Thursday 13 February 1667/68
Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and thence with my wife and Deb. to White Hall, setting them at her tailor’s, and I to the Commissioners of the Treasury, where myself alone did argue the business of the East India Company against their whole Company on behalf of the King before the Lords Commissioners, and to very good effect, I think, and with reputation. That business being over, the Lords and I had other things to talk about, and among the rest, about our making more assignments on the Exchequer since they bid us hold, whereat they were extraordinary angry with us, which troubled me a little, though I am not concerned in it at all. Waiting here some time without, I did meet with several people, among others Mr. Brisband, who tells me in discourse that Tom Killigrew hath a fee out of the Wardrobe for cap and bells,1 under the title of the King’s Foole or jester; and may with privilege revile or jeere any body, the greatest person, without offence, by the privilege of his place. Thence took up my wife, and home, and there busy late at the office writing letters, and so home to supper and to bed. The House was called over to-day. This morning Sir G. Carteret come to the Office to see and talk with me: and he assures me that to this day the King is the most kind man to my Lord Sandwich in the whole world; that he himself do not now mind any publick business, but suffers things to go on at Court as they will, he seeing all likely to come to ruin: that this morning the Duke of York sent to him to come to make up one of a Committee of the Council for Navy Affairs; where, when he come, he told the Duke of York that he was none of them: which shews how things are now-a-days ordered, that there should be a Committee for the Navy; and the Lord Admiral not know the persons of it! And that Sir G. Carteret and my Lord Anglesey should be left out of it, and men wholly improper put into it. I do hear of all hands that there is a great difference at this day between my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry, which I am sorry for.
22 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
The Royal Society today at Arundel House — from the Hooke Folio Online
Feb: 13. The curator gaue some account of expt. of making a body heauier than gold by putting [mercury] to it to see if any would penetrate into the pores of gold. he Related that he tryd it & tht the gold by weighing in water before & after the addition of [mercury] had acquired somewt greater ponderousnesse but that he did not Rely on that expt. but would try it againe more exactly. moued that this Expt. might be extended further. vizt to try what metalline bodys penetrat into one another thereby to make compound bodys heauier than the compounding parts and weighed when asunder to trye it wth. Lead & merc: tin & copper.
Expt. of cutting doggs timpanum tryed but faild to be tryd againe)
Dr Crones engine for wind produced againe. mr Hook produced another such Vessell of another Contriuance orderd they should be both tryd &. compared together and account of the effect to be giuen next Day
(Dr. Crone gaue an account of Stenos book of muscles.)
Allen of one that had lost part of his braine and suruiued) Dr. Clark that Sr Iarvis Scrope had also lost some of his braines & surviued: none surviued Losse of spinall marrow. mr Hooke related that Sr. Wm Strand had assured him that he knew a man that had a hole in his scull through wch. it was seen that his Braines did grow turgid at the Full & flaccid at the new moon. he was desired to bring it in Writing from the said Gentleman)
mr Boyle paper of Hints seald Deliuerd by Oldenb: Account of Husbadry Dr. Charlton produced Long fibrous gypsum.)
Ex: for N.D. wine gathering vessell. cutting timpanum 3 shining fish. 4 tying descending artery. 5 weighing minerall bodys single & compound in air & Water 6. description of cyder engines of new pend: of Astrono Barometer. -
http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…
Terry Foreman • Link
Ormond to Ossory
Written from: Dublin
Date: 13 February 1668
... The Earl of Meath carries with him, into England, two additional articles of accusation against the writer: the one for executing the mutineers at Carrickfergus by martial law; the other for not putting into execution the penal laws against Papists.
For what was done at Carrickfergus the King's pardon was obtained, in due form; the Lord Chancellor declaring it to be superfluous.
For the Papists, their meeting for Mass was inhibited by proclamation. ...
http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…
Terry Foreman • Link
Privilege. Libellous Publication.
ORDERED, That it be referred to Sir Robert Carr, Mr. Weld, Sir Fran. Goodricke, Sir Fretchvile Hollis, Mr. Musgrave, Sir Jo. Bennett, Sir Nicho. Carew, or any Three of them, to inquire who was the Author, Printer, and Publisher of the Libel brought into the House Yesterday; and to send for such Persons as they shall find necessary for Discovery thereof: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Three of the Clock, in the Speaker's Chamber; and from thence de die in diem, as they shall think fit. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Aha!
