Saturday 15 August 1663

Lay pretty long in bed, being a little troubled with some pain got by wind and cold, and so up with good peace of mind, hoping that my wife will mind her house and servants, and so to the office, and being too soon to sit walked to my viall, which is well nigh done, and I believe I may have it home to my mind next week. So back to my office, and there we sat all the morning, I till 2 o’clock before I could go to dinner again.

After dinner walked forth to my instrument maker, and there had my rule he made me lay now so perfected, that I think in all points I have never need or desire a better, or think that any man yet had one so good in all the several points of it for my use. So by water down to Deptford, taking into my boat with me Mr. Palmer, one whom I knew and his wife when I was first married, being an acquaintance of my wife’s and her friends lodging at Charing Cross during our differences. He joyed me in my condition, and himself it seems is forced to follow the law in a common ordinary way, but seems to do well, and is a sober man, enough by his discourse. He landed with me at Deptford, where he saw by the officers’ respect to me a piece of my command, and took notice of it, though God knows I hope I shall not be elated with that, but rather desire to be known for serving the King well, and doing my duty.

He gone I walked up and down the yard a while discoursing with the officers, and so by water home meditating on my new Rule with great pleasure. So to my office, and there by candle light doing business, and so home to supper and to bed.


40 Annotations

First Reading

aqua  •  Link

Still sleeping on his {Sam be] bed, not on the Ottoman, and not having to slipp out before a crowing by roosteror earful of huntington.

Patricia  •  Link

An eerie experience for Sam—"Mr. Palmer, one whom I knew and his wife when I was first married, being an acquaintance of my wife’s and her friends lodging at Charing Cross during our differences"—after his recent differences with Mrs. P, who should turn up but a friend from the bad old days when they were separated. Bet this made him feel a bit queasy/uneasy.

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

re: "He joyed me in my condition"

Schadenfreude from Sam? Or is this another way of saying that Palmer congratulated Sam on his rise in life?

Patricia  •  Link

"Palmer congratulated Sam on his rise in life" Todd, that's how I read it. Palmer knew Sam back in the days when he lived in a garret at his Lord's and had neither fortune nor prospects. Now Sam is proud that Palmer "... saw by the officers’ respect to me a piece of my command, and took notice of it..." He will have noticed Sam's nice clothes, etc., as well, and heard of his house at the Navy Office...Gee, I'm proud too!

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"He landed with me at Deptford, where he saw by the officers’ respect to me a piece of my command, and took notice of it, though God knows I hope I shall not be elated with that, but rather desire to be known for serving the King well, and doing my duty."

Sam...You loved it and you know it.

"...an acquaintance of my wife and her
friends..." Hmmn...Bess was what when she walked for a few months back in '55-6, fifteen or sixteen? Quite a girl.

***
"Bess! Look at my new Rule!"

"My. Very nice, Sam'l. I hung Ashwell in my closet today."

"It's my own invention, Bess! The ultimate Rule of Rules for work in the yards! Just look how nice the scroll work and lettering is. Greatorex flubbed it the first time but I got him to set it right."

"It's wonderful, sweetheart. She may still be alive, I can hear her groans and the occasional kick against my closet door."

"Sir Will Penn will be flummoxed for sure when he sees this one. The Mark I already had him red in the face, but this Mark II will give him apoplexy. Oh, to think I designed it! Isn't it a thing of beauty, Bess. Just like you."

"Samuel Pepys, you sweet thing..."

"What was that about Ashwell? Has the girl been giving you grief again?"

"It's nothing. Show me how your womderful Rule works."

***

aqua  •  Link

"An eerie experience for Sam—”Mr. Palmer,"" but better than seeing Sam in an Ale house looking for hand outs, because someone told the Jealous ones about Sam being a great Roundhead back in '55.

