Wednesday 8 May 1667
Up pretty betimes and out of doors, and in Fen Church street met Mr. Lovett going with a picture to me, but I could not stand to discourse or see it, but on to the next hackney coach and so to Sir W. Coventry, where he and I alone a while discoursing of some businesses of the office, and then up to the Duke of York to his chamber with my fellow brethren who are come, and so did our usual weekly business, which was but little to-day, and I was glad that the business of Carcasse was not mentioned because our report was not ready, but I am resolved it shall against the next coming to the Duke of York. Here was discourse about a way of paying our old creditors which did please me, there being hopes of getting them comprehended within the 11 months Tax, and this did give occasion for Sir G. Carteret’s and my going to Sir Robert Long to discourse it, who do agree that now the King’s Council do say that they may be included in the Act, which do make me very glad, not so much for the sake of the poor men as for the King, for it would have been a ruin to him and his service not to have had a way to have paid the debt. There parted with Sir G. Carteret and into Westminster Hall, where I met with Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to Sir Ph. Warwicke’s to speak a little about our Tangier business, but to little purpose, my Lord Treasurer being so ill that no business can be done. Thence with Sir H. Cholmly to find out Creed from one lodging to another, which he hath changed so often that there is no finding him, but at last do come to his lodging that he is entering into this day, and do find his goods unlading at the door, by Scotland Yard, and there I set down Sir H. Cholmly, and I away to the ’Change, where spoke about several things, and then going home did meet Mr. Andrews our neighbour, and did speak with him to enquire about the ground behind our house, of which I have a mind to buy enough to make a stable and coach-house; for I do see that my condition do require it, as well as that it is more charge to my purse to live as I do than to keep one, and therefore I am resolved before winter to have one, unless some extraordinary thing happens to hinder me. He promises me to look after it for me, and so I home to dinner, where I find my wife’s flageolette master, and I am so pleased with her proceeding, though she hath lost time by not practising, that I am resolved for the encouragement of the man to learn myself a little for a month or so, for I do foresee if God send my wife and I to live, she will become very good company for me. He gone, comes Lovett with my little print of my dear Lady Castlemayne varnished, and the frame prettily done like gold, which pleases me well. He dined with me, but by his discourse I do still see that he is a man of good wit but most strange experience, and acquaintance with all manner of subtleties and tricks, that I do think him not fit for me to keep any acquaintance with him, lest he some time or other shew me a slippery trick. After dinner, he gone, I to the office, where all the afternoon very busy, and so in the evening to Sir R. Viner’s, thinking to finish my accounts there, but am prevented, and so back again home, and late at my office at business, and so home to supper and sing a little with my dear wife, and so to bed.
22 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"the 11 months Tax"
See the links to the statutory authority
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Terry Foreman • Link
John Evelyn's Diary
8th May, 1667. Made up accounts with our Receiver, which amounted to £33,93 1s. 4d. Dined at Lord Cornbury's [ Clarendon ] , with Don Francisco de Melos, Portugal Ambassador, and kindred to the Queen [ http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… ]; Of the party were Mr. Henry Jermyn [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henr… ] and Sir Henry Capel
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henr… ]. Afterward I went to Arundel House, to salute Mr. Howard's sons, newly returned out of France.
http://bit.ly/9cjrV7
Bradford • Link
"he is a man of good wit but most strange experience, and acquaintance with all manner of subtleties and tricks": the Pot recognizes the Kettle?
"I do foresee if God send my wife and I to live, she will become very good company for me." If we should see what lies ahead as we now know what lurks behind. . . .
JWB • Link
"...as well as that it is more charge to my purse to live as I do than to keep one..."
One born every minute.
Eric Walla • Link
... and if I add but a small amount to the total, I find I would receive heated seats in the carriage, which would be most convenient, plus they would throw in mudguards for free ...
cum salis grano • Link
"...is more charge to my purse to live as I do than to keep one,..."
"cheaper to have one's own limo than to hire one"
Taxis be expensive and oats cheap, and the freedom to move as one wishes and it be on time every time and of course the prestige of having your first Roller with your own moniker on the doors , curtains down and no one can see the must not be seen, oh! the possibilities.
James ! round the park we must a go.
Mary • Link
"my dear wife"
A singular sign of affection from Sam. She's usually "my poor wife."
Michael Robinson • Link
" ... Lovett with my little print of my dear Lady Castlemayne varnished, and the frame prettily done like gold, ..."
