Wednesday 31 July 1667

Up, and after some time with Greeting upon my flageolet I to my office, and there all the morning busy. Among other things, Sir W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, and myself did examine a fellow of our private man-of-war, who we have found come up from Hull, with near 500l. worth of pieces of eight, though he will confess but 100 pieces. But it appears that there have been fine doings there. At noon dined at home, and then to the office, where busy again till the evening, when Major Halsey and Kinaston to adjust matters about Mrs. Rumbald’s bill of exchange [See the document here. P.G.], and here Major Halsey, speaking much of my doing business, and understanding business, told me how my Lord Generall do say that I am worth them all, but I have heard that Halsey hath said the same behind my back to others. Then abroad with my wife by coach to Marrowbone, where my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, it seem, dined to-day: and were just now going away, methought, in a disconsolate condition, compared with their splendour they formerly had, when the City was standing. Here my wife and I drank at the gate, not ’lighting, and then home with much pleasure, and so to my chamber, and my wife and I to pipe, and so to supper and to bed.

11 Annotations

First Reading

Paul Chapin  •  Link

"my wife and I to pipe"
I.e. to play music, presumably on the flageolet, not to smoke.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Think I like Sam's "Marrowbone" better...

Mary  •  Link

Marylebone

The pronunciation of this name continues to change. Today "Marleybone" seems to be the most fashionable version, but until a few years ago "Marrylebone" was the usual version. [In all cases the accent falls on the first element, with the 'lebone' becoming quite compressed].

language hat  •  Link

Marylebone was originally Maryburne (1453) and meant
'(place by) St Mary's stream' [Old English burna]:
"Named from the dedication of the church built in the 15th cent. The -le- is intrusive and dates from the 17th cent."
--Oxford Dictionary of British Place-Names

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"to the office, where busy again till the evening, when Major Halsey and Kinaston to adjust matters about Mrs. Rumbald’s bill of exchange"

L&M propose the bill was possibly drawn by Henry Rumbold, storekeeper of Tangier, on Edward Kinaston (a merchant concerned in the Tangier victualing) for the benefit of William Rumbold, his uncle, who had died in May. Halsey, as executor of the latter's will, may have been acting on his widow's behalf.

(We will see the matter wrapped up on 2 August http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"[Sir] W. Pen, and myself did examine a fellow of our private man- of-war, who we have found come up from Hull, with near 500l. worth of pieces of eight, though he will confess but 100 pieces. But it appears that there have been fine doings there"

See http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Then abroad with my wife by coach to Marrowbone, where my Lord Mayor and Aldermen, it seem, dined to-day:"

L&M: The corporation of the city of London had for some centuries piped water from the Tyburn to augment the city's supplies, acquiring the Conduit Mead Estate, where Stratford Place now stands, as a water-head. This was inspected periodically by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, whose dinners there gave it the name of the banqueting house.

Scott M  •  Link

A portion of Mrs. Rumbald's bill of exchange still exists, and can be seen here:

https://groups.io/g/pepysdiary/to…

It is endorsed by Sir Robert Long, Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer. It looks like the bill is for 20,600 pounds.

The best I can decipher (welcome other suggestions) is:

Registered according to the last wishis mouroned the eighth day of July 1667 and to be paid in sourse noet after £ 20600 th
RobLong

July 31 1667
I doe hereby assign and transfer all my right Title & interest in this Order unto Mrs Mary Rumbald the ministratrix to Wm Rumbald Esq Deceased.
SPepys

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