Sunday 12 April 1668

(Sunday). Dined at Brouncker’s, and saw the new book. Peace. Cutting away sails.

11 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Lines on a loose leaf this date prepared by Pepys for transfer to his accompt-book then stricken-through (per L&M):

spent at Chequer ________________ 0 - 0 - 6
Lord Br[ouncker's] coach from park __ 0 - 2 - 6
hackney _______________________ 0 - 1 - 0
W P[enn's] coach ________________ 0 - 2 - 0
spent at Swan Frank [Frances Udall] __ 0 - 0 - 6

NJM  •  Link

Am I correct in thinking that this period when there are "notes", rather than the usual journal entries, is a time when Elizabeth & Debs are out of town and in the countryside ?
If so perhaps Sam is too busy being a "man about town" (with female friends ?)to have time to do more than jot a few notes down in haste !

Don McCahill  •  Link

>If so perhaps Sam is too busy being a “man about town” (with female friends ?)to have time to do more than jot a few notes down in haste !

Unlikely. His rendezvous are generally front and center in the diary. I'm sure he would have added names to the notes if there were any.

This gap in the diary intrigues me. It would make an excellent Masters or Doctoral study for a grad student (if it has not been done already).

nix  •  Link

Note that one of today's expenditures was on Frances Udall, one of the bar maids at the Swan.

Australian Susan  •  Link

It looks as though, from the brief notes published by TF (for which much thanks!), that Sam had to tip Lord B's coachman when he rode with him. If this is so, it's an interesting bit of social insight. And cost more than the Hackney coach later.

Mary  •  Link

Such a tip would not be surprising. Didn't we earlier establish that it was accepted practice for a visitor to tip the doorman/gatekeeper when visiting the residence of someone of status?

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Also W P[enn's] coach ________________ 0 - 2 - 0

mountebank  •  Link

Sometimes one just loses one's diary mojo. It is a repetitive task and is work, even if there's pleasure in it. I'm wondering whether with much of his household (ie "family") away, at the moment for Sam life just seems rather flat and he's not inspired to put great effort into his diary.

My very longstanding, and very Pooterish, diary has gaps like this. One thing I know from my own experience is that putting entries into my diary is rarely a faithful daily activity but is more a fits and starts thing based on notes I create either on the day or in the next day or two.

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

The latest Gazette that Sam can have seen at Lord Brouncker's, if that's indeed "the Book", was No. 249 (dated April 2-6, but the dates on the masthead are completely out of whack). It must have been still wet, making it fit for a Diary mention, as it contains an item dated April 11 from Paris that would have had to move fast indeed.

It does contain Peace news, notably a complicated item from Brussels, April 10, on "an Approbation or Ratification of the Alternative accepted of by the Marquis de Castel Rodrigo, with a full power to sign the Project offered by the French, in order to a Peace, who has thereupon been willing to send his Commission to the Ministers of His Majesty of Great Brittain, and the States General of the United Provinces, now at Paris, for the signing thereof". That HMG has mediators in Paris is news to us, but if so Brouncker may have heard of Spain's acceptance through the diplomatic grapevine even if the Gazette hadn't yet arrived. Also a report from The Hague that "the Plenipotentiaries begin now to repair to Aix la Chappelle". But as we noted recently that Gazette issue also overflows with reports of troops marching or being mobilized, and in fact a further report from the Hague notes that the States, informed that Louis has confirmed a ceasefire until April 10, are "having not yet any great confidence of the Negotiations in France and other parts in relation to the Treaty", and so are massing forces on the border all the same.

The "Peace" could also have been that between Spain and Portugal, which the same Gazette says was celebrated in Vienna with a Te Deum and two wine fountains. That one isn't new news anymore, but it's a Sandwich achievement, and has now allowed My Lord to obtain leave to return home, surely one of the top events Sam looks forward to.

If the news from Paris couldn't run fast enough and all that Sam saw was the previous issue, No. 248, then he read items dated through April 8, including one on Louis "oblig[ing] himself to the Pope, and all other Princes of Christendom, to restore back to the Spaniards all such places as [he] make[s] himself master of by his Arms, between the end of March and the 25 of May if in that time a peace shall be concluded between the two Crowns". The hundreds of soldiers to be maimed or killed until May 25 to gain or defend those places for nothing at all might not have appreciated, but it's a peace offer alright.

RSGII  •  Link

A Naval interpretation. In battle, after damage to the masts, the carpenters damage control crew often had to cut away sails, in other words get rid of useless items dragging the ship down. Perhaps Sam is reminding himself to do this with his own affairs.

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