Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
All day at home to make an end of our dirty work of the plasterers, and indeed my kitchen is now so handsome that I did not repent of all the trouble that I have been put to, to have it done. This day or yesterday, I hear, Prince Rupert is come to Court; but welcome to nobody.
Sunday 30 September 1660Friday 28 September 1660
13°C / 55°F
(monthly average for September 1660) About
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The phrase used in my area of the USA is writing up the ‘punch list’. Not sure if that translates elsewhere but it sounds like SP is down to the final cleanup work. I hope his gets completed faster than mine!
How I would love to know what this handsome kitchen actually looked like, and indeed the rest of the house.
the final clean-up work?
I doubt it; all that new plaster is going to need some sort of finish applied to it once it has dried out. In the kitchen this may simply have been a limewash, reapplied annually. Elsewhere in a house paint, painted cloths, tapestry or tapestry-like hangings or panels of embossed and coloured/gilded leather might be found. In 1660 wallpaper shops arrived in London, too (see Picard, p.41 ff). This paper was sold in thick sheets that were either stuck or nailed to the wall itself or to a canvas foundation mounted on battens.
Bit of ingratitude to Prince Rupert isn’t it? The man fought hard and generally well during the civil war. OK, he lost a couple of battles and made the correct decision to surrender Bristol, emerging with his army ready to fight another day, instead of fighting to the last man as the King had wanted, but I’d have thought he deserved better than this.
Prince Rupert will be more than welcome to his cousins, King Charles and the Duke of York. He will fight equally as bravely as a general-at-sea on behalf of England in the course of the Anglo-Dutch wars, as he did as a young cavalier during the civil war. Sadly Pepys undermines this man of great intelligence, courage ,integrity
and military genius. The best book dealing with Rupert’s military career is “Prince Rupert Portrait of a Soldier” by General Sir Frank Kitson. (Constable 1994) The author is the former
Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces(1982-1985).
Sadly Pepys undermines this man of great intelligence, courage ,integrity
and military genius.
I didn’t read this as Sam’s personal opinion - rather more like gossip he has heard!
but welcome to nobody.
not exactly an insightful indictment. If anyone is doing the analysis here it is Pepys correspondents. One has to suspect the opinion ultimately emerges from the cousins. From that perspective it is a very interesting observation.
As one familiar with some of the biographies on Prince Rupert my comment refers to how Pepys disparaged him during the years of the Restoration when both of these men had to deal with each other as regards naval matters. Edward Hyde also disliked him ,and his writing on the civil war helped to shape how people saw events and those who participated in them. In his introduction to “Portrait of a Soldier” General Kitson rightly points out that “neither Pepys nor Hyde was an impartial historian writing in an academic environment .” Therefore their attitudes to contemporary public figures
might have been tinged with personal prejudice. Pepys’ most certainly was as regards Rupert.
For those interested in Rupert’s naval career and the Anglo-Dutch naval wars General Kitson’s “Prince Rupert
General at Sea ” is to be recommended.
So, erm, does this mean that Rupert was in charge when the Dutch nicked the Royal flagship?
“…but, welcome to nobody.”
English have always been dog lovers. Rupert should have taken better care of Boy.
Rupert should have taken better care of Boy
That last note might need an explanation for one not acquainted with the history of Prince Rupert and Boy …
http://www.poodlehistory.org/PARMY.HTM