide to Holland" started in 1685
There was evidently some emigration from France to Holland by French protestants from the mid-1550s onward. One of my forebears made this move around 1620, and then went onward in 1623 to help found New Amsterdam.
djc • Link
lease hold
Development of what was previously farmland outside London's city walls was almost always by building leases. One reason being that the property was often entailed, ie the freehold had to be passed on to the next generation. A building lease for usually 99 years (but could be longer 125 or more). The leasee built the property, or might hold the head lease and sub lease to builders of individual houses. The houses once built would be rented. At the expiry of the lease the freeholder gains the reversion and can grant a new lease. The value of the estate often depended on the vigour with which a freeholder enforced the covenants which obliged the leasee to maintain the fabric and character of the property.
Over time many of the great estates have been broken up with freehold sold on individual properties. A succession of legal changes in C20 and earlier have given leaseholders right to buy out the freehold interest.
martin • Link
Huguenot tide
Michiel: Perhaps it was not a tide until after 1685, but as Andrew notes, certainly there was migration to Holland from about 1550 on, just as the St Michels had gone to England in the early 1600s. I also have French ancestors who came to Zeeland and Amsterdam in the early to mid 1600s.
cumsalisgrano • Link
Huguenots: Sun king has made a pact with El Papa and the Protesting ones feared a resurging tide of opression, so off to a town that will not abuse them. Where there be war, there be loot, and prophet [sic] to be made so off to help the Germanics boost up the borders against those that be attempting to expand new business opportunities without paying cash.
Maybe Balty had a dream that he would scout out the Village of Blenheim for young Churchill [ now aged 14] so that he would get some credit?
Robert Gertz • Link
Balty planned to sign up for the Dutch component of the army marching against the Turk, didn't he? Dad Alex had similar plans earlier, but apparently has dropped them? Unless he already went?
Something tells me that unless the young heir to the Sieur de St. Michel is given the officer's position he feels entitled to by nature of his exalted birth he won't be staying long in Holland or Germany.
Glyn • Link
How old is Balty - is he older or younger than Elizabeth?
Pedro • Link
How old is Balty - is he older or younger than Elizabeth?
From Jeannine's in-depth article we can see that Elizabeth's father met her mother soon after arriving in Ireland in 1632.
The family were in Bideford between 1638 and 1641, where Elizabeth and Balty were born.
Elizabeth was born in 1640, but there does not seem to be any indication as to who was born first, however their ages must be quite close.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/indepth…
cumsalisgrano • Link
Balty should have joined the French troops that were off to Portugal to fight the Spanish. It be the 28 yr war to get the Spaniards off their Turf and for the Portuguese have a say so in their own world, no wonder the Jews [Espinoza B. for one] absconded to Amsterdam as it be same old hastle.
For those that would like to have light reading on 'wot' it be like to read about womans lot in Iberia of the mid 17th Century, and the life of a Nun, then thee should read the Letters of a Portuguese Nun who wrote them in French and where given accolades back in the 1700's. Now avail at thy local printing pres.
I luv some of the dismay that a female could rite so heduficated like, it was a man that did it. {Bunk of course, like Billy S could not rite 'amlet, da could only sign his name with an ex.]
Terry F • Link
"Mr. Maes' business"
Iudoco Maes, a Portuguese Jew, had attempted to escape England in December, 1663, having been imprisoned for involvement with two-score Lonson merchants in a scheme whereby some English ships had allegedly sailed in 1662 with a cargo of sugar from Portugal's colony, Brazil, to London, without paying duties due Portugal.
Terry F • Link
Source for the previous post was L&M.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Coronell and Bushell’s business of sugars, wherein Parke and Green and Mr. Bland and 40 more have been so concerned about the King of Portugal’s duties, wherein every party has laboured to cheat another. "
L&M note the Portuguese government had tried to have the allegedly unpaid duties offset the unpaid part of the Queen's dowry.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Sir Augustine Coronel was a Spanish-Jewish financier, an agent of the King of Portugal, involved in the dowry arrangements, who had allegedly cheated his creditors by going bankrupt. The merchants here named (all of London) were Edward Bushnell, John Packer, John Green and John Bland. (Per L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"I took occasion to demand of Creed whether he had received my letter"
See http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… (Per L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"...Sandwich took lease on 20th January 1664 of a house in Lincoln Fields, a neighbourhood familiar to him as the home of his father-in-law Lord Crew."
For the specific location of the house on the square, and its rent see http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... finding my wife abroad (after her coming home from being with my aunt Wight to-day to buy Lent provisions) ..." What did these ladies find to talk about? Since Aunt Mary Sutton Wight enquired about Elizabeth's "pregnancy" I assumed she knew something of Uncle Wight's designs on the Pepys' child. I wonder if Elizabeth filled her in on the rest of Uncle's suggestions ...??? I know, we'll probably never find out.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Aldgate was once the heart of London’s sugar-baking industry and, from the mid-17th century onwards, Germans brought their expertise to this volatile and dangerous trade, which required heating vast pans of sugar with an alarming tendency to combust, or even explode.
The hot and sticky atmosphere meant sugar-bakers worked naked, thus avoiding getting their clothes stuck to their bodies and, therefore avoiding the epilatory qualities of sugar.
As an interesting side note, as with other immigrant communities, there was discord over whether English or the language of the homeland should be spoken in their church and, by implication, whether integration or separatism was preferable – this controversy led to this community rioting in Aldgate on December 3, 1767.
From http://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/… which has lovely pictures of the 18th century German Lutheran church
Terry Foreman • Link
The Concession and Agreement of the Lords Proprietors of the Province of New Caesarea, or New Jersey, to and With All and Every the Adventurers and All Such as Shall Settle or Plant There
Published this day by JOHN BERKELEY and G. CARTERET
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_…