Monday 5 April 1669
Up, and by coach, it being very cold, to White Hall, expecting a meeting of Tangier, but it did not. But, however, did wait there all the morning, and, among other things, I spent a little time with Creed walking in the garden, and talking about our Office, and Child’s coming in to be a Commissioner; and, being his friend, I did think he might do me a kindness to learn of him what the Duke of Buckingham and the faction do design touching me, and to instil good words concerning me, which he says, and I believe he will: and it is but necessary; for I have not a mind indeed at this time to be put out of my Office, if I can make any shift that is honourable to keep it; but I will not do it by deserting the Duke of York. At noon by appointment comes Mr. Sheres, and he and I to Unthanke’s, where my wife stays for us in our coach, and Betty Turner with her; and we to the Mulberry Garden, where Sheres is to treat us with a Spanish Olio, by a cook of his acquaintance that is there, that was with my Lord in Spain: and without any other company, he did do it, and mighty nobly; and the Olio was indeed a very noble dish, such as I never saw better, or any more of. This, and the discourse he did give us of Spain, and description of the Escuriall, was a fine treat. So we left other good things, that would keep till night, for a collation; and, with much content, took coach again, and went five or six miles towards Branford, the Prince of Tuscany, who comes into England only to spend money and see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much expected; and we met him, but the coach passing by apace, we could not see much of him but he seems a very jolly and good comely man. By the way, we overtook Captain Ferrers upon his fine Spanish horse, and he is a fine horse indeed; but not so good, I think, as I have seen some. He did ride by us most of the way, and with us to the Park, and there left us, where we passed the evening, and meeting The. Turner, Talbot, W. Batelier, and his sister, in a coach, we anon took them with us to the Mulberry Garden; and there, after a walk, to supper upon what was left at noon; and very good; only Mr. Sheres being taken suddenly ill for a while, did spoil our mirth; but by and by was well again, and we mighty merry: and so broke up, and left him at Charing Cross, and so calling only at my cozen Turner’s, away home, mightily pleased with the day’s work, and this day come another new mayd, for a middle mayd, but her name I know not yet; and, for a cookmaid, we have, ever since Bridget went, used a blackmoore of Mr. Batelier’s, Doll, who dresses our meat mighty well, and we mightily pleased with her. So by and by to bed.
18 Annotations
First Reading
Robert Gertz • Link
"...only Mr. Sheres being taken suddenly ill for a while, did spoil our mirth..." I guess it would having just eaten his Spanish Olio.
What a pity it was "Doll" and not "Elisabeth" for the black cookmaid.
"Thanks for the loan of Doll, Will...I'm sure she'll be a lifesaver."
"Right...No problem, Mr. Pepys...But..."
"Will? I trust you don't think I'll treat her any differently from my other female servants."
"Uh...I was rather hoping for better, Mr. Pepys. It's just...Doll's had to become very skilled at dealing with troublesome employers."
"Will? How...Troublesome? And how...Skilled?"
"You know the way you always are, Mr. Pepys?"
"Hmmn?"
"Don't be that way. At least not with Doll..."
Terry Foreman • Link
"a blackmoore of Mr. Batelier’s, Doll, who dresses our meat mighty well, and we mightily pleased with her."
L&M note Negro servants were not uncommonly employed in London.
Bridget had left on 29 March.
Jesse • Link
"that was with my Lord in Spain"
Sir Edward I presume - let's not deny him his link.
Mary • Link
Branford.
All jolly interesting about stockings, but why does "Branford" have a link to "stockings"?
I assume that Branford = Brentford, Middlesex. Not, so far as I recall, a historic centre of stocking manufacture, though in the second half of the 20th century it boasted a company called "Brentford Nylons" that sold not stockings but cheap sheets, blankets, ready-made curtains etc.
Tony Eldridge • Link
Further to yesterday's, and the 2005, comments about the working week, I note that Sam isn't afraid of being seen enjoying himself all Monday afternoon even though he's a little worried about keeping his job.
