Saturday 10 November 1666

Up and to the office, where Sir W. Coventry come to tell us that the Parliament did fall foul of our accounts again yesterday; and we must arme to have them examined, which I am sorry for: it will bring great trouble to me, and shame upon the office. My head full this morning how to carry on Captain Cocke’s bargain of hemp, which I think I shall by my dexterity do, and to the King’s advantage as well as my own. At noon with my Lord Bruncker and Sir Thomas Harvy, to Cocke’s house, and there Mrs. Williams and other company, and an excellent dinner. Mr. Temple’s wife; after dinner, fell to play on the harpsicon, till she tired everybody, that I left the house without taking leave, and no creature left standing by her to hear her. Thence I home and to the office, where late doing of business, and then home. Read an hour, to make an end of Potter’s Discourse of the Number 666, which I like all along, but his close is most excellent; and, whether it be right or wrong, is mighty ingenious. Then to supper and to bed.

This is the fatal day that every body hath discoursed for a long time to be the day that the Papists, or I know not who, had designed to commit a massacre upon; but, however, I trust in God we shall rise to-morrow morning as well as ever.

This afternoon Creed comes to me, and by him, as, also my Lady Pen, I hear that my Lady Denham is exceeding sick, even to death, and that she says, and every body else discourses, that she is poysoned; and Creed tells me, that it is said that there hath been a design to poison the King. What the meaning of all these sad signs is, the Lord knows; but every day things look worse and worse. God fit us for the worst!

24 Annotations

First Reading

Mr.Gunning  •  Link

The number 666.

The authority in the UK that issues licence plate numbers (DVLA) has stopped issuing licence plates with the number 666 in them. People who had them claimed all kinds of very bad luck. Of course, perversely, those that were issued are now quite valuable.

CGS  •  Link

H o Lauds. [free press??????????]
Regulating the Press.

Ordered, That Lord Herbert, Sir Thomas Meeres, Sir Geo. Probert, Mr. Wren, Mr. Finch, Sir John Talbott, Sir Hen. Newton, Sir Charles Cottrell, Sir Wm. Fleetwood, be added to the Committee for Printing.

Preventing Fire.

Resolved, &c. That a Bill be brought in to provide Buckets, and other Utensils, to be kept in every House, for the better Quenching of Fire: And it is recommended to Mr. Coventry to bring in the Bill.

CGS  •  Link

Errata: H o Commons not the upper branch.

Michael L  •  Link

"Mr. Temple’s wife; after dinner, fell to play on the harpsicon, till she tired everybody, that I left the house without taking leave, and no creature left standing by her to hear her."

Hilarious. I've been in these sorts of situations, though mine usually involve some windbag droning on and on, usually about politics. The trick is to be one of the first people to disappear, unless you happen to have a brilliant excuse.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Anglesey to Ormond
Written from: London

Date: 10 November 1666

Reports the passing of the main portions of the Cattle Bill through the Committee in the House of Lords.

Describes, at great length, the precautionary and retaliatory measures which for the preservation of Ireland from ruin, it will be necessary to devise, enact by Statute, or (in certain matters) otherwise agree upon by a league; as they seem to the writer's mind to commend themselves. The trade of butter must be made to take place of the trade in cattle. Fisheries, of all kinds, must be promoted. English commodities & products must be disused.

Enumerates, in a PS. those of the King's Councillors & Ministers who were among "our chief opponents", yet, - adds the writer, "we carried many things upon division, against them". Could the opponents of the Bill have gained five out of the ten statesmen named, the Bill would have been cast out. ...

http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…

JWB  •  Link

"...designed to commit a massacre upon..."
Like the 1655 Waldensian Massacre memorialized by Milton in this sonnet:

"On the late Massacher in Piemont

Avenge O Lord thy slaughter'd Saints, whose bones
Lie scatter'd on the Alpine mountains cold,
Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our Fathers worship't Stocks and Stones,

Forget not: in thy book record their groanes [ 5 ]
Who were thy Sheep and in their antient Fold
Slayn by the bloody Piemontese that roll'd
Mother with Infant down the Rocks. Their moans

The Vales redoubl'd to the Hills, and they
To Heav'n. Their martyr'd blood and ashes sow [ 10 ]
O're all th' Italian fields where still doth sway

The triple Tyrant: that from these may grow
A hunder'd-fold, who having learnt thy way
Early may fly the Babylonian wo."

Cromwell threatened military action, collected relief funds and send George Downing to France to Protest. Resistance against the Duke of Savoy lasted into the 60's.

Michael Robinson  •  Link

"Read an hour, to make an end of Potter’s 'Discourse of the Number 666', which I like all along, but his close is most excellent; and, whether it be right or wrong, is mighty ingenious. ... What the meaning of all these sad signs is, the Lord knows; but every day things look worse and worse. God fit us for the worst!"

For a digital age equivalent see 'The Rapture Index':
http://www.raptureready.com/rap2.…

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Francis Potter and the Discourse of the Number 666...

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Paris...

...Where an annoyed Sun King is receiving reports...

"Just what the hell is going on in England? London devastated by plague, then in flames, the navy corrupted and bankrupt... Where is the delegation suing for unconditional surrender? And what are your agents up to? My dear friend here..." smile to Madame... "Tells me of poison plots in London and bizarre attempts to forment risings against the Stuart boys? Why would I want Charlie out when he's practically in my pocket now? I mean, until my victory parade in London..."