TerryF  •  Link

"Mind" at least x 3

"so up with good peace of mind, hoping that my wife will mind her house and servants, and so to the office, and being too soon to sit walked to my viail, which is well nigh done, and I believe I may have it home to my mind next week."

mind (n.)
O.E. gemynd "memory, thinking, intention," P.Gmc. *ga-menthijan (cf. Goth. muns "thought," munan "to think;" O.N. minni "mind;" Ger. minne, originally "memory, loving memory"), from PIE base *men- "think, remember, have one's mind aroused" (cf. Skt. matih "thought," munih "sage, seer;" Gk. memona "I yearn," mania "madness," mantis "one who divines, prophet, seer;" L. mens "mind, understanding, reason," memini "I remember," mentio "remembrance;" Lith. mintis "thought, idea," O.C.S. mineti "to believe, think," Rus. pamjat "memory"). "Memory" is one of the oldest senses, now almost obsolete except in old expressions such as bear in mind, call to mind. Phrase time out of mind is attested from 1414. To pay no mind "disregard" is recorded from 1916, Amer.Eng. dialect. To have half a mind to "to have one's mind half made up to (do something)" is recorded from 1726. Mind-reading is from 1882. Mind-boggling is from 1964.

mind (v.)
1340, "to remember," also "to remind," from the noun; sense of "object to, dislike" is from 1608. Meaning "to take care of, look after" is from 1694. http://www.etymonline.com/index.p…

Bryan M  •  Link

“Bet this made him feel a bit queasy/uneasy.”

Why so, Pauline? It sounds like Sam invited Palmer to join him: “taking into my boat with me Mr. Palmer”. It would have been easy for Sam to avoid the situation if he had been uneasy.

Robert, Sam undoubtedly enjoyed the moment but notice that he applied the same criterion, i.e. judge me not by my position but my deeds, to Palmer: “and himself it seems is forced to follow the law in a common ordinary way, but seems to do well, and is a sober man, enough by his discourse”.

Sam appears to be going through something of a reflective period. There is today’s homily, yesterday he recognised that his domestic disquiet was partly of his own doing, but also “resolved to make the best of a bad market”, and on the 10th he mentioned his obsessive (?) “delight is in the neatness of everything” noting it was “a strange folly”. Despite the current domestic conflict, Sam is aware of his own good peace of mind and contentment. A bit of a contrast to the late inner turmoil over that @&%#! dancing master.

Australian Susan  •  Link

"...my rule he made me lay now so perfected, that I think in all points I have never need or desire a better, or think that any man yet had one so good in all the several points of it for my use...." Hmmmm. Seem to remember my husband saying something similar about the PDA before the PDA before the present one......

"...meditating on my new Rule with great pleasure.." cf husband and PDA.....

Joe  •  Link

Is a rule in the hand worth two viails in the shop?

Xjy  •  Link

“so up with good peace of mind, hoping that my wife will mind her house and servants"

mind (v.)
[...] Meaning “to take care of, look after” is from 1694.

Hm, looks more like 1663 to me...

A. Hamilton  •  Link

though God knows I hope I shall not be elated with that, but rather desire to be known for serving the King well, and doing my duty.

Of course Sam. Pride must be denied and set aside and mortified, good Puritan that you are. But it comes close to humbug.

TerryF  •  Link

Re Xjy - "mind (v.)
[…] Meaning “to take care of, look after” is from 1694.

Hm, looks more like 1663 to me…"

Me too. OED anyone?!

Dan Jenkins  •  Link

Now, Bess, it isn't:
"I hung Ashwell in my closet today"

It should be
"I hanged Ashwell in my closet today"

People are hanged; dead meat is hung.

So, if you just wait, you will be grammatically correct.

language hat  •  Link

“He joyed me in my condition”

Yes, this means "he congratulated me." Where we say "Congratulations!", back then they said "I wish you joy" or "I give you joy" (of your promotion, marriage, whatever).

language hat  •  Link

"mind (v.)"

1) The earliest citation for definition 8 "To take care of, take charge of, look after, watch over (esp. a baby or child, or a shop, store, etc.), now usually for a short or limited period" has been pushed back from 1694 to 1640 in the latest edition (H. MILL Night's Search I. §49 247 Who'd be so troubled with such lazie sluts? They're good for nothing, but to mind their guts).

2) More importantly, I don't think this necessarily falls under that heading, but could equally well be placed under 4a. "To think about, turn one's attention to (an activity or task); to direct or apply oneself to, bring one's mind or energies to bear upon, or concern oneself diligently with (a topic, matter, subject of debate or enquiry)," which goes back to the 15th century.

In other words, I think Sam can be saying he hopes she'll "bring her mind or energies to bear upon" her house and servants rather than "take charge of" them. A subtle distinction, but that's why they pay lexicographers the big bucks.

A. Hamilton  •  Link

minders

Nice job, L.H.

The 15th century sense is still used in some parts of the American south, where a mother might tell her child, "You mind what I'm saying."

