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Thursday 19 September 1661

Up early, and my father and I alone into the garden, and there talked about our business, and what to do therein. So after I had talked and advised with my coz Claxton, and then with my uncle by his bedside, we all horsed away to Cambridge, where my father and I, having left my wife at the Beare with my brother, went to Mr. Sedgewicke, the steward of Gravely, and there talked with him, but could get little hopes from anything that he would tell us; but at last I did give him a fee, and then he was free to tell me what I asked, which was something, though not much comfort. From thence to our horses, and with my wife went and rode through Sturbridge but the fair was almost done. So we did not ‘light there at all, but went back to Cambridge, and there at the Beare we had some herrings, we and my brother, and after dinner set out for Brampton, where we come in very good time, and found all things well, and being somewhat weary, after some talk about tomorrow’s business with my father, we went to bed.

Friday 20 September 1661Wednesday 18 September 1661

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Temperature: 13°C / 55°F

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Annotations

  • “we all horsed away to Cambridge”

    lovely construction :)

    The fair at Sturbridge is Stourbridge Fair, one of the great Fairs of Europe, only finally abolished, after a long long decline, in 1933.

    There is a wonderful entry in Defoe on the Fair “which is not only the greatest in the whole nation, but in the world” :

    http://www.stirbitch.com/cantab/resources/stourbridge_fair_defoe.html

  • I am surprised that P can stay so long away from his office. Is somebody acting or substituting for him at the office?

  • Sam away from the office
    Presumably Will Hewer is doing some of his work.

  • perhaps the work just waits.
    As busy as Sam seems, there never is a clear time-table in our modern sense of when something should happen or not.

  • ‘but at last I did give him a fee, and then he was free to tell me what I asked’
    This sounds like what we would call a bribe. Given that the Steward of Gravely is not (yet) an employee of the Pepys family, a little money is needed to oil the wheels of co-operation. Not unknown even today.

  • The steward of Gravely
    Sounds like a novel by Sir Walter Scott!

  • re adam’s “bribe” — why is this not simply a “retainer” for expert advice in a professional relationship, i.e., aboveboard and proper?

  • “I am surprised that P can stay so long away from his office. Is somebody acting or substituting for him at the office?”

    He was not employed by the hour, by the day or week, just by the month, as long it got done, no time studies then to see wot ye were serfing at the pub. ‘Twas a more tollerant life for the management. Time to enjoy the view from the corner window, Sam and his ilke did their thing at their own pace [except when Charlie or Jamie did beckon.

  • Nobody but nobody, does ought for nougt, ‘tis THE rule of life.”…but at last I did give him a fee, and then he was free to tell me what I asked

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