"There has been a bit of...Confusion...In London, sire. You see there's our agents...Spreading panic and fear..."

Cut to shot of sinister French agent spreading panic and fear...

"All right, then why..."

"But then there's the Papal agents...Attempting to unleash a Papist rising and massacre..."

Cut to shot of sinister Papal agent giving rousing speech to incite Papists to mayhem...

"I don't want a Papist rising..." Louis fumes. "Charlie and Jamie are practically ready to hand the kingdom over."

"Yes, so we knew, sire...So we've been having our agents attempt to restrain the Vatican's..."

Cut to shot of ruthless agents in mortal combat in London streets...Sam dodging on his way to find a coach...

"And the Vatican's are good agents, sire..."

Hmmn....

"Then there's the Dutch...Who would prefer the Stuarts elininated."

"Don't tell me..."

Cut to shot of sinister Dutch agent slipping poison into chalice...Charles offering toast and exchanging cups at last minute...With Lady Denham...

"Well that explains how we lost Lady Denham, our top agent in England."

"I'm afraid so, sire... But our agents took revenge."

Cut to shot of French agents garroting Dutch agent...

"Which no doubt has led to a three-way war among the leading spies...?" Louis sighs.

"Actually the Spanish...And the Russians..."

***

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"...we must arme to have them examined, which I am sorry for: it will bring great trouble to me, and shame upon the office. My head full this morning how to carry on Captain Cocke’s bargain of hemp, which I think I shall by my dexterity do, and to the King’s advantage as well as my own."

Perhaps there would be less 'shame' to fear if there were less 'bargain of hemp'. Besides, you made it through the first all-day review.

CGS  •  Link

missing news item of great import , may be incorrect?
http://www.pepys.info/bits3.html#…

November 10th, 1666
….”“…. We got well home; and in the way I did con mi mano tocar la jambe de Mercer sa chair. Elle retirait sa jambe modestement, but I did tocar sa peau with my naked hand. And the truth is, la fille hath something that is assez jolie. ….”

Andrew Hamilton  •  Link

"We got well home..."

See diary entry for Nov. 9, 1666.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

That was November 9, CGS. Duncan Grey's site has the date wrong.

Pedro  •  Link

The State of the Nation.

According to Casimiro the Portuguese Biographer of Catherine…

The anti-catholic current had increased, and there were revolts in Scotland. Persecution of the Catholics intensified, and the Parliament asked the King to expel all Catholic Priests in the Kingdom. Magistrates were to apply the law rigourously.

On the 10th of November the King signed a proclamation expelling the Jesuits.

Fred Wilson  •  Link

“…. We got well home; and in the way I did con mi mano tocar la jambe de Mercer sa chair. Elle retirait sa jambe modestement, but I did tocar sa peau with my naked hand. And the truth is, la fille hath something that is assez jolie. ….”

My try at translating: "I did touch the flesh of her leg with my hand. She modestly removed her leg, but I did touch her fur with my naked hand. And the truth is, the girl hath something that is quite pretty"

language hat  •  Link

Peau is 'skin,' not 'fur.' Let's not get overexcited.

CGS  •  Link

At least, it not be peau d'ane.

Fred Wilson  •  Link

"Peau is ‘skin,’ not ‘fur.’ "

I'll take your word for it. I just look it up online and got "skin of a person or animal,hide, fur" and guessed. I have no idea what "peau d’ane" is.

Background Lurker  •  Link

'I have no idea what “peau d’ane” is.'

Tis but a fairly tale. Something to be taken with a grain of salt.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt00662…

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"This is the fatal day that every body hath discoursed for a long time to be the day that the Papists, or I know not who, had designed to commit a massacre upon"

L&M: Cf. https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Fear of a Catholic rising had been widespread ever since the Fire, which was interpreted (especially by puritan fanatics) as the first step towards the overthrow of Protestantism. Preachers at court and in many churches on Gunpowder Plot Day had warned their hearers that the political principles of the papists were still those of Guy Fawkes; Parliament had asked for measures against them, and a proclamation banishing priests had been issued on this day. But I have found no other references than Pepys's to 10 November as the fatal day. One report (21 November, from Lyme) had it that 23 November was the day appointed: CSPD 1666-7, p. 276.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I hear that my Lady Denham is exceeding sick, even to death, and that she says, and every body else discourses, that she is poysoned"

L&M: Lady Denham was the Duke of York's mistress: the poison was variously alleged to have been administered by the Duchess, by her husband, and by the Countess of Rochester. She recovered now, but the rumours of poisoning were revived when she died in earnest in January 1667.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"Creed tells me, that it is said that there hath been a design to poison the King."

No doubt Charles II did a few things to avoid being poisoned. One standard thing was to display food on a credenza in the dining hall before it was served.

A credenza is a specialized piece of Italian Renaissance cabinetry which was developed in the 16th century. It’s name derives from the verb ‘to believe’ (credere) since in periods when the purposeful poisoning of food might be suspected, servants first displayed and then publicly tasted the monarch or employer's food before serving it, so diners could believe in its purity.

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