Saturday 21 November 1668
Up, with great joy to my wife and me, and to the office, where W. Hewer did most honestly bring me back the part of my letter to Deb. wherein I called her whore, assuring me that he did not shew it her, and that he did only give her to understand that wherein I did declare my desire never to see her, and did give her the best Christian counsel he could, which was mighty well done of him. But by the grace of God, though I love the poor girl and wish her well, as having gone too far toward the undoing her, yet I will never enquire after or think of her more, my peace being certainly to do right to my wife.
At the Office all the morning; and after dinner abroad with W. Hewer to my Lord Ashly’s, where my Lord Barkeley and Sir Thomas Ingram met upon Mr. Povy’s account, where I was in great pain about that part of his account wherein I am concerned, above 150l., I think; and Creed hath declared himself dissatisfied with it, so far as to desire to cut his “Examinatur” out of the paper, as the only condition in which he would be silent in it. This Povy had the wit to yield to; and so when it come to be inquired into, I did avouch the truth of the account as to that particular, of my own knowledge, and so it went over as a thing good and just — as, indeed, in the bottom of it, it is; though in strictness, perhaps, it would not so well be understood.
This Committee rising, I, with my mind much satisfied herein, away by coach home, setting Creed into Southampton Buildings, and so home; and there ended my letters, and then home to my wife, where I find my house clean now, from top to bottom, so as I have not seen it many a day, and to the full satisfaction of my mind, that I am now at peace, as to my poor wife, as to the dirtiness of my house, and as to seeing an end, in a great measure, to my present great disbursements upon my house, and coach and horses.
10 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Ormond to Ossory
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 21 November 1668
Describes what passed, in a conference at the house of Lord Arlington, concerning the contemplated change in the government of Ireland. ... To the reasons given for the appointment of "some fit persons to govern in my absence - applying themselves to me upon all essentials - I answered", writes the Duke, "that, with all submission to the King's will, to make any change in the government, till I had been once more on the place, would be understood to proceed from the King's dissatisfaction with my service, would inevitably bring ruin and disgrace upon me, would be matter of triumph to my enemies & of dejection to my friends; yet if I could be convinced how it would advantage his Majesty to have me removed, I would - as I had always done - prefer his service & prosperity to any interest of my own" ... adding: "I know nothing, fit for the King to do in Ireland, that I am not as well able to do, as any he can employ". ...
http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…
Andrew Hamilton • Link
Sam's song:
THE year 's at the spring,
And day 's at the morn;
Morning 's at seven;
The hill-side 's dew-pearl'd;
The lark 's on the wing; 5
The snail 's on the thorn;
God 's in His heaven—
All 's right with the world!
Even if it is late November
Robert Gertz • Link
Sam's version of rebirth...A clean house, a fresh start...Don Draper Pepys arising out of the ocean, a newly baptized man. We can hope. He does seem to have taken this one to heart and perhaps he really did want to be caught and have "this wicked business" put to rest in some part of his heart.
Well played, William Hewer, btw...Hopefully Deb will profit by your kind counsel. Sam and Bess are lucky in their "adopted son".
Tony Eldridge • Link
a thing good and just — as, indeed, in the bottom of it, it is; though in strictness, perhaps, it would not so well be understood.
A nice piece of self-justification, tinged with guilt.
I wonder if that 150 pounds was earmarked for the coach?
Australian Susan • Link
Hewer is gold. Solid gold.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"after dinner abroad with W. Hewer to my Lord Ashly’s, where my Lord Barkeley and Sir Thomas Ingram met upon Mr. Povy’s account, where I was in great pain about that part of his account wherein I am concerned, above 150l., I think; and Creed hath declared himself dissatisfied with it, so far as to desire to cut his “Examinatur” out of the paper, as the only condition in which he would be silent in it."
L&M: Cf. https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
“Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and fans the bonfire.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) -- from Reflections: Or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665)
Stephane Chenard • Link
The cover letter to a spy's report, apparently from St. Malo, is written today by Capt. Anthony Deane in Portsmouth for John Williamson (and preserved, of course, at https://play.google.com/books/rea…) It informs us of King Louis' giant naval fleet will soon be ready for whatever, and that "he pays all workmen every 15 days, and therefore is well served".
Copy to Sam, the paymasters and beancounters, and to Treasury and select MPs. Such punctuality may not be universal even in France, for we seem to recall a Gazette notice of French troops left unpaid and abandoned in Flanders, where they rioted and plundered. But we phant'sy an arms control treaty, wherein the Parties agree to all be as slow-paying as the slowest.
john • Link
With all this personal turmoil, Pepys manages to keep his job on an even keel.
Third Reading
Trevor M Randall • Link
So Will had the second page of parchment stuffed down his garters as he provided the Christian counsel…well done sir.