Tuesday 4 March 1661/62

At the office all the morning, dined at home at noon, and then to the office again in the afternoon to put things in order there, my mind being very busy in settling the office to ourselves, I having now got distinct offices for the other two.

By and by Sir W. Pen and I and my wife in his coach to Moore Fields, where we walked a great while, though it was no fair weather and cold; and after our walk we went to the Pope’s Head, and eat cakes and other fine things, and so home, and I up to my chamber to read and write, and so to bed.

13 Annotations

First Reading

Eric Walla  •  Link

Cakes and other fine things ...? Uh, Sam, I detect the beginnings of a slippage here. Of course, Sir William is along, but when will they not have company to entice them?

Might as well give it up, Sam. Or start tacking on amendments and addenda to your sacred oath.

Pauline  •  Link

Cakes and other fine things
Ah, but Eric, they walked a great while in Moore Fields. This all sounds like quite another thing than going to the theatre or out drinking wine. (I doubt that he will give up the theatre, it is a great love of his.)

vicenzo  •  Link

There was a time, when Samuel would walk to Moore Fields, now !. I was a thinking, it be nowadays, quicker to walk than take ones Roller along that same stretch.[needs a Banker to correct that perception]

Mary  •  Link

the walk in Moore Fields.

Given that Sir W. was proposing a coach-ride to Moore Fields, it's not surprising that Sam and Elizabeth acceptied the offer in preference to a walk through dirty, winter streets. Moore Fields was an area much used recreationally by Londoners, where drainage, the planting of trees and the creation of pleasant walks had been accomplished in the early years of the 17th Century.

Rex Gordon  •  Link

More on Moorefields ...

From L&M's Companion: A large marshy area north of the city wall, built over in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and today covered by Finsbury Square, Finsbury Circus and adjacent streets. Part of it was drained early in the 16th century, and by 1598 three windmills had been built. In 1605 the southern section was laid out by the city in pleasant walks, set with trees. It was much used for recreation

Pauline  •  Link

Less on Moore Fields...
unless it is new information. Meanwhile the link in the diary entry serves our purposes today and any other day that Sam mentions Moore Fields.

vicenzo  •  Link

little wool gathering here:Exportation of Wool.
A Bill against transporting Wool, and Wool-fells, &c. was this Day read the First time.
Resolved, That this Bill be read again, the Second time, on Thursday next.

From: British History Online
Source: House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 4 March 1662. Journal of the House of Commons: volume 8, (1802).
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Date: 06/03/2005

Mary  •  Link

cakes at the Pope's Head.

These may have been traditional Lenten cakes, the forerunners of today's Simnel cake. For many years they were prepared for Laetare Sunday (Mothering Sunday) when children were supposed to present them to their mothers.

Australian Susan  •  Link

Laetare Sunday
This is anglicised as 'Refreshment Sunday' and was a mid-Lent break from the rigours of the season (not that Sam seems to have been observing Lent any too closely!). It was a day when traditionally apprentices were allowed to walk home for the day. Their mothers would bake a cake for them from good, finely milled flour (simnel derives from a word meaning fine) and the apprentices, in turn, would gather flowers along the roadside to present as a posy of gratitude to their mothers. In the UK, this day is still honoured as the day you give flowers to your mother, rather than the American version of Mother's Day later in the year. Here in Australia, we have the American Mother's Day, but the Anglican churches will bless and distribute Simnel cakes to honour mothers and our universal mother, the church, and often their will be a retiring collection for a charity linked with mothers (in our case, Mothers Union aid workers in PNG). Wonder if Sam will give his servants leave to go home on Mothering Sunday.

vicenzo  •  Link

Mean while Charles gives the speaker of the House his handwritten speech why he is for the act of a uniforme prayer.Kings speech in his own hand , read by the Speaker of the House.
He evens says "Trust Me"then a nice piece on the Common Prayer Book
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"to the office again in the afternoon to put things in order there, my mind being very busy in settling the office to ourselves, I having now got distinct offices for the other two [ sc. Penn and Batten ]. "

L&M note Penn and Batten now presumably shared an office. In 1667 Penn was attempting to get an office for himself.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… Their clerks would occupy the other new office.

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