Nix  •  Link

“He joyed me in my condition” --

From the Diary, Aug. 22, 1660:

I met with Mr. G. Montagu, and joyed him in his entrance (this being his 3d day) for Dover.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"People are hanged; dead meat is hung."

Exactly...

Poor Ashwell.

jeannine  •  Link

Sharing my Mind

by Sam

Oh come all you scholars
Surely you’ll find
The many uses I have
Of the word mind

There’s the minding of me
Yes my wife must obey
To do what I ask her
And work hard each day

Out of sight out of mind
While my wife was away
My mind started to wander
With Mrs. Lane I did play

To my mind is a saying
That you can surely see
It’s my way of thinking
And all about me

Minding my P’s and Q’s
When in Naval company
Leaves an impression on the Duke
That I’m a stellar employee

Mind over matter is easy
For a man such as me
I have a stunning brain power
You all must agree

When I give a piece of my mind
I use my rule to measure and see
That I don’t give too much away
And I save some for me

But my great mind is so full
That some advice I can share
I’ll pass along these words of wisdom
Live by them if you dare

Peace of mind is a quality
Of those truly blessed
Who create their own harmony
And to hell with the rest

aqua  •  Link

Jeannine great piece: Ashwell should be mind full in future, of how to mind her own mind, before she get left to be hung out to dry, in the closet not wanting to be jugged, because Ashwell will need to hang onto her position as a minder to Liza, as she has to be mindfull of her job by hanging on every word uttered, as she seeks support of Samuell, who has it in his mind of having to let Ashwell hang in the wind for not being mindful of her position of minding her employers wife with due care.

aqua  •  Link

Re: Hanging hung Samuell has a few entres regarding this useful word.
1666 PEPYS Diary 27 Oct., While the business of money hangs in the hedge.
b. To remain unsettled or unfinished; to be held in process or in abeyance: often with a notion of delay. See also HANGING ppl. a. 3. Obs.
1669 PEPYS Diary 3 Jan., I, out of my natural backwardness, did hang off, which vexed her.
b. To show hesitation in coming to close quarters or to an agreement; to hang back, demur.
1667 PEPYS Diary 22 July, In my Lord's room..where all the Judges' pictures hung up.
f. intr. To be suspended on a wall, etc. Also, to suspend movement or action; to stop or stay.
1626 CAPT. SMITH Accid. Yng. Seamen 11 A hanging cabben, a Hamacke
1666 PEPYS Diary 23 Aug., All the afternoon..hanging things, that is my maps and pictures and draughts.
then the most understood, Hung, drawn and quartered:
10. spec. a. Of a person: To be suspended on or upon a cross, gibbet, gallows, etc.; to suffer death in this way; esp. as a form of punishment. Also as an imprecation: cf. 3c. Now usu. in phr. to go hang: to go and be hanged; to ‘go to the devil’; to be dismissed or rejected; freq. let (it, etc.) go hang.

TerryF  •  Link

"It don't make no never mind."
as they in the South: "He done took your shirt, boy! Why you do nothin'?" "It don't make no nevermind. He's kin."
http://bits.westhost.com/idioms/i…

Thanks Xjy, LH, A.Hamilton, jeannine for the trip!

Don't mind me.

jan  •  Link

Congratulations!”, back then they said “I wish you joy”

I was instructed in my youth: you must congratulate the groom but to the bride, say, "I wish you joy." Hmmm.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"And I hope you mind Ashwell, Bess."

"Of course I mind what she does, the girl's a liar and..."

"No, I mean..."

"And you should have seen her at my Lady's, I mean how dare she show off like that in front of my Lady. And all those nights trying to get on your father's good side by playing those old airs he likes and laughing when I sang. You bet I minded it, Sam'l."

"But I mean that you mind her. Watch over her and see that she minds you..."

"Why the hell should she mind what I do to her? I treat our people very well, Sam'l. You know that. Don't tell me you believe all the lies she said last night? Oh..."

"But, Bess I mean..."

"You believe her, don't you?! You don't love me any more! I know!...Oh, go to your office!! Hang a cat and be damned!!!" Violent slam of bedroom door...Sounds of furious weeping...

"Bess...?"

***
"So what did you do?" Batten asks, fascinated.

"I hung around another hour and when she still wouldn't come out of her room, came here." Sam sighs.

"Now mind me, Pepys..." Batten shakes head. "It's time for a shopping trip...Today...The moment you can get someone to mind your duties."