Presumably, once you reached a certain station in life you could set your own hours as long as the work was done.
Unlurking... • Link
...for today, just to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has made this possible - Phil Gyford, all the annotators, and, of course, the immortal Pepys. Like so many (all?) of you, I will miss my daily fix of Sam and his world when the diary ends. Thanks to all for making this such an enjoyable and enriching experience.
Steve in Baltimore
JWB • Link
"...being his friend, I did think he might do me a kindness..."
Just last summer: "...Creed with me, who I do really begin to hate, and do use him with some reservedness..."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive…
But that was before he became "Cozin Creed" in the fall when he married into Sandwich clan.
Teresa Forster • Link
" I have not a mind indeed at this time to be put out of my Office, if I can make any shift that is honourable to keep it; but I will not do it by deserting the Duke of York. "
Good for you, Sam.
Australian Susan • Link
"... Captain Ferrers upon his fine Spanish horse, and he is a fine horse indeed; ..." Spain took equestrianism much more seriously than the Brits at that time, so this probably would have been a fine animal indeed. This tradition lives on in the Spanish Riding School at Vienna.
Sam vows here to stick by the D of Y, which he did and of course eventually this did cost him his job post 1685.
Phil Gyford • Link
Thanks for the corrections folks - I've corrected the link to Branford from pointing to Stockings (a surreal but surprisingly small numerical error) and added a link from "my Lord".
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"the Prince of Tuscany, who comes into England only to spend money and see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much expected; and we met him, but the coach passing by apace, we could not see much of him but he seems a very jolly and good comely man."
Cosimo de' Medici was traveling incognito. He was said to have undertaken a long tour in an attempt to overcome an unrequited passion for his wife: C.H. Hartmann, The King, My Brother, p. 261. 'His travels in England were described in an account by his secretary, and published in English (with engravings of English scenes) in 1821: Travels of Cosmo the third, Grand Duke of Tuscany, through England during the reign of King Charles the second (1669). Tr. from the Italian manuscript in the Laurentian library at Florence. To which is prefixed, a memoir of his life by Magalotti, Lorenzo, conte, 1637-1712 https://archive.org/details/trave… His portrait appeats as the frontispiece. Magliotti (pp. 161-2) tells how the visitors dined at Brentford and were there greeted by the Lord Chamberlain (Earl of Manchester) and other royal officials. (L&M Note)
Terry Foreman • Link
"By the way, we overtook Captain Ferrers upon his fine Spanish horse"
Robert Ferrers, Master of the horse to Sandwich, whom he (like Sheeres) had accompanied to Spain. (L&M note)
San Diego Sarah • Link
'Venice: April 1669', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 36, 1669-1670, ed. Allen B Hinds (London, 1937), pp. 34-45.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
April 5 1669.
Senato, Secreta.
Deliberazioni, Corti.
Venetian Archives. Doc.44.
To the Ambassador in England [Piero Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in England].
Acknowledge his letters of the 15th ult.
Marchesini is being directed to return home.
[Giovanni Francesco Marchesini, Venetian Secretary in England]
All the hopes of the Senate are now based on the operations of the ambassador.
He has permission to pay for the gunpowder taken at Zante at a moderate rate.
The Senate will readily agree to grant exemption from the duties at Zante to those who take gunpowder to Zante.
Ayes, 136. Noes, 2. Neutral, 2.
[Italian.]
April 5 1669.
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San Diego Sarah • Link
Senato, Secreta.
Dispacci, Inghilterra.
Venetian Archives. Doc. 45.
Piero Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
A series of important matters concerning the internal affairs of the kingdom which were grouped together and left undecided owing to the absence of the king and ministers from the Court has distracted his Majesty's mind from his diversions and called him back from Niumarchet [NEWMARKET] in the country to take part personally in these consultations and to come to some decision.
[Start of Italian cipher:]
The king arrived in London on Saturday after dinner with his brother the duke of York.
