Thursday 18 June 1668

Up betimes and to the office, there to set my papers in order and books, my office having been new whited and windows made clean, and so to sit, where all the morning, and did receive a hint or two from my Lord Anglesey, as if he thought much of my taking the ayre as I have done; but I care not a turd; but whatever the matter is, I think he hath some ill-will to me, or at least an opinion that I am more the servant of the Board than I am. At noon home to dinner, where my wife still in a melancholy, fusty humour, and crying, and do not tell me plainly what it is; but I by little words find that she hath heard of my going to plays, and carrying people abroad every day, in her absence; and that I cannot help but the storm will break out, I think, in a little time. After dinner carried her by coach to St. James’s, where she sat in the coach till I to my Lady Peterborough’s, who tells me, among other things, her Lord’s good words to the Duke of York lately, about my Lord Sandwich, and that the Duke of York is kind to my Lord Sandwich, which I am glad to hear: my business here was about her Lord’s pension from Tangier. Here met with Povy, who tells me how hard Creed is upon him, though he did give him, about six months since, I think he said, fifty pieces in gold; and one thing there is in his accounts that I fear may touch me, but I shall help it, I hope. So my wife not speaking a word, going nor coming, nor willing to go to a play, though a new one, I to the Office, and did much business. At night home, where supped Mr. Turner and his wife, and Betty and Mercer and Pelling, as merry as the ill, melancholy humour that my wife was in, would let us, which vexed me; but I took no notice of it, thinking that will be the best way, and let it wear away itself.

After supper, parted, and to bed; and my wife troubled all night, and about one o’clock goes out of the bed to the girl’s bed, which did trouble me, she crying and sobbing, without telling the cause. By and by she comes back to me, and still crying; I then rose, and would have sat up all night, but she would have me come to bed again; and being pretty well pacified, we to sleep.

15 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

The Royal Society today at Arundel House — from the Hooke Folio Online

Iune 18.1668. (Sr R Southwell Skul couerd wth mosse.) Glanuils Plus Vltra
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose… ] ) Godelphin to get Spanish books about mines

There were made 2 Expts. 1 of mixing Sal gem wth water to see how much it would grow heauier therby, There was taken one
part of Sal Gem & 4 parts of water by weight. The curator was orderd to calculate the proportions of these weights, and to bring in a written Account of the whole at the next meeting, as also that of another expt. formerly made of this nature.
The salt weighed in air - - - 1 3/4 10 1/2
The same in oyl of turpent. 3/4 . 47.
The glasse ball in the mixture of salt and water weighed 1/4. 17 1/2
The same in oyle of turpentine 1/4. 53 1/2 [In margin]Vz 2.

The 2[d]. was of a new kind of Barometer filld partly wth. quicksiluer partly with water, to the end that the variations thereof may be rendred more sensible than they are in those glasses that are filled with mercury alone. The curator was desired to bring in the Description of this Barometer in writing. It was mentiond by the Curator that the liquor in this kind of Barometer will some rise to 34 inches of which he did not yet see the Reason. The president was desired to get such a Barometer as this prepared and to make obseruations with it which his Lop: promised to doe. - (Boyle barometers of [sun/gold] & [mercury] . [mercury] & [Jupiter/tin] . &c.)

The smallnesse of mosse seed being again spoken of and the Curator desired that he would further explaine what method he vsed in computing that the weight of the aboue 777 millions of those seeds makes noe more than the weight of one graine. added to what he had already sayd in his written account about it, that he reckoned 2 inches square of venice paper did weigh one graine and the Length of 30 of the seeds layd close by one another did aequall the thicknesse of Venice paper, which being calculated after the manner described in his written account would amount to the sum aboue mentiond - mr Hooke being asked what kind of mosse it was the seed whereof he had thus examined, said it was of that sort which he had Described in his micrography. Mr Howard was desired to bring in what capillary plants he had for mr Hook to view with a microscope the backs of the Leaues of them to obserue what substances they are that grow vpon them Dr. Wilkins suggested that the Curator might be orderd to try whether he could by the meanes of the mosse seeds he had produced make mosse grow on a dead mans skull.

