Thursday 7 April 1664
Up and to my office, where busy, and by and by comes Sir W. Warren and old Mr. Bond in order to the resolving me some questions about masts and their proportions, but he could say little to me to my satisfaction, and so I held him not long but parted. So to my office busy till noon and then to the ’Change, where high talke of the Dutch’s protest against our Royall Company in Guinny, and their granting letters of marke against us there, and every body expects a warr, but I hope it will not yet be so, nor that this is true. Thence to dinner, where my wife got me a pleasant French fricassee of veal for dinner, and thence to the office, where vexed to see how Sir W. Batten ordered things this afternoon (vide my office book, for about this time I have begun, my notions and informations encreasing now greatly every day, to enter all occurrences extraordinary in my office in a book by themselves), and so in the evening after long discourse and eased my mind by discourse with Sir W. Warren, I to my business late, and so home to supper and to bed.
27 Annotations
First Reading
Terry F • Link
"my wife got me a pleasant French fricassee of veal for dinner"
Reward for the "pretty silke for a petticoate for [his] wife" bought yesterday? Nice.
fric·as·see (frk-s, frk-s)
n. Poultry or meat cut into pieces and stewed in gravy.
tr.v. fric·as·seed, fric·as·see·ing, fric·as·sees
To prepare (poultry or meat) by cutting into pieces and stewing in gravy.
[French fricassée, from Old French, from feminine past participle of fricasser, to fricassee : probably frire, to fry (from Latin frgere, to roast, fry) + casser, to break, crack (from Latin quassre, to shake, shatter; see squash2) or Vulgar Latin *coctire, to press together (from Latin coctus; see cogent).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/…
Roboto • Link
Nose pulling all forgotten, nice silk pettycoat, French fricassee of veal for dinner and all is right with the world (except for Tom's indiscretion).
Australian Susan • Link
Happy Easter, everyone!
Michael Robinson • Link
comes Sir W. Warren and old Mr. Bond in order to the resolving me some questions about masts
Shrewd move of Warren to enlist Bond; in the past he had been independently recommended to Pepys as a teacher of timber measure.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
AussieRene • Link
And a Happy Easter to you too Susan.
A. De Araujo • Link
"Happy Easter Aussies"
Although, having been born under the Southern Cross myself,it is not the same down there.
Carl Wickstrom in Boston USA • Link
Happy Easter to all.
Robert Gertz • Link
"...comes Sir W. Warren and old Mr. Bond in order to the resolving me some questions about masts and their proportions..."
That Sir William would bring in Mr. Bond, apparently a first-rate mathematician of some repute, suggests he takes Sam's concerns seriously. Of course like those "independent" experts Microsoft's people strive to pack "independent" review groups with (according to their own emails recently published in Harper's) Bond is likely his man, at least it's better tnan Warren just offering another glove of cash to keep our boy in line.
Wonder if a set of gloves or a cup or a box containing goodies will make a mysterious appearance in the next few...
Terry F • Link
"some questions about masts"
With all the war talk, at least Pepys is about fitting the fleet. When it comes to war talk, the Duke cannot be as easily dismissed as voices at the 'Change. Pepys?!
Michael Robinson • Link
all occurrences extraordinary ... in a book by themselves
Is this the source to which Robert Gertz has extraordinary access?
cape henry • Link
"...every body expects a warr, but I hope it will not yet be so, nor that this is true."
Possibly a hint here that Sam understands that the navy is not prepared for a war?
Robert Gertz • Link
"...where vexed to see how Sir W. Batten ordered things this afternoon..."
"What's this, what's this...Provisioning against war? Supply lists in case of war? Ships in dock and under repair? No, no..." Batten tosses the clerks-at-hand's papers in the air. "This nonsense may be the sort of thing our Mr. Pepys loves to play with but boys what the Duke really wants...What King and Country need...Is a good slogan for the war at hand."
"A...Slogan, Sir William?"
"Yes, yes, Turner. A slogan...A catchy phrase, preferably easily set to music. Now lads, put those silly papers away...Hewer? What are you about with that book?"
"Notes for Mr. Pepys, Sir William."
"Let that rest and set your mind to work with us. A catchy slogan, boys...There's the thing that wins a war. Eh, Sir John?" Catches the just-opened eye of the previously snoring Sir John...
