Friday 29 January 1668/69

Up, and with W. Hewer in Colonel Middleton’s coach to White Hall, and there to the Duke of York, to attend him, where among other things I did give a severe account of our proceedings, and what we found, in the business of Sir W. Jenings’s demand of Supernumeraries. I thought it a good occasion to make an example of him, for he is a proud, idle fellow; and it did meet with the Duke of York’s acceptance and well-liking; and he did call him in, after I had done, and did not only give him a soft rebuke, but condemns him to pay both their victuals and wages, or right himself of the purser. This I was glad of, and so were all the rest of us, though I know I have made myself an immortal enemy by it. Thence home by hackney, calling Roger Pepys at the Temple gate in the bookseller’s shop, and to the Old Exchange, where I staid a little to invite my uncle Wight, and so home, and there find my aunt Wight and her husband come presently, and so to dinner; and after dinner Roger, and I, and my wife, and aunt, to see Mr. Cole; but he nor his wife was within, but we looked upon his picture of Cleopatra, which I went principally to see, being so much commended by my wife and aunt; but I find it a base copy of a good originall, that vexed me to hear so much commended. Thence to see Creed’s wife, and did so, and staid a while, where both of them within; and here I met Mr. Bland, newly come from Cales [Cadiz] after his differences with Norwood. I think him a foolish, light-headed man; but certainly he hath been abused in this matter by Colonel Norwood. Here Creed shewed me a copy of some propositions, which Bland and others, in the name of the Corporation of Tangier, did present to Norwood, for his opinion in, in order to the King’s service, which were drawn up very humbly, and were really good things; but his answer to them was in the most shitten proud, carping, insolent, and ironically-prophane stile, that ever I saw in my life, so as I shall never think the place can do well, while he is there. Here, after some talk, and Creed’s telling us that he is upon taking the next house to his present lodgings, which is next to that that my cozen Tom Pepys once lived in, in Newport Street, in Covent Garden; and is in a good place, and then, I suppose, he will keep his coach. So, setting Roger down at the Temple, who tells me that he is now concluded in all matters with his widow, we home, and there hired my wife to make an end of Boyle’s Book of Formes, to-night and to-morrow; and so fell to read and sup, and then to bed. This day, Mr. Ned Pickering brought his lady to see my wife, in acknowledgment of a little present of oranges and olives, which I sent her, for his kindness to me in the buying of my horses, which was very civil. She is old, but hath, I believe, been a pretty comely woman.

18 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"the business of Sir W. Jenings’s demand of Supernumeraries."

Jennens of HMS Sapphire had -- between April 1667 and November 1668 -- taken on board more than were allowed him, and had attempted to cast the blame on his purser. He had committed the same offense in an earlier command, abd the Board now stopped his pay.

***
Supernumeraries (those above ["super"] the official number on board) turn up still on civilian cruise ships. http://news.bostonherald.com/news…

andy  •  Link

were really good things; but his answer to them was in the most shitten proud, carping, insolent, and ironically-prophane stile, that ever I saw in my life

Tell it like it is, Sam. I've seen civil servants write like that about my ideas too.

Chris Squire  •  Link

‘shitten, adj. Etym: < shitten , past participle of shit v.
. . 2. Disgusting, contemptible.
?1545 J. Bale Image Both Churches ii. xiii. f. 53, They vttered their shitten rymes and poesies.
. . 1784 in tr. Rabelais Wks. II. xx. 321 You shall receive from the best Hand I have a Mask, wherewith to cover your rascally scoundrel Face, you paultry shitten Varlet.
. . 2004 D. Liss Spectacle of Corruption 114 Perhaps it is a shitten way to treat a man, but as I have already used you thus once, I do not think it so outrageous that I do so again.
General attrib.
. .?1746 Journey through Eng. & Scotl. v. 50 Close-Stools‥are emptied out of the Windows in the Night; so Shitten-luck generally lights on the Person who walks at late Hour in the Streets. . . ‘ [OED]

arby  •  Link

"hired my wife"?

Classicist  •  Link

'shitten proud, carping, insolent and ironically-prophane stile'--wow! I have got to find an occasion to use that one.

