A few months ago Pepys was afraid that Downing was going to fire him; now he can't wait to be rid of the man. Not only that, but he paid his brother up to date and gave him a 10 Pound advance! How to rub a sibling's nose in your success. Pepys' fortunes have changed, and he enjoys it.
As for poor Aunt Wright: my mother was an unexpected twin, in 1907. My grandparents, parents, mother's twin, my older brother, and my parents-in-law, all lost a child. It makes you hug the ones you've got a little closer.
A few entries back, it appeared that Lady Monk was receiving payments for offices dispensed by General Monk. Certainly they were working as a team, obscuring what might appear to be bribery. When Lady Monk writes to Montague about the Clerk of the Acts, General Monk is using a back-channel to talk to Montague. When Montague replies to Thomas Clarges, he is using a back-channel to talk to Monk. If some subsequent Parliament enquired, "Did you two ever discuss this appointment?" each could truthfully answer, "No."
Hereabouts, there is a tendency to preserve maternal surnames, by using them as first names in the succeeding generations, hence, boys named Robinson, Owsley, Booker, etc. As a girl's name, "Chenoweth" has an almost melodic sound, but you have to pity the schoolboy who is saddled with the first name "Dinwiddie".
"Touching for the King's Evil" did no good for those touched, of course, apart from the touch-piece. However the practice did expose the King to people with virulent skin diseases. Is there any record indicating that a king caught anything contagious from the supplicants?
Pepys was accepting the "Usual Fee" for services. In that day and age, Corruption was in accepting, or demanding, too much. To ask too little was simply stupid. During the Civil War, most of the silverware in the country had been melted down, to pay the troops of one side or the other. Now, the coins were being melted, to make things like this silver can. In its own way, it is a sign of stability returning to society.
I have been looking at Hinchingbrooke House with Google Earth. It would have been possible to dock the King's Barge on the millpond about a quarter mile from the house. Presumably, it was plushed up, painted and decked out with finery, and would have made a fun conveyance for family and friends to sail about on the millpond, millrace and river. The mill stream today looks to be choked with algae, but a large and lovely piece of the Hinchingbrooke park survives, and is open as a public park. Naturally, it is adjacent to Cromwell Park, the Cromwell Park Primary School, and Cromwell Drive. A small hotel "The Samuel Pepys Diaryrooms" is nearby. The name of The Huntington Road changes to The Brampton Road at the house.
Tonyel: More probably than not, it is in gold coin. Heavy, as well as risky to transport. These people need the Bank of England desperately, but they do not know that.
These are rough notes, only a bit more expansive than recent entries. Sam is very busy. It looks like a case of: "You didn't miss a thing while you were gone. It's all on your desk waiting for you, stacked in piles marked 'Immediate', 'Urgent' and 'Overdue'. "
I presume that the "People washing the deck" were sailors holystoning the decks. At three in the morning it had to be pitch black. Maybe there was moonlight. Besides being wet, it was a noisy task too, disturbing both the off watch and the VIP's below.
The explanation that the proclamation was aimed at people drinking the King's Health and threatening folks who had better things to do, makes sense. Otherwise, It is Charles II here, no stranger to ardent spirits, who excelled at debauchery, taking dead aim at two of Pepys' favorite pastimes.
The explanation that the proclamation was aimed at people drinking the King's Health and threatening folks who had better things to do, makes sense. Otherwise, It is Charles II here, no stranger to ardent spirits, who excelled at debauchery, taking dead aim at two of Pepys' favorite pastimes.
No, Terry. I was thinking of 32 Henry VIII Chap 1. The statutes of Uses, Wills, Frauds and the Parole Evidence Rules seem to originate there. The 1677 Statute of Charles II did not appear out of thin air; it replaced earlier law. Americans today will find it in the Uniform Commercial Code 2-207. For non-Americans: the Uniform Commercial Code is a piece of legislation passed into law by each of the 50 states, in almost, but not quite, identical language.
