Saturday 11 May 1667
Up, and being called on by Mr. Commander, he and I out to the ground behind Sir W. Pen’s, where I am resolved to take a lease of some of it for a stable and coach [house], and so to keep a coach, unless some change come before I can do it, for I do see it is a greater charge to me now in hackneys, and I am a little dishonoured by going in them. We spoke with him that hath the letting it, and I do believe when I can tell how much it will be fit for me to have we shall go near to agree. So home, and there found my door open, which makes me very angry with Nell, and do think to put her away for it, though it do so go against me to part with a servant that it troubles me more than anything in the world. So to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, where Mr. Goodgroome and Creed, and I have great hopes that my wife will come to sing to my mind. After dinner my wife and Creed and I being entered a hackney coach to go to the other end of the town, we espied The. Turner coming in her coach to see us, which we were surprised at, and so ’light and took her and another young lady home, and there sat and talked with The., she being lately come out of the North after two or three years absence. She is come to put out her sister and brothers to school at Putney. After a little talk, I over Tower Hill with them to a lady’s they go to visit, and so away with my wife, whose being dressed this day in fair hair did make me so mad, that I spoke not one word to her in our going, though I was ready to burst with anger. So to White Hall to the Committee of Tangier, where they were discoursing about laws for the civil government of the place, but so dull and so little to the purpose that I fell to slumber, when the fear of being seen by Sir W. Coventry did trouble me much afterwards, but I hope he did not. After that broke up. Creed and I into the Park, and walked, a most pleasant evening, and so took coach, and took up my wife, and in my way home discovered my trouble to my wife for her white locks,1 swearing by God, several times, which I pray God forgive me for, and bending my fist, that I would not endure it. She, poor wretch,2 was surprized with it, and made me no answer all the way home; but there we parted, and I to the office late, and then home, and without supper to bed, vexed.
22 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Arlington to Ormond
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 11 May 1667
The letters from Holland tell only of the arrival of the Ambassadors at a place within three miles of Breda. The French press much the conclusion of the Peace ... The assignations of the money promised for the service of Ireland are still left undetermined
____
Ormond to Arlington
Written from: Dublin
Date: 11 May 1667
It seems to be past doubt that the French preparations will fall upon Flanders, but under what ... pretence is not known. Perhaps, that Prince thinks himself above the need of giving the world any reason for his actions ... The Frenchmen mentioned by Lord Arlington, ... were quite out of the writer's memory. ... They may be set at liberty, if anybody in France may be gratified by it.
_____
St. Alban to Ormond
Written from: Colombe
Date: 11 May 1667
Communicates the proposed 'Itinerary' of the King of France, upon his journey from S. Germain towards the Netherlands. ... Has just received, from M. de Lyonne, the [printed] treatise of the right of the Queen Consort of France [MS: "of this Queen". It was reprinted, afterwards, in England] "to the successions that make the ground ... of the present quarrels, and with it of an epitome, which being of a bulk capable of this kind of conveyance, and containing as much as is material in the larger volume & treatise" is now sent, until the writer shall have opportunity to send the other.
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
Hoping, perhaps, that the Dutch will be distracted by the French advance?
Terry Foreman • Link
John Evelyn's Diary
11th May, 1667. To London; dined with the Duke of Newcastle, and sat discoursing with her Grace in her bed-chamber after dinner, till my Lord Marquis of Dorchester, with other company came in, when I went away.
http://bit.ly/9cjrV7
cape henry • Link
"...the fear of being seen by Sir W. Coventry did trouble me much afterwards, but I hope he did not."Like everyone reading this, Pepys never snores...
cape henry • Link
“false locks set on wyres, to make them stand at a distance from the head,”The equivalent today would be discovering one's wife having had her eyebrow pierced with a large, gold hoop.Not permanent, mind you, but a bit distracting at first no doubt.
cum salis grano • Link
Blondes have more fun syndrome, how it is to be oohed but not touched.
Robert Gertz • Link
"...so away with my wife, whose being dressed this day in fair hair did make me so mad..."
Of course how Bess felt to one fine day see her husband had shorn his locks and put on an often nitty, false head of hair in order to fit fashion is inconsequential.
***
The The (Theophilia T) is back! Likely meaning mom Jane's return to London is not far behind.
Poor John in Yorkshire...
Robert Gertz • Link
"Why, The...Is it really you? A grown woman, indeed now."
"Cousin Samuel..." warm beam.
"Mrs. Pepys." curt nod. "False hair? How fashionably French of you. A pity it doesn't set off your skin too well."
Sam, leaning in for kiss...(Social barrier alarm sounding in mind...Do not attempt casual grope. Will piss off cousin Jane.)