Immediately on arriving it was found by the latter that his closet had been broken open. The first unvarnished reports untrammeled by ulterior considerations, were that although the closet contained a lot of money, a quantity of jewels and a good number of rare and precious things, only the papers were missing. These reports being subsequently edited (regolate) the notion was put about by the Court that the duchess, jealous of the duke's affection and impatient to ferret out some correspondence, had opened the closet. But this report is discredited from pure lack of evidence, and now they wish to have it believed that a lot of money is missing. With all sorts of opinions being expressed one circumstance gives rise to the gravest reflection. This is the modest behavior of the duke of York, who is suspending further search. This is an indication that he has discovered that the rifling was the work of a superior hand, one beyond the reach of fear. This would indicate that his Highness had fallen under suspicion of secret intelligencies outside the kingdom. The most plausible conclusion is that these are with the [former] lord chancellor, the father of his wife. The other idea, of some understanding with France, is a baseless absurdity.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Part 2
April 5 1669.
Senato, Secreta.
Dispacci, Inghilterra.
Venetian Archives. Doc. 45.
Piero Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
A series of important matters concerning the internal affairs of the kingdom which were grouped together and left undecided owing to the absence of the king and ministers from the Court has distracted his Majesty's mind from his diversions and called him back from Niumarchet [NEWMARKET] in the country to take part personally in these consultations and to come to some decision.
[Start of Italian cipher:]
The king arrived in London on Saturday after dinner with his brother the duke of York.
Immediately on arriving it was found by the latter that his closet had been broken open. The first unvarnished reports untrammeled by ulterior considerations, were that although the closet contained a lot of money, a quantity of jewels and a good number of rare and precious things, only the papers were missing. These reports being subsequently edited (regolate) the notion was put about by the Court that the duchess, jealous of the duke's affection and impatient to ferret out some correspondence, had opened the closet. But this report is discredited from pure lack of evidence, and now they wish to have it believed that a lot of money is missing. With all sorts of opinions being expressed one circumstance gives rise to the gravest reflection. This is the modest behavior of the duke of York, who is suspending further search. This is an indication that he has discovered that the rifling was the work of a superior hand, one beyond the reach of fear. This would indicate that his Highness had fallen under suspicion of secret intelligencies outside the kingdom. The most plausible conclusion is that these are with the [former] lord chancellor, the father of his wife. The other idea, of some understanding with France, is a baseless absurdity.
It is encouraged by the expected appearance here of St. Albans, sent over by the queen mother; but he will have no other business beyond the private matter of the queen's assignments and such correspondence would require a solid basis and lead to consequences of too great moment.
If the theft has really been of papers, it is probable that nothing more will be heard of it since up to the present moment they have not caused any apparent alteration. [end of Italian; in cipher.]
As regards the affairs of the triple alliance the disposition I have reported has in no wise changed here. They are still waiting for the arrival of more ample powers from Sweden. It is true that the Spaniards observe resentfully that the French are restoring and increasing the fortifications in Flanders and particularly at Dunkirk. They complain of the insistence of the Most Christian in the severity shown which, barely just to the common people, is extended to the gentlemen as well.
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 3
It is pretended that those who possess property within the new conquests must go and live there or lose it. If they are experiencing some relief from their fears of a rupture of the peace, they are in their usual uncertainty in Flanders, having been forced by the violence of the people at Brussels to remove the new taxes, as your Serenity will have learned already.
Considerations of trade and suspicion of Holland are always put forward to me to excuse delay in their declarations, so an assurance of peace between the crowns will in nowise improve my chances of a hearing.
The way to this being closed I shall continue with simple intimations of succour. If the Ambassador Colbert should make any step here it would produce little fruit.
Your Serenity has heard enough of the hardness of heart of the ministers here, deaf to all considerations and blind to the example of others.
His Excellency spoke to me at length in talking of Candia, in which he is interested on account of his brother, who is there in the capacity of marshal. (fn. 1)
• Fn. 1. Edouard Francois Colbert, comte de Maulevrier, the youngest of the brothers.
