Wednesday 25 July 1666

Up betimes to write fair my last night’s paper for the Duke, and so along with Sir W. Batten by hackney coach to St. James’s, where the Duke is gone abroad with the King to the Parke, but anon come back to White Hall, and we, after an houre’s waiting, walked thither (I having desired Sir W. Coventry in his chamber to read over my paper about the victualling, which he approves of, and I am glad I showed it him first, it makes it the less necessary to show it the Duke at all, if I find it best to let it alone). At White Hall we find [the Court] gone to Chappell, it being St. James’s-day. And by and by, while they are at chappell, and we waiting chappell being done, come people out of the Parke, telling us that the guns are heard plain. And so every body to the Parke, and by and by the chappell done, and the King and Duke into the bowling-green, and upon the leads, whither I went, and there the guns were plain to be heard; though it was pretty to hear how confident some would be in the loudnesse of the guns, which it was as much as ever I could do to hear them. By and by the King to dinner, and I waited there his dining; but, Lord! how little I should be pleased, I think, to have so many people crowding about me; and among other things it astonished me to see my Lord Barkeshire waiting at table, and serving the King drink, in that dirty pickle as I never saw man in my life. Here I met Mr. Williams, who in serious discourse told me he did hope well of this fight because of the equality of force or rather our having the advantage in number, and also because we did not go about it with the presumption that we did heretofore, when, he told me, he did before the last fight look upon us by our pride fated to be overcome.

He would have me to dine where he was invited to dine, at the Backe-stayres. So after the King’s meat was taken away, we thither; but he could not stay, but left me there among two or three of the King’s servants, where we dined with the meat that come from his table; which was most excellent, with most brave drink cooled in ice (which at this hot time was welcome), and I drinking no wine, had metheglin for the King’s owne drinking, which did please me mightily.

Thence, having dined mighty nobly, I away to Mrs. Martin’s new lodgings, where I find her, and was with her close, but, Lord! how big she is already. She is, at least seems, in mighty trouble for her husband at sea, when I am sure she cares not for him, and I would not undeceive her, though I know his ship is one of those that is not gone, but left behind without men.

Thence to White Hall again to hear news, but found none; so back toward Westminster, and there met Mrs. Burroughs, whom I had a mind to meet, but being undressed did appear a mighty ordinary woman. Thence by water home, and out again by coach to Lovett’s to see my Crucifix, which is not done. So to White Hall again to have met Sir G. Carteret, but he is gone, abroad, so back homewards, and seeing Mr. Spong took him up, and he and I to Reeves, the glass maker’s, and did set several glasses and had pretty discourse with him, and so away, and set down Mr. Spong in London, and so home and with my wife, late, twatling at my Lady Pen’s, and so home to supper and to bed.

I did this afternoon call at my woman that ruled my paper to bespeak a musique card, and there did kiss Nan.

No news to-night from the fleete how matters go yet.

36 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

The Royal Society today at Gresham College — from the Hooke Folio Online

Iuly 25. The Expt. of Cooling water wth Sal armoniac & salt petre was tryd separately, the spt. of the sealed Thermometer standing at 12 1/2 degrees, and hauing first subided in the cold water as farr as it could vizt to 8 1/2 degrees a quarter of a pound of sal arm: was putt into it at 4h. 56' wherevpon the spt. descend to 4 1/2. degrees [In margin]14. in 8 minutes. and after that time was found to Descend noe lower. Then into the like quantities of water in a like glasse vessell was put the same sealed Thermometer after it had Recouered the height of 8 1/2 degr and then a quarter of a pound of salt peter being put in at 5h. 13. the spirit descended a Little below 4 degrees in the space of 7 1/2 minutes. some of the company expecting that the salarmoniac should coole more potently then the niter scrupled the goodnesse of the sal armoniac, but mr. Hooke affirmed that it was very good. It was tryed with bay salt but that made the spirit descend from 8 1/2 degrees to 7 1/2 in 5 minutes. It was orderd that mr. Hooke should priuately try the same Expt. againe and adde some others of the same Kind and giue an account of it to the company at their next meeting