Christopher Squire • Link
Re: ' . . assignments on the Exchequer .. '
' . . 3.b. = assignation n. 4. Obs.
'assignation . . 4. Paper currency; a negotiable document representing and secured by revenue or property; a bill, an assignat.'
1704 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion III. xvi. 601 The custom of that Country, [Holland]‥being to make their payments in Paper by Assignations.
1747 Gentleman's Mag. 13 Jan., It is not possible it should be satisfied by paper or any assignation.' [OED]
Sam has been, in effect, 'printing money' to pay the bills. No wonder the Commissionaires were 'extraordinary angry' . .
Mary • Link
"but I am not concerned in it at all"
Sam is denying that he was in any way directly responsible for this action. Not me, Guv.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Tom Killigrew hath a fee out of the Wardrobe for cap and bells,1 under the title of the King’s Foole or jester; and may with privilege revile or jeere any body, the greatest person, without offence, by the privilege of his place..."
"I'll remember forever,
When I was but three,
Mama, who was clever.
Remarking to me.
If son when you're grown up
You want everything nice
I've got your future sewn up
If you take this advice.
Be a clown, be a clown
All the world loves a clown
Act the fool play the calf
And you'll always have the last laugh.
Wear the cap and the bells
And you'll rate with all the best swells.
If you become a doctor, folks'll face you with dread.
If you become a dentist, they'll be glad when you're dead.
You'll get a bigger hand if you can stand on your head
Be a clown, be a clown, be a clown."
"Well?"
"From CoA of the Royal Navy to King's Jester? Sam'l I just don't see it as a 'promotion'."
"Bess, the Duke's promised me 500Ls per annum. And it's only part-time...I remain CoA...Sort getting to tell the truth to power in both jobs, only more so in the suit."
"500Ls? And you keep the other job?"
"If I can bear what Penn will say, yes..."
"For 500Ls I'll wear the suit..." Bess, eagerly.
Hmmn...A woman in the cap and bells? Speaking truth to power like some half-French Joan of Arc in the jester's seat? Sam has epiphany...Vista of a future of equality between the sexes opens before him. World begins to tremble about him.
"Uh, no...I don't think so."
Oh...Pouting frown by Bess.
"But you still haven't said how I look in the suit." Sam jingles bells on cap.
Mary • Link
thirty yards of velvet and sixteen yards of damask sounds like an awful lot of cloth.
Does anyone know whether fabric was woven to any kind of standard width at this date, and if so, what it was?
Terry Foreman • Link
Mary, since velvet was woven, I suppose that would depend on the width of the loom. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velv…
Terry Foreman • Link
"I do hear of all hands that there is a great difference at this day between my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry, which I am sorry for."
L&M note they had been allies in attacking Clarendon, but now, faced by the parliamentary inquiry into the war, had begub to quarrel.
Carl in Boston • Link
Does anyone know whether fabric was woven to any kind of standard, asks Mary
Well, we are out of FIT. Fabric can be any width you want, depending on the loom, but it has to be fit for use. I would say the width was a yard wide, 36" more or less depending on which King stretches for his thumb from his nose to define a yard, as a tailor would. 30 yards of velvet a yard wide is a huge pile of fabric, even if you are fitting out by draping. I noticed too that it seemed an awful lot of fabric for a suit or two.
Mary • Link
fabric widths.
According to an article by Susan Reed, standard English fabric widths were as follows:
wool broadcloth 63 inches
Kersey 36 inches
cottons & friezes 27 inches
silks 22 inches.
These measurements applied in the 16th and early 17th centuries but I should have thought unlikely to have been much altered by the Restoration period. The big changes in weaving practice came in the 18th century.
Even if KIlligrew's velvet was silk velvet, that still sounds like quite a generous clothing allowance.
http://www.elizabethancostume.net…
JWB • Link
"...had begub to quarrel."
Lewis Carroll ectoplasmatic interference
in cyberspace? Or fat fingers? Either way...
