"So to my Lord’s and dined with W. Howe and Sarah, thinking it might be the last time that I might dine with them together."
A theory: Howe is my Lord's clerk, Sarah is a housekeeper there (rehired to the position on June 15). Sam as a longtime fellow employee is welcome to drop in for a meal with the servants anytime, and does so regularly. But now, he is being kicked upstairs, as it were, becoming Clerk of the Acts, and as such he may not be able to socialize below stairs. A few nights ago he "supped with my Lord, he and I together, in the great dining-room alone by ourselves, the first time I ever did it in London." And he has been dining around town with other important people. So, he thinks that it may no longer be seemly to eat with the help, perhaps especially not with Sarah and Howe together.
On June 27, Sam visited his old room with the bed removed and sang, enjoying the acoustics. in that entry, he wrote:
"To Westminster, and with Mr. Howe by coach to the Speaker’s, where my Lord supped with the King, but I could not get in. So back again, and after a song or two in my chamber in the dark, which do (now that the bed is out) sound very well, I went home and to bed."
So perhaps Howe returned with him to the chamber that day as well, and today they repeated the pleasure.
King Charles II was generous with his bucks. Later on, he gave a brace of bucks to some "loyal apprentices," who thanked him with a poem written by one of their number, printed in 1681, called "Loyalty Rewarded; OR, A POEM UPON THE Brace of BUCKS Bestowed upon the Loyal Apprentices, by His Majesty". https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo… (publication details: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…)
These lads were apparently a bit tardy in sending their acknowledgment, apologizing for it thus:
"And though our poor Address came late, however, We did imagine, better late than never; And since we could not in the Front appear, We're humbly content to bring up the Rear..."
For a second day in a row, Sam shows his auditory prowess. Yesterday by remarking on the acoustics of his old room now that the bed is gone; today by identifying the singer who is hidden behind a curtain. And as mentioned yesterday, earlier over in Holland, by appreciating the echo effects of an area under the porch at Huis Ten Bosch.
"my old Lady Middlesex" was 47 at this time (born 28 January 1613). Maybe Sam calls her "old lady" because she married the Earl of Middlesex about 1655 when she was 42 and he was 30. More about her here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rac…. It's kind of an embarrassment to be remembered through the ages for a wet fart, so let's try to celebrate her instead for her syllabub recipe, which actually sounds pretty good: http://foodhistorjottings.blogspo…
"A small hotel 'The Samuel Pepys Diaryrooms' is nearby."
This pub, just named the Samuel Pepys, is apparently still around: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Resta… It's not clear there are rooms to rent. The comments are a bit disconcerting ("...a rotten seedy drug den..." "AVOID, AVOID, AVOID" "Disorganised chaos and hostile management" "Angry and disappointed" etc., although there are some positive reviews as well). It was, or is, for sale, so you can view some photos here: https://www.admiraltaverns.co.uk/…
"transported on freight ships" seems to be the answer. Probably on deck as they would not fit down below. Towing would be dangerous. https://www.concordmonitor.com/co….
Most masts were not made of single trees the whole length. Those that were were called pole-masts; masts made by joining several lengths of timber together were called made-masts. Made-masts were actually stronger than pole-masts. More than you might want to know (but important stuff for Sam to know, later on) is here (published 1794): https://www.hnsa.org/manuals-docu… Included there is this bit: "MASTS from America are mostly trimmed in the country nearly to their sizes..." Which makes sense, so you would not transport the raw timber, just the completed lengths of masts.
"Can anyone tell me the difference between being a timber merchant and being a lumber merchant?"
In the U.S. and Canada: Timber=wood still standing in a forest, or cut down into logs but not anything smaller. Lumber=wood cut into a variety of dimensions, like boards, planks, posts and beams, ready to be used to build things.
But apparently in the UK and elsewhere outside of North America, lumber is not used in relation to wood, and timber applies to dimensioned wood as well as logs. More here on timber: https://www.etymonline.com/word/t… More here on lumber: https://www.etymonline.com/search…
To return to Todd's unanswered question from back in 2003 regarding "when God knows it is quite false":
It sounds like Col. Thompson passed along to Sam a rumor — a "great secret" — to the effect that there had been a fire aboard the Nazeby while the King was traveling on her, "but that it is not known" — in other words, that it has been hushed up rather than made common knowledge. But "God knows" — and Sam knows, having been there the whole time, that no such thing happened.
Fake news, same as it ever was. I wonder if he disputed Thompson's story or just let it be.
It was a baroque guitar, a little different from the standard instrument today. Charles purchased it in Paris a few months ago and was quite a guitar enthusiast. And apparently, indeed his axe got left behind and Pepys was put in charge of it.
Can we assume that the King left his guitar on board the ship, and now Sam is supposed to deliver it to him in London, but today almost lost track of Fairbrother, the fellow he engaged to carry the thing?
For word nerds: "cittern" derives originally from Greek "kythara", which also gave rise to "guitar" and "zither" (and other early instruments called "citole", "gitterne" and "gittern." In turn, "kythara" may have derived from Persian "sihtar", from which Hindu "sitar" is derived. Quite a swath of stringed instruments with related names.
