Wednesday 14 September 1664

Up, and wanting some things that should be laid ready for my dressing myself I was angry, and one thing after another made my wife give Besse warning to be gone, which the jade, whether out of fear or ill-nature or simplicity I know not, but she took it and asked leave to go forth to look a place, and did, which vexed me to the heart, she being as good a natured wench as ever we shall have, but only forgetful.

At the office all the morning and at noon to the ’Change, and there went off with Sir W. Warren and took occasion to desire him to lend me 100l., which he said he would let the have with all his heart presently, as he had promised me a little while ago to give me for my pains in his two great contracts for masts 100l., and that this should be it. To which end I did move it to him, and by this means I hope to be, possessed of the 100l. presently within 2 or 3 days.

So home to dinner, and then to the office, and down to Blackwall by water to view a place found out for laying of masts, and I think it will be most proper. So home and there find Mr. Pen come to visit my wife, and staid with them till sent for to Mr. Bland’s, whither by appointment I was to go to supper, and against my will left them together, but, God knows, without any reason of fear in my conscience of any evil between them, but such is my natural folly. Being thither come they would needs have my wife, and so Mr. Bland and his wife (the first time she was ever at my house or my wife at hers) very civilly went forth and brought her and W. Pen, and there Mr. Povy and we supped nobly and very merry, it being to take leave of Mr. Bland, who is upon going soon to Tangier. So late home and to bed.

24 Annotations

First Reading

Andrew Hamilton  •  Link

I was about to say that young fashionable Mr. Penn's visits to Elizabeth made me think of Bertrand Russell's seduction of Mrs. T.S. Eliot and wonder, with Sam, what was afoot, when the appearance of Mrs. Bland made me lose all sympathy for Mr. Pepys, who would deserve cuckholding.

Paul Chapin  •  Link

It's fun to think of our Sam being jealous of (a youthful edition of) the sainted William Penn, almost an American founding father, whose stern visage still appears on boxes of oatmeal. I'm sure there were other London husbands equally wary of Ben Franklin, and with better cause, but they didn't keep noted diaries.

Bradford  •  Link

"wanting some things that should be laid ready for my dressing myself I was angry":
Funny how less successful types lay out their own clothes the night before---but that's the pains of success: your valuable time is spent in earning the money to pay someone else to work for you, so that not only must you work harder but manage those you hire. Wot larks!

jeannine  •  Link

From a previous annotation we know that ""Sam started the Diary on Jan 1, 1660 and stopped on May 31, 1669, for a total of 3439 days (there are 3 leap years -in 1660, 1664 and 1668). The midpoint of his Diary would be 1719.5 days which (including the 2 leap years of 1660 and 1664) would bring us to the September 14/15 date." (as calculated by my 10 year old who LOVES math!)

As today and tomorrow are the mid-point days of the Diary I thought I'd transgress a little and wish you all a happy middle! What a wonderful experience to share with all and to make such great friends along the way.

Totally off topic but too good to pass up on...and a delight to my 10 year old who shoved this follow up in my face in a state of total hysterics...... From the story "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" by Roald Dahl ...when Henry finds himself in a library...

" Sir William's father had been a famous book collector, and all four walls of this huge room were lined with books from floor to ceiling. Henry Sugar was not impressed. He wasn't even interested. The only books he read were detective novels and thrillers. He ambled aimlessly round the room, looking to see if he could find any of the sort of books he liked. But the ones in Sir William's library were all leather-bound volumes with names on them like Balzac, Ibsen, Voltaire, Johnson and Pepys. Boring rubbish, the whole lot of it, Henry told himself......"

I'm looking forward to the remaining delightful years of finding the little gems within Sam's "boring rubbish" among such a wonderful group of Pepysian pals! Thanks to all.

Celebrate friends and be sure to offer a toast to Sam and Elizabeth and all of their family, past and present! Blessings to all of you for the wonderful things that you bring to our community!

Carl in Boston  •  Link

The thing, it's happening.
This thing is is is a happening thing, be there or be square
You are all invited to a Boston Pepys Party on Sept 15, 2007 at Ye Olde Union Oyster House, 2 PM to 4 PM, near Faneuil Hall in Boston, Mass, USA. I will be there with a picture of Samuel Pepys at my booth.
We will salute Sam with raw oysters and ale, or other food if you like, and discuss our favorite diarist. We will have readings from the diary by electonic candlelight. I will recite Keats' Ode To Autumn.
Have a good day
Carl In Boston

cape henry  •  Link

"...warning to be gone..." It can't be more than a week or two ago that Sam was extolling the peace and tranquility of his household configuration and how much he appreciated it.

cape henry  •  Link

Also of interest, his method of "moving" the matter of the L100 into the Warren quarter.

Thanks to Jeannine for figuring out the mid point. Where does the time go?

kelly  •  Link

HEADS UP!History Channel Int. on U.S. cable service just had a program "Royal Navy-England's Wooden Wall" witch covers the Royal Navy from 1650 to 1705 (Blake to Nelson) that has a lot to say about our boy and what he did for the navy with some quality time in his library.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Error in haste, regret poor Besse at leisure, Sam...

***
"...took occasion to desire him to lend me 100l., which he said he would let the have with all his heart presently, as he had promised me a little while ago to give me for my pains in his two great contracts for masts 100l., and that this should be it. To which end I did move it to him, and by this means I hope to be, possessed of the 100l. presently within 2 or 3 days."

