Friday 11 May 1666
Up betimes, and then away with Mr. Yeabsly to my Lord Ashly’s, whither by and by comes Sir H. Cholmly and Creed, and then to my Lord, and there entered into examination of Mr. Yeabsly’s accounts, wherein as in all other things I find him one of the most distinct men that ever I did see in my life. He raised many scruples which were to be answered another day and so parted, giving me an alarme how to provide myself against the day of my passing my accounts. Thence I to Westminster to look after the striking of my tallys, but nothing done or to be done therein. So to the ’Change, to speake with Captain Cocke, among other things about getting of the silver plates of him, which he promises to do; but in discourse he tells me that I should beware of my fellow-officers; and by name told me that my Lord Bruncker should say in his hearing, before Sir W. Batten, of me, that he could undo the man, if he would; wherein I think he is a foole; but, however, it is requisite I be prepared against the man’s friendship. Thence home to dinner alone, my wife being abroad. After dinner to the setting some things in order in my dining-room; and by and by comes my wife home and Mrs. Pierce with her, so I lost most of this afternoon with them, and in the evening abroad with them, our long tour by coach, to Hackney, so to Kingsland, and then to Islington, there entertaining them by candlelight very well, and so home with her, set her down, and so home and to bed.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"one of the most distinct men that ever I did see in my life"
"distinct" - discerning, discriminating (L&M Select Glossary)
Terry Foreman • Link
"giving me an alarme how to provide myself against the day of my passing my accounts"
Good: SPOILER -- that day will come.
Robert Gertz • Link
Yeabsly...
Could it be that the Three Stooges' famed search for an honest man is over?
"Maybe all the honest men are in jail." Moe Howard.
Robert Gertz • Link
"...but in discourse he tells me that I should beware of my fellow- officers; and by name told me that my Lord Bruncker should say in his hearing, before Sir W. Batten, of me, that he could undo the man, if he would; wherein I think he is a foole; but, however, it is requisite I be prepared against the man’s friendship."
Bruncker or Cocke the fool? Of course as a Lord, Bruncker could quite probably grind our hero down easily...Though Sam does know where some of the bodies are buried.
***
Betty Pierce is apparently out of Bess' doghouse...But then, she always brings the kids along on Sam excursions. Mrs. Knipp, it seems is not so fortunate...
***
"Bruncker!"
"What?!" milord staring at the masked figure, sword in hand.
"Your hour of Death is at hand...You friend-betraying fiend!!"
"What? How dare you? Who are you?"
"Your Fate, dog! You'll not drag Samuel Pepys to the gallows to bear your crimes!"
"Pepys?!"
Wait...The high-pitched voice is about right when the little fellow gets excited but...
"Who the devil...?"
"Sign here, dog! Before I strike ye down!!"
"What is this? 'I, William Bruncker do solemnly confess before God...' Are you mad? No one will..."
Gulp as sword penetrates several layers of clothing...
"It was all Abigail's fault...Her schemes...She said to blame it all on Pepys...A nobody with Sandwich gone..."
"Besides...He did share in some..." Arghh...
"Sign...."
"Oh, very well...Now, will you...Arghh...Ar..."
"Quite right, my Lord. No one would believe it except as a suicide note, perhaps..." Bess removes mask. Tossing sword over body...
Lord, the things I do for that man...she sighs, heading off...
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... I find him one of the most distinct men that ever I did see in my life. He raised many scruples which were to be answered another day and so parted, giving me an alarme how to provide myself against the day of my passing my accounts."
Might there other agendas with settling the Yeabsly account than Chomley's competence? In the past Chomley has made or authorized payments to the Pepys/Povy combine for 'facilitation' services settling his own Tangier accounts:
"...to dinner and the office, whither anon comes Sir H. Cholmley to me, and he and I to my house, there to settle his accounts with me, and so with great pleasure we agreed and great friends become, I think, and he presented me upon the foot of our accounts for this year’s service for him 100l., whereof Povy must have half." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
A. Hamilton • Link
He raised many scruples
I read "he" as Lord Ashly
(Written from the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, which flow together to form the Atlantic Ocean, as all good Charlestonians learn in their early childhood.)
cape henry • Link
"...that day will come." --TF
The interesting part is that he trots off to have an afternoon with the ladies. This is one of the most abundant qualities of human nature, isn't it, to see the bits and pieces of some dire destiny quite plainly -- and yet to imagine that somehow it will all just work out?
AussieRene • Link
"Written from the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, which flow together to form the Atlantic Ocean, as all good Charlestonians learn in their early childhood"
Which country is this, A. Hamilton?
Background Lurker • Link
Which country is this, A. Hamilton?
A map showing the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, the Atlantic Ocean, and Charleston:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File…
A. Hamilton • Link
Ashley and Cooper Rivers:
As the map supplied by Background Lurker shows, the rivers are as twisty as their namesake, who went from Royalist to Roundhead and back, and who schemed against James II (and Sam).
From the Wikipedia article on Carolina:
Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II of England rewarded eight persons on March 24, 1663, for their faithful support of his efforts to regain the throne of England. He granted the eight, called Lords Proprietor or simply Proprietors, the land called Carolina, named in honor of Charles I, his father.
[It was a sweeping gesture. The land ran from the southern border of Virginia as far south as present-day Daytona Beach, Fla., into territory claimed by Spain, and stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific.]
The Lords Proprietor named in the charter were: Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon; George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle; William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven; John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton; Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury; Sir George Carteret; Sir William Berkeley (brother of John); and Sir John Colleton. Of the eight, the one who demonstrated the most active interest in Carolina was Lord Shaftesbury. Shaftesbury, with the assistance of his secretary, the philosopher John Locke, drafted the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina, a plan for government of the colony heavily influenced by the ideas of the English political scientist, James Harrington....
[A region settled under the Lords Proprietor in 1670 was near present-day Charleston, South Carolina.] The Charles-Town settlement developed ... rapidly ... due to the advantages of a natural harbor and quickly-developing trade with the West Indies. Lord Shaftesbury specified the street plan for Charles-Town; the nearby Ashley and Cooper Rivers are named for him.
Terry Foreman • Link
"A map showing the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, the Atlantic Ocean, and Charleston:"
and a bit to the NNW other landmarks, Lakes Moultrie and Marion, that commemorate other relations with the British a bit later on. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran…
Francis Marion deserves a special look, given recent and ongoing events.
Michael Robinson • Link
"... So to the ‘Change, to speake with Captain Cocke, among other things about getting of the silver plates of him, which he promises to do; ..."
" ... with Captain Cocke home to the ‘Change in his coach. He promises me presently a dozen of silver salts, and proposes a business for which he hath promised Mrs. Williams for my Lord Bruncker a set of plate shall cost him 500l. and me the like, which will be a good business indeed."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Harvey • Link
"... to speake with Captain Cocke, among other things about getting of the silver plates of him, which he promises to do; but in discourse he tells me that I should beware of my fellow- officers; and by name told me that my Lord Bruncker ..."
I've found that the ones to beware of are not those you are warned against, but those who issue the warnings. Beware of Capt Cocke, Sam.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"to speake with Captain Cocke, among other things about getting of the silver plates of him"
L&M : See https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Pride cometh before the fall." -- I again contrast Pepys' casual attitude towards preparing for the impending fight with last year's preparations. That Brouncker is less than thrilled with him doesn't surprise me. At least he's not at the theater.