"Hello, The (Bitch)." Bess, curter nod. Extending hand.
"What has brought you back to London, The?" Sam, frown at Bess' false locks.
"Mother and Father needed the boys and my sister settled in at Putney school."
"They sent you alone with them?" Bess blinks. "Why, The (Bitch) you're barely..."
"More than adequate for the task, Elisabeth." The, calmly. "My parents had no fears in entrusting me, given my good sense and well-developed intellect. But you were often out and about at fifteen, weren't you? If I recall cousin Samuel's tales of your desperate life on the streets when he took pity on your wretchedness..."
Slight gag on Bess' glaring part...Sam sensing danger attempts deflection...
"Well, it is a joy to see you, The. Will your dear mother be returning to us anytime soon?"
"She hopes to escape the confines of Yorkshire soon, cousin Samuel, if my father will relent on his insistence that she stay. Given her ability to charm, I'd say it's fairly likely she'll be in London soon."
"What joy." Sam nods, eagerly.
Yeah. Bess, coolly. The (Bitch) and its mother in town again, grabbing what little time Sam spares for me...What joy.
And I'll get to make that damned stone dinner again for the woman who wouldn't let me nurse my own husband during his desperate time...And dear The (Bitch).
Not that I'm not grateful his life was spared...Sorry, Lord.
"Yes, it'll be pleasant to be back in London on a regular basis, watching the government steadily collapse. Speaking of which, how goes the fiscal crisis, cousin Samuel? Mother and I have come to the conclusion that the King must accept peace on any terms and will doubtless, to prevent becoming a mere symbol of government under Parliament, have to turn in secret to King Louis."
"Negotiations are proceeding...Which may come as a surprize to some."
"Only to the ignorant or foolish, cousin Samuel. The war was never properly financed and had no clear strategic goal. Defeat was always likely, excepting the possibility Louis might side with us in order to seize Holland."
"Indeed?"
"Not to slight your efforts to improve naval efficiency, of course. Mother and I have been quite impressed by your letters on the subject. I hope we're not boring you with such matters, Elisabeth."
Like to show you one or two things I learned during my wretched existence on the streets, you little...
"Bess has been learning to sing."
"Really? What an ornament to cousin Samuel's entertainments you must be becoming, Elisabeth. Now, if he would properly dress you, I'm sure you'd be very appealing in your way."
"I have a headache, Sam'l. Can we please go home?"
jeannine • Link
"and so away with my wife, whose being dressed this day in fair hair did make me so mad, that I spoke not one word to her in our going...."
Excerpt from the Diary of Elizabeth Pepys today,
"today I learned that if I wanted a most enjoyable, totally pleasant ride, without the constant chatter and usual fanfare from my Samuel, that I must be sure to always wear my fair locks..."
Robert Gertz • Link
http://books.google.com/books?id=…'s+Cyclopaedia+of+Costume&source=bl&ots=VMX3Z8o1w2&sig=qrQrDIh1HiWyAhDNMailONgHES4&hl=en&ei=kRPrS93ZO4T78AaFoYzjDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCwQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
Link to Google Books for Planche's "Cyclopaedia of Costume" should one wish to view (actually p249) the wired locks thing.
Sort of the 17th century version of highlights I guess. It seems Bess must have had some reasonable share of spending money since Sam doesn't seem annoyed by costs and it seems a bit too elaborate for her and Jane to have done it at home.
***
Heaven...
Halloween next year...
"Mrs. P, wonderful costume." Will Hewer notes. "And you, Mr. P. I just saw 'Bride of Frankenstein'."
"His ego's certainly big enough for the role of the mad,bad doctor." Bess notes. Sam in stride...Mugging for the photographers...
"And you finally found a new use for those wired locks." Hewer, admiringly at the blonde streaks in Bess's piled a'la Elsa Lanchester hair.
"Bess?!"
Smile...
Nix • Link
"dined with the Duke of Newcastle, and sat discoursing with her Grace in her bed-chamber after dinner" --
It's a good thing Evelyn was such a serious, pious sort -- just think how much fun he might have had tormenting Samuel with tales of the Newcastle boudoir. This diary might have ended so abruptly!
Robert Gertz • Link
Heaven...
"And they do say even to the present day that nice guys finish last. Ha, ha."
"Shut up, John."
