Thursday 26 March 1668
Up betimes to the office, where by and by my Lord Brouncker and I met and made an end of our business betimes. So I away with him to Mrs. Williams’s, and there dined, and thence I alone to the Duke of York’s house, to see the new play, called “The Man is the Master,” where the house was, it being not above one o’clock, very full. But my wife and Deb. being there before, with Mrs. Pierce and Corbet and Betty Turner, whom my wife carried with her, they made me room; and there I sat, it costing me 8s. upon them in oranges, at 6d. a-piece. By and by the King come; and we sat just under him, so that I durst not turn my back all the play. The play is a translation out of French, and the plot Spanish, but not anything extraordinary at all in it, though translated by Sir W. Davenant, and so I found the King and his company did think meanly of it, though there was here and there something pretty: but the most of the mirth was sorry, poor stuffe, of eating of sack posset and slabbering themselves, and mirth fit for clownes; the prologue but poor, and the epilogue little in it but the extraordinariness of it, it being sung by Harris and another in the form of a ballet. Thence, by agreement, we all of us to the Blue Balls, hard by, whither Mr. Pierce also goes with us, who met us at the play, and anon comes Manuel, and his wife, and Knepp, and Harris, who brings with him Mr. Banister, the great master of musique; and after much difficulty in getting of musique, we to dancing, and then to a supper of some French dishes, which yet did not please me, and then to dance and sing; and mighty merry we were till about eleven or twelve at night, with mighty great content in all my company, and I did, as I love to do, enjoy myself in my pleasure as being the height of what we take pains for and can hope for in this world, and therefore to be enjoyed while we are young and capable of these joys. My wife extraordinary fine to-day, in her flower tabby suit, bought a year and more ago, before my mother’s death put her into mourning, and so not worn till this day: and every body in love with it; and indeed she is very fine and handsome in it. I having paid the reckoning, which come to almost 4l., we parted: my company and William Batelier, who was also with us, home in a coach, round by the Wall, where we met so many stops by the Watches, that it cost us much time and some trouble, and more money, to every Watch, to them to drink; this being encreased by the trouble the ’prentices did lately give the City, so that the Militia and Watches are very strict at this time; and we had like to have met with a stop for all night at the Constable’s watch, at Mooregate, by a pragmatical Constable; but we come well home at about two in the morning, and so to bed.
This noon, from Mrs. Williams’s, my Lord Brouncker sent to Somersett House to hear how the Duchess of Richmond do; and word was brought him that she is pretty well, but mighty full of the smallpox, by which all do conclude she will be wholly spoiled, which is the greatest instance of the uncertainty of beauty that could be in this age; but then she hath had the benefit of it to be first married, and to have kept it so long, under the greatest temptations in the world from a King, and yet without the least imputation.
This afternoon, at the play, Sir Fr. Hollis spoke to me as a secret, and matter of confidence in me, and friendship to Sir W. Pen, who is now out of town, that it were well he were made acquainted that he finds in the House of Commons, which met this day, several motions made for the calling strictly again upon the Miscarriages, and particularly in the business of the Prises, and the not prosecuting of the first victory, only to give an affront to Sir W. Pen, whose going to sea this year do give them matter of great dislike. So though I do not much trouble myself for him, yet I am sorry that he should have this fall so unhappily without any fault, but rather merit of his own that made him fitter for this command than any body else, and the more for that this business of his may haply occasion their more eager pursuit against the whole body of the office.
17 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
The Royal Society today at Arundel House — from the Hooke Folio Online
March 26. 1668. The squaring the Hyperbola by Ld Brouncker [ http://is.gd/1Xxts4 ].) Dr. Allen Sr. Th: Adams Stone. weighd 22 3/8 [ounce] troy.
a toad found in a tree. Letter of Dr. Iames about diseasd boy.
correspondence ouer the world by mr Hay at Rome.
Expts. about sound to be tryed between Deale & douer)
Mr. Hooke gaue a hint of making such glasses whereby one might see and read in the Dark. He was desired to think further of it and to make some tryalls accordingly -
http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…
Robert Gertz • Link
"...and I did, as I love to do, enjoy myself in my pleasure as being the height of what we take pains for and can hope for in this world, and therefore to be enjoyed while we are young and capable of these joys. My wife extraordinary fine to-day, in her flower tabby suit, bought a year and more ago, before my mother’s death put her into mourning, and so not worn till this day: and every body in love with it; and indeed she is very fine and handsome in it."
