Friday 23 April 1669
Going to rise, without saying anything, my wife stopped me; and, after a little angry talk, did tell me how she spent all day yesterday with M. Batelier and her sweetheart, and seeing a play at the New Nursery, which is set up at the house in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which was formerly the King’s house. So that I was mightily pleased again, and rose a with great content; and so by water to White Hall, and there to the Council-Chamber, and heard two or three causes: among others, that of the complaint of Sir Philip Howard and Watson, the inventors, as they pretend, of the business of varnishing and lackerworke, against the Company of Painters, who take upon them to do the same thing; where I saw a great instance of the weakness of a young Counsel not used to such an audience, against the Solicitor-General and two more able Counsel used to it. Though he had the right of, his side, and did prevail for what he pretended to against the rest, yet it was with much disadvantage and hazard. Here, also I heard Mr. Papillion make his defence to the King, against some complaints of the Farmers of Excise; but it was so weak, and done only by his own seeking, that it was to his injury more than profit, and made his case the worse, being ill managed, and in a cause against the King. Thence at noon, the Council rising, I to Unthanke’s, and there by agreement met my wife, and with her to the Cocke, and did give her a dinner, but yet both of us but in an ill humour, whatever was the matter with her, but thence to the King’s playhouse, and saw “The Generous Portugalls,” a play that pleases me better and better every time we see it; and, I thank God! it did not trouble my eyes so much as I was afeard it would. Here, by accident, we met Mr. Sheres, and yet I could not but be troubled, because my wife do so delight to talk of him, and to see him. Nevertheless, we took him with us to our Mercer’s, and to the Exchange, and he helped me to choose a summer-suit of coloured camelott, coat and breeches, and a flowered tabby vest very rich; and so home, where he took his leave, and down to Greenwich, where he hath some friends; and I to see Colonel Middleton, who hath been ill for a day or two, or three; and so home to supper, and to bed.
14 Annotations
First Reading
Australian Susan • Link
No mention of St George's Day.
Carl in Boston • Link
I went down to my basement looking for some music, and what should I find but "Beauty Retire", Sam's tune, just four bars. I took it up and played it on the organ, just a bitty thing and sort of Renaissance musique. There too was "Samuel Pepys In The Diary" by Percival Hunt (1958). I read the first chapter, very good prose. I never did find a full four fingers in the right hand arrangement of O Sole Mio, better known as "It's Now Or Never" by Elvis. Better to read of Samuel Pepys.
Jenny • Link
Hmmm, Sheres is in town and Elizabeth is ostensibly spending a lot of time with Mary Batelier who conveniently provides a good alibi.
sue nicholson • Link
I agree, Jenny. Amusing to see how Sam is ignoring what is clearly a dalliance, at least, between Sheres and Elizabeth. He's turning up pretty much every week at the moment; theatre visits, lunch parties etc.
nix • Link
> where I saw a great instance of the
> weakness of a young Counsel not used
> to such an audience, against the
> Solicitor-General and two more able
> Counsel used to it. Though he had the
> right of, his side, and did prevail
> for what he pretended to against the
> rest, yet it was with much disadvantage
> and hazard.
Ouch -- I feel that one. The exact same thing happened to me early in my legal career, arguing a case against the most renowned lawyer in Arizona. I wasn't as fortunate as Samuel's young lawyer that day, but did wind up winning it on appeal.
(Note that in 17th century usage "pretended to" meant "put forward," not "feigned.")
Robert Gertz • Link
"...but yet both of us but in an ill humour, whatever was the matter with her, but thence to the King’s playhouse, and saw “The Generous Portugalls,” a play that pleases me better and better every time we see it; and, I thank God! it did not trouble my eyes so much as I was afeard it would. Here, by accident, we met Mr. Sheres, and yet I could not but be troubled, because my wife do so delight to talk of him, and to see him."
Hee, hee, hee, hee...What a maroon, what a tar-rah-rah goondeay as Bugs Bunny would say. Give 'im the works Bess.
Jim • Link
I'm surprised Sam doesn't use his influence to have Sheeres shipped out to some god forsaken place such as . . . Tangiers.
Jenny • Link
"by accident". Oh c'mon Sam. Yes, she certainly does "so delight to talk to him, and to see him". You seriously think she's been spending all that time with Mary Batelier?
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"to the Council-Chamber, and heard two or three causes: among others, that of the complaint of Sir Philip Howard and Watson, the inventors, as they pretend, of the business of varnishing and lackerworke, against the Company of Painters, who take upon them to do the same thing;"
Pepys put this on the wrong date: this case and the one that follows ere heard on the 21st. (On 23rd April he wrote up 12 days' arrears.)
Hayward and Francis Watkins had been granted a patent on 2 vMarch 1669 for making a 'gilt' varnish or lacquer without rthe use of gold. Certain members of the Company of Painters had infringed the patent, which was then confirmed by a council award of 28 May. For the interests in lacquer at this time see: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
Should be "Howard and Francis Watkins", etc.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Here, also I heard Mr. Papillion make his defence to the King, against some complaints of the Farmers of Excise; but it was so weak, and done only by his own seeking, that it was to his injury more than profit, and made his case the worse, being ill managed, and in a cause against the King. "
The dispute was over the double duty charged under the excise acts of 160 and 1668 on brandy, which was often made in England from imported wine on which both customs and excise duties had already been paid. In a test-case in the Court of Exchequer the verdict had gone against Thomas Papillon, and he and his colleagues in the trade had recently petitioned parliament. (L&M, citing various sources in the National Archives and Parliamentary debates.)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Today sounds as if it's business as usual for Pepys et al, but at the Palace there is probably a big party tonight, and bonfires in the parks: 23 April is St. George's Day, celebrated by the several nations, kingdoms, countries, and cities of which St. George is the patron saint.
St. George's Day is also England's National Day.
Most countries that observe St. George's Day celebrate it on 23 April, the traditionally accepted date of St. George's death in 303 AD.
St. George's Day was a major feast and national holiday in England, on a par with Christmas from the early 15th century. However, this tradition had waned by the end of the 18th century after the union of England and Scotland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_G…'s_Day
New appointments to the Order of the Garter are always announced on St. George's Day, 23 April, St. George being the patron saint of England. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gart…
Cliff • Link
Wife out late? Unexpected mood shifts?
Cheers up when sees Mr Sheers?
Sam, you may be being cuckolded old son.
And, it has to be said, its is about time Elizabeth had someone who gave to her rather than your usual selfish, coercive, self-centred, sociopathic behaviour.
Third Reading
Michaela • Link
Sam isn’t a sociopath, we can see that clearly from what he tells us about his feelings - remember how movingly he wrote about the great fire, and his love for Elizabeth.
The format of a diary inevitably presents the writer in a self-centred way, and because he is so honest about his motives and behaviour, we see the best and worst of him. Others have admitted they would find it difficult to be so honest about themselves. We are all selfish, devious and unfair sometimes, just like Sam.
I would say that Sam is very generous in nature, he always gives his guests a good meal and enjoys doing so. He lent out his horses just the other day and he pays his servants generously. Admittedly he always used to have the underlying fear of returning to poverty which made him reluctant to pay out sometimes, but maybe that was common sense.
It’s true that he used to behave coercively with Bess when he was younger, but that seems to have faded away with his guilt about Deb and possibly because the fear of poverty has receded.
His attitude to women is absolutely awful, but Sam wouldn’t be like that if he had grown up in our world (that’s not to say he wouldn’t have had an affair though) and like you I kind of hope that Bess is giving his a bit of his own medicine. We’re only human after all.