Monday 11 February 1666/67

Up, and by water to the Temple, and thence to Sir Ph. Warwicke’s about my Tangier warrant for tallies, and there met my Lord Bellasses and Creed, and discoursed about our business of money, but we are defeated as to any hopes of getting [any] thing upon the Poll Bill, which I seem but not much troubled at, it not concerning me much. Thence with Creed to Westminster Hall, and there up and down, and heard that Prince Rupert is still better and better; and that he did tell Dr. Troutbecke expressly that my Lord Sandwich is ordered home. I hear, too, that Prince Rupert hath begged the having of all the stolen prize-goods which he can find, and that he is looking out anew after them, which at first troubled me; but I do see it cannot come to anything, but is done by Hayes, or some of his little people about him. Here, among other newes, I bought the King’s speech at proroguing the House the other day, wherein are some words which cannot but import some prospect of a peace, which God send us! After walking a good while in the Hall, it being Term time, I home by water, calling at Michell’s and giving him a fair occasion to send his wife to the New Exchange to meet my wife and me this afternoon. So home to dinner, and after dinner by coach to Lord Bellasses, and with him to Povy’s house, whom we find with Auditor Beale and Vernatty about their accounts still, which is never likely to have end. Our business was to speak with Vernatty, who is certainly a most cunning knave as ever was born. Having done what we had to do there, my Lord carried me and set me down at the New Exchange, where I staid at Pottle’s shop till Betty Michell come, which she did about five o’clock, and was surprised not to ‘trouver my muger’ there; but I did make an excuse good enough, and so I took ‘elle’ down, and over the water to the cabinet-maker’s, and there bought a dressing-box for her for 20s., but would require an hour’s time to make fit. This I was glad of, thinking to have got ‘elle’ to enter to a ‘casa de biber’, but ‘elle’ would not, so I did not much press it, but suffered ‘elle’ to enter ‘a la casa de uno de sus hermanos’, and so I past my time walking up and down, and among other places, to one Drumbleby, a maker of flageolets, the best in towne. He not within, my design to bespeak a pair of flageolets of the same tune, ordered him to come to me in a day or two, and so I back to the cabinet-maker’s and there staid; and by and by Betty comes, and here we staid in the shop and above seeing the workmen work, which was pretty, and some exceeding good work, and very pleasant to see them do it, till it was late quite dark, and the mistresse of the shop took us into the kitchen and there talked and used us very prettily, and took her for my wife, which I owned and her big belly, and there very merry, till my thing done, and then took coach and home … [in the way tomando su mano and putting it where I used to do; which ella did suffer, but not avec tant de freedom as heretofore, I perceiving plainly she had alguns apprehensions de me, but I did offer natha more then what I had often done. – L&M] But now comes our trouble, I did begin to fear that ‘su marido’ might go to my house to ‘enquire pour elle’, and there, ‘trouvant’ my ‘muger’ —[wife in Spanish.]— at home, would not only think himself, but give my ‘femme’ occasion to think strange things. This did trouble me mightily, so though ‘elle’ would not seem to have me trouble myself about it, yet did agree to the stopping the coach at the streete’s end, and ‘je allois con elle’ home, and there presently hear by him that he had newly sent ‘su mayde’ to my house to see for her mistresse. This do much perplex me, and I did go presently home Betty whispering me behind the ‘tergo de her mari’, that if I would say that we did come home by water, ‘elle’ could make up ‘la cose well satis’, and there in a sweat did walk in the entry ante my door, thinking what I should say a my ‘femme’, and as God would have it, while I was in this case (the worst in reference a my ‘femme’ that ever I was in in my life), a little woman comes stumbling to the entry steps in the dark; whom asking who she was, she enquired for my house. So knowing her voice, and telling her ‘su donna’ is come home she went away. But, Lord! in what a trouble was I, when she was gone, to recollect whether this was not the second time of her coming, but at last concluding that she had not been here before, I did bless myself in my good fortune in getting home before her, and do verily believe she had loitered some time by the way, which was my great good fortune, and so I in a-doors and there find all well. So my heart full of joy, I to the office awhile, and then home, and after supper and doing a little business in my chamber I to bed, after teaching Barker a little of my song.

21 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I bought the King's speech at proroguing the House the other day, wherein are some words which cannot but import some prospect of a peace, which God send us!"

King's Speech.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I thank you for this other Bill of Supply which you have given Me; and I assure you, the Money shall be laid out for the Ends it is given. I hope we shall live to have Bills of this Nature in the old Stile, with fewer Provisos. I looked to have had somewhat offered to Me concerning the Accompts of the Money that hath been already raised since the War; which since you have not done, I will take Care (after so much Noise) that the same be not stifled, but will issue out My Commission in the Manner I formerly promised the House of Peers: And the Commissioners shall have very much to answer, if they do not discover all Matters of Fraud and Cozenage.

"The Season of the Year is very far spent, in which our Enemies have got great Advantages over us; but, by the Grace of GOD, I will make all the Preparations I can, and as fast as I can. And yet I must tell you, that if any good Overtures be made for an Honourable Peace, I will not reject them; and I believe all sober Men will be glad to see it brought to pass.