Sam at his most lovable...
Robert Gertz • Link
"By and by the King come; and we sat just under him, so that I durst not turn my back all the play."
"Sam'l...What's the matter? Sam'l?"
"Can't...Turn..." hiss...
"Did your back go out? Is it your stone? Oh, maybe we should go..."
"Bess...Can't..."
"Hey, you up there!! Lout!!...You, yes you!" Bess stabs finger up at Charlie leering down. "What did you just throw here?" Picks up balled note thrown down. "Sam'l, did you see what that man above us just threw at me?! Here, read it. Sam'l? Read it, the dirty...!"
"Bess...For God's sake..." hiss...
"Hey, you foul-mouthed freak! Sam'l?! Do something! You heard what he just said! And that slut with him! Say, she looks like that picture of the King's girl. Hey!!" Picks up yet another crumpled note. Tossing back with vigor at chuckling Charles above. "Listen, you swine! My husband here is an important man in the King's..."
"Bess...!" stifled cry.
"What?"
Terry Foreman • Link
"...it were well [Sir W, Pen] were made acquainted that...in the House of Commons, which met this day, several motions [were ]made for the calling strictly again upon the Miscarriages, and particularly in the business of the Prises, and the not prosecuting of the first victory, only to give an affront to Sir W. Pen"
Miscarriages of the War.
Resolved, &c. That the Committee for Miscarriages be revived; and do inquire particularly into any Miscarriage in which the Officers of the Fleet may be concerned; and whether Sir John Harman be returned; and if not, the Reason why he is not: And that the Committee do sit this Afternoon.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Christopher Squire • Link
‘pragmatical, adj. and n.
. . 3.a. Officious, meddlesome, interfering; intrusive. Obs.
. . b. Conceited, self-important, pompous; opinionated; dogmatic, unbending.
1660 H. More Explan. Myst. Godliness iv. xiii. 131 The leguleious Cavils of some Pragmatical Pettifoggers.
1668 J. Glanvill Blow at Mod. Sadducism Pref. sig. A2, With a pert and pragmatical Insolence, they censure all.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 481. ¶4 Lacqueys were never so saucy and pragmatical, as they are now-a-days.
1724 Swift Let. to Molesworth 2 Which‥may perhaps give me the Title of Pragmatical and Overweening.
1779 F. Burney Let. 25 Oct.–3 Nov. in L. E. Troide & S. J. Cooke Early Jrnls. & Lett. Fanny Burney (1994) 407 His extreme pomposity,—the solemn stiffness of his Person‥& the quaint importance of his delivery,—are‥like some Pragmatical‥old Coxcomb represented on the stage.’ [OED]
A useful word which has gone out of use for some reason tho’ the type it describes is still with us.
Mary • Link
militia and Watches very strict at this time.
Historically all the gates of London were supposed to be closed at 9 p.m. with no-one allowed either to enter or leave the city between that time and 6 o'clock the following morning. No doubt the Watch at Moorgate was being particularly punctilious on this evening because of the activities of the rioting apprentices over the previous few days.
Sam's use of "pragmatical" implies that the Watch should have been able to tell at a glance that Pepys and his companions were hardly of the rioting class and so should have been allowed unimpeded access, whatever the rule-book said. In Sam's eyes the Watch was being a typical 'job's-worth' and should have allowed the party to proceed at once upon receipt of the usual beer-money.
(In case that expression isn't as widely used outside the United Kingdom as it is within it, a job's-worth is anyone who protests that, "It's more than my job's worth to allow you to.... [something or other]" instead of applying common sense to a request).
Christopher Squire • Link
‘jobsworth, n. A person in authority (esp. a minor official) who insists on adhering to rules and regulations or bureaucratic procedures even at the expense of common sense.
1970 Melody Maker 12 Sept. 29/4 If you are a taxi-driver, jobsworth or policeman, you will now be able to understand hippie lingo.
1982 Times 2 Oct. 19/1 That's Life. Consumer programme which includes the first contenders for the Jobsworth Award, given to the person who enforces the most stupid rule.
1987 Punch 20 May 47 Now we all know park-keepers—‘jobsworths’ to the man. (‘It's more than my job's worth to let you in here/play ball/walk on the grass/film my ducks.’).
