Monday 27 March 1665
Up betimes to Mr. Povy’s, and there did sign and seal my agreement with him about my place of being Treasurer for Tangier, it being the greatest part of it drawnout of a draught of his own drawing up, only I have added something here and there in favour of myself.
Thence to the Duke of Albemarle, the first time that we officers of the Navy have waited upon him since the Duke of Yorke’s going, who hath deputed him to be Admirall in his absence. And I find him a quiet heavy man, that will help business when he can, and hinder nothing, and am very well pleased with our attendance on him.
I did afterwards alone give him thanks for his favour to me about my Tangier business, which he received kindly, and did speak much of his esteem of me.
Thence, and did the same to Sir H. Bennet, who did the like to me very fully, and did give me all his letters lately come from hence for me to read, which I returned in the afternoon to him.
Thence to Mrs. Martin, who, though her husband is gone away, as he writes, like a fool into France, yet is as simple and wanton as ever she was, with much I made myself merry and away.
So to my Lord Peterborough’s; where Povy, Creed, Williamson, Auditor Beale, and myself, and mighty merry to see how plainly my Lord and Povy did abuse one another about their accounts, each thinking the other a foole, and I thinking they were not either of them, in that point, much in the wrong, though in everything, and even in this manner of reproaching one another, very witty and pleasant.
Among other things, we had here the genteelest dinner and the neatest house that I have seen many a day, and the latter beyond anything I ever saw in a nobleman’s house.
Thence visited my Lord Barkeley, and did sit discoursing with him in his chamber a good while, and [he] mighty friendly to me about the same business of Tangier. From that to other discourse of the times and the want of money, and he said that the Parliament must be called again soon, and more money raised, not by tax, for he said he believed the people could not pay it, but he would have either a general excise upon everything, or else that every city incorporate should pay a toll into the King’s revenue, as he says it is in all the cities in the world; for here a citizen hath no more laid on them than their neighbours in the country, whereas, as a city, it ought to pay considerably to the King for their charter; but I fear this will breed ill blood.
Thence to Povy, and after a little talk home to my office late. Then to supper and to bed.
22 Annotations
First Reading
Eric Walla • Link
That's it, don't go for taxes! That'll just stir up discontent. No, let's see ... why don't we go for fees on every activity imaginable and make the city pay for the privilege of being close enough to men of power that they might actually get to speak to one on occasion?
All in favor? ... Pepys, you don't look entirely convinced ...
Robert Gertz • Link
"And I find him a quiet heavy man, that will help business when he can, and hinder nothing..."
The ideal superior...
***
"...we officers of the Navy..."
I wonder how Penn would take that, however right Sam may be officially to take the title.
***
"Among other things, we had here the genteelest dinner and the neatest house that I have seen many a day, and the latter beyond anything I ever saw in a nobleman’s house."
I sense poor Bess and the help are in for a heavy load of new marching orders...Not to mention another round of home improvements.
"Hewer, take a memo... 'Mrs. Pepys, I wish the following implemented at once:...'"
Nix • Link
Quite a morning -- nail down a plum job, suck up to the great and good, a quick romp with Betty Lane, and top it off with "the genteelest dinner and the neatest house that I have seen many a day"!
Todd Bernhardt • Link
I sense that, here at the halfway (or so) point of the Diary, in the past several days we've reached a turning point in Sam's life. We all know that several Big Events are on the horizon, but on the personal front it seems as if Sam's diligence over the last five years is really starting to pay off -- he's becoming a "known man" and is about to begin reaping the rewards.
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... sign and seal my agreement with him about my place of being Treasurer for Tangier, ..."
According to L&M ?Povy's copy survives in Oxford (Bodleian, Rawlinson Mss. A 172 , ff 102-3) and ?Pepys counterpart in Cambridge, Mass. (Houghton, MS Eng 991)
http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasi…
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... the neatest house that I have seen many a day, ..."
For a prior visit, also after a Tangier Committee:
"Thence by coach with my Lords Peterborough and Sandwich to my Lord Peterborough’s house; and there, after an hour’s looking over some fine books of the Italian buildings, with fine cuts; and also my Lord Peterborough’s bowes and arrows, of which he is a great lover, we sat down to dinner,..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Michael Robinson • Link
"... my Lord and Povy did abuse one another about their accounts, each thinking the other a foole, and I thinking they were not either of them, in that point, much in the wrong, ..."
Pepys had acted as Sandwich's agent in stitching up Peterborough's accounts so they passed the Tangier committee:
" ... where God forgive how our Report of my Lord Peterborough’s accounts was read over and agreed to by the Lords, without one of them understanding it! "
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Maurice Bundian • Link
Just outside Whitby on the A169 at Saltersgate is the 'Saltersgate Inn'. Legend has it that that the open fire in the lounge has been burning since the 18th Century. Apparenty the hostelry was used as an illicit meeting place for smugglers and ne'erdowells and was one day visited by the 18thC equivalent of HM Revenue and Customs. The Landlord and his cohorts seemingly took exception to this unscheduled inspection and dispatched the Servant of the King with a barstool across the bonce! The deceased official was hastily buried beneath the hearth and a fire was lit - just in case his colleagues should come and begin asking awkward questions. Legend has it that the fire has never been allowed to die out by man nor wraith ever since. Collecting the 'King's Revenue' isn't always beer & skittles
you know...
