Thursday 24 December 1663
Up betimes; and though it was a most foggy morning, and cold, yet with a gally down to Eriffe, several times being at a loss whither we went. There I mustered two ships of the King’s, lent by him to the Guiny Company, which are manned better than ours at far less wages. Thence on board two of the King’s, one of them the “Leopard,” Captain Beech, who I find an able and serious man. He received me civilly, and his wife was there, a very well bred and knowing woman, born at Antwerp, but speaks as good English as myself, and an ingenious woman. Here was also Sir G. Carteret’s son, who I find a pretty, but very talking man, but good humour.
Thence back again, entertaining myself upon my sliding rule with great content, and called at Woolwich, where Mr. Chr. Pett having an opportunity of being alone did tell me his mind about several things he thought I was offended with him in, and told me of my kindness to his assistant. I did give him such an answer as I thought was fit and left him well satisfied, he offering to do me all the service, either by draughts or modells that I should desire. Thence straight home, being very cold, but yet well, I thank God, and at home found my wife making mince pies, and by and by comes in Captain Ferrers to see us, and, among other talke, tells us of the goodness of the new play of “Henry VIII.,” which makes me think [it] long till my time is out; but I hope before I go I shall set myself such a stint as I may not forget myself as I have hitherto done till I was forced for these months last past wholly to forbid myself the seeing of one.
He gone I to my office and there late writing and reading, and so home to bed.
24 Annotations
First Reading
Pedro • Link
The Leopard.
In 1672 over 60% of the men on the Leopard were pressed.
(Gentlemen and Tarpaulins by J. D. Davies)
Bradford • Link
"The Shorter Pepys" makes this insertion in this sentence:
"till I was forced for these [six] months last past wholly to forbid myself the seeing of one."
The mince pies seem the sole sign of the season. One wonders what process rendered them, over the ensuing centuries, fit for vegetarians.
Captain Ferrers seems to be comporting himself with suitable decorum these days. Pity.
Ruben • Link
We read today that Elizabeth prepared mince pies, a traditional Christmas delicacy. This is the only sign of a celebration.
Following the link "mince pies" you will find some eye popping recipes from the old times.
I wish a peaceful day to all those that are eating leftovers today and all the others too.
Bradford • Link
"Thence back again, entertaining myself upon my sliding rule with great content": Sam's equivalent of a Gameboy, though characteristically rather than escaping from his day job, he is making himself more adept at it.
"I'll be home for Christmas,
If only in my dreams."
Kelly • Link
the new play of "Henry VIII.,A "New Play"???
Robert Gertz • Link
Bess seems to take it as either a housewifery point of honor or matter of family tradition to make the Xmas mince pies herself.
Aw Sam, damn it...Break the vow as a gift for Bess and take her to your day's blockbuster.
Harvey • Link
"The mince pies seem the sole sign of the season. One wonders what process rendered them, over the ensuing centuries, fit for vegetarians."
I think the 'mince' here is its now uncommon original meaning of 'finely divided', still used in 'mincing steps' and 'don't mince words'. The 'mince' was probably minced fruit as it is today.
Cheers,
Harvey
michael j gresk m.a. • Link
mince?? mince meat ?? Could it not be a finely chopped meat?? I recall purchasing 'mince', pre-wrapped in the supermarkets in London or bulk from a butcher shop.
jeannine • Link
Michael,
Mince originally was finely chopped meat. From "Pepys at Table" by Driver and Berriedale-Johnson
"Mince pies are almost the only one of our Christmas dishes which were as regularly eaten in Pepys time as today. Even though a seventeenth-century mince pie still contained the meat which had originally been predominate, the balance of the recipe had already shifted towards the sweet ingredients." (p. 100)
Mary • Link
mince and mince pies.
The British still regularly go to both the supermarket and the butcher's to buy beef mince, lamb mince or pork mince. (ground beef, ground lamb etc.)
Vegetarians should note that the standard mince pie is not, even now, an entirely meat-free article, as the traditional recipe includes beef suet. Vegetarians often substitute grated margarine for the suet.
cumgranosalis • Link
to mince matters, the word was used back in 11th c
OED:
[< Anglo-Norman and Old French mincer, mincier to cut up (food) into small pieces (late 11th cent.; late 12th cent. in fig. use; also mincher (13th cent.); French mincer (now rare), French regional (Normandy) mincher, minser), doublet of menuiser MINISH v., arising as an accentual variant. Cf. MYCE v.]
I. Simple uses.
1. trans. a. To cut up or grind (food, esp. meat) into very small pieces, now typically in a machine with revolving blades;
the first noted use for the mince[d] pie be early 1600's
1607 R. JOHNSON Pleas. Conceites Old Hobson (Percy Soc.) 9 Cramming their bellies with minced pyes.
1655 T. MOFFET & C. BENNET Healths Improvem. (1746) 297 Dates are usually put into..minced pies
2. a. trans. In extended use. To cut up, subdivide minutely; to tear, smash, etc., to pieces. Also with up. Occas. refl. or intr.
1639 T. FULLER Hist. Holy Warre V. xxi. 264 We will not take notice of Germanie as it is minced into pettie Principalities.
1643 SIR T. BROWNE Relig. Medici I. §8 Nor contented with a general breach or dichotomy with their Church do subdivide and mince themselves almost into Atoms
For RG:
c. To cut (a person) up into small pieces. Now rare.
1603 SHAKESPEARE Haml. II. ii. 517 She saw Pirrus with malitious strokes, Mincing her husbandes limbs.
a1616 SHAKESPEARE Timon (1623) IV. iii. 123 Spare not the Babe..Thinke it a Bastard..And mince it sans remorse
c. intr. To prevaricate; to be reticent (in speech or writing). Now rare. 1615
A. Hamilton • Link
Plus ca change (alack no cedilla)
My London visit at Christmas was marked by heavy mists (Heathrow was closed for a spell) and the making of mince pies.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"'the new play of 'Henry VIII.,A 'New Play'???"
Kelly, it was new to the Restoration stage: recently revived by Davenant, added to the plays staged by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields theatre,.
Terry Foreman • Link
"I was forced for these months last past wholly to forbid myself the seeing of one [a play]."
Pepys had sworn not to see a play 'til Christmas on June 13.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
"two ships of the King’s, lent by him to the Guiny Company, which are manned better than ours at far less wages"
These were the Sophia and the Welcome. Most of the men served at 17s. and 16s. a month, as against 24s. in the royal navy. (Per L&M note)
Merry Christmas to them!
Terry Foreman • Link
"Thence on board two of the King’s, one of them the “Leopard,” "
L&M note she was about to convoy a fleet of merchantmen to the Mediterranean and the Levant.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Henry VIII: December 10, 1663: "Calling at Wotton’s, my shoemaker’s, today, he tells me ... that Harris is come to the Duke’s house again; and of a rare play to be acted this week of Davenant’s: the story of Henry the Eighth with all his wives." Davenant revived Shakespeare's Henry VIII at the Duke's House Theatre, Lincoln's Inn Fields. There is no evidence of Davenant altering this play, although he usually did because he did not own the copyright to the originals. Henry VIII was first performed in 1613, and appeared in print in 1623. Downes (p.24) describes this revival as a great success and Thomas Patrick Betterton played Henry VIII, 'he being instructed in it by Sir William (Davenant), who had had it from Old Mr. Lowen, that had his Instructions from Mr. Shakespeare himself ....' [Henry or Joseph] Harris appeared as Wolsey, and Betterton's wife, Mary Saunderson, was Queen Katherine of Aragon. For more information: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Louise Hudson • Link
Christmas Eve and no stockings hung by the chimney with care. Not even a mention of Christmas Eve.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Louise, Christmas took a while to catch on again ... and Christmas stockings didn't arrive until Victorian times ... gift giving took place at New Year's for your loved ones and superiors ... Christmas boxes of money went to the tradesmen and apprentices before Christmas.
To learn about the man who, almost single-handed, saved Christmas, read up on William Winstanley. My nomination for Man of the Year:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/a…
Louise Hudson • Link
Sareah, There were no Christmas stockings, I know (sigh). I just threw that in for hyperbolic effect. Thanks for the link.
StanB • Link
Would like to wish Annotators past and present a very Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year, I wish you all that you wish for yourselves,
Here's to 1664
Sasha Clarkson • Link
The "Lord Of Misrule" was an interesting old English tradition, which had almost disappeared by Commonwealth days, though it lingered in traditionalist regions far from London.
Some might suggest that Charles II had several permanent Lords of Misrule of his own in the persons of Buckingham, Rochester etc.
Anyway, let me wish Phil and all annotators a happy Christmas/Yule/Saturnalia and a 2017 in which any newly elected Lords of Misrule do as little damage as possible.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lor…
Benedictus benedicat!
San Diego Sarah • Link
Nicely said, Stan and Sasha ... it's a pleasure sharing this experience with you and Louise and Terry and Phil and everyone who puts in their two cents' worth. Peace on earth, and may we never experience anything like what these Diary characters lived through in their last decade. I am humbled by their resilience.
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . at home found my wife making mince pies, . .’
‘mince pie, n. < mince v. *
. .1. b. A pie or tart containing mincemeat** (see mincemeat n. 1b), usually one eaten during the Christmas season and also (in N. Amer.) at Thanksgiving. In Britain, the pies are now usually small, round covered tarts; elsewhere they are often traditionally larger.
. . 1662 S. Pepys Diary 6 Jan. (1970) III. 4 We have, besides a good chine of beef and other good cheer, eighteen mince-pies in a dish, the number of the years that he hath been married . . ‘
* ‘mince, v. < Anglo-Norman. .
1. trans. a. To cut up or grind (food, esp. meat) into very small pieces, now typically in a machine with revolving blades . . ‘
** ‘1.b. The mixture of currants, raisins, sugar, suet, apples, almonds, candied peel, spices, etc., and originally meat chopped small, typically baked in pastry, as in mince pies and other traditional Christmas dishes.
. . 1845 E. Acton Mod. Cookery xvi. 428 Mince Pies. Butter some tin pattypans well, and line them evenly with fine puff paste rolled thin; fill them with mincemeat [etc.].’
‘minced meat, n.
. .1. b. = mincemeat n. 1b8. Now rare.
1762 W. Gelleroy London Cook 236 Mix your minced meat and sweetmeats accordingly.’
(OED)