Monday 17 December 1666

Up, and several people to speak with me, and then comes Mr. Caesar, and then Goodgroome, and, what with one and the other, nothing but musique with me this morning, to my great content; and the more, to see that God Almighty hath put me into condition to bear the charge of all this. So out to the ’Change, and did a little business, and then home, where they two musicians and Mr. Cooke come to see me, and Mercer to go along with my wife this afternoon to a play. To dinner, and then our company all broke up, and to my chamber to do several things. Among other things, to write a letter to my Lord Sandwich, it being one of the burdens upon my mind that I have not writ to him since he went into Spain, but now I do intend to give him a brief account of our whole year’s actions since he went, which will make amends. My wife well home in the evening from the play; which I was glad of, it being cold and dark, and she having her necklace of pearl on, and none but Mercer with her. Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me. This day Captain Batters come from sea in his fireship and come to see me, poor man, as his patron, and a poor painful wretch he is as can be. After supper to bed.

16 Annotations

First Reading

CGS  •  Link

the poll bill:
Resolved, &c. That the Estimate upon the Poll Bill shall be Five hundred thousand Pounds.
...
interesting

CGS  •  Link

Coals to Newcastle:/// Ho LO"
"We have Cattle enough of our own; and the multiplying of those beyond Proportion may be a Mischief, and may be as sending Coals to Newcastle, which would be little welcome there; for that will occasion the leaving our Grounds unstocked and unmanured; it drains us of our Money, and supplies us with that we need not.

Paul Chapin  •  Link

"Coals to Newcastle" even more interesting. Do you suppose this was actually the first use in history of that cliche?

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"fitting my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole"

alphabet = index

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"This day Captain Batters come from sea in his fireship and come to see me, poor man, as his patron, and a poor painful wretch he is as can be."

Not exactly inclining one to faith in the good Captain's command skills... So a former gunner, promoted to captaining a fireship, the link on name indicates? I'd guess that suggests a man desperate to advance, willing to risk his life in what was likely a miserable old ship on its last legs intended to be used basically as a torpedo against other ships.

Spoiler...

And assuming the link is right, he's destined to come to a tragic end...A true Jonah... Still, one can hope the poor man had his moment of glory being saluted as "captain", etc.

***
Interesting relationship between Bess and Mercer...Suggesting Bess is one of those people who blows her top and then immediately regrets afterwards.

Equally interesting Sam seems to have no fear at all that Mary might spill the beans to Bess about his groping...Possibly suggesting that Bess is well aware of it and takes it more or less in stride so long as it's not more than that. Though he also seems to have no great interest in pursuing Mercer...Caution in dealing with one who has become a family friend or lack of interest?

Bradford  •  Link

"coals to Newcastle": the association of the two was very old; Thomas Fuller's "The history of the worthies of England," 1661 cites, "To carry Coals to Newcastle, that is to do what was done before; or to busy one's self in a needless imployment."

For more detail, cf. this site I have shamelessly cribbed:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meaning…

Paul Chapin  •  Link

Thanks, Bradford. I thought maybe since m'Lud felt obliged to explain what he meant ("which would be little welcome there") he was coining a phrase.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me. "

L&M note this was the first of his catalogues. His books were now contained two presses. Neither this list nor those mentioned at 15-16 February 1668 and 24 May 1669 are known to survive....The shelfmarks were (in Arabic numerals) were pencilled by Pepys on the fly-leaves, but possibly not before 1672.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me."

L&M note this was the first of his catalogues. His books were now contained two presses. Neither this list nor those mentioned at 15-16 February 1668 and 24 May 1669 are known to survive. In October 1681 Pepys records having 'put up in the Greate Chest two old Cathalogues of my books': Rawl. A 183, f. 239r. Paper 'tickets' were now pasted on the spines : https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… (The volumes at the ends of the shelves still retain their small diamond shaped slips; but these represent the final 'adjustment' of the library by John Jackson.) The shelfmarks were (in Arabic numerals) were pencilled by Pepys on the fly-leaves, but possibly not before 1672.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me."

This seems to answer a question someone asked after the Great Fire: Did Pepys have a catalog of his books? The answer is no, apparently he did not.

I want to know if he has dug up the cheese yet.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"Sam seems to have no fear at all that Mary might spill the beans to Bess about his groping...Possibly suggesting that Bess is well aware of it and takes it more or less in stride so long as it's not more than that. Though he also seems to have no great interest in pursuing Mercer...Caution in dealing with one who has become a family friend or lack of interest?"

Robert Gertz, you make sexual exploitation far too complicated. Pepys would just say, "Who me? No." and move on. If Bess pushed it, Pepys would say the teenager had fantasies and read far too much into a couple of completely innocent morning accidental bumps. If Bess questioned that, Pepys would have a temper tantrum, throw something that couldn't break, and then take out the household accounts to prove that Bess is a thief.

He needs to be caught in flagrante delicto.

Holding men accountable in those days was very difficult. It's damned hard these days. I'm surprised Mercer is coming around; that shows me how desperate she is for a good reference.

Louise Hudson  •  Link

“Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me.”

If he’d had the Internet there would have been no need for such work. Just a few taps on a keyboard and he’d have the place where the passage appeared, and he wouldn’t even have to touch a book. Every word would be accessible on screen. Who knew?

JB  •  Link

San Diego Sarah - Thanks for the reminder regarding the cheese! I had been wondering about that as well.

James Morgan  •  Link

I think in some place earlier he indicates Mercer is homely though with very fine breasts, so less temptation and more proximity to Mrs Pepys, plus apparently plenty of other attractions available. It is nice that Elizabeth and Mercer have mended their differences. Perhaps the mercurial Elizabeth can be charming when she wants to be.

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