"Quite, Will, quite...Something Shakespearian, there's the thing...Yes. 'The war's wherein we'll catch the b...s of the bloody Dutchmen'."
"There you go, lads. To it."
"Sir William? 'Victory's right around the corner once we get them bloody wood shoes off the Dutch.'?"
"Ummmn..." Sir John eyes Sir Will...
"A good effort, lad...A promising start. But lets keep at it." Batten, encouragingly.
How about 'No food, no arms, no ships, no men...We're dead in the water, lets surrender.'? Hewer thinks, sighing.
Clement • Link
...and a happy Passover too.
It would be fun to see Sam go back to temple, but stick around for some of the raucous conversation he reported at his last visit.
Pedro • Link
In the absence of Dirk...
A News-Letter addressed to Sir George Lane
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 7 April 1664
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 222, fol(s). 64-65
The House of Commons has under consideration Bills for rendering the Rivers Mersey and Weaver navigable; for making provision for the maintenance of the Clergy in Towns corporate; for the improvement of the Great Level of the Fens, known as the 'Bedford Level'; and for building new churches in populous towns.
Advices have been received from Spain of the very honourable reception of his Majesty's Amabassador, Sir Richard Fanshaw, at Cadiz.
Orders have been given to the Officers of Customs, at all the English ports, not to admit any merchandize from Zealand, in resentment of affronts to the King's dignity offered in that Province.
Pedro • Link
and more...
Commissioners of the Navy to Lane
Written from: Navy Office
Date: 7 April 1664
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 33, fol(s). 360
Document type: Original [signed by Pepys, Mennis, Batten, & Coventry]
Orders are given for the attendance at Chester, on a day named, of a paymaster's clerk, that part of their wages, now in arrear, may be paid to the crews of H.M.S. Harp and of the yacht Mary. The Lord Lieutenant's due directions to the commander of those vessels respectively, in accordance therewith, are solicited.
The King to Ormond
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 7 April 1664
Shelfmark: MS. Carte 43, fol(s). 355
Document type: Original
Care is to be taken that none of the lands now in the possession of Sir William Penn, by way of custodium, be taken thereout, or granted to any other person whatsoever.
cumsalisgrano • Link
Pedro, thanks, interesting Documents.
H.M.S. WAs this the first instance of oficially using this Title.
also interesting, WM Penn and his Irish estate. What was the income and other details ?.are there any?
Bedford Level be still there, It is interesting to see sails up in the air and the road you be driving on, Dry, not unlike seeing ships on the Canal near the Ishmalia, sailing above the Sand banks of the Canal.
Pedro • Link
The Electronic Calendar of the Carte Papers, 1660-87
This site was found by Dirk, who alas I think is having problems gaining access to the internet.
Unfortunately it only gives the brief outline of the letters...
"Between 1877 and 1883 Edward Edwards produced a calendar of the entire Carte collection, itself comprising 75 volumes. It had been intended to publish the calendar, but deterred by the difficulties of its sheer bulk and complexity, the Library decided not to go ahead with publication. The calendar is therefore only available in the Bodleian Library, though some Irish libraries have microfilm copies.
The calendar gives an abstract of every paper in the Carte collection in chronological order. It is written in a not always easy Victorian hand, and it has no index. For users interested in particular persons, places or subjects, there is no means of access."
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
Pedro • Link
Talk at the Change.
One of Valckenburg's (Dutch Governor on the Gold Coast) statements regarding the Dutch ownership of the Gold Coast had been circulated on the Royal Exchange, where it became the chief topic of conversation. Indeed so great was the sensation it stirred up that Samuel Pepys declared on April 7, 1664, that everybody was expecting a war
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 4, 1919
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"(vide my office book, for about this time I have begun, my notions and informations encreasing now greatly every day, to enter all occurrences extraordinary in my office in a book by themselves)"
Presumably his 'Navy White Book', PL 2581. On p. 43 is a note about Batten's unreasonable severity against Warren. The first entry is dated 6 October 1663, but may well have been made later, as this passage implies. Pepys first mentions the need for a personal memorandum book at 20 June 1662, and it appears that he then began to keep a book of reference which has now disappeared. Cf. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
and http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… The 'Navy White Book' was of a different nature -- a reformer's handbook of abuses, of things that went wrong. It seems to have been this book to which Pepys refers in a letter to Coventry of 28 July 1667, where it is described as 'observations I have (I hope usefully) made on points wherein want of order, industry, and foresight in matters within the disposal of this Office has not (to tell truth) smally contributed to what his Majesty has suffered in the pursuit of this war -- which project, though calculated chiefly for the service of a war, yet will it (I doubt not) administer considerations of use in peace': Further Corr., p. 180.
