Saturday 31 March 1666
All the morning at the office busy. At noon to dinner, and thence to the office and did my business there as soon as I could, and then home and to my accounts, where very late at them, but, Lord! what a deale of do I have to understand any part of them, and in short do what I could, I could not come to any understanding of them, but after I had throughly wearied myself, I was forced to go to bed and leave them much against my will and vowe too, but I hope God will forgive me, for I have sat up these four nights till past twelve at night to master them, but cannot.
Thus ends this month, with my head and mind mighty full and disquiett because of my accounts, which I have let go too long, and confounded my publique with my private that I cannot come to any liquidating of them. However, I do see that I must be grown richer than I was by a good deale last month.
Busy also I am in thoughts for a husband for my sister, and to that end my wife and I have determined that she shall presently go into the country to my father and mother, and consider of a proffer made them for her in the country, which, if she likes, shall go forward.
20 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"Lord! what a deale of do I have to understand any part of them"
"deale of do "
"to-do; trouble: 'common in 17th cent.' (OED)" (L&M Large Glossary)
Lawrence • Link
"with my head and mind mighty full and disquiett because of my accounts, which I have let go too long, and confounded my publique with my private that I cannot come to any liquidating of them"
I feel, that here is a lesson well learned? do not put of till tomorrow, what ye can do today, I hope my son is reading this?
Robert Gertz • Link
"However, I do see that I must be grown richer than I was by a good deale last month. Busy also I am in thoughts for a husband for my sister, and to that end my wife and I have determined that she shall presently go into the country to my father and mother, and consider of a proffer made them for her in the country, which, if she likes, shall go forward."
Does this mean Pall is with Sam and Bess now? I know the "servant" thing had failed miserably and she'd gone to Brampton before. Has she been here at Seething (And therefore truly Seething) Lane all the while as Sam was reviewing his options for shoving her off onto Harmon or some other lucky fellow?
Of course he did mention the idea of bringing her up so Bess could work her magic to make her presentable as a catch... So, the poor kid's been here and Sam deeming her so beneath notice that his only mention of her has been the negotiations?
Perhaps now we know why Alice fled...
Servants in chorus...
"Quit, Professor Pepys...Oh, quit Professor Pepys...
Knock off now or briefly we will quit, Professor Pepys...
A, not Ah
O, not Ooo
Don't say raine...Say rain.
Curt doesn't do it.
A lady doesn't hit.
Don't say 'get lost, ya bloody...' say 'quite charmed to meet you, sir'."
Jane, groaning...This what I come back for?
"It's hopeless as my Tangier accounts." sighs Sam.
"Nonsense...Paulina, once again. 'I do hope sir you do not think I'm vain?'" bat of eyes. "Keep the beat."
"'Go to hell you stupid bloody twit.'" bat of eyes.
"Paulina..."
"I kept the beat and mine's better anyway. Is that how you catched me brother here?"
"Certainly not...We met on an intellectual plane."
Sam blinking...
"...But that will come in time. First you have to stop frightening the fellows away."
"Why? The only ones Sam has brought me are a bunch of schemers who only want to touch him for contracts or think I'll bring some money with me. That clod Harmon..."
"Harmon is not a clod! Bit too clever for his own good, perhaps but that would have turned to your benefit, sister."
"I could break his arm like that."
"Not what we're trying to achieve here, Paulina." Bess sighs.
"What? A marriage like yours..." eyes Bess, then Sam...
"Made in Heaven..." Sam notes fondly.
Pall rolling eyes...Not how Jane tells it...Or Alice...Or Susan...Or...
"Paulina...I can either help you or you can spend your life alone with your parents in Brampton." Bess notes.
"Help me what? Strut around like a Frenchie what got no money but a lot of..."
"Pall!"
"We prefer to call it...Joie de vivre."
"Pa says it's nothing but pulling your dress down and..."
"Pall!!"
"...But you can call it whatever you like." Bess, unruffled. "The point is, it's either that or Brampton on the next cart."
"The very next cart." Sam chimes in.
Hmmn...
"And if you tried hard, it might be some one nice..."
"If 'e'd fall for this load of..., he'd have to be some one I could..."
"Count on to rule with a gentle hand..." Bess nods.
"...could wipe up the floor with, I'd say. You think I could get one with money?"
"I know I pray to God constantly for such a miracle." Sam notes fervently.
Hmmn... "Maybe one who'd stay up in the country all the time like cousin Jane Turner's?...And me in a nice London house."
Bess eyes Sam...Sam eyes Bess...
"Well..."
"If me brother could talk his way into his job...And all those jobbers scrambling to hand him money." Pall nods thoughtfully.
"Paulina...That is hardly what I..."
"'I do hope sir you do not think I'm vaine...Vain.'" eye bat.
"Again...Try the other line. And smile."
"'Oh sir, I fear my heart doth work in vain.'" flutter, smile, curtsy.
"I think she's got it...I think she's got it."
Lawrence • Link
I read it robert, that Pepys' wife will shortly go into the country to put her penny's worth in, as like Sam? I think I'd pass such a thing into my wife's court? as for the money side, there would be strict instructions for her to follow! ha ha!
Robert Gertz • Link
If so and I think you're right Lawrence, that's sure to be just what the Brampton Pepyses dearly desire...Having their fate decided by the half-French... er,sis/daughter-in-law.
"Paulina, Paulina...Mon dieu, I have got a match for you...Young, thrify. Alright, he's sixty-two. But he's a good man, a fine catch...For you."
"Shut up, Johnny."
"Now, sister Pall..." solemn tones of a certain relation known mutually as His Priggishness... "In the state to which God Almighty himself has seen fit to call myself to...I must find it necessary to do something about those attached to me, however difficult, nay even hopeless the task..."
