Tuesday 5 February 1660/61

Annotations

• N Glyn on Thu 5 Feb 2004, 11:09pm. Flagged

  Then at Mrs. Michell

• N Glyn on Thu 5 Feb 2004, 11:56pm. Flag this

  At least think she is, but it may be coincidentally another Mrs Michell with a booth selling things in the Hall.

• N Pauline on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 12:07am. Flag this

  “…Bragrave (who knew my mother wash-maid to my Lady Veere)…”
  It was many years ago, and Sam may be chagrined to have it brought up. And why would Bragrave bring it up — except to be stinging? (Unless he is remembering that he knew her when she was wash-maid, not just that she was.)

  I think this Mrs. Michell at the Hall is not Mrs. St. Michels the mother-in-law. Sounds like he arranged to meet his wife at a stall in the Hall.

  (Washing-day) And Elizabeth is free, free, free. Poor Pall??

• N Barbara on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 12:24am. Flag this

  I believe this Mrs Michell to be a bookseller with a stall in Westminster Hall. Pepys, as far as I remember, never met up with his mother in law. Elizabeth always went to see her alone.

• N A. De Araujo on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 12:58am. Flag this

  “by cursing and swering made me weary” I wonder what were the actual curses at the time? m…..f…..,sob?

• N dirk on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 02:38am. Flag this

  “Washing-day”

  Over the last year “washing” is mentioned only three times in Sam’s diary: on Dec 11th and Nov. 20th. and Jan 16th last year (that’s all I’ve been able to find). This seems like rather a lot of washing over the last few months, compared to 17th c custom. Clothes went for months, or even an entire year, without any but a superficial cleaning (brushing) usually.

  (It’s very likely that Sam didn’t always note down the “washing-day” in his diary - so our picture here is probably incomplete.)

  There is also the entry for July 17th, but there the phrase “washing the house” was used - which is of course not the same meaning of the word.
  

• N Emilio on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 02:53am. Flag this

  “my Lord Treasurer (who was sworn to-day at the Exchequer”

  This is the Earl of Southampton according to an L&M footnote. He’s been acting as Lord Treasurer since August, but is only now getting around to the technicality of being sworn in to office. I’m sure he’ll have no problem collecting any back-pay.
  

• N Emilio on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 02:59am. Flag this

  “Cromwell, Bradshaw, and Ireton”

  They’re back … and they’ve come to stay. “The heads were now set on poles on top of the south end with Bradshaw’s in the middle, above the very part of the hall where he had presided in 1649 over the regicide court: Merc. Pub., 7 February, p. 80. They remained there as late as 1684 or 1688.” (L&M footnote)
  

• N vincent on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 03:13am. Flagged

  “Then at Mrs. Michell

• N vincent on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 03:27am. Flag this

  Sam goes to the “theare-tar”[our coach] with the [we saw] missus. Left the wash with the ‘under stairs mob” to besoapped ,scrubbed and then mangled, then when ‘He’ gets home he demands to be ‘fed’.[poor sis:]
  This is the second ‘seeing’ of the play I bet it was seats this time not standing in the crowd in the pit interfacing with the likes of the beauties looking for a future partnership.

• N Ian on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 07:32am. Flag this

  “which I lately saw, but though pleasant for the dancing and singing, I do not find good for any wit or design therein.”

  So, a good performance of a mediocre play. At least it was entertaining.

• N David Duff on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 12:31pm. Flag this

  I assume this Earl of Southampton must be the son of Shakespeare’s rival for the ‘dark lady of the sonnets’. Please put me right if I’m wrong.

• N John Glancy on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 03:47pm. Flag this

  Why did Sam never meet his Ma-in-law?this seems somewhat strange.

• N Bardi on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 04:08pm. Flag this

  Granted, London was a tiny portion of today’s City, but isn’t it amazing how Sam bumps into so many people, travels about so much - and all without benefit of telephone, cellphone, pc’s, reliable snail mail, tubes or busses. Sort of a 17th century Aussie walk-about.

• N Brian McMullen on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 05:05pm. Flag this

  It is not clear to me that Elizabeth went to the theatre with Sam. He used the singular (I) to ride the coach, then uses the plural (our) when the coach breaks down and, finally, the plural (we) to see the play. Additionally, there were other people at the pub who may have gone with him.

  If Elizabeth did go is this the first time she accompanies Sam to the theatre?

• N Ruben on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 06:20pm. Flagged

  Southampton, Thomas Wriothesley, 4th earl of 1607

• N David Duff on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 06:39pm. Flag this

  Ruben, thanks and in view of “He disapproved of the immorality and ostentation …”, it looks like another example of ‘like father, UN-like son’!

• N Ruben on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 07:10pm. Flag this

  to David Duff: the 3d earl is more interesting, because of the sonnets connection.
  An old, recently found portrait seems to be his first. you can see it at:
  http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Observer/documents/2002/04/20/obs.ore.020421.005.pdf
  

• N vincent on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 07:51pm. Flag this

  “wifey to the play ” “…she[met my wife and Shaw, ] and I and Captain Murford to the Dog..” he did not send her home by cab or a farthing lanthorn either?. He was not that unfeeling for his missus surely? It does appear to be the first remote reference to the possibility of having the wife along .[ I.m sure she did not want to be home with that shambles of soaking bedsheets etc., until they were ‘ung up in the garden, it being nice and warm evening.

• N helena murphy on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 07:55pm. Flag this

  Southampton was the uncle of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper,the latter who through the family connection was offered the subordinate post of Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Restoration Government.Later known as Lord Shaftsbury ,he was one of the most eloquent,brilliant, and capable politicians of Charles’reign.

• N vincent on Fri 6 Feb 2004, 09:41pm. Flag this

  Southampton the 4th”… 1607-67, English nobleman; son of the 3d earl. At first an opponent of the court party in the events …..
  At the Restoration (1660), Southampton became lord high treasurer. He counseled leniency toward the regicides. He disapproved of the immorality and ostentation of Charles II and his court and soon retired from active politics….”
  http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/S/SthampT12.asp
  later portrait of 3rd earl at
  http://www.boughtonhouse.org.uk/htm/gallery2/paintings/earlofsoton.htm
  a pic of papa later in life: