Friday 26 June 1663

Up betimes, and Mr. Moore coming to see me, he and I discoursed of going to Oxford this Commencement, Mr. Nathaniel Crew being Proctor and Mr. Childe commencing Doctor of Musique this year, which I have a great mind to do, and, if I can, will order my matters so that I may do it.

By and by, he and I to the Temple, it raining hard, my cozen Roger being got out, he and I walked a good while among the Temple trees discoursing of my getting my Lord to let me have security upon his estate for 100l. per ann. for two lives, my own and my wife, for my money. But upon second thoughts Mr. Moore tells me it is very likely my Lord will think that I beg something, and may take it ill, and so we resolved not to move it there, but to look for it somewhere else.

Here it raining hard he and I walked into the King’s Bench Court, where I never was before, and there staid an hour almost, till it had done raining, which is a sad season, that it is said there hath not been one fair day these three months, and I think it is true, and then by water to Westminster, and at the Parliament House I spoke with Roger Pepys. The House is upon the King’s answer to their message about Temple, which is, that my Lord of Bristoll did tell him that Temple did say those words; so the House are resolved upon sending some of their members to him to know the truth, and to demand satisfaction if it be not true.

So by water home, and after a little while getting me ready, Sir W. Batten, Sir J. Minnes, my Lady Batten, and I by coach to Bednall Green, to Sir W. Rider’s to dinner, where a fine place, good lady mother, and their daughter, Mrs. Middleton, a fine woman. A noble dinner, and a fine merry walk with the ladies alone after dinner in the garden, which is very pleasant; the greatest quantity of strawberrys I ever saw, and good, and a collation of great mirth, Sir J. Minnes reading a book of scolding very prettily.

This very house was built by the Blind Beggar of Bednall Green, so much talked of and sang in ballads; but they say it was only some of the outhouses of it. We drank great store of wine, and a beer glass at last which made me almost sick.

At table, discoursing of thunder and lightning, they told many stories of their own knowledge at table of their masts being shivered from top to bottom, and sometimes only within and the outside whole, but among the rest Sir W. Rider did tell a story of his own knowledge, that a Genoese gally in Leghorn Roads was struck by thunder, so as the mast was broke a-pieces, and the shackle upon one of the slaves was melted clear off of his leg without hurting his leg. Sir William went on board the vessel, and would have contributed towards the release of the slave whom Heaven had thus set free, but he could not compass it, and so he was brought to his fetters again.

In the evening home, and a little to my Tryangle, and so to bed.


38 Annotations

First Reading

TerryF  •  Link

"a Genoese gaily"

"a Genoese Gally" is what L&M have.

Bradford  •  Link

A Thought: that the absence of Elizabeth (with Ashwell on the continuo) leaves Pepys more time to describe his day at length in the diary, so that perhaps we are reading the details she would have heard firsthand, viva voce---which on busier days he omits.

But how much duller a Genoese galley sounds compared to a Genoese gaily. And of course beer makes you sick after wine: "Never mix, never worry!"

Glyn  •  Link

I'm sure Bradford is right about that. Or at least, he has more time on his hands now that Elizabeth is away, so devotes more time to his daily entry. Personally, I wish the entries were very much shorter.

By the way, am I the only one here who starts by reading Robert Gertz's 'true account' before turning to the censored version that Pepys writes?

TerryF  •  Link

"getting my Lord to let me have security...for my money."

See 28 March 1661 for Emilio's clarification of Pepys's first 500l. investment with Mountagu (later Sandwich).
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Glyn, count me among those who read Robert Gertz's guide to what's really up with the Pepyses.

TerryF  •  Link

"The House is upon the King's answer to their message about Temple, which is, that my Lord of Bristoll did tell him that Temple did say those words; so the House are resolved upon sending some of their members to him to know the truth, and to demand satisfaction if it be not true."

For the background ref Mon 22 June http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

---
In the H of C this morning:

Privilege- Charge against Sir R. Temple.

Mr. Secretary Morice did further acquaint the House, That he had received Command from his Majesty to declare to the House, That the Earl of Bristoll was the Person that did deliver the Message from Sir Richard Temple to his Majesty.

Resolved, &c. That the humble Thanks of this House be returned to his Majesty, for his gracious Message, in relation to the Matter concerning Sir Richard Temple.

And Mr. Secretary Morice is to return the Thanks of this House to his Majesty.

