Wednesday 17 May 1665
Up, and by appointment to a meeting of Sir John Lawson and Mr. Cholmly’s atturney and Mr. Povy at the Swan taverne at Westminster to settle their business about my being secured in the payment of money to Sir J. Lawson in the other’s absence.
Thence at Langford’s, where I never was since my brother died there. I find my wife and Mercer, having with him agreed upon two rich silk suits for me, which is fit for me to have, but yet the money is too much, I doubt, to lay out altogether; but it is done, and so let it be, it being the expense of the world that I can the best bear with and the worst spare.
Thence home, and after dinner to the office, where late, and so home to supper and to bed. Sir J. Minnes and I had an angry bout this afternoon with Commissioner Pett about his neglecting his duty and absenting himself, unknown to us, from his place at Chatham, but a most false man I every day find him more and more, and in this very full of equivocation.
The fleete we doubt not come to Harwich by this time. Sir W. Batten is gone down this day thither, and the Duchesse of Yorke went down yesterday to meet the Duke.
13 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Today at Gresham College -- from the Hooke Folio Online
may. 17. 1665. (accounts of Comet from new england. Prague, Leige: All were orderd to be deliuerd to Dr Wren & mr Hooke.
(wallis. about Horrox) injecting tobacco oyle into a dog) about transfusion) Recouering tired horse wth sheeps blood) killed Catt wth oyl of tobacco
about worm in flesh. mites in eggs) mites in claret & white wine bottles)
There was tryed an Expt. of making holes in the thorax of a dog. the dog remained aliue the holes being small and couerd wth a skin.
Orderd that fryday next the variation of the variat of the needle be obserued in White hall garden by the curators formerly appointed, and that mr Colwall speak to mr marr to be present and furnish materialls necessary for that Obseruation. Mr. Hooke mentiond that he had a pocket needle
[In margin]Vz. which should shew the variation of the needle, he was desired vpon further consideration to giue a particular accout of it to the Society
(about may dew) http://www.jstor.org/pss/101417
mr. Hooke was orderd to try some Expts of Refraction by himself and acquaint the Society at their next meeting.
http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…
Pedro • Link
“The fleete we doubt not come to Harwich by this time. Sir W. Batten is gone down this day thither, and the Duchesse of Yorke went down yesterday to meet the Duke.”
On the 16th Sandwich had recorded that the Duchess had come in from Gravesend at 12 o’clock, and was aboard the Charles at 4 or 5 in the afternoon.
Pedro • Link
"The fleete we doubt not come to Harwich by this time."
They had actually arrived during the 15th day of May.
(Info from the Journal of Montagu edited by Anderson)
Pedro • Link
And Allin records that...
It blew hard WSW all day as he went aboard to order ten tons of water. Coventry gave him an order from HRH to be joined in commission with Pyne and Terne for disposing of ammunition that was to come to the Fleet…The General let slip end for end and divers others broke their cables.
(Info from the Journal of Allin edited by Anderson)
Terry Foreman • Link
"Thence at Langford’s, where I never was since my brother died there."
Not really; it's been a few months,, but SP visited Langford on visits Mar: 31. May: 27, Aug: 13, 17, 25 1664 13 August 1664 http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
13 August "Up, and before I went to the office comes my Taylor with a coate I have made to wear within doors, purposely to come no lower than my knees, for by my wearing a gowne within doors comes all my tenderness about my legs." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Last 25 August they did have a falling out over rumors and money http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… but, as for today's expenses for Bess and Mercer -- what the hell, it's affordable!
Carl in Boston • Link
"two rich silk suits for me, which is fit for me to have, but yet the money is too much, I doubt, to lay out altogether; but it is done, and so let it be, it being the expense of the world that I can the best bear with and the worst spare"
Owooooo ! Werewolf of London. Owooooo ! There was a time I wore Brooks Brothers suits and ties from Louie's of Boston, then came the warr, many fortunes were lost, diminutions happened, now I dress in Docker trousers because that's as high as I can dress where I work. Alas, alas for the days that are gone. Our daughter graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, and we all have the eye for fashion. If you want to see real people on the street in killer threads, check out the sartorialist . blogspot . com. Fortunately I can wear my threads to church, and do so. I remember going to Brown's in London for tea, wearing a coat and tie so I could get in everywhere, and down in the men's room, the butler brushed off my shoulders with a brush (I had given him 50 p) and he said the rest of me looked simply splendid. That changed my life, and I bought a couple clothes brushes. One time at The Plaza in NYC my daughter and I barged in down a closed off forbidden hallway, the guards stopped me in my coat and tie while my daughter slipped through and saw the Middle Eastern wedding. The bride was in a white Cinderella Standard Wedding Dress (puff sleeves, of course) with DIAMONDS in her hair, the bridesmaids standing around to match, and all the men got up in Middle Eastern turbans and robes. Got to go to church tomorrow, and wear my threads, but wearing only 5% of what I have seen. Got to fit in. Our hero Sam in silk outerwear and silk underwear? Right.
Paul Chapin • Link
variation of the needle (from the Hooke folio, provided by Terry)
This was a magnetized needle, as used in a compass. It had been known at least since the time of Columbus that the compass needle did not point to true north, as indicated by the position of the North Star, but deviated from it a certain amount, which varied according to the compass's position on earth, and also through the course of the day for a stationary compass. This was a matter of intense interest to scientists of the time, not least because it was thought that this might provide a method of determining longitude at sea (that turned out not to work). Hooke and Halley devoted particular attention to the matter.
[Taken from various sources; a good (but old) one is
http://books.google.com/books?id=… ]
JWB • Link
"...but a most false man..."
Perhaps, but I just re-read Marvel's piece (Wikipedia Bio) and wonder, again, if Sam, during those long days of retirement, hasn't gone back and salted his diary. Here he gives no evidence of Pett's shortcomings, just short jeremiad of the sort not unknown from turned-out pols.
Terry Foreman • Link
"the money is too much, I doubt, to lay out altogether"
Methinks this is one of the two cases in which "doubt" here means "suspect".
JWB • Link
To smell ouselves, as others smell us:
Today: "...my wife and Mercer, having with him agreed upon two rich silk suits for me..."
13 May: "...going so hot in clothes, the weather being hot, and the same clothes I wore all winter..."
Robert Gertz • Link
Phrasing's a little uncertain...Would be interesting if Bess was doing the shopping for his new suits. Sort of her acceptance that her boy must look the part.
***
I wonder if Sam's tension is tighter given the expectation of battle, leading him to snap at Pett. This will be after all, a major test of his efforts over the last few years. Should the fleet be defeated and the blame start flying, the untitled member of the Naval Office might well make an excellent fall guy for the big fish.
Mary • Link
feminine input into the choice of the the male wardrobe
Is this a typically English practice? My husband refuses ever to buy anything like formal clothing without my presence; it's not the choice of fabric that comes into question, but fit and hang, especially of jackets. Salesmen have been known to be less than totally honest about the way that the back of a jacket sets. Failing eyes in the back of the head, a wife serves a useful purpose.
Second Reading
Gerald Berg • Link
Hilarious Carl in Boston submerged sartorialist of the english world.
JWB I was wondering about what happened to Pett in Pepys estimation also? From brilliant shipwright i.e. catamaran - this is the same man? --to everyday further into falsity.