Monday 2 March 1667/68
Up and betimes to the office, where I did much business, and several come to me, and among others I did prepare Mr. Warren, and by and by Sir D. Gawden, about what presents I have had from them, that they may not publish them, or if they do, that in truth I received none on the account of the Navy but Tangier, and this is true to the former, and in both that I never asked any thing of them. I must do the like with the rest. Mr. Moore was with me, and he do tell me, and so W. Hewer tells me, he hears this morning that all the town is full of the discourse that the Officers of the Navy shall be all turned out, but honest Sir John Minnes, who, God knows, is fitter to have been turned out himself than any of us, doing the King more hurt by his dotage and folly than all the rest can do by their knavery, if they had a mind to it. At noon home to dinner, where was Mercer, and very merry as I could be with my mind so full of business, and so with my wife, her and the girl, to the King’s house to see the “Virgin Martyr” again, which do mightily please me, but above all the musique at the coming down of the angel, which at this hearing the second time, do still commend me as nothing ever did, and the other musique is nothing to it. Thence with my wife to the ’Change, and so, calling at the Cocke ale house, we home, and there I settle to business, and with my people preparing my great answer to the Parliament for the office about tickets till past 1 a o’clock at night, and then home to supper and to bed, keeping Mr. Gibson all night with me. This day I have the news that my sister was married on Thursday last to Mr. Jackson; so that work is, I hope, well over.
17 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"to the King’s house to see the “Virgin Martyr” again, which do mightily please me, but above all the musique at the coming down of the angel, which at this hearing the second time, do still commend me as nothing ever did"
The recent performance's rhapsodic review:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Interesting to reread Pepys's forgotten curt, negative review in 1661, surely not performed with the same musical score.:
"I dined with my Lord and then to the Theatre, where I saw “The Virgin Martyr,” a good but too sober a play for the company. Then home." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Christopher Squire • Link
’ . . I did prepare Mr. Warren . . ’
‘prepare, v. < Middle French, French préparer . .
. . 1.b. To bring into a state of mental or spiritual readiness; to incline or dispose beforehand; to make mentally ready or fit for something.
. . f. To get or make ready (a person) by preliminary instruction or training for college, an examination, etc.’ [OED]
= ‘coach’ nowadays.
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... to the King’s house to see the “Virgin Martyr” again, ..."
The 1661 performance took place in a different structure with different appointments - the current Theater Royal opened May 7th 1663. SP noted previously Killigrew's descriptive monologue:
"That the stage is now by his pains a thousand times better and more glorious than ever heretofore. Now, wax-candles, and many of them; then, not above 3 lbs. of tallow: now, all things civil, no rudeness anywhere; then, as in a bear-garden then, two or three fiddlers; now, nine or ten of the best then, nothing but rushes upon the ground, and every thing else mean; and now, all otherwise: then, the Queen seldom and the King never would come; now, not the King only for state, but all civil people do think they may come as well as any. He tells me that he hath gone several times, eight or ten times, he tells me, hence to Rome to hear good musique; so much he loves it, though he never did sing or play a note. That he hath ever endeavoured in the late King’s time, and in this, to introduce good musique, but he never could do it, there never having been any musique here better than ballads. ..." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... I did prepare Mr. Warren, ... , about what presents I have had from them, ..."
SP must be anxious, this to the man who had to teach him the correct way of accepting 'gifts':
"At noon to the ‘Change, where by appointment I met Sir W. Warren, and afterwards to the Sun taverne, where he brought to me, being all alone; 100l. in a bag, which I offered him to give him my receipt for, but he told me, no, it was my owne, which he had a little while since promised me and was glad that (as I had told him two days since) it would now do me courtesy; and so most kindly he did give it me, and I as joyfully, even out of myself, carried it home in a coach, he himself expressly taking care that nobody might see this business done, though I was willing enough to have carried a servant with me to have received it, but he advised me to do it myself. ..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... in truth I received none on the account of the Navy but Tangier, ..."