If memory serves, Henry VIII enacted the Statute of Uses, which made land an article of commerce; and that created a need for a Statute of Frauds, which followed a year later. I might be mistaken. I was very young at the time.
Here, however, I do not think that Sam is being precise. Rather, he is bragging to himself "I have a house to live in, goods to furnish it, and L100 in the strong-box!"
Helena Murphy's comment is cogent. I could be mistaken, but: while our boy Sam is very well educated, most men of his social position and education, in that day and age, did not know the multiplication table above, say, five times five.
My ancestors were much too loyal to the Stuarts. The Governor & Council of Virginia were appalled by the execution of Charles I, and one of my ancestors promptly took ship to the Netherlands, bearing Virginia's declaration of loyalty to Charles II. When he got back to Virginia, he found that in the interim, Parliament had sent a ship. Actually they sent a squadron, but the other ships headed for the Sugar islands; only one went to Virginia. That was all it took. During the Civil War and Commonwealth years, Virginia was largely ignored by London, which meant that Virginia prospered. After the restoration, Charles II gave the colony to three favorites, and never mind that there were thousands of landowners already in possession of the properties. My ancestor "attorned", that is, he paid quitrent to Lord Fairfax for the lands the family had then owned for two generations. He should have invited Fairfax to explain quitrent to the Indians.
Comments
Second Reading
About Saturday 30 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
Poor Jane! If she continues lame, she'll lose her job, and then her prospects will be bleak, indeed.
About Thursday 28 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
A few months ago Pepys was afraid that Downing was going to fire him; now he can't wait to be rid of the man. Not only that, but he paid his brother up to date and gave him a 10 Pound advance! How to rub a sibling's nose in your success.
Pepys' fortunes have changed, and he enjoys it.
As for poor Aunt Wright: my mother was an unexpected twin, in 1907. My grandparents, parents, mother's twin, my older brother, and my parents-in-law, all lost a child. It makes you hug the ones you've got a little closer.
About Monday 25 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
A few entries back, it appeared that Lady Monk was receiving payments for offices dispensed by General Monk. Certainly they were working as a team, obscuring what might appear to be bribery. When Lady Monk writes to Montague about the Clerk of the Acts, General Monk is using a back-channel to talk to Montague. When Montague replies to Thomas Clarges, he is using a back-channel to talk to Monk. If some subsequent Parliament enquired, "Did you two ever discuss this appointment?" each could truthfully answer, "No."
About Sunday 24 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
Hereabouts, there is a tendency to preserve maternal surnames, by using them as first names in the succeeding generations, hence, boys named Robinson, Owsley, Booker, etc. As a girl's name, "Chenoweth" has an almost melodic sound, but you have to pity the schoolboy who is saddled with the first name "Dinwiddie".
About Saturday 23 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
"Touching for the King's Evil" did no good for those touched, of course, apart from the touch-piece. However the practice did expose the King to people with virulent skin diseases. Is there any record indicating that a king caught anything contagious from the supplicants?
About Thursday 21 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
Pepys was accepting the "Usual Fee" for services. In that day and age, Corruption was in accepting, or demanding, too much. To ask too little was simply stupid. During the Civil War, most of the silverware in the country had been melted down, to pay the troops of one side or the other. Now, the coins were being melted, to make things like this silver can. In its own way, it is a sign of stability returning to society.
About Wednesday 20 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
I have been looking at Hinchingbrooke House with Google Earth. It would have been possible to dock the King's Barge on the millpond about a quarter mile from the house. Presumably, it was plushed up, painted and decked out with finery, and would have made a fun conveyance for family and friends to sail about on the millpond, millrace and river. The mill stream today looks to be choked with algae, but a large and lovely piece of the Hinchingbrooke park survives, and is open as a public park. Naturally, it is adjacent to Cromwell Park, the Cromwell Park Primary School, and Cromwell Drive. A small hotel "The Samuel Pepys Diaryrooms" is nearby. The name of The Huntington Road changes to The Brampton Road at the house.