1996 D. Brimson & E. Brimson Everywhere we Go xvii. 228 More efficient and helpful (happy) stewards and policemen would be a vast improvement on the jobsworths we currently find ourselves saddled with.
2002 Wanderlust Feb.–Mar. 65/1 Officials—jobsworths the lot of 'em, from four-forms-for-one-train-ticket bureaucrats to power-crazed border police.’ [OED]
JWB • Link
Blue Balls
I have distant relatives in Blue Ball, Pennsylvania. Named, not after the painful 'lover's lock', but after the practice early 18th C. tavern keeper hoisting a blue ball on a pole in front of his establishment when he had passengers for passing coaches to pick up. Perhaps Pepys's retreat named likewise.
Jim • Link
Is the party at the Blue Balls perhaps a 'Stone Feast' celebration ?
Australian Susan • Link
3 gold balls were/are the sign for a pawnbroker.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"to the Duke of York’s house to see the new play, called “The Man is the Master,” where the house was, it being not above one o’clock, very full....By and by the King come; and we sat just under him"
L&M: Davenant's last play. This is the first record of a performance. One o'clock was two-and-a-half hours before the usual time of commencement. Pepys was sitting in the rear-most bench of the pit and the royal box was sitated in the centre of the boxes.
Terry Foreman • Link
"the epilogue little in it but the extraordinariness of it, it being sung by Harris and another in the form of a ballet."
L&M: Harris played Don John; his partner was [Samuel] Sandford. According to Downes (p. 39) they sang the epilogue 'like two Street Ballad-Singers'.
Pepys is a phonetic speller.
Terry Foreman • Link
"The play is a translation out of French, and the plot Spanish,"
L&M: It was based upon two plays by Paul Scarron: Jodelet, ou Le ou le Maître valet and L'Héritier ridicule ou la Dame intéressée. The scene was set in Madrid.
Terry Foreman • Link
"This noon, from Mrs. Williams’s, my Lord Brouncker sent to Somersett House to hear how the Duchess of Richmond do; and word was brought him that she is pretty well, but mighty full of the smallpox"
L&M: There was an epidemic: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
One of her eyes was badly affected: Harris, ii. 182.
Marquess • Link
Such wise and apt words from Sam: and I did, as I love to do, enjoy myself in my pleasure as being the height of what we take pains for and can hope for in this world, and therefore to be enjoyed while we are young and capable of these joys.
San Diego Sarah • Link
March 27. 1668
H. H. to Sir Rob. Carr.
[Robert Carr was a MP for Lincolnshire.]
I find by general discourse that there is a real design on foot, and that the rabble of the apprentices were but the pander to it;
thousands of countrymen appear at the wrestling every night.
Also I find at the coffee houses that the masters are divided;
some of the sober wish there was an order issued from his Majesty and Council for all masters to keep in their servants from rambling;
others conclude that they cannot restrain their servants in their recreation, for fear of brooding greater mischief. Some say that if they meddle with nothing but bawdy houses, they do but the magistrates' drudgery;
others that if any one of the apprentices should be taken off, it would be of bad consequence.
There being 3 or 4 apprentices to one master throughout the City, if they should resolve to arm, they could hardly be hindered by the trained arms.
The generality of the sectarians are much pleased with these stories of the apprentices.
There are abundance of old Oliver's officers and soldiers in town upon the account of work, and a whispering of some dabbling with the old soldiers.
The Prudential Rant has another meeting on Wednesday.
I beg a settlement of my weekly salary, or dismission, that I may take myself to some other calling for the relief of myself and children.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 237, No. 82.]
'Charles II: March 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 262-320. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
They seek him here, they seek him there ...
Where is de Beaufort and the French navy?
March 26. 1668
Castle Cornet, Guernsey.
Col. J. Atkins to Lord Arlington.
The French fleet of 15 great ships and 4 others is at sea, with M. Beaufort aboard;
their design is to meet the Spanish fleet going for Flanders;
35 more smaller ships are making ready, and they are pressing all along the coast, with great severity.
They talk openly in France of a rupture with England.
I must look about me to put Castle Cornet into a posture of defence.
Let me have some notice if things are like to come to what is pretended.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 237, No. 77.]
'Charles II: March 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 262-320. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…