Wednesday 15 January 1667/68

Up, and to the Office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and then to the Office again, where we met about some business of D. Gawden’s till candle-light; and then, as late as it was, I down to Redriffe, and so walked by moonlight to Deptford, where I have not been a great while, and my business I did there was only to walk up and down above la casa of Bagwell, but could not see her, it being my intent to have spent a little time con her, she being newly come from her husband; but I did lose my labour, and so walked back again, but with pleasure by the walk, and I had the sport to see two boys swear, and stamp, and fret, for not being able to get their horse over a stile and ditch, one of them swearing and cursing most bitterly; and I would fain, in revenge, have persuaded him to have drove his horse through the ditch, by which I believe he would have stuck there. But the horse would not be drove, and so they were forced to go back again, and so I walked away homeward, and there reading all the evening, and so to bed. This afternoon my Lord Anglesey tells us that it is voted in Council to have a fleete of 50 ships out; but it is only a disguise for the Parliament to get some money by; but it will not take, I believe, and if it did, I do not think it will be such as he will get any of, nor such as will enable us to set out such a fleete.

12 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

An Order, by the King in Council, constituting a Committee [of Council] to consider of the reducing of the Establishment of Ireland
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 15 January 1668

http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…

Had the Establishment of Ireland been reduced, how would history have changed?!

Robert Gertz  •  Link

See boys...This is what trusting an adult can get you.

But I prefer the old con... "Kid, gimme 20 bucks. Thanks. Come back tomorrow and I'll take another 20."

Mary  •  Link

"she being newly come from her husband."

This is what is called seizing (or trying to seize) the moment. Insurance against any possible future claim. Sam seems to have Mrs. Bagwell much on his mind at present.

Phoenix  •  Link

So Sam is offended by much cursing and would sacrifice a horse to be revenged upon a stranger. Or is it that his merriment would be greater to see the horse thrash helplessly in the muck? Or is it the increased frustration of the boys that would provide the better sport?

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Little evil Sam on the left shoulder clearly in control tonight...

Poor Bagwell...What is she on call 24/7? Still I continue to hope she and Will were playing Sam right from the start and have a merry chuckle at him each time. Doesn't make it any less sordid at Sam's emd but...

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Amusing to step back and think that, after the fact, Sam sat down and couldn't resist in writing this entry, switching to fragments of his sex code mix of languages to convey his excitement and intent as he approached "casa" Bagwell...Even though the rendezvous was a flat failure. He must have gotten considerable pleasure reliving the moments of building tension and excitement as well perhaps as wry amusement remembering the frustration of his dark hopes.

***

"Oh, this won't do, Sam'l. All you say here is how you tried to see Bagwell and couldn't and went home. Where's the mounting tension, the barely repressed excitement...The fear of finding me right behind you, having followed you all the way?"

"But...Bess. It's what would've happened...If I'd actually have a relationship of this kind."

"Sam'l. We want Posterity to love the Diary after we're gone, right?"

"Well...Certainly...Long after we're gone."

"And to believe your accounts of this exciting back-street after-hours life...To liven up what otherwise might be a rather humdrum existence but for your dear courage during Plague and Fire times, right?"

"Well...I'm still not sure about all this flummery. Bess?"

"Sam'l, trust your novel-reading, half-French editor/wife. We need more oomph."

"Oomph?"

"Fine...Sex, dear. Not complaining between us but if we want readers for you. To make this talent of you immortal...And us with it...We need readers, so we need illicit liasions, back-street affairs...Athletic sex over chairs. Sam'l, my darling, my only love...We need to remake you into a version of Raoul d'Vestigy, dark-hearted seducer and ambitious courtier. So we need to rework this entry...Now think, dear, let your creative juices flow. It's been months since you last saw your rather dim mistress Bagwell...We really should have had her back earlier...And naturally as you approach Deptford by moonlight, your anticipation builds...Excitement gets the better of you even as you relive the experience, darling..."

"Yes...Well, Bess about that night trip to Deptford. You know I'd never make a waterman take me so late. And leave you alone at night?"

"Jane's here, I'd be all right...Besides...Raw animal passion has overwhelmed you. You must see your mistress, gone for months to be with her foul, ambitious husband, and have her...Tonight."

"But won't I get back very late?...What am I some sort of superior man? I mean I would hit the candle till well past midnight in the office, all night if required but..."

"Lust gives you strength...Come on, darling...Concentrate...You're heading from the Redriffe landing, walking in moonlight toward Deptford...Bagwell's house is just a short distance. Is she there, waiting? Is the little ambitious putz there with her? Will he stay to watch or has he finally developed the faintest dregs of character?"

"Bess, Bagwell is a monster who tried to pimp his wife to me but still..."

"He deserves what he gets...And you're taking a share for the sake of literature...Now concentrate, my love..."

"I suppose...I could start switching to my sex talk about here...Say, call the house "casa Bagwell""

"That it, Sam'l. More, but build slowly and steadily..."

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

Phoenix, I think it's the latter two sentences in your question ... I don't get the feeling that Sam is outraged, but that he wanted to "sport" with them.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"This afternoon my Lord Anglesey tells us that it is voted in Council to have a fleete of 50 ships out; but it is only a disguise for the Parliament to get some money by...."

L&M note the Public Records Office has an order to the Admiral to have a fleet of 50 ships, of 4th rate and above to be repaired and ready by the spring.

So, the cynics of Navy Office will be surprised!

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"but it is only a disguise for the Parliament to get some money by; but it will not take, I believe, and if it did, I do not think it will be such as he will get any of, nor such as will enable us to set out such a fleete."

L&M also note a supply of £300,000 was in fact voted on 26 February 1668.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"two boys swear, and stamp, and fret, for not being able to get their horse over a stile and ditch"

A stile is a structure which provides people a passage through or over a fence or boundary via steps, ladders, or narrow gaps. Stiles are often built in rural areas along footpaths, fences, walls or hedges to prevent farm animals moving from one enclosure to another whilst allowing path users still to use the route.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sti…

Batch  •  Link

"Up, and to the Office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and then to the Office again . . . till candle-light; and then, as late as it was, I down to Redriffe, and so walked by moonlight to Deptford . . . , and my business I did there was only to walk up and down above la casa of Bagwell
. . , it being my intent to have spent a little time con her . . . ; but I did lose my labour, and so walked back again, but with pleasure by the walk . . . .
He's walking a great distance, as in the early days of the diary, but primarily to see Bagwell. I've always thought his feeling toward her was rather mutual and that Bagwell had a crush on him. Remember that one year she went to the trouble to show up (at his office, of all places) to be his valentine.

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