Wednesday 1 November 1665
Lay very long in bed discoursing with Mr. Hill of most things of a man’s life, and how little merit do prevail in the world, but only favour; and that, for myself, chance without merit brought me in; and that diligence only keeps me so, and will, living as I do among so many lazy people that the diligent man becomes necessary, that they cannot do anything without him, and so told him of my late business of the victualling, and what cares I am in to keepe myself having to do with people of so different factions at Court, and yet must be fair with them all, which was very pleasant discourse for me to tell, as well as he seemed to take it, for him to hear.
At last up, and it being a very foule day for raine and a hideous wind, yet having promised I would go by water to Erith, and bearing sayle was in danger of oversetting, but ordered them take down their sayle, and so cold and wet got thither, as they had ended their dinner. How[ever], I dined well, and after dinner all on shore, my Lord Bruncker with us to Mrs. Williams’s lodgings, and Sir W. Batten, Sir Edmund Pooly, and others; and there, it being my Lord’s birth-day, had every one a green riband tied in our hats very foolishly; and methinks mighty disgracefully for my Lord to have his folly so open to all the world with this woman. But by and by Sir W. Batten and I took coach, and home to Boreman, and so going home by the backside I saw Captain Cocke ’lighting out of his coach (having been at Erith also with her but not on board) and so he would come along with me to my lodging, and there sat and supped and talked with us, but we were angry a little a while about our message to him the other day about bidding him keepe from the office or his owne office, because of his black dying. I owned it and the reason of it, and would have been glad he had been out of the house, but I could not bid him go, and so supped, and after much other talke of the sad condition and state of the King’s matters we broke up, and my friend and I to bed.
This night coming with Sir W. Batten into Greenwich we called upon Coll. Cleggatt, who tells us for certaine that the King of Denmark hath declared to stand for the King of England, but since I hear it is wholly false.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Mary • Link
"very pleasant discourse ...... for him to hear"
Either Mr. Hill is a man of outstanding tact or he hopes for some ultimate advantage in learning of Sam's methods.
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... how little merit do prevail in the world, but only favour; and that, for myself, chance without merit brought me in; and that diligence only keeps me so, ..."
Remarkable honesty ...
Robert Gertz • Link
Know thyself...At least our boy has kept to that. Nice that Sam still is willing to confide in a very few old friends.
***
Nothing like having to risk death for the morning commute and to attend a superior's birthday party. I'm reminded of driving through blizzards in New England to get to the lab and nearly getting killed a couple of times en route to the mandatory...If you know what's good for you...Xmas party.
At least it's great that Sam has Coventry, Albemarle, and Jamie willing to appreciate his efforts.
Deb Burks • Link
Sam spends a long morning in bed, condemning other men's laziness. Heh. I suppose he's earned a leisurely morning here and there, but I do love when he so entirely misses the irony of his own words.
cgs • Link
In his silk wrap too?????
"...Lay very long in bed discoursing with Mr. Hill of most things of a man’s life, and how little merit do prevail in the world,..."
How true!
"...
living as I do among so many lazy people that the diligent man becomes necessary,..."
Sam, thee should be here now .
So wots gnu?
Terry Foreman • Link
Welcome back, cgs.
Terry Foreman • Link
"my friend and I to bed"
L&M transcribe "my wife and I to bed."
Australian Susan • Link
Mr Hill was very glad he had done that course where you learn to sleep with your eyes open.
A. De Araujo • Link
"for my Lord to have his folly so open with all the world with this woman"
Sam, since it is really none of your business and knowing what happened the last time you gave your free advice about this matter, I would just keep quiet.
Mary • Link
"had everyone a green ribband tied in our hats"
Does anyone know the significance, if any, of the green ribbons?
Surely, nothing to do with it being All Saints Day. L&M have nothing to say on the matter.
cgs • Link
Ribbands were an in-expensive way to denote rank and alliances of men in the fog of war, to distinguish friend and foe. A green ribband was noted in the battle of Nasby.
[The Concise Encyclopedia of the Revolutions and Wars of England, Scotland ]
'tis like the old school tie, a way to recognize former allies in the forgotten past.
Like most symbols, only the the ones on the inside knows the real significance.
Paul Chapin • Link
A little clarification regarding A. De Araujo's comment. The "my Lord" Sam is referring to here is Br[o]uncker, who consorts openly with a woman to whom he is not married, Mrs. Williams. Unlike Sandwich, whom Sam felt he owed an intervention, there would be no reason for him to chide Bruncker personally on the matter. He's just saying what everybody else is probably saying as well.
A. De Araujo • Link
Thank you Paul Chapin;my apologies Sam.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"by and by Sir W. Batten and I took coach, and home to Boreman"
The house of George Boreman (Keeper of the Wardrobe, Greenwich Palace), where Batten lodged during the Plague. (L&M note)
LKvM • Link
Sam certainly is a lubber. This is the second instance that I can recall of his ordering career watermen/sailors, who know much more about foul-weather sailing than he does, to douse sail.