Saturday 16 September 1665
Up, and walked to Greenwich reading a play, and to the office, where I find Sir J. Minnes gone to the fleete, like a doating foole, to do no good, but proclaim himself an asse; for no service he can do there, nor inform my Lord, who is come in thither to the buoy of the Nore, in anything worth his knowledge.
At noon to dinner to my Lord Bruncker, where Sir W. Batten and his Lady come, by invitation, and very merry we were, only that the discourse of the likelihood of the increase of the plague this weeke makes us a little sad, but then again the thoughts of the late prizes make us glad. After dinner, by appointment, comes Mr. Andrews, and he and I walking alone in the garden talking of our Tangier business, and I endeavoured by the by to offer some encouragements for their continuing in the business, which he seemed to take hold of, and the truth is my profit is so much concerned that I could wish they would, and would take pains to ease them in the business of money as much as was possible.
He being gone (after I had ordered him 2000l., and he paid me my quantum out of it) I also walked to the office, and there to my business; but find myself, through the unfitness of my place to write in, and my coming from great dinners, and drinking wine, that I am not in the good temper of doing business now a days that I used to be and ought still to be.
At night to Captain Cocke’s, meaning to lie there, it being late, and he not being at home, I walked to him to my Lord Bruncker’s, and there staid a while, they being at tables; and so by and by parted, and walked to his house; and, after a mess of good broth, to bed, in great pleasure, his company being most excellent.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"I'd be more diligent, if only I had a better office!" says Pepys;
well, there is his "coming from great dinners, and drinking wine" -- and beer and ale and more good drink....
And Elizabeth is downriver.....
Moira • Link
"mess of good broth"http://www.etymonline.com/index.p…
Robert Gertz • Link
"At noon to dinner to my Lord Bruncker, where Sir W. Batten and his Lady come, by invitation, and very merry we were..." "...my coming from great dinners, and drinking wine..."
Alas,Sam...You've become...One of Them. I wonder what Sir William Coventry would say...
Definitely time for vows...
Robert Gertz • Link
"...where I find Sir J. Minnes gone to the fleete, like a doating foole, to do no good, but proclaim himself an asse; for no service he can do there, nor inform my Lord, who is come in thither to the buoy of the Nore, in anything worth his knowledge."
He may not be able to do service there, but the first member of the office clever enough to get down to those loaded Dutch prizes is hardly a doting fool.
"More priceless spices, gems, and silks, Sir John? We're just overloaded with them here."
"Oh, no more, my Lord Sandwich. Well, perhaps one more ton."
"I cannot image why cousin Pepys hasn't come down yet. I'll have to make an accounting for the King soon and the chance to for him to be rich beyond his wildest dreams will be lost."
"A pity, a pity. War duties and all that. I'll send Mrs. P some silk."
Paul Chapin • Link
"he paid me my quantum out of it"
"Quantum" is a word I thought of more recent origin, and in scientific discourse that's true, the first attested use in OED being from 1902, by Lord Kelvin. But for Sam it was a modern word:
3. One's share or portion.
1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. ii. xii. 94 Poverty is her portion, and her quantum is but food and raiment. 1724 Swift Drapier's Lett. Wks. 1755 V. ii. 60 He will double his present quantum by stealth as soon as he can. 1818 Bentham Ch. Eng. 421 A Parish, in which the quantum of this soul-saving Mammon rises as high as 12,000l. a year. 1897 F. T. Bullen Cruise ‘Cachalot’ 167 Having completed our quantum of wood, water, and fresh provisions.
CGS • Link
“Quantum” is a word I thought of more recent origin
The Men of Italia have been using the word long before finding the White Cliffs of Dover;
A nice adverb; as much as,how much
So Sam be using it as he remembers it from his Alma Mata :
as much as I get away with.
Quantus, a, um
How great.
quantum vis - as much as you like.
GrahamT • Link
Sam may not get a share of the prize ships, but his share of Mr Andrew's order must be a Quantum of Solace.
Pedro • Link
“and I endeavoured by the by to offer some encouragements for their continuing in the business,”
Off topic a little, but I have heard today of the sad death of Jeannine’s mother, and would like to post the sympathy of her fellow annotators. I hope in time she can continue with her excellent annotations.
A. De Araujo • Link
My condolences Jeannine.
dirk • Link
From the Carte Papers, Bodleian Library
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
Arlington to Sandwich
Written from: My Lord Ashley's house, St. Giles's [Dorset]
Date: 16 September 1665
Lord Rochester brought last night the good news of the Earl's second success, upon which the writer, with all his heart, gives his Lordship joy. ...
Paul Chapin • Link
A quantum more -
CGS is quite right. I didn't mean to imply that the word "quantum" itself, obviously a Latin word, was new in the C17, just its importation into English.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Lord Rochester brought last night the good news of the Earl’s second success, upon which the writer, with all his heart, gives his Lordship joy."
I suspect Lord Sandwich and the fleet...And all those lovely, lovely prize ships...Will be receiving many important and rather useless visitors shortly.
(Thanks, Dirk)
A. Hamilton • Link
"paid me my quantum"
Probably following meaning No. 3 from the OED, "one's share or portion," first citation from 1649, but possibly "sum, amount," with its legal connotation, from meaning 1.a; first citation 1619.
I'm trying in vain to remember where I first encountered "quantum quid," (how much of that?) but remember with a smile Private Eye's cover of Princess Diana leaving her solicitor's office saying (in a cartoon balloon) "I've got the quids."
OED
Quantum
1. a. Sum, amount; = quantity 2; spec. in Law, an amount, a sum (of money payable in damages, etc.).
1619 Purchas Microcosmus xxxii. 302 To set The true Quantum, the true poize and price vpon himselfe. 1738 Hist. Crt. Excheq. iii. 43 To vote in the first Place, that the King should be supplied; in the next Place, the Quantum of the Supply. ...
3. One's share or portion.
1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. ii. xii. 94 Poverty is her portion, and her quantum is but food and raiment. 1724 Swift Drapier's Lett. Wks. 1755 V. ii. 60 He will double his present quantum by stealth as soon as he can. ...
Second Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
http://brittlebooks.library.illin…
14 September, 1665. I went to Wotton;
[Wotton near Epsom, Surrey, is the EVELYN FAMILY HOME - John Evelyn's wife, Mary, is staying there to avoid the plague]
and on 16 September, 1665, to visit old Secretary Nicholas, being now at his new purchase of West Horsley, once mortgaged to me by Lord Viscount Montague: a pretty dry seat on the Down. Returned to Wotton.
[The Down(s) in the case are a series of hills running parallel to the south coast of England]
Christopher • Link
The links for "Diary of Ralph Josselin" died in 2019. The Wayback machine fills in the missing pages...
Sept. 16. God good in Colnes preservation, yet Colchester increases in illness being spread over the whole town, after frequent reports of a most wonderful increase this week it abated through mercy.