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"my wife...dressed this day in fair hair...[I] discovered my trouble to my wife for her white locks, swearing by God, several times, which I pray God forgive me for, and bending my fist, that I would not endure it. She, poor wretch, was surprized with it"
He had admired and underwritten a stylish pair of locks for her not long ago:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Timo • Link
When I first began to read this diary 7 years ago the part I most looked forward to was the Great Plague. To get an insight into what it might be like to live through a pandemic was fascinating to me, little knowing that we would one day live to experience anything similar. Yet here we are... Today marks an important turning point - after 8 weeks of solid lockdown in Spain (and I mean solid, unlike most other countries), constantly checking the local parish records of infections and deaths, we have finally been allowed out to enjoy a beer in the sunshine. Luckily I live on a small island, isolated from the worst effects of the coronavirus where the mortality rate has been low, due almost entirely to strict observance of social distancing regulations. Nevertheless, today was a good day. Let us all hope there are many more to come for all of our sakes and especially for my fellow followers of Pepys.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Glad to hear you're okay, Timo, and finally enjoying a change of scene, sunshine and beer. I felt the same relief yesterday when my toes went into the ocean for my first outing in two months. Our experience -- so far -- is so different to Pepys' that it's hard to compare. I say "so far" because I have a nasty feeling we're opening too early here in the USA, and have not 'starved' the virus enough yet. Our next experience in a few months might be more like the 1665's.
Which island, by the way???
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... The. Turner coming in her coach to see us, which we were surprised at, and so ’light and took her and another young lady home, and there sat and talked with The., she being lately come out of the North after two or three years absence. She is come to put out her sister and brothers to school at Putney. After a little talk, I over Tower Hill with them to a lady’s they go to visit, ..."
L&M says The. Turner was born in 1652, so she's 15.
I'm glad she had another young lady as an escort, as she couldn't have been sent to London with three younger siblings alone. Good for Pepys escorting the two of them to the lady they were going to visit on Tower Hill. But this is hardly how young women were supposed to be travelling around. I'm surprised he didn't make more of a to-do about this ... and relieved he left the other young lady alone.
I've alerted Phil asking him link the two brothers and sister, as they all have Encyclopedia pages. They were Charles, William and Elizabeth "Betty" Turner -- yes, yet another Elizabeth Turner!
...Amanda... • Link
Is Pepys saying that he not only swore at his wife (for which he hopes god will forgive him) but also that he hit her ('bent his fist')? I note he doesn't ask God's forgiveness for that. Seventeenth century male entitlement!
David • Link
I think he was just threatening her. On the rare occasions he has hit her and certain servants in the past he has told us about it.
Timo • Link
Ibiza Sarah. Sure the numbers are not the same as Pepys’ time, but the feelings have been very similar. Especially the uncertainty at the start - we have been effectively cut off from the rest of the world for 8 weeks with all ports closed and separated from close family. Luckily we have a greater understanding of pathogens nowadays and decent universal healthcare behind us. Well some of us at least...
San Diego Sarah • Link
Oh, lucky you, Timo ... I had a wonderful mini-vacation there in 2014, fantasizing about Barbary Pirates.
I don't think we in the developed world have experienced the terror they must have felt in 1665 ... even if we get Covid-19, we have a decent chance of recovery. No one is locked in their house with the dead bodies of stricken loved ones, no food and an armed soldier with shoot to kill orders outsider the door. Our governments -- albeit belatedly -- knew to quarantine everyone and were able to communicate reasonably well to the masses. Thank God for the internet so you and I can commiserate safely.
I fear our next big hurdle will be the breakdown of the food supply which, in the USA, has not been able to widely implement the eat local movement.
That will be like Pepys' experience in 1666, even if he didn't make a big deal about the widespread starvation that followed the plague.
Terry Foreman • Link
"I had a wonderful mini-vacation there in 2014, fantasizing about Barbary Pirates. /I don't think we in the developed world have experienced the terror they must have felt in 1665 "
It does't usually grab the headlines, by Maritime Piracy is alive and well
https://www.icc-ccs.org/
Piracy in West Africa: The world's most dangerous seas?
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-af…
Terry Foreman • Link
Piracy in West Africa: The world's most dangerous seas?
The seas off West Africa's oil-rich coastline are now the most dangerous in the world for shipping, according to a new report.
One Earth Future, which produces an annual State of Maritime Piracy, says that while attacks have been falling substantially in some regions of the world, in West Africa they've been on the rise and are now more frequent than anywhere else. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-af…
San Diego Sarah • Link
Ibiza is in the Med., off Barcelona. One of the Balearic Islands. Pretty sure the Nigerian oil tankers are no where near it. The largest ship I saw there was Oprah's yacht, which would certainly have been worth taking. Are you thinking of the Canaries, or Cape Verde, Terry? But I have strayed way off topic. Can't think of a Pepys' hook for this lot.