Wednesday 29 March 1665

Up betimes and to Povy’s, where a good while talking about our business; thence abroad into the City, but upon his tally could not get any money in Lumbard Streete, through the disrepute which he suffers, I perceive, upon his giving up his place, which people think was not choice, but necessity, as indeed it was. So back to his house, after we had been at my house to taste my wine, but my wife being abroad nobody could come at it, and so we were defeated. To his house, and before dinner he and I did discourse of the business of freight, wherein I am so much concerned, above 100l. for myself, and in my over hasty making a bill out for the rest for him, but he resolves to move Creed in it. Which troubled me much, and Creed by and by comes, and after dinner he did, but in the most cunning ingenious manner, do his business with Creed by bringing it in by the by, that the most subtile man in the world could never have done it better, and I must say that he is a most witty, cunning man and one that I (am) most afeard of in my conversation, though in all serious matters of business the veriest foole that ever I met with. The bill was produced and a copy given Creed, whereupon he wrote his Intratur upon the originall, and I hope it will pass, at least I am now put to it that I must stand by it and justify it, but I pray God it may never come to that test.

Thence between vexed and joyed, not knowing what yet to make of it, home, calling for my Lord Cooke’s 3 volumes at my bookseller’s, and so home, where I found a new cook mayd, her name is ——- that promises very little. So to my office, where late about drawing up a proposal for Captain Taylor, for him to deliver to the City about his building the new ship, which I have done well, and I hope will do the business, and so home to supper and to bed.

22 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Usually on Wednesdays Pepys goes to Gresham College; he skips today's Royal Society meeting, which is unfortunate, since it concerned at least in part a daily medicament he takes.

Hooke Folio Online

march. 29. expts. of Refraction of water & oyle of Turpentine tryd.

http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Certain odd correspondence of this day calendared in the Carte Collection:

Sir Robert Byron to Lane
Written from: Dublin

Date: 29 March 1665
....
Never man escaped a greater danger [at sea] than did the writer, on the 11th and 12th, inst, in a passage, well nigh fatal to him. But on the 13th, at noon, they got in to Strangford, "thanks be to God" ...

He asks the favour of his correspondent's call upon Mr Lely [in MS.: "Lilley" - meaning, of course, Sir Peter Lely], for a picture (a copy of that Sir George Lane himself has), which the writer "had no conveniency to bring" with him.

***
Intelligence [concerning foreign negotiations of the native Irish; and other political incidents beyond seas]. Sent to Lord Deputy the Earl of Ossory, and by him communicated to the Duke of Ormond, Lord Lieutenant.
Written from: Dublin

Date: 29 March 1665 [the year dated "1664" in error]
....
http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"...so home, where I found a new cook mayd, her name is ——(Alice)- that promises very little."

Interesting turn of phrase...Was he convinced at first sight she'd not live up to his ever-expanding standards? Or was there something about the name "Alice" associated with less able cooks?

So Bess holds the keys even to Sam's wine supply? Likewise interesting...

dirk  •  Link

John Evelyn's diary today:

"Went to Goring House, now Mr. Secretary Bennett's, ill built, but the place capable of being made a pretty villa. His Ma[jes]ty was now finishing the Decoy in the Parke."

According to a footnote Goring House = "On the site whereof Arlington Street is now built".

Ralph Berry  •  Link

"...the business of freight..."

Can any explain what SP means here. Has he given a bill to pay in excess of 100l and worried it will be called up or is he expecting to make a personal profit of 100l and is now nervous he is being too greedy?

Also what is an Intrature? Is it a signature? seal? It is not in my dictionary and the only google references are in Latin beyond my ability.

Thanks

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Ralph Berry, good questions!

For the issue of freight see this annote to 9 December 1664: L&M explain that Pepys was presumably using the ship Williams, of which Taylor was captain, to ship for Vyner, goldsmith and banker, pieces-of-eight to the garrison in Tangier....

http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

***
"Intratur" is lit. "it is entered" in Latin; here it means an authorization by a signature -- Creed has signed off on what Pepys has done, so our boy is free and clear.

Paul Chapin  •  Link

"the eeriest foole"
Undoubtedly a mis-scan for "veriest", as happened previously when our text had Sam calling Mrs. Pierce the "eeriest slattern".

Michael Robinson  •  Link

" ... where late about drawing up a proposal for Captain Taylor, for him to deliver to the City about his building the new ship, which I have done well,..."