Having dwelt upon the particulars he did not say a word about any such commissions, and I fancy that, having learned wisdom from the affair of Duglas, he does not wish to commit himself any further.
With regard to the affair of Sautino, who has sequestrated the money of your Serenity in Holland, I will as instructed, report what reaches me, but now the Ambassador Borel has left, my information, forwarded by the Secretary Marchesini [Giovanni Francesco Marchesini, Venetian Secretary in England], will be late and perhaps uncertain.
Since the magistracy of the Artiglerie charges me to arrange for the despatch from here of some more gunpowder for Zante at 5l. sterling the barrel, to be paid in currants, I will do my best; but as an exchange for currants will always be difficult and disadvantageous I flatter myself that I shall be able to reduce the price considerably for cash down.
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 4
When I am enlightened by fresh instructions I will enter more fully into the matter.
I cannot give a positive estimate, because the cost varies at the discretion of the monopolists who hold up the saltpetre.
I have informed Messrs. Philip Ouard and Francis Vaston of the disposition of the Senate to gratify them in the matter of the patents.
London, the 5th April, 1669.
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Antonio Vincenti, Venetian Resident at Florence, to the Doge and Senate.
An Irishman who is here has made me an offer through the resident of England to take salt meat to Zante at the rate of 7 reals per 300 pounds weight Florentine, free of the tax on barrels which will amount to about 340 lbs. light weight, to be taken to Zante at his own risk and cost.
He will also receive payment at Zante, but he intimates that he is not to take less than a thousand barrels at a time. (fn. 2)
Leghorn, the 5th April, 1669.
[Italian.]
• Fn. 2. In his despatch of June 1/11, Finch refers to his offer to supply Candia with Irish beef. He says that he has just received the Senate's answer, who would not pay themselves but only offered letters of recommendation to the Proveditore of Zante. S.P. Tuscany, Vol. x.
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San Diego Sarah • Link
"... with much content, took coach again, and went five or six miles towards Branford, the Prince of Tuscany, who comes into England only to spend money and see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much expected; and we met him, but the coach passing by apace, we could not see much of him but he seems a very jolly and good comely man."
"Cosimo de' Medici was traveling incognito." In Cosmo's book, this is generally shortened to "incog." and I think the meaning was "unofficial, informal", as opposed to "having one's true identity concealed" which is today's definition.
Cosmo and his retinue awoke in Egham, Surrey, and continued to London via Sion House and Brentford. The Stuart Brothers sent out a welcoming committee who offered him the use of Queen Mother Henrietta Maria's residence, Somerset House, which he refused as he preferred to stay incog. at the home of Henry Jermyn, Earl of St. Albans.
After 1665, there was a large house for Henry “Harry” Jermyn, Earl of St. Albans in the south-east corner of the 'Piazza' (the modern St. James's Square). See C.L. Kingsford, Early hist. Piccadilly, pp. 94+; Survey of London, vols xxix and xxx. https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
Cosmo's reception is chronicled as follows:
About two hours before sunset, his highness alighted at the house of my Lord Henry Jermyn, Earl of St. Albans, chamberlain to the queen mother, which had been prepared for him by Colonel Gascoyne.
At the door he found waiting to receive him, Mr. Henry Jermyn, first equerry to the Duke of York, who, in the absence of his uncle, officiated as master of the house, attending him upstairs; and having, soon afterwards, taken leave, Sir William Killigrew, vice-chamberlain of the reigning queen, Catherina of Braganza, Infanta of Portugal, and Mr. Henry Powell, servant of the duchess, Anne Hyde, eldest daughter of my Lord Edward, Earl of Clarendon, grand chancellor of England, came without loss of time to congratulate his highness.
As they both came on the part of their mistresses, they were treated in the same manner as the two who came to Brentford from the king and the duke.
The same evening, the secretary of legation of the Venetian ambassador came to congratulate him in the name of his excellency, but his highness having already retired, he was put off till the following morning.
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I've posted Cosmo's observations in our encyclopedia for
Sion: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
and for Brentford: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…