Saturday 28 September 1667
Up, having slept not so much to-night as I used to do, for my thoughts being so full of this pretty little girle that is coming to live with us, which pleases me mightily. All the morning at the Office, busy upon an Order of Council, wherein they are mightily at a loss what to advise about our discharging of seamen by ticket, there being no money to pay their wages before January, only there is money to pay them since January, provided by the Parliament, which will be a horrid disgrace to the King and Crowne of England that no man shall reckon himself safe, but where the Parliament takes care. And this did move Mr. Wren at the table to-day to say, that he did believe if ever there be occasion more to raise money, it will become here, as it is in Poland, that there are two treasurers — one for the King, and the other for the kingdom. At noon dined at home, and Mr. Hater with me, and Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, dropped in, who I feared did come to bespeak me to be godfather to his son, which I am unwilling now to be, having ended my liking to his wife, since I find she paints.
After dinner comes Sir Fr. Hollis to me about business; and I with him by coach to the Temple, and there I ’light; all the way he telling me romantic lies of himself and his family, how they have been Parliamentmen for Grimsby, he and his forefathers, this 140 years; and his father is now: and himself, at this day, stands for to be, with his father, by the death of his fellow-burgess; and that he believes it will cost him as much as it did his predecessor, which was 300l. in ale, and 52l. in buttered ale; which I believe is one of his devilish lies. Here I ’light and to the Duke of York’s playhouse, and there saw a piece of “Sir Martin Marrall,” with great delight, though I have seen it so often, and so home, and there busy late, and so home to my supper and bed.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Carlingford to Ormond
Written from: London
Date: 28 September 1667
Finds that the King is angry with my Lord Chancellor [Clarendon] ... who believes that to be "the greatest misfortune that can arrive to him; being confident to vindicate himself from any crime [that] can be laid to his charge." ...
Adds a notice of other political and Court incidents.
_____
Archbishop of Canterbury to Ormond
Date: 28 September 1667
Doubts [ suspects ] that his correspondent and himself "shall not fare the better, for being supposed to have a kindness for one [Clarendon] that had none" for them. "I wish", adds the Archbishop, "he or any else may stand or fall, as they are innocent or guilty, and that nothing be done out of animosity against them." ...
"The Bishop of Ossory is here with us, and in as good health", as the writer has known him in these many years. The writer is fallen under his displeasure, for making him repair his ruinous house at Bangor. ...
_____
Ormond to Burlington
Written from: Dublin
Date: 28 September 1667
... "Lord Orrery has desired a license for his absence [from Ireland], for six months. ... I shall encourage him to the voyage, as far as my friendship to his person - which is very real - will allow me."
"Not knowing well what to say on the removal of my Lord Chancellor [Clarendon], with duty & respect to my Master, I have been, & shall be, silent on the subject."
http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…
Terry Foreman • Link
Clarendon was just the first of a series of dominoes to slowly...tumble.
Robert Gertz • Link
"...who I feared did come to bespeak me to be godfather to his son, which I am unwilling now to be, having ended my liking to his wife, since I find she paints."
Ah, ha!
A quick jump in the wayback machine with my boy, Sherman...Say hello to the people, Sherman. "Hello, people!" Good boy.
"Mrs. Elisabeth Pepys? It's an official order by the King himself that all young women under 18 in household employ of government staff wear rogue or other paint. Failure to do so will result in immediate execution."
"What?"
"Good day, Bess...er, Mrs. Pepys. A real pleasure. Come, Sherman. Oh, Mrs. Pepys. Remember your husband will be terminated...Literally and with you, should all young girls, including any new hires, under 18, not be painted an inch thick at least."
"But...My husband loathes..."
"Don't say it...The King takes defiance very badly, Mrs. Pepys. Right, Sherman?"
"Right, sir."
"Good boy." pat. "If you think he might try to defy the order, best not to tell him until all your young girls are painted to near death from various poisonings. A word to the wise, Mrs. Pepys...And at Court, we all know how very wise you are. Good day."
"Well, Sherman...Computer historical analysis?"
Spoiler...
"...Paris trip delayed...Mrs. Pepys lives to 80, bears two children..."
"Oh, my..."
"...Samuel Pepys withdraws from accursed, painted city of harlots to Brampton, resigning his position in late 1669...British navy declines and Dutch Republic under DeWitt rules sea...Uh, oh..."
"Sherman?"
"Dutch Republic seizes Canada and English colonies in America...Hollandia rules the waves...Dutch America too phlegmatic to revolt...With Dutch fleet and American empire at his back Napoleon conquers England and Russia...French global empire established."
"Pardonnez-moi."
***
Eric Walla • Link
The build up to the "pretty little girle's" arrival seems to indicate that the whole scenario plays out as the fulfillment of Sam's Fantasy #1. A pretty young impressionable thing enters the household, at his wife's fervent request and over his own expressed reservations. It's as though this has nothing to do with Deborah per se. Any attractive woman in this situation would probably have attracted the same intensity of passion. Essentially she is the belle, while Sam is one of Pavlov's dogs.
Robert Gertz • Link
Well, at least his plans for another Mitchell campaign seem on hold, owing to Operation Willett. Lucky Betty.
***
"...he believes it will cost him as much as it did his predecessor, which was 300l. in ale, and 52l. in buttered ale..."
I refuse to give my support for anything less than claret.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Isn't she lovely, Sam? So pretty." Bess pointing.
Pretty women, fascinating...
"Just the prettiest thing to sit by me in our new coach, when you spring for it."
Pretty women, are a wonder...
"Just so pretty, eh, Sam."
Pretty women, pretty women...Blowing out my candles or combing out my hair.
Something in them...cheers the air. Oh...
"Sam'l?"
