Sunday 11 August 1661

(Lord’s day). To our own church in the forenoon, and in the afternoon to Clerkenwell Church, only to see the two fayre Botelers;¹ ² and I happened to be placed in the pew where they afterwards came to sit, but the pew by their coming being too full, I went out into the next, and there sat, and had my full view of them both, but I am out of conceit now with them, Colonel Dillon being come back from Ireland again, and do still court them, and comes to church with them, which makes me think they are not honest. Hence to Graye’s-Inn walks, and there staid a good while; where I met with Ned Pickering, who told me what a great match of hunting of a stagg the King had yesterday; and how the King tired all their horses, and come home with not above two or three able to keep pace with him. So to my father’s, and there supped, and so home.

A comedy acted at the Globe, and first printed in 1608. In the original entry in the Stationers’ books it is said to be by T. B., which may stand for Tony or Anthony Brewer. The play has been attributed without authority both to Shakespeare and to Drayton.
Mrs. Frances Butler and her sister.

Monday 12 August 1661Saturday 10 August 1661

Also on this day

Temperature: 15°C / 59°F

(Average for August 1661)

In Earls Colne, Essex

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Annotations

N A. De Araujo on Wed 11 Aug 2004, 11:21pm. Flagged

“I am out of conceit now with them”
conceit in this case meaning - to take a fancy to- British use only apparently
N Louis on Thu 12 Aug 2004, 01:34am. Flagged

Unless there’s a play called “The Two Fayre Botelers,” it would seem that a footnote pertaining to yesterday’s entry and
N dirk on Thu 12 Aug 2004, 02:04am. Flag this

Rev Josselin’s diary for today:

“God good to us in manifold mercies, yet my little Betty . waywardly ill, the lord revive her, that she may live in his sight. god good in the Sabbath. yet I find a dead heart in myself and much deadness in persons”
N vicente on Thu 12 Aug 2004, 04:30am. Flag this

“only to see the two fayre Botelers” Boteler, another name for Butlers; just being upscale;[school boy way or a put down for one whom the nose is tilted to the stars] in noting the play of words, against a play that is no longer available for our scrutiny, the Butlers were oft called botelier[put down?] Dict: for Butler now ME Boteler, OFr Bouteillier [cupbearer]. .
Sam now longer entranced by the beauty.
strange, he moved for a better view not enough to get a whiff of perfume, or he did not want to be fluffed off.
Honest? just teasers?
conceit: meaning having the temerity of thinking that a pretty girl[one of the landed ones dah a lady] would give a glance or time of day to likes of the speaker.
N Mary on Thu 12 Aug 2004, 06:18am. Flag this

Colonel Dillon and the Botelers

Pepys’s comments make it sound as if Dillon may have something of a poor reputation where women are concerned and the Butler sisters are therefore harming their own reputations by being seen with him.

These Butler (Boteler) girls were sisters of Mons. L’Impertinent
N Stuart Mitchell on Thu 12 Aug 2004, 07:47am. Flagged

RE:
N Peter on Thu 12 Aug 2004, 10:01am. Flag this

Even now we could say that it’s a bit conceited of Sam to think that he stands any chance with the two fair Butlers.
N Rex Gordon on Thu 12 Aug 2004, 01:39pm. Flag this

“the King tired all their horses …”

For Charles II’s interest in hunting and prowess at riding (he had been well-taught by the Marquess of Newcastle), L&M refer readers to “Sabretache” (A.S. Barrow), “Monarchy and the Chase”, pp 87-96. The King, L&M report, won several horseraces at Newmarket.

“only to see the fair Botelers …”

This brings to my mind many a youthful Sunday morning I spent in St. Patrick’s Church, Havre de Grace, Maryland USA, pining for the beautiful Catana Carcirieri in the next pew, wondering how to get her to notice me. Centuries pass and fashions and technology change, but human nature remains the same.
N A. Hamilton on Sun 15 Aug 2004, 08:19pm. Flagged

“Unless there