(mention about Anatomicall room)

http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Poor Bess. Interesting how Sam compartmentalizes, though...Obviously he's basing his irritated response (how dare she be angry at my taking in a few plays and inviting a few female friends along# to Bess' legit concerns about his behavior #only too legit# on the trivial bits she's dared mention, which he can dismiss while knowing she has deeper concerns. And an interesting light on their inability to communicate...She knows something's going on yet can't offer proof yet so focuses on the small stuff;he bullies her on that while deliberately blanking the darker out. Perhaps what's most fascinating is how little this sort of thing had changed until very recently...And even now often goes on in relationships between men and women...I think of Don Draper in "Mad Men" bullying his wife with "What do you think you know?" as she tries to demand he admit to his affairs. The sad thing in each case is that Sam and Don can't see that their wives are really offering forgiveness if they'd just come clean and perhaps help them understand why they behave this way.

Tony Eldridge  •  Link

Yes, Robert, but Sam is an important man about town and Bess, after all, is only a woman...

(My wife won't read this, will she?)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Here met with Povy, who tells me how hard Creed is upon him...."

L&M note this is Tangier Committee business: Povey, who had succeeded Pepys as Treasurer of the Committee in 1665, was putting his books in order; Creed was the Committee's secretary.

Mary  •  Link

"nor willing to go to a play, though a new one"

No, she's not going to be bought off as easily as that, Samuel. A pretty insulting offer in the circumstances.

john  •  Link

"I then rose, and would have sat up all night, but she would have me come to bed again; and being pretty well pacified, we to sleep."

Why would sitting up all night be considered appropriate penance?

Terry Foreman  •  Link

L&M note that roughly from this point forward the effects of Pepys's eyestrain are visible in the MS of the diary. The symbols and lines are more widely spaced, the handwriting larger, which grows more marked after early February 1669. The MS is also less impeccable: the shorthand symbols often less neat, sometimes incomplete, the blots and errors more frequent.

Paul Chapin  •  Link

Why would sitting up all night be considered appropriate penance?

John, my take on it was that Sam wanted her to come out with whatever was bothering her, and he was prepared to sit up and talk it through as long as necessary, all night if need be.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"did receive a hint or two from my Lord Anglesey, as if he thought much of my taking the ayre as I have done; but I care not a turd; but whatever the matter is, I think he hath some ill- will to me, or at least an opinion that I am more the servant of the Board than I am."

Pepys seems to think Anglesey's misperception is to his own advantage. We will see.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"I to my Lady Peterborough’s, who tells me, among other things, her Lord’s good words to the Duke of York lately, about my Lord Sandwich, and that the Duke of York is kind to my Lord Sandwich, which I am glad to hear:"

I should think so too:

"The 1st Earl of Sandwich, Edward Montagu, ... was an ambassador to Spain and Portugal and may well have introduced the choc ice to Britain, after bringing back a recipe (now displayed at Mapperton House, Dorset) for Charles II from one of the chocolate houses in Madrid or Lisbon."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/proper…

Who knew My Lord introduced us all to the chocolate ice-cream!? I, for one, am extremely grateful as, probably, was James, Duke of York.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

'Charles II: June 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, (London, 1893), pp. 418-468.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

@@@
June 18. 1668
Chatham.
Col. Thos. Middleton to Sam. Pepys.

I have paid the tickets belonging to the 5 ships, as also the officers’ full sea pay, which took between 1,600/. and 1,700/.

I ordered the keeping the gun carriages on board the ships they belong to.
I have lost the account of what the calkers’ pay comes to, but will get another;
I will employ them in calking the ships not appointed for sea.

The price of the 1,000 loads of excellent timber is from 2/. to 3/. a load, but the owner will have 400/. in hand, and the remainder on delivery.
Other timber is offered for 48s. a load.
Begs an answer.