Hmmn...When you have to press for the kickback in the form of a 'loan', I'd worry a bit. Looks like Sir William is starting to take Sam's services for granted.

***

I understand young Mr. Penn was not at all dead to the charms of ladies. (Actually his face on the Quaker Oats' box always seemed quite friendly and benevolent to me.)

Penn and Povy at dinner with Bess...Now I'd worry Sam. Your girl is dealing with two of the most elegant and refined gentlemen in London and there you are, worrying whether Sir William W. will come through with the payback. On the other hand, if you're still showing Mrs. Bland respect for her merchant's ability, she might be impressed.

"Oh, Mr. Pepys?"

"Mr. Penn, sir." polite nod.

"I wanted to say how delighted I was to hear from Mrs. Welch. Mr Jervais the barber's young assistant...How kind you are to her. She just couldn't stop talking about you."

"Really?" Sam, polite smile.

"Really?" Bess, head cocked, stare at Sam.

"Yes, indeed. You know in France I was quite impressed by the free and easy manner some of the better aristocracy take with the lower orders. Very brotherly...Or sisterly, if you will. I'm firmly of the conviction, rather, that it's one good thing from the Commonwealth days that some of us here, like you, Mr. Pepys, should show similar brotherly feeling for our fellow men and women."

"Ah, well...We are all equal in God's eyes." egalitarian Sam nods. Bess, staring at that one...

Povy eyeing Bland...Bland living up to his name...

"She was so touched by your kindness. Wanting to take her out to talk over her future prospects...Few take such trouble nowadays." Penn, earnestly.

"Eh, heh...Yes...Ummn...Thought perhaps one of my clerks...You know, Bess, young Hewer needs a wife to set him straight."

Terry F  •  Link

As I first read this exchange of £100 so secretly, I was surprised Sir W. Warren didn't look about for the latest Royal Society surveillance camera beta.

Jeannine, well said, as usual. Do thank your daughter for the calculations (more humble pie for the last president of Harvard).

language hat  •  Link

Thanks for the comment, Jeannine, and I join in your good wishes and anticipation! (And also in cape henry's "Where does the time go?")

Terry F  •  Link

"we supped nobly and very merry, it being to take leave of Mr. Bland, who is upon going soon to Tangier"

This farewell party is something like a Last Supper, given Teviot's demise. Good luck to Bland (toasts all around).

Cactus Wren  •  Link

And how unreasonable of Besse, to go and quit just because she got sacked.

jeannine  •  Link

"Journal of the Earl of Sandwich" edited by R.C. Anderson

14th . Wednesday. 10 oclock in the morning came to anchor at the Spit-head. Sir Philip Honywood dined aboard with me.

Pedro  •  Link

One that slipped through Terry's fingers?

Captain Peter Pett to Sandwich

Written from: Chatham
Date: 14 September 1664

Shelfmark: MS. Carte 75, fol(s). 220

Mr Pepys has informed the writer that there is need of another Lieutenant in his Lordship's squadron. Recommends Lieutenant Stewart, who brings his letter, & who has served in all the Dutch wars with good repute.

Second Reading

Louise Hudson  •  Link

Paul Chapin: for the record:

"The Quaker Oats logo starting in 1877 had a figure of a Quaker man depicted full-length, sometimes holding a scroll with the word "Pure" written across it, that resembling the classic woodcuts of William Penn, the 17th-century philosopher and early Quaker. Quaker Oats advertising dating back to 1909 did, indeed, identify the "Quaker man" as William Penn, and referred to him as "standard bearer of the Quakers and of Quaker Oats." Today, the company states that "The 'Quaker man' does not represent an actual person. His image is that of a man dressed in Quaker garb, chosen because the Quaker faith projected the values of honesty, integrity, purity and strength'."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q…

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Thank you Louse :)

Also for the record, it's worth noting that the Quaker Oats Company has never had any connection whatsoever with the Religious Society of Friends. The brand was trademarked in 1877 by one Henry D. Seymour, who had read an encyclopaedia article about Quakers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qua…

Given that the company has been involved in very un-Quakerish enterprises, such as arms manufacture, Friends strongly dislike their enforced association with the brand. Having had a Quaker upbringing myself, I can confirm this from personal experience.

mountebank  •  Link

Happy diary midpoint fellow annotators!

It's been a delight to have followed the diary for the past (nearly) five years. It's opened up a whole world and these days time spent in London has an extra dimension. I'll be there on Sunday walking the route of the river Fleet.

Thanks very much for bringing us this remarkable site Phil.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Wish I could join you, Mountebank. And I second your thanks to Phil, and everyone else who have made this site into such a time-travel adventure.

jude cooper  •  Link

I agree, and am already planning to jump aboard the diary when it comes round again in 1660. Can't imagine my morning coffee without it.

marinetti  •  Link

Pepys is uneasy leaving his wife alone with another man, but (am I reading this right?) they all ended up dining together?!

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Yes Marinetti, I think you read it correctly. It's not the first time young foppish Mr. Penn has spontaneously dropped in for a chat with Elizabeth since he got home last month. I think the Blands handled Pepys' "problem" with great aplomb, and hopefully Penn will get the hint without further embarrassment all round. We shall see ...

jimmigee  •  Link

Celebrating the diary midpoint at home during the COVID19 lockdown. Perhaps this difficult time will be behind us by the time we reach the London plague entries.

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