Saturday 20 July 1667

Up and to the office, where all the morning, and then towards the ’Change, at noon, in my way observing my mistake yesterday in Mark Lane, that the woman I saw was not the pretty woman I meant, the line-maker’s wife, but a new-married woman, very pretty, a strong-water seller: and in going by, to my content, I find that the very pretty daughter at the Ship tavern, at the end of Billiter Lane, is there still, and in the bar: and, I believe, is married to him that is new come, and hath new trimmed the house. Home to dinner, and then to the office, we having dispatched away Mr. Oviatt to Hull, about our prizes there; and I have wrote a letter of thanks by him to Lord Bellasses, who had writ to me to offer all his service for my interest there, but I dare not trust him. In the evening late walking in the garden with my wife, and then to bed.

16 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Sandwich to Ormond
Written from: Madrid
Date: 20/30 July 1667

Since the signing of the Treaty [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trea… ] with this Crown [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl… ], a copy of it was sent by a ship from Bilboa, which had the misfortune ... to be boarded by a French man-of-war; when the pacquet was flung overboard. And a disaster, at Cadiz, has hindered the sending of a duplicate ... An expedient now thought of is to send one of the writer's family from the Corunna
[ direct north ] to Kinsale, or Cork. ...

http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…

tg  •  Link

"and then towards the ‘Change, at noon, in my way observing my mistake yesterday in Mark Lane, that the woman I saw was not the pretty woman I meant, the line-maker’s wife, but a new-married woman, very pretty, a strong-water seller: and in going by, to my content, I find that the very pretty daughter at the Ship tavern, at the end of Billiter Lane, is there still, and in the bar: and, I believe, is married to him that is new come, and hath new trimmed the house."

So now there are 3 new women in his sights. I'm not sure if he has been to the Ship tavern before but I think he may visit soon.

Eric Walla  •  Link

Sam's perfect world: a beautiful woman around each corner, followed by a struggling husband in need of a favour.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Very pretty, strong-water seller...Big trouble for a philandering would-be playboy.

"That's my husband." Bess nods at battered face just uncovered.

"Bad business, mum." Constable sighs, offering cloth. "Was he like to frequent this area?"

He was like to frequent any area...Hewer, at the now-weeping Bess' side, thinks as a bewildered Bess shakes head.

"Seems like the usual story...Heavy drinkin', then someone led him out here and another knifed him in the back..."

"Oh..."

Will pats the stricken Bess...

"Truly sorry, mum. Ummn...Sir? A word?"

Hewer moves off with constable.

"I take it this isn't the property of Mrs. Pepys." shows Hewer long scarf. "Thought it best not to ask the lady, sir."

"Yes, indeed. No, not hers..." Hewer sighs.

"Used to restrain him before the knifing...Not unocmmon for a woman to be involved, sir."

or...

Smash of water brings Sam to ...

"Up, ye dogs!" growl... "Up or the lash for all of ye!!" grim-looking one-eyed man eyes the new crop of drunken louts pulled in. A good business with the strong-water seller and his pretty lass, that...

"Sir?" Sam croakes out, trying to stagger to his feet... "I'll have you know that I am..."

"Silence, dog!!" threatening gesture. "Yer a swabbie in the King's service and that's all. Go below and get those clothes off and into yer proper togs."

"Sir? Are you implying that I...?" Sam looks over to see railing and endless horizon beyond.

Hmmn...I do love the Navy and all, but this is carrying things a bit too...

Mary  •  Link

All these pretty women

You can't help feeling that Sam, whether he realises it or not, is anticipating a day when he will fail to 'correct' his nature.

Mary  •  Link

Postscript to the above.

I've oft been told by learned friars,
That wishing and the crime are one,
And Heaven punishes desires
As much as if the deed were done.

If wishing damns us, you and I
Are damned to all our heart's content;
Come, then, at least we may enjoy
Some pleasure for our punishment!

Thomas Moore: An Argument.

Tony Eldridge  •  Link

Lovely verse, Mary!
My own version: The thought of infidelity is as bad as the act. But not as good.
Re Lord Bellasses, that must have been an extremely tactful letter. I wonder if it is in the correspondence.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Yes, that must have been quite a letter to Beliasses. How to say "not one penny, hands off my prize you crook" without giving offense to a Lord?

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Re Lord Bellasses, that must have been an extremely tactful letter. I wonder if it is in the correspondence."

L&M confirm "It would be very hard to detect in Pepys's letter any sign of his mistrust of Belasyse" and quote a sample passage [ dripping with grovel ] in evidence.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"Sam'l? This came for you. The man said he was Lord Belasyse's man."

Hmmn...Sam eyes letter...Damn.

"Letter returned for insufficient grovel..."

Knew I should've told him I kiss him on every part I can reach with quavering regard, sigh.

"He say I would do. Do you know what that meant?" Bess asks.

Hmmn...

On the one hand...Outrageous! I should strike the fiend down in the dark and dance in his bloodied guts!!

On the other hand...Nothing I've not done to my inferiors... And it is such a nice prize. And would contribute so much to our secure old age.

Sam eyes little figure on left shoulder, who doffs bowler apologetically. "Leopold Bloom, sir...For the side of peaceful and unavoidable accomodation. For, sir...All are mortal, Time heals all, and Love is the only answer."

Can't believe I'm stuck on the side of defending Bess... evil Sam with horns and pitchfork frowns on the right. How can the other fellow be on vacation this week? Oh, well... "Blood must the payment!" he tries, shaking pitchfork. Sigh...This is truly unfair. Now if I were dealing with Montagu, a man of action...

"Probably no more than we deserve, sir." Bloom notes on the left. "And a quiet tongue leading to a worthy gain, one must look to the larger picture in Time."

"Sam'l?" Bess repeats.

Hmmn? "Oh, I think my Lord Belasyse would like to pay a visit, that's all. See you and the house..."

Lord, evil Sam fumes...Even I'm disgusted with him.

"I thought you liked to call him 'Bellasses'..." giggle from Bess.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

line-maker = manufacturer of rope, sashcords, etc. OED
(L&M Large Glossary)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I'm not sure if he has been to the Ship tavern before but I think he may visit soon."

tg, click on the link to the Ship (Billiter Lane, Fenchurch St) and then References:

1663
Dec 2

1667
Apr 8
Jul 20 21
Sep 20

1668
Feb 5

1669
Mar 16

cyclops  •  Link

"You have the mail, Baldrick?"

(Tugs fetlock) "Yes Mr Blackadder, Sir. Here's one from the Prince Regent's private sec'y, reads 'Your letter of the 4th instant returned for insufficient grovel', 1 groat postage due."

Gertz steals a march on Richard Curtis ....

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Pepys's 'tactful' (unctuous?) draft reply to Belasyse (in part):

'But, my lord, I esteeme it a part of my good Fortune equall to all the rest that shee [the ship] happens to bee brought in to a Port, where I have so noble a friend as your Lordship . . . . your Lordship will parden mee if I adventure to begg the full advantage of your Lordship's kindnesse towards mee, which you have beene pleased soe nobly nobly to offer mee, and esteeming it my very great happiness to have fallen into your Lordshipp's protection at a time of my soe much needing it . . .' and so on.

Gerald Berg  •  Link

So much for SP's correcting his nature! His are not thought 'crimes' but rather the opposite and an illustration of what was wrong with the friar's formulation Moore was writing about. Pepy's thought was to correct his nature -- not worth much more than that it seems. Failure being the norm.

Log in to post an annotation.

If you don't have an account, then register here.