There was also tryed the Expt. to shew that the circular pendulum is the same wth. two pendulums crossing one another. But it was orderd that the next Day the same should be repeated with making the Contriuance soe as that the centers might be in the same plaine, and at a greater Distance: The expt. frequently made to Represent the Earth & moons compounded motion by two balls suspended on a line being found not to answer expectation
(which was to see whether the center of grauity be in the middle of the ellipsis) was Layd aside

(blunt cherry wine yest) also Rasp & Elderberry yest) goosberry & plum wines good) -

http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…

Albatross  •  Link

"Twatling?"

The only definitions I could find online were most improper and clearly not applicable...

Mary  •  Link

twatling.
From the verb 'to twattle' = to indulge in idle talk or chatter.

OED invites comparison with tattle, tittle-tattle, twaddle.

Mary  •  Link

metheglin

Spiced mead. Could be flavoured with different spices according to taste. A Cornish version uses root ginger; other versions include such ingredients as coriander seeds, cinnamon etc.

Mr. Gunning  •  Link

"it astonished me to see my Lord Barkeshire waiting at table, and serving the King drink, in that dirty pickle as I never saw man in my life."

Can anyone explain what this sentence means please?

JWB  •  Link

The Expt. of Cooling

Awarding the Academy's data two significant figures & allowing at least 0.1 deg for "a Little below", the experiment matches ratio of endothermic heats of solution calculated last week for the two compounds.

language hat  •  Link

"in that dirty pickle as I never saw man in my life"

This is presumably the OED's definition 4b of "pickle": "Condition, trim, guise."

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"...there met Mrs. Burroughs, whom I had a mind to meet, but being undressed did appear a mighty ordinary woman."

"We've heard men say so often they could love their wives alone,but to Sam it seems such foolish men must have hearts made of stone.
Now his heart is made of softer stuff: it melts at each warm glance.
A pretty girl can't look his way without a new romance.
Oh!
He could love a million girls and every girl a twin
He could love a chinese girl, an eskimo or finn
He could love a german girl, a girl with golden curls.
In fact we'd guess our Sam could love about a million girls.

Sam loved a girl whose eyes shone forth just like a crystal mask.
He loved her till he found out that her eye was made of glass.
He loved Ms. Burroughs whose form it was a gorgeous thing to see.
He loved her till he found out that...Part of it was a tree.
Oh!
He could love a million girls a million girls could he
He could love a native girl from far across the sea
He could love a million girls, a girl with baby curls.
In fact we'd guess that Sam could love about a million girls."

Robert Gertz  •  Link

With apologies to Albatross...I just couldn't resist.

"“Twatling?”

The only definitions I could find online were most improper and clearly not applicable…"

"Dad?! Mother?!! Mr. and Mrs. Pepys?!!! Avert mine eyes, O Lord. Blast this hideous sight from my mind! Oh, the Quakers are mine only hope!!" young Will Jr. races off, slamming door.

"Will!" Penn calls from Hooke's latest...An revision of Roman "hot tub"...Somewhat reluctant to pursue his namesake in his current au naturale state.

"Odd." Bess notes, sipping claret from shoe, while leaning back in tub, Sam diligently rubbing one of her feet. "He's just out of France."

Bradford  •  Link

But as for the dirty pickle: is Lord Barkeshire's physical appearance what Pepys is describing, or the cup he serves the King drink in, or the general meal-time hurly-burly?

JWB  •  Link

Mr. Gunnings sentence:

Theater of chivalric obeisance, acme Lois IV, designed to resign lower orders to the chain of command. Berkeshire must have been an imperious fellow for Sam to think him in a pickle. Brought to mind (lesson for this Sunday) the story in Luke 7 about the Centurian, used to being in & under authority, in Capernaum.

