Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
All the morning at Sir G. Palmer’s advising about getting my bill drawn. From thence to the Navy office, where in the afternoon we met and sat, and there I begun to sign bills in the Office the first time. From thence Captain Holland and Mr. Browne of Harwich took me to a tavern and did give me a collation. From thence to the Temple to further my bills being done, and so home to my Lord, and thence to bed.
Tuesday 10 July 1660Sunday 8 July 1660
15°C / 59°F
(monthly average for July 1660) About
“…we met and sat, and there I begun to sign bills in the Office the first time.”
Well, Sam must have had the best night’s sleep in a long while tonight — if possession is 9/10 of the law, as the old saying goes, he’s now occupying the office, sitting in the chair, signing the bills, and will heretofore be a person to reckon with.
Mr. Browne of Harwich
L&M identify him as a “Browne, [John] Storekeeper at Harwich; reappointed 1660.”
I suspect that SP is already getting to work learning his trade…
The L&M Companion identifies Harwich as the site of a small dockyard used mainly for storage and repairs that plays some part in the Dutch Wars. Presumably Mr. Browne was an official of the dockyard.
Note that this is the first mention in the diary of the town he will later (post-diary) represent as an MP.
“took me to a tavern and did give me a collation.”
COLLATION was a light meal served cold with an emphasis on sweets. In the 16th century it was part of the French court. Themes often centered around classical mythology or allegories. In 1571 at a feast honoring Elizabeth of Austria, new bride of Charles IX, the dinner was followed by dancing. After dancing a collation was served with preserves, sweet biscuits, fruits, marzipan, sugar paste formed into meats and fish, with six large sugar sculptures of Minerva bringing peace to Athens.
[This quote is taken from ‘Some Sweet Terms’ by Elise Fleming: http://home.netcom.com/~alysk/SomeSweetTerms.htm P.G.]
People still use the word collation, perhaps a little pompously, as in the phrase “cold collation” which is usually a selection of cold meats and a salad. I don’t think it’s gone out-of-use in England.
You are what you eat … A database of the meals of Samuel Pepys
A wonderful (yet incomplete) companion to the diary … It has been linked before but deserves to be referenced again.
http://astext.com/history/mealticket_sp.html
Paul, et al: Fantanstic on foods of SP, (just need to know if he took any anti acids):
Vincent, how could you think Pepys dyspeptic? Our boy loved to eat (and it shows). Thanks to the Pauls and Glyn for clarification. Perhaps we should start a dining club, eating what Pepys ate on a certain date. He would surely get a kick out of that.
“The Dreaded Cold Collation”
Small part of cold dead chicken…slice of tomato laid like wreath on dead chicken bit… thin slice of bread curling at edges as though about to fly off plate… six pale peas glued together for security …
Spike Milligan: Where have all the bullets gone ? p 150.
Sorry, couldn’t resist it !
“Collation” is still in use on the continent. When I lived in Italy, everyone there was having prima collatione most mornings about the time I was looking for brekfast.
OED Says re: Collation
Hence, in gen. use, A light meal or repast: one consisting of light viands or delicacies (e.g. fruit, sweets, and wine), or that has needed little preparation (often
Harwich (pron. “herrich”) is very much an active port today. Ferries from the Continent (for example, from the Hook of Holland) call there regularly.
Harwich
Who pronounces this ‘herrich’? Most of UK would say ‘harrich’ without a second thought. Is the ‘e’ version a north Essex/south Suffolk dialectal variant?
“Herrich” is how the Dutch pronouce the name. It seems to be the way that the Dutch think an “a” is pronounced. When they say “the man came to the door” it’s not possible to tell if there was one or more men.
Having once lived in the vicinity of Harwich, I thought it was pronounced
“Harridge.”
Yes, when I was child we used to holiday with relatives in Felixstowe on the Suffolk side of the river and they pronounced it ‘Harridge’.
Here’s a map: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=624500&y=232500&z=5&sv=624500,232500&st=4&ar=N&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf
The collation question.
Also used in standard French. The snack airlnes serve after lunch but before landing on a long flight is called “une collation.” OED says it’s a light meal/repast, but what the airlines are now serving at 35,000 feet is so light it has almost the weightlessness of space.