About Monday 18 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
Pepys does not appear to appreciate how important the post of "Clerk of the Acts" was, or how profitable it could be, at least not yet.
About Thursday 14 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
Tonyel: More probably than not, it is in gold coin. Heavy, as well as risky to transport. These people need the Bank of
England desperately, but they do not know that.
About Wednesday 13 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
It is hard to tell from these sketchy notes, but is Pepys living in his own home, or are he and Elizabeth sleeping at his father’s house? If so, why?
About Monday 11 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
These are rough notes, only a bit more expansive than recent entries. Sam is very busy. It looks like a case of: "You didn't miss a thing while you were gone. It's all on your desk waiting for you, stacked in piles marked 'Immediate', 'Urgent' and 'Overdue'. "
About Thursday 7 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
I presume that the "People washing the deck" were sailors holystoning the decks. At three in the morning it had to be pitch black. Maybe there was moonlight. Besides being wet, it was a noisy task too, disturbing both the off watch and the VIP's below.
About Tuesday 5 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
So, are we to presume that the fishing was better ashore, than at sea?
About Monday 4 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
The explanation that the proclamation was aimed at people drinking the King's Health and threatening folks who had better things to do, makes sense.
Otherwise, It is Charles II here, no stranger to ardent spirits, who excelled at debauchery, taking dead aim at two of Pepys' favorite pastimes.
About Monday 4 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
The explanation that the proclamation was aimed at people drinking the King's Health and threatening folks who had better things to do, makes sense.
Otherwise, It is Charles II here, no stranger to ardent spirits, who excelled at debauchery, taking dead aim at two of Pepys' favorite pastimes.
About Sunday 3 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
No, Terry. I was thinking of 32 Henry VIII Chap 1. The statutes of Uses, Wills, Frauds and the Parole Evidence Rules seem to originate there. The 1677 Statute of Charles II did not appear out of thin air; it replaced earlier law. Americans today will find it in the Uniform Commercial Code 2-207. For non-Americans: the Uniform Commercial Code is a piece of legislation passed into law by each of the 50 states, in almost, but not quite, identical language.
About Sunday 3 June 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
If memory serves, Henry VIII enacted the Statute of Uses, which made land an article of commerce; and that created a need for a Statute of Frauds, which followed a year later. I might be mistaken. I was very young at the time.
Here, however, I do not think that Sam is being precise. Rather, he is bragging to himself "I have a house to live in, goods to furnish it, and L100 in the strong-box!"
About Tuesday 29 May 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
Helena Murphy's comment is cogent. I could be mistaken, but: while our boy Sam is very well educated, most men of his social position and education, in that day and age, did not know the multiplication table above, say, five times five.
About Monday 28 May 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
So, why did Pepys urinate in bed?
On another subject, I read the 60 ducats as being in fact the 30 pounds that had been promised earlier, not an addition to the 30 pounds.
At least he can afford to hire someone to wash his bed linen and night clothes.
About Friday 25 May 1660
Dick Wilson • Link
My ancestors were much too loyal to the Stuarts. The Governor & Council of Virginia were appalled by the execution of Charles I, and one of my ancestors promptly took ship to the Netherlands, bearing Virginia's declaration of loyalty to Charles II. When he got back to Virginia, he found that in the interim, Parliament had sent a ship. Actually they sent a squadron, but the other ships headed for the Sugar islands; only one went to Virginia. That was all it took. During the Civil War and Commonwealth years, Virginia was largely ignored by London, which meant that Virginia prospered. After the restoration, Charles II gave the colony to three favorites, and never mind that there were thousands of landowners already in possession of the properties. My ancestor "attorned", that is, he paid quitrent to Lord Fairfax for the lands the family had then owned for two generations. He should have invited Fairfax to explain quitrent to the Indians.