Mr. Moorcock thinks only the King’s forest timber will be used.
I am almost torn to pieces by the workmen of the yard for their weekly pay; what shall I say to content them?

Five of the fireships have come to Gillingham; I want their books, as I intend to pay them all tomorrow.
[2 pages. S.P. Dom., Car II. 241, No. 167.]

@@@
June 18. 1668
Capt. J. Perriman to Sam. Pepys.

I beg remembrance tomorrow concerning my salary.
When you were out of town and Sir Wm. Penn indisposed, I had no friend to move it.

I gave Sir Wm. Penn a copy of Capt. Fortescue’s bill as a precedent.
I beseech consideration, the ships being nearly laded, and my business despatched.

I have received nothing for my ship Swallow’s freight, nor for services done, nor for transporting the Portugal Ambassador, nor for money paid for the enlargement of the English seamen.
[S.P. Dom., Car II. 241, No. 171.]

@@@
[June 18.] 1668
[Whitehall.]
Petition of Dr. Peter Massonnet to the King,

for payment from the Exchequer of his arrears;
has an order for payment of one year from the hearth money, but it will be 3-½ years before it can be paid, unless he loses half for present payment, and meanwhile he will be outlawed.
Has 3-¼ Years' arrears still due.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 241, No.177.]

Is this the Dr. Peter Massonet who was with Charles II on his travels?
http://www.themasonictrowel.com/A…

@@@
June 18. 1668
Farmingwoods, Northants.
Sir J. Robinson to Williamson.

Thanks for a constant supply of the paper of occurrences, which has added much to the pleasure of the country.
Mr. Weekes was so well pleased with this place, that the first morning after he had lodged here, he sent for a smith and had his horse bled, that he might have a just excuse for a longer stay.

I intend going to Oxford to visit my sister Baily and my own estate 4 miles from the town, which I have not seen for 10 years;
[S.P. Dom., Car II. 241, No. 183.]

Sir John Robinson’s house, see:
https://historicengland.org.uk/li…

Gerald Berg  •  Link

And nothing about you diddling Deb just before the two girls go off on holidays together Sam? Yes, let's talk all night about that...
As if!

Harry R  •  Link

On 3rd June Sam asked the Dof Y for 5/6 days leave of absence. He leaves on 5th June and is back in work on the 18th, so he's away from his desk for 13 days. Is that why Anglesey is piqued? He must have planned his trip to the west country and known roughly how long it would take. Perhaps he justifies his extended trip by his visit to the ship builders in Bristol. It doesn't stack up, but clearly he doesn't give a shit.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"and did receive a hint or two from my Lord Anglesey, as if he thought much of my taking the ayre as I have done; but I care not a turd; but whatever the matter is, I think he hath some ill-will to me, or at least an opinion that I am more the servant of the Board than I am."

My guess, HarryR, is that the "in" basket was full of things Anglesey didn't know how to handle, and gouty Penn didn't bother to handle. Hewer and young Murford were with Pepys, taking further educated support from the office.

On June 17 Sir George Downing wrote to Anglesey that the Treasury Commissioners are surprised to find that books have been signed by him for 290,000/. for tickets and seamen’s wages, and desire him to satisfy them how such a great sum arises.

Adm. Allin was sending daily hate mail about provisions, money and lack of response from the Navy Commissioners.

Then there was the request for a ticket conference, which I proposed Mr. Carkasse as being the best stand-in for Pepys.

These big items, and so much more, have opened Anglesey's eyes to what Pepys handles every day. Instead of admiring his dexterity and thanking him for his services during the war, Anglesey might have indicated that he considered people with the title of "Clerk" who actually achieve things as not being a real gentlemen and unworth of so much time off. Now that would sting!

So my guess is that Pepys was hurt by Johnny-come-lately Anglesey's attitude and ingratitude for past efforts; he rightly takes great pride in his achievements and system improvements.

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