Friday 21 April 1665
Up and to my office about business. Anon comes Creed and Povy, and we treat about the business of our lending money, Creed and I, upon a tally for the satisfying of Andrews, and did conclude it as in papers is expressed, and as I am glad to have an opportunity of having 10 per cent. for my money, so I am as glad that the sum I begin this trade with is no more than 350l..
We all dined at Andrews’ charge at the Sun behind the ’Change, a good dinner the worst dressed that ever I eat any, then home, and there found Kate Joyce and Harman come to see us. With them, after long talk, abroad by coach, a tour in the fields, and drunk at Islington, it being very pleasant, the dust being laid by a little rain, and so home very well pleased with this day’s work. So after a while at my office to supper and to bed.
This day we hear that the Duke and the fleete are sailed yesterday. Pray God go along with them, that they have good speed in the beginning of their worke.
26 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
It's getting dangerous at sea if you aren't a ship of war
Petition of several merchants; Masters & Owners of Ships; and others, to the Earl of Ossory Lord Deputy of Ireland, and to the Council
Written from: [Dublin]
Date: [21 April] 1665
....
Document type: Original [with twenty-eight signatures]
Represent the dangers, from Dutch vessels of war, to which ships trading between Ireland and England are now exposed.
Pray that such ships may be ordered & enabled to go in Fleets with sufficient Convoy, for their due protection.
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
cgs • Link
Nice return for ones dough,60% above the norm will keep papa in good style for 7 months.
dirk • Link
"as I am glad to have an opportunity of having 10 per cent. for my money, so I am as glad that the sum I begin this trade with is no more than 350l."
As cqs says, even today many people would be extremely pleased with a return on investment of 10% !
And let's not forget that"no more than 35O£" is still equivalent to some £25000 today.
dirk • Link
"it being very pleasant, the dust being laid by a little rain"
How very different from standard behaviour today (in our part of the world), where sun is "good" and all rain is "bad" (except when you're a farmer of course). But in Sam's time country roads were quite litterally sandpits, so the rain must have come as a blessing.
dirk • Link
John Evelyn's diary:
"Went home, having taken order with my Martial about my Prisoners; and with the Doctor and Chirurgeon to attend the Wounded, both Enemies, and others of our owne. Next day to Lond[on] againe I visited my Charge, severall their legges and armes off, miserable objects God knows:"
A note of human pity... War invalids were indeed "miserable objects" in the 17th c (and after). After the war, the best they could probably hope for was life as a beggar. Both British and enemy wounded are treated, and this before the Geneva Conventions and the Red Cross!
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... I am glad to have an opportunity of having 10 per cent. for my money, ..."
How far SP has come; but four or so months ago:-
"... nay, that now and then he [Creed] hath three or 4,000l. in his [Povy's] hands, for which he gives the interest that the King gives, which is ten per cent., and that Creed do come and demand it every three months the interest to be paid him, which Povy looks upon as a cunning and mean tricke of him; ..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Michael Robinson • Link
"Anon comes Creed and Povy, and we treat about the business of our lending money, ... We all dined at Andrews’ charge ..."
Given the cast of characters, one wonders what was the up front "facilitation fee" Andrews had to pay to Creed, what was Povy's cut etc.
JWB • Link
Neighbor Andrews
Round trips to the straits & back in mid-17th century took 6mos. Bottomry contracts paid over 30%. Two round trips is 60% / year, minus the 10% cost of capital from Sam & John. Worth the risk? I don't think I'd take that flyer even with young Evertsen in the bag.
See Bill Long http://www.drbilllong.com/2006Wor…
Ralph Berry • Link
"..a good dinner the worst dressed that ever I eat any,.."
Does this mean the food was basically good but badly presented? Would pub food normally have been stylishly presented then?
Mary • Link
no more than £350.
Even so, that represents something like 25% of Sam's total capital (£1300 at the end of last month), so it's not a minor piece of speculation.
Carl in Boston • Link
Andrews, Thomas. (1632-84) Merchant and victualer for Tangier
Sam is bankrolling Andrews and Sam is now a silent partner in the Tangiers victualing business. This is the Original Conflict of Interest, illegal, immoral, and fattening. Who is Mister Big behind the curtain, pulling all the strings? Sam is, that's who.
Don McCahill • Link
> How very different from standard behaviour today (in our part of the world), where sun is “good” and all rain is “bad” (except when you’re a farmer of course).
I lived in Saskatchewan in Canada's prairies in the 1980s and out there people lived for the rain. Not just farmers, merchants and others would see their business improve with a little rain (Sask is officially a semi-arid desert).
Once a reporter who came from out of the area complained on the radio that the weekend looked "bad" with a forecast of rain, and the station was inundated with calls from people wanting his neck. For them the rain would be a blessing.
It is not just time, but location that colors our opinions.