The 40,000 Norwegian deals, £3,000 of masts, the 1,000 Goteborg masts, New England masts, 3000 loads of timber ...
Spoiler. The House do not have the benefit of a copy of the L&M Index volume.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Honest" John Minnes...I love it. Clearly Minnes has been doing the PR rounds in some way to earn such an accolade. Perhaps making tavern rounds where he insists he can't make head or tail of what that young Pepys and his clerks are up to. An early application of the Enron stupidity defense? "Yes I am CEO but I have no idea how my corporation works or what's done there..."
language hat • Link
"This day I have the news that my sister was married on Thursday last to Mr. Jackson"
I know he's busy and has a lot on his mind, but this seems awfully distant. Even if he couldn't make the ceremony, one would think he would have known it was happening.
Frank G. • Link
"one would think he would have known it was happening."
Sam may well have known of the intended date, but would still have had to recieve news that the wedding had indeed taken place.
Mary • Link
"so that work is, I hope, well over."
Sam's approach to Pall's marriage can hardly be said to rise above the purely practical. He's met Jackson, found him dull but unobjectionable, reached a satisfactory agreement about Pall's portion and despatched the necessary banker's note for £600. Nothing more to say.
Robert Gertz • Link
Bess had been involved in the wedding plans according to Sam earlier, even eagerly so...I wonder if Pall pulled off a fast wedding to avoid her and Sam's attentions and keep it to herself or if Bess merely sent items for the wedding. If Bess had expected to be the wedding planner and was stiffed out of the job, I imagine we'll see an explosion shortly.
Terry Foreman • Link
"If Bess had expected to be the wedding planner and was stiffed out of the job, I imagine we’ll see an explosion shortly."
And/or a less happy prospect and Summer at Brampton....
Don McCahill • Link
Remember that wedding in this time were much less the affair than they are today. In the 1800s (Bronte, Austen, et. al.) weddings were depicted as small affairs with as few as a half dozen attending.
We must not transpose our mores and expectations on a 17th century man.
arby • Link
Days like this, and comments like these, make me happy that I've never read the diary outside of this site. I read it daily, like it was written. Stiffed out of a job, explosions, and the prospect of a summer at Brampton, cool. I can hardly wait.
I have the Diary on a famous name e-reader, I thought I would read up to the point when I started this daily ritual, a few years ago. But I think I may wait for it to come around again here, as I hope it will. Thanks all, rb
Bryan M • Link
Pall's wedding
You're right Don. Recall that Sam, Sir George and Lady Carteret actually missed the wedding ceremony for Carteret jnr and Lady Jem because they were held up by the tide at the unlucky Isle of Doggs. They had to send the ring and license ahead of them. Sam reported that there were "three coach fulls" present for a marriage between two of the era's leading families; say 20 to 25 people.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
language hat • Link
"Remember that wedding in this time were much less the affair than they are today. In the 1800s ... weddings were depicted as small affairs with as few as a half dozen attending."
A very useful reminder; thanks.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"Remember that wedding in this time were much less the affair than they are today. In the 1800s ... weddings were depicted as small affairs with as few as a half dozen attending."
L&M note the Jacksons were married at Brampton.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Saturday 11 January 1668
Lay some time, talking with my wife in bed about Pall’s business, and she do conclude to have her married here, and to be merry at it; and to have W. Hewer, and Batelier, and Mercer, and Willet bridemen and bridemaids, and to be very merry; and so I am glad of it, and do resolve to let it be done as soon as I can.
Perhaps Elizabeth planned on asking the Penns' for the loan of some silver plate? Perhaps Pepys wanted to invite the Navy Board to the wedding breakfast to advertise their generosity? Maybe give some cake and favors to the Hinchingbrookes? Another opportunity to borrow George Villiers' quartet to awaken the couple the next day?
Elizabeth clearly wanted to party.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…