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MartinVT has posted 169 annotations/comments since 10 January 2016.

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Third Reading

About Tuesday 29 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

Is it possible my old lady Slingsby needed to be carried because she got too merry?

Also, what do we think is meant by a "costly and genteel supper"?

About Wednesday 23 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

"having ate nothing to-day but a piece of bread and cheese at the ale-house with Greatorex, and some bread and butter at home."

It wasn't such a busy day that he couldn't have stopped somewhere for lunch. Maybe he's making room for the big feed tomorrow.

About Monday 21 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

About the 200 l. — Sam is often moving money around either for Montagu or for the naval office, and often doesn't make it clear what it's for. Back on January 3, he visited the Exchequer and "told" (tolled, or counted) "what money I had of my Lord’s and my own there, which I found to be 970l." Today, he probably withdrew some cash out of that for my Lord, because Sam himself would not need that kind of money around the house. Or, it was needed at the office.

About Sunday 20 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

"back again to my wife and supped there" — it took me a moment, but this means, he went back to uncle and aunt Wight's where he had left Liz, and had supper there with them.

About Friday 18 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

Clearly, the monkey is a monkey, not Elizabeth (heavens) or another human member of the household, as speculated about above. Sam tells us the beast was "loose", female, and after the beating, "made fast again." It's a monkey, not a person.

We've never been told about this monkey before, and [SPOILER] we will never hear about it again — a good indication that, as Vincent said way back there in 2004, Sam is not telling us "all his thoughts and actions...those that stir up his juices, that either he finds have some on going importance to his day to day life or those that provoke his curiosity." Today, the monkey stirred up his juices and became immortalized. Going forward, it is either banished, or it behaves itself.

So we are left to wonder what else Sam is leaving out. Quite a bit, I suspect.

About Thursday 17 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

SDS — "frosty reception", "bad manners"

Are we sure that Cuttance acted that way? Yesterday's line was: "The sport was how she had intended to have kept herself unknown, and how the Captain (whom she had sent for) of the Charles had forsoothed her, though he knew her well and she him. In fine we supped merry..."

So Cuttance is mentioned in the context of a lot of merriment about Lady Sandwich trying to remain incognito. Cuttance shows up and plays along, acting as if he doesn't know her. We don't know what he may have said, but it was probably in the positive sense of "forsoothing" (as quoted yesterday, "to treat ceremoniously") rather than the negative sense of contempt and derision (which could well have led to his dismissal).

I suspect there were a few winks involved, so that the Sandwich party would understand what was going on.

About Friday 11 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

"discontented that my wife do not go neater now she has two maids."

For all the discussion since 2004, prompted by this line, as to whether Sam is likable or not, we don't actually know whether or how he showed his discontent. Did he keep it to himself? Did he have words with Elizabeth about it? If so, were they gentle or harsh? We have no clue. We do know that at other times when Sam has scolded his wife about something, he often feels remorse later, and there is sometimes mention of making up and "being friends" once again. between them. But there is no mention of that, this time. I'm inclined to think he just grumbled a little and kept his feelings mostly to himself. As any of us might do today.

About Tuesday 25 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

The candlestick discussion above is on the wrong page. Sam heard about Pett's flagons yesterday, and the fact that "he" did not receive them.

Anyway, I respectfully disagree with LKvM, I think it's pretty clear that Coventry simply did not accept them; Sam therefore has the idea of doing the same thing — offering a gift, having it turned down, and getting credit for the "thought that counts".

"Receive" meaning "accept" is used elsewhere in the diary. For example back on May 4, Sam paraphrases this paragraph in a letter written by Sandwich:

"That my Lord is very joyful that other countries do pay him the civility and respect due to him; and that he do much rejoice to see that the King do resolve to receive none of their assistance (or some such words), from them, he having strength enough in the love and loyalty of his own subjects to support him."

And on April 9, 1661, Sam will reflect as follows:

"...in general it was a great pleasure all the time I staid here to see how I am respected and honoured by all people; and I find that I begin to know now how to receive so much reverence, which at the beginning I could not tell how to do."

In both instances the language makes sense only if "receive" means "accept". Naturally, Sam uses "receive" in other senses as well.