25l became 100l in a few months. Not bad compensation for helping to ferry the King across the North Sea. Reminder: you can track the growth in Sam's wealth here: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…, but doing so is a bit of a spoiler.
"uneasy," "unpleasant" from the OED cited by Languagehat back in 2003 seem correct for "uncouth". Basically, he is grumpy because his buddies aren't around, and the visiting vice-admiral is officious.
But regarding "all this day," actually by dinnertime (lunchtime) he must be over it, getting to preside at the high table, and then playing some ninepins. Plus, he learns that he's 30 pounds richer for a few weeks of work.
Goodbye, Scheveningen! Sam mentions the place only once more in passing, and never referred to it as Scheveningen, always Scheveling. The latter (along with Schevelinge) seems to have been an alternative form used in maps, works of art and written works in England, Holland and France, from the 17th until the early 19th century, although the Dutch usage was much more typically Scheveningen (or, early on, Scheveninghe). So Sam was not off base to use it consistently.
I suspect that the Echo is the columned portico that can be seen in the illustration here dated 1730, which is "below the house" between the two entrance stairways. https://www.haagsetijden.nl/tijdl… This is on the "rear" side of the building facing the gardens.
"After that to the Dr.’s, where we drank a while or so." — Uncharacteristic imprecision on Sam's part, but who's watching the time when you're drinking? Maybe this means, anywhere from half a while to a while and a half?
"he and I, and W. Howe to the Echo, which was very pleasant" — I'm not finding any reference to "The Echo" at Huis ten Bosch, nor elsewhere in The Hague. I assume this was either a garden feature or a room with echo effects.
Regarding confusion in the comments as to whether "my boy" actually means "the child" (Edward Mountagu) — no, it will be clear from tomorrow's entry that both children are on shore, Edward presumably having come over in a different party.
Comments
Third Reading
About Friday 6 July 1660
MartinVT • Link
"So to my Lord’s and dined with W. Howe and Sarah, thinking it might be the last time that I might dine with them together."
A theory: Howe is my Lord's clerk, Sarah is a housekeeper there (rehired to the position on June 15). Sam as a longtime fellow employee is welcome to drop in for a meal with the servants anytime, and does so regularly. But now, he is being kicked upstairs, as it were, becoming Clerk of the Acts, and as such he may not be able to socialize below stairs. A few nights ago he "supped with my Lord, he and I together, in the great dining-room alone by ourselves, the first time I ever did it in London." And he has been dining around town with other important people. So, he thinks that it may no longer be seemly to eat with the help, perhaps especially not with Sarah and Howe together.
About Friday 6 July 1660
MartinVT • Link
On June 27, Sam visited his old room with the bed removed and sang, enjoying the acoustics. in that entry, he wrote:
"To Westminster, and with Mr. Howe by coach to the Speaker’s, where my Lord supped with the King, but I could not get in. So back again, and after a song or two in my chamber in the dark, which do (now that the bed is out) sound very well, I went home and to bed."
So perhaps Howe returned with him to the chamber that day as well, and today they repeated the pleasure.
About Thursday 5 July 1660
MartinVT • Link
King Charles II was generous with his bucks. Later on, he gave a brace of bucks to some "loyal apprentices," who thanked him with a poem written by one of their number, printed in 1681, called "Loyalty Rewarded; OR, A POEM UPON THE Brace of BUCKS Bestowed upon the Loyal Apprentices, by His Majesty".
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo… (publication details: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo…)
These lads were apparently a bit tardy in sending their acknowledgment, apologizing for it thus:
"And though our poor Address came late, however,
We did imagine, better late than never;
And since we could not in the Front appear,
We're humbly content to bring up the Rear..."
About Thursday 28 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
For a second day in a row, Sam shows his auditory prowess. Yesterday by remarking on the acoustics of his old room now that the bed is gone; today by identifying the singer who is hidden behind a curtain. And as mentioned yesterday, earlier over in Holland, by appreciating the echo effects of an area under the porch at Huis Ten Bosch.
About Friday 22 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
"my old Lady Middlesex" was 47 at this time (born 28 January 1613). Maybe Sam calls her "old lady" because she married the Earl of Middlesex about 1655 when she was 42 and he was 30. More about her here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rac…. It's kind of an embarrassment to be remembered through the ages for a wet fart, so let's try to celebrate her instead for her syllabub recipe, which actually sounds pretty good: http://foodhistorjottings.blogspo…
About Wednesday 20 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
"A small hotel 'The Samuel Pepys Diaryrooms' is nearby."
This pub, just named the Samuel Pepys, is apparently still around: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Resta…
It's not clear there are rooms to rent. The comments are a bit disconcerting ("...a rotten seedy drug den..." "AVOID, AVOID, AVOID" "Disorganised chaos and hostile management" "Angry and disappointed" etc., although there are some positive reviews as well). It was, or is, for sale, so you can view some photos here: https://www.admiraltaverns.co.uk/…
About Tuesday 19 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
"Strap them to the deck?"