***
Jeannine that was great!

***

Paul Dyson  •  Link

Mind

Pithy verse, Jeannine, once more.

"It's all in the mind" (Goon Show line - British 50s radio)

"M i n d t h e G a p" (London Underground disembodied command)

Bradford  •  Link

"God knows I hope I shall not be elated with that, but rather desire to be known for serving the King well, and doing my duty."

Exemplary attitude, a model of devotion; but one wonders whether we shall see, in the Diary---or whether it must wait for later years---whether Pepys ever questions the value of being faithful in service to an undeserving overlord, whose own behavior toward the good of the realm is not so straightforward.

Australian Susan  •  Link

What better way to start my day - excellent coffee to hand,perfect dialogue from RG,witty verse from jeannine,authoritative lexigraphic info from LH and perceptive, amusing and apposite comments from lots of others. Many thanks!

Sam sems to be trying to avoid home, doesn't he? He was at the office too early (bet he couldn't resist telling them all, he'd been there before everyone else) and then he's there in the evening doing business by candlelight - in other words, pretty late. And then swiftly to supper and bed (no prayers?)

language hat  •  Link

"being faithful in service to an undeserving overlord"

People then, aside from a few cranks who had the same status as, say, vegans do today, did not consider overlords "undeserving." Kingship was given by God, and the personal qualities of any particular king were irrelevant (as the qualities of a priest are irrelevant to his capacity to perform the sacraments). Let's try not to import modern ideas into the past.

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Let’s try not to import modern ideas

1649 - Parliament executes Charles I, establishes Commonwealth.
1660 - Parliament disbands Commonwealth, restores Charles II.
1663 - Parliament raises unpopular extra taxes to support a lavish court.
1688 - Parliament deposes James II, brings in WilliamandMary.

It seems to me that during this period modern thoughts about sovereigns are developing rapidly. Pepys may use the language of service to the sovereign as individual, but "On His Majesty's Service" is coming to mean service to the nation, not the individual. Or so it seems to me.

Australian Susan  •  Link

Vegans are not cranks!

Paul Chapin  •  Link

"Vegans are not cranks!"
A.S., I'm sure LH can defend himself amply without my help, but I didn't read him as saying they are; rather, he was saying that they are uninfluential, and that people in Sam's time who had the weird idea that overlords should behave themselves properly were equally uninfluential, even though today we would applaud their insight.

language hat  •  Link

Exactly, Paul.

A. Hamilton: Of course a sovereign's head had recently been chopped off, but that does not seem to have seriously affected the British attitude towards monarchy (oddly enough). Note that there is still a queen today, and her son will (barring unforeseen events) be king after her, and however little they actually have to do with the running of the country, they are still widely seen as somehow necessary. This is a pale afterglow of the former reverence and unquestioning acceptance of the institution, but its persistence shows you how powerful the original feeling was. And remember that (in mythology) gods got killed all the time without affecting the general belief in godhood.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"one whom I knew and his wife when I was first married, being an acquaintance of my wife’s and her friends lodging at Charing Cross during our differences."

This and the equally laconic reference at 13 August 1661 appear to be the only evidence that Pepys and his wife temporarily separated in the early years of their marriage; cf. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… (L&M footnote)

Marquess  •  Link

Sam looking good in front of Mr Palmer and no doubt feeling good for it too. At least he wasn't boastful.

Bill  •  Link

“He joyed me in my condition”

To JOY.
1 To congratulate; to entertain kindly. ...
---A Dictionary Of The English Language. Samuel Johnson, 1756.

David G  •  Link

"So to my office and there by candle light doing business." Sam is surely commenting on the changing seasons as summer comes to a close. It can't be unusual for him to work late.

Tonyel  •  Link

"10. spec. a. Of a person: To be suspended on or upon a cross, gibbet, gallows, etc.; to suffer death in this way; esp. as a form of punishment. "

esp. as opposed to what? entertainment?

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

Re: “ . . he joyed me in my condition . . ”

‘joy, v. < Middle English . .
. . 5. b. To give or wish (a person) joy of something; to congratulate. Const. of (in). Obs.
. . 1660 S. Pepys Diary 22 Aug. (1970) I. 228 In the House..I met with Mr. G. Mountague and joyed him in his entrance [as M.P.] for Dover.
1701 N. Rowe Ambitious Step-mother iv. i. 1578, I come to joy you of a Crown . . ‘

(OED)

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