Australian Susan  •  Link

Is it just me or is Sam really mentioning modes of transport much more since he had his coach. Today, for example, we learn he travelled in Col. Middleton's coach, then he had to take a hackney and when he learns that sometime rival Creed is moving house, his comment on that is that he assumes he will then set up a coach (you can hear the *sigh* in that). So where was his own coach today? At Unthanks, I bet.

Is Norwood just arrogant or just stupid?

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Wasn't it Creed's having a coach that prompted Samuel to resolve to have one himself?! Methinks he also mentions transport he's put in his account-book.

Norwood usually comes off far better as the annotation shows. L&M say "His letters to Pepys are full of life and humour." Pepys will rent as a weekend retreat a little house in Parson's Green http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… from Norwood in a decade.

Carl in Boston  •  Link

he is a proud, idle fellow....Duke of York...did call him in...and..give him a soft rebuke, but condemns him to pay both their victuals and wages....though I know I have made myself an immortal enemy by it.
Roundly done, Samuel, have yourself a Scotch.

Paul Chapin  •  Link

"immortal enemy"
Today we would say "mortal enemy," i.e., lit., one of us will kill the other. I guess an immortal enemy is an enemy forever, in this life and the next.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"here I met Mr. Bland, newly come from Gales [Cadiz] after his differences with Norwood."

L&M: John Bland was the Mayor of Tangier; Henry Norwood, the Deputy-Governor. For their dispute, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

" Here Creed shewed me a copy of some propositions, which Bland and others, in the name of the Corporation of Tangier, did present to Norwood, for his opinion in, in order to the King’s service, which were drawn up very humbly, and were really good things; but his answer to them was in the most shitten proud, carping, insolent, and ironically-prophane stile, that ever I saw in my life "

L&M: The proposals and Norwood's answer, are in BM, Sloane 3510ff. 4, 48, 49.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... my wife to make an end of Boyle’s Book of Formes, ..."

I bet Elizabeth really enjoyed reading this best seller. Of course, just being around Pepys would be an education all in itself.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"She is old, but hath, I believe, been a pretty comely woman."

And she thought, "What a pompous little twerp. I suppose he looked OK before he developed that paunch."

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

The State Papers (at https://play.google.com/books/rea…) record that a remarkable letter is written for Sam's attention today, aboard the Milford at Spithead, by a "captain Thomas Locke" who really, really wants to sail: "I have entered myself aboard the Milford, hoping you will obtain me some place, for I understand there are several ships going to sea. If I cannot have a command, let me have a cook's place".

We could find no further reference of Capt. Locke, unless he be the one at https://www.ancestry.com/genealog… who dies later this year, in which case maybe a pathetic example of an old sea-salt stranded on land without a home, a pension or a liking for land-life. Or is he a seasoned professional with a bad record, hoping to second one of these inept gentlemen-captains during a storm, save the ship and return in glory? Or a sanguine young bravo, lusting for Adventure? In all cases let us hope that he knows how to cook.

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

The numbers on Sam's apparently declining coachiness: Use of "my coach", "my own coach", was mentioned nine times last month (on December 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 19, 21, 27 and 30) and five times this month (on January 1, 6, 8, 21, 25). Statistickally significant, we say.

Time for theories. It could be that the coach, a complex thing whose horses, suspension, glass, paint, varnish &c. can be an infinite source of surprises, isn't quite ready yet (smirk by a periwigged Treasury mylord, as Sam drops in the coach-stop mud from a smelly, crowded hackney: "That's why we all have two coaches, Pepys. You need two, to be one of us"). We can't believe that last month's broken window wasn't speedily replaced, but plans for painting had also been mentioned, and the possibilities for further tinkering seem endless (we phant'sy, for ourselves, an in-coach stereo to soothe long journeys. Two midgets with violins, in compartments under the seats).

It could be that the wear, tear and scratches have been more than expected, and like many a Bentley or Rolls-Royce it turns out to be just as much an object of Admiration in the driveway, or just by being available or publickly known to be, and public transport just so vastly cheaper and more convenient for everyday errands to bad places with no parking. After all, if we want Our Coach to be noticed, should we park it at Unthanke's, where the other my-wives commute by hackney, or at Court, where it disappears among the other coaches, and having one is nothing special? A delicate choice to make.

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