Friday 31 July 1668
Up, and at my office all the morning. About noon with Mr. Ashburnham to the new Excise Office, and there discoursed about our business, and I made him admire my drawing a thing presently in shorthand: but, God knows! I have paid dear for it, in my eyes. Home and to dinner, and then my wife and Deb. and I, with Sir J. Minnes, to White Hall, she going hence to the New Exchange, and the Duke of York not being in the way, Sir J. Minnes and I to her and took them two to the King’s house, to see the first day of Lacy’s “Monsieur Ragou,” now new acted. The King and Court all there, and mighty merry — a farce. Thence Sir J. Minnes giving us, like a gentleman, his coach, hearing we had some business, we to the Park, and so home. Little pleasure there, there being little company, but mightily taken with a little chariot that we saw in the street, and which we are resolved to have ours like it. So home to walk in the garden a little, and then to bed.
The month ends mighty sadly with me, my eyes being now past all use almost; and I am mighty hot upon trying the late printed experiment of paper tubes.
9 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"An account of these tubulous spectacles ("An easy help for decayed sight") is given in "The Philosophical Transactions," No. 37" http://goo.gl/k1S72
Tony Eldridge • Link
but mightily taken with a little chariot that we saw in the street, and which we are resolved to have ours like it.
Oh, oh. Sam's going to get a sports car.
Chris Squire • Link
‘farce, 1.a. A dramatic work (usually short) which has for its sole object to excite laughter; an interlude . .
[14.. La Vie de St. Fiacre in Mysterès inédits 15 me Siécle (1837) I. 332 Cy est interposé une farsse.]
. . 1668 S. Pepys Diary 31 July (1976) IX. 270 To the King's House to see the first day of Lacy's ‘Monsieur Ragou’‥a Farce . .
2. Something as ridiculous as a theatrical farce; a proceeding that is ludicrously futile or insincere; a hollow pretence, a mockery.
1696 tr. J. Dumont New Voy. Levant 296 The Farce is too gross and visible . . ‘ [OED]
Terry Foreman • Link
Monsieur Raggou
Would the audience have not heard "ragout" ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rago…
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"the new Excise Office"
L&M: In Bloomsbury Sq., where it had moved after the Fire.
See the left upper part of this 1746 Rocque map :
http://www.motco.com/map/81002/Se…
San Diego Sarah • Link
'Charles II: July 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 469-516. https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
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July 31. 1668
Deal.
Rich. Watts to [Williamson].
The Duke of Monmouth arrived at Deal from Dieppe today;
all the ships and Deal Castle saluted him.
He is making all speed to London by land, and intends to lie at Canterbury tonight.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 244, No. 6.]
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NOTE AT THE END OF THE SHIPS’ REGISTER: “The Duke of Monmouth has arrived, and taken horse for London.” At 4 p.m.
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WHEN DID HE SLIP AWAY, AND WHERE HAS HE BEEN?
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July? 1668
Petition of John Butcher, and 11 other nonconformist prisoners in Maidstone Gaol, to the King,
to consider their afflictions;
are assured that he intends to favour those whose tender conscience forbears things enjoined by law relating to worship; the reply to their petition 2 months ago was that Council had something in consideration, but that if they did nothing, which they have not done as yet, his Majesty would interfere.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 244, No. 14.]
Annexing,
Certificate by Rich. Head and 7 others in favour of Thos. Arkinstall of Chatham, and Thos. Gamon of Rochester,
2 of the above prisoners.
— 6 Jan. 1668.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 244, No. 14i.]
Certificate by under-sheriff Thos. Darling
in favour of the petitioners, as peaceable and submissive.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 244, No. 14ii.]
Like certificate by John Tarry, keeper of Maidstone Gaol.
— 25 .July 1668.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 244, No. 14iii.]
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July. 1668
Grant to Sir And. Henley, Bart.,
of pardon for striking Charles, Lord St. John of Basing, in Westminster Hall
[Docquet, Vol. 23, No. 241.]
San Diego Sarah • Link
July. 1668
Grant
to George, Viscount Grandison and Edw. Villiers,
for 99 years from the death of George Kirk,
of several fee farm rents amounting to 413/. 0s. 6d.
during the residue of a previous lease,
and on its expiration, to 433/. 0s. 6d. a year,
reserving a rent of 24/. 5s.
[Docquet, Vol. 23, No. 244.]
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George Villiers, 4th Viscount Grandison (1618-1699) and Edward Villiers are both uncles to Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine (for whom these payments are intended).
Charles II will funnel funds to her through these two men for the rest of his life. Barbara Villiers Palmer may no longer be his mistress, but they stayed in touch, if only for the sake of the children.
SEE
My Lady Castlemaine, Being a Life of Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine, afterwards Duchess of Cleveland -- By Philip IV Sergeant, B.J.,
LONDON: HUTCHINSON & CO, PATERNOSTER R0W -- 1912
Page 152
https://archive.org/stream/mylady…
San Diego Sarah • Link
"AND WHERE HAS HE [James Scot, Duke of Monmouth] BEEN?"
During a fete in summer of 1668, Moliére amused everyone with a new play at Versailles. At that time, Madame Minette was being followed everywhere by James Scot, Duke of Monmouth, a rather handsome fellow, and it was hard to hide from the gossip of Madame having a new affair.
Then came Moliére with his play, featuring a horned-husband.
Some thought this husband resembled that of Madame de Montespan, with whom Louis XIV was making merry.
Others, including Philippe d’Orleans, saw it as a joke on the King’s brother.
The Duke of Monmouth left court the next day.
https://partylike1660.com/philipp…
Mary K • Link
drawing a thing presently
I take it that Pepys is demonstrating on the spot how quickly he can draw up a document using his shorthand skills (thereby impressing Mr. Ashburnham) but then he privately blames this writing system for his eyesight problems.