(Per L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"the Dutch’s protest against our Royall Company in Guinny, and their granting letters of marke against us there"
Probably the protest (7 June 1663) from the Director-General of the Dutch W. Africa Company to Francis Selwyn, agent of the English Royal African Company. A translation was sent from Holland to the Secretary of State on 12/31 March: PRO, SP 84/169, n.f. (L&M footnote)
The ERAC'S Admiral Robert Holmes had been stirring up things off the Guinea coast.
San Diego Sarah • Link
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
{In March 1662} Sir George Lane was a Clerk in Ordinary to the Privy Council, so "an order of the Councels" would have been either an "Order in Council" (signed by Charles II), or an "Order of Council" (signed on its behalf by another member).
Although now largely ceremonial, the Privy Council was (and is) the senior official branch of the government of the UK. Officially, the Cabinet is merely one of its committees. PC members are normally appointed for life and have the appendage "right honorable."
In 1663 Sir George Lane was a clerk to the Privy Council, and secretary to James Butler, Duke of Ormonde, Lord Steward to the Royal Household.
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San Diego Sarah • Link
Chester is a walled city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales. Why would back pay for sailors be paid in a land-bound city so far from everything? Did they press from inland cities?
Terry Foreman • Link
"Why would back pay for sailors be paid in a land-bound city so far from everything? "
Well, there is the River Dee, that evidently had a "maritime past" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riv…
Sasha Clarkson • Link
Even in Roman times, Chester, "Deva", was a port, with access to the Irish Sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dev…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His…
Up-to early Victorian times, when boats were smaller, many "inland" towns and cities with river access functioned as ports. Iron ships and the coming of the railways changed all that.
Bill • Link
“my wife got me a pleasant French fricassee of veal for dinner”
FRICASSEY, a Dish of fry’d Meat as Rabbets, Chickens, &c.
---An universal etymological English dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . a pleasant French fricassee of veal . . ’
‘fricassee, n. < French
1. Meat sliced and fried or stewed and served with sauce. Now usually a ragout (highly seasoned stew) of small animals or birds cut in pieces.
. . 1656 Perfect Eng. Cooke 3 To make a Fregacy of Lamb or Veal.
1677 J. Phillips tr. J.-B. Tavernier Persian Trav. iii. i. 101 in tr. J.-B. Tavernier Six Voy. (1678) Little Birds..of which we caught enow to make a lusty Fricassie .. .
2. (See quot. 1611.) Obs. rare—1.
. . [1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Fricassee,.. a kind of charge for a Morter, or murdering peece, of stones, bullets, nailes, and peeces of old yron closed together with grease, and gun~powder.]
3. A kind of dance: see quot. 1775. Obs. rare—1.
1775 Mrs. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury (1870) I. 294 A new dance at the Festino, called the Fricasée..begins with an affront, then they fight and fire pistols, then they are reconciled, embrace, and so ends the dance.’
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . a pleasant French fricassee of veal . . ’
‘fricassee, n. < French
1. Meat sliced and fried or stewed and served with sauce. Now usually a ragout (highly seasoned stew) of small animals or birds cut in pieces.
. . 1656 Perfect Eng. Cooke 3 To make a Fregacy of Lamb or Veal.
1677 J. Phillips tr. J.-B. Tavernier Persian Trav. iii. i. 101 in tr. J.-B. Tavernier Six Voy. (1678) Little Birds..of which we caught enow to make a lusty Fricassie .. .
2. (See quot. 1611.) Obs. rare—1.
. . [1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Fricassee,.. a kind of charge for a Morter, or murdering peece, of stones, bullets, nailes, and peeces of old yron closed together with grease, and gun~powder.]
3. A kind of dance: see quot. 1775. Obs. rare—1.
1775 Mrs. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury (1870) I. 294 A new dance at the Festino, called the Fricasée..begins with an affront, then they fight and fire pistols, then they are reconciled, embrace, and so ends the dance.’