Sunday 21 February 1668/69
(Lord’s day). Up, and with my wife and two girls to church, they very fine; and so home, where comes my cozen Roger and his wife, I having sent for them, to dine with us, and there comes in by chance also Mr. Shepley, who is come to town with my Lady Paulina, who is desperately sick, and is gone to Chelsey, to the old house where my Lord himself was once sick, where I doubt my Lord means to visit hers more for young Mrs. Beck’s sake than for hers. Here we dined with W. Batelier, and W. Hewer with us, these two girls making it necessary that they be always with us, for I am not company light enough to be always merry with them and so sat talking all the afternoon, and then Shepley went away first, and then my cozen Roger and his wife. And so I, to my Office, to write down my Journall, and so home to my chamber and to do a little business there, my papers being in mighty disorder, and likely so to continue while these girls are with us. In the evening comes W. Batelier and his sisters and supped and talked with us, and so spent the evening, myself being somewhat out of order because of my eyes, which have never been well since last Sunday’s reading at Sir W. Coventry’s chamber, and so after supper to bed.
5 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"W. Hewer with us, these two girls making it necessary that they be always with us, for I am not company light enough to be always merry with them"
Sober-sides Samuel Pepys, Clerk of the Acts, at almost 36 years old! Hewer, at only 26 or 27 is clearly MUCH better company for the girls.
Pshaw: SP has always chatted up children readily. I'm betting he's distracted, going off to the office as soon as his adult dinner guests have left. But once there, he does very little, nor can he, "my papers being in mighty disorder, and likely so to continue while these girls are with us." Suspended pro tem.
Nate • Link
I'll bet that the two girls, when they are back home with their new fashionable outfits, stories of the trip, and the names they will be able to drop, will be the envy of the other girls of the area.
Andrew Hamilton • Link
"I am not company light enough to be always merry with them"
Poor Sam, with weak eyes and a bad cold, forced to suppress his natural inclination to amorous adventures, still closely watched by Elizabeth's spies, falling behind in work, may be feeling a little sorry for himself.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
L&M transcribe: "my Lady Paulina, who is desperately sick and is gone to Chelsy, to the old house where my Lord himself was once sick -- where I doubt my Lord means to visit her, more for young Mrs. Beck’s sake than for hers."
Betsy Becke had been Sandwich's mistress, c. 1962-3.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Paulina Montagu "who is desperately sick" has just travelled for two days over the awful winter roads to get to London. I wonder why. No doctors near Hinchingbrooke? Was it catching and the Earl decided to sacrifice old Shepley to get her away from the rest of the family? Did she have a fever? ... the trip probably kills her.
And what is Sandwich thinking, sending Paulina to stay with his former mistress? He must have trusted Mrs. Beck's discretion completely.
There must have been retainers around Hinchingbrooke where she could have recuperated without endangering her health further with this journey.