Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon comes my uncle Thomas and his daughter Mary about getting me to pay them the 30l. due now, but payable in law to her husband. I did give them the best answer I could, and so parted, they not desiring to stay to dinner. After dinner I down to Deptford, and there did business, and so back to my office, where very late busy, and so home to supper and to bed.
Sunday 23 October 1664Friday 21 October 1664
9°C / 48°F
(monthly average for October 1664) About
There are no journals available for this date.
“I did give them the best answer I could, and so parted, they not desiring to stay to dinner.”
Why do I sense a lot of hemming and hawing, ending in frustrating vagueness, irritated looks, and somewhat fuming stalking-off?
Lets one of us go back as soon as the technology exists and give Mary and unc the goods on Bagwell-bet it’ll be amazing how small a sum 100-200L suddenly seems to Sam.
Is there some argument between husband and wife that Sam would want to stay out of? Perhaps it’s simply that the husband is away from London, and his family don’t want the payment to be delayed because of that.
Samuel Pepys is always careful to give what he owes to that very person, and in this case he could not write a check made out to him and give it to her.
Moreover, in this case what is owed to Samuel de Santhune is owed, as SP says, as a matter of law, for it is a legacy from the estate of “Uncle Robert” Pepys, late of Brampton, whose executor SP is; so it matters very much that the 30L. be exchanged for a receipt signed by de Santhune himself.
payable in law to her husband
Thanks for the elucidation, Terry. Makes sense now.
Oh for the days when we became the goods and chattels of our husbands - NOT.
The only way to true independance was by way of widowhood and maybe a little business to her own. How times have changed.
For a small fraction of the world’s women.
Possession in law, along with history and might, be like an ice berg, 9/10ths unknown.
Or be it ‘a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.’
Samuell knows that the husband can claim, his seal is not on file.
For those that may not remember, it was not long ago, that one use a signet ring [or seal] to seal documents.
Registered mail and other documents were signed off that way, not done for many a year.