Pretty women... "Hmmn? What, Bess...?"
Not some overeducated, overbearing court physician's wife...Or some desperately unhappy well-endowed actress...No, just a nice, pretty girl. Dangling before his bulbous little nose...Round him every day and night.
Well, something had to be done...Bess sighs, eyeing Sam. I can't go on tormenting myself...Either he will or he won't.
Robert Gertz • Link
Of course the possibility exists that Bess has her own "Operation Sheres" in mind and Willet is meant as a distraction.
Spoiler...
Time will tell that she is interested in Henry. Though apparently not that seriously.
Double Spoiler...
All-in-all the bottom line seems to be that she's convinced Sam's interests in other women involve women of ability or education plus beauty and Willet's a safe bet. Pierce and Knipp worry her because she feels inferior and Sam no doubt does his blockheaded best to reinforce that inferiority but not some young girl. I wonder if Sam's willingness to forego sex for stretches has even convinced her that his operation permanently reduced his sex drive? Whatever her motives and feelings the upcoming explosion surely indicates she's not indifferent.
language hat • Link
"all the way he telling me romantic lies of himself and his family"
"Romantic" was a very new word at this point; it is first attested in 1650. It could mean "having the nature or qualities of a romance ('A fictitious narrative, usually in prose, in which the settings or the events depicted are remote from everyday life') as regards form or content"; "suitable for a romance; esp. overblown, euphuistic, flowery"; "fictitious, invented; having no foundation in fact"; "fantastic, extravagant, quixotic"; or "arising from, suggestive of, or appealing to, an idealized, fantastic, or sentimental view of life or reality; atmospheric, evocative, glamorous" (the first citation for this is Sam's entry from 26 Feb. 1666: "It [sc. Windsor Castle] is the most romantique castle that is in the world").
What it could *not* mean at this time is "Demonstrating feelings of love and tenderness; given to (impulsive) acts of romanticism and affection; amorous, loving, affectionate," or anything of that nature; such senses would develop only in the next century.
Terry Foreman • Link
romantic
LH, I agree entirely about Pepys's meaning her, but therafter there is a different view about when the more recent meaning(s) emerged:
1650s, "of the nature of a literary romance," from Fr. romantique, from M.Fr. romant "a romance," oblique case of O.Fr. romanz "verse narrative" (see romance). As a literary style, opposed to classical since before 1812. Meaning "characteristic of an ideal love affair" (such as usually formed the subject of literary romances) is from 1660s. The noun meaning "an adherent of romantic virtues in literature" is from 1827.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.p…
In German, "Roman" is the word for a "novel" (specimen of a literary genre). The great novel of (unrequited) romantic love, *Werther*, was first published in 1774. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_…
Robert Gertz • Link
Clarendon's fall seems to have been rather cleverly used to undermine a few of those who'd decided to let him take the bullet for the government, namely Coventry who's become a thorn in Charles' side. Charles thus eliminates two men who had been, from his pov, nagging drags on him from opposing sides, the old royalists and the absolutist reformers. Whether he really wanted to put Jamie in his place as well is debatable...He can protect the current heir if need be. Further, both men and their supporters would probably oppose the coming secret treaty with Louis as a surrender of English interests.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
" Mr. Wren at the table to-day [said] that he did believe if ever there be occasion more to raise money, it will become here, as it is in Poland, that there are two treasurers — one for the King, and the other for the kingdom."
L&M note the foundation of the Bank of England and the introduction of the Civil List https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civ… in the 1690s achieved this effect. For the Polish 'royal' and 'state' treasuries, see Cambridge History of Poland to 1696 (ed. W. F. Redaway, et. al.), pp. 430-2.
Terry Foreman • Link
"having ended my liking to his wife, since I find she [Elizbeth Pearse] paints."
See http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
"all the way he telling me romantic lies of himself and his family, how they have been Parliamentmen for Grimsby, he and his forefathers, this 140 years; and his father is now: and himself, at this day, stands for to be, with his father, by the death of his fellow-burgess; and that he believes it will cost him as much as it did his predecessor, which was 300l. in ale, and 52l. in buttered ale; which I believe is one of his devilish lies "
L&M clarify: Sir Frescheville Holles was elected on 24 October in place of the late Sir Henry Belasyse ( http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… who was killed in a quarrel reported by Pepys: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… ) and thus became fellow M.P. for Grimsby with his father Gervase Holles, who had sat for the town in three parliaments since 1640. That was the extent of the family's parliamentary service for Grimsby.
The first Holles to be an M.P. was William, member for Nottinghamshire in 1553; Frescheville was perhaps enlarging on that fact; or he may have been misled by his family's residence in ot near Grimsby since 1558.
But his father was an antiquary and in the 1650s had written a family history and dedicated it to Frescheville himself. See Gervase Holles, Memorials of the Holles Family 1493-1656 https://books.google.com/books/ab…
Pepys himself later had cause to complain of election expenses: in 1673 his disputed election to Castle Rising, Norf. (a smaller constituency than Grimsby, which had c. 100 voters) cost him £700 instead of the £60 he had been led to expect: Further Corr., p. 287.
John G • Link
'I have heard of your paintings well enough. God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another[…] It hath made me mad. (III.i.141-6).'
So said Hamlet.
Interesting that Sam feels the same way.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, dropped in, who I feared did come to bespeak me to be godfather to his son, which I am unwilling now to be, having ended my liking to his wife, since I find she paints."
That's a bit extreme, Pepys. Especially as the good surgeon is an excellent supplier of Court intelligence. Perhaps you have enough other reliable sources now?
Statistically speaking, Pepys does appear to have slightly less contact with the Pearces in 1668 and 1669, but today's sentiment seems to be more blow-hard than serious.