Presumably SP following up rapidly on the City's fit of enthusiasm and pledges of financial support on hearing the news of the sinking of the London on March 8th.:
( http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… )

"At noon to the ‘Change, where very hot, people’s proposal of the City giving the King another ship for “The London,” that is lately blown up, which would be very handsome, and if well managed, might be done; but I fear if it be put into ill hands, or that the courtiers do solicit it, it will never be done."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Michael Robinson  •  Link

“…the business of freight…”

Anxiety about getting caught in this piece of subterfuge has caused SP some agony from the beginning:

" ...and received 117l. 5s. of Alderman Viner upon my pretended freight of the “William” for Tangier, which overbears me on one side with joy and on the other to think of my condition if I shall be called into examination about it, and (though in strictness it is due) not be able to give a good account of it."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

"Thence to Mr. Povy’s, and there met Creed, and dined well after his old manner of plenty and curiosity. But I sat in pain to think whether he would begin with me again after dinner with his enquiry after my bill, but he did not, but fell into other discourse, at which I was glad, but was vexed this morning meeting of Creed at some bye questions that he demanded of me about some such thing, which made me fear he meant that very matter, but I perceive he did not."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

SP becoming sufficiently distressed, when even God can be consciously disregarded from time time over the small sums of the fines for oath breaking, that he actually gave up real money for piece of mind:-

"... Thence to the office, to my accounts, and there at once to ease my mind I have made myself debtor to Mr. Povy for the 117l. 5s. got with so much joy the last month, but seeing that it is not like to be kept without some trouble and question, I do even discharge my mind of it, and so if I come now to refund it, as I fear I shall, I shall now be ne’er a whit the poorer for it, though yet it is some trouble to me to be poorer by such a sum than I thought myself a month since. But, however, a quiet mind and to be sure of my owne is worth all."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

It is curious how SP can praise Povy for pulling one over on Creed (whose abilities SP has decided some time ago he needed to be wary of) "he is a most witty, cunning man and one that I (am) most afeard of in my conversation, ..." and because he keeps disordered accounts "though in all serious matters of business the eeriest foole that ever I met with. " Yet not put together how might it possible for this 'veriest fool' to afford the house, splendid decorations, paintings etc. which SP has drooled over in the past and, not least, the coach in which SP has taken to traveling.

JWB  •  Link

THE ORIGIN AND AGE OF DECOYS.

" The first and most reliable description of a Decoy in England for catching ducks by enticing them, is, in my opinion, that referred to by Evelyn which Charles II made in St. James's Park. Evelyn writes in his Memoirs, March 29th, 1665, "His Majesty is now finishing 'the Decoy in the Park." It is highly probable that this was one of the first real Decoys made in England, and that "Sydrach Hilcus," who constructed it, was a Dutchman imported from Holland for the purpose "
http://www.decoymans.co.uk/chapte…

1665 engraving of a Decoy
http://www.decoymans.co.uk/chapte…

"THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS; THEIR
CONSTRUCTION, MANAGEMENT AND HISTORY"
RALPH PAYNE-GALLWEY.
THIRKLEBY PARK,
THIRSK.
May, 1886.

A. De Araujo  •  Link

"but my wife being abroad nobody could come at it....................and so home where i found a new cook mayde"
My God!doesn't Bess inform Sam what is going on?!

Robert Gertz  •  Link

So Povy can outmanuever even the sly Creed in the art of the deal but gets a little lost when he must handle the actual numbers crunching...All the more puzzling he doesn't have an able team like Sandwich's Moore-Howe-Creed-Pepys to back him up.

Phil  •  Link

You guys were smoke'n today. What an interesting, interesting series of annotations. Thank You