"I shall now prorogue you till towards Winter, that you may in your several Places intend the Peace and Security of your several Countries, where there are unquiet Spirits enough working. And I do pray you, and I do expect it from you, that you will use your utmost Endeavours to remove all those false Imaginations in the Hearts of the People, which the Malice of ill Men have industriously infused into them, of I know not what Jealousies and Grievances; for I must tell you again, and I am sure I am in the right, that the People had never so little Cause to complain of Oppression and Grievances as they have had since My Return to you. If the Taxes and Impositions are heavy upon them, you will put them in Mind, that a War with such powerful Enemies cannot be maintained without Taxes; and I am sure the Money raised thereby comes not into My Purse.

"I shall add no more, but that I promise Myself all good Effects from your Affections and Wisdoms, where-ever you are. And I hope we shall meet again of One Mind, for My Honour, and the Good of the Kingdom.

"And now, My Lord Privy Seal, do as I have directed you."

Whereupon the Lord Privy Seal said,
Parliament prorogued.

"My Lords; and you, Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, of the House of Commons;

"It is His Majesty's Pleasure, that this Parliament be prorogued to the Tenth Day of October next. And accordingly this Parliament is prorogued to the Tenth Day of October next."

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

Michael Robinson  •  Link

"I bought the King’s speech at proroguing the House the other day, ..."

His Majestie’s most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament, on Friday the 8th of February, 1666. At their prorogation.
[London] : In the Savoy, printed by the assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, His Majesties printers, 1666 [i.e. 1667]

fo., 6, [2] p. ; Year in title and imprint are given according to 'Lady Day dating;' the last leaf with a colophon on recto. Wing (2nd ed., 1994), C3142

Reprinted in quarto: Edinburgh, Evan Tyler, Wing (2nd ed., 1994) C3143, and Dublin, John Crooke, Wing (CD-ROM, 1996), C3144; the latter titled as " With the speech of S. Edw. Turnor, Kt. Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons, to the Kings most excellent Majesty."

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Ah, the ellipsis

“…. And the mistress of the shop took us into the kitchen and there talked and used us very prettily; and took her for my wife, which I owned and her big belly; and there very merry till my thing done, and then took coach and home, in the way tomando su mano and putting it where I used to do; which ella did suffer, but not avec tant de freedom as heretofore, I perceiving plainly she had alguns apprehensions de me, but I did offer natha more than what I had often done. But now comes our trouble; I did begin to fear that su marido might go to my house to enquire por ella, and there trovando mi moher at home, would not only think himself, but give my femme occasion to think strange things. ….”

http://www.pepys.info/bits5.html

cum salis grano  •  Link

"...his little people about him..."

Ruben  •  Link

"Cozenage":
Fraud - deceit

Tony Eldridge  •  Link

One of the joys of Sam's diary is the equality of description of both his triumphs and his fears. This is one of the best descriptions I have read of a guilty husband trying to decide what to say to his wife, not knowing in advance what she knows.
Unlike some of his other ladies, Sam's declaration of love for Betty Michell may have some truth in it - after all, she's not letting him get very far and now it appears she is heavily pregnant. So maybe it's not just lust. I'd like to think so.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

A little comic relief today, of which Sam seems quite conscious and couldn't resist preserving in detail for posterity. Poor Betty...First "uncle Pepys" pulls his little game of showing up without Bess, then she has to help him out with her husband. Thank God for slow little ladies...

So Sam is not doing his little gropings quite out in the open about Bess, seeing he feared she might put two-and-two together today. What an exciting game for our hero this all must be...However miserable poor pregnant Betty might feel, not to mention Bess should she catch on. I doubt there's any great love here, though he seems affectionate toward Betty at times and notes she looks like a younger Bess.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"A dressing box, ma'am? You say a friend had one made by me."

"Your name was carved on it, though Mrs. Michell had forgotten who you were."

"Mrs...Michell? Hmmn, no...Name's not familiar. We did do a very nice one two weeks ago for a Mrs. Pepys."

"Mrs...?"

"Pepys, ma'am. She and her husband spent the afternoon having one made. Very affectionate husband, Mr. Pepys. Though I think Mrs. Pepys was a bit under the...Ma'am?"

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"Ma'am?"

"Yes...Do you think you could make mine about six feet by two? I believe I'll have something large and stupid to put in there."

Stan  •  Link

In his speech the king refers to himself in the first person unlike our present queen who uses the third person.

When and why did royalty switch to the third person?

Martin  •  Link

What makes you think that, Stan?

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17…

First person singular throughout.

The over-use of "one" for "I" which shows up in caricatures of the Queen's speech patterns is an early C20 upper-class affectation which doesn't have anything in particular to do with royalty.

JWB  •  Link

"...a most cunning knave as ever was born."

With the name Philbert Vernatty what else would one expect? Sounds staight out of Sinclair Lewis to me. Better to have been named "Sue"(straight out of Johnny Cash).

Carl in Boston  •  Link

Povy’s house, whom we find with Auditor Beale and Vernatty about their accounts still, which is never likely to have end. Our business was to speak with Vernatty, who is certainly a most cunning knave as ever was born.
One, or the perpendicular pronoun I, find(s) Sam a fitting study for a Master's in Business Administration.