Resolved, &c. That a Copy of the first Message sent hither by his Majesty, against Sir Richard Temple, be sent to the Earl of Bristoll: And he be made acquainted, That the King hath sent Word to this House, That he brought the Message to him, from Sir Richard Temple; and his Answer desired, Whether Sir Richard Temple did desire him so to do.

Ordered, That Mr. John Vaughan and Mr. Garway do attend the Earl of Bristoll with this Message.

From: 'House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 26 June 1663', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 8: 1660-1667 (1802), pp. 510-11. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…. Date accessed: 26 June 2006.

kilroy  •  Link

Shiver my timbers! Don't want to argue with the OED. But the thought of being on a tall ship whose "masts being shivered from top to bottom" must be an awesome experience. And can see how this expression may have been used by a 17th century seaman and perhaps earlier.

dirk  •  Link

The Rev. Josselin in a more worldly mood today...

"rode two miles to Stanly Hall, the ways wonderfully deep, daily rains, and no hopes but in gods covenant. I saw there the biggest whitethorn that ever I saw, and high as a good tree and big, my habitation pleases me better than those I see abroad(,) god raise my heart to thankfulness."

GrahamT  •  Link

"We drank great store of wine, and a beer glass at last which made me almost sick."
Sam obviously hadn't heard the old saying:
Beer before wine,
and you'll feel fine.
Wine before beer,
will make you feel queer.

Mary  •  Link

The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green.

This is a name to conjure with in East End history from the later Middle Ages to the 20th Century.

For a brief history, go to http://www.eastlondonhistory.com and search on Blind Beggar.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Charles and Catherine enjoy a rare happy moment together in celebration...
(adapted from, of course, the Duke of Plaza-Toro's "In enterprise of martial kind...")

Charles, Catherine (dancing):

"In this enterprise of martial kind,
There was vicious fighting,
So he led his forces from behind--
(He found it less exciting.)
But when away his forces ran,
His place was at the fore, O--
That celebrated,
Cultivated,
Underrated
Nobleman,
Don John of Austria!

Court:

In the first and foremost flight, ha, ha!
You found that Spanish knight, ha, ha!
That celebrated,
Cultivated,
Underrated
Nobleman,
Don John of Austria!

Charles, Catherine (pause, grinning):

When, to evade Destruction's hand,
To flee they all proceeded,
No soldier of that Spanish band
Hid half as well as he did.
He lay concealed throughout the fight,
And so preserved his gore, O!
That unaffected,
Undetected,
Well-connected
Warrior,
Don John of Austria!

All:

When fleeing was the need, ha, ha!
That Spainard took the lead, ha, ha!
That unaffected,
Undetected,
Well-connected
Warrior,
Don John of Austria!

Don McCahill  •  Link

discoursing of my getting my Lord to let me have security upon his estate for 100l. per ann. for two lives, my own and my wife, for my money

I did read Terry's reference, but remain confused. Is SP looking at some kind of life insurance here? If he is, I know an agent who would love to talk to him :)

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Sir W. Batten, Sir J. Minnes, my Lady Batten, and I by coach to Bednall Green, to Sir W. Rider’s to dinner

From time to time I find in the diary situations that have modern parallels of interest, like this one. A major vendor to the Navy entertains the commissioners who buy his wares (and one of them, horrors, a Member of Parliament). I think of the indignant ink expended on the military-industrial complex, lobbying, campaign finance etc., etc., by wretches like me. Sam oughtn't be there, but he brings back lovely stories.

jeannine  •  Link

"some kind of life insurance"
Don, I too was puzzled by the security mentioned in today's entry.
The only thing I have found in regards to "quasi-insurance" during this time period was called an "annuity". Basically it went like this (From "The Life and Loyalties of Thomas Bruce" by the Earl of Cardigan):
"Since as yet no insurance companies existed, it was not uncommon for a man of substance to accept from a client a capital sum, in return for which he would covenant to pay the client so much per annum so long as either or both of them should live." Common sense would mean that the borrower would benefit from choosing a lender who was close to death and/or lived a lifestyle to get him there, and the lender would benefit by choosing a strong, healthy borrower who would live a long life. In the case of Ailesbury he was advanced L 1,100 and had to pay out L200 per annum for the period that he and his lender both remained alive. He borrowed from a man named George Porter who looked like a great bet as Porter is described as a "vile wretch as to morals and ways of living .... {and} so eaten up is he with certain disease, and that spits blood, and always in quarrels and in ill places" (p. 122). The author explains that "It was an interesting arrangement, for it gave Ailesbury (whose conscience would not have allowed him to pursue it) a vested interest in hastening Porter's death. At the same time, it gave Porter (for who human life had no special sanctity) a vested interest in keeping Ailesbury alive" (p. 123). It makes one wonder how many lenders had unfortunate "accidents" along the way! Unfortunately for Ailesbury, Porter, in spite of his depraved lifestyle lived longer than expected so this gamble did not work out too favorably for Ailesbury.