Very probably one of the impressions purchased December 1st:
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by William Faithorne, after Sir Peter Lely
line engraving, 1666. 14 in. x 11 in. (356 mm x 280 mm) plate size;
http://www.npg.org.uk/collections…
” … calling at Faythorne’s, buying three of my Lady Castlemayne’s heads, printed this day, which indeed is, as to the head, I think, a very fine picture, and like her.” http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Delivered to Lovett on January 21st.:
At home find Lovett, to whom I did give my Lady Castlemayne’s head to do. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
JWB • Link
"...that they may be included in the Act, which do make me very glad, not so much for the sake of the poor men as for the King."
Kant, Kant...
Where art thou?
The political world hath need of thee.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Up pretty betimes and out of doors, and in Fen Church street met Mr. Lovett going with a picture to me, but I could not stand to discourse or see it, but on to the next hackney coach and so to Sir W. Coventry..."
"Lovett. Time, money...Wartime, exponentially so. Pray understand. Farewell."
JWB • Link
Kant: "The rights of men must be held sacred, however much sacrifice it may cost the ruling power. One cannot compromise here and seek the middle course of a pragmatic conditional law between the morally right and the expedient. All politics must bend its knee before the right. But by this it can hope slowly to reach the stage where it will shine with an immortal glory."
Appendix I, "Perpetual Peace".
http://www.constitution.org/kant/…
Robert Gertz • Link
"There you are, sir. The one copy of my portrait of our Lady Castlemaine. Signed by me, sir."
"Yes...Excellent, Lovett. I shall treasure its uniqueness. In private, you understand..."
"Certainly, Mr. Pepys." Bow. Shuts door.
"All right, that's another Castlemaine gone...How many to go?"
"500, Mr. Lovett."
"Lord... Hendricks, my note specified 50 only. Don't the words 'limited edition' mean anything to you?"
"Not really, sir. Can't read for beans, sir. Did rather recognize the numbers, sir as being like the last order, sir."
"Yes, but that was when Castlemaine was hot. Tis Stewart that's drawing them in now. Now, 500 Stewarts, we can use."
***
Tonight...
"Sam'l. Who is this?"
nangh...Lord almighty. Sam stares at incriminating minature.
"Jane found it on the floor of your closet while cleaning."
Possible responses:
1) "Creed must have dropped it when he was here. The silly rogue."
2) "Jane? What were you doing in my closet, girl? Are we letting the servants rummaging everywhere now?"
3)"What minature?" Grab and toss out window. "I saw no minature."
4)"Good God, woman! There's a war on and you would bother me with such nonsense?"
5)"I must be off to Deptford (Westminister, the Exchange, Whitehall, etc) immediately. There is an emergency only I can resolve."
6)"That fool Lovett. He sent the wrong minature!"
5)
Andrew Hamilton • Link
so home to supper and sing a little with my dear wife
A lovely matrimonial harmony.
Do they sing parts, I wonder?
martinb • Link
"I do foresee if God send my wife and I to live, she will become very good company for me."
Sad, this.
Robert Gertz • Link
You do get a sense of Sam trying to balance sincere love for his wife with his desperate desire to enjoy all life has to offer before time runs out. And the pain he will feel at finding Fate/God/Destiny has played a vicious joke on him.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"I have a mind to buy enough to make a stable and coach-house; for I do see that my condition do require it, as well as that it is more charge to my purse to live as I do than to keep one, and therefore I am resolved before winter to have one, unless some extraordinary thing happens to hinder me."
L&M: There were difficulties in the acquisition of a coach house, and the coach itself was not bought until November 1668.
Terry Foreman • Link
"so I home to dinner, where I find my wife’s flageolette master, and I am so pleased with her proceeding, though she hath lost time by not practising, that I am resolved for the encouragement of the man to learn myself a little for a month or so"
L&M: Pepys could already play the flageolet:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… For the arranging of these lessons, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
The master was Thomas Greeting.
mountebank • Link
"I do still see that he is a man of good wit but most strange experience, and acquaintance with all manner of subtleties and tricks, that I do think him not fit for me to keep any acquaintance with him, lest he some time or other shew me a slippery trick"
I find this revealing of the character of Pepys, at least insofar as he sees himself. In the words of Tony Blair "I'm a pretty straight sort of guy".
San Diego Sarah • Link
Evelyn: "Afterward I went to Arundel House, to salute Mr. Howard's sons, newly returned out of France."
Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk (12 July 1628 – 13 January 1684) was an English nobleman and politician. After the Great Fire of London, Howard gave away the greater part of his library, and loaned the grounds and rooms at Arundel House on the Strand to the Royal Society. He was the second son of Henry Howard, 22nd Earl of Arundel, and Lady Elizabeth Stuart. Henry succeeded his older brother Thomas Howard, 5th Duke of Norfolk after Thomas' death in 1677. The sons Evelyn probably met were Henry, later 7th Duke of Norfolk, KG PC Earl Marshal (11 January 1655 – 2 April 1701) and Lord Thomas Howard (1662–1689).