Susan Scott  •  Link

As panicky as Sam becomes trying to cover his tracks with Betty, there's also a certain poignancy to him pretending that he's Betty's husband and the cause of her "big belly", while he and Elizabeth have been married for some time without any signs of children.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

That is a great name...Philbert Vernatty. Well, Phil...Welcome to Immortality, courtesy Samuel Pepys.

Heaven...

"'Cunning knave'? That wretched little pickpurse of a naval clerk. Why I was the one honest man in that whole crew."

"Try being 'pretty harmless' for all Eternity." John sighs.

cum salis grano  •  Link

cozenage [addon to Ruben]
OED
[f. COZEN v. + -AGE. In form originally identical with COUSINAGE, whence many word-plays. The most usual 17th c. spellings were cousenage, couzenage; cozenage has prevailed since c 1710.]

The practice or habit of cozening; cheating, deception, fraud; the fact of being cheated.

1583 STUBBES Anat. Abus. II. 48 Dissimulation, coosonage and guile.
1598 BARRET Theor. Warres V. i. 148 Whosoeuer shall vse any shifting, or cosenage..or any maner of false play.
1614 T. ADAMS Devil's Banquet 31 Iudas [cannot] swallow downe his cousenage and treason.
1679 DRYDEN Troilus & Cr. V. ii, Forces us to pay for our own cozenage.

b. (with a and pl.) An act of cozening; a deception, a fraud; a result or embodiment of cozening, a piece of deception.
1592 NASHE P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 27a, In Playes, all coosonages..are most liuely anatomized.
1594 LYLY Moth. Bomb. I. i, Then you shall see an exquisite coosnage.
1624 HEYWOOD Gunaik. IV. 186 One that for cousenages and forgeries had lost his eares.
To cozen
[Derivation uncertain.
The earliest trace of the word appears to be in the derivative cousoner in Awdelay's Fraternitie of Vacaboundes, 1561 (see COZENER); it is not improbable that it arose among the vagabond class. It has generally been associated with COUSIN n., and compared with F. cousiner, explained by Cotgrave, 1611, as ‘to clayme kindred for aduantage, or particular ends; as he, who to saue charges in trauelling, goes from house to house, as cosin to the owner of euerie one’, by Littré as ‘faire le parasite sous prétexte de cousinage’. From this it is not far to a transitive sense ‘to cheat, beguile, under pretext of cousinship’: cf. also the phrase ‘to make a cousin of’ under COUSIN 8. Still, the transition is not evidenced in our quotations for this vb.; and it is noteworthy that while in cousin n. the ending -in predominates, this verb has sometimes -on, most commonly -en, the prevalent 17th. c. forms being cousen, couzen, cosen, cozen, the latter of which became the established form c1710. In view of these difficulties, Mr. Smythe Palmer has suggested derivation from It. cozzonare, explained by Florio 1598-1611 as ‘to play the horse-breaker or courser..Also, to play the craftie knaue’, deriv. of cozzone, ‘a horse-breaker..a horse-courser. Also, a craftie knaue’. But this also presents difficulties, which the extant evidence is not sufficient to remove.]

1. trans. To cheat, defraud by deceit.

JWB  •  Link

THE COMPANY OF COUSONERS AND SHIFTERS
"These kind of ydle Vacabondes wyll go commonly well appareled without Oo f i 0 any weapon and in place where they meete together as at their hosteryes or other places they wyll beare the port of ryght good gentlemen & some are the more trusted but commonly thei pay them with stealing a paire of sheetes or Couerlet & so take their farewell earely in the morning before the mayster or dame be slurring. P7,"The Fraternitye of Vacobondes"

http://books.google.com/books?id=…

Second Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Saturday 27 October 1666

"Up, and there comes to see me my Lord Belasses, which was a great honor. He tells me great news, yet but what I suspected, that Vernatty is fled, and so hath cheated him and twenty more, but most of all, I doubt, Mr. Povy."

Or not, apparently. I wish Pepys was more helpful with his story lines!

https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... Prince Rupert is still better and better; and that he did tell Dr. Troutbecke expressly that my Lord Sandwich is ordered home. I hear, too, that Prince Rupert hath begged the having of all the stolen prize-goods which he can find, and that he is looking out anew after them, which at first troubled me; but I do see it cannot come to anything, but is done by Hayes, or some of his little people about him."

At first I thought Rupert wanted Sandwich home so he would be available to lead the fleet this fighting season. But no, Rupert is starting a treasure hunt for the "missing" prize goods, and wants to keep what he finds. Pepys doesn't take this seriously, but notes it's to be carried out by James Hayes and some of his "little people" -- oh Pepys! Nasty!

Yet on October 24, 1666 Pepys thought "Mr. Hayes, Prince Rupert’s Secretary, a very ingenious man, and one, I think, fit to contract some friendship with." Mr. Hayes must have rebuffed him as this is the last mention of this ingenious man. But what's the betting we'll hear more about the trouble created by his "little people"?

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