"Me task'll be to give thee a sore arse, Johnny."
"Now, Paulina...And here be our great lady coming down herself to see our ole Pall properly hitched."
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... I am in thoughts for a husband for my sister, and to that end my wife and I have determined that she shall presently go into the country to my father and mother, and consider of a proffer made them for her in the country, which, if she likes, shall go forward."
Interesting that even with his father still living SP has taken over the parental role entirely for this marriage transaction and not just the London end of any negotiations: he who is providing the dowry gets to call the shots, I suppose.
Mary • Link
he who is providing the dowry....
This is surely the case. John Pepys is, we understand, eking out a fairly straitened living in the country and has no capital to offer with Paulina. Being himself in large measure dependent on son Samuel, he is in no position to dictate the kind of settlement that is to be made or with whom the match shall be agreed. If Sam is to provide the dowry, he wants to be sure that his money is dispensed wisely.
Tony Eldridge • Link
my accounts, which I have let go too long, and confounded my publique with my private
An old lesson - if you are going to keep two sets of books, keep 'em well.
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... I have determined that she shall presently go into the country to my father and mother, and consider of a proffer made them for her in the country, which, if she likes, shall go forward."
So far as his own family is concerned, SP is sounding more and more like a male version of Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Robert Gertz • Link
Oooh...Does this mean Bess is cast in the Mr. Collins role?
Jesse • Link
"I am in thoughts for a husband for my sister"
It's been some time since Pepys began assuming the role of paterfamilias, no doubt in correlation w/his increasing wealth and position in society. What's interesting is that he's delegating to Elizabeth who, IMHO, hasn't really shown herself to be cut out for this sort of task and, as noted above, will have to face up to rest of the clan.
Albatross • Link
I can only imagine that going back in time with a laptop, a printer, and a copy of Microsoft Excel would probably leave Sam weeping for joy. I'll put that on my list of things to do, right after "Offer young Bill Gates some startup capital."
Terry Foreman • Link
For two months Pepys has been distracted by Sandwich's departure, its aftermath and the sittings at Hayls:
Wednesday 28 February 1665/66
"And thus ends this month, with my mind full of resolution to apply myself better from this time forward to my business than I have done these six or eight days, visibly to my prejudice both in quiett of mind and setting backward of my business, that I cannot give a good account of it as I ought to do." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
However: Sunday 4 March 1665/66
"(Lord’s day). And all day at my Tangier and private accounts, having neglected them since Christmas, which I hope I shall never do again; for I find the inconvenience of it, it being ten times the labour to remember and settle things. But I thank God I did it at last, and brought them all fine and right; and I am, I thinke, by all appears to me (and I am sure I cannot be 10l. wrong), worth above 4600l., for which the Lord be praised! being the biggest sum I ever was worth yet." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
I wonder whether SP has left enough of a track record in his Journall to bring his own records forward?
A. De Araujo • Link
"but I hope God will forgive me........confounded my publique with my private"
Something fishy in here!
cgs • Link
Do not forget that snag of prize monies that may be in the right hand column or are they in the left hand column.
When fiddling, have a great memory.
Rule of thumb; never mix the tea muney with the pleasure muney, or pay packet.
Samuell be so lucky that he has no toxic assets, just coin of the realm and few IOU sticks and no tickets. His wealth is not based on the perceived value of his watch if he has to pawn it, does not count the silver ware, or the horse[less] carriage, or other unproductive gizmos, just old fashioned real materials, not illusions of borrowed grandeur.
It be strange , a penniless pan-handler will be incarcerated but well spoken man owing everyone ooodles will live in luxury until there be no means of collecting, then the Styx will be available for his personnel use..
cgs • Link
Samuell, are yee watching Threadneedle street and Lumbarde street on this day ?
Michael Robinson • Link
Oooh…Does this mean Bess is cast in the Mr. Collins role?
Robert, your revaluations are awaited with bated breath ...
Robert Gertz • Link
Sam's willingness to entrust Bess with this one does suggest a certain respect for her abilities...And he did consult her earlier regarding Tom. On her part awful as the prospect of another trip to Brampton must be, given her last disasterous visit, she did seem to hook up better with Margaret when Mrs. Pepys visited London earlier and the chance to lord it over the family as arbiter of Pall's fate must have a certain appeal.
"Everything in triplicate...Signatures..." Sam notes sternly.
"Check." Bess nods.
"Make sure you see the property if any. Call in Talbot if you need an assessment."
"Check." Anticipating... "Note all furniture. And see at least the dowry cash up front..." grin.
"Very good, darling."
"Sam'l...You never did this when we courted. You really were insane over me, weren't you?"
"Completely out of my head...And look at the clothes in the closets and cabinets as well as what he and his are wearing."
"Check." dutiful nod. "Ummn...It is ok if he's good-looking and kind?"
"What? Oh, yes...Certainly..." off-hand wave. "So long as it doesn't affect his business judgments."
"Check."
"And watch out for long-term commitments from me...Sign nothing that calls for anything but the dowry unless you have my approval."
"Double check...I've no desire to be paying for this fellow for the next twenty years." she nods.
"Right..." Sam sighs, eyeing Balty waiting to escort his sister to the coach for Brampton.
Laura • Link
I often wonder how it would be to have a husband chosen for you, and no hope for divorce. Much like playing wheel of fortune. Do you win an ambitious man, a drunkard, a wife beater, a loony? Parents often looked to the best advantages of the family, and gave not a thought of to whom they were actually marrying their children to.
Laura • Link
I often wonder how it would be to have a husband chosen for you, and no hope for divorce. Much like playing wheel of fortune. Do you win an ambitious man, a drunkard, a wife beater, a loony? Parents often looked to the best advantages of the family, and gave not a thought of to whom they were actually marrying their children to.