Mary  •  Link

in that dirty pickle.

Comment on Barkeshire's slovenly appearance, surely. Grimy shirt? Soupstains on waistcoat-front? Dirty, ill-dressed wig? Ladders in stockings? Who can tell?

Margaret  •  Link

"...in that dirty pickle as I never saw man in my life."

I'm with Mary on this. And I expect that his slovenly state probably had a lot to do with over-indulgence the night before. Knowing what we do about King Charles' court, Lord Barkshire may well be severely hung-over.

cgs  •  Link

pickle: has always had a bad meaning for us louts, pickled, drunken, slovenly, a right "bludy" mess, our speech of the fields was never been popular amongst the betters until radio and its heir the gogglebox , thus many meanings failed to enter the literate 'ritings' until it could make monies, so now that what was considered slang and other illiterate mutterings have enter the OED at a later date than the first unrecorded uttering's of the great unwashed.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Meanwhile the St James Day Battle's first day is being waged:

"In the early morning of July 25, the Dutch fleet of 88 ships discovered the British fleet of 89 ships near North Foreland, sailing to the north, and pursued it from the southeast in a leeward position, as the wind blew from the northwest.....
Now Rupert combined his full van and centre to deliver the coup-de-grâce to the Dutch centre. George Monck, accompanying Rupert, predicted that De Ruyter would give two broadsides and run, but the latter put up a furious fight on the Dutch flagship De Zeven Provinciën. He withstood a combined attack by Sovereign of the Seas and Royal Charles and forced Rupert to leave the damaged Royal Charles for Royal James......"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._…

Click and read for for more details (weather plays a HUGE role).

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Sorry for the SPOILER: -- London has no idea of how the battle goes.

Paul Chapin  •  Link

cgs, well put, and I love the word "gogglebox."

arby  •  Link

Thanks for the spoiler. It helps us lazy folks get a wider view than the diary itself provides. It's not like I would go lookin for it myself, usually, so I really appreciate all the comments, especially the ones that inform me. Thanks, rb

Australian Susan  •  Link

"....By and by the King to dinner, and I waited there his dining; but, Lord! how little I should be pleased, I think, to have so many people crowding about me; ...."

The custom of watching the monarch at dinner did not die out until the days of Victoria: one reason why she gave up staying in the Royal Pavilion at Brighton was that the dining room could be viewed from the street and crowds gathered to peer in. Too much for Queen V who wished for, and got, much more Royal privacy. This had been denied her, however, when she gave birth for the first time: members of the government gathered in the room adjoining the one in which she laboured, with the large double doors open between the rooms - and the bedroom itself was full of people.

cgs  •  Link

Lessers love reality, the gogglebox carries on the tradition.
“….By and by the King to dinner, and I waited there his dining; but, Lord! how little I should be pleased, I think, to have so many people crowding about me; ….”

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Lord! how little I should be pleased, I think, to have so many people crowding about me"

L&M say the practice of dining in public certain days each week was discontinued during the war, citing Evelyn, 7 August 1667, and say the crowding was by courtiers and servants.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"a musique card"

L&M conjecture this may be a card to write rules of composition on.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"we waiting chappell being done, come people out of the Parke, telling us that the guns are heard plain. '

L&M: Arlington wrote to Sandwich on the 26th that he and the King heard them plainly from the morning of the 25th onwards , and that on the 26th they ggrew fainter: Sandwich MSS, Letters from Ministers, i. f. 140v.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Berkshire, Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles II -- Per L&M Companion -- (1590 - 1669). Clarendon scornfully writes of him that 'his interest and reputation were less than anything but his understanding.' Parliament did not trouble to keep him under constraint during the Civil War since he was 'a man that could do them no harm anywhere.' He was possibly Mary/Moll Davies’ father, and rumor had it he was a pimp for Charles.

