Wednesday 27 September 1665
Up, and saw and admired my wife’s picture of our Saviour,1 now finished, which is very pretty. So by water to Greenwich, where with Creed and Lord Rutherford, and there my Lord told me that he would give me 100l. for my pains, which pleased me well, though Creed, like a cunning rogue, hath got a promise of half of it from me. We to the King’s Head, the great musique house, the first time I was ever there, and had a good breakfast, and thence parted, I being much troubled to hear from Creed, that he was told at Salsbury that I am come to be a great swearer and drinker, though I know the contrary; but, Lord! to see how my late little drinking of wine is taken notice of by envious men to my disadvantage. I thence to Captain Cocke’s, [and] (he not yet come from town) to Mr. Evelyn’s, where much company; and thence in his coach with him to the Duke of Albemarle by Lambeth, who was in a mighty pleasant humour; there the Duke tells us that the Dutch do stay abroad, and our fleet must go out again, or to be ready to do so. Here we got several things ordered as we desired for the relief of the prisoners, and sick and wounded men. Here I saw this week’s Bill of Mortality, wherein, blessed be God! there is above 1800 decrease, being the first considerable decrease we have had.
Back again the same way and had most excellent discourse of Mr. Evelyn touching all manner of learning; wherein I find him a very fine gentleman, and particularly of paynting, in which he tells me the beautifull Mrs. Middleton is rare, and his own wife do brave things. He brought me to the office, whither comes unexpectedly Captain Cocke, who hath brought one parcel of our goods by waggons, and at first resolved to have lodged them at our office; but then the thoughts of its being the King’s house altered our resolution, and so put them at his friend’s, Mr. Glanvill’s, and there they are safe. Would the rest of them were so too! In discourse, we come to mention my profit, and he offers me 500l. clear, and I demand 600l. for my certain profit. We part to-night, and I lie there at Mr. Glanvill’s house, there being none there but a maydeservant and a young man; being in some pain, partly from not knowing what to do in this business, having a mind to be at a certainty in my profit, and partly through his having Jacke sicke still, and his blackemore now also fallen sicke. So he being gone, I to bed.
19 Annotations
First Reading
Michael Robinson • Link
the beautifull Mrs. Middleton
Her portrait, c. 1663-5, by Lely:
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk…
Terry Foreman • Link
"This picture by Mrs. Pepys may have given trouble when Pepys was unjustifiably attacked for having Popish pictures in his house."
Perhaps not as much trouble as the one she will be painting of the "Virgin's head" on 9 August 1666, with which SP reports he is "mightily pleased" -- purely aesthetically, of course! http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
CGS • Link
Kings Head ; what it be named back in '59?? the levell headed one?
Terry Foreman • Link
"being in some pain,...partly through his having Jacke sicke still, and his blackemore now also fallen sicke."
I am unsure whom SP intends by [a] "Jacke" but a "blackemore" is a "black" person (also "negro") of either gender. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bla…
Mary • Link
Jack sounds like Glanvill's boy or perhaps (Glanville was a lawyer) his clerk? Some kind of live-in employee, at any rate. If Jack were a relative (son, nephew etc.) I should expect Pepys to indicate the relationship.
JWB • Link
Jacke was Capt. Cocke's boy.
JWB • Link
Salty Head
There was a King's Head tavern in Depford issuing tokens in lieu coin of the realm in 1649, the year Chas. 1st lost his head. Like "Saracen's Head", I don't think it's honorific.
JWB • Link
"...unjustifiably attacked for having Popish pictures ..."
Unjustifiable? I don't know any Protestants with graven images of Jesus or Mary on their walls, what w/ history of argument over meaning 2nd Commandment 'n all.
A. De Araujo • Link
"I don't know any Protestants....."
I am sure there are many Protestants with paintings of the original Madonna in their collection.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Isn't it wonderful, Hewer?" Pepys beams at the new painting.
"Ummn...Well..." Hewer tries...Eyeing the oddly costumed bug-eyed figure. "Tis a very good likeness of you, sir."
"Hewer, as you plainly can see that is Bess' impression of our Savior." Sam frowns.
Ummn...
"There's no need to flatter me." Sam regards the portrait.
On the other hand...A happy smile. Only to be expected He might bear some resemblance...
"Still, if that's your honest opinion..."
"Oh, indeed, sir."
"Have a look at these sketches Mrs. Pepys has done for a portrait of the Virgin."
Oh, my dear God...Hewer chokes, staring at Sam in shawl, babe fondly held on lap. Baby Samuel...er Jesus bearing same features as mother.
"A remarkable talent, eh?"
"Oh dear God...I mean, yes, remarkable."
Robert Gertz • Link
"...he was told at Salsbury that I am come to be a great swearer and drinker, though I know the contrary..."
Sounds like Capt Cocke has been calling himself Samuel Pepys in Salsbury.
Now if Creed had heard "notorious adulterer, abuser of powerless employees and their wives, smooth bribe-taker, shady deal-broker, two-faced hypocrite, etc..."
"I didn't pimp Bess to Uncle Wight...Yet..."
Ok, limit "etc"...
I notice he was more concerned about denying the drinking than the swearing... "...my late little drinking of wine..."
Terry Foreman • Link
"he was told at Salsbury that I am come to be a great swearer and drinker"
Salisbury is where the court-on-the-run-from-the-plague has been of late.
Terry Foreman • Link
"to Mr. Evelyn’s...and thence in his coach with him to the Duke of Albemarle by Lambeth, [where] we got several things ordered as we desired for the relief of the prisoners, and sick and wounded men."
If memory serves, this is the first joint venture by the diarists Pepys and Evelyn.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"I saw this week’s Bill of Mortality, wherein, blessed be God! there is above 1800 decrease, being the first considerable decrease we have had."
L&M: 5533 deaths from the plague occurred in the 19-26 September; 7615 in the previous week.
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Impressive how effectively the Bill of Mortality is circulated outside London.
Terry Foreman • Link
"his blackemore"
BLACKEMORE - negro, negress, black (L&M Larger Glossary)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Sir Robert Needham is related to John Evelyn, so Jane Myddleton is a “niece” and hence socializing with Mary Browne Evelyn.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... then the thoughts of its being The King’s House altered our resolution, and so put them at his friend’s, Mr. Glanvill’s, and there they are safe."
Like many of Charles II’s ‘Big Ideas’, The King’s House at Greenwich Palace had run into financial difficulties. It was a building site for years. When Pepys visited on 24 August 1665 looking at the proposed Navy Board offices for the duration of the plague, the building was not finished, so it was not a secure place to leave valuable merchandise.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"I lie there at Mr. Glanvill’s house, there being none there but a mayde servant and a young man; being in some pain, partly from not knowing what to do in this business, having a mind to be at a certainty in my profit, and partly through his having Jacke sicke still, and his blackemore now also fallen sicke."
Guarding the goods, at risk to his life.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"I thence to ... Mr. Evelyn’s, where much company; and thence in his coach with him to the Duke of Albemarle by Lambeth, who was in a mighty pleasant humour; ... Here we got several things ordered as we desired for the relief of the prisoners, and sick and wounded men."
Kudos to Pepys. He didn't need to take on the problem of the sick and injured seamen, and the housing of the prisoners of war. Supplying a war would be job enough for most men. He was an unpaid volunteer; I see few profit opportunities for him trying to solve this almighty mess.
For more info on the Commission, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…