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Here it raining hard he and I walked into the King’s Bench Court, where I never was before, and there staid an hour almost, till it had done raining, which is a sad season, that it is said there hath not been one fair day these three months, and I think it is true

Round here we call it "Al Gore weather."

dirk  •  Link

Beer & wine

Re - GrahamT

There exists a different interpretation of this rhyme. Beer and wine are said not to combine well physically -- in whatever order!

But "beer" here is supposed to stand for a "common" [poorer] way of life, and "wine" to a better [richer] way of life. In which case the verse would mean that it's easier to go from poor to rich than the other way around.

---

For what it's worth...

Rex Gordon  •  Link

The Blind Beggar and Al Gore Weather

It was difficult to find the blind beggar entry on the website ... they seem to be posted in the order of their appearance. Save time and look under the "1999" entries.

As for the weather here on the USA's Middle Atlantic coast, well ... having seen "An Inconvenient Truth" recently, I feel as if the dire predictions are coming true already, and quicker than Al Gore's mentor supposed. Since when did Maryland become some Caribbean place with tropical depression downpours in June for days on end? Why are we watching our cars float down the street and our bridges wash away? There'll be alligators in Baltimore harbor before too long!

dirk  •  Link

Annuities

"my getting my Lord to let me have security upon his estate for 100l. per ann. for two lives, my own and my wife, for my money."

Jeannine, you may be right. This was a very common system in the 16th and 17th c.

In that case, Sam would have to pay a -- considerable -- sum of money to Montagu, in return for a fixed yearly amount payable to Sam and Elizabeth, or the surviving party ["for two lives, my own and my wife"]. The paying party, in this case Montagu, was commonly expected to give some kind of security ["his estate"?] to secure these regular payments to the receiving party.

The trouble with this is that Sam is still relatively young -- and so is Elizabeth. This would imply that the initial sum Sam would have to pay to Montagu would have to be **very** high to offset the many years "My Lord" could be expected to have to pay annuities to the "happy couple". And I don't think Sam has that kind of money available for such a purpose.

Variations on this kind of arrangement are in theory also possible -- although I haven't been able to find any definite examples in the [scarce] literature on the subject -- e.g. with payments by Montagu somehow limited in time, of after a "grace period". But there's no way to tell with the limited information we have.

Bradford  •  Link

Re Charles and Catherine: as Casilda, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, tells her would-be swain in "The Gondoliers," "An embwace cannot be taken to act wetwospectively"---or anticipatorily, in view of the years of estrangement ahead.

The advice on drink I quoted above comes from the unimpeachable source of Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," in which Honey proves the truth of her own apothegm. Just offstage, fortunately.

Pedro  •  Link

“Genoese gaily in Leghorn Roads was struck by thunder, so as the mast was broke a-pieces”

For a stormy scene in the Battle of Leghorn (1653) by artist Reinier Nooms, and a description of the battle see…

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/mag/pages/mn…

JonTom Kittredge  •  Link

Annuties
OK, that makes more sense to me. It sure sounded like insurance when I first read it, but I didn't understand why Sam would be insuring Elizabeth's life, since he wouldn't lose any income by her death (she having no dowry).

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Brampton...

"So tell me once again...Be we havin' a pleasant stay?!" John glares at the two women in their dark and dismal cellar room. After days of constant subjection to his program for contentment. Consisting primarily of little water, no food, confinement in a dark room...And...

"Uh...Yes, Father Pepys." Bess nods. Ashwell vacantly joining in.

"Hmmn...Not quite the enthusiastic response I'd expect."

"Pall, Mother...The song." he turns to the two.

"No, not the song...Not again!" Ashwell, trained musician, shrieks in horror...

