Monday 15 May 1665
[Continued from yesterday. P.G.] …our victualling ships to set them agoing, and so home, and after dinner to the King’s playhouse, all alone, and saw “Love’s Maistresse.” Some pretty things and good variety in it, but no or little fancy in it. Thence to the Duke of Albemarle to give him account of my day’s works, where he shewed me letters from Sir G. Downing, of four days’ date, that the Dutch are come out and joyned, well-manned, and resolved to board our best ships, and fight for certain they will.
Thence to the Swan at Herbert’s, and there the company of Sarah a little while, and so away and called at the Harp and Ball, where the mayde, Mary, is very ‘formosa’ —[handsome]—; but, Lord! to see in what readiness I am, upon the expiring of my vowes this day, to begin to run into all my pleasures and neglect of business.
Thence home, and being sleepy to bed.
11 Annotations
First Reading
Pedro • Link
On the 15th…
At a Council of War Sandwich records that news from London said that Zealand's fleet had joined those at Texel. The decision was to repair the fleet quickly and get out to sea again.
At Harwich there were 80 sail of colliers bound for Newcastle for coals, and that there was a proclamation of the King to secure their men for impressments. It was deliberated whether they should proceed in regard of the danger of the enemy's fleet, or stop them. It was decided to suffer the men to remain on board until the King's pleasure was received, by order of the Duke.
The men of war that were to be their convoys came back to the Fleet commanding the colliers to stay, but they proceeded on their voyage.
(Info from the Journal of Montagu edited by Anderson)
"Southwarke, there to get some soldiers, by the Duke’s order, to go keep pressmen on board our ships."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
"the expiring of my vowes this day"
L&M wonder whether the vows in question may have those that were taken on 23 January of this year, and then renewed until the day after Whitsunday (which this is): "I did with great content ‘ferais’ a vow to mind my business, and ‘laisser aller les femmes’ for a month, and am with all my heart glad to find myself able to come to so good a resolution, that thereby I may follow my business, which and my honour thereby lies a bleeding." Lovely and poignant phrase, that last one.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
John in Newcastle • Link
Sam's behaviour seems a bit curious today. Going alone to the theatre and then alone to two ale houses (not quite alone, he did flirt with the barmaids). Is he deliberately staying away from home while his mother is there?
cape henry • Link
[Having missed a number of days visiting these pages, let me report that it is nearly a full time job to catch up.]
And I hope not too far off topic: While away ran into a young woman with a name tag that said "Unthank" (I don't recall the "e" or not ending). When I mentioned the inclusion of that name in this diary she responded, "My husband may know something about that; I hate the name myself."
Terry Foreman • Link
"saw 'Love’s Maistresse.' Some pretty things and good variety in it, but no or little fancy in it."
SP saw Thomas Heywood's "Love's Mistress, or The Queen's Masque" in 1661; his verdict on it is about the same (seems like, if there's a play, he'll go!).
2 March 1661 - "wherein there are some good humours: among others, a good jeer to the old story of the Siege of Troy, making it to be a common country tale. But above all it was strange to see so little a boy as that was to act Cupid, which is one of the greatest parts in it."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
25 March 1661 - "saw part of the “Queene’s Maske.”"
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Phil • Link
"Some pretty things and good variety in it, but no or little fancy in it."
But it's just the type of play that likely has him thinking of the opposite sex. It appears the gist of the play is Venus's son - Cupid, selects a bride - Psiches, however, while he lets her touch and kiss him, he does not let her see him. His thinking is that he is too good looking, being a diety. Her family convinces her he must be a serpent (garden of eden revisted?), so she enters his chamber with a knife. He awakes, she sees he's no serpent. He sees the knife.
Psiches: "Let my weak sex plead for my great offence."
Cupid: "No, for thy sake, this plague pursue thy sex; You shall have appetities, and not desires, which though supply'd shall nere be satisfied;..."
With lines like that, how could he possibly go home to Bess.
Carl in Boston • Link
"You shall have appetities, and not desires, which though supply’d shall nere be satisfied"
Monstrous thought, and yet so true, so true. Even better than Alexander Pope "True ease in writing comes by Art, not Chance, as those move easiest who have learned to dance". (Taught me by my high school English teacher, alas for my wayward youth. I struggle to be redeemed, and burn with shame at the recollection of the saucy replies I made unto him.) Alas for the days of yore, when the King's English was/were spake as intended by the Ruler of The Universe, who resides in Heaven above.
Robert Gertz • Link
An wearisome all-nighter for the King and Navy and our boy, vow holiday commencing, jumps at the bridle after noon dinner for an afternoon of delight.
At least he didn't run off to Mrs. Bagwell immediately.
First real test of Sam's new Navy coming up...
Second Reading
Sasha Clarkson • Link
Re 'Unthank' (Cape Henry)
There are a few hamlets/small villages named Unthank in the North of England; there's even an Unthank Hall. However, I suspect that more people live in Norwich's Unthank Road than in all the other places put together.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unt…
StanB • Link
17th Century Pub Crawl ?
Phil C. • Link
There is a really good musical group at the moment in the UK - The Unthanks: two sisters whose real name is Unthank (no e). Their website lists a few other places with the name, including Portland, Oregon; but no mention of Pepys...
http://www.the-unthanks.com/about…