Sunday 23 May 1669
(Lord’s day). Called up by Roger Pepys and his son who to church with me, and then home to dinner. In the afternoon carried them to Westminster, and myself to James’s, where, not finding the Duke of York, back home, and with my wife spent the evening taking the ayre about Hackney, with great pleasure, and places we had never seen before.
7 Annotations
First Reading
Andrew Hamilton • Link
And the days dwindle...
Robert Gertz • Link
...To a precious few...
Don McCahill • Link
I suspect in a day or two we will see the "spent time writing diary entries for the past few days" entry. Usually when there are several short entries, it is a sign that Sam has missed a few, and will catch up from memory.
Barry P. Reich • Link
Where did all the words go? Is Sam growing weary of the daily obligation of the diary?
Tony Eldridge • Link
If Sam's eyes are troubling him so much, the diary probably has a fairly low priority.
Terry Foreman • Link
A sample of May 1665 short entries recording office-only days: time of year?
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
This year Pepys is also preparing for disability leave; keeping his nose to the grindstone and clearing his desk to prepare for the pre-leave crush of extra tasks that will come next month before he's away (it still happens to those who work).
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Second Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin's travelogue for today.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused with N.S./O.S. date conversions, so I apologize if they are wrong:
[23 May/2 June, 1669] Having heard mass, and completed his other customary exercises, his highness proceeded in his carriage to the duke [OF ORMONDE]'s house, attended by Gascoyne and Castiglioni.
The rest of his suite he left at home, where his highness, notwithstanding his absence, was careful to cause a table to be kept, which was always frequented by several noblemen and gentlemen.
The duke received him with all due formality, indicating the most ceremonious and respectful devotion.
The entertainment was conducted with the same attention as the others at which he had been present, and with the hospitality which did not yield to any of them, either in expense, or that species of magnificence which is practiced in this country, where they are not accustomed to that delicacy and variety in their dishes for which the French are so remarkable, and, following their example, the Italians also.
345
Among the noblemen invited to do him honor, were my Lord Philip Howard and my Lord Stafford; and by all, with one general sentiment of goodwill, repeated toasts were drank to his highness's prosperity.
His highness retired a short time after dinner, and, in taking leave, expressed his acknowledgments to the Duke of Ormonde in the most obliging terms.
Taking my Lord Philip with him in his carriage, he went to call upon some ladies,
and, at the approach of evening, repaired to Whitehall to pay his compliments to the queen.
Then going to St. James's Palace, he paid his respects to the Duchess of York, who had left her apartments at the royal palace, and taken up her abode there during the summer months, it being the usual residence reserved for the duke's particular use.
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Cosmo continues with a description of St. James's Palace and the York's summer quarters:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
The afternoon visits were often to the wives of noblemen who had called on him socially. They kept open houses for this purpose.
And, according to Cosmo's diary, Happy Hour was a regular thing at the Palace for the nobility in 1669.
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned men at the court of Ferdinand II.