"transported on freight ships" seems to be the answer. Probably on deck as they would not fit down below. Towing would be dangerous.
https://www.concordmonitor.com/co….
Most masts were not made of single trees the whole length. Those that were were called pole-masts; masts made by joining several lengths of timber together were called made-masts. Made-masts were actually stronger than pole-masts. More than you might want to know (but important stuff for Sam to know, later on) is here (published 1794): https://www.hnsa.org/manuals-docu…
Included there is this bit: "MASTS from America are mostly trimmed in the country nearly to their sizes..." Which makes sense, so you would not transport the raw timber, just the completed lengths of masts.
About Tuesday 19 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
"Can anyone tell me the difference between being a timber merchant and being a lumber merchant?"
In the U.S. and Canada:
Timber=wood still standing in a forest, or cut down into logs but not anything smaller.
Lumber=wood cut into a variety of dimensions, like boards, planks, posts and beams, ready to be used to build things.
But apparently in the UK and elsewhere outside of North America, lumber is not used in relation to wood, and timber applies to dimensioned wood as well as logs.
More here on timber: https://www.etymonline.com/word/t…
More here on lumber: https://www.etymonline.com/search…
About Sunday 17 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
"And just by the window that I stood at sat Mrs. Butler, the great beauty."
Sam has only got time these days to jot down a few notes, but he doesn't miss anything important.
About Saturday 16 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
To return to Todd's unanswered question from back in 2003 regarding "when God knows it is quite false":
It sounds like Col. Thompson passed along to Sam a rumor — a "great secret" — to the effect that there had been a fire aboard the Nazeby while the King was traveling on her, "but that it is not known" — in other words, that it has been hushed up rather than made common knowledge. But "God knows" — and Sam knows, having been there the whole time, that no such thing happened.
Fake news, same as it ever was. I wonder if he disputed Thompson's story or just let it be.
About Friday 8 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
Aha. Here is the skinny on the gittar: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/sites/d…
It was a baroque guitar, a little different from the standard instrument today. Charles purchased it in Paris a few months ago and was quite a guitar enthusiast. And apparently, indeed his axe got left behind and Pepys was put in charge of it.
About Friday 8 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
Can we assume that the King left his guitar on board the ship, and now Sam is supposed to deliver it to him in London, but today almost lost track of Fairbrother, the fellow he engaged to carry the thing?
About Tuesday 5 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
For word nerds: "cittern" derives originally from Greek "kythara", which also gave rise to "guitar" and "zither" (and other early instruments called "citole", "gitterne" and "gittern." In turn, "kythara" may have derived from Persian "sihtar", from which Hindu "sitar" is derived. Quite a swath of stringed instruments with related names.
About Sunday 3 June 1660
MartinVT • Link
25l became 100l in a few months. Not bad compensation for helping to ferry the King across the North Sea. Reminder: you can track the growth in Sam's wealth here: https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…, but doing so is a bit of a spoiler.
About Saturday 26 May 1660
MartinVT • Link
"very uncouth all this day" —
"uneasy," "unpleasant" from the OED cited by Languagehat back in 2003 seem correct for "uncouth". Basically, he is grumpy because his buddies aren't around, and the visiting vice-admiral is officious.
But regarding "all this day," actually by dinnertime (lunchtime) he must be over it, getting to preside at the high table, and then playing some ninepins. Plus, he learns that he's 30 pounds richer for a few weeks of work.
About Wednesday 23 May 1660
MartinVT • Link
Goodbye, Scheveningen! Sam mentions the place only once more in passing, and never referred to it as Scheveningen, always Scheveling. The latter (along with Schevelinge) seems to have been an alternative form used in maps, works of art and written works in England, Holland and France, from the 17th until the early 19th century, although the Dutch usage was much more typically Scheveningen (or, early on, Scheveninghe). So Sam was not off base to use it consistently.
About Friday 18 May 1660
MartinVT • Link
I suspect that the Echo is the columned portico that can be seen in the illustration here dated 1730, which is "below the house" between the two entrance stairways. https://www.haagsetijden.nl/tijdl…
This is on the "rear" side of the building facing the gardens.
About Friday 18 May 1660
MartinVT • Link
I commented on yesterday's entry regarding the Echo at Huis ten Bosch, now he is back there again and says the Echo is "under the house".
About Thursday 17 May 1660
MartinVT • Link
"After that to the Dr.’s, where we drank a while or so." — Uncharacteristic imprecision on Sam's part, but who's watching the time when you're drinking? Maybe this means, anywhere from half a while to a while and a half?
"he and I, and W. Howe to the Echo, which was very pleasant" — I'm not finding any reference to "The Echo" at Huis ten Bosch, nor elsewhere in The Hague. I assume this was either a garden feature or a room with echo effects.
About Thursday 17 May 1660
MartinVT • Link
Regarding confusion in the comments as to whether "my boy" actually means "the child" (Edward Mountagu) — no, it will be clear from tomorrow's entry that both children are on shore, Edward presumably having come over in a different party.