The old boy is 76 years old. His arthritus means he's hobbling around slowly, and his eye sight means he's bumping into things. And, by the sound of it, he wasn't very smart to start with. Perhaps all the other Gentlemen of the Bedchamber are away fighting, and Berkshire's the only one left to wait table.

Pepys can be so smug and judgmental.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"He would have me to dine where he was invited to dine, at the Backstairs. So after the King’s meat was taken away, we thither; ... where we dined with the meat that come from his table; which was most excellent, with most brave drink cooled in ice (which at this hot time was welcome), and I drinking no wine, had metheglin for the King’s own drinking, which did please me mightily."

Dining in the Backstairs dining room would be the best -- apart from having to put up with the Chaffinch family. How surprising Pepys came away with no gossip ... perhaps he was too busy eating to hear anything worth remembering.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"I away to Mrs. Martin’s new lodgings, where I find her, and was with her close, but, Lord! how big she is already. She is, at least seems, in mighty trouble for her husband at sea, when I am sure she cares not for him, and I would not undeceive her, though I know his ship is one of those that is not gone, but left behind without men."

Pepys being a cad again. And no, Mrs. Martin isn't getting fat -- she's 5 months pregnant.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... so back toward Westminster, and there met Mrs. Burroughs, whom I had a mind to meet, but being undressed did appear a mighty ordinary woman."

What, no fractured French? Is this the first time you've seen the lovely Elizabeth Burroughs in the all together? -- and please share with us: what did she make of your physique?

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"I did this afternoon call at my woman that ruled my paper to bespeak a musique card, and there did kiss Nan."

Good lord: Tension gets you in the pants every time, Pepys. Grooming another one!

I bet you go home and ignore Elizabeth.

Mary K  •  Link

Mrs. Burroughs undressed

I take it that this means that Mrs. Burroughs was looking very ordinary today: just workaday clothes, hair undressed, not at all as appealing as when she's all primped and dolled up for company.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Mary K -- I think you are right. That makes me feel better about Pepys, whose behavior today left a lot to be desired for me.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"(I having desired Sir W. Coventry in his chamber to read over my paper about the victualling, which he approves of, and I am glad I showed it him first, it makes it the less necessary to show it the Duke at all, if I find it best to let it alone)"

That was smart, Pepys. York couldn't care less about your annual victualling report right now. Now the man who needs to know, does know.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

I've been looking into this Earl of Berkshire, and it seems we have got three people combined into one.

Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire 1587–1669 was a Royalist a friend of King Charles, tutor to Prince Charles, and went to Jersey with him. He tried to stop Charles from going to Paris, failed, so he went to The Hague, and then went home -- where he seems to have been left alone by Parliament. As an old man, there's no mention of his being active in the Court of Charles II -- see https://www.historyofparliamenton…

His son, Charles Howard, 2nd Duke of Berkshire 1615 – 1679 who, as Lord Andover, raised a regiment of 500 horse during the 1st Civil War, He was an influential member of the Catholic nobility, Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles II in exile and a supporter of the Duke of York. He succeeded as the 2nd Earl in 1669, and was implicated in the Popish Plot. Charles Howard, 2nd Earl of Berkshire fled to Paris dying there in 1679. I suspect this is the Earl we are dealing with tonight -- but Pepys should have called him Lord Andover.

Charles Howard was succeeded by his brother, Col. Thomas Howard MP, as 3rd Earl of Berkshire 1619 -1706. He was a thorn in Parliament's side, as he was the fighting leader of Lord Andover's regiment. According to Pepys, his illegitimate daughter, Moll Davies, was one of Charles II's mistresses.

These last two come from http://wiki.bcw-project.org/royal…

I'm sending these clarifications to Phil in hopes we can sort out our Encyclopedia.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

oooooopppps ... "His son, Charles Howard, 2nd Duke of Berkshire"

should be 2nd EARL of Berkshire. Sorry

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