Thursday 2 November 1665
Up, left my wife and to the office, and there to my great content Sir W. Warren come to me to settle the business of the Tangier boates, wherein I shall get above 100l., besides 100l. which he gives me in the paying for them out of his owne purse. He gone, I home to my lodgings to dinner, and there comes Captain Wagers newly returned from the Streights, who puts me in great fear for our last ships that went to Tangier with provisions, that they will be taken. A brave, stout fellow this Captain is, and I think very honest.
To the office again after dinner and there late writing letters, and then about 8 at night set out from my office and fitting myself at my lodgings intended to have gone this night in a Ketch down to the Fleete, but calling in my way at Sir J. Minnes’s, who is come up from Erith about something about the prizes, they persuaded me not to go till the morning, it being a horrible darke and a windy night.
So I back to my lodging and to bed.
9 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"the business of the Tangier boates"
Cf. 27 July 1665: "I got another order signed about the boats, which I think I shall get something by." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... it being a horrible darke and a windy night. ..."
Premonition of Bulwer-Lytton?
http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/
Robert Gertz • Link
So was Bess the "my friend" of "my friend and I" to bed last night? Or was that Hill again? A bit confusing but she does seem to be at Greenwich these days.
***
Good of Minnes or his people to have persuaded our boy to stay.
Terry Foreman • Link
“my friend and I” to bed last night?
L&M transcribe “my wife and I to bed" last night.
Terry Foreman • Link
What the Hill, Sam.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Don Draper" having had his chance to outline his strategy on SNL, I felt it only fair to let Sam have his chance...
“Samuel Pepys’ Guide to Picking Up Women...”
Good fellow, welcome...
We shall assume you are a gentleman, and not presently accompanied...Given the subject matter...By wife, sweetheart, or female relative...
Let us therefore closet ourselves. ("Bess, I'll be at my accounts for a while, you'd best get off to bed.")
Step One...
Money rules...
Yea, good sir.. It should first be noted that a surfeit of money makes all men more attractive and ye pauper oft goes home alone. First, then...Make it your cardinal principle to acquire such moneys as wilt allow ye to offer your lady friend toys and trinkets. A good woman in, or fancying herself in, love may tolerate poverty in a man but if ye wish to gather in the coals, so to speak...Put coin in ye purse.
Step Two...
Clothes doth maketh the man...
Friend, disabuse thyself of the notion that it is the inner man which shineth to give grace to thy outward appearance in lieu of fine garments. ‘Tis sentiment fit solely for the Lord’s Day, in the church, in the backmost pew. In short, sir...No threads, no beds. Yet be reconciled by the thought that a fine suit doth hide the bulging stomach and good cloth with lace trimming draws attention from the hairy brow and the bugged eye.
Step Three...
Power...Ye bludgeon of choice...
Contrary to the old saw of power as the foremost aphrodisiac, power may not win ye thy lady’s heart. However, if the said lady or hers be powerless and friendless...It may well win her body...And win ye the support of hers in ye quest. Yet beware ye do not apply thy power before confirming the powerlessness of ye lady and hers...Particularly her father, husband, or sweetheart. A slip here may land thee in the Thames or the Tower.
Step Four...
The merry and clever Tongue hath power to charm...
With all the previous steps in hand, a merry and clever tongue may lighten the road to Romance and cheer thy lady’s heart.
At least it may it easier for her to grin and bear thee...
jeannine • Link
Off topic:
For a few more days free access to those outside the UK for the ODNB "Lives of the Week' biographies of John Evelyn and Phineas Petts.
http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/l…
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"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,
In this night William Sheldon's home (Woolwich)
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
"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
Navy Office (Seething Lane)
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
or his owne office, because of his black dying. "
Tonyel • Link
it being a horrible darke and a windy night.
So that's where Snoopy got it from, as well.