Bess, resigned...But the inner spirit of a refugee not broken...Yet.

Though one more time and...

Pall, Margaret robotically...Joined by a beaming John.

"Welcome to Brampton, such a perfect town

Father Pepys has rules, let us lay them down.

Don't make waves, keep behind, and we'll get a-long fine.

Brampton is a perfect place.

Now you’re in Brampton and this is my town

John does not tolerate any pouting frown

Watch your step, watch your speech, no French ways we beseech

Brampton is a perfect place.

Please keep off of my grass
Shine your shoes, wipe your...face.

BRAMPTON is.. BRAMPTON IS...Brampton is a per-fect plaaaaaaace!"

(Naturally he studied hospitality skills under Lord Farquahr of Dulac)

***

slangist  •  Link

"my getting my Lord to let me have security upon his estate for 100l. per ann. for two lives, my own and my wife, for my money. But upon second thoughts Mr. Moore tells me it is very likely my Lord will think that I beg something, and may take it ill, and so we resolved not to move it there, but to look for it somewhere else."

the situation is that sam has lent sandwich a deal of money on no security. he wishes to obtain a stronger purchase on the sandwich estate than a simple IOU as he now possesses. sam thinks of turning the loan into an annuity as a means of obtaining a stronger claim. but moore convinces him that, however feasible, such a scheme is impolitic in that sandwich may not see it as a straightforward financial transaction, but as being a special kind of favor, which sam is reluctant to claim. so sam and moore agree to think further of how to handle the outcome of the loan that already exists from sam to sandwich with, apparently, no fixed repayment terms yet in force. an annuity would give such terms and the only bargaining would be as to the rate; yet sandwich would likely be touchy about converting an anytime-payable obligation into a fixed-return schedule.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Mr. Moore coming to see me, he and I discoursed of going to Oxford this Commencement, Mr. Nathaniel Crew being Proctor and Mr. Childe commencing Doctor of Musique this year"

Rain prevented their going: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Nathaniel Crew was a fellow of Lincoln College. William Child's doctoral exercise (an anthem) was performed at St Mary's. The 'commencement' (Pepys uses the Cambridge word for the Oxford 'Act') was the ceremony at which full degrees (those of master and doctor) were conferred. (Per L&M footnote)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"sam has lent sandwich a deal of money on no security"

A loan of £500 originally made by Pepys to Sandwich in 1661.

Emilio on 29 Mar 2004

"to sign me a bond for my 500l."

L&M have an interesting footnote about this transaction: "This loan was increased to £700 on 24 August 1663. Pepys was in fact investing what were virtually his entire savings in this way: see his accounts below, at 8 September, 31 December 1661; 26 June, 31 December 1663. Of principal and interest just over £250 remained unpaid at 10 February 1665.”

This helps explain how he ultimately does so well through all the ups and downs [in this period] of his...life....
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Sir J. Minnes reading a book of scolding very prettily"

Possibly burlesques: Mennes is said to have been one of the earliest English writers in this style. A.F.B. Clark, Boileau in Engl. , p.327. (L&M footnote)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"it is said there hath not been one fair day these three months, and I think it is true,"

Dr. D.J. Schove (St David's College, author of the Weather article in the Companion) writes 'This was the wettest summer of the 1660's.'
(Per L&M footnote)

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... Genoese gaily in Leghorn Roads was struck by thunder, so as the mast was broke a-pieces, and the shackle upon one of the slaves was melted clear off of his leg without hurting his leg. Sir William went on board the vessel, and would have contributed towards the release of the slave whom Heaven had thus set free, but he could not compass it, and so he was brought to his fetters again."

A Genoese Galley appears to be a certain type of ship: http://bob.plord.net/Ships/Period… One caption says, "Essentially mass-produced, there was little investment in decoration. At the Battle of Lepanto, 7 October 1571, there were some 27 Genoese galleys, ...."

Although not mentioning the word Genoese:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gal… "It was only in the early 16th century that the modern idea of the galley slave became commonplace. Galley fleets as well as the size of individual vessels increase in size, which required more rowers. ... It became increasingly common to man galleys with convicts or slaves, which required a simpler method of rowing. The older method of employing professional rowers using the alla sensile method (one oar per man, with two to three sharing the same bench) was gradually phased out in favor of rowing a scaloccio, which required less skill."