About Friday 4 January 1660/61

MartinVT  •  Link

Thanks SDS for further describing the gift exchange system, which was well-established by this time. Besides resulting in some financial gain for the monarch, it should be noted that a system like this served to strengthen bonds between the monarch and all his noble minions (and others like foreign diplomats). Montagu hangs out with the king pretty often, but quite a few of the nobles might not see the king all year. So this more or less obligatory exchange guaranteed that each noble paid homage, and got something in return that he could display as a reminder to him and his own subordinates and guests of his relationship with the king. If you think of it, an absolute ruler has no means of enforcing his rule other than retaining the loyalty of henchmen, so for the British monarchy this system helped cement that loyalty. (Though even by this time, the monarchs could not be called absolute rulers.)

About Sunday 1 January 1659/60

MartinVT  •  Link

Welcome, Rusty! I recommend that while you begin at the beginning, as you have, also catch up with where the current "Reading" is, at Jan. 2, 1661, so that you can catch any "live" comments being posted.

About Monday 31 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

"and my having a book, I believe did spoil it a little."

But he just bought the book the same day. He doesn't say that he read it sometime previously. He's sitting there with the book open in his lap, following along, and that's what spoils it for him. I don't believe this means "spoilers" in our sense of knowing in advance how it all turns out; I think he means to say that following along in the book didn't enhance his experience of the book.

About Saturday 29 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

Recapping the saga of the candlesticks and plate, so far:
-- On December 24, Sam hears from Commissioner Pett that Pett presented a couple of silver plated flagons to Mr. Coventry, but Coventry "did not receive them" — turned them down. Sam, wishing also to remain in Coventry's good graces, decides to offer a similar gift (perhaps in hopes of having it turned down, as well), and bespeaks a pair of candlesticks at Alderman Blackwell's, a gold and silversmith.
-- On December 26, he calls at Blackwell's, but the candlesticks are not yet ready.
-- On the 27th, he stops by again, picks them up, and rides with Blackwell in a coach to Sandwich's place. (Blackwell was likely heading over there himself for other business.) Sam gives the sticks to Mr. Shepley, a servant of Sandwich's, perhaps so that Sandwich can get them to Coventry on Sam's behalf, or maybe so Sandwich can advise whether they are appropriate.
-- Today, he heads back to Blackwell's and exchanges the candlesticks for "a brave state-plate and cupp", and carries those to Sandwich's. Clearly something has been left out of the story, but maybe either Sandwich advised Sam to get the plate and cup instead, or word came back from Coventry that he had plenty of candlesticks.
-- Stay tuned, we should hear how the story ends.

About Sunday 23 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

"A stranger made a dull sermon"

What was the 17thC system for pulpit rotations? Presumably the regular fellow was on vacation (hah!) or sick, or called somewhere else for church business or some personal exigency. Where did the stranger come from to substitute? Was there a pool of retired priests, or some other source? Or, did priests swap places now and then just for a change of pace? Inquiring minds want to know.

About Saturday 15 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

Indications that Sam is paying the workmen out of his own pocket:
-- He always refers to them as "my workmen".
-- He keeps a close eye on them, "looking upon my workmen" often in this and previous projects.
-- Sometimes their "laziness does much trouble" him — if the Navy were paying, maybe it wouldn't matter so much.
-- The improvements are all designed to suit his needs and preferences (a door to the rooftop, a new entry door, wainscoting, etc., not necessary maintenance to keep the house in good repair.
-- He gets Navy permission for certain changes, such as the rooftop access, but there is never mention that the Navy board agreed to pay for something or reimburse him.

On the other hand, so far he never mentions the cost of these improvement, which you'd expect him to do given his careful guardianship of his monetary wealth.

Small spoiler: It will be around two years before Sam is fully content with the house; until then workmen will be there, on and off, for a number of additional projects.

About Thursday 13 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

Sarah, upon review I think you are correct, the my Ladies are confusing but this must be Lady Batten. Liz had just spent two days in her company so maybe she did not tag along for that reason.

About Thursday 13 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

Enough about the wine. "Only at noon" is telling: had Liz gotten home sooner, she might have had time to prepare a decent dinner. But since there's nothing to eat but some leftovers, he skedaddles over to my Lady's, where there's always good food and he appears to be welcome anytime. Liz probably hopped over to the Battens', where the larger household must have had a good repast ready.

About Wednesday 12 December 1660

MartinVT  •  Link

Note "to pass away the time" in the passage about visiting the Batten household. And then the "wench" keeping him company as each is passing the time in their own way, reading and mending. Sam is genuinely lonely ("troubled with the absence of my wife"); he often passes time at home in conversation with Elizabeth, but she's off gallivanting, and there's no TV or internet to fill the gap.