Wednesday 21 December 1664
Up, and after evening reckonings to this day with Mr. Bridges, the linnen draper, for callicos, I out to Doctors’ Commons, where by agreement my cozen Roger and I did meet my cozen Dr. Tom Pepys, and there a great many and some high words on both sides, but I must confess I was troubled; first, to find my cozen Roger such a simple but well-meaning man as he is; next to think that my father, out of folly and vain glory, should now and then (as by their words I gather) be speaking how he had set up his son Tom with his goods and house, and now these words are brought against him — I fear to the depriving him of all the profit the poor man intended to make of the lease of his house and sale of his owne goods. I intend to make a quiet end if I can with the Doctor, being a very foul-tongued fool and of great inconvenience to be at difference with such a one that will make the base noise about it that he will.
Thence, very much vexed to find myself so much troubled about other men’s matters, I to Mrs. Turner’s, in Salsbury Court, and with her a little, and carried her, the porter staying for me, our eagle, which she desired the other day, and we were glad to be rid of her, she fouling our house of office mightily. They are much pleased with her. And thence I home and after dinner to the office, where Sir W. Rider and Cutler come, and in dispute I very high with them against their demands, I hope to no hurt to myself, for I was very plain with them to the best of my reason. So they gone I home to supper, then to the office again and so home to bed.
My Lord Sandwich this day writes me word that he hath seen (at Portsmouth) the Comet, and says it is the most extraordinary thing that ever he saw.
23 Annotations
First Reading
cgs • Link
"...being a very foul-tounged fool a..."
and there being foul aire everywhere
"...she fouling our house of office mightily..."
Patricia • Link
Sam has been keeping an eagle in his privy? If they didn't like it, I'm pretty sure the bird didn't think much of it either.
Paul Chapin • Link
I'm surprised Sam didn't tell us about the eagle before. It's not the sort of everyday thing that would be beneath notice in the diary, I would think. Wonder if it was there to get rid of mice and rats?
cgs • Link
The diary only reveals a slither of his daily life, but none the less, it has more story of interest in it for one day than many a citizen has in a whole year.
Mine fails to be even a blot of ink in the life page of record.
A. De Araujo • Link
"our eagle"
Agree that Sam likes to dwell on the pursuit of money and of sex,nothing wrong with that,but keeping an eagle at the office it is very unusual unless it wasn't ; falconry had passed its prime;come to think of it, it might have avoided-SPOILER-the plague to come.
Mary • Link
house of office
= privy, loo, jakes, WC, dunny or what you will. Not the office office.
Terry F • Link
Does "L&M" have a note about the eagle?
jeannine • Link
L&M and the eagle -L&M says it is the only mention of this pet.
Paul Dyson • Link
eagle
?? beagle
Bergie • Link
Could it have been a stuffed eagle, a piece of statuary, an embroidered hanging representing an eagle, or something of the sort?
Mary • Link
I don't see how a stuffed, embroidered, sculpted or carved eagle could "foul our house of office mightily".
Bergie • Link
Oh. I'd thought it was Mrs. Turner whose departure was applauded because she had fouled the house of office.
cgs • Link
note the merchants want their losses forgiven.
Martis, 20 Decembr. 16 Car. IIdi.
Prayers.
Lord's Day.
A BILL for the better Observation of the Lord's Day, was read the First time.
Resolved, &c. That this Bill be read the Second time the first Monday of the Meeting of the House after Christmas.
Merchant Adventurers.
A Bill for Relief of the Creditors of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of England, was read the Second time.
failed 107 naes- 92 yeas
-----
Resolved, &c. That the House be adjourned till Thursday the Twelfth Day of January next.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Robert Gertz • Link
Hmmn...A way out...And with Xmas partying coming soon...
"Mrs. Pepys...Whatever (as if a seventeenth century wife couldn't guess) happened to your eye?"
"Ummn...Well, Lady Batten...We had this..."
Sam, behind Lady Batten, begins to mouth word...E...
"...E...Eagle. Yes, our eagle...In our house of office, you know?"
"Eagle?"
"Oh, yes, a gift to Sam. Anyway the other night I went down and it socked me on the eye."
Phew...Very well done...Grateful beam...
"My God, that's awful. Mr. Pepys...?"
"We've gotten rid of it, my Lady."
"Yes. I think it just lost its temper and decided to revert to brute instinct."
"Yes...And as I say, we have gotten rid of it. To my cousin Turner."
"The one with the bright little girl? Surely you didn't let her have such a violent creature, Mr. Pepys?"
"Oh, Mrs. Turner can handle 'Sam', Lady Batten."
"'Sam'...?"
"My name for him...And did I tell you how Sam has been so good to me this Xmas?...For once..."
Steven Knox • Link
The fact of the matter is that he said the bird was causing problems... in no way is a stuffed bird capable of doing that... thus it is reasonable to assume that the bird is real.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"my cozen Roger and I did meet my cozen Dr. Tom Pepys, and there a great many and some high words on both sides,"
L&M say for the dispute to see these earlier dates [and the annotes there]:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
San Diego Sarah • Link
The day after Pepys has transgressed he usually seems to be in a bad humor. Today is no different.
Louise Hudson • Link
“I to Mrs. Turner’s, in Salsbury Court, and with her a little, and carried her, the porter staying for me, our eagle, which she desired the other day, and we were glad to be rid of her, she fouling our house of office mightily.”
Apparently Mrs Turner gave Pepys the old heave-ho.
Background Lurker • Link
"Apparently Mrs Turner gave Pepys the old heave-ho."
SP gave Mrs Turner an eagle which he was glad to be rid of.
There is nothing there to indicate what Mrs Turner gave SP. Perhaps a nice cup of tea.
Louise Hudson • Link
Well, she is his cousin, so maybe he draws the line at family members. That she’s family doesn’t stop him from denigrating her: “we were glad to be rid of her, she fouling our house of office mightily.” Sam, Sam, Sam!
San Diego Sarah • Link
Louise, I'm with BL. Sam is happy to be rid of the eagle (who is fowling/fouling the house of office). Mrs. Turner is fine.
Matt Newton • Link
Can someone give a short summary of the dispute with the Dr?
Who owes what to whom and why.
R.A. Lucas • Link
I too believe that Mrs Turner is not the culprit in fouling the house of office.
How unfortunate that due to misinterpretation, an individual could run the risk of erroneously being remembered some 356 years later for the 1660s equivalent of "speckling the bowl" at Chez Pepys.