So this slave was white, and a prisoner, and Sir William Batten couldn't figure out how to rescue him from his sentence. Or do you think it could have been an African slave, so Sir William didn't want to take someone's property? I am unaware of when African slavery was employed around the Mediterranean, if at all.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

" Sir William went on board the vessel, and would have contributed towards the release of the slave whom Heaven had thus set free, but he could not compass it"

San Diego Sarah I read that Sir William Rider (who told the story) says he didn't succeed (for reasons unknown) in redeeming the (unidentified) slave.

----
Thanks for the very helpful explanation of what a Genoese Galley was (who knew?!).

E  •  Link

The word "compass" here could most likely be understood to mean "afford."

African slavery was extensively employed around the Mediterranean.

I would guess that the captain may have demanded that Sir William pay him cash on the spot for the slave, as it would not do at all to extend credit on such a business matter until the ship went in to port. The captain certainly would not have wanted the freed slave remaining on board, either. As the representative of the ship's and cargo's owners, this is responsible behavior on the captain's part.

JayW  •  Link

Annuities were compulsory for pension savers reaching the age of 75 until quite recently here in the UK. Pension savings had to be passed over to insurers in exchange for a guaranteed income for life. Different products were available, and still are, providing flat rate amounts, amounts rising in accordance with an agreed % each year or an inflation index, and on joint lives for a couple or a single life. Private annuities have also been used here in the UK but usually payments would continue until the death of the annuitant. If the grantor died first his estate/heirs would have to continue paying.

Gerald Berg  •  Link

"collation of great mirth" Hmmm, sounds like a party!

RE: blind beggar - He built this house! No wait, he built that outhouse.

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

OED has:

‘compass, v.1 < French . .
. . 11. a. To attain to or achieve (an end or object aimed at); to accomplish.
. . 1616 Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) i. ii. 40 That were hard to compasse, Because she will admit no kinde of suite.
1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto Voy. & Adventures xxii. 77 The better to compass his intent . . ‘

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

As a Merry Christmas/end of 2016 gift, JD Davies today posted excerpts from his new book, which contains not only a fabulous picture of Genoese Galleys and their slave rowers, but also a description of how fast they could maneuver and what it took to row a ship like that at 12 knots. Enjoy:

https://jddavies.com/2016/12/19/m…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Under Louis XIII, Vincent de Paul (not yet a saint, obviously) found these conditions when he arrived in Paris:

"M. de Gondi was General of the King’s Galleys, or, as we should now say, Admiral of the Fleet. It was no easy post in days when the Mediterranean was infested with Turkish pirates, to whom the royal ships had to give frequent chase; but the General had distinguished himself more than once by his skill and courage at this difficult task.

... the King’s galleys were rowed by the convicts and prisoners of France, for it would have been impossible to find volunteers for the work. Chained to their oars night and day, kept in order by cruel cuts of the lash on their bare shoulders, these men lived and died on the rowers’ bench without spiritual help or assistance of any kind. The conditions of service were such that many prisoners took their own lives rather than face the torments of such an existence.

As Vincent went about his works of charity in Paris it occurred to him to visit the dungeons where the men who had been condemned to the galleys were confined. What he saw filled him with horror. Huddled together in damp and filthy prisons, crawling with vermin, covered with sores and ulcers, brawling, blaspheming and fighting, the galley slaves made a picture suggestive only of Hell."

for more info on St. Vincent: http://saints.sqpn.com/life-of-sa…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"This very house was built by the Blind Beggar of Bednall Green, so much talked of and sang in ballads;"

L&N: Cf. T. Percy, Reliques (1765), ii. 155+. The beggar (whose memory was still kept alive in Bethnal Green) was supposedly Henry, son of Simonb de Mon tfort, rescued after the battle of Evesham (1265) by a baron's daughter.
-------------------
The Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (sometimes known as Reliques of Ancient Poetry or simply Percy's Reliques) is a collection of ballads and popular songs collected by Bishop Thomas Percy and published in 1765. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rel…

Third Reading

Ruslan  •  Link

> ... he and I discoursed of going to Oxford this Commencement, Mr. Nathaniel Crew being Proctor and Mr. Childe commencing Doctor of Musique this year

According to Wikipedia, Nathaniel Crew was the son of John Crew (1st Baron Crew). Which would also make him Lord Sandwich's brother-in-law.

Nathaniel Crew: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat…
John Crew: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joh…

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