Tuesday 20 February 1665/66

Up, and to the office; where, among other businesses, Mr. Evelyn’s proposition about publique Infirmarys was read and agreed on, he being there: and at noon I took him home to dinner, being desirous of keeping my acquaintance with him; and a most excellent humoured man I still find him, and mighty knowing. After dinner I took him by coach to White Hall, and there he and I parted, and I to my Lord Sandwich’s, where coming and bolting into the dining-room, I there found Captain Ferrers going to christen a child of his born yesterday, and I come just pat to be a godfather, along with my Lord Hinchingbrooke, and Madam Pierce, my Valentine, which for that reason I was pretty well contented with, though a little vexed to see myself so beset with people to spend me money, as she of a Valentine and little Mrs. Tooker, who is come to my house this day from Greenwich, and will cost me 20s., my wife going out with her this afternoon, and now this christening. Well, by and by the child is brought and christened Katharine, and I this day on this occasion drank a glasse of wine, which I have not professedly done these two years, I think, but a little in the time of the sicknesse. After that done, and gone and kissed the mother in bed, I away to Westminster Hall, and there hear that Mrs. Lane is come to town. So I staid loitering up and down till anon she comes and agreed to meet at Swayn’s, and there I went anon, and she come, but staid but little, the place not being private. I have not seen her since before the plague. So thence parted and ‘rencontrais a’ her last ‘logis’, and in the place did what I ‘tenais a mind pour ferais con her’. At last she desired to borrow money of me, 5l., and would pawn gold with me for it, which I accepted and promised in a day or two to supply her. So away home to the office, and thence home, where little Mrs. Tooker staid all night with us, and a pretty child she is, and happens to be niece to my beauty that is dead, that lived at the Jackanapes, in Cheapside. So to bed, a little troubled that I have been at two houses this afternoon with Mrs. Lane that were formerly shut up of the plague.

15 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

“I away to Westminster-hall and there hear that Mrs. Lane is come to town. So I stayed loitering up and down, till anon she comes and agreed to meet at Swayns; and there I went anon and she came, but stayed but little, the place not being private. I have not seen her since before the plague. So thence parted, and 'rencontrai a' her last 'logis' [met her at her last lodgings], and in that place did what I 'tena a mind para faire con her' [did what I had a mind to do with her].”

(Duncan Grey's translation)
http://www.pepys.info/bits3.html

cgs  •  Link

"...people to spend me money..." friends a plenty now.

Andrew Hamilton  •  Link

I feared the fair weather wouldn't last

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Mr. Evelyn’s proposition about publique Infirmarys was read and agreed on, he being there"

John Evelyn's Diary

20: To the Commissioners of the Navy, who having seene the project of the Infirmary, encouragd the worke, & were very earnest it should be set about speedily: but I saw no mony, though a very moderate expense, would have saved thousands to his Majestie and been much more commodious for the cure & quartering our sick & wounded, than the dispersing of them into private houses, where many more Chir[ur]giones, & tenders were necessary, & the people tempted to debaucherie &c:
***

Mary  •  Link

Little Mrs. Tooker ("a pretty child she is") and Elizabeth are about to spend an afternoon together and Sam doesn't appear to be concerned by worries over their conversation taking a dangerous turn. I presume that the 20s. mentioned refers to money likely to be spent whilst shopping rather than hush-money to the little Miss.

B Timbrell  •  Link

Does Evelyn in his Diary ever refer to S Pepys as an individual or if he just mentioned in passing as a member of the Navy Commission

Lawrence  •  Link

"Does Evelyn in his Diary ever refer to S Pepys as an individual or if he just mentioned in passing as a member of the Navy Commission"

I believe, and it's been a while since I read Evelyn, He tells his diary of taking Pepys to talk to his brother about the stone, in the hope that pepys might talk Evelyn's brother to have the his stone removed, It didn't work, and Evelyn lost his brother to the stone, we don't read this story from pepys' diary, because he'd just closed it!

jeannine  •  Link

"Mr. Evelyn’s proposition about publique Infirmarys was read and agreed on, he being there: and at noon I took him home to dinner, being desirous of keeping my acquaintance with him; and a most excellent humoured man I still find him, and mighty knowing."

(Spoiler-after the Diary ends) This is delightful. As Sam and John Evelyn will remain friends for the rest of their lives. Their 'business' interactions in the Navy will blossom into a true appreciation for the other.

B Timbrell as time goes on there will be a great deal of personal and friendly correspondence between the two. Although I haven't read the entire Evelyn Diary I do know that in the Evelyn bio that there are quotes from his Diary about Sam (mostly in the future). Perhaps someone else can better answer your question.

Lawrence  •  Link

jeannine and B Trimbrell, I believe this is the first time Evelyn mentions sam in his diary, Evelyn discribes the stone that the two carry to Evelyns brothers house, calling it tennis ball sized, but of course it's not, the tennis balls we're used to? the one here that Evelyn is talking of would be the smaller one! that, the King and friends play with at Hampton Court? But yes the two will become life long friends, and their correspondence, is an absolute delight to read? one Sad note regarding Evelyn, was in 1999, somebody cast open his tomb and stole his scull!

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Heaven...

"Skull, eh?" Sam reads. "Barbarians...Still, Lord knows it could have been worse..."

Bess, rolling eyes...Not again.

"When I think that some fiend actually made off with my (larger than your standard 17th century tennis ball sized) stone..." Sam begins...

***
When does the statute of limitations run out on Valentine's Day gifts in 1665?

"Mr. Pepys..." Wave.

Sigh... "My dear Mrs. Pierce...I've told you. Until Mr. Hill finally gives Bess a Valentine's Day gift for 1665, I am pledged to my wife not to give you one. It's part of my redemption to Bess. My hands are tied, Madam." Can't resist slight glance downward..."Pardon me, but are you pregnant...Again?"

"My 335th." beam. "James is so pleased..."

"No one told me we could get pregnant in Heaven..." Bess glares.

***

Lawrence  •  Link

Taken from the entry of Evelyn's diary, just after the close of pepys diary,

June 10: "I went that evening to Lond: to carry Mr Pepys to my Bro: ( now exceedingly afflicted with the Stone in the bladder) who himselfe had ben successfully cut; & carried the Stone (which was as big as a tenis-ball) to shew him, and encourage his resolution to go thro the operation"... Pepys had shut his diary some 10 days earlier!
"Taken from the Diary of John Evelyn p 170 selected and edited by Guy de la Bedoyere"

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"my beauty that is dead, that lived at the Jackanapes, in Cheapside"

L&M: This last was possibly 'the pretty woman that I always loved at the beginning of Cheapeside that sells children's coates': https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

Marquess  •  Link

What a nice full day Sam has had, Godfather, women and drink. At primary school which for me was in Deptford we were taught about John and Sam's respective diaries and friendship. We had one particular teacher who was an enthusiast for both.

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