JWB • Link
"...as a city, it ought to pay considerably to the King for their charter; but I fear this will breed ill blood."
Clause 13 Magna Carta: And the city of London is to have all its ancient liberties & free customs...furthermore...all other cities...
Phil • Link
Pepys at Povy's place
"did sign and seal my agreement with him about my place of being Treasurer for Tangier, it being the greatest part of it drawnout of a draught of his own drawing up, only I have added something here and there in favour of myself."
I thought they already had a deal of 50% of the profit. I wonder what that "added something" was? It would be nice if this agreement was still around. Our Mr. Pepys seems to be taking advantage of persons less skilled than he in the art of accounting. Is the larceny we see in him here a standard in all his business dealings? Perhaps larceny is too strong, perhaps creative licence, or perhaps a very necessary application of skills just to survive among the sharks.
Pedro • Link
(For Jeannine) from the Journal of Sandwich edited by Anderson…
"In the morning weighed anchor and sailed to the Gunfleet sand where we found riding at anchor his Royal Highness and Prince Rupert and about 50 sail of men of war.”
JWB • Link
Phil:"I wonder what that 'added something' was?"
New-fangled roll-over feature to aid slower accountants to keep up?
Mary • Link
"It would be nice if this agreement were still around.."
According to an L&M footnote, two copies exist. One, a holograph copy in Povey's hand (Rawl.A172, ff. 102-3) and another (Houghton Lib., Harvard, MS. Eng.991) possibly Pepys's counterpart.
Nix • Link
"only I have added something here and there in favour of myself" --
In response to Phil's wondering "what that “added something” was", my experience as a real estate lawyer is that the other side (never oneself!) always asks for niggling little changes that may not make a dime's difference in the deal, but serve to justify their fees to the client.
dirk • Link
There are other people who are about to be "cut for the stone"... The Rev. Josselin's diary today:
"kept a day of prayer at priory for Mr Eldred who this morning at London intended to be cut of the stone. we pray and look up, lord be you gracious to him, our news of him very, very good"
A. Hamilton • Link
Thence to Mrs. Martin, ...I made myself merry and away. So to my Lord Peterborough’s; ... and mighty merry to see how plainly my Lord and Povy did abuse one another ... and even in this manner of reproaching one another, very witty and pleasant.
Merrily, merrily ...
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"he would have either a general excise upon everything, or else that every city incorporate should pay a toll into the King’s revenue, as he says it is in all the cities in the world"
For the excise see http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
The small annual payments made by municipal corporations to the state survived longer on the continent than in England, but were not so valuable as Berkeley seems to suggest. (L&M footnote)
Marquess • Link
Why were 'my Lord and Mr Povey referred to as fools with an 'e' and Mrs Martin's husband a fool with out an 'e'? I wonder which one was the greater?
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Thence to Mrs. Martin, who, though her husband is gone away, as he writes, like a fool into France, yet is as simple and wanton as ever she was, with much I made myself merry and away."
Since this entry isn't written in Pepys' version of French, I presume this was innocent simple and wanton merry making.
And I think her husband was smart, going to France. If he had stayed in Portsmouth, he would have found himself on a warship in no time (see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… ). The nobles are volunteering and the tars are disappearing. But we know who does the work.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Why were my Lord and Mr. Povey referred to as fooles with an 'e' and Mrs. Martin's husband a fool without an 'e'? I wonder which one was the greater?"
My theory on this, Marquess, is that Pepys wrote in shorthand. The e's and other spelling discrepancies say more about the translators than the author.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"So to my Lord Peterborough’s; where Povy, Creed, Williamson, Auditor Beale, and myself, and mighty merry to see how plainly my Lord and Povy did abuse one another about their accounts, ..."
Povy had good reason to be nervous. Auditor Beale and Joseph Williamson were there. From our encyclopedia:
Clement says 'in some ways Williamson’s career parallels that of Pepys. … Intelligence and Espionage in the Reign of Charles II, 1660-1685: “There is little doubt that Williamson’s part in the establishment of an efficient intelligence and espionage system was an important one. For some 19 years he was to have a major influence on the secretariat’s involvement in the covert world. …”' AND
"There were undoubtedly opportunities for making money in the service of the government and Williamson was to prove that he was never slow in taking any financial opportunities which presented themselves. By 1668 he was rumored to be worth £40,000 in ready money." If anyone knows how to cook the books, it's Williamson.
They must be wondering what else Povy's incompetence has touched.
Al Doman • Link
"...each thinking the other a foole, and I thinking they were not either of them, in that point, much in the wrong,..."
Dunno about anyone else, but that's the best laugh I've ever had from our hero's reminiscences.
Très drôle !