Terry Foreman  •  Link

More on the Royal Society today from Hooke's Folio Online

March. 29. 1665. (letter about monstrous calf)
An Expt. was made for generating air by putting [aqua fortis] & powder of oyster shells in a small glasse phiol vnder water, and whelming a large glasse filld wth water ouer it to Receiue the steames of Corrosion. the successe was that the glasse was fill about a quarter full of /an/ aereall substance orderd to be set by till next meeting.
The Refraction of water couerd with turpentine was tryed. the ^ /refraction of/ the water singly hauing been first Examined and found 41o. 40'. That wth oyle of turpentine being tryall afterward was found 41o. 45'. (D Pell moued that the Refraction of Turpentine after it has been vpon the water might be tryd.) C.Blunt chariot modules)
mr Hooke was spoken ^ /to/ to take notice of the Pole of P. Ruperts hunting Chariot.
(mr Haak to get descrip of great waggon between Lubeck & Hamborough carrying 16 person 3 abrest)
Co. Blunt shew a taynt spider. curing a beast of the wind from eating clower by thrusting a knife into the flank)
Dr. charlton Rebukd about macassar poyson -

http://webapps.qmul.ac.uk/cell/Ho…

A. Hamilton  •  Link

that the most subtile man in the world could never have done it better, and I must say that he is a most witty, cunning man and one that I (am) most afeard of in my conversation, though in all serious matters of business the eeriest foole that ever I met with.

I parse this to say Povy is all of the above, and that there is no reference to Creed (who has certainly impressed Pepys as out for himself and very clever).

Michael Robinson  •  Link

there is no reference to Creed

The reference to Creed is in the prior phrase:-

" ...and after dinner he did, but in the most cunning ingenious manner, do his business with Creed by bringing it in by the by, that the most subtile man in the world could never have done it better, ..."

Phil Gyford  •  Link

Re the "eeriest"/"veriest" typo mentioned above: I've corrected it in the text now.

Second Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... into the City, but upon his tally could not get any money in Lumbard Streete, through the disrepute which he suffers, I perceive, upon his giving up his place, ..."

Now what happens? Povy's accounting means nothing. The goldsmiths won't honor his Tangier tallies. Pepys doesn't seem too upset.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Duck hunting in 1665 ...

Many streets take their name from tavern signs, and those signs were often given nicknames that reflected public opinion on the merits (or representational accuracy) of the painter. Dog and Duck Yard is almost certainly from an inn sign which referred either to the common form of duck hunting (with guns and retrievers), or possibly from one of Charles II’s sports, known in 1665 as the ‘Royal Diversion of Duck Hunting’.

The fun of this diversion was to throw ducks, often with pinioned wings, into a pond and watch them try to escape from the spaniels that were sent in after them.

Information from https://thestreetnames.com/tag/so…

StanB  •  Link

So to my office, where late about drawing up a proposal for Captain Taylor, for him to deliver to the City about his building the new ship, (HMS Loyal London)
History of name "London" within the Royal Navy
Thirteen ships of the Royal Navy have been named London, after the city of London. Another was named HMS Loyal London (1666):
English ship London (1636) was a 40-gun East Indiaman purchased in 1636 and listed until 1653.
The London (1656) was a 64-gun second-rate ship launched in 1656 and blown up in an accident in 1665.
HMS Loyal London (1666) was a 96-gun second-rate ship launched in 1666. She was partly destroyed by fire by the Dutch in the Medway in 1667, but the remains were rebuilt becoming the next HMS London.
HMS London (1670) was a 96-gun first-rate ship launched in 1670 to replace the previous ship of the same name. She was rebuilt in 1706 and 1721, and was broken up in 1747.
HMS London (1756) was a 16-gun brigantine launched in 1756 on Lake Ontario and captured by the French the same year.
HMS London (1756) was a 6-gun busse, formerly the civilian fisheries vessel Holden. She was purchased in 1756 from the Society for the Free British Fishery and burnt to avoid capture in 1758.
HMS London (1759) was a 6-gun busse purchased in 1759 and in the records until 1764.
HMS London (1766) was a 90-gun second rate launched in 1766 and broken up in 1811.
HMS London was to have been a 104-gun first rate. She was renamed HMS Royal Adelaide in 1827, and launched in 1828. She was sold in 1905.
HMS London (1840) was a 92-gun second rate launched in 1840. She was converted to screw propulsion in 1858 and rearmed to 72 guns. She became a harbour storeship in 1874 and was sold in 1884.
HMS London (1899) was a Formidable-class battleship launched in 1899. She was converted to a minelayer in 1918 and was sold in 1920.
HMS London was a County-class heavy cruiser launched in 1927 and sold in 1950.
HMS London was a County-class guided missile destroyer launched in 1961 and transferred to Pakistan in 1982, where she was renamed Babur.
HMS London was a Type 22 frigate launched in 1984 and sold to Romania in 2002. They renamed her Regina Maria.

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