San Diego Sarah • Link
Evelyn: ”Dined at Lord Cornbury's, with Don Francisco de Melos, Portugal Ambassador, and kindred to the Queen: Of the party were Mr. Henry Jermyn and Sir Henry Capel.”
Henry Hyde, Lord Cornbury, was the son of Chancellor Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. Henry was Lord Chamberlain to Queen Catherine of Braganza.
Henry, Lord Jermyn of Bury St. Edmunds was rewarded for his services to King Charles and Queen Henrietta Maria with the earldom of St. Albans at the Restoration, and remained the Queen Mother Henrietta Maria’s principal servant until her death in 1669. He must also have recently returned from Paris where he was so badly misused.
When Charles II returned to England in 1661, he went out of his way to reward the families of men like the late Baron Capell. In this case that meant the son, Arthur Capell, was invested with the title of Earl of Essex, complete with substantial landholdings. Charles II needed able and trustworthy servants. Arthur Capell, Earl of Essex needed purpose. However, Charles and Arthur had little in common. Where Charles was witty and expansive, a man who embraced life to the full and who had every intention of enjoying what time he had left on Earth – a fully understandable approach, given years in exile and penury –- Arthur was all about about integrity and duty. Charles was open-minded and tolerant -- Arthur Capell was selectively open-minded and not so tolerant, finding the moral lassitude at court disgusting. Soon, despite Charles II finding his Earl of Essex poor company, he will sent him off as ambassador to Denmark for a couple of years.
And Don Francisco de Melos, the Portuguese Ambassador, was related to Queen Catherine of Braganza.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Evelyn: "Made up accounts with our Receiver, which amounted to £33,936 1s. 4p.. "
Evelyn was a rich man, but that's a lot of money, and a Receiver leads me to think this was official business, not personal.
My guess is these accounts refer to the Commission for Sick and Wounded and Prisoners. The naval contractor George Cocke was appointed their ‘Receiver’ (cashier) at the beginning of the second AngloDutch War.
San Diego Sarah • Link
I'm wrong -- Terry is right. The Jermyn at dinner is:
Henry Jermyn, later 1st Jacobite Earl of Dover PC (c. 1636–1708) a supporter of James II.
Henry was the second son of Sir Thomas Jermyn, of Rushbrooke, Suffolk, who died in 1659, and his wife Rebecca Rodway, who married secondly Henry, 3rd Viscount Brouncker (making Henry Jermyn a step-brother of Pepys’ colleague, the Commissioner William, Lord Brouncker).
During the Interregnum, Jermyn obtained a post in the household of the Duke of York. Despite strong disapproval by Charles II, he became James' master of the horse at the Restoration, and rode in the Coronation.
Henry Jermyn's most notable conquest was Charles' widowed sister, Mary of Orange, whom he met during the Interregnum, and there were stories they were secretly married. Historians discount these rumors, but Charles II took them seriously, and reprimanded his sister for her lack of discretion, to no effect: Mary sharply reminded her brother that his love affairs hardly entitled him to judge her moral conduct. Charles was especially angry because of the rumors that Jermyn's uncle, Lord St. Albans, had secretly married the Queen Mother.
So, having offended Charles by courting his sister, Jermyn gave further offence by having an affair with Barbara Villiers Palmer (then the chief royal mistress), and he was banished from court for six months.
Henry Jermyn surpassed his uncle, Lord St. Albans, in reputation for profligacy, figuring frequently as "the little Jermyn" in the Grammont Memoirs as the lover of Lady Castlemaine, Lady Shrewsbury, Miss Jennings and other Court beauties.
The little Jermyn was a noted duelist and a lifelong gambler. In an infamous duel with Col. Thomas Howard (younger brother of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle) in August 1662, which Pepys refers to in the Diary, Jermyn was left for dead. He recovered, but his second was killed by Howard's second. The cause of the duel was said to be the rivalry between Jermyn and Howard for the affections of Lady Shrewsbury, who was notorious for her many lovers.
To further complicate Henry's inclusion at this lunch, according to de Grammont, his host's first wife, Theodosia Capel Hyde, had made her affections for Henry Jermyn known, but he preferred Mrs. Palmer. But by now Theodosia was long gone.
Henry Jermyn was a member of The Wits, a group that flourished for about 15 years after 1665, included John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester; Charles, Lord Buckhurst; John Sheffield, Earl of Mulgrave; Henry Killigrew; Sir Charles Sedley, and the playwrights William Wycherley and George Etherege, as well as George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham (who also loved Lady Shrewsbury). (Fraser...King Charles II)
I have no idea how the little Jermyn was earning his living, unless James took him back since they were life-long friends. Henry was a second son, so he had to be doing something.