Bradford • Link
"good dinner the worst dressed that ever I eat any":
I think you're right, Ralph. After all, food need not look good to taste good. Think of student-days cooked-in-a-crock-pot boeuf bourgignon, where the seasoning bacon, having lost a good deal of integument, emerged looking like a long cooked red-and-white shoestring.
But the very sound of this phrase is delightful, especially since Pepys no doubt pronounced it "et."
JWB • Link
"Original Conflict of Interest"
I'd say it was more a coincidence of interest. Don't think it immoral, don't know if illegal and 10% return supports Andrews's risk. Victuals gotta get through just like gasoline tankers into Bagdad early stages Iraq War.
Bryan M • Link
“Original Conflict of Interest”
I agree with JWB. Andrews needs to be satisfied i.e. paid (see below), but the navy, and so probably the government, was practically bankrupt. Sam was the treasurer and Creed the secretary of the Tangier committee. Wasn't it their job to see that suppliers were paid?
It is just possible they came up the money on behalf of the King (government) and accepted the standard 10% interest. All recorded nice and proper: "and did conclude it as in papers is expressed".
From the Online Etymology Dictionary:
satisfy: c.1430, from M.Fr. satisfier, from O.Fr. satisfaire, from L. satisfacere "discharge fully, comply with, make amends," ...
pay (v.) c.1200, "to appease, pacify, satisfy," from O.Fr. paiier (12c.), from L. pacare "to please, pacify, satisfy" (especially a creditor),...
Michael Robinson • Link
10% return supports Andrews’s risk.
Pepys risk appears to be de minimis as the loan is "upon the security of some Tallys," which SP as the Tangier Treasurer is probably in a better position to turn to cash than anyone.
language hat • Link
"worst dressed"
This is not about presentation but about preparation. OED 13.a. "To prepare for use as food, by making ready to cook, or by cooking; also, to season (food, esp. a salad)." Some citations:
1582 N. LICHEFIELD tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. iv. 10b, To dresse their meate with salt water.
1632 MILTON L'Allegro 86 Their savoury dinner.. Of herbs and other country messes, Which the neat-handed Phillis dresses.
1736 T. SHERIDAN in Swift's Lett. (1768) IV. 163 We dress them with carp sauce.
jean-paul • Link
Now, i'm hungry! This blog does it all!! :—)
A. De Araujo • Link
"sun is good"
Weather forecasting was most usefull for sailing purposes initially,thence.
Harvey • Link
"Both British and enemy wounded are treated, and this before the Geneva Conventions and the Red Cross!"
International agreements like those just formalise accepted good practice. They never create a practice and can only maintain it while the parties still find it in their interests.
Australian Susan • Link
Rain
As Australia is in its 10th year of the worst drought ever known here (not that that is v. long for records, of course), rain is glorious. I recall also being in Botswana shopping in Gaborone (the capital) when the rains came, thunderously and magnificently. People ran out of the shops and danced in the rain, praising God and ululating.
Worst dressed
I had this vision of the meat having been hacked up with a very blunt knife or a chicken just pulled apart and the resultant misshapen lumps dumped on plates.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"I am glad to have an opportunity of having 10 per cent. for my money, so I am as glad that the sum I begin this trade with is no more than 350l.."
L&M: Writing on 20 June to Lanyon (who had paid him handsomely for the Tangier victualing contract and whom he wanted to impress) Pepys inflated this loan to £800 and invented another of like amount to Lawson. He had been recently indignant that Creed should charge 10% interest: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
RSGII • Link
Like JWB some years ago, I read this as Sam making a risky “bottomy” loan, a loan with the ship as collateral. If the ship is lost, the loan is not repaid. Hence his not wanting to risk more of his limited capital, but still wanting to play with the big boys. Risky business in peacetime, let alone when at war. The old fear versus greed quandry of investors since the begining of time.
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . good dinner the worst dressed that ever I eat any . . ’
‘dress, v.i< Anglo-Norman . .
. . II. To make ready or right; to set in order.
4. a. trans. To prepare (food) for cooking or eating; to season or cook (meat, fish, etc.). Now chiefly: to add a sauce to (food, esp. a salad).
. . 1673 R. Ligon True & Exact Hist. Island of Barbadoes 120 The Sea-men, who were the greater number, resolv'd, the Passengers should be drest and eaten, before any of them should goe to the Pot . . ‘
San Diego Sarah • Link
"1673 R. Ligon True & Exact Hist. Island of Barbadoes 120 The Sea-men, who were the greater number, resolv'd, the Passengers should be drest and eaten, before any of them should goe to the Pot . . ‘"
A full text edition of Richard Ligon's History of Barbados can be found at www.davidchansmith.net/the-richar…
And, yes, Ligon reports that the ship he was on ran out of food and water near the Azores, and the crew were discussing which of the passengers they were going to eat first. The footnote says that there were many stories of cannibalism circulated to deter voluntary passengers. Does not say whether or not the stories were true. My guess is that it happened.
Liz • Link
“chicken just pulled apart” is a thing nowadays! On the subject of interest, at the moment you are very lucky to get 0.1 % on any savings.