Australian Susan • Link
Weaving - widths were partially dependent on the technology - only when looms could be made very strong could they become very large. Also when weaving was done largely in homes, it was dependent on the size of the house - some houses built especially with large weaving lofts for this purpose - either a large loom or several looms together. Examples can still be seen in Bollington, Cheshire. Also sail-cloth requires particularly large spaces to make it. In the old part opf Brighton (and probably in similar seaside places) can still be found houses with a sailcloth loft - very large.
I *loved* the idea of Killigrew being the official jester! And thank you RG for your alternative take on this!
It reminded me of the scene in Blackadder II when Queenie is trying to remember something:
"what was the name of those people with the bells and the funny faces that daddy used to laugh at?"
Melchett: "Jesters, madam"
Queenie: "No, that wasn't it.......Lepers! That was it! Lepers."
language hat • Link
“…had begub to quarrel.”
Reminded me of Woody Allen's "I am pointing a gub at you."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U…
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"I...did argue the business of the East India Company against their whole Company on behalf of the King before the Lords Commissioners, and to very good effect, I think, and with reputation. "
The dispute was about the hiring of ships, argued previously in January: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Nothing was now settled. The Treasury demanded £7600, but in 1672 the government agreed to accept 200 guineas paid into the Privy Purse.
(Per L&M footnote)
Terry Foreman • Link
"how things are now-a-days ordered, that there should be a Committee for the Navy; and the Lord Admiral not know the persons of it! And that Sir G. Carteret and my Lord Anglesey should be left out of it, and men wholly improper put into it. "
L&M: In fact both Anglesey and Cartaret were members. It had just been reconstituted (as a standing committee) on the 12th.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Tom Killigrew hath a fee out of the Wardrobe for cap and bells,1 under the title of the King’s Foole or jester; and may with privilege revile or jeere any body, the greatest person, without offence, by the privilege of his place."
L&M: Killegrew had srved as King's Jester since at least 1661: Wood, L. & T. , iii. 38; R. W. Lowe, Betterton, p. 70. M. Summers (Playhouse of Pepys, p. 666) has suggested that he was made jester in compensation for the loss of his office as Master of Revels. Compare English royal court jesters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes… and
Master of the Revels https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
The place of Jester was not, unlike the latter, an established office in the Household. Killigrew was witty and outspoken, and even Charles felt the edge of his tongue at times: https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Terry Foreman • Link
"The House was called over to-day."
L&M: https://www.british-history.ac.uk…
Call of the House- Defaulters to be fined.
Resolved, &c. That every Defaulter in Attendance, where Excuse shall not be allowed this Day, be fined the Sum of Forty Pounds; and sent for in Custody; and committed to the Tower till the Fine be paid.
Resolved, &c. That every such Member, as shall desert the Service of the House, for the Space of Three Days together, not having had Leave granted by the House, nor offering such sufficient Excuse to the House as shall be allowed, shall have the like Fine of Forty Pounds imposed on them; and be sent for in Custody; and committed to the Tower; and that the Fines be paid into the Hands of the Serjeant at Arms, to be disposed of as the House shall direct.
The House then proceeded to the Calling over the several Members, according to former Order: And the Names of those who made Default, whose Excuses are not allowed, are as followeth; Sir Wm. Bowyer, &c.
Tonyel • Link
he told the Duke of York that he was none of them: which shews how things are now-a-days ordered, that there should be a Committee for the Navy; and the Lord Admiral not know the persons of it!
A misprint surely? he was one of them.
john • Link
"the title of the King’s Foole or jester; and may with privilege revile or jeere any body, the greatest person, without offence, by the privilege of his place."
If only that position would exist in many companies today.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"A misprint surely?"
The L&M notation above that they were meeting to change who were members of the Committee of the Navy that day indicates to me that James, Duke of York either misunderstood or jumped the gun with the news.
I don't see a misprint???
San Diego Sarah • Link
Feb. 13. 1668
Whitehall.
Warrant to the Lord Keeper
to put the great seal to a commission to the Earl of Sandwich,
to conclude a peace between Spain and Portugal.
[S.P. Dom., Entry Book 30, f. 7.]
'Charles II: February 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 204-261. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
So that was what William Godolphin was carrying home from Lord Sandwich.
See
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…