Wednesday 16 May 1666
Up very betimes, and so down the river to Deptford to look after some business, being by and by to attend the Duke and Mr. Coventry, and so I was wiling to carry something fresh that I may look as a man minding business, which I have done too much for a great while to forfeit, and is now so great a burden upon my mind night and day that I do not enjoy myself in the world almost. I walked thither, and come back again by water, and so to White Hall, and did our usual business before the Duke, and so to the Exchequer, where the lazy rogues have not yet done my tallys, which vexes me. Thence to Mr. Hales, and paid him for my picture, and Mr. Hill’s, for the first 14l. for the picture, and 25s. for the frame, and for the other 7l. for the picture, it being a copy of his only, and 5s. for the frame; in all, 22l. 10s. I am very well satisfied in my pictures, and so took them in another coach home along with me, and there with great pleasure my wife and I hung them up, and, that being done, to dinner, where Mrs. Barbara Sheldon come to see us and dined with us, and we kept her all the day with us, I going down to Deptford, and, Lord! to see with what itching desire I did endeavour to see Bagwell’s wife, but failed, for which I am glad, only I observe the folly of my mind that cannot refrain from pleasure at a season above all others in my life requisite for me to shew my utmost care in.
I walked both going and coming, spending my time reading of my Civill and Ecclesiastical Law book. Being returned home, I took my wife and Mrs. Barbary and Mercer out by coach and went our Grand Tour, and baited at Islington, and so late home about 11 at night, and so with much pleasure to bed.
17 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
The Royal Society today at Gresham College — from the Hooke Folio Online
May. 16. 1666. A paper of mr Philips was brought in by mr Hooke concerning the variation of the magnetick needle as they had been obserued in 2 east india voyages.
(wallis Letter about effects of thunder http://snipurl.com/hrwg5
(wallis hypothesis of the flux & Reflux of the Sea) objections) [ Cf. An Essay of Dr. John Wallis, Exhibiting His Hypothesis about the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, Taken from the Consideration of the Common Center of Gravity of the Earth and Moon; Together with an Appendix of the Same, Containing an Answer to Some Objections, Made by Severall Persons against That HypothesisPhil. Trans. 1665 1:263-281; doi:10.1098/rstl.1665.0108 http://rstl.royalsocietypublishin… ]
There was made an Expt. to see whether the magnet did attract iron at as great a Distance in the water as in air, and it was found that It did very near. for the Loadstone & Iron being distant a little lesse then half an inch in both mediums the Counterpoise to the attraction of the iron by the Loadstone in the water & air was in a manner the same in both mediums but whereas the Expt. was made first in the water & then in the air. It was orderd that the next day it should be made first in the air & then in the water.
besides it being mentiond by mr Hooke that the motion of the Celestiall bodys might be represented by pendulums it was orderd that this should be shewed at the next meeting.
http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…
Terry Foreman • Link
"our Grand Tour"
L&M note this is an early use of the phrase and reference May 11 "...our long tour by coach, to Hackney, so to Kingsland, and then to Islington, there entertaining them by candlelight very well, and so home..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
B Timbrell • Link
What is baited? any ideas
Mary • Link
to bait
is to stop in some course of action (stop work, interrupt a journey etc.) for a while in order to take refreshment.
A workman might take his bait ('packed lunch' of bread, cheese, onion or what you will) to work with him to eat at midday.
Tony Eldridge • Link
Bait.
The use also survives (in the UK at least)in the term 'baiting a trap' i.e. putting some foodstuff in a trap to tempt your prey.
A. Hamilton • Link
Bait as used by Sam here means to stop for refreshment at an inn. He is cited by OED for this meaning:
Bait, verb -- OED(Etymology ME beyten via Old Norse)
I. To cause to bite other creatures....(includes figurative use, e.g., "They baited him.")
II. To cause a creature to bite for its own refreshment; to feed....
7. intr. Of travellers: To stop at an inn, orig. to feed the horses, but later also to rest and refresh themselves; hence, to make a brief stay or sojourn.
... 1659–60 Pepys Diary 24 Feb., At Puckeridge we baited, where we had a loin of mutton fried. 1777 Sheridan Trip Scarb. i. ii, To bait here a few days longer, to recover the fatigue of his journey. 1874 Motley Barneveld I. iv. 179 They set forth on their journey—stopping in the middle of the day to bait.
A. Hamilton • Link
A fair amount of walking today, three times afoot between Seething Lane and Deptford; at least 10 miles. I marvel at Sam reading a demanding book during his walk.
Ruben • Link
"I took my wife and Mrs. Barbary and Mercer out BY COACH and went our Grand Tour, and baited at Islington,...".
Gone the days of long walking tours. Now he can rent a coach...
JWB • Link
"...besides it being mentiond by mr Hooke that the motion of the Celestiall bodys might be represented by pendulums it was orderd that this should be shewed at the next meeting."
This is Wren's idea, Oldenburg gave him priority, see http://books.google.com/books?id=…
The pendulum is a conical pendulum seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coni…
Bradford • Link
"I was wiling to carry something fresh* that I may look as a man minding business, which I have done too much for a great while to forfeit, and is now so great a burden upon my mind night and day that I do not enjoy myself in the world almost."
*i.e., take on yet another new duty?
24/7 careerism burnout, avant la lettre. What profiteth it a man. . . .
cgs • Link
"marvel at Sam reading a demanding book during his walk."
'tis better than a phone stuck in ones ear, talking away letting the world know thy business.
ticea • Link
I wonder if he ever became so engrossed in his reading that he walked into anyone/anything?
Bryan M • Link
"I wonder if he ever became so engrossed in his reading that he walked into anyone/anything?"
How to do it:
http://www.wikihow.com/Read-While…
Perhaps one of Tom's ("my boy") duties was to walk in front of his master leading the way. (And act as a walking podium for a particularly heavy tome??)
Robert Gertz • Link
For all his anxiety, Sam doesn't seem to have spent a great deal of today upon office business. Of course he was up very betimes and down the river probably about the victualing then the meeting with Sir Will and the Duke, then the tallies check. But after noontime or so dinner it was holiday until 11pm and no return trip to the office. Presumably he knew Minnes, Batten, and Penn would be away, though I would wonder about the office clerks noting his absence.
Second Reading
Cazbot • Link
'Bait' is still a word in Yorkshire, used as Mary describes.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"being by and by to attend the Duke and Mr. Coventry, and so I was willing to carry something fresh that I may look as a man minding business, which I have done too much for a great while to forfeit, and is now so great a burden upon my mind"
I don't agree with Bradford's take on this: I think Pepys is tired of York, Monck and Coventry asking him about what's happening, and his having to say "I don't know -- I'll get back to you on that." So he trotted off to Deptford this morning looking for information which he can bring up at their meeting later in the day, and be first with the news. Much better to be the pitcher and not the catcher all the time.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... and so to the Exchequer, where the lazy rogues have not yet done my tallys, which vexes me."
Time to grease some palms, Pepys? Sounds like you have been a Scrooge with the King's money. Got to share sometimes to get the best service.