Thursday 17 April 1662

To Mr. Holliard’s in the morning, thinking to be let blood, but he was gone out. So to White Hall, thinking to have had a Seal at Privy Seal, but my Lord did not come, and so I walked back home and staid within all the afternoon, there being no office kept to-day, but in the evening Sir W. Batten sent for me to tell me that he had this day spoke to the Duke about raising our houses, and he hath given us leave to do it, at which, being glad, I went home merry, and after supper to bed.

Friday 18 April 1662Wednesday 16 April 1662

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Temperature: 8°C / 46°F

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N Bradford on Sun 17 Apr 2005, 11:53pm

“To Mr. Holliard
N Miss Ann on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 01:20am

Unless he is suffering from haemochromatosis, letting of blood really wouldn’t have helped him. Maybe eating a well-balanced diet, even consuming some vegetables, especially greens, would have had a far greater effect on his system. I would even suggest he have a couple of glasses of fine red wine! Then he would have more than enough vim and vigour to undertake the renovations and “raising of the roof” - DIY can be so draining …
N A. De Araujo on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 02:39am

“to be let blood”
Taking physique,being bled-methinks in his mind Sam was thinking he was doing some cleansing of his body; a kind of spring cleaning.
N Alan Bedford on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 03:33am

Taking physique, being bled - Why, that’s your basic mid-17th century wellness program. Pretty much in line with then-current medical thinking. Gets rid of excessive humours, you know.
N Thomas Burns on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 03:28pm

Does anyone know what a “typical” work schedule for a civil servant was during this era? Sam seems to have a great deal of discretion on when he’s required to be at the office - tho there’ve been plenty of entries that have him there to the wee hours as well…
N A. Hamilton on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 03:39pm

To… thinking…. To … thinking ….

Nice parallels. Seems to me Sam rarely uses rhetoric in the diary. His pleasure at the happy outcome to an otherwise frustrating day shows in the way he records the day.
N A. Hamilton on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 03:45pm

Typical work schedule

It seems that Sam works (hard) when there is work to be done, but otherwise enjoys much liberty. The Navy office is not yet a full-fledged bureaucracy, it seems (though it would be nice to know if Hayter and Hewer and the other clerks are required to show up every day a la Sam Crachitt). Make-work is at a minimum, and Parkinson’s Law (work expands to fill the time available for its completion) is not yet in force.
N A. Hamilton on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 03:49pm

Correction

Bob Cratchitt.
N Judith Boles on Mon 18 Apr 2005, 11:24pm

I thought Sam Cratchitt the best of puns…
N Cumgranissalis on Tue 19 Apr 2005, 04:31am

QU.?”Hayter and Hewer and the other clerks are [they] required to show up every day”?
Hater as a matter of principle, he being the senior clerk for Sam, would be there, most of the time, note Sam has mentioned, it be just He [Sam] and the Principals, the Willies at most times. Coventry be at the meetings with P. James. The other two, Lord Berkeley of Stratton, kept his seat warm in the house of L. and the other, Pett [Peter] appears to stay down at Woolwich.

Thomas Turner, Chief clerk to the controller from oct ‘60, at a guess, would be there too, most of the Time.

At this time it was less rigid, but scandals and games that be played, the rules had to be made and slowly the organisation that is now known as ‘Civil Service ’ was evolving. Although I did notice some habits of the early days were still being practiced back in the 60’s [20 C.]
Sam’s second clerk [W. Hewer or Will on good days] would be Sam’s Gofor, Batman, Officially being paid as a clerk but his Salary was kept by Sam for his troubles, as he was also apprenticed to learn the Clerkship for his ‘Nunc’ the Banker.